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Google Pixel 7 official, joined by Pixel Watch

What's happened?

Google has officially announced the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch devices.

This is Google's first foray into smartwatches (that it made itself), while the phones update the Google standard - with new camera skills.

What's my take?

Finally, Google has launched the new phones, opening up pre-orders and showcasing what it wants smartwatches to be.

Most of the interest on the phones will be on the camera and, specifically, zoom performance. Google is bolstering zoom with a 5x optical lens on the Pixel 7 Pro, and promising computational magic to give you great images out to 30x.

On the other hand - pun entirely intended - the Pixel Watch sees Google having a stab at wearables, but I'm currently on the fence about it. The design doesn't look that attractive, which is my first gripe, but the important thing will be the overall experience. Can Google make this better than other wearOS devices?

We'll be bringing you full reviews in the coming week, so stay tuned.

• What's new in the Pixel 7 Pro camera?

Qualcomm may have a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Plus chip on the way

What's happened?

Qualcomm could be getting ready to announce an updated version of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 smartphone chip.

The chip, based on previous naming conventions, is likely to be called the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 1, and be a key component for affordable devices.

What's my take?

Qualcomm has made massive gains in recent years in this mid-range position. What was once the Snapdragon 700 Series - and now the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 - powers many phones at more affordable prices and that's where we've seen some great devices recently.

Taking a step down in hardware means devices are cheaper, which we all like, but the performance only really drops off for those playing hardcore games. Daily use with a Snapdragon 7xx device has generally been very good.

It's shaken up the Android market at least and given rise to phones in the $/£/€400-500 price bracket that are really good. We're looking forward to Snapdragon Summit to see what's next.

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Yubo rolls out innovative age verification to 100% of users

Yubo has been making waves in the social platform market ever since the app started attracting numerous Gen-Z users. Yubo has always taken the matter of user safety quite seriously, but this new approach to age verification is setting a new precedent in the industry when it comes to protecting communities of online users. Read more about it right here.

Genesis GV70 Electrified review: Taking electric EVs up a size

What's happened?

Genesis is a relative newcomer to the UK and Europe. Its the luxury arm of two very familiar brands - Hyundai and Kia - and aims to provide an alternative to some of those premium brands that are so dominant in Europe. The GV70 Electrified sees Genesis offer a fully-electric SUV in a larger size than the excellent Genesis GV60 - and one that wants to be compared to the likes of the Mercedes EQC or Audi e-tron.

Our quick verdict

The combination of sophisticated technology, creature comforts and practicality give the Genesis GV70 Electrified plenty of appeal - while the asking price will beat some rivals too. Read our full review.

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From The Gear Loop

And finally...

Mankind has been crafting all sorts of weird and wonderful inventions since time began. Some of them appeared way before their time and were underappreciated. Take a look at these weird old inventions and curiosities of yesteryear.