The third course in Walkabout Mini Golf’s Passport series takes a trip back to the golden age of filmmaking.
The thirty-ninth course for Walkabout Mini Golf has been confirmed to be Passport: Hollywood. This is the third Passport entry, following trips to Venice and Tokyo. This new DLC is scheduled for March 12 for $4.99.
Prior to VR development, the team at Mighty Coconut spent ten years working animation and VFX for Hollywood features and series. Many of its current team members have film backgrounds, so Passport Hollywood doubles as a love letter to the company’s cinematic roots.
March 12 is also three days before the annual Academy Awards, so the timing for this course lines up with an increased attention on the filmmaking industry.
Passport Hollywood is the first DLC for Walkabout under its new pricing structure, which was announced as part of a restructuring within Mighty Coconut following a twenty five percent staff layoff. There will also be a reduction in DLC courses in 2026, going from seven to six and development of the iOS version will be sunset sometime in the near future.
We will have full coverage of the Passport Hollywood course when it releases next week.
Walkabout Mini Golf is available on Steam, PSVR2, Quest, Pico, and Apple App Store. The game is also available as part of Meta’s Horizon+ subscription service.
Burner accounts on social media sites can increasingly be analyzed to identify the pseudonymous users who post to them using AI in research that has far-reaching consequences for privacy on the Internet, researchers said.
The finding, from a recently published research paper, is based on results of experiments correlating specific individuals with accounts or posts across more than one social media platform. The success rate was far greater than existing classical deanonymization work that relied on humans assembling structured data sets suitable for algorithmic matching or manual work by skilled investigators. Recall—that is, how many users were successfully deanonymized—was as high as 68 percent. Precision—meaning the rate of guesses that correctly identify the user—was up to 90 percent.
I know what you posted last year
The findings have the potential to upend pseudonymity, an imperfect but often sufficient privacy measure used by many people to post queries and participate in sometimes sensitive public discussions while making it hard for others to positively identify the speakers. The ability to cheaply and quickly identify the people behind such obscured accounts opens them up to doxxing, stalking, and the assembly of detailed marketing profiles that track where speakers live, what they do for a living, and other personal information. This pseudonymity measure no longer holds.
Meta has finally brought VR’s favorite block-slashing rhythm game to its Horizon+ subscription service. If you were hoping to jump into Beat Saber’s (2019) massive swath of DLC content though, you’ll still need to toss out a few bucks.
The News
Horizon+ subscribers probably already know the score. Meta says in its terms and conditions that apps in the 100+ catalogue only include the base games themselves, and not free access to paid DLC, in-game currency, etc.
Normally priced at $30, the base comes with 62 free songs which arrived from its eight OST Music Pack drops, Extras, and Camellia Pack. Excluding the 26 purchasable Mixtape and Music Packs released over the years, Meta has brought a total of 239 paid songs to the game—effectively making the bulk of Beat Saber’s content paywalled.
Notably, Horizon+ members must keep paying the $8 per-month subscription price (or $60 annual) to retain access to games. Still, it’s not a bad deal—especially considering every new Quest 3 and Quest 3S purchase comes with a three-month trial.
Popular titles included in the 100+ catalogue include Ghosts of Tabor, Job Simulator, Red Matter, Cubism, Pistol Whip, Moss, Walkabout Mini Golf, Demeo Battles, and Asgard’s Wrath 2.
It also benefits from monthly game drops, with March including Arizona Sunshine Remake and The Pirate: Republic of Nassau. You can see the full list here.
My Take
Meta is essentially making Beat Saber free to all new users, many of whom probably would have bought the game anyway. Granted, that’s through a three-month trial, although it may be enough for users to personally figure out whether the calculus of Horizon+ shakes out in their favor.
It is slightly more insidious than that though. Once you buy a DLC pack for a Horizon+ game like Beat Saber, the sunk cost fallacy takes over. You need to either buy the game once the trial ends, start paying for Horizon+ indefinitely to keep the game and access to DLC, or part ways entirely—knowing you have DLC for a game you don’t actually own, (and will never get a refund for).
By putting its most popular first-party game in Horizon+ though, it says to me that not only is the game possibly nearing end-of-life (or at least end of any heavy-hitting DLC), but that Meta is attempting to make Horizon+ into its biggest revenue streams moving forward—because it’s certainly not funding games like it used to.
That said, Meta announced last month that Horizon+ had topped over one million active subscribers throughout the course of 2025. Nobody really knows how Meta defines “active,” or whether that includes users on the three-month trial, but the company doesn’t tend to reveal user numbers/sales volumes unless they reach significant milestones, making it a first any way you slice it.
We’re at the start of another one of those weeks where Apple announces one or two of its lesser products each day. The first pair to break cover is the iPhone 17e and iPad Air M4, with more due to drop as the calendar rolls forward. The iPhone 17e is by far the more interesting gadget, especially as the price remained the same as for the iPhone 16e. Apple is charging $599 for the 17e, even though the base model storage has doubled to a very welcome 256GB.
The 17e also gains several features that were held back from the equivalent budget handset last year. The most notable is perhaps the addition of MagSafe at Qi2 speeds, enabling users to wirelessly charge their device at 15W. Keen-eyed spec-list nerds will also spot Apple’s C1X proprietary wireless chip, which offers comparable speed to the Qualcomm models it will eventually replace, but with far better power efficiency.
The iPad Air, by comparison, is the very model of a modern major iterative spec revision to keep it up to date. The M3 has been upgraded to an M4, and it’ll get the same home grown wireless chips (N1 and C1X), blessing it with Wi-Fi 7 compatibility. Apple is also adding some more RAM to the iPad Air, boosting it from 8GB to 12GB, but without adding any more digits to the price.
As someone who’s still clinging on to an iPhone 14, the generous storage and low cost of the iPhone 17e is intriguing. And it’s a far more attractive package than whatever Apple was trying to offer with the iPhone Air.
Lenovo rocked up to MWC to show off a concept laptop with hot-swappable components, letting users push around their keyboard and displays at will. The company says you can set up the hardware on your desk to suit your needs at any given time. So, if you need a standard laptop, you can do that, or you can put a second display where your keyboard should go and use your keyboard wirelessly. Sadly, it’s a concept, so while you can purr at Lenovo’s engineering prowess you can’t hand it any of your cash to properly own this thing.
Honor made its usual full-court press at MWC, but the star of its own show was the Robot Phone, due to launch later this year. It’s a smartphone with its own articulating camera gimbal which can move around in response to its user’s commands. The Morning After’s own Mat Smith says it’s able to shake and nod its, uh, “head,” and can even dance along to music. And that’s before you get to its real function to, you know, take photos and stuff.
The combined ParaSkyWarDisco would serve 200 million subscribers.
Paramount Sky CEO David Ellison has outlined his vision for his latest toy, Warner Brothers Discovery. He told investors both companies would merge their streaming services, giving it a global audience of around 200 million subscribers. Ellison also pledged to give HBO operational independence, hopefully meaning it won’t be staffed entirely by patronage appointees.
MWC is such a big show it would be impossible to cover everything we’ve reported on in a single newsletter. But, thankfully, we’ve built a roundup of the most important things for you to peruse, especially all of the biggest phones that you aren’t as likely to see on store shelves in the US.
Meta has started rolling out an experimental AI shopping tool to some users in the US, according to Bloomberg. At the moment, it’s reportedly only showing up on desktop browsers when select users visit Meta AI on the web. They’ll know if they have access to the feature if they see the “Shopping research” button inside the query text box. The company has confirmed that it was testing the feature, Bloomberg said, but it didn’t say when a wider release will happen.
When users ask for product suggestions, the chatbot will show them a carousel with product images and their pricing, along with a link to the e-commerce website and information about the brand. Meta AI will also include a short explanation why it recommended the item. If Meta AI can see a user’s information, such as their gender and location data, it can tailor responses for them. Bloomberg said it replied with a selection of women’s puffer jackets from shops that ship to New York, based on the tester’s profile. Users cannot check out from within the Meta AI interface, but they can click on the links it provides to shop online.
Mark Zuckerberg previously told investors that Meta is launching agentic shopping tools during an earnings call earlier this year. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the company is working on them, when rival AI companies already offer the same tools. OpenAI rolled out a dedicated shopping assistant for ChatGPT just before Black Friday last year, shortly after Google launched its own shopping tools for Gemini. Perplexity also released an AI shopping assistant at the same time.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-starts-testing-its-ai-shopping-assistant-120148124.html?src=rss
It’s been nearly 20 years since Google revealed Android, which the company described as the first “truly open” mobile operating system, setting Google-powered phones apart from the iPhone’s aggressively managed experience. Over time, though, Android has become more aligned with Apple’s approach. For the moment, users still have the final say in what software runs on their increasingly locked-down smartphones. Later this year, though, Google plans to seriously curtail that freedom in the name of security.
In the coming weeks, Google will officially debut Android developer verification, which will require app makers outside the Play Store to register with their real names and pay a fee to Google. Failure to do so will block their apps from installation (sometimes called sideloading) on virtually all Android devices. Google says this is a necessary evolution of the platform’s security model, but upending the status quo could push developers away from Android and risk the privacy of those that remain.
This might make your phone a little safer, sure, but it won’t stop people from getting scammed. At the same time, it could rob the Android ecosystem of what made it special in the first place.
Google Home has some significant new quality-of-life updates and a new AI-powered feature, the division’s head honcho Anish Katturkan announced on X. Many of them, including a function called “Live Search,” are powered by the company’s Gemini for Home service launched in October 2025 as the official replacement for Google Assistant on smart devices.
“We launched Gemini for Home in Early Access specifically to learn from real-world usage,” Katturkaran said. “With millions of you now testing and shaping this experience every day, we’re pushing regular voice improvements to address your feedback.”
The Live Search feature does just what it says, letting you query Gemini about the current state of your home based on what the cameras see. For instance, you can ask things like “Hey Google, is there a car in the driveway?” However, the feature is only available for Google Home Premium advanced subscribers who pay a $20 per month ($200 per year) fee.
Gemini for Home now uses updated models to improve the quality and accuracy of answers too and will more reliably play newly-released songs. Other key updates include better targeting for smart home devices by room, house and device, reduced instances of cutting off a speaker prematurely, better reliability for user-created automations by voice and more. Too see all those changes, check out Google Home’s latest changelog,
Finally, Google Home announced “enhanced support” for the Nest x Yale lock, including comprehensive passcode management (including for guests), a more robust activity history, real-time notifications for lock events and enhanced lock settings like single touch locking.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/googles-homes-latest-feature-is-gemini-powered-live-search-for-cameras-112216551.html?src=rss
Teaching about AI concepts in schools is a tricky business as there are complicated ideas to be taught.
To teach complex concepts, in computer science, we often use an instructional approach called ‘unplugged’. We use the unplugged approach to teach computing concepts without a computer. Often unplugged activities include using an everyday analogy or a physical fun activity. For example, to teach about algorithms, students might learn how to make a jam sandwich where the recipe and following instructions accurately are similar to an algorithm and the steps within it used to write a program. The jam sandwich activity has now become a popular and key teaching experience for young students across the world, as it teaches a complex but fundamental idea in a simple and fun way.
At the January 2026 Raspberry Pi Foundation Research Seminar, Salomey Afua Addo, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, presented her work about how to teach about AI. She has specifically looked at this in the context of high school students in Ghana, where AI is now part of the mandatory curriculum. In Ghana, most schools do not have access to computers, therefore an unplugged approach to teach about AI is a good idea. Therefore, Salomey developed a set of unplugged activities to teach about a range of AI concepts.
Here, I focus on one of the activities that she presented — one that I think will become another ‘jam sandwich’ experience for students. So if you might teach about AI at some point, then read on.
Neural networks and rope: An unplugged activity
Salomey has designed an unplugged role-play activity to teach about neural networks and how they are trained to solve a problem. She focused on finding a familiar problem context for Ghanaian teachers and their students, and selected farming and crop disease. Students are asked to figure out what features about a farm are relevant for detecting diseases on cocoa trees. To solve the problem, students are given data about the farms (see Table 1). Giving students data, rather than preconceived rules about the context is key to the learning activity. Neural networks are data-driven — they provide a way to model given data so that we can make predictions. Here the features of farms, and importantly whether disease is or is not found in their cocoa trees, is the data that is used to train a model. The model is used to make predictions, which can then be used to improve farming by reducing crop disease.
Students using ropes to signify the strength of connections between nodes.
Using farm data, students can learn how neural networks work, and they can do this through an unplugged role play — using ropes!
Here’s how Salomey’s classroom activity works. Sets of students act out the processes of training a neural network, including forward propagation, evaluation, and backpropagation. They take on the “roles’’ of some of the concepts of a neural network. One student acts as the supervisor, six students act as the input layer, two as the hidden layer, and one as the output layer.
Keeping it simple: Concepts and data
Key concepts are simplified for students:
Forward propagation: The hidden layer players randomly select a set of farms (three of the six sets of input values), which reflects how weights are often set to random values at the start.
Evaluation: The student acting as the output layer compares the prediction (whether crop disease is present or not) to the actual value for the farm to assess the error, similar to a loss function.
Backpropagation: Inspired by MIT’s RAISE curriculum, this stage is modelled on establishing trust. Players in the hidden and output layers modify their trust in the previous layers (by adding or removing ropes) based on the accuracy of the prediction (if the farm has disease).
Simple numerical data about the features of the problem are given to the students, such as whether the “Temperature” is suitable (0=No, 1=Yes), if there are “Spots” on the plant (0=No, 1=Yes), if “Fertilizer’’ has been used, whether the “Leaf colour’’ is green or not (see Table 1). Importantly, each of the six features given are represented by the six “input layer” students. So each student can ‘process’ each feature as the data for a given farm is used to train the model. Cards are used to represent the data values passed between layers. And this is where the ropes come into play, as they are used to represent the connections between the nodes in the layers.
Table 1: This data table was given to the student assigned the “Supervisor” role in each group and contains both relevant and irrelevant data to “train” their neural network.
Instructions for each role
Written role-specific instructions are provided for the students to follow, for example, the Supervisor is given three steps to follow for the forward propagation stage, and the Input Layer students receive a different set of instructions and so on. The detail of the role play is shown in the instruction sheets (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Detailed explanation of the eight steps of the role-play activity that Salomey developed. Click to enlarge.
Why the ropes are important
Using ropes to connect the nodes becomes most important at the reverse propagation stage. The clever part of this is that we can show an increase or decrease in the strength of connection by adding or removing ropes. For me, this is the ‘jam sandwich’ effect. This, I think, is probably the most significant learning point. Here, the number of ropes that connect the nodes in the layers are changed based on the strength of evidence that a particular feature is indicated, by the data, to be relevant to the output. In this case, whether “Temperature”, for example, has an implied effect on cocoa disease or not — based on the data, not on any preconceived rule. Simply put, if a farm did have disease then a rope is added, if a farm did not then a rope is removed. Or at a more abstracted level, if a particular neuron contributes towards the correct prediction, a rope is added, otherwise a rope is removed. In a real neural network, backpropagation involves complex maths, such as calculus that would not be accessible to students of this age. Therefore, the rope is an analogy that replaces something that would be impossible for these students to grasp if it was taught using the real-world implementation.
Problem to be solved in the unplugged activity: Identify features that are relevant for detecting diseases
At the end of the activity, features (temperature, leaf color, family farm, etc.) with many rope connections are considered to be relevant for crop disease detection on the farm, whereas features with fewer rope connections are considered to be irrelevant for crop disease detection. The more ropes attached to a particular feature, e.g., temperature, represent its higher relevance in identifying crop disease on the farm.
Activity design, follow-on and evaluation
As part of the design of this activity, Salomey has simplified technical language so that throughout the role play students use everyday terms and she has chosen a context that is relatable for the students. For example, she uses the language of trust, and the new thickness of a rope connection, rather than using technical terms such as weight, loss function, and the error of the network.
Salomey also designed a follow-on activity that uses pen and paper. In this version of the activity, which she calls a board game, the students draw lines to connect the nodes in the layers. The thickness of the lines connecting the nodes represent the strength of the trust (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: An example of how students use the board game that Salomey designed to teach about neural networks, where the thickness of the lines between nodes represents the strength of trust.
Salomey also shared her evaluation of the resources. She conducted pre‑ and post‑intervention surveys with 39 teachers as part of the professional development on the AI teaching materials, and ten of those teachers implemented the unplugged activities in their classrooms. She reported that the teachers found the role-play activity was effective to demonstrate neural networks, that children worked independently to learn, and that some students who did not take part usually in class were engaged.
As well as sharing about her unplugged neural network activity, Salomey also talked about a set of AI stories that she has developed to teach about other aspects of AI applications. For example, the importance of fact-checking is demonstrated through a story about a young girl who fact-checked information she received from her friends about life in a city. If you would like to find out more about Salomey’s work, you can find related materials on our seminar website.
Join our next seminar
Join us at our next seminar on Tuesday 17 March from 17:00 to 18:30 GMT to hear Rebecca Fiebrink (University of the Arts London) speak about teaching AI for creative practitioners. This will be the second seminar in our new series on how to teach about AI across disciplines. We hope to see you there!
To sign up and take part in our research seminars, click below:
A Linux driver has been published for the ARCTIC Fan Controller to be able to read fan speeds under Linux as well as setting the PWM fan speed for each of the ten fans supported by this controller. Making this driver all the more exciting is that ARCTIC Cooling is directly working on this driver rather than just being a community/third-party creation. Furthermore, ARCTIC Cooling is working on getting this driver to the upstream Linux kernel…
Cadex has released a statement in response to Team Jayco-AlUla rider Amaury Capiot’s wheel-tyre system failure at Omloop het Nieuwsblad, suggesting the cause was a result of repeated use over the cobbles after the initial deflation.
The Giant-owned brand, which has for a number of years produced hookless rims, says the “tire separation in this incident was not caused by hookless rim design”, with its assessment carried out with the team revealing that “prolonged riding” over cobblestones with a flat and damaged rear Cadex Aero Cotton tyre caused the rim to crack.
This structural rim failure is suggested to be the cause of the spokes displacing from the hub, and the resulting “collapse” of the wheel, leading to the tyre being unseated completely from the rim.
The statement comes following a team spokesperson claiming the failure occurred as “the result of riding for too long on the cobbles with a flat tyre after puncturing”, as reported initially by Cyclingnews.
Tyre liner disconnect, but not to blame
After Capiot continued to ride on the rim, the system suffered a complete structural failure with the hub still fitted to the frame. Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Images from the incident clearly show a tyre liner being used by the Jayco-AlUla rider, still in place around the Cadex Ultra 50 rim. This is a common addition to a tubeless tyre setup for teams, especially during the cobbled classics, in theory offering improved ‘run-flat’ riding in the event of a deflation, with a degree of protection for the rim.
Capiot presumably attempted to take advantage of this, with Cadex claiming the “team support car was far behind” in its statement.
However, while tyre liners are designed to protect a rim in this context (in the event of a deflation, the liner foam will expand into the unpressurised space and cushion the rim edge from impacts), it wasn’t enough to stop the rim failing in this instance.
Cadex doesn’t recommend the use of tyre liners, albeit this wasn’t suggested as a contributing factor to the failure. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
It’s worth noting that, according to a brand representative, neither Giant or Cadex recommend the use of tyre liners with their products and, in this instance, the team was operating outside these guidelines. However, there’s no suggestion that the liner was a contributing factor to the failure.
Cadex says the initial impact occurred at “approximately 47-48kph”. Capiot then continued riding on cobbled sections of the race course until the wheel collapsed. The brand says that “even when the wheel ultimately yielded to the extreme forces, it remained stable enough to prevent a crash”.
This isn’t a Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Oukitel’s WP63 is a ruggedized smartphone that’s meant to set things alight. It has a built-in electric igniter, aimed at emergency response and camping, helping to start fires when you forgot matches, but you brought this beastly phone along for the adventure. It’s got several other notable features, like a 20,000mAH battery, a loudspeaker, and even its own built-in USB-C cable for charging other devices.
Still, the igniter was why I was here. The WP63 has an electric coil that heats up, similar to cigarette lighters in cars circa 1987. This is hidden away behind a protective cover at the top of the device, and once it pops out, you activate it using an app. An Oukitel spokesperson was able to light some rolled-up paper, and I was surprised how gentle and seemingly in control it was. (The paper looked like a cigarette, too.)
Unfortunately, another spokesperson told me that it can’t be used to light candles, although I can’t understand why. I don’t start campfires, but I do light candles.
Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
The phone will be priced around $500, and completely ignoring the tendency for thinner and thinner phones, it’s 27mm thick. Another outdoor use? If a bear decided to attack you in the woods, you might be able to concuss it with the WP63.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/oukitel-wp630-mwc-2026-smartphone-igniter-101046023.html?src=rss
The Library of Congress has restored Gugusse et l’Automate, an 1897 short by Georges Melies that likely features the first robot ever shown on film. Long thought lost, the reel was discovered in a box of decaying nitrate films donated from a Michigan family collection. NPR reports: The film, which can be viewed on the Library of Congress’ website, depicts a child-sized robot clown who grows to the size of an adult and then attacks a human clown with a stick. The human then decimates the machine with a hammer.
In an Instagram post, Library of Congress moving image curator Jason Evans Groth said the film represents, “probably the first instance of a robot ever captured in a moving image.” (The word “robot” didn’t appear until 1921, when Czech dramatist Karel Capek coined it in his science fiction play R.U.R..)
“Today, many of us are worried about AI and robots,” said archivist and filmmaker Rick Prelinger, in an email to NPR. “Well, people were thinking about robots in 1897. Very little is new.”
Our Independence 2026 Drive has slowed a bit, but readers like Charlie are still going out of their way to keep distro reviews, app coverage, and independent FOSS reporting alive here at FOSS Force.
Kona has launched a monster steel gravel bike with a 100mm-travel RockShox SID suspension fork lifted from XC mountain bikes. The LBF is not an MTB with a drop bar, though, with the frame geometry set up specifically for a drop bar.
The Reynolds 520 butted-steel frame bike’s LBF name stands for Legend of the Big Fork, a play on the Big Foot monster native to Kona’s Pacific Northwest home (allegedly).
As with the fork, the tyres and wheels are MTB-level, with a 2.4in Maxxis Dissector tyre at the front and a 2.4-inch Maxxis Forekaster at the rear on Race Face ARC Asymmetric 27mm rims built on Formula hubs with Boost spacing.
Kona fits SRAM G2 four-pot brake calipers to the LBF, which includes a sliding UDH dropout.
If you’re heading into territory where you need the big tyres and hardtail-adjacent suspension, you’ll want appropriate stopping power, too, so Kona has paired the LBF’s SRAM Apex levers with SRAM’s G2 four-piston MTB brake calipers in what it says is a unique but SRAM-approved configuration.
The bike is specced with 180mm SRAM HS2 brake rotors, but you can fit 200mm rotors should you choose.
There’s a SRAM Eagle crankset with a 32-tooth chainring on a 73mm threaded bottom bracket and a SRAM Eagle 10-52t cassette, with a SRAM Apex Eagle derailleur. You can fit a maximum 34-tooth chainring if you want to gear up.
Drop-bar geometry
MTB-like geometry is correct for the Ritchey drop bar.
Kona’s headline geometry numbers mirror those of its mountain bikes, with a 67-degree head tube angle that’s very slack in the gravel world but, it says, lends the bike stability at speed.
The seat tube is MTB-steep, too, at 75 degrees, which Kona claims leads to predictable handling and seats the rider more centrally between the wheels.
The fit of hardtails and gravel bikes is different, though, with drop bars typically extending the reach. So Kona has adjusted the LBF’s geometry to account for the drop-bar configuration, rather than simply clamping a gravel bar to an MTB frameset. The LBF is kitted out with a Ritchey Comp Beacon flared gravel handlebar.
The Kona LBF is designed for rowdy gravel riding. Kona
Another feature of the frame is sliding UDH dropouts at the rear, enabling you to set up singlespeed or tweak the rear-end configuration. There’s a full set of mounts, so you could fit mudguards (although probably not with the 2.4in tyres) and a rack, as well as bags above and below the top tube.
An MTB-adjacent gravel bike needs a dropper post, too – in this case, a TransX RAD+.
Kona claims a 14kg / 31lb weight for the LBF, which is available in S, M, L and XL sizes. It’s priced at £3,299 in the UK, $3,699 in the US and €3,999 in Europe.
Shimano has announced the launch of a new Tiagra groupset after stating in 2023 that the all-encompassing CUES family would replace all Shimano groups up to and including Tiagra.
The new group of components looks to answer the questions CUES has failed to address in the eyes of product managers and bike buyers.
New Tiagra R4000 offers 2x 11-speed with two chainring options, accessible gearing and a new more ergonomic lever design to suit a wider range of riders. The emphasis on adjustment could make new Tiagra a great option for juniors.
Shimano also claims like-for-like configurations of the new R4000 with the current-generation Tiagra are more than 200g lighter.
Tiagra provides, for many, the first taste of true performance bikes. Russell Burton / Immediate Media
As I reported last last year, the reaction to Shimano’s push with CUES into the entry-level road bike market was lukewarm at best. I found very few examples of CUES-equipped bikes.
CUES always looks far more at home on urban and gravel bikes. Shimano
Instead, product and brand managers were happier to continue with the soon-to-be-phased-out 10-speed Tiagra rather than switch to the robust all-road styled CUES.
New Tiagra looks like what we’ve been asking for
The new shifters have the same ergonomics as the latest mechanical 105 shifters. Shimano
Only a few weeks ago, I wrote how I wanted to see a new performance-oriented, entry-level option from Shimano. That was based on what I saw as the lack of innovation for the huge market of affordable road bikes, and from talking to key industry figures.
Well, Shimano obviously thought the same. We now have a range of components with both looks and key specifications to meet the needs of this broad, large range of bikes.
The biggest change from previous Tiagra, and indeed CUES, is the shifters. Shimano says the ergonomic profile means easier reach across a wide range of hand sizes. The design has the same ergonomics as the latest 105, using the same redesigned lever and bracket positioning.
The 2x 11 options include only a single 11-36 cassette, although it’s joined by both a 52/36 pro compact pairing and a more traditional compact 50/34 option.
Styled for the road
The new Tiagra derailleur has similar styling to the latest 105. Shimano
Where the new Tiagra scores in my eyes is its styling. Unlike the chunky, robust-looking CUES, Tiagra R4000 carries the same styling and DNA as Shimano’s high-end groups. The 105-alike levers are smoothly styled, while the integrated look of the crankset shares design cues with 105, Ultegra and the flagship Dura-Ace.
The low-profile and compact rear derailleur has classic road-component vibes, especially when viewed alongside electronic derailleurs with built-in batteries, as we now have from Campagnolo, SRAM and Shimano.
The downside is that, although Shimano has announced a new Tiagra today, the existing Tiagra is not set to be phased out until early 2027. So, while we can be excited at the advancements on offer, we won’t see bikes with the new components until the 2027 model year.
I’ve quizzed representatives from many major bike brands and, although all have expressed excitement about Tiagra R4000, none have confirmed models or price ranges we’ll see the groupset featuring on. Understandably, their focus is on current ranges rather than what comes next.
New Shimano Tiagra spec, price and weight details
Rear derailleur: RD-R4000
The new front derailleur uses the compact cam action debuted on Dura-Ace 9100. Shimano
The new RD-R4000 rear derailleur looks very similar to 12-speed 105, with what looks to be a more compact cage, and the main body having elements of the 105’s low-profile shadow shape.
Rather than it being a full low-profile shadow design, the main cable port on Tiagra is more exposed. At a claimed 275g, it’s only 2g lighter than the current Tiagra.
Front derailleur: FD-R4000
The new front derailleur is available in both band-on and braze-on versions, with Shimano’s toggle link action first introduced on mechanical Dura-Ace 9100.
It uses a compact cam-driven mechanism that results in lighter action and reduced lever throw – another improvement for small hands, asserting Tiagra as a great option for kids’ road bikes. The new front unit is marginally heavier than its predecessor (95g compared to 91g).
Crankset: FC-R4000 (52-36 and 50-34t options)
The new FC-R4000 crankset is the star looker of the new Tiagra – seen here in 50/34. Shimano
The crankset looks much like the latest 12-speed 105 with the smooth flow of the crank spider into the outer ring. I think this is the single biggest improvement over both its predecessor and CUES.
With 52-36 and 50-34 options, it shows Shimano views the new Tiagra as a true performance option, too. It’s available in 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm length options. The 907g weight (50-34, 172.5mm) is lighter than the outgoing version’s 926g.
Shifters: ST-R4020-L (left), ST-R4020-R (right)
The new shifters borrow the ergonomics from the latest mechanical 105 shifters. Shimano
The new shifters share the same ergonomics and profile as mechanical 12-speed 105 and are hydraulic disc brakes only. The weight is a claimed 622g a pair – a significant saving over the previous generation’s 740g.
The brakes are the existing BR-RS405 hydraulic caliper.
Cassette: CS-RS400-11
The new 11-speed 11-36 cassette is the single option for new Tiagra. Shimano
The final new component is the 11-36-tooth cassette. Obviously, this is now 11-speed rather than 10-speed – hence a slight increase in weight to 398g from 384g. The compatible chain is the current CN-HG601-11 – a directional super-narrow HG-X11 unit with Shimano’s SIL-TEC treatment on the plate surfaces.
The 52/36 crankset option shows Shimano sees Tiagra as a proper performance option. Shimano
We originally reported on CUES in February 2023, with Shimano’s radical new approach seeing it replace Alivio, Acera and Altus, alongside select Deore components for flat-bar/mountain bike use, and the drop-bar iteration replacing Tiagra, Sora and Claris.
The apparent U-turn on the CUES idea shows Shimano has listened.
I asked about the new Tiagra and it stated: “We developed Tiagra R4000 to meet a clear demand from riders and OEMs (bike brands: original equipment manufacturers) for an accessible, 2×11 mechanical groupset that delivers a true road cycling experience.
“While CUES is highly versatile – designed for All-Road, Gravel, and bikes with wider tires – TIAGRA R4000 remains a dedicated “Pure Road” groupset. This distinction is reflected in its technical specifications, such as optimized chain stay lengths and front derailleur tyre clearance, which are specifically tailored for classic road bike geometry, aesthetics, and performance.”
However new Tiagra has come about, I’m very glad it has. Now it’s over to Shimano’s rivals, SRAM and Campagnolo, to offer an alternative to Shimano’s return to value performance road components.
The Armbian team released Armbian 26.2 today as a major update to this Debian/Ubuntu-based distribution and build framework for ARM devices that enhances performance, security, and hardware compatibility.
alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: According to a study of 38 adult human brains donated to science, superagers — people who retain exceptional memory as they age — have roughly twice as many immature neurons as their peers who age more typically. Moreover, people with Alzheimer’s disease show a marked reduction in neurogenesis compared to a normal baseline. […]
Led by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago, the team set out to examine a variety of postmortem hippocampal tissue samples to see if they could identify markers of neurogenesis — and if different groups had any notable differences. The brain samples were donated from five groups: eight healthy young adults, aged between 20 and 40; eight healthy agers, aged between 60 and 93; six superagers, aged between 86 and 100; six individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s pathology, aged between 80 and 94; and 10 individuals with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, aged between 70 and 93. The young healthy adult brain tissue was first analyzed to establish the neurogenesis pathways in the adult brain. Then, they analyzed 355,997 individual cell nuclei isolated from the hippocampus, searching for three different stages of cell development: Stem cells, which can develop into neurons; neuroblasts, which are stem cells in the process of that development; and immature neurons, on the verge of functionality. The results were striking.
“Superagers had twice the neurogenesis of the other healthy older adults,” [says neuroscientist Orly Lazarov of the University of Illinois Chicago]. “Something in their brains enables them to maintain a superior memory. I believe hippocampal neurogenesis is the secret ingredient, and the data support that.” That’s an interesting result on its own, but the data from the individuals with preclinical Alzheimer’s pathology and Alzheimer’s diagnoses is where the real meat of the study sits. In the preclinical group, subtle molecular changes hinted that the system supporting new neuron growth was beginning to falter. In the Alzheimer’s group, a clear drop in immature neurons was evident. A genetic analysis of the nuclei also showed that superager neural cells have increased gene activity linked to stronger synaptic connections, greater plasticity, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a critical protein for neural survival, growth, and maintenance. Taken together, these three things can be interpreted as resilience. The research has been published in the journal Nature.
Hutchinson has added new wider tyres to its Blackbird range, with 32mm and 34mm widths now available for all Blackbird variants: the Blackbird Race, standard Blackbird and Blackbird All Season.
There are two pieces of good news. First, the wider tyres are the same price as narrower options and, second, Hutchinson says independent testing shows the 32mm tyres roll 5% faster than the same tyre in a 30mm width.
According to Hutchinson product manager, Martin Chuchu: “The industry believed that wider tyres would hinder performance. We wanted to challenge that. With the 32mm and 34mm Blackbirds, we want to demonstrate precisely that this vision is outdated.
“A wider tyre performs better: it filters vibrations, provides damping, and, above all, delivers a level of stability you feel immediately, especially in high-speed corners.“
Faster than a 30mm tyre
Hutchinson cites added cornering grip and stability from the added width.
Wider tyres are increasingly taking over, not just for amateur riders but for the pros, too. However, rather than launching a me-too product, Hutchinson wanted to prove its new widths offer an advantage over narrower tyres.
So, it sent its 30mm and 32mm tyres for independent testing, which found a 5% gain in efficiency for the wider tyre. There were also measured improvements in comfort and grip, as you might expect.
Hutchinson highlights three benefits of its new wider tyres: rolling resistance, grip and stability, and ride comfort. It says the energy saved from the lower rolling resistance and reduced fatigue far outweigh any aerodynamic penalty from the increased tyre width. It’s also a proponent of wider rims to enable you to lower your tyre pressure further.
It suggests riders should choose a 32mm tyre for performance or a 34mm tyre for training or racing on damaged or cobbled roads.
That ties in with our opinion here at BikeRadar. Only last weekend, Warren Rossiter documented his move to tyres of 30mm or more, with his newest bike fitted with 32mm rubber.
For him, it’s not about rolling resistance though, but the abysmal state of UK roads, where a wider tyre can help with ride comfort and stability.
It’s not only Hutchinson that’s going wider, with Continental launching a 35mm option for the GP5000 S TR in February and Pirelli puffing up its P Zero Race TLR to 40mm at the end of 2024.
Blackbird tyre widths and prices
The new 32mm and 34mm widths are available across the Blackbird range.
The new tyre widths are available across Hutchinson’s three Blackbird tyre types. Hutchinson was a pioneer of tubeless and all three are tubeless-ready.
The Blackbird Race tyre is now available in 28, 30, 32 and 34mm widths, priced at £69.99 / €79.99.
The Blackbird all-rounder tyre adds a 26mm width if you’re still old-school or your bike lacks the clearance to go wider, as well as black and tan sidewall options, and is priced at £61.99 / €69.99.
The Blackbird All Season tyre, aimed at wet and cold conditions, has the same 28, 30, 32 and 34mm widths as the Blackbird Race and is priced at £61.99 / €69.99.
UploadVRIan Hamilton
