It’s that time of year again, ahead of MWC, where smartphone brands are making announcements left and right. Slightly ahead of the pack comes Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, which I was lucky enough to attend live and in person in San Francisco this year.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is where they reveal all there is to know about the latest devices, and this year it was the Samsung Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra smartphone line-up. 2026 has not brought many major changes to the lineup, but every phone in this series will be powered by the newest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which packs serious power.
This year, the Samsung Galaxy S26 series has made some slight changes to its design, mirroring a phone I loved last year, the Z Fold7. The camera bump on the S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra will see this design change, making it more prominent and highlighted. On the Galaxy S26 Ultra, two additional lenses are featured to the right, which aren’t present on the S26 or S26+.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series also features slightly more curved edges, and the S26 Ultra is 3mm thinner than the previous Galaxy S25 Ultra and four grams lighter. Samsung has stayed with very similar colours since last year’s Galaxy Unpacked, launching each phone in Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue and Black. There will be online exclusive colours, Silver Shadow and Pink Gold, across the lineup, along with the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro, which also come in Pink Gold.
Of course, I know you’re all eager to hear more about the internal components in the Samsung Galaxy S26 series. I think a lot of people have been thinking (or hoping) that Samsung would be moving away from their 5000mAh battery that has been with the brand for years. I am here to report that, unfortunately, that is one miracle users will not be seeing from Samsung this year.
Though the S26 base model has seen a battery increase from 4000mAh to 4300, the S26+ remains unchanged from last year at 4900 mAh, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is still rocking that 5000 mAh battery. With that, though, comes some good news. The S26 Ultra has seen an upgrade to charging, now allowing for 60W Super Fast Charging 3.0 and 25W Fast Wireless Charging, up from 2025’s 45W and 15W.
As mentioned, the entire series is powered by the latest Snapdragon chip, which has already proven powerful in other devices since its launch. RAM and storage configurations remain mostly the same, with the base S26 and S26+ coming in 256GB or 512GB with 12GB of RAM (gone is the 128 GB option for the S26), and the S26 Ultra comes in 256GB/12GB, 512GB/12GB or 1TB/16GB. You can find a full list of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Series specifications below:
Samsung Galaxy S26 Smartphone Series Specs:
On first glance, it looks like Samsung didn’t do much with the cameras in the Galaxy S26 series, and though the MP look largely the same, the sensors have changed on the S26 Ultra. Last year saw a 200MP, f/1.7 wide lens, a 10MP, f/2.4 telephoto lens, a 50MP, f/3.4 periscope telephoto lens, and a 50MP, f/1.9 ultrawide lens. 2026 brings a 200MP, f/1.4 wide lens, a 50MP, f/1.9 ultrawide lens, a 50MP, f/2.9 periscope telephoto lens and the 10MP telephoto lens remains unchanged.
During a briefing, Samsung revealed that these new sensor sizes allow for 37% brighter photos with the telephoto lens and 47% brighter images with the 200MP wide lens. These sensor sizes support one of the new features Samsung is bringing this year: Nightography Video. Thanks to its wider aperture, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will capture more light in darker environments, resulting in brighter, clearer video.
Samsung has also continued the push into AI image editing, taking their previous Sketch to Image feature a step further, allowing you to use text or voice commands to make changes to your photos. At a preview event before Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, I used my powers for good: I added cake to several photos and turned an S26 pink, and in practice, it was flawless. Samsung’s Photo Assist also sees an update with several new styles you can add to pictures, too.
Of course, AI is where every brand wants to focus its time, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is no different. Beyond just the photo capabilities mentioned above, 2026 is bringing a few updates to AI features we are already familiar with. Now Brief has received an update to allow fewer steps for users. Where you would have to create an event in the past for Now Brief to monitor, it can now pull that information, like reservations or a meeting, directly from your notifications.
Now, Nudge is a feature embedded in your keyboard, so apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, etc., can display prompts to streamline certain processes. For example, if someone suggests a meeting, it may prompt you to create an event, or if a friend asks you to find a photo from a specific event, your S26 will be able to find it for you instead of searching yourself.
Samsung is also rolling out new partnerships with third-party apps. Your AI Agent will be able to actually order an Uber for you. The device will recognize your location and where you need to go and take the steps to get you there. Right now, Uber is the only option, but they are hoping to move to more rideshare apps and even options like DoorDash or Uber Eats.
Ordering food isn’t an entirely out-there idea, either, as Circle to Search has made shopping for items you see online extremely easy already. This year’s update allows you to search for multiple items at once now, and you can even use a photo image to try the items on yourself.
One of the most interesting features coming to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is the new Privacy Screen. Samsung boasts that this is the first of its kind in a smartphone. When turned on, the screen works much like a privacy screen protector you would buy separately, blocking visuals from the sides, top or bottom of your smartphone. There is also the option to toggle this feature on only under certain circumstances, like when text notifications pop up or when you open a specific app, like your banking. In practice, Privacy Screen is incredibly easy to use and works very well.
We will have a lot more to say once we go hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S26 series for an extended period, but for now, the hardware changes seem minimal. With rumours and hyper surounding the S26 series, I was expecting bigger surprises from the smartphone brand this year; however, Samsung consistantly makes solid devices, and has an extremely loyal following. The Samsung Galaxy S26 series will continue that trend, even if they aren’t making any major breakthroughs year over year.
At Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026, the company revealed this year’s lineup, including the Samsung Buds4, Buds4 Pro and several Galaxy Book6 variants.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is where the company finally unveils the year’s newest devices. While smartphones are always a highlight, like last year’s S25 Edge, which was a surprise reveal, we also get a look at new products within the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem. This year, ahead of Unpacked, CGM got a look at the S26 series lineup, as well as the new Samsung Galaxy Buds4, Buds4 Pro and the entire Galaxy Book6 series.
Starting with the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 line, 2026 sees a complete redesign of the earbuds. VP of Technology and Head of Samsung MX Audio, Han-gil Moon, spoke to journalists at a roundtable ahead of Unpacked via a translator, and shared some of the reasons for this new redesign in response to a question from MobileSyrup’s Dean Daley:
“There were several reasons behind changing the design. First, in order to provide a more enhanced and comfortable fit, and second, to provide better acoustics in a variety of environments, including outdoors, and even when it is windy around you.”
Calling this their new “Premium Blade Design,” both models share the same sleek style, with the Buds4 Pro featuring silicone tips, whereas the Buds4 do not. Both pairs come in black or white, with the Galaxy Buds4 Pro also coming in an online-exclusive Pink Gold colourway.
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro Pink Gold Colourway
The 2026 earbuds from Samsung feature a new 2-way speaker design, combining a woofer and dedicated tweeter. This means the buds are capable of producing both low and ultra-high frequencies at the same time, offering “real hi-fi audio”. The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro also features a wider woofer, which they boast will deliver ultimate hi-fi sound and maximize ANC capabilities.
Speaking on the 2-way speaker, when I asked Moon about features that were exclusive to the Samsung ecosystem, he had this to say, “There are some features that may not be available in non-Samsung devices, for example, 360 Audio. However, our Buds come with a new redesigned 2-way speaker architecture and also the call quality, which is enhanced and powered by AI, and these features run on-device. So the users of Samsung and non-Samsung devices can enjoy and appreciate the exceptional sound quality from our Buds.”
One of the more exciting features of the Galaxy Buds4 series is Adaptive Hearing and Adaptive Noise Control. The earbuds will adjust your sound experience based on the environment you’re in, whether that’s filtering out background noise or bringing voices forward so they’re easier to hear. Samsung did real-world testing in places like train stations, on motorbikes and in department stores to master these features.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 will cost $249.99 CAD, and the Buds4 Pro will cost $329.99 CAD.
We also had the chance to learn more about the new Samsung Galaxy Book6 lineup, with five variants to choose from: a 14-inch and a 16-inch Book6, a 14-inch and a 16-inch Book6 Pro, and the 16-inch Book6 Ultra. The entire series will be powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, with the Book6 Ultra also coming in a Core Ultra 9 variant. The Book6 Ultra will also feature an NVIDIA RTX 5070 or 5060 GPU, shared with Intel Arc Graphics, while the base and Pro Book6 versions will feature Intel Graphics.
Samsung also shared some numbers regarding the battery life for the Book6 lineup ahead of Unpacked, and they are impressive. While the base Book6 devices offer 16-18 hours of battery life, the Book6 Pro and Book6 Ultra models offer a whopping 22-26 hours. We have shared the full spec chart from Samsung below.
Samsung Galaxy Book6 Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 has come and gone. Stay tuned to CGMagazine for more Samsung news and reviews of these devices as they become available.
I first got a look at Last Flag in the summer of 2025. I sat down in a gaming cafe in California at the Last Flag LAN Party with dozens of PCs all ready to go. My first few rounds were…messy…to say the least, but they were certainly fun.
Since then, we have learned quite a bit more about Last Flag, including full preview coverage here at CGM, where writer Jordan Biordi noted, “Last Flag isn’t your standard capture the flag in the same way Halo or earlier FPS games were. The game is fleshed out by a unique cast of characters, each with distinctive designs and functions during each battle.”
We were lucky enough to chat with the team at Night Street Games, Game Director Matthew Berger and co-founder and CEO, Mac Reynolds. Those names might even sound familiar. Berger worked for Blizzard for nearly a decade, with games like Diablo 3 under his belt. Reynolds, on the other hand, used to work in 3D modelling and animation, but has since become the manager of a band you likely know, Imagine Dragons. His brother, lead singer Dan Reynolds, is the other co-founder of Night Street Games, and together, they have brought us Last Flag.
We talked to the pair about where Last Flag started, where it could be going, and even picked their brains about some of their favourite maps and characters.
Could you let us know who you are and your roles on Last Flag?
Matthew Berger: Hi. My name is Matthew. I’m the game director on Last Flag, and I work a lot on the game design and lots of other stuff.
Mac Reynolds: I’m Mac Reynolds. I’m the co-founder and CEO.
Great. So, what got you both started? How did Last Flag happen?
Mac Reynolds: I’ll start. You know, for me, I grew up playing video games. I have a family with a ton of brothers.
That sounds like too many brothers. I have one.
Mac Reynolds: I have seven brothers, so I wasn’t joking. Seven brothers, one sister. She’s delightful. She’s amazing. She is also a true beauty. And we grew up playing games, you know, raised on, like, Sierra online, LucasArts. And all these studios were super inspiring to us growing up. I used to do 3D modelling/animating as a kid. My brother Dan is a coder, and we talked about making games together for years. My other brother, Patrick, does music; I took his music for a while. You know, he’s in the band. I’ve been managing the band for a while.
What band? Tell me more.
Mac Reynolds: Yeah, they’re called Imagine Dragons.
(Laughs) I’ve never heard of them. My kids aren’t obsessed with them or anything.
Mac Reynolds: I appreciate that. (Laughs) We talked for years about starting a studio and living out our dream to make—a couple of years ago, we finally got to talking about it and did it. So we put our head down and kind of just quietly been building. We built our first prototype around this game, Last Flag, which is inspired by being Boy Scouts. Like, capture the flag in the woods and trying to recreate that magical experience when you’re a kid, actually hiding and finding the thrill of nature and being all these other things.
We love CTF game modes. We love playing with our friends. Never before did we get that scratch the same itch that you get from playing real capture the flag, where you actually do it. So, fast forward to today. We’re now working with a group of people. We get to work alongside a team we built and worked on some of our favourite teams.
And some Canadians.
Mac Reynolds: We have, actually, we have real Canadians. We love Canadians. But you know, working with the other series, where I like—some of my favourite games of all time. Matt even worked on the Diablo series.
And how do you fit in with Last Flag, Matt? Where’d you come from? Oh, Canada!
Matthew Berger: Well, I was recruited in Canada. I was introduced to Mac, and he showed me his game, showed me his prototype, and I immediately saw something that got me excited. And then Mac himself, just talking with him, hearing his ideas, you know, he’s very infectious. And whenever you work on something creative, like games, a lot of it is, what are you working on and who are you working with? And we really hit it off. I really loved working with him, chatting about the game, and that’s how we started working on Last Flag together.
Now, I’m curious from both of your perspectives, so I guess you jumped in at different points there—how has Last Flag changed from inception to what we’re looking at now, from you at the beginning and you, when you jumped in?
Mac Reynolds: I’ll do the first half. I want to say, like, Matthew and the whole team—I mean, we really believe in the best ideas. Even as we brought people along, we wanted to play very well on the game, and it was good because the game got so much better with the team. The inception of the game, all we knew we wanted was capture the flag. We looked at, like, an isometric view. We looked at, like, fog-of-war things.
We tried a lot of different things before we kind of laid it out. It’s kind of a third-person perspective. And even then, we found fun in hiding and finding, but it was inconsistent and—and I’ll turn it over to Matthew then, because that’s one of the things we had to kind of tackle together as a team: figure out how you keep that freedom and chaos but make it tamed enough for a real game.
Matthew Berger: So, capture the flag was so central—capture the flag first, shooter second. What we did was we actually stripped out almost all the mechanics of the game. We rebuilt the map from the ground up around this notion of capturing the flag and not having a large area to hide the flag. And then we’re like, okay, now the problem is, it’s great to hide it, but it takes a little bit too long the final time.
So we added these radar towers that split the map in half, and if you control the radar towers, you can respawn there, so your travel time is shorter. But also, every 30 seconds, they tell you, “Oh, the flag is not here,” and so they essentially are clearing certain sections of the map. That makes it easier to kind of find where the flag is, but you still have to kind of find them.
I like the negative information. “I’m not going to tell you where it is. I’m going to tell you where it’s not, though.” Now, what you said just now, “capture the flag first”, a lot of games I’ve played in my history—World of Warcraft, even Fortnite—now they have all the capture the flag versions, but they are something else first, and then they added it in. So why the choice to go the other way in Last Flag? And what do you think you’re doing that changes the game?
Matthew Berger: Well, I said it earlier, this was their idea to go with a capture the flag game, and so that was the core. One of the reasons the game is so fun, the reason it sinks so much, is that we rebuilt the game three times. There was the initial prototype, and we stripped out, like I said, the mechanics that were getting in the way; we refined it and rebuilt the map. Then we ported it from Unity to Unreal. And so every time we did that, we reduced the source and the core mechanic just shined even brighter. It just kept refining itself.
And so we only put in things that make sense for that core mechanic. Hiding and finding—we leaned into that, and anything that got in the way, we just got rid of. And so we think that we’ve built an experience that is, from the ground up, capture-the-flag. The map is built a certain way. The contestants are built a certain way. Their abilities are thought of a certain way. And so it really is a capture the flag experience. By leaning into this, we offer something different.
So you said that you stripped some things away from previous versions of Last Flag. What things didn’t work out in your mind?
Matthew Berger: We used to have lots of monsters on the map that got in the way. There was fog-of-war that made it harder to find this place. We used to have items, and so you had to manage picking up items. We wanted the game to be faster. We wanted you to have this joy all the time—movement, discovery—and we didn’t want anything that got in the way of that. So we really focused, first and foremost, on the core elements of the game.
That was hard because there were things that were fine in their own right, but didn’t serve that purpose. And to your question about what was different about this: I think a lot of other shooters are either shooter first or something else first. Our game—I like to think of high school and some of the best games, or Gorilla Attack, right? It’s like just tag. It’s something simple that you understand how it is, and this is something that is simple and intuitive.
But also, we have to kind of calibrate, right? Because privacy can be a little bit more like Poker—it’s like, do I just find it, and that’s lucky? And that’s where the tower… like, how do you balance it? It’s objective gameplay, and you’re going to make choices like chess, figuring out the playing field the way you want to play it. That’s where the depth comes in, and that’s why we pulled out the Wendigo monster and turned the map to night. You know, there’s a lot of fun things we can build out.
For people who haven’t played, do we have multiple maps in Last Flag? Do you think that somewhere down the line, there may be more characters, more maps or mechanics?
Matthew Berger: There are two maps here, and we will have four maps at launch. And then there’s about—I think there’s six contestants here. We’re already internally playing our two new contestants and working on the two after, so we’ll have ten at launch.
Are you worried about people stacking one character or struggling with balancing in Last Flag?
Matthew Berger: We’ve been doing a lot of playtesting internally. I have over a thousand games on the first map, and then we started having internal playtesting. We’re obviously constantly looking at how the contestants feel. One thing that’s important is it’s fun first, competitive second. So we are trying very carefully not to have anybody unbalanced. We want you to feel awesome, and then at other times, the other players do.
So everyone needs to feel all the pain in Last Flag.
Mac Reynolds: Yeah. Matt honestly often talked about recalibrating. I always want to err on the side of caution. That goes to this point: every time you hit a button, you feel like something should happen.
Matthew Berger: Yeah, it’s really important. That’s why, when you look at the contestants on the ground, that’s why their animations have so much personality when you’re using the abilities. That’s why the effects are so big; that’s why the audio is a big deal. That’s why when you lose a match, you have maybe the best song in the game that you lost. Nobody likes losing the dance. I’ve never heard the winning song, but I’m pretty good.
I died real fast.
Matthew Berger: That’s a really important thing we’re always looking for. When you down an enemy, you don’t call their health down to zero; they go down into a dumpster. So now I can come in, but you can finish them off if you do that. They play a really cool animation for help. If you’re the person who just got finished, it’s not great, but you get to see a fun animation instead of just somebody just shooting in the ground.
Now here’s a big one. I don’t know if you’re ready for this question.
Matthew Berger: I’m sitting here, waiting for you.
We’ve got two maps in Last Flag now, but there are four coming. I don’t know if you can talk about the four. First, you have to tell me your favourite map, even if it’s just the two. But I prefer the four, I’ll be honest.
Matthew Berger: Ah. That’s fair. Okay, so you’re not going to like this answer, but here goes. So, yeah, what I love about the two maps that I’m not going to tell you about is… The third map, our third map, has a different size, and we’ve added a new gameplay mechanic. That changes how you play that. And then what I like about the fourth map is we found a really interesting idea for the visuals and the personality. That, again, makes it feel very different. So, it’s a bit of a tease.
Mac Reynolds: At this point, my favourite map right now is map two. It’s locked in, and the reason being it is totally packed with discoverable areas. Every time I play, I’m like, Holy crap, there’s a whole sauna in, like a cave beach resort that’s hidden in a cave that I didn’t even know about. Like, there are so many.
Matthew Berger: The artists are constantly putting things in! Yeah, like I was watching the video that we have playing in a loop, and I’m like, “When did the two teddy bears, the two snow teddy bears, cuddle each other?” When did that turn up?
Yeah, I think I have no artistic talent, but I feel like that was all I would do—add all this stuff.
Matthew Berger: It’s incredible.
Mac Reynolds: That’s why nothing’s getting done over here. We’re just adding cuddly teddy bears every year. That’s the flag. I’m like, where did this come from? Where did this come from?!
Matthew Berger: Actually, that’s not true. The real truth is, anytime I’m looking for the flag, I’m like, “Oh, this is a great place to hide the flag.” And then every time I’m hiding the flag, I’m like, “Where did that place go!” You can never find it. And then I’ll find a new way.
We’re discussing our favourite maps in Last Flag, but will there be maps that are specifically geared toward different characters?
Matthew Berger: I will say the reason that probably will never happen is because the whole story is this guy—Victor Baxter, media mogul, Text Enterprise, very mysterious—created this television, and there’s a little bit of a mega market there, and the reporters are like a Stepford Wives kind of shiny surface, something sinister, kind of billowing. You see the advertisements everywhere.
You’re going to know you’re on this television show. It seems great, but these are all about the, I think, Disneyland-like, curated nature in a way. A lot of these are like, yeah, you’re outdoors, but you always know I’m also on a TV show. And so, these people come from all around the world. They have all their own stories and the reasons they’re competing. But these shows are curated by Victor, and there’s a reason for that.
And when you personally play Last Flag—I guess it’s a two-parter—who do you play to win and who do you play because it brings you joy?
Matthew Berger: Yeah, that’s a great question. I love that question. So, it depends on the situation in the match because, depending on what the other team is doing…So I really like playing Camila, who’s our weapons engineer. She comes from Brazil, right? And she can teleport people around. She can put her turrets down. So I really, really like her.
And, you know, other players. I love that character. But sometimes I’m getting, you know, pinged by an archer because they’ve got a little bit more long range. And so sometimes I’m like, you know what? I’m going to pick Soo-Jin, who’s our master thief. She’s stealthy. She comes out of nowhere, and now I’m helping the archer see a little bit what it’s like to be on the other end. So I love those two characters.
Mac Reynolds: It’s 100% bounty hunter when I’m trying to win. Okay. I love the jail cell combo. We’re throwing the thing at Julius. He’s amazing. For fun, it always has historically been the scout because running around the map is one of my favourite things to do. I would just do that all day. But lately it’s changed for me. It is the Archer, and I’m terrible at it. I’m so bad at her. But short dash is so fun.
Matthew Berger: That’s the other secret is I’m not the best Masako player, but she has so much personality. Masako is wonderful. I love dashing around with her. She has so much stuff.
Backpacks for women are a curious thing. Finding a backpack that fits my frame as a woman has been the bane of my existence. The bags are either too long and smack me in the back of my head, too wide and impede my arm movements, or, even worse, I find countless issues with the straps. Regular backpacks have straps that sit wider than a woman’s frame, meaning that while I was lugging my creator gear and laptop around during TIFF 2024, I ended up with bruises on my biceps because they came out so far.
And if you don’t meet any of those issues when looking at back packs for women, you’ll be met with extremely thin straps that dig into your shoulders and offer no support or chest straps that close exactly where you don’t want them to on a woman. This sounds like a lot of complaining, but in 2024, more women than ever are travelling, content creators or working women who need to bring their laptops on the go. It’s time we do better!
Often, women end up with cross-body and over-the-shoulder tote bags. These are great options, too! For me, however, the more gear I bring, the more pain I feel in whichever shoulder is supporting the load. That’s why I knew I needed to find a backpack that suited me as a woman.
With this in mind, I set out to explore various bag brands to find some of the best backpacks for travel, gear and laptops. I considered the bag measurements carefully — for reference, I’m a 5’1” woman, so I needed something moderately petite. But I also wanted to ensure these bags could store gear and laptops safely, while leaving space for extra items, like snacks, when needed. I aimed to highlight which bags are best for travel, laptops and content creators so we all have more options.
Here are the best backpacks for women that I have found so far:
Price: $99.95 Size: 45.0 cm (L) x 29.0 cm (W) x 15.0 cm (D)
The STM MYTH 18L Backpack is the latest that I have tested, and I have to say it is the best balance of function and fit for women. Put it this way, IT HAS POCKETS! Not only is there a top and bottom pocket on the front of the bag, but once you open up the main compartment, you are greeted by a laptop sleeve fitting my ASUS Zenbook S14 perfectly, plus another 12 pockets. You know a girl loves her pockets.
The straps on the MYTH 18L also fit my smaller frame perfectly, which means no more bruises on my biceps from too-wide bags. There is ample padding on each strap, and also down the back of the bag, which allows for all-day comfort, but also airflow so you don’t get that backpack-sweaty-back we all hate. Oh, and it’s the most affordable bag on this list! You can also pair it with the MYTH Dapper Wrapper accessory to keep your cords and smaller devices neat and organized, providing even more storage for only $19.95
Durable: Made with tough 100% polyester material includes water repellent coating (C6DWR) applied to the fabric plus reverse coil zipper teeth to keep out moisture
Protection: Proprietary SlingTech protection suspends your laptop above the bump zone to protect against impact and prevent the device from being damaged
Price: $229.00 Size: 40.5 cm (L) x 29.0 cm (W) x 13.5 cm (D)
So far, the Maverick & Co Explorer Light Backpack has been one of my favourite backpacks for women. The straps are set more toward the middle of the bag, meaning they don’t cut into my arms at all, but they are still thick enough for support and nicely padded, so I rarely feel any wear and tear on my shoulders. It can support up to a 16” laptop with a 15.9 L capacity.
The Explorer Light Backpack is more suited for someone who is travelling light, likely with just their laptop, mouse, a couple of cables, etc. The pouches on the front are pretty tight, but are enough to carry your mouse and earbuds, or you could fit a pair of headphones inside—I bring my Edifier WH950NB Wireless Headphones with me everywhere.
What I like most about the Maverick & Co Explorer Light Backpack is how it feels premium and stylish, but still durable. It doesn’t hold quite as much as I’d like as a carry-on for travel, but it is absolutely my go-to for day-to-day.
Price: $176.00 Size: 40 cm (L) x 30 cm (W) x 15-20 (D)
The Airback GO is one of the best backpacks for women who like to travel! Before we get to what makes it really special, it has a few features that everyone on the go needs. It is water-resistant and feels very durable. There are pockets everywhere on this thing—including hidden ones—to store everything you might need while travelling, like those snacks I mentioned earlier! It also features a TSA-approved lock for added security. There is also a USB-C AND USB-A port outside so you can keep your devices locked and loaded whenever you need to.
What makes Airback GO really special, however, is the compression system that will vacuum-seal your clothes to save space. You can purchase a small pump to take with you and maximize your packing space wherever you are. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate sucking in those jackets and sweaters during the colder months!
The Airback GO is a little niche, but it is definitely one of the best backpacks for women who need to save space while travelling. It is a bit smaller than the standard Airback, which is 49 x 32 x 15-20, and they advertise it as a great “under-seat” bag, which really means it was perfect for my shorter frame. The straps are a bit wider than I’d normally want for myself, but with how much you can carry, it makes sense!
Price: $179 Size: 50cm (L) x 38 cm (W) x 13 cm (D)
The Bellroy Melbourne Backpack is the biggest bag I tested, which means it does sit a little longer on my frame. The reason I wanted to look at it, specifically, though, was because of the location of the straps. A bigger backpack isn’t so bad if the straps are comfortable, and the Melbourne fits just right!
This is one of the best backpacks for women because of the way it can open right up. I am able to see everything in my bag and don’t need to go fumbling around in the dark abyss that my other backpacks create. I love it. There is a sleeve for up to a 15-inch laptop and a second smaller sleeve where I could keep my tablet or notebooks.
I really love the way the Bellroy Melbourne Backpack can snap open at the top or zip all the way down the size, and it has so many compartments! The larger compartment is perfect for throwing in my gear, including lights, compact tripods, and more, making it a pretty decent bag for content creators.
Price: $160.00 Size: 29.2 cm (L) x 40.6 cm (W) x 12.7 cm(D)
I was able to test out a few backpacks from ALASKAN on a recent trip, and surprisingly, the Simon was the bag I fell in love with the most. Originally, I was concerned about not having spacious front pockets, but the ALASKAN Simon features not one but two zipper compartments accessible from the top, plus another smaller zipper inside, plus two side pockets perfect for your water bottle, or, in my case, my backup charger.
What makes the Simon a great backpack for women is the straps. The straps start closer to the middle of the bag, which is great for a smaller frame. They are also well-padded and can be made small enough for shorter girls like me! There is also additional padding on the back of the backpack, making it ultra comfortable for long days. Plus, the Simon is the perfect size to slip under the seat in front of you on an airplane!
I hope to check out more backpacks for women to really get a good look at companies catering to smaller frames. I know there have to be more out there, so keep checking back for new entries on CGMagazine’s Best Backpacks for Women list!
Gods, Death & Reapers is a game that has been on my mind since I first played it at gamescom 2025. An extraction RPG that isn’t a shooter with an overall Diablo feel felt perfect for me. Pair that with ancient worlds and Gods, and you have a game that plays to many of my favourite things.
During gamescom, I was only treated to a short, semi-guided walkthrough, but in the most recent play test, I was able to roam freely in Midgard, Helheim and Asgard, experiencing just one of the mythological worlds coming to Gods, Death & Reapers. The game was available in story mode or PVP, but co-op was not made live for this play test, sadly. I appreciate that the story mode can be played without an onslaught of other players attacking me, much like World of Warcraft allows you to choose non-PVP realms to play. That being said, since the game is not live, I was not able to experience much in PVP, as I never ran into another player.
Story mode, however, was up and running, and I was able to see plenty of the game ahead of its release. To my surprise, Gods, Death & Reapers refers to the story, of course, but the “Reaper” does not apply to the Grim Reaper. Your character is a Reaper, of which there are apparently many; some you even have to battle it out with during the story. I really enjoyed the imagery in the first cutscenes of the game, finding the way Wolcen depicts death very interesting. All of that sounds very dark, but I took joy in the humour and personality the studio puts into the game outside of these darker themes.
For instance, even as early as the character creator, you can paste a big ol’ “No Regrets” tattoo across your neck (though you very rarely see your character this close). This humour also comes out in text and dialogue, like a quest called “Cover yourself up for Death’s sake” where you need to obtain your armour. I love a bit of personality in a game, and always appreciate a few moments of light in an otherwise dark title, and Gods, Death & Reapers has this in spades.
“An extraction RPG that isn’t a shooter with an overall Diablo feel felt perfect for me.”
For those looking forward to the character creator, at present, there isn’t much to create. Only a male character is possible, and customization is wildly limited, but it is still pretty early in the development process, so I am hoping this grows a bit more. If it doesn’t, as I mentioned before, you rarely see your character aside from your inventory menu, so this won’t make or break the game.
There are a few other features that I am hoping to see changed before launch, too. The text that marks the map while you’re running around feels like the most basic, default font on the planet. With so much detail going into the worlds, characters and even enemies, I am eager to see some polish on aspects like text and menus by release.
“With so few skills, I would worry things would get repetitive, but I was really engaged with the way the skills in Gods, Death & Reapers are ever evolving.”
Combat in Gods, Death & Reapers took me some time to get used to, and I’ll be honest, it definitely made me question my video game ability in the first few hours. I figured I would take on a sword and shield, something very standard, to start. Turns out I am a very squishy Reaper and was getting completely pummelled at every turn, rarely making it to extraction.
It was when I switched to the javelin and shield that I was able to find my stride and start doing some damage. This is the ranged version of the Reaper and is way easier to control. I went the way of the staff temporarily, too, but its default attack was a circular AOE, which made solo fights feel impossible when you didn’t have any other skills yet.
Each time you drop in, your Reaper’s skills will reset, meaning you need to gain experience to get stronger during every single run. I like the trial and error I was able to play with here, and the more I played, the more I could streamline which skills I should invest in. In the Pit—your sanctuary, essentially—you are able to craft and alter weapons, which will also affect these skills.
Blood, Valley or Stone sigils will determine how each of your three skill slots behaves. Your base skill may be a major AOE, but each different Sigil could change what it does, like make it a projectile instead. With so few skills, I would worry things would get repetitive, but I was really engaged with the way the skills in Gods, Death & Reapers are ever evolving, giving you the option to keep things fresh with every run. There are also skills you can spec into each season, but these don’t seem to affect your combat or abilities. This is called the Soulglass, and they don’t reset when you die.
The Pit in Gods, Death & Reapers is a bit of a character in itself. This is where you will respawn after a death or an extraction, and it functions as your home base throughout the game. It feels like a very dark, secluded zone, as opposed to other extraction titles where you might find yourself in a lobby between games.
Your Pit is yours, and you will use the things you acquire on your runs to build and expand it. This will include the Whisperway, a shop where you will also obtain quests, as well as various crafting stations and more. Your vault is also here, and that is where you can store the things you don’t want to lose on your next run.
Each run in Gods, Death & Reapers is different. The map will be the same for a certain time period, but your spawn point will change. One night, I was playing in Asgard, but it told me that in 12 hours, the map would switch to Helheim. Some quests are only available in specific maps, so this time constraint might be an issue for people trying to progress. Each area has a distinct style, and though some enemies are the same in each, many are different. In my last preview for the game, I discussed how disgusting some of the enemies are, and I am glad to see that still remains true, exploding guts and all.
“After spending some more time with Gods, Death & Reapers, I really think it could be something special when all is said and done.”
You can leave a round pretty much as soon as the extraction points unlock, but that is where the risk versus reward really comes in. The longer you stay, the more loot you can take back, but the longer you stay, the more you risk dying. As time passes, notifications about the world becoming more unstable pop up, with new enemies spawning. I also spotted stacks of something called Chaos Damage, which causes your character to call out and alert nearby enemies. You can clear this at your sanctuary.
There are various dungeons throughout each map, which you need to find keys for, so I was hoarding them between runs in my Vault. Personally, I think I would do better with a teammate, as I found these dungeons a bit challenging. The maps themselves are massive, and I found myself wanting to risk it all to see everything, but in the end, I was a coward and too afraid to lose my loot.
For those who want to run, extraction points are all over the maps, but they all have different requirements to extract. I didn’t realize until several hours into the game that there were “free” extraction points. This means you can just click and go (it’s a slow click). Others included paying gold, which I was already hemorrhaging from buying healing potions, or fighting your way to freedom, etc.
Gods, Death & Reapers is a game I am really looking forward to playing on release, but not one I am sure I want to review. What I mean by that is that this is the kind of title I want to explore piece by piece at my own pace, rather than rushing progression to meet a deadline. I want to jump in with friends and experience Gods, Death & Reapers’ various maps and modes, build my sanctuary to my liking and hoard gold as I see fit, like a troll.
After spending some more time with Gods, Death & Reapers, I really think it could be something special when all is said and done. I just can’t wait to go hands-on in co-op with friends! Gods, Death & Reapers does not have a release date yet, but you can check out the official site for news about playtests here.
The 2025 Spotify Wrapped has officially landed, and the company has given us a sneak peek at what has been trending for music, podcast and audiobook listeners around the globe.
Personally, my 2025 Spotify Wrapped is one of my favourite end-of-the-year traditions. I am often surprised at how quickly a song I just learn about in September can make it on to my year’s round-up, with only two months to play it on repeat—which I do, often. I always throw my Wrapped into our CGM team chat, and it gets us all talking. It’s a great way to get people talking about music, podcasts, and more.
For those who don’t know, Spotify Wrapped sums up all of your listening for the year and lets you know who and what you’ve listened to most, and even lets you know how you compare to other listeners. In past years, you could even customize what your Wrapped looks like, changing background colours or choosing different categories before you shared it.
This year, the 2025 Spotify Wrapped is implementing brand-new features to the service. Here is a look at what that includes, directly from Spotify:
Listening Age: This story compares your musical tastes to others’ in your age group, looking at the release years of the tracks you listen to most.
Top Albums: For the first time, we’re spotlighting the albums you returned to again and again.
Top Audiobook Genre: This story highlights your top audiobook genre and the book you listened to most from that genre.
Your Author Clip: This year, we’re also including messages from authors, so you may hear from the writer behind your favourite audiobook. Clips include authors like Dan Brown, James Patterson, Abby Jimenez, and more.
Your Podcaster Clip: You may also hear from one of your favourite podcast creators, now appearing directly in your Wrapped experience. Clips include hosts from shows like The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett, The Mel Robbins Podcast, and Good Hang with Amy Poehler.
Fan Leaderboard: Think you’re one of your top artist’s biggest fans? This year, you might see where you rank among their listeners worldwide, based on your total minutes listened.
Clubs: This story celebrates the streaming habits that defined your year. You’ll be sorted into one of six Clubs – each representing a unique listening style – and see the role you play within that community.
Listening Archive: Finally, get personalized snapshots of your most memorable streaming days. Powered by AI, this feature delivers up to five unique reports based on your daily listening. Available in English in select markets.
Wrapped Party: For the first time ever, we’re introducing Wrapped Party – a new interactive feature that turns your listening data into a live competition you can play with friends. It’s the latest way to level up Wrapped, making it more exciting and fun than ever. To join Wrapped Party, visit the Wrapped Hub on the platform, search for ‘Wrapped Party’ in Spotify, or access it at the end of your personalized experience.
To no one’s surprise, KPop Demon Hunters‘ bangin’ songs and soundtrack made the 2025 Spotify Wrapped list in Top Songs and Top Albums in both Canada and the world—Golden is just too good. Other similarities between Canada and the rest of the world include Taylor Swift, The Weekend, Kendrick Lamar and Drake appearing on Top Artists for both lists, though Canada leaned a little more country with the likes of Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan on their list.
Spotify Wrapped also shares insight no one really asked for, but everyone loves. For instance, in 2025, apparently more than 23 million men streamed Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild, Taylor Swift’s The Fate of Ophelia had more single-day listeners than any other song in Spotify history, and on their wedding day, more than 993,000 people streamed I Said I Love You First by the bride and groom themselves, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco.
For Canada, 2025 saw a 20% increase in people listening to French-Canadian music in Quebec. Across the entire country, they saw an 11% increase overall. Top songs included Feel Good by Charlotte Cardin, L’Amérique pleure by Les Cowboys Fringants, Je te laisserai des mots by Patrick Watson and more. You can see the full list and what else was popular in Canada and globally below.
