JBL Endurance Zone: Review

Open ear earbuds are not the most auspicious of pieces of kit in the wearables market.

Granted, there are plenty of options out there, but most users, if pressed would no doubt proclaim that they'd prefer to have options that sit in the ear and are subtle, rather than ones which are obtrusive, sit on the ear and stand out.

It's this kind of snobbery perhaps that JBL's decided to tackle with these Open Ear Design IP68 secure fit ear pieces. And it's a joy to report that they largely work better than you'd be expecting.

Comfort is perhaps the first thing you notice about these. Once you've adjusted to their design, they do fit securely over the ears, and while the IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating hints at them being durable, the idea of getting water into the ears and into the speakers feels like it sits at odds with how the best earbuds work.

In terms of fit, they can mould to your ear and sit snugly over the ear canal - but as with all fits, they're personal in terms of how it feels for each individual. So for an over-the-ear piece of kit, they offer an impressive volley against the stigma of something not fitting inside the ears.

They come with a charging case and while it's not most the light of cases and feels chunkier in comparison to most other models out there, it holds around 24 hours of charge for the buds, which is nothing to be sneezed out. (The Zone ear pieces last around 8 hours on a single charge).

And while the sounds inevitably not as custom-fitting as other earbuds offer, you'd have to be a prude to sniff at what they actually give out in terms of audio quality. Perhaps call quality is the biggest surprise with the buds not dropping out at all and providing a stability that impresses.

Perhaps the weakest part of this little bit of kit is the need to tap them to get responses and to adjust volumes and so on. Overly responsive and annoyingly fiddly, the tap controls remain the weakest part of this offering. 

With app customisation and the chance to retrofit these to your own personal tastes, it has to be said that the JBL Endurance Zones surprise and offer a stronger case for over-the-ear technology than perhaps you'd first expect. With minimal outside noise affecting the audio, all they need is an adjustment of attitude and you're away laughing.

Jackass: Best and Last: Movie Review

Cast: Johnny Knoxville
Director: Jeff Tremaine

Johnny Knoxville and his band of merry men return for one apparent last gasp as old age catches up to them.

This fifth outing for the Jackass team is supposedly the final one they'll do and blends a little new material with some of the old classics. So how you'll feel about Knoxville and his crew subjecting themselves to both a little indulgence and a lot of pain depends on how much love you've had for the franchise over the years.

2022's Jackass Forever was supposed to be the end of the line for the gang, but it seems the lure of the perennially dumb continues to endure.

What's on AMC+ in July

Here's everything that's new to AMC+ in July 2026.

The Walking Dead: Dead City – AMC Original Series

Season 3 Premieres Sunday, 26 July on AMC+ 

In season three, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) finally put aside their differences to build the first thriving community in Manhattan since the apocalypse, but when chaos in the city begins to arise, they are forced to question: have they learned from their old wounds or will their dark past spell doom for the entire city?  Also starring Jimmi Simpson, Raúl Castillo, Aimee Garcia, Logan Kim and Michael Emery. 

The Vampire Lestat – AMC+ Exclusive Series

New Episodes Sundays on AMC+ Until the Season Finale 19 July  

In the new rock and roll centric season, the Vampire Lestat (Sam Reid) goes on an electric multi-city tour while being haunted by “muses” from his wild and rebellious past. As his band’s popularity and star power rises, so does Lestat’s influence over vampires and humans alike, leaving others to contend with Lestat’s power in the face of the Great Conversion, an unnatural surge in the vampire population. The series also stars Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles and Jennifer Ehle. **The Vampire Lestat: After Dark Series – New episodes continue Sundays on AMC+ until the season finale 19 July 

Sex Box – AMC+ Exclusive Series

Series Premieres Friday 24 July on AMC+ 

Adapted from the UK series of the same name, Sex Box is an extreme therapy reality concept that allows couples discuss their relationship issues with a panel of experts before retiring to a camera-free, soundproof box on the show’s set to have sex. They emerge to immediately discuss their experiences in the box and most intimate personal issues with the experts, as the cameras roll before a studio audience.

 

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight: PS5 Review

Developed by TT Games Studios
Published by Warner Bros Games
Platform: PS5

The Lego games franchise has always been a strong contender for pick up and play mentality that appeals to all ages.

But as the catalogue grew, along with the trademark humour of whatever it was apeing, TT Games showcased a deep love for whatever it was that they happened to be parodying. From Star Wars to Harry Potter, via Marvel and Lord of the Rings, the games have always been accessible, open and above all, fun.

This latest takes that love to the extreme as it follows the entire Batman franchise story, delivering a fair bit of unlockable content and free-flow combat that apes the Rocksteady Games franchise that proved to be so popular.

Yet it's also packed with Easter eggs and nods to the world of Gotham that makes it so enduring for fans - albeit not to the extent where it alienates non-fans of the Batman world.

While it does try something different with the combat, it doesn't veer away from the formula of smashing bricks, collecting studs and generally goofing around with the world that DC created for its hero and their villains. With large captions of screen each time you take down a villain, you'd be forgiven for thinking the game's mocking the 1960s Batman and its campy Adam West ways. But in truth, everything here is an homage of love.

Mixing stealth and also fighting combat, the game does occasionally feel a little repetitive, especially in some of its earlier missions and set up. But each level feels deep and expansive, a world that's deeper than perhaps some of the previous games have been and rewards longer investment within them.

It's still a winning formula - from seeking collectibles to smashing anything around, the game's not really veered away from what makes them great. Perhaps there are too few unlockable characters here though, something which will speak to a minor lack of depth.

But whether it's zipping through the air in Gotham or collecting WayneTech, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is the kind of game that's perfection to play for hours on end. You'll lose track of time thanks to this joyous homage to what makes the Batman tick and what makes the Lego games work.

What's on Shudder in July

Here's everything that's streaming on Shudder in July 2026.

The Toxic Avenger (2023) – Shudder Exclusive Film

New Film Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 1 July

A horrible toxic accident transforms downtrodden janitor Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage) into a new evolution of hero: The Toxic Avenger. Also starring Kevin Bacon, Elijah Woodand Jacob Tremblay.

Touch Me – Shudder Exclusive Film

New Film Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 3 July

Two codependent best friends become addicted to the heroin-like touch of an alien narcissist who may or may not be trying to take over the world. Starring Olivia Taylor Dudley (The Magicians, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension), Lou Taylor Pucci(You) and Jordan Gavaris (Orphan Black).

Nightborn – Shudder Original Film

New Film Premieres Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Friday 31 July

With dreams of starting a perfect family, Saga (Seidi Haarla, Compartment No. 6) and her British husband Jon (Rupert Grint, Harry Potter franchise) move to the isolated house where she spent much of her childhood, deep in the Finnish forest. But as soon as their baby is born, despite the reassurance of all around her, Saga knows there’s something terribly wrong with her son. As their marriage starts to crack, Jon struggles to support his wife, but only Saga suspects the terrible truth about her newborn. 

Shudder’s Library Additions: 

The Scarecrow – premieres Wednesday 1 July 

A group of friends disturb an ancient spirit inhabiting a scarecrow. 

Razorback – premieres Wednesday 8 July

As vicious wild boar terrorizes the Australian outback, the husband of one of the victims is joined by a hunter and a farmer in a search for the beast. 

Jimmy & Stiggs – premieres Wednesday 15 July

A perfect storm of lousy news sees out-of-work filmmaker Jimmy Lang spiral into a bender, during which he claims to have been abducted by aliens. Fearing their return, he contacts his old friend Stiggs to help.

Observance – premieres Friday 17 July

After five years in a coma, Madison Neubauer wakes to find her home and family in the grip of ‘The Observance’ – a religious cult who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. 

Hounds of Love – premieres Friday 17 July

Vicky Maloney is randomly abducted from a suburban street by a disturbed couple. She quicky realizes she must drive a wedge between them to survive. 

Kiln: PS5 Review 

Developed by Double Fine Productions
Published by XBox Game Studios
Platform: PS5

The art of the multiplayer game is not an easy one to master.

If it's not the likes of Fortnite or Overwatch, cut-through is exceptionally difficult and if the game's tricky or with a low-user base, it's dead before it's barely begun (Just ask Sony's Concord.)

The latest from Double Fine, the studio which brought us Psychonauts, is an intriguingly different idea - you play a sprite which can inhabit different kinds of pots - but one that doesn't feel like it's quite reached its full potential at launch.

It's a very simple premise - you're in charge of controlling different kinds of pots to possess them and to take on the opposition with the hope of dampening down the opposition's kiln. Bigger pots, which are susceptible to more attacks, carry more water - the greater the risk, the greater the reward. But smaller ones offer up a chance to make plenty of minor attacks and gains. There are some 24 different body sizes meaning that there's plenty of choice for those who want to try different types of battle.

With its 4 x4 gameplay and availability, the game's subscriber bases aren't small so it's helped that there are people playing this game, but with a lack of maps, the game may face an uncertain future that worries somewhat.

For an anarchic edge, Kiln has it in spades. Games become chaotic as everyone attacks each other and the skill levels vary - but after the initial thrill of the spill has worn off, the game starts to become a little repetitive - no matter how colourful and cute it actually is.

It's to be hoped that Kiln finds its feet very soon - because there's genuinely a space in the gaming world for a family-friendly multiplayer. Kiln has potential but it feels like it needs a little more time in the pot to heat up its true potential.