Williams warns WRU on ‘almost non-existent’ student support

Williams warns WRU on 'almost non-existent' student support. Former Wales and Lions wing Shane Williams says pathways support for schools and colleges from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is 'almost non-existent'.

What happened

Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianReviewPixel 11 review: Google sets the bar for standard flagship phonesLonger battery life, faster chip, actually useful AI tools and better cameras keep quality Android ahead of competitionGoogle’s Pixel 11 continues to set the standard for what you should expect from the base model of a flagship phone with class-leading cameras, long software support and almost all the bells and whistles of its most expensive phones. If you use a supported app, such as Google Messages, the suggestions are low-key great.

It offers, yet again, a very high-quality experience, great triple camera, long software support and very good battery life. 2 wireless charging and magnetic accessory support, long battery life, good size, fast fingerprint and face recognition, 256GB starting storage. Skip to main contentSkip to navigation The latest Google phone is most refined yet, offering the best balance of price and features for base-model flagship handsets. The regular Pixel 11 costs £879 (€999/$899/A$1,499) making it £80 or equivalent more expensive than last year’s model as the cost of RAMageddon continues to bite.

It’s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but it comes with 256GB of storage and is £200 less than the Pixel 11 Pro, matching rival Samsung’s Galaxy S26.

The wider picture

At a glance the Pixel 11 looks very similar to the previous two Google phone iterations: glass front and back with flat aluminium sides and large pill-shaped bar at the back, which is much slimmer this time. Stick it in a case and the protruding camera all but disappears. View image in fullscreenThe Pixel 11’s camera bar depth has been reduced by 40% compared with previous models for a sleeker look that doesn’t catch on your pocket quite as much.

3in OLED screen is crisp and super bright with up to a 120Hz refresh rate to keep your scrolling smooth. The in-screen fingerprint scanner is fast and accurate, while the camera-based face recognition works well during the day and is secure enough for use with banking apps, unlike similar systems on most Android rivals. 3in 120Hz FHD+ OLED (422ppi) Processor: Google Tensor G6 RAM: 12GB Storage: 256 or 512GB Operating system: Android 17 Camera: 48MP+ 13MP UW + 10.

5MP selfie Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, wifi 6E, UWB, NFC, Bluetooth 6 and GNSS Water resistance: IP68 (1. 6mm Weight: 197g Faster and more efficient Tensor G6 chipView image in fullscreenThe Pixel 11 takes less than 90 minutes to fully charge using a 30W or greater power adaptor (not included) hitting 53% in half an hour.

What has been reported

Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe Pixel has a new generation of Google’s chip, the Tensor G6, which is up to 20% faster in tests. It significantly lags top-end rivals from Qualcomm and Apple, so won’t win any raw performance awards, but feels snappy in daily tasks and can handle mid-level gaming just fine. The battery life is also improved over previous models, lasting about 54 hours of light use between charges. That includes actively using the screen for more than seven hours for browsing, messaging, apps and photos across a mix of 5G and wifi.

Gaming and more demanding use hits the battery harder, but the Pixel should be able to see out even the heaviest of use days. Android 17 with more proactive AIView image in fullscreenGoogle’s proactive AI tools pop up with timely information in chats and other situations to save you manually having to check your calendar, search for a restaurant or schedule an event. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The GuardianThe Pixel 11 runs the latest Android 17 out of the box with operating system and security updates provided until August 2033.

The software is slick, nicely animated and well optimised, with plenty of colourful customisation if you want it.

What happens next

As with previous Pixels, it is a showcase for some of Google’s most advanced AI systems, many of which run on-device, making them fast. The most interesting of the tools remains Google’s proactive AI systems, which vary a bit depending on where you live. In the UK the expanded Magic Cue from last year pops up in messages and a few other apps with information such as your schedule, flight or order details, and suggestions for good local restaurants from Google maps or photos to share in a chat.

In the US, Canada, Australia and a few other regions, the feature is called “Gemini Proactive Assistance” but has similar powers. Unfortunately it doesn’t work in WhatsApp, Signal or other third-party apps I’ve tried, which limits its usefulness. In the UK and US, Gemini can go further, proactively taking action for you, such as booking a restaurant via OpenTable, which is the type of assistance that has long been promised by various AI agents.

Another useful AI feature is built directly into Google’s keyboard called Rambler, which is voice typing on steroids.