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Air fryers are fast becoming a staple gadget in many people’s homes, likely because they are fast, convenient and don’t cost a small fortune. And with recent technological advancements, there are air fryers on the market that can cook, bake, sauté, dehydrate, pressure cook and more. If you’ve been mulling over the thought of investing in an air fryer, now’s the time to jump on the bandwagon — let us help you choose the best air fryer for your needs. Whether you’re up for roasting a whole chicken, making a meal for the entire family or want to try your hand at the infamous air-fryer muffins (yes, you read that right), there’s an air fryer to suit everyone. Table of contents What does an air fryer do? Best air fryers for 2025 Buying guide for air fryers Air fryer pros and cons Best air fryer accessories How to clean an air fryer How to find air fryer recipes How we test air fryers What does an air fryer do? Let’s clear one thing up first: it’s not frying. Not really. Air fryers are more like smaller convection bake ovens, ones that are often pod-shaped. Most work by combining a heating element and fan, which means the hot air can usually better crisp the outside of food than other methods. They often reach higher top temperatures than toaster ovens – which is part of the appeal. For most recipes, a thin layer of oil (usually sprayed) helps to replicate that fried look and feel better. However, it will rarely taste precisely like the deep-fried or pan frying version when it comes out of the air fryer basket. Don’t let that put you off, though, because the air fryer, in its many forms, combines some of the best parts of other cooking processes and brings them together into an energy-efficient way of air fryer cooking dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch. Read more: We’ve also rounded up the best pizza ovens and the best sous vide machines. Best air fryers for 2025 Buying guide for air fryers Convection ovens You can separate most of these machines into two types of air fryers, and each has different pros and cons. Convection ovens are usually ovens with air fryer functions and features. They might have higher temperature settings to ensure that food crisps and cooks more like actually fried food. Most convection ovens are larger than dedicated air fryers, defeating some of the purpose of those looking to shrink cooking appliance surface area. Still, they are often more versatile with multiple cooking functions, and most have finer controls for temperatures, timings and even fan speed. You may never need a built-in oven if you have a decent convection oven. They often have the volume to handle roasts, entire chickens or tray bakes, and simply cook more, capacity-wise, making them more versatile than the pod-shaped competition. The flip side of that is that you’ll need counter space in the kitchen to house them. It also means you can use traditional oven accessories, like baking trays or cake tins, that you might already own. Pod-shaped air fryers Pod-shaped air fryers are what you imagine when you think “air fryer.” They look like a cool, space-age kitchen gadget, bigger than a kettle but smaller than a toaster oven. Many use a drawer to hold ingredients while cooking, usually a mesh sheet or a more solid, non-stick tray with holes to allow the hot air to circulate. With a few exceptions, most require you to open the drawer while things cook and flip or shake half-cooked items to ensure the even distribution of heat and airflow to everything. That’s one of a few caveats. This type of air fryer typically doesn't have a window to see how things are cooking (with only a few exceptions), so you’ll need to closely scrutinize things as they cook, opening the device to check progress. Basket-style air fryers also generally use less energy – there’s less space to heat – and many have parts that can be put directly into a dishwasher. Some of the larger pod-shaped air fryers offer two separate compartments, which is especially useful for anyone planning to cook an entire meal with the appliance. You could cook a couple of tasty chicken wings or tenders while simultaneously rustling up enough frozen fries or veggies for everyone. Naturally, those options take up more space, and they’re usually heavy enough to stop you from storing them in cupboards or shelves elsewhere. As mentioned earlier, you might have to buy extra things to make these pod fryers work the way you want them to. Some of the bigger manufacturers, like Philips and Ninja, offer convenient additions, but you’ll have to pay for them. Air fryer pros and cons Beyond the strengths and weaknesses of individual models, air fryers are pretty easy to use from the outset. Most models come with a convenient cooking time booklet covering most of the major foods you’ll be air frying, so even beginners can master these machines. One of the early selling points is the ability to cook fries, wings, frozen foods and other delights with less fat than other methods like deep frying, which gets foods the crispiest. As air fryers work by circulating heated air, the trays and cooking plates have holes that can also let oil and fat drain out of meats, meaning less fat and crisper food when you finally plate things up. For most cooking situations, you will likely need to lightly spray food with vegetable oil. If you don’t, there’s the chance that things will burn or char. The oil will keep things moist on the surface, and we advise refreshing things with a dash of oil spray when you turn items during cooking. Most air fryers are easy to clean – especially in comparison to a shallow or deep fryer. We’ll get into cleaning guidance a little later. With a smaller space to heat, air fryers are generally more energy-efficient for cooking food than larger appliances like ovens. And if you don’t have an oven, air fryers are much more affordable – especially the pod options. There are, however, some drawbacks. While air fryers are easy enough to use, they take time to master. You will adjust cooking times for even the simplest types of food – like chicken nuggets, frozen French fries or brussels sprouts. If you’re the kind of person that loves to find inspiration from the internet, in our experience, you can pretty much throw their timings out of the window. There are a lot of air fryer options, and factors like how fast they heat and how well distributed that heat is can – and will – affect cooking. There’s also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS – there’s simply less space than most traditional ovens and many deep fat fryers. If you have a bigger family, you’ll probably want to go for a large capacity air fryer – possibly one that has multiple cooking areas. You also might want to consider a different kitchen appliance, like a multicooker, sous vide or slow cooker to meet your specific cooking needs. You may also struggle to cook many items through as the heat settings will cook the surface of dishes long before it’s cooked right through. If you’re planning to cook a whole chicken or a roast, please get a meat thermometer! Best air fryer accessories Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, try to pick up silicone-tipped tools. Tongs are ideal, as is a silicon spatula to gently loosen food that might get stuck on the sides of the air fryer. These silicone mats will also help stop things from sticking to the wire racks on some air fryers. They have holes to ensure the heated air is still able to circulate around the food. Silicone trivets are also useful for resting any cooked food on while you sort out the rest of the meal. And if you find yourself needing oil spray, but don’t feel like repeatedly buying tiny bottles, you can decant your favorite vegetable oil into a permanent mister like this. How to clean an air fryer We’re keeping clean up simple here. Yes, you could use power cleaners from the grocery store, they could damage the surface of your air fryer. Likewise, metal scourers or brushes could strip away the non-stick coating. Remember to unplug the device and let it cool completely. Remove the trays, baskets and everything else from inside. If the manufacturer says the parts are dishwasher safe – and you have a dishwasher – the job is pretty much done. Otherwise, hand wash each part in a mixture of warm water, with a splash of Dawn or another strong dish soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to pull away any crumbs, greasy deposits or bits of food stuck to any surfaces. Remember to rinse everything. Otherwise, your next batch of wings could have a mild Dawn aftertaste. Trust us. Take a microfiber cloth and tackle the outer parts and handles that might also get a little messy after repeated uses. This is especially useful for oven-style air fryers – use the cloth to wipe down the inner sides. If Dawn isn’t shifting oily stains, try mixing a small amount of baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and apply that so that it doesn’t seep into any electrical parts or the heating element. Leave it to work for a few seconds before using a damp cloth to pull any greasy spots away. Rinse out the cloth and wipe everything down again, and you should be ready for the next time you need to air fry. How to find air fryer recipes Beyond fries, nuggets and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are a few ways to find recipes for air-fried foods. First, we found that the air fryer instruction manuals often have cooking guides and recipe suggestions for you to test out in your new kitchen gadget. The good thing with these is that they were made for your air fryer model, meaning success should be all but guaranteed. They are often a little unimaginative, however. Many of the top recipe sites and portals have no shortage of air fryer recipes, and there’s no harm in googling your favorite cuisine and adding the words “air fryer” on the end of the search string. We’ve picked up some reliable options from Delish, which also has a handy air fryer time converter for changing oven and traditional fryer recipes. BBC Good Food is also worth browsing for some simple ideas, as is NYT Cooking, with the ability to directly search for air fryer suggestions. Aside from that, you can also grab plenty of cookbooks from your local bookshop with lots of recipes that you can use in your favorite air fryer. And if you have a killer recipe or unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. What’s the air fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? We’re ready to try it. How we test air fryers We put each air fryer we test through its paces by cooking a variety of foods in it including raw proteins like fish and chicken, raw vegetables like potatoes and cauliflower and frozen snacks like mozzarella sticks. We attempt to use each cooking method that the machine has pre-programmed, and when possible, follow a couple of recipes in any provided recipe booklets that come with the air fryer. We also clean the cooking basket and all other removable components as many times as possible, and will put those components into a dishwasher if they claim to be dishwasher-safe. We also make note of how loud the machine is when using different cooking settings and how warm the surrounding area becomes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-air-fryers-133047180.html?src=rss

Microsoft says it is a year early to its server reuse and recycling targetRare earth mineral and metal extraction has proven keyCircular Centers repurpose decommissioned hardware Microsoft says it is ahead of target on its quest to become a zero-waste company – one of the key aspects of its sustainability goal – but it isn't there just yet.In a blog post, Azure Hardware Systems and Infrastructure CVP Rani Borkar confirmed the company has now reached a 90.9% reuse and recycling rate for servers and components as of 2024, slightly surpassing its 2025 target of 90% and getting there one year earlier.The milestone brings Microsoft, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, one step closer to being carbon negative, water positive and land positive by 2030. Microsoft’s data centers are nearly waste-free Borkar explained the company had exceeded its target by piloting the sustainable extraction of rare earth minerals and metals from HDDs at scale, reducing the need for new materials such as neodymium, gold and copper.The extracting process involves the acid-free dissolution of shredded HDDs, said to deliver a 90% high-yield recovery rate.The company also boasted of a 95% reduction in emissions compared with traditional mining and processing practices, highlighting the broader cross-category effects recycling can have to help Microsoft reach more than just one of its sustainability goals.Microsoft has also continued to expand its Circular Centers globally with the goal of processing and routing decommissioned servers and hardware components onto their next useful lives – things ike academies that train data center technicians.Its first Circular Center, located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, opened in 2020. Five more across the US, Ireland and Singapore have followed since then, and the company has already drawn up plans for new sites in Cardiff, Wales; New South Wales, Australia and San Antonio, Texas.The third change that has allowed Microsoft to reach that all-important 90.9% rate one year early was the introduction of recyclable packaging solutions for transporting data center hardware to enable easier curbside recycling.Borkar claims more than 30,000 server racks have been processed through Microsoft’s global packaging recycling program, diverting more than 2,500 metric tons of waste from landfills.That said, every step taken in the right direction is seemingly met with a step backwards. Microsoft’s 2024 Sustainability Report details how greenhouse gas emissions and electricity consumption have been climbing annually since at least 2020, indicative of the colossal impact of powerful cloud computing and artificial intelligence data centers. You might also like Microsoft signs a major new carbon removal deal to try and help minimize environmental effects even furtherWe’ve listed the best green web hosting providers to help you meet your goalsCheck out all of the best AI tools and best AI writers

Google Photos is adding an Ultra HDR feature to some Android phonesThis lets you increase photo vibrancy in a few tapsIt can be applied to regular photos even after they’ve been taken If you’ve taken a bunch of photos but wish they could be jazzed up with a little HDR magic, you’re in luck. That’s because Google has just added the ability to enhance your images with Ultra HDR effects in Google Photos. Better yet, the HDR changes can be applied to regular pictures, even if you’ve already taken and uploaded them.As noticed by Android Authority, the feature has rolled out to a number of Google Photos users in recent days. It can’t yet be used by everyone, and it’s not clear whether it’s limited to the best Android phones or will soon be available more widely.Google Photos’ Ultra HDR mode lets you take photos with a wider range of colors than standard pictures. That can boost image vibrancy, but you’ll usually need a device with an HDR display to fully appreciate the effect. Yet the good thing about Google’s Ultra HDR feature is that it’s backward compatible, so your photos will revert to using standard color ranges on regular Android screens.It also works the other way, too. Google Photos appears to have added the ability to convert normal photos into HDR equivalents, boosting their saturation and helping them pop much more than they previously did. That means There’s no need to remember to take the pictures in HDR mode in the first place. Better photos in HDR (Image credit: Shutterstock / BigTunaOnline) Ultra HDR mode had been spotted as far back as September 2024, but it wasn’t fully functional at the time. Now with version 7.24.0.747539053 of the Google Photos app, it looks like it’s beginning to roll out to a range of Android users.Once it becomes more widely available, you will find the feature in the Adjust section of the Google Photos editor. There, you’ll be able to change the strength of the HDR effect using a slider. It is set to replace the HDR Effect option currently in Google Photos.You can see a preview of the Ultra HDR effect on GitHub. Make sure you’re viewing it on an HDR-compatible device to be able to observe it properly.Still, there’s no reliable indication of when the feature might arrive for everyone. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long before it rolls out. You might also like Google Photos tipped to get a major design overhaul – and it’ll make the app much better for finding specific imagesGood news, mobile photographers: your HDR photos will now look right on both Android and iOSGoogle Photos is getting a handy Quick Edit tool for sharing images, and I don’t know why nobody thought of this sooner

Seagate study find 97% anticipate AI to increase their demand for storage in the futureSustainability is recognized, but cost is still more importantModern HDDs offer superior efficiency, and they’re cheaper A new report from Seagate has revealed just how much of an effect artificial intelligence is having on the amount of storage required by data centers, which presents a major sustainability challenge.It found 94.5% said AI had increased their data storage needs, with even more (97%) anticipating AI’s growth to impact storage demand even further.However, despite widespread acknowledgement and consideration for the environment, companies are struggling to prioritize it amid rising costs, which tariffs, government objectives and the sheer scarcity of some materials have influenced Data centers are facing a major sustainability headache Nearly 95% of respondents are concerned about environmental impact, says Seagate, but only 3.3% prioritize it in purchasing decisions with many focusing on the total cost of ownership and purchasing costs.Among the key factors putting data centers at risk are high energy consumption (53.5%), raw material requirements (49.5%), physical space constraints (45.5%), infrastructure costs (28.5%) and acquisition costs (27%).“Data centers are under intense scrutiny – not only because they support modern AI workloads, but because they are becoming one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the digital economy," said Seagate SVP of Cloud Marketing, Jason Feist.Seagate envisions energy-efficient technologies playing a wider role in the decarbonization of data centers, reducing energy requirements and hitting other targets at the same time.Although SSDs promise to be quicker and more efficient, Seagate’s HAMR-based Mozaic 3+ platform (for HDDs) can deliver up to three times more energy density while reducing embodied carbon by over 70% per terabyte and lowering cost per terabyte by 25%.The report also embodies the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ motto by highlighting the importance of both extending product lifespans and then repurposing decommissioned equipment to reduce its environmental burden.Sharing accountability through cooperation across the supply chain also helps to reduce emissions from Scopes 1, 2 and 3, enabling a wider effect.“Sustainability cannot be solved in isolation. A holistic approach spanning infrastructure, life cycle management, and industry-wide accountability could ensure that the growth of AI and data center operations does not come at the expense of the environment,” Feist added. You might also like Check out the best HDDs and best SSDsRent powerful processors by using the best cloud computing servicesGoogle says its emissions have grown nearly 50% due to AI data center boom — and here's what it plans to do about it

The upcoming PC refresh cycle is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal tech moments in recent years. Aging PC fleets are past their prime, and the end of Windows 10 support is on the horizon. From small businesses to global enterprises, upgrading to systems that can support AI tools and the enhanced functionality of Windows 11 will be essential to maintain a competitive edge.As such, organizations face a potential tidal wave of upgrades, and with it, potentially significant costs – both financial and environmental. The complexity of managing such an upgrade without compromising your business’s environmental responsibility can be daunting. But it can be done.Thankfully, sustainable practices appear high on the agenda for many businesses. Customers across all verticals are implementing circular IT practices to minimize waste and costs. According to new research, Eighty-four percent of IT and business decision makers agree that circularity in AI hardware is an important consideration in their IT asset management system.Eighty-seven percent also agree that sustainable design and energy efficiency are key factors when selecting solutions. Simultaneously, however, 81% admit needing help from a third-party partner to achieve their sustainability goals, suggesting a gap between good intention and the ability to deliver. The High Stakes of Ignoring Sustainability E-waste is a growing issue. According to the WHO, in 2022, an estimated 62 million tons of e-waste were produced globally and only 22.3% was documented as formally collected and recycled. Electronics discarded irresponsibly often end up in landfills, leaching toxic chemicals into the earth and water, posing a threat to health and the environment.Beyond the environmental considerations, sustainability is also a competitive differentiator, particularly within the public sector. Customers are paying attention to how companies incorporate environmental responsibility into their operations. Choosing not to lead in this space could mean losing out to competitors who are already making strides toward more sustainable practices. Championing Circular Design and Sustainability There is, however, a way forward. IT providers that adopt circular design principles like repairability, upgradability and modular components are paving the path toward a more sustainable future. PCs designed with replaceable batteries, screens and other components empower businesses to extend the lifespan of their devices, reducing waste and postponing costly replacements.Design decisions like attaching ports with screws, rather than soldering directly to the motherboard simplifies the disassembly process. This enhances the potential for repairs or replacements without risking damage to critical hardware components.Some vendors are now taking this one step further, making it easier for customers to purchase and replace common PC parts themselves. Customers can even access augmented reality tutorials with step-by-step instructions. Democratizing access to repairs in this way can significantly reduce e-waste and the resulting environmental impact.At the same time, manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of material innovation by incorporating recycled aluminum, biobased plastics and other renewable materials into their designs. Carefully sourced components are emerging as sustainable alternatives, helping to reduce the environmental footprint of new devices.Keep in mind that circularity and sustainability don’t end with the PC – it’s possible to lower the environmental impact of peripherals, too. Recycled plastic in docks, recycled cobalt in batteries and even recycled copper in adapter cables help reduce resource use and lower emissions.Energy efficiency is another critical element of sustainable design, particularly as AI integration becomes a key driver of the PC refresh. Modern AI-optimized hardware and software are designed with power-saving features like intelligent energy management and thermal regulation. These innovations not only lower a company’s environmental footprint but also deliver tangible operational cost savings by extending battery life and optimizing processing speeds.Many manufacturers are also doubling down on closed-loop systems to recover valuable materials from outdated devices. Robust recycling programs minimize landfill waste and contribute to a circular economy where resources are reused rather than discarded. Partnering now for Tomorrow Businesses do not need to face this challenge alone. Partnering with IT providers and third-party experts can make the difference. In fact, 84% of IT and business decision makers agree that collaborating with a 3rd party would simplify their efforts to carry out circular IT practices.Asset recovery solutions and recycling services enable companies to dispose of outdated equipment responsibly while extracting value from old resources. Flexible payment solutions further enhance sustainability by allowing companies to optimize asset management and reduce upfront costs, ensuring that investment in sustainable technology is also financially viable. Practical Steps Toward Sustainability For organizations eager to balance AI integration with environmental responsibility, the upcoming PC refresh is an opportunity for action. Businesses should begin by choosing IT partners and providers that prioritize circular design, emphasizing products designed for longevity, repairability and efficiency, and that incorporate sustainable materials.Exploring asset recovery solutions and recycling services to retire outdated equipment responsibly and reduce e-waste can also pay dividends. If there is still value in old equipment, asset recovery solutions can resell and transfer funds straight into a company bank account.Investing in AI-optimized PCs drives efficiency, enhances productivity, and improves security, but also positions businesses for cost savings and reduced energy consumption. For example, just having the ability to turn off devices remotely can save up to 15% on energy usage.By adopting sustainable IT solutions today, companies can ensure they’re equipped for tomorrow’s challenges while contributing to a more responsible and environmentally conscious tech ecosystem.The PC refresh cycle will inevitably define the next decade of IT strategy. Organizations that take bold steps to prioritize sustainability now could gain the operational and competitive benefits of aligning technology with responsible business values. We list the best business computers. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Global businesses are prioritizing sustainability in their supply chains more than ever before. Across sectors, we’re increasingly seeing businesses develop sustainable procurement policies, putting carbon reduction strategies and environmental commitments to the top of their priorities list when evaluating new supplier engagements.According to a 2023 survey from Stanford Business School, over half (51%) of global business currently have sustainable procurement policies in place to strengthen their supply chains. The need to reduce scope 3 emissions has brought procurement to the forefront of business strategy today, and driven increasing collaboration with sustainability and other departments.But what internal, and external, pressures have sparked this need? And what can businesses do today to decarbonize their supply chains and forge a greener future? Strict regulatory landscape The regulatory landscape for businesses surrounding sustainability is evolving, and becoming stricter, which has created mounting pressures for organizations to manage and report on their carbon footprints.In Europe, for example, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), despite recent European Commission's Omnibus Package’s update, continue to require large and listed companies to disclose the environmental impact of their activity.Over in North America, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s disclosure rules took effect in March 2024, requiring registered organizations to disclose comprehensive climate impact information in annual reports and registration statements.And in Asia, similar regulatory push is also on the rise with new ESG reporting standards being introduced. China, for example, is aiming for mandatory ESG reporting by 2026, aligned with the International Sustainability Standards Board.Increasing regulation and government enforced net zero targets, of course, creates significant external pressure to act on decarbonization supply chains. However, there are some commercial drivers, too.Today, buyers are on the lookout for their own sustainable suppliers, and companies with sustainable policies and practices will not only comply with regulations but will also gain a competitive edge in the market. In fact, research from the Greenly Institute claims that companies with sustainable procurement can gain anywhere between a 15 to 30% increase in brand value. Not a level playing field Despite knowing that decarbonization is a must, certain industries face more challenges in achieving this. Companies in the shipping sector, for example, have had to reroute vessels due to various geopolitical conflicts, which has increased carbon-intensive journeys.Major container shipping lines have been forced to divert away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, around the Cape of Good Hope, due to Houthi attacks on commercial ships. This diversion alone adds around 3,000 nautical miles and 10 days to the journey, which significantly hikes up carbon emissions.High energy, fuel and labor costs have made it difficult for road haulage operators to get by financially, let alone invest in cleaner tech. And even for those transport and logistics operators that can afford to invest in decarbonizing their fleets, additional challenges are met further down the line when they encounter limited supplies of electric charging points.Tech, innovation, and thinking outside the box can support in overcoming some of these challenges. For instance, fleet tracking software can help to optimize routes and reduce vehicle emissions, also aiding in guiding investment decisions by mapping out which routes are suited to electrical fleets, further reducing emissions.Data can also be used in many other ways to assess the state of your current carbon footprint, informing strategies for decarbonization. Carbon accounting platforms, for example, can enable businesses to calculate a baseline for their annual carbon footprint, helping to strategically reduce emissions and set net-zero targets across operations. Action needed from all sides Despite all of this, the overall pace of decarbonization is not yet sufficient to meet current climate targets around the world.Companies need to act now, wherever they can, in tackling major emission sources, such as vehicle and transport emissions. They should also embrace sustainable initiatives such as the circular economy. Returning products for repair, refurbishment, reuse, or recycling – rather than just instantly replacing or disposing of them irresponsibly – can significantly reduce embodied carbon, diverting tons of otherwise valuable materials from ending up in landfills.A long-term view is essential here, but decarbonization is a complex process, and not everything is in the hands of businesses. Government investment in areas such as green energy, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, and recycling facilities, all have a part to play.For decarbonization to gain the right momentum, greater alignment between legislation, policy, and private investment is needed for a just transition. Strategy for sustainable supply chains When producing a decarbonization strategy, start by addressing the big-ticket items. Affordable, clean tech, such as solar panels, can contribute towards your sustainability goals while also providing a more reliable energy source than power from the grid, supporting better business continuity. Embracing digital tools for reducing vehicle emissions, in addition to circular economy practices, can also make a sizeable impact.While the journey of decarbonizing supply chains is complex and challenging, depending on what sector you operate in, it is essential for all businesses today.By understanding the value of data, staying up to date and aligned with regulatory demands in your region, and adopting an innovative, problem-solving approach, you can begin making significant progress towards a better carbon footprint and a greener supply chain. We've featured the best RPA software. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Trustwave finds multiple malware C2 servers hosted on Proton66Ransomware is hosted there, tooSome phishing pages targeting Android users originated from Proton66 Proton66, a Russian bulletproof hosting service provider, is being used to spread malware, ransomware, mount phishing attacks, and more, experts have warned. This is according toResearchers from Trustwave warned the malicious activity has picked up in recent weeks, stating how, “Starting from January 8, 2025, SpiderLabs observed an increase in mass scanning, credential brute forcing, and exploitation attempts originating from Proton66 ASN targeting organizations worldwide.“Although malicious activity was seen in the past, the spike and sudden decline observed later in February 2025 were notable, and offending IP addresses were investigated.” Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data. It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal Getting in touch Whoever is behind these activities is looking to exploit a number of vulnerabilities, including an authentication bypass flaw in Palo Alto Networks’ PAN-OS (CVE-2025-0108(, an insufficient input validation flaw in the NuPoint Unified Messaging (NPM) component of Mitel MiCollab (CVE-2024-41713), a command injection vulnerability in D-LINK’s NAS (CVE-2024-10914), and an authentication bypass in Fortinet’s FortiOS (CVE-2024-55591 and CVE-2025-24472).The two FortiOS flaws were previously exploited by the initial access broker Mora_001, which has also been seen dropping a new ransomware variant called SuperBlack.The same publication also said that several malware families hosted their C2 servers on Proton66, including GootLoader and SpyNote.Furthermore, Trustwave said XWorm, StrelaStealer, and a ransomware named WeaXor were all being distributed through Proton66.Finally, crooks are allegedly using compromised WordPress sites related to a Proton66-linked IP address to redirect Android users to phishing pages that spoof Google Play app listings and try to trick users into downloading malware.To mitigate the risk against Proton66-linked threats, users should block all the Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) rangers associated with the company and Chang Way Technologies. The latter is a Hong Kong-based provider that is “likely” related to Proton66.So-called “bulletproof” hosting is a type of hosting service that is advertised as being immune to takedowns and legal action, but there have been examples in the past when bulletproof hosting ends up yielding in the end.At this time, the fact that Proton66 is a Russian service probably makes it somewhat bulletproof for Western users. However, politics change as the wind, and what Russia protected yesterday could be traded tomorrow.Via The Hacker News You might also like US, UK crack down on Russian bulletproof hosting service ZServers for LockBit partnershipTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

OnePlus has unveiled more details of its upcoming 13T phoneThe fresh info relates to the device’s battery capacityThe 13T is due to launch on April 24 We’re just a couple of days away from the OnePlus 13T launch, which will fall on April 24. Yet that hasn’t stopped OnePlus from teasing a few choice specs and details of the upcoming phone ahead of schedule, with the latest info concerning the device’s battery capabilities.According to a OnePlus post on Chinese social media site Weibo, the 13T will come with a 6,260mAh battery. That’s in line with the company’s previous claims that the battery would offer a capacity of no less than 6,000mAh.As well as that, OnePlus has revealed that the 13T’s battery will feature bypass charging. This allows your Android phone to draw power directly from a power source (like a power bank) rather than from its internal battery when charging. This helps to prolong the phone’s battery and slow down its degradation.The data drop didn’t end there, as OnePlus has confirmed that the 13T will weigh 185g. Compare that to the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R, which both come with less capacious 6,000mAh batteries yet weigh 200g each. Packing a larger battery into a smaller frame is a surprising move from OnePlus, but it’s certainly a welcome one. Few secrets left to unveil (Image credit: OnePlus) OnePlus has been very forthcoming about the 13T, disclosing all manner of images and details on social media. Previously posted photos have shown the device’s range of colors – including gray, pink and black shades – as well as the fact that it will come with a new button.Leaks have also played their part. For example, it’s been suggested that the OnePlus 13T will come with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, a 6.32-inch display, an IP65 rating, and two 50-megapixel rear cameras. Of those two lenses (primary and telephoto), the telephoto one could offer 2x optical zoom and 4x lossless zoom.That said, we don’t yet know the full spec sheet for the OnePlus 13T, and it’s possible that OnePlus is saving some intriguing new features for the launch event itself. But with so much already in the public domain, it will be interesting to see what the company might possibly have held back. We’ll find out for sure on April 24, when the 13T finally launches. You might also like The OnePlus 13T is coming on April 24, and the company has already shown it off‘It’s not a removal, it’s an evolution’: OnePlus backs decision to ditch the Alert Slider on the OnePlus 13T and future modelsOnePlus 13 review: I'm dumbfounded, I can't find anything wrong with this phone

ASUS patches a 9.2-rated security flaw in certain routersThe flaw stems from AiCloud, a personal cloud server featureThere's no evidence of abuse yet, but users should be wary ASUS has released a fix for a critical-severity vulnerability affecting routers with AiCloud enabled which could allow threat actors to execute functions on the exposed devices remotely and without authorization.It is tracked as CVE-2025-2492, and was given a severity score of 9.2/10 (critical). It can be exploited via a custom-tailored request.“This vulnerability can be triggered by a crafted request, potentially leading to unauthorized execution of functions,” the NVD page reads. Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data. It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal Safeguarding the device AiCloud is a feature integrated into many ASUS routers that transforms the home network into a personal cloud server.Users can then access, stream, sync, and share files stored on USB drives connected to the router from anywhere with an internet connection.The flaw was found in firmware versions released after February 2025, meaning: 3.0.0.4_382, 3.0.0.4_386, 3.0.0.4_388, and 3.0.0.6_102.According to CyberInsider, such features “often become attractive targets” for threat actors, since they are exposing sensitive data to the internet.Therefore, it would be wise not to delay deploying the patch. Depending on the model, there are different firmware versions that can be downloaded directly from the ASUS website.The flaw also affects a few devices that reached end-of-life, which should now have AiCloud entirely disabled. Internet access for WAN should also be disabled, as well as port forwarding, DDNS, VPN server, DMZ, port triggering, and FTP services.The company did not say if the flaw is being abused in the wild or not, but at press time, it was not added to CISA’s KEV, which is usually a good litmus paper for actively exploited flaws.According to BleepingComputer, the critical CVSS rating “implies the exploitation could have a significant impact.” ASUS also told its users to use unique, strong passwords to secure their wireless networks and router administration pages.That means making passwords at least 10 characters long, and making them a mix of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and special symbols. You might also like Cisco warns a decade-old vulnerability is back and targeting usersTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

A good keyboard can make all the difference for your work setup. If you primarily work on a laptop, switching from the built-in keyboard to a wired or wireless keyboard can be more comfortable and ergonomic while adding functionality like extra keys and shortcuts into the mix. If your daily driver is a desktop, a keyboard will be an essential accessory that can elevate your rig whether you're using it to work a 9-to-5 with it or play AAA games in your free time.But the world of keyboards is vast, and we at Engadget have tried out dozens over the years including gaming keyboards, ergonomic keyboards, mechanical keyboards and more. If you're just starting to think about the best keyboard for you, or you're ready to upgrade from an aging peripheral, we gathered all of our top picks for the best keyboards you can get right here. Best keyboards for 2025 What to look for in a keyboard Design Size The first thing you’ll want to consider when it comes to your next keyboard’s design is size. There are a number of different keyboard layouts to choose from, but the most common are full-sized, tenkeyless and those smaller than tenkeyless. Full-sized keyboards, or 100 percent, include a function row at the top and a complete number pad with arrow keys on the right side, along with all of the rest of the alphanumeric keys you’d expect. Tenkeyless, or 80 percent, removes the number pad but keeps the arrow keys and the function row, reducing the overall width measurement of the board by a decent amount. Compact designs keep things ultra simple by including only the alphanumeric keys and modifiers like Alt, Shift, Ctrl and others and they come in different sizes like 60 percent, 65 percent and more. These are the most popular sizes out there, but you can find plenty of other designs that include different mixes of keys along with the standard letters and numbers all should have. Aside from size, there are two other big categories that you could use to define a keyboard: ergonomic and mechanical. Ergonomic keyboards are designed with, you guessed it, better ergonomics in mind, taking into account where you should position your fingers, hands and forearms to maintain proper posture. Separately, mechanical keyboards use mechanical switches (of which there are many types) that differ greatly from the membrane or scissor-switch keyboards you’ll find dominating most wired and wireless options widely available today. We have guides to the best ergonomic keyboards and best mechanical keyboards, but we’ll summarize what you need to know about both here. Ergonomic keyboards If you deal with discomfort from working at a computer all day, ergonomic keyboards can help. These specially designed boards re-orient the keys, allowing you to hold your elbows farther apart and maintain a straighter line from your forearms to hands. Some people find this subtle change more comfortable. Ergonomic keyboards typically fall into two categories: Alice and split. The former is a single unit with an A-shaped gap in the center of the keys. Split models come in two separate pieces which you can arrange as you like on your desk. Additional ergonomic features like tenting and negative tilt can make typing feel even more comfortable, and are often available on both Alice and split boards. Tenting raises the middle of the keys up so your hands take on more of a “handshake” position. Negative tilting lowers the top of the keyboard to keep your wrists angled downward instead of back towards your forearms. The way the keys are arranged on the keyboard may make typing easier as well. Traditionally, keyboards are staggered, with one row of letters slightly offset from the row beneath it. Columnar keyboards arrange the keys in a grid of rows and columns. This style takes a little getting used to, but some people find it allows them to type faster. You can also make the keys of some keyboards do more than just produce letters. Programmable boards let you map shortcuts and other functions, which may keep you from reaching for the mouse quite so often, saving you time and possibly strain as well. Mechanical keyboards Mechanical keyboards have blown up in popularity as more people have been thrust into creating their own workspaces at home. It’s easy to see why: Compared to a traditional membrane keyboard, a good mechanical board is more durable, more satisfying to press and, most importantly, infinitely more customizable. The best of them usually come with a price premium, but even some cheaper models let you “hot-swap” between keycaps, switches and other materials, letting you tinker with different typing sensations and sound profiles until you find a combination that best expresses your preferences. Do you want each press to feel deep and full or fast and light? Do you need them to sound loud and clacky or almost totally muffled? Do you prefer your keycaps to look subdued and professional, stuffed with RGB lights or written in an Elvish language from The Lord of the Rings for some reason? With the right mechanical keyboard, it’s all up to you — the only things really holding you back are your imagination and your wallet. We have a dedicated buying guide that digs deeper into the key aspects to consider when buying a mechanical keyboard, so we encourage you to look at that for a full rundown. To keep things high-level, the most influential part of your purchase is your keyboard’s switch type. These little mechanisms slot underneath the keycaps and generally have the biggest effect on how your keyboard feels and sounds as you type away. You can broadly separate mechanical switches into three buckets: linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches feel smooth all the way down; they’re often popular with gamers since they tend to be light and fast to actuate. Tactile switches create a tangible “bump” sensation partway through a press; many people who spend all day typing prefer them because they clearly confirm each press without (always) being all that loud. Clicky switches are functionally similar to tactiles but make an audible “click” sound to match the bump; your coworkers may hate them, but others love the full-throated sense of feedback they provide. To be clear, just because two switches fall within the same bucket doesn’t mean they feel or sound exactly the same. The only way to figure out which switch works best for you is to do your research and, preferably, try some out for yourself. Other keyboards have a mechanical-style feel but are built on different mechanisms entirely. The hot new trend in gaming-focused keyboards, for example, is Hall effect switches, which use tiny magnets to register keystrokes and let you customize the sensitivity of each press. Optical switches, meanwhile, offer similar functionality by replacing the physical contact point of a typical mechanical switch with a beam of infrared light. More recently, we’ve seen a couple keyboards launch with inductive switches, which can work like magnetic switches but use inductive coils in the keyboard’s printed circuit board (PCB) to cater to all switches collectively and don’t require a sensor for each individual switch. We touch on a couple of magnetic-switch keyboards in our picks below, but for a fuller breakdown of this sort of tech, we recommend you check out our dedicated buying guide to the best gaming keyboards. Connectivity You’ve got two options here: wired or wireless. Wired keyboards typically have an attached cable that plugs into a USB-A or USB-C port on your computer (or docking station), although some come with cables that can be removed. Wireless keyboards connect to your machine either via Bluetooth or a wireless receiver dongle. There’s always the chance of some latency with wireless keyboards, so keep that in mind if you’re picking one up to use primarily with a gaming PC. Of course, you’ll only have to worry about battery life with wireless keyboards.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-keyboard-120000018.html?src=rss

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly held a second private Signal chat on upcoming Yemen strikes with members including his wife, brother and personal lawyer, according to The New York Times. Sources said that Hegseth shared flight schedules for F-18 Hornets targeting Houthis in Yemen, much as he did on a separate Signal chat the same day that accidentally included The Atlantic's editor-in-chief. It's not clear that any of the people in the group chat would need to know about the attacks, though Hegseth's brother and lawyer both have jobs at the Pentagon. Jennifer Hegseth, the Defense Secretary's wife, is not employed at the defense department, the report states.  The second chat, called "Defense | Team Huddle" was created by Hegseth prior to his confirmation and included a dozen or so people from his professional and personal circle, (including two senior advisers who were recently fired over leak accusations). It was initially created to allow discussions around routine schedule and administrative information on Hegseth's personal device. A US official told the NYT that there was no national security breach, but wouldn't comment on whether Hegseth shared detailed targeting information. "The truth is that there is an informal group chat that started before confirmation of his closest advisers. Nothing classified was ever discussed on that chat."  Trump administration officials previously defended Hegseth over the first breach, asserting that no classified information was ever shared. However, Democrats in Congress expressed alarm. "If true, this incident is another troubling example of Secretary Hegseth’s reckless disregard for the laws and protocols that every other military service member is required to follow," said Senator Jack Reed, senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. "Every day he stays in his job is another day our troops' lives are endangered by his singular stupidity," added Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hegseth-reportedly-shared-yemen-attack-details-on-second-signal-chat-with-his-wife-and-others-123046480.html?src=rss

If you've been thinking about upgrading your old Apple Watch, or you're keen on picking one up for the first time, you can save $100 on the latest model at Amazon. The Apple Watch Series 10 has dropped to $299 in a few colorways, which is a record-low price. That's the price for the 42mm GPS version, but the GPS + cellular model is also on sale for $100 off — down to $399 in a handful of color options. Considering the Apple Watch typically only gets updated once a year along with iPhones in September, this is a good deal to snag now while the Series 10 will remain the flagship smartwatch in Apple's lineup for a few more months. The Apple Watch Series 10 is our pick for the best smartwatch overall, though note that you'll need a compatible iPhone to use it. We gave the wearable a score of 90 in our review. Admittedly, this is a relatively iterative upgrade. If you have an Apple Watch Series 8 or 9, the upgrade might not be worth it. But if you're an Apple Watch newcomer or you're upgrading from an older model, this is probably the one to go for. The Series 10 has a larger screen than its predecessor, which makes it easier to see notifications and such. The thinner frame looks nicer too. However, while the Apple Watch Series 10 is great for fitness and wellness tracking, it's a bit disappointing that the device lacks the blood oxygen feature seen in earlier models (though Apple had little choice but to nix that here). Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-10-drops-to-299-at-amazon-155611677.html?src=rss

OpenAI has announced its phasing out GPT-4.5 from its developer API in favor of its new GPT-4.1 model. When it launched, OpenAI described GPT-4.5 as its best and most capable model so far, in part because it was a more natural conversationalist and could capably mimic some notion of emotional intelligence. Despite what its name suggests, GPT-4.1 is supposed to be better and more efficient. OpenAI says GPT-4.1 is available exclusively to developer's using OpenAI's API, and comes in three sizes, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini and GPT-4.1 nano. That means that if you won't find it as in option in the public-facing ChatGPT interface, but you could someday interact with an agent that leverages the model's improvements. GPT-4.1 is supposed to be better at coding and "long context understanding," according to OpenAI, with support for "up to one million tokens of context" and knowledge of the world up to June 2024.  Important to the decision to phase out the GPT-4.5 Preview, GPT-4.1 is also cheaper to run. OpenAI says the model is "26 percent cheaper than GPT-4o for median queries." The company imagines developers using GPT-4.1 to build agents that can work in software engineering environments, one of the more popular uses for generative AI. Even though GPT-4.5 will be eventually removed from OpenAI's API, the model preview will still be available in ChatGPT if you wan't to play with it. OpenAI says the GPT-4.1 family is available to use today via the company's API. GPT-4.5 will be fully-phased out in three months on July 14, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-is-phasing-out-gpt-45-for-developers-185554841.html?src=rss

GenAI can hallucinate open source package names, experts warnIt doesn't always hallucinate a different nameCybercriminals can use the names to register malware Security researchers have warned of a new method by which Generative AI (GenAI) can be abused in cybercrime, known as 'slopsquatting'.It starts with the fact that different GenAI tools, such as Chat-GPT, Copilot, and others, hallucinate. In the context of AI, “hallucination” is when the AI simply makes things up. It can make up a quote that a person never said, an event that never happened, or - in software development - an open-source software package that was never created.Now, according to Sarah Gooding from Socket, many software developers rely heavily on GenAI when writing code. The tool could write the lines itself, or it could suggest the developer different packages to download and include in the product. Monitor your credit score with TransUnion starting at $29.95/monthTransUnion is a credit monitoring service that helps you stay on top of your financial health. With real-time alerts, credit score tracking, and identity theft protection, it ensures you never miss important changes. You'll benefit from a customizable online interface with clear insights into your credit profile. Businesses also benefit from TransUnion’s advanced risk assessment tools.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal Hallucinating malware The report adds the AI doesn’t always hallucinate a different name or a different package - some things repeat.“When re-running the same hallucination-triggering prompt ten times, 43% of hallucinated packages were repeated every time, while 39% never reappeared at all,” it says.“Overall, 58% of hallucinated packages were repeated more than once across ten runs, indicating that a majority of hallucinations are not just random noise, but repeatable artifacts of how the models respond to certain prompts.”This is purely theoretical at this point, but apparently, cybercriminals could map out the different packages AI is hallucinating and - register them on open-source platforms.Therefore, when a developer gets a suggestion and visits GitHub, PyPI, or similar - they will find the package and happily install it, without knowing that it’s malicious.Luckily enough, there are no confirmed cases of slopsquatting in the wild at press time, but it’s safe to say it is only a matter of time. Given that the hallucinated names can be mapped out, we can assume security researchers will discover them eventually.The best way to protect against these attacks is to be careful when accepting suggestions from anyone, living or otherwise. You might also like What are AI Hallucinations? When AI goes wrongTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

Intel is selling off its majority share in chip-maker Altera as part of its new CEO's first steps toward stabilizing the company. The 51 percent stake sold today for $4.46 billion in a deal that is expected to close in the second half of this year. "Today's announcement reflects our commitment to sharpening our focus, lowering our expense structure and strengthening our balance sheet," CEO Lip-Bu Tan said of the sale. Altera makes field programmable gate array chips, which are often used to power retro gaming hardware such as the Analogue consoles. The company's other products have applications ranging from military to telecom sectors. Intel acquired Altera in 2015 for a hefty $16.7 billion, which means its current valuation has taken quite a dive since that purchase. However the sale should still provide some cash flow to Intel at a critical juncture. Tan was appointed Intel's CEO in March, following the departure of Pat Gelsinger as the company's top exec. He is expected to help change course for the company following a long string of poor decisions, and from the start of his appointment, it seemed likely that Intel would see some streamlining of its business.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/intel-is-selling-off-a-majority-stake-in-chip-maker-altera-for-446-billion-205015269.html?src=rss

Change Healthcare suffered a huge cyberattack in 2024Disruptions from that attack cost organizations millionsThe firm is now chasing repayment of loans to cover losses from these disruptions UnitedHealth Group is “aggressively” going after small healthcare organizations that borrowed money following a huge cyberattack on its subsidy Change Healthcare.The attack is said to have affected almost 190 million Americans, and was the largest US healthcare data breach ever, and was incredibly disruptive, with systems only fully restored 9 months later, costing over $2 billion to recover from.After the attack, interest-free loans were offered by Change to help medical practices with short-term cash flow needs. The firm is now demanding these funds be “immediately” repaid, with some organizations asked to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars in just a few days. Monitor your credit score with TransUnion starting at $29.95/monthTransUnion is a credit monitoring service that helps you stay on top of your financial health. With real-time alerts, credit score tracking, and identity theft protection, it ensures you never miss important changes. You'll benefit from a customizable online interface with clear insights into your credit profile. Businesses also benefit from TransUnion’s advanced risk assessment tools.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal Lost revenue Optum, UnitedHealth’s financial arm, has now confirmed it will withhold separate funds until these loans are repaid.Doctors with their own private practices used these loans to cover losses from the disruption following the cyber incident, which cost some hundreds of thousands - and some reportedly used personal savings to keep practices afloat.It’s worth noting UnitedHealth has a net worth of over $470 billion (at the time of writing), and CEO Andrew Witty made over $23 million in compensation in 2023.Optum has collected over $4.5 billion of the $9 billion debt, but since many practices lost so much in downtime thanks to the disruption, many will struggle to repay the money owed in the just 5 day timeframe Optum have imposed, with one doctor describing it as a “shakedown.”UnitedHealth paid the ransomware attackers $22 million in cryptocurrency to recover its data - but the operation was still shut down in its entirety, and Change never got its data back. Medical data is, of course, extremely sensitive, and put anyone exposed at risk of identity theft or fraud.Via CNBC You might also like Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software aroundCheck out our choice for best antivirus softwareCl0p resurgence drives ransomware attacks to new highs in 2025

With AI agents becoming an increasingly common sight in businesses everywhere, Google Cloud has become the latest major company to ramp up its efforts in the space.At its Google Cloud Next 25 event, the company unveiled several upgrades to its Agentspace platform to make agent discovery and adoption easier.Just to give things an extra boost, Google Cloud also announced a new partnership with Nvidia designed at making its offerings even more intuitive. Google Agentspace expansion Following the initial launch of Google Agentspace in December 2024, the updates were mainly aimed at making creating and deploying AI agents easierThis includes giving employees access to Agentspace search and analysis tools directly from the search box in Google Chrome. The multimodal search capabilities can help track down exactly the data needed within your business, or give customers access to the answers they need.The search results can cover content from the web, or from your business' most commonly-used apps and software, including the likes of Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and apps like Jira, Salesforce, or ServiceNow. (Image credit: Google Cloud) Elsewhere, workers can also use a new Agent Gallery to find and deploy new agents quickly as well as creating their own agents with the new no-code Agent Designer platform - or launch some of Google's latest own-brand offerings, Idea Generation agent and Deep Research agent.In order to make sure all these new agents co-exist effectively, Google Cloud has also launched a new interoperability protocol called Agent2Agent, which it says, "will allow AI agents to communicate with each other, securely exchange information, and coordinate actions on top of various enterprise platforms or applications."Built on existing standards to allow easier integration, the company has already signed up more than 50 partners for the launch, including enterprise heavyweights such as Salesforce, PayPal, Box, Atlassian and more.Finally, to harness the power of some of the most powerful computing hardware around today, Google Cloud and Nvidia have signed a collaboration bring the former's AI models to Nvidia Blackwell HGX and DGX platforms, as well as Nvidia Confidential Computing.“By bringing our Gemini models on premises with Nvidia Blackwell’s breakthrough performance and confidential computing capabilities, we’re enabling enterprises to unlock the full potential of agentic AI,” said Sachin Gupta, vice president and general manager of infrastructure and solutions at Google Cloud.“This collaboration helps ensure customers can innovate securely without compromising on performance or operational ease.” You might also like Developers are pretty optimistic about AI agentsAI agents are proving remarkably popular - but firms still face a host of challengesThese are the best collaboration tools for businesses

The latest AirTag alternative from Chipolo comes in colorIt's a small, circular tracker that works with Apple or Google's Find My networkIt has a built-in keyring hole for easy attachment, a speaker, and an easily replaceable battery Sure, Apple’s AirTag might be the top dog in the world of iPhone item trackers, thanks to an exclusive feature or two. But what if I told you there is another item tracker that is just as compact, has a built-in key ring for easy attachment, and comes in several vibrant colors?Sold, right? Well, the Chipolo Pop is precisely that and is simply the colorful AirTag that I’ve always wanted. I bet a few of you've wanted that as well. Chipolo, with several other models, is not a brand-new entrant into item trackers either.Further, the Chipolo Pop supports Apple’s FindMy standard, so it will fast-pair with an iPhone and live within the FindMy app, but it’s also fully compatible with Android and Google’s network. If you’re already sold, it’s up for order now at $29 / £30 from Chipolo for one or $89 / £90 for four of them. And if you prefer Amazon, it's also up for order there. Six colors to choose from (Image credit: Chipolo) Just like an AirTag or even the MotoTag – a Motorola-made item tracker that looks like Apple’s – the Chipolo Pop is a circular item tracker just 38.8 millimeters in diameter. It’s about the size of an AirTag nut and levels up the experience in two key ways.First, it comes in six colors: blue, yellow, red, green, black, and white. Second, it has a built-in key ring hole so that you can easily attach it to a set of keys, a bag, or really anything else. Chipolo ships it with a color-matched key ring as well.It’s also powered by a commonly found battery, the CR2032 – just like the AirTag. Chipolo says the Pop should last for up to a year of use. With the IP55 resistance, it can also handle a bit of water and dust. That’s handy for an item tracker that could get left outdoors.Maybe the single biggest advantage of the Chipolo Pop is that it integrates with Apple’s or Google’s FindMy device networks. This means that the tracker's location will ping off thousands of these devices to help give an accurate location. Apple’s network is made up of iPhones, iPads, and Macs.That also means that after you get the Chipolo Pop and are ready to set the item tracker up, you’ll need to hold it next to your Android phone or iPhone and follow the splash screen that appears on the device. During this, it will also link with your Google or Apple account. (Image credit: Chipolo) You can also stretch the mileage of the Pop and get more features with the Chipolo app for Android or iOS – here, you can set a custom alert and even have it ring your device if you click the button on the Pop in. That’s a trick even Apple’s AirTag can’t do. On Android, you can also set up alerts to notify you if you leave the Pop behind.While we haven’t tested it yet, there is a speaker integrated within the Pop – so you can ping it and hear your selected chime – and Chipolo promises it offers a “seriously loud ring.”So, for those with an iPhone, minus the AirTag’s Precision Finding, the Chipolo Pop is basically the colorful AirTag I’ve always wanted. It nearly checks off all the boxes, doesn’t raise the price, and stretches the value further.Case in point, if I get a Chipolo Pop, I don’t need to buy an additional accessory to attach it to my keys or a backpack. That isn’t the case with an AirTag.If you’re eager to add the Chipolo Pop to your keys, backpack, or other items, you can order it right now from Chipolo’s online store or on Amazon. You might also like The Moto Tag looks like an AirTag but boasts one feature that's a big win for Android usersApple AirTag reviewAndroid Find My Device: what is the new tracker network and how does it work?

Even though we live in a world festooned with smart stuff, from slick ways to monitor your activity to generative AI and other such opinion-dividing tools, sometimes it’s the simple things that really feel special. And for me, it’s the iPhone’s Passwords app.Introduced with iOS 18, the Passwords app effectively builds out on Apple’s iCloud Keychain system, which allows passwords and login credentials to be saved in the cloud and automatically fill in said credentials once a security check via the likes of Face ID has been carried out.What the Passwords app does is build in a slicker interface on this functionality to facilitate easier password management. There's also support for third-party browsers, the ability to share passwords with trusted groups of people and get alerts of potential security issues.Naturally, there are third-party password management services that do all this too, but if you forget your master password – something I may have done in the past – you can be a little screwed. So having a native password manager baked into iOS is neat.And it’s a rather slick app; one that despite getting shown off at WWDC 2024, I sort of forgot about. So going by that, the app may have slipped your mind too, given how easily it integrates with daily iPhone life.But more recently, I’ve been finding out how handy it is. A most helpful app (Image credit: Apple) The biggest benefit of the app is for when a freeloading family member requests the password to one of the most popular streaming series that rhymes with 'transfix', and I can’t remember it off by heart or have the patience to dig it out of the reams of nonsense that make up the family’s WhatApp chat.Instead, I simply head over to the Passwords app, let Face ID do its thing, then navigate to one of the services or accounts I use, then tap on the passwords field to reveal the collection of numbers and letters I’ve used to secure the account.From there it’s easy to copy the password and send it to the requesting party, either in a separate message, via AirDrop or set up a ‘Shared Group’ in which select passwords can be shared with select people.It’s so easy to use but also feels secure too, arguably more so than the Google password manager function in Chrome.On top of this easy password access, the app will also note which passwords may have been compromised via a leak. It then lets you trigger the process of changing them; though really that function just pushes you towards the service’s website to login and change your password there.So while Apple Intelligence tools might grab the headlines, and the Photos app has more interesting functions in iOS 18, it’s this simple Passwords app that’s grabbed my attention lately.The best Android phones have similar functionality, but in my experience it feels like the iOS 18 Passwords app… well… just works; yes, I hate myself for saying that, but that’s just how I feel.To use the app, simply search ‘Passwords’ in the drop-down menu in iOS 18. And do make sure your iCloud Keychain is synced with your iPhone to get the most out of the app.It's also worth noting the Passwords app is on macOS too, which is handy if you want to dive into your saved passwords, and discover accounts you may have forgotten about, on a larger display. You might also like ‘The key is to build a bridge with iOS’: OnePlus has a plan to tackle Apple's smartphone industry dominanceThe best phone 2025: top smartphones you can buy today‘It will take time for foldables to become mainstream’: OnePlus defends decision to delay the OnePlus Open 2 and bow out of the foldable phones race in 2025

In a decision almost certainly informed by the recent tariff chaos, NVIDIA is going to start making some of its AI chips and supercomputers in the US. The company announced that it's building and testing its Blackwell chips in Arizona and it plans to manufacture its AI supercomputers — presumably the recently announced DGX Spark and DGX Station — in Texas. NVIDIA says TSMC is already making Blackwell chips in Phoenix, Arizona and the company is partnering with Amkor and SPIL for testing and packaging. In Texas, the company's supercomputers will be made by Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas. "Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months," NVIDIA says. It's not entirely clear which version of NVIDIA's Blackwell chips TSMC will actually be building, but the chip maker plans to be equipped to handle a wide variety of manufacturing for US tech companies, including Apple and Qualcomm. TSMC received $6.6 billion in funding from the CHIPS Act under the Biden administration and committed to spending an additional $100 billion to expand its US operations in March. NVIDIA has benefitted most directly from the current AI boom, and stood to be harshly impacted by the latest round of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump. As of April 11, some of those tariffs have been "paused" for computers and chips, saving companies like NVIDIA from some financial strife, but moving some manufacturing to the US is a much more permanent way to avoid the ongoing trade war.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/nvidia-is-going-to-make-ai-chips-and-supercomputers-in-the-us-213534618.html?src=rss

Ubisoft has open-sourced Chroma, the company’s in-house colorblind assistance tool. It’s available for download via GitHub and is described as a "one-stop solution for detecting color blindness-related issues in games." Here’s how it works. It throws a filter over the game screen that simulates various types of color blindness. This allows testers to flag accessibility issues in real time. The tool uses the Color Oracle algorithm and integrates with both single or dual-screen setups. It works with hotkeys and there’s a customizable overlay for adjusting settings. Ubisoft says that applying the filter will not impede game performance. Ubisoft It’s important to note what this software does and who it’s for. It simulates how a person with color blindness will experience a game, allowing devs to take action. It doesn’t fix anything on its own. However, knowing is half the battle as they say. This move by Ubisoft should allow other devs to address these concerns before shipping a game out the door. Ubisoft isn’t the only company that has been widening the availability of accessibility tools. EA recently made a whole bunch of accessibility patents open-source. This included photosensitivity and speech recognition tech.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-just-open-sourced-its-colorblind-assistance-tool-chroma-184546640.html?src=rss

Amazon reports reveals former CEO paymentsCurrent CEO Andy Jassy’s salary was $365,000 in 2024, Bezos’ was $81,840The average Amazon wage was $37,000 in 2024 Amazon paid out more to Jeff Bezos than its current CEO, Andy Jassy in 2024, but this doesn’t mean the founder had a higher salary to live off.In fact, Jassy’s salary amassed to around 4.5x more than Bezos’ - $365,000 compared with $81,840 - but where the two leaders differed was in other allowable expenses and costs.Bezos had been awarded $1.6 million in security costs in 2024, with the company defending high security expenses due to the former CEO’s low salary and company benefits. Jeff Bezos continues to cost Amazon millions Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, together with CFO Brian Olsavsky, Amazon Stores CEO Douglas Herrington and Chief Global Affairs & Legal Officer David Zapolsky received $365,000 in salary, a figure unchanged from the year before. AWS CEO Matt Garman received a slightly smaller $358,750 package.Defending its decision to compensate Jassy a further $1.2 million, plus tens of thousands for other C-suite execs, the company noted: “We believe that all Company-incurred security costs are reasonable and necessary and for the Company’s benefit.”“The 2024 annual total compensation of our median compensated employee (identified from all full- and part-time permanent and temporary employees worldwide, excluding our CEO) was $37,181,” Amazon also noted.Other topics covered in the Annual Meeting of Shareholders included the request for alternative emissions reporting, additional reporting on the impact of data centers and climate commitments, and a report on packaging materials.The board voted against all three requests, noting existing transparency, adherence to protocols and guidelines and work that’s already been done.Full details of the meeting can be found in Amazon’s Notice of 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders & Proxy Statement. You might also like Fancy a change? Here are the best job sites and best recruitment platformsEarn more by upskilling with the best online learning platformsMicrosoft cuts hundreds of UK jobs even as profits soared

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, April 14 (game #1176). Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers. Quordle today (game #1177) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*. * Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1177) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2. Quordle today (game #1177) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers. Quordle today (game #1177) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0. If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier: Quordle today (game #1177) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• S• M• H• F Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM. Quordle today (game #1177) - the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today's Quordle, game #1177, are… SLEETMERITHARSHFORAY A very speedy game for me today, as the “first thought best thought” mindset paid off. I didn’t spend too long pondering, just went for it.On reflection there weren’t too many alternatives with regular letters – guessing BORAX instead of FORAY would have been bonkers, regardless of what might have happened in the past in Wordle.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below. Daily Sequence today (game #1177) - the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1177, are… DEIGNLADLEOWNERQUOTA Quordle answers: The past 20 Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCEQuordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOPQuordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THINGQuordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLYQuordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSEQuordle #1171, Wednesday 9 April: LITHE, LEFTY, KNOLL, MULCHQuordle #1170, Tuesday 8 April: WIDTH, VISOR, MEDAL, BROOKQuordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABINQuordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICKQuordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGATQuordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTEQuordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLYQuordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLEQuordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECTQuordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACEQuordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUERQuordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREEQuordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FRONDQuordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKEQuordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIAD

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, April 14 (game #673). Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers. NYT Connections today (game #674) - today's words (Image credit: New York Times) Today's NYT Connections words are… BELLREFRAINSPEEDCHORUSBRIDGEHUBRISDARLINGHEARTSHOOKAVOIDHEROCEASESPOONSPANABSTAINTRAGEDY NYT Connections today (game #674) - hint #1 - group hints What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups? YELLOW: Not involvedGREEN: Play with a deckBLUE: Parts of a classic playPURPLE: People in JM Barrie’s classic Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles… NYT Connections today (game #674) - hint #2 - group answers What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups? YELLOW: DESIST GREEN: CARD GAMES BLUE: ELEMENTS OF GREEK DRAMA PURPLE: SECOND WORDS OF "PETER PAN" CHARACTERS  Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Connections today (game #674) - the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today's Connections, game #674, are… YELLOW: DESIST ABSTAIN, AVOID, CEASE, REFRAINGREEN: CARD GAMES BRIDGE, HEARTS, SPEED, SPOONSBLUE: ELEMENTS OF GREEK DRAMA CHORUS, HERO, HUBRIS, TRAGEDYPURPLE: SECOND WORDS OF "PETER PAN" CHARACTERS BELL, DARLING, HOOK, PAN My rating: HardMy score: Fail I failed completely again, wasting a lot of time barking up the wrong trees.After getting DESIST fairly easily I struggled with the remaining 12 words. I was convinced there was a group about songwriting with BRIDGE, HOOK and CHORUS all being key elements of a hit tune. Scrambling for the fourth word I included BELL and got the dreaded “groups of four” pop-up.After another mistake, I switched to collecting a group associated with Peter Pan – PAN and HOOK were locks but I went down a dead-end route and thought we were looking for elements of a particular scene, so I included BELL and BRIDGE, all very tenuous.With “one away” I really should have got the purple group, but I made the wrong choices and went for HERO and TRAGEDY.Two defeats in a row is not a good look.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below. Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 14 April, game #673) YELLOW: RESTRICT BLOCK, CHECK, DAM, STOPGREEN: TICKETED EVENTS CONCERT, GAME, MOVIE, PLAYBLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAME THE OREGON TRAILDYSENTERY, FORD, HUNT, OXENPURPLE: WHAT "FORD" MIGHT REFER TO ACTOR, CAR, DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT What is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, April 14 (game #407). Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers. NYT Strands today (game #408) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Draft picks NYT Strands today (game #408) - hint #2 - clue words Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system. STREETRISECRACKTOWERSIRECROW NYT Strands today (game #408) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 12 letters NYT Strands today (game #408) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 6th rowLast side: right, 4th row Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Strands today (game #408) - the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today's Strands, game #408, are… SOURNITROLAGERBOCKSTOUTPORTERPILSNERSPANGRAM: MICRO BREWERY My rating: ModerateMy score: 1 hint After fearing that today’s search would have something to do with sports drafts, I was relieved to be on the more solid ground of alcoholic beverages, and beer in particular.Cunningly, the grid featured the word BEER – but it wasn’t one of the answers. Crafty, crafty…I did struggle to get going and the word the Hint gave me – SOUR – didn’t help much. It wasn’t until I spotted LAGER that I knew what I was doing. BOCK and NITRO were both new beery words to me, although I’ve seen both incorporated into German beer brands.All in all, thirsty work.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below. Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 14 April, game #407) IRISDAFFODILTULIPHYACINTHLILYCROCUSSPANGRAM: SPRING FLOWERS What is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

The Meta Quest 3S is on sale for $269 via Amazon. This is a record-low price for the 128GB VR headset, as it typically costs $300. It comes with a download code for Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial for Meta Quest+. This is the platform’s version of Game Pass or PS Plus, with an extensive catalog of playable titles. The Quest 3S made our list of the best VR headsets, and for good reason. It offers a similar experience to the standard Quest 3, with just a couple of cut corners. This means that the graphics fidelity is a bit lower with the 3S, as it doesn’t have those sweet pancake lenses. However, it does have the exact same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip as the Quest 3 and uses the same Touch Plus controllers. They offer decent motion controls and responsive joysticks and buttons. There’s no headphone jack, but we found the speakers to be adequate in most cases. Plus, you can always insert a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter or just pair wireless headphones. Just like the original Quest 3, this one can connect to gaming PCs over USB-C or wirelessly. This allows folks to play AAA titles intended for power-hungry computers and not standalone VR headsets. It can also wirelessly stream gameplay to Chromecast devices or to AirPlay devices by mirroring the Quest app from an iPhone. We called it "impressive VR for $300" in our official review. This is even more true with today’s sale. The only caveat here is this is the 128GB version, which could fill up pretty fast. Batman: Arkham Shadow, for instance, is around 20GB. The 256GB model is on sale for $369 instead of $400.  Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-meta-quest-3s-is-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-174954820.html?src=rss

Meta plans to start using data collected from its users in the European Union to train its AI systems, the company announced today. Starting this week, the tech giant will begin notifying Europeans through email and its family of apps of the fact, with the message set to include an explanation of the kind of data it plans to use as part of the training. Additionally, the notification will link out to a form users can complete to opt out of the process. "We have made this objection form easy to find, read, and use, and we’ll honor all objection forms we have already received, as well as newly submitted ones," says Meta.  The company notes it will only use data it collects from public posts and Meta AI interactions for training purposes. It won't use private messages in its training sets, nor any interactions, public or otherwise, made by users under the age of 18. As for why the company wants to start using EU data now, it claims the information will allow it to fine tune its future models to better serve Europeans.             "We believe we have a responsibility to build AI that’s not just available to Europeans, but is actually built for them. That’s why it’s so important for our generative AI models to be trained on a variety of data so they can understand the incredible and diverse nuances and complexities that make up European communities," Meta states.  "That means everything from dialects and colloquialisms, to hyper-local knowledge and the distinct ways different countries use humor and sarcasm on our products. This is particularly important as AI models become more advanced with multi-modal functionality, which spans text, voice, video, and imagery."  Meta notes other AI companies, including Google and OpenAI, have similarly used data from European users to fine tune their own systems. Today's announcement follows the initial release of Meta's new Llama 4 models. After some early hype, Meta was accused of gaming LMArena, a website where humans compare the outputs of different AI models to rank them. Researchers noticed the company had provided an experimental version of Llama 4 to the site "optimized for conversationality.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-will-start-using-data-from-eu-users-to-train-its-ai-models-175307338.html?src=rss

Fujifilm may have asked retailers to suspend orders of three camerasRumors suggest the X100VI, GFX100RF and X-M5 are affectedThe move could be tariff-related – we've asked Fujifilm for a response The Fujifilm X100VI hasn't been easy to find at the best of times since it launched just over a year ago – but the compact camera could soon become genuinely impossible to buy new in the US, according to new rumors.An anonymous source has apparently told Fuji Rumors that Fujifilm recently "contacted retailers about the suspension of orders" for the X100VI, alongside the new Fujifilm GFX100RF and the black version of the Fujifilm X-M5.If that's true, it means backorders for the Fujifilm X100VI may now be suspended in the US, which means not being able to join the queue of people waiting for one. It'd also mean that pre-orders for the GFX100RF, which was announced less than a month ago, may be suspended in the US before it's even got started.The little Fujifilm X-M5 seemingly hasn't been as badly affected, with the suspension of pre-orders apparently only affecting the black version. But it's possible that stock of the silver version, which is already shipping, could also run dry. We've contacted Fujifilm for a response to these rumors and will update this story if we hear back.The problem is that seemingly that, as Fuji Rumors claims, the X100VI and X-M5 are both made in China, which the US has subjected to a 145% tariff. The GFX100RF is made in Japan, so the reasons for its apparent issues in the US are less obvious.Something that also isn't clear is whether or not the knock-on effect could be the greater availability of these three cameras in other regions.In the UK, for example, the Fujifilm X100VI is still largely on backorder, but it may also not be possible to divert stock to different regions due to variations in accessories and warranties. What should you get instead? (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman) We don't yet know how accurate these reports of Fujifilm suspending retailer orders for the X100VI in the US are. But either way, it's already very difficult to buy the camera new, with the X100VI listed as 'out of stock' on Fujifilm's store and backordered at retailers. The trade war certainly isn't going to ease that situation.Fortunately, the X100VI isn't your only option. I've previously written about how that camera has helped raise second-hand compact camera prices due to its popularity, but that effect started to wane in early 2025 as the stock issues eased slightly.If you want a powerful compact camera that's genuinely pocketable (and smaller than the X100VI), then the Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx (which I'd go for due to its 40mm lens) both remain good options.We've also recently noted the availability of the Leica D-Lux 8, while other solid second-hand options include the Panasonic Lumix LX100 II and Fujifilm X-Pro 2. But my choice would be either the Fujifilm X-T30 II or X-T50 – in fact, I bought the latter when it dropped to a new record-low price recently.Neither X-T models are as small or as desirable as the rangefinder-style X100VI, but they do come with the considerable benefit of being able to change lenses. That makes them potentially better long-term buys, and certainly superior short-term ones – given they're actually available to buy both new and used. You might also like The Fujifilm X100VI effect – how it's sparked a compact camera price boom and what I'd buy insteadStill can't get a Fujifilm X100VI? This premium Leica compact costs less, and it's in stockFujifilm X100VI review: everyday delight

If you’ve managed to steer clear of ChatGPT all this time, just know you might be using an OpenAI AI model soon without even realizing it.OpenAI unveiled a new suite of models aimed at developers looking to embed some AI into their software. The GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano models might not declare themselves, but they seem purpose-built for subtle inclusion in other products.These aren’t the chatbots you open for conversation and then close after getting your trivia question answered to go back to your email inbox. These models power your inbox, to-do list, or budgeting app. They could fuel a recipe manager and adjust ingredient portions for any last-minute additions to the dinner party.What makes GPT-4.1 and its smaller, slightly speedier siblings different from past releases is that it is explicitly designed for developers rather than for developers in addition to a role with ChatGPT. These are workhorse models optimized for instruction-following, coding, and reasoning from vast chunks of information.That means they are very good at doing exactly what you tell them to do in a format familiar to any software developer. OpenAI also boasts about its speed and cost relative to its power, making it even more enticing for developers with an ingenious app idea but limited resources.OpenAI has ideas about apps getting much smarter thanks to its models and the clever way developers can deploy them. Picture your expense tracker automatically and accurately, immediately categorizing purchases or your notes app, producing a summary of everything that happened during a particularly chaotic day at work. Your photo editor might offer captions that don’t sound like they were written by a robot or at least like a robot that has spent some time around people.This is AI as infrastructure – not a product, not a personality, but a quiet presence that makes everything run smoother and better. OpenAI inside We’ve seen glimmers of this before. Gmail’s autocomplete, Photoshop's image suggestions, and other tools have plenty of AI underlying their features. However, what OpenAI is semi-obliquely promising with GPT-4.1 is that plugging AI into an app will be easy, fast, and cheap.Of course, relevant questions are raised about whether users should be alerted about the AI model since they might consciously avoid it in its more visible form. Plus, the usual privacy questions about apps get more complex with AI involved. If your grocery app starts predicting your purchases before you search, is that convenience or surveillance?Many apps might never tell you they’re using GPT-4.1 under the hood if they don't have to, especially if it’s just powering something like a search function or summarizing your reading list. There’s a good chance millions of people will be using OpenAI models every day without ever realizing it, for good or ill.Broad adoption of the models by developers might actually help with public acceptance. If AI is more like a utility and not an in-your-face feature, people might be more comfortable with it. It could be like Wi-Fi.You don’t think about the Wi-Fi noting your location when you check the weather; you simply expect it to work. AI moves from spectacle to plumbing, annoying when it fails and invisible when it works.That also means who we define as an AI used will change. Instead of someone who opens ChatGPT or Midjourney, an AI user will just be someone using an app, like how everyone using an app is technically a software user.For OpenAI, there's also a possible shift in power in their favor. By moving away from direct engagement and toward app integration, you’re ultimately relying on OpenAI whether you signed up for ChatGPT or not. Smarter tools are often more helpful, less annoying, and better at dealing with whatever task they're assigned.But it also means more of your digital life will be shaped by a handful of foundational models operated by companies that aren’t always transparent about how those models are trained, what data they’ve consumed, or what they might get wrong.So, if you’ve been proudly avoiding AI tools, get ready to either massively extend your list of software to avoid or be prepared to parse some user agreements to check for GPT-4.1's quiet reshaping of your digital world. You might also like ChatGPT's memory upgrade might just be the biggest AI improvement we see all yearWill Adobe's AI agents cause the death of creativity?I refuse to jump on ChatGPT’s Studio Ghibli image generator bandwagon because it goes against everything I love about those movies

OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 13T will be announced on April 24This initial launch is just for ChinaThe company has also revealed the screen size and colors of the phone The OnePlus 13T will be announced on April 24, the company has confirmed, although in typical OnePlus fashion you won’t have to wait until then to get an official look at the phone, as it has already been shown off.A short teaser video posted to Chinese social media platform Weibo (via GSMArena) shows the front and back of the OnePlus 13T in full, complete with a flat back, curvy corners, and a choice of gray, pink, or black shades, as you can see below.You can also see that there’s a new button on the side in place of the alert slider we’re used to on OnePlus phones, and the company has previously confirmed that it's a customizable key that sounds similar to the Action button on iPhones. The OnePlus 13T (Image credit: OnePlus) A small screen and a big battery In another post the company revealed that the 13T will have a 6.32-inch screen, and in an earlier teaser OnePlus said its battery would be at least 6,000mAh, which is especially impressive given that the OnePlus 13T sounds fairly compact by modern smartphone standards.That’s all the official news we have, but leaks have suggested that the OnePlus 13T will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 16GB of RAM, a 50MP main camera, a 50MP telephoto (with 2x optical zoom), and possibly an ultra-wide camera, the specs of which haven’t yet been the subject of leaks or rumors.So this is sounding like an impressive phone – if the price is right. We should have a clearer idea of how good the OnePlus 13T is very soon, although note that, as mentioned, the April 24 announcement is just for China.Hopefully though we won’t be waiting too much longer for a global launch, as it sounds like a promising compact alternative to the OnePlus 13. You might also like Best OnePlus phones: the top flagship, budget, and foldable models rankedOnePlus 13 review: I'm dumbfounded, I can't find anything wrong with this phoneBest Android phones: top performing and most affordable

Car rental giant Hertz confirms suffering a data breachThe attack occurred through Cleo, a file transfer service providerThe threat actors abused a zero-day to get in Car rental giant Hertz has confirmed suffering cyberattack which saw it lose sensitive customer information.In a data breach notification letter published on its website, the company said that the incident involved Cleo Communications, a software company that provided file transfer services for Hertz “for limited purposes”.The report says an unidentified threat actor exploited a zero-day vulnerability in the Cleo platform to exfiltrate sensitive data in October and December 2024. The attack was spotted in mid-February 2025, prompting an investigation, with the analysis concluding some customer data was taken. Monitor your credit score with TransUnion starting at $29.95/monthTransUnion is a credit monitoring service that helps you stay on top of your financial health. With real-time alerts, credit score tracking, and identity theft protection, it ensures you never miss important changes. You'll benefit from a customizable online interface with clear insights into your credit profile. Businesses also benefit from TransUnion’s advanced risk assessment tools.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal Hallucinating malware “We completed this data analysis on April 2, 2025, and concluded that the personal information involved in this event may include the following: name, contact information, date of birth, credit card information, driver’s license information and information related to workers’ compensation claims,” the announcement reads.“A very small number of individuals may have had their Social Security or other government identification numbers, passport information, Medicare or Medicaid ID (associated with workers’ compensation claims), or injury-related information associated with vehicle accident claims impacted by the event.”The exact number of affected individuals is not known at this time, with a company spokesperson saying it would be, “inaccurate to say millions” of customers are affected.The identity of the attackers, or the nature of the breach, is also unknown at this time. It most likely wasn’t a ransomware attack, since it took the company months to realize it was hacked. That being said, this was most likely a simple data smash-and-grab.To mitigate the damages, Hertz is offering two years of identity monitoring and dark web monitoring services to potentially impacted individuals, through Kroll, at no cost.At press time, there was no evidence that the stolen data was misused in any way.Via TechCrunch You might also like Cl0p resurgence drives ransomware attacks to new highs in 2025Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

Chromebooks have become a go-to choice for students, casual users and anyone who wants a simple, fast and affordable laptop. Powered by Google’s lightweight ChromeOS, these devices are great for web browsing, streaming, word processing and using popular apps like Google Docs or Zoom. Whether you need something for school, work or everyday use, the best Chromebook can offer solid performance, long battery life and a surprisingly premium experience — all without breaking the bank.With so many models to choose from, finding the best Chromebook depends on what you need most: a bright display, solid build quality, tablet-style 2-in-1 features or just the lowest price possible. Here, we’ve collected our top picks for the best Chromebooks you can get right now, all of which have a combination of the most important features anyone would be looking for. Table of contents Best Chromebooks in 2025 Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus Acer Chromebook Plus 514 Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE Chromebook FAQs Other Chromebooks we tested Best Chromebooks in 2025 Chromebook FAQs What is Chrome OS, and why would I use it over Windows? This is probably the number one question about Chromebooks. There are plenty of inexpensive Windows laptops on the market, so why bother with Chrome's operating system? Glad you asked. For me, the simple and clean nature of Chrome OS is a big selling point. Chrome OS is based on Google’s Chrome browser, which means most of the programs you can run are web based. There’s no bloatware or unwanted apps to uninstall like you often get on Windows laptops, it boots up in seconds, and you can completely reset to factory settings almost as quickly. Of course, simplicity will also be a major drawback for some users. Not being able to install native software can be a dealbreaker if you’re a video editor or software developer. But there are also plenty of people who do the majority of their work in a web browser, using tools like Google Docs and spreadsheets for productivity without needing a full Windows setup. Google and its software partners are getting better every year at supporting more advanced features. For example, Google added video editing tools to the Google Photos app on Chromebooks – it won’t replace Adobe Premiere, but it should be handy for a lot of people. Similarly, Google and Adobe announced Photoshop on the web last year, something that brings much of the power of Adobe’s desktop apps to Chromebooks. Chromebooks can also run Android apps, which greatly expands the amount of software available. The quality varies widely, but it means you can do more with a Chromebook beyond just web-based apps. For example, you can install the Netflix app and save videos for offline watching. Other Android apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Lightroom are surprisingly capable as well. Between Android apps and a general improvement in web apps, Chromebooks are more than just portals to a browser. What do Chromebooks do well? Put simply, web browsing and really anything web based. Online shopping, streaming music and video and using various social media sites are among the most common daily tasks people do on Chromebooks. As you might expect, they also work well with Google services like Photos, Docs, Gmail, Drive, Keep and so on. Yes, any computer that can run Chrome can do that too, but the lightweight nature of Google Chrome OS makes it a responsive and stable platform. As I mentioned before, Chrome OS can run Android apps, so if you’re an Android user you’ll find some nice ties between the platforms. You can get most of the same apps that are on your phone on a Chromebook and keep info in sync between them. You can also use some Android phones as a security key for your Chromebook or instantly tether your 2-in-1 laptop to use mobile data. Google continues to tout security as a major differentiator for Chromebooks, and it’s definitely a factor worth considering. Auto-updates are the first lines of defense: Chrome OS updates download quickly in the background and a fast reboot is all it takes to install the latest version. Google says that each webpage and app on a Chromebook runs in its own sandbox as well, so any security threats are contained to that individual app. Finally, Chrome OS has a self-check called Verified Boot that runs every time a device starts up. Beyond all this, the simple fact that you generally can’t install traditional apps on a Chromebook means there are fewer ways for bad actors to access the system. If you’re interested in Google’s Gemini AI tools, a Chromebook is a good option as well. Every Chromebook in our top picks comes with a full year of the Google One AI Premium plan — this combines the usual Google One perks like 2TB of storage and 10 percent back in purchases from the Google Store with a bunch of AI tools. You’ll get access to Gemini in Gmail, Google Docs and other apps, Gemini Advanced (which runs on the 1.5 Pro model) and more. Given that this plan is $20/month, it’s a pretty solid perk. Chromebook Plus models also include tools like the AI-powered “help me write,” the Google Photos Magic Editor and generative AI backgrounds you can create by filling in a few prompts. As for when to avoid Chromebooks, the answer is simple: If you rely heavily on a specific native application for Windows or a Mac, chances are you won’t find the exact same option on a ChromeOS device. That’s most true in fields like photo and video editing, but it can also be the case in law or finance. Plenty of businesses run on Google’s G suite software, but more still have specific requirements that a Chromebook might not match. If you’re an iPhone user, you’ll also miss out on the way the iPhone easily integrates with an iPad or Mac. For me, the big downside is not being able to access iMessage on a Chromebook. Finally, gaming Chromebooks are not ubiquitous, although they’re becoming a slightly more reasonable option with the rise of cloud gaming. In late 2022, Google and some hardware partners announced a push to make Chromebooks with cloud gaming in mind. From a hardware perspective, that means laptops with bigger screens that have higher refresh rates as well as optimizing those laptops to work with services like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. You’ll obviously need an internet connection to use these services, but the good news is that playing modern games on a Chromebook isn’t impossible. You can also install Android games from the Google Play Store, but that’s not what most people are thinking of when they want to game on a laptop. What are the most important specs for a Chromebook? Chrome OS is lightweight and runs well on fairly modest hardware, so the most important thing to look for might not be processor power or storage space. But Google made it easier to get consistent specs and performance late last year when it introduced the Chromebook Plus initiative. Any device with a Chromebook Plus designation meets some minimum requirements, which happen to be very similar to what I’d recommend most people get if they’re looking for the best laptop they can use every day. Chromebook Plus models have at least a 12th-gen Intel Core i3 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 3 7000 series processor, both of which should be more than enough for most people. These laptops also have a minimum of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage, which should do the trick unless you’re really pushing your Chromebook. All Chromebook Plus models have to have a 1080p webcam, which is nice in these days of constant video calling, and they also all have to have at least a 1080p FHD IPS screen. Of course, you can get higher specs or better screens if you desire, but I’ve found that basically everything included in the Chromebook Plus target specs makes for a very good experience. Google has an Auto Update policy for Chromebooks as well, and while that’s not exactly a spec, it’s worth checking before you buy. Last year, Google announced that Chromebooks would get software updates and support for an impressive 10 years after their release date. This support page lists the Auto Update expiration date for virtually every Chromebook ever, but a good rule of thumb is to buy the newest machine you can to maximize your support. How much should I spend on a Chromebook? Chromebooks started out notoriously cheap, with list prices often coming in under $300. But as they’ve gone more mainstream, they’ve transitioned from being essentially modern netbooks to some of the best laptops you’ll want to use all day. As such, prices have increased: At this point, you should expect to spend at least $400 if you want a solid daily driver. There are still many Chromebooks out there available at a low price that may be suitable as secondary devices, but a good Chromebook that can be an all-day, every-day laptop will cost more. But, notably, even the best Chromebooks usually cost less than the best Windows laptops, or even the best “regular” laptops out there. There are plenty of premium Chromebooks that approach or even exceed $1,000 that claim to offer better performance and more processing power, but I don’t recommend spending that much. Generally, that’ll get you a better design with more premium materials, as well as more powerful internals and extra storage space, like a higher-capacity SSD. Of course, you also sometimes pay for the brand name. But, the specs I outlined earlier are usually enough. See Also: Best Laptops for 2025 Best Gaming Laptops Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2025 Best Cheap Windows Laptops Best Laptops for College Students Other Chromebooks we tested Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Samsung’s new Galaxy Chromebook Plus is one of the more unique Chromebooks out there. It’s extremely thin and light, at 0.46 inches and 2.6 pounds, but it manages to include a 15.6-inch display in that frame. That screen is a 1080p panel that’s sharp and bright, but its 16:9 aspect ratio made things feel a bit cramped when scrolling vertically. Performance is very good, and the keyboard is solid, though I’m not a fan of the number pad as it shifts everything to the left. At $700 it’s not cheap, but that feels fair considering its size and capabilities. If you’re looking for a big screen laptop that is also super light, this Chromebook merits consideration, even if it’s not the best option for everyone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-chromebooks-160054646.html?src=rss

The riskiness of AI development results from the fact that modern AI tools are pushing ethical boundaries under the existing legal frameworks that weren’t made to fit them. However, the way regulators choose to proceed in light of this varies greatly between different countries and regions.The recent AI Action Summit in Paris highlighted these regulatory differences. Notably, its final statement focused on matters of inclusiveness and openness in AI development while only broadly mentioning safety and trustworthiness and without emphasizing specific AI-related risks, such as security threats or existential dangers. Drafted by 60 nations, the statement was not signed by either the US or the UK, which shows how little consensus there is in this space. How different regulators tackle AI risks Countries and regions differ from each other in how they regulate AI development and deployment. Nonetheless, most fit somewhere between the two poles constituted by the United States at one point of the extreme and the European Union at the other. The US way: innovate first, regulate later The United States has no federal-level acts regulating AI in particular; instead it relies on voluntary guidelines and market-based solutions. Key pieces of legislation include the National AI Initiative Act, which aims to coordinate federal AI research, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) voluntary risk management framework.In October 2023, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, establishing standards for critical infrastructure, enhancing AI-driven cybersecurity and regulating federally funded AI projects. However, the US regulatory landscape remains fluid and subject to political shifts. In January 2025, President Trump revoked Biden’s executive order, signaling a potential pivot towards promoting innovation and away from regulation.Criticisms of the US’s approach include its “fragmented nature,” leading to a complex web of rules, “lack of enforceable standards,” and “gaps in privacy protection.” However, the country’s laissez-faire approach to regulating AI may very well change in the future. For instance, in 2024 alone, state legislators introduced almost 700 pieces of AI legislation and there have been multiple hearings on AI in governance, AI and intellectual property, etc. This shows that the US government doesn’t shy away from regulation but is looking for ways of implementing it without compromising too much on innovation. The EU way: damage-prevention approach The European Union has taken a very different approach. In August 2024, the European Parliament and Council introduced the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), widely regarded as the most comprehensive piece of AI regulation to date. Employing a risk-based approach, the act imposes the most stringent rules on high-sensitivity AI systems, e.g., those used in healthcare and critical infrastructure, while low-risk applications face only minimal oversight. Certain applications, such as government-run social scoring systems, are explicitly prohibited.Similar to the GDPR, the act mandates compliance not only within the EU’s borders but also from any provider, distributor, or user of AI systems operating in the EU or offering AI solutions to its market (even if the system has been developed outside it). This may pose some challenges for US and other non-EU providers of integrated products. Criticisms of the bloc’s approach include its alleged failure to set a gold standard for human rights, excessive complexity and lack of clarity and highly exacting technical requirements at a time when the EU is seeking to bolster its competitiveness. Regulatory middle ground The United Kingdom has adopted a “lightweight” framework somewhere between the EU and the US. The framework is based on certain principles and core values like safety, fairness and transparency. Existing regulators, such as the Information Commissioner's Office, are empowered to implement these principles within their respective domains.In November 2023, the UK founded the AI Safety Institute (AISI), evolving from the Frontier AI Taskforce. AISI is tasked with evaluating the safety of advanced AI models, collaborating with major AI developers to conduct safety tests and promoting international standards. The UK government has also published an AI Opportunities Action Plan, outlining measures to invest in AI foundations, implement cross-economy adoption of AI and foster “homegrown” AI systems. Criticisms of the UK’s approach to AI regulation include limited enforcement capabilities (“all eyes, no hands”), a lack of coordination between sectoral legislation and a lack of a central regulatory authority.Other major countries have also found their own place somewhere on the US-EU spectrum. Canada has introduced a risk-based approach with the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), designed to balance innovation with safety and ethical considerations. Japan has emphasized a “human-centric” approach to AI, publishing guidelines to promote trustworthy development.In China, AI regulation is tightly controlled by the state, with recent laws requiring generative AI models to align with socialist values and undergo security assessments. Australia, meanwhile, has released an AI ethics framework and is exploring updates to its privacy laws to address emerging challenges. Establishing international cooperation As AI technology continues to evolve, the differences between regulatory approaches will become even more apparent. Whatever the individual approach certain countries take regarding data privacy, copyright protection and other aspects, a more coherent global consensus on key AI-related risks is badly needed. International cooperation is crucial in establishing baseline standards that both address key risks and foster innovation.Currently, global organizations like the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations and several others are working to establish international standards and ethical guidelines for AI. The path forward requires everyone in the industry to find some common ground. And if we consider that innovation is moving at light speed, the time to discuss and agree is now. We've listed the best laptop for computer science students. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

The UK Government has announced a £121 million investment into quantum technologies, a move it says will help “tackle fraud, prevent money laundering, and drive growth”.The government hopes to achieve this by bolstering the UK’s world-leading research programmes, which it says will bring a “range of benefits to working people, including improved healthcare systems and boosted energy efficiency in the grid.”These are the perfect combination of big, impressive promises that are vague enough to evade any real scrutiny, with a budget that seems huge, but will most likely fall seriously short of making any real difference. Will these research projects actually bring about an end to fraud? Well, let’s start by looking at a breakdown of the spending. An expensive venture The new investment starts with £46.1 million through Innovate UK, and a further £21.1 million for the National Quantum Computing Centre, including a testbed programme with Innovate UK, to “to accelerate the discovery of more ways that quantum can overhaul how we work and solve problems”.To me, this suggests the government wants more sectors to adopt quantum computing, but it’s not quite sure what for yet.Quantum computing is in its infancy, and its potential is huge, but the British government is pledging hundreds of millions to a solution it hasn’t yet matched to a problem - just to avoid falling behind.These cash injections come alongside a further £10.9 million for the National Physical Laboratory’s quantum measurement programme, in order to encourage more businesses to “make full use of the technology”.Here’s the thing, though: quantum computing in its current form is outrageously expensive. Mass production of quantum computers for commercial use is still, at best guess, years away - and one single mid-range quantum computer (with 50-100 qubits) costs upwards of $1 million, SpinQ estimates.Included in the £121 million figure is £24.6 million in funding from EPSRC for five previously announced research hubs, and £15.1 million spread between 11 Quantum Technology Acceleration Fellowships to help find “more real-world applications for quantum, from drug discovery to disease diagnostics” - yet more potential uses of the new emerging technology. Great expectations To be clear, research is always positive, and the government should be establishing public research projects into potential use-cases for quantum computing, an area that has huge potential for public benefit - and if quantum technology can eliminate fraud then that’s fantastic.That being said, at this stage, quantum computing isn’t ready for commercialisation, and it is so expensive that £121 million is just a drop in the ocean for the technology, whereas that funding could be used to make a real, tangible difference elsewhere - like for the nature-friendly farming budget (recently cut by the government), costing the same amount, but protecting 239,000 hectares of land, or the £120 million project to help the UK transition to zero-emissions vehicles - a measurable benefit for the British public.The UK has a well-developed technology sector, but struggles with a serious skills shortage, low wages, and a productivity problem. As great as quantum technology has the potential to be, these underlying issues will taint any new developments until they’re resolved - and the government’s promise to “save millions for our economy, create thousands of jobs and improve businesses across the country” with this relatively small cash injection seems like a stretch.For context, it’s estimated that China has invested over $15 billion into public quantum funding, out-spending both the EU ($7.2 billion), and the US ($1.9 billion). To suggest that such a small investment by the UK will simultaneously tackle crime, fraud, and money laundering, as well as delivering thousands of jobs and cementing the UK as a world-leader in quantum is incredibly optimistic, and quite frankly, the money could be used elsewhere.The UK’s current 10 year plan for quantum spending commits just £2.5 billion to development, an investment level likely to be overshadowed by a host of other states. Although investments are needed, without a coherent quantum strategy and guided public policy, these are likely to be lacking. You might also like Take a look at our picks for the best AI tools aroundWhy businesses must prepare for a post-quantum futureWorld Quantum Day – is the internet ready for the "biggest security threat of all time"?

I recently moved and, before I had a chance to set up my smart plugs again, I found myself turning on my living room lamps manually — I sort of hated it. Reaching, twisting and visiting each one like some Victorian gaslighter felt almost silly to me after having experienced the ease of asking Alexa to “turn on all the lights.” True, there are worse problems, but like all smart home stuff, smart plugs simply make life a bit more convenient and, honestly, a little more fun.In the two years or so that I’ve been testing smart plugs, I’ve come across models that were just plain bad and others that were pretty good. I like TP-Link’s EP25 best of all, but a few others have their advantages — outdoor use, energy monitoring, dual outlets, Matter compatibility — that might make those options better for you. Here are our top picks for the best smart plugs you can buy, along with how to get the most out of your plug once you buy it. Table of contents Best smart plugs for 2025 Best outdoor smart plugs for 2025 What to consider when buying a smart plug How we tested the best smart plugs Other smart plugs we tested Smart plug FAQs Best smart plugs for 2025 The best outdoor smart plugs for 2025 Most people will likely use outdoor plugs for two things: patio lighting and holiday string lights. The devices are designed for the outdoors with a weatherproof protection rating of IP64 or higher, which means they’re impervious to dust and can handle splashing water from rain and sprinklers. They have a longer Wi-Fi range than indoor plugs, for obvious reasons, and many have dual outlets, with individual control over each one. Setup is the same as for indoor plugs: you’ll use your phone to help the plug find your Wi-Fi using its companion app. The only tricky part is getting your phone within Bluetooth range of the plug (which it uses to initialize setup) and in Wi-Fi range at the same time. I had to awkwardly stand at a triangulated point in the middle of my driveway to get things communicating properly. Once set up, the plugs will communicate using your router for voice and app control and your phone needn’t be anywhere near the plug. What to consider when buying a smart plug Before you buy one, it helps to know how a smart plug works best. They are designed for things that have an on/off switch, making them great for turning lamps into smart lights. If you want a plug-in fan to move some air around before you get home, a smart plug can help. You can load a basic coffee maker with grounds and water the night before and wake up to a fresh pot in the morning. And instead of an air purifier running all day, you could set it to just run when you’re away. But gadgets that needs to be programmed further, or requires a stand-by mode, isn’t ideal. If you want to control built-in lights, you’ll need a smart light switch, which are more involved than smart plugs as they can involve in-wall installation. Smart bulbs are also an option for automation, and we have an entire guide devoted to those.  Some smart plugs can even monitor how much energy they use and display those figures within their companion app. That might not be much use on its own, as lamps with LED light bulbs consume very little energy, but it could help you keep tabs on your overall energy consumption. Setup and use Adding a smart plug to your home is relatively simple. You’ll use the manufacturer’s app to initially connect, after which you can add the plug to a compatible smart home ecosystem so you can use voice control and other features. Both the brand’s app and your smart home app will let you name the plug, set schedules and program “routines” which provide automation for multiple smart devices at once. But as you can guess, a manufacturer’s app only lets you control products from that brand. If you want whole-home automation, operating, say, a plug from TP-Link’s Kasa, a smart bulb from Philips Hue, a smart thermostat from Honeywell and a camera from Arlo without switching apps, you’ll need to use a smart home platform, which means you’ll need to consider compatibility. Compatibility Smart home devices connect through wireless protocols, often using more than one to communicate with your phone, smart speaker, router and in some cases, one another. The majority of smart plugs use Wi-Fi, but some have recently incorporated Matter, a relatively new wireless standard intended to solve integration issues between different brands and manufacturers, while also improving security and reliability. More of these smart plugs are coming to market and, for now, most Matter devices work via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a low-power mesh network called Thread. Matter requires a controller that stays at home, like a hub or smart speaker, to manage things when you’re out and about. As for Bluetooth, most plugs, including all Matter plugs, use the short-range protocol to get the device set up for the first time. Some can continue to run on Bluetooth in the absence of another option, but the connection isn’t as reliable and you won’t be able to control the plug when you’re away from home, or perhaps even just on the other side of the apartment. Because Matter is relatively new, it may be easier to consider the manufacturer’s system you’d use the most. There are four major “branded” smart home platforms: Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, Apple’s HomeKit and Samsung’s SmartThings. The first two work with the widest range of brands and are compatible with both iOS and Android devices. HomeKit not only limits app access to Apple devices, but it’s also compatible with fewer plugs. You can also turn to open-source software like Home Assistant or go with the larger functionality of IFTTT if you want to, say, have your lights turn off when your Uber arrives. For the purposes of our testing, we stuck with the four big players. Nearly every plug we looked at clearly stated which platforms it works with, both on the packaging and retail product pages. Of course, there’s no rule that says you have to stick with one home assistant. You might have an Echo Dot in the basement, a HomePod in the living room and a Google Nest Mini in the kitchen, each controlling any compatible devices. My kid has a great time telling Alexa to turn on a light then asking the Google Assistant to turn it back off. Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget Hubs and smart plugs All of our top picks recommended here don’t require a hub and connect directly to your home’s Wi-Fi router. That means if you already have wireless internet and a smartphone or tablet, you can quite literally plug and play. The exception is Apple’s HomeKit. If you want to pair up a compatible plug with that platform, you’ll need a HomePod speaker, Apple TV or an iPad that stays in your home to enable remote control when you’re away. Some smart plugs require a hub regardless of which platform you use. For our guide, we focused on the simplicity (and lower cost) of options that work on their own, but hub-dependent devices may make sense in certain situations. Some companies, like Aqara for example, make a vast range of smart home products, adding automatic shades, window sensors, smart locks and air quality monitors to the more traditional cameras and plugs. If you’re going all-in on one brand and plan to get a plethora of connected devices, a hub can keep your Wi-Fi network from getting too crowded and provide a more seamless setup with reliable connectivity. Sharing Once a plug is set up with your platform and voice assistant of choice, anyone can control the plug just by talking. If someone else wants to control things with their phone, things get more complicated. Google makes it easiest, allowing you to invite another person just by tapping the + button within the Home app. Whomever you invite will have full access to your connected devices – including cameras – so this is only for people you trust the most. HomeKit makes it similarly easy to grant app access to someone else, but as with most things Apple, it only works for other iOS users. Amazon only allows you to share access to your Echo, not your connected home devices. Many smart plug manufacturers allow you to share control through their app by inviting another person via email. But this only grants access to devices of that brand. Hopefully as Matter expands, multi-admin features will become more widespread. If you get a new Wi-Fi network Most people will wirelessly connect their smart plugs to their home’s Wi-Fi router. Matter, Z-Wave, Thread and other smart home protocols can work over local networks, but for most setups, the signals telling your plugs what to do will be dispatched through your router. If you happen to get a new one (like I did when it became clear my very basic gateway could not handle the number of smart home devices being tested) you’ll need to take a few steps to get everything reconnected. Depending on the brand, the steps may simply involve using the plug’s companion app to update your credentials (network name and password). Or it will require deleting the device in the companion app, doing a factory reset (typically by pressing the onboard button for 10 seconds) and setting up the plug like it's brand new. GE Sync and Emporia plugs allow for a credentials update via their apps, others, like TP-Link Kasa and Meross plugs require deletion and a factory reset to get along with your new network. Amazon’s smart plug updates automatically after updating the associated Echo device. How we tested the best smart plugs Before we decided which smart plugs to test, we considered brands Engadget staffers have had the best experiences with, both in review capacity and personally. We also checked out other online reviews. We then looked at factors like price, compatibility and relative popularity. I got ahold of ten indoor smart plugs and four outdoor versions from eight manufacturers. I set up each one using its companion app, then added it to all compatible smart home platforms. Plugging in a cadre of lamps and string lights, I tested the plugs using an iPhone 11, Galaxy S10e, Echo Dot, HomePod mini and Nest Mini. I accessed the plugs via the apps and through voice commands and controlled them in my home and away from it. I programmed schedules and routines and moved the plugs to different outlets, including ones in the basement to gauge range. For the outdoor devices, I plugged them into an outlet in the garage (approximately 85 feet from my Wi-Fi router) and an outlet attached to the back of the house. Here’s every smart plug tested before settling on our top picks: The Amazon Smart Plug Emporia Smart Outlet* GE Cync Indoor Wyze Plug Roku Indoor Smart Plug SE Belkin Wemo smart plug with Thread TP-Link Kasa EP25 TP-Link Kasa Ultra Mini EP10 Meross Wi-Fi Dual TP-Link Kasa KP125M (Matter) Eve Energy (Matter) Aqara Smart Plug (hub required) AmazonBasics Outdoor Smart Plug (outdoor) Wyze Plug Outdoor (outdoor) TP-Link Kasa Outdoor EP40A (outdoor) TP-LINK Outdoor Dimmer KP405 (outdoor) *Emporia issued a recall on its smart plugs purchased before August 1, 2023 due to a potential fire risk, though no incidents were reported. The plugs have since been updated to resolve the issue and are back on sale. We tested the revised version and recommend it as the energy-monitoring pick. As new smart plugs are released, we'll continue to try them and update this guide accordingly. We plan to add smart power strips to this guide as well.  Other smart plugs we tested Meross Matter plug (MSS115) I wasn’t able to test the Meross Matter plug fully. It requires Wi-Fi splitting, a process that’s certainly possible for the average consumer, but more involved than it should be, considering the more than dozen other plugs I’ve tested don’t require such a step. The plug itself also blocked the other outlet. Meross has an updated version of the Matter device on the way, one that looks to solve both issues and we’ll update this guide accordingly once we’ve had a chance to test it. Roku Smart Plug Roku’s smart home gear is basically Wyze equipment with an app and packaging that are more purple. The Roku smart plug performed just fine with both compatible voice assistants (Alexa and Google Assistant). The companion app doesn’t offer scheduling that revolves around the timing of the sunset in your area, but the plugs go for less than $10 each and if you’ve got a Roku TV or streaming device set up and want to keep everything on-brand, it could be a fit. Aquara Smart Plug The Aqara plug requires an Aqara hub. In tests, the connectivity was solid and the companion app allowed for useful if/then automations that can rope in other Aqara devices like locks, window shades, cameras and more. The plug also worked well with voice assistants from Amazon, Google and Apple. As a stand-alone plug, however, it’s tough to recommend the nearly $100 combo to anyone who isn’t planning to get a complete Aqara smart home setup. Smart plug FAQs What should you not plug into a smart plug? Anything with controls that are more complicated than on/off won’t work well with a smart plug. For example, a dimmable lamp with touch controls won’t turn on when the smart plug does. A programmable coffee maker, smart TV, microwave, Instant Pot, robot vacuum — none of these make sense to use with a smart plug as they all require further input from you to start working. Appliances like a lamp with a twist knob, a basic humidifier, a coffee maker with a red-rocker switch are all good options for using with smart plugs. You’ll also want to pay attention to the wattage and amperage rating of your smart plug. All smart plugs work with 120V outlets, and most are rated to 15A, which should handle even power-hungry appliances like a 1500 watt space heater. But be sure to check that the plug can handle whatever you’re plugging in. It’s also not wise to use a smart plug to automatically turn on appliances that require supervision, like things with heating elements (heaters, curling irons, etc). What are the disadvantages of a smart plug? While they’re great when everything is working properly, smart plugs can be frustrating, adding a layer of complication to the simple act of turning on a light, if something goes wrong. For example: If your Wi-Fi goes out, your smart plug won’t work. If the smart plug loses its connection to your router, it won’t work. If you change your Wi-Fi password or provider, you’ll have to re-program your smart plugs. If you forget what you named a particular plug during setup, you may be faced with an irritating conversation with your voice assistant. The best way to avoid some of those problems is to get a plug that works reliably, which is one of the features we considered for this guide. How much power does a smart plug draw? Smart plugs don’t draw much more power than whatever you’re plugging into them. True, they remain on standby to await instructions from your smart assistant or other controller, so they’re always using a small amount of power. But if, for example, you set a light to automatically turn off at night, and that light would otherwise stay on unnecessarily, the smart plug will save far more energy than the watt or two extra that it draws. Do smart plugs use Bluetooth? Some smart plugs use Bluetooth to connect to your phone during setup. After that, most connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-smart-plug-131542429.html?src=rss

More than 250 companies have signed the “Secure-by-Design” (SBD) pledge from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). By committing to the voluntary pledge, software manufacturers are promising to increase multi-factor authentication (MFA) for products; better enable customers to do their own patching; reduce default passwords; and decrease vulnerabilities, among additional proactive, protective practices.By embedding cyber defense from the outset of product development and system architecture, SBD is intended to transform cybersecurity from an afterthought to an essential, core element of design. Companies that fail to adopt this approach run the risk of falling behind in their security and compliance maturity, while losing consumer trust. They also could run into some very expensive problems, as the average cost of a data breach has increased to $4.88 million – up from $4.45 million in 2023. Implementing an SBD strategy So how do organizations effectively implement an SBD strategy? They can start by looking at the financial services sector, which is often more willing to invest in innovative approaches to security upskilling and additional preventative measures than other industries. These institutions are taking such steps because, frankly, they have to, given the immense challenges they face:Increasing – and more costly – threatsIf history has taught us anything, it’s that cyber criminals always follow the money. Financial organizations are experiencing 1,115 breaches a year, which ranks #4 among all verticals.Regulatory pressuresThe Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) require financial organizations to achieve higher levels of governance and security. As part of the ongoing compliance process, the industry’s developers must bring verified skills to properly configure sensitive databases, payment gateways and portals.The critical – and fragile – state of consumer trustFinancial service firms’ customers expect no less than the absolute fortification of their personal data and transactions. If an institution suffers an attack that compromises any of this, it runs the risk of losing consumer trust with potentially devastating market/revenue consequences – if not extinction. SBD developer readiness Fortunately in our research, we have found that the financial industry is doing an exceptional job of positioning for SBD developer readiness. There is no quality that is more “make or break” in significance than the upgrading of the skills and tools of the people who innovate, develop and disseminate code at the heart of our digital systems.Indeed, in taking a closer look at what these companies are doing, we get a better sense of the level of developer risk management this industry is pursuing– and can help lift other industries as they “shift left” in seeking to make good on the CISA pledge.Investments in upskillingOn average, in organizations, there are less than four software security group (SSG) specialists for every 100 developers. Given how few of these specialists are on board, it’s no wonder that code-level vulnerabilities continue to plague most verticals.This speaks to the urgency of developer upskilling, with a focus on flexible, dynamic training programs that align learning within the context of “real life” threats – a “learning by doing” approach. The financial sector is considered an early adopter of these and other initiatives aimed at building security into the software development life cycle (SDLC), and has achieved high maturity rates here as a result.BenchmarkingTo ensure upskilling initiatives are working, organizations must establish baselines and benchmarks to assess whether SBD is recognized as an indispensable part of their DNA. Such benchmarking should cover the state of developers’ security skills, awareness and the measurement of their success profile against that of other industry members. With this, these leaders will truly know if their teams have earned a “license to code,” and that the inherent risk of developers with low security skills is being managed and effectively improved.Proactive threat modeling and testingFinancial services providers are quite good at regularly conducting threat modeling to address risks sooner rather than later – preferably before an attack ever has a chance to strike. The industry also relies upon strict code reviews, testing and audits to reveal vulnerabilities and additional areas of concern.By following financial institutions’ lead in establishing a baseline for developer risk management activities and implementing the described best practices, organizations across the board will cultivate a winning developer-driven security culture. This environment will prepare developers to implement robust, secure code from start to finish, to the point in which this emerges as a habit they can perform at speed.That’s when companies of all kinds will demonstrate they’re doing far more than simply signing CISA’s pledge – they’re delivering on its promise to make SBD a universal norm by acting now to defend the future. We rate the best school coding platform. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Notorious Apple leaker Mark Gurman has reported that Apple is planning a major overhaul of iPadOS (the operating system iPads use) to make it work a lot like macOS – and I think this could be a great move, though one that also comes with plenty of danger.Gurman is very well respected when it comes to Apple leaks, so while we probably won’t get any official idea of how iPadOS 19 is shaping up until Apple’s WWDC event in June, this could still be a big hint at the direction Apple is planning to take its tablet operating system.In his weekly Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Gurman claims that “this year’s upgrade will focus on productivity, multitasking and app window management — with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac,” and that Apple is keen to make its operating systems (macOS, iPadOS, iOS and visionOS primarily) more consistent.As someone who uses the M4-powered iPad Pro, this is music to my ears. Ever since I reviewed it last year, I’ve been confused by the iPad Pro. It was Apple’s first product to come with the M4 chip, a powerful bit of hardware that is now more commonly found in Macs and MacBooks (previous M-class chips were only used in Apple’s Mac computers, rather than iPad tablets). However, despite offering the kind of performance you’d expect from a MacBook, I found the power of the M4 chip largely went to waste with the iPad Pro due to it still using iPadOS, and was confined to running simplified iPad apps, rather than full desktop applications.Even if this move still means you can’t run macOS apps on the iPad Pro, it could still make a massive difference, especially when it comes to multitasking (running multiple apps at the same time and switching between them). If Apple nails this, it would go a long way to making the iPad Pro a true MacBook alternative.But, making iPadOS more like macOS could bring downsides as well, so I’ve listed five reasons why this could be a great move – and three reasons why it could all go wrong. 5 reasons why making iPadOS more like macOS is a great idea 1. It means the iPad Pro makes more sense (Image credit: Future) The biggest win when it comes to making iPadOS more like macOS is with the powerful iPad Pro. Hardware-wise, the iPad Pro is hard to fault, with a stunning screen, thin and light design, and powerful components.However, despite its cutting-edge hardware, it can only run iPad apps. These are generally simple and straightforward apps that have been designed to be used with a touchscreen. These apps also need to be able to be run on less powerful iPads as well.This means advanced features are often left for the desktop version of the app, and any performance improvement owners of the iPad Pro get over people using, say, the iPad mini will be modest. Certainly, when I use the iPad Pro, it feels like a lot of its power and potential is limited by this – so a lot of the expensive hardware is going to waste.Making iPadOS more like macOS could – in an ideal world – lead to the ability to run Mac applications on the iPad Pro. At the very least, it could mean some app designers make their iPad apps come with a Mac-like option.If it means multitasking is easier, then that will be welcome as well. One of the things I struggled with when I tried using the iPad Pro for work instead of my MacBook was having multiple apps open at once and quickly moving between them. Cutting and pasting content between apps was particularly cumbersome, not helped by the web browser I was using (Chrome) being the mobile version that doesn’t support extensions.It made tasks that would take seconds on a MacBook a lot more hassle – a critical problem that meant I swiftly moved back to my MacBook Pro for work. 2. It could be just in time for M5-powered iPad Pros (Image credit: Shutterstock / Prathankarnpap) If, as rumored, this major change to iPadOS will be announced at Apple’s WWDC 2025 event, then it could nicely coincide with the rumored reveal of a new iPad Pro powered by the M5 chip.While I’m not 100% convinced about an M5 iPad Pro, seeing as Apple is still releasing M4 devices, the timing would make sense. If Apple does indeed announce an even more powerful iPad Pro, then iPadOS, in its current form, would feel even more limiting.However, if Apple announces both a new M5 iPad Pro and an overhaul of iPadOS to make use of this power, then that could be very exciting indeed. And, with WWDC being an event primarily aimed at developers, it could be a great opportunity for Apple to show off the new-look iPadOS and encourage those developers to start making apps that take full advantage of the new and improved operating system. 3. It makes it easier for Mac owners to get into iPad ecosystem (Image credit: Future) Gurman’s mention of Apple wanting to make its operating systems more consistent is very interesting. One of Apple’s great strengths is in its ecosystem. If you have an iPhone, it’s more likely that you’ll get an Apple Watch over a different smartwatch, and it means you might also have an Apple Music subscription and AirPods as well.Making iPadOS more like macOS (and iOS and other Apple operating systems) can benefit both Apple and its customers.If a MacBook owner decides to buy an iPad (Apple’s dream scenario) and the software looks and works in a similar way, then they’ll likely be very happy as it means their new device is familiar and easy to use. And that could mean they buy even more products, which will again be just what Apple wants. 4. It would give iPadOS more of an identity (Image credit: Apple) I don’t know about you, but I just think of iPadOS as just iOS (the operating system for iPhones) with larger icons. Maybe that’s unfair, but when the iPad first launched, it was running iOS, and even with the launch of iPadOS in 2019, there are only a handful of features and apps that don’t work on both operating systems.By making iPadOS a combination of iOS and macOS, it would ironically mean that iPadOS would feel like a more unique operating system, and it could finally step out of the shadow cast by iOS while still benefitting from being able to run almost all apps found in the iPhone’s massive app library. 5. It could mean macOS becomes a bit more like iPadOS (Image credit: Kaspars Grinvalds / Apple) iPadOS getting macOS features could work both ways – so could we get some iPad-like features on a Mac or MacBook? There are things that iPadOS does better, such as being more user-friendly for beginners and turning an iPad into a second display for a nearby MacBook. All this would be great to see in macOS.Having the choice of a larger interface that works well with touchscreens could even pave the way for one of the devices people most request from Apple: a touchscreen MacBook. 3 reasons why making iPadOS more like macOS is a bad idea 1 . It could overcomplicate things (Image credit: TechRadar) One of iPadOS’ best features is its simplicity, and while I feel that simplicity holds back a device like the iPad Pro, for more casual users on their iPad, iPad mini, or iPad Air, that ease-of-use is a huge bonus.If iPadOS were to become more like macOS, that could delight iPad Pro owners, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that the iPad Pro is a niche device that’s too expensive for most people. macOS-like features on an iPad mini, for example, just doesn’t make sense, and Apple would be silly to make a major change that annoys the majority of its customers to please just a few. 2. It could cause a divergence with iOS – and lead to fewer apps (Image credit: Apple) The iPad initially launching with iOS was an excellent decision by Apple, as it meant that people who had bought the new product had instant access to thousands of iPhone apps.While it wasn’t perfect at first – some apps didn’t work well with the iPad’s larger screen- it was likely much easier than if the iPad had launched with a completely new operating system that then needed developers to create bespoke applications for it.Think of it this way: if you were an app developer with limited resources (both time and money), would you make an app for a system that already had millions of users or risk making an app for a new product with a tiny user base? The answer is simple – you’d go for the large user base (almost) every time, so if it hadn’t launched with iOS and access to the App Store, then the original iPad could have been a flop. Just look at Microsoft’s attempts with the Windows Phone – it needed developers to create a third version of their apps, alongside iOS and Android versions. Very few developers wanted to do that, which meant Windows Phone devices launched with far fewer apps than Android and iPhone rivals.If iPadOS moves closer to macOS, could we see fewer apps make it to iPad? While iPads are incredibly popular, they are still nowhere near as popular as iPhones, so if devs have to choose between which audience to make an app for, you can bet it’ll be for the iPhone.However, if future iPadOS apps will remain essentially iOS apps but with an optional macOS-like interface, that could still mean the new look is dead on arrival, as developers will prefer to concentrate on the interface that can be used by the widest audience rather than just iPad Pro users. 3. You’ll probably need expensive peripherals to make the most of it (Image credit: Future) iPadOS works so well because it’s been designed from the ground up to be used on a touchscreen device. You can buy a new iPad, and all you need to do is jab the screen to get going.However, macOS is designed for keyboard and mouse/trackpad, so if you want to make the most out of a future version of iPadOS that works like macOS, you’re going to need to invest in peripherals – and some of them can be very expensive.The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is a brilliant bit of kit that quickly attaches to the iPad and turns it into a laptop-like device with a physical keyboard and touchpad, but it also costs $299 / £299 / AU$499 – a hefty additional expense, and I can almost guarantee that to use any macOS-like features in iPadOS, you’ll really need some sort of peripherals. This will either make things too expensive for a lot of people, or if you choose a cheaper alternative such as a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, it then takes away from the simplicity of using an iPad. This could mean fewer people actually use the macOS-like elements, which in turn would mean there’s less incentive for app developers to implement features and designs that only a small proportion of iPad users will use.So, I’m all for more macOS features for my iPad Pro – but I am also very aware that I am in the minority when it comes to iPad owners, and Apple needs to be careful not to lose what made the iPad so successful in the first place just to placate people (like me) who moan about iPads being too much like iPads. Maybe it would just be better if I stuck with my MacBook instead. 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When TV manufacturers announce their new ranges each year, I'm often left feeling conflicted. I can’t help but wonder how much better the best TVs can become.If a TV is worthy of a five-star rating from me and my fellow reviewers, is that same TV suddenly redundant when its successor earns the same star rating? On the other hand, I do get excited by new technologies and features that are designed to improve image quality in the pursuit of true perfection.That second statement can certainly be applied to the Samsung S95F, the company’s flagship 4K OLED screen for 2025. Not only does it boast the same processor as its higher-end 2025 8K TVs – which should result in more impressive upscaling of non-4K content – but it also features Samsung’s second-generation Glare Free anti-reflection technology.Introduced with the S95D last year, the Glare Free technology promises to banish pesky light reflections from the screen. I saw it myself on the S95D and can comfortably say it was a big reason – combined with its overall performance – that it was awarded the TV of the year 2024.However, while it was certainly an innovative introduction, I didn't think it was quite perfect. I found blacks weren’t as deep as I'd seen in other 2024 OLED TVs without this tech, instead looking a little washed out and grey.So when I was made aware that the technology had been further refined in the S95F, I jumped at the opportunity to see it in action on both the 83-inch and 77-inch models to see if black levels had been improved. Improvements across the board Even with overhead lights on, no reflections can be seen on the screen of the Samsung S95F. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge) Samsung had set up a viewing experience of both TVs for the media in a hotel room in Sydney where I’m based. The weather wasn’t the usual bright sunshine that one would normally associate with Australia, but there was still some daylight to test the screen’s anti-reflection capabilities, along with bright overheard lights throughout the room.As I expected, the Glare Free technology on the Samsung S95F worked flawlessly, making the entire screen viewable no matter how bright the room was. It really is an impressive feat that makes it a superb screen for brightly lit homes (including those in Australia, because we do have more sunny days than overcast ones, honestly).However, I personally think the anti-glare layer does still have some impact on the overall picture quality. I admit that the second-generation panel is an improvement over the S95D – a sentiment shared by my colleague Al Griffin, who’s said that black levels are definitely elevated compared to last year’s model – but, for me, the image looks a little flat in comparison to OLED TVs from other brands. Head-to-head I have the LG G4 OLED TV at home, for example, which I use daily. It too has an anti-reflective coating of sorts, but I’m not going to lie and say it isn’t susceptible to reflections from overhead lights, ambient lighting or from the sun pouring in through my windows.Having said that, I’ve rarely had a major issue with reflections and I’m still able to watch content with little interference. Image 1 of 2I find blacks to be 'more' black on the LG G4, resulting in a deeper, more cinematic image. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 2 of 2The LG G4 does show up more reflections, although they're not as pronounced as my phone camera makes out. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge) I’m also OK with the reflections it does suffer from because the image quality makes up for it in my opinion. Following my short time with the Samsung S95F, I watched the same movies on the LG G4 when I got home, which included Abigail for its dark scenes and shadow detail.At the end of Abigail when the lead character Joey leaves the house at night and gets into her van, a large tree can be seen in the background. When comparing this scene on both the Samsung S95F and LG G4, it looked more grey on the Samsung screen than on the LG. Plus, when Joey gets into the van and turns a light on, revealing dark blood on her face, I thought the scene had greater depth on the LG TV.I can't say the same for more colorful scenes, however. I watched Toy Story 3 on both screens and found much less to separate the two. Both were vibrant and punchy and an enjoyable watch overall. It's just the darker scenes that I find don't have quite the impact on Samsung's TV.In other words, I find the picture of the LG to be more cinematic than the Samsung. Don't get me wrong, though: I’m not for one moment saying the S95F is a bad TV, because it absolutely isn’t – it just doesn’t suit my personal preferences. Waiting for the competition All this brings me to the headline of this feature: TVs I'm more excited for that have been released, or will be released, this year. First up, perhaps unsurprisingly, is the replacement to my current TV – the LG G5.This year LG has introduced a new ‘four-stack’ OLED panel (which, as it happens, is the same screen used in the 83-inch version of the Samsung S95F) that promises higher brightness and improved color reproduction.I’ve already had a brief introduction to the G5, viewing it at LG’s offices in Sydney side by side with the G4, and my colleague Al has recently published our LG G5 review, giving it a glowing five-star rating. The LG G5 gets a brightness boost this year, enabling it to hold up much better in brightly lit rooms. (Image credit: Future) I can't argue with this score, as based on the content that LG was showing on the two screens, there were noticeable differences in color and detail.One video was of some models walking down a runway in dresses of various colors and one that stood out in particular to me was a red dress. The difference in the shade of red on both screens was clear as day, with the LG G5 looking punchier, yet more natural.The G5 also revealed more creases in the middle of the dress compared to the G4, indicating that it should also be capable of picking out greater detail in other content.My only concern with the G5 is the way it handles Dolby Vision, something my colleagues at What Hi-Fi? mention in their review. The vast majority of content I watch at home is mastered in Dolby Vision, so naturally I’m now worried when I get to see it properly myself. What Hi-Fi? has said LG is aware of the issue and a fix is on the way.I, of course, will have to reserve full judgement until I can watch content I’m familiar with on the G5. Still, it’s without a doubt the TV I’m most excited for this year. But wait, there’s more… Actually, there's still some doubt. The LG G5 was the most exciting launch for me this year… until Sony announced the Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV – expected to begin shipping within the next couple of months.When I published my Sony Bravia 8 review, I was impressed by its beautiful, natural-looking images and brightness levels, considering it was a ‘standard’ WOLED panel with no additional brightness-boosting technology.That’s all set to change in the Bravia 8 II, which will be sold as a step-up model over the Bravia 8, rather than a full replacement. In fact, Sony has said the new model is a replacement for the A95L that’s been on sale since 2023. (Image credit: Future) TechRadar's entertainment-channel Managing Editor, Matt Bolton, has already seen the Bravia 8 II in action and noticed how it’s able to unearth subtle details in content and produce colors that appear more saturated. He also reaffirmed that, despite getting a brightness boost thanks to the addition of quantum dot (QD) technology, it’s the company’s latest processor and how it’s used that will likely have the greatest impact.I have also now seen the Bravia 8 II myself during a media briefing at Sony’s offices in Sydney, where it was placed side-by-side with the Bravia 8. Indeed, there was a clear difference in HDR performance, with particularly bright parts of an image – a lit-up sign, for example – being noticeably brighter on the new model.It’s these smaller details that can actually have the greatest impact on the content you watch, making Sony’s new screen one to consider.2025 is an exciting year for TVs. Samsung and LG continue with their innovation and now Sony is throwing its hat into the ring to compete in the premium OLED space. If you’re loyal to a particular brand, then I have no doubt you’ll continue to be impressed, but if you’re planning to invest in a new screen this year, then it’s clear you won't be short of talented options. You might also like I love LG’s new Magic Remote design for its OLED TVs – too bad only certain regions are getting itSamsung, Sony and LG OLED TVs for 2025 now have Australian pricing, and one brand is already offering huge discountsAs a home theatre fanatic, I'm thrilled that Kaleidescape's cult movie players are finally coming to Australia

xAI’s Grok 3 chatbot has added a voice mode with multiple personalitiesOne personality is called “unhinged” and will scream and insult youGrok also has personalities for NSFW roleplay, crazy conspiracies, and an “Unlicensed Therapist” mode xAI’s Grok may be about to start remembering your conversations as part of a broader slate of updates rolling out, all of which seek to match ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other rivals. Elon Musk’s company tends to pitch Grok as a plucky upstart in a world of staid AI tools; it also seems to be aiming for parity on features like memory, voice, and image editing.As spotted by one user on X, it appears that Grok will get a new "Personalise with Memories" switch in settings. This would be a big deal if it works and mark a shift from momentary utility to long-term reliability. Grok's reported memory system, which is still in development but already appearing in the web app, will allow Grok to reference previous chats.This means if you’ve been working with it on something like planning a vacation, writing a screenplay, or just keeping track of the name of that documentary you wanted to watch, Grok could say, “Hey, didn’t we already talk about this?”Grok’s memory is expected to be user-controlled as well, which means you’ll be able to manage what the AI remembers and delete specific memories or everything Grok has remembered all at once. That’s increasingly the standard among AI competitors, and it’ll likely be essential for trust, especially as more people start using these tools for work, personal planning, and remembering which child prefers which bedtime story.This should put Grok more or less on par with what OpenAI has done with ChatGPT’s memory rollout, albeit on a much shorter timeline. The breakneck pace is part of the pitch for Grok, even when it doesn't quite work yet. Some users have reported already seeing the memory feature available, but it's not available to everyone yet, and the exact rollout schedule is unclear. Remember Grok Of course, giving memory to a chatbot is a bit like giving a goldfish a planner, meaning it’s only useful if it knows what to do with it. Even so, xAI seems to be layering memory into Grok Web in tandem with a handful of other upgrades that lean toward making it feel more like an actual assistant and less like a snarky trivia machine.This memory update is starting to appear as a range of other Grok upgrades loom on the horizon. Grok 3.5 is expected any day now, with Grok 4 slotted for the end of the year.There’s also a new vision feature in development for Grok’s voice mode, allowing users to point their phones at things and hear a description and analysis of what's around them.It's another feature that ChatGPT and Gemini users will find familiar, and Grok’s vision tool is still being tested. Upgrades are also coming to the recently released image editing feature that lets users upload a picture, select a style, and ask Grok to modify it.It’s part of the ongoing competition among AI chatbots to make AI models artistically versatile. Combine that with the upcoming Google Drive integration, and Grok starts to look a little more serious as a competitor.Also on the horizon is Grok Workspaces, a kind of digital whiteboard for collaborating with Grok on a more significant project. These updates suggest that xAI is pivoting to make Grok seem less like a novelty and more like a necessity. xAI clearly sees Grok’s future as being more useful than just a set of sarcastic and mean voice responses.Still, even as Grok gains these long-awaited features, questions remain about whether it can match the depth and polish of its more established counterparts. It’s one thing to bolt a memory system onto a chatbot. It’s another thing entirely to make that memory meaningful.Whether Grok becomes your go-to assistant or stays a curious toy used only when some aspect goes viral depends on how well xAI can connect all these new capabilities into something cohesive, intuitive, and a little less chaotic. But for now, at least, it finally remembers your name. You might also like ChatGPT's memory upgrade might just be the biggest AI improvement we see all yearI tried Grok’s new AI image editing features – they’re fun but won’t replace Photoshop any time soonGrok 3’s voice mode is unhinged, and that’s the point

Espresso Displays makes some of our favorite portable monitors, but up until now, it felt like there was a hole in its portfolio. That's because aside from its flagship model — the $800 Espresso 17 Pro — the other members of the family are slightly more affordable fare like the $469 Espresso Touch 13 and $499 Touch 15. Today, the company is plugging that gap with the Espresso 15 Pro, which packs everything I like about its bigger sibling in a more portable package for $699 (with a stand included). Design and display One of the things I appreciate about Espresso is that it doesn't try to do too much. The 15 Pro features an ultra minimalist design made from simple sheets of matte black aluminum along with glossy glass in front (if you prefer matte displays, you can always add one of the company's textured screen protectors). Granted, the monitor does have a bit of a chin, but aside from two USB-C ports stashed in the corner, that's really the 15 Pro's only defining exterior feature, so I'm not that bothered. All told, the display weighs 1 pound and 11 ounces, which sounds a lot heavier than it feels. As for its specs, the Espresso 15 Pro's 4K LCD panel delivers nearly everything you want and then some. Brightness tops out at 550 nits (it was actually 556 nits according to my light meter), which is higher than the 450 nits on the 17-inch model. It also covers 100 percent of the Adobe RGB spectrum with 10-bit color (8-bit + 2-bit frame rate control). The one thing I wish Espresso included was a 120Hz refresh rate instead of being capped at 60Hz. That said, unless you're gaming or editing videos, that limitation may not be a huge factor. Setup and special features Sam Rutherford for Engadget Getting the 15 Pro up and running couldn't be easier. Each USB-C port has enough bandwidth to carry power and data over a single cable, so you just need to plug in the included cord, and off you go. The one exception is for laptops that can't send out much power via USB-C, but I tested the monitor with 4 different laptops (both Mac and PC) and none of them had issues. The display even automatically downloaded the EspressoFlow software, which adds touch support to your Apple notebooks. You also get the new Glide feature that automatically positions the monitor in the right place depending on how you have it arranged next to your laptop. And by some black magic, the 15 Pro nailed it when it correctly laid out the monitor to the left of my notebook's built-in screen. As someone who has recently been forced to use a Mac for work, the ability to quickly and easily add touch support to Apple's laptop is super nice. And while I'm far from a digital Degas, you can even use the display for drawing and sketching as the monitor also works with the company's optional stylus. This makes the 15 Pro an ideal travel companion for both people who want more screen real estate or a portable way of creating art on the go. Accessories In addition to screen protectors and pens, there are also a couple of important stand accessories for the 15 Pro. The first is the $49 Espresso Case, which is more of a magnetic folding cover that protects the screen while in transit that can also flip around back to become a kickstand when you're working. Like the display itself, it's a fairly simple affair that does exactly what you expect it to. However, for those who want something more substantial, the 15 Pro also works with Espresso's $69 Stand+. It's more like what you'd see on a traditional desktop monitor, except that it can fold up for improved portability while also packing a really strong magnet that allows you to mount the monitor in a variety of positions. This thing might be too pricey for some, but I've quickly grown to appreciate how easy it makes putting the 15 Pro in the perfect position. It's more well-built than a lot of the desktop monitor stands I have. The obvious drawback is that at 1 pound and 4 ounces, the Stand+ weighs almost as much as the display itself, which is rather hefty. Wrap-up Sam Rutherford for Engadget The Espresso 15 Pro has nearly everything I look for in a premium portable monitor. It features well above average brightness, a sleek but sturdy design and super simple setup. It also comes with a few special features like Glide and added touch support for Macs that help you get more out of the devices you already own. And thanks to a wealth of accessories, it can adapt to almost any use case. While I'd like a higher refresh rate, not having it is far from a deal-breaker. That would almost certainly increase its price, and considering that the 15 Pro is already somewhat costly, starting at $699 for the monitor and the Stand+, I'm not sure the added expense would be worth it. Regardless, if you want a really portable monitor that's also more than good enough to use at home, there aren't many other displays that can match the Espresso 15 Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/espresso-15-pro-review-just-a-really-nice-though-pricey-portable-monitor-230046315.html?src=rss

A new leak claims to detail the specs and pricing of AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9060 XT GPUThe price could be as low as $269 in the US for the 8GB modelPerformance is claimed to sit between the Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT We might finally have a proper idea of what AMD's long-awaited Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU is going to be capable of - and it's looking like it could be worthy of induction into the best graphics card hall of fame.Thanks to leaked information shared by Moore's Law Is Dead (MLID) on YouTube, we now know that the RX 9060 XT could be shipping with 32 compute units, a 128-bit memory bus with both 8GB and 16GB VRAM models available, and a TDP between 150W and 200W.Now, that's not a whole lot to go off at this point, but MLID's leak also notes that performance is 'above RTX 4060 Ti, but likely below RX 7700 XT'. Okay, so that doesn't sound that impressive, but here's the thing: the leak also includes pricing details, and it's looking very attractive on that front.The 8GB model will reportedly cost between $269 and $299, while the 16GB version is claimed to be priced at $329-379. It's unclear whether these are potential price ranges AMD itself is still contemplating, or projected price ranges for AIB partner cards. For reference, the RTX 4060 Ti - which it supposedly outperforms - originally retailed at $399, and that was almost two full years' worth of GPU price inflation ago. Battle of the budgets Even if AMD hits us with the high end of these price estimates, it'll be a seriously competitively priced desktop GPU. Although Nvidia has been dominating the high-performance end of the market with its RTX 5000 cards, there's no denying that AMD's biggest rival has been fumbling its budget game lately, leaving Intel (isn't that weird) as one of the best options in the affordable PC gaming space thanks to its excellent Arc B580 card.If Team Red can deliver RXT 4060 Ti-beating performance at a $269 price point, well, it's game set and match for the budget GPU market - at least, for the time being. It's worth noting, though, that MLID's source does say 'original plan as of a month ago' regarding these projected prices, likely in reference to the recent tech pricing carnage caused by Donald Trump's tariff war. So... watch this space, I guess. (Image credit: AMD) Another interesting point raised by the leaker was that the RX 9060 XT might lack hardware encoders - it's possible that to keep the price down, AMD has opted to include only the free-to-implement AV1 video encoder, not the (arguably better) H.264 and H.265 encode functions, since those require a licencing fee.The leaker claims there are no plans for a 'non-XT' RX 9060 card, which tracks given the two different VRAM versions and the suggested $269 base price. Additionally, AMD might be considering a Radeon RX 9050 XT, presumably priced somewhere in the $200-250 range. You may also like... Microsoft is digging its own grave with Windows 11, and it has to stopWindows 11 is getting a very handy change to the taskbar, as Microsoft takes a leaf from Apple’s Mac playbookMicrosoft looks to be making a big change to how you install and log in to Windows 11 – and I’m not happy about it at all

Apple Intelligence has not had the best year so far, but if you think Apple is giving up, you're wrong. It has big plans and is moving forward with new model training strategies that could vastly improve its AI performance. However, the changes do involve a closer look at your data – if you opt-in.In a new technical paper from Apple's Machine Learning Research, "Understanding Aggregate Trends for Apple Intelligence Using Differential Privacy," Apple outlined new plans for combining data analytics with user data and synthetic data generation to better train the models behind many of Apple Intelligence features. Some real data Up to now, Apple's been training its models on purely synthetic data, which tries to mimic what real data might be like, but there are limitations. In Genmoji's, for instance, Apple's use of synthetic data doesn't always point to how real users engage with the system. From the paper:"For example, understanding how our models perform when a user requests Genmoji that contain multiple entities (like “dinosaur in a cowboy hat”) helps us improve the responses to those kinds of requests."Essentially, if users opt-in, the system can poll the device to see if it has seen a data segment. However, your phone doesn't respond with the data; instead, it sends back a noisy and anonymized signal, which is apparently enough for Apple's model to learn.The process is somewhat different for models that work with longer texts like Writing tools and Summarizations. In this case, Apple uses synthetic models, and then they send a representation of these synthetic models to users who have opted into data analytics.On the device, the system then performs a comparison that seems to compare these representations against samples of recent emails."These most-frequently selected synthetic embeddings can then be used to generate training or testing data, or we can run additional curation steps to further refine the dataset." A better result It's complicated stuff. The key, though, is that Apple applies differential privacy to all the user data, which is the process of adding noise that makes it impossible to connect that data to a real user.Still, none of this works if you don't opt into Apple's Data Analytics, which usually happens when you first set up your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook.Doing so does not put your data or privacy at risk, but that training should lead to better models and, hopefully, a better Apple Intelligence experience on your iPhone and other Apple devices.It might also mean smarter and more sensible rewrites and summaries. You might also like 3 things Apple needs to do at WWDC 2025 to save Apple IntelligenceHow to turn off Mail categories on iPhone, or customize them to your needsApple officially delays the AI-infused Siri