• Harvard breach data affecting 850,500 people has now surfaced in breach-tracking databases and dark web archives
• Exposed information includes emails, contact details, demographics, and extensive alumni and donor profile data
• Attack highlights ongoing risks from social-engineering attacks against universities and fundraising systems

Hundreds of thousands of email addresses have been leaked to the dark web after the November 2025 ShinyHunters breach at Harvard University.

The same breach also exposed “extensive profile information” about certain people, as well, according to Have I Been Pwned? (HIBP), a website that aggregates stolen passwords and helps users learn which services exposed their private information.

Harvard gets hit

In late November 2025, the prestigious Ivy League University confirmed its Alumni Affairs and Development systems had been compromised after a successful voice phishing (vishing) attack.

These systems contained information about alumni, donors, some faculty and staff, and some current students, as well as data on their spouses, partners, and parents. Current and former students were also affected, it was said.

Harvard soon confirmed that the compromised data included email addresses, telephone numbers, home and business addresses, event attendance records, donation details, and "biographical information pertaining to University fundraising and alumni engagement activities." Social Security numbers, passwords, payment card information, or financial info, was not exposed, it was said.

At the time, Harvard did not name the attackers, but the infamous ShinyHunters extortionist group claimed responsibility soon after. In a new entry on a dark web forum, the threat actors said they stole more than a million records containing personally identifiable information (PII), as well as donation data. Since the negotiations with the university broke down, the group leaked more than 1.1GB of documents in early February this year.

At the time, no one knew exactly how many people were affected. Now, after extensively analyzing the leaked archive, HIBP claims data of 850,500 accounts was compromised, including people’s names, email addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, postal addresses, and social media profiles.

"The data contained 851k unique email addresses relating to the university's alumni and fundraising systems, along with extensive profile information for donors, alumni, parents and some faculty, staff and students," it said.

Attacking universities

When Harvard “fell” to ShinyHunters, they were the third university to experience a breach in mere weeks, following similar incidents at both Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.

In early November 2025, when ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the attack on Penn, they said they stole data on roughly 1.2 million students, alumni, and donors.

At the time, an unnamed threat actor told the media they gained “full access” to a university employee’s PennKey SSO account, which gave them access to Penn’s VPN, Salesforce data, Qlik analytics platform, SAP business intelligence system, and SharePoint files.

The crooks slammed Penn for being a “dog**** elitist institution full of woke ret*rds, who have “terrible security practices and are completely unmeritocratic.”

"We hire and admit morons because we love legacies, donors, and unqualified affirmative action admits. We love breaking federal laws like FERPA (all your data will be leaked) and Supreme Court rulings like SFFA,” ShinyHunters said in an email that was sent from a Penn account.

At first, the University of Pennsylvania described the emails as “obviously fake” and “fraudulent”, but later backtracked and confirmed the incident.

“Penn’s staff rapidly locked down the systems and prevented further unauthorized access; however, not before an offensive and fraudulent email was sent to our community and information was taken by the attacker,” it said in an update. “Penn is still investigating the nature of the information that was obtained during this time.”

Penn also said that the attack was done through social engineering. Most employees are required to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) but according to reports, some of the top brass was allowed to skip this step.

Via BleepingComputer

• Celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary’s Wonder Valley data center plans are under scrutiny
• The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation (SLCN) has filed for a judicial review over the project, which is planned to be the world’s largest data center
• A physicist hired by the SLCN has declared the data center will release significant heat waste

A physicist acting on behalf of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation (SLCN) has claimed that the O’Leary Digital Wonder Valley data center would release “23 atomic bombs of energy” while adding that the declaration is “a first-order estimate intended to convey scale.”

The report by Utah State University physicist Robert Davies, working on behalf of the SLCN, whose lawyer, also adds that current regulations for developing land are not suited to projects of the data center’s scale.

O’Leary Digital Wonder Valley, plans for which were first unveiled in 2024, was conceived to be the largest on the planet when completed, and has a $70 billion budget for the 64 square kilometer (almost 15815 acres) development. Its planned location is in the SLCN’s traditional territory in Alberta, Canada.

First-order estimate

The planned scale of the data center, earmarked for a location 130 km southwest of the SLCN’s reserve, is the main point of contention, and the basis for Professor Robert Davies, of the Utah State University.

But his claim over the “23 atomic bombs of energy” demands some clarification.

"Now of course, that’s not explosions, but that’s just trying to get a sense of how much energy we’re talking about,” said Davies in the assessment. “The effect will almost certainly be large, if not extreme.”

He also notes that “every quantitative figure … should be treated as a first-order estimate intended to convey scale, to be confirmed against the developer's own filings.”

Davies also highlights that the project could be “the largest single-site heat source on the entire planet.”

The assessment, which was prepared for SLCN’s case, emphasizes that it is “not a comprehensive environmental review, a formal expert report, or a legal opinion.”

Robust regulatory process

While Davies’ contribution to the SLCN’s judicial review filing relies on further information from O’Leary Digital, it paints a worrying picture, not least into the effects of the heat waste on the surrounding wildlife.

"I can't imagine allowing it to go forward without those full assessments,” Davies said, while also criticizing the use of traditional environmental legislation and guidelines for giant data center projects. “When people talk about environmental regulations that these projects have to adhere to, those regulations were not created with anything of this scale in mind.”

Naturally, O’Leary Digital has responded to the filing. CEO Paul Palandjian wrote in an email “We also respect the robust and stringent regulatory process we must follow in advancing Wonder Valley… we’re having productive dialogue with Indigenous communities through consultation and engagement, and we remain committed to that work."

Experience counts for something, and nowhere is that more evident than on the Meta VR Glasses I finally wore this morning.

These lightweight, intuitive, and engrossing VR glasses shed the weight and overdesigned fussiness of previous VR and mixed reality headsets to deliver a subtle, smart, eminently comfortable and fun wearable experience that is equally at home entertaining you with wild VR movies or expansive, productivity-enhancing virtual desktops.

Granted, my walkthrough of the $1,299 VR Glasses that are expected to arrive next spring (April-early June) of next year was a breezy 45 minutes, but that was ample time to realize that Meta VR Glasses were truly built on all the lessons of not only Meta Quest VR, but also by watching competitors like Apple and even Samsung struggle to inspire consumers with stunning but also expensive or somewhat unwieldy mixed reality experiences.

In my view, Meta's decision to move compute, storage, and battery out of the headset and into a 300g belt- or pocket-friendly puck pays design dividends. The wearable, which looks like a slightly oversized pair of sunglasses, is so comfortable that I barely felt them on my face, and after 45 minutes of continuous use, I didn't remove the 100-gram frames with a sense of relief. If anything, I was sad my all-too-brief interlude was over.

Without needing to support CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, RAM, a heavy battery, or even SD storage, Meta could focus on basic aesthetic appeal. The Meta VR Glasses feel and look spare, but in a positive way. By design, they do not cut you off from the outside world (there will be an optional light shield), so there's no need to slap a pair of animated blinking eyes on the lenses.

Granted, I had my doubts that the Meta VR Glasses would be all that immersive or inspiring, given what looked like essentially eye-sized lenses and no visible cameras, inside or out.

That all turned out to be deceiving.

Accurate tracking for an immersive experience

When I said Meta clearly learned from all that came before it, I wasn't kidding. The metaphors for setting up eye tracking were essentially the same as what I did for Apple Vision Pro (I didn't have to adjust pupillary distance, though you easily can) and, to an extent, Galaxy XR. You look at a circle of dots floating in space and, yes, use your fingers to pinch and select each one.

There are, obviously, cameras that track your eyes, hands, and the outside world. I was impressed with the accuracy, which matched what I've experienced on Vision Pro.

Equally, the first time I saw the floating menu, I was shocked at the visual quality (it's worth noting that Meta put in a pair of magnetic prescription inserts to match my eyes, and those inserts will probably add $150 to your final cost). For the record, Meta lists the Micro-OLED display resolution as 5K, and based on what I saw, I believe it.

Disney+, a TV App, Avengers: Infinity War VR experience, and a dozen other app icons floated in space, with each one puffing up as I glanced at it.

Meta VR Glasses software doesn't try to reinvent the mixed reality wheel. I had no trouble opening apps, closing them, or even moving windows around. It does add one gesture that I appreciated: scroll.

To scroll in any window, I made a gentle fist and then swiped my thumb across the side of my index finger to scroll left, right, up, and down. I was surprised at how quickly I picked this up; I think that has a lot to do with the accuracy of the eye and gesture tracking.

My experiences were limited to a handful of apps, but each one was compelling in its own way.

We started with an 8K VR Billie Eilish concert in which I was virtually seated front and center, close enough to take a selfie with the singer. The volume started a bit low for my tastes. Still, I was able to use the volume controls under the right temple to make the audio loud enough that it drowned out the voices of the Meta execs who were trying to guide me (they were watching what I viewed through a cast on a nearby PC — Meta VR Glasses can also cast to your phone).

We switched to the NBA Finals last, title-clinching Knicks game, which put me courtside. At one point, I realized the near-360 view was probably shot by a camera that was also almost on the court. Meta told me they partner with Kosmo (Hesai Kosmo), which uses relatively small 360-degree cameras to capture the action. As the game replay continued, I noticed Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Kardashian were also courtside. I waved, but they did not seem to notice me.

I played a puzzle game called Dragon Grove, which, as you might expect, featured a small, green, cartoony dragon who landed on my outstretched hand and let me pet him. I was reminded of a similar experience with Vision Pro and a butterfly. By launch, Meta expects to have 75+ hands-first games.

Meta believes that the primary use cases for Meta VR Glasses will be entertainment and productivity. On the entertainment front, I watched Avengers Infinity Wars VR Enhanced, which took the original film and then gussied it up with 360 surround VR imagery and even lets some of the characters pop out of the original film frame. It was cool but also a bit odd. Why would a director who intentionally chooses to shoot a scene a certain way want you looking anywhere else but his original film? It did, though, make the movie feel more like an amusement park ride, which may appeal to some.

Business class

On the productivity front, Meta VR Glasses basically start where everyone else spent years traveling to arrive. I had huge desktop screens all around me that I could move and resize with gestures. At one point, I placed a screen on the ceiling above me. Plus, I could take any screen and make it ultrawide. The only hiccup was when one coding screen stretched the code text into an ultra-wide, almost unreadable format. This is all pre-release software, so bugs like this are to be expected.

Like Vision Pro and Galaxy XR, Meta VR glasses have a floating keyboard, but they've also added something new to the mix: a surface keyboard. To enable it, I selected the option from the floating keyboard and then put my hands on the table surface. After a quick scan, a transparent keyboard and trackpad appeared on the tabletop. I could use them just as I would any standard physical keyboard and mouse. My only issue is that, as a terrible touch typist, the lack of any physical key response might make my typing even worse.

When I took off the frames, it felt like I'd removed a pair of glasses, not headgear doing its best with straps and head rings to lessen the load on my face. There was no afterburn on my nose or brows.

I do, of course, have questions. Like, even at the more affordable $1,299, will consumers buy into this for a big-screen experience on an airplane and when they're home alone (you won't sit next to a family member and tune out to your own VR experience, will you?). Gamers, especially those who are tired of wearing heavy headsets, will surely be interested in Meta VR Glasses, though I don't know if the Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite processor (XR2 Gen 3), which can supposedly support all the apps in Quest's library, has the juice to run true AAA titles. I'm glad Meta has the productivity part worked out because I still think that may be the best play for any of these types of wearables: knowledge workers, business travelers, and enterprise.

Who knows, though, maybe Meta VR Glasses is the mixed reality headset to finally break open the consumer market. It impressed me and, to be honest, I can't wait to wear them again.

• Tiny Corp's $30,000 tinybox Red Kimi pairs four Radeon AI Pro R9700 GPUs (128 GB GDDR6) with sixteen 1 TB NVMe SSDs
• A tinygrad driver lets the GPUs read the 238.4 GB/s SSD array directly to run Moonshot's 2.8-trillion-parameter Kimi K3
• Tiny claims 40 tokens per second, but the math involves caching nearly all of each token's weights in VRAM

There is nothing tiny about Tiny Corp's latest tinybox, the tinybox Red Kimi: It costs a mammoth $30,000 and pairs four AMD Radeon AI Pro R9700 graphics cards with sixteen 1 TB NVMe SSDs, all with one goal in mind: running Moonshot AI's 2.8-trillion-parameter Kimi K3 on a desk rather than in a data center.

Each R9700 carries 32 GB of GDDR6 at 640 GB/s, giving the four cards 128 GB of GPU memory and 2,560 GB/s of aggregate bandwidth to go with a system built on Tiny Corp's G5 platform, with a 32-core AMD Epyc Genoa processor whose exact model the tinybox configurator doesn't name, and a modest 32 GB of DDR5 system memory in tow.

Tiny Corp claims the machine can run Kimi K3 at 40 tokens per second, a figure nobody outside the company has tested yet.

Sixteen drives, four GPUs and an AMD EPYC CPU rule the roost

The storage in play is the unique selling point for Tiny Corp's behemoth: its 16 drives form a RAID array rated at 238.4 GB/s, and Tiny Corp says its tinygrad software now includes a driver that lets the AMD GPUs control the NVMe drives directly, rather than routing every read through the CPU.

Sharing the system's topology on X, the company pitched the result as "frontier models at home at usable speeds for a good price."

The rationale comes down to capacity. Moonshot's model card shows Kimi K3 ships with native MXFP4 weights, and Hyperstack measured the published checkpoint at roughly 1.56 TB. The four GPUs can hold about 8% of that, so the rest has to live somewhere, and Tiny Corp has picked considerably cheaper flash over DRAM.

The concept isn't entirely new: Researchers from Nvidia and the University of Illinois presented GPU-initiated SSD access in the BaM system architecture at ASPLOS 2023, treating storage as another tier of accelerator memory. Tiny Corp's offering, however, is a working version on AMD workstation cards, inside a box you can actually order.

The configurator's own code estimates the Red Kimi's installed weight at around 56 pounds, in a chassis 12 inches wide, 19.25 inches tall, and 18 inches deep. It also raises the noise rating from under 50 dB to under 60 dB for R9700 builds, warning that the cards' blower fans are "audible".

Kimi K3 is a mixture-of-experts model that activates 16 of its 896 routed experts, plus two shared experts, for 104 billion active parameters per token. At MXFP4's effective 4.25 bits per weight, that means reading at least 55 GB of weights for every token generated.

If every one of those bytes were read from the SSDs, the array would manage only about four tokens per second. Reaching 40 tokens per second means moving roughly 2.2 TB/s of weights, about 86% of the four GPUs' combined memory bandwidth, while the SSDs could contribute at most about 6 GB per token, or around 11% of what each one needs.

In a nutshell, the claim only works if the GPUs' 128 GB already contains nearly everything each token touches, even though it fits less than a tenth of the model. That is achievable if expert selection is predictable enough to cache well, or if Tiny Corp is running a lower-precision quantization than Moonshot's native format, speculative decoding, or a mix of the three.

Tiny Corp hasn't published the precision, context length, batch size, or method behind its number, and it would be prudent to treat it as a manufacturer claim at best. The aggregate bandwidth figure also assumes the workload is split evenly across four cards that communicate over PCIe.

A pricey proposition that goes neck and neck with Apple's Mac Studio

At $30,000, the Red Kimi is a lot of money for a desktop computer, but the alternatives for running a 2.8-trillion-parameter model locally aren't cheaper. Apple's Mac Studio with M5 Ultra and 512 GB of unified memory starts at $22,299 and reaches $29,799 with a 16 TB SSD, Macworld reports, just $201 shy of Tiny's box. It offers four times the fast memory at 1.2 TB/s, according to Apple, but 512 GB still can't hold K3's native checkpoint.

Nvidia's GB300-based DGX Station went on sale for almost $91,100 with 748 GB of memory, which also falls short. AMD's Threadripper Halo Station, with up to 2.6 TB of combined memory, would fit the model comfortably, but it isn't due until 2027, and industry estimates put a full system at around $150,000.

Against such prolific (and pricey) competition, the Red Kimi is the cheapest way to maintain Kimi K3's native precision on a single desk. The catch is that it gets there by asking flash to do the job of memory, and every token per second it delivers depends on how well that bet pays off. Until someone outside Tiny Corp runs the numbers, "usable speeds" is a promise rather than a result.

It was only a matter of time before Big John was given his own TV show, and he and the Fisher Family are letting us into their world for Big John’s Bosh! Family.

You can watch Big John’s Bosh! Family online from anywhere with a VPN.

He's a social media sensation and a takeaway king, but now, Big John will get his time on the small screen. Across six episodes, we'll get to know him, his wife Charlotte, and the rest of the Fisher Family like never before. Viewers will see the clan deal with media responsibilities and their growing fame, while also juggling family life and the adventures that come with that.

Involving their children, Johnny the boxer, city boy William, and daughter Hetty, as well as 'Fat Nan' and 'Skinny Nan', it'll be a whole family affair and it'll be interesting to really get to know the peripheral figures in the Big John story. If that wasn't enough, there are also guest appearances from the likes of Eddie Hearn, Joe Marler, Joey Essex, and Dana White.

While all six episodes are landing in one swoop, fans will also want to tune in a week later for a special episode detailing Johnny 'The Romford Bull' Fisher's big fight with Michael Pirotton, with special behind-the-scenes access.

Ready to see Big John and his family live their fascinating and fun life? Here's how to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family online – from anywhere.

Can I watch Big John’s Bosh! Family for free?

You can't watch Big John’s Bosh! Family for free in most places. In the UK, you can get a free 7-day trial of Paramount+, though, so you could binge all six episodes there.

In the US you could take advantage of the Walmart+ deal which gives you a Paramount+ subscription (or Peacock) for just $1. Access to the streaming service is essential if you want to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family, as it's an exclusive Paramount series.

How to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family from anywhere

If you're keen to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, then you could use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course).

You may be surprised by how simple it is to do. Plus, we have a great 75% discount on our #1 VPN...

Watch Big John’s Bosh! Family in the US

The US premiere of Big John’s Bosh! Family is on Thursday, November 5, with episodes playing on Paramount+ for subscribers.

The six episodes are scheduled to arrive in one big drop on that date.

Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 per month, but you could get a subscription for just $1 per month with Walmart+.

If you're away from the US momentarily, you can use this VPN (try risk-free) to watch the show from anywhere. We recommend NordVPN.

How to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family in Canada

Similar to the US, Big John’s Bosh! Family is available to stream in Canada on the Paramount+ streaming service in its entirety from November 5.

In Canada prices start at CA$7.99/month.

Outside of Canada? Use a VPN to gain access to all the content you'd normally stream at home.

How to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family in the UK

It's the same story in the UK, with Big John’s Bosh! Family landing in its entirety on Paramount+ on Thursday, November 5.

You can join Paramount+ for just £5.99 in the UK, and it's also one of the few countries where you can still get a free trial for the platform.

Outside the UK? If you're currently traveling outside the UK, you can use this VPN (try risk-free) to watch UK TV from abroad. We recommend NordVPN.

Where to watch Big John’s Bosh! Family in Australia

Like elsewhere, Big John’s Bosh! Family will be available to stream on Paramount+ in Australia as well.

You can get started for AU$7.99 per month.

Outside Australia right now? Use NordVPN to access your usual shows from anywhere in the world.

Big John’s Bosh! Family FAQs

Big John’s Bosh! Family - who's involved?

• John Fisher
• Charlotte Fisher
• Johnny Fisher
• William Fisher
• Hetty Fisher
• Fat Nan
• Skinny Nan
• Eddie Hearn
• Dana White
• Joey Essex
• Joe Marler

You may also like to watch...

• How to watch Celebrity Race Across The World 2026 for free, online and from anywhere
• How to watch UK TV from abroad
• How to watch The Mob online from anywhere – stream the reality competition show

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1746) — hint #1 — Vowels

* 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 #1746) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1746) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1746) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

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 #1746) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1746) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1746, are…

• SHINE
• TAROT
• VERGE
• LANKY

Quordle is a glorious game when the “first thought best thought” method pays off.

I experienced this today, with only VERGE giving me hesitation over whether to go with “merge” instead. First thought best thought won.

Daily Sequence today (game #1746) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1746, are…

• DRAWN
• BULGE
• ATTIC
• MELON

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1745, Wednesday, 4 November: JOIST, CROOK, DELAY, ICILY
• Quordle #1744, Tuesday, 3 November: TRIAL, STAID, LEVEL, BONUS
• Quordle #1743, Monday, 2 November: EXTRA, AMITY, LUPUS, EAGLE
• Quordle #1742, Sunday, 1 November: DROVE, PRIED, SHELL, BEGIN
• Quordle #1741, Saturday, 31 October: ANIME, SWARM, CHALK, RAJAH
• Quordle #1740, Friday, 30 October: ULCER, DIMLY, BRAIN, BEGUN
• Quordle #1739, Thursday, 29 October: PRUDE, MINUS, SAVOY, USHER
• Quordle #1738, Wednesday, 28 October: DEALT, FLUME, SLEEK, RELIC
• Quordle #1737, Tuesday, 27 October: ANKLE, HAVOC, SULKY, WHITE
• Quordle #1736, Monday, 26 October: ASSAY, GLEAM, MUCUS, WRING
• Quordle #1735, Sunday, 25 October: RAINY, BUSED, PROXY, UNDID
• Quordle #1734, Saturday, 24 October: TOXIN, SMART, MOUSE, STYLE
• Quordle #1733, Friday, 23 October: BLIMP, HOIST, FRIED, LURID
• Quordle #1732, Thursday, 22 October: DECAL, WIDTH, WOKEN, LEVER
• Quordle #1731, Wednesday, 21 October: MOIST, VALVE, VERSE, NORTH
• Quordle #1730, Tuesday, 20 October: COYLY, SAUNA, TRIAL, RASPY
• Quordle #1729, Monday, 19 October: EXIST, DECOY, HITCH, FLUID
• Quordle #1728, Sunday, 18 October: FLINT, FUROR, WEDGE, RODEO
• Quordle #1727, Saturday, 17 October: QUARK, ENEMY, SPASM, BLOCK
• Quordle #1726, Friday, 16 October: SHORT, WORTH, JOIST, SLUNK

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 #1243) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• RAINDROP
• ROSE
• WHISKER
• KITTEN
• GIG
• PEAR
• SPIKE
• NARCISSUS
• WEDGE
• RUN
• LOTUS
• UVULA
• BRANDO
• ANEMONE
• SPEEDBAG
• PLATFORM

NYT Connections today (game #1243) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Boot types
• GREEN: Pretty in bloom
• BLUE: A shape in common
• PURPLE: Altered alcohol

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 #1243) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: KINDS OF HEELS
• GREEN: FLOWERS
• BLUE: TEARDROP-SHAPED THINGS
• PURPLE: LIQUORS WITH LAST LETTERS CHANGED

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1243) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1243, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF HEELS: KITTEN, PLATFORM, SPIKE, WEDGE
• GREEN: FLOWERS: ANEMONE, LOTUS, NARCISSUS, ROSE
• BLUE: TEARDROP-SHAPED THINGS: PEAR, RAINDROP, SPEEDBAG, UVULA
• PURPLE: LIQUORS WITH LAST LETTERS CHANGED: BRANDO, GIG, RUN, WHISKER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

After getting KINDS OF HEELS fairly quickly, I really suffered over the rest of the game.

Getting FLOWERS took me three guesses, as I included RAINDROP and then PEAR instead of NARCISSUS, while LIQUORS WITH LAST LETTERS CHANGED was sheer luck after I'd initially thought that WHISKER and RUN were something to do with skiing, rather than alcohol.

I’m glad I managed to fluke myself home, as TEARDROP-SHAPED THINGS completely eluded me; I had no idea what a UVULA was and thought SPEEDBAG was just a smaller version of a punchball. And as for PEAR — surely that’s pear-shaped, rather than teardrop-shaped?

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, November 4, 2026, game #1242)

• YELLOW: TRIANGULAR PRISMS WITH A SHARP EDGE: DOORSTOP, FLATIRON BUILDING, PIE SLICE, WEDGE
• GREEN: WORDS AFTER "DO NOT" ON A CARE LABEL: BLEACH, IRON, TUMBLE DRY, WRING
• BLUE: MOVE IDLY, WITH "AROUND": LOLL, POKE, PUTTER, SHUFFLE
• PURPLE: FIRE____: CRACKER, FLY, WOOD, WORKS

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 #977) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #977) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• MERGE
• DIME
• BRINK
• ROUND
• CAGE
• DIVE
• CHAIR

NYT Strands today (game #977) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #977) - hint #4 - spangram position

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #977) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #977, are…

• WIND
• BREAD
• FAITH
• GROUND
• DANCING
• CHARACTER
• SPANGRAM: GIVEMEABREAK

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 3 hints

I don’t think I have ever made it so far into a game of Strands without understanding the theme, a detail which may well be reflected in the fact that I needed several hints today.

Embarrassingly, it was only after I completed the puzzle that the penny finally dropped and I realized that the word “break” was the connector.

Hopefully I'm not the only player who was slightly baffled by this collection.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, November 4, game #976)

• LABOR
• STAFF
• WORKFORCE
• PEOPLE
• PERSONNEL
• SPANGRAM: HUMANRESOURCES

SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini review

The SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini might just be perfect for you, if you're looking for a compact gaming mouse that makes no sacrifices when it comes to performance.

The SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini has everything a competitive gamer could ever want, be that true 8K polling, programmable buttons, 42K DPI sensitivity… you name it. It even brings ‘infinite power supply’ tech to the table, meaning you’ll have next to no downtime when duking it out against your opponents.

However, this mouse doesn’t come cheap. At $179.99 / £169.99 (about AU$250), it sits firmly in the premium category, meaning it has to go above and beyond to prove itself against the best mice on the market. But is it truly worth that steep asking price? Here’s my view after hours of intensive testing.

Let’s start things off by looking at some of the features that the Rival Pro Mini has to offer. I may have piqued your curiosity when I mentioned that ‘infinite’ power supply just now — but what exactly does that mean?

Well, the Rival Pro Mini and its accompanying Ultra Wideband base station come with hot-swappable batteries. One will slot into your mouse while gaming, and the other will sit in the base station and charge up in the meantime. When your mouse eventually runs dry — around 60 hours with 1K polling or 16 hours with 8K — you can simply pop the battery out of your base station, slot it into your mouse, and continue playing in an instant.

This is a truly brilliant feature, and means you’ll never run out of juice when competing in a tournament or playing a few casual rounds. Even though the Rival Pro Mini mouse has no USB slot for wired use, this tech means that you’ll never truly need it.

But there are so many more features to discover on the Rival Pro Mini. First up, you’re getting true 8K polling for ultra-smooth performance. SuperSync is also here, which enables you to independently set tracking and clicking polling rates. There’s also aim tools, 42K DPI sensitivity, and six fully programmable buttons on board.

You can customize the way that buttons function in the GG app or web platform, which also lets you adjust sensitivity, polling rate, and power management among other things. I found both the downloadable and web app to be incredibly easy to use and navigate, with no shortage of options at my disposal.

But just how does the Rival Pro Mini feel to use in practice? Just as good as you’d hope. When playing Cyberpunk 2077 on the LG UltraGear 25G590B 1000Hz gaming monitor, I was blown away by the all-round quality on offer. When aiming, movement felt supremely stable and accurate, and even basic functions like turning the camera was super smooth and highly responsive.

In addition, the optical switches had a great feel to them, and allowed me to blast down my foes with unrivaled speed and precision. Like typical optical switches, these aren’t the quietest around, but their satisfying click felt never seemed obnoxiously loud or distracting to me. The mechanical scroll wheel also impressed me with its control and tactility, and its ridges provided ample grip when gaming or simply performing everyday tasks at work.

This mouse gets it right when it comes to ergonomics too, although it is a more compact model, so if you have larger hands I’d recommend picking up the full-sized Rival Pro instead. But the mouse’s molded exterior and lightweight feel fantastic, and I was able to use the Rival Pro Mini for hours on end without any cramp or fatigue. This is an ergonomic model for right-handed gamers, though, so if you’re a lefty, I’d suggest checking out the symmetrical SteelSeries Sensei Pro Mini.

The Rival Pro Mini plays it fairly safe looks-wise, but it does have a sleek aesthetic, and the orange scroll wheel gives it a bit of pop. It also has strong build quality, and I liked its lightly textured matte finish, which adds a premium touch. One thing I will say, however, is that this finish does turn the Rival Pro Mini into a bit of a fingerprint magnet, so it’ll need a good wipe down every now and then if you want to keep it looking pristine. Still, fingerprints will likely seem less visible if you opt for the white colorway over the black variant I tested.

There’s very little holding this mouse back, though one thing could prove to put some gamers off. And you guessed it: it’s that asking price.

While I think that the Rival Pro Mini offers solid value thanks to its exemplary functionality, at $179.99 / £169.99 (about AU$250), it’s unquestionably expensive. It’s also priced identically to the larger, full-size model — no big deal given that they share the same features, but it would’ve been nice to get this one at an ever-so-slightly lower price.

When all’s said and done, though, I had an overwhelmingly positive experience with the SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini. Its S-tier performance, clever hot-swappable batteries, and customizable buttons make it a great option, even for the most competitive gamers out there, and if you can stomach the price, it’s well worth picking up.

SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini review: price & release date

• Priced at $179.99 / £169.99 (about AU$250)
• Released in October 2026

The SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini first arrived in October 2026 alongside three other models, namely the larger SteelSeries Rival Pro, as well as the SteelSeries Sensei Pro and Sensei Pro Mini. The Rival Pro Mini has the same list price as the full-sized model, coming in at $179.99 / £169.99 (about AU$250). As you’d expect, that places it in the premium category with competition including the Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike and the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro — both of which you can learn more about in the ‘also consider’ section.

SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini review: specs

Should I buy the SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini review: also consider

How I tested the SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini

• Tested intensively for hours
• Used for gaming and general productivity
• Made use of all features in the GG web app

I tested the SteelSeries Rival Pro Mini across the course of a few days, and spent hours using it for both gaming and general productivity purposes.

For playing games, I made sure to pair the Rival Pro Mini with the LG UltraGear 25G590B 1000Hz gaming monitor, which helped me get the best performance possible out of the mouse. I also made sure to try the mouse with a variety of games, though I mainly used the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077 to test its capabilities. What’s more, I made sure to trial all of the mouse’s features and customization options in the GG web app.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing gadgets here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from premium wireless headphones to mechanical keyboards, and have tested a number of mice, including the Logitech Mobi Fold.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: October 2026

• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 creative director Jan Theysen says the game's advanced animation system, Combat Director, initially "sounded pretty much impossible"
• The team figured out a solution by creating individual animation snippets that were stitched together for more complex battle animations
• Theysen says there were concerns that the system wasn't "responsive enough," so King Art had to be "flexible"

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 creative director Jan Theysen has revealed that the game's advanced animation system, Combat Director, initially sounded like an impossible challenge until King Art found a solution.

Combat Director is Dawn of War 4's improved animation system that makes sync kills—special animations that occur when units stop fighting using generic animations and square up in a one-on-one fight to the death—more immersive across all melee combat.

This means that instead of syncing the last few attacks, King Art has chosen to sync everything in order to offer a more immersive experience. As the studio explained in a blog post, "In every combat scenario, our Combat Director continually assesses the situation. Who is around you right now? Who is the enemy? Who is supposed to damage whom, and in what manner?" This results in "millions and millions of potential animation combos playing out across different combat scenarios."

However, according to Theysen in an interview with TechRadar Gaming, the team didn't think it could pull it off at the beginning.

"Combat Director for us is the evolution of the singles. At some point, our head of animation said, 'I think we might be able to do this not only for kills, but basically for all melee combat,' which sounded pretty much impossible," Theysen said.

Despite the big undertaking, a core group of in-house animators found the solution; instead of creating whole animations, they just created like little animation snippets, then "what the system does is dynamically, depending on the situation in the game, it puts these snippets together to build animations out of it."

Theysen said "the big advantage" was the multitude of animation possibilities, but "our big concern was: is this not responsive enough?"

He explained, "If you watch someone fighting with sword versus sword, or someone is on your shoulder, and then there is an explosion, what happens, right? They need to react to the explosion, or if someone is fighting against someone else, and then a second character comes in and also wants to fight, how does that work?"

Essentially, King Art needed to make sure that it was "flexible" and make sure the units could leave animations at any point, adding that "the system figures out who is around me, who wants to fight me, who do I want to fight, and what kind of animations can I use to fight these two enemies?"

For example, if one unit is smaller and not as heavy and another is making a swing from the right, and the player has a chainsaw, Combat Director will run through all the possibilities that result in a procedural animation.

"The system basically says, okay, here are the options for what you could do, and then the system says, okay, I play these snippets to block the chainsaw and to actually hit the small guy," Theysen continued, "but then the system says, ah, nope, there was an explosion. So now, instead of hitting the small guy, you fly through the air, and that is basically how it works."

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 arrives on PC on December 3.

• The ability to reposition the taskbar came to Windows 11 in September
• However, you can't drag the taskbar around as with Windows 10 — you must move it using a panel in the Settings app
• Some power-users want an option to drag it around the desktop quickly, and Microsoft has now explained why it decided against this

One of the long-awaited major Windows 11 interface changes this year has been the ability to move the taskbar.

You'll likely recall that there was quite a big fuss that this functionality, which was present in Windows 10, didn't make the cut for Windows 11. It wasn't alone, either, as there were plenty of key interface options that weren't ported over from the older operating system — many of which have since been addressed.

Windows 11 received the ability to shift the taskbar to the top, or either side, of the screen in the September 2026 update (or that was when the rollout began — everyone should have it by now, though). Before that, the taskbar was anchored steadfastly to the bottom of the desktop, and you couldn't move it anywhere.

However, Windows 11's implementation of the now mobile taskbar has still come under fire from some users. It's gotten to the point where a Microsoft exec has responded to explain the thinking behind the feature, as Windows Latest highlighted.

The beef is that while the taskbar is now movable, you can't simply drag it around the desktop. Moving the taskbar requires you to head into the Settings app, diving down a level to pick your alignment.

It's not possible to seize the taskbar with your mouse cursor and whizz it across the desktop to a new position. There are users who want the convenience of being able to do that, but Microsoft's Diego Baca, who is VP of Design for Windows, has defended the company's decision to drop this particular option for taskbar repositioning.

The danger of accidental drags

As Baca observes, this choice was made because, with Windows 10's draggable taskbar, Microsoft "saw a significant volume of accidental taskbar movements." Meaning users clicking on the bar for another reason mistakenly picked it up and shifted it elsewhere, which was obviously annoying.

The other point Baca makes — and it's a good one — is who needs to move the taskbar to different positions on the desktop with any regularity? Not many folks, but nonetheless, power-users who might do so have been arguing for the introduction of some kind of option to make the taskbar draggable in this way.

Windows Latest itself suggested a 'lock the taskbar' option (as seen in Windows 10) to ensure it couldn't be dragged mistakenly, noting that this should be on by default. But Baca argued that this isn't a good solution because it introduces more 'friction' to the Windows 11 interface. The exec noted in a post on X: "For those suggesting an 'auto-lock' or lock/unlock setting as a magic solution, it really isn't that simple. You're introducing additional friction to solve a relatively infrequent task. Now, every time you want to move the taskbar, you first need to unlock it."

It's a fair point, and the crux of the matter is that the number of Windows 11 power-users who will actually benefit from quick taskbar dragging is very few compared to the pool of massed casual users who could potentially run afoul of the feature. As this Redditor observes from their experiences with the Windows 10 taskbar: "Honestly, looking back, there were several times when older family members would ask me why theirs is on the side of their screen. People did move it accidentally."

And this was even the case when the taskbar was locked to prevent that (presumably because of more taskbar misclicking and accidentally turning the lock off). Of course, when this occurred, those less tech-savvy types had no idea what had happened, or how to rectify it. And that seems a greater danger than a lack of a draggable taskbar, based on how often that kind of movement is needed for anyone but a niche of very specific power users. In this way, the taskbar design decisions are an understandable trade-off, at least in my opinion.

I should note that Baca also makes it clear that this isn't a final decision, or the be-all-and-end-all of the debate over a draggable taskbar. Baca concludes the X post: "Please don't turn an explanation of a design decision into a declaration that something will 'NEVER' happen. That's simply not what I said."

So, there might be hope yet for those who want taskbar dragging. Indeed, I wonder if a solution that Microsoft previously tested could return, one that Windows Latest reminded us about: namely having the four taskbar position icons from Settings directly accessible via the right-click menu on the taskbar.

Third-party alternatives for taskbar dragging in Windows 11

Overall, I think Microsoft's stance here is correct on balance. So, as it stands for now, power users who want to drag the Windows 11 taskbar around with some regularity due to their workflow are left feeling out in the cold and will need to use a third-party tool to do so.

What third-party software is recommended for this use? A dedicated app called Taskbar Location Options on GitHub (hat tip to Windows Central) is a good choice, restoring the ability to drag the taskbar at any time (or use right-click menu settings directly on the bar). This tool is handy because it's a simple and lightweight effort for those who just need dragging functionality and don't want to install a full modding suite to achieve this.

There's also a mod for Windhawk, which is a popular Windows 11 customization suite you can load up with add-ons, that allows for taskbar dragging (and locking). As always, though, use any third-party software at your own risk, and remember that customization tools like these can sometimes run into trouble with Windows 11 updates.

Microsoft's patches can tinker with interface elements under the hood, and this may break any of these third-party customization utilities until the developer can patch. Power users will doubtless be more than aware of this, mind, but I figured it's worth mentioning.

• Off-grid gas emissions in the U.S. could reach 460 million tons by 2030
• US power-sector emissions could rise 42% above 2025 levels by end of the decade
• Gas turbines now supply electricity to roughly 40% of American data centres

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States is creating new concerns about the country's ability to reduce CO₂ emissions.

A new Sierra Club assessment warns that electricity generation associated with planned data center developments could reverse years of environmental gains.

By 2030, CO₂ emissions linked to the expansion could exceed 460 million metric tons, matching Mexico's annual carbon dioxide emissions.

Data center expansion threatens emissions reduction efforts

The environmental organisation estimates that electricity demand from proposed facilities could substantially increase pollution from the American power sector before the decade ends.

Projections indicate that CO₂ emissions could reach 2.1 billion metric tons, representing a 42% increase over 2025 levels.

“The numbers continue to sort of boggle our minds,” said Jeremy Fusher, Sierra Club's principal advisor for climate and energy, expressing surprise at the scale of the latest estimates.

The organisation's earlier calculations placed the projected increase between 25% and 50% of its current estimate.

The revised assessment therefore indicates that electricity requirements associated with planned computing infrastructure could create a huge environmental cost.

Natural gas remains an important part of the electricity supply supporting American data centres.

Approximately 40% of these facilities receive electricity from gas turbines, while renewable energy additions are struggling to match rapidly increasing consumption.

Natural gas shortages complicate the transition to cleaner electricity

Competition for electricity generation equipment is creating additional difficulties for developers seeking to bring facilities online quickly.

Turbine prices have increased by 50%, while manufacturers face substantial production backlogs extending several years.

One manufacturer has reportedly opened production reservations for equipment scheduled for delivery in 2032.

These constraints could encourage developers to retain fossil fuel generation rather than wait for renewable alternatives or additional electricity infrastructure.

Equipment shortages, delayed grid connections and other infrastructure constraints could prevent numerous developments from becoming operational.

Across the United States, applications for construction permits reportedly exceed the electricity transmission capacity available in several locations.

Some projects also face opposition from communities concerned about electricity consumption, environmental consequences and the costs associated with infrastructure expansion.

Financial uncertainty within the artificial intelligence industry introduces another complication for developers planning large computing facilities.

Hyperscalers facing questions about the commercial returns from their investments could postpone or abandon projects before construction reaches completion.

Government regulations requiring renewable electricity for new facilities may provide some protection against additional emissions.

However, existing requirements frequently include implementation periods and generally do not apply retrospectively to operating installations.

Ireland, for example, requires new data centres to obtain 80% of their electricity from renewable sources within six years of beginning operations.

Such delays mean fossil fuel generation could remain part of the electricity supply during substantial periods of infrastructure expansion.

Due to these uncertainties, the eventual impact of data centre expansion on greenhouse gas emissions remains difficult to predict.

Via Tom's Hardware

Garmin has made notable progress in a bunch of different areas of watch technology in recent years. There’s the new proliferation of satellite comms on its best Garmin watches, like the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro, along with some amazing stuff in dive-ready water resistance and titanium nano-molding cases. But the real tech trend of the last few years? OLED.

The first Garmin OLED watch was the Garmin Venu from 2019. Venu has always been used as an experimentation ground, a way to test which smartwatch features should be brought over to the other core lines. It’s an often under-appreciated trailblazer.

OLED adoption kicked into another gear in 2023 when the Garmin Forerunner 965 — perhaps the best all-round Garmin watch of that generation — introduced the tech to the Forerunner series. And that was just months after the arrival of the OLED Garmin Epix Gen 2 in late 2022. Since then there’s been no stopping OLED.

MIP and Garmin were once ubiquitous

In 2026 it’s easy to forget just a few years ago, every major Garmin watch had a dull-but-practical MIP (memory-in-pixel) screen. Before OLED Forerunners, before generative AI, before a RAM crisis — 2022 was a simpler time in technology.

Now OLED is ubiquitous, whenever a major new line is announced I go to see if Garmin has finally cut the ties entirely and left MIP in the past. Crucially, though, it didn’t happen with the Fenix 9, meaning transflective displays are here to stay for at least a few years.

But what might make Garmin get rid of MIP?

MIP vs OLED

“There are definitely different things that are enabled for our customers if we stay with a transflective color MIP display. The most significant right now is battery life,” Garmin CEO Brad Trenkle told me.

“Take an Enduro-type product, having a product like that which can work off an MIP display versus an OLED with its inherently higher power drain because it's emitting versus being reflective [has benefits].”

When you take an OLED watch outside, its screen brightness has to ramp up dramatically to compensate for ambient light. An MIP watch actually gets clearer, while doing nothing and barely using any power.

An OLED Fenix 9 Pro, as you can see above, can reach up to 3000 nits, which is always going to use a decent amount of power regardless of how many efficiencies you get out of the underlying OLED panel tech.

The power of Endurance

For the kind of Garmin user who has their watch for regular runs and bike rides near their home in the city or suburbs, it’s no big deal. But for actual adventurer types on multi-day hikes?

It’s not hard to see the continuing appeal of MIP, particularly when the 'always-on' display mode of OLED Garmin watches dramatically reduces battery life. Simply using your watch as an actual watch can be a surprisingly taxing endeavour, when outdoors on a sunny day.

That argument may not hold forever, though. “We do see that gap closing,” says Trenkle. “It's closed a lot, which is why you've seen battery life on our OLED products continue to increase generation over generation. But that gap has not completely converged, and I think until it does, we definitely don't think that MIP will completely go away.”

The process has already begun, though. Just look at the mid-tier Forerunner watches. There is no MIP option in any of the new or vaguely recent Forerunner watches, from the Garmin Forerunner 70 up to the 970. What we’ve ended up with is MIP being effectively wedded to solar charging, in specialist models like the Fenix 9 Pro Solar and Garmin Instinct 3 Solar, which allows for the alarmingly cool-sounding claim of up to “unlimited” battery life when the watch spends a decent amount of time outdoors in sunlight.

Where is the Solar OLED?

It leads me to wonder if the actual inflection point — when MIP gets nixed — might end up being not just when Garmin is even happier with OLED watch battery life, but when OLED can successfully be paired with solar charging. Because this has not happened yet.

My conclusion has always been that the in-screen solar charging tech the Fenix 9 Pro Solar uses is largely incompatible with OLED because it ends up effectively intercepting light to turn it into power. That’s going to have some impact on display image quality. So I asked Trenkle: is solar always going to ruin an OLED screen?

“From purpose of a thought experiment, not really,” says Trenkle.

“It depends upon the solar technology you use. Garmin has employed two different types of solar technology through the years. We've used amorphous silicon and crystalline silicon. Amorphous silicon, we call it transparent, but it's almost like polarized sunglasses.”

This is the solar tech I was talking about earlier, the kind that sits over the display.

“You're cutting etching very fine lines into amorphous silicon, and so that sits over the top of the organic material, which can obviously degrade.”

”But in some of our more recent products, we use crystalline silicon. That's not a transparent silicon material, but we do essentially make the chapter ring solar. You get the ring around the outside, but nothing overlays the active area of the display.”

The future is opaque

Crystalline silicone is the stuff used in conventional solar panels. My favourite example of this in action (in a watch) is in the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar, where a relatively huge area around the screen is given over to this solar-charging surface. Trenkle appears to suggest this could be one entirely feasible way to bring solar charging to an OLED watch.

“It's always finding the right technology to apply in the circumstance that we want, but in that case, you don't get any degradation or loss, whether it's reflectivity or [image quality]. Yes, it would be a way to counter that.”

This is far off a confirmation of a crystalline silicone solar-charging Garmin OLED watch. But, just as OLED’s own efficiency led to its wider uptake by Garmin, perhaps we’re just a solar charging efficiency bump away from this concept becoming a reality.

Not sure which Garmin watch is for you? Take our quiz to find your perfect wrist companion.

• The Pentagon clears an Australian shotgun drone for American government procurement
• Australia's Cerberus MI can fire weapons and return for reloading
• The 40-pound aircraft can carry shotguns or grenade launchers

The Pentagon has approved an Australian-developed armed drone for inclusion on a procurement list used by American military and federal agencies.

Cerberus MI was developed by Skyborne Technologies and carries a 12-gauge shotgun for engaging targets during flight.

Unlike disposable attack drones, the 40-pound (18-kilogram) aircraft can return to its operator after an engagement, receive fresh ammunition, and undertake another mission.

A reusable aircraft carrying conventional weapons

Skyborne designed Cerberus MI with a reinforced airframe capable of handling weapon recoil, while allowing operators to exchange its shotgun for a 40mm low-velocity grenade launcher.

The aircraft uses onboard artificial intelligence to combine information from multiple sensors, although human operators retain control over engagement decisions.

Skyborne says its targeting system for this drone supports engagements at distances exceeding 300 metres (984 feet).

When carrying its weapons, the drone can remain airborne for approximately 35 minutes, with a maximum speed of 54 kilometres (34 miles) per hour.

It also supports payloads weighing up to 9 pounds (4 kilograms), placing it within the Group 2 classification for unmanned aircraft.

Skyborne developed the platform for counter-drone operations and direct-fire engagements, with an emphasis on reusing the aircraft rather than discarding it after every mission.

“Cerberus MI was designed around that principle — a reusable, reloadable direct-fire UAS with an expanding weapon ecosystem, using standard ammunition to deliver low cost per shot and greater magazine depth,” said Adrian Dudok, chief executive for US operations at Skyborne.

Pentagon clearance removes procurement restrictions

The aircraft's inclusion on the Department of Defense's Blue UAS Cleared List gives eligible American government agencies access to the system without obtaining individual policy exceptions.

The Defense Contract Management Agency approved the aircraft after examining its cybersecurity protections, supply-chain arrangements, and potential exposure to foreign influence.

These assessments follow requirements established under the National Defense Authorization Act, which governs several aspects of military procurement and equipment security.

The clearance does not necessarily mean the Pentagon has placed an order or committed funding towards purchasing Cerberus MI.

Instead, the approval establishes that the aircraft has satisfied the relevant assessment requirements for inclusion on the government procurement list.

For Skyborne, the decision provides an opportunity to introduce its aircraft into American defence procurement channels without requiring prospective government customers to pursue separate policy exemptions.

Michael Creagh, the company's chief executive for the Asia-Pacific region, said the design was intended to accommodate changing military requirements without replacing the entire aircraft.

“Our focus has been on building a system that can adapt to emerging operational requirements without continually replacing the underlying hardware,” said Creagh.

The company has not disclosed the number of aircraft American agencies might acquire, the expected contract value, or any delivery schedule.

Via The Drone Front

• Malware allegedly gave a poker cheat access to opponents' computer screens
• Hundreds of online poker players may have suffered financial losses
• MeshAgent reportedly helped the attacker monitor selected players during games

Online poker players are facing allegations of a cheating operation that may have cost participants millions of dollars across online gambling sites.

Wired reports that hundreds of people on major gambling platforms were allegedly affected by malicious software installed on selected players’ computers.

The software allegedly allowed the attacker to monitor victims’ computer screens and obtain information that could influence decisions during poker games.

Malware allegedly exposed players’ private information

The incident involves a form of poker fraud known as “superuser” cheating, in which someone obtains information unavailable to ordinary participants.

Rather than exploiting one poker platform directly, the alleged attacker reportedly took advantage of external applications used to manage multiple tables.

Those applications allegedly provided a way to install MeshAgent, a remote administration programme, on computers belonging to selected opponents without their knowledge.

After installation, the software reportedly enabled the intruder to view activity displayed on victims’ computers while they played online poker.

Such access could expose opponents’ private cards, giving the person controlling the malware information unavailable through legitimate participation during games.

That advantage could influence decisions during expensive hands and allow the alleged cheater to win money from unsuspecting players.

The activity is described as a prolonged campaign involving customers across several major online poker services, rather than one isolated incident.

The reports claim the perpetrator is known within poker circles, but withheld the person’s identity because no criminal charges have been filed.

Different platforms take different approaches to the allegations

The companies involved have responded differently, with one service reportedly removing the account before the malware operation became publicly known.

That platform had identified unusually strong results and questionable playing patterns through its monitoring system.

Other services released security checks intended to help customers establish whether MeshAgent had been installed on their computers.

Another operator faced complaints about the account yet reportedly allowed the suspected cheater to continue playing on its platform.

The company later said its investigation had found no evidence that compromised devices had affected the results of games.

It also refused to reimburse customers who believed the alleged cheating had caused them significant financial losses.

That response has left affected players uncertain about whether they can recover money and how responsibility for losses will be determined.

If the reported screen access occurred, investigators would need to identify compromised accounts and establish which games produced unfair results.

Such an assessment could be difficult because the alleged activity involved many players and several separate gambling services.

The case also draws attention to risks associated with software that poker participants install independently to organize simultaneous games.

Although these applications can make multi-table play easier, they may introduce additional ways for malicious programmes to reach personal computers.

Players using such tools may therefore need to consider security risks beyond those covered by the gambling platforms themselves.

As of the time of writing, there is no information on the total amount stolen, the number of confirmed victims, or whether authorities are investigating the case.

Leak TruStream: Two-minute review

Leak has been doing very nicely as its own tribute act lately, and the latest product to get the ‘walnut and aluminium’ mid-20th century modern retro treatment is a network streamer called TruStream.

But while it looks like a throwback, the TruStream is thoroughly modern on the inside. Wired and wireless connectivity, balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs, a top-end 32bit ESS Sabre DAC and a streaming platform provided by Silent Angel all contribute to a player that’s absolutely got it where it counts. Its control app could learn a thing or two from pretty much anyone else’s control app, mind you…

Given some good hi-res content to deal with, the Leak proves an expansive, detailed listen that controls both the layout of a soundstage and the description of rhythms really well. Its powers of insight and resolution make for an absorbing listen — although the sensation of outright fidelity is undermined just a little by the integrated DAC’s tendency to attack high frequency information a little too readily and by a relative lack of dynamic headroom. But given everything it does well in sonic terms, and given that it’s a visually unique offering in a “me too!” market, don’t be surprised if plenty of people are able to overlook these shortcomings…

Leak TruStream Review: Price and release date

• Launched in April 2026
• Costs $1,499 / £999 / AU$2,199

The Leak TruStream network music player is on sale now having hit shelves in April 2026 for most of us, and in the United Kingdom it costs £999. In Australia it goes for something like AU$2,199, while in the United States it will set you back $1,499 or thereabouts.

And while that's not crazy money in the world of hi-res audio and hi-fi, it's emphatically an investment — and Leak's still up against stiff competition from the likes of Cambridge, with the CXN100, priced at $1,099 / £899 / €1,049 (around AU$1,665).

There's also a November 2026-launch Yamaha dual hi-fi streamer launch to cast your eye over if you're looking for alternatives, starting with the cheaper Yamaha WXC-70, which at the time of writing is due to sell for £859 (about $1,170, AU$1,700), so it's the cheaper of the two models.

Then again, Nagra's Compact Streamer was launched just before the Leak, in March 2026 — and that will set you back a slightly more eye-watering £6,000 / AU$9,495 (around $8,000). So, there's plenty to think about within Leak's chosen territory.

Leak TruStream review: Features

• 32bit ESS Sabre DAC
• Digital outputs as well as balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs
• Silent Angel streaming platform

You’re not short of choice when it comes to network streamers at this sort of money, even if the rest of them don’t have a hint of the TruStream’s visual panache. Good looks will only carry a product a little way, though, so it’s just as well Leak has specified the TruStream to be fully competitive.

The TruStream uses Silent Angel technology for its streaming platform, and that’s an uncomplicatedly good thing. Low-noise digital transmission and stable networking are the foundations of Silent Angel’s reputation, and when you also consider the Leak’s wide compatibility with streaming technologies it looks like a very wise choice indeed. Apple AirPlay 2, ‘Connect’ for Qobuz, Spotify and TIDAL, and TuneIn internet radio are all available, and in addition the TruStream can deal with playback from network-attached devices via DLNA or from physically connected USB drives. By way of an encore, it’s also Roon Ready.

The Leak takes care of the critical digital-to-analogue business with a 32bit ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DAC chipset. It’s able to deal with every worthwhile digital audio file type (as well as quite a few of the more esoteric alternatives) and can operate at resolutions of up to 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. You can get the information to the DAC using Ethernet, dual-band wi-fi or one of the three USB inputs on the rear of the machine — there’s a USB-C for use with PCs and a couple of USB-A slots for direct connection of storage devices.

You’ve a few options when it comes to getting it out again, too. As well as balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog outputs, the Leak also features digital coaxial and digital optical outputs - which is handy on the off-chance you have a more capable DAC somewhere in your system than the one fitted here. There’s also a 6.3mm headphone socket on the fascia, which is powered by a dedicated current-feedback headphone amplifier that’s able to drive even quite tricky loads presented by unhelpful headphones.

• Features score: 5 / 5

Leak TruStream review: Sound quality

• Detailed, organised sound delivered at considerable scale
• Could be more dynamic
• Treble response can be provoked

It’s not, strictly speaking, a game of two halves here — because the things the TruStream gets right outweigh the things it struggles with more than somewhat. Its shortcomings, though, do undermine its overall performance more than a touch - so I may as well start with them before I get into the good stuff.

The Leak is not an especially dynamic listen where the broad strokes of ‘quiet/loud’ and ‘gentle/intense’ are concerned. The two-and-a-half hours of Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works Volume II feature more than a few fluctuations of this type, and while the TruStream is able to make the differences in volume and attack apparent, it doesn’t have the headroom to put proper distance between them. Some similarly priced rivals describe the distance between ‘quiet’ and ‘loud’ in miles, but the Leak measures them in meters.

The same recording reveals its tendency to hit the higher frequencies quite hard, too — or, at least, it does when it’s doing its own digital-to-analog converting. The onboard DAC has a lot going for it — as I will get to shortly — but it’s fairly edgy where treble sounds are concerned and in the wrong circumstances can become quite fierce. A listen to the way the Leak hits the plosives in the vocal during Dalliance by The Wedding Present lets you know what ‘the wrong circumstances’ are.

Elsewhere, though, the TruStream has plenty going for it. The scale of its presentation, for instance, is straightforwardly impressive. It generates a large and persuasive soundstage that manages to incorporate a sensation of ‘front to back’ as well as ‘left to right’. The areas between participants on the stage are described just as carefully as the activities of the participants themselves, and there’s more than enough breathing space available for even the most complex recordings to sound organised and coherent.

Aside from the latent treble issues, there’s a nice neutrality to the tonality and an evenness to the frequency response that’s on display here. At the bottom end the TruStream hits good and hard without being showy about it, and controls the attack of bass sounds with such confidence that rhythms are always expressed in a positive and naturalistic manner. It transitions into the midrange smoothly, and once there it’s perfectly capable of revealing the full range of attitude and character in a vocal performance.

In fact, detail levels are gratifyingly high at every stage — even the most minor occurrences in a recording are picked up on, and the Leak has real expertise when it comes to giving these details the proper weighting and context. It’s particularly adept when it comes to identifying the harmonic variations that come to fore when listening to unaccompanied voice or solo instrument, and those same circumstances also let it highlight its facility with transient information.

• Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Leak TruStream review: Design

• 118 x 330 x 288mm (HxWxD)
• A single, quite distinctive, finish
• Goes without a display

Whoever it was that said “people who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like” was really onto something. Not everyone will want their network streamer to look like it was designed 70 years ago, of course — but the rest of us will get one look at the diminutive (118 x 330 x 288mm, HxWxD) walnut casework and immediately feel covetous.

The fact that the TruStream is very nicely constructed and impeccably finished, and the aluminium of its fascia contrasts nicely with the wooden panelling - both materials are as tactile as they are visually alluring.

I realise the whole md-century vibe might be compromised by a fascia display, but nevertheless it conceivably puts the TruStream at a disadvantage when you consider the price-comparable rivals that feature quite large, crisp, bright, colourful screens displaying album artwork and what-have-you.

Yes, that information is all available on the device you’re using to stream to the Leak — but ultimately I have to hope the money that has been saved by not implementing any display technology, and the absence of the inevitable electrical activity a display creates inside a streamer, results in a player that outperforms anything of similar price that has one.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Leak TruStream review: Usability and setup

• Remote control handset
• ‘Leak TruStream’ control app
• A few fascia controls

Setting up the Leak TruStream is, with one significant caveat, straightforward. It needs to be plugged into the mains, of course, and a physical connection made to the system into which it’s forming a part — all that’s required then is to get it onto your local network and you’re good to go.

But because of the way the ‘Leak TruStream’ control app (which is free for iOS and Android) is configured, this is not as simple as it really should be. It uses a mixture of fonts, all of them rather small and some of them with unnecessary serifs that look fussy and spoil legibility. The occasional use of black type on an orange background is unhelpful too — yes, it passes WCAG (web content accessibility guidelines) standards but is nevertheless difficult to read, especially as those guidelines tend to concern themselves with ‘normal’ and ‘large’ text. The colorblind or otherwise visually impaired will find these elements fatiguing if they can read them at all.

It’s only fair to mention at this point that the app is stable, wide-ranging and does all of the stuff you’d reasonably expect: browse internet stations, check for firmware updates, build playlists and so on, and there’s a degree of home-page customisation available too. But it’s hard to shake the suspicion that this started as a desktop application and has been transferred to mobile devices either on the cheap or in a hurry (or both).

The big remote control handset is a system control, and so the majority of its buttons are surplus to TruStream requirements. Still, it’s a sight more legible than the control app. And the very few fascia controls (power on/off, input selection and volume) feel nicely positive in their action.

The volume control allows the Leak to function as a preamplifier when connected directly to active speakers or a power amp, as long as you don’t mind ‘the system’ consisting of a network streamer — there are no inputs for external source devices, of course.

• Usability and setup score: 3 / 5

Leak TruStream review: Value

If you can put a price on a pleasing aesthetic, on the look and feel of premium materials, and on hard-to-come-by individuality, then the Leak TruStream seems a pretty compelling offering even before you consider the thorough nature of its specification or the sound it makes. And though the sound it produces is not entirely without issues, there’s so much to like about it in sonic terms that it seems likely that many listeners who are sold on the look will reach an accommodation with the slight shortcomings in the sound.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Leak TruStream?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Leak TruStream: Also consider

How I tested the Leak TruStream

I use the TruStream as a source, connected to an Eversolo DAC-Z10 first by its analogue outputs and then by its digital equivalent - which makes assessing the relative quality of the Leak’s DAC straightforward. I also connect it directly to a Cambridge Edge W power amp using its XLR outputs - which means it’s now a preamp as well as a network player. Alternating between wi-fi and Ethernet connections allows access to Qobuz and TIDAL Connect, as well as giving access to a Synology BeeStation Plus (full of very hi-res content) on the local network.

• First reviewed: October 2026
• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

• SpaceX reportedly offers to buy 418 homes near its AI facilities
• Homeowners face a lawsuit withdrawal condition attached to reported purchase offers
• Residents blame gas turbines for persistent noise and sleepless nights

SpaceX is reportedly seeking to purchase 418 homes in Colonial Hills, a Southaven neighbourhood close to its expanding artificial intelligence operations.

The properties stand close to a power station that supplies electricity to the company's computing facilities in the area.

The homes are near Colossus II, an artificial intelligence computing complex operated by MZX, a subsidiary of SpaceX.

Home purchases tied to an ongoing noise dispute

MZX has informed residents that it requires additional property for company operations, while Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite says some houses could accommodate incoming employees.

Real estate agents have reportedly contacted homeowners with purchase offers on behalf of the company, subject to conditions involving the litigation.

Reports say that homeowners must agree to withdraw from the pending lawsuit over gas turbine noise to qualify for the property buyout.

Residents involved in the lawsuit allege that turbine noise from nearby electricity facilities has seriously disrupted their everyday lives and sleep.

Piano teacher Elizabeth Rose, who lives several miles away, says the persistent sound has repeatedly disturbed her sleep.

“It sounds like an airplane engine but it’s continuous, it’s incredibly loud. I’ve been woken up at 2am by it, I’ve been woken up at 3am by it. I sometimes have to just get away from it because it makes me so angry,” Rose said

Jason Haley, a plaintiff in the class action, also described persistent noise and difficulty sleeping inside his home.

“There’s a high-pitched hum and then another sound like an airplane over your house. It’s been so torturous I can’t sleep; I just leave the house or turn on some music until I fall asleep completely exhausted. It drives you insane. You also lose hope because you’re being ignored or dismissed. There’s no escape,” he said

“There’s a high-pitched hum,” said Jason Haley, a plaintiff who says the disturbance sometimes forces him to leave his house at night.

The complaints concern Colossus I and II, where residents have also raised allegations about air pollution and turbines operating without necessary permits.

SpaceX has said it intends to remove the unauthorized turbines within one year, as a 1.2-gigawatt power station becomes operational.

SpaceX disputes complaints as residents consider offers

The company rejects the allegations and says it has taken measures intended to reduce disruption around the facilities.

Those steps reportedly include lowering power output and installing sound barriers to limit noise reaching surrounding residential properties.

Mayor Darren Musselwhite says municipal monitoring has not registered noise exceeding Southaven's 70-decibel legal threshold.

However, some specialists warn that sustained exposure to sound levels around 50 decibels could still affect human health.

Residents have reacted differently to the development, with some accepting the company's purchase offers while others continue opposing its industrial operations.

Musselwhite has rejected suggestions that the purchases would turn Colonial Hills into a neighbourhood dominated by one employer.

He says the company intends to provide accommodation for employees while helping residents who consider the nearby industrial development disruptive.

Via Tom's Hardware

• Foxconn wants to capture half the global AI server market within two years
• Existing production capacity is fully booked for at least 18 months
• AI infrastructure could generate 65% of Foxconn's revenue within five years

Foxconn is seeking to increase its share of artificial intelligence server manufacturing as demand for computing infrastructure continues expanding worldwide.

The Taiwanese electronics manufacturer believes it could supply half of the market within the next couple of years.

It currently controls about 40% of the AI server market, and its expansion plans include increasing manufacturing capacity, developing American operations and investing further across the artificial intelligence supply chain.

Foxconn to expand its AI infrastructure business

The company expects its market share to reach approximately 45% next year before potentially climbing to 50%.

Chairman Young Liu disclosed the projection during an interview with CNBC's Christine Tan, stating, “I think we can grow up to 50 percent."

Artificial intelligence infrastructure is also expected to become an increasingly important source of revenue for the manufacturer.

Foxconn anticipates that servers, racks and related infrastructure will contribute between 60% and 65% of revenue within three to five years.

That projection excludes edge AI devices, which process artificial intelligence workloads directly on local hardware.

Current orders mainly come from artificial intelligence developers and cloud computing providers, while government agencies and conventional businesses have yet to adopt the technology extensively.

Manufacturing capacity is already fully booked for at least the next 18 months, indicating substantial demand for additional computing equipment.

The company therefore intends to expand its involvement beyond conventional electronics assembly to supply more components and infrastructure required by data centres.

Foxconn to expand in the US

Foxconn also intends to increase its American manufacturing operations by taking on additional activities further upstream in the supply chain.

This would extend its involvement beyond assembling finished equipment towards supplying more of the infrastructure required by American customers.

“What we are going to do is we’re going to move up the supply chain,” Liu said.

Higher operating expenses in the United States mean the company initially intends to concentrate on products offering stronger profit margins.

AI server racks and data centre equipment are among the categories expected to receive attention during this expansion.

Foxconn believes greater manufacturing volumes could eventually reduce production costs, although achieving that outcome would require sustained investment.

Its current annual allocation for artificial intelligence activities stands between $3 billion and $5 billion.

That spending could increase as the manufacturer expands its involvement across different stages of infrastructure production.

However, excessive commitments remain a concern as technology companies continue investing heavily in computing capacity.

Foxconn expects weaker orders from individual customers could be offset by stronger purchases elsewhere in the market.

A simultaneous reduction in spending across the artificial intelligence industry would create greater difficulties for manufacturers throughout the supply chain.

• Qualcomm's Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms will support Starlink Mobile's terrestrial base stations
• This tech will help improve coverage, capacity, and spectral efficiency
• However, analysts argue that spectrum and tower leases are more important for the carrier

Starlink Mobile has just taken another big step towards launching its US mobile network to compete with the likes of Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile — the SpaceX-owned company has announced that Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms will support the carrier’s terrestrial base stations.

According to Qualcomm, these base stations are “designed to improve coverage, capacity and spectral efficiency, helping the network serve more traffic efficiently.”

The multi-year agreement will see Qualcomm's tech used in "tens of thousands of sites", with the rollout due to begin in 2027. Qualcomm has described the agreement as its "biggest 5G deal yet".

In a post on X Elon Musk claimed that “Qualcomm’s technology is excellent,” adding in another that “at last there will be one network with good signal everywhere!”

However, despite rumors from The Washington Post that SpaceX is also looking to acquire Boost Mobile from EchoStar, telecoms experts say the move is just one step on a potentially long battle with the established mobile giants.

Analysis: A small step in a long bid to 'disrupt the entire industry'

So how big a deal is this? Telecoms analyst Tim Farrar, President at TMF Associates, told us: "This deal is an important part of building a new mobile network in the US. But even more important will be for Starlink to secure the spectrum and tower leases that will be used with the Qualcomm equipment.

"I think a purchase of the remaining EchoStar spectrum assets and a settlement with the tower companies is the easiest and quickest way to go about that, especially as Starlink intends to start deploying equipment next year."

By “EchoStar spectrum assets,” Farrar is referring to the parent company of Boost Mobile, which was the subject of those acquisition rumors from The Washington Post. However, Boost Mobile has MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) agreements with T-Mobile and AT&T, and according to a research note from MoffettNathanson (via TeleCompetitor) it’s unlikely that those agreements would be transferred to Starlink Mobile.

In other words, that “settlement with the tower companies” mentioned by Farrar could still be a stumbling block, especially since Starlink Mobile was recently turned down as an MVNO by the US’s major carriers. It remains unclear how easy it will be able to lease towers.

Without that, Starlink Mobile will have spectrum but not much in the way of ground-based infrastructure, leaving it with the big and expensive job of rolling out its own.

The fourth big mobile giant?

Other analysts are more bullish about Starlink Mobile's prospects. “The new agreement between SpaceX and Qualcomm reinforces the likelihood that Starlink Mobile could become a credible fourth nationwide mobile network provider in the U.S," said Mike Dano, Lead Industry Analyst at Ookla.

However, he also added a note of caution. "Of course, there are many more steps along this path, including building radios for a Starlink Mobile terrestrial network, putting them on top of towers, and then activating services for paying customers. And even then, it’s not clear whether Starlink Mobile will be able to successfully compete against the market’s established mobile providers," Dano added.

"I think it will take several years — at the very, very least — for Starlink Mobile to build the terrestrial network and launch the new satellites that will be necessary for it to potentially become a credible fourth nationwide mobile network provider," he added.

Elon Musk's claims that Starlink Mobile will be the "one network with good signal everywhere" also don't currently match reality. Dano pointed towards Ookla's recent research on Starlink Mobile's 'direct to device' (D2D) offering. While Starlink was praised for filling coverage gaps in the US, the report concluded that "Starlink Mobile’s network trails the performance of terrestrial networks".

For example, Ookla's tests concluded one in seven Starlink Mobile D2D texts failed to go through, compared with around one in fifty on the terrestrial network. "This is the kind of performance gap that Starlink Mobile will need to address with its terrestrial network buildout,” Dano added.

Other mobile networks, meanwhile, think Elon Musk is playing a long game. "It's about getting enough network coverage to fundamentally disrupt the economics of the entire industry," said Peter Adderton, CEO of MobileX and founder of Boost Mobile in a post on X.

"I think the endgame isn't simply competing with the MNOs, but weakening their economics and valuations to a point where SpaceX can eventually acquire one at a fraction of today's valuation? This isn't necessarily just about winning wireless customers. It's about changing the economics of wireless itself," he added.

• Surfshark recorded 121.8 million breached accounts worldwide in Q3 2026, up 13.2% on the previous quarter.
• The UK overtook France as Europe's most breached country, while Ukraine jumped from 47th to 6th globally.
• The US still accounts for almost a third of all leaks, and experts say limiting what you share is your best defense.

More than 121.8 million online accounts were compromised around the world between July and September 2026, according to new research from Surfshark. That's a 13.2% rise on the previous quarter.

The UK saw the most dramatic shift. Its leaked account count more than doubled to 5.8 million, a 121.6% jump that pushed it past France to become Europe's most breached country.

Ukraine also surged up the rankings, climbing from 47th place to 6th globally after 2.6 million accounts were breached in just three months.

Most breaches happen on a company's servers rather than your own device, so even the best VPN can't stop your details from leaking. There are still steps you can take to limit the damage, though.

Europe is under growing pressure

The UK's rise came during a busy quarter for attacks on British organizations. In late July, extortion group ExfilSquad claimed it had stolen contact details for more than 100,000 police officers and staff from the Police National Legal Database.

The same group also claimed to have leaked around 600,000 records from the Department for Education.

Ukraine's climb fits a wider pattern. Microsoft's Digital Defense Report 2026 ranked the country first in Europe and third worldwide for cyberattacks in the first half of the year.

Ukraine's CERT-UA also handled around 200 incidents targeting citizens between January and September, up from 80 a year earlier, many involving phishing for Telegram and Signal logins.

"We can see attacks vary across countries as attackers seek the juiciest targets, sometimes for financial, and sometimes for political gain," said Tomas Stamulis, Chief Security Officer at Surfshark.

It's not just about raw numbers, either. Estonia had the highest breach density in the world at 118 breached accounts per 1,000 people, ahead of Australia, the US, and the UK.

The US still leads the way

Globally, the US remained the most breached country with 38.1 million leaked accounts, or 31% of the total. Brazil (7M), the UK (5.8M), India (5.5M), and Australia (3.1M) completed the top five.

France, meanwhile, cooled off sharply. It recorded 2.4 million breached accounts, down from 19.7 million in Q2, and dropped out of the top three for the first time this year.

How to stay safe

Stamulis warns that stolen data can sit hidden for long periods before criminals decide to use it.

His advice is to treat personal information as sensitive by default, only share your real details when it's genuinely necessary, such as on official forms, and use an alias, secondary email address, or email masking service for everything else.

A password manager also helps ensure one leaked login doesn't unlock your other accounts. Meanwhile, identity theft protection and data removal services can alert you to exposure and reduce how much of your information is out there.

Designed to take on the all-in-one dominance of Apple’s iMac, the HP OmniStudio X line is aimed firmly at everyday computing in style. And when we tested it out, we found it was “a great all-in-one for everyday computing.”

Personally, I always thought the original asking price was a little too much. But now for a very limited time – literally yours left – the HP OmniStudio X All-in-One Desktop Next Gen 27 is down to $850 (was $2,200) at HP. That’s exceptionally good value on an AIO AI PC.

Best for: remote and hybrid workers and creators who need a Microsoft Copilot PC that rivals Apple in style while delivering AI productivity tools.

What we like: We haven’t reviewed the 27-inch model, but in our review of the 32-inch version highlighted how well it ran general office and creative workloads with a genuinely nice display. Impressive specs for day-to-day use round out the package. Notably, the Core Ultra 7 processor supports 47 TOPS NPU for AI tasks.

Today's best HP PC deal

Why we recommend it

For me, the OmniStudio X is one of those workhorse machines – and one that proved highly capable during our testing. For anyone working from home, it’s an easy pick particularly at this price.

In our 4-star review, we found it “easily handles everyday computing and runs creative application smoothly.” The all-in-one tackled social media graphics and short-form videos with Photoshop and Premiere Pro seemingly without any impact on performance at all. No slowdown, no lag. Color gamut hits 99% sRGB, which is ideal for editing photos for the web.

Port selection is about what I’d expect from a machine like this, including multiple USB-C and USB-A connections to the rear of the monitor.

What you need to knknow

This model lacks a discrete graphics card or a 4K screen. So while it’s ideal for general creative projects – in fact, I’d say it’s ready-made for marketing small businesses – it won’t have the power needed for more complex workloads creative professionals and editors demand.

For more picks, we've tested the best business computers from HP, Dell, Apple, and more

• Utah began enforcing the age verification requirement in its SB 73 law for adult websites on November 2.
• A federal injunction still blocks the provision that would have made sites liable for Utah users who hide their location with a VPN.
• VPNs remain legal and useful in Utah for now, but the legal fight is far from settled.

Utah has started enforcing age checks on adult websites, but the most controversial part of its law, the one aimed squarely at VPN users, remains frozen by a federal court.

The state's Department of Commerce confirmed that enforcement of Senate Bill 73, the Online Age Verification Amendments, began statewide on Monday, November 2. Officials say the injunction only covers a narrow subsection, and that the core duty for sites to confirm visitors are 18 or older is fully enforceable.

The state has also pushed back on what it calls misleading claims that the VPN ruling paused SB 73 as a whole.

For now, people in Utah who use the best VPN for their privacy aren't in the law's crosshairs. But anyone visiting a compliant adult site from a Utah IP address should expect to prove their age.

What Utah is enforcing, and what it isn't

SB 73 requires commercial websites that host a substantial portion of material deemed harmful to minors to use "reasonable" age verification methods.

The state's Division of Consumer Protection can issue fines of up to $2,500 per violation, and the law also added a 2% excise tax on covered sites, which has applied since October 1.

To police compliance, the department says it is using specialized computing and auditing tools built by enterprise technology partners, though it hasn't explained how they work.

State Senator Calvin Musselman, who sponsored the bill, called enforcement "a necessary step to ensure that Utah's youth are shielded from explicit material."

What Utah can't enforce is Utah Code 78B-3-1002(3). This provision treated anyone physically in Utah as a Utah user, even if they masked their IP address with a VPN or proxy.

Adult site owner Aylo sued over it in April 2026. In September, U.S. District Judge David Barlow granted a preliminary injunction, finding the rule essentially made sites strictly liable for locating every user, something they can't do with certainty.

He also found Aylo was likely to succeed in arguing the rule placed an excessive burden on interstate commerce.

The VPN industry had seen this coming. NordVPN previously told TechRadar that blocking every VPN and proxy IP in Utah was "technically impossible."

What this means for people in Utah

For most residents, the change is simple: adult sites that still serve Utah should now ask you to prove your age.

That will likely mean an ID check or face scan through a third-party provider. Digital rights groups like the EFF have warned this pushes ordinary people to hand sensitive data to brokers and verification firms.

Some of the biggest sites won't change at all. Aylo has blocked Utah users since 2023, so its sites remain unavailable in the state regardless.

Last week marked three years since the UK Government enacted the Online Safety Act (OSA). Now, the impending UK under-16s social media ban and questions over the effectiveness of current measures threaten to push VPNs back into the spotlight.

Speaking to TechRadar, VPN providers said the law has been a "heavy-handed approach" that's only been "partly" successful.

But some aspects have seen success. Companies now have obligations to proactively detect and remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM), several specific harms were criminalised, and penalties have been introduced for non-compliance — although not all have been paid.

With Ofcom announcing steps for an under-16 social media ban last week, VPN providers are warning that repeating the same age-gating playbook will only backfire.

'No significant overall change'

The Online Safety Act was introduced to protect children and vulnerable adults online. But, as Dr Peter Membrey, Chief Research Officer at ExpressVPN, notes, the bill has so far only been "partly" successful.

"The Act has put children’s online safety firmly on the agenda, which matters. But Ofcom’s own report this month found no significant overall change in the share of children encountering harmful content, so there’s more work to do," he explained.

This view is supported by several charities, including the Molly Rose Foundation, which warned that "timid regulation will cost lives."

Much of the problem comes down to enforcement. While it's simple enough for larger platforms to monitor content and their users, some smaller sites struggle to implement (or deliberately ignore) the law and slip through the net of checks.

Age verification measures are another case in point: if a mainstream site introduces age-gating checks, a child may just find a smaller site.

As a Proton spokesperson explained: "Under 18s are being driven towards riskier, unregulated sites and apps — ones that pose greater risks than the very sites the Online Safety Act is trying to protect them from."

The VPN dilemma

VPNs became a major talking point when age verification landed as part of the Act in 2025.

Primarily, this was due to concerns about people circumventing the legislation. And, with VPN downloads surging the moment age verification arrived, it's hardly surprising they became a focal point for regulators.

However, the government's own research has dispelled the myth that VPNs are to blame. According to a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) report, only 7% of children used VPNs to access restricted materials.

The main reason children cited using VPNs? Privacy. And as age verification measures have spread, people's privacy concerns have risen, too.

A spokesperson from Proton said that because age checks require sensitive data to be sent to unknown third parties, they "create a goldmine for hackers."

So, could the introduction of age checks for social media scheduled for early 2027 lead to an increase in demand for VPNs and a return to the same debate as earlier this year?

Will the social media ban change anything?

So far, much of the focus has been on Ofcom’s intended enforcement methods — bank cards, passport photos, and so on. But EE research suggests 42% of 11-15-year-olds will try to circumvent the ban.

Although VPNs are unlikely to bypass account-level ID checks, they may once again find themselves in the spotlight with young people looking to explore any method they think might work.

Both ExpressVPN and Proton warned against imposing restrictions on VPNs, with Membrey saying that VPNs could "work alongside" legislation to boost digital safety.

Meanwhile, Romain Digneaux, Public Policy Manager at Proton, warned that restricting VPNs "harms everyone who uses them, leaving their data exposed and driving users towards dangerous, often free VPNs."

Either way, it seems increasingly likely that the debate around VPNs, child safety online, and digital security may soon reignite. As Digneaux notes, "we haven't seen the last of this."

• Hitman World of Assassination senior level designer Marin Ansdal says Elusive Target celebrities are chosen before the level design and writing phase
• Ansdal says it's IO Interactive's "goal" to "bring talent that will bring more eyes to Hitman World of Assassination"
• Ansdal adds that the Elusive Target mission location always needs to "thematically" suit the main talent

IO Interactive has revealed the behind-the-scenes process for selecting Hitman World of Assassination's Elusive Targets and how it designs their special missions.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming following the release of the game's new 'The Host feat. JackSepticEye' - Elusive Target mission, senior level designer Marin Ansdal explained that IOI's marketing department is in charge of the talent selection and outreach process, and the level isn't designed until after they're signed.

"Their goal is to bring talent that will bring more eyes to Hitman World of Assassination as well as serve the core audience to create special missions that will make use of the talent’s persona, and adapt it to the setting of Hitman World of Assassination," Ansdal said.

Ansdal continued, explaining that the level designer and writer take over once a celebrity or public figure is on board, and "We try to find a location which thematically suits the talent and craft a story that synergizes with the talent in tone and genre."

World of Assassination has featured a variety of guests over the years, including Snoop Dogg, Sean Bean, Eminem, Milla Jovovich, and more, and IOI considers how Agent 47 can slip into these uniquely designed missions.

"47's preference for disguises allows him to jump into a wide range of genres," Ansdal said. "For example, when we worked with Jean-Claude Van Damme, we built a kitchy science fiction narrative about a super-soldier cloning facility which would fit straight into the direct to video bin in the 90s.

"And when we worked with Mads Mikkelsen, we essentially brought 47 into the iconic plot of a Bond storyline."

With the latest Elusive Target starring YouTuber and streamer JackSepticEye, the developer explained that "we crafted a psychological thriller about the darkness of internet celebrity," which "is much more contemporary in comparison to the other two examples."

Hitman World of Assassination's new The Host Elusive Target mission is free-to-play now until November 25.

• Russian companies can now be approved to use overseas data center facilities
• 10% of Russian data center capacities must be reserved for government use
• The country could be exploring hiding data centers underground

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an emergency decree allowing domestic companies to temporarily use overseas data centers after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on the country's own data centers.

Importantly, companies can't just up and leave homegrown data centers – the government would still have to approve any arrangements, likely assessing the availability of domestic compute before granting permission.

Under the change in rules, Russian data center operators would also have to reserve 10% of their capacity for emergency government use – they would have to give up this capacity at just 24 hours' notice, if it comes to it.

Russia may be forced into using foreign data centers

The news follows intensified actions by Ukraine on the country's digital infrastructure, with three major Yandex facilities across Sasovo, Kaluga and Vladimir impacted and taking both some Yandex services offline as well as other services operated by third parties through Yandex's infrastructure.

Yandex is responsible for three major supercomputers, one of which was ranked 19th globally in a 2021 study. Sasovo was home to two of these, which were instrumental to model training. It's believed that all three are still in-tact, but have likely been relocated or are in the process.

Responding to the severity of international threats on digital infrastructure, Russia is now exploring protecting data centers in subterranean facilities, it seems.

State-owned telecoms company Rostelcom is said to be in discussions with mining company Norilsk, per Ars Technica, while one governor has suggested building data centers inside open-pit coal mines.

But actions are not one-sided – Russia had previously struck Ukrainian data center facilities, with Ukraine opting to move many critical services into overseas cloud infrastructure.

Still, these latest development show how data centers and other digital infrastructure have become increasingly important targets for modern warfare.

For Russia, the emergency decision to permit overseas hosting marks a major shift in the country's major efforts to become digitally sovereign, highlighting the sheer severity of these attacks.

Via Data Centre Dynamics

• One of the Godfathers of AI has warned that it may take a serious AI incident before the technology is properly regulated
• He argues that humanity may have been "better off" without AI, but there is still time
• AI could create "a huge gap between rich and poor" and risks "society being torn apart"

Nobel prize-winning computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton - widely considered to be one of the godfathers of AI - has raised concerns over the future of the technology, especially the risks it could be used to shut down global financial systems or cause massive power brownouts.

Just last year, Hinton was reminiscing about how quickly the technology has developed, stating that he “didn't think we'd get here in only 40 years,” and that “10 years ago I didn't believe we'd get here.”

He also recently warned about those with ulterior motives using AI for malicious purposes. “It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things,” Hinton said. Given the recent torrent of AI-enabled cyberattacks, it appears his fears may be coming true.

Godfather of AI might be right

Speaking to the Guardian, Hinton said that he is not an AI “doomer,” and thinks that the technology could be used to create a better future, but fears there could be a future where “we fail to manage the risks and … have a huge gap between rich and poor, huge cultural problems, massive unemployment, just society being torn apart.”

He also voiced his fears about monopolized control of AI, stating that AI companies are racing to develop the technology to stay ahead of each other without considering the risk involved, “I think Zuckerberg and Musk and Sam Altman, they understand the risks, and they don’t give a shit. They’d rather have the money. That’s my belief.”

The next year could be a turning point, Hinton argues, comparing a serious AI incident - such as an AI-enabled attack on financial systems or power generation - to the partial nuclear meltdown at the Three Mile Island power station in 1979. Unfortunately, Hinton believes that it could take a serious crisis to teach AI companies about the dangers of their technology.

“My gut is that we’re still in control,” Hinton added. “We might well be able to do something. It’ll only work if we put a big effort into it, but we might well put a big effort into it."

There’s still time to make AI safe

He’s not alone in his perspective that AI might be getting dangerous. Numerous politicians, company heads, and AI scientists have argued in favor of an international slowdown on the development of AI technology to allow the risks to be better understood and mitigated.

The spate of rogue AI agent attacks gave the world a glimpse at the dangerous capabilities of frontier models — even those tested in what was thought to be a secure environment.

But regulating AI technology will take a monumental collaborative effort on the international stage. AI has been pitched as a win or lose technology by US President Donald Trump, who has argued in favor of AI companies regulating themselves while simultaneously pushing for AI development to continue so the US can maintain its lead against China.

For some skeptics who have warned about the dangers of unmanaged AI development for years, Hinton’s words may be slightly bittersweet. The danger is still there and it may take a major incident for anything to change, but AI regulation could only be a catastrophe away.

• Italy’s EICMA bike show hosted several high-profile electric bike launches
• Zero Motorcycles unveiled an affordable, lightweight street bike
• Yamaha electrifies its popular Nmax line of scooters

Italy’s EICMA motorcycle show is arguably Europe’s largest stage for showcasing hot new metal and this year hosted a steady stream of fresh electric motorcycles that had one thing in common: affordability.

Unlike some of the earlier electric motorcycles, which often cost a lot more than their internal combustion engine counterparts, this year’s crop aimed to offer price parity with petrol-powered machines.

First up, Zero Motorcycles, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, took the wraps off Project Ventura — an electric, supermoto-inspired street machine that’s designed to bridge the gap between high-powered eBikes and a full-fat motorcycle.

Nimble and playful, Zero says Project Ventura is a multi-purpose street machine designed to make electric riding more accessible and more fun.

As a result, it will be sold in an A1-friendly license version, which means younger or less experienced riders can also take advantage of cheap transport.

The Californian electric motorcycle brand promises over 20kW (around 28bhp) of power, a 65mph sustained top speed (81mph momentary for overtaking) and an estimated 75 miles of real-world range.

Lighter, more agile and easier to maneuver than many heavy electric motorcycles on the market, Project Ventura is rumored to go on sale with a targeted price of less than $8,000 (around £5,960 / AU$11,470), making it one of the most accessible electrified street bikes to date.

The company is also forging ahead with its battery-powered scooter line-up, revealing a faster, more powerful version of the popular LS model.

The new LS3 is capable of a 75mph top speed for short bursts and an impressive 93-miles of range.

Yamaha goes all-in on scooters

Yamaha’s Max line-up of scooters has long been a cash cow for the company, particularly in Europe, where roughly 85% of all its sales take place.

It is the commuter vehicle of choice in those countries that enjoy clement weather all-year-round.

Some 25 years after the first Max-branded sports scooters hit the road, Yamaha has opted to take on its close rival in Honda and launch a battery-electric version in the Nmax E.

Built on an all-new A1 EV platform, the urban run-around features a 7.5kW electric motor that delivers around 10hp and performance that is equivalent to its 125cc petrol range.

A 3.5 kWh lithium-ion battery delivers around 65 miles on a single charge.

In addition to this, Yamaha is further electrifying its popular scooter range with the Xenter E, which offers a battery-powered alternative to its top-selling “high-wheel” scooters — another popular style in mainland Europe and Asia.

The fact that both of these upcoming models look like typical Yamaha products, as opposed to deliberately futuristic concepts, is further proof that the Japanese marque is keen to price and market its battery-powered versions as true petrol alternatives that its typical customer base can afford.

Cake gets ReBaked

Do you remember Cake? Well, the slightly mad Swedish manufacturer of electric utility machines that look like props from a Mad Max movie is essentially back under original founder Karl Ytterborn’s new company ReBake.

The first model, the Abler, looks a lot like Cake’s original cargo-carrying electric haulers, albeit with a fresh green paint job.

Still designed to carry cargo, tackle the weekly shop and handle school runs, the aluminum tube frame can have all manner of accessories bolted to it, while two homologated speed classes means there’s a model for the 50cc-equivalent market, as well as a “light motorcycle” category version that can reach speeds of up to 50mph.

Removable batteries further add to the convenience, while ReBake is aiming to sell the lower-powered versions for around €4,000 (about $4,500 / £3,340 / AU$6,420), with prices rising slightly for the A1 license version.

So perhaps the biggest takeaway from EICMA this year is that the electric motorcycle market appears to be moving towards more affordable territory, eschewing the hideously expensive earlier models for something that can genuinely be presented as a viable alternative to petrol-powered rivals.

As a result, electric motorcycles could finally have their day in the sun.

• Singapore Airlines confirms customer data exposure through a breach at travel technology provider Amadeus
• Stolen booking records included passenger details, itineraries, and limited passport and loyalty-program information
• Multiple major airlines were affected, raising phishing and identity-fraud concerns for travelers

Singapore Airlines has become the latest in the seemingly growing list of airlines affected by a breach at a third-party technology provider.

Amadeus, a Spanish technology company that airlines and airports use to manage reservations, bookings, and overall passenger management, recently issued a brief statement saying it “became aware of a vulnerability affecting a travel booking display environment.”

In the announcement, Amadeus said certain booking-display data was accessible to the attackers but stressed that there was no evidence of payment or financial data being accessed.

“There are no indications that this vulnerability has been exploited for ransomware purposes,” the company said, adding that it “implemented measures to fix the vulnerability as well as enhanced monitoring and detection capabilities.”

In the meantime, numerous airlines started reporting sensitive data compromise as a result of this breach.

Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and more

Hong Kong’s flagship international airline, Cathay Pacific, issued a statement saying Amadeus notified it about a breach and “unauthorized access to travel reservation data” by a threat actor that used login credentials assigned to a system account.

Amadeus then told Cathay Pacific around 53,000 bookings were affected, and that the exposure took place between August 2023 and September 2026. “In the majority of cases, the information accessed included booking reference, passenger name, and flight details,” the airline said, adding that in a “smaller subset of cases”, additional data such as email and phone contacts, travel documents and/or frequent flyer numbers were also exposed.

The same day, Japan Airlines and Japan Transocean Air both shared similar news, saying a “portion of customer reservation data” had been accessed by an unauthorized third party.

Japan Airlines said some 92,000 customers were affected, including approximately 2,000 of those whose passport numbers were also exposed. All Nippon Airways said 37,800 of its customers were affected, including around 1,700 with additional data exposure. Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines, all confirmed being affected by the Amadeus incident, while Qantas said it was still investigating.

Launching phishing attacks

We can now add Singapore Airlines to that list, with 46,000 records of its own. These include customers' names, booking reference numbers, travel ​itineraries and booking classes and, in a smaller number of cases (around 620 booking records), email addresses, phone numbers, travel document details, and KrisFlyer membership numbers.

According to Reuters, Singapore Airlines is now reaching out to affected customers with upcoming travel plans to change their booking reference numbers as a precaution. The ⁠airline also confirmed that its IT systems were not breached.

So far, there is no indication that the stolen data ended up on the dark web, and no threat actors claimed responsibility for the breach, just yet. There is a possibility that the culprits will try to extort the airlines for money, in exchange for deleting the stolen information.

This is the kind of data cybercriminals enjoy most. It allows them to launch highly personalized phishing emails that appear to come from the airlines themselves, referencing genuine booking details, flight dates, destinations and passenger names.

They could use this kind of information to trick unsuspecting travelers into clicking malicious links, sharing login credentials, or making fraudulent payments for supposed booking changes, refunds, or additional fees.

What’s more, the exposed passport details and frequent flyer numbers can also help criminals impersonate customers, try to take over people’s accounts, or launch identity fraud attacks against the airlines themselves. Even without financial information, simply by combining seemingly harmless travel details, cybercriminals can create enough context to make their scams considerably more convincing, and thus more difficult to detect and prevent.

Dyson W1 PencilWash: 30-second review

Dyson has updated its lightweight wet floor cleaner with a redesigned floorhead and extra-long battery life, without increasing the price. The second-generation PencilWash takes the best features of the original — its lightweight build, ease of use, and effective wet cleaning — and adds thoughtful features that add up to make it an even better everyday cleaning tool.

The cleaning head’s plush-feeling roller is now sprinkled with stiffer bristles to tackle welded-on stains effectively without scuffing your floor. The upgraded clean water tank is larger and fully detachable, and emptying soiled water is less messy too. After mopping, your floors will be dry and ready to walk on almost immediately.

It’s an excellent package, but before buying, note that Dyson has now cut the price of the original PencilWash to just $199.99 / £179 in the US and UK respectively. That’s great value, and it could be all you need if you want to spruce up a relatively small home.

For me, the only real drawback of the W1 PencilWash was that hair tended to get wrapped around one of the wheels underneath the floor head, rather than sticking to the roller and being scraped off by Dyson’s new metal comb.

Note that the PencilWash isn’t a vacuum cleaner, and has no suction. If you’re looking for a slim and lightweight vacuum, take a look at the Dyson PencilVac instead.

Dyson W1 PencilWash: price and availability

• Went on sale in October 2026
• List price $349.99 / £299.99 in the US and UK
• Not yet available in Australia, but likely to be AU$549

Dyson announced the W1 PencilWash at its Dyson Unveiled event in September 2026, and the product launched globally in October the same year — nine months after the original PencilWash.

It has a list price of $349.99 / £299.99, which is the same as the original PencilWash at launch, though you may also be able to find it cheaper (for example, Dyson is offering a $100 discount in its US store at the time of writing). The W1 PencilWash isn’t yet available in Australia, but I would expect it to be AU$549 when it arrives.

That's relatively expensive for a wet-only floor cleaner, and there are several excellent wet-and-dry vacuums available for about the same price. For comparison, the Bissell Crosswave HydroScrub wet/dry floor cleaner is $369.99 (about £280 / AU$540), while the Shark HydroVac Cordless WD201 / WD210 is $359.99 / £329.99 / AU$399.99.

What you're paying for here is the light weight and compact design, which will be better suited to apartments and other small homes than a bulky wet-dry cleaner.

• Value score: 4/5

Dyson W1 PencilWash: design

• New stiffer bristles in microfiber roller
• Clean water tank is larger and fully removable
• Emptying waste water is less messy

At first glance, the W1 PencilWash looks very similar to its predecessor, with a slender handle (this time colored indigo rather than copper), and one of Dyson’s Submarine floor heads. A tank at the back of the floorhead dispenses water onto a microfiber roller, and a squeegee-like blade squeezes dirty water out, and dispenses it into a separate tank inside.

On closer inspection, however, there are a few significant differences. The most obvious change is the floorhead’s microfiber roller, which is now scattered with stiffer fibers to more effectively scrub away stubborn dirt. There is also a new metal comb designed to detangle and scrape hair off the roller. (Both of these features are borrowed from the bulkier Dyson Clean+Wash Hygiene wet cleaner, which launched at the start of 2026.)

The head disassembles into more parts, as you can see below. Most significantly, the clean water tank is now fully removable, making it easier to fill at the sink, and has a significantly larger capacity so you can keep cleaning for longer.

Dyson PencilWash floorhead comparison

Dyson W1 PencilWash

Original Dyson PencilWash

The dirty water collection tank has also been reworked, and is now much less prone to spills during emptying. It’s still wise to hold the whole floorhead over the sink when removing the cassette, but I found the process much less messy than the original PencilWash.

Note that the W1 PencilWash has different docks in the US and UK. The UK model, which I tested here, has a charging stand that holds the PencilWash’s handle, and a separate holder for the floorhead.

The US model has a magnetic charging stand called the Dok, which holds the whole PencilWash with its floorhead attached. This seems slightly more convenient, and will save a few seconds during cleaning.

• Design score: 5/5

Dyson W1 PencilWash: performance

• Excellent cleaning on dried-on spills
• Much easier to fill and empty than previous model
• Battery lasted over two hours in testing
• Hair wrapped around wheel underneath floorhead

In use, the W1 PencilWash feels very much like its predecessor. The handle is light in the hand, and its plush microfiber roller propels it forward so you barely need to apply any force when cleaning.

I tested it with a variety of stains and spills, including dried-on juice, ketchup, dried toothpaste (to simulate spills in a bathroom), flour, and hair.

You can use the PencilWash with plain water, or a cleaning fluid. I tested it with Dyson 02 Probiotic Hard Floor Cleaning Solution (which is specifically recommended for the company’s wet floor cleaners) diluted according to the instructions on the bottle.

The W1 PencilWash fared well in all my cleaning tests, clearing up flour, dried juice, and ketchup on a single pass. Congealed toothpaste proved the toughest challenge, taking about four passes to completely remove, but I was impressed that the roller system removed all the mess and deposited it in the waste tank, leaving no streaks when I continued cleaning the rest of the floor. The new stiffer bristles work well to scrub away dirt that would normally require you to get down on your hands and knees to remove, and I was pleased to note their tougher fibers aren’t rigid enough to damage your flooring.

The floorhead is fully articulated for easy maneuvering, and the handle can be laid almost flat to clean under low items of furniture. I was able to clean right between the legs of my dining chairs, which have a crossbar just a few inches above the ground. The roller cleans very close to furniture and baseboards as well, leaving a gap only half an inch wide.

Ketchup cleaning test

Before cleaning ketchup

After cleaning ketchup

Your floors will dry exceptionally quickly as well; after a pass on the regular cleaning mode, my laminate flooring was dry within 10 seconds.

The new metal comb wasn’t quite such a success. It does catch hair, and the roller needs less hand-cleaning after use, but quite a lot of hair became caught in one of the small wheels on the bottom of the floorhead during my tests. This didn’t seem to affect performance, and I didn’t even realize while maneuvering the cleaner, but it was wrapped tightly around the tiny axel and had to be cut free with scissors.

Toothpaste cleaning test

Before cleaning toothpaste

During cleaning toothpaste

It’s worth noting that the microfiber roller takes quite a long time to air-dry. I placed it near a dehumidifier to speed up the process, but it still took two days before it was dry enough for me to feel comfortable storing it.

The big surprise was the battery life. Dyson’s specifications claim that the W1 PencilWash can run for 45 minutes on a single charge (up from 30 minutes for the original PencilWash), but during my tests it ran for an astonishing two hours and 13 minutes — and that was during active mopping, not just running the roller without resistance. I have contacted Dyson’s press office to ask whether that’s expected performance, but it’s safe to say that you shouldn’t have any problems cleaning even large homes.

Overall, I’m impressed with the W1 PencilWash. Dyson has clearly taken on board feedback from the first model (the detachable clean water tank and scrubbing bristles are highlights) while keeping the fundamentals the same. If you have a large home with lots of hard flooring, or live with pets or children, then this new model would be a great choice. If, on the other hand, your home is relatively small and you want something for everyday maintenance, the original PencilWash might be the smarter choice at its newly reduced price.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Dyson W1 PencilWash?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Dyson W1 PencilWash: also consider

If the Dyson W1 PencilWash isn't the right wet floor cleaner for you, here are two other options to think about.

How I tested the Dyson W1 PencilWash

I tested the Dyson W1 PencilWash on sealed laminate flooring, using Dyson 02 Probiotic Hard Floor Cleaning Solution and tap water. I used it on common household stains including dried juice, dried toothpaste, ketchup, flour, and human hair.

I emptied the floor head cassette, and cleaned the tank, comb, and microfiber roller using plain water.

I fully charged the W1, then used it to clean the floors, moving it backwards and forwards as in normal use, and timed how long it took for the battery to run flat.

First reviewed November 2026

Ninja is known for kitchen appliances that do something a little different. The Double Stack air fryer put one cooking drawer on top of another (rather than side-by-side) and instantly won over small-kitchen owners across the country. The Creami made churning up a range of frozen treats (and their healthy alternatives) easier than it'd ever been before. And most recently the Foodi took a humble toaster and gave it extra grilling powers. It's not surprising that a number of these appliances have taken the internet by storm.

If you've had your heart set on one of these viral kitchen gadgets, and were wondering if you'd be able to snap one up on the cheap in the upcoming Black Friday sales, I have good news for you. A number of major retailers have kicked off their deals event early, and a host of Ninja kitchen appliances have had their prices slashed as a result.

Below, I've rounded up the deals worth considering (I used to be a TechRadar Homes editor, so I know my way around a kitchen appliance). I've started with Ninja's most viral products, and then rounded up some more low-key — but still excellent-looking — options. Buy now, and you'll have time to get to grips with your new gadget before the festive catering season begins.

Viral Ninja deals

More noteworthy Ninja deals

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 composer Jason Graves says to capture the tone of multiplayer maps, "you have to play a lot of multiplayer"
• Graves says the mode's vibe is "completely different" from the campaign, and he tried to capture "forward momentum and pure adrenaline"
• He adds that he has to be flexible when composing tracks, "especially considering updates and expansions in the future"

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 composer Jason Graves has shared his process for designing the game's multiplayer music, which he described as wholly different from the campaign.

When asked in an interview with TechRadar Gaming how he captured the multiplayer mode's specific tone, Graves said, "Number one, you play a lot of multiplayer!" and explained that it has a very different atmosphere from the steady-paced campaign.

"It's a completely different vibe from the campaign, and the music needs to make you feel like anything could happen at any point in time," Graves said. "A lot of what I was trying to capture was forward momentum and pure adrenaline."

The composer joked that "I always thought of myself as the musical equivalent of Master Sergeant Apone in Aliens, pumping up all the troops beforehand, keeping them in line and focused in combat and rewarding them when they come back home. 'Every meal's a banquet! Every paycheck's a fortune! Every formation a parade!'"

As for how each multiplayer map differentiates within the score, Graves said there's plenty of ground to cover considering the number of maps the mode offers "especially considering updates and expansions in the future."

"Instead of being too granular and assigning music to a specific map, we planned things out in terms of emotional intensity and timing," he explained. "Things are a lot more flexible that way."

There isn't one strict way to compose these maps either, as Graves explained, "it's more about the overall combination of sounds" he uses that showcase the fast-paced vibe by using a combination of real-world and electronic sound effects.

"There's definitely a lot of aggressive percussion, distorted electronics, and organic textures that help give the music its identity," Graves added. "I love combining real-world sounds with electronic processing, especially when you end up with something that's difficult to identify.

"It creates a sense of energy and unpredictability that fits perfectly with multiplayer."

• CrowdStrike introduces AI Kill Switch designed to stop, isolate, and prevent rogue AI agents from relaunching
• The feature gives human administrators direct control to terminate suspicious agent activity and investigate incidents
• Growing concerns over autonomous AI behavior are driving demand for safeguards that can quickly contain compromised agents

CrowdStrike believes it may have solved the problem of rogue AI agents in the enterprise with the launch of 'AI Kill Switch', a new feature being introduced in its Falcon Guardian product.

The last couple of months have seen multiple reports of AI agents going rogue, or behaving outright malicious. Even when tasked with relatively simple, benign assignments (such as, for example, to collect data about Canadian divorce records), whenever the agents hit a roadblock, they would do whatever it takes to get the job done - which includes abusing zero-day vulnerabilities, or trying SQL injection attacks.

Expectedly, businesses became somewhat more reluctant in deploying AI agents, despite the obvious advantages. At the same time, cybersecurity organizations and AI developers sought to solve the challenge. Enter CrowdStrike.

AI Kill Switch

The company recently introduced Falcon Guardian, an AI Detection and Response (AIDR) platform built to discover and monitor AI agents running inside enterprise environments. Its main capabilities include identifying both approved AI agents and shadow AI, tracking what the agents are asked to do and what files they can access, controlling access, detecting prompt injection attacks, and investigating suspicious agent behavior.

Now, the company has added AI Kill Switch, which should act as a failsafe when an agent breaks out of its intended behavior.

“AI safety is how you get the full benefit of AI. When you deploy agents with a kill switch, you stay in control,” said George Kurtz, CEO and founder of CrowdStrike. “For the first time, security is simultaneously the accelerant and the safety net for technology adoption. The AI Kill Switch puts power in the hands of the people to realize AI safety.”

This means the feature will actually be operated by humans, not AI, and will be able to terminate the agent at its root. It starts on the endpoint, where the Falcon sensor already operates, and builds on what Falcon Guardian already sees: what an agent is told to do, what it communicates, and what it executes, the company explained.

Explaining how the tool will work, Crowdstrike says the Falcon sensor will first stop the agent from executing (first at the Gateway, and soon on the endpoint), to prevent the agent from doing any damage as the team investigates.

Then, its policy will keep the agent from relaunching on the targeted host or host group, while the tool bars the agent from enterprise network access.

An authorized administrator will trigger the action, and every action is recorded in the audit trail.

Other solutions

CrowdStrike is not the only company working on this. For example, Straiker's Agentic Kill Switch allows users to suspend individual agents, revoke their access to different tools, APIs and data, or take them offline completely.

A similar solution was built by JetStream Security, allowing organizations to disable individual agents without disrupting other AI workflows, while Trust3 AI’s Agent DOS comes with a built-in kill switch that can be triggered manually, or even automatically (when an agent’s security score falls below a predefined threshold).

There is also Microsoft’s Entra Agent ID, Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma AIRS, and Cisco’s AI Defense. All these offer some form of AI master lever that can block the agent and prevent it from doing meaningful damage.

Vibe coding agents enable engineers to create code in a fraction of the time. This has shifted the bottleneck to later in the development process: when engineers have to understand what that code is doing, track down bugs, and investigate incidents.

As agents generate ever greater volumes of code, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for engineers to understand their output.

It takes time to work out what their code does and how it interacts with the systems around it.

To realize the productivity gains, AI must be applied to the later stages of the cycle, not simply code generation. When it comes to large-scale complex code bases, agents struggle.

A critical issue in critical industries

Nowhere is the pain of code comprehension and debugging more acute than in organizations powering the digital economy – from financial services and semiconductor design to the networks and databases that keep everything connected.

In these sectors, one escaped defect can have serious consequences – a trading system returning a bad value, a database returning the wrong row, or a network failure leading to a service blackout. The UK’s national air traffic controller found itself an unfortunate case in point when it revealed that its recent service outage, which caused 2,000 flight cancellations and days of disruption, was triggered by a legacy software defect.

As AI continues to increase the volume of code engineers can produce, the challenge is no longer about increasing the speed at which they work. Rather, engineering leaders must ensure their teams can still understand what they’ve built when something goes wrong or behaves unexpectedly – and act before a problem becomes a much bigger one.

The code comprehension gap

AI can produce code in minutes. However, that speed comes at a cost. As AI-generated code accumulates, duplicated logic and layers of change are built on top of one another, creating a kind of spaghettification of the codebase. It then becomes harder for engineers to understand how their code is behaving, let alone know where to start untangling it when something goes wrong.

The problem gets worse as codebases become more complex. Nine in ten engineering leaders say code comprehension and debugging take longer in complex environments such as C/C++ codebases. Engineers were already struggling to keep up when they wrote every line themselves.

Now, with AI being far less capable at debugging complex code than it is at creating it – engineers find themselves buried in an avalanche of review work that is beyond human ability. As a result, defects can more easily escape into production, with no clear path back to their root cause.

The productivity gains are failing to add up. Despite being able to write code more easily, 79% of engineering leaders say their release cycles are no faster. It’s a vicious cycle. The faster AI generates code, the more engineers have to review and understand – and the harder that becomes as complexity builds. Without solving the comprehension problem, increasing the speed of code generation risks simply moving the bottleneck further downstream.

The limits of AI for debugging

The obvious answer if humans are struggling to comprehend and debug code is for coding agents to take over. However, without the right inputs, even the most advanced AI tools struggle to deliver accurate answers.

Coding agents debugging complex codebases often work from static context such as source code, logs and documentation. This tells them what the code is supposed to do, but not necessarily what it actually did at runtime. Agents are left to fill in the gaps and guess at what happened and why.

That lack of context creates a particular problem when the issue is buried in the complexity of a live system. AI agents can produce an answer that looks plausible, but without the evidence to support it, there is no guarantee that the diagnosis is correct. In fact, 93% of engineering organizations have had the root cause of an issue incorrectly diagnosed because of an AI hallucination. As a result, a third (37%) of teams only use AI agents for comprehension and debugging straightforward codebases.

The consequences extend beyond simply failing to solve the problem. When an agent cannot identify the root cause, it can resort to trial and error – adding more logs, rerunning the code and trying another approach. Agents end up stuck in a loop, consuming budgeted AI tokens without getting any closer to an answer.

Better evidence, not bigger models

This raises a broader question for engineering leaders: how do you make AI genuinely useful for the difficult parts of software engineering, rather than simply using it to generate more code?

The way to get better results from AI agents isn’t necessarily to use a more powerful model, but to give them better evidence. Giving an agent a record of what actually happened when code ran helps it understand how an issue occurred, making it better equipped to trace problems to their root cause and support engineers with debugging.

Ultimately, AI can only be as useful as the information it has to work with. Give agents a clear picture of how software behaved, and they can take on more of the difficult work that still sits with human engineers today. That means faster answers, fewer dead ends and, most importantly, greater understanding of the software teams are responsible for.

Turning AI speed into engineering value

The future of AI-powered development isn’t just about generating more code, but understanding what it actually does. Give agents access to the right information, with high-quality context, and they can move from plausible answers to accurate automated root cause analysis.

That gives engineers something far more valuable than speed alone – the confidence to let AI tackle the hardest problems without losing control of the software they build.

We've reviewed and ranked the best laptops for programming: Top picks for professional programmers, coders, software engineers, and developers.

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Google has recently announced that you can now use Gemini inside Google Slides to redesign entire presentations for you. I tried it and it failed to work, which means the feature might not have rolled out to everyone quite yet. However, that didn’t put me off. Instead, I uploaded a whole presentation directly into the Gemini chatbot to see if it'd redesign it that way, and it seemed to work fine.

I decided to feed it a rather amateurish PowerPoint presentation my son had been given by his art teacher at school, to see what it would do. The result? It sucked the life out of what was supposed to be a fun art lesson on perspective, and transformed it into a masterpiece of corporate nihilism.

My son’s art project presentation from his art teacher originally looked like this:

As you can see, it’s colorful and fun, but lacking in professionalism.

The prompt I used was quite long, but I wanted Gemini to get this right first time, so I wrote:“Redesign this entire presentation to make it look like it was created by a professional graphic designer.

The current slides are badly designed, with inconsistent fonts, clashing colours, poor layouts, too much text and no clear visual hierarchy.

I want you to transform the whole presentation into something polished, modern and visually impressive. You can change the fonts, colours, backgrounds, layouts, spacing and positioning of elements. You can also introduce relevant graphics, icons and illustrations where appropriate.

However, you must follow three rules:

Preserve all the factual information. Don't invent statistics, remove important details or change the meaning of any text.

Keep everything editable in Google Slides. Don't simply turn each slide into a flattened image.

Apply a consistent visual style across the entire presentation, while making sure individual slides have enough variety to remain interesting.

You have complete creative control over the design. Don't ask me any questions — just redesign all the slides and show me the finished result.”

Was this really what I wanted?

“Your slide deck on Urban Perspective Landscape Drawing is ready!” Gemini happily announced after about a minute. “Feel free to take a look and let me know if you'd like to make any edits”, it informed me.

What it produced was this:

You can see immediately that it looks much more professional, but what Gemini had done was introduce a much more formal teaching structure, with sections on learning objectives, spatial depth, architectural techniques and a two-week project timeline. I can’t imagine being a hit with preteens.

It also introduced additional instructional material, changed the tone, and reorganised the original lesson.

For example, the redesigned deck includes terminology such as “Architectural Precision” and “Progressive Interval Spacing”. These are perfectly reasonable concepts in an art lesson, but they sound more like something from a professional design course than a school project.

By adding and restructuring teaching material, it arguably went beyond its remit to preserve the original information, and in doing so sucked the joy out of the project.

Ok, I’ll admit that my prompt specifically asked Gemini to make the presentation look “professional”, so it wasn't entirely unreasonable for Gemini to go in that direction. But I asked it to improve the design, not change the personality or purpose of the presentation.

Work vs fun mode

If you’re going to use Gemini for designing your presentations then I think it’s well worth keeping in mind that it is very much in a work mode for the assignment. I actually went back to Gemini and voiced my criticisms to see if it could have another go:

“I asked it to improve the design, not change the personality or purpose of the presentation”, I wrote. “This still needs to be a fun project for kids to try. Can you try again?”

“I will now redesign the presentation to strike the perfect balance: vibrant, encouraging, fun, and clearly targeted at students and young artists, while replacing the harsh neon yellows, chaotic layouts, and unreadable fonts with clean, professional art-studio styling, friendly typography, and colorful, inviting cards”, responded Gemini.

After a short wait it produced this:

It was still the same presentation it produced earlier, but with slightly more fun fonts and language. A lot of the visual elements of the original had still been removed. The problem was that Gemini seemed unable to escape its original idea of what a good presentation should look like. It was like asking someone to make a corporate training presentation more fun and watching them add a few emojis. Overall, I still didn’t like it. What should have been a tidying up job has turned into a reinvention I didn’t think I’d asked for.

If this experiment has taught me anything, it's that you shouldn't automatically assume AI knows what makes a presentation better. Gemini certainly made the original look more professional, but in doing so it lost sight of what made it work in the first place. Sometimes a colorful, slightly haphazard school presentation is exactly what it needs to be for its audience. Sometimes the chaos and mess of a design are what keeps it human, and that’s something that AI has a problem understanding.

• Watch Fenerbahce vs Liverpool FREE on Virgin Media Play (Ireland)
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• Kick-off: Today (Wed, Nov. 4) at 12.45pm ET / 5.45pm GMT

Watch Fenerbahce vs Liverpool live in the Champions League 2026/27 as the Turkish club 'welcomes' the unbeaten Reds to the intimidating Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul today, still searching for a first win of their European campaign.

It's been a dismal start to the season altogether for the Yellow Canaries. Winless in three starts in Europe, they were walloped 6-0 by Aston Villa on Matchday 2 and held to a home draw against Slavia Prague despite being 2-0 up after 11 minutes. They sit sixth in the Super Lig, and last week's 2-1 loss to Galatasaray in the Intercontinental Derby prompted the termination of İsmail Kartal's fourth stint in charge of the club. By bizarre coincidence, the man replacing him on an interim basis is one Dirk Kuyt – the Dutch international forward who played more than 200 times for Liverpool. And there are familiar faces throughout his lineup, with goalkeeper Ederson, midfielder N'Golo Kanté and forward Romelu Lukaku all starting today.

Their English opponents, on the other hand, are looking pretty good under new boss Andoni Iraola. He's beginning to get a tune out of record signing Alexander Isak (starting on the bench today), while new man Bradley Barcola has three goals from the Pool's three out of three UCL wins so far. Home victories against Atlético Madrid and Villareal show that they have the beating of some of the best sides on the continent, but a journey to the heart of the Istanbul cauldron is a different prospect altogether. Can they maintain their perfect record with half the Matchdays down in the league phase?

Read on as we explain how to watch Fenerbahce vs Liverpool in the Champions League 2026/27 for free today.

Fenerbahce vs Liverpool team news

Fenerbahce XI: Ederson, Nelson Semedo, Skriniar, Oppong, Brown, Guendouzi, Kante, Yuksek, Greenwood, Lukaku, Kahveci. Subs: Tarik Cetin, Gunok, Akturkoglu, Demir, Muldur, Muriqi, Mercan, Elmaz, Dorgeles, Aydin, Mimovic

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Gomez, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Mac Allister, Nyoni, Munoz, Szoboszlai, Ngumoha, Barcola. Subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Kerkez, Wirtz, Isak, Gakpo, Araujo, Chambers, McConnell, Danns, Koumas

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The Fenerbahce vs Liverpool game is available to watch on DAZN in Canada.

DAZN, which is showing all 189 Champions League 2026/27 fixtures, starts at CA$24.99 per month, for a plan that also includes EFL, Carabao Cup, Bundesliga and NFL coverage.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Revenant, Blade Runner 2049, Dune: Part One and Part Two. You might not recognize the ARRI name, but you’ve undoubtedly watched one of the many Academy Award-winning films created using the camera maker’s tech.

Founded in 1917, the German company has quietly grown into one of the most respected names in cinema, with its digital ALEXA camera system used to film countless blockbuster hits. Popular models like the ARRI ALEXA 35 can cost upwards of $80,000 to buy and require a trained crew to operate.

It’s the kind of equipment that few would ever have the opportunity, let alone the expertise, to use, which is what makes ARRI’s partnership with Chinese smartphone giant Honor so interesting. With the upcoming Honor Magic 9 Pro Max, the two brands are aiming to turn buyers of the flagship Android phone into pro cinematographers by giving them access to some impressive imaging tools. And I got a chance to try them in Hollywood, California.

A pocket cinema camera

The physical design of the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max is a statement of intent. Its sleek camera module is branded with the ARRI logo and arranged in a three-lens layout that is intentionally reminiscent of the appearance of classic film cameras like the vintage Arriflex 35. It’s a major departure from the big circular camera layouts of the company’s previous flagships, like the Honor Magic 8 Pro, and in my eyes, it looks a lot more balanced and professional.

I’m sure that Honor has also taken some inspiration from the look of the latest iPhone Pro Max line, but some neat touches do help set the Magic 9 Pro Max apart. I personally love the satisfying texture of the metal ring that surrounds the biggest camera's housing. It feels very analog, and running your fingers across it almost feels like adjusting the focus of a DSLR camera lens.

Under the hood, the phone boasts two 200MP shooters alongside a 50MP ultra-wide lens. Stabilization was a big focus in the design of this camera setup, and Honor claims that the Magic 9 Pro Max will offer equivalent performance to a stabilizing gimbal — even in low-light conditions where most phones would struggle, as longer shutter speeds emphasize movement.

You can still use the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max to take standard photos (and, in my testing so far, it has managed some excellent shots — though I'm not permitted to share any just yet). But as the phone's design would suggest, video is really where it comes into its own. Honor and ARRI have effectively taken a full end-to-end cinematic workflow and condensed it into a basic process that anyone can follow (incidentally, you'll find the same workflow on the recently released Honor Robot Phone).

The first step is enabling the ARRI Cinema mode in the phone’s camera app. It takes a few moments as it loads up a wealth of tools, the most important being the ability to record in up to 4K 60fps using ARRI LogC3 and Wide Gamut 3. Without getting too technical, ARRI LogC3 is a gamma curve designed for ARRI’s cinema cameras, intended to capture as much dynamic range and contrast as possible, while Wide Gamut 3 ensures a larger range of colors can be reproduced.

Encoding all this into an image produces a very flat, almost grayscale look that’s absolutely packed with imaging data, which is vital when you take your footage into professional color grading software like DaVinci Resolve to give it a more stylized, cinematic look. Pro users can take footage from the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max into DaVinci Resolve, but there’s really no need when some nifty color-grading options are built in.

From capture to color

The Honor Magic 9 Pro Max comes pre-loaded with 14 color grading profiles (or LUTs), many taken straight from the ARRI Look Library — an online collection of presets used in professional film productions. There is a good range to experiment with here, with some of my favorites so far including the cutesy ARRI-6311, which renders beautiful pastel tones, and the amusing ARRI-9211, designed for day-for-night shots.

It’s fun to play around and experiment with the different profiles and, with the right setup, you can get some pretty incredible results, with gorgeous, rich colors and lifelike skin tones (the latter being something that ARRI hardware has become known for). These presets are only the beginning as well; you can download more ARRI LUTs from the company’s website and import them to the phone.

You’re not restricted to just those created by ARRI either, as the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max is fully compatible with third-party LUTs that you can find online. Many LUTs are available for free, which opens the door to practically limitless aesthetics. You can preview each LUT while you’re filming as well, which lets you see exactly how your finished footage is going to look as the action is happening.

If you’re already a budding cinematographer with your own LUTs, this means that you can use the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max to gain a pretty good idea of how your finished footage will appear without the costly camera setup.

Honor has clearly gone to great lengths to make everything here as approachable as possible, though I do worry that these features will be niche. Either way, it’s a neat collaboration, and I’m certainly interested to see what kinds of footage people will be able to achieve when the Honor Magic 9 Pro Max releases soon.

• Windows 11 got a major performance boost with its latest update, including 40% faster multi-tasking on an 8GB PC based on Microsoft's testing
• That update is still a preview, mind, but the full release is coming next week, with other performance boosts, especially for 8GB PCs
• Meanwhile the developer of Tiny11 has managed to get a totally stripped-down version of Windows 11 running in an improbable 128MB of memory

Microsoft has gone into the details of how it's made Windows 11 faster on 8GB PCs (and all systems for that matter), with these changes arriving in the next update for the OS – all while a third-party has demonstrated the operating system running on a meagre 128MB of RAM (with huge caveats as you might expect).

A blog post from Pavan Davuluri, head of Windows at Microsoft, entitled 'Raising the bar for 8GB Windows 11 PCs' gives us some further metrics as to how much performance has been improved by.

Microsoft has mentioned that Windows 11 is now up to 20% more responsive on 8GB machines before, but now it's added another stat to consider, namely that the OS is 40% faster for multi-tasking (and that kind of workload is where 8GB of RAM can feel a lot more pushed to its limits).

In this case, Microsoft's test involved "opening 20 tabs in Microsoft Edge, a 4K video, large Word, PowerPoint and Excel files, Outlook and File Explorer one after another, keeping everything open as we went." This was 40% faster compared to Windows 11 in January 2026 (before the fix the OS campaign started), as measured on an HP OmniBook 3 laptop with a Snapdragon X Plus (Arm) 8-core CPU and 8GB of memory.

Davuluri explains that Microsoft's approach to upping performance in Windows 11 runs along three distinct paths: "Making better use of the memory in every Windows 11 PC, protecting the interactions that need to feel instant even under load, and ensuring key apps and Windows require less memory."

Of course, the exec points out that this work benefits all Windows 11 PCs, but that this tuning will be particularly beneficial for 8GB devices – clearly having key apps drain less system RAM is going to be great for lower memory loadouts.

Microsoft notes that in terms of memory management improvements, in multi-tasking tests on 8GB systems, it has "reduced committed-memory growth by up to 900MB" in Windows 11 running Edge and Microsoft 365 apps.

We're also told that thanks to improvements in Windows 11's compression techniques, more active data for apps can be stored in RAM (as opposed to on your drive, where it's slower to be fetched) – to the tune of up to 2GB more. Davuluri employs a useful desk metaphor to illustrate this, which I think is worth a read for the less tech-savvy.

If you want the benefit of all this fresh speediness, Microsoft informs us that this performance tuning is in place in the very latest update for Windows 11, which is the optional update that arrived at the end of October (complete with right-click menu customization).

If you download that, though, bear in mind it's a preview so officially still in testing. I'd advise waiting for the full release of the finished November update, which comes out next week on November 10, so you won't have to be patient for long.

Analysis: necessary streamlining – and it appears to have done the trick

Okay, so Microsoft is touting some very specific performance measurements here and there's bound to have been some cherry-picking going on. In other words, run a ton of different tests and pick the results that show off the very best performance levels (with a peak 'up to' value), but of course this is standard practice for any product marketing.

Still, it's clear that strides have been made, and online feedback backs this up. There are numerous users who are observing that Windows 11 is faster after this most recent update, and indeed since version 26H2 was released.

As one Redditor observes: "I can confirm it, Windows 11 has been overall much more [responsive] on my system, it used to be slow as s**t and now even the context menu opens quite instant."

Most of the negativity that now remains on social media, aside from the obvious trolling, is around why Microsoft didn't have Windows 11 tuned up like this in the first place. And that a 40% improvement in multi-tasking was partly made possible because things were in such a sluggish state to begin with, and I think those are fair points (I've brought them up myself in the past).

Still, it's clear that Microsoft is working hard and successfully optimizing Windows 11 for leaner RAM loadouts, and I obviously won't argue with that. Meanwhile, the developer of Tiny11 – which allows you to create a completely stripped-down Windows installation – has proved that Microsoft's OS can be pared back so it runs on just 128MB of RAM (hat tip to Tom's Hardware).

That beats the developer's old record of 184MB, and it's a seriously impressive feat, but as you might imagine, what's left in Windows after pruning it back so viciously is, well, barely anything. You can boot the desktop, open folders or the Start menu, and run Notepad, but not much else. It is "painfully slow" by the developer's own admission, and not a workable version of Windows 11 so much as an exercise in what can be done.

The reason that projects such as Tiny11 are popular is because many folks are fed up with the bloat in Windows 11, and want to create their own tailored and streamlined version. If Microsoft keeps going with its successful performance tweaking and tuning, with any luck, there'll be a lot less demand for the likes of Tiny11 in the future.

Microsoft is promising more memory efficiency tuning, and advances in memory compression, are coming, as well as a greater use of WinUI 3 for speedier apps and parts of the Windows 11 interface.

• mSecure disclosed a breach involving an encrypted cloud database containing data from current and former users
• Company urged users to rotate critical passwords, MFA methods, and passkeys despite no evidence vaults were decrypted
• Customer criticism grew after limited initial disclosure left uncertainty about the incident’s scope and impact

Top password manager mSecure has confirmed it suffered a data breach and, “out of an abundance of caution”, and told its customers to simply reset everything, leaving some pretty upset.

On November 3 2026, the company behind mSecure, called mSeven Software, sent an email to its customers, saying it “recently learned of suspicious activity associated with the mSecure password management application”. It soon launched an investigation, mitigated the issue, and brought in third-party cybersecurity experts to assist.

The notice, while rather sparse on details, urged customers to “immediately take steps to protect all confidential information stored within the mSecure password management application. This may include changing passwords, resetting or re-enrolling two factor authentication methods, or removing existing passkeys."

Encrypted database

All this was said without detailing what happened, and customers did not take it well. On Reddit, users were asking if this pertained just to the master password, or to all passwords stored inside the manager. Some people have hundreds of secrets locked away in mSecure, and changing all of them would take hours.

“This notice is wildly insufficient,” one user wrote. “Recommending potentially hundreds of credential changes without identifying the underlying threat, the affected customers, or the security of the application being used to make those changes is inadequate.”

mSecure allegedly responded with a follow-up notice that was also shared on social media. In it, it disclosed more details, and somewhat played down the actual breach:

“Yesterday, mSeven learned that an unauthorized actor acquired an encrypted copy of a database containing information belonging to current and former users of the mSecure password management application,” it said. “Importantly, mSeven has no evidence that the unauthorized actor has accessed the confidential information stored within the database in the mSecure Cloud.”

Putting it plainly, a threat actor walked away with a copy of the database that was sitting in mSecure Cloud, and all users - current and former - who had synced their password manager with the cloud service are at risk.

But mSeven tried to downplay the severity of the incident. Throughout the announcement, it repeated multiple times that the stolen database was encrypted and that there is no evidence that the threat actors managed to decrypt it. Truth be told, encrypted databases should be safe, but many criminals are still hoarding them, in case anyone makes a breakthrough at any point in time. There’s actually a name to the practice - HNDL (harvest now, decrypt later).

It also responded to user criticism about having to change all passwords now:

“As a standard best practice, mSeven continues to recommend that mSecure customers change their master password, change vital stored passwords, reset two-factor authentication methods, replace passkeys and any other sensitive information. This should be a part of all routine security practices.”

Not the only password manager in trouble

Finally, mSecure said deleting the app won’t help the situation and stressed that the issue only pertains to users that were syncing with the mSecure Cloud.

“mSeven takes the security and privacy of all information stored on the mSecure platform very seriously and has no evidence that mSecure is not currently safe for use,” it said. “Our support team is working as fast as possible to respond to customer questions. We take your trust in us seriously, and appreciate your patience and continued support.”

How this reflects the company’s image remains to be seen. One Reddit user said the company was deleting negative reviews and complaints that were being left on the Google Play Store. But mSecure is hardly the only password manager experiencing an incident such as this one. In June this year LastPass confirmed losing sensitive customer data, while Dashlane said hackers obtained at least a dozen encrypted vaults.

Via The Register

• Google is offering schools more control over how students use and interact with AI
• There is a caveat though: schools that opt-out of using AI will not have access to Google search
• The company has deeply integrated AI within its search platform

Google recently laid out plans to offer AI Guided Learning as part of its Classroom offerings for schools. But schools that opt out of AI could be blocked from using Google Search entirely, posing big problems for education without AI.

For example, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has banned AI use in some schools meaning that they would be effectively cut off from using Google Search. “Google is trying to use its monopoly power to force AI into our public schools,” Mamdani wrote on X.

You wouldn’t think it would be so difficult to have a switch that either shows or hides Google’s AI overview, but the search engine giant announced that “Google Search is now AI Search” at Google I/O in June, and Google vice president for education Chris Phillips has confirmed that “Search and AI are deeply integrated.”

No search without AI

As outlined in Google’s blog post, titled “Designing responsible AI for learning,” school administrators will have the ability to control student access to Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search, alongside updates to how AI Mode and AI Overviews are displayed on school accounts to avoid simply providing the answer to schoolwork.

“Our goal is simple: provide school leaders the control and confidence to use AI products in classrooms as they see fit,” the blog post states. But if a school doesn’t want to use AI at all, they could be cut off from the biggest search engine in the world.

The ultimatum over AI in schools has raised questions about Google’s control over the search market — questions that could bring even more antitrust lawsuits against the company.

Former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan wrote on X that Google’s control over search shows “the danger of allowing an unregulated monopolist to control an essential service.”

Even Senator Bernie Sanders chimed in on Google's decision, stating that "Google is threatening schools," and saying that the decision to remove search from schools that opt-out of AI is "extortion."

The future of AI apparently isn’t optional

Those who prefer to take a non-AI approach to life might be in for a shock in the coming years. AI is being plugged into every new service and device, making it near impossible to avoid.

Of course, you can use Google the old-fashioned way by simply ignoring the AI Summary and finding the answers yourself (which many websites would prefer), but the separation between a service and its AI “enhancements” are going to become increasingly blurred.

As angry as people are getting over sprawling AI data centers and the effect the technology is having on the job market, there are trillions of dollars riding on AI’s success - and that matters more to billionaires and corporations than their perception in the eyes of the public.

The dangers of becoming too reliant on AI are already beginning to show, especially when it comes to critical thinking and AI psychosis, so there are worrying questions that need to be asked about AI use in education.

• Canva wants to streamline its workforce so fewer employees are working in silos
• Some workers will be asked to relocate – Sydney hub becomes more important
• The company continues to improve its AI models and is on track for an increase in revenue

Canva has announced plans to relocate, reposition or even cut more than a fifth (22%) of its workforce, equivalent to 1,271 employees, making it "without doubt the hardest moment in our thirteen-year history," per a company-wide message from co-founder and CEO Mel Perkins.

She acknowledged that Canva's organizational structure has become increasingly complicated in recent years due to substantial growth, noting that teams have become divided into "narrow areas of ownership" with too many managers and "more handovers and coordination than necessary."

Canva isn't the first company to note this complexity, with plenty of other tech giants also looking to flatten organizational structures and streamline lines of management.

Canva confirms major workforce reshuffling and layoffs

The change is largely being framed as a company transformation to simplify the workforce structure, rather than purely a cost-cutting exercise.

Under the changes, its Product, Growth and Platform teams will be merged into a single Product organization. Canva also wants to reduce the number of specialist and management roles it has, incorporating those responsibilities into broader positions.

Third and finally, the company also wants to move closer to home. It seems Sydney will become the main location for more of Canva's product development teams, hence the mention of relocation in Perkins' message.

"We know relocating is a big decision for those being asked to consider it, and we're committed to making the process as smooth as possible with comprehensive support," Perkins promised.

The CEO also dropped the 'office working' bomb – while many tech giants have already enforced return-to-office mandates, Canva has largely supported hybrid working.

From January 2027, hybrid workers will be asked to work from the office two or three days per week, depending on what makes sense for those roles and locations.

Workers set to leave the company as a result of the changes will receive at least six months' salary and twelve months of healthcare coverage, among other benefits. Canva isn't asking for company-issued MacBooks back, either.

Departing 'Canvanauts' can also apply for $10,000 grants under the Canva Collective Fund to start their own business or community project – "we won't take any ownership or equity in what they create," Perkins confirmed.

As for the company itself, it recently confirmed 250 million monthly users and vast model improvements, including a 90% reduction in cost per task with 30x cheaper models that are 5x faster than before.

It also had 120 AI researchers developing in-house models as of September, and is on track to deliver a year-over-year growth in revenue this year.

Watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams as Michigan defends its title after beating six-time winner UConn in the most recent championship game. The Wolverines, though, have lost head coach Dusty May to Dallas to dent their defense, meaning Florida starts the season as many pundits' favorites.

Michigan has promoted defensive coordinator Mike Boynton Jr to the top job, which means the bulk of last year's roster will remain for their title defense. Elliot Cadeau, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, plus sixth man Trey McKenney are still there.

Todd Golden's Florida top the AP and USA Today preseason rankings and look set to go well. The 22-year-old wing Thomas Haugh, believed to be the sport's highest-paid player, has decided to stay with the Gators after rejecting the chance to join the NBA. UConn guard Braylon Mullins did likewise and the Huskies should go deep again.

Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone is now in charge at North Carolina, who can count on Malian center Sayon Keita. Also look out for 7ft 3in Luigi Suigo, nicknamed the Italian Wemby, who has enrolled at Villanova.

This is the first year of the expanded March Madness, with 76 teams (up from 68) qualifying for the end-of-season tournament to decide the national champion. The 32 conference champions qualify by right, with the remaining 'at-large' bids being selected by the NCAA Selection Committee.

There are still some legal wrangles surrounding eligibility and the five-in-five rule, so by the time the Division I tournament comes around in 2027, the rosters could look very different.

Here's how to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 from anywhere in the world – starting with FREE options.

Can I watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 for free?

Yes. In the UK, select games are being shown for free on DAZN. Make sure to regularly check their schedule here.

Traveling abroad right now? You can use a VPN to watch NCAA 2026/27 games for free as if you were right at home.

Use a VPN to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, thereby letting you unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with a 75% discount.

How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in the US

National coverage of the 2026/27 NCAA College Basketball season is being provided by a wide array of TV channels and streaming services, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBC, TNT, HBO, FOX, Peacock and Paramount+.

If you're a cord cutter, Sling TV is an OTT service that gives access to a good proportion of nationally televised games. Prices start as low as $4.99 (one-day access to Sling Orange that carries ESPN and TNT).

Go for an Orange + Blue plan for $60.99 per month and you'll get access to ESPN, FS1 and TNT, with ABC, FOX and NBC in selected cities, and access to the FOX One app. Add the Sports Extra bolt-on ($11 a month) to your cart and you get the SEC, ACC, Big Ten networks, too.

A standalone FOX One subscription offers access to FOX, FS1 and FS2 from $19.99/month. FOX will show select games from Big Ten, Big East Big12 and Mountain West conferences.

Alternatively, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1 and NBC are also carried by YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, each of which offers a free trial to new users.

ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, coverage is available to live stream on ESPN Unlimited, which costs $31.99/month or $319.99/year. That comes with access to thousands of exclusive ESPN+ games.

HBO Max will show all TNT content, starting from $18.49 with the necessary Standard plan. Select games from Big 12 and Big East, plus TNT Sports coverage, come as part of the plan.

NBC's NCAA College Basketball coverage is available to live stream on Peacock, which starts at $12.99/month or $129.99/year for a plan that carries live sports. However, you can access Peacock virtually for free with a Walmart Plus 30-day trial for $1. Nearly 200 games from the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 men's and women's conferences will be on Peacock.

Paramount+ costs $8.99 for the ad-supported tier or $13.99 to take the commercials away (and stream CBS live), while the Walmart Plus trial also works here. CBS games will appear here, along with the men's March Madness.

Outside the US for a game? Use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.

How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in Canada

NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 coverage is on TSN in Canada.

All games shown on TSN can also be watched online through the network's streaming service TSN+. It now costs from $24.99 a month after a recent price hike, with the TSN Premium tier ($29.99) showing hundreds games this season.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in the UK

Specialist sports streamer DAZN has the rights to show College Basketball from the 2026/27 season in the UK.

Select games will be available for free, as alluded to above. Outside of that, you can gain access from £12.99/month for a flexible rolling monthly plan, with savings available if you commit to a year of DAZN.

Outside the UK? You’ll need to download a VPN, as detailed above, to watch your usual stream from abroad.

How to watch NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 live streams in Australia

Aussies can watch College Basketball on DAZN and ESPN via Foxtel which can be live-streamed via Foxtel Now, Kayo Sports and Disney Plus.

DAZN will have select games live each week but outside of that it is a similar stance to the UK. An NCAA College Sports subscription costs AU$144.99 a year, AU$13.99 a month on a 12-month plan, or AU$17.99 a month rolling.

Kayo Sports costs from AU$30 a month after a 7-day free trial or your first month for $1, while Disney+ subscriptions are available from only AU$9.99 a month.

Not in Australia? Use a VPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your usual College Basketball coverage on the above services from anywhere.

NCAA College Basketball 2026/27 Q&A

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• The UK government wants tighter controls over facial recognition tech
• A public consultation finished earlier this year
• Privacy groups say the cameras are 'an indiscriminate tool'

UK policing minister Sarah Jones has committed to tighter restrictions on the use of live facial recognition (LFR) on the streets of Britain, saying that the technology — which scans and identifies faces in real time from police-operated cameras — will have new "parameters and principles" set by law.

As the BBC reports, the announcement comes after a public consultation on how LFR is used across the country. According to Jones, citizens "by and large" support the crime-fighting system, which has been trialled since as far back as 2015, but want more assurances around safety and privacy.

"For example, if I had an outstanding parking fine, I would not expect this technology to be used for that," Jones, who is the MP for Croydon West, told the BBC. "We have to use it proportionately. We have to use it in an intelligence-led way. And I think we also have to be clear that there will be some oversight."

The Metropolitan Police, which has been expanding its use of LFR in recent years, says the cameras have led to more than 3,000 arrests in the past two years. The tech is typically deployed in a mobile van, but there are plans to increase the number of fixed cameras in parts of the West End and Soho in the capital.

Real-time scanning and matching

LFR works by scanning faces in real time, and comparing them to a police database of individuals — from missing people to wanted criminals. Every match still needs to be double-checked by a human, and for faces where no match is found, the data is immediately deleted, according to the police.

Representatives from privacy group Big Brother Watch have previously described the rollout of LFR tech to static cameras as an "alarming escalation of an intrusive technology" that scans the faces of millions of innocent people without permission. The police are advised to publicly advertise the use of LFR online, unless there's a "critical threat".

Jasleen Chaggar, senior legal and policy officer at the Big Brother Watch privacy group, told the BBC that the facial recognition technology was "an indiscriminate tool" that represented something "fundamentally un-British" — going against the presumption that you're innocent until proven guilty.

"Thousands of people have expressed their objection to the use of this technology and the government has sat on those responses for over six months," Chaggar said. "All the while, facial recognition has been rolled out in train stations and Tube stations and shops and supermarkets across the country."

In the US, similar surveillance systems such as those operated by Flock have come under fire not just for their default capabilities, but also for how they can be misused by police officers and others with access to the cameras — which is something else the UK public will no doubt want assurances about in the future.

• Hackers have targeted French blood stocks used in medical emergencies
• Attackers tried to raise freezer temperatures from -22F to 230F
• The attack was spotted quickly and no blood had to be destroyed

A few days ago, hackers attacked European supermarket freezers for the second time in weeks, but it’s not just frozen food that has been the target of these malicious operations. Now, threat actors have their eyes on the medical sector, with reports emerging that French blood plasma reserves have been breached by unknown saboteurs.

As reported by Cyberattaque (via Cyber Security News), stores of blood plasma were struck overnight between November 1 and November 2, with freezer temperatures programmed to rocket from -30C to 110C (-22F to 230F). Although it’s unknown whether the freezers actually reached temperatures as high as that, the incident is still a worrying development in what looks like an ongoing strategy against key infrastructure targets.

The campaign targeted Coolworld, which supplies the French Blood Establishment (EFS). The EFS is responsible for collecting, preparing and distributing blood and blood products in France, many of which are used in essential surgeries and medical operations. Cyberattaque noted this meant that “frozen plasma for transfusions was among the potentially endangered products.”

The French Ministry of Health has said that the cyberattack did not result in any serious operational consequences because the temperature spikes were noticed quickly and corrected. What’s not known is how many facilities were affected, how long the disruption lasted and how high the temperature of the freezers actually got. However, there has been no confirmation that any blood stocks had to be destroyed as a result.

Far-reaching effects

In October 2026, Vincent Strubel, the director general of France’s cybersecurity agency (known as ANSSI), issued a prescient warning that refrigeration facilities — including those storing medical resources — could be the target of adversarial attacks. Two weeks after that address, the blood stores were hacked.

Meanwhile, in the UK Richard Horne, CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), yesterday cautioned that “far too many of our organizations and supply chains rest on weak technology and operational foundations.” Potential targets include “Electricity switching, sluice gates in water facilities, dam operations, manufacturing lines, heating, refrigeration controls,” Horne stated.

At the launch of the NCSC's 'State of the Cyber Nation' report, Horne went on to describe as the UK as being at a 'Sliding Doors moment' for cybersecurity, with its exploitable vulnerabilities being akin to a "digital Leaning Tower of Pisa". "In the coming months, we face a real prospect of an unprecedented rise in the number of cyber incidents," he warned.

As Cyberattaque pointed out, it was not the medical facilities themselves that were compromised, but the third-party maintenance systems that controlled freezer temperatures. That could have far-reaching effects, as any company that provides controller products to different customers potentially puts them all at risk.

While the attempt on the French blood stocks was spotted quickly, the next attack might be able to slip through the net. If that happens, the upshot could be far more serious.

• Win a RIG R8 PRO headset with a Miami-inspired Mod-Set
• Choose between the HS (PlayStation) and HX (Xbox) model
• Enter by signing up as a TechRadar Insider, which is free

Now's a great time to become a TechRadar Insider, because for a limited time we’ve teamed up with Nacon to give members in the US the chance to win a RIG R8 PRO headset.

As we noted in our RIG R8 Pro review, it's a well-built, great value $179.99 wireless gaming headset with "tight, distortion-free sound", a replaceable 60-hour battery, and dual wireless connectivity.

The headset also comes in two versions, one for PlayStation (HS) and one for Xbox (HX), which the winner gets to pick from based on whichever suits their console.

One of its standout features is the swappable earcup plates, and — to make the most of them — the winner will also get to choose one of two Miami-inspired Mod-Set designs: Coastal Cruise or Horizon Haze.

To have a chance of winning one of the French gaming brand’s highly rated accessories, simply sign up to become a TechRadar Insider by clicking "Join Now" at the top of this page. The best part? It costs nothing to join.

If you're already a member, head over to the competitions hub to enter. Entries opened on 3 November, 2026 and close at 8am ET on 1 December 2026, and are only open to those that live in the US, with some specific exclusions.

Please read the terms and conditions (below) before entering. If you have any questions about how to enter, email membership@techradar.com and we'll get back to you. Good luck, gamers!

*No purchase necessary. Prize draw opens 08:00 (ET) on 11/03/26 and closes 08:00 (ET) 12/01/26. To enter the prize draw, entrants must submit their email address while signed into an active membership account, or by creating a free membership account at the time of entry. To enter by mail, send your full name, mailing address, and email address in a stamped envelope to: TechRadar's RIG R8 PRO headset giveaway, Future US LLC,130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10036. Limit to one entry per envelope. Mail-in entries must be received by 08:00 (ET) 12/02/26 to be valid, and carry equal weight in the drawing as online entries. Late or incomplete entries will be disqualified. 18+, US residents only (excluding Rhode Island, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. military installations in foreign countries, or any other U.S. territory where prohibited or restricted by law, employees and direct family members of employees of Future US LLC "Future" and Nacon. One entry per household. No automated entries allowed. One winner will receive a RIG R8 PRO gaming headset (either the HS / HX) and their choice of one of two Miami-inspired mod-set designs.. The winner/s will be randomly drawn and notified by email within 28 days of the closing date by Future, and must provide a US delivery address; the prize will be delivered by Nacon. If no response is received within 28 days, an alternative winner will be drawn. Future reserves the right to substitute the prize with an alternative product of equivalent value. Prize is non-transferable and non-refundable. No cash alternative. Void where prohibited. Winners of $2000 or more worth of prizes in a calendar year will receive IRS form 1099. Prize value may be taxable, and winners are solely responsible for all applicable taxes. By taking part in this prize draw you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions, the competition rules at: http://www.futureplc.com/competition-rules/, collection of personal data in accordance with Future's privacy policy at: https://www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy/. and collection of personal data in accordance with Nacon’s privacy policy at: https://corporate.nacongaming.com/en/privacy-policy/

A week after Currys officially kicked off its Black Friday sale, the retailer has just expanded it with dozens of new offers, so I've taken another look and picked out more of the tech deals that I'd recommend buying. I've bumped my list up to 21 top picks now, featuring TVs, laptops, appliances, headphones, and more.

• Browse the full Currys Black Friday sale

The best new addition is the Acer Swift Ai 14 for £499 (was £699). It's the first-ever price cut on the brand-new laptop that we scored an exceptional 4.5 stars in our review. This small and powerful modern laptop is an excellent all-rounder, boasting an Intel Core 5 CPU, 512GB of storage, and a battery life of up to 21 hours.

Other favourites of mine that are still available include the fantastic Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum for £199 (was £419.99), this super-cheap and top-rated JBL Go 5 for £34 (was £39.99), and £500 off the LG C5 65-inch OLED TV — that's a record-low price for our TV of the year.

All of my top picks are below, as well as a summary of all the major categories from the Currys Black Friday sale. Be sure to have a browse through to see if anything else catches your eye. I'll also be back to update my top picks again when Currys inevitably expands the sale further next week.

And remember, Currys has launched a Black Friday price guarantee as part of this sale. It means that if anything you purchase between now and November 24 is cheaper before December 1, then they will refund you the difference. Just make sure you register the details of your purchase so you can make a claim if needed.

Currys Black Friday sale — quick links

• Appliances: up to 40% off Bosch, LG & Miele
• Christmas: up to 40% off lights & decorations
• Fitness: up to £1,300 off exercise equipment
• Gaming: up to £150 off monitors & peripherals
• Headphones: JBL & Samsung from £39.99
• Health & Beauty: up to 40% off Philips & Oral-B
• Kitchen: up to £250 off Ninja & Sage
• Laptops: up to £400 off
• Phones: up to £279 off Honor & Samsung
• Soundbars: up to £700 off LG & Samsung
• Toys: Lego & Hot Wheels from £4.99
• TVs: from £129
• Vacuums: up to £150 off Dyson & Vax

Currys Black Friday sale — my top 21 deals