Technology

• Public confidence in AI weather forecasts is far lower than for numerical and physics-based methods
• Just 11% said they were "very confident" in machine learning weather prediction, compared with 30% for tried-and-trusted methods
• The Met Office has been using machine learning techniques in weather forecasting for some years

A survey of 6,000 UK adults has found that the majority don’t fully trust the idea of AI weather forecasts. While machine learning techniques have been a factor of weather forecasting for some years, the survey found that people are more relaxed about traditional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) as opposed to Machine Learning Weather Prediction (MLWP).

Predictive technology has increased considerably thanks to AI, and the Met Office has already begun to evaluate AI models for augmenting its existing forecasting methods.

However, the “confidence gap” in the results of the survey, which appears to be based around questions over accuracy, could undermine the use of AI for weather forecasting, which researchers suggest can be challenged with clear demonstrations of the methods working successfully.

AI-based weather models

The Met Office research was published in a study, Artificial Intelligence for the Earth Systems, which explores the public’s confidence in the reliability of AI-based weather forecasting and prediction. Future studies are planned to assess how attitudes change toward AI-backed weather reports.

Responses to the report are not entirely negative. While 87.7% of respondents felt confident about weather reports using NWP, the 49.4% in favour of MLWP isn’t a bad result. Rather, it demonstrates that people are comfortable with tried-and-tested methods.

Dr Edward Pope, a Met Office Science Fellow and the lead author of the paper, said the report, “deepens our understanding of current public perceptions as we approach a crucial juncture where AI-based weather models are demonstrating their potential to work alongside physics-based methods. This was a unique opportunity to compare public perceptions of established and emerging approaches to forecasting the weather."

The consequences of the “confidence gap”

The gap in confidence between the maths-based predictive forecasting and modern AI modelling is a challenge that the Met Office is addressing directly.

Dr Pope explained that “The gap in confidence and perceived accuracy highlighted in the paper demonstrates the need to clearly and transparently demonstrate the value of new approaches in ways that matter to people.”

In Pope’s view, AI practices will contribute to weather forecasts in the future, “but these improvements will only be fully realised if the public continue to have confidence, and importantly act on, the weather forecast they see.”

The Met Office research considered the “perceived accuracy” of reports, and its Chief AI Officer Professor Kirstine Dale implied that progress with AI weather modelling is subjected to evaluation and validation: “We are exploring ways of blending physics-based and AI-based modelling to deliver the forecasts that we all rely on. As with all science developments, we will robustly evaluate and validate any changes to our approach to weather forecasting before we introduce them into the model.”

How are those live sports games starring the characters from The Simpsons, Toy Story and Inside Out made? With a lot of animators and tech like motion capture and face tracking.

I spoke with one of the creators behind the tool to understand exactly how it works and where it gets its sources.

At D23, a panel with the stars and showrunners of Percy Jackson and the Olympians revealed a few details, including gods, rescue missions and possible deaths ahead.

Support will launch on non-folding devices first, according to the GrapheneOS Foundation.

The Cupertino giant apparently will match, if not exceed, what Google and Samsung did with their phone pricing.

Amid broad privacy concerns, new apps like Zuckoff help detect smart glasses in the wild.

AI chatbots are changing the healthcare landscape, but privacy and transparency remain critical concerns.

The e-commerce giant blames increases in component costs for the device price hikes.

Pluto lost its planethood for a very specific reason. Whether or not that’s a good reason depends on who you ask.

I put these multimodal models through a camera test.

• Anti-AI sentiment and data center opposition is rising, and communities are costing tech firms billions with their opposition
• Trump says communities opposed to data centers are "making a mistake", and calls fossil fuel burning generators "beautiful"
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says that AI data centers "basically dug their own grave", adding that "they got the backlash they deserve."

The US government has gone all in on AI, so it’s no surprise that President Trump doesn’t fully understand why so many Americans are opposed to their presence within their communities.

During an interview with his ally Michael Cohen, Trump said “Communities that don't take a data center, they're making a mistake,” adding that their presence adds “tremendous amounts of jobs and money” to communities.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently offered his own take on data centers, saying that “They basically dug their own grave for the problem that's been caused for them, and that's why they got the backlash they deserve.”

Red and blue states opposed to data centers

AI data centers are requesting an unprecedented amount of energy from US electrical grids, prompting Trump to not only lift clean air restrictions on data centers, but also push forward one of the biggest repeals of environmental protections.

As a result, data centers are being built with enormous gas turbine plants that release pollutants and cause health issues for local residents. In his interview, Trump said, “They're making their own power plants. They're building the most beautiful, you've never seen power plants like this.”

Across the political spectrum in the US, there has been a singular, clear message. AI is making people very concerned. Outside of the environment, the main concern comes in the form of job replacement. The majority of Americans in a recent poll said the technology will lead to fewer jobs.

Young people are especially distrustful of those running AI companies, again arguing that the technology would lead to fewer jobs. Almost three quarters of Americans believe that the pace of AI is moving too quickly - and they may have a point. Regulations and governance on AI are quickly falling behind.

Representatives of red and blue states have been banding together to push for more restrictions on AI development and moratoriums on data center construction to give the US time to put together a plan on how best to not only build out AI capacity, but also create an AI ecosystem that benefits all Americans, not just those at the top.

But how does Trump’s argument that data centers are creating “tremendous amounts of jobs and money” hold up under scrutiny?

Are data centers creating jobs and money for local communities?

The first thing to note is that while data centers do create short-term jobs while under construction, they only require a skeleton staff once operational. The companies hired for data center construction are often larger firms with the capability to handle large infrastructure projects who often aren’t local companies at all.

Where data centers do create jobs is further down the digital pipeline as the AI capacity is leveraged by existing industries. While some industries are seeing a rise in AI-related jobs creation, 2026 has been the worst year for AI layoffs with more than 176,000 people laid off for AI-related reasons.

On the money side of the equation, Meta has recently revealed that its 4,000-acre data center campus has led to local teachers receiving bonuses of as much as $50,000 due to tax revenues gained from the site.

But Meta received $3.3 billion in tax exemptions for the site. This is a common incentive to attract investment, but many states are quickly realizing the exemptions they have granted for AI data centers are quickly becoming unsustainable.

Ohio projected a revenue loss of $136 million when it granted tax exemptions for new data centers constructed in the state, but Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently revealed that number has reached $1.6 billion. Now, states are quickly repealing or amending their tax exemptions.

Until the Trump administration recognizes that the American public wants AI to benefit everyone in a sustainable way, rather than just AI bosses and the super rich, they’ll likely continue facing widespread opposition to their AI agenda.

It took 127 blood-splattered minutes for 2024’s outrageously violent flick Deadpool & Wolverine to reach a kill count of 178. In my two-hour preview of Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine, I’m pretty sure it took even less time to match it.

The game starts with a delirious murder spree against the forces of human supremacist Bolivar Trask on the Asian island of Talenbang, who has taken Team X’s leader Nathaniel Essex captive.

I’m soon slicing arms off in brutal finishing moves and pummeling their insides into paste with barrage attacks. When I get to staggering foes into the blast radius of a nearby grenade, turning them into a mushy pile of goo, it’s abundantly clear this isn’t your friendly neighbourhood Wolverine.

It’s an impressively percussive, weighty combat system. With Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton in mind, I’d describe it as heavy metal combat.

Rip and tear

(Image credit: Sony)

At first, soldiers are summarily dispatched with a chain of light attacks and a heavy attack finisher. Later, in Canada, shield-bearing Reavers demand an initial kick before a five-knuckled skewer to the sternum. And the Hand, red-gowned ninjas recently spotted in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, come with longer blades of their own, sometimes left lodged in Wolverine’s body to impede him until it either falls out or he rips it out to furiously stab an enemy.

The environment plays an important role too, whether you’re knocking hapless enemies off a rooftop or slamming them into a wall to leave them vulnerable to a barrage attack sure to relieve them of their entrails. Those enemies often come prepared, with mutant power inhibitors locking Logan’s regeneration unless you target the machines first — either by stealth or all-out assault.

(Image credit: Sony)

Wolverine’s slower speed meant I took a few more hits than I needed when I couldn’t cancel attacks to dodge an incoming blow or use a Hurricane move to clear my vicinity. But once I’d adjusted to the pace (and learned how crucial the leap attack is for staying in combat), I was stringing together brutal extended combos to the point that Devil May Cry’s style meter wouldn’t have gone amiss.

In my one-man blood donation campaign, I’m building up my rage meter. As it ascends through tiers, you first unlock the Last Stand recovery mechanic, next enhanced finishing moves, then, lastly, the ability to trigger all-out carnage.

All of a sudden, environments fade away into monochrome irrelevance. The bodies of enemies pulse bright and ripe for shredding. Instakills become available with one squeeze of the trigger buttons.

It’s a thrill of delirious violence, and delete-on-sight kills comparable to Ninja Gaiden 4’s immensely satisfying Berserk mechanic last year.

(Re)generating action

(Image credit: Sony)

Jess Reiner-Reed, Senior Project Director, tells me that turning players into frenzied berserkers was always the plan, but balancing that aggression with Wolverine’s rapid healing ability required some mechanics to shapeshift in a manner worthy of Mystique.

“When people think of Wolverine, they say, ‘How are you going to make a video game about a guy that doesn't die?’ We had some versions that didn't work very well — versions where we were incentivizing the player to hide and have their health regenerate, like an FPS mechanic. But then we really landed on this version where we're incentivizing you to be aggressive.”

After years producing family-friendly fare in the Spider-Man series and Ratchet & Clank, the exact degree of this aggression and its gratuitous violence surprised many. Reiner-Reed gleefully reminds me that Insomniac isn’t new to this after the M-rated Resistance series.

“In Spider-Man, we always had to make sure Spider-Man doesn't kill people, because that's not Peter Parker; he webs guys to the side of the building. In Marvel's Wolverine, we get to kill people in the face.”

(Image credit: Sony)

Focusing up close rather than tearing through Manhattan at 60mph meant Insomniac can lavish attention on details that would pass in a blur for Spider-Man. The game’s richly detailed levels look fantastic, with a focus on satisfyingly physics-driven destructible objects.

One moment in the demo particularly looked like it could have come straight out of Ratchet & Clank, and not for the better. I was pitted against the Proto Sentinel, a giant armoured robot boss rooted in place and limited to pummelling fists, laser-eyes and missile launchers. The somewhat formulaic boss battle was bested by dodge rolls and sprinting from clearly telegraphed blast zones. Despite Team X’s occasional interventions to enliven the fight, it felt like a dated chore compared to more recent similar battles like Clive’s fights against Final Fantasy XVI’s Eikons.

I found the Nightmare Doors sequences similarly deflating. These are portals into Logan’s Canadian wilderness cabin, where he unlocks forgotten memories by navigating a timed obstacle course, scrambling up tree trunks and leaping from eerily suspended shipping containers. The two examples I saw felt like perfunctory diversions compared to the far superior storyline chases.

Wolverine can throw hands with the best of them, but does the unrelenting focus on its excellent close quarters have legs? With no weapon mixups, ranged abilities, or a wide suite of movement abilities evident so far, the variety must come from elsewhere.

Reiner-Reed reassures me that variety will be found through build variations created through the player’s chosen special moves and custom augmentations to shape their build, whether they want to focus on stealth or accelerate into a raging rampage.

Moment to moment, it certainly has the X-Factor you’d expect from the X-Men’s headline act; I catch my pulse racing at the end of my demo, and the Team X team-up attacks with the gigantic Sabertooth and Mystique have me itching to see what punchy combinations await.

But in the space of two hours, I was craving more movement options and could already feel the leap attacks become a crutch.

Downtime in Lowtown

(Image credit: Sony)

Insomniac has far more to offer than just Deadpool & Wolverine’s glib humour and sadistic mayhem, as much as Reiner-Reed relishes team meetings to discuss blood physics. Off duty in a trademark flannel shirt and a cowboy hat, as Wolverine, I got to visit Lowtown for some R&R in the lawless slums of Madripoor.

The sequence provided ample opportunities for Liam McIntyre to show his range between macho posturing with Sabretooth and self-effacingly confronting his inability to find a suitable gift for Jean Grey (despite the advantages he gets from sniffing out her trail).

But it was a simple yet artfully composed game of Never Have I Ever at the bar with Mystique that impressed me most. Logan confronts his misdeeds and inner demons through the bottom of a glass. As I choose to drink and not drink at some of Mystique’s revealingly probing interrogations, I can safely say this: never have I ever been so struck by just waiting to see if Logan’s hesitant outstretched arm raised the cup to his lips.

“I love Logan as a character and always have because I found him one of the most emotionally complex characters,” says Liam McIntyre, the gravel-voiced Aussie actor who’s demonstrating Logan’s unfettered rage and nuanced regret in even these quieter moments.

“He doesn't want to go and high-five people in New York City; that's not his deal. He wants to stay off and be remote and do what he has to do and not make a big deal out of it [...] He feels the most grounded of the superheroes to me.

McIntyre does such a fine job making Wolverine a character you want to spend time with; I was almost disappointed when The Hand’s intrusion brought this lull to an abrupt close. Although crossing blades with them on an exhilarating rooftop chase that closed out the demo soon banished any momentary disappointment. The single-minded narrative momentum I saw here can remove any fears Spider-Man’s open world would be missed.

Both McIntyre and Reiner-Reed point to the game's ending as the moment they're most looking forward to seeing players’ reactions. If it can top what I saw in the first act’s (unfortunately embargoed) rollercoaster climax, I’m eager to see how Marvel’s Wolverine can top it when it arrives on PlayStation 5 on September 15.

Who's ready for another episode of Ted Lasso season 4? I hope you raised your hand because, well, why else would you be here if you weren't?

Anyway, the Apple TV show's next chapter, titled 'Greyhounds' Day Off', will be available to stream very soon, so you'll want some firm details on its launch date and time. Well, don't delay — read on to see when the hit soccer comedy-drama's next installment will come out!

What is the launch time for Ted Lasso season 4 episode 4?

What's got AFC Richmond Women's team bent out of shape? (Image credit: Apple TV)

Episode 4 of Ted Lasso's fourth season will be released in the US and Canada at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Tuesday, August 25.

As I've explained in other articles like this one, Apple had publicly indicated that new chapters would drop on one of the best streaming services worldwide every Wednesday. However, this season's first three entries have aired in North and South America on Tuesday evenings, so this week's installment is all but certain to do likewise.

Where the rest of the world is concerned, Ted Lasso season 4 episode 4 will arrive on Wednesday, August 26. Check out the list below to see what time it'll come out where you live:

• US — Tuesday, August 25 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — Tuesday, August 25 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — Wednesday, August 26 at 2am BST
• India — Wednesday, August 26 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore — Wednesday, August 26 at 9am SGT
• Australia — Wednesday, August 26 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand — Wednesday, August 26 at 1pm NZST

What is the full release schedule for Ted Lasso season 4?

Expect more Keeley and Rebecca-based drama in this season's fourth entry (Image credit: Apple TV)

Ted Lasso season 4 made its Apple TV debut in early August, and it'll run for 10 weeks, with new episodes dropping weekly until the season 4 finale airs in early October.

For a quick rundown of the all-important release dates you need to know about, read on:

• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 1 — out now
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 2 — out now
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 3 — out now
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 4 — August 25/26
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 5 — September 1/2
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 6 — September 8/9
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 7 — September 15/16
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 8 — September 22/23
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 9 — September 29/30
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 10 — October 6/7

Samsung's summer clearance sale is slashing prices on its best-selling TVs, so you can score a brand-new display at a record-low price. You can save over $1,000 on Samsung 4K, QLED, and OLED TVs, with prices starting at just $129.99.

• Shop Samsung's full summer clearance sale

I've listed Samsung's 12 best summer clearance TV deals below, which include a range of top-rated TVs, from premium 2026 OLED displays to big-screen budget sets and Samsung's new lineup of Micro RGB displays.

A few standout deals that offer incredible value include Samsung's popular 50-inch 4K Crystal TV on sale for $249.99, the stunning 55-inch The Frame QLED TV on sale for $799.99, and Samsung's new 75-inch Micro RGB R85H 4K TV at its lowest price ever of $1,899.99.

Shop more of today's best TV deals below, and keep in mind these are limited-time offers, and Samsung offers free, fast shipping.

Samsung Summer Clearance Sale

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• Researchers found banking malware requests VPN permissions to block Google Play and Play Protect on infected Android phones
• ToxicPanda 2.0 bypasses security to install hidden payloads, targeting 349 banking and crypto apps across 16 countries
• The malware can even seize shell-level control of a device

Security researchers have flagged a new twist in Android banking malware: a trojan that turns your phone's own VPN feature against you.

A report from mobile security firm Zimperium details how ToxicPanda 2.0 abuses VPN permissions to shut down Google's built-in protections before it strikes.

The tactic is effective because it hides in plain sight. Plenty of legitimate apps ask for VPN access, and even the best VPN apps rely on the same underlying permission to route your traffic. ToxicPanda copies that request, but uses the access to cut your phone off from Google Play instead.

Once Google Play Protect can no longer reach the device, the malware has a clear runway to install its payload and begin harvesting your data.

How ToxicPanda uses VPN permissions to blind Google Play

ToxicPanda operates as a "dropper," an app that smuggles in a second, hidden program. According to Zimperium researchers, the malware first shows a fake installation screen and prompts the victim to grant VPN permissions. That request looks routine, so many users tap "allow" without a second thought.

Granting it lets ToxicPanda create a local network interface that sits between the phone and the internet, giving the malware control over all traffic passing through the device. It immediately uses that control to block communication with Google Play and Google Play Services.

Cutting off this connection lets the malware interfere with app verifications, updates, and Play Protect, the security layer that would normally flag or remove a harmful app. With Google effectively blindfolded, ToxicPanda decrypts a payload hidden in its own files, installs it, and then asks for Accessibility Service permissions to dig deeper.

(Image credit: Zimperium)

This release is a major escalation from the previous ToxicPanda iteration.

As Zimperium says, ToxicPanda 2.0 now supports 167 remote commands. It can also overlay fake login screens on 349 banking, e-wallet, and crypto apps across 16 countries, up from just 16 apps previously. A separate module harvests PINs from more than 140 financial apps using invisible overlays that capture your taps.

The trojan can also spoof your Android lock screen to steal your PIN, pattern, or password, and it abuses Android's Wireless Debugging (ADB) feature to gain shell-level access and grant itself permissions without prompts.

ToxicPanda first appeared in 2024, targeting European banks. Other similar malware such as Rokarolla, has also hit hundreds of banking and crypto apps in recent months.

How to stay safe

The strongest defense is to keep the malware off your phone in the first place.

Only install apps from the official Google Play Store, and avoid sideloading APK files from links, ads, or third-party sites. Be aware that dangerous VPN links have even slipped into official app stores, so treat any surprise VPN prompt with suspicion.

A legitimate VPN remains a valuable privacy tool, but this campaign is a reminder that the permission itself is powerful, so grant it only to apps you genuinely trust.

• Windscribe's AI-generated ad featuring Adolf Hitler has sparked massive backlash online
• Some users have threatened to cancel their VPN subscriptions over the marketing stunt
• The controversy has also shone a spotlight on the company's use of AI for support, code, and testing

A highly controversial marketing stunt has landed Windscribe in the center of a massive online storm, with furious users taking to social media to declare they are canceling their subscriptions.

The provider, frequently evaluated in discussions for the best VPN services, is facing intense scrutiny after posting a bizarre, AI-generated advertisement featuring Adolf Hitler to its official X account.

In a bid for edgy humor that has spectacularly misfired, the video was immediately slammed by privacy advocates and customers, who were left stunned by the decision to use the infamous dictator to promote a digital privacy tool. The backlash swiftly migrated to Reddit, where threads condemning the video garnered thousands of upvotes within hours.

The outrage didn't stop at the marketing misstep; it also reignited debates over the security implications of Windscribe's public admission that it uses artificial intelligence to handle customer support, write code, and conduct testing.

TechRadar has reached out to Windscribe for comment on the backlash. We will update this story if we receive a response.

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Beyond dubious marketing, Windscribe VPN is fast, capable, and stacked with features. While the provider offers one of the best free VPNs around, Windscribe Premium gives you access to the full server network across 115 locations and extra features, including threat protection and port forwarding. If you find that you're unhappy with the product, you can get your money back within a week of signing up. View Deal

"A line crossed too far"

The outrage on platforms like Reddit's r/Windscribe and r/Piracy has been palpable, with users expressing total disbelief. One user summed up the collective shock, stating, "I just canceled my subscription."

Another user criticized the brand's attempt at adopting an overly casual, shock-jock persona, writing: "One could argue this is normal since Windscribe has always been edgy with their emails and April Fools' gags, but straight up using Hitler is a line crossed too far."

Other users were even more direct, questioning the recent trend of bizarre behavior from VPN providers. "What's with these VPN companies doing this nonsense lately," one commenter noted.

For many, the misstep isn't just a simple mistake but proof that shock-value advertising can easily alienate a core audience relying on these tools for safety.

The AI security elephant in the room

The Hitler video isn't the only issue causing subscribers to hit the cancel button. Screenshots circulating alongside the controversial ad show Windscribe openly discussing its extensive use of artificial intelligence in day-to-day operations.

The company publicly confirmed that its support, coding, and testing are handled by AI.

Wait till you hear how we do support, write and test a lot of our code....August 19, 2026

While integrating artificial intelligence tools is becoming standard practice across the software industry, virtual private network (VPN) users are notoriously protective of their data.

A service designed to encrypt sensitive information and hide digital footprints requires bulletproof cybersecurity practices. The idea that a company's core infrastructure or testing protocols might rely too much on AI has led to understandable anxiety. Bragging about AI while simultaneously botching a PR stunt doesn't inspire confidence.

For now, Windscribe's attempts to go viral have succeeded, but entirely for the wrong reasons. Until the company addresses the community's concerns, its reputation as a reliable guardian of online privacy remains under a heavy cloud.

When you open a forecasting app, you simply select a location, choose an hour and read the answer.

Behind that screen, however, lies one of the hardest prediction problems in science.

The atmosphere is a three-dimensional, constantly changing system.

Before a model can predict what it will do next, it must first answer a surprisingly difficult question: what exactly is the atmosphere doing right now?

We never see the whole atmosphere

No single instrument provides a complete picture of the weather. Weather radars detect precipitation particles. Satellites observe clouds, moisture and temperatures from space. Ground stations measure conditions at individual locations. Weather balloons and aircraft provide information from different altitudes.

Each source has its own resolution, update frequency, coverage gaps and measurement errors. Building the current state of the atmosphere is therefore like reconstructing traffic across an entire city using cameras that point in different directions, refresh at different times and leave many streets completely invisible.

Meteorologists call the process of combining observations with a previous forecast “data assimilation”. It produces an estimate of the current atmospheric state, known as an analysis, from which the next forecast begins.

As ECMWF explains, forecast quality depends crucially on the accuracy of this analysis. Even an excellent model will struggle if its starting picture is incomplete, inaccurate or already out of date.

Why apps lie

One common short-term forecasting technique is optical flow. It analyses consecutive radar images, estimates how precipitation is moving and extrapolates that motion into the future. This can work well when a rain band is moving steadily. The problem is that storms are not static shapes sliding across a map. They form, intensify, weaken, split and merge. A new convective cell can appear where no rain existed 20 minutes earlier.

Imagine a storm approaching a mountain. A simple extrapolation may predict that it will continue moving at the same speed. In reality, the terrain can alter airflow, slow the system and contribute to heavier rain or hail. The challenge is therefore not only predicting where existing precipitation will move. A useful model must also predict how the weather system itself will change.

Another issue is that large-scale models are good at describing weather fronts, pressure systems and atmospheric circulation across countries and continents. But many events that affect people and businesses happen on a much smaller scale. A thunderstorm may affect one part of a city while leaving another almost dry.

A cloud front can sharply reduce output at one solar farm but miss another facility 20 kilometers away. Wind conditions can differ substantially between the ground, a rooftop and the altitude at which a drone operates. Those they can’t predict.

Weather is also highly sensitive to its initial state. Small uncertainties in temperature, humidity or wind can grow as a forecast extends further into the future. This is the real meaning of the “butterfly effect”. It does not mean that one faulty sensor automatically destroys a global forecast. It means that we can never measure the atmosphere perfectly, and uncertainty in its initial state grows over time.

That is why modern forecasting systems increasingly produce ensembles: multiple plausible forecasts rather than one supposedly certain answer. For many decisions, knowing that there is a 30% probability of a severe storm is more useful than receiving a confident prediction that later turns out to be wrong.

Not to late

Latency is one of the least discussed sources of forecast error. Consider a model that produces an excellent forecast based on atmospheric conditions measured two hours ago. If a thunderstorm formed 20 minutes ago, the forecast may already be operationally useless, regardless of how sophisticated the model is.

The World Meteorological Organization defines nowcasting as detailed local forecasting from the present up to six hours ahead. For real-world applications, however, nowcasting is more than a forecast horizon. It requires a continuous pipeline that collects new observations, checks their quality, synchronizes them in time, runs the model and delivers an updated result within minutes.

At the same time, real-time weather forecasting does not mean literally zero delay. What system does is keeps listening to the atmosphere and updates quickly enough to influence the decision being made.

And that means a lot for some industries. A consumer deciding whether to take an umbrella may tolerate an imperfect hourly forecast. Many operational systems cannot. A delivery drone needs to know whether heavy precipitation, icing or dangerous wind will cross its route before it reaches the area. An airport may need to adjust runway operations as a thunderstorm develops nearby.

A solar operator needs to anticipate a fast-moving cloud front before generation suddenly falls. Logistics and mobility platforms can reroute vehicles before flooding or severe rain disrupts a road network.

The same principle applies to outdoor events, emergency services, agriculture and energy trading. These users do not simply need “tomorrow’s weather”. They need to know what is changing, where it is changing and whether there is still time to act.

AI makes forecasting faster, but speed alone is not enough

AI weather models can generate forecasts much faster and with less computing power than many traditional numerical models. Some already outperform physics-based systems on particular variables and forecast horizons. But AI does not eliminate the observation problem.

Most global AI forecasting models still begin with an atmospheric analysis produced by traditional numerical weather prediction infrastructure. If that analysis is several hours old, fast inference cannot make the initial state current again.

AI models can also underestimate the intensity of rare events because extreme examples are underrepresented in their training data and because some training methods favor smoother, more statistically likely outcomes. Recent research has found that leading AI models can produce larger errors than physics-based systems when forecasting record-breaking heat, cold and wind events.

This is why the future is unlikely to be a simple contest between AI and physics. ECMWF already runs its operational AI forecasting system alongside its traditional physics-based model.

The strongest architecture will combine global models, high-frequency local observations, AI-based nowcasting, physical constraints and probabilistic estimates of uncertainty.

We've reviewed, rated, and ranked the best cloud backup platforms.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

Corsair remains one of the premier RAM-makers in our experience, and while much of the attention this year has been on soaring DDR5 prices, but DDR4 hasn't escaped the wider memory squeeze either, making upgrades much more expensive than they were last year.

Still, for a nice saving on a top memory maker, the 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4 kit is down to $260 (was $300) at Newegg.

What you're getting for your money is a well-established Corsair kit with a good combination of capacity, speed and relatively tight timings for an existing DDR4 system.

32GB Vengeance RGB Pro RAM: was $299.99 now $259.99
The kit consists of two 16GB DDR4-3200 modules running at CL16, with 16-20-20-38 timings. Intel XMP 2.0 support lets compatible systems apply the performance profile through the BIOS. Each module also has an anodized aluminum heat spreader and ten individually addressable RGB LEDs.View Deal

Why we recommend it

DDR4-3200 CL16 remains a decent specification for many existing Intel and AMD DDR4 systems. It offers reasonably tight latency, and the two-module configuration gives you a straightforward dual-channel setup.

Corsair also uses a custom PCB and screened memory ICs with stability and overclocking in mind. XMP 2.0 makes reaching the rated settings straightforward on compatible hardware so there's no need to configure timings manually.

It looks good too. The RGB implementation gives you ten individually addressable LEDs on each module, with extensive customization available through iCUE.

Price context & historical value

$259.99 is around 13% off the usual $299.99 asking price. That's not too bad in today's expensive memory market, but 32GB DDR4 kits have sold for an awful lot less in the not-so recent past.

Memory prices have risen massively this year (thanks mainly to AI), so this is about reducing what you have to pay now, rather than getting anywhere close to when DDR4 was cheap.

For more savings, we've picked out this week's best RAM deals.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro if...

You have an existing DDR4 desktop that needs more memory and want a 32GB dual-channel kit rather than replacing the rest of your platform just to move to DDR5. It's suitable for systems where 16GB is beginning to feel restrictive when multitasking or running memory-hungry apps.

❌ Skip the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro if...

You're building an entirely new PC and have the option of choosing a DDR5 platform. Buying DDR4 makes much more sense as an upgrade that extends the life of an existing machine than as the foundation of a new high-end system.

Part of the appeal of Vengeance RGB Pro is its lighting and design, and if you don't need that then a less elaborate 32GB DDR4 kit may make more sense and cost less.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

The biggest issue is obvious: $259.99 is still a lot of money for 32GB of DDR4. That said, you're not going to find many bargains right now, so any saving is still worth considering.

These RGB modules also have relatively tall heat spreaders, so clearance is worth checking if you use a large CPU air cooler.

• See all desktop memory at Newegg

• Microsoft has concocted another scheme to pay people to use Edge
• It's a referral link that gives you reward points for every friend invited
• A strange Bing app has also been spotted that switches some browsers to have Microsoft's search engine by default, and it's proving controversial

Microsoft is once again pushing Edge — and also Bing — in promotional efforts that may elicit more than a few groans from Windows 11 users.

We're used to this kind of thing in Windows 11, mind, and I'll come back to Bing later, as this is an apparent plan that hasn't kicked into action yet. However, the latest Edge scheme is active, and as Windows Latest reports, it's offering financial incentives to get people to use Microsoft's web browser.

This is happening on the mobile version of Edge where users are being offered a referral scheme. If you can get a friend to switch to Edge via a referral link, you'll receive 500 Microsoft Rewards points (with the ability to accumulate up to 7,500 points per month if you're feeling ambitious).

The person you invite can't be an existing Edge user (they must never have installed the mobile browser), and they will also earn 500 points for signing up. However, your invited friend must sign into Edge and use the browser for at least two days (web searching on Bing, too) within the first two weeks of being referred.

Windows Latest observes that there's no way to access this referral scheme should you be interested — you'll just have to keep using Edge mobile and wait until it's presented to you.

As well as the promotion of Bing in that offer (in terms of the requirement to use the search engine for a couple of days), there's a more brazen initiative to push Bing usage that Windows Latest also spotted.

This was highlighted in a post on X by leaker Xeno who discovered a small app called 'Microsoft Recommended Search' which has one sole and simple purpose: to change your default search engine to Bing.

When run, it offers up a simple slider to set Bing as the default engine, and if you allow this, the app switches to Microsoft's search engine across some of your installed browsers. That means Chrome and Firefox, and also apparently Brave and possibly others, via extensions which are added to these browsers. Apparently the experience is rounded off by sending the user to the Microsoft Rewards page.

Where is this app exactly? Thankfully it isn't something that's being deployed to Windows 11, and Windows Latest notes that it's just a standalone application hosted on Microsoft's official download servers (download.microsoft.com) — for the time being, anyway.

Analysis: an ominous sign?

(Image credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock)

Does this mean that the Bing switching application is something Microsoft intends to pipe out to Windows 11 at some point? That's the obvious worry, because you've got to wonder why Microsoft built this mini app in the first place. I'm guessing that this is something for use in testing, though, and not active deployment — although it could come to Windows 11 in theory (or something similar could).

I really hope not, and given that Microsoft is doing its level best to get everyone to appreciate its desktop OS this year, it's obvious that anything along these lines would be highly counterproductive to that goal.

However, there's plenty of suspicion on Reddit about Microsoft's intentions here, and chatter from those who've already switched to Linux, pointing out that this kind of thing is exactly why they migrated. As one Redditor put it: "Every day is a Microslop news day, I'm so glad I quit Windows a while ago." There are quite a few others in that thread who see this as another reason to defect to Linux, despite the fact that nothing has happened with this Bing app yet.

As for the referral scheme to promote Edge, this isn't the first time Microsoft has effectively offered lowkey bribes to get people to switch to the browser. Indeed, the likes of million-dollar prizes have been thrown around recently (and the same has been true of Bing in the past). Not that there's anything wrong with this idea in principle, except it does show that Microsoft's getting rather desperate in its efforts to recruit folks to use Edge and Bing.

The most baffling part of all with Edge is that it's a good web browser which stands on its own merits, and I think it would benefit from not being promoted so much (as that activity only makes people suspicious, or determined not to use Edge as a reaction to being constantly cajoled about it).