Technology

The Blues look move back into the top four as they take on off-form Villa at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs look to build on their statement win over Man City.

• Bluesky is expanding its moderation team as the platform grows
• New verification and impersonation measures are coming
• Bluesky says it will have more to share on these features soon

Users have been arriving on Bluesky in droves – many moving over from Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) – but while an influx of new users will please the Bluesky team, it does come with its own set of problems, including verification and impersonation.

Now, Bluesky has said it will be stepping up its efforts to make sure accounts are being run by the people they say they are. The team is apparently "working behind the scenes" to get organizations and "high-profile individuals" verified, so no one gets duped.

Impersonation and verification becomes more of a problem the bigger a social network gets: if the President of the United States posts something, you want to be able to be sure it is the President, and not a teenager on the other side of the world.

Bluesky says "impersonation and handle-squatting accounts will be removed", and it's now quadrupling the size of its moderation team, to help weed out users who aren't who they say they are – and potentially scamming other users.

More to follow

Bluesky says it's committed to keeping users safe (Image credit: Future)

While parody, satire, and fan accounts are permitted on Bluesky, they must be labeled as such – in both the handle and the bio of the account. Identity churning (changing your identity to mislead other users) is not allowed, however.

Right now we don't know much about how the Bluesky verification process is going to work – whether verified users will get badges, for example, or the methods that will be used to verify them – but expect more updates in the near future.

The Bluesky team is asking for feedback on what might and might not work as far as verification goes. Right now you can partly verify yourself by attaching a custom domain name to your Bluesky account – but that's not something everyone will want to do.

"With more users joining Bluesky, we know how important it is to identify which accounts are real," explains the new Bluesky post. "Users deserve confidence that the accounts they interact with are authentic."

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• Deepfake detection tool available as Google Chrome browser extension
• Provides a 'deepfake score' that determines if media is authentic
• Hiya claims its service can detect issues with only one second of audio

One of the most concerning developments in AI technologies is the rise of deepfakes, highly realistic audio and video forgeries able to mislead audiences and disrupt businesses.

As deepfake tools become more accessible, the need for reliable ways to detect them grows, especially for professionals relying on accurate information to make critical decisions.

Hiya has introduced its Deepfake Voice Detector, a free extension for Google Chrome that quickly identifies manipulated audio and video content, providing results in seconds, making it easy for users to spot suspicious media.

The fight against deepfakes intensifies

By integrating AI-powered detection capabilities directly into the browser, Hiya claims its tool offers a practical solution for businesses, journalists, and individuals navigating an increasingly complex information landscape.

The Deepfake Voice Detector harnesses the power of AI to identify manipulated audio and video with up to 99% accuracy. The tool analyzes voice patterns within online content and provides results in just seconds, giving users a fast way to evaluate suspicious material, regardless of the audio channel or language.

With the ability to analyze as little as one second of audio, the tool provides real-time detection and multi-language support. Once analyzed, the extension offers an authenticity score ranging from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating a genuine voice and 0 signalling a deepfake.

This browser plugin is designed for use on social media or news platforms, allowing tools like the Deepfake Voice Detector to offer support to newsrooms and businesses seeking to validate content.

Several media and fact-checking organizations such as AFP Fact Check, RTVE.es, the Deepfake Analysis Unit, and TrueMedia.org already rely on Hiya’s solution, with Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice chair and president, also recently praising the tool, calling it an excellent example of “using good AI to combat bad AI.”

“Deepfake scams can lead employees to share confidential company information or expose critical IT system passwords,” said Kush Parikh, President at Hiya. “The consequences of falling for these scams are immense, especially as vishing is increasingly used with deepfakes to extort or blackmail individuals."

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• Vay’s new rental cars are remotely delivered by teledrivers
• Drivers sit at stations with a steering wheel and live video feeds
• A trial is running in Las Vegas via an iOS app ahead of a European launch

Next time you rent a car, it could be delivered by a driver sitting miles away. Vay, a car rental service, is trialing a technology in Las Vegas where its vehicles are ferried to customers by remote teledrivers – and the tech could be coming to Europe soon, too.

Using the Vay app, you can summon a vehicle to rent by the minute. Drop a pin and your car will arrive driverless, ready for you to use for as long as you need. The system isn’t reliant on self-driving technology, though: Vay’s fleet is operated from afar by a team of professional teledrivers. When you’re done, they can even park for you.

These trained operators sit at stations similar to racing simulators. They drive the vehicle remotely using a steering wheel, pedals and other controls which, according to Vay, have been “developed to meet automotive industry standards.”

Teledrivers watch a live video feed of the road on a bank of monitors, fed in real-time from camera sensors installed in the vehicle. Microphones on the car also relay traffic sounds and warning signals to the teledriver’s headphones.

According to Vay, the system is reliant on “multiple cellular networks combined with proprietary hardware on both telestation and the vehicle.”

Before getting behind the wheel of a real remote-control car, Vay’s drivers are put through its Teledrive Academy. Vay describes this as, “a rigorous program that prepares our drivers for public streets.”

Vay is also bullish about its safety standards. It called in TÜV Süd, an independent testing and certification body, to confirm that its remote-driving technology is indeed safe. As robust as its data relays are, there are also safeguards built in: in an emergency, the vehicle automatically comes to a safe stop. According to Vay, the teledrive system is “as safe as having someone in the driver’s seat".

It isn't the only company working on teledriving tech. The Estonian startup Elmo was recently given approval in its home country for its AI-powered autonomous braking system, which lets cars driver at higher speeds without a human driver. But not all of Vay's rivals are ready to ditch the human driver just yet...

Ghost rider

Vay’s ambition is to roll out driverless mobility services which combine the best bits of humans and machines, with the net benefit of reducing the number of cars in cities.

Going forward, it intends to incorporate more autonomous functions into the system, once they are safe and legal. For now, its trial fleet is operating in Las Vegas. But momentum from recent fund-raising and new partnerships with the likes of Belgian car-sharing platform Poppy mean similar trials in Europe are now on the horizon.

Vay isn’t the only firm trialing variations on the robotaxi concept. Alphabet subsidiary Waymo has been running its driverless taxis in Los Angeles, while Hyundai has been operating a highly autonomous version of the Ioniq 5 in partnership with Uber – albeit with a human driver behind the wheel as a backup.

Elon Musk also finally unveiled Tesla’s long-promised “Cybercab” in October, although very few details were revealed about the technology powering the vehicle. A recent job listing for a remote teleoperator indicates that Tesla could be following Vay’s lead with its robot taxis.

According to the listing, “Tesla AI’s Teleoperation team is charged with providing remote access to our robotaxis and humanoid robots. Our cars and robots operate autonomously in challenging environments. As we iterate on the AI that powers them, we need the ability to access and control them remotely.”

Unlike Vay, the job description suggests that Tesla’s remote driving system will rely on VR rather than video screens. “Our remote operators are transported into the device’s world using a state-of-the-art VR rig that allows them to remotely perform complex and intricate tasks.”

Time will tell when, where and whether at all Tesla rolls out its tele-operated taxis. For the time being, if you want to have a rental car delivered by a remote driver you’ll need to hit up Vay in Las Vegas. The app is available for iOS now. If you’re an Android user, you can join the waitlist.

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• The creators of Skeleton Crew say that Jude Law's Jod Na Nawood wasn't inspired by Han Solo
• Many Star Wars fans believe that Harrison Ford's roguish rebel was a key influence on Jod's persona and aesthetic
• However, neither Solo or any infamous pirates served as the inspiration for Jod

The creators of Skeleton Crew have revealed the true inspiration for Jude Law's Jod Na Nawood in the forthcoming Star Wars series.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of the show's two-episode premiere, Jon Watts and Christopher Ford discussed the main influence behind Law's enigmatic individual.

In the months leading up to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew's release, fans have theorized that Jod was heavily inspired by Star Wars stalwart Han Solo. Indeed, with Skeleton Crew's official trailer and various TV spots putting Jod's roguish charm and impulsive actions front and center, such a comparison doesn't seem so outlandish.

Jod Na Nawood will have viewers second-guessing themselves over his motives (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

Watts and Ford, though, say this isn't the case. So, who's the chief inspiration behind Law's mysterious stranger? Considering the Disney Plus show is partly influenced by pirate movies and TV shows, did the pair create the character of Jod by looking at legendary, swashbuckling individuals like Blackbeard, Calico Jack, and Ned Low?

The kids are fresh, new, and naive, and we wanted Jod to immediately feel like he's been around this galaxy

Christopher Ford, Skeleton Crew co-creator

Not exactly. In fact, there's only one person that Watts and Ford had in mind when it came to inventing a new adult character for Lucasfilm's iconic sci-fi universe – and the answer is really, really obvious.

"It's funny, when we were writing it [Skeleton Crew], we would always say 'Nod is a Jude Law-like character,'" Watts explained. "It feels like he [Law] has already been in Star Wars for a long time, so we just reached out to him and put him in our show.

"He brings all of these layers of mystery and complexity [to Jod]," Watts continued "And it really feels like his character has been through a lot by the time he meets the kids [Wim, Fern, K.B, and Neel]."

Jod doesn't always see eye-to-eye with Skeleton Crew's young cast of characters (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

"Yeah, we wanted them [the kids] to contrast [Jod]," Ford interjected. "The kids are fresh, new, and naive, and we wanted Jod to immediately feel like he's been around this galaxy. You know, maybe he's met some of the show's other characters before but, more that that, we wanted him to feel like a veteran who's been around the block a few times."

You won't have much longer to see when Jod and the show's young cast of characters cross paths, and how their personalities clash once they do. Indeed, the last of 2024's new Star Wars movies and TV shows will make its Disney Plus debut on December 2 (US) and December 3 (internationally). Be on the lookout for my Skeleton Crew review closer to the time, too. For now, read more of our Star Wars coverage below.

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• Fujifilm rumors predict a 100MP medium format compact camera for 2025
• Leica rival could be called the GFX100RF and be the size of an X-Pro 3
• GFX sensors are about 70% bigger than full-frame rivals

The Fujifilm X100VI has been the undoubted camera hit of the year, but new rumors suggest the company could be cooking up something more audacious for 2025 – a 100MP medium format, fixed-lens compact camera.

In recent days, the reliable Fuji Rumors has posted a succession of leaks from "trusted sources" about a new Fujifilm GFX100RF camera. What's got photography fans chattering is that the rumors predict it'll combine a 100MP GFX sensor (that's around 70% bigger than full-frame) with a body that's "about the size of an X-Pro 3".

That would be a big deal. The X-Pro 3 is similar in size to the X100VI, a camera that's been sold out for much of the year thanks to its retro, film camera looks and smartphone-beating APS-C sensor. So the recipe for the GFX100RF appears to be a rangefinder-style compact camera with a huge sensor and a fixed GF35mm f/4 lens.

On paper, that's a combination that could see Fujifilm's new camera emerge as an alternative to ultra-premium compacts like the beautiful-but-bankrupting Leica Q3. That GF35mm f/4 lens would be about 28mm f/3.2 in full-frame terms, a versatile focal length for environmental portraits, travel and landscapes. By comparison, the X100VI's lens is like a 35mm f/2.8 on full-frame.

A couple of the spec rumors suggest the GFX100RF is going to be a far more specialist camera than the X100VI. There will apparently be no in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which would place some demands on its owner's handheld technique in lower light. That 100MP sensor would also create enormous files –our Fujifilm GFX100S II review found full-resolution files were around 200MB each.

In short: the GFX100RF rumors

– Fujifilm GFX100RF
– similar size to X-Pro 3
– 100MP GFX sensor
– GF35mm f/4 lens
– No in-body stabilization
– March 2025 launch

But these rumors also suggest that Fujifilm wants the GFX100RF to hit new price lows for a medium format camera. In many ways, it sounds like a spiritual successor to the GFX50S II, which landed in 2022 for $3,999 / £3,499 / AU$6,499 (body-only).

It's a bit early for price predictions, but if Fujifilm could hit that kind of price ballpark for its new camera, it could garner X100VI-style hype, if not quite the same level of demand. Fuji Rumors is predicting an arrival in March 2025, so we can expect to see more detailed leaks in the next few months.

Analysis: A niche but exciting prospect Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

The Fujifilm GFX100RF sounds like a smart move for Fujifilm and an exciting one for photographers (if not their bank managers). Fujifilm has done a lot to popularize digital medium format cameras, but its GFX series has lacked a fixed-lens star like the X100VI – the GFX100RF could be that camera.

What is medium format?

(Image credit: Future)

Medium format comes from the film days and originally described cameras that used 120 film. Now it describes digital cameras that offer a roughly equivalent sensor size. Fujifilm's GFX sensors are smaller than traditional medium format, but are about 1.7x bigger than full-frame. The benefits are dynamic range and, with a 100MP sensor, huge cropping potential.

It'd certainly be a more niche affair, not least because of the price tag. And despite its rumored dimensions, it wouldn't be a walkaround all-rounder like the X100VI – we'd expect it to excel at portraits, architecture and landscapes (despite that tight-ish focal length), with fast-moving scenes still likely too much for its autofocus and burst speeds. Think the ultimate hiking camera, rather than a street star.

But its fixed lens (for smaller overall dimensions) and 28mm equivalent focal length could make it a highly tempting alternative to the Leica Q series. The Leica Q3 is an incredible little full-frame camera, but costs $5,995 / £5,300 / AU$9,790. If Fujifilm could significantly undercut that, it could have a new cult favorite on its hands.

There are a few gaps in the GFX100RF's specs that we need to learn about before hailing it as a sure-fire winner. Like the Leica Q3, will its lens have optical image stabilization (OIS) to compensate for the lack in-body stabilization? That seems nigh-on essential. And how good will that fixed, f/4 lens be? It certainly isn't bright, so its sharpness needs to flawless to pull out the benefits of that 100MP sensor. Hopefully, the camera will also have weather-sealing.

Those doubts aside, the GFX100RF is promising prospect. Yes, a Fujifilm X-Pro 4 (which we hope it's also working on) would be far more affordable and the more sensible choice for most. But a GFX camera that's similar in size to the X-Pro series would be a real statement – and, in theory, could continue Fuji's recent hot streak into 2025.

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Forecasting is both art and science, reliant on both rigor and luck—but you can develop a mindset that anticipates and plans ahead.

Samsung’s Galaxy S phones almost always excel for photographic performance, with the company’s top models often ranking among the best camera phones. So if you’re into smartphone photography, the Samsung Galaxy S25 series could be worth getting excited about.

We probably won’t know for sure what camera hardware these phones have until January, with leaks suggesting these phones could be unveiled on January 22. But other leaks have revealed many of the possible camera specs.

Below then, we’ve detailed the likely camera specs for the Samsung Galaxy S25, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, along with some information on what cameras the rumored Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim might have.

Our predictions below are primarily based on leaks, coupled with some educated guesses to fill in the gaps.

Samsung Galaxy 25 rumored cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

We’ve heard very little about the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S25 so far, but often when a key detail doesn’t get leaked much it’s because it’s not changing from the previous generation, and that’s exactly what TechManiacs claims.

Or at least, the site says the megapixel counts of the sensors will remain the same, but notes that improvements will come to the ISP (image signal processor) through the new chipset – rumored to be a Snapdragon 8 Elite – and that there could be other hardware improvements.

It doesn’t say what those other hardware improvements will be, but it’s possible then that the Samsung Galaxy S25 could get some new lenses or sensors, just with the same number of megapixels.

In any case, we’d take this leak with a pinch of salt, but for now it’s all we have to go on. So our best prediction for the Samsung Galaxy S25’s cameras is that they’ll be similar to those on the Samsung Galaxy S24, meaning a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 10MP telephoto (with 3x optical zoom), and a 12MP front-facing camera.

In the chart above you can see more detailed information on these cameras, though again, there’s no guarantee the Galaxy S25 will have exactly this.

Samsung Galaxy 25 Plus rumored cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

It’s exactly the same story with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, which is to say the only camera leak so far (linked above) suggests the cameras will have the same number of megapixels as in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.

That doesn’t guarantee that it will use exactly the same sensors and lenses, but if there were big changes planned, we’d think they would have leaked by now.

So for now we’re predicting a 50MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, a 10MP telephoto (with 3x optical zoom), and a 12MP front-facing camera, just like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.

We also predict that whatever the case, its camera hardware will be the same as the standard Samsung Galaxy S25’s, since the base and Plus models typically have the same cameras.

Samsung Galaxy 25 Ultra rumored cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

While the base and Plus models might not be in for any camera upgrades, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is rumored to be getting some camera improvements.

Multiple sources have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will have a new 50MP ultra-wide camera, up from 12MP on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, these leakers claim the other sensors won’t be changing. That would mean you’re also getting a 200MP primary sensor, a 50MP 5x telephoto camera, a 10MP 3x telephoto, and a 12MP front-facing camera.

One early leak from @BennettBuhner did suggest it could have more upgrades, including a larger, near 1-inch 200MP primary sensor, a 50MP 3x – 5x variable zoom camera, and a 50MP 10x zoom camera, as well as the more widely rumored 50MP ultra-wide. However, since no one else has echoed this claim and the source doesn’t have much of a track record, we’re skeptical of that.

So for now, our best guess is that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will have broadly the same cameras as the S24 Ultra, just with a new 50MP ultra-wide.

Samsung Galaxy 25 Slim rumored cameras

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

There’s a chance a Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim could land alongside the rest of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, and while we don’t know much about it yet, we have heard that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim could have an "Ultra" camera, perhaps meaning the 200MP one from the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The same source more recently said that the Galaxy S25 Slim would have a “stronger” camera than the base Galaxy S25, though since they haven’t detailed exactly what specs the camera might have, it’s hard to know quite what to expect.

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The giant holes in galaxies’ centers shouldn’t be able to combine, yet combine they do. Scientists suggest that an unusual form of dark matter may be the solution.

• CyCognito report shows the risks posed by supply chain vulnerabilities
• Third-party products are putting businesses at risk with undetected vulnerabilities
• Web servers, cryptographic protocols, and web interfaces suffer the most

Critical vulnerabilities often go unnoticed in many digital systems, exposing businesses to significant security risks, new research has claimed.

With organizations increasingly reliant on third-party software and complex supply chains, cyber threats are no longer confined to internal assets alone, as many of the most dangerous vulnerabilities come from external sources.

The 2024 State of External Exposure Management Report from CyCognito provides an analysis of the risks organizations face today, particularly around web servers, cryptographic protocols, and PII-handling web interfaces.

Supply chain risk remains a growing concern

Third-party vendors play a crucial role in the operations of many companies, providing essential hardware and software. However, their involvement may introduce significant risks, particularly concerning misconfigurations and vulnerabilities in the entire supply chain.

Many of the most severe vulnerabilities like MOVEit Transfer flaw, Apache Log4J, and Polyfill were revealed to have links to third-party software.

Web servers are consistently among the most vulnerable assets in an organization’s IT infrastructure. CyCognito’s findings reveal web server environments account for one in three (34%) of all severe issues across surveyed assets. Platforms such as Apache, NGINX, Microsoft IIS, and Google Web Server are at the center of these concerns, hosting more severe issues than 54 other environments combined.

Beyond web servers, vulnerabilities in cryptographic protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) and HTTPS are also driving concern. The report indicates that 15% of all severe issues on the attack surface affect platforms using TLS or HTTPS protocols. Web applications that lack proper encryption are especially at risk, ranking #2 on the OWASP Top 10 list of security risks.

CyCognito's report also hightlighted the insufficiency of Web Application Firewall (WAF) protections, especially for web interfaces handling personally identifiable information (PII).

The report shows only half of surveyed web interfaces that process PII were protected by a WAF, leaving sensitive information vulnerable to attacks. Even more concerning is the fact that 60% of the interfaces that expose PII also lack WAF protection.

Unfortunately, outdated approaches to vulnerability management often leaves assets exposed, amplifying the risks. Organizations must adopt a more proactive and comprehensive approach to managing external exposures.

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