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Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Feb. 19

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 21:41
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Feb. 19.
Categories: Technology

Musk's xAI Launches Grok 3: Here's What You Need to Know

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 21:00
Grok 3 is "scary smart," according to Elon Musk, and is "an order of magnitude more powerful than Grok 2."
Categories: Technology

Those Star Trek-Style Humane AI Pins Will Stop Working by End of the Month

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 19:05
All consumer data will be deleted as of Feb. 28, so if you own one, download your data now.
Categories: Technology

HP acquires Human Ai and gives the AI pin a humane death

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 17:46

Humane AI Pin's short, bumpy ride is over. HP announced on Tuesday (February 18) that it was acquiring the company and absorbing some employees for $116 million. According to a report in Bloomberg, the Human AI pin will be discontinued.

In a release on the acquisition, HP notes that it will "acquire key AI capabilities from Humane, including their AI-powered platform Cosmos, highly skilled technical talent, and intellectual property with more than 300 patents and patent applications." It makes no mention of hardware.

Humane AI was a fascinating wearable AI computing device that arrived in November 2023. Instead of a screen, the device featured a camera to watch your world and a tiny projector; you held out your hand and could see little messages and information from the pin. You interacted with the platform through voice and gestures. It sounded, at the time, like the future.

Humane AI Pin, though, ran aground in April 2024 when early adopters delivered scathing reviews. YouTube giant Marques Brownlee called it "The worst product I've ever reviewed... for now." That conclusion and a collection of other terrible reviews more or less sealed its fate. Well, that and issues with the batter clip that may have been a fire hazard. Even TechRadar rated it one of the biggest tech flops of 2024.

HP AI gets Humane

HP, though, sounds more than impressed with the system's AI capabilities and plans to weave them (or some form of them) throughout HP products. From the release: Humane's engineers "will help us create an intelligent ecosystem across all HP devices from AI PCs to smart printers and connected conference rooms. This will unlock new levels of functionality for our customers and deliver on the promises of AI."

For HP, which has been comparatively quiet on the AI innovation front, this acquisition could be a real boon to its business. As for the Humane AI team, they have nothing but praise for their new owners. In a release on the Humane website, Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, Co-founders of Humane, wrote, "We’re excited to join HP at such a pivotal moment in the industry and help shape the future of intelligent experiences,” said.

Humane's release also makes no mention of the AI Pin.

This is good news for Humane AI fans and, obviously, less good news for those who paid $699 for the pin. Perhaps HP will offer them, discounts on whatever HP products end up featuring Humane AI.

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Categories: Technology

In a test, 2000 people were shown deepfake content, and only two of them managed to get a perfect score

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 16:16
  • iProov study finds older adults struggle most with deepfakes
  • False confidence is widespread among the younger generation
  • Social media is a deepfake hotspot, experts warn

As deepfake technology continues to advance, concerns over misinformation, fraud, and identity theft are growing, thanks to literacy in AI tools being at a startling low.

A recent iProov study claims most people struggle to distinguish deepfake content from reality, as it took 2,000 participants from the UK and US being exposed to a mix of real and AI-generated images and videos, finding only 0.1% of participants - two whole people - correctly distinguished between real and deepfake stimuli.

The study found older adults are particularly susceptible to AI-generated deception. Around 30% of those aged 55-64, and 39% of those over 65, had never heard of deepfakes before. While younger participants were more confident in their ability to detect deepfakes, their actual performance in the study did not improve.

Older generations are more vulnerable

Deepfake videos were significantly harder to detect than images, the study added,as participants were 36% less likely to correctly identify a fake video compared to an image, raising concerns about video-based fraud and misinformation.

Social media platforms were highlighted as major sources of deepfake content. Nearly half of the participants (49%) identified Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, as the most common places where deepfakes are found, while 47% pointed to TikTok.

"[This underlines] how vulnerable both organizations and consumers are to the threat of identity fraud in the age of deepfakes," said Andrew Bud, founder and CEO of iProov.

"Criminals are exploiting consumers’ inability to distinguish real from fake imagery, putting personal information and financial security at risk."

Bud added even when people suspect a deepfake, most take no action. Only 20% of respondents said they would report a suspected deepfake if they encountered one online.

With deepfakes becoming increasingly sophisticated, iProov believes that human perception alone is no longer reliable for detection, and Bud emphasized the need for biometric security solutions with liveness detection to combat the threat of ever more convincing deepfake material.

“It’s down to technology companies to protect their customers by implementing robust security measures," he said. "Using facial biometrics with liveness provides a trustworthy authentication factor and prioritizes both security and individual control, ensuring that organizations and users can keep pace with these evolving threats."

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Categories: Technology

Elon Musk’s DOGE Is Being Sued Under the Privacy Act: What to Know

WIRED Top Stories - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:50
At least eight ongoing lawsuits related to the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s alleged access to sensitive data hinge on the Watergate-inspired Privacy Act of 1974. But it’s not airtight.
Categories: Technology

Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #1122)

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:41
Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, February 18 (game #1121).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1122) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1122) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1122) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1122) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1122) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• T

• V

• D

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

Quordle today (game #1122) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1122, are…

  • ABATE
  • TROVE
  • VENUE
  • DRAPE

Yesterday I tried four start words. I found it quick but risky, so today I used three start words, going for Nymph as a vowel-free attempt. It sort of worked – I certainly felt like I solved the puzzle quicker and there were fewer brain jams – but I still think it was a high-risk tactic. It did, however, make getting DRAPE a good deal easier with the uncommon P making an appearance.

I’m uncertain if any technique heightens the chances of a better finish, though, as it still took me eight attempts, the same result as I’m getting using the Wordle one-word-at-a-time method for the Daily Sequence.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1122) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1122, are…

  • ZEBRA
  • BILLY
  • AUDIO
  • SHIRE
Quordle answers: The past 20
  • Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
  • Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
  • Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
  • Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
  • Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
  • Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
  • Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
  • Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
  • Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
  • Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
  • Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL
  • Quordle #1110, Friday 7 February: PETAL, ABASE, AMONG, CORER
  • Quordle #1109, Thursday 6 February: MADAM, SCAMP, FAUNA, TRACK
  • Quordle #1108, Wednesday 5 February: SIXTH, VERVE, BLURB, CACTI
  • Quordle #1107, Tuesday 4 February: BIRTH, DRAWN, MILKY, JOIST
  • Quordle #1106, Monday 3 February: SLEET, TENSE, SEIZE, SCAMP
  • Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
  • Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
  • Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO
  • Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
Categories: Technology

NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #353)

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:41
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, February 18 (game #352).

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 #353) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Pick your own prefix

NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • LUCK
  • SALE
  • CLEAR
  • BLUR
  • SOLD
  • MALE
NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

Small fruits

NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #353) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #353, are…

  • ELDER
  • STRAW
  • HUCKLE
  • BLUE
  • RASP
  • SALMON
  • GOLDEN
  • BLACK
  • SPANGRAM: BERRIES
  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 1 hint

Interestingly, BERRIES is a linguistic invention and many languages other than English do not gather these small fruits into a single food family and instead have unique words for STRAWberry, RASPberry, etc.

The truth is they are not related at all. The word berry comes from the Latin for grape – but we don’t think of grapes as berries – and was just used to describe small fruits. Meanwhile, to add to the confusion what some people think is a HUCKLEberry, other people think of as a BLUEberry.

Like mushrooms, berries are an area you have to be careful if foraging in the wild. Many varieties, including ELDER, will give you a very upset stomach, while some, including Virginia Creeper Berries, can be fatal to humans. Perhaps it would be a good idea to not give them a name that includes the same suffix as things that are delicious.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 18 February, game #352)
  • JELLYFISH
  • SPORPION
  • HORNET
  • PLATYPUS
  • BUMBLEBEE
  • SPANGRAM: STINGERS
What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Categories: Technology

NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #619)

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:41
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, February 18 (game #618).

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 #619) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • TICK
  • TOCK
  • DING
  • DOCK
  • NICK
  • COCK
  • PONY
  • МОСК
  • CHIME
  • PIG
  • WHARF
  • SCRATCH
  • LIGHTHOUSE
  • CUCKOO
  • DENT
  • BOARDWALK
NYT Connections today (game #619) - hint #1 - group hints

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

  • YELLOW: Beachside architecture
  • GREEN: Little accidents
  • BLUE: Birdy clock 
  • PURPLE: Add a word that wags

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 #619) - hint #2 - group answers

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

  • YELLOW: STRUCTURES BY THE SHORE 
  • GREEN: SMALL IMPERFECTION 
  • BLUE: SOUNDS A CUCKOO CLOCK MAKES 
  • PURPLE: _ TAIL 

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

NYT Connections today (game #619) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #619, are…

  • YELLOW: STRUCTURES BY THE SHORE BOARDWALK, DOCK, LIGHTHOUSE, WHARF
  • GREEN: SMALL IMPERFECTION DENT, DING, NICK, SCRATCH
  • BLUE: SOUNDS A CUCKOO CLOCK MAKES CHIME, CUCKOO, TICK, TOCK
  • PURPLE: _ TAIL COCK, MOCK, PIG, PONY
  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 1 mistake

I get bamboozled when there’s lots of small rhyming words. Today, I wasted time thinking we were looking for a group of words connected to a nursery rhyme, but the answer was the much more straightforward SOUNDS A CUCKOO CLOCK MAKES.

In fact all the groups were much less challenging than my initial hunches – DENT, DING, NICK and SCRATCH I was thinking were results of vehicle accidents (when really they were just SMALL IMPERFECTIONs) and BOARDWALK, DOCK, LIGHTHOUSE and WHARF I thought could be unique to a particular city (rather than merely STRUCTURES BY THE SHORE).

The lesson I’m taking is not to overlook the obvious.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 18 February, game #618)
  • YELLOW: CRATER CAVITY, HOLE, HOLLOW, PIT
  • GREEN: ACCESSIBLE AVAILABLE, HANDY, NEARBY, READY
  • BLUE: SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL FILLING, HEARTY, SOLID, SQUARE
  • PURPLE: BRITISHISMS BUTTY, CHIPPY, FOOTY, TELLY
What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Categories: Technology

Play Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader and More Games Soon on Xbox Game Pass

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:30
Subscribers can also play Watch Dogs: Legion and F1 24 soon.
Categories: Technology

An obscure French startup just launched the cheapest true 5K monitor in the world right now and I can't wait to test it

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:05
  • JapanNext challenges high-end market with affordable 5K monitor
  • VESA compatibility, adjustable stand, and multiple connectivity options
  • Multitasking is made easier with PIP and PBP modes, it doesn't support Wi-Fi or Bluetooth

French startup JapanNext has introduced one of the most affordable true 5K monitors on the market.

Priced at €650 (approximately $680), the snappily named JN-IPS275K-HSPC9 (originally in French) business monitor supports Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP) modes, allowing users to view content from multiple sources at the same time.

"It is truly a pride to release this type of monitor exclusively in Europe," said Victor HUON, Japannext Europe's Chief Marketing Officer in a translation from French. "It is a real alternative to all those looking for a 5K monitor offered by other brands at much higher prices."

A new player in the 5K monitor market

The monitor features a 27-inch IPS panel with a 5120 x 2880 resolution, while supporting 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 color coverage, along with 178-degree viewing angles, minimizing color distortion.

A 2000:1 contrast ratio, 350 nits brightness, a matte finish, support for 1.07 billion colors, and HDR compatibility enhance contrast and color depth. And to get that perfect angle, the monitor features height adjustment (110mm), tilt (-5° to 20°), rotation (15° dual), and pivot (90°).

It features multiple ports, including DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C 3.1, both capable of delivering 5K resolution at 60Hz. An HDMI 2.0 port is also available, though it's limited to outputting 5K at 30Hz. USB-A and USB-B ports are included for peripherals, along with audio output and built-in 3W speakers.

It's also VESA-compatible (100x100mm), allowing users to mount it on a stand or wall.

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Categories: Technology

Nintendo Drops Gold Points, Switch Game Vouchers for Switch 2

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:01
Looks like Nintendo is prepping for the release of its next big console by ending some popular Switch perks.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Feb. 19, #149

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:00
Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections: Sports Edition No. 149 for Tuesday, Feb. 19.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Feb. 19, #353

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:00
Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Strands No. 353 for Feb. 19.
Categories: Technology

Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Feb. 19, #1341

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:00
Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,341 for Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Feb. 19, #619

CNET News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 15:00
Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections No. 619 for Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Categories: Technology

US military and defense contractors hit with Infostealer malware

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 14:45
  • US military agencies and defense contractors hit by infostealer malware
  • The malware can exfiltrate victim's data
  • Researchers discovered thousands of infected devices

Despite their multi-billion dollar budgets, US agencies have been infected by Infostealer malware, and have had credentials and information stolen from official devices.

A report from Hudson Rock has revealed for as little as $10 per computer, criminals can ‘purchase stolen data from employees who work in classified defense and military sectors’.

Infostealers are a type of malware that has developed as a crucial tool for cybercriminals. As the name suggests, they gather sensitive information stored on a victim’s device, usually to leverage in identity theft, extortion, or financial fraud - but in this case, it’s likely to be confidential or classified data, potentially relating to national security.

Infostealers don’t rely on brute-force attacks, but instead prey upon human error - here’s what we know so far.

Supply chain compromise

Researchers found infected users from six contractors; Lockheed Martin, BAE systems, Boeing, Honeywell, L3Harris, and Leidos. These defense contractors work on seriously advanced military technology, including warships, F-35 jets, and more - Lockheed Martin alone was awarded $5.1 billion worth of contracts by the Department of Defence in 2024.

In total, 472 third-party corporate credentials were exposed, including Cisco, SAP Integrations, and Microsoft from contractors. Businesses, organizations, and even government departments are increasingly interdependent, and supply chain vendors have been frequently utilized in attacks- “if an adversary wanted to infiltrate a defense contractor’s supply chain, this would be their golden ticket,” the report confirms.

The report outlined an example of how Honeywell’s infrastructure was compromised - including its internal intranet, an Active Directory Federation Services login, and an Identity and Access Management system. Researchers discovered 398 infected employees and 18,527 infected users for Honeywell systems over the years, and just one compromised employee held 56 corporate credentials for Honeywell’s infrastructure, as well as 45 additional third-party credentials - showing the scale of the risk.

But contractors weren’t the only victims, with infections found in US Army, US Navy, FBI, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) systems too, with local authentication data for OWA, Confluence, Citrix, and FTP found, which ‘suggests an adversary could move laterally inside military systems’.

Third-party data breaches have become a major security concern, and emerging threats have found that almost all (98%) of European companies have experienced a third-party breach in the last year.

In late 2024, the US Treasury Department declared a ‘major incident’ after experiencing a breach through its vendor ‘BeyondTrust’ - so these threats are not just hypothetical. There are real dangers associated with national security if third-party vendors are compromised, especially if the vendors hold classified information.

Infostealer risks

How serious is this? Well, it’s not great. As the report points out, “if Infostealers can breach Lockheed, Boeing, the U.S. Army, and the FBI, they can breach anyone”. These breaches reinforce the idea that any organization, no matter how good their cyber hygiene is, or how strong their cybersecurity defenses, can be compromised.

The most common infostealers are Lumma Stealer, Vidar, RedLine, and Medusa - and these can exfiltrate your data in under a minute, so here are some tips to stay safe.

Unfortunately, there’s no one way to avoid Infostealers, it’s mostly about keeping good cyber hygiene. Infostealers primarily rely on user error, like accidentally downloading an infected PDF, pirated software crack, or clicking a malicious link.

Much like with social engineering attacks, the best defense is being aware and staying vigilant. Don’t click on links you don’t trust, don’t visit unverified sites, and if you work in an industry like defense, security, or a government agency - it’s probably best to stick strictly to official sites.

Infostealers are a type of malware, so deploying the best malware removal software can make sure there’s no lingering threat - but to dodge the threat, you need to be on the ball.

Make sure you have a strong password and use unique credentials for each login - it’s a faff, but it keeps you protected. If one password is compromised, then all others can be if you reuse your passwords.

Organizations should be sure to run regular and thorough cybersecurity training sessions for all employees at every level, so that everyone understands the risks and the severity of a breach.

Assessing the security posture of software suppliers and vendors can save you from a critical breach, and with breaches often costing millions of dollars and damaging an organization's reputation, this can be a crucial safety policy for your company.

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Categories: Technology

Robot abuse is still the path to the future – even if I hate it

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 14:30

Humanoid robots are the hot new thing and no longer the purview of science fiction, but instead a growing fact of life. Even though most are still in the lab or a handful of factories, their skills are more human-like by the minute. These robots walk, run, assist, converse thanks to AI, hang out, dance, and sometimes suffer unfortunate levels of abuse.

One of the more remarkable humanoid bots is Unitree G1, a pint-sized "humanoid agent AI avatar" featuring dozens of joins and motors. I've seen the G1 in person at CES, and it's an impressive feat of engineering. Despite its mobility and dexterity, G1's capabilities are largely a product of remote control and canned or pre-programmed movements.

Even so, the $16,000 (to start) Unitree G1 can maintain balance and precision in the face of unforeseen obstacles. Unitree recently demonstrated this skill in a new video that shows off not only Unitree G1's remarkable dancing skills but also its perseverance in the face of – ahem – adversity. Unitree notes that the skills demonstrated in the video are new and have not yet been rolled out to all customers.

Watching the short video, it's hard not to feel for the G1 as a developer pokes, pushes, and whacks the robot with a stick. In one remarkable moment, the robot throws up its hands and appears to block a blow. Naturally, I silently cheered the robot's efforts. But I think I may be celebrating the wrong thing.

This is not a video about a poor, defenseless robot trying to protect itself. Unitree G1, even with its integrated AI, has no feelings. It literally can not even feel the blows. It's not upset that someone is hitting it. Instead, the robot's program is for dancing and staying upright.

What's impressive here is that nothing, not even these blows, stops Unitree G1; it just keeps on bopping.

Resilient robots are a crucial part of the humanoid robotics development timeline. Such bots will be of little use to us if, when we accidentally bump into them, they fall over and are then stuck on their backs, flailing their arms and legs like Kafka-esque beetles.

As many times as I wince when I see someone "abusing" a robot, I have to remind myself that this is the way. There can be no robot revolution without such "sacrifice'.

A dancing robot is fun. A robot that can stay upright in the face of an attack is a game-changer.

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Categories: Technology

No, it's not an April fool, Intel debuts open source AI offering that gauges a text's politeness level

TechRadar News - Tue, 02/18/2025 - 14:05
  • Polite Guard looks to help keep chatbots polite and less prone to exploitation
  • With NLP at its core, it works by classifying text on a four point scale of politeness
  • The dataset and source code are available on GitHub and Hugging Face

Intel has unveiled Polite Guard, an open source AI tool aimed at assessing the politeness of a text and allowing AI chatbots to remain consistently polite to customers.

In a post to the Intel Community Blog, the latest addition to Intel’s AI portfolio hopes to provide a standardized framework for evaluating linguistic nuance in AI-driven communication.

Leveraging natural language processing (NLP), Intel claims that Polite Guard, in classifying text into four different categories of polite, somewhat polite, neutral and impolite, helps mitigate AI vulnerabilities by "providing a defense mechanism against adversarial attacks".

Intel Polite Guard's role for SMBs

According to Intel, Polite Guard reinforces system resilience by ensuring consistent polite output even when handling potentially harmful text.

The company hopes that this approach will "[improve] customer satisfaction and loyalty" for businesses implementing it.

Released under the MIT license, Polite Guard grants developers the flexibility to modify and integrate it into their own projects.

Its dataset and source code are available on Github and Hugging Face, with further developments to be published via the Intel Community blog.

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