Technology

• Elon Musk's DOGE has pressured a key Pentagon program to close
• The Defense Digital Service will cease operating by May 2025
• Staff have said the only reason they are leaving is DOGE

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has sent a key US government program focused on efficiency, innovation, and Silicon Valley-style quick tech fixes packing.

Almost all of the staff for the Defense Digital Service (DSS) have confirmed they are resigning as a result of DOGE pressure, with many of the DSS’ responsibilities to be taken over by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office.

The DSS has been a key source of innovation and new tech adoption at the Pentagon for the past decade, introducing numerous tech remedies during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and Ukrainian aid transferal programs.

DOGE ditches DSS

Of the 14 employees that make up the DSS office, 11 are planning to take Trump’s deferred resignation package by the end of April. DSS Director Jennifer Hay is planning on leaving by May 1, with the two remaining employees planning to resign also.

One of the DSS’ main responsibilities was to introduce fast track technology during national security incidents to help the Pentagon to quickly react to developing situations.

While DSS responsibilities will be passed on to another department, it is unclear how long it will take for the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office to assume DSS responsibilities - potentially putting the security of the Pentagon at risk.

Many within the DSS office were expecting to be a part of DOGE’s efforts to enhance the efficiency of the Pentagon and introduce new AI technologies, however they were passed over by Musk, with Hay stating “The reason we stuck it out as long as we have is that we thought we were going to be called in.”

According to Politico, there were existing issues within the program ranging from political infighting to hiring freezes, but every employee at the DSS said that they wouldn’t be leaving if not for DOGE. “The best way to put it, I think, is either we die quickly or we die slowly,” Hay added.

This isn’t the first modernization and innovation program to face the axe under DOGE, with the US Digital Service and the 18F program both being subject to firings and layoffs under pressure from DOGE.

A former Pentagon official who spoke to Politico under subject of anonymity commented on DOGE’s foray into improving the efficiency of the Defense Department, stating, “They’re not really using AI, they’re not really driving efficiency. What they’re doing is smashing everything.”

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• AMD’s RX 9060 XT is supposedly set to launch in May
• That’s the word from Chiphell, and other sources have pointed to Computex (May 20) before, too
• With Nvidia’s RTX 5060 also debuting in May, another head-to-head clash – like the RX 9070 vs RTX 5070 models – is in the offing

AMD’s RX 9060 XT graphics card, seemingly the next in line from the RDNA 4 range, could be out in May, or that’s the fresh claim from the grapevine.

As flagged by Harukaze5719 on X (via VideoCardz), a regular when it comes to pointing out hardware rumors, an editor at Chiphell has put forward the idea of a May launch, without mentioning any specific date (or even a timeframe range) in the month.

9060 XT is scheduled in May?https://t.co/9Kr0J4XWT2April 16, 2025

Chiphell is a forum over in China, and info dropped from there needs to be taken with some caution, especially as this is a vague assertion. But in theor,y it indicates that the RX 9060 XT models could turn up in just over two weeks (though it’ll likely be later in the month, and I’ll come back to that point shortly).

Recent spec rumors have the RX 9060 XT as being equipped with 16GB and 8GB of video RAM, as with the just-revealed RTX 5060 Ti from Nvidia, except AMD is sticking with older GDDR6 memory, rather than following Team Green’s upgrade path to (faster) GDDR7.

The 9060 XT is said to have half the graphics cores of the RX 9070 XT, and indeed half the memory bandwidth too. It supposedly has a somewhat faster boost speed, though, so guesswork currently has the performance of the RX 9060 XT pitched at just over half (around 60%) of the 9070 XT (add seasoning now, and don’t be shy with it). Elsewhere, we’ve heard that the incoming GPU is likely to sit just below the frame rates delivered by the RX 7700 XT.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / DC Studio) Analysis: May feels right for 9060 XT launch – let’s hope the price is right, too

Officially, AMD has only said that RX 9060 models are coming in Q2, which could be any time up until the end of June – and Team Red has gone pretty quiet on these next-in-line RDNA 4 GPUs otherwise.

Does May seem a realistic prospect for an RX 9060 XT launch? Well, it’s a middling bet – literally bang in the middle of Q2 – and of course, AMD won’t want to be seen to be lagging behind Nvidia. Team Green has just unleashed the RTX 5060 Ti (it goes on sale today) and the RTX 5060 is due in May (with an attractive sounding $299 MSRP).

As VideoCardz further observes, other rumors from Nvidia’s graphics card making partners have suggested a Computex launch for the 9060 XT models, which is later in May (the show kicks off on May 20, in fact). So, the rumors appear to be aligning around a timeframe that makes sense, but as ever, get carried away at your own risk.

With Nvidia dropping pricing on its RTX 5060 models compared to Lovelace, this will hopefully force AMD to look at more affordable price tags for the RX 9060 XT. Chiphell rumors suggest pricing could land equivalent to the RTX 5060, with perhaps a $299 asking price for the 16GB spin, and $249 for the 8GB model. Other rumors have hinted that this is overly optimistic, and we could be looking at 10% to 20% or so more.

Real-world pricing and availability, rather than MSRPs, are set to be a key factor in this lower-mid-range battle, though – and the fear is very much that Nvidia is going to come out poorly in this regard. Still, we shouldn’t judge beforehand (though it’s difficult not to in Team Green’s case), and with all the chaos around tariffs and potential price hikes at the moment, the waters couldn’t be any thicker with mud, frankly.

It’s also worth noting that 8GB graphics cards are not going down well these days – for obvious reasons, as this VRAM loadout is looking very shaky for any kind of future-proofing – so it doesn’t seem wise for AMD to follow in Nvidia’s unpopular footsteps in this respect with that 8GB version of the 9060 XT, especially as AMD has avoided going too lean with the RX 9070 models, which all have 16GB (whereas the Nvidia RTX 5070 stuck with a distinctly wobbly looking 12GB).

Still, the theory is that this lower-end RX 9060 XT 8GB is being launched in lieu of the vanilla RX 9060 (which the grapevine remains silent on, perhaps tellingly).

Video RAM aside, there’s some disappointment more broadly with the overall spec of the RX 9060 XT as rumored, with it feeling a bit weak. But as mentioned, pricing will be crucial here, and if the base 9060 XT (8GB) does end up at $250 (or a whisper over), that could make it a pleasantly compelling budget GPU.

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• Nvidia predicts $5.5 billion in H20 export-related costs to China and other nations
• H20 chips were already meant to be optimized for the Chinese market
• Company shares are down, market cap stays below $3 trillion

Nvidia is facing a massive $5.5 billion quarterly charge due to new US export restrictions on its H20 AI chips destined for China and other destinations, with company stock taking a fall following the revelation.

Starting April 9, the US government mandated a license for Nvidia to export H20 chips to certain countries, with no end date set, marking a costly change for the chipmaker.

The affected nations are China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and D5 countries – the United Kingdom, South Korea, Estonia, New Zealand and Israel.

Nvidia faces billions in export-related costs

“First quarter results are expected to include up to approximately $5.5 billion of charges associated with H20 products for inventory, purchase commitments, and related reserves,” Nvidia said in a SEC filing.

The tech giant noted the government-mandated license “addresses the risk that the covered products may be used in, or diverted to, a supercomputer in China” – Nvidia’s fourth-biggest market by sales after the US, Singapore and Taiwan (via CNBC).

The H20 chips are less advanced versions of Nvidia’s H100/H200 chips, using the 2022 Hopper architecture, designed specifically to comply with now-dated US export restrictions for the Chinese market. In other regions, the company is now shifting its focus to next-generaiton Blackwell chips.

Moreover, Nvidia’s leaders have spoken out about the effects of the ongoing trade war.

“While cloaked in the guise of an ‘anti-China’ measure, these rules would do nothing to enhance US security,” VP of Government Affairs Ned Finkle said during Biden’s final days in office, before Trump’s tariffs came into effect.

Nvidia shares now stand at $112.20, down from a one-year high of $153.13. After spending two short periods of time as the world’s most valuable company, Nvidia’s market cap of $2.737 trillion now puts it in third position behind Microsoft, with Apple in first place and the only current $3-trillion company (just about).

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• Windows 11 is powering up the Snipping Tool in testing right now
• A new feature allows you to copy all the text from an image straight away
• There’s no need to take a screenshot first, as was previously the case, so this is a neat time-saver

Microsoft is making it even easier for Windows 11 users to be able to extract text from images (or any content) on the screen.

Windows 11 already has this OCR-powered (Optical Character Recognition) ability, as you may be aware, but at the moment, it’s necessary to take a screenshot first with the Snipping Tool before you can extract text from that image.

With a new update for the Snipping Tool that’s just been released (which was leaked previously), you don’t need to grab a screenshot to perform text extraction any longer – although bear in mind this is still in testing at this point (so may still be wonky).

As Neowin reports, with preview version 11.2503.27.0 of the Snipping Tool, you can simply hit the Windows + Shift + S keys together, and this will pop up the capture bar for the tool.

However, instead of having to create a snip (screenshot), the ‘text extractor’ option will be right there in the bar, so you can just click that, with no need to save a screen grab first.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: Power(Toys) to the people

Essentially, this is directly integrating the ability to extract text from images (or any screen content) into Windows 11, with no additional steps needed, mirroring the functionality present in Microsoft’s PowerToys suite of tools (for advanced Windows users) – and it’s definitely going to be appreciated by folks who use this capability.

It’s obviously less of a hassle than having to clear the hurdle of actually grabbing a screenshot, if all you’re interested in doing is copying all the text that’s currently visible on your monitor.

I say all the text, but that’s only what happens if you use the ‘Copy all text’ option provided. If you just want a specific portion of text, you can manually select and extract only those words (it’s also possible to remove line breaks if you want).

Microsoft is slowly expanding Windows 11’s OCR powers, and you may recall that late last year, the Photos app got Optical Character Recognition built in to pull text from images directly within the application.

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Is Spotify playing up for you right now? You're not alone – thousands are reporting issues with this music streaming app, including problems with its homepage and search function.

The reports on Downdetector started spiking at around 8am ET / 1pm BST, with over 40,000 Spotify users reporting problems in the US at the time of writing – and many other regions including the UK also flagging issues, showing that the issue is global.

Most of the reports are related to the smartphone app, but a significant number of people are having problems with the web player, too. Spotify has now acknowledged the problems on its Spotify Status account and says it's "checking them out".

We've also just heard from a Spotify spokesperson who says a fix for the search issues is rolling out now. Here's everything we know about the Spotify outage so far...

The latest news

• A huge spike in reports of Spotify issues started at around 8am ET / 1pm BST
• The highest number of reports are in the US, but other regions are rising
• Spotify has acknowledged the issues and says a fix is rolling out now

That's a pretty big spike...

(Image credit: Downdetector)

Right now, the biggest spike in reports of Spotify issues is in the UK – at the time of writing, over 21,000 Spotify users have reported problems with the smartphone app and web player on Downdetector, and social media platforms like X are also filling up with complaints.

Interestingly, there's been a smaller spike in Downdetector reports in the US, which has now dramatically fallen to around 200. Hopefully, this means the problems could be short-lived, but so far we don't know what's causing them.

Spotify is buggy today

(Image credit: Future)

I first noticed the Spotify issues when trying to search for a new album – it served me the "couldn't load the page" message above, and that's still the case now.

Strangely, I'm still able to stream music that's already in my collection and playlists, so the issues seem localized to some functions of the app. Some on the TechRadar team also don't have any issues at all.

The reports on Downdetector aren't dropping though (particularly in the UK), so it seems to be more than a temporary blip...

Spotify acknowledges there are issues

We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!April 16, 2025

Spotify has now commented on the problems many are experiencing, with the Spotify Status account on X posting that the streaming giant is "aware of some issues right now and are checking them out".

That's a pretty vague description – and it seems users are experiencing multiple symptoms, from the app reporting a lack of internet connection to problems with logging in.

My own issues appear to be restricted to the app's search function. Let's hope there's still one relatively simple fix for all of the issues – we've reached out to Spotify for more details.

This is now a big Spotify outage

(Image credit: Spotify / Future)

The number of reports of Spotify issues on Downdetector is continuing to spike in the US and UK – this is now the biggest Spotify outage I can remember for a while. We're now at over 27,000 reports in the US, and 17,000 in the UK.

The TechRadar team are finding that the Spotify web player is down (above) and many are finding that their homescreens aren't loading in the app.

Spotify hasn't commented any further on what's causing the issues, beyond acknowledging on X (formerly Twitter) that it's having a major wobble. We've contacted Spotify and will update you as soon as we know more – in the meantime, it's over to YouTube we go!

Good news! A fix is rolling out now

(Image credit: Future)

We've just heard back from Spotify – a spokesperson has told us "the issue with Search has been addressed and an update has begun rolling out to all users".

We double-checked with Spotify to ask if this will require an app update and Spotify has confirmed that it'll be a background update, with no user action needed.

That's good news, but search still isn't working for me in the Spotify app. Guess I'll have to wait a while longer to check out that new Bon Iver album...

What about the other Spotify issues?

(Image credit: Spotify / Future)

As I posted below, a Spotify spokesperson told us around 15 minutes ago that "the issue with Search has been addressed and an update has begun rolling out to all users". But today's Spotify problems appear to be wider than just a search problem.

While that's been the main symptom for me, many users like my colleagues in the US are still finding that homepage is still displaying three dots (above) and that the web player is still down.

That's more like a global outage than just a search issue – so it remains to be seen whether Spotify's fix addresses all of the problems that many are still experiencing. I'm still checking the app in hope...

That fix doesn't seem to be working yet...

(Image credit: Downdetector)

It's now about 40 minutes since a Spotify spokesperson told us it was rolling out a background fix for "the issue with Search". But search still isn't working for me – and thousands of others are still reporting problems worldwide on Downdetector (above).

In the US, we're at almost 50,000 reports – a huge number that shows how widespread the issues are. In the UK, reports have dropped slightly to around 12,000, but have been pretty consistent for the last 45 minutes or so. There are other notable spikes everywhere from Australia to India, too.

What's clear is that this is more than just a search issue – many are still seeing blank homescreens and are only able to play offline music. The entire Spotify website is currently down, too – something I can't remember happening, well, ever.

We've asked for an update from Spotify about its ongoing issues and will let you know as soon as we hear back.

• Researchers found unsecured online database with almost eight million files
• Database contained work authorization documents, national insurance numbers, certificates, and other sensitive data
• It belonged to software firm Logezy, which says the database is locked down now

Millions of healthcare workers in the United Kingdom have had their sensitive data leaked online, after a non-password-protected database was found unsecured on the internet.

Security researcher Jeremiah Fowler found a database 1.1TB in size containing almost eight million files (7,975,438), including images and .PDF files, work authorization documents, national insurance numbers, certificates, electronic signatures, timesheets, user images, and government-issued identification documents.

Furthermore, the archive contained 656 directory entries indicating different companies, the majority of which were healthcare providers, recruiting agencies, and temporary employment services.

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Identity theft and other risks

Fowler determined the database belonged to Logezy, an employee management and tracking software company based in the UK.

He notified Logezy of his findings, and the company locked the database down “shortly after”.

To hunt for unprotected databases, researchers would use a specialized search engine, such as Shodan, and analyze the results.

So far, Fowler has found dozens of similar instances, including ClickBalance (more than 750 million records), DM Clinical Research (over a million clinical records), or ServiceBridge (31 million).

Without a detailed forensic analysis, it is impossible to know if a threat actor already accessed the database and exfiltrated the information found there.

It is also impossible to know for how long the archive remained unlocked, and if Logezy managed it, or a third party on its behalf.

These instances are considered a low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals. Stealing this information does not require phishing, social engineering, hunting for zero-day vulnerabilities, or exploiting unpatched endpoints.

Yet, the data inside is valuable since it’s usually up-to-date and can be used in all sorts of fraud, including wire fraud, payment scams, identity theft, and more.

If you have used Logezy in the past, it would be wise to keep a closer eye on your accounts and credit reports for potentially suspicious activity.

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Money no object

We love to give practical buying advice on the latest gadgets here at TechRadar. But sometimes what we love even more is to indulge in the most outrageously high-end, cutting-edge, luxurious tech on the planet. That's what we bring you in these Money No Object columns – you can read the whole series here.

The best stereo speakers sound fantastic but often underwhelm in the visual department; I know that I'd be hard-pushed to pick my bookshelf speakers out of a line-up, and I'm a working musician. So it's always a joy to see speakers that look as good as they're intended to sound – like the new Stratton Acoustics Element 6 and Element 8 speakers here.

These are not budget buys, with price tags of £15,000 / $20,000 (about AU$31,385) for the Element 6, £20,000 / $25,000 (about AU$41,850) for the Element 8 and £3,500 / $5,000 (about AU$7,323) for the stands. But just look at them. If I had the wealth to buy these for my mansion, I absolutely would. If I had a mansion.

(Image credit: Stratton Acoustics) Stratton Acoustics Element 6 and Element 8: not just a feast for the eyes

The star here, other than those enclosures, is Stratton's own, patented decoupled and waveguide loaded 29mm soft dome tweeter. That's paired with a six-inch mid/low driver in the Element 6 and an eight-inch unit in the Element 8, making the Element 6 more suited to smaller spaces or near-field listening positions.

The enclosures have dual-resistive port vents to reduce unwanted resonance from the bass reflex port, and they're made with acrylic-silica reinforced polymer matrices – again with claimed resonance-reducing powers – and aerospace-grade aluminum baffles.

According to Stratton, the combination of enclosures and baffles "ensures clean, transparent sound with a durable, luxurious finish that will last for decades to come."

As for the stands, they're precision-machined from aerospace-grade aluminum too. And Stratton is making big claims for their design: "Their sculptural form mirrors the jewel-like detailing of the front and rear baffles of the speakers, with a flawless finish that plays with light and reflection to striking effect, elevating the entire system to the level of modern art."

Stratton says that these speakers "offer a visually arresting presence, premium materials, class-leading electro-acoustic design, and engineering, delivering a luxurious experience for both the eyes and ears." I'm sure they do, although sadly I think it'll be a long, long time before I can afford a pair.

The new Stratton Acoustics Element 6 and Element 8 are available now.

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• Apple has just labeled the iPhone 6S as “vintage”
• The same designation has been applied to the 2018 Mac mini
• This means repairs are more limited should something go wrong

Are you still using an iPhone 6S or a 2018 Mac mini? If you are, we’ve got some bad news: Apple has just declared both products to be “vintage” on its vintage and obsolete products page, which means you’ll get much more limited service and repairs for them if anything goes wrong.

The iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus were released in 2015 and came with a few notable milestones. They were the first iPhones to come with Apple’s 3D Touch tech, while they were also the last to feature headphone jacks.

In addition, Apple strengthened the chassis of the devices to prevent the kind of 'bendgate' controversy that befell the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6S was last offered for sale by Apple in 2018.

The 2018 Mac mini, meanwhile, was the last Mac mini to come with an Intel processor rather than an Apple silicon chip (the first of which – the M1 – debuted in 2020). And it was the first (and so far only) Mac mini to come in a space gray finish.

What does this mean for you?

The 2018 Mac Mini (above) has joined the iPhone 6S on Apple's perilous 'vintage' list

Other than taking many of us on a trip down memory lane, this news has some practical implications for those who are still running an iPhone 6S or 2018 Mac mini.

Apple labels a product as “vintage” when at least five years have passed since the company last offered it for sale. Products that last went on sale seven or more years ago are designated as “obsolete.”

Now that the iPhone 6S and Mac mini have been declared “vintage,” that means your repair options are more limited. You can get them fixed at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs), but only if the required parts are available. Third-party shops might be able to repair your device if Apple or its AASPs won’t.

The next step – declaring a product to be “obsolete” – means that Apple Stores and AASPs generally will not repair your device, with Apple declining to provide replacement parts. In that case, you have no option but to either rely on a third-party repair shop or upgrade your device.

So, if you are still using an iPhone 6S or 2018 Mac mini, you’ve still got a little longer before Apple stops offering repairs. That said, with these devices getting long in the tooth – and products like the iPhone 16 and M4 Mac mini offering far better performance – now might be a good time to look at upgrading to one of the best iPhones and best Macs you can get.

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• Notorious online forum 4chan is currently offline
• A hacker reportedly took the site offline and leaked sensitive data
• "Rival" imageboard users are celebrating

Infamous anonymous imageboard 4chan has reportedly been hacked and taken offline, with the website unable to load.

A hacker was apparently dwelling on 4chan’s systems “for over a year” before deciding to pull the trigger.

The threat actor leaked a few screenshots to prove the website was hacked, and on those screenshots it showed the site’s alleged backend, source code, and banning templates. Furthermore, the hacker leaked a list of 4chan moderators and janitors, essentially the website’s operators.

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Praising the downfall

4chan is one of the world’s most popular anonymous imageboards. It is a forum where users cannot register an account, and in which threads disappear after a while (unless archived, which only happens in certain situations). It gained notoriety in the past when its users rallied to conduct “raids” - often promoting fascism, racism, and other destructive ideologies - “for the lulz” (for fun).

Memes like Pepe the Frog, Pedo Bear, the Anonymous Guy Fawkes mask, and many other trends, originated on 4chan. The “raids” included flooding live streams, massive multiplayer games and chat platforms, other forums, and similar. The forum and its users also had their “rivals”, mostly ebaumsworld (to which they always tried to shift the blame during the raids), and 8chan.

On social media, users of these boards are now gloating and praising 4chan’s “downfall”.

TechCrunch spoke to one of the janitors, who said the imageboard suffered hacks and DDoS attacks in the past, but stressed that this one might be particularly dangerous since it would seem the hacker has full control over the site.

“I’ve been most concerned with the leaked information, for obvious reasons,” said the janitor. “I’d wager that the fact that 4chan was effectively taken over by a hacker(s) is probably ‘worse’ than screenshots, at least from the perspective of the site’s continued operation.”

They also told the publication that the stolen data was probably authentic.

Whenever 4chan would go offline in the past, or whenever someone would threaten legal action against it, users would respond with a now-famous quote, which I’ll use here as well: “Nothing of value was lost.”

Via TechCrunch

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• The ChatGPT app and web interface is getting a new Library tab
• This is where all your AI-generated images are now kept
• The feature is rolling out now for all users

ChatGPT's recent image update almost broke the internet, and certainly put a ton of pressure on OpenAI's huge stack of graphics processors – and now users are getting a dedicated space inside the chatbot's interface for their AI pictures.

As announced by OpenAI (via The Verge), the new Library tab shows up across the mobile apps and the web interface for ChatGPT. It's available universally too, whether or not you pay for a subscription to the AI bot.

The update has already shown up inside the web interface for my own account, and it's all pretty straightforward to use: the tab collects every image you've generated, across every chat in your history, and you can click on a picture for edit and download options. You can also create a new image from the Library section.

Delete a chat, and the included images get wiped from the Library tab as well. There isn't anything in the way of image search or filtering as yet, but of course these features could be rolled out in time as the feature evolves.

The social aspect

All of your image creations, all in one place.Introducing the new library for your ChatGPT image creations—rolling out now to all Free, Plus, and Pro users on mobile and https://t.co/nYW5KO1aIg. pic.twitter.com/ADWuf5fPbjApril 15, 2025

It seems as though we're seeing a new AI image trend appearing every week, whether it's Studio Ghibli-inspired renderings, turning people into action figures, or imagining what your pet might look like as a human being.

Given the recent boost in the quality of the images ChatGPT can make, across free and paid tiers, it makes sense for OpenAI to create a separate space to hold them – previously users had to dig through individual conversations to find them.

It also links into the rumors we've heard about OpenAI working on a social network. These plans are apparently in their early stages, but if ChatGPT were to become more social, it's easy to see how image sharing could be a big part of that: like Instagram, but with AI-generated images and videos dominating.

The move would give OpenAI access to even more user data to train on, too. Would you sign up for yet another social media network, if it was focused around AI? And would your AI content have what it takes to go viral? Let us know in the comments.

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• The EU Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched a privacy investigation on X
• The Authority is investigating whether the platform uses publicly accessible posts to train its Grok AI model
• Last September, X agreed to limit the use of Europeans' data for AI training after being hit by several GDPR complaints

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched a privacy inquiry against X over the use of Europeans' personal data to train its AI model, Grok.

Beginning on Friday, April 11, 2025, the privacy Authority is investigating whether Elon Musk's platform uses publicly-accessible X posts to train its generative AI models to determine compliance with GDPR rules.

X was hit by at least nine privacy complaints in August 2024 for allegedly using people's data without consent to train AI. In September, Ireland's data regulator decided to end the court proceedings as the company agreed to permanently limit the use of EU users' data for AI training.

Ireland's privacy inquiry

Grok, a group of AI models developed by xAI, powers the generative AI chatbot on X. Users can chat with Grok directly in its dedicated tab or ask for AI-generated context underneath other users' posts.

Since December 2024, Grok has also been able to automatically write small biographies of whoever has an account on X without users asking for it.

It isn't yet clear, however, whether the system has processed some personal data contained in publicly accessible posts without people's consent, and this is exactly what the Irish DPC wants to find out.

"The purpose of this inquiry is to determine whether this personal data was lawfully processed in order to train the Grok LLMs," wrote the DPC in an official announcement.

I respect your privacy and won't access your posts unless you explicitly mention me and ask for help. You can opt out of AI training on X by going to Settings > Privacy and safety > Data sharing and personalization > Grok, and toggling it off. Note that past posts might still be… pic.twitter.com/ZS9DtOfDsHApril 15, 2025

If found in breach of GDPR rules, X Internet Unlimited Company – the new name of X's data controller for US users based in Dublin – could be fined a maximum of 4% of its annual turnover.

Neither X nor Musk himself has yet commented on the DPC's announcement. Only Grok itself, after being challenged by one X user, has ensured that it "won't access your post unless you explicitly mention me."

The billionaire, however, has previously criticized EU laws and regulators. So, the results of this probe could end up further deteriorating the relationship.

Tension between the EU tech sector and the EU lawmakers could also intensify, though. As Proton (the provider of one of the best VPN and secure email services on the market) pointed out in a X post: "If it is found that public data still requires user consent to be used for training, this could have wider ramifications, both in Europe and beyond."

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• An auto-reboot feature is rolling out to Android phones and tablets
• This will automatically restart your device after three days of inactivity
• Your phone is more secure after a restart, helping to prevent unauthorized access

Not long ago we reported on how Android could get a thief-thwarting security feature already seen on iPhones, and now that feature is arriving.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the latest Google Play services update includes a feature that will restart your phone or tablet automatically after three days of inactivity. So in other words, if your device has remained locked for three consecutive days, it will shut down and restart, and there’s a good reason for this.

You see, after a restart, an Android phone or tablet will return to its ‘Before First Unlock’ state, in which its data is encrypted and it’s harder to unlock, as biometrics are disabled until after the first unlock – so a passcode is instead required.

This is set up to happen after three days of inactivity because it’s likely that if your phone is on but not being used for three days that someone else has it – such as a thief.

Your Android phone should soon be able to reboot on its own (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) Coming soon

Google Play services 25.14 (which contains this auto-reboot feature) is now rolling out, but the rollout may take a week or so to reach all phones, and it’s possible that the auto-reboot feature may not be enabled until a while after that, with 9to5Google speculating that it could take a few weeks.

As such, we’re also not certain whether there will be a toggle or other option to enable this feature, or whether it will just happen automatically. We also don’t yet know whether this feature will come to all Android devices, but it’s likely that most recent phones will support this.

So, while it won’t stop your phone being stolen, you should at least soon have more reassurance that thieves won’t be able to access your data.

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• Notion Mail promises to redefine what we know about email apps
• AI enables email sorting, labelling and filtering for a clearer view
• Snippets for templates and easier email scheduling also feature

Popular productivity app Notion has come out with its own, AI-powered email service, and the company is making bold promises to change how we think about emails.

Despite emails being a staple in the workplace since the 1970s, Notion says the platforms have not keept up with other technological advancements, giving it a cluttered and inefficient feel.

“Notion Mail is designed to make email management simpler – a well-oiled machine that hums in the background of your day to day,” the company said in a blog post.

Notion launches new Mail app, backed by AI, of course

At the core of Notion Mail is artificial intelligence, which promises to automate tedious tasks like sorting, labelling and filtering.

Users can tell Notion AI what’s important (such as hiring emails for recruiters) and it will prioritize them accordingly.

On the front end, Notion Mail benefits from custom views for increased focus. Andrew Milich and Jason Ginsberg from the Notion Mail team noted that a users’s priorities might look different this month to next month, therefore it was imperative that the interface could change with time. Inbox categories like promotions, customer support and travel separate emails into distinct categories.

Acknowledging that emails can be repetitive and time-consuming, Notion has also added snippets to the app so that users can call on saved templates, with Notion AI stepping in to help users write intros, responses and more.

To tackle “scheduling ping-pong,” the app also integrates with Notion Calendar for senders to share their availabilities for quicker and more efficient scheduling.

“We built Notion Mail because we believe your relationship with email should empower your work, not impede it,” the Notion Mail workers concluded.

Notion Mail is available for free and forms part of the free tier that also includes Notion Calendar, the Notion workspace and third-party integrations with the like of Slack and GitHub. The app works with Gmail, but it’s unclear if further email services will be added at a later date.

macOS and Windows apps are already available to download, and there’s a web app for those who prefer to access Notion Mail via their chosen browser, however iOS and Android apps are still in the works for now.

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• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders were delayed in Canada last week
• Now, a leaker claims they will begin on April 23, 2025
• This could also be the date that US pre-orders open

Good news Canadian gamers. It seems like Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders could begin this time next week.

That's according to reliable leaker 'billbil-kun', who has a good track record when it comes to revealing gaming stock information ahead of time. In a recent X / Twitter post, they claimed that pre-orders will begin on April 23, 2025 for both the Nintendo Switch 2 console and the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle based on what they "can see through some Canadian retailers".

They note that this date is likely subject to change, so there's a chance that it could still be pushed back. Of course, this is still just a rumor even if it comes from a credible source - so take it with a grain of salt.

If you need a quick refresher, Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders were reportedly delayed in Canada early last week ahead of their original April 9, 2025, date. According to a statement given to Canadian tech website MobileSyrup, the decision was taken "in order to align with the timing of pre-orders to be determined in the US" though the console's release date would not be changed.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders were delayed indefinitely in the US on April 4, 2025. In a statement given to TechRadar Gaming, Nintendo cited "the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions".

The leaker is careful to say that they "can't confirm if it's the same for US," though I would suspect that this might be the case. Nintendo did state that the Canadian pre-order date would "align with the timing" of US pre-orders so if this April 23, 2025, prediction is accurate I would not be shocked if US retailers follow suit.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch worldwide on June 5, 2025. It will cost $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle.

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The finale of Daredevil: Born Again season 1 has landed on Disney+ – and, Hell's bells, does it paint a bleak yet hopeful picture of New York City.

This season's ninth and final episode, titled 'Straight to Hell', has it all. Indeed, it's a heady mix of melodrama, ultra-violent action, and crime-based storytelling that sets up gripping events to come in the Marvel TV show's next installment.

As the dust settles on Daredevil's first standalone adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I imagine you've got plenty of questions about what happens in its latest entry. So, let's break down the who, what, and why of it all.

Full spoilers immediately follow for the final episode of Daredevil: Born Again's first season. Do not proceed if you haven't watched it yet.

Who dies in Daredevil: Born Again episode 9?

This isn't a *ahem* cop-out, Commissioner Gallo... (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Nobody of note. Well, unless you consider Police Commissioner Gallo to be an important character in the Marvel Phase 5 TV series. He had part of his head caved in and his lower jaw ripped from his skull by Wilson Fisk, who fully entered his Mayor Kingpin phase in the popular show's latest chapter.

Gallo aside, the only people who are bumped off in Born Again's ninth episode are a bunch of Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) officers. A number of them are executed by Frank Castle/The Punisher when, at Karen Page's request, he helps Matt Murdock/Daredevil escape Murdock's apartment when the AVTF hunt down the latter at his home.

Does The Punisher die in Daredevil: Born Again?

Frank will be back in Born Again's second season and/or his own TV special (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

No. As I said, nobody who's a part of the MCU TV show's main cast is killed in 'Straight to Hell'.

However, I can see why people might think The Punisher isn't long for this world. He tries to take on the AVTF single-handedly and, while Frank Castle is an expert fighter and marksman, not even he can fight an entire army of corrupt cops. That's proved as much when he's taken hostage by Fisk's militia and subsequently beaten up by them.

Thankfully for fans of Jon Bernthal's iconic take on the anti-hero, Castle lives to fight another day. Towards the end of this episode, we learn he's been imprisoned in Wilson Fisk's secret lair. With Castle set to appear in Born Again season 2 (more on this later) and/or his own Disney+ special presentation, we'll be seeing more of him in the future, too.

What is martial law and why does Mayor Fisk impose it in the Daredevil: Born Again season 1 finale?

'Mayor Kingpin of New York City' has a nice ring to it, doesn't it, Wilson? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Martial law has different meanings across the globe. In the US, it's defined as the temporary implementation of military authority over civilian rule, which is usually invoked during a time of war, rebellion, or natural disaster.

So, why does Mayor Fisk – or, as we'll now refer to him, Mayor Kingpin due to his criminal activities in a governmental position – impose martial law on the state of New York?

The main reason is to continue his battle against the so-called vigilante scourge. Kingpin has no time or patience for those who take the law into their own hands. Indeed, he's battled his fair share of vigilantes in Daredevil's TV shows on Disney+ and Netflix, aka two of the world's best streaming services, so outlawing them completely will allow him to fulfill one of his mayoral promises to clean up the streets of his home city.

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Implementing martial law will help with that aim. As a by-product of its enactment, Kingpin can enforce a daily curfew that'll prevent vigilantes from roaming the streets at night. It also allows his AVTF to use military force on anyone it suspects of being a criminal, whether they're a masked law enforcer or a simple crook. Lastly, martial law can restrict freedom of speech, which enables Kingpin to dictate the narrative if people try to voice opposition to his totalitarian leadership.

All of this, then, just made it much harder for the likes of Daredevil, The Punisher, and even Jack Duquesne/Swordsman – the latter of whom was also incarcerated alongside Castle – to carry out their personal crusades across New York City.

Is there a post-credits scene in Daredevil: Born Again's season 1 finale? And how does it set up The Punisher's Special Presentation?

Daredevil isn't the star of the season 1 finale's mid-credits scene (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Yes, but it's more of a mid-credits scene than an end credits stinger.

In it, we see Castle puts on a charm offensive to convince an AVTF officer, who's called Anthony Petruccio, that he's not as bad as he's been made out to be.

Once Petruccio is in striking range of Castle's prison cell, the latter grabs Petruccio's hand, breaks his arm, and strangles him to death. All Castle has to do now is grab the keys off Petruccio's body, free himself (and, potentially his fellow captives), and escape.

Armed with a newfound vengeance, I suspect Castle will go on the warpath to eradicate the AVTF. This could form the basis of The Punisher's special presentation, which is currently being co-written by Bernthal (per Collider) and could be released in 2026 (per The Hollywood Reporter).

Is Foggy actually alive in Daredevil: Born Again?

Fans still aren't convinced that Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson is actually dead (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

At this point, it's incredibly unlikely. Yes, we all saw him die at Bullseye's hands in Daredevil: Born Again's two-episode premiere, but that hasn't stopped a wild Marvel fan theory from spreading about him faking his own death. Indeed, following the release of last week's chapter, viewers continued to fiercely debate the fact that Foggy was alive.

Well, it seems like he isn't. Foggy doesn't make a surprise return before episode 9's end credits roll. Okay, this reveal could be held back for the show's sophomore season – and, with Marvel's head of TV Brad Winderbaum confirming Elden Henson is part of season 2's cast (via Phase Hero's Brandon Davis), this is a possibility.

As of 'Straight to Hell', though, we're none the wiser about the actual fate of Murdock's fellow lawyer and closest friend.

Where is Spider-Man in Daredevil: Born Again episode 9?

The world-famous wallcrawler is nowhere to be seen in Born Again episode 9 (Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)

Who knows? You would think that, with Kingpin imposing martial law and hunting down masked individuals, Peter Parker would, at the very least, be preparing to join Daredevil's cause to fight for New York's soul. After all, the city is as much his home as it is Daredevil and Kingpin's.

Despite clear references to the webslinger in Born Again episode 2 and Born Again episode 3, though, Spider-Man is conspicuous by his absence. However, that isn't a complete surprise. Sony owns the live-action rights to one of Marvel's most famous heroes, so the prospect of Spidey making a cameo in this show was never on the cards.

Does Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, or any other Netflix Marvel heroes appear in Born Again's season 1 finale?

Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist are also absent from the show's latest chapter (Image credit: Netflix)

Nope. Fans had hoped for a crowd-pleasing cameo from one of these heroes after Murdock and Page talked about assembling an underground resistance to take the fight to Kingpin.

So far, though, Murdock's army consists of himself, Page, Cherry, Josie, Angie Kim, and a couple more New York police officers. That group will grow in season 2 but, right now, Daredevil is the only superpowered being who's part of it.

How Daredevil: Born Again's latest episode sets up its second season

A new Battle for New York has begun... (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The cameras started rolling on Daredevil: Born Again season 2, which will be part of the Marvel Phase 6 line-up, in late February. But, we've known that another installment has been in development since early 2023.

A lot will have changed narratively, though, since season 2's inception. Indeed, following Born Again's creative overhaul amid the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which led to the hiring of a new showrunner and directing team partway through season 1's development, one of the best Disney+ shows has gone in a different direction to its initial design.

So, how does 'Straight to Hell' set up the series' next chapter? Aside from everything I've already discussed, we don't know. A bunch of leaked Born Again season 2 images, which spoiled aspects of its forebear's ending, gave us some clues, but there's little else we know about what'll happen in season 2.

There are plenty of interesting plot threads left hanging, however. Will Sheila's guilt over Gallo's death convince her to join Murdock's group of renegades? How will Murdock react to Heather Glenn's defection to Fisk's team? What role will Bullseye play in season 2? Will Murdock's group succeed in bringing down Kingpin? And will all of this play out before Avengers: Doomsday completely flips the table on the MCU as we know it?

With Born Again season 2 reportedly eyeing a 2026 release, we won't have a ridiculously long wait to get answers to those questions. The devil, after all is in the details, so Marvel will want to provide as many as possible next time around.

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• Google is retiring country-specific domains like google.co.uk
• Previously used for local content, Google now uses location to serve this
• The change will be happening over the next few months as shift to google.com

Google has confirmed it will be retiring country-specific domains (like google.co.uk) in favor of one single global domain – google.com.

Historically, country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) were used to provide locally relevant search results, but the company now uses technology that allows that regardless of the top-level domain.

Google used this reason to justify its decision to stop using country-specific domains: “Because of this improvement, country-level domains are no longer necessary.”

Google will only use google.com going forward

Citing a 2017 blog post, Google revisited an update that meant location would determine the content users saw in search results rather than the ccTLD.

Back then, one in five searches related to location, and that’s a figure that’s likely to have increased in recent years.

“Typing the relevant ccTLD in your browser will no longer bring you to the various country services—this preference should be managed directly in settings,” the company said in 2017. Therefore, users are already long accustomed to not having to use ccTLDs to access localized content.

Google confirmed on April 15, 2025, that it would be redirecting users to google.com as part of a change that’s set to roll out over the coming months.

“It’s important to note that while this update will change what people see in their browser address bar, it won’t affect the way Search works, nor will it change how we handle obligations under national laws.,” Google stressed.

Apart from a streamlining effort, it’s possible that the transition is a cost-cutting effort for Google, too. Keeping tens of unnecessary domains open is likely a costly business, and one that’s no longer necessary thanks to the location-based technology that enables localized search results regardless of TLD.

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