Technology

Instead of ringing your house, a shared phone number can ring up to five phones.

That's $6 for two months.

• 49-inch UltraWide monitor appears on LG’s Singapore English website
• Connectivity includes USB-C charging but Thunderbolt support is surprisingly absent
• 32:9 curved Nano IPS panel offers 5120x1440 resolution single screen alternative

LG has quietly listed a new 49-inch UltraWide monitor on its Singapore English website ahead of a potential worldwide release.

The new 49U950A-W monitor combines a 32:9 curved Nano IPS panel with a 5120x1440 resolution, and is designed as a single screen alternative to dual setups.

The display supports a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, making it ideal creative work, and comes with two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, a USB hub, and a USB-C input with support for 90W power delivery. The USB-C connection allows display output, charging, and data transfer

No Thunderbolt ports

There’s no Thunderbolt port on this monitor though, limiting bandwidth and daisy chaining options, which is particularly disappointing, given LG’s 40-inch UltraFine monitor, released in June 2025, came with Thunderbolt 5 support.

The new screen includes adaptive sync support with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-SYNC compatibility. Response times are rated at 5ms gray-to-gray, with an additional motion blur reduction option.

Color reproduction reaches 98 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum. Factory calibration is provided, brightness is listed at 400 nits, and VESA DisplayHDR 400 compliance offers modest high dynamic range capability.

While it is not aimed at the top end of HDR performance, it does provide improved contrast and highlights compared with standard panels.

The monitor incorporates tilt, height, and swivel adjustments, and supports a 100x100mm VESA mount.

A light sensor enables automatic brightness control, while TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue light should help ease eye strain during extended use.

The display includes picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture layouts, a software-based dual controller feature, and app-driven screen splitting.

There are built-in 10W stereo speakers with extended bass too.

The new 49U950A-W is priced at S$2,299 (Singapore dollars) approximately US$1,790, but there’s no word on when it will go on sale globally.

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Fox channels will be pulled from YouTube TV tomorrow unless Google and Fox can end their dispute.

• AirPods Max 2 not expected until at least 2027
• AirPods Pro 3 predicted again for late 2025
• AirPods Max reportedly don't sell enough to justify investment

If you're hoping for an AirPods Max 2 announcement at the big Apple event on September 9th 2025, prepare to be disappointed: the next generation of Apple's over-ears isn't expected to arrive until at least 2027.

That's an eternity in tech terms: the original AirPods Max launched in 2020. But it seems that Apple is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

According to Bloomberg, the problem is simple: AirPods Max are "too popular for Apple to stop selling them, and not popular enough for the company to invest a ton of time and money into creating a new version" – after all, there's the AirPods Pro 3 to work on instead.

What are Apple's AirPods Max 2 and AirPods Pro 3 plans?

As ever with unannounced Apple products we're dealing with leaks, rumors and predictions here. But it looks like AirPods Pro 3 are coming soon and AirPods Max 2 are coming later than hoped.

Bloomberg says that the AirPods Pro 3 are due to launch before the end of 2025 – let's hope we hear about them at the iPhone 17 event – with similar heart rate monitoring to the Powerbeats Pro 2.

As for the current AirPods Max, their most recent update was a damp squib: they got USB-C to comply with EU legislation, and that was as far as new hardware features went – though this did enable lossless wired audio support, and we think it works pretty great, actually.

The hoped-for H2 chip upgrade, which would have put them on a par with AirPods Pro 2, didn't feature. AirPods Max, unlike many premium headphones, still don't do wireless lossless audio, and having an older chip means they're missing many of the features of AirPods Pro 2.

After five years of daily wear, my OG AirPods Max are prime candidates for replacement: the headband's getting baggy, the tight fit – I have a huge head – is mildly annoying now, having to find a Lightning cable or adapter when everything else in my life is USB-C is a pain.

But I'm not interested in paying a premium price for tech that's half a decade old now, especially when the best headphones from other firms are improving significantly with each new release. I wonder how many other AirPods Max owners are likely to switch to rival brands before the second generation arrives…

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You can't unsee the mass of AI-generated human carnage cheering on the performer.

• Leica M11-V could be the most affordable M series model yet
• New leak claims it will have 64GB of internal storage and 60MP full-frame sensor
• Electronic viewfinder set to replace iconic rangefinder

A new leak may have revealed the interesting features we can expect from the upcoming Leica M11-V – and has also seemingly confirmed that it will be the legendary manufacturer’s first M series model to come without the iconic rangefinder component.

Leica Rumors has posted what appears to be a marketing information page about the rumored camera which, if genuine, supports previous claims that the M11-V would be replacing a rangefinder with an electronic viewfinder.

This is likely to be a controversial decision among Leica aficionados – potentially the camera world’s most vocal, dedicated and opinionated fanbase. After all, the “Messsucher” (the German word for a combined rangefinder and viewfinder) is what gives the M series its name.

I’ve already written an op-ed pre-emptively opining the rangefinder’s loss, but looking at this recent leak has left me much happier about the M11-V launch – because it looks set to be Leica’s most affordable M series model yet.

A view to a cheaper M series?

The current Leica M11, part of a legendary series of digital cameras that utilizes a rangefinder for composing shots and manual focusing. (Image credit: Leica)

The rangefinder mechanism is the most expensive component on a Leica M camera, so replacing it with an electronic viewfinder will greatly reduce production costs.

Add in the fact that the leak says the camera will offer just 64GB of built-in memory (the existing Leica M11-P, by comparison, has 256GB storage), and it seems that we’re looking at an 'entry-level' Leica M. I put the term in quotation marks because I believe it’ll still be a premium camera, just like any camera with the red dot logo – but I still think it’ll be affordable by Leica M standards.

The leak says the Leica M11-V’s EVF will be 5.7MP in resolution and 0.5-inches in size, with a 0.76x magnification and diopter compensation.

It also mentions a new FN button for viewfinder control (probably to select different frame sizes via digital zoom), a “puristic” design (clean lines, due to the lack of a rangefinder window), the Maestro III image processor and a 60MP full-frame BSI sensor – the same core imaging setup as the one found on the standard Leica M11, then.

The leak also states that the M11-V will be manufactured in Germany, lest fans worry about Leica outsourcing production to the Far East to save money.

The decision to drop the rangefinder on the Leica M11-V won’t be universally popular, but if it puts the M series within the range of more consumers it may ultimately prove to be a wise one.

Of course, many will claim that it isn’t a real M series camera without that rangefinder, but I’m looking forward to finding out for myself how this camera feels to use.

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• The State of Nevada says it suffered "network security incident"
• While not officially described as a cyberattack, it certainly resembles a ransomware attack
• There is no evidence of stolen files yet

Offices, websites, and phone lines of the state government of Nevada were all made unavailable and taken offline following an apparent cyberattack.

The official X account of the Governor Lombardo Press Office posted an announcement saying the State of Nevada “identified a network security incident”.

At the moment this article was written, the website was still offline, displaying a single message, saying “The requested URL was rejected. Please consult with your administrator.”

Was this a ransomware attack?

“As the State continues its recovery efforts, the network security incident continues to impact the availability of certain state technology systems on the state network,” the announcement adds. “Some state websites or phone lines may be slow or briefly unavailable during recovery.”

The way the announcement is worded does not suggest this was a cyberattack, however with multiple services offline, an ongoing investigation, and the state looking to restore the services one by one, it all bears the markings of a ransomware attack.

Ransomware attacks also usually include data theft, with criminals exfiltrating sensitive files to be used as leverage in case the victim can restore their services via backups.

In this case, however, Nevada says there is currently no evidence that any personally identifiable information (PII) was compromised.

At press time, no threat actors assumed responsibility for the attack, but ransomware against US state and local governments has historically been carried out by financially motivated criminal groups rather than state-sponsored actors.

Some of the better-known ransomware gangs that have targeted US government entities include LockBit, BlackCat/ALPHV, Cl0p, Royal, and Vice Society.

According to a Reuters report, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also issued a statement, claiming it was "actively tracking this network security incident and together with our partners, we are collaborating with the State of Nevada to offer our assistance."

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Regulators say they don't want to repeat the mistakes of the social media era and let "predatory" AI run rampant.

We’ve all been expecting an Apple Event in September, and the Cupertino-based technology giant has just made it official by sending out invites for a special event on September 9, with the tagline, “Awe dropping”.

There’s certainly a lot we’re expecting, and the special event will kick off at the fairly standard time for Apple events. It’ll start at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST on September 9, 2025 (3am September 10 AEST) at Apple Park, but have no fear if you didn’t score an invite. The event itself will be livestreamed, and TechRadar will be on the ground to break down all the big announcements as they happen.

Judging by the rumors and what Apple has shown off at previous September special events, we’re expecting the iPhone 17 lineup – including the all-new, super-thin iPhone 17 Air – new Apple Watches, and AirPods, as well as a tremendous amount of software.

You might recall that Apple showed off its new Liquid Glass interface and ethos for its iOS, iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS platforms, and all of those, or at least a majority, should get release dates as Apple has promised a “fall” launch (that’s a September to November timeframe).

Below, we’ll break down what the invite tells us, and a bit more about what to expect at the September 9 'Awe dropping' event.

What does the 'Awe dropping' invite tell us?

(Image credit: Future)

Now that Apple's September 9 event is official, all eyes are on the invite itself. The 'Awe-dropping' take on the Apple logo is an interesting one, seemingly turning it into a thermal imaging-like, heat-sensing view. There's a strong shade of a vibrant orange, a dark blue, as well as an aqua blue, green, and even some yellow here.

Could this be hinting at a new cooling system for the rumored iPhone 17s, or perhaps a thermal camera joining the setup? The former seems the most likely. It could also be pointing at colors for the new iPhones, which makes sense, given some rumors are suggesting a shade of orange for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, also shared a video of the invite – well, mainly of the Apple logo with a heat map of colors moving around it. You can see that below.

Get ready for an awe dropping #AppleEvent on Tuesday, September 9! pic.twitter.com/uAcYp2RLMMAugust 26, 2025

What can we expect at the event?

(Image credit: Future)

The likely star of 'Awe dropping' will be the iPhone 17 lineup. We expect four models again, but this time the iPhone 17 Air may replace the Plus alongside the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.

With the iPhone 17 Air Apple will be looking to narrow the gap with Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge. The 17 Air is expected to be super-thin – somewhere around 5.5 millimeters – with a powerful chip inside.

It’ll be interesting to see if the standard iPhone 17 gets the same chip as the Pros – likely the A18 – or if it stands alone. A redesigned single-lens camera is rumored, and Apple will need to address battery life, especially if the 17 Air replaces the long-lasting Plus model.

For the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, we expect performance upgrades from new Apple-made silicon inside, and there could be some changes to how Camera Control works, according to recent rumors. Another new report suggests that the volume rocker and Action Button might be combined into one

Now, if you’re after the best cameras Apple has to offer, the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are still expected to offer three lenses, but in a new design. We’ve all grown accustomed to a square camera bump, but according to reports, Apple might be raising the bar in the same way that we’ve seen with the Google Pixel family. You’ll still find a wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses here, but the latter is expected to get a serious upgrade.

The iPhone 17 will likely look pretty similar to the iPhone 16, though I'm hoping Apple sticks with some vibrant colors here. As I noted in the iPhone 16 review, an upgrade to 120Hz screens for the entry-level iPhone would be a much-appreciated addition, and it’s always a possibility, judging by rumors that the iPhone 17 lineup could usher this in across the board. There’s also reporting that the selfie camera on every new iPhone will kick things into a high gear of 24 megapixels.

All of the new iPhones are expected to run iOS 26 out of the box with the new look and many new features, like major upgrades to Messages, and Apple will most certainly tout some new Apple Intelligence features here.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

What can we expect from an Apple Watch Series 11? Well, it should stick with a similar build and look to the Series 10. Still, under the hood, the processor should be upgraded for faster performance on the device, and hopefully, more efficient running for battery life. The Series 11 should be able to track blood oxygen out of the box around the globe, and even in the United States, as Apple has reintroduced that feature to the Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2.

It will still take the reading with sensors on your wrist, but you view the results on your iPhone – a smart workaround. That health tracking capability should be here alongside heart rate, ECG, a skin temperature sensor, and sleep tracking, though recent reports also note that blood pressure monitoring might be introduced this year as well. You’ll also get Workout Buddy when tracking workouts as part of watchOS 26 and a new gesture.

As for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, we’d expect it to keep a similar look available in two colors – silver or black – and mostly the same size. Though, as we’ve seen with other Apple Watches, the design team could slim down bezels to offer an even larger display that gets considerably brighter. After all, it’s designed as an adventure, ultra-rugged Apple Watch. It also gets several new features as part of watchOS 26, and if new health features are on the horizon, it’s likely the Ultra will have feature parity with the Series 11.

(Image credit: Future)

Given that it’s been two years since AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, and that Apple rolled out new features for those buds alongside the AirPods 4 and AirPods Max with USB-C in 2024, there’s a good chance we’ll see the AirPods Pro 3 at the September event.

These will likely offer some upgrades over the current design, but a reinvention isn’t likely needed, given the current look's popularity. Still, the charging case here could be slimmed down a bit, and it might adopt a similar LED and button structure as the AirPods 4, which would mean a switch to a capacitive button rather than a physical one.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 already feature in-ear heart rate tracking, so there is an excellent chance these arrive on the new AirPods Pro alongside a performance boost from a new processor. You may not need the heart-rate tracing functionality here if you have an Apple Watch, though.

There’s also the rumored live translation feature, which would take on the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds and Google’s Pixel Buds 2 Pro. Don’t expect AirPods Pro with cameras this year, though.

Apple can only fit so much into just one event, but rumors point to the rest of 2025 being jam-packed for the tech giant. We can also expect new iPads – including an 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro with the M5 chip – and new Mac desktops and MacBooks with the M5 as well as upgrades to the HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K.

As for when those arrive, it could be that Apple saves those for October or November. There’s also talk of an upgraded Apple Vision Pro with a faster processor over the M2, but it likely won’t bring the price down considerably.

As with all Apple rumors, it’s important to remember that nothing is officially official until it’s announced by the tech giant. So you’ll want to stick with TechRadar on September 9 to follow along with our live reporting on Apple’s Special Event.

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• Developers are still struggling to get their hands on Nintendo Switch 2 development kits
• Digital Foundry reports that numerous studios can't get access to kits are being told to ship their games on Switch and "rely on backwards compatibility"
• It's said that big AAA developers are also being excluded

Even after the Sintendo Switch 2's launch, Nintendo is reportedly still holding back on providing studios with development kits.

During the latest episode of Digital Foundry's DF Direct Weekly podcast (via VGC), hosts John Linneman and Oliver Mackenzie said that numerous developers have told them that they still can't get access to Switch 2 dev kits and are being told by Nintendo to focus on making original Switch games.

"There’s been a lot of talk about this lately, that Nintendo seems to be almost discouraging Switch 2 development to some degree," Linneman said.

"I’ve spoken with plenty of developers where they were told that their game, they should just ship it on Switch 1 and rely on backwards compatibility.

"There’s a lot of developers that are unable to get Switch 2 dev kits. We talked to a lot of devs at Gamescom this year, and so many of them said the same things. They want to ship on Switch 2. They would love to do Switch 2 versions. They can’t get the hardware. It’s really difficult right now."

Mackenzie added that there has been talk of AAA developers also being excluded from getting kits, while the studio of Chillin' by the Fire, a game that utilizes the Switch 2's camera, is.

"I think they should [get more devkits out there], but I don’t really know what Nintendo’s mindset was with these sets of decisions," Mackenzie said. "So I don’t really understand the strategy because, like you said, even now developers are struggling to get systems.

“And I know that some months ago when we were hearing things through the grapevine and talking to people, there were some weird exclusions with some big developers struggling to get kits for games. And there were some kind of weird inclusions as well. Some indies were included, which is nice to see.

"But there’s that campfire game, you know, the camera campfire game, and they’re getting kits. And some big developers, on the other hand, who developed AAA stuff, aren’t necessarily in the pipeline there for kits."

This has been an ongoing issue since before the Switch 2 launched, with developers from a broad range of studios saying they were "desperate" to get their hands on dev kits (via The Game Business).

Elsewhere, the next Nintendo Direct showcase will reportedly air next month, just in time for Super Mario Bros.' 40th anniversary.

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The invite teases an "Awe dropping" event.

There's a new clan coming to take the Kardashian-Jenners' low-carb, low-calorie, low-joy lunch. After winning the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swim Search, growing her profile on Dancing with the Stars and pocketing an invite to the infamous Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez wedding, Love Thy Nader is Brooks Nader's audacious bid to establish a dynasty with her three sisters.

You can watch Love Thy Nader online from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free.

Premiere: 9pm ET/PT on Tuesday, August 26 (US)

TV channel: Freeform

US stream: Hulu

Use NordVPN to watch any stream

At 28, Brooks is the oldest of the sisters, followed by Mary Holland (26), Grace Ann (24) and Sarah Jane (23). Of course, one of Mary Holland's first ports of call in the trailer (embedded at the bottom of this page) is quitting her job, aka "entering my micro-retirement". Who said being a professional celebrity was hard work?

The eight-part series is set against the Naders' Louisiana upbringing, though on the face of things it certainly doesn't look as if they've had too much trouble becoming fixtures of the Manhattan scene and the American showbiz circuit.

Of course, no reality series is complete without a romantic scandal. The Nader sisters appear to favor a guilty until proven innocent stance when it comes to Gleb Savchenko, with whom Brooks waltzed the well-trod path from Dancing with the Stars couple to real-life couple.

Read on as we explain how to watch Love Thy Nader from anywhere.

Unblock any stream with a VPN

If you're keen to watch Love Thy Nader but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.

Use one of the best VPNs to watch Love Thy Nader from anywhere:

Editors Choice

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The best value plan is the two-year deal which sets the price at $3 per month, and includes an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. There's also an all-important 30-day no-quibble refund if you decide it's not for you.

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How to watch Love Thy Nader season 1 in the US

Love Thy Nader premieres with a double-header from 9pm ET/PT on Tuesday, August 26 on Freeform. Subsequent episodes air at 9pm each week.

You can stream Freefrom via Sling Orange, which is $45.99/mo; Fubo, which is $84.99/mo after a 7-day FREE trial; Hulu + Live TV, which is $82.99/mo after a 3-day FREE trial; or YouTube TV, which is $82.99/month, though you'll get each of your first three months for $49.99.

However, all eight episodes will hit Hulu on Wednesday, August 27.

New subscribers can make the most of a Hulu free trial for 30 days on its With Ads or No Ads plan. The Hulu price starts from $9.99 a month thereafter. Or, for better value, you can get a Disney Plus bundle with Hulu thrown in from just $10.99 a month.

Not in the US? Anyone from the US who wants to watch their usual streaming service from abroad can do so by using a VPN.

Love Thy Nader season 1 around the worldCan you watch Love Thy Nader in Canada?

Any plans to make Love Thy Nader available to watch in Canada are yet to be announced.

However, US nationals currently traveling in Canada can use a VPN to watch the show from anywhere in the world. We recommend NordVPN.

Can you watch Love Thy Nader in the UK?

Love Thy Nader is yet to find a home in the UK.

In the meantime, a VPN will help you tune in if you're an American traveling across the pond. NordVPN is our recommended provider, and you can find out why with our in-depth NordVPN review.

Can you watch Love Thy Nader season 1 in Australia?

Any plans to make Love Thy Nader available to watch in Australia are yet to be announced at the time of publication.

Americans currently away from home can use a VPN to watch Love Thy Nader from abroad.

Love Thy Nader trailerLove Thy Nader cast

• Brooks Nader
• Mary Holland Nader
• Grace Ann Nader
• Sarah Jane Nader
• Gleb Savchenko

Can I watch Love Thy Nader for free?

Love Thy Nader isn't free-to-air, but viewers in the US can make use of either the Hulu 30-day free trial, the Fubo 7-day free trial or the Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial to tune in without charge.

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

• Google Calendar gets appointment booking pages from the sidebar
• It’s designed for those who don’t have full visibility into a user’s calendar
• Google Calendar and Gmail just got tighter scheduling integration, too

Google is making appointment booking pages directly accessible within its calendar app sidebar on web and mobile in a bid to make it easier to find a mutually agreeable time.

The new Google Calendar feature makes it easier to book time, especially for external contacts like customers and partners, without having to share full visibility into your calendar.

Users without an appointment schedule will get a pre-configured booking page based on working hours that automatically updates to avoid conflicts.

Google Calendar is getting tighter scheduling integration

With Calendly and other rivals growing in a hybrid, post-pandemic, Google has been busy in recent months tying Calendar and Gmail together more closely to make it easier for contacts to schedule time together.

“By providing users with an easier way to book time with others, this change streamlines the scheduling process, which is particularly useful for customers, partners or people outside an organization who might not have visibility into another’s calendar,” Google wrote.

A mobile view of the pre-configured booking page only becomes available on mobile after it has been viewed on the web, Google explained in a product announcement. Most core functions, like creating, editing and deleting booking pages, are restricted to the web only.

Appointment scheduling has already started rolling out to all Google Workspace customers as well as Workspace Individual subscribers and person account holders, and will be broadly available by early September 2025.

The latest update comes not long after the company also added Google Calendar appointment booking page support to Gmail.

For that, users will need to click the Calendar icon at the bottom of an email draft to create a booking page which can be inserted directly into the body of the email.

That feature is now fully rolled out to the same types of accounts.

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Messaging will initially be available to Free and Premium subscribers in select markets.

• Bluesky has decided to exit Mississippi in response to the new age verification law
• Under the law, social media platforms need to verify all users' ages before granting them access
• People in Mississippi may be able to keep accessing Bluesky by spoofing their IP address with a VPN

Bluesky has decided to exit Mississippi in response to the new age verification law, which now requires social media platforms to verify the age of every user before granting them access.

Elon Musk's X rival warns that the new requirements "would fundamentally change how users access Bluesky," while opening up to privacy and security challenges that would impact smaller providers in particular.

Therefore, starting Friday, August 22, 2025, Bluesky is blocking all traffic from Mississippi IP addresses. This, however, means that users based in the state may be able to turn to the best VPN services to keep using the app.

"We do not take this decision lightly," wrote Bluesky in its official announcement, while ensuring that child safety remains a core priority. Yet, "We think this law creates challenges that go beyond its child safety goals, and creates significant barriers that limit free speech and disproportionately harm smaller platforms and emerging technologies."

Being a decentralized platform, the block applies only to the Bluesky app built on the AT Protocol. "Other apps and services may choose to respond differently," explains the provider.

Why is Bluesky worried about Mississippi's age verification approach?

As per Mississippi's HB1126 law, which was upheld by the US Supreme Court on August 14, all social media platforms must verify that every user accessing the platform is over 18 and obtain parental consent for all minors looking to use the app.

The law also requires tech providers to identify and keep track of all teen and child users. Fines for non-compliance can reach up to $10,000 per user.

"Building the required verification systems, parental consent workflows, and compliance infrastructure would require significant resources that our small team is currently unable to spare as we invest in developing safety tools and features for our global community," explains Bluesky.

The economic burden is only half of the story, though.

Bluesky is also concerned that the "law's broad scope" could affect all citizens in Mississippi (not only minors) to use their favorite platforms, negatively impacting their right to free speech and access to information.

The provider also warns against the privacy implications that could stem from collecting and storing such sensitive information about all users, as well as from tracking minors online.

Unfortunately, Bluesky is unavailable in Mississippi right now, due to a new state law that requires age verification for all users. While intended for child safety, we think this law poses broader challenges & creates significant barriers that limit free speech & harm smaller platforms like ours.

— @bsky.app (@bsky.app.bsky.social) 2025-08-26T14:19:50.674Z

Age checks aren't the real issue here, either. Bluesky was indeed one of the first providers to enforce age verification rules in the UK.

Yet, there's a substantial difference between the two laws.

Under the UK Online Safety Act, Bluesky and similar providers are required to verify users' age only for accessing content deemed legal but harmful.

"Mississippi’s law, by contrast, would block everyone from accessing the site – teens and adults – unless they hand over sensitive information, and once they do, the law in Mississippi requires Bluesky to keep track of which users are children," explains the provider.

Can a VPN help?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Bluesky app is now set to block access to all Mississippi IP addresses "until legal challenges to this law are resolved," explains the provider.

A virtual private network (VPN), however, could help you get back online. A VPN is security software that not only encrypts all your internet connections but also spoofs your IP address by rerouting your traffic via one of its international servers.

Therefore, if you're in Mississippi and want to keep accessing Bluesky, all you need to do is connect to a VPN server based where the app is available.

Remember, though, to use only reliable and secure services to ensure your data stays safe. At the time of writing, NordVPN is TechRadar's top recommendation. If you aren't willing to pay for a subscription just yet, I suggest checking our best free VPNs guide, with PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN being today's top picks.

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• The next Nintendo Direct showcase is reportedly set to air on September 12
• The presentation would be broadcast one day before Super Mario Bros.' 40th anniversary, a perfect time to announce a new game
• The release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond could also be announced

A Nintendo Direct showcase is reportedly scheduled to air next month.

That's according to multiple anonymous sources who told VGC that the next Nintendo presentation is planned for mid-September, specifically September 12, though the details of what to expect are still under wraps.

A Nintendo content creator, 'SwitchForce', also shared a post on X / Twitter, hinting that a Direct will air on the same date, writing: "Nintendo tried to phone in an emergency about the missing Switch 2 games, but they accidentally dialed 912."

It wouldn't be unusual for a new Direct to be held next month since, aside from 2024, one has been held every year since Nintendo's presentations kicked off.

This mid-September showcase would also arrive just in time for Super Mario Bros.' 40th anniversary, which is on September 13.

The fact that a Direct is rumored to be taking place so close to Mario's birthday would be the perfect opportunity for Nintendo to announce the next Super Mario Bros. game for Switch 2, or even a potential remake of an earlier entry in the series.

There's also the matter of other major Switch games that have to receive release dates, namely Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The game was announced in 2017, but was later rebooted as a new project in 2019 under Retro Studios.

The last we saw of the game was in June 2024, with a gameplay trailer and confirmation of a 2025 launch window for Nintendo Switch. Here's hoping the rumored Direct will offer a firm release date and perhaps even announcement of a Switch 2 version.

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• Chinese hackers found a unique way to target US firms
• The method remained largely hidden until now
• Hackers are mostly interested in espionage, experts claim

Chinese threat actors known as Murky Panda are abusing the trust businesses have in their cloud providers to break into companies, steal sensitive files, and maintain persistence for additional reconnaissance and espionage.

Security researchers at Crowdstrike have revealed how, since 2023, they have seen at least two cases in which Murky Panda exploited zero-day flaws to break into SaaS providers’ cloud environment.

After breaking in, they analyzed their victim’s cloud environment logic, “enabling them to leverage their access to that software to move laterally to downstream customers.”

Silk Typhoon

So, in essence, this is a third-party cyberattack conducted through a cloud-based service provider. However, the method is unique, and that makes it more successful compared to others, more widely reported ones:

“Due to the activity’s rarity, this initial access vector to a victim's cloud environment remains relatively undermonitored compared to more prominent initial access vectors such as valid cloud accounts and exploiting public-facing applications,” Crowdstrike explained.

The researchers also said the threat actor has been active since at least 2023, and that its techniques, tactics, and procedures are quite similar to those of Silk Typhoon, a known Chinese state-sponsored group. Since attribution is often tricky, the researchers hint that this could be Silk Typhoon, a partnering group, or a copycat.

Whoever it is, it seems to be focused on cyber-espionage and intelligence-gathering. Most of its targets are in government, technology, academia, legal, and professional services, located primarily in North America.

When breaking into their initial targets, Murky Panda is using different methods and tools. They were seen leveraging CVE-2023-3519 - a known vulnerability affecting Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway instances. This flaw is at least two years old, and was abused in the past by different ransomware actors, as well.

In other cases, they were seen compromising different small office/home office (SOHO) devices, too.

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• Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl will support 4K 60FPS on PS5 Pro in both quality and performance mode
• The base PS5 version currently offers quality mode at 4K 30FPS and performance mode at 2K 60FPS, but GSC Game World is aiming to deliver the latter at 4K 60FPS at launch
• Resolution, VFX, lighting, and more graphical features have been enhanced for the PS5 and PS5 Pro

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl's technical producer, Yevhenii Kulyk, has revealed that GSC Game World is aiming to launch the game on PS5 at 4K 60 frames per second (fps) in quality mode.

Speaking in an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom 2025, Kulyk confirmed that the PS5 Pro version will support 4K 60fps when played on both performance and quality modes, though more textures have been added to improve the latter.

On the other hand, the base PS5 version will offer quality mode at 4K 30fps, while performance mode is currently at 2K 60fps, but the studio is aiming for 4K 60fps at launch.

"Right now, we are going 2K in 60 for the base version, but we are aiming to hit that 4K to hit the parity as well," Kulyk said. "So we want to support, on launch, 4K on the base version for quality and performance."

The developer explained that the team has included additional enhancements with the PS5 Pro version by changing scalability settings, which should improve the game's environments.

"You may notice that in the Pro version, it's a better way to experience the atmosphere of the game, because we tweaked the shadow quality. We tweaked some resolution techniques," Kulyk said. "We tweaked VFX, shading quality, and volumetric stuff, like volumetric clouds and volumetric lighting, so it is quite noticeable, but still, PlayStation 5 is an absolutely good way to play with our game and experience it to the full length."

GSC Game World communications director, Zakhar Bocharov, also added that he thinks "the most beautiful version" is the PS5 Pro quality mode, but admitted that he would still prefer to play the game in performance mode with a guaranteed 60fps.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is now available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC, but will arrive on PS5 and PS5 Pro on November 20, 2025.

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