Technology

• Microsoft said it observed a threat actor known as Storm-2460 abuse a use after free flaw in Windows Common Log File System Driver
• The flaw is used to deploy PipeMagic, which is then used to deliver ransomware
• Users are advised to install the released patch immediately

Cybercriminals are abusing a post-compromise zero-day vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) to deploy ransomware.

Earlier this week, Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) and Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) published a new in-depth report, describing how a flaw tracked as CVE-2025-29824 is being used in cyberattacks.

The bug is described as a “use-after-free” vulnerability in Windows Common Log File System Driver that allows threat actors to elevate privileges locally. It was given a severity score of 7.8/10 (high).

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PipeMagic and RansomEXX

The caveat here is that this is a post-compromise vulnerability, meaning that the threat actors already broke into these systems before being able to abuse the flaw. It doesn’t particularly bother ransomware operators, Microsoft claims:

“Ransomware threat actors value post-compromise elevation of privilege exploits because these could enable them to escalate initial access, including handoffs from commodity malware distributors, into privileged access,” the blog reads. “They then use privileged access for widespread deployment and detonation of ransomware within an environment.”

In any case, at least one group is abusing this flaw in the wild right now. It is tracked as Storm-2460 and apparently, it is using it to deploy the PipeMagic malware.

PipeMagic is a backdoor trojan which allows the group to ultimately deploy ransomware. It seems that the group used RansomEXX this time, a variant that’s not particularly popular, or known.

Storm-2460 managed to use the flaw to target a “small number” of organizations, Microsoft said. Most of them are in IT, finance, and retail industries, and are located in the United States, Venezuela, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.

A security advisory discussing the use after free flaw was published on April 8, Microsoft said.

“Microsoft highly recommends that organizations prioritize applying security updates for elevation of privilege vulnerabilities to add a layer of defense against ransomware attacks if threat actors are able to gain an initial foothold,” the blog concludes.

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• Samsung's Ballie AI-infused robot will launch this summer in the US and Korea
• It'll now feature Gemini thanks to a partnership between Samsung and Google Cloud
• Samsung says it'll make Ballie more helpful and allow for natural conversations

Samsung finally spilled the beans on Ballie – its bright yellow AI-infused robot companion – at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, and now just four months later, we’re learning more about the forthcoming product feature set.

In a partnership with Google Cloud, Samsung announced that just like the deep integration of Google Gemini on the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S25 series, the two technology giants are bringing the AI assistant to Ballie. Ballie will feature Gemini and other generative AI technology from Google Cloud and Samsung’s language models.

We already know that Samsung’s Ballie is voice-activated with four far-field microphones on board. At CES 2025, I saw a demo of someone saying, “Hey Ballie,” to control smart home devices and spill information on places in Las Vegas.

Now, though, Samsung and Google Cloud aim to make interacting with Ballie even more natural and for the robot companion to be even more helpful. In a shared release, it’s teased that you could tell the robot, “I feel tired today,” and have it serve up ways to improve energy levels or if you have other Samsung-connected wearables to suggest monitoring sleep patterns. Pretty neat and clearly the promise of weaving Samsung’s tech with Gemini.

You can also work with Ballie to build out your personal style and ask the robot how you look. Ballie will then use its onboard cameras to provide style recommendations. Here it’s likely a similar technology to Gemini Live crossed with Google Lens for a multi-modal experience to see what styles could match with whatever you’re wearing.

As a reminder, Samsung’s Ballie has a ton of tech built-in, including a front Full HD triple-laser projector that can cast on surfaces near and far, a 4K camera on the front, a 2K camera on the back, a LiDAR sensor stack, Time of Flight (ToF) sensor, speakers, and the microphones as mentioned above.

Of course, it also has wheels to move around your home and even follow you. When the onboard battery depletes, it can return to its charging dock, much like a robot vacuum.

Ballie should arrive in the US and Korea this summer

(Image credit: Samsung)

Further, Samsung’s once again reaffirming – and recommitting to – the promised launch of later in 2025. Thankfully, it’s getting more specific, confirming that Ballie will launch in the United States and Korea this Summer. It’s for a completely unknown price, but Samsung has set up a page to register your information that, quite interestingly, asks for city and state. That leads me to think that Ballie might be rolled out in a trial for specific states, potentially linked to Samsung’s SmartThings cities, or just that supplies will be limited at first.

Regardless, I’m still eager as ever to see Ballie formally launch and to put it through its paces. And for those keeping track, Samsung’s news today is a very-fast follow to the robot’s appearance at CES. Ballie was first announced in 2020, returned in 2024 with a promise to launch that same year, and then shown off again in January 2025 with a promise launch later this year.

Considering this is the most Samsung’s told us about Ballie, I’m leading more faith and the company’s showing more proof that Ballie will indeed arrive, and I can’t wait. You can sign-up to mark your interest in Ballie on Samsung’s site here.

Of course, stick with TechRadar for the latest on Ballie, and you can read our first look at the robot from CES 2025 and our chat with Samsung’s Head of Product, Home Entertainment, Lydia Cho here. Remember, she said, “We just think it’s the perfect companion for you to meet all your needs,” and Gemini could help it.

I just personally think it’s now the second cutest robot compared to Disney’s BDX Droids. Those are the clear winners.

@techradar

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• BYD, Zeekr and Huawei are all developing EV chargers that deliver 1MW
• Seeker’s 1.2MW charger is designed for passenger vehicles
• Early experiences suggests that more power might not be the answer

Several major Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers have recently announced powerful new charging networks that are capable of reaching in excess of 1,000kW rates – or 1 megawatt, as highlighted by numerous attention-grabbing headlines. But early reports from China suggest they might not be the game-changers they sound like on paper.

The staggeringly-powerful outlets eclipse the current “ultra fast-charging” offering, which generally sees tops out at around 350kW, allowing a handful of EVs fitted with an 800V electrical architecture to charge from 10-80% in around 20-minutes.

However, BYD’s recent Super e-Platform proved that it can add 249 miles of range in five minutes from its proposed 1MW charging outlets.

Not to be outdone, Huawei quickly teased its 1.5MW charger and Zeekr introduced a single connector, car-focussed liquid-cooled charger that is capable of delivering 1.2MW of power to its next-generation EVs.

But not everyone is convinced that ultra high-power chargers are the answer and early reports surfacing from China suggest that a number of EV owners are failing to achieve the advertised charging rates.

According to Car News China, users have reported that even vehicles marketed as capable of charging 80% in 15 minutes usually require closer to 30 minutes or longer in practical scenarios.

(Image credit: BYD)

The article goes on to explain that BYD’s technology requires a sustained delivery of 1000V and 1000A to achieve the proposed “five minute” charge times, which is difficult to achieve in real-world scenarios, where there are fluctuations due to demand on the grid, the performance of the charger’s built-in cooling system, and even the weather.

Secondly, these high-powered outlets tend to require a complicated cooling system to prevent them from melting, which makes each individual charger up to five times more expensive than a traditional charger and costlier to maintain over the long term.

Finally, there is the important issue of strain on local grids, as the power draw is so high it could massively disrupt supplies to homeowners and local business.

The Chinese manufacturers have attempted to combat this by also installing large scale back-up power packs, which can be charged from solar or be trickle-fed form the grid to provide excess power to the charging outlets when demand is high.

Car News China points out that the reliance on energy storage, such as the system proposed by BYD, introduces another limitation: once the stored energy is depleted, subsequent vehicles will not be able to benefit from the same ultra-fast charging speeds.

Ultra-fast charging might not be the answer

(Image credit: Tesla)

While range anxiety and concerns around the public charging network are undoubtedly major hurdles facing indecisive EV buyers, simply throwing ever-more powerful charging outlets at the problem likely isn’t the best solution.

As EV battery tech continues to improve, owners will be able to achieve greater mileage out of a single charge. A robust, functioning network, like the one offered by Tesla and its Superchargers, provides the peace of mind that you can simply stop, plug in and get on your way.

Most regular drivers crave a quick pit stop and a break from driving when covering hundreds of miles and, in my experience, a stop to charge coincides with my natural need to have a rest anyway.

By the time I’ve ushered my kids out of a vehicle and into a service station for a toilet break and a drink, most modern EVs will have nailed the 10-80% charge.

Granted, the sort of five-minute charge advertised by BYD is attractive and would be ideal for those electric vehicles that can only manage 150 miles on a single charge, but the technology won’t be associated with these “more affordable” vehicles.

It will be the reserve of the larger, more expensive EVs with massive battery packs or, as is the case with most 1MW charging technology, heavy duty trucks and commercial vehicles.

Siemens, for example, completed the first successful 1MW charge early last year, showcasing the ability to rapidly top up a long-haul prototype eTruck from 20-80% in around 30 minutes.

For haulage firms that rely on speed and reliability, this is essential, but for passenger cars, I’m not so sure.

The technology is hugely expensive, puts excessive strain on the grid and requires a greater level of planning and infrastructure to install – all factors that will deter anyone investing in a burgeoning charging network.

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• AMD's Ryzen AI Max 395+ will be used in GMKtec's upcoming mini-PC
• It's reportedly launching in May
• China's pre-order pricing indicates a $2,000 price point for US consumers

It's safe to say that chips from the likes of Intel and AMD are once again in the spotlight, considering their integrated graphics gaming performance capabilities amid a messy GPU market - and now, one of Team Red's strongest processors ever will finally be available in a mini-PC.

As VideoCardz reported, GMKtec could launch a new mini-PC, the EVO-X2, in May, powered by AMD's Ryzen AI Max 395+ APU. This comes from VideoCardz's insight into pre-order details: pre-orders are already live in China, with pricing confirmed at 14,999 RMB, which roughly converts to around $2,000 (without tariffs!) / £1,599 / AU$3,400 - and pre-orders for US and EU buyers are reportedly set for April 15.

This is the listing for the highest tier configuration, which includes 128GB of RAM and 2TB of storage space - so it's got a lot to offer for tiny PC lovers.

While its price is certainly hefty, it's worth noting that the Ryzen AI Max 395+ processor using the Radeon 8060S iGPU is an absolute powerhouse, especially for gamers. ETA Prime on YouTube has previously showcased its performance in games like Cyberpunk 2077 - on the ultra graphics preset in 1440p (with upscaling), there's a near-consistent 60fps, which isn't possible for some desktop GPUs.

It's all possible thanks to the APU's 16 cores and 32 threads, along with a seriously impressive 40 cores on the Radeon 8060S integrated GPU. It's also a significant step in the direction of discrete GPUs becoming obsolete: although that may still be a long way away considering the presence of high-end GPUs like the RTX 5080 or RTX 5090, it's a promising start.

The system shown in the video (available above) using the APU is a prototype, so aspects like cooling, power consumption, and chassis dimensions are yet to be finalized - we'll have to wait and see its real-world performance ceiling.

Fortunately, mini PCs like this offer gamers a way into the PC gaming ecosystem, supposedly at the same price (in fact, even less with the current inflated GPU prices) as Nvidia's RTX 5090 would cost with its $1,999 / £1,939 / AU$4,039 price - and that’s for a whole system, not just a graphics card. However, the issue of tariffs could see the purported $2,000 price of the GMKtec EVO-X2 skyrocket soon.

Systems powered by AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ chips aren't safe from inflation and tariffs either...

As of now, no PC hardware (including game consoles) is safe from tariffs: we've already seen Nintendo pause pre-orders for its Switch 2 in the US due to uncertainty from tariffs, including retailers selling AMD and Nvidia partner cards, and I fully expect the same to apply to APU-powered systems.

If the $2,000 price point is legitimate, then we could easily see a price point upwards of $3,000 in the US with the tariffs currently in place - or even worse, no availability whatsoever. It's an indication of how uncertain the PC gaming space is at the moment, and it's probably one of the worst possible times for sanctions to come into effect.

Nvidia, in particular, is facing difficulties with its new RTX 5000 series GPU lineup, with driver problems, missing ROPs, and limited availability at the forefront of it all. With inflation set to hike even more, it'll likely place PC gamers like me further away from the temptation of buying any of the Blackwell GPUs.

There aren't any Ryzen AI Max+ APUs used in handheld gaming PCs just yet, but if there was any chance of that happening any time soon, you can probably forget about it for now. My only hope is that this present debacle doesn't last too long...

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Like a laser sight emerging from the dark, Hulu has dropped a surprise trailer for the long rumoured secret Predator movie, Predator: Killer of Killers.

Confirming that the franchise renaissance director Dan Trachtenberg kicked off with 2022’s Prey is in full swing, the new movie “follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a bloody quest for revenge; a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession; and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. But while all these warriors are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent – the ultimate killer of killers.”

And judging by the trailer – which you can watch below – the Predator’s journey through the ages looks like a bloody good time, with the historical carnage of Prey given a dose of animated excess.

It’s fair to say the Predator franchise has had its ups and downs. While the Arnie-starring original is a bonafide classic featuring the most macho handshake of all time, the sequel – which sees the titular hunter in the centre of an LA gang war – is less well regarded, although has built up a cult following over time.

While the franchise had a pair of crossover films with the Alien series in the 2000’s, it took two decades for another stand-alone Predator movie, 2010’s Predators. Produced by Robert Rodriguez, the film flipped the original on its head, seeing a group of mercenaries and various other ne'er-do-wells dropped into the Yautja’s game reserve. Despite a stacked cast featuring the likes of Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Walton Goggins and Laurence Fishburne, the film received a lukewarm reception, leaving the franchise dormant until Shane Black’s 2018 effort, The Predator, which again, failed to reignite the franchise.

What can we expect from Predator: Killer of Killers?

Prey proved to be a shot in the arm for the Predator franchise, taking it in a bold new direction with its story of a young Comanche woman (Amber Midthunder) having to protect her tribe from a vicious Yautja hunter. The historical setting, fresh themes and shocking violence made for the best reviewed installment to date and Predator: Killer of Killers looks to be more of the same, albeit with the animated medium cranking things up a notch.

Taking an anthology approach, the new movie sees the fearsome extra-terrestrial warrior battling some of the best of the best from across the eras from blood spattered vikings to sword swinging samurais and ace WW2 Spitfire pilots, all brought to life in stunning animation courtesy of The Third Floor. If live action is more your thing, worry not, as Trachtenberg also has a third Predator film, Badlands, which sees the warrior become the hero, hitting cinemas in November.

In the meantime, we can’t wait for Predator: Killer of Killers to arrive on some of the best streaming services (Hulu in the US, Disney Plus worldwide) on June 6, when it’ll likely become one of the best Disney+ movies of the year.

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• Output resolution for Nintendo Switch 2 camera models have been revealed
• The official camera outputs at 1080p, while Hori's third-party option comes in at just 480p
• Both are currently listed on the UK My Nintendo Store website

Hori's Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat camera may be cheaper than the official option, but its resolution will be significantly worse overall.

IGN spotted that both the official Nintendo Switch 2 Camera accessory, and the third-party Hori Piranha Plant Camera have had their outputted resolutions confirmed on the My Nintendo UK store.

The official Nintendo Switch 2 Camera accessory is pricier at $49.99 / £49.99, but it has video capture quality of 1080p.

I can see why folks are more interesting in Hori's officially licensed camera. The Piranha Plant design is eye-catching, and it might look nice perched on top of your Switch 2 system. It's also much cheaper, with a UK price of £33.99.

The major downside here is that Hori's model outputs at a paltry 480p, which will make for a much grainier image compared to the official camera. This is even more of an issue given that - at least from what we've seen so far - the camera output is quite small on the TV screen. This will make your appearance even less defined when compared to that sharper Full HD output.

I do love the look of Hori's camera, especially when stood next to the rather boring design Nintendo has opted for. So for kids and family, the Piranha Plant camera may still be a decent and affordable choice. But for more fulsome multiplayer sessions with friends, it's tough to argue against the official camera being the way to go.

At TRG, we will of course endeavor to have both options tested and reviewed around launch time, so there's still a chance Hori's camera could surprise us. But official specs typically don't lie, and right now, it's not looking good for this cheaper model.

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Night sweats got you in a bother? With this cooling bedding, waking up hot, wet and uncomfortable will be a thing of the past.

• Some Samsung Galaxy Watch models offer sleep apnea detection
• The company is partnering with Stanford University to research more innovation in the sector
• It hopes to use AI to go beyond detection and develop sleep apnea management technology

Samsung has announced ambitious plans to take the sleep apnea features of its Galaxy Watch range beyond detection, possibly using AI to one day power sleep apnea management.

Announced on April 8, Samsung has partnered with Stanford University and Stanford Medicine to conduct a research project into "an innovative health solution based on Samsung's obstructive sleep apnea feature."

Samsung says the study is designed "to explore potential ways to further enhance Samsung’s Sleep Apnea feature to better support sleep health through timely interventions."

According to Samsung, the company wants to move beyond detection, the current functionality offered by devices like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 7, and toward technology that can help users manage the condition.

Samsung isn't sleeping on sleep apnea

Perhaps most excitingly, Samsung specifically mentions AI technology, which it hopes to leverage in this pursuit, "empowering users with the best possible sleep tools to improve their health".

Samsung also noted that its sleep apnea feature was recently certified in Brazil and will roll out to the country in April to bring the total number of supported territories to 29.

The feature is designed to help spot and detect sleep apnea earlier to prevent long-term complications, a noble goal shared by Apple, which added sleep apnea detection to its best Apple Watch models last year.

According to estimates, sleep apnea affects more than one billion people worldwide, mostly undetected. Sleep apnea is a condition where the body briefly stops breathing during sleep, cutting off oxygen to the body. Undiagnosed, it can cause more significant health complications such as hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiac issues.

It sounds like Samsung's ambitions extend beyond mere detection, with future sights set clearly on monitoring the condition or perhaps even preventing it in the first place. In more immediate Galaxy Watch news, we're expecting a new Galaxy Watch 8 and possibly a classic model to debut sometime this summer.

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• GreyNoise says scannings for vulnerable TVT DVRs are spiking
• More than 2,500 unique IP addresses were hunting at one point
• A 2024 vulnerability allows threat actors to run admin commands on the device

Operators of the Mirai botnet are actively hunting for vulnerable TVT DVRs to assimilate them into the nefarious network, cybersecurity researchers GreyNoise have revealed after observing a spike in exploitation attempts.

In May 2024, security researchers from SSD Secure Disclosure reported on a vulnerability affecting NVMS9000 DVRs built by the Shenzhen-based TVT Digital Technology manufacturer. The vulnerability was described as an authentication bypass, allowing threat actors to run admin commands on the device unabated.

All versions prior to 1.3.4 were said to be affected, but a patch was released and versions 1.3.4 and newer were no longer vulnerable.

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"No malicious files hosted"

Users who don’t keep track of updates and don’t patch their systems on time are now at risk. GreyNoise said that on April 3 the attack peaked, with more than 2,500 unique IP addresses scanning for vulnerable endpoints. We don’t know how many of these DVRs there are or how big the attack surface might be.

The researchers said that the malware being deployed on the DVRs is tied to Mirai, one of the most infamous botnets in cybersecurity history. Mirai usually targets smart devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and internet-connected hardware, and is used to run disruptive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

GreyNoise said that in the past 30 days it logged 6,600 unique IP addresses associated with this activity. All of the addresses were confirmed to be malicious. They mostly came from Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, targeting devices in the US, UK, and Germany.

Mirai operators are quite active this year. In mid-January, news broke that they targeted industrial routers vulnerable to a zero-day. A few weeks later, security researchers from Akamai said they caught a new variant of the botnet targeting business phone devices built by Mitel.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Meet Dan Clark Audio's latest elite planar magnetic wired over-ears
• Noire X feature proprietary tech used in headphones nearer $5,000 / £4,100
• They're cheaper than that – although hardly entry-level

Dark, brooding, black-on-black Nickel-Titanium alloy with Gorilla Glass 3 and a leather-wrapped headband, Dan Clark Audio’s Noire X would be the ideal gothic-inspired cans for Vince Noir (of UK early-noughties classic The Mighty Boosh fame) or of course for the man in black himself, JR Cash.

They'd also be fantastic for me and my devotion to wired, leave-me-alone listening.

What you're looking at is a pair of closed-back planar magnetic headphones of the highest order. They also promise to bring Dan Clark Audio – a company that holds six tech innovation patents to date – to a "more accessible" price.

Okay, that price is still an eye-watering £1,000 (so around $1,280 or AU$2,135), but you're getting the San Diego-based headphone maker's proprietary planar driver and "metamaterial tuning tech" that went into its top-tier, closed-back Stealth and open-back Expanse, both of which retail at £4,100 – so, you know… bargain.

DCA describes Noire X as the Johnny Cash of headphones, and I don't mind it. (*Sings If they were mine, I'd walk the line… )

Why planar is better than dynamic, in the ring of fire

(Image credit: Dan Clark Audio)

Noire X feature DCA's upgraded Aeon planar driver – but let us backtrack just a second. Most headphones use dynamic drivers, which combine a stiff cone-shaped diaphragm with a voice coil around a magnet, to produce sound waves via pistonic movement. Noire X uses a thin membrane that is immersed in a magnetic field, causing it to vibrate – aka a planar magnetic driver. This is often considered a superior headphone solution for detail, timing and an expansive soundstage – when it is done well.

The Noire X's new 62x34mm driver diaphragm is significantly more rigid than its predecessor, following "extensive R&D investments" and "new manufacturing processes" to make the upgrade.

The Noire X’s self-tensioning headband promises to reduce listening fatigue by distributing pressure evenly across the head for a ‘barely there’ fit. You're also getting newly designed ear pads featuring ultra-stable, memory foam-wrapped synthetic leather (do note though, real leather is used for the headband).

Finally, a comprehensive range of cable terminations comes with your purchase, including combo 6.3mm and 3.5mm tips, balanced 4.4mm and 4-pin XLR. If you're seeking greater flexibility in cable length and termination, you could always upgrade to DCA’s premium VIVO cables, available in multiple lengths and options.

Given the Noire X's quoted Impedance (13Ω) and recommended minimum power of 250mW @ 16Ω, it would be advisable to supply them with one of the best headphone DACs that include a jolt of extra oomph to get the best out of them – but I have a couple of those. What I don't have is these headphones…

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• 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz is coming to the Las Vegas Sphere
• Using the power of AI, Google is reimagining the film for the 16k spherical screen
• The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere opens on August 28

The Wizard of Oz is coming to the Las Vegas Sphere, and it's all thanks to Google's incredible AI technology.

Following last week's announcement that the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz is being reimagined for Las Vegas' iconic 16K LED screen spherical theater, set to open on August 28, Google is now giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the magic behind the production.

While The Wizard of Oz was not the first film to be shot in color, it's often referenced as one of the first true movie experiences to capture color efficiently, thanks to its incredible mix of colors and use of black-and-white in the film's Kansas scenes.

In Google's blog post, the company says, "Likewise, “The Wizard of Oz” may not be the first film to be reconceptualized with AI, but it may soon be known for that, too."

This is a massive project combining the teams at Google DeepMind, Google Cloud, Sphere Studios, Magnopus, and Warner Bros. Discovery to create an incredible experience, coming off the success of Wicked, which is set in the same world as The Wizard of Oz.

With the launch of Wicked: For Good set for November 2025, it's the perfect time to put eyes on the movie that inspired Elphaba and Glinda's epic two-part musical.

The power of tech and AI will showcase The Wizard of Oz in the "venue's 17,600-seat spherical space to create an immersive sensory experience," and Google says "generative AI will take center stage, alongside Dorothy, Toto and more munchkins than could ever fit in a multiplex."

(Image credit: Google) How to turn a classic into a modern epic

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Google's blog post on the work that has gone into bringing The Wizard of Oz to The Sphere is nothing short of mind-blowing.

The man behind the project, Buzz Hays, is the global lead for entertainment industry solutions at Google Cloud and a veteran producer in the world of Hollywood.

He said, "We’re starting with the original four-by-three image on a 35mm piece of celluloid — it’s actually three separate, grainy film negatives; that’s how they shot Technicolor,” Hays says. “That obviously won’t work on a screen that is 160,000 square feet. So we’re working with Sphere Studios, Magnopus and visual effects artists around the world, alongside our AI models, to effectively bring the original characters and environments to life on a whole new canvas — creating an immersive entertainment experience that still respects the original in every way.”

The Sphere has the highest resolution screen in the world, which means The Wizard of OZ's grainy 1939 imagery would've caused a huge issue for the experience. Luckily, the teams found solutions using Veo, Imagen, and Gemini to completely transform the movie using an "AI-based 'super resolution' tool to turn those tiny celluloid frames from 1939 into ultra-ultra-high definition imagery that will pop inside Sphere."

Following the upscaling, the teams then perform a process called AI outpainting, which essentially expands the scenes of The Wizard of Oz to fit the larger space found on the massive screen. AI then generates elements of the performances to fill out the created space and make the shots look and feel seamless.

Keeping the soul of the original

While I don't blame you if you think this sounds like an AI-generated catastrophe, ruining a classic that shouldn't be messed with, Google emphasises how the team has the traditions of cinema at the forefront of every decision.

"In addition to old footage, the team scoured archives to build a vast collection of supplementary material, such as the shooting script, production illustrations, photographs, set plans and scores."

Then, these materials were uploaded to Veo and Gemini to train the models and build on the "specific details of the original characters, their environments and even elements of the production, like camera focal lengths for specific scenes."

"With far more source material than just the 102-minute film to work with, the quality of the outputs dramatically improved. Now, Dorothy’s freckles snap into focus, and Toto can scamper more seamlessly through more scenes."

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• RTX 5060 Ti price rumor suggests Nvidia could lower MSRPs
• Supposedly we’re looking at $379 and $429 for the 8GB and 16GB models respectively
• Previous pricing speculation has hinted that Nvidia might stick to the same MSRPs as the RTX 4060 Ti models, though

Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards could be priced more affordably than their predecessors, in a potential twist I did not see coming – if this rumor turns out to be true, of course.

VideoCardz reports that the pricing speculation comes from the Board Channels forum over in China, which can provide reliable info (or has done in the past) via the supply chain.

We’re told that the RTX 5060 Ti with 8GB is going to launch at an MSRP of $379 in the US, and the 16GB version will pitch in at $429, as per details passed on to graphics card makers by Nvidia.

To refresh your memory, that’s a fair bit cheaper than the RTX 4060 Ti was priced at when the same flavors of that GPU were released. It arrived at $399 for the 8GB version and $499 for the 16GB card from the Lovelace generation.

Supposedly, Nvidia is about to launch its RTX 5060 Ti models in the middle of this month, according to the rumor mill, and they might go on sale come April 16

The RTX 5060 vanilla graphics card should also be unveiled next week, but won’t hit shelves until mid-May, if the grapevine is correct. There’s no mention of the price tag of that graphics card, incidentally, which could indicate that it is indeed further out from launch.

(Image credit: Future) Analysis: Stick or twist with pricing - and standing on the RTX 5070's toes

Go nuts with the saltshaker here because, as VideoCardz points out, pre-release pricing rumors are notoriously, well, shaky by nature. Still, this is at least a more solid source than an early product listing from an obscure retailer in Canada or Europe pinning claimed pricing on a GPU (a price that could be completely made up in order to grab a bit of limelight from reports).

Also, if we are a week away from the launch of the RTX 5060 Ti as theorized, it’d make sense that Nvidia would have set pricing by now, and graphics card makers would likely have been informed. So, the rumor is plausible, if a definite twist on what I expected: remember, other recent speculation, also from the Board Channels, suggested Nvidia might stick to the same pricing as the RTX 4060 Ti models.

So, we should remain skeptical for sure, and I’ve also got to admit, I find it difficult to believe that Nvidia is going to drop pricing as suggested here. Why? Because even if Team Green merely sticks with the same pricing as the RTX 4060 Ti, the base 8GB model of the RTX 5060 Ti will still likely fly off the shelves – let alone if pricing dips. The 16GB version sounds like compelling value at a theoretical $429, too, particularly considering the concerns about VRAM that have been aired time and again. The key question is then: how will Nvidia cope with supplying these GPUs under the even greater level of demand that keener pricing will bring?

Maybe Nvidia is finally turning a corner with its production and supply issues? Or maybe it just hopes that lowered pricing for more mainstream Blackwell GPUs will gain some much-needed goodwill with PC gamers – even if stock remains a scramble (because that won’t always be the case, as supply will be ironed out eventually).

If these prices do turn out to be real, it marks a definite change of stance from Nvidia, perhaps to gain favor with gamers. Although I can’t help but feel that it’d also stand on the toes of the RTX 5070, which is already a graphics card that’s viewed rather unfavorably for its price-to-performance ratio, and lack of VRAM, with just 12GB on board. And so, the upper-tier RTX 5060 Ti, at nearly a quarter less with its MSRP, loaded with 16GB – a more future-proof VRAM pool – could undermine the RTX 5070 even further in this pricing scenario.

The other way of angling that theorizing, though, is that it hints that Nvidia is going to make less of a generational leap with the RTX 5060 Ti’s performance versus the RTX 4060 Ti than expected (so the RTX 5070 isn’t threatened in this way). Hopefully, we’ll see how this plays out next week.

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• Spotify has denied rumors that it's bringing ads to its Premium tier
• The platform shared a post on X to confirm the rumors are false after users were speculating online
• Other services such as Netflix have introduced cheaper subscription tiers with ads, so could Spotify follow suit?

If you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber, allow yourself to rejoice in the good news I’m about to share as the platform has officially shut down the rumors that it’s bringing ads to its Premium tier.

Spotify debunked the speculation in a post on X (formerly Twitter), addressing the online rumor and explicitly stating that this is in fact ‘false’ and that its Premium tier will ‘remain ad-free’.

The platform then doubled down by relying on its own post repeating ‘This rumor is false. Premium music listening is ad-free,’ with the exception of podcasts. But where did these rumors start?

There is a rumor circulating that Spotify is putting ads into premium music listening. This rumor is false. Premium music listening is and will remain ad-free.April 8, 2025

In February, many Spotify Premium users took to Spotify’s Community forum after noticing an odd bug that was showing ads in the service’s ad-free tier. It took Spotify a few weeks later to finally fix the bug - for now, at least. However, it still wasn’t enough to reassure its subscribers that Premium would remain completely ad-free.

Since Spotify fixed the bug there have been no further reports or complaints about any recurrences, but it hasn’t stopped Premium users from latching onto this conspiracy

Although Spotify has worked hard to gain its status as one of the best music streaming services, it has the tendency to flop in certain aspects. For some, this is more than just a simple ‘off day’.

Is Spotify shaking up its subscription tier structure?

It doesn’t take an avid Spotify listener to see that the platform is going through some rough patches - we all know that I’m talking about the possible, yet impossible, arrival of a Spotify HiFi tier.

Music platforms aside, it’s become common practice for the best streaming services to introduce more affordable subscription plans that feature ads in between movies and shows - Netflix, Prime Video, that’s you guys

So as a subscriber to both types of entertainment platforms, I’m asking myself the question; could a similar tier soon be applied to music streaming?

The recent ads in the Premium bug don’t help this speculation. Now that Spotify HiFi is slated to launch late this year, I’m not ruling out the possibility of a subscription tier shake-up which could see Spotify follow the steps of Netflix and introduce a cheaper tier with ads. But even then, surely Spotify would have to eradicate its free tier altogether?

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• Sid Meier's Civilization 7 update 1.2.0 launches on April 22
• It finally brings back the ability to play just one more turn
• Other new additions include new Resources, a Team Multiplayer mode, and more

If you're a long-time Civilization fan like me, then the next update for Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is not one that you will want to miss.

As outlined in the latest update check-in post on the official Civilization blog, update 1.2.0 is currently set for an April 22, 2025, launch. It introduces a wide range of quality-of-life changes, UI improvements, updates to mechanics, and much more.

For me, by far the most exciting addition is the return of the legendary "Just one more turn..." option, which used to appear after you finished a match. It allowed you to continue your game, which was ideal if there were still things that you wanted to experience or if you'd just had your match ended by a sudden and unexpected loss.

In Civilization 7, the option will lock Age Progress to 100% but not block you through completing other victory paths and even obtaining Legacy Path achievements. In update 1.2.0, the option will only be available at the end of the Modern Age - but the development team is working on implementing it in single Age games too.

There will also be changes to how Resources work, including the addition of ten new resources with their own unique new Narrative Events. Resources will also appear differently thanks to a newly added randomized generation system, which should help each Age feel more distinct.

Food will be rebalanced too, making strategies that rely on population growth much more viable.

We're also getting a new Teams Multiplayer mode, another thing that was present in previous Civ games. Players on the same team will share map visibility, relationships, war status, alliance status, and victory states - though not technologies, civics, or Legacy Path progress.

All of this is on top of some heavily requested smaller additions, such as the ability to queue research, repair all buildings in a settlement, improved map generation, and general bug fixes and UI polish. Full details will be available in the Update Notes on April 22.

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. A Nintendo Switch 2 version will launch on June 5, 2025.

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Netflix's second most-watched movie right now is the buddy comedy One Of Them Days, in which best friends Dreux and Alyssa race across LA to try and get enough cash to avoid being evicted.

Starring Keke Palmer and SZA, it's a fun ride and while it gets a bit cartoony in places, it's a great example of why buddy comedies are such a popular genre on the best streaming services: you get action, you get adventure, you get wisecracks... in other words, you get a lot of entertainment.

There are lots of brilliant buddy movies out there, and lots of buddy comedies currently make up some of the best Netflix movies you can stream – so if you're looking for a buddy movie to watch with your best buds, or to stream solo, I think you'll enjoy at least two of these three.

Friday

• Where to watch: Netflix (US, UK, AU)

Ice Cube and Chris Tucker play newly unemployed Craig and his stoner pal Smokey who, one Friday in LA, suddenly need to find $200 to avoid a world of trouble. As you'd expect from an Ice Cube movie it's got a killer soundtrack, but while some of the gags are a bit toilet humor the film itself is strong: Entertainment Weekly said that "Friday has energy, and sass, and the nerve to suggest that the line between tragedy and comedy may be in the bloodshot eye of the beholder."

Friday was released after a slew of movies that showed South Central LA as a violent criminal hellhole, and that made it a refreshing correction: as Emanuel Levy wrote: "A new generation of Black talent (director Gray, actors Chris Tucker and Ice Cube) bring verve to this much welcome comedic view of street life in South Central, after mostly crime and drug pictures set there."

If you're easily offended this might not be for you; Variety was one of many publications to point out that a lot of the humor was very crude. But many more found it hilarious, including the Arizona Daily Star: The film "synthesizes blaxploitation and pot-comedy genres and melds them into a colossus of unending laughs."

Wedding Crashers

• Where to watch: Netflix (US, UK), Prime Video (AU)

I have a rule: if it's got Walken, it's worth watching. And this is no exception. Walken is a hoot every time he's on screen in this fun comedy about two men, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, whose idea of a good time is to crash strangers' weddings to get free booze and pick up women. But then the duo crash the wedding of Treasury Secretary William Cleary (Walken)'s daughter, and plans start to go awry.

The Chicago Reader puts it plainly: "Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson are enormously funny." The Sydney Morning Herald liked it too: "It's an easy, breezy, lanky Hollywood rom-com with a brain, for most of its running time."

The casting is key here, because as the Bangor Daily News put it: "The film's best element is the inspired casting of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson; their easy repartee helps to grease over the film's shortcomings." Isla Fisher as Walken's daughter is particularly great: as Three Movie Buffs said, she "manages to steal every scene that she's in."

Me Time

• Where to watch: Netflix (US, UK, AU)

Fancy a hate-watch? Any film with a 7% Rotten Tomatoes rating begs to be watched, if only to find out why so many people hated it. This Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg movie about a bored dad who finds some "me time" when his wife and kids are away has been pelted with so many rotten tomatoes I almost feel sorry for it.

How bad can it be? The critics were almost unanimous: it's a promising premise that's completely wasted by the script and phoned-in performances.

Empire Magazine was not amused. The jokes are "crass" and the stunts are "hackneyed"; a rare highlight is Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, an anarchic Uber driver who's genuinely funny. But the film itself is just chaotic. ABC News agreed. "This laugh-starved, buddy comedy is crushingly dim-witted and disposable."

Groucho Reviews didn't like it either. It's "a very strange mix of family sitcom and R-rated bro-down buddy comedy. A witless string of dumb comic set pieces and an unfunny slog." And Uproxx perhaps summed up the problem: "Me Time is an R-rated comedy about parenthood. Why do most of the jokes feel like they're aimed at 8-year-olds?"

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• Users are reporting a persistent Google Messages bug
• It repeatedly asks for an emoji reaction to images in chats
• The issue may be limited to users running the beta app

We're seeing multiple reports of a rather annoying emoji reaction bug in Google Messages – one that prompts you to apply a reaction to the last received message before you can do anything else, if the last message in the chat was an image.

These reports surfaced on Reddit (via Android Police) in the last few days, and it seems quite a few users have come across them. It doesn't really break the app, but it does make for a more frustrating user experience.

Emoji reactions were added to Google Messages last year, one of several upgrades rolled out to the app recently to help it catch up to the other popular messaging services out there, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage.

It means you can react to any message with an emoji of your choice, rather than sending a full reply: but with this bug users are being prompted to leave a reaction as soon as they go back to a chat. Ordinarily, you need to long press a message to bring up the emojis.

Finding a fix Reactions automatically popping up from r/GoogleMessages

As far as bugs in Google Messages go, this isn't the most serious we've ever come across. The easiest way to fix the problem is to send a standard text message to add to the chat, which seems to resume normal service again. We've asked Google for an update on the issue and will update this story if we hear back.

The bug also seems to be affecting users of the beta version of Google Messages too – so you could try updating to the latest stable release to solve the issue. You can do this from the Google Messages listing in the Play Store app on your phone.

Hopefully this annoyance will be caught before it rolls out more widely, which should be the case if it's only beta users who are affected. After all, the whole purpose of beta testing is to squash these kinds of bugs ahead of a full update.

Diligent code diggers have spotted numerous new features apparently on the way to Google Messages: it looks likely that we'll see improvements to how longer texts are handled, and how you can manage your busy group chats.

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• Strava just got four major upgrades
• The company has added new route filtering, a redesigned activity page, and a Strava Stickers upgrade
• The biggest change is a new proprietary map rendering engine

Strava has added four new updates to its app, including an absolutely massive 3D map rendering overhaul that promises a new level of detail to terrain and routes, making one of the best fitness apps around even better.

Strava's more modest changes include updates to Saved Routes filtering, a new Activity Details page, and Sticker exporting.

Strava subscribers can now search Saved Routes by keyword or filter them by sport type, distance, elevation, owner, or even surface type.

The Activity Details page is now more immersive, with a full-screen layout including route, photos, and videos showcased, letting you more easily see your best moments and achievements.

Thirdly, Strava Stickers can now be exported directly to Instagram Stories, and you can download them for use on other platforms. As mentioned, however, it's the 3D mapping that we're really excited about.

Strava's new 3D mapping

Strava's rich new 3D mapping (Image credit: Strava)

Strava has integrated its own proprietary mapping engine into the Strava app. The company says it will bring lifelike 3D terrain, detailed satellite imagery, and new map layers for winter trails and activities.

Strava's Map Rendering Engine (MRE) now uses a hilariously-named technology called FATMAP, a company it acquired in 2022. With the new maps, users will get more detailed insight into Avalanche Gradients, general gradients, aspect (the direction a slope faces), and improved winter map styles to help you plan cold-weather activity.

You can find the new maps in the Maps tab on the app, and they'll even show when you're looking back at previous activities. Strava says that it's going to keep building on MRE to add even more improvements and map innovations in the future, so there should be plenty to look forward to.

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• Ninja has launched an extra-large version of its Sizzle Pro indoor grill
• It's large enough to cook family meals and is non-stick for easy cleaning
• It's available in the US for $199.99 but isn't currently sold elsewhere

Ninja has released a new indoor grill with an extra-large cooking area that's big enough to cook up to 10 burgers at once so that you and your guests can all eat together, or so you can prepare whole family meals.

Ninja is well known for making some of the best air fryers you can buy, but it's also no slouch when it comes to hybrid cookers and indoor electric grills. The new Ninja Sizzle Pro XL is a super-sized version of the original Sizzle Pro, with a 20-inch griddle that gives you enough space to cook a whole stack of pancakes for a family of four or prepare a huge batch of fried rice for a quick weekday dinner.

You can cook with the lid up or down, depending on whether you want to create char-grilled flavor when cooking meat or lock in moisture when preparing fish and vegetables.

When you're done, the non-stick ceramic plates are a piece of cake to clean, and you can remove the ventilated lid for hand-washing. No more awkward scrubbing.

(Image credit: SharkNinja) License to grill

The Ninja Sizzle Pro XL is available now direct from Ninja for $199.99. That's approximately £160 / AU$330, but the grill is currently only available in the US, and I expect it's likely to stay that way since the original Sizzle Pro isn't available in other countries either.

If you can't get your hands on the Sizzle Pro XL, take a look at the Ninja Woodfire Pro Connect XL, which adds a smoky flavor to your food using a small portion of woodchips, and earned a full five stars from our reviewer thanks to its extra large capacity and smart thermostat for temperature control.

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