Technology

For the first time in almost 20 years, the Wayans brothers are confirmed to reunite for another installment of their Scary Movie franchise, but production isn't expected to begin until next year, so you'll have to stream the first four movies on Paramount Plus in the US instead for Halloween 2024. The filmmaker brothers (Marlon, Shawn and Keenen Wayans) will work together to develop a fresh screenplay for their first Scary Movie film since they departed from the franchise after the release of Scary Movie 3 (2006).

CinemaCon announced that a new Scary Movie was in the works in April, but only now are the details about its production surfacing. Marlon Wayans took to Instagram (see below) to announce the reboot of the movie franchise, which he developed with his brothers in 2000. As well as announcing the comeback on social media, the brothers shared that “(they) couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the new Scary Movie and work with each other again” in a recent statement.

A post shared by Marlon Wayans (@marlonwayans)

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The movie franchise kicked off in the early ‘00s and garnered mass attention because of its comedic elements and parody references to horror movies such as Scream (1996), my favorite slasher movie, The Exorcist (1973), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and Signs (2002), which I recently ticked off my sci-fi horror movie watchlist.

As of now, there are a total of five movies in the franchise with the most recent being Scary Movie 5 (2013), therefore, we can only venture a guess that the reboot will be Scary Movie 6. The first four movies starred recurring characters Cindy (Anna Faris) and Brenda (Regina Hall), and though casting is another question, I have my fingers crossed behind my back that the comedy gold duo will return.

What horror movies will be spoofed this time?

The original cast of the Scary Movie franchise includes Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Anna Faris. (Image credit: Mirimax/ Netflix )

Since the last Scary Movie insert was released just over 10 years ago it’s been a very powerful decade for the best horror movies, so there’s plenty of material for the Wayans brothers to work with for the reboot. While the movie is still very early into its development and we don’t know who will star or what the movie will entail, I’ve decided to turn this into a fun guessing game.

It goes without saying that Get Out (2017) is one of the biggest horror movies of the last few years, and director Jordan Peele has contributed his fresh and original perspective to the genre with other movies Us (2019) and Nope (2022), all of which provide a strong foundation for a parody.

Similar to Peele, Ari Aster’s interpretation of psychological horror movies has cemented his works as modern classics - especially Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2017). While both movies are dark and gruesome in their own right, I strongly believe that there’s enough whimsy in them that can be adopted for a spoof movie. In other words, I want a silly and comedic recreation of Toni Collette’s ceiling head-bang moment from Hereditary.

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For the first time in GitHub history, Python has overtaken JavaScript as the most popular programming language on the platform, with coders using the increasingly common language for AI development.

The platform’s annual Octoverse report revealed Python’s popularity appears largely due to huge demand for artificial intelligence, but it’s also used in data science for open source projects.

According to the stats, contributions to generative AI projects alone saw a 59% rise, with contributions to AI-related public projects nearly doubling compared with 2023. India, Germany, Japan and Singapore accounted for most of these, says the platform.

Python is now GitHub’s most popular language

Moreover, GitHub noted the surge in developers joining and using the platform from all over the world: “...many of these developers are contributing to open source projects for the first time.”

Two years after the public preview launch of ChatGPT and the subsequent AI boom, the company says companies and developers alike are turning their attentions to AI agents and smaller models that require less compute and promise more custom applications.

The demand for Python is also evidenced in the 92% increase in the use of Jupyter Notebooks, a project designed to support the development of open source software.

According to the report, the growth of Python to become the platform’s number one language is indicative of the shift in userbase, from traditional software programmers to a wider range of STEM use cases.

Python, JavaScript, TypeScript and Java remain the most common languages on GitHub, but systems programming languages like Rust are also on the up.

Looking ahead, GitHub anticipates that India will have the world’s largest developer population on GitHub by 2028, with Africa and Latin America countries, such as Brazil, also set to undergo significant growth.

The launch of the report coincides with the company’s annual Universe event, which it used to announce the availability of even more models. GitHub Copilot, initially launched with GPT-3-based Codex, has been largely OpenAI-reliant up until now.

Later updates to Copilot Chat have seen the introduction of GPT-3.5, GPT 3.5-turbo, GPT-4, GPT-4o and 4o-mini models to cater to different latency and quality requirements, but now the company is promising new model options from other providers.

Copilot Chat has now launched with OpenAI o1-preview and o1-mini models, but Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet is set to roll out over the next week, with Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro coming in the coming weeks.

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Add some high-tech horror to your Halloween decorations with scary sounds, frightening lights, and more.

Before I spent all my free time running, doing yoga and resistance training, and adopting all the other healthy habits we’re told to do to keep an aging body healthy, I trained in a different way. Once upon a time, four times a week, I would strap on a pair of heavy 14lbs gloves and go kickboxing.

It’s hard on the hips, the shins, the knees (and the repeated head impacts are probably not good for your brain in the long-term either) but I was a lithe 21-year-old in the best shape of my life, and I was absolutely certain I was going to live like this forever.

Of course, any time I strap on the gloves now, it’s considerably harder. For one thing, I’m eleven years older, less fit, and very out of practice. For another, even the best smartwatch can prove inconvenient: I was testing a chunky running watch during a boxercise class recently, and kept accidentally pausing the tracked workout inside of my cuff.

Smart rings are one solution, but they’re not for everyone; and if you’re doing a combat sport like jiujitsu or rugby, wearing jewelry is out of the question. Surely, I thought, as I unpaused my workout for the sixth time as I switched gloves for pads, there’s a better wearable you can use to track your health during combat sports – and the Orb Sport Smart Mouthguard is just the thing I was looking for.

(Image credit: Orb Innovations)

The Smart Mouthguard is a conventional-looking mouthguard that hides an array of sensors that are designed to monitor not just your heart rate and calorie burn, but your movements too. Like the best smart rings, it’s based around a 'set and forget' style of tracking: just pop it in after setup and away you go. Just like with smart rings, you’ll need to do a bit of sizing beforehand to ensure it’s comfortable, which involves biting into a conventional soft mouthguard and sending it off so that your Orb Sport Smart Mouthguard can be moulded to the imprint of your teeth.

The Smart Mouthguard can even estimate statistics such as stride length using a combination of your height and a metric called 'movement intensity'. Tracking G-force in three dimensions across X, Y and Z axes in the app also enables the mouthguard to estimate the force of the impacts you sustain. This is crucial: a higher-scoring impact might indicate that you need additional rest, recovery, or perhaps even hospital treatment.

According to the Orb Sport website, the Impacts feature is in beta, but it uses several key metrics to estimate the force of an impact, including the aforementioned graph. Impact Region calculations even display the percentage of impacts detected by the mouthguard on the left side versus the right side of the head. For sports with a high rate of concussions, such as American football and rugby, this could be a game-changing metric.

The Orb Sport Smart Mouthguard costs $349.99 (around £270 / AU$530) and is available from the Orb Sport website. It currently ships only to the United States.

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From bulletproof glass, drones, and snipers to boulders blocking election offices, the US democratic system is bracing for violent attacks in 2024.

Glasses manufacturer Gunnar Optiks has revealed some brand new Call of Duty-inspired frames, the Call of Duty Ghost edition glasses.

The overall design is based on military-style aviator shades and constructed from a combination of stainless steel and polymer. The design is definitely a little reminiscent of Adler’s trademark specs in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign, which definitely seems intentional given the timing of this release.

They are offered in a single color option, a rather striking Onyx/Mercury, and with two lens choices. There’s the company’s standard Signature Amber lens or a brand-new AmberNetrual Sun-Shift lens, which quickly transitions to a tinted shade when exposed to sunlight.

The regular edition costs $74, while the Amber Sun-Shift version will be $109. That’s about what you would expect for a premium pair of glasses and you also get some nice bonuses in the package that reflect this price tag. This includes a special Call of Duty glasses collectors case plus a branded microfiber cloth and pouch. 

An exclusive in-game weapon charm, the mystery crate, is also included, which could make them a very worthwhile buy for any seriously die-hard Call of Duty collectors out there.

The manufacturer claims that these glasses can help combat some of the effects of long periods of screen use, including dry eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, and headaches. I’ll personally be reserving judgment on this until I can try a pair out for myself.

It’s been a big week for Call of Duty elsewhere too, with new KontrolFreek Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 thumbsticks hitting shelves on top of a huge Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 collection with Zombies inspired accessories from SteelSeries. 

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Cell coverage isn’t always reliable. When you don’t have any bars and you’re in a remote area, out at sea, on a business trip in an area with unreliable cell service, or hiking canyons, your cell phone won’t help you. But a satellite communications device or satellite phone will.

Satellite devices and satellite-enabled smartphones may work worldwide, regardless of cellular networks. These devices rely on a system, or constellation, of communication satellites in various types of earth orbit.   

A satellite communications device can be lifesaving during emergencies, especially when conventional communication methods fail. These devices offer reliable SOS alerts, two-way communication, and peace of mind.   

Global Rescue responds to hundreds of SOS calls monthly, coordinating rescues worldwide for individuals using satellite devices. These range from someone rescued from a life raft off the U.S. Atlantic coast to evacuating a snake bite victim in Australia. Other rescues include a hiker in Sweden with a dislocated shoulder, a 65-year-old trekker in Canada with an ankle injury, a user in Scotland whose wife fell and severely injured her back, and a teenage hiker separated from his family during an unforeseen wildfire in a national forest.

We coordinated with ZOLEO, a satellite communications device company, to receive SOS messages from their devices. After receiving the SOS messages in our operations center, Global Rescue coordinated with emergency services to rescue a helicopter pilot who crashed onto a frozen lake north of Goose Bay Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The helicopter pilot was medevaced to safety with minor injuries.   

Quick response is essential. Timely rescues prevent more severe complications during emergencies.  

Satellite communication

Satellite communication capabilities are evolving rapidly. Apple’s iOS 18 update now expands satellite messaging beyond emergencies, offering users satellite messages when cellular and Wi-Fi connections are unavailable. Google's Pixel 9 series can connect to a satellite to notify emergency services when no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is available.   

Other companies are also racing to expand satellite-to-cell capabilities. SpaceX is partnering with T-Mobile to test direct-to-cell satellite services through Starlink. Verizon and AT&T have agreed with AST SpaceMobile, which is developing direct-to-cell satellite services that provide even greater coverage in remote areas.

The race among wireless service companies and smartphone manufacturers to provide satellite communications capabilities for users provides business, leisure, and adventure travelers a bigger safety net to travel more boldly in the future.  

Travelers welcome the advances. According to the Global Rescue survey, 82% of respondents would feel safer with smartphones equipped with emergency satellite communication capabilities. One out of 10 survey respondents (12%) said they had lost cell coverage in the past during travel, and it concerned them that they were unable to communicate with others, especially in an emergency.

Staying connected with family, friends and colleagues gives people peace of mind during their travels, reducing anxiety and stress by providing updates on their whereabouts and well-being. The survey exposed that nearly half (49%) said the ability to call for help in areas without cell service is their top reason for using these devices. More than a third (37%) said it also reassures their family and friends, reducing their anxiety during travel.

Satellite phones

The survey showed that a third of respondents (32%) plan to acquire a smartphone with satellite communications capabilities, while one out of ten said they already own such a device. Of those who already have a satellite-enabled smartphone, 33% rated the performance of the satellite communication connectivity as “excellent” or “very good", and 17% described it as "good". Another third (35%) mentioned they hadn't used their device's satellite capabilities yet.

A business traveler may need a satellite phone or satellite messaging device for various reasons that are distinct from those of a tourist on leisure travel. They often travel internationally to various destinations where local networks may not be compatible with their phones.

Many workforce travelers frequently visit international destinations, like Bolivia and Madagascar, where local cellular networks may not provide reliable coverage. Satellite phones offer global coverage, allowing seamless communication across borders without the need for multiple SIM cards or roaming charges.

Business travelers may need to communicate sensitive or confidential information that requires secure and private channels. In some regions, using local networks may pose a risk to data security. Satellite communication devices provide a secure means of communication for business-related calls, messages and emergencies.

However, knowing the limitations—such as satellite visibility, topographical challenges, and environmental conditions—is crucial to maximizing their effectiveness. The satellite antenna in iPhones or other mobile phones with satellite capability currently has less power and bandwidth than the antenna in a satellite communication device, like Zoleo or inReach devices, which have more reliable connectivity than a satellite-enabled mobile phone.  

Peace of mind

Users should be aware of topography limitations that can affect satellite connections. A clear view of the sky is necessary. It may be challenging to connect with satellites in thick forests or where there are steep slopes above you. The same is true in urban areas with tall buildings. You may be able to send a signal indoors if standing next to a window.   

Satellite phone and SATCOM device users often make avoidable mistakes like failing to familiarize themselves with the device’s features, especially the SOS function. Users attempting to send an SOS must know their device’s specific procedures, ensuring they understand who receives their distress call. Satellite messaging devices send alerts to a monitoring provider, which dispatches rescue operations or emergency services based on the severity of the situation.   

Other user mistakes include forgetting to keep the device charged, neglecting to renew service subscriptions and overestimating the device’s coverage. Finally, overlooking to add key contacts to the device can delay emergency communications, highlighting the importance of preloading important numbers.

Satellite communications devices offer peace of mind and life-saving two-way communication capabilities during emergencies, especially in areas without cellular service. For travelers, adventurers, and professionals in remote locations, these devices allow SOS alerts to be sent to first responders, initiating medical operations or emergency rescue, including helicopter rescues when necessary.  

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

With growth and productivity high on the political agenda worldwide, international interest in AI has exploded. The race for AI supremacy is in full swing. For many nations, taking the lead on AI has become a strategic objective.

To get ahead in the race for AI supremacy, governments must ensure the right infrastructure is in place to grasp this opportunity and be part of the growth agenda. Data center growth has been steadily building for years alongside digital adoption, but AI has catapulted this demand to a new level. According to Gartner, spending on data center systems will increase by a quarter (24%) in 2024. AI-capable data centers are quickly becoming a key strategic resource, which is reflected in the $22bn of global investment in data centers in the first five months of 2024.

However, efforts by operators to grasp this opportunity are being hampered by an operational inertia that is making it difficult to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. This threatens to see operators miss out on exploiting this investment opportunity and being part of the growth agenda.

Rising up the global government agenda

Data centers are key for the growth of global economies in the AI gold rush. They provide the critical IT infrastructure that will power the AI revolution, enabling governments to ride the wave of AI to supercharge economic growth and productivity.

The UK is one such country which has recognized data centers as being a critical component in boosting the UK’s AI sector. In early 2024, the UK government announced it would remove planning barriers to new data centers and designate projects as “nationally important”. This has seen plans for two rejected data centers revisited, and the UK government now declare data centers powering the economy be designated as Critical National Infrastructure, providing protections from cyber criminals and IT blackouts.

Across the Irish Sea, Ireland is set to generate more than €4.5 billion in inward data center investment by 2025. This is being driven by the Irish government’s position on the importance of data centers to the economy and attracting investment. Ireland has recently revised these statements to ensure sites adhere to new green principles.

In mainland Europe, the German government has said that data centres are, “the lifeline of the digitalised world.” While Berlin’s regional government, “understands the importance of data centres to the region”. Before its hung parliament, the French government was seeking to pass a law allowing large data centres to be classified as projects of major national interest, part of a push to expand an industry it sees as the backbone of the digital economy. Meanwhile, in growing regions like Norway, the Norwegian data center strategy 2.0 makes it easier to establish data centers and outlines better ways to manage resource utilization of waste heat from data centers.

The roadblocks to data center growth

The demand for data centers is skyrocketing due to the high compute power needs of AI, creating huge growth and opportunities for operators. But many operators are being held back by an operational inertia that prevents them from adapting to a rapidly evolving environment. This inertia can be broken down into 5 barriers that limit interchangeability or an operator’s ability to adapt:

1. Power access continues to be a problem: A power shortage is inhibiting the global data center markets growth. AI-compute requires high-performance processors (GPUs & DPUs) that draw more power than traditional CPUs. Gaining access to power requires a lot of planning, and operators must consider this in choosing development sites to avoid costly delays.

2. ESG concerns continue to dominate the agenda: Data center teams are under pressure to accurately measure and report on supply chain sustainability. Demand for digital services will create more compute intensity, challenging the cooling and power capabilities of sites, significantly impacting their ability to achieve ESG goals. Failure to address ESG concerns risks operators falling behind sustainability legislation, causing delays.

3. Finding and retaining talent: 53% of operators face difficulty finding qualified candidates, whilst 42% have difficulty retaining staff. Operators need to fill this gap with people familiar with data center operations, because sites are more than just the servers, or the water and power they consume. Without the right skills mix, data centers will be unable to cater to the growing demand facing them.

4. Supply chain disruption halts progress: 83% of operators have reported delays to projects due to global material shortages. Supply chains have become brittle, and short-staffed teams are spread too thin trying to manage supply chain problems such as material acquisition, shipping and production management. Operators must find ways to identify and mitigate these challenges or risk significant delays.

5. Health and safety is rising up the agenda: The speed of the development of data centers requires teams to fully understand the importance of health and safety procedures and processes and meet zero-incident policies. Failure to address concerns could lead to injuries that result in operational delays or financial penalties.

Data centers can’t handle growth and the political agenda alone

To overcome operational inertia, data center operators must take a more holistic approach to data center design and operations. Maintaining the right balance between all aspects of the data center – from the infrastructure impact of AI to skills, health and safety and sustainability. This includes building modular infrastructure where interchangeability and connectivity are foundational, creating flexible facilities that can adapt as demand or technologies change.

This approach allows operators to stay nimble, enabling them to seize the growth opportunity and navigate the corridors of power influencing data center growth.

But operators can’t do this alone – they need support. Strong partners can help to overcome roadblocks by helping to manage projects and providing vital expertise. This knowledge is critical in ensuring operators have support across all aspects of the data center. Strong partners can also provide a pipeline of talent and resources with which operators can successfully exploit the global data center investment opportunity and be a vital part of the growth agenda.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Gmail users are reporting issues with the email service today
• The problems include long loading times and sluggish performance
• Google hasn't yet acknowledged an issue – we've contacted it for a response

If you've been trying to use Gmail today and found it to be sluggish, unresponsive, or unusably slow, you aren't alone – a growing number of reports suggest there could be a widespread issue, even though Google hasn't (yet) officially acknowledged a problem.

A large spike in reports from around 8.30am ET / 12.30pm GMT on Downdetector show that hundreds of people are reporting Gmail issues including long loading times, lost server connections, and an inability to send or receive emails. At the time of writing, there were over 500 reports in the US on Downdetector, with the numbers continuing to rise.

Google's Workspace dashboard isn't currently showing any problems and Google hasn't officially commented on the reported issues. We've asked Google for a response and will update this story when we hear back.

The issues have been experienced across the TechRadar team today when accessing Gmail in a desktop browser, though some on Downdetector are reporting problems in the app, too. Some other symptoms we've experienced include blank screen and sluggish performance. The issue is potentially a caching problem, as we've found that refreshing or reloading the web page has occasionally helped.

A significant spike

At the time of writing, there were over 500 reports of Gmail issues in the US on Downdetector (above) (Image credit: Downdetector)

Today's Gmail issues have mostly been reported in the US, but also seem to be global with users in regions like the UK also reporting similar frustrations.

The majority of the reports are for the browser-based version of Gmail, though a small number (5%) say the app is also affected.

Google hasn't yet commented on its social channels, but on the likes of X (formerly Twitter) many Gmail users are venting about the problems, which include "infinite loading" and "slow and laggy" performance.

Some have found that refreshing the browser has eased the problems, but the issues continue for many. We'll update this story as soon as we hear back from Google.

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European ambitions to reign in the US tech giants depend on the outcome of the election—and the fate of antitrust firebrand Lina Khan.

You can watch all these horror films online right now.

The new chips drive additional upgrades, including Thunderbolt 5, increased memory (for AI!) and a much-needed webcam improvement.

The new 14- a16-inch laptops have some of the most powerful Apple silicon to date: the M4 Pro and M4 Max.

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