Technology

Need to send some money without getting scammed or robbed? Follow this advice.

Cox might be the popular choice for internet in Glendale, but there are many other service providers available. Here are the best internet plans in Glendale according to CNET.

You’d imagine that meeting your favorite music artists would feel like the most spellbound and full-circle moment of your life, but when it comes to A24’s first trailer for upcoming music thriller Opus, this is far from the case. Yesterday (January 21) A24, which has made some of the best Max movies, dropped the first-look trailer (see below) for Opus starring John Malkovich and Ayo Edebiri, star of one of the best Hulu shows, The Bear. With its March 14 release date now in the calendar, I’m already buckled in for what will undoubtedly become one of my favorite new movies this year.

From filmmaker Mark Anthony Green in his feature directorial debut Opus is a music horror-thriller focussing on Ariel Ecton (Edebiri), a magazine writer determined to get her hands on a career-altering story when missing pop star of 30 years, Alfred Moretti (Malkovich), surfaces from a compound to unveil new music to a private select group of celebrities. When Ariel accepts a personal invitation to spend the weekend at his compound, she sees it as a bold career opportunity but finds herself amidst a cult run by Moretti himself, whose plans to release new music are much more unsettling than anticipated. Think Mark Mylod’s The Menu (2022), but with a pop cult fandom edge.

Though the movie’s theatrical release isn’t until spring, Opus is set to premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival on January 27. In addition to its two leading stars, Green’s feature packs a solid supporting cast including Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, Amber Midthunder, Stephanie Suganami, Young Mazino, and Tatanka Means.

Macro Film Studios, creators of Sorry to Bother You (2018) and Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), has taken the reins on production, enlisting Joshua Bachove, Collin Creighton, Poppy Hanks, Jelani Johnson and Brad Weston as producers.

Pop music meets Ayo Edebiri - is this movie made for me personally?

You can bet your bottom dollar that when the trailer for Opus dropped, I paused everything in the moment to fully immerse myself in yet another Ayo Edebiri-centric piece of media. Since watching her in FX’s The Bear, Inside Out 2 (2024), and of course Emma Seligman’s black comedy high school satire Bottoms (2023), I’ve become the self-styled president of the Ayo Edebiri fan club.

But as an admirer of movies like The Menu (2022) and someone who actively participates in fan culture, I’ve been patiently waiting for a movie like Opus to examine and exaggerate fan behavior through the lens of a cult. And since platforms like TikTok have enhanced the ferocity and defensive nature of music fandoms, there has never been a more appropriate time for a movie like this to come along - hence why it has shot right to the top of my must-watch list for 2025.

All things aside, the trailer reinforces a fun conspiracy about artists taking long absences that I can’t help but hyperfixate on. Who knows, maybe Rihanna’s decade-long break from music is much more than a simple retirement period…?

You might also like

• 5 of the best Severance season 2 goat theories I've seen, from the bizarre to the quite plausible
• Hulu drops full trailer for A Thousand Blows and Stephen Graham's performance already has me hooked
• Hear that? It's the sound of Marvel's Daredevil: Born Again trailer being released – and I'm delighted that it's as gritty and brutal as its Netflix predecessor

CNET evaluated Hayward’s internet providers to bring you the top picks for your needs.

Looking to improve your kidney health? Add these foods to your diet.

• Warhorse Studios has released a new Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 post-launch roadmap
• It details the free updates coming to the game
• It also provides further information about the three upcoming DLC expansions

Developer Warhorse Studios has outlined some of the post-launch content for upcoming open-world role-playing game (RPG) Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in a newly revealed roadmap.

Four updates will be delivered throughout the year, with the first arriving in spring and containing a number of free features. This includes a new Hardcore Mode for those seeking the most rigorous challenge, the ability to participate in horse races to improve your riding skills, and the option to visit barbers in order to give Henry a haircut and further customize your look.

The other three updates then contain content from the paid expansion pass, which is available as part of the game's Gold Edition. In summer, the new Brushes with Death quest will be added, challenging you to uncover the secrets of a mysterious artists.

Legacy of the Forge arrives in autumn, focusing more closely on Henry's history and his beginnings as a blacksmith's assistant.

This will then be followed by Mysteria Ecclesia in winter, where you will be able to explore the large Sedlec Monastery in a covert mission. These will be accompanied by free quality of life updates, to "further enhance the game experience".

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is set to launch for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S on February 4. Pre-orders are open now, with those who opt to pick up the game early receiving the Lion’s Crest bonus items.

You might also like...

• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 preview: shaping up to be an even more authentic and ambitious open-world adventure
• Potential US tariffs could hike game prices and hurt physical releases
• Ayaneo Pocket Micro review: a tiny Android tablet ideal for emulation

• Security researchers observe new botnet-building campaign called Murdoc
• Its attacks are targeting IP cameras and routers
• More than 1,000 devices have been identified as compromised

Cybersecurity researchers from the Qualys Threat Research Unit have observed a new large-scale operation exploiting vulnerabilities in IP cameras and routers to build out a botnet.

In a technical analysis, Qualys said the attackers were mostly exploiting CVE-2017-17215 and CVE-2024-7029, seeking to compromise AVTECH IP cameras, and Huawei HG532 routers. The botnet is essentially Mirai, although in this case it was dubbed Murdoc.

Qualys said Murdoc demonstrated “enhanced capabilities, exploiting vulnerabilities to compromise devices and establish expansive botnet networks.”

The persevering Mirai

The campaign most likely started in July 2024, and has so far managed to compromise 1,370 systems. Most of the victims are located in Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

With a network of internet-connected devices (bots) under their control, malicious actors can mount Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, bringing websites and services down, disrupting operations and causing financial and reputational harm.

Mirai is a highly popular botnet malware. Created by three college students in the US: Paras Jha, Josiah White, and Dalton Norman, Mirai became infamous in 2016 after orchestrating a large-scale DDoS attack on Dyn, that temporarily disrupted major websites, including Netflix, and Twitter.

The creators released the source code online, right before their arrest in 2017. They pled guilty to using the botnet for DDoS attacks and other schemes.

While law enforcement continues to target and disrupt the botnet, it has shown great resilience and continues to be active to this day.

Less than two weeks ago, a Mirai variant named ‘gayfemboy’ was found exploiting a bug in Four-Faith industrial routers. Although clearly spawned from Mirai, this new version differs greatly, abusing more than 20 vulnerabilities and targeting weak Telnet passwords. Some of the vulnerabilities have never been seen before, and don’t have CVEs assigned just yet. Among them are bugs in Neterbit routers, and Vimar smart home devices.

You might also like

• Industrial routers are being hit by zero-days from new Mirai botnets
• Here's a list of the best antivirus tools on offer
• These are the best endpoint protection tools right now

When it comes to runtime, Snapdragon X laptops and the MacBook Air run laps around it.

Get rid of those monthly subscription fees on your home security system. These are the best security cameras without that dependency.

US age verification laws threaten people's data privacy and security – and not even the most secure VPN services are a solution.

This is the warning coming from experts at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), pointing out the risks of collecting more users' data to fulfill mandatory online age checks.

Florida citizens have been the last to turn en masse to the best VPN services to bypass new legislation requiring age verification to access adult content sites. Despite their privacy-enhancing technology, these tools "are not foolproof," the EFF explains, "nor should they be necessary to access legally protected speech."

More data, more dangers

In January 2025, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee joined 15 US States already enforcing age verification laws. Louisiana was the first to do so in 2023, alongside Utha, Texas, and Montana, among others. Seven States, including Kansas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, also joined this list in 2024. Georgia is also expected to enforce a similar law in July this year.

These laws come as an effort to regulate online content to protect children online. Florida's HB 3 rules, for example, include mandatory age checks to access adults and a ban on those under 14 from having a social media account.

To do so, these laws require online service providers to collect vast amounts of personal identifier data, such as government-issued identification. Companies could face penalties for failing to comply.

Privacy experts have long warned against the risks of getting rid of online anonymity. According to the EFF, these laws introduce "surveillance systems that threaten everyone’s rights to speech and privacy, and introduce more harm than they seek to combat."

While VPNs may be able to disguise the source of your internet activity, they are not foolproof—nor should they be necessary to access legally protected speech. https://t.co/rmZHsmDzZkJanuary 19, 2025

The more data collected, the higher the dangers of compromise. This is a risk that the popular adult site, PornHub, understood, deciding to block access to users based in the regions where intrusive age verification checks are in place.

"Any regulations that require hundreds of thousands of adult sites to collect significant amounts of highly sensitive personal information is putting user safety in jeopardy," said Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company, in a statement to local news, pointing out how easy it is for users to find ways of evading these laws.

On these premises, VPN usage spikes in Florida – reaching a peak of 1150% only four hours after the HB3 law came into effect, according to some statistics – aren't so surprising.

Did you know?

(Image credit: Photo by Jaque Silva/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

VPN usage also soared in the US on Sunday, January 19, 2025, reaching spikes of up to 1566% within minutes of the block against TikTok coming into force. While TikTok has now been restored in the country, VPNs weren't a one-click solution to bypass the blockage.

A virtual private network (VPN) not only encrypts your internet connection to prevent third-party access but also masks your real IP address location to make you appear like you're browsing from somewhere else entirely.

This is why streaming VPNs can help you access content unavailable in your region. However, Not even the most reputable VPNs come without limitations.

As the EFF experts explain, your IP address isn't the only method online services use to track down your location. They may also use GPS tracking, web cookies, mobile ad IDs, tracking pixels, or device fingerprinting.

Not only that, as age verification laws spread, experts predict that VPN apps will become less effective in circumventing these requirements as enforcement methods may improve.

All in all, the EFF said: "The ever-growing conglomeration of age verification laws poses significant challenges for users trying to maintain anonymity online, and have the potential to harm us all – including the young people they are designed to protect."

• Sega has launched a new Sega Account service
• It's free to sign up and offers exclusive in-game rewards
• This includes a bonus outfit for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Sega has just launched a brand new online account system, simply called 'Sega Account'.

The official Sega Account website reveals that its "lets you maximize Sega's online services" and that it "offers a ton of benefits." Much like Sega's email newsletter system, Sega Account is free to sign up for and seems like it'll offer exclusive in-game rewards for those who do.

Right now, users who sign up will receive an exclusive outfit for Majima in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The Kazuma Kiryu Special Outfit dresses Majima in the garb of his best frenemy, which is sure to feel out of place in the best possible way when that game launches on February 21, 2025.

It also appears that Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis players will receive free in-game currency via Sega Account. This is a bit more convoluted, as the Sega Account link takes you to the Japanese Phantasy Star Online 2 website. However, a quick machine translation shows that players can link their PSO 2 account to their Sega account to receive the in-game benefits there.

Sega promises more features will be coming to Sega Account soon, including the ability to look at records for applicable Sega and Atlus games that you own. There's no date on this feature as of yet, but we imagine it'll be happening in the near future.

You might also like...

• Potential US tariffs could hike game prices and hurt physical releases
• Microsoft officially reveals the Pulse Cipher Xbox Wireless Controller and yes, you can pre-order one now
• A Diablo 4 port is reportedly in development for Nintendo Switch 2

In today’s increasingly connected world, the need for reliable, high-speed internet connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for both organizations and consumers alike. As more individuals and businesses continue to rely more heavily on digital platforms and technologies, the demand for seamless, secure and robust connectivity has never been so important. For many businesses, connectivity is not just about operational efficiency, it is at heart of business operations, innovation, and security in an age where even minor outages can cause significant disruptions.

This landscape highlights the important role vendors play in ensuring businesses have access to the necessary IT infrastructure and tools needed to succeed. Through focusing on inclusive policies, implementing advanced technologies, and offering tailored solutions, vendors can empower businesses to meet the challenges today’s digital world brings.

Bridging the digital divide for a more inclusive society

Delivering good connectivity for all is vital for fostering a more inclusive and safer digital society. The digital divide – the gap between those with access to reliable internet and those without – still remains a pressing issue globally. For organizations, this divide can translate into unequal opportunities, limited innovation, and reduced competitiveness in underserved regions. Addressing this issue requires a united effort among governments, industries, and internet service providers (ISPs).

Governments play a key role in facilitating widespread connectivity through funding infrastructure projects in underserved regions and establishing policies that incentivize private sector participation. Programs aimed at rural broadband expansion and low-cost internet services ensure that businesses in remote areas can compete on an equal footing with their urban counterparts.

Beyond access, connectivity must be affordable and environmentally sustainable. Vendors and ISPs need to have a bigger focus on low-cost, energy-efficient technologies, providing technology that can stand the test of time as networking continues to get more advanced, whether that’s through utilizing scalable solutions that doesn’t require costly replacements. These collective efforts foster a more inclusive digital society, ensuring businesses across the UK have the tools needed to succeed in today’s modern digital landscape.

Unlocking opportunities for ISPs and vendors

With increased innovation and advanced technology across a number of sectors, this presents a number of opportunities for ISPs and vendors to delivery comprehensive and advanced solutions that are tailored for the evolving needs of many businesses. Through adopting and implementing emerging technologies and enhancing service offerings, ISPs can strengthen their role in enabling businesses to succeed. ISPs and vendors can offer a number of benefits for businesses, including:

Premium services and tiered packages: Businesses often have varying and evolving needs when it comes to connectivity. Large organizations may require ultra-fast speeds and robust cybersecurity, while smaller businesses may prioritize affordability and reliability. ISPs can offer tiered service packages ensuring that businesses of all sizes can access the right level of support.

Enhanced network management: Advanced tools for network monitoring, optimization and management allow ISPs to adjust performance in real-time. For businesses, this translates to offering minimal downtime and consistent performance, which is essential for organizations to stay competitive.

Scalable solutions for growth: ISPs and vendors can provide businesses with flexible and scalable connectivity options that grow alongside their needs. Whether expanding to new locations, onboarding more users, or adopting cloud applications, these solutions ensure businesses maintain optimal performance and seamless connectivity as they evolve.

These tailored offerings not only benefit businesses but also enhance the ISP's reputation and customer loyalty. By positioning themselves as reliable partners, vendors and ISPs can secure long-term relationships which helps to drive mutual growth.

Transformative power of advanced technologies

The rise of technologies like Wi-Fi 7 represents a dramatic shift in the way businesses operate. These advancements go beyond offering fast connections, but address critical needs for stability, security, and scalability in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Wi-Fi 7 introduces groundbreaking features such as multi-gig connectivity and improved latency. For businesses, this offers a range of benefits, from uninterrupted video conferencing, smoother data transfers, to enhanced support for IoT devices. These capabilities are particularly important for verticals like education and hospitality, where unstable connectivity can cause significant disruption and financial loss.

Having reliable and seamless connectivity has never been more important. Next-generation technologies enable fast and efficient communication through advanced networks and optimized access points, empowering businesses to stay connected and operating. By leveraging these innovations, organizations can enhance collaboration, streamline operations, and adapt more effectively to today’s demands.

A collaborative path forward

For businesses to thrive in a digitally driven economy, robust and reliable connectivity is vital. The role of vendors and ISPs in delivering this connectivity is at the centre, but success requires a collaborative approach. Governments, industries, and technology providers must work together to bridge the digital divide, unlock the potential of emerging technologies, and create a sustainable and secure digital ecosystem.

By focusing on inclusivity, innovation, and tailored solutions, vendors can empower businesses to achieve their full potential. In turn, businesses can leverage these robust solutions to drive growth, foster innovation, and navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving digital world. The future of connectivity is not just about speed or reliability; it is about creating opportunities, ensuring equity, and building resilience in a world where technology is at the heart of business operations.

We've compiled a list of the best Wi-Fi extenders.

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

• A new study has revealed the benefits of muscle strength and cardio fitness in cancer patients
• A systematic review of 42 studies has revealed high muscle strength or cardio fitness cuts all-cause mortality by at least a third
• In some cases, being fitter and stronger can reduce the chances of cancer patient death by heart

If your 2025 resolutions have started to stall out, and you're finding it that little bit harder to roll yourself out of bed and into the gym or onto your treadmill, then a new study just dropped that could completely change your outlook.

While it's well known that exercise provides mental health benefits, helps you burn calories and lose weight, and even has social benefits, a new study has revealed that being strong and fit can drastically improve your chances of surviving cancer.

Research published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine outlines the findings of a systematic review of 42 studies, examining the link between muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with all-cause and cancer-specific mortality in patients diagnosed with cancer.

The results are clear and pretty astonishing. The research team discovered that cancer patients with high muscle strength or CRF levels "had a significant reduction in risk of all-cause mortality by 31–46% compared with those with low physical fitness levels."

Having muscle strength and CRF was also associated with "an 8–46% reduced risk of all-cause mortality in patients with advanced cancer stages," and a 19-41% reduced risk of all-cause mortality in lung and digestive cancers.

The upshot? High muscle strength and CRF "were significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality" in cancer patients, while CRF was further associated with a reduced risk of cancer-specific mortality. What's more, both were "especially predictive" in patients with advanced cancer stages, lung, and digestive cancers.

A body of research

It might be time to strap on those running shoes... (Image credit: Future)

While it isn't the cheeriest of subjects, this new review builds on existing studies linking strength and fitness to cancer mortality and survival rates. This 2015 study found resistance training (lifting weights) specifically reduced all-cause mortality rates in cancer patients by 33%. Likewise, this 2017 study revealed that higher muscle strength is linked to prolonged survival in older patients with advanced cancer.

I caught up with TechRadar's very own Christian Guyton – Computing Editor and cancer survivor – to find out more. "Being in good shape was apparently a big factor in beating cancer for me," he shared. "It's not just about how your physical health affects the cancer's development itself, but it can also determine the degree of treatment your body is able to handle."

"Because I was fit and healthy when I was diagnosed, they were basically able to nuke me with a combination of heavy treatment approaches because they were confident the treatment itself wouldn't have a seriously detrimental long-term impact on me," he continued – "They said that in an older or less physically healthy patient, that treatment plan wouldn't be an option because it basically wouldn't be safe. It proved highly effective too since I'm two-plus years all clear now!"

So, we can definitely add cancer survival as another reason to get fitter and stronger, but where do you start? Here are a few tips.

Strength training apps

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to increase your muscle strength, you can get started pretty quickly by downloading one of the best fitness apps for building muscle. I recommend PUSH, but there are other great options. Find an app tailored towards building muscle and strength, with plans, progressive overload, rest counting, and more. You want an app that's pushing you to do a variety of exercises to support your whole body, with a good amount of structure, and of course some rest.

Get a smartwatch

(Image credit: Future)

One of the best smartwatches can help you track workouts for both strength and cardio. In fact, many smartwatches, like the best Garmins, even have strength plans built-in so you can follow the workouts on your wrist.

When it comes to CRF, a smartwatch can track runs, bike rides, hikes, and more. It'll keep a tab on your heart rate, calories, and progress. Personally, I've also found a nifty wearable is a real motivator that can encourage you to work out, even when you're not feeling it.

Lots of great smartwatches also come with wellness features like Daily Readiness scores (the best Fitbit trackers) or a Body Battery meter (the best Garmin watches) to help you keep on top of your sleep, rest, and recovery.

Take nutrition seriously

(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to either muscle strength or CRF, nutrition is a vital part of training that will help you grow and repair used muscles. A good nutrition scale like the COSORI smart scale can even track the calories of your raw ingredients, with a breakdown of macros like protein, carbs, and fats.

There are also great apps like MyFitnessPal to help you track your nutrition.

Tackling health, fitness, strength, and the gym can be a daunting task. But with a decent app, a smartwatch, or even a bit of willpower, you can definitely start moving in the right direction.

You might also like

• AI told me to work out less and the results were a disaster
• I tried running 5 km every day for a week (after 8 months off) but it all went wrong
• I walked 10,000 steps every day for a week instead of going to the gym – here are 3 things I learned

• The education sector is a top target for cyberattacks, ESET report claims
• Many organizations don't have antivirus software
• Budget constrictions are the top reason for poor cybersecurity

As the world continues to become more digitally dependent, the threat of cyberattacks is always - amd healthcare and education are often the top targets for cybercriminals.

Following recent research revealing half of UK higher education institutions experiencing a cyber attack every week, a new study by ESET has found there’s a major cybersecurity gap in the education sector which is compounding this problem.

Despite a fifth of education organizations in the UK suffering three or more cyberattacks or data breaches in the last five years, many schools lack even basic protections against cyber threats.

Cyber insurance

ESET's study found a third of educational institutions lack protections like antivirus software and strong password policies, which are regarded as the bare minimum first line of defence against cyber threats. On top of this, the vast majority (79%), have not adopted advanced measures like managed detection and response either.

Another safeguard is regularly overlooked, the research shows, and that’s cyber insurance. Despite the regular attacks, only 44% of primary schools and just 36% of secondary schools report having a cyber insurance plan in place.

Every public sector worker is familiar with budget cuts, and this has left some schools (7%) to operate without an annual cybersecurity budget at all. When asked why they don’t have a cyber insurance policy, the top response is budget prioritization (37%), as well as the policies being too expensive (28%).

Institutions are confident in their staff, with 76% believing their staff have at least a good knowledge and awareness of cybersecurity best practices, but nearly half (47%) say that they would need to prove ‘potential detrimental and financial impact’ to the institution to help convince their finance department in order to approve a larger budget.

“Education organisations are sitting on a ticking time bomb,” said Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET.

“While it’s clear that the sector recognises the critical importance of cybersecurity, there is a huge disconnect between budget allocation, lack of insurance and its misconceptions, and inadequate measures, which is leaving institutions highly vulnerable.”

You might also like

• Take a look at our pick of the best firewall protection around
• Interlock ransomware attacks highlight need for greater security standards on critical infrastructure
• Check out our choices for best antivirus software

iOS 18.3 is nearly here, and the free update coming to all the best iPhones is about to unlock even more Apple Intelligence features for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users.

The latest update for your iPhone is expected to launch in the coming weeks, and with the arrival of the iOS 18.3 Release Candidate for developers we've now got a glimpse of everything to expect.

One of the big additions coming in iOS 18.3 is a huge update to Visual Intelligence, the exclusive Apple Intelligence feature that's built into the iPhone 16's Camera Control. Visual Intelligence gets three new tricks in iOS 18.3, and it finally feels like Apple is delivering on the promises of that impressive unveiling during its iPhone keynote in September of last year.

Here are the three neat new upgrades coming to the iPhone 16's Visual Intelligence in iOS 18.3.

1. Add events to calendar from a flyer

(Image credit: Apple)

The biggest new trick coming to Visual Intelligence in iOS 18.3 is the ability to snap a photo of a poster or flyer – promoting a concert for example – and add all the details to your iPhone's Calendar app.

Visual Intelligence will now be able to quickly analyze a document, and allow you to tap on the date and time to create calendar events.

This is a very cool addition to Visual Intelligence, and one of the main features that Apple showcased initially. When I first tried Visual Intelligence towards the end of last year I was disappointed that this functionality wasn't available, so I'm excited to finally be able to quickly add events to my calendar when I spot something that I don't want to forget.

2. Identify animals

(Image credit: Apple)

How often do you see a cute dog or an interesting bird while walking through the park? Well, now you can use Apple Intelligence to identify the animal by simply snapping a photo with Visual Intelligence.

This is another trick Apple showcased when first unveiling Visual Intelligence, and one that should prove fun for animal lovers. In Apple's promotional video, a man snaps a photo of a dog on the street and instantly gets a pop-up identifying the breed.

As a dog owner myself, I often encounter different dog breeds while walking my French bulldog, and I this new addition to Visual Intelligence should be handy for the times I want to know more about them. That said, you won't want to start taking photos of someone's dog without asking.

3. Help with my allergies

This one might be a bit niche, but it could be hugely helpful for allergy sufferers. Visual Intelligence will be able to identify plants in the same way it can now identify animals. That might not sound that exciting, but I suffer from hay fever almost daily, and whenever my partner buys a new plant or adds flowers to our home, I usually end up with itchy eyes.

With Visual Intelligence's iOS 18.3 upgrade, I'll be able to snap a photo of any plant I see before we purchase it, and check whether it's likely to cause my allergies to flair up. Visual Intelligence works alongside ChatGPT and Google Search, allowing you to not only identify the plant but also ask questions related to it.

I wish I'd had this feature over the holidays, when my partner bought a poinsettia that made my eyes burn for a good week before we realized that it was the cause. So this one might not be interesting to everyone, but it's certainly exciting for me.

You might also like...

• I can't wait for this underrated Apple Intelligence feature
• Apple Intelligence will be turned on by default in OS 18.3
• My parents' iPhone is not getting Apple Intelligence and they're not happy about it

Crime shouldn't be an excuse to break encryption. Encrypted communications are either secure – and private – or they are not.

That's what some experts told TechRadar, commenting on recent Europol's chief statement. Talking to the Financial Times, Catherine De Bolle said that technology giants have a "social responsibility" to give the police access to encrypted messages used by criminals.

"Anonymity is not a fundamental right," she said, arguing that law enforcement needs to be able to decrypt encrypted messages to fight back crime.

Experts, however, warn that creating a backdoor for law enforcement will undermine the protection for all, opening up to unmaintained consequences.

The encryption conundrum

Tensions between technologists and law enforcement around end-to-end encryption aren't new. Encryption refers to scrambling data into an unreadable form to prevent third-party access and ensure communications stay private between the sender and the receiver – end to end.

As encrypted messaging apps went mainstream, however, law enforcement has been arguing police officers need to be able to decode these private messages to successfully catch criminals.

The moment an end-to-end encrypted system contains a ‘backdoor’ it is no longer secure

Amandine Le Pape, COO at Element

In the EU, for instance, lawmakers are currently pushing for the so-called Chat Control proposal that, if enacted, will require all encrypted communications providers to create such a backdoor into their software. Other countries, including the US, are also considering similar legislation.

"The truth is that people - and organizations - want secure communications except when it causes inconvenience," said Amandine Le Pape, COO at Element, a secure communications platform used by organizations within governments, defense, and national security.

A police team, Le Pape pointed out, needs its own communication to be secure. Imagine what could happen if an organized crime gang could compromise law enforcement's network. This is, however, exactly what would happen to citizens if secure communication platform providers would need to come with mandatory encryption backdoors.

"On a technical level, the moment an end-to-end encrypted system contains a ‘backdoor’ it is no longer secure," said Le Pape, explaining how the same backdoor can also be exploited by 'the bad guys' with the same goal.

U.S. authorities installed backdoors to mass-monitor their own citizens. Someone hacked the backdoors, and millions of Americans' communications ended up in unintended hands.They are doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.Ad in today’s… pic.twitter.com/XgwmBNx1VfJanuary 20, 2025

Jan Jonsson, CEO of Mullvad VPN, agrees with this. "Either [De Bolle] is aware of the consequences of backdoors and wants to impose mass surveillance on the people. Or she doesn’t understand the basics," Jonsson told TechRadar. "Communication is either secure, or it is not."

The Salt Typhoon attack – the China-linked cyberattack targeting all major US telecoms – is a reminder of such a threat. Attackers exploit a backdoor with malware to gain access and spy on people's communications. This led to US authorities warning all citizens to switch to encryption.

This is why, according to Le Pape from Element, it's unlikely that the legal efforts to weaken the security of communication will be enforced in the near future.

Although the debate swings back and forth, she explains, the tech minds guiding legislation support the need for end-to-end encryption. This is also why, for example, the EU cannot agree on Chat Control after over two years.

Jonsson from Mullvad appears less optimistic about it, arguing that Europol was involved in both the Chat Control proposal and the so-called Going Dark initiative in the EU.

He said: "We hope that politicians realize the security risks and violations of fundamental rights that these initiatives come with."

• OpenAI announces Project Stargate, funded also by SoftBank, Oracle and MGX
• They will invest $500bn over four years, starting with $100bn now
• Azure consumption will rise despite end of exclusivity deal

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has revealed its huge new Stargate Project, which it hopes will improve the state of artificial intelligence and boost the tech sector across the US.

In a blog post announcing the launch, the AI giant confirmed it had signed a deal with SoftBank (lead partner), Oracle (initial equity funder) and MGX (initial equity funder) to provide $500 billion in funding over the course of four years.

Project Stargate’s wheels are already spinning, with $100 billion made available “immediately” to start work, OpenAI noted.

OpenAI Project Stargate

“This infrastructure will secure American leadership in AI, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, and generate massive economic benefit for the entire world," the company's statement added.

OpenAI described the project as a “re-industrialization” effort for the US, adding that it would also help strengthen the national security of both America and its allies.

Investments are currently headed to Texas, but the partnership is exploring further sites across the US to build more campuses.

Key initial technology partners will include Arm, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle and OpenAI, but it’s the latter three that will build and operate the computing system.

“This builds on a deep collaboration between OpenAI and NVIDIA going back to 2016 and a newer partnership between OpenAI and Oracle," it added.

On the same day, Microsoft shared an update on its deal with OpenAI, confirming that it would no longer be the company's exclusive cloud provider. However, with the launch of Project Stargate, OpenAI said it would continue to increase its consumption of Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform.

The announcement concluded: “All of us look forward to continuing to build and develop AI – and in particular AGI – for the benefit of all of humanity. We believe that this new step is critical on the path, and will enable creative people to figure out how to use AI to elevate humanity.”

You might also like

• We’ve listed the best AI tools and best AI writers you can use today
• Check out our roundup of the best cloud computing services
• 12 Days of OpenAI ends with a new model for the new year

Grill like a pro in 2025 with the best charcoal grills, offering top-notch flavor, performance and value.

• A leaker posted images claiming to show the iPhone 17 Air’s camera design
• They show a wide bar housing the camera and flash
• However, there are many reasons to doubt the accuracy of the leak

Apple is widely expected to launch a so-called ‘iPhone 17 Air’ in the fall, adding a super-slim device to its iPhone roster and dropping the ‘Plus’ model in the process. That’s fueled a lot of speculation, some of it quite outlandish, and that’s definitely the case for the latest iPhone 17 Air claim.

It comes from leaker Majin Bu, who posted an image on X that they claimed depicted the design of the iPhone 17 Air – something that they later claimed was “confirmed.”

What’s interesting about the image is it shows the rear of the device with an elongated camera module that stretches across almost its entire back surface. There’s a single camera lens on the left, a flash on the right, and a small microphone cutout on the right-hand edge.

The image is very blurry and pixelated, making it difficult to see much in the way of details. Majin Bu also has a spotty track record when it comes to Apple leaks – they accurately predicted the “Desert Titanium” color name of the iPhone 16 Pro months before it launched, but have also published a slew of incorrect rumors, such as the claim that the iPhone 15 would have two front-facing cameras.

Reasons for doubt

Based on what was reported by my source, this would be the new iPhone 17 design. I can't be sure if the image is real, but if it were, it would reflect the leaked design. pic.twitter.com/vXhHqunzN7January 21, 2025

There are other reasons to be skeptical of the leak. For one thing, it would be a complete departure from Apple’s regular camera design. Every other iPhone places the camera in the corner of the device, and it’s been that way for years. If Apple was really going to implement a completely new design, you’d think some of the more high-profile leakers and analysts would have got wind of it from their sources. Yet they’ve all remained tellingly silent so far.

And there’s another problem. The iPhone 17 Air is, as the name suggests, expected to be far thinner than Apple’s other iPhones, which means much less internal space for components. If the camera bar stretches across the entire back frame, it will occupy the same space as the Face ID camera array on the front of the device. It’s highly unlikely that Apple will drop a feature as vital as Face ID, which makes it hard to imagine the company using a rear camera design like this.

Ultimately, we won’t find out for sure until Apple’s iPhone launch event in the fall (assuming the iPhone 17 Air is real and will arrive then). Until that time, we’d recommend treating this latest rumor with a huge dose of skepticism. Until more reputable sources confirm its accuracy, it’s probably safe to assume it’s wide of the mark.

You might also like

• Here's just how thin the iPhone 17 Air could be – and it's thinner than the rumored Galaxy S25 Slim
• The iPhone 17 Air and Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim could both come with one main drawback
• I want the iPhone 17 to get rid of the Dynamic Island – but not for the reason you think

You can earn more than 10 times the national average with the best high-yield savings accounts.