Technology

Sony has upgraded its second-gen LinkBuds earbuds with improved designs and performance.

Whatever your budget or spending style, there’s a card out there for you.

The changes make it impossible for moderators to lock subreddits to the outside world as a means of sitewide protest.

It's unclear what caused the PSN outage, which left gamers unable to play online across multiple consoles or to access PlayStation account management.

After solidifying its position as TechRadar's #1 best VPN service following a successful new round of testing, NordVPN has just kicked off the post-quantum transition.

The provider has implemented quantum-safe encryption on its WireGuard-based NordLynx protocol for its Linux VPN app. This soft launch will allow Nord's engineering team to gather essential performance data, such as the impact on connection times and speed, said the company. The team expects to roll out post-quantum support across all applications by March 2025 at the latest.

The need for post-quantum VPNs

The era of quantum computers may still be a few years away, but these machines are improving quickly, meaning it's just a matter of time before traditional RSA encryption methods – like those used by VPNs – become obsolete.

This is because quantum computers are expected to process computations, that today's computers can't handle, within minutes. Worse still, cybercriminals are already tailoring their attacks with this in mind.

"Trends show that cybercriminals are intensifying what is known as 'harvest now, decrypt later' attacks. Simply put, they are trying to accumulate huge quantities of encrypted data and decrypt them once quantum technology is developed," said  Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.

This is exactly why, according to Briedis, the VPN industry must now enter the PQ transition to protect users' data against future quantum computing threats. He said: "With this launch, we start a major transition to new-generation encryption of all our applications providing long-term security for our users." 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) officially released the first three quantum-resistant encryption standards on August 13, 2024, after over a decade of testing more than 80 algorithms and beginning a new era for VPN security in the process.

The team of engineers at NordVPN based their new PQ approach on the NIST's standards. Specifically, they added the ML-KEM algorithm (formerly known as CRYSTALS-Kyber) to the NordLynx protocol. This is the primary standard for cryptographic key exchanges needed to protect the exchange of information across a public network like in the case of VPNs.

Being just the beginning of PQ cryptography, there is the risk these new algorithms may come with security vulnerabilities. This is why, like other providers, Nord opted for a hybrid approach that sees quantum-resistant algorithms working alongside classic encryption methods.    

Explaining how this works in practice, Briedis told me: "Initially, we establish a standard WireGuard session and within this session, we perform a protocol-defined pre-shared key (PSK) exchange using ML-KEM. After the PSK exchange, both client and server use a non-zero-fill 32-byte PSK to add a quantum secure layer to session encryption."

Did you know?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

A VPN (virtual private network) uses encryption to secure all your internet connections. Put simply, it scrambles all the data leaving your device into an unreadable form to prevent third parties from intercepting the information in transit.

Implementing post-quantum encryption in today's VPN software is anything but easy, though. 

The main challenge is especially to find a balance between security and performance. That's because PQ algorithms typically require much larger key sizes and signatures than traditional ones, which could negatively affect VPN speed and reliability.

This is exactly why, as mentioned earlier, NordVPN has only implemented quantum-safe encryption for its Linux VPN app at the time of writing. Briedis explains the team picked precisely this platform as its users tend to be more tech-savvy and proactive in flagging potential issues or aspects to improve.

"These insights will help us fine-tune the implementation of post-quantum cryptography and guide our future rollout across all platforms," Briedis told me. "By starting with Linux, we’re laying the groundwork for a seamless transition to quantum-resistant encryption methods, ensuring long-term security for all our users."

Wider PQ support is expected to be released in the first months of 2025. 

NordVPN has now joined a small group of providers already offering quantum-safe protections. These include Windscribe, ExpressVPN, PureVPN, and Mullvad, which recently added post-quantum encryption also for iPhones.

Parenting is hard work. Right now you can save up to 50% on this Ember baby bottle warmer at Best Buy to make feeding your kid(s) slightly easier.

I'm not going to mince words: hearing Snoop Dogg on the Dali Epikore 11 was a highlight of High End Munich 2023, for me – and if the company's more recent form, with the cheaper 2024 five-strong Dali Rubikore series is anything to go on, the firm is on a roll.

What we have here, says Dali, is the natural evolution of its Epicon series. The now four-strong Epikore lineup has inherited several innovative technologies from the Dali Kore flagship speaker (see what they did with the naming there?) to create what Dali calls "a truly exceptional musical experience."

Three new models have been released to sit alongside the lovely Epikore 11 4.5-way floorstander: The Epikore 3, a 3-way stand-mount, EPIKORE 7, a 3.5-way floorstander, and EPIKORE 9, a 4-way floorstander. ​

The Epikore series is available in three exclusive finishes – High Gloss Black, High Gloss Walnut, and High Gloss Maroon – and shares several key technologies. These include Dali's EVO-K Hybrid Tweeter module, comprising a 35 mm soft-dome tweeter and a 55 x 10 mm HF planar element; SMC Gen-2 technology for ultra-low distortion; custom-made in-house drivers, and Clarity Cone paper and wood fibre cone structure bass/mid-range drivers.

Dali Epikore: what you need to know

So, let's dig into them!

EPIKORE 3 brings Dali Kore technology (not to be confused with core technology – Dali means tech specific to its flagship Kore range) to a compact stand-mount design. And that means smaller listening spaces – and slightly smaller budgets (hurrah!). Its 3-way architecture combines a low-loss, 7-inch bass/midrange driver with the unique Dali Evo-K Hybrid Tweeter module. A curved, real-wood veneer stand-mount cabinet completes the Epikore 3 package to create an exceptional visual and musical experience.

Dali has also developed an optional stand for the Epikore 3 – you don't have to have it, but I'd like it…

EPIKORE 7 is a compact floorstander for slightly larger rooms. Its 3½-way format combines two "muscular" low-loss 7-inch DALI bass/midrange drivers with the unique Dali Evo-K Hybrid Tweeter module.

EPIKORE 9 is a 4-way floorstander for large listening spaces. It combines two, low-loss SMC Gen-2 8-inch woofers, a low-loss SMC Gen-2 6½-inch Clarity Cone Technology midrange driver, and, of course, that unique Dali Evo-K Hybrid Tweeter module to create remarkable wide-bandwidth, low-distortion music.

The Dali Epikore 3 is available from October 1st, priced £9,999 / €9,999 (so around $13,320 / AU$19,279).

The Dali Epikore 3 optional stands are available from October 1st, priced £1,999 / €1,999 (or approximately $2,663 or AU$3,854).

The Dali Epikore 7 is available from October 1st, priced £19,999 / €19,000 (which is around $26,642 or AU$38,559).

The Dali Epikore 9 is available from October 1st, priced £29,999/ €29,999 (so around $39,964 or AU$57,839).

Are they set to become of the best stereo speakers we've had the pleasure of testing? Time will tell – but initially at least, the Epikore 3 looks incredibly tempting…

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Rackspace has reportedly suffered a supply chain attack that resulted in some internal monitoring information belonging to its clients being accessed.

Apparently, Rackspace used its own servers to host a monitoring dashboard, built by ScienceLogic, for its customers. ScienceLogic is an IT operations management platform that provides real-time monitoring, automation, and analytics for hybrid IT environments. Bundled with this monitoring dashboard came a piece of software (which ScienceLogic does not want to identify at this time) that contained a zero-day vulnerability.

"We identified a zero-day remote code execution vulnerability within a non-ScienceLogic third-party utility that is delivered with the SL1 package, for which no CVE has been issued," a spokesperson for ScienceLogic told The Register.

Notifying the users

As it turns out, threat actors found out about this zero-day, and used it to gain access to Rackspace’s servers. There, they grabbed some internal monitoring information belonging to the company’s clients.

The Register also obtained a copy of a letter the company sent to affected customers. In it, Rackspace says that the internal monitoring information included customer account names and numbers, customer usernames, Rackspace internally generated device IDs, names and device information, device IP address, and AES256-encrypted Rackspace internal device agent credentials.

As soon as the company discovered the intrusion, it temporarily shut down its monitoring dashboard for its customers. ScienceLogic came back with a patch, and the vulnerability was fixed. Other than that, there was no additional impact. Customer performance monitoring was left untouched, and no other customer services were disrupted, it was said.

Consequently, customers need not take any action at this time. Still, Rackspace says that “in an abundance of caution”, users should rotate the Rackspace internal device agent credentials. Besides Rackspace, ScielceLogic also notified the customers of the incident.

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Nineteen platforms used by courts and governments in the United States carried critical vulnerabilities that allowed threat actors to tamper with the stored information.

This means highly sensitive information, such as voter data, medical information, and similar, was available for anyone with even rudimentary coding skills, who could have added, changed, or completely removed, the information stored in these platforms.

The warning comes from software developer and cybersecurity researcher Jason Parker, who recently analyzed the platforms used by hundreds of courts, government agencies, police departments, and other critical public organizations, and in an in-depth analysis posted on his blog, noted the platforms failed “at the most fundamental level of cybersecurity.”

No evidence of abuse

The 19 platforms that carried critical vulnerabilities are Inmate Management, Court Case Management Plus, CMS360, CaseLook, eFiling, GovQA, EZ-Filing (v3 and v4), Officer Profile Portal, C-Track, GovQA, Voter Cancellation, and a handful of in-house built platforms. The majority of the flaws revolve around weak permission controls, it was said. Other notable mentions include poor user input validation processes, and flawed authentication processes.

“If a voter’s registration can be canceled with little effort and confidential legal filings can be accessed by unauthorized users, what does it mean for the integrity of these systems?" Parker questioned.

The silver lining here is that there is no evidence of these flaws being exploited in the wild. Still, vendors need to step up and fix the bugs immediately, something customers should demand, as well, Parker stressed. Vendors should also actively engage in pentesting, software audits, employee training, and more. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be omnipresent in these platforms, he believes.

“This series of disclosures is a wake-up call to all organizations that manage sensitive public data,” Parker wrote. “If they fail to act quickly, the consequences could be devastating—not just for the institutions themselves but for the individuals whose privacy they are sworn to protect.”

Via Ars Technica

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PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition pre-orders in Japan have been restricted in an attempt to combat scalpers.

Last week, a limited edition collection of PS5 consoles and accessories to celebrate PlayStation's 30th anniversary went on sale and were quick to sell out, including the 12,300 units of themed PS5 Pro's.

Soon after, it was discovered that scalpers who were able to get their hands on the $999 / £959.99 bundles had uploaded eBay listings asking for 10 times the market price.

Now, in a bid to thin out scammers ahead of time, Japan Sony has implemented a new restriction to stop scalpers from ruining the fun.

As reported by Automaton, the Japanese PlayStation homepage now details that those in Japan looking to purchase a PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition bundle will need to meet some conditions.

First, they must have a PSN account registered in Japan, and second, have at least 30 hours of activity on PS4 or PS5 between February 2014 and September 19, 2024.

In the UK and US, it seems stock for the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition has completely sold out on the PlayStation Direct website.

The PS5 Pro is slated to launch globally on November 7, 2024, for $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,200. Pre-orders are expected to start on October 10, 2024 at a wide range of retailers.

When the PS5 Pro was officially announced last month, the console's high cost caused a stir, but according to Sony, the console's many new features, including its PSSR tech, justify the price tag.

If you're looking to get your hands on the mid-generation console, you can check out our PS5 Pro pre-order guide.

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Sonos has announced that the company isn't far from bringing its troubled new app up to the level it arguably should have launched at (or, at least, closer to), while also promising some changes in the company's approach to ensure that it won't have the same woes again in the future.

The two headlines for existing Sonos users here are that the company is extending the warranties of existing products still under warranty by a year, and that Sonos now says: "More than 80% of the app’s missing features have been reintroduced and the company expects to have almost 100% restored in the coming weeks. The reliability and speed of the app has improved with each release."

That's good news for everyone who's been struggling with the lack of particular features, though the reliability will be an equal concern for anyone who's invested a lot into a wide range of the best Sonos speakers, and there's a less clear measure for that (after all, anyone who promises you that a network-based app is going to work 100% of the time is someone you can never trust).

Sonos also says it's making four commitments with the goal of "addressing the root causes of the problems with the app release", some which are fuzzier than others. These are [presented unedited – all Sonos's words]:

"Unwavering focus on the customer experience. To ensure that we deliver the highest level of customer experience, we will always establish ambitious quality benchmarks at the outset of product development and will not launch products before meeting these criteria. We will also enhance the tools necessary to measure the quality of the experience actually being delivered to customers to ensure that we maintain the standards our customers expect.

"Increase the stringency of our pre-launch testing phases. Our beta testing program will include more types of customers and more diverse setups for a longer testing period. This will allow us to find, diagnose and solve customer concerns more quickly before going to market.

"Demonstrate humility when introducing changes. In contrast to the all-at-once automated app release we issued in May, any major change to the Sonos app will be released gradually, allowing customers to adjust and provide feedback before it becomes the default. For new features smaller in scope, we will introduce an opt-in experimental features option in the app for customers who would like to participate in testing them.

"Appoint a Quality Ombudsperson. This new role will ensure our employees have a clear path to escalate any concerns in terms of quality and customer experience. This person will be consulted by executive leadership throughout the development process and before any product launches. In this role, the ombudsperson will guarantee transparency and publish a report to management and employees twice per year, and will present regularly to the Sonos board of directors."

If you've read the story of what apparently went wrong with the new app's launch, some of these are arguably just trying to change the company culture back to what it essentially was before things got shaken up. But if Sonos follows through, that could certainly lead to more successful launches than the app and the middling reception of the Sonos Ace headphones from the public at large (even if one of our writers hasn't taken them off since launch).

Sonos also has three measures that it hopes will regain its customers' trust, including the extended warranties mentioned above. Again, presented in the company's words, here they are:

"Extend our home speaker warranties. To reflect our strong belief in the quality of our products, we will extend the manufacturer’s warranty by one year for all home theater and plug-in speaker products currently under warranty.

"Relentlessly improve the app experience with regular software upgrades. We will roll out updated mobile software versions every 2-4 weeks to optimize and enhance the software experience, even once this issue is resolved.

"Establish a Customer Advisory Board. To ensure we never lose sight of the voice of the customer, this board will provide feedback and insights from a customer perspective to help shape and improve our software and products before they are launched."

Who knows whether all of these measures will really have teeth, and if they do, how quickly they'll make a difference to the quality of Sonos's products – perhaps its too late for the seemingly imminent launch of the Sonos Arc Ultra, or maybe in fact they're all just in time for it.

The big question is whether it convinces Sonos's existing customers to stick with the company the next time they're looking to upgrade their audio, or whether they'll turn to another options among the best wireless speakers.

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We're expecting three Samsung Galaxy S25 phones to appear sometime in January 2025, but the latest rumors suggest the standard edition might be the last of its kind – with Samsung potentially dropping the cheapest, smallest Galaxy S26 model in 2026.

This comes from the usually reliable Ice Universe (via SamMobile), and while it's somewhat speculative for now, there's some sound reasoning behind it: specifically, that the Plus and Ultra models account for most of the handset sales.

The tipster says part of the problem faced by Samsung and Apple is that Chinese companies such as Oppo and Xiaomi are now much better at making small and powerful phones, squeezing the market for everyone else.

While Apple can still use iOS to differentiate its iPhones, Samsung cannot. As a result, Samsung "may cancel" the Galaxy S26 as it's "no longer competitive," leaving just the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Past and future

When OPPO Find X8 is released, you will find that one of the characteristics of the new flagship in 2024 is that it is small and powerful. Chinese brands are much better at making small-sized mobile phones than Samsung and Apple. You will realize that Galaxy S25 is no longer…October 1, 2024

What adds some extra credibility to this rumor is that Samsung just launched the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Android tablets with no sign of a standard model – so no successor to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, for whatever reason.

You may remember that Samsung started releasing two versions of its flagship smartphone in 2015 with the Samsung Galaxy S6. The Samsung Galaxy S20 series, launched in 2020, was the first to adopt the standard, Plus, and Ultra approach.

Almost five years later, it seems Samsung might be ready to change that again – depending on how the Galaxy S25 performs. There's been no indication that Samsung will move away from the three phone format for its 2025 flagship launch.

Of course, we also have the Fan Edition (FE) versions of these phones, most recently the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. This version typically arrives later, offering similar specs at a cheaper price and pushing the standard model into even more of a niche.

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October has arrived, which means it's finally spooky season, the time of year when all the best streaming services get inundated with new horror movies and shows to get you through the colder months. If you're like me and you need a distraction from the looming short days and cold weather, a good movie goes a long way and Paramount Plus' October 2024 list could be the perfect fall companion. 

Joining all the best Paramount Plus movies in addition to the best Paramount Plus shows is a long line of titles, including – most notably – some of the best horror movies from slashers like Friday the 13th (1980) and gothic horrors like Sleepy Hollow (1999) to modern psychological horrors such as Orphan (2009). 

In other words, it's basically every horror fan's best dream, and every horror hater's worst nightmare. But luckily it's not all spooks with Paramount Plus' October 2024 schedule, as you can always sink into a heartfelt drama to take your mind off the spooky month ahead – I'd recommend The Truman Show (1998), if you really want to test your emotional capacity that is. 

Everything new on Paramount Plus in October 2024 

Arriving on October 1

28 Weeks Later (movie)
30 Days of Night (movie)
A Simple Plan (movie)
All About the Benjamins (movie)
All the Wrong Ingredients (movie)
Allegiant (movie)
Almost Famous (movie)
Along Came a Spider (movie)
American Psycho (movie)
Amistad (movie)
Antlers (movie)
Arena Wars (movie)
Bad Behaviour (movie)
Best Defense (movie)
Black Rock (movie)
Bram Stoker's Dracula (movie)
Buried (movie)
Chaplin (movie)
Chocolat (movie)
Cliffhanger (movie)
Coach Carter (movie)
Colombiana (movie)
Days of Heaven (movie)
Deliver Us from Evil (movie)
Desperado (movie)
Divergent (movie)
Django Unchained (movie)
Downhill Racer (movie)
Dying of the Light (movie)
Eastern Promises (movie)
Eddie Murphy: Raw (movie)
Elizabethtown (movie)
Enough (movie)
Escape from Alcatraz (movie)
Eyes Wide Shut (movie)
Fear (movie)
Fido (movie)
Finding Neverland (movie)
Flatliners (movie)
Fools Rush In (movie)
Freedom Writers (movie)
Fresh (movie)
Friday the 13th (movie)
Friday the 13th: Part II (movie)
Friday the 13th: Part III (movie)
Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (movie)
Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (movie)
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (movie)
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (movie)
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (movie)
Frozen River (movie)
Galaxy Quest (movie)
Gothika (movie)
Hard Eight (movie)
Heat (movie)
Heaven Can Wait (movie)
Hell or High Water (movie)
Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth (movie)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline (movie)
Hellraiser V: Inferno (movie)
Hellraiser VI: Hellseeker (movie)
Hellraiser VII: Deader (movie)
Hellraiser VIII: Hellworld (movie)
Hide and Seek (movie)
Hugo (movie)
Hustle & Flow (movie)
Imagine That (movie)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (movie)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (movie)
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (movie)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (movie)
Insurgent (movie)
Jawbreaker (movie)
Jennifer's Body (movie)
John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. (movie)
John Grisham's The Rainmaker (movie)
Juice (movie)
Just My Luck (movie)
Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events (movie)
Life (movie)
Little Women (movie)
Love Story (movie)
Maggie's Plan (movie)
Marathon Man (movie)
Margin Call (movie)
Men, Women & Children (movie)
Mirrors (movie)
Monstrous (movie)
Mud (movie)
Obsessed (movie)
Oculus (movie)
Once Upon A Time In Mexico (movie)
Only Lovers Left Alive (movie)
Orphan (movie)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (movie)
Pride And Glory (movie)
Private Parts (movie)
Prospect (movie)
Queen of The Damned (movie)
Re: Uniting (movie)
Resident Evil (movie)
Road Trip (movie)
Runaway Jury (movie)
Scary Movie 3 (movie)
Scary Movie 4 (movie)
School Ties (movie)
Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders (movie)
Scooby-Doo and the Legend of the Vampire (movie)
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster (movie)
Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers (movie)
Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy (movie)
Scrooged (movie)
Set it Off: Director's Cut (movie)
Sleepy Hollow (movie)
Smallfoot (movie)
Snakes On a Plane (movie)
Southpaw (movie)
Spanglish (movie)
Spawn (movie)
Stephen King's Graveyard Shift (movie)
Stephen King's Silver Bullet (movie)
Stephen King's Thinner (movie)
Stir of Echoes (movie)
Surviving Christmas (movie)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (movie)
Swingers (movie)
Team America: World Police (movie)
The Belko Experiment (movie)
The Blob (movie)
The Core (movie)
The Day After Tomorrow (movie)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (movie)
The Gambler (movie)
The General's Daughter (movie)
The Girl in the Pool (movie)
The Green Inferno (movie)
The Hours (movie)
The Ladies Man (movie)
The Legend of Zorro (movie)
The Little Vampire (movie)
The Midnight Meat Train (movie)
The Negotiator (movie)
The Net (movie)
The Orphanage (movie)
The Running Man (movie)
The Stepford Wives (movie)
The Truman Show (movie)
The Wash (movie)
The Wicker Man (movie)
This One's for the Ladies (movie)
Three Days of the Condor (movie)
Training Day (movie)
True Grit (movie)
Universal Soldier (movie)
Vampire in Brooklyn (movie)
Vantage Point (movie)
We Own the Night (movie)
Weird Science (movie)
Wild Eyed and Wicked (movie)
Wild Things (movie)
Willard (movie)

Arriving on October 2

Monster High: The Series season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on October 6

American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special (TV show)

Arriving on October 8

An Oprah Special: The Presleys - Elvis, Lisa Marie and Riley (TV show)

Arriving on October 9 

Blaze and the Monster Machines season 7 (TV show)
Blaze and the Monster Machines: Wild Wheels Escape to Animal Island (TV show)
Blaze and the Monster Machines: Big Rig to the Rescue! (TV show)
Blaze and the Monster Machines: Racecar Adventures (TV show)

Arriving on October 10

SpongeBob SquarePants: Kreepaway Kamp (TV show)

Arriving on October 13

Tracker Season season 2 (TV show)

Arriving on October 14

NCIS season 22 (TV show)
NCIS: Origins (TV show)

Arriving on October 15

FBI season 7 (TV show)
FBI: International season 4 (TV show)
FBI: Most Wanted season 6 (TV show)
FBI True season 5 (TV show)

Arriving on October 16

Love & Hip Hop Atlanta season 11(TV show)
Tyler Perry's The Oval seasons 1-3 (TV show)

Arriving on October 17

Elsbeth season 2 (TV show)
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage (TV show)
Ghosts season 4 (TV show)

Arriving on October 18

Blue Bloods season 14 (TV show)
Fire Country season 3 (TV show)
S.W.A.T. season 8 (TV show)

Arriving on October 20

The Equalizer season 5 (TV show)

Arriving on October 21

Poppa's House (TV show)
The Neighborhood season 7 (TV show)

Arriving on October 22

Tale of Tales (movie)
Octo (movie)

Arriving on October 23

Ink Master season 16 (TV show)

Arriving on October 24

Star Trek: Lower Decks (TV show)

Arriving on October 25

Transformers: EarthSpark season 3 (TV show)

Arriving on October 27

Lioness season 2 (TV show)

Arriving on October 28 

Erza (movie)
Treasure (movie)

Arriving on October 29

The Man Who Knew Infinity (movie)

Arriving on October 31

Camp X-Ray (movie)

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Imagine a spreadsheet that could think, learn, and adapt. No longer just a tool for calculations, spreadsheets are evolving into intelligent assistants capable of automating tasks, uncovering hidden insights, and revolutionizing the way we work with data.

The era of AI-powered spreadsheets has arrived, and it's changing the rules of the game. As we explore this evolution, we'll trace how each advancement has built upon the previous ones, leading to the sophisticated tools we use today, and glimpse what the future holds for this dynamic field.

From paper to AI: The evolution of spreadsheets

To truly appreciate the cutting-edge AI capabilities of today's spreadsheets, we must first take a trip back to see how far we’ve come. The evolution of spreadsheets is more than just a story of technological progress; it’s a reminder of how foundational changes lead to revolutionary advancements.

In the early days, spreadsheets were a manual affair. Picture accountants in the 1960s and 70s working with paper sheets, meticulously recording each data point by hand. Every calculation was done manually, a process that was not only labor-intensive but also prone to mistakes. This old-school approach was time-consuming and limited in scope.

The game began to change in the late 1960s with LANPAR (Language for Programming Arrays at Random) — an early electronic spreadsheet that made basic data manipulation possible. Though it was still rudimentary, it marked a crucial step away from paper-based methods. Then came 1979 and VisiCalc, the first widely used electronic spreadsheet. VisiCalc was revolutionary because it automated recalculations — a relief for anyone who had to update numbers by hand. This innovation significantly boosted productivity and accuracy, especially in business environments where every second counts.

The 1980s saw further leaps with Lotus 1-2-3, which introduced advanced functions, charting, and the ability to handle larger datasets. By the 1990s, Microsoft Excel had emerged as a dominant force, bringing with it features like sophisticated formulas, pivot tables, and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). These tools transformed spreadsheets from simple data-entry applications into powerful platforms for complex analysis.

Now, fast forward to today, and we’re in the age of AI-powered spreadsheets. This leap marks a huge change from the old days of manual, labor-intensive data handling to a new era where artificial intelligence is reshaping how we work with data.

How AI is revolutionizing spreadsheets

Microsoft’s $1 billion investment in revamping Excel with AI represents a fascinating move towards the future of productivity software. This strategic overhaul isn’t just about making incremental improvements but signifies a transformative shift in how we interact with data.

Excel has always been a powerful tool, but its complexity can be a barrier. For many, mastering its advanced features requires significant time and expertise. Microsoft’s push to integrate AI aims to make these powerful capabilities more accessible and user-friendly.

So, what exactly does this mean in practical terms? Here’s a look at some of the ways AI is shaking up the world of spreadsheets:

Natural language processing

Excel’s new AI features include natural language processing, which allows users to interact with their data using everyday language. This means you can simply type a question like “What’s the trend in sales over the last six months?” and get a clear, actionable answer.

Predictive analytics

AI brings predictive analytics to the forefront, allowing Excel to anticipate future trends based on your current data. This means you can easily forecast sales, estimate future expenses, or predict market trends without diving into complex statistical models. The AI does the heavy lifting, offering insights and forecasts that help you make informed decisions with confidence.

Automated insights

One of the most exciting features is Excel’s ability to automatically identify patterns and anomalies in your data. The AI scans through your data sets and spots trends or irregularities that might not be immediately obvious. For instance, it might highlight a sudden spike in customer complaints or an emerging trend in product sales. This means you don’t have to dig through data manually; the AI does the legwork and brings crucial insights to your attention, saving you time and effort.

Smart data cleanup

Data cleaning is one of the most tedious tasks in spreadsheet management, often requiring meticulous attention to detail. AI takes a lot of the grunt work out of this process by automatically identifying inconsistencies, errors, and duplicates in your data. It suggests corrections and improvements, making it easier to maintain clean, reliable data without getting bogged down in manual corrections.

Democratized data analysis

AI-powered spreadsheets are transforming the way businesses handle data analysis by making advanced AI capabilities accessible to non-experts. With features like intuitive interfaces, natural language processing, and automated insights, these tools allow users to leverage sophisticated data analysis without needing deep technical knowledge.

Ensuring effective AI in spreadsheets

The promise of AI-powered spreadsheets automating tasks and enhancing productivity is certainly exciting. However, it also brings up important questions about control and governance that need to be addressed:

Data accuracy and bias

AI’s effectiveness largely depends on the data it’s trained on. If the data feeding into these AI systems is flawed or biased, the AI’s output can be just as problematic. Imagine a spreadsheet that’s supposed to forecast sales trends but is based on data that doesn’t represent all customer segments fairly. The AI might end up skewing results in ways that don’t accurately reflect reality.

To avoid this, we need to be meticulous about the data we use. This means regularly checking for inaccuracies, ensuring our data sets are diverse and representative, and constantly updating them to reflect the most current information. Essentially, good governance in AI means being proactive about data quality and fairness.

Transparency and explainability

Another key concern is understanding how AI makes decisions. If AI in spreadsheets starts suggesting changes or predicting outcomes, users need to know how these recommendations are derived. Transparency isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s essential.

Features that explain the AI’s reasoning behind its suggestions can make a big difference. For instance, if an AI recommends a certain business strategy based on sales data, users should be able to see the factors influencing this recommendation. This clarity helps build trust and ensures that users aren’t just blindly following AI advice but can understand and evaluate it themselves.

Human oversight and control

Despite AI’s impressive capabilities, it can’t replace human judgement. AI is great for handling repetitive tasks and analyzing large amounts of data, but it still needs human oversight to ensure everything is on track. Setting up clear guidelines on how AI tools should be used and who reviews their outputs is crucial. Regular checks and balances will help catch any errors or misjudgments the AI might make. Think of it as having a safety net — AI handles the heavy lifting, but humans make sure everything aligns with broader goals and values.

Final thoughts

Integrating AI into spreadsheets is a huge leap forward. It can automate repetitive tasks, offer predictive insights, and change the way we work for the better. But with this amazing potential come new challenges.

As spreadsheets get smarter, we need to stay mindful of issues like data accuracy, bias, and transparency. While AI can boost efficiency, it’s crucial to keep human oversight and ethical considerations in the mix. Finding the right balance between using AI’s strengths and ensuring it’s used responsibly is key.

The future of spreadsheets is exciting. But to make the most of it, we need both cutting-edge technology and careful, ethical management. If we navigate this balance wisely, we can use AI to build data-driven solutions that are more efficient, reliable, and insightful.

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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

Asus’s new range of Intel Arrow Lake gaming motherboards has just been (unofficially, so take a pinch of salt here) revealed, and they suggest that the days of motherboards being among your new gaming rig’s cheaper components are gone.

The flagship Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme is expected to cost $1,112 (£887, around AU$1,723), with the cheapest of the new lineup being $268 (£214, around AU$415).

If you’re planning on buying one of the new Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Arrow Lake desktop CPUs, you’ll definitely have to factor in the added cost of one of ASUS’ next-gen Z-series motherboards. This is because Intel’s new Arrow Lake processors will require their LGA1851 sockets.

The prices were revealed by X user @momomo_us, with a series of screenshots showing prices of the full range. US retailer HSSL has also listed the next-Arrow Lake motherboard prices for its US market.

pic.twitter.com/nPBx1JhpaVSeptember 28, 2024

At $1,112, the most expensive board on the list, the Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Extreme, will set you back around $100 more than its predecessor the Z790 Extreme. Perfect for high-performance builds, the Z890 Extreme will set you up for any future upgrades. Expect a plethora of connectivity options, support of DDR5 memory, insane overclocking capabilities, PCIe Gen 5, and Wi-Fi 7.

Lots of features, lots of dollars

The Asus ROG Z890 Apex, designed for extreme overclocking (particularly memory), features only two stability-enhancing DIMM slots. While it’s still up there in pricing ($812 approximately), it's second only to the Maximus. It’s the most ideal for the overclocking connoisseurs aiming to break overclocking records. Of all Asus's next-gen Z-series boards, which see roughly a $100 increase from their respective predecessors, the Z890 Apex sees a $200 increase from the ROG Z790 Apex. This is indicative of it supporting Intel’s next-generation Arrow Lake processors, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and expanded PCIe Gen 5 support.

It’s not all doom and gloom and more room in your pockets, though, as the lineup contains at least some more affordable options. Asus debuts its new Z890 Max Gaming WiFi 7 line, priced at $268 (£213.93, around AU$415). This is presumably Asus's way of ensuring customers can get one of the latest Intel CPUs without paying for the less necessary features of its premium ROG series. With its Wi-Fi 7 capabilities, consumers can enjoy faster and more reliable wireless connectivity.

Whichever motherboard you opt for, even the “budget-friendly” Max Gaming Wi-Fi 7 still costs a fair bit, so be prepared for a very expensive upgrade when you decide it's time to finally get a new CPU for your rig.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries globally, and accountants and bookkeepers are in a unique position to leverage this technology to do more and help the businesses they serve.

Accounting and bookkeeping is integral for a successful business and the industry has undergone significant changes over the years, from manual paper-based processes to software and cloud-based systems. The emergence of advanced AI, means there is a significant shift in how financial information, such as invoices, statements and payroll, can be managed and processed.

Accountants must lead the way

There are multiple benefits that AI can offer the accounting sector, and its introduction has allowed many accountants and bookkeepers to keep up with existing demand when they are unable to hire staff. A recent Sage report finds that the use of technology by SMBs contributes to £216 billion in the UK alone, and as trusted advisors to businesses, accountants and bookkeepers are in a unique position to help businesses unlock this value though using the right tools for the job. By adopting automation, precious time can be saved and used to give better advice. The human touch, context and expertise is now more important than ever in a constantly changing environment.

AI unlocks new ways to do things that were not previously possible to automate. One example is the painstaking task of checking which invoices you have, which ones have been paid and which you may be missing on a supplier statement. Some supplier statements can be multiple pages long and you get them all at the end of the month. Dext has recently completely automated that process with AI. This not only saves time, but also ensures data and liabilities are correct, which helps manage cash flow, minimize surprises and build trust. AI when used correctly, elevates those that leverage it.

The power of informed decision making

AI has the power to help accountants make more informed decisions, providing real time insights to pave the way for predictive analytics. This level of automation can analyze vast amounts of financial data in a fraction of time, freeing up accountants to focus on higher-value tasks such as financial planning and analysis and risk management.

Additionally, AI holds a track record of identifying errors within processes, due to the fact that AI demands undivided attention. It can help with everything from data analysis to tax preparation and fraud detection, which is because its algorithms are built to identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate such activities, allowing accountants to act quickly on behalf of customers.

AI creates seamlessness for businesses

One of the most significant roles AI plays in businesses is eliminating the need for manual data entry. It’s obvious, but automating the input of financial data saves significant time, reduces room for error and means time is put back into helping businesses to grow. With accurate and up-to-date information, it is also easier to plan ahead for the unexpected by identifying trends, spotting inefficiencies and making proactive adjustments to ensure the business is always on track.

Incorporating AI in accountancy software also allows businesses to introduce cloud-based systems into their day-to-day, making it more seamless to move away from paper-based systems.

Human touch remains essential

AI cannot completely replace the power of humans when it comes to accounting and bookkeeping - in fact it should encourage upskilling of juniors who would otherwise spend time completing menial tasks, particularly with the current shortage of accountants. The skills shortage is something that has led to the increasing adoption of AI, which has meant that accountants and bookkeepers are able to spend less time on menial tasks when they are stretched. And realistically, accountancy leaders must remain responsible when it comes to understanding the pivotal role of AI in the accountancy sector, if they don’t want to be left behind.

It is important to remember that AI does not come built with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that humans have, which highlights the importance of human oversight even with the adoption of AI technology. This is because human accountants play a crucial role in ensuring that there is accuracy and integrity of financial information and systems.

Understanding the importance of accountability within the accounting industry is something we take pride in at Dext. Therefore, the need to embrace AI advancement responsibly to create a more efficient and prosperous future for all is essential.

In essence, accountants should see AI as their copilots, not their autopilots. The use of AI is just like a car in autopilot, when you need it to it can break and stay in one lane, but if you take your hand off the wheel, it cancels the autopilot. That is how humans should consider the way AI works within accounting firms - you definitely can’t take your hand off the wheel.

Overall, accounting is more than just focusing on the crunching of numbers. Human accountants possess the soft skills such as communication and empathy to understand the needs of clients on a deeper level.

Although their time may be stretched, with the addition of AI, accountants can bridge the gaps that come with accounting and bookkeeping so they can balance their time and let their soft skills shine.

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Ongoing generative AI adoption in the workplace is bringing new threats to the digital employee experience (DEX), which could be amplifying security concerns, new research has claimed.

A report by Ivanti found 86% of IT professionals believe poor digital experiences can lead employees to adopt unsafe workarounds, such as using unauthorized devices and AI tools.

Ivanti’s report sheds light on the intricate balance between enhancing employee experiences through technology and safeguarding company data. While three-quarters of global knowledge workers now use GenAI, four in five (81%) of them haven’t received any formal training. Additionally, 15% are using unsanctioned AI tools which can increase the risk of security breaches, data privacy violations and other legal challenges, such as copyright infringement.

Poor DEX could make your company more vulnerable

“Although harmless in the moment, employees typically opt for convenience and put security on the back burner," Ivanti Field CISO Mike Riemer summarized.

The report details how employers should consider their DEX more closely in order to align with how employees work, enabling them to consider security at an earlier and deeper level.

“Companies should take steps to understand their employees’ workplace behaviors and adopt security measures that reduce the temptation for employees to sidestep protocols and use unsafe workarounds. Strong security shouldn’t come at the cost of user experience, as it is integral to maintaining both security and productivity," Riemer added.

Besides generative AI, workers are being let down in other DEX areas. For example, one in two admitted to using personal devices to access work networks, one-third (32%) of whom doing so without their employers’ knowledge.

Looking ahead, besides factoring in security and privacy to the digital employee experience, Ivanti urges businesses to consider other basic internet hygiene factors that are often neglected, like using VPNs, zero-trust solutions and multi-factor authentication.

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Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman is overseeing an overhaul that gives Copilot an empathetic voice, the ability to see, and more advanced reasoning skills.

Powered by OpenAI's latest models, Microsoft's Copilot assistant is becoming a lot more handy—and wants to be an "encouraging" digital coworker.

We reported recently that the Tesla Cybertruck has finally received the Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities that it was promised from launch, with early access testers and a handful of VIP customers gaining access to the latest software update.

But further release notes surrounding update 2024.32.20, which ushers in the latest FSD V12.5.5 software build, reveals that this most recent iteration brings with it some serious semi-autonomous driving updates.

A new end-to-end highway stack leans heavily on Tesla’s neural nets, its use of artificial intelligence that harnesses the power of machine learning to help its vehicles make faster decisions when out on public roads. Previous generations of FSD brought with it an end-to-end stack on city streets only, but this is now being rolled out to faster highway networks.

Put simply, it removes the need for software engineers to hand-code all of the potential decisions a Tesla has to make when operating in (supervised) Full Self-Driving mode. 

(Image credit: Tesla)

Instead the AI, which has been trained using thousands of hours of footage collated by the fleet’s myriad camera systems, can begin to make decisions depending on the scenario and environment.

The release notes, which were analysed by NotaTeslaApp, reveal that Tesla is speeding up progress towards unsupervised FSD, which will be crucial if it is to make a success of its robotaxi business - of which an update is due from the company on October 10.

The upcoming improvements include earlier and more natural autonomous lane changing, more decisive action at stop lights and intersections, as well as improved lane selection and correct indicating at roundabouts.

More interestingly, NotaTeslaApp claims that the recent update will introduce a new speed profile, which was once slated to be called 'Hurry Mode' but looks to now be simply dubbed 'Speed Mode'.

Selecting this option will likely see the vehicle accelerate slightly more aggressively, as well as overtake slower moving vehicles on the highway.

The bumpy road to fully autonomous driving

(Image credit: Tesla)

Unfortunately, the wider Tesla community is going to have to wait for the rollout of the latest FSD V12.5.5 software, with the company currently focussed on a select few Cybertruck owners for now.

A post from Tesla’s Autopilot director Ashok Elluswamy on X says that his team is "close to an early release build for remaining platforms" and that internal employees will be the first to receive it in the coming weeks.

These gradual improvements show that Tesla is on the right path towards true unsupervised self-driving functionality, but one of the key metrics of success is the number of system 'disengagements' per miles driven.

Tesla has repeatedly claimed that it has reduced the number of disengagements - or situations where the vehicle hands back driving duties to the driver - with every software release. 

However, a community of Tesla owners have banded together to create an open source FSD Community Tracker, which allows owners to upload data surrounding the number of disengagements and the reasons for FSD not functioning correctly.

According to this dataset, there hasn't been much of an improvement to the system in recent software generations, with some versions actually revealing a regression in the number of miles driven without a critical disengagement of the FSD system.

With Tesla's Hollywood-spec robotaxi event just around the corner, the company is clearly keen to shout about the advances and improvements in its autonomous driving capabilities. 

But even with the promise of a smoother and more decisive driving experience, it still feels like the company is a long way off achieving the sort of unsupervised autonomous driving levels required for a fleet of robotaxis to be operating safely. 

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