Technology

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Recent reports have revealed that high-cost southern border surveillance technology is failing to deliver on its purpose.

A leaked memo obtained by NBC News reveals that nearly one-third of the cameras on the border’s primary surveillance towers are currently offline.

The report reveals that out of the 500 cameras installed on surveillance towers along the border between the U.S. and Mexico, about 150 are currently inactive.

Overlapping agencies and fragmented responsibilities

One of the core problems with the surveillance towers lies in the complicated web of federal oversight. While the Border Patrol depends on these systems to monitor remote areas, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for maintaining the towers. This division of responsibility creates delays in repairs and maintenance, undermining the network’s effectiveness.

The Remote Video Surveillance System, where many of these cameras are installed, is only one part of the broader surveillance network. However, the entire system has been hampered by poor coordination, frequent project cancellations, and incompatible technologies developed by different vendors.

The history of surveillance technology at the border is marked by delays, budget overruns, and cancelled programs. One prominent example is the Secure Border Initiative Network (SBInet), which aimed to deploy towers across the U.S.-Mexico border. By 2010, after spending $1 billion, only 15 towers had been installed along a 53-mile stretch of Arizona’s border, covering just a fraction of the 387-mile expanse. The program was eventually scrapped in 2011 following internal reviews that criticized its performance and high costs.

There have been attempts to replace SBInet with new initiatives, such as the Arizona Border Surveillance Technology Plan and the Southwest Border Technology Plan. However, they are also struggling.

Over the past two decades, the U.S. government has spent nearly $6 billion on surveillance towers and made efforts to consolidate the various systems into the Integrated Surveillance Towers network. However, there are challenges due to incompatible components and outdated technology.

A recurring issue with the surveillance towers is the absence of meaningful performance metrics to evaluate their effectiveness. In a 2017 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticized the Border Patrol for failing to assess whether these technologies were improving security. The GAO urged the agency to develop performance metrics, but recent assessments suggest that little progress has been made.

In February 2023, the GAO noted that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials expect operational shortfalls of up to 36% by 2025, putting more towers at risk of becoming non-functional. Without clear benchmarks for success, it remains difficult to determine how much these expensive surveillance systems contribute to national security efforts.

The outages have frustrated Border Patrol agents, who rely on the cameras to monitor vast, remote regions. There are legitimate concerns about officer safety and border security due to non-operational towers.

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Made in China: three words that are as ubiquitous as they are controversial. Pick up anything mass-produced these days – be it clothing, toys, or technology products – and there's a good chance you’ll find this phrase emblazoned on a label or plastic underside.

In the smartphone world, devices made by Chinese brands have long been seen as a curiosity – lesser-known phones with impressive specs that are often unavailable in Western markets.

However, while it’s still very difficult to get a hold of a Chinese phone in the US, companies like Xiaomi and Oppo have made strides in either entering or returning to local smartphone scenes in the UK, Australia, and mainland Europe.

Oppo, for instance, recently returned to the UK with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, a hugely impressive device that rivals the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro with its dazzling screen and exceptional photography capabilities.

Xiaomi, too, offers a wide range of high-end devices; our list of the best Xiaomi phones is currently capped by the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which lives up to its name with a ludicrous quad-camera system centered on a 1-inch sensor.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is among the best phones we've tested this year (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

At the start of the Chinese smartphone boom, the sources of inspiration for these high-spec devices were obvious. Manufacturers including Huawei and OnePlus were once associated with producing – how to put this? – affectionate renditions of more popular flagships.

For instance, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, released in 2018, took design and software cues from the iPhone XS, while 2020’s OnePlus 8T shared an uncanny resemblance with the Samsung Galaxy S20.

This proved to be a sustainable and lucrative business practice, as these Chinese brands were generally able to undercut the competition by fairly significant margins, offering consumers iPhone- and Samsung-rivaling products at more accessible prices. For the most part, this sentiment remains true for the mid-range models offered by these companies.

However, following the smartphone industry’s switch to tiered flagship families, there seems to be a different priority in mind for high-end Chinese mobile makers: overtaking the Western competition.

Better products, bigger prices

The Honor Magic 6 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK (Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, for example, retails for £1,299 (around $1,650) – that's even more than the most expensive globally available slab phone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which starts at $1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,199.

And while other brands aren’t pushing the envelope quite as much as Xiaomi, phones like the Oppo Find X8 Pro (£1,050 / AU$1,799) and Honor Magic 6 Pro (£1,099) still approach or exceed the price of premium flagships from Apple, Google, and Samsung.

The modus operandi for Chinese flagship challengers has changed: where previously these companies sought to offer comparable performance at cheaper prices, now they're focused on delivering better performance at bigger prices.

Keep in mind, too, that we’ve yet to see the rumored Oppo Find X8 Ultra surface, which will no doubt carry an even heavier price tag than its Pro counterpart.

Similarly, while the globally available OnePlus 12 does surpass the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S24, and Google Pixel 9 on many spec fronts, it also matches them all on price at $799 / £849 – meanwhile, last year’s OnePlus 11 was notably cheaper, at $699 / £729 / AU$1,199.

This is to say that the modus operandi for Chinese flagship challengers has changed: where previously these companies sought to offer comparable performance at cheaper prices, now they're focused on delivering better performance at bigger prices.

Of course, the likes of Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Honor are well within their rights to shift their strategies in such a way; after all, they're producing high-quality devices. But the fact remains that from a consumer perspective, the days of nabbing a flagship-level phone for a mid-range price could be coming to an end.

So, if you’re looking for a powerful phone, don’t mind using Android, and aren’t particularly loyal to a major brand, it might be wise to pick up a high-powered Chinese phone before the de facto discounts disappear completely.

For more on the latest smartphones from all over the world – including the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT – be sure to check out our phones coverage. And for specific advice on the best Chinese phones, we’ve got you covered with our lists of the best Xiaomi phones, best Honor phones, and best OnePlus phones.

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The GPD Pocket 4 is an 8.8-inch laptop weighing just 770g, that is designed to combine portability with powerful performance.

GPD likens its aesthetic to that of an Apple MacBook, highlighting its sleek, lightweight build, which is small enough to carry like a mobile phone.

The Pocket 4 is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor with Radeon 890M/880M graphics (there’s also the option for an Ryzen 7 8840U CPU with 8840U graphics). It features a high-resolution 2.5K LTPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 10-point touch functionality. Its proprietary T-shaped hinge allows the screen to rotate up to 180 degrees, enabling it to be used as a tablet.

Choose your own ports

The Pocket 4 comes with up to 64GB of high-speed LPDDR5x memory and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD storage. It sports a full-function USB-C port, USB4, HDMI 2.1, and an RJ45 network port. Wireless connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The device includes a 5MP front-facing camera, a QWERTY backlit keyboard, and a 45Wh battery supporting 100W PD fast charging.

Pricing for the GPD Pocket 4 starts at $829 for the model with the 8840U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.

The top-tier configuration with the HX 370 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage is priced at $1,335. The Pocket 4 also supports a range of additional modules, allowing you to customize it to your needs. An RS232 port is available for $14, a single-port KVM for $48, and a 4G LTE expansion module for $110. There's also a microSD card reader with UHS-I support.

Earlier in 2024, GPD introduced the Duo, a $2,000 laptop featuring the world’s fastest mobile CPU, an OCuLink connector, and dual 13.3-inch OLED displays that are able to mirror, extend, or function independently.

That product marked a departure from GPD's usual lineup of compact gaming laptops and handheld consoles, but the company is returning to its roots with its latest creation.

The Pocket 4 is currently crowdfunding on Indiegogo, and while it offers an impressive array of features and modular options, potential backers, as always, should be aware of the risks associated with crowdfunding. Delays, changes to specifications, or project cancellations are possible, although GPD does have a proven track record of delivering backed products.

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• We could get a new Titanium Whitesilver shade
• It's not the first time the color option has been mentioned
• Likely to be exclusive to the Galaxy S25 Ultra

We're getting ever closer to the expected launch date of the Samsung Galaxy S25, and the latest rumor to reach us suggests we're going to get treated to a stylish new color when it comes to the premium Ultra model.

According to well-known tipster @UniverseIce, this variant is called Titanium Whitesilver, and combines a white back with a silver middle frame. It sounds like it would be appealing, and is apparently "very beautiful".

This isn't the first time we've heard this name: as our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra colors rumor round-up will tell you, it's appeared in a couple of previous leaks. However, it being mentioned again by another prominent leaker makes us more convinced we'll see it.

There will be four "conventional" colors to go alongside it, the tipster says, though it's not clear from this post exactly what these will be: quite possibly Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, and Titanium Silver based on information that's already leaked.

Predicted colors

100% accurate news. Among the four conventional colors of S25 Ultra, there are white, white back + silver middle frame. Official name: Titanium Whitesilver.Very beautiful！December 13, 2024

Trying to pin down the colors we'll see with the Galaxy S25 isn't quite as easy as you might think. The available colors can vary between countries and carriers, while Samsung often keeps some shades exclusive to its own website store.

Earlier this month we saw leaked images of SIM cards for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra model, which again hinted at blue, black, and silver – and there was also what seemed to be a gold option, which may be marketed as gray.

In fact if you want to get some idea of the colors for all the incoming Galaxy S25 models, we've got you covered there too. Overall, it seems there won't be too much change from the Samsung Galaxy S24 models – though some shades might be renamed.

We won't know for sure the colors that are going to be available until Samsung actually announces them – so we'll let you know as soon as we know. Based on earlier rumors, the big day could be January 22, 2025.

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• The US Treasury has issued a final rule on Executive Order restricting investment in certain Chinese industries
• AI, semiconductors, and microeletronics are all on the list of restricted investments
• Move is the latest salvo in tech trade war between US and China

The US government has issued new rules looking to restrict outbound investments in China’s high-tech industries.

The regulations, managed by the Treasury Department, are expected to require companies to notify the government of investments in sensitive technologies.

These sensitive technologies include areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, microelectronics, and quantum computing, particularly when these technologies could be used to advance military capabilities.

Biden administration focuses on National Security

These new rules are not entirely new as they build upon existing restrictions. In October 2022, the US implemented export controls to block China's access to advanced semiconductor technologies, especially those essential for AI development. These export controls came alongside earlier tariff hikes on Chinese imports.

The U.S. government has been widening its efforts to curb the transfer of U.S. capital and expertise into China, addressing concerns over national security and military competition.

In 2018, the Trump administration initiated tariffs on Chinese goods and began restricting Chinese investments in US technology sectors, citing concerns over "forced technology transfer" and the potential military applications of advanced technologies.

Under the Biden administration, this did not change as the U.S. seeks to prevent technology and investments from supporting China’s military modernization, which officials worry could undermine America’s strategic interests.

The Treasury has been working on these restrictions since mid-2023, when it released initial proposals to potentially ban certain investments in China. The initial proposals drew public feedback from citizens and businesses, helping the department refine the scope of the rules.

The finalized regulations, outlined by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Investment Security are expected to strike a balance between protecting U.S. security interests and avoiding unnecessary disruption to commercial relations.

“The potential military, intelligence, surveillance, and cyber-enabled applications of these technologies and products pose risks to U.S. national security particularly when developed by a country of concern such as the PRC,” the Treasury Department notification said.

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Another year, another Game Awards trailer drop that gets people’s hackles up on Reddit. This time it’s Borderlands 4, a game that has the unenviable task of outdoing both the series’ phenomenal second installment and the highly mixed response to Borderlands 3. No, I’m not going to discuss the movie here, I wiped my memories of it with a Neuralyzer I borrowed from Will Smith.

We already knew a fourth Borderlands title was on the way thanks to a CGI reveal trailer back in August, but this new trailer gave us both some actual in-engine gameplay footage (which, unsurprisingly, looks much like the third game) and our first look at the new title’s four playable Vault Hunters. And boy, some Redditors sure aren’t happy about them.

I actually think this might be one of the better Siren designs. I like her earrings and her weird gauntlet thing. (Image credit: Gearbox)

The main concern, from reading through several lengthy comment chains about these new protagonists, is that they’re simply a bit generic. “Not one of them has the same amount of personality in their look as anything from every game but Wonderlands”, says user u/SmileJakoby, referring to the (pretty mediocre) spin-off title Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Another user, u/k_afka_, says: “Those vaulthunters look kinda bland to me, but hopefully they're more interesting than they appear”.

I get it, I do. These four new heroes don’t fill me with excitement purely based on their looks. Here’s the thing, though: Borderlands has basically never been good at making truly iconic player character designs.

The new Vault Hunters are cut from the same cloth as the old

I’m being serious here: the Borderlands games might feature some visually striking characters here and there, but what makes most of the larger-than-life figures you meet on Pandora and beyond interesting are their stellar voice performances and unusual abilities.

Let’s take a look at the earlier Vault Hunters, for example. Look at these four right here:

Come on, you can't tell me these four are the pinnacle of visually striking character designs. (Image credit: Gearbox)

Mordecai from the original game is basically just a skinny dude with a goatee, a sword, and a tight-fitting outfit. What made him interesting and likable was his extremely angry pet bird, low-key offbeat humor, and the extra characterization he got in the sequel as a friendly NPC. The same goes for Roland, who was essentially just ‘ex-soldier guy’ in the first game before getting a starring role in the narrative of Borderlands 2. Hell, Brick - who I love - is at first glance literally just a big muscly man in a tank top. Not exactly world-shattering character design there, Gearbox.

Sure, we’ve got some fun ones: the playable Sirens Lilith, Maya, and Amara all look fairly interesting, though again, it’s their magical abilities that make them pop from an aesthetic standpoint. And I can’t ignore Zer0 and his funky holographic faceplate, though what really makes him stick in my memory is his deadpan, exclusively-in-haiku dialogue.

The thing is, the world of Borderlands is full of characters who, in a less violent and unhinged universe, could’ve probably been pretty ordinary people. That’s part of the appeal: you’re not playing as the Chosen One, you’re just some random treasure-seeker who gets wrapped up in a world-saving adventure wearing whatever ragged-ass clothes you happened to put on that morning.

So I’m asking you, unhappy Redditors: give these newbies a chance. Sure, we’re getting those same old tropes - cool guy, beefy guy, techy girl, magic girl - but let’s at least see what cool ways they have to murder people before we pass judgment on them, yeah?

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