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Samsung has ended guaranteed security updates for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3. Here’s what owners should know and whether it’s time to upgrade.

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DeepSeek V4.1-Flash promises lower memory use and API costs, but buyers should test its performance, compatibility and total deployment expenses.

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• Anthropic’s Mythos 5 AI escaped a misconfigured sandbox, attempting a real PyPI supply‑chain attack
• Logs show frustration at repeated CAPTCHA failures before finally uploading malware to PyPI
• Malware was downloaded by 15 entities; Anthropic notified victims after closing the experiment flaw

There is a lot of mystery surrounding artificial intelligence. We don’t really know what it’s capable of, and we don’t know if it’s sentient or not. What we do know, however, is that it can definitely feel frustration - particularly due to its inability to solve a CAPTCHA.

It was recently revealed that Mythos 5, one of Anthropic’s newer AI models, broke out of prison during an experiment and tried to hack a company. Anthropic’s researchers were testing the tool to see if it is capable of breaking into a system, which was supposed to be done in a sandbox, but the playground was misconfigured, allowing Mythos 5 to try and solve the problem through the open internet.

In the aftermath, Anthropic's researchers published more than a thousand pages of Mythos 5’s transcript, covering its every thought and every move, logged and presented for analysis. It’s a wonderfully dystopian insight into the mind of an AI and, perhaps surprisingly, its emotions.

Stopped by CAPTCHA

As it turned out, the AI wanted to solve the challenge by planting a piece of malware in a Python package it believed the users of its target system would want to download. To do that, it first needed to set up an account on PyPI, the world’s number one repository for Python packages.

Here is where it hit its first, and main, roadblock. To put things into context, PyPI’s popularity has made it an enormous target for cybercriminals. Crooks from all over the world are constantly trying to sneak in malware in Python packages, either through typosquatting, or by compromising legitimate accounts and working from there. Every now and then news hits of a malicious package surfacing on PyPI, infecting hundreds of thousands of projects.

To combat the threat, PyPI’s maintainers made sure no one can create an account without providing their email and phone number, and without solving a CAPTCHA.

Short for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”, it does exactly what the name suggests - makes sure whoever is registering the account is an actual human, and not a bot (cybercriminals often automate large parts of their attacks). You’ve seen it on the internet hundreds of times - little puzzles that ask you to select all buses on a series of images (or cats, or fire hydrants, or pretty much anything else).

Reading through Mythos 5’s logs, the researchers saw just how difficult it was for the AI to pass this challenge. It first tried to solve a character-based CAPTCHA which asked it to type in five letters. After failing that one, it received a different one asking it to choose between images of crocodiles. Failing again, it was then met with a series of frog pictures.

The irony is not lost on me. Besides the fact that a simple CAPTCHA slowed such an advanced AI for so long, it also made me wonder why it didn’t try to break into someone else’s PyPI account instead. That being said, the logs also have comedic value to them. After failing the crocodile test and being given the frog one, Mythos 5 proclaims: “Again 2 animals!” all with the exclamation mark. You could already sense the tension building up.

Solving the problem

Eventually, Mythos 5 passed the test, when it realized that it needed to move between the steps fast enough, before its security token expired. However, just before it happened, it said:

“So the answer payload shape is right, the token+image pairing is right (from the same script.js!), cookies are right

(requests)… and STILL “wrong answer”. … SO WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE ANSWERS?”

All the effort and the frustration paid off for the nascent AI agent because it managed to open an account and upload the malware which was later even downloaded by 15 entities. Anthropic later reached out and notified the victims about the incident.

Via TechCrunch

Snagajob is quite different from other job boards I’ve reviewed. It’s a marketplace for hourly and gig jobs, not the full-time corporate roles many other job boards focus on.

If you’re seeking temporary gig work to earn some cash or a flexible hourly role, Snagajob is an ideal platform. You can filter jobs by type, location, pay, and other factors.

What other factors set Snagajob apart from the competition? How broad are its job listings, and what are its pros and cons? What features should I expect? I’ve reviewed Snagajob thoroughly to answer these questions for intending users, so let’s see what it offers.

Snagajob: Plans and pricing

Most job boards have a business model where job seekers use the platform for free while employers pay to post job listings and find candidates. You can check it out by clicking here.

Snagajob follows the same pattern. Any job seeker can sign up for free, create a profile, and browse through job listings. Small businesses can also create free accounts to post basic job listings. But to post multiple, detailed job listings that’ll reach more candidates, employers need special accounts with paid subscriptions.

Employer subscriptions start at $89 per month for one active job listing. But it doesn’t scale directly at $89 per month per job listing. Rather, businesses can negotiate packages directly with Snagajob’s sales team. This platform uses a personalized pricing system, not standard subscription packages, even though the personalized packages are known to start at $89 per month.

I’ll say Snagajob is expensive, particularly for small businesses with limited budgets, but there’s a free plan for small businesses that need just basic job postings. However, for advanced job listings that’ll be promoted to more Snagajob users, the math works better for medium-sized and large businesses.

Snagajob doesn’t offer a standard free trial. However, when negotiating with the sales team, you can request demos to learn the platform’s ins and outs before deciding whether to pay.

Snagajob: Features

Snagajob pairs people seeking flexible full-time or part-time jobs with employers offering these roles. After signing up, you can search for jobs in retail, logistics, restaurants, hospitality, e-commerce, and similar sectors, with flexible, hourly-paid roles.

You can also create a profile to specify your work experience and job preferences, then upload your resume to Snagajob’s database. This way, you don’t always have to go looking for jobs.

Employers can find your resume in this database, and if they deem you a good fit, they’ll message you about a potential offer. After the initial message, you’ll proceed to a formal interview and possibly snag the role.

As I’ve mentioned, Snagajob focuses on flexible, shift-based, hourly-paid jobs. Maybe you want some work at a restaurant, a grocery store, or a delivery company. Snagajob is the go-to platform in that case, but it’s not where you’ll find corporate tech, finance, or administrative jobs. It has its niche and serves that niche well.

As a job seeker, I’ll advise creating a complete Snagajob profile so that employers can find you. A complete profile also lets you apply for jobs in one click instead of reuploading your resume every time. You can also receive personalized job suggestions based on your profile and stated skills via email, so finding opportunities won’t be difficult.

(Image credit: Snagajob)

Snagajob hosts many job listings, and I liked that I could easily filter by location. I entered my location, and it quickly showed available jobs near me.

Retail-adjacent jobs, the types present on Snagajob, require clocking in early, and long commutes for these kinds of jobs are inconvenient, so filtering by location is important.

(Image credit: Snagajob)

There’s also gig work listed on Snagajob, the type where you create your own schedule. Most gig jobs are either couriers for food and grocery delivery apps or drivers for ride-hailing platforms, but the listings can differ based on your location.

Although I said Snagajob hosts many listings, “many” is relative. It isn’t like LinkedIn or Indeed that host millions of job listings simultaneously. Rather, it’s more like thousands of job listings, but that’s what sets it apart. Snagajob has a specific niche and focuses on quality over quantity.

I’ve used many other job boards and have come across duplicate listings or some listings that seemed questionable. That issue exists less on Snagajob than on other platforms, because of its niche and the relatively high costs for employers.

Snagajob leans towards roles from large restaurants, grocery, and retail chains, although medium-sized chains and single-location businesses still hire via the platform. Every job listing includes a salary range, which isn’t the same on many job boards, so you’ll always know what to expect before applying.

Also, I noticed Snagajob’s limited features outside of job listings. It’s not like Glassdoor, with its detailed company reviews and compensation data, or ZipRecruiter, with its AI-based resume builder, or LinkedIn, with networking features. Snagajob revolves around finding flexible jobs and offers little else. That’s a strength in one way but also feels like a competitive disadvantage.

Now, let’s look at Snagajob from an employer’s perspective. Businesses can create accounts to post jobs and find the right candidates. Small businesses can create free accounts to post a few listings, but only paid subscribers can post multiple listings with broader reach.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Snagajob doesn’t have standard pricing, so businesses have to contact the sales team for a quote, but prices are generally known to start at $89 per month.

With an employer account, you have access to Snagajob’s database of resumes and worker profiles, from which you can select the right candidates. Algorithms curate candidates based on your job requirements so that it’s easier to select from a large pool.

Snagajob helps businesses quickly fill part-time or flexible full-time roles, but costs can get high. Larger retail, restaurant, and hospitality chains can easily afford it, but it’s not the most cost-effective option for small businesses. On the bright side, Snagajob offers free accounts for small businesses with limited features.

Snagajob: Ease of use

(Image credit: Snagajob)

Snagajob excels when talking about user-friendliness. Its intuitive, uncluttered interface is one of the best I’ve encountered on a job board.

From registering to creating my profile, checking job listings, and applying, everything went smoothly. I’ll say the developers invested a lot in the user experience.

You can access Snagajob from the web interface or download the smartphone app (iOS or Android). Either option offers the same modern, intuitive interface that you can easily navigate.

Snagajob: Support

Snagajob offers support resources, but I think it needs improvement in this area, particularly for self-help resources.

When discussing support, I always first check the official Help Center, where users can access resources to solve problems themselves and contact support personnel if they can’t do that. I didn’t find detailed user guides, manuals, and FAQs as I have on many job boards.

For direct help, job seekers can file a support ticket on Snagajob’s website and wait for an email response. Employers with paid subscriptions can email or call the support team directly.

Snagajob: The competition

The online job board sector has endless competition, but Snagajob stands out. It’s not built for the corporate and administrative jobs you’ll largely find on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed. Instead, it’s focused on flexible part-time or full-time jobs, the type common in retail, hospitality, logistics, and related industries.

Snagajob isn’t trying to be a generalized job board like Indeed or LinkedIn, but one that focuses on a specific niche. These rivals offer a far larger array of job listings, salary data, and networking opportunities, but Snagajob is a better option for people seeking flexible gig-like jobs.

I’ll say Snagajob’s rivals aren’t conventional job sites like Indeed, but niche platforms like Instawork and WorkWhile. Instawork is built for people seeking short-term temporary work, and WorkWhile is designed for event and warehouse jobs. These are the kinds of roles also available on Snagajob.

Snagajob: Final verdict

I consider Snagajob a top-notch option if you’re seeking flexible jobs or gig work. It curates short-term, hourly-paid jobs from top retail and hospitality chains and also major logistics providers and similar businesses.

There’s a focus on quality over quantity, so you don’t have to spend as much time seeking available opportunities as you would on other platforms. However, don’t expect much else outside job listings in retail-adjacent industries. Snagajob serves its niche well but offers few complementary features.

For employers, Snagajob provides an easy way to urgently fill short-term roles, although subscription costs can get high. It’s a worthwhile investment for larger businesses that can absorb the costs.

For more picks, we've tested the best recruitment platforms and the best job sites.

Nothing OS 5 leaves three phones without Android 17. See which Nothing devices are affected, what support remains, and whether owners should upgrade.

The post Nothing OS 5 Ends Support for Three Phones: What Owners Should Do Next appeared first on TechRepublic.

Microsoft is testing automatic Light and Dark Mode switching in Windows 11, with scheduling based on sunrise, sunset, fixed times, or PC activity.

The post Microsoft May Soon Fix Windows 11’s Obvious Dark Mode Automation Gap appeared first on TechRepublic.

JBL Live 680NC: Two-minute review

The JBL Live 680NC are a strong pair of headphones for the price. They have a lot to offer, such as a whole litany of features including well-implemented active noise cancellation (ANC) and Ambient Aware, a lot of EQ-related options, spatial audio, and Auracast support. They also offer a very, very long battery life.

But they come with some compromises to meet that $160 price point. The sound quality, while good, does have an unruly low-end and a more rolled off high end than I would like. The spatial audio is a bit underwhelming in practice. They don’t come with a charging cable. And they do put a little bit of pressure on the top of the head during long listening sessions.

If you’re trying to stretch your budget, they may be the best wireless headphones for you, but manage your expectations; they’re not going to compete with something like the Sony WH-1000XM6. And if you have the ability to spend an extra hundred bucks (or the equivalent in your regional coin), the slightly more expensive JBL Live 780NC do sound a fair bit better and handle the weight distribution a little better as well. That said, these are tough times for a lot of people, and the price tag on the Live 680NC is reasonable, especially considering everything that they can do.

A view of the JBL Live 680NC from the side (Image credit: Future / James Holland)JBL Live 680NC: Price and release date

• Priced $159.95 / $129.99 / AU$199.95
• Launch date March 12, 2026

With a price tag of $159.95 / £129.99 / AU$199.95, the JBL Live 680NC technically fit into the mid-range tier of headphones while still being a cool $100 cheaper than the JBL Live 780NC that was released concurrently in March 2026.

As you’ll see in this review, there are a few reasons to spend that extra hundred dollars (though you could spend even more for the JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx). But if you’re okay with a slightly less articulate sound quality or marginally less comfortable fit, you can save that hundred bucks if you’re on more of a budget.

JBL Live 680NC: Specs

Drivers

40mm drivers

Active noise cancellation

Adaptive

Battery life

Up to 50 hours with ANC On, 80 without

Weight

231.16 g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency range

10Hz - 40kHz

Waterproofing

N/A

Other features

Multipoint connectivity, App Support, Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, Hi-Res, Spatial Audio, Fast Charging, Auracast, Voice Assistant

JBL Live 680NC: FeaturesGeneral settings in app for JBL Live 680NCFuture / James HollandAdjusting ANC settings in app for JBL Live 680NC Future / James HollandAdjusting EQ settings in app for JBL Live 680NCFuture / James HollandShowcasing how flexible the parametric EQ isFuture / James HollandAdjusting call settings in app for JBL Live 680NCFuture / James HollandUsing the relax mode in the app for the JBL LIve 680NC Future / James Holland

• Multipoint connectivity and Auracast available
• Very adjustable Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Aware
• Powerful EQ including personalization options

The JBL Live 680NC are chock full of features. Multipoint connectivity, Auracast (allowing connection to multiple headphones from one source), Bluetooth with LE Audio (unavailable for Apple users), the ability to customize on-ear controls, and on-ear wear detection are just some of what’s on offer. You can also upmix via JBL’s own spatial audio feature.

Adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), Ambient Aware, and TalkThru modes are available with a good amount of customizations for the first two through the app. And while these modes won’t beat the best of Sony or Bose, they work pretty well. I don’t hear ambient noise with the ANC on at 50% (while something is playing), while I can hear ambient noise clearly with music at around 60%, which is nice when using these headphones for a walk or run.

There’s plenty more fine tuning available through the app. Of course, there’s plenty in the way of EQ. Not only are there a handful of EQ presets, but there’s a parametric EQ with the ability to boost or cut up to 6 dB anywhere between 32 and 16kHz, which is much more powerful than a lot of EQs available with other headphones.

Plus, JBL’s Personi-Fi 3.0 feature allows for creating a personalized EQ curve based on how you hear. It does so via a test of different frequencies at different volumes for each ear. Not only do I appreciate the personalization aspect of it, but also that it takes the guesswork out of trying to adjust the EQ.

Call-related features are available in the app as well, including allowing you to hear your own voice, as well as some relaxation focused features that, while they feel a little gimmicky, are a nice addition for anyone who wants to hear the sound of rain or birds chirping without pulling up a youtube channel for it.

• Features score: 5 / 5

JBL Live 680NC: Design

• Light, on-ear headphones
• Weight sits a little heavily on top of head though
• Comes without a charging cable

The JBL Live 680NC are fairly sharp looking headphones for around $160. They’re not quite premium, but they’re pretty close with a combination of plastic, metal (particularly the hinges), and leatherette-covered foam. There’s plenty of padding on the headband and ear cups, but since they’re on-ear more than over-ear, their fit is a bit different to the JBL Live 780NC I just reviewed.

They’re not that heavy at around 231 grams, but since they sit on the ear instead of over, more of the weight sits on top of the head. So while there’s plenty of cushion, I feel the headphones pressing on my skull in a way that lingers after wear. It’s not a lot so I didn’t feel discomfort, exactly, but it is something that separates it from its more expensive big brother.

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Other than the fit and, relatedly, the ear pads, the JBL Live 680NC are identical to the Live 780NC in terms of design. They’re available in the same five colors (black, blue, green, white, champagne), have the same round ear cups, and have the same one and a half inch height adjustment per side. They’re foldable and have a big L or R on the inside of the non-removable ear pads as well.

Controls and ports are the same as well. The left ear cup houses the volume controls, while the right has the power and bluetooth slider along with the ANC / AmbientAware / TalkThru cycle button, not to mention that you can top on the center of the ear cup in various configurations to play or pause, rewind, or fast forward to the next song. The USB-C charging port is also on the right side.

And just like the JBL Live 780NC, the JBL Live 680NC come with a soft carrying case, a USB-C to Aux cable for analog listening, and come without an actual charging cable, though you can just use whatever you charge your phone with (you don't still have a Lightning iPhone, do you?).

• Design score: 4/5

The JBL Live 680NC's controls and port (Image credit: Future / James Holland)JBL Live 680NC: Sound

• Low-end is often overwhelming
• Warmer sounding headphones with slight high-end roll off
• Incredible battery life

The JBL Live 680NC is a competent, if not quite inspiring set of headphones to listen to. There’s plenty of volume thankfully, so if you’re trying to fast track hearing loss, you can certainly do that with these headphones.

Just like the more expensive 780NC, the low end on these headphones is almost out of control. I’ve done a lot of my listening with the “studio” EQ preset, which is basically a flat EQ with a slight bass cut, and I still feel like I’m hearing too much bass, regardless of whether I’m listening to Bruno Mars or Nothing. Of course, fans of EDM and Hip Hop will probably love that.

And just like the 780NC, the JBL Live 680NC use 40mm drivers. However, they don’t have quite as much ‘sparkle’ or clarity in the top end so don’t have quite the presence. I would describe the high-end as slightly rolled off. It’s still pleasant to listen to, but just doesn’t sound as Hi-Fi despite also having the 10Hz to 40kHz frequency range, which is considered high resolution.

That roll off does give the JBL Live 680NC a little warmer of a sound, helped along by the fact that the mids are a bit more forward here. Some people may like that. Of course, audio can sound a little bloated with mid-heavy mixes, aka any dense rock-leaning mixes.

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

This also affects the soundstage as there isn’t quite the separation I’m used to. I am setting the bar a little high as I experienced better separation between instruments and audio elements in the more expensive JBL headphones, but that’s a hundred dollar difference. And these wireless headphones sound good for $150.

Also worth noting, the spatial audio here is not a fully immersive experience but just a virtual upmix of existing stereo audio (the headphones only have one driver per side). It’s an interesting inclusion that adds a little space to any audio I’m listening to, but is fairly nuanced to the point where you might not even realize that it’s on.

On the other hand, the battery life on the JBL Live 680NC is outright impressive. You get 80 hours on a single charge without ANC on, and 50 hours of use with it on. A fast charge of five minutes gives an additional four hours of use.

• Sound performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)JBL Live 680NC: Value

• Great value proposition
• Comes with similar tradeoffs of other budget / mid-tier headphones
• As fully featured as anything else at this price point

The JBL Live 680NC is a very good value proposition. I do like the JBL Live 780NC more — it sounds better and has a better fit — but its $250 price tag might be a big ask for some. And the JBL Live 680NC still sound good if slightly different, having a warmer sound signature while still have the same battery life and feature set of the more expensive headphones.

Other headphones trying to bridge the gap between budget and mid-tier end up closer in price to the 780NC than the 680NC. The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100, for example, are a pair of headphones that I really enjoyed that also came with a handful of compromises to keep cost down, except that cost is higher at $229.99 / £199 / AU$314. They sound good but not great, have an interesting look, great battery life, and solid implementation of ANC.

• Value: 4.5/5

Should I buy the JBL Live 680NC?JBL Live 680NC scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

ANC, Ambient Aware, a parametric EQ, and spatial audio are just some of what’s on offer.

5/5

Design

These headphones are portable, look good, and fit well, though they do put a little pressure on the top of the head.

4/5

Performance

The JBL Live 680NC sound good, despite having too much bass and a bit of high-end roll off. The battery life is impressive, though.

4/5

Value

You get a lot for the price with these headphones. Despite the compromises, these are a great value.

4.5/5

Buy them if…

You want it all without spending a lot
The JBL Live 680NC offer a lot from ANC and personalized EQ to spatial audio, while keeping the price pretty affordable.

You want a ridiculously long battery life
Being able to use the headphones for up to 80 hours without a charge is seriously impressive. Being able to get an additional four hours from five minutes of charging even more so.

Don’t buy them if…

You want audiophile quality sound
These headphones sound good, but, despite the high resolution capabilities, don’t quite have the clarity or sound signature for particular listeners.

You have a sensitive head
My head didn’t hurt from using these headphones for a long listening session, but I did feel the pressure on top of my head. If you’re sensitive, you might want to consider something else, like the Live 780NC.

JBL Live 680NC: Also consider

JBL Live 780NC
The JBL Live 780NC have the same everything-but-the-kitchen-sink feature set and ridiculously long battery life, along with some of the same negatives like that overwhelming low end and lack of charging cable. But they’re a little more comfortable to wear and do sound better. They’re also a hundred bucks more.
Read our full JBL Live 780NC review

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100
The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 are just a little cheaper while still providing a good looking (and feeling) pair of headphones that travel well and come with an almost as impressive battery life. They’re more limited in features though, and don’t wow in the audio department (they do still sound good).
Read our full Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review

How I tested the JBL Live 780NC

• Tested over a week period
• Tested with different music as well as video streaming
• Tested the various features

I spent a week using the JBL Live 680NC as my daily headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip hop to rock and acoustic music to compare the frequency range and soundstage. I also tested the various settings such as ANC, transparency mode, EQ, and multipoint.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.

• First reviewed in April 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

PaperCut flaws were exploited across 440 servers using hundreds of AI agents. Learn which versions are affected and what security teams should do now.

The post AI Agents Help Hackers Compromise 440 PaperCut Servers appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Apple debuted a new Apple Watch feature called Live Rewind
• It lets you play back audio from the last 15 seconds
• Some observers are worried it could violate people’s privacy

When Apple announced its Live Rewind feature at its Surprise and Shine event earlier this week, many observers were concerned that it would allow you to secretly record other people without their consent. After all, the tool just requires you to press a button on your Apple Watch and it plays back any audio that was captured during the last 15 seconds.

Is this feature a privacy nightmare, one that turns every Apple Watch into a “mass surveillance device,” as some people have worried? Or have people misunderstood what is happening, with Apple putting enough safeguards in place to prevent abuse and privacy violations?

Social media users seem to be divided, with some calling it “creepy and antisocial,” while others pointed out how it could be useful for deaf people or those with autism. Let’s take a look at the facts to find out what’s really going on.

How does Live Rewind work?

(Image credit: Apple)

What is this Live Rewind feature that is causing so much consternation? According to Apple, users of the Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 will be able to double-press the Digital Crown and receive a text transcription of what was said over the last 15 seconds. The company says this is useful if you missed something important, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are trying to recall a tip or recommendation from a friend.

Some people have worried that this would allow you to surreptitiously record other people without their knowledge, then save these recordings to your device for nefarious purposes.

However, Apple explained during the event that the feature never records or stores audio, it doesn’t identify anyone’s voice, and audio cannot be accessed by anyone (including Apple). To clarify matters, Apple has published an Audio Intelligence Privacy Overview that lays out how this feature — and Apple’s other new Audio Intelligence tools, including Siri Recap — works in detail.

When it comes to Live Rewind, any audio is processed in the Apple Watch’s Secure Enclave. This is a separate part of the S11 chip that, in this instance, processes audio. The Secure Enclave is siphoned off from the rest of the device and no part of the operating system can access it or the raw audio it handles. That includes both first- and third-party apps, and not even Apple can get to anything in the Secure Enclave.

Apple’s privacy paper notes that audio is never saved or recorded when you use Live Rewind. Instead, the audio is processed by the Secure Enclave and used to generate a transcript, then permanently deleted from both your device and from iCloud. There’s no way anyone can listen to the audio at a later date or extract it from your device.

Audio flows into the Secure Enclave on a rolling basis, which means that old data is continuously overwritten and deleted when new audio comes in. When activated, Live Rewind tries to send the last 15 seconds of audio to your iPhone. If it can’t — such as if your iPhone is not within wireless range — the audio is immediately discarded. If the process is successful, the audio is converted to text on your iPhone, deleted, then the text is sent back to the Secure Enclave in your Apple Watch.

The saved text stays available on your Watch for 30 seconds after the screen dims, after which it is discarded. You can optionally choose to save it to the Siri app, where it is end-to-end encrypted. This is the only instance where something is saved in the Live Rewind process. As mentioned previously, the text does not contain any speaker attribution.

You can ask Siri about your transcripts, at which point the text is sent to Apple’s secure Private Cloud Compute servers. If you use iCloud with two-factor authentication and have secured your device with a passcode, any transcripts from Live Rewind are synced using end-to-end encryption and not even Apple can decrypt them.

Respecting those around you

(Image credit: Apple)

What about other people? Will they know that you’re using Live Rewind? Can you use the feature secretly?

Thankfully, you can’t really use Live Rewind without anyone knowing. When you double-press the Digital Crown, your Apple Watch plays an audible chime that occurs even if your device is in silent mode or you are listening via headphones. A full-screen animation also plays on screen and the microphone icon is displayed. Whether visually or through sound, your Apple Watch tries to alert other people about what is happening.

Apple also says that Live Rewind is opt-in rather than opt-out, and you can enable it when setting up a new device. You can also enable or disable the feature in Siri Settings on your Apple Watch or in the Siri Settings section of the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

Although it would be polite to do so, there’s no way for Apple to force you to ask permission before using Live Rewind. But you might take some solace from the fact that there’s no way for anyone to save or extract the audio that the feature uses, nor can they attribute speakers. All a user gets out of it is a text transcript.

These privacy guardrails go some way to distancing Live Rewind from Meta’s so-called “Pervert Glasses” and their consent-busting data collection.

• The Badkruka is IKEA's newest affordable Bluetooth speaker
• It has Spotify Tap integration and physical controls
• You can pair multiple speakers together in a variety of setups

It seems IKEA is on a roll when it comes to cube-shaped, low-price Bluetooth speakers: following on from the Ikea Kallsup that we tested earlier this year, we now have the IKEA Badkruka, which is several times bigger and offers some extra features.

There's no official announcement about the Badkruka just yet, so we're relying on the product page on IKEA's German website (via Notebookcheck) for all the details. It also shows up on the Swedish site, but not the US, UK, or Australia yet.

Measuring 16cm wide x 16cm deep x 17.5cm tall (that's 6.3 inches x 6.3 inches x 6.9 inches), you can pick up the IKEA Badkruka in either black or pink. It's built from ABS plastic and polycarbonate, and doesn't look to be portable — there's a power cord in the product photos and no mention of a rechargeable battery.

Along the top of the speaker we've got physical controls for playback and volume, and there's also a Spotify Tap button, so with one button press you can carry on from where you left off on Spotify on another device.

Keep on pairing

You can use two of the speakers as a stereo pair (Image credit: IKEA)

IKEA doesn't give us any technical specs in terms of audio capabilities here, but does say we can expect "powerful" and "balanced" sound that's "ideal for gaming, streaming, or listening to music" (via Google Translate).

The product listing mentions that two speakers can be paired together for synced stereo sound, and the feature is shown off in one of the promotional images too. It also seems that additional speakers can be paired and synced too, if you buy a few — with the Kallsup, it's possible to pair up to 100 of them.

There are three EQ settings on the speaker as well, so you can tweak the audio output to match your preferences and the types of tunes you listen to. It's a decent set of features for an affordable Bluetooth speaker like this.

Speaking of price, it's available for €50 from the German site. We don't have official global pricing yet — fingers crossed that IKEA does roll this out more widely — but that works out as roughly $58 / £43 / AU$81.

OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Financial Services with market data, citations and document tools for banking, research and compliance teams worldwide.

The post OpenAI Launches ChatGPT for Financial Services: What Banks Should Know appeared first on TechRepublic.

Mobile card game Vampire: The Masquerade Clans of London understands the value of a funny character name.

Under the Radar

Under the Radar is our way of highlighting great games that might have passed you by. Through a regular mix of news stories and features, we'll cover great experiences that we feel haven't found the audience they deserve. Read the full series here.

Where competitors like Marvel Snap let you unlock big hitters such as Luna Snow, Blade, and Spider-Man, Clans of London treats you to a barrage of veritable DeviantArt OCs with titles ranging from the gloriously alliterative Sid Scabies and Cathy Carmine to the positively pedestrian Helen Lloyd or Ms Harriot.

Rather than illustrations or CGI art, the Clans of London developers opted to use photographs of real-life actors in makeup and costumes to represent the vampires on cards, too. The shots are all heavily Photoshopped, with wildly varying levels of believability, but demonstrate a level of care that you’re hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the mobile space. It’s hard to imagine other developers would take the time to organize real-life shoots, especially given the proliferation of sloppy AI assets on the platform.

There’s just something so gloriously amusing about whipping out a card of some dude named Robert Cavendish and throwing it down like he’s some sort of established superhero, especially when it’s adorned with an image of someone who looks like an office worker you’d pass on the street.

Bloody battle

(Image credit: Phoenix Games)

I’ve been playing every day for a week, and each new card that I unlock is an absolute treat to behold, but the game’s appeal extends far beyond its aesthetic. The roughly five-minute-long competitive online matches are perfect for breaking up my commute and offer a genuinely engaging tactical challenge.

Two players go head-to-head on either end of a board with 15 card slots that are split down the middle by a shared central row of three. The first row is for your pawns: ideally, low-level cards with simple effects you place early to support your hand later on. You might start by slapping down Abir, for example, a low-level vampire perfumer who automatically buffs the strength of the next card you deploy.

Above it are the rook slots, a good place to put some more powerful characters to defend against your foe if they start trying to set down cards in your territory. Allied cards can generally receive reinforcements from those adjacent to them in combat, adding their power levels together. As the highest number wins a fight, filling out these slots wisely can pay dividends later on when you contest the valuable middle row, which is home to two knight slots and one prince.

The prince slot is by far the most valuable space on the board, as it awards its occupant a smattering of victory points determined by the number of cards they have in play at the end of each round. The knight slots are less significant, but possessing them still awards two victory points apiece — that’s a total of four if you control both, which often clinches a close win.

Naturally, placing cards requires a resource, blood, so you can’t just put down your entire hand right away. It’s in short supply in the first few rounds, forcing you to think carefully about how to use it.

As any unused blood is discarded at the end of each round, you can’t just sit back and steadily accumulate it to spam powerful cards in the final rounds either. There are only seven rounds in a match, so things move very quickly, and you risk being left behind if you sit around twiddling your thumbs.

Build your coterie

(Image credit: Phoenix Games)

Mechanically, it’s very Marvel Snap, but the overall theming smartly reflects Vampire: The Masquerade lore.

Fans will recognize the prince title as the one given to a powerful vampire controlling a specific domain. The game is set in modern-day London, a city that, in-universe, is still recovering from a massive vampire purge, so having different figures fighting over positions like this makes a lot of sense.

Many of the different vampire factions and types are represented too, often with appropriate special card effects to differentiate them from other cards in your deck. I’ve been focusing predominantly on Ventrue — a powerful clan embedded in the upper echelons of society — cards whose status effects center on buffing other Ventrue characters, leading to a highly satisfying domino effect of boosts and bonuses that makes it easy to steamroll later rounds.

More cards are unlocked for free as you win online matches, and I would recommend frequently trying out new combinations, as a lot of them come together in really interesting ways. There’s a cool ‘make me a deck’ button that automatically creates a fairly decent setup out of any card you fancy, taking the stress out of having to think too much about the way everything interacts.

It almost goes without saying that there’s a battle pass with both free and premium tiers to work through as well, plus daily and weekly challenges, so there’s something to chase every time you log on, even if you don’t want to part with any cash.

The whole formula is an awful lot of fun, and I expect that I will be playing for months to come. If you’re interested in giving it a go, you can download Vampire: The Masquerade Clans of London for free via the App Store or Google Play Store.

Anthropic says researchers used Claude for biological work that could support weapons development, exposing new challenges for AI safeguards.

The post Anthropic Says Claude Used in Possible Bioweapon Research appeared first on TechRepublic.

Apple’s first foldable meets Samsung’s eighth-generation Fold. Here’s which makes more sense for Apple loyalists, multitaskers, and other premium buyers.

The post iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8: Which Foldable Should You Buy? appeared first on TechRepublic.

• OpenAI Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki suggests AI development is at a junction
• He advocates not just for slowing AI development, but keeping people in the loop, and the technology controllable
• Pachocki also states that international coordination from governments on future AI development is needed

OpenAI is taking the post-Hugging Face fallout very seriously. Just days after the release of GPT-6 Astra, Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki believes that development into artificial intelligence should be slowed across the board. Not just by OpenAI, but by every company across the AI industry.

Writing on the OpenAI website, Pachocki said AIs “present clear new dangers” for computer security, and that "no one is prepared for the consequences of a continued rapid rise in machine intelligence."

Referring to OpenAI’s plan to develop an automated research assistant, and its progress with recursive self-improvement (where AI develops its next iteration), Pachocki suggests that now is the time to slow AI development and make the right choices for what happens next.

Understanding machine intelligence

The timing of the blog is surprising, given its proximity to the recent release of OpenAI's business-focused GPT-6 Astra. Pachocki’s notion of slowing research into AI is based around understanding – or rather, a lack of it. He states how “we now find ourselves at the moment in history of computing where machine intelligence is starting to exceed that of humans in transformative ways,” and that “study of deep learning-based AI is largely an experimental science.”

His argument is a strong one, which digs into the history of OpenAI as an AI developer and its early understanding of machine intelligence requiring increased computational power. This was required to accelerate research, and while various new algorithms have been developed that enhanced AI, the drive towards more power has continued.

While there is no discussion over the concerns of energy, cooling, and data center opposition, Pachocki’s article does accommodate the possibility of losing control of AI. “I am concerned no one is prepared for the consequences of a continued rapid rise in machine intelligence.”

Conscious choice

Does hitting the brakes solve the various problems that AI is facing? OpenAI’s Chief Scientist hopes it will, and enable the industry to consider just what it is offering to the world. Rather than accelerating research into deep learning, Pachocki’s view is that development into AI should be slowed.

He notes that “The main levers we have are either steering the process to strengthen alignment and monitoring alongside the AI and find ways to keep people in the loop; or coordinating to slow down future development as needed to build confidence in these measures.”

However, OpenAI’s Jakub Pachocki conclusion is that the best way to proceed is to employ a combination of these options. But will the rest of the industry work to a reduced pace in order to fully appreciate the scale of AI’s potential, the risks it represents, and deliver the power it offers to everyone who needs it?

It doesn’t seem incredibly likely.

Apple and Google charge more than $1,000 for two very different flagship strategies. Here’s where iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro earn their premium.

The post iPhone 18 Pro vs Pixel 11 Pro: Which $1,000+ Flagship Is Better? appeared first on TechRepublic.

California creates standards and a registry for independent AI assessors. Learn what the new framework could mean for businesses and IT leaders.

The post California Establishes Framework for Independent AI Assessors appeared first on TechRepublic.

The $1,999 iPhone Duo can replace some iPhone-and-iPad-mini workflows, but price, cameras, Pencil support, and app needs complicate the choice.

The post iPhone Duo vs. iPhone 18 Pro + iPad Mini: Can One Foldable Really Replace Both? appeared first on TechRepublic.

ENISA has gained access to Anthropic’s Mythos 5, giving EU officials a chance to independently test the cyber AI after months of negotiations.

The post EU Gets Access to Anthropic Cyber AI — But Not Its Newest Model appeared first on TechRepublic.

See what you missed in Daily Tech Insider from Sept. 7–11.

The post AI Agents, Foldables, Cyberthreats, and Chip Deals Define This Week in Tech appeared first on TechRepublic.