Technology

• Spain, Italy, Finland, Luxembourg, Sweden, Germany and Greece get the green light
• European Union will fund half of the projects together with nation-state funding
• More applications are being welcomed until February 2025

The European Union has announced €750 million in investment to establish AI supercomputers across seven sites on the continent.

The initiative forms part of a broader €1.5 billion joint project, with the other half of the funding set to come from EU member states, as part of an effort to take on US tech giants and become what EVP for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, envisions as an ‘AI continent.’

As part of the announcement, we now know the seven chosen locations for AI supercomputers in Europe - Barcelona, Spain; Bologna, Italy; Kajaani, Finland; Bissen, Luxembourg; Linköping, Sweden; Stuttgart, Germany and Athens, Greece.

Seven EU AI supercomputers confirmed

The supercomputers in Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Sweden will be deployed as “brand-new world-class AI-optimised supercomputers,” with the Spanish and Greek sites getting upgrades to raise their status.

By deploying the seven new supercomputers, the Commission hopes to more than double its EuroHPC computing capacity, with rollout scheduled for 2025-2026.

“Today we are one step closer to setting up AI Factories. Using European supercomputers, we will enable AI start-ups to innovate and scale up," Virkkunen added.

“Now we are ready to lead with the right infrastructure in our ambition for the EU to become the AI continent. We are on track to make the AI factories initiative a reality in the first 100 days of the new European Commission.”

The AI Factories are part of a broader strategy in the European Union to encourage AI development and deployment across sectors where it can really make a difference, like healthcare, finance and manufacturing. Other member states have also been invited to submit proposals by February 2025.

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• Millions of dollars worth of crypto is being stolen from wallets
• The victims are being linked to the 2022 LastPass hack
• The hack saw both encrypted and unecrypted data stolen from the password manager provider

The hacker responsible for the huge LastPass breach in 2022 has continued their rampage by using stolen data to take $5.36 million from 40 crypto wallets.

The August 2022 hack saw the attacker gain access to information that allowed them to later successfully breach a cloud-based storage environment which stored customer keys, API tokens, multi-factor authentication (MFA) seeds, and encrypted password vaults.

While the password vaults were encrypted, the master password used to open them could still be brute forced if it was weak, reused, or previously leaked, which may be the reason for a string of crypto thefts against LastPass users since 2022.

The fallout continues

The latest theft is being linked to the LastPass breach by a blockchain expert known as ZachXBT (via The Block). ZachXBT claims in a Telegram post this is just the latest in a long line of crypto thefts affecting victims of the LastPass breach, with $4.4 million being stolen in October 2023, and a further theft of $6.2 in February 2024.

“Stolen funds were swapped for ETH and transferred to various instant exchanges from Ethereum to Bitcoin,” ZachXBT wrote in their Telegram message. “Cannot stress this enough, if you believe you may have ever stored your seed phrase or keys in LastPass migrate your crypto assets immediately.”

The Verge previously reported between the time of the breach in August and December of 2022, over $35 million was stolen from 150 apparent victims of the LastPass breach.

These subsequent breaches of crypto wallets highlight the importance of using unique passwords for every single account, and ensuring that each password adheres to recommended password security standards by using one of the best password generators.

Even if you have changed your password manager provider since the LastPass breach, any compromised passwords that are still being reused are at risk, as evidenced by these crypto thefts. It is also recommended to use a strong authenticator app that uses biometric verification to secure your accounts even if an attacker knows your username and password.

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• Netflix has renewed A Man on the Inside for season 2
• Created by Michael Schur, the series became Netflix's no. 1 TV show when it was released
• A Man on the Inside follows a retired professor who goes undercover in a retirement home to find a stolen family heirloom

I wasn't expecting to cry at a comedy series, but the hit Netflix show A Man on the Inside did just that – and I can't wait to experience the emotional rollercoaster all over again as the show has been renewed for season 2.

Debuting with a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics, the sitcom quickly became Netflix's number one most-watched show and has remained in the 'Top 10' for the past three weeks. It's no surprise though since A Man on the Inside was created by comedy connoisseur Michael Schur, the mastermind behind hugely successful series like The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation, and The Office.

Series creator Schur told Tudum: “We are thrilled to make another season of A Man on the Inside, starring young up-and-comer Ted Danson. From our partners at Netflix and Universal TV to the writers, cast, and crew, it’s a truly exceptional team of talented and lovely people, with one notable exception (young up-and-comer Ted Danson, who’s kind of a nightmare).”

A MAN ON THE INSIDE. SEASON 2.The heartwarming comedy series from Mike Schur and starring Ted Danson is set to return in 2025! pic.twitter.com/fUFsbuZHhWDecember 16, 2024

What can we expect in A Man on the Inside season 2?

At the moment, there are no details regarding the plot for A Man on the Inside season 2, but we can expect that Ted Danson will go on another undercover adventure after his comedic escapades in an assisted-living facility. The first season of the best Netflix show has even earned a Golden Globe nomination for Danson's performance.

Based on Maite Alberdi's 2020 documentary The Mole Agent, Danson plays Charles, a retired professor still grieving his wife's death. However, he's given a new lease of life when he goes undercover at a retirement home to help a private detective solve the mystery of some stolen jewelry.

Although, keeping a low-profile proves to be harder than expected as the lovable Charles quickly connects with his fellow residents. Being a "man on the inside" helps Charles realize that there's a lot more to life and allows him to reconnect with his daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) in the process.

As one of three new Netflix shows I've watched in December and would highly recommend, A Man on the Inside sensitively handles issues that me and many other people can connect to with plenty of heartwarming humor. If you haven't already, your mission is to watch A Man on the Inside before the second series arrives on the best streaming service in 2025.

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• Windows 11 (Build 26120.2702) is currently being tested
• One new feature is support for multiple apps accessing the webcam at once
• More webcam settings are coming

Microsoft continues to tinker with Windows 11, but this time it looks like it’s added a feature many of us had been asking for (rather than shoving yet more ads into the Start menu): support for multiple apps to access the webcam at once.

As Windows Central reports, an early version of Windows 11 (Build 26120.2702) is currently being tested by people signed up to the Windows Insider program, and it includes a new multi-app camera feature.

At the moment, you can only use one camera app at a time in Windows 11, so if you’re on a video call using Google Meet, for example, and also want to stream on Twitch at the same time, you won’t be able to – you need to pick which app has access to the camera.

New advanced camera configuration: “Allows multiple applications to access the camera stream simultaneously” https://t.co/N4KJvg1nHnDecember 13, 2024

This new feature will mean you don’t have to pick one app at a time to access your webcam – multiple apps will be able to access it at the same time. I’m not sure if there’s a limit to the amount of apps you can run at once with access to the webcam, but using a lot could have a big impact on your PC’s performance.

A welcome accessibility addition

While there are plenty of scenarios where you would want two or more apps to access your webcam at the same time, Microsoft highlighted the accessibility benefits of this new feature, especially with the hard-of-hearing community.

Since the pandemic, more people than ever rely on webcams to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers, so any additional features like this could prove popular. Windows Central also claims that Microsoft is working on further webcam settings that will allow you to control the resolution, frame rate and media type of your footage as well.

It’s certainly a welcome addition, and a nice change from Microsoft forcing features into Windows 11 that no one wants. More updates like this, and fewer of the kind that tries to add more adverts or force us to use AI features, would do wonders for Windows 11’s reputation.

Hopefully the feature proves successful during testing and will be included in an official Windows 11 update soon.

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• 120 hours of battery life
• Wireless, wired and Bluetooth modes
• £137

One of the frustrating things about even the best wireless headphones is that Bluetooth connections are often prone to significant latency – which means there's a slight delay between the signal being sent and it reaching your ears. That's not an issue for listening to music, but it's a problem for making it: if you're a DJ matching beats or a musician recording takes, even a little bit of latency can really ruin your day.

The new Studio Max 1 headphones from OneOdio have a clever solution to that: an ultra-low latency wireless connection, wired connectivity and Bluetooth too. So when you're on the bus you can stream your tunes over Bluetooth; when you're mixing, mastering or monitoring you can use the lower latency connections instead.

And there's another boon for music makers: a claimed 120 hours of battery life.

OneOdio Studio Max 1: key features and pricing

The frequency range is 20Hz to 40kHz and the headphone are Hi-Res Audio certified with support for LDAC streaming.

The included wireless transmitter operates in the 2.4GHz frequency range and the Bluetooth version is 5.3. Playing time is up to 120 hours and you can recharge fully from flat in about two hours.

If you're using the wireless transmitter, OneOdio says you can expect 10 to 15 days of use if you're averaging 4 hours of daily streaming. Fast charging gives you 2.5 hours of transmission time in about 5 minutes.

There are four modes: DJ Wireless Mode, which uses the wireless transmitter; Wired Monitoring mode, which uses the 3.5mm interface; DJ Wired Mode, which uses the 6.5mm connector for studio and DJ kit; and Portable Bluetooth Mode.

They'll hot shelves officially in February next year, priced $169.99 / £137 (which is around AU$275, where sold) but for now, you can find out more about the Studio Max 1 on the OneOdio website.

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• The Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 updates the ZS80 / TZ80 with USB-C charging
• It features a massive 30x optical zoom, and shoots 20MP photos and 4K video
• Panasonic also announced the Lumix G97 mirrorless camera, designed to replace the cheap Lumix G95

One thing I didn't have on my 2024 bingo card was a new Lumix point-and-shoot camera, even though it's a trending market. But Panasonic just surprised us by announcing the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 (it's called the former in the US and the latter elsewhere), which will be available from February 2025.

The Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 packs a Leica lens with a whopping 30x optical zoom – a 24-720mm range that's way more versatile than your smartphone, and which can be doubled digitally to 60x using Panasonic's iZoom feature.

It's a pocketable snapper that weighs just 11.35oz / 322g and features a 1.84m-dot tilt touchscreen, plus a new quick-send image button for smartphone uploads via Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth v5.0.

You can shoot 20.3MP photos, 4K video up to 30fps, and HD video 120fps, plus there's a new vertical video mode, all supported by Panasonic's 5-axis Hybrid Optical image stabilization, which should ensure crisp detail even when you're zoomed right in.

However, we've seen virtually all of this tech before in the Panasonic Lumix ZS80 / TZ80, the 2016 model that the new ZS99 / TZ99 essentially replaces. So why are we getting a new Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 all these years later? Well, crucially the new camera supports USB-C charging, thus adhering to the EU's Common Charger Directive that comes into force in 2025. We saw a similar move by Panasonic earlier in the year when it revived one of its bridge cameras.

Panasonic also launched the Lumix G97, a new mirrorless camera with 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds sensor. It updates the cheap Lumix G95 with USB-C charging (again in order to keep it on the shelves in 2025 and beyond) plus a couple of new buttons, but it's otherwise the same camera. Sales start in mid-February 2025, and it will cost $849.99 / £799 (Australia pricing TBC) with the 12-60mm lens. (Image credit: Panasonic) Panasonic keeps point-and-shoot alive, just

The USB-C charging port is the only significant update in the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 that I can see over the Lumix ZS80 / TZ80 model it replaces. That predecessor is now almost 10 years old, although, as is the case with other Lumix point-and-shoots, you'll struggle to find one new to buy, especially since they will all eventually be pulled from the shelves.

Panasonic has even downgraded the newer model by removing the predecessor's electronic viewfinder, presumably in order to squeeze in the new USB-C port and buttons. That's a real shame, and it hardly fills me with excitement for the new model.

While I would have preferred meaningful updates and certainly no downgrade, it's good to see Panasonic keeping the Lumix point-and-shoot line alive. The Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 on-sale date is set for mid-February 2025, and it'll cost $499 / £469 (Australia pricing TBC).

Might we see a properly upgraded point-and-shoot in the future? I hope so. For now, though, I can recommend the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 for those looking for a decent cheap compact camera.

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