TechRadar News

• German law may soon be modernized to protect ethical hackers
• Stricter punishments for data spying also included
• Move follows recent high-profile attacks on European governments

Lawmakers in Germany are drafting legislation to provide legal protections for cybersecurity researchers who uncover and responsibly report security vulnerabilities to vendors.

The proposed legislation will look to modernize Germany’s digital law, ensuring ethical security researchers can be confident in their legal cover, whilst destructive cybercriminals can expect more severe punishments, with stricter penalties for serious cases of data espionage and interception.

“Anyone who wants to close IT security gaps deserves recognition – not a letter from the public prosecutor” said Dr Marco Buschmann, the Federal Minister of Justice.

Ethical hacker protections

Protections for researchers will be provided under a strict set of criteria. Research must be carried out with the aim of identifying a security risk or vulnerability in order to be protected. The researcher must also intend to report the identified vulnerability to a ‘responsible entity capable of addressing the issue’, such as the software manufacturer or system operator.

Finally, the actions taken to access the system must be necessary to identify the vulnerability, which prohibits excessive access outside of security research.

The new punishments will impose stricter penalties, especially on those who target critical infrastructure, such as transport networks or hospitals. This type of attack could soon lead to a prison sentence ranging from three months to five years.

European critical infrastructure has seen a significant rise in cyberattacks in recent years, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The discovery of security vulnerabilities by cybersecurity researchers can be crucial in protecting these institutions from cyberattacks by discovering and reporting flaws before malicious actors.

Until now, ethical hackers and researchers have often fallen into a legal grey area, where even well-intentioned disclosure could result in criminal prosecution. The move to protect researchers will reduce uncertainty and therefore help improve cybersecurity across the board.

Via BleepingComputer

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• AMD’s Ryzen 9800X3D has been overclocked to 6.9GHz with liquid nitrogen
• This is the first X3D CPU that can be overclocked and it’s very impressive
• It reached 1,260 fps in Counter-Strike 2 and over 1,500 fps in Valorant

AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D is hitting the shelves later today, but the processor is already in the hands of expert overclockers being pushed to its limits – hitting nearly 7GHz for clock speeds and reaching outrageous frame rates in games and scenarios where the CPU is pushed hard.

In case it escaped your attention, one of the interesting points about this new 3D V-Cache CPU is that it’s unlocked, so can be overclocked – which wasn’t possible with previous generation X3D chips. (Its clock speeds are also faster, all of this thanks to the 3D V-Cache being situated underneath the CCD – the die containing the processor cores – allowing for better cooling, compared to the cache being on top where it was located previously).

Wccftech reports that the General Manager of Asus China, Tony Yu, has shared a huge overclock of the Ryzen 9800X3D on Bilibili where the chip was running from 6.7GHz all the way up to 6.9GHz with liquid nitrogen cooling across a battery of tests.

Naturally, an Asus motherboard was used, with the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene playing host to the CPU – and an Nvidia RTX 4090 on hand as the GPU in the gaming tests.

In those gaming benchmarks, Yu ran Counter-Strike 2 at 1080p (max graphics settings) and hit 1,262.9 frames per second (fps), which is pretty incredible. That’s almost as quick as the Core i9-14900K, which as Wccftech points out, managed to peak at over 1,300 fps – but there’s a huge difference in power usage for these processors.

The Ryzen 9800X3D hit that frame rate at around the 100W mark, with the Intel CPU guzzling way more power – it can reach 360W or so in normal (albeit heavy) usage, let alone with exotic overclocking. Also, the 14900K was running at way faster clocks of 7.5GHz to 8GHz.

Valorant was also used to run the Ryzen 9800X3D through its gaming paces and the CPU averaged close to 1,100 fps at 1080p resolution (again with maxed out settings), reaching over 1,500 fps at times.

The Ryzen 9800X3D also took a Cinebench R23 run where the CPU achieved a score of 30,513, over a third faster than Wccftech’s own result when using PBO (overclocking using Precision Boost Overdrive, of course with normal cooling, not the exotic methods employed here).

Analysis: Gaming excellence with efficiency in spades

It’s seriously impressive that the Ryzen 9800X3D can achieve these frame rates at clock speeds of around 15% lower than Intel’s Core i9-14900K, and at a power usage which is way, way, lower – at 100W, AMD’s chip is really pulling out some stops here.

This is a really efficient chip for overclockers, in other words, and capable of coming close to matching the 14900K when engaging in all-in exotic overclocking with the likes of liquid nitrogen (while keeping the system stable enough to play a game, albeit for a brief period of time only, no doubt).

These kind of overclocks don’t have any real-world application, of course, but they do show that more standard overclocking (with robust air, or liquid cooling) has a great deal of potential in getting a lot more out of the 9800X3D – something the rumor mill has already let us know. There’s also that ‘X3D turbo mode’ we keep hearing about to consider as well.

Interesting times, then – the Ryzen 9800X3D is looking pretty strong (our full review is imminent, by the way), and rumor has it that stock levels will be plentiful. Although the slight fly in the ointment is that price hike of just over 5% AMD has applied compared to the MSRP of its predecessor.

The Core i9-14900K remains the absolute fastest gaming CPU out there, and it’ll be a bit cheaper than the 9800X3D, at least going by prices at the time of writing, as there are some big discounts on the last-gen Intel flagship right now (as part of early Black Friday deals in some cases). But the trade-off is a much heavier power drain with the 14900K as already noted. (Plus, perhaps, worries about stability too – though Intel has put those problems to bed now, the specter of them likely remains in the back of the gaming public’s collective mind).

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• Businesses want simpler CRM with advanced ROI, report claims
• Fewer than one in three are satisfied with their existing CRM
• But more than half are worried about disruptions when changing

A new report has revealed many employees are unhappy with their existing CRM software, which they often find outdated and ineffective.

The survey of companies across the UK and North America by Workbooks found three in five (62%) workers want to change their CRM, however many are concerned about the associated cost, disruption and complexities of moving to a new system.

To quantify its findings, Workbooks said that 80% of sales and marketing leaders report using CRM, however only 31% are satisfied with their existing platform’s performance and suitability.

Workers aren’t happy with their CRMs

Half of the survey’s respondents are consequentially seeking alternatives or remain uncertain about continuing to use their current CRM platform.

With injections of technology into every area of a business, it has become increasingly complex to transition to a new system. Reliance on other tools and interoperability play a big role in potential disruptions to operations, which 55% were concerned about. A further 45% were worried about cost, and 36% about the time they’d have to invest in a changeover.

The benefits are clear for those prepared to make the move, though, because satisfied CRM users reported higher scores in lead generation (5.9 compared with 4.9) and pipeline management (7.6 versus 5.7).

“With this new research, the benefits of taking a different approach are now clear both quantitatively and qualitatively," noted Workbooks Chief Marketing Officer Dan Roche.

Looking ahead, the research reveals businesses are now prioritizing CRM that’s easier to use as well as systems that deliver ROI before any upfront payment. Better customer support and lower costs are also critical when making the right decision.

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• Microsoft Teams is improving its search function
• Simply type in a name, and it will display linked content
• The update is rolling out now for Teams users on Windows and Mac

Finding the right information or content you need on Microsoft Teams should soon get a lot easier thanks to a new update.

The video conferencing platform has revealed it is upgrading its search function to let users search for content related to specific people.

It is hoped that the change will lead not only to an improved overall search experience, but a much quicker way for users to track down the content they need, particularly in a work setting where different files and folders may prove tricky to navigate.

Microsoft Teams improves search

In a typically brief entry on the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the upgrade, simply named "improved people search" is described as helping users get "relevant content suggestions".

There will apparently be no need for a big overhaul or upgrade, with users simply needing to type the name of the person they are looking for into the existing Microsoft Teams search bar. Then, select the right filter to narrow down the results, and hey presto - hopefully the content you need.

The update will be available to all Microsoft Teams users on Windows desktop and Mac across the world, and is rolling out now.

The move is the latest in a series of upgrades to Microsoft Teams as it looks to remain useful and intuitive for users everywhere.

Recently, the platform announced it would finally be allowing users to change the sound of their Microsoft Teams notifications to whatever they like, hopefully lessening the chance they would be shocked out of a productive streak.

Another recent upgrade means users will be able to reserve desks when arriving at their workplace or office by plugging in to shared desks, hopefully letting them get online and working without any hassle.

And perhaps most importantly, users will now get the option to select their preferred skin tone for Microsoft Teams reactions and emojis - as previously, only a single skin tone option has been available, giving users more personalization options.

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• An AI upgrade for Call Screen has been spotted
• It's likely to be powered by Gemini Nano AI
• More advanced AI responses could be offered

If you've got one of the best Pixel phones in your pocket, then you can use the Call Screen feature to have a Google bot answer incoming calls and ask what the call is about – and it looks like more AI trickery is about to be added too.

The team at 9to5Google did some digging into the Phone app for Pixels, and found code hinting that advanced AI replies would be available in the future. These would most likely be powered by Google's Gemini AI chatbot.

You already get a comprehensive experience from Call Screen as it works today: the caller hears a spoken message asking them to state their business, and you get a text transcript of what they've said. You can then join the call, or send some basic responses – like "call me back" or "thank you" – if you're not available to talk.

This new upgrade would make those responses more varied and complex, powered by a large language model. It seems that you would still get the option to choose from a selection of responses on the screen, rather than starting from scratch.

Updates ahoy

Google markets Call Screen as a time saver (Image credit: Google)

Call Screen was only just updated last month, with more context-aware quick replies – ones that aren't just generic responses (so if the call is about an appointment, you might see "confirm" or "cancel" options, for example).

It's not clear exactly how the more detailed responses might work, as the 9to5Google team wasn't able to dig out any screenshots or get the feature turned on, but the new answers will most probably be along similar lines to a typical Gemini AI chatbot response.

Another bunch of Pixel updates – which Google calls Pixel Drops – should be announced very soon, though this particular new feature might not be included. Google may need more time to refine the way it works, and it's worth noting that the hidden code already includes the standard disclaimer about the unreliability of AI responses.

If the feature does need on-board AI processing from the Gemini Nano model, this will only work on the Pixel 8 Pro and the Pixel 9 phones (Gemini Nano is also on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a, though it's not currently enabled).

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• The latest macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta adds options for screen sharing
• The updates specifically impact sending content to an Apple TV
• You’ll be able to share a single app or window instead of your whole screen

AirPlay is Apple’s built-in system for beaming content from an Apple product onto another device, so you can send movies from your Mac to a TV or play tunes from your iPhone out of your favorite smart speaker. And with the latest macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta, Apple is overhauling AirPlay to give you much more control when you reroute content to an Apple TV box.

As spotted by MacRumors, the macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta gives AirPlay a significant revamp. Previously, you only had the option to share your entire screen with the Apple TV. Now, though, more options have come into play.

For example, with the beta installed, you will be able to share your whole Mac screen as before, but Apple has added the ability to share just a single app or window with the Apple TV. That's a handy bonus if you don't want to share your overcrowded desktop with everyone.

As well as that, you can extend your display onto the Apple TV instead of mirroring it, which was previously the only way to send Mac content onto the Apple TV.

AirPlaying the field

(Image credit: Apple)

According to an image posted by MacRumors, each of these three options will be accompanied by a brief description so that you know what to expect. Selecting “Entire Screen,” for instance, explains that “Everything you see on your screen will be visible on [Apple TV name].” Once you’ve picked an option, you’ll be able to set it as the default, too.

Enabling users to determine exactly what is shared with their Apple TV boxes will bring a lot more flexibility to screen sharing over AirPlay, and it should also help to enhance privacy. It means that if you want to use your Apple TV to display a slideshow or a presentation, you can just share the relevant app instead of beaming the entire contents of your Mac onto a big screen.

And it’s not the only update coming to the Apple TV, as the tvOS 18.2 beta offers expanded compatibility with various aspect ratios, improves the Enhance Dialog feature, and more.

Since the improved AirPlay feature is currently only available in the macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta, it’s not available to the general public unless you have signed up for Apple’s beta program.

If you’d like to try this new feature (and all the other additions found in the latest macOS Sequoia beta, including Apple Intelligence), we’ve got a step-by-step guide that will help you get started.

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• Grand Theft Auto 6 is still on track for a fall 2025 release
• This was confirmed by Rockstar owner Take-Two Interactive
• We already know the game will come to Xbox and PlayStation

The latest financial results from Rockstar owner Take-Two Interactive, which were released yesterday November 6, have confirmed that the highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 is still on track for a 'fall 2025' release.

The first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 debuted in December last year, confirming a 2025 release window. This was later narrowed down to “fall of calendar 2025” in a similar Take-Two financial report in May this year.

If you had any doubts that the game was on track to release at that time, then it looks like you can put those worries to rest for now. A newly revealed slide from the recent Q2 2025 Take-Two Interactive earnings call reaffirmed that the game is still “planned to release in fall of Calendar 2025” - in other words, towards the end of next year.

Cops and robbers

The same slide also explains that Grand Theft Auto 5, first launched in 2013, has sold over 205 million units to date. According to the company, it also “reached $1 billion in retail sales faster than any entertainment release in history.” Whether its sequel will be able to match these lofty sales figures has yet to be seen, but it wouldn’t be too surprising given the level of anticipation surrounding the title.

Little is currently known about the plot of Grand Theft Auto 6, though the reveal trailer points to a return to the fan-favorite locale of Vice City which has been featured in previous games. According to recent leaks, it will follow dual protagonists as they go head to head with the law.

Expect the same satirical tone as other entries, plus plenty of references to politics and modern culture. We also know that the game is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, with a PC version yet to be confirmed.

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• The public betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2 are now available
• They have new Apple Intelligence features like Genmoji and Image Playground
• The new update also adds ChatGPT integration to Siri

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 public betas are now available for users who want to try brand-new Apple Intelligence features such as ChatGPT in Siri, Genmoji, and Image Playground.

The new software has been in developer beta for a few weeks and now the public can download and install the update with brand new Apple intelligence tools.

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 public beta 1 are available now for those who have signed up for the Apple Beta Software Program. While this is a more stable build than the previously released developer beta 1, these are still betas, meaning bugs, slowdowns, and speedbumps are to be expected.

The updates also add new language support to Apple Intelligence, with the AI now working in English (Australia), English (Canada), English (New Zealand), English (South Africa), and English (UK).

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 add huge upgrades to your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, so much so that this update almost feels more significant than iOS 18's launch in September. These new features include Genmoji, Apple's generative AI emoji tool that allows you to create custom emojis on the fly. The public betas also include Image Playground, Apple's answer to the best AI image generators. In our brief testing of these new Apple Intelligence image tools, we've found them to be very fun and easy to use, perfect for an introduction to AI.

ChatGPT in Siri, too

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

Installing iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2 also gives you access to Siri's new ChatGPT integration, allowing you to ask OpenAI’s chatbot questions directly from inside Apple’s voice assistant.

It's worth noting that this is entirely opt-in, and Siri will flag when ChatGPT is answering a request. ChatGPT integration only appears to work for US English devices at the time of writing.

And, for iPhone 16 owners, Visual Intelligence finally arrives on your shiny new smartphone in the iOS 18.2 public beta. The exclusive Apple Intelligence feature can be accessed by pressing and holding Camera Control and allows you to take a picture of anything you see and let Apple Intelligence do the searching for you, similar to Google Lens.

iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 public betas are available now. Expect an official release in December.

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• Most companies agree new technology will help them become more successful
• Many are investing in new tech with the hope of boosting productivity
• Manufacturing, distribution and healthcare need the most help

Four in five global organizations believe their future success depends on their adoption of new technologies, like AI and automation, new research has claimed.

A report from Infor found three-quarters of firms estimate a productivity boost of around 20% over the next three years, with 78% planning to increase their tech investments by 20% or more in the same period.

The emphasis on integrating the latest technology is crucial given that recent Infor data highlights a major productivity gap between top- and low-performing organizations. By adopting these new technologies, it’s hoped that lower-performing businesses can catch up, effectively leveling the playing field.

Businesses are anticipating AI-driven productivity boosts

Infor found a 46% productivity gap between the top and bottom performers, far above the global average of 27%, highlighting the need for companies to react more quickly to emerging technologies.

Machine learning and generative AI were found to be two of the most promising technologies in terms of unlocking productivity and efficiency benefits.

Speaking about the troubles facing manufacturing, distribution and healthcare companies, Infor CEO Kevin Samuelson commented: “Organisations need to optimise and continuously improve processes; embrace the power of advanced technology; push data in decision-making; and keep customer requirements front and centre.”

Furthermore, Infor found a 23% difference between productivity leaders and so-called ‘laggards,’ considerably more than the 15% global average, which is indicative of the disparity between firms.

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• ToxicPanda can initiate money transfers and even grab MFA codes
• The banking trojan is targeting consumers in Europe and Latin America
• More than 1,500 devices already compromised

A Chinese hacker is targeting Android devices in Europe and Latin America with a banking trojan able to steal money from victim’s accounts.

A new report from cybersecurity researchers Cleafy says the trojan, ToxicPanda, is quite similar to a piece of older, known malware called TgToxic, which was first spotted in 2023. The two have some similarities, although ToxicPanda can be described as a “lite” version, since many features seem to be stripped down, and some were left as simple placeholders.

Despite being lighter, ToxicPanda is still a capable piece of malware. It can initiate money transfer, intercept one-time passwords (OTPs) generated both through SMS or authenticator apps, and manipulate user inputs. It can also steal sensitive information from the compromised device, and capture data from other apps. However, to do all that, the app needs to be given permission to access Android’s accessibility services, which is a usual red flag for Android-borne malware.

Years-long campaign

In any case, the malware is usually hidden in fake Chrome, Visa, or 99 Speedmart apps, most likely distributed through third-party websites, social media channels, and possibly phishing. The malicious apps cannot be found on official app repositories (Google Play Store, Samsung’s app store, or similar), and the researchers still speculate on how the apps are being advertised across the web.

So far, the threat actor seems to have infected more than 1,500 Android devices. The majority is located in Italy (56.8%), and Portugal (18.7%), with other notable mentions being Hong Kong (4.6%), Spain (3.9%), and Peru (3.4%). The researchers discovered this information by accessing ToxicPanda’s command-and-control (C2) panel.

The defense mechanisms against these types of attacks remains the same - be careful to only download apps from vetted sources.

Via The Hacker News

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Step away from your computer or phone for a few minutes, and you might return to an avalanche of notifications about new messages. If you're using Google Chat, you won't have to comb through them all to find out what you missed anymore, thanks to Google's Gemini AI assistant. You can pull up Gemini from the Google Chat sidebar and ask the AI to summarize the conversation and dig into the most important bits.

The new feature expands Gemini's presence from other Google Workspace applications like Docs and Drive into Google Chat. If you click on the "Ask Gemini" icon at the top of the Google Chat interface, a chat window for the AI will appear where you can ask about what's been said in group chats, direct messages, and spaces.

If you ask the AI to "catch me up," you'll get a complete conversation summary, which you can ask for in bullet points. If it's too short, you can request a longer summary too. You can also ask for more specific details, like any requests for help, key takeaways, or other decisions made in the thread. You can even ask about other people's tasks or what a person said about specific topics. The demo below shows how it works.

(Image credit: Google) Gemini Chat

Gemini can't sort through your entire conversational history, just the current view. It also is restricted to Google Chat. That means no emails or files in Google Drive, despite Gemini having a presence and access to those applications in other circumstances. Google claims this is deliberate as it maintains focus on the current chat in context without pulling in irrelevant information. Plus, tightly constraining data sources reduce the risk of Gemini hallucinating. You also won't be able to pull up Gemini in Google Chat without a subscription to Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, or Education Premium.

Even with those (likely temporary) limits to availability, bringing Gemini to Google Chat fits with how Google is working to embed Gemini across all of its platforms and services. That includes Gemini Extensions to take up Google Assistant's role with Google Messages, Maps, and pretty much everything Android does.

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• Some air fryers are harvesting your personal data, according to new report
• Smart TVs and smartwatches are also particularly thirsty for our data
• Manufacturers say there are legitimate reasons for the requests

The best air fryers might be genuinely life-changing pieces of kit, but some hide a snooping dark side that could see them invade your privacy in several alarming ways, according to a new report.

The UK-based consumer body Which? has released a report based on its privacy findings across a range of products, including air fryers, smartwatches, smart TVs and smart speakers. And it makes for worrying reading if you're concerned about the creeping tentacles of tech companies.

While privacy and security concerns around smart TVs are nothing new, the appetite of some air fryers for our personal data is more of a surprise. Which? found that the three fryers it tested all wanted to "record audio on the user's phone, for no specified reason".

The Aigostar and Xiaomi fryers it tested "both sent people’s personal data to servers in China", it said. That action was highlighted in a privacy notice, but that's likely something that many will miss.

More specifically, Which? said the companion Xiaomi app for its air fryer hooked it up to "trackers from Facebook, Pangle (the ad network of TikTok for Business), and Chinese tech giant Tencent (depending on the location of the user)." That was alongside knowing its owner's precise location.

For some reason, the Aigostar air fryer wanted to know its owner's "gender and date of birth", although this was at least optional. Still, the list of privacy infractions was long and concerning, even with the likes of the UK's ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) due in 2025 to request greater transparency from companies about their use of data

Smart TVs are watching

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We've been reporting on the potential privacy violations of smart TVs for almost ten years, and the issue isn't getting any better according to this Which? report.

One of the worst offenders in its testing was Samsung, which requested eight "risky" phone permissions, with risky being defined as having invasive access to your phone for actions like recording audio or seeing your exact location.

This put Samsung second only to the Huawei Ultimate smartwatch for privacy black marks, with the watch requesting nine of those "risky" permissions. In its defense, Huawei said that no data was used for marketing purposes and that there was a legitimate reason for all of the requests.

Samsung certainly wasn't alone on the smart TVs front, with other sets from Hisense and LG also asking for a postcode during setup – although in the latter case, it wasn't mandatory.

The issue also isn't just restricted to products asking for our personal data up-front – Which? found that smart speakers like the Bose Home Portable speaker are "stuffed with trackers, including Facebook, Google, and digital marketing firm Urbanairship".

How to boost your privacy

You can fine-tune your privacy settings on iOS (left) and Android (right) to help restrict the the access that third-party apps have to your data and phone. (Image credit: Apple / Google / Future)

The problem with many of the privacy invasions highlighted by Which? is that a lot are either a mandatory part of the setup process or, like the advertising trackers, largely hidden from view. But there are a couple of ways to protect your privacy.

For starters, you can restrict the data or functions given to companion apps on your iOS or Android phone. On iOS, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, then scroll down to the permission you want to check (for example, microphone or camera). On Android, you can do the same thing in Settings > Security and privacy > Permission manager.

Otherwise, the best thing to do is check the data requests during app setup and opt out of any optional ones you aren't comfortable with. As the Which? report notes, we also need finer controls over the data we share with smart tech companies, but until that happens it's worth being aware that even your air fryer could be prying into your personal data more than you might think.

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• Asus launches budget-friendly 5K monitor for creatives at just $799
• Auto KVM switch enables easy device multitasking control
• Adobe Creative Cloud subscription included in select regions

In good news for creatives on a budget, Asus has introduced the ProArt Display PA27JCV, positioned as the most affordable 5K monitor on the market with a retail price of $799.

This 27-inch display offers a 5120 x 2880 resolution and a pixel density of 218 ppi.

While the screen size may feel somewhat compact for a 5K monitor, Asus is hoping it will appeal to professionals seeking a cost-effective, color-accurate solution.

Just the one HDMI port

The PA27JCV is factory-calibrated for Delta E<2 color accuracy, making it ready for tasks requiring precise color matching. It covers 99% of the DCI-P3, 95% of Adobe RGB, and 100% of the sRGB color spaces, a notable range for visual fidelity. The monitor also features ASUS Light Sync, which adjusts brightness and color gamut based on the surrounding light conditions using ambient and backlight sensors.

The display includes LuxPixel technology, which Asus describes as an anti-glare, low-reflection (AGLR) coating that minimizes reflections without negatively impacting image clarity. This feature offers a “paper-like” screen effect while preserving sharpness.

For productivity, the PA27JCV includes an Auto KVM switch that allows users to control two connected devices with a single keyboard and mouse, handy for multitasking.

Annoyingly the monitor only sports one HDMI 2.1 port, which may be restrictive for anyone wishing to connect multiple HDMI devices. However, it does come with DisplayPort over USB-C with 96-watt Power Delivery, a standard DisplayPort 1.4, and a USB hub with USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C and 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports.

While compact, the PA27JCV supports HDR10 and is VESA DisplayHDR 500 certified, providing contrast with bright whites and deep blacks for a more immersive visual experience. Asus points out that the 5K resolution offers 77% more workspace than a comparable 4K display, helping creators work across multiple windows and applications.

You can buy the PA27JCV through B&H for $799. As an added incentive, Asus is offering a complimentary Adobe Creative Cloud subscription in select regions, providing access to essential creative tools.

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The Samsung Galaxy Ring took the wearables world by storm, with the product shoving this smartwatch alternative into the spotlight – and helping to generate more interest in competitors in the best smart ring category from the likes of Oura and RingConn. Now it looks like Samsung is gearing up to launch an upgrade to this product line shortly, with a tipster’s comments making it sound like we could see the Galaxy Ring 2 fairly soon.

Korean leaker Lanzuk – who has a track record of spoiling Samsung’s release plans – says Samsung is “planning to launch its Galaxy Ring 2 model a bit earlier than originally scheduled” (translated from Korean). Specifics are light on the ground, but that could mean we’ll get a Galaxy Ring 2 in 2025, and maybe even in the first half of the year at that.

In fairness, the Galaxy Ring was first shown off in January 2024, so an early Galaxy Ring 2 announcement was also already kind of on the cards. However, we didn’t get our hands on the Galaxy Ring until July, so in 2025, we could get the Galaxy Ring 2 in, say, February instead of needing to wait half a year.

Alternatively, Samsung may want to stick with a more condensed reveal and release schedule some time in the middle of the year (say May or June), especially as a refresh after barely six months could upset purchasers of the original Galaxy Ring. Yearly refreshes are expected. However, a biyearly refresh is less likely to happen.

'More feature' on the way too

Will Samsung take cues from Oura? (Image credit: Oura)

Beyond teasing the release date, Lanzuk added that the device will supposedly be thinner, have a longer battery life, and contain “more features.” Again, details are light, but this could include sleep apnea detection, expanded gesture controls, or improved fitness tools.

Perhaps it’ll also include that adaptive sizing feature teased by a recently awarded Samsung patent, though we’ll have to wait and see what’s announced.

On this note, as with all leaks we should take Lanzuk’s blog post and our speculation with a pinch of salt. Until Samsung makes an announcement we don’t know what we’ll get from the Galaxy Ring 2 – nor when it will launch, assuming it does ever launch.

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Watch The Day of the Jackal online

There aren't many onscreen stereotypes more enticing than a trained assassin and Eddie Redmayne is bringing the cool, killer vibes to a new 10-episode TV adaptation of The Day of the Jackal to Sky Atlantic in the UK and Peacock in the US. Read on for how to watch The Day of the Jackal online from anywhere with a VPN.

Loosely based on Frederick Forsyth's 1971 novel of the same name, this version brings the action bang up to date with a cat and mouse story set in the modern day. Some things never change, however, and that goes for the steely, secretive contract killer played here by Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them).

Trying to stop him achieving his lethal objectives is MI6 officer Bianca, played by Lashana Lynch who so impressed as special agent 007 in No Time to Die. Can she stop him before the next victim is taken out by the Jackal's silenced sniper rifle?

With Brian Kirk in the director's chair who has dazzling small screen filmography that also includes Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Luther and many more, you can expect a compelling, stylish series that will keep you hooked until the end.

We’ve got all the information on where to watch The Day of the Jackal online and stream every episode from anywhere.

Can I watch The Day of the Jackal for free?

You can watch The Day of the Jackal online for free – but not everywhere on the planet.

The free-to-stream TVNZ+ website and app in New Zealand is showing episodes of The Day of the Jackal absolutely free. All you need to do is register, using your email address, name, year of birth and gender. (Just note that it doesn't start until Friday, November 15).

In India, The Day of the Jackal will be shown for free on smartphone devices through the JioCinema app.

Australians can also watch episodes for free by signing up for a free trial to streaming service Binge.

Not at home in those countries right now? That's where downloading the best VPN can help...

How to watch The Day of the Jackal online from outside your country

If you’re traveling abroad when The Day of the Jackal airs, you’ll be unable to watch the show like you normally would due to annoying regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN will allow you to stream online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.

Use a VPN to watch The Day of the Jackal from anywhere.

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How to watch The Day of the Jackal online in the US

NBC's streaming service Peacock is where you can watch The Day of the Jackal in the US. It kicks off a week after the UK premiere, with the first five episodes hitting the platform on Thursday, November 14.

After that, you get one episode per week, culminating in a double bill to end the season on Thursday, December 12.

The Peacock price is starts at $7.99 a month or $13.99 if you want to ditch all ads. And you can get 12 months for the price of 10 by opting for an annual plan.

How to watch The Day of the Jackal online in Canada

The Day of the Jackal is on Showcase in Canada from 9pm ET/PT on Thursday, November 14. Cable subscribers with Showcase can also stream it through the Global TV app.

Another option to watch The Day of the Jackal online is via StackTV. The service is available through the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Bell, Rogers and Fubo. Prime subscribers can get StackTV with a 14-day free trial and then for $12.99 per month.

How to watch The Day of the Jackal in the UK

Sky has the rights to will show the revamped The Day of the Jackal in the UK.

It all gets started with five (yes, five!) back-to-back episodes from 9pm GMT on Thursday, November 7 on Sky Atlantic. After that, the remaining five episodes will air one per week at the same on Thursday evenings.

Sky subscribers can stream episodes on their smartphone, smart Tvs, games consoles and online via the Sky Go app. You can also watch The Day of the Jackal through a Now Entertainment Membership from as little as £6.99 a month.

How to watch The Day of the Jackal online in Australia

The Day of the Jackal will begin streaming on the Binge streaming service with two episodes landing per week from Thursdays from November 7. Try the service with its FREE 7-day trial.

On TV, episodes are due to go out on Thursdays on Foxtel via Showcase (check your local listings for times, as they vary) so you can also watch via Foxtel Now.

The Day of the Jackal trailer The Day of the Jackal cast

• Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal
• Lashana Lynch as Bianca
• Úrsula Corberó as Nuria
• Charles Dance as Timothy Winthorp
• Richard Dormer as Norman
• Chukwudi Iwuji as Osita Halcrow
• Lia Williams as Isabel Kirby
• Khalid Abdalla as Ulle Dag Charles
• Eleanor Matsuura as Zina Jansone
• Jonjo O'Neill as Edward Carver
• Sule Rimi as Paul Pullman

The Day of the Jackal episode guide

The Day of the Jackal isn't being released at the exact same time around the world – it's going out in the UK and Australia first, with the rest of the planet catching up later.

You can read more about its release schedule in the US above. Below are the episode air dates in the UK:

• Episode 1 - Thursday, November 7
• Episode 2 - Thursday, November 7
• Episode 3 - Thursday, November 7
• Episode 4 - Thursday, November 7
• Episode 5 – Thursday, November 7
• Episode 6 – Thursday, November 14
• Episode 7 – Thursday, November 21
• Episode 8 – Thursday, November 28
• Episode 9 – Thursday, December 5
• Episode 10 – Thursday, December 12

I'm no economist and my financial acumen is, as my partner would tell you, suspect. But I fundamentally understand one thing: if you charge companies more to make or ship products, they will not eat those extra costs and will instead serve them to you like so much overcooked gruel.

With Former President Donald Trump now officially President-Elect in the US and set to take office on January 20th, he will surely fulfill a key campaign promise: import tariffs of between 12% and 60%. On the bleeding edge is China, which is expected to suffer through the most draconian 60% tariff structure.

There are no precise numbers of how much technology is produced in China and other countries, but it is a fact that most of the gadgets you love and use are not made in the United States.

Amazon, for instance, reportedly makes most of its Fire and Kindle products in China. Apple produces most of its iPhones in China but has been moving some manufacturing of it and other Apple gear to India and Vietnam. Similarly, Google manufactures Pixels and other devices in China, Vietnam, Taiwan, and India. Lenovo produces most of its laptops in China.

The hard truth

I have no issue with products being produced wherever it's most efficient and cost-effective. I know labor is cheaper and the proximity to components is better outside the US.

It's also likely that regulations are somewhat more lenient in, for instance, China and Vietnam, though American companies have in recent years tried forcing their Chinese counterparts to conform to US manufacturing standards for things like safety. I want everyone to be safe at work and to be paid a fair living wage but also appreciate tech gear I can still afford. It would be fantastic if we could have both, but that might be unrealistic.

The goal of tariffs is to fix trade distortions. The US does have a trade deficit. On election day in the US, the Census Bureau released its U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report for September 2024 (PDF). The key headline was that the trade deficit rose $13.6b to a total of $84.4b.

Another tariff goal is to prompt companies to shift manufacturing back to the US, which, according to the Brooking's Institute is well behind China, where manufacturing accounts for 27% of the country's output, compared to just 12% in the US. And it's widely known that the majority of tech production, including semiconductors, still happens outside the US.

Tariffs don't do what you think they do

Tariffs seem unlikely to change that equation any time soon. In fact, Tariff's have a history of having the opposite of their intended effect. According to the Cato Institute:

"Recent empirical evidence indicates the new US tariffs imposed in 2018 and 2019 were almost entirely passed on to US consumers, resulting in higher prices and reduced export growth."

To repeat, Tariffs imposed on companies are passed along to us and that means they appear in the form of higher prices for the tech products we buy every day. The Cato Institute adds, by the way, that Tariffs lead to increased protectionism (shielding us from unwanted foreign competition) and corruption.

It's possible that the tech giants will go another way and accelerate plans – if they have them – to move manufacturing to the US. Of course, that act could involve increased costs just for building out the infrastructure and paying US workers higher wages for the same work they get from Chinese employees at a fraction of the cost.

Do we have a plan?

I've asked Google, Amazon, Lenovo, and Apple how they plan to handle these potential tariffs. Would they just eat the extra cost or pass it along to consumers? Amazon had no comment. As of this writing, the others have yet to respond.

I doubt they'd eat the costs of tariffs but do not expect any of them to willingly admit that prices are about to rise for, say, your next iPhone, future laptop, or new Kindle.

If these tariffs happen early next year, though, the costs will have to go somewhere. Even if it forces companies to move manufacturing back to the US in the long run, the short-term net of it all is higher costs for tech companies and more expensive tech gear for consumers.

On the bright side, we have a Black Friday straight ahead of us. It might make sense to stock up on those gadgets now.

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• Windows 11 24H2 is reportedly causing a lot of problems with printers
• This affects all major printer makers, mainly on Copilot+ PCs
• Microsoft has admitted the problem and provided some workarounds

Windows 11 24H2 is continuing its run of trouble with bugs and this time we’re hearing about various difficulties with printers, which are mostly hitting Arm-based Copilot+ PCs, but also other computers (with x86 Intel and AMD chips) too.

Neowin reports that there are quite a number of complaints from those with printers who have upgraded to Windows 11 24H2 and are finding their device is no longer working. This is affecting all the best-known printer manufacturers, the likes of Brother, Canon, HP and so forth.

The issue is mainly being experienced by those with a Copilot+ PC powered by an Arm processor, as mentioned, and it either completely derails the printer, leaving it non-functional, or breaks certain features. In other cases, Windows 11 users can’t install the printer driver.

As noted at the outset, these gremlins in the works are also hitting standard (non-Arm, Intel and AMD CPU-based) PCs, and there are reports of various printer hiccups, and indeed printers vanishing from these systems, too.

On Reddit, one admin observes in a post about ‘24H2 problems hitting us hard’ that: “Print queues [are] clogging, that’s if the driver wasn’t randomly deleted from the machine.”

Printers going missing, or the driver being removed, appear to be common themes with 24H2, as well as not being able to install (or reinstall) said printer driver.

Potential workarounds to fix printer installation problems

(Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes)

Microsoft has acknowledged the issue and produced a support document which provides some possible workarounds to get your printer going on an Arm PC.

The company notes: “Some Arm PCs (for example, Copilot+ PCs) may not be able to add or install a printer using the included installer or the installer from the manufacturer’s website.”

The first suggestion to get around an installation failure is simply to connect your printer using a USB port.

Otherwise, you can connect the printer by going into the Settings app, then Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, where you select the Add device option. This then allows you to manually add the printer to your system (hopefully, at any rate).

With any luck, one of these two options will help you get around any inability to install a printer – though there may still be other scenarios where printers are misfiring with Windows 11 24H2 by the sound of things.

All this comes among a raft of issues with Windows 11 24H2, including new Intel Z890 motherboards constantly crashing, drive space mysteriously vanishing, and also Task Manager malfunctioning among many other problems. The good news is that Microsoft is working on fixing a bunch of these bugs already, but there’s a lot of firefighting to be done.

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• Scavengers Reign will not reportedly be renewed for a second season
• The series co-creator confirmed the news on Instagram
• The fanbase are devastated by the news

Scavengers Reign fans are devastated to hear that Netflix has canceled one of its best animated shows after one season.

The critically acclaimed anime series gained a cult following when it first aired on Max in October 2023, becoming one of the best Max shows before being removed. Netflix later picked it up earlier this year and many fans were hoping that it would attract a wider audience and be renewed for a second season. However, despite its 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, Scavengers Reign will not be getting another series.

On Tuesday (November 5), co-creator Joe Bennett confirmed the sad news in an Instagram post (see below) along with a teaser of what we could have expected in season 2, which makes the announcement even harder for fans to digest.

A post shared by Joe Bennett (@joe_bennett_animation)

A photo posted by on

What is Scavengers Reign about?

Scavengers Reign follows the survivors of a damaged deep space cargo ship who are stranded on the beautiful but dangerous planet, Vesta. The crew are separated into three groups: Azi and her robot friend Levi, Sam and Ursula, and the isolated Kamen, who is accompanied by a telepathic creature named Hollow. Throughout the series, their paths intersect towards the wrecked Demeter 227.

The best Netflix show was met with huge praise, with The New York Times calling it a "gorgeous, hypnotic space trip". While there's been no official confirmation on why the adult animated science-fiction series was canceled, What's On Netflix has cited that it was low viewership that made Scavengers Reign fall victim to the Netflix ax. "It missed out on the global top 10 weekly stats and the daily TV top 10s in the United Kingdom or the United States," the publication reported.

Fans are understandably distraught that Scavengers Reign has been quietly canceled and took to Reddit to voice their frustrations.

'Scavengers Reign' Not Getting Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix from r/scifi

Unfortunately, Scavengers Reign isn't the only show to be shelved by the best streaming service as Netflix canceled My Dad the Bounty Hunter, another animated show with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. We can only hope Scavengers Reign will be picked up by another streamer, but for now it will have a place on our canceled Netflix shows you should still watch in 2024 list.

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• Security researchers from UK's NCSC share more details about the tools used in Pacific Rim
• Pygmy Goat is a competent backdoor likely used by the Chinese
• Even the FBI is asking for help to identify the crooks

For the past five years, the Chinese have been targeting edge devices belonging to government agencies and departments in the US and elsewhere in the West in an operation dubbed “Pacific Rim” - and we now have more details about the tools they used, and what those tools allowed the attackers to do.

Pacific Rim mainly targeted Sophos XG firewalls with the goal of cyber-espionage and data exfiltration, and it was most likely conducted by multiple Chinese-speaking threat actors, including the infamous Volt Typhoon.

In late October 2024, the UK National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) published a report in which it claims that a new Linux malware named “Pygmy Goat” was used in these attacks. “Pygmy Goat is a native x86-32 ELF shared object that was discovered on Sophos XG firewall devices, providing backdoor access to the device,” the document’s summary reads.

Pygmy Goat

Being a sophisticated network malware, Pygmy Goat was able to disguise malicious traffic as legitimate Secure Shell (SSH) connections, and thus evade detection. Furthermore, it enabled covert communication through encrypted Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets, adding an additional obfuscation layer. As for its capabilities, Pygmy Goat provided its attackers with persistent remote access and control, allowing them to manipulate infected devices stealthily, and potentially compromise broader network infrastructure.

Technical details about the code, infections, and more, can be found in the paper here.

While the document does not discuss the threat actors using Pymgy Goat, BleepingComputer reminds that the techniques, tactics, and procedures (TTP) align with that of a piece of malware called “Castletap”, which was used by Chinese state-sponsored groups. Sophos, on the other hand, said the same rootkit was used in 2022 by another Chinese group dubbed “Tstark”.

Pacific Rim was a major hacking operation that even drew the attention of the FBI, who recently asked the public to help them identify the attackers.

Via BleepingComputer

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• A possibly intentional delay with the Control Panel has been found
• Presumably, it was necessary as a workaround in the distant past
• But it may not inspire confidence in those facing odd bugs in Windows 11

A rash of recent issues with the Windows 11 24H2 update has left many users frustrated with their systems, and it probably won’t be any comfort for those folks to learn that Microsoft has reportedly tampered with old Windows versions to make them run slower (albeit in the distant past, and with one relatively small aspect).

As spotted by German tech site WinFuture (via Neowin), Oerg866 on X posted to reveal that Windows 95 and 98 had a ‘hard-coded 8 second delay’ when using the ‘Add New Hardware’ wizard in the Control Panel.

In an attempt to further speed up Windows 9x QuickInstall, I have patched SYSDM.CPL to remove the hard-coded 8 second delay(!!!) when new hardware is found and reduced it to 300 milliseconds. pic.twitter.com/BfGNpSjMfwNovember 4, 2024

While it isn’t at all clear why this occurs on the now-ancient operating systems, it’s worth wondering why Microsoft decided to implement this delay.

It seems a baffling move on the face of it, but there’s presumably a reason why the long pause was added in by programmers (unless it was just a mistake - which seems unlikely, and it’d be quite the blunder if it was).

What seems most likely is that the delay was introduced due to hardware limitations at the time, meaning there must have been some issues with devices back in the day which required this pause as a workaround. Why the delay had to be so lengthy is anyone’s guess, though.

It also makes you wonder if Microsoft introduced any other similar stalling tactics in these old versions of Windows - or indeed in more modern operating systems like Windows 10 or Windows 11.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Should we be worried about the Control Panel in Windows 11?

It goes without saying that we don’t need to worry about Windows 9x versions anymore (Windows 95 and 98 are older than me). There should be no reason for a similar delay to occur in Windows 11, either, unless it really was an error - which could prompt the question: are there other such blunders still hanging around in the legacy Control Panel?

That thought wouldn’t exactly bolster the confidence of anyone currently using the 24H2 update and running into some of the aforementioned problems with the upgrade.

The ton of bugs that come with Windows 11 24H2 include problems that have left PCs with Intel motherboards suffering from BSODs (Blue Screen of Death crashes). Also, a good few of these glitches are really odd affairs - like a File Explorer menu disappearing off the top of the screen - admittedly not nearly as head-scratching as the reported hard-coded delay, mind you.

The old Control Panel won’t be around forever, of course. Microsoft is planning to gradually migrate the legacy Control Panel’s functions into the new Settings app in Windows 11 with its modern user interface.

We’ve reached out to Microsoft to ask the company about the discovered delay in Windows 95 and 98, and whether it might be able to shed any light on what was going on behind the scenes here. We’ll be sure to update this story if we hear back.

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