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In recent years, we have seen Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the enterprise evolve from having the potential to be transformational to becoming an increasingly central component of core business processes. McKinsey found that the number of companies using AI has risen from 55% to 72% between 2023 and 2024.

To prepare for AI transformation, many businesses have doubled down on improving their data practices. However, being data-savvy is not enough to deploy AI at scale. Businesses would, therefore, be unwise to see being “data ready” as the endgame in their preparations for AI adoption. Data readiness is just one phase in the AI journey and needs to be viewed as such.

AI, like every other technology, has strengths, shortfalls and optimum operating environments. Understanding this is the difference between being data-savvy and being truly ready to realize the full potential of AI. I call this ‘AI-savviness’. Strong data management is important, but becoming AI-savvy requires organizational leaders to think bigger.

Fostering a culture that encourages continuous learning, experimentation and a fundamental understanding of when AI is and is not the solution are all steps that must be taken to capitalize on AI’s transformative potential.

Becoming data-savvy

An organization can have strong data practices and not be AI-ready. But it can’t be AI-ready without strong data practices.

The necessity to establish this foundation is made clear by Gartner’s finding that a lack of AI-ready data blocks 63% of organizations undergoing AI projects. Businesses need to ensure they have frameworks with strong governance principles and accurate and high-quality data in place before pursuing AI transformation projects.

There is a growing demand among organizations for AI applications that function in real-time and, in the near future, all applications will have a live element, especially as models become more sophisticated. Leveraging hybrid pipelines results in outputs that are more accurate due to models learning, unlearning and thinking in real-time, but businesses need to future-proof and design data frameworks with this in mind now to avoid being forced to re-platform later.

Knowing when AI isn’t the solution

The AI hype and resulting explosion in demand and solutions is far outpacing that of any other recent technological breakthrough. While this is reflective of its potential within business, it encourages an AI arms race that has left many organizations feeling they have to adopt AI at any cost or risk falling to the wayside. This pressure often leads to poorly considered, ineffective investments.

Research suggests that global enterprise AI spending is set to rise by 5.7% in 2025 despite overall IT budgets only increasing by 2%, but blindly spending large amounts of money on new AI-powered applications is not enough to prime a business’s estate for AI.

When businesses fall into this trap, they enter the “trough of disillusionment" as their high expectations go unmet. This is made worse by the chasm that currently exists in many organizations between what leaders want AI to be able to do and what it can actually do. Understanding that the most cutting-edge technology is not always the best solution is a sign of an AI-savvy business.

In a similar vein, once it is ascertained that AI is the answer, leaders must decide whether to buy or build. Building AI applications in-house gives organizations a higher level of control and more tailored outputs, but training and maintenance are complex and come with a high price tag. AI-savvy organizations fundamentally understand when custom-built capabilities are worth the extra expenditure and when more value can be extracted from buying a more generic off-the-shelf product.

Fostering a culture of experimentation

Beyond implementing an effective technology stack, leaders need to influence AI collaboration and innovation throughout their workforce, as this allows innovation and overall adoption to thrive. AI experimentation needs to be widely encouraged and reinforced as a central element of day-to-day work – and this has to come from the top.

Leaders should also practice what they preach with forward-thinking decisions that drive forward their company’s AI strategy. In the past, the fear of making incorrect decisions has guided executives. But in a business world where innovation is so closely aligned to competitive advantage, delaying AI decisions presents an even higher risk.

Employee buy-in is another essential feature of an AI-savvy business. Without it, even the most advanced and efficient AI tools become obsolete. To achieve and maintain buy-in, consistent use and ultimate return on investment, leaders need to build trust in the tools among the workforce.

The starting point for this is ensuring that the systems employees interact with consistently deliver accurate outputs. Otherwise, they will become frustrated with technology that doesn’t work as it should and become disillusioned and disengaged.

Instilling AI confidence in employees

Blind investment and faith in AI is not a comprehensive strategy, and no matter how advanced the tools, the workforce needs to know how to use them for maximum impact. Continuous training and education, therefore, need to be part of the package for AI tools to succeed.

When employees feel confident in their ability to use AI tools and applications, they will be more confident in experimenting with what AI-savviness means to them in their role and share discoveries and new use cases with their team, feeding into the culture of collaboration and creativity that defines an AI-savvy business.

Reaching AI savviness

At its core, being AI-savvy means avoiding the lure of the next big technology and instead nurturing a culture that emphasizes AI education, thoughtful procurement and decisive implementation practices. It also means remaining dynamic and adapting to changes as the AI wave continues to crest. Prioritizing proactive strategic thinking, strong data foundations and an open environment that fosters creativity and innovation creates a fertile environment for exciting and effective AI use as the technology develops.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, May 6 (game #1198).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1199) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1199) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1199) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1199) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1199) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Q

• T

• B

• N

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1199) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1199, are…

• QUOTH
• TRUNK
• BESET
• NAIVE

I’m really pleased that I got four correct guesses today, although I must admit that I was completely stumped after my first word.

Despite having four letters, I couldn’t make any words from U, O, T, and H with the letters I had remaining. QUOTH sounded like a past tense of quote so I went with that, but it was a shot in the dark.

The final three were a case of first-thought-best-thought, although with BESET I started typing in RESET before remembering I’d already used the R.

Happy days.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1198) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1199, are…

• FOLIO
• BEZEL
• TRUTH
• INBOX

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1198, Tuesday, 6 May: UNITE, SOGGY, FILET, PORCH
• Quordle #1197, Monday, 5 May: WREAK, COWER, STEAD, QUEUE
• Quordle #1196, Sunday, 4 May: PINCH, SMOKE, SCARY, CANNY
• Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
• Quordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELT
• Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPE
• Quordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWN
• Quordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSE
• Quordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNT
• Quordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDE
• Quordle #1188, Saturday, 26 April: LINGO, LOCUS, THROW, CLICK
• Quordle #1187, Friday, 25 April: SHALT, WRATH, MAMBO, HUMPH
• Quordle #1186, Thursday, 24 April: CHOKE, COLOR, FRAME, CAIRN
• Quordle #1185, Wednesday, 23 April: VALET, PUPAL, CREEP, DRIFT
• Quordle #1184, Tuesday, 22 April: POUTY, CHEST, BROOM, TEPEE
• Quordle #1183, Monday, 21 April: SHARD, PRINT, SUMAC, LEACH
• Quordle #1182, Sunday, 20 April: DINER, HORDE, SHONE, FUGUE
• Quordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULT
• Quordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTO
• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, May 6 (game #695).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #696) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CHORAL
• CUPS
• KNIT
• SAVE
• RECOVER
• PURL
• BUT
• QUARTS
• SWORDS
• BESIDES
• MEND
• PENTACLES
• OPEL
• HEAL
• WANDS
• EXCEPT

NYT Connections today (game #696) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Without
• GREEN: Improving after accident
• BLUE: In magic pack of of cards
• PURPLE: Sounds precious

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #696) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: NOT INCLUDING 
• GREEN: GET BETTER, AS A BROKEN BONE 
• BLUE: TAROT MINOR ARCANA SUITS 
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF GEMSTONES 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #696) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #696, are…

• YELLOW: NOT INCLUDING BESIDES, BUT, EXCEPT, SAVE
• GREEN: GET BETTER, AS A BROKEN BONE HEAL, KNIT, MEND, RECOVER
• BLUE: TAROT MINOR ARCANA SUITS CUPS, PENTACLES, SWORDS, WANDS
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF GEMSTONES CHORAL, OPEL, PURL, QUARTS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

Today’s round of Connections was incredibly hard, so congratulations to anyone who got it.

The only group I managed to find was the easiest yellow one. Even with this I had uncertainty over including SAVE, which didn’t quite seem to match the other three words.

However, I completely floundered with the other three groups. I suspected that PENTACLES had something to do with witchcraft so I tried to conjure up some group with WANDS and assorted others.

Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of tarot cards at all, let alone the members of the MINOR ARCANA SUITS. This feels quite niche knowledge for a blue group.

My other blind alley was thinking that CUPS and QUARTS were in a measurements foursome and that there were some knitting terms beyond KNIT and PERL.

An all-round disaster. Hope you did better.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, May 6, game #695)

• YELLOW: SILENCE CALM, HUSH, PEACE, STILL
• GREEN: TENNIS COMPETITION UNITS GAME, MATCH, SET, TOURNAMENT
• BLUE: COMPARATIVELY SMALL BABY, COMPACT, MINUTE, TOY
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "TEASE" KIDNEY, MOCKINGBIRD, RAZZMATAZZ, RIBBON

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

• Microsoft security blog warns Kubernetes users about Helm charts with default settings
• These settings often come with open ports, weak credentials, and other risks
• Microsoft is urging Kubernetes users to review their settings

Kubernetes Helm charts can expose data without users ever knowing, Microsoft security researchers have warned, urging Kubernetes users to be careful and review the default configuration of their Helm charts.

Kubernetes is an open source platform for automating the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Helm, on the other hand, is a package manager that simplifies the deployment and management of applications on Kubernetes using pre-configured templates called charts.

It allows users to define, install, and upgrade complex Kubernetes applications with minimal manual configuration.

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Default configurations

In a new blog post, titled “The risk of default configuration: How out-of-the-box helm charts can breach your cluster,” authors Michael Katchinskiy, and Yossi Weizman argued that in many cases, Helm charts require no authentication, keep certain ports open, and use easy-to-guess, or hardcoded passwords.

This happens when Helm charts are deployed with default settings, which is often the case with inexperienced cloud users.

"Default configurations that lack proper security controls create a severe security threat," the blog reads. "Without carefully reviewing the YAML manifests and Helm charts, organizations may unknowingly deploy services lacking any form of protection, leaving them fully exposed to attackers."

Katchinskiy and Weizman added that the risk is “particularly concerning” when the deployed apps can query sensitive API, or allow administrative actions.”

They singled out three cases where Helm charts put entire Kubernetes environments at risk - Apache Pinot, Meshery, and Selenium Grid.

The best way to mitigate the risk is to be careful when deploying Helm, not use default configurations, and evaluate the setup from a security perspective to make sure it includes authentication and network isolation.

Furthermore, Microsoft recommends users run regular scans for misconfigurations that can expose interfaces to the public, and keep a close eye on containers for unwarranted activity.

Via BleepingComputer

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• The new Backbone Pro mobile controller has been revealed
• It comes with full-size thumbsticks and remappable rear inputs
• It also has a unique wireless connectivity feature and up to 40 hours of battery life

Gaming peripheral maker Backbone has revealed the Backbone Pro, an all-new mobile controller.

The Backbone Pro is effectively a chunkier version of the existing Backbone One, but it is packed with additional features. This includes the incorporation of full-size thumbsticks and remappable rear buttons.

You will be able to remap every single button in the compatible Backbone app, creating tailored control profiles for your favorite games. The app has also been updated with new features, including an in-built retro game emulator.

Where the Backbone Pro sets itself apart from some of the best mobile controllers is in its unique wireless mode. In addition to the standard USB Type-C connector, the controller can be linked to phones, tablets, laptops, VR headsets, and smart TVs via Bluetooth.

According to the company, its FlowState Technology will allow the Backbone app to remember previous paired devices and switch between them with a tap.

In wireless mode, it offers up to 40 hours of play on a single charge.

Overall, it looks like a pretty formidable upgrade compared to the Backbone One. I'm a huge fan of the full-size thumbsticks of mobile controllers like the Razer Kishi Ultra, so I think that it could be a real game-changer here.

My only complaint is that the Backbone Pro does not appear to use Hall effect thumbsticks, which are highly regarded for their durability and accuracy and are found on much cheaper offerings from brands like GameSir.

The thumbsticks of the Backbone Pro do at least have anti-friction rings, which should help reduce the chance of wear.

The Backbone Pro is available today via the Backbone website, though official pricing is to be confirmed.

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Rumors regarding a new Surface lineup from Microsoft have run rampant, with hints that much smaller and thinner renditions of the Copilot+ laptops were in the works.

This comes after Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Surface Pro 2024 models, providing exceptional battery life thanks to their Snapdragon processors and great portability.

Well, it turns out those rumors were indeed correct. Microsoft has announced two brand-new Surface devices: the Surface Laptop 13-inch and the Surface Pro 12-inch. Both are built to deliver even more impressive performance across the board, but ahead, we're breaking down the four key takeaways you'll want to know about them.

(Image credit: Microsoft) The 13-inch model is the lightest and thinnest Surface Laptop ever

Microsoft's new Surface Laptop 13-inch will be the 'lightest, most portable Surface Laptop ever', thanks to its ultrathin design and 13-inch touchscreen display. It will come in three different color variations – Ocean, Violet, and Platinum – to suit your preferred style.

It weighs just 2.7 lbs, which is an impressive 1.22kg, compared to 2024's 15-inch model, which weighed in at 3.67 lbs (1.66kg). Most importantly, this means portability is the new Surface Laptop's highlight, ensuring you can take your device with you anywhere you go and pack it in most backpacks. It's also an improvement over 2024's 13.8-inch model.

This includes USB-C connectivity that supports fast charging, DisplayPort 1.4a, and up to two 4K monitors at 60Hz refresh rates.

The new Surface Pro will have a 12-inch display, ideal for its 2-in-1 design, providing a pleasant laptop and tablet experience. That will also make it slightly slimmer than the previous 13-inch size.

It's also worth noting that there is no mention of an OLED model yet, and the new Surface Pro 12-inch Keyboard is sold separately.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Surface Laptop 13-inch is '50% faster' than the Surface Laptop 5, competing with Apple's MacBook Air M3

Using Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus processor, Microsoft claims the Surface Laptop 13-inch is '50% faster' than its previous Surface Laptop 5, which Intel's 12th Gen processors powered. This will be the 8-core processor instead of the 10-core variant, which is enough to provide powerful performance in AI-intensive tasks with 45 NPU tops.

Microsoft also mentions it's faster than Apple's MacBook Air M3, and based on benchmarks, the Snapdragon X Plus wins in multi-core processing over Apple's M-based chip. We'll need to see how this competes with Apple's latest M4 chipset, though.

The Surface Pro 12-inch will also use the same configuration, keeping your productivity at its best on the go, thanks to its high speeds.

It's a different move from the previous Laptop and Pro models, as both came with X Plus and X Elite configurations. Even so, it's a reasonable compromise, as you'll see.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Improved battery life for both devices

Unsurprisingly, the new Surface Laptop 13-inch provides the longest and best battery life out of all Surface devices, with a promise of up to 23 hours of usage (local video playback). This is an upgrade from the Surface Laptop (7th Edition) 13.8-inch model's 20 hours and the 15-inch's 22 hours, almost giving a total of 24 hours of usage.

The same applies to the new Surface Pro 12-inch, as Microsoft claims it provides up to 16 hours of usage, a decent leap over the previous 14 hours.

We'll have to see real-world tests for both devices to gain an accurate insight, but this is great for anyone who needs extra power to stay locked into productivity on the go.

It seems that Microsoft has omitted the X Elite configurations to preserve battery life, which is great because the X Plus is still a powerful chip, and staying zoned into work that extra bit longer has an advantage.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors are among the most efficient available, providing great performance without draining too much battery. The Surface laptops have been a testament to that, and Microsoft is showing it again with the new models.

(Image credit: Microsoft) The Surface Laptop 13-inch and Surface Pro 12-inch are much cheaper than their predecessors

Perhaps the biggest highlight beyond the smaller designs and battery life is pricing. The Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899, while the Surface Pro 12-inch starts at $799. These are huge price drops from their previous models, which both start at $1,099.

Microsoft's plan is clear; affordability is key, and it's kept prices within a reasonable range considering the presence of the Snapdragon X Plus chip. This will effectively help consumers get their hands on the new Surface Laptop, which is said to outperform its predecessors in the battery life department.

Both Copilot+ PCs are available to pre-order now and will be available in select markets on May 20. We're waiting for Microsoft to confirm pricing in the UK and Australia.

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• YouTube is trialling a two-person subscription
• It costs less than two individual subscriptions, and less than a family plan
• It's currently available in France, Taiwan, India and Hong Kong

YouTube is currently piloting a two-person YouTube Premium membership in select countries that allows a two people to split a subscription without going all-in on a family plan.

Much like Spotify Duo, YouTube’s two-person tier allows two people who live together to split a subscription at a cost that’s lower than if both subscribed separately, and also cheaper than a full family plan.

YouTube told TechCrunch that it’s part of the company’s experiments looking into “new ways to provide greater flexibility and value to our YouTube Premium subscribers.”

For example, in France, one of the test countries, an individual plan costs €12.99 per month and a family plan is €23.99, while a two-person plan is €19.99.

(Image credit: YouTube)

Based on these prices we’d expect a US-based duo plan to cost perhaps $18.99 (so maybe £16.99 or AU$26.99), though we’ll have to see if YouTube deems the test a success or not.

If you want to try this two-person subscription sooner rather than later you’ll need to live in India, France, Taiwan or Hong Kong.

Otherwise you’ll want to consider splitting a family plan or opting for another of YouTube’s cost-cutting experiments, YouTube Lite. That plan just rolled out in the US and it costs $7.99 per month – compared to $13.99 per month for a full plan.

It allows you to watch "most" videos ad-free but doesn’t include ad-free music videos, YouTube Music access, or offline background play. So it’s ideal if you want YouTube Premium but already have access to a music streaming service.

YouTube Premium still feels pricey (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Duo sounds perfect for me and my partner, as while we use a fair few streaming services, the one we both rely on most is YouTube.

I had thought about snagging a Premium plan for a while, but an individual account each is way too much, and a family plan feels like overkill. But I’m still not sure I’m ready to pay for YouTube.

While the ads have gotten worse, they are (generally) far from unbearable in my experience, and certainly not so bad that I’d consider jumping from paying nothing to paying $13.99 / £12.99 / AU$16.99 a month – or even splitting a duo plan.

The biggest advantage would be offline video, but I can only see that being essential when I’m on a flight – which has been a few times so far this year, but not enough to warrant paying every month.

To that end I’m waiting for something truly essential from YouTube Premium that elevates the experience above simply being ad-free. As tempting as duo plan is, it’s not yet enough to seal the deal for me.

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• Operators of the Rhysida ransomware add Peruvian government to their data leak site
• Hackers claim to have stolen sensitive files and are demanding five bitcoin
• The government says it hasn't been targeted and that it operates normally

Infamous hacking group Rhysida has claimed it breached the digital platform of the Peruvian government, but the South American country denies any ransomware incidents.

The cybercriminals added the Peruvian government to their data leak site, including some documents allegedly stolen from the gob.pe portal, noting they also demanded a five bitcoin ransom, which equals roughly $471,000.

This prompted Peru’s Ministry of Government and Digital Transformation to publish a statement and deny any hostile takeover of its digital assets.

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Tax admin was struck

“The Single Digital Platform of the Peruvian State, www.gob.pe, has not been compromised or breached. All its services remain operational and functioning normally,” the government said in a statement published on Facebook.

“The posts circulating on social media suggesting a supposed hijacking of the domain www.gob.pe are inaccurate,” it stressed, but added that an attack has, indeed, taken place recently.

“The incident in question is related to a service associated with the domain www.satp.gob.pe, which is not administered by the PCM (Presidency of the Council of Ministers) or the Secretariat of Government and Digital Transformation.”

This, according to The Record, is the tax administration website of regional capital Piura.

This government entity also released a statement, confirming a cyberattack in late March 2025. It disrupted its operations briefly, but they were restored within 48 hours. Allegedly, no files were stolen in this attack.

“As soon as we became aware of the possible security event, the National Center for Digital Security (CNSD) immediately activated preventive alerts to mitigate any potential risk,” the notice continues.

“Currently, investigation and analysis efforts are being carried out in coordination with relevant entities, both nationally and internationally. Additionally, direct collaboration is underway with the institution allegedly affected to clarify the facts and determine the extent of the incident.”

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• 4K HDR streaming appears "washed out" on some Roku TVs
• HD and SDR content seems to be fine
• The culprit may be the latest firmware update

If you're a Roku TV owner and you think your 4K HDR streaming doesn't look right, it could be a software fault. Since the latest software update there have been multiple reports of "washed-out" HDR across multiple streaming services.

The first reports, shared on the Roku issue tracking board and reported by The Verge, were about problems with the video while streaming from Disney Plus on TCL TVs. But more reports have since emerged of video issues with Prime Video, YouTube TV, Netflix, Apple TV Plus and others, and on Hisense Roku TVs, too.

The good news is that it's clearly a software issue: some users reporting problems also say that their Blu-Ray players are working just fine, and others say there are no issues with non-4K HDR. So the TVs themselves appear to be okay.

What's wrong with Roku's streaming?

This photo shows how lush greens and brown buildings all appear to be washed with grey on an affected Roku TV. (Image credit: Squinky / Roku Community)

The common denominator appears to be the Roku software version 14.5, with streaming services suffering from what The Verge describes as "desaturated, almost black-and-white images" with HDR enabled. Some other users are finding their streaming video is overly bright.

It does look like there is an issue that kicks in when the video starts to stream: this post on the Roku Community pages shows the dramatic difference between affected and unaffected TVs, and replies from other affected users say that everything's fine with the app's menus and static images. It's only once you start watching the actual movie or show that the problems occur.

Roku is aware of the reports, although at the time of writing it apparently hasn't responded to press requests for comment. We've asked Roku directly and will update this story when we hear back.

This seems to be yet another example of automatic updates apparently introducing problems to people's A/V kit: just a few weeks ago Samsung owners found their expensive soundbars were being bricked by a firmware update.

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• A new Onlooker Detection feature is apparently coming to Windows 11
• This works with a presence sensor on a laptop to warn you if someone is sneaking a peek at your screen – plus it can also dim the display
• We don’t have concrete evidence of the feature yet, so don’t get too excited

Windows 11 is apparently going to be graced with a new capability as part of its Presence Sensing feature, with the system warning you if someone is sneaking a look at your screen.

PhantomOfEarth, a regular leaker of Windows info on X, flagged up the potential new feature, which is called ‘Onlooker Detection’. As they explain, it offers you a couple of options for actions you can take.

New Presence Sensing feature coming soon to Windows 11: Onlooker Detection. When your device notices that someone else is looking at your screen, it can dim the screen, notify you that someone's looking, or both.May 2, 2025

When a nosy onlooker is detected, Windows 11 can either dim your screen to make it difficult for the person who’s looking over your shoulder to make out the content, or it can warn you of what’s going on. Or the OS can do both, and flag the onlooker as well as dimming the screen.

However, you’ll need the necessary hardware on board your laptop to use Presence Sensing, namely the requisite presence sensor (unsurprisingly – or multiple modules as there may be more than one). The technical name for this is HPD or Human Presence Detection hardware, and it’s a feature facilitated by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips – in conjunction with said sensor – as well as AMD and Intel chips.

If you’re unsure whether your notebook has a presence sensor or not, you need to look in the Settings app, under System > Power & battery, and see if the relevant options are there as detailed in this Microsoft support document.

Elsewhere in the world of Windows 11 development, new Dev and Beta channel builds have arrived. In those preview versions – which have essentially the same features – Microsoft is trying some fine-tuning of the interface for Recall which consists of repositioning some banks of icons. (This is the AI-supercharged search function that’s only for Copilot+ PCs).

Those builds have also seen the addition of a bolder way to highlight apps on the taskbar that are requesting your attention (or are in a ‘needy state’), with a wider, more visible line under the app icon to make it clearer.

Some tweaks have been made to HDR options within Windows 11, as well, which includes a choice to allow for HDR to be used when streaming a video even if the system-wide switch for HDR is turned off. That’s a neat touch, too.

(Image credit: Unsplash / Windows) Analysis: A top-notch feature for when you’re out and about – if it happens

Currently the presence sensor is used to offer the ability to automatically turn off your screen when you leave the PC, and wake your device when you return (using Windows Hello sign-in to make everything seamless and secure).

A new function to detect anyone sneakily stealing a glance, or indeed a longer, more invasive look, at the contents of your screen would be an excellent addition on the privacy front. Whenever you’re working on your laptop on public transport or in a cafe, there’s always a feeling someone might be peeking over your shoulder.

The catch here is that we don’t have any concrete evidence of this feature yet. Presumably, PhantomOfEarth dug up references to Onlooker Detection in recent preview builds of Windows 11, but the leaker doesn’t explicitly say so. The alternative is that they heard from a source at Microsoft that this feature is in the pipeline, but whatever the case, this is far from certain.

We'll need to see the feature officially in testing before we start to get excited about its arrival. Hopefully, it won’t be long before that happens, so keep those digits firmly crossed.

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• A new Material 3 Expressive redesign is coming for Android
• Google has leaked some of the updates ahead of time
• We can expect an official unveiling at Google I/O later this month

Android is getting a fresh coat of paint in the very near future, and the team at Google is apparently so excited about the visual overhaul that it's accidentally leaked the changes ahead of time, giving us all a sneak preview of what's coming.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the now-deleted blog post outlining the upcoming "Material 3 Expressive" changes talks about it being "the most-researched update to Google's design system" ever applied to the software.

Google says the new look "makes you feel something", inspiring emotion, communicating function, and helping you achieve your goals – even if those goals are just making sure your phone alarm wakes you up on time, or you can connect to the office Wi-Fi quickly.

Colors and shapes have been revamped, with key actions and navigation options now better highlighted. There are more floating elements, and more curves, and this new leak builds on some of the details that we saw at the start of the month.

Android for the people

An early look at some of the visual changes (Image credit: 9to5Google / Google)

Google is keen to emphasize that a lot of research has gone into Android's new look, with engagement stats backing up the changes and showing how they improve usability and user satisfaction – proving that they "connect with people on an emotional level".

A floating toolbar that pops up in certain scenarios is one of the tweaks we can look forward to, while Google has also done work to improve consistency, and to make sure related items are better grouped together on screen.

It looks set to be the biggest design overhaul for Android since Material Design was introduced more than a decade ago, though of course phone manufacturers such as Samsung and Nothing will have their own spin on this new approach.

You can see some of the visual refreshes over on 9to5Google, while Google's own blog post has been preserved on the Wayback Machine. This will be made official very soon, once the Google I/O 2025 showcase gets underway on Tuesday, May 20.

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• The Ninja Luxe Café Pro is an new version of Ninja's popular coffee maker
• It has a lever-operated tamper to apply even pressure and prevent mess
• It's considerably more expensive than the original Ninja Luxe Café

Ninja has launched a new version of its best coffee maker, the Ninja Luxe Café, with a lever-operated tamping system that takes the guesswork out of creating a perfectly compressed puck of espresso.

The Ninja Luxe Café is one of the best espresso machines we've tested, and our reviewer awarded it four and a half stars out of five thanks to its smart design, guided weight-based dosing system, handy suggested grind sizes, and very reasonable price.

The new Ninja Luxe Café Pro goes one step further, taking the guesswork and mess out of tamping your coffee as well. With the new machine, there's no need to move a portafilter full of loose grounds and risk spilling them all over your work surface.

Instead, you leave it in place under the grinder and pull down a manual lever to compress it into a perfect puck.

(Image credit: SharkNinja) Pro features, pro price

This extra feature does increase the price quite considerably though; the Ninja Luxe Café Pro has a list price of $699.99 / £699.99 (about AU$1,100) compared to $549.99 / £549.99 (about AU$850) for the original model without the tamping lever.

That's a relatively high price, even for one of the best coffee makers, but the Ninja Luxe Café doesn't just brew espresso. It's a multi-functional machine that can also prepare tasty filter coffee, plus refreshing cold brew in a fraction of the time it would take to infuse the traditional way.

At the time of writing, the Ninja Luxe Café pro is available direct from Ninja in the US, but is out of stock in the UK.

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• Apple has improved transfer speeds when switching from Android to iOS
• The speed boost affects wired connections, not those over Wi-Fi
• The update might placate users who have faced long transfer times

If there’s one thing Apple would love more than anything, it’s for users of the best Android phones to switch to iOS. But Apple isn’t just crossing its fingers and relying on wishful thinking – it has a dedicated Move to iOS app for Android users to swiftly transfer their data to a new phone. And it’s just made a major change that could make the process a whole lot easier.

That alteration affects data transfer speeds, which have now been made faster if you’re using a USB-C to USB-C cable or one that runs from USB-C to Lightning. That should help ensure switchers can get up and running faster than ever, without needing to hang around to be able to use their new device.

Apple didn’t specify how much faster these transfer speeds will now be on the Move to iOS app’s download page. Yet the fact that Apple decided to point this change out in the app’s release notes suggests that it’s not merely a minor speed boost.

Browse through the app’s reviews on the Google Play Store and you’ll see that data transfer speed has been a serious issue for numerous users. People have complained about the process taking hours and even timing out if it takes too long, so any improvement to transfer times should be welcomed.

Swifter setups

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Mr.Mikla)

This is not the only change that has come to the latest Move to iOS app update. The release notes also explain that “iOS tips are now displayed during migration,” while “call history and Dual SIM labels are now migrated” as well.

Elsewhere, your Android voice recordings will be automatically added to either the Voice Memos or Files apps on iOS (depending on their format), and there’s expanded support for languages such as Bangla, Gujarati, Kannada, and more.

Finally, while Apple has improved the data transfer speeds for wired connections, it has also added the ability to connect an Android and iOS device over Wi-Fi or a personal hotspot. While transfers using those methods won’t be as fast as over a wired connection, you now have a few more options.

So, if you’re about to make the switch from Android to iOS, you shouldn’t have to wait around as long for your new phone to be set up. That sounds like good news whichever way you look at it.

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• Ticket To Cash, a ticket reselling website, kept an open database
• It held more than 500,000 customer records
• Among the records were partial credit card data, names, and more

Ticket reselling platform Ticket To Cash kept an unprotected database online, exposing sensitive information on hundreds of thousands of customers, experts have warned.

The database was discovered by cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler, who managed to get in touch with the company and get the database locked down, sharing the details withVPNMentor.

Ticket To Cash is a resale service site, using a network of thousands of partner resale sites to help users sell their concert, sports, and other tickets quickly.

Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month

​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data.

It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.

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Partial credit card data

According to Fowler, it kept a non-password-protected, non-encrypted database with 520,054 records, totaling 200 GB in size.

The name of the database indicated that it contained customer inventory files in PDF, JPG, PNG, and JSON formats, Fowler explained.

We don’t know how many of these documents belonged to a single person, therefore it’s difficult to determine how many people are affected. We can assume that it’s no more than 520,000.

A “limited sampling” of the exposed documents determined that the database held “thousands” of concert and live event tickets, proof of ticket transfers, user-submitted screenshots of receipts, and other sensitive files.

Some of the documents even contained parts of people’s credit cards, as well as full names, email addresses, and postal addresses.

This type of information is crucial for cybercriminals, as it allows them to engage in targeted phishing, identity theft, and possibly even wire fraud.

Since Fowler did not say when the database was generated, if you’ve ever used Ticket To Cash before, you should keep a close eye on your banking statements and watch for potentially suspicious transactions.

Fowler said he reached out to Ticket To Cash, but it seems the company never responded. It did, after the second attempt, lock the database down. We don’t know for how long it remained open, or if any threat actors accessed it in the meantime.

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• UNA Watch is a new sustainable smartwatch
• The Edinburgh-based company just closed its Kickstarter campaign
• More than 1,200 people have backed its first watch to the tune of $330,000, including a host of potential developers

Sustainable wearable outfit UNA Watch has secured more than $330,000 in funding from its Kickstarter campaign in just over four weeks, ahead of the planned launch of its first watch.

As we've previously reported, UNA Watch is a sustainable wearable with a unique, modular design, and features GPS, health monitoring, and 10-day battery life.

The USP? It can be put together like Lego, and its modular design means it's both repairable and upgradeable in a way that owners of the best Apple Watch models can only dream of.

Edinburgh-based UNA Watch has now closed its Kickstarter, having garnered support from 1,249 backers and raised a cool £251,276 (about $335,000).

Developers flock to UNA Watch

(Image credit: UNA)

As well as proving popular with smartwatch fans, the UNA Watch has also generated excitement among developers, who are flocking to be first in line to buy one. UNA Watch offers both a Software Development Kit (SDK) and a Hardware Development Kit (HDK), which will let developers code their own apps and create new sensors and hardware modules.

It's a similar open-source approach to the one that made Pebble popular back in the day, and UNA has confirmed to TechRadar that one in six backers has bought the company's Development tool, suggesting that a high percentage of backers are developers.

UNA is targeting an estimated delivery date of August 2025 for its first Kickstarter packages.

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• Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida knew the cost of games would increase "sooner or later"
• Yoshida says inflation and production costs are the cause, so more expensive games were inevitable
• He doesn't know if Rockstar Games would increase the price of Grand Theft Auto 6, but thinks "a balance must be found between production costs and game prices"

Former Sony Interactive Entertainment executive Shuhei Yoshida has said that the recent rise in the cost of games "was going to happen sooner or later" due to inflation and production costs.

In a new interview with PlayStation Inside, Yoshida was asked about the increase in game prices, specifically regarding Nintendo Switch 2 games, like Mario Kart World, which will now cost upwards of $80, and if he thinks this will affect other studios and publishers.

The ex-PlayStation boss explained that he predicted the rise in prices would happen eventually, mainly due to inflation and the cost of resources, but didn't think Nintendo would be the one to kick it off.

"I think it was going to happen sooner or later, maybe not from Nintendo, but it was going to happen eventually," said Yoshida. "We live in contrasting times, where inflation is real and significant, but people expect games that are ever more ambitious and therefore expensive to develop to cost the same. It’s an impossible equation. Everything in video games today is more advanced and more technologically demanding than ever before, and therefore requires more resources.

"Each publisher or manufacturer sets the price of its games, of course, but in the end the heart of the matter lies in production costs. And that’s why industry actors are so keen to diversify their revenues, in order to continue producing the AAA games that the public buys before anything else."

Just last week, Microsoft raised the prices of its Xbox consoles and accessories, with some first-party games expected to release at $80 later this year. Elsewhere, Sony recently upped the prices of its PS5 consoles.

Although there is a very obvious shift happening within the industry, Yoshida doesn't know if studios like Rockstar Games would consider setting the price of Grand Theft Auto 6 higher, but that "a balance must be found between production costs and game prices".

"So I don’t know if Rockstar will jump at the chance to set the price of GTA 6 at 90 euros or more, to speak with your currency, but the situation is this. And we could even add subscription platforms and games as a service, which, while providing huge revenues in their own right, also help to finance AAA down the line.

"In any case, a balance must be found between production costs and game prices. GTA 6 will obviously be a case in point, but if you take the example of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the game is just as phenomenal visually, despite the fact that the team only has around thirty people. This is one of the ways forward, I think, because you can make excellent games with tighter teams and budgets without compromising quality."

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• The foldable iPhone will reportedly have a smaller crease than other foldable phones
• It's also said to have a higher-quality hinge, likely leading to improved durability
• And it could launch as part of the iPhone 18 series

Apple is entering the foldable phone market very late in the day, as while Samsung is expected to launch the seventh generation of its Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip models this year, Apple’s first foldable probably won’t land until 2026. But when it does, it could come with some key advantages.

According to Bloomberg's resident Apple expert Mark Gurman (via GSMArena), the foldable iPhone will have two major advantages over other foldable phones, with the first of these being a “nearly invisible” crease in the foldable screen.

While Samsung and other foldable phone makers have been gradually decreasing the prominence of the crease in their phones – which appears where the display folds in the middle – they still haven’t eradicated it entirely, and it sounds like the foldable iPhone may come close to doing so.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 has a visible crease (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) A tough hinge for the top iPhone 18 model

Secondly, Gurman claims that the foldable iPhone will have a "much higher-quality hinge" than current foldables. He doesn’t expand on that tip, but we’ve previously heard that the phone's hinge might use liquid metal, which could improve durability and help reduce the size of the crease.

We’re not sure how much of a selling point a more durable hinge will really be, though it certainly sounds desirable. But a foldable phone with little to no crease in the display is likely to prove popular, especially one with Apple branding.

What's more, the foldable iPhone could be positioned as the highest-end iPhone, rather than as part of a separate smartphone series with "a niche alternative design," according to Gurman.

That sounds reminiscent of how Apple has now positioned its mid-range models as part of the main line; it recently ditched the ‘SE’ branding and instead released an iPhone 16e. So, if the foldable iPhone does land next year, it may well include ‘iPhone 18’ in its name.

We still probably have over a year to wait, though, so while Gurman has a great track record for Apple information, we’d still take all of this with a pinch of salt.

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A new era of AI is emerging and it’s more autonomous than ever before. Agentic AI is set to transform the way people interact with technology, marking a paradigm shift in artificial intelligence.

Unlike generative AI (GenAI), agentic AI is proactive, and can solve complex problems and make decisions autonomously without human oversight. While these capabilities will prove hugely beneficial for enterprises, it is highly likely that ransomware groups will also look to exploit agentic AI to execute more effective attacks with much greater efficiency, at scale.

Security professionals should take note because today’s emerging agentic AI models are set to revolutionize cybercriminal tactics and supercharge the ransomware exploits of bad actors. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how security teams should prepare for the floodgate of possibilities on the horizon.

Agentic AI – what’s different?

Back in 2022, the release of ChatGPT ignited concerns among security experts who postulated that threat actors could leverage generative AI to do bad things. Fortunately, these predictions about an AI security apocalypse proved unfounded. Instead, cybercriminals used gen AI tools to streamline tasks such as generating and debugging malware code and industrializing the creation of sophisticated phishing content.

It turned out that while gen AI’s coding and scripting abilities boosted some aspects of their activities, it offered cyber-attackers limited incremental capabilities when it came to how they undertook some key malicious tasks. However, the emergence of agentic AI in late 2024 marks a whole new era in AI development and potentially changes the rules of the game where ransomware is concerned.

Designed to autonomously make decisions, problem solve, and act dynamically in real-time, agentic AI systems are capable of independently pursuing complex goals with limited human supervision. Context-aware, dynamic, and highly adaptable to changing environments and events, agentic AI does not rely on human guidance to determine which potential actions to take. It goes ahead and acts.

These new incremental abilities have the potential to transform how ransomware gangs overcome the technical and operational bottlenecks that, until now, have restricted their ability to launch successful attacks at scale.

The current state of play: how ransomware gangs operate

To reduce their workloads, today’s cyber threat actors will use specialist independent Initial Access Brokers (IABs) to find targets and secure a foothold in target networks. Having outsourced infiltration and paid an IAB for this access, they are able to focus on the task of identifying which assets to encrypt and the best way to deliver the malware payload and conduct the extortion.

This is not as straightforward as it sounds. It requires a lot of skill and manpower to move laterally around the network, determine the best way to pivot and get from A to B, and identify where the organization's most valuable data is located - all without being detected.

Today, this is a highly manual process that is difficult for humans to do reliably and efficiently. Indeed, many ransomware attacks are abandoned mid execution either due to human errors or mistakes that trigger antivirus software or data detection and response tools, or because it is simply too challenging to identify a potential payload trove of high value data.

The emergence of agentic AI, however, closes the skills gap for threat actors. As well as making it easier to evade detection and launch attacks, it could also scale up the number and speed at which these attacks are executed.

Making life easier for ransomware groups

In the not too distant future, ransomware groups could be using agentic AI to boost up their ‘manpower’ and handle all the heavy lifting around identifying which assets to target and the best way to compromise these.

Whether it is identifying exploitation paths of least resistance, finding ways to circumvent firewalls and EDR tools, researching and validating what data is located where, or determining which data presents the most promising target, these agents could decide the optimal point at which to execute the attack.

In other words, agentic AI will be able to determine a target and figure out the most effective and efficient way to compromise it. Plus, it will automate every aspect of the attack execution process, independently handling all fetching and enumeration tasks as it navigates its way through the network and covers its tracks as it goes.

In addition to lowering the skills and resource bar for threat actors, agentic AI reduces the time it takes to plan and execute a highly sophisticated attack to a matter of minutes - all of which will make it difficult for security professionals to detect and shut down threats. Ransomware gangs using agentic AI will also be able to improve the effectiveness of their attacks, and will acquire the automated resources they need to conduct multiple attacks in parallel.

In summary, AI agents will make ransomware operations faster and more reliable. Requiring little or no human input, agentic AI can work in a predictable and highly efficient manner and tell ransomware gangs exactly where to focus and what to focus on.

Looking ahead: evaluating the impact

Cybercriminals have proven adept at leveraging GenAI to streamline certain aspects of the ransomware attack cycle and improve their productivity in these areas. In recent years the number of ransomware gangs using AI to hone the production of malware has grown significantly. The emergence of AI agents that can reason, plan and act autonomously is set to make ransomware attacks more scalable, more effective, and more efficient to undertake, with attack cycles reducing from weeks to near real-time.

While agentic AI promises to automate, refine, and power up how ransomware gangs compromise targets on an industrial scale, security experts also predict that autonomous AI agents are set to become a critical defense tool for cyber security teams. By delegating intrusion detection and network monitoring and analysis tasks to agentic AI, security teams can up their game when it comes to detecting and shutting down cyber threats. It should also be possible to use AI agents to simulate assets that will tempt and misdirect hackers into connecting their malware and generating an intrusion alert.

In terms of timelines, agentic AI is still under development and we are unlikely to see it being widely leveraged by ransomware gangs for a few years yet. This gives cyber security defenders ample opportunity to get one step ahead and develop the agentic AI tools and algorithms that will be needed to stop them.

Making proactive preparations

While organizations don’t need to worry about the immediate impacts from agentic AI right now, they should keep a finger on the pulse when it comes to its ongoing development and use. For security teams, keeping up with this fast evolving threat landscape depends on finding ways to integrate AI agents into their own defense techniques.

One thing is for sure: where agentic AI is concerned the race is on. It remains to be seen who will get there first – attack or defense.

We've compiled a list of the best online cybersecurity courses.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• B&O A1 3rd Gen promises more bass in the same design
• Up to 24 hours of battery life, and pairing with other A1 models
• $349 / £299 is a price hike over the previous model

Bang & Olufsen has announced the Beosound A1 3rd Gen, which is the new version of B&O's mid-tier portable Bluetooth speaker. The new model promises more powerful sound, a few new features, and longer battery life, and comes at a higher price than its predecessor, even before you take discounts on the old model into account.

I've been a fan of the B&O A1 2nd Gen since its release in 2020 – it's the Bluetooth speaker I use at home, and I love it for its stylish aluminum design, more full sound than other mid-size Bluetooth speakers, and generous battery life that means it's always ready to go even if it's been forgotten for a season.

According to B&O, the A1 3rd Gen has "the largest woofer in its class", meaning more powerful and "deeper" bass output (with a claimed bass SPL of 64dB, which is 2dB higher than the 2nd Gen). This sounds great to me, assuming it's well-balanced with the mids and treble – as I mentioned above, the real trick of the B&O A1 2nd Gen is that it managed a broader and more well-rounded sound than similar offerings from JBL and Sonos.

The battery life has increased from 18 hours to 24 hours, which is really great for any of the best Bluetooth speakers, let alone a smaller option – even the five-star JBL Flip 7 is limited to 16 hours max with its battery extension feature active.

(Image credit: Bang & Olufsen)

Upgrades other than these are more subtle, though. The wireless connection is Bluetooth 5.1, which seems a little behind the times – so many new Bluetooth speakers today are arriving with newer versions that include Auracast support for audio sharing across multiple speakers.

B&O hasn't gone for that kind of option, but it can be used in a stereo pair with either another A1 3rd Gen, or an A1 2nd Gen (I obviously have my eye on that feature…).

The Alexa voice assistant support of the 2nd Gen seems to have been dropped, but there is still a mic – you can use it as a speakerphone. You have Microsoft Swift Pair and Google Fast Pair for easily connecting to those devices.

(Image credit: Bang & Olufsen)

The design looks largely unchanged from the previous model, which is alright by me – I really like the 'button' shape, and the clean metal finish. It's not quite as pocketable as the JBL Flip 7, but it's fairly thin and can slip into a bag easily enough anyway.

As before, it comes with a strap attached and is IP67 rated, so it can stand up to a light dunking in water or roaming among the sand like the best waterproof speakers.

B&O says this is also the first ever Bluetooth speaker to be "Cradle to Cradle Certified (Bronze Level)", meaning that it's made with sustainable practices in mind, and has modularity in the design that makes it repairable in the future – including a battery that can be replaced in a B&O service center.

There are three colors: Natural Aluminium, Honey Tone, and Eucalyptus Green. I don't like the latter as much as the beautiful Forest Green finish B&O used on the A1 2nd Gen and the B&O Explore – which is maybe my favorite finish on any tech product ever – but it's still very nice, as is the Honey Tone.

The stumbling block here is really the price. At $349 / £299, it's more expensive than the $299 / £259 official price of the A1 2nd Gen – but that model also regularly falls to around £180/$200, and it's only at the cheaper price that I generally recommend people buy it.

At twice the price of the JBL Flip 7, it's going to have to work hard to feel worth it. But hey, the last version managed it for me.

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• Preformatted in exFAT for instant plug-and-play across phones, consoles, and laptops

Addlink has launched its latest entry into the high-speed storage market: the P30 USB 4.0 Super-Speed Magnetic SSD.

TechPowerUp reports this device supports the latest USB 4.0 standard, delivering sequential read speeds of up to 4000MB/s and write speeds of up to 3600MB/s.

Designed to rival the best portable SSDs, the P30 can transfer a 10GB file in just 2.5 seconds, putting it on par with Thunderbolt 4-class devices and far ahead of traditional external HDDs.

Perfect tool for fast data transfer

Addlink describes the P30 as, “the perfect tool for anyone who needs their data fast, accessible, and secure - wherever life takes them.”

One standout feature is its built-in MagSafe compatibility, allowing users to magnetically attach the SSD directly to an iPhone. This enables hands-free, high-resolution ProRes video capture at 4K 120Hz, ideal for content creators.

The P30 includes a USB Type-C port for broad platform compatibility, including support for gaming consoles, laptops, Android devices, and Linux systems. It comes preformatted in exFAT, enabling immediate use without the need for reformatting.

Weighing about 45 grams and measuring just 64 x 64 x 12 mm - roughly the size of a credit card - the P30 is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, all backed by a 3-year warranty.

It supports operating temperatures from 0°C to 70°C, though actual performance of this fast external SSD may vary depending on host device, interface, and usage conditions.

“The P30 USB 4.0 Super-Speed Magnetic SSD is expertly designed for mobile users, offering seamless support for Apple ProRes recording. With MagSafe compatibility, it effortlessly attaches to your iPhone, providing a convenient, hands-free storage solution,” said Addlink.

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