TechRadar News

From streamlining operations to automating complex processes, AI has revolutionized how organizations approach tasks - however, as the technology becomes more prevalent, organizations are discovering the rush to embrace AI may come with unintended consequences.

A report by Swimlane reveals while AI offers tremendous benefits, its adoption has outpaced many companies' ability to safeguard sensitive data. As businesses deeply integrate AI into their operations, they must also contend with the associated risks, including data breaches, compliance lapses, and security protocol failures.

AI works with Large Language Models (LLMs) which are trained using vast datasets that often include publicly available information. These datasets can consist of text from sources like Wikipedia, GitHub, and various other online platforms, which provide a rich corpus for training the models. This means that if a company’s data is available online, it will likely be used for training LLMs.

Data handling and public LLMs

The study revealed a gap between protocol and practice when sharing data in large public language models (LLMs). Although 70% of organizations claim to have specific protocols to safeguard the sharing of sensitive data with public LLMs, 74% of respondents are aware that individuals within their organizations still input sensitive information into these platforms.

This discrepancy highlights a critical flaw in enforcement and employee compliance with established security measures. Furthermore, there is a constant barrage of AI-related messaging which is wearing down professionals and 76% of respondents agree that the market is currently saturated with AI-related hype.

This overexposure is causing a form of AI fatigue and over half (55%) of those surveyed reported feeling overwhelmed by the persistent focus on AI, signalling that the industry may need to shift its approach to promoting the technology.

Interestingly, despite this fatigue, experience with AI and machine learning (ML) technologies is becoming a crucial factor in hiring decisions. A striking 86% of organizations reported that familiarity with AI plays a significant role in determining the suitability of candidates. This shows how ingrained AI is becoming, not just in cybersecurity tools but in the workforce needed to manage them.

In the cybersecurity sector, AI and LLMs have had a positive impact, as the report claims 89% of organizations credit AI technologies for boosting the efficiency of their cybersecurity teams.

More from TechRadar Pro

• Rise in AI and ML deals are putting businesses at risk
• Cyber resilience in the age of AI
• These are the best internet security suites

A new report from Heimdal has revealed jobseekers across the world are being targeted by scams exploiting individuals looking for work in sectors such as finance, IT, and healthcare.

Based on an analysis of over 2,670 social media posts and comments from victims in 2023 and 2024, the report highlights the common tactics used by scammers, the industries most affected, and the emotional toll these scams take on their victims.

The finance and IT sectors are the most targeted by job scams, with 35.45% and 30.43% of reported cases, respectively, with Healthcare accounting for 15.41% of incidents.

Common tactics and contact methods

These industries, especially those offering remote positions, have become prime targets for fraudsters, the report says, with nearly half (43%) of scam-related posts involved remote jobs, compared to 42% for on-site roles and 15% for hybrid positions.

High-value roles such as managers and entry-level candidates are also heavily targeted as 35% of scams are directed at managers while 34% point towards entry-level job seekers. These roles are particularly attractive to scammers because of the volume of candidates and the appeal of potentially lucrative job offers.

Several tactics are commonly used by scammers to defraud unsuspecting victims, but suspicious contact information is the most frequent red flag, representing 41.1% of cases. Unrealistic salary offers (25.7%) and misleading job descriptions (10.6%) are also used to lure victims.

Email is the most popular method scammers use to reach their targets, responsible for 30.75% of cases, followed by social media (20.19%) and websites (19.79%). The convenience of digital communication platforms has made it easier for scammers to impersonate legitimate companies and deceive job seekers.

The report also outlines several warning signs job seekers should be aware of to avoid falling into scam traps. Requests for upfront payments, cited in 25.08% of cases, are a common tactic used by scammers. Phishing attempts (18.81%) and requests for confidential information (17.49%) also signal potential fraud. Additionally, a lack of an interview process (15.84%) or receiving a job offer without applying (12.21%) are major red flags. Furthermore, poorly written job descriptions, often containing spelling errors or inconsistencies, are another sign of a potential scam. These descriptions, present in 10.56% of the cases, can indicate a lack of professionalism and authenticity.

Beyond the financial damage, job scams leave a lasting emotional toll on victims. The report shows that 35.29% of victims reported distress, 23.53% experienced anxiety, and 9.41% felt anger. Victims often feel ashamed and question their value as candidates, particularly after facing multiple rejections in their job search. Many victims also feel a deep sense of injustice, believing that regulatory bodies and law enforcement are not adequately equipped to protect them. This lack of closure can lead to lingering emotional scars that persist long after the scam.

To avoid falling for job scams, checking the company reviews and verifying company information are crucial steps, with 26.96% and 22.87% of victims citing these as helpful strategies. Also, consulting trusted friends and verifying email domains are recommended to ensure job offers are legitimate.

"It's clear that job platforms are struggling to keep up with the growing number of scammers,” said Valentin Rusu, Lead Machine Learning Engineer at Heimdal Security.

"That's why job seekers must adopt a cybersecurity-first mindset—approach every email and job offer with caution. Verify email domains, check company websites, read reviews, and consult with trusted friends before proceeding. And most importantly, never disclose personal information unless you're absolutely certain of the company's legitimacy.", Rusu added.

More from TechRadar Pro

• This car insurance phishing scam is so basic
• FBI warns about working from home scam
• Windows admins targeted with clever malvertising scam

• Quick Share could come to iOS and macOS soon
• It enables speedy file transfers between devices
• Third-party alternative tools are already available

Quick Share on Android is the equivalent of AirDrop, enabling files to be easily transferred between Android devices, Chromebooks, and Windows – and there are signs that Google is planning to add support for iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

As spotted by the team at Android Authority, a comment left by a Google engineer on code essential to Quick Share mentions iOS and macOS specifically – a comment which would make more sense if an app for these platforms was in the works.

It's not the biggest of hints, but there could be something to it. There's already an official Quick Share for Windows app, so it's not too much of a stretch to imagine Google rolling out additional apps for Apple devices along the same lines.

As yet there's no official word from Google about this, but we'll let you know if that changes. Quick Share was originally called Nearby Share, and having launched out of beta in 2020, is now available on the majority of Android phones and tablets.

It's good to share

Samsung phones now fully support Quick Share too (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

Apple wouldn't build something like this into its own software of course, so it would require iPhone, iPad, and Mac owners to download a separate app for this to work – which might be something of a stumbling block.

However, users with an Android phone who also make use of an iPad or Mac, for example, would most likely be happy to download and install another app if it meant more seamless file sharing between all of their devices.

As pointed out over on 9to5Google, there are already third-party tools available to do the same job. An official option from Google would probably offer a more convenient and seamless experience though (like Google's tools for switching to iOS).

You might remember that earlier this year Google and Samsung combined both of their sharing protocols to improve file transfers between Pixel phones and Galaxy phones – and iPhones could be next on the list.

You might also like

• The latest Android update offers a useful upgrade
• Our favorite Android phones right now
• Android 16 is going to show up earlier than expected

Artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented demand in data centers, as the need for processing vast amounts of data continues to surge.

As tech giants race to expand their infrastructures to accommodate AI workloads, they are faced with the growing challenge of how to sustainably and affordably power these operations - and this has even led companies like Oracle and Microsoft to explore nuclear energy as a potential solution.

Another critical issue is managing the heat generated by powerful AI hardware. Liquid cooling has emerged as a promising way to maintain optimal system performance while handling rising energy demands. In October 2024 alone, several tech firms announced liquid cooled solutions, highlighting a clear industry shift in that direction.

Liquid-cooled SuperClusters

At its recent Lenovo Tech World event, the company showcased its next-gen Neptune liquid cooling solution for servers.

The sixth generation of Neptune, which uses open-loop, direct warm-water cooling, is now being deployed across the company’s partner ecosystem, enabling organizations to build and run accelerated computing for generative AI while reducing data center power consumption by up to 40%, the company says.

At OCP Global Summit 2024, Giga Computing, a subsidiary of Gigabyte, presented a direct liquid cooling (DLC) server designed for Nvidia HGX H200 systems. In addition to the DLC server, Giga also revealed the G593-SD1, which features a dedicated air cooling chamber for the Nvidia H200 Tensor Core GPU, aimed at those data centers not yet ready to fully embrace liquid cooling.

Dell's new Integrated Rack 7000 (IR7000) is a scalable system designed specifically with liquid cooling in mind. It's capable of managing future deployments of up to 480KW, while capturing nearly 100% of the generated heat.

“Today’s data centers can’t keep up with the demands of AI, requiring high-density compute and liquid cooling innovations with modular, flexible and efficient designs,” said Arthur Lewis, president of Dell’s Infrastructure Solutions Group. “These new systems deliver the performance needed for organizations to remain competitive in the fast-evolving AI landscape.”

Supermicro has also revealed liquid-cooled SuperClusters designed for AI workloads, powered by the Nvidia Blackwell platform. Supermicro’s liquid-cooling solutions, supported by the Nvidia GB200 NVL72 platform for exascale computing, have begun sampling to select customers, with full-scale production expected in late Q4.

“We’re driving the future of sustainable AI computing, and our liquid-cooled AI solutions are rapidly being adopted by some of the most ambitious AI infrastructure projects in the world with over 2,000 liquid-cooled racks shipped since June 2024,” said Charles Liang, president and CEO of Supermicro.

The liquid-cooled SuperClusters feature advanced in-rack or in-row coolant distribution units (CDUs) and custom cold plates for housing two Nvidia GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchips in a 1U form factor.

It seems clear that liquid cooling is going to be at the heart of data center operations as workloads continue to grow. This technology will be critical for managing the heat and energy demands of the next generation of AI computing, and I think we're only just starting to see potential impact it will have on efficiency, scalability, and sustainability in the years to come.

More from TechRadar Pro

• How data centers can use liquid above ground to stay cool
• Evolving data center cooling for AI workloads
• The company behind your washing machine now wants to cool data centers

Apple and CD PROJEKT RED dropped a particularly potent surprise on gamers this week, with the surprise announcement that Cyberpunk 2077 will be coming to macOS in 2025. Once a much-hyped game with a disastrous launch that turned public opinion overnight, it has since become a darling among gamers again due to its excellent Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty DLC that transformed it into a brand new experience.

And now macOS is getting the shiny new version of this title next year along with advanced features like path tracing, frame generation, and built-in Spatial Audio. And since it’s launching in 2025, the Cyberpunk 2077 macOS port will be optimized for the M4 chips and the best MacBooks and Macs using them such as the iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro.

While this is an incredibly promising development for Mac owners and Apple gaming as a whole, how will Cyberpunk 2077’s port affect the tech giant’s gaming initiative?

History and current situation of Mac gaming

(Image credit: Apple)

Mac gaming has almost always been in an infamously precarious spot, trapped in a vicious cycle of developers not developing for macOS due to lack of support and Apple not giving developers support and tools due to lack of games built in and ported to macOS. It’s important to note that there have been those like the EVE Online devs who’ve defended Apple, having nothing but good things to say about Apple’s support. However, that was considered a rare exception.

In recent years, Apple has ramped up the support for AAA ports, starting with the Mac version of Resident Evil Village that showcased the power of Mac devices as the game ate framerates and resolution for breakfast. Soon after that, Apple made a deal with famed gaming developer Hideo Kojima, bringing Death Stranding Director’s Cut and any other future Kojima Productions titles to the Mac.

Then there were the recent announcements from Apple regarding a host of brand-new and sometimes even exclusive games coming to macOS including Control, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Zenless Zone Zero, Diablo Immortal, Valheim, Frostpunk 2, and Palworld. All in all, it feels like Apple has taken the points I’ve made about Mac gaming to heart and has been applying them. This is what makes this Cyberpunk 2077 news all the more exciting.

Can Macs run Cyberpunk 2077?

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

The most important question to ask is: are Mac devices capable of running a title as large and as ambitious as Cyberpunk 2077? The answer should be a straightforward ‘yes!’ as this port is being specifically designed for Mac devices running the M4 silicon. And I would personally say that it is but with a few reservations.

In terms of the positives, one of the biggest advantages Mac devices like the Macbook Pro and Mac mini have is that they’ve finally moved away from the 8GB of memory for the base model and doubled it. For titles that have particularly demanding hardware requirements, a certain amount of memory is absolutely necessary, and this new crop of M4-equipped PCs fit the bill.

Speaking of M4 chips, the miraculous M-series that Apple develops is perfect for tackling the most intensive and best PC games on the market. What makes the M-series so excellent is how efficiently these chips run. They’re so efficient, in fact, that most Mac devices don’t even have fans built into the chassis because it’s simply not needed. But are these M4-powered PCs able to handle a game like Cyberpunk 2077 which is not only performance intensive but is not particularly well-optimized? That’s what remains to be seen.

How AAA titles could give Mac devices the edge against PS5 Pro

(Image credit: Future/Sony/PlayStation)

If Mac devices equipped with M4 chips are perfectly able to handle Cyberpunk 2077 — not only performance-wise but graphically — then they could pose a serious threat to another updated console also planned for a November 2024 release: Sony’s PS5 Pro.

Going by the entry-level configuration of the M4 Mac mini as an example, on paper it could match or possibly outperform the PS5 Pro thanks to its specs. Then there’s the pricing, as that same baseline model starts at $599 / £599 / AU$1,199, which is cheaper than the $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199 pricing of the PS5 Pro and even less expensive once you account for additional hardware needing to be purchased for the latter.

We also have the form factor between the two machines. The M4 Mac mini is objectively smaller than the PS5 Pro. While one could make a very reasonable argument that the much bulkier size of the latter makes for better cooling than the former, the efficiency of the M-series bridges the cooling gap considerably. You could also argue that optimizing a game for the PS5 Pro would be easier than for the M4 Mac mini, though Apple has also been improving macOS’s developer toolkit, making it more accessible to port and develop games for the operating system.

Final thoughts

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple seems to have struck gold with netting Cyberpunk 2077 for macOS, as this acquisition could cement Mac gaming as a permanent force to be reckoned with. While the recent launches of M4-powered devices should be able to handle such a performance-heavy game, the ability to so do well enough to attract gamers to these platforms will be the real challenge.

If Apple can rise to the occasion, then it could even have an opportunity to match and even surpass the PS5 Pro, which would nab even more support and a larger market for future Mac devices. The M4 Mac mini in particular would be the perfect PC to challenge Sony’s planned upgrade to its console, thanks to pricing, performance, and size.

Not to mention that developing for the Mac mini would be similar to a gaming console. Thanks to Apple keeping its machines consistent in terms of hardware, developers don’t need to account for unknown spec configurations, leaving more time for game optimization during the development process. In other words, underpowered hardware that’s well-optimized can match the performance of hardware that’s superior spec-wise.

Apple has all the right setup to score some easy points but will it make the shot or miss? That’s the real question, and there's a lot riding on the answer.

You might also like

• How Apple is shaping the future of Mac gaming with advanced chips and developer tools
• I've demoed plenty of games on Apple devices – here's why I believe the future of Mac gaming has never been brighter
• Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to Macs - could the M4 Mac mini be a PS5 Pro killer in 2025?

• Apple has identified an iPhone 14 Plus issue
• It's the first iPhone service program since 2021
• You can check your eligibility online

While we gave it plenty of praise in our iPhone 14 Plus review, the iPhone 14 Plus is apparently susceptible to a certain rear camera flaw, Apple has admitted – and if it's affecting you, you can get your handset repaired free of charge.

It's been three years since we had an iPhone service program (where Apple admits an issue and will sort it out for you), but as 9to5Mac has spotted, there's now officially one for a "rear camera issue" on the iPhone 14 Plus – which Apple still sells online.

The good news is this is only going to apply to a "very small percentage" of iPhone 14 Plus models, according to Apple. Specifically, the problem is having no preview shown on screen when you're using the rear camera on the handset.

iPhone 14 Plus handsets manufactured between April 10, 2023 and April 28, 2024 are the ones that may have the glitch: Apple has provided a serial number checker so you can quickly see whether or not your iPhone is included.

What happens next

The problem is with the rear camera on the iPhone 14 Plus (Image credit: Future)

If you do have an iPhone 14 Plus that's flagged up as problematic via the serial number checker, you can take it into any Apple Store or any Apple Authorized Service Provider to get your phone repaired, free of charge.

Alternatively, you can contact Apple about sending your phone in for repair through the post. Follow this link to find the relevant page on the Apple Support website, which gives you options for scheduling an in-store repair or sending off your handset.

If Apple determines your iPhone 14 Plus is one of the devices affected, and you've already paid to have the issue fixed, you can get a refund (follow this link for that). You can make a claim up to three years after the first purchase of the iPhone.

There are some steps to follow if you're sending your iPhone in to be repaired, whether for this or any other issue. You need to make sure everything is backed up, and turn off the Find My service, as well as removing active cards in Apple Wallet.

You might also like

• Remember the last iPhone service program?
• Apple M1 iMac users are complaining about screen faults
• These are the best iPhones you can buy

Microsoft has made Copilot the name and style of its AI assistant and other AI services for more than a year, but it seems the company might have a rebranding project underway with a transparent origin. In references shared on X from the appprivacy.adml file, it looks like AI-powered features in Windows 11 will be collected under the umbrella name "Windows Intelligence." While positioning AI centrally in the operating system is certainly not a surprise, the name is either a deliberate attempt to leverage Apple’s “Apple Intelligence” branding or the biggest coincidence since Mark Zuckerberg started a company with the same name as Harvard's digital yearbook.

Of course, you can't copyright the term Intelligence, but the possible decision to join Apple's branding choice suggests Microsoft sees it as a way to align the idea of an AI-fueled operating system in the minds of customers. Microsoft has used Windows Intelligence as a term before, but it is usually used for cybersecurity upgrades. Also, to be fair, it's not just a name. Microsoft wants AI, regardless of the name, to be built into everything it offers, including the basics of Windows like Notepad and the whole Microsoft 365 suite. In fact, Windows Intelligence could likely supersede Copilot, turning the AI assistant into a product of Windows Intelligence rather than an independent tool.

Copilot by your side

Taking advantage of Apple's branding is an odd choice for competitors, but it has happened before. In fact, Apple is frequently the target, thanks to its own marketing success. Just think of all the products with "i" as the first letter or "pod" somewhere in the name.

Recent upgrades to Microsoft Copilot make it clear the possible change in branding won't mean the AI companion is being sidelined. The shift from chatbot to a more card-style system, a new Copilot Discover page that adjusts to match your interest based on conversations with the AI, and other updates cement that fact. Plus, features like Click to Do, which uses AI to offer interactive commands on your screen relevant to what you're doing, is a very helpful addition, as is the Recall tool for finding things you were looking at recently on your computer, document, webpage, video, or elsewhere. The future for Windows Intelligence and its users looks bright indeed.

You might also like...

• 5 surprisingly innovative ideas hidden in Apple Intelligence
• Apple Intelligence feels like the HomePod all over again
• Microsoft's AI Copilot makeover lets it see and speak

This week we announced the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 winners, Apple launched a slew of M4 Macs, and Marvel outlined its MCU TV line-up (and boy are we excited).

To catch up on all this and more we've rounded up the top seven tech news stories from the week below, with links to the original articles if you want to find out more.

When you're done catching up why not browse our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to stream weekend (November 1)?

7. TechRadar Choice Awards 2024

(Image credit: Future)

The TechRadar Choice awards returned for 2024, and we've crowned our winners across over 100 categories.

Taking the Reader's Choice award (which is 100% chosen by our readers) was the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, with the Samsung S95D being crowned the best OLED TV, the Apple Watch Series 10 being declared best smart watch, Nvidia winning computing brand of the year, and Balatro winning game of the year.

• Check out the full list of TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 winners

6. TechRadar's Halloween week spooked us

(Image credit: Toho Co / Prime Video)

Halloween fell on a Thursday this year, meaning you’d be forgiven for throwing a party at the beginning of November. We’re encouraging it, in fact, thanks to TechRadar’s Halloween Week. Experts from all across the site have contributed streaming recommendations, recipes, gaming thoughts, AI tips and more, to help you enjoy the spookiest time of year to the fullest.

Don’t worry if you’re not a huge horror fan, because there’s plenty of animation, comedies, or general seasonal content if you’d rather have a more relaxed celebration. Halloween is for everyone and so is our guide, so make sure you check that out over the weekend.

• Read more: Welcome to TechRadar’s Halloween Week 2024

5. Apple Intelligence finally landed with iOS 18.1

(Image credit: Apple)

With iOS 18.1 we finally got our hands on the first wave of Apple Intelligence features including Writing Tools for proofreading and rewriting, Smart Replies to reply to messages quickly, Notification Summaries, Cleaning Photos, and a redesign of Siri. You'll also get these experiences on an iPad or Mac courtesy of iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1, which also began rolling out this week.

Unfortunately, Apple Intelligence tools such as Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT-integration for Siri, and the iPhone 16’s Visual Intelligence won’t arrive until iOS 18.2 later this year.

To use Apple Intelligence on iPhone, you need an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, or 16 Pro Max, and make sure your device is set to US English. On a Mac, you'll need an M-Series chip and on iPad you'll need either the A17 Pro, M1, M2, or M4 chips to get Apple Intelligence (with the same language restriction as iPhone).

• Read more: Apple Intelligence available now in iOS 18.1 – here’s what’s new

4. The Sonos Arc Ultra arrived – and came early for some people

(Image credit: Sonos )

Sonos’ latest high-end soundbar is the Sonos Arc Ultra, and it’s now officially on-sale – but some lucky buyers received it before the street date, and took to the internet to share their experience. And it’s good news for Sonos hopefuls, with one early tester who upgraded from the Arc to Arc Ultra saying “I hoped that the Ultra [would] be better than the Arc but it is significantly better in every regard.”

The star is the bass, driven by an innovative new Sound Motion speaker – it’s way beyond what the previous model is capable of, and actually is beyond what almost any other sub-less soundbar can do. We’re in the middle of testing the Arc Ultra for our review, and can say this part is a big for Sonos, for sure.

People don’t seem to be having any problems with setting it up in the Sonos app either, which is a good sign given what a tough few months the company’s had when it comes to software.

• Read more: Some people got Sonos Arc Ultra early, here's what they think

3. Marvel teased a massive 2025 for the MCU

Every week is a busy week for Marvel, but the past seven days have been particularly packed for the comic book giant – and not just because Agatha All Along’s two-part finale spooked us all on Disney Plus (read more about it in our Agatha All Along ending explained article).

Indeed, whether it was the official announcement that Spider-Man 4 is not only in development, but also has a confirmed release date, or Marvel revealing its full TV line-up for late 2024 and beyond, the Disney subsidiary has got plenty more content to show us over the next 14 months. So much for releasing fewer movies and shows post-Infinity Saga, eh, Marvel?

• Read more: Marvel reveals the first footage for its 2025 TV line-up

2. Apple dropped a trio of M4 Macs

(Image credit: Apple)

It’s been a bumper week for Apple, with a slew of new M4 Mac product reveals that kicked off with the new M4 iMac on Monday. The new iMac has an updated processor, new color options, and a lower starting price than the M3 version – all good things.

The second (and perhaps best) reveal was the new Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro – a powerhouse computer crammed into an absolutely tiny five-by-five-inch chassis. The redesign didn’t just make the Mac mini smaller and faster, it also brought audio and USB-C ports to the front of the chassis, a much-needed addition.

We also saw new versions of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, plus updated Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad peripherals for Mac users. Finally, 16GB is now the standard base configuration for all Mac products – thank heavens – which retroactively includes the M2 and M3 MacBook Air.

• Read more: Apple launches new iMac with M4 chips

1. ChatGPT search went live

(Image credit: OpenAI)

OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot has taken the world by storm, introducing millions of people to AI for the first time, but now it’s striking out beyond its chatbot origins and competing directly with Google in search.

Searching the web in ChatGPT isn’t like using Google. Instead of pages of web links in response to a query, you get a nicely considered series of AI text responses, with the option to click through to a web page if you like.

ChatGPT search is great for asking questions, but it can also deliver answers to local searches like “What is the best pizza restaurant near me?“, and can show results on a map. From our initial testing it looks like ChatGPT search is a very efficient way to search the web.

• Read more: ChatGPT search is now live

I am more excited about the Samsung Galaxy Ring than any other recent new product from a big tech company. Surpassing my interest in the Apple Vision Pro as a product that people will actually find a purpose for, the Galaxy Ring has found a place in my daily routine for one very simple reason: I don’t like wearing a watch all the time.

Samsung is onto something here with a device that fits into its health and wearables ecosystem in a very interesting way. Down to the core, the Galaxy Ring takes the health smarts of the company’s great range of smartwatches and crams them into a tiny ring. There are some health features the Ring can’t provide that the Galaxy Watch can, but it covers the bases; heart rate, body temperature monitoring, sleep and steps. For me, the best feature is its sleep tracking, particularly because it’s much more comfortable to have a ring on my finger in bed instead of a smart watch.

But it’s not a complete device and though it matches the feature set of the Oura Ring 4, it is very distinctively first generation. Though I’m enjoying my time with it (and it’s successfully made me care about my health and fitness) and I agree with TechRadar’s Samsung Galaxy Ring review, we’re talking about what is quite an expensive device without much practical functionality. It’s tempting to say that the reason for its high price and low feature set is because it’s niche by design, but I think there are changes that could be introduced to make it more palatable and ultimately a more attractive device altogether.

Let’s put it down to three points.

Why does it look like this?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Smart devices, inclusive of phones, are largely fashion statements in the right contexts. Of course, some people are more interested in good functionality, but you can’t discount the style points and aesthetics of any product you have to wear. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is, pointedly, a fashionable piece of technology, much more so than any other Samsung device preceding it… So why does it look so basic?

I’m not disputing the style of the ring; the thick shape is necessary for its smart features, and the concave design is a smart way of avoiding scratches, but the black and silver colorways look like plastic. The ring itself is made of titanium and coated in a similar paint to that of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (with comfortable and partially transparent plastics on the inside), but while the Ultra looks especially premium with its epic colors, the Galaxy Ring looks almost cheap in Titanium Black and Titanium Silver.

The Titanium Gold colorway looks fine; it has a lovely polish to it. The Silver and Black look almost like pieces of a Hasbro toy lightsaber. It’s likely a non-issue for many, but we’re talking about a new product that takes strides into the jewelry space. It needs to look the part.

It wasn’t going to take long before we got into this, but the Oura Ring 4, the closest competitor to the Galaxy Ring, looks especially premium. Silver, Black, Gold and Rose Gold colorways are available at the checkout, along with a matte black color dubbed Stealth and a raw-looking Brushed Silver color. The variety is greater, albeit with some options priced higher than others, and they’ve aced the assignment; the Oura Ring 4 looks premium. It looks like jewelry.

Why is it priced like that?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

This criticism applies equally to the Oura Ring 4, and admittedly it goes in tandem with my third criticism that we’ll get into below, but it can’t be skipped over. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is a $399 / £399 / AU$699 device, which positions it on par with (or slightly above) the Galaxy Watch 7 44mm LTE in most markets, above cheaper Watch options, and above the lowest price Oura Ring 4 ($349 / £349 / not available in AU).

Samsung justifies the higher price over this competitor by not having a subscription service, while Oura charges its customers a $5.99 per month bill for all features and health insights in its app (charged in USD in all regions irrespective of local currency), but we can head these pricing strategies off at the pass; the unique form factor and intent of these smart rings allow them to charge a significant amount. Development costs would have also been considerable, and ultimately there’s just not strong competition in this tiny market. If Apple, OnePlus, Oppo and Google got in at the same time, things would likely be a bit different.

For a dedicated user obsessed with health tracking, this device can be justified, but at this price, against accessories like earbuds and smart watches, it’s too niche for a casual user to be this expensive. Perhaps if, as written above, it was somewhat more attractive or had the ability to add engravings or markings it’d be a different story.

Why doesn’t it do much?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

When I’m talking to people about the Samsung Galaxy Ring, they’re obviously immediately interested in what it actually does – and perhaps unsurprisingly, as much as I can gas the Galaxy Ring up, the takeaway they’re typically left with is “not much”.

Make no mistake, Samsung’s health tracking tech is brilliant and it’s had a positive impact on the way I see my own wellbeing; step tracking, sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring are all things the Galaxy Ring is capable of. I have no trouble recommending it as a device that can positively impact your health, but consumers will also likely want to consider the competition.

The Oura Ring 4 has all the same features and health trackers, minus the deep integration with Samsung's Health suite, though it is compatible with iOS – the Galaxy Ring only works with Android devices.

But as far as a casual user goes when it comes to big tech products, health features are expected in tandem with… Normal features.

The Galaxy Ring does have gestures, which are awesome – pinch your thumb and your ring finger, and you’ll stop alarms or trigger the camera to take a shot. At the time of writing, those are the only two gesture options. No answering calls, media controls or integration with any specific apps, just those two things. It doesn’t help that gestures are exclusive to Galaxy smartphone users, and were also a celebrated feature of the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra which launched at the same time as the Galaxy Ring, making it even more of a tough sell for watch owners.

And that’s kind of it! Before the Galaxy Ring launched I joked about being able to use different finger gestures to control my home smart lighting like waving a magic finger, expecting the feature set to be somewhat more fleshed out, but there’s not much going on here. I’m not sure why, but I’ve also picked up an extremely strange habit of checking my ring for the time as if it were a watch – there’s no clock on it, but perhaps a digital readout would be helpful for some. Other features a future iteration could sport include NFC for payments, automatic phone unlocking based on proximity, capacitive buttons for quick functions, and hell, how about an RGB light strip (though perhaps that last one we’ll leave to ASUS with its ROG range).

But this grates so heavily against my other two points; if you cram any more features into this gadget, you risk making it thicker and much less attractive. Any more neat tricks, and you invite price bumps.

So can we hit the right balance?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

I’ve been wearing the Samsung Galaxy Ring every day since I first received it and it’s really complementing my suite of Samsung devices. At the same time, I just wish it did a little more. Samsung knocked it out of the park all throughout 2024 with its newly released gadgets and the Galaxy Ring is definitely the most exciting, but when the Watch already does so many of the same things, why would even a health-minded Samsung user pick it up?

It’s a situation that no doubt many companies encounter when entering a new product category. The Apple Vision Pro for instance received a significant amount of criticism for its limited VR app support, and if the last year of crummy AI hardware has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes a new product isn’t any better than just having an app.

But Samsung’s on the right track with the Galaxy Ring. I’m very much looking forward to what the company has next in store with this device.

You might also like...

• The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the folding phone I wanted from Samsung
• My favorite thing about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 isn’t that it folds
• The Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 could fix a major smart ring flaw according to patent

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 clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #510) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BOARD
• DROP
• PLANK
• SINK
• RANGE
• PANEL
• STUD
• BOAT
• CHANDELIER
• COUNTER
• CABINET
• CRUNCH
• COUNCIL
• MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
• FRIDGE
• HOOP

NYT Connections today (game #510) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Maybe dishwasher too
• Green: Decision makers, collectively
• Blue: Work those abs
• Purple: Body decoration types

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 #510) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SEEN IN A KITCHEN
• GREEN: GROUP OF ADVISORS
• BLUE: CORE EXERCISES
• PURPLE: KINDS OF EARRINGS

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

NYT Connections today (game #510) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #510, are…

• YELLOW: SEEN IN A KITCHEN COUNTER, FRIDGE, RANGE, SINK
• GREEN: GROUP OF ADVISORS BOARD, CABINET, COUNCIL, PANEL
• BLUE: CORE EXERCISES BOAT, CRUNCH, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, PLANK
• PURPLE: KINDS OF EARRINGS CHANDELIER, DROP, HOOP, STUD

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

This was another day where I solved purple relatively early – and it's just as well that I did, as the chance of my completing blue was only slightly above zero. That's because blue was CORE EXERCISES, featuring BOAT, CRUNCH, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER and PLANK, a subject about which I have almost no knowledge and absolutely no interest. I do know what a CRUNCH and a PLANK are, and did consider that one answer might involves those exercises, but had no idea what the other two would be, and even once I saw them I was still none the wiser as to what a BOAT or a MOUNTAIN CLIMBER actually involves.

With the latter I instead initially thought it might go with CHANDELIER as part of a 'things that hang' group, but I was on the wrong track there. Instead, CHANDELIER went with HOOP, DROP and STUD to form the purple KINDS OF EARRINGS group, which I was pleased to solve.

Yellow and green were theoretically easier, as you'd expect them to be, but it took me a while to separate them. I figured that SEEN IN A KITCHEN would be one, but as well as COUNTER, FRIDGE, RANGE, SINK – the eventual answers – I could have included CABINET, so waited until I'd solved a few more before tackling it. My patience paid off and I completed today's Connections with no mistakes (for once).

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 1 November, game #509)

• YELLOW: PROGRESS SLOWLY CRAWL, CREEP, DRAG, INCH
• GREEN: WAYS TO ORDER A BEER BOTTLE, CAN, DRAFT, TAP
• BLUE: CHEESY CORN SNACK UNIT BALL, CURL, DOODLE, PUFF
• PURPLE: ___ EFFECT BUTTERFLY, DOMINO, HALO, PLACEBO

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.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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 #1013) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1013) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #1013) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1013) - 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 #1013) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• F

• P

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1013) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1013, are…

• SWUNG
• FLOOR
• PARER
• CRUST

Today's Quordle is packed with problems in both the daily and sequence varieties. In the main game there lurks PARER – officially the hardest Wordle ever and therefore an obviously difficult Quordle too. With FLOOR – complete with repeated O – also present, this was a difficult game, and one which I only solved on the final guess.

Over in the daily sequence version things were harder still, with CACHE, RATTY and GUPPY all containing repeats. I probably should have played a little more sensibly, admittedly, and I was relieved to scrape home on the final guess there too.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #1013) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1013, are…

• CACHE
• RATTY
• GUPPY
• SNAIL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
• Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
• Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
• Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
• Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO
• Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS
• Quordle #1006, Saturday 26 October: DUCHY, CANNY, BLOCK, SMART
• Quordle #1005, Friday 25 October: PRANK, EXIST, RUDDY, PICKY
• Quordle #1004, Thursday 24 October: DAIRY, RALLY, CURLY, LABEL
• Quordle #1003, Wednesday 23 October: DROSS, ANNEX, GRAVE, BROKE
• Quordle #1002, Tuesday 22 October: ADORE, SMITH, AFOOT, LUCID
• Quordle #1001, Monday 21 October: TREAD, NINTH, GRIEF, UNSET
• Quordle #1000, Sunday 20 October: CORAL, WHOSE, HEIST, SOAPY
• Quordle #999, Saturday 19 October: GUSTY, BROKE, ENJOY, HAZEL
• Quordle #998, Friday 18 October: PUPIL, MOCHA, EGRET, NATAL
• Quordle #997, Thursday 17 October: BUILD, BIRTH, LURCH, SASSY
• Quordle #996, Wednesday 16 October: EERIE, SMIRK, HUNCH, EMBED
• Quordle #995, Tuesday 15 October: UMBRA, BRIEF, GRAVY, TORUS
• Quordle #994, Monday 14 October: ROGUE, STORY, EMCEE, AUNTY
• Quordle #993, Sunday 13 October: UNFIT, NYMPH, THUMB, PUREE

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

NYT Strands today (game #244) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Good on paper

NYT Strands today (game #244) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• LATE
• LAST
• STALE
• STARE
• PUFF
• CLIP

NYT Strands today (game #244) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Stationery cupboard

NYT Strands today (game #244) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 4th row

Last: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #244) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #244, are…

• PRINTER
• SCISSORS
• PENCILS
• STAPLER
• RULER
• SPANGRAM: OFFICESUPPLIES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

As the father of teenage daughters I am well aware of all of the OFFICESUPPLIES in today's Strands. Not because they work in an office, obviously, but because they are at school and seem to get through about 20 RULERs and 50 PENCILS a year, constantly need me to help them use the PRINTER and still seem a little clueless about how to use SCISSORS or a STAPLER. Kids today, eh? Too much time spent in front of a screen, clearly.

My own parental issues aside, this was an easy Strands puzzle to solve. The theme clue provided a good push in the right direction, and when I found PRINTER by accident my course was duly charted. None of the words were had to think of, and only the rather long and complex spangram provided any real challenge.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, 1 November, game #243)

• QUEEN
• KING
• ROOK
• TIMER
• BISHOP
• PAWN
• KNIGHT
• BOARD
• SPANGRAM: CHECKMATE

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

AI has given robots the ability to ‘hear’ and ‘see’ the world to understand human orders and carry out tasks better, but Meta’s AI researchers are now testing ways to let robots mimic the sense of touch, too. The Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) division of Meta has just debuted a set of tools that could make robotic tools able to detect, decipher, and react to what they touch. That could make even the most basic robot arm sensitive enough to handle delicate objects without damaging them and make them useful in more settings.

Meta showcased a combination of new technologies and features that work together to give robots the ability to feel things. Touch-sensing tech Sparsh gives AI a way of identifying things like pressure, texture, and movement without needing a huge database. It’s like an AI version of how you can feel something in the dark and describe how it feels even if you don’t know what you’re touching.

To send information about what the robot is touching to the AI model, Meta teamed with a company called GelSIght to create essentially a robot fingertip called Digit 360. The sensors in Digit 360 are very sensitive, so the AI can not only determine details about what the robot is touching but also apply pressure appropriate to a task involving the object, like lifting or rotating it.

For the rest of the robotic hand (or equivalent device, Meta created a system called Plexus with Wonik Robotics to spread multiple touch sensors across the device. Meta claims Plexus can mimic the human sense of touch enough for fragile or awkward objects. You can see below how the three technologies work together in a robotic hand.

(Image credit: Meta) Sensitive AI

"The human hand is marvelous at signaling to the brain touch information across the skin from fingertips to palm. This enables actuating the muscles in the hand when making decisions, for instance about how to type on a keyboard or interact with an object that’s too hot," Meta explained in a blog post. "Achieving embodied AI requires similar coordination between the tactile sensing and motor actuation on a robot hand."

There are many ways robot hands that can ‘feel’ linked to AI capable of interpreting those sensations could be useful. Imagine robotic surgical assistants able to feel minute changes in the body and respond faster, with exact yet gentle movements matching or beating human responses. The same goes for manufacturing delicate devices without breaking them and perhaps coordinating better among multiple robotic hands the way humans do with their pair. It could even make virtual experiences feel more real for humans, with the understanding of what objects and environments should feel like used to inform their virtual counterparts.

Using AI to mimic the sense of touch for robots isn't the only human experience that AI is mimicking for machines. Researchers at Penn State have recently showcased how AI models linked to an electronic tongue can simulate a sense of taste good enough to spot tiny differences in flavor. Meanwhile, a company called Osmo has taught AI models how to emulate a sense of smell that's far better than a human's. The company demonstrated how its AI can analyze a scent precisely enough to even recreate it from scratch by picking out and combining chemicals without human intervention

You might also like

• You could start smelling the roses from far away using AI
• AI tastebuds are better at identifying what's in food than you
• Meta AI's latest feature can show you in a fantasy world – if you feed it your face

The AI-powered search game is heating up, with OpenAI adding search capabilities to ChatGPT just yesterday, and Perplexity launching a macOS desktop app a week ago. Perplexity could be considered a leader in AI-powered search right now, and now Mac users can quickly use Perplexity’s advanced search engine right from their desktop without having to access it through a web browser.

If you’re not familiar with Perplexity, it’s a conversational search engine that launched the same year as ChatGPT. It allows you to ask questions and make queries using natural language (like how we communicate with each other in real life). Similar to ChatGPT, there are two tiers for users – a free ‘Standard’ tier which allows you to make unlimited ‘Quick’ searches, ideal for those seeking quick, basic answers produced by the Standard Perplexity AI Model (plus five free Pro tier searches a day), and the ‘Pro’ tier which includes Quick searches as well as 600 Pro searches a day.

It’s these Pro searches that are recommended for more complex and lengthy queries, allowing you to choose from several different AI models and tools, including OpenAI’s GPT-4o and Athropic’s Claude-3. It also includes the ability to analyze files like PDFs, spreadsheets, and images using AI tools. You can subscribe to Perplexity Pro for $20 a month or $200 annually.

What makes Perplexity on macOS so good?

Now, the macOS app brings these kinds of key Perplexity features straight to your desktop, allowing you to make Pro searches by typing or using your voice. Then, Perplexity will return real-time answers, powered by advanced AI models, which come with cited sources - so you can check the veracity of Perplexity’s answers for yourself.

The app also brings a new threaded conversation capability, letting you ask follow-up questions about your initial query without Perplexity losing the context of the original question, allowing for a more naturalistic back-and-forth. It also has a library feature that saves past searches and discoveries, along with the ability to create custom shortcuts to quickly access your favorite features.

Perplexity's new app could be the key to unlocking a better form of internet searches on your Mac. (Image credit: Shutterstock / Alex Ost)

Before you consider subscribing, I would recommend you try Perplexity for free first - either in your browser or by downloading the app for macOS, available from the Mac App Store now.

It’s interesting to watch the number of AI-powered conversational search products expand, and I’ve seen discussions around ChatGPT’s new search features on sites like Reddit arguing that this could (or perhaps, should) light a fire under companies like Google to stay competitive. If you’re a ChatGPT Plus user, Team user, or signed up to the SearchGPT waitlist, you should see ChatGPT offer you the option to search the web for answers. Enterprise and Education users will get access to this in the next few weeks, and it will become available to all free users in the next few months.

You can already get the ChatGPT desktop app for both macOS and Windows 11, and I assume its search capabilities extend to the app (or at least, they will soon).

I think it’s hard to call if Perplexity or ChatGPT will end up ahead when it comes to conversational search. ChatGPT has more recognition, but Perplexity has been in this specific game for a little longer. Either way, I’m intrigued and will be watching closely, and I’m pretty eager to dig into both of them.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...

• ChatGPT search is now live – and it could be the Google replacement you’ve been looking for
• Searching for the next big thing? Then sign up for the SearchGPT waitlist — or take a dip into conversational AI search with Perplexity AI
• Perplexity's AI search engine goes deep to get your answers

At its recent Huawei Connect event, the Chinese tech giant unveiled one of the highest-capacity storage solutions on the planet.

The OceanStor Pacific 9928 features 36 high-density 61.44TB NVMe SSDs per 2U chassis, each just 9.5mm thick, delivering up to 2.21PB of raw capacity.

Huawei says the OceanStor Pacific 9928's efficient design reduces space consumption by 37% compared to traditional SSDs. Titanium fans and Wicking Fence reportedly reduce power consumption to as low as 1500W, and to just 0.25W/TB in a data compression environment.

New-Generation All-Flash Data Center

Additionally, the setup incorporates proprietary flexible RAID, which optimizes flash space utilization and extends SSD lifespan.

This RAID system also enhances data protection and recovery, using advanced algorithms to address failed data blocks. With a 2:1 compression ratio, the OceanStor Pacific 9928 can scale up to 4PB, positioning Huawei's offering as a strong competitor to traditional data storage solutions, including LTO tape which has long been favored for archival and backup purposes.

The OceanStor Pacific line is designed to handle the growing demands of AI, big data, and high-performance computing, offering flexibility with support for block, file, object storage, and HDFS. It can scale to 4,096 nodes, each delivering 2.4 million IOPS and 90GB/s throughput, providing enterprises with the scalability needed for future workloads.

Huawei’s New-Generation All-Flash Data Center solution offers a comprehensive range of products designed for high performance and efficiency.

In addition to the OceanStor Pacific 9928, with its 61.44TB SSDs, the suite features the OceanStor Dorado All-Flash Storage, equipped with a data-control plane separation architecture, AI accelerator cards, and SmartMatrix 4.0, providing a 99.999999% reliability rate. The OceanStor A800 supports AI model training with up to 500GB/s bandwidth, boosting the efficiency of training clusters by 30%.

Huawei is also targeting data protection and backup with the OceanProtect E series, which offers a data deduplication and compression ratio of up to 72:1. Huawei says this solution integrates seamlessly with its multi-layer ransomware protection.

"Industry's digital and intelligent transformation demands efficient data processing as well as secure and high-quality data," said Michael Qiu, President of Huawei Global Data Storage Marketing & Solution Sales.

"The New-Generation All-Flash Data Center significantly improves data service efficiency and enhances data resilience, helping enterprises embrace the AI era."

More from TechRadar Pro

• This is the best cloud storage on the market today
• Huawei rolls out its next-gen OceanStor Dorado all-flash storage
• US considering Huawei sanctions over secretive chip network

AI chatbot Claude is now available as a desktop app for both Windows and Mac computers. The public beta for the apps is available for free users as well as subscribers to the premium version of the AI chatbot. Claude creator Anthropic describes the desktop versions of Claude as "fast, focused, and designed for deep work," implying that those who want to use Claude at home without opening a browser will find it just as helpful as going online or to the Claude mobile app.

One way the desktop app is more efficient is by having a keyboard shortcut to open Claude. After installing the app, you can press Ctrl + Alt + Space to access the AI. That's a boon if you have a lot of other tasks running and don't want to navigate to the website.

The other major benefit of the desktop app is that it frees you from relying solely on mobile devices or web browsers to access your conversations with Claude. You could start the chat on your smartphone, then open the desktop app when you get home or vice versa, with a visit to the website if you're at a public library or similar spot. This continuity can help speed up all kinds of Claude-based projects.

Anthropic also debuted a small upgrade to the Claude on mobile apps: native dictation. You can record up to 10 minutes of audio that Claude will transcribe and then respond to in text form on the app. It's not a full-on voice interactive feature, but it does mean you can at least submit prompts to the AI chatbot without typing.

AI at home

The desktop version of Claude uses Anthropic's latest AI model, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, but it can't do everything the web version does. In particular, it lacks the new Computer Use feature that lets Claude control your cursor and type on your behalf. That's not too much of a surprise since Computer Use and the desktop apps are still in beta. Presumably, the feature will arrive when both are more mature.

Anthropic's timing in releasing the Claude desktop apps is interesting as it is part of a sudden flurry from rival AI chatbots. Both OpenAI's ChatGPT and Perplexity AI have introduced desktop apps in recent weeks. They each have some variation of the web version of their respective chatbots, with many, though not all of the same features. The appeal of a more convenient and accessible AI chatbot is obvious.

That's why Microsoft embedded its Copilot AI directly into the Windows 11 operating system. All of the AI chatbot developers want to encourage current and potential users to stick with their products regardless of where they are or what they are doing. It's going to be another central frontier for the industry, just like mobile apps a decade ago.

You Might Also Like

• A new AI feature can control your computer to follow your orders
• You and your friends can now share and remix your favorite conversations with the Claude AI chatbot
• Anthropic wants its AI assistant Claude to be your favorite coworker

People in Mauritius have been turning en masse to the best VPN apps as authorities have enforced a wide social media shutdown ahead of the general elections.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok all went dark on Friday, November 1, 2024 – internet watchdog NetBlocks could confirm (see tweet below). The blockage is expected to remain until November 11, the day after the voting. This forces users to find a workaround to keep accessing these services.

"People have rushed to download Proton VPN since early this morning when the social media ban came into force, and we expect them to continue to use VPNs heavily until at least 11th November, when the ban is due to lift," David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN, told me.

⚠️ Confirmed: Metrics show multiple social media platforms have been restricted in #Mauritius; the incident comes as authorities order ISPs to suspend access until after elections later this month, on grounds of national security after the leaking of "certain" audio clips pic.twitter.com/mRGqlR4XsuNovember 1, 2024

Peterson said the provider recorded a spike in usage of 16000% above normal levels so far – and it's "quickly growing." Other data shows VPN demand across the country is 16,107% higher than the daily average over the 28 days prior.

Authorities ordered the blockage to halt the spread of illegal content that may "threaten national security and public safety."

The country has recently been rocked by a wiretapping scandal, in fact, during which sensitive conversations involving politicians, police, lawyers, journalists, and members of civil society have been leaked on social media – Reuters reported.

Digital rights strongly condemn the move and urge the Mauritius government, a first-time offender of internet shutdowns, to end the ongoing crackdown on social media.

"This shutdown is a gross violation of national and international human rights frameworks and must not be allowed to continue," wrote the #KeepItOn coalition, a global network of over 334 human rights organizations from 105 countries working to end internet shutdowns, in an open letter.

How a VPN can help

A VPN, short for virtual private network, is security software whose primary goal is to keep you anonymous when browsing the web by encrypting all your internet connections to prevent third-party snooping.

At the same time, though, VPNs also mask your real IP address location. IP spoofing is not just advantageous from a privacy perspective, but it also enables you to access otherwise geo-restricted content.

People in Mauritius can then connect to a VPN server located outside the country to bypass the current block and keep using social media platforms as usual.

As Peterson explains, the provider has enabled some free election servers in Mauritius as part of its election support initiative. "We will continue to operate these servers as long as they are needed by citizens to circumvent internet censorship," he said.

This year, democracy is on the ballot. Over 60 countries — home to half the globe’s population — will hold national elections in 2024.To ensure that everyone has access to accurate information before they cast their vote, we’ll offer free #ProtonVPN servers in countries with a… pic.twitter.com/Vlgt6yVukXMarch 6, 2024

As I'm writing, people living in another African country are battling against a similar block. The likes of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp all went dark in Mozambique only a day before following mobile data disruptions that occurred the week before. These incidents coincide with a wave of violent protests contesting the election results.

"There, we recorded a spike in sign-ups of 8790% on 30 October, and currently nine of the top ten apps on the Mozambique Google Play store are VPNs," said Peterson.

If you are in need of a means to access the open web and evade internet restrictions, I suggest looking into our best free VPN guide to get the most secure freebie app right now.

Intel has plans for future GPUs that aren’t monolithic, but are built from separate chiplets, or at least there’s some thinking along those lines at Team Blue.

We’ve gathered that because TechSpot noticed a denizen of X, Underfox, who flagged up a patent filed by Intel for a “disaggregated GPU architecture” which will likely be the “first commercial GPU architecture with logic chiplets” from the chip giant.

Earlier this month, Intel was finally granted a patent for its disaggregated GPU architecture, which will likely be the first commercial GPU architecture with logic chiplets, also allowing for the power-gate of chiplets not used to process workloads. pic.twitter.com/XsNjjdVIOuOctober 26, 2024

What does this mean exactly? All existing consumer GPUs are thus far monolithic, which means they have a single graphics chip with everything inside. A disaggregated architecture refers to splitting up that single chip, so you have multiple chiplets instead.

This won’t happen with Battlemage, the next-gen of Arc graphics cards expected to arrive early in 2025. If it was something in the works for Battlemage, we’d surely have heard about this on the rumor mill by now.

So, this might be the plan down the line for Celestial, Druid, or one of the future generations of Arc GPUs – assuming Intel gets that far with its discrete graphic card line-up.

As ever with patents, we must bear in mind that they are often filed speculatively, and a lot of them don’t see the light of day in finished products on shelves.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: The benefits – and pitfalls – of disaggregation

Why go for a disaggregated GPU design like this? Chiplets have certain advantages in terms of chip design flexibility (modularity) and better power efficiency, with the latter being particularly important for high-end graphics cards when these days we’re getting into the realms of some truly wattage-sucking monsters.

The tricky bit, though, is effectively splitting up a monolithic chip into multiple chiplets leaves the problem of ensuring that those chiplets have fast enough interconnects to ensure that performance doesn’t drop by going this route.

AMD was rumored to be looking at a chiplet design for the RDNA 4 flagship, before seemingly canning it (and as we know, Team Red has purportedly retreated to just mid-range graphics cards for its next-gen RX 8000 GPUs now). Nvidia, too, was rumored to be looking at a multi-chip design for the Blackwell GeForce flagship, the RTX 5090, but any chatter from the grapevine around this idea has died down to nothing.

One way or another, we’re likely to see chiplet designs for consumer GPUs in the future, perhaps from AMD, Nvidia, and indeed Intel as evidenced by the patent here.

There are broader worries about how far Intel is going to push with its discrete Arc GPUs, mind you, and Battlemage graphics cards are likely to be low-end only. While work has apparently started on Celestial, it’s notable that Team Blue isn’t really talking about its Arc line of GPUs much these days (outside of integrated graphics, that is).

You might also like

• These are the best GPUs right now
• Check out the best cheap monitor deals
• Want a great gaming PC? Look no further

ChromeOS’s latest update has added a host of new features to the operating system, including one convenient tool that’ll make it much easier for users to avoid distractions.

The most recent update, ChromeOS M130, was released for the stable channel and will soon be available on Chromebooks. Arguably the most useful addition is the Focus panel that allows you to set and adjust your focus time, quickly enable or disable Do-not-Disturb (DND) mode, create new or select from existing Google Tasks, and play music with focus sound (YouTube Music Premium if you have a subscription).

Other new features include simplifying inserting emojis, GIFs, and Google Drive links with the M130's new Launcher + f shortcut. There’s also the Quick Insert physical key that’s set to be included in the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus in 2025.

There are also tons of quality-of-life changes, making navigating ChromeOS more convenient. The new Suggestions section in Tote reduces the time needed to locate files like downloads and screenshots, on and offline access to the starred Drive files on the ChromeOS shelf, and the "Welcome Recap" that previews and restores apps and tabs from the previous session.

For those who dabble or specialize in audio or video editing and recording, there’s the Studio-style mic tool. It includes the existing noise cancellation and de-reverberation effects but also adds in advanced balancing, reconstruction of fine details, and room adaptation. The Google AI-powered Recorder app creates transcriptions that can detect and label speakers, as well as provide a summary of recorded content.

Finally, ChromeOS M130 integrates appearance effects into the platform's video call controls, adds support for multiple calendars and allows you to move Picture-in-Picture (PiP) windows to one side of your screen, and adds the "Help me read" tool to Chromebook Plus devices.

ChromeOS is moving on up

ChromeOS is often left out of the conversation when discussing popular and well-loved operating systems, mainly due to the perception of it being inferior - likely because of a far lower number of compatible apps and features. And even a few years ago this would have been an accurate assessment.

However, Google has been working hard to combat this, and now we have an OS that’s far more user-friendly with some truly helpful features. Some of the best ones include the “Help me” series which offers plenty of accessibility tools, the Focus panel, and all the enhancements made to audio and video recordings and editing options.

It’s great to see Chromebooks receiving so much more love and affection from Google. It’s slowly but surely moved from an second-class laptop meant as a cheap option, to a still cheaper but more premium version of itself. And this doesn’t even include how much better the best Chromebooks are for gaming now versus even two years ago. With all the progress made already, I’m excited to see how Google will continue to innovate and improve Chromebook and ChromeOS.

You might also like

• Chromebook acting weird? Try Google’s new ChromeOS ‘Sanitize’ tool
• Here’s a list of all the changes coming to your Chromebook with ChromeOS 127 now rolling out
• The latest ChromeOS update delivers several accessibility improvements

This year is a pivotal one for global politics and democracy, with over half of the world’s population participating in leadership elections, notably Russia, the EU, and the US. This has predictably translated into a serious increase in the number of cyberattacks targeting government organizations around the globe.

SonicWall has released its threat brief focusing on government organizations, and it found a shocking 236% year on year increase in malware-related attacks in Q1. The trend is particularly worrying when looking at the month leading up to the US election, which saw a 27% rise in attacks.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks this year are on track to surpass the previous by 32%, and SonicWall alone boasts a total of 12.9 million IP camera attacks prevented, which are often part of the DDoS process.

Undermining public trust

Governments, like everyone else, are increasingly reliant on digital services and online systems, which naturally creates vulnerabilities that threat actors will look to exploit.

“As attackers continue to attack critical government services and election-related systems, the importance of multi-layered cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated,” said Executive Director of Threat Research Doug McKee.

"In a rapidly evolving threat landscape, the stakes have never been higher. We must embrace cross-industry collaboration and threat intelligence information sharing to ensure the integrity of our electoral processes and protect our vital infrastructure from those seeking to exploit these systems," he continued.

The US election in particular has been a popular target for foreign interference, with misinformation campaigns from Iranian, Russian, and Chinese threat actors looking to cause chaos amongst an already deeply divided public.

Earlier this year, Iranian hackers targeted high ranking members of the Trump campaign with a cyber attack which compromised some of its communications, proving how urgent the need for robust cybersecurity really is.

More from TechRadar Pro

• Take a look at some of the best malware removal software
• Sophos reveals how it fought a network of dangerous Chinese hackers for years
• Check out our pick for best endpoint security