TechRadar News

• You can now use DeepSeek R1 inside Perplexity Pro
• The model is available with Perplexity on the web and iOS
• You get uncensored results and US-stored data

It's been quite the week for DeepSeek, the Chinese-made open-source AI model that's shot to the top of the app store charts while simultaneously raising privacy concerns. Now the DeepSeek R1 model is available within the Perplexity AI search engine, on US servers and with no censorship.

Announcing the news, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas (via Search Engine Journal) described it as a "phenomenal experience", while also acknowledging that there are limits on query volume – limits Perplexity is working to increase.

And uncensored! https://t.co/vGUG0w1zlo pic.twitter.com/ceGYpLON50January 28, 2025

Perplexity is able to add DeepSeek R1 because it's open-source and freely available to anyone who wants to use it, and the move gets around two key concerns: first that China might censor the results DeepSeek returns, and second that the model would send user data back to the Chinese government.

Srinivas promises that Perplexity has tweaked R1 to keep results uncensored, and that all user interactions are kept secure on US-based servers. The CEO even used the classic test case, a search about Tiananmen Square, to show the AI is uncensored inside Perplexity.

You'll have to go Pro

You can get at DeepSeek R1 from the Perplexity iOS and web apps (Image credit: Future)

To be able to access the DeepSeek R1 model, you'll need to have signed up for a Perplexity Pro account – that'll set you back $20 (about £16 / AU$32) a month or $200 (about £160 / AU$320) a year. A subscription also gives you access to other models, like OpenAI o1.

For the time being at least, you're also going to have to use Perplexity on the web or through the iOS app – the feature hasn't arrived on Android yet. If you do use Perplexity on Android, you can try out the new Perplexity Assistant feature instead.

The arrival and instant success of DeepSeek has seriously disrupted the AI landscape, with US companies such as Nvidia and OpenAI politely praising their new rival while also scrambling to compete with the new R1 model – which can match the best models from the likes of ChatGPT for free, while using less processing power and less energy.

There's no doubt lots more to come from DeepSeek, and from its rivals (and partners). You can find plenty of experts weighing in on what's next, and the best place to keep up to date with the latest developments is at our DeepSeek live blog.

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• Xbox has partnered with Fanta in a new giveaway
• Prizes including a custom Xbox Series X console bundle and Xbox Wireless Controllers are up for grabs
• To enter, you need to scan QR codes on eligible drinks in the Coca-Cola app

Xbox has teamed up with soft drink brand Fanta to give true Fanta lovers the chance to own an exclusive Fanta-themed Xbox Series X or a colorful Xbox Wireless Controller.

The competition will run across the UK until March 25 and in other regions in Europe. To enter, all you need to do is buy an eligible Fanta product and scan its QR code using the Coca-Cola mobile app. There are loads of prizes up for grabs, including 1 month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.

I’m far more interested in the exclusive Xbox Series X console bundle, however, which decks out the monolithic system in a glorious neon yellow print complete with its own Fanta branding. The bundle also includes a matching Xbox Wireless Controller, with a yellow face plate and blue details.

You could also win one of a handful of Fanta-themed Xbox Wireless Controllers, with designs inspired by popular flavors like tangy lemon and fruit twist.

The competition’s fine print reveals that, in the UK, there will be a total of 1600 Xbox Game Pass Ultimate memberships up for grabs. It’s important to note that they will only be valid for new members and will require a debit or credit card to sign up, which is a bit of a shame.

There will be 15 Xbox Wireless Controllers, available via weekly prize draws, plus two Xbox Series X Console bundles as part of a grand draw. Thankfully, unlike the incredible Final Fantasy 14 Xbox Series X that was up for grabs in a previous promotion, it does seem like this custom console actually works.

All things considered, it seems like a pretty solid giveaway and I will definitely be trying my chances at winning next time I find myself craving a sweet orangey treat.

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Generative AI (gen AI) isn’t just a tech trend; it’s reshaping industries at every level. From personalizing shopping experiences to enhancing fraud detection in finance, we’re beginning to see its transformative potential. But what’s next? Enter enterprise AI.

Enterprise AI is set to blend business strategy with advanced technology, driving continuous transformation across organizations. By combining AI tools like gen AI, machine learning, and robotic process automation (RPA) with orchestration, enterprise AI optimizes operations, boosts productivity, and upholds high standards of quality, security, and governance. This approach enables businesses to apply gen AI strategically across their operations, maximizing its potential impact.

As we look toward 2025, companies investing in enterprise AI will benefit not only from gen AI but from a comprehensive suite of AI tools purpose-built to reshape the workplace. With enterprise AI as a true vehicle for realizing the promise of gen AI, we anticipate three major trends that will define how industries leverage AI to meet future demands.

Welcome to workplace 5.0

Workplace 5.0 takes the era of automation further, emphasizing and strengthening the collaboration between humans and technology. Industry 5.0 is where humans, AI, robotics and digital-integrated activity combine.

Central to this is orchestration: with business process management (BPM) and other tools, organizations can integrate human and digital workflows end-to-end. The key to successful operations is no longer simply orchestrating human work but integrating work as a whole. This will bring together workflows, inputs, outputs and the resources that drive the work, humans, gen AI and enterprise agents to create a smarter, more collaborative, engaging and productive work environment.

Enterprise AI will allow us to move on from the individual efficiency gains we have seen through the likes of ChatGPT, to a grown-up implementation of gen AI where leaders have the opportunity to revolutionize the end-to-end processes on a large scale. This shift will lead to more human-centric work, making enterprises more creative, adaptive and customer-focused.

Human-centric collaboration with enterprise AI agents

The next evolution of gen AI’s integration with the enterprise is to make interactions feel more lifelike. This will be achieved through experiential interfaces, enabling humans to communicate with enterprise agents in natural language. We’ll see this manifest in the form of copilot-like interfaces, which are posed to dramatically enhance productivity, drive innovation and transform industries such as healthcare, manufacturing and financial services.

While AI agents are not new, 2025 will mark the rise in more advanced business agents with specialized knowledge on specific industries. These enterprise agents are not meant to replace human workers, but rather to function as coworkers that support and enhance performance. They will autonomously handle delegated tasks, continuously learning and improving through agentic AI.

Previously, these tools required coding and a structured approach to building applications. Now, gen AI has levelled the playing field, allowing people to turn their ideas into reality through natural language prompts.

Mitigating risks with enterprise AI governance

As generative AI tools advance quickly, there’s growing concern about their potential to create privacy and security risks. With the possible consequences of a rogue agent (rogue AI) such as business/supply chain disruption, reputational damages and customer loss, it’s worth considering these concerns.

To navigate this, organizations will need enterprise-grade guardrails, succinct integrations of gen AI into critical workflows and a robust AI governance model that prioritizes transparency, documentation, and bias prevention. This ensures AI solutions enhance, not jeopardize, the business.

Enterprise AI: turning potential into impact

Enterprise AI will be the game-changer for organizations ready to get the most out of generative AI, applied strategically and effectively across their entire operations. As we look ahead to 2025, companies that embrace enterprise AI will gain unparalleled access to gen AI’s benefits—not just in isolated applications, but through integrated processes combining RPA, orchestration, machine learning, and more. This convergence will enable organisations to turn the potential of gen AI into tangible results, achieving the scale and impact that early AI applications only hinted at. The era of delivering on AI’s promise across the enterprise has arrived.

We've compiled a list of the best Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

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

New AI chatbot DeepSeek is taking the technology world by storm, and has even dethroned ChatGPT from top spot on the iOS App store.

There's certainly a lot of speculation about the potential DeepSeek holds, as well as what this could mean for some of the biggest players in tech right now. Plenty of both new and existing firms have invested billions of dollars into Large Language Models in the last few months alone - but DeepSeek has the opportunity to cause chaos in the venture capital world.

Having caused the biggest drop in the US stock market in history, the chatbot is understandably a huge talking point - but what are the experts’ predictions?

Will the hype last?

There’s no denying that DeepSeek arriving on the scene has been disruptive, and although the expert opinion isn’t unanimous, the significantly lower development cost is definitely turning heads.

If you're confused about what DeepSeek is, or why its causing so much of a stir, check out our article here explaining all you need to know,

The pressure is certainly on for US tech firms to respond, but it may not be as destructive as it seems.

We heard from 10 experts in the technology industry;

Steve Povonly, Senior Director of Security Research & Competitive Intelligence at Exabeam:

"The release of Chinese-developed DeepSeek has thrown US tech markets into turmoil; this is both justifiable and also perhaps, a bit overblown. The emergence of a technology that ultimately optimizes chip usage and efficiency is likely to apply pressure on existing large chip vendors, which is a very good thing. As the adage goes: "Pressure yields diamonds" and in this case, I believe competition in this market will drive global optimization, lower costs, and sustain the tailwinds AI needs to drive profitable solutions in the short and longer term."

Mike Follett, CEO and Founder of Lumen Research:

“Last week, Sam Altman and Elon Musk were AI monopolists. Now, it is clear that competition will reduce costs and loosen the grip hold of the biggest players. This represents an opportunity for marketers enabling them to build agents designed for specific problems, at a speed, scale and at a price that drives ROI.”

Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group:

“This is a wake-up call for markets. The assumption that tariffs could contain China’s technological ambitions is being dismantled in real time. DeepSeek’s breakthrough is proof that innovation will always find a way forward, regardless of economic barriers.”

“By restricting China’s access to high-end semiconductors, Washington sought to slow its progress in AI. Instead, it has fueled an acceleration in domestic innovation, forcing Chinese firms to find alternatives. DeepSeek’s achievement is a direct result of this shift.

“Rather than being crippled by US sanctions, Beijing has cultivated AI models that require significantly less computing power, diminishing its reliance on American technology and eroding US leverage over global supply chains.”

The value

Aleksandr Yampolskiy, CEO of SecurityScorecard:

“DeepSeek is trained on 14.8 trillion diverse tokens whereas OpenAI is trained only on 13 trillion. It also costs radically less to train DeepSeek at $6M while OpenAI costs allegedly $100M, making DeepSeek 16.6X more efficient.”

“We are living in fascinating times. While "constraints in capital" may seem like a challenge, history has shown us (and DeepSeek has demonstrated) that these constraints often spark innovation and creativity. Security for AI will only become more critical. In a world where the lines between deepfake and human-generated content blur, and where biased information can shape our opinions, the need for robust security and ethical practices will grow exponentially.”

Dr. Kjell Carlsson, Head of AI strategy at Domino Data Lab:

“Deepseek’s success serves as a powerful reminder that the value of AI lies not in the size of your infrastructure or the exclusivity of your models, but in how effectively they are leveraged to deliver impact. By developing cutting-edge generative AI models without relying on the latest, most expensive hardware, Deepseek has demonstrated that agility and strategy can outpace raw computational power. Their achievements also highlight the vulnerability of incumbents in the generative AI space—proving that open-source innovation continues to be a powerful equalizer, enabling challengers to match and even surpass established players years into the revolution.”

“For companies seeking to maximise value from AI, the lesson is clear: success hinges on flexibility and capability, not exclusive partnerships or infrastructure scale. Rather than locking into specific LLM providers or focusing solely on hardware access, organisations should prioritise building the end-to-end capabilities to source AI innovations, design solutions tailored to their unique needs, and operationalise them effectively. This approach ensures that businesses remain agile, competitive, and prepared to harness the next wave of AI advancements, wherever they emerge.”

Bradford Levy, Assistant Professor of Accounting, University of Chicago Booth School of Business:

“DeepSeek has sent shock waves through the tech industry – directly challenging tech giants like Meta, Microsoft and Open AI."

“Until now, it’s been assumed their expertise in designing and operating large-scale distributed systems are essential for training state of the art models. But the development of R1 suggests otherwise – if these models can be trained using 90% fewer chips, the implications for valuation models are massive."

“This opens the door for smaller, more agile players to compete, potentially driving more innovation. With limited resources, they proved that scrappy, innovative teams can shake up the industry, even on a shoestring budget."

“While impressive, we should remain skeptical of any claims made by those with a vested interest in their own success. Before jumping to conclusions about the broader AI landscape, we need more time to test these models and understand how they achieved these numbers.”

The revolution

Professor Geoff Webb, Department of Data Science & AI, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University:

“The emergence of DeepSeek is a significant moment in the AI revolution. Until now it has seemed that billion dollar investments and access to the latest generation of specialised NVIDIA processors were prerequisites for developing state-of-the-art systems.”

“This effectively limited control to a small number of leading US-based tech corporations. Due to US embargoes on exporting the latest generation of NVIDIA processors, it also locked out China.”

“DeepSeek claims to have developed a new Large Language Model, similar to Chat GPT or Llama, that rivals the state-of-the-art for a fraction of the cost using the less advanced NVIDIA processors that are currently available to China. If this is true, it means that the US tech sector no longer has exclusive control of the AI technologies, opening them to wider competition and reducing the prices they can charge for access to and use of their systems.”

“Looking beyond the implications for the stock market, current AI technologies are US-centric and embody US values and culture. This new development has the potential to create more diversity through the development of new AI systems.”

“It also has the potential to make AI more accessible for researchers around the world both for developing new technologies and for applying them in diverse areas including healthcare.”

The risks

Aditya Sood, VP of Security Engineering and AI Strategy at Aryaka:

"Open-source AI models like DeepSeek, while offering accessibility and innovation, are increasingly vulnerable to supply chain attacks triggered during large-scale cyberattacks. These attacks, where adversaries exploit the reliance on third-party dependencies, pre-trained models, or public repositories, can have severe consequences. Adversaries may tamper with pre-trained models by embedding malicious code, backdoors, or poisoned data, which can compromise downstream applications. Additionally, attackers may target the software supply chain by manipulating dependencies, libraries, or scripts used during model training or deployment. This can lead to systemic AI functionality corruption."

Renuka Nadkarni CPO at Aryaka:

"The sudden popularity of DeepSeek comes at a price. There are two dimensions of this. First, threat actors are likely to adopt this new tool now that it's widely available. Second, DeepSeek was a victim of a large-scale malicious attack. This means that their system could be compromised and subject to several of the known AI model attacks. Known AI model vulnerabilities, data risks, and infrastructure threats come into play here."

“While the unavailability of the service is an easy and visible attack on its infrastructure, the bigger concern lies in the undetected attacks on its model and data. These hidden threats could compromise benign users and enable other malicious activities."

The sceptics

Dan Goman, CEO, Ateliere Creative Technologies:

"The market’s reaction to the latest news surrounding DeepSeek is nothing short of an overcorrection. While the enthusiasm around breakthroughs in AI often drives headlines and market speculation, this feels like yet another case where excitement has outpaced evidence. Investors should be cautious about blindly jumping on the hype train without asking the tough questions."

"In summary, while Deepseek’s story is intriguing, it’s imperative to separate fact from speculation. The market needs to temper its enthusiasm and demand more transparency before awarding DeepSeek the crown of AI innovation. Until then, skepticism remains a healthy and necessary stance."

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• Dyson has launched the Dyson Car+Boat handheld vacuum
• It has many of the same features as Dyson's full-sized stick vacuums
• Available in US and UK from 4 Feb, priced $279.99 / £249.99

I've been waiting for Dyson to release a handheld vacuum, and my patience has finally paid off: today, the brand unveiled the Dyson Car+Boat, and it looks set to outshine the rest of the best handheld vacuums currently on the market.

The Car+Boat looks like someone took a Dyson stick vacuum and shrunk it in the wash. You can't really tell from the press photos, but this thing is dinky. That pint-sized build packs a punch though – this handheld model has a lot in common with the best Dyson cordless vacuums from the wider range, including powerful suction, useful detail tools, advanced filtration and a long battery life. Unfortunately, the similarity also extends to the price – its list price is $279.99 / £249.99, which is cheaper than the cheapest Dyson stick vacuum, but much more expensive than your average car vacuum.

Before I get too far into it, I'll be clear that despite being called the Car+Boat, this is not a wet-dry vacuum. It's just a regular handheld vacuum, aimed at people who might own a boat. Dyson is nothing if not aware of its target market. Other things its designed to tackle include dirt, debris, allergens, pet hair, upholstery and bedding.

(Image credit: Dyson)

Let's start with battery life, which is the bit that I'm probably most excited about. Most cordless handheld vacuums offer you a maximum of 30 minutes of cleaning, but sometimes it's more like 15 minutes. Here you have a full 50 minutes, which is up there with the best full-sized cordless vacuums on the market – and, in fact, longer than you'll get with the Dyson V8 .

That accounts for the fact that cleaning cars, furniture and, uh, boats, is fiddly. It takes time to do it properly, and there's nothing more annoying than running out of juice once you've wedged yourself into a footwell. With nearly an hour of cleaning, you have time to get into every nook and cranny.

Dyson also promises top-notch suction. The proof will be in the testing (a full review is in the works) but the specs look promising – the motor spins at 110,000rpm, same as on the V8, which is the oldest Dyson stick vacuum in the current lineup. There's a fully sealed filtration system that can capture 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns (the same as all but the very newest and most expensive Dyson stick vacuum). That includes dust mites, pet dander and other allergens.

(Image credit: Dyson)

The Dyson vacuum attachments are similar to those you'll get with a full-sized stick vac, too. There's a Mini Motorized Tool for pulling up stubborn dirt and sticky hair, a 2-in-1 Combination Tool (pictured above) that combines a dusting brush and wide nozzle, and a Crevice Tool for edges and narrow gaps.

While this is the only dedicated handheld in the current Dyson lineup, its not the first handheld from the brand. Most recently, there was the Dyson Humdinger, which has just been discontinued in the US, and which left the UK lineup back in 2022. Of course, any of Dyson's cordless stick vacuums can be used in handheld mode by removing the floor wand and adding a detail tool, but the main vacuum unit tends to be too bulky and heavy to be an ideal choice as a car vacuum.

The Dyson Car+Boat will go on sale in the US and UK direct from Dyson from 4 February, at a list price of $279.99 / £249.99 [US release date and pricing has been updated from a previous version of this article]. It will also be available from various third-party retailers.

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The IT industry is undergoing seismic change as businesses adapt to a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Emerging trends such as generative AI, sustainable computing, and secure enterprise infrastructure are pushing organizations to rethink their approaches to scalability, energy efficiency, and innovation. These shifts are not merely incremental—they are transformative, reshaping the foundation of IT strategy for years to come.

Bold leaders are tasked with solving unprecedented challenges, including meeting increasing demand for compute power while maintaining operational sustainability. The rise of AI-driven workloads is placing new pressures on IT infrastructure, requiring companies to adopt architectures capable of delivering high performance at scale.

Simultaneously, the need for energy-efficient solutions is accelerating innovation in both hardware design and data center management, ensuring these systems remain cost-effective and environmentally responsible. Moreover, decision-makers must ensure their strategies align with growing concerns over data sovereignty, addressing regulatory demands while protecting sensitive assets.

From maximizing data center efficiency to adopting renewable energy solutions, companies face both challenges and opportunities as they prepare for the demands of tomorrow. The trends discussed here demand a holistic approach that balances innovation with responsibility, ensuring that technology not only meets current needs but also paves the way for a sustainable and secure future.

1. From Experimentation to Execution: Generative AI Inference Takes Center Stage

Generative AI is transitioning from merely experimental AI tools to fully integrated solutions that provide substantial business value. While the past year focused on chatbot use cases, largely using public data, the future lies in applying generative AI to private, secure datasets to create even more valuable tools. Enterprises in sectors like finance, insurance, and ecommerce are poised to adopt these technologies to extract meaningful insights from proprietary data.

Deployment flexibility will be critical. As AI workloads expand into diverse environments — on-premises, edge, and air- gapped hosting facilities — latency-sensitive applications will demand infrastructure closer to users, deployed in existing data centers and PoPs. Moreover, inference is no longer a standalone workload. Supporting tasks like retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and app integration will require robust, general-purpose compute alongside AI-specialized resources, emphasizing efficiency and scalability.

2. Powering the Future: Renewable Energy Growth Plus Efficiency Gains

As compute demands surge, so does the need for power. However, overloaded grids and geographic power constraints are forcing industries to seek new solutions. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal are gaining traction as smaller, regionally distributed data centers emerge. These projects will take more time than is available to meet the immediate demands of IT infrastructure growth.

Efficiency, however, cannot wait. To avoid bringing new non-renewable energy sources online or prolonging their life in the short-term, hardware optimization will play a pivotal role in reducing power requirements. Replacing older, power- hungry systems with modern, efficient processors can dramatically cut energy use, making existing infrastructure more sustainable. This efficiency shift is critical to balancing the need for more energy with responsible environmental stewardship.

3. The Rise of Density: Maximizing Every Rack and Data Center’s Potential

Given the rapid increase in demand for AI compute, density at scale has become the new benchmark for efficiency in computing. Solutions are being built not at the node level, but at the rack and data center level. This means that organizations are moving toward maximizing workloads per rack by fully utilizing available hardware. Unlike legacy systems, where resources were often underutilized due to inefficiencies, modern architectures are designed to eliminate waste and improve average utilization at rack and data center scale without the negative side-effects of unpredictability.

The challenge of optimizing density at the solutions level is not limited to AI-only workloads. Certain AI workloads, particularly inference, are driving infrastructure changes to accommodate mixed-use environments, where general purpose compute density matters as well. In software engineering organizations, more efficient virtualization and containerization technologies combined with more efficient containers and power aware coding practices will enable better partitioning of resources, allowing enterprises to achieve higher utilization rates without compromising performance.

4. Sovereignty and Security: Enterprise AI on the Rise

Data sovereignty and security will heavily influence AI deployment strategies in 2025. Enterprises are increasingly aware of the value of their proprietary datasets, treating them as competitive assets. This shift will mean that AI inference workloads run not only on public hyperscale clouds, but also in more secure environments like private clouds, on- premises data centers or privately hosted facilities.

The risk of data breaches and tampering with AI algorithms underscores the need for secure, isolated infrastructure. As enterprises compete on AI-driven innovation, the ability to safeguard intellectual property and sensitive information will become a cornerstone of success. Furthermore, this trend will expand the role of enterprise-owned compute resources, creating a more decentralized and secure AI ecosystem. This sovereignty and security requirement combined with the need to place computing resources closer to users will disperse computing resource and give rise to a more compute heavy edge architecture.

Summary

The trends outlined here reflect a fundamental shift in how businesses harness technology to drive efficiency, cybersecurity, and innovation. Generative AI is advancing from experimentation to execution, energy optimization is becoming non- negotiable, and maximizing data center density has emerged as the new benchmark for scalable infrastructure. At the same time, the emphasis on data sovereignty and security will ensure enterprises remain in control of their competitive assets.

Organizations that succeed in this rapidly evolving environment will prioritize agility, leveraging AI-driven insights to optimize operations while addressing pressing concerns such as resource constraints and regulatory compliance. These efforts will not only improve performance but also position companies as leaders in the drive toward a sustainable future.

Forward-thinking businesses will explore partnerships that enable them to expand capabilities while minimizing risks, ensuring sustained growth in the face of uncertainty. Investments in cutting-edge architectures, renewable energy integration, and secure AI deployments will form the backbone of IT strategies in 2025 and beyond. By aligning innovation with accountability, businesses can unlock lasting competitive advantages while fostering resilience in the face of constant change.

Organizations ready to embrace these shifts will not only overcome today’s challenges but also set the stage for sustained leadership in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

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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

• 200 UK companies have signed up for a 4 day work week
• The move follows successful trials across the globe
• It is expected to boost productivity and worker well-being

For 5,000 lucky workers, the four-day working week just got one step closer.

The 4 Day Week Campaign has revealed 200 companies have now signed up for a permanent four-day working week with no loss of pay for staff.

There’s representation from a few different sectors in this pledge, with 18 Arts and Design firms, alongside Engineering & Manufacturing (12) Recruitment & HR (12), Entertainment (9), Accountancy, Banking & Finance (8) and Property Development, Trades & Construction (6) all signing up.

Win-win

The trend amongst tech companies in 2024 was generally the opposite, with firms such as Amazon leading the charge in rolling back hybrid working to issue return to work orders.

But four-day work week campaigners hail the change as a ‘win-win’, with increased productivity for employers, and happier and better rested employees. In fact, South Cambridgeshire District Council mandated the policy, and still have over 600 staff working the split, and the council claims this has improved services all round.

It’s no secret that the UK is in the middle of a productivity crisis, and the Labour Government has so far turned to AI for a boost, but studies have shown that companies benefited from increased performance and productivity thanks to lower levels of burnout and stress amongst employees.

“British workers put in some of the longest fulltime working hours in Europe, but we still have one of the least productive economies”, says the campaign group.

“A four-day week also benefits society in general. Shifting the economy to a 32-hour working week with no loss of pay could shrink the UK’s carbon footprint by up to 127 million tonnes per year.”

Elsewhere in the world, Panasonic did trial a four day work week back in 2022 in a bid to reduce the strain on Japanese workers.

Considering the success and popularity of hybrid work, the four day work week could be the natural next step.

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• 5D memory crystals store an entire human genome for posterity
• Genetic code is preserved in fused quartz
• Indestructible memory crystals can endure heat, force, and cosmic radiation

In 2016, progress was made in data storage development as scientists at the University of Southampton successfully developed a 5D memory crystal capable of storing up to 360 terabytes (TB) of data, with a shelf life of nearly 14 billion years.

Unlike conventional data storage formats that degrade over time, the technology, dubbed "Superman memory crystal," holds immense potential for long-term data preservation, opening new avenues in scientific, environmental, and historical archiving.

The 5D memory crystal developed by the University of Southampton's Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) is a unique data storage medium that uses five dimensions to encode information.

5D memory crystal

The term "5D" refers to the two optical dimensions and three spatial coordinates that are inscribed into the crystal. With ultra-fast lasers, the team writes data into nanostructured voids within the silica material, creating a highly durable and stable form of memory storage.

A human genome is the complete set of genetic instructions for a human being, encoded in DNA. It consists of approximately 3 billion base pairs organized into 23 pairs of chromosomes located in the nucleus of each cell.

Although it is currently not possible to synthetically recreate humans, plants, or animals from genetic data, there has been some progress in synthetic biology. Thus, the preservation of genomes using 5D memory crystals could one day play a critical role in reviving extinct species (such as us) in the distant future.

The creators of the 5D memory crystal had the future in mind, considering that it may be discovered long after humans are gone. The crystal is stored in the Memory of Mankind archive - a unique time capsule located within a salt cave in Hallstatt, Austria. This archive serves as a safeguard, preserving human history and knowledge for future generations.

The data inscribed into the crystal is carefully annotated with universal elements like hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, as well as the four DNA bases—adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine—that make up the genetic code. Additionally, the molecular structure of DNA and the arrangement of genes within chromosomes are depicted, offering clear instructions on how to interpret the genetic information stored within.

However, it is important to note that the 5D memory crystals require a highly specialized skill set and advanced equipment to inscribe and read the data stored within the crystals, so those looking to re-establish the human race after an extinction event may have to refer to more traditional means.

The crystal, made from fused quartz, is one of the most chemically and thermally resilient materials known on Earth, and can endure temperatures as high as 1000°C, resist direct impact forces up to 10 tons per square centimeter, and is unaffected by long-term exposure to cosmic radiation. The longevity and storage capacity of the 5D memory crystal earned it a Guinness World Record in 2014 for being the most durable data storage material ever created.

“We know from the work of others that genetic material of simple organisms can be synthesised and used in an existing cell to create a viable living specimen in a lab,” says Professor Peter Kazansky, the leader of the scientific team at the University of Southampton.

“The 5D memory crystal opens up possibilities for other researchers to build an everlasting repository of genomic information from which complex organisms like plants and animals might be restored should science in the future allow…The visual key inscribed on the crystal gives the finder knowledge of what data is stored inside and how it could be used…We don’t know if memory crystal technology will ever follow these plaques in distance travelled but each disc can be expected with a high degree of confidence to exceed their survival time,” added Professor Kazansky.

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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 NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Show of hands

NYT Strands today (game #332) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TRAM
• SHOW
• TIME
• SLOPE
• PUCK
• FIRE

NYT Strands today (game #332) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Toy that comes with strings

NYT Strands today (game #332) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 6th column

Last side: left, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #332) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #332, are…

• SOCK
• GLOVE
• STICK
• SHADOW
• FINGER
• MARIONETTE
• SPANGRAM: PUPPET MASTER

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 hints

Another super-long Spangram snake – so long that even though I’d got all of the main words I still struggled to identify it.

This was one of those Strands puzzles where nothing made sense until it was done. When I saw the clue, and the first two words I got were SOCK and GLOVE, I initially thought we were looking for words connected with boxing.

It wasn’t until I sighted MARIONETTE – definitely no boxing connection there – that reality slowly began to dawn and hazy memories of Sesame Street surfaced in my mind’s eye.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 28 January, game #331)

• CROP
• REINS
• SADDLE
• HARNESS
• BRIDLE
• SPURS
• SPANGRAM: HORSEBACK RIDING

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.

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 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 #1101) - 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 #1101) - 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 #1101) - 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 #1101) - 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 2.

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 #1101) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• S

• A

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1101) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1101, are…

• CROWN
• SCENE
• AGILE
• CRANK

There’s often a single letter that unlocks all four words in Quordle and today it was C. it took me a while to guess SCENE, but once I did it paved the way for CRANK and CROWN.

That said I still only just made it, with AGILE the only possibility on my final go.

Phew!

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1101) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1101, are…

• SNEER
• EMBED
• WITTY
• SPEAR

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED
• Quordle #1099, Monday 27 January: ANGEL, GLOBE, MAYOR, BRAVE
• Quordle #1098, Sunday 26 January: WATER, ORBIT, BRIDE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1097, Saturday 25 January: GIVER, GROOM, GUSTO, MAKER
• Quordle #1096, Friday 24 January: GRIND, STOCK, SERVE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1095, Thursday 23 January: RUGBY, SASSY, WORRY, BANAL
• Quordle #1094, Wednesday 22 January: SLANT, TRUNK, WOOZY, EATEN
• Quordle #1093, Tuesday 21 January: CHART, VIGOR, PRINT, SPAWN
• Quordle #1092, Monday 20 January: SIXTY, THONG, TATTY, ROBIN
• Quordle #1091, Sunday 19 January: WREST, RINSE, SCOUR, CANNY
• Quordle #1090, Saturday 18 January: BLARE, ITCHY, BICEP, PIPER
• Quordle #1089, Friday 17 January: CATCH, WEARY, SWOON, LATHE
• Quordle #1088, Thursday 16 January: PARTY, BLUNT, TWEED, PLANT
• Quordle #1087, Wednesday 15 January: RISEN, PLATE, RURAL, ENVOY
• Quordle #1086, Tuesday 14 January: SWARM, SCRAP, ONION, BELCH
• Quordle #1085, Monday 13 January: EYING, GIDDY, CHEAP, PETAL
• Quordle #1084, Sunday 12 January: BRIEF, PETAL, WOMAN, FELON
• Quordle #1083, Saturday 11 January: ASCOT, FIBER, ROGUE, SMELL
• Quordle #1082, Friday 10 January: BIGOT, INLET, LEECH, TUNIC
• Quordle #1081, Thursday 9 January: RESET, HUMOR, TENOR, IMAGE

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 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 #598) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• WICKED
• GINGERBREAD
• FULL
• TALK
• POSSESSED
• VENOM
• ALIEN
• DROOL
• HAUNTED
• DREAM
• SNORE
• BORE
• HAD
• GLADIATOR
• WHITE
• HELD

NYT Connections today (game #598) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Kept
• GREEN: Bedtime habits 
• BLUE: In theaters last year
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “mouse” 

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 #598) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: OWNED 
• GREEN: THINGS YOU MIGHT DO IN YOUR SLEEP 
• BLUE: MOVIE SERIES WITH 2024 RELEASES 
• PURPLE: ____ HOUSE 

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

NYT Connections today (game #598) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #598, are…

• YELLOW: OWNED BORE, HAD, HELD, POSSESSED
• GREEN: THINGS YOU MIGHT DO IN YOUR SLEEP DREAM, DROOL, SNORE, TALK
• BLUE: MOVIE SERIES WITH 2024 RELEASES ALIEN, GLADIATOR, VENOM, WICKED
• PURPLE: ____ HOUSE FULL, GINGERBREAD, HAUNTED, WHITE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 mistakes

After Monday’s SEEN IN “THE SHINING” category I momentarily convinced myself that there was a group of words today linked by another horror classic, The Exorcist maybe? – POSSESSED, WICKED, DROOL all seemed vaguely connected. But then I thought if Connections was doing that they’d at least have Priest and Vomit.

Having seen none of the MOVIE SERIES WITH 2024 RELEASES I bagged the Blue group by just thinking they all seemed linked somehow, before spying the HOUSE connection to FULL, GINGERBREAD, WHITE, and HAUNTED.

As for Yellow – I’m still annoyed about BORE and in the aftermath Merriam-Webster is not helping. Back to school for me.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 28 January, game #597)

• YELLOW: FUNNY PERSON CARD, CHARACTER, JOKER, LAUGH
• GREEN: RESISTANCE TRAINING EQUIPMENT BAND, BENCH, DUMBBELL, MAT
• BLUE: CANDY BARS MINUS "S" AIRHEAD, MAR, MOUND, SNICKER
• PURPLE: SPEED ___ BUMP, CHESS, DEMON, DIAL

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.

• Organizations with dark web exposure are more vulnerable, report warns
• Compromised accounts and market listings double cyber breach risks
• Cumulative dark web sources elevate organizational cybersecurity threats

A study by Searchlight Cyber in collaboration with Marsh McLennan Cyber Risk Intelligence Center has revealed a direct correlation between dark web exposure and elevated cybersecurity risks.

The analysis of over 9,000 organizations provided insight into how data found on the dark web significantly increases the likelihood of cyberattacks, especially against businesses without adequate protection.

Therefore, by monitoring dark web exposure, businesses can better understand and mitigate these risks, protecting their data and reducing the chances of costly breaches.

Dark web intelligence and cyber risks

The study analyzed dark web intelligence sources against the cyber insurance losses reported from 2020 to 2023, and found a breach rate of 3.7% over four years, suggesting organizations with any form of dark web exposure were at much higher risk of experiencing a cyber incident.

Each of the nine dark web intelligence sources studied, such as compromised user accounts, dark web market listings, and outgoing dark web traffic, showed statistically significant correlations with cybersecurity risk. The data points not only highlight individual risk factors but also emphasize the compounded risk that emerges when multiple dark web sources interact.

Furthermore, specific dark web activity increases the likelihood of cyberattacks. The presence of compromised user accounts linked to an organization was found to raise the risk of a breach by 2.56 times. Dark web market listings, where an organization or its data is mentioned, heightened the risk by 2.41 times, while traffic between an organization’s network and the dark web resulted in a 2.11 times increased risk.

Other forms of exposure, such as open-source intelligence (OSINT) results and paste site leaks, also contributed to elevated risks. Paste results showed an 88% increase in the likelihood of an incident, while OSINT results correlated with a 2.05 times increased risk. The presence of an organization’s data in forums, Telegram chats, and dark web pages also contributed to the elevated risks, although to a slightly lesser extent.

It is also important for organizations to consider multiple dark web intelligence sources together. For example, an organization identified across five high-risk categories was found to be 77% more likely to suffer a cybersecurity breach compared to organizations without such exposure. Therefore, a combination of sources such as paste results, OSINT, and market listings provided the strongest indication of cyber risk.

Organizations are encouraged to therefore adopt dark web monitoring practices. Organizations are also encouraged to enhance cybersecurity practices to defend against the risks posed by dark web exposure, including ensuring strong password policies, using multi-factor authenticator apps, and maintaining up-to-date security protocols to minimize the risk of compromised accounts.

Furthermore, engaging in regular cybersecurity training for employees can help organizations better detect and respond to phishing attempts or other malicious activities often initiated via compromised credentials found on the dark web.

“The core finding of Marsh McLennan’s analysis is that any data related to your organization on the dark web is highly correlated with your chance of a cyberattack," noted Ben Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Searchlight Cyber. "Cybercriminals plan their attacks on dark web forums, marketplaces, and in hidden communication channels, and the study has quantified the risk of each of these areas of dark web exposure for the first time."

“If security teams can identify their exposure on the dark web they have a huge opportunity to proactively act, adjust their defenses, and effectively stop attacks before they are launched by cybercriminals. The first step is to gain visibility: to understand where the threat on the dark web is coming from, where the organization is being targeted, and continuously monitor to give themselves the best chance of identifying and stopping a cybersecurity incident."

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• Max is relocating its top navigation menu to the side.
• It's also adding two new ways for you to find content to stream.
• The design change is starting to roll out slowly now to TVs.

If you’ve opened up the Max app on your TV and noticed the top navigation bar is, well, no longer at the top, you’re not seeing things. It’s part of a redesigned navigation menu that the streaming service is starting to roll out after a successful test in Latin America.

This change is only arriving for TVs – so smart interfaces or a streaming box like the Roku Ultra or Apple TV 4K – not for the web interface or mobile apps.

Where did your easy navigation to HBO go? I mean, we all need our Larry David fix courtesy of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Where did Sports, News, and Series go? Well, not that far, as it now resides in a new menu bar on the left side of the screen. And with it, Max is offering new ways to find curated content.

Two new sub-menus, What's New and Categories, join the existing Series, Movies, HBO, Sports, and News sub-menus. These sub-menus aim to make it easier to serve content recommendations and find something to stream. Both of these are typical quests for streamers, as various services try out new ways to get you consuming content faster and more effortlessly.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Max)A look at the new navigation bar for Max.Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Max)A look at the old navigation bar for Max.

What’s New is a bit more than the name suggests as well. Yes, it will serve up the latest arrivals on Max, but it will also shine a light on content that will be arriving in short order, but also – and maybe more importantly – the movies, TV shows, and documentaries that will be leaving. This way, you can get one or two more watches of the stuff you’re sad to see go.

Categories is a bit more self-explanatory but will break down content by different themes, genres, and brands. Either way, both new sections are welcomed additions to the preexisting ones, all there to help you find the shows and movies you want to watch faster.

Max’s navigation menu, living on the left, also cleans up the top of the interface, letting you see the top carousel image with little to no distractions. It might also let Max roll out more cinematic top visuals to promote its latest or featured content.

This rollout is not available to every Max subscriber at once, either, so don’t fret if you’re not seeing it yet. It will take some time to reach a subset of users first and eventually expand to the full customer base on connected TV devices around the world and wherever the streaming service is available. In a shared release, Max notes that the design might be “slightly modified across regions to fit local needs.”

It’ll be interesting to see the broader user reaction to Max’s navigation menu redesign, whether it gets tweaked further, and whether other streaming services will implement changes based on these. You might recall that Amazon gave Prime Video a big redesign this summer, and you can see our early hands-on with it here.

But considering we’re talking about Max, check out our favorite content on the platform here.

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• Pika just released the Pika 2.1 AI video creator with features like Scene Ingredients and lifelike motion control.
• Features like dynamic lighting and style transfer streamline cinema production.
• Compared to Sora, Pika 2.1 is aimed at any skill level.

AI video creator Pika Labs is keen to stand out from possible competitors like OpenAI and Sora, and its newest model adds some real power to that effort. Pika 2.1 adds a whole suite of new and upgraded features just a little over a month after Pika 2.0 dropped.

The new model offers users tools to make animation smoother, lighting more dramatic, and physics more realistic. It's not quite Pixar, but it's closer than you might first imagine, and it's still usable for those who watch YouTube tutorials for editing family album videos.

The Scene Ingredients feature introduced with Pika 2.0 is still the star of the new model, offering to incorporate people, objects, and locations lifted from photos you upload. Your living room becomes a starship bridge, and your dog can star in a romantic drama with a few clicks. However, the new Advanced Motion Control feature is where Pika 2.1 really flexes. Fluid and graceful animation is suddenly much more feasible, replacing earlier models' more robotic, awkward motions. Ballerinas and gymnasts can star in your video without looking like straw-filled dummies.

Thanks to the new Realistic Physics Simulation feature, all of the videos feel more like reality. Objects behave like they actually exist in the real world, meaning a character tossing a ball now results in an arc and bounce – just like Isaac Newton says it should. Though a somewhat subtle upgrade in some ways, it still changes your animation from feeling like a video game cutscene to more of a live-action performance.

The new Dynamic Lighting Effects also lets you enhance those scenes with a real mood. Shadows deepen, highlights pop, and sunsets look like they were plucked straight out of a travel influencer’s reel. And if you'd rather have a much more stylized kind of cinema, the new Seamless Style Transfer feature lets you revamp your modern, realistic video into a neon-noir from the 1980s or a moving watercolor painting.

Pika power

Of course, Pika 2.1 isn’t entering an empty arena. It’s up against Sora and many others like Runway, Pollo, and Luma Labs' Dream Machine. Sora has earned praise for its text-to-video capabilities, but is really mostly for professionals, not casual filmmakers. Runway has some impressive creations and multimodal input that can create videos from text, images, or existing video clips. Still, there is also a bit of a steep learning curve to unlock all of its features.

Pika 2.1, meanwhile, pitches itself as a good tool for professional animators and weekend dabblers alike. That said, you will need a subscription to use Pika 2.1 and all the new features. Otherwise, you'll only be able to use the Pika 1.5 model. That's nothing to sneeze at, as Pika 1.5 offers a host of fun visual effects to entice you into signing up and accessing the latest Pika model.

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• A new phishing scam has targeted a Google programmer
• The attack was worryingly convincing, and has made Google tighten defenses in response
• Not sure how to spot a phishing scam? Follow our tips

A new ultra-realistic phishing scam reported by a Google programmer could make a lot of us a little uneasy.

Zach Latta, warned in a recent blog post, “Someone just tried the most sophisticated phishing attack I've ever seen. I almost fell for it. My mind is a little blown.”

Starting with a phone call from the Caller ID ‘Google’, this phishing attempt was enough to convince a Google programmer into being one button press away from disaster - here’s what we know so far.

A convincing story

On the other side of Latta's phone call, which is a genuine number associated with Google Assistant calls, was a ‘Google engineer’ called Chloe.

The connection was ‘super clear’, with Latta noting the scammer had an American accent, and claimed to be from Google Workspace - asking if he had recently attempted to log into his account from Frankfurt, Germany.

From there, the programmer asked if ‘Chloe’ could confirm this by emailing from an official Google email. Worryingly, the scammer obliged, and sent Latta an incredibly official looking email with a case number.

Not only was the email sent, but it was sent from the address ‘workspace-noreply@ google.com’, and related to his ‘password for important.g.co’ which the attacker claimed was an internal Google subnet. This is important, because even our own TechRadar phishing advice identifies this as a serious indication of risk.

But g.co is an official Google URL - which is confirmed by Google and even has its own Wikipedia page. Latta, being a tech worker, knew to verify the phone number, so Googled the number - and was encouraged to do so by the scammer, who advised him to quote his case number if he called. The number is listed on google.com pages, which was enough to placate Latta enough.

The scammer was encouraging Latta to carry out a ‘sessions reset’, on his device, which rang alarm bells for the programmer. The scam's first stumbling block came when Latta checked his Google Workspace logs himself, and of course, didn’t find any suspicious activity.

When pressed, the scam began to unravel - with the attacker transferring to a manager who further encouraged Latta to log out from all devices and reset his password. Shockingly, the scammer was able to provide the genuine MFA code that was sent to Latta, which, if entered, would’ve given the attackers access to Latta’s account.

Thankfully, Latta was able to spot the red flags and by this point, was already suspicious enough to avoid handing his account over - but the scammer got close, Latta admitted.

“Literally 1 button press from being completely pwned. And I'm pretty technical!”

This particular attack has made Google up its defenses in response.

“We’ve suspended the account behind this scam, which abused an unverified Workspace account to send these misleading emails" a Google spokesperson told TechRadarPro.

"We have not seen evidence that this is a wide scale tactic, but we are hardening our defenses against abusers leveraging g.co references at sign up to further protect users."

Google also reiterated: "Google will not call you to reset your password or troubleshoot account issues.”

The news follows a trend of cybercriminals deploying smarter and more frequent attacks, in part enabled by the advent of AI. This particular scam even bypassed MFA and used a legitimate Google domain, so even the most tech-savvy among us should be on the lookout.

Escaping phishing attacks

What’s concerning about this scam in particular is that it has found workarounds for some of the classic tell-tale signs of a scam. As Latta said,

“The thing that's crazy is that if I followed the 2 "best practices" of verifying the phone number + getting them to send an email to you from a legit domain, I would have been compromised.”

Checking the legitimacy of the email and phone number is pretty much the first recommendation for any unexpected communications - and that’s still good advice, but clearly it will only filter out the lower level attacks at this point. If you’re not sure what exactly a phishing attack is, we’ve put together an explainer.

That said, remaining suspicious of any and all unknown communications, especially those urging action, really is the best defense against phishing attacks.

In the kindest way possible, it’s unlikely you’re important enough for Google to be concerned enough to call you about your personal email account - so be very wary of anyone reaching out to you out of nowhere.

A Google spokesperson told TheRegister, “As a reminder, Google will not call users to reset their passwords or troubleshoot account issues, so feel free to treat any incoming calls as the garbage they are.”

Look out for any obvious markers, like bad spelling or grammar - and be mindful of which organizations would already know your name - it’s unlikely your bank would start an email with ‘Dear customer’.

Alongside that, avoid clicking any links on emails from people you don’t know, and don’t open attachments or scan QR codes either. If you’d like more detail, take a look at our full phishing defense and how to stop it.

Another layer of defense against scams, is using the best identity theft protection, which can help if you do accidentally click the wrong thing.

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• A recent Android Auto update has altered the way Google Maps looks
• Defaulting to a centered view is making it difficult to see live location
• Workaround requires closing the search bar, which is irritating and distracting

Google has recently updated its Google Maps software on vehicle head units and infotainment systems that are compatible with Android Auto, and it has forced some users to hit the forums and chatrooms to express their displeasure.

Not to be confused with Android Automotive, the operating system a growing number of vehicle manufacturers are installing natively on recent models, Android Auto allows for certain apps housed on Android smartphones to be mirrored on an infotainment system or an aftermarket head unit.

A recent software update to the smartphone app now means the Maps application defaults to a centered view when a destination hasn’t been selected. Google’s suggested ‘Destinations’ box takes up most of the screen real estate.

This large, obtrusive black box takes up most of the screen's top right quadrant, diminishing the number of streets and nearby points of interest that drivers can see when casually cruising rather than navigating to a destination.

Google Maps is now centered on the screen
byu/steelbreeze9 inAndroidAuto

This box can be collapsed with a prod of the finger, but it’s not a permanent action, meaning drivers have to take their eyes off the road to remove it... every time they drive.

A Reddit post by a disgruntled user (via Android Authority) has already garnered well over 130 comments, with folks stating that they have transitioned to Waze because “that Search monstrosity taking up 1/4 of the screen is brutal,” according to one Redditor.

It’s also worth noting that many Google Maps users probably won’t even notice the change. They are either navigating to a set destination (the Search Box disappears in this mode) or not paying attention to the digital maps anyway because they either know the way or are simply enjoying the drive.

Regardless, it will be difficult for Google to ignore the backlash, and it will likely address the issue in future updates.

Analysis: Smaller screens suffer

(Image credit: Myriam Joire)

The screen grab accompanying the Reddit user’s post shows a very small, fairly low-resolution infotainment head unit, which is likely exacerbating the situation.

Many vehicles launched in the past few years have predominantly been sold with much larger screens, allowing Google Maps more room to display more information.

Run Maps on an Android Automotive-powered system found in a Renault or Volvo, and there’s enough screen real estate left over to run several other applications simultaneously.

It seems Google may have overlooked the fact that not everyone can afford a 12-inch touchscreen display that’s powered by the latest Snapdragon processors. Afterall, most of us mere mortals forced to retrofit smaller aftermarket head units in order to modernize an older vehicle.

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• Zimperium research finds SMishing campaign leveraging carefully crafted PDF files
• The campaign is impersonating the USPS
• The goal of the campaign is to steal login credentials

Corporate email accounts may be under the watchful eye of different security solutions, but mobile devices aren’t enjoying the same level of protection, experts have warned, as criminals are devising advanced, complex mobile phishing attacks to steal valuable login credentials.

Cybersecurity researchers at Zimperium recently discovered a new campaign using a unique obfuscation technique - they would first build a PDF file, mimicking the United States Postal Service (USPS). The file’s structure is quite complex, the researchers said, as it has a header, body, cross-reference table, and a trailer. The link, which leads to a malicious landing page, is embedded without using the standard /URI tag, which makes detection and forensics somewhat more difficult.

The uniqueness of the attack is seen in the URL, which comes with an embedded XObject. This allows the crooks to turn it into a clickable button.

SMS messages and PDF files

The attack starts with an SMS message, instead of an email. This way, the threat actors are able to bypass any email security protections set up, but also presents two unique challenges: one - they need to know their victims’ phone numbers, and two - sending SMS messages in bulk is not as cheap, easy, or private, as sending emails.

In the SMS message, the attackers impersonate the USPS and, in the usual scamming fashion, warn the victims about a parcel. They share the link to the PDF, which then leads to a malicious landing page, where victims end up sharing their login credentials. This information is ultimately encrypted and relayed to the attacker-owned C2 server.

This campaign highlights the fact phishing attacks can happen anywhere, not just in email, and that businesses need to expand their training sessions to cover virtually all communications platforms in use today.

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• Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti is supposedly going on sale on February 20
• This is purportedly info gleaned directly from Nvidia by a tech site
• That date does align with some past rumors, making it seem more likely

Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti could be out on February 20, or that’s the latest talk coming from the rumor mill, taken with the usual pinch of seasoning as ever.

VideoCardz has the scoop on this one, with the tech site informing us that this is word from Nvidia itself, courtesy of the latest info on review embargoes from Team Green.

Obviously this must still be regarded as a rumor, but the theory is that reviews of the RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards that are pitched at MSRP ($749 in the US, or £749 / AU$1,109) will arrive on February 19, and those above the MSRP level will follow the next day, with the GPUs all on shelves on that same day, February 20.

There’s an important point to note about the RTX 5070 Ti, and that’s the fact that this graphics card won’t have a Founders Edition from Nvidia, unlike all the other GeForce Blackwell models that have been announced so far.

In other words, only third-party RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards (from the likes of Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY and Zotac) will be available to buy.

According to VideoCardz, Nvidia originally intended to launch these RTX 5070 Ti models on February 14, but that date was put back due to the Chinese New Year (and presumably stock concerns therein).

All that Nvidia has officially said is that the RTX 5070 models, both the vanilla and Ti graphics cards, are going to be out in February 2025.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / DC Studio) Reinforcing past rumors, and worries around RTX 5070 timing

It’s no surprise to hear that Nvidia is planning to unleash the RTX 5070 Ti later in February, as this is something we’ve caught wind of before. Previously, there was some speculation about a mid-to-late February release, before a retailer actually listed a February 20 launch date, as aired here.

It’s also not surprising that the RTX 5070 Ti could turn up later next month, given the rumors we’ve been hearing about stock shortages – and there’s been a lot of that chat floating around. Such a weight, in fact, that it’s becoming easier and easier to believe that Nvidia will have issues here (and it’s not like this hasn’t happened before).

So, the hope with the RTX 5070 Ti is that, unlike the rumors around the RTX 5080, we’ll actually get a decent amount of graphics cards that are priced at the MSRP (or at least very close to it).

The difference with the RTX 5070 Ti is that, as noted above, there isn’t a Founders Edition in place underlining the MSRP. So, you’d hope Nvidia will be pushing to ensure that its card making partners are going to have a suitable selection of 5070 Ti models at that MSRP, otherwise, well, setting that recommended pricing level starts to look a bit pointless (if everyone’s ignoring it).

Moving from the hope, to the fear with the RTX 5070 Ti, this is that stock is going to sell out lightning-quick, as we get the first semi-affordable – a relative term, of course – Blackwell GPU actually available to buy. In particular, those graphics cards at the MSRP may disappear in the blink of a ray-traced eye, and we may be waiting for some time before stock levels get beefed up a bit (given the inevitable price scalping, too).

The other question is if the RTX 5070 Ti is due on February 20, where does that leave the RTX 5070? To be fair, in theory the vanilla card could be close behind, and as it’s grabbing more interest than the 5070 Ti currently – as gamers are not convinced the 5070 Ti will provide a convincing uplift over the 4070 Ti – that may pull the focus from the Ti model in short order.

This is all guesswork naturally, certainly the talk around the RTX 5070 Ti looking like a less robust next-gen upgrade – that’s mostly based on a few Nvidia performance graphs, the GPU’s specs, and drawing parallels based on how the RTX 5090 panned out relative to its predecessor – and so these are notions we should not get carried away with.

There are also some rumors that the RTX 5070 might be delayed to March 2025, though, and if there’s anything to that particular smouldering fire – with no mention of this GPU from Nvidia yet, apparently – the RTX 5070 Ti might be the only option on the Blackwell mid-range table for a little while. All as AMD looks to get into the game with its RX 9070 models in March, although those GPUs have faced plenty of controversy of their own.

Indeed, I’m not sure I can ever remember a pre-launch period for GPUs that has been so thick with rumors and oddities, than this current run-up to Blackwell and RDNA 4.

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There’s nothing like a bit of comparative advertising to spice up Flagship Android Launch Season, and Chinese mobile maker Honor seems determined to play chief mischief-maker.

After apologizing to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 owners who may have felt “let down” by their “chunky” folding phone last year, the company has again taken aim at Samsung by highlighting five key hardware and software features supposedly missing from the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

The jab comes as part of a new social campaign that sees Samsung – or ‘Sam’ – gifted with accessories designed to “enhance” the Galaxy S25 Ultra. These include a zoom lens, a power bank, and a ring light. The implication here is that Honor’s new flagship phone, the Honor Magic 7 Pro, boasts better zoom capabilities, battery life, portrait capture technology, and other key features versus Samsung’s latest device. Meow.

In a press release accompanying the new campaign, Honor details these supposedly superior features in writing:

• Magic Portal for Seamless App Access: Magic Portal enables quick access to over 150+ third-party apps with a simple circle gesture, streamlining tasks across search, transportation, entertainment, shopping, and office tools.
• AI Super Zoom for Richer Details: Leveraging cloud AI, Honor's AI Super Zoom delivers superior image quality for long-distance shots beyond 30x, capturing far clearer and more detailed photos compared to Samsung’s Space Zoom.
• Stunning Portraits and Fast Capture: Featuring the industry’s first on-device portrait large model, the Magic 7 Pro delivers striking portrait details with AI Enhanced Portrait and Harcourt Portrait. Its HD Super Burst and AI Motion Sensing further solidify Honor's leadership in fast capture technology.
• Unmatched Durability and Charging: The Magic 7 Pro boasts IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance, 100W wired SuperCharge, and 80W wireless SuperCharge. It also features the industry’s first dual 3D biometric security system with 3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlocking and 3D To Face Locking.

Jeez, talk about confidence.

Seeing as the Galaxy S25 Ultra only launched a matter of days ago, we haven’t yet put the phone through its paces, and as such, we’re not in a position to say whether Honor is being too big for its boots here.

We do, however, know that features like AI Super Zoom, Harcourt Portrait, and Magic Portal are unique to the Magic 7 Pro and more of the best Honor phones, so we can understand Honor’s eagerness to highlight them in some playful marketing.

Image 1 of 2

The Honor Magic 7 Pro hit shelves in January (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra was announced at Galaxy Unpacked (Image credit: Future)

Indeed, we described Honor’s latest flagship as “an outstanding phone that impresses in almost every area” in our Honor Magic 7 Pro review, and it’s true that Honor’s proprietary smartphone software has come on leaps and bounds in recent years (see its Deepfake Detection feature).

That said, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is certainly no slouch – and we don’t need to have completed our full review process to tell you that.

In our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, we described Samsung’s latest flagship as potentially “the most complete AI-ready mobile package on the market,” so we look forward to pitting the Galaxy S25 Ultra against the Honor Magic 7 Pro and more of the best Android phones very soon.

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• AI company has released a design of a keyboard dock for smartphones
• With a beige color scheme and a pseudo-mechanical keyboard, it has a strong 1980s feel to it
• It is expected to cost less than $250 and will appeal to those looking for a Psion 5MX replacement

Amber.Page, an AI startup for writers, has teased a new keyboard case that transforms an iPhone into a portable, laptop-like writing device.

Shared by company founder Justin Mitchell on Threads, the renders of what he’s calling the AmberDeck show a clamshell-style design reminiscent of retro tech, like a mini Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 or the Psion 5MX. The latter had a similar design with what was widely considered one of the best keyboards ever made for a device of its size.

The device offers a minimalist setup for drafting articles, editing text, and even tackling writer’s block with the support of the startup’s AI-powered writing assistant.

Mitchell wrote, “Been cooking on some hardware for Amber over the holiday break. Always wanted a clamshell iPhone keyboard for focused writing on the go, so I made one.”

The case isn’t intended as a permanent enclosure for your phone; rather, it serves as a docking station, turning your device into a focused typing tool with a high-travel pseudo-mechanical keyboard that features a compact 60% layout. Yanko Design says when docked, you won’t be able to use your phone for usual tasks such as accessing the camera or making calls, but if you're focused on writing that will be a good thing.

A work in progress

Mitchell wrote, “Been cooking on some hardware for Amber over the holiday break. Always wanted a clamshell iPhone keyboard for focused writing on the go, so I made one.”

The case isn’t intended as a permanent enclosure for your phone; rather, it serves as a docking station, turning your device into a focused typing tool with a high-travel pseudo-mechanical keyboard that features a compact 60% layout. Yanko Design says when docked, you won’t be able to use your phone for usual tasks such as accessing the camera or making calls, but if you're focused on writing that will be a good thing.

The clamshell case includes an adjustable hinge for screen positioning and a charging port for the keyboard itself. Yanko Design notes the case doesn’t appear to support pass-through charging for the phone, and the keyboard lacks backlighting, which will limit its usability in low-light settings. That said, this is still only a prototype, so things could change.

Indeed, in another thread, Mitchell has updated the design based on feedback and suggestions from his social media followers, including changes made to improve functionality and compatibility. In the updated design, the hinge is centered and features a dual-action mechanism, allowing the case to lay completely flat thanks to an internal gap inside the top shell.

The arrow keys have been reconfigured to a standard layout, with the shift key moved to the right and enlarged for a more intuitive typing experience. A gap has been added around the faceplate, making it easy to pop off and customize or swap as needed. To accommodate a wider range of devices, including Android phones, the inset on the inside has been squared off for better versatility. Additionally, the lip of the case has been moved to the top.

Mitchell has suggested the AmberDeck could sell for under $250, and while these early renders are just a preview, the case could potentially appeal to writers, journalists, and editors looking to turn their phones into compact writing devices that can be used anywhere.

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