TechRadar News

• Florida police have discovered unauthorized Flock cameras
• At the moment it's not clear who is operating the devices
• The owners have been given 30 days to come forward

It's going from bad to worse for Flock and its license plate reader cameras: following Florida's decision to take the cameras out of use on highways across the state, police have found 14 unauthorized devices along St. Lucie County roads, with 11 of those still of unknown origin.

As Ars Technica reports, 3 of the 14 were claimed by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. They were installed without the necessary permits, but at least the agency that had installed them could be traced.

When it comes to the other 11, it's really not clear who's operating them, or whether they're being actively used. County authorities are giving the owners 30 days to take them down, and may put plastic bags over them in the meantime.

There have been instances of Flock itself installing cameras without having done the necessary paperwork, including a 2024 incident that was covered in Forbes. According to a Flock spokesperson, the company has already reached out to St. Lucie County officials to try and get the mystery solved as quickly as possible.

Drastic actionFlorida county discovers mysterious Flock cameras with no obvious owner from r/nottheonion

As you might expect, residents are spooked by the Flock cameras of unknown origin. The devices were already being viewed with suspicion by many citizens in terms of how their data collection capabilities could be misused — and that was when they knew who it was accessing them.

Resident Ty Grant told the Washington Post that the 11 unaccounted for Flock cameras had left him feeling "very unsafe", while local shop owner Todd Richter said it was imperative that the camera operators are revealed.

Reaction across Reddit has run along similar sentiments, with posters declaring it's "time for the chainsaws" and speculating that foreign nations could be involved in putting up the cameras without the necessary permits.

There is actually one idea posted to Reddit that just might work: "Cut it down, see who comes complaining." However, for the next 30 days at least, St. Lucie County officials seem determined to offer the opportunity for the camera operators in question to come forward and reclaim their hardware (before it's taken down anyway).

Fuse Games' Star Wars: Galactic Racer isn't what I anticipated. A fun Star Wars racing game that lets you take part in a series of high-octane relays across the galaxy? Sounds great; you had me at "Star Wars." But a heart-pounding roguelike sweat-fest that had me squeezing my DualSense wireless controller in a death grip and yelling at my monitor as Kestar Bool once again beat me in the final race by the skin of my teeth? Not what I was expecting!

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Release date: October 6, 2026

Galactic Racer takes place after the fall of the Empire and during the New Republic Era, where the lawless and ex-pilots of the Outer Rim take part in the unsanctioned, high-stakes Galactic League. You play as Shade, a faceless human cargo pilot recruited to the league and who has a major grudge against the oppressive Bool family, particularly Kestar Bool, the guy who also happens to be the reigning champion of the Galactic League. Shade, for reasons you'll discover as you progress the campaign, has a long history with Kestar and is dead set on beating him, and you feel that rivalry grow after every attempt at completing the tour.

This particular Star Wars tale is contained without the bigger stakes we often see in the movies or TV shows, and while it's not a sweeping cinematic experience like Star Wars Zero Company or Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, with not much exploration in the way of character depth for Shade as the playable character, it's simple yet effective; Galactic Racer is first and foremost a racing game with an emphasis on replayability, buildcraft customization, and a tailored progression system.

A race across the stars

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

The freedom to choose how to proceed through the campaign is a core feature I greatly enjoyed, and players must first complete the qualifiers, then the main Galactic Tour. There's no randomized track selection; instead, a clever system of branching paths lets you choose a route and compete in races that fit your preferences, minimizing the risk of losing your League Tokens, which let you race in the first place.

There are standard races that present a variety of gripping courses, and you can come in first or 12th place; Field Tests, which I did find a bit repetitive and not as challenging after completing them numerous times; Mystery Encounters; and Eliminator races, an event where the driver in last place is disqualified until only the top three pilots remain, plus you'll lose a League Token, which makes it the riskiest race in the bunch.

Roguelikes can be hit or miss for me, but Galactic Racer's run-based structure offers an exhilarating and chaotic gameplay loop that excels at providing a highly engaging, heart-pounding experience despite the rinse-and-repeat system.

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

Even after beating my fellow racers and making it all the way to the finals, only to fail miserably, the notion of having to replay the entire process after losing should've been off-putting. Instead, I found myself not only eager to improve, but excited to get back on the track with the knowledge and skills I'd gained from previous runs, a feeling that not many roguelikes can achieve.

The game has a learning and difficulty curve due to its roguelike framework, and it may not be for everyone, but it's purposefully designed to make you become the best racer in the galaxy, since you likely won't be a winner straight away.

Best Bit

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

Star Wars: Galactic Racer's roguelike structure is the game's best feature, offering an incredible amount of replayability across a host of brilliantly constructed courses across the galaxy.

More often than not, you'll smash headfirst into an obstacle or fly off a cliff because you didn't drift in time, so it's incredibly satisfying how the game makes you feel like you're gradually improving after every run.

At the beginning of each tour, you choose a loadout, including your vehicle, Favours that provide a competitive edge, and a Racer Style, an additional preset that dictates your speeder's behaviour and active perks and feels more personalized to your playstyle.

Galactic Racer offers three vehicle types — landspeeders, speeder bikes, and skim speeders, as well as podracers during select missions — but in the end, I personally favored the speeder bike; its compact agility, vectored thrust, and kinetic burst felt incredible as I sped across dunes and whizzed around tight corners on slippery glaciers.

If at first you don't succeed...

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

When I started, I absolutely sucked. I frequently collided headfirst into walls and mismanaged my abilities, but the roguelike structure works so well that my muscle memory began kicking in the more I played; by the end of the game, I was hardly crashing and knew the tracks like the back of my hand.

It's no smooth ride; every choice shapes your prospects, and the challenge of not only trying to win while overcoming planetary effects like lava or acid, and outplaying your fellow pilots, takes the stakes even higher — it's a testament to how well the roguelike framework works and how brilliantly designed the courses are.

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

The game puts a huge emphasis on customization — the build possibilities are endless — and the system stands out against the competition as you gradually update your vehicles by applying upgrades, installing parts (and making sure they're not damaged), and unlocking new power-up abilities; there's an abundance of them, and they make a world of difference in close-call encounters and improve your odds of a podium position.

Not to beat the dead tauntaun, but seriously… this is podracing! Playing on the base PS5, Galactic Racer is a visual and audio feast, offering a gorgeously smooth experience at 60fps, while sweeping you up in the frenetic action.

The speeds you can reach are ridiculous when you have the right upgrades, and there's nothing more gratifying than going to the maximum with your Ramjet and executing perfect landings and sharp corners without crashing your speeder into a million pieces.

The best of the best

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

Racing is at the soul of the campaign, and it's a damn good time, but the game also allows you to interact with other pilots; they aren't just random racers, but fully written NPCs with unique personalities and playstyles, and I loved how Fuse represents these characters on and off the track.

You'll build rivalries, learn their backstories, and discover random encounters with multiple dialogue options, which also come with rewards and consequences, making the lawless world you're competing in all the more real.

With Kestar Bool, for instance, I chose to insult him after he tried to swindle me out of some credits, and since he basically runs the show, my speeder was sabotaged; it exploded at the start of the next race, and I lost two speeder upgrades in the process, putting me at a huge disadvantage for the rest of the tour. This is such a unique feature and a significant factor in the game's progression system that drives home the competitiveness among your opponents.

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

Jakku and Crait are probably my favorite out of the six available planets, which are all stunningly authentic to the Star Wars universe and a joy to experience from a brand-new perspective as a fan; the scale of their set pieces, whether it be the underbelly of a Star Destroyer skeleton or kicking up red salt in crystalline caverns, creates a sense of awe alongside the game's competitive atmosphere as you maneuver through various routes.

Fuse has designed a riveting racing game with creatively constructed tracks that compel you to keep playing even after a major fumble. At first, it's all about mastering the track — which corner to take to put you ahead, when to speed up or slow down — and the game does a great job of making each one distinctly different. Soon enough, however, these races get pretty aggressive, to the point where they'll turn into outright battles as your opponents try to ram you off the course (screw you, Griff Halloran).

(Image credit: Fuse Games)

Alongside the campaign, players can unlock Sebulba's storyline, a side activity where you play podraces from his past; it's a neat addition to the main story that offers up some amazing tracks while also providing additional backstory on the guy who had it out for little Anakin Skywalker. Surprisingly, Sebulba became a standout in the storyline, and I appreciate that Fuse didn't simply throw him in for the sake of nostalgia.

Playing on the base PS5, Galactic Racer is a visual and audio feast, offering a gorgeously smooth experience at 60fps, while sweeping you up in the frenetic action.

The game also offers other side activities like Scenarios that let you play as each racer, an Arcade feature, both worthwhile additions for after you complete the campaign, and a proper multiplayer mode. During the review period, I had access to several multiplayer sessions, a standard online PvP experience featuring quick race modes and Tours with 12 players and crossplay enabled.

From what I was able to play, I enjoyed the multiplayer as much as the campaign, and it has a lot of potential if Fuse plans on updating the game post-launch; it feels just as entertaining and competitive as the story, with extra unlockables and missions that incentivize you to keep playing after the campaign. While I didn't get to play too much due to time constraints, I already know I'll be sinking more hours into it, and I'm particularly excited about trying out the Podracing Tour mode at launch — it was locked during the review period — because I couldn't get enough of it in the campaign.

Should you play Star Wars: Galactic Racer?Play it if...

You're a Star Wars fan
If you enjoy Star Wars beyond the movies and TV shows, Star Wars: Galactic Racer will take you on an exhilarating journey across the Outer Rim.

You like roguelikes
If you welcome the challenge of roguelikes and don't mind the rinse-and-repeat process, Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a must-play.

If you enjoy racing games and want fast-paced action
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is one of the best racing games I've played in a long time and offers a high-octane experience like no other.

Don't play it if...

You don't get on with roguelikes
If you're a racing game enthusiast, you'll enjoy this game, but the roguelike structure may put you off if you don't like the idea of repeating races until you beat the game.

You're a Star Wars fan just looking to experience the story
You may be put off by the game's roguelike system if you continuously lose, which in turn can get in the way of the main story if that's all you want to experience.

Accessibility Features

Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers a ton of accessibility features in the form of your typical settings across visuals, audio, and subtitles. There are also some great controller remapping options, which can be adjusted to your preferences (these make a huge difference on the track), toggleable controls, and more.

How I reviewed Star Wars: Galactic Racer

I spent almost 30 hours playing Star Wars: Galactic Racer on the base PlayStation 5 with my Gigabyte M32U gaming monitor and my Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones for audio.

First reviewed October 2026.

• AT&T's CEO has said that Starlink's plans to launch a rival service aren't "viable"
• They argue that fiber is simply so much faster than satellite connectivity that it would be impossible for Starlink Mobile to compete
• However, AT&T has also announced plans with Verizon and T-Mobile to use satellites to get rid of dead zones

We’ve heard a lot lately about Starlink’s plans to launch a traditional mobile carrier aimed at rivaling the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — and perhaps even making such a service available globally. But if AT&T’s CEO John Stankey is to be believed, it probably isn’t happening — or at least not anytime soon.

Speaking to Axios, Stankey claimed that Musk’s plan is "not a viable strategy," in part because it’s heavily reliant on Starlink satellites rather than fiber infrastructure. When it comes to fiber, Stankey said “nothing beats it,” because it’s three times faster than satellite connectivity, adding that "satellite, at its best — if everything happens right over the next 10 years" — is "still not going to beat fiber."

Of course, Musk probably recognizes this, as Starlink’s plans involve more traditional network infrastructure too, with the company having previously outlined its plans to install small cellular base stations alongside Starlink dishes on homes and businesses.

But Stankey has his doubts about that too, saying that the endeavor would be enormously expensive, and that "there's all kinds of other issues, like you can't radiate cellular signals from somebody's house without their permission, unless somebody changes the law on that. We can go down a whole bunch of reasons why that won't effectively work."

For now, AT&T seems to be betting mostly on fiber (Image credit: Shutterstock / Jonathan Weiss)It could be a long road for Starlink Mobile

Some analysts are also unconvinced by Musk’s plans, with Bernstein analyst Madison Rezaei saying, "Starlink Mobile may fill a meaningful gap in the market (i.e., remote, rural, maritime, disaster scenarios), but we believe it is a long way from replacing terrestrial carrier networks."

On the other hand, Alex Besen, CEO of the Besen Group, was a bit more positive about Starlink Mobile’s chances in a conversation with Fierce Network, saying of conventional carriers that “maybe not a majority of it, but definitely, they’re going to lose” some of the consumer market.

And even if Stankey claims not to be worried, it seems he’s not taking any chances, with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon having recently launched a joint venture to get rid of coverage dead zones through satellite connectivity.

So whether Musk’s Starlink Mobile plans are viable or not, it does seem that increasingly carriers will use a mix of masts, fiber, and satellites to service their customers.

• Stream Mayday free on Tubi in US (geo-restricted)
• Unblock Tubi now with NordVPN + save 75%
• S1-22 including S22 FlyDubai episode

You can watch Mayday: Air Disaster for free on Tubi in the US, with plenty of episodes ready for take-off without paying a cent.

Tubi has multiple seasons of the hit aviation disaster series, which is going viral after Flydubai passenger Yaniv Hayun, told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that the show helped him correct the aircraft's nosedive.

Crucially, Tubi US has season 22 and the FlyDubai Flight 981 episode, “Holding Pattern”. So if you’re ready to buckle up for another Mayday marathon, Tubi is the easiest ways to get your binge off the ground.

But can you watch Mayday on Tubi outside the US? Is it free in the UK and Australia too? And which seasons and episodes are actually available?

Here’s our full (and quick) guide to how to watch Mayday: Air Disaster on Tubi for free, wherever you are...

How to watch Mayday: Air Crash on Tubi and the Tubi app

Free, ad-supported streaming service Tubi broadcasts Mayday: Air Crash – also known as Air Crash Investigation in some territories – including season 22.

To watch Tubi: visit the Tubi.tv website or download the Tubi app (iOS, Android).

Tubi is free – but you will need to register to watch Mayday episodes.

Register – sign up with your Gmail (we did and were streaming Tubi's free Mayday episodes within seconds).

OUTSIDE THE USA? ACCESS TUBI FROM ANYWHERE WITH NORDVPN

How to watch Mayday: Air Crash on Tubi from anywhere

Although Tubi is available in 11 countries around the world, it's only broadcasting Mayday: Air Crash for free in the US.

Aviation fans traveling or working outside the US will need to use a VPN to access Tubi's free Mayday streams.

There are lots of VPN but NordVPNis the one you can rely on to unblock Tubi.... and you can save 75% below!

NordVPN – try it risk-free for 30 days
Looking to access Tubi from outside the States? If you're traveling abroad, use NordVPN to access Tubi as if you were back home in the States. We test all the providers and we rate Nord as the best VPN. There's 24/7 support available, a money-back guarantee and, best of all, there's currently over 75% off with this deal.View Deal

It's really easy to use a VPN to watch Mayday: Air Crash on Tubi.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is the best choice.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the UK and want to watch your free U.S. Tubi stream, you'd select 'New York'.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to the Tubi website, sign in, and watch Mayday TV show for free.

Can I watch Mayday: Air Crash in the UK?

(Image credit: Mayday on tubi)

Yes – but not for free on Tubi.

In the UK, you can watch the first 11 seasons of Mayday: Air Crash on Amazon Prime Video (rated 8.8/10).

But note that it does NOT include later seasons, including the viral FlyDubai episode (S22E01 "Holding Pattern").

Can I watch Mayday: Air Crash in Australia?

Yes – there are 3 seasons of Mayday on Disney+ and 11 seasons on Amazon Prime Video in Australia.

Disney+ has 10 episodes of season 22, including “Holding Pattern”, the Flydubai Flight 981 episode.

Which devices can I watch Mayday free on Tubi with?

You can use Tubi on all of the following devices and platforms:

Amazon Fire TV/Stick and Kindle Fire tablets (Tablets must be 2013 or later)
FireTV (newer than 7.1.1000)
Amazon Echo Show
Android mobile devices (smartphones/tablets)
Android TV (newer than 7.1.1000)
Apple TV 4th Generation
Chromecast
Comcast Xfinity X1
Cox Contour
Google Nest Hub
Hisense Smart TVs
iOS devices (iPhones/iPads)
LG Smart TVs
Nvidia Shield
Playstation 4 and 5
Roku platforms
Samsung Smart TVs
Sony Smart TVs & Blu-ray disc devices
TiVo
Vizio Smart TVs
Web - tubitv.com
Xbox One, Series S, Series X

Need to knowWhat happened to Flydubai Flight 981?

Flydubai Flight 981 was a Boeing 737-800 flying from Dubai to Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on March 19, 2016. After aborting a second landing attempt in poor weather, the aircraft entered a rapid descent and crashed near the runway. All 62 people on board — 55 passengers and seven crew members — were killed. The accident and subsequent investigation are reconstructed in the Mayday episode “Holding Pattern.”

Is Mayday: Air Disaster the same show as Air Crash Investigation and Air Disasters?

Broadly, yes. The documentary series is known by different titles in different countries and on different broadcasters. It is commonly called Mayday or Air Crash Investigation, while US viewers may encounter episodes under the title Air Disasters. Season and episode numbering can consequently differ between streaming platforms.

Where can I watch Mayday S22E01 Holding Pattern for free in the US?

Tubi's current US catalogue contains Seasons 1–5, 7, 9, 11, 13–19 and 22, and its S22E01 "Holding Pattern" page describes the Flydubai 981 episode, which is going viral after the recent Flydubai attack that was foiled by Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and some plucky passengers.

• How to watch Tubi from anywhere – FREE movies, TV shows and live sports

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Windows 11 26H2 is reportedly improving RAM consumption
• Some users say that they are seeing memory usage of between 1GB to 3GB less after applying the update
• Others see no change, mind, and we have to be cautious around these reports – although Microsoft is working to optimize RAM use in Windows 11

There's some evidence emerging that Windows 11's 26H2 update improves performance for some people, although we need to treat that idea with some caution at this stage.

Wccftech flagged up a post on Reddit where a Window 11 user observed: "Before the [26H2] Update, the On Boot RAM utilization was around 6.9GB (nice!), and after the update it is around 4.8-5GB. I guess there is some RAM utilization improvement after all!"

A number of other Redditors chip in with similar tales, such as: "I looked at mine and it is indeed lower than it used to [be] by around 3GB. Nice."

Another user says: "I noticed this as well. RAM utilization went down by about a gigabyte on my machine. Pretty good stuff."

Wccftech also points to a post on X from SoyITPro whose baseline RAM usage went from 9.1GB to 7.5GB, and again there are several other users who chip in to note that theirs has dropped by 1GB (or slightly more) after installing 26H2.

Before we get carried away with any positivity, though, there are those who've installed version 26H2 and are posting to say that there's no difference with their RAM usage compared to what it was before the update.

Notably some of those who are observing bigger drops in memory usage have larger RAM pools, so that's something to bear in mind if you have a lean 8GB loadout and are hoping for the best here.

Analysis: caution first

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Of course, we need to be very careful about jumping to conclusions based a cluster of posts which are effectively anecdotal observations. And as noted, there's an equal amount of folks who are saying they don't see any difference with 26H2.

However, Microsoft let us know that it's working on making Windows 11 use less RAM at the start of August, so some of that effort may well have made its way into the OS – with installing the 26H2 update acting as a switch to flick that into action for more users. (As I discussed previously, while the 26H2 update doesn't do much, it will act as a trigger for the rollout of features that haven't yet reached some PCs).

There's a comment in the above Reddit thread from a user who notes that after installing 26H2 they find that "File Explorer responds immediately and it doesn't take its usual 5 seconds to respond" – and again, File Explorer is something that Microsoft has been honing. So, what's likely happened is that this work has been ushered through by the installation of the 26H2 update, which is why it's an upgrade worth having. Especially given that Microsoft has been doing a lot to Windows 11 this year as part of the major drive to fix the OS.

I'd still advise waiting a little while on installing version 26H2 of Windows 11, mind, just to see if any bugs are going to come crawling out of the woodwork. However, the upgrade seems clean enough thus far based on the initial lack of any major complaints around glitches.

Finally, as Windows Latest reports, it's worth noting that Microsoft is also busy shoring up memory issues with WinUI, which is the contemporary framework for the interface of Windows 11. This should help with overall performance not just for the desktop OS itself, but also apps which use WinUI.

• Control Resonant composer Petri Alanko says he typically finds his inspiration by looking at Remedy's "gorgeous" concept art
• He reveals that he has synesthesia, which allows him to "hear" music by looking at these pictures
• Alanko says there's a "transparency culture" at Remedy, which helps prepare the team for a new project

Control Resonant composer Petri Alanko has revealed that he has synesthesia, which allows him to find much of his inspiration by looking at Remedy's concept art.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming, Alanko, who also composed music for the first Control game and other Remedy titles, shared his process for creating the music fans hear in Remedy's sequel.

"You wouldn’t believe, but quite often everything starts a little like that old Simpson yelling at a cloud meme, but in my case it’s more staring at the clouds instead," Alanko joked, adding that it's really about thinking and trying to find an interesting approach.

The composer went on to talk about the "transparency culture" at Remedy, revealing that every time the studio births a new game concept, it "has a habit of telling the whole company about it" in the form of a well-rehearsed presentation, and Control Resonant's was no different.

"That, by the way, separates Remedy from many others; the amount of detail and level of depth is unparalleled," Alanko said. "Very unique. One would think they already have everything ready, albeit we’re only taking the first steps."

When discussing what helps his composer mind come up with ideas, he explained that he typically leans toward Remedy's concept art, because they "tell a story, and they usually are really, really beautiful."

Alanko shared that he has synesthesia, a neurological phenomenon that causes sensory crossovers, such as tasting colors or feeling sounds, and in his case enables him to hear sounds when looking at pictures.

"Those pictures have a 'sound' in my head, and following those intuitional sources often bring me a few melodies, harmonies… a feeling, actually," the composer explained. "To be able to hear music requires the background concept story as well as a presentation, and the pictures. I rely heavily on that. Plus, as a composer, I’ve always been an outsider and felt like I’m just watching everything from a distance, an observer, if you like.

"That feeling combined with the ability to 'hear' pictures - synesthesia, to be exact - are my go-to tools at the ground zero point."

Control Resonant is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.

• Operation KillSwitch dismantled KillSec, seizing infrastructure, cryptocurrency, and 110TB data
• Investigation identified core members; several arrests made, including key operators
• KillSec claimed 1,000 attacks, targeting healthcare, finance, government, and SMBs

The infamous ransomware group KillSec is no more after Europol, together with multiple national law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity companies, seized the group’s infrastructure and data, made a few arrests, and even identified the group’s leader.

On September 30, law enforcement kicked off Operation KillSwitch. It was led by German authorities, with assistance from numerous other agencies: Europol, Eurojust, as well as authorities from Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Private cybersecurity companies such as Group-IB also participated with vital intelligence, having labeled KillSec one of the most active ransomware groups in 2025 in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Operation KillSwitch

KillSec emerged as a serious threat actor some time in 2024, Europol said. Over the next two years, it made roughly 1,000 attacks worldwide, at least half of which were, most likely, successful. KillSec primarily targeted small-to-midsize organizations, often in professional services, technology, healthcare, or financial services.

They targeted mostly organizations with valuable or otherwise sensitive data, and potentially weakly secured internet and cloud infrastructure. Large enterprise and government organizations also appeared, but company size does not seem to have been the primary selection criterion.

Law enforcement started investigating the group in 2025, Europol said, and quickly determined that it comprised at least four people: the ringleader, the developer, the negotiator, and an affiliate. The ringleader’s identity was not publicly disclosed because the person is 16 years old. The main developer recently turned 18, but many of the crimes he did were done when he was a minor. There is also a possibility the group was even bigger - the investigation is still ongoing.

Group-IB analysts had identified at least 274 victim organizations, most of which (35%) were from the United States.

These are followed by India (17%), Brazil, the UK, Australia, and Colombia (3% each). It primarily targeted financial services and healthcare firms, but did not shy away from government organizations and large enterprises. Among its victims, Group-IB claims, is a “major insurer, investment firms, and a consumer app with millions of users.”

Multiple arrests

During the operation, three people seem to have been arrested. Europol’s wording is somewhat vague, but it seems the ringleader is not among them. The police confiscated 110 terabytes of data as well as “the group’s criminal proceeds” (cryptocurrency extorted from victim organizations, mostly). They seized five central servers as well as the infrastructure used to manage the group’s activities and store stolen data. Multiple domains used by KillSec were nabbed, as well, and now show the usual seizure notice.

The police carried out eight house searches across Europe, in Spain; Greece, Romania, and the United Kingdom.

Initially, KillSec focused on the Windows platform. However, in late 2024 it released its KillSec 2.0 affiliate platform which soon expanded into VMware ESXi virtualization hosts that were capable of shutting down virtual machines, delete snapshots, erase logs, and more. By January 2025, the group was openly recruiting “skilled pentesters”, requiring a forum reputation or a USD 1,000 deposit.

It demanded 20% of each ransom from its affiliates.

“KillSec's affiliates went after the organizations people depend on most: hospitals, government bodies, and financial institutions. Closing the gaps these groups exploit is essential, but it does not end an operation like this. Servers can be replaced in weeks; the people who build the platform and approve every attack cannot. Identifying them and supporting law enforcement in bringing them to justice is what turns a takedown from a pause into an end. We are proud to have contributed to Operation KillSwitch, and will continue to support Europol and our law enforcement partners in the fight against cybercrime,” said Dmitry Volkov, CEO of Group-IB.

User research plays a valuable role in the development process for products and services, helping identify points of friction earlier on when removing them costs significantly less than addressing an issue further down the line. Research suggests that companies investing in improved UX during a project’s concept phase end up cutting product development timelines by 33 to 50%.

However, user research is dependent on the assumption that participants are engaging with the process in good faith, with disingenuous participation potentially polluting data and ultimately having a negative effect on the final product.

Non-genuine participants are not a new challenge for our field. Several years ago, I ran two separate focus groups in close succession for two different clients where the same person turned up to both groups, recruited by different agencies under different names. What’s changed over the last few years is the sheer scale and sophistication of the problem.

AI and imposters in remote research

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online recruitment and data collection became essential for maintaining physical distance while doing user research. Remote methods have since stayed popular for a few reasons, like reducing travel and logistical costs, as well as allowing researchers to reach participants across a broader geographical spread.

Unfortunately, the same characteristics that make remote research appealing have also opened the door to a cottage industry of “professional participants” who take advantage of digital anonymity and low barriers for identity verification to use incentivized participation as a source of supplementary income.

This, combined with increasingly accessible AI tools, has created a fertile environment for fraudulent participation in user research. Data from the Market Research Society's Global Data Quality initiative found that 95% of surveyed qualitative researchers reported experiencing participant fraud during the last 12 months.

Non-genuine participants can distort the themes of a study, obscure real user needs, and end up leading teams towards conclusions that are out of step with their target market. A 2025 case study reported that the proportion of usable responses fell from approximately 75% to around 10% after fraudulent submissions entered the sample.

Keeping non-genuine participants out of research recruitment (without compromising accessibility and sensitivity)

There’s real temptation in the current climate to treat any participant who won’t turn on their camera, or who constantly experiences audio issues, as a potential fraudster. Nevertheless, vigilance cannot come at the expense of sensitivity to individual needs and accessibility issues.

Users may well have a legitimate reason they prefer not to use video, communicate briefly, or have difficulty articulating their experiences. It’s why researchers need to take an approach geared towards identifying patterns of suspicious behavior rather than leaping upon one piece of evidence and writing off a participant as inauthentic.

Red flags can initially be raised during the application and screening process. An unexpected influx of applications from people who belong to minority groups that are normally difficult to reach can be a stroke of luck, but should also be examined more closely.

A study of imposters in online focus groups published in the International Journal of Social Research Methodology noted that receiving a majority of applications from male parents in a study which previously saw overwhelmingly female participation was an early warning sign.

Similar and unusual email addresses are another common early warning sign. Email addresses comprising common names and a string of numbers (like john.doe1172@gmail.com, for example) aren’t hard evidence of fraud, but are a useful data point when establishing a pattern of suspicious behavior.

One of the more common indicators of non-genuine participation is inconsistency between what a participant says during screening and the session itself. Some claim to use a product every day, for example, but then struggle to name basic features or describe a recent interaction with it. Open-ended questions about recent, personal experiences can help unpick these discrepancies. Participants may struggle to describe specific events, timelines, or terminology associated with the research subject.

Some questionable participants appear distracted or disengaged during interviews, providing one-word responses, failing to follow questions, or resisting attempts by the researcher to establish repartee. This is not evidence of fraud in isolation. Participants can be nervous, tired, uncomfortable or unfamiliar with qualitative research, but such behavior should raise suspicions when it occurs alongside other signifiers.

Screening, responding to suspected imposter participation, and what to do when non-genuine participants are suspected mid-study

Researchers should be aware of potential fraud throughout all the stages of the process, including when carrying out the research itself.

Data from a participant who has demonstrably misrepresented their eligibility should be excluded from analysis. Researchers should also review what happened with the wider team. Each incident can reveal weaknesses in the recruitment or screening process that may affect other participants in the study.

A solid framework for practical responses can be broken down into five steps:

1. Pause and clarify the apparent discrepancy.
2. End the session if eligibility cannot be established.
3. Document and report the incident through the appropriate research or recruitment process.
4. Exclude unreliable data from analysis.
5. Review the process and strengthen screening where necessary.

Towards a more resilient research process

User research is still and will remain a valuable tool for companies looking to refine and develop their products. Conducting this research remotely has expanded geographic reach, reduced logistical barriers, and made participation possible for people who might otherwise be excluded. It would be naive, however, to assume that the current trend in AI-powered non-genuine participation is going anywhere anytime soon.

AI is contributing to the problem, but it can also support efforts to address it. Pattern recognition can help researchers identify repeated participants and clusters of suspicious responses or other unusual recruitment behavior.

As companies ramp up user research to build and roll out new digital products and services, imposters are jeopardizing user research in increasingly meaningful ways. Finding effective countermeasures will therefore be essential to maintaining the validity and value of user research efforts.

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A capable everyday laptop doesn't have to cost the earth. I've found a great deal on the 2026 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i at Best Buy. It combines a 15.3-inch touchscreen with an Intel Core 7 350 processor, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 512GB SSD in a relatively light 3.5lb chassis.

• Best for: Remote workers and students wanting a portable Windows laptop for productivity, streaming, and general everyday use without requiring a dedicated graphics card.

• The deal: The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i (2026) is now $680 (was $1300) at Best Buy.

• Why it matters: You get a Core 7 350 processor, 16GB of DDR5-5600 memory, and a 512GB SSD in a 3.5lb chassis, along with a 15.3-inch 120Hz touchscreen and a good selection of ports. We've reviewed previous editions of the IdeaPad 3i and appreciated its attractive design, affordability, and performance for day-to-day tasks.

Ideapad Slim 3i 15.3" 2k Touchscreen Laptop: was $1299.99 now $679.99
This 15.3-inch touchscreen laptop features an Intel Core 7 350 processor, 16GB DDR5-5600 memory, a 512GB SSD, 120Hz IPS display, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, HDMI, SD card reader, and Windows 11 Home.View Deal

Why we recommend it

The IdeaPad Slim 3i is powered by a Core 7 350 six-core processor that can reach 4.8GHz. It's accompanied by integrated Intel graphics and an NPU rated at up to 17 TOPS.

It comes with 16GB of DDR5-5600 memory, which can be expanded to 32GB, alongside a 512GB SSD. The 15.3-inch touchscreen has a 120Hz refresh rate and reaches 400 nits of brightness. Lenovo claims up to 18 hours of battery life.

Connectivity includes two USB-A 3.2 ports, USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, an SD card reader, and a headphone/microphone connection. There's also a 720p webcam with a privacy shutter, Dolby Audio, and a numeric keypad.

Price context & historical value

Best Buy has cut the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i from $1,299.99 to $679.99, knocking $620 off the listed price. I've seen it selling for this amount a couple of times in the past, but not any cheaper.

At first, I suspected the list price was inflated - perhaps partly due to the component crisis that's sending prices skyrocketing - but an 8GB IdeaPad Intel Core 3 is currently listed at $900 direct from Lenovo, and $1000 for the Intel Core 5 model.

That makes this Best Buy deal the better pick by miles, with double the memory and a faster processor.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i if...

You want a thin general-purpose Windows laptop with a large touchscreen, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and enough processing power for work, study, and everyday tasks.

❌ Skip the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i if...

You perform demanding workloads that need a dedicated GPU for graphics work, or you specifically want a laptop with a backlit keyboard.

• Shop all the laptops at Best Buy

• Lanterns' weekly viewing figures have been revealed
• On average, 19 million people have tuned in to each episode on HBO and HBO Max worldwide
• A rumored writers' room update also suggests a season 2 renewal could be imminent

Lanterns is truly shining on the world stage.

According to audience measurement experts Nielsen (via Variety), HBO's Green Lantern TV show has been a huge hit with viewers across the globe. Indeed, per Nielsen's internal data, each episode of the sci-fi crime drama's first season has been watched by an average of 19 million people across HBO and its streaming sibling HBO Max. Of that figure, 12 million are in the US alone.

Impressive numbers though they are, Lanterns' global viewership is arguably even bigger than what Nielsen has reported. Indeed, because HBO and HBO Max aren't available in some world regions, Lanterns is also available on other streaming platforms. The chances are, then, that its audience share is even greater than we realize.

To put an even bigger spotlight on its stunning performance, Lanterns' debut season has, on average, drawn in more viewers per episode than The Pitt season 2. Considering how popular the aforementioned multi-award-winning medical drama is, it's to Lanterns' credit that it's outperforming The Pitt's most recent outing.

Given its success, it's more likely than ever that Lanterns will get a second season on HBO and some of the world's best streaming services, right? As a huge fan of the Aaron Pierre- and Kyle Chandler-fronted program, I certainly hope so.

Read my Lanterns coverage

- Lanterns episode 1 ending explained
- Sinestro in Lanterns explained
- Lanterns' Manhunters explained
- Lanterns' Guardians of the Universe explained
- Lanterns episode 4 ending explained
- Lanterns episode 5 ending explained
- Lanterns episode 6 introduces a major character from Hal Jordan's past
- Lanterns episode 8 trailer spawns major new fan theory about John Stewart
- 6 predictions for Lanterns' season 1 finale

I'll readily admit I feared the worst for Lanterns season 2 after comments made by HBO boss Casey Bloys in mid-September. However, with Lanterns posting nearly 20 million average views per chapter, and DC Studios co-head James Gunn confirming (via Threads) that its eighth episode is only its debut season's finale, rather than a series finale, I'm starting to convince myself that it's a matter of when, not if, the DC Universe (DCU) TV show will get another run.

That growing confidence is helped by recent speculation that a full writers' room has been assembled to thrash out a potential plot for the DCU Chapter One show's sophomore season.

As reported by Nexus Point News, five writers have joined showrunner and co-creator Chris Mundy to come up with a compelling storyline for another season.

Vanessa Baden Kelly, who penned two of this season's eight entries, has returned, while new faces in Chris Cantwell, Nakkiah Lui, Zack Whedon, and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds have also come on board.

I should point out that the assembly of a writers' room doesn't guarantee that Lanterns season 2 has been greenlit internally. It's still possible, then, that Gunn, Mundy, and company won't move ahead with what I'd expect to be another eight-part installment.

Still, there's clearly an appetite from Lanterns' cast and crew, as well as its growing audience, for another season. Let's collectively hope that this season's finale, which airs Sunday (October 4) in the Americas and Monday (October 5) everywhere else, ends with confirmation that season 2 is officially in development.

In the meantime, check out my six big predictions for Lanterns' season 1 finale. Once you're done, see if you're brave enough to tackle my tricky Lanterns season 1 quiz.

• Shopify has launched a new tool for editing websites
• Canvas lets you view and edit your entire website from one workspace
• It is rolling out to users over the coming days

Shopify has launched Canvas, a new tool that lets users move across every page of their online store, zoom into detail, and use conversational AI to turn ideas into real, on-page changes.

Canvas lets users ‘zoom out’ from individual pages, turning their full site into a workspace for creativity and collaboration with Shopify’s dedicated AI assistant, Sidekick. This means merchants can see every page laid out together on one screen, helping give a feel for the store as a whole, identify branding inconsistencies, then zoom in to work on them in detail.

“When I built Kotn 12 years ago, I knew how to code, and it still took me two weeks to get a rough store working,” says Ben Sehl, Director of Product at Shopify. “Today, an entrepreneur on Shopify can build a fully custom store in twenty minutes that’s head and shoulders above what I built then. That’s what we’re enabling with Canvas: helping more entrepreneurs get closer to the version of their store that exists in their head.”

What is Canvas all about?

Here is what you can do with Canvas:

• Store-wide visualisation: You can see every page of your online store laid out in one single canvas
• Real-time code rendering: Change your store by rendering actual code; make real edits from one central workspace
• Talk your ideas into existence: Edit by telling Sidekick what you want in plain-English terms, or you can edit manually
• Improve AI outputs: Sidekick will take screenshots of its work and validate the code in a feedback loop before handing you back the design
• Save time with store design decisions: Sidekick carries design decisions across sessions to maintain consistency without the need to constantly re-explain

Early stages

According to a press release shared with TechRadar Pro earlier this week, Canvas is still in the early stages of rollout and will be available to users over the coming days. For now, it will exist alongside the current theme editor, offering a hybrid approach to website editing.

Today’s businesses face growing pressure to reduce IT spend. Hosting decisions can quickly become focused on the headline price.

On paper, choosing a lower-cost hosting provider can seem like the sensible option. The monthly infrastructure fee is lower, the cost per virtual machine or physical server resource, such as RAM or CPU, appears competitive, and the headline storage or bandwidth allowances may seem sufficient.

When procurement teams compare quotes line by line, the cheapest option can therefore be difficult to challenge.

The problem is that the invoice represents only part of the true cost. A low-cost platform can quickly become more expensive if it results in downtime, poor support, security gaps or additional pressure on internal teams.

This is the impact of “service drag”: repeated incidents, slow resolution, unclear ownership, and the constant need to chase updates or re-explain issues to tiered support teams. Over time, this consumes valuable internal capacity and erodes the savings made on the original contract.

Hidden costs ramp up

Hidden costs can then start to build. Cheaper hosting packages may include unpredictable billing and fees, upgrade charges, support add-ons and scaling costs. Resources can be over-provisioned, incorrectly sized or left running when they are no longer needed. Equally, providers can keep prices low by limiting/throttling, or not clearly disclosing, the resources available to customers.

This often only becomes clear at the point of need when the customer realizes the resources included do not meet their operational requirements. Increasing capacity may be possible, but it often comes at a high additional cost. Over time, the cheap entry point can become an expensive growth path, particularly if migrating away from the platform is hard to do.

When support becomes the workload

The most significant cost, however, is often the work pushed back onto the customer. When a hosting provider does less, the customer’s internal team has to do more. That can include everything from monitoring infrastructure to managing vendors, handling patching and upgrades and responding to incidents.

Support is where service drag becomes most visible. A lower-cost provider may offer support but it can mean ticket-only access, limited technical ownership or first-line responses that do not resolve the underlying issue. Skilled engineers are costly, so low-cost models often depend on high customer volumes and limited hands-on management.

For the customer, this means more time diagnosing problems and chasing updates. Even a short outage can outweigh months of hosting savings if it affects productivity or customer confidence.

Security and resilience often cannot be bolted on later

Cheaper hosting options often also result in security shortcuts. Such services are often multi-tenant, with organizations sharing infrastructure with thousands of other customers.

Multi-tenant infrastructure can be safely run if environments are properly isolated and sufficient resources are allocated to each user. A virtual private cloud model, for example, can provide logical separation on shared infrastructure, while still allowing resources to scale. But if too many users share the same infrastructure, performance suffers. If environments are not safely isolated, a DDoS attack or security incident affecting one customer can have wider consequences.

Backups need similar scrutiny. “Backups included” does not mean recovery is guaranteed. Buyers typically need to know how often backups are taken, what recovery time is realistic and who manages the recovery process.

What businesses should expect from a quality provider

For many organizations, buying hosting can seem like a complicated process. It does not have to be. The best managed hosting providers reduce the operational burden on the customer. That means taking responsibility for outcomes, rather than simply supplying compute, storage and connectivity.

Businesses should be able to rely on proactive monitoring, direct access to experienced engineers, clear incident ownership and managed security. They should expect capacity planning, patching, lifecycle management, transparent pricing, documented SLAs and regular service reviews.

The architecture should be designed around the workload, rather than forcing the business into a one-size-fits-all package or provisioning the bare minimum in order to lower costs and win the business, only to scale costs later once the customer is heavily invested.

To make sure they get what they need, buyers should follow a practical checklist. They should know what is included in the quoted price, what support is available outside office hours and who takes ownership during an incident. They should also be asking whether backups are tested and how quickly capacity can be increased.

The responses will reveal whether the provider is simply selling infrastructure or offering expertise, resilience, response, predictability and accountability.

The final cost calculation

The true cost of hosting is not measured by the monthly invoice alone but by the time, risk and operational burden placed on the business. Real cost control comes from reducing the effort needed to keep critical systems stable and secure.

For MSPs and hosting providers, value comes from faster decisions and a service model that takes pressure away from customer teams. A stronger provider may cost more because it assumes work and risk that would otherwise remain with the customer.

Ultimately, the lowest-cost hosting provider is only cheaper while everything is working. The real measure of value is what happens when demand rises, systems fail or the business needs help.

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• UK orgs are failing to deliver projects or losing clients and contracts due to a lack of skills
• 97% have adopted AI to some degree, but only 6% report workforce-wide AI literacy
• The solution is a combination of recruitment and training opportunities

More than one in three (35%) UK tech execs believe that the ongoing skills gap could be costing them at least £380,000 per year – a figure that's even more pronounced when Pluralsight asked cybersecurity professionals, 41% of whom agreed with that estimate.

One of the most commonly cited factors leading to higher costs is that 40% have had to unexpectedly outsource work because they lacked the necessary skills within the organization, leading to budget overruns for 30% of the survey's respondents.

Many have even failed to deliver key projects (39%) or lost clients or contracts altogether (27%) as a result of not having enough skills internally.

UK businesses are struggling to operate without outside help

Pluralsight also revealed that many UK organizations have likely rushed into AI without an appropriate strategy, causing spend to skyrocket without the tangible benefits. Nearly all (94%) have invested in at least some AI tools, but only 6% report AI literacy across the entire workforce.

Still, it's good news for job applicants because recruitment doesn't seem to have gone anywhere. More than four in five (85%) say they hired the same number (or more) junior tech professionals this year as before, and 10% have even significantly increased hiring. The biggest concern, shared by 88% of the survey's respondents, is that there's simply not enough junior talent entering the workforce.

"This means that businesses cannot rely on recruitment alone, but must invest in clear development pathways that prepare new talent and help existing employees continually build relevant skills," Pluralsight Author Fellow Faye Ellis explained.

However, more than half (53%) of senior leaders are still unsure how to solve their skills gaps. Looking forward, the research paints a picture of the need to not overlook training existing workers for future skills, the importance of AI literacy as the way we work undergoes an evolution, and a continued investment in junior recruitment.

• AI chatbots appear to be providing less diverse responses, research claims
• Displaying the same answers has been likened to globalisation, where the same products and brands are available everywhere
• Such a move may increase convenience, but also reduce diversity

Could we be heading into a real-world Idiocracy? A repeated reliance on AI to provide answers – invariably the same answers, offering the same views – could be shrinking human knowledge, a new study has claimed.

The research, which tested 27 different LLMs, found that even with the best performing LLM, the information presented as answers was almost 19% less diverse than what is available using Google’s standard search engine. Consequently, the information was less varied, providing a narrower selection of answers, views, and restricting interpretation.

Researchers believe that this trend risks pushing certain content to the peripheries of accepted knowledge, while other content is considered dominant or primary – and the end result of this could indeed be a world where people are less aware, more idiotic, and perhaps even with less intelligence than today.

Topic testing

The study was conducted by researchers at the Department of Computer Science (DIKU) at the at the University of Copenhagen.

To establish how the LLMs would deliver answers, they were tested on 155 topics (ranging from nuclear weapons to K-Pop). The researchers used 200 prompt formulations drawn from research into real AI chatbot usage, generating an incredible 70 million responses from the models.

Even answers from GPT-5, the LLM producing the most varied responses, were still 18.5% less varied than answers from Google Search.

“People are to a large extent exposed to the same information over and over again,” says first author Dustin Wright. “So AI chatbots are not just changing how we find knowledge, but also which knowledge we have access to."

An Idiocracy?

Whether using AI models as part of Google Search, DuckDuckGo’s search tool, Bing, or by specifically quizzing Gemini, ChatGPT, or any of the other chatbot-accessible LLMs, the findings from the research indicate a change in how information is surfaced.

“We risk exposing people to fewer perspectives and a narrower range of knowledge. This could create a vicious cycle in which the most popular content becomes even more dominant, while other content is increasingly overlooked,” says DIKU Professor (and senior author) Isabelle Augenstein.

She compares the phenomenon with the downsides of globalization: “Today, you can buy the same products and find the same coffee chains almost everywhere in the world. That has many advantages, but it has also reduced diversity.”

As for the possibility that AI could shrink knowledge across humanity, and leave a world governed by those wholly unsuited to the task, Professor Augenstein is more upbeat. She says that a “knowledge collapse is not happening yet […] we can see that the more recent models produce slightly more diverse answers than older models.”

We’re midway through the 2026 Amazon Prime Big Deal Days event in Australia, and we’ve found a whole heap of deals on a wide range of tech, including coffee machines, vacuums, smartwatches, headphones and more.

With a lot of the deals we’ve covered all comfortably fitting in the ‘big splurge’ category, I wanted to highlight some of the best cheap buys we’ve found during this sale, all for less than AU$100 apiece.

We’ve also seen some fantastic deals from Logitech, Anker, Harman Kardon and more, with discounts on peripherals, speakers and chargers to name a few. I've also included some cheap tech that I personally own and vouch for — all of which are still going strong even after a few years.

Prime Big Deal Days will be running through the long weekend, ending at 11:59pm AEST on Monday, October 5. Be sure to arm yourself with a Prime membership because the best prices will be exclusive to subscribers. If you've never tried the service before, you can sign up now and use the 30-day free trial to shop the sale, then cancel if you don't want to pay the ongoing fee of AU$9.99/m.

• Follow our dedicated live coverage of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026 sale for more deals and discounts

Luna 2: was $229.95 now $99.95
Our colleagues at What Hi-Fi gave this portable speaker 4 out of 5 stars in its review, praising the design, audio performance and bass. They did say the battery life was middling and there was some slight treble edginess, but this 57% discount takes care of those concerns in spades.View Deal

If you just need a decent pair of computer speakers without going all-out for an expensive audiophile-level setup, these small and compact ones from Creative “punch way above their weight” in terms of sound and design, according to our Creative Pebble Pro review. That said, these are quite basic with few features and the cables can make for a cluttered desk, but I doubt that you can find anything comparable for this price.View Deal

• Looking for more discounted audio gear? Check out these deals on headphones and more speakers here.

MX Anywhere 3S: was $139.95 now $77.90
This mouse is my favourite for travelling, not only for its small and compact size but also for its ability to work on more surfaces than just about any other mouse can, hence the name. The battery life also lasts up to 18 months without a charge, and it also features the same adjustable scroll wheel found in the larger MX Master mouse. This price only applies to the Rose colour, but the Black and Pale Grey are also discounted.View Deal

Monitor Light Bar: was $59.99 now $47.99
This monitor-mounted lamp will illuminate your workspace and reduce eye strain and screen reflections, while also saving some precious desk space that a conventional lamp would take otherwise. I have this at my home office desk and it was easy to mount and attach, and has served me well for four years.View Deal

• Find some more deals on PC peripherals here

P41 45W 10,000mAh power bank: was $39.99 now $28.48
We love Iniu’s power banks and we’ve included some of them in our best power banks in Australia buying guide. We haven’t reviewed this specific model but I own one and it has so far been my favourite of all the power banks I’ve owned before. It’s slim at just 1.7cm at its thickest point, and compact enough at 11cm tall and 6.9cm wide to easily fit in a pocket. It comes with a braided cable attached to the unit for convenience, fast 45W charging and a cute pawprint-shaped battery level indicator.View Deal

112W desktop charger: was $79.95 now $53.19
This 6-in-1 charger (3 USB-C and 3 USB-A) from Anker sits mainly on my desk to quickly charge all my devices and power some desk-bound bits and bobs like a desk fan and a mini lamp, all while tucked away underneath the desktop, thanks to the included cable organiser. I’ve also used it as a travel charger on some trips instead of traditional charging bricks, due to its relatively compact design and high-wattage fast charging.View Deal

• Devices running out of battery too quickly? We’ve also found some deals on mobile phones, tablets and ereaders.

Battery Video Doorbell 2K: was $149 now $68
The second generation of this affordable video doorbell from Amazon-owned Ring now provides head-to-toe coverage, 2K resolution video and a swappable battery, earning itself 4 stars out of 5 in its review and a spot in our best video doorbells buying guide. You can also get a bundle with a no-drill mount or another with the third-generation Ring Chime. It’s worth noting that a lot of the features are locked behind a subscription service, Ring Protect, which starts at AU$4.95/m or AU$49.95 per year, so take those costs into account as well.View Deal

Video Doorbell 2K (2nd Gen): was $229 now $68.89
We named the first-gen model one of the best video doorbells you can buy in Australia, and this newer iteration improves upon it with 2K resolution video, a wireless option with USB-C rechargeable internal battery and a smaller, more compact design. Like the Ring above, a lot of the features are locked behind a subscription, Arlo Secure, with prices starting from AU$6.67/m.View Deal

• Looking for other deals on smart home tech? Check out some more Prime Day discounts here.

Smart Band 10: was $89.50 now $64.99
We rated this the best overall cheap fitness tracker for its 18-19 day battery life, 150-plus tracking modes, reliable heart rate tracking, accurate step counts, sleep monitoring and more. Our review’s score is attributed to the minor upgrades and a price hike over its predecessor rather than any fault of the device itself, and so this discount takes care of those concerns with ease.View Deal

Amazfit made a splash earlier this year when it officially launched in Australia, bringing with it plenty of affordable but feature-packed smartwatches and fitness trackers that undercut offerings from Garmin, Apple, Samsung and more. The Bip 5 Unity can track 120 sports modes, heart rate, blood oxygen and sleep quality. It also has a built-in speaker and microphone for calls directly on your wrist, as well as support for Alexa. More importantly, the battery is rated for 11 days with typical usage or up to 26 days in battery saver mode.View Deal

• Don’t mind spending a bit more? Here are some more options and also check our dedicated page on Garmin deals.

Looking for more cheap deals? You can find a couple more in our main Amazon Prime Big Deal Days hub, where you can also find more discounts on vacuum cleaners, air fryers, cameras and more.

• Maxsun Z890 workstation moves the graphics card away from the motherboard
• MCIO allows the motherboard and GPU to occupy opposite chassis sides
• The Z890 Mini-ITX platform supports multiple PCIe lane configurations through MCIO

Chinese manufacturer Maxsun has designed a new compact workstation which separates its graphics card from the motherboard while retaining a high-speed PCIe connection.

The system uses MCIO connectors to move the graphics processor away from its conventional motherboard location inside a small Cooler Master chassis.

MAXSUN demonstrated the system at Intel Connection 2026 alongside several forthcoming mini PCs from the company.

MCIO moves the GPU away from the motherboard

This workstation uses a Z890 Mini-ITX board with MCIO replacing the conventional GPU connection, allowing the motherboard and graphics card to sit on opposite sides of the chassis.

Routing the PCIe link through wiring gives hardware developers extra freedom when designing small desktops and similar high-density machines.

Mini-ITX is the smallest mainstream desktop board size at 17 cm by 17 cm, which limits how far designers can space components.

Maxsun previously confirmed that PCIe lanes can pass through slim cable connectors on its Q870 and Z890 boards, supporting x8+x8 and x8+(x4+x4) splits.

An x8+x8 split divides 16 lanes into two groups of eight, while x8+(x4+x4) divides the second group again into two links of four lanes.

The connector, common in data center hardware, is reported to support PCIe Gen5 links, though the exact bandwidth achieved in this system was not stated.

The demonstration leaves performance and availability unclear

MAXSUN installed the motherboard and graphics card on opposite sides of a Cooler Master i100 Air chassis, using a Hyper 510 low-profile cooler for the processor.

A V850 SFX Gold power supply provides power to the compact system, completing the hardware arrangement shown in the demonstration.

Because retail graphics cards lack native MCIO connectors, an adapter or intermediary board remains necessary to establish the cabled PCIe connection.

That requirement means the MCIO approach changes the motherboard's connection method rather than altering the graphics card itself.

The demonstration therefore shows how the components can be arranged differently inside a compact chassis without replacing the conventional connector on the GPU.

MAXSUN did not specify the graphics card used in the demonstration, leaving its hardware configuration and performance over the cabled connection unclear.

It also did not show performance figures, temperatures or noise, so the demonstration offers no evidence about how the finished system behaves under sustained workloads.

What the setup does establish is that MCIO can relocate the graphics card within the chassis while preserving a PCIe connection to the motherboard.

That flexibility could simplify layouts where a conventional expansion slot would restrict the placement of a large graphics card inside a compact enclosure.

However, Gen5 PCIe connections operate at high signaling rates, making cable quality, connector design, and signal integrity important to maintaining reliable operation.

MAXSUN has previously shown MCIO-equipped motherboards, suggesting that the company continues developing cable-based PCIe layouts for compact systems.

However, it has not provided a launch date or pricing for the device, leaving the commercial status of the workstation unclear.

Until those details and independent testing become available, the demonstration shows the layout's technical possibility rather than a finished product.

Via Videocardz

• Gunnir fits two Arc Pro B70 graphics cards inside one compact workstation
• Each Arc Pro B70 card carries 32GB of GDDR6 ECC graphics memory
• The dual GPU workstation provides 64GB across two separate graphics processors

At the recent Intel Connection 2026 event in China, hardware manufacturer Gunnir showed two custom workstation systems built around Intel's Arc Pro B70 graphics processors.

Both machines use Intel Core Ultra 200HX Arrow Lake-HX processors, so neither configuration includes an AMD processor or graphics option anywhere in its hardware.

The larger system fits two Arc Pro B70 cards inside a compact enclosure, while liquid cooling handles the heat from the graphics hardware.

Two B70 graphics processors share one compact machine

Each graphics card carries 32GB of GDDR6 ECC memory, giving the dual-GPU workstation 64GB of memory spread across two separate graphics processors rather than a single pool.

This memory remains divided between the GPUs rather than forming one 64GB pool, although supported software can distribute workloads between them.

Intel’s oneAPI framework supports computation across multiple devices, allowing compatible applications to use several GPUs for parallel processing workloads.

Intel builds the B70 on its larger BMG-G31 Battlemage GPU, which contains 32 Xe cores and 256 XMX engines for up to 367 INT8 TOPS.

Intel also lists 608GB/s of memory bandwidth for each B70 card, which applies to both graphics processors in the larger workstation.

Partner boards can run anywhere between 160W and 290W, a wider spread than the single 230W rating Intel gives its reference board.

Intel launched the B70 earlier this year with a suggested starting price of $949, although partner versions can carry different prices depending on implementation.

The event coverage lists no shipping date, price, or release window for either workstation, so their cost against the $949 card remains unknown.

Intel describes the B70 as suited to local AI inference and workloads that can use several graphics processors at the same time.

That focus explains why GUNNIR is experimenting with dense dual-GPU systems rather than conventional gaming desktops, according to the event coverage.

Compact systems fit serious graphics hardware into limited space

The smaller workstation places the same GPU family into a more compact design, and a vapor chamber manages its thermal output instead of liquid cooling.

GUNNIR also showed MXM graphics modules using B50 and B65 chips for compact systems where conventional PCIe cards cannot fit.

The smaller MXM format allows workstation manufacturers to add discrete graphics in places where full-size desktop expansion cards would require more physical space.

Neither the B50 nor the B65 module listed memory, core counts, or pricing in the coverage, so their performance against the B70 is unclear.

Separately, GUNNIR sells the Arc Pro B70 TF 32G for workstation use, with 32GB of ECC memory and a blower cooler built for sustained operation.

ECC memory corrects certain data errors automatically, and GUNNIR lists that feature on its blower-cooled card alongside the 32GB capacity.

Because partner boards range from 160W to 290W, GUNNIR's blower and liquid cooling choices may matter as much as the silicon itself.

Via Videocardz

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, October 1 (game #1208).

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #1209) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• LITTLE
• REAL ESTATE
• COMMON
• RING
• INDEX
• FUND
• BANKROLL
• RIB
• STANDARD
• MIDDLE
• STOCK
• SUPPORT
• BACK
• NUMBER
• ROUTINE
• TIMER

NYT Connections today (game #1209) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Put some money behind it
• GREEN: Digits
• BLUE: Pretty ordinary
• PURPLE: Begin with a word that rhymes with “rhyme”

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 #1209) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: FINANCE
• GREEN: FINGERS
• BLUE: CUSTOMARY
• PURPLE: PRIME_____

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

NYT Connections today (game #1209) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1209, are…

• YELLOW: FINANCE: BACK, BANKROLL, FUND, SUPPORT
• GREEN: FINGERS: INDEX, LITTLE, MIDDLE, RING
• BLUE: CUSTOMARY: COMMON, ROUTINE, STANDARD, STOCK
• PURPLE: PRIME_____: NUMBER, REAL ESTATE, RIB, TIME

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Whenever there is a very easy game of Connections I am always left with regret that I did not slow down and play more tactically.

Unfortunately I cannot help myself and blitz through the groups as I discover them, which today meant getting green first instead of a coveted purple first.

That said, despite the simplicity of this game there was a little red herring that almost caught me out, with STOCK, INDEX and FUND all being about financial trading.

Kudos if you took care and spotted PRIME____.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, October 1, 2026, game #1208)

• YELLOW: PUT: PLACE, POSITION, SITUATE, STICK
• GREEN: DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS: CHEST, NECK, SLEEVE, WAIST
• BLUE: 2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE": DECEMBERISTS, NATIONAL, SHINS, WALKMEN
• PURPLE: STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLES: ACRO, CROSS, KEN, SUD

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.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, October 1 (game #942).

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 #943) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On the sly

NYT Strands today (game #943) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SKINT
• FISH
• NEEDS
• SAVE
• GOAT
• NEAT

NYT Strands today (game #943) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #943) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 5th row

• Last side: left, 8th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #943) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #943, are…

• SHIFTY
• COVERT
• DEVIOUS
• STEALTHY
• FURTIVE
• SPANGRAM: SNEAKINGAROUND

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

I’m not saying that today’s words were hidden in a particular STEALTHY or COVERT way but after getting SHIFTY I hit a blank and resorted to our pal the hint to get moving.

Today’s words can be interpreted in several opposite ways. The first, is as creepy; the kinds of activities a nosey parker or, worse, a Peeping Tom might employ. Alternatively, they can be looked on more positively as the kind of skills a military operative might employ in an undercover operation — not that the Marines are likely to call what they do SNEAKING AROUND!

Today was also notable for an excellent spangram that snailed back on itself — kudos if you spotted it first.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, October 1, game #942)

• BREAK
• CRUMBLE
• COLLAPSE
• DISSOLVE
• FRAGMENT
• SPANGRAM: BEYONDREPAIR

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, October 1 (game #1711).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1712) — hint #1 — VowelsHow 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 #1712) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1712) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo 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 #1712) — 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 #1712) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• I

• S

• A

• L

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

Quordle today (game #1712) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1712, are…

• IVORY
• SADLY
• ANGEL
• LLAMA

It took me a lot of experimenting before I finally guessed LLAMA.

Part of the process was realizing that there were no common two-letter combinations left available — “plank” would have been my guess if every letter was still in play — so it had to be something unusual, or in this case doubly unusual with its double-L start.

It's all quite embarrassing really, considering that my sister owns three llamas and is quite literally a llama farmer.

Daily Sequence today (game #1712) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1712, are…

• MOUSE
• EVICT
• WAXEN
• LUSTY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1711, Thursday, 1 October: NAVEL, SHEER, BIRTH, TACKY
• Quordle #1710, Wednesday, 30 September: CHOKE, BATCH, MOSSY, EAGER
• Quordle #1709, Tuesday, 29 September: BILGE, MEDAL, LODGE, PORCH
• Quordle #1708, Monday, 28 September: BRUNT, TORSO, STONE, HEATH
• Quordle #1707, Sunday, 27 September: VALET, CHEST, VIGIL, PUREE
• Quordle #1706, Saturday, 26 September: SNORT, BIBLE, LAPSE, CRANE
• Quordle #1705, Friday, 25 September: SWEAR, FLOOD, GUPPY, GROAN
• Quordle #1704, Thursday, 24 September: TOPIC, METRO, SCALP, FREED
• Quordle #1703, Wednesday, 23 September: SHEET, BLAND, JOIST, GUAVA
• Quordle #1702, Tuesday, 22 September: COMFY, LOBBY, DRESS, PANEL
• Quordle #1701, Monday, 21 September: WAXEN, HIPPO, PETAL, LEASH
• Quordle #1700, Sunday, 20 September: DERBY, LIMBO, GAWKY, REIGN
• Quordle #1699, Saturday, 19 September: SCOPE, HEIST, PULSE, CHAMP
• Quordle #1698, Friday, 18 September: MUCUS, MIRTH, APPLE, TILDE
• Quordle #1697, Thursday, 17 September: CRIER, CHIRP, NEIGH, FREER
• Quordle #1696, Wednesday, 16 September: SPEAR, PRICE, BLUNT, FISHY
• Quordle #1695, Tuesday, 15 September: SHUSH, LITHE, DELTA, BUGLE
• Quordle #1694, Monday, 14 September: ZEBRA, LEGAL, RATIO, TROLL
• Quordle #1693, Sunday, 13 September: LUCID, SPRAY, MANGE, EMAIL
• Quordle #1692, Saturday, 12 September: SUPER, BRUSH, RESET, SOWER