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The Internet Archive has been hit by a cyberattack which has affected the data of over 31 million people.

Visitors to the digital library site were met with a pop-up saying, “Have you ever felt like the Internet Archive runs on sticks and is constantly on the verge of suffering a catastrophic security breach? It just happened. See 31 million of you on HIBP!”

HIBP refers to ‘Have I Been Pwned?’, a site where users can check if their information has been compromised in any data breaches. HIBP operator Troy Hunt confirmed receiving a file containing the ‘screen names, email addresses, Bcrypt-hashed passwords, and other internal data’ for 31 million unique email addresses.

A valuable service

The Internet Archive has reportedly faced a string of Distributed Denial of Service attacks (DDoS) which have halted services in recent months.

It isn’t particularly clear what the exact motives for this attack were, in fact, software curator and archivist at The Internet Archive, Jason Scott commented, “According to their twitter, they’re doing it just to do it. Just because they can. No statement, no idea, no demands.”

However, X (formerly Twitter) account Sn_darkmeta have claimed responsibility for the breach, and its reasonings for the attack is, “Because the archive belongs to the USA, and as we all know, this horrendous and hypocritical government supports the genocide that is being carried out by the terrorist state of “Israel”.

For clarity, the IA is not known to have any ties to Israel and is not a US government organization, but rather a nonprofit archive, which advocates for a free and open internet. On top of the cyberattacks, the IA is facing legal challenges in regards to copyrighted materials from book publishers and music labels.

As a not for profit organization, the IA is a digital library that stores and preserves hoards of valuable resources, such as books, magazines, and music. The service then makes these available to the public and searchable, helping to make knowledge and research accessible for those who need it.

Via The Verge

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Google's AI image generator Imagen 3 is now available to all Gemini users on mobile or desktop, for free. So, if you ask Gemini to create an image for you it will now use Imagen 3 by default, even on the free tier, but there’s one annoying limitation.

Google calls Imagen 3 its highest-quality image generation model yet and claims it’s better at following your instructions and produces fewer visual artifacts than its previous models. However, there is one annoying limitation – if you want to generate images of people you need to be a Gemini Advanced customer. Gemini Advanced costs $19.99 (£18.99, AU$32.99) a month and comes as part of the Google One AI Premium Plan that includes 2TB of storage and Gemini in Google Docs.

Image of a grandmother at a window created using Imagen 3. (Image credit: Google) How Imagen 3 works

Unlike some other AI image generators, Imagen works by generating just one image from each prompt. You can refine the image by requesting changes, so it remembers what you asked for previously, but a new image is generated for every prompt you enter.

If you like the preview you see you can download the image and you’ll get a 2048 x 2048 resolution JPEG. You can download as many images as you like because there’s no specific daily limit for image creation, even on the free tier. The main restriction, of course, is that you can’t create images of people. Animals however aren't a problem. Of course, once you upgrade to Gemini Advanced you can create as many images of people as you like.

An image of a cat created with Imagen 3. (Image credit: Google)

Imagen 3 has a range of features that are worth exploring. For example, you can ask it to create photorealistic landscapes, richly textured oil paintings, or even claymation scenes.

Google is very proud of Imagen 3's great text rendering capabilities. So, if you ask it to create a comic book panel with a speech bubble coming from one of the characters, the text should be readable. However, we found that it still had some work to do in this area. For example, the prompt "create an image of a panel from a 1950s sci-fi comic where a man and woman look out at a futuristic city and a speech bubble from the man says "I never thought Mars would have such a great atmosphere", generated this unfortunate image:

Imagen 3 still has some work to do on text rendering. (Image credit: Google)

You can also ask it to create words made out of other shapes, or carved into buildings and it should look realistic. All these improved features mean that Imagen 3 is going to deserve a place amongst the best AI image generators.

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Yesterday Nintendo announced a brand new piece of hardware, but it wasn’t the Nintendo Switch 2; instead it was a ‘Sound Clock’ called Alarmo which costs $99.99 / £89.99 (pricing and availability in some regions to be announced). No, I’m not kidding, and yes, I desperately want one.

Alarmo is a round alarm clock with a 2.8-inch LCD screen that shows you the date, time, and features a playful Nintendo character who reacts to things like the time, or how well you’ve responded to the alarm. When it’s time to wake up the clock will ring out with iconic Nintendo music like Jump up, Super Star! from Mario Odyssey.

Where Alarmo seriously up its game over a regular alarm clock, however, is its in-built motion sensor. Alarmo can track your sleep movements during the night to help monitor your habits, and also respond to how quickly you wake up.

If you wave your hand towards Alarmo too many times to snooze your alarm, or delay getting up by just ignoring it, the music it plays will get louder and more intense – with the trailer showing it playing Bowser’s boss tune and displaying the Koopa King himself on-screen to persuade you to wake up.

When Alarmo detects you’ve actually got out of bed the Alarm will end, and Mario will celebrate with a quick fanfare and explosion of confetti. Alternatively, when you’re trying to fall asleep you and Mario can relax to Alarmo’s “Sleepy Sounds”

Not just Alar-Mario

While the red clock’s border invokes Nintendo’s iconic mascot Mario, the alarm clock can take musical and visual cues from across the company’s whole catalog including The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, and Ring Fit Adventure (a fitness title you absolutely hadn’t forgotten about until just now).

Pikmin can get in on the Alarmo fun (Image credit: Nintendo)

And now I simultaneously want Alarmo to play that dread-inducing Guardian activation music cue from Breath of the Wild, and desperately hope it doesn’t.

It’ll for sure scare you out of bed if you’re feeling lazy, but starting everyday with a heart spike to over 100 bpm might not be great for anyone’s health. Alternatively I’m imagining the intimidating sound of Timmy and Tommy Nook knocking at your door asking where Tom Nook’s money is, though I’m not expecting Nintendo will actually use this one.

Regardless, I’ve fallen in love with Alarmo, not just as a smart alarm clock that looks set to bring some joy to your morning routine, but because it feels so delightfully silly. When we’re all desperately waiting for a Switch 2 announcement it’s kind of hilarious that Nintendo would instead release a smart alarm clock.

It’s not entirely out of nowhere though, with developers Yosuke Tamori and Tetsuya Akama explaining in an interview that it was inspired by the research Nintendo had done when developing the motion sensor tech it deploys in its less unorthodox gaming inventions like its Joy-Cons.

The Joy-Can sensors helped inspire Alarmo (Image credit: Enrique Vidal Flores via Unsplash) Alarmo might not be for everyone

Unfortunately, this technology does have a few limitations. It’s compatible with Twin to King-sized beds, so smaller or larger beds may mean Alarmo doesn’t function correctly. Plus, you’ll need to be able to place Alarmo somewhere that’s within arm’s reach, no higher than eight inches above the bed, and make sure it’s facing the bed’s center – and that placement will need to be in reach of a power socket.

Additionally, if you share a bed with your partner or a pet, Nintendo recommends swapping Alarmo to Button Mode for the best experience – which will turn off all motion-sensing features.

Lastly, to actually purchase Alarmo right now you’ll need a Nintendo Account and paid Nintendo Switch Online membership – though this restriction is just for a ‘limited time.’ Alarmo will go on sale to the general public sometime in January 2025.

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A brand new, more expensive Xbox wireless headset is reportedly launching this month.

That's according to the reliable data miner 'billbil-kun' on Dealabs who reported that Microsoft will be launching a new headset this month called the "Xbox Wireless Headset Refresh".

The 'Xbox Wireless Headset Refresh' is claimed to launch in Europe on October 22 and the US on November 5 and will cost $109.99 / £99.99 / AU$163.56.

Compared to the current Xbox Wireless Headset on the market, which first launched in March 2021, that's an increase of $10 / £10 / AU$14.87

Billbil-kun claims that there won't be a white version of the new wireless headset at launch and that the data they collected only referenced a black version.

"Aside from some minor packaging changes, we don't know what the design differences are yet," the dataminer said (machine translated). "However, there's a good chance that these differences will be very minimal or non-existent."

Billbil-kun recently leaked the release of a new Xbox Series X wireless controller collection, called Ghost Cipher, which was later announced by Microsoft.

Alongside new controllers, Microsoft will also be releasing new Xbox models, including a 2TB Xbox Series X in a new Galaxy Black Special Edition, an all-digital 1TB Xbox Series X in Robot White, and an all-digital 1TB Xbox Series S in Robot White.

All three consoles will launch on October 15, as well as in select countries on October 29. If you're looking to get your hands on a new Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, you can check out our pre-order and buying guide.

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Nvidia’s RTX 5070 is apparently going to be revealed at CES 2025, alongside the rumored RTX 5080 and 5090 next-gen graphics cards.

This is a notable change in the way the rumor winds are blowing, as up until now, we’ve been hearing that it’s just the RTX 5080 and 5090 that’ll be the initial Blackwell GPUs to pitch up from Nvidia.

Wccftech has made this claim, and also provides some spec revelations for the RTX 5070, after speaking to sources (who yesterday delivered a leak on the RTX 5080 getting speedier VRAM). Furthermore, two leakers on X have chimed in, not disagreeing with the tech site, and providing their own take on the spec of the RTX 5070.

Wccftech believes that the RTX 5070 will use the GB205 chip, but doesn’t give us a core count. We’re also told that the graphics card will run with a 192-bit memory bus and 12GB of VRAM (GDDR7). This will be the slower flavor of GDDR7, 28Gbps, which will also be on board the RTX 5090 (but the 5080 will get the 32Gbps memory, if Wccftech’s sources are correct, that is).

For the RTX 5070, then, we’re looking at a total memory bandwidth of 672GB/s, quite a bit less than the RTX 5080’s supposed 1024GB/s, but a good chunk more than the RTX 4070 (a third more, in fact).

However, we’re told power usage will also creep up for the RTX 5070, and that it’ll chug 250W (compared to 200W for the RTX 4070).

Leaker Harukaze5719 backs up these specs entirely, while adding a purported core count, namely 6,400. Another regular leaker on X, Kopite7kimi, backs up the 250W TDP theory, too (and the 12GB of VRAM assertion, for that matter).

GB202: 24,576 RTX 5090: 21,760 / GB202-300-A1 / 512-bit / 32GB GDDR7, 28Gbps, ~1.8TB/s / 600W TBP / 14-Layer FE PCBGB203: 10,752 RTX 5080: 10,752 / GB203-400-A1 / 256-bit / 16GB GDDR7, 32Gbps, 1TB/s, 400W TBPGB205: 6,400 RTX 5070: TBD / GB205 Based / 192-bit / 12GB GDDR7,… https://t.co/KTO6QLdKCkOctober 9, 2024

As to the arrival timeframe, remember that this is referring to the initial unveiling of these three Blackwell graphics cards together at CES 2025 (in theory). When it comes to the on-sale dates, the RTX 5090 and 5080 are supposedly going to be close together, but we’d imagine the RTX 5070 is likely to be further away given its very sudden appearance in the Blackwell launch rumors.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: Nvidia’s RTX 5070 – a sheep in wolf’s clothing GPU?

Okay, deep breaths. As you can imagine, there’s been some displeasure at these RTX 5070 specs, and notably with the memory (and the drop to the GB205 chip – the RTX 5080 will use GB203).

You can guess the kind of stuff: ‘Nvidia is scamming PC gamers again!’ ‘The RTX 5070 should have 16GB of VRAM, the RTX 5060 should have 12GB – this is an RTX 5060 being sold as a 5070!’ And so on…

Well, these people have a point, certainly – but we can’t get ahead of ourselves here. We’re still in rumor-land, firstly, and also, we don’t know the pricing attached to these GPUs. Whatever the respective specs, Nvidia will hopefully ensure that these graphics cards make sense in terms of performance per dollar, and overall value.

Although we guess the trouble is that most folks find it hard to believe Nvidia will strike a reasonable value proposition, and that includes us. This would mean a fundamental change in attitude for Team Green, and there would have to be a reason for that. The only possibility is RDNA 4’s performance and value balance – but remember, AMD will top out at the mid-range. Meaning it might have some influence on the RTX 5070, perhaps, but for the higher-end Nvidia Blackwell cards, there won’t be any rivals, not remotely.

So, in short, we fully understand the worries here, but let’s not condemn these graphics cards based on rumors before they even arrive, however tempting that might be.

Still, if it is true that the RTX 5070 will have 12GB, and RTX 5080 16GB, you’ve got to ask yourself: why? This really doesn’t feel like enough VRAM at this point in time for PC gamers, let alone a remotely future-proofed loadout as the years roll on (and we’ll have a good while until RTX 6000, of course).

The cynical will, of course, suggest that these video RAM configurations give Nvidia room to maneuver down the line with ‘Super’ or ‘Ti’ versions. There is rumored to be a 24GB variant of the RTX 5080 coming later, which might be the RTX 5080 Super, and this allows Nvidia to charge more for what most gamers would see as the correct amount of VRAM for this level of graphics card in the current gaming climate. Perhaps it’ll be ditto for a 5070 packing 16GB of video memory, all of which feels like cynical tactics to maximize sales and profits.

This raises another specter – when we do get the RTX 5060 arriving, presumably that’s going to have 8GB, then? As if there weren’t enough complaints about sticking 8GB on the current RTX 4060. Yeah, we’re kind of getting sucked into the negative spiral of worries here, but we must keep reminding ourselves – these are just rumors. And Nvidia must ensure these graphics cards make some kind of sense, in terms of their overall performance and price tag.

However, it does feel like Nvidia is pushing gamers who play at 4K to buy their priciest GPUs, and you can bet that those top-end Blackwell offerings are going to be seriously expensive.

On a final, more positive note, Wccftech talks about Nvidia revealing “next-generation AI technologies” for the PC gamer which will be a big surprise at CES 2025. Color us intrigued. A way for DLSS 4 to make up for lean VRAM loadouts, perhaps?

Via VideoCardz

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We’ve all been there – buying a new smartphone or tablet only to realize that we still need to buy a power adapter. While company efforts to reduce e-waste have had some impact, a new study from Recycle Your Electricals has revealed the UK alone has enough unused cables to go to the moon and back.

Besides the 627 million unused cables in Britain – or 23 cables per household – an estimated 1.3 billion unused or binned electrics are believed to contain £266 million worth of copper, a valuable resource used across electronics, manufacturing and transportation.

This equates to nearly 38,500 tonnes of copper hidden away inside unwanted and thrown away electricals.

The scale of e-waste is frightening

The report adds there will be a 6.5 million-tonne gap in copper supply and demand by 2030, with 347,000 tonnes needed to build green energy solutions like solar panels and wind turbines before the end of the decade.

Using International E-Waste Day as leverage to improve e-waste management, Recycle Your Electricals is launching ‘The Great Cable Challenge’ to recycle one million cables across households, local authorities, retailers, schools and community projects.

“Fess up time everyone - we all have our own stashes of unused or broken electricals," noted Company Executive Director Scott Butler. "We need to start ‘urban mining’ and help protect the planet and nature from the harmful impacts of mining for raw materials and instead value and use what we have already.”

According to the company’s website, companies like Currys, AO and Virgin Media O2 are already involved with International E-Waste Day, and a quick search on the recycling point finder revealed plenty of high street shops near us with waste management opportunities.

RSC Policy Adviser for the Environment Izzi Monk summarized: “As a nation, if we can crack the formula for recycling the copper we already have, we can make a real difference for the future of our planet.”

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Starz has canceled The Serpent Queen after two seasons, but it's not all bad news as a spin-off from the same creative team is reportedly in the works.

According to Deadline, Starz is not going forward with The Serpent Queen season 3, which stars Samantha Morton as Catherine de Medici, the 16th century Queen of France. This news comes after season 2 of the hit historical drama series came to an end in August on one of the best streaming services (whether that's Hulu for those in the US, MGM Plus in the UK or Stan in Australia).

The critically acclaimed drama has been well received by audiences and has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics. But unfortunately this wasn't enough to save The Serpent Queen, with the publication citing that season 2 received lower viewership possibly due to the two year wait in between seasons.

However, loyal subjects of The Serpent Queen are in for a royally good time as there's a rumored Queen Elizabeth I spin-off in development from writer/executive producer Justin Haythe and executive producer Erwin Stoff. Casting is yet to be announced, but it's possible that Minnie Driver could reprise the role as she guest starred as the British monarch in The Serpent Queen season 2.

What was The Serpent Queen about?

Based on the book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda, The Serpent Queen is a contemporary spin on the story of Italian orphan Catherine de' Medici's life as she became one of the most powerful rulers in French history.

In The Serpent Queen season 2 Catherine's power is challenged as she confronts power struggles, conflicts and deceit while trying to unite France under King Charles IX. The season concluded with the events of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.

The best Hulu show was ordered straight to series in 2021 as part of Starz' "female forward" focus on creating programs about complex characters in history in a bid to target adult women audiences.

The Serpent Queen was a great alternative for Prime Video's Bridgerton rival My Lady Jane, but here are three dramas to watch on Hulu with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes to keep you going while you wait for the potential Queen Elizabeth I spin-off.

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Android 15 still isn’t available quite yet, but we already have some idea of what to expect from Android 16, with two possible features having just leaked.

First up, there’s Priority Modes, which Android Authority has spotted in the latest Android 15 QPR 1 (Quarterly Platform Release 1) beta. This is essentially an update to the existing Do Not Disturb mode, adding the ability to create multiple custom Priority Modes, each with its own name, settings, and icon.

You can configure when they trigger, such as at your bedtime or during a calendar event, and what (if any) notifications you’ll allow through when they’re active. You can also have Priority Modes do things like disable the always-on display, turn the screen black and white, dim the wallpaper, and more.

(Image credit: Android Authority)

There are over 40 icons to choose from for each Priority Mode, and you can access this feature both from the Quick Settings panel and the main settings menu.

However, while Android Authority was able to access this in an Android 15 beta, the site isn’t sure when it will actually launch, claiming that, while a rollout during one of Android 15’s QPRs is possible, they think it’s more likely to launch as part of Android 16, presumably because it’s such a major feature.

In any case, the same site has also found the ability to put any app in a bubble in this latest Android 15 QPR 1 beta.

Put any app in a bubble

(Image credit: Android Authority)

Android already allows you to put conversations from messaging apps in a floating bubble, which appears on top of whatever other app you’re using, allowing you to easily tap on the bubble to bring up a conversation, and minimize it when you want to do other things on your phone. However, app developers can opt out of this, and it only works with messaging apps anyway, but with Android 16 it might work with every app.

Android Authority has found a way to add a ‘Bubble’ option when you long press an app icon on the home screen, and when you tap this bubble, it will launch the app in – you guessed it! – a bubble. This functionality also doesn’t appear to be something app developers can opt out of.

So, essentially, this would give you a new way to multitask on Android, but this feature isn’t fully implemented in this Android 15 beta, as it reportedly took some tinkering for Android Authority to activate it.

As with Priority Modes, then, it’s uncertain if or when this feature will actually launch, but the site guesses we’ll probably see it as part of Android 16, since it’s a major update.

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Microsoft OneDrive has unveiled a series of feature enhancements designed to make it easier to manage and access files on the cloud storage platform.

Largely powered by AI, the new OneDrive improvements cater to the needs of business users looking for greater productivity and collaboration, but there’s also some promising news for consumers using Microsoft’s alternative to iCloud and Google Drive.

It wouldn’t be Microsoft without the mention of Copilot, and the generative AI technology features center stage alongside some visual tweaks to make data management easier in an increasingly digital world.

OneDrive productivity and collaboration upgrades

Copilot Agents can be customized to help manage tasks by gathering files and data into a shareable assistant. They can automate repetitive tasks like retrieving documents and summarizing key information, and can be shared across other in-house platforms like Microsoft Teams and SharePoint for easier collaboration.

VP of Product for OneDrive Jason Moore exemplified: “Need to onboard a new team member? Instead of sending them multiple links, emails, and files, you can simply share your Copilot Agent in a Teams chat.”

Copilot can also be leveraged to summarize and compare files without having to open them, making it easier to find the right document across multiple formats such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and PDFs.

Microsoft has also rolled out performance upgrades for faster viewing, editing and organizing both online and offline, as well as a smarter search with filter controls and more detailed results. Visually, color-coded folders have been added to Windows File Explorer, while revamped sharing controls make it easier to apply expiration dates.

Stepping away from work files, Microsoft’s OneDrive app for mobile will get a new photos-first view with smarter photo searching based on subject and context. In recognition that consumers are storing more photos online than ever, the company has committed to expanding its 2TB plan to 5TB and 10TB options across Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions by the end of the year.

Looking ahead, Microsoft is also promising deeper Copilot integration across Windows and Mac environments as well as more photo-related improvements and storage streamlining.

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We finally know more about when Reacher season 3 will be released on Prime Video – and in other good news, we also know more about the hit show’s future.

A press release from Amazon MGM Studios confirms that fans of the action-hero series can expect the next installment to return in 2025, though an exact date hasn't been announced. Given that Jack Reacher season 2 was released in December 2023, there had been speculation of a similar release window for the show's next entry, but it looks like a longer wait is on the cards.

And there's more of one of the best Prime Video shows on the way. Prime Video has also given Reacher an early season 4 renewal, further expanding the Reacher universe – there's already a spin-off series on the way called The Untitled Neagley Project.

Considering that there are 28 books in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child, it's probably not too surprising that the character continues to be the subject of new projects on the best streaming services: the 2012 movie Jack Reacher and its 2016 sequel are available on Netflix and Paramount Plus in the US, and Australia, and Prime Video in the UK.

What can we expect from Reacher season 3?

(Image credit: Brooke Palmer/Prime Video)

Reacher season 2 was Prime Video's most-watched show of 2023, and while the platform doesn't reveal viewership figures, we can ascertain that given the success of Child's best-selling series, it's a show with a very big following.

Season 3 is set to be based on the seventh Reacher book, Persuader – and we'll see the man-mountain hero out of his comfort zone, as the story sees Reacher adopting a more stealthy approach as he goes undercover to rescue an informant who's been held captive.

The next chapter in the series will see Alan Ritchson reprise his role as the action hero, alongside Maria Sten as Frances Neagley. The actors will be joined by Anthony Michael Hall, Sonya Cassidy, Brian Tee, Johnny Berchtold, Robert Montesinos, Daniel David Stewart, and Olivier Richters.

News of Reacher's season 3 release window and season 4 renewal comes hot on the heels of Netflix confirming The Night Agent season 2 release date and renewing the series for season 3, so there's plenty of action thriller content across the streaming services for viewers to look forward to.

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In recent days, the as-yet-unannounced M4 MacBook Pro has appeared all over the internet, with the media engaging in a feeding frenzy as pictures and videos of Apple’s next flagship laptop continually surface. But as if that wasn’t bad enough for Apple, it now looks like some people are selling the device before it’s even been officially unveiled.

As spotted by @aaplpro on X (formerly Twitter) and reported by MacRumors, a listing has appeared on the Russian classifieds website Avito. According to the information in the post, the model in question has the same configuration of all the previously leaked models: Apple’s M4 chip, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of storage, indicating a common source for each of the leaked laptops.

On Avito, the M4 MacBook Pro was being sold for roughly $7,500 – obviously a very high price to pay considering the base M3 MacBook Pro costs $1,599. Additionally, @aaplpro noted that there were originally several laptops for sale on Avito, each with an attached note indicating that the price of the device changes every day and for interested buyers to check before purchasing.

The depicted post has already been taken down, as Avito prohibits sales of “non-existent” products. While that presumably refers to the fact that the M4 MacBook Pro has not been announced yet, it also raises an interesting point: we don’t actually know if the person who created this listing really had an M4 MacBook Pro at all. It’s possible that they simply used a picture from one of the unboxing videos or printed their own box and took a picture of that, hoping for a quick cash grab while the speculation and media furore swirls.

(Image credit: @aaplpro on X)

Whatever the case, selling a leaked product like this might not be a particularly clever idea – Apple is well known for hunting down leakers and threatening them with legal action, with several receiving actual prison time for their actions. Selling an unannounced product sold by a company of Apple’s tenacity could be a quick way to unmask yourself and suffer the consequences

So far, it’s been impossible to know whether any of the leaked M4 MacBook Pros are genuine. There are some clues that they could well be: the sheer number of units getting into people’s hands suggests that if these laptops are merely older models that have been patched or tweaked to appear like the M4 MacBook Pro, we’re looking at a highly sophisticated faking operation that hasn’t simply done a quick one-off and called it a day. This isn’t just a two-bit process with someone putting together a crude fake – these laptops look convincing.

On the other hand, some aspects of the leaks raise eyebrows. They suggest that Apple is using the same wallpaper for the M4 MacBook Pro as it did for the previous M3 model – something the company has almost certainly never done before. And despite benchmarks indicating that these laptops could contain a new M4 chip, it’s certainly not impossible to fake results like that.

Either way, we won’t know for sure if these leaks are the real deal until Apple announces the M4 MacBook Pro at an event later this month. But one thing is certain: Apple is far from in control here, and it doesn’t look like the leaks are going to slow down any time soon.

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Two of the DC Cinematic Universe's (DCU) most anticipated shows just received some big cast updates – and one has particularly caught the attention of DC fans.

Yesterday (October 9) was certainly a big day for James Gunn's and Peter Safran's rebooted comic book-inspired cinematic universe, with news surrounding the cast of two exciting Max shows receiving significant cast upgrades. The first of those concerns Lanterns, the forthcoming Green Lanterns TV show that Gunn has previously described as an intergalactic take on one of the best Max shows in True Detective.

Until now, nobody had been cast in the upcoming superhero series but, in recent days, rumors have swirled online that Kyle Chandler (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), and either Rebel Ridge's Aaron Pierre or Homecoming's Stephan James, were being eyed for Lanterns' lead roles. Well, it turns out that the gossip mill was actually right this time, with Chandler and, after a "long and grueling set of auditions", according to Gunn on X/Twitter, Pierre being hired for the DCU Chapter One project.

Meet your #Lanterns. Aaron Pierre is John Stewart and Kyle Chandler is Hal Jordan in the new HBO Original Series from DC Studios coming soon to Max. pic.twitter.com/bXbU9l4PjsOctober 9, 2024

As this article's headline and the above tweet confirm, Chandler and Pierre will play iconic Green Lantern characters in Hal Jordan and John Stewart in Lanterns. Alan Scott and Guy Gardner – the latter will also appear in Lanterns, where he'll be played by frequent Gunn collaborator Nathan Fillion – notwithstanding, Jordan and Stewart are the most famous and popular members of the Green Lantern Corps, so Gunn and company had to get their casting right.

In my view, they've done so, too. A veteran of the big and small screen, Chandler is an ideal candidate to play the experienced, older head of Lanterns' pairing. Jordan was previously played by A-lister Ryan Reynolds in 2011's Green Lantern film, which was a critical and commercial dud. Meanwhile, Pierre, who recently wowed fans and critics alike in one of 2024's best Netflix movies in Rebel Ridge, has the charisma, stoicism, and on-screen presence to bring life to Stewart in a live-action DC project for the first time.

There's no news on when Lanterns will start filming but, with the forthcoming Max superhero show's chief creative team also in place, plus rumors that DC Studios is talking to numerous directors about helming the series, it might not be long until principal photography gets underway. While we wait, here's the show's official log line, courtesy of a Max press release: "The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

Which cult DC character is James Gunn teasing ahead of Peacemaker season 2's debut?

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

A photo posted by on

Possible Peacemaker season 2 spoilers follow.

As I alluded at the start of this article, some interesting casting news regarding Peacemaker season 2 was also revealed yesterday. Unlike Pierre and Chandler's hirings, though, Gunn was playing it coy (as you'll have seen in his Instagram post above) about the identity of this new enigmatic individual.

Who, then, might this be? Comic book fans haven't been shy in putting theories forward, with many commenting on threads that have appeared on numerous Reddit pages, as well as those replying to Gunn's Instagram and X/Twitter posts, to postulate who it is.

Right now, the frontrunner is Apache Chief, a deep-cut Native American DC superhero with the power to grow or shrink to unlimited sizes. He first appeared in the Hanna-Barbera kids cartoon The All-New Super Friends Hour, but has also featured in TV shows Challenge of the Superfriends and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and periodically appeared in various DC comic runs.

There are, though, other candidates. Some observers believe this individual is Snowflame, a supervillain with superhuman strength, the ability to conjure fire (that would be handy when you're trying to make a camp fire, eh?), and the ability to give people a contact high by, well, making them inhale cocaine. Manitou Raven, a superhero and expert in the art of magic derived from American shamanism, and John Butcher, a Native American vigilante, have also been name-dropped by DC diehards.

In theory, any of these fictional characters could be the person in Gunn's image. After all, the DC Studios co-chief has turned C-list and D-list comic book characters into household names – just look at his track record for doing so with The Guardians of the Galaxy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and various superpowered beings in projects, such as Peacemaker season 1 and The Suicide Squad, in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU). If anyone can give one or more of these characters a new lease of life in a live-action capacity, I'm confident Gunn can and will.

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Companies are increasingly being hit by 'undetectable' attacks, wreaking havoc on their infrastructure and leading to data compromise, outages, fines, audit failures, and reputational damage, new research has claimed.

The Security Operations Trends Report from Red Canary, based on a survey of 700 security leaders from the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Nordics, found over the past year, 87% of respondents experienced security incidents they could’t spot and neutralize.

Digging deeper to find the causes, Red Canary found for the majority of the respondents (73%), their attack surface widened by 77%, meaning they have introduced new endpoints and new software, both of which can be targeted with malware. Furthermore, two-thirds (64%) said they struggle with knowledge gaps when it comes to securing new tech.

AI, staff shortages, and other woes

But that is not the only reason for the rise in invisible threats. For two-thirds (62%), AI adoption has made security more difficult, and so has the cloud. At the same time, hackers are moving through intrusion chains faster (says 77% of the respondents), while the time between detection and resolution stayed the same, at best, for 85% of the respondents.

Finally, IT teams are having to juggle too many tools, and too many security notifications, straining them to the point of breaking. Security teams use more than 90 tools on average, yet 60% reported “too much noise”. Things would be easier if companies had enough staff to handle the workload, but that isn’t the case. In fact, 83% struggle to hire and retain skilled professionals, and 62% are facing high employee churn, as a result of overworking and stress.

“The scale of risks facing the business today is unprecedented, and traditional security approaches are failing," said Brian Beyer, CEO & Co-founder of Red Canary. "For too long, companies have tried to tackle this escalating problem by throwing more money, tools, and people at it. But with technology advancing at breakneck speed for both defenders and adversaries, cybersecurity teams are drowning, unable to keep up.”

Beyer argues that businesses need a new approach to security, which involves “strategic partnership and expert detection engineering.”

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Video conferencing giant Zoom has announced a series of AI-powered features designed to improve worker productivity, including digital avatars for those who don’t want to show their face.

Announced at its Zoomtopia 2024 event, the new releases included AI Companion 2.0, an upgraded version of its assistant, which promises to deepen the integration of generative AI within the company’s app.

Zoom AI Companion 2.0 will include a persistent side panel that integrates across Zoom Workplace, contextual understanding based on ongoing interactions and previous conversations, advanced synthesis of information from emails, calendars and uploads, web connectivity for real-time information gathering and action tracking to automatically detect and complete tasks across workflows, likening the feature to a personal assistant.

Zoom goes all-in on AI

The company confirmed that the upgraded AI Companion will roll out in the coming weeks at no additional cost for paying Zoom Workplace customers.

Further blurring the boundaries between digital and real life, mobile devices running the Zoom Workplace app can leverage AI Companion to create summaries and action items from face-to-face interactions.

To coincide with the announcement, Zoom also announced a custom add-on for AI Companion for $12 per user per month. Set to arrive in the first half of 2025, it will bring a more customized AI Studio, integration with third-party apps like Atlassian, Workday and Asana, and AI-generated avatars for Zoom Clips for presentations.

Speaking about AI Companion 2.0, CEO Eric Yuan added: “This is more than an evolution; it’s a complete overhaul of how we get things done in the digital age.”

Besides Zoom’s efforts to improve its Companion-branded assistant, the company also announced a suit of upgrades to its Workplace ecosystem – apps and features with specific purposes that benefit from artificial intelligence enhancements.

The new Zoom Tasks uses this AI to detect, recommend and complete tasks based on conversations across Workplace, while Zoom Phone has gained support for real-time queries and summaries.

Users can also generate voicemail greetings based on their voiceprint to avoid having to manually change voicemail messages according to calendar schedules, such as when they’re away on vacation, while Zoom Docs gets a handy upgrade including new data table views and upgraded permission controls.

“Our vision is to create an AI-first work platform for human connection that empowers teams to achieve more than ever," Yuan noted.

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Our OnePlus Open review will tell you we were hugely impressed with the first foldable from OnePlus – and a new leak may have given us some idea of when the eagerly awaited follow-up is going to see the light of day.

According to tipster @Rodent950 (via Android Authority), the OnePlus Open 2 is scheduled to come out in the first quarter of next year: so we're looking at January, February, or March 2025. This is a tipster who doesn't have a perfect track record, but who has been accurate with some predictions in the past.

The leak doesn't actually mention the OnePlus Open 2, but it does reference the Oppo Find N5, which is expected to be rebranded as the OnePlus Open 2 outside of China (remember Oppo and OnePlus are now part of the same company).

More information from this source says the same camera system from the OnePlus Open will be used in its successor: a triple-lens 48MP primary plus a 64MP telephoto and 48MP ultrawide setup with 3x optical zoom. It's capable of grabbing some very good photos and videos, so a lack of an upgrade in 2025 wouldn't be too disappointing.

What comes next?

Find N5 and X8 Ultra are coming in Q1 N5 is tested with X8 Ultras quad camera setup, but seems that they're ditching it and continue with current tricam setup. #OppoFindN5 #OppoFindX8Ultra pic.twitter.com/jYvmaJ5PBMOctober 9, 2024

"The only big foldable phone that doesn’t feel like a compromise," we wrote in our OnePlus Open review, on the way to giving the foldable 4.5 stars out of 5. It's currently very near the top of our best foldable phones list as well.

That raises the question: exactly how is OnePlus going to top it next time around? From the rumors we've heard so far, the OnePlus Open 2 could be thinner than its predecessor. We're also expecting the handset to come running the as-yet-unannounced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, up from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

We do have a few ideas about how the OnePlus Open 2 might make its mark: we'd like to see improved water and dust resistance, a larger battery, the addition of wireless charging support, and the option to use a stylus with the device.

Of course, when it comes to a foldable phone, upgrades get even trickier to implement – but we should find out soon what Oppo and OnePlus have been working on. Considering the original OnePlus Open launched in October 2023, sometime in early 2025 would make sense for the next model.

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When it comes to the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max (or indeed any new iPhone), most Apple fans don’t expect to hear much about the design process outside of official Apple events.

It’s a pleasant surprise, then, to see that two Apple designers have spoken out about the motivations and design process behind one of the iPhone 16 family’s most interesting new features – the Camera Control.

With Apple Intelligence still not ready, the brand-new Camera Control is one of the few concrete reasons to upgrade to the iPhone 16. That may be why Apple senior product designer Rich Dinh and human interface designer Johnny Manzari chose to talk up the new button's benefits on Cool Hunting magazine’s Design Tangents podcast.

The Camera Control concept

Dinh explained that the Camera Control exists to make capturing photos and videos easier: “We set off asking the question ‘how can we get closer to one of our visions in the camera experience?’ which is ‘never missing a moment’ [...] I think the magic of Camera Control is that fast capture experience, getting us a little bit closer."

Manzari added: “What’s exciting about Camera Control is that it delivers a lot of improvements on the real fundamentals, so if you click it quickly launches into the camera, click again and it takes a photo, click and hold and it will take a video. All of this is without you having to readjust your grip or make any changes, it’s really just the fastest experience we’ve ever had.”

Camera Control on the iPhone 16 (Image credit: Future)

He also noted that the Camera Control is a technological first for Apple: “This is a combination of a force sensor and a capacitive sensor on this mechanical button, which is an Apple first – we’ve never really done that before, but it unlocks all these new experiences.”

Dinh added: “You are physically moving the button for the half-press, and we use that force sensor underneath to detect that tiny micron-scale movement, send a signal over to the Taptic engine, and really give you that haptic feedback.”

He also said that the Camera Control was designed with the “best materials”, for durability and aesthetics: “you have sapphire, you have stainless steel trim, and on the iPhone 16 you have aluminum all around it – all of those things have to be color matched.”

Dinh continued: “The amazing thing about the button is that it is flush. We’re hoping that the phone feels very much like your phone today in how you grip it and handle it, but we’ve added a little chamfer in there to give that really lovely half-press and full-press experience.”

Family-focused functionality

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

In usual Apple style, the pair were sure to link the Camera Control – and iPhone more generally – to real-world and family-focused experiences.

Manzari said: “When my daughter [...] was little, I was using a lot more traditional camera equipment back then. And over the years it’s really shifted to iPhone [...] It’s just much easier to hang out with your kids when you’re not bringing a lot of equipment with you.”

He added that the "precise, but also playful” tools included in the iPhone should be as useful to a small child as they are to a professional photographer.

Dinh said: “I have two little kids, a two-and-a-half-year-old and a six-year-old, and they both do the funniest stuff, but having camera control be able to get you up and running and capture that video – I have videos that probably wouldn’t have been captured otherwise.

He continued: "When you ask someone to do something again it isn’t the same, so having that instantaneous capture has been amazing.”

The full 27-minute episode of Design Tangents is available on Apple Podcasts, and for the latest tech news and analysis be sure to also check out the TechRadar Podcast.

And, as ever, check out our iPhone coverage for the latest news, tips, and updates on Apple’s smartphone lineup.

Camera control: our verdict

So, is the Camera Control actually as "amazing" as Apple suggests? The people who designed it are hardly going to mention any downsides, so here's a more balanced take.

Firstly, the Camera Control is genuinely exciting, and as the designers say, it the first time Apple has implemented this kind of technology – that's a fact, not an opinion.

In our reviews of the iPhone 16 lineup, we found the Camera Control to be an "excellent addition to the iPhone", adding a lot of utility in an intuitive way.

Similarly, we found that Dinh's claims that the Camera Control was made with premium materials to be accurate, finding that the new button feels "super high-end, even on the affordable iPhone 16."

The Camera Control button isn't immune from the staggered – well, messy – rollout of the iPhone 16's full feature set. The most natural use for a button like this is a half-press focus and full-press shutter combo, but this isn't available yet.

We also found the button to be awkwardly placed for vertical photo and video capture.

However, connecting with the ergonomics of traditional cameras, and thereby encouraging landscape photographs, fits with Apple's more traditional stance on photography in the age of AI – Cupertino has sided firmly with the idea that photographs are images of what actually happened, rather than the more ambiguous "memory"-based approach adopted by Google.

Vertical video is an increasingly popular and important format, though, and as it is the Camera Control is inconvenient to use this way - and any ideas of tradition are somewhat undercut by upcoming AI cleanup tools, anyway.

Ultimately, the Camera Control is a great addition, and we're thrilled to see Apple bring such an inventive and useful feature to the entire iPhone lineup – but in typical Apple style, it's best used in a certain predetermined way.

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Honor has confirmed that Circle to Search will begin rolling out to two of its most popular smartphones, the Honor Magic V3 and Honor 200 Pro, in the coming months, signaling an end to the feature’s exclusivity for Samsung and Google Pixel phones.

The AI-powered Google tool – which allows users to search the web for anything they see on their phone screen with a simple circle, scribble, or tap – debuted on the Samsung Galaxy S24 series in January, before trickling down to the Google Pixel 8 line in February. Google then expanded Circle to Search to mid-range Samsung and Galaxy phones in August.

The feature is available now on the Honor Magic V3 foldable, though Honor 200 Pro owners will have to wait until “later in the year” for access. A recent tip hinted that Circle to Search could be coming to the Tecno Phantom V Fold 2 soon, too, so it’s safe to expect that flagship devices from all manner of manufacturers – think OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola, and so on – could likewise benefit from Google’s innovative search tool in the near future.

@techradar

♬ Trendsetter - Connor Price & Haviah Mighty

For Honor, this is a big deal. The best Honor phones are among the best phones money can buy in the UK and Europe, but despite their market-leading hardware, the company’s flagship devices have arguably lagged behind their flagship Android counterparts in the software department.

That’s not to say Honor’s mobile software is downright bad – the company’s AI-powered camera modes are some of the most interesting on the market, and its Magic Portal feature is similarly impressive – but Honor’s Magic OS operating system has certainly proven a quirkier beast than, say, the stock Android interface you’ll find on the best Pixel phones.

Magic Capsule in action on the Honor Magic V3 (Image credit: Future / Luke Baker)

The addition of Circle to Search to Magic OS brings a reassuring dose of familiarity to the best Honor phones, and with Honor’s Magic Capsule tool already mimicking Apple’s Dynamic Island, devices like the Honor Magic V3 now offer a potent mix of Android and iOS-like features; arguably the best of both worlds.

As for Google, this latest expansion of Circle to Search brings the company one step closer to fulfilling its internal goal of adding the feature to 200 million phones by the end of 2024. iPhones next, Google? Pigs might fly.

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In June, Microsoft postponed the introduction of its controversial Recall feature following a series of serious security concerns. The AI-powered tool, designed to capture all user activity over the previous six months, was positioned as a solution that helps users track their activities and efficiently find previously visited websites, documents and applications. Microsoft developed Recall to allow users to 'retrace their steps' by capturing screen snapshots every five seconds. The tool saves these images, cataloguing the viewed content using AI, and then offering it back to the user through a search functionality.

For cyber investigators, Recall could be a transformative force in gathering and analyzing evidence, improving both the investigative process and its outcomes. However, noise around cybersecurity concerns is loud – and for good reason. The tool’s ability to capture and duplicate data means that sensitive information could be exposed and leveraged by threat actors.

Transforming forensics, though gaps remain

Setting security concerns aside, Recall has the potential to revolutionize forensic investigations in the event of cyber incidents. First, its searchable format can dramatically speed up investigations by removing the arduous and time-consuming task of processing large quantities of evidence.

When digital evidence is lost – be it through browser history clearing or file deletion – Recall’s screen capturing ability would step in to ensure that it remains accessible. Equipped with Recall, investigators would also be able to visually verify their results, empowering greater confidence in the veracity of forensics findings.

Despite its advantages, Recall has critical blind spots. Most significantly, the absence of an audit log renders the access of Recall data by threat actors and users untraceable. Threat actors can also evade detection by using applications like Edge’s InPrivate mode, which Recall can’t track, and by engaging in activities hidden from the screen or by user settings. Looking at Recall as a whole, the advantages speak for themselves, but there’s no suggestion that it is the complete solution for investigators aiming to stop threat actors in their tracks.

Unintentionally handing threat actors the upper hand

Recall inherently risks exposing sensitive information that threat actors could exploit, which in the end was the driving force behind Microsoft’s decision to delay its rollout.

Following news of the release of Microsoft Recall, security researchers developed and released a tool named TotalRecall, which can locate, duplicate, and translate the data gathered by the Recall feature in a plaintext database, which is instantly searchable. Since attackers routinely exploit existing tools and systems to achieve their objectives, it is likely they would add TotalRecall to their arsenal, exploiting its insights where possible.

Lastly, Recall would likely elevate the risk of extortion. With access to snapshots of user activity and computer usage data, attackers will possess enough sensitive data to create a powerful incentive to pay a ransom. The likelihood that this data could contain personal information that poses a threat to an employee’s personal life, and even their safety, significantly increases the risks of exposure.

Meeting regulatory requirements

If Recall functions as designed, we must operate under the assumption that all data accessed by the user over the past six months could potentially be exfiltrated if compromised. The wide range of data collected by the technology makes it difficult to accurately categorize sensitive or regulated information. Aside from the risk of threat actors exploiting this data, Microsoft faces the difficult task of ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and preventing serious breaches.

Addressing concerns, but the door remains open

In response to concerns about TotalRecall and its duplication feature, Microsoft announced the implementation of two new security features. First, the company implemented just-in-time encryption on the database. While this encryption could potentially prevent the exfiltration of databases containing sensitive information, cybersecurity experts have not yet confirmed its effectiveness.

Additionally, Microsoft introduced a requirement for users to re-authenticate through Microsoft Hello before accessing the Recall feature. However, if attackers manage to bypass additional layers of security, unauthorized access remains a real concern, and sensitive data could still be compromised.

Microsoft has also emphasized that the Azure AI tool, which analyses the snapshots captured by Recall, processes data locally on the device’s AppData folder, ensuring sensitive information won’t be sent to the cloud. While this might allay the concerns of some, there is concrete evidence of AI prompts being manipulated to bypass security measures in other AI systems. Developers must remain vigilant about the possibility that threat actors could exploit these very prompts to gain unrestricted access to a device and the information within.

Microsoft’s acknowledgement of these concerns is promising, however additional preventive security measures are required to safeguard users from attackers who are on the sidelines looking for ways to exploit new technologies for their malicious activities.

Suggestions for future use

Looking ahead, there are a number of preventive security measures to bear in mind for the yet-to-be released tool for future users. Following these guidelines should increase security safeguards.

After enabling Recall, users should be meticulous in configuring its settings, strategically deciding which apps and websites shouldn’t fall under its remit. However, it is crucial for users to understand that not all applications and browsers are compatible with Recall’s privacy settings.

Users are also advised to deploy robust anti-malware tools or endpoint detection solutions that can alert you if there are suspicious attempts to access Recall data.

Finally, although it is still unclear whether Recall offers the option of shortening the retention period of its database, the implementation of such an option would limit the amount of data and reduce the potential for attackers to exploit it.

Recall promises a transformative shift in digital forensics, offering a powerful tool for evidence gathering and analysis thanks to its ability to retrieve data that would otherwise be out of reach. However, before it is implemented, Microsoft must address pressing security concerns and make user safety the overarching priority. We’ll need conclusive evidence that data exposure and the threat of extortion are eliminated before we can be confident in its functionality.

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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

In today's evolving digital landscape, businesses must face two new paradigm shifts: remote work and its link to escalating data breaches. For organizations navigating this, IT Asset Management (ITAM) has quickly become important in bridging the gap between remote work and cybersecurity.

The New Reality: Remote Work and Cybersecurity Risks

The global shift to remote work changed how businesses function. Even if the model has offered flexibility and cut costs, it has also increased security vulnerabilities. Every remote device now represents a potential entry point for cyber threats, creating new obstacles for IT teams:

More Devices: Employees use a mix of company-issued and personal devices, making it difficult to maintain consistent security standards.

Network Vulnerabilities: Home and public Wi-Fi networks create security risks.

Shadow IT: Remote workers sometimes use unauthorized software solutions.

Data Protection: Sensitive information is now spread across multiple locations.

At the same time, the financial impact of data breaches increases substantially every year. IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 reports that the average breach now costs $4.88 million—a 10% increase from the previous year. Alarmingly, 40% of these costly breaches involved data distributed across multiple environments.

Here's what this means: the era of remote work has increased cybersecurity threats, costing companies more money each year.

Understanding ITAM: More Than Just Inventory Management

IT Asset Management is more than just tracking laptops. It's a strategy to manage an organization's entire tech ecosystem. This includes:

Asset Inventory: Identifying and cataloging all IT assets, including hardware, software, and cloud resources.

Lifecycle Management: Tracking assets and software through the entire lifecycle, including setup, maintenance, and eventual disposal.

License Compliance: Ensuring software licensing compliance to avoid legal risks.

Cuts Expenses: Reducing costs by identifying idle assets and negotiating better vendor contracts.

Security Standards: Allows IT teams to ensure all assets meet cybersecurity standards.

Here's what this means: In the context of remote work and escalating breach costs, ITAM serves as a critical link for both operational efficiency and resilient security measures.

The Evolution of ITAM in the New Normal

As organizations begin utilizing ITAM, it is important to note that the industry is making some key changes as well:

Cloud Integration: Modern ITAM solutions now monitor physical and cloud-based assets. This is essential as businesses adopt to cloud computing environments.

IoT Management: ITAM is expanding to manage all Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Automation: Standard ITAM processes can now be automated. This allows IT teams to focus on more strategic tasks.

Here's what this means: Organizations now have the opportunity to track and optimize a broader range of assets, from traditional hardware to cloud services and IoT devices, which ultimately leads to more flexible and secure operations.

Implementing Effective ITAM: Best Practices

For organizations looking to leverage ITAM in their overall cybersecurity strategy, consider the following best practices:

Establish Clear Policies: Develop clear ITAM policies that address remote work environments, including BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) guidelines.

Invest in Efficient ITAM Tools: Invest in ITAM solutions that track IT equipment and software in real-time, automate compliance checks, and integrate with existing security tools.

Prioritize and Classify Assets: Use ITAM to rank company data and equipment based on how sensitive they are.

Conduct Regular Audits: Perform frequent audits of IT assets to maintain inventory accuracy and compliance with security policies.

Work Across Teams: Promote collaboration between IT, security, finance, and other departments.

Provide Ongoing Training: Inform all employees about the importance of proper IT asset management and how it contributes to the organization’s safety.

Here's what this means: Organizations can foster safety and security by leveraging ITAM effectively. This can be done by performing regular IT asset audits, having clear device policies, encouraging cross-team collaboration, and investing in modern ITAM solutions.

A Call to Action

In an era where remote work is the norm and data breaches are rising, ITAM is no longer a nice-to-have—it's a must-have. It's the strategic bridge that connects security measures with cost-saving initiatives, making it necessary for modern organizations.

Organizations that invest in advanced ITAM practices will thrive. They can navigate the complexities of distributed work environments, protect their digital assets, and build a more secure and efficient future.

The question is now whether organizations can afford to invest in robust ITAM practices but whether they can afford not to. ITAM is a cornerstone of effective business strategy, enabling companies to survive and excel in the digital age.

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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

Meta AI is traveling internationally, starting with Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala, Paraguay, the Philippines, and the UK this week. Over the next few weeks, the tech giant’s AI assistant will eventually debut in 21 countries across Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Notable in its absence is any continental European country as Meta wrangles with the European Union (EU) over regulatory demands.

Meta hasn’t set a date for releasing Meta AI in the countries beyond the initial list. Still, fairly soon, people in Algeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Yemen will also be able to ask Meta AI their questions. They'll also be able to create images and even put their face in the results using the “Imagine Me” feature for creating a digital avatar based on uploaded photos that can then be incorporated into an image created from a text prompt. Those images can then be edited by follow-up prompts.

The wider geographic access to Meta AI will include linguistic expansion. That means the new international users won’t be limited to communicating with the AI assistant in English. The first new language on the list is Tagalog, which is spoken by many in the Philippines. Arabic, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese are next on Meta AI’s roadmap, appropriate for the countries gaining access to the AI assistant, which are also places with many people who regularly use Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other Meta platforms. Those same people will presumably form a core of Meta AI early adopters.

“Following this gradual rollout, Meta AI will be available in 43 countries and a dozen languages. That means more people than ever will be able to use Meta AI to dive deep on topics that spark their interest, get helpful how-tos and find inspiration for art projects, home decor, OOTDs and more,” Meta boasted in a blog post. “In fact, Meta AI is already on track to become the most used AI assistant in the world by the end of the year with almost 500 million active users monthly.”

Meta AI on your (non-European) face

Meta’s products are also popular in the EU, but the lack of EU expansion plans isn’t surprising. Meta has already said it won’t bring new AI tools, especially image- and video-related ones because it is leery of violating new regulations and compliance demands that it feels are unfair.

The biggest issue raised by European lawmakers surrounds ethical data use and privacy. The recently adopted rules are designed to slow the launch of AI technology that doesn’t address those potential problems. Meta AI’s current form might transgress some of the new rules. In response, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has suggested that these regulations limit innovation and hurt citizens. For now, Meta has chosen to skip the EU in favor of other markets for its AI products.

Meta AI is also expanding in another direction this week, debuting on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in more regions, which are now available in the UK and Australia. Though Australians will have the full range of features, the UK is only getting voice support for now. The wearable tech integration with Meta AI is part of the company's push to embed its AI in everything it produces. Meta didn't say why the UK isn't getting the augmented reality overlay or image recognition features immediately. Presumably, there are technical issues, regulatory hurdles, or both that need to be overcome.

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