TechRadar News

• PlayStation is sticking to its strategy of not launching first-party games on PS Plus on day one
• PlayStation vice president of global services Nick Maguire says "we’re not looking to put games in day and date"
• He adds that bringing games to the service 12-18 months after they've released is "working really well across the platform"

PlayStation has confirmed that it will be sticking to its current launch strategy and won't start releasing first-party games on PS Plus on day one.

In an interview with Game File, PlayStation vice president of global services Nick Maguire explained that the company is not looking to change its policy by adding first-party titles to the subscription service the same day they release, unlike Xbox with Game Pass.

"We’ve sort of stayed true to our strategy across the board, where we’re not looking to put games in day and date," Maguire said.

Xbox has remained consistent with how it releases exclusive titles, like Starfield and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, to Game Pass, however, as Maguire goes on to explain, Sony only adds its first-party titles to PS Plus at least 18 months after launch.

"Our strategy of finding four or five independent day-and-date titles - and using that to complement our strategy of bringing games in when they’re 12, 18 months old or older - that balance for us is working really well across the platform," he said. "If there were six or seven great opportunities, then we would go for them as well."

God of War Ragnarok, which launched in late 2022, wasn't available on PS Plus until January 2025, almost 26 months later, while Horizon Forbidden West, which was released in February 2022, was added a lot sooner in February 2023 before it was later removed from the service in 2024.

When asked if PlayStation would ever consider adding first party live-service games to PS Plus, like Concord - a game that was taken offline after just two weeks - Maguire declined to comment but did say that the service has "proven itself to be a great way to introduce new players to franchises".

"There's always going to be a moment for any game where there's the right time for it to go into Plus, when it's ready to reach a wider audience or… to find new fans or new parts of our platform that it hasn't already reached," Maguire said.

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• Sony celebrates 15 years of PlayStation Plus with a summer of exclusive offers for members
• PS Plus Premium members can experience a Game Trial of Monster Hunter Wilds and WWE 2K25
• Several events, including an Online Multiplayer weekend, will also be held this month

Sony is celebrating 15 years of PlayStation Plus with a summer of exclusive offers for members.

Starting now throughout summer, Sony will be commemorating the service's latest milestone by running a series of activities available to subscribers.

"PlayStation Plus is celebrating its 15-year anniversary later this month, and it’s amazing to see how much the service has evolved since it first launched on June 29, 2010," Sony said on PlayStation Blog. "From all of us at Sony Interactive Entertainment, we want to send out a huge thank you to all our fans for your support throughout these years."

First up is a Game Trial of WWE 2K25 for PS Plus Premium members, which is available now, as well as a Game Trial for one of the best games of the year so far, Monster Hunter Wilds, which can be claimed on June 30.

Subscribers can also redeem the Valorant PS Plus Pack today, which features a set of cosmetic items including 2x Prelude to Chaos Gun Buddy, 1x Kohaku & Matsuba Player Card, 1x Imperium Spray, 1x Chronovoid Spray, and 10x Radianite Points.

Sony will then host a PlayStation Store Exclusive Offer Weekend on June 27 to June 29, which will offer members the opportunity to grab exclusive savings on titles such as Sniper Elite: Resistance, Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, and Star Wars Outlaws.

A special PlayStation Plus 15th Anniversary Cup tournament will then be held on June 28, where players will be able to compete in games like EA Sports FC, NBA 2K, UFC, Madden NFL, College Football, Tekken 8, and more for a chance to win prizes including in-game virtual currency, an exclusive PSN avatar, and Sony Pictures Core Movie Credits.

An Online Multiplayer weekend will also kick off the same day until June 29, where players can join online multiplayer matches with no PlayStation Plus membership required, and, finally, from today through August 12, Premium members can unlock a 15% discount on up to 2,000 movies store-wide across the Sony Pictures Core library.

Alongside these offers, Sony has also announced the batch of free PS4 and PS5 games for the month of July, which includes Diablo 4, The King of Fighters XV, and Jusant.

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• For every one person who prefers interacting with AI, 4.4 prefer speaking with humans
• Baby-boomers are seriously anti-AI when it comes to customer service
• Report highlights the value of human connection

According to new research from Okta, 70% of consumers prefer interacting with humans, with only 16% opting for AI agents over humans.

In the UK, this trend is even more pronounced, with just 11% preferring AI agent interactions and one in two (54%) not even trusting AI with their personal data.

Moreover, barely one in three (36%) see any real benefit in AI agents altogether, suggesting that the productivity-enhancing technology might not be at its most useful in customer service settings.

Consumers just want humans

Artificial intelligence is most valued in language translation, research and writing – outputs that are task-orientated, rather than the transactional conversations that are typical of customer service agents.

Globally, Okta found that the ratio of those who prefer humans to those that prefer AI stands at 4.4:1, however countries like the US (4.2:1), Japan (3.4:1) and India (1.1:1) were less worried about talking with humans. Still, no country scored higher for AI, highlighting the importance of human interaction and involvement in customer service.

Okta also compared generations, with baby-boomers hugely less likely to want to talk to AI (41.5:1) – way more than Gen X (9.8:1), Millennials (3.2:1) and Gen Z (2.3:1).

Quite simply, it's the human touch that gives humans the upper edge – 'A human understands my needs better', said two in three (64%) respondents. Frustration when dealing with AI agents was also a significant frustration (38%).

However, there are some benefits to interacting with AI, including quicker and more streamlined responses without emotional bias.

Looking ahead, Okta calls for a measured and calculated approach to AI agents, building security and privacy-first initiatives into them from the get-go. "Finally, don’t overlook the value of human agents – if one thing is clear from the survey, it’s that users still value that human connection," the report concludes.

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• You can now pay annually for Google AI Pro for the first time
• The overall price is the equivalent of getting two months for free
• As yet, ChatGPT doesn't offer annual subscription options

Good news if you're fully committed to Google Gemini AI, and you like saving money: the Google AI Pro subscription can now be purchased annually as well as monthly, and you 'll save yourself a chunk of money if you pay year-to-year.

As spotted by 9to5Google, you can now pay $199.99 for a year of AI goodness, instead of the existing $19.99 a month option – with the latter working out as $239.88 over the 12 months ($39.89 more than an annual plan).

In the UK, your options are £18.99 a month or £189.99 a year (saving you £37.89). It's not immediately clear if the deal is the same in Australia, but there the monthly fee is AU$32.99 – so presumably you'd be looking at AU$329.99 a year (saving AU$65.89). Essentially, you're getting two months free if you pay for a year in advance.

Of course, the downside of annual plans is that you're committed for a full year, so you can't opt out whenever you like – which is why you'll often see annual plans available for less overall, in all the places where you're signing up for a subscription.

How does ChatGPT compare?

Subscription

Monthly price

Annual price

Google AI Pro

$19.99 / £18.99 / AU$32.99

$199.99 / £189.99 (Aus TBC)

Google AI Ultra

$249.99 / £234.99 / AU$409.99

Not available

ChatGPT Plus

$20 / £20 (about AU$30.58)

Not available

ChatGPT Pro

$200 / £200 (about AU$306)

Not available

ChatGPT Plus remains at $20 / £20 per month (AU$30.58 at current rates). There's no option to pay annually as yet, and you can also put up $200 / £200 (about AU$306) per month for the top-tier ChatGPT Pro plan, with fewer limits and more features.

For comparison purposes, Google's own super-charged, pro-level plan is Google AI Ultra, and that's going to set you back $249.99 / £234.99 / AU$409.99 per month. At the time of writing, there's no option to pay annually (perhaps understandably), though you do get the first three months for half price if you want to give it a try.

All of which means there's not too much to choose between the monthly costs of Gemini and ChatGPT, when it comes to the cheaper plans that most people are going to sign up for – but if you want to pay annually and save, that's only possible on the Google service.

We'll have to wait and see whether ChatGPT responds with an annual plan of its own. It's also worth mentioning that you can use both Gemini and ChatGPT for free, but with a limited set of features and more restrictions on your usage.

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If you've kept up to date with my articles recently, then you'll be aware that I've been on the lookout for acquiring the MSI Claw 8 AI+ or an equivalent handheld with an 8-inch screen.

This is simply because I want a handheld gaming PC that has a bigger screen, without going overboard like some of the unappealing devices that look like a tablet and controller super-glued together.

Unfortunately, that's not possible, since the Claw 8 AI+ is almost non-existent across retailers in the UK and the US, and opting for the Lenovo Legion Go S or the original (both using the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme) would seem a little nonsensical since I'd miss out on the processor upgrade. So, I guess you can say I've been a little out of luck... or have I?

I say this because acquiring the Xreal One AR glasses for testing on the Asus ROG Ally has left me amazed at just how much better handheld gaming can be. With a micro OLED display, an X1 chip, adjustable screen size, and distance, including an ultrawide mode (up to a 32:9 aspect ratio), it's one of the best solutions for those who want a bigger screen. However, that's not all.

Neck and hand strain is no longer an issue...

The Xreal One AR glasses massively contribute to a reduction of neck and hand strain. As much as I love handheld gaming PCs, I'll admit it's difficult to get the same experience as you would with a desktop gaming setup – and no, I'm not talking about performance.

One way or another, most will find issues with neck and hand aches (especially with heavier 8-inch devices) after prolonged periods of gaming – trust me, I can already see the "touch grass comments" – but the Xreal One glasses completely alleviate these problems.

With its follow and anchor modes, you can easily move the projected display and lock it wherever you prefer. Essentially, I could use my handheld while lying in bed and have the action projected onto the ceiling, adjusting the screen size up to 147 inches with an adjustable distance for visual clarity.

With a transparency mode, I could easily darken the surroundings of the projected display, producing a theater-like experience, built for immersion. This is best used in a dark room without any light intrusion. It's not going to reproduce what you'd get with a full VR headset, of course not, but it does a great job at placing you in the world of your content.

It's not just gaming either. The ultrawide mode is fantastic for 21:9 movies and games, but don't expect much with the latter on handhelds. On Bazzite (a SteamOS clone), I couldn't manage to get an ultrawide resolution working in Stellar Blade (the game I tested most) – so while you can use the ultrawide mode with the ROG Ally, you'll be left with black bars in-game.

In all honesty, you should never expect to be playing at an ultrawide resolution using a handheld gaming PC. That's the realm of a more powerful gaming PC instead – and this introduces the gripes I do have with the Xreal One AR glasses.

Don't judge me... I'm in love with it (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)The Xreal One glasses are too expensive, especially for handheld-only usage

The biggest problem I have with the Xreal One glasses is their price. It retails at $499 / £499, which, if you're using it for a variety of devices, is still reasonable. However, if you're buying this strictly for your handheld (which is probably why you're even reading this) or desktop gaming PC, then it's hard for me to recommend.

This is because you'll most likely need to buy accessories like the Xreal Hub to simultaneously charge your handheld while also using a separate connection for display. For those that have handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go or MSI Claw 8 AI+, you're in luck, as they have two USB-C ports, but the Asus ROG Ally doesn't.

It's no secret that the ROG Ally's battery life is pretty bad. So, without a dock that has Power Delivery with DisplayPort or the Xreal Hub, I couldn't use the Xreal One glasses to their full potential, as I had to keep charging my handheld after 30 to 45 minutes from full charge.

The same applied to my gaming PC, as you'll need an HDMI to USB-C or DP to USB-C cable (with USB-A power) to get the glasses working. What I'm trying to say is I don't like the fact that you have to spend more on accessories, as such to get the AR glasses working at their full potential, especially when it already costs a lot of money.

When you throw in the price of the handhelds themselves, it becomes a huge expense altogether, and overall, a tough recommendation. Don't get me wrong, these are a great set of AR glasses that I'd love to use for travel and the convenience of better multitasking, but just be ready to cough up a lot of cash for the best possible experience.

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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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, June 25 (game #1248).

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1249) - 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 #1249) - 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 #1249) - 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 #1249) - 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 #1249) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• R

• G

• M

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

Quordle today (game #1249) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1249, are…

• SLUMP
• REBUS
• GUAVA
• MONEY

It took me a long time to get to REBUS, trying several invented words first and resisting the temptation to type in REUSE, even though I knew it was wrong.

Meanwhile, GUAVA was arrived at through Quordle muscle memory of it appearing in the game before.

Nothing though could prepare me for another fiendishly tricky edition of the Daily Sequence, though. Who knew so many words ended A-U-N-T?

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1249) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1249, are…

• DAUNT
• FLECK
• PAUSE
• JUMBO

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, June 25 (game #745).

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 #746) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• LOVELACE
• ENIGMA
• SEWING
• SUITS
• VENDING
• HAWKING
• DRESSING
• MCQUEEN
• GOLIATH
• PROTEIN
• PINBALL
• DAMAGES
• CHEESE
• BOJACK
• MATLOCK
• LETTUCE

NYT Connections today (game #746) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Think: Healthy cold dish
• GREEN: All mechanical
• BLUE: TV lawyers
• PURPLE: Top deck

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 #746) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: COMPONENTS OF A SALAD 
• GREEN: KINDS OF MACHINES 
• BLUE: LEGAL DRAMAS 
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH PLAYING CARDS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #746) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #746, are…

• YELLOW: COMPONENTS OF A SALAD CHEESE, DRESSING, LETTUCE, PROTEIN
• GREEN: KINDS OF MACHINES ENIGMA, PINBALL, SEWING, VENDING
• BLUE: LEGAL DRAMAS DAMAGES, GOLIATH, MATLOCK, SUITS
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH PLAYING CARDS BOJACK, HAWKING, LOVELACE, MCQUEEN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I’d like to say that I saw four words ENDING WITH PLAYING CARDS, but I thought I was making up a group of famous Stephens. This was entirely based on HAWKING and MCQUEEN. I guessed at BOJACK, but my one mistake came when I picked MATLOCK instead of LOVELACE.

Meanwhile, I am sure that the Connections debate of the day will be over COMPONENTS OF A SALAD – a category that could include many things, like tomato, cucumber, celery and indeed LETTUCE, but CHEESE? Is cheese that common a salad feature to warrant being a component?

I was pleased to see VENDING amid KINDS OF MACHINES. It is surely one of life’s great pleasures to buy something from a vending machine and see two items instead of the purchased one clunk down into the bucket.

Of course there is the equal irritation of putting your money in and nothing coming out – at which point you must resist trying to put your hand into the machine, Homer Simpson-style, and just remember that life is a balance sheet of gains and losses. And also, to sometimes let go.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, June 25, game #745)

• YELLOW: KINDS OF CHEESES BLUE, GOAT, JACK, SWISS
• GREEN: BEVERAGE SELF-SERVICE ITEMS CUP, LID, NAPKIN, STRAW
• BLUE: WOODWORKING HAND TOOLS CHISEL, PLANE, RASP, SAW
• PURPLE: BIRDS MINUS LAST LETTER CRAN, FLAMING, HERO, RAVE

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, June 25 (game #479).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Fowl business

NYT Strands today (game #480) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• HEAT
• PAGES
• MESH
• STIR
• GRAD
• GASP

NYT Strands today (game #480) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #480) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #480) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #480, are…

• TURKEY
• QUAIL
• GOOSE
• PARTRIDGE
• GROUSE
• PHEASANT
• SPANGRAM: GAME BIRDS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

“Fowl business” immediately had me searching for the letter K, as I was convinced our search would include chicken. Instead, we were looking for fancier GAME BIRDS than the common junglefowl.

The K search led me to TURKEY, which set me on the way for an easy stroll around the grid as I asked myself the questions: how many of these birds have I eaten (1).

PHEASANT was the only word that slowed me down, as I saw “birds” before seeing the accompanying “game”.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, June 25, game #479)

• WATCH
• HANDBAG
• JEWELRY
• PERFUME
• CONVERTIBLE
• SPANGRAM: LUXURY GOODS

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.

• Nvidia is pushing SSD makers toward 100 million IOPS storage target
• But Silicon Motion CEO says industry lacks memory tech to meet AI demands
• New memory may be needed to unlock ultra-fast AI storage

As GPUs grow faster and memory bandwidth scales into the terabytes per second, storage has become the next major bottleneck in AI computing.

Nvidia is looking to push storage to match the demands of AI models by hitting an ambitious target for small-block random reads.

"Right now, they are aiming for 100 million IOPS - which is huge," Wallace C. Kuo, CEO of Silicon Motion, told Tom's Hardware.

Looking for a media change

Today’s fastest PCIe 5.0 SSDs top out at around 14.5GB/s and 2 to 3 million IOPS in workloads involving 4K and 512-byte reads.

While larger blocks favor bandwidth, AI inference typically pulls small, scattered bits of data. That makes 512B random reads more relevant, and much harder to accelerate.

Kioxia is already preparing an “AI SSD” based on XL-Flash, that is expected to exceed 10 million IOPS. It could launch alongside Nvidia’s upcoming Vera Rubin platform next year. But scaling beyond that could require more than just faster controllers or NAND tweaks.

“I believe they are looking for a media change,” Kuo said. “Optane was supposed to be the ideal solution, but it is gone now. Kioxia is trying to bring XL-NAND and improve its performance. SanDisk is trying to introduce High Bandwidth Flash, but honestly, I don't really believe in it.”

Power, cost, and latency all pose challenges. “The industry really needs something fundamentally new,” Kuo added. “Otherwise, it will be very hard to achieve 100 million IOPS and still be cost-effective.”

Micron, SanDisk, and others are racing to invent new forms of non-volatile memory.

Whether any of them will arrive in time for Nvidia’s next wave of hardware is the big unknown.

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• The Concept AMG XX will take the brand into its next chapter
• Three axial flux motors can propel the slippery shape to 224mph
• An LED light panel at the rear is one of many futuristic features

Mercedes-Benz has lifted the lid on the future of its revered tuning arm with the all-electric AMG GT XX concept, which eschews thundering V8 petrol engines for an all-electric powertrain.

Where customers once flocked to the hand-built, naturally aspirated monsters that lurked under the hood, Mercedes-AMG has been trapped between a rock and a hard place of late, dabbling with smaller capacity turbocharged engines and hybrid powertrains that have failed to hit the mark with Affalterbach aficionados.

“The heart of an AMG was always the motor, we’re delivering a revolutionary new drive that is unparalleled in terms of power density, weight and packaging,” says Mercedes-AMG CEO Michael Schiebe.

The new motor that Schiebe hopes will once again stir emotions is actually three axial flux electric motors that are around two-thirds lighter and 67% smaller than traditional radial flux motors that appear on most of today’s EVs.

(Image credit: Future)

Often referred to as 'pancake motors', axial flux drive units are made up of components that look like slim discs and, when stacked, can almost fit inside a pizza box, meaning they can be placed nearer the wheels for improved packaging.

Innovative rectangular copper wiring is then packed into tight coils, allowing for more copper per slot in the stator, creating an energy density that is almost three-times that of conventional, sausage roll-shaped radial motors, yet they take up just one third of the space.

To continue the food analogy, Mercedes-AMG likens the use of rectangular wiring to the Italian’s use of tagliatelle, rather than spaghetti, when cooking up a hearty Ragu, because “its flatter, broader surface carries more of the sauce”.

The Concept AMG GT XX uses three of these motors packed into two High Performance Electric Drive Units, one at the front that uses a single axial motor and a unit in the rear that features two.

(Image credit: Future)

Combined with all-new, cylindrical Nickel Cobalt Manganese Aluminum (NCMA) battery cells, the powertrain delivers staggering performance figures: 1,360hp, a top speed of 224mph and a top-up time of under five minutes thanks to 850kW charging capabilities.

Mercedes teamed up with charging experts Alpitronic to produce a prototype charging station that is capable of transmitting such a high current via a standard CCS connector.

It says it hopes to roll out its own 10,000-strong super-fast charging network using the technology by the next decade, although it wouldn’t say how many of those would be able to reach the 850kW output.

Aero everywhere

(Image credit: Mercedes-AMG)

Taking inspiration from the ultra-slippery Vision One-Eleven concept car, the AMG GT XX has a drag coefficient of 0.198 – about the same as a soaring eagle or a dolphin at full speed, according to AMG engineers.

Specially-designed contours under the body help channel airflow, while active cooling flaps open and close in the front bumper to either reduce drag or funnel cold air to the battery packs and electric drivetrain.

In another world-first, the all-wheel-drive AMG GT XX also features active aero in the wheels, which feature electronically actuated blades that open when the brakes require cooling but then close again to reduce drag.

Cleverly, the wheels act as giant dynamos that charge the system so it doesn't rely on the EV's batteries. However, Mercedes wouldn't go into detail about how much each wheel might cost if you accidentally curb it.

The overall fastback design is low and wide, the window steeply raked to help channel air over the car, with motorsport-inspired air outlets in the bonnet helping to dissipate warm air that is then funneled into the cooling system.

At the rear, there’s a monster diffuser that is finished in naked carbon fibre and a 3D pixel light panel that can display a variety of messages and graphics. During presentations, it gaudily flashed an animated AMG logo, the vehicle’s charge status or a series of naff messages.

I might not the be the target audience for this vehicle, but to me, it doesn’t feel very AMG. But that’s the point, right? This is the new AMG for the kids.

The concept vehicle is also finished in what Mercedes calls its “Fluid Light Paint”. This new-fangled pigment sees painted sections emit light in response to an electric current.

The result is an exterior light array, which runs along the flanks of the concept and visibility glows at nighttime.

It can even 'communicate' its battery level status when hooked up to a charging outlet, like a robotic vacuum cleaner or any other rechargeable electrical appliance, for that matter.

LEDs and loudspeakers

(Image credit: Mercedes-AMG)

The headlights don’t escape innovation either, as these house a loud speaker that will emit driving sounds and audible signals for pedestrian protection. Passive membrane technology embedded into the soundbar can emit more powerful bass notes, for more realistic, guttural AMG noises.

Inside, Mercedes has replaced the traditional steering wheel with a yoke, which alludes to the fact that the production version of the AMG GT XX Concept could be among the first to sport the German marque’s steer-by-wire system.

The interior features plenty of exposed elements that make it feel like a GT racer, with 3D-printed seat pads that can be tailored to fit the driver and swapped out with ease.

(Image credit: Mercedes-AMG)

These are clad in a Labfiber Biotech leather alternative material that is made from recycled GT3 racing tires, vegetable proteins and biopolymers.

It is an incredibly complex and scientific undertaking that results in a very hardy, leather-like substance, but there's no information on how energy intense the process is compared to, say, raising a cow.

Twin LED displays make up the infotainment package, with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen integrated into the dash and angled towards the driver for that race car ambience.

Mercedes says its MB.UX operating system will underpin the entire digital offering, bringing the latest infotainment features, despite the racy ambience.

Head designer Gordon Wagener said the entire design process was much shorter than a typical car (around a year, compared with three) and CTO Markus Schäfer claims that much of the technology revealed today is production-ready.

In fact, there is a tentative release date for the road-going car of sometime in 2026, despite the fact we are yet to glean information on total power output, battery range and, perhaps more importantly, price.

Schäfer says that "hardcore AMG V8 fans" have already driven the car and were very positive about the performance. Similarly, he says the sheer weight of technology on the car will help protect residual values.

Whether or not combustion engine fans will be convinced by pixel panels and fake engine noises is yet to be seen, while poor resale values continue to blight high-performance, luxury EVs.

Mercedes only has to look at its recent electrified G-Wagon for proof that its current customer base perhaps isn't quite ready for the future.

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Prime Video’s new Australian World War Two romantic drama has critics raving, but it seems audiences are still continuing to discover the epic show.

While the show was released on one of the best streaming services way back on April 18, The Narrow Road to the Deep North has struggled to gain viewership, with the show yet to top the charts in any of the countries it’s available in (it's not currently available to stream in the UK).

That’s no mark on its quality though, with viewers who have seen it praising the series, and critics hailing it as one of the best Prime Video shows around at the moment, crowning the drama with a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Co-created and directed by Assassin’s Creed helmer Justin Kyrzel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North follows WW2 soldier Dorrigo Evans across three time periods: before his deployment, during his time as a prisoner of war and as an older man in the 1980s, with Jacob Elordi portraying the younger version and Ciarán Hinds playing the older Dorrigo.

Both beautiful and brutal, the series charts Dorrigo's love affair with his Uncle’s wife Amy (Odessa Young) pre-war and how that love both sustains and haunts him during his uncompromising time in a Burmese PoW camp. Later in life, Dorrigo is a revered surgeon and war hero struggling with ghosts of his past and the guilt he feels both over the affair and as a survivor of one of the most brutal theatres of the Second World War.

Based on Richard Flanagan’s novel of the same name, the show unfolds over five gripping episodes, jumping between the three timelines to tell an intricately woven story anchored by outstanding performances from Elordi and Hinds, which, at times, makes love seem as brutally painful as war.

What are the critics saying about The Narrow Road to the Deep North?

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

With a perfect score over on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s no surprise the critical response has been glowing. The Guardian called the show “elegant and poetic” while praising the two lead actors’ complementary portrayals of Dorrigo, saying both “really feel like different reflections of the same person.”

The New York Times, meanwhile, called Elordi’s performance “terrific,” while stating the series overall masterfully “combines a sweetly doomed romance, a layered domestic drama and a harrowing World War Two tale.” The BBC also praised the young lead, saying the drama was a “stunning showcase for Jacob Elordi.”

What do the subscribers think?

(Image credit: Prime Video)

Rotten Tomatoes' Audience Score is perhaps not as strong, but still sits at a respectable 70%. Over on Reddit however, viewers are loving the show, with one post saying “that was perfect [...] worth every minute of my time.”

Another fan posted: “That was powerful [...] solid work,” while a third stated “I’m in awe at the story telling, the cinematography and the music.”

Comment from r/AmazonPrimeVideo

With the show available now on Prime Video in the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and due to land on BBC iPlayer in the UK later in the year, this criminally underseen show needs to be added to your watchlist immediately.

Bleak, hopeful, brutal and uplifting, The Narrow Road to the Deep North is an emotionally charged must-watch.

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• Apple continues to fill its Sports tracking app with new sports
• Tennis is the latest entry
• Apple is also adding more customization and granularity

Apple just hit a smashing overhand, adding Tennis to its iPhone-only Sports app just in time for the sport's biggest competition: Wimbledon.

After launching in 2024 with the NBA, NHL, MLS, NCAA basketball, and NCAA football, Apple Sports quickly added the MLB and has since expanded to include the NFL, racing, and other leagues. Tennis, though, was a notable gap.

The sport arrives today and is now part of the free app, which is available in the US, UK, and Canada. As with other sports, game coverage will include live point-by-point coverage but not play-by-play. So don't expect line calls in the coverage.

One of the reasons people like me like Apple Sports is that it lives up to its real-time promise, offering, in baseball, for instance, almost instant updates about runners and the score. Tennis is, perhaps, an even faster-moving game.

In a release about the update, Apple is promising, "live scores delivered incredibly fast." We'll see.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple Sports will, though, let fans track all matches that occur after the qualifiers. So it won't be just the top match at any given time, Apple Sports will cover all Wimbledon matches. The Tennis coverage will offer custom Sports Cards backgrounds for each match, featuring the grass or clay used in each tournament's courts (Wimbledon uses grass).

Tennis will also benefit from some other app-wide updates, including a refined home screen that now lets you customize the organization by league.

That'll come in handy even if you're not a tennis fan, too. Speaking of which, I'm especially excited about the small update coming to MLB coverage in Live Activities, which will now display the active pitcher and batter details below the score.

This has been a notable gap in Sports' baseball coverage. It's one of the chief reasons that, while I love Sports Live Activities, which can even appear on your lock screen, I've often had to switch to the MLB.com page for details about who's at bat.

Tennis elbowed

(Image credit: Apple)

With two weeks (June 30 to July 13) and dozens of matches, Wimbledon will provide a rich test for the Sports platform. You can't follow individual players, which may make the whole affair feel a little chaotic. Hopefully, Sports will eventually let you do that so you can quickly switch to a match for your "favorite" player.

Sports is still keeping the focus tight on actual league sports events and not yet covering things such as the upcoming MLB All-Star Game (July 15) or the NBA draft (June 25). In a way, this helps keep the app clean and efficient, but it also means that Sports is missing out on key moments in each sports league experience.

Additionally, while Apple Sports is available on the iPhone and visible as Live Activities on Apple Watch, there is no word on plans to bring it to the iPad...yet.

Are you a sports fan or, more specifically, a Wimbledon fan? Let us know what you think of this latest update and why you do or don't use the app in your comments below.

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• Surfshark has had its no-logs policy verified by Deloitte for the second time
• The independent verification, from a Big Four auditing firm, corroborates Surfshark’s no-logging claims
• Existing Surfshark subscribers can access the full report via their Surfshark accounts

Surfshark has reaffirmed its commitment to privacy and transparency with the release of its second no-logs assurance report on June 16, 2025.

Already rated as one of the best VPNs by TechRadar, this is the second time Surfshark has worked with Deloitte to verify its commitment to user privacy by auditing its no-logs policy.

(Image credit: Surfshark )Why Surfshark’s no-logs policy verification matters

Surfshark invited Deloitte to audit its no-logs statement for the first time back in 2023, illustrating the seriousness with which it takes user privacy.

However, a second no-logs assurance report in 2025 “demonstrates Surfshark’s proactive approach to privacy,” said Donatas Budvytis, Surfshark’s Chief Technology Officer.

It's a welcome update in an industry where plenty of VPN providers have yet to prove their own no-logs claims. Some VPNs, particularly free VPN services, do keep logs. In some cases, these can contain personally identifying information, putting user data and privacy at risk.

Only recently, TechRadar’s Chiara Castro reported that some 17 free VPN apps found in Google and Apple app stores have ties with China. VPNs operating in China are subject to strict data retention laws and may be forced to share data with the Chinese government upon request.

Surfshark’s decision to have Deloitte, one of the Big Four auditing firms, take a second look at its no-logs policy provides substantial credibility and, as Budvytis explains, “a big confirmation of privacy and transparency to our current and future users.”

It also proves Surfshark’s claims that it doesn’t monitor user activity or keep logs of their activities. That this is a second independent verification shows that this is an ongoing commitment on the part of Surfshark, and not simply a one-off.

Here’s what Deloitte was looking at

Deloitte’s independent audit provides assurance that Surfshark’s no-logs policy has been properly implemented.

As part of its evaluation, Deloitte examined internal systems and processes, conducted interviews with Surfshark staff, and reviewed supporting evidence.

Deloitte looked at Surfshark’s standard, static, and multiport servers while also analyzing how these servers are configured and deployed. Privacy settings and operational procedures were closely inspected to ensure they align with Surfshark’s privacy commitments.

Ultimately, Deloitte confirmed that the no-logs policy is consistently applied across all relevant Surfshark infrastructure.

If you’re already a Surfshark user, you can read the detailed report, ISAE 3000, which is accessible via your account.

Which VPN providers have had their no-logs policies independently audited?

Surfshark isn’t the only VPN provider to have subjected its no-logs policy to an independent audit.

NordVPN had its no-logs claims verified by PwC in 2018 and 2020 before having Deloitte conduct independent reviews in 2022, 2023, and 2025.

The VPN that has undergone more audits than most is ExpressVPN, having published 19 third-party audit reports to date.

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• SonicWall is warning hackers are distributing malicious VPN software
• NetExtender is being modified and distributed through fake websites
• The malicious software steals credentials and VPN configurations

Hackers have been spotted spoofing the SonicWall NetExtender SSL VPN client and distributing it through bogus webpages which mimic the official SonicWall site.

SonicWall and Microsoft Threat Intelligence (MSTIC) spotted the trojanized application and issued an advisory to warn users against downloading the fake software.

As NetExtender is used as a remote access VPN client, stolen VPN configuration data and VPN credentials can put both employees and businesses at risk of compromise.

Spoofed VPN client distributed through fake website

The fake VPN client is signed by "CITYLIGHT MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED," giving it a limited level of authenticity which can fool some low level cyber protections.

The file was distributed using SEO poisoning and malvertising techniques which can make the fake website appear above the authentic site, especially in sponsored results.

(Image credit: SonicWall)

Therefore, SonicWall has reminded users to only download software from legitimate sources, in this case, sonicwall.com and mysonicwall.com.

In the research conducted by SonicWall and MSTIC, they found two modified binaries of their product being distributed by the fake website; NEService.exe which was modified to bypass digital certificate checks; and NetExtender.exe was modified to steal the configuration data and credentials.

(Image credit: SonicWall)

When all the necessary details are entered and the user clicks connect, the data which includes username, password, domain, and more, is extracted and sent to a remote server controlled by the hackers.

Both SonicWall’s and Microsoft’s cybersecurity tools can now detect the malicious software, but other third party software may not yet be configured to detect the files. It’s always a good idea to consult the best antivirus software to protect your devices from modified software and malicious files.

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For the last month, I’ve had the not-so-arduous task of comparing the shiny new Sony WH-1000XM6 against their biggest rivals. Yep, I’ve tried wireless headphones from everyone, including all the big hitters like Apple, Bose Sonos…you name it! But as the headline has already spilled, there’s only one pair of headphones I’d recommend to all – and that’s Sony’s latest flagship cans.

In my Sony WH-1000XM6 review I made it clear – these are an exceptional pair of headphones that serve up a delicious cocktail of spectacular sound quality, a delightful design and, most importantly, class-leading noise cancellation. And so, it will be of little surprise that the XM6 swiftly pushed their way into our list of the best headphones.

Still, some of the competition is incredibly fierce. Models such as the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 earned a glowing five-star review from us – and believe me, they’re the real deal. But I can’t help but feel that the Sony WH-1000XM6 are the better pick for most people. Why? I’ll break it down into three key reasons.

1. Shutting off the outside world

If we’re talking ANC, there’s simply no one out there that can top Sony right now. That's right, the WH-1000XM6 offer the best noise cancelling I’ve ever tested on a pair of over-ear headphones. Yes, even better than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. And substantially superior to Sony’s previous effort, the Sony WH-1000XM5.

That’s because Sony’s latest cans harness the power of a new and improved QN3 HD noise cancelling processor, which fine tunes 12 microphones in real time to shut off the outside world. Oh, there’s also AI onboard, which does a bit of extra legwork to keep pesky external sounds from creeping in.

Whether I was walking near a traffic-heavy road, working in a chatter-filled room or vacuuming my apartment, the XM6 induced silence – or at least, near-silence. So, whether you’re looking to make those morning commutes a bit more bearable or perhaps just feeling a little anti-social, you can trust the XM6 to keep you locked into your favorite tracks and movies.

Oh, one more thing about that phenomenal mic system. It also helps to offer crystal-clear calling, with six beamforming mics helping to bring the focus to your mouth. Again, AI is at hand to carve out clamors from your surroundings, and this works incredibly well.

I attended a demo at Sony’s 5020 Studio in Madrid, where someone walked into an artificially noisy environment, but after placing the XM6 on and making a call, the only thing I could hear was their voice. You really are getting next-level clarity with these headphones – and yes, they’re considerably better in this area than previous models like the Sony WH-1000XM4.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 beside their ancestor, the WH-1000XM4 (Image credit: Future)2. Fluid, fool-proof controls

So, Sony’s come on significantly in the realms of ANC and call quality. But something else that’s been refined is the touch controls. On the XM6, swiping forwards and back to skip or return to a track, flicking and holding to adjust volume, and double tapping to pause or play music feels so incredibly smooth.

In fact, the XM6 supply the most intuitive, fluid touch controls I’ve ever seen on a pair of headphones. You can even cover the right earcup to enable passthrough mode – how cool is that?!

And after testing some rival models, I came to appreciate those touch controls even more. I absolutely adore the open, expansive, yet coherent sound of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 – I think for the money, they arguably offer the best sound quality on the market right now. Yep, maybe even a bit better than the XM6 which, by the way, sound absolutely fantastic! But unfortunately for the Px7 S3, they’re limited to basic button controls which felt like such a downgrade to me after extensively using the XM6. This alone kept me going back to the Sony contender.

For reference, if you want to skip tracks on the Bowers headphones, you’ve got to double press the play button – and it’s three presses to go back. That, to me, feels a little rigid…and behind the times. Similarly, the Apple AirPods Max, which offer enticingly expansive audio, a beautiful design and excellent usability for iPhone users, are held back by physical controls (among other things).

I appreciate that some may find touch controls a little irritating. Perhaps you’ll accidentally skip a track when taking the headphones off. Maybe you’ll pause your music when adjusting your luscious locks. But the XM6 handle touch beautifully. I’m yet to experience any accidental playback alterations or the like. Touch controls – when done right like this – are so much more than a nice-to-have now.

(Image credit: Future)3. All the features you could ever want…and then some

I could cap this off by talking about the beautifully balanced, dynamic sound of the XM6. I could even talk about their slim, comfortable design which brings foldability back to the fore. But instead, I want to talk about the insanely broad, yet detailed feature-list you get on these Sony headphones.

Yes, of course you get that phenomenal ANC and calling. But with the Sound Connect app, you unlock so much more. There’s scene-based listening and adaptive audio, which adjusts depending on your environment. There’s LDAC and DSEE for accessing higher-resolution audio over Bluetooth. And now, there’s a 10-band EQ tab, which comes with a Find Your Equalizer listening test too.

But I’m only scratching the surface! There’s even more, from Auracast through to a Cinema listening mode that really help to set the XM6 apart from their rivals. They truly have everything you could want from a pair of the best noise cancelling headphones and more.

Combine that with the above reasons and you’re looking at a pair of true all-rounders. The Sony WH-1000XM6 have every base covered, and nail all the fundamentals like sound quality and noise cancellation. So, if there’s one pair of the best over-ear headphones I recommend to everyone…it has to be these.

But wait – this is an open discussion rather than a final decision! Do you agree? If you already have the Sony WH-1000XM6, what are your impressions thus far? I’d be interested to hear from you, so feel free let me know your thoughts in the comments. Most of all, enjoy the music.

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Prime Video's newest most-watched show We Were Liars has received a mixed response from the critics, so it's had audiences talking for better or worse.

The new addition to one of the best streaming services is currently the number one most-watched show on Prime Video. It's closely followed behind by another thriller called The Better Sister, which I also recommend you watch.

Despite both TV shows being popular, neither will make the cut for our best Prime Video shows list unfortunately, and that's because of the mixed reviews. However, while We Were Liars currently has a 67% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics, I still think you should watch it.

Its score isn't too low, but it does deserve better, in my opinion, which is why I'm recommending it today. Read on to find out why.

Why I recommend We Were Liars on Prime Video

I was immediately hooked by the plot of this series, as it follows a young woman named Cadence who experiences a head injury during her fifteenth summer on her family's private island, leaving her with amnesia.

At first, she seems to have it all. She lives a privileged life and an enviable one, but she soon finds herself in the dark as she has to piece together all the memories she's lost, which leads her down a shocking path.

It's based on the young adult novel of the same name, which is billed as a psychological horror. While the TV adaptation takes a more thriller route and feels more widely accessible, I think it's a very strong retelling of the novel.

If you're in the mood to unravel a mystery and get to the bottom of what happened during "summer fifteen", as it's referred to, you'll likely find yourself glued to the screen. It's only eight episodes, so it's very easy to get lost in the story.

I loved the performances here too. I've been a fan of Emily Alyn Lind's work since she starred in the Netflix slasher The Babysitter, and she's very good at bringing complex characters to life. Cadence is going through a lot, and Lind's performance as her is very layered and compelling.

This might not be everyone's cup of tea, admittedly, especially if you're not really into young adult dramas. But I was pleasantly surprised by just how engaging this one is, and I feel it does enough to stand out among other thriller titles.

If you need more Prime Video recommendations, why not check out these six most-watched TV shows that you absolutely have to stream.

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• US stores see equipment prices rise by around 10%
• Canon EOS R1 price has increased by $500
• Further tariff-led increases could be on the way soon

Earlier this year, both Canon and Nikon warned consumers that prices of their products would be affected by US tariffs – and now those price hikes have begun in earnest. As reported by DP Review, who have been tracking the US prices of Canon and Nikon gear on the companies’ own websites as well as Amazon, there has been a clear spike in prices in recent weeks.

Nikon cameras and lenses, for instance, have risen by an average of 10.5%. Canon prices have jumped by as much as $500 on certain items (over the price listed when the product was first announced), and on average have increased by 9.7%. Other manufacturers have made similar increases; Sigma, for instance, bumped up its lens prices in the US by 10% earlier in June.

For Canon, the products that have most increased in price are higher-end cameras such as the Canon EOS R1 and Canon EOS R3, which have risen by $500 and $400 respectively over their launch prices. However, both models had been significantly discounted from their launch prices ahead of these recent rises, so the increases are actually much larger than they seem.

Nikon, meanwhile, seems to have hiked prices on all its lenses manufactured in China, with the biggest percentage increase going to the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D prime: $134.95 to $199.95. That’s a price increase of almost 50%.

Nikon's China-manufactured lenses, such as the 50mm f/1.4G, have had significant price hikes this week. (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)More rises on the way?

Not all items have been affected, but this could potentially due to stock from the pre-tariff era being still available. Once this has been sold and new stock needs to be imported from outside of the US, this stock could also be subject to price increases.

It’s a somewhat bleak picture for US-based camera consumers, and sadly it could yet get worse. On 9 July, the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs is due to end, which could mean countries where camera gear is manufactured, such as Japan, Thailand and Vietnam, could be subject to tariffs as high as 24%, 37% and 46% respectively. Companies may choose to absorb some or all of the tariff-led increases, of course; they could also hike prices even further in order to maintain their profit margin.

So, what does this mean for the US consumer? In all likelihood, it means that prices on cameras and lenses will rise even further – and that now might be the best time to invest in that piece of equipment you need. If you’re based in the US and are thinking of buying new gear, make sure to check out our buying guides for the best beginner mirrorless cameras, best compact cameras, best cameras for photography, best cameras for vlogging, best travel cameras and more.

You might also take the price hikes as a sign that you should master and maximise the equipment you already have rather than replace it with expensive new gear. Check out our camera how to guides and learn how to get more from your existing gear, whether it’s perfecting your astrophotography or using Adobe Photoshop to make your shots sing.

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• Sophos surveys organizations which have suffered ransomware attacks
• On average, they paid 85% of the demands
• The average demand has dropped to $1.3 million this year so far

New research from Sophos has found as ransomware attacks have become more prolific than ever, more and more companies are caving to demands, with organizations in paying an average of 85% of the ransom.

The median ransom demand has dropped from $2 million in 2024, to $1.3 million in 2025. Around half (53%) of those who paid, gave over less than half of the initial demand, but worryingly, 18% paid more than was originally asked for - with the UK paying an average of 103%

Recently, ransomware attacks have been soaring to new highs and costing more than ever, not just in payments, but also in lost data, downtime, and regulatory fines - with Sophos’ survey revealing an average of $1.83 million in recovery costs for firms with between 1,00-5,000 employees.

Data at risk

Just under half (49%) of organizations surveyed chose to pay the ransom, a slight increase from the 56% in 2024.

This is despite some Governments implementing a ransomware payment ban, which forbids public sector organizations from handing any money over to ransom gangs - and private organizations are urged to do the same.

In a ransomware attack, the primary goal for criminals is data, and the survey found data encryption is at its lowest level in six years - with 50% of attacks resulting in data encryption, down from 70% in 2024.

If criminals get a hold of your data and encrypt it they can essentially hold your systems hostage and seriously disrupt your operations - so fewer encryptions the better.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, as 97% of organizations that had data encrypted were able to recover it.

The initial technical root of attacks was most commonly (32%) through exploited vulnerabilities, with malicious emails (23%) and compromised credentials (30%) close behind.

Unfortunately, a lack of expertise was the most common operational root cause - with 40% of respondents citing this - as well as unknown security gaps (40%) and a lack of necessary cybersecurity products or expertise (39%). This shows that organizations are fundamentally underprepared for the ever-growing threat of ransomware.

“For many organizations, the chance of being compromised by ransomware actors is just a part of doing business in 2025. The good news is that, thanks to this increased awareness, many companies are arming themselves with resources to limit damage. This includes hiring incident responders who can not only lower ransom payments but also speed up recovery and even stop attacks in progress,” says Chester Wisniewski, director, field CISO, Sophos.

“Of course, ransomware can still be ‘cured’ by tackling the root causes of attacks: exploited vulnerabilities, lack of visibility into the attack surface, and too few resources. We’re seeing more companies recognize they need help and moving to Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services for defense. MDR coupled with proactive security strategies, such as multifactor authentication and patching, can go a long way in preventing ransomware from the start.”

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• A researcher has developed a new social engineering attack
• The attack, a variant of the existing ClickFix issue, has been called FileFix
• Windows users are at risk, so be on your guard

A new version of popular social engineering tool ClickFix has been developed, potentially putting Windows users at risk.

A cybersecurity researcher who goes by the name mr. dox has developed a new version of ClickFix, a browser-based attack often disguised as captchas to trick victims into pressing a button which then copies a command to Windows Clipboard. From there, users are encouraged to paste the command into a prompt to ‘fix’ an issue.

The new tool, dubbed FileFix, allows cybercriminals to execute commands on the victim system through the File Explorer address bar in Windows,” - this new attack is a similar premise, but uses Windows File Explorer to create a ‘highly plausible scenario’.

Sophisticated social engineering

This version of the phishing page is not based on a captcha, but rather a fake notification telling users a file has been sent to them, urging them to paste the path into File Explorer to find it.

This method could quite possibly be weaponised to trick users into downloading malicious payloads. “However, there is a downside to this variation that should be considered,” argues mr. dox.

“Microsoft Defender SmartScreen & Google Safebrowsing will usually warn users prior to saving executables so more clicks might be required from the user to make it work. However, I still included this method in case someone finds a good use for it or wants to use in a different social engineering scenario”

The ClickFix attack has been used by criminals to bypass antivirus software, with new malware variants observed targeting macOS, Android, and iOS users. Any new social engineering attack is dangerous as users won’t be wide to the method - so be sure to be wary of any unexpected pop-ups and close any windows you don’t trust.

Via BleepingComputer

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In modern enterprise environments, networks are in a constant state of flux. Devices are provisioned, policies adjusted, architectures refactored. Configuration drift is inevitable. Yet while change is essential, unmanaged change is a liability. Misconfigurations are one of the most persistent sources of security incidents, and even well-intentioned modifications can disrupt operations when made without a proper structure in place.

Configuration and network change management, when treated as a formal discipline rather than a background process, provides the guardrails needed to maintain security, reliability and scalability. In this way, mistakes can be avoided, but more importantly, repeatability, accountability and operational confidence is embedded into the network evolution process.

Establishing centralized control

Effective change management begins with control, and that control requires visibility. Distributed tools and team silos lead to inconsistencies and blind spots. A centralized system for configuration management creates a single, authoritative source of truth. This allows teams to baseline the current state of devices, track changes in real time, and identify deviations from expected configurations as they occur.

Centralization also enables correlation. Rather than reviewing logs in isolation, teams can compare device states across the network, identify systemic drift, and trace issues back to specific change events. In the event of an outage or a security incident, this traceability shortens the path from diagnosis to recovery. Rollbacks are faster because configurations are versioned and controlled. Post-change validation becomes an inherent part of the process, not an afterthought.

Driving consistency through automation

As infrastructure grows more distributed, manual processes become harder to manage and more prone to error. Inconsistent configurations, drift, and undocumented changes create operational risk—and make regulatory compliance more difficult to sustain. Automation introduces the structure needed to scale securely.

Automated configuration management enforces standard baselines, identifies deviations, and applies corrective actions with consistency. It reduces reliance on manual intervention while enhancing auditability—ensuring that every change is recorded, traceable, and aligned to policy.

This level of control is essential in regulated environments. Automation tools can continuously validate device configurations against defined security standards, surfacing non-compliant states and triggering remediation workflows. Instead of preparing for audits in bursts, teams maintain a steady state of compliance readiness.

Automation ensures that network changes are not only executed consistently but documented in a way that satisfies both operational and regulatory expectations.

Enforcing security through access governance

In many organizations, configuration access remains too broad, poorly segmented, or loosely monitored. This exposes the network not just to external threats, but to accidental misconfigurations and insider risk. Restricting access to configuration interfaces must be non-negotiable.

Granular, role-based access control frameworks are essential. Users should only be able to modify the devices or parameters relevant to their responsibilities, with every action logged and tied to an identity.

When change is linked to identity, and identity is controlled through policy, the risk of unauthorized or unintended changes is substantially reduced.

How misconfigurations undermine network security

Once a change is deployed, the assumption is often that the hardest part is over. But without the right controls and safeguards, even routine configuration updates can introduce risk. In practice, many of the most damaging security incidents stem not from sophisticated threats—but from small, avoidable errors in configuration.

A single misstep—whether it’s a rule applied too broadly, a service left exposed, or a default setting left unchanged—can compromise an otherwise secure environment. These errors often go unnoticed because they don't trigger alarms or immediately disrupt functionality. But they quietly weaken the network's security posture.

Misconfigurations can lead to unauthorized access, where internal systems become reachable from outside the network or from unintended internal segments. They can create gaps in firewall enforcement, allowing traffic that should be blocked. And they can expose sensitive services to external discovery, widening the organization's attack surface.

Crucially, these issues don’t always stem from a lack of knowledge. In many cases, they result from an absence of process: missing validation steps, inconsistent application of policies, or a lack of visibility into the cumulative effect of changes over time. In distributed environments, small deviations quickly add up. Without a clear baseline or continuous oversight, it becomes increasingly difficult to verify that the intended state of the network matches the actual state on the ground.

Discipline that delivers

When change management is poorly implemented, problems compound. Downtime increases. Vulnerabilities persist. Teams lose confidence in their tools and processes. Business units lose confidence in IT.

But when treated as a structured, technical discipline, configuration and change management becomes a force multiplier. By embedding controls that catch drift early, by enforcing consistency across environments, and by building in opportunities for validation and rollback, organizations can reduce the risk that misconfiguration becomes the root cause of a major incident.

Networks aren’t fragile because of change. They’re fragile because they change without structure.

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