TechRadar News

• Sony and NCSoft's Horizon Zero Dawn MMO has reportedly been canceled
• The MMO was codenamed 'Project H' but was understood to be a Horizon spin-off
• Project H's cancelation follows just after Sony canned two unannounced live service games

Sony's Horizon Zero Dawn massively multiplayer online game (MMO) from publisher NCSoft has reportedly been canceled.

According to the South Korean publication MTN (via ResetEra), three projects that were in development at three separate studios under NCSoft were scrapped, including titles codenamed 'Pantera', 'J', and 'H'.

"It is understood that some of NCsoft's new games and live games have received a notice of decision to stop development or service as a result of a feasibility review," the report reads.

"Games under CBO Lee Seong-gu, including 'Pantera,' 'H,' and 'J,' are reportedly included in the list, raising questions about whether development of 'Pantera,' also known as 'Raise Lineage M,' will actually be halted."

Project H, in particular, has been long reported to be an MMO based on Guerrilla Games' dystopian role-playing game, Horizon Zero Dawn. It's understood that the developers working on the project have since left NCSoft, and those who didn't leave after the cancelation were moved to different company projects.

The cancelation of Project H follows just after Sony canceled two unannounced live service games, a God of War spin-off from Demons Souls' remake developer Bluepoint Games, as well as an unknown multiplayer title from Days Gone creator Bend Studio.

While NCSoft's MMO has been canceled, there is another Horizon Zero Dawn project now being worked on at Guerrilla Games, currently known as Horizon Online.

It doesn't have a release date just yet, but it's described as a cooperative game and, according to leaked screenshots and gameplay from 2023 (via Reddit) will feature a more cartoon-like art style different than the hyper-realistic graphics we're used to.

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• Threat actor FutureSeeker posts new thread on BreachForums
• They claim to have stolen sensitive data from The North Pole Company
• The gift basket firm is yet to respond to the claims

The North Pole Company, a Canadian gift basket delivery service, allegedly suffered a data breach in which half a million customers lost sensitive personal information.

The claim was made on BreachForums, a popular underground community where cybercriminals come to share tools, resources, and experiences, to find partners and plan future attacks.

Cybersecurity researchers from Incogni reported a threat actor using the alias FutureSeeker posted a new thread on BreachForums on January 19, offering a North Pole database to its peers.

No response yet

“Today I have uploaded the NorthPole database for you to download, thanks for reading and enjoy!” reads the thread.

The data compromised in the attack includes email addresses, phone numbers, emails, postal addresses, and full names, of exactly 520,599 people.

The North Pole Company has not yet made an official statement about the alleged breach. We have reached out and will update the article if we hear back.

The North Pole Company is a Canadian gift basket delivery service specializing in Christmas gift baskets featuring gourmet foods, wines, and festive items, aiming to be the leading provider in Canada and the United States.

FutureSeeker is a relatively unknown name in the cybercriminal community. However, if the claims end up being true, that could change. More than half a million active email addresses, together with full names and phone numbers, is more than enough information for phishing, and fraud, leaving users potentially in need of identity theft protection.

To be on the safe side, if you’ve used The North Pole Company’s services in the past couple of years, be wary of incoming email messages and phone numbers, especially from people claiming to be the company’s representatives.

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• Garmin has unveiled four brand-new golf products
• It is releasing two new Approach smartwatches, the S44 and S50
• It also has a new club tracker and a GPS handheld with solar power

Garmin has today unveiled not one, but four brand new devices in its beloved golfing lineup: two smartwatches, a club tracker, and a new GPS handheld.

The new Approach S44 and S50 are smartwatches with AMOLED displays, replete with 43,000 golf courses preloaded as standard. Get a look at hazards, distances to the green, and up to 15 hours of battery life in GPS. The S44 helps you navigate the course and can pair with an iPhone or Android smartwatch to deliver notifications including emails and texts.

The S50 is similar but also comes with a heart rate monitor, activity tracking, and Garmin wellness features including its Morning Report and Body Battery energy monitoring. Each can also provide stroke tracking and analysis, thanks to the new Approach CT1 tracking tacks, which can be attached to your club's grip to collect data from your swing.

The CT1 tracking tags retail at $99.99 / AU$179 for a set of 16 – enough for most club sets. Meanwhile, the S44 has an MSRP of $299.99 / AU$549. The S50 is more expensive and retails at $399.99 / AU$729.

Garmin's golf handheld steps into the sun

(Image credit: Garmin)

Garmin has also unveiled a new GPS golf handheld, the Approach G20 Solar. As the name suggests, the G20 offers potentially unlimited battery life, thanks to a 2.2-inch solar-powered display. Even without solar charging, it promises up to 36 rounds of golf between charges.

It comes with the same bank of 43,000 preloaded courses and shows you green views with manual pin placements. Automatic shot tracking is available with the CT10 tracking tacks, and the G20 can be mounted on a golf cart or clipped to a belt with ease. With an IPX7 water rating, it's good rain or shine and retails at $299.99 / AU$549.

The new Approach smartwatches should supplant the S42 model as one of the best golf watches out there, and the S50 in particular is muscling in on the best Garmins generally thanks to its more extensive suite of health and activity tracking features.

The Garmin Approach S44, S50, G20, and CT1 tracking tags are available now from Garmin's website.

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Before the arrival of ChatGPT, there was a common misconception that artificial intelligence (AI) was the preserve of tech giants and global corporations - that it required an army of data scientists and AI engineers to implement. AI seemed abstract compared to other ground-breaking tech that you could see and feel. But behind the scenes, companies were already embedding AI into technology across industries like accounting to automate repetitive tasks.

Fast forward, and the seemingly magical interactions with ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other conversational AI tools have brought AI to the forefront. Now, there is a common understanding that AI is accessible to everyone. So, the question now is how do we empower SMBs to truly harness this breakthrough in AI capability? Not only to automate the routine, but to truly transform their businesses and, as we like to say, elevate human work.

The challenge for small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) is not whether AI is for them, but deciphering what tools can do, which they should trust, and how to use them safely.

According to TheresAnAiforThat.com, there are currently approximately 13,000 AI tools for 14,000 unique tasks, and rising. This can lead to a paradox of choice as SMBs look to ride the AI wave.

If decision-makers aren’t going to get left behind, they need to focus on skills training, lean on trusted advisors, and identify and understand the right tools – being developed by trusted companies - that will be instrumental in building the efficiency and agility needed for sustainable growth.

A shift in mindset to address pain points

When you tackle a problem the same way for so long, it can be easy to think there aren’t any alternative methods -- even if the existing methods aren’t hitting the mark. If SMBs are going to take advantage of AI to transform their business, a shift in mindset is required.

That means forgetting what they think is possible with technology today and, instead, start asking themselves, ‘What are the biggest challenges in my business?’; working back from there. Whatever the problem, or opportunity, the chances are there will be an AI tool that can help. Removing this mental barrier can help businesses unlock new ways to overcome longstanding barriers to their success.

Take cash flow forecasting, for example. Unreliable cash flow forecasts are a recurring challenge for accounting teams and, therefore, the wider business – whatever the size. But it can disadvantage SMBs in particular, in terms of their ability to invest and grow. For instance, 41% of small businesses admit to often turning down growth opportunities because they’re unsure about cash flow.

Developing understanding

This shift in attitude is part of a bigger education piece that is vital if SMBs are to capitalize on the AI wave.

There is certainly appetite to introduce automation and AI – 91% of businesses are considering it as a way to elevate themselves over the competition. But the sheer number of AI tools and the speed with which they have arrived has created a wild west environment that can be overwhelming. Especially when SMB decision-makers are busy overseeing all elements of a business so don’t necessarily have time to dedicate to looking under the hood of every AI tool on the market.

Recent research showed only one in five IT decision-makers have a strong understanding of how to harness artificial intelligence. Because AI comes with an aura of complexity about how it works, it is understandable that some decision-makers may simply opt to stick to what they know because they feel overwhelmed or out of their depth when it comes to incorporating such solutions into their teams.

This is why the role of trusted advisors is so important. Consultants, implementers, and technology vendors must take it upon themselves to support SMBs and their employees to better understand the intricacies (and capabilities) of AI and how it can support their work.

The second part of the education piece is helping businesses understand that AI is here to elevate rather than replace employees. By taking on the repetitive, administrative tasks, AI empowers employees to concentrate on more strategically important work. For example, with AI handling supplier invoice processing, employees can focus on managing the supplier relationship. Explaining this hierarchy between AI and employee is an important step to ensuring the business is able to benefit from productivity gains without worrying if AI is doing the job safely and confidently.

Working with trusted advisors with experience in this space can help SMBs navigate what is a complex landscape, alleviate anxiety around the unknown, and make sure they make informed decisions that align with their unique needs and goals.

Fit for purpose

Of course, if AI tools are to impact the business to their full potential, the right tools need to be chosen for the job at hand. That means selecting and investing in solutions that are fit for purpose. Especially in accounting, where accuracy and trust in results is paramount and data can be complicated to digest.

That doesn’t mean every tool used by an SMB needs to be 100% bespoke and purpose-built (a costly process). “Off-the-shelf” solutions can be highly effective in doing the job required of them to a high standard. What matters, in a world where a wealth of AI tools are available to SMBs, is the credentials of those providing the ready-made tools.

That means opting for solutions offered by trusted experts who have a transparent and proven track record of investing the time and resources into creating their AI solutions. And have trained the solutions on the type of tasks and data that they will encounter in the real world of SMB accounting.

A considered approach

The potential of AI to transform SMBs is immense, but realising this potential requires a thoughtful approach. SMBs must prioritize identifying and implementing AI tools that align with their unique challenges and goals, and shift mindsets to embrace innovative solutions.

This is where trusted advisors play a crucial role. Not only can they guide businesses through the complexities of AI, but they can ensure they invest in purpose-built solutions that deliver results safely, accurately, and reliably. Empowered with these AI solutions, SMBs will not only streamline operations and enhance efficiency but they will also increase confidence and unlock new opportunities for growth – priceless returns for business leaders navigating today’s challenges and uncertainties.

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Despite an enormous surge in VPN usage across America following the news of the TikTok ban, it appears even the best VPN services aren't a surefire solution for millions of Americans trying to access the popular social media platform.

The message "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now" will likely remain in the minds of the 170 million Americans affected for a little while yet. The Chinese video-sharing service enforced the block in the early hours of Sunday, January 19, 2025, not long after the ban-or-sell TikTok law expired. Many had anticipated the TikTok block would be circumventable using a virtual private network, however, this proved not to be the case.

While TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, began restoring the service on Sunday, questions remain. Why didn't the best VPNs do the trick? What's more, what might be a solution for Americans should this happen again?

VPNs and TikTok bans

A virtual private network (VPN) is security software that encrypts all your internet connections and masks your real IP address. The latter is a unique string of numbers that identifies your device on the internet, crucially including your location.

Connecting to a VPN server located outside the country you're in is generally an easy way to bypass online geo-restrictions. It tricks your internet service provider (ISP) into thinking you're browsing from somewhere else entirely.

This is why Americans downloaded VPNs by the dozen over the weekend of the TikTok ban. Proton VPN reported a 490% increase in US sign-ups during that time. NordVPN, too, experienced roughly eight times more new users than during a typical weekend, a company spokesperson told TechRadar.

Research by Top10VPN recorded an overall spike of 827% in VPN demand starting from the early hours of Sunday morning (local time). Experts at vpnMentor (see graph below) then registered a surge in demand starting from January 18, the day preceding the US TikTok ban. "The surge in demand hit its peak with a massive 1566% spike within minutes following the app's shutdown in the country," experts noted.

(Image credit: vpnMentor)

Spikes in VPN usage are very common after widespread social media bans.

In 2024 alone Proton VPN recorded 19 VPN spikes across 13 countries worldwide. Less than a month into 2025 and we've already seen VPN sign-ups skyrocketing in Venezuela as authorities blocked TikTok, Telegram, and other online resources.

So, why wasn't a VPN enough to bypass the US TikTok ban?

How the US TikTok ban was different

While it's unclear how the US TikTok ban has been implemented, it does appear to be more of the usual IP-based blockage. Many American TikTok users have complained that they were unable to access TikTok even when using a VPN provider.

"While I am just speculating, it would appear that they flagged accounts as being from the US based on SIM card details and literally shut them down," Simon Migliano, Head of Research at Top10VPN, told TechRadar.

Migliano explained that this meant that, no matter whether you were accessing TikTok from outside the US, if your phone had a US SIM, or if you had any US geolocation data associated with your account, you weren't able to access your account. This may also be why people could better access TikTok on a desktop rather than via mobile.

ok so vpn works ONLY IF you're on the tiktok website, not the app, and also you can't be logged into an american account lol pic.twitter.com/3oscHut46eJanuary 19, 2025

According to David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN, the difference with similar social media bans lies in who's doing the block in the first place.

He said: "If blocks are implemented by apps themselves, they have more visibility over user accounts and can make decisions to block certain customers based on information that goes beyond a simple IP address."

After all, internet watchdog NetBlocks registered no indication of widespread network-level restrictions imposed by US internet providers, indicating that the block was purely because TikTok deactivated its own service in the US.

When Venezuela blocked TikTok, for example, the government actively blocked the TikTok domain across the country instead. VPNs, therefore, had no problems getting users around the ban.

How to access TikTok in the US

TikTok is slowly getting back online in the US, meaning you should soon be able to access the app as usual without the need to find a workaround. In case of further blocks, however, it's important to bear in mind that you need to take some extra steps.

Peterson from Proton recommends people use their VPN and sign up for TikTok from a different country.

He said: "For some users, if they registered a new account outside of the US, and re-uploaded their content, they were able to get around the ban in the US while using a VPN. For content consumers, this is a workaround that could be fairly easy to implement, not so for content creators."

To make things easier, you should also use the VPN on a computer or device that's not tied to a SIM card, whenever possible.

• Sophos' researchers said they saw two groups engaging in email bombing attacks
• At least 15 organizations were targeted in the last three months
• The goal is to steal sensitive data and deploy ransomware

At least two threat actor groups are running email bombing campaigns against numerous organizations in the west, trying to steal their data and deploy ransomware.

Cybersecurity researchers Sophox X-Ops have observed more than 15 such incidents in the past three months, with half occurring in the last two weeks, suggesting that the criminals are picking up pace.

Email bombing is not a new tactic. It revolves around “bombing” the victim with hundreds, if not thousands of emails in a very short timespan, before the attackers contact the victims pretending to be an IT admin or network support worker.

Russian hackers

The attackers reportedly reach out via Microsoft Teams, or similar online collaboration tools, and offer to solve the issue. If the victim takes the bait, the attackers would demand access to Quick Assist or Microsoft Teams screen sharing, to take control of their targets’ computers. Once they are granted access, the attackers would deploy ransomware, the researchers said.

While Sophos X-Ops did not attribute the attacks to specific groups with great confidence, it did say that it “uncovered links” between one of the threat actors and Fin7 - a known Russian financially-motivated hacking collective.

The second group is seemingly linked to Storm-1811, another financially motivated cybercriminal group. This collective is known for deploying Black Basta ransomware through sophisticated social engineering attacks, and were observed impersonating IT staff in the past.

For Sean Gallagher, principal threat researcher at Sophos, the key of the problem lies in the fact that Teams’ default configuration allows individuals outside an organization to chat with, or call, internal staff at a company.

“Since many companies use managed service providers for their IT support, receiving a Teams call from an unknown person that’s labeled as ‘Help Desk Manager’ may not ring alarm bells, especially if it’s combined with an overwhelming amount of spam email,” Gallagher said.

“As Sophos continues to see new MDR and IR cases associated with these tactics, we want companies using Microsoft 365 to be on high alert. They should check company-wide configurations, block outside account messages if possible, and block remote access tools and remote machine management tools not regularly used by their organizations.”

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Nvidia’s GeForce Now is operating on a limited basis right now, and many of the choices for the streaming service are completely unavailable – including the free tier.

German tech site ComputerBase picked up on this problem, which is not just happening in Europe, but it’s apparently a global issue.

Checking from the UK corroborates this, with the GeForce Now ‘Free’ plan (featuring a basic rig, a service that’s ad supported) marked as sold out. (Of course, it isn’t sold at all, but you get what Nvidia means – it’s at full capacity).

The mid-tier ‘Performance’ plan is also sold out for the 1-month pass, but you can get this on the 6-month option. As for the ‘Ultimate’ subscription, that remains available across the board.

However, the day passes (introduced a year ago) for both Performance and Ultimate are also fully sold out. (Note that all of this is correct currently, as this article is being written, but that could change by the time you read this).

Why is this happening? ComputerBase heard from Nvidia’s customer support that these plans are temporarily on ice due to high demand on GeForce Now, to keep existing subscribers from suffering at the hands of overloaded servers and performance dips.

(Image credit: Nvidia) Analysis: RTX 5000 stock shock for streaming dream?

In short, the supply end at the GeForce Now servers can’t cope with the demand across much of the streaming service.

As to the obvious follow-up question – how come the servers are struggling like this suddenly? – Nvidia has thus far not answered that query.

It won’t surprise you to learn that there are various theories floating around online (aren’t there always?) as to what’s going on with GeForce Now. One of these is that there might be a rush on the free plan due to the popularity of Marvel Rivals (an online ‘Overwatch with superheroes’ affair launched last month).

That seems like a fair enough point, and clearly enough, there are problems with the number of those playing for free that are affecting the experience of paying subscribers in some way. This extends more broadly even to those paying given the situation with the day passes, too.

Given that, a further thought occurs here: could this be anything to do with disappointment around the next-gen GPUs in general, which is hovering like a cloud over some PC gamers at the moment? I’m talking specifically about the rumors that RTX 5090 and 5080 stock will be seriously thin on the ground – which is bound to provoke concern about RTX 5070 models too. And furthermore, the news that AMD has declared that RX 9070 graphics cards won’t launch until March 2025, much later than expected (albeit still within Team Red’s announced launch window of Q1 2025).

With those kind of worries dampening enthusiasm around next-gen graphics cards across the board, are gamers speculatively checking out whether cloud gaming might work for them? Which could explain why the levels of activity around free accounts, and day passes, are causing grief for Nvidia in particular.

Is that conclusion a stretch? Yes, maybe, but whatever the case, presumably Nvidia will be working behind the scenes to smooth things over and add capacity. Or there’s another possibility raised by Tom’s Hardware (which spotted the ComputerBase article). Namely that some servers have been taken offline for upgrades, and so this isn’t a rush of gamers, but a temporary lack of hardware that’s causing the supply-demand imbalance. Although if this was the case, I really think Nvidia’s statement would have clarified that.

Another factor coming into play here is the need to defend the experience for full-time subscribers on GeForce Now, considering the 100-hour time limit has now been brought in (for new members, as of January 1, 2025), causing a good deal of controversy and unhappiness for some (that any danger of choppy gameplay would double-down on).

We’re not short of speculation on this one, but for now, the main point of interest is – how long will these streaming service shortcomings last for GeForce Now?

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• Security researchers from CloudSEK observed hackers running pig butchering scams
• They're impersonating legitimate businesses through Zendesk's services
• The researchers said Zendesk's vetting system isn't thorough enough

A new report from cybersecurity researchers CloudSEK has found that cybercriminals are abusing Zendesk to run brand impersonation scams, with hackers abusing simple Zendesk features to engage in “pig butchering” scams and trick people out of their money.

Zendesk is a customer service and engagement platform that helps businesses manage customer interactions across various communication channels.

The platform allows users to register free trial accounts which, in turn, grant the ability to create subdomains, unfortunately allowing criminals to abuse it at scale.

Pig butchering

First, they would create a fake subdomain, mimicking a legitimate company, which would be used to send phishing emails pretending to be actual customer support communication.

Since Zendesk is a legitimate company, the emails often make it past spam filters and, disguised using accurate branding, land right into people’s inboxes. The emails apparently carry an image hyperlinked to a phishing page, where the scam continues.

The goal of the scam is to get people investing in a fake investment platform or support page - a staple of pig butchering scams. The ruse is designed to last as long as possible, draining money from the victim until they realize they’ve been defrauded.

The problem, according to CloudSEK, is that Zendesk doesn’t perform thorough email validation when adding users to subdomains. “This oversight allows attackers to target employees or customers with phishing attempts masked as legitimate ticket assignments,” the researchers said.

Zendesk has been informed of the flaw and its potential for misuse, following CloudSEK's responsible disclosure policy, CloudSEK concluded. We have reached out to the company and will update the article if we hear back.

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• Resident Evil 6 could be getting a re-release on modern consoles
• An ESRB rating for the game has been assigned for 'Xbox Series' platforms
• If real, it's more likely to be another remaster and not a full-blown remake

It's looking like an older Resident Evil game is going to be getting the current-generation re-release treatment. And this time it's what many fans would consider to be far and away the worst mainline game in the series - Resident Evil 6.

An ESRB rating spotted by VGC has assigned an M (Mature 17+) rating to Resident Evil 6, specifically for 'Xbox Series' consoles. If it's the real deal, then it's likely the 2012 action horror game could also make the jump to PS5 and potentially the Nintendo Switch 2.

Of course, this wouldn't be the first time Resident Evil 6 has been ported to more modern systems. Originally a PS3 and Xbox 360 title, it later received re-releases on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch alongside the original Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. Oddly, there don't appear to be accompanying ESRB ratings for these games for current-generation systems.

And no, this latest version of Resident Evil 6 probably isn't going to be a remake along the lines of Resident Evil 2 or Resident Evil 4. Not only because we'd be skipping Resident Evil 5 here, but also because there probably isn't much appetite for a remake of a game that's largely regarded as one of the franchise's weakest entries.

Instead, it's more likely to be another remaster, perhaps adding 4K support at up to 120Hz. I'd also expect online co-op to be included for each campaign, as well as a likelihood of all previous DLC being included at no extra cost.

Of course, it is nice to see Capcom future-proofing its older games like this. The developer has been excellent for this recently, preserving classics in collections like Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics and the upcoming Capcom Fighting Collection 2. However, with the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Resident Evil 6 being playable on modern hardware via backwards compatibility, this one would be a bit more of a damp squib.

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• A new Xbox Wireless Controller will reportedly be announced this month
• The new controller will be part of the 'Cipher' series
• The Red Cipher will reportedly cost $69.99 / £64.99 / €69.99

Microsoft is reportedly going to announce a new Xbox Wireless Controller later this month.

That's according to dataminer 'Billbil-kun' for the French outlet Dealabs ( via VGC), who claims that another 'Cipher' variant controller for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is on its way.

Billbil-kun, who has a record for accurately reporting on unreleased hardware in the past, said that the new controller will be named the 'Red Cipher Special Edition'. It will be the third device in Microsoft's ongoing Cipher series after Sky Cipher and Ghost Cipher, which were released in August and October 2024 respectively.

It will presumably be similar in style to the previously released Sky Cipher and Ghost Cipher controllers but will instead feature a bright red design and transparent case, showcasing the inside of the device, with garnet red buttons on the back.

There's no estimated release date for the controller at this time, but Dealabs believes it will be announced later this month and be available exclusively on Microsoft's official store.

As for the price, the Red Cipher will cost the same as those in the Cipher series at $69.99 / £64.99 / €69.99.

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• Gartner study says moving from VMware could take 18-48 months
• 7-10 staff could have to scope out solutions for a whole month
• If you want to migrate, consider doing it now

Experts have revealed the costly and risky journey involved with migrating away from VMware as unhappy customers continue to seek alternative solutions.

Changes brought on by Broadcom since its acquisition of the virtualization firm a little over a year ago have left many customers with bigger bills following the bundling of certain products and the discontinuation of others.

However, moving away from the company comes with its own risks, and it might not be cheaper than VMware after all.

Moving away from VMware won’t solve your woes

A new report entitled ‘Estimating a Large-Scale VMware Migration’ published by Gartner found that migration projects could take 18-48 months for large organizations (2,000+ employees) with more than 100 servers. It also found that each virtual machine could cost between $300 and $3,000 to change.

Moreover, just the initial scoping process could cost companies around seven to 10 workers for up to a month.

The problem stems from the need to disentangle VMware services – it offers networking, storage and management tools as well as security and disaster recovery solutions that aren’t always offered as full ecosystems by other providers.

Given the scale of the work involved, many VMware users have not started planning their migrations despite intentions to do so. In September, we reported that more than half (52%) of VMware customers were looking to switch providers, however apprehension around security and support was already noted then.

Earlier in the year, VMware was called a solution “for those who can afford it.” Seven in 10 customers looking to jump ship were seeking KVM-based and Xen-based hypervisor alternatives.

Despite the challenges, Gartner advises those who wish to do so to start planning for migrations sooner rather than later in order to avoid further price hikes.

Via The Register

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• More British CEOs have adopted AI than in other countries
• UK companies more likely to invest in AI this year
• Results are still less evident among British firms

New PwC research has revealed that Britain’s leaders are more prepared to use artificial intelligence than their global counterparts, with 93% of UK CEOs stating that their business has adopted AI compared with 83% globally.

Sentiments towards the technology have progressed significantly in recent years, with only 42% of UK CEOs having adopted AI in January 2024 – an increase of more than double in the space of 12 months.

Leaders are increasingly seeing the positive effects of AI on their companies, too, with more than half (56%) of CEOs globally noticing improved employee efficiency.

British CEOs are on board with AI

The recent surge in AI tool adoption among British companies could be the cause for a delay in results, though. Fewer British CEOs have seen employee efficiency improvements (53%), and only 40% report better time management compared with 53% globally.

Furthermore, only 14% are seeing profitability gains from generative AI compared with 34% globally.

Still, the optimism continues and more than half (55%) plan to invest in artificial intelligence, generative AI, cloud and data analytics in the next year. In fact, Britain ranks higher than the US (48%), France (54%) and Germany (35%).

PwC UK Senior PArtner Marco Amitrano commented: “UK business has begun to move beyond the initial hype of GenAI to the reality of making it work - but that shouldn’t detract from its huge unrealised potential. That more than a third of business leaders expect to see some financial gain from GenAI within the next year is very significant, and indeed encouraging.”

Still, some obstacles remain, such as the skills gap noted by nearly half (47%) of UK CEOs to be a primary challenge.

PwC UK CTO Umang Paw said that UK CEOs should continue to develop AI literacy and proficiency in order to realize the untapped potential of AI in their companies.

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• Grand Theft Auto 6 could cost between $80 and $100, according to an industry analyst
• They claim there are those in the games industry who "hope" GTA 6 is priced higher so others can raise their prices
• GTA 6 could be the first game to break the "$70 barrier"

An analyst has claimed that there are those in the games industry who are hoping Grand Theft Auto 6 will cost up to $100,

That's according to Epyllion's Matthew Ball (via IGN), who recently released his State of Video Gaming in 2025 report. In it, he said that there are some developers and publishers in the industry that "hope" Take-Two will raise GTA 6's price from the current standard of $70 to between $80 and $100.

Ball reported that if Take-Two were to break the "$70 barrier", $50 games could "move up to $60, $60 to do $70, $70 to $80 etc."

AAA video games are already quite pricey nowadays, but the analyst says that a $70 GTA 6 would be the "cheapest" Grand Theft Auto game ever released.

"Packaged game prices have never been lower in real terms than they are today - even though budgets are at all-time highs and player growth is stalled," Ball explained. "GTA 6 could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth."

Following the publishing of the report, Michael Douse, publishing director at Larian Studios, responded by saying, "You’re not supposed to say this out loud!"

"A good company raises salaries in line with inflation so that their staff don’t die or something, but games prices haven’t risen with inflation," Douse added.

"This isn’t the reason the industry is in the sh*t for now, but it is an uncomfortable truth. On the other hand, the responsibility for a game developer is to make sure that the game they show lives up to that promise, and that investment from the player."

Regardless of the price point, GTA 6, which is expected to launch in Fall 2025, is predicted to hit a total revenue of $3.2 billion in its first 12 months, which is around double what Grand Theft Auto 5 achieved in the same amount of time.

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• Nintendo officially reveals the Nintendo Switch 2, its next hybrid console
• Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatibility is ‘the best direction to take’ for players, Nintendo says
• Metal Gear Solid Delta, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake are reportedly coming to Nintendo Switch 2

• It seems likely that the Nintendo Switch 2 controllers will feature Hall effect components
• This is based on the claims of a leaker we now know is reliable
• The technology could help eliminate Joy-Con drift

Hall effect thumbsticks could be a real game-changer for the Nintendo Switch 2, with the magnetic technology potentially eliminating the dreaded Joy-Con drift that plagued the original console.

Many are wondering whether the upcoming system will feature Hall effect components or not and, while we don’t know for sure, it seems highly likely. As noted by VGC, someone we now know to be a reliable leaker has stated that this will be the case.

A user going by the handle ‘NextHandheld’ posted a photo purportedly showing the Nintendo Switch 2 all the way back in December. Many doubted its veracity but, looking at it now with the benefit of hindsight, it’s hard not to conclude that it was the real deal.

We see the side of the console held horizontally, showing off the new mechanism where the Joy-Con controllers attach. Everything lines up perfectly with the 3D render shown in the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal trailer, suggesting that this leaker was really in possession of a genuine console.

In addition to leaking the system’s color scheme - black, orange, and blue - ‘NextHandheld’ has also hinted that it will feature Hall effect thumbsticks based on an alleged “behind the scenes” teardown. This definitely seems plausible, as it would immediately help address one of the biggest complaints with the Nintendo Switch.

If you’re fortunate enough to have never experienced Joy-Con drift, it is a defect that can develop on either thumbstick. It causes the system to register a directional input that isn’t there, making it difficult to play most games. Just imagine trying to win a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe match when your kart is constantly steering to the left.

Despite having never formally acknowledged the problem, Nintendo does offer free repairs for those with affected Joy-Con in both the US and the UK.

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• A Major gaming hardware manufacturer and publisher has predicted the Nintendo Switch 2 launch window
• Nacon suggests it will be between April and September 2025
• Nintendo has confirmed the console is coming this year, but not provided any further information on its release

Major gaming hardware manufacturer and publisher Nacon has predicted that the Nintendo Switch 2 could launch as early as April.

In its most recent quarterly report, Nacon stated that it was expecting a successful first half of the 2025/26 fiscal year, which runs from April to September 2025, thanks to "several positive factors."

This not only includes the launch of several delayed hardware products in addition to a release schedule pack with ten new games, but also the anticipated arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2.

The company states that it "already has compatible games and a full range of accessories", presumably referring to the confirmed software backwards compatibility of the Nintendo Switch 2.

The upcoming system was revealed by Nintendo on January 16 in a short first-look trailer. This will be followed by a Nintendo Switch 2 focused Nintendo Direct on April 2, where we will presumably learn more about the console's hardware features and slate of software.

We know that Nintendo is targeting a 2025 release, but the company has not provided a concrete timeline yet. We'll have to wait and see whether Nacon's prediction holds water.

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• In mid-January, IntelBroker offered an HPE archive for sale
• The hacker claims it contains sensitive data such as source code and access
• HPE said it was investigating the claims

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) said it was investigating claims of a data breach, recently made by a known leakster IntelBroker.

On January 16, IntelBroker (known for their attacks on DC Health Link, Nokia, Cisco, and many others) posted a new thread on the infamous BreachForums, saying “today, I am selling the Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) data breach.”

In the thread, the leakster said that together with partners zjj, and EnergyWeaponUser, they had been “connecting to some of their services for about 2 days now.”

Who is IntelBroker

The compromised data being sold in this new archive includes source code from private GitHub repositories, Docker builds, SAP Hybris, and Certificates (including private and public keys). Product source code for Zerto and iLO, user data, access to APIs, WePay, GitHub, and more was also allegedly stolen.

In response, HPE said it rotated credentials and started its investigation to see if the claims hold any water. So far, the company hasn’t seen any evidence of break-ins:

"HPE became aware on January 16 of claims being made by a group called IntelBroker that it was in possession of information belonging to HPE," spokesperson Clare Loxley told BleepingComputer. "HPE immediately activated our cyber response protocols, disabled related credentials, and launched an investigation to evaluate the validity of the claims. There is no operational impact to our business at this time, nor evidence that customer information is involved."

IntelBroker is allegedly a Serbian cybercriminal with a strong track record for data compromise. Active since October 2022, they’re known for several high-profile cyberattacks against Acuity (April 2024), Pandabuy (March 2024), and Europol (May 2024).

Via BleepingComputer

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• Canon has launched a new app aimed at livestreamers
• It lets you control multiple iPhones and iPads from a single app
• Extra effects like graphics and overlays need a monthly subscription

An increasing number of people enjoy creating livestreamed video content, whether that’s hosting cookery lessons, teaching classes to students, unboxing the latest tech goodies, or something else. Doing that can be fiddly, though, especially if it’s just you and you’re trying to work with multiple camera angles at once.

To help, Canon has just launched a new app that it thinks will alleviate some of that hassle and offer a simpler alternative to the likes of OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). Called Live Switcher Mobile, the app for iPhone and iPad lets you manage several aspects of livestreamed content on the go, without needing other apps or equipment.

For example, Live Switcher Mobile lets you set a timer before the stream’s feed automatically switches to a different camera. Canon’s announcement says this helps content creators to create interesting shots “even when they are working alone and cannot manually operate multiple devices.”

If you want to add text or graphics to your stream, you can do that too with Canon’s app, and it will also display comments from viewers and let you directly interact with them. And if you want to stream your device’s screen – say, the game you’re playing on your iPad – and layer the feed from a second camera on top of your gameplay footage, you can do that too.

The full version isn't cheap

(Image credit: Canon)

Livestreamed content has steadily grown in popularity over the last few years, but the barrier to entry has sometimes been high due to the need to have several cameras on the go if you want to shoot content at different angles. As well as that, it can be a fiddly affair as you try to manage all the different wires and connections that are part of your setup. And that’s without even working out which of the best streaming apps you should be using.

The idea with Live Switcher Mobile is that it simplifies the whole process. It’s definitely not a high-end solution – professional video creators will probably want to look elsewhere – but it could be a decent option if you’re just getting started, are working with a tight budget, or want to stick to using iPhones and iPads.

Right now, Live Switcher Mobile only supports video feeds from iPhones and iPads running at least iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, making it a decent option if you already own these devices and don’t want to buy expensive camera equipment to supplement your livestreams. Canon says that the app will also support digital cameras (including its own, of course) in the future.

Live Switcher Mobile is free to download and use from Apple’s App Store, although some features (such as most graphics) require a fee. Paying the subscription also hides ads and Canon’s watermark, allows zooming and image overlays, and more. According to the app’s App Store page, a one-month subscription costs a fairly hefty $17.99 (around £15 / AU$29), but you can trial the features for free for one month.

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• AMD has confirmed RX 9070 models will be on shelves in March 2025
• This runs against rumors that suggested a late January launch
• PC gamers aren’t happy, particularly as stock of RDNA 4 graphics cards is rumored to have shipped to retailers already

AMD has confirmed that its RX 9070 graphics cards, the first initial models from the RDNA 4 family, won’t be available until March.

David McAfee, who is VP and GM of Ryzen CPU and Radeon graphics at AMD, posted on X to share the news.

Radeon 9000 series hardware and software are looking great and we are planning to have a wide assortment of cards available globally. Can’t wait for gamers to get their hands on the cards when they go on sale in March!January 20, 2025

So, the on-sale date for the initial RX 9070 XT and vanilla 9070 GPUs is March, which has put the cat among the GPU pigeons, to say the least, if you take a brief saunter through the replies on X (and other assorted feedback on Reddit).

What’s got folks annoyed? Well, firstly this is disappointing news based on the rumors that AMD was ready to launch these RX 9070 GPUs later in January to take the mid-range fight to Nvidia, getting in ahead of the release of RTX 5070 variants in February.

Or at least that AMD was going to have a big reveal of RX 9070 graphics cards, possibly later this week, which surely won’t happen now. There’s no point having a big announcement late in January if these next-gen GPUs aren’t turning up for what could be the best part of two months from now.

Part of the problem is that a couple of AMD execs have been dropping hints that the RX 9070 announcement ‘won’t be long’ and will be in the ‘near future’ which to me, and clearly others, suggested it’s pretty imminent.

Granted, all AMD has officially said is that RDNA 4 graphics cards will be launched in Q1 2025, and March still fits that, of course. But based on that timeframe, nothing about March marries with the hints of the full reveal being ‘near’ – indeed it couldn’t really be any further away in this initial quarter of 2025.

(Image credit: AMD / TechPowerup) Analysis: An unfortunate sense of confusion and chaos

While AMD has not reneged on any of its promises, then, it very much feels like that to some PC gamers. Never mind the theoretically delayed release date, or full reveal, beyond this, why even mention the GPUs at all at CES 2025? Or at least AMD could have made it clear with that teaser that these cards weren’t imminent, which was very much the expectation. (Actually, most folks were, not unreasonably, expecting the full details and unveiling at CES, not a brief glimpse).

Whatever the case, the underlying problem here is that it feels like AMD is bouncing around its RDNA 4 plans, changing directions and generally causing confusion among would-be buyers of the best GPUs as 2025 kicks off. Regardless of what the actual truth is concerning what might be going on behind closed doors at Team Red, based on what we can see, and the rumors flying around, it all feels very chaotic.

We must remember that these are just rumors, but there have been a lot of sightings of RX 9070 models in boxes, ready to go on shelves, at retailers. VideoCardz, which spotted AMD’s post on X, further claims that reviewers have had sample RDNA 4 GPUs even before retailers had them shipped, and so we have all this info bubbling about, causing some bad feeling from gamers.

If stock really is in place now – as it appears to be, with a suitable handful of salt at the ready – why wait? This is where other chatter from behind the scenes comes into play about AMD having unfortunate problems with adjusting launch pricing, after being surprised by where Nvidia pitched its RTX 5070 models (which surprised us all, let’s be honest). And issues therein in dealing with adjusting MSRPs and compensating retailers, although all of that is very much deep into rumor territory.

The trouble is, not a lot else except this scenario makes much sense, and the pieces of the puzzle (curtailed launch, then mostly radio silence following that, save for those mentioned vague hints of a full reveal ‘soon’) seem to fit well enough.

This also leaves AMD in a very weird position. Instead of being able to get in, ahead of the RTX 5070 which turns up in February, Team Red is going to wait until those rival mid-range graphics cards have been out, maybe for a month, so there could be a lot of defectors turning to Team Green. Well, assuming RTX 5070 stock isn’t something of a washout, and that appears to be the main threat to douse Nvidia’s next-gen GPU fire – that there’ll only be a relative trickle of Blackwell graphics cards early in 2025.

I didn’t see the next-gen GPU wars panning out like this, that’s for sure, and maybe AMD really does need to put out a full spec reveal and pricing announcement, sooner rather than later, even if the RDNA 4 on-sale date is March, and this leaves a big gap. Assuming that those MSRPs have even been decided yet, as this would at least allow gamers to know what to expect, perhaps persuading them to not give up and just go RTX 5070 in February, instead of waiting for the RX 9070 GPUs.

However, already there are gamers saying that is forcing them away from a planned next-gen Radeon purchase to Nvidia Blackwell, though how much of that is an initial angry reaction, we shall have to see.

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• Eclipsa Audio is coming to Android open-source software this year
• It's also coming in TV and soundbar models from "multiple" manufacturers
• But there's no work on headphones support connected to Android

Recently, Samsung and Google announced a new spatial audio technology called Eclipsa Audio, which is a direct (and free) rival to Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Support for it is coming in 2025 Samsung soundbars and TVs, as well as to Google Chrome and YouTube during this year.

And now Google has confirmed that Eclipsa Audio is also coming to Android, in an upcoming AOSP (Android Open Source Project) release (via Sammobile). This is really the biggest news for Eclipsa so far, because it is the update that will bring it to the largest number of devices. There's no certainty on when AOSP updates will make it to individual devices, given the nature of Android and the many different versions that various companies use, but we can probably assume that Samsung will jump on this ASAP, so that's a lot of phones at the very least.

However, it's really only half of what we need to hear, because great 3D spatial audio on phones relies on having support from the best earbuds and best headphones. Spatial audio has been such a hit on Apple devices because of head-tracked Dolby Atmos, which makes it feel like you're sitting in a movie theater. This has been supported on AirPods Pro for years, and is available on all current models of the best AirPods.

Dolby Atmos spatial audio is also supported on several other headphones options too, including the Sonos Ace and fantastic Technics EAH-AZ100. Perhaps most notably in this case, it's supported on the best Samsung phones, and the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds.

But there's been no announcement of support for head-tracked Eclipsa Audio in earbuds or headphones yet, and without that, its support on Android feels kind of hollow – it's only one half of the process.

Head-tracked spatial audio creates virtual speakers around you, that appear to stay in place even when you move your head. (Image credit: Microsoft)

Now, there's a good chance that will change at the Samsung Unpacked event on January 22nd, when Samsung will almost certainly reveal the Samsung Galaxy S25 – and I suspect that it will announce Eclipsa Audio support as part of its features, and probably an update the Buds 3 Pro to accommodate this. (You can follow all the announcements in our Samsung Unpacked 2025 live blog as they happen.)

But still, Samsung's support alone won't be enough to build momentum for Eclipsa – it really needs to get the hottest headphones makers for all budgets on board to make it feel like a must-have feature. Everything from 1More to Bose, from Nothing to Sony… some of those are probably more realistic than others.

And even then, Samsung and Google really need to get some other services on board too…

What are you going to watch?

YouTube is not really enough for a spatial audio format to take off, especially since very little of it was recorded with any kind of spatial or surround audio in mind.

Google and Samsung need to get the best streaming services and movie and TV studios on board, especially the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and Disney Plus. But that's easier said than done – these all already support Dolby Atmos (and my understanding is that they don't pay to use it, so have little incentive to switch), and redoing shows and films to support Eclipsa would be a whole extra expense and load of time – even though Google says it will make it as easy as possible with new tools.

Will they feel any need to do it? It's all a bit chicken and egg. Why would streaming services support the format if very few devices support it? Why would device makers go to the effort of adding it if no streaming services offer it?

Samsung and Google can't force the streaming services to do anything, but they can add it to the Galaxy Buds and the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Google also says that Eclipsa support is coming to "TVs and Soundbars from multiple manufacturers later in 2025".

However, there's no information about this yet, and until there's a real push focused on how we'll hear Eclipsa on Android and who'll support it, it's going to have a slow launch.

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• OpenAI is launching the o3 mini AI model on ChatGPT and as an API
• The o3 mini is more powerful than the o1 mini but smaller than the o3 model
• The o3 mini boasts superior problem-solving abilities in science and math

OpenAI followed up on its December release of the OpenAI o1 model with the official rollout of its smaller sibling, the OpenAI o3 mini model. CEO Sam Altman broke the news on X, revealing that o3 mini will be available on ChatGPT and as an API for developers. The o3 mini model is an upgrade to the o1 mini model just as the o3 model is to the o1 model released last year. The o3 series is supposed to be smarter, faster, and better in all ways from its predecessors.

The o1 models were designed to spend more time processing queries, taking a longer, harder look at problems most models would give up on. The o3 models take those abilities and further enhance them while also running more quickly and efficiently. That's going to be useful when you use ChatGPT's new Tasks feature, which gives the AI chatbot a more proactive role in reminding you of tasks and events.

The launch of the o3 mini isn’t just about improving reasoning capabilities; it’s about staying ahead in the highly competitive AI landscape. Google, Meta, and others are all working to advance their models and try to dominate the market. ChatGPT and OpenAI can't afford to rest on their laurels, and the company seems to understand that. OpenAI clearly believes users want tools that don’t just follow the rules but also think critically and are flexible in how they assist you. That's where Altman and his team hope the o3 and o3 mini models will shine.

thank you to the external safety researchers who tested o3-mini.we have now finalized a version and are beginning the release process; planning to ship in ~a couple of weeks.also, we heard the feedback: will launch api and chatgpt at the same time!(it's very good.)January 17, 2025

Power in miniature

A bigger question may be, will models like o3 mini actually change how AI is used, or if it's just going to improve the results in small ways. OpenAI obviously hopes these upgrades lead to more people engaging with its AI models. By making its models better at reasoning, the company looks to be targeting those users who need something more sophisticated than the current level of conversational AI.

The o3 mini model looks like it might hit the sweet spot between power and accessibility for ChatGPT users. By offering smarter reasoning in a more compact package, OpenAI could attract users who want cutting-edge AI but don’t need the full heavyweight version just yet.

With burgeoning competition, OpenAI might be thrilled with any improvements it can point to in its latest models, considering the rumors of stalled progress on recent AI models at OpenAI and elsewhere. Even if its sense of humor may still be a work in progress.

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