TechRadar News

Data centers in the UK are to be given a significant upgrade in security after the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) reclassified them to be Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Data centers are the backbone of most organizations, and thus the backbone of the UK economy, which is why DSIT wants to offer them the same level of protection as energy and water systems. The UK has the highest number of data centers in Western Europe.

Due to their importance to the economy and the sensitive data they store, data centers are a prime target for both state-sponsored and financially motivated attackers.

Cyber criminal and blackout protection

The designation comes with new protection measures to mitigate cyber attacks, IT blackouts, and adverse weather events that could disrupt data centers.

A dedicated CNI team will be set up to monitor UK data centers for potential threats that could disrupt services reliant on their data, such as banking and the NHS, as well as providing access to security services such as the National Cyber Security Centre. The CNI team will also be responsible for coordinating access for emergency services in the event of an incident.

DSIT hopes that the new designation will increase business trust in data centers, while also deterring potential cyber attacks, as the government will provide additional mitigation and backup measures to ensure services remain online and unaffected, keeping sensitive data such as NHS patient records out of the hands of cyber criminals while also allowing health services to function.

Alongside the CNI designation, DSIT revealed a proposed £3.75 billion private investment in Europe's largest data center, planned to be built in Hertfordshire by data company DC01UK. The data center is expected to directly provide 700 jobs, as well as supporting 13,740 jobs across the UK.

“Data centres are the engines of modern life, they power the digital economy and keep our most personal information safe. Bringing data centres into the Critical National Infrastructure regime will allow better coordination and cooperation with the Government against cyber criminals and unexpected events," Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said.

“The huge £3.75bn private investment announced today in Hertfordshire is a vote of confidence in those plans and a clear example of my determination to ensure technological advancements are helping to grow our economy and create wealth across the country," Kyle concluded.

Earlier in 2024, DSIT announced the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill which will require essential infrastructure providers to ensure their supply chains are resilient and well protected from cyber attacks.

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Developer Konami has confirmed that a second Metal Gear Solid Master Collection is in the works, though it seems like it might take some additional time to arrive.

Speaking in the latest Metal Gear Production Hotline episode posted to YouTube, producer Noriaki Okamura responded to a fan question regarding a potential follow-up to the existing Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1.

"We should've picked easier questions," he joked. He explained that the question is a difficult one to answer as while they already had HD ports of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, there are no pre-existing ports "of the titles released after those".

"Some are in HD, but those would all be really big titles, and that comes with its own set of issues," Okamura continued, presumably referring to the potential difficulty of creating a port of the PlayStation 3 exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

Regarding a potential release date, he said that "it's going to be a little while until we can get a clear picture, but when we do, we'll let you know." Even so, he was careful to clarify that "of course, we called the first one Vol. 1, so we are making a Vol. 2, that much is for sure."

He also said that the team wanted to take a little more time to avoid some of the issues that faced Vol.1 at launch. You can watch the full Metal Gear Production Hotline below.

As for what exactly could be included with a potential Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2, there are some obvious choices. Although it would undoubtedly be a huge amount of development work, making Metal Gear Solid 4 officially playable outside of the PS3 for the first time could be a huge benefit for newer series fans without access to older hardware.

Some of the smaller releases in the franchise could then make up the other titles included in the collection, such as Metal Gear Acid and Metal Gear Acid 2, in addition to Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

If you want to catch up on the the bulk of the Metal Gear Solid series so far before Vol. 2 arrives, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

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AI integration in software development has already become widespread, with testing, quality assurance and security vulnerability detection, and promises major productivity boosts, new research has declared.

A new OutSystems survey of more than 550 software executives across various sectors has found three-quarters of software executives noted a 50% reduction in development time thanks to AI tools and automation.

“With AI, historically impossible transformation projects are not only possible but easier, cheaper, and faster to accomplish," OutSystems CEO Paulo Rosado commented.

There’s no escaping AI in software development

The research highlights AI is still somewhat of an emerging technology, with the majority (84%) of respondents stating their organizations first started to incorporate it into their software development lifecycles (SDLCs) between six months and five years ago.

Looking ahead, 71% say they’re planning to incorporate AI into application development and SDLC management workflows, highlighting a shift in the typical role and responsibilities of a developer.

“The developer’s role is shifting from code writer to code reviewer… as [LLMs] evolve, and trust in the resulting code improves, the developer’s role will be more akin to that of an orchestrator and acceptance tester of AI-generated outputs," noted Rodrigo Coutinho, OutSystems AI Project Manager.

However, companies continue to battle with regulatory and compliance challenges, leaving various areas currently untouched by AI. One in three respondents reported having a backlog of between 150 and 800 use cases for generative AI.

Other concerns, like the limited availability of skilled workers, difficulties integrating generative AI into existing tech stacks and workflows, and the fear that AI could replace human workers, are all present.

Michael Harper, MD at KPMG US, OutSystem’s research’s collaboratory partner for the research, summarized: “While there will be challenges, those with effective change management initiatives will reskill and upskill their workforces, leading to AI and jobs evolving in tandem.”

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Despite the high price of the PS5 Pro, Sony's new mid-generation console could sell just as well as the PS4 Pro.

That's according to research firm Ampere Analysis (via VGC) that determined that the PS5 Pro sales will reach a similar level to the enhanced version of the PS4, and expects the console to sell up to 1.3 million units during its November 2024 launch window, compared to the PS4 Pro's 1.7 million in 2016.

"The price point of the PS5 Pro will inevitably cause a lot of commentary," said Piers Harding-Rolls, research director for games at Ampere Analysis. "The price point differential between the PS5 and PS5 Pro is between 40-50%, which is significantly more than the differential between the PS4 and PS4 Pro at launch.

"In the US, the PS4 Pro launched at $399 and the slim PS4 was $299 at the time, a 33% differential. Additionally, the slim PS4 had a retail price of $299 having dropped from the original PS4 launch price of $399."

(Image credit: Ampere Analysis)

Sony has confirmed that the PS5 Pro will cost $699.99 / £699.99 and around AU$1052.99, which represents a price gap of $200 / £200 / AU$253.99 between the Pro and the now-base version of the PS5. This will make it Sony's most expensive piece of gaming console hardware to date.

Harding-Rolls added that even though the PS5 Pro is costly, this won't stop PlayStation fans from buying the console, saying, "we expect the price point to soften demand with some consumers, but for PlayStation enthusiasts the pricing is less of a consideration."

The PS4 Pro's lifetime sales reached 14.5m units, around 12% of total PS4 sales and Harding-Rolls estimates a "similar dynamic for the PS5 Pro, with the expectation that it will sell-through around 13m units by 2029."

The PS5 Pro launches globally on November 7, 2024, with pre-orders set to begin on September 26.

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Businesses are struggling with unpredictable cloud bills. Managing cloud computing expenses is a growing concern, especially with an increasing reliance on digital infrastructure.

According to Gartner, spending on public cloud services is expected to increase by 20% in 2024, and with most organizations spending more on cloud storage than they budget for, cloud costs could rapidly become an unmanageable expenditure for many.

So, how can organizations navigate these rising costs without compromising on the cloud services they need?

The hidden costs of the cloud are catching companies by surprise

The first step is identifying the hidden costs of the cloud and areas where overspending is occurring. Businesses have been ambushed by unexpected cloud costs with subscription models. This leads to inconsistent monthly costs. The advantages of the cloud, like scalable IT infrastructure, can be a double-edged sword when considering costs and waste. At the same time, many of the largest providers of cloud infrastructure applications and services are increasing storage and cloud hosting fees as inflation takes hold.

Also, with many businesses operating in a multi-cloud environment without a comprehensive tool to show costs from across the entire cloud platform, they can’t track resources such as a usage-level breakdown. It’s easy to over-provision resources in the cloud, leading to wasted spend. Costs often overrun, and without full visibility, companies fail to pinpoint the exact cause.

If businesses don’t have full visibility of their cloud usage, they’ll never know exactly where they are overspending or if they are paying for services they didn't know existed. It’s also much harder for organizations to experiment and innovate with the latest cloud technology if they don’t fully know what they are using in the first place.

Cloud cost management and cloud optimization can help to minimize expenses and maximize the value derived from cloud investments. It's crucial to identify a predictable cloud vendor who can help with optimizing workloads. Greater transparency across the cloud infrastructure is essential, as is investment into tools that can help provide much-needed visibility when monitoring costs and protecting the cloud.

Adopting a holistic approach to cloud management

In complex, hybrid cloud environments, businesses are often unsure where outsized cloud costs are coming from. They often find that they’re paying for outdated resources or unnecessary storage.

With a more holistic approach, businesses gain a greater understanding of their requirements and the associated costs. Not only does this eliminate waste, but it also helps organizations be more strategic about their requirements. But this approach is not solely concerned with cutting costs – it’s about aligning cloud expenses with an organization’s business objectives. The goal is to strike a balance between cost efficiency and maximizing the benefits of cloud technology for the overall business.

Tools of the trade

The need for scalable and budget-friendly cloud resources is unprecedented. However, businesses also need to invest in tools that help manage these resources and ensure the cloud is cost-efficient.

Understand your workloads, implement load balancing, and continuously review and adjust to reduce the cloud costs. Cloud spend tools that support cloud cost management across various cloud platforms give businesses a unified view of their spending and are the most beneficial to businesses.

Businesses should also look for tools that offer in-depth cost analysis and customizable reports to identify cost drivers, detect anomalies, and track spending trends over time. Reports in native tools, for instance, sometimes don’t track the resources level usage or user-level breakdown to identify who or what resource attributed to the cost overrun. Most public cloud platforms offer discounts if you pay in advance, but the cost overruns and limitations often neutralize the discounts you receive. Instead, to leverage cost saving opportunities, businesses should identify and invest in tools that can set budgets and cost forecasting capabilities, help anticipate future expenses and proactively plan.

How AI can help

A Wasabi report shows that 49% of CIOs expect AI and ML adoption to create challenges for the cloud due to AI and ML’s substantial use of data.

However, AI could also be a significant asset when considering cloud costs. There’s potential for the technology to bring greater financial governance to the cloud, namely through its ability to detect unexpected spikes or irregularities in cloud expenses by analyzing large amounts of data. AI could also play a crucial role in identifying cybersecurity threats and helping businesses keep up with the technology landscape.

Staying ahead of cloud costs

Access to scalable, budget friendly cloud resources is more important to businesses than ever before.

The rise of AI and ML has driven a new demand for cloud space, and research shows that IT leaders anticipate cloud costs will surpass budget allocations.

In this environment, adopting a holistic approach can help businesses keep an eye across the whole cloud landscape to quickly identify rising–and unnecessary–costs. Cloud spend tools, along with leveraging tech such as GenAI, will also play a significant role. Businesses can also foster a culture of cost awareness, which helps keep costs under control and ensures cloud investments deliver maximum value. Ultimately, cost management for cloud resources is an ongoing journey.

We list the best cloud storage management service.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

In today’s hyper-competitive B2B landscape, the ability to identify and engage with the right prospects can be the determining factor in a sales team’s success. Traditional methods of prospecting—relying on outdated databases, navigating complex filters, and manually cross-referencing data—are not only time-consuming but also limited in scope and efficiency.

The advent of AI-powered B2B prospecting tools is transforming the way sales teams approach lead generation and pipeline building, offering a new paradigm in precision, speed, and scale.

An Information Gap That Hinders Growth

Historically, sales professionals have depended on legacy databases that cover only a fraction of the market, often providing access to just 20-30% of potential leads within any given sector. This limitation leaves a vast number of untapped opportunities, as sales teams frequently target the same prospects as their competitors, missing out on fresh leads that could drive significant growth.

This information gap is a critical challenge that many sales teams may not even realize exists. By continually fishing in the same small pond, businesses risk stagnation and missed opportunities for expansion and revenue generation.

AI-Powered Precision and Speed

AI-tools are addressing these challenges by leveraging advanced algorithms to parse vast amounts of data in mere milliseconds. These platforms are designed to identify key decision-makers across millions of companies and hundreds of millions of employee profiles globally, offering a level of specificity and speed previously unattainable in the sales industry.

Unlike traditional databases that require extensive manual searches and broad filter manipulation, AI-enabled systems allow users to pinpoint the exact companies and contacts they need, whether it’s niche specialists within a specific industry or leaders in emerging markets. This precision ensures that sales teams are reaching out to the right people, at the right time, with the right message, thus maximizing their chances of success.

Accelerating Sales Pipelines

One of the most significant advantages of AI-powered prospecting is its ability to deliver actionable data in seconds—a process that would typically take salespeople or sales enablement teams weeks or even months to complete manually. This efficiency accelerates the entire sales cycle, enabling teams to engage with prospects faster and more effectively, thereby shortening the time to value.

The impact of this speed and precision is already being felt by companies across various industries. Organizations that have embraced AI-driven prospecting tools are reporting significant increases in their pipeline generation and revenue growth, as they can now identify and engage with new leads that were previously overlooked.

Key Features That Drive Success

Beyond speed and precision, AI-powered prospecting platforms offer a range of advanced features that enhance the sales process. These tools seamlessly integrate with existing CRM systems, ensuring that sales teams can expand their reach without disrupting their established workflows. Additionally, machine learning algorithms continuously refine and improve the quality of data, ensuring that users have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information available.

A particularly valuable feature is the ability to filter out contacts that are already in a sales team’s database. This functionality prevents wasted effort on duplicate outreach and allows teams to focus exclusively on new opportunities, thereby optimizing their resources and increasing their chances of closing deals.

Staying Competitive in a Crowded Market

In an increasingly crowded B2B market, having a competitive edge is essential. AI-powered tools provide that edge by equipping sales teams with the means to uncover opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed, all while simplifying the prospecting process. This technological advantage enables sales teams to pursue leads with confidence, spending less time on data gathering and more time on meaningful engagement with prospects.

The difference between success and failure in today’s market can be measured in minutes. By leveraging AI, sales teams are not just participating in the race but leading it. With unparalleled access to high-quality leads, businesses can close deals faster and more efficiently than ever before.

The Future of B2B Prospecting

As the B2B landscape continues to evolve, the importance of innovative AI tools in closing the information gap, improving lead quality, and accelerating the time-to-value will only grow. For sales teams looking to stay ahead of the competition, these AI-driven platforms offer a glimpse into the future—a world where precision, speed, and intelligence redefine how we think about prospecting.

In this new era, sales teams that embrace AI will find themselves at the forefront of industry innovation, equipped to navigate the challenges of the modern marketplace with unprecedented efficiency and success.

We list the best sales CRM.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Canon has announced a new multi-purpose standard zoom lens for its full-frame mirrorless cameras, the RF 28-70mm F2.8 IS STM.

At just 17.3oz / 490g, the 28-70mm F2.8 looks like a perfect fit with Canon's enthusiast-level cameras like the EOS R8 and EOS R6 Mark II. And with its constant f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range it's a compelling upgrade from Canon's kit lens for such cameras, the RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM, with the added benefit of a slightly longer reach.

The new standard zoom costs £1,249.99 (bear with us while we source US and Australia pricing), which is most of the way to the on-sale price of an EOS R8. Not cheap, but also not the priciest lens on offer from Canon for its mirrorless cameras.

(Image credit: Canon) Is this Canon's most compelling standard zoom lens yet?

Canon has other standard zoom lenses in its RF range already, but the RF 28-70mm F2.8 appears to strike a lovely balance between portability, a constant wide aperture and decent value.

The significantly cheaper 24-105mm F4-7.1 is another one of Canon's kit lenses. It's even lighter and has a longer reach, but doesn't offer the constant f/2.8 aperture of this new lens and is a step-down optically.

Then there's Canon's professional L-series lenses that are an altogether different proposition, all of which are considerably larger, heavier and most of which are much pricier.

Other L-series options, recognized by a signature red ring that Canon's other standard lenses lack, include the RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM – arguably the closest alternative to the RF 28-70mm F2.8, with more reach but a smaller f/4 constant aperture, and it's 50% heavier.

Canon's RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM and the gargantuan Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM are in another league price and features-wise to the RF 28-70mm F2.8 IS SM, being designed for professionals who want the best performance and are willing to pay for it (and lug it around).

Still, the RF 28-70mm F2.8 boasts 5.5 stops of optical image stabilization, plus it's weather resistant, so it's hardly inferior. There's also a neat customizable focus/control ring, which changes its function depending on which focusing mode you have selected.

This new lens is clearly positioned as a step-up for enthusiasts who want an all-purpose zoom without being lugged down, and is a worthy addition to Canon's range of full-frame lenses. It could be the only upgrade lens you ever need.

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Meta has admitted it used Facebook and Instagram publicposts for Australian users to train its Artificial Intelligence models, and has scraped information from as far back as 2007.

An Australian Parliamentary committee has heard that whilst European users can opt out thanks to GDPR laws, Australian customers are not given that choice.

Meta has denied using the information of anyone under 18, but did confirm it had used over a decade’s worth of data. The firm could not answer whether it has scraped the photos of children who are now adults (i.e. those who created their accounts as a child, but have since turned 18).

A turning tide

The process of ‘scraping’ is essential for the development of AI and is basically data harvesting from websites, extracting the information and feeding it back to a Large Language Models (LLMs) which learns from the data. This means that GDPR regulations are becoming troublesome for more and more LLMs such as ChatGPT, which collects data from all over the internet without consent from the original source.

Meta’s global privacy director Melinda Claybaugh sat before the inquiry and admitted that the company was forced to pause the launch of AI products in Europe due to a lack of certainty, and it has had to give European users an opt-out due to more robust privacy laws. Senator Shoebridge grilled the Meta representative,

“The truth of the matter is that, unless you consciously had set those posts to private, since 2007, Meta has just decided you will scrape all of the photos and all of the text from every public post on Instagram or Facebook that Australians have shared since 2007, unless there was a conscious decision to set them on private. But that’s actually the reality, isn’t it?”

Claybaugh replied, “Correct”. She added that users can set their posts to private now to prevent future scraping, but this would have no effect on the data already taken.

The realization seems to be creeping in for the public and for tech companies that training AI models requires such vast amounts of data that it is ‘impossible’ to do so without using copyrighted materials. Considering millions of user's posts have been used without their consent, it looks like tech giants might face much stricter regulations in future.

Via The Guardian

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After a beta period earlier this year, Steam's new family sharing system and parental controls hub is now available for everyone. Steam Families is replacing both Family Sharing and Family View, creating a nucleus for all your game-sharing needs. 

A Steam Family can comprise up to six members (including yourself), and the full libraries of all the users will be available to the 'family' unit, except for games where developers have opted out of sharing for whatever reason. No longer will you need to feel bad if you're watching your big brother play a game that you want – you can share the title across devices, just not at the same time.

The most important upgrade to Steam's game-sharing update is the ability for you and your family to play games from your library at the same time. For example, your wife can play your copy of Cyberpunk 2077 while you play Warzone concurrently with no issues. And while playing one copy at the same time is still a no-go, if there are two copies of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 within your family's shared library, you and your brother can play together.

With Steam Families, each user will have their own save files, earn Steam achievements, access workshop files and more. That's a lot of freedom for a child to have on Steam – which is why parental control are also key additions.

Improved Parental Controls, but it's not all bad, kids

There are two member (or 'role') options within Steam Families – adult and child. Adults can manage member invites and apply account restrictions, while children are subject to controls put in place by the adults, and have no managerial power. 

As an adult, you control what games children have access to, can restrict their access to the Steam Store, Friends Chat and Community, set playtime limits and recover your child's account if they lose their password.

Purchasing games for kids is also easier thanks to Steam Families. Usually buying a game for a child requires an adult to complete a gift purchase or let them borrow your card. Now, children have the ability to add games to their cart, and then request an adult to pay for it. Through their email or mobile device, the adult can then approve or deny the request.

Out with the old, in with the new

Steam Families is an exciting improvement to Steam's family-sharing. For too long little brothers and sisters have had to watch along while their older sibling hogs the PC to themselves. Too often dad's have been booted from their account in the middle of a run because their child opened up Terraria, but that will no longer be the case.

Steam clarifies that the old Family Sharing feature "will eventually be retired". While this won't be an issue for most users, but it might affect some others. For example, the older game-sharing feature allowed two (or more) people in different locations to share libraries, but that might no longer be possible.

Steam doesn't directly say that Steam Families will be limited to one ISP, though terminology like "This information is available from wherever you access Steam, including your mobile device when you are away from home" lends us to believe, like Netflix, that it will be limited to one household. 

Nevertheless, this is a massive Steam update that will make many people happy, although we suspect there will be others who will want a better game-sharing setup from Valve.

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Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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 #962) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #962) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #962) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #962) - 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 #962) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• S

• L

• G

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

Quordle today (game #962) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #962, are…

• ARBOR
• STARK
• LEAVE
• GOOFY

I needed all nine guesses to solve today's Quordle, with both LEAVE and GOOFY causing me some problems. Both contain repeated letters, and both relatively uncommon letters – not really uncommon, as with X, Z, Q and J – but the next tier above that. In fact, GOOFY has two; F and G both appear fairly often in specific places within words, but they aren't common overall. V, meanwhile, is the fifth least common letter of all. With ARBOR being a relatively uncommon word too (and containing its own repeated letter), there were simply a lot of complications to work around today.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #962) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #962, are…

• VOCAL
• CLEAT
• MANOR
• PLAIT

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #961, Wednesday 11 September: ROUGH, CACTI, SAVOY, ODDER
• Quordle #960, Tuesday 10 September: PLUMB, SEIZE, EARLY, ASSET
• Quordle #959, Monday 9 September: CHIRP, BEADY, THETA, MINUS
• Quordle #958, Sunday 8 September: TEASE, AGATE, PRIDE, PLATE
• Quordle #957, Saturday 7 September: LASSO, TILDE, BUNCH, PRONG
• Quordle #956, Friday 6 September: FARCE, WOOLY, LOCAL, NIGHT
• Quordle #955, Thursday 5 September: SNIDE, EGRET, AMONG, SHINY
• Quordle #954, Wednesday 4 September: POINT, WITTY, GAFFE, ABUSE
• Quordle #953, Tuesday 3 September: ATOLL, ANGER, OCEAN, SWEEP
• Quordle #952, Monday 2 September: HABIT, LODGE, PLAIN, DRIFT
• Quordle #951, Sunday 1 September: RABBI, CRAWL, GUPPY, BRAND
• Quordle #950, Saturday 31 August: AWOKE, TIBIA, ITCHY, SNACK
• Quordle #949, Friday 30 August: ARISE, OLDER, ISSUE, ERUPT
• Quordle #948, Thursday 29 August: DECAY, DRUID, AVOID, KNEED
• Quordle #947, Wednesday 28 August: VIOLA, GONER, CAVIL, SHARE
• Quordle #946, Tuesday 27 August: ABYSS, DAILY, AGONY, MUSKY
• Quordle #945, Monday 26 August: NEVER, CHUNK, AUNTY, CROUP
• Quordle #944, Sunday 25 August: APTLY, LEVER, STORK, WIDOW
• Quordle #943, Saturday 24 August: EVENT, APNEA, SWATH, IRONY
• Quordle #942, Friday 23 August: LAUGH, SATYR, CACHE, CLONE

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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… This should be right up your alley

NYT Strands today (game #193) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• WHAT
• DATA
• LAND
• FARE
• ROAST
• HEAR

NYT Strands today (game #193) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Walk this way

NYT Strands today (game #193) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: top, 3rd column

Last: bottom, 6th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #193) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #193, are…

• LANE
• STREET
• ROAD
• AVENUE
• HIGHWAY
• BOULEVARD
• SPANGRAM: THOROUGHFARE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 3 hints

I can't work out whether today's Strands is difficult or not. I found it tough – but that might just be me. After all, the concept – names for THOROUGHFAREs, as the spangram would have it – is simple, but on the flip side the spangram itself is really difficult. I mean, when was the last time you used that word to refer to a STREET or ROAD or LANE?

Beyond that, I just couldn't think of any roads beyond the three obvious ones mentioned above. BOULEVARD is not a common term in the UK, where I am, and HIGHWAY is very rarely used here – so that didn't help. But I should have found AVENUE, and ultimately I think this was more about my failings than the puzzle's absolute difficulty.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday 11 September, game #192)

• PUZZLE
• TRUCK
• SLIME
• DOLL
• PUPPET
• BLOCKS
• TRICYCLE
• SPANGRAM: TOYSTORE

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #459) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SAKE
• SAVE
• PEPSI
• MOCHI
• CURRY
• FETA
• BIRD
• BIOTA
• LIKE
• MAGIC
• ADVANTAGE
• КОВЕ
• FAVORITE
• INTEREST
• BOOKMARK
• BENEFIT

NYT Connections today (game #459) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Keep on the internet
• Green: For your gain
• Blue: Hoop dreams
• Purple: Finishes with letters from another alphabet

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 #459) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: MARK ONLINE FOR LATER
• GREEN: BEHALF
• BLUE: NBA LEGENDS, FAMILIARLY
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH GREEK LETTERS

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

NYT Connections today (game #459) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #459, are…

• YELLOW: MARK ONLINE FOR LATER BOOKMARK, FAVORITE, LIKE, SAVE
• GREEN: BEHALF ADVANTAGE, BENEFIT, INTEREST, SAKE
• BLUE: NBA LEGENDS, FAMILIARLY BIRD, CURRY, KOBE, MAGIC
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH GREEK LETTERS BIOTA, FETA, MOCHI, PEPSI

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 mistake

This is a fairly simple Connections puzzle – there are three easy ones, meaning that the final (purple) group could be solved by default, which is great because that one was super-hard.

Blue almost seemed too easy – KOBE couldn't really refer to anything other than the basketball star or the Japanese city, and with CURRY, BIRD and MAGIC also on the board, it was clear that it was the former rather than the latter. Or at least that was the case for me. If you know nothing at all about the NBA, you may have struggled with that one too.

As for purple… well, the ENDING WITH GREEK LETTERS aspect was a clever one, but verging on too difficult, I'd suggest. I'm glad I didn't need to work out that one!

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 11 September, game #458)

• YELLOW: LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY BUNDLE, FORTUNE, MINT, PILE
• GREEN: BITS OF WISDOM KERNEL, NUGGET, PEARL, TIDBIT
• BLUE: FEATURED IN “JURASSIC PARK” AMBER, DINOSAUR, MOSQUITO, PALEONTOLOGIST
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT ARE PURPLE AMETHYST, EGGPLANT, GRIMACE, LAVENDER

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.

Apple released a deluge of information hyping up Apple Intelligence this week, promising an AI transformation of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Even after all of the announcements, there are plenty of questions left unanswered by Apple. But, while I'm mostly skeptical about how much of Apple Intelligence is just playing catch up to Google and OpenAI, that doesn't mean there were no interesting ideas or fun innovations on display. Here are five ways the 'Glowtime' event brightened my opinion of Apple Intelligence.

1. Giving Siri a brain

Yes, the Siri upgrade Apple bragged about has been way too long in coming, but that doesn't make it unexciting. I've long since stopped using Siri for anything but the most basic weather and timer tasks. A native voice assistant that can actually converse and act better or better than its rivals might well change how I and a lot of other Apple device owners interact with the original voice assistant.

Even just being able to keep up with the speed I speak and remember the context between tasks would matter a lot. The link to written prompts so you can switch between voice and text is also a nice improvement. The glow-up of the visual look for Siri (hence the Glowtime event title) puts a bow on the whole thing. It reminds me of when Apple Maps decoupled from Google's data and was a complete mess for a while before finally becoming useful again. Sometimes innovation just means being able to meet the moment. Let's hope the next big upgrade doesn't take nearly two decades.

2. AI Eyes

A particularly underrated aspect of Apple Intelligence is how it allows your device to define better what the camera captures. The new Visual Intelligence and Camera Control features use AI to answer questions and explain objects and places around you, including contextual information like geographic location and time. It will even link with ChatGPT or Google to explain what it sees. Sure, it's a lot like Google Lens, and maybe it's just a nice way to speed up searching for information on what's happening near you. Still, if you are visually impaired, this is the kind of accessibility feature that could really boost independence. It was this feature that convinced a friend of mine with impaired vision that they should get the iPhone 16.

3. AI Writing Right Now

ChatGPT and its many rivals and imitators have all centered the composition and editing of text as their main feature, so Apple showing off the new AI Writing Tools was, on some levels, just saying, "We can do it too." But incorporating text summarization, proofreading, and related tasks directly into Mail, Notes, Pages, and other apps removes a small but very real bit of friction that has always slightly annoyed me. The new tools mean you won't have to take that extra step of copying text into a different app or relying on an API that may or may not perform as well as the app if you want to apply AI editing or summarization to it. Again, upping accessibility to people who might not be power users is a good thing in my book. 

4. Keeping your AI private

This is one where Apple could boast about how AI fits well with its product culture, which has always made privacy a key selling point. Apple Intelligence simply extends that way of thinking by processing most of your AI requests either right on your device or through its Private Cloud Compute when the task requires more computational power. That's no small matter, considering how much of the AI debate revolves around who can snap up people's data and employ it for training AI models or related goals. Apple claims to have hit the sweet spot of AI flexibility and data privacy, which is a way of thinking about AI that is honestly refreshing.

5. Genmoji Giants

I saved arguably the most unique part of Apple Intelligence for last because, frankly, there's no real comparison among other AI developers to Genmoji.

The ability to create custom emojis is a fun take on AI image-makers, but being able to insert Genmojis into messages, emails, and other communications as if they were traditional emojis is where Apple scores a clear win even over what Google Gemini and Android can do at the moment. It's not a life-changing upgrade, but like the rest of Apple Intelligence's features, it adds to the other reasons people might want to buy an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. (inset Genmoji of a T-Rex looking at an iPhone while surfing a wave).

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AI can soon be your wingman when you use the dating app Bumble, according to CEO Lidiane Jones. As people continue to adjust how they look for love with technology, Jones explained during this year’s Goldman Sachs Communacopia technology conference that Bumble has plans to enhance its usual setup with new AI-powered tools in the coming months. 

 Jones outlined the company’s plans to enhance the app with AI tools that aim to improve the user experience, particularly in the areas of profile creation and conversation support. That includes AI help in picking out profile photos. The idea is to make it easier to take that first step in making a profile, which eases users into actually trying to match with others on the app. AI help picking photos is also an idea Tinder is also pursuing, which means it may become a new standard option in the world of dating apps. 

“We want the bar for profile creation to continue to be high, but we want to reduce the friction that exists users,” Jones said. “Users have a lot of anxiety in creating profiles. We’re going to make that as smooth as possible. So AI for profile creation is a big one.”

Should the photo assistance go over well with users, Jones hinted that AI might be applied to helping users craft their profile bio and prompts for starting conversations. AI could help with icebreakers and better communication in general. It’s something Bumble has been trying out on its Bumble for Friends app but hasn’t been available on the dating app before. Jones pointed out that icebreakers can be challenging, but AI can help craft personalized opening lines based on the profile of a match to get over that obstacle.

Matchmaker AI

Though enthusiastic about how AI can help users actively pursue romance, Jones was particularly keen to point out how Bumble has deployed AI in its safety tools for several years. For instance, Bumble’s Deception Detector can spot fake profiles, annoying spammers, and people trying to scam other users. And, to avoid the dreaded unrequested nude photo, the AI-fueled Private Detector automatically blurs nude images shared within chats. 

More recently, Bumble added the ability to report any profiles with what appear to be AI-generated images or videos, which are explicitly prohibited by the app. Bumble wants people to trust their app and that the people they encounter are real and not an AI-powered hoax. That’s crucial as dating apps aren’t quite as huge for single people as they have been. Tinder and Bumble see AI as a way to enhance their apps and encourage users, and there is a lot of potential for very personalized matchmaking tools through AI, but it won’t matter if no one meets someone they want to go out with at least once. Bumble’s conscious effort to center those human connections in the app shows that Jones and her team know that, stripped of AI bells and whistles, people using a dating app just want an easier way to meet someone.

“One of the key principles for us as we embrace more and more AI in our products and services is ensuring that AI is not replacing users. And our belief is that AI can facilitate you showing up, but we still want users to be themselves. We want them to speak for themselves. And so we have a really clear set of principles,” Jones said. “We’re really excited about the use of AI for future innovation here, but again, with the principle that people are meeting real people.”

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Researchers have found a database backup belonging to Florida-based recruitment company MNA Healthcare left unsecured online, leaving the details of thousands of workers open to anyone.

The company offers staffing services for healthcare workers and matches them with hospitals and organizations across nine states.

Experts at Cybernews noted the leaked information included full names, addresses, phone numbers, job titles, work experience, and encrypted Social Security numbers (SSNs). Of course, the SSNs are particularly worrying, as the personally identifiable information can be used by criminals to carry out fraudulent activities and presents a risk of identity theft.

A vulnerable industry

The encryption on the SSNs used ‘mcrypt’, which is often used by the Laravel Web application framework, and researchers discovered an exposed environment file containing the Laveral App Key. These findings suggest it would be possible to decrypt the SSNs, putting those affected at risk.

The leaked details from the recruitment company included info from 11,000 hospitals, 14,000 doctors accounts, 37,000 potential leads, and 11,000 job applications.

“The data leak causes further concerns regarding the company's infrastructure security as the database backup for their platform was improperly stored, as well as a configuration file containing the key likely used to decrypt SSNs," Aras Nazarovas, a security researcher at Cybernews confirmed.

It’s not clear how the information was exposed, but the breach could leave victims vulnerable to phishing attacks or scams. The healthcare industry is a particularly popular target since services are so crucial, with malicious actors hitting hospitals at an unprecedented rate.

Since doctors tend to be high earners, they are attractive targets to cyber criminals. With personally identifiable information like SSNs, full names, addresses, and phone numbers, malicious actors could engage in financial fraud, credential stuffing, or identity theft. We recommend taking a look at identity theft protections to safeguard your data.

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The infamous RansomHub ransomware group has been spotted abusing a legitimate Kaspersky tool to disable endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools and then deploy stage-two malware on infected systems without being seen.

Cybersecurity researchers Malwarebytes, who recently spotted the activity in the wild, noted once RansomHub compromises an endpoint and finds a way inside, it first needs to disable any EDR tools before deploying infostealers, or encryptors. In this scenario, the tool they used is called TDSSKiller - Kspersky’s specialized tool designed to detect and remove rootkits, particularly those from the TDSS family (also known as TDL4).

Rootkits are malicious programs that hide their presence on infected systems, making them difficult for standard antivirus software to detect. TDSSKiller can identify and eliminate these deeply embedded threats, helping to restore system security and functionality. The tool is lightweight, easy to use, and can be run alongside other antivirus solutions for added protection.

Deploying LaZagne

Once EDR is out of the way, the group deploys LaZagne, an infostealer capable of grabbing login credentials for various services on the network. This malware extracts all stolen credentials into a single file which, after upload, the group deletes to cover their tracks. With the gained access, they can then deploy the encryptor without fear of being flagged by antivirus programs.

RansomHub is a relatively young ransomware player, who spun from the now defunct ALPHV/BlackCat. The group was an affiliate of ALPHV, and was responsible for the attack at Change Healthcare, which resulted in the healthcare org paying $22 million in ransom. ALPHV operators took all of the money and shut down its infrastructure, leaving RansomHub without their share of the spoils. Since then, the group has been active, compromising dozens of organizations around the world.

Via BleepingComputer

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As AI continues to drive exponential growth in data centers, securing adequate power supplies has become a critical challenge.

Chatting with HPCwire, James Walker, CEO of Nano Nuclear Energy, outlined how micro nuclear reactors could offer a viable solution. These small, portable reactors are designed to provide clean, safe, and reliable energy to meet the increasing demands of data centers and other industries.

Nano Nuclear Energy is focusing on developing micro reactors that are compact enough to be transported via road, rail, or sea. This mobility makes them ideal for remote locations, including data centers, which often require substantial power but have limited access to traditional energy sources. According to Walker, the company's micro reactors are engineered to be plug-and-play, meaning they can be easily installed and removed with minimal infrastructure or on-site personnel.

Regulatory approval

The company’s micro reactors are also designed with safety in mind. Unlike traditional nuclear power plants, which carry risks of overheating and core meltdowns, these micro reactors use advanced technology to ensure safe operation. Even in the event of a total mechanical failure, the reactors are built to passively dissipate heat, preventing catastrophic outcomes. Walker emphasized that nuclear power is already the safest form of energy when measured by deaths per gigawatt hour, and the safety is even greater with micro reactors.

One of the significant challenges to deploying these reactors is regulatory approval.

Currently, nuclear regulations are stringent, particularly concerning the transportation of fully fueled reactors. However, Walker noted that there are indications of potential regulatory changes that could facilitate the deployment of micro reactors. For instance, the US Department of Defense’s Project Pele is developing micro reactors for military bases, which may help streamline the regulatory process for commercial use.

Nano Nuclear Energy is on track to have its first commercial micro reactors ready by the early 2030s, with prototypes expected as soon as 2027. These reactors, which could cost as little as $20 million, offer a scalable solution to the growing energy needs of data centers and other industries.

Walker acknowledges people are always going to be concerned about nuclear reactors, especially when it comes to the issue of nuclear waste, but he told HPCwire, "When people talk about waste, they forget that if you were to take all the reactors that have ever been operated in the United States, and I include the submarine reactors, the aircraft carriers, all of those ever since the 1950s. So everything and you were to put all the waste in one place. It wouldn’t fill a football field. It’s a very small amount of spent nuclear fuel that is generated by the operation of these reactors. And it’s the only type of power where, you know, 100% where all of your waste is at any one time down to the last atom. So it’s very safe to say that it’s the safest and it’s the cleanest form of energy we’ve ever come up with. "

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Considering that the world's best SD cards have now hit the 8TB mark it's surprising that most are still encased in flimsy plastic – and if you've had the misfortune of breaking one and losing a heap of precious data, you might be interested in Lexar's new Armor cards, which it says are the first to be made from stainless steel.

The Lexar Armor Gold SD UHS-II and Silver Pro SD UHS-II cards were first teased at the NAB 2024 video and entertainment showcase in Las Vegas, but have now been given a full unveiling at Berlin's IFA 2024. They're made from '316 stainless steel', to be precise, an alloy that's particularly resistant to corrosion and water damage.

Unusually for SD cards, this means that both have an IP68 rating, which denotes their resistance to small dust particles and water submersion. That stainless steel shell also gives them bend resistance, which should prove handy if they come loose from their case in a bag or pocket.

Like Sony's SF-G Tough series cards (which are also among the few to have an IP68 rating), the Armor Gold and Armor Silver Pro are pretty high-end affairs aimed at pro shooters. For a start, both are UHS-II rated, which means they have a second row of pins for faster transfer speeds.

On the speed front, the Armor Gold naturally edges it with a 280MB/s max read speed and a peak write rate of 210MB/s, making it capable of 8K or 4K video recording. The Silver Pro, meanwhile, matches its 280MB/s read speeds, but has a lower write speed of 160MB/s (meaning slower data transfers to your computer).

You'll be able to buy both Armor SD cards in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB capacities – pricing hasn't been announced yet, but we've asked Lexar for an update and will update this story when we hear back. 

Not the speed kings

(Image credit: Lexar)

While many of the best CFexpress cards have metal casings for extra durability, SD cards are generally flimsier affairs – so it's good to see some tougher, premium options, particularly as mirrorless camera manufacturers are still largely refusing to include built-in storage in their new bodies.

But while Lexar's new Armor cards are tough, they aren't its speediest SD cards – that honor goes to its new Professional Gold Pro SDXC Express Card. Because it follows the SD 8.0 specification, which the SD Association announced way back in May 2020, it can hit lightning-fast read speeds of 1,700 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,000MB/s.

That's actually up there with some of the best CF Express 4.0 cards, and is significantly speedier than most other SD cards – albeit with the caveat that those are advertised speeds, so may vary from real-world performance. Still, if you have a camera that's compatible with the SD 8.0 standard’s PCIe 4.0 tech, it could be a solid new option for demanding video shoots.

If you're lucky enough to have a camera with a CFexpress 4.0 slot instead, Lexar has an even faster option for you – its new Professional Diamond CFexpress 4.0 Type B card, which can hit read speeds up to 3,700 MB/s and write speeds up to 3,400 MB/s. You'll also likely need to write a significant check to buy one – we'll update this story as soon as we get pricing from Lexar.

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In its latest Patch Tuesday cumulative update, Microsoft has confirmed an embarassing bug which broke older security patches installed on Windows 10 devices.

The bug is tracked as CVE-2024- 43491, and affects Windows 10 version 1507 - an older version still supported for Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2015. It carries an almost maximum severity score - 9.8.

It is a rather strange vulnerability, caused by the way people install older security patches. If a user installs a security update released between March and August 2024, and then applies an update released since March 12, the OS will revert the updated software back to its base Release To Manufacturing (RTM) version. That way, the OS is basically reintroducing all of the security vulnerabilities patched in the meantime.

Patch Tuesday issues

Microsoft said that the following components are affected:

.NET Framework 4.6 Advanced Services \ ASP.NET 4.6
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services
Administrative Tools
Internet Explorer 11
Internet Information Services\World Wide Web Services
LPD Print Service
Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) Server Core
MSMQ HTTP Support
MultiPoint Connector
SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support
Windows Fax and Scan
Windows Media Player
Work Folders Client
XPS Viewer

Since all of the bugs were patched in the past, Microsoft is considering this newest snafu as “exploited in the wild.”

"Starting with the Windows security update released March 12, 2024 - KB5035858 (OS Build 10240.20526), the build version numbers crossed into a range that triggered a code defect in the Windows 10 (version 1507) servicing stack that handles the applicability of optional components," Microsoft explains.

"As a result, any optional component that was serviced with updates released since March 12, 2024 (KB5035858) was detected as 'not applicable' by the servicing stack and was reverted to its RTM version."

If a user installed a previous security update, the rollback is already in effect, and they should install the September 2024 Servicing Stack Update and Security Update for Windows 10 to address the issue.

Via The Register

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With Halloween fast approaching, it’s routine for the best streaming services to roll out the trailers for new spooky season titles, and I for one am always on the lookout for fresh horror movies to help me settle into the colder and darker months, so when I saw the trailer for the new Netflix movie It’s What’s Inside, I instantly thought it would be a perfect watch for next month.  

Following its successful premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in January, Greg Jardin’s trippy thriller has received an October 4 release date on Netflix, which will follow its showcase at the forthcoming Netflix Geeked Week – the streamer’s version of Comic-Con. 

However, in spite of the trailer’s unsettling snippets of a technology-induced mind trip that allows characters to swap bodies – which you can watch below – Jardin’s thriller defies the boundaries of horror by blending elements of different genres. He described the movie in an interview with Netflix as "a sci-fi thriller with jokes". 

In addition to his remarks on the movie’s genre, Jardin described the movie as what we can expect to be a thriller with an underlying commentary about authenticity and online lifestyles. In a conversation with Oscar winner Colman Domingo, who executive produced the film alongside his husband Raúl Domingo, Jardin revealed that the movie is "essentially top-line sci-fi conceit of body-swapping allow us to explore the artificial intimacy presented online in the various forms – social media being a huge one".  

The trailer, which shows a group of teenagers playing a game that allows them to swap bodies, has a resemblance to the 2022 horror Bodies Bodies Bodies, which revolves around a group of friends playing a murder-in-the-dark style party game – also resulting in a chaotic bloodbath. So, if the black comedic elements of It’s What’s Inside match the unhinged humor of Bodies Bodies Bodies, one of the best Netflix movies, it could be in the running for my most anticipated movie of the spooky season.  

What to expect from the plot of It’s What’s Inside  

(Image credit: Netflix)

When chatting to Domingo, Jardin condenses the plot into three key story plots: "A bunch of friends at a party, guy brings suitcase, shit gets crazy." Set during the events of a pre-wedding party, a group of friends gather at a large estate to begin the celebrations – each of them representing a different archetype including influencer Nikki (Alycia Debnam-Carey), artist Brooke (Reina Hardesty), stereotypical kid with a trust-fund Dennis (Gavin Leatherwood), and the groom Reuben (Devon Terrell). 

But it’s the mysterious Forbes (David Thompson) who shakes up the events of the night, who arrives at the function with a mysterious suitcase. He opens it to unveil a polygraph test-like mechanism that allows people to switch bodies using electrodes, and when he convinces the guests to partake in the game, the night unravels into a mind-bending turn of events. 

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