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The phone that ushered in the modern mobile age was a Nokia, but not the one you’re thinking of – not the Nokia 3210 (the one with Snake). The Nokia N95, a multimedia wonder, predated the iPhone by a year and offered more features than the iPhone would have for generations. Finally, the rumored iPhone 16 might bring back one of my favorite lost features, the same camera button as the N95 – and it would be the best thing that ever happened to iPhone photos. 

If a camera button sounds simple, I swear it’s the biggest change that will come to smartphones this decade … forgetting AI, of course. This camera button will make all of your photos better, especially when you zoom. This new camera button is going to do more for smartphones than the invention of the Megapixel. It will be bigger than selfies. It’s the button I’ve been begging for.

The Nokia N95 had lots of buttons – lots of buttons. There were 13 buttons on the front of the Nokia N95, including Send and End, and a 4-way pad. You could also slide the phone one way to reveal a 12-key number pad, or you could slide it the other way to reveal media playback controls. The iPod was all the rage, so media playback keys were a standout feature. Those aren’t the buttons I’m talking about, though.

Nokia N95 with media controls on left and camera button on side (Image credit: Nokia)

On the side of the Nokia N95 was a camera button, much like the Action Button on today’s iPhone 15 Pro. You could press and hold the button to activate the camera. Actually, the very first Nokia N95 had a sliding camera cover, and the camera turned on when you slid it open. It still had this awesome camera button, the same type of button you’ll find on any standalone camera today.

What makes a camera button awesome? If you press it just a little, the camera will focus first. Then, you squeeze harder to take your shot. There is even some resistance when you press halfway down to let you know it’s focus time.

All standalone cameras have this type of shutter button, and other smartphones, including recent Sony Xperia phones, have used it as well. The ill-fated Windows Phone OS required a two-stage camera button on all Windows Phones.

A shaky hand is a photographer's greatest enemy

I’m so excited about this feature ... that I may have to upgrade

The biggest problem with my camera phone isn’t the camera, it’s me. My shaking hands ruin far more photos than my iPhone could. 

A good rule of thumb for photography is that you can reduce hand shake if you use your focal length as the fraction's denominator for your shutter speed. I’ll explain: if you use a 35mm lens, you would need a 1/35 second shutter speed to eliminate shake. If you have a 200mm lens, you need a shutter speed of 1/200 second, or faster. 

The 5X zoom lens on my iPhone 15 Pro Max is equivalent to a 120mm lens, and lo and behold, I see that my iPhone shoots photos at 1/120 second when I use that lens. That’s good, but it could be better. Knowing that my iPhone is shooting at the lowest shutter speed for my shaky hands makes me wish I could shoot faster or shake less.

That’s what my favorite old Nokia button is for! The camera shutter button helps me shake less. Actually, it helps with the shakiest moment of all – the moment I tap the shutter button. Think about it: I have my photo lined up perfectly, my hands are steady, and then I go and poke my phone?! That’s how I take my photo? Of course, my shots look blurry. I moved my camera at the worst moment.

Of course, there are other options on today’s cameras, but they aren’t as satisfying as a real, two-step camera button. On many phones, like my Galaxy S24 Ultra, I can activate voice commands to take a photo. With a Samsung phone, I can just say “Shoot,” or “Cheese.” Um, yeah. That’s not ideal. Try walking around a crowded arboretum yelling, “Shoot!” “Shoot!” at your phone for a day. You’ll get plenty of looks.

(Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

You can also use the volume keys by default on almost every smartphone to take photos. However, that still adds a little bump to the side of the phone when you want to take a photo. What I need isn’t a bump or a single press: I need to squeeze.

The two-stage camera button lets me squeeze the shutter slowly. I line up my shot and then press a little bit, which tells the camera to autofocus. It also gives me a slightly tighter grip on the camera, which means there is less travel when it’s time to press the shutter. To take the photo, I just squeeze a little harder, and it's done. I’ve moved as little as possible.

This is a feature that makes me want to upgrade

I’m so excited about this feature coming to the new iPhone 16 Pro that I may have to upgrade from my iPhone 15 Pro Max. I wasn’t going to; I felt like the Action Button was enough, especially once I learned I could press it to open the camera and then again to take the photo. It’s like having the camera button I crave … but not quite.

I promise, whatever upgrades Apple makes to its camera, nothing would improve photo quality for all iPhone users like a two-stage camera button. We would need to teach iPhone owners how to use it properly, but that’s our job here at TechRadar. We’ll write the How-To story, Apple. Just give me my camera button, please. I’ve waited too long for this advancement to come back.

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An 8-bit plumber with a mustache and a taste for mushrooms was the height of cutting-edge entertainment in 1985. Now, an AI model can recreate the entire game based on some basic prompts (and with sometimes hilarious glitches in the process). 

The MarioVGG demonstrated in a new academic paper by video game character developer Virtuals Protocol shows how AI might help collaborate in future AI-driven video game production or possibly why it shouldn’t. 

MarioVGG is an experiment in getting AI to produce plausible gameplay videos from a series of prompts on how the environment should look and behave and how characters should act. It’s a long-form version of the kind of text-to-video tools quickly growing in popularity. It is trained on more than 737,000 frames of gameplay footage from Super Mario Bros. 

However, the AI Mario doesn’t do everything the character in the Nintendo game does, as the researchers limited the model’s interaction capabilities to just two moves; “run right” and “run right and jump.” The resulting images form a video, albeit one suggesting a player deliberately making it more challenging by avoiding power-ups, only jumping to one height, or moving left.

You can see a bit of MarioVGG’s performance below. It’s simultaneously astonishingly good at recreating the game's look while also full of glaring errors and flaws. Though the AI-generated sequences are mostly coherent in matching a user’s input to the way Mario acts, it’s very much not the same speed, with each frame taking a little bit of time for the AI to create. Not to mention the occasional disappearance of Mario from the screen or his transformation into an enemy character for a bit. 

(Image credit: Virtual Protocol) Super MarAIo Modeling

Still, seeing the AI show a partial understanding of cause-and-effect between user inputs and the resulting gameplay moves potential code-free video game development a lot closer to reality. AI models like MarioVGG aren’t going to replace video game developers or the standard engine any time soon, but the idea of just explaining to an AI how you want a game’s physics and environments to function instead of coding it all manually is far too tempting for technical obstacles to discourage. 

There’s a lot left to solve since video games involve a constantly evolving series of interactions between the player and the game environment. That’s much more complex than static images or simple actions in a video. Accurately recreating this interactivity in real-time is a challenge that MarioVGG has not yet solved – not that MarioVGG is the only effort in that regard. 

Google’s GameNGen recently showed off a playable version of Doom produced by an AI model. Despite being an older game, Super Mario Bros. requires more nuanced control over character movement and environmental interaction than Doom, so the result is not quite as fast or accurate. AI is currently much better at text-based games with occasional illustrations than something like a Mario game. But, like the early days of video games, an evolution toward the fast-paced, interactive video games of Nintendo’s golden age could be coming faster than any goomba.

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As smartphones become more and more integrated into our daily lives, we’ve noticed tech companies have begun to implement features that prioritize the wellbeing of users. 

For example, Nokia manufacturer HMD markets its line of feature phones (sometimes called dumbphones) as a way to escape from heavy social media use, and companies like Honor have released phones with eye protection technology built in. 

TCL is seemingly looking to bring users the best of both worlds with its 50 Nxtpaper 5G and 50 Pro Nxtpaper 5G smartphones, which the manufacturer revealed at IFA on September 5.

The phones both sport a 6.8-inch 1080 x 2640 anti-glare display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, which TCL says adapts to lighting conditions to minimize blue light, and a new, physical anti-distraction switch. 

The switch, which TCL calls the “Nxtpaper Key”, allows users to choose between standard full-color epaper and a Kindle-style viewing mode which the company calls Max Ink, described by TCL as “e-ink format”. It's unclear whether TCL is using E Ink technology, licensed from the company of the same name, or another form of e-paper. We've reached out to TCL for comment.

Is it really E Ink, like this Amazon Kindle? Probably not (Image credit: TechRadar)

TCL says that this Max Ink Mode “limits social media apps/notifications” in a bid to dissuade users from unnecessary scrolling and encourage more focused use, particularly for reading.

In recent months, the term “brainrot” has joined “doomscrolling” as a common way to reference the effect of heavy social media use, and it seems TCL is looking to combat and capitalize on this trend of dissatisfaction. 

By implementing this “Nxtpaper Key” option, TCL may be looking to court customers who want to cut down on social media without losing access to valuable smartphone features like maps or web browsing. We’ve reached out to TCL for clarification as to what “limits social media” actually means.

The TCL 50 Nxtpaper is more power than feature

AI features come courtesy of a partnership between TCL and Microsoft

Despite TCL’s focus on mindful use, the 50 Nxtpaper 5G and 50 Pro Nxtpaper 5G are most definitely not feature phones; their respective specs are, on paper (pun intended), relatively impressive.

The 50 Nxtpaper 5G comes equipped with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a 108MP main rear camera, an 8MP selfie camera, and a 5,010mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

The 50 Nxtpaper Pro, priced at £279,99, ups the RAM to 16GB and the storage to 512GB, and bumps the selfie camera to 32MP. 

AI features come courtesy of a partnership between TCL and Microsoft, and the phones offer translation, voice memo transcription, and text summarization.

The two new phones launch alongside a tablet, the TCL Nxtpaper 14, which is equipped with a 14.3-inch 2400 x 1600 display and the same Max Ink capabilities as its smartphone cousins, for a price of £399.

At the time of writing, none of these products have a confirmed US release date, and the base 50 Nxtpaper has yet to be given a UK release date. So, be sure to keep up with our phones coverage for updates. 

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The US Department of Homeland Security has outlined plans to enhance cyber security through the Maritime Transport System (MTS).The department’s aim is to protect the system and infrastructure used to ensure safe and free navigation of US waterways.

Ports are a vital part of the US economy, contributing $649 to GDP and generating 13 million jobs. The request for information will be used to help develop research to test the vulnerabilities of the port infrastructure.

The study will help to develop a virtual ‘testbed’ which researchers will use to test the functionality of the port and determine any exploitable gaps in the systems. By identifying the weaknesses, the MTS aims to mitigate and close vulnerabilities.

Upping the ante

Recently, Biden introduced a baseline standard for port cybersecurity, requiring any ports who did not meet requirements to make improvements. The executive order gave the US Coast Guard more power in its response to cyberattacks, and ring fenced $20 billion to be invested in port infrastructure in the next five years.

Homeland Security commented, “Recent events have highlighted the fragile and complicated nature of the [maritime transportation system], as well as primary, secondary, and further reaching effects once there is a tragic disruption.”

In 2023, a port in Japan was shut down in a Lockbit 3.0 ransomware attack that halted all shipments through the port for two days. The total losses were not revealed, but severe disruption is said to have contributed to ‘massive’ financial cost.

Cyber security has become a growing concern for government agencies on both sides in the wake of the Russian war in Ukraine, as threat actors look to cause as much damage to infrastructure as possible. Malware attacks have become a common technique to gain leverage over targets in order to disrupt operations. The MTS research should strengthen the position of the US ports against malicious cyber operations.

Via The Register

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At the recent Hot Chips 2024 symposium in Stanford, California, Intel highlighted its latest advancements in AI technology, covering data centers, cloud computing, edge, and PC applications. 

A key moment was the introduction of the industry’s first fully integrated optical compute interconnect (OCI) chiplet, which is designed to enhance high-speed AI data processing. This is something the company has talked about previously.

This new technology aims to improve AI data processing by offering increased bandwidth, lower power consumption, and better scalability for future computing infrastructures. The OCI chiplet, co-packaged with an Intel CPU, supports 64 channels of 32 Gbps data transmission over 100 meters of fiber optics. This innovation is intended to meet the growing demands of AI infrastructure, particularly in high-performance computing (HPC) and data centers.

Advanced packaging

Saeed Fathololoumi, a photonic architect at Intel, noted that the OCI chiplet “is expected to address AI infrastructure’s growing demands for higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and longer reach.”

Intel's approach to integrated optics, as highlighted in a slide shared with ServeTheHome, focuses on using silicon photonics to enhance Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). This involves advanced packaging for heterogeneous integration and close coupling of optical engines with hosts like XPUs, enabling the development of new systems and applications.

Another slide, shown below, goes into further detail, showing how Intel's 4 Tbps (8 Tbps bi-directional) Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuit (IC) supports both parallel and serial host interfaces, optimized for power efficiency and compact size. It includes features like ring modulators, Germanium photodetectors, and V-groove passive fiber coupling, making it ideal for high-volume silicon photonics platforms.

(Image credit: Intel/Hot Chips)

Pere Monclus, CTO of Intel’s Network and Edge Group, said, “As AI workloads intensify, Intel’s broad industry experience enables us to understand what our customers need to drive innovation, creativity, and ideal business outcomes. The OCI chiplet is a key part of our strategy to meet those needs with groundbreaking technology.”

Intel’s emphasis on the OCI chiplet reflects its commitment to maintaining a leading position in technological innovation, even as it faces strong competition in the AI sector. While companies like Nvidia have seen significant growth driven by AI demand - reaching a market cap of $2.928 trillion - and AMD has increased its market cap to $240.44 billion, Intel has not experienced similar gains.

Currently ranked 182nd by market cap at $94.24 billion, down from a peak of $502 billion in 2000, Intel is aiming to regain its competitive edge but might it be too little, too late? 

A comment under ServeTheHome’s coverage makes an interesting suggestion: “It is products like this that make me think AMD should bite the bullet and buy out Intel. Keep the networking and optical, keep the software, definitely keep the marketing dept, definitely keep the dept of unacknowledged product design/support dirty deeds. Sell off the CPU and GPU divisions, maybe somebody in the EU or South Korea wants them.”

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President Biden has accelerated the US effort to rein in China’s technological advancement by implementing tighter controls on quantum computing and semiconductor goods. Advanced chip making tools and other semiconductor technologies are crucial for artificial intelligence applications.

The US Department of Commerce announced the new rules, and cited ‘national security and foreign policy reasons’ for the move. The restrictions cover worldwide exports, and the Bureau of Industry’s Alan Estevez confirms,

“Aligning our controls on quantum and other advanced technologies makes it significantly more difficult for our adversaries to develop and deploy these technologies in ways that threaten our collective security”

Race to the top

The new rules mean that any company exporting certain technologies will need a license from the US government to do so, giving the government the opportunity to restrict sales to countries in alignment with its foreign policy goals.

The Center for Strategic and International Sales assessed, “The success of US controls is likely to depend on the ability to harmonize US restrictions with those of key allies, whose export controls differ substantially from those of the United States, resulting in substantial gaps."

Restrictions on chip sales and services have already been in the works with the US leveraging authority in hopes of influencing Japan to limit their exports. China threatened retaliation to this, as both the US and China look to dominate in what seems to be evolving into a battle of attrition between the two superpowers.

China currently leads in tech research and in chip spending, and is reportedly close to the development levels of the lead manufacturers, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. As AI continues to develop, semiconductors and other valuable tech components

Via The Register

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Earlier this week, the United States White House unveiled a new initiative, called Service for America.

This initiative, created together with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM), aims to get more people interested in cybersecurity, and thus help bolster the overall cybersecurity posture in both public, and private sectors.

In this context, cybersecurity jobs are being pitched as serving the country: “Throughout our history, generation after generation of Americans have stepped up to meet the challenges of their day, protecting and serving our Nation in a variety of ways,” the announcement on the White House website reads.

Filling the gap

“Every day in our Nation, we Americans find ourselves up against bad actors in cyberspace, whether they are foreign Governments or cyber criminals. It is crucial that we have a strong cyber workforce to address these threats and strengthen our resistance to them.”

The initiative is described as a “recruiting, hiring, and engagement sprint” which will connect Americans to “good-paying, meaningful jobs” in cyber, technology, and artificial intelligence. That sprint will include multiple career events taking place in September and October, as well as different seminars for job seekers to teach them how to apply for a federal government job. Finally, there will be week-long workshops from NIST on exploring cybersecurity careers.

There are currently some 500,000 open cyber-related jobs in the United States, the White House claims, adding that the number is only going to grow, with the growth of products, services, artificial intelligence, and more. The White House also says that there is a misconception that cyber jobs are only reserved for people with a computer science degree and a “deeply technical background” while, in truth, the jobs are “available to anyone who wants to pursue them”.

More details about the initiative can be found on this link.

Via The Register

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So-called ‘dumb-phones’ lacking the bells and whistles of modern smartphones are building up a cult following amongst techies who want to live a life that’s more free from the distractions of social media and mobile gaming. But taking the plunge can be a daunting step, which is where TCL’s affordable new NXTPAPER phones announced at IFA 2024 come in.

The TCL 50 NXTPAPER and TCL 50 Pro NXTPAPER 5G phones boast hardware and features you wouldn’t be totally surprised to find on a Samsung, Google or Apple smartphone. We’re talking 6.8-inch full-HD 120Hz displays, a 108MP rear camera (and for the Pro a 32MP selfie camera, which is only 8MP for the base model), 8 GB of RAM, 256GB and 512GB of storage respectively, and even a Microsoft designed AI – though the devices lack the power for onboard AI translations or summaries so everything is handle off-device in the cloud.

But on the side of the phone you’ll find a slider, and flicking it transforms your phone from full-color to effectively a black and white ereader.

(Image credit: TCL)

In this mode the TCL 50 NXTPAPER phones transition to using e-ink to minimize eye strain, increase their max battery life to seven days, and adopt a minimalist design with a much less cluttered home page – which is decorated with only the specific apps you choose.

You can enjoy the dub phone lifestyle when you need to cut out distractions and focus on a task, and then return to the modern conveniences of the fully-fledged smartphone experience by moving the slider back.

The basic model is only launching in the EU at the time of writing, but the TCL 50 PRO NXTPAPER 5G is coming to the UK, EU and Latin America at £279.99. There’s no word on a wider global launch for now, but if you’re keen on trying the dumbphone lifestyle but aren’t convinced you want to commit quite yet we’d recommend keeping an eye out for these new TCL phones.

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As the likes of Russia, Iran, Myanmar, and other authoritarian states keep heavily censoring the internet, the demand for VPN services has never been higher.

This is why the US now urges Big Tech to better support circumvention software. On Thursday, September 5, the White House met with representatives of Amazon, Google, Microsft, Cloudflare, and civil society activists to pledge the offering of more digital bandwidth for government-funded internet censorship evasion tools – Reuters reported.

The pitch for "discounted or subsidized server bandwidth" comes from the Open Technology Fund (OTF) to meet the fast-growing demand for VPNs. The US-backed organization supports technology projects aimed at countering online censorship and combating repressive surveillance. 

The need for VPNs

"Over the last few years, we have seen an explosion in demand for VPNs, largely driven by users in Russia and Iran," the OTF's President, Laura Cunningham, told Reuters.

Both Russian and Iranian authorities are reportedly busy building higher and higher fences around their national internet. When surfing the Kremlin's RuNet, for example, the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and X cannot be accessed unless using a VPN, alongside an ever-growing list of websites and content. Internet in Iran is among the worst worldwide for connectivity, and experts blame the government's censorship boost for it.

Online censorship is actually on the rise globally. According to Access Now's annual report, governments continued to use communication platform blocks heavily in 2023. Specifically, they impose or maintain 53 platform blocks across 25 countries, up from 39 blocks in 29 countries the year before. Nine months in, 2024 is set to continue this worrying trend.

A VPN (virtual private network) is the perfect tool to bypass such government's imposed blocks. That's because it spoofs your real IP address location. In this way, it tricks your internet service provider (ISP) into thinking you're browsing from a completely different country within a few clicks and grants you access to otherwise blocked websites or applications. 

In 2024 alone, one of the best free VPNs on the market, Proton VPN recorded usage spikes in 12 countries as users sought to bypass government-imposed internet restrictions. These include Brazil, Venezuela, Turkey, Myanmar, and Pakistan.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

As mentioned earlier, OTF specifically supports those VPN services designed to work in the countries that most restrict access to the free internet. 

Since the spike in VPN demands following the invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration boosted the budget for its funding of anti-censorship tech. Yet, OTF still struggles to juggle the needs of 46 million people a month currently using US-backed VPNs with the cost of hosting all that network traffic on private sector servers.

This is why the organization is now asking tech companies to play their part in supporting the fight for an open web.

"For a decade, we routinely supported around nine million VPN users each month, and now that number has more than quadrupled," said Cunningham. "We want to support these additional users, but we don't have the resources to keep up with this surging demand."

Ahead of Apple's much-vaunted It's Glowtime iPhone 16 event, taking place this coming Monday September 9, (starting at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST… which is 3am September 10 AEST), Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has given his clearest affirmation yet that two new sets of AirPods are coming – and two almost certainly aren't. 

Gurman has shared his biggest and most detailed AirPods predictions yet, in his latest Bloomberg missive, ahead of the upcoming Apple event next week. Is this concrete evidence of impending AirPods? No, but it's pretty conclusive you trust the noted Apple expert – and most people do where iOS products are concerned. 

So what exactly did the tech analyst disclose? Here's summary of what Gurman has prophesised (there's plenty to get through)… 

Two new AirPods: the big predictions

• Apple is, says Gurman, readying two new AirPods models to supersede the entry-level, (aka AirPods 2019) second-generation earbuds and mid-tier, third-generation model (also known as AirPods 3). 
• Both new versions will apparently look similar to the AirPods Pro (it's unclear whether Gurman means the 2019 original Pros or the AirPods Pro 2) and include a new case, USB-C charging and "improved audio quality".
• Apple will reportedly distinguish the two new AirPods models by giving the mid-tier version a more premium case with a speaker, thus making it easier to locate with Apple’s Find My feature, plus noise cancellation "to match the AirPods Pro".
• One major new focus for AirPods, says Gurman, is a "bigger push into hearing health". Apple has allegedly been attempting to make AirPods a viable replacement for hearing aids, and a device able to conduct hearing tests. The Cupertino giant is prepping to announce these updates – codenamed Yodel – but Gurman adds that "they’ve suffered some delays and may not be available until later".
• A new version of the AirPods Pro "remains in the works" according to the expert, featuring an upgraded design and improved ANC. But we won't see them Monday. Why? Gurman tells us that what sounds to us like the AirPods Pro 3 are "due as early as next year". (Boo!) 
• Finally, Apple's allegedly been working on updated AirPods Max headphones that'll be available in new colors and switch the Lightning connector to USB-C to comply with the latest EU laws. But with plenty of current AirPods Max inventory on hand, Gurman thinks the AirPods Max 2 will also "be coming later" – ie. not on Monday… 

Anything else? Actually, yes… 

Interestingly, the Apple tipster also reports that a few weeks ago, "Apple discovered a bug in the upcoming AirPods that made the earbuds quickly drain battery life". The issue was apparently attributed to software and was resolved prior to factories shipping out the units.

Regular readers may also remember we told you about AirPods Pro 2 getting an update for gesture support, for calls/control ahead of the full iOS 18 launch. The smart money says we should be getting a launch date for that feature on Monday. 

Look, we shouldn't be surprised about any of this: Apple's biggest AirPods launch to date was prophesized earlier in the year, and a dual AirPods release would be that. 

Yes, it's sad that we probably won't see AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Max 2 on Monday, but come on, it’s been well over two years since the launch of Apple AirPods 3, the most recent earbuds from Tim Cook's behemoth (because we don't count the September 2023 addition of a USB-C case charging port, agreed?), and we'll take two pairs of ice-white buds over nothing at all, thank you very much. 

Pricing? Gurman hasn't specified, but given that the AirPods 3 currently sell for around $179 / £169 / AU$279, somewhere in that ball-park for the mid-tier option seems fitting. 

The entry-level set? Impossible to say for sure, but wouldn't a $99 / £99 / AU$149 price point – something to rival the hugely popular Nothing Ear (a), say – be refreshing? 

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The Diplomat season 2 teaser trailer (see below) sees Keri Russell's Kate Wyler getting back to work after an explosive (quite literally) finale. I don't know about you, but I was definitely on the edge of my seat wondering what had happened, but don't worry, the next season should answer plenty of questions when it arrives on Netflix – and perhaps pose new ones, as is often the case with these shows.

The best streaming service just dropped a quick teaser for the series, and despite the absence of any dialogue, fans will no doubt be cheering because Kate is not alone as she steps out of the car, she is joined by her husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), which confirms to us that he survived the attack.

Whether that's good news or not for what could quality as one of the best Netflix shows (thanks to its 83% Rotten Tomatoes score) is another question entirely (so many questions), because as fans will know their marriage is a rocky one with lots of fighting. So we'll see just how true this loved-up image really is. Take a look at the teaser below.

What else do we know about The Diplomat season 2?

The political series returns on October 31, which is an ominous release date if I've ever seen one. Alongside Netflix's library of gripping horror movies, The Diplomat is coming back on Halloween, which could suggest some chilling moments.

Netflix has teased that the deadly explosion we saw at the end of season 1 did not come from a rival nation, but from inside the British government. This causes Kate to desperately chase the truth while trying to balance her marriage and a complex relationship with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi).

We've also got a new face this season, as Allison Janney stars as vice president Grace Penn, as seen above in the teaser. This isn't a social call, though, and she doesn't look too thrilled to be there. We don't have much longer to wait to find out what this meeting will entail.

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Have you ever struggled to understand what an actor’s saying during a movie, or to follow sports commentary on your TV over the background roar of the crowd? DTS says its new Clear Dialogue tool should solve those problems, and I’ve had the chance to see it in action at IFA 2024.

It all works thanks to a device-side-AI which, as it processes audio coming to your TV via a streaming service, console, or even Blu-Ray player, determines what part of the sound is coming from dialogue and what part is background noise. Clear Dialogue splits these tracks and independently adjusts them to boost talking and dampen the distractions.

Before going in I was worried this might mess too much with the sound composition of the content. We’re calling it noise but the music and sounds of film are often as important to the overall piece as what the actors say. Tweaking this balance could upset the overall vision if not handled with care.

The first demo I was shown used The Martian, specifically that scene near the beginning when Matt Damon’s character is blown away in a storm (you can watch it below). It’s a chaotically loud segment, and rightfully so – you have to believe that this is a storm that could claim an astronaut’s life and is impossible for his crew to explore safely or easily.

With Clear Dialogue turned on, the default settings we used maintained this necessary chaos resulting from a cacophony of noise, but through it, I could much more easily make out what the astronaut crew were saying to each other through the comms in their suits. Whenever Clear Dialogue was switched off, I sometimes struggled to make out what was being said.

I was also keen to see how the AI differentiated between useful talking and background noise talking – such as the difference between commentary and the crowd noise of fans at a sporting event.

For that, I was shown Clear Dialogue being used during a stretch of the Tour de France bike race. It deftly separated the commentary from the crowd's chatter and cheers, and made it much easier to make out what was being said by the commentators – while simultaneously maintaining much of the atmosphere the crowd’s noise was bringing to the event.

A bespoke solution

According to an Xperi survey of 1,200 US adults, 84% of consumers have experienced trouble understanding dialogue during TV shows and movies. One option is to rely on subtitles but they're far from a perfect solution – I often find I’m missing details because I focus on the text more than what’s happening in the show, so I’ve started turning them off in games and shows if they’re switched on by default.

This Clear Dialogue solution also has the benefit of letting you manually tweak how the audio is mixed. We all have different hearing, different hardware setups, and different preferences, so it makes sense that an ideal solution wouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all model.

It’ll take some time for this system – or similar versions of the tech like Samsung’s Dialog Clarity – to be adopted widely, but it impressed me, solving a genuine issue I’ve experienced when watching some content on my home theater setup (an issue I expect you’ve had too). I’m excited for the day I’ll be able to use it more regularly.

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In an unexpected move toward AI governance globally, China and the US have collaborated to develop the world’s first international standard for large language models security in supply chains.

The development comes from joint efforts by Chinese giants Ant, Baidu and Tencent, together with US firms Google, Meta and Microsoft.

The ‘Large Language Model Security Requirements for Supply Chain’ initiative was unveiled today at the World Digital Technology Academy (WDTA) in Shanghai.

Unexpected US-China AI effort revealed

The new standard is aimed to address the entire lifecycle of LLMs in order to prevent security risks like data leaks, model tampering and supplier non-compliance. Top academic and industry institutions, such as the Cloud Security Alliance Greater China Region and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, joined the American and Chinese companies in drafting and reviewing the guidance. Together, the bodies form the AI Safety, Trust, and Responsibility (AI STR).

Peter Major, Chair of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development and Honorary Chairman of the WDTA, commented: “International cooperation on AI-related standards has become increasingly crucial as artificial intelligence continues to advance and impact various sectors globally.”

In a blog post, the WDTA added: “This international cooperation is essential for managing the risks associated with AI while maximizing its benefits for all societies.”

As generative AI technologies continue to develop, companies have called for greater measure to enhance safety. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman previously called for “full-stack safety efforts.”

Despite the US’ intentions to inhibit Chinese technological and military advancements with export restrictions, the two nations have cooperated on this effort, underscoring the crucial nature of establishing mutually agreeable and clear guidance.

Moreover, China became the world’s first country to regular generative AI. Other nations and regions are continuing to play catch-up.

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Images of the rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition have apparently been leaked, giving us a first look at the supposedly slimmed-down foldable. 

The pictures, shared by Android Headlines, show a device that looks similar overall to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, with the same rounded square profile, tall cover screen, and three vertically stacked rear cameras.

(Image credit: Android Headlines)

The camera module is more prominent than on the Galaxy Z Fold 6, though, which would suggest the rest of the Z Fold Special Edition is indeed thinner if the cameras are the same size on both models.

Some rumors have pointed to a 200MP main camera on this new slimmed-down Z Fold, an upgrade to the 50MP camera on the Z Fold 6.

Sources are divided on exactly how much thickness Samsung is shaving off for this supposed new model. We’ve heard that it could be as thin as 7.7mm, though Android Headlines previously suggested a folded thickness of 10.5mm, and 9to5Google proposed 11.5mm in July.

If any of these suggestions turn out to be correct, the special edition will be thinner than the Z Fold 6, which measures 12.1mm when folded.

Prior rumors have pointed to an external screen size of 6.5 inches and an internal screen size of 8 inches for this new entry in Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup, though the images give us no frame of reference with which to check this claim.

The leaked images also display a brushed metal rear cover, which previous rumors suggest may be made of titanium.

If true, this switch would bring the Special Edition closer to the flagship Galaxy S24 Ultra than the Z Fold 6 construction-wise.

Slim, Ultra, or Special Edition?

We have previously reported on rumors of a thinner Samsung foldable as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Slim. Suggestions of a spec-boosted Galaxy Z Fold Ultra have also circulated online. 

Notable leaker Evan Blass recently claimed that the device is likely to be called the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition. 

This could be because the term ‘slim’ rarely indicates upgraded specs in the tech world apart from a device’s dimensions. And, as mentioned, the Special Edition is rumored to receive some design and camera upgrades. 

As the Special Edition is rumored to only be getting a release in China and South Korea, Samsung may want to avoid using its “Ultra” branding on a regional product. 

Of course, all of the above is based on rumors at this point in time, so be sure to keep up with our phones coverage for the latest updates. 

And if you’re looking to pick up a foldable for yourself, check out our guide to the best folding phones. 

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We’re just days away from Apple unveiling its latest devices at its September 9, 2024 “It’s Glowtime” special event. While we have had a pretty good idea of what to expect – the iPhone 16 lineup, new AirPods, and a trio of Apple Watches – a new report is shedding some light on a headline feature for Apple's wearables.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared his final predictions, and it appears that the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be getting a significant new health feature. 

The report states that sleep apnea detection will arrive on the Series 10 and Ultra 3, boosting sleep tracking on the wearable and likely adding a new metric to the “Vitals” experience that will land with watchOS 11. It’s a confirmation of previous rumors that Apple is getting ready to ship it nonetheless and will likely show it off at the event.

A new health feature

(Image credit: Future)

Like Samsung’s sleep apnea detection feature on the Galaxy Watch, Apple’s approach is said to alert you if it detects that you might have it and then suggest you talk to a doctor. Interestingly enough, though, the feature may not be ready for day one, meaning it will likely be announced at the event and ship at some point after. 

It’s similar to how Apple debuted and then rolled out Double Tap for the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in 2023. You could also say it mirrors the rollout of Apple Intelligence’s entire suite of features. 

Once out, Sleep Apnea detection will reportedly sit alongside other health features like workout tracking, activity rings, heart rate, fall detection, and electrocardiograms. Gurman’s report notes that “no evidence” exists that blood-oxygen monitoring will return for the new models. In early 2024, Apple had to remove the features from new watches sold due to a dispute over patents with the Masimo Corporation.

Bigger screens and a thinner build

(Image credit: Future / Britta O'Boyle)

Aside from the health functionality, the report also claims that while the Apple Watch Series 10 will look similar to the Series 9 with a bigger screen that goes closer to the edges for both sizes, the new thing is that the case will “be noticeably thinner.” We'll need to wait for Apple to confirm how much thinner, but right now, the 41mm and 45mm Series 9 are 10.7-milimeters thick.

Regarding the Apple Watch Ultra 3, Gurman notes it’s primarily changes on the inside, and the report reaffirms that there will be a new entry-level Apple Watch SE. It could take shape using a rumored plastic build, which could also make it ultra-affordable, potentially undercutting the current third-generation Apple Watch SE that starts at $249 / £259 / AU$399 for the 40mm or $279 / £299 / AU$449. 

Of course, as with all Apple rumors, none of this is official until the technology giant officially shows it off, but lucky for us, it isn’t a long wait. “It’s Glowtime.” Apple event kicks off at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST on September 9, 2024 (3am September 10 AEST), and TechRadar will be covering it live with myself and Lance Ulanoff, our Editor-at-Large, reporting live from Apple Park in Cupertino. 

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Broadcom just declared lower-than-anticipated projections for next-quarter revenue, estimating income of $14 billion compared with previous Wall Street predictions of $14.04 billion.

However, that’s not a bad thing, because if Broadcom does manage to draw in $14 billion in revenue, it would mark a 51% increase compared with the same period last year.

It would also represent greater growth than the quarter just closed, which saw a 47% year-over-year increase in revenue, which stood at $13.07 billion.

Broadcom revenue continues to climb

Company CEO Hock Tan commented: “Broadcom's third quarter results reflect continued strength in our AI semiconductor solutions and VMware.” The company expects around $12 billion of its fiscal year revenue to come from AI, accounting for nearly a quarter of the company’s revenue. This estimation marks a $1 billion increase compared with previous predictions.

Despite the positive outlook, the company continues to struggle with figures elsewhere. It reported a $1.88 billion net loss for the most recent three-month period.

Speaking about the company’s growth, Summit Insight senior research analyst Kinngai Chan stated (via Reuters): “We believe it's unreasonable for investors to expect Broadcom to post Nvidia-type results and outlook.”

Broadcom shares are up 75.2% over the past 12 months, however recent months have seen turbulence in its figures, not least due to some uncertainty surrounding the changes it has made to VMware. Tan added: “The transformation of VMware continues to progress very well.”

Moreover, a post-earnings conference call confirmed strong performance in the AI department, but considerable dips in other areas like broadband and non-AI networking.

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ChromeOS, Google's operating system for Chromebooks, has just gotten a big update that’s brought many useful features, including some that could feel very familiar to people who use Windows 11. 

The new update, ChromeOS 128, includes lots of features and changes, including Snap Groups that resemble Windows 11’s Snap Layouts, improvements to ChromeOS’ Camera app with the help of a technology called OCR (optical character recognition, which allows software to detect letters and words in a photo), and Audio Gain Control to optimize your device’s microphone volume automatically when you’re using video-calling apps. 

Snap Groups appears to work similarly to Windows 11’s Snap Layouts, allowing you to turn your ChromeOS display into a split-screen display and view both windows at once, but use them independently. 

This way of organizing the screen and the windows you have open, where individual windows can be resized or moved as part of a group of windows, is one of the most useful features in Windows 11, so it’s great to see it come (in some form) to ChromeOS. Using devices such as laptops and Chromebooks with smaller screens makes organizing open windows incredibly useful, as you have limited space to work with, and features that make this organizing easier and more intuitive are always welcome. 

(Image credit: Unsplash / Brooke Cagle) Better visuals and audio thanks to ChromeOS 128

The second big ticket feature coming in ChromeOS 128 is the integration of OCR into ChromeOS’s Camera app. As ZDNET describes it, it’ll enable Chromebooks to get better at “seeing” and processing text from a physical piece of paper through its lens. It’ll go further, apparently, allowing you to do things like search for words in an image and read documents out loud. OCR will be powered by machine learning, a very commonplace computing method that powers most AI features you’ll probably use today. 

The company's OCR feature, which supports 77 languages and works in both horizontal and vertical orientations, can be enabled via ChromeOS’ Settings menu under "Text detection in preview.”

It’s encouraging to see companies like Google adopting useful features from other systems to enhance its own. While Windows 11 has faced plenty of valid criticism, it does bring some innovative ideas—like Snap Layouts—that make organizing windows easier. 

By incorporating similar features into ChromeOS, Google is helping users work more efficiently, especially on smaller screens. This cross-platform borrowing ultimately often leads to better products for everyone, and it makes it easier for users of either ChromeOS or Windows 11 to try a different operating system that still feels somewhat familiar. 

These are not the only features you can look forward to and you can learn more in the official ChromeOS 128 Release Notes published by Google, and ZDNET also has a handy part of its particle explaining how to make sure your Chromebook device installs this new update.  

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US intelligence services have charged a group of five Russian hackers linked to Unit 29155 of Russia’s Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (GRU), as well as one civilian hacker working for the Russian Government. This puts the Russian military intelligence agency at the center of critical infrastructure attacks on NATO member states.

The five GRU members have been charged in connection with a series of attacks known as ‘Whisper Gate’ which were carried out in January of 2022. The operations targeted Ukraine’s government agencies and infrastructure, and are largely understood as a precursor to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The US State Department has offered a $10 million bounty for information on each of the six suspects through its Rewards for Justice program. The GRU is also reported to have targeted the computer systems of 26 other NATO countries which were providing support to Ukraine, a strategy we have seen deployed many times before.

First shot of the war

The attacks were countered by US cyber command and private cyber security firms like Microsoft and Google, and so were unsuccessful in bringing down satellite communications or crippling Ukrainian government operations as intended.

US officials said that the GRU members posed as criminal hackers by leaving ransom notes, but the attacks were designed to destroy any data acquired. According to the joint advisory, “Unit 29155 cyber actors' objectives appear to include the collection of information for espionage purposes, reputational harm caused by the theft and leakage of sensitive information, and systematic sabotage caused by the destruction of data”

Since none of the hackers are on US soil, it's unlikely they will face the consequences of the charges anytime soon, but the US have reportedly partnered with Interpol to “bring this indictment to fruition”.

Via BleepingComputer

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Apple is pretty good at, well, not exactly keeping secrets, but at least it has a spotless record for never confirming a rumor before it's real. That means we know almost everything the Cupertino tech giant plans to unveil at its Glowtime Event on Monday. New iPhone 16 phones, fresh Apple Watches, AirPods, and Apple Intelligence.

The leaks have been so steady and, I'm assuming, accurate, that Monday's Keynote by Apple CEO Tim Cook and company is nothing more than a confirmation event, it's the graduation from rumor to reality that probably required little more than a flip of a tassel from one cap corner to another.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I'll be there, hopefully as close to the front row as possible, and jostling among analysts, fellow journalists, and others in the demo room, angling for our first hands-on experience with the new gadgets. There'll be excitement and breathless commentary. Some of it will be authentic, and some of it might be a bit forced because the upgrades are minor. We'll struggle to capture what might be a set of half-measure Apple Intelligence features (while we wait for the rest to show up later and even next year). But the empty seat at the keynote and space in the demo room will be for that one more thing that seldom arrives.

Invented by Apple's Steve Jobs, "One More Thing" is the surprise feature or product that, one would hope, nobody saw coming. FaceTime has shined in this light, as did the MacBook Air, Apple Watch, Apple Music, and, of course, Apple Vision Pro. Granted, most of these products were not a complete surprise. Leaks and rumors about the work Apple is doing in any tech sector or vertical are inevitable but at least details about these items tend to be far fuzzier before they come into focus when Tim Cook utters that iconic phrase.

With Glowtime, though, there is not even a hint of something special in Apple's back pocket. The only promise is predictability and, if we're being honest, playing catchup.

Post by @lanceulanoff View on Threads

The star of this Apple Event will not be the iPhone 16, iOS 18, a plastic Apple Watch SE or some new AirPods. It will be Apple Intelligence, Apple's rather late entry in the AI game. I am excited about it and can already see the potential on the iOS 18 Dev beta. 

When I polled people on Threads and X about the Apple Event and asked which products and technologies they were most excited about, a surprising number put Apple Intelligence at the top of the list. On Threads, it handily beat iPhone 16 Pro Max, a cheaper Apple Watch, and AirPods by a wide margin. It came in second on X.

Of course, we know pretty much all there is to know about Apple Intelligence; Apple detailed it at WWDC 2024. This won't be a true product introduction, just a partial delivery on a promise and one that is well behind what we're already experiencing from Google's Gemini AI on Google Pixel 9 phones and Galaxy AI on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Monday's Keynote...is nothing more than a confirmation event, it's the graduation from rumor to reality that probably required little more than a flip of a tassel from one cap corner to another.

The iPhone 16 lineup appears unlikely to bring any surprises. Faster chips and subtle design changes are expected. Even the rumored camera button (which I do not think will materialize) won't be a shock.

I don't think it matters if the one more thing is a breakout success. Apple's track record is quite good in this regard. It's about reminding people that Apple can surprise and innovate in ways we didn't anticipate and in ways that make competitors blanche.

I could be wrong. Tim Cook and other Apple execs could finish up what I expect to be an hour-long presentation and Cook will turn to leave the stage. Then he might pause, turn back to the audience, and bring his hands together in his signature "prayer" pose, raise one hand, and say, "Hold on... there is One...More...Thing."

If he does that, I and probably everyone watching in person and online will be truly surprised for the first time in a long time. I don't care what comes next, I just know that I wasn't expecting it and that is enough.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane's first season. Potential spoilers follow for Arcane season 2, too.

Arcane season 2 is only two months away from gracing our screens and, after a near-three-year wait for its return, we'll finally get answers to the biggest questions we've had since the season 1 finale.

But, while I'm as desperate as you likely are to find out if any of Piltover's Council members survived Jinx's terrorist attack on their chambers in the series' second and final installment, I'm also eager to see if a new fan theory has any truth to it. You see, Arcane's loyal fanbase – I include myself among their number – have waited a looooong time for the hit Netflix show to return. it's understandable, then, that many of my fellow devotees have come up with all sorts of weird, wacky, and wonderful theories since season 1 ended in November 2021.

Think Jinx is going to be season 2's primary big bad? Think again (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche)

The arrival of Arcane season 2's official trailer, however, has only heightened the intrigue around one particular hypothesis surrounding the animated League of Legends (LoL) show's actual main villain. Indeed, given her assault on Piltover's dignitaries in season 1 episode 9, the footage that was part of Arcane season 2's first teaser, and a bundle of first-look clips over the past 10 months, it would be safe to assume that Jinx is the central antagonist.

But what, I ask, if she isn't? What if there's not only someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes, but what if they're also a character we haven't seen before? I suspect you're equal parts intrigued over who this individual could be, and frustrated over me delaying the reveal of their identity. So, I won't waste any more of your time: fans think that the mastermind of events before and during Arcane's two seasons is someone named LeBlanc.

Who is LeBlanc? And what role could they play in Arcane season 2?

Say hello to LeBlanc, everyone (Image credit: League of Legends universe website)

I can see your puzzled look through the screen, dear reader. Let me elaborate: in LoL lore, LeBlanc, who also goes by such jovial aliases like The Deceiver, Mordekasier, and Matron of the Black Rose, is a mysterious but powerful sorceress who's manipulated people and events since the expansionist nation of Noxus was founded. Thanks to her dark magic abilities, she's able to shapeshift, can appear in multiple places at once, and can control people from the shadows.

Okay, so why do Arcane fans think that LeBlanc is the big bad of one of the best Netflix shows? On the surface, it seems like a bit of a stretch, especially when there are other obvious candidates. There's compelling evidence, though, to suggest LeBlanc is eventually going to be unmasked as the award-winning series' villain-in-chief.

Ambessa, Noxus' most famous warlord, could have ties to LeBlanc in Arcane (Image credit: Netflix)

Let's start with her ties to Noxus. Arcane and LoL diehards won't need me to tell them that LeBlanc's association with Noxus means she could be Ambessa's puppet master. Remember, Ambessa is not only a Noxian warlord, but also Piltover council member Mel's mother. If Mel died during Jinx's attack, a grief-stricken Ambessa will be far more vulnerable to the machinations of a powerful sorceress who wants to further sow division between the progressive, idealistic city of Piltover and its poorer, undercity cousin known as Zaun, which is where Jinx is originally from.

Next, there's Hextech, the potent, magic-infused technology created by Viktor and Jayce in the critically-acclaimed show's debut season. Why wouldn't a formidable dark magic wielder be interested in this newfound technology, especially given its dynamic qualities and potential to supercharge whoever commands it? 

We've already seen its effects on creating powerful new weapons, fast-paced methods of transport, and augmenting people's bodies in season 1. In the hands of a truly malicious individual, then, it could be used by said person for nefarious means. And, considering Arcane co-creator Christian Linke has already teased the possibility that "any foreign nation", Noxus included, "would find [Hextech] very interesting" (see the X/Twitter post below), I suspect Ambessa and LeBlanc will want to get their hands on it.

#Arcane co-creator @Praeco answers fan questions about what's coming in Season 2. pic.twitter.com/AaSqLC3Uy1August 10, 2024

Then there's the possibility that LeBlanc can be seen in season 2's latest trailer. Seen amid the quick shots that flash up around the 1:54 mark, an inky, jet-black character who looks like a lot like Silco (Jinx's deceased surrogate dad), can be briefly glimpsed. The identity of this character isn't confirmed, but I and many others (as you'll see in this Arcane Reddit thread) believe it could be LeBlanc disguising herself as an even more terrifying vision of Silco.

Why do we think that? For one, this individual's all-black look ties into the 'Black Rose' aspect of one of LeBlanc's alter-egos. Look more closely, however, and the yellow, tear-like marks that sit beneath this character's glowing eyes are identical to the black markings that appear underneath LeBlanc's eyes (see the image further up this page for proof of that). Oh, and let's not overlook that, on LeBlanc's official LoL character profile page, the show's title is even referenced in a line that includes the word "arcane" in it. Oh, and the same page also mentions LeBlanc's involvement in LoL's infamous Rune Wars, which Linke also refers to in the tweet above.

Admittedly, those final two pieces of evidence are tentative links at best, but there's enough here to indicate that LeBlanc could play a role in Arcane before season 2 brings the curtain down on Netflix's most successful animated TV project. Here's hoping many of us weren't completely off-track when Arcane returns sometime in November.

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