TechRadar News

• The Pro-Ject A1.2 is an update on the likeable A1, with some notable upgrades
• Top of the updates? A new die-cast aluminum platter
• It's landing in April, ahead of Record Store Day 2025, for £469 (around $600 / AU$960)

Pro-Ject knows Record Store Day 2025 is incoming on April 12, doesn't it? If you're busily clearing your schedule so you can get down to your local bricks-and-mortar independent record store, to buy some (or all – why not?) of this year's list of collectible and limited-edition records from some of the biggest names in music, you might want to take a moment to check your deck.

Could you – should you – treat yourself, or the fledgling vinyl collector in your life, to a new and fully automatic turntable, from one of the most trusted names in the game? You don't want an older or slightly beaten-up turntable damaging your delicate new limited-edition LPs, do you?

Well, one possible answer is right here, in the Pro-Ject A1.2.

Pro-Ject tells me the A1.2 retains the core design principles of the original A1 (not to be confused with the Pro-Ject E1 or Pro-Ject Juke Box E1, although those are both excellent budget-friendly options), but adds a series of carefully considered upgrades.

It'll hit shelves in April in white or black finishes. Right now, I know the UK pricing only, which is very respectable £469, which would make it around $600 or AU$960.

Pro-Ject A1.2 turntable: key upgrades and features

A new die-cast aluminium platter is at the beating heart of Pro-Ject's improvements for the A1.2, replacing the A1’s stamped version.

Next up, a new CNC machining process has been implemented in a bid to "ensure precise, consistent production and reduce resonance". The A1.2’s 8.3-inch "ultra-light" aluminium tonearm also now features a redesigned headshell made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer – because keeping weight to a bare minimum is a key factor in automatic turntable design.

The tonearm comes loaded with a pre-adjusted Pro-Ject Pick it MM E cartridge and, thanks to a fully mechanical operation, there shouldn't be any motor resonance or electrical components affecting that tonearm – once a record is playing, Pro-Ject explains that the mechanics "disengage entirely", helping to preserve playback quality.

Elsewhere, you're getting Pro-Ject's resonance-damped wooden chassis, silicone-damped feet, and Connect it E phono cables. And since the tracking force and anti-skating are all factory-adjusted from the box, setup should be as simple as unpacking it, placing it on a level surface, installing the dust cover (if you want to; I never do since I've found it can add to resonance issues, and I dust my apartment as standard) and plugging the power supply – first into the power socket on the turntable, then into your mains power.

You can then set the A1.2’s integrated phono preamp on or off, by lifting the mat and adjusting the switch.

And to play a record? Place your vinyl lovingly on the turntable, set the speed to 33 or 45 RPM, remove the stylus protection cover, move the lift lever to the ‘needle on the record’ icon, and press START/STOP. Your platter will begin spinning; your tonearm will move to the correct position and gently lower itself onto your precious record. And once the record finishes, that tonearm will automatically find its way home again – which means you won't have to leave the couch in your own home.

Might it just be one the best turntables for a new collector? Too early to tell, but I'd be very keen to give it a spin.

One of the best pre-Record Store Day 2025 releases then? Well, we love Pro-Ject's Flatten It vinyl flattener too, but really it's Pro-Ject out there bossing it all alone right now…

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• Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet reportedly won't release until after 2026
• Since Naughty Dog's next game is a few years away, a PS6 or cross-gen release is a possibility
• Game director Neil Druckmann confirms that the game is now being played at the studio

Naughty Dog's next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, reportedly won't launch until after 2026.

That's according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who recently posted on ResetEra and said that neither Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet nor The Witcher 4 will be released next year (via IGN).

Yesterday, it was reported that The Witcher 4 won't be released before 2027, according to new details from CD Projekt's latest earnings presentation.

"We are not going to announce the precise launch date for the game yet," said CD Projekt CFO Piotr Nielubowicz. "All we could share now to give more visibility to investors is that the game will not be launched within the time frame of the first target for the incentive program, which ends December 31, 2026."

This begs the question: Will Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and The Witcher 4 both be PlayStation 6 launch titles?

A cross-generation release is also a possibility, especially when you consider the fact that Sony just launched the PS5 Pro, but either way, be prepared for an agonizing wait.

It does seem that Naughty Dog is making some headway with its next major title, as Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet game director Neil Druckmann has since told IGN that the game is now being played by the development team.

"I will say we are playing it at the office and it's incredible,” Druckmann said. "It's really good. I'm so excited to finally put gameplay out into the world and show people about it, because we just showed you the very, very, very tip on the iceberg. The game goes pretty deep beyond that."

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• Kindle update 5.18.1 is rolling out
• It adds a new Double Tap to Page Turn feature to replace screen taps
• Your Kindle can now also show you a recap some of the books you've read

The latest and best Kindles have a lot to offer, from the Kindle Colorsoft’s color pages to the Kindle Scribe’s larger pad for writing and AI functions, but one downgrade for many has been the removal of buttons for turning pages.

Instead you have to tap the screen to turn, which can smudge the display. Now, as spotted by Good e-Reader, the latest Amazon Kindle update (5.18.1 which is rolling out now) is bringing a Double Tap to Page Turn tool.

As you can probably guess by the name, once the feature is switched on in your Settings, instead of tapping on the screen you can double-tap the frame of the Kindle to either turn the page in your book or to scroll down the page (such as in your Home or Library screens).

It’s not clear exactly how Amazon has unlocked this new page-turn ability, but the Kindle is likely relying on its accelerometer and other internal sensors to detect taps.

The only downside of this simple yet effective solution is that tapping doesn’t yet offer the same level of control as dedicated buttons, with the biggest issue being that you can only go forwards.

If you accidentally flip a page too soon or scroll down too far you’ll need to rely on screen taps to go back.

Recap reminders

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

In addition to page turning, Kindle devices are getting a new Recaps tool.

Have you ever come to read the next book in a series but can't remember what happened in the last entry? Recaps allows you to access a short summary of the events of a Kindle book you’ve purchased or borrowed (provided it’s one of the many English-language bestsellers supported by the feature).

It sounds like the perfect way to quickly refresh yourself on what happened before you dive into the latest entry.

If you don’t want to wait for update 5.18.1 to reach your Kindle automatically, you can head to Amazon’s official Software update page to manually sideload the update to the device from your PC.

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• Lies of P: Overture won't expand upon the base game's shocker of a post-credits scene
• Presumably, this will be saved for the game's eventual sequel
• Director Jiwon Choi claims the DLC will take 15-20 hours to beat

It looks like Lies of P's upcoming Overture DLC won't be elaborating on the base game's stunner of a post-credits scene.

The game's director, Jiwon Choi, confirmed as much in a conversation with IGN at GDC 2025. Choi explained to the outlet that the much-theorized post-credits scene has nothing to do with Overture, adding: “Please stay tuned for additional announcements in the future.”

What's more likely, then, is that Neowiz will have that post-credits scene as the basis of Lies of P's sequel, which has also been announced by the developer.

While Choi didn't give anything away in regards to said sequel in his talk with IGN, he did add that: “What I can certainly tell you is when we share such news or media and assets with you, you'll know for sure that we are ready to present it to you."

SPOILERS FOR LIES OF P'S POST-CREDITS SCENE ARE DETAILED BELOW, READ ON AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The post-credits scene for Lies of P pretty unequivocally spells out that the next project from the developer will be themed around The Wizard of Oz. Or, more likely, the source material novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum. In the scene, we get a brief shot of Dorothy - the work's protagonist - clicking her iconic red slippers together.

The scene quite clearly gives away that the overarching Lies of P universe will explore public domain fairy tales, as the first game does for The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.

Personally, I much prefer the fact that the Overture DLC will continue to be based around the story of Pinocchio, with the Wizard of Oz setting presumably being saved for the sequel.

This obviously would give Neowiz a larger framework with which to explore Baum's work and provide its own (probably very bleak) spin on the tale.

In terms of Overture, though, Choi mentions the DLC will take "experienced players" around 15-20 hours to beat, and that they should play through the base game again to pick up clues on what they can expect in the upcoming expansion.

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• A new Mario Kart launch game for the Switch 2 "is very unlike Nintendo," according to former marketers
• Krysta Yang and Kit Ellis say that it's "unconventional" compared to its "genre-bending" launch of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with the original Switch
• They speculate how Nintendo will get people to buy the new Mario Kart and a new console, considering the success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Nintendo releasing a new Mario Kart game alongside the Switch 2 is "very unlike" the company considering the significant, "genre-bending" launch of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with the original Switch, according to two former marketing leads.

In the latest episode of the Kit & Krysta podcast, the pair discussed the upcoming release of the console and its apparent launch game, which was first teased during the Switch 2 announcement, and determined that it's an "unconventional" decision for Nintendo (via GamesRadar).

"This is very unlike Nintendo," said Krysta Yang, "Usually when they have a launch title like Breath of the Wild, for example, it's like this new game-breaking, genre-bending thing that's never been seen before, and that's what's gonna make you want to buy the new hardware.

"But we're in kind of a different situation with the new Mario Kart because of how successful Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been, honestly because of how successful Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been for Nintendo."

Kit Ellis adds that the success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is "underrated" and notes that the game has now sold 67.35 million copies, not counting the 8.5 million copies that were sold on the WiiU before Deluxe was released in 2017.

This amounts to over 75 million copies, outselling the other two best-selling Switch games, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, by 20 million copies and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by more than 30 million.

Despite these numbers, Yang asks, "How is Nintendo going to convince me to get the new Mario Kart?" and also spend $400 on a new console when there's already a massively successful game out there.

This will be the first Mario Kart game to launch in 10 years, and Ellis speculates how the game could possibly outsell its predecessor when it's, presumably, only playable on the new Switch 2.

We'll likely find out more about the next Mario Kart game on April 2 with the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase. The broadcast will hopefully also provide a release date for the console, as well as preorder and pricing details.

In the meantime, there's going to be a 'regular' Nintendo Direct today at 7am PT / 10asm ET / 2pm GMT that we're covering live.

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Though we’re still due at least one more mid-year update to iPadOS 19, we’re already hearing some juicy rumors about the next major update to Apple’s tablet operating system.

iPadOS 19 will probably be revealed at WWDC in June 2025, following the trend of previous years. Similarly, we expect that Apple’s next major iPadOS upgrade will make it to general release in September 2025, around the time we expect the iPhone 17 series to launch.

Apple doesn’t release iPads yearly in the way it does iPhones, so we’re not sure if any new iPads will be launched alongside the new software. We’d expect all current-gen iPads to support iPadOS 19 on release.

Keep reading for a roundup of the 4 biggest iPadOS 19 rumors we’ve heard so far, as well as 2 further things I’d like to see come to the iPad platform.

• iPadOS 19 is still fairly far away, but we've already heard some key rumors
• New homescreen features could be on the way, as well as a new low-power mode
• New features shared with iOS 19 are rumored to include an Apple Intelligence-powered Siri and visionOS-inspired redesign

Pinned files on the homescreen

(Image credit: Future)

Apple fans have been calling out en masse for more desktop-style iPad features for a few years now – and honestly, I get it. The iPad Pro and iPad Air especially are as powerful on paper as certain MacBooks, powered by M-series chipsets with as much as 16GB of RAM.

We don’t expect that iPadOS 19 will push Apple’s tablets drastically closer to the desktop experience, but a notable tipster suggests that at least one new desktop-style feature is on the way.

According to longtime tipster Majin Bu, iPadOS 19 will bring the ability to pin files and folders to the homescreen, which we imagine means they’ll appear similarly to app icons.

This could add flexibility to the iPad experience, allowing users to set up pages of their homescreen with each focused on different projects or folders. Users have long been able to add websites and widgets to the iPad homescreen, so adding files feels like a natural extension.

A new low-power mode

(Image credit: David Svihovec / Unsplash)

A further rumor from tipster Majin Bu notes that iPadOS 19 could bring an overhauled low-power mode to Apple’s tablet lineup.

The rumor suggests that iPadOS 19 will fold the low-power mode into Apple Intelligence, using AI to optimize performance and conserve battery life.

Currently, the iPad’s low-power mode prioritizes essential tasks, dims the screen, and locks the display to a 60hz refresh rate on models with ProMotion displays (which only includes iPad Pro models at the time of writing).

Though I’m a noted AI skeptic, this sounds like a great way to use it. Some of my concerns about AI are to do with power efficiency, so if Apple is looking to use it to conserve energy I'm happy to watch with curiosity rather than doubt.

Apple Intelligence, meet Siri

Expanded Siri capabilities were first hinted at in 2024 (Image credit: Future)

Siri is due to get its long-awaited Apple Intelligence update with the next major iPadOS update, in line with contemporaneous updates to iOS and macOS.

Apple had initially sought to imbue Siri with the full power of Apple Intelligence via a mid-year iPadOS 18 update, but this has unfortunately failed to materialize.

As well as marking another chapter in the messy rollout of Apple Intelligence, this has led various commentators to adjust their expectations and set sights on iPadOS 19 as Siri’s saviour.

As we recently covered, Siri is well overdue an update, as it still struggles to answer certain basic questions.

A possible redesign

(Image credit: Apple)

As we previously reported, Bloomberg’s resident Apple expert Mark Gurman has suggested that iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 will all come with a major visionOS inspired redesign – think transparent windows, circular icons, and less visual clutter.

Though we’ve not seen many rumors focused on the possible iPadOS overhaul, we have seen images that supposedly show the redesigned iOS camera app.

Though most of the latest Apple software redesign rumors have concerned iOS, it tracks that iPadOS would receive a similar visual refresh, as the two typically mirror each other when it comes to aesthetics.

iPadOS has technically never had a major redesign, as the operating system only diverged from iOS in 2019. The last major iOS redesign came in 2012, with the introduction of iOS 7.

What I want to see from iPadOS 19

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been an iPad user since long before I joined the TechRadar team, and my trusty 2020 iPad Pro is still ticking along – but like many others I think there are a few key things Apple could do to elevate the experience with iPadOS 19.

The first is proper floating window support. I don’t care if it’s packaged as part of Stage Manager, I just want to be able to resize windows at will and place them where I want. I’ve given up on wanting the iPad to behave exactly like a Mac, but I don’t think this will cross any borders.

As mentioned, the iPad Pro and iPad Air now both sport desktop-class chipsets that are more than capable of running and resizing multiple windows – especially for first-party apps.

The second feature I’d like to see added is a software split keyboard. It honestly confuses me that my 11-inch iPad Pro doesn’t support this feature – the tablet is thin and portable, but just too big to type on comfortably when held vertically.

So there you have it – my two-part wishlist. Let us know what you want to see from iPadOS 19 in the comments, and for a refresher on Apple's current tablet lineup check out our list of the best iPads.

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AI has reached an inflection point. Once a futuristic ambition, it is now embedded into our daily lives, powering everything from predictive text to smart applications, through to fraud detection. Businesses, too, are rushing to embrace AI tools, with adoption soaring to 72% in 2024, and the global market set to hit $1,771 billion by 2032. Yet, despite the surge, the role AI plays within most organizations remains confusingly small.

For all the ambition, most businesses aren’t using AI to its full potential. Many deployments focus on essential applications such as chatbots, digital assistants, and isolated automation tools. While these tools are valuable, they often fall short of providing the game-changing transformation that AI is truly capable of, such as redefining operations, enhancing decision-making, and driving innovation.

But between fluctuating business confidence and rising costs prompting companies to increase prices, many are treading cautiously. Some hesitate to invest in large-scale AI projects amid financial uncertainty, while others struggle to identify the right starting point for meaningful adoption.

The drive to AI-dopt

With industry pressure to adopt and ‘have AI’, businesses risk rushing to implementation without a clear strategy. It’s easy to be swept up in the momentum, to see competitors rolling out AI-driven features and assume you must do the same. But how often is AI being introduced with a clear, long-term purpose?

On an industry-specific level, it should be about embedding AI deeply into business functions to unlock real value and drive sustainable growth. Take supply chain management, for example. AI could be the ultimate strategic tool; dynamically optimizing logistics, predicting disruptions, and identifying and automatically resolving bottlenecks before they escalate.

While retailers, if they aren’t already, could use AI-driven supply chain solutions to anticipate product shortages before they occur, adjusting production schedules accordingly. In logistics, AI-powered route optimization can help transportation companies minimize fuel costs and reduce delivery delays. Meanwhile, manufacturers can apply AI to monitor equipment performance, predicting failures before they disrupt production.

Yet, despite these possibilities, adoption remains fragmented. The UK Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan reinforces AI’s role in national competitiveness, pushing for wider adoption. But rather than focusing on whether businesses should invest in AI, the real question is, how they should invest to make it truly transformative.

A shift in mindset

To shift beyond basic AI adoption to full-scale transformation, businesses need to move away from the idea that it is simply another tool to be layered onto existing processes. Instead, AI should be treated as a strategic driver to rethink how work gets done entirely.

That means building AI into strategic planning from the outset and avoiding retrofitting it to existing processes. This requires upskilling employees to collaborate with AI in a wider business culture where AI is a real co-pilot in decision-making. And, most importantly, it demands a long-term commitment where AI initiatives that create lasting business impact are prioritized over chasing quick wins.

One of the biggest misconceptions about AI is that its benefits should be immediate. Businesses looking for instant return on investment (ROI) often implement AI at a topline level, like AI chatbots or fraud detection, but miss out on embedding it into processes where its true value compounds over time.

AI’s biggest gains come from long-term strategic integration, so it’s crucial to pinpoint the areas where the technology can really propel growth and create meaningful change. For instance, businesses should examine how it can be harnessed to elevate customer experiences, streamline operational processes, or spark innovative developments in products and services.

The challenge is that these applications require ongoing refinement and investment, but the businesses that commit to AI as a core part of their strategy will see lasting advantages.

The data double-down

Alongside these opportunities, there's an essential need to acknowledge data privacy. Implementing clear policies on data collection, storage, and usage, is ‘a must’ to ensure transparency in how AI systems make decisions. Especially as societies become more aware of how their data is used and businesses that fail to demonstrate accountability risk facing a loss of customer confidence and maybe even legal repercussions. Safeguarding customer data needs to make up a key part of the foundation for building and maintaining trust. Not just a compliance tick-box.

By balancing the potential for growth with a strong commitment to data protection, businesses can confidently integrate AI into their strategies and know that they're not just following a trend. Quick wins won’t deliver lasting results, this technology’s power lies in how it transforms operations and decision-making over time. This thoughtful approach to AI ensures that it serves as a valuable tool, providing a competitive edge and fostering lasting growth.

We list the best online collaboration tool.

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

• Waze on iOS is ditching Google Assistant soon
• Gemini and Conversational Reporting is taking over
• Google Assistant stays in Waze for Android for now

Gemini is replacing Google Assistant across multiple apps and multiple devices at the moment, and if you use Waze on your iPhone you'll soon notice the mapping app swapping the older AI bot for the newer one.

As spotted by Tech-Issues Today (via MacRumors), the announcement was made on the official Waze community forums. The announcement acknowledges that Google Assistant on Waze for iOS has been buggy for some time, which is one reason for the switch.

"Rather than simply patching a feature that has faced ongoing difficulties, we've decided to phase out Google Assistant on iOS starting tomorrow and replace it with an enhanced voice interaction solution in the near future," reads the forum post.

While Gemini isn't mentioned specifically in that post, the enhanced AI app has been named as the foundation of the Conversational Reporting feature that Waze has already previewed, and which is being tested with a limited number of users at the moment.

Chatting on the go

The upgraded Conversational Reporting feature, powered by Gemini, will enable more natural conversations with Waze when you're on the go. It'll understand a broader range of phrases, and will ask follow-up questions where necessary.

So you might say "the cars are jammed up ahead" or "there's a mattress in the road", or anything else casual or informal – and Waze understands what you mean and makes sure the correct report is logged in the app for other users.

Given the buggy nature of Google Assistant on Waze for iOS, and the superior capabilities of Gemini, it makes a lot of sense for this switch to be made now – especially as Google seems to be speeding up in phasing out Google Assistant.

Google Assistant will remain in place on Waze for Android for the foreseeable future, though that change will no doubt happen eventually too. Waze says Conversational Reporting will roll out to everyone in the "coming months".

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Garmin has introduced Garmin Connect+, a new Premium tier designed to paywall new features for the best Garmin watches in its free Garmin Connect app.

Launching today (March 27), priced at $6.99 / £6.99 / AU$12 per month or $69.99 / £69.99 / AU$120 annually, with a one-month free trial available, Garmin Connect+ offers new features including AI-powered insights, a Performance Dashboard that allows you to view historic graphs, and improvements to Garmin’s LiveTrack service.

Garmin’s AI insights, called ‘Active Intelligence’ – the naming is similar to Strava’s Athlete Intelligence – are designed to provide Connect+ users with "personalized insights and suggestions throughout the day based on health and activity data, powered by AI" according to a Garmin press release.

"As customers use Garmin Connect+ more, the insights will become more tailored to them and their goals" Garmin adds. "The AI providing these insights and suggestions was built to help keep users’ data secure and is currently releasing in beta."

It sounds like Garmin is putting user security at the forefront of its new service – the company has in the past had issues with the leaking of sensitive information, during a ransomware attack in 2020.

Garmin is also keen to address concerns about the incoming paywall, as a Garmin representative emailed me the following: "The Garmin Connect app is a free, personalized experience, and that’s not going away."

The Performance Dashboard that's listed as a Garmin Connect+ feature is confirmed to be different from the Performance Stats tab that's currently free on Garmin Connect, which also allows you to view data graphs based on your historic performance.

I've reached out to Garmin, and the company confirmed that "all existing features and data in Garmin Connect will remain free. Nothing will be moved or blocked behind the GC+ paywall."

Other new features available to Connect+ users include live training guidance during workouts, such as guidance on strength sets with videos, and expanded LiveTrack features such as notification via text. Social features such as exclusive badges and challenges for Connect+ members are also included.

It has begun

(Image credit: Garmin/Shutterstock)

Back in 2023, in an article titled ‘I hope Garmin’s new subscriptions-based maps service isn't the start of a trend’, I wrote: "‘Garmin’s free Connect service makes its watches some of the best-value devices on the market. A move towards a larger subscription service would cheapen and devalue the brand, and possibly drive a huge portion of its user base away and into the waiting arms of Apple."

Just like Fitbit, Garmin has opted to bring out premium features and charge an extra price for access to them. It's encouraging that Garmin isn't making its devices less useful, or locking anything we used to get for free behind a paywall – this is just an optional extra, like Garmin's Maps subscription service.

The big difference between Fitbit and Garmin, however, is the prices of their devices. A Google Pixel Watch 3, the most expensive device on our Best Fitbit guide, costs $399 / £349 / AU$669, while the Garmin Fenix 8 starts at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699 (although you can pick up a cheaper watch, such as the very good Garmin Forerunner 165, for around $299.99 / £249.99 / AU$489.99).

If someone told me that after buying a Fenix 8 I couldn’t get a particular feature without paying an additional premium on top, that watch would either be going out the window or (more likely) straight back to the store. Garmin will have to be careful to advertise its free and paid-for features accordingly.

I’ve always lauded Garmin Connect as a shining example of a free companion app, one that makes its expensive watches an excellent-value prospect in the long run. Hopefully the free features we’re used to will remain free, otherwise I can see a lot of angry exercisers jumping ship to other brands.

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• Microsoft has added new AI-powered features to the Windows Photos app
• Its new features include Enhanced Optical Character Recognition and editing tools
• The update is only live in part to Windows Insider users, with the features expected to roll out in the coming weeks

Microsoft has rolled out a new update for the Windows Photos app, which adds Copilot support and an array of new features designed to make the program more user-friendly and useful overall.

As spotted by MSPoweruser, the biggest change to the Windows Photos app is the new Copilot button, which is available now for some Insider users.

New features backed by the company's AI-powered assistant include Enhanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) with Web Search Integration, which includes the ability to scan text with over 160 languages recognized.

Additionally, the new update has added a "Search in Web" button, which will scan the text within the images and present options based on them, which is said to be particularly handy for finding sources of documents and screenshots.

Also powered by Copilot is the new quick-access drop-down menu which has more advanced options for editing images. Presently, these are: Edit with Photos, Erase Objects with Photos, Create with Designer, and Visual Search with Bing (if you want to use the Microsoft-backed search engine specifically).

Arguably less exciting (but still useful) are the new shortcuts available in File Explorer, which can also be used from the desktop. They offer simple one-click access to the aforementioned drop-down menu without even needing to be in the app (or looking at images).

Copilot doesn't just offer creation options but also enhancements through the Photo app's Gallery. Images are now displayed in subfolders, keeping things more organized with suggestions for content types. A new dedicated button offers AI-powered editing functionality with tips on enhancing an image in a handful of different ways.

Microsoft has also introduced some minor bug fixes as well, including small revisions to the Image Creator and Restyle Image features for Copilot, which is said to speed things up. It also means that generated images can be saved under different names without as much hassle as before.

All of these changes are being slowly drip-fed to Windows Insiders, so it's unknown exactly when everyone will benefit from the new changes, but we estimate it will be in the next few weeks.

A genuine use case for the Photos app and Copilot

(Image credit: Microsoft)

It's fair to say that the Photos app in Windows 11 has never really been something you would have wanted to have spent much time in.

For most people, it's a simple (and usually fast enough) way of browsing through images saved onto the hard disk and little else. However, backed by Copilot, there's now a suite of new functionality on offer, including image recognition and powerful editing tools that could give you more reason to open it up and play around with things.

Since its launch back in February 2023, Microsoft Copilot has become a bigger focus of the company's strategy, particularly about some of the best laptops and the best ultrabooks.

Of course, to make use of the bulk of these features, you'll need a laptop with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) to utilize AI workloads in the first place. Whether that's with Intel's Lunar Lake, AMD's Ryzen AI chips, or Qualcomm's Snapdragon X line, all of the best laptop CPUs now have NPUs built in. We recommend reading up on all the differences to see what's right for you.

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The next Nintendo Direct has been announced and it's much sooner than we were anticipating. Yesterday, Nintendo revealed that it will take place today, March 27, in a social media post.

The company also confirmed that the presentation will last for "around 30 minutes," which is a little shorter than the usual 40-odd-minute format. The post went on to state there there will be absolutely no Nintendo Switch 2 news in the direct, though this in itself isn't too surprising.

Nintendo announced a dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct back when it first revealed the console. This is set to occur on April 2, so it makes sense to keep details about its hardware and slate of games under wraps until then.

Nintendo Direct start time and how to watch

The presentation is set to begin at 7am PT / 10am ET / 2pm GMT on March 27, 2025.

As with past Nintendo Direct presentations, you will be able to watch the upcoming March 27, 2025, Nintendo Direct via YouTube.

If you want to receive a notification when the broadcast goes live, make sure that you're signed in with your YouTube account and hit the 'Notify me' button onscreen sometime before it begins.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

I'm going to be keeping you up to date throughout the build-up to the Nintendo Direct, sharing not only the latest news and rumors but also my personal predictions about what it could include.

As this is almost definitely the last Nintendo Direct before the Nintendo Switch 2 is revealed, it's going to be an interesting one.

I'm certainly keen to see what Nintendo has in store for the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED, and Nintendo Switch Lite now that a successor is so near.

Good morning gamers! Hello and welcome to my live Nintendo Direct coverage. The hype is definitely building and we're here to guide you through the day.

I'll be keeping track of all the latest news, rumors, and even making some predictions as we hurtle towards the show.

How to prepare

We're just over three hours until the Nintendo Direct begins, but I've got some recommendations for how to prepare.

First, I'd recommend just making a mental note of that start time. If you need a refresher, it's 7am PT / 10am ET / 2pm GMT, so make sure that you're free to watch. We also know that the direct will last for roughly 30 minutes, so have that time free.

If you're not able to follow along to the video live, don't worry, as I'll be posting the announcements as they happen in text form. I'll also be recapping everything after the fact.

Also consider bookmarking the live stream on YouTube. This will make it easy to boot up once that time arrives, ensuring that you won't miss any of the action.

A Kirby remaster?

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Wondering what might be in store? The latest rumors suggest that we a remaster of Kirby: Planet Robobot could be announced.

Of course, this is pure speculation at this time but it would make a lot of sense. With the Nintendo Switch on the way out, I would expect this Direct to be dominated by remasters or ports of older games.

This is because they're relatively straightforward to develop and can be outsourced to other studios, allowing Nintendo's biggest teams to focus on the Nintendo Switch 2.

We saw lots of remasters towards the end of the Nintendo 3DS's and Wii U's life, so the company also has form here,

Reminder: no Nintendo Switch 2 news

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Here's an important reminder if you haven't already got the memo: there will be no news about the Nintendo Switch 2 in this presentation.

This was confirmed by Nintendo in the original announcement post, which stated "there will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during this presentation."

If it's just Nintendo Switch 2 news that you're after, you're best off skipping this Direct in favor of the previously confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 direct on April 2, which takes place at 6AM PT.

The Nintendo Music app has grown

(Image credit: Nintendo)

In some surprising news shortly before the announcement of the Nintendo Direct, the company revealed changes to its Nintendo Music app.

The app, which lets you listen to select video game soundtracks on your mobile phone, now features some new music from classics like Tetris, Dr. Mario, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

Could this hint at some of the things we might see at the Nintendo Direct? It's not likely, but it's still interesting nonetheless.

• Advanced software firm has been fined by the ICO for a data breach
• This is the first penalty for a data processor
• The information of over 79,000 people was put at risk

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a fine of £3.07 million to software firm Advanced Computer Group Ltd following a 2022 ransomware attack in which NHS data was stolen and systems were encrypted, putting the personal information of 79,404 people at risk.

This is the first fine from the ICO given to a data processor, and serves as a “stark reminder that organisations risk becoming the next target without robust security measures in place,” the Commissioner says.

The attack caused disruptions to critical services at the time, including NHS 111, and meant some healthcare staff were unable to access patient records. The stolen information included patient phone numbers, medical records, and most concerning, access details for the homes of 890 people receiving care at home.

Insufficient protections

An Advanced spokesperson told TechRadar Pro the incident was "wholly regrettable", and that the firm is pleased to see the matter concluded,

"With threat actors operating with increasing sophistication it is upon all businesses to ensure their cyber posture is continually strengthened. Cyber security remains a primary investment across our business, and we have learned a great deal as an organisation since this attack."

The ICO’s investigation found that Advanced Computer Group Ltd didn’t deploy sufficient technical and organisational measures to keep health and car systems fully secure prior to the incident, and pointed to gaps in Multi Factor Authentication Deployment, inadequate patch management, and ‘a lack of comprehensive vulnerability scanning’.

“The security measures of Advanced’s subsidiary fell seriously short of what we would expect from an organisation processing such a large volume of sensitive information,” confirms John Edwards, Information Commissioner.

“While Advanced had installed multi-factor authentication across many of its systems, the lack of complete coverage meant hackers could gain access, putting thousands of people’s sensitive personal information at risk.”

The firm was hit by a provisional fine of £6m in August 2024, but this was reduced after considerations were submitted to the ICO, including Advanced’s “proactive engagement with the NCSC, the NCA, and the NHS in the wake of the attack and other steps taken to mitigate the risk to those impacted.”

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• Microsoft’s March updates for Xbox also brought something for Windows 11
• The Game Bar has been given a makeover, including multiple widgets
• There’s also a useful change to improve the Game Bar Widget Store when using a controller

Microsoft has just brought in a raft of changes for the Xbox consoles in its March updates, but there’s something here for PC gamers too – a new look for the Game Bar (and a useful tweak for handhelds, too).

For the uninitiated, the Game Bar is an overlay that can be summoned to provide easy and convenient access to a bunch of game-related options. That includes tricks such as recording gameplay, monitoring your PC’s performance, tweaking audio settings and much more. The bar can be customized with various widgets and it’s a very useful tool for Windows 11 gamers on the whole.

And now, as Neowin spotted, Microsoft has given the Game Bar a graphical makeover, and also tells us that this is the start of “several visual enhancements that will be rolling out this week.”

The overall look of the bar has been refreshed, and there are new designs for some of the widgets that can be hosted in the Game Bar. That includes the Capture widget, Performance widget, Resource widget, and also the Widget Store itself.

Furthermore, when you’re in the Widget Store, Microsoft says it has improved the way you navigate around with the controller, so this will provide a better experience in Compact Mode.

You might recall that the Game Bar’s Compact Mode was an innovation brought in last year, designed to display the contents of the overlay more optimally in a smaller space as the name suggests – making life easier for those running Windows 11 on a gaming handheld.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: Handheld hopes

In terms of its appearance, the Game Bar has been refined considerably over the past year or so, and this is yet another step towards making this overlay look more modern. These latest touches make the bar look neater and cleaner, at least in my opinion, so I’m pleased with the general design philosophy Microsoft has gone with here.

It’s also good to get that improvement to make it easier to explore the Widget Store with a controller, which is another step forward for those using the Game Bar on a Windows 11 handheld like the Asus ROG Ally X.

The more Microsoft introduces tinkering aimed at such gaming handhelds – and there have been quite a few small steps taken in that direction now – the more hope I have for an eventual ‘handheld mode’ for Windows 11 (which has been rumored to be something the company has been considering for some time now).

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• Upcoming life sim inZOI will no longer feature Denuvo Anti-Tamper DRM
• The news follows growing concern from fans about its implementation
• Critics argue that it can negatively impact performance and harm modding

Developer Inzoi Studio has confirmed that upcoming life simulation game inZOI will not feature the Denuvo Anti-Tamper digital rights management (DRM) system despite initial plans to include it.

The news comes after growing concern from fans that the software would negatively impact performance and hamper modding possibilities.

If you're out of the loop, Denuvo Anti-Tamper is a popular DRM system used by developers to help prevent game piracy and other forms of code manipulation. How it works is kept mostly under wraps, but some players argue that it can negatively impact game performance.

The company behind the software, Irdeto, argues that "there is no in-game performance impact caused by the addition of anti-tamper protection" and describes the concerns as an example of the "large amount of misinformation out there about anti-tamper technology".

Justified or not, the use of Denuvo remains a contentious issue in gaming, particularly in the case of inZOI. Lots of potential players are already worried about the game's performance given its relatively high system requirements.

Many of the most dedicated life sim fans also make extensive use of community made mods or add-ons, something that may have been prevented by the implementation of the DRM.

To DRM or not to DRM?

In a statement posted to Steam, inZOI producer and director Hyungjun 'Kjun' Kim noted the "growing concern around the implementation of the Denuvo Anti-Tamper solution" and stated that they "felt it was important to approach the issue with care."

They go on to say that, as a result of the community backlash, the company has "decided to remove Denuvo from the Early Access build of inZOI."

They also outline some of the reasons behind its planned inclusion: "we initially chose to implement Denuvo as a way to protect the game from illegal distribution. At the time, we believed this would help ensure fairness for players who had properly purchased the game."

"We understand that removing Denuvo increases the risk of the game being cracked and illegally distributed after release," Kjun continued. "At the same time, we believe it opens up a valuable opportunity: it allows inZOI to become more freely configurable—unlocking new ways for players to shape new experiences for other players."

The studio is fully "committed to making inZOI a highly moddable game" with the "first stage" of initial mod support launching in May. This, however, "is only the beginning" and will be expanded over time.

In removing Denuvo, the company hopes to, "foster an even more open environment for modders to create and share unique experiences for other players."

Kjun concludes the post by apologizing to the community and reaffirming a commitment to "putting players first" and "prioritize your feedback."

No matter which side of the Denuvo debate you fall on, it's easy to appreciate this level of transparency and goes to show just how closely the team is listening to players.

inZOI is launching for PC on March 28. A PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S release is set to follow at a later date.

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• What appear to be leaked images show the three colors you might be able to get a Galaxy S25 Edge in
• The images look like official marketing materials
• Accompanying details also reveal the possible screen and camera specs

Just yesterday we saw wallpapers showing the three colors we’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge to launch in, and now we can do one better, as some seemingly leaked images show these three shades on the phone itself.

WinFuture has shared what it claims are official images of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and while we’d take them with a pinch of salt, they certainly look convincing.

You can see the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Icy Blue shades, though colors aside there’s not much to see here, as Samsung has already shown off the phone from both the front and back.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: WinFuture / Roland Quandt)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: WinFuture / Roland Quandt)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: WinFuture / Roland Quandt) Screen and camera details

Still, these images are also accompanied by some specs, with the source claiming the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will have the same 6.7-inch AMOLED display as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus.

Confusingly they go on to say that it has a 1080 x 2400 resolution, but that actually wouldn’t be the same as the S25 Plus, as this phone has a 1440 x 3120 resolution. Given that we recently heard the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge might have a 2K resolution though, we’d guess that it will be 1440 x 3120, and that the mention of 1080 x 2400 was a mistake.

In any case, this latest leak also points to a 200MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide one, and suggests that unsurprisingly the Galaxy S25 Edge will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, just like the rest of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series.

We should find out how accurate this all is soon, as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is tipped to launch before long, with the latest S25 Edge release date leak pointing to April 16.

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• Marvel has indicated it hasn't announced the full cast for Avengers: Doomsday
• 27 heroes and villains are already confirmed for the film
• The comic giant and Robert Downey Jr suggest more reveals could be on the way

Hold onto your hats, Marvel fans, because more – yes, even more! – Avengers: Doomsday cast reveals could be inbound.

Yesterday (March 26), Marvel revealed the 27-strong cast for Avengers: Doomsday by way of an extremely drawn-out livestream. That event, which has been humorously dubbed 'Aven-Chairs Assemble' by some sections of the Marvel fanbase, appeared to confirm the movie's full roster.

There are, though, many fan-favorite heroes who weren't announced as part of Avengers 5's cast. Where's Spider-Man? Why are other OG Avengers like Hulk and Hawkeye not in the mix? What's with the lack of mystic art wielders, such as Doctor Strange and Wong? And how come there are only five (!) female characters in Doomsday's currently 27-strong line-up?

Well. pic.twitter.com/4vBlaFPikZMarch 26, 2025

It seems like some or all of those characters, plus many others I haven't mentioned, could still appear in the fifth Avengers film.

In the replies of an Instagram post (see ComicBook.com's screengrab in the above X/Twitter post), which confirmed Doomsday was officially in production alongside its confirmed cast – so far, anyway – Marvel and Robert Downey Jr playfully suggested that there'll be further cast additions at some point.

There's still hope for many, then, that their favorite superhuman will show up in this Marvel Phase 6 project. None of us know when Marvel might reveal more, but let's just hope they don't make us sit through another five and a half hour livestream to find out.

Everything we know about Avengers: Doomsday so far

A post shared by Marvel Studios (@marvelstudios)

A photo posted by on

Doomsday and its sequel flick Avengers: Secret Wars are still shrouded in mystery. Rightfully so, too, because none of us want anything significant spoiled ahead of their eventual releases.

There are some details that we've been aware of for some time, though – starting with the pair's launch dates. Currently, Doomsday is set to land in theaters on May 1, 2026, while Secret Wars is expected to arrive in cinemas on May 7, 2027.

Until yesterday, the Multiverse Saga's double-bill capper's only confirmed cast member was Downey Jr. Instead of playing Tony Stark/Iron Man, however, he'll portray Doctor Victor von Doom, aka one of Marvel's most iconic villains and adversary-in-chief of The Fantastic Four. Doom will be the Multiverse Saga's new Big Bad after Marvel pivoted away from using Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror in late 2023.

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Elsewhere, Joe and Anthony Russo, who've helmed four other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, return to direct Avengers 5 and 6. They took command of the previous two Avengers movies, too, which are the second and third-highest-grossing films of all time. Clearly, they're considered a safe pair of hands (or should that be two safe pairs of hands?) for Doomsday and Secret Wars.

As for what the siblings have said about the two films, the Russos exclusively told me that they'll draw inspiration from both 'Secret Wars' comic book series for this cinematic pairing. They aren't averse to including heroes from Marvel TV shows on Disney+ in the two Avengers flicks, either, even though the vast majority of Doomsday's roster comprises heroes and villains we've previously seen in big-screen projects.

Lastly, the Russo brothers say Doomsday and Secret Wars will mark a new beginning for the MCU, and after apparent concept art for Avengers 5 and 6 leaked online in early March, the pair denied that this artwork spoiled anything about either film's plot.

I'll be covering Doomsday and Secret Wars in-depth in the long lead-up to their releases, so stick with TechRadar for more when I have it. In the meantime, read on for more Marvel coverage or take to the comments to tell me which MCU character you want to see in either or both films.

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• Legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo will be a playable character in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• A second open beta test is live now, running until the end of March
• The game will release in full on April 24, 2025

In what is quite possibly the biggest bit of fighting game news this year, Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has been confirmed as a playable character in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.

No, don't click away. I promise I'm not just reporting on a particularly convincing fever dream. Ronaldo was initially teased to make an appearance in the upcoming SNK fighting game last year, but in what capacity we didn't know at that time.

Now, the sporting icon has been outright confirmed as a playable guest character for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Developer SNK has also released a couple of trailers giving us a sneak peek at Ronaldo's appearance and moveset.

As you might expect, the former Real Madrid superstar primarily incorporates a football into his playstyle, along with a good number of powerful kicks. At first glance, it looks like players will be able to keep opponents guessing with the placement of the ball, potentially making him something of a rushdown / zoner hybrid character.

I'll admit it; it seems like an utterly bonkers idea for a crossover. But if you look at the history of fighting game guest characters as well as SNK itself, it starts to make a ton of sense.

For one, guest character inclusions have been an incredibly effective marketing tool for fighting games for decades now. Whether it's Clive Rosfield (Final Fantasy 16) in Tekken 8 or Snake (Metal Gear Solid) in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, guest characters get people talking and have the power to expand a game's audience.

Heck, the Soul Calibur series made this a core part of its identity, featuring characters like Link, Spawn, Darth Vader, Ezio Auditore, Geralt of Rivia, and 2B in various games.

(Image credit: SNK)

'But Ronaldo isn't a fictional character,' you might say. And that's fair. On that front, it's worth noting that both football and SNK-developed fighting games are especially popular in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries including Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.

To players in those countries, Ronaldo's inclusion is likely a very exciting prospect. And, y'know, he might also just be a globally celebrated sports icon who has played for clubs all over the world including Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus.

In any case, you can get a taste of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves right now ahead of its April 24 release. A second open beta for the game has just gone live across all platforms. It runs from today, March 27, all the way until March 31.

Sadly, Ronaldo isn't playable here, but it does look to address issues from the first open beta by adding Tizoc as a playable character as well as a training mode.

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• Gallagher survey finds high adoption of AI in workplaces
• However many firms still have major concerns about the technology
• Hallucinations and legal liability top the list of worries

Businesses are adopting AI tools at a faster rate than ever before, but many still have some significant concerns about its effects, new research has claimed.

The 2025 Attitudes to AI Adoption & Risk Survey from Gallagher found almost half (45%) of businesses were using AI in day-to-day operations by the end of 2024, an increase of a third (32%) over the previous 12 months.

It added 85% of businesses have introduced strategies related to job protection as part of their AI adoption framework, as seven of the top 10 challenges associated with AI adoption relate to how to change business strategy to effective embrace AI.

AI concerns

Gallagher's research found larger firms were particularly keen at getting AI up to speed, with 82% reporting success in adopting AI, with improved efficiency and productivity named as particular benefits.

The top use-cases for AI named by survey respondents included writing emails/agendas(32%), handling customer queries (31%), and understanding market dynamics (28%).

However the survey also highlighted some widespread concerns about the use of AI, particularly as Gallagher predicts a possible increase in legal liabilities for firms where the use of AI is not properly governed over the next few years.

AI errors or hallucinations, where a model generates inaccurate results, was the most common threat, reported by more than a third (34%) of business owners, with data protection and privacy violations (33%) and legal liabilities (31%) related to AI misuse also mentioned.

Gallagher has warned companies utilizing AI to be aware of the possible risks using AI systems could expose them to, and take the necessary precautions where needed

“AI systems excel at processing vast amounts of data and identifying patterns that may not be readily apparent to humans," noted Ben Waterton, Executive Director of Professional Indemnity at Gallagher.

"However, they cannot replace human expertise and judgment that qualified individuals bring to their work. Relying solely on AI without critical examination and human oversight can lead to serious consequences and compromising advice. The quality assurance procedures and oversight of employees must evolve to ensure that this emerging risk is recognised and addressed to prevent professional indemnity losses.”

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Following another year of widespread attacks across every industry, organizations cannot afford to ignore the threat posed by ransomware gangs. Ransomware gangs are constantly innovating, and traditional defense strategies are being outpaced by new threats such as fileless malware and AI-driven attacks.

If we want to protect our businesses, safeguard the economy and keep the lights on in our hospitals and critical national infrastructure, the cybersecurity industry needs to radically rethink its approach.

What can we expect from ransomware gangs in 2025?

Ransomware gangs have a way of coming back in one form or another. Given their track record as the world’s most prolific ransomware gangs, it would be wise to assume that LockBit, REvil, and Conti will all make an unwelcome comeback before long. Despite being taken down by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in February last year, unknown individuals claiming to represent the LockBit gang recently hinted at an impending release of a new locker malware, LockBit 4.0. It’s only a matter of time.

Elsewhere, RansomHub, Play and DragonForce are among several new ransomware groups quickly gaining notoriety within the cybersecurity industry. These new gangs share a common characteristic of attacking critical infrastructure. In the US, last year’s American Water shutdown was a catastrophic example of the growing threat ransomware gangs pose to critical infrastructure. In the UK, the impact has become so severe that the government has been pushed to ban local councils, schools and the NHS from making ransomware payments.

Ransomware gangs – old and new – chiefly rely on double extortion tactics, exploiting supply chain weaknesses and DDoS attacks. Organizations that continue to rely on reactive defenses or behavior-based detection are vulnerable to these tactics. Software defenses by themselves are too easily evaded. To truly combat the multi-faceted approach of ransomware gangs, organizations must integrate multi-layered approaches, combining advanced software solutions with proactive hardware defenses, robust backup strategies and rigorous employee training.

The limitations of software

The tools and tactics used by cybercriminals are advancing at such a pace that even today’s most advanced software-based cybersecurity will eventually become obsolete. Reliance on security software by itself depends on continual updates and vigilance. It also places the burden of cybersecurity on users, who must always be on alert to detect and respond to threats such as phishing attacks. This is worrying given that human error persists as the leading cause of security lapses.

What’s more, AI has greatly improved the social engineering capabilities of ransomware gangs. Previously, phishing emails could be detected by tells such as poor spelling or unnatural phrasing. Now, advanced AI chatbots can write more fluently than most humans and deepfake technology can produce convincing audio and visual communications. We need to remove humans from the equation which just isn’t possible when relying on software alone.

A further issue for businesses relying on software security is that it is interconnected with their wider digital ecosystem, which makes it inherently vulnerable to attackers. The trouble with software security is not that it doesn’t work, but that it only works up to a point. Since many businesses assume that software is the only game in town for cybersecurity, ransomware gangs will continue to thrive by exploiting its limitations. It’s time for businesses to change this narrative and embrace multi-layer security solutions.

Rethinking ‘zero trust’ from hardware up

Hardware-based solutions should be a non-negotiable for modern cybersecurity. By integrating a hardware layer alongside software, businesses ensure that their security remains intact, even if their software layer fails. Hardware security can also incorporate proactive security driven by AI. This means that businesses have an additional round-the-clock security team that can pre-empt attacks before they have a chance to cause harm. Moving from reactive to proactive defenses will be a critical step towards stopping ransomware gangs in their tracks.

When it comes to zero trust security – the cybersecurity approach that assumes no one inside or outside a network should be trusted by default – the concept is extremely valuable, but it often falls short in practice. Humans must put together the underlying IT infrastructure and make judgements where an exception may be needed.

This brings us back to the innate risk of relying on human beings. The way to build true zero trust is to incorporate new tools that are embedded within endpoint hardware. Features like hardware-verified boot, firmware integrity checks and automatic recovery ensure that security is built directly into the hardware itself.

To further mitigate human error, AI-driven policy engines can be used to enhance hardware-based security. AI analyses data from trusted hardware components to enforce zero trust. By combining AI with hardware security, businesses can automate policies, detect threats in real time and minimize software vulnerabilities.

There’s no time to wait

Ransomware gangs show no signs of slowing down. The unfortunate corollary of AI development is that bad actors are exploiting this advancing technology to increase the scope and power of their attacks. Traditional cybersecurity methods are not equipped to combat the rising tide of AI-powered attacks, and security teams must adopt a multi-layer approach to break the grip of ransomware gangs.

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

• Proton and Vivaldi have announced a new partnership, integrating Proton VPN directly into Vivaldi's desktop browser
• The integration is available for use from March 27, 2025
• This partnership hopes to strengthen European tech independency from US Big Tech giants and provide users with a better online experience

Europe-based firms Proton and Vivaldi have announced they're joining forces. The partnership means Proton VPN will be integrated into Vivaldi's desktop browser starting today, March 27, 2025.

The integration allows users to enjoy the perks of one of the best VPN services when surfing the web and promises advanced customization and control over your data.

The partnership aims to strengthen European tech independency from US Big Tech giants while helping you break free from surveillance capitalism models, all with a better online experience.

A better alternative

"Consumers around the world are fed up with Big Tech’s data collection. The problem is they haven’t until recently had an alternative," said David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN.

"Together, Proton VPN and Vivaldi are setting a new standard that challenges the dominance of Tech giants, providing a viable European alternative that helps people retake control of their digital lives."

Web browsers are the primary source for online data collection on today's internet. While you can take some steps to minimize your data footprint by spoofing your IP address with a virtual private network (VPN), this generally involves the need to download an app or browser extension.

You can find Proton VPN directly on the sidebar of Vivaldi's desktop browser app for a seamless and secure browsing experience (Image credit: Proton)

Now, you can utilize Proton's tried and tested privacy, security, and anti-censorship features directly from the Vivaldi browser. All you need to do is create a Proton account and enjoy the protections of this no-log VPN.

On its side, Vivaldi is a secure and encrypted web browser known for its great customization features.

For example, unlike Google Chrome, it promises never to track your browsing history or collect your data in any other form. Everything is stored locally on your device in an encrypted folder, so not even the provider itself can access it.

Vivaldi also offers a built-in tracker and ad blocker, alongside the ability to disable all cookies from third-party sites.

"While innovation drives technology forward, we believe ethics must guide its path," said COO and Co-founder at Vivaldi, Tatsuki Tomita. "Our partnership represents a principled alternative to big tech, one where your data remains yours, not a commodity to be sold."

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