TechRadar News

• Concerns are raised over Microsoft’s use of customer data for AI training
• But the company confirmed it does not use customer data to train LLMs
• Publicly available information is considered open for training

Microsoft’s use of so-called ‘Connected Experiences’ has come under scrutiny following claims it collected user-generated content to train its AI models.

The latest claims stem from an X post by @nixCraft, who accuses Microsoft of turning on an opt-out feature that automatically scrapes Word and Excel documents for AI training.

@nixCraft continues: “This setting is turned on by default, and you have to manually uncheck a box in order to opt out.”

Microsoft says it doesn’t train AI on your documents

Concerns were raised about the use of proprietary content belonging to writers and creators who wish to protect, copyright or sell their content. The X user even shared steps on how to disable Connected Experiences via File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options > Optional Connected Experiences.

Despite the claims, Microsoft 365 replied to the thread, stating: “In the M365 apps, we do not use customer data to train LLMs. This setting only enables features requiring internet access like co-authoring a document.”

In an earlier August 2024 blog post, Microsoft confirmed use data remains private and is not disclosed without permission. The company wrote: “Generative AI models do not store training data or return it to provide a response, and instead are designed to generate new content.”

Microsoft also promised to alert users “transparently” in the event of a change to how it handles consumer data for training GenAI models in Copilot.

On the whole, the company has made substantial efforts to differentiate customer data from readily available online sources. Microsoft seemingly treats the latter completely separately, with Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman calling public information “freeware” for AI training.

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While there's been a fair few movies leaving Hulu in December, we assumed they'd be making room for festive titles. But, there's a surprising lack in this month's list. It appears that everything new on Hulu in November was when the 'big' festive drop happened, and fortunately they're all still there to enjoy.

There are a few Christmas classics though, like Miracle on 34th Street, that made the nice (and new) list. While there's some of the best Christmas movies on Hulu, none will be joining the streaming platform in December. But, there's still plenty on offer. Instead of the predictable festive hits, there's a bounty of fun movies and TV shows to watch over the holidays.

As one of the best streaming services, December is a busy time for Hulu and with over 200 new additions coming to the platform, there's a little something for everyone to enjoy, which is handy because 'tis the season to spend a lot of time with family. So, let's take a look at the titles you can add to your Christmas watchlist.

Everything new on Hulu in December 2024

Arriving on December 1

Bunk’d seasons 1-7 (TV show)
Ace of Cakes season 9 (TV show)
Alaskan Bush People seasons 8-11 (TV show)
Bahamas Life season 5 (TV show)
Buddy vs. Duff season 4 (TV show)
Caribbean Life seasons 5 & 17 (TV show)
Chopped seasons 53-55 (TV show)
Deadliest Catch season 5 (TV show)
Dirty Jobs season 4 (TV show)
Ghost Adventures seasons 5 & 8 (TV show)
Gold Rush season 5 (TV show)
House Hunters season 170 (TV show)
House Hunters (Home for the Holidays) season 173 (TV show)
House Hunters International season 140 (TV show)
Maine Cabin Masters season 8 (TV show)
Sherlock Hound season 1 (TV show)
Street Outlaws season 5 (TV show)
Welcome to Plathville seasons 4-5 (TV show)
Antwone Fisher (movie)
Cast Away (movie)
Cheaper by the Dozen (movie)
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (movie)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (movie)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (movie)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (movie)
Epic (movie)
Epic Movie (movie)
A Good Day to Die Hard (movie)
Ice Age: Continental Drift (movie)
Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
Moulin Rouge (movie)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (movie)
The Muppets (movie)
Muppets Most Wanted (movie)
Muppet Treasure Island (movie)
Rio 2 (movie)
Sommersby (movie)
Speed (movie)
Bad Moms (movie)
This Christmas (movie)
Gladiator (movie)
National Security (movie)
Paradise Highway (movie)
The Perfect Guy (movie)
The Perfect Holiday (movie)
The Quick and the Dead (movie)
Ricki and the Flash (movie)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (movie)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (movie)
Twilight (movie)
Twilight Saga: Eclipse (movie)
Twilight Saga: New Moon (movie)

Arriving on December 3

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Breaking Amish season 1 (TV show)
Breaking Amish: Brave New World season 2 (TV show)
Breaking Amish: LA season 3 (TV show)
A Crime to Remember season 1 (TV show)
Ghost Adventures: Artifacts season 1 (TV show)
Ghost Adventures: House Calls seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda season 8 (TV show)
Murder Under the Friday Night Lights seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? Seasons 6-9 (TV show)
My Feet Are Killing Me seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
My Feet Are Killing Me: First Steps season 1 (TV show)
Property Brothers at Home seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Property Brothers at Home: Drew’s Honeymoon House season 1 (TV show)
Rock the Block seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Selena + Restaurant season 1 (TV show)
sMothered seasons 1-3 (TV show)
The Family Chantel seasons 1-3 (TV show)
The Flipping El Moussas season 1 (TV show)
The Great Food Truck Race seasons 13 & 14 (TV show)
Tiny House Hunters season 2 (TV show)
Tournament of Champions seasons 2 & 3 (TV show)
Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme (documentary)
Light Shop season 1 (TV show)
Storm Crashers (movie)

Arriving on December 5

The Alaska Triangle season 1 (TV show)
Ancient Aliens season 20A (TV show)
Barnwood Builders seasons 16 & 17 (TV how)
Chopped seasons 20 & 21 (TV show)
Chopped Junior seasons 6 & 7 (TV show)
Chopped Next Gen season 1 (TV show)
The Curse of Oak Island season 11 (TV show)
Fixer Upper: Behind the Design season 1 (TV show)
Fixer Upper: The Castle season 1 (TV show)
Fixer Upper: The Hotel season 1 (TV show)
Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse season 1 (TV show)
Gold Rush: Dave Turin’s Lost Mine seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Hot Ones new episodes (TV show)
The Murder Tapes seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
My Big Fat Fabulous Life seasons 6-9 and 10-11 (TV show)
Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
MythBusters season 19 (TV show)
MythBusters Jr. season 1 (TV show)
90 Day Diaries season 1 (TV show)
7 Little Johnstons seasons 1-6 (TV show)
Supermarket Stakeout season 1 (TV show)
A Deadly Threat to My Family (movie)
Living (movie)

Arriving on December 6

Buddy’s Holiday Recipe Rumble season 1 (TV show)
Paris Has Fallen season 1 (TV show)
Doctor Dolittle (movie)
Doctor Dolittle 2 (movie)
Flycatcher (movie)
Marley & Me (movie)
Marley & Me: The Puppy Years (movie)
Summer Camp (movie)

Arriving on December 7

Destruction Decoded season 2 (TV show)
Inside Enchanted Forests series premiere (TV show)
Celebrity IOU seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Chopped Sweets season 3 (TV show)
Deadliest Catch seasons 19 & 20 (TV show)
Deadly Women season 14 (TV show)
Dr. Pimple Popper seasons 1, 2 & 9 (TV show)
Dr. Pimple Popper: Before the Pop season 1 (TV show)
Evil Lives Here seasons 1, 3, 4, 14 & 15 (TV show)
Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death seasons 1-3 (TV show)
Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks season 1 (TV show)
Fatal Vows season 5 (TV show)
Maine Cabin Masters season 9 (TV show)
Nightmare Next Door seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
The Perfect Murder season 3 (TV show)
Street Outlaws seasons 12 & 13 (TV show)
Ugliest House in America seasons 1, 3 & 4 (TV show)
Ugliest House in America: Ugly in Paradise season 2 (TV show)
Worst Cooks in America: Dirty Dishes season 1 (TV show)
The Convert (movie)

Arriving on December 9

Step Up (movie)
Step Up 2: The Streets (movie)
Step Up 3D (movie)

Arriving on December 10

Caught! Season 1 (TV show)
Critical Incident season 1 (TV show)
Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders season 1 (TV show)
Farmhouse Fixer season 1 (TV show)
Food Network Star seasons 11-13 (TV show)
Gold Rush seasons 7-12 (TV show)
Guy’s Big Bite season 1 (TV show)
Guy’s Big Game season 1 (TV show)
I Love a Mama’s Boy season 1 (TV show)
Mysteries at the Museum season 1 (TV show)
Rachael vs Guy: Kids Cook-Off seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
The Real Full Monty special premiere (TV show)
Save My Skin season 4 (TV show)
Unsellable Houses season 1 (TV show)
Sugarcane (documentary)
Coup! (movie)

Arriving on December 11

Down to the Studs season 1 (TV show)
Extravagant Spaces season 1 (TV show)
Home to Homestead season 1 (TV show)
The Reveal season 3 (TV show)
Tiny Bnb seasons 2 & 3 (TV show)
The Vision Maker with Anne-Marie Barton season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on December 12

Accused: Guilty or Innocent? season 6 (TV show)
48 Hours to Buy season 1 (TV show)
Interrogation Raw season 2B (TV show)
Knight Fight season 1 (TV show)
The Proof is Out There: Military Mysteries season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on December 13

Don’t Tell Comedy (TV show)
Joe Mande: CHILL (comedy special)
No Way Up (movie)
Scarygirl (movie)
A Sudden Case of Christmas (movie)

Arriving on December 14

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives seasons 45-49 (TV show)
Disappeared seasons 5, 8-12 (TV show)
Expedition Unknown seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Gold Rush: South America season 1 (TV show)
Gold Rush: White Water seasons 4-8 (TV show)
Hoarding: Buried Alive seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
How It’s Made seasons 23 & 24 (TV show)
I (Almost) Got Away With It seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)
Kids Baking Championship seasons 1-4 & 11 (TV show)
MILF Manor seasons 1 & 2 (TV show)

Arriving on December 16

Law & Order seasons 1-20 (TV show)

Arriving on December 17

Blink (documentary)
Cuckoo (movie)

Arriving on December 18

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher seasons 1-4 (TV show)

Arriving on December 19

America’s Top Dog season 1 (TV show)
Casey Anthony: How Did We Get Here? season 1 (TV show)
The Proof Is Out There season 4 (TV show)
Zombie House Flipping season 6A (TV show)
A Model Murder (movie)

Arriving on December 20

Lost Treasures of the Bible (documentary)
Ilana Glazer: Human Magic (comedy special)
Darkness of Man (movie)
The Inheritance (movie)

Arriving on December 24

The Arctic Convoy (movie)

Arriving on December 26

America’s 10 Most Hated season 1 (TV show)
Court Cam season 7A (TV show)
Full Metal Jousting season 1 (TV show)
200% Wolf (movie)

Arriving on December 27

The Year: 2024 special premiere (TV show)
Breaking (movie)
Don’t Tell Comedy (TV show)

Arriving on December 28

Alice, Darling (movie)
Amber Alert (movie)

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• Operation Serengeti has taken down multiple cybercriminal networks
• Over 35,000 victims were identified during the operation
• Interpol hit networks related to business-targeted cybercrime

Interpol have released details on Operation Serengeti - a major crackdown on organized cybercrime across Africa in collaboration with AFRIPOL.

The operation, which was coordinated with participation from the private sector and internet service providers (ISPs), culminated in the arrest of 1,006 suspects and the takedown of 134,089 networks and devices.

Operation Serengeti targeted cybercriminals specifically involved in ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion and online scams.

$193 million financial losses

Operation Serengeti took place across 19 countries, with several large-scale cybercriminal operations raided and their infrastructure dismantled, resulting in the recovery of over $43 million in stolen assets. The operation also helped identify more than 35,000 victims worldwide who had lost a combined $193 million.

An $8.6 million credit card fraud ring was identified in Kenya, which used malicious scripts to change the banking systems security protocol to avoid detection before distributing the funds between multiple countries including the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and China through SWIFT payments.

“From multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial scale, the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks is of serious concern,” commented Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL.

“Operation Serengeti shows what we can achieve by working together, and these arrests alone will save countless potential future victims from real personal and financial pain. We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will continue targeting these criminal groups worldwide.”

AFRIPOL’s Executive Director Ambassador Jalel Chelba also congratulated the success of the operation, stating, “Through Serengeti, AFRIPOL has significantly enhanced support for law enforcement in African Union Member States. We’ve facilitated key arrests and deepened insights into cybercrime trends. Our focus now includes emerging threats like AI-driven malware and advanced attack techniques.”

In early November 2024, Interpol’s Operation Synergia II took down over 22,000 crime-linked IP addresses and led to the arrest of 41 individuals for their involvement in phishing networks, infostealing malware, and ransomware campaigns.

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A group of artists invited to test OpenAI's Sora video generator ahead of its public release leaked access to the AI video model on Hugging Face for a few hours on Tuesday before being shut down. The "Sora PR Puppets" behind the leak used their access to enable anyone to generate 10-second videos from text prompts. The group's point was to push back against OpenAI over pressure to only talk about positive aspects of Sora and over a lack of compensation for their contributions.

"We received access to Sora with the promise to be early testers, red teamers, and creative partners. However, we believe instead we are being lured into 'art washing' to tell the world that Sora is a useful tool for artists," the group wrote in a post online. "Hundreds of artists provide unpaid labor through bug testing, feedback, and experimental work for the program for a $150B valued company. While hundreds contribute for free, a select few will be chosen through a competition to have their Sora-created films screened — offering minimal compensation which pales in comparison to the substantial PR and marketing value OpenAI receives."

For many, the biggest impact of the leak was a chance to play with the highly restricted Sora model. Until now, only professional filmmakers partnered with OpenAI had any real access. The results shared by those who had a chance to play with Sora before it shut down again are impressive, as can be seen below.

OpenAI's Sora LEAKED! https://t.co/X3EmAZAJk0November 26, 2024

More Sora: pic.twitter.com/8DRz1VTY7hNovember 26, 2024

Conirmed: OpenAI Sora really has been leaked https://t.co/Vh1zzsKgPT pic.twitter.com/mAN1Z4vGsNNovember 26, 2024

Sora protest

The fact that Sora was in the wild without OpenAI's permission underscores the difficulties companies trying to collaborate with artists will face when it comes to AI. Hollywood writers, performers, and animators have all gone on strike partly over concerns about AI being deployed to replace them, and there's every indication that technical improvements will only heighten the tension between artists and AI developers. That said, the long delay between the announcement of Sora and any general release suggests Sora is far from where OpenAI wants it to be.

While OpenAI has teamed with filmmakers to demonstrate Sora's capabilities, there have been no major partnerships announced. That's partly why the protesters leaked the model, to encourage a more open development approach by OpenAI. Whether it will motivate the company to do anything but kick them out of the program remains to be seen.

"This early access program appears to be less about creative expression and critique, and more about PR and advertisement," the group wrote. "We are not against the use of AI technology as a tool for the arts (if we were, we probably wouldn't have been invited to this program). What we don't agree with is how this artist program has been rolled out and how the tool is shaping up ahead of a possible public release. We are sharing this to the world in the hopes that OpenAI becomes more open, more artist friendly and supports the arts beyond PR stunts."

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Netflix has dropped the first trailer for its adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude, which is based on the best-selling novel by Nobel Prize–winning author Gabriel García Márquez, and I'm so excited to get drawn into the mythical town and all the magical elements that come with it.

This looks like another great series for one of the best streaming service, having also recently announced a new Harlan Coben thriller Missing You. The first part of One Hundred Years of Solitude will be released on December 11, with part two to follow in due course.

Take a look at the trailer below.

What do we know about One Hundred Years of Solitude?

One Hundred Years of Solitude is made up of eight episodes, all of which will be released on December 11. So, if you want a binge-watching session, you can settle in and watch them all from then.

According to Tudum, "The story follows cousins José and Úrsula, who get married against their parents’ wishes and leave their village to embark on a long journey in search of a new home. Accompanied by friends and adventurers, their voyage culminates with the founding of a utopian town on the banks of a river of prehistoric stones that they baptize Macondo.

"Several generations of the Buendía lineage will shape the future of this mythical town, tormented by madness, impossible loves, a bloody and absurd war, and a terrible curse that condemns them, without hope, to 100 years of solitude."

The adaptation is "one of the most ambitious productions in Latin American history", where it was filmed in Spanish and shot in García Márquez’s native Colombia with the support of the author’s family.

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• The foldable iPhone is rumored to be another step closer to launching
• Leaks around the device have been circulating for years
• The move may mean Samsung accelerates its own foldable plans

Given where we're at with the smartphone market now, it seems inevitable that Apple will eventually launch a foldable iPhone – if only to stop Samsung's jibes – and it appears that the device is now another step closer to launching.

According to well-known tipster Yeux1122 (via @Jukanlosreve), the folding iphone has now entered the "formal development process" with display manufacturers. That's according to a "supply chain source" (and Google Translate).

What does "formal development process" mean? Well, it's not exactly clear, but it sounds as though some kind of commitment has been made to actually get this device designed and manufactured, and put the necessary components on the production line.

In other words: Apple officially wants to make a foldable iPhone, if this leak is to be believed. According to the tipster (and Google Translate, again), Apple had previously been "responding piecemeal to technology and key requirements".

Apple vs Samsung again

Apple’s New Foldable Smartphone Enters Formal Development ProcessAccording to yeux1122, Apple has recently entered the official development process for foldable smartphones in collaboration with display manufacturers.In response, yeux1122 speculates that the timeline for form…November 27, 2024

There's another interesting tidbit in this leak, which is that Samsung is expected to bring forward the development of its own foldables – including next year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 – to counter the threat of a folding iPhone.

We've previously heard Samsung is working on new form factors and different price points to expand its line-up of foldable phones, and it would appear that this expansion may now happen earlier because of Apple's decision to formalize its plans.

As for what we can expect from an iPhone Fold, take your pick from dozens of leaks and rumors down the years. Besides a multitude of launch date predictions, we've also heard the foldable could come with a self-healing screen and a wrap-around design.

If the formal process of making a folding iPhone has only just started, we're unlikely to see it next year. September 2026 is probably a safer bet for a launch window, which would mean the device making its debut alongside the iPhone 18. Although we've also heard rumors that it may not land until 2027.

Either way, it seems that a foldable iPhone – which feels like an obvious win for Apple, if not iPad sales – is taking its first tentative steps towards reality.

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• Intel’s Arc B580 GPU has been leaked via a Geekbench result
• The score itself is meaningless, but it provides key spec details
• B580’s core count could be lower than A580, but other specs might balance that out

Intel’s Battlemage graphics cards are supposedly set to launch in December if the rumors are right, and we’ve got another nugget suggesting that – a glimpse of the purported spec of the B580.

That Arc Battlemage B580 GPU is purportedly going to be the first of Intel’s 2nd-gen desktop graphics cards out of the door, and VideoCardz noticed that Tomasz Gawroński flagged up a Geekbench result on X.

Intel g21 battlemage 20core (160cu) at 2850mhz + 285k tested in geekbench. https://t.co/UJPG9iCjVV pic.twitter.com/G0emVzggN3November 26, 2024

The benchmark result itself is pretty meaningless – it’s a sample B580 (in theory, we should add – sprinkle seasoning liberally), and the OpenCL score is hardly a useful metric for a gaming graphics card anyway.

The key point here is the specs shown for the B580, which is apparently set to be loaded with 12GB of VRAM and a boost clock running up to 2.85GHz. We also learn that this GPU has 160 Compute Units (CUs).

As VideoCardz points out, this should mean the B580 has 20 Xe2 cores (with 8 CUs per core in theory).

It’s also worth noting that the video memory spec aligns with a previous leak about an ASRock B580 graphics card, which was also shown with 12GB. And at 2.8GHz, the previous clock speed was in the same area as this new leak too.

(Image credit: Intel) Analysis: Don’t panic over those specs

So how do these specs seem to be shaping up? There’s some consternation from some of those commenting online about the drop in core count compared to the existing Arc A580 GPU – as the A580 has 24 cores versus 20 here.

However, there’s give and take in these specs. If the core count is dropped to 20 (and it may not be), those are still next-gen Xe2 cores benefiting from a new, faster architecture. On top of that, the boost clock is much faster than the A580 (which is officially clocked at 1.7GHz, although third-party models ran at 2GHz or so – but 2.8GHz is a big leap over that).

Furthermore, you’ve got a more comfortable loadout of VRAM here at 12GB versus 8GB (even though, if the rumors are right, memory bandwidth will be a touch tighter with the B580 versus the A580).

All of this remains speculation, and we should bear in mind two points here. Firstly, the B580 will be appreciably faster than the A580, whatever happens. Intel would look foolish if it was otherwise, obviously enough. And secondly, no matter where the spec comes out, Intel can still attack at the low-end of the GPU market by pricing the B580 to undercut AMD and Nvidia’s budget offerings.

With all these leaks springing up around Battlemage in the past week or two, it seems fairly certain that we will see the B580 unveiled next month – but clearly, we can’t be sure of that (and even if it’s Intel’s intention right now, a last-minute delaying factor could still interfere).

It makes sense that Intel will want to grab the desktop GPU limelight for a while before AMD and Nvidia bring out their big guns (or medium-sized artillery, perhaps, in the case of RDNA 4) at CES 2025 in January as the grapevine insists.

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• Starbucks stores are using pen and paper to track employee hours after attack
• Third-party Vendor Blue Yonder hit with ransomware attack
• Retail stores in the UK and US affected

Starbucks may be the largest coffee chain in the world, but many of its stores have been forced to manually track employee’s schedules and payroll after a third party supply chain vendor was hit by a ransomware attack.

Blue Yonder confirmed it was the victim of a ransomware attack, and services are still being severely disrupted, with the company confirming it is “working around the clock to respond to this incident”.

The list of affected stores is growing, with UK retail giants Sainsbury’s and Morrisons also both reporting disruption. The stores have affirmed that backup processes and contingency plans are in place, so the impact on customers should be minimal.

Third party risks

It’s not yet clear exactly what the effects of the hack will be, and the extent of the disruption is yet to be seen. Ransomware is a costly business, with the average demand over $5 million in the first half of 2024.

Ransomware attacks are on the rise across the globe, and increasingly digital operations mean many companies are reliant on third party vendors, which can put companies at risk even if their own cybersecurity is airtight.

The risks can be mitigated by thoroughly assessing third party vendors and by ensuring contingency plans are in place, and CISOs are encouraged to collaborate with their peers in the industry to foster strong relationships.

"The Blue Yonder incident reminds all organizations that focusing only on the security and resilience of systems under your direct control is no longer an option.” said Matt Aldridge, Principal Solutions Consultant at OpenText Cybersecurity.

“Dependencies run deep and broad in the supply chain, so it is essential that all suppliers are thoroughly vetted on an ongoing basis, and that contingency plans are in place before going live with any major third-party solution.“

Via CNN

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• Leaked photos show the bottom half of a phone believed to be the Galaxy S25 Ultra
• The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has been benchmarked with high scores
• And the Samsung Galaxy S25 has seemingly been certified in the US

Following yesterday’s leaked video showing what's claimed the top half of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, we’ve now seen leaked photos that are said to show the bottom half of Samsung's next premium flagship.

These photos – shared with Android Authority – come from the same source as the video, and between the photos and the video we’ve now had a complete look at the design of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – though it’s odd that the source seemed unwilling to show the whole phone in a single photo or clip.

In any case, here we get a look at the bottom edge of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, complete with an S Pen slot, speaker, USB-C port, and SIM card slot. We can also see that the bezels appear quite small and uniform, and that there’s a new on-screen charging indicator when the phone is plugged in.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Android Authority / youtube.com/@MBernardK)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Android Authority / youtube.com/@MBernardK)

That indicator is part of One UI 7, which the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to launch with, and which the source has also supplied some screenshots of. Details in these include a notifications dropdown that’s split in two, with notifications on one half and settings toggles on the other. Some apps also have new icons, although as Android Authority notes these details have all leaked previously.

Benchmarked and certified

In any case, this isn’t the only new Samsung Galaxy S25 series leak, as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has also been benchmarked, as spotted by leaker @Jukanlosreve. This Geekbench listing shows a single-core score of 3,160 and a multi-core result of 9,941, both of which are extremely high scores, and are broadly in line with Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra benchmarks.

Finally, Phone Scoop has spotted that a device it believes to be the base Samsung Galaxy S25 has been certified by the the FCC, the US telecoms regulator. There’s not much of interest here aside from a mention of support for satellite connectivity, but the fact that the phone has been certified means it will probably land soon, which is as we’d expect, with leaks pointing to a January 22 launch.

As ever, we’d take these leaks with a pinch of salt, but if the Samsung Galaxy S25 series is indeed going land in January then we shouldn't have long to wait before we get official information.

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• Generative AI could save the public sector billions in the next 5 years
• More routine tasks could be automated to free up time for creatives
• More than half of public sector jobs will be changed in some way in coming years

New research has revealed the UK public sector could save billions in expenditure by fully embracing generative AI technology.

The ‘AI & The Public Sector’ commissioned by Google Cloud has highlighted the ways the public sector could save around £38bn over the next 5 years by adopting more GenAI adoption.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the report predicts that ‘automating routine tasks’ will be the future of AI tools in the workplace, and that over a third of daily tasks in the public sector could be performed by generative AI.

A new way forward

The report rightly points out many public sector organizations are under huge pressure, with 61% of public administration workers overworked, and 70% of respondents agreeing that employee morale has decreased.

To combat this, generative AI solutions should be embraced by public organizations, the report suggests. Currently, only 12% of public administrators say they have significantly deployed AI tools.

By letting generative AI automate administrative work, the public sector could unlock an extra 3.7 million GP appointments, the equivalent of 160,000 police officers, and a 16% increase in student to teacher ratio - a cumulative value of £358bn by 2034. This would free up 8.3% of the budget for re-investment into our public services, the report says.

“Now the digital centre of government, my department is testing how we can put AI to work in the public sector, whether that’s speeding up finding information on GOV.UK or empowering teachers by reducing administrative burdens, allowing them to dedicate more time to what they do best,” said UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle.

Job augmentation

Over half of public sector jobs (56%) are likely to be ‘augmented’ in some way by AI adoption, the report claims, optimistically predicting workers will be allowed more time for creative focus.

Even with full AI implementation, the report estimates that 38% of roles are ‘insulated’ and won’t be affected by AI adoption thanks to their inherent sensitivity. The remaining 6% of jobs will be ‘displaced’ or phased out.

However Google Cloud says the demand for public sector labour will grow, so displaced workers will simply be reallocated into new roles. This echoes other recent studies, which for example have shown IT service desks could ‘go extinct’.

Early stages of adoption

The study shows there are barriers to AI implementation that need to be addressed before the public sector is ready to embrace AI. Applicability is part of the concern, with over half of respondents (55%) agreeing they would need different or better structured data sets to use AI effectively.

Many workers are also uncertain about the security, legal liabilities, and costs of AI tools, and before workplaces take full advantage of AI, more education is needed, as over a third (34%) say they don’t have the skills to benefit from AI tech just yet.

There are significant concerns about the reliability of AI output too, but Google Cloud reassures these worries are ‘likely to fade on their own as the technology becomes more mature’.

Governments leading the way

Google Cloud has identified public sector AI adoption as a key driver to wider AI adoption across all industries. As part of Government commitments to using AI in public services, organizations should conduct AI adoption assessments in key sectors such as health, transport, and education.

This will allow agencies to identify barriers to AI deployment and address any roadblocks. Procurement teams should be 'empowered and upskilled' on the importance of AI adoption so that they can effectively assess their needs.

An overhaul of government IT systems is needed to efficiently adopt AI, says Google Cloud. Legacy IT systems, data storage capacity, and an absence of advanced cloud data analytics are all hindering the development of AI in the public sector, it says.

Untold costs

What the report doesn’t address, is the cost of generative AI adoption. The costs are multi-faceted, with AI demanding a huge amount of energy to run, and also an enormous amount of water to cool high performing hardware.

The AI industry is already in the midst of a serious sustainability crisis, so large-scale adoption in both the public and private sectors could have disastrous consequences for climate protection goals.

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The finance sector, widely regarded as a trend-setter for new and emerging technologies, is once again leading from the front. Since the rollout of the “open banking” initiative, which allows financial data to be shared between banks and third-party service providers, the pace of innovation in the sector has skyrocketed.

Credit scoring has become streamlined, anti-money laundering (AML) techniques have become more advanced, real-time trading is the new standard, and financial services companies like banks are competing to provide the best customer experience.

It's not just consumers that stand to benefit either. In the UK, where the concept of open banking experienced its first real breakthrough, the NatWest Group reports that 66% of businesses save roughly 150 hours every year on operational tasks thanks to open banking initiatives.

All of this is made possible through the use of Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs. APIs are software-based intermediaries that allow different applications to communicate and share data securely and efficiently. Not only does this create a more “joined up” financial ecosystem for business and customers, it paves the way for innovative new services, solutions and business cases.

Financial institutions like Standard Chartered have even established API marketplaces to streamline the integration of third-party services, promoting a more competitive and customer-centric financial ecosystem. This interconnectedness ultimately leads to improved user experiences and operational efficiencies, as well as a competitive edge for those finance companies with the ambition and resources to take advantage.

Payments and transactions

APIs have already revolutionized the way payments and transactions are handled in the financial sector, enabling smoother, faster, and more secure processes. For instance, companies like PayPal now release APIs to allow developers to integrate payment gateway services seamlessly into various platforms, allowing users to initiate transactions directly from apps or websites without being redirected.

This not only enhances user convenience but also boosts transaction speed and security. Real-time credit card processing, instant fraud detection, and integration with multiple payment gateways also significantly improves the overall transaction experience for both businesses and consumers. This is a perfect example of the flexibility and scalability that APIs can facilitate to allow businesses to change to meet market demands and customer expectations.

Trading and investments

Significant advancements in the trading and investment sector are also being driven by APIs, making services more accessible and efficient. Robinhood's launch of a crypto trading API is a prime example, offering users the ability to trade cryptocurrencies seamlessly through third-party platforms.

This innovation democratizes access to trading apps, allowing for real-time data exchange, automated trading strategies, and integration with financial advisory services. APIs enable traders to connect with multiple markets and data sources, ensuring they have the most accurate and up-to-date information to make informed investment decisions.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

APIs are quickly becoming essential tools in the fight against money laundering, offering real-time capabilities to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. By integrating APIs into their systems, financial institutions can quickly analyze large volumes of transaction data, identify suspicious patterns, and comply with regulatory requirements.

These APIs facilitate the seamless exchange of information between different platforms and databases, ensuring that potential money laundering activities are flagged and investigated promptly. Advanced machine learning algorithms can also be integrated via APIs to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of anti-money laundering efforts, safeguarding the financial ecosystem against illicit activities.

Credit scoring and the customer experience

Thanks to APIs, traditional credit scores, which often rely on limited financial data, are now being supplemented with alternative data from utilities, rent payments, and even social media activity. This creates a more holistic view of a customer's creditworthiness for lenders and reduces the time it takes to get approved.

APIs are also enhancing the customer experience by enabling personalized financial services, integrating customer data across various touchpoints and providing tailored advice and products that meet individual needs. The way is also being paved for the development of intuitive mobile apps and online platforms that allow customers to access and manage all their finances in one place, giving people greater control and flexibility over how they manage their money.

APIs are not just driving innovation in the financial sector; they are setting new standards for efficiency, security, and customer satisfaction. As long as financial institutions continue to leverage the power of APIs, opportunities for growth and transformation will follow.

We list the best personal finance software.

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

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1038) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1038) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1038) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1038) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1038) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• R

• I

• U

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

Quordle today (game #1038) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1038, are…

• HEART
• ROGUE
• INEPT
• UTILE

The other day we had a Quordle with barely any vowels in it – only four of them across the four words. Today, in contrast, there are 10 out of the total 20 letters, and this will probably have made this an easier day for most people. That's because vowels are played by most people early on (especially if, as in Wordle, they start with the popular AUDIO or ADIEU), which will have given Quordlers a head start on all of these words here.

UTILE, despite having three vowels itself, is probably the hardest of the four; it's simply not a common word. But aside from that there's not a lot to worry about today.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1038) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1038, are…

• UNCLE
• SAUNA
• THIGH
• BALMY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1037, Tuesday 26 November: PRIED, FAINT, HURRY, WOOER
• Quordle #1036, Monday 25 November: NUDGE, SNOOP, SHACK, DRYLY
• Quordle #1035, Sunday 24 November: CLOTH, CLAMP, PETTY, CHEST
• Quordle #1034, Saturday 23 November: AVOID, PLANT, FILET, TWIRL
• Quordle #1033, Friday 22 November: CUTIE, ALOOF, ETUDE, SILLY
• Quordle #1032, Thursday 21 November: RABBI, EAGER, COUGH, BRASH
• Quordle #1031, Wednesday 20 November: MINTY, TOPAZ, BRUSH, LAPEL
• Quordle #1030, Tuesday 19 November: NINJA, PENCE, PAINT, FOIST
• Quordle #1029, Monday 18 November: ASCOT, BRINK, WEIRD, HOMER
• Quordle #1028, Sunday 17 November: STATE, BRAWN, SWORE, URBAN
• Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND
• Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM
• Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT
• Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY
• Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT
• Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY
• Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE
• Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER
• Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM
• Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #535) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• RUBBER
• BABY
• BUGGY
• BUMPER
• HOUSE
• MIRROR
• ERRATIC
• TRIBUTE
• SPOTTY
• PLANT
• PET
• WEDDING
• BOY
• GRILLE
• GLITCHY
• RIM

NYT Connections today (game #535) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Breaking down
• Green: GEARS is another
• Blue: Need looking after sometimes
• Purple: Blank [word for a musical group and other things]

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #535) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: NOT WORKING RELIABLY
• GREEN: CAR PARTS
• BLUE: WHAT A SITTER MIGHT SIT
• PURPLE: ___ BAND

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

NYT Connections today (game #535) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #535, are…

• YELLOW: NOT WORKING RELIABLY BUGGY, ERRATIC, GLITCHY, SPOTTY
• GREEN: CAR PARTS BUMPER, GRILLE, MIRROR, RIM
• BLUE: WHAT A SITTER MIGHT SIT BABY, HOUSE, PET, PLANT
• PURPLE: ___ BAND BOY, RUBBER, TRIBUTE, WEDDING

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 3 mistakes

I came this close [makes gesture of roughly 1 inch space] to failing again here, only to scrape home at the last gasp following the realization that I was missing an obvious connection.

Things had started off well, with yellow – NOT WORKING RELIABLY – standing out immediately. I made an incorrect guess on blue, before spotting that WHAT A SITTER MIGHT SIT applied to BABY, HOUSE, PET and PLANT. But there I stalled.

I could see that MIRROR, GRILLE and BUMPER were all CAR PARTS, but it didn't occur to me that RIM would be another. A rim is a part of a car, I guess, but it doesn't seem as integral as the others; there are rims on many things other than cars. So I went with RUBBER, thinking of tires, and when that was wrong switched tack and tried something with WEDDING, TRIBUTE and er MIRROR and BOY with the vague thought that it might be something like 'Things you would make a speech to', which was quite clearly a terrible guess and obviously wrong. So I returned to cars and this time thought a bit harder, at which point RIM seemed like it had to fit. And it did of course, but I felt like a right fool.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 26 November, game #534)

• YELLOW: GOOD THINGS TO GET AT WORK BONUS, EQUITY, PROMOTION, RAISE
• GREEN: DISREGARD DISCOUNT, FORGET, IGNORE, OVERLOOK
• BLUE: KINDS OF CRACKERS ANIMAL, CLUB, GOLDFISH, RITZ
• PURPLE: FEATURED IN “ELOISE” ELOISE, PLAZA, PUG, TURTLE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

NYT Strands today (game #269) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Come fly with me

NYT Strands today (game #269) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• FRONT
• SHUT
• WEST
• PILE
• SPILL
• GRIND

NYT Strands today (game #269) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Have wings, will travel

NYT Strands today (game #269) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: bottom, 3rd column

Last: top, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #269) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #269, are…

• FRONTIER
• UNITED
• VIRGIN
• DELTA
• SPIRIT
• SOUTHWEST
• SPANGRAM: AIRLINES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

As with yesterday's game (see below for the answers if you missed them), this is a Strands puzzle that is perfectly acceptable but that which wasn't really one for me. I don't fly, generally, and I'm not based in the US – so the likes of UNITED, DELTA, SPIRIT and FRONTIER did not spring readily to mind. I didn't need a hint to get started, however, because I found FRONTIER by accident and once I combined that with the theme clue of 'Come fly with me' I had enough knowledge to know what was needed.

The trouble was, though I have heard of all of the AIRLINES included here, I couldn't think of them, so had to do a combination of word-searching and letter-pattern-searching until I got them all. So not the most fun, but I'm not blaming the NYT – this was just not the day for me.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 26 November, game #268)

• TOTE
• BARREL
• MESSENGER
• BUCKET
• DUFFEL
• CROSSBODY
• SPANGRAM: HANDBAGS

What is NYT Strands?

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

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

MyHeritage gained a lot of attention for turning old photos into videos with its Deep Nostalgia technology in 2024, and they're also the company behind DeepStory, which makes images speak by creating talking portraits from photos or paintings. Now, the company has upgraded the tech with its new LiveMemory tool.

Like Deep Nostalgia, LiveMemory uses AI to make short animated videos from still images that theoretically show what might have happened right after the photo was taken. It's an upgraded version of the same feature, capable of making a kid on a bike in a picture ride away or a couple on their wedding day turn and kiss. Or at least that's the pitch.

I decided to try it out myself, as it's easy enough to use if you have an account and the MyHeritage mobile app. However, you only get a few tries with the free trial, and you need to pay up to remove the watermark.

To make a LiveMemory, you upload whatever picture you want to see transformed. A few minutes later, you get an email from MyHeritage with the video. To spare my friends and family, I started with a picture of myself and a much-missed pet dog named Malfoy. You can see the resulting video below.

Uncanny Nostalgia

I was mostly impressed with how much the tech has improved from Deep Nostalgia. The movements of my head and Malfoy's head and body are quite realistic, and his tail, unseen in the photo, does look exactly like his actual tail. Even my wry expression is well observed, considering the AI still had to go on for the video.

That said, I don't consider myself that wall-eyed, and while Malfoy's tail looked right, it also looked like it was growing out of the side of his body. We used to joke that Malfoy was a dog built by a committee in the dark, but even he had his tail in the right location.

I decided to go simpler and just upload a straightforward portrait of myself at about a year old. You can see how that went below.

Boneless boy

Again, the expressions are great; it looks like I'm really enjoying a joke, and my head and neck are moving like an actual human being. On the other hand, the AI doesn't seem to realize that the young child in the image would definitely not have that many teeth gleaming in his mouth. Those teeth apparently stole all of the digital bones from my hands. Watching my clay-like fingers squish each other and occasionally pass through each other like monstrous tentacles is more likely to induce nausea than nostalgia.

Compare that to the official launch video from MyHeritage, seen below. You can tell that even if there will be a lot of videos that people don't like, the ones that hit the mark will be very popular, just like Deep Nostalgia. Maybe just be careful not to use photos where hands are clasped together like mine.

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• Robots struggle to learn from each other, and rely on human instruction
• New research from UC Berkeley shows that the process could be automated
• This would eliminate the struggles of manually training robots

Despite robots being increasingly integrated into real-world environments, one of the major challenges in robotics research is ensuring the devices can adapt to new tasks and environments efficiently.

Traditionally, training to master specific skills requires large amounts of data and specialized training for each robot model - but to overcome these limitations, researchers are now focusing on creating computational frameworks that enable the transfer of skills across different robots.

A new development in robotics comes from researchers at UC Berkeley, who have introduced RoVi-Aug - a framework designed to augment robotic data and facilitate skill transfer.

The challenge of skill transfer between robots

To ease the training process in robotics, there is a need to be able to transfer learned skills from one robot to another even if these robots have different hardware and design. This capability would make it easier to deploy robots in a wide range of applications without having to retrain each one from scratch.

However, in many current robotics datasets there is an uneven distribution of scenes and demonstrations. Some robots, such as the Franka and xArm manipulators, dominate these datasets, making it harder to generalize learned skills to other robots.

To address the limitations of existing datasets and models, the UC Berkeley team developed the RoVi-Aug framework which uses state-of-the-art diffusion models to augment robotic data. The framework works by producing synthetic visual demonstrations that vary in both robot type and camera angles. This allows researchers to train robots on a wider range of demonstrations, enabling more efficient skill transfer.

The framework consists of two key components: the robot augmentation (Ro-Aug) module and the viewpoint augmentation (Vi-Aug) module.

The Ro-Aug module generates demonstrations involving different robotic systems, while the Vi-Aug module creates demonstrations captured from various camera angles. Together, these modules provide a richer and more diverse dataset for training robots, helping to bridge the gap between different models and tasks.

"The success of modern machine learning systems, particularly generative models, demonstrates impressive generalizability and motivated robotics researchers to explore how to achieve similar generalizability in robotics," Lawrence Chen (Ph.D. Candidate, AUTOLab, EECS & IEOR, BAIR, UC Berkeley) and Chenfeng Xu (Ph.D. Candidate, Pallas Lab & MSC Lab, EECS & ME, BAIR, UC Berkeley), told Tech Xplore.

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• New Chinese mini PC supports Intel 12th-14th gen CPUs
• Can take high-performance GPUs including the Nvidia RTX 4090M
• Apple Mac Studio-inspired chassis has multiple ports

FEVM isn’t a brand many outside of China will have heard of - established by Hefengyi Electronics, it manufactures and sells a range of high-performance mini PCs, the latest being the FN60G WE, an upgrade of the previously released FN60G.

As you can see from the photo above, the device bears more than a passing resemblance to the Apple Mac Studio - but runs either Windows or Linux.

The compact mini PC supports Intel’s 12th to 14th generation desktop processors, including the high-performance Core i9-14900KF, which boasts 24 cores and 32 threads. This makes it well-suited for professional workloads and content creation.

Drives up to five screens

The upgraded FN60G WE features an improved design with a 3.8-liter chassis that measures 168 x 168 x 137mm (6.6 x 6.6 x 5.4 inches) and can accommodate high-performance GPUs, such as the top-tier Nvidia RTX 4090M. The system supports up to 96GB of DDR5-5200 memory and includes dual M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD slots for fast data transfer speeds and ample storage.

The FN60G WE offers a welcome selection of ports, including 2 x HDMI (4K/60Hz), 2 x DisplayPort (8K/60Hz), 1 x USB Type-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode (8K/60Hz) and 15W USB Power Delivery, 1 x USB Type-C, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 3 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 2 x 2.5 Gb Ethernet, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an SD card reader.

The mini PC can drive up to five screens, making it ideal for multitasking or complex workflows.

If you're worried about it overheating, don't be - the FN60G WE features an advanced cooling system with independent fans for the RAM and storage, coupled with a Thermalright AIO water cooler for the GPU, which should keep things running smoothly during intensive tasks.

Currently, the FN60G WE is not available in the United States, with its release limited for now to China, with pricing starting at $380 for a barebones model. There’s a Chinese-language video showing off the mini PC, which you can watch below - but remember to turn on the English subtitles.

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People in Pakistan have been turning en masse to the best VPN apps once again over the past few days, as the country's internet gets increasingly restricted.

As per data coming from Top10VPN, VPN demand has been soaring since Sunday, November 24, and is now expected to reach a 330% increase above the baseline. On Monday, Proton VPN also recorded a spike in VPN sign-ups from the country of 730% above normal levels.

This surge comes as Pakistan restricted access to WhatsApp over the weekend, ahead of planned anti-government protests. Only two days before, authorities blocked Bluesky as it gained more traction worldwide. X, Facebook, and Instagram are other popular platforms that cannot be accessed without a VPN at the time of writing.

While virtual private network (VPN) services keep being crucial tools for both residents and visitors who need to browse the free web, it's just a matter of days before people in Pakistan could lose VPN access as authorities are set to implement a new VPN policy at the end of November.

Pakistan VPN new rules

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is urging all businesses and freelance workers to register their VPN services before the November 30 deadline to avoid disruptions. The debate is still ongoing, however, on whether or not commercial VPN usage should also be blocked.

Certainly, the use of VPNs outside of legitimate purposes, such as education, banking, IT companies, and call centers, has attracted some criticism.

On November 15, for example, Pakistan's religious chief argued that using a VPN is against Islamic law and called for a ban. Despite blaming a typo error in the statement a few days later – The News reported – the Ministry of Interior also called to block all "illegal" VPNs on the same day, claiming that terrorists use these tools "to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan."

Residents also lamented issues using their VPN apps all day on November 9, in what appeared to be the beginning of the crackdown on "unregistered" VPNs. Authorities would later confirm the incidents to be a "brief technical glitch" instead.

Data from Proton VPN shows a huge spike in VPN usage as other providers began experiencing issues at the beginning of November. (Image credit: Proton)

The recent VPN throttling didn't affect all providers, though. As the graph above shows, Proton VPN experienced a surge in usage of up to 350% throughout the day.

Experts cannot yet determine the real impact that Pakistan's new VPN rules will have on users.

"It's likely to be a bit of a lottery, at least at first," Simon Migliano, Head of Research at Top10VPN, told TechRadar. "As we've seen in countries with a much more mature internet censorship regime, such as China and Iran, it's near-impossible to block all the VPNs, all the time."

Migliano then expects authorities to mainly target bigger brands. Potential blocks may also change day-to-day, he explains, as providers spin up new servers on fresh IP ranges.

"Rotating through multiple VPNs will likely be the most effective strategy going forward," noted Migliano. To get ready, I suggest checking out our best free VPN page to get all the most secure freebies without paying for them.

Bear in mind that the legality of using a VPN to bypass restrictions in Pakistan isn't yet clear. Commenting on this point, Migliano said: "Using an unregistered VPN in Pakistan after the deadline will be a risky proposition, depending on how strictly the authorities enforce the new rules."