TechRadar News

• Gamescom congress broke its attendance record this year
• The conference featured over 1000 guests and over 180 expert speakers
• This year's event focused on three topics: Games and WellBeing, The Next Level of Immersion, and Games and Responsibility

Gamescom congress, Europe's leading conference on the potential of computer and video games for society and the economy, has broken its attendance record this year.

Gamescom 2025 is almost at an end and was filled with plenty of new game announcements, trailers, and updates. Meanwhile, the annual Gamescom congress conference has broken record attendance with over 1,000 guests and featuring over 180 experts in business, science, politics, and media who gave talks and panel discussions on how games promote social and technological progress.

This year's conference focused on three topics: Games and WellBeing, The Next Level of Immersion, and Games and Responsibility. To highlight these subjects, Gamescom congress 2025 offered a diverse program of talks and panel discussions on the role of games across the entire social spectrum.

Renowned names such as the founder and former CEO of Unity and climate activist David Helgason, CEO of ThrivePal Y-Lan Boureau, Celia Hodent, PhD in game UX, Soihtu DTx CEO Jukka Laakso, and others revealed the potential of computer and video games in a wide variety of areas, such as serving as technological and economic drivers, educating people about migration and democracy, enhancing well-being, and promoting environmental and climate protection.

"Games are perfect entertainment, and it is precisely thanks to this unique power that they also have a positive impact in numerous other areas – whether in political education, medicine, industry, or science," said Felix Falk, managing director of game – the German games industry association, co-organizer of the Gamescom congress.

"With record participation among speakers and visitors, as well as numerous high-profile keynotes and panels, the Gamescom congress once again impressively highlighted the strength of games with international appeal."

In addition, a panel called "Get ready, get set, go! How Germany wants to compete at the top worldwide" was also held in an effort to debate how Germany can benefit from games.

"The Gamescom congress definitely demonstrated how diverse and socially relevant the debates surrounding games are," said Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. "It brings together players from a wide variety of fields and makes Cologne an international meeting place for forward-looking ideas in computer and video games. The congress has once again proven its role as a bridge between industry, business, and society."

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• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

• Post-launch DLC is planned for Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Now that Silksong has a release date, Team Cherry said it's planning on adding new content, some of which is "ambitious"
• Silksong releases on September 4 this year

Team Cherry has confirmed it has plans to add new content to Hollow Knight: Silksong post-launch.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg following the long-awaited release date announcement, studio co-founders Ari Gibson and William Pellen teased plans to release downloadable content (DLC) in the months and years ahead.

"Launching it is obviously quite exciting," said Pellen. "What comes after for us is equally as exciting."

Gibson added, "The most interesting thing now is what can we add to it next. We got a plan. Admittedly, some of the plans for that stuff are kind of ambitious as well, but hopefully we can achieve some of it."

The first Hollow Knight also received a number of post-launch updates in the form of four free DLC packs, Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster, so hopefully, Silksong is in for the same treatment.

In case you missed it, Hollow Knight: Silksong will officially launch on September 4, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, and ROG Xbox Ally X.

The announcement was made during a special broadcast where Team Cherry also released a full-length gameplay trailer showcasing all-new features, like a crafting system, and confirmed that the game will have over 40 legendary boss encounters.

You might also like...

• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

• Post-launch DLC is planned for Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Now that Silksong has a release date, Team Cherry said it's planning on adding new content, some of which is "ambitious"
• Silksong releases on September 4 this year

Team Cherry has confirmed it has plans to add new content to Hollow Knight: Silksong post-launch.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg following the long-awaited release date announcement, studio co-founders Ari Gibson and William Pellen teased plans to release downloadable content (DLC) in the months and years ahead.

"Launching it is obviously quite exciting," said Pellen. "What comes after for us is equally as exciting."

Gibson added, "The most interesting thing now is what can we add to it next. We got a plan. Admittedly, some of the plans for that stuff are kind of ambitious as well, but hopefully we can achieve some of it."

The first Hollow Knight also received a number of post-launch updates in the form of four free DLC packs, Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster, so hopefully, Silksong is in for the same treatment.

In case you missed it, Hollow Knight: Silksong will officially launch on September 4, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, and ROG Xbox Ally X.

The announcement was made during a special broadcast where Team Cherry also released a full-length gameplay trailer showcasing all-new features, like a crafting system, and confirmed that the game will have over 40 legendary boss encounters.

You might also like...

• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

• Noah Urban was arrested in January 2024, and pleaded guilty in April 2025
• He is believed to be a key member of Scattered Spider
• Urban was sentenced to 120 months in prison

For the first time, a member of the notorious Scattered Spider cybercrime gang was sentenced to prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and more.

Noah Michael Urban will be spending the next 10 years behind bars, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has said.

Urban, known in the cybercriminal underworld as King Bob, Sosa, Elijah, or Gustavo Fring, will also have to forfeit roughly $4.8 million in assets such as cryptocurrency and other property, and pay $13 million in restitution to victims.

More Scattered Spider attacks

Urban was arrested in January 2024, and pleaded guilty on April 4, 2025. As per court documents, between August 2022 and March 2023 he stole cryptocurrency from at least 59 victims across the States employing, among other things, SIM-swap attacks to obtain personal information. He then used that information to access his victims’ wallets and transfer out the funds.

Urban is believed to be a “key figure” in the infamous Scattered Spider organization, CyberInsider reports.

His sentencing, the publication argues, is just one of many moves law enforcement has made against the group in recent times, including charging four other members for similar crimes: Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy (TX), Evans Onyeaka Osiebo (TX), Joel Martin Evans (NC), and Tyler Robert Buchanan (UK).

Unlike most hacking collectives, which are tightly knit and well-organized, Scattered Spider is a rather “loose” organization, researchers are saying. Still, the group managed to even draw the attention of the FBI, after wreaking havoc among different industries, from retail, to airline, to critical infrastructure.

Less than a month ago (while the five suspects were already in custody), the FBI issued a warning that Scattered Spider was only getting warmed up with its cyberattacks, urging businesses to be on their guard.

Together with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and a handful of other security agencies in Canada, the UK, and Australia, the FBI warned Scattered Spider evolved to use more advanced social engineering - mostly impersonating employees to trick IT help desks into resetting passwords and transferring MFA tokens to attacker-controlled devices.

The hackers have also added new malware such as RattyRAT for stealthy access and DragonForce ransomware to encrypt systems and demand payment - especially targeting VMware ESXi servers.

Via BleepingComputer

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #1306).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 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 NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

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 #1307) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1307) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1307) - 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 #1307) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• G

• F

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1307) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1307, are…

• DEMON
• GRATE
• FLYER
• SHEEP

I returned to my three-starter-word game plan today, and while it speeded up the play I still fell foul of some bad luck, guessing great instead of GRATE.

I can’t be too peeved, though, as my other quick guesses came good – including FLYER, which I could have taken a punt at, guessing plyer earlier in the game.

Daily Sequence today (game #1307) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1307, are…

• BRUSH
• CAIRN
• COUCH
• SALVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINY
• Quordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTE
• Quordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORST
• Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
• Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
• Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
• Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
• Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #803).

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 Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

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 #804) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SMARTWATCH
• BOWL
• OIL
• CHICANERY
• COOLANT
• PODCAST
• HIPPODROME
• VAPE
• LEGERDEMAIN
• CRYPTO
• DECEIT
• FUEL
• COLISEUM
• SUBTERFUGE
• BRAKE FLUID
• STADIUM

NYT Connections today (game #804) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Open up the hood to add
• GREEN: Large venues
• BLUE: Shenanigans
• PURPLE: 21st century stuff

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 #804) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS
• GREEN: ARENA
• BLUE: SKULDUGGERY
• PURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS

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

NYT Connections today (game #804) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #804, are…

• YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS BRAKE FLUID, COOLANT, FUEL, OIL
• GREEN: ARENA BOWL, COLISEUM, HIPPODROME, STADIUM
• BLUE: SKULDUGGERY CHICANERY, DECEIT, LEGERDEMAIN, SUBTERFUGE
• PURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS CRYPTO, PODCAST, SMARTWATCH, VAPE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I imagine the category MODERN INVENTIONS will get some heat.

It’s a vague link, as there are countless modern inventions and other than them being "modern" there is nothing else that connects them.

Also, the word modern is subjective – the beginnings of CRYPTO, VAPE and PODCAST were around 20 years ago, while there were types of SMARTWATCH in the 1990s.

This quibble aside, the purple group was easy to get, as they are indeed all current preoccupations and distinct from the other 12 tiles.

Noticeably, this was a day without SUBTERFUGE or CHICANERY, which has me thinking that there are two possible reasons for this. Either Connections is going easy on us because it’s a Saturday, or they have something terrible planned for us tomorrow. I predict the latter.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, August 22, game #803)

• YELLOW: U.S. PRESIDENTS ADAMS, FORD, GRANT, WASHINGTON
• GREEN: ACTORS WHOSE LAST NAMES ARE ALSO VERBS CHEVY CHASE, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, GEOFFREY RUSH, TOM CRUISE
• BLUE: KINDS OF POKER DRAW, OMAHA, STRIP, STUD
• PURPLE: PROPER NOUNS AFTER GERUNDS IN '90S MOVIE TITLES AMY, JOHN MALKOVICH, LAS VEGAS, PRIVATE RYAN

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.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #537).

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 NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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 #538) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rub it in, why don't you?

NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CLEAR
• SLUM
• VEST
• MULE
• STREAM
• RIVET

NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #538) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #538, are…

• LOTION
• BALM
• CREAM
• BUTTER
• JELLY
• SERUM
• SALVE
• SPANGRAM: MOISTURIZERS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I didn’t really think about it until this edition of Strands, but it’s interesting how many of the things we rub on our faces sound like food – CREAM, BUTTER, JELLY, milk. Or maybe it should be that it's incredible how many foods sound like things we rub on our faces?

Anyway, I digress, today was a search for the many different formats of MOISTURIZERS – a spangram I got after initially spotting the word “moist” and realizing there was more to it.

I got LOTION first and from there went round the board in an anti-clockwise direction without a struggle or snag, unlike when i rub BALM into my beard; that’s a whole load of struggle and snag.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, August 22, game #537)

• DETECTIVE
• STRANGER
• LOVER
• RIVAL
• SPOUSE
• HEIR
• SPANGRAM: ITS A MYSTERY

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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.

We're in a slightly weird place in the streaming world this week (August 18-24). As summer and winter start to wind down in the northern and southern hemispheres, the world's best streaming services appear to be withholding their biggest releases for the final few months of the year.

That's not to say there aren't some new movies and TV shows to catch over the next few days. From a popular HBO Max show making its long overdue return, to three interesting offerings from Netflix, you're sure to find something worth watching with our help. So, read on to see what's new. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

Peacemaker season 2 (HBO Max)

Everyone's favorite DC comic book anti-hero is back. Peacemaker – real name Chris Smith – is back on our screens after three and a half years for his sophomore outing on Warner Bros Discovery's recently rebranded streamer. This time, the titular character stumbles on a parallel world where life is everything he wishes he could be. Oh, and he's being hunted by Rick Flag Sr, the newly-installed head of ARGUS and father of the man Peacemaker killed in 2021's The Suicide Squad.

Episode 1 is out now – read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to see where you can stream it outside of the US and when new entries will air. Before you watch it, check out my Peacemaker season 2 guide for more details on its cast and plot among other things, and my Peacemaker season 2 review to see what I thought of its first five chapters. – TP

• Watch Peacemaker season 2 on HBO Max

Hostage (Netflix)

Suranne Jones as UK Prime Minister? If I woke up tomorrow and that was real life, I'd be made up. Instead, she's playing fictional leader Abigail Dalton in new Netflix series Hostage, where she's faced with putting her country first while dealing with the sudden abduction of her medic husband in French Guiana. To top it all off, her scheduled visit with French president Toussaint (Julie Delpy) doesn't go swimmingly... especially when she starts being blackmailed, too.

I can't think of a time we've seen two female world leaders coexist like this, let alone work together to overthrow the tests a patriarchal system consistently subjects them to. I've no doubt in my mind that Jones was going to knock this out of the park and I hope this is the start of her rise to global stardom, much like Sarah Lancashire experienced in Happy Valley. – Jasmine Valentine, entertainment writer

• Watch Hostage on Netflix

Eenie Meanie (Hulu/Disney+)

Ready or Not star Samara Weaving leads the cast of this new Hulu and Disney+ offering, which sees her play the role of a troubled getaway driver.Indeed, we follow her as she's dragged back into a life of crime when a former employer reveals they’ve got an opportunity to save her “chronically unreliable” ex-boyfriend.

This heist movie sounds perfect if you’re after an action flick this weekend, but we'll have to wait and see what critics think of it first before we can recommend it ourselves. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Eenie Meanie on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally)

Road to a Million season 2 (Prime Video)

While most people were watching Squid Game: The Challenge with baited breath (and to be fair, so was I), I was watching Brian Cox do his best 'M' impression on Prime Video's underrated reality TV show 007: Road to a Million. That said, considering how expensive it was to make, I'm surprised a second season was greenlit.

Nevertheless, I'm yet to see a competition series on par with this. We've all wanted to take a stab at being James Bond. Thankfully, we get to experience that from the safety of our sofa while James from Wigan screams his head off trying to win some money. This Amazon TV Original only gets more unhinged from there, so strap in. – JV

• Watch Road to a Million season 2 on Prime Video

Long Story Short (Netflix)

BoJack Horseman is one of the best Netflix shows and a personal favorite of mine, so you can imagine how excited I am about co-creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg's new show Long Story Short. The adult animation series centers on a middle-class Jewish family and, more specifically, three siblings as they experience everyday events while looking back on their very religious childhood.

Given BoJack was equal parts hilarious and devastating, I’ve already stocked up on tissues for the weekend. It's already been renewed for a second season, too, so there'll be plenty more to enjoy in th future. – LB

• Watch Long Story Short on Netflix

Invasion season 3 (Apple TV+)

Out of the five new Apple TV+ shows releasing in August, Invasion season 3 is the most underrated. But, that doesn't mean I'm not excited for its arrival – not least because we're set to learn the true intentions of the hostile aliens that have invaded Earth.

There have been theories about the extraterrestrials' constant attacks throughout the Apple TV+ sci-fi saga, but this season promises to finally give us answers. Creator Simon Kingberg has confirmed we'll see the main characters unite in a "low-key Avengers" storyline, so I'm expecting a climatic showdown.

So far, Invasion has seen mixed responses due to its slow-burn pacing, but many agree that last season greatly improved on the first, putting the Apple TV Original's third season in good stead to be a world-saving (or -ending) spectacle. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

• Watch Invasion season 3 on Apple TV+

The Truth About Jussie Smollett? (Netflix)

Before 2019, Jussie Smollett was known for his roles in shows like Empire and movies like The Mighty Ducks, but has since made headlines after being accused of staging a hate crime hoax.

The real-life case has more twists and turns than a Spanish soap opera, but that hasn't stopped Netflix from going ahead with a 90-minute documentary about the case. The Truth About Jussie Smollett? will bring us interviews with police, lawyers, journalists, investigators, and Jussie himself to get the story straight, making this the best way to get the (hopefully) true story on the alleged fake story. – AS

• Watch The Truth About Jussie Smollet? on Netflix

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• Spider-Man: Brand New Day casts Severance star in mystery role – and another Marvel hero could also appear in the MCU film
• Fallout season 2 trailer reveals who's playing Mr. House, a Deathclaw, and an official release date for the hit Prime Video show's return

Little Nightmares 3 is set to arrive later this year. As such, there's still a lot to learn about the upcoming indie horror game and how it plans to build on the foundations the previous two games have laid down.

Now that Little Nightmares 3 has been fully revealed, and received a release date, we know a fair bit about it. We have played the game now too, read our thoughts as part of our Little Nightmares 3 preview.

With the original Little Nightmares landing on our list of the best horror games, alongside our best indie horror games, the third installment of the series has a lot of expectations to meet. But if you were a fan of the first two games, it’s an upcoming game worth keeping an eye on. With that in mind, we're here to provide a look at gameplay, latest news, and trailers. Here’s everything we know about Little Nightmares 3 so far.

Little Nightmares 3 - cut to the chase

• What is it? The third installment of the Little Nightmares series
• When can I play it? October 10, 2025
• What can I play it on? PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
• Who makes it? Supermassive Games

Little Nightmares 3 release date and platforms

(Image credit: Supermassive Games)

Little Nightmares 3 will launch October 10, 2025. You’ll be able to play Little Nightmares 3 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS4, and Xbox One, so there’s a huge variety of platforms to choose from once you’re ready to dive in.

Little Nightmares 3 trailers

The most recent Little Nightmares 3 trailer serves as a recap and overview of everything revealed about the game so far. Check it out below:

The pre-order trailer for Little Nightmares 3 reveals the game's October release date, and features new gameplay. Check it out below:

A trailer for Little Nightmares 3 debuted during Gamescom Opening Night Live. 2024 It focuses on the co-op gameplay that'll be the focus of the game. Check it out below:

The reveal trailer for Little Nightmares 3 was shown as part of Gamescom Opening Night Live in August 2023, and offers a fairly generous look at the new setting of the title, alongside the two new protagonists called Low and Alone. Unusually, we aren’t revisiting Mono and Six of the original Little Nightmares and its sequel, but that does mean there is an entirely new blank slate to build upon for this game.

In the trailer, we meet the two new protagonists alongside a number of new enemies, as well as a glimpse at several new environments to navigate. We also got a first look at the new array of enemies, including a monstrous baby and several large, human-like creatures.

The end of the trailer presents a release window of 2024 (later delayed to 2025), alongside listing the platforms the game will be available on. The full trailer can be seen below:

Little Nightmares 3 story and setting

(Image credit: Supermassive Games)

With only a few trailers under our belts, and not a lot of other information out in the wild, there’s still a lot we don’t know about Little Nightmares 3. Little Nightmares is a pretty lore-heavy game, so we do expect more information to come to light as we learn more about the release date of the game, but for now, we’ve got a decent chunk to sink our teeth into when it comes to the story and setting of the game.

The story follows two new protagonists called Low and Alone, both of whom have different abilities that will aid your experience with the game. Although we don’t know the backstory of these characters, we expect more to unravel as we crawl closer to the game’s release. Both characters are armed with a weapon unique to them, and you’ll be able to select which character you wish to play which is a franchise first.

Despite not knowing much about the backstory of these characters, we do know that they are working in tandem in order to escape the setting, and similarly to how Mono and Six work in Little Nightmares 2, we are expecting the duo to support one another when it comes to the puzzle solving and potentially combat side of the game.

Whether or not the character you choose to play has an impact on how the story plays out is currently unclear, but it would be a cool addition to expand the lore of Little Nightmares, especially since Supermassive Games is the team behind this game. Given how the stories weave together in both Until Dawn and The Quarry that Supermassive made it would be an intriguing addition to the Little Nightmares series if your actions had a butterfly effect too.

In terms of setting, Little Nightmares 3 takes place in a new environment called “The Spiral” which is described as a cluster of dystopian lands built upon disturbed delusions. As we move further into 2025, we are expecting more information regarding the setting to be shared.

Little Nightmares 3 gameplay

With Little Nightmares 3 being a puzzle-platform horror adventure game, there’s a lot to expect from its haunting gameplay. We’ve only had a brief look at the in-game content from the reveal and subsequent trailers, but it appears to follow the same style of content as the previous two games. Because of this, we’re anticipating the game to present a lot of traditional Little Nightmares mechanics, such as sneaking past enemies to solve puzzles in larger-than-life environments, alongside elements like tense chase scenes, and platforming throughout different areas.

However, we are expecting combat to be more prominent in Little Nightmares 3 since both Low and Alone are each equipped with a weapon. For players who select to play as Low, you’ll be armed with a bow and arrow, whereas players who select Alone will be armed with a wrench. This could indicate more instances of combat with various enemies, alongside utilizing these weapons for any puzzle-solving or quick escapes you might have to navigate.

Excitingly, Little Nightmares 3 will also be the first game in the series to include co-op play, so you won’t have to go through the entire adventure solo. We’re anticipating this game to become one of the best co-op games, especially since Little Nightmares 2 felt as though it should be multiplayer, but the feature wasn’t implemented.

As a game that relies on two characters throughout its content, whether that is during puzzle solving or platforming, or even as a pair of extra hands during boss battle-esque combat, multiplayer will be a huge benefit for the game. Similarly to information regarding the story and setting, we are expecting more to come to the surface about what the game offers to set itself apart from the last two games.

In an 18-minute playthrough published by Bandai Namco, we get a first look at how co-op will feel. While the vast majority of this trailer walks us through an entirely new setting, we do gain a feel for the puzzle-solving element of the game and how crucial teamwork will be regarding progression. It seems as if both Low and Alone will not be able to progress without one another, and for once it might be preferable to play the game with a companion rather than entirely solo.

It also appears that there will be instances within the game where you are separated from one another in order to solve puzzles. Interestingly, the game doesn't use split-screen and instead focuses on one character at a time when the pair are split. With no couch co-op, this is an interesting way to approach separation since one player will effectively lose access to their character for a bit, but it does reduce the risk of getting lost within the map.

Little Nightmares 3 FAQWill Little Nightmares 3 be multiplayer?

Little Nightmares 3 will feature multiplayer at launch. You'll be able to jump into online co-op to control Low and Alone, or play solo with an AI companion. Unfortunately, there's no local co-op mode planned at present.

Who is making Little Nightmares 3?

While the first two Little Nightmares games were handled by Tarsier Studios, Little Nightmares 3 is being developed by Supermassive Games under Bandai Namco. This is primarily due to Tarsier Studios having been bought by Embracer group, with Bandai Namco having retained the IP rights to the Little Nightmares franchise.

Little Nightmares 3 news

(Image credit: Supermassive Games)

Watch 10 minutes of the Carnevale level
A new gameplay breakdown for Little Nightmares 3 arrived during Gamescom 2025. It's our best look at gameplay yet. Watch it here (opens YouTube).

18 minutes of Little Nightmares 3 gameplay has been released
We've received our first look at in-game content within Little Nightmares 3 through a fairly lengthy video walking us through one of the games new settings - the Necropolis. We get a look at how the pair will work together in order to progress through the setting, alongside a small look at combat and the games first boss.

Little Nightmares 3 will not support couch co-op It has been announced that Little Nightmares 3 will not have couch co-op in order to preserve "atmosphere and immersion." While the title is the first in the series to have any sort of multiplayer, players will need independent devices to play with one another. That said, both players will not need a copy of the game, and similar to It Takes Two, a friend pass will allow a second player to jump in.

Little Nightmares 3 reveal trailer shown at Gamescom Opening Night Live Little Nightmares 3 was announced with a new reveal trailer as part of Gamescom Opening Night Live 2023. This was the first look at the game and what we can expect. Within the trailer, we quickly meet two new protagonists alongside a brief look at the new setting of the game, before it closes out with a release window and its available platforms.

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• Google launches Gemini for Government specifically for the White House
• Government agencies will pay just $0.47 to access Gemini tools
• The deal will only last until 2026 – what happens next?

Google and the US Government have come together to announce the release of Gemini for Government, described as the combination of “commercial cloud, industry-leading Gemini models, and agentic solutions” for maximum productivity.

The announcement comes from Google and the General Services Administration (GSA) and forms part of the OneGov Strategy for centralized IT procurement and Trump’s AI Action Plan.

Gemini for Government will be valid until 2026 and builds on existing Google agreements with the US Government.

Google launches heavily discounted Gemini for Government

Gemini for Government will cost $0.47 per agency and follows a Google Workspace deal with savings of 71% for government agencies – all enabled through renewed purchasing power through the GSA’s OneGov Strategy.

“Building on our Workspace offer for federal employees, ‘Gemini for Government’ gives federal agencies access to our full stack approach to AI innovation, including tools like NotebookLM and Veo powered by our latest models and our secure cloud infrastructure, so they can deliver on their important missions,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai commented.

Gemini for Government includes Google-quality enterprise search, video and image generation, NotebookLM AI, Deep Research agents, Idea Generation agents, and support for workers to build their own agents.

“We are a long-term, strategic partner for America, deeply invested in the mission, innovation, and security of our government,” Google Public Sector CEO Karen Dahut noted, pointing to headline figures like Google’s 100,000+ US workers and its data centers and officers across 26 states.

With the deal set to last just one year, it’s unclear what happens next. The GSA could renew or extend the agreement, or competition could once again open up as the White House looks for cheaper or other advanced AI tools.

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• The Apple TV+ price hike does not apply to the service's annual rate
• The cost of bundle services like Apple One will remain unchanged
• New and select returning subscribers can still get a 7-day free trial

Apple TV+’s sudden price hike has left subscribers scrambling to decide whether to cancel their subscription before the increased rate shows up in their next renewal bill, but there are some ways to avoid paying as much as 30% more.

The best I've seen so far is to sign up for an annual subscription, as the 12-month rate remains unchanged for the moment. That means you can not only still get a more than 16% saving on the old monthly cost of Apple TV+ by buying an annual subscription, but you can also save 55% on the newly raised monthly price.

By signing up for 12 months upfront, you can bring the cost of a monthly subscription down to just $8.33 in the US, £7.49 in the UK, and AU$10.83 in Australia (see the table below for how these stack up against the new raised prices).

Apple TV+ global costs

Annual

Monthly equivalent

New monthly prices

US

$99

$8.33

$12.99

UK

£89.99

£7.49

£9.99

AU

AU$129.99

AU$10.83

AU$15.99

Apple also has not announced any further changes to the price of other bundles and offers, which means the cost of its mega subscription service that bundles all of its services, including Apple Music, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple TV+, and more, into one package remains unchanged.

The Apple One subscription bundle has three different pricing tiers depending on whether you want an individual account, family, or more premium features like a higher storage capacity on iCloud, making it a great value for anyone who regularly uses these services. It starts at $19.95 a month in the US, £18.95 per month in the UK, and AU$21.95 per month in Australia.

If you haven't already read our Apple TV+ cost guide, then you might not know that you can also still get a free trial of Apple's streaming service. The introductory offer is available for new and select returning customers, making it a great option if you're a savvy budgeter who hops between subscriptions.

An Apple TV+ free trial is by far the cheapest option to avoid the price hike, and there are multiple ways to get one. The standard trial period is seven days, but you can get a month if you're a student or a new Apple One subscriber – or three months with an Apple device purchase. In the US, you can also get three months if you purchase a Roku device, or six months if you're on a T-Mobile Go5G plan. There are similar offers in the UK too, with EE iPhone contracts and Three bundles.

These are the best ways to avoid missing out on streaming Spike Lee's new movie Highest 2 Lowest, alongside the return of The Morning Show season 4 and Slow Horses season 5 in September. Of course, it's always worth keeping an eye on the best streaming deals, but Apple TV+ isn't known to offer many discounts throughout the year.

Will Apple TV+ introduce an ad-supported tier?

If you're like me and signed up to the rare Apple TV+ deal that marked a 70% saving on the usual price of a subscription in April, then your discounted account has probably run out by now – great timing, I know.

There are thankfully ways to save money on an Apple TV+ subscription (as listed above), but for anyone who's looking for a more long-term solution that doesn't involve swapping and changing which of the best streaming services you're signed up to each month, then one could be on the horizon.

Reports have been circling for over a year now that Apple TV+ has been making inroads in the advertising space. From recruiting ad execs to testing ad tools, industry insiders have connected these dots and believe they suggest that Apple TV+ could be next to get an ad-based tier.

That's not too surprising considering the success that Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video have had following the rollout of similar ad-supported tiers, with the services each announcing an increase in sign-ups off the back of the launch of these new, cheaper tiers.

With Apple increasingly spending more on big-ticket productions and acquiring the expensive rights to big sporting tournaments – namely the Formula 1 rights in the US – it's bound to have an impact on the bottom line, and that means we'll have to cough up for it.

I wouldn't be surprised if we start to hear more about a potential ad-supported tier rolling out on Apple TV+ off the back of the price hike, especially if it impacts subscriber numbers, as Apple's streaming service will undoubtedly want to win back eyeballs.

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• Dali's new Kupid stereo speakers cost £299 (about $400 / AU$625)
• 4.5-inch woofer with 26mm custom-designed tweeter
• 4-ohm impedence makes them easy to play from any stereo amp

Danish hi-fi company Dali has just announced a new pair of budget stereo bookshelf speakers, and as someone who's been testing the model just above them in the range at home recently, I think these could be very interesting.

The new speakers are called the Dali Kupid, and they're hoping to make you fall in love with their funky color options (as well as more traditional wood finishes), and their promise of detailed, audiophile-pleasing sound for a low price of just £299 (about $400 / AU$625 – no price has been confirmed for the US or Australia at the time of writing).

They sit between the cheapest Dali Spektor 1 bookshelf speakers ($280 / £199 / AU$499) and the impressive Dali Oberon 1 speakers ($600 / £399 / AU$749) – both of which scored five stars from our friends at What Hi-Fi? in their reviews of those products.

I've been using the Dali Oberon 1 at home recently as part of testing a new streaming amp, and they're really quite astounding for the price when it comes to detail and musicality – which means I think these genuinely could be fantastic value.

The Kupid are built with a custom-designed 26mm tweeter paired with a 4.5-inch mid-woofer. While the woofer appears to be very similar to one in the Spektor 1, the combination with a new tweeter and different bass reflex design could produce wider-ranging sound than the Spektor 1.

Though having said that, I should note that the Kupid are rated for slightly less extensive bass frequencies than the Spektor 1 (63Hz for the Kupid and 59Hz for the Spektor) – but spec numbers never tell the whole story with speakers, so I would expect a more full sound from the Kupid when factoring in all elements of the design.

One of the big focuses of the Kupid seems to be making them easy to live with – Dali suggests they should be pretty unfussy to place and get good sound from, and they come with wall brackets in the box as well as rubber feet.

They're also reasonably small, and they can be powered comfortably from 4-ohm amplification, so budget amps should have no problem getting their best sound. Dali says they should sound great quiet as well as loud, so they're suited to a lot of different environments – this is something the Oberon 1 are great at, so I don't doubt it here.

And perhaps coolest of all, they come in five great finishes for different tastes: Black Ash, Walnut, Caramel White, Golden Yellow, and Chilly Blue.

(Image credit: Dali)A great way to step up to the detail of bookshelf speakers?

These look like they would pair nicely with something like the Pro-Ject Stereo Box E amp, which costs $349 / £199 and should have enough power for these speakers, plus has Bluetooth built in. That would get you lovely analog audio components from two great hi-fi makers, all in a compact size, plus the convenience of wireless connectivity – all for under £500 total, in the UK.

If you compare to a similar wireless stereo speaker setup – something like a pair of Sonos Era 100 speakers costs only a little less – you'd almost certainly hear a major difference in detail and clarity from the hi-fi system.

With far bigger speaker drivers, more air moved, and more space for powerful components, you'll find that music has a lot more room to express itself than from a smaller system. This usually means you'll get the experience of hearing 'new' elements in songs, or just be able to appreciate them anew with an improved sound profile.

I actually did a comparison listening test recently between a pair of stereo Sonos Era 300 speakers and the Dali Oberon 1 speakers with the new Wiim Amp Ultra powering them – and although the Sonos speakers gave a great account of themselves with the sound dispersal and hefty low-end, the Oberon 1 had a clear edge when it came of mid-range expression, detail across the frequencies, and the handling of complex instrument mixes. Basically, all the things that make you feel really immersed in a song are boosted.

Obviously, we'll have to give these a real test to see if they can do the same at a lower price, but given my recent experience with Dali speakers, and the company's history, I think these look like a good threat to our list of the best stereo speakers.

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• 64-bit Google TV apps should deliver smoother, faster performance
• Developers told to prepare for "upcoming" Google TV/Android TV devices
• Target date is August 2026

Google has asked app developers to prepare for "upcoming 64-bit Google TV and Android TV devices" by making sure their TV apps are available as 64-bit versions.

Developers have plenty of time to prepare: the new rules come into force in August 2026.

Moving from 32-bit to 64-bit is good news for Google TV and Android TV users with compatible hardware, because 64-bit apps generally deliver faster loading times, less lag and better overall performance.

And streaming fans can see that in action on an Apple TV 4K, because Apple started the 64-bit app transition ten years ago and completed the switchover in 2019.

Many third-party devices, such as the Nvidia Shield, are 64-bit ready. (Image credit: Future)Does Google's 64-bit move mean new hardware?

Yes, but not necessarily from Google: while there's been some speculation that Google is working on a new 64-bit Google TV Streamer for launch next year, the operating systems are also used by third party products such as the Nvidia Shield and several of the best TVs, including the Sony Bravia 8 II. Google's blog post notes that three versions of the Nvidia Shield are 64-bit capable.

While Apple removed 32-bit support in tvOS 13 back in 2019, Google isn't following suit. "We’re not making any changes to 32-bit support, and Google Play will continue to deliver apps to 32-bit devices," Google TV product manager Fahad Durrani wrote.

What Google is doing here is asking developers to futureproof their apps, and from next August that means submitting both 32-bit and 64-bit versions for maximum compatibility.

That means users of existing Google TV and Android TV hardware don't need to worry about their apps disappearing or being left without updates in the foreseeable future, but depending on your device it might mean a performance boost is coming next year – or it might mean your next device gets the boost.

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• Swann has launched a wireless home security camera with solar charging
• The EVO Wireless Solar can be powered by 45 minutes of sunlight per day
• The camera also has 16GB local storage, so you don't need a subscription

Swann, the company behind some of the best home security cameras we've tested here at TechRadar, has launched a new compact outdoor camera that you'll never need to take down for recharging, and which doesn't require a subscription plan to save and review your video footage.

The Swann EVO Wireless Solar is a compact weather-resistant camera (much smaller than the all-seeing Swann MaxRanger4K Solar), and can run all day with just 45 minutes of sunlight exposure, giving you plenty of flexibility as to where you mount it.

The camera comes with a 16GB SD card, so you can save your footage locally and keep full control over it. If you do decide that you want to keep clips in the cloud, the free Swann Secure plan gives you 1-7 days of cloud recording for a single camera.

The EVO Wireless Solar records at 2K with a 120-degree field of view, and offers infrared night vision for spotlight-free recording after dark. There's two-way audio as well, letting you speak to visitors and warn off potential intruders.

(Image credit: Swann)

The Swann EVO Wireless Solar has a list price of $129.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.95, and is available to buy direct from Swann.

For comparison, the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus Battery is $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$179, but lacks solar charging, and requires a Ring Home plan if you want to store your recordings. For more details of what you get with Ring Home, see our guide do I need a Ring subscription.

The price difference between the wireless Swann and Ring cameras disappears immediately if you want solar charging, since Ring's solar panels start at $39.99 / £39.99 / AU$59 each.

We're hoping to test the Swann EVO Wireless Solar soon, to see how it compares with other wireless cams in its price bracket and above.

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As artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Grok and predictive analytics platforms become embedded in everyday business operations, many companies are unknowingly walking a legal tightrope.

While the potential of AI tools provide many benefits - streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making, and unlocking new efficiencies - the legal implications are vast, complex, and often misunderstood.

From data scraping to automated decision-making, the deployment of AI systems raises serious questions around copyright, data protection, and regulatory compliance.

Without robust internal frameworks and a clear understanding of the legal landscape, businesses risk breaching key laws and exposing themselves to reputational and financial harm.

GDPR and the Use of AI on Employee Data

One of the most pressing concerns is how AI is being used internally, particularly when it comes to processing employee data. Many organizations are turning to AI to support HR functions, monitor productivity, or even assess performance. However, these applications may be in direct conflict with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

GDPR principles such as fairness, transparency, and purpose limitation are often overlooked in the rush to adopt new technologies. For example, if an AI system is used for employee monitoring without their informed consent, or if the data collected is repurposed beyond its original intent, the business could be in breach of data protection law.

Moreover, automated decision-making that significantly affects individuals, such as hiring or disciplinary actions, requires specific safeguards under GDPR, including the right to human intervention.

The Legal Grey Area of Data Scraping

Another legal minefield is the use of scraped data to train AI models. While publicly available data may seem fair game, the reality is far more nuanced. Many websites explicitly prohibit scraping in their terms of service, and using such data without permission can lead to claims of breach of contract or even copyright infringement.

This issue is particularly relevant for businesses developing or fine-tuning their own AI models. If training data includes copyrighted material or personal information obtained without consent, the resulting model could be tainted from a legal standpoint. Even if the data was scraped by a third-party vendor, the business using the model could still be held liable.

Copyright Risks in Generative AI

Generative AI tools, such as large language models and image generators, present another set of challenges. Employees may use these tools to draft reports, create marketing content, or process third-party materials. However, if the input or output involves copyrighted content, and there are no proper permissions or frameworks in place, the business could be at risk of infringement.

For instance, using generative AI to summarize or repurpose a copyrighted article without a license could violate copyright law. Similarly, sharing AI-generated content that closely resembles protected work may also raise legal red flags. Businesses must ensure their employees understand these limitations and are trained to use AI tools within the bounds of copyright law.

The Danger of AI “Hallucinations”

One of the lesser-known but increasingly problematic risks of AI is the phenomenon of “hallucinations”- where AI systems generate outputs that are factually incorrect or misleading, but presented with confidence. In a business context, this can have serious consequences.

Consider a scenario where an AI tool is used to draft a public document or legal summary, in which it includes fabricated company information or incorrect regulations. If that content is published or relied upon, the business could face reputational damage, client dissatisfaction, or even legal liability. The risk is compounded when employees assume the AI’s output is accurate without proper verification.

The Need for Internal AI Governance

To mitigate these risks, businesses must act promptly to implement robust internal governance frameworks. This includes clear policies on how AI tools can be used, mandatory training for employees, and regular audits of AI-generated content.

Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) should be conducted whenever AI is used to process personal data, and ethical design principles should be embedded into any AI development process.

It’s also critical to establish boundaries around the use of proprietary or sensitive information. Employees interacting with large language models must be made aware that anything they input could potentially be stored or used to train future models. Without proper safeguards, there’s a real risk of inadvertently disclosing trade secrets or confidential data.

Regulatory Focus in 2025

Regulators are increasingly turning their attention to AI. In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has made it clear that AI systems must comply with existing data protection laws, and it is actively investigating cases where this may not be happening. The ICO is particularly focused on transparency, accountability, and the rights of individuals affected by automated decision-making.

Looking ahead, we can expect more guidance and enforcement around the use of AI in business. The UK is currently consulting on its AI Bill which aims to regulate artificial intelligence by establishing an AI Authority, enforcing ethical standards, ensuring transparency, and promoting safe, fair, and accountable AI development and use that businesses must comply with.

AI is transforming the way we work, but it’s not a free pass to bypass legal and ethical standards. Businesses must approach AI adoption with caution, clarity, and compliance to safeguard their staff and reputation. By investing in governance, training, and legal oversight, organizations can harness the power of AI while avoiding the pitfalls.

The legal risks are real, but with the right approach, they are also manageable.

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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

• Trump criticizes legacy US Government websites as expensive and poor to use
• New "American by Design" initiative will modernize government agency sites
• Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia appointed as Chief Design Officer of National Design Studio

President Trump may soon be browsing for the best website builders after ordering improvements to federal government websites and physical spaces in the hope to make them more attractive for both workers and customers.

“The Government has lagged behind in usability and aesthetics,” Trump said in a new Executive Order, noting the need for system modernization that could tackle high maintenance costs in the process.

The Executive Order explains legacy systems can be costly to maintain and costly to American citizens, who can spend more time than necessary trying to navigate them, hence the need for change.

Trump wants to modernize US Government websites

The Order introduces Trump’s new ‘America by Design’ initiative, which begins with high-touch point sites where citizens are most likely to interact with government agencies.

The formation of a new National Design Studio and the appointment of a Chief Design Officer will oversee the project.

“It is the policy of my Administration to deliver digital and physical experiences that are both beautiful and efficient, improving the quality of life for our Nation,” Trump wrote.

The National Design Studio has been tasked with reducing duplicative design costs, much in the same way that the White House has already started centralizing IT procurement to boost cost efficiency.

It will also use a standardized design for consistency and trust, and improve the quality of public-facing experiences.

Agencies have been given until July 4, 2026 to deliver their initial results after consulting with the Chief Design Officer.

Separate Reuters reporting has revealed Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia will lead the National Design Studio as Chief Design Officer, with the Internal Revenue Service set to be the first place to see an overhaul.

Trump’s Order also confirms the “temporary organization” will close in three years, on August 21, 2028, suggesting that site modernization could be complete even before that.

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• Google execs have been talking hardware following the Pixel 10 launch
• Flip phones, smart rings, and tablets aren't on the way
• The company is concentrating on phones and AI instead

We've just been treated to a host of new Google Pixel devices, including four different Pixel 10 phones, but we also have news about Google devices that aren't coming – including a flip foldable and a successor to the Pixel Tablet from 2023.

Speaking to Mark Gurman and Samantha Kelly at Bloomberg, Google's Vice President of Devices and Services Shakil Barkat confirmed that there are no plans for a Google flip foldable to join the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Barkat also ruled out a smart ring, and says the Pixel tablet series is on pause until a "meaningful future" can be figured out for the product category. It seems the likes of Samsung will be left to release those kinds of devices for the time being.

The status on smart glasses, meanwhile, is "TBD" – it seems Google is happy to stay focused, for now. "Every time a new type of category of product gets added, the bar on maintenance for the end user keeps going up," says Barkat. "It's already pretty painful."

The "vanguard" of AI

Google is focused on Pixel phones and AI (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Google execs did also use the interview to hype up what they are working on. Rick Osterloh, who is head of Google's hardware and Android divisions, described the Pixel 10 as a "super strong release" in what is now a "mature category".

The Pixel 11 is almost finalized, apparently, while work has started on the Pixel 12. Google design chief Ivy Ross says that the company is aiming for big visual changes to the Pixel phones "every two to three years" – so watch this space.

As you would expect, the Google team pushed AI as being the big innovation that'll be happening on phones over the next few years, via Gemini and features such as Magic Cue, which surfaces key info from your phone when you need it.

Osterloh says he wants Android to be "on the vanguard of where AI is going", and that Google isn't overly worried about Pixel sales: the phones account for about 3% of the US market at the moment, compared to a 49% share for Apple.

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In March, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) employees faced abrupt dismissal by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This agency-on-agency downsizing left many employees in security limbo – without jobs but with access to government-issued devices.

There was no immediate revocation of endpoint credentials, remote lockouts, or retrieval of the hardware and its crucial data. “The agency doesn’t even know how to turn off access to the systems for everyone on administrative leave,” said a former deputy administrator.

While unintended, these abrupt public service cuts created endpoint and cybersecurity holes. USAID manages sensitive geopolitical information and yet there was no reliable mechanism to de-provision devices.

This situation highlights a common weakness across federal agencies – device footprints are often large and poorly administered, thereby turning every endpoint into a potential backdoor.

This just isn’t good enough. Let’s look at what every government agency requires to better manage, monitor, and protect its endpoints.

Don’t let ghost devices haunt public sector networks

First, cuts without security planning exacerbate the problem of “ghost devices”: endpoints that disappear without proper offboarding end up as unknown and unseen attack vectors. These invisible laptops, phones, and tablets across government networks become much more likely when endpoints take a backseat to efficiency.

Unfortunately, agencies solely focused on the budget bottom line often fail to invest in systems that precisely show what devices are on the network, which are active, and who’s using them. Not having this kind of information creates a security headache and inefficiency in the race to efficiency.

When restructuring happens overnight, endpoint management strategies help agencies maintain control even when human resources processes are chaotic. The last thing admins want is to manually track down endpoints by relying on spreadsheets, email trails, or someone’s memory.

If efficiency is the goal, agencies should recognize that dealing with lost or compromised endpoints is ultimately more expensive and embarrassing than investing in proper mobile device management (MDM) from the start.

Don’t wait for trouble to call IT

Likewise, with no forcing function or endpoint system in place, response times suffer. The period between when devices go missing or when users leave their positions and admins step in is vital. But understaffed and under-resourced IT teams can create dangerous lags. In this window, bad actors can crack devices to copy files, exploit credentials, and intercept sensitive communications.

If a unified endpoint management solution had been in place at USAID, it would’ve been significantly easier and faster to account for each device even after the dismissals. Access could have been revoked remotely and the data wiped clean – a win for cybersecurity that sidestepped the ensuing bad press.

Another good way to avoid this scenario is by controlling who can access what data and when. This is possible with access and identity management platforms, and most effective when coupled with zero trust. This principle ensures that no device or user is inherently trusted and creates additional security layers that verify each access attempt. This way, even if a device falls through administrative cracks, these systems in concert limit the damage by preventing unauthorized access.

To be truly efficient, government networks need to shift from reactive to proactive postures. This means automated alerts when devices go offline in unusual circumstances, geolocation tracking, remote locking capabilities, and emergency wiping protocols. Whether devices are halfway around the world or down the hall, giving admins these powers goes a long way to nipping live threats in the bud.

Ironically, this approach actually maximizes the value of government technology investments throughout their lifecycle and helps achieve the stated desire for public sector efficiency.

Don’t let good tech die young

Government efficiency initiatives often focus on headcount when significant savings can be found in the total cost of tech ownership. The federal government spends almost four times more on technology per employee than other industries. Agencies can lower this figure by improving how they recondition endpoints and return them to the frontlines.

Effective endpoint management creates genuine efficiency by allowing agencies to remotely reset laptops and redeploy them with fresh policies. As a result, rather than premature retirement, admins and agencies can extend hardware lifecycles for substantial savings. This approach also advances sustainability goals and addresses equity gaps when properly wiped devices are redeployed to underserved agencies or programs.

Going forward, the public sector must think holistically about what it’s cutting. Decision-makers must consider both the human cost – thousands of careers disrupted and institutional knowledge lost – and the technical implications of such rapid workforce changes. Frank discussions with admins about how these decisions affect the broader ecosystem are therefore essential.

Letting people go while ignoring their device access and data security is unacceptable. Agencies need both protocols and platforms to ensure devices can be remotely managed and appropriately reassigned. Improved endpoint management won’t solve every challenge in the public sector, but it can help put agencies back in control of their devices and destiny.

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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

• Peacemaker season 2's premiere drops plenty of hints about Batman
• This season's first episode contains multiple references to The Dark Knight
• Other DCU projects confirmed The Caped Crusader already operates in this universe

Peacemaker season 2 has finally made its long-awaited debut – and the popular HBO Max show's latest installment wastes no time letting us know that Batman already exists in the DC Universe (DCU).

Admittedly, previous DCU projects have done that. Creature Commandos episode 6 revealed the DCU's Batman for the first time – albeit in silhouette form – while James Gunn's Superman movie contained a blink and you'll miss it reference to Gotham City via a road sign.

Nevertheless, the first episode of Peacemaker's sophomore season really drives home that Bruce Wayne has been operating as his vigilante alter-ego for some time – and six specific Easter eggs that prove it.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Peacemaker 2's inaugural chapter.

Krank Toys is a nationwide toy and model business that exists in the DC Universe (Image credit: HBO Max)

The first of those happen 12 minutes into this season's opener, titled 'The Ties That Grind'.

As Leota Adebayo and Chris Smith pull up to the place where the latter's Justice Gang interview is being held, said venue bears the name Krank Toys.

A business founded and run by Griffin Krank, and later taken over by his son Cosmo after his father's death, the Gotham City-based enterprise and the Krank family weren't created for DC Comics. Indeed, they were specifically made for 2004 animated series The Batman (NB: not to be confused with its 2022 Matt Reeves-directed movie namesake). In that show, the Kranks made futuristic but dangerous toys and, after Bruce Wayne used his considerable clout to shut it down, Griffin adopted the supervillain pseudonym Toymaker to enact revenge on Wayne.

Jaina Hudson, is that you? (Image credit: HBO Max)

The DCU TV Original's next Batman Easter egg appears moments later. As Smith approaches the building's entrance, one of its bodyguards opens the door and a visibly upset woman, who's dressed in a white rabbit costume, walks past Smith.

A criminal known as the White Rabbit – real name Jaina Hudson – exists in the comics. And, given Hudson's alias appears in episode 1's end credits sequence, it's clear this individual in 'The Ties That Grind' is the Gotham-based socialite who moonlights as a crook. So, it's another fun call-back to a member of the Caped Crusader's stacked rogues gallery.

Sasha Bordeaux's backstory has been altered for Peacemaker season 2 (Image credit: HBO Max)

15 minutes pass before the DCU Chapter One TV series drops its next Batman reference in the form of ARGUS agent Sasha Bordeaux, played here by Sol Rodríguez.

Created by Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough, and debuting in 'Detective Comics #751' in December 2000, Bordeaux has big ties to The Dark Knight. I won't spoil anything about her comic book history here in case any of it has been adapted for her live-action take in the DCU. However, speaking to me ahead of the show's return, Rodríguez told me she's "really love" it if Bordeaux appears in the DCU's Batman film, which is currently titled The Brave and the Bold. We'll see if her wish is granted post-season 2.

It sounds like the general populace is growing increasingly concerned about metahumans... (Image credit: HBO Max)

Easter egg number four appears – or, rather, is heard – during the news report Rick Flag Sr is watching before Bordeaux enters his office to inform him of the "glitch" they've been keeping tabs on at Smith's home (i.e. Smith using the Quantum Unfolding Chamber to access another dimension).

In said news bulletin, the anchor says there have been three breakouts at Belle Rive Penitentiary and Arkham over the past two months. The latter is, unsurprisingly, a reference to Arkham Asylum, the psychiatric hospital that supervillains captured by Batman are sent to.

A blink and you'll miss it creature feature (Image credit: HBO Max)

The penultimate Easter egg can be glimpsed in the trophy room of the Smith household that exists in the alternate universe we'll see throughout season 2.

As the DCU's Chris Smith inspects some framed newspaper clippings of his family's heroic exploits in this parallel dimension, one such article reveals they thwarted something know as the Rainbow Creature. A powerful Abominable Snowman-type character, this monster first appeared in 'Batman Vol. 1 #134' in September 1960. Created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff, it hails from South America and has access to various superpowers, including pyrokinesis and the ability to vaporize objects, by way of its multi-colored fur.

Keith Smith namedrops the city patrolled by Nightwing in this season's premiere (Image credit: HBO Max)

The final reference in one of the best HBO Max shows' second season isn't specific to Batman. Given his ties to the hero it's related to, though, it still counts.

So, what is it? When the DCU's Smith stumbles outside and meets his brother Keith, who's alive and all grown up in this alternate reality, the latter says to the former "I thought you were in Bludhaven". That's the Gotham-adjacent city protected by Nightwing, aka Dick Grayson. He's one of many individuals to assume the superhero identity of Robin, i.e. Batman's sidekick, in DC Comics.

For more on Peacemaker's latest season, read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to find out when new episodes will be released. Then, check out my Peacemaker season 2 review, which contains clues about what might happen in episodes 2 through 5.

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GenAI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot have become essential components of modern workflows, significantly saving countless hours and revolutionizing various tasks. 42% of enterprises actively deployed AI, and 40% are experimenting with it and 59% of those using or exploring AI have accelerated their investments over the past two years.

Their widespread adoption across industries has demonstrably boosted efficiency and productivity, making them indispensable for many organizations across almost all industries.

However, the rapid integration and reliance on GenAI tools have inadvertently fostered a dangerous sense of complacency within organizations.

While these tools are easy to use and offer widespread benefits, ignoring the consequences of misuse and even malicious use has led to a serious underestimation of the inherent risks tied to their deployment and management, creating fertile ground for potential vulnerabilities.

When Innovation Hides Exposure

While typical users may not consider the vulnerabilities that GenAI tools bring, many CISOs and AI leaders are increasingly concerned about the misuse that’s unfolding quietly beneath the surface.

What often appears to be innovation and efficiency can, in reality, mask significant security blind spots. By 2027, it is estimated that over 40% of breaches will originate from the improper cross-border use of GenAI. For CISOs, this isn't a distant concern but an urgent and growing risk that demands immediate attention and action.

The exploitation of everyday AI users isn’t just a scary headline or a cautionary tale from IT—it’s a rapidly growing reality. These emerging attacks are sweeping across industries, catching many off guard. Just recently, researchers disclosed a Microsoft Copilot vulnerability that could have enabled sensitive data exfiltration via prompt injection attacks.

The ongoing underestimation of basic AI usage risks within organizations is a key driver of this emerging danger. The lack of awareness and robust policies surrounding the secure deployment and ongoing management of GenAI tools is creating critical blind spots that malicious actors are increasingly exploiting.

A New Security Mindset

The evolving landscape of GenAI presents a critical inflection point for cybersecurity leaders. It's imperative that CISOs and industry professionals move beyond the initial excitement and acknowledge that these tools have inherent risks that have been introduced by the widespread adoption of these powerful tools.

The current situation, marked by rapid integration and security oversight mixed with dangerous complacency, demands a fundamental shift in how organizations perceive and manage their digital defenses especially with AI.

The future of network security hinges on intelligent, comprehensive monitoring systems capable of understanding normal behavioral patterns and rapidly identifying deviations. This approach is not only crucial but paramount for detecting sophisticated threats that bypass traditional defenses.

Tools that can defend and protect against highly sophisticated threats need to include advanced capabilities at their core. Particularly, when considering scenarios where seemingly innocuous actions, like using a basic GenAI chatbot could lead to the silent exfiltration of sensitive corporate data, without user interaction or explicit warnings.

In these instances, traditional signature-based detection methods would likely prove ineffective. Therefore, it's imperative to begin leveraging advanced pattern recognition and behavioral analysis to combat threats specifically designed to evolve and evade detection.

Trust in AI Starts from Within

With the rise of increasingly sophisticated threats pressing closer to the enterprise perimeter, organizations must take decisive and actionable steps. This begins with addressing internal distrust of AI. Roughly three-quarters of AI experts think the technology will benefit them personally, however, only a quarter of the public says the same.

Fostering an environment where employees understand both the advantages and the risks associated with its use is essential to bridging this gap in perception. The promotion of responsible usage across the organization lays the groundwork for a more secure adoption of GenAI technologies.

While traditional human error remains a threat, the widespread adoption of GenAI has created a new, more subtle class of behavioral risks. Equipping employees with the knowledge to use GenAI tools securely is essential and should include comprehensive training, setting clear usage guidelines, and implementing robust policies tailored to defend against AI-driven attack vectors.

As the AI landscape adapts and changes, security frameworks must be continuously updated to keep pace with these evolving threats and to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

Real Security Starts with Behavior Change

Despite technological advancements, attackers continue to exploit human error. Today’s most significant data exposure isn't necessarily from a phishing link, while still a prime point of entry for threat actors; it's from an employee pasting proprietary source code, draft financial reports, or sensitive customer data into a public AI chatbot to work more efficiently.

In turn, companies must adopt strategies that address human behavior and decision-making. In an attempt to boost productivity they inadvertently externalize intellectual property.

This requires companies to evolve their approach beyond periodic training. It demands continuous engagement focused on GenAI-specific scenarios: teaching employees to recognize the difference between a safe, internal AI sandbox and a public tool.

It means creating a culture where asking "Can I put this data in this AI?" becomes as instinctual as locking your computer screen. Employees must be equipped to understand these new risks and feel accountable for using AI responsibly.

Demonizing AI usage, even basic use will never solve the problem at hand. Instead, embracing a secure approach to GenAI from a holistic point of view empowers employees to leverage these powerful tools with confidence to maximize their operational advantages while minimizing exposure to risk.

By leading with clear guidance, highlighting potential warning signs and operational risks, organizations can significantly reduce the chances of data breaches related to improper AI usage, ultimately protecting critical assets and preserving organizational integrity.

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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