TechRadar News

• Like clockwork, Apple's confirmed it's Black Friday Shopping event
• Starting November 29, you can score a gift card up to $200 with select purchases
• You'll find actual cash discounts on Amazon, BestBuy, and Walmart

While countless retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and BestBuy have been serving up early Black Friday deals for what feels like weeks on all sorts of the latest kit – including Apple gadgets – the Cupertino-based giant has, like clockwork, unveiled its official 2024 Black Friday savings event.

Now, as we’ve come to expect, don’t expect a cash discount off the price, but when things kick off on November 29, 2024, you’ll be able to score a gift card with select purchases. So if you’ve been eyeing the latest iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or AirPods and want to buy from Apple directly, waiting and scoring a gift card might make sense.

Of course, many, if not all, of the devices Apple will offer this for, and others are already seeing significant savings from other retailers. In many cases, those are the best deals. But if you go with the official Apple route, consider stacking in a device trade-in alongside the gift card offer, as it can sweeten the deal.

(Image credit: Apple)

Ahead, we’re sharing what you can expect and the devices eligible for this gift card promotion. It’ll kick off on November 29, 2024, and run through December 2, 2024, in the United States, the UK, Australia, and many other countries. Plus, you can shop it online or in-store.

Like in 2023, Apple’s using a tiered system where you can unlock a $25 / £20 / AU$40, $50 / £40 / AU$80, $75 / £60 / AU$120, $100 / £80 / AU$160, or $200 / £160 / AU$320 Gift Card – and as you might suspect, you’ll need to spend more to get a bigger gift card.

While Apple hasn’t yet confirmed the full values for every eligible device, we have a general idea of your score based on category.

(Image credit: Apple)

iPhone

If you get an iPhone SE, iPhone 14, or iPhone 15, you can score up to a $75 / £60 / AU$120 Apple Gift Card. The iPhone SE and iPhone 14 might likely mean a gift card of lesser value.

iPad

While not every iPad is expected to be eligible – namely the recently launched iPad mini A17 Pro, though it is discounted elsewhere – Apple promises up to $100 / £80 / AU$160 gift card by purchasing an iPad 10th Generation, iPad Air, or iPad Pro.

Mac

Similar to the iPad mini, the latest Macs will likely not be eligible for the gift card promotion. However, if you’re considering the M2 or M3 MacBook Air, with the recently upgraded now standard 16GB of RAM, you’ll get up to a $200 / £160 / AU$320 Gift Card. And yes, both the 13-inch M2 and M3 and the 15-inch M3 are listed as eligible.

Apple Watch

While you won’t find savings directly at the Apple Store for the Apple Watch Series 10 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, you’ll get a $50 / £40 / AU$80 gift card by purchasing an Apple Watch SE second-generation.

AirPods

Whether you get AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Max, you’ll get up to a $50 / £40 / AU$80 gift card.

(Image credit: Apple)

TV & Home

While there is no gift card eligibility for the HomePod mini, Apple will offer up to a $75 / £60 / AU$120 gift with the Apple TV 4K or HomePod.

Beats

Nearly the entire Beats lineup is eligible to score up to a $50 / £40 / AU$80 gift card with Beats Pill, Beats Flex, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds Plus, Beats Solo Buds, Beats Solo 4, and Beats Studio Pro on the list.

Accessories

No, you won’t find savings on iPhone 16 cases, but Apple will offer up to $25 / £20 / AU$40 with some accessories. The Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil second-generation, Magic Keyboard, and Smart Folio for iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPad tenth-generation cut.

More of today's Black Friday sales in the US

• Amazon: TVs, smart home & air fryers from $12.99
• Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $89.99
• Best Buy: $1,000 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs at Best Buy from $69.99
• Christmas trees: top-rated trees from $54.99
• Dell: best-selling Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99
• Dreamcloud: mattress deals from $349 + free shipping
• Holiday: decor, lights, Christmas trees & PJs from $10.99
• Home Depot: 40% off tools, appliances & furniture
• Lowe's: holiday decor, appliances & tools from $17.31
• Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses
• Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats, jeans & jewelry
• Samsung: $1,500+ off TVs, phones, watches & appliances
• Target: save on furniture, tech & clothing
• Walmart: cheap TVs, robot vacs, furniture & appliances

More of today's Black Friday sales in the UK

• Amazon: up to 68% off toothbrushes and TVs
• AO: savings on games consoles and appliances
• Argos: up to 50% off toys, Lego, TVs and gifts
• Boots: up to 50% off Dyson, Oral-B and Philips
• Currys: early deals on TVs, appliances, laptops
• Dell: laptops, desktops, monitors from £299
• Dyson: up to £150 off
• Ebay: up to 50% off refurbished tech
• EE: up to £600 off Samsung and Apple
• John Lewis: up to £300 off appliances and TVs
• LG: £1,000 or more off TVs and appliances
• Samsung: up to £600 off TVs, phones and tablets
• Very: up to 30% off phones, appliances & clothing

• Dual 13.3-inch OLED screens create an 18-inch equivalent display
• Available for $2,000 through Links International, releasing mid-December
• Powered by Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU with 64GB RAM

We've covered the GPD Duo laptop several times this year - first when GPD, best known for its compact gaming laptops and handheld consoles, initially teased it, and later when the company officially unveiled its full specifications - and now we finally have all the information, and as expected it's not cheap.

The GPD Duo was made available to back on Indiegogo earlier this month, where it pulled in $337,057 in pledges from 190 backers, well above the $2,571 flexible goal the creators were seeking. There, the laptop was offered for $1,860. If you missed your chance to back it then, you can now buy it through Links International, priced at approximately $2,000.

Set to be released in mid-December 2024, it features two 13.3-inch OLED displays with a 2.8K resolution and a high refresh rate of 60Hz. The displays are versatile, with options to mirror, extend, or use as a standalone screen. When used together, the screens offer an expansive viewing area equivalent to an 18-inch monitor, making it ideal for multitasking, content creation, and even gaming.

OCuLink support

Under the hood, the GPD Duo is powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor. With 12 cores, 24 threads, and a boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz, this CPU is optimized for performance across various demanding applications. Paired with 64GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 2TB M.2 SSD, the GPD Duo should be more than capable of handling pretty intensive tasks.

The laptop's connectivity options include USB4, HDMI 2.1, SD/microSD slots, and an OCuLink port which allows users to connect an external GPU.

OCuLink compatibility is a rare feature in laptops, so this is a very welcome inclusion allowing the GPD Duo to handle a range of graphics-heavy workloads. The GPD Duo features an 80Wh battery that provides up to 14 hours of usage and supports 100W USB PD fast charging, reaching 50% capacity in about 30 minutes.

Weighing around 2.3 kg, the laptop has an integrated fingerprint sensor compatible with Windows Hello, a 5-megapixel camera, dual microphones, and wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

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• Japan is urging people to include usernames and passwords in their wills
• It could lessen the burden (and financial implications) on loved ones
• Removing old accounts is also a good thing for the environment

Japan’s National Consumer Affairs Center is urging citizens to leave their usernames and passwords in their wills in its fight against unnecessary online content.

Leaving family members access to their online accounts is hoped to ease the burden on those who may struggle to manage the digital legacy of their deceased family member.

However, there is another positive side effect in that closing down unused accounts will lessen the impact on data centers, therefore reducing environmental damage associated with cloud storage.

Japanese citizens urged to share passwords in wills

Families often face difficulties cancelling subscriptions or closing down accounts due to a lack of access to usernames and passwords, which can result in complications in the best scenario, and ongoing expenses where frequent payments are concerned.

As part of its ‘digital end-of-life planning’ proposition, Japan is asking its citizens to ensure that family members can unlock devices in the event of emergencies.

On the more morbid side of things, the country’s residents are being asked to keep a list of subscriptions, user IDs and passwords, and to store them in an accessible place for family members to reach.

The news is a welcome move given the widespread adoption of smartphones and associated online accounts; the Center is anticipating an increasing number of unresolved digital affairs after people die.

Some services already include such features. Meta and Apple are two companies that allow users to assign legacy contacts to manage their accounts after passing, however the reality is that most online accounts lack this functionality.

Moreover, to simplify matters, storing login credentials in a password manager and sharing only the login to that makes it much simpler to ensure that all passwords are being passed on to family members.

Via The Register

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• New research claims most QR code emails are spam
• QR codes can easily bypass anti-spam filters, Cisco Talos warns
• 'Quishing' attacks are becoming more common

The dangers of clicking an unknown or suspicious link should have been drilled into most of us by now, but many don’t realize scanning a malicious QR code from an unknown source could be just as damaging.

Despite QR codes steadily gaining popularity over the last few years, research from Cisco Talos has claimed many people still don’t consider the threats they could pose.

A driving factor to this is the fact that anti-spam filters aren’t designed to recognize that a QR code is present in an image, so they overwhelmingly evade detection - with the team saying that although only 1 in every 500 emails contains a QR code, a staggering 60% of those are spam.

'Quishing' threats

QR code phishing, or ‘Quishing’ is becoming an increasingly common threat, and often imitate real sites to trick victims into entering personal and payment information. Fraudsters were observed placing QR stickers on parking meters, for example, to trick victims into entering their payment details into fake parking apps.

Talos particularly warned on malicious QR code emails, which sent fake multi-factor authentication requests, used to steal user credentials.

QR codes in emails only make up a fraction of emails worldwide (between 0.1 %and 0.2%), but Talos found these messages disproportionately bypass anti-spam filters, so users see them in their inboxes much more often than you'd expect.

Malicious URLs can be ‘defanged’ by changing the protocol from ‘http’ to ‘hxxp’, or adding brackets around one of the dots in the URL - this means browsers don't render the link as an active URL, and ensures users don’t inadvertently follow the link. This is less common with QR codes.

It can be done though, either by obscuring the data modules or by removing one or more of the position detection patterns (one of the large squares in the corner of the QR code). This makes the QR codes safe for consumption.

Users should exercise just as much caution with QR codes as they do suspicious links, Talos suggests. For those who may need to use QR's regularly, there are QC decoders available online which will take screenshots of the code and allow you to closely inspect the link.

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• Creature Commandos star Sean Gunn has revealed how it differs from The Guardians of the Galaxy films
• Gunn, who played Kraglin in those Marvel movies, plays two characters in the forthcoming DCU TV show
• He says Creature Commandos will "feel very different" to the James Gunn-directed MCU flicks

One of Creature Commandos' voice actors doesn't think the forthcoming DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) TV series can be compared to The Guardians of the Galaxy (GoTG) films.

Well, not completely, anyway. Speaking exclusively to TechRadar before Creature Commandos is released on December 5, Sean Gunn suggested there are a couple of key differences between the groups of ragtag misfits who are thrown together by happenstance.

Ever since Creature Commandos was announced as part of DCU Chapter One in January 2023, people have routinely likened one property to the other for myriad reasons. Has James Gunn, Sean's brother and DC Studios' new co-chief, had a role in bringing the duo to life? Yes. Do they feature a cast of superpowered oddballs who are lost and alone? Double yes. And are they tasked with saving the world and/or universe from a potentially cataclysmic event? Triple yes.

Creature Commandos will be the first project to launch as James Gunn's rebooted cinematic franchise (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

However, for Sean Gunn, who played Kraglin and was Rocket Raccoon's mocap performer in all three GotG movies, that's where the similarities end. Indeed, the former Marvel actor, who voices G.I. Robot and Weasel in this DCU Chapter One show, suggested the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) flicks actually have less in common with Creature Commandos than people think, and that the latter is more akin to 2021's The Suicide Squad film – the first movie James Gunn directed for DC.

"It's interesting because, for all the similarities, it [Creature Commandos] feels very different to me," Gunn told me. "All of the characters in Guardians – they're really good people or individuals, whether they're raccoons or sentient trees. They're good-hearted and they find the strength to be heroic.

"The Creature Commandos are not that. They have their individual stories and some of them are good natured, but some definitely aren't. They're all trying to survive in a world that doesn't accept them and that part of it [the story] is what feels very different. There's not the camaraderie that there is in Guardians – they're just forced together by [Viola Davis'] Amanda Waller and coerced into going on this mission that they might not come back from."

'I don't know what went into his choosing of these characters'

"Yeah, I don't know why I'm here, either, Doc" (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

Just like The Guardians of the Galaxy, the Creature Commandos' line-up has been chopped and changed throughout DC Comics history. Indeed, the eponymous supergroup has featured around 20 different anti-heroes and supervillains since the team's debut in November 1980. In fact, some of the characters who appear in Max's animated adaptation, such as Doctor Phosphorus and Weasel, have never been a part of the group in the literature. That circa-20 figure, then, will only grow once Creature Commandos debuts on one of the world's best streaming services.

How, then, did the series' creators settle on the R-rated show's line-up of humans and superpowered individuals? According to showrunner and executive producer Dean Lorey, the series' predominantly metahuman roster was decided upon by one key member of DC Studios' chief creative team.

"That's probably a question for James Gunn, because he wrote the show" Lorey told me with a chuckle during another exclusive chat. "So, I don't know what went into his particular choosing of those characters.

"But, I know that, for all of us, we really loved being able to pay homage to classic horror movie characters, like Frankenstein's Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein. So, a lot of it was trying to infuse the show with those mythological figures, as well as an Eastern European look and feel, in terms of the art style and palette."

I'll be bringing you more exclusive coverage of the first project to emerge from DCU Chapter One, aka Gods and Monsters, ahead of and after its release. Be sure to check back in with TechRadar, then, for more shortly. In the meantime, you can read other DCU-centric news and hubs in the section below.

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Google's Chrome browser is dominant; not in the way Google's search engine is, but at 67% market share, according to Stat Counter, it sits comfortably atop competitors like Safari, Edge, and Opera, who are mostly fighting over scraps.

For the US Government, which is now calling for the breakup of Google by having it sell off Chrome and, perhaps, Android, it's not so much the market share that matters as much as how Chrome acts as a powerful fulcrum for Google's other interests, chief among which is maximizing advertising revenue.

Here's how it works. Chrome is a web browser like Safari and others, but it's also a search engine interface. The default search engine when Chrome is delivered to your desktop or smartphone is, naturally, Google. These days there are few people who only type websites into their browser address bar (so-called because we were only supposed to put the 'address' or URL for our desired website in there). Now we use our browser address bars as prompt fields. That's right; long before the advent of AI, we were typing in fully-formed sentences and, invariably, getting canny answers from Google's powerful search engine.

I've argued here and elsewhere that Google's search dominance comes by way of quality not coercion.

That's not all we've been getting. If I type, "Where do I find the best mattresses?" into my Chrome address bar, Google Search instantly returns a page of results. 'Sponsored' links occupy, by my estimate, 95% of the desktop web page results. I have to scroll down to perhaps the fourth result to see some suggestions from The New York Times.

Google gets paid for those ads; and, essentially every time you search, for every result with ads, Google gets a cut. If Google isn't serving partner ads, then it has ads delivered in search and through millions of websites by its own Doubleclick ad network. It's a system that barters and then fills countless bits of unsold inventory (pages where a specific advertiser didn't choose to sponsor the site or page) to the highest-bidding advertiser. Google gets paid here, too (as do publishers).

That's a lot of ads (Image credit: Future) The everything of Google

Even if you're not on Chrome, Google search is pervasive. The search company pays Apple up to $20 billion a year to be the default search engine in Safari's address bar.

If you own an Android phone, Chrome is often the default browser, or it's at least pre-installed, and virtually all phones also feature Google Discover, which you can usually find by swiping right on your Android homepage. This feed is full of news and ads, with Google again getting paid for the latter.

Which web browser do you use?November 21, 2024

Google's reach and, perhaps, control, are undeniable. Is it a monopoly? A US federal judge said yes in August. I've argued here, and elsewhere, that Google's search dominance comes by way of quality not coercion. Google entered a crowded search market and later a browser market dominated mostly by Microsoft and Internet Explorer. None of these competitors rolled over. Google just did it better.

Technology has a habit of choosing winners and losers. It's also the nature of the beast to start demanding standards and uniformity. If there were two dozen operating systems across our desktops and mobile phones, developers would strain and probably break trying to support them all. In fact, they wouldn't do it; and they, along with consumers, would soon pick the winners and losers.

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) Google in control

Google is not blameless here. It's hard to deny the power and control that dominating market share gives you, and while consumers might initially choose a laptop manufacturer and a platform, it's ultimately the tech companies like Google that lead and make decisions for us. They choose how the platforms will work, and which third-party systems to invite. They're the ones connecting the dots on the back end – and that again is a considered decision that's usually hidden from our view.

Chrome is not just a web browser; it's an ecosystem, a platform inside platforms that we live and work in. I manage multiple email accounts, edit documents in Google docs, manage my photo library, post on social media, and, lately, conduct AI conversations all inside of Chrome, with every action and interaction passing by Google's unblinking eye.

(Image credit: Statcounter)

I'm not complaining. Google Search is still the best search engine in the business, and Chrome is an excellent browser that is finally getting its resource-hogging issues under control. It still earns its place on my desktop.

Will I be served by someone else owning Chrome and then taking the code in a different direction, perhaps away from its tight integration with the Google corpus? I don't think so. I know Google definitely doesn't think so. In a tersely worded response to the DoJ brief proposing the break-up, Kent Walker, Google & Alphabet President, Global Affairs & Chief Legal Officer, wrote:

"DoJ’s approach would result in unprecedented government overreach that would harm American consumers, developers, and small businesses – and jeopardize America’s global economic and technological leadership at precisely the moment it’s needed most."

He added that it would hobble access to Google Search, endanger consumer privacy, and harm Google's investment in AI.

Handicapping Google

Google is on the precipice of radically reimagining our search with deeper integration of AI overviews, Gemini-powered generative results that may soon overtake traditional Google Search results. Again, since Chrome is our de facto search prompt window, shifting the browser to another company means that it could be any AI that returns a result.

Google's AI is not necessarily the best, yet, but it's in a strong competitive position against, for instance, OpenAI and ChatGPT. I like how these companies are pushing each other. A Google breakup won't help the race, or put the US in a better position relative to the rest of the world when it comes to AI development.

I also, ultimately, don't want anyone to pull Google Search out of my Chrome. It's a marriage I like, and one that works for me and, I bet, billions of others. Pulling them apart may make Google look less like a monopoly, but it won't improve anyone's life. I'd prefer that the DoJ and others focus on Google's ad business and SEO control – there may be some more sensible remedies there.

I don't know what will happen next. Google is now been labeled a monopoly, and the DoJ is calling for a breakup that could even include Android. But the X-factor here is that we are about to see a new administration in the White House, and changes at the top of the DOJ. Those changes could mean this initiative is killed off, or they could mean it's accelerated; it could go either way, and your guess is as good as mine. Maybe ask Google Chrome – I'm sure it has the answers.

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• Change Healthcare's clearinghouse services have been restored
• The organization suffered a huge ransomware attack in February
• Attack has cost it over $2 billion so far

Change Healthcare has confirmed its clearinghouse services have finally been restored after the organization suffered a massive ransomware attack in February 2024.

Recovery from the Change Healthcare cyberattack has been grueling, costing close to $2 billion so far, with some systems still yet to be restored nearly nine months on.

Although most of its network was restored after two months, some functions are still not fully restored, including its pharmacy claims management and e-health record information exchange systems.

100 million affected

Change Healthcare and parent company UnitedHealth Group's activities touch 1 in 3 patient records in the US, processing 15 billion health care transactions annually.

The attack caused unprecedented levels of disruption to billing and payments providers across the US, and threatened the viability of hospitals across the country.

It was recently revealed that as many as 100 million people’s information was exposed in the attack, with 6TB of sensitive data stolen, including health insurance info, billings, claims, payment information, and much more.

UnitedHealth reportedly paid $22 million to the notorious ALPHV group in exchange for the data, but the remediation of the attack alone cost $873 million, so the costs keep rising.

Reports claim the ransom never made it to the affiliates responsible for the attack, and was taken in entirety by the ransomware operators, who were only meant to receive a portion.

The attackers reportedly used stolen credentials to log into a Citrix portal that didn't have multi-factor authentication turned on, which left the organization vulnerable.

It’s likely the repercussions of the attack will be felt long into the future, with some systems yet to be restored. Healthcare providers reported that by early March 2024, 60% of hospitals in the association were seeing a revenue shortfall of $1 million or more per day, and a third of providers had over half their revenue impacted.

Via The Register

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• Xbox has shared its exclusive Black Friday deals
• Save money on an Xbox Series S and a selection of Xbox controllers
• Xbox is offering up to 55% off popular Xbox Game Studios titles

Black Friday week has finally arrived and to kick off the seasonal event, Xbox has revealed a range of exclusive Black Friday deals.

Now available on the Microsoft Store, Xbox is offering discounts on select Xbox consoles, including a £40 off deal for the Xbox Series S (512GB) and the Xbox Series S Family & Friends bundle.

Refurbished consoles are on sale too, with the same £40 off deal, and consumers can also get their hands on an Xbox Series X Console Wrap - Mineral Camo thanks to a 50% discount.

Xbox is also offering 20% off on a selection of Xbox Controllers, including some from its latest collection, Sky Cipher and Ghost Cipher.

Those who purchase a standard or Elite Xbox Design Lab controller will also be treated to a free engraving on their pad while the Black Friday deal is active.

It's confirmed that hardware offers will only be available from November 21 and will run until December 2, although the free engraving will run until December 5.

For those thinking about resubscribing to Xbox Game Pass, now may be the best time, because Microsoft is now offering 14 days of PC Game Pass for just £1.

This subscription will give members access to new games on day one, including Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, which arrives on December 9. After the 14 days are up, it will cost £9.99 a month.

Finally, Xbox is also offering up to 55% off popular Xbox Game Studios releases, including Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends, and Halo Infinite.

To keep up to date on all the latest offers, be sure to check out our guide to the best Black Friday Xbox deals.

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• The biggest bookshelf speakers in Klipsch's Reference range
• The same woofer as the R-605FA floorstanders
• £425.00 in the UK, $399 in US

We've got good news for UK Klipsch fans and slightly less good news for US ones: the maker of fine audio equipment has brought its latest pair of bookshelf speakers to the UK and Europe too. But in the US they're still a Costco exclusive, for the time being at least.

The new Klipsch R-60M are the latest addition to the firm's Reference speaker range, and they have the same 6.5-inch spun-copper TCP woofer as the floorstanding R-605FA speaker. They also have the Reference range's tweeter and edge to edge square "Tractrix" horn, which Klipsch says delivers "an impressive sound across the frequency spectrum."

Subhead

The new R-60M have a 3/4 MDF cabinet with a new bracing design that's designed to reduce vibration, remove unwanted audio coloration, and deliver better accuracy, and the cabinet is finished in a scratch-resistant wood grain vinyl with hidden fasteners and low profile magnetic grilles.

These are the largest bookshelves in the Reference range, and they have a frequency range of 50Hz to 21kHz and up to 85W continuous and 340W peak power handling. They're 8 ohm compatible and come in at 400m x 203mm x 336mm with a weight of 7.75kg. You can have any color you like as long as it's black.

The Klipsch R-60M speakers have a recommended selling price of £425 in the UK, compared to £399 in the US and €449.00 in Europe. At this price, they're very competitive among the best stereo speakers with an audiophile edge – perhaps soon, they'll be available in the US in stores where could demo them…

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• Security researchers find multiple flaws in service introduced a decade ago
• The flaws allow malicious actors to escalate privileges and run arbitrary code
• A patch is available, and users are urged to apply it

Ubuntu Linux has been carrying multiple high-severity vulnerabilities for a decade, allowing malicious actors the ability to escalate their privileges to root without user interaction, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers Qualys found the bugs in the OS utility feature called ‘needrestart’, a utility that checks which services need to be restarted after an update or a change in the system's libraries or binaries.

It is particularly useful after applying security updates or upgrading packages, as it ensures that the updates are effectively applied without requiring a full system reboot.

Exploitable vulnerabilities

Needrestart is capable of identifying services using outdated libraries, prompting to restart them, and recommending a system reboot when necessary. As a result, it helps maintain the security and stability of a system without needing frequent reboots.

It was introduced in 2014 and maintained as a Debian package. It was vulnerable since the day of its inception, with Ubuntu Linux version 21.04. The five vulnerabilities in question are tracked as CVE-2024-48990, CVE-2024-48991, CVE-2024-48992, CVE-2024-10224, and CVE-2024-11003. Needrestart’s earliest vulnerable version is 0.8, and earliest clean version is 3.8, released earlier this week.

More details about the vulnerabilities can be found here, but in short - they allow crooks to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. The only prerequisite is that they have local access, either through malware, or compromised accounts.

While this sounds like a solid mitigation, BleepingComputer reminds that attackers exploited similar Linux elevation of privilege flaws in the past, as well.

One notable example is Loony Tunables, which exploited the nf_tables bug. Needrestart is an extremely popular, and widely used feature, and hackers will most likely now try to exploit it. Therefore, it is essential users upgrade to version 3.8 or later, as soon as possible.

Via BleepingComputer

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It’s an age-old conundrum for business leaders – there’s an opportunity in front of you but it comes with a cost. Can you afford to do it? Or, perhaps more pertinently, can you afford not to do it?

This dilemma has arguably never been as acute as it is today. The opportunity afforded by emerging technologies such as AI is clear for all to see – it has the potential to turbo-charge the enterprise cloud platform and empower organizations to innovate and stay competitive.

However, unlocking this potential means using additional processing power and computing scale to hold and manage the huge volumes of reference data required by AI and as a result cloud investment decisions are increasingly being driven by the need to support AI.

The cost management gap

But at what cost? New research from Wipro reveals that whilst 54% of organizations cite AI/GenAI as the top driver for cloud investment, 43% of UK organizations do not have a coordinated or centralized approach to managing their cloud costs – this is significantly higher than the corresponding figures for France and Germany at 25% and 24%, respectively.

There is no doubt that the unique nature of cloud spending is a factor here – as well as the additional processing and computing scale referenced above, creating testing sandboxes and accommodating new user adoption are both key requirements too. In addition, cloud spending is also based on consumption and, as a result, constantly variable – unlike a fixed-cost model such as a non-SaaS ERP system. However, like an ERP system, many departments and business functions use the cloud, meaning a single enterprise can have multiple functions accumulating their own cloud costs. Such siloed management can lead to duplicative spending, inflating the cost of cloud and diluting the ROI for the business.

When you consider all of the above, this cost management gap is a real cause for concern, especially when you factor in two other key findings from the new research – namely, that 54% of organizations plan to increase hybrid cloud investment and 56% plan to increase public cloud investment. With AI cloud investment set to continue to make up the majority of enterprise technology budgets, it’s vital that we bridge this cost management gap and quickly.

But how do businesses get the control they need over cloud spending without limiting innovation or the new technologies only truly enabled through the cloud?

Moving from cost to value

The answer lies in cloud economics, a collaborative, pragmatic process which brings clarity to cloud spending by helping organization leaders (IT, operations, finance, development, business units) define what value means in terms of cloud investments and then develop a strategy accordingly. This approach encourages the different business functions to look beyond optimizing costs in order to make decisions that will maximize the business value of the cloud.

For me, this shift in focus from cost to value is the key to a successful cloud program. The reason many first-time cloud migrations deliver average results is because the business is focused primarily on moving to the cloud as a way to cut costs. And whilst it’s true that moving to the cloud can help make some processes more cost-effective, doing so is also likely to require time and money upfront.

Businesses solely focused on cutting costs may view these investments as a ‘failure’ but they’re not looking at the bigger picture – the key to saving money in the long term is to incorporate AI and automation throughout operations, confident in the knowledge that investing time and resources in specific areas of cloud development will lay the groundwork for capabilities and advancements critical to the larger business goals.

Cloud economics can help businesses identify their own specific cloud goals and the actions necessary to achieve them. In doing so, the businesses learn how to optimize cloud costs and maximize the value of cloud by aligning the various business teams around shared investment goals. This is an organizational change management endeavor that requires the business to act in concert to achieve like-minded goals.

The role for FinOps

As the cloud program progresses – through the evolution of investment spending models and changing company needs – other tools such as FinOps can help business managers further optimize cloud spending and business value.

FinOps is a component of cloud economics that focuses on operational aspects. Now that the business has moved to the cloud, how does it best manage its cloud spending to achieve its cloud goals? What are the areas of extraneous cloud spending? What areas need greater investment? How can teams focus or redirect their cloud investments without disrupting business operations?

To answer these questions, FinOps uses a three-phase iterative approach: inform, optimize and operate.

1. Inform Increasing transparency of cloud spending, budgets, benchmarks, forecasting, etc., and giving teams the information they need to make decisions about cloud spending that align with the goals of the business.

2. Optimize Implementing changes to optimize cloud consumption.

3. Operate Integrating analysis and optimization into day-to-day operations, tracking the progress of cloud programs and adjusting as needed.

Through FinOps, businesses can identify areas of overspending, corrective actions and the best way to reinvest those savings. For example, through FinOps, a company may learn that it's paying for much more storage space than it needs based on average usage. Downsizing the storage could free up funds that the company could reinvest in other avenues based on the cloud goals outlined through cloud economics.

Moving forward

As I assess the overall business landscape, the fact that over 50% of organizations view AI as the primary driver for cloud investment really does open up a whole new world of opportunities. But this emerging cost management gap needs to be addressed.

As a cloud leader, we are playing our part, for example, by training our associates on Google Cloud’s AI technologies to better help global enterprise customers scope, deploy and manage AI projects that solve their unique business objectives. This will significantly enhance vital digital transformation projects such as application migrations and modernization, with GenAI-powered productivity improvements of up to 30%.

But collectively, if we’re going to unlock the true potential of AI, we need to work together to embrace a cloud economics approach which is powered by value not by cost.

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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

We’ve been living with widely-available generative AI tools for nearly two years now, so the time is right to ask the question – what effect is it having on the public’s understanding of their own digital identities, and how safe their identities are online? The answer, unfortunately, shows there’s a lot more work to do to improve our security online in the age of AI. In some recent research Okta commissioned, an overwhelming 93% of consumers across Europe are worried about digital identity theft, and over half (54%) of consumers have heightened their awareness of their digital footprint over the past year. This increased vigilance is driven by the surge in cyberattacks and the rise of AI, which both present new challenges and amplify existing vulnerabilities in the online environment.

Given that it is the entrance to any experience in a digital-first world, focusing on digital identity must be a priority. It serves as the foundational layer of security and access control. With 80% of cybersecurity attacks stemming from credential abuse, identity-based attacks have become a top method for bad actors, exploiting weaknesses in authentication processes. In response, business leaders must rapidly adopt rigorous security strategies and foster a security-conscious work culture, especially in the era of AI.

Growing adoption of cyber hygiene practices

Over half (52%) of UK consumers know someone who has had their personal details hacked. Clearly, there is already a concern about cybercrime and a willingness to improve cyber hygiene. For instance, 43% of people in the UK report using different passwords for every online account, a practice that significantly enhances security by ensuring that a breach of one account does not compromise others. In contrast, only 11% use the same password for everything, indicating a growing recognition of the risks associated with password reuse. The shift towards more secure online behaviors reflects a broader understanding of the importance of protecting personal information in an increasingly digital world.

While it’s heartening that consumers have a basic understanding of cyber hygiene, the results show that this simply isn’t enough. Users need help managing their passwords – which we should ultimately be moving beyond anyway - and fear still remains around the implications of AI and the potential security threat that it poses.

AI’s dual role in cybersecurity

The boom in AI has introduced a whole new dimension to Europe and the UK concerns around digital identity. On the one hand, AI enhances cybersecurity by detecting and mitigating threats faster than traditional methods. However, it also presents new risks by enabling more sophisticated cyberattacks, such as AI-generated phishing schemes. The negative implications of the technology appear to be where most UJ consumers are focusing their attention with over half of consumers (54%) across the UK thinking that AI has made the online environment less safe, this rises to two thirds (66%) amongst 18-24 year olds. Furthermore, AI increases the likelihood of digital identity attacks.

The UK public is well-aware of the risks that AI poses, it’s vital that regulation is therefore put in place to mitigate these risks and ensure that we can realize the potential benefits of the technology in a safe and secure way.

Workplace accounts – the forgotten threat

The average consumer has 100 accounts to their name, ranging from social media to online shopping to subscription services. There’s a huge range, but they’re not all equal in terms of risk. Unsurprisingly, financial service and online banking accounts are top of consumers’ worries because it’s where their money is. In fact, 60% identify it as their primary concern, but are they missing a trick?

In some recent cyberattacks such as the NHS hacks and MailChimp data breach in 2022, workplace accounts were the main vector that attackers used for cracking into an organization's system. Despite this, workplace accounts are considered primary targets by only 2% of UK consumers. Organizations must take note of these attitudes. If the workforce doesn’t think that these digital identities are a target for cybercriminals, then businesses must make sure that those accounts are more secure as their workers simply aren’t paying enough attention.

Balancing convenience and security

Clearly there is a concern around cybersecurity and a willingness to become more resilient as shown by the 71% of European consumers that are actively planning to improve their digital identity strategies for enhanced security. Whilst 45% consider protecting their online identity as a personal responsibility, businesses must also do more to protect their identity ecosystems – as shown by the limited consideration for workplace accounts. The approach must be collaborative as agreed with by the 26% of consumers that believe protecting online identity should be a shared responsibility. For this to work effectively we need individuals to take proactive measures, governments to enforce regulations, and businesses to implement robust security measures to ensure a safer online environment for everyone.

One key change should be to make passwords a thing of the past. Not only are they less secure but they also create an added layer of friction for users with 65% of respondents to Okta’s Customer Identity Trends Report 2023 feeling overwhelmed with the number of usernames and passwords they have to manage . Fortunately, there are passwordless options that offer both stronger authentication and more convenience for consumers. For example, enabling users to authenticate with biometrics reduces friction during authentication and increases security since the flow is generally not “phishable”.

With growing cybersecurity concerns in Europe and across the UK, business leaders must rapidly adopt rigorous security strategies and foster a security-conscious work culture, especially in the era of AI, where advanced technologies can both enhance and threaten security measures. This involves implementing multi-factor authentication, passwordless technology, continuous monitoring and regular updates to security protocols while promoting cybersecurity awareness among employees. By integrating these practices into overall business strategy, organizations and governments can protect sensitive information, maintain trust and ensure resilience in an increasingly digital world.

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• Messenger has rolled out video and audio improvements for video and voice calls
• You can now leave voicemails on Messenger, much like on FaceTime
• There’s also a deeper integration with iOS that enables Siri support

Meta has unveiled plans to turn Messenger into a more capable video conferencing solution as it looks to keep up with other advanced work-based alternatives.

Key to the enhancements are a series of upgrades designed to improve the video calling experience, and unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence makes a guest appearance.

The new features is designed to grow the over seven billion minutes of Facebook and Messenger calls that the company already hosts every single day.

Meta upgrades video calling experience

Adding to existing Meta AI features within the Messenger app, users will soon be able to use AI-generated backgrounds to personalize video calls. Users can ‘Describe an image’ and pick from a selection of examples.

More important to those spending a lot of time conversing online, Meta is adding HD support for video calls together with background noise suppression and voice isolation. Wi-Fi connections will enable HD calls automatically, and users can choose whether to continue using HD quality over mobile data.

Audio and video voice messages now allow users to leave messages for contacts who don’t answer, much like a traditional voicemail. The social media platform likened the new feature to a “fully outfitted phone, plus some extra features,” but the feature comes a year after Apple introduced similar functionality to FaceTime.

In an era of constant investigations into anticompetitive business practices, the final feature is a welcome move that will see iPhone users make the most out of the app. Messenger now integrates with Siri, so users can ask the voice assistant to “send a message to” a contact and then dictate the content of the message.

The company proudly boasted the new feature rollout was the result of feedback from users, and that Messenger would become “easier, more reliable and more fun.”

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ExpressVPN has launched a new credit monitoring tool to help you protect your identity and finances online.

Credit Scanner offers real-time monitoring so that you can take swift action against suspicious activities before your online credit is impacted. It complements the newly launched Identity Defender suite that seeks to protect you against identity theft.

Like the ID bundle, ExpressVPN Credit Scanner is available only for the US market at the time of writing. It comes free of charge alongside one of the best VPN apps you can get when you sign up for its one or two-year subscription plans. The latter offer also adds the option to get a detailed monthly credit report.

Why use ExpressVPN Credit Scanner?

"Credit has moved online, so it’s not just about knowing how to manage a budget – people also need digital skills to track scores, manage accounts, and protect their information," said Lauren Hendry Parsons, Digital Privacy Advocate at ExpressVPN. "Without this, people can fall victim to scams or data breaches that impact their credit and finances."

This is where ExpressVPN Credit Scanner comes in. By sending regular updates, the tool lets you easily track changes in your credit score, payment history, and account balance.

You'll also receive timely notifications when unusual credit activity occurs. This proactive approach allows you to identify ID theft before it's too late and take all the measures to protect your finances.

ExpressVPN's new tool also promises to make it easier to access credit-freezing options, allowing you more control in protecting your credit online.

When you sign up for ExpressVPN's new 2-year plan you'll also get exclusive access to monthly detailed credit reports, helping you stay on top of your financial life. You can get up to 82% off this plan with the provider's time-limited Black Friday VPN deal.

You can activate the Credit Scanner feature directly within the ExpressVPN mobile app under the Upgrades tab, or by heading on your account page on the website. (Image credit: ExpressVPN)

Credit Scanner is part of the Identity Defender Suite the provider launched at the end of October. ID theft incidents have been rising year by year, as Data coming from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows, with credit frauds being a big motive behind these attacks.

"We wanted to do more to help our users take control of their online identity and financial security," said Sam Bultez, Head of Product at ExpressVPN, explaining that each tool focuses on a different aspect of identity protection.

ExpressVPN Identity Defender also includes an identity theft alert, cyber insurance, and data removal service. All these solutions come alongside feature-packed VPN software with a built-in tracker blocker and free-to-use password manager for a multi-layered approach to online security.

• A threat actor is offering a large database for sale, claims it came from Finastra
• The finance giant sends out data breach notification letter to affected customers, claiming its secure file transfer service was compromised
• The attacker used stolen credentials to pull off the heist

Fintech software firm Finastra is warning its customers a recent data breach may have meant it recently lost some data.

Security researcher Brian Krebs obtained a copy of the letter sent to affected individuals, which says the breach was not the result of an exploited vulnerability, but rather the result of stolen credentials.

“The threat actor did not deploy malware or tamper with any customer files within the environment,” the notice reads. “Furthermore, no files other than the exfiltrated files were viewed or accessed.”

400GB - zipped

The company told BleepingComputer the attack originated on its Secure File Transfer Platform (SFTP): "On November 7, 2024 Finastra's Security Operations Center (SOC) detected suspicious activity related to an internally hosted Secure File Transfer Platform (SFTP) we use to send files to certain customers," Finastra told the publication.

"We immediately launched an investigation alongside of a third-party cybersecurity firm and, as a precautionary step, isolated and contained the platform. This incident was limited to the one platform and there was no lateral movement beyond it."

The same source also claims the platform was not the company’s default one, and was not used by all customers, suggesting that not everyone’s data was compromised.

At the same time, a threat actor with the alias ‘abyss0’ offered for sale a large archive, claiming to originate from Finastra.

“Today we list for sale Finastra.com data breach, dated 2024 Nov,” the notice reads. “In total, 400GB~ zipped.”

“This data is from their ESB and exfil via IBM Aspera, not everything just stuff we deemed as important. There is a lot of files and different file format.”

Finastra is a financial software company with more than 8,000 institutions for customers - among its clients are most of the world’s top banks and credit unions, and it counts tens of thousands of employees.

Via BleepingComputer

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Chances are you have interacted with TCL recently. After all, the world’s second largest TV manufacturer has fingers in many (visual) pies; other than the tens of millions of LCD television sets it sold over the past decade in over 160 countries, the brand has a popular smartphone range and a raft of B2B display products as well.

It is also a key panel provider for a lot of TV brands and offers visual solutions across a wide array of applications, including tablets, laptops, monitors, automotive displays, XR (Extended Reality) devices, wearables, commercial displays, and other fields.

A lot of these innovations come from TCL’s display development and manufacturing division, TCL CSOT (China Star Optoelectronics Technology) which was created in 2009, has more than 37,000 employees worldwide and has since invested more than USD 36 billion in CAPEX.

With over 8,000 employees working in R&D alone and in excess of 60,880 patent applications submitted worldwide, TCL CSOT is a force to be reckoned with.

Today, it is holding its 2024 Global Display Tech-ecosystem Conference (DTC 2024) in Guangzhou, China. TCL CSOT will showcase its latest technological achievements, industry-leading display solutions and strategic vision for what it sees as the future of the display industry.

At the core of TCL CSOT’s project is its new advanced display technology brand, APEX, which focuses on delivering ultimate product experiences through cutting-edge technologies and is announcing the mass production of its inkjet printing (IJP) OLED technology, a huge breakthrough that enhances display performance while reducing production costs and environmental impact. A rare win-win-win situation for all stakeholders involved.

(Image credit: TCL CSOT)

TCL CSOT launched its advanced display technology brand, APEX, with a new value proposition: "Amazing pleasant display experience, Protective reliable vision health, Eco-friendly sustainable green and low carbon, and X unlimited future imagination."

Leveraging core technologies such as HVA, HFS, IJP OLED, FMM OLED, MLCD and MLED as well as the use of eco-friendly materials and energy-saving technologies, combined with AI and more cutting-edge technologies, APEX is built on the brand core of "PACE TO APEX".

Building upon 11 years of continuous research and innovation, TCL CSOT's IJP OLED technology has achieved significant leaps and breakthrough in technical specifications, establishing new industry benchmarks. TCL CSOT has amassed a significant number of patents in the IJP OLED field, covering a wide range of applications including notebooks (NB), monitors (MNT), and televisions (TV).

TCL CSOT's breakthrough in the mass production of IJP OLED is not only a milestone in its commercialization process but also marks the beginning of a new round of technological revolution in the display industry. IJP OLED technology, with its advantages of better image quality, lower power consumption and longer lifespan, will inevitably lead technology towards goodness and lay a solid foundation for the independent development of display technology.

If you are interested in knowing more about TCL CSOT's IJP OLED technology process and the intrinsic characteristics of panels produced using that method, check the video below.

During the DTC 2024 event, a range of innovative display products will be unveiled including

1. The World's First 2.8K IJP QD-EL Display (14")

(Image credit: TCL CSOT) 2. TCL CSOT’s First Mass-Produced 4K IJP OLED Professional Display (21.6")

(Image credit: TCL CSOT) 3. The World's Lowest Driving Power Consumption OLED Display (6.36")

(Image credit: TCL CSOT) 4. World's Best Picture Quality LCD TV Display (85" WHVA)

(Image credit: TCL CSOT)

These products will, in due time, be incorporated either in TCL’s own products or in OEM partners that will help bring TCL CSOT innovative solutions to millions of customers. The display giant is also embarking on a comprehensive "3+2+N" business plan to cover TV displays, IT displays, mobile displays, commercial displays and automotive displays as well as exploring new applications in fields like healthcare and education.

TCL CSOT’s ambitions go beyond that: it is working on a potential replacement for OLED with its Bluestar project that promises a whopping $1million award to a single recipient who will come up with a way to enhance the lifespan of blue QD-EL material. Likewise, the technology is so versatile and ground breaking that this prompted TCL CSOT to declare in a video that “in the future, printing display screens will be like printing newspapers”.

• ChatGPT-4o gets 'creative writing' update
• It can also deal better with uploaded files
• The update is only for ChatGPT Plus subscribers

OpenAI has given ChatGPT-4o, the large language model (LLM) that’s available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, a stealthy ‘creative writing’ upgrade.

In a brief tweet on X, OpenAI described the upgrade by saying: “The model’s creative writing ability has leveled up – more natural, engaging, and tailored writing to improve relevance & readability.”

OpenAI also claims that the new ChatGPT-4o works better with uploaded files, providing deeper insights and more thorough responses. ChatGPT has had the ability to upload files and analyze them for a while now, and it works particularly well for uploading data in spreadsheet form, or images, to use in your prompts.

ChatGPT-4o can now rival Eminem

ChatGPT has always been good at creative writing. Sprinkle in a few interesting characters and ask it to tell you a story and it can do a splendid job of spinning a yarn, which is especially useful for parents when it comes to coming up with a story for bedtime. But the new update means it’s got even better.

It’s hard to quantify an update that claims to improve the quality of writing, but so far user reaction has been positive. On X, @kyleshannon tweeted “ Hey @OpenAI your @ChatGPTapp 4o "Creative Writing" upgrade today is INSANE!”

Another user, Kyle, claims that the new ChatGPT-4o rivals Eminem when it comes to creating rap lyrics:

“My test prompt for two years has been some version of 'write an Eminem style cipher about quantum mechanics.' ChatGPT has always been the best at this, but no LLM has ever captured the sophisticated internal rhyming structures like he does. Until now”.

If you want to read ChatGPT-4o’s Eminem-style rap about quantum mechanics, you can in this tweet:

Hey @OpenAI your @ChatGPTapp 4o "Creative Writing" upgrade today is INSANE!My test prompt for two years has been some version of "write an Eminem style cipher about quantum mechanics." ChatGPT has always been the best at this, but NO LLM has ever captured the sophisticated… pic.twitter.com/XJIlXF98jLNovember 20, 2024

ChatGPT Plus subscribers only

There’s nothing you need to do or install to make use of the ‘creative writing’ update in ChatGPT-4o, it all happens behind the scenes, so just head over to Chat.com and ask it to write something.

Note: The update doesn’t apply to people who are on the free tier of ChatGPT, which is restricted to the ChatGPT-4 LLM, its legacy model.

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• New ad suggests Windows 10 users buy a Copilot+ PC
• This is part of a raft of full-screen adverts pushing Windows 11 upgrades
• Expect the nagging to intensify next year, sadly

Windows 10 users are receiving a new advert prompting them not just to upgrade to Windows 11, but to get that OS on a new PC – specifically a Copilot+ PC.

By now, those with a Windows 10 computer are used to being encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 (assuming their device is up to the hardware requirements) with full-screen pop-ups informing them about support for the older OS running out next year.

This has taken a fresh twist, however, with a new full-screen advert that Windows Latest noticed on one of its Windows 10 PCs (and a virtual machine running the older operating system).

In this effort, Microsoft is specifically pushing Windows 10 users to “do more with a Windows 11 PC,” referring to buying a new one, and that for the “ultimate Windows 11 experience” you should purchase a Copilot+ PC.

Microsoft confirmed to Windows Latest that it’s pushing a bunch of Windows 11 upgrade adverts in this full-screen, in-your-face style, and that the features offered with a Copilot+ PC – which has additional AI functionality exclusive to these devices – are also part of the persuasion tactics employed here.

(Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: Glossing over some major issues

As noted, this is part of a broad campaign to get Windows 10 users upgrading to Windows 11 on a compatible PC, and we’ve seen a fair few of these messages on our older Windows 10 computer throughout this year. In fact, we’ve lost count of the number of times this has happened, but we haven’t seen an ad pushing Copilot+ PCs – not yet anyway. Doubtless as 2025 rolls onwards, we’ll be seeing even more of this kind of badgering from Microsoft.

Buying a new PC is an idea Microsoft has been pushing elsewhere for those whose machine isn’t compatible with Windows 11’s hardware requirements – likely due to a lack of TPM, or having an older processor. However, as we’ve discussed in the recent past, this glosses over some truly worrying issues about a ton of old PCs heading to the scrapheap when Windows 10 hits End of Life in October 2025.

You won’t see a full-screen Windows 10 pop-up about a potential looming environmental disaster, as flagged up by multiple third-parties in the past year or two, that’s for sure.

One concession Microsoft has made, this time around on the OS merry-go-round, is that consumers can finally purchase extended support with Windows 10, albeit only for a year, effectively granting a stay of execution until October 2026 – which is at least something.

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• Marvel has given fans an exciting glimpse into its post-Avengers: Secret Wars plans
• The comic titan will build its future around the X-Men, according to boss Kevin Feige
• Various mutants will appear in movies before the Multiversa Saga ends, too

The Marvel Multiverse Saga isn't over yet, but the comic giant's boss Kevin Feige has provided an exciting insight into its post-Avengers: Secret Wars plans.

Speaking, albeit virtually, at the opening of Disney's APAC Content Showcase in Singapore (per Deadline), Feige revealed that the next stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will be built around the X-Men. Cue fans, myself included, of the iconic mutant superhero group punching the air in unison.

That's not the only exciting news that Feige had for the assembled crowd. Marvel's creative chief also dropped a huge hint that we'll see numerous mutants appear in MCU movies before Secret Wars – the Marvel Phase 6 film that'll wrap up the Multiverse Saga's story in May 2027.

X-Men 97 proved how popular the mutant superteam is among Marvel diehards and casual fans alike (Image credit: Marvel Animation)

"I think you will see that [bringing the X-Men to the MCU] continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize," Feige teased. "Right after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, [it’s] one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back."

The X-Men's arrival has been a long time coming in the MCU. The superteam's rights were previously held by 20th Century Fox, which meant Marvel couldn't use any mutant characters in the MCU for over two decades. However, with Marvel regaining the rights to the X-Men when Disney bought Fox in March 2019, the studio has slowly been integrating one of its most famous supergroups into its cinematic juggernaut via various Marvel Phase 4 and Marvel Phase 5 projects.

From Disney Plus shows like Ms Marvel and X-Men 97, to films including Deadpool and Wolverine, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and The Marvels, the mutants have been systematically peppered throughout the MCU in recent times. With the next two Avengers movies expected to be a multi-franchise celebration of every Marvel superhero we've seen over the past 25 years, you should expect lots of legacy characters to show up before the new era of the mutants begins, too.

'I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four'

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will finally introduce Marvel's First Family to the MCU (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The X-Men aren't the only superteam that Feige is enthusiastic about bringing to the MCU. Like the X-Men, The Fantastic Four haven't shown up in Marvel's hugely popular franchise, either, because their rights were also held by Fox until five years ago.

Marvel's First Family, though, will finally make their MCU debut next year, with a standalone film titled The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to arrive in theaters on July 25. According to Feige, the iconic quartet will be an integral part of not only Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, but also the future of the MCU.

"Finally, [we’re] bringing Marvel’s First Family into the MCU," Feige said. "They wrap next week, the movie comes out next summer, and then all those characters go right into the next Avengers movies, so I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four."

After a turbulent period for Marvel Studios, things are starting to look like they're on the up again. Indeed, following the delay of numerous projects due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, the firing of key actors like Jonathan Majors, and inconsistent quality control that's led to occasional diminishing box office returns and a downturn in audience enthusiasm, Marvel has come in for its fair share of criticism over the last few years. The comic giant will hope, then, that better days lie ahead once more, especially with the X-Men and The Fantastic Four's arrival.

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• Apple will soon introduce a new award for Apple Watch users in iOS 18.2
• This recognizes people who consistently close their activity rings
• There are awards for 100, 365, 500, and 1,000 days and higher

The holiday period is traditionally a time for rest and relaxation at the end of a long year, but if you’ve got one of the best Apple Watches and love to hit your activity goals every day, that’s not always the case. Now, Apple is set to reward your dedication to health with a new set of rewards that recognize long-term achievements.

As spotted by Mohammad Aldarawish on X (via MacRumors), in the forthcoming iOS 18.2 update, Apple is adding a new series of Apple Watch awards titled “All Rings Closed”. These are dished out when you close all three rings on your Apple Watch (those for movement, exercise and standing) on consecutive days, motivating you to keep pushing and maintain your streak.

The All Rings Closed awards mark 100, 365, 500, and 1,000 days. After 1,000 days, you’ll receive an All Rings Closed accolade for every subsequent 250 days that you close your rings, starting at 1,250 days.

You can earn these awards retroactively, so if you’ve been closing your rings every day for the 3,500 or so days it’s been since the first Apple Watch launched, your effort will be duly recognized. iOS 18.2 is expected to land in mid-December, potentially on December 9, so the feature could land just in time for you to create a streak through the holidays.

Maintaining your streak

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple frequently adds new awards to the Apple Watch to mark certain events, holidays and activities. You could earn a special badge for working out on August 25 to commemorate America’s National Parks, for example, while a mindfulness practice on October 10 would score you a Mental Health Awareness Day award.

At the same time, Apple has adjusted its approach in watchOS 11 by enabling you to take a day off and still maintain your streak, which is ideal if you are injured, tired, on vacation, or otherwise unable to be active.

The company also introduced a new feature that lets you set different activity goals on different days of the week, giving you more flexibility and ensuring the Apple Watch adapts to your life, not the other way around.

Put together, that all means there’s plenty of motivation to continue your streak thanks to the new awards, while you also get the freedom to tweak your goals as required. That should bode well going into the holiday period.

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