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• Valve is warning users to check for malware or reset their PC
• PirateFi was taken off Steam just days after it launched
• Other games are also being infected with malware

Valve has started to contact suspected victims that they may have been the subject of a cyberattack just days after removing PirateFi from Steam after discovering it contained suspected malware files.

The game, which was released on February 6, was taken down by Valve within a week because they suspected that the game’s developer “uploaded builds that contained suspected malware.”

Although the number of affected users is believed to be very small, Valve is still recommending that anybody who installed the game perform a full PC reset, just in case.

Some Steam users might have to perform a full system reset

Valve has emailed users who played the game, advising them to run a full system scan and check for unexpected software and downloads.

The email, shared by SteamDB on X, reads: “The builds containing the suspected malware have been removed from Steam, but we strongly encourage you to run a full-system scan using an anti-virus product that you trust or use regularly… You may also consider fully reformatting your operating system to ensure that no malicious software remains on your machine.”

Valve specifically targeted users who played PirateFi (3476470) on Steam “while these builds were active,” stating that it’s “likely” that malicious files launched on victims’ computers.

The game’s community page also reveals suspicions around the game, with some suers stating that it wouldn’t launch or that there were too many bugs.

It’s unclear whether the malware was present at the time of launch or whether it was introduced in an update after the game was approved, but it marks an ongoing trend of increasing instances of malware attacks in games, with Cities: Skylines 2 recently being targeted, too.

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Apple's leaning on companies, including Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu, to adapt its AI system to meet regulatory requirements, Bloomberg reports.

Being single on Valentine's Day can be depressing, but finding solace in conversations with an AI assistant is no less so. Not only do they lack a personality, but their one true desire is your personal data.

Privacy experts at Surfshark found that four of the five most popular AI companion apps on the Apple App Store may track your personal data utilization for profit.

"Instead of being there for us, they can feel more like surveillance tools," said Surfshark's cybersecurity expert, Miguel Fornés, pointing out how AI companions' tracking can shake users' trust while invading their privacy.

AI companions: which are the most data-hungry?

The team at Surfshark carefully inspected the data collection practices of the five AI companion services. These details were sourced from the Apple App Store and include the number, type, and handling of the data types collected by each app.

Among the apps analyzed – Kindroid, Nomi, Replika, EVA, and Character AI – 80% "may use data to track their users."

Tracking, experts explain, refers to linking user or device data collected from the app with user or device data collected from other apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes. Tracking also involves the sharing of user or device data with data brokers.

"This detailed data can lead to companies influencing your choices, which can have negative effects, like overwhelming ads, financial risks, or other unexpected issues," said Surfshark's cybersecurity expert.

Character AI was the service most in love with users' data. While the average was 9 unique types of data collected out of 35. Character AI rises above its competitors by collecting up to 15 of these. EVA was the second most data-hungry of the lot, gathering 11 types of data. Worse still, both of these applications collect users' approximate location info to deliver targeted ads.

Nomi was the only application to stand apart by claiming to not collect data for tracking purposes.

Not only the data collected by the service seems to be problematic, though. App developers, Surfshark explains, could access the data you willingly share during your conversation with the AI chatbot, too.

The danger here is that AI companion apps are designed to simulate human-like interactions such as friendship and love. You may be more willing to disclose even more sensitive information than you'd do with ChatGPT-like chatbots.

"This may lead to unprecedented consequences, particularly as AI regulations are just emerging," experts note.

This is why Surfshark strongly advises taking some precautions when using AI companion services to keep your personal data safe and minimize misuse.

Fornés said: "Make sure you are frequently checking what permissions these apps have and be mindful of what information you are sharing."

A humpback whale briefly engulfed a kayaker off the coast of Chile in an incident caught on camera. Experts say it couldn't have swallowed him even if it wanted to.

An email sent to workers at the US Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service said DOGE's Tom Krause is “currently” the CEO of the Cloud Software Group. Critics believe this could be a massive conflict of interest.

Starlink is rapidly adding users where internet options are desperately needed, but some experts worry about its lack of speed.

• Nvidia purportedly planned the release of RTX 5000 laptops for January 2025
• Rumor claims that original timeframe was pushed back to March (and April for lower-tier notebooks)
• This is seemingly wrapped up in chip production and tweaking issues where gaming GPUs are not a priority compared to AI graphics cards

Nvidia’s stock levels for its Blackwell GeForce GPUs are becoming an increasing source of concern, and the brows of PC gamers hoping to get an RTX 5000 graphics card won’t be any less furrowed by fresh news from the grapevine

This is actually on the topic of laptop GPUs, but it applies more widely to the overall situation with Nvidia’s Blackwell chips, as we’ll see.

With the RTX 5000 laptops, Nvidia already told us that RTX 5090, 5080 and 5070 Ti laptops are set to launch in March – with pre-orders going live on February 25 – and then notebooks with the RTX 5070 aren’t due until April

However, as VideoCardz noticed, a report from DigiTimes carries word from the notebook supply chain that Nvidia originally planned a January debut for high-end Blackwell laptops, which has been pushed back to March. And that the mid-to-low-end notebooks – presumably referring to those carrying the RTX 5070 – were originally scheduled for March but got pushed to April.

Add plenty of skepticism, as ever, and we wouldn’t exactly call a laptop packing an RTX 5070 anything like ‘lower tier’ by any means. Maybe translation issues are coming into play there a bit, unless the report is referring to RTX 5060 models as well (but those haven’t been announced by Nvidia yet).

At any rate, the really interesting bit with this article is that DigiTimes furnishes us with a reason for this apparent delay, which is unexpected by the industry at large, namely that Nvidia is having its R&D resources stretched too far in different ways.

Basically, the broad assertion is that the “debugging” (tweaking and honing) needed for Nvidia’s Blackwell data center and gaming products is pulling the firm this way and that, and something’s got to give. And guess what? It isn’t the AI or heavyweight GPUs that are getting the short end of the stick, as that’s where the big money lies – it’s the less profitable gaming graphics cards.

Or that’s the theory anyway, and it seems a believable enough piece of speculation.

DigiTimes reports that anonymous sources from the supply chain have said: “Nvidia, which has never been late [to launch a product] in the past, also encountered this situation. It is probably related to Nvidia’s full sprint to AI servers. Even though there are differences in server and PC chip design and manufacturing processes, the company’s resource allocation may still affect the debugging efficiency of new products.”

On top of this, further buzz about reasons for the laptop GPU delay point to performance falling short of expectations, and “screen problems after the hardware is turned on” (again, be very careful around potential translation issues here, and remember all of this is just rumors).

(Image credit: Shutterstock) Analysis: More stock woes?

This purported pushing back of the laptop GPU launch timeframe is unusual for Nvidia, then, which generally hits these dates bang on (even if stock levels aren’t always guaranteed to be healthy, as we’ve seen recently with the RTX 5090 and 5080 desktop GPUs, and in the past, too).

Indeed, I’d agree, it is unusual for Nvidia not to make an announced launch timeframe, and perhaps tellingly, this is exactly what has happened with the RTX 5070 desktop graphics card. Both this GPU and its 5070 Ti desktop sibling had been confirmed for February, and then suddenly we heard it’s now going to be March 5 for the RTX 5070, with Nvidia glossing over that. (The RTX 5070 Ti is still due in February, next week, fact).

All this, and various rumors about stock concerns for the RTX 5070 and 5060 desktop models, further fans the flames of worry around Blackwell gaming GPUs in general. And this DigiTimes report also notes that “no one can guarantee whether the release date [of RTX 5000 laptops] will be extended,” suggesting a possible further delay could even be in the cards.

Which all adds to the general doom and gloom of the Blackwell launch so far. The rumor peddlers are getting a bit too loud and consistent for my liking in terms of all this fretting, that’s for sure.

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The DOGE team is aiming to cut 8% from next year's defense budget, officials tell NPR.

(Image credit: Daniel Slim)

NPR traveled with Jordan's military on a recent helicopter flight delivering aid to the Gaza Strip, part of a test program since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect last month.

(Image credit: Diego Ibarra Sánchez for NPR)

We’re back again with another episode of the TechRadar Podcast, and this one is for the gamers (but you can still listen even if you’ve never picked up a game controller in your life).

This time, Josie Watson and I are joined by TechRadar Gaming Hardware Writer Dashiell Wood, and Editorial Director for the PC Gaming Show (and TechRadar alum) Jake Tucker, as we discuss what we’re excited to play in 2025, address the surge of gaming adaptations like the upcoming Last of Us season 2, and bemoan the price rises infecting every aspect of gaming from hardware to software.

There’s also some light ridiculing of my love of Horizon Zero Dawn (I don’t know what to say, folks, it’s a fantastic game – Dash and Jake need their brains checked if they think otherwise).

You can catch the episode in the video player above, or you can stream it directly via our YouTube channel, on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts.

While you’re there you can also catch up on all of our older episodes – including our CES 2025 and iPhone 16 specials – and if you’re on YouTube you can check out all our other amazing video reviews and features.

Next episode will be an MWC and Apple special, as we discuss the latest smartphone inovations and whatever the new addition to the Apple family is – I’m hoping for it to be that super cute Apple robot lamp, but it’ll probably be the iPhone SE 4. See you there!

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I still remember the first time I ever uncovered YouTube back in 2005, my elder brother said he found a good site to watch football (soccer) highlights of a young player bursting onto the scene. In those days, it was hard enough to watch a short clip without buffering, so my 10-year-old brain was blown away by the concept of being able to find not only sports highlights but also just random home videos that people were uploading onto the internet.

At the age of 11, I made my first YouTube channel, speaking to a camera about WWE and reviewing matches to a tiny audience. It was because of YouTube that I ultimately became fascinated with technology, I’d watch countless hours of tweaking and tinkering videos of products I couldn’t afford as a young kid, unboxing videos, and everything in between. Over the years the platform has evolved, the YouTubers I watched as a kid have grown up on camera and had kids of their own, I’ve stopped making videos, and that young player became Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer of all time.

It’s been 20 years since YouTube went live, and it has stuck with me throughout my whole life as the one place where I can invest in my hobbies through short-form videos. I’ve seen it evolve over the years in good ways and bad, but ultimately it’s still the first place I go to watch entertainment.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Hamara)

Since my time at university, scarily about a decade ago now, I’ve primarily watched YouTube on my television. In the past, when I’d tell my friends that, they’d often look confused because, of course, YouTube is a website best experienced on a laptop or in a smartphone app. And because of their reactions, I’ve always thought I was an outlier, but it turns out I’m not.

Just this week, YouTube CEO, Neal Mohan, revealed that TV has surpassed mobile as the primary way to view YouTube in the US (by watch time) – last year, it had broken another milestone by becoming more popular than Netflix and Disney Plus on smart TVs. Even more impressively, YouTube has become the number one most-watched streaming platform (by watch time) in the US over the last two years. So not only am I not an outlier anymore, but it seems like the world has become as addicted to YouTube as I have been for the last two decades.

If you’re not convinced by watching YouTube on your TV yet, I’ve come up with three reasons why YouTube on a smart TV is worth it, trust me I’ve spent far too much time watching random online videos.

1. YouTube videos are more impressive nowadays

Back when YouTube started it was as amateur as a video could be, viral videos like 'Charlie Bit My Finger' ruled the roost and it wasn’t a potential career. Fast forward to today and the best YouTube channels have full production companies behind them creating movie-like content with high-end cameras and top-tier editing. While it might seem odd to watch short videos of dogs or cats doing funny things on your TV, watching 40-minute episodes of travel vlogs or in-depth reviews of the latest video game is so much more immersive on a TV instead of a smartphone.

The majority of YouTube videos I watch these days are either full-on episodes of content that in the past would’ve been shown on television, video game capture showcasing graphical fidelity, or highlights of sport that’s filmed in 4K, perfect for the big screen. There’s never a time where I think I’d rather opt for a smaller screen when it comes to consuming YouTube content these days and while I have my gripes about using a remote (I know I can use my iPhone but for some reason I don’t), I really love YouTube’s smart TV app and the way it breaks down the YouTube algorithm. YouTube ultimately gets better the more you watch it, and I find viewing the platform on TV incentivizes watching top-tier content over quick amateur videos.

2. With YouTube Premium it’s ad-free and awesome

(Image credit: YouTube)

I pay for most streaming service subscriptions, Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, you name it. But I can confidently say that YouTube Premium is the only subscription I pay for where I genuinely get my money’s worth. Even this week, where I’ve had a really busy time at work and I’ve been out most evenings with my partner or with friends, I’ve still somehow managed to spend 16 hours on YouTube. That might not sound like a lot, but that’s an average of over 3 hours a day since Monday, absolutely wild.

Now imagine watching that amount of video content and being plagued with ads, it would completely turn me away from the platform. Instead, paying $13.99 a month (£12.99 in the UK), gets me higher resolution videos, perfect for the TV, and no annoying ads can hinder my entertainment. Not only do you get those benefits for watching on TV, but YouTube Premium gives you loads of added features for the times where you’re away from your living room and watching on a smartphone or an iPad instead. Those features include downloading videos for offline viewing, YouTube Music, and background audio, which is perfect if you want to listen to a podcast while still using your phone.

YouTube Premium isn’t a reason to start watching YouTube on TV, but it does make your brain think differently about the content you consume and how you want to consume it. I’ve subscribed to YouTube Premium since I started watching YouTube on TV and it not only entices me to pick the YouTube app over other streaming services, but it makes the viewing experience that much more enjoyable.

3. It can save you money

(Image credit: LG)

Save you money? Okay, hear me out on this one. Consuming YouTube on TV makes you think about the platform differently, it becomes a subscription service in its own right, and like the statistics from above show, there’s so much to watch that you can spend endless hours consuming content on the platform. Watching YouTube on TV can quickly become your go-to evening entertainment, and there’s so much to choose from that you’ll inevitably find channels and series that you want to watch. Opting for the TV approach means you’ll spend less time on all the other streaming services, and in turn, you might even opt to cancel your subscriptions altogether.

What's even better is if you live in the US, then there's a great streaming deal available that lets you save more than 15% on the 'Base Plan' to access more than 100 live channels, making a great alternative to cable, too. This is a limited-time offer that expires at the end of March. See more about the YouTube TV deal available below.

YouTube TV 'Base Plan' with Max free trial: was $82.99 per month now $69.99 at YouTube TV
The most exciting part about this limited-time streaming deal is, besides having access to YouTube TV's catalog of over 100 live channels for $78 less than the usual six-month price, you'd be taking advantage of a seven-day free access to Max, which is a rare opportunity since the streaming platform discontinued its Max free trial. But be quick, because this offer ends on March 31.View Deal

I’m not lying when I say most evenings in my household where my partner and I are watching TV have some form of YouTube content involved. Gone are the days of quality content being limited to cable television, and nowadays depending on what you’re looking for YouTube is probably the best place to find it. I adore food content, basically, anything starring Anthony Bourdain is my gospel, and yet, in 2025 the best travel food content available isn’t on Netflix, it’s on YouTube. Whether you’re sitting down to watch a food vlog, or you’re watching a daily series like Ryan Trahan’s Penny Challenge, YouTube is far more compelling as a TV app than it ever was on your smartphone. So if you aren’t already on board with the YouTube TV app, give it a go, it might completely change your viewing habits.

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• Netskope's researchers uncover new phishing campaign
• Team says the campaign started in mid-2024 and has affected "thousands"
• Victims are promised important PDF documents in exchange for credit card data

A new phishing campaign has been discovered trying to trick gullible people into handing their sensitive personal and payment information to cybercriminals.

Cybersecurity researchers from Netskope Threat Labs detailed their findings, noted the target of this campaign is mainly people looking for PDF files online - whether books, documents, charts, or similar files. The criminals would host a fake .PDF file on the Webflow content delivery network (CDN), which the victims could then find through search engines.

The PDF file would then serve them an image that mimics a CAPTCHA, but is instead just a link to a phishing page. That page, in turn, hosts a real Cloudflare Turnstile CAPTCHA. Having a CAPTCHA on a phishing page serves two purposes: the first one is to lend legitimacy to the fraud, and the second one is to better bypass different web security protections.

Fake errors

Users who complete the real CAPTCHA are then redirected to a page with a “download” button which, after pressed, displays a popup. That popup asks the victims to provide their personally identifiable information (PII), as well as credit card data which are then relayed to the attackers.

The victims who enter their credit card details are then served a fake error message, stating that the payment was not accepted. Those that try multiple times, will eventually be redirected to an HTTP 500 error page.

Netskope says that the campaign has been ongoing since the second half of 2024 and has, since then, affected “hundreds” of Netskope customers and “thousands” of users. The researchers did not say what the criminals are using the stolen cards for, other than it’s for “financial fraud”. Most of the time, though, crooks would use credit cards to purchase ad space for malvertising campaigns, or to buy online gift cards which are difficult to trace.

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Refresh your space with a comfy sofa that arrives right at your doorstep.

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: two-minute review

The KitchenAid KF6 is a fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine, and it does its main job exceptionally well: brewing a delicious, rich espresso with the best crema I’ve ever seen.

It offers a wide menu of espresso drinks, each of which can be customized and saved to a custom profile. In addition, it includes an automatic milk-frothing system for options including cappuccinos, caffe lattes, and macchiatos. Unlike the higher-end KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF8 we reviewed in 2024, there’s no separate profile for plant-based milk.

Macchiato is one of seven customizable espresso drinks on the menu (Image credit: Future)

In addition, it's one of the quietest coffee machines we’ve tested here at TechRadar, with a pump that’s barely any louder than your refrigerator. The only significant noise happens for a moment during grinding and milk frothing, and it’s over in a second or two.

Thoughtful touches include a brew group that purges itself automatically between drinks to ensure you always have fresh beans ground to the correct size (like a barista would purge their grinder); a chute so you can make an occasional drink using a different bean to the one in the hopper; and a comprehensive set of cleaning functions that make maintaining the machine as simple as using it.

It’s also less expensive than you might expect. Fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee makers are never going to be cheap, but the KF6 costs far less than the KF8, with only a few compromises – and it’s often available at a discount, too.

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: price and availability

• List price $1,199.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,799
• Far less expensive than KitchenAid KF8
• Often available at a discount

The KitchenAid KF6 launched in 2024, and is available to buy directly from KitchenAid, or from third-party retailers. It has a list price of $1,199.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,799, but you can often find it more cheaply. For example, at the time of writing it’s discounted to $999.99 in the US and AU$1,599 in Australia for Valentine’s Day.

It certainly isn't cheap, but fully automatic bean-to-cup machines never are due to their complexity; plus the KF6 delivers plenty for the money. It's far less expensive than its higher-end sibling, the KF8, which has a list price of $1,999.99 / £1,899 / AU$2,599. While the KF6 makes a few compromises to keep the cost down, it remains an exceptional coffee maker; in my opinion, it's much better value than its big brother. We’ve rounded up today’s best prices for you here:

• Value score: 5/5

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: specifications KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: design

• Sleek and modern look
• Takes whole beans and grounds
• Automatic milk texturizing system

The KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 is a sleek, modern-looking coffee maker, with a matt finish and brushed stainless steel accents. It's available in three colorways: stainless steel, cast iron black, and porcelain white (the latter of which launched in January 2025).

Its screen measures 2.4 inches diagonally (6cm), which is smaller than that of the KF8, but it’s still bright and clear, with plenty of space for reviewing and tweaking your drink settings. You operate the machine using a set of touch-sensitive buttons positioned beside the display, and the power button is located discreetly on the left-hand side of the case.

The KitchenAid KF7 is controlled using a set of touch-sensitive buttons arranged around its small color screen (Image credit: Future)

The bean hopper is accessed via a hatch on the top, and has a central dial that twists to lock and unlock it. The hatch has a rubber seal to help keep your beans fresh. Next to the hopper, you’ll find a small chute where you can insert a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you want to use a different bean from time to time. This is particularly handy for those who prefer to switch to decaf in the evening; the machine will detect if the chute has been opened and automatically offer you the option of using ground coffee rather than beans when you next select a drink (a thoughtful touch). The KF6 arrives with a scoop to make this easier.

The KF6's water tank has a capacity of 2.3 quarts / 2.2 liters, which is the same as the other espresso machines in KitchenAid’s fully automatic series, and has a folding handle that makes it easier to carry it to the sink. You also get a water-testing strip, so you can decide which water hardness setting to choose, and a water filter that screws into the bottom of the tank. Additional filters are available to purchase directly from KitchenAid, or from Amazon.

The water tank is easily lifted out of the side of the machine, and comes with a filter that screws into the bottom (Image credit: Future)

The dispenser slides smoothly up and down to accommodate different-sized cups, and can dispense coffee and milk into one or two cups.The drip-tray beneath slides out smoothly when lifted slightly, and contains a removable bin where used coffee pucks are deposited. The tray has a spout shape at the back to avoid mess when emptying and rinsing.

The KitchenAid KF6 has an automatic milk-frothing system, but unlike the KF7 and KF8, it doesn’t come with a dedicated container. Instead, you just place the end of the tube into your own jug or cup of milk. The results are the same; the only difference in practise is that you can’t pop the closed container into the fridge between uses. However, unlike the higher-end KF8, the KF6 doesn’t have a separate profile for plant-based milk. You can still use it to heat and texturize oat, soy, or almond milk, but the system is optimized for dairy.

Used pucks are dispensed into a removeable bin that sits inside the drip-tray (Image credit: Future)

The only downside to the design is that I noticed a few small scratches on the stainless steel drip-tray after testing, which must have been caused by the bottom of the glass and ceramic cups I was using. They were noticeable only when observing up-close, however; you’d never see them in ordinary use. I was just a little surprised it happened so quickly.

• Design score: 5/5

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: performance

• Makes exceptionally good espresso with thick crema
• Good choice of customizable drink presets
• No profile for plant-based milks

The KitchenAid KF6 is very simple to use and, most importantly, makes a gorgeous espresso – rich and delicious, and with exceptionally thick crema that even earned praise from team coffee aficionado and reviews editor Josh Russell, who noted that his manual espresso machine couldn’t produce similar results.

The KF6 doesn’t have quite such an extensive menu of presets as the KF8, but still offers plenty of choice. There’s scope for customizing the strength, temperature, volume, and body of each drink, too. The options offered by the KF6 are:

• Espresso
• Cappuccino
• Caffe latte
• Macchiato
• Latte macchiato
• Americano
• Coffee

The KF6 can also dispense hot water and warm milk. However, unlike the higher-end KF8, it doesn’t offer a cooler water option for brewing green tea, or foamed milk without coffee for a babyccino.

The KitchenAid KF6 produces an incredible espresso (Image credit: Future)

When I tested the KitchenAid KF8 in 2024, I found that the default settings for a cappuccino and latte didn’t produce as much milk foam as I like, and it was the same with the KF6. Thankfully, both machines let me adjust the volume of the drink to add more milk, which resulted in thicker foam. It’s easy to play around with the options before making your espresso drinks, and once you’ve set your preferences, you can save them to one of four custom user profiles. The KF6 supports six profiles, but four will be plenty for most households.

The KF6 is Quiet Mark certified, meaning it has been designed with noise reduction in mind. It’s definitely quieter than most of the best espresso machines I’ve tested. It reached 75db for a second or two while foaming milk (similar to a vacuum cleaner) and 66dB while grinding coffee (about the noise of a normal conversation), but averaged a mere 44dB while the pump was in operation (a very gentle hum).

Unlike the KF8, the KF6 doesn't have a mode optimized for plant-based milk (Image credit: Future)

Sometimes, the convenience of a bean-to-cup coffee machine is offset by the hassle of maintaining it, but this isn't the case here. All of KitchenAid’s fully automatic espresso machines offer a great selection of cleaning and maintenance functions, and you’ll be prompted when it’s time to run each one.

After each milk-based drink, you’ll be advised to run the "easy milk rinsing" program, which uses water from the tank to flush the lines. To keep things hygienic in the longer term, the "deep milk cleaning" function uses a cleaning solution to give everything a good wash and remove proteins and bacteria.

There’s a quick option for rinsing the brew unit, plus a deep-cleaning mode that requires you to remove the brewing unit and insert a cleaning tablet to remove any build-up of oils that could start to impact the taste of your drinks.

Remove the panel on the right-hand side to access the brew group for cleaning (Image credit: Future)

The KF8 also offers a function that purges all coffee from the hopper and brew unit (ideal if you want to switch to a different bean), and one that evaporates all water from the system (great, if you won’t be using the machine for a while or need to transport it). You may need to use a cloth to absorb a little leftover water from the dispenser once it’s done, but the evaporation system works very well.

Generally speaking, I found the differences between the KF6 and the KF8 to be quite small. Although there are fewer drink options, the ones I use frequently are still available (and customizable). The absence of a special container for milk barely affects the experience at all, and the smaller screen is still ample for displaying your various options.

The only thing I really missed was the plant milk option from the KF8, which yielded particularly silky micro-foam when used with almond milk. If you rarely use plant milk, it’s well worth considering opting for the KF6 instead – the experience is just as good; it handles dairy equally well; and it brews an exceptional coffee.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 Buy if if

You love espresso

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this machine produces truly great espresso, with masses of golden crema. It's delicious, and it will be perfect every time – with no skill necessary on your part.

You want minimal hassle

The joy of a bean-to-cup machine is its ease of use and consistency, and the KF6 excels in both areas. It makes preparing your favorite coffee a piece of cake, and is refreshingly easy to clean and maintain.

Don't buy it if

You prefer plant milk

There's nothing to stop you using the KF6 with your favorite plant-based substitute, but it's optimized for dairy. Unlike the KF8, there's no profile for soy, almond, oat and other alternatives.

You're on a tight budget

The KitchenAid KF6 is great value for a fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine, but if money is tight then you'd be better off choosing a manual espresso machine instead.

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: also consider

Not sure whether the KitchenAid KF6 is the right espresso machine for you? Here are a couple of other options that you might like to consider:

De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo

This is our favorite manual bean-to-cup machine, and an excellent introduction to the world of espresso. Plus, it's less than half the price of the KitchenAid KF6.

Read our full De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo review

Breville The Barista Impress Express

This espresso machine gives you the choice of manual or semi-automatic operation, and for those who lack the experience of grinding and tamping coffee, Breville's Impress system helps you create the perfect puck.

Read our full Breville The Barista Impress Express review

KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6: how I tested

I tested the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine KF6 using fresh coffee beans from local coffee shop, Mokoko, and chilled whole milk. I used each of the machine’s preset drink options, experimenting with the volume, temperature, strength, and body settings, creating a custom user profile.

I also ran all of the machine’s cleaning programs, including the intensive profiles for cleaning the milk system and brewing group, and evaporating water from the whole system. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate on TechRadar.

First reviewed February 2025

(Image credit: Future)

Kevin Costner is notably absent in this installment, but you can binge it all.

• Severance's creator has teased what'll happen next as part of Mark's 'reintegration' storyline
• Dan Erickson has suggested Mark's desire to combine his 'innie' and 'outie' personas poses all kinds of risks
• Erickson's comments come after season 2 episode 5's emotionally devastating ending

Severance creator Dan Erickson has a message for fans of the hit Apple series after season 2 episode 5's startling ending: be worried for Mark Scout.

Ahead of the Apple TV Plus mystery thriller show's return on January 17, I sat down with Erickson to pick his mind about Severance season 2's first six episodes. And, given what transpires in its fifth episode, titled 'Trojan's Horse', I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask Erickson about where this particular Mark-focused narrative is heading. In short: in an ominous direction.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Severance season 2 episodes 3 and 5.

Turn back now if you haven't seen season 2 episode 5 yet! (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

One of this season's major storylines has revolved around Mark Scout's desire to undergo the experimental (and potentially unsafe) procedure known as 'reintegration'. It's an operation that, in theory, allows one of Lumon Industries' Severed employees to combine their 'innie' and 'outie' personas, thereby becoming a whole person again.

In season 1, we learn that the unorthodox and dangerous technique, which was developed by former Lumon scientist Doctor Asal Reghabi, has been used on Mark's fellow Lumon colleague Petey. Fans won't need me to remind them what happened to Petey as a result of his own 'reintegration' process. Unsurprisingly, Mark has resisted Reghabi's attempts to convince him to try and 'reintegrate', too.

Mark's stance on the matter changes in Severance season 2 episode 3. After the pair cross paths late on in that chapter, Reghabi stuns Mark by revealing his wife Gemma, who Mark's 'innie' has occasionally worked and conversed with at Lumon (she's called Ms Casey here, though), is still alive. Cue Mark performing a 180-degree turn and wanting to 'reintegrate' so his 'outie' can infiltrate Lumon, find Gemma, and rescue her.

"Welcome back, Mark. Been a minu- wait, you're not Mark S!" (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Things took a backseat on the 'reintegration' front in Severance season 2 episode 4 and you can learn more about that installment's explosive events by reading my Severance season 2 episode 4 ending explained piece. Mark's 'reintegration' plan, though, takes center stage on three separate, not to mention hugely important, occasions in this season's fifth entry.

The first instance sees Mark's 'outie' briefly catch a glimpse of the Macrodata Refinement office that his 'innie' works in. Next, Mark's 'innie' experiences a split-second moment in the real world when his office desk is replaced by a kitchen tabletop and some pills. This is an interior shot of the home that Mark's 'outie' lives in, with the medication being the tablets he needs to take to help with the 'reintegration' process.

it wouldn’t be a season 2 severance episode without ms casey serving face for two seconds and then disappearing #severance pic.twitter.com/cxIQ9OUtC3February 14, 2025

Episode 5's biggest Mark-centric event (from an 'outie' perspective, anyway) is reserved for its final few minutes. After a brief chat with Reghabi in the basement of his home, Mark's 'outie' starts hearing Ms Casey's voice in his head, which subsequently starts to hurt. As he deals with the pain, he's suddenly transported to Lumon. After walking down the dark corridor that's become the object of one of many huge Severance season 2 fan theories, he finds himself in one of Lumon's sterile, brightly-lit passageways. There, in both a heart-warming and soul-crushing manner, he briefly comes face-to-face with Ms Casey before he's transported back to his real world home.

Clearly, the 'reintegration' process is working, otherwise Mark's two personas wouldn't be having visions of their counterpart's worlds. So, that's a good thing, right? If Mark can fully 'reintegrate', he can save Gemma and bring down Lumon from the inside, surely? It's not that straight-forward, Erickson teases.

The closer he gets to that catharsis, the more dangerous he becomes to Lumon

Dan Erickson, Severance creator

"I think we all agree that the healthiest thing for Mark would be to be whole again," Erickson told me. "He wants to make peace between these different versions of himself and be able to live as a whole person. But, the closer he gets to that catharsis, the more dangerous he becomes to Lumon and, therefore, the more danger he is in, because they don't want them to be whole.

"I think a lot of real-world companies don't want their employees thinking for themselves too much or having a holistic sense of who they are," one of the best Apple TV Plus shows' creator continued. "They like their automatons and, when you start to become less of an automaton, you become more dangerous to them.

"On a practical level, if Mark's plan was to succeed, he would suddenly be able to take information in and out of Lumon. But, just on a character level, it means that he's gaining a greater sense of himself, and it does put him in danger."

We'll find out just how desperate and threatening things become for Mark in season 2's final five episodes. In the meantime, read more of TechRadar's coverage of Severance below.

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• You can score a limited edition Apple Watch workout award on Feb. 14
• The Heart Month limited-edition award is given after a 30-minute workout
• It falls on Valentine's Day as Feb. 2024 is Heart Month in the US

Apple might be channeling its Elvis with its latest limited-edition award for the Apple Watch. For the unfamiliar, for certain events of the year, Apple rolls out special digital awards you can unlock by completing with an Apple Watch – the catch is there’s a time sensitivity to scoring them.

If anything, it can encourage you to get active on a day when you might have taken a rest or push you to go the extra mile. This Valentine’s Day, rather than feeling the burn, Apple might have you feeling the love. Simply complete a 30-minute workout before the clock strikes midnight on February 14, 2025, and you’ll get the Heart Month limited-edition award.

After all, on top of February 14 being Valentine’s Day, February is Heart Month in the United States. It also might encourage you to check out some of the other heart health features on the Apple Watch, including monitoring general activity, performing a check-up in the Health app on your iPhone, and even enabling heart rate notifications.

(Image credit: Apple)

Like previous limited-edition awards, Apple isn’t locking this one behind a particular workout type. In fact, you can spend 30 minutes with any workout type – be it Dance, HIIT, Cycling, Swimming, Yoga, or any of the others – and you’re eligible for the award. This one’s design is green, and the exercise ring is well-completed with a heart in the middle and the numerals for 2025.

The Heart Month limited-edition award is animated, and you’ll also unlock some special stickers for Messages after earning the award. That’s par for the course with Apple Watch workout awards, as we saw with a celebration of National Parks in August and a custom one for Mental Health Awareness Day.

Considering the activity rings can gamify the experience a bit, this certainly acts as more encouragement and an honor for being active. It certainly works that way for me, as well. Alongside the award highlighting Heart Month, the Apple Watch – depending on your mode – also offers a few other heart-centric features.

These include the ability to monitor your heart rate and receive notifications in case the Apple Watch detects an irregular or high heart rate. You can turn on notifications for these on your wrist by going into the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and then tapping into Heart. There, you can turn on notifications for Irregular Rhythm and high and low heart rates. Additionally, the Apple Watch provides a rough estimate of your cardio fitness level and alerts you on your wrist and in the Health app if it is low.

If you have a new enough Apple Watch – it’s been around since the Series 4 – you can also take an ECG or Electrocardiogram on your wrist. For instance, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch SE second-generation all offer robust heart rate tracking capabilities with ECG functionality.

While not exactly a heart measurement, you can also use the Mindfulness app on your Apple Watch to take a break during the day to reflect or potentially reduce stress.

And if you're in the market for a new Apple Watch, check out our guide to the Best Apple Watches.

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• Severance season 2 debuted with amazing viewing numbers
• It's the first Apple TV Plus show to crack Nielsen's top 10 since 2023
• Silo also hit big for Apple's streaming service in January

Full disclosure up front: I’ve never seen Severance. Shameful, I know. But I'm increasingly in the minority according to some seriously impressive new viewer numbers for Severance season 2, which show how big a hit it's been for Apple TV Plus.

The media analytics company Nielsen (via The Hollywood Reporter) has just released its first set of streaming charts since the Adam Scott-fronted, memory-wiping sci-fi’s second season hit screens, and Crew Cupertino are no doubt breaking out the party poppers at the resulting data.

The newly-released figures, which cover the week of January 13, are the first to pop up since Severance season 2 debuted on Apple TV Plus just days later on the 17th. The headline news from said data is that the head-trip drama has drawn some of the highest viewing numbers for an original series in the streaming service’s five-year history.

Despite having such a short timeframe to make the Nielsen original viewing charts, Apple’s mega hit managed to slide into the fourth slot in the top 10. An even more eye-catching number? It clocked up an impressive 600 million viewing minutes in that short period.

These figures are even more notable considering it’s reasonably rare for Apple TV Plus shows to sneak into Nielsen’s top 10 original rankings at all. There are a couple of caveats – the data is limited to US households and only includes TV watching, not phones or computers. Still, while it's only a limited snapshot, it does show how well Severance has been doing in the Netflix-dominated charts.

The last Apple TV Plus show to hit this big in the Nielsen streaming charts was Ted Lasso season 3 back in 2023 – quite possibly one of the worst collection of episodes I’ve ever committed my eyeballs to. Severance, I thank you. Oh, and Ted and the rest of your saccharine soccer players? In the event there’s ever another season of Lasso – unlikely, seeing as the ‘comedy’ ended on a fairly definitive note – I hope AFC Richmond get liquidated.

Silo & Stitch

(Image credit: Apple TV +)

The latest Nielsen numbers bring more good news for the bigwigs at Apple TV Plus, as Severance wasn’t the streaming service’s only big winner. The third week of January also saw stylish sci-fi drama Silo crack tenth on the Nielsen original charts.

That’s noteworthy, as this appears to be the first time that two Apple Originals have appeared in the same week of Neilson’s top 10 rankings (as noted by, 9to5Mac).

Bear in mind that even though Severance’s second season has enjoyed a barnstorming start in terms of ratings, we are talking about the Neilson original charts, not the overall ones that look at all TV viewing figures.

Placed into that context, the team at the fictional Lumon Industries and their accumulated 589 million viewing minutes look small fry next to the 1.5 billion minutes Squid Game season 2 racked up on Nielsen’s overall streaming charts. Then again, Netflix’s South Korean smash hit has a far greater reach because of the platform it’s on.

Still, these figures point to not only to the bewitching appeal of Severance, but Apple’s increasing reach among the best streaming services.

You can catch new episodes of Severance season 2 every Friday until the finale airs on March 21. Suffice to say, I’ll be starting the first season this weekend.

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The recent ban of TikTok sent shockwaves through its 170 million U.S. userbase, particularly among business owners and creators who depend on the platform for their business.

Although service was restored, the shutdown raises the larger issue of the dangers of relying on building a business on a third party platform controlled by another company.

It’s a form of digital sharecropping. This means that you’re working on another company’s platform, where you have no control and the rug can be pulled out from under you at any time. This leaves your business vulnerable to being cut-off and shut down at any time.

Even if you’re not shut down, the platform could change its algorithm and remove you from their searches or promote a competitor.

This is not the first time this has happened. Businesses once investing heavily in Facebook Pages, as a means of distribution when Facebook emphasized Pages. But Facebook later changed direction and those efforts were wasted. There were numerous other changes Meta and Facebook have made over the years that have affected companies. Some companies such as BuzzFeed, built their business on Facebook traffic, but after the traffic dropped, the company’s business suffered.

Renting versus owning

Twitter famously had API integrations that many startups used to build apps and companies, from mobile Twitter apps to general social media apps to monitoring apps. Later, Twitter shut down those integrations and built competitors to those products.

Building a business on someone else’s platform is like renting versus owning. Renting real estate leaves you vulnerable to new competition, the landlord raising the rent, the landlord selling the building or the landlord making changes to the building. With ownership, you maintain maximum control over the direction of your business. Similarly, with your own website, you control the creation and distribution of your content, your marketing and your long-term future.

So what can business owners and creators do to build a long-term, sustainable online presence to support their business? First, establishing your own website will ensure that you have a lasting, enduring presence online, where people can find you and learn about your business.

Strong presence and control

I’m not advocating avoiding social platforms. By all means, use TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and others. For small businesses that generate content, social platforms can drive critical attention to sustain their growth. But if companies invest in their own website, that can provide a key lifeline. Using tools like WordPress make websites easy for non-developers to update and manage, combined with a host like Kinsta to ensure security and performance. That in conjunction with any content produced on other platforms will build their brand and provide resiliency no matter what happens on those platforms.

Also, make sure that you aren’t putting all your efforts and focus solely on these platforms. You want to have a strong presence that you control through your own website. Then, make sure you link back to your website on your profiles on all those platforms and also like back to your website whenever you can in your social posts. That will drive people back to your site. You can also invest in a domain name that is easy to remember and will help support your site. Then people at your website can sign up for your newsletter and keep in touch. You will own that data, and you can control your future.

So if something happens and you are dropped from a platform such as TikTok or Facebook, customers can still find your website on Google because of your SEO efforts. You will also show up in ChatGPT or other AI search engines. But you will only be available if you have this website already set up.

This is an investment in your business. It’s not a major expense when you think about the long-term benefit for your business, but it is an investment. It’s like taking care of your health or your hygiene. Just like you brush your teeth to protect your teeth long term.

The website advantage

A website will also help you define your overall strategy as a business. It’s not the same as a clip on TikTok or reel on Instagram. It can even be as simple as a one-page website, where people can find you. This alone will give you real legitimacy as a real business. When people find your website online, they’ll see you as a real business.

Ultimately you want a long-term online presence, where no matter what happens, you will be able to control your brand and your message for your current and future potential customers. That’s what will support your business for the future.

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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

The rapid growth of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), combined with increasing data processing demands, is causing a significant rise in power consumption in data centers around the world. In just the UK, for example, data center energy usage is projected to rise six-fold over the next decade.

This surge, paired with the ever-growing volume of data being generated, is driving the need for advanced storage capabilities to manage both curated and non-curated data. As a result, sustainability has become a core focus in data center operations.

Overcoming sustainability challenges

It’s no secret that data centers demand significant volumes of continuous power to operate. As the demand for data grows, so too does the energy footprint of data centers – leading to even higher emissions. Data center operators must, therefore, take a more proactive and innovative approach to limit the environmental impact they are having.

This is demonstrated by the tools and technologies used to better manage core components of operations. For instance, utilizing digital twins – a digital model of a real-world object or system – to identify changes to air flow and improve conditions.

Facility location is also an issue and, as a result, some innovative leaders are considering building in closer proximity to energy sources – such as nuclear power – to reach their energy requirements, while also lowering their emissions. With this closer proximity, operators can reduce energy loss during transmission, ensuring a more reliable and consistent power supply. Likewise, companies are building data centers in strategic geographic locations, such as colder climates, to leverage natural cooling for infrastructure, enhancing sustainability and cost efficiency.

Six key sustainability methods to consider

To help data centers overcome their sustainability challenges, there are six key methods that operators should consider.

1. Implementing dynamic power management: By adjusting energy consumption according to real-time demand, data centers can significantly improve their operational efficiency. For example, during periods of low activity, power can be conserved by reducing energy use, which minimizes waste without negatively impacting performance. This includes dynamic power management technologies in switch and router systems, such as shutting down unused line cards or ports, and controlling fan speeds to optimize energy use based on current needs.

Oppositely, in times of peak demand, operations can be scaled up to meet increased requirements, ensuring consistent and dependable service levels. Doing so not only decreases unnecessary energy use, but also contributes to sustainability efforts by lowering the environmental impact associated with energy-intensive operations.

2. Enhanced cooling solutions: Water and liquid cooling technologies can minimize power consumption and improve energy efficiency. As previously mentioned, some organizations are building their data centers in colder climates – like Scandinavia – to reduce cooling their needs naturally.

Direct liquid cooling, using liquid channels to direct heat away from specific electronic components, is also gaining traction for its precision and efficiency. Similarly, liquid immersion is becoming a preferred option for some customers. This involves servers that are completely or partially immersed in a dielectric fluid to reduce their temperature.

3. Recyclable and modular tools: To lower the amount of e-waste produced, equipment should be designed with modularity in mind. Doing so enables easier upgrades and the ability to recycle materials. Modular components also allow for selective replacement or enhancement without needing to discard an entire system. Additionally, extending the lifespan of equipment further reduces waste by maximizing the use of resources and minimizing the frequency of replacements.

4. Heat capture and distribution: Heat generated from data centers can be captured and repurposed to provide heating for nearby facilities and homes, transforming it into a valuable resource. This approach promotes a circular energy model, where excess heat is redirected rather than discarded. Integrating data centers into local energy systems also enhances sustainability and offers substantial benefits to nearby communities whilst addressing broader energy efficiency goals.

5. Advanced optical technology: Optics are a significant contributor to power consumption within data centers. Various initiatives are being developed and implemented to reduce the energy usage of optical modules to address this. Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), Linear Receive Optics (LRO) and Linear Drive Pluggable Optics (LPO) technologies aim to optimize the performance of optical interconnects whilst significantly lowering their energy requirements.

6. Enhancing a net zero market: By combining the elements listed above, data center operators can look to achieve carbon emission reductions and meet science-based net zero targets. However, this will be an ongoing and long-term effort, which will require implementation of energy-efficient technologies, optimize cooling systems and, ultimately, invest in renewable energy. Doing so will help set new industry standards for energy efficiency and carbon reduction, contributing to a far more sustainable future.

It is important for companies to clearly define, measure and execute these sustainability methods. However, in addition to reaching their net-zero emissions goal, data centers must also ensure these methods align with established national and international regulations and timelines.

The upside of data centers

While there is still much work to be done, the truth is that data centers have already played a significant role in advancing sustainability. This is demonstrated when looking at the technologies which have reduced the environmental impact of human activity. This includes virtual collaboration tools – such as Zoom, Microsoft® Teams, Google Meet and other similar platforms – which have transformed how people and organizations communicate. By making seamless remote interactions possible, the need for travel has significantly decreased and has led to reduced carbon emissions by air travel and daily commutes.

Additionally, innovations in automated network management tools and software-driven approaches have propelled sustainability within IT infrastructures. Automated tools powered by machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) efficiently manage network operations, which optimize energy use by allocating resources where and when necessary. This prevents the over-supply of resources and reduces energy waste. Software-driven solutions, such as Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV), simplify operations by reducing the need for physical hardware. These solutions also enable remote management, further contributing to lower energy consumption.

In 2025 and beyond, renewable energy sources are likely to become a cornerstone of data center operations, shifting from an ambitious goal to an industry standard. The innovations and practices being adopted are critical in supporting innovation and connectivity worldwide. Therefore, by implementing environmentally focused solutions, utilizing advanced technologies and following measurable, science-based net-zero commitments, data centers are well positioned to achieve a more sustainable digital future.

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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