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• A phishing attack leads to the download of a large file
• The Linux VM comes preloaded with malware, granting crooks all kinds of advantages
• Securonix advises caution when handing inbound emails

A creative new phishing technique has been spotted that looks to trick victims into downloading and installing a virtual Linux machine on their Windows endpoints. The virtual machine comes preloaded with a backdoor, granting the crooks unabated access to the compromised devices.

A report from cybersecurity researchers Securonix dubbed the campaign ‘CRON#TRAP’. It starts with a fake “OneAmerica” survey which distributes the VM installation file (285 MB), and a fake error popup image.

If the victims fall for the trick and trigger the installer, it will run in the background, while showing the fake error message in the front. That way, the victims will think that the survey was unavailable at the time. In the background, though, a fully legit version of a Linux VM, called TinyCore, will be installed via QEMU, a legitimate, open-source virtualization tool that allows for emulating various hardware and processor architectures.

Tricking the AV

Since QEMU is legitimate, no antivirus programs flag it as malicious. Furthermore, they will not flag anything that happens in the virtual machine, since it is walled in and operates as a sandbox. “This emulated Linux environment enables the attacker to operate outside the visibility of traditional antivirus solutions,” the researchers explained.

However, since the VM comes with a backdoor, crooks can use it for a number of things, including network testing and initial reconnaissance, tool installation and preparation, payload manipulation and execution, configuration persistence and privilege escalation, SSH key manipulation for remote access, file and environment management, system and user enumeration, and potential exfiltration or command control channels.

The backdoor was said to contain a tool called Chisel, which is a network tunneling program, pre-configured to set up a secure communications channel with the C2 server.

Since the campaign starts with a simple phishing email, Securonix advises care when handling inbound emails.

Via BleepingComputer

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• macOS Sequoia 15.2 is getting a Weather widget in the Menu Bar for quick access to forecasts, currently hidden in the developer beta
• This beta brings Apple Intelligence tools like like Image Playground (for text-based image generation) and ChatGPT integration
• Apple Intelligence features, including Image Playground, will need an Apple silicon processor, but the Weather widget may be available for all users

Apple has released developer beta versions of iOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia 15.2 to test out a bunch of new features, including Apple Intelligence, and one of the most interesting additions is a new Weather widget that you’ll be able to add to the Menu Bar at the top of the screen.

As this version of Sequoia is still in developer testing, the new features could still change and may look or perform differently upon release. Currently, the Weather widget is disabled by default and needs to be activated in the System Settings app, in the Control Center.

As shown in a screenshot provided by 9to5Mac, it’ll live in the Menu Bar with a small weather icon and the temperature, next to the time, battery life, Wi-Fi connection, and other icons. When you click on this, the widget will pop-up, showing you the weather for the next few hours of the place where your device is located, as well as temperatures in various places around the world. You also get the option to open the Weather app if you want more information.

From the preview, it looks like a quick way to get important weather information without having to open the app or check a weather forecast website in a browser.

New Apple Intelligence features and when you can expect them

As well as the shiny new Weather widget, masOS Sequoia 15.2 promises to bring new features supported by Apple Intelligence. On the list are Image Playground, Apple’s dedicated AI image generation app that will create images based on text descriptions, and ChatGPT integration, intended to let users access ChatGPT directly in macOS or use it within certain apps.

The new Weather widget and new features, along with other changes, are expected to arrive as a part of macOS Sequoia 15.2 in December 2024. If you want to try them out early, you’ll need to be subscribed to Apple’s developer beta releases. Once the final release is out, you should be able to access these features if you have a Mac with an Apple silicon processor (which is required for Apple Intelligence).

It’s not clear yet if having an M-class chip will also be a requirement for the new Weather widget, although I suspect this will be available to all macOS Sequoia users.

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• Project Zero and DeepMind "big AI" uncovers security vulnerabilities
• Big Sleep finds a SQLite stack buffer underflow flaw before official release
• AI could revolutionize software development by discovering critical flaws

A collaborative “big AI” project between Google Project Zero and Google DeepMind has discovered a critical vulnerability in a piece of software before public release.

The Big Sleep AI agent was set to work analyzing the SQLite open source database engine, where it discovered a stack buffer underflow flaw which was subsequently patched the same day.

This discovery potentially marks the first ever time an AI has uncovered a memory-safety flaw in a widely used application.

Fuzzed software out-fuzzed by AI

Big Sleep found the stack buffer underflow vulnerability in SQLite which had been ‘fuzzed’ multiple times.

Fuzzing is an automated software testing method that can discover potential flaws or vulnerabilities such as memory safety issues that are typically exploited by attackers. However, it is not a foolproof method of vulnerability hunting, and a fuzzed vulnerability that is found and patched could also exist as a variant elsewhere in the software and go undiscovered.

The methodology used by Google in this instance was to provide a previously patched vulnerability as a starting point for the Big Sleep agent, and then set it loose hunting for similar vulnerabilities elsewhere in the software.

While hunting for a similar vulnerability, Big Sleep encountered a vulnerability and traced the steps it took to recreate the vulnerability in a test case, gradually narrowing down the potential causes to a single issue and generating an accurate summary of the vulnerability.

Google Project Zero points out that the bug wasn’t previously spotted using traditional fuzzing techniques as the fuzzing harness was not configured to access the same extensions. However, when fuzzing was re-run with the same configurations, the vulnerability remained undiscovered despite 150 CPU-hours of fuzzing.

“We hope that in the future this effort will lead to a significant advantage to defenders - with the potential not only to find crashing testcases, but also to provide high-quality root-cause analysis, triaging and fixing issues could be much cheaper and more effective in the future,” the Big Sleep team said. “We aim to continue sharing our research in this space, keeping the gap between the public state-of-the-art and private state-of-the-art as small as possible.”

The full testing methodology and vulnerability discovery details can be found here.

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Even though Guam doesn't have a say in the presidential election, its citizens still come out and vote for the country they love.

NPR's Michel Martin talks to Democratic Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington state, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, about issues voters will consider Election Day.

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In April, House of the Dragon star Abubakar Salim released Tales of Kenzera: Zau. He already has an idea for an Afro-cyberpunk follow-up, he just has to overcome funding obstacles and YouTube trolls to make it.

This review first appeared in issue 360 of PC Pro.

Framework takes a different approach from most laptop makers, with an emphasis on reparability. It even adopts a modular approach to ports, so you can swap a USB-A port for an HDMI connector on the fly.

As my guide to building a Framework opposite shows, however, this isn’t a DIY system in the same way that you might build a desktop PC. Framework supplies the chassis with the motherboard and display built in, so all you’re doing is adding the SSD, memory, keyboard, ports and bezel of your choosing. Install Windows or Linux, and the relevant drivers, and you’re done.

Or you can buy a laptop preassembled and pre-loaded with Windows. There isn’t a huge difference in the price, but I would expect most readers to choose the DIY approach.

You can pick from (and then fit) a multitude of keyboard languages (Image credit: Future)

Chip choice

Framework sent me its top AMD version of the Laptop 13, which features a Ryzen 7840U, but it offers an à la carte menu of chips. For instance, you can choose from Intel’s Core Ultra range or save money by opting for a 13th generation Core CPU.

There’s also a choice of display. My review unit included the basic 60Hz panel with a 2,256 x 1,504 resolution, but for an extra £130 Framework offers a 2,880 x 1,920 screen that goes up to 120Hz. This also comes with a more advanced webcam; the one bundled with my laptop produced solid 1080p results – fine for business calls – but forget effects such as background blur. There’s no IR sensor for Windows Hello logins, either, but Framework includes privacy switches for the webcam and the microphones.

One of the many great things about Framework’s approach is that if something goes wrong you can fix it or replace it, and that includes the display and the motherboard. With a strong community and detailed resources from Framework, you may prefer to dig out your screwdrivers rather than taking the laptop to a repairer.

Full metal jacket

Despite its modular nature, the Framework 13 is a compact and slim laptop. It’s well made, too, with no obvious weak points. The only area where it arguably falls behind rivals is for style, with a simple, utilitarian look. I like the simplicity, but others may prefer a more stylish design. You can choose colored bezels, keyboard covers and expansion ports if you want to liven things up.

There’s nothing fancy about the keyboard, either, but the action is deep and solid, with only a trace of cushioning. Ham-fisted typists will find it clacks loudly, but those with a gentler typing style will be rewarded with quiet strokes. The UK layout includes a double-height Enter key, with the only compromise being half-height up/down cursor keys and some function doubling.

A nicely proportioned and slick touchpad sits beneath, with a fingerprint sensor above. This worked perfectly throughout.

The design may be utilitarian, but the Framework Laptop 13 is well built (Image credit: Future)

Plain Jane screen

It’s a shame Framework sent me the model with the cheaper screen, as this is one area where the Laptop 13 falls behind rivals. There’s nothing wrong with its resolution or refresh rate, but color coverage could be better: it’s tied to the sRGB space, covering 96% out of a 100% volume, and that means DCI-P3 coverage is stuck at 71%. Colors lack punch as a result, but accuracy is respectable (0.63 Delta E average) and it goes up to 467cd/m2. The panel’s native color temperature of almost 7000K means whites look a fraction “cold”.

You can always hook it up to an external screen. The only connector that Framework stipulates is USB-C, as this is used for charging (and data/monitor duties), which leaves three for you to play with – it’s possible to swap them out whenever you like – so if you need DisplayPort or HDMI then add them to your order. Or take your pick from USB-A, Ethernet, microSD, or even storage expansion cards.

You can take your pick of connectors for the three spare ports (Image credit: Future)

Need for speed

With a Ryzen 7840U inside my test system, I expected fast speeds. And that’s exactly what I saw. AMD’s Zen 4 architecture remains strong, with a 2,600 result in Geekbench 6’s single-core test and a solid 11,388 in the multicore test; having eight cores means it now falls behind the fastest chips from Intel and Qualcomm. It was a match for the Copilot+ PCs in Cinebench 2024, though, with 790 in the multicore section and 104 in the single-core test.

AMD’s Radeon 780M graphics are roughly on a par with Intel’s Arc chips, scoring 2,902 in 3DMark Time Spy. At the panel’s native resolution, it coped well in both Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Dirt 5 so long as I kept to the lowest detail settings, averaging 39fps and 44fps respectively. Switching to High proved too big a challenge, with frame rates toppling to 24fps and 28fps.

Unlike the Copilot+ PCs I’ve tested this month with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips inside, the Framework Laptop 13’s fan lets you know when the CPU is being pushed. It doesn’t help that Framework uses a single fan for cooling, but those who like a quiet existence should either choose a different laptop or stick to undemanding tasks.

Battery life is respectable, lasting 9hrs 12mins in the light-use test and a superb 16hrs 26mins when left idling. But don’t expect speedy recharging from the modestly sized 60W adapter, going from zero to 45% in half an hour.

(Image credit: Future)

Final thoughts

Buying a Framework laptop isn’t the best choice for those who seek instant gratification. It will take at least five business days to ship your custom order, and if you want the latest parts – such as the new screen and webcam combo – then you’ll have to wait for the next batch to arrive, similarly to a Kickstarter project. Even so, the wait should be a few weeks at most.

Instead, this is a long-term purchase. One that will last for years – a decade even – and so it makes sense not to rush in. While rivals are undoubtedly sleeker and sexier, I love Framework’s approach to modularity and reparability.

You’re paying a slight premium for this, but you’re also supporting a company that lives and breathes sustainability, which you simply won’t find if buying from one of the big brands.

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• Apple News is providing real-time US election updates via Live Activities
• The alerts will pop up on both the iPhone and Apple Watch
• You can can turn on the Live Activities lock screen widgets in Settings

It’s election day in the US and it’s clear from social media and speaking to our US colleagues that stress levels are reaching a fever pitch as they wait to see who comes out ahead in the presidential race. However, for people who feel they aren’t yet stressed enough, or folks who really have no interest in sleeping tonight, Apple News is able to give iPhone and Apple Watch users real-time election updates through Live Activities.

Live Activities use lock-screen notifications, banners and the Dynamic Island to display up-to-date information about a live event or activity like a sports game score, how far away your Uber driver is, or the results of the 2024 US Presidential election.

So if you switch it on you can spend your election night with a constant visual reminder of which candidate is ahead with a live electoral count – with the lock-screen widget also giving you quick access to more in-depth election coverage.

How to turn on Live Activities

You can turn Live Activities on (or off) by going to the Face ID & Passcode section in Settings, then toggling the option in the menu. (Image credit: Apple / Future)

While they aren’t going to be for everyone, if you’re interested in turning on Live Activity reports for the US election (or other events) here’s what you need to do.

Firstly, go into your iPhone’s Settings app, find the ‘Face ID & Passcode’ section, enter your passcode when prompted, and under the ‘Allow Access When Locked’ subsection enable Live Activities if it isn’t already – this will switch on the Live Activities lock-screen widget.

Next you’ll want to open up Apple News on election night, then tap on the ‘Follow the 2024 election live’ banner and turn on the Live Activity. The banner should either appear on your home page (perhaps under Top Stories) or you can find it by going to the ‘Election 2024’ Special Coverage.

Phones without a Dynamic Island (iPhone 14 and earlier, ignoring the iPhone 14 Pro) will still get the lock screen widget, but they won’t see the constant live count at the top of their screen. As for Apple Watch users, once you switch the Live Activity on it should automatically appear on your smartwatch provided it runs watchOS 11.

It isn’t yet known how long Apple News will keep the Live Activity going, but it could be live for a while. Some presidential results have been announced in hours, some have taken days as states firm up their scores for each candidate. If at any point you wish to switch it off before the Activity ends just re-find the Apple News banner and switch the Live Activity off by tapping it again.

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GameSir Tarantula Pro: one-minute review

The GameSir Tarantula Pro is yet another winner from one of our favorite third-party gamepad brands. After seriously impressing us with the GameSir Kaleid, GameSir Nova, and the GameSir X2S Type-C mobile controller, it has now followed up with something a bit different.

The GameSir Tarantula Pro features a symmetrical thumbstick layout much like the PS5’s DualSense. However, this controller is compatible with PC, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices. Not only does that make it one of the very few Nintendo Switch controllers with symmetrical sticks, but it’s also perfect for gamers who prefer that layout on PC and mobile.

Otherwise, the Tarantula Pro is packed to the gills with desirable controller features, including drift-resisting TMR (that’s short for tunnel magnetoresistance, for those curious) sticks, trigger stops, nine (yes, nine!) remappable buttons, and even near field communication (NFC) scanning for amiibo figures on Nintendo Switch. You’re also getting excellent build quality here, as well as an impressively compact design that’s shorter than the average asymmetrical Xbox-style gamepad.

Perhaps the controller’s coolest feature, though, has to be its quick switching for button layouts. With a quick touch of the multifunction button on the rear of the pad, you can swap between Xbox and Switch face button layouts. These buttons are LED-powered too, and leads to a very stylish controller aesthetic in tandem with the small strip of RGB lighting underneath the central remappable button. All this lighting is fully customizable, too, letting you add a personal touch to the controller which is always welcome.

There’s a lot you can do with the GameSir Tarantula Pro, then, and it might take a while for you to fully grasp and remember all the multifunction button macros. But overall, this is an impressively robust Pro-adjacent controller that - like most other GameSir pads - comes at an aggressively affordable price. It can absolutely be considered one of the best PC controllers and best Nintendo Switch controllers released this year.

(Image credit: Future) GameSir Tarantula Pro: Price and availability

• $69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$105)
• Available from October 10, 2024
• Comparable in price to the 8BitDo Ultimate and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

The GameSir Tarantula Pro is available to buy now for $69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$105), and you can purchase one either from GameSir’s own website or the brand’s Amazon store page. It is worth noting, however, that the bundle with the charging stand will cost you a bit extra, at $79.99 / £79.99.

This is a pretty competitive price point that places it squarely in the same bracket as some of the best Nintendo Switch controllers, including the 8BitDo Ultimate and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

You’re getting exceptional value for money here; the Tarantula Pro’s feature set vastly outclasses what you’ll find on other similarly priced gamepads. If you’re after a PC or Switch controller that offers optimal performance across a wide variety of game genres, then the GameSir Tarantula Pro comes highly recommended.

GameSir Tarantula Pro: specs

(Image credit: Future) GameSir Tarantula Pro: design and features

• Smart, compact design
• Symmetrical stick layout
• Swappable button layout is a blessing

The most immediately noticeable design element of the GameSir Tarantula Pro is its symmetrical thumbstick layout, making it ideal for players who prefer a PlayStation-style layout over the offset, asymmetrical design seen on most Xbox and Nintendo Switch compatible controllers. These sticks are joined by a large, tactile d-pad and the usual face buttons, as well as a smattering of remappable buttons, trigger locks, and a rear multifunction button.

Compared to controllers with an Xbox Wireless Controller-esque silhouette like the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro or GameSir’s own T4 Kaleid, the Tarantula Pro is impressively compact in terms of size. It’s about as wide as those gamepads, but slightly stouter in terms of top-to-bottom length. The subtle, camo-like finish on the front of the controller’s shell (not to mention the pleasing RGB light strip) lends it a pretty eye-catching look too.

The charging bay is a nice addition as well, though it is lacking in build quality compared to the controller itself. It’s basically a charging dock sat atop a rather flimsy plastic frame, powered by a USB Type-C cable. You’ll want to handle this with extra care, as that thin frame seems like it’ll be prone to snapping under even slight pressure. Still, its lightweight and unassuming design means it can take up desk space without being the least bit intrusive.

I’ve saved my favorite feature for last here; the GameSir Tarantula Pro features a swappable face button layout that’s incredibly slick. By holding down the multifunction and ‘A’ (or ‘B’ for the Switch layout) buttons for a few seconds, the controller will swap between Xbox and Switch layouts. This is accompanied by a satisfying mechanical whirr, and the buttons will even change color based on your chosen layout (multicolored for Xbox, white for Switch).

This addresses my biggest issue with multiplatform controllers like the T4 Kaleid; they may work across PC and Switch, but you’re typically stuck with a single layout for the face buttons. The Tarantula Pro sidesteps this entirely by letting you swap layouts on the fly, thus aligning it with your platform of choice. It’s worth noting that the controller will work regardless of button layout, but this is a nice, thoughtful extra for those who often find themselves glancing at the face buttons to better align themselves.

(Image credit: Future) GameSir Tarantula Pro: performance

• GameSir’s TMR thumbsticks are delightfully responsive
• A whopping total of nine remappable buttons is excellent for competitive players
• Multifunction button is handy for accessing more features on the fly

The GameSir Tarantula Pro is an absolute joy to use across PC and Nintendo Switch, and it’s honestly replaced the T4 Kaleid as my go-to PC controller. This is, in part, down to the fact that this new controller can be used wirelessly. You’re getting a 2.4GHz dongle included in the box, allowing you to connect to PC wirelessly with no fuss. Over on Switch, you can also rely on Bluetooth connectivity.

The controller is exceptional to play games with, offering drift-resistant TMR thumbsticks which GameSir claims have greater longevity and durability than traditional Hall effect sticks. That’d take a good few years to know for sure, but in my time with the pad, I found these thumbsticks to be brilliantly responsive. Meanwhile, while I prefer floating circular d-pads like that of the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, the Tarantula Pro’s still feels great thanks to its micro switch feedback, allowing for very swift and decisive inputs.

You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to tailoring your very own Tarantula Pro experience too. Trigger locks allow you to switch between full-press Hall effect and more immediate micro switch presses. As mentioned, there are also nine remappable buttons (two on the rear of the controller next to the grips, four more around the central menu buttons, and three all in that central touchpad-style button (that’s one in the center, and two on the top which essentially act as two extra bumpers).

Remappable buttons aren’t for everyone, and having nine of them is arguably overkill, but if you’re the kind of person to make use of secondary inputs - be that for shooters or fighting games, for example - then you’ll be flush with options. To assign these, simply hold the multifunction button, your desired remappable button, and then the button you wish to assign. It’s quite a convoluted process at first glance, but very easy to get used to.

Battery life unfortunately isn’t the best ever here. I managed around 12 hours on a full charge during my playthrough of the Silent Hill 2 remake. That’s not dreadful, but is outclassed by other pads at this price range. Charge time also isn’t the greatest ever, coming in at around 3 hours whether you use the charging dock or USB-C.

Lastly, I’ll touch on the GameSir Connect software for PC, which is really quite good. It’s got a simple, one-screen interface that contains most of the gamepad’s customization options. That includes the RGB profile, trigger and stick deadzone alteration, remappable button mapping, and the activation or disabling of certain functions such as gyro aiming. It’s not particularly robust but offers most of what you’ll need all on one handy screen.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the GameSir Tarantula Pro? Buy it if...

You want a real kitchen sink of a controller
Bespoke Hall effect sticks, nine remappable buttons, trigger stops, and a handy multifunction button all make for an impressively robust gamepad that’s ideal for tinkerers.

You’re after a controller that’s perfect for both PC and Switch
If PC and Switch are your go-to gaming platforms, the GameSir Tarantula Pro is ideal for you. Especially with its quick-switch face button layouts.

Don't buy it if...

You were hoping for better battery life
12 hours isn’t terrible. But you’ll find greater amounts with competing controllers like the 8BitDo Ultimate (around 20-30 hours) and the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (40-50 hours).

Also consider...

Not sure about the GameSir Tarantula Pro? We’ve got a couple of other options reviewed here for your consideration.

8BitDo Ultimate
Among the very best Nintendo Switch controllers you can buy today, the 8BitDo Ultimate is an impressive package featuring Hall effect sticks, remappable buttons, and a charging dock.

Read our full 8BitDo Ultimate review

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
While sorely lacking in features compared to the competition, practically nothing has the official Switch controller beat on battery life. If you want to potentially play through an entire, lengthy RPG without needing to charge, then this is your best bet.

Read our full Nintendo Switch Pro Controller review

How I tested the GameSir Tarantula Pro

• Tested for two weeks
• Platforms tested: PC, Nintendo Switch
• Made use of all the controller’s major features

I tested the GameSir Tarantula Pro over the course of a fortnight, primarily on PC but also with some of the best Nintendo Switch games. In endeavored to make use of the controller’s features where best applicable, such as micro switch trigger stops for quicker inputs in fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, as well as a number of remappable buttons in shooters like Halo Infinite for quick access to jumping, grenades and melee attacks.

The GameSir Tarantula Pro is currently my go-to PC controller, and I’ve been using it to play through Silent Hill 2 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This is largely because I’ve also found the controller to be a comfortable fit thanks to its symmetrical design, and the ability to play wirelessly is a boon on PC for eliminating the need for extra cables.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2024

• Prime Video is testing a new AI feature that recaps movies and shows
• X-Ray Recaps develops personalized episode and season summaries
• The new feature is limited to Amazon Fire TV customers in the US

Prime Video subscribers might soon get a great new feature that will create personalized summaries of episodes and seasons you've watched of a movie or show.

X-Ray Recaps is a new feature that's being rolled out in beta to customers in the US who own Amazon Fire TVs only, such as the best TV for those on a budget, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED. However, Amazon has said that support for more devices will come by the end of the year.

The new feature is part of Amazon's generative AI suite of X-Ray tools that it started adding in 2022 and is designed to help catch you up on anything you've missed from one of the best Prime Video shows or best Prime Video movies.

Instead of searching online for recaps that might contain spoilers or rewatching parts of an episode you've already seen, X-Ray Recaps will allow you to be able to get a useful summary of a show you're watching, no matter where you stopped streaming.

When you launch X-Ray Recaps during a show, you'll be able to choose from different types of episode or season recaps. (Image credit: Amazon)

As someone that struggles to keep up with what happened at the end of a show that's been on a year-long break, I'm very excited to try out this new feature (well, if all goes well with the testing period and X-Ray Recaps makes its way outside of the US).

The fact that it's personalized to where you stopped watching a title will likely be very useful too. I'll admit, I've definitely been known to sometimes fall asleep during some movies and shows, and trying to find where I last remembered can be a pain.

I'm not alone either, as Amazon's vice president of the product Adam Gray has said that the tool was built to address "common problems customers face when streaming content". Forgetting where you left off is one we're all used to after all.

How can you use X-Ray Recaps?

(Image: © Amazon)

If you own an Amazon Fire TV and live in the US, then you can test out the X-Ray Recap feature by launching it from the homepage of Prime Video or going to a title and clicking on the dotted circular arrow symbol to open a side panel.

This panel will show you various recap options to choose from, depending on how far back you need to go. This includes summaries for the current or last episode you're watching, the previous season or the season so far.

You'll be able to use the feature on all Prime Video Original series at launch, including The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power season 2, Daisy Jones and the Six, The Boys season 4 and Mrs and Mrs Smith.

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• iOS 18.2 beta 2 adds a new ChatGPT daily limit tracker in Settings
• ChatGPT Plus lets you bypass the free daily limits in Siri
• ChatGPT Siri integration launching in December

iOS 18.2’s second developer beta now has info on Siri’s ChatGPT daily limit, giving us an insight into how the upgraded Siri will work when it launches in December.

Nestled in settings, iOS 18.2 beta 2 adds an Advanced Capabilities section that shows whether you’re under the daily limit for ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities. It also offers an option to upgrade to ChatGPT’s premium subscription, Plus, if you want to avoid the daily limits.

The settings pane reads: “You’ll have access to ChatGPT’s advanced capabilities until you reach your daily limit. Additional requests will use the basic version for up to 24 hours.”

This is no surprise, as when Apple originally announced ChatGPT integration with Siri at WWDC in June the company was clear that Siri’s ChatGPT features would be subject to the same limitations as using ChatGPT via OpenAI’s mobile app or through a web browser.

ChatGPT offers a $19.99 /£16 (approx AU$30) monthly Plus subscription for users who use complex prompts often, and who want the best AI experience possible.

ChatGPT in Siri

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

ChatGPT Plus gives you 5x more messages on OpenAI’s Gpt-4o AI model, and access to even more advanced models like o1-mini, which has reasoning capabilities for difficult math problems and scientific equations. On top of that, ChatGPT Plus lets you upload more photos and files, generate images, and use ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode for longer than 10 minutes a month.

While it’s unclear how these specific ChatGPT features integrate into Siri, these capabilities are advertised directly from within the Settings app when you opt to upgrade to ChatGPT Plus.

ChatGPT Plus subscribers can also access the new ChatGPT Search early, although for the time being access is limited to via the ChatGPT app or Safari rather than directly from Siri.

As it stands, Apple is expected to add ChatGPT integration to Siri in early December, alongside other Apple Intelligence features like Genmoji and Image Playground. Siri will get even smarter early next year when it receives a massive Apple Intelligence upgrade that includes personal context and on-screen awareness, so the virtual assistant can answer queries related to whatever you’re doing on your device.

We’ll need to wait until December to see if it’s worth upgrading to ChatGPT Plus specifically for a better Siri experience, but most people should be able to experience the best ChatGPT has to offer within the daily limits, and adding this new section to Settings will make it to track and manage just how much, if at all, you’d benefit from upgrading to Plus.

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• Experts warn some ChatGPT models can be hacked to launch deepfake scams

This review first appeared in issue 360 of PC Pro.

DrayTek’s Vigor 2927Lax-5G is an ideal appliance for small businesses that can’t tolerate any internet downtime as it offers an incredible range of WAN redundancy features. Along with an integral 5G LTE modem sporting dual SIM slots for primary and backup mobile network connections, it can use two of its seven gigabit ports for WAN connections, the USB-A 2 port accepts a 4G modem and all can be linked together for load-balancing or failover purposes.

Redundancy features include the ability to deploy two routers in high availability mode. Sharing a virtual IP address, they can be set to hot-standby mode when sharing one internet connection or active-standby if each has its own link.

The Vigor 2927Lax-5G offers a wide range of redundancy options (Image credit: Future)

The router also delivers integrated Wi-Fi 6 services. Its AX3000-rated access point (AP) claims up to 574Mbits/sec on its 2.4GHz radio and 2,400Mbits/sec on the 5GHz one, plus it supports the Wi-Fi 6 high-performance 160MHz channels.

The Vigor 2927Lax-5G supports four SSIDs on each radio and can present a hotspot web portal for guest access with a range of authentication methods. It runs DrayTek’s Central AP Management service for automated provision of up to 20 DrayTek wireless APs and can even act as a root node in a meshed wireless network.

You’re in luck if you want plenty of VPN services as the price includes support for 50 IPsec tunnels plus 25 SSL VPNs. The router can increase IPsec VPN performance by applying hardware acceleration.

Deployment is a breeze. The web console provides quick start wizards for configuring internet access using your choice of interfaces, creating VPNs and presenting secure wireless services. The firewall has a predefined security policy applied, which can be customized with rules and filters, and you can use them to enforce app controls and web content filtering.

It didn’t take long to set up a mobile connection. We popped an EE 5G SIM in the top slot and enabled the 5G NR option in the web console’s list of internet access connections. After a brief initialization, it came online and we could view its properties from the 5G LTE status page.

Internet redundancy is configured by defining multiple WAN connections as active or backup links, where the latter is automatically brought online when the primary link fails or its traffic exceeds specific thresholds. Another option is to set all links as active and use load balancing to distribute traffic across them.

The router can also send and receive SMS messages. Alerts and status reports can be sent to specified mobile numbers, and password- or PIN-protected SMS messages used to remotely reboot it.

The hardware accelerator takes wired, wireless and 5G traffic passed to it from the firewall and content filters and bypasses the router’s CPU. It makes a huge difference to wireless performance: disabling it saw file copies between a gigabit-connected server and a Wi-Fi 7 Windows workstation average only 45MB/sec, which leapt to 112MB/sec with it enabled.

The router includes built-in hardware acceleration (Image credit: Future)

Businesses will find DrayTek’s optional Cyren web content filter preferable to the free and somewhat basic German-hosted BPjM service. It offers 83 web categories that can be blocked or allowed using up to eight profiles. A 30-day trial can be activated from the web console, with a full subscription costing just £20 a year.

SMBs and remote offices that demand always-on internet access will love the Vigor 2927Lac-5G. It doesn’t provide anti-malware services, but this affordable security router offers an unbeatable set of WAN redundancy features and adds extra value with its integral Wi-Fi 6 services.

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• Two new 24-hour scenes are coming for your Philips Hue lights
• You will be able to choose either Golden Hours or Nature's Colors
• The scenes will arrive with an app update in the near future

Your Philips Hue smart lights will soon be able to shift colors throughout the whole day, with shades chosen to make you feel energized during work hours, and gradually wind down in the evening.

Scenes are preset effects that can be applied across all your Philips Hue smart lights. The mobile app includes lots of ready-made options, including Futuristic, Cozy, and Party Vibes, and you can choose to have your lights remain static, or cycle through colors dynamically. Alternatively, you can make and share your own custom scenes.

As Fabian of Hueblog.com explains, you'll soon be able to take your pick from two new 24-hour scenes: Golden Hours and Nature’s Colors. Judging by a leaked screengrab, Golden Hours appears to feature mostly warm, complimentary shades. Nature's Colors looks more likely to represent the shifting temperature of sunlight from warm to cool, and back again in a similar way to the Natural Light scene that launched in 2022.

We don't yet have a release date for the two new scenes, but judging by the polished look of the leaked app screengrab, they could arrive very soon via a software update.

Scenes are ready-made profiles for your Philips Hue lights that are designed to set a certain mood Get started with Hue

Philips Hue makes some of the best smart lights you can buy, including bulbs for virtually every type of fixture, LED light strips, and lamps for floors and tables. They connect to your Wi-Fi network (and to each other) via the Philips Hue Hub, which allows you to control them via a mobile app, or using smart speaker voice commands. They can also be triggered by smart switches, cameras, and sensors.

The biggest disadvantage of the Hue system is the price, with a single smart light bulb often costing over $50/£40/AU$60. However, they're a lot more affordable right now thanks to a raft of early Black Friday deals.

For example, in the US you can grab a starter kit containing four bulbs and a Hue Bridge for only $154.94 at Amazon, while in the UK you can pick up a three-pack of Light & Color Ambiance bulbs for just £95.97 at Currys.

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• Windows Server 2025 is generally available today
• It’s designed with the cloud and AI in mind
• Previous Windows Server versions will get new features

Microsoft has announced the general availability of Windows Server 2025, which it says is designed with security and performance in mind.

Purportedly “tailored to meet customers’ diverse needs,” the latest iteration of the server operating system includes features to make deploying and managing it easier and safer.

Together with the launch of a brand-new version, Redmond has also committed to keeping previous versions – like 2016, 2019 and 2022 – up-to-date with new features.

Windows Server 2025 is now available

The launch of Windows Server 2025 comes several months after the company faced its own high-profile security issues.

As a result, the update includes a series of multilayered security features, including Active Directory with added cryptographic support for identification and authentication, Server Message Block (SMB) hardening against cyber threats and Delegate Managed Service Accounts (dMSA) for enhanced password management and more administrator visibility.

On the cloud front, Microsoft has added ‘hotpatching’ for certain Windows Server 2025 applications running on physical machines, VMs, on-prem or multicloud servers for enhanced software updates, back-up and recovery with reduced downtime.

Unsurprisingly, Windows Server 2025 also has a few changes designed specifically for artificial intelligence, including GPU partitioning and boosted NVMe storage performance for up to 60% more storage IOPs performance compared with Windows Server 2022.

The release coincides with the launch of System Center 2025 to facilitate the management of large groups of computers, including remote control, patch management, software distribution, OS deployment and inventory management.

Blog post author and CVP for Azure Edge and Platform, Ian LeGrow, added: “We are also excited to bring new features to customers on existing Windows Server versions like 2016, 2019, 2022, as well as 2025.” No further information regarding new features was shared.

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• New Apple report claims it's planning to enter the smart glasses space
• Former Meta AR glasses head is also now leading OpenAI's hardware team
• The two companies’ products are several years away from launching

If you’ve been following Apple rumors in recent years, you’ll know that the company reportedly doesn't just want to just develop mixed-reality headsets like the Vision Pro and call it a day – it wants to create full-blown smart glasses that are indistinguishable from a regular pair of specs.

Before now, that’s mostly remained mostly the realm of speculation and leaks. But now, it seems that Apple is taking some solid steps towards understanding what it needs to do to make a set of augmented reality (AR) glasses that can compete with rivals like the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses.

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple has started conducting internal surveys of other smart glasses available on the market. The focus groups (codenamed Atlas) are comprised of Apple employees rather than members of the public to keep things as secret as possible (although that hasn’t stopped Gurman’s report) and see various Apple workers log what they like and dislike about existing smart eyewear.

The goal is to help Apple understand what people want from a set of AR glasses and what sorts of features, materials and price points would work for its own device. Whatever the outcome, we may not see the results of these efforts for another few years, but it's the first sign that Apple is actively looking to break into the world of the best smart glasses.

OpenAI enters the fray

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Rival companies like Meta have found success by offering relatively accessible smart glasses that may not be as technologically advanced as what Apple wants to achieve, but still offer users plenty of useful features for a comparatively affordable price.

And it looks like another one of Apple’s rivals is thinking of entering the smart eyewear market, as Caitlin Kalinowski, the former head of Meta’s AR glasses team, has just joined ChatGPT maker OpenAI to lead their robotics and consumer hardware division (via TechCrunch). It’s fueled speculation that OpenAI could be seeking to make its own pair of AR glasses.

Kalinowski previously oversaw Meta’s Orion AR prototype, as well as leading the hardware team behind Meta’s virtual reality eyewear for nine years. Posting on LinkedIn, Kalinowski wrote: “In my new role, I will initially focus on OpenAI’s robotics work and partnerships to help bring AI into the physical world and unlock its benefits for humanity.”

That all means competition could soon heat up for the smart glasses crown. With Apple and OpenAI looking to enter within the next few years, it could be a fascinating time if you want to see the next evolution in wearable technology.

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• iOS 18.2 is currently being tested by developers
• Numerous new features are being spotted
• Upgrades are coming to Find My and Camera Control

With iOS 18.1 now available to everyone, iOS 18.2 is at the developer beta stage – and as that testing continues we're discovering more new features that are on the way, on top of the ones already spotted in the next release.

First up, there's an interesting upgrade coming to the Find My service: the option to share the location of lost items with anyone you like (via 9to5Mac). At the moment, you can only share an AirTag location with trusted friends or family.

The example Apple gives is being able to share your lost luggage location with an airline, but there are a variety of other ways this could come in handy. There's the option to stop sharing at any time, and at most the sharing link will only be live for several hours.

Another feature is a little more behind-the-scenes, with Apple giving app developers the opportunity to share what's on screen with Siri (via MacRumors). That means you'll be able to give Siri (and possibly ChatGPT) commands related to what you're looking at inside an app, whether it's documents or photos, if the developer adds this kind of support.

More camera control

iOS 18.2 beta 2 adds a new AE/AF Lock option for Camera Control pic.twitter.com/OTSYZjvJeQNovember 4, 2024

The third upgrade is to the new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series. As spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, a new auto-exposure and auto-focus lock option is on the way for the button – so the current exposure and focus settings would be fixed once the button is pushed.

On top of that, we've got a new double-click speed setting for Camera Control, so you'll be able to change how rapidly your iPhone expects a double click. The new options listed in the iOS 18.2 developer beta are Default, Slow, and Slower.

All this adds to the current functionality of the Camera Control, including zoom and exposure settings. As this is a beta release though, we can't be fully sure that any of these features are going to be kept once the software is pushed out for everyone.

The latest reports suggest that iOS 18.2 is going to roll out to the masses in the first week of December. We're also going to get ChatGPT integration (including a Plus upgrade function) and image generation in this release, by the looks of it.

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Multiple benchmark refinance rates moved higher this week, making it harder to find a lower rate on a home loan.