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• Older Chromecast devices have been broken for days
• Google says a fix is now rolling out to users
• But new issues are now affecting the Chromecast with Google TV

It's been a pretty frustrating week for owners of a 2nd-gen Chromecast or Chromecast Audio, but a fix for the bug that's rendered these devices inoperable is now rolling out – just as new issues appear for the newer Chromecast with Google TV.

In a post on the official Nest Community forums (via The Verge), Google says: "We have started to roll out a fix for the problem with Chromecast (2nd gen) and Chromecast Audio devices, which will be completed over the next few days."

You don't need to do anything to get the patch: Google just says your device must be connected for the update to be applied. The problems first started appearing on Monday, so at least some users can resume their streaming in time for the weekend.

However, if you did a factory reset on your Chromecast to try to fix it – a perfectly sensible approach – you need to sit tight. Google says these devices won't get the automatic update, and that it'll provide further instructions "as soon as possible".

Chromecast with Google TV

Google no longer sells the Chromecast with Google TV (Image credit: Google)

With perfect timing, owners of the newer Chromecast with Google TV device – unaffected by the other issues – are now reporting problems of their own. These issues appear to be related to an Android 14 update that rolled out yesterday.

As per 9to5Google, there are numerous reports of bugs, including problems with external USB devices connected to the dongle, changes to the color profile, disappearing settings, and the unit not outputting any sound.

Check one of the Reddit threads about the update, and you'll see that these issues aren't affecting everyone – and some are resolved with a restart. However, it's not a good look for Google just as it's fixing the issues on its other Chromecast devices.

If you have an affected Chromecast with Google TV, see if a restart or a factory reset resolves the problems you're seeing. Google has yet to comment on the latest batch of problems, but we'll let you know if there's an official response.

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• Google has stopped selling the Chromecast with Google TV

I’ll be the first to admit games that heavily feature crafting as a key component are typically a huge turn-off for me, so I was initially wary of Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Envisioned Land’s focus on it. Be it in survival games like Minecraft or Sons of the Forest, or even other RPGs like Final Fantasy 14 Online, I usually find it hard to engage with crafting systems; the tedium of it all quickly sets in, making me very eager to get back to gameplay that’s just a bit more exciting.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC (Steam)
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release date: March 21, 2025

This, surprisingly, has not been the case with developer Gust’s Atelier Yumia. From equipment and accessories to helpful items and placeable furniture, so much of this RPG’s (role-playing game) gameplay revolves around its alchemical crafting system.

But that became the exact reason why I grew to love the game. In Atelier Yumia, you’re not just crafting things for small, temporarily helpful gains. Each item you synthesize provides meaningful game and character progression. Whether that’s increasing the potency of a healing item by using higher-quality gatherables or creating a version of a weapon that lets you slot in extra traits, there are always multiple avenues of customization and outfitting your party members with tools that suit your playstyle.

Pair this with an incredibly slick and stylish battle system and an open world that greatly incentivizes exploration, and in Atelier Yumia, you have a game that can easily be considered one of the best RPGs of 2025. Barring some presentational issues and the occasional bit of obtuse map design, the game is simply a near-constant joy to play.

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo) The not-so-wicked witch

While not an exclusively dark narrative by any means, Atelier Yumia grounds things in a world where alchemy is greatly feared and shunned, having been responsible for a great many accidents throughout history.

Our titular protagonist, Yumia, is one such alchemist and, despite only wanting the best for the world and its people, is typically met with distrust. Even when she uses alchemy for the benefit of others.

Thus, Yumia sets out on a journey of truth and discovery with a party of trusted comrades. With the goal of discovering the secrets of the fallen land that once thrived beforehand, Yumia aims to prove that alchemy can be used for good and doesn’t have to be something that’s inherently destructive.

From start to finish, Atelier Yumia’s story is a pretty straightforward ride, but one that’s nonetheless enjoyable. Elements of maturity are present, especially when exploring Yumia’s past. But the game often keeps the tone light-hearted and there’s plenty of bubbly dialogue and humor to enjoy. Overall, it’s an easygoing, often cozy tale, but one that isn’t afraid to get serious as the situation demands.

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo) A walk in the park

What Atelier Yumia gets right for the majority of its runtime is pacing - something that’s usually pretty rare in the open-world space. The game’s story rarely drags its heels, allowing players to truly take things at their own pace.

That pace, between all the game’s systems and mechanics, is usually very brisk. That’s especially true of exploration in Atelier Yumia. While you might initially balk at the abundance of Ubisoft-style question marks dotting the map, in reality, these are almost all extremely quick diversions. Optional points of interest like this include small ruins to explore, monster breeding grounds or hubs for particular materials, caves containing treasures, and boxes you can quickly nab skill points from.

While there’s certainly much to do in each of Yumia’s four main regions, you’re able to explore it at a relatively quick pace. Darting between undiscovered points of interest on the way to the next story objective always felt natural, and never like I had to seriously go out of my way unless I expressly wanted to.

Best bit

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)

Atelier Yumia’s take on the series’ alchemy system is arguably its best yet. While certainly very deep and boasting an amalgamation of its own mechanics, it’s nonetheless incredibly straightforward. Crafting high-quality items like weapons, accessories, restoratives and more is a moreish endeavor, especially as you continue to refine and make them more effective as you progress through the game.

That same snappiness applies to Atelier Yumia’s battle system. Like alchemy, there’s a lot to the battle system, but it’s all very easy to pick up and learn. The basics are that your party of three can engage enemies with combo attacks, set to each of the four face buttons. These combos can be used to put enemies in a weakened state, at which point you can use battle items and partner attacks to exploit elemental weaknesses for massive damage.

Battle items are also a much more integral part of the experience, and have been streamlined to a degree. They can become permanent additions to your combat loadout, only limited by a cooldown timer between uses. You’ll only need to replace them if you wish to craft better versions of them with more properties and more damage or healing potency.

As a result, while party members have their own weapons and base stats, how you can set them up is impressively flexible. For example, kitting Yumia out with elemental battle items can turn her into a robust mage, while the shield-bearing Viktor might hold a variety of stat-boosting items, essentially making him a stalwart support unit. It’s a bit Xenoblade-esque in that regard, giving you the tools necessary to build and equip characters in a way that works for you.

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo) I require your strongest potions

As I mentioned at the top, alchemy is the system that ties everything together in Atelier Yumia. While at your atelier - or within a designated building zone in the world - you’re free to perform synthesis to create anything from battle items to benches. You will of course need materials to craft these items, but you’ll find plentiful gathering spots throughout the world and you’ll naturally collect an abundance of ingredients by simply exploring.

All synthesis projects begin by selecting an Alchemy Core as your base item, of which there are various types - including one that provides an overall quality boost or another that lets you slot in traits for additional modifiers. You’ll then add materials to help expand the core’s resonance area. The larger this area, the more drifting mana will be captured within its influence. The more mana you collect, the greater the item’s quality, thus boosting its overall potency. Plus, using materials of a higher grade will extend the ceiling of any given item’s potential power.

What makes alchemy so great is that it really is up to you in regards to how you shape these items. Materials have their own unique properties, and using specific ones can provide secondary or tertiary bonuses. A hard-hitting battle item may provide other bonuses this way, such as healing or providing various buffs. Or, you can just go all-in on power, making items that hit as hard as possible.

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo)

As you progress through the game, you’ll gradually unlock new recipes for synthesizing entirely new items. These ‘recall recipes’ can be created and upgraded at your atelier using different types of Memory Vials you can find in the world. Upgrading recipes can make them even more powerful, such as increasing their number of uses before going on cooldown, or increasing their base quality.

As I said, you’re not just limited to battle-oriented items. Synthesis can be done to create potions, armor, accessories, and more. And if you don’t want to get too lost in the weeds, handy quick synthesis options exist where the game will smartly assign materials automatically based on your preferences - whether that be the bare minimum, or going for as much quality as possible.

Synthesis doesn’t stop there, either. Workbenches will allow you to create housing items like benches, plants, or archways. These can then be freely placed as designated building spots throughout the world, letting you create your own bases or homesteads. There are so many options here, and it feels great being able to leave your own marks on the world to a greatly personal degree. Sure, it’s not quite Minecraft levels of freedom, but there’s plenty here that’ll allow you to get lost in hours of creativity.

One stroke forward, two strokes back

In my Atelier Yumia playthrough, really the only thing that bugged me was the game’s overall visuals and presentation. They’re by no means bad, but I do feel like developer Gust often went a touch overboard when it comes to post-processing effects. Bloom during sunrise and sunset can be eye-searingly bright, washing out the world to an occasionally uncomfortable degree. Weather effects also aren’t particularly convincing, with an example being rainfall immediately coating the world in an overly wet and shiny look.

In better news, performance in Atelier Yumia is fantastic. On PC, I was able to maintain a rock-solid 60fps (frames per second), and load times are phenomenally fast - even when fast traveling from one end of the map to another. I found this to be crucial given the relatively fast-paced nature of the game, and I’m glad that Gust really took the time to optimize its world with this in mind.

Should you play Atelier Yumia? Play it if...

You want an intricate and moreish crafting system
Synthesizing items in Atelier Yumia is extremely enjoyable, and there are so many ways to create items for any playstyle and occasion.

You love a game that respects your time
It may be a lengthy RPG, but Atelier Yumia doesn’t bog you down with an hours-long intro. Meanwhile, battle and exploration are both remarkably brisk, making for an experience that’s easy and fulfilling to play if you don’t have a ton of free time to spare.

Don't play it if...

You’re averse to poorly implemented post-processing
Atelier Yumia’s biggest issue is its reliance on intrusive effects like overdone bloom and unconvincing weather effects. While not enough to be a deal breaker for me personally, such effects can be quite distracting during exploration.

Accessibility

There’s a decent amount of accessibility features found within Atelier Yumia’s options menu. Text size and background opacity can be adjusted, as well as have three colorblind settings (deuteranopia, tritanopia, and protanopia) applied to them.

Various battle options exist that can make hitting certain commands easier, too. These include an auto-guard function for incoming attacks and an ‘easy precision counter’ that swaps you to a random character after successfully guarding or evading at the right time.

(Image credit: Koei Tecmo) How I reviewed Atelier Yumia

My playthrough of Atelier Yumia lasted around 35 hours, taking me through the main quest line, a ton of optional map exploration, and a handful of side quests.

I spent much of that time getting absorbed by item synthesis, finding it to be the game’s crowning achievement and something I was willing to put much time into in order to craft high-quality battle items and gear. I played the game on PC via Steam with an Nvidia RTX GeForce 3060 Ti graphics card, an AOC Gaming 24G2SP monitor, and the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro controller.

First reviewed March 2025

The Elden Ring spin-off will try some new things for fans.

• Some iPhone 16e users are experiencing Bluetooth bugs
• Audio can sometimes stutter or cut out, according to the reports
• It’s unclear what exactly is causing this issue, Apple hasn't yet responded

Apple’s iPhone 16e is a complete revamp of the iPhone SE, improving Apple’s budget handset in almost every way. But there’s one area where the new device is apparently struggling for some, prompting widespread complaints from users.

The issue seems to be centered on the iPhone 16e’s Bluetooth audio capabilities. Specifically, many users have noticed that audio from the phone will occasionally stutter or cut out entirely when they are connected to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones. According to some reports, the bug appears when you hook up the phone to multiple Bluetooth devices at the same time.

The problem has been documented by a number of people on Reddit, X, and Apple’s official support forums. These complaints seem to go back a few weeks, suggesting that they might have been present when the iPhone 16e launched in mid-February. We've asked Apple for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

Similar problems don’t seem to be occurring in other devices in the iPhone 16 range in any great numbers, suggesting that the problem could be limited to Apple’s latest phone.

Cause unknown

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

When Apple launched the iPhone 16e, it became the first iPhone to come with Apple’s C1 chip, a cellular modem that handles 5G connectivity. But if you’re thinking that new chip might have something to do with the problem, that’s probably wide of the mark.

That’s because past rumors have claimed that Apple is working on its own in-house Bluetooth chip, but that this is still not ready for production. That means Bluetooth is still handled by other components, just as in other iPhones that are seemingly unaffected by this bug.

That means the cause is still something of a mystery. It’s unclear if the issue relates to iOS (and if so, how), although some users have claimed that updating to the latest iOS 18.3.2 patch does not resolve the problem.

Some users have contacted Apple’s support team, so hopefully the company is aware and working on a fix. With iOS 18.4 on the horizon, we’ve got our fingers crossed this widely reported bug gets swiftly squashed.

You might also like

• I tested the iPhone 16e for a week and found it's a good phone that stretches the definition of 'budget'
• Apple’s C1 chip could be a big deal for iPhones – here’s why
• iOS 18.4: 5 new features to expect, including Ambient Music and Photos filtering

Looking for the best, fastest or most affordable ISP in Fort Lauderdale? Our experts have done the work for you.

Upeak Sport Strap review

The Upeak Sport Strap is an Apple Watch band designed for physical activity, and for those who want something light and comfortable. It adopts a fairly typical sports band aesthetic, with its silicone material and perforated holes.

There are multiple colorways available, from monochromatic shades to more vibrant, multi-hued combinations, so there’s a good match for everyone. The Charcoal variant I had was understated, making it suitable for all sorts of occasions.

It feels reasonably durable, although it’s perhaps not as tough as some of the best Apple Watch bands out there. It also picks up blemishes and small scratches relatively easily too.

It installs quite easily into an Apple Watch. I did notice a small amount of play, wobbling very slightly from side to side within the strap recess, although not enough to cause a problem or warrant concern.

The Upeak Sport Strap is pleasingly light and reasonably thin. It’s also quite pliant with a small amount of elasticity, meaning you can stretch it slightly to adjust on your wrist.

These aspects help to make it very comfortable. The multiple fastening holes ensure an easy fit, while the material is soft enough to prevent irritation occurring. In fact, I could barely feel it on my wrist at times, which is always a good sign in a watch strap.

Despite this, the Upeak Sport Strap also offers a good amount of grip. Even when I had it relatively loose on my wrist, my Apple Watch still didn’t move around. The buckle is equally secure, so I wasn’t worried about it coming loose. This makes it great for physical activity, and means you don’t need an uncomfortably tight fit to keep it stable.

What also supports physical activity is how the Upeak Sport Strap deals with sweat and water. It stays comfortable even when drenched, without rubbing on the skin or causing irritation. Even better is just how quickly it dries, and a small dab of a towel is all that’s required in the most extreme cases.

One drawback of the Upeak Sport Strap, though, is just how easily it picks up debris, such as dust and hair, thanks to the sticky nature of the silicone. This can be hard to remove without the aid of a brush or lint remover.

Despite this, the Upeak Sport Strap remains good value for money at under £10. The comfort levels and ease of use are great, so even though it mightn’t be the most premium Apple Watch band out there, it still makes for the ideal workout partner.

(Image credit: Future) Upeak Sport Strap review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Upeak Sport Strap? Buy it if…

You want supreme comfort
Regardless of what you’re doing, the Upeak Sport Strap remains comfortable in all situations.

You want to save money
Many equivalent sports bands, especially those from the big brands and Apple itself, are considerably more expensive.

Don't buy it if…

You want minimal upkeep
Thanks to the sticky nature of the Silicone, dust and debris stick easily to the Upeak Sport Strap, which can be awkward to clean.

You want something formal
Despite being relatively understated, it still isn’t among the most premium or elegant of Apple Watch straps.

Upeak Sport Strap review: Also consider

Nike Sport Band
If you’re after something more premium, then the Nike Sport Band is a good choice. It’s made from fluoroelastomer and is comfortable and breathable no matter what kind of activity you’re up to. It’s also durable, and the range of colors, including a Pride option, mean there’s a variant for everyone. We think it’s one of the best Apple Watch bands for working out with.

The compact palm-sized travel shaver is elegant and waterproof, and it feels like a river-washed stone. But it won’t shave the unkempt.

Meridian Ellipse: two-minute review

The Meridian Ellipse is a seriously capable single-unit wireless speaker. It can handle incredibly detailed hi-res audio, whether via Wi-FI or wired inputs like USB-C or optical, and is crammed with seriously clever features. But it’s also one of the most expensive wireless speakers I’ve ever tested. So does it justify that high price tag?

On the one hand, the Meridian Ellipse is capable of impressive clarity and detail. When listening to the relatively spacious mix of Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon, I was impressed with how much room various elements were given to breathe. The vocals of Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo in particular projected forward into the room, while the slap of the percussion was keen and clear.

However, if you feed the Ellipse something much sonically denser like electronic or dance music, some of the shortcuts it takes become more apparent. Listening to Expander by Bonobo, dynamic elements like the punchy kick and shuffly hats were well-communicated, as was its gorgeous vocal line, but there was a lack of cohesion lower down to help glue the mix together. The sub and low mids felt brighter and chillier than the glowing warmth I’ve come to expect from the best wireless speakers. And while you can tweak both treble and bass levels in the Meridian app, I definitely felt like I was ameliorating these imbalances rather than entirely reversing them.

It compensates, in part, for this with its suite of smart features, some of which are truly fantastic. For example, Image Focus does an exceedingly deft job of reorientating the stereo field when you’re sat at an off angle, while Image Elevation is a piece of psycho-acoustic wizardry that throws its voice higher to make TV audio seem like it’s coming from your TV screen. Its position-optimization settings are decent, although they aren’t algorithmic like on some devices, merely offering Free, Wall, Shelf and Corner options. Sadly, I was pretty underwhelmed by its frequency-balancing tech for different volumes: the speaker sounds great at higher volumes, but somewhat neutered at lower ones.

The connectivity options on offer are also decent, although maybe not as extensive as with speakers like the Ruark Audio R410 or Cambridge Audio Evo One. It goes without saying that it can utilize Wi-Fi streaming solutions like TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Roon connectivity, as well as Bluetooth. But it’s also able to support sampling rates of 192kHz / 24-bit over USB-C, 96kHz / 24-bit via mini-TOSLINK optical, plus 88kHz / 24-bit via its stereo analog input and built-in DAC. However, it doesn’t offer more exotic options like eARC or phono in, so you won’t be using this as your all-in-one home audio hub.

As its name suggests, the shape of the Ellipse is… anyone? Yep, it’s elliptical. I’m sure I’m not the only person to notice this but it gives me distinct vibes of the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro, both having an undeniably similar Hindenburgian silhouette when viewed front on. Oh, the humanity. However, the metal grille on the face of Meridian’s speaker is much flatter, giving the device a footprint more like a slightly gibbous moon. It also features blue-lit, touch-sensitive controls on its top surface, allowing you to play and pause, skip tracks, adjust volume and initiate Bluetooth pairing mode.

All told, the Meridian Ellipse is a hi-res, feature-packed speaker with some major strengths and a few significant caveats. It’s undeniably detailed and, when its smart functionality delivers, it really delivers. It deftly reproduces trebles and dynamic details, while managing satisfactory, if not exactly stellar, frequency reproduction elsewhere. Were it not for the price tag, I’d be tempted to give it a pass on some of the weaker elements but, at the savings-siphoning price of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, I feel its sound needs to be beyond reproach. For that reason, I’d suggest you at least consider cheaper options like the $1,799.95 / £1,299 / AU$2,599 Ruark Audio R410 or $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 Cambridge Audio Evo One before you commit here.

Meridian Ellipse review: price and availability

• Released August 24, 2024
• MSRP of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999

Launched on August 24, 2024, the Meridian Ellipse is available to buy now. It goes for an MSRP of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, which is no small change for a single speaker. By way of context, TechRadar’s current pick for best premium wireless speaker, the KEF LS50 Wireless II, costs $2,499.99 / £1,999 / AU$4,000. Even our pick of best wireless speaker if money’s no object, the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8, is a similar $2,749 / £2,199 / AU$4,499, which shows you the kind of company this speaker keeps.

(Image credit: Future) Meridian Ellipse review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Meridian Ellipse review: features

• Crammed with smart features
• Good range of connectivity options
• Lower wattage than some rivals

For a comparatively compact speaker, the Meridian Ellipse certainly squeezes in a lot of features. When it comes to drivers, it focuses on quality over quantity. It only contains three drivers but they’re substantial: it has two 3.5-inch (90mm) polypropylene wide-range drivers and one 5.9 x 3.9-inch (150 x 100mm) racetrack sub. There’s not quite as much oomph behind these drivers as you’d hope, though. The Ellipse only offers 25W for those full-range drivers and 30W for the sub, while the cheaper Cambridge Audio Evo One packs a whopping 50W of amplification per driver.

Naturally, as a wireless speaker, the Ellipse focuses much of its energy on cable-free connectivity. It can stream over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, offering both native streaming from Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect, as well as AirPlay, Google Cast, and Roon connectivity. This doesn’t mean that wireless connectivity is the only connection to its bow however: it also possesses a USB-C that supports sampling rates up to 192kHz / 24 bit, a mini-TOSLINK optical port capable of 96kHz / 24 bit and an analog input with a built-in DAC that can hit rates of 88kHz / 24 bit.

None of this is unusual for a premium wireless speaker. However, what does set Meridian’s speaker apart is the range of smart features they’ve crammed into the Ellipse’s brain.

Some focus more on clarity: for example, Q-Sync exists to minimize jitter and increase clarity, while Digital Precision boosts the signal-to-noise ratio of the digital audio. Others aim to smooth out the Ellipse’s acoustics, with Perfect Balance ensuring low and high frequencies are perceived the same at low and high volumes and Free-Q offering the now-obligatory tech for sonically compensating for the device’s placement.

Perhaps the most unique smart features are those that tweak the speaker’s soundstage. Bass & Space offers stereo-enhancing tech to increase the sense of soundstage width, while Image Focus helps ‘correct for off-center listening’. Finally, Image Elevation is a piece of pseudo-Dolby-Atmos-style trickery that promises to raise the sound image so you can raise it from the speaker below to the middle of your TV screen – although with no actual height channels, it’s worth moderating your expectations on this front, as it won’t position sound as well as one of the best soundbars.

There are admittedly a few things the Meridian Ellipse is lacking. You won’t find a remote control here, which some rival premium wireless speakers supply and it doesn’t offer fancier inputs like eARC or phono in. All told, though, the Meridian Ellipse has an excellent range of features and a lot of the core functionality you’d expect.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Meridian Ellipse review: sound quality

• Crisp, accurate presentation
• Sounds great at higher volumes
• Bass and lower mids a bit flat

Given its not-inconsiderable price and the hype around the Meridian Ellipse, I was really hoping to be able to give it an unequivocal thumbs up. But in reality, things aren’t so clear-cut. While a lot of the coverage of its sound quality during its release and early demos was gushing in its praise, I think part of this is down to the protean nature of the device itself, where it sounds wonderfully crisp in some situations and displays distinct flaws in others.

Undeniably, the Meridian Ellipse is capable of some impressive, high-resolution detail. When playing Chemtrails Over the Country Club by Lana Del Rey, it could achieve skillful separation of each instrument. Not only that, but it really brought out the rich, smokey timbre of her voice, giving it real, palpable presence in the room.

High-end detail is also unflinchingly precise. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac has exposed many a speaker’s weakness with its bright, trebly mix but the Ellipse holds the line. It never becomes overly sharp and yet still has plenty of definition – you can almost hear the scrape of the plectrum as it rings off those taut guitar strings, while the toms punch right through the mix.

Elsewhere, the picture gets a lot more mixed. For example, the Ellipse did a reasonable job with I Want You by Moloko: the funky keys and glockenspiel both had plenty of bite and presence, though I couldn’t help but feel this came at the expense of more nuance in the lower mid frequencies. With electronic music like Chimes by Otherliine, this became much more pronounced: the sound felt very forward without necessarily having the depth to back it up, leaving everything feeling a bit compressed and overdriven.

Again, the Meridian’s bass sometimes felt like it was all bite and no bark – which is particularly disappointing in light of its supposed E3 Bass, which is meant to ‘Expand, Extend, Enhance’ the low end. It’s undeniably punchy and dynamic, with kick drums giving a sizable thump, but the Ellipse can’t always back this up with substance – emphasis on the sub. The gargantuan bass of Tectonic by Technimatic sounded a lot weedier than I’m used to and there was noticeable ducking of the bassline every time the kick sounded, making me question whether its racetrack can really deliver the goods where sub is concerned.

Thanks in no small part to the Perfect Balance feature mentioned above, the Ellipse can hold its own at much higher volumes than many wireless speakers. In fact, I would argue it sounds much better when you crank it up. While Black Eye by Allie X sounded a bit hollow in the lower mids at average volumes, turning it up to 60% gave its saw-toothed synth line much more presence without causing those urgent string slams to distort. While this does give it some much-needed punch, if you’re not going to be listening to the speaker at earwax-melting volumes, it's worth asking whether its weaker sound profile at lower volumes is a compromise you’re willing to make.

To test the speaker’s soundstage, I popped on Tighten Up, Pt. 1 by Archie Bell & The Drells. Despite the hard panning typical of 1960s soul, on the Ellipse there was barely a sliver of daylight between the bass and horns, with much of the sound feeling like it came from a single point.

Its Image Focus stereo field correction was much more impressive, however. Positioning the device at a 3/4s angle definitely left Heart of Gold by Bettye LaFayette missing some of its high-end clarity. And when I slipped the Image Focus setting to <7, it really brought the slap of the bongos back into clarity. Admittedly, you could get up and spin the speaker around yourself, but where’s the fun in that?

I was skeptical about how convincing its Image Elevation feature would be, but when I played some classic episodes of The Simpsons and dialed it up to max elevation, it was genuinely compelling. The slight treble boost of the dialogue made it seem like it was issuing directly from the screen. Yes, with some effort I could get my brain to recognize the sound was issuing from the speaker, but it’s a pretty convincing effect.

Impressive though these smarts are, though, I’m not sure they totally compensate for some of the speaker’s sonic weaknesses. It might seem like I’m being overly harsh – the Ellipse doesn’t sound bad by any means and fed the right genres and sources, it sounds impressively clear and expressive for a speaker of its size. But it’s also inconsistent: in some frequency ranges it focuses on cut-glass definition at the cost of more balanced expression and there’s a lack of ballast to ground it in both the mids and bass. As a result, its sound quality is a qualified success, which would definitely give me reservations about spending this kind of money.

• Sound quality: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Meridian Ellipse review: design

• Well built and attractive
• Decent touch controls
• Not the most original shape

For anyone who has spent some time following the wireless speaker space, the design of the Meridian Ellipse looks… eerily familiar. There’s no getting around it: there’s something undeniably Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin-esque about the Meridian Ellipse. It’s not quite as rounded as B&W’s audio dirigible, with a front grille that’s slightly convex rather than actively bulging, but it’s still a similar elongated ellipse shape that will be familiar to that device’s many fans.

Build quality is very decent, even if it’s not as luxe as some audio products in this category. Its matt black surface is smooth to the touch but doesn’t seem to pick up fingerprints, while a sturdy metal mesh protects its fabric covering and drivers. Its size is right in the middle of a Goldilocks zone between ‘big enough to make its presence known’ and ‘so large it’ll dominate your living room setup’. It’s also pretty light and easy to move, should you want to: at 8.6lbs (3.9kg), you won't need to wear a back brace just to relocate it to another shelf.

Controlling the Ellipse falls to a series of blue-lit touch-capacitative buttons on the top surface of the device. These are clearly marked and easy to activate, covering most of the basic functions you’d expect, including play / pause, skipping forward and back, adjusting the volume, and triggering Bluetooth-pairing mode. There are no presets here, though, which is a shame. Being able to quickly switch to various inputs or playlists is something a lot of wireless speakers offer these days and, while it’s not a must-have feature, it would be nice all the same.

• Design score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) Meridian Ellipse review: value

• Eye-wateringly expensive
• Some cheaper speakers sound better

Ultimately, the Meridian Ellipse is a good – or even potentially great – wireless speaker. But your expectations are inevitably going to be influenced by how much you’ve paid for a device. And for $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, I expect an audio device to sound unimpeachable. That’s not really been my experience with the Ellipse.

It’s smart, really smart. But instead of taking already rock-solid audio and polishing it up to a truly breathtaking listening experience, I often found myself tweaking the features just to get an aural picture that bested or even matched what I’ve heard from much cheaper speakers. When you can get better audio from the Cambridge Audio Evo One and comfortably buy the £599 / $699 / AU$1,299 Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 out of the change to plug into its inbuilt phono stage, it does make me wonder who this device is for. Because, in reality, I think audiophiles can get more for much less.

• Value score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Meridian Ellipse? Buy it if…

You want crisp, high-resolution audio
For a speaker of its size, the Meridian Ellipse is capable of consummate detail, with each instrument having impressive separation. And it keeps this up even at high volumes: it remains coherent at a level many speakers dissolve into a mess of distortion.

You want a whole range of smart features
Whether it’s tweaking the positioning of the soundstage, tailoring the speaker to its placement in the room, or widening the sound, the Meridian Ellipse features a wide range of tech to improve the audio you hear.

Don’t buy it if…

You want well-rounded lower mids and sub bass
Despite the above, the Ellipse does have a few shortcomings, sonically speaking. In particular, the mids and bass are lacking heft in their lower registers, meaning it can sound like it’s pulling some punches when it comes to certain genres.

You want value for money
Not only is the Meridian Ellipse firmly at the premium end of the market, with a whopping $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999 price tag, but I would argue some cheaper speakers can give a more balanced, consistent experience.

Meridian Ellipse review: also consider

Cambridge Audio Evo One
While the Cambridge Audio Evo One is significantly bulkier than the Meridian Ellipse, it’s also arguably more talented. It’s capable of producing polished, dynamic sound that’s well-tuned across its full frequency range and genuinely impressive separation when fed appropriately hi-res sources. However, its real strength is in just how versatile it is: not only can it stream over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but it can also handle your TV’s audio over eARC and play records from your turntable via its built-in phono stage. Not bad given its $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 price tag. Check out our full Cambridge Audio Evo One review.

KEF LS50 Wireless II
The similarly priced KEF LS50 Wireless II can muster streaming hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz and offer a range of connectivity options, whether that’s HDMI eARC, Ethernet port, coaxial and optical or 3.5mm AUX inputs. They’re also discreet, compact units that nonetheless provide crisp, detailed sound across the frequency spectrum and taut, well-controlled bass. Couple this with superb stereo separation and a wide soundstage and these are some fantastic performers. Read our full KEF LS50 Wireless II review.

How I tested the Meridian Ellipse

• I tested the Meridian Ellipse for a month
• I used it to stream a wide range of genres and audio resolutions
• I have several decades of experience using and reviewing audio gadgets

I lived with the Meridian Ellipse for a month, testing it with a range of types of music and sources. Not only did I listen to the TechRadar testing playlist but I also tried out plenty of my own go-to tracks to assess its dynamics and frequency balance.

Additionally, I monitored the quality of its output by trying out a variety of sources. This included my iPhone 16 Pro, MacBook Pro, and TV. On top of this, I tried out a variety of different audio resolutions, from Spotify's most basic tier to Tidal's 24-bit, 192kHz Max tier.

In terms of experience, I've covered tech and reviewed gadgets for over 10 years. Additionally, I've been listening to and producing music for several decades, which has given me insight into the balance of different frequencies and sonic performance.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read more about how we test

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• Cyberark finds website promoting pirated software distributing malware
• One of the malware variants was a cryptojacker running more than 700,000 wallets
• One of the wallets had 600 SOL in it

Cybersecurity researchers have recently uncovered MassJacker, a new malware variant aiming to steal cryptocurrency by replacing cryptocurrency addresses in people’s clipboards.

The team from Cyberark said it recently found a website - pesktop[dot]com, which claims to offer all sorts of pirated software, but in reality, it is distributing different versions of malware, including MassJacker.

It wasn’t said what the malware was posing as, but when victims install MassJacker, it works in the background, keeping track of the computer’s clipboard. When a person copies a cryptocurrency address, it will take note, and replace it with an address belonging to the attacker. That way, when the victim pastes the address, it is pasting a different one from the one they copied, and it is sending money to the attackers instead of whoever they wanted to send it to.

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Hundreds of thousands of dollars

Cryptocurrency addresses are impossible to memorize by heart, as they are a string of 20+ seemingly random characters - which is why most people would keep them stored somewhere, and just copy and paste whenever they wanted to send funds. Cybercriminals see this as an opportunity to steal the money, and as far as MassJacker is concerned - it seems to be working.

Cyberark says MassJacker manages more than 770,000 unique crypto addresses. While most of them were empty, 423 had $95,300 in them, at the time the report had been written. “Adding the money that was previously held in those wallets but had already been transferred out brought the total up to around $336,700,” the researchers concluded.

However, that doesn’t mean that all of that money came from MassJacker. In fact, Cyberark believes that the opposite might actually be true, and that most funds came from “other malicious activities.” That being said, cryptocurrency worth about $87,000 (600 SOL) was found sitting in a single wallet that had 350 transactions.

Via The Hacker News

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• Epic Games has announced a partnership with Qualcomm
• It will see Easy Anti-Cheat become available for Windows on ARM
• As well as Fortnite, it means the potential for hundreds of games to be playable

Epic Games has announced a new partnership with Qualcomm to support Easy Anti-Cheat for its Arm-based Snapdragon processors. This means Fortnite will finally be available on Copilot+ PC laptops utilizing the likes of the Snapdragon X family for the first time (which are some of the best laptops we've recently tested).

In a press release, Epic Games explained that it is working with Qualcomm Technologies to bring Epic Online Service's Anti-Cheat over to Windows on Arm, which is used by laptops like the excellent Surface Laptop. This decision was due to how Windows 11 on Arm has "transformed the PC landscape" with the company's processors representing a "rapidly growing segment of the PC gaming market".

There are some distinct architectural differences between x64 (64-bit) and Arm, with the latter being far less compatible with the majority of software, especially gaming. Windows on Arm has come a long way in the past year, but there's still plenty to improve. "Due to the way anti-cheat software works with x64 features, additional tooling is required for compatibility with these devices".

Crucially, the testing and implementation of Easy Anti-Cheat on Arm could open the door for the many other games that utilize the software for online play, with compatibility spreading across the Epic Games Store (and beyond). "In addition to releasing Windows on Snapdragon anti-cheat support for Fortnite, we will bring this support to developers through an Epic Online Services SDK release".

You're unable to install Fortnite without Easy Anti-Cheat enabled, as the game will not launch until EAC is located in the install directory. Easy Anti-Cheat is also available in nearly 500 games, including Apex Legends, Rust, iRacing, and Fall Guys, as well as more recent releases like Elden Ring. No timeframe has been offered for when the Epic Online Services SDK will roll out, however, you may not be waiting long to finally experience the popular battle royale game on ultrabook AI-powered hardware.

A step forward for accessible gaming on Arm

It's been an exciting time for laptops with the widespread implementation of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors inside some of the best laptops over the last year or so.

We've praised many of the productivity machines powered by the likes of the Snapdragon X Elite SoC, including the excellent Dell XPS 13 9350 (2025) and the Asus Vivobook S 15 Copilot+ just to name a few. While compatibility is still not on par with the traditional Windows x86 experience, the snappiness of performance (and leading battery lives) have made them a viable option for work.

Now, with the news that Epic Games is working on bringing Easy Anti-Cheat software to bring (arguably) the biggest game on the planet to Arm, we could see this as a breakthrough for gaming on ultrabooks.

Last year, we were blown away by the Snapdragon X Elite's gaming capabilities, which included running Baldur's Gate 3 in 4K. While the Qualcomm Adreno GPU baked onto the chip will not rival the discrete graphics found in some of the best gaming laptops, there's certainly potential for a playable future on the hardware, and it's especially exicting as modern MacBooks with M-series chips also use Arm-based architecture.

Some of the most popular PC games use Easy Anti-Cheat as standard, so Epic Games could be taking a massive step forward for accessibility, especially if the titles can be optimized for Qualcomm's hardware.

As we've seen with the rise of the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally X, and other handheld gaming PCs, developers have started catering towards integrated graphics solutions through the likes of the AMD Z1 and Z2 chips. While these are x86 devices, we could see future handhelds using Arm with a wider availability of games if more software can be adopted over time.

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• A Garmin Epix user has revealed how one setting completely ruined months of their training
• They spent months "feeling like a failure" and not making any progress or improvements
• Turns out their max heart rate setting was wrong the whole time

The best Garmins on the market are all formidable training tools for running and fitness, but if you've got your max heart rate setting wrong, you might be wasting your time, as one very unfortunate Redditor found out recently.

u/Lurking_Geek took to the r/Garmin subreddit with a public service announcement, after finding out a critical setting on their Garmin Epix had been wrong for nine months.

The 52-year-old described how they'd spent months "feeling like a failure, a loser, not pushing hard enough, always told I was 'maintaining', never improving, never productive, no movement on my VO2MAX, not able to run fast enough for the daily suggested workout," and even having to switch to pace training from heart rate, despite feeling "like I was running faster and further than I had in years."

Clearly aware that something was amiss after months of making no progress, they turned to their Garmin's settings, and found a horrifying mistake.

"I found my watch's max heart rate was set to 221. I got a new EPIX last summer but never realized it. Facepalm."

After switching it to 168bpm to reflect their age, they now report that "V02Max is up, running is productive, endurance score is up...all is well again."

Fix your Garmin's max heart rate

Your maximum heart rate is generally considered the highest number your heart can beat safely during exercise, and is usually defined as a value of 220 minus your age.

As such, it decreases yearly to reflect your age, a crucial factor in determining the efficacy of your training. Understanding your heart rate, BPM, and training zones is vital to exercising effectively and hitting your target goals. The change with age is why heart rate zones are always expressed as a percentage rather than a specific BPM.

Generally, zone one is 50-60% of your max heart rate, and is where you'd find your heart rate during a warm up, or a brisk walk. Zone two is 60-70%, a popular training zone for building endurance, zone three (70-80%) is for aerobic fitness and endurance, while zones four and five are for much more intense training that can't be sustained for nearly as long.

That's why fixing your Garmin's max heart rate setting could be the key to unlocking the true value of your training. This unfortunate user only needed to clock 101-118 bpm to enter zone two and start making progress towards endurance gains, but their Garmin would have barely registered this as zone one.

So if you've bought a new Garmin recently or you've never double checked your max HR, head to the Garmin Connect app, enter user settings, and select Heart Rate Zones. You can also do this on your Garmin Watch by selecting User Profile > Heart Rate & Power Zones > Max Heart Rate.

While Garmin recommends the average measurement – the aforementioned 220 minus your age formula – you could also put yourself through some very high intensity interval training to figure out your true max HR, which might be slightly different.

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• OpenAI has proposed banning DeepSeek in critical areas
• Calls DeepSeek "state-subsidized" and "state-controlled"
• OpenAI would like to see the removal of "overly burdensome state laws"

OpenAI has sent a proposal to the Office of Science and Technology Policy that calls on the US government to ban the use of DeepSeek in governments, military, and intelligence services. Mentioning the Chinese AI by name, the proposal calls DeepSeek “state-subsidized” and “state-controlled”.

The letter, available on its website and signed by Chris Lehane, the Vice President of, Global Affairs at OpenAI, also proposes “banning the use of PRC-produced equipment (e.g., Huawei Ascend chips) and models that violate user privacy and create security risks such as the risk of IP theft” among what it called Tier 1 countries.

The letter says “As America’s world-leading AI sector approaches artificial general intelligence (AGI), with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) determined to overtake us by 2030, the Trump Administration’s new AI Action Plan can ensure that American-led AI built on democratic principles continues to prevail over CCP-built autocratic, authoritarian AI.”

Identity crisis

DeepSeek recently caused a shockwave in the AI industry by providing similar results to the ChatGPT o1 reasoning model with its DeepSeek-R1 model, but at a much lower price for developers and free for web browser use. Stock prices for companies heavily invested in AI saw an immediate drop, although the market has since returned to previous levels.

Many have questioned whether DeekSeek's rapid progress was truly down to an innovative new training methodology or whether it had “distilled” some training data from OpenAI against its terms and conditions. In fact, as we noticed on TechRadar, DeepSeek would sometimes mistake itself for ChatGPT when asked who it was.

(Image credit: Adobe Stock) The race for AGI

The letter from OpenAI states:

“As with Huawei, there is significant risk in building on top of DeepSeek models in critical infrastructure and other high-risk use cases given the potential that DeepSeek could be compelled by the CCP to manipulate its models to cause harm.”

There is no direct evidence to suggest that DeepSeek, which is owned and controlled by the Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer, is controlled by the Chinese government, however it's been noted that you cannot get the DeepSeek-R1 chatbot to answer questions about political topics sensitive to the PRC like the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

OpenAI clearly sees humanity as being on the doorstep to artificial general intelligence (AGI), which describes systems that possess human-like general intelligence. AGI is something that OpenAI has been working towards since its creation as a company, and the proposal also attacks the “overly burdensome state laws” that are holding it back.

“As our CEO Sam Altman has written, we are at the doorstep of the next leap in prosperity: the Intelligence Age. But we must ensure that people have freedom of intelligence, by which we mean the freedom to access and benefit from AGI, protected from both autocratic powers that would take people’s freedoms away, and layers of laws and bureaucracy that would prevent our realizing them.”

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• Development of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 has begun
• The news follows the success of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
• Space Marine 2 will continue to receive new content updates

It's official: Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 has started development.

As confirmed by Focus Entertainment Publishing, Games Workshop, and Saber Interactive, work on the next instalment in the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine has begun.

The publisher promises it to be an "even more immersive experience" that will continue "staying true to the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with intense, brutal, and spectacular gameplay."

The news follows the huge success of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 which, according to market research firm Circana, debuted as the third most popular game on massive PC platform Steam in September 2024.

"We have been honored by the incredible response from fans following the launch of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2," said John Bert, deputy CEO of Focus Entertainment Publishing. He then confirmed that the team "will continue to support the game with exciting content and regular updates in the coming years."

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has already received a barrage of free post-launch updates and paid DLC (downloadable content). This has thus far included new modes, features, cosmetics, PvP content, and more.

"Today, we are thrilled to announce that the adventure will continue with Space Marine 3. Players can look forward to an immersive campaign, a multiplayer mode, and innovations that will redefine the standards of third-person action games," Bert continued.

"Developed in close collaboration with Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 will take the genre to new heights by introducing large-scale battles that are even more spectacular."

Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch described Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 as "a transformative game" for the studio and "the culmination of everything we have learned about game development in our 25 years in the business."

"While we will continue to support and grow the Space Marine 2 universe over the coming years, we will take all our learnings and apply them to an even bigger and more spectacular game for the third instalment," he continued. "We view this as an opportunity to create a true love letter to the Warhammer 40.000 universe."

More information on Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 is set to be revealed at a later date. Given the lengthy timeframes of many game development cycles, however, I wouldn't expect much in the near future.

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• AMD's Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT GPU prices have been inflated at some retailers
• This stems from board partners increasing prices after suggested 'limited-time MSRP'
• It comes after AMD 'encouraged' board partners to stick to MSRP

While AMD's Radeon RX 9070 series GPU launch has certainly fared much better than Nvidia's RTX 5000 series, that doesn't mean it's completely avoided any problems - and in Team Red's case, it's not missing ROPs or scalpers.

As reported by Wccftech, AMD's board partners have quietly increased the prices of Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs, reportedly up to $130 higher than MSRP. This is the kind of behavior we’d expect from scalpers - and it's similar to what we see with Nvidia's GPUs, which always seem to have inflated retailer prices even when there's a good amount of stock.

It comes after AMD stated it would 'encourage’ AIB partners to stick to MSRP for the RDNA 4 GPUs, but that hasn't exactly happened. Retailers implied that MSRP would be timed, meaning prices for the GPUs after the first batch of sales would hike—and that has unfortunately come to pass, as Wccftech highlights the Sapphire Pulse 9070 XT selling for an egregious $729.99, which is indeed $130.99 above the $599 retail price.

While the price shifts may not be coming from Team Red directly, they could still impact the goodwill AMD has built amongst PC gamers during this new GPU lineup - it may now end up short-lived, especially if current inflated prices remain for the foreseeable future. Its fierce rival Nvidia, may still have bigger issues with stock and other hardware problems, but that doesn't mean price issues with RDNA 4 GPUs should be ignored.

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I've lived through a fair amount of GPU generations where prices were reasonable across the board, and without issues as significant as the one’s we’re seeing at the moment. So, I can say without a doubt, this is the worst GPU market I've seen.

It's already difficult enough to convince console gamers to move over to PC due to pricing, but the price inflation of Team Green and Team Red's GPUs has taken this to a ridiculous level. While the price hike on the Radeon RX 9070 series is still absurd, the inflation on RTX 5000 series GPUs is the worst I've come across.

If you even manage to find an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 at MSRP (let alone one available at all), then you'd need to be ready to dig deep into your pockets - and the same goes for the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti cards.

You might be thinking about opting for an RTX 4000 series GPU instead, but the same issue is present there. Most of the Ada Lovelace GPUs are either out of stock since they've been discontinued, but the remaining ones in stock are selling for above MSRP as well. Ultimately, gamers have no choice but to pay up, especially as we seem to be seeing an increasing number of poorly optimized PC games that require high-end GPUs for an acceptable level of performance.

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Last year more than £11.4 billion was stolen from people in the UK by cybercriminals. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the methods cybercriminals can use to commit their crimes. Our ever-growing reliance on technology in day-to-day life is constantly exposing new vulnerabilities cybercriminals can exploit, while at the same time, AI has lowered the skill barrier making it easier for even non-sophisticated criminals to launch advanced attacks.

But it’s not just weaknesses in our technology that can put us at risk of being scammed. In a world where AI tools can clone voices in minutes to generate convincing deepfakes, create fake websites or write thousands of seemingly legitimate reviews in an instant, social engineering tactics are evolving at a terrifying rate, putting even the most cautious individuals and businesses at risk. 

Scammers’ psychological playbook 

In our busy lives, we are reliant on our implicit trust in the systems, people and brands that surround us to oil the wheels of society. As we implement AI systems, we’re encouraging those patterns further. Moving fast on the daily commute or under pressure in a stressful workplace, we often go with the quickest, rather than the safest, choice. For example, we might not double-check the email address of a sender or spot a bogus link, relying on this implicit trust to help us make decisions fast.

When we see a trusted and well-known brand or business, we automatically deem it safe because it appears legitimate and familiar. Scammers can capitalize on the implicit trust we place in our day-to-day technology systems and exploit attentional bias, a cognitive bias wherein we find it more difficult to identify non-obvious threats when under stress and trying to do several things at once, which has become the norm for our working lives.

This means in order for a threat to cut through the noise of day-to-day work and cognitive stress, it has to be very attention grabbing, making it likely that threats designed to imitate or impersonate our well-known systems will be deemed safe because it appears legitimate and familiar. Scammers can tap into this cognitive bias and disadvantage to carry out their attacks, knowing it means people are less likely to question potential scams or threats. They also use impersonation, urgency and fear to manipulate victims into trusting them or acting quickly without verification. 

This technique, known as social engineering, is the deliberate manipulation of people into giving away confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. It’s most commonly seen in personalized scams. By tapping into these cognitive shortcuts, scammers increase the chances of their attacks succeeding because when something feels familiar, we’re far less likely to question it.

Employees under pressure

Employees in the workplace can be particularly vulnerable to this kind of psychological scam. While companies often invest significant resources in cybersecurity systems to keep their infrastructure and revenue safe, the human risks their team pose are too often overlooked in terms of investment. In the midst of a hectic workday, an employer facing decision fatigue might approve a suspicious transaction without proper verification or not question an email that appears to be from a senior colleague asking to click a link or send an urgent bank transfer.

This is not simply a case of 'users are the problem'. Even with rigorous awareness training, overloaded employees will still face this issue. When faced with the fast-paced demands of modern business and stress, especially when workloads are heavy and we have numerous tasks to attend to, we become cognitively impaired at decision-making, which literally gets worse as the day goes on.

Research tells us that we make worse decisions at 6pm than we do at 10am, for this reason. Even with user awareness training that is rigorous, high stress-high workload fields will always suffer the effects of decision fatigue making them more likely to be exploited in this kind of social engineering attack. Busy employees can easily overlook red flags, with potentially huge and damaging consequences for their organization.

AI generates highly convincing personalized messages that mirror the tone and style of a company or individual, allowing hackers to craft the perfect phishing email that often bypasses traditional email filters. Over 30.4 million phishing emails detected across Darktrace’s customer fleet between December 2023 and December 2024 and 70% successfully passed the widely used DMARC authentication approach. With the volume of attacks continuously increasing, and with AI-powered threats leading to enhanced sophistication, human teams need support and augmentation to hope to defend themselves.

How to protect your organization

The business impact of cybercrime goes further than financial losses and can lead to reputational damage that often takes years to build up. But there are steps to take to make sure your organization isn’t the next victim. Education and enhancing digital literacy are key in protecting employers and organizations from the fast-evolving ways cybercriminals operate.

This includes comprehensive employee training programs focused on recognizing and responding to social engineering attempts. Additionally, organizations should implement robust systems of control and guardrails around their employees, including multifactor authentication and using domain-based message authenticators on emails. When online, this could include ensuring employees don’t skip the simple steps of verifying senders, double-checking URLs and always keeping a proactive mindset and healthy dose of skepticism. 

Equally, if not more important, is making sure cybersecurity measures are up to scratch, working in tandem with employees. With cybercriminals employing AI to advance their crimes, our defenses must be doing the same. It’s inevitable that humans won’t be able to spot or prevent all malicious activity so it's critical that cybersecurity systems are adequately plugging the gaps.

Security leaders should leverage AI to stay on the front foot of attacks, using advanced technology to identify threats that may appear harmless in other environments and evade traditional security tools. AI-driven cybersecurity systems, that learn the behaviors and traits of an organization, are an essential piece of the defense puzzle for businesses today. 

A smarter defense

As AI develops, cybercrimes will only become more sophisticated, more affordable and more scalable. We’ve already seen the impact of the likes of ransomware-as-a-service crime groups, as well as wider social engineering methods, and these are only set to grow. Educating teams now about how to be more alert and digitally aware, while also investing in the likes of AI as a defense tool, is critical to staying secure in the complex cyber threat landscape we face today. The best defense is the strong partnership between human awareness and AI-enabled security.

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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