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If your spidey sense has been tingling lately, it might be because of a new surprise update released for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Version 1.004 is available now and introduces full PlayStation 5 Pro support.

Some of the best PS5 games have been receiving recent updates adding compatibility with Sony’s upcoming console, such as The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. The Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 update, detailed in a recent post by developer Insomniac Games, adds two new graphics modes: Performance Pro and Fidelity Pro.

Performance Pro mode will be the default setting on the PS5 Pro. It targets 60 fps but offers all the same graphical features of the Fidelity mode on the base PS5 in addition to PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) upscaling. All ray-tracing features are also enabled by default, including ray-traced water and window reflections.

The developer states that “this mode is recommended for most players.” 

The Fidelity Pro mode is then an alternate option for those who really want to push their graphics to the max. It targets 30 fps and introduces new ray-tracing graphical features plus greater pedestrian and traffic density. This is in addition to higher-quality character hair. A handful of new features can be individually tweaked to target different frame rates, with support for variable refresh rate (VRR) displays.

These toggles include: RT Key Light Shadows, RT Reflections & Interiors, and RT Ambient Occlusion. The first is only available in Fidelity Pro mode and uses ray-tracing to offer more realistic shadows at medium to long distances - in theory improving wide views of the city. 

RT Reflections & Interiors can be set to Medium or High, with High only available in Fidelity Pro mode. This changes the resolution of ray-traced reflections and building window interiors. 

Finally, RT Ambient Occlusion can be disabled or set to Medium or High in order to leverage ray-tracing to improve ambient occlusion effects. Apparently, “the visual impact of this feature will vary greatly based on the scene” so it might be one to keep disabled if you’re looking for an easy and potentially less noticeable way to improve performance in Fidelity Pro mode.

If you want to get your hands on the console when it releases, PS5 Pro pre-orders are open now at a range of retailers.

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Microsoft’s new Windows 11 24H2 update has caused Intel Z890 motherboards to constantly crash or reboot, requiring users to change BIOS settings for a solution. This is another entry in the growing list of issues Windows users have faced with the major update.

According to a post (in Spanish) from El Chapuzas Informatico, who have closely monitored the situation, the issue with the Z890 motherboard appears to stem from an apparent conflict between dedicated and integrated GPUs. It doesn’t seem to be limited to one specific mobo, either; this glitch is reportedly occurring with boards from multiple brands including MSI and Gigabyte. It’s unclear at this point whether the blame lies directly with Microsoft’s update, or if Intel bears some responsibility here too.

The solution to the crashes requires users to enter the motherboard BIOS and disable their system’s integrated graphics before proceeding with any necessary BIOS updates. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound as though this issue will cause any irreparable damage to users’ boards, but it’s clear that Microsoft needs to release a patch ASAP to avoid any more potential problems.

El Chapuzas Informatico included this list of instructions for resolving the issue, originally provided by Asus. (Image credit: El Chapuzas Informatico ) The 24H2 nightmare update continues for Microsoft

The 24H2 update is proving to be a nightmare for many Windows users so far, with issues such as random BSODs (Blue Screen of Death) for those utilizing Western Digital SSDs, even before the current Z890 problem. This is especially frustrating for users since Windows updates are often automatically pushed when restarting or powering off their system (something that is still a major point of contention for many users).

While the current issue apparently isn’t bricking boards or causing any major damage, there’s no telling what other troubles the beleaguered Windows update could cause - there are plenty of PC users who maintain specific system configurations, and given the range of odd hardware-specific bugs with 24H2, it’s possible that some users could be hit with multiple issues that are hard to troubleshoot independently.

Fortunately, in this case, motherboard manufacturers are already pushing urgent BIOS updates to alleviate the problem, meaning there are solutions available - our hope remains that Microsoft acts fast to fix all the ongoing bugs, so we can properly appreciate the improvements that Windows 11 24H2 brings.

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Amazon has seized a number of internet domains used by Russian hackers to launch phishing attacks.

In a blog post, CJ Moses, Chief Information Security Officer at Amazon, said a Russian state-sponsored threat actor known as Midnight Blizzard (AKA APT29) was spotted running a large-scale phishing attack against government agencies, enterprises, and militaries.

The attacks were impersonating Amazon Web Services (AWS), the retail giant’s cloud arm, with phishing emails written in the Ukrainian language.

Midnight Blizzard attacks

The goal of the campaign was not to target AWS, or to steal AWS credentials from the victims, Moses noted - instead, Midnight Blizzard was looking for Windows credentials to use through Microsoft Remote Desktop.

“Upon learning of this activity, we immediately initiated the process of seizing the domains APT29 was abusing which impersonated AWS in order to interrupt the operation,” Moses added. “CERT-UA has issued an advisory with additional details on their work.”

CERT-UA is the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine, a specialized structural unit of the State Center for Cyber Defense of the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine.

You may remember Midnight Blizzard as the threat actor behind the famed Microsoft attack that forced the company to completely revamp its security policies.

In early 2024, Microsoft revealed it had been attacked by the group, which managed to gain access to corporate email accounts in the company’s cybersecurity and legal departments.

The tech giant later confirmed that the breach was not confined, and that corporate accounts belonging to organizations outside of Microsoft were also affected.

Because of this, and a number of other incidents, the company was slammed by both the cybersecurity community and the US government, prompting the Secure Future Initiative - the company’s promise of a complete security overhaul.

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As I write this, I'm holding an Apple TV 4K in my hand, trying to imagine it in aluminum and as more than just a set-top streaming device. The tactile experiment is prompted by a fresh rumor from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, positing that the next Mac mini will be a design departure, shrinking to nearly the size of the Apple TV in my hand.

There were a lot of leaks in Gurman's posts about the already confirmed upcoming Apple Mac launch, which we expect this week.

The Mac mini rumor stuck out for me because I think it might change how people think about and use this sometimes dismissed or at least uncelebrated Mac. Starting at $499 (education price), the nearly three-pound computer has long been a relatively affordable entry point into the Mac arena. It lacks a keyboard, mouse, and display but also affords the budget-conscious a way to supply your own more affordable alternative accessories.

I've never considered the Mac mini a portable computer. It's a lot to throw in the backpack when you're not even getting a screen or keyboard to support it. This rumored redesign could change that.

The current Apple TV 4K is 3.66 inches x 3.66 inches by 1.2 inches tall and weighs less than half a pound. If the new Mac mini is close to that size, say 4 x 4 inches and 1.5 pounds, that might offer a different calculation when it comes to portability.

My thinking is that professionals and students who want, say, M4 power with them wherever they go – but would rather leave the MacBook behind – could throw this new Mac mini into their backpack (with a power source, I assume). When they arrive at a library, dorm room office, or someone else's home, they can just hook up to any available display, keyboard, and mouse, and get to work. The rumored extra ports on the front for additional accessories you can borrow is just icing on the cake.

I'd probably travel with my mouse of choice if it were me. However, I would assume someone has a decent Bluetooth keyboard I could borrow.

In a school scenario, districts could hand these little boxes to students for them to take home. Not only is the portability a plus but there are no moving or fragile (think a glass-covered display) to damage.

Hold the price line

Naturally, this won't work if Apple raises the price of the new Mac mini, charging a premium for this shrinkdown. The $100 discount for education should be included in the newest model. If not, it'll be a big missed opportunity for Apple.

Beyond education, I think creative professionals will love having their favorite platform in their backpack if they show up at a client who doesn't have a Mac on the premises. The benefit is that they can connect to the largest screen in the office for maximum workspace without lugging around a hefty 16-inch MacBook Pro.

In the home, you can hide multiple Mac minis as you squirrel away the all-black Apple TV 4K boxes underneath your TV. A small computer connected to a TV just waiting to do your Apple Intelligence bidding. It probably wouldn't even look out of place in the kitchen. I would, though, request some more color options on these ultra-tiny Macs.

I get that none of this works if Apple only gives the M4 Mac mini a shave instead of a haircut. A 6-inch Mac Mini would not be the radical redesign I imagined.

You might think I'm focusing on minutiae, touting a potentially minor change, but as I often like to say, it's the little – or mini-er – things that truly count.

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Cybercriminals have successfully breached at least 30 organizations using a vulnerability in SonicWall VPNs, security experts have warned.

Earlier in 2024, SonicWall reported discovering, and patching, a critical vulnerability in the SonicWall SonicOS. This bug, which is tracked as CVE-2024-40766, has a severity score of 9.3 (critical), and can result in unauthorized resource access, and even crashes of the VPN.

At the time, the company did not have any evidence of in-the-wild abuse, however just a few weeks later, both new reports from Arctic Wolf and Rapid7 have now warned users to patch immediately after hackers started exploiting the flaw.

Akira dominating

The improper access control vulnerability is affecting Gen 5, Gen 6, and Gen 7 firewalls, as well as the firewalls’ SSLVPN feature. The researchers warned that the crooks were abusing them to deploy Akira and Fog ransomware variants. Akira, which seems to be the more active of the two, usually targets firms in education, finance, real estate, manufacturing, and consulting industries.

Of the 30 recorded victims, 75% were infected with Akira, and the rest with Fog. However, it seems that the two threat actors are deeply connected, sharing the same infrastructure, and are not competing for the same attack surface.

Besides abusing the SonicWall vulnerability, the researchers also said that the victims most likely did not have multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled on the compromised SSL VPN accounts, which would make things a lot more difficult for the attackers. Furthermore, they were running the services on the default port 4433, which also played to the attackers’ strengths.

"In intrusions where firewall logs were captured, message event ID 238 (WAN zone remote user login allowed) or message event ID 1080 (SSL VPN zone remote user login allowed) were observed," Arctic Wolf said. "Following one of these messages, there were several SSL VPN INFO log messages (event ID 1079) indicating that login and IP assignment had completed successfully."

CVE-2024-40766 was added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, giving federal firms a deadline to patch up.

Via BleepingComputer

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Apple is rumored to announce a range of Mac devices this week (the company has hinted as much) and while I don’t know what the company has in store, it’s likely we’ll be seeing new MacBook Pros and an iMac 2024, all powered by the M4 chip that launched with the iPad Pro earlier this year.

While those are no doubt exciting products, one rumor has me really keen to see what Apple announces – an M4-powered Mac mini.

Yep, for all the promises of new MacBooks and iMacs, I really believe that an M4 Mac mini will be the most exciting launch (if it does happen).

(Image credit: Apple) I ❤️ the Mac mini

Why? Well, in a rather scary bit of Monday-morning calculation, I’ve figured out I’ve been reviewing and writing about laptops and PCs for almost 20 years. And over the (many) years I’ve been doing this I’ve got a sense for when new releases are iterative updates, and when they are truly exciting.

If the rumors are true, the new MacBooks and iMacs fall into the former category: iterative updates. There will likely be no new designs (both have had major redesigns in the past few years), with the biggest changes being the addition of the M4 chip.

I have nothing against the M4 chip. Since I reviewed the iPad Pro earlier this year, I’ve been desperate to see what it’s capable of in a Mac device where it can run much more ambitious software. But Apple’s rapid release schedule for its M-Class chips (there have been four major releases since the M1’s launch four years ago) means that generational leaps rarely make a huge difference.

If you’ve got an M3-powered MacBook Pro or iMac, you’ll won't see a big enough performance boost to make upgrading to an M4 version worthwhile. Heck, I use a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip for music production and video editing, and if Apple announces an identical-looking M4 Pro model, I’m just not going to be interested in upgrading, as the M2 Pro remains so good (and is only two years old), that it still does everything I need it to do.

So, why is the Mac mini different? After all, there’s an excellent Mac mini M2 model (which got a rare five stars from me in my review), and it’s also likely (despite some rumors suggesting otherwise) that it’ll come with the same design.

Well, for a start, I genuinely think the Mac mini M2 is one of the best devices Apple has ever made. This tiny, discrete PC can be placed almost anywhere, and thanks to a choice of either the M2 or M2 Pro chip, you’re getting an impressively powerful bit of kit in an almost silent small form factor PC.

Whereas the MacBook Pro and iMac have Windows 11 competitors, there’s simply no small form factor Windows PC that comes even close to the Mac mini.

And, unlike those other two products, there hasn’t been an M3 version, which means the leap between an M2 Mac mini and an M4 Mac mini will be much more noticeable.

The idea that you can hide a Mac mini behind a monitor or TV is incredibly exciting, especially considering the gaming improvements on the M4 chip. This upcoming Mac mini, if it does exist, could be the closest we’ll ever get to an Apple console.

Then there’s the price. The current Mac mini starts at $599 / £649 / AU$999, making it by far the cheapest way to get into the Mac ecosystem. If a Mac mini is announced alongside MacBook Pros and a new iMac, it’ll offer the same level of performance as the other devices using an M4 chip – but at a fraction of the price.

It also means the idea of upgrading isn’t quite as intimidating. If you spent $1,000+ on a MacBook or iMac, unless you’re rich, you’ll likely need something really special to get you to consider upgrading. If you’ve spent $599, the threshold for an upgrade that makes financial sense is considerablylower.

That’s assuming that Apple will keep the price similar, which might be too big of an assumption these days. But even the idea of a compact PC that costs around $600 and offers enough power to be able to play modern games like Resident Evil 4 Remaster, is incredibly exciting – and it's why in a week that promises a lot of announcements from Apple, it’s the new Mac mini I’ll really be happy to see announced. So, the waiting game begins...

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The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has barely been out for a month, but we’re already hearing the first murmurs about its follow up – ostensibly named the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.

These first rumors concern the chipset the phone will ship with, potentially marking another chapter in Samsung’s long struggle to implement its own Exynos chipset across its smartphone lineup.

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by tipster Jukanlosreve, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE could come equipped with Samsung’s proprietary Exynos 2400 chipset.

This apparently follows failed negotiations between Samsung and MediaTek, which first aimed to equip the Samsung Galaxy S25 series with a MediaTek Dimensity-series chipset, before shifting focus to the S25 FE.

This corroborates an earlier post from notable phone tipster Ice Universe (via Wccftech), who recently suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S25 series will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, rather than the Exynos 2500 or Dimensity 9400.

Some comments on Jukanlosreve’s post ask why the Galaxy S25 FE would receive the Exynos 2400 rather than the rumored flagship Exynos 2500 chipset. In response, Jukanlosreve suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE will launch in April 2025 to directly challenge the rumored iPhone SE 4, which we expect will launch in early 2025 also.

This would apparently preclude the S25 FE from using the Exynos 2500, which Jukanlosreve implies could debut with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, rumored to launch in summer 2025.

This is in contrast to the usual fall release schedule of the Galaxy S FE series, not to mention very close to the release of the latest model – in fact, we’ve only just published our Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review.

We’d suggest taking this part of the rumor with a particularly large pinch of salt for the time being, as Samsung very rarely changes its release schedules and doesn’t tend to time releases in sync with competitors.

And the rest of these rumors – though a touch more substantial – are all totally unofficial at the moment, so be sure to keep up with our Samsung coverage and phones coverage for the latest official updates as we hear them.

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Business email attacks (BEC), a type of email-borne scams that impersonate executives, have “surged” in the third quarter of 2024, with the manufacturing sector hit particularly hard.

Analyzing 1.8 billion emails globally (208 million of which were malicious), researchers from VIPRE security group reported BEC made up more than half (58%) of all phishing attempts in the quarter.

It found most BEC attacks (89%) impersonated figures of authority, such as Chief Executive Officers (CEO), senior executives, and IT staff, and targeted those who are lower on the hierarchy chain.

Rising sophistication

In the first quarter of 2024, BEC attacks against the manufacturing sector made up just 2% of all attempts, rising five-fold to 10% in the third quarter of the year. VIPRE claims the rise may be due to the industry’s widespread use of mobile sign-ins and various worksites.

“Employees accessing systems “on the go”, often under pressure to meet production deadlines, are more susceptible to phishing attempts,” the company said.

For Usman Choudhary, VIPRE’s CPTO, email-borne attacks are growing more sophisticated by the day, and thus becoming harder to spot and neutralize.

“BEC email and phishing attacks are becoming more targeted and convincing,” he said. “Additionally malware distribution through malicious spam campaigns continues to pose a serious threat to organizations.”

VIPRE split BEC attacks into common scams (34%), commercial spam (30%), and phishing (20%), and stressed that combined, these attacks overshadow ransomware and malware, which comprised less than 20% of all email attacks.

Defending against BEC is just the same as against any other scam that starts with an email. Employees should be trained to be skeptical of all incoming email messages, especially those that require urgent attention and resolution.

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A government memo viewed by WIRED states that insider threats “could derail or jeopardize a fair and transparent election process.”

A report distributed by the US Department of Homeland Security warned that financially motivated cybercriminals are more likely to attack US election infrastructure than state-backed hackers.

A new report claims that Apple has secretly tested an app that could help customers with prediabetes manage their food, and make lifestyle changes that could one day help shape the company's health software.

We've been hearing reports for years that Apple has been trying to crack blood glucose monitoring on its best Apple Watch models, to no avail up until now.

The latest reports indicate that Apple's non-invasive blood glucose tech (rather than "invasive" technology like continuous glucose monitors, so called because they use needles to pierce the skin) might still be years away. However, in the meantime, Apple appears to be testing an app that could help in the fight against diabetes.

Writing in his weekly Power On Newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple this year tested an app "to help people with prediabetes manage their food intake and make lifestyle changes."

According to the report, Apple doesn't currently have plans to release the app, but may integrate the technology into its future health products, "including a noninvasive glucose tracker that it’s been developing for more than a decade."

Apple's secret diabetes app

Could Apple's Health app help you manage your blood glucose in future? (Image credit: Future)

The app could reportedly show consumers how certain foods impact their blood sugar levels, based on measurements taken by existing blood sugar monitoring devices.

Gurman says the study was aimed at exploring uses for blood sugar data and what tools Apple could create for consumers as a result. Latterly, he reports testing on the app has been paused, but says the tests could pave the way for better food tracking on Apple's own health software or better third-party glucose tracking integration.

In the meantime, the report states that Apple's non-invasive blood glucose tech is "still years away". Its current prototype is an "iPhone-sized" device, but even at that scale, Apple is battling overheating and miniaturization challenges. Apple's system features lasers that shoot light into the skin with a view to providing specific blood sugar readings, even if early iterations may only be able to tell people if they're prediabetic.

While some knock-off smartwatches claim to include glucose monitoring, none of the best smartwatches out there actually offer the feature because of the aforementioned technical challenges. The FDA went so far as to warn against using smartwatches or even smart rings to measure blood glucose earlier this year.

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Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: One minute review

The Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale is an incredibly cheap bathroom scale that has become essential to my fitness routine. It’s well-built and features a minimalist design that will look at home in almost any bathroom setting.

Connection to an Android smartphone or iPhone is provided via Bluetooth, and the results are delivered to a comprehensive companion app that lets you track your metrics, in addition to trends over time in all your key measurements.

It provides all the markers of body composition you’d expect including BMI, weight, body fat, and more. Accuracy-wise, it delivers surprisingly on-point results in comparison to a premium body composition machine when it comes to the core metrics, but some more niche measurements yielded more erratic results.

With a very high max weight of 180kg / 400lb and features for measuring children and babies, this is a great cheap smart scale for the whole family, lacking a few premium features of more expensive rivals, but one that certainly belongs on our best smart scales list.

(Image credit: Future) Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: Price and availability

• Available now
• $20 / £39.99 / AU$25.99

The Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale is available exclusively through Amazon in the UK, US, and Australia, as well as plenty of other territories.

In the UK, it’s priced at £35.99, whereas in the US and AU, it’s significantly cheaper at $20 / AU$25.99 respectively. You can usually find it on Amazon discounted in the UK, especially around big sales events, where it’s routinely reduced by up to 50%.

The unit reviewed here was bought during one of these sales for £19.99.

• Value score: 5/5

Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Sleek design
• Well-built

The Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale is a 28cm-square of sleek, tempered glass raised up on a plastic base. It houses four electrodes, one in each corner, connected to sensors housed in the base of the device. The LED display, which shows your initial weight and the status screen while measurements are carried out, measures 3.4 inches x 1.6 inches. A foot in each corner features an anti-slip pad to stop the scale from moving around on the floor.

As with most smart scales, there’s not much to write home about here, but the design that is on show really impresses. For a $20-ish smart scale, the glass feels strong and premium, as do the electrodes. The overall aesthetic won’t look out of place in any bathroom, and there’s also a silver option if the black isn’t up your street.

Underneath hides the battery compartment, which houses three AAA batteries for power (included). Overall, the design is really clean and minimalistic, and the scale is very well put together and exudes strong build quality.

• Design score: 5/5

Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• High max weight
• Rich choice of metrics
• Very strong companion app

For a scale so cheap, the Vitafit houses an impressive array of features. Present (but not tested) include a baby mode you can use to keep track of your baby’s weight and a child mode for 2-18-year-olds. The former gives you weight measurements for a baby held in your arms, and the latter measures only weight and BMI in children.

The Vitafit works with its accompanying Vitafit app for iPhone and Android. Once connected, you simply open the app and step on the scales. The app provides almost instant measurements for weight, as well as a quick-glance view of how that has changed since your last measurement.

The Body Composition screen of the app lists weight, body fat, body fat-free, bone mass, muscle mass, protein, and body water metrics, as well as a differential if you’ve inputted a target weight. The second screen on the app’s measurement page shows your BMI (body mass index), visceral and subcutaneous fat, skeletal muscle, BMR (basal metabolic rate), and metabolic age (a number indicating the theoretical "age" of your body).

There’s also a screen where you can input key measurements, such as your height.

(Image credit: Future)

The other noteworthy feature is the trends screen, which can give you day, week, and month views of your measurement trends for six key metrics including weight, BMI, and body fat. This helps gauge your progress over time to make sure you’re trending in the right direction if you’re trying to lose weight or build muscle as part of your fitness routine.

The Vitafit app also synchronizes with Google Fit, Fitbit, and Apple Health, so you can see your measurements in your native fitness app of choice. We tested the Vitafit using an iPhone, and the synchronization with the Apple Health app was seamless, automatically populating the Body Measurements section with all the relevant info. The Vitafit app works with iOS 9 and beyond, or Android 4.3 and later, so any of the latest smartphones will be compatible.

The Vitafit supports multiple users, who can be added to the app by a user selection screen, and Vitafit says you can add an unlimited number of users, making it perfect for couples or larger families.

There’s also a zero-current mode, making this scale suitable for pregnant women and babies. Zero-current mode provides a weight and BMI reading, but none of the other metrics.

The Vitafit’s weight limit is registered as 400 pounds / 180kg, which is a lot higher than our current best smart scale pick, the Xiaomi Mi Body Composition Scale 2, making the Vitafit suitable for those on the heavier side. The Vitafit does lack Wi-Fi connectivity, so you’ll need your smartphone handy when you use it. It also lacks some features of more premium options like heart rate monitoring.

• Features score: 4.5/5

Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Very quick results
• Strong accuracy in key measurements
• Some wayward readings

In terms of setup and ease of use, the Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale performs admirably. Connecting it to my smartphone was a doddle, and once paired, the relay time between scale and iPhone was surprisingly snappy. Your weight readout will appear on your iPhone in less than a second, and the other metrics in maybe five seconds, so there’s no standing around waiting for the machine to calibrate or gather its data.

The only true test of a smart scale’s performance is its accuracy, however. To that end, we tested the Vitafit smart scale in a direct comparison against the Tanita MC-780MA P body composition machine, housed in my local gym.

I ran a test on the Vitafit, then the Tanita within about five minutes, before returning home and re-running the test on the Vitafit again. Each result is compared against the Tanita in the difference column.

As you can see from the below table, the Vitafit provides some results that came incredibly close to the £6,500/$8,500 medical grade Tanita. In both tests, the Vitafit came within 150 grams of the Tanita for body weight. Bone Mass in kg was also incredibly similar, as were skeletal muscle mass and BMI.

A couple of results showed a bit more variance, notably Body Fat as a percentage and Fat Free Mass (FFM) expressed as kilograms. Muscle mass on the Tanita was given as a weight, but as a percentage on the Vitafit, converted, the latter was less than 1.5 kg out.

There were a couple of big misses, including body water – off by more than 5% in each reading, and BMR (basal metabolic rate). It’s worth noting, however, that there are multiple ways to calculate the latter that can yield different results, so it’s possible this may reflect a difference in methodology rather than a discrepancy in the measurement.

Visceral Fat and Metabolic age were also pretty wild, the former – a measure of belly fat within the abdominal cavity – was probably the most alarming given that the Tanita gave us a healthy reading, while the Vitafit gave us an excessive score.

Overall, given the price of the Vitafit and its competition, I’d say this is an impressive set of results. Most importantly, crucial markers of health and well-being like weight, body fat, and BMI all appear to be super-accurate when using the Vitafit. Undoubtedly it’s not perfect, but I’d say that for the price this is unparalleled performance.

It’s worth taking some of Vitafit’s more specialized measurements with a pinch of salt, but it's more than a match when it comes to the main metrics you’d expect, making it an ideal companion for weight loss or overall monitoring of your health and wellbeing.

What’s more, the small variance between the two Vitafit scores shows more generally it’s giving out consistent results with each use and can still be massively effective as a tool for weight loss and health tracking, provided you allow for the margin of error.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: Scorecard Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You want the cheapest smart scale

The Vitafit is unbelievably good value considering its price and feature set.

You want a companion for weight loss tracking

The Vitafit is excellent for tracking your weight loss goals and overall trends in body composition.

You want a scale the whole family can use

With multiple users and features for babies and children, this is an ideal scale for the whole family.

Don't buy it if...

You want the most accurate measurements

In some fringe metrics, the Vitafit delivers wayward results.

You want premium features

The Vitafit lacks some premium smart scale features like Wi-Fi and heart rate readings.

Also consider How I tested

I have used the Vitafit smart scale for four months, regularly weighing myself using the app on my iPhone. I’ve tested every corner of the app and its features, and conducted rigorous testing for accuracy, comparing results in a controlled environment versus the Tanita MC-780MA body composition analyzer, a professional-grade body composition machine worth £6,500.

Google is developing Project Jarvis, a new AI agent that browses the web for you, taking the phrase “Let me Google that for you” quite literally.

The rumor comes courtesy of The Information which reports “three people with direct knowledge of the product” expect the new computer-using AI could be demonstrated as early as December “alongside the release of its next flagship Gemini large language model, which would help power the product.”

Just imagine asking Google Chrome to search the web and book a holiday for you, allowing Jarvis AI to take over as an automated personal assistant to get tasks done - it’s wild, almost like the web browsing equivalent of the self-driving car.

Jarvis AI is very similar to Anthropic’s recently announced improvements coming to Claude AI which let the model take control of your computer to browse the web, launch applications, and even use your mouse and keyboard. Imagine that, but confined specifically to Google Chrome.

The Information’s report also claims Google’s AI agent can “respond to a person’s commands by capturing frequent screenshots of what’s on their computer screen, and interpreting the shots before taking actions like clicking on a button or typing into a text field.”

While we could see Jarvis AI by the end of the year, the insiders who spoke to The Information claim it could be released to just a small group of early testers before a major rollout. As it stands, “The agent currently operates relatively slowly because the model needs to think for a few seconds before taking each action.”

Are we ready for AI agents?

AI agents, like Google’s Jarvis, are systems that can complete tasks without human supervision, whether that’s controlling a computer or simply marking emails as read. Most of the major players in AI are trying to launch AI agents that can help single users and businesses facilitate mundane computer tasks, but at the current stage, most are still just experiments.

How do you feel about AI browsing the web for you? I suspect the general consensus is that we don’t quite trust AI models to complete tasks without the concern of hallucination. That said, if these rumors are correct we’ll see exactly what Google has planned in just a few months, and whether or not it can convince the average consumer that it’s time we let AI take control of our web searches.

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Microsoft has announced changes to its senior leadership team across the EMEA market as part of its commitment to supporting new and emerging technologies such as AI and automation.

The company announced Clare Barclay’s appointment as President of Enterprise & Industry for EMEA, a role that will see her retire from her current position as CEO of Microsoft UK, which she has held since October 2020.

In her place, fellow Microsoft worker Darren Hardman will step in as CEO of Microsoft UK on November 1.

Microsoft EMEA leadership shake-up

Previously serving as Microsoft UK’s chief executie, Barclay’s successes include setting up high-profile partnerships with companies such as the London Stock Exchange Group, Vodafone and Sainsbury’s, with a focus on artificial intelligence.

In her new role, Barclay has been tasked with driving growth and digital transformation across 120 EMEA markets, working closely with partners and startups to encourage the adoption of AI tools.

Hardman, who joined Microsoft in May 2023, will lead the company’s operations through its next phase of growth. Having served as the UK&I CEO for Amazon Web Services, among other roles, Microsoft credited him for his extensive work in the UK tech sector. Before moving to Microsoft, Hardman worked with the government’s Digital Skills Council.

“Clare and Darren both bring unique strengths and insights to their new roles," noted Ralph Haupter, President of Microsoft EMEA. "With this strategic leadership transition, we will bring the best of our industry and AI execution to our UK and EMEA customers.”

The company also used the announcement as an opportunity to reinforce its commitment to Britain, adding that Microsoft employs around 6,000 workers in the UK with offices in Paddington, Manchester and Edinburgh, and a headquarters in Reading.

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No cursed tombs are safe as Netflix has renewed Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft for a second season – and I can't wait to see the adventurer fire her dual pistols once again as she takes on a man-eating marine beast in the upcoming series' next season.

The show's renewal comes just weeks after Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft premiered on the best streaming service on October 10, with Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger, Mission Impossible 7) providing the voice of the legendary archaeologist in this latest videogame adaptation.

Based on the famous videogame franchise first released in 1996, Lara Croft has since seen many iterations. From Keeley Hawes in the original video game series, to Angelina Jolie in the 00s movie adaptations, now she's going on another animated adventure in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft season 2.

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft was one of four new videogame adaptations showcased during Netflix Geeked Week and has received mostly positive reviews upon its release with 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. While this doesn't make it one of the best Netflix shows, it's still a fighting fit TV adaptation that reimagines her legacy story.

What can we expect in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft season 2?

The first season was an origin story of sorts; one taking place after the events of the 2018 game Shadow of the Tomb Raider and saw the intrepid explorer confronts her traumatic past while unraveling an ancient mystery.

Season 2 is set to develop her character from a novice to her journey of becoming the legend she's known as today. Per a Netflix press release, season 2's official logline reads: "When adventurer Lara Croft discovers a trail of stolen African Orisha masks, she joins forces with her best friend Sam to retrieve the precious artifacts. Lara’s thrilling new adventure takes her around the globe as she delves deeper into the hidden secrets of Orisha history, dodges the machinations of a dangerous and enigmatic billionaire who wants the masks for herself, while discovering these relics contain dark secrets and a power that defies logic. Power that may, in fact, be divine."

Showrunner Tasha Huo teased some exciting details about Croft's character in season 2 to Netflix Tudum: “So season 1, thematically, is about Lara embracing how her dad dealt with grief, which was isolating. When we meet Lara, she’s very isolated … As we get into season 2, we’re trying to build Lara’s team over the course of the show, so she goes from isolated hero, who only wants to do things on her own - a lone wolf - to realizing, ‘Actually, I have this really cool team behind me.’"

Huo also hinted at a shark encounter in Lara's future, so there's high hopes that some classic Tomb Raider action is set to go down in season 2.

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Harris’ plan for Puerto Rico's economy boosted after racist remarks made at Trump rally last night. And, the Yankees look for a World Series comeback after losing the first two games to the Dodgers.

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago)

Get up to speed on the rapidly evolving world of AI with our roundup of the week's developments.