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Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker: two-minute review Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

US: Ninja Combi All-in-One Multicooker, Oven, and Air Fryer SFP701B
UK: Ninja Combi 12-in-1 Multi-Cooker, Oven & Air Fryer SFP700UK

For this review, I tested the UK version. There are minor differences between different countries' models – see specs section for a comparison.

The Ninja Combi is a billed as an all-in-one multi-cooker that can be used like an oven, an air fryer, or even a stovetop (hob). In fact, it offers an intimidating range of modes beyond those, but the headline here is that it has a steam function, which can be used on its own or as part of any of three 'Combi' settings, which combine steaming (for moisture and tenderness) with another cooking mode. It's also designed to be able to cook complete meals – protein, carb, veggies – quickly, and all in one go.

It's sized like a tall microwave, with a sideways-opening door and two internal trays. Inside the cooking cavity, there are heating elements at the top and bottom, and a convection fan at the back to circulate the hot air.

In practice, figuring out sheer number of modes and which one to use for what can be intimidating. There are 12 different options on the UK version I tested, and even more if you're in the US. I suspect that once you've spent a bit of time using the Combi, it'll become clearer which mode suits what meal.

In my tests, the standalone modes all worked efficiently, with expected results. I was especially impressed with the air fryer mode, which got my veggie sausages hot all the way through and nicely browned in double-quick time. It took a little more trial and error to work out the more unusual Combi Meals mode, especially with regards to timings if you're straying away from the set menus in the provided meal booklet. The ability to add steam is unusual, but it does help keep things moist – although the Combi will emit a lot of steam in these modes, so you'll need to put it in a well-ventilated spot.

Aside from the complications that come with navigating all the modes, the Combi is very well designed and straightforward to use. The button controls require no explanation (the giant switch that you flip to shift from standard modes to ones with steam is unnecessary but kind of satisfying). The display offers up useful information, including letting you know when preheating is finished, and alerting you if you've forgotten to add the water tray for steam cooking. There are also some genuinely helpful touches, like how the inside light will come on in the final minute of cooking in some modes.

At $229.99 / £279.99, it's up there with the most expensive options in our best air fryer guide, but this does a lot more than just air fry. While it's not cheap, I actually think it's decent value for money (in the US at least), given the wide range of functions and high build quality. That's the short version; read on for my full Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review.

Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: price & availability

• List price: $229.99 / £279.99
• Launched: April 2024
• Available: US / UK

The Ninja Combi launched in spring 2024, and is currently available in the US and the UK. You can buy direct from SharkNinja, or via various third party retailers.

At time of writing, in the US when you buy direct from Ninja the Combi comes bundled with accessories like a compatible baking pan, Dutch oven and cooking utensils. The list price is $229.99. In the UK, the list price is £279.99, with no accessories bundled in. That's noticeably more expensive than the US option.

Based on TechRadar's price bands, we'd consider anything over $250 / £200 to be a premium air fryer, but this is a slightly different prospect because it offers such a wide selection of functions on top of just air frying.

In the US I think it's really very good value for money, but it's less so in the UK. I'd probably recommend waiting for a discount if you're shopping in the UK – I've seen it drop to £249.99 in the process of writing this review, and I hope more discounts will be in the pipeline when this model gets a little older (the Black Friday sales can be an especially good time to shop for small appliances).

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Ninja Combi specs Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: design

• Cool, curvy shape, opens sideways via a chunky handle
• Space for two internal trays
• Large, intuitive button control panel, plus SmartSwitch

The Ninja Combi looks like kind of like a tiny, curvy oven with a control panel stuck to the front. The door opens sideways, and cooking trays slot into the cavity. You can fit two of these in at once. The cavity is, apparently, large enough to fit a 6lb chicken or a 10-inch pizza.

With the UK version I tested, there was a baking tray, crisper plate (with cutouts) and deep, ceramic-coated 'Combi Pan' included. It's not terribly clear what's included with the US version – the 'What you'll get list' just specifies a baking pan and Dutch oven with glass lid, but I'd expect there to be a crisper plate included too, because how are gonna air fry without one of those? These plates and pans are dishwasher-safe.

(Image credit: Future)

The control panel uses buttons rather than a touchscreen. There are separate up and down arrows for temperature, time and cooking function. There's also a general on switch, a start/stop button, and a lightbulb that enables you to illuminate the inside of the Combi when you want to check on progress. A small, illuminated LED display provides information.

Those are the less exciting controls. The cool bit is the SmartSwitch on the top right of the Combi. If it's pointing upwards, the appliance is in Combi Cooker mode, and if it's pointing sideways, it's in Air Fry / Hob mode. The position of the switch will determine which of the options on the main display panel are available for selection. As such, it's in no way necessary to the function of the cooker, but it is satisfyingly chunky and very flickable.

If the switch is up, you can select any of the Combi cooking modes; if the switch is sideways, you can select the regular cooking modes (Image credit: Future)

The exact modes offered by the Combi depends on your territory, but you can rest assured that both the US and UK versions have covered plenty of bases. Here's a run-down:

• 'Combi' modes: Combi Meals, Combi Crisp, Combi Bake, Steam, Rice/Pasta, Proof (Prove)
• 'Air fry' modes: Broil (Grill), Air Fry, Bake, Sear/Sauté, Slow Cook
• Extra US version modes: Toast, Pizza, and Sous Vide

If you use any of the 'Combi' modes, you need to add water to the deep Combi Cooker pan. This will create steam in the cooking chamber. If you use it in Steam, Rice/Pasta or Proof (Prove) modes, it'll keep the food moist and prevent it from drying out. On the Ninja website, it also states that this steaming function can also be used to safely and rapidly thaw frozen food – useful if your meal planning abilities, like mine, leave something to be desired. However, there's no dedicated Defrost mode.

If you use the Combi Multi-Cooker in any of the modes prefaced by 'Combi', the appliance will combine the steam function with another cooking mode, for results that are moist yet crispy. That's my understanding, anyway - it's surprisingly hard to make sense of.

The 'Air Fry' modes are more self-explanatory, although the name itself is baffling, because Ninja is just using it to mean 'modes that don't include steam'.

The Combi offers a wide range of cooking modes, accessed via the control panel (Image credit: Future)

My review model came with a recipe booklet that helped demystify things somewhat – if I hadn't have had that, I'd have been lost. This booklet is also downloadable online (via a QR code on a sticker on the Combi) along with videos and other information. Other appliances I've used add this kind of thing to an app, but I'm very happy not to have to download yet another thing to my phone to use the Combi.

The companion booklet is very useful, and there's also plenty of info available online (Image credit: SharkNinja)

On the UK model I tested, the temperature officially ranges from 120C to a generous 230C. It'll actually go lower for proving / proofing – it kicks in at an automatic 35C in that mode. You can set cooking durations up to a hour and 15 minutes, although if you're cooking above 200C, you can only cook for 30 minutes.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: performance

• Combi modes require trial and error, but yield good results
• Air fry mode is excellent, and other 'standard' modes all work well
• Emits a lot of steam, and condensation tray can't be easily emptied

Let's start with a general look at how usable the Combi is. You can fit plenty of things inside, with the stacked trays making the most of the internal space. Ninja says it can cater a meal for eight, and while that seems a touch optimistic, I'd be confident cooking for four to six. It's not too noisy in use, although the bleeping did throw me off a bit. It'll sometimes emit what sounds to me like a 'you've done something wrong' bleep, but is actually an 'everything's fine' bleep.

The display is great for providing all the basic information you need. So when it's preheating, it'll say PRE, and when the cooking is all done, it'll say END. There's no guessing as to what's going on and no need to consult an app to check on progress. When you switch it off, it bids you BYE. It'll also tell you when it's time to add food, and if you try and launch a steam mode without the Combi Pan in its slot, it'll sense that and give you an error message.

You can switch the light on/off manually, can it'll come on automatically for the last minute of cooking (Image credit: Future)

I like the fact there's a light to see inside the cooking chamber, although its positioning means that if there are two trays in there, you'll only be able to see the top one. The light will switch on automatically when the door is open, and sometimes (I couldn't work out a pattern) for the last minute of cooking, too.

The control panel is self-explanatory and very easy to use. The most challenging bit of figuring out which setting you need. I also appreciate that you can reset the timer mid-cook, if you see that things are going to take longer than you'd initially predicted. The Combi will come up with suggested temperatures and times for each mode, and you can adjust up or down from there.

Condensation will build up when the Combi is preparing to use any of the 'Combi' cooking modes (Image credit: Future)

In steam cooking modes, the Combi takes a few minutes to get the steam going before it starts cooking. During this time, dashes appear on the display, and the Combi emits a very quiet grumbling. Initially it can seem like nothing is happening, but after a while condensation will start to appear on the inside of the glass door. Once it's nice and steamy, the actual cooking will kick in (noticeably noisier than heat-up, but not overly loud in general) and the timer will start.

It's worth flagging that in any of the modes that include steaming (and a few of the others, too) the Combi emits a lot of steam from a vent on the right of the machine - far more than I get with my regular air fryer. You will want to make sure it's positioned somewhere well-ventilated, or near an extractor fan. Ninja is clearly aware of this because it's addressed in the troubleshooting section of the guide booklet, where it makes it clear it's normal and expected.

(Image credit: Future)

The steam that doesn't escape condenses on the inside of the viewing window. Ninja has added a little channel where water can collect, so your worktop doesn't end up soaked. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to empty it. After every few uses, I'd have to dip a dry cloth in, let it soak up some liquid, carefully wring it out, then repeat until dry. Not ideal.

This channel quickly fills up with condensed water, and there's no way to easily empty it (Image credit: Future) Combi cooking modes

One of the USPs here is the ability to 'combi' cook. There are three dedicated Combi modes, and it's not immediately clear what the difference is between them. These are the 'best for' suggestions for each, as per Ninja's accompanying recipe booklet:

• Combi Meals: cooking proteins, grains / pasta and vegetables at the same time
• Combi Crisp: whole roasts, fresh/frozen proteins, vegetables, crusty breads
• Combi Bake: homemade batters, boxed mixes, soft-baked breads, delicate baked goods

I think the Meals option is when you're cooking different elements at the same time, the Crisp is for things you want to turn out crispy, and the Bake is for when you want things to turn out soft.

I started by testing the Combi Meals mode. Broadly, the process is: your carb (rice or pasta) goes in the Combi Pan with water, your protein goes on the Bake Tray, which slots in above. In the final 6-7 minutes of cooking, you can add any veggies you want to steam into the Combi Pan alongside the carb.

In the recipe booklet, there are suggestions like salmon with brown rice and steamed broccoli, or tomato pasta with meatballs. I decided to make brown rice, veggie meatballs, steamed courgette and leek, and roasted tomatoes.

Your rice or pasta goes in the bottom tray with water, while your protein goes on the top tray (Image credit: Future)

I was at a bit of a loss as to how long to cook it for or at what temperature. There is a guide in the recipe booklet, but I needed to adjust both the quantities and rice type (they specify 'easy cook'; I only had regular). The booklet suggests setting the cooking time based on the protein, that clearly wasn't going to work here.

In the end, the balls and tomatoes ended up cooking way quicker than the rice, and I had to take that tray out and extend the rice cooking time. I also had to add more water as the rice had dried out.

Vegetables to be steamed are added later in the cooking process (Image credit: Future)

All of this to say, figuring out combination meal timings is tricky, and I suspect will take some trial and error. It's more straightforward with something like the Ninja Double Stack air fryer, where you can set different temperatures and durations for each drawer, and leave the appliance to figure out when to switch each one on so they're done at the same time. But that's a regular air fryer, so you'd be sacrificing the steaming possibilities.

Timing mishaps aside, I was pretty impressed with the results of the Combi Meals setting. The veggie balls ended up evenly browned and crispy on the outside, and the tomatoes roasted up nicely. The rice and veggies were tender and slightly crispy on top. I guess if you want to avoid any crispiness, you want to just use the steam mode.

Other functions

During my review period, I also tested out the Combi's other functions, and I didn't have any issues with any of them. I used the bake function for a range of heating-up tasks, and it performed reliably well. I'd like to give a special shout-out to the dedicated Air Fry mode, too. With other multi-cookers I've tested, this function has been a let-down (leading me to suspect that 'air fry' has just been added to the list because it's a buzz-word in cooking right now, rather than it being something the appliance has been designed for). That was not the case with the Combi.

(Image credit: Future)

It took my veggie sausages from frozen to cooked at least as quickly as my dedicated air fryer – despite the fact that the cooking cavity here is larger. They were hot through and browned evenly on the outside. I'd have no qualms recommending this model to someone for whom air frying was a particular priority.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker? Buy it if...

You regularly make meat + veg + carb meals
The Combi function is designed for you to be able to check off these three elements all in one appliance, rather than having to crack out, say, a hob, grill, and steamer.

You want to be able to steam food
The point of difference here compared to an air fryer or big oven is that there's a dedicated steam function, which is great for vegetables.

You've had your eye on an air fryer but are short on space
The Combi's air fryer mode is excellent, so if you've been lusting after one of those but don't have the space to justify a single-function appliance, it could be a great choice. The wide range of functions, including proof/prove, grill/broil, steam, and slow cook let you explore different cooking styles, without compromising on the essentials.

Don't buy it if...

Your kitchen lacks ventilation
In any of the Combi cooking modes, the Combi emits quite a lot of steam. It really needs to go near a window, or at least an extractor fan.

You want minimal effort
Cooking different food types at once does require a bit of figuring out. A dual-basket air fryer, which lets you cook foods at different temperatures and will sync up the timings for you, is less fiddly.

Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review: also consider

Not sure if the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker is right for you? Here are a couple of alternatives to consider.

Samsung Combi Smart Microwave oven
This multi-cooker adds microwave functionality to the list, and boasts a sleek, minimalist look. There's smart control via a companion app, and the option to instruct it via voice assistant too. However, it's nowhere near as efficient at air frying as the Ninja Combi, and while the capacity is technically larger, you don't have shelves to maximize use of the space. It's also UK-only.

Read our full Samsung Combi Smart Microwave Oven review

Ninja Double Stack
It's a dedicated air fryer so you won't get the wide range of cooking style options, but the Double Stack is arguably better suited to cooking two things at once. You can set individual temperatures and cooking durations for each drawer, and use the sync function so the machine will work out timings so both are ready simultaneously.

Read our full Ninja Double Stack reviewView Deal

How I tested the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker

• I used it regularly for around a week
• I tried out the various different cooking mode options
• I compared the results to my dedicated air fryer and oven

I used the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker regularly for a week before writing up this review, testing it on everything from bread, to ready-made pie, to veggie sausages. I assessed the results in terms of texture, evenness of cooking, and browning (if relevant). I also compared the results and timings to what I'd expect using my usual method of cooking, be that a dedicated air fryer, oven, or stovetop.

To test the 'Combi' functions, I used the Combi to cook variations of the kinds of meals suggested in the companion booklet – i.e. those that feature a rice/pasta, vegetable, and protein component. I judged how well it cooked each of those individual elements, and if the steam function made a difference to the texture of the results.

I also considered how straightforward and intuitive the controls were, if there were any features I felt were confusing or missing, as well as maintenance aspects such as how easy it was to clean.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2024

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Samsung has a new smart ring patent that could solve a major issue with the tech when it launches its next Galaxy Ring: sizing. Its recently revealed design shows a ring that can grow or shrink to better fit the wearer’s finger, and we're excited.

The best smart rings are pretty darn neat, but one significant inconvenience compared to the best smart watches is finding a ring that’s the right size. Smartwatches are adjustable and can fit virtually any size wrist, but unless you’ve worn a brand’s rings before, you usually have to get a sizing kit, test out sizes for a day or two, then finally order your wearable. This is assuming the smart ring maker even accommodates your ring size.

Even when you have the ring in your size, that’s not the end of it. If you swap brands you’ll need to do another sizing test. What’s more, ring sizes change over time. A traditional ring can be resized by a jeweller, but the same isn’t true for smart rings. This fixed shape also means you can’t easily pass the ring on when you’re looking to upgrade like you might with an old phone or laptop.

That’s where a recently published Samsung patent from the South Korean KIPRIS database comes in (via Galaxy Club). Samsung’s patent would solve this problem with an adjustable inner band. While the outer band remains the same diameter, the inner ring would be able to expand or contract to create a more loose or snug fit.

Not an instant fix

It doesn't appear this design will be able to drastically alter the size of a smart ring thanks to that rigid outer band, but it could still be super helpful. People caught between sizes could adjust the fit so it suits them better, and this design could ensure that even as your ring size fluctuates throughout the day your wearable always fits you correctly.

As with all patents, there’s no guarantee that we’ll ever see this adjustable ring as an actual product, but given how useful this feature would be we wouldn’t be surprised if a future Galaxy Ring – or a ring from its rivals – incorporated something like this into its design.

Hopefully this means the Galaxy Ring 2 will be adjustable, but we’ll have to wait and see what’s announced when the next-gen smart ring is unveiled – assuming it will ever launch.

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• The new iOS 18.2 developer beta gives us a glimpse of future features
• You'll soon be able to choose new default apps thanks to a new menu
• Other tricks include being able to delete stock Apple apps

Apple has just launched the iOS 18.2 developer beta, and with it come all sorts of useful new features for early adopters. The expanding launch of Apple Intelligence is grabbing all the headlines, but there are plenty of lesser-known additions to iOS 18.2 that are just as interesting.

One of our favorites is the way iOS 18.2 lets you set your own default apps for various categories (see below). Previously, you were locked into Apple’s choices when it came to your default apps for messaging, emailing, calling and more.

Now, though, that has all changed, and Apple lets you pick new default apps in the following areas: web browsing, calling and call filtering, emailing, messaging, passwords and codes, and keyboards. While some of these were previously available, you’ve not been able to change your default messaging and calling apps before.

You can manage these choices in a new Default Apps section in the Settings app. That makes it a lot easier to change your default apps with a few quick taps. Although Apple previously said that this section would be arriving for users in the European Union (EU), it’s actually available to people anywhere in the world. It’s thought that Apple will soon add the ability to change your default contactless payments app, as well as other settings.

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

Speaking of apps, iOS 18.2 also lets you delete a bunch of Apple’s own apps from your iPhone, including the App Store, Safari, Messages, Camera and Photos apps, provided you’re based in the EU. If you’re in the US, you can hide these apps instead.

The only apps that EU users cannot delete are the Settings and Phone apps – any of Apple’s other apps can be re-downloaded from the App Installation section in the Settings app.

Apple Intelligence tweaks and changes

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

There are a few other interesting new features in iOS 18.2 that have flown under the radar. Apple has integrated ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence and Siri, and in iOS 18.2 you can disable the prompts where Siri asks for permission to send your data to ChatGPT.

You can also direct all your Siri queries to ChatGPT by saying “Ask ChatGPT” at the start of your request, and also ask Siri to get ChatGPT to create an image for you (this bypasses Siri’s own Image Playground, which is part of Apple Intelligence).

While we’re on the topic of Apple Intelligence, iOS 18.2 has an intriguing twist on Apple’s Genmoji feature, which lets you create your own artificial intelligence emoji. While you need an iPhone that is compatible with Apple Intelligence in order to create Genmoji, any device – regardless of compatibility – can receive them. But what’s more interesting is that non-compatible phones can save received Genmoji to their emoji library and use them in their own messages. It’s a nice little touch for devices that can’t create their own Genmoji.

Note that in order to get the iOS 18.2 beta, you need to have an iPhone that can run Apple Intelligence – in other words, an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any device from the iPhone 16 range.

If you want to try these features out, you’ll need to download the iOS 18.2 developer beta – with all the usual caveats that the versions aren't anywhere close to final, which means you can expect bugs, slowdowns and other issues. We’ve got all the info you need in our guide to downloading iOS 18.

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Bad news if you're living in or visiting Turkey soon. All the major social media platforms, including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok, have been restricted since yesterday (October 23). The block comes following a deadly attack on the headquarters of Turkey’s aerospace and defense company near the capital Ankara.

While you can generally bypass this type of restrictions fairly easily by using one of the best VPN apps, it may be more challenging this time as the government has previously blocked access to some of the most popular services.

Internet watchdog NetBlocks first reported the block (see tweet below) shortly after the attack occurred. Another local source confirmed to TechRadar restrictions were enforced at 5 pm local time and they are still in place at the time of writing. At the same time, internet speed connections also appear to be throttled.

⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show social media platforms including X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok have been restricted in #Turkey; the incident comes as authorities impose a broadcast ban over today's deadly attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries' headquarters in Ankara pic.twitter.com/6ChqiZxpRuOctober 23, 2024

"About two hours after the attack, the Turkish government once again did something that we, internet users, find hard to comprehend: it restricted access to social media platforms," Ali Safa Korkut, a Turkish journalist and Project Coordinator at Free Web Turkey, told me.

It isn't the first time that Turkey has pulled the plug on online resources during a time of crisis. In February last year, authorities blocked Twitter in the devastating aftermath of the earthquake that shook both Turkey and Syria. All major social media platforms were also restricted following the Istanbul blast in November 2022.

According to Korkut, such government censorship during natural disasters and alleged terrorist attacks is unacceptable.

"The throttling of all social media platforms and the government’s directive to mobile operators to slow down the internet is a serious violation of rights," he told me, adding that tests carried out with the Speedtest website show that internet connection speeds have also been limited.

Can a VPN help?

A VPN, short for virtual private network, is a security software that both encrypts your internet connections and spoofs your real IP address location. The latter skill is exactly why people generally turn to these services to bypass social media blocks like the one currently enforced in Turkey.

However, authorities have reportedly also been busy disrupting access to VPNs in Turkey. As of December 2023, Korkut explained, the Turkish government has blocked access to approximately 30 VPN services. Among these are some of TechRadar's top-rated apps, including NordVPN, Surfshark, and ProtonVPN.

"Therefore, as users living in Turkey, we are struggling more than ever to access the internet during restriction periods since December 2023. We have seen this happening again since yesterday," Korkut told me, adding that social media users dropped by 75% so far.

"Since very few people in Turkey know how to change DNS settings or use the Tor Browser, the internet in Turkey is currently at one of its lowest activity levels," he added.

Türkiye'den erişime engelli VPN servislerinin listesi: https://t.co/ttaery0W4m pic.twitter.com/OQHpGoHa5tAugust 4, 2024

Having said that, despite the alleged Turkey VPN ban, some providers confirmed a spike in sign-ups from the country back in August when authorities temporarily blocked Instagram, giving hope you may still be able to access some services using a VPN.

Whenever possible, I suggest signing up and downloading a reliable VPN service before entering the country to limit issues as much as possible. I also recommend downloading as many VPN apps as possible. This enables you to hop from one service to another in case of blocks. I recommend looking at our dedicated guide on the best free VPN services on the market to give yourself the most VPN options without paying for them all.

VPNs aren't the only solution, either, so also try out some alternatives. As Korkut suggests, the Tor Browser is another good option (and very easy to use) as it reroutes your internet traffic through at least three encryption layers while spoofing your IP location. Likewise, FreeBrowser is a similar tool you can use on Android devices to grant access to geo-restricted content.

Fortinet has confirmed a critical-severity vulnerability in one of its products, and urged customers to apply the released fix immediately.

In a security advisory, the cybersecurity company said it uncovered a bug in FortiManager that would allow threat actors to remotely execute arbitrary code, or commands, via specially crafted requests.

The bug resides in FortiManager’s fgfmd daemon, it was added.

Critical vulnerability

The vulnerable versions are:

Fortinet 6.2.0 - 6.2.12, 6.4.0-6.4.14, 7.0.0 - 7.0.12, 7.2.0 -7.2.7, 7.4.0 - 7.44, and 7.6.0.

Furthermore, a few versions of FortiManager Cloud were also said to be vulnerable: All 6.4 versions, 7.0.1 - 7.0.12, 7.2.1 - 7.2.7, and 7.4.1 - 7.4.4.

FortiManager Cloud 7.6 is not affected.

The bug is deemed critical, with a severity score of 9.8. It is tracked as CVE-2024-47575, and a fix is already available. Fortinet also said there were three possible workarounds, depending on the versions of the software in use.

Therefore, for FortiManager versions 7.0.12 or above, 7.2.5 or above, 7.4.3 or above (but not 7.6.0), users could prevent unknown devices from attempting to register “config system global”, “(global)# set fgfm-deny-unknown enable,” or “(global)# end”.

Users of FortiManager versions 7.2.0 and above, a workaround includes adding local-in policies to whitelist the IP addresses of FortiGates that are allowed to connect, while for 7.2.2 and above, 7.4.0 and above, 7.6.0 and above, it is possible to use a custom certificate which will mitigate the issue.

The company claims the bug is already being exploited in the wild, and urges its customers to protect their premises.

“The identified actions of this attack in the wild have been to automate via a script the exfiltration of various files from the FortiManager which contained the IPs, credentials and configurations of the managed devices,” the advisory reads.

“At this stage, we have not received reports of any low-level system installations of malware or backdoors on these compromised FortiManager systems. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no indicators of modified databases, or connections and modifications to the managed devices.”

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IT service provider Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has inked an expanded deal with Nvidia to accelerate the adoption of AI technology in multiple industries.

Nvidia has worked with TCS for half a decade on AI projects, but the new deal goes further, with significant investments in Nvidia's infrastructure. The new business unit will supply AI systems within the context of the company's needs and the state of the industries where they are deployed. TCS combines its own proprietary AI framework and domain knowledge with Nvidia's AI technology, including the AI Foundry, AI Enterprise, and NIM Agent Blueprints.

As part of the new arrangement, TCS will use Nvidia's AI tools to customize solutions to meet the challenges in a range of industries. For instance, TCS Manufacturing AI for Industrials uses AI to analyze enormous amounts of data and come up with actionable insights that respect the complexities of the manufacturing industry, and the TCS AI Spectrum for BFSI hosts AI solutions for the financial sector aimed at improving decision-making, regulatory compliance, and risk management for banks and financial institutions.

The TCS Cognitive Visual Receiving Solution for Retailers uses AI for automating product identification, quality checks, and attribute extraction in warehouse operations, while telecommunications companies can use the TCS AI-Native Telco Offerings to create AI-driven models to deal with network anomaly management, billing, and customer experience. Meanwhile, the Autonomous Vehicle Platform combines Nvidia's generative AI and TCS data to speed up the development of autonomous vehicle features.

Custom AI is key

“Curated AI journeys are derived at the intersection of deep-domain and deep-tech. This is a space that TCS has excelled at during every business transformation cycle. Our unique vantage point, at the intersection of business and technology, helps us identify the right opportunities for our customers," said TCS AI.Cloud Unit head Siva Ganesan. "With the Nvidia AI platform providing a robust backbone, our unparalleled scale and proven track record in delivering value, our customers now have a means to faster value realization.”

This expanded partnership highlights the importance of context-specific AI solutions in getting enterprises to adopt AI. Customized solutions are likely to be much more appealing to companies. Nvida's AI stack and accelerated computing infrastructure provide the technical foundation for industry-specific solutions while TCS’ deep industry expertise and knowledge ensures they're effective and do what the companies need.

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Fewer than one in four (23%) UK workers are using AI tools in their everyday roles, according to a study by Jabra, with more (25%) using the tech in their own personal lives.

The low uptake clashes with the apparent general acceptance among managers for AI – seven in 10 UK decision-makers expressed confidence in AI’s potential to boost productivity and efficiency among workers.

Despite this optimism, many leaders are lacking a clear roadmap of how to integrate AI effectively across their business, preventing employees from accessing the right tools.

Businesses need a clearer AI roadmap

Furthermore, 83% of UK business leaders admitted that they’re not actually sure how AI can improve operational efficiency, even though they acknowledge that it could.

“We see many UK organisations eager to jump on the AI wave, but some are still dancing in the dark when it comes to effective implementation and meaningful use," noted Jabra Head of Brand Communications Paul Sephton.

It’s not just the lack of guidance that could be affecting workers’ sentiment towards, and slow uptake of, artificial intelligence. More than one-third (37%) fear that AI could replace either jobs, with 85% stating that they would not trust AI for tasks requiring creativity and innovation.

Generational differences are also apparent – nearly twice as many Millennials and Gen Z workers use AI daily compared with their Baby Boomer counterparts. More millennials (47%) expressed optimism about its potential than Gen Z (37%).

Despite the challenges, more than half (53%) of UK businesses plan to increase their AI budgets, placing the UK among the top countries with the highest intent to invest in AI, trailing behind India and Japan.

Calling for meaningful implementation, Sephton added: “To avoid what we call “AI-washing” - simply jumping on the AI bandwagon - organisations must carefully evaluate the productivity gains that AI can offer and actively involve their employees in this journey.”

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If you needed more rumor spillage around AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D, well, dig in, because now we have a full high-res product shot of the box for the chip.

The leaked pic comes from VideoCardz, which regularly picks up GPU and CPU-related rumors, and the photo of the packaging clearly shows it’s a Ryzen 7 CPU.

As a quick refresher, the rumors around AMD’s next-gen 3D V-Cache processors have insisted for a long time now that we’ll only get the Ryzen 7 9800X3D to kick off, even though Team Red has another pair of Ryzen 9 CPUs as part of this first clutch of Zen 5 X3D releases.

They are the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and while typically you might expect the latter flagship to come out first, this time around, AMD is apparently pushing out the mainstream Ryzen 7 workhorse as the initial launch. (It was the other way around with Ryzen 7000X3D, with the Ryzen 9 processors arriving first, followed by the top-notch Ryzen 7800X3D later).

According to VideoCardz, the only packaging shot AMD is circulating is this pic for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, so the conclusion (add salt, naturally) is that this really is the only CPU due to be launched early in November by Team Red.

AMD recently confirmed that next-gen Ryzen X3D is arriving on November 7, so we can theoretically expect the Ryzen 9800X3D to go on sale then – in just two weeks’ time. We may see a reveal of the processor as soon as tomorrow, October 25, if other rumors are right.

(Image credit: VideoCardz / AMD) Analysis: Boxing clever against Intel

It’s still possible that AMD could have a triple X3D launch up its sleeve, perhaps – or maybe something entirely different, even – but the odds seem to have very much settled on the initial offering being the Ryzen 9800X3D. Indeed, this isn’t the first time the Ryzen 7 box has been leaked, but this time we’ve got a very clear shot of it – complete with the assertion that there aren’t any Ryzen 9 box photos floating around.

AMD’s timing is notable if it is indeed set to reveal the Ryzen 9800X3D tomorrow, as is the word from the grapevine, mainly because Intel’s Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake desktop) processors go on sale later today.

Team Red looks to be doing a traditional bit of extracting the wind from its rival’s sails, and from that perspective, it also makes sense that the Ryzen 9800X3D should be first off the 3D V-Cache diving board. This is the CPU that most PC gamers are interested in, and the one that’ll make the biggest splash, and indeed dent in Intel’s hopes. The Ryzen 9800X3D is an excellent candidate to become the new best CPU for gaming – a title currently held by the 7800X3D, we should note – certainly based on some of the spec and performance leaks we’ve seen so far, anyway.

Not all of those leaks are positive, admittedly, but VideoCardz also highlights a post on X from leaker Hoang Anh Phu which claims that AMD is calling 9000X3D the ‘2nd-generation’ of 3D V-Cache. To clarify, it’s actually the third series of X3D chips, but this suggests the architectural changes are enough to qualify as a whole new generation compared to 7000X3D – and that we can anticipate major reworkings and presumably impressive gains as a result.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has confirmed a design flaw in its top-end Blackwell AI chips which had affected production was an entirely internal problem, which has now been fixed.

"We had a design flaw in Blackwell," Huang said at an event in Copenhagen, Reuters reported. "It was functional, but the design flaw caused the yield to be low. It was 100% Nvidia's fault."

First identified in August 2024, the delay to Blackwell B100/B200 processors had raised eyebrows around the world, but Huang reassured that it was Nvidia's own doing that caused the issue.

Blackwell delays

Blackwell chips have been in high demand since Nvidia unveiled the platform earlier in 2024, with Huang describing it as, "the world's most powerful chip," offering previously unheard-of levels of AI computing power.

Set to begin shipping in the latter part of 2024, Blackwell binds together two GPU dies, which are connected by 10 TB/second chip-to-chip link into a single, unified GPU. This uses using TSMC's CoWoS-L packaging technology, which relies on an RDL interposer equipped with local silicon interconnect (LSI) bridges that need to be located specifically to allow fast data transfer - the misalignment of which resulted in the issue.

Initial media reports had claimed the issue had caused friction with manufacturing partner TSMC, but Huang dismissed the claims as "fake news".

"In order to make a Blackwell computer work, seven different types of chips were designed from scratch and had to be ramped into production at the same time," he said.

"What TSMC did, was to help us recover from that yield difficulty and resume the manufacturing of Blackwell at an incredible pace."

Blackwell is set to be up to 30x faster than its Grace Hopper predecessor when it comes to AI inference tasks, whilst also reducing cost and energy consumption by up to 25x.

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Apple could have a busy start to 2025, as reportedly three major new products will land next spring (meaning sometime between late March and late June).

This is according to the usually reliable Mark Gurman, who claimed in an article on Bloomberg (via 9to5Mac) that the iPhone SE 4, iPad 11, and new iPad Air models will all launch during that period, as will upgraded iPad keyboards.

Now, most of that doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as Gurman has previously said that we’d see the iPhone SE 4 and new iPad Air models in the first half of 2025, but now he’s narrowed it down to the spring – so in other words you shouldn’t expect them before March.

Arguably the more interesting claim though is that the iPad 11 will also launch in that window, since this is a new claim from Gurman. Previously, it was very unclear when we might see this new entry-level iPad, so while we’d take this claim with a pinch of salt, it at least provides a possible window.

The iPad 10.9 (2022) (Image credit: Future) Bringing AI to the whole iPad family

It would certainly make sense for Apple to launch the iPad 11 before too long, since the current model – the iPad 10.9 (2022) – doesn’t support Apple Intelligence. Assuming the new one does, that will mean the latest models of all Apple’s tablets are ready for AI.

We expect similar support from the iPhone SE 4, but the iPad Air (2024) already supports AI, so that won’t be an addition to the next iPad Air model. Still, it will likely be more powerful and therefore even better at handling AI tasks than the current iPad Air.

AI aside, Gurman mentions multiple models of the upcoming entry-level iPad, apparently codenamed ‘J481’ and ‘J482’. He doesn’t say how these models differ, but it could be that the slate will be offered in two different screen sizes, just like the Air and Pro models are. If these leaks are right, then we’ll find out in somewhere between five and eight months.

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Garmin's Forerunner range, which includes some of the best running watches on the market, is getting new software features to improve swim workout tracking and a new Meditation activity.

It's the latest public beta update for several Garmin Forerunner models, specifically the Forerunner 965, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 165, Forerunner 955, and the Forerunner 255.

Garmin says Public Beta Version 21.14 features a slew of fixes for bugs, updated mobile translations, and a new Moon Phase glance. However, the swimming and meditation updates are the headlines.

Garmin says the new update brings "Improvements to support pool swim workout with pace alerts and critical swim speed" and "Improvements to the pool swim rest screen and alert tones." While the Forerunner range is primarily distinguished as running watches, this update should bring much better functionality for swimming workouts.

Garmin also says it has added a new Meditation activity and Meditation Videos. This should give users more focused tracking during meditation, and even guidance for people who need some pointers.

How to download the Garmin Forerunner beta

(Image credit: Garmin)

Garmin's public beta software program gives users access to software features that aren't in the public domain yet. It works across all of the best Garmin Watches, and enrolling is pretty simple. To join the beta program, simply sign into Garmin Connect from a computer, select the devices icon in the upper right, select the device you'd like to enroll, and click 'Join Beta Software Program'. Agree to the terms and you're all set.

If you're already enrolled, you can download the latest 21.14 release by going to Main Menu > Settings > System > Software Update > Check For Updates, if your device hasn't updated automatically.

Even if you aren't interested in the new swimming or meditation features, there are a host of tweaks and fixes to Navigation and heart-rate measuring that you'll probably benefit from. Here are the full release notes:

• Improvements to support pool swim workout with pace alerts and critical swim speed.
• Improvements to the pool swim rest screen and alert tones.
• Adds the Meditation activity.
• Adds the Moon Phase glance.
• Lactate Threshold estimates are applied automatically after training with heart rate.
• Function Threshold Power estimates are applied automatically after training with power.
• Fixed an issue where some types of daily suggested workouts do not show estimated training effect.
• Fixed an issue where when the timer is set to silent mode, it still makes a sound.
• Fixed an issue where Android smart notification images sometimes fail to load.
• Fixed an issue where heart rate randomly spikes after activity is saved.
• Fixed an issue where Navigation using map only adds turn icon for some sports profiles.
• Updated Mobile Translations.
• Added Meditation Videos.

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