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How President Trump wants to use disaster relief funds as political leverage. And, why he says DEI programs are illegal and wants to end investigations into military extremism.

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Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: one-minute review

British manufacturer Russell Hobbs is a trusted name in the European home and kitchen gadgets market, providing high-quality appliances that don't break the bank. As such, our expectations for the brand's new Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre were high - and it didn't disappoint. The Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer is perfect for small to medium-sized households who want a solid, no-nonsense air fryer and aren't fussed about extra bells and whistles.

This air fryer offers two separate baskets that can be programmed to different temperatures and times. There are also handy match and sync functionalities to allow you to program each to the same settings (if you need to cook more of one food across two baskets, for example) or, if you're cooking separate foods for the same meal, finish cooking simultaneously. I'd have loved to see smart functionality included to make this process even easier, though. In addition, nine presets are available so you can quickly cook pizza, chips, and even steak. I found these presets to provide mostly accurate results, though, like most air fryers, some experimentation is required for optimal results. Overall, I only had a few minor hiccups with testing - with the usual air fryer suspects (baking and dehydrating).

You can match or sync cooking times for the two baskets (Image credit: Future)

Aesthetically, the Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre looks beautiful, with its modern matte black and champagne design allowing it to blend into a contemporary kitchen's decor without sticking out like a sore thumb. This design is important because this air fryer takes up a lot of counter space, so the least it can do is be pretty doing it.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre is a great air fryer with consistent results, but don't expect as much hand-holding as you get from some competitors. There's no recipe book included, only a user manual that tells you how to use its functions (which you definitely need to read), a breakdown of its preset functions, and a rough guide to the temperatures and time for other common air fryer items. While this guide is useful and includes some notes on preparing roast potatoes, for example, it doesn't give weights, so you may need to experiment with how much food product you should put in the baskets for optimal results.

The manual provides instructions for cooking roast potatoes, but no weights, so you may have to experiment. Our potatoes turned out perfectly (Image credit: Future)

In addition, while nine liters seems like a lot, I found it was enough capacity for our household of two, but larger families may struggle to cook more than one meal component at a time. I'd have loved to see the dual basket become one large basket with a removable divider, as seen in the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry 10L Air Fryer.

Overall, the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket is a brilliant kitchen gadget that ranks up there with the best air fryers, especially for those with experience using these handy appliances. While this is a more premium air fryer with a price tag to match, it performs better than some competitors we've tested at higher price points. It's worth the investment if you're after a reliable air fryer with quality-of-life functions, but may be less suitable for large families or those after extras, like smart functionality.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: price and availability

• Price: £199.99 (roughly $250 / AU$400)
• Available in UK only from Russell Hobbs directly and select third-party retailers
• Regular discounts and sales

While some of the best air fryers on the market, like the Ninja Double Oven and Dreo ChefMaker, can cost you over $250 /£250, the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre comes in at the lower end of premium pricing. At £199.99 (roughly $250 / AU$400), it's still a pretty pricey investment but is well worth the money if you want a reliable air fryer you plan to use regularly. Plus, there are regular sales, with the Russell Hobbs store dropping the price to just £99.99 in its January 2025 sale - an absolute steal for this level of quality.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the Satisfry Dual Basket isn't available in the US or Australia.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: specifications Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: design

• Modern black and champagne colorways
• Takes up a lot of space
• Easy to clean
• Clear touchscreen display, but can be hard to navigate

The Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket has one of the sleekest air fryer designs around. It's matte black with stylish champagne accents, so it should complement a contemporary kitchen well. This is a hefty air fryer, though. It may not be as large as some on the market, but it easily takes up a whole counter space and weighs in at 7.8kg. So, if you have a smaller kitchen or less countertop room, you may struggle to find it a home.

This size isn't surprising given this is a nine-liter air fryer with two deep separate baskets. While this seems like a lot, the baskets have more depth than width and length, so while they can hold bigger items, you can't fit a huge amount in each basket. For example, I got about 321g of frozen steak fries into one basket (with some overlap) while still allowing for the required space the air fryer needs to function, and a small pizza just about fitted in the other. This was fine for our two-person household, but for bigger households, you would likely need both baskets - preventing you from cooking another item for your meal simultaneously. I wish Russell Hobbs had designed this so that you could connect the two baskets to create one large basket, as we've seen from some competitors.

Image 1 of 2

There's just about enough room for a small pizza in one basket, and steak fries for two people in the other (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The Pizza setting delivered slightly overdone results (Image credit: Future)

The baskets are easily washed, requiring a simple wipe-down before hand washing both it and the crisping plates. Whether you can actually put parts in the dishwasher is a tad confusing, though. The user manual says you can wash the baskets and crisping plates in the dishwasher, but Russell Hobbs advises against it. This is likely due to the black, non-stick coating of these elements, and it's also recommended you use plastic tongs to remove your food.

While the sound levels of some kitchen gadgets can be imposing, the Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Liter isn't one of those. Sure, it's loud enough that you can certainly hear it, clocking around an average of 63 to 64 decibels during my testing, but not loud enough that you have to shout over it. Likewise, when in use, the front is room temperature to the touch, with the heat coming out of a vent at the back and hitting a max temperature (while cooking steak and fries together) of 75C / 167F. This means it should be safe to function in your kitchen if you've got little ones about - just don't let them touch the inside!

The Satisfry has a bright LED display and touch controls that let you program each basket separately, but make sure you read the instruction manual carefully first (Image credit: Future)

Here's where I struggled a bit with the Satisfry Dual Basket: the touchscreen interface. The appliance has a touchscreen digital display that lets you program each basket, assigning your preferred presets, functions, temperature, and time. On the surface, it looks pretty straightforward to use - but you need to read the instructions because it can be a bit complicated to get to grips with, especially when you're programming baskets separately.

That's fine, and with time, I got used to it, but issues arose when I tried to cancel a basket while the other was on. While you can adjust the temperature, time, and settings of one basket while the other is on, there doesn't appear to be a cancel button if you decide to pull out one basket early. I still haven't worked out how to do it without stopping the other basket cooking - and the manual doesn't cover it.

This is an air fryer that's not going to hold your hand. It has plenty of handy quality-of-life features to make cooking efficient, but if you've not had an air fryer before, you may struggle to work out some aspects. While some air fryers come with a hefty user manual and recipe book, this one includes a fairly short manual.

The Satisfry can cook foods like steak well, but the instruction manual doesn't hold your hand - cooking experience is invaluable. Our cooked steaks tasted great (Image credit: Future)

It does a great job explaining how to use the gadget's main functions but doesn't cover cancelling. Likewise, it lists the preset functions' settings and gives a rough guideline for cooking common foods but doesn't give a recommended weight or size. This was particularly confusing when it came to pizza. There's a pizza preset with a slice of pizza icon, which left me confused about whether it's meant to cook just one slice of pizza or what size pizza this preset was designed for. The air fryer just about fits a small pizza in one basket. If you're expecting to put anything bigger in it. as I was. you're out of luck.

• Design score: 4/5

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: performance

• Presets are pretty accurate
• Useful Sync and Match functions
• Quality-of-life features, like Shake
• No smart functionality

While the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer 9 Litre's interface can be a bit confusing to get to grips with, its performance and features are impressive.

This air fryer comes with nine presets: Steak, Fries, Chicken, Fish, Pizza, Dehydrate, Bake, Vegetables, and Reheat. I admit I was skeptical about air-frying steak so it was the first thing I tested. I popped two sirloins into a basket with a bit of oil and seasoning, selected the Steak preset, and in 12 minutes, I had two medium steaks. Now, they were a bit overdone for my liking, didn't have the sort of sear you get from a pan, and the fat hadn't really rendered, but they tasted great. If I were to repeat this in the future, I'd have preheated the air fryer manually (there's no preheat function) and taken the steaks out a few minutes earlier.

Fries turned out crisp and golden on the outside, and fluffy within (Image credit: Future)

Alongside my steaks, I added about four potatoes worth of fresh fries to the other basket and set the second basket to the Fries preset and to Sync mode. This meant the fries were ready at the same time as my steaks and cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. If you want to cook the two baskets at the same temperature and time or preset, you simply press Match instead of Sync.

Other presets performed well, too, but some food items worked better than others. The Chicken preset resulted in crispy chicken wings that were juicy inside, the Vegetables setting gave me delicious carrots - but charred broccoli - and the Pizza setting gave me a slightly overdone (but not burnt) lunch.

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Chicken wings cooked using the Satisfry air fryer turned out juicy and delicious... (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

...but vegetables were a little overdone (Image credit: Future)

The Dehydration setting, as with many air fryers, didn't dry out my oranges quite how I'd like, so it took another 120 minutes for the best results. The Bake setting, however, I was fairly impressed with - though an oven definitely gives better results.

Air fryers are renowned for being bad at baking, particularly cakes. When I cooked some cupcake-sized muffins on the Bake preset, they came out a bit browner on top but cooked, whereas another batch (which I set to the recipe instructions rather than the preset) was raw on the bottom. The silicon cupcake tray only just fit in a basket, though, so what you can bake may be somewhat restricted.

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Muffins turned out well when cooked using the air fryer's Bake preset (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

Don't be tempted to use the recipe instructions rather than the Bake setting (Image credit: Future)

After the muffin success, I gave an air fryer Lemon Drizzle cake/loaf a try. A metal loaf tin didn't fit, but my silicon one did - again just. This time, I combined the Bake preset with the recipe, cooking the cake low and slow for an hour and 30 minutes, adding aluminum foil to the top of it after the first 30 minutes to prevent it from burning. The cake worked, but again, it was quite dry, so I wouldn't advise prioritizing baking with this air fryer (or any, in fact).

What I particularly liked about this air fryer was its extra, quality-of-life functions and features. The Delay function allows you to delay the start of cooking by a set amount of time, so I could easily put some food in the air fryer for lunch an hour later, set the delay time for 60 minutes and the preset I needed, and return to my cooked food after the delay and cooking time had passed.

(Image credit: Future)

There's also a shake reminder for some presets, which means the air fryer beeps to remind you to turn or shake your food - allowing for more even cooking. While this and the end time beep aren't as loud as I'd like, it's very useful when you're busy with other things, as is the auto shut off feature. It feels like Russell Hobbs is missing a trick by not adding smart functionality so you could program the air fryer from your phone, but this may not be a dealbreaker for you.

• Performance: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer? Buy it if

You want a high quality air fryer with good performance

The Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer is a high-quality appliance that does its job with little fuss. If you need an air fryer that offers consistent results and covers the common food types well, you can't go wrong with this gadget.

You want a premium air fryer that's not over £200

Premium air fryers can cost upwards of £250 and that pricing isn't always indicative of quality. While £199.99 is still expensive, you're getting premium quality for that price tag and a one-year guarantee, while regular sales and discounts mean you can pick it up for even less.

You want to cook two meal components at once

Whether you want to use Match or Sync, this air fryer can help you make mealtimes easier by setting each basket to its own temperature and time, or preset.

You want a stylish air fryer

This is one of my favorite air fryer designs, as it's simply yet elegant. If aesthetics are important to you, and you're a fan of contemporary decor, this is one of the prettiest air fryers around.

Don't buy it if

You've got a large family

I have a household of two, and this air fryer felt like the right size for us to make larger meals. If you have a large family and want to make a full meal in an air fryer, this may not be for you, but if you want to use an air fryer to do parts of your meals, it's the perfect companion to your oven or stove.

You've got little counter space

Like many dual air fryers, this is a chunky appliance. I have a smaller kitchen and it was quite imposing as it took up a full counter space. If you've a smaller kitchen or less counter space, you may struggle to find a home for it.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer: also consider

Not sure if the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer is right for you? Here are two more options to consider.

Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone

If you live outside the UK where the Satisfry isn't available, this is two-drawer air fryer is a great alternative. It looks smart, and produces consistently good results (though we'd appreciate a reminder to shake to food for even cooking).

Read our full Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone review

Ninja Double Stack

If you don't have space for a full-width two-drawer air fryer, the Double Stack is the appliance for you. It's deeper and taller, but much narrower than the Russell Hobbs Satisfry or the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone, and in our tests it produced evenly browned, crispy fries every time.

Read our full Ninja Double Stack review

How I tested the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer

I used the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryeror a week, cooking a wide variety of foods including fries, chicken wings, fresh vegetables, steak, cake, and muffins. I tested all the air fryer's various modes and cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test.

First reviewed January 2025.

Our physics expert picks his top-five equations, plus a scheme to supply US power needs with a bucket of baseballs. Thanks, Einstein!

• Ubisoft released PC requirements for Assassin's Creed Shadows
• The extreme ray tracing preset needs an RTX 4090 for 60fps
• An RTX 3080 can run Shadows with 'selective' ray tracing at 1440p, achieving 60fps

Nvidia's latest RTX 5090 GPU makes notable performance leaps over the previous generation's flagship GPU, with additions such as Multi Frame Generation improving performance using ray tracing at 4K in games - and while the performance is impressive based on our RTX 5090 review, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows hardware requirements suggest an RTX 4000 series GPU (or older) will suffice.

With the long-awaited title now available for pre-order and set for launch on March 20, Ubisoft has revealed the PC requirements (pictured below). As expected, the RTX 4090 is the highest recommended GPU for the extreme ray tracing preset at 4K to achieve 60 frames per second - this is while using DLSS 3.7, as DLSS 4 isn't confirmed for the title yet.

If the RTX 4090 couldn't run Shadows at those settings and maintain a good frame rate, there would be reasons to worry about the game - but as some of the other requirements reveal, an RTX 4070 Ti Super will reportedly be enough for standard ray-tracing and achieve 60fps at 4K, while an RTX 3080 will do the same at 1440p.

We'll need to wait and see how the game performs on PC, as hardware requirements are rarely a good indication of optimization quality. Despite this, with the benefit of Frame Generation and the included XeSS and FSR 3.1 upscaling methods from Intel and AMD alongside Nvidia's DLSS 3.7, it's safe to say that an RTX 4000 series (and even an RTX 3000) GPU should be comfortably enough for gamers.

(Image credit: Ubisoft) DLSS, FSR, and XeSS are the future of PC gaming, whether we like it or not

With features like frame-gen becoming more popular among many Nvidia, AMD, and Intel users, PC gaming will never be the same again. While ‘super-resolution’ (AI upscaling a lower rendered resolution to a higher output resolution) has been at the forefront of PC ports for a long while for providing better performance and image quality, it hasn’t faced as much criticism until now due to the addition of frame generation - which is being labeled as 'fake frames' by some users.

By using interpolated frames, the risk of increased input latency is present - fortunately, features like the new Reflex 2 from Nvidia are designed to reduce this. Yet other issues such as artifacting and ghosting (while improved) are still present in some games, which is evident in Daniel Owen's Multi Frame Generation testing in Cyberpunk 2077 as seen on YouTube.

I've already made my frustrations and worries about the future of optimization in PC games known - and while I have no doubts that Nvidia will work even harder at improving DLSS Frame Generation more as time goes by, not all GPU owners will have access to it (at least, for now). Hopefully, game developers don't lose sight of ensuring games are capable of running in an acceptable fashion without relying solely on frame generation to do the job.

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Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Two-minute review

The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is a large gaming mouse with plenty of clever features and multiple connectivity options, making it a versatile pointer suitable for various setups and use cases.

It adopts the familiar design popularized by the Logitech G502, with its long sloping front and protruding thumb slot. It’s fairly smart and understated, especially in its black variant, and the RGB lighting around the scroll wheel, logo and bottom edge is subtle and tasteful.

Feeling premium, the materials are among what the best gaming mice have to offer. The plastic chassis is lightly textured and the sides are finished with high- quality rubberized grips. These offer enough security without becoming sticky or collecting dust and dirt over time, as grips on other mice are prone to.

The buttons are of a similar quality. The mouse clicks feel robust and well damped, while the side buttons are snappy with a pleasingly deep travel, making them easy to use. The same is true of the DPI button on the top too.

The scroll wheel has a side-tilt function, which works well since the raised height of the wheel itself makes it easy to tilt left and right. Vertical scrolls are well notched; although it isn’t as tight as you’ll find on other gaming mice, it suffices. This is perhaps a small compromise given that it has a free spin ability, activated by pressing the button above it.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, in Razer’s Synapse peripheral software, you can set the scroll wheel to activate free spin automatically, triggered when you flick it more vigorously. This works well for the most part, although there can be a slight delay as the lock disengages after recognizing a hard flick. However, it’s still viable enough for practical use.

The mouse also features a sniper button, which is well positioned for easy access and clicks in towards the user, again facilitating easy presses. It too feels well damped and built to withstand the rigors of intense gaming.

Weighing in at 112g, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is on the heavier side relative to pro-focused gaming mice. Despite this, it’s still quite maneuverable, and the weight feels more evenly distributed than other heavy mice, meaning it feels lighter than it actually is; I’ve tested lighter mice that are tougher to move around than this.

The PTFE skates are quite thin, but on padded surfaces it’s silky smooth and I had no issues with gliding. It does tend to scratch a little on hard ones, though, and unfortunately, there’s no spare set included in the box.

What is included, though, is a USB cable for wired play. It’s quite flexible but more weighty than other gaming mouse cables. As a result, I experienced a small element of drag when using it, but it was manageable enough to carry on playing.

(Image credit: Future)

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is compatible with Synapse V4. While the layout is clear and easy to navigate, there are a few issues worth noting. For instance, when using the mouse in wired mode, the tab for it sometimes disappeared momentarily. Also, the battery readouts were initially sporadic, dropping suddenly at times and failing to indicate charging when a wired connection was active, merely displaying a 100% level even though this clearly wasn’t the case. However, these are minor bugs that’ll hopefully be quashed with future software and firmware updates.

When it does work as intended, however, Synapse offers plenty of customization options to sink your teeth into. Standard rebinding options are present, allowing you to map the buttons to other buttons, keyboard keys, and a generous selection of Windows shortcuts. There’s also the Hypershift function, which allows you to map a secondary layer of binds to all buttons, save for the one button you designate as the Hypershift button itself.

Disappointingly, though, there are only a few performance tweaks, such as customizable DPI cycling increments and polling rate changes that top out at 1K, which might not suffice for elite players (they’ll have to purchase the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle for that privilege). However, there is something called Asymmetric Cut-Off, which allows you to set the lift-off and landing distances independently, with plenty of adjustments on the slider for both – not something you see in many other peripheral software.

In use, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K performs admirably. Gliding is smooth and the Razer Optical Mouse Switches Gen-3 are responsive, although the clicks are a little on the heavy side, which doesn’t make them the best for spamming. That aforementioned heavy weight can compromise swiping speeds too, so those who like low DPI settings might have a hard time here.

Also, the HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle, which is supposed to reduce latency, didn’t appear to make much difference over the standard 2.4GHz dongle during my tests. However, I did experience a few dropouts when using the latter, although my setup could’ve been the culprit, as objects may have been blocking the receiver.

The multiple connectivity modes work fine for the most part, although there is a slight delay when switching between the 2.4GHz and Bluetooth modes across two devices, and a press is required first to wake up the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K to the new device.

Battery life is a claimed 120 hours in HyperSpeed wireless mode, or 210 hours in Bluetooth, but during my tests, which involved switching between the two modes regularly, I was getting closer to sub-100 hours, which is still an admirable performance.

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K acquits itself well enough, but it doesn’t really achieve anything that spectacular. At this price, it faces some stiff competition, chiefly from Razer’s own DeathAdder and the Logitech G502 X Plus. For performance and features, these two probably edge ahead of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, so while it’s perfectly capable, it’s probably not the strongest feature-filled mouse out there.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$279.95
• Available in black and white
• Rivals similarly priced

The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K costs $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$279.95 and is available now in both black and white colorways. The HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle is included, as is a USB cable for wired play and charging.

It’s the same price as the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, which is considerably lighter in weight (63g), but also lighter on features, since its pared-back design is focused on gaming prowess above all else. For instance, it comes with Razer’s HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which boosts the maximum polling rate to 8K for great precision and smoothness.

Its nearest rival from another brand is the Logitech G502 X Plus, the best wireless gaming mouse for features. Both have a similar price and shape; however, the G502 does feature two more buttons next to the left click, which makes it slightly more versatile.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Specs Should you buy the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K? Buy it if...

You prize build quality
True to many of Razer’s peripherals, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is engineered to a very high standard, with the chassis and buttons feeling exceptional to hold and press.

You want more buttons and features
A four-way scroll wheel with Smart reel, a sniper button, and three connectivity modes mean there are few situations the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K can’t handle.

Don't buy it if...

You have small hands
The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is quite long and reasonably wide, so those with small hands might have a hard time getting to grips with it… literally.

You’re an elite player
The heavy weight and a native lack of 8K polling will likely mean it won’t be fast or precise enough in competitive play.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Also consider

Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro
If gaming performance is your main concern, you can’t do much better than the DeathAdder V3 Pro. It’s very light for a wireless mouse, and packs in an 8K polling rate to boot, all for the same price as the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K. However, it doesn’t have as many buttons, and there’s no Bluetooth connectivity either, so this isn’t a mouse for those who want wide-reaching versatility.

Logitech G502 X Plus
One of the most popular gaming mice around, the G502 X Plus can be had for a similar price to the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, and it’s similarly feature-packed. However, it just edges ahead thanks to its two extra buttons, giving you more functionality. Its gaming performance is nothing to scoff at, either.

How I tested the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

• Tested for over a week
• Used for gaming and productivity
• Over a decade of PC gaming experience

I tested the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K for over a week, during which time I used it for gaming and productivity purposes.

I played the FPS titles Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl in order to test the speed and accuracy of the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K. I also tested it on multiple systems and used every connectivity method, as well as the HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle.

I have been PC gaming for over 10 years and have experienced a number of mice. I have also reviewed various gaming mice, spanning a range of shapes, sizes, and price points.

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

When a US research lab accidentally created a sticky web-like substance, it turned to Peter Parker and comic-book lore for inspiration on what to do next.

• Security researchers discover hundreds of fake Reddit and WeTransfer pages
• These are used in an elaborate scheme to deploy the Lumma Stealer
• The pages are well-built and probably distributed via SEO poisoning and malicious landing pages

There are hundreds of fake Reddit and WeTransfer websites out there, all designed to trick people into downloading and running the Lumma Stealer malware, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers from Sekoia have shared a complete list of the pages on GitHub, which includes 59 fake Reddit pages, and 407 fake WeTransfer pages.

The tactic is simple: the fake Reddit page displays a thread in which a person asks help finding a specific piece of software. One of the responses shares a link to the fake WeTransfer page, where the tool can be downloaded. Other people in the thread share their thanks for the contribution, and the discussion continues.

Targeting forensic analysts

The researchers could not say for certain how victims end up on these pages, but it’s safe to assume there is a little SEO poisoning, malicious landing pages, or instant messaging communication involved.

The choice of fake software is also curious. Usually, that is where researchers could find clues to who the targets are. If the attackers are faking software development tools, the targets are devs. If they’re faking games, crypto wallets, or Discord clients, the targets are retail buyers in the Web3 space.

In the example shared by Sekoia researchers, the attackers went for OpenText Encase Forensic - a tool used for scanning, collecting, and securing forensic data for law enforcement, government agency and corporate investigations. This is not exactly software the police, cybersecurity pros, or enterprises would pirate, and also not something average internet users would need.

Both the Reddit and WeTransfer pages were designed to look almost identical to the originals. Their URLs both contain brand names, followed by random numbers and characters. They are both on .org and .net top-level domains, further boosting their legitimacy.

However, clicking the download button on the WeTransfer one leads to Lumma Stealer hosted on “weighcobbweo[.]top.”

Via BleepingComputer

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• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is coming on April 24, 2025
• The Xbox Developer Direct revealed a massive, explorable world map
• The map will be dotted with secrets and optional bosses to find

We've got a lot more information on the upcoming Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 thanks to its lengthy appearance at January 23's Xbox Developer Direct. This includes a closer look at combat, characters and a fully explorable 3D world map.

A new official Xbox Wire post goes into more detail on the upcoming turn-based RPG, which is the debut project of French developer Sandfall Interactive. The post includes information about a feature that caught my eye the most - a massive overworld that players are able to explore akin to classics like Final Fantasy 6, Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana.

“Since the day I started working on this project in Unreal engine, I wanted a world map,” said creative director Guillaume Broche. “I feel like it’s such a cool thing that has almost completely disappeared from the face of the gaming industry. Like, nobody does that anymore, and for me it was such a crucial and important part of what made the old-school JRPGs unique."

Broche went on to describe the world map as "very big" and will be dotted with "hidden bosses" and "tons of secrets." From the glimpses we've seen, the world map also looks utterly stunning, presenting a fractured world with the hauntingly warped Eiffel Tower as its centerpiece.

Broche also talked about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's turn-based combat. Particularly, its context sensitive prompts for attacks and parrying that aren't too dissimilar to those seen in Xbox 360 classic Lost Odyssey.

It does seem like the game is going to be fairly challenging, but Broche stressed that there will be various difficulty modes. He also encouraged players to experiment with different character builds and combos, which both seem to be a huge focus. Broche hopes players will "break the game, because it's made for that!"

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will release on April 24 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5 and PC. It'll also be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one of release.

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Our best smartwatches guide is one we have to update on a regular basis, and it looks likely that Samsung is going to launch another contender for the list in the not-too-distant future: we're expecting the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 to arrive sometime during 2025.

It will be the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 from 2024, and it will keep up Samsung's tradition of launching a new smartwatch (or two) every year. The thinking is that it might also be joined by another wearable or two when launch day comes around.

Nothing is official yet, but here we've gathered together all of the Galaxy Watch 8 leaks and rumors that have come our way so far: there's information here on everything from a release date to design changes, and we'll be updating this guide on a regular basis too.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The 2025 Galaxy Watch
• When is it out? Probably July 2025
• How much will it cost? Probably at least $299 / £289 / AU$549

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: release date predictions and pricing

The Galaxy Watch 7 (Image credit: Samsung)

• Expect a July 2025 release
• The previous model started at $299 / £289 / AU$549

There haven't been any specific rumors about when the Galaxy Watch 8 will appear or how much it might cost, but we can make some educated guesses by looking at this upcoming wearable's immediate predecessor: check out our comprehensive Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 review for full details.

The Galaxy Watch 7 broke cover on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 – alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Galaxy Z Flip 6, you might remember – and there's no reason to think Samsung is going to deviate too far from the same schedule in 2025. In other words, we can expect the Galaxy Watch 8 to show up around July 2025.

We've already seen the grand unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, so it would make sense for an updated line of foldables to be introduced around the middle of the year – with a new smartwatch or two in tow as well. It's likely that we'll also be treated to the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 at the same time.

As for pricing, again we have to rely on what we know about the existing model: the Galaxy Watch 7 starts at $299 / £289 / AU$549 for the 40 mm version – with the larger 44 mm and LTE models costing more. There's been no word as to whether the Galaxy Watch 8 will be more or less expensive, but that gives you an idea of the general price point.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: leaks and rumors

The Galaxy Watch 7 (Image credit: Samsung)

• The Classic model could return
• Gesture support may be incoming

It's fair to say there hasn't been a flood of Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 leaks so far – it's been more like a trickle, to be honest. However, that should change as we get closer to the expected release date for the wearable, and we heard plenty about the Galaxy Watch 7 before it eventually broke cover.

One rumor that has emerged is that we could see the return of the Classic model. In 2024, we got the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, but in 2023 Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic – our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic explains all the key features of the watch.

The Classic model has typically been more expensive and larger, with a rotating bezel to help with navigating controls and menus. If it does make a return in 2025, it might mean we get three smartwatches from Samsung this year – though the leak about it making a comeback doesn't offer much in the way of detail.

Samsung has reportedly been working on MicroLED smartwatch display tech, so this is also a potential future upgrade in the Galaxy Watch line. Likewise, Samsung is reportedly going back to the square design in the future.

We've also seen Samsung patents pointing to smartwatch gestures for controlling TVs and an improved strap mechanism – but patents being patents, there's no guarantee we'll ever see these features, and they are unlikely to be ready for the Galaxy Watch 7. We'll keep our ears to the ground and let you know if we hear more.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: what we want to see

Three Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 models (Image credit: Samsung)

As good as the Galaxy Watch 7 is, there's always room for improvement when it comes to wearables. Based on our experiences with the Galaxy Watch 7, and what we've seen from other smartwatches recently, here's what we're hoping for from the Galaxy Watch 8.

1. The return of the rotating bezel

Let's start with the new feature we want that has been rumored: the return of the Classic model with the rotating bezel. We're hoping Samsung can find room for a standard, Classic, and Ultra model this year, as a physical bezel makes such a difference when it comes to controlling what's on screen – saving a lot of rather imprecise finger jabbing.

2. Improved battery life

Yes, it's the perennial request from all smartwatch owners, because it makes a noticeable improvement to day-to-day use. When a watch like the Garmin Instinct 3 is offering up to 24 days of battery life – and that's the model with the AMOLED screen by the way – then the 24 hours or so you get from the Galaxy Watch 7 feels like it's way below par.

3. A revamped look

If you look back through the history of Galaxy watches past, you'll see there hasn't been too much in the way of variation when it comes to the design, and this time around we're hoping that changes. We're less sure about how you would innovate on the standard smartwatch design – but we think Samsung's team could come up with something.

4. Some added AI – as long as it's useful

Samsung has bet heavily on AI in recent months, and the way AI can summarize and simplify life should make it perfect for adding to the convenience of wearables – but Samsung needs to make sure any AI features (like assistant support or notification summaries) are useful and accurate, rather than just there for the sake of more AI.

5. Broader Android support

We get why Samsung wants to develop a seamless experience for Galaxy phone owners with the Galaxy Watch, but other Android users miss out on certain features and tricks. Making the Galaxy Watch 8 more compatible with the Fitbit app and Android more generally would give the wearable extra appeal outside of the Samsung ecosystem.

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Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: two-minute review

The Blackmagic Pyxis is the company's first venture into box-style cameras, and at its core lies a proven full-frame sensor, delivering up to 6K resolution and 13 stops of dynamic range. The key benefit of this high resolution is that you can use the full width and height of the 3:2 surface area of the sensor, allowing for much greater flexibility when you need to produce content for multiple platforms.

The camera’s UI is generally a triumph, with large touch controls, clear navigation, and sensible menu structures. However, when you turn the camera to film vertically, the UI stays fixed; on the older Pocket 6K, the UI rotates to suit the new orientation, so it’s clear that Blackmagic had thought about this problem and had come up with a simple solution, and it’s odd that they’ve yet to implement it on the Pyxis, which lends itself even more to shooting in different orientations. That said, even during my brief time with the camera the company released significant updates to both the camera and the Blackmagic Camera App that delivered functionality and performance improvements, so I’m confident that it will address smaller issues like this in time.

(Image credit: Jon Devo)

In terms of hardware, the camera's standout feature is its machined aluminum construction, which offers professional-grade modularity and heat dissipation. However, the positioning of its cooling mechanism draws air from the base of the camera and forces it out through the top, and while it’s great for warming your hands on a chilly day, it does leave the camera feeling particularly exposed to inclement weather.

It features a multitude of mounting points on its bottom, top and side, where you’ll find its modular accessory plate, which can be used to install a rosette plate for a grip or an SSD holder for example. While the $2,995 / £2,645 / AU$4,899 (approx) starting price is competitive, buyers should factor in additional costs for essential accessories like an EVF, monitor, handle, and other rigging solutions, although many people buying this camera are likely to already have some compatible accessories.

(Image credit: Jon Devo)

The camera excels in its versatility with its comprehensive I/O (input / output) options, including BP-U battery compatibility, a nice common standard, as well as a 12G-SDI port and USB-C connectivity. The USB-C port on the front of the camera can transmit a video signal out to an HDMI source (without visual assist tools like false color), and the one on the rear can be used to tether the camera to a mobile device for remote wireless control, monitoring and synced recording across multiple connected Blackmagic cameras. Other professional features like timecode sync, Ethernet connectivity, SSD recording, and cloud workflow integration are also included.

The Pyxis delivers impressive image quality with Blackmagic's highly regarded color science, though it lacks some features that mirrorless shooters will be used to, like advanced autofocus and optical image stabilization. Some form of internal ND filter system would have been a big bonus, but nothing in this price range or class offers that, so expecting it would be unreasonable. While its few limitations are worth consideration, if you’re in the market for a true workhorse camera that can be adapted to a wide range of shooting scenarios the Blackmagic Pyxis makes a strong case for itself, especially when you consider that the purchase of a Blackmagic camera includes a full license for the DaVinci Resolve Studio editing suite, worth $295 / £235 / AU$440.

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: price and release date

• Body-only price: $2,995 / £2,645 / AU$4,899 (approx)
• Available now in three lens mount versions; EF-mount, L-mount of PL-mount (the latter costs $100 / £100 / AU$180 extra
• You'll want additional accessories

The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K was announced at NAB Show Las Vegas in April 2024 and is available to order now. It can be picked up for a list price of $2,995 / £2,645 / AU$4,899 body-only in EF or L-mount, while the PL mount version costs $100 / £100 / AU$180 (approx) extra.

That price represents five star value given how the camera handles and what it is capable of for filmmaking. However, you will also need to factor in multiple accessories to improve the shooting experience, including an optional monitor, viewfinder, top handle and more.

• Price score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Jon Devo) Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: specs Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: design and handling

• Excellent build quality with machined aluminum construction
• Modular design, requires accessories to maximize its potential
• UI doesn’t rotate as on the Pocket 6K

The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K is a relatively compact camera given what it's capable of, but it still weighs in at a hefty 3.3lbs / 1,500g, which is roughly the weight of two Lumix S5 IIX mirrorless cameras. Measuring 119 x 106 x 151mm (H x W x D), and with a fixed LCD display on its left side, the Pyxis feels like it needs an additional accessory for monitoring. If you want to stay on brand, your options include the Blackmagic URSA Cine EVF, the specially designed Blackmagic Pyxis Monitor, or a Blackmagic Video Assist. I had the chance to pair the camera with the Pyxis monitor, and it was ideal for run-and-gun-style shooting without being overly conspicuous, and its built-in pop-up hood is a nice touch. It’s a solid addition to the camera's accessory lineup, and provides full camera control via its touchscreen and the three customizable function buttons on its rear.

I also got to use the URSA Cine EVF, and it would be a great option for filming Electronic News Gathering (ENG) / documentary-style work, as it immerses you in the frame by blocking out off-camera distractions. The setup is highly flexible, with the EVF being easy to position. It comes with an extension arm, as well as USB-C to USB-C cables of various lengths, so that you can place the EVF in the most comfortable orientation possible for your style of shooting. A nice detail sees the EVF’s USB-C cables come with screw fixtures so that they can’t be easily pulled out, and I also like that the EVF has a tally light built into it.

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Returning to the side of the camera, the Pyxis has physical controls for all key functions, and offers three customizable function buttons so that you can save your most commonly used tools – I set mine to focus assist, false color and LUT view. If you use the EVF, it also has physical buttons, three of which can be independently customized from the ones you’ve assigned on the body. I found that the buttons and control dial click and scroll responsively, and while I would have preferred an additional record button on the front or right side of the camera, the placement of the physical controls is generally logical, and will be swiftly committed to muscle memory with regular use.

People who are new to cinema-style box cameras may be in for a slight shock when they realize just how much additional kit they need to buy in order to make their camera functional – while its starting price seems competitive, the camera doesn’t even come with a battery in the box. So you will want to factor in additional costs, as they can stack up quite quickly. As well as power, the optional £165 / $199 (around AU$325) top handle feels like a necessity too, not least because it's critical for working with the EVF or Pyxis monitor. I’d most likely purchase the Pyxis monitor first, but the EVF is a nicely designed piece of kit; for me, as somebody who often shoots handheld outside, it definitely elevates the functionality of the camera.

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The camera's layout is professional and purposeful, although the built-in screen’s position on the left side of the camera body forces you to touch it while holding it, quite a lot, which will undoubtedly jar some people. Helpfully, in the latest update (9.2) you’re able to lock the screen while still having full access to the camera’s physical controls, which is a welcome improvement in functionality. For audio, the camera offers a 3.5mm stereo input on the front, as well as a mini XLR input, which will give you phantom power. You can run the camera directly from mains power via its +12V 2-pin Lemo connector, which is handy for me, as someone who predominantly shoots in studios and controlled indoor environments. Its dual CF Express Type B card slots are protected by a rubber cover, and the locking USB-C ports add security for monitor connections. The overall build quality is excellent, especially given the camera’s competitive pricing, although the rubber media door could be more robust, and the lack of weather sealing is notable, albeit typical for this style of camera body.

• Design score: 4/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: features and performance

• Internal 12-bit Raw video, but no ProRes
• Filmic quality to footage
• Versatile rigging options
• Professional I/O
• No in-body image stabilization
• No continuous AF

The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K offers impressive connectivity options, including 12G-SDI output, USB-C, and Ethernet. The dual native ISO provides flexibility in various lighting conditions, while the dual card slots offer redundancy and extended recording times. Its best-in-class menu system is intuitive for newbies and familiar to Blackmagic users, offering logical functionality and decent customization options.

Professional features include built-in timecode, streaming capabilities, and cloud workflow integration. It also comes with a range of exposure tools that will ensure you’re gathering as much usable Raw imaging data as possible while recording. Typically, I would rely on false color, which I assigned to one of the camera’s three customizable function buttons. But it was great to see the addition of the RGB traffic light indicator system, which has possibly been borrowed from RED’s Komodo cameras. When any one of the camera’s pixel channels are beginning to clip, that light will stay illuminated, indicating that you need to lower your exposure. It’s a great at-a-glance exposure tool that’s been seamlessly integrated into the general display UI. Although it doesn’t work for underexposure, there are plenty of other tools, like false color, histogram, and zebra patterns available to help here.

(Image credit: Jon Devo)

During my review window Blackmagic released a couple of relatively major updates, one for the Blackmagic Camera App (iOS v2.2) and the other for the Pyxis 6K. The improvements introduced with Firmware 9.2 included some handy connectivity features. If its running the latest firmware, the Pyxis can now use a compatible iPhone as a monitor when acting as a personal wireless hotspot and tethered via the rear USB-C port (the Pyxis itself has no Wi-Fi transmission module), and when functioning like this, you can use your iPhone to control multiple cameras and even initiate synchronized recording, which is a great solution for people who often rely on multi-camera setups. The new firmware also provided a significant boost to the camera’s power efficiency, adding roughly 30-40% more operating time in my experience. Of course, your mileage may vary, but before the update I was already able to get about 35 minutes out of a BP-U-30 (28Wh) battery, and after the update I was getting another 20-30 minutes or so extra. Battery life monitoring was also improved by the update, so the camera will now go all the way down to 1% before eventually shutting off.

Some may be disappointed to learn that the Pyxis 6K has no stabilization whatsoever, but it does record gyro data to offer reasonable stabilization in post. There’s also noticeable wobble caused by rolling shutter when you’re moving with the camera, particularly when shooting in 6K open gate mode; it’s not horrendous, but it would encourage me to shoot more static-style shots when using this camera in particular. The visible effects of rolling shutter diminish as you reduce the sensor area used for recording, and are barely noticeable when shooting at 4K/60p in 17:9 aspect ratio, so I’d say it’s worth being conscious of what your output may be. Shooting for your end output instead of belligerently spamming open gate may be the wiser choice – you can save open gate for shots with less camera movement that need the flexibility of the sensor’s full readout. It’s worth mentioning that Davinci Resolve is also able to use the camera’s gyro data to mitigate some of the warping that you may see when moving the camera around while recording.

(Image credit: Jon Devo)

Wrapping up my niggles, the autofocus system is basic and offers no continuous AF, but it does have some handy focusing tools, which can be adjusted to suit your preferences. You can also use the dedicated push-to-focus button at the top-left side of the camera, and there’s an Iris button above that, which can help you nail exposure in a pinch. The camera also works well with external focus solutions like the DJI Focus Pro, which would be a typical approach for working with a camera like this.

A final, positive operating observation is just how quickly the camera powers up. Within five seconds of switching it on, the camera is up and ready to record. If you’re not familiar with cinema cameras, this may seem like a long amount of time, but in this realm, the Pyxis is relatively speedy, and it’s refreshing.

• Features and performance score: 4/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: image and video quality

• Excellent image quality in most conditions
• Better noise-handling than the Z50 at the same ISO
• 4K/60p video with a 1.5x crop

The Pyxis captures images that are typically attractive for Blackmagic cameras, if it’s a look you’re familiar with. By this, I mean that the footage looks detailed, without looking sharp, and highlights roll off softly, delivering a cinematic look that needs very little work to get it ready to publish. The quoted 13 stops of dynamic range provides good flexibility in post-production, especially if you expose for the highlights and utilize DaVinci Resolve’s highlight recovery in post, when needed. Color reproduction is excellent thanks to Generation 5 color science, and the OLPF effectively controls moiré, which is great for shooting buildings, or clothing like silk and denim.

Low-light performance is good within the camera’s limitations, though not class-leading. However, Resolve is armed with comprehensive tools for reducing the impact of sensor noise. If you have the time and the aptitude, Blackmagic RAW files are really easy to work with, and can be honed to deliver an attractive look in most situations. While it’s not a no-light camera, the Pyxis would be perfectly capable of delivering attractive video in bar/club lighting scenarios or other low-ambient-lighting scenarios. The ability to shoot up to 6K resolution with a full-frame sensor with frames for various aspect ratios provides excellent flexibility for different delivery formats.

• Image and video quality score: 4.5/5

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: testing scorecard

(Image credit: Jon Devo) Should I buy the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K? Buy it if...

You’re a solo filmmaker or a small production unit that needs a professional solution
The Blackmagic Pyxis 6K is clearly built with pro work in mind, and is incredibly versatile.

You value image quality and want RAW video
Blackmagic RAW is one of the easiest pro video formats to work with, and even at its lowest bitrate settings the Pyxis delivers sumptuous video when exposed well.

You have a higher-end cinema camera and need a B-cam
The combination of the Pyxis 6K’s sensor and Blackmagic’s color science provide an excellent starting point for delivering cinematic video. However, the camera produces an image that is robust and flexible. If you or your colorist has a basic understanding of grading, matching your clips with footage from another high-end camera should be straightforward enough.

Don't buy it if...

You need a compact all-in-one solution
The Pyxis is designed to be rigged up and utilized in a wide variety of ways. For this reason, it’s relatively stripped back, but provides users with plenty of options for customizing its form and functionality to suit their needs.

You don’t need RAW video
If color grading your footage is not something your work (or pleasure) typically requires, there’s no need to pick up a camera that offers no compressed recording formats. You’ll be adding an unnecessary step to your workflow, which will cost you time and may cost you enthusiasm.

You need high-frame-rate, high-resolution video
The Pyxis 6K can shoot 6K at up to 50/60fps in the 17:9 and 2:4:1 aspect ratio respectively. It also shoots 2K at up to 100fps. However, if high-frame-rate video is a must for you, there are other cameras to consider that are more specialized for this type of filmmaking

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K: also consider Canon EOS C70

Canon's smallest cinema camera, the EOS C70 can be had for a similar price seccondhand to the Pyxis 6K. It's a Super 35 format camera (a smaller crop-sensor) with 4K video up to 120fps in 10-bit 4:2:2 plus 12-bit RAW recording. It boasts up to 16 stops dynamic range and utilizes Canon's RF-mount and features autofocus, while it features most of the I/O options demanded by serious filmmakers. Both the Pyxis 6K and EOS C70 put forward unique strengths.

Z CAM E2-F6 Mark II

Another cinema camera with modular box design iz Z CAM'S E2-F6 Mark II. Like the Pyxis 6K, it features a full-frame sensor and is able to record 6K video, but up to 60fps, plus it supports ProRes RAW and 10-bit color, with 15 stops dynamic range. There's SDI and full-size HDMI ports, plus a BNC timecode port and genlock. There's also the E2-S6 Mark II version which is largely the same, only it has a smaller Super 35 sensor. At $3,499, Z CAM's box camera is pricier than the Pyxis 6K

How I tested the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K

(Image credit: Jon Devo)

• I had a briefing and sneak peak of the camera before its unveiling at NAB in 2024
• I paired the camera with a variety of L-Mount lenses, and a IRIX T1.5 via a Viltrox PL-L adapter
• I connected the camera to the Blackmagic Camera app

I was sent the Blackmagic Pyxis for review to test for a couple of weeks, due to a firmware update being released during my review window. The kit that came with the camera included the Blackmagic URSA Cine Handle, the Blackmagic URSA Cine viewfinder, a 1TB Angel Bird memory card and reader, as well as a Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 lens.

The first thing I did after receiving the camera was to conduct my endurance tests, which include battery run-downs and heat management. I set the camera up on a tripod in an ambient temperature environment of 70F / 21C, and left it filming continuously while connected to mains power and on battery power alone.

I then took the camera out with me on some street walks, and to a couple of family and evening events. I performed sound-quality tests in a small studio environment.

First reviewed January 2025

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• Purported Nvidia RTX 5080 Geekbench results have been shared
• They suggest roughly a 20% gen-on-gen uplift compared to the RTX 4080
• However, the RTX 5080 appears to come up short compared to the older RTX 4090

With the RTX 5090 now reviewed and fully evaluated – as an undoubtedly powerful GPU, albeit to the point of overkill in many ways – the attention of the benchmark-spilling world has turned to the RTX 5080.

Reviews of this second Blackwell GeForce GPU are imminent, and thanks to Benchleaks (via Tom’s Hardware), we’ve caught a purported Geekbench result (be skeptical with it, as with any such spillage).

The results are for the graphics tests from Geekbench and they suggest that the RTX 5080 will hit a score of around 262,000 in Vulkan and 256,000 in OpenCL.

That would represent about a 20% generational increase (just over) in performance compared to the RTX 4080 with the Vulkan score, but less than 10% for OpenCL. As Tom’s notes, Blackwell Vulkan performance appears stronger than OpenCL.

As our sister site further points out, the Vulkan score here is actually quite close to the RTX 4090, but the RTX 5080 is some way off with OpenCL, as the last-gen flagship is about 20% faster than the new graphics card.

The RTX 5090 is around 40% and 45% faster than the RTX 5080, if you were wondering how the new flagship stacks up, but again this is based on rumors.

(Image credit: Nvidia) Analysis: In line with other speculation, pretty much

As always when looking at benchmarks, synthetic results aren’t as valuable as real-world gaming tests, and Geekbench is not the first place anyone would turn to for a metric to judge a graphics card’s gaming prowess by. But nonetheless, this does give us something of a clue about where the RTX 5080 might land in terms of raw power for PC games.

And, as this hint goes, it’s pretty much what I expected. Pushing the OpenCL score to one side, I’d say a 20% performance uplift (for rasterized, non-DLSS, non-ray tracing games) sounds about on the money, based on previous spinning from the rumor mill – but obviously we’re still a long way from being able to draw that conclusion.

It’s worth remembering that games which support DLSS 4 (and Nvidia’s new frame generation tech, MFG) can expect a way, way bigger frame rate boost from the RTX 5080, or indeed any of the new Blackwell desktop graphics cards. And it's equally worth noting that while the RTX 4080 was an undoubted major leap in performance for an xx80-class graphics card, the price that Nvidia stuck on it was shocking at the time, and meant we weren’t a fan in our review (and this GPU did not fly off the shelves by any means, back in the day).

We’re now more acclimatized to Nvidia’s weighty pricing at the higher-end, and of course, with the RTX 5080, its MSRP has dropped back to $999 in the US (compared to $1,199 for the RTX 4080). So that’s something of a win for consumers, albeit a grand is still an eye-watering sum to be parting with for a desktop GPU.

Nvidia’s RTX 5080 arrives on January 30, alongside the RTX 5090, with the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti following in February at some point. If you’re planning on buying the GPU next week, we’ve got a list of the best places to keep an eye on for stock of the RTX 5080. However, this graphics card is rumored to be short on stock, and so could sell out very quickly – you might need a fair bit of good fortune to land your next-gen GPU.

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The best hearing aids we’ve tested to date require a visit to the ear doctor—and a sizable investment.

As President Trump moves to change federal policy so the US government only recognizes “two genders” and social media platforms become less safe for LGBTQ+ people, dating apps could become a refuge.

• Security researchers found an Elasticsearch index with millions of entries
• The database contained personal information on millions of Georgians
• It was traced back to an unnamed German cloud provider

A German cloud service provider has unintentionally exposed sensitive data on probably the entire population of Georgia, security researchers are saying.

Cybersecurity expert Bob Dyachenko, of SecurityDiscovery.com said they recently discovered an non-password-protected Elasticsearch index containing a “wide range of sensitive personal details” belonging to Georgians. The index hosted two indices, one with almost five million personal data records, and another with more than seven million.

Given that the entire population of Georgia counts less than four million people, it’s safe to assume that even with numerous duplicate entries, all of its citizens could be at risk of identity theft, phishing, and more.

Shutting down the leak

The archives contained people’s ID numbers, full names, birth dates, genders, phone numbers, and other sensitive information.

“The data appears to have been collected or aggregated from multiple sources, potentially including governmental or commercial data sets and number identification services,” Dyachenko said.

The researchers traced the instance back to a server owned by a German cloud service provider. The researchers did not name the company, and said that the server was taken offline “shortly after discovery”. It was left unclear if the company was notified of the leak. Therefore, we also don’t know if any threat actors found the archives in the meantime, and if the data had been exfiltrated elsewhere.

“Without clarity on data ownership, recourse for affected individuals is limited, and it remains challenging to enforce data protection laws or seek accountability,” the researcher said. “This leak highlights the complexities of cross-border data protection and regulation.”

Via Cybernews

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• "News briefs" will appear on the Google TV For You page
• Will recommend related videos of "top news stories"
• Only in the US, and only being tested with some users

Google is experimenting with AI-powered news summaries and recommendations that you'll be able to see on your Google TV. This seems like a very bad idea.

The feature, called News Briefs, was spotted by Android Authority on the Google support pages. It will use "Gemini models and human evaluation" to provide narrated overviews of top news stories and "related YouTube videos from trusted news sources."

So far it's only being tested with selected users, and it's only being tested in the US. And I hope that at the end of the test, they kill it with fire.

The Google TV platform already has Gemini built-in, but evidently we're doing to get more of it. (Image credit: Google) The problem with AI news is simple

The thing about AI is that, for want of a better description, it's a massive miscommunication machine. To take a pretty innocuous example, Apple's AI headlines have been a disaster, and its AI summaries on my iPhone are often hilariously wrong.

Again and again we see very clear evidence that AI can't be trusted currently. Sometimes it's funny – as the Associated Press found in the summer of 2024, Gemini will happily tell you that astronauts have played with cats on the moon – but sometimes it's much more serious; the same report notes that Google's AI shared the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama is muslim.

The problem with AI is that what we're told is AI… isn't. It's like a very high-powered autocorrect, a prediction machine, and when its data is bad – and it often is – then it produces bad information with great confidence. And online there's an entire ecosystem based on making bad information and feeding it into social media such as YouTube.

Given YouTube's track record in recommendations – NBC News is one of many organizations that demonstrated a political and religious bias in the content being recommended to people, for example – having AI-powered news recommendations pushed to us even when we haven't asked to see new sounds terrifying.

And on top of that, I get plenty of nightmarish news delivered to me all day, every day on my phone – perhaps if I've turned on my TV it's to escape, or be distracted, or entertained. Some people love to watch rolling news (or news-style) networks all day, but some of us use our TV to focus elsewhere.

There's enough bad news in the world right now. I really hope Google TV isn't going to add more of it.

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• Apple has removed claims that CarPlay 2 will arrive in 2024 from its website
• The company has confirmed it’s still working with “several” car makers
• But there’s no indication of when CarPlay 2 might launch

Apple’s CarPlay 2 system is designed to help you manage maps, media and more inside your car. It was meant to arrive in 2024, yet for one reason or another, that never happened. And now, we’ve finally had official word from Apple on what we can expect to see in the future.

In an official statement provided to MacRumors, Apple said that “several” car manufacturers would be incorporating CarPlay 2 into their vehicles, and that each company would share more details at the appropriate time. However, there was no indication of when that might be.

In full statement Apple said: "The next generation of CarPlay builds on years of success and insights gained from CarPlay, delivering the best of Apple and the automaker in a deeply integrated and customizable experience. We continue to work closely with several automakers, enabling them to showcase their unique brand and visual design philosophies in the next generation of CarPlay."

In a similarly vague style, Apple added that "each car brand will share more details as they near the announcements of their models that will support the next generation of CarPlay".

Apple also confirmed to MacRumors that it is committed to the current generation of CarPlay, which it says is available in over 98% of new cars sold in the United States.

Stuck in traffic

(Image credit: Apple)

Several weeks into 2025, Apple’s CarPlay website was still claiming that CarPlay 2 would launch in 2024 – something that clearly wasn’t possible. Interestingly, Apple has only just updated its site to remove the 2024 reference.

We don’t know what exactly caused the delay to CarPlay 2, but there were signs of trouble long before the most recent announcement. In 2023, for example, Apple promised it would reveal which automakers would be supporting CarPlay 2 that year – in the end, it did so in December, right before the deadline.

That said, it’s clear that Apple is still working on CarPlay 2. Earlier in January, images leaked on X depicting an updated dashboard that’s presumably destined for the auto system.

And with the latest announcement, Apple has confirmed CarPlay 2 is still on the way – but if you were hoping its arrival would be imminent, you’ll have to be patient a while longer.

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• OpenAI's new reasoning model o3-mini is launching soon
• Sam Altman has now confirmed it will be available to free tier users
• ChatGPT Plus users will get "tons of o3-mini usage"

OpenAI announced the upcoming rollout of its incredibly smart new reasoning model earlier this week, and now we've got even better news: o3-mini will be available for free.

Sam Altman confirmed the news on X yesterday, stating "Big news: the free tier of ChatGPT is going to get o3-mini!" The OpenAI CEO also confirmed that Plus members, those paying $20/£20/$AU30 a month will get "tons of o3-mini usage", which is great for those who want to take full advantage of the new model.

o3 and o3-mini were unveiled in December as part of OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" event, which also saw the official release of Sora in the US, OpenAI's AI video generation tool.

o3-mini is a substantial upgrade to the o1-mini reasoning model released last year, allowing users to get answers to complex scientific and math problems. There's no exact timeframe on when o3-mini will be available, but Altman confirmed on January 17 that it will launch in API and ChatGPT in "a couple of weeks."

Once o3-mini does become available (to free, Plus, and Pro users) you'll be able to get help with questions that require thought and reasoning. In the new model you'll even be able to adjust the thinking time to give the AI model more time to work out an answer. There will be a "low compute" option for quick responses and a "high compute" option for tasks that require extra thinking power.

big news: the free tier of chatgpt is going to get o3-mini!(and the plus tier will get tons of o3-mini usage)January 23, 2025

o3-mini is free for all

When OpenAI announced the new model in December, my first thought was "how long will we have to wait to try this for free?" Luckily, Altman and co has given free users a nice surprise to kick off 2025 with this announcement that o3-mini will in fact be free.

We don't have any more info on how many prompts you'll be able to ask o3-mini for free, but hopefully there's a decent amount of free usage so that everyone can take advantage of the future of AI reasoning models.

o3-mini hits the perfect sweet spot between a reasoning model and a more general usage model, and OpenAI hopes this new middle ground will break through into the mainstream and become a daily tool for the average consumer. As soon as we get access to o3-mini we'll be putting it through its paces, so stay tuned to TechRadar for all the upcoming ChatGPT o3-mini news.

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• The first Android 16 public beta is now here
• You can install it now if you have a newer Pixel phone
• Live Updates is one of the new features

Google has pushed out the first public beta version of Android 16, which means early adopters can give it a spin: and among the new features already spotted by users is Android's take on Live Activities in iOS.

As announced by Google (via Android Police), the Android equivalent of Live Activities is Live Updates. These persistent updates on screen "help users monitor and quickly access important ongoing activities" Google says.

Right now, the updates are "suggested only for ride sharing, food delivery, and navigation use cases", but we can expect more categories to be added over time. Eventually, any developer who wants to should be able to take advantage of them.

As we've seen on iPhones, these kinds of live updates can be handy for everything from sports scores to audio recorders. They mean you can keep up to date with something without having the app open, and they'll be a welcome addition to Android.

More to come

Live Activities on iOS (Image credit: Apple)

There's quite a lot more in the first Android 16 public beta, including improved support for apps on larger screens: If you use a larger display (like the one on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold), you should see less in the way of letterboxing.

Then we have improved support for high-resolution video recording and editing, a more consistent predictive back experience (where you see a preview of the screen you're going back to), and preparations for deeper Gemini integration.

We can look forward to plenty more in the way of new features as the Android beta testing phase continues – numerous upgrades have already been rumored, including changes to notifications. A full launch of Android 16 is expected in June.

Right now, if you want to give the beta a try, you need to have a Pixel phone (a Pixel 6 or later) and be enrolled in the Android Beta Program (which is free). As always with betas, expect bugs and crashes – we wouldn't recommend doing this on a phone you rely on.

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• Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit over its Apple Watch bands
• The lawsuit alleges that Apple "hides" the existence of PFAS in its products, claiming this is false advertising
• Apple has hit back, saying its bands are safe to wear

Apple has been hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging that some of the company's best Apple Watch bands contain dangerous levels of "forever chemicals."

The suit was filed in California on January 21, on behalf of customers who've bought Apple's Watch Sport Band, Ocean Band for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the Nike Sport Band. It states that Apple "advertises these Products as designed to support and further human health and wellness, environmentally sustainable, and suitable for everyday use and wear. However, in truth, they contain excessive levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), which are toxic to human health and the environment."

The suit has been filed in the wake of a University of Notre Dame study that found elevated levels of these 'forever chemicals' in smartwatch bands.

The study found that "many" bands advertised to contain fluoroelastomers also contained high concentrations of PFAS, with some very high concentrations, particularly in more expensive bands.

Based on the study's findings, this suit alleges that Apple knows its products contain PFAS, and knows they're harmful to consumers (the company is phasing them out), but does not inform consumers which products contain the harmful chemicals.

The suit continues: "Instead, in respect of watches, Defendant continues to hide the existence of PFAS at the point of purchase and otherwise. They also affirmatively promise the opposite: that these Products are specifically designed to aid human health and are environmentally friendly. Consumers therefore reasonably would have no way of knowing the products are laced with harmful chemicals and instead believe what Defendant falsely promises."

The suit also alleges that Apple could have chosen not to use these materials, but elected to put them in the bands to give it an advantage over its competition.

Apple's response – is your Apple Watch band dangerous?

Fluoroelastomer bands are very popular with smart watch accessory makers (Image credit: Future)

In response to the suit, Apple told TechRadar: "Apple Watch bands are safe for users to wear. In addition to our own testing, we also work with independent laboratories to conduct rigorous testing and analysis of the materials used in our products, including Apple Watch bands."

Apple also pointed us to its history of removing harmful chemicals from products and manufacturing, and noted that its own restrictions often go beyond the relevant regulations when it comes to protecting human health.

The suit alleges that the aforementioned study found elevated levels of PFAS in bands "including" Apple's, a claim that is not immediately supported by the study results. As we mentioned in our initial story reporting the study, the public data does not indicate which manufacturers' bands were found to have high levels of chemicals; they're not identified by name, but by a sample ID. Tested brands included Apple, CASETiFY, Fitbit, Google, and Samsung.

PFAs and their risk

(Image credit: Future)

The presence of PFAS in consumer products is a complicated issue. Research indicates that PFAS are linked to increased risk and incidences of certain types of cancer, and the chemicals are dubbed "forever chemicals" because their structure is so durable that they don't degrade or break down over time.

However, there are other caveats. There's only a small body of research on the risk of absorption of PFAS through the skin, with some specialists suggesting that absorbing a significant amount through the skin is unlikely.

Furthermore, the testing in the aforementioned study involved chemically extracting the compounds in the band to confirm levels, which doesn't replicate the experience of someone wearing a smartwatch.

As for the suit, it's seeking the usual swathe of relief, injunctions requiring Apple to change its business practices, and monetary compensation for affected users. You can read the lawsuit in full here.

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