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United Now Offers Complete Seasons of Apple TV Plus Shows

CNET News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 07:00
You can catch Severance season 1 and more originals while you're in the air.
Categories: Technology

New Apple Watch Ultra 3 Rumors Point to an Overdue Upgrade

CNET News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 07:00
The iOS 26 public beta holds clues about all the latest updates rumored to be coming to Apple's next rugged watch.
Categories: Technology

The iPhone 17 Needs Amazing Cameras. Here's What I Think Apple Should Do

CNET News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 07:00
Commentary: Apple's rivals are catching up when it comes to camera skills. Here's how the iPhone 17 can pull ahead.
Categories: Technology

United Airlines is bringing full seasons of Severance, Ted Lasso and other Apple TV+ Originals to the skies

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 07:00

While United Airlines isn’t rolling out a ‘music dance’ in-flight experience, it’s sort of doing the next best thing. Thanks to a fresh partnership with Apple TV+ – one of the best streaming services around – you’ll be able to watch Severance, among other shows, while flying at 30,000 or so feet.

Joining the ever-expanding in-flight entertainment experience on United Airlines aircraft is a quartet of Apple TV+ Originals, and that number will grow again next month, in September. At launch, you can access episodes from the first season of Severance, Shrinking, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses and Silo on the screen in front of your chair or via the United app while in-flight.

Next month, September of 2025, United will add the first season of The Morning Show and Bad Sisters. United operates a broad range of aircraft and somewhere around 130,000 screens built into backs of seats. Even though that’s a massive number and newer aircraft will expand that, it’s nice to see United also offer this fresh Apple TV+ content via the app.

(Image credit: United Airlines)

Folks potentially traveling on planes without screens but with Wi-Fi connectivity will have the same access to the library of content. While this isn’t the first time that Apple TV+ has taken to the sky – some of its originals are available on American Airlines and Air Canada – the addition is a big deal for United Airlines, and it's the first time full seasons from the service have been made available. Frequent flyers of United will appreciate that.

The airline has promised to add new episodes and expand to other shows, movies, and documentaries on a monthly basis. The Apple TV+ originals join an array of other content and even access to popular podcasts, audiobooks, and playlists available on Spotify.

Adding shows like Severance makes a heck of a lot of sense, though, as Apple TV+ is having an incredibly strong year and the streaming service has secured a record 81 Emmy Award nominations. So if you haven’t yet seen Severance and have a few hours you need to fill while on a United flight, you can now binge the first season – or rewatch it – from the comfort of your seat.

It’ll be interesting to see if United Airlines can strike a similar deal with any other streaming services or if other airlines opt to add Apple TV+. Recently, Delta Airlines announced a collaboration with Crunchyroll to stream select anime while in-flight.

This expansion for United Airlines comes at a time with a heavier focus on the in-flight experience – the airline is also in the process of installing Starlink-powered, faster, and completely free Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members aboard its airplanes. It’s a longer rollout, but the promise is much faster speeds, allowing passengers to stream their own content, and further improvements to the in-flight experience.

We’re still waiting to see the entire vision for the latter, but the expansion to include popular Apple TV+ originals is certainly a step in the right direction. At the minimum, you innie will appreciate the expansion and your outtie will like the destination … or vice versa.

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Categories: Technology

Sam Altman fires back at Elon Musk over OpenAI monopoly accusations

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:37
  • Elon Musk claims that Apple’s App Store is biased against Grok
  • Sam Altman responds, accusing Elon of manipulating X in Grok’s favor
  • Apple has not responded to either claim

Elon Musk, CEO of XAI, the company behind the Grok AI chatbot, has accused Apple’s App Store of favoritism towards OpenAI in a tersely written post on X that threatens legal action over antitrust issues.

In the post, Musk writes, “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.”

Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.August 12, 2025

Further posts from Musk clarify his grievances, including a post pinned to the top of his X.com account which reads, “Hey @Apple App Store, why do you refuse to put either X or Grok in your 'Must Have' section when X is the #1 news app in the world and Grok is #5 among all apps? Are you playing politics? What gives? Inquiring minds want to know.”

Musk also gave examples of screenshots showing how Grok is not mentioned in the various roundups of AI apps found on the App Store, while competitors like Copilot and Google Gemini are mentioned.

Altman strikes back

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, was quick to clap back on X, stating: “This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like.”

This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like. https://t.co/HlgzO4c2iCAugust 12, 2025

Altman links to an article on Platformer that alleges Musk created a team to modify the X algorithm to benefit his own tweets. This claim is based on a comparison between his Super Bowl tweet, which expressed support for the Philadelphia Eagles, and a similar one by then-President Joe Biden.

Apple’s legal issues with the App Store have already caused a very public spat with Fortnite developer Epic Games over the past few years. Much of the disagreement has centered on the fees that Apple charges apps for running on its platforms. Epic Games has recently won a court battle in Australia with the ruling that Apple and Google have engaged in anti-competitive conduct regarding the dominance of the app market. Epic has recently confirmed Fortnite will soon return to Apple devices in Australia.

Apple and OpenAI entered into an agreement in 2024, which saw Apple integrate ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence, allowing Siri to hand off to ChatGPT if a query proved too complex.

Musk’s grievance with Apple is more to do with the way the App Store promotes some apps over others. In another post on X, Musk says, “Apple is the gateway to the Internet for half of America. They are making it impossible for any other AI company to succeed by relentlessly promoting OpenAI in every way possible!”

However, as many people have pointed out on X, in January 2025, the DeepSeek app reached #1 overall on the App Store, and Perplexity reached #1 overall in India’s App Store. Both these occurred after the OpenAI and Apple partnership was announced in June 2024.

TechRadar has reached out to Apple for comment on this story and will update with any further information if the company responds.

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Categories: Technology

D.C. residents express concern over crime crackdown. And, Ford invests big in EVs

NPR News Headlines - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:32

Washington, D.C., residents express concerns over what Trump's crime crackdown could mean for them. And, Ford plans to invest billions in building a new, cheaper electric truck

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

Categories: News

Your antivirus is under attack from new "killer" tool - here's what we know

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:28
  • EDRKillShifter is getting a dangerous upgrade
  • The new malware can disable AV and EDR from reputable vendors
  • Sophos, Bitdefender, and Kaspersky among the tools being targeted

Cybercriminals appear to have improved their antivirus-killing capabilities, as recent research suggest a new tool being shared within the underground community.

In a new report, security researchers from Sophos said multiple ransomware groups are successfully disabling endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems before deploying the encryptor.

Originally, the group known as RansomHub developed a tool called EDRKillShifter, which Sophos says is now made obsolete thanks to this new and improved variant. The new tool can disable security software from multiple high-end vendors such as Sophos, Bitdefender, and Kaspersky.

Shifting strategies

The malware is often packed using a service called HeartCrypt, which obfuscates the code to evade detection.

Sophos found the attackers are using all sorts of obfuscation and anti-analysis techniques to protect their tools from security defenders, and in some cases, they’re even using signed drivers (either stolen or compromised).

In one case, the malicious code was embedded inside a legitimate utility, Beyond Compare’s Clipboard Compare tool, the researchers explained.

Sophos also said that multiple ransomware groups are using this new EDR-killing tool, suggesting a high level of collaboration between players.

EDRKillShifter was first spotted in mid-2024, after a failed attempt to disable an antivirus and deploy ransomware.

Sophos then uncovered that the malware dropped a legitimate, but vulnerable driver.

Now, it seems there is a new method - taking an already legitimate executable and modifying it locally by inserting malicious code and payload resources (as was the case with Beyond Compare’s tool). This is often done after the attacker has access to a victim’s machine, or when creating a malicious package that pretends to be legitimate.

To defend against this threat, Sophos suggests users check whether their endpoint protection security products implement, and enable, tamper protection.

Furthermore, businesses should practice “strong hygiene” for Windows security roles, since the attack is only possible if the attacker escalates privileges they control, or if they can obtain admin rights.

Finally, businesses should keep their systems updated, as Microsoft recently started de-certifying old signed drivers.

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Categories: Technology

Why lung cancer is a 'hidden epidemic' in this part of the world

NPR News Headlines - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:24

Rates of the world's deadliest cancer appear to be low in sub-Saharan Africa. But that statistic is masking the scope of the disease, doctors say.

(Image credit: Simar Bajaj for NPR)

Categories: News

Nintendo has filed a patent for a Joy-Con 2 attachment that seems to be a fishing reel, which sounds perfect for all you fishing game enthusiasts

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:13
  • Nintendo has filed a patent for a new Switch 2 Joy-Con attachment
  • The patent shows a crank and clickable wheel that would seemingly turn the Joy-Con 2 controllers into a fishing reel
  • The patent was filed in February 2024

Nintendo has filed a patent for a new Switch 2 Joy-Con attachment that appears to turn your controller into a fishing reel.

First spotted by Nintendo Patents Watch (via Polygon), the patent shows two Joy-Con 2 attachments that seem to be a crank and a clickable wheel.

The crank is described as being a mounted input device that would use mouse sensors to track movement and magnets to secure attachment.

The clickable wheel would also utilize magnets to stay in place, and its rotation would be tracked by mouse sensors. The attachment also seems to feature a second button for pressing the console's right shoulder (SR).

Presumably, this attachment could be used for a range of games with fishing mechanics like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, or a potential Kuru Kuru Kururin revival and Playdate ports, as Nintendo Patents Watch theorized.

A totally new game for the Switch 2 that Nintendo has yet to announce is also a possibility.

Although the patent application was published recently, it was filed in February 2024, suggesting that Nintendo has been working on the new accessory for some time, with Switch 2 compatibility in mind. That said, it is worth keeping in mind that not all patents see the light of day as an official product.

In case you missed it, the latest Nintendo Indie World Showcase for August 2025 was jam-packed with announcements. While there was no Hollow Knight: Silksong news, there were plenty of other indie reveals, including a new game from the Shovel Knight creators, several metroidvania-style titles, and more.

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Categories: Technology

Sorry, Microsoft: your latest attempt to get people to switch over to Edge in Windows 11 is crossing a line

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:03
  • Microsoft has a new plan to target Chrome addicts to use Edge more
  • A planned pop-up is only hidden in testing right now, though
  • It may never be enabled, even in preview builds of Windows 11 - and I hope that's the case, as I think this is a dangerous road for Microsoft to go down

Microsoft is apparently testing another way to drive Edge adoption and attempt to cajole Chrome users into switching to its browser in Windows 11.

Windows Latest reports that in a new preview build of Windows 11 (in the Canary channel) there's some work hidden in the background pertaining to a new campaign to promote Edge.

This is targeting those who use Google's Chrome browser with a pop-up to get them to pin Edge to the taskbar when they close Microsoft's browser. Specifically, it's aimed at those who use Chrome a lot, and Edge a little (obviously you have to use Edge a bit to be exiting the browser in order to be shown the nag screen).

Windows Latest observes that one of the hidden flags - and remember, they are just lurking in the background, and not activated yet, even in testing - is for 'pin Edge when you close the browser' (so with it pinned permanently to the taskbar, you're more likely to come back and use it).

But the shadier move here is another flag which is for 'msPinningCampaignChromeUsageGreaterThan90Trigger' - and the key bit here is that the trigger for the pop-up appearing is if the Windows 11 user's Chrome usage is greater than 90 (meaning 90%.)

So, this means that those who run Edge more - who are using Chrome less than 90% of the time - won't see this pop-up. The reason why, presumably, is because Microsoft doesn't want to annoy people who already use its web browser a fair chunk of the time.

However, those who almost exclusively run with Chrome (90% of the time, or more) will see this nag prompt, and the question is: how might Microsoft quantify whether any given person's Chrome usage is 90% or more?

Analysis: Microsoft needs to tread carefully

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Okay, so we can't jump to any conclusions about Microsoft snooping on folks on the basis of some flags hidden in testing - all of this remains theoretical and speculation. But this does appear to indicate that some sort of measurement is being mulled - and how would Microsoft gauge a heavy Chrome user? The obvious assumption is that it must be through some kind of telemetry (data collection).

And regardless of the true answer behind this question, or indeed whether this feature is ever enabled - remember, it's not even live in preview, as noted - this kind of flag is not going to do anything to assuage the fears of those who believe Microsoft is 'spying' on them with Windows 11. And there's a good deal of paranoia around that issue, because Microsoft does, of course, utilize some telemetry with Windows 11. (Some of which may be justified, and some of which can be turned off - though notably not all of it, not unless you go to considerable lengths).

So, while we know that Microsoft collects some data on Windows 11 users, glimpses of the inner workings of the operating system laid bare like this aren't going to help the company's reputation. In my opinion, the software giant needs to tread very carefully in areas like this - and gauging browser usage to determine whether or not an Edge pop-up is shown (to Chrome addicts) is crossing a line.

No, it might not ever happen - and I hope it doesn't, because this really isn't a path Microsoft needs to be going any further down. With some of the pop-ups and various suggestions in Windows 11, Microsoft can argue that it's helping the user in some way - prompting to make a backup might be useful in some scenarios, for example, that's not inconceivable by any means. But in this case, Microsoft is only helping itself (and Edge).

From a broader perspective, we don't need any more nagging to use the Edge browser anyway - there's already far too much of this kind of activity going on in Windows 11 (which I feel is very much counterproductive anyway).

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Categories: Technology

I tested Tribler, an ideal simple, secure torrenting solution

TechRadar Reviews - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 06:00

Tribler is a free, open-source torrent client with robust security. It uses an overlay network to search for content, meaning it doesn't need an external indexing service. Unlike some torrenting platforms, its index can’t be taken down, making it a favorite for people seeking to download content.

Although very secure, Tribler isn’t a 100% privacy-proof torrenting platform. It protects your privacy as much as possible, but there’s no perfect guarantee of shielding your identity.

We’re reviewing Tribler to help you decide whether it’s a good choice. We tested the app extensively to provide our readers with a detailed, unbiased review.

Tribler: Versions and platforms

You can download Tribler for free on your PC. It’s compatible with Windows, macOS, and Ubuntu. These are three popular desktop operating systems, with the first two accounting for most of the PC market.

Downloading Tribler is as simple as visiting its official website and clicking the download button. Once the download is complete, install Tribler with a few clicks, and you’re good to go.

(Image credit: Future)Tribler: Features

Tribler is a torrenting platform you can use to find and download free content. It has a simple dark-themed interface that you can quickly understand.

Though a standalone desktop app, Tribler works within your browser. This is merely a technicality. Tribler runs directly on your PC, but the graphic interface is accessed via your web browser.

Users can click the search button in the upper-middle corner to find specific content. As you type a letter in the search bar, you’ll see suggestions, making it easier to find what you want.

To demonstrate, we searched for “Jazz music” and got the results below.

Tribler displays your desired content in a list format. This list shows the size of the file and the date it was created. You can click on the file to download, choose the destination file, and press the download button.

Tribler supports download speeds of up to 100 Mbps. However, the speed you’ll experience depends on the number of seeders present on the network. Seeders are Tribler users who have downloaded a file and are uploading it to the next person, i.e., you.

(Image credit: Future)

If the network has limited seeders during your download, you’ll experience slower speeds. However, if many seeders are present on the torrent network, you’ll get faster speeds.

Your network connection also helps determine the download speed. A slow network will throttle the speed regardless of how many seeders are online during your download.

Users can pause or stop a download that has already started. As a security-focused torrenting app, Tribler lets you choose your anonymity level when downloading files. You can select one, two, or three hops, with a hop referring to a layer of encryption. Note that the higher your hop (encryption level), the lower your download speed.

Tribler uses its internal distributed lookup protocol for file-sharing. By wrapping your downloads in multiple layers of encryption, it prevents third parties from knowing what you’re downloading. Anyone monitoring your network can tell you’re using Tribler, but they won’t discover what you’re downloading.

However, Tribler isn’t immune to large-scale network monitoring efforts. A motivated actor, such as an intelligence agency, can correlate your Tribler traffic to data from other sources. That’s to say, Tribler is secure but shouldn’t be used for illegal activities.

We like the fact that Tribler gives users considerable control over their torrenting activities. For instance, you can limit your file upload and download speeds. You can choose to be a seeder or not, although many recommend seeding to support the torrenting community and provide faster download speeds for everyone.

Tribler has a dark theme by default, but you can change it to a light theme if preferred. It's a multi-lingual tool available in English, Spain, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and Korean.

Tribler: Interface and in-use

Tribler has an intuitive interface that any layperson can easily understand. The features are neatly placed on the left side, and the dashboard lies on the right. All features are accessible from three main menus, with the search bar at the upper middle corner and language and theme configurations in the top-right corner.

You can download Tribler on your Windows, macOS, or Ubuntu PC. However, it does not have a mobile app.

Downloading and installing Tribler on your PC is easy. Visit the website, go to the download section, and click on the download button for your desktop operating system.

If you need help, you can check Tribler’s FAQ section and support documents. As an open-source tool, Tribler has detailed documentation that helps users understand its internal mechanisms and troubleshoot errors. There’s also an official forum where you can exchange solutions with other Tribler users.

Tribler: Security and privacy

We recommend Tribler for users who want to download files privately. It encrypts downloads in multiple secure layers, preventing third parties from monitoring what you do.

However, no torrenting solution is 100% secure. Your browsing activity can be exposed due to internal misconfigurations. Tribler shouldn’t be used for piracy or other activities that can invite legal consequences. TechRadar explicitly doesn’t endorse piracy.

Tribler: Final Verdict

Tribler is an intuitive, free, and secure torrenting solution for everyday users. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to find and download your favorite content. Although it’s not 100% foolproof, it provides more security than most torrenting apps. We recommend it to people looking to download files securely over the web.

We've listed the best free download manager and the best file manager.

Also check out the the best VPN service.

Categories: Reviews

Bright lights, big TV: Samsung launches the world's first micro-RGB TV, boasting ‘a new benchmark for color accuracy’

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:39
  • 115 inches to begin with, but more sizes are planned to arrive soon
  • Available first in South Korea and then the US before a global rollout
  • Approximately $32,000 / £24,000 / €28,000 / AU$49,750

Let's start with the bad news: Samsung's first micro-RGB TV is outrageously expensive. But the tech will quickly make its way to more affordable models, and could be a significant rival to OLED.

The newly announced 115-inch micro-RGB TV uses Samsung's exceptionally small LEDs to deliver what Samsung says is "a new benchmark for color accuracy, contrast and immersive viewing in the ultra-premium TV segment."

It's launching in South Korea first with a price tag of 44.9 million KRW; that works out as roughly $32,000 / £24,000 / €28,000 / AU$49,750. The USA will get the TV next, and it'll roll out to more markets after that.

(Image credit: Samsung)What's so great about micro-RGB?

The display uses a micro-scale RGB LED backlight comprising individually controlled red, green and blue micro RGB LEDs, each of which is less than 100µm in size. That means the TV can deliver much more precise lighting than a traditionally backlit LED TV, and that in turn means more precise and accurate color reproduction.

The display is powered by Samsung's Micro RGB AI Engine, which analyzes each frame in real time and optimizes the color output; it can also enhance dull color tones and intelligently enhance them to make them more vivid and immersive – hopefully less dramatically than the color optimization on my Samsung QLED, which does terrifying things to people's complexions.

The color output meets 100% of BT.2020, the global standard, and has been certified as "Micro RGB Precision Color" by the German electrical engineering institute VDE (Verband der Elektrotechnik).

Although the TV will only be available as a 115-inch model at launch, Samsung intends to expand the range quickly: it promises "a global rollout featuring a variety of sizes to meet customer needs" after the US launch.

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Trump's takeover 'out of touch' with facts on the ground, says D.C. attorney general

NPR News Headlines - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:38

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb says Metropolitan Police Department officers must follow local policies that govern their policing, even as President Trump vows to crack down on crime.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

Categories: News

I can't believe it's taken Microsoft OneNote so long to add this basic feature - and I might actually use it now

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:36
  • Microsoft OneNote finally gets option to paste without formatting
  • You can use the usual keyboard shortcuts or right click
  • Windows, Mac and browser versions all get the update

More than two decades after OneNote first hit the shelves, Microsoft has finally added what we would reasonably expect to be a core feature, saving a lot of unnecessary hassle that users have had to deal with until now.

As of August 2025, OneNote now supports text-only pasting or pasting without formatting – "mismatched fonts, awkward background colors, or unwanted styles" will no longer come over if you don't want them.

Thankfully, you won't need to do anything special to activate the feature, just use the same keyboard shortcuts you already use in other apps to copy the text only: Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+V (Mac).

OneNote finally has paste without formatting option

Apart from the keyboard shortcut, users can also place the cursor in OneNote, right click, select paste options and click 'Keep text only'.

"No more mismatched fonts, awkward background colors, or unwanted styles when pulling information from other apps – instead, bring content into OneNote as plain text, automatically matching your notebook’s look and feel," OneNote Product Manager Bola Soneye explained in a blog post.

Windows Version 2508 (Build 19101.10000) or later and Mac Build 16.100 (25080335) or later will both get access to the core feature, as well as the web version of OneNote, but it could be rolling out to Insiders first so other users may have to wait a short while to get it.

It's possible that Microsoft decided not to focus on format-free pasting because the app was designed for research notes where preserving formatting could've been useful, however due to high demand the company has finally added a feature that should've been part of OneNote since the very beginning.

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I tried out BiglyBT, and found it a reliable torrenting solution with an intuitive interface

TechRadar Reviews - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:29

BiglyBT is a free torrent client for PCs. It lets users find and download images, music, videos, software tools, and other digital content. This platform is based on Vuze, another popular torrenting tool. It offers basic features for downloading content but not premium ones like DVD burning.

Many torrenting platforms exist, and users often get confused about which to choose. We’re reviewing BiglyBT to help you decide whether it’s the best choice. We’ll dive into its features, user-friendliness, and security, among other factors.

BiglyBT: Versions and platforms

You can download BiglyBT on your PC or mobile phone by opening the website, clicking the download button, and selecting the package for your operating system.

BiglyBT is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, and Unix PCs. It also has an Android app that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Unsurprisingly, it is not available on iOS because Apple has an aversion to torrenting apps appearing on its App Store.

BiglyBT: Features

BiglyBT allows you to find and download content for free. Its intuitive interface is easy to understand. In the upper-middle corner, there is a search bar where you can find your desired content. Type what you want to download, and BiglyBT will search its extensive databases for it.

After completing the search, BiglyBT displays the results in a list format. The list shows the size, age, category, and ratings of the relevant files. For example, if you search for a movie, you’ll see its file size, ratings, and other information to help you decide whether to download it.

Click on the file you want to download and monitor the progress. When downloading torrents, BiglyBT will show you other torrents that people frequently download along with those torrents, similar to a search engine recommending new content for users.

We observed fast download speeds during our test, but your speed can vary depending on the number of seeders on the network. Seeders refers to other BiglyBT users sharing a file after downloading it.

(Image credit: Future)

The more seeders on the network during your download, the faster it’ll be. The fewer the seeders, the slower the speed. Your broadband network speed also determines how fast you can download files.

After downloading a file on BiglyBT, you automatically become a seeder helping other users to download that file. Seeding is recommended because it makes torrenting easier for all users.

Yet, some people don’t like seeding because of the risks of consuming excessive bandwidth. To this end, BiglyBT lets you control your upload speed. You can set a specific limit, e.g., 2 MB/second, to avoid consuming much bandwidth when seeding files for other users.

BiglyBT gives users significant control over their torrenting activities. For example, you can block specific IP addresses to avoid downloading tainted files. You can upload blocklists, and BiglyBT will prevent every IP address on the lists from sending files to your PC or mobile phone.

We like BiglyBT’s anonymous sharing feature, wherein you can securely share files with other users via a chat interface. You can create a chat channel and invite other users to it. Then, you can upload files from your folders or drag and drop them into the chat interface. Every other user in your channel can quickly download these files with no logs of who sent or downloaded them. This feature provides a reliable way to share sensitive files.

BiglyBT lets you monitor your torrenting activities in detail. It keeps logs of all the files you’ve uploaded or downloaded via the network. You can view the size, download/upload speed, and the time taken to download all files. You can view a real-time location graph of all seeders available on the network, helping you know the optimal time to download large files.

(Image credit: Future)BiglyBT: Interface and in-use

BiglyBT's interface is simple and easy to grasp. It has the typical layout of the navigation menu on the left and the main dashboard on the right. The upper part of the interface is dedicated mainly to the search bar.

We appreciate that BiglyBT has a configurable interface. You can place specific menu items above others in the navigation menu, making it easy to access the features you use most. For example, if anonymous sharing is your most used feature, you can make it appear first on the menu.

BiglyBT’s minimalist interface makes it enjoyable to use. The drawback we observed is the lack of a dark-themed interface, but that’s not a major problem in the grand scheme of BiglyBT’s intuitiveness.

BiglyBT: Security and privacy

BiglyBT has sophisticated features to prevent torrenting activities from being exposed to unauthorized parties. For instance, it supports the Invisible Internet Project (I2P) protocol, which lets users share files anonymously and securely. I2P achieves anonymity by routing torrenting traffic through a network of distributed computers. However, I2P makes downloads slower because traffic is routed through multiple layers.

For maximum security, installing a VPN before using BiglyBT and turning it on before downloading torrents is advisable. VPNs encrypt traffic by routing it through remote servers. They prevent third parties, such as your internet service provider (ISP), from snooping on your browsing activities.

Though secure, BiglyBT isn’t flawless. Torrenting tools occasionally have security lapses that can expose users’ activities. BiglyBT shouldn’t be used for illegal activities and piracy. TechRadar doesn’t endorse content piracy.

BiglyBT: Final Verdict

BiglyBT is a decent torrenting platform. It makes finding and downloading torrents easy and facilitates anonymous file sharing with friends, family, and colleagues. However, we feel there’s not much differentiating BiglyBT from competitors. It’s a good, free tool, but don’t expect exceptional features.

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Categories: Reviews

South Park’s unhinged secret season 27 episode 2 post-credits scene is only available to stream on Paramount+, and there’s a good reason why

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:27

After a lengthy wait following its controversial premiere, South Park season 27 episode 2 aired on Comedy Central on August 6, and boy did it go for the jugular. A deepfake of Donald Trump was joined by a miniature J.D. Vance, Krypto the superdog was shot out of the sky by US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was… well, made fun of. Just a regular day in the sitcom, right? Wrong.

For starters, the Krypto reference was a parody of Noem disclosing in her 2024 memoir that she once shot and killed her dog on a family farm. She responded to the scene during an interview on the Glenn Beck Program podcast, slamming her character’s appearance: “It’s so lazy to just constantly make fun of women for how they look. If they wanted to criticize my job, go ahead and do that. But clearly they can’t – they just pick something petty like that.” Much like the official White House account, Noem also used a screenshot of her South Park character to try and recruit users to join ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

But did the South Park team stop there? Of course not! Not only did they fire back at the ICE recruitment posts on social media, but season 27 episode 2 features a scathing secret post-credits scene that can only be streamed on Paramount+.

South Park season 27 episode 2 post-credit scene on Paramount+ goes even harder on Kristi Noem

Didn’t see this on TV? Here’s the Paramount+ version of the end credits scene. pic.twitter.com/QAvMgQfU9tAugust 11, 2025

Spoilers for South Park season 27 episode 2 ahead.

In short, it’s even more bad news for Noem. In the post-credits scene, Noem essentially goes on a shooting spree in a pet store, opening fire on all of the poor puppies who are inside. One manages to escape, but Noem soon guns it down after catching up to it. Even for South Park, the scene is especially grim, and I can’t say I’m surprised it’s a well-hidden secret. What did puppies do to deserve getting caught up in Noem’s political crossfire?

While no official reason has been given for why the post-credits scene wasn’t included in the original broadcast, it’s possible that it was added last minute after the White House and Noem both began to publicly respond to season 27, meaning it would have been too late to include in the live transmission. This might not necessarily be the case, though, and if it isn’t, it’s a dang good marketing ploy.

It’s also a lot less obvious if you’re going to double-down on your governmental criticisms on a streaming service than on cable TV (South Park season 27 is airing on Comedy Central). Paramount+ isn’t likely to be repulsed by the idea either, drawing more viewers to their streaming service to see the post-credits scene in its entire episodic context. It’s a shrewd move on all counts, even if it’s making me a little nauseous and light-headed just by writing about it.

Is this going to be the last of South Park season 27 airing subtly placed clapbacks and putting their subjects of parody on blast online? I doubt it. If anything, this streaming war could be about to get very ugly, and I’m not just talking about the bloodshed onscreen.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 now has an officially licensed gaming headset from Turtle Beach and you can pre-order it today

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:13
  • Turtle Beach has revealed its new Airlite Fit wired gaming headset for the Nintendo Switch 2
  • The headset is also compatible with all prior Switch systems
  • Pre-orders are now open and the headset officially launches on September 3

Turtle Beach has announced its new Airlite Fit wired gaming headset, which is officially licensed for the Nintendo Switch 2.

The company re-released the Airtlite Fit for the original Nintendo Switch earlier this year, with several color options including Neon Blue & Red, White & Black, and Ghost Purple.

The latest Switch 2 edition delivers the same lightweight comfort and immersive gaming audio that the headset series is known for, with a new design befitting the latest console.

The Airlite Fit is compatible with the Switch 2 and prior Switch systems, including the Switch Lite and Switch OLED, and comes officially licensed for packaging showcasing the official Switch 2 badge on the headset’s headband. This edition also offers a new Charcoal Black colorway to what was previously available for the Switch.

The headset also features high-quality 40mm speakers for "superior sound", a sound-isolating, bi-directional microphone with flip-to-mute functionality, premium, noise-isolating ear cushions with an over-ear fit, and on-ear volume control.

"Working with our partners at Nintendo, we are excited to release our latest Airlite Fit headset for a lightweight and comfortable gaming experience, licensed for Nintendo Switch 2," said Turtle Beach CEO, Cris Keirn.

"With proven, excellent audio performance at an affordable price, the Airlite Fit enhances the amazing experiences on Nintendo Switch 2 for gamers everywhere."

The Turtle Beach Airlite Fit wired gaming headset for Nintendo Switch 2 in Charcoal Black can now be pre-ordered for $27.99 / £19.99 / €24.99. It launches worldwide on September 3, 2025.

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iOS 26 reveals a new real-time translation gesture for AirPods 4 and Pro 2, and it could make your French phrase book a thing of the past

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:07
  • Image in iOS 26 shows what looks like real-time translation
  • Will require an Apple Intelligence-compatible device
  • Could be iPhone 17 only, and possibly 16 Pro/Max

The latest developer beta of iOS 26 has apparently revealed a major unannounced upgrade for AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2: real world, real time translation.

As 9to5Mac reports, iOS 26 developer beta 6 contains a new system asset showing both AirPods stems being pressed simultaneously. The image seems to refer to the Translate app, and shows multiple words in multiple languages including Hello, Danke, Obrigado, Bonjour, Olá and Bye.

Real-world translation wasn't announced at WWDC but we know it was in development (Image credit: Apple)Danke, Apple

Apple announced Live Translate last month at WWDC, but not for real-world chatting: Apple focused on FaceTime and phone calls as well as messages. But live, face to face translation was leaked earlier this year by Bloomberg so we knew it was in the works. We just didn't know when it'd arrive.

There's a lot we don't know about this new feature, including device requirements: AirPods and AirPods Pro don't have the horsepower to run real-time translation natively, so that's going to be handled by your phone, iPad or Mac.

We also don't know what languages will be supported when the feature launches, although clearly the leaked asset shows some of them (Portuguese, French, German and, er, English).

It looks likely that the feature will initially support a fairly small selection of languages and require a recent iPhone, iPad or Mac: the Live Translation for phone calls and FaceTime already announced is available for English (UK and US), French, German, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish and requires an Apple Intelligence-compatible device.

It's possible that as Apple did with Apple Intelligence last year, the new feature may be exclusive to the iPhone 17 and last year's Pro models.

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Microsoft's new Windows tool will let you access your work PC, even if it's been hit in a cyberattack

TechRadar News - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 05:06
  • Windows 365 Reserve includes 10 days of Cloud PC access
  • It's designed to plug the gaps during hardware, software or cybersecurity-related outages
  • Affected users can access their work by logging in from a browser or the Windows app

Microsoft has revealed an initial launch of Windows 365 Reserve – a new service which gives users temporary, dedicated Cloud PC access when their primary device is unavailable.

The company says Windows 365 Reserve is designed to maintain business continuity during any type of outage, be it from a cyberattack such as ransomware, a hardware failure, software issues or loss or theft.

In a blog post, Microsoft Senior Product Manager Logan Silliman explained companies already have to deal with, "halt[ed] productivity, delay[ed] deliverables, and strain[ed] IT teams," but the new offering could lift a huge weight off companies during these times of stress.

Windows 365 Reserve is available for some users to try

Microsoft will give users up to 10 days per year, which can be split across incidents or used up in one go.

"With this solution, organizations can proactively establish protections that reduce both financial and operational impacts when disruptions arise," Silliman added.

Promising the usual suite of Microsoft 365 apps, existing Microsoft Intune policies and secure access from any device, Windows 365 Reserve could vastly improve a worker's return to productivity.

It also buys the IT team undisturbed time to remediate whatever the issue is without the worker effectively being offline.

Microsoft noted the feature was developed after customers expressed concerns about challenges preparing for disruptions.

End users affected by any type of outage can regain access to their work by logging into their Windows 365 Reserve via a web browser or the Windows app.

The limited public preview launch comes less than two months after Microsoft first lifted the wraps off the concept.

It remains unclear whether the service will come at an additional cost to businesses, and how any pricing model would work. TechRadar Pro did ask Microsoft to confirm this, but we did not receive an immediate response.

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Alaska was once a full-fledged Russian colony. Now it's hosting a U.S.-Russia summit

NPR News Headlines - Tue, 08/12/2025 - 04:56

Russia lost a war in Crimea in the 1850s. To pay off war debts, Russia sold Alaska to the U.S. Now presidents Trump and Putin will meet Friday in Alaska to discuss another war involving Crimea.

(Image credit: David McNew)

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