Feed aggregator

Features

For businesses, Proton VPN offers dedicated IP addresses and dedicated servers, which ensures better performance and security for employees accessing corporate networks. This is especially valuable for organizations that need consistent access to resources or want to ensure secure remote work. The VPN also integrates seamlessly with a variety of third-party tools and applications, providing flexibility in how you manage your team's connectivity; which can assist in obtaining security certifications such as ISO 27001, SOC2, etc. There is no need for specialized hardware, so deployment is fast, and for business users there is dedicated 24/7 support.

Its Secure Core architecture adds an extra layer of protection by routing traffic through multiple servers in privacy-friendly countries, safeguarding your data even if a VPN endpoint is compromised. When you connect through Proton VPN's Secure Core servers, your VPN connection takes two hops for added security. It first routes from your device to the Secure Core servers and then proceeds to the VPN server you've selected. Proton VPN emphasizes that its Secure Core servers are located in countries with strong privacy laws and are directly owned by Proton. These servers are housed in secure, high-security facilities, such as old military bases, ensuring that your data is protected from potential threats and unauthorized access. This of course is not the fastest way to surf the web, but is potentially one of the safest options. The auto re-connection option comes as standard across all pricing plans, which is a nice to have feature in a modern VPN solution.

(Image credit: Proton VPN)

Another noteworthy feature is NetShield, an advanced ad blocker that protects against malware, trackers, and ads. In short, it checks DNS requests more thoroughly and relies on a list of blocked sites and domains to avoid phishing and malware. Similarly, it blocks trackers and most of the ads you see on websites. While watching YouTube though, you will get ads served inside of videos unless you have YouTube Premium. Finally, the number of blocked ads and trackers we could not verify, but since we did not see ads that were otherwise served to us, we have to say that it works.

Pricing & Plans

(Image credit: Proton VPN)

If you’re looking to test drive Proton as a single user, we recommend you do so using the free version. It is understandably very limited in its functionality and does not offer the real taste of features that you will need as a business user. For business users of Proton Business VPN, there are three pricing plans, VPN Essentials, VPN Professional, and VPN Enterprise. If you’re looking for monthly payments, then the plans cost €8.99 per user and €11.99 per user, respectively. For the Enterprise plan, you need to get in touch with the sales team.

Additionally, if you’re looking to save some money, opting for 1-year pricing, you get a 22% and 17% discount, respectively. And for 2-year pricing, the discounts rise to 33% and 25% for the initial two plans. A dedicated server and IP will cost you an additional €35.99/month.

Performance

All VPNs will inevitably slow down the speed of your internet since you’re routing traffic through a server. This is also true for Proton VPN, however, the speed loss is negligible (depending on which server you’re using). You’re given the choice of using WireGuard, IKEv2, OpenVPN (TCP or UDP), and Stealth tunneling protocols to establish your connection. Thanks to its large network of international servers (over 4800 across 110 countries), you will have ample choices to protect your connection or avoid geo-restrictions.

If you’re using Chromium-based browsers or Firefox-based ones, you can use Proton’s browser extension which lets you browse or stream securely. The best part is that the extensions are available even for the free plan. We did not notice slowdowns in browsers (Chrome and Firefox) nor was there an additional slowdown in speeds when using the extensions. As with all Proton VPN products, the browser extension is open source, allowing anyone to inspect and verify its code for transparency and security. This extension makes it even easier for users to experience the benefits of Proton VPN’s no-logs policy, which is backed by Switzerland’s strong privacy laws.

Last but not least, if you plan on using Secure Core services for browsing, be ready to suffer a hefty speed penalty, since multi-hop connections do eat into speed; but for the most paranoid amongst us, speed is usually not priority number one.

Privacy & Security

Proton VPN’s privacy policy clearly states that it does not log any user activity or IP addresses, maintaining a strict no-logs policy. In the past, Proton VPN used to store timestamps of the last login, but this practice has since been discontinued. The fact that the VPN is based in Switzerland - a country with one of the strongest privacy laws in the world - will ensure that you are protected from government surveillance and third-party requests. In addition, a separate third-party audit confirmed that the provider has no significant flaws in their privacy policy.

Thanks to the DNS leak protection and kill switch features, your connection will remain secure even if the VPN drops for any reason. Furthermore, AES-265 encryption, coupled with multi-factor authentication, adds an extra layer of security. As a business user, you’re given the option to configure your gateways, segment your network, and isolate devices or resources easily.

Proton VPN apps include built-in defenses against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, particularly when operating over unsecured or potentially hostile networks. If such an attack attempt is detected, the app alerts the user and blocks connections to any suspicious servers, providing an added layer of security against malicious threats.

Alternatives

NordLayer jumps out as a strong alternative to Proton VPN, of course, it also commands premium pricing but does stand out when it comes to speed. Similar to Proton, NordLayer offers a rich feature set, with complex security features that complement any business looking to stay on the safer side of the internet. Browser extensions and mobile apps are easy to use, offer granular configuration, and thanks to its Firewall as a service option, it ticks all of the checkboxes for a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution.

Twingate is another alternative that, like Proton, offers fast, scalable, and seamless deployment of services. Additionally, it offers flexible access policy configurations and comprehensive activity logging, focusing on businesses in regulated industries. Like NordLayer the focus was placed on the UX and UI part of the apps they offer, which are top-notch and very intuitive. In terms of pricing it beats out both Proton and NordLayer, but does come with different sets of features and options. Therefore, the best option is to initially figure out your needs, compare the offerings and then look at pricing to get the best feel for which VPN solution is right for your business.

Final Verdict

Proton Business VPN is a powerful business VPN solution that places a strong emphasis on being open source, highly regulated, and Swiss-based to ensure the highest level of privacy and security for its users. Over 5,000 business users trust Proton with their data, which is not a number to sneeze at.

Complex security features that extend from encryption, and log-in protection all the way to man-in-the-middle attack prevention speak to the level of detail Proton placed on security. Thanks to its Secure Core and NetShield features, businesses can ensure that phishing and malware are reduced to a minimum. Of course, there are some drawbacks in terms of speed if you simply decide to turn all of the advanced features on. However, if you focus on dedicated IP addresses and dedicated servers, and reserve the advanced features for remote workers coming from higher security risk areas, Proton can be an ideal companion. All in all, Proton makes a strong case for being one of the best solutions in the business VPN market.

• We've also listed the best VPNs and the best VPN with antivirus

The 29-year-old had last been seen in Budapest, Hungary. He said he was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon and held in prison until the fall of the Assad regime.

(Image credit: Abdulaziz Ketaz)

Even before the internet was invented, businesses have had security operations centers (SOCs) to monitor, manage and secure the enterprise. This was because protecting data, applications, and the network were all seen as integral to the success of the business. Today, no serious enterprise would ignore the importance of its network operations.

Yet when it comes to an even more valuable resource – employees – it’s only recently that businesses have started to assess and improve the quality of the digital employee experience (DEX) and its subsequent impact on productivity. One way some organizations are tackling the problem is the creation of DEX Operations Centres (DOC), i.e. a function designed to maximize the digital experience for all employees by removing blockers, reducing stress, and enabling better focus.

However, building a new function can be a tricky business if it isn’t planned right. Happily, creating a DOC doesn’t need to be a convoluted or onerous process. Having worked with multiple organizations, I can testify that, with the right approach and executive support, it’s possible to launch a small, but fully functional one after only a few key steps.

Avoiding the big mistake

Launching any new tech-related initiative can be daunting. Every business has its own set of horror stories about projects going sideways or costly implementations that got botched.

One of the most common reasons for this is that, too often, businesses start by purchasing expensive technology and then trying to retrofit a structure and rationale to justify it afterwards. This is precisely the wrong approach, especially when building a DOC. Technological solutions and tools need to be the final piece of the puzzle, after the organization has developed a full understanding of the purpose, scope, and structure of the proposed DOC.

Four workshops

While there is no one ‘right’ way to build a DOC, having been involved in multiple such initiatives, there are four key elements that should be addressed. Fortunately, while these are vital steps, they do not have to be particularly drawn out. If all relevant stakeholders are available and engaged, a DOC can be created with four targeted workshops:

1. The mission: The first workshop is the most high-level, but also the most important: the mission of the DOC must be clearly defined. Once there is a clear definition of the mission and vision of the DOC that covers why it’s necessary and what it aims to bring to the business, a whole host of subsequent decisions become easier. Moreover, this helps position the DOC within the organization, clarifying which teams it will be working with, and what the reporting structure could be. As an example, a business might launch a DOC with the vision to provide the best possible digital experience for all employees.

2. The service catalogue: After defining the vision, the mission and the positioning of the center in the organization, the next workshop should focus on what services the Centre will be providing. DEX encompasses a vast range of potential services and use cases, so it’s essential to start with a small number and doing those efficiently, rather than immediately trying to take on two dozen different problems from jump. In our example above, initial services might be around hardware and software optimization to improve the performance of devices and thereby the digital experience.

3. The use cases: In the same way that the service catalogue is aligned with the mission, so the specific use cases, standard operating procedures, and deliverables need to be aligned with the services catalogue. Continuing our example, the use cases for our hypothetical DOC could be around supporting the reduction of proactive tickets, extending the lifetime of devices, or identifying and repurposing unused hardware rather than buying new.

4. The team: Once all of the above is in place, the final workshop can assess what sort of team and operational model is needed in order to most effectively carry out the plan. For some organizations, the DOC will be an evolution of the support team that sits alongside traditional IT support, while others may merge the two into a larger team. There is no right or wrong answer to how to create a DOC – some organisations have a fully allocated team, others only partly allocated. Some have their DOC as an internal function, others outsource it. Some have a dedicated team; others draw upon a cross-functional set of skills. The important thing is that, with the services and use cases mapped out already, it’s far more straightforward to identify the requisite expertise and input to make the Centre a success.

Only after all of these decisions have been made should organizations start thinking about what technology is needed, otherwise they can find they are spending significant sums on new solutions without getting any worthwhile ROI.

An evolving practice

While every business should follow the four steps above in creating their DOC, that doesn’t mean they should feel constrained in terms of what it looks like. There is no minimum size, set of services, or standard structure that has to be followed. Many Centres have been launched with only two people and a handful of use cases. Indeed, it can be better to scale back ambitions for the initial launch and make sure that things are running smoothly before increasing investment.

However it’s constituted, once the Centre has a couple of successes under its belt, it’s far easier to showcase the value of DexOps as a concept and to get additional buy-in from stakeholders across the enterprise. And, because a well-constructed DOC is agile and responsive to the needs of the business, it will mature alongside the enterprise, adding and discarding services as needed to best facilitate the core mission. Regardless, as long as organizations take the time to map out a proper mission, vision, and operational structure, any DOC will consistently add value across all areas of the employee experience.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Live Proxies was founded in 2020 to fulfill a growing need for proxy servers and IP addresses. These servers enable individuals and businesses to bypass geo-restrictions and scrape data from websites. They help users defy the increasing barriers on the internet.

This proxy provider offers over 10 million IPs across dozens of countries. Users can choose static or residential IP addresses to enjoy unrestricted access to the web. Our Live Proxies review will help you decide if it’s a good choice. It covers essential factors like pricing, customer support, ease of use, and features. Read on to learn about this proxy provider's features, pros, and cons.

Live Proxies: Plans and Pricing

(Image credit: Live Proxies)

Live Proxies offers three types of proxies; Rotating Residential, Static Residential, and Rotating Mobile. Each type has custom pricing, and there’s a separate B2B plan for businesses, which we’ll explore.

Users pay based on location, bandwidth, and number of IPs. For example, Live Proxies charges $70 for 200 U.S.A. IPs with a 4 GB bandwidth allocation for 30 days. However, the same allocation for random IPs (rather than the U.S. alone) costs $45. Extending the U.S.A. plan to 60 days costs $85, and doubling the bandwidth to 8 GB costs $100.

Static residential IPs have a similar pricing structure. Live Proxies charges $65 for 50 U.S.A. IPs with a 4 GB allocation for 30 days. Extending the plan to 8 GB for 45 days costs $110. The higher the bandwidth and subscription length, the more you’ll pay.

Rotating mobile proxies have similar pricing structures depending on location, bandwidth, and subscription length. However, the B2B plan has a simple pricing structure: Businesses pay at least $5,000 monthly to access the entire pool of 10 million+ IP addresses, unlike residential and mobile plans restricted by proxy location.

Live Proxies has a complicated pricing structure the average person might struggle to understand. Its plans are also costly compared to many competitors. We think Live Proxies will do users a favor by simplifying its pricing plans.

Live Proxies: Features

(Image credit: Live Proxies)

Proxy servers are physical internet-connected computers in different locations. You can route your online browsing through them to bypass geo-restrictions and scrape data. Live Proxies offers a broad network of 10 million+ IP addresses, although it’s not as extensive as some rivals. It offers three main types of proxies: rotating, static, and mobile.

Rotating

As the name suggests, rotating IPs “rotate” within specific schedules. You’ll switch to a new proxy IP at a set schedule, e.g., every hour or whenever you start a new browsing session. Live Proxies offers rotating proxies in many regions, although its IP pool is concentrated in the U.S.A., the U.K., and Canada.

Rotating proxies offer better anonymity, as the frequent change makes it difficult for websites to track your online behaviour. Suppose you want to scrape data from a real estate listing site with anti-scraping features. Rotating proxies makes it challenging for the website’s admins to track your usage pattern and detect the proxy. They’ll likely assume the rotating proxies come from different individuals visiting their website.

Better off, Live Proxies offers residential IP addresses from legitimate sources. Device owners around the globe agree to add their IP addresses to Live Proxies’ pool in exchange for benefits. Then, you can use these IP addresses to bypass website restrictions and scrape data.

The drawback is that rotating proxies are slower than static proxies. Frequent rotation increases the likelihood of encountering slow connections, and rotating IPs are more expensive than static IPs.

(Image credit: Live Proxies) Static

As the name implies, static proxy IPs don’t change. You can use a static IP for as long as your subscription lasts. Live Proxies offers plans ranging from 30 to 60 days. You can choose a static IP from a specific country to bypass geo-restrictions. Suppose you aim to scrape data from a U.S.A.-centric real estate listing website; your best bet is choosing a domestic IP address.

For unclear reasons, most of Live Proxies' static IPs were listed as "sold out" during our test. Only U.S.A.-based static IP addresses were available, which we tested and observed excellent speed and performance. We think Live Proxies will help users by growing its static IP network to guarantee more availability.

Mobile

Mobile proxies are IPs sourced from mobile devices (smartphones and tablets). They have various use cases, such as managing multiple social media accounts without risking restrictions or verifying whether ads are displayed correctly to mobile users. Live Proxies offers reliable mobile proxies, although they’re costly.

B2B

Live Proxies offers a simplified proxy IP plan for businesses. Companies can access the entire pool of 10 million+ proxy IPs across 55 countries for a monthly fee. This plan best suits companies with large proxy needs, such as a price comparison website scraping data from numerous sources.

Live Proxies: Ease of Use

We didn’t observe any hiccups when testing Live Proxies. Its interface is easy to understand, with features neatly arranged on the left side and the main dashboard on the right. The dashboard sports a white background plus a few shades of blue to highlight features. Everything is set up in a way that a layperson can quickly grasp.

(Image credit: Live Proxies ) Customer Support

Live Proxies offers decent customer support, starting with a detailed knowledge base with answers to common issues. If you need further help, you can submit a ticket and expect a response within 48 hours. However, there’s no direct live chat or telephone support.

(Image credit: Live proxies) Live Proxies: The Competition

Live Proxies performed on par with most rival proxy tools we’ve tested. Its proxy IPs provide excellent speed and performance. The drawback is its limited pool of 10 million IPs across 55 countries, compared to rivals like Oxylabs, which has 102 million IPs across 195 countries and Bright Data, which has 72 million IPs across 195 countries.

Live Proxies: Final Verdict

Live Proxies is one of the best proxy providers in terms of speed and performance. It’s ideal for large-scale data scraping tasks where speed is paramount. It’s also suitable for individual use cases where speed is crucial, e.g., for downloading files. The drawback is that Live Proxies charges higher prices than most rivals.

• Take a look at our guide to the best proxy services

• Garmin has released its 2024 Connect Data Report
• It reveals trends from Garmin customers all over the world
• It tells us about Body Battery, Sleep, Score, and where's best in the world if you want to walk 10,000 steps a day

As is customary for this time of year, fitness tracking and wellness platforms continue to release aggregated wellness data to give us helpful trends and insights into the world of fitness.

Garmin is the latest platform to dish out its numbers, with its annual Garmin Connect Data Report for 2024 out now.

Its stats are taken from the personalized fitness insights available in the Garmin Connect app, and covers customers of all the best Garmin Watches on the market, from the Forerunner to the Fenix and everything in between. Here's everything you need to know from this year's report.

Garmin Connect Data Report 2024

(Image credit: Future)

Garmin has provided insights into several of its proprietary tracking metrics, including Body Battery and Sleep Score, so you can see where you stack up on the list.

Garmin says the average morning score is 71, and the average evening low is 22, putting average daily drain at 49. Users had the most energy on Tuesdays, and the lowest scores on Saturdays. The lowest energy expenditure of the year? January 1. The highest? August 27.

Regarding sleep scores, Garmin says most users sleep best on Monday nights into Tuesday mornings, with the worst night of sleep of the week being a Saturday, unsurprisingly.

Saturday's alright for fighting (stress)

Next is stress, and Garmin users average 30 (out of 100) for the year, with Monday the lowest average stress score of the week, and Saturday the highest.

Finally, for training readiness, Garmin says that the average user score was 60 (out of 100), the highest training readiness scores were on Tuesday, and the lowest on Sunday.

When it comes to walking 10,000 steps, Garmin users take an average of 8,317 a day, the highest daily step count of 10,340 goes to Hong Kong, the lowest in Indonesia.

The stats provide a fascinating insight into Garmin's averages. Don't read too much into them, we're all unique after all, but you can see how you stack up across the data with the full results.

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Independent auditors have confirmed that one of the best VPN apps on the market protects your data with "a high-security level."

Mullvad VPN put its security infrastructure under scrutiny for the fourth time between October 23 and November 28, 2024. Experts from X41 D-Sec performed penetration tests and source code audits across all VPN apps for 30 days, finding only non-critical issues.

The VPN provider stated that it has now addressed these flaws "to the extent possible."

Mullvad's 4th security audit

"Overall, the Mullvad VPN Applications appear to have a high-security level and are well positioned to protect from the threat model proposed in this report," concludes the audit.

As mentioned earlier, experts conducted a white box penetration test and source code audit to investigate if attackers could compromise users' real identity or monitor their activities.

"The use of safe coding and design patterns in combination with regular audits and penetration tests led to a very hardened environment," noted experts.

Auditors found a total of six vulnerabilities, though none of them were critical. Three smaller issues "without a direct security impact" were also identified. You can find all the technical details in the full report.

Commenting on the results, the provider said: "Mullvad is very happy with the quality of the audit performed by X41 D-Sec. X41 managed to find issues in our code that previous audits missed, which shows that there is great benefit in having audits performed by different companies."

This is, in fact, the fourth independent security audit Mullvad has undergone every two years since 2018.

The fourth third-party security audit of the Mullvad VPN app has concluded that the app has a high security level. Some non-critical issues were found, and have been fixed to the extent possible.Read more here: https://t.co/9XbSwJhwjDDecember 11, 2024

Mullvad implemented fixes for four of the issues found during the audit. The team released a new app version on the affected platforms (desktop, Android, and Linux VPN) immediately after receiving the audit report.

Auditors also confirm the provider addressed all the issues "swiftly and the fixes were audited to be working properly."

The latest results corroborate Mullvad as one of the most secure VPN providers on the market right now. Besides bullet-proof security infrastructure, the service offers a strict no-log policy (which an inconclusive police raid proved in real life), a built-in tracker blocker, and strong encryption protocols.

In October, Mullvad even beefed up its defense against AI surveillance and censorship thanks to some advanced security features. These include extended support for VPN obfuscation technology for the WireGuard protocol and the innovative DAITA system which aims to mitigate AI-powered tracking by modifying the appearance of data packets sent over the VPN network.

• Security researchers from Akamai found UI Automation accessibility feature could be abused for malicious use
• UI Automation must be allowed to do all the things malware usually does, which makes it difficult for antivirus programs to spot it
• Admins can monitor the OS for suspicious activity

Cybersecurity researchers from Akamai have discovered a new way to get malware to run on Windows devices without triggering Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools.

In a report published on the Akamai blog earlier this week, it was said that starting with Windows XP, the OS introduced a feature called UI Automation, as part of the .NET Framework. This feature is designed to provide programmatic access to user interface elements, enabling assistive technologies like screen readers to interact with applications and help users with disabilities. It also supports automated testing scenarios by allowing developers to manipulate and retrieve information from UI components programmatically.

But if a piece of malware were to abuse UI Automation, they could execute different malicious commands without triggering any security alarms: "To exploit this technique, a user must be convinced to run a program that uses UI Automation," Akamai said in its writeup. "This can lead to stealthy command execution, which can harvest sensitive data, redirect browsers to phishing websites, and more."

Detecting possible attacks

The new technique is essentially a port from Android, since it revolves around accessibility features.

Since the malware would essentially be abusing what’s otherwise a benign, intended use, antivirus programs would have a difficult time flagging the activity. In essence, it is the same as with Android - the accessibility services API has become the go-to way for malware on the platform. It is also the best way to spot malicious applications, since they all must ask for permission to use Accessibility Services, first.

To detect possible attacks, admins should monitor the use of UIAutomationCore.dll, the researchers concluded. It being loaded to a previously unknown process should be cause for concern, it was said. Furthermore, network admins can monitor the named pipes that are opened on an endpoint by the UIA, which is another indicator of use.

The details on how to do that can be found here.

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Black Friday and the following holiday shopping season are critical for retailers worldwide. For many, the revenue generated during this period represents a substantial portion of their annual targets, and sets the stage for the year ahead. Preparation begins months in advance as retailers plan inventories, identify likely hits, and scale up operational capacities.

While experienced retailers often rely on past experience to gauge purchase volumes and potential obstacles; effective planning requires more than a gut feeling—it must be validated with data.

Retailers collect vast amounts of data relating to purchases, from average basket size, popularity of items, most frequent purchase days and times, and more. All of this data provides valuable insights for retailers to ensure they are well prepared for the peak season. Human analysis alone, however, may not guarantee the best and most valuable insights are drawn. This is where AI can help.

AI tools can sift through vast amounts of data, identify key trends, and generate predictive insights. By analyzing historical data and applying heuristics, AI can help retailers forecast demand, optimize inventory, and streamline staffing decisions.

Once these insights are generated, AIOps tools can take over, automatically scaling resources like CPU and capacity to handle traffic spikes, providing the necessary "boost" to handle high traffic, even during unexpected peaks.

Let’s explore AI’s role in ensuring success for retailers in this peak season.

Addressing operational challenges

Retailers face various obstacles in preparing for the holiday rush. Planning includes anticipating product demand, ensuring inventory availability across locations, and preparing logistics. This period’s sales surge can put unprecedented pressure on IT systems, which may need to handle hundreds of orders per hour.

AI-driven forecasting enables retailers to move beyond a gut-feeling, making data-driven decisions based on historical trends and real-time data. AI tools analyze vast amounts of retail data—such as basket sizes, peak shopping times, and item popularity—to make precise predictions. These insights improve capacity planning, including timely adjustments for resources like storage and CPU power, which is essential for keeping systems running smoothly.

Once these insights have been drawn, AIOps platforms dynamically allocate resources as demand increases, minimizing downtime and keeping the customer experience intact.

Smarter inventory and staffing

Inventory management is another area transformed by AI. Predictive analytics allows retailers to anticipate demand more accurately, adjusting inventory levels to align with projected needs to avoid stock shortages or surplus.

This real-time forecasting helps ensure popular products remain available and inventory is efficiently distributed across stores and warehouses. Additionally, predictive insights enable more strategic staffing, ensuring that employee levels align with anticipated demand spikes.

AI also provides a feedback loop that retailers can leverage year after year, helping them refine their holiday season strategies. By using heuristics and historical data, AI helps forecast demand patterns and guides long-term planning for staffing, logistics, and inventory management.

Real-time visibility for seamless operations

Visibility across operations is essential for success during peak shopping periods. Retailers must monitor metrics like incident count (to track disruptions), churn rate or cart abandonment (to gauge retention), inventory turnover (to assess sales versus stock), and logistics (to ensure delivery success). AIOps platforms offer dashboards that provide real-time tracking of these metrics, allowing teams to make immediate, informed decisions to manage demand fluctuations and resolve any issues.

This comprehensive view helps large, omnichannel retailers manage both in-store and online channels. By responding to real-time data, retailers can address customer needs swiftly and reduce the risk of supply chain bottlenecks.

With AI providing this observability, retailers are better equipped to offer a seamless customer experience, even during peak demand.

A data-driven future for retail

With the holiday season's high stakes, AI and AIOps are enabling retailers to make well-informed, strategic decisions that go beyond gut instinct. By offering predictive analytics, real-time insights, and automated scaling, these technologies streamline operations, prevent costly outages, and enhance customer satisfaction. Retailers that embrace these data-driven strategies gain an edge in a competitive landscape, not only succeeding during peak periods but also laying the foundation for future growth and agility.

In a market where customer expectations are high and purchase habits are changing, data-driven strategies supported by AI are becoming essential tools for retail success.

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• The upcoming BMW M3 will use four electric motors
• Its clever torque vectoring aims to deliver driving dynamics
• A petrol engine version will still be offered

BMW has revealed teaser images and video footage of its forthcoming M3 replacement during testing, which will feature a quad-electric motor set-up in the first time in its long and illustrious career.

Choosing to tell the development story through a Netflix-esque mini-series on YouTube, the German automaker has revealed elements of what we can expect from the upcoming “M HP BEV” (high-powered battery electric vehicle), which will be based on an all-new Neue Klasse 3 Series platform.

Although there is no word on battery capacity and the sort of performance we can expect when it arrives in 2028, BMW M boss Frank van Meel says the project was about “embracing new technology”, and finding out “how to push the limits of what is technically possible".

That means a centralized ‘brain’ that aims to bring the numerous control modules under the stewardship of one, very powerful computer unit.

There will also be cutting-edge and highly precise torque vectoring at each wheel, which BMW hopes will deliver some of that ‘Ultimate Driving Experience’ that the company is famed for.

M3 fans are understandably worried about the electrified future of such a beloved and revered sports car, with many worried that the added weight of batteries will blunt performance – something van Meel says is inescapable.

During an interview with Autocar, the BMW CEO admitted that early performance EVs would have to be equipped with larger, heavier batteries in order to “avoid range anxiety in environments where charging infrastructure is still not widely spread.”

But he goes on to suggest that in the coming years, the charging infrastructure is going to improve at such a rapid rate that his company might not have to cram in such a huge quantity of battery packs, as charging will become faster and more convenient.

Analysis: BMW is hedging its bets

(Image credit: BMW)

According to BMW’s CEO, the electrified M3 is being developed alongside an internal combustion engine counterpart. The company has heavily revised the current generation 3.0-liter straight-six petrol engine to meet Europe’s stringent emissions regulations.

That means a petrol M-car will be available for as long as customer demand exists and, according to some of the YouTube comments under BMW’s recent video, could be a lot longer than the German automaker envisages.

BMW will have a tough job convincing the M-Performance faithful that an electric vehicle can deliver the raw, visceral thrill of some of its best V8 and V6-powered petrol cars, most of which have gone on to garner legendary status in the car community.

Former BMW M engineer Albert Biermann, the man behind some of the best M-Performance cars, proved electric could be exciting when he joined Hyundai and helped the team develop the Ioniq 5 N.

But that car required so much computing power and technical trickery to not only disguise its weight but also usher in the sort of driving cues that many expect of a combustion engine sports car, such as synthesized gear changes and fake exhaust notes.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N remains a special car, but it leaves many speculating that you could enjoy much the same thrills at half the price with a used petrol-powered counterpart that doesn’t require the heavy and expensive extras to raise a smile.

Whichever way you look at it, BMW will have a tough time convincing anyone that has ever owned a combustion-engined M3 that this electric version is going to be good enough to tempt them to make the switch.

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• Mike Flanagan has written a script for a DC movie about Clayface, and a director has not yet been named
• Filming on the project is expected to begin in early 2025
• Flanagan revealed he is keen to do a standalone Clayface movie as a "horror/thriller/tragedy"

Following the monumental success of one of the best Max shows The Penguin, there's news that a standalone Clayface movie is in the works, with a screenplay written by one of the most exciting filmmakers out there, Mike Flanagan. Filming on the movie is expected to commence in early 2025, according to reports by Variety.

As someone who loves the darker side of DC, I am very keen to see Flanagan's take on Clayface. He's already terrified me with his Stephen King adaptation Doctor Sleep as well as some of the best Netflix shows like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.

Flanagan has really made a name for himself in the horror genre, but as he's busy doing a Carrie TV series for Prime Video, he won't be in the director's chair for this one. So it'll be interesting to see who takes the reins for the recently greenlit DC project.

What do we know about the Clayface movie?

At the time of writing, we don't have much to go off just yet. But Flanagan has teased that he was keen to make it a "horror/thriller/tragedy", so it seems he's keen to keep up his reputation as a writer with a keen eye for the macabre.

The Batman and The Penguin creator Matt Reeves will be producing the movie, and that's about all we know right now. Casting remains a mystery too so we'll need to wait and see who takes on the role of this iconic and underrated Batman villain.

The shapeshifting Clayface has previously been played by Ron Perlman in Batman: The Animated Series and by Brian McManamon in the TV series Gotham, but this movie will mark the first time he's really taken center stage and I'm keen to see who the role is given to next.

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• Byte Federal filed a new notice with the Maine Attorney General's office, confirming a cyberattack
• Attackers tried to access sensitive data on 58,000 people, but it is unclear if they succeeded
• Targeted data included names, postal addresses, email addresses, Social Security numbers, transaction activity, and more

Byte Federal, a US company operating thousands of Bitcoin ATM machines, suffered a data breach in which customer data may (or may not) have been compromised.

In a new filing with the Maine Office of the Attorney General, the company said that on September 30 2024, an unidentified threat actor accessed its servers through a bug in third-party software.

The company spotted the intrusion on November 18, when it shut down the platform, isolated the bad actor, and secured the compromised server. The bug was in GitLab, which its developers used for project management and collaboration.

No evidence of abuse

Subsequent investigation determined that the crooks tried to access users’ sensitive information, including their names, birthdates, postal addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, government-issued ID cards, Social Security numbers, transaction activity, and photos. More than enough to engage in all sorts of malicious activity, from phishing, to wire fraud, identity theft, and more.

Whether or not the crooks succeeded in accessing these files is not yet confirmed. “We have no evidence at this time that any of your personal information was actually compromised or misused in any manner,” the company said in the filing. “No user funds or assets were compromised,” the announcement added.

In total, 58,000 people could be affected by the incident.

To address the attack, Byte Federal performed a hard reset on all customer accounts, notified the affected individuals, and did a full rotation on all system passwords, tokens, and keys.

“With the assistance of an independent cybersecurity team, we are conducting a forensic investigation to determine the cause and the scope of the incident,” Byte Federal concluded. “This investigation is ongoing, and we continue to cooperate with law enforcement in this regard.”

The company is one of the largest Bitcoin ATM operators in the United States, servicing some 1,200 machines, according to TechCrunch.

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The OdinLake brand is slowly becoming more popular in the world of professional ergonomic furniture. I've tried their chairs, and within the first few seconds of sitting in their flagship chair, the Ergo Plus 743, I was mind-blown at just how good it was. The OdinLake Electric Standing Desk is no different. Right after building, I was thrilled at how good this desk looked and felt. The desk is sturdy, raises and lowers smoothly, has a decent controller, and the wood desktop is durable and can handle heavy use.

OdinLake S450: Price and Availability

Depending on size and customization, the OdinLake Electric Standing Desk ranges from $449 to $699. OdinLake sells directly from its website. However, they offer frequent discounts and promotions, so make sure that if you pick one of these up, you watch out for that. I chose the wood top, which is unique from all the best standing desks I have reviewed, as it's not just a walnut, oak, maple, etc. This one looks like reclaimed wood, its boards torn apart and put together again, this time as a tabletop. For this variant, the desktop itself is made from MDF wood. However, it still feels quite sturdy and will last.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) OdinLake S450: Unboxing and First Impressions

OdinLake ships their desks in well-packaged boxes that include clear assembly instructions. Each package contains the desktop as a solid piece, the motorized legs, and a control panel. Assembling the desk was straightforward and took only about 30 minutes from start to finish. Initially, I was unsure about the quality since this was the first time I had worked with OdinLake, but once I saw the desk, I was convinced that it was a reputable company. After taking some time to adjust the height settings, trying out the height presets, and setting up a workstation for my team, I am confident in recommending the OdinLake Electric Standing Desk.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) OdinLake S450: Design and Build Quality Specs

Height Range: 24.2 - 49.8 in|
Multiple Sizes: 47x24in, 55x27in, 60x30in
Desktop thickness: 1 inch
Materials: include wood, maple, or laminate finishes

The OdinLake Electric Standing Desk features an overall minimalistic design. I chose a tabletop with a bolder finish, but the overall aesthetic remains simple and clean. There are no overly complex components or intricate connections, and the controller is straightforward. Currently, one of my team members uses this desk as his everyday workspace, and it has been working great for him, even though he could be more tech-savvy. He needed a simple desk, and this one fits the bill perfectly.

The desk boasts a minimalistic design while incorporating modern aesthetics and features that people expect from a standing desk. After all, no one wants to hand-crank a standing desk—at least, no one I've met. The ability to easily adjust the height and save presets is a great advantage.

The frame is sturdily constructed with a weight capacity of 275 lbs. While I wouldn't recommend jumping on it (given that I weigh around 210 lbs), I have complete confidence that a standard desk setup won't cause any issues. As shown in the photos, my team has a typical setup on this desk, and there have been no problems whatsoever.

Ultimately, that's what matters: reliability. Additionally, the desk includes an anti-collision safety feature that prevents accidents. This ensures that your beloved coffee won't spill onto your equally beloved laptop, whether a small child walks by while the desk is lowering or if the desk accidentally hits your chair.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) OdinLake S450: In use

For day-to-day operations, the OdinLake Electric Standing Desk has been excellent. It seamlessly transitions between sitting and standing, and thanks to the built-in height presets, it makes this easy. If I've learned anything about standing desks, I am much more likely to stand during the day if there is a frictionless way to move from height to height. And, since the OdinLake Electric Standing desk has presets, I find myself wanting to stand more often, and so does my team member who regularly uses this desk since it's as easy as just pressing a button, not holding something while standing and moving your chair out of the way and adjusting.

Another massive benefit to a quality desk is the noise levels when adjusting. This desk is pretty quiet, meaning that if you are in an office space, it won't distract your co-workers, spouse at home, roommates, cat, or creepy neighbor on the other side of your apartment wall.

A huge tip I can offer with standing desks is that grabbing a monitor arm is a game changer if you plan to use a monitor. We even grabbed a laptop arm for this desk to get my team member's laptop off the desk, leaving room for what he needed on the desk and getting the computer up to eye height. Monitor arms aren't super expensive, but they are super beneficial. I'd suggest looking into one or a monitor/desk shelf like one from Balolo, Grovemade, Hexcal, Oakywood, UGMONK, etc. Much like getting a suitable desk, getting the right accessories on that desk is worth it. Just throwing a monitor on the basic arm on a desk works, but getting it to the correct height, with a more minimalist look, is huge, or adding a desk shelf and monitor arm for some storage and desk space is also a considerable step up. Check whatever desk company you are buying from if they have desk shelves and monitor arms that work for you, and if not, make sure to check out some of those companies previously mentioned for some desk shelves.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) OdinLake S450: Final verdict

The OdinLake Standing Desk S450 is an excellent investment for those seeking a high-quality, reliable standing desk. While it carries a premium price tag, its sturdy build, ease of use, and customization options make it a worthwhile choice for professionals and home users alike. My team and I have spent a lot of time with this desk so far, and we have spotted zero issues, even with heavy daily use. So, we can confidently recommend this desk as a solid option.

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• Microsoft has announced Xbox Insiders with Game Pass Ultimate can now test the "Stream your own game" feature on console
• Testers can now preview the feature on Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, and Xbox One
• The feature will be released to all players next year

Xbox Insiders with Game Pass Ultimate can now stream select games on console.

Last month, Microsoft announced that members subscribed to the Ultimate tier were able to stream select games through TVs and other supported devices like smartphones, PCs, and tablets.

The "Stream your own game" feature, which allows users to play "select" games they own via the cloud, was also announced to be coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S next year.

However, starting today, Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings can preview this feature as long as they have an Ultimate subscription, and stream select games they own beyond the Game Pass catalog on their consoles.

It's now available in 28 countries where Cloud Gaming is available and Microsoft confirmed that testers won't need to install these games, saving time and hard drive space.

To start streaming, Insiders will need to navigate to My Games & Apps > Full Library > Owned Games.

If the player owns a cloud playable game, they'll see a cloud badge next to it, and to find a game quickly they can Choose Filter > Ready to play > Cloud Gaming.

The company has previously released a list of 50 games that are available to stream, which includes some of the biggest releases, like Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Balatro, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and more.

The list is also expected to grow as Microsoft works with more studios, it confirmed.

Players eager to take part in the testing can join the Xbox Insider Program and download the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox consoles and Windows PC.

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The 1,500 people had been serving long prison sentences that would have been shorter under today's laws and practices. They had been on home confinement since the COVID pandemic.

(Image credit: Jim Watson)