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Tribal leaders selected Nga Wai Hono i te Po as the new monarch after the death of her father last week. The second-ever Maori queen takes on the largely ceremonial role at a complicated moment.

(Image credit: Phil Walter)

A letter signed by no fewer than 17 different groups is urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to consider introducing clearer guidance for software tethering.

Described as “making functions of a device reliant on embedded software that ties the device back to a manufacturer’s servers,” the letter addresses “several consumer harms” associated with the practice.

According to the signatories, locking features behind a subscription paywall and rendering products unusable through software at a later date is harming consumers and creating more e-waste that’s detrimental to the environment.

FTC urged to readdress software tethering

The letter exemplifies the complaint through the $1,695 Snoo, a smart bassinet made by Happiest Baby, which recently moved features like weaning mode, sleep tracking and car ride mode to a $19.99 subscription model. Though buyers from before the change will be able to continue without the subscription, this is said to harm the secondhand market.

Spotify’s $89.99 Car Thing is also used as an example – the music streaming platform confirmed that it would be unsupported from December 2024, less than two years after it launched.

Although it has been acknowledged that some companies offer advanced notice, refunds and a plan to recycle the non-working hardware, the signatories believe that most unsupported products would still be able to work with the right software.

Moreover, the open letter addresses the complex inter-business relationships that can cause similar technical limitations, such as a recent Chamberlain MyQ API update that prevented it from working with smart home assistants – ”the smart home is littered with examples of this sort of bait and switch for consumers.”

The group believes that the problem will only get worse as more “smart” devices are introduced, and calls for the FTC to require companies to disclose a minimum support time for products; for them to ensure that core functionalities work even without internet connection and software updates; to encourage tools and methods for reuse if software support ends; to allow third parties to pick up where owner companies left off with copyright amendments; and to encourage manufacturers to build longevity into their products.

TechRadar Pro has asked the FTC to comment on the letter, but we did not receive an immediate response.

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Newly unsealed court documents reveal in unprecedented detail a campaign called the Good Old USA Project, which Russian authorities believed could impact the US election.

In a hearing marked by moments of tension and humor, Trump and Justice Department lawyers clashed over how the federal election interference case against the former president should proceed.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

Google is racing to get its Gemini AI assistant embedded across its ecosystem, upgrading as it goes. That means not every new or enhanced feature gets much in the way of fanfare when it rolls out beyond the updated support website. Still, a couple of new Gemini tools are worth highlighting for how they embody Google’s strategy of making Gemini as flexible and easy to use as possible. 

Google Chrome’s dominant place among web browsers makes it an obvious hub for Google to encourage Gemini use. That now includes enabling users to start interacting with Gemini right from the address bar. It might not seem like much initially, but the feature removes a barrier to Gemini on Chrome, possibly encouraging some of the millions of Chrome users to at least test out the AI. 

If you want to talk to Gemini in the Chrome address bar, you just treat it like a lot of other Chrome extensions. Type “@gemini” in the address bar, followed by your question or prompt. Gemini will process the request and take you to the Gemini homepage using the same browser window. You can see how it looks in the image at the top. 

Google Chrome isn’t alone in trying to meld an AI assistant with a browser. Microsft Edge has incorporated the Microsoft Copilot AI assistant in some form for more than a year now. Apropos of the name, Microsoft’s browser does have an edge in at least one major way when compared to Chrome’s new feature. Copilot’s responses are shaped in part by the webpage you are currently viewing. 

Gemini lacks this level of contextual awareness and ability to personalize a response to your current browsing. If you’re more concerned with privacy than personalization, you might even see this limit as a positive since it means Gemini isn’t analyzing your history. Still, for more general questions or requests, the Chrome address bar works just fine for contacting Gemini. It also pairs nicely with other recent AI updates to Chrome, such as Gemini-powered visual searches through Google Lens, shopping comparisons between tabs, and a better-organized browsing history.

Gemini Upload Mobile

The other notable new Gemini update is on the mobile app. If you subscribe to Gemini Advanced, you can now upload files to the Gemini app on Android and iOS devices. The document upload has only been available on the web until now. You can use the app to send up to 10 files of no more than 100MB at a time to Gemini. Most of the common formats are supported, including plain text, Microsoft Word, PDFs, and spreadsheets. 

This mobile enhancement is aimed at encouraging people to use Gemini more, even when not at their computers. It brings Gemini’s document analysis to smartphones. That’s great if you want Gemini to explain or summarize a spreadsheet or report without having to copy and paste it manually. As with the Chrome address bar option, Google’s efforts are all about making Gemin more accessible. And once people get used to Gemini in whatever forms they prefer, it will be that much easier for Google to retain them as customers regardless of what its rivals offer. Whether Gemini will be another Google product people use as reflexively as Gmail or Google Docs is still up in the air, but it’s a strategy with a lot of success behind it.

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Explore common disruptive sleep behaviors, such as sleep talking and excessive snoring, to find out when it's time to seek medical advice for improving your sleep and overall health.

We were expecting robots, smart home, and AI to be big at the IFA 2024 trade show… and LG has delivered by combining all three into one new product that's going to be released in the first half of 2025 in South Korea.

It's an adorable little two-wheeled bot with a carry handle and big set of eyes, which has been given the inexplicably business-minded name of 'LG Self-Driving AI Home Hub'. Not really the cutesy title you expect for something like this, but given that you summon it by saying the word "Hi LG", I might call mine 'Eljy'.

To be fair, the official name is very descriptive for what it offers. It acts as a kind of AI smart speaker that you can give commands to, and with LG's new AI platform (which does have a cool name: FURON) behind it, it apparently has multiple LLMs to draw understanding from, and uses ChatGPT 4-o to be able to understand and communicate naturally, even to weirder requests.

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It also has a fun party trick where you can draw something in a companion app on a tablet, 'send' the picture to the robot, and generative AI will create an original story that follows the elements of the picture.

You can call out to summon the robot over to you, and it'll come to where you are and announce itself charmingly (at least, it was charming in a trade-show demo, maybe you'll want to turn it off in real life). I saw it navigating a very empty environment, so I don't know how good its object avoidance is, but it seems to have a good range of sensors on the front.

And as I mentioned, it's a smart home hub, and can control all kinds of smart home tech. LG recently acquired a smart home control open platform that works with tons of brands, and with Matter support on board, it should be very flexible.

You can ask it to make changes to your smart home controls, but it can also respond contextually – one option LG highlighted is that you can task the robot to stay with your kids as they roam the house, and it will follow them around, and then when the clock hits 'time to get ready for bed' it can dim the lights in the room they're in.

(Image credit: Future)

Obviously, its little wheels can't take it up stairs, but it has a carry handle for that. I'll also say that it wasn't the smoothest mover – it seemed a little stuttery, and wasn't too sure which way to face when an LG demo-er asked it to come to him, but that might be just an issue with having a big group of people staring at it too. All of this might be improved by the time it launches, of course.

What's more important is the way it moves when it's talking to you. It wobbles sideways and forwards when it gets more enthusiastic, and can rotate its handle to emphasize 'emotions' too – like a combination of a fun enthusiastic aunt and a cat.

That's while it's talking in a pretty natural voice – though not too natural. I think it strikes a nice balance between friendly and robotic.

I can imagine myself wanting one of these to watch the house while I'm gone. LG had a larger demo of its vision of a smart home powered by generative AI assistants, where something like this robot could roam the house and make changes to your heating or cooling system depending on the temperature and humidity in each room.

It could be great to have it as a kind of video guard dog, as many similar home robots have angled themselves, responding to sounds when it knows I'm out. Maybe it can pretend to be armed with a taser to ward of intruders. Or maybe it'll tell them a cute story and lull them into a false sense of security while it automatically calls the police. We'll see!

Of course, LG hasn't announced a price yet, so who knows whether it'll feel remotely desirable once we know that. But it'll be damn charming either way.

Verizon has revealed that it's expanding its fiber network by preparing to buy Frontier Communications in a cash deal worth $20 billion. The acquisition aims to help Verizon recapture fiber lines that were sold in 2016 as part of a TV and Internet deal in California, Texas, and Florida.

Verizon offered $38.50 per share, a premium of 36.3% to Frontier’s closing price on the 3rd September. The deal is set to close in 18 months, and is expected to help Verizon compete against premium broadband services such as AT&T.

Frontier reported a debt of $11.25 billion as of June 30th 2024, and under the current terms of the deal, Verizon will pay Frontier a fee of $590 million. The company brings 2.2 million subscribers to combine with Verizon's 7.4 million FiOS connections.

Mutually beneficial

The deal is predicted to generate at least $500 million in annual run-rate cost savings by its third year of operation. Frontier’s coverage primarily serves the Midwest, Texas, and California, whilst Verizon focuses on the North East and Mid-Atlantic. Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg comments, “The acquisition of Frontier is a strategic fit. It will build on Verizon's two decades of leadership...and is an opportunity to become more competitive in more markets throughout the U.S.”

Verizon has reaffirmed its commitment to building a best in class network and delivering high-speed broadband. This comes just months after Frontier Communications launched its ‘Good to Go’ campaign, which aimed to deliver fiber technology that will span a customer’s lifetime.

This Verizon deal is set to expand the company’s coverage and offer faster service to a wider range of customers. Broadband companies are each looking for ways to gain an edge over their competitors, with AT&T looking to space to provide supplementary coverage, using satellites to provide service to areas with unreliable connections.

Via CNBC

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Morgan led the U.S. to two FIFA Women's World Cup titles and an Olympic gold medal. At age 35, she has now bid farewell to a career that she said was "more than I could have ever dreamed of."

(Image credit: Catherine Ivill)

If you've ever tried to type using a gamepad or gaming device, you know it can be tricky, especially with this new generation of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally X, so it’s good to see that Microsoft is currently trialling a new and improved gamepad keyboard layout for Xbox controllers in Windows 11.

The Verge reports that the new layout isn’t the only thing PC gamers with Xbox controllers can look forward to - they will also be able to use the X button for backspace, the Y button for spacebar, and the menu button of a connected Xbox controller to hit enter (as you would on a physical keyboard). Microsoft is also adding vertical alignment (consideration for the arrangement of keys in the vertical direction) to make it easier to type with the on-screen keyboard. 

The new on-screen keyboard is currently in user testing in the Windows Insider Program’s Beta Channel, which means we expect it to roll out to all eligible users pretty soon (unless Microsoft changes its mind). 

(Image credit: Getty Images) The bigger picture of Windows handheld gaming

I think it’s smart for Microsoft to continue developing Windows 11 to improve its gaming abilities while also working on other things like its AI-powered Copilot tool. Windows 11 is now the most-used operating system by PC gamers (at least according to a recent Steam survey), and while it performs fine for gaming laptops and desktop PCs, the operating system isn’t quite as well suited to gaming handhelds, which have smaller screens and rely on controller inputs, rather than traditional keyboards and mice, which Windows was originally designed for.

While the new gamepad-friendly on-screen keyboard has been well received by many so far, there’s more work that can be done - and handheld PC gaming is an exciting, and growing, market. As The Verge points out, Microsoft can still improve things like being able to log into Windows with an Xbox controller, as well as ensure that the on-screen keyboard automatically appears when you select text fields to write in them. 

I could see Microsoft addressing these in the near future, as we recently wrote about Microsoft’s improved Windows Game Bar with Compact Mode, making it easier to control your device while you’re playing a game - even on a smaller screen. The Xbox app has also gotten controller improvements to make it easier to navigate the app while using an Xbox controller, so it’s good to see that Microsoft isn’t completely distracted by adding AI into all parts of Windows 11.

If Microsoft’s handheld gaming offerings continue to improve, I think it could make Valve, the company behind the Linux-based SteamOS operating system that the Steam Deck uses, sweat a little bit. I’m certainly excited to see what else Microsoft has up its sleeve when it comes to Windows on handheld devices, which is something I haven’t felt in a long time. 

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Cybercriminals have no limits when it comes to the scale, size, and organization they target. As long as there is data to be stolen, they will launch an attack.

Historically, these cybercriminals focused on large brands with valuable data; however, these companies often have the resources to invest in advanced firewalls and robust security measures to protect their information.

Consequently, cybercriminals are now shifting their focus to easier targets, such as educational institutions.

Why are educational institutions are prime targets?

According to a recent report by NordLayer, cyberattacks targeting educational institutions have increased by 37% compared to last year.

This alarming statistic shows the growing vulnerability of schools, colleges, and universities in the face of evolving cyber threats. Following best practices for security, such as using unique and strong passwords, should now be a priority for all members of the academic community.

The academic sector is particularly appealing to cybercriminals for several reasons. Schools and universities manage vast amounts of sensitive information, including personal data of students and faculty, financial records, and valuable research data. The rise of online learning has only added to the complexity of managing cybersecurity, introducing more infrastructure, software platforms, and endpoints that can be exploited.

Furthermore, educational institutions often struggle with limited budgets and inadequate cybersecurity measures, making it challenging to protect against sophisticated cyber threats. Both lower and higher education institutions have been frequent targets of ransomware, with 80% of lower education providers and 79% of higher education institutions reportedly falling victim to attacks, causing significant disruptions to academic operations and potentially leading to long-term damage to an institution’s reputation.

Beyond the financial impact, data breaches can lead to identity theft, reputational damage, and legal consequences for educational institutions. Protecting sensitive information is not only about safeguarding financial assets but also about maintaining trust and integrity in the academic community. Unfortunately, cyberattacks in the education sector continue to increase. In fact, it currently surpasses other high-risk sectors such as government, healthcare, and finance this year.

A UK government survey found that 86% of further education colleges reported experiencing a cyber breach or attack in the past year.

To combat the growing threat of cyberattacks, educational institutions must adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity. Regular updates to software and systems are essential to protect against known vulnerabilities. Training staff and students on recognizing phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics can reduce the risk of human error leading to a breach.

Educational institutions should also invest strategically in cybersecurity infrastructure, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption technologies. Furthermore, conducting regular assessments of current cybersecurity measures can help identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.

“Educational institutions need to prioritize cybersecurity, implementing measures that foster a culture of digital awareness among students and staff,” says Andrius Buinovskis, head of product at NordLayer.

“The stakes are especially high at the start of the new academic year, for educational organizations and they need to be prepared for cyberattacks…Every member of the academic community — from students to teachers, must play an active role in cybersecurity. Simple yet effective practices like using strong, unique passwords and learning to identify phishing attempts, can significantly improve an institution's security posture," Buinovskis concluded.

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CNET Writer, Tricia Landoc, breaks down the new technology that uses the power of light to connect to the internet.

Volvo's next fully electric model will be a premium sedan built on the bones of the new EX90 SUV.

Athletes who contracted childhood polio share their stories of how they overcame the consequences of the disease — and what sports means to them.

(Image credit: BBC)

Athletes who contracted childhood polio share their stories of how they overcame the consequences of the disease — and what sports means to them.

(Image credit: BBC/screengrab by NPR)

At the recent Hot Chips 2024 symposium in Stanford, California, Enfabrica introduced its Accelerated Compute Fabric SuperNIC (ACF-S) silicon and system-level solutions. 

Designed to scale AI networks to millions of GPUs, it offers higher bandwidth, greater resiliency, lower latency, and enhanced programmatic control for data center operators.

The presentation, titled “ACF-S: An 8 Terabit/sec SuperNIC for High-Performance Data Movement in AI and Accelerated Compute Networks,” featured Enfabrica’s Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder, Shrijeet Mukherjee, alongside technical engineer Thomas Norrie. They discussed the architecture, design, and technical attributes of their first-generation ACF SuperNIC silicon, codenamed “Millennium.”

Built differently

(Image credit: Enfabrica/Hot Chips)

Covering the event, ServeTheHome noted Enfabrica’s ACF-S aims to unify scale-up (adding resources to a single system) and scale-out (connecting multiple systems) fabric communication. 

Although the network layout may resemble traditional PCIe switch-based networks, it is not a PCIe switch. Instead, it employs a logically rail-switched 2-tier CLOS network architecture that connects multiple CPUs, GPUs, and other components via ACF-S chips and GPU fabric switches. This architecture supports flexible, high-performance communication across different computing domains (like IPC and RPC), enabling efficient handling of data-intensive tasks without the constraints of conventional PCIe switch designs.

The ACF-S "Millennium" chip is a key component, designed to deliver resilient networking for GPUs with 3.2 Tbps bandwidth per accelerator. It features a full router, multi-planar internal switch fabric, and user-programmable transport, supporting scalable infrastructure with up to 40,000 copy engines and data movers.

Enfabrica notes that the Millennium chip is built differently by integrating higher chip I/O density, NICs within crossbars, scalable memory translation, and shared flow buffer and packet processing, all of which enhance performance and efficiency.

Enfabrica’s approach essentially focuses on maximizing compute efficiency by optimizing hardware and software integration, enhancing I/O and memory scalability, and implementing smart traffic management to improve network performance and system resilience. As ServeTheHome summarizes, “It is like taking a bunch of NICs and combining them, and PCIe switches, and combining all of these into one. The other interesting use case is that one could add CXL memory to the ACF-S fabric and present pools of CXL memory without hosts. This is super cool.”

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It’s safe to say that Samsung has been building up hype around its future mixed reality (or XR) endeavor. From partnering with Google to teasing it first at a Galaxy Unpacked in 2023 then again at July 2024 at the Paris Galaxy Unpacked event, we’re all hoping to see what it is eventually. 

And now, thanks to comments from Qualcomm CEO Cristian Amon, we’re getting a strong hint that Samsung's mixed-reality ambitions will take the form first as a part of smart glasses. 

In an interview with CNBC this week, Amon stated that the partnership between the three companies would present itself as “a new product; it’s gonna be new experiences.” He continued by saying he really expects the result to be a change in consumer behavior,  “want[ing] everyone that has a phone to go buy companion glasses to go along with it.”

Teeing up that eventually, we’ll get to the point where smart glasses are just seen as regular glasses, something that Qualcomm is certainly pursuing as its silicon powers Meta’s RayBan smart glasses. These look like a classic pair of Wayfarers – albeit a bit thicker – with cameras, microphones, and bone-conduction speakers on board.

The comments from Amon offer the best indication yet for what the promised partnership between Samsung and Google will result in. Unlike previous rumors that have pointed towards a VR or AR headset potentially competing with the Meta Quest 3 or Apple’s Vision Pro, it seems that it’ll more likely than not be a pair of smart glasses.

Considering Samsung has been making Galaxy phones for years and has been continuing to expand its wearable devices beyond smartwatches with smart rings and smarter earbuds, a pair of glasses that act as a companion to a smartphone makes sense.

The turning point

(Image credit: Meta)

Beyond the confirmation that it’ll result in a new product enabling new experiences, though, Amon was pretty tight-lipped regarding further details. 

Regarding the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, though, he’s “incredibly pleased” and called out that generative AI was the “inflection point". It can run on the smart glasses themselves, the connected phone, and the cloud, which he views as a critical way to create new experiences as it’s fully embedded. It means that it can see and hear what you hear, allowing it to be more helpful for different queries.

Of course, these potentially smart glasses won’t be in the market alone. Meta has already teased the future and more feature-filled smart glasses, but Project Astra’s ambitions might eventually put them in glasses and smart Ray-Bans for consumers today.

Even with these comments, we’ll need to wait for Samsung to reveal the exact result of this partnership. Its next official event will be the Samsung Developer Conference on October 4, 2024. Still, it remains to be seen if the company will be ready to discuss it further… I guess we can expect another teasing mention, if nothing else.

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The combined fiber network will reach 25 million units across 31 states, significantly boosting Verizon’s fiber internet coverage.

Midco’s cable and fiber internet service offers multiple low-priced plans. Wireless service is a less impressive option for rural internet.