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Fujifilm expected to launch a half-frame digital camera called the X-HalfOnline leaks suggest a 1-inch sensor, 10mm f/2.8 lens and vertical LCDTeaser trailer hints at upcoming release, with ‘See you soon’ line

Fujifilm is working on something peculiar. If rumors are right, it's set to release a half-frame digital camera that puts a contemporary twist on the classic film photography format. It’s expected to be called the X-Half – and it could be Fujifilm’s most unusual camera in years.Fujifilm recently teased the new model’s release in an official clip, with the tagline ‘Half the Size, Twice the Story’. That caption adds weight to online speculation that the camera will shoot half-frame stills using a digital sensor. A shadowy silhouette shown in that video also suggests the X-Half will adopt the retro analog styling of recent Fujifilm cameras, including the X100VI.What else can we expect from the X-Half? Fujifilm has teased at an imminent release with the line ‘See you soon’, but we don’t know exactly when the camera will be revealed. What we do have is a list of leaked specs, shared by reliable online sources. Taken together, these suggest that the X-Half will be a fun camera with potentially viral retro appeal, designed to tempt smartphone photographers into camera ownership.Here are five features we’re expecting to see on the weirdest camera of 2025.

1. Half-frame photography

The headline feature of the X-Half is expected to be half-frame photography. Traditionally, this technique allowed analog cameras to capture two portrait exposures on a single frame of 35mm film, giving photographers twice the number of stills from a roll. The resulting composite images became known as ‘diptychs’, with two vertical scenes combined side-by-side.Exactly how Fujifilm will execute this effect in a digital camera isn’t clear, but it’s expected to be the key selling point of the X-Half. Based on information from unnamed sources, Fuji Rumors has suggested that the new camera will allow you to press the shutter once to capture the first half of the image, then again to shoot the second.

2. 1-inch sensor

Fuji Rumors has also reported that the X-Half will feature a 1-inch sensor. This fits with its positioning as a premium point-and-shoot: that sensor size would be smaller than APS-C, allowing Fujifilm to package the X-Half with compact proportions, yet still capture more light and detail than the best camera phones.There’s been a lot of talk around the orientation of the sensor. Several sources have suggested that it could be positioned vertically, allowing the X-Half to natively shoot portrait stills which are then digitally composited into diptychs. This setup would also lend itself to content creation: assuming the camera has a standard mode, vertical images are ideal for sharing on social medial.

3. Fixed 10mm f/2.8 lens

Recent șpec leaks have suggested that Fujiiflm’s half-frame camera will feature a fixed 10mm lens with an aperture of f/2.8. Combined with a 1-inch sensor, that would give it a full-frame equivalent of 28mm – a focal length we’ve seen put to good use in other premium compacts, including the Ricoh GR III. It’s a natural fit for street photography and one familiar to smartphone users.The f/2.8 aperture is fairly slow for a fixed lens, especially paired with a 1-inch sensor. That combination will limit both low-light performance and the shallow depth of field effect. If accurate, that probably reflects the positioning of the X-Half as a fun, entry-level point and shoot rather than a serious photography tool.

4. Vertical LCD display

Another rumor circulating online relates to the LCD display. According to Fuji Rumors, the X-Half will have at least one screen oriented vertically. Based on the teaser trailer, we think we know why. In that clip, a Provia film logo is visible on the rear of the camera. We think this suggests the X-Half will have a digital film preview window to show the selected film mode, emulating the physical equivalent found on some analog cameras.It’s a feature we’ve seen before: on the X-Pro 3, a mini display showed the chosen Film Simulation recipe. Given the X-Half’s core focus on analog emulation, including a rumored ‘film roll mode’ that locks in settings for 36 exposures, we wouldn’t be surprised to see an LCD dedicated to displaying the logo of the selected film. This might sound gimmicky, but it leans heavily into the hybrid analog aesthetic.

5. Optical viewfinder

So, too, does the suggestion that the X-Half will feature an optical viewfinder rather than an EVF. This would be another nod to analog half-frame cameras, especially if oriented vertically (as it is on the Pentax 17, a recent revival of the half-frame film format and one of the best film cameras you can buy in 2025).Together with a physical exposure compensation dial, an optical viewfinder could give users the impression that they are shooting on film with an analog camera, despite the digital sensor inside. The question is how effectively Fuji is able to execute and pitch this proposition, without the X-Half feeling like a novelty camera – which some purists are already calling it.

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Microsoft is dramatically increasing the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as new games and peripherals. As of today, the Series S will start at $380, up from $300, while the Series X will begin at $550, a $100 increase from its previous price. Additionally, Microsoft says beginning this holiday season "some" new first-party games will release at $80.

"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development," the company said. "Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players."

Developing... This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-is-raising-prices-on-the-xbox-series-s-and-series-x-132004594.html?src=rss

A large healthcare organization has disclosed a data breachAscension was also hit by two significant breaches in 2024The latest incident could be linked to the Cl0p ransomware attack

One of the biggest private healthcare systems in the US, Ascension, has notified patients that personally identifiable information (PII) including health data, was stolen in a previously unannounced attack affecting a former business partner in December 2024.The incident follows a previous ransomware attack in May 2024, in which the sensitive data of six million patients, forcing the company to take systems offline, divert ambulances, and pause elective care in some places.“On December 5, 2024, we learned that Ascension patient information may have been involved in a potential security incident. We immediately initiated an investigation to determine whether and how a security incident occurred,” Ascension confirmed in its breach notification.

Sensitive data exposed

Attackers reportedly gained access to sensitive information including the name, address, phone number(s), email address, date of birth, race, gender, and Social Security number (SSN), and even clinical and healthcare related information of some patients, depending on the individual.“Our investigation determined on January 21, 2025, that Ascension inadvertently disclosed information to a former business partner, and some of this information was likely stolen from them due to a vulnerability in third-party software used by the former business partner. We have since reviewed our processes and are working to implement enhanced measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future," the company confirmed.This leaves anyone exposed at serious risk of social engineering attacks or identity theft, especially given that SSNs are involved. To assist anyone affected, Ascension is offering two years of free identity monitoring services including credit monitoring, fraud consultation, and identity theft restoration.Although nothing is confirmed about the details of the incident, the timing and description of the incident suggest this could be linked to the Cl0p ransomware attack that abused a flaw in Cleo File Transfer software.The group claimed 59 organizations were affected in the incident, so it’s certainly possible that Ascension is part of that list.Via BleepingComputer

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Google Messages is bringing new design upgrades to its UIThese include a PDF preview feature and an improved landscape mode We might also get an 'Unsubscribe' function for spam messages

It seems like Google has been working on improving the UI of its platforms. It’s just given its YouTube smart TV app a big upgrade, and now it looks like its Google Messages service is getting some much-needed attention too. Though the future of Gemini’s integration with Google Messages remains a mystery, Google has added even more non-AI related upgrades to its messaging app.Following a series of tests for useful upgrades, Google has introduced four more UI changes, which have been spotted by Android Authority. Three of these have appeared in an APK teardown and the fourth is already available in the latest beta version.These changes in Google Messages don't just offer an aesthetic boost, but they also provide long-awaited answers to questions that users have been asking for a while, and could improve your visual navigation of the Google Messages app.

1. A more balanced landscape mode

(Image credit: Android Authority )

The first of the four upgrades is a small adjustment to landscape mode in Google Messages. For a long time, users have found that Google Messages can look a little off when tilted and used in landscape mode, with the width of the chat screen being much larger than the width of the messages list.This is one of the changes that Android Authority spotted in its teardown. It reveals that Google could possibly fix this in the near future, by making both sides of the screen even in size.

2. Previews for PDF files in RCS messages

When it comes to viewing media in RCS chats, videos and shared URL links come with a visual preview showing the reader a brief snippet of the shared content without opening the file. But many users have noticed that this doesn’t apply to PDF files shared in Google Messages.An additional code has been found by Android Authority showing that this is another improvement that Google could be bringing to its Messages service, following in the footsteps of competitor messaging apps such as WhatsApp, which already offers PDF previews. However, Android Authority states that PDF files that require an access password will not have a preview.

3. An ‘Unsubscribe’ button to prevent SMS and RCS spam

Less a design feature and more a new managing tool, 9to5Google has spotted that Google could be implementing a new ‘Unsubscribe’ feature aimed at stopping unwanted SMS texts or RCS chats from business senders. This upgrade appears in the most recent release of Google Messages, and 9to5Google notes that it applies to:

RCS for Business messages in the United States, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom.SMS or MMS messages in the United States from short codes (phone numbers with 5-6 digits) and alphanumeric senders.

The new button has been spotted above the text field at the bottom of chats, and in the conversation’s overflow menu.

This is how the new Unsubscribe feature looks when unsubscribing from RCS messages (Image credit: 9to5Google)

4. Changes to main action buttons

The final upgrade is a very minor change to Google Messages and is already available in the latest beta version: Google has added text to its main call, video, contact info, and search action buttons. We’re assuming this new addition is to provide a visual aid for users, making it easier to distinguish between these different functions.

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Microsoft announced legally binding European Digital Resilience Commitment200 data centres will be operated by Microsoft across the EU by 2027A new Deputy CISO for Europe has also been appointed

Microsoft has come out and opposed to any US government orders to suspend European cloud operations, viewing such a move as highly unlikely but a real and relevant concern.In a blog post, Microsoft President Brad Smith confirmed the company would sue if ordered to halt services in Europe amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes."We are committing that Microsoft will promptly and vigorously contest such a measure using all legal avenues available," Smith declared.

Microsoft is committed to serving Europe amid trade wars

In the article, Smith laid out five key commitments Microsoft is making to European customers, promising "digital stability" and "to uphold Europe’s digital resilience."Noting the "mutual economic growth and prosperity" that trans-Atlantic ties enable, Smith explained the company is "pleased" both President Trump and the European Union have reached an agreement to suspend further tariff escalation.Microsoft's first commitment is that it will continue to expand cloud and AI infrastructure in Europe, increasing data center capacity by 40% in the next two years and expanding to 16 European countries.By 2027, the company wants to be running over 200 data centers across the continent, all while respecting European laws and sovereignty demands.Secondly, Microsoft will "uphold Europe’s digital resilience" throughout the ongoing volatility by including a new legally binding European Digital Resilience Commitment in all contracts with European national governments and the European Commission.This includes storing back-up copies of its code in a secure repository in Switzerland, a country with strong data privacy and security laws.The company has also committed to ensuring the privacy of European data by enabling local data storage and processing within the EU and the European Free Trade Association, as well as protecting the continent's cybersecurity with a newly appointed Deputy CISO for Europe.Finally, Smith commented on Microsoft's plans to support competition in the region – possible a dig at the frequent investigations it faces from the European Commission as well as other antitrust regulators around the world.Smith concluded: "Our support for Europe has always been – and always will be – steadfast."

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Anyone rocking a recent-gen high-end GPU like an RTX 4090 or 5090 knows that these behemoths of rendering power are heavy enough to knock out a would-be PC thief. As GPUs get larger and heavier, sagging has become a growing concern for PC builders and GPU manufacturers, and ASUS briefly let on just how aware of this issue the company is.

ASUS quietly added a function called “Equipment Installation Check” to its GPU Tweak III monitoring software back in January. Included in this toolset was a measurement named “VGA Horizontal Status” that precisely measured the angle at which the installed GPU was tilting down. Users could set a custom warning if the GPU tilted down beyond a degree threshold set by the user.

In mid-April, Taiwanese publication UNIKO’s Hardware published a teardown of the latest ROG Astral 50-series cards, which highlights what they suspect to be a Bosch Sensortec chip. Bosch describes it as “a general purpose, low-power IMU that combines precise acceleration and angular rate (gyroscopic) measurement with intelligent on-chip motion-triggered interrupt features.” The technicians at UNIKO’s Hardware believe this chip is what powers the tilting detection tool.

Curiously, the most recent mentions of this feature on ASUS forums point out that as of the latest release of the Tweak III software, dated April 11, the Equipment Installation Check button is no longer there. Users had begun reporting what they believed to be false positives, confident that their GPUs were level despite the software saying they were sagging. Engadget reached out to ASUS to understand if this feature is being deprecated or if it wasn’t reporting accurate readings but did not receive a response.

Whether the feature is gone for good or angling for a comeback, the risk of sagging GPUs is all too real for many PC gamers today. PCIe slots were not exactly designed with today’s six-plus GPUs in mind, which has led to gamers finding creative solutions to hold up their enormous graphics cards and prevent potential damage.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/asus-adds-then-removes-the-ability-to-detect-sagging-in-its-latest-rog-astral-gpus-134508930.html?src=rss

All 25 James Bond movies are coming to MGM+ on June 1The James Bond Collection will be available to stream for a limited period across 32 countriesMGM+ is available as a Prime Video add-on for an additional fee

Sometimes it's difficult to find classic movies, especially when it's such a massive franchise. With so many of the best streaming services having varying libraries, it can be a real headache finding each installment.But, MGM+ is offering movie fans the chance to stream all 25 James Bond movies in the same place, which is excellent news if you want to revisit some of the iconic movies without channel-hopping.MGM+ subscribers can watch everything, from one of the best Sean Connery James Bond movies Dr No all the way up to Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies like No Time to Die, and will be available at no extra cost to MGM+ subscribers.

How to get MGM+

(Image credit: MGM+)

There's a couple of ways you can sign up to MGM+ if you're keen to watch the James Bond collection throughout June. They have said it will only be for a limited time, but we don't know how long they'll be around for.So if you're keen to have a Bond rewatch, it's best to do it as soon as possible! If you're already a Prime Video customer, you can get MGM+ as an add-on for $6.99 / £5.99 / AU$6.99 per month.Alternatively, you can just go for an MGM+ subscription on its own. There's also a 7-day free trial where you will not be charged as long as you cancel before the next billing cycle.

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The De'Longhi Rivelia is a bean-to-cup espresso machine with two hoppersIt automatically adjusts grind and brew settings to suit your chosen beansIts 3.5-inch screen offers personalized drink suggestions throughout the day

De'Longhi has launched a coffee maker with a twist: interchangeable bean hoppers, so you can switch between two different coffees in an instant.With the new De'Longhi Rivelia there's no need to use up all the beans in the machine when you want a change – just twist the hopper off to detach it, and replace it with another.Some of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines (like the Twin edition of the Jura J8) have two hoppers that you can switch between, while others (such as the KitchenAid KF8) have a chute that allows you to use a scoop of pre-ground coffee instead of whole beans for brewing the occasional drink.Both can work well, but also have some drawbacks. An espresso machine has to be pretty big to house two full-sized hoppers, and using a scoop of grounds for your second choice of coffee somewhat defeats the point of a bean-to-cup machine, because you're sacrificing either freshness (if you buy your coffee already ground) or convenience (if you have to grind it yourself).Having two separate hot-swappable hoppers means that's no longer a problem.

Image 1 of 3(Image credit: De'Longhi)Image 2 of 3(Image credit: De'Longhi)Image 3 of 3(Image credit: De'Longhi)

This time, it's personal

The Rivelia also has several familiar features that we've seen in the company's other espresso machines, including a 3.5-inch color touchscreen and Bean Adapt, which automatically dials in the grinder and adjusts the water temperature to suit the type of coffee you're using.There are four customizable profiles that let you save your preferred presets, and the machine will even pick up on your usual coffee habits and make suggestions accordingly. For example, if you usually start the day with a cappuccino, it will offer that first at breakfast time, so you don't have to spend time scrolling through other beverages.Want to know more? We put the Rivelia through its paces when it launched in the UK and Europe, so take a look at our complete De'Longhi Rivelia review for the full lowdown.

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Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, May 1 (game #690).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #691) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

DOGSTATUEGOOSEPROPTURTLEBOTTLEWINGBUSTSUPPORTRELIEFBREAKLINKPOSTRIBTORSOBRACE

NYT Connections today (game #691) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: Artistic chiselling GREEN: Sturdy uprightsBLUE: Grill baby, grillPURPLE: A pain in the… ?

Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #691) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: KINDS OF CARVINGS GREEN: PILLAR BLUE: BBQ OFFERING PURPLE: __NECK

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #691) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #691, are…

YELLOW: KINDS OF CARVINGS BUST, RELIEF, STATUE, TORSOGREEN: PILLAR BRACE, POST, PROP, SUPPORTBLUE: BBQ OFFERING DOG, LINK, RIB, WINGPURPLE: __NECK BOTTLE, BREAK, GOOSE, TURTLE

My rating: HardMy score: 3 mistakes

I only just made it today after suffering a bad case of “one away”.I had BUST, STATUE, and RELIEF and knew it had something to do with art but had no idea what the fourth could be. It was the same story with TURTLE, BOTTLE, and BREAK.The only group I had the slightest confidence in was PILLAR, but even then I thought the link between BRACE, SUPPORT and PROP was medical aids.And as for BBQ OFFERING? I am going to have to put not understanding that down to cultural differences. I knew that BBQ DOG was an album (and also something Jeremy ate in the best episode of Peep Show) but I didn’t see the link with, erm LINK.Despite these difficulties, a pleasing Connections to complete.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, May 1, game #690)

YELLOW: WINNINGS POT, PRIZE, PURSE, REWARDGREEN: STOP, AS A HABIT BREAK, DROP, KICK, SHAKEBLUE: MOVIE CAMERA VERBS DOLLY, PAN, TILT, ZOOMPURPLE: WORDS THAT PRECEDE "-SIZE" TO MEAN SMALL BITE, FUN, POCKET, TRAVEL

What is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 1 (game #424).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… What a trill!

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

SEEKCROWSBINDLAIDGLADSOCK

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 3rd rowLast side: right, 3rd row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #425) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #425, are…

WARBLERLARKSPARROWWRENCARDINALCHICKADEESPANGRAM: SONGBIRDS

My rating: EasyMy score: Perfect

I’ve just spent a very happy few minutes listening to all of these SONGBIRDS on YouTube.Living in the city, I don’t really hear that many birds – apart from pigeons coo-ing and the crazy people on our street with a rooster (fortunately, he’s a bit lazy and doesn’t start his roostering until about 11am).Of all the birds in the search, my favorite is the CARDINAL, which not only looks fantastic but also has quite the repertoire of repeated songs. I’m also a fan of the CHICKADEE, which really should be called the chickadee-dee seeing as they’re so keen on repeated whistles.All in all, a very straightforward Strands with little in the way of confusing words or patterns. Not exactly a trill-er, but very calming.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 1, game #424)

SKATEBOARDBICYCLEROLLERBLADESSCOOTERWAGONSPANGRAM: WHEELIE

What is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, May 1 (game #1193).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1194) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1194) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1194) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1194) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1194) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• C• R• M• S

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1194) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1194, are…

CAUSERISENMACAWSMELT

It took me a little while to get MACAW, but this small drawback aside I didn’t suffer from experimenting with my start words.RISEN was my only gamble today – it could have been RISER – with the other two words gifted to me almost complete after my 15-letter opening.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1194) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1194, are…

CRUDEMOLARKNEADCURVY

Quordle answers: The past 20

Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPEQuordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWNQuordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSEQuordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNTQuordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDEQuordle #1188, Saturday, 26 April: LINGO, LOCUS, THROW, CLICKQuordle #1187, Friday, 25 April: SHALT, WRATH, MAMBO, HUMPHQuordle #1186, Thursday, 24 April: CHOKE, COLOR, FRAME, CAIRNQuordle #1185, Wednesday, 23 April: VALET, PUPAL, CREEP, DRIFTQuordle #1184, Tuesday, 22 April: POUTY, CHEST, BROOM, TEPEEQuordle #1183, Monday, 21 April: SHARD, PRINT, SUMAC, LEACHQuordle #1182, Sunday, 20 April: DINER, HORDE, SHONE, FUGUEQuordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULTQuordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTOQuordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURTQuordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUTQuordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAYQuordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCEQuordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOPQuordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THING

In today’s world, the frequency and severity of cyberattacks have become the norm. Nation-state threats and ransomware attacks are becoming more frequent alongside advancements in phishing and deepfakes due to new AI-enabled tactics.As threats continue to evolve, defenses must keep pace. However, an organization looking to improve its defenses is only as strong as its people. Ensuring the right talent is essential to improving its cybersecurity maturity and bottom line.Cybersecurity cannot be treated as its own business focus – it should be treated as a gateway to an organization’s overall growth and innovation. As business leaders set out to accomplish this mindset, there are many opportunities behind the organization’s security leaders, who can play a pivotal role in driving value.The emerging standout player is the Business Information Security Officer (BISO), essential in securing cyber initiatives' interest and funding, allowing leaders to rethink their methods and invest in strategies that prioritize proactivity and compliance.

An up-and-coming concentration in cybersecurity

Recent research found that more cyber leadership teams want to add the BISO role to their bench, but while broader industry adoption remains slow, the role is still on track to becoming a crucial part of an organization’s security function.Acting as the liaison between security teams, business units, and the C-suite, the BISO works closely with the CISO and CIO to understand current risk and identify areas of improvement. They handle everything from risk management and threat monitoring to third-party assessments and recommending cyber investment opportunities. These investments that meet security expectations and budget requirements will produce a greater ROI in the long run.As the role is adopted widely, more organizations will benefit from an individual who understands the connection between securing the business and aligning plans to meet broader goals. Identifying ways to drive security proactiveness – and wider business success – also helps gain trust among stakeholders.

What does the ideal candidate look like?

A capable BISO is both a strategic leader and a cyber tactician. Success in the role hinges on a deep understanding of cybercriminal tactics and anticipating threats before they materialize. The most impactful BISOs also bring a blend of adaptability to changing attack methods, as it’s critical that the individual can understand the true cost of risk to bolster resilience.The BISO is responsible for quantifying the cost of a cyber incident and the price of risk compliance. This approach helps them make pragmatic, data-driven decisions about what to protect and how to protect it – and communicate that to the rest of the business.A pragmatic mindset also helps a good BISO make better risk management decisions that protect a company in the long run. Armed with this approach, the BISO will then make the case to the C-suite that investing in security tools ensures operational continuity while being cost-effective.

Emphasizing proactive risk management

As part of the role, BISOs must continuously examine the cyber tech stack and risk levels to determine the solutions and strategies that will result in the best ROI for teams and the broader business. Approaching this from the business lens enables them to make strategic decisions that best support productivity while meeting requirements.Take the rise of ransomware and extortion attacks as an example. The BISO must take notice of the legislation, fees, and legal recourse that result from a cyber incident. The reality of today’s business world is it’s a matter of when – not if – an incident occurs, often resulting in a host of direct and indirect costs that significantly impact the business long-term, averaging around $677 million per incident according to recent research. When the BISO understands and communicates current risk and the financial implications, it can be integral in helping leaders invest in the right solutions to remain proactive in cybersecurity.For example, integrated solutions that address regulatory, legal, and cybersecurity needs make it easier for businesses to manage all aspects of their cyber deployments and compliance requirements. These initiatives match the growing industry shift towards tool rationalization, a modern approach to investments in solutions designed to handle current and future risks while reducing complexity.As a result, businesses can avoid costs related to remediation efforts, lost revenues, regulatory fines, and other expenses following a security incident.

How they pave the way towards modern cyber hygiene and resilience

As the middleman between security teams and the C-suite, the BISO acts as the organization’s north star to forgo the fear of potential threats and embrace a more confident approach to cybersecurity.One modern approach is exploring innovative strategies, such as guiding response teams to shift from traditional monitoring, protection, prevention, and recovery methods. Modern techniques, such as isolating threats, allow teams to reduce disruption and maintain operations when faced with vulnerabilities.The BISO also plays a role in improving employee cyber hygiene through new initiatives. Poor cyber hygiene directly impacted many organizations that suffered an incident in the past year, so it is necessary to oversee regular cyber training across departments and develop stricter employee guidelines.

Measuring impact

Understanding that cyber risk is a business risk is imminent to today’s modern business. The attack landscape is innovating at a rapid scale and increasing regulations around the world are calling for more accountability.Businesses can’t afford to delay investing in the right tools, strategies, and, most importantly, people. The BISO ensures that high-level business planning aligns with cyber goals. Over the next few years, we’ll likely see more businesses embrace the BISO role as they understand its importance to their continuity.

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Security researcher Daniel Wade discovers worrying Microsoft RDP featureThis allows old credentials to be used when logging inMicrosoft has confirmed it has no plans to change this

Security researcher Daniel Wade has discovered a protocol within Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), which allows users to log into machines using revoked passwords.Wade’s report warns “this isn’t just a bug. It’s a trust breakdown,” reminding Microsoft that people change their passwords trusting that this will “cut off unauthorized access”, making this feature entirely counter-intuitive. Wade cautioned “millions of users—at home, in small businesses, or hybrid work setups—are unknowingly at risk.Surprisingly, in its response, Microsoft said this behaviour is not a bug - instead calling it, “a design decision to ensure that at least one user account always has the ability to log in no matter how long a system has been offline.”

A feature, not a bug

Microsoft confirmed the issue did not meet its definition of a security vulnerability, and that the firm has no plans to make any changes to this.According to Wade’s report, there’s no clear way for end-users to detect or fix the issue on their end either, and Azure, Defender, Entra ID don’t raise any flags, leaving users vulnerable even if they’re taking protective measures.“This creates a silent, remote backdoor into any system where the password was ever cached. Even if the attacker never had access to that system, Windows will still trust the password,” Wade argues.Credential stealing and data breaches are far too common, and compromised passwords are a serious risk to businesses and users alike. Research has shown that security attacks on password managers have soared, with attacks growing more frequent and sophisticated.This means regular password rotation is an important facet of cybersecurity, and best password hygiene practices centre revoking old, reused, or compromised passwords - making this feature all the more confusing and concerning.Via Ars Technica

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For as long as there have been laws, there’s been lawbreaking.And for just as long, much of that lawbreaking has gone unnoticed, undetected, or unenforced.From small-time tax evasion and regulatory violations to more serious crimes, our legal and enforcement systems have always operated under the assumption that not every infraction will be caught, let alone punished.But what happens when almost everything is knowable, detectable, and enforceable — all the time?This is not a hypothetical question. It’s a future that is increasingly within reach.

AI-powered enforcement

Advances in artificial intelligence, combined with ubiquitous surveillance, data aggregation, and predictive analytics, are rapidly closing the gap between what people do and what the state or private enforcers (like insurers, employers, and technology platforms) know about it.AI-powered enforcement has the potential to make rules — from traffic laws to environmental regulations to financial reporting requirements — enforceable at a level no human system ever could.Today’s enforcement regimes are constrained by human capacity, resource limitations, and the sheer scale of human activity.There simply aren’t enough police officers, IRS auditors, building inspectors, or compliance officers to monitor every infraction.Even in the most highly-regulated sectors like banking or healthcare, enforcement operates on a sampling basis — regulators audit a small fraction of cases and rely on whistleblowers or patterns of harm to trigger deeper investigations.

The enforcement gap

This enforcement gap creates space for:Minor lawbreaking that everyone does, like jaywalking or tax underreporting.Strategic rule-bending by corporations confident that the cost of non-compliance will be lower than the profit it generates.Informal economies and workarounds in communities where strict legal compliance is impractical or unaffordable.In other words, incomplete enforcement isn’t unintentional — it’s a built-in buffer between the idealism of law and the pragmatism of real life: It reflects the gap between the formal rules and the messy reality of how people and businesses actually live and operate.

What AI promises

AI promises to upend this dynamic in several ways:1. Mass surveillance: Modern AI systems can process vast streams of video, sensor data, social media activity, transaction records, and communications. Unlike human enforcers, AI can integrate all these data sources into coherent profiles, spotting patterns and anomalies in real-time and nearly perfect precision. A future where every movement in public space, every business transaction, and every online interaction is automatically monitored and assessed for legality is increasingly plausible.2. Predictive and preemptive enforcement: AI doesn’t just detect violations — it can predict them. Machine learning models trained on historical violations can flag likely offenders or anticipate where breaches will occur. This transforms enforcement from a reactive process into a predictive and preventative one. Imagine an AI system that identifies risky businesses or individuals and nudges them toward compliance before violations occur — or simply pre-emptively fines them based on the probability they’ll break the rules.3. Automated enforcement at scale: AI systems don’t get tired. They can enforce every rule, everywhere, all the time. This could turn what are now low-risk offenses — jaywalking, minor tax errors, small regulatory missteps — into near-certainties for detection and sanction.4. Privatized enforcement ecosystems: It’s not just governments. Insurance companies, banks, landlords, employers, and platforms could all adopt AI enforcement systems to monitor contractual compliance, workplace behavior, or loan covenants. When combined with always-on monitoring, this creates a web of privately enforced micro-compliance regimes, each with its own penalties and incentives.

The societal implications

If AI makes laws and rules enforceable at near-100% rates, the consequences for society would be profound — and not all positive. These consequences include:1. The end of informal economies: Many communities, particularly lower-income ones, rely on informal economies that blur the line between legal and illegal activity. From street vending without a permit to off-the-books construction work, these economies function because enforcement is incomplete. Total enforcement would collapse this informal safety net, often without offering viable alternatives.2. The criminalization of everyday life: Laws are written with the assumption that not all violations will be punished. As a result, many laws are overbroad, technically criminalizing common behavior — but rarely enforced. If AI changes that enforcement probability from 1% to 99%, everyday life could become a minefield of minor violations, each triggering fines, penalties, or worse.3. Disparities in enforcement scope and targeting: Even with AI, enforcement systems are built by humans — and inherit their biases. Which laws are prioritized for enforcement, and which populations are most heavily monitored, will still reflect political and economic power dynamics. AI could create a veneer of neutrality, while in practice concentrating enforcement on marginalized communities or politically disfavored activities.4. Compliance as a full-time job: If businesses and individuals are subject to always-on monitoring and hyper-enforcement, staying compliant could become a full-time job. Entire industries of compliance assistants, AI compliance dashboards, and personal legal monitoring services could arise, adding friction and cost to every aspect of life.5. The death of proportionality: Human enforcers have discretion. They can give warnings, ignore trivial violations, or apply common sense to ambiguous cases. AI enforcers, especially when operating autonomously, are far less likely to exercise that kind of judgment. This could create a legal environment where the letter of the law is enforced with machine precision, but with no regard for context or fairness.

Is this a future we want?

The prospect of AI-enforced legal perfection raises a fundamental question: Is the goal of law to achieve perfect compliance, or to balance order with freedom, fairness, and practicality?Laws are not sacred truths. They are human creations, shaped by politics, economics, and culture. They evolve as society changes. If AI locks in existing legal regimes and enforces them with mechanical rigor, it could stifle innovation, crush dissent, and make laws less adaptable to social change.The enforcement gap — the space between law on the books and law in action — is often where society negotiates its real values. Closing that gap with AI could mean the end of that negotiation, replacing it with automated obedience.There are, of course, benefits to better enforcement — fewer dangerous products on shelves, fewer tax cheats, fewer environmental violations. But the danger lies in forgetting that the purpose of enforcement is not just to punish, but to serve justice — which sometimes means turning a blind eye, showing mercy, or allowing room for ambiguity.As AI enforcement spreads, we must ask: Are we building a system that serves justice, or one that serves only the law?Because if AI gives us perfect enforcement of imperfect laws, the result won’t be a more just society — just a more unforgiving one.

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Apple has been warning possible victims of spyware attacks, according to several alleged recipients of the messages. At the time of writing there appears to be at least two people who have confirmed they’ve been notified by Apple, and that the warning itself says that users in 100 countries have received similar alerts. The company does not offer any specifics as to how many people may have been targeted, or where the attacks are coming from

As reported by TechCrunch, one recipient of the warning message is the Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino, who works for an online news outlet called Fanpage in his native country. The other (as far as we know right now) is Dutch right-wing commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, who posted screenshots and a video of the alleged warning message on X.

According to Vlaardingerbroek, Apple informed her that it had detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against her iPhone. The message she says she received said: “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are and what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”

Posting the iMessage with the threat notification I got from @Apple here (4 out of 5 screenshots) pic.twitter.com/sbYWkfMr0A— Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) April 30, 2025

The warning does not say where the alleged spyware attack originated, but Vlaardingerbroek claims that Apple used the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group’s Pegasus software as an example. She goes on to say that the attack, if genuine, is likely an attempt to intimidate and silence her.

Apple’s official guidelines about threat notifications match the screenshots on Vlaardingerbroek’s video, where it also explains that “mercenary spyware attacks cost millions of dollars and often have a short shelf life, making them much harder to detect and prevent. The vast majority of users will never be targeted by such attacks.” The same guidelines state that targeted users will be notified with an alert at the top of the page when signing into their Apple account, as well as by email and iMessage using the email addresses and phone numbers associated with that account.

Last year, Apple device users in as many as 92 countries were sent spyware attack warnings of a similar nature, and since 2021, individuals in over 150 countries have been contacted. But Apple hasn’t given more details on how many people are targeted in such attacks, only the number of countries where it contacted affected users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/apple-sends-spyware-warnings-to-iphone-users-in-100-countries-142547474.html?src=rss

FX has released new details for Shōgun season 2, and while it makes us very excited for the return of the historical drama, it looks like it'll be a while yet until it reaches our screens.The first season of Shōgun, which was adapted from James Clavell’s novel of the same name, was set toward the end of Japan’s Sengoku period as Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) fought for survival as his enemies, namely the Council of Regents, circled around him, looking to oust the powerful daimyo. Enter John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), an English sailor and survivor of a European ship wrecked on the shores of the village whose strategic knowledge turned the tide of civil war in Toranaga’s favour.Originally conceived as a mini-series, which covered the entirety of its source material, Shōgun found itself renewed for not just the upcoming second season, but also a third outing. It’s hardly surprising considering one of the best Disney+ shows was met with almost universal critical acclaim – just look at its 99% Rotten Tomatoes score – and swept last year’s awards, taking home four Golden Globes and four Primetime Emmys among other accolades.For audiences, the medieval political machinations echoed what we loved about those early seasons of Game of Thrones, with the premiere garnering nine million viewers globally on Hulu and Disney+, two of the best streaming services, making it "the most-viewed program in FX history".

What can we expect from Shōgun season 2?

(Image credit: Hulu)

The powers that be, then, we’re always going to want further adventures for Toranaga and Blackthorne, but with the novel fully wrapped up in the first outing, fans have been eagerly awaiting news on what might be in store for season 2.While rumors have abound that further seasons may take an anthology approach, possibly drawing from Clavell’s Asian Saga book series, it’s now been confirmed that both Sanada and Jarvis will return to their respective roles, though the characters may feel a little different, with the next bath of episodes taking place a full decade after the season one finale.As for what to expect plot wise, details are still thin on the ground with FX teasing: “Part two of Shōgun is set ten years after the events of the first season and continues the historically-inspired saga of these two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined.” It doesn’t give us much, but it does confirm that the show will continue to revolve around the destinies and relationship of Toranaga and Blackthorne. For more details on what season two has in store, be sure to check out our Shōgun season 2 guide.

When will Shōgun season 2 be released?

(Image credit: FX)

In terms of when to expect the latest season of the historical drama, the new details also confirm that season 2 is set to enter production in Vancouver in January 2026. Considering the epic scale of the show, which involves a lengthy shoot and a mountain of post-production, we’d anticipate mid-2027 at the earliest, which would be a whopping three years after season one aired.While multiple years between seasons has become the norm for big budget prestige TV – looking at you Max – it’ll be interesting to see whether audiences are as keen to return to feudal Japan after so long away.

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If you've been thinking about upgrading your old Apple Watch, or you're keen on picking one up for the first time, take note: The Apple Watch Series 10 is back down to $299 in a few colorways at Amazon and Best Buy. We've seen this deal a few times in recent months; nevertheless, it matches the wearable's lowest price to date.

This price applies to the 42mm GPS version, but the GPS + cellular model is also on sale for $110 off, bringing it down to $389 in a handful of color options. If you want something larger, meanwhile, the 46mm GPS model is $100 off Apple's list price and down to a low of $329 as well. Considering the Apple Watch is usually only updated once a year alongside the iPhone in September, these are decent deals to snag now while the Series 10 will remain the flagship smartwatch in Apple's lineup for a few more months.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is our pick for the best smartwatch overall, though note that you'll need a compatible iPhone to use it. We gave the wearable a score of 90 in our review.

Admittedly, this is a relatively iterative upgrade. If you have an Apple Watch Series 8 or 9, the upgrade is probably not worth it. But if you're an Apple Watch newcomer or you're upgrading from an older model, this is generally the one to go for.

The Series 10 has a larger screen than its predecessor, which makes it easier to see notifications and such. The thinner frame looks nicer too. However, while the Apple Watch Series 10 is great for fitness and wellness tracking, it's a bit disappointing that the device lacks the blood oxygen feature seen in earlier models (though Apple had little choice but to nix that here).

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-10-returns-to-a-record-low-of-299-at-amazon-and-best-buy-155611949.html?src=rss

Microsoft is raising the prices of its Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, accessories, and headsetsPrices are set to change today, with some first-party games expected to be adjusted to $79.99 later this yearXbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles in the US will see a $100 increase

Microsoft has announced that it is raising the prices of all Xbox consoles, accessories, and software.In a new support post today, Microsoft confirmed that as of May 1, the prices of its Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles will see an increase worldwide, with the US getting a massive $100 hike.Some controllers are also being adjusted by at least $10 globally, while devices like the Adaptive Controller and Adaptive Joystick will remain the same, but the price of headsets is only going up in the United States and Canada.Although the cost of games isn't changing right now, the company said the price of some of its new, first-party games will be adjusted to $79.99 starting this holiday season, matching the price of certain Nintendo Switch 2 titles.In the Q&A section, Microsoft confirmed that this will apply to both physical and digital versions, but "different games and expansions will continue to be offered at a variety of price points".It also seems that the cost of Xbox Game Pass will remain the same."We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development," Microsoft said. "Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players."You can check out the new prices of all consoles and accessories below.

New Xbox console pricing - US and UK:

Xbox Series S 512GB - $379.99 / £299.99 (was $299.99 / £249.99)Xbox Series S 1TB - $429.99 / £349.99 (was $349.99 / £299.99)Xbox Series X Digital - $549.99 / £449.99 (was $449.99 / £349.99)Xbox Series X - $599.99 / £499.99 (was $499.99 / £399.99)Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Special Edition - $729.99 / £589.99 (was $599.99 / £549.99)

New Xbox accessory pricing - US and UK:

Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) - $64.99 / £59.99 (no change)Xbox Wireless Controller (Color) - $69.99 / £64.99 (no change)Xbox Wireless Controller – Special Edition - $79.99 / £74.99 (was $69.99 / no UK change)Xbox Wireless Controller – Limited Edition - $89.99 / £74.99 (was $79.99 / no UK change)Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core) - $149.99 / £124.99 (no change)Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) - $199.99 / £169.99 (was $179.99 / £159.99)Xbox Stereo Headset - $64.99 / £45.99 (no change)Xbox Wireless Headset - $119.99 / £99.99 (was $109.99 / no UK change)

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Nintendo no longer allows two Nintendo Switch systems to simultaneously play the same digital game while connected to the internetA new system update, which added Virtual Game Cards, has removed the ability to do thisUsers can still play one copy of a digital game offline through the Online Licenses option

The new Nintendo Switch update has reportedly made it impossible for two systems to simultaneously play the same digital game online.Nintendo has just pushed out a huge Switch system update ahead of the Switch 2 launch, which adds several new changes, including a feature that now refers to digital games and DLC as Virtual Game Cards.This function is now available on the console's Home Screen and lets users virtually load and eject their software like physical game cards.However, players are now reporting that the feature is preventing two users from playing the same digital game online at the same time, something that was possible before through a loophole (via Eurogamer).Before the update, Switch games purchased on a player's primary console could be played on a different account signed in on that device, and the original owner could also sign in and play the same game on a secondary console, too.This would essentially allow the owner of the game and another person to play the game online simultaneously on different devices, but the addition of Virtual Game Cards now makes this impossible.Players can still play one copy of a digital game while offline through the Online Licenses option that can be found in the Profile settings."If this option is enabled, purchased digital software will be playable while the console is connected to the internet, even when the virtual game card for that software isn't loaded to the console," the Online License setting reads."However, when using an online licence, only the user signed in to the Nintendo Account that was used to purchase the software will be able to play it, it will not be playable for other users on the console."Your virtual game cards can be used to play software regardless of this setting. Online licences cannot be used on multiple consoles at the same time. The online licence and virtual game card for a software title cannot be used at the same time."The Nintendo Switch 2 will also offer Virtual Game Cards for some games. The console launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle.If you're looking to get your hands on the new console, UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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2.2 million British accounts have been breached in the first three months of 2025 aloneThe UK was the sixth most affected country worldwide, behind the US, Russia, India, Germany, and Spain Despite this, the latest data shows a considerable downtick in data breach incidents worldwide

An average of 17 British accounts were breached every minute in 2025 so far, totalling 2.2 million accounts leaked in the UK during the first three months of the year. This toll makes the UK the sixth country most affected worldwide after the US, Russia, India, Germany, and Spain.These are the main findings coming from Surfshark's quarterly update on its global data breach analysis.Nonetheless, experts report a considerable downtick in data breach incidents worldwide compared to last year's surge. In the UK, data breaches decreased this year so far by 49% compared to the last three months of 2024.

(Image credit: Surfshark)

Globally, the latest data shows a staggering 93% drop, passing from a total of 973.7 million to 68.3 million leaked accounts."Although the number of vulnerable accounts in all major regions decreased in Q1 2025 compared to the previous quarter, people should remain vigilant," said Luís Costa, Research Lead at Surfshark.Surfshark has recorded a total of 1.2B personal records exposed in the UK since 2004. This includes 79.2 million unique emails and 238.4 million passwords.The US was, however, the most affected nation globally, with 16.9 million accounts breached in 2025 so far. Russia follows with 4.4 million, then India (4.2 million), Germany (3.9 million), and Spain (2.4 million). France (2.1 million), Canada (0.89 million), Argentina (0.79 million), and South Sudan (0.73 million) are also among the top ten most breached countries during the first three months of 2025.

How to protect your data from breaches

Despite the global downturn, data breaches and cyberattacks do not seem they be going away anytime soon.This is why, whether you are based in the UK or any other targeted country, you should take some steps to secure your online data against this threat."Cyberthreats continue to evolve and attackers are constantly adapting their tactics," said Costa.He then suggests following strong security practices at all times and regularly updating your passwords. A password manager tool is very handy to help you find unique combinations and stay on top of the security of your accounts with a couple of clicks.Costa also recommends enabling 2FA, adding a second layer of security to your account by requiring another verification beyond just your password. This means that even if your password gets leaked, your account should remain safe.You should also be vigilant when online to not falling victim to phishing scams. While a few virtual private network (VPN) tools and secure email services boast features to help you stay away from these dangers, refraining from clicking on dodgy links remains the best way to stay safe.

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The recently-released Apple iPad Air M3 is already on sale via Amazon. You can pick up the 11-inch model starting at $499 and the 13-inch version starting at $699. If Amazon isn’t your bag, these deals are also available at Best Buy.

This model topped our list of the best iPads, and we said it the perfect choice for most consumers. The M3 chip is extremely powerful, which increases performance and multitasking when compared to the base iPad. It offers support for the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, which is nice, and the overall design is lovely.

The battery can last up to 12 hours, which is a decent metric for a modern tablet. The two 12MP cameras won’t be winning any awards, but they get the job done. These are also fairly lightweight, which makes sense given the name. The 11-inch version weighs around a pound and the 13-inch model shoots up to 1.36 pounds. That’s light enough for long-term use without any real issues.

While the screen is gorgeous, it’s not an OLED. It also maxes out with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is on the lower end. It’s worth noting that the $499 base price for the 11-inch model gets you 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. Other variations are on sale, but the cost can add up. For instance, the 13-inch version with a 1TB drive will set you back $1,200.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-ipad-air-m3-is-100-off-151340723.html?src=rss

Amazon has expanded its 'Shop the Show' feature for Prime Video showsIt lets you see and buy products from the movie or show you're watchingBut will this mean more product placement in Prime Video originals?

Amazon has brought its "Shop The Show" program into its US app, enabling you to easily find products related to specific movies and shows – and it's just upped the number of shoppable shows to over 1,300.The idea is simple enough: let's say you're watching The Boys and want to buy some tie-in merchandise. Simply open the Amazon app, search for "Shop the show" and you can then find an organized collection of products related to the hit show.I'm not going to pretend that I'm immune to wanting the odd bit of merch, but I do worry what this means for future Prime Video originals. Because I think the temptation to stuff them with sales opportunities in the form of ever-more-annoying product placement is going to be impossible for Amazon to resist.

Want to know where to get this coffee mug or that tee? Shop the Show could help (Image credit: Amazon)

Why I worry about Shop the Show

(Image credit: Amazon)

I'm worried about combining shows and selling because every time a streamer attempts to make more money from its users, which of course is what Shop the Show is designed to do, it makes the service worse.For example, after sitting through the pre-show ads last night on Disney+, my episode of Andor was interrupted by another ad after just four minutes. And on Prime Video my Bosch Legacy viewings suffered at the hands of automated ad breaks that didn't care whether they were mid-scene or breaking tension. I tried to watch a concert video on YouTube the other evening and the first ads didn't even wait for the first song to finish.What worries me about Shop the Show is that this particular kind of monetization scheme could ruin programs even further, with 'Amazon the shop' pushing more and more product placement into 'Amazon the streamer'.For streamers, product placement is even better than ads. You can't skip it, and you can't pay to get rid of it. And you can put it into existing shows that didn't previously have it: as advertising publication The Drum reports, Amazon has experimented with virtual product placement – adding products into existing content – in multiple ways.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Product placement isn't anything new, of course. And I'm writing on a website that generates some of its revenue from linking to online retailers. But I don't work for those retailers, and I don't write with them in mind – just as in TV, where the show's maker is not usually the retailer of the products being placed on screen. That distance between the craft and the commerce usually limits how blatant the product placement can be.With Amazon and Prime Video, the show maker and the shop are the same company. Different divisions, sure, but think of the synergy.I hope I'm wrong, and that Amazon doesn't let the sales stuff affect what's on screen. I'm all for making it easier to find the books Bosch is based on, or the video games that led to the Fallout show. But when I look at my Amazon search results and remember when they used to show me what I wanted rather than what Amazon wants to show me, I can't say I'm very optimistic.

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Apple has been ordered to pay a $502 million lump sum payment by UK courts for infringing on patents owned by Optis Cellular Technology LLC, based out of Texas. This particular company is not an aggrieved innovator, but instead what is referred to as a “patent troll.” That’s a company that buys up niche patents with the specific intent to seek damages for infringement from lucrative defendants like Apple, and it’s not their first time being awarded damages from the Cupertino giant.

This lawsuit was originally filed through London courts in 2019 over patents governing cellular technology, including 4G, that Optis says was improperly used in iPads and iPhones. In 2023, London’s High Court ruled in Optis’ favor and ordered Apple to pay just over $56 million plus interest to settle the dispute, inclusive of past and future sales that featured the offending tech. Optis successfully argued that this was far too low a sum, leading to the half-a-billion-dollars in damages ordered today.

The iPhone maker has found itself in court over patent infringements time and time again in the past — not only with patent trolls, but also fellow industry stalwarts. The ability for enormous tech companies to (allegedly) infringe on design or utility patents and pay pennies on the dollar for the damage done years later seems to be a feature, not a bug.

Apple has unsurprisingly responded by promising to appeal the court's decision, to which Optis insisted it will fight to defend its intellectual property.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-ordered-to-pay-502-million-to-optis-by-uk-courts-153053338.html?src=rss

World Password Day is hereMost TechRadar Readers are using Google PasswordPassword manager's are considered best practice for password hygiene

We polled our TechRadar Pro readers on WhatsApp (you can join our channel here) to ask them which password manager they use to keep their accounts safe, and the most popular was Google password manager, a free to use service easily accessible and built into Chrome and Android devices, with 39% of respondents choosing this service. You can check out our full review of Google Password Manager here.Worryingly, following closely behind were the readers who don’t use a password management service at all, with 20% of our readers choosing to manage their accounts by themselves. Take a look at our picks for best password manager here if you need any recommendations.Trusting a third party with your passwords and credentials naturally comes with an element of risk, especially given that security attacks on password managers have soared in just the last year. If you choose to handle your password hygiene yourself, make sure to rotate them often, never reuse them between sites, and always change them immediately if they’re exposed in a breach.

A close second

Of those who do use a password manager, Apple Passwords came just behind Google Passwords with 23% choosing the service. This is a pretty basic manager, free and built in with Apple’s OSes, which helpfully reports on data breaches and password health.Many of our readers (17%) use a different third party service, if that’s you, feel free to let us know which you recommend and why. No matter which you use, password management is definitely important, especially given how much of our lives is digital;"Good password hygiene and management is crucial in today's world, where we all have many different accounts,” says Joel Latto, Threat Advisor at F-Secure”If a hacker gains access to an account that uses a similar password to another, it's easy for them to also obtain information from the other account. This makes it easier for them to obtain more information about you, putting you at higher risk of identity theft, which can have devastating and distressing consequences including financial loss."

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The latest Nintendo Creators' Voice video highlights the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077The game will allow players to wield a katana with a detached Joy-Con 2VP of technology Charles Tremblay says the Switch 2 version is "the best way to experience the game on the go"

A new video in the Nintendo Creators' Voice series is now live, this time highlighting CD Projekt Red and its Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077.Featuring game director Adam Badowski and VP of technology Charles Tremblay, this two-minute video offered a new look at the game running on the Switch 2, with all-new button mapping.It looks great, which is probably thanks to the console's impressive specs and the fact that the game can support Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), although there is an on screen message stating that the footage is still a "work in progress".The teaser is quite short, but at one point, we see some first-person gameplay of V attacking enemies with a katana. According to Badowski, this can be done using a detached Joy-Con 2, allowing players to swing the sword and even deflect incoming attacks.

Tremblay also touched on how the Switch 2's hardware makes the game better, saying that "it's still the same amazing experience" and "returning players will feel right at home"."That being said, we do have a lot of ways to experience the game using the controllers. We have the new amazing LCD screens with the VRR support, and I do think it’s the best way to experience the game on the go," Tremblay said.He adds, "Playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2 is the more cyberpunk way to play Cyberpunk."The Nintendo Switch 2 version of the role-playing game (RPG) is set to launch the same day as the console, June 5, 2025. The Switch 2 edition is also expected to feature improvements compared to the PS4 and Xbox One launch editions.The Switch 2 will cost $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle, which comes with a digital copy of the game. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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Chatbot interactions could soon be serving you related Google ads tooChatGPT and others are snaffling Google's search market dominanceIts dominance has already come under fire by the DOJ and others

Google is now showing ads in chatbot conversations via its AdSense for Search network, marking a shift in its digital advertising strategy as generative AI becomes not only more commonplace, but increasingly used in place of traditional search engine tools.Previously, ads were shown within the search results of other websites, however Google added them to conversations with chatbots operated by AI startups earlier in 2025 (via Bloomberg).The rollout comes after the tech giant conducted tests last year, and earlier this year, with AI search apps like iAsk and Liner.

Google Ads are now being shown in chatbot interactions

Google's ads business has been an incredibly lucrative area for the California company, which maintains a 90% share of the global search market (via Statcounter).However, with the emergence of rival AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, consumers are now able to obtain information more succinctly and more quickly, putting Google's business under threat, and therefore its ads network.A company spokesperson has confirmed: "AdSense for Search is available for websites that want to show relevant ads in their conversational AI experiences."Google's collaboration with startups is a strategic move to stay profitable even if the search market as we know it is shrinking, but it hasn't gone unnoticed.Two US senators recently questioned Google about its partnership with Anthropic, expressing concerns about competition in the sector. Microsoft's deal with OpenAI was also under fire.The Department of Justice also recently noted Google’s search engine market monopoly is helping its AI strategy, and that its use of AI if further enhancing its search market monopoly.Earlier in April 2025, a US judge also deemed Google violated antitrust laws by “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in the advertising technology market. Though found guilty, a further hearing will be required to determine potential remedies.

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Composting was a big — and daily — part of my life for five years when I lived off-grid. Granted, we were composting more than just food, but I learned a lot about what goes into making a healthy compost pile. Mostly, it’s a lot of work — and now that I live in a city, I don’t do it myself. To be clear, I still believe in composting, especially when you consider that each person in the US throws away an estimated 200 pounds of food per year. Food waste in landfills does bad stuff, like releasing methane and contributing to climate change. In compost, old food does good stuff, like improving the soil and acting as a carbon sink.

Now that more municipal curbside composting programs exist, millions of people have a dead simple way to deal with food scraps. But if you, like me, live where city-wide compost pickup isn’t yet a thing, you have two options: compost at home, with or without a machine to help out, or do what I do and pay someone to compost for you..

How to compost at home

It’s tempting to think of composting as building a holder, throwing in food and coming back a few weeks later to something you can toss in your garden, but the reality requires much more time, space and effort. For me, the toughest part of composting was the consistency it required. At least a few times per week, any active compost pile needs tending, including adding to it, turning it, watering it in dry climates or shielding it from excess rain. In addition to time, home composting requires the space and materials to build the bins. You’ll also need a regular source of “brown” or carbon-rich materials like dried leaves, untreated paper, cardboard, sawdust or wood chips.

Plenty of people (with more knowledge than I) have put together how-tos on the subject. I followed The Mini Farming Guide to Composting, but these online guides will also serve you well:

EPA: Offers a high-level overview of the process and includes a handy chart with examples of green and brown materials.

ILSR: A more in-depth guide, complete with illustrations and the reasoning behind each step.

NMSU: A science-rich reference with multiple methods and troubleshooting suggestions.

Joe Gardener: A multi-page, highly detailed PDF from Joe Lamp’l, the host of PBS and DIY Network gardening shows.

Each source gives the same basic advice: build your bin, collect your food scraps, stockpile brown materials, maintain your ratios, monitor and amend moisture and aeration levels, then let a full heap finish for six to eight weeks (so yes, you generally need two piles).

As you can see, composting correctly isn’t as easy as chucking scraps into a bin and letting time handle the rest. Of course, if the process appeals to you (and it is pretty fascinating) that’s not a drawback. Gardeners in particular, who are out in the yard anyway, make excellent candidates for keeping up healthy piles — not to mention, they also have the most use for the finished product. People without yards, however, are out of luck (unless they’re comfortable hosting an indoor worm farm).

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Kitchen composting machines

Calling them “composters” is a misnomer, since these devices don’t actually create compost – that requires microbial processes that take weeks. Instead, these appliances chop and dehydrate food, creating an odor-free material that’s substantially smaller in volume than what went in. You can even include meat and dairy – an advantage over home compost piles in which animal products are generally not recommended. As for what comes out, it can be added to your backyard pile, spread in your garden, added to houseplants or thrown in the green bin or trash – where it will take up less room and won’t stink anything up.

I haven't tested any of these devices, but after researching from the perspective of a fairly informed composter, here’s what I see as the pros and cons of a few of the more popular devices on the market.

Mill ($40 to $65 per month with USPS pickups, $30 - $50 per month without pickups)

I like that Mill offers a solution for the substance it produces and that it’s large enough to hold the scraps an average family might generate over the course of a few weeks. Instead of buying the machine outright, you sign up for a subscription, which includes the Mill bin and USPS pickup for the “grounds” it creates. Add food throughout the day and the dehydration and mixing cycles run automatically each night. …Once it's full, you empty the contents into a prepaid box and ship it to Mill’s facility in Washington where the grounds are turned into food for chickens.

You can also keep the grounds, feeding them to your own backyard chickens, adding them to a compost bin or sprinkling them (sparingly) in your yard where water will begin the actual composting process. If you go that route, you’ll pay $30 or $50 per month, depending whether you pay annually or monthly for the bin itself. For the Mill machine plus pickup for the grounds, you’ll pay an extra $10 per month on the annual plan or $15 each month.

Lomi ($828)

Lomi also chops and dehydrates your scraps. The unit is smaller than the Mill, so you’ll likely have to empty it every few days. It offers three modes, one of which, Grow Mode, uses small capsules of probiotics called Lomi Pods to create “plant food” in about 20 hours. Lomi suggests mixing the results with regular soil at a ratio of one to ten.

If you have a yard, it’s easy enough to add a little here and there to maintain the ratio, and if you’re an apartment dweller with houseplants you can mix small amounts into the soil. But the end product should only be used sparingly, like a fertilizer, so you’ll probably need to do something else with the excess. Lomi suggests adding the excess to your compost, dropping it into your green bin if your city provides curbside compost pickup or throwing it in the trash where it will take up less space and won’t smell.

Reencle ($499)

Reencle is larger like the Mill bin, and involves microorganisms in the process like Lomi. You can buy it outright or rent it for $30 per month, but that doesn’t include pickup for the results. I like that Reencle is, in essence, a living pile of fermentation, using low heat, grinders and a regenerating bacterial population to break down your food scraps.

Adding scraps daily “feeds” the pile, and when it’s full, you’re only supposed to remove about half of what’s in there, leaving the rest to breed more Bacilli. Again, the material works as a plant food or fertilizer, not like standard compost. Reencle recommends a byproduct-to-soil ratio of one part to four, and that you let the mixture sit for five days before adding to your monsteras and gardens.

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Why you should consider a composting service

DIY home composting is a lot of work. Countertop machines are expensive and, from what users say, noisy and sometimes unreliable. Both methods leave you to figure out what to do with the byproduct, whether it’s the finished compost from your bins or the dehydrated proto-compost from the appliances. That’s great for gardeners — compost makes plants happy. Everyone else may find themselves stuck with a delightful pile of black gold and nowhere to put it.

Home composting also doesn’t let you take advantage of compostable dishware, bags and to-go items. Companies like Matter Compostables make cups, plates and utensils that compost down in about a year at commercial composting facilities (but not all of them will break down in home piles). That decomposition time frame sure beats the multiple centuries it takes for a plastic fork to degrade. Matter even makes compostable kitchen trash bags, which I found to be surprisingly strong replacements for plastic.

In cities where municipal composting exists, many restaurants are beginning to offer compostable to-go containers. That not only drastically reduces plastic use, people can also toss unwanted leftovers and the box it came in into the bin. Of course, not all of us live in cities with municipal composting services (I don’t). Which is why I pay for a local service and I recommend it.

Most subscription-based compost pick-up services work the same way: for a monthly fee, they provide you with a bucket and lid. You fill the bucket with leftovers and set it on your front porch/steps/stoop on pickup day. They collect your bucket, leaving you a fresh one on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. Scraps are then composted on a large scale and the results are sold to local farms or people in the community.

Each service has different rules about what you can add, but most let you throw all food and food-related items in the bucket (including meat, bones, dairy and fruit pits). You can also usually include coffee filters, pizza boxes, houseplants, BPI-certified compostable plastics and paper towels (without cleaning products on them). All services ask that you remove produce stickers and pull the staples from your teabags.

I have our pickup scheduled for every other Tuesday. Does two weeks’ worth of food in a bucket stink? It does. To help with that, we keep our bucket outside with the lid firmly on. I keep a canister on the countertop to fill with scraps throughout the day and empty it into the bucket when the canister is full or starts to smell. I also keep old food in the fridge until right before collection day.

Of course, these services aren’t available everywhere, and they cost $20 to $40 per month, so it’s not a universal solution. I pay $22 for a twice monthly pickup and I look at the cost in terms of time: I would spend more than two hours a month maintaining a compost pile, so if I value my labor at $12 per hour, which is my state’s minimum wage, the cost is worth it.

I like the little perks too, like getting a “free” bag of compost twice per year and having a place to drop off our yearly batch of jack-o-lanterns once the faces start caving in. The service I use is also currently working on opening a new composting facility that will allow it to take in more food scraps from restaurants and even create a community space. That’s a much better end game for my avocado pit than being sealed up for eternity in a landfill.

A sampling of composting services in the largest US markets

Modern tech is making it easier for these services to pop up in more cities. Sign-up is done online and most payments are automatic. My driver told me they use the Stop Suite app to optimize their pickup routes, send out text reminders and handle other customer service functions. Composting may be old as dirt, but the way we’re creating it is brand new.

Of the 20 largest metro areas in the US, nine have or will have municipally-run compost collection programs. I spent some time in Seattle, where most homes had three collection bins: trash, recycling and compost. That’s by far the easiest and cheapest way to do it. But if you don’t live in one of those nine locales with city-run services — you’ll have to go the paid route. Here’s a list of the community composting services available in 11 major metro areas:

New Jersey: Garden State Composting, Neighborhood Compost

Chicago: WasteNot Compost, The Urban Canopy, Collective Resource Compost

Dallas: Recycle Revolution

Houston: Moonshot Compost, Zero Waste Houston

Washington DC: Compost Crew, Veteran Compost

Philadelphia: Mother Compost, Circle Compost, Bennett Compost

Atlanta: Awesome Possum Composting, Compost Now

Miami: Compost for Life, Renuable

Phoenix: R.City

Detroit: Midtown Composting, Scrap Soils

Tampa: Suncoast Compost

Albuquerque (the service I use): Little Green Bucket

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/how-to-compost-at-home-140047133.html?src=rss

When Google debuted AI Mode at the start of March, the company promised to work quickly on bringing the feature to more users, and now it's doing exactly. Following a smaller expansion last month, the company says AI Mode is now available to all Labs users, with no wait list in place to limit access. As a reminder, AI Mode is a new chatbot that Google has built directly into Search. Labs, meanwhile, is a program you can sign up for to try out new Search features before they're widely available.

With today's expansion, Google is also updating AI Mode to add new visual cards that will appear when you ask the chatbot for information related to places and products. "For local spots, like restaurants, salons and stores, you can quickly see info like ratings, reviews, and opening hours, and if you’re looking for a product, you’ll see shoppable options with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details and local inventory," Google says of the new feature.

Google

On desktop, Google is also adding a search history tool, allowing users to revisit and continue previous conversations they've had with AI Mode. The idea here is to allow people to pick up on research they might have left unfinished.

If you're not enrolled in Labs and live in the US, there's a chance you might see AI Mode appear in Search sometime in the coming weeks. Google says it's doing this because the response to the feature has been "incredibly positive," and it wants to collect additional feedback before a broader rollout. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-prepares-to-start-testing-ai-mode-with-regular-search-users-160027861.html?src=rss