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Microsoft's annual Build developer conference kicks off on May 19, and as always, it starts with a keynote. You can watch the opening event live starting at 12:05 PM Eastern time on Microsoft's website, though you'd have to register and sign in to be able to access the livestream. Microsoft will also be streaming the keynote on YouTube, though, and you can access it below. Just like last year, the event will be hosted by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, along with the company's Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Scott. According to the keynote page, the executives will be sharing how "Microsoft is creating new opportunity across [its] platforms in this era of AI."

The company has been introducing new AI features at Build over the last few years, and that's most likely what's going to happen again this time. We expect Microsoft to add more AI agents to Windows 11 to automate more tasks for you on the operating system. It could also give us an in-depth look at Copilot Vision, a feature that allows the AI assistant to see what you're doing on your computer so it could talk you through various tasks. Microsoft likely wouldn't be announcing new hardware at the event, however, seeing as it has only recently launched a 12-inch Surface Pro tablet and a 13-inch Surface Laptop.

Microsoft's Build conference will take place from May 19 to May 22. Two other tech events are also taking place around that time: Google's I/O conference from May 20 to 21 and the Computex computer expo in Taiwan from May 20 to 23. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/how-to-watch-the-microsoft-build-2025-keynote-025928960.html?src=rss

Palm-sized SSD with 30TB capacity offers jaw-dropping storage in an ultra-compact aluminum shellGlyph Blackbox Plus U.2 is faster than any portable HDD, but slower than PCIe Gen4 SSDsFormatted for macOS, but reformatting for Windows may confuse less tech-savvy users

Glyph has unveiled its Blackbox Plus U.2 External SSD, a high-capacity, high-speed storage solution aimed at professional content creators, data-intensive workflows, and enterprise users.Its standout 30.72TB capacity exceeds even the largest external HDD models, which typically top out around 24TB.Measuring just over five inches in length and under an inch thick, the device is about the size of a rugged smartphone and easily fits in one hand.

Blackbox Plus U.2 still lags behind PCIe Gen4 internal SSDs

The Blackbox Plus U.2 is built on enterprise-grade NVMe technology and offers sustained data transfer speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s, fast, though notably slower than top-tier PCIe Gen4 internal SSDs.That said, this portable SSD connects via a 10Gb USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C interface, which is backward compatible with USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3. This ensures broad compatibility across various hardware setups.The drive ships preformatted for macOS but can be reformatted for Windows. Still, setup may pose a challenge for users unfamiliar with drive formatting or cross-platform configurations.Cooling is handled through a fanless aluminum enclosure that doubles as a heatsink. While this passive system eliminates mechanical noise, it may not be ideal in high-temperature environments under sustained loads.The device requires an external power supply, which impacts portability. Compared to bus-powered SSDs, this setup is bulkier and less convenient for mobile or casual users.In the box, Glyph includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a three-pronged power adapter. Buyers also get a three-year hardware warranty, two years of Level-1 data recovery, and a one-year advance replacement program.The Blackbox Plus U.2 is available in 7.6TB, 15.36TB, and 30.72TB models, priced at $899.95 (with a $200 discount), $2,399.95, and $4,999.95, respectively. Preorders are now open on Glyph’s official website.

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Cyber threats have evolved far beyond the domain of the IT department. With the introduction of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to the UK parliament, cyber security is now a national priority, and the stakes for businesses are higher than ever.The bill proposes tougher regulations and potential fines of up to £100,000 for failing to address specific threats, making proactive cyber defense a financial imperative for businesses when the legislation is passed. Although many organizations invest in digital safeguards, the method that offers a genuine test of trust resilience is Red Teaming.During Red Teaming simulations, an independent ‘Red Team’ assumes the role of real attackers, probing systems, processes, and personnel to expose vulnerabilities. However, when treated solely as a technical exercise, Red Teaming can fail to result in meaningful action. Without executive engagement, even serious vulnerabilities may go unresolved.

Converting technical insights into business impact

One of the biggest challenges in Red Teaming is making sure that insights connect with senior stakeholders. Often, reports focus on niche technical exploits or zero-day vulnerabilities. While these details matter to security engineers, they don’t paint the broader picture of a successful attack.Organizations that understand it map technical findings to financial, operational, and reputational risks. Instead of discussing abstract vulnerabilities, Red Team outputs highlight and articulate real-world consequences, such as: “A compromise of this server could disrupt our online platform for 48 hours, costing an estimated £X in lost sales,” or “An attacker could access 200,000 customer records, risking regulatory penalties of up to 4% of global turnover.” This type of language cuts through the technical jargon and positions the issues in terms that grab board-level attention.This approach can even help shape an organization's risk appetite. By working closely with security teams, C-suite leaders and directors can begin to define thresholds around acceptable risk. For instance, once they see the severity and ease with which specific systems can be breached, many executives quickly realize that “low probability” vulnerabilities may still represent “high impact” scenarios that must be addressed.

Facilitating concrete security advancements

Ensuring that Red Team results spur real change requires more than technical remediation lists. It calls for clear, focused advice that aligns with the organization's primary goals. This guidance often shapes how future incidents will be handled and informs security spending.Crucially, an iterative feedback loop is needed. After a Red Team engagement finishes, forward-thinking companies should schedule post-engagement debriefs that gather board members, department heads, and security leaders around the same table.Together, they can examine what went wrong and what went right. This culture of transparency turns Red Team insights into targeted, high-level decisions. For instance, if a simulated attack revealed weaknesses in cloud services, senior leaders might pivot the budget to upgrade protections and work with external suppliers to strengthen service-level agreements.In the UK, major financial institutions were among the first to adopt advanced threat-led testing under programs such as CBEST. Lessons from these exercises demonstrate how immediate executive action can be pivotal. Reports are not simply filed away; boards commission follow-up work to verify that vulnerabilities have been adequately fixed and introduce ongoing mini-tests to measure improvement. Ultimately, this keeps cybersecurity elevated as a business priority rather than dropping off the radar until major incidents occur.

Presenting the business value of Red Teaming

Business leaders often grapple with the return on investment when it comes to cyber security. However, linking Red Teaming directly to measurable risk reduction helps ease those concerns. The cost of a Red Team exercise is typically much less than the fallout from a data breach or ransomware attack. By helping organizations tackle weaknesses before attackers do, Red Teaming can prevent costly incidents that cause disruptions and damaged reputations.In a landscape where customer and investor trust is invaluable, proactive efforts to strengthen defenses can make a competitive difference. Many organizations now see cyber security as an enabler of digital transformation. By identifying weaknesses within new technologies, be they cloud services, Internet of Things devices, or mobile applications, Red Team engagements provide a safety net for innovation. Executive teams can confidently pursue new products or service offerings, knowing potential security pitfalls will be flagged early.There is growing recognition that Red Teaming provides unique validation for cyber security investments. Boards commonly ask if the millions spent on firewalls and endpoint detection tools are genuinely effective. Red Team exercises offer a reality check. If attackers easily circumvent defenses without detection, it becomes clear where future resources should be focused. Over time, regular Red Team engagements create a measurable decline in critical findings, demonstrating tangible improvement in security posture.

Turning security into a strategic priority

Red Teaming goes far beyond a routine security audit. It exposes an organization's technical and strategic vulnerabilities, offering leadership a holistic view of their risk landscape. When its findings are translated into business impact, Red Teaming helps leaders understand cyber risk in terms of financial loss, operational disruption, and reputational damage. This reframing moves cyber security out of the IT silo and firmly onto the strategic agenda.Driving meaningful improvements requires cross-functional collaboration and shared accountability. With the UK’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill raising the bar for organizational preparedness, Red Teaming offers a practical, repeatable way to measure and improve cyber resilience over time. It gives leaders the confidence to act early, adapt quickly, and strengthen their defenses before a real adversary strikes. Those who embrace it will not only reduce risk but also build a more agile, trusted, and future-ready organization.

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

We Are Rewind's GB-001 is a real cassette boombox, but it's got Bluetooth tooMore than enough power to rock reasonably sized blocks£379 / €449 (about $505 / AU$781)

One of the things I miss about the 1980s, other than my youth, my waistline and my faith in humanity, is the boombox. The boombox is one of the most important bits of audio tech ever made: it took music out of the bedroom or living room and into the streets, soundtracking rap battles and breakdancing and changing pop culture for the better.And now it's back! Back! BACK!The new We Are Rewind GB-001 looks like a boombox. It plays tapes like a boombox. And it records onto those tapes like a boombox. But it also comes with some very welcome improvements over the '80s devices it's so clearly inspired by.

That's the stuff… (Image credit: We Are Rewind)

We Are Rewind GB-001 boombox: key features and pricing

The big differences this time around are batteries and Bluetooth. The former means your boombox won't have the battery-munching habit I remember from my long-gone Sanyo: the 3,000mAh rechargeable and user-replaceable battery is good for 10 hours on speakers and 15 with headphones.Secondly, there's Bluetooth 5.4 so you can stream from your smartphone if you'd rather not carry a satchel full of audio tapes around with you. You can also connect an external sound source via the 3.5mm jack or use an external mic for recording.It's a lot louder than my boombox ever was, too: 104W of power courtesy of Class D amplification.The spec includes dynamic power control to reduce distortion, Dolby B emulation for those noise-reduced cassettes, and support for both normal (Type I) and chrome (Type II) tapes. And at 6.81kg (just under 15lbs) it's not so heavy you won't want to take it anywhere.The new boombox is unveiled today, 15 May, at the High End Munich 2025 hi-fi show – we're planning to track it down there ASAP. There's no confirmed release date yet, but the official price is very reasonable at £379 / €449 (about $505 / AU$781).

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Wordle is a simple game in theory but sometimes a very difficult game in practice, and today's puzzle rams that point home with force.According to WordleBot, the game's helpful (albeit snarky) AI tool, puzzle #1,426 has an average score of 5.5 from the 40,000-plus people who have used it so far today. By that measure it's the hardest Wordle puzzle since January and the fifth hardest of all time.A quick browse of Twitter/X tells the story of the day, with 'Wordle 1,426 X' trending right at the top of the platform already. And that's before most players in the US have even woken up.So, what's the problem? To answer that I'll need to reveal the solution, so don't read past this point if you haven't played yet. Maybe get some hints from my NYT Wordle today article if you need them.

SPOILERS FOR TODAY'S WORDLE, GAME #1,426, ON THURSDAY, 15 MAY 2025 will follow.

Fifth hardest ever

**FINAL SPOILER ALERT**Right, last chance to stop reading before I reveal the solution.Today's answer is EAGER, so yes it's an ER word. No surprise, right?It's pretty easy to get a list of the most difficult Wordles ever, because WordleBot records the average for every game that's been played.In turn, I've kept a list of those averages since the 'Bot launched in April 2022, meaning I now have a spreadsheet ranking 1,138 games by difficulty.By that measure, EAGER is the equal fifth hardest ever, behind only PARER (game #454, average score 6.3), MUMMY (#491, 5.8), CORER (#1214, 5.7) and ROWER (#1310, 5.6). It's also level with JAZZY (#712).Three of those six words end in ER, which is probably the most difficult type of game to solve – although personally, I have an even more hated Wordle format.That theme continues as you go down the list; of all games with a 5.0 average or above, of which there have now been 28, a total of 13 have ended ER. That's almost half of the most difficult games ever (obviously).

The hardest Wordle puzzles so far

GameAnswerDateAverage scoreMy score454PARERFriday, 16 September 20226.36491MUMMYSunday, 23 October 20225.861214CORERTuesday, 15 October 20245.751310ROWERSunday, 19 January 20255.66712JAZZYThursday, 1 June 20235.541426EAGERThursday, 15 May 20255.54304FOYERTuesday, 19 April 20225.44613RIPERWednesday, 22 February 20235.46675JOKERTuesday, 25 April 20235.451037JOLLYSunday, 21 April 20245.451273BOXERFriday, 13 December 20245.35555JUDGEMonday, 26 December 20225.24714NANNYSaturday, 3 June 20235.25980PIPERSaturday, 24 February 20245.24730KAZOOMonday, 19 June 20235.14795VERVEWednesday, 23 August 20235.15990HUNCHTuesday, 5 March 20245.151065HITCHSunday, 19 May 20245.131350FUZZYFriday, 28 February 20255.15375GAWKYWednesday, 29 June 202255749COWERSaturday, 8 July 202355878SASSYTuesday, 14 November 2023561039ROVERTuesday, 23 April 2024561055JERKYThursday, 9 May 2024541208MOMMYWednesday, 9 October 2024551218FIBERSaturday, 19 October 2024561300WAFERThursday, 9 January 2025561385KRILLFriday, 4 April 202554

Why are ER words so tough to solve?

The problem with ER words is simply that there are so many of them. My analysis of every Wordle answer shows that 141 of the game's 2,309 original solutions end in ER, making it by far the most likely ending.You might think this would make it easier to solve, because these words are easy to identify – not least because E and R are both very common letters, and therefore played by lots of people in their start word.However, the sheer number of them can make it really tough to then narrow down the other three letters. And the problem is made worse because almost all letters can appear in those first three slots.Not all ER words are difficult, of course. LASER, for instance, had a super-low average of 3.3 back in April 2024 (game #1038). But that's because those other three letters were L, A and S – which are all very common in their own right, and which appear in many of the best Wordle start words.By contrast, the other letters in EAGER are a repeated E, A and G. The fact that the E is repeated makes it a lot harder to identify, because people don't generally play letters twice unless they think there's a strong likelihood that there will be a repeat. Doing it early always feels like throwing away the chance to gain information.All of that leads to what I call the too-many-answers problem, where the solution only differs by one letter from several other words. Today, PAGER, WAGER and LAGER were all alternative answers, and may have occurred to people before they thought of repeating that E at the start.This leads to the classic Wordle fail pattern, with four or five guesses missing one or two letters in vertical lines:

Too many choices.#Wordle1426 Wordle 1,426 X/6*⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩🟨🟩⬜🟩🟩May 15, 2025

#Wordle#Wordle1426Wordle 1.426 X/6🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩Good morning pic.twitter.com/QXze5gtvLyMay 15, 2025

#Wordle#Wordle1426Wordle 1.426 X/6🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩Good morning pic.twitter.com/QXze5gtvLyMay 15, 2025

My tips for how to play these words

I've played every Wordle ever and only lost once, plus my streak is now technically at 1,228 – although the NYT's inability to cope with people playing in different time zones mean that officially it stands at 63. And yes, that does make me angry.Anyway, it's hopefully not too arrogant of me to suggest that I know a thing or two about how to avoid losing at this game. And the key is not to keep guessing blindly.This is impossible if you play on hard mode, of course, because there you're not allowed to leave out letters that have already been turned green.That means that if you found yourself with that -A-ER pattern early on, you'll have had only two letters spaces remaining in which to try to narrow down the solution.In contrast, I was able to play MAGIC on my third guess, and rule out some 40 possible answers in one go. That left me with only four options: PAGER, WAGER, EAGER and RAGER, according to WordleBot.I don't think the last of those is a likely solution in reality, and didn't think of it myself. In my head I had a choice of three words, and three guesses remaining – so I was now free to guess one of them.I went with EAGER and got lucky to score a four, but if it had been wrong, I might have player another narrowing-down word next to guarantee me a six at worst. Not losing my unofficial streak is more important to me than getting a high score, usually.

(Image credit: New York Times)

The other important thing that I did today was to identify the ER pattern as early as possible. My start word is chosen at random these days; I used to always begin with STARE, but decided to shake things up by changing it daily instead.This often leads to less-than-perfect opening guesses for me, and today I had 777 options left after my initial DUSTY. But in this scenario I always play an ER word next in order to rule out (or in) that possibility as soon as I can. Today, that strategy really paid off.So there you have it: Wordle has another entry in its most-hated list. If you lost your streak today, I commiserate. But don't worry – there are still another 900 or so Wordles to play, so there's plenty of time to build it back up again…

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Increased cabinet volumes and massively reduced resonanceNew AMT high-frequency unit and enhanced bass and midrange driversFrom £549 (about $730 / AU$1,125)

Wharfedale has significantly upgraded its best-selling EVO speaker range, and the new fifth-generation EVO 5 speakers come with a visual refresh and very important audio upgrades.There are five models in the range: two standmount speakers (EVO 5.1 and 5.2), two floorstanders (EVO 5.3 and 5.4) and a home cinema center speaker (EVO 5.C). They're gorgeous-looking things and come in new color options, but what's happened inside is what really matters here.Wharfedale EVOs already went head to head with speakers costing considerably more money, and these fifth-gen versions promise to sound even better.

Wharfedale EVO 5 speakers: key features and pricing

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

The first upgrade is to the Air Motion Transformer (AMT), which Wharfedale uses instead of dome tweeters: it's a pleated diaphragm that apparently pushes four times more air than comparable traditional tweeters, delivering lower distortion and faster transient responses. Wharfedale says it also produces a wider frequency range and excellent horizontal dispersion.The EVO 5 version is bigger than before – 35x70mm compared to 30x60mm in the EVO 4 – and delivers improved efficiency and dispersion. Behind it there's the new SilentWeave damping, which should reduce sound wave reflections inside the speaker.There's more where SilentWeave came from: ResoFrame and ResoSeal, also new to the EVO 5, are a new acoustic damping frame and damping ring respectively and aim to help the drive units deliver a smoother response.The mid-range driver is redesigned for the fifth generation, with the aforementioned ResoFrame and Silentweave. And the bass drivers utilise the advanced low-distortion motor system first seen in the flagship Elysian models. That's teamed with a woven Kevlar cone of 130mm or 150mm depending on the speaker model and a low-loss rubber surround for a natural-sounding lower midrange and tight bass.The crossovers have been redesigned too, and benefit from a redesigned circuit board that delivers a shorter path length between the components and drive units. In the three-way models, that's split into separate PCBs for mid/treble and for bass to reduce electromagnetic interference.The bass reflex design comes from Wharfedale's more premium Aura and Elysian ranges, with a slot at the base of the speaker rather than a more conventional front or rear-firing port. Where the EVO 4 vented in two directions, the EVO 5 vent in three, which Wharfedale says optimizes the airflow distribution for deep, articulate and well-integrated bass. The design also makes the speakers "less fussy" about placement than conventionally ported designs.The cabinets are larger than their EVO 4 counterparts and made from a sandwich of different density woods to reduce panel resonance to inaudible levels and reduce leakage of unwanted sound energy. And at the bottom there's a hybrid metal/wood plinth for rigidity and isolation.The walnut wood option is carried across from the EVO 4, but the black and white are now super-smooth high-quality matt and there's a new matt option called Lunar Grey.The EVO 5 speakers will be available from June 2025. The prices are:

EVO 5.1: £549 per pairEVO 5.2: £749 per pairEVO 5.3: £1099 per pairEVO 5.4: £1399 per pairEVO 5.C: £549

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Google has made big Wear OS announcements as part of its Android Show event this weekWear OS 6 will offer a visual refresh, but will also bring Gemini AI to devices from other manufacturersGemini on the latest Samsung Galaxy Watches has already been confirmed

Google held its livestreamed Android Show – a prelude of sorts to next week's big I/O in-person – on May 13 this week. As part of the early information revealed at the event, the tech giant made big promises about its wearable platform, Wear OS 6, and something we've all been waiting for – Gemini support.On the one hand, Wear OS 6 will get a series of UI tweaks, dubbed 'Material 3 Expressive' which ties into Android 16, and should make better use of the round face of Wear OS 6 devices.The big reveal, however (or as big as it can be before we get a proper look at I/O next week), was that Wear OS 6 will see the addition of Gemini features, even to wearables outside of Google's own offerings like the best Samsung watches.

Wear OS 6 to put Gemini on Samsung watches

Wear OS 6 will bring a big visual change (Image credit: Google)

Gemini on Wear OS will likely get more of a focus at the upcoming event, but for now, Google says you'll be able to do things like ask it to remember a locker number, build a playlist for your run, or lean into personal context.For example, Google says you can "ask about the restaurant your friend emailed you about, and get the answer right on your wrist — without needing to pause the workout and pull out your phone.”The presentation showed the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Samsung has since confirmed that thse Gemini features will indeed come to its devices.Wondering how it'll affect your device's battery life? Despite even the best Wear OS smartwatches being known to have short battery durations, there's good news on that front.Google says it's "continuing to improve performance and optimize power", saying "this update delivers up to 10% more battery life".

How to get Wear OS 6 on your non-Google wearable

You likely won't need to splash out on a fresh device to take this Gemini update for a spin.According to Google, Wear OS devices that currently support Google Assistant will be eligible for the update when Wear OS 6 arrives later this year

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In 2024, AI adoption skyrocketed, with 72% of companies integrating AI tools into at least one business function — a notable increase from around 50% in previous years. Despite this surge, organizations still have difficulties in achieving and scaling value from their AI initiatives. The reason is clear: outdated, static AI models create inefficiencies, lead to missed opportunities, and produce inaccurate forecasts.This is where the rise of Agentic AI comes into play.Unlike traditional AI agents—which are constrained by static programming—Agentic AI actively retrieves, analyzes, and adapts to data in real-time. This shift unlocks dynamic insights, smarter decision-making, and more efficient revenue execution. Let’s explore how Agentic AI is transforming enterprise operations, from revenue management to real-world applications.

AI Agents vs. Agentic AI: Understanding the Difference

Not all AI agents are created equal. Traditional AI agents operate within fixed boundaries. They execute pre-programmed tasks without deviation, making them ideal for simple, repetitive functions. Examples include basic AI chatbots or rule-based automations. However, they lack the capacity to learn or adapt, limiting their effectiveness in complex, dynamic business environments.Agentic AI changes that. Unlike traditional AI agents that follow predefined rules, Agentic AI actively assists, automates, and optimizes processes such as revenue workflows. By learning from evolving data, it eliminates redundant tasks and drives efficiency across revenue teams such as sales, marketing, and finance.For revenue teams in particular, this evolution is a game-changer. Agentic AI enables businesses to move from reactive strategies to forward-thinking execution, enhancing efficiency and accuracy across the board. Revenue teams can now take a highly proactive approach, enabling seamless end-to-end revenue orchestration, advanced personalization, continuous self-optimization, and more strategic, data-driven forecasting.

Why Traditional CRMs Fall Short

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has long been the backbone of sales and revenue operations. However, as buyer journeys become more complex and markets evolve rapidly, CRMs are struggling to keep up.CRMs rely on manual data entry, leading to outdated, incomplete, and inaccurate information that limits sales visibility and decision-making. As static record-keeping tools, they fail to track meaningful deal signals or effectively power machine learning, creating blind spots for forecasting.Additionally, CRMs struggle to integrate RevOps data, resulting in fragmented insights and an inability to adapt to shifting strategies or growth initiatives.To achieve true end-to-end revenue orchestration, companies must move beyond CRMs and embrace AI-driven solutions that automate workflows, unify data, and continuously optimize revenue strategies.

How Agentic AI Transforms Revenue Orchestration

Agentic AI solves these challenges by dynamically integrating data across revenue systems, learning from evolving signals, and autonomously optimizing workflows.Rather than relying on manual inputs or static rules, Agentic AI actively assists, automates, and optimizes every aspect of revenue orchestration. It eliminates redundant tasks, enhances team productivity, and ensures decision-making is based on real-time insights.This technology revolutionizes revenue orchestration through the following ways:

Multi-Signal Opportunity Scoring: Agentic AI evaluates structured and unstructured data from multiple sources to predict deal outcomes with higher accuracy.Deal Inspection Agents: these tools surface the most critical deals for sellers to prioritize, ensuring that high-value opportunities receive the attention they need.Pipeline Analysis Agents: By continuously analyzing deal trends, AI optimizes forecasting accuracy, reducing revenue risk and improving strategic planning.

Evaluating Agentic AI’s ROI

Agentic AI empowers revenue teams and enterprises with greater efficiency, accuracy, and agility. This technology delivers on all three fronts through capabilities such as:

Ensures Compliance & Accuracy: AI continuously monitors key revenue growth areas such as deal processes. This ensures that sales strategies remain within operational and regulatory boundaries.Reduces Time & Cost: By automating time-consuming tasks like forecasting, deal inspection, and sales pipeline management, sales and marketing teams can focus on high-impact strategies that drive growth.Minimizes Risk: Agentic AI proactively identifies revenue risks, predicting potential losses and surfacing opportunities before they slip away.Enhances Decision-Making: The more AI interacts with enterprise data, the smarter it gets. Over time, it refines things like forecasting models, optimizes sales strategies, and drives predictable, scalable growth.

Agentic AI is the Future of Enterprise Growth

AI agents aren’t just a trend—they are a necessity for enterprises to remain competitive. The shift from static AI agents to Agentic AI-driven orchestration will define the next wave of enterprise success.IT leaders must take a proactive approach to AI adoption, ensuring that AI works for them, not against them. The companies that master AI-driven revenue orchestration will gain a significant edge in efficiency, accuracy, and growth.

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

These days, charging your gadgets shouldn't feel like a chore — it’s about speed, efficiency and convenience. With so many devices supporting fast charging over USB-C, the right accessories can make a huge difference in keeping your gadgets juiced up without long wait times.

That said, power bricks fall into a lot of different categories. Depending on the situation, you may only need an extra adapter for your nightstand. Alternatively, larger multi-port options are better for keeping a bunch of devices topped up when traveling, and bigger laptops may require adapters with higher outputs.

The best fast chargers take advantage of the latest charging technology to deliver the quickest possible power-ups. With Apple having finally fully transitioned its devices over to USB-C, it's easier than ever to have a small handful of adapters (or even a single brick) that cover all of your gadgets. To help you find the right fast charger for your needs, we’ve rounded up the best fast chargers available right now, so you can spend less time waiting and more time using your devices.

Best fast chargers for 2025

What to consider before buying a fast charger

Before you start looking at specific chargers, it's critical to determine three things: how many devices do you need to charge, how much power do they require and whether or not you're planning on traveling with any of them.

The reason for the first question is simple. If you only need to charge a single device, like a phone, it's cheaper and usually more space-efficient to get a lower-wattage adapter with one port instead of two or three. Next, it's critical to figure out how much electricity your gadgets need because it doesn't make sense to buy a power brick that pushes out more juice than your device can actually use. This may sound a bit tricky, but most major manufacturers will list a product's max charging speeds in its tech specs, which is typically denoted by a specific wattage (15W, for example).

Unfortunately, very powerful or large laptops like gaming notebooks can suck a ton of juice (more than 140 watts), which means they may rely on more traditional power adapters with barrel plugs. This may result in them not being compatible with universal chargers. Some of these PCs may also support charging over USB-C, so even if a specific adapter can't deliver its full power draw, it can still send over some energy — but it will do so at a slower rate compared to the laptop's included charger.

For frequent travelers, size and weight are often important considerations, because the bigger and heavier a charger is, the more annoying it will be to lug around. You'll also want to think about other factors like support for international plugs, which can be a big help to anyone who regularly visits other countries.

Finally, you'll want to figure out if your smartphone uses a proprietary charging standard or if it's compatible with the USB Power Delivery spec (USB PD). For example, the OnePlus 13's included SuperVOOC power adapter can send up to 100 watts to the phone. However, if you use a generic USB-PD charger, speeds top out at 45 watts. That’s still pretty quick, but not nearly as fast as OnePlus' brick.

What is GaN?

When looking for chargers, you may notice that some are marked as GaN, which stands for gallium nitride. This is an important distinction because, when compared to older adapters that use silicon switches, GaN-based devices support increased power efficiency and output, allowing manufacturers to create more compact bricks that run cooler and support higher wattages.

Depending on the specific power output, GaN adapters can be 30 to 50 percent smaller and lighter than silicon-based alternatives. That might not sound like much, but when they’re sitting in a bag alongside a laptop and a half dozen other accessories you might have, cutting down on excess bulk and weight goes a long way.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-fast-chargers-140011033.html?src=rss

The iPhone Fold might be an annual release, starting in 2026This should see it take the Pro Max's place as the top yearly iPhone releaseApple is apparently looking to make it stand out from other foldable phones

It seems Apple might be betting big on the rumored iPhone Fold – also known as the foldable iPhone – because rather than this just being a one-off experiment, or an occasional release like Apple’s SE models, a new report says there will be a new one every year.According to South Korean site ET News (via Phone Arena), the first foldable iPhone – which this site claims will land in 2026 – will be the first of many, with the new handset type likely taking the Pro Max’s place at the top of the iPhone line.As well as pitching it as the most high-end iPhone, Apple is also reportedly looking to differentiate the foldable iPhone from rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. This report repeats earlier rumors in saying this might be achieved through a smaller display crease and a better hinge.

The foldable iPhone could have a smaller crease than the Z Fold 6 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The priciest iPhone yet

Of course, foldable phones are expensive, and if Apple does position the foldable iPhone above the iPhone 16 Pro Max – as is likely – then it could have an extremely high price.Indeed, a recent leak suggested the foldable iPhone could cost between $2,100 and $2,500 (roughly £1,580-£1,730 / AU$3,300-AU$3,630).So even though this phone probably won’t land before 2026 (and possibly later, with some reports pointing to 2027), you might want to get saving now – especially since this might become an annual release, meaning you could end up shelling out on a semi-regular basis if you want your Apple hardware to stay up to date.

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Sony leaks the WM-1000XM6 on its own websitesWe've also seen new image leaks of the headphonesAn announcement is just hours away

We're expecting the flagship Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones to be officially announced very soon, but there are often some last-minute leaks ahead of big unveilings – and that's the case here as well.First up, as spotted by The Walkman Blog and Notebookcheck, details of the headphones have shown up early on Sony's websites in Germany and the UK. There are no images, but we can see three color options on the listings – Black, Midnight Blue and Platinum Silver (as previously rumored).We have pricing too, at least for these regions: €449.99 in Europe and £399.98 in the UK. At their launch in 2022, you might remember the Sony WH-1000XM5 were sold for $399 / £380 / AU$649, so it looks like a small price bump is on the way for the new model.There's also a shipping date mentioned of Friday May 16, so it looks as though you'll be able to get your hands on the Sony WH-1000XM6 pretty swiftly. The launch announcement is set for 9am PDT / 12pm ET / 5pm BST on Thursday May 15, which is 2am on Friday May 16 if you're in Australia.

Here's what might be coming

We have our first new retail leaks of the WH-1000XM6. and 3 new photos. See update 4. #sony #wh1000xm6 https://t.co/bPVLFJhofQMay 14, 2025

While the listings showing up on Sony's websites don't include images, well-known tipster @MysteryLupin has provided some. We can see the headphones in all three expected colors here, as well as the updated design.One change that looks to be happening is that the Sony WH-1000XM6 will be foldable to make them easier to transport. While we've seen this design on older headphones in the series, the Sony WH-1000XM5 can't be folded – so it's good to see this convenient feature added back in.Other leaks that have been swirling around concerning the Sony WH-1000XM6 include promotional images of the headphones, as well as improved Bluetooth support, which should arrive alongside other audio quality upgrades.Considering the current Sony WH-1000XM5 launched all the way back in 2022, a new pair of flagship headphones from Sony are well overdue, and considering the pedigree of the series so far, we have high hopes. As soon as Sony makes the official announcements, we'll bring you the news here.

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ChatGPT 4.1 and 4.1 mini are now available4.1 excels at coding, and is available for all paid subscribers4.1 mini is free to use, and activates once you've reached your daily GPT-4o limit

ChatGPT just got a massive upgrade in the form of GPT-4.1 for paid subscribers and 4.1 mini for free users.The rollout was announced by OpenAI on X, and the new models are available directly in ChatGPT starting today.The company says GPT-4.1 is a "specialized model that excels at coding tasks & instruction following" while 4.1 mini replaces 4.0 mini and is a "fast, capable, and efficient small model."If you're a ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Team user, you can access these models from the 'more models' section. 4.1 mini will be activated for free users as a fallback model once you've reached your GPT-4o usage limits.We're yet to test either of these new models, but we'll be putting them through their paces and giving you a full report on their performance over the coming days.

By popular request, GPT-4.1 will be available directly in ChatGPT starting today.GPT-4.1 is a specialized model that excels at coding tasks & instruction following. Because it’s faster, it’s a great alternative to OpenAI o3 & o4-mini for everyday coding needs.May 14, 2025

What's in a name?

OpenAI's naming scheme is getting increasingly difficult to understand, and while the company is expected to remove some options in the future for a more streamlined AI experience, as it stands it's confusing when 4o is technically a more powerful model than 4.1 mini.As ChatGPT becomes more and more popular, it also seems to be getting increasingly confusing. OpenAI needs to explain models in layman's terms for the average consumer – at the moment the significance of new models can be lost on many users, because, outside of AI aficionados, no one knows what they mean.Don't get me wrong – these new models are aimed at a certain kind of person; but the company needs to do a better job of educating more users, and potential new users, by simplifying the naming structure.Until then, we're just going to have to grit our teeth and accept that 4o and 4.1 can co-exist with o3, and they all serve different purposes. Big sigh.

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Dior confirmed losing sensitive customer dataPasswords and payment data was not takenNo groups claimed responsibility yet

Global fashion powerhouse Dior confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which sensitive customer information was lost. Payment data, bank account, or credit card information, was not taken.In a statement shared with BleepingComputer, Dior said it is currently investigating the incident and that it brought in third-party cybersecurity experts to assist:“The House of Dior recently discovered that an unauthorized external party accessed some of the data we hold for our Dior Fashion and Accessories customers,” the spokesperson told the publication. “We immediately took steps to contain this incident. The teams at Dior, supported by leading cybersecurity experts, continue to investigate and respond to the incident.”

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Names and addresses

While Dior confirmed that passwords and payment information were not accessed, it did not say how many people were affected, or what kind of information was taken. BleepingComputer claims to have found screenshots of data breach notification emails being sent to Chinese customers, which share a little more insight.Apparently, the attack was spotted on May 7, with the miscreants walking away with people’s full names, gender information, phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, and purchase history.This is more than enough data to create personalized, convincing phishing emails and get Dior customers to share their passwords, or make unwanted purchases.This also seems to have been an international incident, since at least Korean and Chinese customers seem to have been impacted. In South Korea, Dior could be facing a lawsuit for not properly notifying relevant authorities.Currently, no threat actors have claimed responsibility for the attack, and the stolen data has not emerged on the dark web.Dior is a French multinational luxury goods company headquartered in Paris. The company designs and sells high-end fashion, and operates globally, and has a significant presence in Europe, Asia, and North America. In 2023, the company reported revenue of $96.60 billion.Via BleepingComputer

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Fujifilm teases its upcoming X-series camera with May 22 announcement ‘Half the Size, Twice the Story’ slogan hints at 'X-Half' half-frame cameraA secondary film preview display could feature touch control

We now know the exact time and date of Fujifilm's next X-series camera, following another teaser shared on the Fujifilm YouTube channel (see below), and there's not long to wait for the rumored half-frame compact.The video says 'See you soon', and the video caption spells out a May 22, 2025 announcement (at 1am ET / 6am BST / 3pm AEST, that's May 21 at 10pm PT).Having followed the rumors of the supposed X-Half for some time, I can't wait until next week – there have been some curious features leaked that sound like a lot of fun.Chief among those rumors, and one that Fujifilm itself has teased, is a secondary film preview-style display (you can see the 'Provia' film in the image above), that according to Fuji Rumors could have a touch function, meaning you could swipe to change film simulation – neat.But that's not even the funnest feature that's been rumored for the half-frame camera, which Fujifilm is billing as offering ‘Half the Size, Twice the Story’. Another rumored feature that stuck out to me is one that's sure to appeal to analog photography fans.

Roll with it

As we previously reported, there are suggestions that the X-Half will be a modern take on the half-frame format, as featured in recent analog cameras such as the Pentax 17 and Kodak Ektar H35.Half-frame traditionally refers to an analog camera that captures two vertical exposures on a single frame of 35mm film, allowing you to get twice the number of stills from a roll – this tallies with the 'Half the Size, Twice the Story' tagline in the teaser.It remains unclear how Fujifilm will achieve half-frame in its upcoming camera, but there are suggestions that the X-Half will include a 1-inch sensor that will capture two vertical images as a diptych, plus a vertical rear LCD to help the user compose those pictures.We can also see a circular viewfinder inside the camera's silhouette in Fujifilm's teaser, plus a vintage design that includes a manual exposure dial – a recipe familiar to Fujifilm.It could also be a compact camera with fixed 28mm f/2.8 (equivalent) lens – that's one of 5 rumored features I've written about. However, it's another possible feature that has truly piqued my interest – a film roll mode.Fuji Rumors suggests that with the film roll mode active, the user will be locked into the film simulation and selected settings for a certain number of pictures, equivalent to shooting with a particular roll of film. Traditionally that would be 24 or 36 pictures, but half-frame doubles that picture count.It could also be that the user can't see previews of the pictures they're taking when in film roll mode until the 'roll' is used up. I think the idea of such a mode sounds as wonderful as it does wacky, and I hope the rumor is true.Responses to the various X-Half rumors suggest there's a feeling among Fujifilm fans that the upcoming camera is one of Fujifilm's most experimental yet. Should it be well received, some of its features could find their way into future X-series cameras.I'd be all for the weird and the wacky – I enjoy Fujifilm cameras the most when they break from the norm, like the dedicated aspect ratio dial on the GFX100RF. So mark your calendars for May 22 – I already have.

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Sony is considering raising the prices of its PS5 consoles again due to US tariffsChief Financial Officer Lin Tao said in an investor's Q&A that the tariffs will have a 100 billion yen ($685 million) impact on SonyIt was also said that Sony is considering manufacturing consoles "locally" in the US to avoid the rising tariffs

Sony has said it's considering raising its hardware prices again, including the PlayStation 5, amid the US tariffs.During the company's investors' Q&A on May 14, 2025, following the release of its latest financial results, Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao shared that the recent rise in tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration have already affected Sony and that the tariffs will have a 100 billion yen ($685 million) impact should they remain as they are (via IGN).Just last month, Sony raised the price of the PS5 Digital Edition in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, bringing the console from £390/€450 to £430/€500.The base PS5 and PS5 Pro didn't receive a price hike at the time, but things could change as Sony suggests it will "pass the price" of additional costs to its hardware."In terms of the tariff, we are not just simply calculating the simple tariff to come up with 100 billion yen, but thinking about the currently available information, and also looking at the market trend, we may pass on to the price, and also shipment allocation," Tao said. "So we are taking different measures in managing to come up to the 100 billion yen impact."Tao also said that Sony has three months' worth of consoles stockpiled in the US, saying, "It's not just China, there are other countries in which it is being produced and manufactured. As for inventory, the details change from day-to-day but [there is an] inventory of three months [for] distribution."

As expected Sony is considering passing along the tarrif impact by increasing the price of their products. So it's assumed the PS5 price could be impacted. pic.twitter.com/a7nR1BZ9RvMay 14, 2025

Sony President and Chief Executive Officer Hiroki Totoki also said that the company is considering manufacturing consoles "locally" in the US to avoid the rising tariffs."These hardware of course can be produced locally," Totoki said. "I think that would be an efficient strategy. But PS5 is being manufactured in many areas. Whether it’s going to be manufactured in the U.S. or not, it needs to be considered going forward. We are not in such a critical situation."There's no official announcement of a price increase just yet, but we'll keep you updated. However, now would be the best time to get your hands on a PS5 or PS5 Pro before the consoles become potentially more expensive once more.

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Apple Maps has added expert ratings for restaurants and hotelsGolf reviews will be added at a later dateThe change follows a tie-in with the upcoming movie F1

Apple Maps has come a long way from its shaky launch back in 2012, and today it can go toe-to-toe with Google Maps as one of the best mapping apps out there. Now, Apple is hoping to solidify its reputation by adding a promising new feature to Apple Maps, and it could help you find your next favorite restaurant.According to a news release from Apple, you can now search for restaurants that have been recommended through the Michelin Guide, Green Star, and Bib Gourmand schemes, with ratings from restaurant recommendation site The Infatuation and Golf Digest coming soon. That means you can quickly find highly rated eateries without having to first trawl through heaps of reports and reviews.Apple explained that “place cards will now reflect distinctions, descriptions, and images from expert sources” in Apple Maps. The new ratings are available to Apple Maps users in the US and will be coming to other locations soon, Apple said.As the mention of Golf Digest above hinted at, the changes won’t just affect restaurants – Apple Maps will soon add extra info for hotels and golf courses, too, with ratings from the Michelin Key hotel scheme available now. You can directly book select hotels through Apple Maps, with reservations for Michelin restaurants and Supreme Golf sessions on the way.

Expert reviews

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I prefer using Apple Maps to Google Maps, as I find its maps more detailed and its vocal instructions clearer. But I concede that Google Maps has one key advantage: user reviews. Google just has far more reviews posted to restaurants, shops and attractions than Apple, even though Apple Maps can pull in ratings from TripAdvisor.So, with Apple Maps adding support for expert reviews of restaurants, hotels and more, I’m hoping that my preferred mapping app might be able to catch up to Google in this key area. Because while I love using Apple Maps for most things, whether in the app or online, it’s a pain to have to switch over to Google Maps whenever I want to source a wider range of restaurant reviews.The addition of Michelin reviews is just the latest update to Apple Maps, which recently added a tie-in with the upcoming Brat Pitt movie F1. If you want to get going with these expert reviews in Apple Maps, just add a search filter and start browsing. That should help you find a better place to eat or stay in a few quick taps.

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