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Following a series of leaks, Sony's much anticipated WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones have officially arrived. The new model has to follow the WH-1000XM5 that was among the best-sounding we've ever tested. To that end, Sony has updated them in nearly every way, from sound to noise cancellation to call quality.

The WH-1000XM6 has largely the same design as the previous model, but there are subtle tweaks. The case is smaller and now has a magnetic lock, while the headphones have a new asymmetric headband that's wider than the one on the XM5 for increased comfort. The power and mute buttons were also redesigned for improved usability.

Sony was able to make some major updates in the noise cancellation (ANC) thanks to the new QN3 chip that's seven times faster than the QN1 from the XM5. It now carries 12 ANC microphones instead of eight to better detect surrounding noise and uses adaptive ANC optimization rather than auto optimization before. The latter allows the XM6 headphones to push noise levels down across a wider range of frequencies.

Sony

On the sound quality side, Sony worked with "world-renowned mastering engineers" to tune audio for improved realism and deeper bass. New driver units supposedly allow for "richer details, clearer vocals [and] improved balance thanks to more rigid dome," along with smoother and more extended high frequency reproduction via a new voice coil design. And a new feature can upmix regular stereo to spatial audio using Sony's 360 Spatial Sound technology for a surround sound effect with any music or audio.

Finally, Sony improved call quality with updated noise reduction that uses "AI beamforming" and six mics instead of four as before. Battery life is the same at 30 hours with ANC on and 40 hours with it disabled, and you can still get up to three hours of life with just three minutes of charging.

All of this new tech comes at a price, as the WH-1000XM6 costs $450, a price that's $50 higher than the XM5 was at launch. Still, if it lives up to Sony's claims and follows the footsteps of other WH-1000 models, it's bound to be among the best wireless ANC headphones you can get at any price.

Read our full review of the WH-1000M6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sonys-flagship-wh-1000xm6-headphones-arrive-with-updated-sound-and-more-robust-anc-160005817.html?src=rss

The Nintendo Switch 2 launch games are looking like a very good lineup indeed. With the new console only weeks away, the list of confirmed titles for June 5 continues to grow, with juggernauts like Fortnite and Cyberpunk 2077 available on day one.Whether you've managed to snag a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order or not, you'll want to know which games will be playable on Nintendo Switch 2 come launch day. There's a handful of Switch 2 exclusives, new releases like Undertale follow-up Deltarune, and even new versions of the best Nintendo Switch games like Tears of the Kingdom. All in all, Nintendo Switch 2's launch should have plenty to keep you ticking over until new Switch 2 games arrive later this year.Here's all of the confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 launch games, as well as some info on each. Thanks to preview events that've run in the lead up to the new console's launch, we've actually played some of these games already. You'll find TechRadar Gaming's expert opinions on what we played for some of the games listed below. Stay tuned for future updates to this page once additional launch games are revealed.

Nintendo Switch 2 launch games

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Here's the full list of confirmed Nintendo Switch launch games. These all launch alongside the console on June 5, 2025.

Arcade Archives 2 Ridge RacerBravely Default Flying Fairy HD RemasterCyberpunk 2077: Ultimate EditionDeltaruneFast FusionFortniteHitman World of Assassination – Signature EditionHogwarts LegacyKunitsu-Gami: Path of the GoddessMario Kart WorldNintendo Switch 2 Welcome TourNobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete EditionPuyo Puyo Tetris 2SRune Factory: Guardians of AzumaSid Meier's Civilization 7 (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition)Split FictionStreet Fighter 6Survival KidsThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch 2 Edition)The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch 2 Edition)Yakuza 0 Director's Cut

It's likely that we'll hear more from Nintendo regarding upcoming Switch 2 games in the lead up to launch. We'll keep up to date, and add to the list above as the news comes in.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Wake up, SamuraiPeerless quest designRemarkable ray-traced realismSuperb immersive sim gameplaySome half-baked mechanicsLots of unfortunate glitchesThe narrative feels compromised

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition makes its way to Nintendo Switch 2 on launch day. It's a massively updated version of the last-gen builds of the game, and it'll feature the excellent Phantom Liberty DLC as well.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite The best value in gamingVibrant worldFun combatUnique building mechanicExcellent monetizationStill only one mapConstantly shifting world can make it hard to keep up

Fortnite will be playable on Nintendo Switch 2, meaning you'll be able to earn a Victory Royale wherever you are. The game is currently in its sixth Chapter, and what we've heard about the next Season of Fortnite sounds very exciting indeed.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Mario Kart WorldSeemless kart racing

Perhaps the most anticipated Switch 2 launch game is Mario Kart World. For good reason, too, as we certainly came away impressed after spending some time with the game. In TechRadar's Mario Kart World preview, Hardware Editor Rhys Wood praised the game's seamless open world and the new Knockout Tour mode.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition) Through the dragon's eyePowerful new abilitiesMassive, rich open worldStuffed with puzzlesComplex battles cause low framerates

A Nintendo Switch 2 version of Tears of the Kingdom arrives on June 5, promising upgraded visuals and performance. In TechRadar's Nintendo Switch 2 preview, hardware editor Rhys Wood had this to say about the new versions:"Playing it (Breath of the Wild) and Tears of the Kingdom at a rock-solid 4K 60fps on console feels like it’s not real. But it is on Switch 2. Both games also have drastically sharper image quality, meaning they’re absolutely the definitive version of each release."

(Image credit: Capcom)

Street Fighter 6 A new contenderBroad, accessible control schemesWorld Tour mode rulesSeamless online functionalityExcellent, diverse base rosterDifficulty spikes in World TourMicrotransaction support

We absolutely adored Street Fighter 6 on PS5, and it looks like we're in for a similar experience on Switch 2. TechRadar even previewed it during our Switch 2 hands-on finding that "It maintained a solid 60fps throughout gameplay and felt as responsive (and loaded just as quickly) as versions on those other systems."

(Image credit: Toby Fox)

DeltaruneA new tale

Deltarune will release its next two chapters alongside a full release on Nintendo Switch 2. This one is from the creator of Undertale and features a story that runs in parallel to 2015's beloved cult RPG.

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

Split Fiction Enter the mirrorSeemingly endless array of varying game mechanicsStunning art direction, level, and world designAn epic crescendo that seamlessly mixes cinematics and gameplayPuzzles could be more challengingChanging perspectives can be jarring

Split Fiction is one of our favorite games of 2025 so far, building on team Hazellight's previous titles to deliver a truly explosive co-op experience. In TechRadar Gaming's Split Fiction review, we said that "It packs an array of captivating mini-games into a linear, yet highly rewarding platformer, laced with Hazelight’s trademark storytelling to keep you on your moral toes."

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome TourTake a guided tour

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is essentially an interactive demo for the new console. It's a good choice for the first game to play once your Nintendo Switch 2 has arrived, though be aware that Nintendo is charging for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. A strange decision indeed.

(Image credit: 2K)

Civilization 7 Making historyVisually impressiveMatches have a more consistent paceSwapping Civs is smartly implementedFantastic roster of leaders to choose from at launchLegacy Path system ultimately leads to samey gamesDiplomacy feels half-baked

Civilization 7 makes some bold changes to the tried and tested formula, changes that we praised in our Civilization 7 review. It'll make use of the Switch 2's Joy-Con mouse mode as well, which will surely make playing even easier for fans of 4X strategy games.

(Image credit: IO Interactive)

Hitman World of Assassination - Signature Edition Stone-cold killerGreat living and breathing locationsLooks fantastic on next-genTweaks to the expected formulaCutscenes don’t look the bestCould be more replayableNew camera tool doesn’t add much

Hitman World of Assassination bundles the three main Hitman games, their DLCs, as well as a whole heap of extra content. The Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a Signature Edition, which features some Mario-themed cosmetics for those who pre-order the game.Personally, I'm extremely excited to take Hitman on the go in portable mode. Being able to chip away at Freelancer Mode while commuting sounds like a dream, as does trying out time trial challenges for levels like Sapienza and the Berlin techno club-set "Apex Predator" mission.

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Surfshark has just upgraded its Dedicated IP offering with seven new locations Users can then choose their unique and static IP address among 20 locations worldwideThe VPN provider launched the Dedicated IP feature back in 2023

Surfshark has just unveiled a considerable upgrade to its Dedicated IP feature, expanding the offering with seven new locations.This means you can now choose your unique, static IP address among 20 locations worldwide, and enjoy the protection of one of the best VPN services on the market, alongside the perks of a fixed IP.Surfshark's Dedicated IP is a paid extra feature available on Android, Windows, iOS, and macOS that supports all major protocols, including WireGuard, for maximum speed and performance.

TechRadar needs you! We want to know what you think about the world of VPNs. Whether you're a novice or a VPN pro, we want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, though, your responses are completely anonymous, and it takes less than five minutes to complete!To take part, click the link below: https://futurenet.questionpro.eu/tr-vpn

Surfshark Dedicated IP locations

As Surfshark Senior Product Manager Justas Pukys explains, demand for Surfshark Dedicated IP has been rapidly increasing, especially among major cities worldwide.This is why the company decided to enlarge its network to seven more locations to "bring this feature closer to users in key regions around the world," notes the provider.New Dedicated IPs are then available in the US (Denver, New York, Las Vegas), Brazil (São Paulo), Poland (Warsaw), Singapore (Singapore), and Turkey (Istanbul).These add to the 13 locations already included in the offering, which are: the US (San Jose, Los Angeles, Dallas), Canada (Toronto), the UK (London), the Netherlands (Amsterdam), Germany (Frankfurt), France (Paris), Italy (Milan), Japan (Tokyo), Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Australia (Sydney), and South Africa (Johannesburg).More locations are also expected to be released soon as Surfshark seeks to keep expanding its Dedicated IP feature to meet users' needs.

Why using Surfshark Dedicated IP

IP-spoofing is one of the main capabilities of virtual private network (VPN) tools. Without a dedicated IP, however, VPNs will connect users to a random IP address located in the country or city they wish their traffic to be rerouted.The drill here is that several users will be connected to the same random IP. While this is great for boosting online anonymity, it can create some drawbacks to the overall internet experience. That's exactly where Dedicated IPs come in.All in all, "Dedicated IP acts as a permanent, individual address on the internet that offers a more stable and reliable VPN (Virtual Private Network) experience," said Pukys.

As only you will be able to use your assigned Dedicated IP, this will trigger fewer human verification requests (the annoying CAPTCHAs you get every time you use a VPN).A Dedicated IP, Pukys explains, it also enhances secure access to platforms that require consistent identification, such as remote servers or banking services, and minimizes exposure to the risks commonly associated with shared IP usage.You may be wondering, though, what about privacy if a fixed IP is linked with the user's email address. The provider ensures it has found a fix to this potential issue by developing an anonymous mode."This feature allows users to unlink their Dedicated IP from their email address, ensuring that even Surfshark remains unaware of the identity of the IP owner," Pukys told TechRadar in 2023, when Surfshark Dedicated IP was first launched.As mentioned earlier, you need to upgrade your current plan to benefit from this advanced feature. To do so, head to the Surfshark account page and tap on the new Dedicated IP section. This is located just below the VPN section. Once there, click Upgrade. At the time of writing, Surfshark's Dedicated IP costs an additional monthly fee of $3.75.

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Toyota is on a tear unveiling new EVs for the American market, announcing a new model for the third day in a row. After debuting the bZ SUV and the C-HR crossover, Toyota is adding the bZ Woodland SUV to the lineup, yet another fully electric vehicle built on the company’s e-TNGA platform. This more rugged version of the bZ is aimed at adventurous drivers, akin to the Subaru Outback, with marketing images depicting the electric SUV over rocky terrain.

The bZ Woodland will feature all-wheel drive as a standard option and boasts 375 combined horsepower from its dual-motor setup. At 260 miles of estimated range, this model has the lowest range of the three new electric models announced so far. Like the other models, it comes equipped with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) outlet as standard and supports DC fast charging, which can take it from 10 percent to 80 percent charge in around 30 minutes.

While the two models share “bZ” in the name, the bZ Woodland is not just a different trim of the bZ. The body of the Woodland is 6 inches longer and about 1 inch higher in the back. This gives it more than 30 cubic feet of rear cargo space.

Toyota has designed the bZ Woodland to be off-road and all-terrain friendly with details like 8.3-inch ground clearance, standard roof rails, a Panoramic View Monitor with Multi-Terrain Monitor and a 3,500-pound towing capacity. All-terrain tires are also available as an option when buying the Woodland. The AWD SUV also has the Toyota X-Mode system, which modulates the power delivered to each motor to improve grip when off-road.

Toyota expects the bZ Woodland to arrive in early 2026. Pricing has not yet been announced.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/toyota-announces-the-bz-woodland-a-rugged-all-terrain-electric-suv-161925373.html?src=rss

The third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finally drops on July 17. It's been around two years since the Paramount+ exclusive was last on the air. It's a two-episode premiere, so that's something.

We've already gotten a juicy trailer for the upcoming season and Paramount+ just unveiled a cool poster to advertise the release date. It shows all of the main characters wandering through, well, a strange new world.

July 17th… #startrek #strangenewworlds pic.twitter.com/7VAYXgWqNt— Christina Chong (@christinachongx) May 15, 2025

For the uninitiated, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise. This is the very same Enterprise that will one day be captained by James Kirk. It's a prequel, so there are new actors playing franchise legends like Spock, Uhura and Nurse Chapel.

Of course, as the show gets closer to the events of The Original Series, more familiar characters have been popping up. Kirk has been all over the place and the same goes for Scotty. We've even gotten Sybok, Spock's half-brother who will one day lead the crew on a search to find God in the critically-reviled Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

It's a neat show, with a mystery-of-the-week format that recalls classic Trek. Season two ended on a cliffhanger, so it'll be interesting to see how that shakes out. Season three of Strange New Worlds looks to include a visit to the 1960s version of Star Trek, complete with period-accurate costumes and sets, and a murder-mystery set in the Holodeck (or something similar.)This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-returns-on-july-17-162935572.html?src=rss

DFC Intelligence estimates that the Nintendo Switch 2 could sell 16 million units before the end of the yearThis would make the Switch 2 the "fastest-selling console ever" overtaking the Switch, PS4, and WiiIt also forecasts 100 million units sold by the end of 2029

The Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to sell 16 million units by the end of 2025 and 100 million units by the end of 2029.That's according to industry analyst firm DFC Intelligence, which has just published its new forecast report, which now appears to be removed, for the Nintendo Switch ahead of the console's launch next month (via GameSpot).Initially, the firm estimated that the Switch 2 would sell 15 million by the end of the year, but it has now raised its forecast to 16 million.However, it believes the console could sell up to 20 million "if manufacturing could meet demand," but said this is "unlikely" due to Nintendo's "conservative approach to inventory".This would make the Switch 2 the "fastest-selling console ever", beating out the Switch, PS4, and Wii, which took a year to reach the milestone. Nintendo originally predicted 10 million sales for the original Switch, but its expectations were exceeded when it reached 15 million.16 million units by the end of 2025 is a bold prediction, but DFC Intelligence also believes that the Switch 2 has the potential to sell over 100 million units by the end of 2029."The Switch 2, along with the growth of mobile PC game devices, is redefining the landscape of the video game industry," it said. "DFC forecasts that by the end of 2029, the Switch 2 will have sold over 100 million units, making it the leading console system by a wide margin."The Nintendo Switch launched in 2017 and hit 100 million units sold by 2022. If the Switch 2 reaches that milestone before the end of 2029, it could outpace the original by a large margin.Nintendo itself predicts to sell 15 million units for the fiscal year. When asked by investors why the sales forecast is so low, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that the console's high cost is a key factor in its predictions, but believes the console's backward compatibility and software bundles will increase sales before the end of the first fiscal year.The Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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There’s a new Persona game coming very soon, but sadly it isn’t time for the next mainline entry just yet. Rather, Persona 5: The Phantom X is a spinoff in a similar vein to Persona 5 Strikers. Like that game, The Phantom X is set in the same universe as Atlus’ incredibly successful RPG, Persona 5, but unlike Strikers, this one features a new cast of characters, including a talking owl named Lufel that presumably takes the place of Morgana.

First announced in 2023, Persona 5: The Phantom X is a free-to-play live service game from Chinese publisher Perfect World, which released the game in open beta in its native country in April last year. It introduces a fresh team of Phantom Thieves and seems to be aiming for the classic Persona blend of high school drama, social interaction and dungeon crawling with impossibly stylish turn-based battles. There’s a new “Synergy” system that develops as you form bonds with NPCs, new mini-games and a PvE mode called The Velvet Trials.

Underpinning the whole experience will be a free-to-play model, the exact nature of which is not yet clear. Time will tell if gacha tactics will get in the way of a good time, and how well the familiar Persona gameplay loop translates to your phone, but the game’s official website says it’s intended for both Persona 5 fans and newcomers.

Atlus will be hoping that P5X tides fans over until it has any news on Persona 6. Its most recent release was last year’s Metaphor: ReFantazio, and the studio is currently saying nothing about the follow-up to Persona 5, which launched in its original pre-Royal state way back in 2016. Persona 5: The Phantom X launches June 26 on PC, iOS and Android.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/persona-5-the-phantom-x-is-coming-to-pc-and-mobile-next-month-170837106.html?src=rss

Computex 2025 is approaching, and it’s sure to bring a ton of announcements about the latest chips, laptops, gaming devices and more from leading brands. The event in Taipei will kick off on Monday, May 19 with a keynote at the Taipei Music Center from NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. There will be a livestream for anyone not attending in person, so you can watch along right here (see NVIDIA YouTube stream embedded below).

Huang’s keynote is scheduled for 11PM ET/ 8PM PT on May 18 (11AM on May 19 in Taiwan Time), and we can expect to hear all about the company's developments in the AI space. It’ll be followed that same day by a keynote from Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon. Computex this year will, perhaps unsurprisingly, focus heavily on AI, with the overall theme being "AI Next." It’ll also highlight products in three categories: AI & Robotics, Next-Gen Tech and Future Mobility.

Huang's appearance in Taipei comes on the heels of participating in President Trump's tour of Middle East nations, during which NVIDIA inked deals with Saudi and UAE-linked tech firms to sell its AI chips.

An estimated 1,400 exhibitors will be in attendance at Computex, including ASUS, Acer and AMD, all of which have previously made big announcements at the annual expo. Computex 2025 will run from May 20 to May 23.

Update, May 15, 1:50PM ET: Added YouTube embed, and details on Jensen Huang's recent travels. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/computex-2025-how-to-watch-nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-deliver-the-opening-keynote-205326621.html?src=rss

Coinbase has been betrayed from within. The cryptocurrency exchange said that cyber criminals bribed some of its support agents to share personal information about Coinbase customers. Attackers acquired data such as names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, images of government IDs, masked bank account numbers and masked sections of social security numbers. The perpetrators tricked some Coinbase users into sending them money and also demanded $20 million from the company to not publicly disclose the ill-gotten information.

Coinbase has not paid the ransom and is cooperating with law enforcement to press charges. In the blog post, the company said it would offer a $20 million reward for information that could lead to arresting and convicting the remaining attackers. It also said that users' login credentials, two-factor authentication codes and private keys are still secure. It will reimburse customers who sent funds to the extortionists and will place additional safeguards on vulnerable accounts. According to an SEC filing, the incident is projected to cost Coinbase $180 million to $400 million.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/extortionists-bribed-coinbase-employees-to-give-them-customer-data-174713732.html?src=rss

Meta launches Llama 4 API with Groq and Cerebras as partnersLlama models offer lower costs and faster output than competitorsBuying Cerebras and Groq could help Meta fully own AI stack

At LlamaCon 2025, Meta Platforms launched its Llama 4 API, offering pay-per-use access to its models, hosted on Meta’s own hardware and via inference partners Groq and Cerebras.As The Next Platform noted, this move effectively turns Meta into a platform cloud provider, without needing to build a full general-purpose cloud like its rivals.Llama is open source, widely adopted, and growing fast. It has now reached 1.2 billion downloads across its family of models. According to Meta chief product officer Chris Cox, open source AI was seen as “a dream” just two years ago. It’s now a global movement, driven by demand for transparency, control, and flexibility.

Meta should own the stack

Llama 4’s Maverick and Scout models offer major cost advantages. As reported by The Next Platform, they are 21 to 31 times cheaper per million tokens than GPT-4o and also beat Gemini 2.5 Pro on price and benchmark scores.While performance varies by workload, both models show faster output speeds in many scenarios and are optimized for common GPU platforms and newer hardware from Groq and Cerebras.In the conclusion of his article, Timothy Prickett Morgan said: “In a briefing we joked with Cerebras that it would be nice if Meta Platforms just bought this alternative iron and got both Cerebras and Groq out of the cloud business entirely, except for maybe a few racks of gear for prototyping. SambaNova as well as these two companies were never supposed to be building hardware and trying to then build clouds. They are supposed to be making accelerators.”The idea makes a lot of sense. Llama is on the road to becoming the Android of LLMs - open, flexible, and everywhere - and Meta could, and probably should, follow Google’s example and own the hardware stack. Buying Cerebras and Groq would bring inference fully in-house, improve integration, and reduce latency.Right now, as The Next Platform observed, Meta relies on ads for 97% of revenue. The Llama API offers a clear new stream, one that could grow large enough to require separate financial reporting.Meta already owns the model. Owning the stack could make it a platform.

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Ministers in the UK House of Commons have blocked an amendment to a data bill that would require AI companies to disclose their use of copyrighted materials, according to The Guardian. This transparency amendment was stripped out of the text by invoking something called financial privilege, an arcane parliamentary procedure that suggests that any new regulations would require a new budget.

The official site of the UK parliament says this procedure "may be used by the Commons as grounds for overruling any House of Lords proposal that has cost implications." It looks like that's exactly what happened here, with those in favor of removing the amendment bringing up the cost of a potential regulatory body. There were 297 MPs who voted in favor of removing the amendment, with 168 opposing.

Chris Bryant, data protection minister, said that he recognized that this could feel like an "apocalyptic moment" for the creative industries, but that he thinks the transparency amendment requires changes "in the round and not just piecemeal."

The amendment was passed in the House of Lords earlier this week. Baroness Beeban Kidron of the Lords responded to today's move by saying that "the government failed to answer its own backbenchers who repeatedly asked ‘if not now then when?’" She also said it was "astonishing that a Labour government would abandon the labor force of an entire section," referring to the plight of creative workers whose jobs have been or at risk of being replaced by AI. Lady Kidron went on to accuse the government of allowing "theft at scale" and cozying up "to those who are thieving."

“Across the creative and business community, across parliament, people are gobsmacked that the government is playing parliamentary chess with their livelihoods," she concluded.

As expected, Kidron will introduce a rephrased amendment before the bill's return to the Lords next week. This sets up yet another showdown when the bill returns to the Commons for another pass.

Owen Meredith, the chief executive of the News Media Association, told The Guardian that it's "extremely disappointing that the government has failed to listen to the deep concerns of the creative industries, including news publishers who are so fundamental to uploading our democratic values." He accused the government of using parliamentary procedure to "dismiss industry concerns, rather than taking this timely opportunity to introduce the transparency that will drive a dynamic licensing market for the UK’s immensely valuable creative content."

The government's preferred plan includes the reliance on an opt-out clause. This would give AI companies free rein over any and all content, except in the cases when a creator has explicitly opted out.

Yesterday, the Lords asked the government to think again on the #DataBill, voting through changes on processing personal data, AI models, and the collection of sex data.⬇️ Find out more https://t.co/5T0A3BvCe6— House of Lords (@UKHouseofLords) May 13, 2025

Last week, hundreds of artists and organizations banded together to urge the government not to "give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies." The artists involved in this campaign included Paul McCartney, Elton John and Dua Lipa, among others.

America is set to host its own version of the "give everything to AI companies" game show. Republicans have snuck in a provision to the budget bill that would ban regulation on the AI industry for ten years. That'll end well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uk-parliament-opts-not-to-hold-ai-companies-accountable-over-copyright-material-180234550.html?src=rss

TikTok may have run afoul of European regulators over advertising transparency, in the latest bout between EU regulators and big tech companies. The European Commission has formally warned TikTok that its advertising transparency tools don’t go far enough, falling short of EU rules requiring online platforms to maintain a publicly available repository of all paid ads being shown to users.

Regulators are taking issue with the data, or lack thereof, being provided in the repository that TikTok has curated. They claim that TikTok has failed to provide information on who paid for ads, what audiences they are targeting and the precise product or service those ads are promoting.

This information is all used by regulators and researchers to help weed out harmful content like scams, disinformation or coordinated influence campaigns. These rules fall under the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU regulation adopted in 2022 that governs illegal content, transparent advertising and disinformation. Enforcement for Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) like TikTok began in the summer of 2023, and the Commission opened formal proceedings to assess whether TikTok had violated the DSA in February of 2024.

In a statement, European Commission Tech VP Henna Virkkunen said, “Transparency in online advertising — who pays and how audiences are targeted — is essential to safeguarding the public interest.Whether we are defending the integrity of our democratic elections, protecting public health or protecting consumers from scam ads, citizens have a right to know who is behind the messages they see.”

In a statement to the press, a TikTok spokesperson disagreed with the findings, saying "While we support the goals of the regulation and continue to improve our ad transparency tools, we disagree with some of the Commission's interpretations and note that guidance is being delivered via preliminary findings rather than clear, public guidelines." This isn't the first time that TikTok has found itself in hot water with internet safety regulators in Europe.

Under the rules of the DSA, TikTok parent company ByteDance could be fined as much as 6 percent of its total worldwide revenue and be subjected to an enhanced supervision period where regulators ensure that any required changes are being made.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-tech-chiefs-believe-tiktok-is-breaking-ad-transparency-rules-181706441.html?src=rss

Old PCs might run eLux, but they won’t escape NetScaler’s history of security flawsVirtual desktops won’t save you if your team can’t handle VDI’s load and latencyCitrix says “skip the hardware,” but it doesn’t mention its own rising software fees

Citrix is positioning virtualization platforms as a cost-saving solution amid rising hardware prices brought on by the April 2025 U.S. tariffs.In a recent blog post, Vice President of Product Philipp Benkler suggested that organizations can avoid purchasing new, tariff-impacted business PCs by extending the life of their existing hardware.He proposed replacing Windows with eLux, a Linux-based operating system Citrix acquired in January through its purchase of Unicon, and pairing it with Citrix’s virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) platform.

Tariffs and Windows transitions create a timely opening

The timing of this proposal is strategic. With Windows 10 approaching its October end-of-life and Windows 11 upgrades looming, pressure is mounting on companies to modernize.At the same time, hardware costs are increasing. Citrix argues that the most cost-effective path forward is to run centrally managed remote desktops from existing endpoints, something VDI is designed to support.Still, there are practical challenges. VDI environments are vulnerable to issues like "boot storms" - sudden spikes in user activity that can cause sluggish logins, reduced performance, or even system instability.Addressing this requires robust infrastructure and traffic control. Citrix claims its NetScaler platform mitigates these problems and promotes it as a virtual appliance that can run on existing servers, potentially avoiding further hardware purchases.However, Citrix’s message here is not without self-interest. While the company frames this approach as a way to bypass tariff-related cost increases, it also clearly aims to drive adoption of its recently expanded software portfolio.There’s an underlying endorsement of the belief that U.S. trade policy will strain domestic IT budgets, a concern acknowledged by the government but framed as short-term pain for long-term benefit. Citrix appears eager to capitalize on that short-term disruption.Furthermore, while Citrix markets this as a cost-saving solution, it has also recently changed its licensing model, reportedly raising prices.Organizations considering the VDI route must weigh these licensing costs against the potential savings from avoiding hardware upgrades.Security is another factor. Citrix relies heavily on NetScaler, a core component of its proposal, yet NetScaler is frequently targeted by cybercriminals. Running unpatched or poorly maintained instances could introduce new vulnerabilities, creating risk instead of savings.In short, Citrix offers a workaround, but it comes with trade-offs, complexity, and potential risk. Whether it’s a viable solution depends on an organization’s specific IT environment, budget constraints, and appetite for technical overhead.

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Western Digital invests in Cerabyte to advance permanent ceramic data storageCerabyte targets exabyte-scale storage without power or maintenance requirementsPure Storage and In-Q-Tel previously backed Cerabyte’s long-term storage aims

We’ve written about Cerabyte a number of times previously. The startup is working to solve the problem of long-term data storage by taking a leaf from the ancient Egyptians, replacing chisels and stone with femtosecond lasers and ceramic.Its system inscribes data in QR code-like patterns onto ceramic nanolayers, a medium that can last thousands of years without needing power to preserve the stored contents.Cerabyte aims to establish a new tier of permanent, sustainable storage at petabyte to exabyte scale. The technology avoids issues like bit rot and silent corruption, offering an immutable record of the original data.

WD is the latest investor

Western Digital is the latest company to make a strategic investment in Cerabyte to help accelerate the technology's development.“We are looking forward to working with Cerabyte to formulate a technology partnership for the commercialization of this technology," said Shantnu Sharma, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Western Digital. "Our investment in Cerabyte aligns with our priority of extending the reach of our products further into long-term data storage use cases.”Cerabyte’s prototype, built with standard parts, already delivers megabyte-per-second read and write speeds and gigabyte-scale capacity. Storage is handled via robotic cartridges inside library racks, designed for compatibility with standard data center infrastructure.“Our ceramic data storage offers a vital, complementary long-term data storage layer that ensures rapid data retrieval - often within seconds - unlocking new revenue streams,” said Christian Pflaum, co-founder and CEO of Cerabyte. “We are excited to be working with Western Digital to define a technology partnership, fueling our ability to deliver accessible permanent storage solutions at scale.”The company expects to grow from a 1PB rack pilot to 100PB by 2030, with access times falling below 10 seconds and throughput exceeding 1GB/s.Western Digital joins Pure Storage, and the CIA-backed In-Q-Tel VC in investing in Cerabyte’s long-term storage vision.

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The well-reviewed Stellar Blade will be available for PC players on June 11, after launching for PS5 in April of last year. This release coincides with a system update that brings new outfits and "exciting additional content." The update will be available for both PC and PS5.

The PC version of the game includes some graphical upgrades. It supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 resolution scaling and frame generation, NVIDIA DLAA image enhancement and NVIDIA Reflex latency reduction. It also supports AMD FSR 3 and offers the ability to unlock the frame rate to better suit the needs of a particular PC. It can handle both 21:9 and 32:9 ultrawide resolutions.

Stellar Blade was formerly a PS5 exclusive, so the PC version works with the iconic the DualSense controller. This allows for haptic feedback and adaptive trigger features. For everyone else, the game offers customization options for gamepads, keyboards and mice.

As for specs, Sony recommends at least 16GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5 processor and a GeForce GTX 1060. However, that's for playing on the lowest setting.

We now live in a post-exclusive world. Sony has been releasing tons of its first-party games for PC. These include Marvel's Spider-Man and the sequel, God of War Ragnarök and Horizon Zero Dawn, to name a few.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/stellar-blade-heads-to-pc-on-june-11-185536164.html?src=rss

During this month's earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook talked about how most of the iPhones sold in the US are being built in India, which, considering the lower US tariffs on that country, may have protected the popular handset from a price jump here in the US. It sounded, in a way, like, between the Trump Administration giving Apple a pass on current tariffs, the steady shift of manufacturing away from China to India and Vietnam, and the promise to invest $500 billion in US manufacturing for chips and servers, Apple was on the right side of the US vs. the World trade war.Not so fast. President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that he "had a little problem with Tim Cook," and in fact does not want him to build iPhones in India. According to CNBC, Trump recalled, "I said to him, ‘my friend, I treated you very good. You’re coming here with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India.’ I don’t want you building in India,” adding later, "...we want you to build here."Yep, Trump, it seems, is being insistent on bringing manufacturing of all kinds back to the US and doing so through a combination of exorbitant tariffs (and tariff feints – he put a 90-day pause on China's 145% tariff) and pressuring US companies to do so.

It's happening but not the way he wants it

On the eve of Trump's tariff fusillade, I wrote how building the iPhone in the US doesn't make sense. Like any tech gadget, the iPhone is composed of hundreds of components, often built around the world. The iPhones are only assembled in China, India, and Vietnam.In some ways, Apple is bringing iPhone manufacturing back to the US in that some iPhone components may be built in those new factories, and Apple Intelligence, though not a physical product, could live in those servers being built in Houston.I worry, though, that that won't satisfy Trump's binary thinking. He clearly does not understand how technology is built or why it has long been built outside the US. Trump believes, for example, that Apple built the iPhone assembly factories in China. But those are Foxconn facilities, and that company also builds the products for companies like Nintendo and Google.Trump has no sense or does not care that if, through some miracle, every iPhone component is built in the US and the iPhone is also assembled here, it will be more expensive. There is no efficiency gained by all the components being built here.

Tim Apple is good but is he that good?

What's more, Apple doesn't have the expertise. It works with partners who build components to its specifications. Apple is not, for instance, a display manufacturer. It's typically sourcing the iPhone 16's Super Retina XDR display from companies like LG. LG and Samsung are currently the leading display panel manufacturers in the world. They have the skills and the scale to supply Apple. Apple can't suddenly replicate that here in the US.As I wrote before, whatever factories Apple does build or financially support here will feature cutting-edge automation. So while they will employ thousands, they may not be hiring as many as Trump would've hoped.I asked Apple for comment. Surely, with Trump name-checking Tim Cook, whom Trump considers a "friend," Apple must have something to say about this. My guess is they won't respond to me, but Cook, according to Trump, promised to up US production, whatever that means.It might mean Cook will stick with the plan to build more factories in the US and continue the overseas adjustments of iPhone's manufacturing pipeline. Trump is unlikely to take direct action against Apple and will instead bask in all the Apple facilities' groundbreaking ceremonies, even if none of them are for "iPhone factories."

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Many applicants admit they wouldn’t correct AI CV embellishments even if they knew they were falseRecruiters now face polished, fabricated applications they can barely differentiate from genuine submissionsHiscox says AI-generated CVs often look flawless, but mask exaggerated skills and completely fabricated interests

Artificial intelligence is now a common presence in the hiring pipeline, not just for employers, but increasingly for applicants as well.A recent campaign by specialist insurer Hiscox has drawn attention to how AI is being used by job seekers, often without transparency and, in many cases, with significant embellishments.The report notes that 53% of recent job applicants have used AI tools to help write their CVs. Surprisingly to some, most of them don’t consider this cheating.

AI-generated CVs are causing problems for recruiters

AI-generated CVs often appear flawless at first glance, representing what Hiscox calls the “Perfect Candidate.” But beneath the polished language lie CVs riddled with exaggerated experience and fabricated interests, raising serious questions about the reliability of AI-assisted applications.Data from the campaign reveals that 59% of job seekers believe using AI tools during the application process is “fair game,” while 37% admit they wouldn’t correct AI-generated embellishments.Pete Treloar, Chief Underwriting Officer at Hiscox UK, put it simply: “AI can help many candidates put their best foot forward… but it needs to be used carefully.”Recruiters now face a challenging landscape. AI-generated CVs are often indistinguishable from genuine ones - professionally polished, yet lacking specific experience or authentic personality.And it’s not just about the CV. Candidates are also using AI to prepare for interviews (29%) and complete online assessments (45%). It’s no wonder hiring managers are increasingly unsure whether they’re selecting the candidate, or the algorithm.These trends raise questions for platforms like CV builders and job sites, particularly as candidates lean more heavily on automation to craft their applications.Despite the growing use of AI, not all applicants support the trend. Hiscox’s findings show 41% believe it gives some candidates an unfair advantage, while 42% say it's misleading for employers.Yet the reality is that we’re moving toward a future where AI in hiring is not only accepted, but expected. That’s a major challenge for recruitment solutions with fair and effective hiring practices.Hiscox also found that 38% of applicants admit to lying on their CVs, and AI is only making this easier.As Treloar concluded, “If they [recruiters] are passing on incorrect information or poor recommendations to their clients, not only does it damage relationships, but it can lead to more serious claims, and that’s why insurance is so important.”

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It's been over two years since Sony had a new pair of headphones in its 1000X lineup, but the newly announced WH-1000XM6 seem worth the wait. From the outside, the new ANC headphones look similar to the streamlined WH-1000XM5 from 2022, with the only major change being the return of ear cups that rotate and fold flat. Inside, though, Sony's packed in improvements that put the WH-1000XM6 ahead of the competition in terms of both sound quality and active noise cancellation.

That's mostly thanks to the new QN3 processor on the inside, the addition of four new built-in microphones (from eight on the 1000XM5 to 12 on the 1000XM6) and an updated system for adapting ANC performance around fit and pressure. All three combine for noticeably better ANC. Those changes haven't led to shorter battery life either — you'll get the same 30 hours with ANC activated on the WH-1000XM6 that you were able to get on the WH-1000XM5.

The WH-1000XM6 is not only able to play spatial audio tracks like the WH-100XM5 and AirPods Max can, the headphones can also convert any stereo track you throw at it into 360-degree audio. For most people, though, the more immediately useful new feature will be the ability to keep using the headphones while you charge them, something oddly missing from previous models.

At $450, the WH-100XM6 are a good $50 more expensive than WH-1000XM5 and tiptoeing closer to the exorbitantly priced AirPods Max. The best way to know if Sony's new headphones are right for you is to read Engadget's review and ideally, try them for yourself. Until then, we've put together an overview of how the WH-1000XM6 compare to the WH-1000XM5 and the AirPods Max.

WH-1000MX6

WH-1000MX5

AirPods Max

Pricing (MSRP)

$450

$400

$549

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Transparency mode

Yes

Yes

Yes

Adaptive audio

Yes

Yes

Yes

Multipoint connectivity

Yes

Can switch between 2 Bluetooth connections

Fast Pair with Android devices

Swift Pair with Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices

Yes

Can switch between 2 Bluetooth connections

Fast Pair with Android devices

Swift Pair with Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices

No

Automatic device switching between Apple devices only

Battery life (rated)

Up to 30 hours with ANC on

Up to 40 hours with ANC off

Up to 30 hours with ANC on

Up to 40 hours with ANC off

Up to 20 hours with ANC on

Up to 20 hours with ANC and Spatial Audio on

Up to 20 hours of talk time

Wired charging

USB-C

USB-C

USB-C

Water & dust resistance

No

No

No

Size & weight

8.96 oz

8.82 oz

13.6 oz

Chip(s)

Sony QN3

Sony QN1 + V1

Apple H1

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth codecs

SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3

SBC, AAC, LDAC

AAC, SBC

Spatial audio

Yes

360 Audio

360 Spatial Sound Upmix for converting stereo audio

Yes

360 Audio

Yes

Control type

Touch controls for playback and volume

NC/AMB button for ANC

Touch controls for playback and volume

NC/AMB button

Digital Crown dial for playback and volume

Noise control button for ANC

Mics & sensors

12 microphones total: six microphones for calls

Touch sensors

Accelerometer

Gyroscope

Eight microphones total: four microphones for calls

Touch sensors

Accelerometer

Gyroscope

Nine microphones total: eight ANC mics, three mics for voice pickup (two shared for ANC)

Optical sensor

Position sensor

Case-detect sensor

Accelerometer

Gyroscope

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/heres-how-the-sony-wh-1000xm6-compare-to-the-wh-1000xm5-and-airpods-max-193706730.html?src=rss

X has once again been accepting payments from people associated with terrorist groups and other entities subject to US sanctions, according to a new report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP). According to the report, X has not only accepted payments in exchange for its premium service, but in some cases has provided an "ID verified" badge.

The report once again questions whether X is complying with US sanctions that restrict companies' ability to do business with individuals and entities that have been deemed a security threat. Last year, the TTP published a similar report that identified more than two dozen verified accounts that were affiliated with sanctioned groups, including leaders of Hezbollah and accounts associated with Houthis in Yemen. Many of those checkmarks were subsequently revoked, with X promising to "maintain a safe, secure and compliant platform."

But some of those accounts simply "resubscribed" to X's premium service or created fresh accounts, according to the report, which is based on research between November 2024 and April 2025. "TTP’s new investigation found an array of blue checkmark accounts for U.S.-sanctioned individuals and organizations, including several that appeared to simply re-subscribe to premium service or create new accounts after their old ones were restricted or removed by X," the report says. "Moreover, some of the accounts were 'ID verified,' meaning X conducted an additional review to confirm their identity."

The report once again highlights verified accounts associated with members of Hezbollah, including one of its founders, as well as Houthi officials who "are making heavy use of X for messaging and propaganda." The son of Libyan dictator Muammar Gadhafi, whose account was previously suspended, also currently has a blue check, as does Raghad Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti, one of Saddam Hussein's daughters. Both have been under sanctions for more than a decade.

X didn't respond to a request for comment on the report. In response to last year's report, the company said it would "take action if necessary." However, it's unclear if the company changed any of its practices regarding who can pay for premium subscriptions.

“If a small team can use X’s public facing search tools to identify these accounts, it’s unclear why a multi-billion-dollar company cannot do the same,” Michelle Kuppersmith, the executive director for Campaign for Accountability, the watchdog group that runs TTP said in a statement. “It’s one thing to allow terrorists to have a voice on the platform; it’s another entirely to allow them to pay for a more effective megaphone.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-is-once-again-selling-checkmarks-to-us-sanctioned-groups-report-says-194352896.html?src=rss

A team of doctors and scientists have successfully treated a rare genetic condition with the first-ever personalized gene-editing therapy. Results of the groundbreaking treatment have been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, with an accompanying editorial by a doctor who had previously overseen the FDA's gene-therapy regulation efforts.

The patient in this historic case was KJ, an infant born with CPS1 deficiency, which has about a 50 percent mortality rate within the first week. Patients that do survive can experience severe brain disease, mental and developmental delays, and potential liver transplants. His care team developed a personalized gene-editing treatment based on CRISPR, a technology for modifying human DNA.

The successful gene repair for KJ combined years' worth of previous federally-funded medical research, including the discovery of CRISPR and human genome sequencing that allowed the mutation to be identified.

This approach to gene editing could potentially be used in the future to aid patients with other genetic disorders, such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy. A pair of CRISPR-based drugs have already received FDA approval for sickle cell disease treatments, but there is still a lot to potentially be explored in this field.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/doctors-successfully-treated-a-baby-with-the-first-ever-personalized-gene-editing-therapy-202307902.html?src=rss

Suneast Portable SSD Nano is smaller than a coinWeighing just 2.8g, the drive is easy to carry and just as easy to loseRead and write speeds are decent, but far from what power users might expect today

We’ve seen some impressively small SSDs over the years, and some, like the Buffalo 1TB SSD, resemble oversized flash drives more than traditional storage devices.The Portable SSD Nano, released by Asahi Electronics under the Suneast brand, is a USB-C external SSD that weighs just 2.8 grams and measures a mere 10.6 x 20 x 13.5mm.There’s plenty of buzz around the size and portability of this device, but that small form factor isn’t all upside. It's smaller than a coin, could easily be mistaken for a piece of candy, and its toy-like appearance and feather-light build raise valid concerns about how easily it could be misplaced, or worse, accidentally ingested. For that reason, it’s best kept out of reach of children.

Not a replacement for the largest SSDs just yet

Despite its tiny size, the drive packs up to 512GB of solid-state storage, with advertised read speeds of up to 450MB/s and write speeds of up to 400MB/s.While those figures don’t place it among the fastest external SSDs in terms of raw performance, they’re more than adequate for everyday tasks like document transfers, photo backups, or carrying around a library of media files.When inserted into a laptop or mobile device, only 10.6mm remains visible, meaning it sits nearly flush with the host device, a discreet and convenient design.The drive uses a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C interface and comes preformatted in exFAT, ensuring plug-and-play compatibility across a wide range of devices.Supported platforms include Windows PCs, macOS, Linux, Android 14 and above, and iPhones and iPads with USB-C running the latest iOS and iPadOS versions.Despite the novelty, it’s important to remember that this is still a relatively low-capacity drive by today’s standards. With a maximum capacity of 512GB, it won’t replace higher-end SSDs used for content creation or gaming. But for sheer portability, it’s hard to beat.Via PCWatch

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Mycelium might power electronics someday, if it stops biodegrading before the job is doneThe split-gill mushroom’s extracellular matrix may be the key to future green batteriesScientists dream of compostable batteries, but controlling fungal behavior remains a major challenge

Researchers from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, are exploring the potential of fungal mycelium to create a compact, biodegradable battery.Their goal is to use mycelium to produce “fungal paper” for battery electrodes - a concept that, according to researcher Ashutosh Sinha, remains in the experimental phase.“We want to produce a compact, biodegradable battery whose electrodes consist of a living 'fungal paper,’” Sinha states, emphasizing that this vision is still a dream for now.

The dream of biodegradable batteries

The idea of a biodegradable battery made from living materials is ambitious. The team is working with the mycelium of the split-gill mushroom, a fungus known for its unique mechanical and biological properties.This fungus is naturally biodegradable and, when combined with its extracellular matrix, produces a material with promising potential for sustainable applications in technology.The aim is to develop a system that decomposes without releasing harmful waste - unlike conventional electronic devices - by using the natural properties of the material.Empa researchers are now examining how the tensile strength of mycelium and its sensitivity to moisture can be applied in components like biodegradable sensors and batteries.Working with living materials brings notable challenges. Mycelium’s biodegradable nature is both an advantage and a limitation.On one hand, it could significantly reduce the environmental impact of batteries. On the other, its tendency to degrade raises concerns about its longevity and reliability in electronic devices.Living materials also respond to their environments, making it difficult to predict or control their behavior consistently.“Biodegradable materials always react to their environment. We want to find applications where this interaction is not a hindrance but maybe even an advantage,” said Empa’s Gustav Nyström.The idea of a compact, biodegradable battery with fungal paper electrodes remains conceptual, and one of the biggest challenges will be refining the material to meet performance standards required in modern electronics.Nevertheless, it represents a promising step toward more sustainable and environmentally conscious electronics.

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The Australian Human Rights Commission has inadvertently exposed dataPersonal information is included in the breachIt's not yet known what information specifically was included

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has sent a data breach notification that concerns attachments uploaded the the Commission’s web forms on its site. This includes around 670 documents that were “made potentially accessible in error,” the Commission confirms.Around 100 of these were actually accessed online, potentially through Bing or Google - which prompted the Commission to address the breach.“The Commission takes the issue of privacy and data protection very seriously. It is critical that people are able to securely share personal and sensitive information with the Commission via our website. We sincerely apologise to people who may be affected. The Commission is contacting affected individuals for whom we have contact information to advise them of the breach.“

Save up to 68% on identity theft protection for TechRadar readers! TechRadar editors praise Aura's upfront pricing and simplicity. Aura also includes a password manager, VPN, and antivirus to make its security solution an even more compelling deal.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Personal information exposed

The breach was not a result of malicious or criminal acts, although the details will be updated as the investigations continue. Webforms from the “Speaking from Experience Project (March – September 2024), Human Rights Awards 2023 nominations (3 July 2023 – 4 September 2023), and National Anti-Racism Framework concept paper (October 2021 – February 2022) were also affected by this data breach.”Many of these include personal information from those affected, although its not clear specifically what was included. All affected in this incident have reportedly been notified by the organization.For anyone who fears they may have been affected by this or any other breach, we recommend monitoring your accounts, cards, and statements closely to ensure no suspicious activity is found.

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SanDisk plans 256TB and 512TB SSDs using new Stargate controllerStargate will debut in enterprise drives launching in late 2025 Company revenue down after WD split but roadmap remains highly ambitious

SanDisk, now operating independently as an SSD and NAND flash manufacturer following its split from Western Digital last year, has teased a new SSD controller called “Stargate,” designed to support extremely high-capacity enterprise drives.Stargate, which confusingly shares its name with OpenAI’s Stargate project but obviously has nothing whatsoever to do with it, is part of SanDisk’s “Ultra QLC” platform, which aims to scale SSD capacities in the coming years.During its earnings call, SanDisk CEO David Goeckeler said: “We have a new architecture coming out in the next couple of quarters that we call Stargate, new ASIC, clean sheet design, and then with BiCS 8 QLC… we just think that’s going to be a dynamite project.”

1PB SSD incoming

Goeckeler didn’t share further technical details, but Stargate is expected to debut in enterprise drives such as the DC SN670 series.That line is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2025 with 64TB and 128TB capacities, BiCS8 QLC (2Tbit/256GB per die), and PCIe 5.0 support.Future versions may include PCIe 6.0 as capacity targets rise. SanDisk’s roadmap shows 256TB for 2026, followed by 512TB in 2027, with a 1PB target further out. Stargate is likely to play a central role in enabling those jumps.The third quarter of SanDisk’s 2025 fiscal year was also its first as a standalone company. It reported $1.695 billion in revenue, a 10 percent decline from the prior quarter, and a $1.881 billion net loss, largely due to a $1.83 billion goodwill impairment.SanDisk’s strongest segment was client SSDs, bringing in $927 million, followed by $571 million from consumer products and $197 million from the cloud division.Source: ComputerBase.de

(Image credit: Sandisk)

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