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The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is here. After months of waiting, we’ve finally had our first look at the long-awaited thin and light addition to this year’s Galaxy S25 lineup.While our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review has a full rundown of the phone’s specs, pricing, and availability, I want to take a second to recognize what I think is the phone’s best feature – its design.To cut to the chase, I think the Galaxy S25 Edge is an extremely good-looking device – in fact, I think it’s the best-looking smartphone of 2025 so far.That might come as a surprise to some, given that the Galaxy S25 Edge is actually pretty plain-looking. It’s impressively thin at just 5.8mm, but construction-wise, two slabs of glass, titanium rails, and a dual-camera island on the top-left corner of the rear panel are pretty much all you get.However, I think this simplicity is one of the phone’s greatest strengths. While other simple-looking phones like the iPhone 16e and Google Pixel 9a have been released this year, none have merged form and purpose quite as elegantly as the Galaxy S25 Edge.

The Titanium Silver color option was first teased at the January 2025 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Here on TechRadar’s phones desk, we’ve gone back and forth about the state of phone design in 2025, running polls, penning features, and wondering whether the trend of minimalism will prevail.After all, it’s been a few years now since the convergence of flagship phone design around simple, flat designs – I’m sure some folks would struggle to tell the difference between the Galaxy S25 and Sony Xperia 1 VI, for instance, and the recently launched Google Pixel 9a is maybe the simplest-looking handset we’ve ever seen.The latest rumors suggest that this trend could be about to change. The iPhone 17 series has been heavily tipped to bring radical design changes to the table, and where Apple goes, the phone industry typically follows.In a way, these latest rumors make me even happier to see that Samsung has stuck to its guns with the Galaxy S25 Edge.The phone’s central concept – and what people will look for when they first pick one up – is its thinness, and by following its own ultra-minimal design language, Samsung has shown confidence that this engineering prowess is enough to make the phone stand out.As our US Phones Editor Philip Berne puts it, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge “isn’t a phone you should experience on paper”. Having gone hands-on with the device myself, I agree that there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about it – I actually found it quite enthralling to hold for the first time, and I think users will appreciate the lack of visual distractions on a device that’s built around ergonomics.After the wobbly launch of One UI 7 and several months of radio silence on the Galaxy S25 Edge before its launch on May 13, it’s genuinely encouraging to see Samsung show confidence and competence in launching what really amounts to quite a simple product.

You say boring? I say elegant (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

But even beyond the context of Samsung's year so far and the wider phone industry, I’m a straight-up fan of the way this phone looks.In particular, the Titanium Silver color option is an absolute knockout, and had me thinking the phone was an all-metal construction during my first encounter. It’s shiny, industrial, and oh-so-stylish.As for the other colors, I appreciate the way the understated Titanium Jetblack option complements the phone's minimal dimensions, and the remaining Titanium Icyblue color was already my favorite of the base Galaxy S25 options, so I’m happy to see it make the jump.Ultimately, this is all a matter of personal opinion – we take design into account in our lists of the best phones and best Samsung phones, but aesthetics are certainly more subjective than something like comfort or durability.With that, I want to know what you think – let us know what you make of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s design in the comments below.

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Two of the largest cable companies in the US are intent on merging. Charter Communications’ proposed acquisition of Cox Communications — the largest division of Cox Enterprises — will value the former at over $34 billion inclusive of debt.

In Cox Communications, the Cox family, which acquired its first cable business in 1962, already operates the largest private broadband company in America, supplying homes in more than 30 states, and it will be the majority shareholder in the acquisition with a stake of around 23 percent. In a press release, Charter said it will inherit Cox Communications’ commercial fiber and managed IT and cloud businesses, while Cox Communications' residential cable business will move to Charter’s Charter Holdings subsidiary.

"Cox and Charter have been innovators in connectivity and entertainment services – with decades of work and hundreds of billions of dollars invested to build, upgrade, and expand our complementary regional networks to provide high-quality internet, video, voice and mobile services," said Chris Winfrey, President and CEO of Charter. "This combination will augment our ability to innovate and provide high-quality, competitively priced products, delivered with outstanding customer service, to millions of homes and businesses."

The new combined company will continue to operate its cable, broadband and mobile consumer businesses under Charter’s Spectrum brand, and said it will offer existing customers the choice to stick with their current plans or pay less for new bundled services it intends to offer.

Of course, such mega-mergers are rarely cut and dried. Rivals, like Comcast, might attempt to scuttle the deal, while government antitrust enforcers may also not allow the transaction to go through.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/cable-giants-cox-and-charter-agree-to-34-billion-merger-140652859.html?src=rss

As AI grows, tough questions about data privacy are hitting the mainstream.Here in the UK, the government’s Data (Use and Access) Bill has just entered its second reading in the House of Commons. At the same time, the government is navigating a legal challenge from Apple, which refuses to allow it to access a customer’s private data if required. Concerns around privacy, and the rules that guarantee it, are being examined at the very top.The details are complex, but for most people it boils down to one simple question: “Is my data the cost of progress?”From an enterprise perspective, we know that the technology used to house, transmit, and safeguard data isn’t necessarily built to prioritize privacy. Insufficient security, siloed data, and the pains of outdated infrastructure can all leave an organization exposed — in other words, those consumer concerns can be well founded.Fixing this starts with how we collect and move data. If we can embed privacy straight into the data collection process, assessing and directing data in real time, we can minimize risk to both organization and consumer.

Tackling patchwork infrastructure

One of the reasons that fear around data privacy have risen in recent times is that it’s extremely difficult to keep up with new regulations – particularly given how quickly AI is evolving as a technology.New and important legislation is constantly being introduced, with the UK’s Data Bill just one of many: the EU’s AI Act, China’s Deep Synthesis Provisions, and so on. But such laws are attempting to regulate technology as it develops, and can’t necessarily pre-empt the next big application of AI. The rule of law can’t always keep up with the blistering pace of change, often focusing on compliance at the expense of proactive security measures.As a result, many organizations will continue to depend on a unique mix of hardware and infrastructure. The business can function, but it can’t robustly enforce a consistent standard of cybersecurity and data privacy.Take, for example, the classic problem of data fragmentation. Spreading private data across multiple systems — each with their own capabilities, purposes, and cybersecurity measures — makes it incredibly difficult to standardize the use of data. It might be duplicated, accessible in some systems and not others, or simply absent from where you’d expect it.The chinks in this armor are exacerbated by human intervention. Employees might have differing levels of access across different systems, retain permissions that they’re no longer supposed to, or not understand how to protect the data they’re accessing once they’ve used it. All of these things can cause a serious breach.While regulations like GDPR and HIPAA are designed to mitigate these risks, insisting on the immediate execution of data deletion requests, the infrastructure that houses this data might not be capable of meeting these demands. Legacy technology both decelerates audits and response times and fails to paint a comprehensive picture of exactly what data needs to be deleted.

Introducing data streaming

All of these challenges make it clear that privacy can’t be an afterthought. If you don’t prioritize it at the points where data enters your ecosystem, it’s incredibly difficult to work back to a point of robust compliance.This is where real-time data streaming excels. In processing data as it arrives, data streaming prevents the creation of vast datasets that demand slow, cumbersome batch processing en-masse. Being able to contextualize data and the protection it needs even as that data is in motion frontloads that security and organizational work, literally point by point.Data streaming platforms (DSP) take this a step further. As a platform purpose-built to coordinate the streaming of data across a business, they offer a single point of access that integrates advanced security capabilities by design.End-to-end encryption, for example, offers an additional layer of protection while the data is in transmission. Similarly, tokenisation can replace business-critical information with identifiers that make transcription impossible. Another option is differential privacy – the introduction of mathematical noise to datasets, protecting individual identities without stopping a business benefitting from analyzing that data.All of these elements offer protection against the myriad of potential cybersecurity concerns across an organization — from accidental access to bad actors.

Security and the DSP

Research suggests that a vast majority of UK tech leaders — 91% — believe that data streaming improves cybersecurity and digital risk management.Much of that value comes from the DSP acting as the organization's central nervous system, managing systems to keep everything in sync, and guaranteeing access to real-time data where it’s needed. Privacy and security are inherently baked into the system, from the point of entry to the point of use.As AI continues to establish itself as a norm, this will only become more important. The business world is speeding up – and the technology we use to protect it has to accelerate, too.

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A full year of Peacock Premium is on sale right now for $25 as part of a Memorial Day promotion. This is $55 off the typical price of $80. Just enter SPRINGSAVINGS at checkout. The promotion is live until May 30. This is the ad-supported version.

Peacock is a decent platform and made our list of the best streaming services. It doesn't get the attention of Netflix or Disney+, but it's home to several nifty original shows. There's the AI-adjacent tomfoolery of Mrs. Davis and the Rian Johnson-made whodunnit Poker Face. It also airs several video game adaptations, like Knuckles and the surprisingly-decent Twisted Metal.

The big draw here, however, is likely the long-awaited spinoff of The Office, which is called The Paper. That one premieres in September and is a Peacock exclusive. The platform also signed an 11-year agreement with the NBA and that goes into effect this fall. The mobile app could be getting minigames and short-form vertical videos (like TikTok) in the near future.

There's one caveat. This subscription will automatically renew for $80 after the year runs out. Stay on top of scheduling if you want to cancel before then.

The Scranton documentary crew is heading to Toledo. #ThePaper arrives this September on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/Mzmbw7TBzF— Peacock (@peacock) May 12, 2025

Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/peacock-premium-is-only-25-for-one-year-right-now-163231072.html?src=rss

In February, Sigma announced the Sigma BF. It's a full-frame, interchangeable lens camera with just a shutter release, a dial and three buttons. That minimalism speaks to me, and I felt the BF was potentially transformative. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, and I've always felt modern cameras are too complicated. When I received a unit of the Sigma BF to test, I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, it might be too simple.

It all starts with the design. The Sigma BF is one of the industry's few unibody cameras. It's carved from a single slab of aluminum, a process Sigma says takes seven hours to complete. The result is a camera unlike any I've used before, with build quality that surpasses either of my current Fujifilm models, the X-E3 and X-S20. Now, I know what you're thinking: The BF looks like an ergonomic nightmare. Surprisingly, it's not too bad, thanks to the inclusion of two beveled edges where your hands meet the bottom of the camera body.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

Still, it's missing a few features that would have made it more comfortable to use, likely due to the limitations of its unibody design. For one, a proper grip would have been nice, especially when you're using a heavy 50mm lens like the one Sigma sent me for testing. The BF is also missing a hot shoe mount, so third-party thumb grips are off the table. Most annoying of all, it only has a single strap eyelet, so if you don't want to use a neck strap, you'll need one that attaches to the camera's tripod mount. I don't own one of those, so I had to carry around the $2,000 BF in my hand the entire time I was using it. You can imagine how that felt.

The BF offers a very different shooting experience from your typical digital camera. As I mentioned, it has only a shutter release, a single dial and three buttons (one for powering the camera on and off, one for reviewing your photos and footage and one for accessing the overflow menu). There's also a touchscreen, but you wouldn't know it at first, because other than when selecting a focus point and toggling some options, you won't be using it much while shooting.

The BF's one dial is the primary way to interact with the camera. To adjust your exposure, you first press left or right on the dial to cycle to a specific setting, and then spin it to tweak the levels as desired. A second smaller screen above the dial allows you to adjust those parameters without interacting with the main display.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

Alternatively, you can press down on the center of the dial to open the BF's "dual layer" menu system. As the name suggests, Sigma has organized most of what you might need across two levels of menus. For example, say you want to switch the camera from matrix to spot metering. That involves pressing down on the dial, scrolling over to one of the exposure settings, tapping the center of the dial again, and then using your thumb to press the touchscreen and enable spot metering. Accessing most of the settings you'll need won't be as tedious, but this worst case scenario demonstrates where the experience of shooting with the Sigma BF falls short.

The BF isn't great for capturing fleeting moments. In ditching most of the physical controls modern cameras are known for, the Sigma BF makes it difficult to change multiple settings simultaneously. I was most annoyed by the BF whenever I wanted to shoot a fast-moving scene.

On one of my photo walks with the Sigma BF, I saw a father riding a bike with his son in the seat behind him. With my X-E3 or nearly any other camera, capturing that moment would have been simple. I could have changed the drive mode, focus system and shutter speed independently of one another. On the BF, I had to adjust each setting consecutively. By the time I was done, the father and son were long gone.

Some of the BF's shortcomings could be addressed if Sigma at least allowed you to edit the quick settings screen to show fewer options. I don't need easy access to change things like the aspect ratio, for example. In 2025, every new camera ships with an overly bloated menu system, and in that regard the Sigma BF is a breath of fresh air. However, allowing the user to make their own tweaks would have made for a much better experience.

And that’s the thing: With the BF, Sigma breaks camera interface conventions that are conventions for good reason. Let me give you one of the more frustrating examples: The camera inexplicably doesn't offer an easy way to measure the exposure of a scene. There was no meter to indicate whether I was about to under- or overexpose a shot, and I couldn't add one to the main screen.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

The only way I could see a histogram, my preferred method for nailing exposure, was to access the second layer of the interface from one of the capture settings. This is an especially confounding decision because you can half press the shutter to make quick exposure compensation adjustments with the control dial, but as soon as you do, the BF jumps out of whatever menu you were looking at. If digging through menus isn't your thing, there are two live view overlays you can enable to see if you've clipped your shadows or highlights. The first is your usual zebra pattern. The second, which Sigma calls False Color, turns most of the screen grayscale and uses warning colors. Neither felt as precise as a proper exposure meter or histogram.

On paper, the BF is a decent camera for video, with support for 6K recording, HEVC encoding and L-Log. Unfortunately, the BF's minimalism is a weakness here too. To start, framing a shot is a challenge since the camera has a fixed screen. Getting usable footage is also tricky. The BF doesn't offer in-body image stabilization, and while there are a few L-mount lenses with built-in stabilization, most wouldn't be practical to use with the BF due to their size and weight.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

If you've gotten this far, you're probably wondering if I have something positive to say about the BF. Well, the best thing about the camera is that it takes genuinely great photos, which is what makes all its shortcomings all the more frustrating. The 24-megapixel, backside illuminated sensor and Sigma's lenses capture and render detail beautifully without being clinical. The BF also has great subject detection autofocus that makes shooting portraits of people and pets easy.

The Sigma BF has some interesting ideas about what a camera can look like in 2025, but those ideas are often marred by poor execution. As a first stab at a minimalist camera, the BF has enough going for it, and with refinement, I could see future versions evolving into something special. For example, I’d love to see Sigma find a way to include a flip-out screen in the BF's unibody frame. Until then, $2,000 is a lot to ask for a camera that could be so much more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sigma-bf-hands-on-minimal-to-a-fault-144024445.html?src=rss

The FBI published a new announcement, warning about ongoing attacksIn the attacks, the crooks are impersonating senior US officials on both federal and state levelIn many cases, the attackers are sending cloned voice messages

Cybercriminals are impersonating senior US officials in highly sophisticated smishing and vishing attacks that leverage state-of-the-art technology such as deepfake and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).This is according to the FBI, which warned US citizens about an ongoing phishing campaign, in a new public service announcement published May 15.The announcement states that threat actors are creating credible audio and text messages, in many cases impersonating current and former senior US federal and state government officials, or their contacts, the FBI said. “If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior US official, do not assume it is authentic,” the warning reads.

TechRadar Pro readers can get 60% off Premium Plans at RoboForm now!New users can take advantage of RoboForm’s exclusive deal and get 60% off the Premium Plan. With this deal, you can get unlimited password storage, one-click login & autofill, password sharing, two-factor authentication for added protection, cloud backup, and emergency access for trusted contacts. To claim this deal, visit this link and sign up for the Premium Plan to lock in this huge discount.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Securing Chrome

Smishing is short for SMS phishing, while vishing is short for voice phishing. Both are a variant of the traditional phishing attack in which threat actors throw a bait and “phish” for sensitive data. Victims are often tricked into sharing passwords, credit card information, or other valuable information, when tricksters promise them huge discounts on popular goods, or threaten them with closing down their social accounts.In almost all cases, phishing messages leverage people’s emotions and force the victims to act quickly and without second thought.The FBI did not discuss the contents of the messages being sent out, but it did say that the attackers are trying to move people to a secondary messaging platform, where distributing malware would be easier. It also gave a few recommendations on how to be safe, including verifying people’s identities and listening to the voice messages carefully for inconsistencies in tone and word choice.Phishing has been around since the dawn of the internet, basically, but with the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence and deepfakes, the problem has gotten even worse. One of the most abused individuals is Elon Musk, whose face is constantly being plastered on ads for fake crypto exchanges and giveaways.Via The Register

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It might surprise you, but Memorial Day can be a great time to shop for tech. In years past, we've seen solid Memorial Day deals on all manner of gadgets including many of our favorite tablets, headphones, charging accessories, robot vacuums and more. That's on top of all the seasonal items that usually gets discounted at this time like smart grills and grilling gear, pizza ovens and outdoor tech.If you're on the market for any of those things, now's a good time to shop. And like most seasonal holidays as of late, you don't have to rush to make your purchase. Memorial Day deals are live now, and there's a good chance they'll be available until the holiday weekend has passed. Below, we've collected all of the best Memorial Day tech deals we could find for 2025, and we'll continue to update this post with the latest offers.We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Amazon Prime Day, though. The biggest iteration of the online retailer's annual shopping event typically happens in July, and Amazon confirmed it will be back again this year (although official dates remain unknown). Tech is usually heavily discounted on Prime Day for Prime members, so if you're unsure about a purchase, you could take the chance and wait a little while longer to see if that pair of earbuds you've been eyeing drops even further in price during Prime Day. If not, Memorial Day offers the next best opportunity this time of year to save on gadgets and gear.

Best Memorial Day tech sales: Top deals

Best Memorial Day tech deals

Peacock Premium (one year) for $25 ($55 off): The latest Peacock deal gives you one year of the Premium membership for only $25 when you use the code SPRINGSAVINGS at checkout. This ad-supported tier gives you access to some live sports content and more than 50 always-on channels, as well as the whole library of on-demand TV shows and movies Peacock has to offer. The deal runs through May 30.

ProtonVPN (two years) for $81 (66 percent off): ProtonVPN two-year plans are 66 percent off and down to only $81 right now. You'll save more than $150 on the total cost of the subscription with this deal, and in addition to VPN coverage for all your devices, you also get access to features that let you block ads, malware and other trackers.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for $200 (20 percent off): The new Powerbeats Pro 2 have a comfortable design, improved sound quality and bass performance and heart rate sensors on board that make them good workout companions. However, you'll only be able to get that heart rate data if you have these buds paired to an iOS device.

Beats Pill for $100 ($50 off): This IP67-rated Bluetooth speaker is one of our favorites thanks to its improved bass performance, over 24 hours of battery life and lossless audio via USB-C. Plus, if you have two Pills, you can pair them together for stereo sound.

Anker Nano Fusion 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $35 (20 percent off, Prime exclusive): We named this brick the best low-capacity option in our best power banks guide thanks in part to its built-in USB-C cable and wall prongs. The former means you don't have to remember to bring a cable with you to power up your phone or other USB-C gadget, and the latter lets you recharge the brick itself via an AC outlet without the need for an additional adapter. We also like the handy display that shows the battery's remaining charge while it's working its magic. Also available at Anker.

Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds for $45 ($35 off, Prime exclusive): Our top pick for the best budget wireless earbuds, the Space A40 punch above their weight in almost every way. They have excellent ANC, a good sound profile overall, a comfortable fit, multi-device connectivity and wireless charging support.

Ooni Memorial Day sale — 20 percent off almost everything: Most of Ooni's pizza ovens are on sale for Memorial Day, including the recently launched Koda 2 in its Essential bundle, which has been discounted from $489 to $391. The company's indoor electric pizza oven, the Volt 12, is also included in the sale: you can grab it for $629 instead of the usual $899.

Ninja Artisan 5-in-1 outdoor electric pizza oven for $230 (23 percent off): This model from Ninja can create 12-inch pies in as little as three minutes, and it also has other cooking modes like bake, proof, broil and warm. You can choose from five unique pizza settings (Neapolitan, Thin Crust, Pan, New York, and Custom) and you can take control of cooking by adjusting the temperature from 90 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Also available at Amazon.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $140 (22 percent off): This is the same, latest Kindle Paperwhite, just customized a bit for kids. You'll get the waterproof ereader in this bundle along with a protective case, a two-year warranty and six months of Amazon Kids+ for free.

Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $38 (46 percent off): These are some of the best security cameras if you're looking for something cheap and only need basic functionality. They record 1080p video and send motion alerts to your phone, plus they work with Alexa voice commands. Blink Mini 2 cams are wired, but they can be placed outside with the right weather-resistant power adapter.

Blink Outdoor 4 security cameras, 5 camera system for $200 (50 percent off): This pack-up includes give weather-resistant Blink Outdoor 4 cameras plus a Sync Module 2 to connect them all. These are some of our favorite security cameras thanks to their wireless design, accurate and speedy motion alerts and the ability to save footage locally when you use a thumb drive with the Sync Module 2.

Google Nest (wired) security camera for $70 (30 percent off): One of our favorite security cameras, the wired Nest cam has an attractive design and a super simple setup process — both experienced and new security camera owners will be able to get it up and running in minutes. It'll send motion alerts to your phone, and pet/person detection is a standard feature — most other security cams make you pay for that.

Samsung 24-inch Essential monitor S30GD for $100 (23 percent off): This 1080p IPS display has a 100Hz refresh rate and can be adjusted via tilting. Its design is pretty slim with thin bezels, and it connect to your computer via HDMI port.

Lenovo ThinkVision 23.8-inch Monitor T24i-30 for $183 (46 percent off): This FHD IPS panel has a three-side, NearEdgeless bezel design and can be adjusted via tilt, lift, swivel and pivot. In addition to four USB-A ports for connecting peripherals, it also supports a number of display connections including HDMI, DP and VGA.

Withings Thermo smart thermometer for $86 ($14 off): This FDA cleared, FSA/HSA/HRA eligible thermometer can take no-contact temperature readings in just a few seconds with a simple swipe across the forehead. It uses 16 infrared sensors to take over 4,000 measurements for the most accurate readings, and the built-in LED screen will show you color-coded results.

Dyson Supersonic hair dryer for $330 ($100 off): This is the original Dyson Supersonic hair dryer that has been super popular since its debut. It includes five attachments for drying and styling, and it's billed as a fast dryer that protects hair from heat damage.

Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum for $350 (26 percent off): The V8 is a great entry-level Dyson that boasts 40 minutes of runtime, two power modes, a motorbar cleaner head that works on all kinds of flooring and four additional cleaning attachments. Also available at Dyson in the Absolute model.

iRobot Combo Essential robot vacuum for $150 ($125 off): This is a great entry-level robot vacuum that has the added convenience of being a mopping machine, too. It'll suck up dirt, debris and pet hair while it vacuums, and you can use the included water reservoir when you want to mop hard floors.

Tineco Pure ONE S11 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $140 ($60 off with coupon): Our top budget pick among the best cordless vacuums, this Tineco machine offers good suction and a relatively lightweight design at a great price. It also includes the company's iLoop smart sensor, which will auto-adjust suction power as you clean.

Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Stick Vacuum for $280 (20 percent off): This is a slightly cheaper version of one of our favorite cordless stick vacuums and it comes with a self-emptying base. This Shark stick vacuum has good suction power, can easily convert to a hand vacuum and it docks neatly on its auto-empty base station that traps over 99 percent of dust and allergens.

Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Robot Vacuum and Mop for $700 (30 percent off): A version of one of our favorite robot vacuums, this Shark machine can vacuum and mop floors for you. Its self-emptying base station holds up to 30 days worth of debris, and it has a refill tank for the mopping reservoir as well.

EcoFlow Delta 2 1024Wh power station with waterproof bag for $449 (36 percent off): This EcoFlow power station provides 15 connectors to power up multiple devices at once — those include six AC outlets, two USB-C ports and four USB-A ports. It's versatile enough to take it camping or on a road trip, but it can also act as a home backup battery, powering a refrigerator, lights, CPAP machines and more.

EcoFlow Delta 2 Max 2048Wh power station for $999 (41 percent off): This is a higher-capacity version of the Delta 2, so it'll last longer and power gadgets and appliances for a longer period of time on a full charge. It also has 15 connectors and you can optionally add on solar panels for easy powering-up on the go.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-memorial-day-tech-deals-on-gear-from-apple-amazon-dyson-and-others-144526041.html?src=rss

You can now speak with Darth Vader in FortniteDisney and Epic Games announced the revival of Darth Vader's iconic voice thanks to the power of AIJames Earl Jones died in 2024, but his voice lives on

Disney and Epic Games have confirmed Darth Vader's iconic voice will be coming to Fortnite, thanks to the power of AI.Darth Vader, one of Star Wars' most famous characters, was voiced by actor James Earl Jones, who died last year at the age of 93. Now, starting today, fans of a galaxy far, far away will be able to hear his voice once more... in Fortnite.In a blog post, Epic Games confirmed Jones' AI voice will appear in Fortnite and that the company is "honored to feature the voice of the late Mr. Jones, and we thank his estate for the opportunity to make this happen for players."There's also a quote from the actor's family: "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it. We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character."The new Darth Vader dialogue was created by Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash model, and the audio by ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5 model. Fortnite players will be able to speak to Darth Vader in-game and recruit the Star Wars villain to help win a Victory Royale.

Darth Vader returns

There's been an ongoing debate surrounding the use of AI to bring a deceased actor's likeness to life. Jones, who's not only famous for his role as Darth Vader, but also as Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King, signed over rights to his archival voice, collaborating with the Ukrainian company, Respeecher.You may have heard of Respeecher before, as the company's software was used to improve Hungarian dialect in Oscar-nominated The Brutalist earlier this year.This collaboration will come under scrutiny, as the debate of whether or not we should keep actors' likenesses alive following their passing rages on. That said, Disney and Epic Games, alongside Jones' family, are clear that they've recreated his voice in the most tasteful way possible.In the collaboration announcement, Disney and Epic said, "Epic Games and Disney have worked together to thoughtfully develop this innovative feature with a strong focus on transparency, consent, and safety — ensuring that creators, Disney IP, and players are protected in interactive experiences."So, whether you like it or not, you can chat with Darth Vader in Fortnite this weekend, although you'll need to be over 13 as your data is sent to Gemini to generate a response.

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You can pick up a pair of Blink Mini 2 security cameras for just $38. This is a discount of 46 percent, as the typical price is $70. The discount is available for both the black and white models. This deal is part of an early Memorial Day sale.

The Blink Mini 2 made our list of the best security cameras, and we gave it kudos for being a great option for the budget-conscious. These are small cameras that are easy to place just about anywhere. You can adjust the head to accommodate a wide variety of angles and we found the setup to be painless and quick.

The image quality is decent, though not astounding. The bright spots can get a bit blown out, but the camera gets the job done. We found that it was particularly useful at night, thanks to the infrared view and the spotlight. This model also offers the ability to set privacy zones and it can double as a doorbell chime if you happen to have a Blink Video Doorbell installed.

The camera is weather resistant, so it works outside. It also integrates with Alexa, which makes sense as Amazon owns Blink. Alexa can be used to adjust settings, arm the camera and more.

There's no location detection here, so it can't automatically arm the device when you leave the house. This has to be done manually. Also, it doesn't offer any cloud storage unless you pony up for a Blink subscription. A basic subscription for one camera costs $3 per month.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/two-blink-mini-2-security-cameras-are-on-sale-for-38-152339616.html?src=rss

Nova Scotia Power confirmed suffering a cyberattack in March 2025The attackers stole sensitive customer data, including names, SSNs and - in some cases - banking informationThe customers are being offered free identity theft monitoring

Nova Scotia Power, a major electricity provider in the Canadian province, suffered a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive customer information. The company confirmed the news in an announcement published on its website.The original announcement, published in late April 2025, said the attack did not disrupt the company's physical operations, or its ability to serve its customers, but added that the team was working on bringing parts of its IT system back online.A subsequent update stated that the attack occurred on March 19, 2025, and that the miscreants stole people’s names, phone numbers, email addresses, mailing and service addresses, Nova Scotia Power program participation information, dates of birth, and customer account history (such as power consumption, service requests, customer payment, billing, and credit history, and customer correspondence), driver’s license numbers, and Social Insurance Numbers.

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No evidence of abuse

“For some of our customers, bank account numbers (for pre-authorized payment) may also have been impacted, if this information was provided by these customers.”While all of the stolen data is valuable to criminals and can be used in a wide range of ways, from identity theft to phishing, this last part - the loss of bank account numbers - is particularly worrisome, as it allows crooks to mount wire fraud, as well.Nova Scotia Power stressed that there is no evidence the data was abused in the wild and added that it is offering impacted individuals a two-year subscription to a “comprehensive credit monitoring service” at no cost.People who are affected by the breach are currently being notified, the company added, without disclosing exactly how many people that is. At press time, no threat actors claimed responsibility for the attack.Users are advised to remain vigilant and particularly careful when receiving unsolicited email messages, or phone calls, from people claiming to be from Nova Scotia Power.Via BleepingComputer

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Robert Downey Jr has posted two new behind-the-scenes images from the Avengers: Doomsday setThe photographs don't give anything away about the Marvel movieHowever, they've given fans renewed hope over his performance as the film's Big Bad

Ever since Robert Downey Jr took to the stage at Comic-Con 2024 to reveal he'd be playing Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it's safe to say fans have been divided into two camps.Indeed, Marvel optimists believe the returning MCU superstar, who previously played Tony Stark and Iron Man between 2008 and 2019, is a great fit for the Multiverse Saga's new Big Bad. However, others hold the opinion that his return is a sign of the comic titan's desperation amid the mixed reception to its recent film and TV releases.It seems, though, that the number of those who were seated firmly in the naysayers' camp is slowly dwindling. That's been particularly noticeable over the past few days, too, especially in light of new behind-the-scenes images that Downey Jr has posted from the Avengers: Doomsday set.It should be noted that there are no story spoilers for Doomsday from this point onwards. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to say that, if you don't want to know a single thing about the highly anticipated Marvel Phase 6 film, you're best turning back now.

A post shared by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr)A photo posted by on

The first image, which was uploaded to Downey Jr's Instagram account on May 14, showed the A-lister reading fellow MCU actor Jeremy Renner's recently-released autobiography.Ordinarily, you'd think that's nothing worth reporting on. But if you look closer at said photograph, you'll notice two things.For one, Downey Jr is wearing a muscle suit. This implies his take on one of The Fantastic Four's most notorious foes will be as physically imposing as he is mentally, and suggests he'll be able to go toe-to-toe with many of the Marvel heroes who were included as part of Doomsday's initial 27-strong cast.The other, arguably more important detail is the black dots on Downey Jr's face. This indicates that, with a bit of CGI trickery, Marvel will give Downey Jr's Doctor Victor von Doom his unmistakable scarred face, which he usually hides behind his iconic metal-based mask.Now, this doesn't confirm that Downey Jr won't show his face as Doom at some point in one of 2026's new movies. My reading of the situation, though, is that his disfigured face will be covered by said mask for a fair amount of this movie's runtime. I believe it'll only be revealed if his mask is knocked off during a fight, or if Doom wants his adversaries to take a look at the permanent physical damage he's endured in his potential quest to halt (or cause, we don't know which yet) the Multiverse's destruction.

A post shared by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr)A photo posted by on

The other image, which appeared online yesterday (May 16), doesn't contain any teases that might spark new fan theories about this iteration of Doom. Nonetheless, it's intriguing to see that Downey Jr is reading Marvel comics that star Doom, especially ones written by Jonathan Hickman.For the uninitiated: Hickman is the scribe behind the 2015 edition of Marvel's 'Secret Wars' comic series. Joe and Anthony Russo, who returned to the MCU alongside Downey Jr to direct the next two Avengers films, previously told me that Hickman's run, plus the original 'Secret Wars' storyline, have inspired the plot of Doomsday and its sequel, aka the 2027 MCU flick Avengers: Secret Wars.Considering both comic runs will influence this movie duo, it's no great surprise to see Downey Jr reading Marvel literary works penned by Hickman, especially those that involve Doom. Downey Jr is someone who appears to conduct plenty of research for whatever role he's playing, but it's still pleasing to see that he'll tackle this role with the same gusto and seriousness as any other.Such preparation hasn't gone unnoticed, either. As I alluded to at the beginning of this article, fans have unsurprisingly picked up on the work that Downey Jr is putting into this role, and many are becoming increasingly impressed. Indeed, a quick scan of threads on the Marvel Studios and Marvel Studios Spoilers Reddit pages confirms as much.Of course, as the saying goes, the proof will be in the pudding as to whether Downey Jr's performance is as good as fans expect. I'm still concerned that his Doom will be revealed as a multiversal Stark variant, which would be the wrong approach to take for such an iconic Marvel supervillain. That said, I have renewed hope that Downey Jr will be a good, if not great, Doom, and these images definitely prove why he likely will be.

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The Apple Vision Pro remains the apex mixed-reality experience – and also the most unattainable for most people.You won't hear Apple directly admit that the powerful headset is, at $3,499, too expensive. A couple of years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the Vision Pro "a great value". A year later, though, he admitted that the pricey headset is not aimed at "the masses."We now have some evidence that Cook's comment was on the, well, money.During a recent Price is Right episode, contestants were presented with the Vision Pro and asked to guess the price. For those unfamiliar with the premise of the game show, the idea is to guess a price that is as close to the actual price as possible. Whoever gets nearest moves on to the next round of the game.

(Image credit: Future)

In the widely shared clip, the Vision Pro headset is lowered from the rafters to a position just in front of the contestants as the show's announcer briefly describes the headset's capabilities.After a moment's consideration, the four players guessed prices ranging from $750 to $1,250. That latter price won – but saying that the contestant who guessed that amount got close is like saying California is close to New York because they're part of the same land mass.What we learned is that consumers are not only unfamiliar with Vision Pro – they have no idea why anyone would pay $3,500 to own one. The price, according to those contestants, is wrong.As much as I love the Vision Pro experience, I've known this for a while, but it wasn't until I saw some news today that I believed Apple understood this and that it is, perhaps, trying to do something about it.

The price gives us Vertigo

The news came from a seemingly unlikely source: U2 front man Bono, whose new documentary, Bono: Stories of Surrender, is coming to Apple TV Plus. The rock star has a long-time friendly relationship with Apple; more than a decade ago, Apple dropped an entire new U2 album on iTunes, much to the chagrin of those who were not U2 fans.Apple, though, is clearly not done putting U2 content inside Apple products. An immersive version of Stories of Surrender is also coming to the Vision Pro, putting you on stage with the musician.I've used the Vision Pro, and I've tried these immersive experiences often enough to tell you that they're extraordinary to the point of almost being uncomfortable; an artist or athlete is doing their thing, and it feels like you're invading their space.Bono details in the interview with Deadline the difficulties of filming in the immersive format, especially getting the lighting right. Then, in answer to a question about how the Vision Pro further personalized the story, Bono shared something I'm not sure Apple would want him to share:

It made it really playful. I know Apple are dying to make the Vision Pro more affordable and more democratic, but they’re committed to innovation, they’re committed to experimenting. They know not everyone can afford this, but they’re still going for it, believing that some way down the line, it’ll make financial sense for them. But the fact that they may have to wait a while is not putting them off.

At least Apple is commited

"More affordable and democratic". That's quite a statement, and I guess it does align with Cook's comments about the headset still not being for the masses. However, most Vision Pro rumors point to Apple launching a different, cheaper version of Vision Pro (Vision Lite) and not necessarily making the existing headset cheaper.Dropping the price of the existing Vision Pro is a strategy I suggested last year: "It costs a lot to build the Vision Pro (one estimate puts it at over $1,540) [...] [Apple] should simply cut the price by more than half and take the hit."My point was that Apple is making more and more services revenue, and that the Vision Pro is just another platform on which it can deliver all that content and all those features (but at a very high level). Why not put it in more hands?I'm not sure that Bono is fully in touch with current economic realities, when he suggests that, somehow, some way, people will eventually be able to afford the Vision Pro or that, at least, it'll make "financial sense."

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I don't see that happening. At $3,500, the Vision Pro costs as much as a modest vacation, a powerful gaming computer, or luxury goods like a watch or designer bag. These are more than considered purchases, and the latter two are for the well-off or even rich.Apple's products may generally be more expensive than the competition, but they do not sell only to the elite. Take a look around: virtually everyone has an iPhone. If the iPhone started at $3,000, that would not be the case.I always encourage people to visit an Apple Store and experience the Vision Pro for themselves. They'll quickly see what all the fuss is about, but that experience also makes the price that much more painful. You may want to take the Vision Pro home, but we're still not living in a mixed-reality democracy, at least not yet.

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The VPN purge from Russian official app stores continues, with smaller providers becoming the new target after Apple and Google.Between May 15 and 16, 2025, Samsung and Xiaomi both removed the AdGuard VPN application at the Roskomnadzor's demand. At least one more VPN provider, HideMyName VPN, has also been removed from the Huawei Store in Russia and China – a Russian VPN digital rights group, VPN Guild, confirmed to TechRadar."The removal of VPN apps from app stores marks a clear escalation in Russia’s crackdown on digital privacy tools," said VPN Guild Chair Alexey Kozliuk.

Not an isolated incident

A virtual private network (VPN) is a crucial tool for people in Russia, thanks to its IP-spoofing capabilities that allow bypassing of government-imposed geo-restrictions, as well as strong encryption to help fight back against online surveillance. (Image credit: Getty Images)

The recent events, Kozliuk explains, aren't isolated incidents, but part of a broader, ongoing campaign to block Russian citizens' access to uncensored information and control internet use.In October 2023, for example, HideMyName filed the first-ever lawsuit against the Kremlin's infamous censorship body regulator Roskomnadzor. In January 2024, authorities deemed the VPN provider to be a "foreign agent."In March 2024, the government then passed a new law to criminalize the spread of information about ways to circumvent internet restrictions. This is likely the legal basis upon which the Russian censor body began issuing these removal demands to tech firms.From July 2024 onwards, Apple has removed at least 60 VPN apps, including AdGuard VPN, a popular Russian service, and Amnezia VPN, alongside some of the best VPN services on the market. This brought the total toll to almost 100 VPN apps unavailable in Russia's App Store.While Google seems mostly resistant to these demands so far, recent data shows that at least 53 VPNs are also currently unavailable in the Google Play Store in Russia.Now, authorities' targets have also expanded towards smaller app store providers.

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"We’re seeing a coordinated squeeze across platforms, limiting users’ ability to bypass restrictions," said Kozliuk. "What’s especially concerning is the growing role of global tech companies in enforcing local censorship, whether under direct state pressure or as preemptive compliance."GreatFire’s Campaign and Advocacy Director, Benjamin Ismail, also shared the same concerns. Through the organization's project AppCensorship, Ismail and the team have been busy monitoring a staggering increase in these VPN removals across both Apple and Google's official app stores.While it's the first time Ismail has heard of such an incident involving Samsung's Galaxy App Store, he told TechRadar that a way smaller provider (F-Droid) was also hit by a similar request in 2024.According to Ismail, this may mean that Roskomnadzor has understood that it can try its luck to put pressure on tech vendors. "Smaller providers may struggle more to resist these demands as the prospect of becoming fully unavailable in Russia might be an issue for these platforms," he added.

VPNs will remain a critical line of defense for digital freedomAlexey Kozliuk, VPN Guild Chair

This is exactly why experts have long argued that Big Tech giants, which have the means and resources, should uphold their users' human rights and challenge the Kremlin's censorship requests.Commenting on this point, Kozliuk from the VPN Guild said: "This underscores the urgent need to give users more control and make them less reliant on centralized platforms and app ecosystems, as well as the need for stronger international advocacy to hold tech platforms accountable."As political tensions rise, especially around elections or protests, these crackdowns will likely intensify – and VPNs will remain a critical line of defense for digital freedom."

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Google patched a new Chrome bug recentlyNow, CISA added that vulnerability to KEV, signaling abuse in the wildFederal agencies have three weeks to update Chrome

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added a new Chrome bug to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, signalling abuse in the wild, and giving Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies a deadline to patch things up.The flaw is tracked as CVE-2025-4664. It was recently discovered by security researchers Solidlab, and is described as an “insufficient policy enforcement in Loader in Google Chrome”. On NVD, it was explained that the bug allowed remote threat actors to leak cross-origin data via a crafted HTML page."Query parameters can contain sensitive data - for example, in OAuth flows, this might lead to an Account Takeover. Developers rarely consider the possibility of stealing query parameters via an image from a 3rd-party resource,” researcher Vsevolod Kokorin, who was attributed with discovering the bug, explained.

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Time to patch

The flaw was first uncovered on May 5, with Google coming back with a patch on May 14. The browser giant did not discuss if the flaw was being exploited in real-life attacks, but it did state that it had a public exploit (which basically means the same thing).Now, with CISA adding the bug to KEV, FCEB agencies have until June 5 to patch their Chrome instances or stop using the browser altogether. The first clean versions are 136.0.7103.113 for Windows/Linux and 136.0.7103.114 for macOS. In many cases, Chrome would deploy the update automatically, so just double-check which version you’re running."These types of vulnerabilities are frequent attack vectors for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise," CISA warned.Indeed, the web browser is one of the most frequently targeted programs, since it handles untrusted data from countless sources around the web. Cybercriminals are always looking for vulnerabilities in browser code, plugins, or poorly secured websites, in an attempt to grab login credentials, or other ways to compromise the wider network.Via BleepingComputer

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Want to know when episode 6 of The Last of Us season 2 will be released? I've got you covered.Below, I'll tell you when the hugely successful HBO TV Original's next entry, which is also available on Max in numerous countries, including the US, will make its worldwide debut. I'll also explain where you can watch it in numerous nations, plus run you through the full episodic release schedule for The Last of Us' sophomore season.Without further ado, then, here's when the Bella Ramsey-starring post-apocalyptic drama's latest chapter will air where you live.

What time can I watch The Last of Us season 2 episode 6?

You can learn more about the release date and launch time for The Last of Us TV show's next installment for your country via the list below, with dates and times listed in descending order.If your nation hasn't been included, you can use one of the listed release times to work out when it'll be available to stream in your region of the world.

US – Sunday, May 18 at 6pm PT / 9pm ETCanada – Sunday, May 18 at 6pm PT / 9pm ETBrazil – Sunday, May 18 at 10pm BRTUK – Monday, May 19 at 2am BSTIndia – Monday, May 19 at 6:30am ISTSingapore – Monday, May 19 at 9am SGTJapan – Monday, May 19 at 10am JSTAustralia – Monday, May 19 at 11am AESTNew Zealand – Monday, May 19 at 1pm NZST

Where can I stream The Last of Us season 2's penultimate episode?

A post shared by The Last of Us (@thelastofus)A photo posted by on

Again, if you're unsure where you can catch episode 6 of one of the best Max shows' second season, check out the list below.

US – HBO and MaxUK – Sky and Now TVAustralia – Max and FoxtelCanada – CraveBrazil – MaxIndia – JioCinema and Disney+ HotstarSingapore – MaxJapan – U-Next and MaxNew Zealand – Neon

The Last of Us season 2 full episode release schedule

Season 2 episode 6 will fill in the five-year gap between last season's finale and this season's premiere (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

As you'll have gathered from this article's introduction, there's only one more episode left of HBO's TV adaptation after this one.Here's when chapter 7 will be available to stream (NB: those of you who live outside of the US, UK, and Australia can work out when it'll air in your nation using the dates below):

Episode 1 – out nowEpisode 2 – out nowEpisode 3 – out nowEpisode 4 – out nowEpisode 5 – out nowEpisode 6 – May 18 (US); May 19 (UK and Australia)Episode 7 – May 25 (US); May 26 (UK and Australia)

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Samsung has launched a new gaming monitor, the Odyssey OLED G6The monitor is the first ever 500Hz OLED option on the marketIt will be available in other regions later this year

Samsung's Odyssey lineup includes some of the best gaming monitors available on the market, many of which are OLEDs for immersive experiences – and it's just added another to the list.As reported by VideoCardz, Samsung has launched the world's first 500Hz OLED gaming monitor; the Odyssey OLED G60SF, which boasts an incredibly high 500Hz refresh rate and a 27-inch display at the 2,560 x 1,440 resolution.VideoCardz states that it will be priced at $1,488 (around £1,120 / AU$2,320). It's currently only available in some countries in Asia but is expected to roll out to other regions later this year.The Odyssey OLED G60SD is the current model available but instead utilizes a 360Hz refresh rate. The new OLED G60SF pushes this up to 500Hz, while also offering a VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 display with peak of 1000 nits – a step up from the G60SD's 250 nits of brightness.It's worth noting that Samsung recently announced that it plans to introduce cheaper OLED monitors, but that isn't the case with the new OLED G6. This is a monitor that should appeal to first-person shooter gamers, notably games like Counter-Strike – but aside from using tools like Nvidia’s Frame Generation, there are very few games that can reach frame rates up to 500fps (or frankly, games that don't need to) even with the best PC hardware available.

(Image credit: Samsung)

I'll stick with normal refresh rates, thanks...

While there's no harm in providing a high 500Hz refresh rate, especially for browsing and games that are capable of reaching super high frame rates, the $1,488 price says otherwise. Having used a handful of monitors with different refresh rates over the years, I can assure you, you don't need a 500Hz monitor.With my Alienware AW3423DWF OLED monitor, 165Hz is perfectly fine and is the sweet spot for high-end gaming; some might even argue that 144Hz or 120Hz is more than enough. That's because the difference between them isn't significant enough for you to notice – unless you jump to one of those directly from a 60Hz display.The most impressive feature with the new Odyssey OLED G6 is in fact the VESA certification, as DisplayHDR True Black 500 and 1,000 nits of peak brightness will revitalize your gaming experience if you're upgrading from an LED display.However, there are many cheaper options for OLEDs on the market that can do the same, but just without the absurdly high refresh rates. Call me crazy, but I don't see the value of a 500Hz refresh rate monitor for gaming...

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Third-party support was a big theme of the Switch 2 reveal earlier this year, with many publishers seemingly keen to capitalize on both the popularity of the outgoing Switch and the significantly increased horsepower of its imminent successor. And if you’re looking to get third-party games on your new system, they don’t come much much bigger than Red Dead Redemption 2, which could be making its way to Nintendo’s new console later this year.

Gamereactor says it has heard from sources close to Rockstar (which it then corroborated with other sources) that the enormous open-world Western that first released in 2018 is bound for Switch 2, and could arrive either at the same time, or after, a long-rumored next-gen update for the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Red Dead Redemption 2 is of course currently playable on both of those platforms, but unlike GTA 5, it’s never been patched to support the higher frame rates and fidelity afforded by the newer hardware.

This should by no means be taken as an official announcement, but Rockstar has supported the current Switch pretty well throughout its life cycle, releasing ports of L.A. Noire, the original 3D Grand Theft Auto trilogy, and most recently the first Red Dead Redemption. If the Switch 2 can run its sequel, it’s a pretty safe bet to assume that Rockstar would want to do it, and the console is likely to be roughly equivalent in power to the base model PS4, according to Digital Foundry. It goes without saying that we'll know a lot more about how the Switch 2 performs when the console is in the wild and put through its paces.

Both a Nintendo Switch 2 port and current-gen patch for Red Dead Redemption 2 would be a good way for Rockstar to bridge the gap between now and the release of GTA 6, which was recently delayed until May 2026. With a 97 percent score on Metacritic, RDR2 is one of the developer’s most acclaimed titles to date, and you can be sure that a lot of people would happily hop back into the cowboy boots of Arthur Morgan while they wait to return to Vice City.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/red-dead-redemption-2-could-be-coming-to-switch-2-this-year-161043422.html?src=rss

ESET uncovers a major cyber-espionage campaignIt was attributed to APT28, AKA Fancy BearThe campaign leveraged multiple n-day and zero-day flaws

For years now, Russian state-sponsored threat actors have been eavesdropping on email communications from governments across Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America.A new report from cybersecurity researchers ESET has found that the crooks were abusing multiple zero-day and n-day vulnerabilities in webmail servers to steal the emails.ESET named the campaign “RoundPress”, and says that it started in 2023. Since then, Russian attackers known as Fancy Bear (AKA APT28), were sending out phishing emails to victims in Greece, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Cameroon, and Ecuador.

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Government, military, and other targets

The emails would seem benign on the surface, discussing daily political events, but in the HTML body, they would carry a malicious piece of JavaScript code. It would exploit a cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw in the webmail browser page that the victim was using, and create invisible input fields where browsers and password managers would auto-fill login credentials.Furthermore, the code would read the DOM, or send HTTP requests, collecting email messages, contacts, webmail settings, 2FA information, and more. All of the information would then be exfiltrated to a hardcoded C2 address.Unlike traditional phishing messages, which require some action on the victim’s side, these attacks only needed the victim to open and view the email. Everything else was being done in the background.The silver lining here is that the payload has no persistence mechanism, so it only runs when the victim opens the email. That being said, once is most likely enough since people rarely change their email passwords that often.ESET identified multiple flaws being abused in this attack, including two XSS flaws in Roundcube, an XSS zero-day in MDaemon, an unknown XSS in Horde, and an XSS flaw in Zimbra.Victims include government organizations, military organizations, defense companies, and critical infrastructure firms.Via BleepingComputer

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VW's CEO confirms a GTI version of the upcoming ID 2 electric modelAn entire family of GTI cars will arrive in the next decadeAn electrified Golf is also on the cards

Volkswagen’s CEO, Thomas Schäfer, has gone on record to state that the brand plans to propel its iconic GTI badge into the electric age with the launch of the ID 2 GTI.Going all-in on the hot hatch proposals, Auto Car reports that VW also plans an all-electric version of the ninth-generation Golf, complete with a GTI-badged iteration, with a "whole group of GTI" models that will follow thereafter.The first EV to get the performance treatment will be a range-topping version of the ID 2, which was showcased in the 2023 ID GTI concept car.That design study bore all of the classic GTI hallmarks, including an iconic flat-bottomed steering wheel, a low ride height and aggressive body work, as well as the famous GTI badging.Schäfer told Auto Car that his experience of an early prototype vehicle suggests the upcoming electric GTI model will be “a monster car”.There is no set-in-stone date for the first GTI-badged EV, but the ID 2 is due to be launched early next year, which just so happens to be the 50th anniversary of the launch of the original Mk1 Golf GTI.

GTI needs to be hot but attainable

(Image credit: Volskwagen)

While speaking to Auto Car, CEO Thomas Schäfer said the main objective with electric GTI models is to make them feel obviously different from the standard car, which includes the handling, sound and ensuring they are exciting to drive.So far, Hyundai has proven that this can be done with the formidable Ioniq 5N, but the sheer weight of technology required to make it enjoyable to throw around a race circuit also means it is phenomenally expensive.The GTI badge has always stood for attainable performance, with the sort of price tag that means those with even a sniff of disposable income can think about owning one.Although there has been no word on the technology that will underpin the upcoming family of GTI models, Schäfer said at the launch of the ID GTI Concept that the cars will remain “sporty, iconic, technologically progressive and accessible”, as well as being suitable for everyday driving.So far, Volkswagen’s electric vehicles have been met with a lukewarm reaction, with early ID models proving bland, soulless and easily forgettable.The introduction of GTI will hopefully bring some of that VW excitement to its all-electric range, while early looks at the upcoming ID 2 prove that the German marque is back on top form… and back to physical buttons.

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The European Commission (EC) has been firing on all cylinders in holding big tech to account through various fines and enforcement actions, attempting to create a more competitive landscape in a space that has become increasingly monopolized.

Microsoft has been in a years-long dispute with the EC, which opened an antitrust probe in 2023 after Slack filed a complaint in 2020 alleging that Microsoft’s bundling of Teams and Microsoft 365 was anticompetitive.

The company unbundled the two products in the EU shortly thereafter in a bid to avoid antitrust fines, but it wasn’t enough to appease the EC. In 2024, the Commission found that Microsoft did not go far enough and was still in violation of antitrust laws, risking massive fines.

This week, Microsoft responded with a more robust set of commitments. Its productivity software suites will continue to be offered without Teams in the European Economic Area (EEA) for at least seven years. Minimum price deltas will be set between versions of the suites that include Teams and those which do not.

Microsoft has also offered to align these options and pricing structures for its suites and Teams globally should the EC accept its proposal. Interoperability enhancements that make it easier to use third-party competitors to Teams were also included in the proposal.

"The proposed commitments are the result of constructive, good-faith discussions with the European Commission over several months. We believe that they represent a clear and complete resolution to the concerns raised by our competitors and will provide European customers with more choices," said Nanna-Louise Linde, Microsoft's VP of European Government Affairs.

The EC has begun an open feedback period, seeking comments from competitors and citizens on whether the proposed commitments by Microsoft are adequate and place the company back within the bounds of the EU's antitrust regulations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/microsoft-attemps-to-avoid-eu-fines-by-further-decoupling-teams-and-office-170519085.html?src=rss

After claiming that Apple was blocking Epic from offering Fortnite in both the US App Store and the Epic Games Store in the European Union, Apple now says it wasn't, according to a report from Bloomberg.

A spokesperson told Bloomberg that Apple "did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces," and that the company wants Epic's European branch to resubmit the latest game update for publishing, "without including the US storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies."

Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 16, 2025

While that sounds like a denial of wrongdoing, it does imply Apple specifically doesn't want Epic to relaunch Fortnite on the US App Store. The company submitted Fortnite for publishing on May 9 following a victory in court that forced Apple to allow developers to support alternative payment methods for apps on the web. At the time, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney was hoping to use the change as justification to bring Fortnite back entirely, after only offering the game through streaming platforms on mobile.

Fortnite was originally removed from the App Store because Epic started directing players to circumvent Apple's in-app payment system to buy in-game currency. The move was part of a larger plan from Epic to push back on Apple and Google's tight control over their respective platforms and storefronts. That plan has partially worked. Thanks to Epic's court win, multiple app developers are now offering alternative payment methods in their apps, but it obviously hasn't changed how Apple feels about the game developer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-claims-its-not-blocking-epic-from-offering-fortnite-in-the-eu-175423021.html?src=rss

12 have been charged with cryptocurrency theftThe group is reportedly responsible for over $263 million worth of theftThe organisation used social engineering tactics to steal the funds

The Department of Justice today has revealed that 12 people have been charged in a RICO case which involves the theft of over $263 million, as well as money laundering, home break-ins, and wire-fraud, the US attorney’s office has confirmed.A mix of Americans and foreign nationals are accused of “participating in a cyber-enabled racketeering conspiracy throughout the United States and abroad that netted them more than $263 million.”The group, who reportedly met on an online dating platform, had various roles in the organization, like database hackers, money launderers, and burglars who targeted hardware virtual currency wallets. The hackers would focus on websites and servers, obtaining cryptocurrency-related databases.

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Social engineering attacks

From there, the organizers and target identifiers ‘organized and collated information across the databases to determine the most valuable targets’. The group would cold-call victims and use social engineering tactics to convince them that their accounts had fallen victim to cyberattacks, and that they needed to recover or secure their accounts - encouraging them to hand over credentials.“According to the indictment, members of the enterprise laundered stolen cryptocurrency proceeds by moving the funds through various mixers and exchanges using “peel chains,” pass-through wallets, and virtual private networks to mask their true identities,“ the Department of Justice confirmed.In just the first three months of 2025, over $1.5 billion of crypto was lost to theft or scams, with an over 300% increase in money lost in Q1. The median loss per incident was $9,549,339, and just 0.4% of stolen funds were returned to victims, research from CertiK confirms.Much of this was thanks to one large incident, with hackers sealing over $1 billion in one of the biggest crypto thefts ever, against cryptocurrency exchange platform Bybit - measuring up as the largest heist in crypto history.

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AMD's Radeon RX 9060 XT will likely be revealed on May 21 after a teaser on its X pageThis will come after Nvidia's RTX 5060 launch on May 19The Radeon RX 9060 XT is expected to go on sale in June

It's almost the week of Computex 2025, where Nvidia and AMD will be center stage with keynotes showcasing new hardware – and Team Red looks poised to outshine its rival in the budget GPU market.AMD confirmed via a post on X that it will reveal gaming and AI plans at Computex 2025 on May 21. Notably, the image (pictured below) shows a render of a new Radeon GPU, which is more than likely the purported Radeon RX 9060 XT. Like the RX 9070 XT counterpart, Team Red also confirms it won't sell any reference cards, which means the new GPU will only be available for consumers via board partners.There will be two variants of the RX 9060 XT, one with 8GB of VRAM and the other with 16GB; the former is rumored to have lower availability at launch, which is expected to be in June. It's been made clear that some gamers don't desire 8GB GPUs, considering their inability to handle graphically-demanding games and their performance standards at higher resolutions.It's worth noting that Nvidia's RTX 5060 8GB GPU launch is set for May 19, which could be mentioned at its keynote on the same date. The important matter is that the RTX 5060 won't have a separate variant (at least from what we know so far), while the rival RX 9060 XT, does. It leaves Team Red in pole position to potentially overshadow Nvidia with its May 21 unveiling.However, pricing will be the dealbreaker for both, since consumers expect each GPU to come at affordable low costs – but the trend of the market says otherwise.

Reminder! Join AMD on May 21 as we reveal what’s next in gaming, AI PCs, and more. @JackMHuynh, SVP and GM of Computing and Graphics Group, along with industry leaders and partners showcase what is built to power the next level. 📺 https://t.co/pm4j6pSYEg pic.twitter.com/94LdU29mAzMay 14, 2025

Inflation could be another blow for AMD's new Radeon GPU

Long before recent US tariffs, third-party GPUs have been set above launch price at multiple retailers, and I'm expecting this trend to continue with AMD's new Radeon GPU.Since it won't be selling any reference cards, consumers will have to rely on retailers selling partner cards yet again – and it's safe to say that it hasn't turned out well. The Radeon RX 9070 XT was sold to gamers at its retail price, but only for a limited time, as prices suddenly increased leaving the GPU in a less appealing position (since the $599 launch price was a strong selling point).As much as I don't want to see 8GB GPUs anymore, there's no stopping that for now with the 8GB variant. The one way I do see it being a success is if the price is at or below $200, as it may still be a competent card for budget gamers at 1080p. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I don't think we're going to see that due to retailers consistently raising prices (regardless of AMD's price point reveal at Computex 2025).I think it's one of the worst moments that a lower-end GPU could launch without a reference card – I just hope that consumers who are looking forward to the launch have a chance to get their hands on one before inflation takes over...

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