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Windows Hello facial recognition no longer works in poorly-lit roomsThis is due to a move Microsoft made to shore up security with the featureThe change to require a ‘color camera to see a visible face’ means logins now fail in dark rooms, where previously infrared allowed them to workWindows Hello, the system that allows for secure login to your Windows 11 (or 10) PC, no longer works when using facial recognition in a dark environment.Indeed, this has been the case for a couple of months, because as Windows Central reports, Microsoft made this change in the April update for Windows 11, but it flew under the radar.When some Windows Hello users noticed that they couldn’t successfully log in because their face wasn’t recognized sometimes, they may have just assumed it was a bug (or the feature being flaky, which it is occasionally). However, this is an intentional change by Microsoft as the company made clear in the April patch release notes.Microsoft said, “For enhanced security, Windows Hello facial recognition requires color cameras to see a visible face when signing in.”This security improvement was necessary due to a vulnerability being discovered that could potentially allow an attacker with access to the Windows PC to spoof their way past Windows Hello protection.That trick evidently involved messing with the infrared camera – leveraging “adversarial input perturbations,” as Microsoft puts it in fancy security-speak – so to avoid this exploit, the company added the requirement for a color camera.Why has this scuppered logins in darkened environments? Before the April update, Windows Hello could go purely off the infrared sensor to achieve a login in low-light (infrared scanning works fine without light, of course). However, now the feature needs your face to be visible to the camera, logins in those conditions just won’t work anymore.Analysis: There’s a workaround, but it isn’t helpful(Image credit: Shutterstock)There’s no way of getting around this as such, and if you’re in a poorly lit room, Windows Hello facial login may well fail (when before it wouldn’t).Okay, so Windows Central does point out there is a workaround here, namely that you can disable your webcam in Windows 11 (the actual camera can be turned off in Device Manager). With that done, Windows Hello will authenticate with the infrared sensor – because it’s the only option – and so it’ll work in the semi-dark again.Presumably, if you go this route, though, you may be vulnerable to the mentioned exploit (unless that requires the camera to be active, a point that Microsoft doesn’t go into). At any rate, disabling the webcam is hardly a good solution, as it means you won’t be able to use it for video chatting (obviously, or anything else).It’s a shame Microsoft had to tighten security in this way, but the software giant can’t risk leaving the door open to an exploit that someone who has stolen a Windows 11 laptop might be able to leverage in order to gain access to the device.You might also like...Windows 11's hidden PC migration feature proves Microsoft isn't messing around when it comes to killing off Windows 10macOS Tahoe 26 is official - here's everything you need to know about all the new featuresCan’t upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends

iPadOS 26 is on the way – Apple revealed its next iPad software update at WWDC 2025, and since then the internet has been ablaze with reactions and speculation.The big ticket items for this year’s iPadOS update pertain to multitasking – all currently-sold iPads (and likely several older models) are due to get support for up to six desktop-style windows at once, as well as a menu bar, and updates to the dock and background processing.We already recommend the base model iPad and iPad Pro as some of the best tablets you can buy, but this upcoming update has got me thinking about where Apple now sits in the wider tablet market.It’s no secret that Apple’s tablet hardware is the best on the market – there are simply no other tablets with the raw processing power the iPad Pro and iPad Air's M-series chipsets can offer.Speaking frankly, the only thing giving other tablet makers a chance has been software – iPadOS has long been held back by a lack of flexibility and unintuitive design, while rivals like Samsung have pushed ahead with innovative features like DeX, which offers a desktop-style experience that works especially well with a keyboard and mouse.But with iPadOS 26 bringing huge updates, that could all change.Samsung's optionsUniquely huge screen aside, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra can't match the iPad Pro on performance (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)I recently spent some time testing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus for an upcoming review, and found it to be a big, premium-feeling tablet that offers a lot of software flexibility at the cost of performance.In fact, having used the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus in a variety of situations, I think the only reason someone should buy one is if they absolutely need its combination of a large 13-inch screen, flexible multitasking, and intermediate price (starting at $649 / £649 / AU$1,099).iPadOS 26’s windowed multitasking, from what we’ve seen so far, is not as developed or as open-ended as Samsung DeX, but in true Apple style it’ll probably be just useful enough to overshadow Samsung’s offering when combined with the iPad’s hardware power.That takes away a major advantage to buying a Samsung tablet pretty much instantly. @techradar ♬ Coleen - The Heavy If you ask me, Samsung should be really quite worried about this, and has one of two options to survive an upcoming iPad renaissance.The first is simply cutting prices as much as costs allow. Samsung tablets are definitively premium devices, with great build quality and sometimes bigger screens than comparably priced iPads – but they’re still very expensive, and don't perform as well as Apple's tablets.Like it or not, iPadOS is the standard for how a tablet works, so asking users to shell out almost as much as an iPad costs for a device that isn’t as powerful, runs potentially unfamiliar software, and offers just slightly more utility looks like a pretty mediocre deal.The second option is stepping up performance without an increase in price – our Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review and Samsung Galaxy S10 Ultra review found the tablets to be solid performers, but not to Apple’s standards. That’s backed up by our own Future Labs testing data: neither Samsung tablet catches up to the latest iPad Air in single or multicore benchmarks.A renewed rivalryiPadOS 26 being introduced at WWDC 2025 (Image credit: Apple)Both of these options ask a lot of Samsung, perhaps more than can be delivered in a few release cycles.But with Apple’s smooth user experience, wider selection of professional apps, more powerful hardware, and upcoming multitasking improvements, I seriously can’t see the point in buying a Samsung tablet right now.That's not me giving Apple an easy ride either, let me be clear that as someone who personally bought an iPad Pro in 2020, the long wait for proper multitasking on iPad has been very, very frustrating. But having used both iPads and Samsung tablets, I'd still pick the iPad any day thanks to its better app availability and smoother user experience.And my own experiences aside, there's no denying that iPads are vastly more popular than Samsung tablets. A Forbes report from September 2024 estimates that Apple holds 35.8% of the tablet market worldwide, compared to Samsung's 20.1%. That's going to make the impact of iPadOS 26 feel even more significant, even if the features added are ones Samsung users have enjoyed for years.That’s not to say there are no benefits to buying a Samsung tablet: One UI 7 is rich with customizable settings, and the aforementioned Dex mode really is fantastic. It’s just that iPadOS 26 is poised to take Apple’s tablet platform to a new level of competition.I'd like to see a future in which the best iPads and the best Samsung tablets keep clashing head-to-head; here’s hoping Samsung can make the right moves to keep up. Look out for my full Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus review soon.As ever, the comments section is open for discussion – is Apple destined to take over? Or does Samsung have more of a chance than I think? Let us know below.You might also like‘With macOS, you’d lose what makes iPad iPad’: Apple explains why it’ll never let its tablets become full MacsDon't call it a Mac – I went hands-on with iPadOS 26, here's what you need to knowiPadOS 26 adds the iPhone's Journal app to iPad – and I think it makes total sense

KitchenAid's Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine comes in two new colorsCandy Apple is a pearlescent red, and Juniper is green with a satin finishThe colors are part of a bigger trend towards fun colors in the kitchenKitchenAid, maker of some of the best espresso machines I've tested here at TechRadar, has given one of its most popular models a fresh new look for the summer. The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder is now available in two tasty colorways: Candy Apple (bright red) and Juniper (rich green).The Candy Apple machine (my personal favorite) has a pearlescent finish, while the Juniper version has a satin sheen.The two new shades are part of a continuing trend away from traditional black and chrome kitchen appliances. Earlier this year, KitchenAid revealed that its official color of 2025 is a soft yellow called Butter, and since then we've seen various other brands join the effort to break away from clinical styling in favor of warmer shades that often draw inspiration from the natural world.Image 1 of 2The Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder is now available in a total of five colors (Image credit: KitchenAid)Image 2 of 2Bright red Candy Apple is my personal favorite thanks to its pearlescent finish (Image credit: KitchenAid)KitchenAid released a new version of its classic Artisan Stand Mixer in a soft olive color called EverGreen, with a real walnut wood bowl, while Breville revealed a new look for its best-selling Barista Touch Impress coffee maker in shades of creamy white, navy blue, and muted green – all with brass accents.Espresso without the fussThe KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine with Burr Grinder is the sibling of the fully automatic KF6 and KF8 coffee makers. It can not only handle the trickiest and messiest parts of making great-tasting coffee, but unlike the other two models, it also allows you to control as much of the process as you want.Your coffee beans are ground using stainless steel conical burrs (the most common type for home espresso machines). Once that's done, you can let the machine weigh out a suitable amount of coffee for a single or double shot, or choose the dose yourself.Juniper is a cool, dark green similar to the color of pine needles (Image credit: KitchenAid)KitchenAid's machine has a handy anti-static feature, which helps stop the ground coffee sticking to the machine or spreading over your counter – something I've experienced all too often while compiling TechRadar's list of the best coffee makers.The KitchenAid machine comes with a 58mm portafilter with a flat base to help with even tamping, and there's a multi-angle steam wand to help you create nicely textured milk.It's available direct from KitchenAid in the UK and the US for $699.99 / £699.You might also like...5 things to look for when buying a home coffee maker, according to a trained baristaI tried Nespresso's limited edition Coconut Vanilla capsules – and if you like fancy iced coffee, you should tooDe'Longhi just released a new version of its best compact espresso machine, and it's frankly adorable

Looking to grab an official Tires shirt or a sandwich based on Arnold Schwarzenegger's FUBAR? Netflix will have you covered in the near future. The streaming platform's long-promised Netflix House amusement centers will open up shop in Dallas and outside of Philadelphia by the end of the year, with a third location coming to Las Vegas in 2027.

These 100,000-square feet behemoths will operate throughout the year and will celebrate all things Netflix. There's a retail component, a restaurant called Netflix Bites and all kinds of "immersive story-driven experiences" based on some of its biggest shows. The locations will also offer mini-golf, which maybe is a tribute to that one episode of Cobra Kai? We aren't sure about that one.

Netflix

As for the aforementioned story-driven experiences, the locations will include stuff like the iconic “Red Light, Green Light” race from Squid Game and a Demogorgan chase inspired by Stranger Things. Netflix says each location will "regularly update its offerings" so these experiences should vary.

The platform promises experiences based on hits like Wednesday, One Piece and the Knives Out movie franchise. Sadly, there was no mention of Is it Cake? or the social media-adjacent reality show The Circle. I want to sit in a weirdly-decorated room and talk to strangers on the internet! Wait a minute. I already do that.

The Philadelphia location is being built at King of Prussia Mall and the Dallas branch will exist at Galleria Dallas. The third location pops up in the Las Vegas Strip at BLVD Las Vegas in 2027. Netflix-heads can sign up for an early visit right here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-first-two-netflix-entertainment-complexes-will-open-at-the-end-of-the-year-152129495.html?src=rss

To celebrate Amazon Prime Day, Prime Gaming members can now claim six free gamesThose games include the likes of Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Starring Lara Croft, Saints Row 2, Saints Row 4: Re-Elected, and moreAmazon Prime Day begins on July 8, but members can claim these titles now ahead of the eventAmazon Prime Day is just around the corner, and to celebrate, Prime Gaming members can claim an assortment of free games leading up to the event.The annual sale officially begins on July 8, but starting today through July 7, subscribers can claim six PC games, including Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Starring Lara Croft, Saints Row 2, Saints Row 4: Re-Elected, Star Wars: Rebellion, TOEM, and Dungeon of the Endless Definitive Edition.These games are now available for platforms like the Amazon Games App and GOG, and can be claimed on top of the previously announced Prime Gaming titles for the month of June.This collection includes Mordheim: City of the Damned, The Abandoned Planet, Station to Station and Death Squared, which can be claimed now.Starting on June 19, Prime members can claim Dark Envoy and Fate: Undiscovered Realms, while Thief: Deadly Shadows, Jupiter Hell, and Gallery of Things: Reveries will be redeemable on June 26.Amazon also revealed that more Prime Day offers for Prime members will be announced soon.If you're looking to get in on the early sales, you can check out our coverage of the early Amazon Prime Day deals that are now live.You might also like...Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games that arrived alongside the new consoleI’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgrade'I don't even know if I wanna play anymore' - Pokémon player left devastated after Nintendo Switch 2 system transfer lost over 1,000 hours of gameplay and 20 years of data