news,technology

A Minecraft Movie has reportedly surpassed the record previously set by 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie for the biggest ever domestic box office opening of a video game adaptation. The new movie, which was released in theaters on Friday, raked in $157 million in the US in its opening weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter. A Minecraft Movie is doing well internationally, too; THR reports that it’s earned $301M altogether in its global debut. The Super Mario Bros. Movie pulled in $146 million in its domestic opening and $377 million globally.

A Minecraft Movie stars Jack Black, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Coolidge. And while the trailers left us with pretty low expectations in the leadup to its release, Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar found that it’s actually a pretty good kids’ movie that “delivers a decent message about championing creativity in a world that wants to beat down free-thinking non-conformists.” You can read the full review here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/a-minecraft-movie-just-set-a-new-record-with-the-biggest-opening-ever-for-a-video-game-adaptation-in-the-us-192934482.html?src=rss

If you were wondering whether it’d be possible to ferment foods in space, the answer is apparently yes. In a study published in the journal iScience, researchers from the US and Denmark say they were able to make decent-tasting miso on the International Space Station — but the flavor and smell was distinct from that of miso made on Earth. While it still scored well in the taste tests, with similar ratings to Earth miso in qualities like umami and saltiness, the ISS miso was found to taste nuttier and more roasted than the usual stuff.

The team suggests the findings reflect a sort of space “terroir,” playing off the term often used in relation to wine grapes to describe unique, location-specific flavor characteristics. For the study, the researchers sent a package containing the miso paste ingredients (cooked soybeans, rice koji and salt) to the ISS in March 2020, and let it ferment for 30 days. They also started miso batches back at home in Cambridge, MA and Copenhagen, Denmark, and monitored the environmental conditions of each setup. After a month, the space miso was sent back and analyzed in comparison to the Earth batches.

“There are some features of the space environment in low earth orbit — in particular microgravity and increased radiation — that could have impacts on how microbes grow and metabolize and thus how fermentation works,” co-lead author Joshua D. Evans of Technical University of Denmark said in a press release. “We wanted to explore the effects of these conditions.”

Not only were there differences in flavor, including the notable roasted nuttiness of the space miso, but also in the microbial composition of the misos. The team concluded that “overall, the space miso is a miso,” but says the findings “suggest a specific fermentation environment in space.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/researchers-who-made-miso-in-space-say-it-tastes-good-but-different-215410333.html?src=rss

Payday should be a moment of relief. A time to settle bills and breathe easy, but for customers on February's payday, it was anything but relaxing. Widespread mobile app crashes left millions unable to access their online banking, causing frustration and chaos when they needed their money the most.For customers relying on these apps to access their salaries, pay bills, and manage finances, the disruption was more than an inconvenience, but a crisis. With only 23% of Brits trusting finance apps, incidents like this only deepen the skepticism. But why did this happen, and how can banks ensure it doesn’t happen again?

Out-of-date legacy systems under pressure

As banking shifts from branches to mobile and internet banking, legacy systems face mounting pressure to interact seamlessly with third-party services, and support a wide range of devices and software versions, from cloud services and APIs to mobile platforms. This intricate web of dependencies massively increases the risk of failure, especially during peak periods like payday. Without a structured approach to change, even minor updates can trigger outages.To reduce these risks, banks need to introduce changes progressively and in a controlled manner. Uncontrolled deployments can cause widespread outages and damage customer trust which is something no bank can afford to lose. The solution? A DevOps approach designed to stabilize the system and protect the customer experience.

DevOps for banking stability

To prevent major disruptions, and strengthen the resilience of banking applications, DevOps best practices must be integrated into the development and deployment process.1. Progressive rollouts prevent widespread failure Deploying new features or updates to all users simultaneously can be a recipe for disaster. Instead, progressive rollouts ensure a controlled, phased introduction of changes, starting with a small segment—perhaps 1%, then increase to 5%, and 10%—moving to the next group only when confident in the stability of the code.By gradually introducing changes, banks can check performance and detect potential issues before they impact the entire customer base. Controlled rollouts means fewer surprises and happier customers.2. Automated monitoring and instant rollbacks for reliability You can’t fix what you can’t see. Automated monitoring tools can track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as response times, error rates, and system load in real time, providing immediate alerts when something goes wrong.The ability to instantly rollback to a previous version is critical, ideally within 200 milliseconds or less. This keeps banking apps reliable, even during high traffic periods.3. Rapid adjustments without downtimeNot all changes require a full-scale code deployment. Runtime configuration management allows developers to make real-time adjustments without redeploying the entire application.This means if an issue arises with a new feature, banks can instantly disable it without taking down the entire application. Such flexibility is crucial for maintaining uptime and ensuring a seamless customer experience, even in unpredictable situations.4. Targeted segments for customized experience A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in banking. Customers use different devices, operating systems, and network environments, so why treat them all the same.By segmenting users based on key attributes, banks can tailor updates to specific groups. This allows them to optimize the user experience, mitigate risk, and enhance security, without disrupting the entire customer base.

The future of resilient banking apps

Payday is a crucial, recurring event worldwide, and banking apps have become essential gateway for consumers to manage their finances. In fact in the UK alone, 37% of UK residents check their current account balance daily. This is proof that reliable digital banking is no longer a convenience, but an exception.Banks cannot afford another payday failure. By embracing DevOps best practices—progressive rollouts, automated monitoring, and real-time configuration management—they can ensure the events of February’s payday aren’t repeated.DevOps best practices from progressive rollouts to automated monitoring, runtime configuration management, and targeted segmentation, can guide banks through the innovation process without compromising the reliability of their platforms. Reliable apps build confident customers and it’s time for banks to deliver on that promise.

We list the best mobile payment app.

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

One Piece season 2: key information- Announced in September 2023- New showrunner revealed- Filming wrapped in February- Release date potentially leaked by one of the show's stars- No trailer or official plot synopsis revealed- Principal photography began in July- Key cast members expected to return- Multiple new cast reveals were made in last June, August, September 2024, and January- Fan-favorite characters set to be introduced- Plot details teased by lead star- Co-showrunner Matt Owens stepping down after season 2 - Season 3 filming potentially revealed by Zoro actor, Mackenyu

While One Piece season 2 isn't ready to set sail just yet, it's expected to arrive sometime in 2025. The live-action Netflix series adapts Eiichiro Oda's best-selling manga into a high seas adventure full of high-octane fun. And it's up to one of the best streaming services to give viewers their next devil fruit fill.With Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hats crew's return on the horizon, there's plenty to talk about from a growing cast list, to release date prediction, to story rumours, news, and more. It's one of the best Netflix shows for good reason and while we're eager for its return, we have lots to share.

One Piece season 2 release date prediction

Straw Hats, our course is set! Season 2 production has officially wrapped, and the Grand Line is fast approaching! 🌊 Destiny awaits, are you ready to answer the call? 🏴‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/wxebRjswejFebruary 4, 2025

While One Piece season 2 doesn't have an official launch date just yet, principal photography was confirmed to have finished on February 4 — meaning we're one step closer to high seas adventure.Netflix officially announced One Piece season 2 in September 2023, but one week before its renewal, producer Marty Adelstein suggested One Piece season 2 was ready to go, but two big Netflix hurdles blocked its path.Clearly, those issues haven't proven to be detrimental to its second season's cause. Considering One Piece season 1 was king of the TV show high seas weeks after its launch, it was only a matter of time before Netflix commissioned a second season.And, Netflix teased One Piece season 2's next high-seas adventure by confirming on July 1 that filming had begun with a teaser trailer with some behind-the-scenes footage of the main cast heading to Cape Town. It's happening, Nakama!

Jeff Ward is pulling back the curtain to this circus! 🤡🎪 The clown prince himself is here to give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of One Piece Season 2. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/EnW5PF0srZSeptember 18, 2024

Mix all of the above together with what Buggy the Clown actor Jeff Ward seems to imply in the X/Twitter post above, a 2025 date is looking more likely than 2026. So, it seems likely that season 2 will embark on its Netflix voyage before the year ends.

One Piece season 2 trailer: is there one?

These ONE PIECE bloopers with all your favorite Straw Hats will have you laughing your heart out. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/OZ0HvTc9OKNovember 11, 2023

There’s no One Piece season 2 trailer yet. As soon as that changes, we’ll let you know.

One Piece season 2 cast: confirmed and rumored

Expect Monkey D. Luffy (center) and his merry crew to return in season 2 (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers follow for One Piece season 1.

It’s fair to assume we’ll see all of the Straw Hats Crew back for One Piece season 2:

Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. LuffyEmily Rudd as NamiMackenyu as Roronoa ZoroJacob Romero Gibson as UsoppTaz Skylar as Sanji

Monkey D. Garp (Vincent Regan), who was revealed to be Luffy’s grandad and was testing Luffy to see if he was dedicated to his dream, is likely to return as well, as are Buggy the Clown (Jeff Ward) – who vowed to kill Luffy – and rival Captain Alvida (Isorelýs Paulino).As for potential newcomers, beloved actor Jamie Lee Curtis – a massive fan of One Piece – took to Instagram in late 2023 to throw her hat in the ring to play the part of Doctor Kureha, who joins the pirate gang as their official medic (a necessity, given the wild amount of violent skirmishes they find themselves in). Although, as of a cast reveal in August (discussed below), we know that role is no longer up for grabs.

ONE PIECE NEWS. Joe Manganiello and Lera Abova will make up Baroque Works' most dangerous duo -- Mr. 0 and Miss All-Sunday! #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/EhoHwy8M5KSeptember 20, 2024

But, there's still plenty of other roles to play in One Piece. Responding to Curtis's post, co-showrunner Matthew Owens wrote: "Hope to speak to you soon" before later telling Deadline: "At this point we’re writing for her – we really, really want her to come and play with us". The season 2 announcement video appeared to tease this potential star casting, too, with Oda adding: "From here on, it seems to me that the Straw Hats will need a great doctor…we will see."Though while there's plenty of new cast to speak about, it's also important to note that after One Piece season 2, Owens will be stepping down for his mental health.In an official Instagram post on March 21, he wrote: "The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey. A dream come true. It's also been A LOT. So I'm stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health."He goes on to thank the cast and crew before adding: "For now I'm gonna take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank up in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await." So, while he's taking a break, it seems he may well return.When it comes to new cast members joining One Piece season 2, Netflix has been drip-feeding us new cast announcements over the past few months. Here's a brief rundown of who's joining the crew for season 2:

David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss ValentineCamrus Johnson as Mr. 5Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9Clive Russell as CrocusWerner Coetser as DorryBrendan Murray as BrogyCallum Kerr as SmokerJulia Rehwald as TashigiRob Colletti as WapolTy Keogh as DaltonKatey Sagal as Dr. KurehaSendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari CobraCharithra Chandran as Miss WednesdayJoe Manganiello as Mr. O/CrocodileLera Abova as Miss All-SundaySophia Anne Caruso as Miss GoldenweekAnton David Jeftha as K.M.Mark Penwill as ChessRigo Sanchez as DragonYonda Thomas as IgaramJames Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu

Those cast reveals began last June, with the first four newcomers announced (via X/Twitter) on June 25. That were followed by another X/Twitter post revealing three more cast members a day later, before a final drop on X/Twitter announced four other cast additions on June 27.Three more cast reveals for One Piece season 2 were made in August 2024 with this X/Twitter post confirming Katey Sagal (Futurama, Disenchantment) as Dr. Kureha, another X/Twitter post for Sendhil Ramamurthy (Never Have I Ever) as Nefertari Cobra, and this final X/Twitter post for Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton) as Miss Wednesday.Then, during Geeked Week Live 2024, One Piece got some serious season 2 cast upgrades adding Joe Manganiello as Mr. O/Crocodile and Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday to the impressive list.Plus, even though we expected him to appear, based on season 2's plot being based on the Arabasta Saga (read more below), Tony Tony Chopper's debut was teased in a behind-the-scenes/table read during Geeked Week Live, too, but no voice actor has been announced yet. You can see his trademark red hat and reindeer antlers in this X/Twitter post.Finally, in January, this X/Twitter post revealed Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek, Anton David Jeftha as K.M., and Mark Penwill as Chess. And another X/Twitter post confirmed Rigo Sanchez as Dragon, Yonda Thomas as Igaram, and James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu not long after.

One Piece season 2 story speculation

Look what we found, Straw Hats 👀 pic.twitter.com/ElcvF9vWcpJuly 2, 2024

Major spoilers follow for One Piece season 1. Potential season 2 spoilers are also discussed.

One Piece season 2's plot synopsis hasn't been revealed yet, but we do have a clearer picture of what it'll entail, thanks to the new cast additions, the manga series, and the One Piece anime adaptation.We've also been teased with a post on X (seen above) revealing the first episode's title, "The Beginning and the End", which hints at a potential story arc from episode 48 of the original manga, "The Town of the Beginning and the End - Arrival at Loguetown."New cast addition, Smoker (Callum Kerr) is considered the main antagonist of the Loguetown arc, so this could potentially hint at where the One Piece story sails to next.Season 1 wrapped up with the stretchy-limbed Luffy turning his back on the marines before having an almighty face-off with Arlong (freeing Nami's people in the process) and his grandfather.However, when Garp relents and reveals he had been testing Luffy this whole time, it seems all is well in Straw Hat land. With Nami officially joining the Straw Hats crew, the group bands together to head to The Grand Line to find the titular One Piece, which Luffy hopes will fulfill his dream of becoming King of the Pirates.As it happens, all isn't well. Following his humiliation at Luffy's hands, Captain Nezumi placed a bounty of 30 million berries on our protagonist's head, and several of the nightmarish characters who seem intent on capturing him – dead or alive – aren't going to turn down a prize of that magnitude. Expect this manhunt to be a main story thread in One Piece season 2.

A post shared by One Piece (ワンピース) (@onepiecenetflix)A photo posted by on

Considering season 1 covered around 90 chapters in Oda's sweeping (and seemingly never-ending) manga series, there’s likely to be a similar breadth in the follow up.This means we could see the crew land on an island of giants, as well as the fight against a gang of bounty hunters who want to dominate the nation of Arabasta. The arrival of Smoker, too, will see him also popping up in the Little Garden and Arabasta arcs, as well as the Loguetown arc we previously mentioned.Speaking of the Arabasta arc, as hinted at by IGN, season 2 is expected to follow it closely, in-keeping with the One Piece original manga. The Arabasta arc is known for featuring the Baroque Works, a criminal syndicate hell bent on conquering the Arabasta Kingdom, and who’s an officer of Baroque Works? None other than Mr. 3 himself.It’s not the first we’ve heard of Baroque Works either, with Zoro almost getting recruited to the dodgy gang in season 1’s pilot episode. Plus, during Regan's interview at Vienna's Comic-Con in November 2024, he seemingly confirmed the Arabasta arc's presence, in more than one season: "And I guess they’ll start filming season 3 pretty soon, and I think they are doing- I think it’s called the Arabasta story arc. I think it’s going to take two seasons. What I’ve seen of the designs, drawings, and when I was there there was some really fun stuff being shot there at the moment."From the new cast additions, there's some other story threads that could potentially occur in One Piece season 2. While we have speculated over Smoker's place in season 2, he'll also be joined by his crewmate Tashigi, who, despite rivalry with Luffy, ally with him during the Arabasta arc.There's also Crocus from the Reverse Mountain arc, Dorry and Brogy, the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, who ally with the Straw Hats during the Little Garden and Egghead arcs. And finally, Dalton and Wapol from the Drum Island arc - Dalton an ally, Wapol very much not. Either way, there's potential for lots of team ups and rivalries on the cards.Plus, when it comes to the casting of Dr. Kureha (Katey Sagal), co-showrunner Matt Owens told Tudum: "When the Season 2 writers' room got together, we knew how far we were going to get and that this character Dr. Kureha was going to be a big part of the season."

The future of One Piece on Netflix

Straw Hats, are you ready for your next adventure? 🏴‍☠️ Coming soon. #LEGOOnePiece pic.twitter.com/kBbGTTWDlTJanuary 23, 2025

Let's start with the obvious: given the level of success season 1 enjoyed, it's highly unlikely One Piece season 2 will be the end of the line for the live-action adaptation. In fact, there's already talk of filming for season 3. As reported by What's On Netflix, Mackenyu (Zoro) revealed in an interview with Crunchyroll that it may well be happening later this year: "We do have projects lined up for this year before we shoot season 3 of One Piece, but I can't tell you anything about that, so it's not going to be fun for y'all." Though it appears that comment has since been removed.Whether that means filming will happen this year, we're not sure. But it certainly suggests that season 3 is on the cards at least, despite their being no official confirmation from Netflix, yet. And the Writer's Guild of America has listed One Piece season 3 and its staff on their site, which only adds to the speculation.Indeed, with over 1,000 chapters (and counting) in Oda's legendary manga series, there's plenty more source material to mine.Plus, in conversation with What's On Netflix Vincent Regan, aka Vice-Admiral Garp, said: "I guess they’ll start filming season 3 pretty soon." So, it seems Regan and Mackenyu have jumped the gun somewhat when it comes to One Piece season 3. If what they say is true, that is.And it's not the first we've heard of One Piece season 3. In June 2024, the rumor mill was set ablaze with speculation around the show's renewal, which came from a ComicBook.com interview with Brashaad Mayweather, who plays Patty in the show.Asked about a third season, Mayweather said: "They [Netflix] are filming two seasons – season two and three – back to back starting soon". Since the interview circulated online, though Mayweather has said he was just speculating on that possibility. Netflix has confirmed reports of season 3 were "not accurate at this time," with What's On Netflix, too. In short: One Piece season 3 hasn't secretly been greenlit, but it feels inevitable at this point.The good news is we could see One Piece stretch out for over a decade. Speaking to Deadline, Adelstein and Clements revealed their hopes for the future, with Adelstein saying: "We have hopes for 12 seasons, there’s so much material".Speaking before Owens' departure, Clements added: "We’re over 1,080 chapters at this point in the manga. We have plans with Matt for how we would break multiple seasons, and I think even if we did six seasons, we would probably only use up half of the chapters of the manga. It really could go on and on and on."

For more Netflix TV-based coverage, read everything we know about Stranger Things season 5, Squid Game season 3, and Wednesday season 2. Or, if you're searching for shows like One Piece, watch one or more of these five great pirate-based shows.

Campfire Audio Axion wired earbuds with USB-C just unveiledNew silicon dynamic driver and a built-in 32bit/384 kHz DACAvailable for £249 / $249 / about AU$413

Campfire Audio make exquisite earphones that can rank among the best wired earbuds, but they're priced beyond many people's budgets: for example, their Clara earphones are fantastic but launched with a price tag of $1,999 / £1,999 (around AU$3,900). So we're intrigued by the new Campfire Audio Axion earphones, which have an official price of just £249 / $249 / about AU$413.The price may be a fraction of what you'd pay for Campfire's best headphones. But the specification is impressive, with a high-quality DAC and a newly designed driver.

(Image credit: Campfire Audio)

Campfire Audio Axion: key features

The new Axion earphones have an integrated USB-C cable featuring a built-in 32-bit/384kHz DAC chip, an in-line microphone and a three-button control panel. That's likely to be a big upgrade to the DAC in your phone… and being USB-C means you can actually connect them to your phone.The star here is the new full-range silicon driver, which Campfire Audio says "blends a unique, compact form factor like that of a balanced armature alongside the rich sonic properties of a dynamic driver."Sound-wise the Axion earbuds promise "just the right amount" of warmth, smooth highs and "impactful" lows.You'll be able to get your hands on a pair from Amazon and other well-known retailers from later in April 2025, and given the company's history, we're very interested in these.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to become the most transformative technology of our time. With 89% of Harvard Business Review survey respondents acknowledging AI’s potential, businesses are under increasing pressure to integrate AI into their operations.However, decision-makers face a significant challenge: How do they separate AI hype from AI that delivers tangible business value? Many AI solutions promise efficiency, automation and intelligence but fail to provide tangible operational benefits. Businesses of all sizes, particularly small and mid-sized organizations, must ensure that AI investments don’t just lead to cosmetic enhancements to existing features. Instead, the technology should deliver innovations that are genuinely integrated into workflows to enhance decision-making and deliver measurable results.The following provides a helpful framework for business leaders to evaluate AI capabilities focusing on operational impact. Instead of getting lost in the hype, decision-makers can identify AI tools that work for them and drive meaningful results.

Tip 1: Align AI with Business Objectives

AI can deliver significant benefits across departments and business functions and is most valuable when it serves a clear, measurable business goal. While AI has broad applications, organizations should prioritize solutions that directly address specific business challenges rather than adopting AI just for the sake of “innovation.”To understand what types of AI technology can drive the most business value, decision-makers should:

Define business challenges. Start by identifying the organization’s biggest pain points. Some examples include operational inefficiencies, gaps in data analysis and a lack of automation.Identify where AI can enhance operations and decision-making. AI should enhance workflows, helping teams work smarter by reducing manual processes, minimizing errors and providing real-time insights for better decision-making.Focus on AI’s ability to reduce costs, increase productivity and improve customer experiences. Quantify AI’s potential by identifying specific areas where it can drive measurable impact. For productivity gains, prioritize AI solutions that personalize interactions, reduce response times and anticipate customer needs before they arise.

Once leaders determine business objectives, they should identify how to integrate AI technology into established processes.

Tip 2: Prioritize Data and Workflow Integration

One of the biggest pitfalls of AI adoption is investing in technology that doesn’t integrate smoothly into existing workflows. Thirty-eight percent of businesses say their biggest challenge in implementing AI is insufficient IT infrastructure. AI should complement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other operational systems, not create additional work or fragmented processes that lead to data siloes.For AI to deliver accurate insights, it must be powered by comprehensive, real-time and accurate data across the organization. When AI pulls from disconnected data sources, it can generate misleading outputs that produce inaccurate results, thus hindering business growth. Business and tech leaders should confirm that the AI tool embeds easily into everyday workflows rather than requiring employees to use entirely new platforms.A best practice is prioritizing cloud-based AI solutions that integrate natively with IT management software to ensure smooth data flow across departments. Unlike siloed on-premises systems that require manual data transfers, cloud-based AI tools can continuously sync information across ERP, CRM and other critical platforms, providing a single source of truth for decision-making.Finally, AI-driven automation should reduce manual tasks and accelerate productivity without creating inefficiencies. For example, AI-powered demand forecasting can help supply chain managers accurately anticipate inventory needs by analyzing historical sales data, seasonal trends and market fluctuations. Instead of relying on manual calculations or gut instinct, businesses can optimize inventory, reduce waste and avoid running out of products.

Tip 3: Focus on Privacy, Security and Compliance

As AI adoption accelerates, concerns around data privacy, security and regulatory compliance grow. Businesses must ensure their AI investments follow strict security protocols to mitigate risks such as unauthorized data access, compliance violations and AI model bias. Without proper safeguards, AI can expose sensitive information or generate unreliable outcomes that could impact business operations.To avoid these risks, leaders should ensure the following:

AI models follow strict data governance policies and privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).AI-driven decision-making is auditable and transparent, ensuring explainability in high-stakes environments like finance and healthcare.Use cloud ERP platforms with built-in AI capabilities to provide more secure, centralized control over business data.The AI system protects private data through isolation from public LLM training.

Organizations can leverage AI’s power confidently by embedding AI within a secure framework. As they prioritize security, they will drive innovation without sacrificing trust and integrity.

Tip 4: Use AI to Enhance, Not Replace, Human Decision-Making

Studies show AI improves a worker’s performance by nearly 40% compared with workers who don’t use it, and the best AI solutions empower employees rather than replace them. AI should augment human expertise by surfacing predictive insights, automating repetitive tasks and minimizing errors, but final decision-making should remain with employees.To maximize the technology’s value, AI must help employees make informed decisions rather than fully automating critical functions. Insights derived from AI-powered solutions should be clear and explainable, avoiding “black box” decision-making where employees can’t understand or validate AI-generated recommendations. Additionally, businesses should invest in upskilling employees to work alongside AI, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to learn to leverage AI-driven tools effectively.

In summary

AI’s potential is undeniable, but businesses must cut through the hype and invest in strategic, value-driven AI solutions. Successful implementation requires aligning AI with clear business objectives, ensuring seamless data and workflow integration, and maintaining rigorous security standards.When evaluating vendors, it would be prudent to seek technology providers that develop AI to solve real business challenges, delivering practical, responsible and results-driven capabilities. The companies that will thrive are those that thoughtfully integrate AI into their operations to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and drive measurable growth.

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

Peacemaker season 2's official release date has been announcedThe hit DC Comics TV show was already confirmed to arrive this August10 seconds of new footage have been unveiled as part of a new HBO sizzle reel trailer

It's official: Peacemaker season 2 will finally make its Max debut on August 21, 2025.The incredibly popular comic book TV series, whose first season set records on HBO Max in mid-2022 before its rebranding to Max almost one year later, will arrive just over a month after James Gunn's Superman movie has flown into theaters.

Counting the days until Peace on Earth. I just finished the DI & Mix on the Season Premiere yesterday and wow it’s one of my favorite things ever. DC Studios’ #Peacemaker Season 2 coming soon only on @StreamOnMax August 21. pic.twitter.com/df3yOcCsdnApril 7, 2025

We already knew Peacemaker season 2 was due to arrive this August. And, taking to X/Twitter yesterday (April 6), Gunn, who co-runs DC Studios alongside Peter Safran confirmed the DC Universe (DCU) show's sophomore season would arrive in the latter part of that month.A new round of footage, which you can watch in the above tweet or via the Max sizzle reel trailer below, accompanied the season 2 launch date, too.While the latest shots from the DCU Chapter One project don't give away about its plot, they indicate we're in for another laugh-out-loud, action-packed entry in season 2 of The Suicide Squad TV spin-off.

Indeed, whether it's John Cena's titular character doing his best Frank Drebin impression by giving someone a thumbs up as carnage erupts behind him, what appears to be Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr leaping off a rooftop and crashing through a window, or Peacemaker finally being labeled a superhero (by one of his besties, to be fair), it seems we're in for another wild ride in one of the best Max shows' next chapter.Want to learn more about the hit HBO TV Original ahead of its return? Read our dedicated hub on Peacemaker season 2 or find out why Grillo's Flag Sr will be "on a mission" for justice in Peacemaker's second season.

A super summer for DC Comics fans

Don't forget to look up this July (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

After a slow start to life as the reboot of the polarizing DC Extended Universe, Gunn and Safran's DCU will finally kick into gear in a span of just six short weeks in mid-2025.Until now, only one DCU project – the first season of adult animated show Creature Commandos – has actually been released. Even then, it's only seen the light of day in specific countries where Max is available. For instance, while it launched in the US in December 2024, UK and Australian viewers are still waiting for it to land on their shores.Thankfully, DC Comics' global fanbase will be spoiled this summer (or winter, for southern hemisphere dwellers) with two projects that are part of DCU Chapter One, otherwise known as 'Gods and Monsters'.As I mentioned, Superman's latest big-screen revival will take flight first, with one of 2025's most anticipated new movies launching globally on July 11. Just over a month later, Peacemaker's sophomore outing will be released on Max (US and Australia) and Sky/Now TV (UK). I, for one, am hoping the long wait for new projects set in the DCU will be worth it.

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I’m a longtime lover of pen and paper, so E Ink tablets have been intriguing to me ever since they started becoming more widely available. After having hundreds of half-filled notebooks over the years, I, at some point, turned to digital tools instead because it was just easier to store everything on my phone or laptop so I always had my most important information at my fingertips.E Ink tablets seem to provide the best of both worlds: the tactile satisfaction of regular notebooks with many of the conveniences found in digital tools, plus easy-on-the-eyes E Ink screens. These devices have come a long way in recent years — now you can find them in multiple sizes, some have color E Ink screens and others double as full-blow ereaders with access to ebook stores and your local library’s offerings. I’ve tested out close to a dozen E Ink tablets over the past year or two to see how well they work, how convenient they really are and which are the best tablets using E Ink screens available today.

Table of contents

Best E Ink tablets for 2025

Are E Ink tablets worth it?

What to look for in an E Ink tablet

Other E Ink tablets we've tested

Best E Ink tablets for 2025

Are E Ink tablets worth it?

An E Ink tablet will be a worthwhile purchase to a very select group of people. If you prefer the look and feel of an e paper display to LCD panels found on traditional tablets, it makes a lot of sense. They’re also good options for those who want a more paper-like writing experience (although you can get that kind of functionality on a regular tablet with the right screen protector) or a more distraction-free device overall.

The final note is key here. Most E Ink tablets don’t run on the same operating systems as regular tablets, so you’re automatically going to be limited in what you can do. And even with those that do allow you to download traditional apps like Chrome, Instagram and Facebook, E Ink tablets are not designed to give you the best casual-browsing experience. This is mostly due to the nature of E Ink displays, which have noticeable refreshes, a lack of color and lower quality than the panels you’ll find on even the cheapest iPad.

Arguably the biggest reason why you wouldn’t want to go with an iPad (all models of which support stylus input, a plethora of reading apps, etc) is because it’s much easier to get distracted by email, social media and other Internet-related temptations. An e-reader is also worth considering if this is the case for you, but just know that most standard e-readers do not accept stylus input. If you like to make notes in the margins of books, underline and mark up PDFs and the like, an e-reader won’t cut it.

What to look for in an E Ink tablet

Latency

I discovered four main things that can really make or break your experience with an E Ink tablet during my testing; first is the writing experience. How good it is will depend a lot on the display’s refresh rate (does it refresh after every time you put pen to “paper,” so to speak?) and the stylus’ latency. Most had little to no latency, but there were some that were worse than others. Finally, you should double check before buying that your preferred E Ink tablet comes with a stylus.

Reading

The second thing to consider is the reading experience. How much will you be reading books, documents and other things on this tablet? While you can find E Ink tablets in all different sizes, most of them tend to be larger than your standard e-reader because it makes writing much easier. Having a larger display isn’t a bad thing, but it might make holding it for long periods slightly more uncomfortable. (Most e-readers are roughly the size of a paperback book, giving you a similar feeling to analog reading).

The supported file types will also make a big difference. It’s hard to make a blanket statement here because this varies so much among E Ink tablets. The TL;DR is that you’ll have a much better reading experience if you go with one made by a company that already has a history in e-book sales (i.e. Amazon or Kobo). All of the titles you bought via the Kindle or Kobo store should automatically be available to you on your Kindle or Kobo E Ink tablet. And with Kindle titles, specifically, since they are protected by DRM, it’s not necessarily the best idea to try to bring those titles over to a third-party device. Unless the tablet supports reading apps like Amazon’s Kindle or the Kobo app, you’ll be limited to supported file types, like ePUB, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, PNG and others.

Search functionality

Third, most E Ink tablets have some search features, but they can vary widely between models. You’ll want to consider how important it is to you to be able to search through all your handwritten notes and markups. I noticed that Amazon’s and Kobo’s E Ink tablets made it easy to refer back to notes made in books and files because they automatically save on which pages you took notes, made highlights and more. Searching is less standardized on E Ink tablets that have different supported file types, but their features can be quite powerful in their own right. For example, a few devices I tested supported text search in handwritten notes along with handwriting recognition, the latter of which allows you to translate your scribbles into typed text.

Sharing and connectivity

The final factor to consider is sharing and connectivity. Yes, we established that E Ink tablets can be great distraction-free devices, but most manufacturers understand that your notes and doodles aren’t created in a vacuum. You’ll likely want to access them elsewhere, and that requires some form of connectivity. All of the E Ink tablets I tried were Wi-Fi devices, and some supported cloud syncing, companion mobile apps and the ability to export notes via email so you can access them elsewhere. None of them, however, integrate directly with a digital note taking system like Evernote or OneNote, so these devices will always be somewhat supplementary if you use apps like that, too. Ultimately, you should think about what you will want to do with the documents you’ll interact with on your E Ink tablet after the tablet portion is done.

Other E Ink tablets we've tested

Lenovo Smart Paper

Lenovo made a solid E Ink tablet in the Smart Paper, but it's too pricey and too married to the company's companion cloud service to warrant a spot on our top picks list. The hardware is great, but the software isn't as flexible as those of competitors like the reMarkable 2. It has good Google Drive integration, but you must pair it with Lenovo's cloud service to really get the most use out of it — and in the UK, the service costs £9 per month for three months, which is quite expensive.

Onyx Boox Tab Ultra

The Boox Tab Ultra has a lot of the same features we like in the Note Air 2 Plus, but it’s designed to be a true, all-purpose tablet with an E Ink screen. Running Android 11 and compatible with a magnetic keyboard case, you can use it like a standard 2-in-1 laptop, albeit a low-powered one. You can browse the web, check email and even watch YouTube videos on this thing — but that doesn’t mean you should. A standard 2-in-1 laptop with a more responsive screen and better overall performance would be a better fit for most people who even have the slightest desire to have an all-in-one device. Like the rest of Onyx’s devices, the Tab Ultra is specifically for those who put reading and eye comfort above all else.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-e-ink-tablet-130037939.html?src=rss

PagerDuty study claims 73% of UK businesses have “fully” integrated GenAI already55% plan to adopt agentic AI at an “accelerated pace”, report saysEarly adopters are more likely to continue

Three in four (73%) UK businesses have “fully” integrated generative AI tools into their companies as they move from experimentation to implementation, putting the nation ahead of the global average of 63%.New research from PagerDuty claims Australia also leads the way with 69% full integration, while Japan and its infamously aging population lags at just 44%.Real-world use cases are also evolving, with 94% of companies now expecting to adopt agentic AI faster than generative AI as they seek the productivity-enhancing benefits of autonomy.

UK businesses are leading on the AI front

Although the figures suggest that interest in agentic AI could be higher, it’s also plausible that companies have learned from their slow and cautious approach to AI in its early stages.In 2023, a year after ChatGPT had launched in public preview, only 33% of businesses reported at least one business function for GenAI. A year later, in July 2024, this had risen to 71%.More than half (55%) of the 1,000 IT and business executives surveyed by PagerDuty confirmed they will integrate AI agents “at an accelerated pace.”Half (51%) have already deployed AI agents, with 35% planning to do so within the next two years. Only 3% have no definitive timelines for agentic AI deployment.Interestingly, the study reveals that 44% were concerned about their rushed GenAI adoption – a mistake leaders hope not to make again.Leaders have also learned to assess cost control (40%), improve employee training (37%) and strengthen data infrastructure (37%) as they deepen their relationships with artificial intelligence.“Companies that successfully integrate agentic AI into their operations can expect increased efficiency gains by automating complexity and accelerating decision-making,” PagerDuty CIO Eric Johnson summarized.Looking ahead, the report suggests that 71% of companies that have fully implemented generative AI are “far more likely” to have already deployed agentic AI, demonstrating the power of making that first move.

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