news,technology

Prime Video has an extensive catalog of rotating movies and TV shows, including those in our curated list of best Prime Video shows. That said, it's difficult to find exactly what titles are leaving Prime Video because it doesn't have a dedicated "expiring filter" like it does for Amazon in the UK. In Amazon US, expiring titles have a label that appears at least 14 days in advance. It's just up to you to find it.But we're here to help with that step. While combing through forums and catalogs, we've pinpointed these three highly rated movies that are leaving Prime Video soon. (If you're tired of the old and want more of the new, you can look at these three new Prime Video movies in April 2025 instead.)

Saturday Church (2018)

RT score: 90%Directors: Damon CardasisAge Rating: RLength: 1 hr 22 minLeaving on: April 29

Saturday Church is director Damon Cardasis' first feature film, starring a troubled queer youth that learns to express himself through dance. It's a unique coming-of-age movie that doubles as a musical, perfect for watchers that like a good beat.Fourteen-year-old Ulysses (Luka Kain) struggles with his role as the new 'man of the house' while exploring his gender identity. After the death of his father, he and his sister Amara find themselves in the care of their conservative aunt Rose while their mother is working.Ulysses is bullied at school for being shy and effeminate but learns that maybe that isn't so bad when he meets a group of LGBTQ kids that introduce him to voguing at the local church.

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

RT score: 86%Directors: Sergio LeoneAge Rating: RLength: 3 hr 39 minLeaving on: April 29

Once Upon a Time in America is a commitment with its three and a half-hour runtime, but it's worth watching for fans of gritty older films. It's still considered an American classic to this day because of its direction, score, and deeper themes of friendship and betrayal.Released in 1984, Once Upon a Time in America stars Hollywood icon Robert De Niro as David 'Noodles' Aaronson, a gang member that grew up in the slums of the Lower East Side. The movie shifts between different points in Noodles' life between the early 1910s to the late 1960s, all of which give insight into the truth behind the regrets he faces.Note: It isn't for the faint of heart and you should definitely check the rating information if you struggle with content warnings.

Past Lives (2023)

RT score: 95%Directors: Celine SongAge Rating: PG-13Length: 1 hr 45 minLeaving on: April 30

Past Lives explores the connections we have with others, even though we may never get to know them quite as much as we'd like to.Na Young (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Yoo Teo) are childhood friends. They grow up together in South Korea until Na Young moves with her family to Canada and becomes 'Nora Moon'. After years apart, they reconnect online and start talking again but decide to focus on their own lives because it's not feasible to anchor their lives over a long-distance relationship. Nora eventually marries and moves to NYC with her husband.Nora and Hae Sung intermittently keep in touch over multiple years but slip past each other, never committing to meeting or anything significant. When Hae Sung tells her he's visiting the city for a short trip, the two decide to see each other again, but at what cost?

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Looking for a good VPN service? ExpressVPN is offering one heck of a deal right now. You can snag a 28-month subscription, which is well over two years, for 61 percent off the typical price. This boils down to $5 per month, but there’s one catch. You have to pay up front, which comes out to $140.

That’s a hefty initial payout, but having access to a good VPN service into late 2027 sounds pretty dang nice. To that end, ExpressVPN is one of the more reputable companies out there and it easily made our list of the best VPN providers. We appreciated the speedy connections offered by the service. This isn’t always the case with VPNs. We also didn’t encounter too much lag during our testing.

It works on a variety of devices, so this isn’t just for the living room desktop. ExpressVPN integrates with mobile gadgets, smart TVs and game consoles, among other items. It’s really the best solution for gamers who travel a lot. It also comes with an in-house password manager, which would eliminate the need for a standalone subscription.

Truly the only real downside of this service is the price. The regular cost is $13 per month, which is mighty steep. This sale alleviates this concern, at least for 28 months. Spending $5 per month for a VPN of this caliber is something of a no-brainer.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-61-percent-off-expressvpn-two-year-subscriptions-150758737.html?src=rss

We've got good news and bad news for fans of Heartstopper. There's not going to be another season of one of the best Netflix shows, but Nick and Charlie will be going out in style in a full-length feature film.The news was announced on Netflix's Tudum site, which confirms that Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman will be on board to write the new Netflix movie. It'll start filming in the summer.And that's not all Netflix has to say about the movie. It's going to be emotional...

What happens in the movie of Heartstopper?

The movie will pick up immediately after the Hearstopper season 3 finale, with Nick and Charlie an apparently inseparable couple.But life has a tendency of getting in the way, and with Nick preparing to leave for university while Charlie finds new independence at school, they have to face the reality of trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. According to Netflix, "doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet."The film will also focus on Nick and Charlie's friends, who are "navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship. confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on".As you'd hope, Kit Connor and Joe Locke are back as the teen lovebirds – although that wasn't guaranteed, because their contracts had expired and the show had made them both in-demand actors. Other cast announcements for what could likely become one of the best Netflix movies will be made soon.One of the interesting things about this movie is that it draws from volume six of the Heartstopper graphic novels – and that volume isn't out yet. Alice Oseman has suggested that volume six would ideally come out before the finale, but according to Deadline she's still writing it. No pressure, Alice...

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CATL unveils second generation of its "Shenxing" fast-charging batteryA five-minute charge can add over 320-miles of rangeThe lithium-iron phosphate battery cells are cheaper than nickel-rich rivals

China’s EV giants are currently embroiled in a battery charging arms race, as the likes of BYD, Huawei, and Zeekr all recently announced that they had cracked 1MW charging speeds for five-minute battery top-ups.CATL, which is the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer by a long way, has also joined in the competition, announcing that its next-generation 'Shenxing' LFP (lithium-ion phosphate) battery can add over 320 miles in just five minutes from the appropriate but currently thin-on-the-ground 1MW fast charging outlets.Boasting that the batteries will feature in more than 67 new EVs due to arrive this year, CATL’s Chief Technology Officer, Gao Huan, said the goal is to make the Shenxing technology "the standard" for electric vehicles.But alongside the company’s range-topping technology, it also announced a more energy-dense sodium battery, branded as Naxtra. This will deliver a range of over 300 miles, offering a much more affordable and safer option to current lithium and lead-acid-based batteries.CATL says the technology achieves an energy density of 175Wh per kg, which puts it on par with many of today’s premium LFP battery packs found in the likes of BYD, Tesla, and Volvo products.Plus, with an abundance of sodium, it reduces the reliance on rare earth materials, making it much cheaper to manufacture, and could therefore be introduced to more affordable, entry-level EVs in the future.

China continues to push EV tech forward

(Image credit: CATL)

Alongside its more affordable, sodium-based batteries and ultra-fast charging packs, the company’s CTO also hinted at a new "dual-power" pack design, which would allow for two different battery chemical make-ups to run in parallel.Although there was little in the way of real-world examples at the firm’s recent Tech Day in Shanghai, CATL stated that two lithium-ion units with nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathodes could potentially offer a capacity of 180kWh - far eclipsing the 100 or so kWh touted by today’s costliest EVs.This would effectively be able to power a small electric sedan for almost 950 miles before the battery packs run dry, practically doubling the range touted by some of the most advanced electric vehicles on sale today.Of course, this sort of technology is going to be reserved for the wealthiest of CATL’s automotive clientele and embedded into premium models that the masses can only dream of affording.But the company’s constant 'leveling up' of battery tech means that even the most basic technology it offers is now becoming more energy dense, safer, and faster to charge.Could the days of lengthy charging stops and constantly interrupted electric road trips be soon behind us? Let's hope so.

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Google has been paying Samsung tons of cash every month to pre-install the AI app Gemini on its smartphones, according to a report by Bloomberg. This information comes to us as part of a pre-existing antitrust case against Google.

Peter Fitzgerald, Google’s VP of platforms and device partnerships, testified in federal court that it began paying Samsung for this service back in January. The pair of companies have a contract that’s set to run at least two years.

Fitzgerald told Judge Amit Metha, who is overseeing the case, that Google provides Samsung with both fixed monthly payments and a percentage of revenue earned from advertisers within the Gemini app. The monetary figures are unknown, but DOJ lawyer David Dahlquist called it an "enormous sum of money in a fixed monthly payment."

This antitrust case started with an accusation that Google had been illegally abusing a monopoly over the search engine industry. Part of the testimony surrounding that case involved Google paying Apple, Samsung and other companies to ensure it was the default search engine on its devices.

Judge Mehta agreed and found that this practice constitutes a violation of antitrust law. He’s currently hearing additional testimony to decide what measures Google must take to remedy the illegal behavior, which is where this Gemini reveal comes from.

Testimony from another case involving Epic Games indicated that Google handed over $8 billion from 2020 to 2023 to ensure that Google Search, the Play Store and Google Assistant were used by default on Samsung mobile devices. A California federal judge later ruled that the company must lift restrictions that prevent rival marketplaces and billing systems. Google is in the process of appealing that ruling.

As an aside, if Google is hellbent on handing out Scrooge McDuck-sized bags of money to increase adoption rates of its generative AI app, why not give the regular people who have to actually use the bloatware some of that cash? Just saying.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-pays-samsung-an-enormous-amount-of-money-to-pre-install-gemini-on-phones-153439068.html?src=rss

1Password has revealed new tools for its XAM platformUsers will benefit from compliance and governance featuresAgentic AI security has also been improved with new SDK

1Password, a leader in Extended Access Management (XAM) and creator of one of the best password managers, has unveiled a swathe of new security and Agentic AI capabilities in its XAM platform.Among the new updates are enhanced governance and compliance capabilities, and one-click app access, alongside new Agentic AI features including a 1Password SDK, service accounts, and the ability to store AI Agent secrets in the 1Password Enterprise password manager.1Password have also announced a new partnership with Drata to further boost 1Password’s compliance offerings.

Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month. Keeper generates and stores strong passwords so you never have to remember them again. Don’t let one weak password leave you exposed.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

New XAM capabilities

From June 2025, the platform will also offer extended device compliance to allow IT teams additional visibility into the devices employees are using to access web and AI applications, whether they are work-provided or personal devices. A one-click app launcher will also be made available in June, providing employees with a single access point to all the managed and unmanaged applications they need.In fall 2025, the platform will additionally offer access governance for SaaS applications, allowing IT teams to fully monitor and automate access and discover unauthorized shadow IT. IT admins will be able to access an XAM console that will provide visibility on user lifecycle, surface insights, policies across users, their devices, and the applications they access."The way people work has fundamentally changed, and security needs to catch up quickly,” said David Faugno, Co-CEO at 1Password. “The explosion of SaaS has increased access management and governance complexity, and now, agentic AI is compounding that challenge.”“Organizations need a new approach, one that not only secures managed devices and applications but also the unmanaged tools that employees and AI agents actually use to get work done. That’s exactly what 1Password Extended Access Management is built for. We’re not just solving today’s problems; we’re shaping the future of identity and access management security - one that empowers productivity without compromising protection,” Faugno added.

Agentic AI security from 1Password

From today, 1Password has made an SDK for Agentic AI available to help developers build secure AI workflows through programmatic management of vault items. What’s more, developers and IT admins will be able to create scoped API keys to allow AI agents to access vaults without exposing credentials, and allow AI agents to perform efficiently without exposing businesses to additional risk.The 1Password enterprise password manager now also offers secure vaults for AI agents, where they can retrieve information needed to access service providers, while also providing audit logs.“AI agents will rapidly become the hardest-working members of today’s workforce,” said Jeff Shiner, Co-CEO at 1Password. “They operate non-stop at machine speed, scaling workflows in ways we’ve never seen—but they don’t fit neatly into old security models. That’s why we created Agentic AI Security: to help businesses move fast and stay secure, giving developers the tools to innovate confidently while providing security teams the visibility they need.”

1Password partners with Drata

1Password has also announced that it has partnered with Drata to offer enhanced compliance through continuous monitoring, secure access enforcement, and real-time insights across the edge, AI-driven tools, and employee-owned devices.“Security and compliance are inseparable, especially as SaaS sprawl and AI adoption introduce new layers of complexity and risk,” said David Faugno, Co-CEO of 1Password. “Organizations can’t achieve lasting compliance without securing how people, devices, applications, and AI agents access their critical business data, and you can’t secure access without continuously verifying compliance.”“This partnership with Drata helps unify these efforts, giving companies the ability to enforce strong security policies across all identities, applications, and devices—both managed and unmanaged—while staying continuously audit-ready. It’s a step toward a more modern, automated, and resilient approach to trust at scale,” Faugno concluded.

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Nintendo finally revealed when gamers in the US and Canada will be able to place their orders for Switch 2 consoles. Nintendo announced that Switch 2 pre-orders will open on April 24 in both regions. Price has remained the same, even in the face of tariffs: the Switch 2 console alone will cost $450, while the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will cost $500.

However, Nintendo also stated it will adjust prices of Switch 2 accessories due to "market conditions." "Other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions," the company said in the press release.

Also in its statement, the company apologized for the pre-order delay and reiterated that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be widely available starting June 5.

How to pre-order the Switch 2

In addition to direct from Nintendo, you'll be able to snag a Switch 2 from participating retailers when the console becomes available. Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and Target have confirmed they'll be opening pre-orders on April 24. GameStop said it will be accepting pre-orders both in stores and online, the latter starting at 11AM ET that day. Walmart's and Target's pre-orders will open at midnight. We also expect it to be available from Amazon.

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Amazon:

Nintendo Switch 2 console

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Walmart:

Nintendo Switch 2 console

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from GameStop:

Nintendo Switch 2 console

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Best Buy:

Nintendo Switch 2 console

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Target:

Nintendo Switch 2 console

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle

Pre-order the Switch 2 from Nintendo:

Nintendo Switch 2 console

There's some fine-print attached to pre-ordering directly from Nintendo. According to the pre-order page on Nintendo's site, you must be 18 years or older, sign in with your Nintendo account and register your interest in pre-ordering. Then, you'll be sent an invitation email when it's time to play your pre-order, and the invitation will be valid for 72 hours.

And then there's this bit of info: "Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025."

That seems to mean those who have paid for Switch Online in the recent past and those who have spent a good amount of time playing Switch games as of late will get first pick at buying a Switch 2.

Tariffs and the Nintendo Switch 2

During its most recent Direct presentation at the start of April, Nintendo showed off more of the Switch 2 than it ever had before. That included the reveal of the April 9 pre-order opening date, in addition to the original $450 starting price. Shortly after, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on China and other countries, prompting Nintendo to delay pre-orders in the US and Canada.

In a reversal, President Trump then announced a 90-day pause on steep “reciprocal” tariffs affecting 75 countries, but also announced that the tariff imposed on China will go up even further (currently, it's up to 245 percent for that country).

We now know that the original $450 price for the Switch 2 will remain the same in the US and Canada, but based on its official statement, it appears Nintendo is leaving the door open for potential future price increases.

We also know that Nintendo started moving some of its Switch console manufacturing to Vietnam in 2019. The reciprocal tariff for Vietnam was set to be 46 percent, but that appears to be on hold for now in favor of a 10 percent reciprocal tariff that’s now in effect for the 90-day pause period. It has been speculated that Nintendo will ramp up production of Switch 2 consoles in Vietnam so it can stay on schedule, even if it sells the console at a loss in the short term.

More Switch 2 details

We knew from the teaser trailer for the Switch 2 that Nintendo's new hardware would be bigger and would have a new approach to the detachable Joy-Cons. The new Joy-Con 2 have a new C button, mouse controls and a built in gyroscope for tilt control. The console has a built-in mic to support a new feature called Game Chat that will let you communicate with friends in-game. The device is indeed a bit larger, with a 7.9-inch LCD screen that supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR and a 1080p resolution.

When docked, you'll be able to play at up to 4K on your TV, and Nintendo says it improved the consoles internal speakers as well. The new dock also has a built-in fan to keep the console cool and help maintain performance during long play sessions. The Switch 2 has dual USB-C ports for charging, and the base storage amount has increased to 256GB. The Switch 2's storage can be expanded like the previous model, but it will only work with newer microSD Express cards.

The Switch 2 has a number of accessories that you'll be able to purchase separately as well. Those are the accessories that Nintendo stated will receive price adjustments — otherwise known as price increases. The new Switch 2 camera will now cost $55, instead of the original $50 price tag; the new Switch 2 Pro controller will be $85 instead of $80; an extra pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers will set you back $95 instead of $90 and a Joy-Con charging grip will go for $40 instead of $35. Check out Nintendo's official statement for all of the accessory price adjustments.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2-pre-orders-open-thursday-starting-at-450-plus-everything-else-you-need-to-know-140931955.html?src=rss

One of the worst-kept secrets in games is now completely out in the open. It's true, Bethesda has been shepherding along a remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion with the help of external developer Virtuos. The publisher formally revealed the remaster on Tuesday. Never mind that screenshots leaked on Virtuous' website last week.

You can play it right now as the game has landed on PC (via Steam and the Xbox App for Windows PC), Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Since this is a project from Microsoft-owned Bethesda, Oblivion Remastered is on Game Pass. The base Oblivion Remastered game includes the the Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles expansions. There are extras available, such as bonus quests, of course, horse armor DLC (that was a whole thing, trust me). A deluxe edition has these, and other gear, bundled in.

As you might expect, Bethesda and Virtuos (a long-time partner of the publisher) have given the 2006 original a huge visual overhaul, updating the look of the RPG for modern systems. The remaster, which was built using Unreal Engine 5, has 4K Ultra HD graphics and it can run at framerates of 60 fps. Virtuos says it used the same base mesh system for for every race of characters. As such, the developers say they were able to make the lip-sync system more effective regardless of the characters' facial features. There's plenty of new dialogue too, including unique voice lines for all races.

The user interface, lighting effects, landscapes, audio and, of course, gameplay have all been refined here. The levelling system has been given an overhaul too, with the developers taking cues from both the original game and Skyrim. Fans of third-person adventuring will be please to learn that perspective has been upgraded too — there's now a crosshair, for one thing. Bethesda is also promising additional autosaves, enhanced accessibility features and improvements to enemy scaling.

Bethesda is currently working on The Elder Scrolls 6, but that doesn't mean the studio has left the past behind entirely. Bethesda Game Studios head Todd Howard said in the announcement video that each chapter of The Elder Scrolls "tried to define role-playing games and open-world games for their generation." Oblivion, in particular, "was a real defining moment in the series and for how we make games as a studio," he added. "Every time we think about Oblivion, it's 'what if we could give that moment to everybody again?'"This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-elder-scrolls-4-oblivion-remastered-is-out-right-now-and-yes-theres-horse-armor-dlc-154801655.html?src=rss

Squarespace website builder review

Squarespace has become a top choice in the website builder world thanks to its sleek designs and easy-to-use tools. You’ve probably seen it advertised across different platforms, and for good reason—it’s hard to miss.

ForBuilt-in email marketingEssential e-commerce features with most plansLots of lovely, mobile-responsive templatesFree trial with no credit card info requiredHelpful link in bio toolFree SSL certificateHelpful 24/7 customer support and well-supplied knowledgebaseA solid set of featuresAgainstCan't switch templates without starting from scratchNo telephone supportLow level of customization

Hostinger website builder review

Hostinger is known for its easy drag-and-drop editor, built-in SEO tools, and fast hosting. With customizable templates and AI-powered design options, Hostinger makes it simple to create a professional website without breaking the bank.

For24/7 live chat supportAwesome AI-powered tools7-day free trailAll-in-one sort of solutionEssential ecommerce toolsFree SSL securityIntuitive and insightful user interfaceRoyalty-free image libraryMulti-language supportFree domain (for 1-year, with annual plans)30-day money back guaranteeAgainstNo forever free planNot fit for a membership siteYou can’t switch templatesAll ecommerce tools only on premium planMost AI tools only on premium plan

Hostinger and Squarespace are two of the best website builders in 2025. They both offer user-friendly drag-and-drop editors, making it simple for anyone to create a professional website. Squarespace is known for its stylish templates and strong blogging features. In contrast, Hostinger shines with its AI tools, low prices, and fast hosting options.Hostinger website builder prices start at $2.99/mo (or less with our Hostinger promo codes), but rises to $11.99/mo after the initial term. This is still a fair bit cheaper than Sqaurespace, that starts its pricing at $16/mo (or less with our Squarespace promo codes).This comparison will look at how these platforms measure up in key areas. We'll cover things like pricing, template quality, editor features, ecommerce options, and customer support. By exploring the strengths and weaknesses of each builder, we’ll help you find the right fit for your needs, whether you want to build a portfolio, blog, small business site, or online store.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Pricing

(Image credit: Squarespace)

With just 4 plans to pick from, Squarespace pricing is simple to understand.The Personal plan starts at $16/month for features such as custom domains, Squarespace AI, SSL security, and unlimited bandwidth. Moving up to the Business plan at $23/month, you get additional features like website analytics, promotional pop-ups, customization with CSS and Javascript, and a 3% transaction fee on e-commerce sales.If you're aiming to build an online store, the Basic Commerce plan removes the transaction fees and adds perks like point of sale, product review, and more at $27/month. Meanwhile, larger stores can go with the Advanced Commerce plan. At $52/month, you’ll get additional features like advanced shipping, abandoned cart recovery, discounts, and commerce APIs.Depending on your situation, you can save up to 50% on your Squarespace subscription by using one of the best Squarespace promo codes.

(Image credit: Hostinger)

Hostinger has two budget-friendly website builder plans, starting with the Premium Website Builder plan at just $2.99/month for a 48-month term.This plan includes a free domain worth $9.99, integration with third-party tools like Facebook Pixel, Google Analytics, WhatsApp, Adsense, and access to a Mobile website editor.At a slightly higher cost, the Business Website Builder plan comes in at $3.99/month and includes AI tools for generating images, blog writing, heatmaps, and SEO. Plus, you can set up your online store with a 0% transaction fee.My verdict: Hostinger clearly wins in terms of affordability with its highly competitive pricing, making it ideal for beginners or small businesses on a budget. However, if you want a more polished, design-focused website with powerful built-in tools, Squarespace's higher price might be worth it, as it has specific plans based on your needs.

Hostinger vs Squarespace: Features

For its website builder, Hostinger offers over 150 customizable templates and AI features like an AI Website Builder, AI Writer, AI Heatmap, and AI Logo Generator. These tools help users create content, optimize sites, and build brands easily. Plus, Hostinger includes fully managed hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee for reliable websites.Squarespace features about 180 beautiful, designer-made templates that are modern and visually appealing. Its Fluid Engine drag-and-drop editor allows customization but follows a more structured grid. Squarespace also includes Blueprint AI for site creation, Acuity Scheduling for bookings, and strong blogging features. Both platforms support ecommerce on higher-tier plans, but, Squarespace offers more integrations and extensions.For AI tools and flexible hosting, Hostinger is better. For design-focused sites with more integrations, Squarespace takes the cake. Your choice depends on your business and website preferences, along with your technical proficiency.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Editor

Squarespace stands out with its intuitive and polished drag-and-drop editor, Fluid Engine. This editor features grid-based layouts and predefined content blocks. As you build your website, you can customize your template with colors, fonts, images, and content. You can see these changes in real time as you edit, and it’s easy to switch between the desktop and mobile views to make sure your site looks good on all devices. Squarespace comes with built-in tools for adding blogs, photo galleries, and online store features, which makes it easy to create different kinds of websites.On the other hand, Hostinger’s AI brings your customizable site to life in a matter of minutes. Even if you choose a pre-made template, you can easily tweak elements using their drag-and-drop interface. While it might not be as feature-rich or as visually appealing as Squarespace, it gets the job done quickly and to a high standard. Not to mention, you can use Hostinger’s AI tools like AI Heatmap and AI Writer to optimize content and design for conversions.My verdict: While Hostinger’s AI provides speed and simplicity to launch your site quickly, Squarespace comes out on top, with an intuitive editor that lets you experiment with different layouts. This gives you the flexibility to create beautiful designs and keep your website fresh and up-to-date.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Ecommerce

Squarespace supports a wide variety of features for both physical and digital products, such as product variants, customer reviews, discount codes, and inventory management. It also offers point-of-sale integration, subscription-based services, and abandoned cart recovery in its Advanced Commerce plan. Squarespace further enhances your online store with SEO tools, customizable checkout pages, and the ability to connect your store with social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.From a single dashboard, Hostinger lets you set up a payment method, customize each item, add your business info for invoices, and review your shipping policies. It also offers several advanced tools, some of which are AI-powered, that can speed up store creation and product upload.From the Store Manager section, you can set up an online store, manage inventory, create product categories, and offer discount codes. While you get insights like average order value and revenue, their ecommerce tools are not as advanced as Squarespace. Hostinger is best suited for smaller online stores that don’t need extensive ecommerce functionalities.My verdict: Squarespace is the clear winner for users looking to build a full-fledged ecommerce website with advanced features. Hostinger is a great budget option for small businesses or individuals needing basic e-commerce capabilities.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: User experience

Squarespace focuses on giving you a visually-driven user experience. Its platform is smooth, well-organized, and packed with design-forward features that make building a website enjoyable. Whether you're a designer or someone with minimal tech skills, Squarespace’s well-thought-out UI leverages the help of AI for intuitive recommendations. All of their templates are mobile-optimized, so your website will look great across all devices.Hostinger’s AI builder is designed to be quick and easy. The interface is straightforward and the features are great for those with no or little website building experience. While it doesn’t have the same level of design customization as Squarespace, the simplicity of the platform makes it easier to navigate, particularly for non-designers. Plus, the platform is lightweight, which ensures fast load times and smooth browsing experiences.My verdict: If you value design and aesthetics, Squarespace’s user experience is unparalleled. Hostinger is more focused on efficiency and speed, making it a great choice for users who prioritize simplicity over complex design options.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Support

Squarespace comes with 24/7 email support and live chat during business hours. Additionally, they have an extensive knowledge base, video tutorials, forum, and webinars to help you get the most out of their platform. If you need professional assistance, you can hire a Squarespace Expert to help set up your site. While Squarespace support is highly regarded, the lack of direct phone support may be a drawback for some users.Similarly, despite a lack of phone support, Hostinger’s customer support team functions well with 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. Like Squarespace, it features a knowledge base with step-by-step guides, articles, and tutorials. What sets Hostinger apart is its Hostinger Academy YouTube channel, which has over 550 videos, run by industry experts.My verdict: It’s almost a tie, since both Squarespace and Hostinger offer good resources, though neither has phone support. Squarespace comes with live chat, tutorials, and expert help, while Hostinger is known for quick responses and its highly valuable YouTube channel.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Final Verdict

Between the two, Hostinger stands out as a more affordable and flexible choice. Plans start at a small fraction of Squarespace's cost while offering essential website building features. AI tools add great value for content creation and optimization. The platform also boasts reliable hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Hostinger suits budget-conscious users, small businesses, and those who want a mix of simplicity and customization.Squarespace, though pricier, offers superior design quality. Its professionally crafted templates and easy drag-and-drop editor make it a favorite among creatives. It's often rated as one of the easiest website builders, perfect for beginners who want to focus on aesthetics. The platform includes better integrations and features, but these come at a higher price.For users looking for the best value and AI-assisted building, Hostinger is the top pick. If design is your main focus and you’re ready to pay more for a polished site, Squarespace is the gold standard. Your choice should depend on your specific needs, budget, and design preferences.

The group struck government, air control, and telco firms in Southeast AsiaVictims were not namedLotus Panda used never-before-seen infostealers and loaders

Lotus Panda, a Chinese state-sponsored threat actor, managed to compromise multiple organizations in a number of Southeast-Asian countries, in a campaign that took place between mid-2024 and early 2025.Cybersecurity researchers from the Symantec Threat Hunter Team said the organizations included government agencies, air traffic control organizations, telecom operators, and a construction company in one country, a news agency in another, and an air freight organization in another. The victim countries, or organizations, were not named.In the attack, the group used never-before-seen malware, loaders, credential stealers, and reverse SSH tools.

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Chinese cyber-spies

Lotus Panda allegedly abused legitimate executables from antivirus companies Trend Micro and Bitdefender, using them to sideload malicious DLL files which dropped and decrypted second-stage payloads. The threat actor also allegedly updated Sagerunex, a group-exclusive tool that can steal sensitive information and exfiltrate it, encrypted, to a third-party server. We don’t know how the group made the initial breach, though.Other notable tools used in this campaign are infostealers ChromeKatz and CredentialKatz."The attackers deployed the publicly available Zrok peer-to-peer tool, using the sharing function of the tool in order to provide remote access to services that were exposed internally," Symantec said. "Another legitimate tool used was called 'datechanger.exe.' It is capable of changing timestamps for files, presumably to muddy the waters for incident analysts.Lotus Panda is a known state-sponsored group, sometimes reported as Billbug, Lotus Blossom, Thrip, Spring Dragon, and Bronze Elgin. The group has allegedly been active since 2009, and is focused primarily on cyber-espionage. Its usual targets are government agencies, defense organizations, telcos and the media in Southeast Asia.There were also reports of Lotus Panda attacks in the United States and Australia, too, which could suggest that the group is looking to expand its reach.Via The Hacker News

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The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has granted the first licenses to three companies to provide VPN services The new framework comes as Pakistanis increasingly use VPNs to bypass the X ban and other internet restrictionsThe Authority now urges all VPN providers to obtain a license to avoid potential service disruptions

Pakistan's telecom authority continues its quest to regulate the use of unlicensed VPNs across the country despite pushbacks.On April 18, 2025, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) granted the needed license to three companies in order to provide their services in the country. The Authority now urges all VPN providers operating in Pakistan to obtain a license to avoid potential service disruptions.All this comes as increasingly more Pakistanis have been using some of the best VPN services to access X, which has been blocked since February 2024, and other restricted social media platforms.

The end of unlicensed VPNs in Pakistan?

"The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has commenced the licensing of Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers under the Class License for the Provision of Data Services in Pakistan. As part of this process, PTA has already granted Class Licenses to provide VPN services to three companies," the PTA wrote in an official announcement.The plan for a new licensing category for VPN providers was first unveiled in December last year in a bid to regulate Pakistan VPN usage. Companies need to apply for a permit to operate within the country and avoid potential blocks.As the Pakistani English-speaking newspaper The Dawn pointed out at the time, the PTA plan envisages local companies to provide VPN or proxy services to citizens, instead of foreign companies, which are more difficult to control.This may mean the anonymity of Pakistani VPN users could be compromised when using a licensed provider as authorities may be able to monitor VPN traffic.

A post shared by PTA (@ptaofficialpk)A photo posted by on

As mentioned earlier, the Authority is now urging all VPN providers operating in the country to apply for the needed license."Timely licensing will help prevent potential service disruptions and ensure uninterrupted access for their customers," wrote the PTA.VPN services remain a necessary tool at the time of writing to keep accessing all the main social media platforms in Pakistan, including X, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and even Bluesky.Given last year's failures in successfully regulating VPN usage in Pakistan – authorities were forced to withdraw the ban on unregistered services due to a lack of legal grounds to ban VPNs – it's difficult to predict what's at stake for VPN users in the country.Talking to TechRadar back in December, Proton VPN confirmed that if the PTA's VPN framework is eventually enforced for all providers, the company's response would be to replace its physical servers with its Smart Routing technology, as the company did in India in 2022.TechRadar has approached some of the top providers for comment on the matter, but we are still waiting for a response at the time of writing.

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The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered has been officially revealed, and it's available right nowThe game is on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Game PassIt has been rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 and features all-new character models, reworked mechanics, a lighting system, and more

Bethesda Softworks has officially unveiled The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, and it's playable right now.Following a series of recent leaks, today's special Bethesda broadcast finally confirmed that the remaster of the 2006 game is real and is now available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Game Pass.The standard edition costs $49.99 / £49.99 and it's $59.99 / £59.99 for the Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition comes with the base game plus additional content in the form of new quests, armor, horse armor, and weapons.According to Bethesda, the game has been rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 in collaboration with Virtuos to "achieve our visual goals" and features all-new character models, a new lighting system that simulates how light interacts with the environment, and a rework of the game mechanics.

Gameplay has also been completely modernized, along with UI and UX, audio, and environments, like cities, woodland, and dungeons, but still features the original game's identity."This is Oblivion in its most complete form," one developer said in the broadcast.Bethesda boss Todd Howard also made an appearance to talk about the remaster 20 years after the original was released, and also reaffirmed that the studio is "working on the sixth chapter," aka The Elder Scrolls 6."...What's great about The Elder Scrolls is being able to look back at all of the chapters: Skyrim, Morrowind, Oblivion, Daggerfall, Arena. Each of them try to define role-playing games and open-world games for their generation," he said."Oblivion was a real defining moment in the series and how we make games as a studio."

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Engadget's pick for the best security camera for newbies is on sale for 30 percent off. The Google Nest Security Cam has an easy setup, wide-ranging compatibility and 1080p HD video. It also doesn't hurt that it's pretty dang cute. Typically ringing up for $100, you can get the camera today on Amazon for $69.98.

We found the wired security camera to have the most true-to-life video of the models we tested. Its colors hit a Goldilocks zone — neither too cold nor too warm — with subtle, accurate hues. It also supports night vision, with smoother and less grainy results than competing cams.

The camera covers about a 90-degree vertical range and 360 degrees horizontally. Its recordings' 135-degree diagonal field of view isn't the widest, but it should be plenty for anything you need to see.

Part of what makes it accessible to smart home security newcomers is the Google Home app. First, the odds are high that you already have an account with the company, making signing in a breeze. In addition, adding your device to the app is an easy process with clear labels and easy-to-follow instructions. It also offers full functionality for iPhones, not just Android handsets.

The Nest Cam has a friendly-looking design composed of two half orbs connected by a little arm. The device has a matte finish and is available in several colors: white, foggy gray and charming "linen."

Although the camera's subscription plan is optional, using it without one severely limits your options, with only three hours of recent event history and people, animal and vehicle detection. Otherwise, you'll need to plunk down $8 monthly for a Nest Aware subscription that saves the past 30 days of activity. Or, if you want to go all in, a $15 monthly Plus plan lets you rewind up to 90 days of history and supports up to 10 days of 24/7 recording. Unfortunately, the camera doesn't have a local storage option. So, you'll want to consider the (nearly mandatory) subscription cost before pulling the trigger.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/our-favorite-google-nest-security-camera-is-on-sale-for-30-percent-off-161756687.html?src=rss

Instagram Edits is out now as a free video editor on Android and iOSIt's Meta's answer to CapCut with a major emphasis on integration with the main Instagram platformEdits also features some AI-powered tools like Cutouts and Animate

Instagram’s answer to CapCut is finally here. Edits was first teased by Adam Mosseri, the Meta-owned social media giant's head, in mid-January, as TikTok was facing its first ban in the US. It was originally supposed to launch in February, then March, but here we are in April, and today’s the day.As initially promised, Instagram Edits is available for free on Android and iOS. It lands as a familiar timeline-based editor offering deep integration with Instagram, meaning you can view your metrics, watch other Reels, browse through all the available sounds and audio clips, and even apply popular effects.Unlike CapCut, which is owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, or other video-editing apps for mobile, Instagram is billing Edits as a one-stop shop. As you can see from the screenshots below, there's a lot of focus on creation and ideation.Beyond importing video, making cuts, adding text, and implementing effects, you can use sticky notes of sorts to create lists of ideas or manage various projects.

(Image credit: Instagram)

As noted above, you can watch other Reels and browse for them without leaving the app. Plus, you’ll have the ability to save notes associated with them – maybe it’s one you want to remix or just an excellent custom audio you want to use in your next video.The big appeal, though, for the Instagram faithful is a promised high-quality camera for "enhanced video recording." This way, you can capture and edit right in the app, versus shooting in another app and then moving it into Instagram. Again, as a trend for Meta, the goal is to own the whole process.Now, whether you shoot in the app or import, there are plenty of editing tools available. Mosseri initially teased that Edits would have all the tools you’d expect, and those are here. Instagram is tossing in some more unique ones, though, including the ability to pull from popular effects like a green screen.More advanced effects, like Cutouts, which allows you to isolate a person or object on screen with tracking, or Antimate, which likely utilizes a Meta LLM, can turn images into video for engaging moments, are also included.Both seem pretty handy, and are located at the very bottom of the interface as a row of tools. Above it, you’ll have a classic timeline that harkens back to iMovie and looks quite reminiscent of CapCut. You’ll have your main video track with audio below it, as well as room for on-screen elements like text or overlays.

(Image credit: Instagram)

While I haven’t tried Edits yet, the core functions seem to be on a par with those of other video editors, and it should be easy enough to quickly create an edit with drag-and-drop, cuts, splits, and more. Edits also has a Captions tool, as well as options to record a voiceover and add other elements.Instagram is also promising to listen to feedback, and already has a list of features that are set to arrive in the next few updates to Edits, including the ability to use AI to modify videos, likely with a prompt; keyframes, collaboration features, and an expansion to built-in elements like fonts, filters, and voice effects, among other things.The platform also promises to listen to feedback on Edits and use it to inform the development roadmap. I'm curious to see how Edits stacks up, given that CapCut, which I use quite a bit, disappeared for a while TikTok was banned. You can edit up to 10 minutes of video, and Instagram promises watermark-free exports to its own platform as well as general saves to the device.Additionally, while the AI features aren’t make or break, they could let creators spice up content, and I like the promised functionality of Cutouts. So, yes, while the design does resemble CapCut, that platform didn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel of video editing on the fly.If anything, Instagram launching Edits as a free video editor on iOS and Android should inspire some new features for competing apps to help level the playing field. If you’re interested in trying Edits, it’s rolling out now for Android and iOS.

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Earlier this year, right as TikTok and other ByteDance apps were temporarily pulled from Apple and Google’s app stores, Meta announced that it was working on a new video editing app tailored to Instagram creators. That app, called Edits, is now finally rolling out as Meta continues to try to leverage the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future to draw more creators to its apps.

As previewed in its earlier app store listings, Edits promises much more advanced editing tools than what’s been available in Meta’s apps. The in-app camera allows creators to capture up to 10 minutes of video and publish to Instagram in “enhanced quality.” It also features popular editing effects like green screen and Instagram’s extensive music catalog.

In keeping with Meta’s current focus on AI, Edits comes with a couple AI-powered features as well. The “animate” feature allows users to create a video from a static image, while “cutouts” enables video makers to “isolate specific people or objects with precision tracking.” And unlike ByteDance’s popular editor CapCut, Edits doesn’t export videos with a watermark of any kind (Instagram downranks videos with visible watermarks).

While Edits is launching months after CapCut came back online in the US, Meta is adding some Instagram-specific features to lure Reels creators. This includes in-app post analytics, as well as the ability to import audio tracks they’ve previously saved in the app. And it sounds like Instagram creators can look forward to more specialized features in the future. In a blog post, the company notes that the current version of the app is merely “the first step” for Edits, and that it plans to collaborate with creators on more functionality going forward.

Edits is out now in the App Store and Google Play.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-is-rolling-out-edits-its-capcut-competitor-163045930.html?src=rss

Huge spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 hereNo really, there will be no holds barred on the HUGE events of that episodeBut we won't spoil anything about the future from the game – it's TV-only here

Well, it's here. The Last of Us' TV viewers on Max have caught up to the crushing linchpin of the story's second act that those who played the game have been dreading.At the end of the second episode, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) takes revenge for her father's death and brutally kills Joel (Pedro Pascal) in front of Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who can do nothing but cry and plead in anguish, and in vain.With confirmation that a third season is on the way, there's been heavy implication that the story of the second game would be split across seasons, and I assumed that they might tweak the order of the narrative to push Joel's death to the end of the second season.But no, here we are, looking out today across a landscape of social media posts and reviews from people who are – among other emotions – crushed, furious, confused, and impressed.I have to start with the post on X from @scarjsn that I referenced in the headline, saying "ellie hugging joel's body just ruined my entire week, month, and year" because that seems to have hit the target for a lot of people, as does this post.

i don’t know if there’s anything i’ll ever be able to do to emotionally recover from this moment. #TheLastOfUsSeason2 pic.twitter.com/bisjISeNnjApril 21, 2025

The moment has hit people in a few different ways. There is, it has to be said, the Pedro Pascal of it all. There is a pretty major portion of the world whose attachment is to having this extremely charming and handsome star at the center of the show – especially given his adorable real-life relationship with Bella Ramsey. A large number of people are devastated at losing him as much as the character.But for sure there is a huge amount of love for the character being expressed in people's sadness and anger. It takes a few forms, including people taking what you might call a bittersweet approach, looking at how we got to see the best parts of his character in the final stretch of his life…

joel couldn’t save his daughter, so he protected every goddamn teenage girl until it killed him #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/SwOqvsBfhAApril 21, 2025

…and on the other hand, we have people burning with white hot and unassailable fury at Abby's actions.

Adding her to my list of Top 10 MOST HATED TV CHARACTERS. And it’s only been two episodes. IDGAF what her reason was. I hate this mf’er with a passion and hope she eats pavement (the actress great tho, like kudos to her). #TheLastOfUs #TLOU pic.twitter.com/VqvgRkYStVApril 21, 2025

In the current world where people seem increasingly unwilling to keep the real world and fiction separate, the TLoU team and Max seem to have prepared a bunch of social content of everyone on the show palling around, having a great time, and generally loving each other very much.It's a slightly sad fact that the post below from Pascal was clearly necessary, and that the reason behind it was instantly noticeable, with one Reddit noting "The fact that Pedro posted this photo after episode 2 so his fans wouldn't hate her", while the Daily Beast described it as Pascal 'shielding' Dever from fans. (When the game came out, the actress who portrayed Abby in it received a long-running flood of abusive messages and death threats.)

A post shared by Pedro Pascal he/him (@pascalispunk)A photo posted by on

Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie throughout the whole episode has drawn a lot of praise, not just for the big climax (which we'll come to), but more broadly for how subtly and honestly they portray the mixed feelings that come in the aftermath of the dance.That's helped by the show filling itself with subtle nods to their bond going beyond outward actions or words (pay close attention to the guitar…), but also in Ramsey's delivery of the line below (full or dramatic irony as it may be).

"I'm still me, he's still Joel and we... nothing's gonna change. ever." 😭😭😭#TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/d5ZbLgZLGoApril 21, 2025

There are other shifts in Ramsey's physicality that denote changes deep in Ellie's core. "She looks somehow older in the space of an episode and like a genuine demon waiting to be unleashed," says this Reddit thread from a user saying any concerns about Ramsey playing the older Ellie of season 2 had been eliminated.Of course, subtlety in the delivery out the window when Ellie is injured, trapped helpless on the floor, and forced to watch the person she loves the most die horrible.Ramsey goes through so many modes in those scenes, and looks as physically destroyed by her anguish as she sounds it. The nuclear fury, the painful realization, the cruel half-hope, and the end.

bella ramsey, the emmy is yours pic.twitter.com/7ufQGEqhqHApril 21, 2025

The interesting question is how well the viewership at large responds to The Last of Us' big change. Obviously, that's going to depend partly on what actually comes next, and I'm not going into anything from the game here.But it's a big risk – this moment is so cruel to so many characters, and it's possible for a dark show to go too dark in the eyes of its viewers. That's the question raised by The Guardian, which asks "will this show survive that horrific death?". Writer Graeme Virtue adds: "You could also call that ending brave, or even foolish … By killing off Joel in such a savage fashion, and further traumatising Ellie, you surely risk pushing the story too far into bleakness."Collider has an interesting take on the unflinching brutality of it all: "Like it or not, we needed to see [Joel die] in 'The Last of Us' season 2"."Some viewers may have thought it was too much, but, unfortunately, the depiction of Joel's death is a necessary plot point of this adaptation of The Last of Us, and it isn't about gratuitous violence and gore," writes Julio Bardini. "Instead, it's about being true to one of the most important unspoken rules of storytelling: if someone dies, you've got to show a body."Bardini notes that permanent death has become hard to believe in the era of legacy-sequel revivals or long-running franchises simply needing to get people in their seats, and the return of a fan-favorite is an easy way to do that. If you want people to feel the devastation that TLoU viewers are feeling right now, you need to make clear that there is no ambiguity about it.It's fair to say the show achieved that, and now we are at what Esquire has called "past the point of no return." As Brady Langmann says: "This show belongs to Bella Ramsey now."

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Motorola is planning to launch open earbuds and a new watchThe earbuds are another collaboration with BoseNo price or launch date as yet

Motorola seems to be about to launch its first ever pair of open earbuds in partnership with Bose. And they'll be launching alongside a new Motorola smartwatch too.That's according to well-known leaker Evan Blass, who posted an image of both products to his X account.This isn't the first time Motorola has worked with Bose on a set of buds: it did the same with the Moto Buds+. And if that's any indication, the new earbuds should sound great: in our Moto Buds+ review we described them as "brilliant budget wireless buds" – although the app lacked support for some Android devices, and wasn't available for iOS at all.

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The product name, price and availability haven't been announced yet, although Blass previously reported on the existence of "Moto Loop Earbuds".The images tell us that the earbuds are clip-ons, come in a white gold finish and include a case very much like the one you get with a set of Bose QuietComfort 2 earbuds.Given the Bose connection, it's worth reading up on the Bose Ultra Open earbuds: we reckon they're the best open earbuds on the market right now at the more premium end, and they offer a very impressive audio experience despite being open.But obviously, some people want a more affordable option, and the Moto option might provide that. Bose is on a budget partnership roll right now – Skullcandy just announced its new buds that have Bose sound and noise cancellation tech built-in, and are launching at just $99 / £99.As for the smartwatch, that's a bit less exciting: the Moto Watch Fit, if that's what it's called, looks very like a squarer version of the current Moto Watch 40. It's been reported as an Apple Watch SE rival, so while it may be a little more expensive than the Watch 40 it should still be a fairly affordable device.

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I try to play as broad a swathe of games as I can, including as many of the major releases as I am able to get to. Baldur's Gate 3 garnered near-universal praise when it arrived in 2023, and I was interested in trying it. But when I watched gameplay videos, the user interface seemed distressingly busy. There were far too many icons at the bottom of the screen and my brain crumbled at the sight of them. I am yet to try Baldur's Gate 3.

Two years later, I had similar feelings ahead of checking out Overwatch 2's Stadium, a major new mode for a game I play nearly every single day. Blizzard gave members of the press a spreadsheet that detailed all of the possible upgrades and powers for each hero, as well as a list of modifiers that any character can use. With two dozen or so unlockables for each of the 17 heroes that will be in Stadium at the jump and about 70 general upgrades, that's hundreds of different options Blizzard is adding to the game all at once.

As I scrolled through the list, I was surprised that a feeling of dismay washed over me. I started to worry that Stadium might not be for me.

Figuring out how to combine the items and powers in effective ways for so many different characters seemed completely daunting. It doesn't help that I'm growing tired of more and more major games having RPG elements with deeper character customization. Taking some of the decision making out of my hands by giving a character a defined set of abilities and weapons with no stat or gear upgrades to worry about is more my speed.

Thankfully, Blizzard has some good ideas on how to welcome players into this new mode. And, as it turns out, once I actually started playing Stadium, my anxious feelings swiftly melted away and I had a great time with it.

Blizzard bills Stadium, which will go live for all players as part of season 16 on April 22, as the third pillar of Overwatch 2. It will nestle alongside the Competitive and Unranked modes and only be available in a ranked format.

Stadium is a very different take on Overwatch 2. For instance, it has a more sports-like presentation. Thanks to some tweaks to maps that seem a little out of the Apex Legends playbook and a new, looser announcer, it feels a bit more like a spectator sport than the lore-infused Competitive and Unranked formats. The maps in Stadium are either new stages or condensed versions of existing ones, with rounds typically lasting just a few minutes each.

On paper, Stadium is a more tactical spin on Overwatch 2, though with a vastly different approach than the likes of Valorant or CS:GO. Neither of those games really landed for me (I retired from Valorant with a very modest undefeated record), adding to my concern that I wouldn’t gel with Stadium.

This is a best-of-seven, 5v5 format built around customizing your hero during a match with various upgrades. What's more, this is the first time players can opt for a third-person view at all times. The first-person view is still there if you prefer it.

It's a little redundant to think of Stadium as Blizzard's answer to Marvel Rivals. It's been in development for over two years — it was conceived before Overwatch 2 even debuted and long before Marvel Rivals siphoned away a chunk of the player base. Still, it's hard not to make the comparison.

Blizzard Entertainment

There's a lot to drink in here. Ahead of my hands-on time with Stadium, I asked game director Aaron Keller how the Overwatch 2 team designed the mode to avoid making it feel too overwhelming and how the developers hoped to ease players into Stadium.

The team has done a few things with the aim of making the transition "a little less intimidating" for both long-time players and newcomers to the game, such as having a tab with example builds in the Armory, the pre-round shop where you select your upgrades. "If you want to, when you're playing a hero for the first time, you can just click through a custom, designer-built set of powers and items that you can unlock over the course of that match," Keller said. "It takes a little bit of what can be an overwhelming decision-making process out of your first-time experience, but you'll still be able to feel yourself grow in power."

Restricting the initial roster of heroes to 17 out of 43 can help players get to grips with Stadium, Keller suggested, though Blizzard will add more characters to the mode each season (newcomer Freja will join Stadium after the midseason update). The lack of hero swapping could also be a boon here. "All you're really gonna have to focus on is what your hero, your team's heroes and the enemy team can do over the course of that match," Keller said.

The lack of hero swaps did seem odd at first. One of the things that initially drew me to Overwatch was that each character had a defined set of abilities. The idea of being able to switch to a different hero to counter a particular menace on the enemy team was such a core part of the Overwatch experience for so long, but that faded over time. The switch to role locks (which restricts each player to only picking a hero in a certain class) and the new perks system, which incentivizes sticking with one character over the course of a match to unlock useful upgrades, have diminished the freedom of swapping to any other hero at any time.

In Stadium, rather than hero swaps, the answer to countering a pesky opponent is optimizing your build. "A lot of Stadium takes place during combat, but it's just as important to be able to put a strategy together around what you're unlocking in the Armory," Keller said. "It becomes much, much harder to do that if you can't predict what the heroes are going to be on the enemy team from round to round."

To help players from feeling like they're unable to deal with a certain enemy (such as having a D.Va that couldn't normally block a Zarya's beam), players will be able to put together counter builds in the Armory.

"We've got anti-barrier builds you can use. We've even got anti-beam builds that are available to different heroes," Keller said. "If you're going up against a Zarya, there are some things that you, or people on your team, are going to be able to do to counter that."

Through the Armory, you can unlock up to four powers. These are powerful and/or ridiculous abilities that you can pick from every other round. These are locked in for the duration of a match.

One power sees Ashe's ultimate cost slashed in half, but when she deploys B.O.B., he's just a little guy with lower attack speed and durability. Mini B.O.B. is just far too adorable for words. Another power lets Kiriko players spawn an AI-controlled clone of the support for a few seconds after she teleports.

Along with powers, there are items. These are purchased with earnable currency and can be swapped out before each round. You get some currency at the beginning of a match and earn more by playing well — dealing damage, scoring eliminations, healing allies, collecting a bounty by taking out an enemy who's crushing it and so on. Common and rare items boost your stats, but epic items are the ones you want. These are the more expensive upgrades that you unlock more of the longer a Stadium match goes.

Mei has some really great tweaks, such as the ability to move faster if on ground that she freezes, being able to remove a burn effect with her chilling primary fire and turning into a rolling ice ball that damages opponents. One enemy I faced used a combo of Mei's ice ball and ice wall to trap me, with both abilities damaging my hero at the same time. I'm stealing that strategy.

Blizzard Entertainment

Orisa, meanwhile, can use her javelin spin to fly a short distance. Ana (the best hero in the game) can cast her powerful Nano Boost through walls and to multiple allies. Soldier: 76 can get a short burst of his auto-aiming ultimate after damaging an enemy with his Helix Rockets. This is just scratching the surface of the items on offer, and the options can compound on each other to make abilities wildly powerful.

"I mostly just want to present a space for players where they feel like they can take the elements they really love about the other core modes that we have and just push them. Find that character that speaks to them and just push it as far as they can," senior game designer Dylan Snyder said when asked what would make the team's work on Stadium feel like it paid off.

"If we start seeing people sharing builds around and saying 'guys, I found this, this is the answer in this scenario, check this out.' They do write-ups on that, to me that's a win. Any numbers or metrics aside, to me, that's the mark of something that has landed with people."

Overwatch 2's practice range is there for a reason

I'm glad I took some time to play around with all of the heroes in the Stadium version of the practice range before hopping into a match. I started to get a feel for what each hero could do with maxed-out example builds. Certain abilities can quickly become very powerful if you pick powers and items that complement each other. When I hopped into matches, I made a conscious choice to stop worrying about understanding everything and to embrace the side of Overwatch 2 that I love the most: full-blown chaos.

Relying on the example builds was a big help at the outset. By focusing on those — and selecting the items that I felt would be the most effective at any given time — I didn't have to overthink anything. Just quickly pick a power and some items and try to enjoy myself, before switching to more powerful items as soon as I had a chance. That was my strategy.

Because of that, I've been having an absolute blast with Stadium so far. Playing around with all the new stuff you can do as all of the heroes is far more engaging than I've expected. Piling every resource into survivability as a tank or weapon upgrades as a damage hero makes sense, but each hero has a ton of flexibility.

For instance, I could have gone all in on upgrading Ashe's Dynamite. But having a second Coach Gun charge to simultaneously blow up a trio of additional sticky explosives that can spawn when Ashe's Dynamite detonates was very impactful. I picked up quite a few kills with that trick.

Blizzard Entertainment

My favorite upgraded ability so far is being able to fly while using Reinhardt's charge. He can soar across nearly half a map in a few seconds. It's absurd. Not even flying heroes are safe from Reinhardt barreling them into a wall.

I'm a bit more mixed on the third-person view. It does have a lot of advantages, such as a wider field of view and peeking around walls. Until now, I've often had to use a dance emote to secretly peer around a corner. A lot of players will also appreciate being able to get a better look at the skins they've worked so hard (or spent so much) to unlock.

But I think some of the game's tactility is lost in third-person mode. In that perspective, Reinhardt feels a little slower and the satisfying smack of his hammer when it clatters an enemy feels less impactful. It's also a little jarring to switch from a third-person view to aiming down a rifle's sights with Ashe or Ana. So, although the third-person perspective works well for heroes like D.Va, Kiriko and Lucio, I'm glad the first-person mode is still an option.

Meanwhile, Soldier: 76 feels completely overpowered as things stand. He's been an ever-present in my matches and those playing as him usually ended up with the most currency out of everyone in the lobby. But that's the kind of thing the developers will be keeping a close eye on. It'll be even tougher to balance Stadium than the other modes, and doing so will be an ongoing process.

When I first started playing Overwatch in 2016, it took me several weeks to get my head around all of the heroes' abilities and how they could be combined or countered. It's going to take me a while to fully understand all of the new stuff here given the multiple layers of complexity, but I'm happy to just relax and have fun, and passively absorb all of the information instead of poring over it like I'm studying for a test.

Despite my initial reservations, I can see myself sticking with Stadium for a while. I've seen some wild stuff already, and things are going to get more bananas in the coming months as Blizzard folds more heroes into the mode. Plus, the Overwatch 2 I know and love is still there. If I ever feel too overwhelmed in Stadium, I can always retreat to the comfort of my beloved Mystery Heroes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/overwatch-2s-frenetic-stadium-mode-is-a-new-lease-on-life-for-my-go-to-game-165053113.html?src=rss

Network edge devices make up nearly 30% of intrusion points Ransomware is still the most popular attack typeEnd-of-life devices pose a serious risk to security

It won’t come as much of a surprise to learn that cyberattackers are evolving their tactics, and that the number of attacks is growing each year. New research from Sophos shows that these incidents involving network edge devices like routers, VPNs, and firewalls, are becoming a growing point of intrusion - accounting for nearly 30% of initial compromises observed in Sophos’ Annual Threat Report.Within ransomware and data exfiltration attacks, VPNs were the most popular initial compromise type - making up 25% of events, even higher than compromised credentials, which sits at just over 15% - concerning given that billions of credentials are stolen from businesses around the world every year.Unsurprisingly, ransomware topped the table for number of incidents, with over 90% of incident response cases for midsize organizations, and 70% of small business cases involving the attack.

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Digital detritus

A noticeable trend in cybersecurity is the rise in social engineering attacks, primarily to collect credentials in order to move forward into the targeted organization’s network. This is largely due to AI enabling attackers to send out more sophisticated phishing attacks at a higher rate than ever.“Over the past several years, attackers have aggressively targeted edge devices. Compounding the issue is the increasing number of end-of-life (EOL) devices found in the wild – a problem Sophos calls digital detritus. Because these devices are exposed to the internet and often low on the patching priority list, they are a highly effective method for infiltrating networks,” said Sean Gallagher, principal threat researcher at Sophos.Out-of-date tech poses a serious risk to cybersecurity teams, and is costing organizations in operational costs and security risks - making lifecycle management an integral part of cyber defense.“However, targeting edge devices is part of a larger shift we’re witnessing in which attackers don’t have to deploy custom malware. Instead, they can exploit businesses’ own systems, increasing their agility and hiding in the places security leaders aren’t looking,” Gallagher adds.

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Fellow has been slowly growing its collection of coffee gadgets with its brewers, scale, grinders and more. But up until now, there's always been a big hole in its lineup. That changes today with the arrival of the company's first espresso machine: the Espresso Series 1.

When I got to try it out a couple weeks ago prior to launch, Fellow CEO Jake Miller said the goal was to make a device that "baristas would be excited to use and that they could actually afford." That said, at $1,500, it certainly isn't cheap. However, when you start comparing the Espresso Series 1 capabilities to competing machines, that price quickly begins to make a lot of sense. That's because unlike a lot of similarly priced rivals, Fellow's offering offers a ton of ways to customize and adjust the brewing process, which includes control over not just temperature, but also pressure, extraction time, steaming and the ability to create or download profiles for specific beans.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

When compared to other modern machines, competitors like the $1,350 Meticulous support custom profiles and pressure settings, but it doesn't have a built-in steamer for milk like the Series 1. And if you want a ton of control over everything, espresso enthusiasts often look to even more complex and expensive options like the Decent, which goes for well over $3,000. So while Fellow's latest product might seem pricey, it feels very reasonable in context.

Now, I will admit that when I saw the Series 1 in its cherry red hero color, I thought Fellow had departed from its previous design language. But after closer inspection, it’s clear the company still retains its focus on clean lines while still making the device easy-to-use. It just has a bit more character now thanks to elements like the polished stainless metal brewer and the wood accents on the included 58mm portafilter's handle. The Series 1's base kit comes with both a single-wall double-shot basket and a pressurized double-shot basket. Fellow even went out of its way to create a rear housing made from a single sheet of metal with curvy corners, because the company wanted the back to look just as good as the front.

Similar to the Aiden, the Series 1 features a circular screen, except this time it's slightly larger. And while you can adjust everything using the espresso machine's single control dial, for more complex tasks like creating custom profiles, it'll probably be easier to use Fellow's free companion app (iOS and Android) instead.

When it comes to brewing, I really appreciate that if you just want a cup of espresso, the Series 1 streamlines things and makes it easy to bust out a cup quickly. There are three rather self-explanatory buttons on top for espresso, steaming and dispensing hot water. Plus, there are a ton of small but handy features like a temperature-sensing wand (with auto-purge) that helps take a lot of the guesswork out of making perfectly frothy milk. Fellow even thought about stuff like someone's daily workflow, which is why there's a small rubberized mat on top of the machine for storing demitasse cups.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Of course, the proof is in espresso. The Series 1 produced a cup with a surprising amount of crema that highlighted the beans' fruity notes. It was rich and smooth and pretty much everything I want in a shot of java. It also made the brewing process very approachable, because for people who might not have a ton of experience, there are guided brew settings as well.

Normally, when I want espresso, I go out to a coffee shop because I've yet to find a machine that hits the right balance between modern styling and ease of use while still having the ability to adjust and tinker with settings. But with the Espresso Series 1, it feels like Fellow has made a machine that delivers on everything that all levels of enthusiasts can get into.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The Espresso Series 1 will be available for $1,500 in three colors: cherry red, malted chocolate and black. However, Fellow says early buyers can get a special launch price of $1,200, which includes a $100 credit for the company's Drops program that offers a curated selection of coffee beans for purchase.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/the-espresso-series-1-is-the-new-crown-jewel-in-fellows-coffee-gadget-lineup-170008473.html?src=rss

Pinterest is testing a new prompt that warns kids to get off the app during school hours, as reported by The Verge. The pop-up warning encourages minors in the US and Canada to stop using the app and turn off notifications until the end of the day. "Focus is a beautiful thing," the prompt says. "Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down."

This prompt only appears to kids aged 13 to 17 and only between 8AM and 3PM on weekdays. It’s a large-scale test, so Pinterest says the prompt will reach "millions" of minors. The platform says it's the first tech company to institute this kind of "proactive" feature to help kids build healthy online habits. That may be true in the world of social media, but any rabid Nintendo fan will remember the incessant prompts to take breaks in the Wii, DS and 3DS eras.

Pinterest CEO Bill Ready has also announced the company’s support of phone-free school policies. Some European countries have banned phones in schools in recent years. Here in the US, New York is close to implementing a statewide ban that’s informally called a “bell-to-bell” restriction. Several other states are in the process of developing their own bans.

To go along with this initiative, Pinterest is providing a $1 million grant to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to "support school leaders in creating a healthy digital culture in their schools." This money will fund task forces across a dozen states to help develop policies that “improve students’ digital wellbeing.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/pinterest-will-warn-kids-not-to-use-its-app-during-school-hours-171512379.html?src=rss

When ChatGPT uses the GPT-4.5 model, it can pass the Turing Test by fooling most people into thinking it's humanNearly three-quarters of people in a study believed the AI was human during a five-minute conversationChatGPT isn't conscious or self-aware, though it raises questions around how to define intelligence

Artificial intelligence sounds pretty human to a lot of people, but usually, you can tell pretty quickly when you're engaging with an AI model. However, that may change as OpenAI's new GPT-4.5 model passed the Turing Test by fooling people into thinking it was a human over the course of a five-minute conversation. Not just a few people, but 73% of those participating in a University of California, San Diego study.In fact, GPT-4.5 outperformed some of the actual human participants, who were accused of being AI in the blind test. Still, the fact that the AI did such a good impression of a human being that it seemed more human than actual humans says a lot about the brilliance of the machine or just how awkward humans can be.Participants sat down for two back-to-back conversations with a human and a chatbot, not knowing which was which, and had to identify the AI afterward. To help GPT-4.5 succeed, the model had been given a detailed personality to mimic in a series of prompts. It was told to act like a young, slightly awkward, but internet-savvy introvert with a streak of dry humor.With that little nudge toward humanity, GPT-4.5 became surprisingly convincing. Of course, as soon as the prompts were stripped away and the AI went back to a blank slate personality and history, the illusion collapsed. Suddenly, GPT-4.5 could only fool 36% of those studied. That sudden nosedive tells us something critical: this isn't a mind waking up. It’s a language model playing a part. And when it forgets its character sheet, it’s just another autocomplete.

Cleverness is not consciousness

The result is historic, no doubt. Alan Turing's proposal that a machine capable of conversing well enough to be mistaken for a human might therefore have human intelligence has been debated since he introduced it in 1950. Philosophers and engineers have grappled with the Turing Test and its implications, but suddenly, theory is a lot more real.Turing didn't equate passing his test with proof of consciousness or self-awareness. That's not what the Turing Test really measures. Nailing the vibes of human conversation is huge, and the way GPT-4.5 evoked actual human interaction is impressive, right down to how it offered mildly embarrassing anecdotes. But if you think intelligence should include actual self-reflection and emotional connections, then you're probably not worried about the AI infiltration of humanity just yet.GPT-4.5 doesn’t feel nervous before it speaks. It doesn’t care if it fooled you. The model is not proud of passing the test, since it doesn’t even know what a test is. It only "knows" things the way a dictionary knows the definition of words. The model is simply a black box of probabilities wrapped in a cozy linguistic sweater that makes you feel at ease.The researchers made the same point about GPT-4.5 not being conscious. It’s performing, not perceiving. But performances, as we all know, can be powerful. We cry at movies. We fall in love with fictional characters. If a chatbot delivers a convincing enough act, our brains are more than happy to fill in the rest. No wonder 25% of Gen Z now believe AI is already self-aware.There's a place for debate around this, of course. If a machine talks like a person, does it matter if it isn’t one? And regardless of the deeper philosophical implications, an AI that can fool that many people could be a menace in unethical hands. What happens when the smooth-talking customer support rep isn’t a harried intern in Tulsa, but an AI trained to sound disarmingly helpful, specifically to people like you, so that you'll pay for a subscription upgrade?Maybe the best way to think of it for now is like a dog in a suit walking on its hind legs. Sure, it might look like a little entrepreneur on the way to the office, but it's only human training and perception that gives that impression. It's not a natural look or behavior, and doesn't mean banks will be handing out business loans to canines any time soon. The trick is impressive, but it's still just a trick.

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Wheel of Time is getting a new video game adaptation. The popular fantasy book series has already seen an imagining for the small screen with an Amazon Prime Video series that is currently airing its third season. Now iwot Studios, which has a hand in creating the Amazon show, is launching a new game studio to create a AAA open-world RPG set in the same fictional universe.

iwot brought in Craig Alexander to helm its new video game studio. Alexander has held management and leadership roles at game operations including Warner Bros. Entertainment, Activision, EA and Sierra On-Line. According to Variety, the studio is projecting a three-year development for the game, which seems pretty ambitious considering the it's still hiring team leads. iwot is also behind a planned live action movie as well as an animated feature film set within the same world as Wheel of Time. According to iwot Studios CEO Rick Selvage, the company will have "a lot of continuity in regards to how we approach our transmedia strategy" across the different projects.

This isn't the first time Robert Jordan's books have been source material for a game. Legend Entertainment released a first-person shooter based on Wheel of Time in 1999, and it's still available to play on modern hardware thanks to the preservation efforts at GOG.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/wheel-of-time-is-getting-a-new-aaa-open-world-rpg-adaptation-184741772.html?src=rss

These Chinese companies want to raise $100 million in US IPOsOne company already has 7.2 million paying customersThe trade war continues with reciprocal tariffs

Several Chinese companies are considering IPOs in the US despite major market instability brought on by US-China tensions, which have resulted in an aggressive trade war fuelled by tariffs.The South China Morning Post revealed how a handful of Chinese startups are currently exploring options to expand to the US, however no decisions have been made and they could back out at any time.Among the companies considering options overseas is Walnut Coding, which could seek to raise around $100 million.

These Chinese companies are seeking IPOs in the US

Founded in 2017, Walnut Coding describes itself as a “leader in coding education in China,” covering the likes of Scratch, Python and C++. In February 2024, it had 7.2 million paying customers.Computing infrastructure provider Shenzhen Cloudsky Technologies as well as Zaihui and Zhonghe Group, which are known for their software services, could also be looking to raise $100 million, according to unnamed people familiar with the matter.However, the companies’ explorations may grind to a halt depending on how the trade war plays out. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the delisting of some Chinese companies is currently “on the table” (via Bloomberg).A Walnut Coding spokesperson has already declined to comment, highlighting how precarious the ongoing discussions are.More broadly, the US has imposed triple-figure tariffs on some Chinese goods, but China has fought back by promising to take countermeasures to any “party reaching a deal at the expense of China’s interests.” Trump says more than 70 nations have reached out to start negotiations already.In relation specifically to the US, China hit back with a 125% tax on products from the US, promising to “fight to the end” in a battle that could go on for longer than previously anticipated.

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Scammers exploit trending topics to trick viewers into losing cryptoBitdefender warns millions at risk from hijacked content creator accountsCyberattacks now target influencers across YouTube, Instagram, and beyond

Cybercriminals are hijacking popular YouTube channels at an alarming rate, exposing viewers to scams, malware, and data theft - and with billions of views and millions of followers at stake, one wrong click can have devastating consequences.New research by Bitdefender Labs claims social media account takeovers surged throughout 2024 and continued evolving into early 2025.Content creators and influencers with significant followings and view counts have become primary targets.

Verification before interaction

Bitdefender detected over 9,000 malicious livestreams on YouTube in 2024. These are often hosted on hijacked channels that impersonate trusted brands and public figures to spread fraud and malware.One such compromised account had a total view count of 12.4 billion; if just 1% of viewers were deceived, 124 million users would be affected.Attackers frequently impersonate popular brands like Tesla, Ripple, or SpaceX, hosting fake livestreams featuring deepfakes of public figures such as Elon Musk or Donald Trump to promote cryptocurrency scams and phishing links.Beyond YouTube, Instagram has also been a major target. Hackers impersonate Meta or Instagram Support in phishing emails, clone login pages, and manipulate creators into sharing SMS verification codes.Malicious sponsorships are another method of infiltration. Cybercriminals lure creators into downloading malware-laced files disguised as promotional content. Malvertising - ads for fake AI tools or games like GTA VI - that install info-stealers and remote access trojans on victims’ devices are also common tactics.Events that draw large online audiences, such as Apple keynotes, the XRP-SEC lawsuit, or CS2 tournaments, are frequently exploited. Attackers use these moments of peak interest to launch scams disguised as official livestreams or contests.For instance, during the 2025 White House Crypto Summit, fake YouTube streams promoted fraudulent airdrops to trick viewers into surrendering sensitive information or cryptocurrency.

How to stay safe

To stay safe, creators are urged to use the best browsers with built-in security features, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), and closely monitor account activity for suspicious changes. Scrutinizing unexpected sponsorship offers, especially those tied to trending topics, is also essential.It’s recommended to implement the best DDoS protection to guard against service disruptions following account takeovers, and to use a reliable proxy service to add a layer of anonymity and security when managing accounts across platforms.Bitdefender also advises creators to train team members on current threats and to stay updated through official security bulletins from platforms and cybersecurity researchers.Tools like Bitdefender Security for Creators offer dedicated protection, including 24/7 account monitoring, scam email filters, and guided recovery options in the event of a breach.

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Max now requires a fee for extra members who join a plan outside of the household. Each person who joins a subscription plan will cost $8 a head, no matter which access tier the main account holder is on. This type of "extra member" charge is how several streaming services have tried to cut down on password sharing by users. Netflix introduced this approach in 2023 and Disney+ followed suit in 2024.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned platform has at least temporarily allowed live sports and news content to be viewed for free, which is a nice perk for as long as it lasts. Max last raised its subscription prices in 2024, so hopefully viewers will get a reprieve on any more new costs for the rest of this year.

These non-household members will be able to stream Max content from their own accounts on one device at a time, and they'll have access to the same plan benefits such as video quality and downloads. In addition, when an extra member joins a plan, they can import their existing watch list and preferences with Max's new profile transfer option.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/max-implements-8-extra-member-charges-on-all-subscription-plans-195228707.html?src=rss

Software firm Palantir secures an almost $30 million contract with ICEThe firm will help the agency find physical locations and track logisticsPalantir has worked with ICE since 2014, and holds multiple military partnerships

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $29.9 million contract to software firm Palantir to build a software system to quickly enforce the Trump administration's deportation targets, 404 Media reports.Leaked messages show Palantir’s role includes finding the “physical location of people who are marked for deportation” and “producing leads for law enforcement to find people to deport and keeping track of the logistics of Trump’s mass deportation effort.”No other bids were heard by the department, as Palantir is the only vendor able to deliver the system on such a quick turnaround (September 25), the department argues.

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Expected backlash

Palantir chairman Peter Thiel was an early backer of Trump, and the company already holds several defense contracts, and has worked in partnership with ICE since 2014.The software firm also works in partnership with the US and Israeli militaries, and took over the Pentagon’s Project Maven contract - using machine learning for unmanned drones and weapons systems - after Google decided not to pursue the development following petitions and resignations from staff.Trump’s denial of due process to deportees, expulsion of legal residents, and evasion of court orders has garnered serious backlash, with civil rights organizations calling on tech companies to end their relationships with the administration and law enforcement agencies.This backlash led Ted Mabrey, Palantir’s global head of commercial to write on Twitter that new tech workers joining in the wake of Palantir’s contract to “expect to weather attacks like this all the time; from all sides of the political aisle," adding that, "the only way to counter these bullies is not to argue but to build."TechRadar Pro reached out to both Palantir and ICE for insight into any protections for legal residents and law-abiding citizens, but we have not yet received a response.

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Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion, but tensions between Mark Zuckerberg and the app’s founders persisted for years afterward. On Tuesday, Instagram’s former CEO and cofounder Kevin Systrom took the stand in Meta’s antitrust trial in Washington D.C and offered a firsthand account of how Zuckerberg viewed the photo-sharing app as a “threat” to Facebook.

Systrom, who ran Instagram until 2018, said that Zuckerberg slowed hiring and other investments into Instagram despite its success. Zuckerberg, Systrom testified, "believed we were a threat to their growth," and as a result "was not investing" in the photo-sharing app, according to testimony reported by The New York Times. As The Times notes, Instagram had only a fraction of the employees as Facebook even after reaching 1 billion users. "As the founder of Facebook, he felt a lot of emotion around which one was better, meaning Instagram or Facebook," Systrom reportedly said.

Tensions between Instagram’s founders and Zuckerberg over company resources have been previously reported, but Systrom’s testimony is the first time he’s publicly spoken about the issues that ultimately led him to resign from the company. On the stand Tuesday, Systrom said that Zuckerberg “believed we were hurting Facebook’s growth,” according to Bloomberg.

Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram is central to the FTC’s case against Meta. The government has argued that Meta’s purchase of WhatsApp and Instagram were anticompetitive and that the social media company should be forced to divest the businesses. Systrom’s testimony comes a week after Zuckerberg took the stand and defended Meta’s $1 billion Instagram acquisition. However, a 2018 email from Zuckerberg that surfaced earlier in the trial showed that the Facebook founder was aware as early as 2018 that he could be forced to spin off the services into independent entities.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagrams-former-ceo-testifies-zuckerberg-thought-the-app-was-a-threat-to-facebook-202112282.html?src=rss

Google Messages beta finally adds Sensitive Content Warnings for someLive Location was also teased by in-app codeThere's no word on when the features will roll out to everyone

Google Messages looks set to receive a couple of new tools to make the service more useful and safer to use. And we’re excited to try out both once they’ve rolled out.The first is that Google appears set to add live location sharing to its app. That’s according to Android Authority’s recent APK teardown.You can currently share your location with another person through Google Maps, but it sends the information as a static Google Maps pin. If you move, you’ll need to send your location again, which can make meeting up while you’re out and about a challenge.

Is live location sharing incoming? (Image credit: Google)

That looks set to change however, as in the latest beta code a single string referencing “live_location_sharing_shortcut” was discovered.For now the feature isn’t live, but the string suggests that Google is probably experimenting with live location sharing behind the scenes and could be preparing to release the feature in a future beta.As always, there’s a chance Google will never release live location sharing, but here’s hoping it does – and sooner rather than later, given how helpful it can be.

Sensitive Content Warnings incoming

The other update is one that was announced back in February but finally seems to be live for a few via the latest Messages beta: new Sensitive Content Warnings (via 9to5Google).They’ll appear if a Google Messages user sends or receives nude images (if they have the setting switched on), though for adults, it’s switched off by default. Meanwhile, accounts owned by people under 18 will have the feature switched on by default.Supervised accounts can’t turn the warnings off themselves (though parents can control the setting through the Family Link app), while Unsupervised teens (users aged 13 to 17) can turn the warnings off in their Google Account settings if they choose.To change your settings, you’ll want to open Google Messages on your Android device, tap on your profile picture, then tap on Messages settings. Scroll down to find Protection and safety, then Manage sensitive content warnings to then be able to toggle Warnings in Google Messages on or off.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images )

Google says these warnings are handled by on-device AI (so the feature “doesn’t send identifiable data or any of the classified content or results to Google servers”).If the Android System SafetyCore behind the feature thinks the image might contain nudity, a few things happen.First, if the sender has the feature on, they’ll be warned about the risks of sending nude images before being asked to confirm if they do indeed wish to send it. Similar warnings and confirmations will appear if you’re trying to share a nude image with another person.The receiver will then (if they have content warnings on) see a blurred image, be warned about how nude images can be harmful, have the option to delete the image before seeing it, the chance to block the number which sent the image, and the option to view the image if they choose.With the feature finally starting to appear, it shouldn’t be long before more of us can rely on these AI-powered content warnings to help us stay safer online.

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Slow Pisces targets crypto developers with bad code disguised as stock analysis toolsMalicious code hides in plain sight, using GitHub projects and YAML deserialization tricksVictims unknowingly install RN Loader and RN Stealer through rigged Python repositories

A hacker group from North Korea known as Slow Pisces has launched a sophisticated campaign targeting developers in the cryptocurrency sector through LinkedIn.The group, also known as TraderTraitor or Jade Sleet, poses as recruiters to lure victims with seemingly genuine job offers and coding challenges, only to infect their systems with malicious Python and JavaScript code.Thanks to this campaign, the group has been able to steal substantial amounts of cryptocurrency. In 2023 alone, they were linked to over $1 billion in stolen funds. A $1.5 billion hack at a Dubai exchange and a $308 million theft from a Japanese company are among the recent attacks.

Coders beware!

After initially sending PDF documents containing job descriptions, the malicious actors follow up with coding assignments hosted on GitHub.Although these repositories appear to be based on legitimate open-source projects, they have been secretly altered to include hidden malware.Victims, believing they are completing programming tests, unintentionally allow malware like RN Loader and RN Stealer onto their systems.These booby-trapped projects mimic legitimate developer tools and applications. For instance, Python repositories might seem to analyze stock market trends using data from reputable sources, while secretly communicating with attacker-controlled domains.The malware evades most detection tools by using YAML deserialization, avoiding commonly flagged functions like eval or exec. Once triggered, the loader fetches and executes additional payloads directly in memory, making it difficult to detect or remove.One such payload, RN Stealer, is specifically designed to exfiltrate credentials, cloud configuration files, and stored SSH keys, particularly from macOS systems.JavaScript variants of the malware operate similarly, using the Embedded JavaScript templating engine to hide malicious code, which activates only for targeted victims based on factors like IP addresses or browser headers.Forensic analysis shows that the malware stores code in hidden directories and communicates over HTTPS using custom tokens. However, investigators were unable to recover the full JavaScript payload.GitHub and LinkedIn have responded by removing the malicious accounts and repositories involved.“GitHub and LinkedIn removed these malicious accounts for violating our respective terms of service. Across our products, we use automated technology, combined with teams of investigation experts and member reporting, to combat bad actors and enforce terms of service. We continue to evolve and improve our processes and encourage our customers and members to report any suspicious activity,” the companies said in a joint statement.There is a growing need for caution when approached with remote job offers and coding tests. Developers are advised to use strong antivirus software and run unfamiliar code in secure environments, particularly when working in sensitive sectors like cryptocurrency.Those concerned about security should verify they are using the best IDEs, which typically include integrated security features. Staying alert, and working on a secure, controlled setup, can significantly reduce the risk of falling prey to state-backed cyber threats.Via Unit42

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Google is under the microscope following a court ruling last year that it has a monopoly over online search, but the future of its vast suite of digital services is still uncertain at this stage. Last month, the Justice Department suggested that Google would need to sell off the Chrome browser; if the tech giant does make that move, there's already at least one interested buyer.

Bloomberg reports that Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT, spoke at a hearing today about the Google monopoly situation and was asked whether OpenAI would be interested in acquiring Chrome. “Yes, we would, as would many other parties,” he said. Users can currently use the ChatGPT AI assistant in Chrome through a plugin, but Turley said there could be deeper integrations if OpenAI owned the browser. Under OpenAI's hypothetical ownership, Chrome could "introduce users into what an AI first experience looks like."

Chrome isn't the only property Google may lose control over. A separate judge determined earlier this month that Google has also been engaged in anti-competitive behavior over online ad tech. It's no surprise that any other major tech operation would be interested in acquiring one of the many popular services Google has developed over the years. The real question is which one of them landing a purchase wouldn't create a new monopoly. For now, the DOJ is allowing Google to continue its AI investments amid the break-up talk, but adding the browser to OpenAI's holdings may raise new concerns. Since the wheels of justice often turn slowly, it may be a while before we learn the outcomes of the recent Google rulings. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/openai-says-it-would-buy-chrome-if-google-is-forced-to-sell-215239832.html?src=rss

Apple has removed "Available Now" from its Apple Intelligence webpageThe change comes after the BBB's National Advertising Division recommended it clarify or remove availability detailsThe issue is around the language of when Apple Intelligence features launched and the wait for forthcoming ones

Apple has long said that there is a long road ahead for Apple Intelligence, but it’s been more of a long-winded road since Apple's AI was first announced at WWDC 2024. Earlier in 2025, the promised AI-powered Siri features were pushed back to the ‘coming year,’ which is pretty vague.Now, Apple has made a change to its Apple Intelligence landing page, dropping the ‘Available Now’ tagline from under “AI for the rest of us.” Surprisingly, the Cupertino-based tech giant doesn't seem to have made the decision to remove the message itself, but instead was asked by the Better Business Bureau's National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD).In a shared release, the NAD recommends “that Apple Inc. modify or discontinue advertising claims regarding the availability of certain features associated with the launch of its AI-powered Apple Intelligence tool in the U.S.” It seems that launch features including the new Siri, still not being available, weren’t clear enough on the page.

The NAD states that the Apple Intelligence landing pages made it seem like Apple Intelligence features, including Priority Notifications, Image Playground, Image Wand, and ChatGPT integration as well as Genmoji, “were available at the launch of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.”However, Apple Intelligence didn’t begin its launch until iOS 18.2, which was released after the new iPhones. NAD’s argument states that the disclosures, presented as “footnotes” or “small print disclosures,” were not clear enough.The BBB’s NAD also had similar thoughts about Apple displaying the forthcoming Siri features, such as on-screen awareness and personal content, on the same page as the “Available Now” heading.The NAD even connected with Apple, who informed them that “Siri features would not be available on the original timeline” and that the corresponding language was updated. This evidently happened around the same time as Apple pulled one of its advertisements featuring the all-new Siri.

(Image credit: Future)

Apple, in the release, says “While we disagree with the NAD’s findings related to features that are available to users now, we appreciate the opportunity to work with them and will follow their recommendations.” And it’s clear the recommendations were taken to heart, as “Available Now,” according to snapshots viewed on the Wayback Machine by TechRadar, was removed on March 29, 2025.That’s well before this release from the National Advertising Dvision making the ask that Apple stops or modifies it’s language, but also after the tech giant confirmed the delay with the AI infused Siri as of February 7, 2025.Either way, it’s clear Apple is getting its ducks in a row, and it’s good to be clearer with consumers. TechRadar has reached out to Apple asking for further comment, and we'll update this when and if we hear back.

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When you consider the impact of technology and research at Disney Parks, discarded glass bottles are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Perhaps you’re not seeing all that glass the way Disney does.Disney is now busy pulverizing a portion of those glass bottles; nearly 2,000 pounds can be crushed in an hour and repurposed for use in other areas, potentially on horse trails, as a replacement for the floor in a greenhouse, or even where mulch once was.The industrial machine – a glass pulverizer – is located in a backstage area at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort in Orlando, Florida, out of sight from guests. It's pretty low-tech, with no high-tech components in use.

(Image credit: Disney Parks)

All that crushed glass eventually becomes a somewhat shiny, clean, sand-like material. "We've got one greenhouse almost complete with pulverized glass," said Debbie Mola Mickler, area manager at Disney's Horticulture. "Cast members ask me questions about it because they walk by and their natural reaction is, 'Wow, your greenhouse floor is glistening.'"

'Wow, your greenhouse floor is glistening.'Debbie Mola Mickler, area manager at Disney's Horticulture

And that's the product produced by the glass pulverizer.This project started when other environmental teams at Disney asked what to do with the glass, explained Jarrod Stewart, Disney's Environmental Integration Project Manager."Could we pulverize it? Use it potentially for road repair, other things?" were the questions proposed to Stewart.

Sustainability Week 2024This article is part of a series of sustainability-themed articles we're running to observe Earth Day 2025 and promote more sustainable practices. Check out all of our Sustainability Week 2025 content.

Thus began a search for a machine that could take a bottle of wine with a wax seal still around the top and a label on the front, separate it, and then safely crush the glass to disperse a sand-like material."I stumbled across the type of machine that we're running here that separates all those non-glass items," he said. "It actually discharges the labels and all that, all that separately."

(Image credit: Disney Parks)

The result is a sand-like material that can blend with coquina or replace mulch – no high-tech sensors required. "There is no smart equipment on this machine whatsoever – not even in the control panel," Stewart said.At the core is a patented hammer mill. "The glass bottle is gone, but the wax is still intact, even with the drips and everything coming off of it," Stewart said. "It's a very interesting percussive action… that is the patented part of the machine."

(Image credit: Disney Parks)

As more teams across the Disney World property heard about the pilot, interest grew. Debbie Mola Mickler saw it on the news and immediately called Stewart to request a test batch for the greenhouses and the horticulture team. The catering team wanted to be included, too, offering a transportation solution: "They said, 'You know what, our trucks are running around the property all day… We'll just drop off the full bins and pick up the empties as we're driving by," Stewart said.The pulverizer's output is now used in select areas that guests can see. "We've used it in a couple of on-stage locations," Stewart explained. "One in Fort Wilderness, where it's actually replacing mulch around the food truck pad." In this case, it's a more permanent solution, as mulch would eventually need to be replaced due to wear and tear.Behind the scenes, Imagineering and Disney's facility teams are exploring even more uses, including non-structural concrete or footpaths. It could even end up at other Disney locations worldwide and even on the sea, courtesy of Disney Cruise Line – either with the produced sand-like material being used or with the glass being sent to be pulverized."The sustainability design team is determining how it can be used to work toward sustainable design goals that they have by using recycled material in construction," Stewart said.

While the pulverizer remains in a backstage area, the initiative's impact is increasingly visible.

Hey, can we participate in this? How do we help this grow?Jarrod Stewart, Disney's Environmental Integration Project Manager

"You know, sometimes when you ask people to sort their waste into yet another, you know, separate category, they're a little hesitant, or you might get a little pushback," Stewart said."In this case, because people see it, they're identifying with the story. They want to be part of it. So we're getting calls every week of, ‘Hey, can we participate in this? How do we help this grow? ‘”

(Image credit: Disney Parks)

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Cluely, an AI app that promises to help you "cheat at everything," perhaps deserves some credit for honesty.If you believe that artificial intelligence is a platform that, in some ways, can help you game the system by delivering melifilous prose written by a large language model (LLM), stunning art generated by ChatGPT, or convincing video percolated by Sora, then maybe Cluely and its founders are just being honest.It's more likely, though, that they are blustering their way to the launch of a product that makes a mockery of integrity.Cluely is a crafty app that installs in your browser and then can sneakily watch and listen to everything on screen. The primary use case is a Zoom video call where you're being interviewed for a high-paying development job. During such a call, you might be asked to Leetcode, which is essentially solving coding or algorithmic problems in full view of your interviewer. With Cluely running, it could quickly tell you how to respond to questions and even solve the coding problems.Lee claimed to have used Cluely to breeze through interviews with multiple major tech companies. Word apparently got around to Columbia University, where Lee and his Cluely co-founder were students. Lee was, according to letters he posted on X (formerly Twitter), kicked out. Lee detailed the entire experience in an X thread.

I just got kicked out of Columbia for taking a stand against Leetcode interviews.Here's the whole story (long thread): pic.twitter.com/Q7LPWjwyA7March 27, 2025

Instead of remorse, Lee seems to express a level of satisfaction, like this is a plan gone well. And, in a way, it is. Cluely has, according to Techcrunch, raised $3.5 million in funding and is prepared to help us "cheat at everything."If that statement makes you feel a bit nauseated, you may not be alone. Lee has spent a fair amount of time defending the app on X, and Cluely may not have helped its case with a tongue-in-cheek launch video that depicts the 21-year-old Lee using Cluely in a smartglasses-like app to convince his date that he is 31 and interested in her and her art. She catches on to the subterfuge and ultimately walks out, but the point is made. Cluely could help you cheat at dating.

Cluely is out. cheat on everything. pic.twitter.com/EsRXQaCfUIApril 20, 2025

While Cluely has yet to reveal which LLMs it uses to power its answers, this is a funhouse mirror view of AI's potential.In his manifesto (which, it appears, has since disappeared from the site), Lee argues that we need to redefine cheating and that what Cluely's doing is no different than Google or a calculator, which put answers at our fingertips and perhaps have been helping us "cheat" for decades.On X, I asked Lee about this perspective, writing:"Do you worry that your experience teaches the wrong lesson about AI? People are already skeptical, and if they see it as a tool for cheating, maybe some will be less likely to use and engage. At the very least, more people will trust less (on things like job interviews) because they might believe the applicant is using AI to cheat."Moments later, Lee responded (For readability, I've fixed the punctuation):"What exactly does "cheat on everything" mean?How do you 'cheat' on a conversation?Cluely (and AI) enables such an insane amount of leverage that it feels unfair, and "like" cheating.The world will be uncomfortable with this reality (as you yourself show), but it will soon become normal, and the day that AI maximalism is truly normalized, humanity's potential will 1,000,000x.Initial hesitation -> massive adoption has been how every single technology in the history of the world has spread."

Cheating is...cheating

While I can't disagree with the notion about hesitation and then mass adoption, and am seeing that in real-time with consumer-grade AI, Lee seems to imply that you can't "cheat" at a conversation. I guess he has never read Cyrano de Bergerac.None of this explains away the fundamental deception coded into Cluely.I followed up on X with:" 'Cheat' is a loaded word, but I also think it's one we do understand. Google search is super-powered research, a digitization of encyclopedic knowledge at your fingertips. A calculator is a math wiz in your pocket, but one that was banned from class unless educators allowed it. They understood the potential for cheating. A browser tool that watches and listens and then produces an answer without the knowledge of the convo's other participant is, many will agree, something different. BTW: Which LLM are you using?"Lee has yet to respond, but perhaps that's because he knows the answer. Google and Calculators are tools. Cluely is a tool hidden behind a lie: "This is me answering."It would be the same as secretly using Google or a calculator to answer an interviewer's questions. There's a fair chance they would notice your fingers frantically typing just off camera. Cluely just supercharges the subterfuge, but it doesn't make it any less like cheating.

A brief hands on

I did, by the way, install Cluely on my MacBook Air to see how it works. It's a powerful tool that overrides, with your permission, normal safeguards that stop third-party tools from watching the video and listening to the audio on your screen. It offers no alert to the person on the other side that they're being watched by a massive AI brain.It's early days, and Cluely does not appear to be fully real-time. You have to click the AI button for it to work and provide answers. Even so, the potential is there, and it's not necessarily a good one.Lee's efforts to normalize and redefine cheating won't make it any less of a deception or any more acceptable. He got kicked out of school for it, and now he wants you to put your own reputation on the line. Some might do it, I know I won't.

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