TechRadar News

The adoption of technology can spark all kinds of emotions – not just in terms of the tech itself but also the brands behind them. As consumers, it’s widely accepted we often allow our emotions to influence our tech purchasing decisions. But to what extent do businesses or other large organizations use an emotional response to help make similar purchasing decisions?

The reason I ask that is because there’s a suspicion that as IT professionals – whether we like it or not – we’re increasingly relying on an emotional response to influence our technology choices. And increasingly, we’re seeing this in relation to the adoption of generative AI (Gen AI) solutions.

This may seem like an odd observation to make, especially when making objective investments in technologies such as SaaS platforms or security solutions where everything should be benchmarked against KPIs, ROI and other measures.

And yet, a clear pattern of behavior is emerging that links the adoption of Gen AI with a more ‘emotional’ purchasing response. Here at Tanium, we call it the ‘Emotional Hype Cycle’, and it’s already being used to influence our IT strategy. And while it leans on Gartner’s Hype Cycle, the big difference is the emotional factor and the important part this plays.

The ‘Emotional Hype Cycle’ explained

The easiest way to explain it is to look briefly at all eight stages of the curve to see just how much of an emotional rollercoaster it can be for enterprises and employees when making decisions about technology:

Triggered: A new innovation breaks onto the scene and becomes the ‘latest thing’. It’s not just new – the tech can be challenging and disruptive, triggering a range of emotions. Generative AI isn’t just another breakthrough -- it’s a seismic shift that has the potential disrupt industries and reshape the way we think about technology itself. As a game-changing technology, it has the ability to ignite excitement and deep unease and mistrust in equal measure.

Hyped: People, businesses, sectors and governments get caught in the excitement of it all. While there may be some notable high-profile successes, there are plenty of failures along the way.

Rejection: After the excitement, it’s time for the post-hype headache as organizations face setbacks such as the technology failing to live up to expectations. As technology is rejected, some organizations will prohibit adoption. As a result, staff are left in limbo and shadow IT emerges.

Doubt: Some may view this rejection as a failure. Instead, the period – which is often shaped by caution, doubt and skepticism – allows enterprises to assess the technology with greater objectivity. It provides breathing room for organizations to consider ethical factors such as bias, as well as other issues like privacy and protection. Hesitancy is the default emotion here.

Comfort: Over time, organizations tend to develop a sense of gradual acceptance as they build their own test beds and case studies in controlled environments. To start with, access is limited, but these pilots are useful since they help to manage excitement and expectation.

Habitual: Now things start to pick up. Businesses get into the rhythm of using and applying the technology thanks to the establishment of common standards and governance. It’s at this point that we see the emergence of fair and effective user policies – along with more established working patterns – that not only set the tone but also the foundation for enterprise-wide rollouts.

Social: The technology becomes part of the social fabric of the organization, with adoption now widespread. Critically, when it comes to the technology’s strategic role, there is a connection and alignment between IT and the wider business.

Creative: This is a transformative stage for users and the enterprise as people use the technology to innovate and operate in productive new ways. Not only is this rewarding, but it’s also an early indicator of technology maturity.

What’s clear is that the Emotional Hype Cycle provides a clear roadmap to help organizations move from uncertainty to maturity as they adopt Gen AI. At its heart, it emphasizes a thoughtful, structured approach to integrating new technologies, ensuring decisions are guided by governance, ethical considerations and strategic alignment.

Practical strategies that deliver the smooth adoption of Gen AI

Crucially, it acknowledges human tendencies to react to ‘feelings’ or ‘hunches’ while offering practical strategies to help smooth the adoption of Gen AI. 

For instance, the ‘Doubt’ phase calls for a rigorous, ethical assessment of AI, addressing concerns like bias, privacy and security. This is followed by the ‘Comfort’ stage, which encourages organizations to run controlled pilots and test beds, allowing enterprises to experiment with Gen AI’s potential in a safe and manageable way.

Similarly, as organizations progress, the framework calls for the incremental development of governance and standards, something that is central to the ‘Habitual’ stage. In terms of a strategic approach, it acts as a brake on runaway excitement or hysteria while helping to establish processes and protocols for responsible use.

Wherever you look, the Emotional Hype Cycle offers a way to navigate the highs and lows of technology adoption. It empowers organizations to balance excitement with caution while embracing Gen AI in a way that is measured. Crucially, it allows businesses to embrace Gen AI as a transformative force for innovation and productivity.

We provide an extensive list of the best AI tools.

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

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 might not be a comprehensive upgrade on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 from what we’ve heard so far, with various aspects possibly staying the same. But there are some parts of the phone that likely will be substantially improved.

While nothing is certain yet, we can look at claimed leaks and rumors to get a good idea of what specs we might see.

So that’s exactly what we’ve done below, and where there aren’t any tips we’ve used educated guesses to fill in some of the gaps.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 predicted specs

If you’re familiar with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6’s specs then you’ll note that the predicted specs in the chart above are a mix of old and new. But let’s start with some of the areas where the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will reportedly be an improvement on its predecessor.

One of the main upgrades could be the screen sizes, with multiple sources suggesting the Galaxy Z Flip 7 could have a roughly 4-inch cover screen, which is up from 3.4 inches on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. So that would make the cover screen significantly larger this year.

One of those sources also points to a slightly larger 6.85-inch foldable screen – up from 6.7 inches on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7. So, in both cases you should have more space to interact with the phone, though this should have the greatest impact on the cover display, which is quite cramped on the Z Flip 6.

So far there’s no word on the resolution, but presumably the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will either match or better the Z Flip 6 here, meaning a foldable screen of at least 1080 x 2640, and a cover screen of at least 720 x 748.

We also fully expect the foldable display will have a 120Hz refresh rate, since the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s does, while the cover screen will probably be 60Hz.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Another upgrade we’ll almost certainly see is the chipset, with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 rumored to use either a Snapdragon 8 Elite or an Exynos 2500.

So far there’s no agreement on which – and it could be that some regions will get one and some the other, but while the Snapdragon 8 Elite will likely outperform the Exynos 2500, either of these would be an improvement on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the current model.

RAM and storage however may not be improved, with the one leak on that front pointing to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 having 12GB of RAM and a choice of 256GB or 512GB of storage, just like the Z Flip 6. However, its performance may get a boost from a larger vapor cooling chamber.

One of the more disappointing things we’re hearing is that there might be no upgrades at all to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cameras, with leaks pointing to the same 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP front facing cameras as last year.

Finally, there’s the battery, and multiple sources point to this being 4,300mAh, which would be a noticeable upgrade on the 4,000mAh of its predecessor. That’s great news, as 4,000mAh really isn’t much for a phone of this size.

What we don’t know is how fast it might charge, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 supports 25W wired charging and 15W wireless, so expect at least that much.

You might also like

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 colors: every rumored and predicted shade
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 release date rumors: when might the new phone launch?
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far

• Report warns sophisticated bots mimic human behavior so well outdated defenses don’t stand a chance
• Mobile apps are under siege, with a 160% rise in targeted bot traffic year over year
• CAPTCHA farms and rotating proxies help bots bypass basic defenses

The internet has entered a new era where automated traffic now accounts for more web activity than human users, new research says.

Radware's 2025 ecommerce Bot Threat Report claims the majority of traffic to online stores during the 2024 holiday season didn’t come from people. It came from bots.

For the first time, automated programs - ranging from simple scripts to AI-enhanced digital agents - accounted for 57% of all traffic, surpassing human visitors on e-commerce websites.

A smarter generation of bad bots

The report highlights the ongoing evolution of malicious bots, as nearly 60% now use behavioral strategies designed to evade detection, such as rotating IP addresses and identities, using CAPTCHA farms, and mimicking human browsing patterns, making them difficult to identify without advanced tools.

The only effective counter is equally intelligent detection - AI-powered defenses that can learn and adapt. Businesses must reassess their security stack and look beyond basic filters to solutions offering advanced DDoS protection and intelligent traffic monitoring.

“Bad bots are no longer just based on simple scripts - they’re sophisticated, AI-enhanced agents capable of outsmarting traditional defenses,” said Ron Meyran, Vice President of Cyber Threat Intelligence at Radware.

“E-commerce providers and online retailers that rely on conventional security measures will find themselves increasingly exposed, not just during the holidays but year-round.”

Mobile platforms have become a critical battleground, with a staggering 160% rise in mobile-targeted bot activity between the 2023 and 2024 holiday seasons. Attackers are deploying mobile emulators and headless browsers that imitate legitimate app behavior.

The report also warns of bots blending into everyday internet traffic. A 32% increase in attack traffic from residential proxy networks is making it much harder for ecommerce sites to apply traditional rate-limiting or geo-fencing techniques.

Perhaps the most alarming development is the rise of multi-vector campaigns combining bots with traditional exploits and API-targeted attacks. These campaigns go beyond scraping prices or testing stolen credentials - they aim to take sites offline entirely.

For businesses relying on the best ecommerce website builders or user-friendly platforms, the threat is clear. Security must evolve in step with the attackers. Platforms must also adopt dedicated mobile protections to defend against these increasingly sophisticated threats.

You might also like

• Take a look at the best VPN with antivirus available right now
• PC makers are planning plants in Saudi Arabia to try and avoid US tariffs
• These are the best password managers you can use

Apple does not hide its deeds under a bushel; When it "lost" the Epic (Fortnite) case last year, it quickly rolled out a series of changes to satisfy the injunction.

If no one else realized Apple had somehow won by losing, Epic certainly knew it, with Epic CEO Tim Sweeney stating on X (formerly Twitter), "The court battle to open iOS to competing stores and payments is lost in the United States. A sad outcome for all developers."

In answer to that ruling, Apple started charging a 27% commission on App Store apps that chose to manage their own billing and forced them to apply for a special tool that let app developers include a button to outside billing systems. Additionally, Apple required that developers still support Apple's in-app billing system as an alternative to third-party ones.

It was all there in black and white, but those decisions triggered what may be one of the most scathing rulings I have ever read. I mean, US District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers who has been presiding over this case for years is pissed.

Was Apple trying to follow the letter of the law while skirting around the bits that might have any impact on its commission revenue business? As Judge Gonzalez sees it, yes.

Don't believe me? Read this unedited bit from the court ruling:

"In stark contrast to Apple’s initial in-court testimony, contemporaneous business documents reveal that Apple knew exactly what it was doing and at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option.

To hide the truth, Vice-President of Finance, Alex Roman, outright lied under oath. Internally, Phillip Schiller had advocated that Apple comply with the Injunction, but Tim Cook ignored Schiller and instead allowed Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri and his finance team to convince him otherwise.

Cook chose poorly. The real evidence, detailed herein, (Case 4:20-cv-05640-YGR Document 1508 Filed 04/30/25 Page 2 of 80 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 United States District Court Northern District of California) more than meets the clear and convincing standard to find a violation. The Court refers the matter to the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate whether criminal contempt proceedings are appropriate."

As the judge sees it, Apple may have used the ruling to further enrich its commission business:

"Prior to the Injunction, Apple did not allow 'linked-out purchases' and, thus, did not charge any commission for purchases made outside of, or off, its platform. Now, it does."

The filing shows how Apple worked to fulfill the injunction in such a way that, while maybe opening new third-party billing and revenue avenues to developers, it also solidified Apple's hold on the process and commission collection.

Judge Gonzalez paints this as a pretty nefarious operation with Apple willfully hiding and lying about its intentions.

The thing is, Apple has never lied about its intentions regarding the App Store.

The Apple way

Apple likes full-stack control for, well, control, but also so it can fulfill its security and privacy promises. An App Store where you can trust the majority of apps is not something that occurs naturally. You must set the parameters and ensure that every app that passes through those narrow gates does what it promised and is free from malware and spyware.

It's no accident that your best iPhone is not riddled with malware or that you rarely download a fake app (does anyone remember the early days of Android apps before Google Play?!). The more open Apple is with its platforms, the more risk it incurs for itself and its customers.

It's also clear, though, that Apple doesn't think much about methods or perception. If it was being forced to give third-party fulfillment systems access to App Store customers, then why not charge third-party developers for the pleasure? After all, the links to these platforms would come through Apple. Was that a deterrent to the development of such systems? Probably. Was that Apple's intention? I don't know.

If you believe the injunction, you know some within Apple knew that Apple's methods of compliance were too close to flouting the law. Those voices, though, did not win. Former Apple CFO Luca Maestri, once a voice of reason on Apple earnings calls, is named a key champion of potentially bad ideas.

As for what Apple does next, well, I'm sure it will fight, but there's also no way it can ignore Judge Gonzales' closing statement:

"This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order. Time is of the essence. The Court will not tolerate further delays. As previously ordered, Apple will not impede competition. The Court enjoins Apple from implementing its new anticompetitive acts to avoid compliance with the Injunction. Effective immediately Apple will no longer impede developers’ ability to communicate with users nor will they levy or impose a new commission on off-app purchases."

What happens next

If this ruling holds, which is not a certainty as Apple plans to appeal, it may trigger sweeping changes that could forever alter the way we use the App Store.

The loss of a fully closed system may not be the best thing for consumers. Still, it gives developers the flexibility many have been craving and effectively takes the Apple commission (a..k.a. the "Apple tax") off the table for transactions happening outside the platform, even if users found that link from inside Apple's App Store.

Epic is already planning for a best-case scenario and quickly announced that Fortnite will return to the App Store next week with, I'm sure, in-app purchases (those skins!), all taking you outside Apple's platform.

We will return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week.Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic. https://t.co/bIRTePm0TvApril 30, 2025

This might be the first effective crack in Apple's "reality distortion field," one that refashions reality to suit its needs. We've seen it at work this year with Apple not delivering the full Apple Intelligence experience but telling consumers that the iPhone 16 comes with it. It has since quietly removed some of that language from product pages.

Apple has rarely admitted mistakes or shortcomings, and while this ruling isn't a sign that Apple will start now, it appears to have no choice but to deconstruct the distortion field it built around app developer choice.

As for the injunction, it reads like the final word on the subject:

"Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court’s Injunction. It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers which would, by design and in effect, maintain a valued revenue stream; a revenue stream previously found to be anticompetitive. That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation. As always, the coverup made it worse. For this Court, there is no second bite at the apple. "

Ouch.

You might also like

• Apple ‘strongly disagrees’ with ruling that could change the App Store – as Fortnite says it could now return to iPhones
• Apple officially delays the AI-infused Siri and admits, ‘It’s going to take us longer than we thought’
• The Bella Ramsey Apple Intelligence ad that disappeared, and why Apple is now facing a false advertising lawsuit
• AI took a huge leap in IQ, and now a quarter of Gen Z thinks AI is conscious

• Triple Boost 14 Pro adds three screens to your laptop from a single USB cable
• It is designed for remote workers needing more display space on the go
• Matte 14-inch screens offer with 100% sRGB, ideal for creative professionals

Aura Displays has launched the Triple Boost 14 Pro, a new portable three-monitor setup for laptops that uses only one USB cable for both power and data.

Designed for remote workers, digital professionals, and laptop users in need of more screen space, the Triple Boost 14 Pro offers three 14-inch Full HD screens.

The company says this is the first time a full triple-display solution has been offered in such a compact, cable-free form factor.

Tri-Link technology

The Triple Boost 14 Pro is constructed with a full-aluminum housing and weighs 4.85lb (2.2kg). When folded, it measures 13.9 inches wide and 1.38 inches thick.

Each screen is a matte 1080p LED display, with a brightness of 300cd/m², a 1500:1 contrast ratio, and a 178-degree viewing angle. The displays cover 100% of the sRGB color space and refresh at 60Hz. Aura says this makes the unit especially suitable for design, coding, analysis, and multitasking.

The key to its single-cable setup is Aura’s proprietary Tri-Link technology, based on a custom-optimized SiliconMotion chipset. This chip handles power and video for all three screens through a single USB connection, removing the need for additional cables or adapters.

The product folds down into a compact form and is aimed squarely at users who travel often or work in temporary setups. The company sees the device as an ideal tool for those who need more workspace on the go but want to avoid carrying separate monitors or docking setups.

Pre-orders for the Triple Boost 14 Pro are live now, with shipments set to begin in early May 2025. It’s priced at $469 (28% off the MSRP of $649) and there’s a welcome offer on the site that will give you an extra $10 off ($459), plus two free tempered glass screen protectors (worth $69.98), and free worldwide shipping.

Aura Displays says early demand will determine its wider retail rollout later in 2025.

You might also like

• These are the best business laptops you can buy right now
• At almost 24 inches each, this is the largest dual-screen monitor I've ever seen
• At 11lbs, this double 24-inch 'portable' monitor is a bit too much for me

• Chatbot interactions could soon be serving you related Google ads too
• ChatGPT and others are snaffling Google's search market dominance
• Its dominance has already come under fire by the DOJ and others

Google is now showing ads in chatbot conversations via its AdSense for Search network, marking a shift in its digital advertising strategy as generative AI becomes not only more commonplace, but increasingly used in place of traditional search engine tools.

Previously, ads were shown within the search results of other websites, however Google added them to conversations with chatbots operated by AI startups earlier in 2025 (via Bloomberg).

The rollout comes after the tech giant conducted tests last year, and earlier this year, with AI search apps like iAsk and Liner.

Google Ads are now being shown in chatbot interactions

Google's ads business has been an incredibly lucrative area for the California company, which maintains a 90% share of the global search market (via Statcounter).

However, with the emergence of rival AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, consumers are now able to obtain information more succinctly and more quickly, putting Google's business under threat, and therefore its ads network.

A company spokesperson has confirmed: "AdSense for Search is available for websites that want to show relevant ads in their conversational AI experiences."

Google's collaboration with startups is a strategic move to stay profitable even if the search market as we know it is shrinking, but it hasn't gone unnoticed.

Two US senators recently questioned Google about its partnership with Anthropic, expressing concerns about competition in the sector. Microsoft's deal with OpenAI was also under fire.

The Department of Justice also recently noted Google’s search engine market monopoly is helping its AI strategy, and that its use of AI if further enhancing its search market monopoly.

Earlier in April 2025, a US judge also deemed Google violated antitrust laws by “willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power” in the advertising technology market. Though found guilty, a further hearing will be required to determine potential remedies.

You might also like

• Google CEO hopeful Gemini will be integrated into Apple Intelligence in time for iPhone 17 launch
• We've listed the best browsers, including Chrome alternatives
• Reach more people with the best online marketing services

• World Password Day is here
• Most TechRadar Readers are using Google Password
• Password manager's are considered best practice for password hygiene

We polled our TechRadar Pro readers on WhatsApp (you can join our channel here) to ask them which password manager they use to keep their accounts safe, and the most popular was Google password manager, a free to use service easily accessible and built into Chrome and Android devices, with 39% of respondents choosing this service. You can check out our full review of Google Password Manager here.

Worryingly, following closely behind were the readers who don’t use a password management service at all, with 20% of our readers choosing to manage their accounts by themselves. Take a look at our picks for best password manager here if you need any recommendations.

Trusting a third party with your passwords and credentials naturally comes with an element of risk, especially given that security attacks on password managers have soared in just the last year. If you choose to handle your password hygiene yourself, make sure to rotate them often, never reuse them between sites, and always change them immediately if they’re exposed in a breach.

A close second

Of those who do use a password manager, Apple Passwords came just behind Google Passwords with 23% choosing the service. This is a pretty basic manager, free and built in with Apple’s OSes, which helpfully reports on data breaches and password health.

Many of our readers (17%) use a different third party service, if that’s you, feel free to let us know which you recommend and why. No matter which you use, password management is definitely important, especially given how much of our lives is digital;

"Good password hygiene and management is crucial in today's world, where we all have many different accounts,” says Joel Latto, Threat Advisor at F-Secure

”If a hacker gains access to an account that uses a similar password to another, it's easy for them to also obtain information from the other account. This makes it easier for them to obtain more information about you, putting you at higher risk of identity theft, which can have devastating and distressing consequences including financial loss."

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around
• Check out our choice for best antivirus software
• Microsoft RDP apparently lets you log in with expired passwords - and it apparently doesn't have plans to fix the issue

• The latest Nintendo Creators' Voice video highlights the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077
• The game will allow players to wield a katana with a detached Joy-Con 2
• VP of technology Charles Tremblay says the Switch 2 version is "the best way to experience the game on the go"

A new video in the Nintendo Creators' Voice series is now live, this time highlighting CD Projekt Red and its Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077.

Featuring game director Adam Badowski and VP of technology Charles Tremblay, this two-minute video offered a new look at the game running on the Switch 2, with all-new button mapping.

It looks great, which is probably thanks to the console's impressive specs and the fact that the game can support Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), although there is an on screen message stating that the footage is still a "work in progress".

The teaser is quite short, but at one point, we see some first-person gameplay of V attacking enemies with a katana. According to Badowski, this can be done using a detached Joy-Con 2, allowing players to swing the sword and even deflect incoming attacks.

Tremblay also touched on how the Switch 2's hardware makes the game better, saying that "it's still the same amazing experience" and "returning players will feel right at home".

"That being said, we do have a lot of ways to experience the game using the controllers. We have the new amazing LCD screens with the VRR support, and I do think it’s the best way to experience the game on the go," Tremblay said.

He adds, "Playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2 is the more cyberpunk way to play Cyberpunk."

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of the role-playing game (RPG) is set to launch the same day as the console, June 5, 2025. The Switch 2 edition is also expected to feature improvements compared to the PS4 and Xbox One launch editions.

The Switch 2 will cost $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle, which comes with a digital copy of the game. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

You might also like...

• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders live: latest UK stock updates as My Nintendo Store's pre-order date arrives, while US pre-orders remain delayed
• Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games that you'll be able to pick up and play on June 5
• Your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order might not arrive on release day, Nintendo warns

• Amazon has expanded its 'Shop the Show' feature for Prime Video shows
• It lets you see and buy products from the movie or show you're watching
• But will this mean more product placement in Prime Video originals?

Amazon has brought its 'Shop The Show' program into its US app, enabling you to easily find products related to specific movies and shows – and it's just upped the number of shoppable shows to over 1,300.

The idea is simple enough: let's say you're watching The Boys and want to buy some tie-in merchandise. Simply open the Amazon app, search for "Shop the show" and you can then find an organized collection of products related to the hit show.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm immune to wanting the odd bit of merch, but I do worry what this means for future Prime Video originals. Because I think the temptation to stuff them with sales opportunities in the form of ever-more-annoying product placement is going to be impossible for Amazon to resist.

Want to know where to get this coffee mug or that tee? Shop the Show could help (Image credit: Amazon) Why I worry about Shop the Show

(Image credit: Amazon)

I'm worried about combining shows and selling because every time a streamer attempts to make more money from its users, which of course is what Shop the Show is designed to do, it makes the service worse.

For example, after sitting through the pre-show ads last night on Disney+, my episode of Andor was interrupted by another ad after just four minutes. And on Prime Video my Bosch Legacy viewings suffered at the hands of automated ad breaks that didn't care whether they were mid-scene or breaking tension. I tried to watch a concert video on YouTube the other evening and the first ads didn't even wait for the first song to finish.

What worries me about Shop the Show is that this particular kind of monetization scheme could ruin programs even further, with 'Amazon the shop' pushing more and more product placement into 'Amazon the streamer'.

For streamers, product placement is even better than ads. You can't skip it, and you can't pay to get rid of it. And you can put it into existing shows that didn't previously have it: as advertising publication The Drum reports, Amazon has experimented with virtual product placement – adding products into existing content – in multiple ways.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Product placement isn't anything new, of course. And I'm writing on a website that generates some of its revenue from linking to online retailers. But I don't work for those retailers, and I don't write with them in mind – just as in TV, where the show's maker is not usually the retailer of the products being placed on screen. That distance between the craft and the commerce usually limits how blatant the product placement can be.

With Amazon and Prime Video, the show maker and the shop are the same company. Different divisions, sure, but think of the synergy.

I hope I'm wrong, and that Amazon doesn't let the sales stuff affect what's on screen. I'm all for making it easier to find the books Bosch is based on, or the video games that led to the Fallout show. But when I look at my Amazon search results and remember when they used to show me what I wanted rather than what Amazon wants to show me, I can't say I'm very optimistic.

You might also like

• The 26 best Prime Video movies to stream this month
• 5 new Prime Video movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
• I wouldn't miss streaming these 3 movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

• 2.2 million British accounts have been breached in the first three months of 2025 alone
• The UK was the sixth most affected country worldwide, behind the US, Russia, India, Germany, and Spain 
• Despite this, the latest data shows a considerable downtick in data breach incidents worldwide

An average of 17 British accounts were breached every minute in 2025 so far, totalling 2.2 million accounts leaked in the UK during the first three months of the year. This toll makes the UK the sixth country most affected worldwide after the US, Russia, India, Germany, and Spain.

These are the main findings coming from Surfshark's quarterly update on its global data breach analysis.

Nonetheless, experts report a considerable downtick in data breach incidents worldwide compared to last year's surge. In the UK, data breaches decreased this year so far by 49% compared to the last three months of 2024.

(Image credit: Surfshark)

Globally, the latest data shows a staggering 93% drop, passing from a total of 973.7 million to 68.3 million leaked accounts.

"Although the number of vulnerable accounts in all major regions decreased in Q1 2025 compared to the previous quarter, people should remain vigilant," said Luís Costa, Research Lead at Surfshark.

Surfshark has recorded a total of 1.2B personal records exposed in the UK since 2004. This includes 79.2 million unique emails and 238.4 million passwords.

The US was, however, the most affected nation globally, with 16.9 million accounts breached in 2025 so far. Russia follows with 4.4 million, then India (4.2 million), Germany (3.9 million), and Spain (2.4 million). France (2.1 million), Canada (0.89 million), Argentina (0.79 million), and South Sudan (0.73 million) are also among the top ten most breached countries during the first three months of 2025.

How to protect your data from breaches

Despite the global downturn, data breaches and cyberattacks do not seem they be going away anytime soon.

This is why, whether you are based in the UK or any other targeted country, you should take some steps to secure your online data against this threat.

"Cyberthreats continue to evolve and attackers are constantly adapting their tactics," said Costa.

He then suggests following strong security practices at all times and regularly updating your passwords. A password manager tool is very handy to help you find unique combinations and stay on top of the security of your accounts with a couple of clicks.

Costa also recommends enabling 2FA, adding a second layer of security to your account by requiring another verification beyond just your password. This means that even if your password gets leaked, your account should remain safe.

You should also be vigilant when online to not falling victim to phishing scams. While a few virtual private network (VPN) tools and secure email services boast features to help you stay away from these dangers, refraining from clicking on dodgy links remains the best way to stay safe.

You might also like

• Beware, another ChatGPT trend threatens your privacy
• The VPN industry reacts to the EU's plan for end-to-end encryption backdoors
• Proton Mail hit with blocking order in India

• Microsoft is raising the prices of its Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, accessories, and headsets
• Prices are set to change today, with some first-party games expected to be adjusted to $79.99 later this year
• Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles in the US will see a $100 increase

Microsoft has announced that it is raising the prices of all Xbox consoles, accessories, and software.

In a new support post today, Microsoft confirmed that as of May 1, the prices of its Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles will see an increase worldwide, with the US getting a massive $100 hike.

Some controllers are also being adjusted by at least $10 globally, while devices like the Adaptive Controller and Adaptive Joystick will remain the same, but the price of headsets is only going up in the United States and Canada.

Although the cost of games isn't changing right now, the company said the price of some of its new, first-party games will be adjusted to $79.99 starting this holiday season, matching the price of certain Nintendo Switch 2 titles.

In the Q&A section, Microsoft confirmed that this will apply to both physical and digital versions, but "different games and expansions will continue to be offered at a variety of price points".

It also seems that the cost of Xbox Game Pass will remain the same.

"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development," Microsoft said. "Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players."

You can check out the new prices of all consoles and accessories below.

New Xbox console pricing - US and UK:

• Xbox Series S 512GB - $379.99 / £299.99 (was $299.99 / £249.99)
• Xbox Series S 1TB - $429.99 / £349.99 (was $349.99 / £299.99)
• Xbox Series X Digital - $549.99 / £449.99 (was $449.99 / £349.99)
• Xbox Series X - $599.99 / £499.99 (was $499.99 / £399.99)
• Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Special Edition - $729.99 / £589.99 (was $599.99 / £549.99)

New Xbox accessory pricing - US and UK:

• Xbox Wireless Controller (Core) - $64.99 / £59.99 (no change)
• Xbox Wireless Controller (Color) - $69.99 / £64.99 (no change)
• Xbox Wireless Controller – Special Edition - $79.99 / £74.99 (was $69.99 / no UK change)
• Xbox Wireless Controller – Limited Edition - $89.99 / £74.99 (was $79.99 / no UK change)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Core) - $149.99 / £124.99 (no change)
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (Full) - $199.99 / £169.99 (was $179.99 / £159.99)
• Xbox Stereo Headset - $64.99 / £45.99 (no change)
• Xbox Wireless Headset - $119.99 / £99.99 (was $109.99 / no UK change)

You might also like...

• Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: which Xbox is right for you?
• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders live: latest UK stock updates as My Nintendo Store's pre-order date arrives, while US pre-orders remain delayed
• Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games that you'll be able to pick up and play on June 5

• Nintendo no longer allows two Nintendo Switch systems to simultaneously play the same digital game while connected to the internet
• A new system update, which added Virtual Game Cards, has removed the ability to do this
• Users can still play one copy of a digital game offline through the Online Licenses option

The new Nintendo Switch update has reportedly made it impossible for two systems to simultaneously play the same digital game online.

Nintendo has just pushed out a huge Switch system update ahead of the Switch 2 launch, which adds several new changes, including a feature that now refers to digital games and DLC as Virtual Game Cards.

This function is now available on the console's Home Screen and lets users virtually load and eject their software like physical game cards.

However, players are now reporting that the feature is preventing two users from playing the same digital game online at the same time, something that was possible before through a loophole (via Eurogamer).

Before the update, Switch games purchased on a player's primary console could be played on a different account signed in on that device, and the original owner could also sign in and play the same game on a secondary console, too.

This would essentially allow the owner of the game and another person to play the game online simultaneously on different devices, but the addition of Virtual Game Cards now makes this impossible.

Players can still play one copy of a digital game while offline through the Online Licenses option that can be found in the Profile settings.

"If this option is enabled, purchased digital software will be playable while the console is connected to the internet, even when the virtual game card for that software isn't loaded to the console," the Online License setting reads.

"However, when using an online licence, only the user signed in to the Nintendo Account that was used to purchase the software will be able to play it, it will not be playable for other users on the console.

"Your virtual game cards can be used to play software regardless of this setting. Online licences cannot be used on multiple consoles at the same time. The online licence and virtual game card for a software title cannot be used at the same time."

The Nintendo Switch 2 will also offer Virtual Game Cards for some games. The console launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle.

If you're looking to get your hands on the new console, UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

You might also like...

• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders live: latest UK stock updates as My Nintendo Store's pre-order date arrives, while US pre-orders remain delayed
• Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games that you'll be able to pick up and play on June 5
• The Nintendo Switch 2 now has a special magazine issue to celebrate the upcoming console release that makes me wish I was fluent in Japanese

FX has released new details for Shōgun season 2, and while it makes us very excited for the return of the historical drama, it looks like it'll be a while yet until it reaches our screens.

The first season of Shōgun, which was adapted from James Clavell’s novel of the same name, was set toward the end of Japan’s Sengoku period as Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) fought for survival as his enemies, namely the Council of Regents, circled around him, looking to oust the powerful daimyo. Enter John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), an English sailor and survivor of a European ship wrecked on the shores of the village whose strategic knowledge turned the tide of civil war in Toranaga’s favour.

Originally conceived as a mini-series, which covered the entirety of its source material, Shōgun found itself renewed for not just the upcoming second season, but also a third outing. It’s hardly surprising considering one of the best Disney+ shows was met with almost universal critical acclaim – just look at its 99% Rotten Tomatoes score – and swept last year’s awards, taking home four Golden Globes and four Primetime Emmys among other accolades.

For audiences, the medieval political machinations echoed what we loved about those early seasons of Game of Thrones, with the premiere garnering nine million viewers globally on Hulu and Disney+, two of the best streaming services, making it "the most-viewed program in FX history".

What can we expect from Shōgun season 2?

(Image credit: Hulu)

The powers that be, then, we’re always going to want further adventures for Toranaga and Blackthorne, but with the novel fully wrapped up in the first outing, fans have been eagerly awaiting news on what might be in store for season 2.

While rumors have abound that further seasons may take an anthology approach, possibly drawing from Clavell’s Asian Saga book series, it’s now been confirmed that both Sanada and Jarvis will return to their respective roles, though the characters may feel a little different, with the next bath of episodes taking place a full decade after the season one finale.

As for what to expect plot wise, details are still thin on the ground with FX teasing: “Part two of Shōgun is set ten years after the events of the first season and continues the historically-inspired saga of these two men from different worlds whose fates are inextricably entwined.” It doesn’t give us much, but it does confirm that the show will continue to revolve around the destinies and relationship of Toranaga and Blackthorne. For more details on what season two has in store, be sure to check out our Shōgun season 2 guide.

When will Shōgun season 2 be released?

(Image credit: FX)

In terms of when to expect the latest season of the historical drama, the new details also confirm that season 2 is set to enter production in Vancouver in January 2026. Considering the epic scale of the show, which involves a lengthy shoot and a mountain of post-production, we’d anticipate mid-2027 at the earliest, which would be a whopping three years after season one aired.

While multiple years between seasons has become the norm for big budget prestige TV – looking at you Max – it’ll be interesting to see whether audiences are as keen to return to feudal Japan after so long away.

You might also like

• Daredevil: Born Again season 1: release date, trailer, confirmed cast, plot synopsis, and more news on the Marvel TV show
• I went to the set of Disney+'s A Thousand Blows series and this epic new drama has revived Victorian East End London
• I can’t stop rewatching this dark Australian comedy drama series on Disney Plus that hardly anyone knows about

• Security researcher Daniel Wade discovers worrying Microsoft RDP feature
• This allows old credentials to be used when logging in
• Microsoft has confirmed it has no plans to change this

Security researcher Daniel Wade has discovered a protocol within Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), which allows users to log into machines using revoked passwords.

Wade’s report warns “this isn’t just a bug. It’s a trust breakdown,” reminding Microsoft that people change their passwords trusting that this will “cut off unauthorized access”, making this feature entirely counter-intuitive. Wade cautioned “millions of users—at home, in small businesses, or hybrid work setups—are unknowingly at risk.

Surprisingly, in its response, Microsoft said this behaviour is not a bug - instead calling it, “a design decision to ensure that at least one user account always has the ability to log in no matter how long a system has been offline.”

A feature, not a bug

Microsoft confirmed the issue did not meet its definition of a security vulnerability, and that the firm has no plans to make any changes to this.

According to Wade’s report, there’s no clear way for end-users to detect or fix the issue on their end either, and Azure, Defender, Entra ID don’t raise any flags, leaving users vulnerable even if they’re taking protective measures.

“This creates a silent, remote backdoor into any system where the password was ever cached. Even if the attacker never had access to that system, Windows will still trust the password,” Wade argues.

Credential stealing and data breaches are far too common, and compromised passwords are a serious risk to businesses and users alike. Research has shown that security attacks on password managers have soared, with attacks growing more frequent and sophisticated.

This means regular password rotation is an important facet of cybersecurity, and best password hygiene practices centre revoking old, reused, or compromised passwords - making this feature all the more confusing and concerning.

Via Ars Technica

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around
• Check out our choice for best antivirus software
• Beware, hackers can apparently now send phishing emails from “no-reply@google.com”

For as long as there have been laws, there’s been lawbreaking.

And for just as long, much of that lawbreaking has gone unnoticed, undetected, or unenforced.

From small-time tax evasion and regulatory violations to more serious crimes, our legal and enforcement systems have always operated under the assumption that not every infraction will be caught, let alone punished.

But what happens when almost everything is knowable, detectable, and enforceable — all the time?

This is not a hypothetical question. It’s a future that is increasingly within reach.

AI-powered enforcement

Advances in artificial intelligence, combined with ubiquitous surveillance, data aggregation, and predictive analytics, are rapidly closing the gap between what people do and what the state or private enforcers (like insurers, employers, and technology platforms) know about it.

AI-powered enforcement has the potential to make rules — from traffic laws to environmental regulations to financial reporting requirements — enforceable at a level no human system ever could.

Today’s enforcement regimes are constrained by human capacity, resource limitations, and the sheer scale of human activity.

There simply aren’t enough police officers, IRS auditors, building inspectors, or compliance officers to monitor every infraction.

Even in the most highly-regulated sectors like banking or healthcare, enforcement operates on a sampling basis — regulators audit a small fraction of cases and rely on whistleblowers or patterns of harm to trigger deeper investigations.

The enforcement gap

This enforcement gap creates space for:

Minor lawbreaking that everyone does, like jaywalking or tax underreporting.

Strategic rule-bending by corporations confident that the cost of non-compliance will be lower than the profit it generates.

Informal economies and workarounds in communities where strict legal compliance is impractical or unaffordable.

In other words, incomplete enforcement isn’t unintentional — it’s a built-in buffer between the idealism of law and the pragmatism of real life: It reflects the gap between the formal rules and the messy reality of how people and businesses actually live and operate.

What AI promises

AI promises to upend this dynamic in several ways:

1. Mass surveillance: Modern AI systems can process vast streams of video, sensor data, social media activity, transaction records, and communications. Unlike human enforcers, AI can integrate all these data sources into coherent profiles, spotting patterns and anomalies in real-time and nearly perfect precision. A future where every movement in public space, every business transaction, and every online interaction is automatically monitored and assessed for legality is increasingly plausible.

2. Predictive and preemptive enforcement: AI doesn’t just detect violations — it can predict them. Machine learning models trained on historical violations can flag likely offenders or anticipate where breaches will occur. This transforms enforcement from a reactive process into a predictive and preventative one. Imagine an AI system that identifies risky businesses or individuals and nudges them toward compliance before violations occur — or simply pre-emptively fines them based on the probability they’ll break the rules.

3. Automated enforcement at scale: AI systems don’t get tired. They can enforce every rule, everywhere, all the time. This could turn what are now low-risk offenses — jaywalking, minor tax errors, small regulatory missteps — into near-certainties for detection and sanction.

4. Privatized enforcement ecosystems: It’s not just governments. Insurance companies, banks, landlords, employers, and platforms could all adopt AI enforcement systems to monitor contractual compliance, workplace behavior, or loan covenants. When combined with always-on monitoring, this creates a web of privately enforced micro-compliance regimes, each with its own penalties and incentives.

The societal implications

If AI makes laws and rules enforceable at near-100% rates, the consequences for society would be profound — and not all positive. These consequences include:

1. The end of informal economies: Many communities, particularly lower-income ones, rely on informal economies that blur the line between legal and illegal activity. From street vending without a permit to off-the-books construction work, these economies function because enforcement is incomplete. Total enforcement would collapse this informal safety net, often without offering viable alternatives.

2. The criminalization of everyday life: Laws are written with the assumption that not all violations will be punished. As a result, many laws are overbroad, technically criminalizing common behavior — but rarely enforced. If AI changes that enforcement probability from 1% to 99%, everyday life could become a minefield of minor violations, each triggering fines, penalties, or worse.

3. Disparities in enforcement scope and targeting: Even with AI, enforcement systems are built by humans — and inherit their biases. Which laws are prioritized for enforcement, and which populations are most heavily monitored, will still reflect political and economic power dynamics. AI could create a veneer of neutrality, while in practice concentrating enforcement on marginalized communities or politically disfavored activities.

4. Compliance as a full-time job: If businesses and individuals are subject to always-on monitoring and hyper-enforcement, staying compliant could become a full-time job. Entire industries of compliance assistants, AI compliance dashboards, and personal legal monitoring services could arise, adding friction and cost to every aspect of life.

5. The death of proportionality: Human enforcers have discretion. They can give warnings, ignore trivial violations, or apply common sense to ambiguous cases. AI enforcers, especially when operating autonomously, are far less likely to exercise that kind of judgment. This could create a legal environment where the letter of the law is enforced with machine precision, but with no regard for context or fairness.

Is this a future we want?

The prospect of AI-enforced legal perfection raises a fundamental question: Is the goal of law to achieve perfect compliance, or to balance order with freedom, fairness, and practicality?

Laws are not sacred truths. They are human creations, shaped by politics, economics, and culture. They evolve as society changes. If AI locks in existing legal regimes and enforces them with mechanical rigor, it could stifle innovation, crush dissent, and make laws less adaptable to social change.

The enforcement gap — the space between law on the books and law in action — is often where society negotiates its real values. Closing that gap with AI could mean the end of that negotiation, replacing it with automated obedience.

There are, of course, benefits to better enforcement — fewer dangerous products on shelves, fewer tax cheats, fewer environmental violations. But the danger lies in forgetting that the purpose of enforcement is not just to punish, but to serve justice — which sometimes means turning a blind eye, showing mercy, or allowing room for ambiguity.

As AI enforcement spreads, we must ask: Are we building a system that serves justice, or one that serves only the law?

Because if AI gives us perfect enforcement of imperfect laws, the result won’t be a more just society — just a more unforgiving one.

We've featured the best small business accounting software.

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

In today’s world, the frequency and severity of cyberattacks have become the norm. Nation-state threats and ransomware attacks are becoming more frequent alongside advancements in phishing and deepfakes due to new AI-enabled tactics.

As threats continue to evolve, defenses must keep pace. However, an organization looking to improve its defenses is only as strong as its people. Ensuring the right talent is essential to improving its cybersecurity maturity and bottom line.

Cybersecurity cannot be treated as its own business focus – it should be treated as a gateway to an organization’s overall growth and innovation. As business leaders set out to accomplish this mindset, there are many opportunities behind the organization’s security leaders, who can play a pivotal role in driving value.

The emerging standout player is the Business Information Security Officer (BISO), essential in securing cyber initiatives' interest and funding, allowing leaders to rethink their methods and invest in strategies that prioritize proactivity and compliance.

An up-and-coming concentration in cybersecurity

Recent research found that more cyber leadership teams want to add the BISO role to their bench, but while broader industry adoption remains slow, the role is still on track to becoming a crucial part of an organization’s security function.

Acting as the liaison between security teams, business units, and the C-suite, the BISO works closely with the CISO and CIO to understand current risk and identify areas of improvement. They handle everything from risk management and threat monitoring to third-party assessments and recommending cyber investment opportunities. These investments that meet security expectations and budget requirements will produce a greater ROI in the long run.

As the role is adopted widely, more organizations will benefit from an individual who understands the connection between securing the business and aligning plans to meet broader goals. Identifying ways to drive security proactiveness – and wider business success – also helps gain trust among stakeholders.

What does the ideal candidate look like?

A capable BISO is both a strategic leader and a cyber tactician. Success in the role hinges on a deep understanding of cybercriminal tactics and anticipating threats before they materialize. The most impactful BISOs also bring a blend of adaptability to changing attack methods, as it’s critical that the individual can understand the true cost of risk to bolster resilience.

The BISO is responsible for quantifying the cost of a cyber incident and the price of risk compliance. This approach helps them make pragmatic, data-driven decisions about what to protect and how to protect it – and communicate that to the rest of the business.

A pragmatic mindset also helps a good BISO make better risk management decisions that protect a company in the long run. Armed with this approach, the BISO will then make the case to the C-suite that investing in security tools ensures operational continuity while being cost-effective.

Emphasizing proactive risk management

As part of the role, BISOs must continuously examine the cyber tech stack and risk levels to determine the solutions and strategies that will result in the best ROI for teams and the broader business. Approaching this from the business lens enables them to make strategic decisions that best support productivity while meeting requirements.

Take the rise of ransomware and extortion attacks as an example. The BISO must take notice of the legislation, fees, and legal recourse that result from a cyber incident. The reality of today’s business world is it’s a matter of when – not if – an incident occurs, often resulting in a host of direct and indirect costs that significantly impact the business long-term, averaging around $677 million per incident according to recent research. When the BISO understands and communicates current risk and the financial implications, it can be integral in helping leaders invest in the right solutions to remain proactive in cybersecurity.

For example, integrated solutions that address regulatory, legal, and cybersecurity needs make it easier for businesses to manage all aspects of their cyber deployments and compliance requirements. These initiatives match the growing industry shift towards tool rationalization, a modern approach to investments in solutions designed to handle current and future risks while reducing complexity.

As a result, businesses can avoid costs related to remediation efforts, lost revenues, regulatory fines, and other expenses following a security incident.

How they pave the way towards modern cyber hygiene and resilience

As the middleman between security teams and the C-suite, the BISO acts as the organization’s north star to forgo the fear of potential threats and embrace a more confident approach to cybersecurity.

One modern approach is exploring innovative strategies, such as guiding response teams to shift from traditional monitoring, protection, prevention, and recovery methods. Modern techniques, such as isolating threats, allow teams to reduce disruption and maintain operations when faced with vulnerabilities.

The BISO also plays a role in improving employee cyber hygiene through new initiatives. Poor cyber hygiene directly impacted many organizations that suffered an incident in the past year, so it is necessary to oversee regular cyber training across departments and develop stricter employee guidelines.

Measuring impact

Understanding that cyber risk is a business risk is imminent to today’s modern business. The attack landscape is innovating at a rapid scale and increasing regulations around the world are calling for more accountability.

Businesses can’t afford to delay investing in the right tools, strategies, and, most importantly, people. The BISO ensures that high-level business planning aligns with cyber goals. Over the next few years, we’ll likely see more businesses embrace the BISO role as they understand its importance to their continuity.

We've featured the best business VPN.

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

• All 25 James Bond movies are coming to MGM+ on June 1
• The James Bond Collection will be available to stream for a limited period across 32 countries
• MGM+ is available as a Prime Video add-on for an additional fee

Sometimes it's difficult to find classic movies, especially when it's such a massive franchise. With so many of the best streaming services having varying libraries, it can be a real headache finding each installment.

But, MGM+ is offering movie fans the chance to stream all 25 James Bond movies in the same place, which is excellent news if you want to revisit some of the iconic movies without channel-hopping.

MGM+ subscribers can watch everything, from one of the best Sean Connery James Bond movies Dr No all the way up to Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies like No Time to Die, and will be available at no extra cost to MGM+ subscribers.

How to get MGM+

(Image credit: MGM+)

There's a couple of ways you can sign up to MGM+ if you're keen to watch the James Bond collection throughout June. They have said it will only be for a limited time, but we don't know how long they'll be around for.

So if you're keen to have a Bond rewatch, it's best to do it as soon as possible! If you're already a Prime Video customer, you can get MGM+ as an add-on for $6.99 / £5.99 / AU$6.99 per month.

Alternatively, you can just go for an MGM+ subscription on its own. There's also a 7-day free trial where you will not be charged as long as you cancel before the next billing cycle.

You might also like

• I wouldn't miss streaming these 3 movies on Prime Video
• Everything new on Prime Video in May 2025
• Does Prime Video have a free trial?

• The De'Longhi Rivelia is a bean-to-cup espresso machine with two hoppers
• It automatically adjusts grind and brew settings to suit your chosen beans
• Its 3.5-inch screen offers personalized drink suggestions throughout the day

De'Longhi has launched a coffee maker with a twist: interchangeable bean hoppers, so you can switch between two different coffees in an instant.

With the new De'Longhi Rivelia there's no need to use up all the beans in the machine when you want a change – just twist the hopper off to detach it, and replace it with another.

Some of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines (like the Twin edition of the Jura J8) have two hoppers that you can switch between, while others (such as the KitchenAid KF8) have a chute that allows you to use a scoop of pre-ground coffee instead of whole beans for brewing the occasional drink.

Both can work well, but also have some drawbacks. An espresso machine has to be pretty big to house two full-sized hoppers, and using a scoop of grounds for your second choice of coffee somewhat defeats the point of a bean-to-cup machine, because you're sacrificing either freshness (if you buy your coffee already ground) or convenience (if you have to grind it yourself).

Having two separate hot-swappable hoppers means that's no longer a problem.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: De'Longhi)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: De'Longhi)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: De'Longhi) This time, it's personal

The Rivelia also has several familiar features that we've seen in the company's other espresso machines, including a 3.5-inch color touchscreen and Bean Adapt, which automatically dials in the grinder and adjusts the water temperature to suit the type of coffee you're using.

There are four customizable profiles that let you save your preferred presets, and the machine will even pick up on your usual coffee habits and make suggestions accordingly. For example, if you usually start the day with a cappuccino, it will offer that first at breakfast time, so you don't have to spend time scrolling through other beverages.

Want to know more? We put the Rivelia through its paces when it launched in the UK and Europe, so take a look at our complete De'Longhi Rivelia review for the full lowdown.

You might also like

• With this simple gadget you can make great-tasting pour-over coffee with fewer beans
• Ninja's latest coffee machine takes away one of the biggest hassles of being a barista – and it's awesome
• How are Nespresso coffee pods recycled? Discover what happens behind the scenes

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, May 1 (game #690).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #691) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• DOG
• STATUE
• GOOSE
• PROP
• TURTLE
• BOTTLE
• WING
• BUST
• SUPPORT
• RELIEF
• BREAK
• LINK
• POST
• RIB
• TORSO
• BRACE

NYT Connections today (game #691) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Artistic chiselling 
• GREEN: Sturdy uprights
• BLUE: Grill baby, grill
• PURPLE: A pain in the… ?

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #691) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: KINDS OF CARVINGS 
• GREEN: PILLAR 
• BLUE: BBQ OFFERING 
• PURPLE: __NECK 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #691) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #691, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF CARVINGS BUST, RELIEF, STATUE, TORSO
• GREEN: PILLAR BRACE, POST, PROP, SUPPORT
• BLUE: BBQ OFFERING DOG, LINK, RIB, WING
• PURPLE: __NECK BOTTLE, BREAK, GOOSE, TURTLE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

I only just made it today after suffering a bad case of “one away”.

I had BUST, STATUE, and RELIEF and knew it had something to do with art but had no idea what the fourth could be. It was the same story with TURTLE, BOTTLE, and BREAK.

The only group I had the slightest confidence in was PILLAR, but even then I thought the link between BRACE, SUPPORT and PROP was medical aids.

And as for BBQ OFFERING? I am going to have to put not understanding that down to cultural differences. I knew that BBQ DOG was an album (and also something Jeremy ate in the best episode of Peep Show) but I didn’t see the link with, erm LINK.

Despite these difficulties, a pleasing Connections to complete.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, May 1, game #690)

• YELLOW: WINNINGS POT, PRIZE, PURSE, REWARD
• GREEN: STOP, AS A HABIT BREAK, DROP, KICK, SHAKE
• BLUE: MOVIE CAMERA VERBS DOLLY, PAN, TILT, ZOOM
• PURPLE: WORDS THAT PRECEDE "-SIZE" TO MEAN SMALL BITE, FUN, POCKET, TRAVEL

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 1 (game #424).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… What a trill!

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SEEK
• CROWS
• BIND
• LAID
• GLAD
• SOCK

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #425) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 3rd row

Last side: right, 3rd row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #425) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #425, are…

• WARBLER
• LARK
• SPARROW
• WREN
• CARDINAL
• CHICKADEE
• SPANGRAM: SONGBIRDS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I’ve just spent a very happy few minutes listening to all of these SONGBIRDS on YouTube.

Living in the city, I don’t really hear that many birds – apart from pigeons coo-ing and the crazy people on our street with a rooster (fortunately, he’s a bit lazy and doesn’t start his roostering until about 11am).

Of all the birds in the search, my favorite is the CARDINAL, which not only looks fantastic but also has quite the repertoire of repeated songs. I’m also a fan of the CHICKADEE, which really should be called the chickadee-dee seeing as they’re so keen on repeated whistles.

All in all, a very straightforward Strands with little in the way of confusing words or patterns. Not exactly a trill-er, but very calming.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 1, game #424)

• SKATEBOARD
• BICYCLE
• ROLLERBLADES
• SCOOTER
• WAGON
• SPANGRAM: WHEELIE

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.