Technology

Experts weigh in on the promises and pitfalls of Google’s new policy, which leaves schools unable to use Search unless they opt into its AI tools.

As part of the company’s post-midterms marketing campaign, data centers could be called “AI compute campuses.”

Fans of the Roku aquarium will need to find a new way to just keep swimming.

Dating and AI companion apps have new age gate restrictions, while apps that share your location will have to disclose it.

Some of the biggest names in travel are turning to “practical AI” to simplify trip booking and planning.

An AI chatbot was consulted about military action, raising questions about security risks, sycophancy and hallucination.

SpaceX is reportedly exploring a Boost Mobile acquisition or network deal. Here’s what business buyers should watch on coverage, costs, and compatibility.

The post SpaceX Explores Boost Mobile Acquisition for US Wireless Push appeared first on TechRepublic.

Two controversial new features arriving in beta this week will let the Apple Watch rewind and recap conversations.

The Blaugrana host Unai Emery’s improving Villains.

During its fourth-quarter 2026 earnings call, Apple execs covered supply chain struggles, high memory costs and the role AI will play in future financials.

The streaming service is testing an interactive AI feature for personalized recommendations.

• Security researcher combined audio analysis, flight data and a lot of number-crunching to identify audio locations
• Aircraft that are inaudible on the soundtrack can still reveal the recorder's location
• The technique is apparently accurate to within 100m

If, like me, you grew up watching corny FBI shows where computers could do the impossible through made-up technology with a single command of "enhance!", you're going to love the apparently impossible thing that YouTuber Colsto has just described in a new viral video.

Using a Doppler effect technique (more on that below), the location of a video or audio recording can be identified to within 100 meters through a combination of inaudible audio, flight data and math. This is no movie magic or scriptwriter invention: it's real and it's a little bit scary too.

I've embedded the video below and would really recommend watching it, because Colsto goes into great detail about how it's done, what it can't do and what precautions you might want to take if you don't want your background to betray you.

How your video background can betray you

As Colsto explains, the key is the 'Doppler effect'. That's the way sounds appear to change based on the distance between a moving source and the listener. You hear it all the time: it's what makes fire engine and ambulance sirens, car stereos and airplane propellers seem to change pitch as they go past.

What's clever here is that Colsto has focused on the sounds made by aircraft in the backgrounds of videos. In many parts of the world the skies are very busy, and a faraway airplane that's inaudible to you or other listeners might still leave a sonic footprint on your video or audio that can be isolated and analyzed. That's definitely the case in the US data Colsto used.

Once you've got the audio, the aircraft sound can then be matched with publicly available flight data and Doppler curve measurements. By triangulating the sound from multiple aircraft, you can then identify where the audio was recorded. This is enormously clever.

Colsto explains the detail in the video — what aircraft data was used, how it was analyzed, how the Doppler measurements were filtered and what corrections were made — but isn't posting any software or other tools to actually do it for you. Instead, you'll get an assessment of preventive measurements including why normal signal processing such as high-pass filters or noise reduction can be ineffective.

How scary is this?

A spectrogram showing a Doppler curve from an audio recording with harmonics above it (Image credit: Colsto)

Colsto was keen to point out that the video is designed to be educational about open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, rather than an attempt to fear-monger.

"The odds that someone can and does actually do this is pretty slim. In reality, there's probably a hundred easier ways to find you than this," he says.

However, these are some potential use cases. "The audio we used is just from some random security camera, but it could have just as well been footage from a investigation or a video online. Something with literally zero visual clues could be located using this," he added.

So despite the somewhat niche application, there's something deeply scary about this kind of thing, I think, and from similar revelations such as Wi-Fi routers that can be used to locate you indoors and Wi-Fi signals that can help track your movements, even if you're not carrying a phone that connects to them.

And I know that fear is probably a bit silly when everywhere I go I carry a phone, use a tablet or drive a car that's leaking identifiable information to God-knows-who. But I can't help asking the question: if the possibilities we know about are this scary, what on Earth is the tech we don't know about capable of?

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Bambu Lab has launched its Black Friday sale early this year, with running deals from now until December 1. There are plenty of 3D printers and accessories to choose from, but what's actually worth picking up in the sale?

Well, I asked our 3D printing expert Alastair which models he recommends from one of our top 3D printer makers. Alastair has tested every Bambu Lab 3D printer in his workshop for our best 3D printer guide and I wanted to know which machines he'd personally choose for readers. Here's what he suggests.

• For small business: The Bambu Lab X2D, which scored 4.5 stars in his review, " delivers exceptional print quality, material compatibility, and all at a superb price."

• For cosplayers and creators: The 4.5-star Bambu Lab H2S offers "enterprise-level print features and volume" with support for engineering materials.

• For beginners on a budget: The Bambu Lab A1 Mini earned a flawless 5 stars in his review, with exceptional speed, accuracy, features, and price.

Bambu Lab 3D printer deals

X2D: was $899 now $789
Alastair says: This is the machine that I recommend to small businesses and enthusiasts as it can cope with engineering materials.

UK price: now £669 (was £769)View Deal

• Read his full Bambu Lab X2D review

H2S: was $1399 now $1249
Alastair says: I love this machine - it's great for cosplay and making props. I use it as a dual-filament machine: PLA and PLA support, then paint.

UK price: now £999 (was £1099)View Deal

• Read his full Bambu Lab H2S review

A1 Mini: was $219 now $199
Alastair says: Cheap and just single filament but with the option to upgrade to the AMS. Just an outstanding machine for the price.

UK price: now £139 (was £149)View Deal

• Read his full Bambu Lab A1 Mini review

Bambu Lab filament sale

Alastair has also offered up some advice on which filaments he prefers. He says:

"Spend as much as you can. Filamentum, ColorFabb, and Polymaker are all great third-party filaments that I use. Otherwise branded filament from Bambu Lab and Prusa are good. esun and Sunlu as budget brands."

Bambu Lab is currently running a sale on filaments for Black Friday right here.

• The next game in the Elder Scrolls series is officially titled: The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel
• Bethesda Game Studios has also shared a teaser trailer hinting at the game's location, which appears to be Hammerfell
• The studio says, "It’ll be some time before we’re ready to share more" about Sentinel

Bethesda Game Studios has finally announced the name of the next game in its long-running Elder Scrolls series: The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel.

The news comes from a video celebrating the studio's 40th anniversary, which highlighted its many achievements and ended with Bethesda creative director Todd Howard offering a new look at the game.

"Everybody’s always asking about Elder Scrolls 6," said Howard. "And we thought, hey, given the moment, what a perfect time to tell you what The Elder Scrolls 6 is actually called."

The teaser trailer is short and doesn't showcase gameplay, but the camera pans over sand before a magic-looking scroll emerges. Then the game's title, as fans theorized, "The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel," was revealed.

The trailer description also provides an additional hint to the game, which reads, "The scroll offered only a shimmer, a veil thinly lifted to my eyes. A future lost. A victory undone. Sands of time scattered by fate," which is written in game lore by "Yazar, Moth Priest to High Queen Iradne of Hammerfell (4E 206)."

The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel has been in development for a very long time. Announced all the way back in 2018, today's teaser trailer and name drop are the first new pieces of information we've received about the game since.

In a follow-up post on X, Bethesda seemingly confirmed the game's location is set in Hammerfell, but it will be "some time" before more details

about the role-playing game (RPG) can be shared.

"Thank you for 40 years of shared memories," the studio said. "We can’t wait to make even more together with The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel. Development continues, and while it’ll be some time before we’re ready to share more, it feels great to finally reveal the name and location with you."

• Anthropic workers are likely making a good salary, plus stock-based compensation
• Revenue per employee is more than 2x Meta's and 2.6x Google's
• The company is targeting a valuation of around $1.5 trillion

Anthropic has confirmed in a recent S-1 filing that it spent $1.711 billion on personnel in its most recent three-month period, down slightly on the previous quarter's $1.857 billion but up around 3.5x compared with the same quarter in 2025 ($489 million).

With around 5,300 people on the books, it means the average worker set the company back over $322,000 for the quarter, or over $107,000 per month.

While these figures are likely wild overestimates for the average worker's pay, they show just how much the AI giant is having to spend on talent compared with last year.

Anthropic is spending billions on workers' salaries

Crucially, the average worker did not receive $107,000 in a single month, because these figures also include bonuses, employee benefits, payroll taxes and stock-based compensation. An estimated $1.1 billion of the quarterly total came from stock-based compensation, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total sum.

Still, personnel costs accounted for around 15% of the company's revenue over the first nine months of 2026, which puts Anthropic in a positive position. The company spent $4.8 billion on personnel in the first three quarters.

Flip those figures around and we have a company that's making an estimated $6.6 million in revenue per employee, compared with $3.2 million at Meta and $2.5 million at Google, per Business Insider calculations.

Recruiting AI talent is expensive

Anthropic doesn't publish salary information, but given its huge expenditure relative to the number of employees, it's clear that recruiting AI talent is expensive. With stock-based compensation accounting for two-thirds of Anthropic's personnel expenditure, workers are likely being attracted by the potential of huge future wealth, rather than immediate compensation.

An upcoming IPO has Anthropic valued at somewhere around the $1.5 trillion mark, per recent Reuters reporting. That would put it ahead of OpenAI, which is now likely targeting a $1.25 trillion valuation, per a separate Reuters report.

• Rockstar Games has confirmed players can pre-load the digital version of Grand Theft Auto 6 on November 10
• Code-in-box editions should be available in stores starting November 12
• The pre-load file will be "up to 212GB depending on your device"

Rockstar Games has announced the file size for Grand Theft Auto 6 and the dates for when players can pre-load the game depending on their edition.

In a new blog post, the studio confirmed that digital pre-loading on PlayStation 5 will begin nine days before the game's November 19 launch, on Tuesday, November 10 at midnight local time "in your respective time zone."

For Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, pre-loading begins globally on Tuesday, November 10 at 12AM GMT / 7PM EST / 6PM CST.

Meanwhile, code-in-box versions for both consoles should be available from retailers beginning November 12.

GTA 6 was speculated to be a massive game already due to its ambitious scale and impressive features, but Rockstar has officially confirmed that the pre-load file will be "up to 212 GB depending on your device."

"So make sure you've got ample space to begin pre-loading as soon as possible," the studio cautioned. Say goodbye to a fair few of your games if you want to install GTA 6.

In addition to the new details, Rockstar said it will be adding an official printable Grand Theft Auto 6 cover art poster and map of Leonida as a free digital download to the official site on November 19 for fans.

"A double-sided physical version of this poster will also be made available shortly after launch from the Rockstar Store — for $0.99 on its own or as a free gift with any purchase from the Rockstar Store," it added.

Rockstar recently released the cinematic GTA 6 launch trailer, which offers a deeper look into the game's story. Elsewhere, a new report claims the PC version could launch in early 2027.

You can definitely tell that Black Friday season is upon us, as big discounts on brand-new tech are popping up almost every day now. The latest early deal I've spotted is this record-low price for the Google Pixel Watch 5 at Amazon, which brings the latest version of the popular wearable down to $299.99.

Outside of a smaller $50 discount at the start of October, this is only the second time the Pixel Watch 5 has been on sale since its launch in August. And I don't expect it will get any cheaper than this over the next couple of months — even with Black Friday technically still over three weeks away.

The offer I've picked out here is for the standard 41mm model with Wi-Fi support only. However, the larger 45mm version and the watches with LTE support are also discounted by $100 right now at Amazon.

So, if you prefer a bigger screen or want your watch to be able to receive messages and alerts while away from your phone, you can choose between those options as well. For most, though, the standard 41mm version does everything you need in terms of health tracking, fitness tracking, and phone connectivity — and it's excellent value for money.

Google Pixel Watch 5 — record-low price

The Google Pixel Watch 5 drops to its lowest price yet following this $100 discount at Amazon. It's only the second time the smartwatch has been discounted since launch, and it's unlikely to get any cheaper over Black Friday. It's a competent wearable, too, with an accurate GPS, all the essential health and fitness tracking features you need, and an attractive design. If you're upgrading from a Pixel Watch 3 or 4, you won't notice a huge leap, but for everyone else, it's easily the best Android smartwatch right now.View Deal

We called the Google Pixel Watch 5 "the best Android watch yet" in our four-star review.

While it does feel like a clear iterative upgrade over the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4, it's definitely a top choice for anyone picking up a wearable for the first time. It focuses on excelling in the key areas that matter, including reliability and accuracy in metric tracking, offering a comfortable fit and attractive design, and adding advanced features for those who need them, like Breathing Emergency Detection and Insulin Resistance Trends.

The updated Google Health app puts a lot of emphasis on AI, so your mileage may vary on how much you appreciate some of the more advanced health and fitness features that rely on your data, but this is a very capable smartwatch for Android users — now at an even better price.

• The Razer Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition launches November 10 for $349.99 / €368.99
• The licensed PS5 controller features a magnesium alloy exoskeleton and an open polygonal top and back plate design with chamfered edges
• The controller is also optimized for PC and boasts "reliable precision, exceptional control, and blazing-fast speed"

Razer has announced the Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition, a new version of its officially licensed PlayStation 5 controller built on a decade of experience for "the highest level of performance and craftsmanship."

Launching exclusively at Razer on November 10 for $349.99 / €368.99 in an initial limited release supply of 1,337 serialized units, the Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition is Razer's "most ambitious" PS5 controller to date and combines materials chosen for "strength, durability, and finish."

The jet-black controller features a strong magnesium alloy exoskeleton, and the handles are wrapped in matte black textured TPU grip that resists oils and abrasion for a pristine finish for extended play sessions.

Layered over the touchpad, the Razer logo is laser-etched on a semi-transparent, tinted glass panel, which offers a subtle view of the open-air polygonal design underneath.

The Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition also has an open polygonal top and back plate design with chamfered edges, and its nano coating leaves the internal elements exposed beneath the shell, keeping them safe from debris.

RazerRazerRazerRazer

On top of that, the Razer controller boasts "reliable precision, exceptional control, and blazing-fast speed," which is achieved through its symmetrical thumbstick layout and contactless TMR thumbstick sensors for high-precision aim.

Built for PS5 consoles and optimized for PC with a 2,000Hz polling rate thanks to Razer HyperPolling Wireless for sharper movement and tracking, the controller also offers six mappable multi-function buttons, two claw-grip bumpers, and four mouse-click back buttons.

"With the Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition, we set out to illustrate what happens when Razer’s engineering and design capabilities are pushed to their absolute limits," said Charlie Bolton, Razer's global head of design. "It draws on years of experience in high-performance controllers, delivering tournament-grade responsiveness in a design that feels like a statement piece in hand."

Each Razer Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition offers a suite of premium accessories for customization, including a premium leather carrying case, alternative thumbstick caps, four swappable back button covers, an anodized aluminium back button replacement tool, a Razer HyperSpeed Wireless Dongle, and a USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable.

FastestVPN has launched its exclusive Black Friday offer for TechRadar readers: a lifetime of VPN access and password management for just $27.

FastestVPN usually rolls out a discount to its Lifetime Plus Plan each November but this is the cheapest and best we've ever seen it. In previous years the exclusive has cost $30 and only included two years of the family password manager. Now, the price is lower, and access to both is free for life.

You'll need to use the code FUTUREBF2026 at checkout to make sure you secure the extra $10 discount. Otherwise you'll find the price stuck at $40.

FastestVPN: Lifetime VPN and password manager
Was: $40
Now: $27 for life!

FastestVPN's latest exclusive deal for TechRadar readers is its cheapest ever. Get lifetime VPN access and lifetime password management (normally only two years) for just $27. To claim, use code FUTUREBF2026 at checkout. Without this code, you'll be paying $40 for the same.View Deal

We don't rate FastestVPN as highly as the likes of others on our Best VPN list but it's hard to ignore at this price, when most cost upwards of $60 for 2 years and don't come with a password manager.

FastestVPN still comes with many of the features you'd expect of a VPN, such as a kill switch, P2P optimized servers, an ad-blocker and some malware protection too. It has servers in over 49 countries worldwide and will allow you to stream from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and free regional services such as 7Plus and 9Now in Australia.

Unlike the name suggests, it's not as quicker as many other VPNs, such as Mullvad and VPN Super Unlimited, as we found in our tests. But FastestVPN is private and secure enough for most use cases.

If you're more focused on VPN performance, the best alternative VPN deal right now is Proton VPN. It's $2.49 per month on a two-year plan, and brings sturdier security, faster speeds, and far more reliable unblocking performance with streaming platforms.

There are also other Black Friday VPN deals from top performers like Surfshark and NordVPN too.

Compare the iPhone Duo and Pixel 11 Pro Fold on design, multitasking, cameras, battery life, and pricing to see whether Apple's extra $100 is worth it.

The post iPhone Duo vs. Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Is Apple’s Extra $100 Worth It? appeared first on TechRepublic.