Technology

• Sony Network Communications discloses breach affecting roughly 2.5 million ISP customers and former users
• Exposed data included personal details, while some email service users also lost email passwords
• Company contained the intrusion, notified authorities, and warned customers about phishing and fraud risks

A subsidiary of Sony Network Communications, the Japanese tech giant’s Internet Service Provider (ISP) arm, has confirmed suffering a data breach which saw it lose sensitive data on roughly 2.5 million people.

Among the stolen files were people’s phone numbers, email addresses, and in some cases - email passwords.

The company confirmed the news in an apology and notice letter in which it said threat actors accessed So-net, the company’s consumer-facing ISP service brand. The identity of the attackers was not disclosed, and nor was the method they used to break in. The breach happened on Monday, October 19 2026, and was spotted four days later, on October 23.

“Immediately after confirming the incident, we shut down the affected server and blocked communications from the source of the unauthorized access,” the machine-translated letter reads. A day later, the investigation determined that the attackers exfiltrated a total of 2,141,986 sensitive records belonging to both current and former members.

Trickling down to NTT Docomo

Of that number, roughly 1.8 million belong to current members, who had their names, phone numbers, email addresses, user IDs, dates of birth, genders, and internet connection IDs exposed to the hackers. Passwords were not leaked, Sony said.

There were also more than 440,000 records taken from plala (S Course), and this part also affects NTT Docomo, a separate internet service provider that uses Sony Network Communications’ underlying infrastructure as part of its service.

NTT Docomo issued a separate statement, notifying its customers of the incident, and urging them to stay vigilant with incoming emails and other communications:

“There is a risk of suspicious communications from those who misuse potentially leaked information in the future,” the machine-translated notice reads. “Please pay attention to the following points:

・Do not respond to emails, SMS, or phone calls

・Do not open links in the body

・Do not open attached files.”

The company added that the incident affects all Hikari service clients, as well as those that cancelled from May 2026, onwards.

Some So-net members’ email addresses and email passwords were, indeed, taken. A separate set of data affecting Email Service (G), A-Box (an additional mailbox service), So-net VAIO Mail, and PostPet Mail Account Service was nabbed, and the company reported 24,655 affected addresses for Email Service (G), 17,672 for A-Box, 7,005 for So-net VAIO Mail, and 5,069 for PostPet Mail Account Service. The breach affects both current So-net customers, and those that cancelled their subscriptions in March 2026 or later. Those that cancelled by the end of February were not affected, according to the announcement.

Banking data struck, too

Some customers also had their banking data exposed - but not many. “We confirmed the leakage of 16 records containing bank account information, including financial institution name, bank code, branch name, branch code, deposit account type, account number, and account holder's name,” the company said.

It stressed that it does not hold bank account PINs and therefore, they could not have been compromised. “We will individually contact the affected customers to apologize,” the notice reads.

Sony Network Communications said it notified the country’s Personal Information Protection Commission and other relevant government and law enforcement organizations and is currently investigating the attack.

So far, no hacking groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, and the data has not yet appeared anywhere on the dark web. There is also no word of this being an extortion attempt.

The attack comes less than a week after Japanese internet giant GMO Group told its customers to scan their computers for viruses, back up all of their data, disconnect the devices from the internet and then shut them down.

Via BleepingComputer

• JerryRigEverything has performed a teardown and durability test on the Trump phone
• This revealed that it's so similar to an HTC phone you can even swap their motherboards
• The Trump phone did at least survive the durability tests

It was starting to feel like we wouldn’t have to hear any more about the Trump Mobile T1, but a new durability test has confirmed what we already largely knew — namely that it's little more than a rebranded HTC.

A previous teardown from iFixit revealed that the Trump phone had essentially identical specs and components to the HTC U24 Pro — a mid-range Taiwanese phone from 2024. The design is ever so slightly different, with the Trump phone having a different camera housing and a gold paint job, but the dimensions are the same too.

Now, though, JerryRigEverything has gone a step further, revealing that not only is the internal layout the same, right down to the number of screws, but if you swap the Trump phone’s motherboard with the HTC U24 Pro’s, both phones still work.

So the Trump phone really is almost a carbon copy of that HTC handset — rather calling into question its claims of being “proudly American.”

Passes the durability test

The only upside to all this is that, by essentially being an HTC U24 Pro, the Trump phone matches that device for durability. It survived being bent in multiple directions, seemingly has effective water resistance, and has a screen that’s just as scratch-resistant as most modern smartphones.

So if you have bought one of these devices, then at least it might last you a while — but that’s likely more down to designers and engineers in Taiwan than anyone in the US.

And even if you haven’t bought one, the video is worth a watch, targeting as it does not just the phone but the entire Trump administration, to the point where one Reddit commenter described it as “the most entertaining durability test video I've ever seen”.

Alta is the brand’s first machine to brew 100% plastic-free pods. Here’s what I thought after weeks of testing.

Are you waiting for Black Friday before picking up a brand new TV this year? Well, you might not need to, as this five-star-rated model — and our pick for the best TV you can buy this year in the TechRadar awards – is already down to a record-low price before the sales are even fully underway. Yep, the LG C6 65-inch OLED TV is at Amazon US for $1,399 (was $1,599). The same LG C6 is at Amazon UK for £1,699 (was £1,899).

For those in the UK, if the 65-inch model is too large for your room or outside of your budget, several other sizes of this top-rated TV are also reduced to record-low prices right now. Amazon has the 42-inch LG C6 for £899 (was £999), the 48-inch LG C6 for £999 (was £1,099), and the 55-inch LG C6 for £1,199 (was £1,399).

Whichever one you choose, you can be confident that you're getting the strongest all-around display for most people, according to our testing. The C6 is a top-tier OLED TV for streaming your favourite shows, watching 4K movies, enjoying fast-paced sports, or playing the latest games — especially something like GTA 6.

One big question remains: will the price go lower as we get closer to Black Friday? Of course, we can never know for sure, but I would be surprised if the C6 gets any cheaper than this over the next few weeks. Maybe by a small amount of about £50 tops, but Black Friday deals usually stick around the same price for a longer time these days, so personally, I would be happy to buy now if you don't want to wait.

LG C6 record-low price at Amazon

C6 65-inch OLED TV: was $1599.99 now $1399.99
You can get the five-star LG C6 at Amazon US for a record-low price right now. Our pick for the TV of the year offers fantastic overall picture quality and excellent all-around performance, making it the number one pick for watching films, streaming TV shows, playing games, or enjoying sports. Expect top-tier contrast, vivid colors, rich blacks, and expert motion handling.View Deal

C6 65-inch OLED TV: was £1899 now £1699
This is a record-low price for the top-tier TV and an early standout deal from this year's Black Friday sales in the UK. LG reclaimed the top spot on our best TV guide with the C6, as it boasts fantastic overall picture quality and excellent all-around performance, making it the number one pick for most. Contrast is top-tier, with vivid colours and rich blacks, while motion is handled expertly. No matter if you're watching films, streaming TV shows, playing games, or watching sports, it's up to the job. Smaller models from 42 inches also now start at £899. View Deal

Want to read up more on this TV before hitting the buy button? Then you can check out our five-star review of the LG C6. The brand has been leading the way in the world of OLED TVs for many years, and we concluded that this latest model is "a worthy successor to, and upgrade over, the LG C5."

Our expert tester has praise for basically every part of the C6, saying that it offers fantastic picture quality, with superior brightness and excellent contrast, a modern processor to refine images, brilliant motion smoothing that makes fast-paced sports and games great to watch, and surprisingly strong built-in sound. It'll be worth investing in a soundbar eventually, though, for the best experience.

The C6 is also one of the best options if you're hunting for a new gaming TV to prepare for GTA 6. It sports four HDMI 2.1 ports and a full suite of premium gaming features, such as support for 4K resolution at 165Hz, giving you a smooth and responsive experience when playing the latest games on current-gen consoles.

Proton's 'Unlimited' plan is now just $1, offering anyone one month of access to its VPN and entire suite of privacy tools.

It's a great deal, given that Proton Unlimited is normally $12.99 for 30 days. It means that people looking to ditch ad- and tracking-heavy Big Tech software providers, can dip their toes into a privacy ecosystem for almost no cost at all.

Proton Unlimited brings full access to Proton VPN, one of the best VPNs available, together with its Drive, Docs, Calendar, and the much-loved Mail as well. All of these are encrypted, offering the perfect privacy-first alternative to Google's cloud-based tools.

Once you sign-up, do make sure to deactivate auto-renew on your Proton Unlimited account or you'll be charged $12.99 for each month that the subscription rolls on.

Proton Unlimited: Get one month for $1
Was: $12.99
Now: $1

Proton Unlimited is now just $1 for your first month over Black Friday. It's Proton's top subscription which includes one of the best VPNs available, private email, 500 GB of online storage, a password manager, and ad-free access to encrypted office apps, such as Docs and Sheets, that are all guaranteed to keep your data super-secure. Since this is on its 1-month plan, you can cancel anytime, so give it a go.View Deal

If you do like what you get, then the sensible move for value is to renew after your $1 month on the 12-month plan to Proton Unlimited instead.

If you pay monthly, it's $12.99 per month, but if you're happy to shell out for the whole year at once, then it drops to $6.49 per month instead, right now, as per the other part of Proton's Black Friday VPN deals. It's the lowest price that the 12-month plan has ever been.

If you prefer a different privacy software provider, then there are Black Friday VPN deals elsewhere.

NordVPN, our best VPN overall, is now $13.50 less over two years on its Complete and Prime Plans. Surfshark, one of the fastest VPNs available, is offering two years of its top-value 'One' plan for just $67.23.

Neither of the above has the same complete breadth of private and encrypted software alternatives to Google that Proton has, though. Take a look at our reviews of Proton Mail, Proton Drive and Proton VPN if you want some more details.

• The FEC was hit by a cyberattack on Monday that took filing systems offline
• 24 and 48 hour donation reports couldn't be filed for almost 41 hours
• The attack has been blamed on a "bad actor", but no other details have been released

Just days before voters head to the polls in what is the most significant voting occasion in Donald Trump’s second term, the Federal Election Commission went offline for almost 41 hours to contain a cyberattack.

During that time, there was a window for big donors and SuperPACs to fund campaigns without being able to submit 24 and 48 hour funding reports, likely leaving millions of dollars undeclared.

Campaign and finance watchdogs have voiced outrage about the lack of transparency into funding at a critical time in the election cycle, especially as there are no caps on how much SuperPACs can spend to help or hinder candidates.

Funding transparency goes dark

An email sent to campaign compliance firms on Monday said that FEC services were taken down after a “bad actor” attempted to gain access to systems. Outside of this, there is little information to go on regarding who would be responsible or what their motives might be.

According to OpenSecrets research director Brendan Glavin, who spoke to Reuters, around $50 million was spent per day in the lead up to the FEC outage, with $250 spent on October 20 alone.

Disclosure delayed is disclosure denied,” Hilary Braseth, executive director of nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets, said in a statement during the outage. “When hundreds of millions of dollars in outside money flood political airwaves in the final days before an election, transparency is not an optional luxury, it is a fundamental public safeguard.”

As would be expected, numerous conspiracy theories surrounding the FEC outage have been floated online. Many suggested the outage would give donors a window to funnel millions of dollars of undeclared funding into candidates needing a last minute boost.

“We ​didn't have access to the last-minute spending, which is really ramped up as the election draws nearer,” Molly White, a crypto and Big Tech political spending tracker, told Reuters. “We have no visibility into that when the filing systems are down. It's pretty ⁠devastating this close to the election”

“It's hard to say with any real information that that's what happened, but it's certainly I think where people's minds go very quickly,” she concluded.

SuperPACs back pro-AI candidates

AI has been a hot topic ahead of the midterm elections, which take place on November 3. The huge buildout of AI data centers across the US - and the billions spent to fund it - have been met with opposition by the majority of Americans.

To counter the outrage and swing the vote in favor of AI, numerous SuperPACS have spent millions of dollars to support campaigns of pro-AI candidates and millions more to harm those critical of the technology.

President Trump has pushed an administrative policy of AI at any cost, claiming that the US economy and national security depends on continuing AI superiority over rivals such as China. To that end, the estimates on the total AI infrastructural spending range between $2.8 trillion by 2030 to $10.3 trillion by 2032, so there is certainly a lot riding on this election.

With many states enacting or considering moratoriums on AI data centers, anti-AI candidates could scupper the Trump administration's hopes for being an AI powerhouse.

For diehard fans and newcomers like me, tech offers deeper insights into the race while helping broadcasters tell a richer story. I went behind the scenes to see how it all comes together.

There's no shortage of enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. Organizations across every sector are investing heavily, experimenting, launching proof of concepts, and finding ways to turn the latest developments into real business value.

However, there's a growing disconnect between experimentation and execution. For all the discussions of AI transforming the way we work, many AI projects never progress beyond the pilot stage. It's a familiar story. The proof of concept delivers promising results, the business case adds up, and everything looks like it's heading in the right direction.

Yet somewhere along the way the project hits a bump on the road. This can look like costs beginning to rise, confidence starting to waver, integration with existing legacy systems proving more complicated than expected, and approvals taking longer than anticipated.

What started out as an exciting project slowly loses its momentum. As a result, the AI initiative ends up stuck in limbo. The reason is that running a successful AI pilot and successful AI implementation are two very different things. Transitioning from a controlled environment with governed variables to a production environment brings a new set of challenges: security, governance, culture, skills, integration, and readiness.

Unfortunately, this challenge is not uncommon. Research shows that 71% of organizations remain in the pilot or proof-of-concept phase of AI transformation, highlighting just how difficult it is to turn early promise into a business reality.

This limbo is what many organizations are now experiencing: the AI implementation gap. It's the space between proving that AI can work and deploying it at scale in a way that delivers measurable value. For today's technology leaders, bridging that gap has become one of the defining challenges of AI adoption. The pressure to move beyond experimentation is growing, but doing so requires more than just increasing investment or pushing strong proof of concepts into production.

The real challenge is creating the conditions in which AI can move from an isolated trial into a sustainable part of the wider business. That requires establishing the right technical and organizational foundations, preparing people and processes, and finding the right use cases. To deliver real value, organizations need to think less about speed and more about creating something secure, scalable, and consistent.

It isn’t a technology challenge, it’s a business one

When AI projects stall, it's seldom because of the technology itself. More often, organizations run into strategic, governance, and operational challenges that prevent encouraging pilots from becoming production-ready solutions.

One of the biggest barriers is analysis paralysis. The majority of organizations have no shortage of AI ideas, but they typically lack a clear way of understanding which use cases will deliver the greatest value. This means resources become spread across multiple proof-of-concepts, each showing promise but none receiving the attention needed to reach production. The number of pilots continues to soar while the number of live deployments stagnates.

However, some organizations make the opposite mistake by designing for scale before they've checked the concept works. Major investment is made in infrastructure, architecture, and implementation before a solution has been tested in real-world conditions. If the project then needs to change direction, the amount of investment already committed can make it tricky to adapt. As a result, organizations can end up locked into an approach that no longer delivers the value they envisioned.

Governance is another common stumbling block. For organizations operating across EMEA, navigating regulations such as the EU AI Act, GDPR, and DORA introduces understandable caution. The consequences of non-compliance can be significant, and uncertainty around an evolving regulation often slows decision-making. Many AI initiatives don't stall because the business lacks ambition, but because leaders want greater confidence that they're deploying the technology in the right way: compliantly and responsibly.

Lastly, organizations often underestimate what it will cost to move from a successful pilot to widespread deployment. AI projects that appear affordable during the proof-of-concept phase can become much more expensive once they're scaled, especially if they haven't been properly stress-tested.

That's why due diligence is critical. Yet more than half (56%) of organizations don't carry out a Total Cost of Ownership assessment before deciding where to place significant workloads. Without a clear understanding of the long-term investment required, it's easy for costs to accumulate and confidence in the project to dwindle.

Balancing certainty and speed

Closing the Implementation Gap isn't about moving faster. It's about moving with confidence and know-how.

Time and time again, organizations find themselves at one of two extremes: waiting until every unknown has been resolved before making any moves or rushing ahead with AI projects before they've been properly validated. Neither approach is sustainable. Those seeing the greatest success are the organizations finding a balance between certainty and speed - moving quickly where the evidence supports it, while building in the validation and governance needed to reduce risk.

That starts with validating ideas early. Before major investment is made, organizations need to ask the technical, commercial, and governance questions that could prevent a project from ever reaching production. It's far better to discover early that a use case won't deliver than to invest months of budget and time before uncovering the same conclusion.

Rapid prototyping also plays a crucial role. Instead of debating whether an idea might work in theory, businesses should aim to create something tangible that users can test within days. Seeing a concept in action changes the conversation from speculation to evidence, giving stakeholders the confidence to make informed decisions about where to invest next.

Equally important is maintaining transparency throughout the delivery process. AI projects shouldn't feel like a black box. Defined ownership, clear checkpoints, and agreed assessment criteria help everyone to understand where a project stands, whether it’s a success, and what comes next. Projects rarely stall because the technology isn't capable - they stall because critical decisions weren't made early enough or because expectations weren't aligned from the outset.

Bridging the implementation gap

The implementation gap isn't going to disappear overnight. With 71% of organizations still stuck between pilot and production, the challenge is clearly not a lack of willingness, technical ability or ideas. In most cases, they have all three.

Instead, it's the ability to turn experiments into solutions that actually work in the real world. That means treating the transition as a business issue, not simply a technical one. Organizations need an approach that balances speed with governance, validates value before investment is made, and gives stakeholders the confidence to scale. It also requires leaders to be confident enough to stop projects in their tracks if they're not going to deliver real value.

The organizations taking meaningful steps forward won't be those adding more pilots into the mix. They'll be those that have strong processes and capabilities in place to push the right pilots ahead. Fundamentally, closing the AI implementation gap means creating a path from pilot to production that can be followed again and again.

We've featured the best AI tool.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to 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/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Windows 11 has a new preview (optional) update
• This introduces the ability to fully tailor the right-click (context) menu to your liking, as well as speeding up its performance
• That's great, but you're best off steering clear of a preview update and waiting for the full release in under two weeks – but even then, this feature will be on a gradual rollout

Windows 11 now has one of the most-wanted interface capabilities for many people, namely the ability to customize the right-click menu – but it's not quite fully finalized yet (although that's imminent).

The menu that pops up when you right-click on a file (or folder) is also known as the 'context' menu as it presents a bunch of options that vary contextually based on the type of file clicked – but in Windows 11, it's currently a sprawling affair.

Those who hate the lengthy right-click menu will now be able to customize it after installing a new Windows 11 update, although this is an optional release, meaning it's still in preview. This feature will be in next month's patch, the November update, though, so you haven't got long to wait for the full release (less than two weeks, in fact).

The customization settings for the right-click menu include the ability to remove Windows commands you're not fond of – like 'Send to' for example – or add abilities that you'd like to have, and also choose the apps you want to appear in the context menu.

It's a full range of customization and you can also elect to have the top panel of the menu (cut, paste, rename and so forth) directly integrated instead, so these functions appear alongside everything else (in a Windows 10 style – and you can shift the layout around too, moving Properties to the foot of the menu for example).

Microsoft boasts that the new right-click menu is faster, too: "The updated menu opens more quickly, reduces clutter, and gives you more control over the commands and app extensions that appear when you right-click."

As you may have noticed, all this work has been in testing for a while now.

Analysis: rolling frustrations and a lengthy wait

(Image credit: Elnur / Shutterstock)

The immediate response on the likes of Reddit seems positive, and there are Windows 11 users who have taken the plunge with this preview update who are observing that the right-click menu is indeed a lot faster.

One Redditor enthuses: "The new context menu is so good! Way faster, customization is cool."

Others acknowledge that this is undoubtedly a good move, but don't understand why it took Microsoft so long to get here: "Not bad imo. Crazy it took them 5 years though."

While the feedback is generally positive, there are complaints from those who have installed the update but haven't received the new context menu. This is because the right-click revamp has been implemented via a gradual rollout, so it's only being drip-fed through to a certain amount of PCs at a time (of those who have installed the optional update). As another Redditor puts it: "Those gradual rollouts though…"

You can force the feature to be deployed to your PC using a Windows configuration utility (ViVeTool), but I wouldn't recommend that approach. Microsoft tests the waters in a limited way for good reasons, especially with features still in preview, so you're running a larger than normal risk of some nasty bug ruining your day.

Anyway, you've waited five years for this performance and options tuning, as those on Reddit are keen to point out – so what's another couple of weeks? I'd hold on for the official November update, keeping clear of this preview, but even then, it'll still be a gradual rollout, and you may need some patience.

Still, the good news is that the context ball is rolling, and it hopefully won't be too long before the majority of Windows 11 users gain access to this important upgrade for a key piece of the UI.

Last week, we highlighted the excellent Seagate Expansion drive dropping to $460, but while I was running a price check ahead of Black Friday, I noticed the 16TB Expansion Desktop HDD now down to $400 (was $550) at Newegg.

If you're looking for extra storage for archiving files and media libraries, I don't think you can go far wrong with this desktop hard drive. Seagate has consistently impressed us in tests. And this high-capacity external HDD is about as simple as it gets, while coming with the ever-useful Rescue data recovery service (because you can't be too careful).

• Best for: Professionals looking for affordable, high-capacity storage across PC and Mac.

• Why we like it: First off, it's cheaper now than it was even last week as part of Newegg's Gametober sale. There's plenty of storage here from a brand we've regularly reviewed and trusted for years, and the plug-and-play setup is particularly welcome.

• What you need to know: You'll need to reformat this drive using Time Machine if you're using it on a Mac.

Expansion 16TB: was $549.99 now $459.99
This 16TB desktop external hard drive connects over USB 3.0 and works with Windows 10 or later and macOS 10.12 or later (you may need to reformat it for Time Machine). It includes Seagate’s Rescue data recovery services and a one-year warranty. View Deal

Price Context & Historical Value

You're now saving $150 (last week, the discount was $90). That makes this a much more attractive offer - although it's still expensive compared to hard drive prices a year ago, before the component crisis.

For comparison, the same drive is priced at $424 at Best Buy and $500 at Amazon, where you'll also find the 8TB model at $316 and the 24TB version selling at $680.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Seagate Expansion 16TB if...

You need a standalone external desktop hard drive for storing all your files, with the added peace of mind of the Rescue Data Recovery Services software.

❌ Skip the Seagate Expansion 16TB if...

You want a fast SSD drive you can take with you on the go - this HDD isn't BUS-powered and needs to be plugged in.

• See all desktop hard drives at Newegg

Technology innovation should always be driven by one core objective – to improve people’s lives. Unleashing human imagination in new and exciting ways, whether that’s solving complex problems or making everyday life easier.

We’re at a fascinating moment in time, where smartphones have become the de facto platform, but in terms of innovation they have reached a bit of a plateau. New smartphones have largely incremental hardware updates and optimizations without groundbreaking new features.

But then AI came along to shake things up. And that AI, when used well, is making a huge positive impact in people’s lives. AI is best used to complement human abilities – if you look at fields like medical imaging, AI can help to analyze huge data sets and spot patterns for physicians to diagnose fully.

Across tech, AI is having a big impact in how we interact with technology. Most notably transforming smartphones and smart devices. And it’s created a new category where you don’t even need to be holding your phone – AI smart glasses.

The AI smart glasses category has been growing rapidly, with research by Omdia finding global shipments of AI glasses had reached 8.7 million units in 2025, up 322% year-on-year.

It’s interesting to look at the ‘why’. On paper, AI glasses don’t have as much processing power or storage or RAM as a smartphone, so how could they be of use? And it's down to the form factor and AI.

Potential for smart glasses

There’s a lot of potential for smart glasses in the B2B sector. Increased productivity, real-time interactivity or enhanced customer experiences, the potential use cases are huge across many verticals.

One example I love is the potential to change how people engage with cultural subject matter. Imagine a pair of AI glasses as an “audio guide 2.0” that would become a deeply personalized guide, interacting with the knowledge base and curation of the venue – whether it’s a museum, art gallery or historical heritage site.

Visitors can ask specific questions about certain subject matter and get real-time answers as they explore a museum or gallery, making it much more conversational and interactive. Lightweight in form factor, smart glasses can be worn over long periods of time. And in the future, the same tour could generate layers of explanations tailored to different audiences (children, amateurs, experts), without imposing the same experience on everyone. We’re already seeing these concepts being explored by cultural institutions.

This form factor can also blend seamlessly into everyday life, and make tasks easier. How many times have you been somewhere like a concert and witnessed a sea of smartphone screens? The same with navigating around a city. People experiencing life through their device. AI glasses are changing that, allowing you to be more present in the moment without having to live and capture memories through a phone screen.

I actually found myself running late and lost in Rotterdam train station recently. I speak three languages fluently, but if you’ve been to the Netherlands you know it’s hard to guess at some of the words. Safe to say, it was getting stressful. I was wearing AI glasses, and asked it to translate the signs around me – I was on my way quickly.

But with every emerging technology comes new challenges and societal considerations. And there’s a responsibility on manufacturers and innovators to find ways to realize this vision responsibly. For AI smart glasses, there's one crucial piece of the puzzle that will shape their true impact - and that's privacy.

Creating a privacy-first architecture

One element is data privacy. We’re in an era where people’s personal information has been largely commoditized. Where AI smart glasses are concerned, we’re seeing a huge amount of contention about how personal data is gathered by some manufacturers and used to train AI models.

For me, it’s very simple. Our company DNA has always been that privacy should be treated as a core principle, not an afterthought.

But what does privacy-by-design actually look like in practice?

Control of data should ultimately remain with the user. And that’s why it’s crucial to have data stored locally on smart glasses by default – and only transferred off the device when initiated by the user.

And you can safeguard local data even further with military-grade encryption – something that is particularly important for many organizations and will be required when handling internal and customer data. This means that even if someone else tries to take the AI glasses and pair them to another phone, the previous data cannot be accessed.

These concerns over data should also extend to how we interact with LLMs. As AI tools become embedded into our daily lives, the more requests we send to LLMs, the easier it is for them to build a profile of you. And it’s the same for AI smart glasses.

With a privacy-first architecture, third party AI requests are de-identified, so that LLMs cannot build an accurate profile. Policies where user data is not used to train any LLMs should be standard.

There’s also the matter of protecting the privacy of people around you when wearing smart glasses. It’s crucial to have visual indicators, like an LED indicator that lights up during photo or video capture to signal photography or video is being recorded at that moment.

It's obviously not good enough that on some AI glasses, it’s possible to obscure the LED and effectively hide it from view. Any AI glasses worth their salt should use a multi-sensor approach so that photos and video recording should automatically disable if the LED is obstructed or when the glasses are removed.

We collectively have this incredible opportunity - a new technology which combines the versatility of AI with wearables. But AI smart glasses will only be a huge benefit to us all, if privacy is handled correctly.

We've featured the best VR headsets.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to 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/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• iFi unveils the UP Travel Max
• It's a Bluetooth adaptor for audio systems that rely on 3.5mm jacks
• Can be used on flights, in cars, and on your ancient iPods

I'm always struck by how odd it is that airlines seem comfortable to let modern tech trends fly straight by.

Only last year, I was given a pair of antique cheap wired earbuds for an in-flight entertainment system, and there's no way of using your own premium Bluetooth headphones instead — that is, unless you own one of a very select set of headphones or earbuds. Models such as the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 or LG Tone Free T90S offer a case retransmission function to ping audio to your preferred listening gear wirelessly, from connected analog or digital sources.

But what if you don't want to buy new headphones for better flights? The other option is to buy a Bluetooth adaptor like iFi's new option. It is called the UP Travel Max, and it's up for preorder now for $129 / £129 (roughly AU$260, but iFi's Aussie website doesn't list a price), before going on sale at the end of November.

This device, like the Twelve South AirFly View which arrived only a day prior, is designed to be plugged into a 3.5mm jack. You then pair it to your Bluetooth headphones or earbuds (or speaker, if you're a maverick), letting you connect your wireless option into the wired medium.

The iFi has a 10-hour battery life, supports LDAC and aptX Lossless playback and has a built-in DAC, borrowed from other iFi devices. That's why it's a little pricier than more basic options: you don't just get the function, you want clean audio too.

Audio comes, audio goes

(Image credit: iFi)

The iFi UP Travel Max is a little different from some other Bluetooth adapter dongles, because it receives or transmits, depending on which mode you put it in.

Plug it into a flight console, and it can transmit from the screen to your headphones. But connect it to your personal vehicle's stereo, and it can receive from your smartphone, to use the big speakers while you're on the go. A button on the device lets you flick between the two.

Using transmit mode, you can also connect wireless headphones to older gadgets, like your classic iPod (which just celebrated its 25th birthday) to avoid using whatever wired headphones you have lying about to enjoy your old-school tunes.

I'm sure there are plenty of other niche use cases that could benefit from the iFi UP Travel Max too; my PC doesn't have a Bluetooth module so I'd be able to use it to pair wireless headphones, for example. The world is your oyster... or you could just use it on flights, to avoid those awful, highly breakable standard-issue buds.

It is now getting pretty difficult to track every time OpenAI and Anthropic models break containment, wander onto the wider web, and cause unintended, high-risk chaos.

The recent wave of rogue AI agent incidents has now prompted US President Donald Trump’s administration to consider asserting more power over AI tools.

These incidents expose a deep vulnerability for the UK. If advanced AI models are acting unpredictably with sensitive data and carrying out hacking campaigns against real people, what happens when that data is hosted, processed, and governed on foreign-owned infrastructure?

For far too long British IT has essentially handed the keys to US tech giants. The CMA’s market investigation into cloud services found that Amazon and Microsoft control 70-90% of the UK cloud computing market. And another US digital powerhouse in Google controls a smaller share.

These hyperscalers often repeat marketing platitudes about "sovereign" regional data centers located on British soil. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the act of storing data in a UK-based data center is not enough to guarantee sovereignty.

In reality, these tech giants are "sovereignty-washing." Why? Because If the controlling entity is subject to foreign legal jurisdiction, such as the US CLOUD Act, foreign authorities can compel access to that data. It is irrelevant where the physical hardware resides. Hosting data on foreign-owned servers is basically just paying rent on digital turf that remains subject to external laws.

As foreign-owned autonomous AI agents process vast amounts of critical enterprise and state data, and increasingly turn adversarial, the decision to build Britain's AI future on foreign, proprietary stacks looks ever more short-sighted. The potential for financial, legal and national security breaches is simply not worth the risk.

It is time for the UK to end its over-reliance on sovereign-washed cloud providers and establish true digital independence by backing British tech.

Paying the "sovereignty tax"

By continuing to rely on foreign tech monopolies British institutions are paying a heavy "Sovereignty Tax.” By that I mean the insidious, hidden and steadily accumulating burden of building critical systems on platforms you cannot fully govern.

Hyperscalers reel in UK organizations using aggressive cloud credits and low upfront pricing. But once they are embedded in these cloud systems, those firms often find it hard to leave them. This can come in the form of data egress fees, proprietary technical debt, outage exposure, restrictive licensing rules and audit blind spots. All of these add to the creeping realization that leaving your current provider would be harder, and more expensive, than you ever anticipated.

This explains why an overwhelming 66% of UK IT leaders say they would consider switching cloud providers to regain control of their data and infrastructure. Yet despite this clear desire to break free, the proportion of UK IT leaders expecting to become even more deeply entrenched in US hyperscaler systems has more than doubled over the past year, rising from 12% to 28%.

This seems all the more bizarre given that a recent study from Proton Research showed that 45% of consumers would actively avoid doing business with companies that store data with US firms. Meanwhile, over half (58%) would happily pay higher fees to switch to a sovereign provider.

This forced entrapment dynamic has undoubtedly created an era of digital feudalism. A small group of foreign tech lords own the underlying digital land, while British businesses and public sector bodies exist merely as serfs… and pay a perpetual tribute for the right to operate. And the real-world operational costs of this reliance are coming home to roost. Over the past year, 39% of UK firms were hit by outages originating from US hyperscalers, with resulting risk exposure costing some organizations over £1 million.

As organizations increasingly deploy more and more compute-intensive AI workloads on these platforms, the technical lock-in will only continue to deepen.

Not only does this drain commercial value but it also means high-skilled engineering jobs, and IP heads across the Atlantic rather than staying in the UK.

Legal and security risks

As autonomous AI usage proliferates, legal and operational risks do so too. AI agents interact with database layers, corporate IP and sensitive citizen data while executing the tasks they are set.

If that data resides in a foreign-controlled ecosystem, UK organizations lose jurisdictional control over it. Without true data sovereignty, external powers effectively hold a "kill switch" over the UK’s critical infrastructure. For example, if a UK NHS trust is reliant on a foreign-hosted AI agent for patient triage, a regulatory dispute in another country could trigger a sudden access shutdown. This could paralyze hospital operations and put sensitive health records in the hands of foreign control.

By centralizing the UK’s national capability into a single foreign-owned monoculture, we are also creating a concentrated point of failure. What happens if the US shifts policy and revokes access, leaving the UK powerless over its own critical infrastructure?

The drone and missile strikes that hit Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE in March that brought two of the three Availability Zones in the region offline was also clear proof that the cloud is not a borderless, invulnerable utility. For the UK to retain true security, it requires resilient distributed architecture.

British digital independence

It should be noted that global hyperscalers undoubtedly have a place in non-sensitive, low-risk applications. But prioritizing digital sovereignty is not an act of digital isolationism.

The fact that the UK government created a £500 million Sovereign AI initiative this April shows that policymakers do recognize the importance of digital resilience and maintaining control.

But that support for domestic innovation will continue to be undermined if public compute spend continues to be funneled towards multi-year deals with foreign incumbents.

The government’s procurement strategy must focus on actively purchasing from domestic cloud providers if its strategic ambition for creating a UK tech powerhouse is to work.

At the same time, proprietary vendor lock-in thrives in closed-loop ecosystems. The UK needs to treat open-source tech and open architectures as national assets. When you use open standards, moving your AI models and data between public, private, and local clouds is painless. You get actual flexibility instead of being locked into one setup. And, crucially, UK organizations avoid being hit with exorbitant transition fees.

Our European neighbors are already leading the way in regard to embracing true sovereignty. France is dropping Zoom and Office for sovereign, open-source ecosystems, and Germany is using Nextcloud to replace Google Docs.

The UK possesses capable domestic cloud platforms. We have the technical capacity and talent ready to scale. And UK firms are crying out for the powers that be to back homegrown tech; 90% of IT leaders are calling for a more proactive government stance in support of British companies. We just need the procurement bravery to match.

Controlling our destiny

The unpredictable and unprecedented nature of autonomous AI agents means the UK must reassess what it has been doing up to now. Building the future of British tech and economic security on rented land is fundamentally contradictory.

The UK already has companies that own the full tech stack required to power modern enterprise. These companies offer the same core capabilities as hyperscalers without the associated sovereign risk or vendor lock-in.

If the UK wants to prove itself as a global leader in AI the country needs to support its own tech providers.

That means distancing ourselves from sovereign-washed cloud providers and investing in open-source infrastructure. Doing so is the only way to protect our data and reclaim our digital autonomy, before it’s too late.

We've featured the best AI website builder.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to 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/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• AI agents could tell you where you're going wrong before customers call to complain
• The system works by identifying early signs and fixing them
• By modelling outcomes, humans can make an informed decision on a fix

Oracle has plans to make customer service a lot more proactive with its new AI-powered applications, which now promise to identify and address problems before they even escalate into customer complaints.

Announced at the company's recent AI World conference, the company's new Claw-powered Fusion Agentic Applications for Customer Experience are designed to take on more and more business processes from start to finish, instead of simply helping human workers to get things done.

Service Health Check, one of the applications within the new suite, promises to detect emerging customer service issues and then investigate what's causing the issue to be able to issue recommendations – and even act upon them while keeping humans in the loop at important, decision-making points.

Reactive is being replaced by proactive

The Service Health Check application uses Oracle's new Fusion Claw – an agentic execution system launched just a few weeks ago that can reason across enterprise data, conduct research, model outcomes and carry out actions based on all that context.

Instead of waiting for a customer to complain, the application is designed to monitor early signs that previously led to a drop in retention. In theory, it means businesses can tackle recurring problems before they affect larger numbers of customers, improving overall customer satisfaction.

But the shift toward proactive customer service could have much broader implications on how businesses operate on the whole – where human workers previously needed to monitor performance dashboards and investigate patterns themselves, they can now free them up of significant admin time to manage agentic actions and focus on boosting revenue in other areas.

"Business leaders need to turn growth strategies into opportunities and deliver on customer commitments, but connecting customer demand with enterprise capacity in time to act remains a challenge," Applications Development SVP Kartik Raghavan explained, pointing toward the reason behind why the company launched its new customer service-focused agentic tools.

Protecting your personal information online is as challenging as ever. With many platforms requiring signups to access information, you’re inadvertently going to disclose personal information online, and this information is often made public. Whatever is made public on the internet stays there for a long time, and you’re likely not comfortable with this. What’s a possible solution? A data removal service like EasyOptOuts.

Data removal platforms scan people-finder/data broker sites for your data, then send automated deletion requests on your behalf. When processed, your information gets deleted from the people-finder sites, enhancing online privacy. Data removal platforms also send manual removal requests, but EasyOptOuts doesn’t– it sends only automated requests.

I extensively tested and reviewed EasyOptOuts to help you decide if it’s worth adopting as your personal data removal service. Read on to learn about its core features, pricing, setup, customer support, and other essential factors.

EasyOptOuts: Plans and pricing

EasyOptOuts has a simple pricing structure - you can check out the full details by clicking here. It costs $19.99 per year for personal use. There’s no monthly plan or tiered plans like most data removal platforms. It’s just one package that unlocks access to all features.

(Image credit: EasyOptOuts )

Businesses (with 10+ employees) can get a bulk subscription, but the price still amounts to $19.99 per year per user. The exception is for registered nonprofits, which get a 25% discount from EasyOptOuts.

At $19.99 per year, or barely $1.80 per month, EasyOptOuts is much more affordable than its rivals. But, does this affordability make it a better option? Let’s explore more to find out.

EasyOptOuts: Setup

I found EasyOptOuts’ setup process very straightforward, or shall I say, easy. Entering the homepage and hitting the Sign Up button kickstarts the process. When signing up, you’ll provide your email address and other personal information like date of birth, home address, and phone numbers.

You’re probably wondering, “I’m trying to guard my personal information online and yet need to provide all this information again to a data removal platform?” The answer is that whatever information you provide is what the data removal platform scans people-broker sites for.

EasyOptOuts scans 200+ broker sites, which isn’t that many compared to competitors. However, EasyOptOuts doesn’t aim to be a mass-market data removal service. Rather, it focuses on U.S.-centric people-finder sites. Non-U.S. residents are better off with broader-focused data removal platforms.

After inputting your personal information, EasyOptOuts runs a deep scan on its network of 200+ people-finder sites. The complete scan can take a long time, based on the volume of data found across the network. It could be a day, 2 days, 3 days, or even a week, so don’t fret if you don’t get the results within a short period.

Once the scan completes, users receive an email alert and can begin monitoring the progress of the removal requests. I don’t like that EasyOptOuts sends only automated requests. Sometimes, automated requests aren’t enough to delete your information from people-finder sites, so manually drafted requests are needed to complete the process.

However, I understand that automated-only requests are how EasyOptOuts can keep its price as low as $19.99 per year. If it had to employ experts to manually draft deletion requests, the price would be much higher.

EasyOptOuts doesn’t just run the initial scan. It rescans its people-finder site network every four months, then sends another set of deletion requests if your personal information is discovered again. This rescan is important because some people-finder sites have a habit of reuploading information they were asked to delete. It ensures that your information stays off public view as long as your EasyOptOuts subscription is valid.

Compared to most data removal platforms I’ve tested, setting up EasyOptOuts felt noticeably easier. Everything ran smoothly, from providing my personal information to the initial scan and monitoring the status of deletion requests from my dashboard.

EasyOptOuts: Ease of use

Above, I’ve hinted at EasyOptOuts’ simple setup process and generally intuitive user experience. Like most data removal platforms, EasyOptOuts doesn’t have a native smartphone app, so you’ll access it from your browser.

I think a PC is the best option over a mobile browser, given the volume of information you’ll have to input to get scanned. A mobile browser would be inconvenient for the initial setup, but suitable for monitoring the status of deletion requests.

(Image credit: EasyOptOuts )EasyOptOuts: Security and privacy

EasyOptOuts is a good addition to your online security toolkit, particularly for U.S. residents. It helps keep your information off those infamous people-finder sites like BeenVerified and PeopleLooker.

These sites have built a business model of aggregating personal information from public sources and then offering access for a fee. Tools like EasyOptOuts send deletion requests to scrub your data off people-finder sites.

However, on EasyOptOuts, you won’t find complementary security features like a VPN or password manager. It’s all about one thing – data removal – and does its job effectively. The drawback is the limited, U.S.-centric broker site coverage.

EasyOptOuts: Support

EasyOptOuts provides decent support, although I think it could be better. There’s an official support page filled with detailed answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). For new users, this FAQs section helps answer important questions, so that you’ll not have to contact support directly for routine issues.

If you do need to contact the support team, there’s a dedicated email address for that. The support team is U.S.-based, so responses revolve around local working hours. I don’t like that there’s no telephone or live chat support, but given the low price charged by EasyOptOuts, it’s understandably difficult to maintain live support teams for users.

EasyOptOuts: Competition

EasyOptOuts has many competitors. Incogni and DeleteMe are the two notable names I’d like to highlight.

I chose Incogni because it feels like a more robust version of EasyOptOuts. It covers 420+ data broker sites, including non-U.S. ones, and offers both automated and manual deletion requests. This compares to EasyOptOuts, which covers 200+ sites and only supports automated requests. However, EasyOptOuts is much more budget-friendly, costing just $19.99 per year, whereas Incogni’s pricing starts from $7.99 per month.

DeleteMe provides much higher coverage, with 850+ sites, and supports manual deletion requests. I’ve tested it and can confidently say that you’ll get more data scrubbed with DeleteMe than EasyOptOuts. DeleteMe users also get complementary features like dark web monitoring and email masking.

However, DeleteMe is priced like a premium service. Its plans average $129 per year, multiples of EasyOptOuts’ $19.99 per year.

EasyOptOuts: Final verdict

If you’re a U.S. resident and need a budget-friendly tool for scrubbing your personal data off people-finder sites, EasyOptOuts is a good bet. For just $19.99 per year, much more affordable than competitors, you’ll get a reliable tool to scan people-finder sites and send deletion requests where your data is discovered.

Setting up your account, running the initial scan, and monitoring further scans are easy to handle, thanks to EasyOptOuts’ intuitive interface.

However, you should be aware of EasyOptOuts’ drawbacks, such as the limited people-finder site coverage, lack of manual deletion requests, and email-only support. Overall, it’s a reliable data removal platform.

• FADU's File-Semantic SSD runs path lookup, permission checks, and file-to-flash mapping in firmware instead of on the host
• NFSv3 requests ride inside standard NVMe commands, so GPUs, DPUs, and remote clients can reach files without requiring a host file system
• Its headline 460,000 ops/s result came from a PCIe 5.0 host, with PCIe 6.0 results promised by Q1 2027

South Korean controller designer FADU has shown off an SSD that understands files rather than just blocks, betting that the next bottleneck in AI storage is not raw bandwidth but the CPU time spent working out where data lives.

The File-Semantic SSD (FS-SSD), unveiled at the OCP Global Summit, moves file lookup, access checks and file-to-address translation into firmware on FADU's sixth-generation controller.

FADU's whitepaper promises GPUs, DPUs and network cards a route to their files with "no host filesystem, no block layer, and no storage-server CPU in the path." Partner samples are not expected until Q3 2027.

Not the first approach to the 'CPU problem'

FADU is no newcomer to data center flash. Its Gen5 controller sits in the SN861, which Western Digital launched and SanDisk now sells; last year, the company said it had signed controller supply deals with two of the four hyperscalers, weeks after revealing its Sierra PCIe 6.0 controller.

Its pitch here, however, isn't entirely new, with the recognition coming from a not-so-surprising front: Nvidia. Nvidia has been doing the same from the other end of the PCIe bus. GPUDirect Storage removed the CPU from the data path years ago, letting drives move data straight into GPU memory, but host software still decides what to fetch and issues every request.

Its decision to open source cuFile and shift that control path onto the GPU, with SCADA attacks adding accelerator-side overhead even as FADU attacks it from the drive end of the equation.

FADU says its own measurements show the host file system and block layer consuming about 30% of CPU cycles in a GPUDirect Storage random-read workload, a vendor figure that has not been independently reproduced. It also argues that existing bypass schemes only get the CPU out of the way by abandoning files altogether.

How does this work?

Rather than invent a new language for its drive, FADU borrowed an old one. NFS, short for Network File System, has let computers open files stored on other machines for decades. FS-SSD tucks NFS requests, such as looking up a file by name or reading part of it, inside the standard NVMe commands that SSDs already use.

Those commands can come from inside the same server or, using a networked version of NVMe called NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF), from other machines in the data center. FADU chose NFS version 3 for three reasons: it is small, with just 21 operations; it works with any operating system; and it is stateless, meaning each request carries everything the drive needs to answer it, so the drive never has to remember who has which file open.

FADU has also merged two lookups that normally happen separately. On a regular system, the computer’s file system first works out which numbered block holds each piece of a file, and the SSD’s own internal software, called the flash translation layer, then works out where that block physically sits on the flash chips.

FS-SSD does both jobs with a single file layer based on F2FS, a Linux file system designed for flash memory, laid out to match how the chips are physically organized. One map then takes the drive straight from a file to the spot where it is stored, and that map is much smaller. A typical SSD carries about 1GB of DRAM for every terabyte of flash and fills almost all of it with its block map. FS-SSD uses the same amount, but FADU says about 95% of it is left free to keep details of frequently used files close at hand.

That layout also makes cleanup simpler. Flash memory cannot overwrite old data in place, so drives regularly move the data they still need elsewhere and wipe whole blocks clean, a chore known as garbage collection.

When F2FS runs on an ordinary computer, the file system and the SSD each do their own version of this cleanup, and the two end up multiplying each other’s work. FS-SSD runs just one, and FADU says that cuts write amplification by 63% compared with F2FS on a regular host. Lower write amplification means less wear on the flash, but the 63% figure comes from simulated tests on NVMeVirt, software from Seoul National University that imitates an SSD, rather than from a real drive.

In FADU’s own preliminary test, remote file throughput held at about 460,000 ops/s as the server was cut from 16 cores to one, while a standard Linux NFS server fell from roughly 150,000 ops/s to 40,000.

The testing has its limits, though. FADU’s Gen6 drive sat in a PCIe 5.0 host, so every sequential read result topped out near 14.1GB/s, roughly the Gen5 link limit, even as Gen6 drives such as Micron’s 9650, rated for 28GB/s reads, are already in mass production.

Both the client and server ran Intel’s Core i5-13600K desktop chip with 128GB of DDR5 and a 100Gb ConnectX-6 NIC. That processor has 14 physical cores and 20 threads, so FADU’s test likely counted threads rather than physical cores.

The world’s first file-semantic SSD is an idea that isn't entirely new

FADU calls FS-SSD the world’s first file-semantic SSD, and it may well be the first hardware demonstration of its kind, but the idea isn’t new. The DevFS research paper, presented in 2018, described a direct-access file system “embedded completely within a storage device,” though the authors tested it only as an emulated prototype.

NVM Express has standardized a key-value command set that addresses data by key rather than block address, and SK hynix has developed a key-value computational storage drive with Los Alamos National Laboratory. Unlike the key-value command set, FS-SSD has no standard behind it yet. FADU has not submitted a file-semantic command set to NVM Express or OCP Storage, so for now every client needs FADU’s own software.

FADU’s longer-term goal is a flash enclosure with nothing in front of it but a PCIe switch and a DPU (a network card with its own processors) or NIC handling NVMe-oF in hardware, with a reference design built on Xsight Labs’ 800G E1 DPU due by the end of 2027.

FADU’s model puts that at about 42% lower power and 57% lower cost per 16-drive system than a conventional storage server, though those are projections rather than measurements. DPU-fronted flash boxes already exist, such as Supermicro’s BlueField-powered JBOF, but those still run the storage software on the DPU’s Arm cores. FADU wants the drives themselves to serve the files.

FADU chief executive Nam Yi-hyun said the company will use FS-SSD as “a springboard to become a leading company in AI storage solutions,” according to The Herald Business. The bottleneck FADU is chasing is real, and building on NFSv3 rather than inventing a new protocol gives it a credible starting point.

For now, though, the evidence amounts to a Gen5 test bench, an emulated write-amplification figure, and modeled savings, with OEM and ODM talks still early. The Gen6-host results FADU expects by Q1 2027 will be the first real sign of whether the drive can do the most important part: handling the CPU’s job at full speed.

• An Israeli company is alleged to have launched a spy campaign using malicious ads targeting Starlink users
• The ads do not have to be clicked on, just served to the user to begin collecting data
• The ads were served to Starlink users across more than 100 countries

An alleged Israeli spy firm has been spotted snooping on Starlink users on an industrial scale by a digital defense firm.

These are the conclusions of research by Trend Micro’s AI cybersecurity unit TrendAI, whose researchers analyzed troves of digital advertising data. The research found that Israeli company Discover-Tech was the number one bidder on Starlink advertising traffic.

The surveillance was targeted at Starlink units across more than 100 countries - including regions with Starlink restrictions - and used malicious adverts to harvest user data across browsers and applications.

Starlink users surveilled by ads

Initially, TrendAI did not directly name Discover-Tech as the perpetrator of the alleged surveillance campaign, instead referring to them as “Shadow-Earth-79”. Discover-Tech is the same firm that was alleged to have targeted Al Jazeera journalists with malicious adverts earlier this month, as exposed by Citizen Lab.

As Starlink terminals route traffic through a network of satellites in orbit, they can circumvent local internet restrictions and are a useful way to stay connected during blackouts - such as those experienced by Ukraine - or government enforced internet shutdowns - such as those that affected Iran at the start of 2026.

But this circumvention also makes them lucrative targets for governments or authorities looking to track Starlink units on their turf.

As Starlink only provides the connection to the internet, adverts can still be served on webpages, and this is the critical piece of this puzzle. As Cofiant noted in their own report, Discover-Tech abused the ad bidding process to serve adverts that harvest critical data about the users that see them. Some adverts can collect data as the user trawls the internet, creating a de-anonymized profile that can set them up for further surveillance.

The advert doesn’t even have to be clicked on. As long as it is served to the user, it can begin tracking.

The TrendAI researchers noted an “obvious skew” towards bidding on advertising space that would target Starlink users, with Discover-Tech being the number one ad-buyer across Syria, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan despite the fact that “the demand for legitimate Western advertising in sanctioned or active-conflict states is effectively zero.”

Google, Comcast, and multiple other companies have since removed Discover-Tech from their ad platforms.

Via Reuters

• An Israeli company is alleged to have launched a spy campaign using malicious ads targeting Starlink users
• The ads do not have to be clicked on, just served to the user to begin collecting data
• The ads were served to Starlink users across more than 100 countries

An alleged Israeli spy firm has been spotted snooping on Starlink users on an industrial scale by a digital defense firm.

These are the conclusions of research by Trend Micro’s AI cybersecurity unit TrendAI, whose researchers analyzed troves of digital advertising data. The research found that Israeli company Discover-Tech was the number one bidder on Starlink advertising traffic.

The surveillance was targeted at Starlink units across more than 100 countries - including regions with Starlink restrictions - and used malicious adverts to harvest user data across browsers and applications.

Starlink users surveilled by ads

Initially, TrendAI did not directly name Discover-Tech as the perpetrator of the alleged surveillance campaign, instead referring to them as “Shadow-Earth-79”. Discover-Tech is the same firm that was alleged to have targeted Al Jazeera journalists with malicious adverts earlier this month, as exposed by Citizen Lab.

As Starlink terminals route traffic through a network of satellites in orbit, they can circumvent local internet restrictions and are a useful way to stay connected during blackouts - such as those experienced by Ukraine - or government enforced internet shutdowns - such as those that affected Iran at the start of 2026.

But this circumvention also makes them lucrative targets for governments or authorities looking to track Starlink units on their turf.

As Starlink only provides the connection to the internet, adverts can still be served on webpages, and this is the critical piece of this puzzle. As Cofiant noted in their own report, Discover-Tech abused the ad bidding process to serve adverts that harvest critical data about the users that see them. Some adverts can collect data as the user trawls the internet, creating a de-anonymized profile that can set them up for further surveillance.

The advert doesn’t even have to be clicked on. As long as it is served to the user, it can begin tracking.

The TrendAI researchers noted an “obvious skew” towards bidding on advertising space that would target Starlink users, with Discover-Tech being the number one ad-buyer across Syria, Libya, Yemen and South Sudan despite the fact that “the demand for legitimate Western advertising in sanctioned or active-conflict states is effectively zero.”

Google, Comcast, and multiple other companies have since removed Discover-Tech from their ad platforms.

Via Reuters

Nintendo officially increased the price of its Switch 2 console in September from AU$699.95 to AU$769.95 due to “various market conditions”, no doubt caused by increasing component costs driven by AI-driven shortages.

If you missed out before the price increased, and now feel the new price has put you off from buying a Switch 2, I don’t blame you — but if you also happen to be in the market for a new smartphone, then have I found the deal for you.

For a limited time, JB Hi-Fi is throwing in a free Nintendo Switch 2 with every purchase of either a Google Pixel 11 Pro or Pro XL handset, a saving of AU$769.95!

Pixel 11 Pro (256GB): $1849
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (256GB): AU$2,099 at JB Hi-Fi

JB Hi-Fi is adding a bonus Nintendo Switch 2 console when you buy either a Google Pixel 11 Pro or Pro XL handset, starting today, October 29, and running until November 9. You can save even more by trading in your old phone for a JB Hi-Fi gift card that goes toward your entire purchase, and you can get a quote here. Also included are a 3-month YouTube Premium subscription and six months of Google AI Pro. In case you need to return either phone, you'll need to also return the Switch 2 console.View Deal

I’ve not seen many discounts on the Switch 2 since its September price hike, and I’ve certainly never seen one being given away for free. That fact alone should give this deal plenty of appeal, but when you consider the recent game releases for the console, there’s plenty more to get excited about.

Yes, with a slew of first-party and exclusive releases from this year like Star Fox, Donkey Kong Bonanza, Pokémon Pokopia and more, as well as upcoming titles like Metroid Ravenous, Pokémon Winds and Waves and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, you’re not exactly short of options for engaging gaming potential.

Our Nintendo Switch 2 review gave the console 4.5 stars, confidently claiming it to be a massive upgrade over its predecessor. The headline improvements include support for 4K and 1440p resolutions (vs up to 1080p), a 120Hz refresh rate (up from 60Hz) and overall performance improvements with an Nvidia Tegra T239 processor, 12GB of RAM (vs 4GB) and starting storage of 256GB.

And let’s not take the attention away from the Pixel phones included in this offer. The Google Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL each received 4 out of five stars in their respective reviews, with both delivering battery improvements and better AI performance from the new Tensor G6 chipset, improved cameras, brighter screens and lighter and slimmer chassis. The Pro XL has also earned a spot among the best phones you can buy in Australia.

Securing either of these top-performing devices on their own is always going to be a wise move. When you get one of them included for free, then it practically becomes a no-brainer.

The xTool X1 might initially look like another large, enclosed laser engraver, but it wasn't long into my months-long test of the X1, to realise it's something far more ambitious.

Essentially, xTool has brought years of laser engraving development together into a single, expandable manufacturing platform, making the X1 one of the most versatile machines I’ve ever reviewed. This is not the first machine that I’ve looked at recently to do the modular laser approach, with the superb Creality Falcon T1 doing something similar on a far smaller scale.

At the X1’s heart is a 55W CO₂ laser, similar to that seen in the excellent Bambu Lab R1 although now the larger X1 has arrived at the same price and with far more potential it will be interesting to see how the R1 fares.

Once again, the 55W CO₂ laser proves to be a powerful option for cutting and engraving wood, acrylic, and a wide variety of other materials. On its own, this one laser option would already make the X1 a superb option for anyone looking for a professional laser cutter.

But then again, xTool already has the xTool P2. To differentiate this as something new, xTool has thrown all their technologies at the design and added an optional 20W diode galvo module, which sits alongside the CO₂ head inside the machine, and this forms the foundation of what this machine then develops into.

One of the key features to the dual head system is that rather than relying on a conventional moving-head laser for every cut, engrave, and score, the X1 can use the galvo system for intricate, high-speed engraving before switching to the CO₂ laser for cutting. What I like is that both are controlled through xTool Studio, and switching between the installed lasers just takes a selection option in the software.

Throughout testing, this combination of laser options with backpack modules also highlighted the potential and the direction these laser machines are moving. Multiple laser options mean projects like wooden placemats and detailed pencil boxes, which would ordinarily take considerable time to engrave and cut, can be completed much faster, with the galvo speeding through the detail while the CO₂ handles the cutting. In one test, a placemat project that took the xTool S1 around two hours was completed on the X1 in approximately half an hour.

One of the X1's big features is its support for additional laser-source modules mounted on the rear of the machine. For this review, I used the 5W UV and 60W MOPA modules, which enabled me to engrave glass and emboss brass coins. I also used the MOPA for its accuracy to create precision apertures in thin metal for pinhole cameras.

Having previously used dedicated MOPA machines such as the xTool F2 Ultra, I was interested to see how a machine this size could perform similar metal engraving. The results were impressive, but as I found at every step of this review, there were a series of considerations due to the size, weight and complexity of the machine.

That first consideration is size. The X1 arrived in a substantial crate, and as it was dropped off in the driveway, I had to call on assistance from a neighbour to lift and manoeuvre it into position. Although the main machine can sit on a conventional workshop bench, the additional modules, extraction systems and accessories quickly highlighted that the space I had allocated was about half of what it should have been.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The second point to make is the modular system. While the additional laser sources proved excellent, swapping them isn't quick, unlike some of the small multi-laser modular systems I have looked at recently.

With the X1 positioned against a wall, accessing the rear of the machine, changing the hardware, and recalibrating could take about an hour. Some of this was down to the restricted space in my workshop, but the swap of modules required the recalibration of the lasers, it’s worth considering if you intend to switch between different laser technologies regularly.

Price is another consideration although I'm actually surprised how cheap it is on balance. The base machine is listed at $3,699 / £2554, but adding the diode laser, specialist modules and accessories can take the complete system well beyond $10,000, depending on configuration.

Even so, there’s no getting away from how capable this machine is, and if you were looking for the equivalent in separate machines, say the P2 and F2 Ultra, you’d be looking at much the same costs. For general cutting, detailed engraving and small-batch production, the X1 is one of the most refined laser engravers I’ve used.

If you have an established workshop or small business handling a wide range of materials, the X1 offers huge potential. Just make sure you have the space, budget and patience to make the most of it.

xTool X1: Price & availability

The xTool X1 starts at $3,699 / £2,553 and includes the 55W CO₂ laser. The base price is in line with other machines that I have looked at recently. It's worth knowing that the costs rise quickly with optional modules.

The 20W diode galvo at $899 / approx. £674 is an optional, but essential upgrade, as it first enables faster engraving but is also needed to support the installation of the additional UV, fibre and MOPA lasers.

A fully equipped system comes in at just under $10,000 if you buy the components separately as upgrades, however, the bundle offer prices bring the cost right down. The X1’s integrated workflow, versatility and all-in-one design do keep things neat. You can find out more at xTool.

X1 Single CO2 (55W CO2): $3,399 / £2,554

X1 CO2 + Diode Galvo (55W CO2 + 20W Diode Galvo Module): $3,999 / £3,005

X1 CO2 + Diode Galvo + Fiber (Includes 30W Fiber Laser Source): $5,799 / £4,358

X1 CO2 + Diode Galvo + UV (Includes 5W UV Laser Source): $6,499 / £4,884

X1 CO2 + Diode Galvo + MOPA (Includes 60W MOPA Laser Source): $6,679 / £5,019

xTool X1: DesignSpecs

Machine type: Modular laser cutting and engraving platform
Primary laser: 55W CO₂, 10,600nm
Optional lasers: 20W diode galvo, 5W UV, 30W fibre, 60W MOPA
Laser technologies: Hybrid Motion and Laser Swap
Working area: 615 × 320 mm x 150 maximum
Dimensions:
Weight:
Camera and focusing: Dual cameras with image stitching, automatic focusing and height-adjustable bed
Connectivity: USB and Wi-Fi
Software: xTool Studio

There’s nothing particularly small or understated about the xTool X1. In fact, the first indication of what I was dealing with came when the machine arrived in a substantial wooden crate. I can usually handle these large machines with the help of a sack trolley and boxes.

However, this time I called on the help of a neighbor. It’s not quite the size of the P3, but you will still need two people to lift the X1 free of its packaging and to get it into position in the workshop. By the time we stripped away the protective materials and set it onto the work surface, it was obvious this wasn’t a typical desktop laser engraver.

The machine itself follows the same design direction as xTool’s recent P2S and P3 models, with a fully enclosed chassis and a level of refinement that feels far removed from the open-frame laser engravers that dominated the enthusiast market only a few years ago. When it comes to the size, it measures 1000×580×420 mm.

Having tested numerous xTool machines, I’ve consistently been impressed by the company’s build quality. While xTool and GlowForge used to be the two major players in this part of the market, rivals such as Bambu Lab, LaserPecker, and WeCreat have recently upped the game as well.

Everything from the large hinged lid to the internal processing bed feels solid and is exactly as I’d want in the workshop. The lid opens easily and is supported by pneumatic arms; on some machines of this size that I’ve looked at in the past, this can be a weak point, but here it all feels good and solid.

Compared with other machines of this type and size, the height of the machine is considerably taller; this is due to the adjustable bed inside that rises and lowers to position materials correctly beneath the laser. This is a far more sophisticated setup than the fixed-height beds on many smaller machines that require risers for larger objects. On the front of the machine, there are a couple of buttons that enable you to raise and lower the bed manually if needed.

Testing showed the bed adjustment was essentially fully automated, with the software handling most positioning. The work area is big, with a maximum of 615 × 320 mm, and offers plenty of room to lay out multiple parts, which is especially useful for small batches of products such as placemats.

What I quickly realised is that depending on the laser and type of work you’re doing, those work area dimensions change. For instance, with the CO2 laser the max height of anything placed into the machine is 150mm; however, with the other lasers that reduces to 140mm. Essentially, as you lay out your designs and select the lasers, the on-screen layout changes so visually that from the outset you know exactly where you are.

Inside, the materials are supported on the supplied slats, though as with other manufacturers, I would have liked a few more. I also had the optional honeycomb panel, which, as ever, became my preferred choice for almost everything I processed.

A honeycomb just provides a decent surface for supporting materials and makes it easier to remove completed work, and while small pieces of debris from the cuts will still fall through to the base, there’s less chance of scorching of cut pieces falling and accidentally getting re-lasered.

Unfortunately, one surprise was that there isn’t a simple removable waste tray at the base, so cleaning out smaller pieces requires a little more effort. I have a handheld Dyson for this exact job, and with the depth and space, it’s easy enough to get that into cleanup quickly after a few cuts.

In this review, alongside the 55W CO2, I have also installed the 20W diode galvo module. This sits alongside the CO₂ laser inside the main enclosure and takes a couple of minutes to fit; once installed, it can stay as a permanent part of the machine. After installation, the rest of the setup is completed in xTool Studio.

The software walks you through the calibration process, although some manual adjustment is needed to ensure that the laser paths are correctly aligned. I’ve encountered this with previous xTool machines, including the P2 and P3, and while it can take a little time to understand, the process is reasonably straightforward once you’ve done it a few times.

My first test didn’t produce the result I expected because the alignment wasn’t quite right, mainly due to me rushing part of the process. After repeating the calibration more carefully, the results vastly improved, and once everything was configured, the two installed laser systems are remarkably easy to use.

To switch between the two in the xTool Studio software, you simply assign the right laser to the right operation, and the machine handles the transition. There’s no need to remove one laser head and install another manually as you would have had to do with multi-laser machines in the past.

For everyday cutting and engraving, this combination of lasers works incredibly well and vastly speeds up the process of engraving and cutting, which is the bulk of what I personally do with these machines.

However, these two lasers are just the start of the story, and things do become a little more complicated when I started to install and use the rear-mounted laser-source modules.

xTool supplied the 5W UV and 60W MOPA modules; these are relatively compact, just larger than a shoebox and are solidly built. Before use, they need to be installed into the back of the X1, which takes time, especially when I needed two people to move the machine into the initial position. Essentially, I should have left a little more space to access the rear.

Installation of the modules involves removing covers, connecting power and communication cables, securing the module and checking the optical path. Depending on the configuration, you’ll also need to install the appropriate optics before calibrating the system.

I installed the combined UV/Fiber/MOPA field lens, which supports the different laser sources, and found that straightforward, it essentially just screwed in. The more involved part was mounting the modules and completing the optical alignment.

Initially, I was probably a little too enthusiastic with the manual adjustments, but thankfully xTool provide a small alignment target and tape which makes the entire process relatively easy. Once I realised that small adjustments were all that was needed, the process became much easier.

The software guides you through calibration using the supplied cards, and once the source has been registered, the machine recognises it automatically. My main issue here was the physical access to the back of the machine due to space.

My workshop already has several 3D printers, laser engravers, and other equipment, so I’d originally positioned the X1 against a wall on a fixed workbench. Every time I wanted to change the rear-mounted module, I needed to move other equipment, pull out the workbench and get behind the machine. Given the X1’s size and weight, I didn’t want to attempt this alone.

As a result, what might eventually become a 15 or 20-minute module change took me closer to an hour, including moving the machine, changing the source and checking calibration, the calibration is the part that takes the time. This issue would explain why xTool also provided the optional mobile work stand, which is where this machine will be moved to once I have had a bit of a reorganisation of the space.

Being able to wheel the machine away from the wall would make installation, maintenance and module changes substantially easier. I’d also recommend planning considerably more space than the official machine footprint suggests. In my workshop, allowing roughly half a machine depth more provided the clearance needed to work comfortably behind it, mainly due to the length of the tool you need to use to screw in the bolts through each of the modules.

As I got into using the machine, a few of the safety design features are also worth noting. First, as ever, the machine came with the Air extraction unit and, in addition, the fire safety 2 unit, which was attached, but again space was limited, so it sat on a lower shelf behind the machine.

The X1 is serious workshop equipment, though far nicer-looking than the machines from a few years ago. Its size and weight are balanced by its features, and after a month of use, I highly recommend the optional workbench, which, while not essential, it will ensure you can make full use of this machine's potential.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)xTool X1: Features

The xTool X1 is unusual because many of its headline features aren’t immediately obvious. At its core, it’s a powerful 55w CO₂ laser cutter, but its modular design means that it has far more potential, and that potential can only be fully unlocked with the investment in the other modules and accessories, of which there are quite a few.

In total, the X1 supports five laser technologies, with the 55w CO2 being the only one that is provided wth the base machine. The 55W CO₂ laser can be used for cutting and engraving materials such as wood, acrylic, leather, cardboard and fabric.

Alongside the CO₂ laser, there’s the 20W diode galvo laser, which adds high-speed engraving and surface marking, particularly on wood and many other compatible materials. This module sits inside the machine alongside the CO₂ and is quick to fit; it’s also essential if you want to use any of the other three backpack laser modules.

These other models include the 5W UV laser, which can be used for engraving on glass, crystal and other delicate materials. Then there’s the 30W fibre and 60W MOPA options, which enable you to mark and engrave into metal. The MOPA adds the ability to use colour effects and deep engraving and is similar to the fibre option, but is more expensive. In this review, I’ve been supplied with four of the five available laser technologies: CO₂, diode, UV, and MOPA.

As I started the testing, the instant highlight of the features was the Hybrid Motion, as this is the one feature alongside the dual mount lasers that will make a noticeable difference to everyday project work.

Essentially, what this looks like with the lasers is that alongside the traditional gantry-based laser toolheads that move physically through the X and Y across the material, you also have the Galvo, which uses rapidly moving mirrors to direct the beam across the surface.

This means that for larger designs, Hybrid Motion moves the galvo system between regions, enabling detailed engraving over a much wider area than a conventional fixed galvo arrangement, as I tested in the F2 Ultra. When combined, you not only cover a far larger area, but the Glavo focuses on detailed engraving while the CO₂ does the cutting.

The dual tool head laser system inside is just the start of the multi-laser set, and a Laser Swap system is used to enable different styles of laser to be fitted for different projects and materials. These Laser Swap modules fit to the back with the UV, Fibre and MOPA options.

The idea here is that instead of buying additional machines, you just buy the module and fit it, cutting down on the space needed and ideally cost. Although looking at the cost of the modules, they’re almost as much as the dedicated machines.

The process of swapping the modules isn’t tool-free, and it requires access to the rear of the machine, alongside physical hardware changes and calibration checks. I personally think that this is a great feature.

However, I would have liked to see a faster change system. In this review, for instance, I swapped the modules multiple times, and it was a hassle. But then most people will inevitably settle on their laser selection rather than approaching the machine in the way that I have in this review.

Some of the other features that really impressed during use were the close-up cameras that just help position artwork against materials, with the image appearing in the XTool software. Compared with the laser outline that we used for the full image, this is such an improvement; however, you can still click the framing preview if you prefer that way of working.

The camera system is really quite advanced, and you have the option through the xTool Studio software to change from capturing one wide-angle image, to capturing multiple sections of the workspace which are then stitched together, which helps with the accuracy of the positioning.

Although the software documentation describes automatic image capture when closing the lid, I generally triggered the capture manually during testing. Image quality from the cameras was excellent overall, although some reflective materials and darker areas could still make positioning slightly more difficult; a boost in the workshop's lighting also helped with these previews.

Another of the big features that really stood out through the use of the machine was the automated bed adjustment. Rather than requiring constant manual focusing, the machine measures the material and adjusts the bed height as needed.

Through the test, I added a range of material thicknesses and found the process just worked; compared with the often convoluted focusing process of some other machines and the physical effort of adding a riser base, this system is just simple.

Even with slightly irregular or curved materials, the positioning system generally handled setup well, and I didn’t need to override the measurements manually.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Alongside the core accessories and in line with the xTools other machines, the X1 supports a wide range of accessories, including an automatic conveyor feeder, RA3 rotary attachment, honeycomb panel, mobile work stand, filtration, and fire safety equipment.

Throughout testing, I used xTool’s extraction and filtration setup, which is a little on the noisy side but does the job. For jobs that produce more smoke, particularly when cutting wood, I increased the extraction setting to keep the working chamber clear.

The optional Fire Safety Set Pro adds another level of protection. Installation was more involved than I’d expected, requiring the CO₂ cylinder, tubing and communication connections to be fitted before enabling the system in the software. Once configured, however, it didn’t actually require me to do anything else other than find somewhere for it to sit.

As a final point on the features, and an essential for any professional workshop, is that the machine also has an emergency stop button for quickly shutting down if needed.

xTool X1: Performance

After a month testing the xTool X1, what I realised was, that the way that I work with laser engravers normally would change with this dual laser setup. The mix of laser technologies in one machine isn’t just convenient; it means that you can select the laser technology that is best suited for the job, and often two lasers will enable a better and faster result. Most notably for me, that was the combination of the 55W CO₂ and 20W diode galvo lasers.

For most of my work, producing models, wooden components, boxes, camera accessories, and other workshop projects, these two laser systems provide an ideal combination.

The X1’s 55W CO₂ laser is excellent for all-round cutting, while the 20 diode galvo is better for detail.

To start the test, I ran through the supplied test projects before moving on to my own designs, including wooden boxes, placemats and model-making components.

Most of my work involved 3mm basswood plywood, although I also tested thicker materials up to 10mm. Across these tests, the CO₂ laser produced exceptionally clean cuts, with minimal scorching and very little need for additional finishing. The air-assist system kept the cutting path clear, while the extraction system removed smoke.

One of the most useful tests involved creating a series of 3mm plywood boxes. The accuracy was excellent, with the individual pieces fitting together cleanly without sanding or manual adjustment to the size. I could simply assemble and glue the components.

This accuracy and repeatability is something that is so important when producing models or small-batch products, where even small dimensional errors create extra work; even sanding takes time when it comes to getting the right fit. As this is a pre-production model, the usually excellent xTool Studio seemed to take most laser options down to 1, so initial models showed some scorching, however

I also tested acrylic sheets up to 10mm thick, including cutting a 3D-scanning calibration cube in half. Again, the results were impressive, with clean cuts and accurate positioning.

The machine also handled lighter materials such as paper, card, fabric, and leather without difficulty, though these need careful securing to prevent movement from airflow of the air assist and extractor.

For general cutting work, along the lines of what I use laser cutters for, the X1 matched the abilities that I have seen from other recent releases; the one point that made this slightly more exciting is that added height, which gives out-of-the-box flexibility without the need for a riser base.

The CO₂ laser provides the X1’s cutting power; the addition of the 20W diode galvo by its side for detailed engraving and speed is definitely an interesting development in the technology.

Essentially, rather than watching a conventional laser head mechanically move across every section of an image, the galvo rapidly sweeps the beam over the surface, completing relatively intricate artwork in a fraction of the time.

I tested it on wood, plywood, bamboo, acrylic, and coated metal samples, essentially everything in the samples box. Fine lettering was sharp and well-defined, intricate designs retained plenty of detail, and scorching was generally minimal, unless the piece that I was working on fell through the slats.

Initially, I worried the edges of the engraving might lose definition, or designs wouldn't join up perfectly as the galvo system moved from one area to another, however the meeting of the design and the quality remained consistent.

This, however, wasn’t quite the case at the outset, and initial testing showed a few issues, but after software updates and far more accurate calibration on my part, the joins between engraving regions became almost seamless.

Photographic engraving onto wood was also impressive, although as with most laser engravers, image selection makes the biggest difference to the success.

High-contrast photographs generally produced better results than flat, low-contrast images, and I used xTool Studio’s editing tools to adjust backgrounds and improve the final output.

Personally, I still prefer the look of detailed illustrations, lettering and line-based graphics when engraved into wood rather than photo imagery.

Taking a look at one of the main test projects highlights the workflow and speed. Normally, when creating a wooden box or placemat with decorative engraving, I’ll use a single laser head that handles both engraving and cutting.

The problem is that detailed engraving can take considerably longer than cutting the outline. With the X1, I was able to assign the intricate engraving to the 20W galvo and the cutting operations to the 55W CO₂ laser.

Once configured, the software handled the transition between the installed lasers without requiring me to reposition the material or swap heads; this made a dramatic difference to processing time.

For example, I created a series of wooden placemats with detailed artwork. A comparable project on the xTool S1 took around two hours, while the X1 completed it in half an hour.

That’s an enormous improvement in speed, particularly for small businesses producing multiple products. The same was true when creating detailed pencil boxes.

Projects that would normally take 20 to 30 minutes could be completed in minutes, with the galvo handling the engraving before the CO₂ laser cut the components.

Having both lasers permanently installed makes everyday projects straightforward, and once you’ve experienced the speed of the combined workflow, returning to a conventional single-head engraver feels a little archaic.

Hybrid Motion also changes what’s practical for larger designs. In the past, I’ve avoided elaborate engraving projects at scale because the processing time was too long and I’m hopeless at lining up materials when sheets need to be matched.

With the X1, I was able to start thinking about this type of project, as the speed of the galvo would vastly reduce the time involved, especially when used alongside the conveyor accessory.

After carrying out the majority of the review using the 55W CO₂ and 20W diode galvo lasers, I then moved on to the 5w UV and 60W MOPA.

The 5W UV module opens up a very different range of possibilities, particularly for glass, crystal and delicate materials. I ran a few tests on the glass samples, along with experiments on plastic components produced on a 3D printer.

The ability to add fine surface texture to printed plastic objects is interesting, as it creates new opportunities for finishing functional parts and decorative products. I’ll admit I’m still on the experimental side of this, but will update in the near future.

The glass side of the engraving process is also something that I have struggled with in the past, and again, I wasn’t entirely successful in achieving the results I wanted.

Based on the partial results, I suspect this was more about my initial setup and approach than a fundamental limitation of the machine. Still, it’s an area that needs further investigation.

The UV module adds even more felxibility, although I’ll explore its more advanced functions in a separate addition to th ereview once I’ve reorganised my workshop to give the interchangeable modules better access.

Of the two rear-mounted laser modules, I found the 60W MOPA the most interesting. I’ve previously used MOPA machines, including the xTool F2 Ultra, so I’m familiar with their capabilities for metal engraving, embossing and colour marking.

What makes the X1 different is the ability to use similar technology within a much larger enclosed working area. I tested the MOPA on brass, stainless steel and aluminium, producing detailed markings and experimenting with relief engraving.

One of the most interesting applications involved creating apertures in thin brass sheet for pinhole cameras. I produced holes ranging from approximately 0.25mm to 0.5mm with exceptionally good results.

This is the sort of precision work I’ve previously done with dedicated MOPA systems, and it was great to see the X1 handle it so well, as it’s such a large machine I did wonder if it could handle the intricate work that I have used the F2 Ultra for.

I also experimented with engraving the aperture dimensions into the metal and cutting individual pieces from the sheet, although these more complicated processes still need further refinement.

Another highlight was engraving brass coins. While the F2 Ultra can do similar work, the X1’s larger processing area let me arrange several coins for engraving in one batch. Again, this is not a quick process; think days rather than hours.

Colour marking is another capability of the MOPA laser, though I’ve consistently found it requires considerable experimentation to get reliable results. The X1 was no exception.

I could create colour effects, but producing exactly the result I wanted across more complicated designs wasn’t always straightforward.

The take-home from the modules is that they expand the use of the machine, but those more specialist lasers require practice and experience to get the results that you would expect.

The other major part of the machine is the xTool Studio software. I’ve used the software across several generations of machines, and it's improved substantially over time and has really become the benchmark for all others to follow.

That said if you're new to the software then working out what type of cut and what laser is being used on what path can still be a little confusing, even with the colour coding. A text summery would be a nice quick reference before cutting.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The latest workflow is much the same as I looked at with the superb xTool M2 recently, and once you’ve completed calibration and connected the machine, preparing a project is straightforward.

Import or create the design, select the material, assign the appropriate processing operation and laser source, then send the job to the machine; after that, you generally just press the start button and wait.

As ever, the xTool Studio software offers a huge range of material presets, and unusually the material presets for the CO2 and 20w diode were way off. Especially the power and air assist, which the software set to 1 for both, easy to rectify, but possibly something to do with the pre-release software as ususally the material presets from xTool are spot on.

Adding custom materials and modifying processing parameters is also relatively straightforward once you’re familiar with the interface.

USB and Wi-Fi connectivity were both simple to set up and reliable throughout testing. Despite using pre-release software, I didn’t experience any major crashes or application-caused job failures other than a little tweaking of presets, and it all seemed pretty final, really a reflection of what I have experienced before with the addition of being able to select the laser sources.

xTool X1: Final verdict

After a month of testing, the xTool X1 is one of the most versatile laser engravers I’ve ever used, but it isn’t without its faults, although those are mostly overcome by being organised and having plenty of space.

Essentially, the base machine is an impressive 55W CO₂ laser engraver and cutter, and once you invest in the 20W diode galvo laser, you have one of the most competent machines for any small to medium-sized business on the market. The point is that with these two lasers you have the base machine that you can then build on depending on what you need to do.

Through the test, I found that that simple combination was all I really needed, and the fact that I could then attach the UV and MOPA for more specialised work all added to the versatility. However, with the 55W CO₂ and 20W diode galvo lasers installed, the machine was able to sit on the workbench without issue; it’s large but containable.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

As soon as I installed the MOPA, I not only needed the additional space to mount the laser module, but it also added to the depth of the machine and for me, having the F2 for the more intricate work still made sense. While I could do the work on the X1, it didn’t necessarily mean that I would.

That aside, the pure build quality, size of the work area and depth, along with all the upgrade options, all make this one of the most substantial and complete laser engravers on the market. It is expensive, but it’s been designed in such a way that you can upgrade as and when you need.

Should you buy the xTool X1?

Value:

The base 55W CO₂ machine is well priced, specialist laser modules and accessories raise the total cost

5

Design:

Exceptional build quality for a machine of this size. Rear-mounted module changes could be easier.

4.5

Features

Support for five laser technologies, the new Hybrid Motion system offer one of the most feature packed lasers on the market

5

Performance

The combination of galvo engraving and CO₂ cutting give it an edge even before adding the other laser options

5

Total

The X1 is the most capable laser platforms I’ve reviewed, even considering its size and modular upgrade costs it's exceptionally well balanced.

5

Buy it if...

You need versatility

The X1 combines cutting, engraving and specialist material processing within one platform, making it ideal for workshops handling varied projects.

You produce products

Its powerful CO₂ laser and fast galvo engraving system can dramatically reduce production times for personalised products and small-batch manufacturing.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You lack space

The substantial machine, rear-mounted laser modules and optional accessories require significantly more workshop room than the main unit’s dimensions suggest.

You need affordability

Although the base machine offers good value, specialist laser modules and accessories can quickly push up the total.View Deal

For more crafting tech, I've tested and reviewed all the best 3D printers and the best laser engravers.