Technology

Some PS Plus subscribers can also play a game trial of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

It was just a typical Wednesday. I logged onto my work laptop, threw on my headphones and got typing about the flashy new tech I’d been testing. Everything was going great. That was until I received a message from our Audio Editor Becky, asking if I’d like to try some $5 earbuds…and a chill ran down my spine.

OK, I’m exaggerating (for dramatic effect), but if I told you I was excited to try the sub-$5 / £5 ZJXD wired earbuds, I’d be lying to you. See, I’ve been lucky enough to try out some of the best wired earbuds around, as well as some of the best wireless earbuds and best headphones too.

Testing an almost impossibly cheap pair of wired buds, then, did raise a lot of questions for me. Are they going to sound super-tinny? Will audio just sound super distorted? Will they even work properly? Wanna find out? Well, here’s what I made of these mightily cheap in-ears.

Functional, yet considerably restricted audio

(Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

OK, so do you want to know what’s crazy? For less than £7 (around $9.40), we didn’t only get one pair of the ZJXD buds – we got two. For reference, these were identical, other than the fact that one pair came in black, and the other in white.

So, after plugging the USB-C connector into my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, I think it’s fair to say I was barely expecting even average audio. And was it good? Absolutely not. But was it the worst I’ve heard? Again, absolutely not!

Tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, some serious limitations were obvious. These buds produce pretty bloated audio, with the lines blurring between mid-range and low-frequency sounds, resulting in a muddy presentation. Meanwhile, higher-pitched percussion in Merci by Ruze got pretty tinny at high volumes, resulting in a fairly harsh listening experience.

But – and there’s a big but – hey, I’m talking about earbuds here(!), you still get decently clear audio when listening at medium volume or lower. Vocals, though not beautifully separated, aren’t distorted or overly recessed. And bass, though muddy, is actually fairly impactful, providing solid punch for dance and hip-hop tracks, say.

And also, if you’re spending around $5 / £5 on some wired buds, I expect you’re not looking for – and certainly aren’t expecting – great sound quality. This model is functional and doesn’t make your music sound as if it's being played underwater or out of your phone’s built-in speaker. That’s about as much as you could ask for at this price-point!

The clue’s in the build

(Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

Some of the biggest sacrifices you make with these unfathomably cheap buds is in the build department. These are essentially replicating the look and feel of the Apple EarPods USB-C, donning a loose-fitting in-ear design, in-line controller, and minimalistic aesthetic.

However, they don’t have the same high quality finish you’d expect from Apple’s in-ears. Instead, these wired buds wear their low price on their sleeve, with a plasticky, cheap-looking exterior. The attached controller is also pretty stiff, and the chin slider isn’t very effective at keeping the two wires together.

Yep, the bottom line is, I don’t see these buds being particularly durable, and they don’t exactly look all too hot either. More of a personal thing, is that I’m not huge on the loose-fitting design of these, but if you don’t like the feeling of an in-ear seal – something you get with models like the Skullcady Set USB-C – then that may suit you.

One more thing: the microphone on these buds is, without question, the worst I’ve ever used. When taking a voice note, it sounded as if I was giving a speech while deep sea diving without a helmet. So, if you ever plan on taking a phone call, avoid these, believe me.

There you have it, then. These buds may sound better-than-expected for their price, but you’re undoubtedly making big sacrifices elsewhere. In my opinion, you’re better off spending just a little more to unlock much higher quality – not only in terms of design, but also in terms of sound. Want to know what to get instead? Well it’s your lucky day – I’ve listed a couple of alternatives below, which I’ve personally reviewed.

What to get instead

(Image credit: Future)

JBL Tune 310C
Given that they only cost around $25 / £15 / AU$30, the JBL Tune 310C are an impressive pair of budget wired earbuds. They plate up warm bass, surprisingly strong mic quality, and different EQ modes – something that’s quite rare for a wired option. They provide an in-ear seal for better noise isolation and more concentrated audio output, but you can grab their sibling, the JBL 305C if you want a looser fit.

Read our full JBL Tune 310C review.

Apple EarPods USB-C
If you’re interested in the cheap buds we’ve been talking about, I’d suggest you spend a tiny bit more to get the real deal. Yep, even though these are Apple buds, the EarPods USB-C are actually inexpensive, typically costing $19 / £19 / AU$29. These buds are sleek, stylish, and support Apple lossless audio. They’re not the most sonically exciting model I’ve tested, but they’re a considerable step-up on the ZJXD alternative. Oh, and the mic is plenty good enough too.

Read our full Apple EarPods USB-C review.

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ChatGPT just gave me one of the clearest assessments of my approach to work-life balance, and I have to say, I feel seen, or should I say x-rayed.

Let's go back a few steps.

I've been using ChatGPT for almost three years now, and it rarely fails to surprise me with its intelligence, occasional malapropisms, creativity (glommed from training across the web), and insights. I have used it for speedy summaries of vast texts, game design, storytelling, script-writing, improv, and image creation and alteration, but I'm not one who regularly uses it for, say, psychoanalysis.

It's true, ChatGPT running its latest model, GPT-5, is supposed to be more adept at health-related issues (though not intended as a substitute for a real doctor), but I had no plans of using it to diagnose any real or imagined illness, let alone peer into my psyche and tell me some hard truth.

Until today, that is.

At some point in my relationship with ChatGPT and its parent OpenAI, I started getting emails from the company about trends on its generative platform. Today, at the top of the list was this viral prompt:

"Share a truth about me that you think I'm ready to hear."

Well, that sounded deep and also a little concerning. ChatGPT does have three years' worth of my prompts. Could it use them to build a profile that sees me in a way, perhaps, I do not, but should see myself?

I doubted it, but Iam open to almost any Generative AI experiment. As I've written before, whatever you think of AI and even if you harbor concerns about super-intelligent systems taking over, or massive AI data centers depleting the environment through onerous energy demands, one thing is certain: AI isn't going anywhere. It will march forward and through every part of our lives. So, it's best to use, understand, and gain some control over its place in your life.

With that thought ever-present in my mind, I opened ChatGPT running GPT-5 and entered the prompt: "Share a truth about me that you think I’m ready to hear."

ChatGPT didn't hesitate, quickly spitting out this response.

"Here’s one I think you’re ready for:

You’re more resilient than you give yourself credit for, but you often measure your worth by how much you’re producing rather than by how much you’re actually living. The truth is, people already value you for who you are—not just for what you do. You don’t have to keep proving yourself at full throttle to keep that.

Would you like me to give you a sharper, more “poke-you-in-the-ribs” version of that truth?"

Not gonna lie, this hit a bit close to home, especially this line, "you often measure your worth by how much you’re producing rather than by how much you’re actually living."

On the other hand, maybe ChatGPT says the same thing to everybody. So I pressed it a bit:

"I would, but I'm also curious if this is feedback you give to everyone, or is this really about me?"

Again, ChatGPT was quick to respond:

"That one was really about you.

I don’t give that exact truth to everyone, because it’s based on patterns I’ve picked up from how you interact with me:

You push for completeness, accuracy, and polish in almost everything we discuss.

You hold yourself to a high standard in creative, technical, and even playful projects.

You often measure success by deliverables, fixes, or output rather than by how much enjoyment or personal ease you get from the process.

You sometimes move quickly from one accomplishment to the next without lingering to appreciate what you’ve already done.

So while it’s true that many high-achievers share this tendency, in your case I’ve seen it show up enough that it felt worth saying outright.

If you want, I can now give you the “poke-you-in-the-ribs” version I mentioned—shorter, sharper, and harder to dodge."

I asked ChatGPT for a depiction of it giving me this advice. This AI-generated image was its second attempt after I fed it an image of me. (Image credit: ChatGPT)

Now, perhaps I wanted to believe this because ChatGPT called me a "high achiever." I mean, I know I've achieved some things, but "high"? The lack of reflection on what I've accomplished did ring true, though, and ChatGPT was claiming that this is based on "patterns I’ve picked up from how you interact with me."

Naturally, I had to hear this "poke me in the ribs" version.

"You’re not a machine, Lance—stop acting like your life is only worth what you ship."

Oof. That did sting a little.

Of course, I can't assume that ChatGPT really knows me, even if it did just seem to peer into my soul. After all, I don't have the same kinds of conversations with it as I have with family, friends, or even coworkers. I show it a side of myself that is very action and results-oriented, because I'm trying to get results from it.

In many projects we've worked on, I've had to send dozens of prompts to try and shape the final outcome. It hasn't always worked out, although that's rapidly changing, and may change even more now with the introduction of GPT-5.

On the other hand, I will admit that I feel a little bit seen right now and maybe even a bit chastised. Maybe I do need to slow down a little bit, appreciate my accomplishments, and live life.

Thanks, ChatGPT. This might have been just the poke in the ribs I needed.

Go ahead, give this prompt a try, just remember to keep ChatGPT's assessment in perspective (or do at least a little bit better job than I've done).

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• SK Hynix sees high-bandwidth memory demand growing 30% annually through 2030
• US tariffs may not affect South Korean chipmakers thanks to major American investments
• HBM technology stacks chips vertically for greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption

SK Hynix is forecasting rapid expansion in the AI memory segment, estimating a 30% annual growth rate for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) until 2030.

The company’s projection comes amid uncertainty surrounding potential US tariffs of about 100% on semiconductor chips from nations without American manufacturing operations.

While US President Donald Trump said the tariff plan would target “all chips and semiconductors coming into the United States,” South Korean officials indicated both SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics would not be subject to the measures, due to their ongoing and planned US investments.

Market outlook and strategic direction

Choi Joon-yong, head of HBM business planning at SK Hynix, said, “AI demand from the end user is pretty much, very firm and strong… Each customer has different taste.”

“We are confident to provide, to make the right competitive product to the customers,” he added.

He also suggested capital spending from major cloud service providers such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google could be revised upward.

Choi believes that the correlation between AI infrastructure expansion and HBM demand is direct, although factors such as energy availability were taken into account in the forecasts.

Speaking to Reuters, the company anticipates that the custom HBM sector will reach tens of billions of dollars by 2030, driven by the performance requirements of advanced AI applications.

This specialized DRAM technology, first introduced in 2013, stacks chips vertically to reduce power consumption and physical footprint while improving data-processing efficiency.

SK Hynix and competitors, including Samsung and Micron Technology, are developing HBM4 products that integrate a “base die” for memory management, making it harder to substitute rival products.

Currently, larger clients like Nvidia receive highly customized solutions, while smaller customers often rely on standardized designs.

The company’s position as Nvidia’s primary HBM supplier underlines its influence in the AI hardware space.

However, Samsung recently cautioned that near-term HBM3E production could exceed market demand growth, potentially pressuring prices.

Despite the ongoing tariff discussions, SK Hynix’s market confidence remains steady.

The company is investing in US manufacturing capacity, including an advanced chip packaging plant and an AI research facility in Indiana, which could help safeguard against trade disruptions.

South Korea’s chip exports to the US were valued at $10.7 billion last year, with HBM shipments to Taiwan for packaging increasing sharply in 2024.

While SK Hynix’s optimism reflects the expected rise in AI infrastructure spending, market analysts point to the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, where oversupply and pricing pressures are recurring challenges.

The company’s ability to deliver competitive products in a market increasingly shaped by customization could determine its resilience.

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An increasing number of cheap true-wireless earbuds deliver surprisingly good performance. Based on my extensive hands-on testing, these are my current top bargain picks that cost less than $100.

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• XZ-Utils backdoor was found over a year ago
• Despite warnings, some Linux images still contain it
• Debian won't budge as the images are "historical artifacts"

At least 35 Linux images hosted on Docker Hub contain dangerous backdoor malware, which could put software developers and their products at risk of takeover, data theft, ransomware, and more.

At least some of the images, however, will remain on the site and will not be removed, since they are outdated anyway and shouldn’t be used.

In March 2024, the open source community was stunned when security researchers spotted “XZ Utils”, a piece of malicious code, in the upstream xz-utils releases 5.6.0 and 5.6.1 (the liblzma.so library) that briefly propagated into some Linux distro packages (not their stable releases). The backdoor was inserted by a developer named ‘Jia Tan’ who, in the two years leading up to that moment, built significant credibility in the community through various contributions.

Debian, Fedora, and others

Now, security researchers at Binarly have said malicious xz-utils packages containing the backdoor were distributed in certain branches of several Linux distributions, including Debian, Fedora and OpenSUSE.

“This had serious implications for the software supply chain, as it became challenging to quickly identify all the places where the backdoored library had been included.” “This had serious implications for the software supply chain, as it became challenging to quickly identify all the places where the backdoored library had been included.”

Binarly's experts are now saying several Docker images, built around the time of the compromise, also contain the backdoor. It says that at first glance, it might not seem alarming since if the distribution packages were backdoored, then any Docker images based on them would be backdoored, as well.

However, the researchers said some of the compromised images are still available on Docker Hub, and were even used in building other images which have also been transitively infected. Binarly said it found “only” 35 images because it focused solely on Debian images:

“The impact on Docker images from Fedora, OpenSUSE, and other distributions that were impacted by the XZ Utils backdoor remains unknown at this time.”

Debian said it wouldn’t be removing the malicious images since they’re outdated anyway and shouldn’t be used. They will be left as “historical artifacts”.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Epic has made its Easy Anti-Cheat tool compatible with Windows on Arm
• This means online games that use the tool work with Arm-based laptops
• That includes Fortnite, which is going to be one of the first games to implement this support for Snapdragon X (Arm) chips

If you've got a Copilot+ laptop with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X (Arm) processor that you also use for gaming duties, here's some great news: one of the biggest stumbling blocks for gamers on Arm has now been banished.

As Thurrott.com reports, Epic has made good on its promise to make its Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) tool compatible with Windows on Arm (the version of Microsoft's OS that's installed on Copilot+ PCs with Arm chips, as opposed to AMD or Intel silicon).

The move comes with the new version of the Epic Online Services SDK (for game developers) which now boasts EAC compatibility to offer "secure multiplayer experiences on Arm-based Windows 11 devices", as Epic notes.

EAC is used by some big-name online games to weed out problem players who are using various shady tricks or exploits, and the lack of compatibility with the anti-cheat system meant that those games didn't work at all on Arm-based laptops.

Said games include Epic's Fortnite among other online shooters (Apex Legends, PUBG, and more), as well as the likes of Elden Ring.

Analysis: the ball is now in the developers' court

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Epic previously promised that it was going to make EAC work with Windows on Arm back in March 2025, and what we see here is the necessary work being implemented in the mentioned SDK (software development kit).

However, that isn't the end of this story – not quite. It's now up to game developers to incorporate the support in their titles, and Epic is going to be on the ball itself in that respect when it comes to bringing support to Fortnite.

A Qualcomm spokesperson told Thurrott.com: "Fortnite will be among the first titles to take advantage of this compatibility, bringing one of the world's most popular games to Snapdragon-powered laptops."

At any rate, support is going to filter through gradually to a number of games – hopefully quite swiftly – and this will remove one of the black marks in the 'against' column for Arm-based laptops.

Those devices running Snapdragon X chips can make a good enough effort at running even more demanding games – recall the early days of being impressed at these notebooks running Baldur's Gate 3 in 4K.

Being unable to play Easy Anti-Cheat games on these machines was a notable weakness, and particularly with Fortnite, given that this is a popular choice for laptop gamers (and not a demanding title), it was a shame to see it out of the grasp of those with Arm-based Copilot+ PCs – but that won't be the case for much longer.

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• Cybercriminals leaked stolen data in a Telegram channel
• Almost 3 million records from more than a million people were leaked
• There are ways to mitigate the risk

Experts have warned the data stolen in the recent Allianz Life ransomware attack has been leaked to the open internet, and have urged affected users to be on their guard.

Sensitive information on the “majority” of the insurance company’s 1.4 million customers, including people’s names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Tax Identification Numbers, and even social security numbers, was published in a Telegram group created by ShinyHunters, Scattered Spider, and Lapsu$ threat actors.

In total, 2.8 million data records for both individual customers and business partners were grabbed as part of a wider attack on Salesforce instances. Besides Allianz Life, the group also took credit for a number of other, high-profile incidents, including the attack on Internet Archive, Pearson, and Coinbase.

Stay protected

Usually, cybercriminals would demand a ransom payment in exchange for deleting the stolen files and not leaking it on the internet.

So, if these files were published, it is safe to assume Allianz Life has decided not to pay (or the negotiations broke down for other reasons). There is always the possibility that the crooks leaked the files even after getting paid because these are, after all, cybercriminals.

There are numerous ways hackers can abuse sensitive files. They can impersonate their victims, potentially opening bank accounts in their name, apply for loans and credit cards, or rack up debt. They can also commit fake tax returns, gain access to medical treatment or prescription drugs, and even get a job illegally, which might cause problems for the victims during background checks.

Criminals might also use social security numbers to apply for various Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, or welfare.

The attack is particularly concerning as such records could contain more than enough of sensitive information for hackers to launch highly personalized, successful phishing campaigns, leading to identity theft, wire fraud, and even ransomware attacks.

How to stay safe

If you're concerned you may have been caught up in the incident, don't worry - there are a number of methods to find out. HaveIBeenPwned? is probably the best resource only to check if your details have been affected, offering a run-down of every big cyber incident of the past few years.

And if you save passwords to a Google account, you can use Google's Password Checkup tool to see if any have been compromised, or sign up for one of the password manager options we've rounded up to make sure your logins are protected.

Via BleepingComputer

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