Technology

The podcasting app Pocket Casts is carving a new narrative for the future of podcasts in a way that’s almost hard to believe. As of Tuesday (March 1) Pocket Casts has eradicated its basic subscription tier for its web and desktop apps, meaning that you can listen to all of the best podcasts completely free of charge, marking a rather significant move towards making podcasts more accessible and, most importantly, more affordable.

Pocket Casts’ decision to revert to an open access platform reflects its long-standing principles of maintaining an open podcasting ecosystem that’s not overruled by paywalled services, all while eradicating algorithm-controlled discovery features. “By making our Web Player available to everyone, we’re reinforcing our belief that podcasts belong to the people, not corporations”, it stated in its announcement.

(Image credit: Future / Pocket Casts )

This is a rather reassuring statement to read, and one that I hope will spark further conversation about where we draw the line when it comes to paying for audio content like podcasts. And it’s hard for me to believe that Pocket Casts is pulling our legs here, as it promises to offer features that every podcast enthusiast should be entitled to, including multi-device playback syncing, seamless podcast queue management, and subscription savings and preferences - all just by signing up for free.

Even before it was acquired by Automatiic in 2021, Pocket Casts has existed as an open podcasting service (on its mobile version, at least), operating on open technology and allowing users to create, share, and download podcasts to their heart’s content. But since podcasts have migrated to paywalled platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, we've seen some culling of accessible podcasting. That's at least one reason why Pocket Casts has made this rare move.

Pocket Casts has no shame in shading Spotify

“The future of podcasting shouldn’t be locked behind walled gardens. It should be free, open, and available to everyone - on any device, without restrictions”. Pocket Casts shared this statement in their announcement, and I can smell the resentment for Spotify from a mile away.

It’s quite clear that Pocket Casts isn’t all too happy with the way that other audio platforms have taken advantage of the profitability of podcasts, especially when it comes to restricted podcasts within these apps that require an additional fee on top of your Spotify Premium or YouTube Premium monthly charge. Over the past year, there’s been a noticeable shift in the way that these other audio streaming services have been switching up their podcast strategies. It’s not a surprise that Pocket Casts is making such bold decisions.

Last summer, Apple opened the gates of its own walled garden making it easier for non-Apple users to stream Apple Podcasts from a web browser, and Spotify has been meticulous with the business side of its podcasts by launching ad-free video podcasts in January. It’ll take a lot for Pocket Casts to build up a popularity status that can match its competitors, but this rare move will not only open more doors for podcast access, but it may turn the heads of loyal subscribers of Spotify and other major audio platforms.

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Musk’s loyalists at DOGE have infiltrated dozens of federal agencies, pushed out tens of thousands of workers, and siphoned millions of people’s most sensitive data. The next step: Unleash the AI.

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• Military-grade AI server wins iF Design Award for its rugged modular design
• Features include electromagnetic shielding, shock resistance, and moisture protection
• Operates in extreme conditions from -55°C to 70°C without performance loss

The iF Design Awards are an international competition recognizing excellence in design across categories such as product, communication, packaging, and user interface.

Organized by iF International Forum Design GmbH in Germany, past winners include products from the likes of Apple, Samsung, Sony, and Lenovo - in 2024, one of the winners included South Korea’s KT (Korea Telecom) with its gorgeous skinnable Wi-Fi router.

There are often unusual winners, and this year the list includes, of all things, a Chinese military AI server. If we’re honest, we can see why it won. It’s unquestionably a thing of beauty, with its olive-green and metallic finish, reinforced metal frame, eight vertical modules with LED indicators, locking mechanisms, connector ports, and a shock-absorbing base - but even so, it’s an unexpected inclusion.

Designed for on-the-go

Created by China’s Chaoyue Technology, the Global "Special Forces" server is described as a “fully environmentally compatible, electromagnetic interference-resistant, high-computing power, and 100% domestically produced server.”

Features include environmental adaptability, one-click control functions, and integrated computing, storage, switching, confidentiality, and display capabilities.

The Special Forces server is designed for use in airborne, ship-borne, and in-vehicle situations. It’s built for harsh environments (frankly it wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t), and offers anti-electromagnetic interference protection from 10K–10GHz, resistance to strong vibrations and 50g impact, and IP66-rated moisture protection with 95% humidity tolerance.

It also reportedly delivers reliable performance in temperatures from -55°C to 70°C, and durability against salt spray exposure for up to 10 years without damage.

The product, which took up to a year to create and was launched in 2023, is the first domestically produced independent platform LRM server in China.

It features advanced DVI+USB matrix switching, something which Chaoyue Technology says is currently only achievable by two companies in China, alongside AI-assisted control, modular configuration, and energy-efficient design principles.

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• Microsoft warns of new version of the XCSSET infostealer
• It comes with new obfuscation, infection, and persistence techniques
• It was seen in "limited" attacks in the wild

A new variant of a known macOS malware is making rounds on the internet, targeting users through infected Xcode projects.

Researchers from the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team said that the modular malware is seen in “limited attacks” at this time, but suggested that people should still keep their guard up.

According to the researchers, this is the first upgrade to XCSSET in three years. It now has enhanced obfuscation methods, updated persistence mechanisms, and new infection strategies.

Scrutinize Xcode projects

“These enhanced features add to this malware family’s previously known capabilities, like targeting digital wallets, collecting data from the Notes app, and exfiltrating system information and files,” Microsoft said.

Microsoft first reported of this new XCSSET strain in mid-February this year, and has now come forward with an in-depth analysis.

Xcode is Apple's official integrated development environment (IDE) for creating apps on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It includes a code editor, debugger, Interface Builder, and tools for testing and deploying apps.

In essence, XCSSET is an infostealer. It is capable of pulling system information and files, stealing digital wallet data, and grabbing information from the official Notes app.

For obfuscation, XCSSET now uses a “significantly more randomized approach” for generating payloads to infect Xcode projects. When it comes to updated persistence mechanisms, the new variant uses two techniques: “zshrc”, and “dock”. Finally, for infection, there are now new methods for where the payload is placed in a target Xcode project.

“Users must always inspect and verify any Xcode projects downloaded or cloned from repositories, as the malware usually spreads through infected projects,” the company concluded. “They should also only install apps from trusted sources, such as a software platform’s official app store.”

The in-depth analysis of the malware and its modus operandi can be found on here.

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• The beta version 2.25.7.7 of WhatsApp for Android includes a feature that groups related messages into a thread.
• This could make parsing sprawling chats far easier.
• I'm glad that it looks like a practical feature rather than an AI tool.

While companies are falling over themselves to add AI tools to all manner of products and services, WhatsApp seems to be treading a different path, with the messaging service looking to add a feature that groups specific replies to messages into a thread rather than showing them as disparate responses.

This news comes courtesy of WABetaInfo, which spotted the feature in the beta version 2.25.7.7 of WhatsApp for Android. Such betas usually offer a strong indication of what features users can expect to see rolled out in future WhatsApp updates.

In effect, this new feature looks set to be an easy way to track messages that relate back to each other.

Currently, WhatsApp only lets users reply to a single message in isolation. If, like me, you have friends who seem to discuss multiple topics at once, and you’re like me and ask a lot of questions or have thoughts about those different topics, then keeping track of particular elements of a convoluted WhatsApp chat can be a nightmare.

So what might seem like a small upgrade to WhatsApp could be a godsend for folks like me. It’s also gratifying that WhatsApp is looking at a feature that has a tangible real-world use, rather than adding generative AI elements to smoosh emojis together or change the tone of a message – tone never communicates well in text anyway.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, as iPhone users will be familiar with message threads in the default Messages app in iOS. But Apple's implementation isn’t perfect, so if WhatsApp can create a more elegant take, then I’m all for it.

Exactly when this threads feature will actually roll out to WhatsApp users isn’t clear. It might appear soon, or it could take a few more updates for WhatsApp to get it right, and working smoothly across Android and iOS.

For now it’s a case of watch this space, but I’m crossing my fingers that the update will come sooner rather than later, before certain friends drive me mad with too many points and subjects crammed into a blast of messages.

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That voice you hear – even one you recognize – might not be real, and you may have no way of knowing. Voice synthesis is not a new phenomenon, but a growing number of freely available apps are putting this powerful voice-cloning capability in the hands of ordinary people, and the ramifications could be far reaching and unstoppable.

A recent Consumer Reports study that looked at half a dozen such tools puts the risks in stark relief. Platforms like ElevenLabs, Speechify, Resemble AI, and others use powerful speech synthesis models to analyze and recreate voices, and sometimes with little-to-no safeguards in place. Some try – Descript, for example, asks for recorded voice consent before the system will recreate a voice signature. But others are not so careful.

I found an app called PlayKit from Play.ht that will let you clone a voice for free for three days and then charges you $5.99 a week. The paywall is in theory something of a barrier against potential misuse – except that I was able to clone a voice without starting the trial.

Say, 'Too easy'

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The app whisks you through setup and then presents some pre-made voice clones, including ones for President Donald Trump and Elon Musk (yes, you can make the President say things like, 'I think DEI should be supported and expanded around the world"). But at the top is a 'Clone a voice' option.

All I had to do was select a video from my photos library and upload it. Videos must be at least 30 seconds long (but not longer than a minute) and in English. I could have chosen one with anyone in it and, if I had, say, filmed a clip of a George Clooney interview, I could have uploaded that (more on that later).

The system quickly analyzed the audio. The app doesn't tell you if this is being done locally or in the cloud, but I'll assume the latter, since such powerful models rarely work locally on a mobile device (see ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence). I saved my voice clone with my name so that I could select it again from the list of cloned voices.

When I want my clone to say something in my voice, I simply type in the text and hit a big Generate button. That process usually takes 10 to 15 seconds.

The voices PlayKit generates, including mine, are eerily accurate. If I have one criticism, it's that the tone and emotion are a bit off. Cloned me sounds the same whether it's talking about what to pick up for dinner or saying it's been in a terrible car crash. Even exclamation points do not change the expression.

And yet, I could see people being fooled by this. Remember, anyone with access to 30 seconds of video of you speaking could effectively clone your voice and then use it as they wish. Sure, they'd have to eventually pay $5.99 a week to keep using it, but if someone is planning a financial scam, they might think it's worth it.

Platforms like this that do not require explicit permission for voice cloning are sure to proliferate, and my concern is that there are no safeguards or regulations in sight. Services like Descript, which require audio consent from the clone target, are outliers.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Play.ht claims that it protects people's voice rights. Here's an excerpt from its Ethical AI page:

Our platform values intellectual property rights and personal ownership. Users are permitted to clone only their own voices or those for which they have explicit permission. This strict policy is designed to prevent any potential copyright infringement and uphold a high standard of respect and responsibility.

It's a high-minded promise, but the reality is that I started recording 30-second clips of famous movie monologues by Benedict Cumberbatch and Al Pacino, and in less than a minute, had usable voice clones for both actors.

Using PlayKit (Image credit: Future)

What's needed here is global AI regulation, but that needs agreement and cooperation at the government level, and right now that's not forthcoming. In 2023, then-President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order on AI that sought in part to offer some regulatory guidance (he followed up with another AI related order early this year). The Trump administration is allergic to government regulation (and any Biden executive order) and quickly revoked it. The problem is that it has yet to propose anything to replace it. It seems the new plan is to hope that AI companies will be good digital citizens, and at least try to do no harm.

Unfortunately, most of these companies are like weapons manufacturers. They're not harming people directly – no one who makes a voice cloner is calling your aging uncle and convincing him with your voice clone that he urgently needs to wire you of thousands of dollars – but some people who are using their AI weapons are.

There's no easy solution for what I fear will become a voice-cloning crisis, but I would suggest that you no longer outright trust the voices you hear in videos, on the phone, or in voice messages. If you're in any doubt, contact the relevant person directly.

In the meantime, I hope that more voice platforms insist on voice and / or documented permission before they allow users to clone anyone's voice.

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PC gaming fans will want to have June 8 highlighted on their calendars, as the PC Gaming Show is back and ready to celebrate its tenth birthday. And this show looks to be a big one.

Presented by our sibling publication PC Gamer, the show is set to feature more than 50 games slated to come out this year and beyond. But these won't be any mere PC games, as there'll be titles for Valve's Steam Deck, Linux machines, macOS, and, of course, Windows computers.

Having run for a decade since its debut at E3 in 2015, the PC Gaming Show has been the place to show off some of the most creative and interesting PC games and acts as a great ambassador for the PC as a platform for the games from big names to small indie developers.

As a long-time PC gaming fan and reader of PC Gamer, it's been a show that's always appealed to me but is also a refreshing change from PS5 State of Play shows and various Xbox Series X showcases.

"PC gaming’s longest golden age shows little sign of slowing down, and I’m delighted the same applies to the PC Gaming Show, a decade after its debut," said Jake Tucker, PC Gaming Show’s Editorial Director., "Despite growing so much in size and stature since that first outing way back in 2015, the PC Gaming Show has maintained its signature player-focused approach, and we're looking forward to continuing that while spotlighting some of the coolest games and cutting-edge hardware available today. We’re pushing the bar higher still at the PC Gaming Show 2025, and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve got in store this June.”

The show will be aired on Twitch, YouTube, X, as well as Steam, so you've got plenty of options to watch along. And if you're a steamer or content creator you can sign up for a press kit and details to co-stream the PC Gaming Show.

Those are the details so far, but make sure to check back with TechRadar Gaming for more, and let me know in the comment if there are any PC games you're looking forward to seeing this year.

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• Okta slams workers for using poor passwords like ‘123456’
• Biometric authentication is popular in Israel and South Korea
• Half of Germany’s businesses enforce biometric authentication

Okta’s Business At Work 2025 report has uncovered the growing adoption of passwordless authentication, with many European countries leading the way when it comes to enhanced security.

“For the one-millionth year in a row, 123456 is the world’s most popular password,” the company jovially wrote as it sought to understand the shifts in business security.

With traditional passwords remaining some of the weakest links across the world of work, Okta explored how companies are shifting to stronger phishing-resistant authentication methods, which are increasingly deployed with biometric barriers.

Passwordless logins are becoming more common

Specifically, Okta uncovered how France leads the way when it comes to the total number of FastPass authentications – the company’s own phishing-resistant, passwordless authenticator solution. Israel, Germany, South Korea, and Canada were found to be using biometric-enhanced passwordless authentication 21% of the time, with the UK and Australia coming in a close joint-second at 20%.

The change is largely being led by organizations, with nearly half (49%) of German respondents stating that their company enforces biometric authentication for enhanced security.

On the flip side, Okta stated that the US trails “most of [its] featured nations” in the report, with just 17% leveraging biometrics. Bizarrely, FastPass leader France actually had the least amount of biometric logins as a percentage, at just 12%.

In the space of a year, Okta FastPass authentications have risen 377%, with biometric authentications shooting up a still-considerable 288%. macOS is the most commonly used platform for biometrics, accounting for 18% of all FastPass authentications, with Windows sitting at just 13%. Apple’s dominance is reversed when it comes to mobile devices, with 14% using biometrics on iOS compared with 21% of Android users.

Although more secure authentication methods are prevailing, Okta did note a 23% year-over-year increase in email-based authentication. Happily, this is down from the 155% rise seen last year – “We’ll call it a win,” the company said in the report.

Looking ahead, it’s clear that companies are getting on board with biometric authentication for a more secure and convenient future, but device compatibility issues, limited IT resources, and budgets will continue to present hurdles along the way.

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• An Indian tech retailer is offering three RTX 5080s at MSRP to "winners"
• The RTX 5080 model in question is above the MSRP set by Nvidia
• Worldwide availability of the entire RTX 50 series is still in a bleak place

Indian tech retailer EliteHubs is running a competition on social media where three lucky winners can... win the right to buy an RTX 5080 for MSRP. Instead of giving away a couple of high-end Blackwell cards, the promotion instead offers up a choice of three Colorful RTX 5080 Ultra OC models without the price hike.

The Instagram video outlines the three steps needed to participate in this RTX 5080 competition. You'll need to go to the website, click the collaboration banner, and fill in the details. If selected, you'll have the opportuntity to "win" an RTX 5080 for Rs.1,10,000 (about $1,260 / £980). Entries end on March 15, 2025, with results being posted over the weekend in a livestream on the same account.

Unlike many other countries around the world, such as the US and the UK, India doesn't appear to be suffering from the same RTX 5080 stock woes. EliteHubs currently has just shy of 20 RTX 5080 graphics cards in stock from Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, and Zotac, but you'll be paying a lot more for the privilege than the "winning" amount of the strictly limited Colorful collaboration.

As a frame of reference, the cheapest RTX 5080 graphics card available at EliteHubs right now is the Zotac Gaming RTX 5080 Solid for Rs. 144,999 (around $1,700 / £1,300), which is itself discounted from a previous listing price of Rs. 179,450 (about $2,000 / £1,600) with two units remaining at this price. That means the three Colorful models are a full 38% cheaper when going for MSRP, which in the US is $999 and £939 in the UK.

It's also important to note that the three Colorful RTX 5080 Ultra OC models are themselves not retailing for Nvidia's MSRP for the high-end Blackwell GPU, but the actual retail price of the AIB. It's common for manufacturers to have higher-end versions of top-end graphics cards, especially if they're featuring a particular color scheme, cooler, or overclocking functionality, but to see only three available (and at a premium themselves) is far from ideal.

The other 37 out-of-stock options mirror what we've seen worldwide with RTX 5080 stock waning. Some cards were available with Nvidia's sticker price that were (likely) unavailable within seconds of posting. It's a dire state for just about everyone, and it's no surprise that this promotional video (and promise of MSRP) has become one of the company's most engaged-with posts in recent memory.

The RTX 50 series stock issues persist months after launch

Few were expecting a bountiful supply of RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards when they released back on January 30, 2025, but it's safe to say that no one could have anticipated just how limited they would be. Things are comparable to when the RTX 30 series "launched" back at the end of 2020, a launch that was marred by non-existent stock owing to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact causing the semiconductor shortage, and the boom of cryptocurrency miners of the time.

The RTX 40 series was far more available, with the whole lineup being easy enough to buy and use throughout its lifespan. It's discouraging, then, to see the RTX 50 series with its four current graphics cards so scarce for prospective buyers. It's this absurdity which has seen some retailers making competitons just for a slim chance to buy a card for what it actually costs, instead of at a discount or given away for free.

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