TechRadar News

• Instagram is launching Blends, a new custom Reels feed
• The idea is you add this to a DM or Group Chat and watch Reels that will appeal to the people who make up the group
• You can react and add comments that live within the DM

If you’re anything like me, you can spend maybe too much time (though I’ll never admit it) scrolling through Reels on Instagram, and clips on TikTok. But not so surprisingly, Instagram wants to keep you within the walls of its app and has a new feature that lets you make a custom Reels feed for you and your friends.

Dubbed Blend, and launching right now, you can set up this custom feed for you and a friend and be served Reels that match both of your interests. It’s an invite-only Reels feed that you can scroll within your chat window and reply to at the bottom to strike up a conversation about whatever you’d like.

And if you were guessing it lives within DMs, you’d be right, as that's where Instagram invites you to keep the conversation going. Further, if you’re concerned that the Reels will live in line next to your messages, GIFs, and potentially other shared Reels … fear not.

Blend will live via an icon at the top of the chat that looks like a merge of two basic emojis. You’ll tap on that to access your Blend, which is a Blended feed of Reels that hit your interests, and it’s also where you can invite someone to join your blend.

Another important note – you can’t force someone to join your Blend on Instagram; whoever you invite will need to accept it. Instagram also says you can set up blends for you and one other person or for a group of people.

Here’s how Blend will work

(Image credit: Instagram)

So once you’ve set up a Blend with, say, two of your besties, you’ll open that group message within Instagram and tap the new icon next to the call buttons on the top right of the chat.

Tap that, and you’ll be taken to your customized Reels feed. It should look pretty similar. You’ll see the Reel creator’s username, the audio used, a snippet of the caption, and the ability to like it, comment, and even share it.

The difference is that you’ll see a bubble that says “Suggested for [insert username here],” so Instagram will clue you in as to who it thinks will like the Reel the most. And yes, this is based on whatever Reels you’ve engaged with and what Instagram knows about you.

More specifically, Instagram says “Suggested are based on each person’s activity on Instagram, including the reels they watch and interact with. They can also be based on reels sent in the chat.”

As you scroll, if you feel compelled to, you can send a message back to your group about the Reel you’re watching or even drop a reaction like an emoji. For instance, if it’s a particularly epic one, you might use the fire emoji.

(Image credit: Instagram)

It’s pretty neat and a new way to explore Reels with friends on your own time, while still interacting with each other. Not for nothing, you won’t need to risk SharePlaying on iOS or screensharing on Android, not knowing what might appear in your regular feed.

However, since this is based on your interests, your friends might learn something – those I invite to Blend will know I like Bruce Springsteen, Disney Parks, Lego, and Star Wars.

That’s the risk of the Blend: it essentially shows your Instagram Reels interests to a friend (assuming they accepted the invite). If you’re up for the fun and the challenge, you can give Instagram’s latest feature a try as it’s rolling out now.

Just make sure that the Instagram app on your iOS or Android device is up to date.

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• Marvel has released a new trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps
• The MCU Phase 6 film will arrive in theaters worldwide this July
• The teaser is full of moments that fans have been waiting to see

Marvel has revealed the official trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps – and, if I wasn't already super excited for its release, I certainly am now.

The Marvel Phase 6 film's latest teaser is full of new footage that fans will want to *ahem* stretch their eyeballs around. Indeed, from first looks at Julia Garner's Silver Surfer and Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards using his stretchy superpowers, to new teases of the movie's villain Galactus, it's an unmissable two-and-a-half minute feast for the eyes.

The arrival of a new Fantastic Four trailer shouldn't come as a big surprise. Indeed, a new teaser was shown exclusively to CinemaCon 2025 attendees a two weeks ago. That trailer confirmed a big fan theory about Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm – i.e., that she'll be pregnant for a portion of the film. With this latest round of footage doing likewise, it appears that Marvel has simply released the trailer it showed at during Disney's presentation at the trade show on April 3.

A new trailer hasn't been a long time coming for the final Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie of 2025. The first teaser for First Steps only achieved lift-off in early February, so it's not like we've had an excruciating wait for new clips to pore over.

Still, with Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie set to be released in theaters in early May, the comic book giant will want to run a new teaser ahead of that flick to further build anticipation for First Steps' own launch, which will take place in late July.

#TheFantasticFour: First StepsOnly in theaters July 25. pic.twitter.com/OyTgSYCl2hApril 17, 2025

Joining Pascal, Kirby, and Garner on the film's cast are Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Ralph Ineson as the voice of Galactus, and John Malkovich, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, and Natasha Lyonne as TBC.

Marvel fans think they know who Lyonne is playing in First Steps, though, and many are also convinced that Hauser and Malkovich are playing B-tier Marvel antagonists in Mole Man and Red Ghost respectively. Lastly, Mark Gatiss appears to be playing the TV host of a show that Marvel's First Family appear on in the trailer and forthcoming film.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will take flight on July 25. While we wait for its arrival, read more MCU-based coverage in the section below.

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• Netflix has revealed The Sandman season 2's official release date
• The fantasy show's final season will be released in two installments in early July
• An official teaser and first-look images have also been released

It's official: The Sandman season 2 will wake from its slumber this July – and it'll arrive in two parts.

The acclaimed fantasy show, which is based on Neil Gaiman's graphic novel namesake, will return for its second and final chapter in mid-2025. Volume 1, which will consist of six episodes, will make its debut on Netflix on July 3, 2025. Season 2's five-part second volume will be released on July 24, 2025.

The Dreaming awaits your return. The Sandman: Season 2. Volume 1 - July 3rd. Volume 2 - July 24th. pic.twitter.com/ORsNJRh89pApril 17, 2025

Netflix didn't just unveil The Sandman's two new launch dates today (April 17), though. The Tom Sturridge-fronted TV Original also received its first teaser trailer, which shows The Endless, Sturridge's Dream included, summoned to a meeting by one of their siblings Destiny.

It's unclear why Destiny has called on his fellow immortals to join him (well, unless you've read the source material) and the teaser doesn't exactly reveal what the purpose of the meeting is. Nevertheless, it suggests one of the best Netflix shows – depending on who you ask, anyway – is aiming to go out with a fantastical bang with its final installment.

This is the first official information we've received about The Sandman 2 since last September.

During Netflix Geeked Week 2024, the streaming titan revealed a dreamy behind-the-scenes look at season 2, which revealed a 2025 release window. Prior to that, Netflix confirmed who would play Destiny, Delirium, and The Prodigal in season 2 last May, before announcing nine new cast additions for The Sandman's final season in July 2024.

Why is The Sandman ending after two seasons?

The Sandman season 2 will be the show's final installment (Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix hasn't provided an official statement about ending The Sandman after two seasons. With so much source material left to adapt, general audiences might be bemused by the best streaming service's decision to do so.

Anyone who's kept up with the news over the last year, however, will have an idea about why the high fantasy series is prematurely ending – and it's all to do with Gaiman.

In July 2024, the award-winning writer was accused of sexual assault and abuse by five women on a Tortoise Media podcast called 'Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman'. Since then, more allegations, some of which date back to 1986, have come to light about Gaiman's behavior and include his alleged involvement in human trafficking. As of February 2025, three federal lawsuits have been brought against the author, too.

Gaiman has strenuously denied all of the accusations made against him. Nonetheless, live-action adaptations of his works have been impacted since he was accused of the aforementioned crimes. That includes the third season of Good Omens, the popular Prime Video TV show, which Gaiman is no longer involved in and has since been turned into a 90-minute movie.

As I wrote earlier, it's unclear if Netflix is bringing its retelling of The Sandman to an end because of what's been outlined above. One thing is certain, though: The Sandman won't get another outing on Netflix.

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• Samsung's first RGB micro-LED TV will be 115 inches
• It may be the only model this year, although smaller models will follow
• The tech is also due this year from Hisense

Samsung's next TV is a big deal: it'll use an RGB backlight, which looks set to be the next key technology in high-end televisions.

Unfortunately, the TV is going to be big in two other respects: it'll be a 115-inch model, too big for many homes, and it'll come with a big price tag that'll make it unaffordable for many too.

We've covered Samsung's RGB LED TV plans before: the firm showed off an 8K RGB micro-LED TV at CES 2025. That was a 98-inch model but Samsung said at the time that the actual product might be differently sized… though we weren't expecting it to be larger.

The news comes via trade site The Elec, which says that the RGB micro-LED TV tech will be used in an "ultra premium lineup", with more models appearing after the 115-inch TV makes its debut this year.

(Image credit: Future) Why this big TV will be a big deal

This isn't a traditional micro-LED TV. That tech works like OLED, in that each pixel generates its own light. Samsung's RGB micro-LED moniker is for TVs that use a backlight and LCD panel just like its QLED TVs – but the backlight can display a wide range of colors, it won't just be one hue, enabling far better color depth and more efficient brightness levels.

Samsung previously told us that by using micro-LED rather than mini-LED backlighting for these sets would deliver "three times more LEDs", which means better brightness and more local dimming zones for more precise control. However, it would suggest that we're not really talking about LEDs that are truly in line with micro-LED.

Still, the TechRadar team has seen this type of TV in the flesh, and we're very excited about the technology: while the first TVs to use it will have huge price tags, mini-LED has plummeted in price and micro-LED is likely to do the same.

Hisense has announced that its first RGB backlit model will arrive this year, and will be 116 inches, so will probably also have a huge price tag. TCL has also confirmed plans to release a TV with this tech in 2026.

We've been told that the tech will generally not cost much more than current mini-LED backlit TVs… but not if it's stuck at over 100 inches, where every TV is super-expensive. We'll have to see if sizes can come down to something more realistic next year – otherwise, current budget mini-LED tech will remain dominant for a while.

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• Almost all enterprise mobile apps come with security risks, experts warn
• Most frequent flaws include misconfigured cloud storage, hardcoded credentials, or outdated cryptography
• Zimperium shares its advice on how to stay safe

If your business is using mobile apps, there is a good chance those apps are leaking sensitive information and putting your entire operation at risk of data breaches, loss of trust, regulatory fines, and a whole swathe of other headaches.

Cybersecurity researchers Zimperium analyzed more than 17,000 enterprise mobile apps, and revealed many carry vulnerabilities such as misconfigured cloud storage, hardcoded credentials, or outdated cryptography, and while these are not tied to a particular platform, there were significantly more iOS apps vulnerable (11,626 on iOS compared to 6037 on Android).

Breaking the numbers down, the researchers found 83 Android apps with misconfigured or otherwise unprotected cloud storage, and 10 Android apps with exposed AWS credentials.

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Almost all of the analyzed apps used weak or flawed cryptography, and five of the top 100 apps had high-severity cryptographic flaws. Others, also from the top 100, had storage directories exposed to the public.

“Our research found that 88% of all apps and 43% of the top 100 use one or more cryptographic methods that don't follow best practices,” the researchers said. “In some cases - high-severity cryptography flaws.”

To avoid these risks, Zimperium suggests that every company’s mobile device fleet manager gains visibility into app behavior patterns. That way, they’ll be able to identify misconfigured cloud storage settings, detect exposed credentials and API keys, and evaluate cloud service integration security.

Furthermore, they should validate encryption methods and key management, identify outdated or weak algorithms, assess security of integrated cloud SDKs, validate third-party cryptographic implementations, and monitor for known vulnerabilities.

“We cannot change the apps, but we can choose which apps we allow to ensure our data’s security,” they concluded.

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• Independent testing lab confirms Saily’s ad blocker reduces mobile data usage by 28.6%
• The ad blocker blocks ads and trackers at the network level using DNS filtering
• Test showed Saily used less data than four other eSIM providers across 22 websites

While using an eSIM for international travel, users often end up paying for mobile data consumed by ads they neither want nor understand.

However, new testing found Saily's ad blocker feature blocks ads at the network level. Powered by NordVPN's threat protection, the ad blocker feature applies DNS filtering to block ads and prevents websites from loading malicious ads.

The test was carried independently by West Coast Labs across 22 global websites spanning gaming, shopping, travel, and entertainment - with results showing a 28.6% reduction in data usage with Saily.

Built-in security features

Backed by NordVPN, Saily draws on established expertise in security features. When Tech Radar Pro spoke with Saily CEO Vykintas Maknickas, he highlighted how they company building a 'network-level security for travel eSIM connectivity'.

Saily's suite of security features reflects a broader industry shift towards a low-cost and safe solution for travel.

As the demand for eSIMs continues to rise, providers like Saily are setting themselves apart from other players by creating an all-around travel service.

Other security features like web protection and virtual location are built at the network level and are readily available with the eSIM, provided they are enabled in the Saily app.

“While traveling abroad, users are often exposed to ads in local languages they do not even understand. They pay to see this irrelevant content by buying and using their mobile data," Maknickas added.

Comparisons were also made with the industry average of data usage and compared with four other eSIM providers - Saily, with the ad blocker enabled, used less data on every website.

"A web-browsing user with a 5 GB plan could expect 1.43 GB of data savings. With these savings, the cost per gigabyte becomes lower too, which is a fair deal from the perspective of the consumer,” Maknickas added.

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• Vantrue updates its mini E1 with 4K video and a 158-degree lens
• 'PlatePix' tech enhances the clarity of crucial details such as license plates
• It's also equipped with GPS and voice control features, plus Vantrue's app

Vantrue has unveiled the latest version of its compact E1 series of dash cams, the E1 Pro, and it's equipped with a feature that makes perfect sense for a dash cam – enhanced license plate recognition.

The latest model, which already features more detailed 4K video than the original model, uses Vantrue's 'PlatePix' software to improve the clarity of the details that matter most for dash cam footage, namely license plates of the cars around you.

Combined with a bright f/1.8 aperture lens, circular polarizer filter (included), 158-degree wide-angle perspective and Vantrue's Night Vision mode, the E1 Pro's PlatePix tech should deliver some of the clearest video footage of crucial details both day and night.

The cherry on the cake is the competitive price of the GPS-equipped E1 Pro; $149.99 / £129.99 at Amazon, with $20 / £20 discounts available at the time of writing.

(Image credit: Vantrue) The new budget dash cam to beat?

Vantrue has been in the dash cam game for 10 years now, consistently delivering solid products that score well in our in-depth reviews, including the original E1. Its latest model could cement the company's reputation in this space.

The E1 Pro looks like a solid update of the E1, delivering higher resolution video and a raft of improvements, all in a compact and affordable package.

There's 4K video up to 30fps that can be enhanced using Vantrue's PlatePix tech, to make crucial details clearer. Vantrue describes the output as "4K HDR video that is 50% clearer than standard 4K HDR."

We also get the latest Sony Starvis 2 sensor utilized by most of the best dash cams, a bright f/1.8 aperture lens, wider-than-most 158 degree perspective, and seemingly decent image quality in low light through the Night Vision mode. All videos can also be tagged with GPS data.

Vantrue includes a circular polarizer filter with the E1 Pro – it's the most effective tool for cutting out reflections that could otherwise obscure crucial details, including from your own windscreen.

5G Wi-Fi should enable quick image uploads and reliable voice command support, while a 'Buffered Parking Mode' can record 15 seconds before and 30 seconds after motion is detected, though you'll need a hardwire kit for this feature.

This all sounds very impressive for a dash cam that's currently available for $129.99 at Amazon US (applying a $20 voucher at check out), or £109.99 at Amazon UK (applying a £20 voucher). The E1 Pro with hardwire kit is available via that same link, for only a little extra.

We're currently reviewing the E1 Pro and will share our verdict soon, but based on its specs alone, you'll struggle to find a better dash cam for the money. Our in-depth testing will reveal if the E1 Pro delivers for real world use.

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Cyber extortion continues to be a persistent threat to the cybersecurity landscape. Our latest Cy-Xplorer reveals a significant year-on-year increase in the number of victims in 2024 - 77% year-on-year. While some industries, including manufacturing, healthcare and professional services, found themselves in the firing line most frequently, few industries could consider themselves safe.

While these are sophisticated attacks, in our experience, the best ways to secure an organization against them are less complex and more comprehensive. While many businesses may be looking to AI and large language models (LLMs) as a panacea for all cybersecurity ills, most organizations would benefit from more fundamental changes to their security posture.

AI: A double-edged sword

Generative AI is the technology topic de jour and has already proven to be a powerful tool for both bad actors and cybersecurity professionals. On the threat side, we’ve already seen state-sponsored threat actors often use generative AI to craft more convincing phishing attacks through voice emulation and deepfakes. For cybersecurity professionals, AI can bolster defenses by streamlining threat detection, incident response, and risk management.

Despite the seemingly fast-advancing technology, AI should not be used as a shortcut to robust security protocols. The technology is still nascent, and the economics are still to be worked out. Many organizations have yet to get a handle on AI and where it sits within their technology infrastructure. AI applications can be another attack vector to company servers for bad actors, especially when they don’t adhere to company policies.

This is not to say that AI holds no value for security - far from it - but businesses should not rush into an AI-driven security strategy without first having a strong security posture to build upon. This includes having processes on what systems AI applications are connected to and educating employees on appropriate use cases for AI. In the near term, relying on more classical threat intelligence and pentesting processes will prove the most effective strategies for mitigating risk.

Security starts with culture

It’s always been the case that the weakest link in the security chain has been people, and our latest Security Navigator report reaffirms this point - 37% of cyber incidents in organizations originate internally. As much as we might wish to be able to claim there is a silver bullet to cybersecurity, the truth is that, even in a world of growing cyber threats, no amount of technology will protect your business if your staff aren’t trained in recognizing cyber extortion, social engineering and other cyber threats, and how best to avoid or report them.

Mitigating risks requires integrating security awareness into employees’ daily routines, whether they’re full-time contractors, partners, or suppliers. Continuous training from the likes of CSOs, CIOs, and external experts must solidify this awareness.

There will almost certainly be resistance to these kinds of approaches. Why, after all, should this be the responsibility of your non-cybersecurity employees? To win over naysayers, security leaders must clearly demonstrate the consequences of inadequate security measures and effectively communicate their security strategy across the organization to secure employee buy-in in every function.

Defining cybersecurity success

While strengthening security posture and mitigating risk should always be the core targets, security teams must have realistic goals and targets for cybersecurity success. While a zero per cent incident rate would be ideal - is it realistic? In a landscape of increasingly sophisticated and varied threats, we’d say it isn’t.

Consider more achievable and appropriate targets for your business. One would be reducing incidents, and tracking and reducing the time between detection, reporting and remediation. Systems being brought down will bring business processes to a screeching halt, so if a system is compromised, how quickly can it be brought back online through backups? Consider what sensitive (and therefore particularly valuable) data the company holds - how can security strategy reduce the risk of unauthorized access to that data in particular?

Increasing resilience is a marathon, not a sprint, and no system is impenetrable. Set realistic milestones and goals based on data sensitivity and business responsibility, then build on that posture over weeks, months and years.

People, process and technology alignment

The idea that one technology, or even a suite of technologies, no matter how advanced, is the recipe for robust cybersecurity is a fanciful and risky position to hold. If internal standards around education and processes slip due to an over-reliance on technology, severe system compromises from bad actors are inevitable.

As the threat landscape evolves, security must not be a static barrier. It, too, must change to meet new threats by aligning well-informed people following strong processes supported by technology.

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

• Mario Kart World's Free Roam mode will feature open-world challenges
• Players will be able to find 'P' switches in the world that will activate challenges
• Collectible Peach Medallions and other hidden features can also be discovered

Nintendo has confirmed that Mario Kart World's Free Roam mode will feature challenges and collectibles.

During the Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct today, we were treated to an over 15-minute showcase of the upcoming Switch 2 launch title, offering a new look at new maps and courses, the Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, new tricks, and Free Roam mode.

Nintendo revealed Free Roam mode during the Switch 2 Direct earlier this month. It will allow players to drive freely around the game's multiple maps, but in today's broadcast, it was revealed that the open world won't be as empty as I initially thought.

While driving through the world, players can come across challenges and missions. In the footage, it's said that players can find 'hundreds' of 'P' switches that will activate challenges, with one that tasks you to grind across rails to collect blue coins on the 'Slackline course'.

It also looks like there will be timed races, as well as collectible Peach Medallions scattered around the world, hidden panels, and more.

It makes me wonder if Nintendo will offer additional challenges post-launch, perhaps in the form of downloadable content (DLC) or content patches.

Mario Kart World will launch the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle.

Pre-orders are now live in the UK, but US pre-orders and Canadian pre-orders have been delayed as Nintendo assesses the potential impact of tariffs.

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• Galaxy Buds FE 2 filings have been spotted in the US (FCC) and India (BIS)
• According to the FCC certification, 'Galaxy Buds Core' could be their name
• Details in the FCC filing even suggest dual-band Wi-Fi (up to 5.8 GHz)

We'd read reports of a fresh set of Galaxy earbuds in 'advanced development', but now they've actually been spotted – on two official certification sites. But is it just a case of another day, another set of affordable earbuds spotted in the wild?

Well, no, because a) September 2023 was a long time ago and that's when the inaugural (and honestly disappointing) Samsung Galaxy Buds FE launched, and b) the US listing mentions dual-band Wi-Fi up to 5.8 GHz.

If true (and as spotted by 91 Mobiles, many thanks for that), that would bring Samsung's typically cheaper-than-Pro 'Fan Edition' buds up in line with Xiaomi's Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi – which can be yours for a cool $239 / £189 / AU$385 (or thereabouts).

But Samsung's original Buds FE sold for just $99 / £99 / AU$149, so surely not? Then again, when 'Fan Edition' has come to mean anything that'll play especially nice with your Samsung Galaxy phone and ecosystem, much not much else, it would certainly fit the bill. For clarity, Xiaomi's list of compatible smartphone source devices for its Wi-Fi toting buds is currently limited to its own Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra so buying a smartphone from another manufacturer after buying Xiaomi buds? Strongly discouraged.

Samsung Galaxy Buds FE 2: what we know so far

The Buds FE will soon be updated with a new model – but Wi-Fi? (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

We have not one but two credible Galaxy Buds FE 2 or 'Buds Core' sources now: the Bureau of India Standards (BIS), as spotted by SamMobile, and the Federal Communications Commission (an independent US government agency, usually referred to as the FCC).

Although we can't see any design or pricing specs, the model name is still SM-R410, which ties up with previous reports pertaining to the Buds FE 2. That said, the marketing name on the FCC listing is 'Samsung Galaxy Buds Core'. A new naming strategy for Samsung? We'll wait and see – but whatever the moniker, they'll almost certainly be successors to the entry-level Buds FE.

Specs in the FCC filing suggest a 200mAh battery in the buds with a charging case that houses a 500mAh power pack. Given that the original Galaxy Buds FE's case carried a 479mAh battery (to boast a maximum 30-hour playtime with the buds) it's a nice update – particularly when you consider that in Xiaomi's recent two-strong Buds Pro 5 release, the buds boasting Wi-Fi support actually carried a better battery life claim than the regular Bluetooth set.

That's right! Crucially, the US listing also mentions connectivity dual-band Wi-Fi (up to 5.8 GHz frequency) and because the older September 2023-issue siblings carried 5.2, we'd expect Bluetooth 5.3 at least at this point.

Will they arrive alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 at Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event – which we'd expect to happen some time in July? It's impossible to be sure, but right now it certainly looks like it.

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The past 12 months have seen remarkable advances in AI coding capabilities. To offer some perspective, there’s a benchmark that measures performance on 500 real-world engineering problems derived from real world software projects. Early last year, state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) solved only about 4% of these issues. With this momentum in AI coding agents now drawing significant media attention, I’m asked more frequently: “Will this affect software engineering jobs?”

The tipping point in writing this article was a conversation with a prospective investor who wondered whether his child should continue pursuing an interest in computer science. In true engineering style, I’ll begin with a succinct “TL;DR” (too long; didn’t read) summary and then elaborate in detail below:

TL;DR

- “Indeed says engineering jobs are 70% down.” This is misleading.

- “AI will never fix a bug for me.” Time to wake up.

- “AI will change software jobs.” Absolutely.

- “AI will dramatically reduce the number of software jobs in the near future.” Almost certainly not.

- “Is it still worth learning computer science?” More than ever.

If I’ve still got your attention, let’s dive in.

Misreading the Indeed data

It’s true that software development postings on Indeed have dropped below their pre-pandemic baseline by 29%, and many people are blaming AI. However, here’s an inside secret for anyone outside the recruiting and software engineering circles: hiring for highly paid professionals (and many software developers fall into that category) is simply moving away from Indeed. I’ve hired hundreds of engineers over the course of my career, and I can’t recall the last time I posted a software engineering job on Indeed. It’s been years.

For context, consider that “Education & Instruction” job postings are up 46.8% on Indeed over the same period. Do we attribute that to AI magically creating 50% more demand for educators? Hardly. Until we see data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics or another official source, I’m inclined to classify any direct correlation between Indeed’s dip in engineering listings and AI as a “spurious correlation.”

The tech sector experienced a massive spike during the pandemic, followed by a significant correction that resulted in layoffs and hiring freezes. That had little to do with AI; if anything, AI might be reinvigorating the tech market by attracting new capital and creating specialized jobs.

The evolving landscape of AI coding tools

On the flip side, some individuals remain stuck in a world where “coding assistant” equals GitHub Copilot circa 2022. They’ve grown disenchanted with the market, and I can’t blame them. From overly optimistic claims of “25% productivity boosts” to confusing benchmarks focused on programming Olympiad tasks, AI capabilities can be both overhyped and misunderstood. AI is nuanced; it can perform astonishingly well on one task while failing spectacularly on a similar one.

Keep in mind that Olympiad programming tasks are not reflective of day-to-day software engineering. That’s akin to comparing a Certified Public Accountant’s responsibilities with the role of a company’s founding entrepreneur—they’re wholly different. So the next time you hear that a model “beat a human champion” in a programming competition, don’t assume you can hand it your “Instagram-killer” app and watch it code effortlessly. That said, we’re also not in Kansas anymore. It’s no longer 2022, and GitHub Copilot isn’t the leading edge of coding assistance.

Let me use a simile: have you tried doing legal research with the original ChatGPT? Now compare that experience to using the latest ChatGPT Professional. I have, and my personal conclusion—not legal advice, your mileage may vary—is that while I wouldn’t have used the original model for serious legal research, the newer version impressed me enough to recommend it to my attorney.

The same progression applies to coding assistants. They’re evolving from neat-but-limited tools into powerful agents that can shoulder simple tasks while you stay in the driver’s seat. And as rapid as the last 12 months of progress have been, the next 12 promise to be even more transformative. There are still multiple levers in AI software agents that the industry has yet to pull—so stay tuned.

Unlocking value for businesses and developers

This brings me to how AI coding agents can unlock tremendous value for both software engineers and their companies. Recent breakthroughs in agentic AI are driving a generational shift in coding assistance. These tools now tap into a much deeper contextual awareness, scanning entire codebases to suggest, test, and fix solutions aligned with bigger project goals.

For businesses, this translates to delivering sophisticated applications more quickly, adapting to market shifts in real-time, and expanding the boundaries of what’s possible. For developers, AI coding assistants eliminate the drudgery of repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing them to focus on creativity, innovation, and strategic problem-solving.

Will this reduce the number of software jobs?

So, if AI handles more routine work, does that mean we’ll need fewer engineers? I don’t think so. Over my career, I’ve seen more than a tenfold jump in engineering productivity, thanks to modern programming languages, open-source libraries, and cloud infrastructure.

And that’s on top of another tenfold improvement before I even entered the field. Innovation is the hallmark of technology jobs. The more powerful our tools become, the more room there is for creativity and value creation. That value translates into greater demand in the job market, not less. Our collective drive toward progress is our best job security.

The future of Computer Science education

Finally, let’s talk about learning computer science. The programming languages, libraries, and tools I use today are entirely different from those I studied in school. Yet that education remains the bedrock of my career. The next generation of computer scientists will be more resourceful, more collaborative, and more powerful than ever before.

Universities will adapt their curricula to meet industry needs, and hands-on experiences—like internships and open-source capstone projects—will help students build real-world skills that position them for success. AI will enhance their capabilities, not render them obsolete.

Conclusion

AI coding agents are evolving at breakneck speed, but they’re far from making software engineers obsolete. Instead, they promise to enhance developer productivity and creativity, leading to new opportunities for innovation. And for anyone wondering whether to invest time and effort in a computer science education: there has never been a better moment to do so.

We've featured the best monitors for programming.

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

• Two iOS flaws have been patched by Apple
• The issues could have allowed hackers to carry out targeted attacks
• Geopolitical tensions have meant a rise in state-sponsored attacks

A new iOS software update has been released to patch two security flaws that, when exploited, allowed cybercriminals to hack specific target devices in an “extremely sophisticated attack”, Apple has confirmed.

The vulnerabilities are in CoreAudio and RPAC, and affected iOS, tvOS, visionOS, and iPadOS - and were discovered by Apple and the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG).

It’s not yet been confirmed how many times these flaws were deployed, or against whom, but Google TAG’s focus is working to “counter government-backed hacking and attacks against Google and our users,” suggesting the exploits were used by nation-state actors, or at least involved in some way.

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Unknown victims

Adam Boynton, Senior Security Strategy Manager EMEIA at Jamf, toldTechRadar Pro the first vulnerability addressed was an “actively exploited CoreMedia flaw that could have allowed malicious code execution through the processing of a media file,” and that Apple has mitigated this by “implementing improved bounds checking.”

The second vulnerability fixed by Apple could allow attackers with read or write access to sidestep Pointer Authentication, which, Boynton told us, is “a security mechanism designed to resist memory disclosure attacks—bypassing it gives an attacker the opportunity to launch attacks and access to parts of the device’s memory.”

“With the security fixes in iOS 18.4.1 addressing two zero-day vulnerabilities, it is essential that all users immediately update their Apple devices,” Boynton.

“The fact that these two vulnerabilities are extremely sophisticated to exploit explains why Apple has only observed attacks against specific, targeted individuals. However, the limited scope of these attacks should not deter users from updating their devices promptly.”

Almost half of UK businesses report an “increasing number” of state-sponsored threat actors in the last 12 months, and elevated geopolitical tensions make for a hostile cybersecurity landscape. Patching known security flaws is a first line of defence for all users, and should be a priority for all security teams.

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best antirvirus around
• Why no business is safe from state-sponsored cyber attacks
• China admits behind closed doors it was involved in Volt Typhoon attacks

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, April 17 (game #1179).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

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

Quordle today (game #1180) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1180) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1180) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1180) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1180) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• G

• B

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1180) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1180, are…

• DEBUT
• GLADE
• BASTE
• PESTO

This is the closest I’ve come to a failure for a while. My downfall was the three attempts it took me to get BASTE. Fortunately, one of my wrong guesses led me to getting PESTO.

A tricky day, I hope you got through it quicker than I did.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1180) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1180, are…

• SLING
• POSER
• UNFED
• GRIND

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT
• Quordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUT
• Quordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAY
• Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCE
• Quordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOP
• Quordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THING
• Quordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLY
• Quordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSE
• Quordle #1171, Wednesday 9 April: LITHE, LEFTY, KNOLL, MULCH
• Quordle #1170, Tuesday 8 April: WIDTH, VISOR, MEDAL, BROOK
• Quordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABIN
• Quordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICK
• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT
• Quordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE
• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER
• Quordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, April 17 (game #410).

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

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

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

NYT Strands today (game #411) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On the board

NYT Strands today (game #411) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MILE 
• POSH
• GAME
• CHEERS
• THINK
• CHEEK

NYT Strands today (game #411) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #411) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 3rd row

Last side: left, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #411) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #411, are…

• TILE
• DOMINO
• TOKEN
• CHECKER
• KNIGHT
• BATTLESHIP
• SPANGRAM: GAME PIECES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

The hint I used to get me going today wasn’t really much help, as TILE could have just as easily applied to things you can attach to a board.

Then I saw DOMINO hiding in plain sight and the remainder was a straightforward mission looking for GAME PIECES – closer to playing Connect Four against a cat than sinking a BATTLESHIP.

I love a board game and I’m happy to play the loser, while I’m learning all the rules and moves.

Sometimes, like with backgammon and chess, that’s a process that’s lasted years. I like to think I’ve ascended beyond competitiveness to a zen-like state of gamesmanship. But then I'll actually win a game and turn into a 12-year-old brat asking their opponent how they like them apples. Boo-ya.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 17 April, game #410)

• RING
• AVIATOR
• SHINING
• GOONIES
• GODFATHER
• GRADUATE
• SPANGRAM: TITLES

What is NYT Strands?

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

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

There's only one more day to snap up a discounted Apple TV+ subscription. The current deal on one of the best streaming services lets you get Apple TV+ for three months for only $2.99 in the US, £2.99 in the UK and AU$3.99 in Australia, marking an incredible 70% off the usual price of a subscription.

The offer ends tomorrow on April 24, and applies to both new and returning customers. And if you do snap it up – which you absolutely should – there are five TV shows that should be at the top of your streaming list.

When it comes to the best Apple TV+ shows, its hit sci-fi series Severance is an obvious choice – make sure to read our Severance season 2 review and Severance season 3 guide for more news about its next installment when you're done.

But there's a whole range of shows alongside Severance that are on my radar, spanning dramas, comedies, and thrillers.

Apple TV+ 3-month subscription: was $9.99 a month now $2.99 at Apple
We don't often see streaming deals for Apple TV+, so we wouldn't wait to snap up this great offer before it expires on April 24. This limited-time Apple TV+ deal brings down the usual three-month price of a subscription to the service to just $8.97, representing a massive 70% saving. There is a catch though: you can't have been a subscriber in the last month, but if that's not you then you're good to sign up.View Deal

The Studio

• RT score: 96%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~44 minute episodes
• Creators: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez

A satirical comedy show that criticises the entertainment industry? Sign me up. A recent addition to Apple TV+'s library of titles, The Studio has already proved itself to be a staple on the platform and has been well received by audiences. With its strong main cast and list of self-starring guests, The Studio sits at the top of my list.

Film production company Continental Studios finds itself struggling to keep up with rapidly changing tastes, and as a result it appoints a new studio head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) to keep the business afloat. Remick discovers that his job is much more difficult than anticipated, and must save the studio from floundering by keeping up with ongoing social and economic changes.

Disclaimer

• RT score: 76%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~55 minute episodes
• Director: Alfonso Cuarón 

I thoroughly enjoyed Todd Field's psychological drama Tár (2022), and I loved Cate Blanchett even more. This miniseries from Alfonso Cuarón, who directed Children of Men (2006) and Gravity (2013) seems to offer a similar premise and tone to Field's movie, and can easily be binged with this three-month Apple TV+ offer.

Celebrated documentary journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) has made a career out of exposing the private lives and wrongdoings of others, but the tables are turned when she receives a novel from a mystery author and discovers that she is the main character in a story that reveals her darkest and deepest secrets. To protect herself she attempts to find discover identity of the mystery author, but in doing so she must come face-to-face with her past.

It's pretty much Tár 2.0 the remix, with an even darker spin on the theme of cancel culture.

Ted Lasso

• RT critics score: 90%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~29 minute episodes
• Developers: Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly

Ted Lasso is by far one of the most popular shows on Apple TV+, so it would feel like a wasted opportunity to not tick this off my watchlist in the next three months. Not only does its high Rotten Tomatoes scores from both critics and audiences show that it's been well received, but its numerous Emmy nominations and wins are the icing on the cake.

US college football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is recruited to help a British Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond, even though he has no experience in the sport. After gaining ownership of the team following a divorce, owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) hires Ted in that hope that it will lead to the team's downfall, which wouild devastate her ex-husband. But to everyone's surprise, Ted's attitude and personality grows on Rebecca and the rest of the team.

Lessons in Chemistry

• RT score: 83%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~41 minute episodes
• Creator: Lee Eisenberg

Lessons in Chemistry is another miniseries that's ideal for bingeing if you just want to sample the best of Apple TV+ for three months. There are only eight episodes, and whole lot of Brie Larson – my main reason for watching.

Based on the book by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is a historical drama set in the 1960s and follows aspiring scientist Elizabeth Zott (Larson) who finds it challenging to reach her goals because of the societal attitudes of the time. After being fired from her job as a lab tech she's presented with a hosting job on a cooking show called Supper at Six, educating housewives on scientific topics. But Elizabeth sees this as the perfect opportunity to teach the entire nation, including men, a lesson that's more than just new recipes.

Pachinko

• RT score: 97%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~47 minute episodes
• Creator: Soo Hugh

Pachinko is an Apple TV+ shows I've only recently come across, and although I've never been drawn to stories that take place over several generations but this show sounds like a powerful and moving account of a family in search of a better life.

Premiering in 2022, Pachinko follows a Korean family between 1915 and 1989. In the early 1930s, Kim Sunja (Kim Min-ha & Youn Yuh-jung) who leaves her family in Japanese-dominated Korea to start a new life in Japan where she finds herself the target of further discrimination as a Korean woman. In an epic search to make a better life for herself, Pachinko highlights the issues of racism and stereotyping in the Korean experience of Japan in the 20th century.

You might also like

• Apple TV’s new Android app just got two great updates, but it’s still missing a big feature
• 10 new Apple TV+ shows and movies are coming in mid-2025 – here are the 3 I'll be streaming on my Apple TV 4K
• Everything new on Apple TV+ in April 2025: The Studio, Your Friends and Neighbors, Government Cheese, and more

There's only one more day to snap up a discounted Apple TV+ subscription. The current deal on one of the best streaming services lets you get Apple TV+ for three months for only $2.99 in the US, £2.99 in the UK and AU$3.99 in Australia, marking an incredible 70% off the usual price of a subscription.

The offer ends tomorrow on April 24, and applies to both new and returning customers. And if you do snap it up – which you absolutely should – there are five TV shows that should be at the top of your streaming list.

When it comes to the best Apple TV+ shows, its hit sci-fi series Severance is an obvious choice – make sure to read our Severance season 2 review and Severance season 3 guide for more news about its next installment when you're done.

But there's a whole range of shows alongside Severance that are on my radar, spanning dramas, comedies, and thrillers.

Apple TV+ 3-month subscription: was $9.99 a month now $2.99 at Apple
We don't often see streaming deals for Apple TV+, so we wouldn't wait to snap up this great offer before it expires on April 24. This limited-time Apple TV+ deal brings down the usual three-month price of a subscription to the service to just $8.97, representing a massive 70% saving. There is a catch though: you can't have been a subscriber in the last month, but if that's not you then you're good to sign up.View Deal

The Studio

• RT score: 96%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~44 minute episodes
• Creators: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez

A satirical comedy show that criticises the entertainment industry? Sign me up. A recent addition to Apple TV+'s library of titles, The Studio has already proved itself to be a staple on the platform and has been well received by audiences. With its strong main cast and list of self-starring guests, The Studio sits at the top of my list.

Film production company Continental Studios finds itself struggling to keep up with rapidly changing tastes, and as a result it appoints a new studio head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) to keep the business afloat. Remick discovers that his job is much more difficult than anticipated, and must save the studio from floundering by keeping up with ongoing social and economic changes.

Disclaimer

• RT score: 76%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~55 minute episodes
• Director: Alfonso Cuarón 

I thoroughly enjoyed Todd Field's psychological drama Tár (2022), and I loved Cate Blanchett even more. This miniseries from Alfonso Cuarón, who directed Children of Men (2006) and Gravity (2013) seems to offer a similar premise and tone to Field's movie, and can easily be binged with this three-month Apple TV+ offer.

Celebrated documentary journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) has made a career out of exposing the private lives and wrongdoings of others, but the tables are turned when she receives a novel from a mystery author and discovers that she is the main character in a story that reveals her darkest and deepest secrets. To protect herself she attempts to find discover identity of the mystery author, but in doing so she must come face-to-face with her past.

It's pretty much Tár 2.0 the remix, with an even darker spin on the theme of cancel culture.

Ted Lasso

• RT critics score: 90%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~29 minute episodes
• Developers: Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly

Ted Lasso is by far one of the most popular shows on Apple TV+, so it would feel like a wasted opportunity to not tick this off my watchlist in the next three months. Not only does its high Rotten Tomatoes scores from both critics and audiences show that it's been well received, but its numerous Emmy nominations and wins are the icing on the cake.

US college football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is recruited to help a British Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond, even though he has no experience in the sport. After gaining ownership of the team following a divorce, owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) hires Ted in that hope that it will lead to the team's downfall, which wouild devastate her ex-husband. But to everyone's surprise, Ted's attitude and personality grows on Rebecca and the rest of the team.

Lessons in Chemistry

• RT score: 83%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~41 minute episodes
• Creator: Lee Eisenberg

Lessons in Chemistry is another miniseries that's ideal for bingeing if you just want to sample the best of Apple TV+ for three months. There are only eight episodes, and whole lot of Brie Larson – my main reason for watching.

Based on the book by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is a historical drama set in the 1960s and follows aspiring scientist Elizabeth Zott (Larson) who finds it challenging to reach her goals because of the societal attitudes of the time. After being fired from her job as a lab tech she's presented with a hosting job on a cooking show called Supper at Six, educating housewives on scientific topics. But Elizabeth sees this as the perfect opportunity to teach the entire nation, including men, a lesson that's more than just new recipes.

Pachinko

• RT score: 97%
• Age rating: TV-MA
• Length: ~47 minute episodes
• Creator: Soo Hugh

Pachinko is an Apple TV+ shows I've only recently come across, and although I've never been drawn to stories that take place over several generations but this show sounds like a powerful and moving account of a family in search of a better life.

Premiering in 2022, Pachinko follows a Korean family between 1915 and 1989. In the early 1930s, Kim Sunja (Kim Min-ha & Youn Yuh-jung) who leaves her family in Japanese-dominated Korea to start a new life in Japan where she finds herself the target of further discrimination as a Korean woman. In an epic search to make a better life for herself, Pachinko highlights the issues of racism and stereotyping in the Korean experience of Japan in the 20th century.

You might also like

• Apple TV’s new Android app just got two great updates, but it’s still missing a big feature
• 10 new Apple TV+ shows and movies are coming in mid-2025 – here are the 3 I'll be streaming on my Apple TV 4K
• Everything new on Apple TV+ in April 2025: The Studio, Your Friends and Neighbors, Government Cheese, and more

• New "computer use" feature for Copilot Studio gives AI agents more tools
• Agents can now interact directly with apps or websites
• This can help with data entry, analysis, research and much more

Microsoft is giving its Copilot Studio AI platform more autonomy in accessing websites and apps directly - without any human interaction.

The company has revealed a new "computer use" feature for Copilot Studio, which will allow the platform to directly interact with desktop apps and websites alike, such as clicking buttons, selecting menus, and even typing into fields on the screen.

This means companies will be able to build AI agents with a much greater understanding of such systems (essentially anything with a graphical user interface), treating them as if they were tools, allowing for improved functionality across the board.

"Computer use"

(Image credit: Microsoft)

"Copilot Studio is the end-to-end agent platform designed to help organizations achieve their AI and operational goals," Charles Lamanna, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s business & industry Copilot, wrote in a blog post announcing the news.

"We want to empower you to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and drive innovation."

Computer use will allow agents to handle tasks even when there is no API available to connect to the system directly, and can automatically adapt to any changes in the app or website.

Developers can use the tool to build agents across both desktop and browser applications, with Edge, Chrome, and Firefox all included from the launch.

It works in real-time, using built-in reasoning tools to work out solutions to problems independently, so development can continue uninterrupted.

Lamanna laid out several possible scenarios where computer use could prove especially handy for developers, including automating the input of large volumes of data from various sources into a centralized system, carrying out widespread market research from various online sources, and processing invoices much faster and more accurately than before.

As the tool runs on Microsoft-hosted infrastructure, users don’t need to manage their own servers, and it includes Copilot Studio’s existing security measures and governance frameworks to help ensure compliance with industry standards.

The launch, which will see more attention at Microsoft Build in May 2025, follows a similar announcement of "Actions" in the commercial version of Copilot recently. This system allows for background completion of tasks such as making restaurant reservations, booking event tickets, and purchasing items from online stores.

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• We've rounded up the best AI writer tools around
• Forget AI, children still need to learn how to code, Github CEO says
• Google Cloud has big plans to take the pain out of adopting AI agents in your business

• The Eufy FamiLock S3 Max has contactless entry via palm recognition
• It doubles as a video doorbell with 2K footage and AI intruder detection
• Footage can be stored either locally, or in the cloud with a subscription

Eufy – the company behind some of the best video doorbells we've tested here at TechRadar – has released a new smart lock with palm recognition for touch-free entry. The Eufy FamiLock S3 Max, which launched today, also has an external camera that offers wide-angle 2K video, plus built-in AI to alert you when a visitor approaches your door – welcome or not.

Eufy was one of the first companies to launch a smart lock with palm-recognition (the other big name being Philips with its 5000 Series Video Palm Recognition Smart Lock), and it has several advantages over fingerprint scanners, which are a more common option for keyless entry.

Palm recognition works by detecting the unique pattern of blood vessels in your hand, and comparing this with a database of authorized images. In the case of the FamiLock S3 Max, this data is stored locally to protect it from potential security breaches. This means it can be opened without physical contact, and its accuracy isn't affected by skin conditions, sweat, or dirt.

Palm recognition also uses more data points than a fingerprint sensor or facial recognition, making it more accurate and much harder to deceive.

(Image credit: Eufy) Who's there?

The FamiLock S3 Max also functions as a video doorbell, so there's no need for two separate devices. It has a 2K camera and a 140-degree field of vision both vertically and horizonally (the same as higher-end Ring video doorbells), giving you a head-to-toe view of visitors, plus packages left on your doorstep.

You'll receive an alert on your phone when someone rings, and the lock's software includes person-detection that can let you know if someone is loitering on your property.

Video footage can be saved in the cloud with a paid-for subscription, or locally with a Eufy HomeBase 3 encrypted external hard drive.

We're currently testing the Eufy FamiLock S3 Max to see how it compares with the best smart locks from other brands, and will bring you a full review very soon. It's available to buy now direct from Eufy and from Amazon for $399.99 (about £300 / AU$630).

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• Landmark Admin suffered a ransomware attack in May 2024
• It was initially believed around 800,000 people were affected
• New investigation determined more than 1.6 million victims

More than 1.6 million people are now thought to have been affected by the May 2024 cyberattack at Landmark Admin, twice as many as originally thought.

The company confirmed the news in an updated report filed with the Office of the Maine Attorney General.

“The forensic investigation determined that data was encrypted and exfiltrated from Landmark’s system,” the company said. “However, there was insufficient evidence available to identify which files had been compromised. The unauthorized activity occurred between May 13, 2024, and June 17, 2024.”

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Ransomware attacks

Landmark Admin is a third-party administrator (TPA) specializing in administrative support services for life insurance and annuity companies.

In late October 2024, the company reported suffering a serious ransomware attack in which threat actors also stole sensitive customer data, with the attack allegedly the work of a ransomware operator called Abyss.

Following the breach, Landmark Admin shut down its IT systems and remote access to its network to contain the effects, and brought in third-party security experts, who found the personal information of 806,519 people had been stolen.

In a data breach notification letter sent to affected customers, Landmark Admin said that the information stolen included people’s full names, addresses, Social Security numbers, tax identification numbers, driver’s license numbers, state-issued ID card numbers, passport numbers, financial account numbers, medical information, dates of birth, health insurance policy numbers, and life annuity policy information.

The information stolen varied from individual to individual, and since the information stolen is highly sensitive, users were advised to be extra vigilant for potential phishing attacks, social engineering, or possible wire fraud.

At the time of the breach, Landmark offered credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through IDX, including 12 months of credit and CyberScan monitoring, a $1,000,000 insurance reimbursement policy, and fully managed ID theft recovery services.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Google has delivered another blow to Fitbit users
• It's quietly withdrawing support for Google Assistant
• It means devices will no longer work with the voice assistant

The death of Fitbit seems more and more inevitable with each passing month, and now Google is ending support for Google Assistant on Fitbit devices, another sure sign of its demise.

While Google Assistant is being replaced with Gemini on the best Android smartwatches, likely starting with the Pixel Watch later this year, there's no such hope for users of the best Fitbits, who will lose Google Assistant altogether in the coming days.

As noted by multiple outlets, Google recently and quietly announced that Google Assistant support would end on Fitbit.

"Over the next few weeks, we will be progressively phasing out Google Assistant on your Fitbit device. You can learn more about this process here. This change means that Google Assistant voice control for activities will soon no longer be available on your Fitbit device," the company said in Fitbit's community forum.

Google added that "We understand that changes can be disruptive, and we value your feedback," and that it remained "committed to continuously improving your Fitbit app and developing exciting new features. "

Fitbit ends support for Google Assistant Google assistant going away from r/fitbit

Now, Fitbit users on Reddit are reporting notifications that state "Google Assistant on Fitbit watches is being turned down, this feature will stop working in the coming weeks."

Fitbit users have been able to use Google Assistant to ask questions, set alarms, check the weather, and perform many other functions on the devices. The withdrawal makes some sense, given that Google is phasing out Assistant elsewhere. However, as noted, on most devices, that's in favor of the more capable Google Gemini; Fitbit users, however, are simply losing a feature and getting nothing in return.

Google's erasure of Fitbit continues apace, and all signs now point to the brand's demise in the future. The company has confirmed that it will sunset Fitbit smartwatches in favor of the Pixel Watch, and chances are its fitness trackers aren't far behind.

The company has also shuttered the Fitbit website, and recently endured furious user backlash over an update that crushed the battery life of the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 because of overheating concerns.

How many Fitbit users access Google Assistant on a regular basis is unknown, but the loss of functionality symbolizes another nail in the coffin for the brand and is sure to be unpopular with customers.

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