TechRadar News

• China’s GPMI cable could finally replace HDMI and Thunderbolt
• GPMI supports 16K video, high power, and universal control
• GPMI offers more speed and power than HDMI ever could

Following its push to replace Bluetooth with Nearlink, China is now turning its attention to physical connectors, targeting HDMI, USB4, and Thunderbolt with a new high-bandwidth alternative.

The General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI) was recently unveiled by the Shenzhen 8K UHD Video Industry Cooperation Alliance, a consortium of over 50 tech companies.

Designed to meet the demands of ultra-high-resolution content, GPMI promises significant improvements in speed, power delivery, and versatility, enough to transmit 8K, and potentially even 16K, video.

A choice of versions

The GPMI standard comes in two versions - the more powerful GPMI Type-B offers a massive 192Gbps bandwidth and can deliver up to 480 watts of power, enough to support high-performance laptops for photo editing, and far exceeding the capabilities of HDMI or Thunderbolt.

GPMI Type-C, on the other hand, uses the widely adopted USB-C form factor but doubles the bandwidth of USB4 and Thunderbolt 4, reaching 96Gbps.

It also matches USB4’s 240-watt power delivery, enough to power 5K/8K monitors and charge devices simultaneously.

In comparison, HDMI 2.1 maxes out at 48Gbps and delivers no power. USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 both top out at 40Gbps, with power delivery of 240W and 100W, respectively. DisplayPort 2.1, currently the leader in bandwidth at 80Gbps, does not offer power transmission.

Additionally, the GPMI standard supports a universal remote-control protocol, allowing users to control multiple connected devices with a single remote.

This will be especially useful for creative professionals who rely on multiple displays or peripherals, such as those using high-end laptops for graphic design.

Via TomsHardware

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As someone who's covered Apple for almost a quarter of a century, this Apple Intelligence Siri chapter is by far its most confounding one. We're now just two months away from the next Apple developer's conference, and it will likely mark an ignominious anniversary for Apple's artificial intelligence efforts.

Apple's uncharacteristic failure to deliver on a product promise has shocked many fans. Ever since the company announced it would not deliver some of the promised Siri enhancements this year, I, for one, have been wondering how we got here.

Now, a new report paints a surprising picture of rival AI factions or rather two teams with divergent strategies that somehow led to flashy demos and some unfulfilled promises.

Not everything in The Information's report on the Apple Siri debacle is surprising. I've been writing for some time about how Apple's usually laudable adherence to privacy principles hamstrung its Siri efforts.

However, The Information's claim that Apple's AI lead John Giannandrea and Craig Federighi (Apple's software engineering head) were in some fashion acting at cross purposes is unexpected.

Giannandrea's slow and steady approach and Apple's insistence on using its own models as opposed to, say, OpenAI's GPT LLMs was in stark contrast to the obvious excitement Federighi's Intelligent Systems team had for experimenting with and possibly using third-party models.

Two visions, no clarity

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Internal battles are not unheard of in companies of all sizes, but they usually don't play out on a public stage at Apple. As The Information tells it, the Apple Intelligence demos I saw last June at WWDC may have broken what I thought was a cardinal rule for Apple: never announce technology that you can't demo live, at least in some fashion.

When Apple stunned WWDC 2023 with the new Apple Vision Pro, it followed later that afternoon by inviting a handful of journalists (including me) for hands-on demos. The pricey mixed reality headset wasn't done, but it was still functional enough to blow our collective minds.

In the case of Apple's Intelligence, though, our post-event demos were limited (Siri was no smarter). It seems that not only were many of the best bits not finished, but Apple may have shown them off in the pre-tapped keynote without giving the main Apple AI team in charge of Siri a full heads-up.

Doing so obviously put Apple in a tough spot. The pre-tapped WWDC video showed us a responsive and aware Siri capable of looking into your iPhone, its apps, and your information to take action on your behalf. Apple then promised we'd see it sometime that year.

Even after Apple delivered the iPhone 16 with iOS 18 and the first blush of Apple Intelligence (a new look, writing tools, Image Playground, Genmojis), most assumed it was just a matter of time before Siri got its major intelligence glow-up.

Half baked

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

By possibly demonstrating technology that was not ready or even fully programmed to run on any Apple Intelligence-ready iPhone, Apple may have set itself or, at least the Siri team, up for failure.

Apple hasn't spoken on the record about this beyond the initial announcement of the delay. News that Apple Intelligence is now reportedly under Craig Federighi's leadership is further proof that perhaps Apple realizes it chose the wrong path.

Federighi's team, according to The Information, is much more open to integrating third-party LLMs. It's a good strategy not only because it will help Apple's AI efforts get back on track but also because it's the same strategy employed by most of its AI competitors, at least those who are not at heart AI companies.

Late in the game, Amazon relied on Perplexity's Claude AI models to build its own Nova system. Samsung has leaned heavily on Google Gemini to develop its own models. As we well know, Microsoft made a big bet on OpenAI's GPT models to power Bing AI and then Copilot to build its own Microsoft AI models.

Siri will rise

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

This, folks, is the way in. Sure, it's maybe less predictable and, possibly, rock-solid secure than Apple's initial strategy, but most of these companies are racing ahead while iPhone fans wait for Apple to get its act together.

Federighi (and Vision Pro lead Mike Walker) taking over is good news, but much of Apple's future success in the AI space will depend on Apple CEO Tim Cook's leadership.

This failure happened under his watch, possibly because he trusted the team to get the job done and has been adamant about sticking to Apple's secure and private approach. Now Cook has to find a new plan and, with Federighi, identify a clear path that gets you the smarter Siri you want in 2026, if not sooner.

I've seen Apple do amazing things in the past, and honestly, I'm confident it'll do it again here.

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• Immutable backup storage is the best ransomware protection
• Research shows backups are almost always targeted in ransomware attacks
• Ransomware is on the rise already in 2025

Ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2025 set new records, up by 84% in the same period of 2024, new research has claimed.

Moreover, ransomware is often talked about as an attack that businesses should expect to be hit by, with two-thirds of organizations experiencing an attack in the last two years.

But it’s not all doom and gloom, as new findings from Object First shows 81% of IT decision makers agree that immutable backup storage is the best ransomware protection.

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Segmentation, zero trust, and immutable storage

While having a 3-2-1 backup strategy is a start when it comes to ransomware protection, the Object First research also reveals that 96% of organizations who have suffered a ransomware attack in the last two years saw their data backups targeted as part of at least one attack, with one in ten seeing their backup storage targeted in every attack.

While there is a general consensus that immutable backup storage is probably the best way to protect against ransomware, only 59% of organizations actually deploy this form of storage, and only 58% have multiple copies of their data in separate locations.

In addition to this, 61% of respondents believe that IT security hardening offers enough protection against ransomware attacks.

Object First recommends that businesses adopt a breach mentality, and couple this with Zero Trust principles and immutable backup storage.

To do this, businesses should segment their networks to minimize the potential blast radius of an attack, alongside using authentication mechanisms for log-ins such as multi-factor authentication and identity access management practices.

Moreover, each user should only have access to the files and applications they need for their specific workload.

Immutable backup storage helps protect against ransomware attacks by storing data in a way that it cannot be modified or deleted.

Traditionally, these have been hard drives or other storage mediums that are used to back up data and then stored in an ‘air-gapped’ environment that has no connection to the outside world. However, with cloud services booming, immutable cloud storage is now also an option.

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• Kaspersky observed a threat actor called ToddyCat abusing a bug in ESET's cybersecurity solution
• The group used a now-patched flaw to deploy a piece of malware called TCESB
• Users are advised to patch their systems and monitor for threats

A component of ESET’s endpoint protection solution was being abused to launch stealthy malware on Windows devices.

In an in-depth report, security researchers from Kaspersky said they saw a critical vulnerability in ESET’s command-line scanner being abused to deploy a tool named TCESB.

The vulnerability, now identified as CVE-2024-11859, allowed attackers to hijack the loading process of system libraries by abusing how the ESET scanner usually loads them. Instead of retrieving legitimate libraries from system directories, the scanner would first look in its current working directory, which enabled a classic “bring your own vulnerable driver” approach.

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ToddyCat

The group behind the attack is dubbed ToddyCat. It is an advanced persistent threat (APT) group, first observed in 2021.

It is known for targeting government and military organizations, diplomatic entities, and critical infrastructure. Its targets are mostly located in Asia and Europe, and there are some indications that it might either be Chinese, or China-aligned. This was not confirmed, though.

In this instance, the researchers did not discuss the victims, their industry, or location.

However, it was said that ToddyCat was able to place a malicious variant of version.dll alongside ESET’s scanner, which forced the endpoint protection tool to run the custom malware and thus bypass standard security detection mechanisms.

The TCESB malware is a modified version of an open-source tool named EDRSandBlast, Kaspersky further explained, saying that it includes features that change the OS kernel structures and can disable callbacks (notification routines).

ESET patched the flaw in January 2025 following responsible disclosure. Organizations using this popular endpoint protection solution are urged to update their systems as soon as possible, and closely monitor their endpoints:

"To detect the activity of such tools, it's recommended to monitor systems for installation events involving drivers with known vulnerabilities," Kaspersky said. "It's also worth monitoring events associated with loading Windows kernel debug symbols on devices where debugging of the operating system kernel is not expected."

Via The Hacker News

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• RTX 5090 with 32GB GDDR7 memory is far cheaper than the equivalent AI accelerator from Nvidia
• Several of them can be teamed together to support very large language models
• Crypto mining in the early 2020s caused prices of GPUs to spike, the same is likely to happen with AI

During the early 2020s, cryptomining was a driving force behind a lot of GPU shortages and inflated prices, as high-end graphics cards were snapped up in bulk to mine cryptocurrencies, leading to record pricing across multiple generations of GeForce GPUs.

Nvidia attempted to address the issue by introducing mining limiters, but miners, naturally, found ways to bypass these, and retail prices remained well above the MSRP for long periods.

History could well be about to repeat itself, but this time based around artificial intelligence demand rather than cryptocurrency. Videocardz (via I_Leak_VN) reports that a Vietnamese retailer called Nguyencongpc has started selling barebone AI servers equipped with seven GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards.

Mounting supply pressures

The setup, cooled by air and powered by a 2000W PSU, is designed to handle large AI workloads, including support for large language models.

The RTX 5090, with its 32GB of GDDR7 memory, offers a blend of high performance and relatively low cost compared to Nvidia’s dedicated in-demand AI accelerators.

When several are used in tandem, as is the case with the server Nguyencongpc is selling, they can match or exceed the memory capacity needed for enterprise-level AI applications - without the high price tag of the RTX Pro or H-series products.

While you've got to admire the ingenuity on display here, the knock on will inevitably be mounting supply pressures.

The RTX 5090 is already facing stock issues, and its price has climbed past $3000 in many markets, with some listings close to $4000. This mirrors the RTX 4090's trajectory, which driven by cryptomining, rarely dropped below MSRP and remained in high demand for non-gaming uses.

With modders reportedly exploring ways to increase onboard memory even further, the RTX 5090 could follow the same path as its predecessors - designed for games, but monopolized by entirely different industries.

Nvidia has yet to take steps to prevent system integrators or retailers from redirecting gaming GPUs toward AI markets and if it doesn't, gamers could well once again find themselves unable to purchase the latest graphics hardware at fair prices.

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Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian has said the company looks poised to go from strength to strength as the global demand for more AI technology continues unabated.

Fresh from hosting the opening keynote at the company's Google Cloud Next 25 in Las Vegas, Kurian told a media Q&A session attended by TechRadar Pro about the latest challenges facing the business, as well as its myriad of successes.

"(AI) is simplifying technology itself," Kurian said in the session, "You have the same technology that runs Google, available to every small business...by simplifying the technology, you bring it to everybody."

"Extremely dynamic" tariff situation

"If you look at the highest level of what we're trying to do - it's relatively simple," Kurian noted, highlighting how Google Cloud has expanded its global footprint to cover 42 regions across the world, with more to come soon.

"Our success is reflected not by what we do, but what customers and partners do with our technology," he added.

"We are very well-positioned due to the breadth of our portfolio - but also because of the differentiation in what we're doing with AI."

(Image credit: Future / Mike Moore)

Asked about the possible effects of US tariffs on business around the world, Kurian replied with a smile that the tariff discussion is "an extremely dynamic one", and that Google Cloud has been through many cycles like this (most recently in the Covid crisis) and that he was confident the company will be able to navigate this period too.

"There's many, many things we do as a technology provider - we are working as a global company, within a geopolitical context, and our solution to that is to work with governments to adapt our technology to government regulations, so that customers can use it in different markets."

Kurian was also asked about how Google Cloud plans to deal with the rising energy costs caused by the growth in demand for AI.

Stating the company has done "a lot of work" over the past two years to "hugely reduce" the cost of training and inferencing of models, he noted the company will continue to optimize the cost of serving models while improving quality.

Kurian added Google Cloud has more than seven times the water-cooled AI systems as the rest of the world combined, and was also working on implementing nuclear power and sustainable energy sources such as hydroelectric and solar.

"For us, it's really important that people see AI as being a technology that can also drive both efficiency in the consumption of energy, and also created new forms of energy because of the investments that we are making."

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So far there haven’t been many Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 colors leaks, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have an idea of what to expect, as Samsung tends to return to certain shades time and again.

Below then, you’ll find the colors we’ve so far heard rumored for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, along with some others that we think are likely to be offered.

Make sure to check back soon too, as we’ll be sure to update this article any time we hear anything new about Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 colors.

Black

A leaked image of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (Image credit: @OnLeaks / Android Headlines)

The one Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 color leak we’ve seen so far takes the form of renders shared by Android Headlines, that show the phone in black.

It’s unclear whether this is actually a shade the publication has heard will be offered, or just one it chose to use for the renders, but either way, we’d say some form of black is very likely, as every single Z Fold model so far has been sold in a black shade.

The exact shade of black differs, but some version of black will almost certainly be offered for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

White

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in White (Image credit: Samsung)

White is another shade we expect the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 to be sold in, as while no leaks yet point to a white option, the last few models have come in either white or a white-adjacent shade, be that beige or cream.

On top of which, white is simply a very popular and common smartphone shade, so while we’re less confident of this than black, we’d think there’s a good chance the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be sold in a white or off-white shade.

Silver / gray

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in Silver Shadow (Image credit: Samsung)

As with white, silver and gray are both popular smartphone shades – particularly silver, so while neither have been mentioned for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 yet there’s a good chance one of them will be offered.

We’re lumping them together here because they’re somewhat similar, and they’re both shades that Samsung has often sold Z Fold models in – including ‘Silver Shadow’ for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, a shade that’s basically a cross between silver and gray.

And because they’re so similar, it’s probably unlikely that Samsung will offer both a silver and a gray shade.

Blue

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in Navy (Image credit: Samsung)

Blue is a shade we’re less confident in than any of the colors above, simply because it’s a bit more unusual to see phones in blue. And as with everything except black, we also haven’t seen any rumors pointing to a blue Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 yet.

But Samsung does seem to have a thing for blue, particularly in its Z Fold series. Last year there was navy blue, and the year before that there were actually two different blue shades.

So, while we wouldn’t be at all surprised if there isn’t a blue option for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, we’d say there are reasonable odds that there will be.

A mystery shade

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Image credit: Future)

In recent years, Samsung’s numbered Galaxy Z Fold phones have been sold in five different shades, but as the numerically accomplished of you will no doubt have noticed, we’ve only mentioned four above. So even if all of those shades do make an appearance (and that’s a big ‘if'), we’d expect to see at least one more too.

What that will be though is anyone’s guess right now, but we’ll update this article once we have a clearer idea.

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• Amazon wants to add 80 new sites to its existing 600 US facilities
• The plans could cost the company an estimated $15 billion
• Trump’s tariffs have impacted certain orders

Amazon is reportedly planning to invest a staggering $15 billion across no less than 80 new logistics facilities across the US in a bid to better serve both cities and rural areas.

A report from Bloomberg claims the company is planning to develop new delivery hubs, with some being large fulfillment centers equipped with state-of-the-art robots.

Amazon is now inviting capital partners to submit proposals in what’s seen as welcome news amid ongoing tariff-induced economic uncertainty.

Amazon wants to spend $15bn on 80 US logistics facilities

When the world moved to remote and online habits during the pandemic, Amazon was believed to have overspent on retail infrastructure and staffing, leading to multiple rounds of layoffs. Between November 2022 and March 2023, Amazon laid off around 27,000 workers.

Although its ecommerce business continues to grow, recent investments have largely focused on cloud and AI technologies, so it’s reassuring to see that the online retail giant is hasn’t given up on what it’s known best for by consumers.

Speaking about the company’s fourth-quarter and year-end results, Jassy noted Amazon had delivered its “fastest speeds ever” for Prime in 2024, with a 65% year-over-year increase in US orders delivered on the same day or overnight, thanks largely to its expansive network of logistics facilities and transportation resources.

The company now has around 600 fulfillment centers in the US alone, but no timeline has been shared for the addition of another 80.

Despite a positive outlook, it’s clear that Amazon isn’t immune from the ongoing trade war, having reportedly canceled numerous orders from China and other Asian countries over tariffs.

Amazon told us that the projects being discussed aren't finalized, but they are still ideas that are up for consideration.

Steve Kelly, a spokesperson for Amazon, noted: "Meetings like this with our capital partners are routine and part of the normal due diligence process, as we consider potential, future projects."

The company also confirmed some figures to us – Amazon supports nearly five million jobs across the US, having invested over $244 billion into the nation in 2023 alone.

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• Nintendo has now clarified that Switch 2 Edition cartridges will feature the full game and upgrades
• There's still some uncertainty regarding DLC
• My Nintendo Store customer service representatives have said Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition "will not include the paid DLCs"

Nintendo has confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will contain the full game and upgrades on the cartridge, but there's still uncertainty surrounding some downloadable content (DLC).

Last week, a Nintendo customer service representative caused some confusion among fans following the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct by informing one player that Switch 2 Edition games will be original Switch cartridges with a download code attached.

Nintendo has now clarified that this is not the case and that enhanced games, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, will feature the full game and upgrades on the Switch 2 Edition cartridge.

In a statement to Vooks, a Nintendo spokesperson said, "Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code). Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card."

Although we have confirmation on this aspect, there's still uncertainty surrounding DLC, specifically when it comes to Breath of the Wild and its expansion pass.

As reported by GoNintendo, a My Nintendo Store customer service representative stated that the Breath of the Wild's Switch 2 Edition "is not going to include the Expansion Pass content", which includes The Master Trials and The Champion's Ballad.

Another user on Reddit also shared a message from a different My Nintendo Store representative, which claimed something similar.

"This game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - My Nintendo Store will not include the paid DLCs. If you purchase the Switch 2 version in physical, it will arrive in the corresponding game box," the message read.

We still don't have official confirmation from Nintendo, but it seems that, like with the Switch version, players will need to purchase the DLC packs again to play them on Switch 2.

It's also unclear if this applies to all Switch 2 Edition games with DLC.

The Nintendo Switch 2 officially launches on June 5, 2025, and will cost $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle.

Pre-orders are now live in the UK, but Nintendo has announced that US pre-orders and Canada pre-orders have been delayed to "to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

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• Nvidia's unannounced RTX 5060 Ti has a benchmark leak revealing its performance leap over the RTX 4060 Ti
• It is reportedly up to 14% faster using the Vulkan graphics rendering API
• It's expected to be cheaper than its predecessor but may face inflation considering the current GPU market trend

We're still awaiting an official announcement of Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti GPU, which has had several rumors and leaks crop up recently. However, a new leak has given us fresh insight into expectations regarding its performance.

As highlighted by Wccftech, a new Geekbench 6 leak indicates that the RTX 5060 Ti is up to 14% faster than its predecessor, the RTX 4060 Ti. These benchmarks were done in both OpenCL and Vulkan: the latter is a popular graphics rendering API used across several games, and the upcoming Blackwell GPU scored an impressive 140,147 points using it.

As evident in the benchmark results, the RTX 4060 Ti scored 122,534 points in Vulkan, making its successor 13% faster - and while this may not be a significant margin, the new GPU is purported to be the cheaper option with both 16GB and 8GB models.

It's also worth noting that all RTX 5000 series GPUs have the advantage of Nvidia’s new Multi-Frame Generation over the previous gen, granting a better frame interpolation (additional AI-generated frames in between original rendered frames) experience. It certainly isn't perfect, especially with recent driver complications, but the feature will come in handy for gamers once all is back in shape again.

The rumored 16GB VRAM capacity may be a baffling one: the RTX 5070 (which is the higher tier GPU) offers 12GB of VRAM with a 192-bit memory bus, while the RTX 5060 Ti, is expected to have 16GB of VRAM with a 128-bit memory bus. It's total speculation, but the VRAM differences could be due to the memory bus differences, with the RTX 5070's 192-bit memory bus having much better memory bandwidth and therefore being able to manage with only 12GB of VRAM.

However, none of these rumors will change the fact that the GPU market is arguably in its worst state ever. So, even if the RTX 5060 Ti ends up cheaper than its predecessor, there's no guarantee it will stay at retail price.

(Image credit: Nvidia) None of this will be relevant, if the RTX 5060 Ti can't stay at launch price

Regardless of its potential performance leap over its previous gen counterpart, the price of the RTX 5060 Ti will be the dealbreaker for many budget gamers: I'm not only referring to its launch price - and I'm hoping the rumored $429 / around £330 / around AU$687 is accurate - but the price of third-party partner cards sold across multiple retailers.

Both Nvidia’s and AMD's new GPU lineups have been met with heavy scrutiny, as nearly none of these GPUs are available to purchase at retail price. This had been happening long before Trump's latest tariffs came into effect, due to low stock and high demand - so the chances of this trend continuing with the RTX 5060 Ti are very high.

It may turn out to be far worse if Nvidia doesn't have a reference card planned for the new GPU: the RTX 5070 Ti notably doesn't have a Founders Edition model, which are cards that are designed and sold directly from Team Green, and it means consumers must rely on third-party retailers selling third-party models. A repeat of this is a potentially dangerous move in a GPU climate where scalpers and inflation are at their worst.

We're supposedly a few weeks away from an official reveal and launch, so we may have our answers sooner rather than later… I just hope Nvidia doesn’t blow this one, because PC gamers are sorely in need of some sensibly-priced solutions.

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For about two decades, traditional microSD cards were the storage solution of choice for portable devices like mobile phones and handheld consoles.

However, the evolution of storage solutions has led to the development of microSD Express, an advancement over its predecessor.

While microSD cards and microSD Express appear the same, their specifications and applications differ. You may be wondering why you haven’t heard about microSD Express – that’s because the technology is not only relatively new, but its adoption has been quite slow.

microSD Express vs microSD card – the basics

microSD Express is an advanced version of microSD that uses PCIe and NVMe interfaces similar to high-end SSD storage solutions to achieve significantly faster transfer speeds of up to 985MB/s.

This storage format was first released by the SD Association in 2019, and since then, several brands have developed cards with guaranteed minimum speeds of 150MB/s, 300MB/s, 450MB/s, or 600MB/s, as indicated by the “E” symbol on the card label. These cards, however, have not seen wide usage until recently, when Nintendo announced plans to use them for expanded storage in the upcoming Switch 2.

On the other hand, a microSD card is a small, removable storage device that has been widely used in smartphones, tablets, cameras, and gaming consoles. Originally launched in 2005, the format has evolved into SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC variants, with capacities up to 2TB.

These cards use the SD interface and are classified based on speed. Most consumer devices today support UHS-I cards, with read speeds up to 100MB/s. Less common UHS-II and UHS-III cards can reach speeds of up to 300MB/s and 600MB/s, respectively.

Speed and performance

The obvious advantage of microSD Express over microSD is transfer speed. Its interfaces enable faster write speeds, allowing for seamless recording and quicker file transfers. Another key benefit is reduced latency, thanks to NVMe technology.

Unlike traditional microSD cards, which rely on older interfaces, microSD Express offers lower response times when accessing data. This leads to faster system responsiveness, especially when opening large files, running applications, or switching between stored media.

Backward compatibility concerns

One major drawback of microSD Express is its lack of full backward compatibility. If you use a microSD Express card in an older device with a traditional microSD slot, the transfer speed drops to UHS-I levels, which can be disappointing. In addition, devices made for microSD Express are exclusive, meaning regular microSD cards will not work in them.

This compatibility issue is clear with the Nintendo Switch 2, which only supports microSD Express cards. Users now need to purchase new storage solutions, even if they have plenty of data on older microSD cards from previous Switch models. This shift has caused frustration among users who expected backward compatibility to be preserved.

Use cases and adoption

microSD Express cards are not designed for all use cases. If you mainly store regular photos and videos on mobile phones or cameras, a standard microSD card will do just fine.

microSD Express shines in scenarios where high-speed data transfer is critical, with one key example being gaming.

Games are data-intensive, and faster read/write speeds reduce load times, improve performance, and make gameplay smoother. This is likely a key reason why the Nintendo Switch 2 adopted microSD Express.

Standard microSD cards often struggle with large files, leading to dropped frames or slow transfers when dealing with high data rates, such as 4K or 8K video. This makes microSD Express especially valuable for filmmakers and content creators.

Cost and availability

That all said, getting a microSD Express card isn’t easy. Few brands currently produce them, and availability may be limited in some regions.

Also, because the technology is still developing and uses more advanced components, microSD Express cards tend to be more expensive. For example, a 1TB microSD Express card from Lexar costs around $200, while a standard 1TB microSD card from the same brand is priced under $70.

Should you upgrade to microSD Express?

Whether to switch to microSD Express depends on your needs and device compatibility. If your device requires it, like the Nintendo Switch 2, then upgrading is necessary. But if your device only supports standard microSD cards, there’s little benefit, as speeds will drop by almost 90%. That said, if low latency is a priority, it may still be worth considering.

For general users who want affordable storage for smartphones, cameras, or other devices, traditional microSD cards remain a practical choice. Professionals working with high-speed applications, may find microSD Express to be a worthwhile investment.

Future of microSD Express

Portable computing devices, including laptops, tablets, and handheld gaming PCs, now use high-grade hardware and often rely on expandable storage for larger apps and media. For example, some mobile phones and cameras can now record in 8K, which puts a lot of pressure on storage performance.

A one-minute 8K video can be as large as 20GB. Saving this to a regular microSD card could take around four minutes, while a microSD Express card could do it in about 30 seconds. That is a significant difference that could drive the adoption of microSD Express.

Still, the future of microSD Express really depends on how many device manufacturers choose to support it. If more consoles, cameras, and portable devices integrate the format, prices may come down and the market could expand.

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• Valve is reportedly ramping up facial interface production
• These parts are essential for VR wearables, suggesting that Valve Deckard is coming soon
• Valve's move could also be teasing future VR headsets beyond Deckard

Nearly six years since the launch of the smash hit Valve Index, it appears the Steam team is gearing up to start making the long-awaited standalone sequel according to new rumors.

Codenamed the Valve Deckard in leaks, the headset was initially believed to have a late 2025 release date, but details were few and far between, suggesting it might slip later.

However, new details from SadlyItsBradley – a source of several VR hardware leaks in the past – suggest that Valve could be steaming ahead with production, as the company has been importing the equipment needed to manufacture VR headset facial interfaces.

In a later post SadleyItsBradley pointed out that Valve has been receiving facial interface shipments since last year – suggesting that this new equipment may not just be to produce Deckard interfaces, but prototype designs for its next VR headset.

Alternatively, this might be an attempt by Valve to avoid some of the increased tariff costs that US President Donald Trump has been horsing around with recently.

FWIW, Valve also received pallet shipments of new facial interfaces (not machinery) since last year from the same companyThe machinery Valve recently received was probably* an injection moulder tweaked to focus on making future gaskets1/3 https://t.co/0qlgi2UcfD pic.twitter.com/D7YweQuRqJApril 10, 2025

Admittedly facial interfaces don’t tell us much about the headset itself, but given they're only used for devices like VR headsets and not anything else in Valve’s hardware line-up (such as a Steam Deck), Valve investing in their production suggests it has plans to make a new VR headset.

And since the Valve Index reportedly exited production sometime last year (via SadlyItsBradley, again) it’s unlikely these interfaces would be for its existing tech.

Valve Deckard could be a wearable Steam Deck (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

Beyond this latest rumor, other leaks are teasing something special, with Deckard said to not only be a standalone headset (like the Meta Quest 3) but also a wearable Steam Deck that you can use for playing flat games.

Just be prepared for it to be pricey. We’re talking around $1,200 (around £950 / AU$1,950), though this would include a few games in a bundle.

This isn’t as cheap as a Meta Quest 3, but with Steam’s incredible software support the Valve Deckard could be a shoo-in for our best VR headsets list.

It’s worth remembering that all leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt, but with Valve Deckard it feels like where there’s smoke there's likely fire.

We’ll just have to wait and see if that’s the case as we roll through 2025 and the rumored Deckard release date approaches. If Deckard is announced you can sure we’ll be ready to keep you up to date on everything you need to know.

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• Europol follows up on last year's botnet takedown
• It made multiple arrests and home searches
• Some suspects cooperated

In a follow-up to its May 2024 botnet takedown operation codenamed Operation Endgame, Europol said it made multiple arrests.

Last year, the European law enforcement agency, together with a number of national partners, shut down some of the biggest malware droppers, including IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smokeloader, and Bumblebee. The operation spanned numerous countries and multiple continents.

Now, in a press release published on the Europol website, it was said that the operation continued, but this time against customers of Smokeloader.

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New actions

Smokeloader is a pay-per-install malware loader, in which cybercriminals pay to use the service (which has already infected numerous devices) and drop their own malware. Europol said criminals used Smokeloader for keylogging, webcam access, ransomware deployment, cryptomining, and more.

“Law enforcement tracked down the customers as they were registered in a database seized during Operation Endgame,” Europol explained, saying these people now faced “house searches, arrest warrants or ‘knock and talks’”.

It did not discuss the number of people involved, but it did say that “several suspects” cooperated with the authorities by facilitating the examination of their digital devices. Several other suspects admitted to have resold the Smokeloader services at a markup.

Just like in Operation Endgame, multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the follow-up, including the FBI, Secret Service, the DoD, DCIS, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Czech police, Danish police, French National Police, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, Prosecutor General’s Office Frankfurt am Main – Cyber Crime Center, The Netherlands’ National Investigations and Special Operations, and The Netherlands Police.

The agency also said that the operation has not yet concluded and that “new actions” will soon be announced on the website operation-endgame.com.

“Anyone with information is invited to contact the authorities through this website,” it said. “In addition, suspects involved in these and other botnets, who have not yet been arrested, will be held directly accountable for their actions.”

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• Nintendo says it wants to "future-proof" the Switch 2 like the original Switch
• Since game sizes are getting bigger, Game-Key Cards will allow for more games on the platform
• Nintendo wants to "make sure that people can be publishing games" on the Switch 2

Nintendo wants to ensure that the Switch 2 is "future-proof", and it's trying to achieve that with its new Game-Key Cards.

In a recent interview with Nintendo Life following the Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo of America senior vice president of product development and publishing Nate Bihldorff discussed the company's new Game-Key Cards and how they will allow for more games on the platform, no matter the size.

When asked if Game Keys will be exclusive to third-party titles, Bihldorff said he doesn't know any specific roadmap for who's going to use the keys and that they're "just another way that we can have games on our platform".

"Obviously, there's a finite amount of memory on a game card, and if you happen to be a publisher who has a game that's bigger than that, that would still be a way of you being able to get a retail version of your game onto the system," he explained. "Probably the only way. Game sizes have gotten really big, so [Game Key] is just providing another avenue."

Bihldorff added, "The Switch lasted eight years. We really want to future-proof [Switch 2] and make sure that people can be publishing games on it, and I think that'll speak to that."

Nintendo confirmed after the Switch 2 Direct that Game-Key Cards will contain a download "key" and don't feature the full game data like other physical editions.

We know games like Bravely Default and Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition will only have a Game-Card Key, while new titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will offer standard physical game cards like the original Switch.

The Nintendo Switch 2 officially launches on June 5, 2025, and will cost $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 Canada pre-orders have been delayed as Nintendo assesses the potential impact of tariffs.

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• 180-inch screens from just 4 metres away; designed for up to 200 inches
• AI-powered optimization of compressed streaming video
• HDR-PRO with HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+

BenQ has announced two new 4K projectors as part of its Home Cinema Series: the premium W5850, which is designed for theater-grade large screens; and the W4100i, which promises cinema-grade visuals for home theater rooms to rival the best projectors.

The 2,600 lumen W5 is "designed for the ultimate cinematic experience". It's capable of up to 200-inch screens with a shorter throw ratio of 1.0 to 1.6. That enables it to deliver a 180-inch display from just four meters away.

The W4100i has a 3,200-lumen LED light source, Android TV and AI Cinema Calibration mode, which BenQ says ensures "cinema-grade visuals" from streaming content.

(Image credit: BenQ) BenQ Home Cinema Series: key features

Each of the Home Cinema Series projectors meets key industry standards including 100% DCI-P3, and Delta E<3 (with high-end models such as the W5850 achieving Delta E<2).

There's BenQ's own HDR-PRO technology, which enhances contrast through multi-stage processing – Global Contrast Enhancer, Local Contrast Enhancer, and Dynamic Black – and the tech supports HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+.

There's built in noise reduction to enhance compressed streaming content, and the latest version of BenQ's AI Cinema Mode. This is a real-time image composition analyzer that dynamically adjusts HDR, color saturation and sharpness, significantly improving the appearance of the compressed video content from the major streaming services.

AI processing is big among the best TVs, but hasn't made an impact on projectors much yet – that's clearly starting to change.

Connectivity includes HDMI 2.1, SPDIF and eARC with support Dolby Atmos and 7.1 surround sound. There's also a low-latency Fast Mode that promises a fast 17.9ms response time for movies, sports, and games.

We only have UK pricing so far, with the BenQ W4100i set for a £2,999 (about $3,890 / AU$6,225) price, while the W5850 is set to cost £4,599 (about $5,960 / AU$9,550).

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• US businesses were prime targets for ransomware actors in Q1 2025
• Manufacturing, IT, and services, were particularly hit
• SMBs are a bigger target than enterprises

So far in 2025, US businesses were prime targets for ransomware attackers, taking up almost half of all incidents of that nature this year, according to a new report from threat exposure management platform NordStellar, whose researchers analyzed dark web data to compile the Q1 2025 statistics.

As per the report, there were 2,440 new ransomware cases made public on the dark web, up 84% compared to the same period in 2024 (1,325). Of that number, 990 (41%) were US businesses.

That makes the United States the most affected country globally by far, since second-placed Canada had “only” 105 cases. The UK is third with 74, followed by Germany (56), France (42), and India (42).

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Manufacturing, IT, professional services

According to NordStellar’s cybersecurity expert Vakaris Noreika, this is because the US has plenty of rich business targets: “A high concentration of wealthy businesses with cyber insurance that includes ransom coverage make the US a desirable target for hackers,” Noreika explained.

“The economy of the US is highly digitalized and most businesses depend on interconnected systems, cloud technologies, and remote work environments — all factors that create more opportunities for ransomware attacks to infiltrate.”

Ransomware criminals seem to be particularly interested in businesses in manufacturing, since this industry recorded 273 cases. IT was second with 172 cases, and professional services was third with 116. Surprisingly enough, these are mostly SMBs, not enterprises. Companies with a revenue of $10M-50M, employing 51-200 people, were most-hit in Q1.

Ransomware continues being one of the most destructive and disruptive cybercriminal operations out there. Every day the threat grows, as cybercriminals find new ways to deploy encryptors and abuse AI in their attacks:

“The soaring number of ransomware attacks is more than just a trend — it's an ever-growing threat for businesses worldwide,” Noreika said. “Ransomware groups are getting more sophisticated, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities faster, and leveraging ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) to expand their reach. Many organizations still struggle with unpatched systems and weak credential security, thus, becoming easy targets. No business, regardless of size, is immune.”

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• People are writing messages to the Sora development team in its image browser
• The requests are mainly begging for new features or changes
• Others are saying thank you for how much fun they’re having with the app

One of my favourite things about Sora, OpenAI’s incredible AI video generator, is that you can see what everybody else around the world is making with it. People generate both still images and video in Sora, and because you can see exactly what they’re creating as one big gallery, you get to have a peek into what the current AI generation trends are.

Of course, the boxed action figure trend is still going strong, and before that it was the Studio Ghibli-style images. But today I noticed that there are a lot of appeals directly to the developers appearing in Sora's image gallery.

These take the form of people holding up notice boards with messages like “Sora team, we need 16:9 image generation!” and “Sora team, we need a stand-alone app!”, begging for new features to be added, or protesting about their image generation policies, in the hope that the Sora team see them.

It’s quite fascinating seeing how people have taken a technology and used it for something completely different to what it’s designed to do.

Protesting to the Sora team about their image policies. (Image credit: OpenAI) Serendipitous innovation

I’m sure there must be a word for taking a technology and using it in unexpected ways that it wasn't intended for, but I can’t think what it is. 'Serendipitous innovation' is quite close, as is 'transmogrification', but they’re not quite there.

Whatever the word is, it’s fascinating to me to see the innovative uses people have come up with for AI.

Of course, there’s no evidence that the Sora team will act on any of these requests, but you’ve got to imagine that they’re always keeping an eye on what people are creating with their software, and it probably will have some influence.

Some people simply want to thank the Sora team. (Image credit: OpenAI) Accessing Sora

Sora works by you first creating an image from a prompt, and then creating a video from a prompt that is based on that image.

Sora isn’t a stand-alone app (which is one of the things people are commonly requesting), it exists only as an option inside ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro in the web browser. When you click on Sora, the whole interface changes and you’re in the video generator app.

If you click on Images you can see all the images that people are creating, and if you click on one, you get to see the actual prompt that they used to create it.

This can be really useful when designing your own prompts, or as people have recently discovered, if you want to try and get a message to the developers to ask for new features.

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• WhatsApp update rolls out new Meta AI chatbot in more countries
• It's represented by a small blue circle in chats and is in chat search too
• Many WhatsApp users aren't happy that the feature isn't removable

If you've been wondering what the mysterious new blue, purple, and green ring symbol in WhatsApp is, you're not alone – and this wider rollout of Meta AI in the messaging app is proving controversial, to say the least.

The new circle or ring in the bottom-right corner of your chats is a shortcut to Meta's AI chatbot, effectively its take on ChatGPT. The feature rolled out in the US and Canada some time ago, but it's recently started arriving in countries across the EU, including the UK and Australia.

Because the EU is something of a heartland for WhatsApp, where the total number of users eclipses those in the US, the feature is back in the limelight – and it isn't proving particularly popular, according to various Reddit threads.

The biggest complaint is that there's no way to turn Meta AI off. It sits prominently in your chat section, looking a bit like a bug, and has also now conveniently been integrated into the chat search bar, which says "Ask Meta AI or Search."

The mysterious Meta AI shortcut button floats in the bottom-right corner of your chats section. Meta AI is also now incorporated in chat search at the top of the section. (Image credit: Meta / Future)

That naturally raises privacy concerns, though Meta has been keen to address them in its Help pages. It says that "your personal messages with friends and family are off limits" and that, while "AIs can read what is shared with them," your "personal messages remain end-to-end encrypted."

That said, your chats with Meta AI aren't encrypted and Meta says, "don't send messages to Meta with information you don’t want it to know."

If you happen to chat with Meta AI, intentionally or not, the best option is to delete the chat afterward. You can do that by going to the chat, swiping left on it, tapping 'more', and hitting 'delete chat'.

Analysis: Get used to it, or prepare to jump ship

Meta AI's capabilities in the WhatsApp app vary by region, with image requests currently possible in some countries but not in others (Image credit: Meta)

Despite some vocal online protests, it's pretty clear that Meta AI isn't going anywhere in WhatsApp. At last year's Meta Connect 2024, Mark Zuckerberg boasted that Meta AI was already one of the world's most-used AI assistants, with almost 500 million monthly active users.

Meta's ticket to increasing that figure is by tapping into WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Meta AI is now based on the new Llama 4 model, which shows that Meta is keen to continually upgrade its assistant and make it a WhatsApp chatbot staple – whether we want it or not.

One Member of the European Parliament has even raised the feature to the Executive Vice-President and Commissioner, questioning whether or not the lack of an option to remove it "aligns with EU rules."

Maybe we'll see Meta in the dock with the EU again soon.

Alongside the lack of a 'disable' option, the other main criticism of Meta AI in WhatsApp is that it simply isn't very good. Having dabbled with it in the app, I've also encountered its limitations. It often misunderstands what you've asked or contradicts itself. For example, I asked if it could analyze images – it asked me to upload one, then said, "I can't understand images yet."

In short, Meta AI still feels a world away from ChatGPT and also starts with the disadvantage that it's been thrust in your face within other apps rather than consciously chosen.

The solution for irked WhatsApp users will be to tolerate it or move to alternatives like Signal – a popular choice for privacy but one that may not be as popular among your friends.

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• Over 100,000 malicious emails were detected and blocked by HMRC
• These were sent between November 2021 and September 2024
• Critical infrastructure remains a top target for cybercriminals

New research has revealed that over 105,000,000 malicious emails have been blocked by HMRC in the last three years, outlining the escalation of cyber threats against the UK Government and critical infrastructure.

This information, obtained through a Freedom of Information request (FOI) by the Parliament Street think tank, shows a surge between November 2022 and October 2023 of 40,346,532, a significant increase from the almost 24,000,000 blocked in the same period the previous year.

Critical infrastructure is proving a seriously attractive target for cyber criminals, especially given the urgency of the services they provide and the rise in geopolitical tensions. Consequences of attacks on these providers can be severe, even life threatening, and over two fifths of critical infrastructure has suffered a cyber breach to date.

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A change in gateway

According to the request, HMRC has changed its supplier of its email ‘gateway’ which blocks and categorizes emails, meaning it can no longer break the information down into malware, phishing, spam, or other categories.

There is a recognition by the Government that this is an urgent issue, with the new Cyber Security Bill introduced to protect critical infrastructure by providing essential IT services, covering over 1,000 providers.

This comes after top security officials labeled Britain “shockingly vulnerable” to cyberattacks, pointing to services like the NHS and national power grid - both using third party vendors that aren’t subject to the stringent security regulations that public institutions must follow.

“These numbers show just how relentless cybercriminals are when it comes to targeting government institutions,” says Andy Ward, SVP International at Absolute Security.

“Security teams need to be able to isolate and shut down compromised systems immediately to stop attacks from spreading. With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, having the right tools and defences in place is more important than ever to protect the UK’s Government Departments."

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Before the rise of AI-driven cyber threats, phishing attempts were often easy to spot. Poor grammar, overly manipulative language, and unsolicited requests were telltale signs of malicious attacks.

With the implementation of offensive AI used by threat actors, these phishing attempts have become harder to identify. While Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) have also implemented defensive AI to combat these threats, these emails are still reaching users’ inboxes.

The AI email security gap

AI and Machine Learning (ML) models in SEGs are primarily trained on historical data, enabling them to recognize phishing patterns. While this retrospective approach is effective for identifying known threats, it struggles to keep pace with rapidly evolving attack techniques. Offensive AI enables threat actors to generate highly professional, industry-specific phishing emails using minimal effort or time investment. These attacks can mimic the jargon and technical terms of targeted sectors, making malicious emails appear legitimate, and allowing them to bypass SEGs.

Despite embracing AI capabilities with open arms, SEGs are still struggling to keep up with these sophisticated phishing attempts. While AI can efficiently identify repetitive patterns and filter out bulk threats, it remains reactive. This gap between offensive and defensive AI leaves organizations vulnerable to novel phishing techniques.

How attackers bypass SEGs

Cybercriminals continuously develop new methods to circumvent SEGs, often manipulating legitimate services or introducing novel techniques that AI models have yet to encounter. Some of the most effective tactics include:

QR codes: Embedding malicious links within QR codes can be challenging for AI systems to analyze automatically. This attack method requires the employee to scan a code on their phone, removing the physical protection on their enterprise systems. The most recent innovative QR code technique involves rotating and embedding one QR code within another so a SEG scanning a QR code will get a different result than a victim who is instructed to scan the code sideways.

Malicious attachments: Disguising harmful links within seemingly benign attachments, such as PDFs or Microsoft Office documents, allows attackers to exploit the trust associated with common business communication.

URL obfuscation or redirection: Threat actors use legitimate services to mask malicious links, redirecting victims to phishing sites.

SEG-encoded links: Since SEGs rewrite incoming email URLs to scan for threats, attackers can embed pre-encoded URLs from other SEGs, tricking security filters into marking them as safe.

Malicious HTML files: Attackers attach malicious HTML files that, when opened, direct users to phishing sites or prompt credential entry.

These various techniques highlight the adaptive nature of phishing threats and techniques employed by threat actors that are used to bypass email security defenses.

The necessity for a strong security culture

As phishing attacks evolve, introducing novel threats that AI tools may not yet recognize, human ingenuity becomes a vital component of a comprehensive, layered defense strategy. This makes the cultivation of a strong security culture within organizations essential. While AI excels at routine pattern recognition and data filtering, human intuition and vigilance remain indispensable for identifying and responding to complex or ambiguous threats.

Building a robust security culture starts with communicating the significance of email security and positioning employees as the first line of defense. Creating a non-punitive environment where staff feel empowered to report suspicious activity is key to enhancing overall security.

This can be achieved by implementing user-friendly reporting tools, enabling quick identification and response to live threats, and offering interactive training sessions tailored to the unique risks faced by the organization. These initiatives ensure employees are equipped with the knowledge to spot and report phishing attempts effectively.

Recognizing and rewarding proactive security behaviors not only boosts engagement but also reinforces the value of individual contributions to organizational safety. By integrating these elements of a strong security culture, organizations can leverage human ingenuity alongside AI-driven defenses to create a formidable, multi-layered approach to threat protection.

Combining the power of AI efficiency and human ingenuity

While defensive AI can offer significant advantages, it is not infallible. The most effective defense against sophisticated phishing attacks combines AI-driven capabilities with human insight. AI excels at managing repetitive tasks and flagging potential issues, but human analysis is crucial for interpreting context, assessing nuances, and making informed decisions in ambiguous situations.

As phishing strategies continue to evolve, organizations must recognize that AI alone is not enough. By investing in a strong security culture that empowers employees to serve as vigilant defenders and complementing this with the power of advanced AI tools, organizations can establish a resilient, multi-layered defense against cyber threats.

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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