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• When a token with publishing rights was stolen, multiple poisoned Nx variants were released
• The malware stole secrets and other important data
• The attack lasted a few hours, but could be causing damage still

Countless software developers, likely including those within Fortune 500 companies, were victims of a supply chain attack after Nx, the open source build system and development toolkit, was compromised.

In an announcement posted on GitHub, Nx said, “malicious versions of Nx and some supporting plugins were published” on NPM.

At the same time, security researchers Wiz released a separate announcement, saying the malicious versions were carrying infostealing malware, grabbing secrets such as GitHub and NPM tokens, SSH keys, crypto wallet information, and more, from attacked developers.

Thousands of leaked tokens

How Nx was compromised remains unknown - Wiz believes the threat actors managed to get ahold of a token with publishing rights, which enabled them to push malicious versions to NPM, despite all maintainers having two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled at the time of the attack. Apparently, 2FA was not needed to publish the packages.

The attack lasted approximately four hours, before NPM removed all of the poisoned versions.

Nx did not discuss how many companies might have been struck in this supply chain attack, but Wiz told The Register via email that more than 1,000 valid GitHub tokens were leaked. Furthermore, the attackers stole around 20,000 files and “dozens” of valid cloud credentials and NPM tokens.

Affected users should reach out to Nx’s support team for help.

Both NPM and Nx are hugely popular in the software development community, with more than 70% of Fortune 500 companies are allegedly using it, so it’s perhaps not surprising it is under constant attack.

However, security researchers Step Security found something unique: the malware “weaponized AI CLI tools (including Claude, Gemini, and q) to aid in reconnaissance and data exfiltration - marking the first known case where attackers have turned developer AI assistants into tools for supply chain exploitation.”

"This technique forces the AI tools to recursively scan the file system and write discovered sensitive file paths to /tmp/inventory.txt, effectively using legitimate tools as accomplices in the attack."

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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, August 28 (game #1312).

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 #1313) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #1313) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1313) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1313) - 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 2.

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 #1313) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• F

• T

• F

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1313) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1313, are…

• FLAIR
• TAROT
• FRAIL
• PRUNE

I have never before experienced today’s phenomenon when an incorrect guess for one word turns out to be a correct guess for another. 

This is what happened with FLAIR and FRAIL, which feature the same letters but in a different order. My wrong guess for FLAIR gave me the unusual sensation of annoyance at coming so close and simultaneous pleasure after realizing it didn’t matter.

Daily Sequence today (game #1313) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1313, are…

• REGAL
• BULGE
• QUELL
• FURRY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1312, Thursday, 28 August: AFOOT, TANGO, LUMEN, NAVAL
• Quordle #1311, Wednesday, 27 August: TWEED, SCRAP, SHEIK, AWOKE
• Quordle #1310, Tuesday, 26 August: BEGET, WRATH, HEARD, INDEX
• Quordle #1309, Monday, 25 August: GEEKY, SHALT, CHIEF, JIFFY
• Quordle #1308, Sunday, 24 August: ROVER, GONER, ANTIC, OUTDO
• Quordle #1307, Saturday, 23 August: DEMON, GRATE, FLYER, SHEEP
• Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINY
• Quordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTE
• Quordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORST
• Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
• Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
• Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
• Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS

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, August 28 (game #543).

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 #544) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A long time in the making

NYT Strands today (game #544) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• RAIL
• CHOP
• CORE
• SPEAR
• LIAR
• TRED

NYT Strands today (game #544) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #544) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 6th row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #544) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #544, are…

• SPIRE
• ARCH
• MESA
• BUTTE
• GORGE
• PILLAR
• SPANGRAM: ROCK FORMATION

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

The theme made me think about buildings and I thought I was on the right track when I got SPIRE straight away after beginning my search in the left-hand corner. Next, I got ARCH and was convinced we were looking for parts of buildings.

The spangram came after I thought I’d got two non-game words before putting them together and realizing I was on the wrong track. From here I hit a wall and struggled to find anything.

Two hints gave me MESA and BUTTE, which was very helpful as these are two types of formation that were unfamiliar to me. From here I was able to complete the board.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, August 28, game #543)

• GABBY
• VERBOSE
• VOLUBLE
• TALKATIVE
• LOQUACIOUS
• SPANGRAM: CHATTERBOX

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.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections 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 Connections hints and answers for Thursday, August 28 (game #809).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

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

NYT Connections today (game #810) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SHELL
• MUSHROOM
• WAX
• BANANA
• STAR
• STOCK
• FIGURE
• BALLOON
• GULF
• MOUNT
• 7-10
• 7-ELEVEN
• PERSONALITY
• CHEVRON
• LICKETY
• NAME

NYT Connections today (game #810) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Notable human
• GREEN: Growing
• BLUE: Petrol stops
• PURPLE: Pull apart

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #810) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: FAMOUS PERSON
• GREEN: INCREASE
• BLUE: PLACES THAT SELL GAS
• PURPLE: SPLIT

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

NYT Connections today (game #810) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #810, are…

• YELLOW: FAMOUS PERSON FIGURE, NAME, PERSONALITY, STAR
• GREEN: INCREASE BALLOON, MOUNT, MUSHROOM, WAX
• BLUE: PLACES THAT SELL GAS 7-ELEVEN, CHEVRON, GULF, SHELL
• PURPLE: SPLIT 7-10, BANANA, LICKETY, STOCK

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

I crashed out today after cobbling together the yellow group having already made a couple of errors.

Annoyingly, I was on the right track for three of the groups. I thought that SPLIT was the link but I had PERSONALITY and CHEVRON instead of 7-10 and STOCK. Not even getting one away tricked me into thinking I was off track.

Then, with just one mistake left, I had BALLOON, MUSHROOM, and MOUNT but had STOCK instead of WAX.

Being based in the UK I think I can be forgiven for missing PLACES THAT SELL GAS, but, regardless, this was a poor round for me.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, August 28, game #809)

• YELLOW: PLACES TO GET TRAPPED NET, SNARE, TANGLE, WEB
• GREEN: USED FOR TEA CUP, KETTLE, TEABAG, WATER
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH HARDNESS DIAMOND, NAILS, ROCK, STEEL
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH KEYBOARD KEYS CANTAB, CYBERSPACE, ICECAPS, MAKESHIFT

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

• Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi has explained why the game offers both a third-person and first-person mode
• Nakanishi says Resident Evil 7 may have been "too scary" for some players, so a third-person option was added to Requiem partly for this reason
• He also hopes the option will offer a more enjoyable experience for those who "either couldn't finish or didn't even start" Resident Evil 7

Resident Evil Requiem has a third-person mode for players who couldn't handle first-person in Resident Evil 7, according to game director Koshi Nakanishi.

In an interview with GamesRadar at Gamescom 2025, Nakanishi acknowledged that his previously directed game, Resident Evil 7, might have been too scary and decided to offer two options in the upcoming entry to allow for a more enjoyable experience.

"Looking back at Resident Evil 7's first person perspective, I implemented that as a way to make it more immersive and more scary than ever before, which I think most you know media and players agreed it was an incredibly scary game, but it was possibly too scary," Nakanishi said.

"I think some people couldn't handle it, and either couldn't finish or didn't even start it. And that's something that I look back on thinking that, you know, I want to make sure that people can enjoy this game."

Resident Evil Village introduced a third-person mode through downloadable content (DLC) post-launch, and like that game, Requiem will also allow the option to switch between first and third-person while playing, which Nakanishi hopes will make the jumpscares and horror more manageable.

"So if you started the game off in first person perspective, and you're finding it's too much, then third person is almost a way to step slightly back from that level of horror and make it slightly easier to deal with by having the character on screen as a kind of avatar of yourself," he explained.

Resident Evil Requiem is set to launch on February 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

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• US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth calls for investigation into Microsoft's 'digital escort' system
• The system saw Chinese nationals coding for DoD software vendors
• Reports called this scheme 'inherently risky'

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ordered a review of the involvement of Chinese nationals in managing cloud services for the Pentagon and wider US military.

“For nearly a decade, Microsoft has used Chinese coders, remotely supervised by US contractors to support sensitive Department of Defense cloud systems - and if you’re thinking America First and common sense, this doesn’t pass either of those tests," Hesgeth said.

The declaration comes after a ProPublica report claimed Microsoft’s use of Chinese engineers to maintain Department of Defense computer systems with ‘minimal supervision by US personnel’ was ‘inherently risky’ - but Microsoft has said it will soon stop using these China based-engineers for US military tech support.

Digital escorts

These workers were supervised by ‘digital escorts’ - who were found to be mainly low-skilled and low-paid workers with very little coding experience.

One such escort told ProPublica; ‘we’re trusting that what they’re doing isn’t malicious, but we really can’t tell.’

“The use of Chinese nationals to service Department of Defense cloud environments, it’s over,” Hegseth went on. “We’re requiring a third-party audit of Microsoft’s digital escort program, including the code and the submissions by Chinese nationals.”

Not only that, but Hegseth will also require the Department of Defense to carry out a separate investigation of the digital escort program and the Chinese Microsoft employees involved.

“The program was designed to comply with contracting rules, but it exposed the department to unacceptable risk,” he argued.

“These investigations will help us determine the impact of this digital escort workaround. Did they put anything in the code that we don’t know about? We’re going to find out.”

Going forward, all software vendors for the DoD will also have to identify and terminate any Chinese involvement in DoD systems.

“It blows my mind that I’m even saying these things, that we allowed it to happen - that’s why we’re attacking it so hard,” Hegseth said.

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• Microsoft and Cloudflare want websites to behave like conversational AI apps
• Cloudflare’s AutoRAG indexes content automatically, promising seamless updates for website data
• NLWeb introduces structured MCP endpoints for AI agents seeking reliable access

Microsoft and Cloudflare have announced a new collaboration which seeks to make websites easier for both people and automated systems to query.

The initiative merges Microsoft’s “NLWeb” standard with Cloudflare’s “AutoRAG” infrastructure, providing a model for conversational search.

Instead of keyword-based navigation, the system allows natural language interaction, presenting direct answers rather than lists of links.

From search engines to answer engines

The goal of the new launch is to make any site function like an AI app, where human visitors and AI agents can ask questions and receive structured responses.

“Together, NLWeb and AutoRAG let publishers go beyond search boxes, making conversational interfaces for websites simple to create and deploy,” said R.V. Guha, creator of NLWeb, CVP, and Technical Fellow at Microsoft. “This integration will enable every website to easily become AI-ready for both people and trusted agents.”

Traditional search relies on keywords, leaving users to sift through multiple links to reach relevant information, but advocates of this new approach argue the model no longer matches expectations shaped by tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Claude.

These systems provide immediate answers, and people increasingly expect websites to do the same.

However, while that framing is compelling, it assumes that all users prefer conversational responses over browsing.

The partnership also emphasizes the role of AI agents as a new class of “visitors.”

These automated systems typically scrape pages or follow keyword queries, but NLWeb introduces a structured “MCP” endpoint that gives them controlled access to site data.

This could reduce the inefficiency of scraping while allowing website owners to define the terms of access.

Yet questions remain about whether site operators will see tangible benefits or primarily additional technical burdens.

Cloudflare’s AutoRAG component handles crawling, indexing, and embedding site content into a managed vector database.

The system promises to keep information fresh with continuous updates and provide observability through Cloudflare’s AI Gateway.

While this sounds efficient, it effectively places indexing and access pipelines in the hands of a third-party infrastructure provider.

That raises concerns about cost, dependency, and whether site owners will cede too much control over how their data is handled.

By framing websites as first-class data sources for AI tools, Microsoft and Cloudflare are positioning themselves in direct competition with traditional search engines, particularly Google.

If AI writer models and LLM systems increasingly rely on structured access rather than scraping, search traffic patterns could change significantly.

To enable conversational search on a website through Cloudflare’s AutoRAG, users log into the Cloudflare Dashboard, create a new AutoRAG instance using the NLWeb Website quick deploy option, select the desired domain, and start indexing.

Once the process is complete, the site’s content becomes searchable through natural language queries, and owners can preview or embed the conversational interface to test how it will appear to visitors.

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• Browsers are the weak link that attackers now exploit for control
• SquareX shows how trivial scripts can intercept and hijack passkey flows
• From a user’s perspective, fake passkey prompts look entirely genuine

For years, the shift away from passwords toward passkeys has been framed as the future of secure authentication.

By relying on cryptographic key pairs instead of weak or reused strings, passkeys promised to remove the risks that have long plagued password systems.

However at the recent DEF CON 33 event, SquareX researchers presented new findings which challenge this view, claiming the very browsers relied upon to manage passkey workflows can be exploited in ways that bypass their protections.

The mechanics of passkeys

Passkeys operate through a system where a private key remains on a user’s device while a public key is stored by the service provider.

To log in, the user verifies identity locally with biometrics, a PIN, or a hardware token, and the server authenticates the response against its stored public key.

This structure should eliminate many of the classic risks, such as phishing or brute force attacks, yet the entire process assumes the browser serves as a trustworthy mediator, a role that SquareX researchers now argue is dangerously fragile.

They showed how attackers can manipulate the browser environment with malicious extensions or scripts, allowing them to intercept the registration flow, substitute keys, and even trick users into re-registering under attacker-controlled conditions.

From the victim’s perspective, the login process looks indistinguishable from a legitimate passkey operation, with no warning signs that credentials are being compromised.

Established enterprise security tools, whether endpoint protection or network defenses, do not provide visibility into this level of browser activity.

“Passkeys are a highly trusted form of authentication, so when users see a biometric prompt, they take that as a signal for security,” said SquareX researcher Shourya Pratap Singh.

“What they don’t know is that attackers can easily fake passkey registrations and authentication by intercepting the passkey workflow in the browser. This puts pretty much every enterprise and consumer application, including critical banking and data storage apps, at risk.”

With the majority of enterprise data now stored in SaaS platforms, passkeys are being rapidly adopted as the default authentication method.

SquareX’s findings suggest this transition introduces a new dependency on browser security, an area where oversight has traditionally been weak.

Passkeys may still represent progress beyond traditional credentials, yet the SquareX researcg shows no system is completely free from flaws, and organizations may have moved too quickly to embrace passkeys as a universal solution.

How to stay safe

• Use a trusted antivirus to detect and block hidden malicious code.
• Install extensions only from verified sources and review their permissions regularly.
• Keep browsers updated to ensure the latest security fixes are applied.
• Employ a password manager to securely handle legacy accounts that still rely on passwords.
• Pair sign-in processes with an authenticator app to strengthen verification steps.
• Regularly audit browser settings to minimize exposure to untrusted scripts or add-ons.
• Limit the number of devices used for sensitive logins to reduce attack opportunities.

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The Gilded Age season 4 is nowhere near being released yet, but I already feel incredibly sorry for Bertha (Carrie Coon). Granted, she hasn't been my favorite person during the last three seasons of the hit HBO Max show, nor is she usually the most agreeable.

However, she's got the weight of the world on her shoulders after the shocking last moments in the season 3 finale.

Let's rewind for a second. In episode 7, Bertha's husband George (Morgan Spector) was left on death’s door after being shot by a 19th century hitman disguised as a courier. We learn in episode 8 that he (just about) pulls through, but later uses his brush with death to tell Bertha he doesn't love her.

Well, at least he's no longer sure if he does. While he mulls it over, George leaves for New York without so much as an amicable thought between them. Meanwhile, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) has got hitched to the Duke of Buckingham, announcing her pregnancy in the season's final moments.

In short, this all means Bertha's living her dream life vicariously through her daughter, sans husband. The Gilded Age season 4 will surely be her redemption arc, but I think there are two other potential foes in her way that we've not even considered.

Agnes and Enid could both be coming for Bertha in The Gilded Age season 4

Christine Baranski's Agnes could cause new trouble in The Gilded Age season 4. (Image credit: HBO)

Instead of Bertha peacefully trying to assimilate into the British Royal family, she's potentially got two other fights on her hands: with longstanding rival Enid (Kelley Curran) and a new potential sparring partner in Agnes (Christine Baranski).

Let's start with Agnes first. By the time the season 3 finale rolled around, niece Marian (Louisa Jacobson) and Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) hadn't officially got their engagement back on track, though both have said they want to do so. This is a nightmare for Agnes because up until now, she's merely tolerated the new money that the Russell family represent.

If the marriage goes ahead, there's sure to be arguments galore as the two families try to blend into one. Bertha had Agnes' approval after winning the season 2 opera war against Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy), but that tolerance can be taken away in an instance.

This is where Enid comes in. Agnes’ son, Oscar (Blake Ritson) has potential nuptials on the cards with Enid, the woman who was fired from being Bertha's maid by sexually propositioning George. Oops.

Once again, she's new money, and after Oscar was scammed out of all of the family's money (that came up again in the season 3 Haymarket double-cross), that's bad news. Larry and Marian marrying would make Enid essentially a part of the Russell family, so there are more issues to stoke the potential fire of feud.

We've currently got no idea if George is coming back for The Gilded Age season 4, but again, this could cause further problems. Bertha would have to welcome Enid back into the family if the nuptials go ahead, and that's set to open old wounds if George is still kicking around (and worse, if he decides he no longer wants to be with Bertha).

Is any of this what Bertha needs in The Gilded Age season 4? Absolutely not. Are the potential new rivalries going to make new episodes even juicier for us? You can count on it.

All three seasons of The Gilded Age are streaming on HBO Max in the US, NOW TV in the UK and Paramount+ in Australia.

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• Microsoft warns of Storm-0501, a ransomware group targeting mostly cloud platforms
• This approach allows them to be faster and more efficient
• There are ways to defend against this threat, so stay alert

Microsoft is warning users about a ransomware operator that is more interested in compromising cloud infrastructure than on-premise devices since it’s faster, more efficient, and more disruptive.

In a new report, the company highlighted Storm-0501, a financially motivated group observed to go primarily for hybrid cloud environments. The group would first compromise on-premise Active Directory domains via domain trust relationships, and then use Entra Connect Sync servers to pivot towards the cloud and into Microsoft Entra ID tenants.

From there, the group would exploit a non-human synced identity with Global Admin rights, and no multi-factor authentication (MFA) set up, to gain full cloud access which, in turn, allowed them to create a backdoor using malicious federated domains, and by abusing SAML tokens.

Weathering the storm

Compromising Azure this way is an alarming turn of events, since crooks can gain owner role across subscriptions, map critical assets using AzureHound, exfiltrate data via AzCopy CLI, delete backups and storage using Azure operations and, in some instances, even encrypt the files using custom Azure Key Vault keys.

Attacking the cloud rather than on-prem infrastructure allows for faster data exfiltration, as well as the destruction of backups. Adding insult to injury, it also allows them to reach out to their victims via Microsoft Teams to and demand a ransom payment.

"Leveraging cloud-native capabilities, Storm-0501 rapidly exfiltrates large volumes of data, destroys data and backups within the victim environment, and demands ransom — all without relying on traditional malware deployment," Microsoft wrote.

To mitigate the threat, businesses should - before doing anything else - enforce MFA for all users, especially for privileged accounts. Then, they should restrict Directory Synchronization Account permissions, use TPM on Entra Connect Sync Servers, and apply Azure resource locks and immutability policies.

Finally, Microsoft advises enabling Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Cloud across all tenants, and naturally - monitoring with Azure activity logs and advanced hunting queries.

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• Microsoft Copilot is coming to many 2025 Samsung TVs and monitors
• Voice-powered interface and "friendly" on-screen character
• Integration with Tizen OS Home and Samsung Daily+

Samsung is bringing Microsoft Copilot to its TVs and monitors this year "for smarter on-screen experiences". The news comes via Samsung's Dutch website and Microsoft's Generative AI blog, which says that the combination of Copilot and Bixby "creates a richer, more contextual smart display experience."

According to Samsung, the new Copilot integration will be accessible through the Tizen OS Home and Samsung Daily+. Copilot will provide "personalized recommendations, relevant information, and interactive learning experiences."

Copilot will respond to questions "instantly to share quick facts about actors or athletes, summarize plots, support foreign language learning, or help break down complex concepts – all from the biggest screen in the home."

What will Copilot on TV actually do?

While Samsung's press release is pretty light on detail, Microsoft gives five specific scenarios for Copilot on TV. They are:

• Custom, spoiler-free recaps: “I want to get back into The Crown, I left off at Season 3, Episode 4. What happened up until then?”
• Ultra-specific recommendations: “Like The Queen’s Gambit, but about cooking instead of chess, and under two hours.”
• Group-friendly picks: “Hannah likes rom-coms, David likes sci-fi, Mark likes thrillers. What’s something we’ll all like?” Perfect for when everyone’s gathered in the living room and you want to decide together.
• Post-watch deep dives: “Who was the voice actor for that character?” or “What else has the director done?”
• Everyday help: “Will Saturday in Seattle be good conditions for hiking?” or “Cheer me up after a breakup.”

Microsoft calls it Copilot but I prefer Mr Blobby (Image credit: Microsoft)

The Microsoft blog also shows a video of Copilot in action, its weird blobby face pulsing on the screen with its lips synched to its speech.

Copilot will be coming to some of the best Samsung TVs and monitors in "select markets", and we've put a call in to Samsung to find out which ones.

Microsoft says Copilot will be coming to 2025 models including "Micro RGB, Neo QLED, OLED, The Frame Pro, The Frame, as well as the M7, M8, and M9 Smart Monitors."

That list includes some of the best TVs of this year – though there's no word yet on whether this will come to older TVs as part of Samsung's commitment to seven years of software updates for its TVs.

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• Meta has added a new AI-powered Writing Help feature to WhatsApp
• The tool can rephrase your text or proofread it for errors
• It’s opt-in, so you’ll need to enable it before you can use it

These days it seems that every app is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in some way, and WhatsApp is rolling out a new AI feature that could help improve your messages and enable you to say exactly what you want to say.

Meta announced the new Writing Help feature in a blog post. It uses AI to suggest different ways you could phrase a drafted sentence, with options to simply proofread or rephrase the text, or to spruce it up in a more professional, humorous, or supportive manner.

Meta says this AI helper is built upon its Private Processing tech. This is a cloud service that encrypts your requests, meaning neither Meta nor WhatsApp can read them. Meta says it only uses data “that’s useful for processing the user’s request.” Once your query has been answered, it’s no longer stored on Meta’s servers. Meta doesn’t say whether your messages are used to train its AI, though.

How to use Writing Help

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The feature isn't available everywhere yet, as Meta says it’s rolling it out starting in the US and “several other countries” with more coming “later this year”. It's also opt-in, so you'll need to enable it first. To do so, open WhatsApp, tap Settings > Chats > Private Processing, then enable the Private Processing feature – if you don't see this option then it's not available in your region yet.

To use Writing Help, you’ll first need to open a thread and draft a message in its text box. Once you’ve done that, you should see the sticker icon in the chat bar transform into a pencil. Tap this, then choose a writing option or style from the bottom of the app. If you’ve chosen to rephrase your text, you’ll see a range of different choices – tap one to have it replace your original draft text.

Note that you don’t have to just stick with whatever WhatsApp has suggested, as you can subsequently edit the new text and make further refinements before sending it.

If you do decide to enable Private Processing – and, with it, Writing Help – you might find it’s a useful way to get across the meaning of what you want to say when you can’t quite think of the right words. That might help prevent a rash of awkward conversations where your meaning is misunderstood or misinterpreted.

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• Demo units of the Nothing Phone 3 were found to be passing off stock photos as camera sample images
• Nothing has explained that this was an "unfortunate oversight"
• Actual camera samples from the Nothing Phone 3 are impressive anyway

Nothing has found itself in a surprising situation, as demo units of the Nothing Phone 3 have been displaying stock photos – taken with professional cameras – and listing them as shot by the Phone 3 itself.

A photographer behind one of these images confirmed this to The Verge, but while you could easily jump to the conclusion that this was intentional deceit from Nothing, it seems more likely that it was an accident.

Speaking about the incident on X, Nothing co-founder Akis Evangelidis has said that this situation was an “unfortunate oversight” and that there was “no ill intent”.

Re the Phone (3) live demo units (LDU) in some stores using stock imagery - let me explain. An initial version of the LDU needs to be submitted with placeholders around 4 months before launch, to be implemented and tested as we ramp up towards mass production. Once we enter mass…August 27, 2025

They explained that an initial version of the Nothing Phone 3 demo units needed to be submitted with placeholder images around four months before launch, so that the demo units could be implemented and tested in time.

The intention was then to replace the placeholder images with photo samples once the Nothing Phone 3 entered mass production, but for whatever reason that step didn’t happen with some demo units.

Evangelidis additionally said that the company is “investigating internally to make sure such an issue doesn’t happen again.”

A capable camera

We’re inclined to believe this explanation, not least because the Nothing Phone 3 seems perfectly capable of taking impressive photos.

While we haven’t put it through a full review yet, some samples posted on X certainly look eye-catching. So there should have been no real need to attempt deception, especially with the risk of getting caught.

So hopefully this situation won’t hamper impressions of what looks to be a very interesting phone, with a design unlike any other.

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• The Ghost of Yōtei Limited Edition PS5 Console bundles will be available for pre-order on September 4
• Both bundles will cost $599.99
• Console Covers for the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro - Ghost of Yōtei Gold Limited Edition will also be available

Sony has finally unveiled the prices and pre-order dates for its brand new Ghost of Yōtei PlayStation 5 hardware bundles.

Ahead of the launch of Sucker Punch's next game, Sony has announced that pre-orders for its Ghost of Yōtei Limited Edition PS5 Console bundles and accessories will be available for pre-order starting September 4 at 10 AM local time.

The latest hardware collection will be available in gold and black color variations and consist of limited edition PS5 consoles featuring Ghost of Yōtei's map of Ezo and matching DualSense Wireless controllers depicting a silhouette of Atsu on the touchpad. You can check out the details and prices below.

As explained in the latest PlayStation Blog post, the PS5 Console – Ghost of Yōtei Gold Limited Edition Bundle will be available globally and is inspired by the Japanese art form kintsugi, a traditional process to repair broken ceramics with lacquer and gold.

Meanwhile, the PS5 Console – Ghost of Yōtei Black Limited Edition Bundle will be exclusively available at PlayStation Direct and draws inspiration from the Japanese traditional art form, Sumi-e, which is the use of black ink on paintings.

Both bundles include a limited edition PS5 console with disc drive, a matching DualSense wireless controller, and a digital copy of Ghost of Yōtei Standard Edition that includes pre-order content, which includes a unique in-game mask for Atsu, and a set of seven PSN avatars featuring concept art of Atsu and each member of the Yōtei Six.

For those who already own a console, Console Covers for the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro – Ghost of Yōtei Gold Limited Edition will also be available directly from PlayStation Direct and in limited quantities in other regions through select online retailers.

Both DualSense controllers will also be available as a standalone purchase.

• PS5 Console – Ghost of Yōtei Gold Limited Edition Bundle - $599.99 / £519.99 GBP / €599.99 / 86,980 Yen
• PlayStation 5 (model group-slim) and PlayStation 5 Pro Console Covers – Ghost of Yōtei Gold Limited Edition - $64.99 USD / £54.99 €64.99 / 8,980 Yen
• DualSense Wireless Controller – Ghost of Yōtei Gold Limited Edition - $84.99 / £74.99 / €84.99 / 12,480 Yen
• PS5 Console – Ghost of Yōtei Black Limited Edition Bundle - $599.99 / £519.99 / €599.99 / 86,980 Yen
• DualSense Wireless Controller – Ghost of Yōtei Black Limited Edition - $84.99 / £74.99 / €84.99 / 12,480 Yen
  • The DualSense Wireless Controller – Ghost of Yōtei Black Limited Edition will also be available at select retailers in Japan

Looking to get your hands on the new hardware?

Check out our guides on where to buy the Ghost of Yōtei consoles, as well as where to buy the PS5 Ghost of Yōtei DualSense controllers.

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Neuromancer: key information

- Slated for release on Apple TV+ in 2026

- Adapted from William Gibson's 1984 cyberpunk novel

- Created for TV by Graham Roland and JD Dillard

- Comprised of 10 episodes

- No trailer yet, only a brief teaser announcing production start

The Neuromancer TV series is finally surging onto the small screen courtesy of those sci-fi loving folks at Apple TV+ and we're all amped!

Based on the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning sci-fi legend Willian Gibson's 1984 cyberpunk novel, Neuromancer, Apple TV+ is adding another jewel in its enviable crown of science fiction shows that includes Foundation, Silo, Invasion, Murderbot, Dark Matter, and For All Mankind.

Originally announced back in February of 2024 as an episodic series greenlit for pre-production development, Neuromancer is a seminal work of remarkable imagination that launched the sub-genre of cyberpunk and coined modern computer slang like "hacker" and “jacked in.” It’s been copied, imitated, and cannibalized over the decades as filmmakers tried in vain to adapt the novel for film or TV and rescue it from development hell.

Now it seems that Apple TV+ has found just the right formula and the show has entered full production as of this summer. So what's all the fuss about Neuromancer, what’s it about, and why does it remain one of the five most influential sci-fi books of the late 20th century? Let’s dodge the ICE, cowboy, and dissect this upcoming computer-driven dystopian series!

Is there a release date for Neuromancer?

A post shared by Benedict Spence BSC (@benedict_spence_dop)

A photo posted by on

Apple TV+’s Neuromancer is expected to air sometime in late 2026. The show was officially announced to be in full production beginning on July 1, 2025, which was the 41st anniversary of the publication of Gibson's book. Filming is already underway in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Istanbul, Canada, and London and is expected to wrap around the end of the year if all goes well.

That sets up Neuromancer for a potential fall or winter release next year!

Are there any teasers or trailers for Neuromancer?

At this time there's really only been one slightly cryptic teaser announcing the start of filming in July, which we must say is rather fitting for cult fans of the super-slick novel. In the video, a shadowy bar comes to life, with lights buzzing and pinball machines dinging as a blue-and-orange neon sign blinks awake spelling out Bar Chatsubo, the Chiba City lounge familiar to readers. It then announces that the series is now officially in production.

Who is cast in Apple TV+’s Neuromancer?

Watch for Apple TV+'s Neuromancer series in 2026 (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Neuromancer will be created for TV by Graham Roland (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Dark Winds) and JD Dillard (Devotion, The Outsider, Sleight). It’s a 10-episode co-production inked in a collaboration between Skydance Television and Anonymous Content that will also be produced by Drake's own production shingle, DreamCrew Entertainment, with Roland acting as showrunner and Dillard aboard to direct at least the pilot episode.

"We're incredibly excited to be bringing this iconic property to Apple TV+," creators and executive producers Roland and Dillard announced in a statement. "Since we became friends nearly 10 years ago, we've looked for something to team up on, so this collaboration marks a dream come true. Neuromancer has inspired so much of the science fiction that's come after it and we’re looking forward to bringing television audiences into Gibson’s definitive 'cyberpunk' world."

So far, the following actors have been reportedly cast in the Neuromancer series:

• Callum Turner as Case
• Brianna Middleton as Molly
• Mark Strong as Armitage
• Joseph Lee as Hideo
• Clémence Poésy as Marie-France Tessier
• Peter Sarsgaard as John Ashpool
• Emma Laird as Linda Lee
• Max Irons as Jean Tessier-Ashpool
• Dane DeHaan as Peter Riviera

Neuromancer plot synopsis and rumors

The 10th anniversary edition of William Gibson's "Neuromancer" (Image credit: Apple TV+)

First off, be warned. Neuromancer is no casual beach read while sipping a White Claw and requires a certain level of concentration, memory, and ability to absorb rapid-fire, machine-gun waves of slang terms and hacker jargon. There’s a definite lack of satisfying explanations for some events, and the narrative demands your rapt attention. But the tone and pacing is totally exhilarating and takes your breath away if you can hang on!

Secondly, up until now nearly every film attempting to dip into this futuristic world of neon drenched streets, gleaming glass towers and digital tech conspiracies has not performed well at the box office. And that not only includes Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, but also the James Cameron co-written Strange Days, and Johnny Mnemonic, which actually had its screenplay penned by William Gibson. It wasn’t until The Wachowskis helmed The Matrix in 1999 that folks got serious about cyberpunk again.

According to Apple TV+, the series will follow a burnt-out, psychologically damaged, elite super-hacker named Case who is reluctantly shoved into a tangled web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly after embezzling cash from a boss. She’s a cybernetically-enhanced "razor-girl" assassin with mirrored eyes dreaming of pulling off a daring heist on a dangerous corporate dynasty harboring secrets and she needs Case to join the gig.

Her client is Armitage, a clandestine former military agent with more than a few skeletons in his closet. Their target is a sophisticated AI called Wintermute, but things go sideways and the pair soon find themselves scrambling for their lives before they encounter its mysterious AI counterpart, Neuromancer. It’s set in a dark depressing world of corporate globalization and a data-frenzied society not unlike today.

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• Avaya reportedly offers voluntary exit program to all employees
• A new CEO has been at the helm since 2024, leading the transformation
• Avaya criticized for missing early trends and weak execution

Avaya is reportedly offering voluntary exit packages to all employees as it becomes the latest tech firm looking to save money by reducing staffing costs.

The move is aimed at shedding “a lot of employees,” an unnamed source told CX Today, which was declined a comment by Avaya.

The news comes around a year after former Avaya CEO Alan Masarek announced his retirement, with Patrick Dennis stepping up as CEO very nearly a full year ago.

Avaya looks to shed “a lot of employees”

Dennis set out a plan for Avaya to achieve “long-term” success when he took on the role, which coincided with the company’s second bankruptcy in five years (via CX Today).

Layoffs at the company started in North America, but by early 2025 they had spread globally. Countries in Europe and the Middle East have been left with minimal staff, with Avaya also shutting the doors on its offices and asking workers to work from home.

With the company emerging from its second bankruptcy and enacting repeated restructuring cycles, analysts are worried about Avaya’s long-term future.

Avaya has already conducted three major rounds of post-pandemic layoffs – two in the second half of 2024, and one at the beginning of 2023.

Its history also taints current performance, with the company having missed some early cloud trends like UCaaS. CX Today criticized Avaya for “missing early market signals, [having] weak execution and late timing,” leading to the rise of RingCentral, Verint and Zoom.

Zoom and RingCentral have undergone similar staffing changes in recent years, but they’ve managed to stay ahead of the market – Zoom in particular has reinvented itself as an AI-first productivity platform.

TechRadar Pro has contacted Avaya for comment.

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• Xbox Insider Program members with an Xbox Game Pass Core or Standard subscription can now access Cloud Gaming at no extra cost
• This includes the ability to play a number of games included with the subscription service
• Users can also access select games that they already own

Members of the Xbox Insider program with an Xbox Game Pass Core or Standard membership can now try Xbox Cloud Gaming at no extra cost.

This includes access to a number of titles that are already included with those tiers of the subscription service, plus select games that they already own.

The list of supported games spans massive recent releases like Assassin's Creed Shadows and Black Myth: Wukong to indie favorites such as Dredge and Darkest Dungeon. There's a good range, and more ways to play the titles that you already own can only be a good thing.

In order to access the games, you simply need to sign in to Xbox Cloud Gaming on a supported device and select the title that you want to play.

Of course, you will need an active Xbox Game Pass Core or Standard subscription, and be part of the Xbox Insider Program.

If you're not yet part of the Xbox Insider Program, you can get started by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub app on your Xbox console or PC.

We expect these Xbox Insider features to start rolling out to other users in the coming months.

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• Windows Backup for Organizations launches with a unique twist
• It keeps your Windows settings and a list of your apps
• Disk imaging, file copies and disaster recovery aren’t included

Microsoft has been busy lately adding new features to Windows for business users, but its latest release, Windows Backup for Organizations, is a bit of a misnomer, as it doesn’t actually back up your data.

A new company blog announced the general availability of Windows Backup for Organizations, designed for Windows 10 or 11 Entra joined devices.

However, it’s not a full device backup so disk imaging, file copies or disaster recovery are not covered by the new tool.

Windows Backup for Organizations isn’t quite a full backup tool

The core functionality of the tool is backing up Windows settings and keeping a list of installed Microsoft Store apps. It’ll also restore settings and apps to the Start Menu on Windows 11 (22H2 or later).

Writing in the launch post, Microsoft Product Manager Miranda Leschke noted how it can help admins with resetting or migrating devices, and will support a smooth transition between Windows 10 and 11 – something many organizations have delayed, but an imminent task for many with the impending October 14, 2025 Windows 10 end of life deadline drawing nearer.

Windows 10 22H2 only works for backups, but Windows 11 22H2+ will work with backup and restore. Microsoft’s decision not to include restoration capabilities on its soon-to-be deprecated OS is another notable push towards Windows 11.

Disabled by default, IT admins must configure Backup and Restore policies for Windows Backup for Organizations.

From the point of restoration using the new tool, the remaining Out of the Box Experience (OOBE) is the same. After the OOBE is completed, user profiles and preferences will be automatically restored.

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• Final Fantasy 14's director, Naoki Yoshida, has shared a statement regarding mods that may "infringe" on other players' enjoyment and the core game
• Yoshida says he has no issue with mods but wants players to be aware of the rules
• He also said sharing the use of NSFW mods online could lead to the game being subject to legal measures by regulators in certain countries

Final Fantasy 14's director, Naoki Yoshida, has issued a warning about the continued use of mods that may "infringe" on other players and also lead to legal troubles.

Last week, it was reported that one of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods was shut down due to a "legal enquiry". The mod, named Mare Synchronos, was a plug-in that allowed users to sync and view other players' mods in-game, like character customization add-ons.

News of the mod's takedown wasn't received well by users, which later led to the game being review-bombed on Steam.

Now, in a new Final Fantasy 14 blog post, Yoshida has responded to the overall matter of mods, stating that though he "tolerates" the personal use of them and understands that modding culture is "rooted in good intentions", he wants players to be aware of the importance of the game's user agreement.

"In the past twenty or so years, I've seen numerous positive examples of games with fan-made mods that expand upon existing gameplay," Yoshida said. "However, these mods are generally created with a vital premise in mind: they are for personal use only, and the individual player is responsible for the mods they use.

"Furthermore, the mods must not impact the core game, its services, or the intended game design in a negative manner. I personally feel that these rules should be followed by all mod creators and users."

The director adds that if players continue to uphold these rules to enhance their personal enjoyment of the game, he personally sees no reason to track them down or investigate gamers for their use of mods.

He also stressed the importance of two rules in particular: that the mods don't "infringe upon others" and they "do not negatively impact the core game, its services, or intended game design, as mentioned above."

Yoshida continued by offering a lengthy list of examples where mods may infringe on others and impact intended game design, including a scenario where a player may use mods to bypass certain conditions to obtain in-game items, like Ultimate Raid loot.

The director explained that this wouldn't be an issue if it were for personal enjoyment; however, showcasing the loot that wasn't earned through participation to other players in-game would be against the rules and would result in the mod's take down.

"In response, our only options would be to ask that players cease using the mod, or to request that the mod creator removes the functionality causing the problem," Yoshida said. "Of course, we could also implement preventative measures in-game, but this would divert programming resources from other areas, potentially damaging the enjoyment of other players in the long run."

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Similarly, Yoshida said that this would also apply to FFXIV Online Store items that have not been purchased but modded, suggesting it would be unfair to players who have spent real money.

"Some may say that Square Enix is to blame for trying to make money by demanding that players spend extra on optional items," he said. "We operate our servers and data centers twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year with the hope that our players can enjoy a reliable gaming experience. Currently, global inflation is taking its toll at a rapid pace, driving up server electricity costs, the cost of land, and even the price of servers themselves.

"We do not want to increase subscription fees for players, if at all possible--but keeping our game running requires sufficient income. If we start creating a deficit, FFXIV may no longer be able to operate. This is an example of damage dealt to the services we provide."

Finally, Yoshida touched on the matter of NSFW mods, reiterating that if a player decides to mod their character to appear naked, it might fall into the category of personal use and responsibility, but if the user shares screenshots online, "FFXIV itself may be subject to legal measures by regulators in certain countries."

"Laws that regulate the content of video games grow stricter by the year," he said. "These laws are there to protect minors and for a variety of other reasons, but the fact remains that they are tangibly becoming stricter. We have a duty to provide our services in adherence to the laws of all countries where FFXIV is available, and if we are unable to do so, the distribution of our game can be prohibited. This is another example of damage dealt to our services."

The director added that he does not intend for his examples to be a censure on mod users or creators, but asks that players respect the game by enjoying it within the confines of basic rules.

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• ReMarkable is teasing a new product launch for September 3
• It could be a more portable e-paper tablet
• We've had three ReMarkable tablets launch so far

We've had three generations of the ReMarkable tablet so far, but there's apparently another one on the way – and all the indications are that we're going to see an e-paper device with a smaller form factor.

ReMarkable has posted a teaser clip advertising a special event for September 3, at 8am ET (that's 5am PT / 1pm BST / 10pm AEST), and a new product launch looks likely.

Based on the very brief glimpse we get of a tablet, and the tagline "something is on the move", it seems portability is being prioritized this time around. It makes sense that ReMarkable might want to release a more pocket-friendly version of its E Ink device.

There are also hints about thicker bezels and color support here, although it's difficult to be certain from such a brief series of shots. If you want to join in with the speculation ahead of Wednesday, head to this Reddit thread.

What I want to see

Having used the ReMarkable 2 extensively, I'm pleased to see that another tablet is on the way from the company: ReMarkable's products have always been reliable and well made, and I think a more portable digital notebook is a good idea.

In terms of what I want to see from the ReMarkable Pocket (or whatever it's called), I think a strong selection of cases is a must: a variety of options for keeping the device well protected on the move, and which offers somewhere to stow the stylus.

Something else I'd really like to see is support for certain third-party note-taking apps. I use Google Keep to organize much of my life, and it would be great to be able bring these notes up on screen, in addition to the existing Google Drive support.

Finally, this might be wishful thinking, but I'd love to see a price as low as ReMarkable can get it. The latest ReMarkable Paper Pro starts at $579 / £559 / AU$929, which is relatively steep, and a more affordable option in a smaller form factor would be most welcome.

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