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We're officially at the midpoint of Doctor Who season 2. Indeed, four episodes of the sci-fi show's latest installment have aired so far, so there are another four to go.

"But when will episode 5 of Doctor Who's latest season be available to watch?" I hear you cry. Worry not, for I'm here to tell you when and where you can stream it in the US, UK, and Australia.

You'll also find a full release schedule for the remaining entries below, so you can schedule your weekend plans around each episode of Nu-Who.

When can I watch Doctor Who season 2 episode 5 in the US?

This season's fifth chapter, titled 'The Story and the Engine', will be released on Disney+ on Saturday, May 10 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

What time will Doctor Who season 2's fifth episode come out in the UK?

You know things are bad when The Doctor looks worried (Image credit: BBC One/Disney+/Bad Wolf Studios)

Just like its four predecessors, The Doctor and Bel's next adventure will air on BBC iPlayer. It'll be available to watch on Saturday, May 10 at 8am BST.

Those of you who want to catch the legendary Time Lord's return via terrestrial broadcast can do so on BBC One. However, it won't be released until 7:10pm BST on the same day – Saturday May 10 – so, if you don't want any of its plot points ruined, I'd advise you to watch it on BBC iPlayer.

What is the release date for episode 5 of Doctor Who season 2 in Australia?

Arachnaphobes, turn away now! (Image credit: BBC One/Disney+/Bad Wolf Studios)

Everyone's favorite Gallifreyan will travel the cosmos in his famous Tardis once again in Australia on Saturday, May 10 at 11am AEST.

Like their US counterparts, Whovians Down Under can stream it on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services.

Doctor Who season 2 full episode launch schedule

Bel and The Doctor have three more adventures to go on after this season's fifth chapter (Image credit: BBC One/Disney+/Bad Wolf Studios)

Want to know when new episodes of Doctor Who , aka one of the best Disney+ shows, will materialize where you live? Read the list below for more details.

• Doctor Who season 2 episode 1 – out now
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 2 – out now
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 3 – out now
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 4 – out now
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 5 – Saturday, May 10
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 6 – Saturday, May 17
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 7 – Saturday, May 24
• Doctor Who season 2 episode 8 – Saturday, May 31

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• The PINE Beat uses swappable, affordable, rechargeable batteries
• The manufacturer says you'll be able to install better Bluetooth too
• It costs £170 (about $225 / AU$351)

If you listen to lots of music, you'll know that there are many things that will never die – such as rock 'n' roll (according to both AC/DC and Neil Young), love (The Miracles), hardcore (Mogwai) and many more. But to the best of my knowledge there are no songs claiming that Bluetooth speakers will never die. Maybe someone should write one, because the UK-made Pine Beat speaker wants to do an Oasis and Live Forever.

The idea behind the Pine Beat is simple enough. Most portable Bluetooth speakers are sealed units with rechargeable batteries somewhere inside, and when those batteries wear out it isn't easy or economic to swap them – so when your speaker doesn't have sufficient stamina for Metallica's black album it's less Enter Sandman, more Enter Landfill. So why not make the battery swappable?

This is hardly a new idea: swappable batteries are as old as, well, batteries. But the way it's been implemented in the Pine Beat is smart.

Pine Beat speaker: why you might want your speaker to live forever

Dun dun dun... DUN DUNNNNNN! (Image credit: POCA Audio)

With the Pine Beat, a 30-hour battery pack only costs £25 – comparable to a budget power bank – and you can swap it instantly, so if you're going on a long trip far from a power socket then packing a spare will give you a week's worth of daytime listening. And because the Pine Beat is also a power bank, you can charge other things, too.

The key goal here is to keep your speaker out of landfill, so when the battery goes you can recycle it without having to put the entire speaker in the trash. And according to creator Poca Audio, the circuit board has also been designed with future upgrades in mind. The example given is swapping in a new, better Bluetooth module when the next generation arrives.

What Poca is offering here is essentially what some luxury hi-fi brands offer, which is the promise that your purchase won't become obsolete in the foreseeable future – although of course to deliver on that promise the manufacturer needs to stay in business and needs to keep on making the relevant parts.

While the unique selling point here is longevity, the Pine Beat is no slouch in the specs department. It's a 40W speaker with a woofer, tweeter and bass radiator, a frequency response of 58Hz to 20KHz and the ability to pair with up to 100 more speakers. There's a custom EQ as well as multiple presets, a range of accessories for hanging it up, attaching it to things and securing it in sand or grass, and a generous 30-month warranty.

The Pine Beat is available now for £170 (about $225 / AU$351) from Poca Audio.

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Experts predict that by 2035, AI will have remade society, altering everything from healthcare to jobs and human interaction, and, if you believe Apple's Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, it might also signal the end of our deepest tech relationship: the one we have with our iPhone.

In testimony during the US Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google parent Alphabet, Cue, according to Bloomberg, shared this revelation: "You may not need an iPhone 10 years from now as crazy as it sounds."

Queue Apple CEO Tim Cook spittake. While Cook wipes the coffee from his MacBook screen, let's discuss.

I agree, that's crazy-talk from an Apple executive charged with expanding Apple Services far and wide, often with the iconic iPhone as the portal. However, Cue's comments came amid a larger discussion about the growing impact of AI and its place as a changemaker.

In the near term, it's meant Apple is reportedly now looking at the possibility of shifting Google from its prime spot as the default search engine for iPhones, iPads, and Macs in Safari. The replacement? Possibly an AI search engine.

This makes sense. We're already seeing people replace traditional search results and their endless pages of useful blue links with summaries from Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Copilot, etc. They may not all be accurate, but they are, it seems, good enough for most people.

This doesn't add up

I have trouble, though, squaring Cue's contention that we might not need the iPhone and (by extension) other smartphones in a decade. It's almost like he said it to signal, "Hey, we're all under threat from the rapid expansion of AI, even Apple's most profitable business segment [iPhone accounted for almost half the $95B Apple made last quarter], so when you think about – just spitballing here – monopolies and closed systems in any sector, don't look at us. We might be fighting for our lives by 2035."

Think about your relationship with your iPhone or Android. It's deep. It's personal. You hold it and cradle it like a loved one

AI is a fantastic tool, but it won't be floating in the ether 10 years from now. Artificial Intelligence, large language models (LLMs), and interfaces (text or voice) must live somewhere. We've already seen that most people are not interested in wearable AI. They still want screens, preferably ones that fit in their pockets, backpacks, or bags.

We won't walk around a city shouting prompts into space, hoping that a local AI beacon hears us and responds. Will we?

The love of your life

Leaving aside AI for a second, just stop and think about your relationship with your iPhone or Android. It's deep. It's personal. You hold it and cradle it like a loved one – you certainly stare at your phone screen longer than you hold any other human's gaze. Is that relationship going to be any different in 10 years?

I highly doubt we'll put all our critical information somewhere else – all those apps, services, and digital currency, we need them at our fingertips. What will you tap to pay if not your phone? Okay, maybe your watch, but the phone will still be in your hand in 2035, and I bet you'll still be using it.

It's possible that Cue is trying to tell us something else, and this speaks to Apple's other long-term strategy: AR glasses.

What about wearables?

We know Tim Cook loves augmented reality, and while the Vision Pro has not been the global hit Apple hoped for, lightweight AR glasses are certainly in Apple's strategic plan. Assuming they have a wide field of view interface, voice and gesture control, and the excellent Apple Intelligence AI we've been promised (a Siri that can finally compete with ChatGPT), they could be an iPhone replacement for many.

If, and it's a big if, Cue is really talking about Apple iGlasses, then the iPhone's loss of utility almost makes sense. But that's a big stretch. Making such a bold statement that we may not need iPhones in a decade is borderline irresponsible and assumes that AI will not only be ubiquitous but so good that we will no longer need hardware-based assistants.

I think AI will be better and smarter, but even more fraught. There may, by 2035, be such a massive backlash that half the population is anti-AI and refusing to use it in any form. The iPhone might be their primary tool for communicating, organizing, and spreading the good anti-AI word. Good luck ripping that device from their sweaty grips.

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• Two US lawmakers are warning against the security risks of the UK encryption backdoor order to Apple
• Such a backdoor to encryption, they said, could be exploited by cybercriminals and authoritarian regimes
• Apple killed its iCloud's end-to-end encryption feature in the UK in February and is now challenging the order in Court

Two US lawmakers have slammed the UK encryption backdoor order to Apple, arguing that this could lead to potential cybersecurity risks for all users worldwide.

As reported by Reuters on May 7, 2025, US House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan and Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast wrote a joint letter to Britain's Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to warn how such a backdoor would create "systemic vulnerabilities" that cybercriminals and authoritarian regimes would be able to exploit.

Apple killed its iCloud's end-to-end encryption feature in the UK in February after being hit by a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) under the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act to allow law enforcement to assess users' data – no matter if these are encrypted. The Big Tech company is now challenging this request in Court.

At the time of writing, UK users cannot benefit from E2E protections on these data categories: iCloud Backup, iCloud Drive, Photos, Notes, Reminders, Safari Bookmarks, Siri Shortcuts, Voice Memos, Wallet Passes, and Freeform. (Image credit: Shutterstock / nikkimeel) "Systemic vulnerabilities" for everyone

"Creating a backdoor into end-to-end encrypted systems, as the TCN does, introduces systemic vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors, including cybercriminals and authoritarian regimes," reads Jordan and Mast's letter, as reported by Reuters.

"These vulnerabilities would not only affect UK users but also American citizens and others worldwide, given the global nature of Apple's services," Jordan and Mast added.

Recent events like the Salt Typhoon attack on all the major US telecoms have shown the crucial role reliable encryption and encrypted tools (like the best VPN services and messaging apps) play for the privacy and safety of everyone's data. Even FBI and CISA experts have been calling citizens to switch to encrypted services in the aftermath of this unprecedented cyberattack.

Jordan and Mast also urge the UK Home Secretary to disclose the full content of the order to the US Department of Justice so that lawmakers can check if it complies with current laws. As per the US/UK agreement made under the CLOUD ACT in 2023, law enforcement cannot require companies to decrypt data.

"We urge the Home Office to reconsider the issuance of TCNs that require the weakening of encryption, as such measures conflict with international human rights standards, including the European Court of Human Rights' ruling that undermining encryption violates privacy rights," conclude the US lawmakers.

Apple decided to kill its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature in the UK to avoid building a backdoor into its system.

The ADP is an optional feature that provides an extra layer of protection on all iCloud-stored data by using end-to-end encryption technology. This means not even Apple can access these files.

Apple's decision to remove Advanced Data Protection comes after experts warned that an iCloud backdoor "jeopardizes the security and privacy of millions."

Apple has nevertheless ensured that all the iCloud data categories encrypted by default remain protected. These include users' health data, passwords, iCloud messages, and Apple Pay transactions, as well as iMessage and FaceTime data. You can see all the others on Apple's support page.

The Big Tech firm has now sued the UK government, and the legal battle is currently ongoing behind closed doors.

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• Heart Eyes is now streaming on Netflix in the US
• It can be bought or rented in other territories, but there's no international streaming date yet
• The movie has an 81% Rotten Tomatoes score

I've already recommended eight new horror movies on Netflix, Shudder, Max and more to stream this month, but now I'm throwing another one into the mix.

I was delighted to find out Heart Eyes is now streaming in the US on Netflix, meaning we'll get more eyes (no pun intended) on this awesome horror-romance movie that has an impressive 81% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics.

Seasonal horror movies are always fun, and while Valentine's Day has passed for another year, it's definitely going to be one I rewatch every February. But honestly, you can watch it whenever!

Why is Heart Eyes so good?

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

With so many slashers out there, you might be wondering what sets this apart from some of the best horror movies. This one is a great blend of genres, managing to mix sweet romantic comedy vibes with the blood and shock of a good slasher horror, and the result is something very special indeed.

The link is a clever one, as the serial killer here is irritated by public displays of affection, giving that juxtaposition between romance and gross violence, making it a fun watch for those of us who don't like streaming rom-coms.

Any good slasher needs an iconic villain too; we've had Ghostface, Jason's hockey mask and now, the Heart Eyes killer and their creepy glowing hearts. Much like Scream, you'll find yourself trying to figure out who did it, and the answer might surprise you. Or maybe you'll feel smug because you figured it out!

It's got plenty of gore and shocking moments, with many scenes being quite over the top but it's definitely going to satisfy any horror cravings. It's not one for the more squeamish among us as it goes all out, but if you don't mind a little movie 'magic', it's one of the best Netflix movies to watch with a crowd.

Unfortunately, Heart Eyes is not yet streaming in other territories other than the US but hopefully that will change soon.

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• Multiple ransomware groups seen abusing Windows Common Log File System bug
• Among the abusers are RansomEXX and Play
• The bug is used to drop backdoors, encryptors, and more

Notorious ransomware actors have been abusing a zero-day vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System to gain system privileges and deploy malware on target devices, multiple security researchers have confirmed.

The zero-day flaw was discovered, and patched, as part of the Microsoft Patch Tuesday April 2024 cumulative update.

Given a severity score of 7.8/10 (high), it is tracked as CVE-2025-29824, and described as a use after free bug in Windows Common Log File System Driver that allows an authorized attackers to elevate privileges locally.

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Chats leaked

Microsoft was among the first companies to sound the alarm on the bug, saying that hackers are using it to target IT and real estate firms in the US, financial organizations in Venezuela, software firms in Spain, and retailers in Saudi Arabia.

The researchers said the bug was used by a threat actor called RansomEXX, who used it to drop the PipeMagic backdoor and other malware, including an encryptor. However, Symantec also found Play, an infamous ransomware player, using the bug to access a US target.

"Although no ransomware payload was deployed in the intrusion, the attackers deployed the Grixba infostealer, which is a custom tool associated with Balloonfly, the attackers behind the Play ransomware operation," Symantec explained in its report.

"Balloonfly is a cybercrime group that has been active since at least June 2022 and uses the Play ransomware (also known as PlayCrypt) in attacks."

Play, also known as Playcrypt, is a threat actor that emerged in mid-2022. In the first year and a half of its existence, it claimed roughly 300 victims, some of which were critical infrastructure organizations. In late 2023, the FBI, CISA, and other security agencies, published a joint security advisory, warning about the dangers posed by Play.

"Since June 2022, the Play (also known as Playcrypt) ransomware group has impacted a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure in North America, South America, and Europe," the advisory read. "As of October 2023, the FBI was aware of approximately 300 affected entities allegedly exploited by the ransomware actors."

Via BleepingComputer

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Tesla has just released a more affordable version of its recent refreshed Model Y in North America, which sees the All Wheel Drive Long Range variant joined by a single motor version that now costs $44,990 – $4,000 less than the faster and more powerful option.

Since going on sale in the US, Tesla only offered the refreshed Model Y in a fully-loaded Launch Edition model, which came with exclusive paint colors, a rear spoiler and an aerodynamically optimized alloy wheel finish, but it cost a staggering $60,000.

That car was then joined by a cheaper Long Range All Wheel Drive variant that started at $49,990, but many customers were crying out for an even more affordable option that might have compromised on the performance that dual motors provide, while still offering the most generous battery range... 357 miles in total.

As a reaction to a general cooling of demand for Tesla vehicles in the US and Canada – with Electrek reporting that the company hasn't been enjoying its typical backlog of orders for new Model Y since it launched – the cut-price EV has arrived at a pivotal moment.

However, the Long Range Rear Wheel Driver version has been on sale in Europe and China for a number of months, where sales have continued to plummet.

According to CNN, April sales were down 62% in the UK, 67% in Denmark and 81% in Sweden. Sales from its plant in Shanghai fell 6% from the previous year in April.

Perhaps the damage has been done and no matter how much Musk chooses to drop his prices, customers simply don't want to be seen in a Tesla.

Range rage for Cybertruck owners

(Image credit: Tesla)

News also surfaced this week that Tesla has now officially given up on its plans to mass produce a range-extending battery pack that would sit in Cybertruck’s load bed (eating into space) and deliver the sort of range figures that Elon Musk promised during its launch in 2023.

Customers could put down a small deposit for the $16,000 optional extra, but Inside EVs says that these down payments are now being refunded, meaning the $100,000 tri-motor Cybertruck can only manage 320 miles in-between charging, not the 500 that was once promised.

Just last month, Tesla quietly removed the option to place a $2,000 deposit on the range extending battery pack from its website, but it has now reached out to Cybertruck customers to inform them the project is shelved.

Alas, this is just the latest in a long line of disappointment for Cybertruck owners, as alongside a massively over-egged range, it turns out that the vehicle will also not be receiving the firm’s Auto Steer technology, which autonomously detects road markings and remains in lane when cruise control is activated… similar to the Lane Departure Assist systems found on many modern vehicles.

Instead, Tesla is offering Cybertruck customers access to free Full Self-Driving (FSD) for a year, but after that, the features disappear if the customer isn’t willing to continue coughing up the $99 a month subscription fee.

Maybe Musk has been watching one too many episodes of Black Mirror, with 'Common People' clearly on repeat.

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• Europol announced shutting down multiple stresser/booter services in the EU
• Four people were arrested in Poland
• Law enforcement in The Netherlands, Germany, the US, and Poland, participated in Operation PowerOFF

Law enforcement has dismantled a major DDoS-for-hire operation, and arrested four individuals suspected of running it.

In a press release, the international police force said the arrests were part of Operation PowerOFF, an ongoing effort targeting the infrastructure behind DDoS-for-hire activity.

Polish authorities arrested four people who are suspected of running multiple stresser/booter services: Cfxapi, Cfxsecurity, neostress, jetstress, quickdown and zapcut.

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These services are thought to have facilitated “widespread attacks on schools, government services, businesses, and gaming platforms” between 2022 and 2025.

They featured a “slick” interface that lowered the barrier for entry: users didn’t need any particular technical knowledge to mount an attack. All they needed to do was know the victim’s IP address, and to have €10 to pay for the attack (the cost would increase depending on the desired length of the attack).

As part of the effort, Dutch authorities were deploying fake booter sites, designed to warn users looking for DDoS-for-hire services. They also seized data from booter websites hosted in data centers in the Netherlands, providing their partners with crucial information needed to make the arrests.

In the US, the police seized nine domains associated with booter services, and in Germany, the police identified one of the suspects. Europol said it provided analytical and operational support throughout the investigation.

The difference between usual DDoS botnets and stresser/booter services is that DDoS botnets are usually run by a single threat actor, which also works on expanding the botnet by deploying backdoors and malware.

Stresser/booter services, on the other hand, are advertised as a white hat solution, offering a “legitimate” service to test the resilience of a network or a website. However, in most cases, these are just cover-ups for obvious illegal activities, which is why law enforcement usually shuts them down.

Via Infosecurity Magazine

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• The Apple TV+ Original movie Echo Valley has a first-look trailer
• It teases a huge star-studded cast from popular shows like The White Lotus and Fallout
• The movie will be released exclusively on Apple TV+ on June 13

We've got the potential to add a new title to our best Apple TV+ movies list now that Echo Valley has its first trailer, and a confirmed release date of June 17.

I'm a huge Apple TV+ fan, and I'm not alone as we crowned it Streaming Service of the Year in 2024. It's going from strength to strength whether it's the record-breaking Severance season 2 or comedy hit Ted Lasso, and I'm thrilled to see its movie library expanding too.

I'm hoping for good things with Echo Valley especially since it's got a huge cast including Julianne Moore, The White Lotus star Sydney Sweeney and Fallout's Kyle MacLachlan.

What do we know about Echo Valley?

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Echo Valley has a very gripping plot, as it follows Julianne Moore's character Kate Garrett who works on a farm training horses, living a fairly quiet life. But when her daughter Claire, played by Sydney Sweeney, arrives covered in blood that isn't hers, Kate has to decide how far she'll go to protect her.

If you love a good thriller, I'd keep an eye on this one because it deals with a nightmarish situation and family bonds as we unravel what happened to Claire and why she's found herself in such a state. Right now we don't know much and that's a good thing, this is the kind of movie you want to go into knowing as little as possible!

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The modern economy is built on data. Every business, from small enterprises to multinational corporations, relies on massive amounts of storage infrastructure to keep operations running smoothly.

But what if the very foundation of this infrastructure—your hard drives—weren’t what they claimed to be? A growing crisis is emerging in the data storage market: fraudulent hard drives, falsely sold as new, are infiltrating the supply chain, putting businesses, government agencies, and data centers at risk.

The growing threat of counterfeit and fraudulent hard drives

The problem of counterfeit and fraudulently resold hard drives is escalating, and enterprise-grade drives such as Seagate Exos and IronWolf Pro HDDs are primary targets. Fraudsters manipulate serial numbers, QR codes, and firmware data to conceal prior usage, effectively repackaging used drives as new. Some reports indicate that these drives have logged over 27,000 hours of prior use—equivalent to more than three years of continuous operation—before being repurposed and resold.

This issue has profound implications beyond mere financial loss. For industries where data integrity is paramount—such as finance, healthcare, and cloud services—using compromised drives can lead to catastrophic failures, security vulnerabilities, and compliance violations.

The hidden dangers of fraudulent drives

When businesses unknowingly purchase fraudulent drives, they expose themselves to several critical risks:

1. Data security vulnerabilities

Previously used drives may contain residual data, raising concerns about data leakage and cybersecurity threats. Even if formatted, data remnants can sometimes be recovered, posing compliance issues in regulated industries like healthcare (HIPAA) and finance (GDPR, PCI-DSS).

2. Reliability and performance issues

Hard drives degrade over time due to mechanical wear and tear. A drive that has already been in use for years has a significantly higher failure rate than a truly new drive, leading to unexpected downtime, data corruption, and loss of operational efficiency.

3. Compliance and regulatory risks

Regulatory compliance standards demand strict control over IT hardware procurement. Fraudulent drives introduce an unknown element into an organization's infrastructure, potentially violating compliance policies for data protection and hardware lifecycle management.

4. Increased maintenance costs

Organizations that unknowingly install used drives in critical systems may face higher replacement costs, increased IT support requirements, and lost productivity due to premature failures. What initially seemed like a cost-saving purchase can quickly turn into a financial liability.

The root cause: unauthorized supply chains

Fraudulent drives often originate from unauthorized or gray-market resellers who source used hardware, repackage it, and sell it as new. Without robust verification mechanisms, even reputable procurement channels can unknowingly distribute counterfeit storage devices.

Experts recommend buying only from manufacturer-authorized distributors, where drives arrive factory-sealed and untouched. But even this approach is not foolproof, as counterfeiters continue to refine their methods. Organizations must take a proactive stance in verifying the authenticity of their hardware purchases.

A solution: industry tools for hard drive verification

Recognizing the widespread nature of this problem, industry experts and organizations have developed drive verification tools that allow businesses to check the actual usage history of a hard drive. These tools extract key drive metrics such as:

• Power-on hours: Identifying how long the drive has been in operation.
• SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data: Providing insights into drive health and past failures.
• Firmware authenticity checks: Detecting tampering with drive identification.

IT teams should look for solutions that are available as open-source utilities, allowing them to verify their hardware before installation. Organizations should incorporate these verification steps into their procurement and deployment processes.

A call for greater transparency in IT procurement

The rise of fraudulent hard drives represents a serious and growing challenge for businesses worldwide. As organizations continue to expand their digital infrastructure, ensuring the authenticity and reliability of hardware components is essential. Data security, regulatory compliance, and operational stability depend on it.

The responsibility lies with both vendors and buyers to implement stricter verification processes. Businesses must insist on transparency from suppliers and leverage verification tools to confirm that they receive genuine, factory-new drives. By adopting a proactive approach, organizations can protect their data infrastructure from unseen threats and avoid the costly consequences of fraudulent hardware.

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Netflix recently unveiled big updates to the design of its platform, and while there’s some interesting features to look forward to in the future, some subscribers remain unconvinced.

While the streamer started life as a place to catch your favorite shows and movies without having to traipse to the rental store, the platform has evolved over the years to play host to a plethora of video games, and various live events, including weekly WWE shows and big NFL games. The content pivot from the streamer has led to some subscribers becoming frustrated with the one-size-fits-all approach of a UI that has barely changed since its inception.

All that is due to change though, with a new homepage designed to give users the best experience with the media they mostly use the platform for, be that sports, gaming or TV and movies. Netflix's chief product officer Eunice Kim says of the project: “We wanted to create an experience that was more flexible for our broad entertainment offerings, more intuitive and responsive to our members’ needs.”

Changes include real time recommendations based on current mood and interest, extra information on titles across the platform such as “Emmy Award Winner” or “#1 in TV shows” and a new, cleaner design for the platform’s landing page.

Are all these changes a good thing?

However, these new features come with downsides too, with it being widely speculated that the removal of interactive TV specials such as Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Scmidt finale Kimmy vs the Reverend is a result of the new software no longer being able to support these types of content.

And that’s not the only thing subscribers are unhappy about, with one Reddit user stating the “NEW DESIGN SUCKS!!” and calling for the engineers responsible to be fired, comparing the new UI to the notoriously difficult to navigate Prime Video.

NEW DESIGN SUCKS!! from r/netflix

However, some responses to the original post were more positive, with one reply stating “I love the new design,” while others remained cautiously optimistic saying “I’m nervous but hopeful”.

Some of the new features look great

(Image credit: Netflix)

For my money though, while it’ll definitely take some getting used to, there are some very cool new features on the horizon.

For starters, the small change of moving shortcuts for Search and My List away from the sidebar and to the top of the page will save getting bogged down in menus while trying to find basic features – I for one have changed profile more than once while trying to search for a particular show. Also intriguing is the use of Generative AI in the search function, meaning that users can use conversational phrases to zero in on the type of content they like to watch, for example “I want to watch a mid-2000s mumblecore movie” rather than scrolling through endless comedies.

One of the features I hope makes it to the new design is the vertical discovery feed – illustrated above – which is set to be tested over the coming weeks. The new feed looks to replicate the feeling of scrolling through TikTok watching movie clips, except here, if one piques your interest, rather than engage in an infuriating search through the comments to find the title, you can simply tap on the video to be taken directly to the full movie or show.

It’s definitely set to be a new era for Netflix, and one that understandably has some subscribers nervous, but with the site becoming increasingly overloaded by its breadth of content, it could be a very welcome update.

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As we head into 2025, UK businesses are making strides in their digital transformation efforts. But with rapid evolutions in technologies such as AI, businesses are under increasing pressure to keep up.

Economic turbulence, driven by factors like inflation and rising interest rates is putting a strain on budgets and many companies are facing higher operational costs, reduced consumer spending, and tighter access to capital. Over a quarter (28 per cent) of UK businesses responding to Zoho’s Digital Health Study * reported having ‘good’ digital health.

Meanwhile, customers, feeling the financial squeeze themselves, are becoming more discerning, demanding greater value and efficiency from the businesses they interact with. In this landscape, companies that fail to accelerate their digital maturity risk losing competitiveness, struggling with inefficiencies, and ultimately falling behind more agile competitors.

The impact of digital maturity on AI adoption

AI is a hot topic in business and boardroom discussions, from the AI Actions Summit to regular government investments and governance debates. However, not all businesses are reaping the benefits of AI equally.

Businesses that are lagging in digital health will struggle to gain any return from investment in AI as it demands a foundation of digital maturity. As a result they will, miss out on its potential to drive innovation and productivity. The benefits and efficiencies that AI systems can deliver are no secret, and the businesses that are struggling, or even neglecting to adopt, risk missing out on a competitive advantage.

For example, when it comes to customer experience, many businesses are deploying AI to provide detailed insights in order to deliver personalized experiences, and boost efficiency through tools such as AI agents or chatbots. These systems increase the likelihood of a business anticipating customer needs and creating a smooth, seamless customer journey, all of which is built on the foundation of good digital health.

Navigating integration complexities

Integration complexities typically arise from fragmented IT ecosystems, outdated legacy systems, and inconsistent data structures that prevent smooth communication between platforms.

Legacy ERP systems, for example, can struggle to integrate with modern cloud-based applications, which results in inefficiencies and data silos. The complexity also extends to customer-facing systems, where disconnected platforms lead to inconsistent user experiences.

Businesses are increasingly turning to cloud platforms to overcome these integration hurdles.

To address integration challenges, companies should adopt strategies like application programming interfaces and middleware solutions that promote interoperability, or should seek to use vendors who provide these, or provide easy ways to customize integration points.

Additionally, consolidating platforms can streamline processes, reduce complexity, and enhance efficiency. However, with larger companies, it is usual that several platforms are in place, so more work needs to be done to optimize interoperability.

Beyond technology, businesses should also invest in robust change management strategies and upskill their workforce to maximize the benefits of integration and ensure adoption.

Ensuring that teams are equipped to work seamlessly across new digital ecosystems, as well as to understand how the changes can help them in their roles as well as the business overall, is just as critical as the technology itself.

Overcoming infrastructure management challenges

Managing digital infrastructure remains a significant challenge for business and technology leaders, with the difficulty lying in balancing scalability and cost-efficiency while maintaining high system performance. Traditional infrastructure does not have the flexibility for modern digital demands, which leads businesses towards cloud-based models.

The rapid growth of IoT devices adds another layer of complexity, as businesses must manage a growing network of connected devices while maintaining data security and integrity.

To maintain compliance and ensure data privacy, businesses need solutions that are transparent, user-friendly, and easily governed by technology leaders. Simplified tools should offer automated compliance monitoring and centralized dashboards, while robust security measures include encryption, access controls, and threat detection.

Good digital health means good digital transformation

Businesses that navigate the obstacles of digital transformation tend to see significant benefits and improvements in areas such as customer experience, operational efficiency, and employee engagement.

Those with good digital health are more likely to be able to automate workflows effectively, integrate AI systems, and adopt cloud platforms to boost data-driven decision-making and overall employee productivity. These transformations drive agility and resilience, allowing businesses to adapt quickly to market shifts and competitive pressures.

On the flip side, for businesses with poor digital health, resistance to change, skills gaps, and budget restraints are among the common barriers hindering the progress of digital transformation. These challenges, coupled with fragmented IT infrastructures, make integration complex and limit agility.

Addressing them requires strategic investment in scalable technology and workforce upskilling, not just to modernize operations, but to optimize costs in an unpredictable economy and ensure resilience against evolving market demands.

The real driver of digital transformation success lies in aligning technology with business goals. Consolidating platforms and fostering strong vendor partnerships are not just efficiency plays; they reduce operational complexity, enhance compliance with regulatory shifts, and position businesses to stay ahead of rapid technological advancements.

Equally important is cultural alignment, which ensures that digital tools are not only implemented effectively but also fully adopted by users. Vendors play a crucial role in this process, as they must take a long-term view of their relationships with customers, providing the necessary support, education, and guidance to help businesses unlock the full value of their investment.

Ultimately, digital transformation is a journey, not an immediate fix. Businesses must move away from the notion that simply switching on a tool will yield instant benefits. Instead, they should embrace a comprehensive, strategic approach to drive adoption, overcome challenges, and realize the significant opportunities that effective digitization can offer. With this, by next year, they’ll be far more likely to have good digital health.

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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

• Spotify streams of Hot Together by The Pointer Sisters increased 182,000% in just two hours
• This follows the song's inclusion in the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer
• Long Road by Tom Petty, featured in the initial GTA 6 reveal, received a similar popularity boost when that trailer dropped back in 2023

Spotify streams of the song featured prominently in the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer surged by 182,000% in the two hours after the trailer's release.

The second trailer for the highly anticipated GTA 6 dropped earlier this week, showing off more than two and a half minutes of gameplay and cutscenes captured entirely on PlayStation 5. The footage was accompanied by the 1986 song Hot Together by The Pointer Sisters.

The trailer is currently the number one trending video on YouTube, and has amassed more than 85 million views at the time of writing.

The catchy background tune seems to have been a hit with GTA fans, as Spotify streams of it increased by a staggering amount in the hours after the trailer dropped, compared to the same period one week prior.

Spotify Streams of Love Is a Long Road by Tom Petty, the song featured in the initial GTA 6 reveal, enjoyed a similar (though somewhat more modest) 37,000% increase when that trailer dropped back in 2023.

Spotify global head of editorial Sulinna Ong commented on the songs' massive surges in popularity, arguing that GTA “cuts through popular culture like almost nothing else. Music has been synonymous with the series since the very beginning, so it’s great to see fans both new and established connecting with an iconic track in this way.”

If you're a Spotify user and lover of all things GTA, it might be worth checking out the service's official Grand Theft Auto Radio playlist. This features a wide range of tracks played on the in-game radio stations across the series, tailored to your individual Spotify listening preferences.

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• Rockstar Games has confirmed Grand Theft Auto 6's latest trailer was "captured entirely in-game" on the PS5
• The trailer was comprised of gameplay and cutscenes
• Rockstar dropped the trailer after delaying the game to May 26, 2026

Rockstar Games has confirmed that the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was captured entirely on the PlayStation 5.

In case you missed it, the studio just dropped a brand new trailer for its anticipated game, which offered an in-depth look at the game's dual protagonists, Jason and Lucia, a fresh look at Vice City, and introductions to new characters.

It looks incredible, and much to everyone's surprise, the end of the trailer stated that it was captured on the PS5. That's right, the base PS5, not the PS5 Pro!

However, there was some discussion as to whether the footage shown was purely cinematics for the simple fact that it looks too damn good, with some parts of the trailer showing what appears to be ray-traced reflections in car mirrors and water.

Well, we now have an answer, as Rockstar has since revealed that the entire trailer was comprised of gameplay and cutscenes.

"Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2 was captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5, comprised of equal parts gameplay and cutscenes," Rockstar said in a post on social media the following day.

GTA 6 was originally supposed to launch in late 2025, but Rockstar has delayed the game until May 26, 2026. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, the studio decided to delay it by one more year to "avoid brutal crunch". Considering how good the game looks right now, there's a chance the GTA 6 will look even better on release.

The game is launching on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, but there's no word on a PC release just yet.

If you want a full breakdown, we've picked out the top five things we learned from the latest GTA 6 trailer.

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• NSO Group must pay out nearly $167.5 million in damages to WhatsApp
• 1,400 users were compromised through an audio calling vulnerability
• Meta wants to donate to digital rights organizations

NSO Group has been ordered to pay over $167 million in punitive damages and nearly half a million ($445,000) in compensatory damages to WhatsApp after a five-year legal battle.

The fines stem from a 2019 hacking campaign affecting over 1,400 WhatsApp users, with NSO using the Pegasus spyware to exploit an audio calling vulnerability on the mobile app.

Among those affected were high-profile individuals and public figures, such as journalists, activists and diplomats, with the Israeli cyber-intelligence firm's spyware also capable of accessing emails, texts, financial data, location data and remote camera and microphone activation.

Israel's NSO Group to pay over $167 million in damages to WhatsApp

"Put simply, NSO’s Pegasus works to covertly compromise people’s phones with spyware capable of hoovering up information from any app installed on the device," Meta explained in an announcement.

Meta noted that Pegasus, when installed on an affected handset, has the capability of "hoovering up information from any app installed on the device."

Given the extent of data types Pegasus targets, Meta has also confirmed that `"WhatsApp was far from NSO’s only target."

The tech giant didn't name any other affected companies, but NSO has admitted that it spends tens of millions of dollars annually to develop malware installation methods, which can include via instant messengers, browsers and operating systems – both iOS and Android.

NSO Group claims that it sells its spyware to governments only, however there are increasing attacks on citizens suggesting that malicious actors have also been able to get their hands on the spyware – be they government affiliates or otherwise.

"Pegasus is designed to be stealthy and evade forensic analysis, avoid detection by anti-virus software, and can be deactivated and removed by operators," The Citizen Lab explained.

Even after six years, Meta has acknowledged that there could be a long way to go before any damages are paid out, however the company "would like to make a donation to digital rights organizations that are working to defend people against such attacks around the world" as a result of its success in court.

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• Broadcom said to be sending out cease-and-desist letters to perpetual license holders
• They can use the products, but they mustn't use updates
• Legal action is being used as a threat

Broadcom is reportedly sending out cease-and-desist letters to VMware perpetual license holders whose support contracts have expired.

The news comes around 18 months after the company acquired VMware, when one of the first big changes it made was to end perpetual licenses in a bid to transition to more lucrative subscription-based models.

At the time, users reported seeing considerable price hikes, with many opting to leave the new Broadcom-led VMware.

Broadcom is addressing VMware perpetual licenses, again

Users can continue using existing software under their perpetual licenses, however they cannot access updates or support unless they had a pre-existing contract, Ars Technica explained.

Now, customers are receiving letters demanding that they stop using any updates, patches or releases issued after their support packages had expired, with the exception of zero-day security patches.

Customers are even being asked to uninstall updated if they've already had them applied. The continued use of such updates is being framed as a breach of contract and intellectual property infringement, therefore Broadcom has expressed a willingness to explore legal options.

"Any such use of Support past the Expiration Date constitutes a material breach of the Agreement with VMware and an infringement of VMware’s intellectual property rights, potentially resulting in claims for enhanced damages and attorneys’ fees," an extract from the letter reads.

According to the report, letters are also mentioning the possibility of audits for non-compliance, while some have been received by customers who are not in breach of Broadcom's policies, including those who have moved away from VMware altogether.

The decision to press on with ending perpetual licenses for good doesn't come as a big surprise, but Broadcom has reversed some of its controversial changes to pacify customers after some of its execs came online to respond to disgruntled customers.

TechRadar Pro has asked Broadcom to confirm details of the letter and to offer further context, but the company did not respond to our email.

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• Sony has revealed a new limited edition DualSense Wireless Controller inspired by Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• It launches on June 26, 2025, to coincide with the release of the game
• Some PlayStation fans have expressed disappointment at its basic design, however

Sony has unveiled a new limited edition DualSense Wireless Controller to celebrate the upcoming release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

The controller is set to launch on June 26, 2025, alongside the PlayStation 5 release of Death Stranding 2. Pre-orders for it will begin on May 22, 2025, and it will cost $84.99 / £74.99. It will be available exclusively via PlayStation Direct in limited quantities.

The controller looks like the standard Midnight Black DualSense with some small decals applied. Both grips have a basic orange pattern on them, with futuristic numbers and a barcode-like graphic. There's also a patch on the controller's touchpad, with a 'Drawbridge' logo in addition to the text "both stick and rope, to protect and connect. Together, for tomorrow."

The only other other thing of note on the front is a subtle print of a ring connecting the controller's face buttons, giving it a marginally more futuristic look. The back of the controller then has a barely noticeable Death Stranding 2: On the Beach logo slapped on.

Honestly speaking, it's not the most exciting limited edition controller I've ever seen. I could certainly think of a few ways in which I could have been made more interesting without pushing the envelope out too far. A dual-tone design, like the one found on the recent The Last of Us Limited Edition controller, perhaps in orange and black would have been a lot more eye catching at least.

Given the asking price, it's not unreasonable to expect more than a few small prints on a standard colorway. I'm not alone in this assessment either, as some PlayStation fans have taken to the PlayStation Blog comment section to express their disappointment with the design.

"Could’ve been much better than just some some small patches of images. Sony should learn from Microsoft on how to design limited edition controllers," said one.

"How is it possible for a company this big to become so greedy and lazy? How do you go from making a controller like the Death Stranding PlayStation 4 one, or the Astro Bot PS5 controller, to making this? Why are you treating your biggest IPs and fans with such disrespect? You literally just took an existing black DualSense, slapped some ugly stickers on it, and called it a 'Limited Edition controller'," another replied.

"There is nothing about this controller that screams 'Death Stranding 2; when you’re looking at it. Is this all the creativity and effort you’re willing to put into a Limited product? Huge disappointment, and hard pass."

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• Sony has revealed that it will announce the Xperia 1 VII on May 13
• The company has also teased that it will be "powered by Alpha"
• This likely means a real focus on camera improvements

Sony’s Xperia 1 phones are among other things known for quite impressive cameras, but oddly – despite Sony also making a range of popular and capable ‘Alpha’ cameras – the company hasn’t used ‘Alpha’ branding on its Xperia phone cameras before. But it looks like that’s about to change.

In a teaser video on YouTube, the company has revealed that the next Sony Xperia 1 – likely to be dubbed the Sony Xperia 1 VII – is landing on May 13.

This teaser doesn’t give much away, but it does mention that the phone is “powered by Alpha”, and then goes on to show an Alpha camera, followed by images of people taking photos with what’s likely the Xperia 1 VII.

So, if nothing else this tells us that photography is likely a major focus for the Sony Xperia 1 VII, but what exactly it being “powered by Alpha” means is less clear, with that potentially referring to software, hardware, or both.

Still, based on our Sony Xperia 1 VI review we can say that we hope night image quality and dynamic range optimization are improved, as they were weak links in that phone’s photography performance.

A trio of sensors, likely with upgrades

Assuming the phone pictured in the video is the Sony Xperia 1 VII it has a similar design to the Xperia 1 VI, complete with a flat back and three rear lenses. We have some idea of what those lenses might be too, with leaks pointing to a 48MP main sensor (with optical image stabilization), a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 12MP telephoto, with a focal length that can range from 70-200mm.

That’s broadly similar to what you’ll find on the Sony Xperia 1 VI, except the telephoto camera there is limited to 85-170mm.

Still, even if these leaks are correct, it’s possible we’ll see other changes to justify the 'Alpha' branding, such as larger sensors, better lenses, or software improvements.

Away from the cameras, it has also been reported that the Sony Xperia 1 VII will have a 4K, 120Hz screen, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, and a battery of at least 5,000mAh.

So, this could be a highly capable handset, but with the current model costing £1,299 / AU$1,899 (with no US availability) it’s also likely to be extremely expensive. We should find out for sure very soon.

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• Google Maps has a new location-scanning feature for your screenshots
• It searches screenshots for places, then adds them to a private list
• There could be privacy concerns with this new feature

If you frequently find yourself screenshotting locations and then looking them up afterwards, there’s a new feature in the Google Maps iOS app that could help save you time.

In a blog post, Google detailed the feature, which is available now (although it had been revealed about a month ago). The feature sees Google use its own Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) to scan your screenshots and add any locations mentioned in the images to a new private list in Google Maps.

Right now, it appears that Google Maps scans your images for text mentioning a place name, rather than looking up the location data itself that's been saved to the pictures or using image recognition. That's a bit limiting for now, but it's surely the first step towards more powerful version.

You can find the new private list in the You tab in the Google Maps app. Provided you have the latest Google Maps update, you’ll find a private list labeled Screenshots, alongside a tutorial on how to use the new feature.

The Screenshots folder will show a list of recent images that contain location names. You can then tap a Review button to see the place that Google has detected in the image. If you’re happy it has the right place, you can tap Save; otherwise, tap Don’t Save. The app will then show you the saved location on a map.

There’s also an auto-scan aspect to this. If you grant Google permission, the app will be able to scan all of your screenshots in order to detect locations. Or you can add images manually, if you prefer.

Privacy concerns

(Image credit: Google)

Given Google’s arguably shoddy record when it comes to user privacy, the idea of allowing the company to scan my library of screenshots and log my location information feels pretty uncomfortable to me.

Chances are this location data will be sent to Google’s servers, where there’s the potential for it to be processed, sold, and used to profile you – all things that Google’s business model is built upon.

Beyond the privacy concerns, I wonder how much utility a feature like this would add in the first place. On iOS, you can tap and hold on any text and then look it up on the web, which applies to things like addresses and place names. That means it’s already quick and easy to find information on places you’ve screenshotted, without Google Maps’ latest update.

Still, just because I’m not sold on it, that doesn’t mean that no one else will find Google’s latest idea useful. If you want to try it out for yourself, make sure you download the latest Google Maps version on iOS – the feature will apparently come to the best Android phones at a later date.

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• Gartner report finds 77% of CEOs believing AI will define the future of their business
• However only 44% of CIOs are seen as being AI-savvy
• Companies should support worker upskilling

Not even half (44%) of CEOs consider their CIOs to be up to speed when it comes to AI, according to a new report by Gartner, despite these workers being considered as the most tech-savvy (64%).

In fact, although CIOs are seen to be the most tech-savvy, they rank second in terms of AI savviness, with 2% more CEOs seeing their CISOs as having the right skills and knowledge (46%). Chief Data Officers ranked in third place (40%), with the next in line (Chief Strategy Officers) several steps behind, at 24%.

All of this is despite the fact that more than three-quarters (77%) of CEOs acknowledging that AI will define the future of their business.

CEOs don't see many of their workers as being AI-savvy

Exploring the C-suite in particular, it's clear that chief execs don't have a lot of confidence in their high-level management when it comes to artificial intelligence. In fact, they have varying but low levels of confidence (7-18%) for the likes of the CRO, CFO, CMO, COO, Chief Sales Officer, CSCO, CLO and CHRO.

"We have never seen such a disproportionate gap in CEOs’ impressions about technological disruption," noted Gartner Distinguished Analyst David Furlonger.

Gartner's report not only demonstrates the need for AI upskilling, but it also highlights a lack of sufficient upskilling in recent years. The 2019-2020 Gartner CEO Survey also described execs' tech saviness as "suboptimal."

"A significant implication is that, if savviness across the C-suite is not rapidly improved, competitiveness will suffer, and corporate survival will be at stake," Furlonger continued.

Gartner noted hiring for AI skills might not be so simple, adding that supporting the existing workforce with learning and development opportunities could offer a more sustainable long-term approach to business growth.

More broadly, CEOs aren't just concerned about their inability to hire the right talent – there's also an apparent block when trying to calculate value and outcomes.

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