TechRadar News

• Spider-Man's new costume for Brand New Day has been fully unveiled
• Marvel and Sony released a new video showing the costume in all of its glory
• Its lead star Tom Holland is shown wearing the superhero suit

Tom Holland has officially unveiled the first full look at the new costume he'll wear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day – and I've immediately fallen in love with it.

Just 24 hours after an all-too-brief Brand New Day video teased Spider-Man's new attire, a new teaser, which was released by Sony Pictures, shows off the super-suit in all of its glory.

The 22 second-long video, which was uploaded to Sony's YouTube channel today (August 2), begins with the somewhat melancholy Spider-Man piano-based theme we heard in yesterday's footage. As some hanger bay doors open and light rushes in from outside, we see the silhouette of Holland, who has his back to the camera, jogging on the spot as he prepares for what could be his first day on the Brand New Day set in Glasgow, Scotland.

Around the 0:10 mark, Holland suddenly pivots and walks towards the camera. Approaching it, he smiles as he reveals the webslinger's new costume in full. Holland then looks across to someone off-screen, asks "We ready?", looks back into the lens, smiles again, and heads off, presumably to start shooting his next Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film.

The first thing to note about Spidey's new garb is it appears to be an updated version of the suit he's seen wearing in the final scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Indeed, apart from the raised webbing on the outside of the suit and the black logo adoring the chest area, it appears to be an exact match to the aforementioned ensemble.

A post shared by Spider-Man (@spidermanmovie)

A photo posted by on

What's even more interesting, though, is that Spidey's new gear looks like it's paying homage to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's live-action iterations of the character. The raised webbing is a clear tribute to Maguire's costume, while the black, slim logo is an obvious nod to the emblem that adorned Garfield's suit.

Considering Holland, Maguire, and Garfield's wallcrawlers teamed up in No Way Home via some multiverse shenanigans, it's evident these more experienced Peter Parkers left a lasting impression on Holland's version. It's unsurprising, then, that he'd honor the pair by incorporating aspects of their costumes into his own. What a nice guy!

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently slated to be released on July 31, 2026. And, with filming finally underway on Spidey's next big-screen adventure, we're sure to learn even more about the Marvel Phase 6 movie as principal photography continues in the weeks and months to come.

Admittedly, we already know some things about Spider-Man 4 – for more details on what's been confirmed thus far, check out my dedicated guide on Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But, whether it's who Sadie Sink is playing in Brand New Day, what Frank Castle/The Punisher's role will be in Spider-Man 4, and more besides, I'm confident there'll be more for me to write about one of my favorite superhero's next film very soon.

What do you think of Spidey's new costume? Let me know in the comments. Once you have, read on for more Spider-Man: Brand New Day coverage.

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• Spider-Man: Brand New Day's place on the Marvel timeline appears to have been revealed – here's when the MCU movie might take place
• New Marvel report about its X-Men movie reboot might have dispelled a big cast rumor about Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day behind the scenes look appears to confirm two of the Marvel movie's villains – and a possible Venom cameo

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, August 2 (game #1286).

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 #1287) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1287) - 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 #1287) - 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 #1287) - 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 #1287) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• M

• L

• L

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1287) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1287, are…

• MOTIF
• LEERY
• LOFTY
• BURST

I messed up today and reused a letter I already knew was in the wrong position – guessing STRUT when I really shouldn't have done.

I’ll take it as a lesson to be more vigilant going forward. And it was especially annoying, given that today’s round was already tricky enough.

Daily Sequence today (game #1287) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1287, are…

• JIFFY
• MANIA
• LUMPY
• TALON

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1286, Saturday, 2 August: WARTY, PUPAL, CLEAR, SLICE
• Quordle #1285, Friday, 1 August: ACTOR, MEALY, WIDTH, ADOBE
• Quordle #1284, Thursday, 31 July: STYLE, VALET, AGONY, ALLOY
• Quordle #1283, Wednesday, 30 July: DEBAR, ADMIN, FOLIO, USAGE
• Quordle #1282, Tuesday, 29 July: BATCH, TOPIC, MURKY, BUNCH
• Quordle #1281, Monday, 28 July: CANDY, TRYST, SHIRT, FORGO
• Quordle #1280, Sunday, 27 July: TRAWL, BALER, PIANO, MINCE
• Quordle #1279, Saturday, 26 July: MUDDY, SAINT, KINKY, POLAR
• Quordle #1278, Friday, 25 July: BONUS, RESIN, CEDAR, MADAM
• Quordle #1277, Thursday, 24 July: AGONY, VERVE, GLEAN, MINUS
• Quordle #1276, Wednesday, 23 July: OZONE, PENCE, ROOMY, WIDER
• Quordle #1275, Tuesday, 22 July: OPTIC, GIDDY, VOCAL, ADULT
• Quordle #1274, Monday, 21 July: KNEED, SNAIL, PINTO, FEAST
• Quordle #1273, Sunday, 20 July: GRACE, COUNT, EGRET, GIANT
• Quordle #1272, Saturday, 19 July: EARLY, CLICK, TRITE, SPREE
• Quordle #1271, Friday, 18 July: CINCH, FOYER, FUDGE, TAFFY
• Quordle #1270, Thursday, 17 July: CRESS, TABOO, POWER, HATER
• Quordle #1269, Wednesday, 16 July: UNCLE, NADIR, REMIT, BROOM
• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, August 2 (game #783).

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 #784) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• MIRROR
• BEETLE
• POLO
• BIRD
• GOLF
• GORILLA
• PARROT
• CRICKET
• FEVER
• ECHO
• SQUASH
• BUG
• MONKEY
• FAD
• COPY
• CRAZE

NYT Connections today (game #784) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Reproduction
• BLUE: On trends
• GREEN: Bats and rackets etc
• PURPLE: Musical beasts

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 #784) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: EMULATE
• BLUE: MANIA
• GREEN: SPORTS
• PURPLE: SINGLE ANIMAL IN A CREATIVELY SPELLED BAND NAME

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

NYT Connections today (game #784) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #784, are…

• YELLOW: EMULATE COPY, ECHO, MIRROR, PARROT
• BLUE: MANIA BUG, CRAZE, FAD, FEVER
• GREEN: SPORTS CRICKET, GOLF, POLO, SQUASH
• PURPLE: SINGLE ANIMAL IN A CREATIVELY SPELLED BAND NAMEBEETLE, BIRD, GORILLA, MONKEY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

As someone who spent 20 years as a music journalist I’m annoyed that I didn't see that SINGLE ANIMAL IN A CREATIVELY SPELLED BAND NAME referred to The Beatles, The Byrds, Gorillaz and The Monkees. 

Instead, I was too busy falling into the very obvious trap of thinking that there was a group connecting Volkswagen cars – POLO, BEETLE and GOLF are definitely models and I took a guess that ECHO was too. It isn't.

My other mistake was putting together PARROT, BUG, CRICKET and beetle, thinking it was something to do with the Pixar movie A Bug’s Life (my memory is sketchy!). 

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, August 2, game #783)

• YELLOW: ATTACH WITH ADHESIVE ADHERE, AFFIX, GLUE, STICK
• BLUE: BOWLING RESULTS FOUL, SPARE, SPLIT, STRIKE
• GREEN: POLITE TERMS FOR SEX COMMERCE, CONGRESS, INTIMACY, RELATIONS
• PURPLE: CONTRONYMS (WORDS THAT CAN MEAN OPPOSITE THINGS) CLEAVE, GARNISH, OVERSIGHT, SANCTION

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.

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, August 2 (game #517).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… "Sorry, didn't catch that"

NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TROLL
• STROBE
• FORT
• ROOF
• TURF
• STOP

NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th 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 #518) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #518, are…

• MUFF
• WHIFF
• ERROR
• FAULT
• FUMBLE
• BOBBLE
• BLOOPER
• SPANGRAM: SPORTS GOOF

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I hated this game. None of these words meant anything to me and my first three game words gave me nothing to steer me in the right direction – I got the first two thanks to the double-Fs and from there took some hints.

In the end it didn’t matter, as my knowledge of sports doesn’t extend to the SPORTS GOOF, but I got the general idea.

Instead, today’s game became a random word search and I fumbled, bumbled and fluked my way to the exhausting end of it.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, August 2, game #517)

• FILTER
• CROP
• BLUR
• ADJUST
• ERASE
• MARKUP
• ROTATE
• SPANGRAM: PHOTO EDITOR

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.

• More specs have leaked for the Galaxy S25 FE
• Battery capacity and charging speeds are getting upgrades
• We should see a full launch happening soon

We saw the first of the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones launched all the way back in January, and there are now four handsets in the series. We think there's one more to go, the Galaxy S25 FE, and fresh leaks have revealed a full specs sheet for the upcoming handset.

Separate sets of specs posted by well-known tipster @MysteryLupin and Android Headlines point to this phone coming with a 6.7-inch, 120 Hz refresh rate AMOLED display, an Exynos 2400 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of on-board storage.

The cameras are reportedly 50MP+12MP+8MP on the back and 12MP on the front. However, while these leaks agree on the charging speeds of 15W wireless and 45W wired, they differ by listing either 4,500 mAh or 4,900 mAh as the battery capacity.

What's more, the phone is said to be IP68 rated for dust and water protection, with Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front. The weight is said to be 190 grams, and the handset is apparently going to come running One UI 8.

Specs appeal

6.7" AMOLED, 120HzExynos 2400, One UI 850MP/12MP/8MP, 12MP front4,500mAh battery, 45W wired, 15W wirelessIP68, Gorilla Glass Victus, 190g https://t.co/9nscwbZ5mIAugust 1, 2025

Considering these lists of specs match up so exactly – aside from the battery capacity – gives extra credibility to them, and suggests they've come from the same original source. They also match up with previous leaks we've seen to date.

Going off other previous leaks, it seems a battery upgrade is more likely than a battery downgrade: a 4,900 mAh battery has already been mentioned, upping the capacity from the 4,700 mAh battery seen on the Galaxy S24 FE.

When it comes to other comparisons with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, we're getting a faster processor and an improved selfie camera – but aside from those features and a bigger battery capacity, it appears a lot of the specs are going to be the same.

That might not matter too much, depending on the price. Based on the number of leaks around this handset that we're now seeing, it shouldn't be too long before it sees the light of day – and a September or October launch seems likely.

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• QR phishing, also known as quishing, is a rising scam where attackers try to trick you into scanning fake QR codes
• Cybercriminals may target your personal data, login credentials, bank accounts, or try to infect your smartphone with malware
• These QR codes can be found everywhere, from parking lots to museums

You might be used to receiving scam emails or texts, but did you know that you can also get scammed through a QR code? This increasingly common form of scam is referred to as quishing – and it's been spreading rapidly again recently.

According to CNBC, 73% of Americans have scanned a QR code without verifying that the source link was safe, and NordVPN has discovered that 26 million have been directed to malicious websites as a result.

Meanwhile, in the UK, Action Fraud (the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime) recently revealed that £3.5 million had been lost to quishing scams in the year leading up to April 2025.

These scam QR codes are being used for anything from sending fake payment links to installing malware on your phone. Here's everything you need to know about the latest quishing attacks and how to protect yourself from them.

What exactly is quishing?

(Image credit: Marielle Ursua (Unsplash))

Quishing is a form of phishing that is done entirely via a QR code. While it wasn't as widespread just a few years ago, it skyrocketed during the pandemic, when QR codes became more than just a fun little quirk.

Over the last few years, QR codes have permeated the fabric of our daily lives. We see them everywhere, from TV commercials to restaurant menus or flyers. Unfortunately, QR codes are inherently opaque. It's hard to verify how secure a link is at a glance, which makes these codes easy to tamper with.

The way it works is shockingly simple. Whether the scam QR code pops up in an email or elsewhere, it's always accompanied by something that'll get you to scan it. Payment prompts, medical forms, or product information are common targets. When you scan the code and click through, you'll be taken to the next part of the scam, which is either a website or a script that installs malware in your phone.

Unfortunately, if the code has been tampered with, the target website is a scam. At best, it'll steal however much you're trying to pay for parking; at worst, it might compromise your phone or your banking login credentials.

Are QR codes in public places safe to use?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Bilanol)

While QR codes found in restaurants or museums seem like a safe bet, that isn't always the case – not anymore.

Unlike phishing emails, QR codes have a strong real-world impact. It's all too simple for threat actors to tamper with legitimate codes found in public spaces. That said, the threat is much greater at open public spaces, rather than indoor ones.

For example, at a parking lot, scammers physically replace the sticker at the parking meter, directing people to a legitimate-looking website where they can pay their parking bill. The same can be done with posters or flyers found just about anywhere.

It's important to remember that this isn't niche, and it can happen to anyone. KeepNet Labs found that QR codes are an increasingly common medium for sending phishing links, with a whopping 26% of all malicious links being delivered that way.

How to stay safe

Above is an example of an email quishing scam, which will redirect unsuspecting victims to a fake Microsoft log-in page. (Image credit: Usecure)

Quishing, much like all other forms of scams, relies on creating a sense of urgency. Whether it's an exciting offer or a serious-looking payment reminder, quishing scammers want you to scan the code and proceed without asking questions. That's why the best way to stay safe is to be vigilant and take your time.

Let's say that you received a QR code embedded in an email that tells you to secure your account, enable multi-factor authentication, or get a discount code. Don't trust it right away – it could be a scam. Even a legitimate-looking email address might not mean that you're in the clear, as scammers can hijack accounts to send out those QR codes.

To stay safe, don't take any unexpected email at face value. If a service tells you that your account has been compromised, don't scan any codes in that email. Instead, go to the website or app directly and change your login credentials there, without interacting with the content of the email.

When faced with QR codes in places where they might have been tampered with, it's better to take your time rather than scan the code quickly. At a parking lot, don't scan the code – go directly to the address. Only QR codes that are physically impossible for scammers to replace are safe.

If you do scan a QR code, make sure to never provide any personal information or login credentials. It's always better to err on the side of caution. Before you follow the link to any website, look at it carefully and compare it to what you know as the real deal.

QR codes certainly make our lives easier, but unfortunately, the more widespread they are, the likelier they are to be targeted by scammers. It's never a bad idea to invest in one of the best Android antivirus apps to protect your phone from hackers.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is here, and to put it simply it’s a knockout – our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review calls the latest in this line of foldable devices “the nearly perfect foldable phone”.

That’s for good reason: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like a true overhaul after years of incremental updates, sporting larger displays, new software, a better main camera, and a more powerful chipset, all contained in a thinner design that rivals the likes of the Oppo Find N5.

However, all of this comes with a higher price tag. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999 / £1,899 / AU$2,899 – it is the most expensive widely available smartphone.

I recently wrote that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is simply too expensive for me to consider buying one. A dollar off $2,000 is just too much money to part with in my opinion – the Galaxy Z Fold 6 was already uber-pricey at $1,899 / £1,799 / AU$2,749, and more expensive than the rival Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (which launched at $1,799 / £1,799 / AU$2,699).

But with that said, I think the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launching at such a high price has the potential to do good things for the folding phone industry as a whole, even if it’s rough on individual customers’ pockets.

Price and possibility

The iPhone X ushered in a new era of more expensive but much more capable smartphones. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Now, before I explain myself, let me just say that I’m not giving phone makers carte blanche to raise prices as they see fit. Price hikes feel especially thorny in the current environment of tariffs and turbulence, and like everyone at TechRadar I want to see the everyday customer get the best deal possible.

With that said, prices are going to rise over time, even if slowly – and in the case of the folding phone market, I think this creates an opportunity for real improvement – if phone makers take that opportunity responsibly.

Think back to the launch of the iPhone X in 2017. Apple’s all-screen handset was the first widely available phone to launch at a starting price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,579 – for general audiences, it was the first thousand dollar phone.

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S8 also launched in 2017 at a starting price of $750 / £689 / $1,079, and the previous generation iPhone 7 started at $649 / £599 / AU$1,079. This was a proportionally greater price increase than we’ve seen with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

This felt like a huge hike at the time, but it didn’t take long for phone makers to follow Apple’s example, pushing flagship phone prices towards, and eventually beyond, the thousand-dollar mark. This put more pressure on consumers, sure, but also gave phone makers more resources to improve the models at the top-end of their lineups.

Just look at today’s very best slab phones, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – these are phones with huge, beautiful displays, three or four high-quality cameras each, and enough internal power to make a mid-range PC jealous. A hard limit of $1,000 would give phone makers less flexibility and, frankly, less incentive to make such powerful devices.

Without higher prices and better specs at the top-end of the market, fantastic mid-range phones like the OnePlus 13R would have no reason to exist. (Image credit: Future)

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that, ultimately, breaking the $1,000 barrier was good for the phone industry as a whole. Having used some of the best phones on the market, I think the trade off was worth it.

That’s especially true when you consider that a highly competitive mid-range segment has emerged as the prices of premium and cheap phones have diverged, populated by excellent handsets like the OnePlus 13R and Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, phones that offer a near-flagship grade experience for substantially less money.

These mid-range phones cost around the same, or even less, than flagships did before the entrance of premium models like the iPhone X. The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, for example, starts at $649.99 / £649 / AU$1,099, while the OnePlus 13R comes in at a very respectable $599 / £679.

The future of folding phones

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE suggests there's some interest in cheap(er) folding phones. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Let’s bring it back to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – folding phones are still what I’d call an emerging technology. I don’t think we’ve reached the point where folding phones are easy to recommend against traditional smartphones for the everyday person.

Having tested several folding phones, I can say with confidence that there’s still work to do when it comes to ergonomics, durability, and camera quality. Price increases, while hard to swallow, could give folding phone makers the resources to implement these improvements.

Speculatively, we might even see the emergence of a mid-range folding phone market. The launch of the Galaxy Flip 7 FE suggests that Samsung senses some interest in moderately-priced folding phones. If the iPhone X paved the way for the OnePlus 13R, perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 can pave the way for the first true mid-range booklet foldable, at a similar price to a high-end premium flagship.

Naturally, this all relies on users to still want to purchase pricier devices, and on phone makers to use any additional revenue to invest in their product, rather than just pocketing the difference as profit. That’ll determine whether pushing past the $2,000 barrier is worth it.

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• Norton Deepfake Protection is part of its Norton Genie AI Assistant on Norton 360 mobile apps
• The tool is available in Norton 360 mobile products in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand
• It currently supports English-speaking YouTube clips

Norton has introduced a new feature which aims to help users spot deepfake audio and video content on their smartphones

Norton Deepfake Protection will be part of the Norton Genie AI Assistant on Norton 360 mobile apps - as until now, it was only available on select Microsoft Copilot+ PCs, and was considered an “early access” phase.

Now, Norton is spreading the tool’s availability, allowing even those without AI PCs to defend themselves against sophisticated scams.

(Image credit: Norton)YouTube support

A deepfake video or audio is a media file created using AI to realistically mimic a person’s appearance, voice, or actions, often made by training machine learning models on real footage or recordings.

This type of content was already observed being abused in different scams, and Norton says the tool provides, “an added layer of contextual protection” by spotting inconsistencies or faint deformations in the physical features of people appearing in videos.

For now, the tool only supports English-language YouTube videos, but there are plans to expand platform and language support in the future.

Anyone interested in testing the tool can upload YouTube links to the assistant to receive “real-time guidance on the authenticity of the video”.

The tool is available in Norton 360 mobile products in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, across Android and iOS devices. Desktop support is “coming soon,” Norton added.

One of the most widespread deepfake scams on the internet is the famous “Elon Musk investment scam”, in which crooks created a deepfake of Elon Musk promoting his new cryptocurrency coin. In the video, he talks about the coin being the future of money transfer, and promises “huge gains” for the investors.

While early iterations of the scam were rather easy to spot, AI has improved significantly over the years, and will continue to do so, further blurring the lines between truth and deception.

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• An image of the iPhone 17 Air battery has leaked
• We're expecting a capacity of around 2,900 mAh
• All of the iPhone 17 models should launch in September

We're expecting the iPhone 17 series to launch sometime during September, including the iPhone 17 Air – apparently a replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus. Now a new leak purports to show off the battery that will be fitted inside the Air model.

Images of this battery have been posted by well-known tipster Majin Bu (via 9to5Mac), and it comes enclosed in a steel frame, which matches the iPhone 16 Pro approach. Of particular note is how thin the battery is, from front to back.

According to Bu, the battery capacity is around 2,900 mAh, which is close to the 2,800 mAh figure we've heard from earlier rumors. For comparison, there's a 3,561 mAh battery inside the current iPhone 16, so we're looking at a significant drop.

However, given improvements in battery life technology, and tweaks set to be introduced with iOS 26, reports suggest iPhone 17 Air should still give you a day of battery life – even with the ultra-slim profile and reduced capacity battery.

Battery worries

iPhone 17 Air New Battery Design RevealedFull Article:https://t.co/dc9wI7LS3K pic.twitter.com/Y9MbDQDiRIAugust 1, 2025

If the rumors are to be believed, then the iPhone 17 Air is going to measure just 5.5 mm, front to back. That's a lot slimmer than the 7.8 mm iPhone 16, and it even beats the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which is 5.8 mm thick.

Ever since we heard an iPhone 17 Air was on the way, there have been concerns about battery life. Putting together a super-slim phone is all well and good, but it does mean less room for the battery and other internal components.

However, we know that iPhones can traditionally get more battery life out of less battery capacity, because Apple develops its hardware and software in tandem – so let's hope the usual trick can be repeated with the iPhone 17 Air.

It should be unveiled alongside the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max during September. Apple hasn't said anything officially, but well-placed sources have pointed to September 8-10 as the most likely dates.

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The UK's Online Safety Act officially introduced age verification measures on July 25, reshaping how people access certain websites and services.

Designed to protect children from harmful content and make platforms more accountable, the rollout has sparked heated debate. Critics worry about increased tracking, potential data breaches, and the loss of online privacy.

With new restrictions in place, VPN interest in the UK has surged as users look for greater control over their browsing and data security. While we don't encourage bypassing age checks, it's clear that VPNs have become a go-to tool for those concerned about privacy and the changing internet landscape.

We've tested countless VPNs over the years – you’ll find our full list of recommendations to the best VPNs and best free VPNs in our dedicated guides.

But if you just need a quick answer to which VPN to choose this weekend, we’ve got you covered here. These are the top options available today, plus a heads-up on what to look for in the small print.

1. NordVPN: best for most people

NordVPN still sits at the top of our rankings because it’s the best all-in-one VPN we’ve tested, delivering world-class security and speed, plus versatility from its extra features. Yes, Surfshark is slightly faster, and ExpressVPN just beats NordVPN on privacy and security in our most secure VPN guide, but at $3.39 / £2.69/month (on the two-year plan) NordVPN is cheaper than Express ($3.99 per month), better at unblocking geo-restricted content (it’s our top recommendation for streaming), and offers more extra features than both rival services.

NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature blocks malware, ads, and trackers well, while its audited no-logs policy means that no browsing data is logged by its servers. (Those independent audits prove that NordVPN is operating exactly as it claims.)

The apps themselves are straightforward to use, making it a good choice for beginners.

In this new era of stricter internet rules, NordVPN is a great choice for most people, and TechRadar has an exclusive deal. Sign up and get:

✅ Up to 76% OFF
✅ Up to $50 Amazon Gift card
✅ 4 months free protection (TechRadar exclusive)

Choose the Pro, Complete, Ultimate or Prime plans to get the deal. There's a 30-day money back guarantee, so if it isn't right you can cancel your subscription and get a refund.

Read more: NordVPN reviewView Deal

2. Surfshark: top budget option

Surfshark is the cheapest VPN in our top three, at $1.99/ £1.89 per month on the two-year plan. It scored slightly lower than NordVPN and Express VPN in our privacy and security tests, but it’s still an extremely robust choice for keeping your data safe - and it beats the other two on speed. You also get unlimited simultaneous connections, so every device in your home can stay protected, which neither NordVPN or Express VPN offer.

Surfshark's CleanWeb tools block ads, trackers, and known malicious sites, while its audited no-logs policy ensures that your browsing remains private. In our experience, speeds remain consistently fast across both nearby and long-distance servers, making it perfectly capable for streaming, video calls, and general browsing without interruptions.

Pricing is one of Surfshark's strongest selling points: plans start at around $2 per month on a two-year subscription, while monthly and annual plans remain competitive for those who prefer flexibility. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there's a seven-day free trial so you can see whether it's right for you.

Read more: Surfshark reviewView Deal

3. ExpressVPN: great for beginners, but not cheap

If you're new to VPNs and want something that works flawlessly from the start, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice. Its apps are simple, intuitive, and consistent across devices, so you can connect securely in one click – we’ve tested it with complete beginners and they were able to get it up and running with no issues.

It also scores highly where it counts, on privacy and security, beating NordVPN (only just though, as you’ll see in our most secure VPN guide). ExpressVPN's commitment to privacy is reinforced by multiple third-party audits and, like the two services above, it has a proven no-logs policy, giving newcomers peace of mind that their data isn't being tracked. Its Lightway protocol also optimises speed and reliability, even on slower connections.

One reason why it’s our third recommendation and not our first is that ExpressVPN costs more. Plans start at around $4 per month on a two-year plan. Every subscription includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, letting beginners test its performance risk-free.

Read more: Express VPN reviewView Deal

PrivadoVPN Free: bonus free option

We don't recommend choosing a free VPN if data protection is your top priority, but if that’s what you’re looking for, then PrivadoVPN Free is one of the better services we’ve tested. It delivers AES-256 encryption, a strict no-logs policy governed by Swiss privacy laws, and industry-standard protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN. It hasn't yet undergone an independent audit though.

You get 10 GB of full-speed data every 30 days. After that limit is reached, traffic is throttled to around 1 Mbps. That’s fine for light browsing or occasional streaming, not for heavy use.

Despite the cap, speeds during the full-speed window are surprisingly fast, with many tests showing performance comparable to our top-scoring VPNs. It can also unblock major platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Still, if you’re serious about protecting your data, we’d recommend signing up for one of the services above.

Read more: PrivadoVPN Free reviewView Deal

Five red flags to avoid when choosing a VPN

VPNs don’t always guarantee complete anonymity, but using a reputable one does significantly boost your privacy online.

However, not all VPNs are created equal. While the services we've highlighted above have proven in our testing over the years to be trustworthy and reliable, there are plenty of options that can put your privacy, and your device, at risk.

Exclusively free VPNs are particularly notorious for tracking users or injecting ads to make money, and some paid services cut corners on security or performance.

Here are five big red flags to watch out for when choosing a VPN:

1. No independent security or privacy audit
2. Vague privacy policies
3. Slow connection speeds or frequent disconnections
4. Severe data caps that make streaming or gaming impractical
5. Limited server locations, restricting your connection options

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Slow Horses season 6: key information

- Officially wrapped filming
- No trailer released yet
- Main cast predicted to return
- Plot to follow Mick Herron’s 'Joe Country' and 'Slough House' novels
- Season 7 expected to begin shooting in September/October
- Slough House spin-off, Down Cemetery Road, in the works

Slow Horses season 6 has already finished filming, which is huge news considering season 5 isn't even out on Apple TV+ until September 24.

The gritty spy drama is getting a bit of a name for itself, not only for its thrilling action-packed scenes, but its incredible release schedule never leaving more than a year between seasons.

And it appears there's plenty more where that came from as Jackson Lamb and his team of down-and-out MI5 agents are returning for season 5, 6 and 7 over the next couple of years.

Adapted from the books by Mick Herron, Slow Horses season 6 already has a plot to follow and filming in the can, but there's plenty more to talk about when it comes to trailer, expected release date, predicted case, news, rumors and more. Though, I'll be sure to update here once season 5 hits Apple TV+.

Potential spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 to 4.

Slow Horses season 6 release date

A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

A photo posted by on

Apple TV+ renewed Slow Horses for season 6 just days after the season 4 finale – and, according to Deadline, the cast and crew have already finished filming.

In an official statement from Apple TV+ on the show's renewal, Jay Hunt, creative director for Europe said: "Audiences around the world have fallen in love with the Slow Horses, and I'm delighted that Gary Oldman will be leading this star-studded cast on another acerbic and action-packed adventure".

So, when it comes to the Slow Horses season 6 release date, season 4 released in September 2024 and season 5 is scheduled for September 2025. With season 6's filming done and dusted, I think I can quite confidently say that season 6 is looking at a fall 2026 release date.

Slow Horses season 6 trailer: is there one?

There's no Slow Horses season 6 trailer just yet (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Considering Slow Horses season 5 is yet to receive its own trailer, it seems incredibly unlikely that we'll get a season 6 trailer any time soon.

But, we were treated to a season 5 teaser look at the end of the season 4 finale. If that's the case this time round, mark October 22 on your calendar for the season 5 finale for a potential first look at season 6. I'll be sure to update here when it drops, too.

Slow Horses season 6 predicted cast

Gary Oldman will reprise his titular role as Jackson Lamb (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Full spoilers follow for Slow Horses season 5.

Slow Horses season 5 will air six episodes on Apple TV+ between September 24 and October 22. Since we don't know what happens yet (and we don't want to spoil it by revealing the plot of Mick Herron's 'London Rules' novel), we can only predict the cast to appear in season 6, with one known addition:

• Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb
• Jack Lowden as River Cartwright
• Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner
• Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish
• Christopher Chung as Roddy Ho
• Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Shirley Dander
• Rosalind Eleazar as Louisa Guy
• Ruth Bradley as Emma Flyte
• James Callis as Claude Whelan
• Tom Brooke as J.K. Coe
• Hugo Weaving as Frank Harkness
• Joanna Scanlan as Moira Tergorian
• Jonathan Pryce as David Cartwright
• Lenny Rush as TBC
• Nick Mohammed as TBC
• Hiba Bennani as TBC

So, there's a new cast member that we know for certain is joining Slow Horses season 6 and that's Doctor Who's Lenny Rush who, according to the Radio Times, was spotted filming with Oldman in January. Other than that, I'm sure it'll be full of returning favorites.

Slow Horses season 6 potential plot synopsis and rumors

Slow Horses season 6 will be adapted from 'Joe Country' and 'Slough House' (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Major spoilers follow for Slow Horses seasons 1 through 4.

Slow Horses season 6 is confirmed to be the first season that will follow not one, but two, of Mick Herron's novels. As confirmed by Deadline, these will be 'Joe Country' and 'Slough House', the sixth and seventh books in the series.

And the official synopsis from Apple TV+ for season 6 is as follows: "Season six sees the Slow Horses on the run as Diana Taverner embroils them all in a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge".

To delve deeper into the plot, it's also worth taking at the synopsis's for the books. For 'Joe Country' that's: "In Slough House, the backwater for failed spies, memories are stirring, all of them bad. Catherine Standish is buying booze again, Louisa Guy is raking over the ashes of lost love, and new recruit Lech Wicinski, whose sins make him outcast even among the slow horses, is determined to discover who destroyed his career, even if he tears his life apart in the process.

"With winter taking its grip Jackson Lamb would sooner be left brooding in peace, but even he can't ignore the dried blood on his carpets. So when the man responsible for killing a slow horse breaks cover at last, Lamb sends his crew out to even the score.This time, they're heading into joe country. And they're not all coming home."

The team at Slough House return for more espionage drama (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

And for 'Slough House': "Slough House - the crumbling office building to which failed spies, the 'slow horses', are banished - has been wiped from secret service records.

"Reeling from recent losses in their ranks, the slow horses are worried they've been pushed further into the cold, and fatal accidents keep happening.

"With a new populist movement taking a grip on London's streets, the aftermath of a blunder by the Russian secret service that left a British citizen dead, and the old order ensuring that everything's for sale to the highest bidder, the world's an uncomfortable place for those deemed surplus to requirements.

"The wise move would be to find a safe place and wait for the troubles to pass.But the slow horses aren't famed for making wise decisions."

Much like the rest of Slow Horses, season 6 will also be six episodes long and while I'd usually take a look at the previous season to give an insight into the plot, it doesn't air until September/October.

I'll be sure to update here as soon as the story at Slough House has unfolded once more.

Will Slow Horses get more seasons on Apple TV+?

Slow Horses season 7 is officially on the way (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Slow Horses season 7 was officially confirmed by Apple TV+ in July and Deadline reported in June, whilst in conversation with Oldman, that "season 7 will begin shooting in the UK in late September or early October".

With season 5 following books 6 and 7 in Mick Herron's Slough House series, season 7 will follow 'Bad Actors'. There's also the soon-to-be published 'Clown Town' coming September 9, which could hint at at least one more season to come, but any news on this is unconfirmed.

But, there's also a Slough House spin-off series in the works titled Down Cemetery Road, based on Herron's first novel of the same name.

With filming already happening, The Hollywood Reporter revealed it will star both Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson as Sarah Tucker and Zoë Boehm respectively.

Apple TV+'s creative director, Hunt, said of the news: "Down Cemetery Road has all the hallmarks of Mick Herron's funny and acerbic writing, and I'm delighted we will be bringing it to life for Apple TV+ with such a stellar cast".

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on Ted Lasso season 4, Foundation season 3, Presumed Innocent season 2, and Silo season 3.

This week DJI and Insta360 had a Freaky Friday situation as they announced a 360 camera and a drone respectively, tech the other is usually known for.

We also heard that OpenAI is scared of its next AI, and the UK faced the Online Saftey Act.

You can catch up on these stories and more in this week's catch up of the seven biggest tech news stories.

7. We Found My Skechers

(Image credit: Skechers)

This week, Skechers debuted the new Find My Skechers. They look like your run-of-the-mill sneakers on the outside, but hidden in each heel is a cutout that’s perfect for an Apple AirTag.

This Bluetooth tracker can then be used to help you keep track of your child if you’re out in an unfamiliar place, or help you locate any lost shoes, whether they were misplaced while out and about or while getting ready in the mad rush to get to school.

Though when we polled parents, the reactions were mixed. Predominantly because the target age range – toddlers and young children – outgrow their shoes every six months to a year. At their cheapest, Find My Sketchers cost $52 a pop, which is a lot to regularly shell out.

• Read more: These new sneakers have a secret AirTags compartment

6. The UK faced the Online Safety Act

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This week Britain was hit by the latest provisions of the Online Safety Act, introducing age verification measures designed to help prevent young people accessing age inappropriate content. However the new requirements have frustrated many adults.

A petition to repeal the UK Online Safety Act garnered over 450,000 signatures in just a few days, and some have tried all sorts of workarounds including attempting to game the system with Death Stranding’s photo mode.

Most people are onboard with the idea behind the rules, but aren’t keen on needing to share their ID with websites – especially foreign websites – as they’re worried their data might be mishandled. Despite the concerns, the Government has said it won't be repealing the measures.

• Read more: Over 450,000 Brits want to repeal the UK Online Safety Act

5. Google Home's crisis got worse

(Image credit: Future)

Last week, we reported on a growing number of complaints about Google Home devices, with the smart home gadgets failing to deal with commands properly or throwing up other bugs.

This week, it seems the problem got worse, with many reporting their voice controls for smart lights were now completely broken and not working at all.

The situation has gotten so bad that US law firm Kaplan Gore has announced it has "begun investigating a possible class action" against Google because so many users are now reporting broken functionality, despite most of these devices having worked fine in the past.

• Read more: Google Home devices are continuing to break

4. DJI Osmo 360 landed

(Image credit: DJI)

The 360 camera space has been dominated by Insta360 for years, but it finally has some proper competition following the arrival of the DJI Osmo 360. What's more, they could soon be joined by the GoPro Max 2, which was recently teased by GoPro.

Considering it's DJI's first foray into the market, the Osmo 360 impresses straight off the bat, delivering what DJI says are several industry firsts, the most notable of which are its twin 1-inch sensors with 8K video recording up to 50fps. Those sensors are effectively twice the size of the Insta360 X5's, our current favorite 360 camera, and should give DJI's model the upper hand for image quality, especially with richer 10-bit color depth.

Based on specs, the Osmo 360 has the edge over the X5, but it's real-world use that matters the most, and the X5 is our favorite model for a reason. It has stellar battery life, and its lenses can be replaced in the event of damage. We are currently conducting our hands-on versus of the two models, and it's making for a titanic battle.

• Read more: Can DJI's first 360 camera dethrone the X5?

3. Insta360 revealed the world’s first 360 drone

(Image credit: Antigravity, Insta360)

DJI isn’t used to having competition in the skies, but this week, its first serious rival for years flew into town. The undisputed king of 360 cameras, Insta360, has announced its new Antigravity platform, which will soon give us the first drone with a 360-degree camera.

Okay, but what’s the benefit of a flying, all-seeing camera? The main one is that, in theory, you won’t need to worry about perfectly shooting aerial videos as you fly, because you’ll be able to reframe them later. We’re looking forward to experiencing that in person when the Antigravity drone fully launches later this month.

• Read more: Has DJI just met its match? Insta360 unveils Antigravity – the world’s first 360 drone

2. ChatGPT helped us study

(Image credit: OpenAI)

ChatGPT has added a new feature called Study mode to its paid-for and free accounts that turns the famous chatbot into an unpaid study tutor for your kids. Parents often panic about ChatGPT being used by their children to avoid actually learning anything, but Study mode is different. It’s pretty safe for kids to use because it teaches them how to arrive at the answer, rather than just giving them the answer. It’s more of an interactive back-and-forth chat about the question being posed, which encourages them to learn as they go.

Of course, you don’t need to let your kids have all the fun with it. You can use Study mode yourself to learn any new subject. Having the ability to turn ChatGPT into a proper tutor is pretty handy, so whatever it is you want to learn – whether that’s a new language or how to code – now you’ve got the perfect excuse to get started.

• Read more: OpenAI added Study mode to ChatGPT, even for free accounts

1. OpenAI was scared by its AI

(Image credit: Shutterstock/ DIA TV)

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed details about his company's testing of GPT-5 (the next-gen brain for ChatGPT) by saying he got scared by the AI, and comparing it to The Manhattan Project.

The over-the-top analogy might evoke some level of keen scientific minds coming to a major breakthrough, but his other comments made OpenAI seem either reckless or incompetent.

Even if he's exaggerating, we don't know if either of those descriptions should be attached to the kind of company that might decide how next-gen AI power is deployed.

• Read more: OpenAI's CEO says he's scared of GPT-5

• Wi-Fi 8 plans to fix edge-of-coverage dropouts where extenders usually fail to keep things running smoothly
• Wi-Fi 7 maxes out throughput while Wi-Fi 8 makes sure it works everywhere, every time
• Wi-Fi 8 to introduce Single Mobility Domains so devices roam between access points without getting interrupted

Only hours after the official ratification of Wi-Fi 7, early details of its successor, Wi-Fi 8, are already making waves.

A release from Qualcomm noted Wi-Fi 8 isn’t promising faster peak speeds; instead, it focuses on improving stability, cutting latency, and ensuring smoother performance in environments with many connected devices.

Where Wi-Fi 7 emphasized raw throughput and bandwidth gains, Wi-Fi 8 is being designed to sustain those benefits under pressure, ensuring consistent delivery even in crowded or interference-prone settings.

Rethinking the role of Wi-Fi

Two core trends are shaping the direction of Wi-Fi 8. First is the growing ecosystem of personal devices such as AR glasses and next-gen health monitors, which demand seamless and low-latency connections to nearby companion devices.

Second is the rise of AI-powered systems that depend on fast, reliable access to edge or cloud-based intelligence.

Together, these trends are pushing local networks, including your Wi-Fi router or even a mobile 5G router, into territory they weren’t originally designed for.

Wi-Fi 8 is being framed as the foundational layer of connectivity that will underpin these increasingly dynamic and latency-sensitive systems.

And unlike a basic Wi-Fi extender that simply expands signal reach, the new standard rethinks how access points work together, how devices roam, and how signal quality is preserved at the edge of coverage zones.

What gives Wi-Fi 8 its edge is the ongoing development of the 802.11bn standard.

Several core features aim to make Wi-Fi more reliable in the real world, not just in ideal lab conditions.

One of the key innovations is “Single Mobility Domains,” which allow devices to move across multiple access points without experiencing disruptions, something particularly beneficial in environments like airports, hospitals, or multi-floor offices.

Another major improvement is performance at the edge, the outer limits of a signal’s reach.

Current setups, even with a Wi-Fi extender, often suffer drops and delays in these areas - Wi-Fi 8 introduces physical layer updates meant to improve consistency without relying on brute-force signal strength.

Multi-access point coordination is another shift, and this is ideal for large venues or dense urban housing - as rather than each unit operating in isolation, Wi-Fi 8 envisions coordinated networks that intelligently share airtime and avoid overlap.

On-device coexistence, especially where radios like Bluetooth or ultra-wideband compete for antenna space, is also receiving attention.

Wi-Fi 8, expected to be finalized by 2028, reflects a deeper rethink of what modern connectivity actually requires.

The push isn’t for headline-grabbing throughput figures but for a wireless experience that performs like wired infrastructure.

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• Labels like “Verified” give a false sense of safety but don’t reflect real extension behavior
• Browser DevTools were never meant to track how extensions behave across tabs and over time
• Malicious extensions often act normally until specific triggers make their hidden features come alive

The unchecked spread of malicious browser extensions continues to expose users to spyware and other threats, largely due to deep-seated flaws in how the software handles extension security.

New research from SquareX claims many people still rely on superficial trust markers like “Verified” or “Chrome Featured,” which have repeatedly failed to prevent widespread compromise.

These markers, while intended to reassure users, often offer little insight into the actual behavior of an extension.

Labels offer little protection against dynamic threats

A central issue lies in the limitations of Browser DevTools, which were designed in the late 2000s for web page debugging.

These tools were never meant to inspect the far more complex behavior of modern browser extensions, which can run scripts, take screenshots, and operate across tabs, actions that existing DevTools struggle to trace or attribute.

This creates an environment where malicious behaviors can remain hidden, even as they collect data or manipulate web content.

The failure of these DevTools lies in their inability to provide telemetry that isolates extension behavior from standard web activity.

For instance, when a script is injected into a web page by an extension, DevTools lack the means to distinguish it from the page’s native functions.

The Geco Colorpick incident offers an example of how trust indicators can fail catastrophically - according to findings from Koi Research, 18 malicious extensions were able to distribute spyware to 2.3 million users, despite carrying the highly visible “Verified” label.

To address this, SquareX has proposed a new framework involving a modified browser and what it calls Browser AI Agents.

This combination is designed to simulate varied user behaviors and conditions, drawing out hidden or delayed responses from extensions.

The approach is part of what SquareX terms the Extension Monitoring Sandbox, a setup that enables dynamic analysis based on real-time activity rather than just static code inspection.

At the moment, many organizations continue to rely on free antivirus tools or built-in browser protections that cannot keep up with the evolving threat landscape.

The gap between perceived and actual security leaves both individuals and companies vulnerable.

The long-term impact of this initiative remains to be seen, but it reflects a growing recognition that browser-based threats demand more than superficial safeguards.

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• Cheats and mods are now frontlines for cybercrime targeting gamers' wallets and private data
• Verified crypto wallets like MetaMask and Exodus are being drained through browser injection
• Trojan.Scavenger abuses overlooked flaws to disable browser safety and manipulate trusted extensions

Gamers seeking performance enhancements or special abilities through third-party patches and mods may be unwittingly exposing themselves to sophisticated malware, experts have warned.

Recent findings from Dr.Web revealed a malware family known as “Trojan.Scavenger” which targets Windows users by disguising itself as cheats or enhancements for popular games.

This seemingly harmless mod can ultimately compromise crypto wallets, password managers, and web browsers, posing serious risks to user privacy and digital assets.

When cheats become covert threats

The infection chain begins when users download ZIP archives claiming to improve performance in games including the likes of Grand Theft Auto 5 or Oblivion Remastered.

These archives contain modified dynamic libraries, sometimes renamed with extensions like .ASI to resemble legitimate plugin formats.

When the user follows the installation instructions, the malicious library is placed in the same folder as the target game. If the game does not properly validate its libraries, the trojan loads automatically at startup.

In some cases, flaws in library search priorities are essential to the malware’s success, allowing it to hijack execution within the host application.

Once loaded, the malware establishes contact with a command-and-control server using encrypted communication. This process includes verifying encryption keys and checking timestamp consistency, which is meant to evade analysis and block antivirus detection.

The malware doesn’t stop with the initial payload. In more complex infections, it deploys additional trojans that embed themselves in Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Yandex.

These trojans interfere with browser sandboxing, disable extension verification, and replace legitimate extensions with modified versions.

Crypto wallets such as MetaMask and Phantom, as well as password managers like Bitwarden and LastPass, are among the affected applications.

Modified extensions collect mnemonic phrases, private keys, and stored passwords, which are then transmitted to the attackers' servers.

Exodus, a popular crypto wallet, is also targeted using similar techniques.

By exploiting library loading behavior, the malware extracts sensitive JSON entries, including passphrases and seed data required for generating private keys.

How to stay safe

To stay safe, always apply caution when accessing unofficial content.

Avoid downloading mods or cheats from sketchy forums or unverified sources, especially those shared on torrent platforms or through poorly moderated social media channels.

Antivirus software, while helpful, must be regularly updated to stay effective against evolving threats.

Android antivirus tools may protect mobile platforms, but on desktop systems, more capable solutions are necessary.

Good social media management also helps reduce exposure to malicious content. Limiting interaction with communities known for spreading cracked software or shady patches can lower the risk.

Lastly, checking file paths, verifying digital signatures when available, and restricting admin privileges on daily-use accounts can make it harder for malware to execute successfully.

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• Hackers says they attacked Mailchimp and stole user data - and the community laughed it off

• The Honda N-One e: is unveiled in Japan and previews a global compact EV
• The diminutive car will measure less than 3,400mm (133.9inches) in length
• A range of 150+ miles is expected and V2L means it can power homes

The production version of the teeny, boxy Honda that wowed crowds at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed has been unveiled and the N-One e: will go on to influence a global, low-cost EV.

Revealed in Japan this week, one of Honda’s smallest-ever electric vehicles will offer over 150 miles (245km) of range on a single charge from its equally small battery packs, while the single electric motor is expected to produce around 63hp.

Designed predominantly for town and city driving, the Japanese version of Honda’s Super EV concept complies with the country’s strict Kei Car rules, which mean it has to measure less than 3,400mm (133.9inches) in length.

It is likely that the European version will sport chunkier bodywork so it isn’t completely dwarfed by the myriad overweight SUVs, but we can expect to see a lot of the features carried over from the Japanese Domestic Market model.

(Image credit: Honda Japan)

The interior, for example, is packed with practical touches, such as rear seats that fold upright or flat to provide ample stowage space for numerous, odd-shaped items.

There are also hard-wearing, easy-to-maintain fabrics and charging points for smartphones.

Honda also says that the N-One e: is capable of one-pedal driving and Vehicle 2 Load (V2L), which means owners can power homes during power outages, or simply top up a power-hungry laptop when on the move.

Small EVs are proving a big hit

(Image credit: Honda Japan)

While it is highly unlikely the N One e: (or whatever the Super EV concept will eventually be called) will make its way to the US market, Honda has said that it plans to introduce a small city EV to Europe and beyond next year.

The company was one of the first to market with a funky, compact EV game thanks to its innovative Honda e. Unfortunately, its cutting-edge styling couldn’t make up for its 100-odd mile real-world range, slow charging speeds and high sticker price.

The Super EV concept comes at a time when battery technology has improved, so the range could be a more usable 170 miles and the asking price will likely be more in line with something like the BYD Dolphin Surf, which starts at £18,650 in the UK (around £25,000 / AU$38,250).

Honda is synonymous with practical, affordable, compact vehicles, with the likes of the Jazz remaining popular among savvy buyers that want reliable, simple transport that laps up short hops without breaking the bank.

While the N One e: is predominantly aimed at the Japanese and Chinese market for now, we expect to see what a more global version will look like at the IAA motor show in Munich later this year.

Honda is also on an EV push in general, with the recent launch of the CUV e: battery-swap electric scooter and the announcement of a full-size electric motorcycle coming soon.

The thread that appears to be running through all of the products is Honda's commitment to excellent engineering solutions and a competitive price point. We might start to see battery-powered models that can compete on price with their gas-powered counterparts.

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• OpenAI has removed the ChatGPT feature, allowing people to search through public conversations with a search engine
• Many users learned too late that enabling the “discoverable” setting could make chats accessible to anyone online
• The decision came after several people saw their sensitive and private information publicized

OpenAI has abruptly shut down a feature in ChatGPT that allowed chats shared publicly to be searchable through Google. Users were unpleasantly surprised to discover that private information shared with ChatGPT was now publicly available as a Google search result.

Dane Stuckey, OpenAI’s Chief Information Security Officer, announced the shutdown on Thursday, with the feature disabled on Friday morning. OpenAI has also begun scrubbing search engine indexes of the previously shared conversations.

OpenAI designed the “Make this link discoverable” checkbox, which they had clicked on, to give more people access to potentially helpful conversations between ChatGPT and different users. In practice, it opened the door to a new kind of digital exposure, where criminal confessions, personal secrets, and corporate practices were just a few keywords away from turning up in a Google Search.

This was not some obscure opt-out setting hidden in a developer console. It was right there in the sharing menu of any ChatGPT conversation users chose to turn into a public link. However, while OpenAI believed the wording was clear about what users were doing, many users apparently did not understand. They thought the link would remain private or unfindable unless explicitly shared.

For the average person using ChatGPT to plan a resignation letter, troubleshoot a relationship, or work on a legal strategy, that’s more than a technical hiccup. It’s a gut check. If you’ve ever shared a link to a conversation, there’s a nonzero chance someone found it by a Google search.

Some of the reported indexed conversations included internal job applicant evaluations, sensitive mental health disclosures, confessions of crime, and proprietary software code. People were talking to ChatGPT as if it were private, but for anyone who toggled that setting, it wasn’t.

We just removed a feature from @ChatGPTapp that allowed users to make their conversations discoverable by search engines, such as Google. This was a short-lived experiment to help people discover useful conversations. This feature required users to opt-in, first by picking a chat… pic.twitter.com/mGI3lF05UaJuly 31, 2025

Searchable secrets

To OpenAI’s credit, the company pulled the feature quickly. But the fallout raises important questions not just about privacy, but about how much users can reasonably be expected to understand about the tools they’re using. The “discoverable” checkbox didn’t hide behind a wall, but it also didn’t do a great job of communicating the scope of its consequences. It’s one thing to share a link, but indexing it in global search engines indefinitely is something else.

It is fascinating what this says about how users behave with AI. They confide in it, test ideas, vent frustrations, and draft things they’d never type into a search bar. If you’ve ever shared a ChatGPT conversation, it’s worth checking whether that link is still live.

While OpenAI is working with Google and other search engines to purge previously indexed content, search crawlers have long memories. Some content may linger for a while, even if deleted. OpenAI disabled the feature quickly, but the damage may already be done for some users.

Hopefully, the lesson will stick with the public, much like the idea of not deleting embarrassing browser histories has transitioned from a common joke to something only the most clueless person would forget to do. The magic of tools like ChatGPT lies in how they create the illusion of a conversation. But if you forget that it is still an illusion, you might not notice risks like buttons that send your digital heart-to-heart straight to Google.

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• Amazon's CEO teased advertisements might be coming to Alexa+
• Other Alexa+ subscription tiers might be on the way, too
• No release date yet, but it sounds like a matter of when, not if

Amazon’s Alexa+ may have only been around for a short time, and while that would usually mean it’s in the rapid user-growth stage, it sounds like Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is already planning its demise: stuffing its conversations with ads.

Speaking at Amazon’s most recent investor call, Jassy explained that “People do a lot of shopping [with Alexa+]”

Adding “I think over time, there will be opportunities, as people are engaging in more multi-turn conversations, to have advertising play a role to help people find discovery, and also as a lever to drive revenue.” Basically, if you ask Alexa+ for shopping recommendations, some of its responses might eventually be sponsored.

Jassy went on to discuss the possibility of different payment tiers beyond the existing $19.99 a month model – it is already free with Amazon Prime – suggesting we may see an ad-supported and ad-free tier, but the idea sounds yucky. Right?

Because if AI’s responses can be paid for, why would you trust anything it says ever again?

Whatever Amazon is paid to tell you they eat. (Image credit: Amazon)We knew this was coming

AI has sold itself as an unbiased guru that can answer many of life’s questions, but it’s increasingly clear how untrue that is.

After the bot couldn’t stop correcting its master, X AI’s Grok received some major changes leading to very public (and hate-ridden) crashouts, and now it seemingly serves as a mouthpiece for Elon Musk rather than any semblance of a reliable third-party.

The Chinese-run DeepSeek bot has been found to tow the Chinese Communist Party line on topics like Taiwan independence and Tiananmen Square, and I’m sure there are plenty of more subtle biases built into every AI chatbot out there.

Advertisements would bring in another layer of mistrust, especially depending on how they’re implemented.

In Alexa’s case, if it recommends three products and a fourth clearly marked as sponsored, why would you be incentivized to buy it? As you know, Alexa is suggesting it only because it was paid to do so. You’re much better off picking one of the other genuine recommendations.

Alternatively, if it instead prewarns you that some answers are sponsored, but doesn’t then label which answers were bought, you wouldn’t be able to trust that any of its shopping suggestions aren’t simply being paid for.

But ads were inevitable in many ways.

We offer unbiased tech buying advice, unlike AI (Image credit: Future)

The race to the bottom on subscriptions means that many people don’t want to pay much for AI tools. Simultaneously, investors in their quarterly calls to big tech companies are starting to ask how the billions being invested in AI might eventually be turned into profit.

The now-not-so-quiet part that Amazon’s CEO just said aloud is advertising. People can have a cheap AI service, and the company can get paid.

I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t seem any different from the systems we already have through sponsored entries in Google or on Amazon’s store.

I was promised a Jarvis-like AI agent, not the same as what we have, but in a different wrapper.

Perhaps I’m getting tired of the perpetual AI hype, but with sponsored conversations looking like they’re headed our way, we might start to see some AI systems get ruined and die off – I can only hope.

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• Chinese firm turns RTX 5090 cards into two-slot AI accelerators using custom PCBs
• Factory automation in China converts Nvidia gaming GPUs into data center hardware
• Export restrictions are bypassed as RTX 5090 boards are reworked into rack-ready AI modules

A video circulating on Bilibili shows how enterprising Chinese technicians are converting GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards into high-efficiency AI accelerators, bypassing export restrictions in the process.

Instead of using the retail GPUs as is, a local manufacturer is removing the GB202 chips and memory modules from the gaming boards.

The components are then transferred onto custom two-slot PCBs and paired with blower-style cooling, optimized for server rack environments.

Large scale production

The operation appears to be being run at factory-level scale. Robotic arms extract GPU modules, pick-and-place systems reassemble them onto redesigned boards, and automated soldering equipment finalizes the electrical work, before visual inspection systems confirm alignment and build quality.

The process is fast, repeatable, and efficient, far beyond what might be expected of a small workshop, but what makes this enterprise even more notable is the sheer volume of RTX 5090 cards seen in the video, despite restrictions on their export to China.

Nvidia has not officially released the 5090D variant, designed to comply with U.S. sanctions, and yet shelves of full-power RTX 5090 units can be seen undergoing retrofitting.

Gaming models with three-fan cooling are too large for server chassis, and their power connectors are often positioned awkwardly for rack use, so the cards are physically modified to fit data center constraints.

The redesigned blower cards shift the power input to the tail end of the PCB, simplifying cable routing and avoiding risk of overheating.

From a hardware standpoint, the GPUs function identically.

By shifting them onto slimline, server-compatible boards, Chinese firms are essentially creating their own high-end AI accelerators.

If hardware intended for gamers can be so easily adapted for AI research and model training, then questions about the effectiveness of the current export controls surely have to be asked.

It’s clear from the scale of the operation in the video that there is strong demand for AI accelerators built from repurposed RTX 5090 cards.

For AI developers in China, it means they can get the computing power they need without having to rely on official supply channels.

Via Guru3D.com

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• Report finds 45% of AI-generated code had security flaws
• Java is the worst offender, Python, C# and JavaScript also affected
• Rise in vibe coding could make these threats even worse

Nearly half (45%) of AI-generated code contains security flaws despite appearing production-ready, new research from Veracode has found.

Its study of more than 100 large language models across 80 different coding tasks revealed no improvement in security across newer or larger models – an alarming reality for companies that rely on AI tools to back up, or even replace, human productivity.

Java was found to be the worst affected, with 70%+ failure rate, but Python, C# and JavaScript also had failure rates of 38-45%.

AI-generated code isn't so secure after all

The news comes as more and more developers rely on generative AI to help them get code written – as much as a third of new Google and Microsoft code could now be AI-generated.

"The rise of vibe coding, where developers rely on AI to generate code, typically without explicitly defining security requirements, represents a fundamental shift in how software is built," Veracode CTO Jens Wessling explained.

Veracode found LLMs often chose insecure methods of coding 45% of the time, failing to defend against cross-site scripting (86%) and log injection (88%).

"Our research shows models are getting better at coding accurately but are not improving at security," Wessling added.

Vulnerabilities are also amplified in the modern era of AI – artificial intelligence enables attackers to exploit them faster and at scale.

Veracode suggests developers enable security checks in AI-driven workflows to enforce compliance and security. Companies should also adopt AI remediation guidance to train developers, deploy firewalls and use tools that help help detect flaws earlier.

"AI coding assistants and agentic workflows represent the future of software development... Security cannot be an afterthought if we want to prevent the accumulation of massive security debt," Wessling concluded.

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