This comes in response to a lawsuit Harvard filed on Friday morning, challenging the Trump administration's abrupt move to revoke the school's ability to enroll foreign students.
(Image credit: Kyle Mazza)
The White House budget office rejected the conclusion of a nonpartisan congressional watchdog that said the Trump administration is breaking the law by not spending funds as directed by Congress.
(Image credit: Evan Vucci)
Memory and storage maker Adata is setting its sights on building what could be among the fastest SSDs to date.
Under the banner of its new enterprise brand Trusta, the company is teasing a concept called Project Titan.
Although very few details are available, what we've seen suggests this drive will not only push speed boundaries but also feature a DisplayPort output, hinting at possible direct 8K monitor support, an unusual move for a storage device.
Cross-functional potentialThe SSD is part of Adata’s wider showcase at Computex 2025, where it's focusing on products for AI, gaming, and edge computing.
Project Titan is featured alongside other Thunderbolt 5 external drives, some already capable of reaching up to 6,000MB/s transfer speeds.
What sets Titan apart is its potential for cross-functional use, possibly allowing creators to transfer large files at high speed while also outputting video directly to a monitor. That could mean less reliance on multiple devices and a more streamlined workflow for professionals.
Project Titan’s inclusion in the mobile storage lineup signals that Adata sees a shift happening in how people interact with high-speed storage. If the video output function is fully realized, it might pave the way for a new category of hybrid storage-visual devices.
While the technical specs remain under wraps, the branding and placement of Titan at the front of Adata’s product range hint at ambitious performance goals, likely aiming to top 10,000MB/s read/write rates seen in current Gen5 drives.
Adata isn’t revealing much about Titan just yet. Still, its positioning among other high-performance SSDs and its project name (which could well change) suggest it's intended to be a flagship product for the company.
This isn't the first Project Titan in the tech world. The name was previously used for Apple’s decade-long electric vehicle effort, which was ultimately scrapped, and for a Google project involving solar-powered drones designed to fly base stations over remote areas of the planet.
You might also likeTwo of the most expensively assembled Amazon TV shows ever created could be available to watch on platforms other than Prime Video.
According to Amazon MGM Studios Distribution chief Chris Ottinger (as quoted by Variety), viewers may soon see some of the studio's first-party TV titles on another service.
Indeed, programs like The Rings of Power and Citadel, which are believed to be among the costliest Prime Video projects, might make their way onto terrestrial channels in non-US territories.
Per Variety's report, Amazon is already shopping the aforementioned duo around. Indeed, the distribution arm of its entertainment division is said to already be in talks with UK broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV, German networks RTL and ZDF, and Italy's Mediaset.
If any of the above parties decide to beam Citadel and Amazon's Lord of the Rings prequel series into people's homes in their respective nations, though, they won't come cheap.
Citadel season 1 crashed and burned following its April 2023 premiere (Image credit: Prime Video)Speaking about The Rings of Power specifically, Ottinger told Variety: "We would want premium pricing because it’s a premium product.
"Season 1 was the biggest TV series premiere in the history of Prime Video and season 2 was the most-watched returning season ever on Prime Video at the time. Ultimately, it depends on the partner and where they plan to place it. If someone wants it for Thursday at 8 p.m. – a prime slot – I expect top dollar."
It's unclear how much money Prime Video is seeking to syndicate – a fancy industry term for the distribution of movies and shows – its first-party titles.
Nevertheless, Ottinger is confident this is the right strategy for Amazon to take. That's based on the success that its streaming rivals, such as Netflix, have enjoyed, including the sizeable bump in viewership and subscribers that Netflix secured upon licensing the Meghan Markle-starring Suits in 2023. With that in mind, it's an approach that Prime Video hopes to replicate by offering out its Movie and TV Originals to others.
"We brought premium library titles to market to test their performance on Prime Video while they also aired on third-party platforms," Ottinger added.
"One of the goals was to see if they’d benefit from a Netflix-style boost or if they’d end up cannibalizing our own viewership. The effect we saw was neutral to positive for Prime Video."
Amazon wants more eyes on (and monetary compensation for) some of its most expensive TV shows (Image credit: Prime Video)Will Amazon shop around less expensive films and TV series in the future as well? That remains to be seen. The company's entertainment division has plans to offer two other shows – Countdown and Butterfly – to third-party channels. However, they'll only be available after an 18-month exclusivity period on Prime Video.
Nobody knows how costly this pair were to make, either, so it's hard to discern if Amazon needs to make its money back on those two like it does with The Rings of Power and Citadel.
The Rings of Power season 3 is currently in development and, once it debuts on one of the world's best streaming services, it'll be over halfway through its five-season run. Well, as long as one of the best Prime Video shows isn't canceled ahead of time.
Meanwhile, the future of Prime Video's spy-thriller franchise Citadel is less certain. In April, Amazon canceled second installments of Citadel's two spin-offs. And, while work is ongoing on the main series' sophomore outing, Amazon's acquisition of the James Bond franchise in February might have unofficially sounded the death knell for the Russo brothers-produced Prime Video Original.
You might also likeFive years after George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, the future of the intersection where it happened is uncertain. Today, a memorial is set up in the partially blocked street. But some want to move on. How does a community reckon with its past and confront its future?
(Image credit: Kerem Yücel for NPR)
Hackers are increasingly disguising malware as anime shows, taking advantage of the rising popularity of the Japanese animation format.
This is according to cybersecurity researchers Kaspersky, who analyzed phishing attacks occurring between Q2 2024 and Q1 2025, and found more than 250,000 being anime-themed.
Anime is a style of animated entertainment, first made in Japan. It spans TV series, films, and other adjacent formats. Kaspersky claims the format has never been as popular as it is today, among the Gen Z’ers (those born roughly in the early 2000’s).
Exclusive access to... malwareApparently, two-thirds of the generation (65%) regularly watch anime, which has never been the case before. Not only that, but they also “connect to the characters,” the researcher said, and become “emotionally invested” in the shows.
That makes them quite susceptible to anime-themed phishing. Naruto seems to be the number one choice among threat actors, with roughly 114,000 attempted attacks. Demon Slayer was second with 44,000, followed by Attack on Titan, One Piece, and Jujutsu Kaisen.
The criminals are usually promising “exclusive episodes”, “leaked scenes”, or “premium access”, in order to get the victims to click on links, download malware, or share sensitive information.
While anime most certainly works well, it’s not the only thing hackers are using to target Gen Z’ers. Shrek, Stranger Things, Twilight, Inside Out, and Deadpool & Wolverine, are all popular choices, accounting for more than 43,000 attack attempts. There was a notable spike in early 2025, too, coinciding with the latest release of the Shrek trailer.
As usual, Kaspersky is warning everyone that things sounding too good to be true - usually end up being just that. Those interested in watching the latest shows should sign up for well-established, reputable streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+, and not resort to pirated or otherwise questionable sources.
You might also likeElden Ring was a huge success, receiving a perfect five-star review from TechRadar Gaming, as well as other outlets. Given its popularity, it's now headed to the big screen with director Alex Garland at the helm.
It appears Garland isn't resting on his laurels one bit. He's just written the hugely anticipated horror follow up 28 Years Later alongside Danny Boyle, while his recent A24 movie Civil War is among our best HBO Max movies, and his latest movie Warfare only just left theaters.
Now, he's got his eyes on the fantasy roleplaying game Elden Ring, collaborating with A24 once again. We don't know anything about Garland's direction or storyline just yet, so it's still early days.
Initial thoughts on the Elden Ring adaptation(Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment)It's natural to feel some level of apprehension when any game is adapted for the screen. We've seen mixed results, ranging from HBO's stunning The Last of Us TV series down to the abysmal Eli Roth Borderlands movie, where I wrote that "the era of good video game adaptations is officially over".
Perhaps I was being dramatic about that, but it's endlessly frustrating when some of our beloved video games are adapted so poorly.
One of the biggest concerns about the A24 adaptation is the sheer size of Elden Ring. Its open-world universe is huge, and while players can comfortably clock hundreds of hours on a video game, movies need to condense things considerably.
This was part of my concern when Prime Video adapted Fallout, but thankfully, the creative team there managed to bring the Wasteland to life very well indeed, so all hope is not lost.
Speaking about the Elden Ring movie, TechRadar Gaming's Rhys Wood said: "You can make a solid argument that Elden Ring is the crowning achievement of developer FromSoftware’s back catalog.
"But in all honesty, I can’t help but think translating the open-world action RPG to the silver screen is a fool’s errand. Even with a director as accomplished as Alex Garland attached to the project.
"Elden Ring, the game, is made special by its encouragement of player expression. From how players like to build their characters, to the order of discoveries they’ll make on that first playthrough, that’s something a linear fantasy movie simply isn’t going to be able to capture.
"I’ve no doubt that the Elden Ring movie will be a polished and well-made project with Garland at the helm, so I’ll keep an open mind for now, but I’m not exactly expecting a masterpiece."
Right now, the TechRadar team at large remains on the fence about Elden Ring's movie treatment, but perhaps we'll be proven wrong. Garland's history of knotty, weird movies could certainly suit the material well, but that won't help if it turns out to just be too unsuited to a movie runtime. We'll just have to wait patiently for more updates.
You might also likeIntegrating AI into applications as a significant or moderate pain point.
However, the strong momentum for AI continues, with CEOs especially interested in agentic AI and many businesses still exploring their generative AI strategies.
According to Gartner research, the AI application development platforms market could be worth $5.2 billion – a figure that's only expected to rise.
Engineers are fed up with integrating AI into appsGartner VP Analyst Jim Scheibmeir said: "Even with business leaders focusing more on this technology and despite the growing hype, execution is not easy."
On the flip side, artificial intelligence is starting to become more useful in the application development process, with AI agents allowing developers to focus on complex and creative elements instead of having to handle repetitive workloads.
AI is also democratizing app development, which Gartner sees as a positive thing. Traditionally, the industry has been dominated by those proficient in the STEM fields, however team members with a focus on design, psychology and the arts can offer new perspectives and approaches.
By 2028, 40% of software team members could come from "nontraditional software engineering or technical backgrounds," or double the number that we see today, and that's thanks to advancements in generative AI.
However, AI is best seen as a human aid and not a replacement, therefore hiring for strong foundational skills like logic building and algorithm development remains essential.
"The future will be dominated by composable or fusion product teams that consist of software engineers, UX designers, product managers and even data scientists coming from both technical and nontechnical educational backgrounds," Gartner Principal Analyst Nitish Tyagi added.
You might also likeIt's hard to believe that almost seven weeks have passed since The Last of Us season 2 made its debut. But, with its finale set to be released very soon, it's nearly time to bid farewell to the dystopian survival drama once more.
So, when will the seventh chapter of The Last of Us' latest season be with us? Below, I'll tell you when the hugely popular HBO TV Original's next entry will come out. I'll also reveal where you can stream it in the nations with the biggest audiences.
What time can I watch The Last of Us season 2 finale?Depending on where you live, The Last of Us TV show's forthcoming episode will arrive on different dates and at different times.
Here's when you can stream it in the US, UK, and Australia, and some other nations (NB: if your country isn't listed below, you can use the following launch times to work out when you can watch it):
If I ever were to lose you… #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/1lgtQ2hxDsMay 20, 2025
In some cases, one of the best Max shows is unsurprisingly going to be released on Max.
However, one of the world's best streaming services isn't available worldwide. If you live in a region where you can't access the soon-to-be rechristened HBO Max, fear not, because HBO's live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's hugely successful video game franchise is available on a variety of other platforms.
Read on to find out where you can stream it:
Shopify, one of the best website builders, has just announced the Summer ‘25 Edition, a collection of major, minor, and mid-sized upgrades across its platform. The company promises easier and more efficient operations, improved shopping experiences, and more store customization as a result.
With the launch of Horizons, Shopify's new design foundation, themes take center stage. This includes the addition of 10 new store templates and an AI-powered block editor to help make them your own. Alternatively, you can use the new AI store theme builder to create a theme from a simple description of your brand - although you can only generate up to 3 personalized themes for free.
Shopify has added 10 new, free templates to its library. (Image credit: Shopify)The ecommerce platform's assistant, Sidekick, has seen a significant update to offer enhanced reasoning abilities. According to Shopify, users will be able to ask things like “Why did sales decline last month?” and get thorough analyses with data from inventory levels, marketing campaigns, and seasonal trends.
Sidekick now also supports 20 languages, can be voice-controlled, and can be used to generate images.
'Multiplier of human ambition'Other updates include the launch of AI shopping agents (connecting products to conversational platforms such as Perplexity), Shopify checkout in Roblox (allowing your customers to checkout physical products in the digital world of Roblox), and the Shopify Knowledge Base App, which automatically generates AI-readable FAQs based on the store's policies and settings.
Shopify unlocks a new sales channel with its Roblox integration. (Image credit: Shopify)Shopify has also introduced Storefront MCP, a feature that allows developers to build AI agents that can make product recommendations based on a shopper’s intent. They can answer questions, create carts, and guide shoppers to the checkout.
“At Shopify, we believe AI is a great multiplier of human ambition, amplifying what's possible when entrepreneurs dream big,” the company said in its blog post. “That’s why we’re weaving powerful and intuitive AI tools into every part of our platform, so that building your business feels as natural as chatting about your dreams over coffee.”
As part of Shopify's bi-annual updates, there are more than 150 changes to the platform. So, if you’re a Shopify user, we recommend reading through the whole thing here to discover how the updates can help you.
More from TechRadar ProLocal government organizations across the United States were recently targeted by a Chinese threat actor looking to deploy various web shells and malware loaders. This is according to cybersecurity researchers Cisco Talos, who have been tracking the attacks since early 2025.
Cisco says the threat actors are tracked as UAT-6382 (usually short for Unknown Adversary Threat), and have been targeting organizations through a zero-day vulnerability in Trimble Cityworks.
Trimble Cityworks is a Geographic Information System (GIS) asset management and permitting software designed to help local governments and utilities manage infrastructure, maintenance, and operations efficiently.
In February this year, we reported the software was vulnerable to CVE-2025-0994, a high-severity deserialization bug with a severity score of 8.6 (high). The vulnerability allowed threat actors to perform remote code execution (RCE).
Cisco said the attackers used the zero-day to drop a Rust-based malware loader which, in turn, installed Cobalt Strike beacons and VSHell malware, which provided the Chinese with long-term, persistent access.
Patching the flaw"Talos has found intrusions in enterprise networks of local governing bodies in the United States (U.S.), beginning January 2025 when initial exploitation first took place. Upon gaining access, UAT-6382 expressed a clear interest in pivoting to systems related to utilities management," Cisco said in its security advisory.
With access established, the attackers started dropping different web shells: AntSword, chinatso/Chopper, and more. All of these are written in Chinese. They were also dropping a custom loader called TetraLoader, which was written in Simplified Chinese.
As soon as news of the zero-day broke, Trimble released a patch, bringing Cityworks to versions 15.8.9 and 23.10 and mitigating the risk. It also warned about discovering some on-prem deployments having overprivileged IIS identity permissions, and added that some deployments haid incorrect attachment directory configurations.
At the time, there were no reports of victims or damages, but the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) still released a coordinated advisory, urging customers to apply the patches as soon as possible. In early February, the agency added it to KEV, giving Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies a deadline to patch.
Via BleepingComputer
You might also likeThe Sennheiser HD 550 headphones are some of the finest audiophile headphones for gaming I’ve ever tested. This open-back model excels in its audio prowess, comfort, and simplicity in every manner of my testing, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone looking for a top gaming headset for console or PC.
While cut from the same cloth as other Sennheiser headphones aimed at those who value audio quality above all else, the HD 550 headphones are very much intended to appeal to gamers who crave high-quality audio. They absolutely succeed in this: across PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC, audio is a dream.
Combine this with the expected excellence Sennheiser has for enhancing music, entertainment, and easy listening, and it really is a winner. It also means the HD 550 is ideal for work and everyday use, too.
Price is perhaps one wrinkle on the score sheet, as it’s a little on the high side when you compare it to the immediate competition.
For example, you could bag a complete premium wired gaming headset like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro if you want more features and a built-in mic. You could even save money compared to the HD 550 while sticking with Sennheiser with slightly cheaper models like the HD 560S or 650 sets. Still, I think anyone buying them at their list price won’t feel any buyer’s remorse, such is the quality here.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)That begins with a simple and elegant design, but one that’s also robust and very comfortable. The open-back cup covers are made of high-grade metal mesh, while the strong plastic frame elsewhere inspires confidence. The synthetic leather of the headband and velour of the earcups are wonderfully soft, providing the right amount of cushioning and support.
Coming in at just 8.35oz / 237g, the HD 550 are incredibly light. You’ll barely notice that you’re wearing them, even after long sessions. There’s simplicity onboard too with only a 6ft / 1.8m cable attached (a 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter is also provided).
All this comes together to provide an audio experience that I’ve not experienced for a long time - if ever. The HD 550 excels in all that you throw at it, and really can be the audiophile gaming-focused headphones you’ve been looking for. I’ve heard details in games I’ve not heard before, and enjoyed rich, atmospheric, multi-layered audio in game worlds. Combine this with Sennheiser’s established excellence for music, easy listening, and everyday use, and the HD 550 offers it all.
Brilliant for everything, and perfect for immersion-heightening single-player gaming, the HD 550 might be the last multiplatform gaming headset you ever need to buy - even if it’s not a traditional gaming headset.
Sennheiser HD 550 review: Price and availabilityAt $299.99 / $249.99 / AU$479, the Sennheiser HD 550 headphones are pricey, but not wildly so. At this point, it’s pitched squarely against some great audiophile headphones and gaming headsets.
In terms of the latter, I see something like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro or the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro or 330 Pro headsets as comparable alternatives. These are different propositions in terms of feature set, target audience, and what they're built to do, of course, but if you’re looking for something in this price range that’s focused on gaming, then this is the sort of competition the HD 550 has.
On the other hand, the HD 550 does face a lot of competition its own Sennheiser brethren. For example, the HD 560S is a tremendous set of headphones that can still very much hold their own in the gaming sphere. In the US, these are around $20 cheaper than the HD 550, but in the UK, they are a staggering £99, which is extraordinarily good value and hard to ignore if saving cash is one of your top priorities.
Overall, the value the HD 550 offers is still superb. However, when price cuts inevitably come, the HD 550 are going to be very hard to beat and extremely attractive as a pair of top audiophile headphones for gaming.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)Sennheiser HD 550 review: SpecsSennheiser HD 550
Price
$299.99 / $249.99 / AU$479
Weight
8.35oz / 237g
Drivers
38mm
Compatibility
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile (where audio jack is present)
Connection type
3.5mm audio jack; 6ft / 1.8m cable (3.5 to 6.5mm adapter provided)
Battery life
N/A
Features
38mm transducer, 150 Ω nominal impedance, 6Hz – 39.5kHz frequency response, synthetic velour ear pads
Software
N/A
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)Sennheiser HD 550 review: Design and featuresThe design of the Sennheiser HD 550 headphones is incredibly stripped back and sleek - there’s no overcomplication here, and if you’re familiar with Sennheiser’s style, then it’ll look satisfyingly recognizable.
It’s a symphony in black with metallic accents offered by the Sennheiser logo on the cups, and metallic edging adjacent to the ear cups punctuating that sleek look. The headband is made of faux leather and has a good amount of padding across almost its entire length to ensure head comfort, while the plush synthetic velour earbuds are delightfully soft and comfy around the ears, with the headphone’s clamping force being just right.
The ratchet on the headband for finding the right fit is also perfect, offering a good amount of resistance and hold, and you’ll also get a neat drawstring bag for the headset, too.
Under the hood, you have the 38mm, 150-ohm transducer (driver) offering a dynamic range of 6Hz to 39.5kHz. The driver is, of course, Sennheiser’s own, made in Ireland, and I’m told by the brand in terms of construction that “the diaphragm is made of a laminate plastic foil material. The voice coil is made of copper, and the chassis is made of plastic.”
Feature-wise, the HD 550 are equally simple and stripped back: there are no onboard controls here like you’ll find on gaming headsets, and there’s no microphone present either. All you have is the 6ft / 1.8m (non-braided, non-detachable) cable that ends in a slightly chunky 3.5mm audio jack connection, and that can also be fitted with a screw-on 6.5mm adapter.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)Sennheiser HD 550 review: PerformanceIn short, the Sennheiser HD 550, as a set of gaming and entertainment-focused headphones, are nothing short of spectacular. The headphones may well have killed off using a gaming headset for single-player games for me, and I have nothing but praise for the gaming audio it’s given me throughout my testing.
On PS5, the booming soundtracks and sound effects of Doom and Doom Eternal have never been given to me so fulsomely and richly, with each heavy metal riff and combat finisher move sounding as raw and dense as they should. In Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, character dialogue was crisp and clear without ever being scratchy, and environmental noises were a joy.
Even the busiest of combat encounters in both translated well through the HD 550 headphones. The same was true for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Botany Manor on Xbox, but also the delicate and detailed audio in games like Frostpunk 2 on PC, and Control, with its atmospheric and spooky audio that emanates from the FBC building and its tenants.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)The audio jack connection made it the easiest headphone set to use across all the platforms, too, which is a dream. Of course, you’ll be relying on your devices or an amp to really push the headphones as there’s no onboard volume dial, but simply managing them in such a way has provided me with some real excellence and memorable audio moments in games.
Using the HD 550 for work meetings and video calls is great too, though you’ll naturally have to team it with a standalone, separate mic. I did that with my SteelSeries Alias Pro, and the combination worked like a dream. There’s a warmth to ‘real life’ voices from the HD 550, and there were never ever any piercing peaks or rough troughs.
When I wasn’t in meetings, I kept the HD 550 on to soak up music, and I was treated to a truly fantastic experience here. Playing tunes from my usual playlists on Spotify, but also using hi-res audio on Tidal, and even down to browsing tracks and videos on YouTube, the HD 550 kept providing me with some of the finest audio I’ve experienced.
The excellent bass response is brilliant and almost gave me a new appreciation for Tool’s back catalog, and the mids and highs dealt beautifully with modern country and punk pop music, and even classical music such as Allegri’s Miserere and Jan Garbarek’s Officium record.
Taking all this sheer audio excellence and putting it in a sleek, comfortable, and lightweight headset like the HD 550 means Sennheiser has a real winner on its hands that is fantastic to wear and use at all times, and for a long time.
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)Should you buy the Sennheiser HD 550? Buy it if...You want that sweet, sweet Sennheiser audio quality for games and everything else
The star of the show with the HD 550 is, unsurprisingly, the awesome Sennheiser audio. It’s so good that it’s easy to recommend the headphones for that reason alone.
You want a lightweight and supremely comfortable set of headphones for gaming
If you’re sick and tired of gaming headsets overcomplicating things, offering too much, or being focused on features rather than audio in your view, then the Sennheiser HD 550 will offer a simple yet fantastic and premium gaming audio solution.
You mainly play single-player games and are looking for immersive audio
Focusing on offering an audio-only experience, and not being a gaming headset with a mic, the HD 550 is absolutely perfect for those who almost solely play single-player games - or for those looking to add a dedicated single-player game device to their setup.
You want your next gaming headset or headphones to be multi-platform
It doesn’t get much more multiplatform than a simple audio jack connection, and if you’re looking for something that can be a one-and-done solution for all your gaming devices, as well as audiophile and easy listening needs, then the HD 550 has you more than covered.
You really want a microphone for the price of admission
It’s an easy one to point out, but if you’re dropping more than $200 / £200 on some headphones and really want a mic too, then the HD 550 headphones won’t be for you.
You want Sennheiser audio, but the most bang-for-buck value
If I’m being ruthless, the HD 550’s price tag could be a bit of a hurdle, and at list price, you may find better value in other Sennheiser audiophile sets like the HD 560S or HD 650.
Still not sold on the Sennheiser HD 550? Here are two competing headsets for comparison.
Sennheiser HD 550
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro
Sennheiser HD 560S
Price
$299.99 / £249.99 / AU$479
$249.99 / £179.99 / AU$405
$229.95 / £169 / AU$339.95
Weight
8.35oz / 237g
16.08oz / 456g
8.46oz / 240g
Drivers
38mm
40mm
38mm
Compatibility
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile (where audio jack is present)
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile (where audio jack is present)
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile (where audio jack is present)
Connection type
3.5mm audio jack; 6ft / 1.8m cable (3.5 to 6.5mm adapter provided)
USB, 3.5mm audio jack
3.5mm audio jack; 6ft / 1.8m detachable cable (3.5 to 6.3mm screw-on adapter provided)
Battery life
N/A
N/A
N/A
Features
38mm transducer, 150 Ω nominal impedance, 6Hz – 39.5kHz frequency response, synthetic velour ear pads
40 mm Neodymium drivers, Bidirectional microphone polar pattern, ClearCast Gen 2 microphone, GameDac Gen 2 control panel
38mm transducer, 120 Ω nominal impedance, 6Hz - 38kHz frequency response, velour ear pads
Software
N/A
SteelSeries GG
N/A
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro
A premium wired gaming headset, the Arctis Nova Pro is one of my favorite tethered sets and the sibling of my favorite gaming headset ever made. The wired Nova Pro sports glorious sound quality, a host of attractive features, and a top microphone, and comes in at the same price range as the HD 550, so it is a direct gaming headset competitor to consider.
For more information, check out our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro reviewView Deal
Sennheiser HD560S
Cut from the same exquisite Sennheiser cloth as the HD 550, the HD560S might be a few years old now, but it’s an incredibly attractive option and offers exceptional value for money - particularly in the UK. Similarly priced to HD 550 in the US but often coming in cheaper, the HD560S offers wonderful sound quality in a similarly simple, lightweight, and comfortable design. You could even consider the Sennheiser HD650, too.
For more information, check out our full Sennheiser HD 560S reviewView Deal
(Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar)How I tested the Sennheiser HD 550I have used the Sennheiser HD 550 headphones as part of my work and gaming setup for a few months now, integrating them into my setup and using them alongside a host of other gear to test them out.
On my two PlayStation 5 setups, I plugged the headphones into a standard DualSense Wireless controller to test them with my PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim. I used them on both consoles for hours at a time, and also plugged them directly into my PlayStation Portal, too.
On PS5, I played Doom 2016 and Doom Eternal, almost my full playthrough of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and all of my Indiana Jones and The Great Circle playthrough. I also gave the headphones a test on Xbox Series X, plugging them into a Victrix Pro BFG for Xbox controller or a Thrustmaster eSwap X2 controller to play games like Botany Manor and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
When testing on my RTX 3090 gaming PC, I plugged the HD 550 directly into the machine to play Frostpunk 2, Control, and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, and then also teamed the HD 550 with a SteelSeries Alias Pro mic for work and video calls.
Putting the HD 550 set to test with music and entertainment, I used them as I normally would with the likes of Spotify and YouTube, but also hi-res audio providers like Tidal to really hone in on the audio offerings.
During my testing, I was able to compare the HD550 directly to the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro wired headset, the wireless variant, an Arctis Nova 7, and an Audeze Maxwell.
First reviewed March - May 2025
Ukraine and Russia have begun the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war, the largest such swap since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
(Image credit: Military Administration of Kyiv City)
Dan Brown’s legendary symbologist/action-hero has a new home over at Netflix, with the streamer set to adapt the author's upcoming new Robert Langdon book, The Secret of Secrets.
The adaptation has been co-created by Brown alongside former Lost producer Carlton Cuse, who will also serve as showrunner, and marks the fifth live action appearance of Langdon after three blockbuster movies and a somewhat forgotten Peacock show.
The franchise kicked off with The Da Vinci Code back in 2006, after the original 2003 novel became a global smash, selling over 80 million copies and becoming the best-selling American novel of all time.
The film adaptation was directed by Ron Howard and starred Tom Hanks as Langdon, alongside the likes of Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jean Reno and Paul Bettany.
Despite mixed critical reviews, the film was a hit with audiences, generating $760 million worldwide and becoming the second-highest-grossing film of the year (after Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, if you're interested).
Two sequels followed, with Angels and Demons – based on the first book in the franchise – arriving in 2009, and the belated Inferno, based on the fourth novel, hitting screens in 2016.
Howard returned to direct both instalments but poor reception and disappointing box office results saw the cinematic aspirations for the franchise put to bed with Hanks' trilogy.
Langdon did return, however, in the form of Peacock’s The Lost Symbol in 2021. The show reimagined the source novel as a prequel of sorts, casting Ashley Zukerman (Succession, Fear Street) as a young Robert Langdon, hired by the CIA to solve a series of puzzles linked to the disappearance of his mentor Peter Solomon (Eddie Izzard). However, the show was met with poor critical response, and dwindling audiences saw Peacock cancel the series after just one season.
But there seems to be life in the franchise yet, with one of the best streaming services set to skip book five in the series, Origin, and instead deliver a big budget adaptation of the upcoming sixth installment, The Secret of Secrets.
What can we expect from The Secret of Secrets?(Image credit: Penguin Random House)While Peacock’s iteration served as a quasi-prequel to the films, Netflix look set to completely reboot the franchise, with neither Hanks nor Zukerman set to reprise their role currently (and it's incredibly unlikely that will change), and no involvement from Howard.
The novel doesn’t land until September, so there’s not a huge amount out there about what we can expect from the new series, but Netflix has teased: “In the upcoming novel, Langdon, an esteemed symbologist, races against ancient forces and time to rescue a missing scientist, whose groundbreaking manuscript contains discoveries that have the power to forever change humanity’s understanding of the mind. The yet-to-be-titled TV series will blend futuristic science with mystical lore, delivering on the heart-pounding suspense and international intrigue that have made the Langdon stories a global phenomenon.”
We do know from previews of the novel that The Lost Symbol’s Katherine Solomon is likely to appear, previously played by Valorie Curry, while settings could include Prague, New York and London.
If previous Langdon adventures are anything to go by, we’d expect a global treasure hunt, cryptic puzzles and terrifying henchmen wrapped up in a race against time with a final act twist that’ll make your head spin.
Whatever the case, it’s likely to be an addictive, binge-worthy series and potentially one of the best Netflix shows, and I can’t wait to see who’ll be next to strap on the Mickey Mouse watch.
You might also likeFor more Netflix TV show-based coverage, read our guides on Stranger Things season 5, One Piece season 2, Squid Game season 3, and Knives Out 3.
The Marvel Rivals best controller settings can really make the difference when playing as certain Heroes. Depending on which character you prefer to use, your controller settings might be slightly different, with fast-moving characters like Spider-Man benefiting from high sensitivity and button mapping, while slower, more deliberate Heroes like Magneto will benefit from a tighter controller sensitivity.
Whether you're planning on jumping into Marvel Rivals' Competitive Mode or still experimenting in Quick Play, the tips below will give an overview of the main things to consider when setting up your controllers. I'll cover things like button mapping for those using pro controllers, what to consider when setting sensitivity, and how to apply custom settings for each Hero you use.
I've been playing Marvel Rivals since the beginning of Season 0, and have used my expertise to put together a Marvel Rivals tier list recently. Having toyed around with every Hero in the game, I'm confident that I'm able to give some advice on changes that'll help level the playing field in battle.
Marvel Rivals best controller settings: general tips(Image credit: NetEase)The best Marvel Rivals controller settings below cover some general tips for choosing your sensitivity and button mapping, as well as more tailored advice for specific class types and Heroes. Here are some general settings to consider:
The sensitivity you choose is extremely important in Marvel Rivals and depends mostly on what character you pick. Generally, you'll want to increase your sensitivity from the default. I tend to apply a Horizontal Value of 180 and a Vertical Value of 130 to all Heroes, then tweak from there. There are some Heroes, like Spider-Man and Wolverine, that benefit from very high sensitivity indeed. On Spider-Man, I run 220 and 170, respectively, to allow for quick movement while web swinging.
If you're playing a slower character like Magneto, who generally fires simple projectiles and faces forwards while shielding enemies, you can crank the sensitivity down. I go as low as 150 and 120 when playing Magneto, though sometimes I'll increase sensitivity if I find myself having to protect my healers more in a given match.
(Image credit: NetEase)Some of the Heroes in Marvel Rivals function like third-person shooters, like The Punisher. I find that a tighter sensitivity helps me hit my shots here. Experiment with different Heroes, then dial in your sensitivity based on their particular play style. With nearly 40 characters to choose from, there are a lot of different variables to consider. You might even look into Marvel Rivals Crosshairs, which will help dial in your Hero even further.
Marvel Rivals best Aim Sensitivity Curve(Image credit: NetEase)I recommend sticking with a Linear Aim Sensitivity curve, as it's likely what you'll be used to in other games. Personally, I've switched over to the Dual Zone S-Curve setting as I've gotten more and more used to Marvel Rivals, and Vanguard class Heroes in particular. Generally, I'm playing characters that need to stay locked onto enemies, only tilting the sticks gently to aim. I still swing the camera around occasionally to pivot my focus to my Strategists, so the S-Curve gives me a more gradual sensitivity increase above the midpoint.
Because of my play style, I like to have two distinct sensitivity portions to my sticks. Dual-Zone covers this, allowing me to use light movement to track enemies far away, and switch to a high sensitivity at a medium push of the sticks. After a while, I've learned to feel these parts of the sensitivity graph and can adjust my aiming accordingly.
Ultimately, you'll find that you'll naturally prefer one setting over another, but when starting out, I'd definitely stick to the default. This is especially suited to your early hours, where you're still experimenting with a wide variety of Heroes. Once you've found a main, you may wish to switch to another mode, like I have.
Dig into the Hero-specific controller settings(Image credit: NetEase)While in the Controller settings, and under 'Combat', you'll find the option to set specific settings per Hero. The majority of the Heroes in Marvel Rivals have exclusive settings. In the image above, you'll see that Magneto has options related to his shield, as well as his passive that lets him fall slowly from a height. Generally, I'd recommend turning on the option that lets you see the health bars of your allies. This is on by default when playing as a Strategist, but it's extremely helpful to have on most Heroes. The only exception here is for characters like Hela, where you'll want an unobstructed view for long-range kills.
Heroes like Spider-Man, Rocket, and Venom have climbing abilities, where I'd recommend selecting 'Advance towards crosshairs' for the direction. This is much easier to control than the default option. Speaking of Venom and Spider-Man, disable Auto-Swing, and you'll be able to web zip to the ground. Hold to Swing gives you more control as well. Whenever you're picking up a new character, spend some time in the Practice Range and dig into their Hero-specific settings, as some of them make a huge difference.
Make use of your back paddles(Image credit: NetEase)Now onto back paddles, which some of you will be using on certain controllers. I play Marvel Rivals using the DualSense Edge PS5 controller, so I have access to two back paddles. I have two different profiles set up, for different Heroes that I play as. The primary profile binds the 'X' button to the left back paddle, allowing me to jump without taking my hand off the right stick. This is my main recommendation for a button to map to a back paddle.
On the other I map either 'Square' for reload, and certain abilities like Spider-Man's Uppercut, or 'Circle' for Heroes like Mantis and Mr Fantastic, who have regular abilities that need to be triggered there. If you're lucky enough to have four back paddles, like with the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, I recommend sticking your general Ping onto one of them, and leaving the last one down to another one of your Hero's main abilities. For example, placing 'Triangle' onto a back paddle lets you activate Peni Parker's Symbiotic Team Up with Venom, without having to take your thumb off the right stick.
Setting your Trigger Effect Function and Vibration(Image credit: NetEase)Now onto vibration and triggers. It's usually recommended to switch off vibration completely while playing competitive games like Marvel Rivals, but I like having the Tactical setting selected. This gives cues when enemies are setting off ultimates, and generally just adds an extra level of immersion to battles. I find Marvel Rivals can get very visually messy, so audio and vibration can help me pick out what's happening more clearly.
For Trigger Effect Function, switch everything off. While the PS5's adaptive trigger features can be fun at times, they can be quite distracting when playing shooters. Similarly, I set my DualSense Edge to the lowest trigger input setting (smallest dot icon) using the switches on the back. They're closer to being buttons, meaning faster firing and simpler inputs.
Marvel Rivals best controller settings FAQCan you be good at Marvel Rivals on controller?Yes, you can be very good at Marvel Rivals on controller. While you'll not have the precision of a mouse and keyboard player, Marvel Rivals is a Hero shooter, and is as much about understanding the game as it is about good aim. For this reason, Vanguards tend to be good choices for controller players, especially Doctor Strange and Magneto. The Punisher is also great, as the aim assist on controller really pairs well with his primary fire at range.
Ultimately, unless you're planning on getting into the top three ranks in Marvel Rivals, you'll do just fine on controller. Heroes like Cloak and Dagger and Jeff are good to start with, as they don't require precision aiming, and will help you learn the ins and outs of battle while playing.
What's the best controller to use for Marvel RivalsThe best controller to use in Marvel Rivals is the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro. It features six mappable buttons (two on the bumpers, four on the back), and makes use of proprietary Razer PC gaming mouse tech for satisfying inputs. There's Hall effect thumbtacks too, eliminating the risk of stick drift. You can pick up either an Xbox or PlayStation version of this controller.
While tornadoes can obliterate communities, hailstorms cause damage across much larger areas.
(Image credit: Michael Swensen/Getty Images)
A hacker claims to have scraped 1.2 billion user records from Facebook, including people’s names, locations, and phone numbers. This is according to cybersecurity researchers Cybernews, who recently spotted a new thread on a dark web forum, promoting the gigantic database.
In the thread, the threat actor claims to have generated an entirely new database (rather than compiling information that was already available in the murky waters of the dark web), and that it contains user IDs, names, email addresses, usernames, phone numbers, locations, birthday data, and gender information.
Cybernews’ researchers analyzed parts of the data and confirmed that it is legitimate (at least the parts they looked at). This means that whoever grabs this database, can use the information found inside to launch highly convincing phishing attacks, engage in identity theft, and possibly even wire fraud.
Abusing extensionsBut there are other things to consider. Cybernews, for one, says that the claim of 1.2 billion user records should be taken with a massive grain of salt, for a number of reasons.
First, the threat actor only posted once before, so their reputation is questionable. Secondly, there’s been a similar, but smaller leak, in recent history, prompting the researchers to suggest that maybe this is the same archive, only re-packaged with a little extra information thrown in.
The data was allegedly picked up by abusing a Facebook API. Meta, the social media giant’s parent company, did not deny it, but did suggest that the attackers are simple fraudsters trying to share an old database as something entirely new.
“This is not a new claim. We disclosed this years ago and have taken steps to prevent similar incidents from happening since,” a Meta spokesperson told Cybernews, and shared a link to a company’s blog on how it combats scraping.
The researchers believe this could be one of the biggest data scrapes to have come from Facebook, and a testament to the company’s poor sense of customer security and privacy:
“Repeated incidents show a pattern of reactive rather than proactive security measures, particularly when it comes to protecting data that’s publicly visible but still sensitive. The lack of stronger safeguards and transparency undermines trust and leaves millions potentially exposed to phishing, scam, possibly identity theft, and long-term privacy issues,” the team said.
Via Cybernews
You might also likeThe relationship between cybersecurity and machine learning (ML) began with an ambitious, yet simple, idea. Harness everything algorithms have to offer and use it to identify patterns in vast datasets.
Prior to this, traditional threat detection relied heavily on signature-based techniques – effectively digital fingerprints of known threats. These methods, while helpful against familiar malware, struggled to meet the demand of the increasingly sophisticated tactics of cybercriminals and zero-day attacks.
In the end, this created a gap, which led to a wave of interest in using ML to identify anomalies, recognize patterns indicative of malicious behavior, and essentially predict attacks before they could fully wreak havoc. Some of the earliest successful applications of ML in the space included anomaly-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) and spam detection.
These early iterations relied heavily on observed learning, where historical data – both malicious and benign – was fed to algorithms to help them differentiate between the two. Over time, ML-powered applications grew to incorporate unsupervised learning and even reinforcement learning to adapt to the changing nature of the present threats.
Falling short of expectationsRecently, conversation has shifted to the introduction of large language models (LLM) like GPT-4. These models excel at summarizing reports, synthesizing large volumes of information, and generating natural language content. In the cybersecurity industy, they’ve been used to generate executive summaries and parse through threat intelligence feeds. Both of which require handling vast amounts of data and presenting it in an easy-to-understand form.
In line with this, we’ve seen the concept of a “copilot for security” surface – a tool intended to assist security analysts like a coding copilot helps a developer. The AI-powered copilot would act as a virtual Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst. Ideally, it would not just handle vast amounts of data and present it in a comprehendible way but also sift through alerts, contextualize incidents, and even propose follow up actions.
However, the ambition has fallen short. Whilst they show promise in specific workflows, LLMs have yet to deliver an indispensable and transformative use case for SOC teams.
Undoubtedly, cybersecurity is intrinsically contextual and complex. Analysts piece together fragmented information, understand the broader implications of a threat, and make decisions that require a nuanced understanding of their organization. All under immense pressure. These copilots can neither replace the expertise of a seasoned analyst nor effectively address the glaring pain points that they face. This is because they lack the situational awareness and deep understanding needed to make critical decisions.
This means that rather than serving as a dependable virtual analyst, these tools have often become a "solution looking for a problem.” Adding yet another layer of technology that analysts need to understand and manage, without delivering equal value.
A problem and solution: AI meet AIAs it stands, current implementations of AI are struggling to get into their groove. But, if businesses are going to properly support their SOC analysts, how do we bridge this gap?
The answer could lie in the development of agentic AI – systems capable of taking proactive independent actions, helping to combine automation and autonomy. Its introduction will help transform AI from a passive handy assistant to a crucial member of the SOC team.
By potentially allowing AI-driven entities to actively defend systems, engage in threat hunting, and adjust to novel threats without the constant need for human direction agentic AI offers a promising step forward for defensive cybersecurity. For example, instead of waiting for an analyst to issue commands, agentic AI could act on its own: isolating a compromised endpoint, rerouting network traffic, or even engaging in deception techniques to mislead attackers.
Have you put your trust in the machine?Despite this potential, organizations have often been slow in adopting new autonomous security technology that can act on its own. And this uncertainty may be well founded. Nobody wants to stop a senior executive from using their laptop based on a false alert or cause an outage in production. However, with the relationship between ML and cybersecurity set to continue developing, businesses mustn’t be deterred. Attackers don’t have this barrier to overcome. Without a second thought, they will use AI to disrupt, steal and extort their selected targets. This year, it appears organizations will likely face the bleakest threat landscape to date, driven by a malicious use of AI.
Consequently, the only way for businesses to combat this will be to be to join the AI arms race - using agentic AI to backup overwhelmed SOC teams. This can be accomplished through autonomous proactive actions, which can enable organizations to actively defend systems, engage in threat hunting and adapt to unique threats without requiring human intervention.
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