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The first time I heard The Velvet Sundown’s album Dust and Silence on Spotify, I thought to myself, hmm, that’s not too bad. It hits a lot of the notes I look for in music I can listen to in the background while I work: acoustic guitar, nice vocals, chill beats, and a mellow 60s psychedelic vibe. There’s only one problem: this band might not exist.

The Velvet Sundown is suspected of being an entirely AI-generated band. Despite posting pictures of its band members on its Instagram and X.com accounts, the pictures look very fake. In fact, they look exactly like they were created by AI.

It’s very hard to prove definitively if the band is fake, but the evidence mounts up: The pictures look fake, there’s no evidence that the band members really exist, and the music sounds like it could have been generated in an AI music tool, like Suno.

Famous YouTube musician Rick Beato even released an episode about the band, breaking down its songs into individual tracks to see if he could tell if it was AI-generated. His opinion? Yes, it is.

Upcoming tour

The band’s account on X.com is adamant that the band is real and makes its own music, even promising an upcoming live tour! A post from the band says, “This is our music, written in long, sweaty nights in a cramped bungalow in California with real instruments, real minds, and real soul. Every chord, every lyric, every mistake — HUMAN.”

I’ve reached out to the band, and they’ve emailed me back, saying they’re happy to answer questions, except that as soon as I suggest a video interview, they immediately ghost me. It feels like whoever is behind The Velvet Sundown is very much trolling the rest of us for publicity by pretending to be a real band, and as this article shows, it’s working.

Yesterday, The Velvet Sundown had 470,000 monthly listens on Spotify. When I look at its page today, they have gone up to 634,000. That’s a lot of revenue being diverted away from real bands who actually made their own music and towards a band whose music is created by AI from being trained on other people’s material, usually without attribution.

Dust and Silence from The Velvet Sundown, playing on Apple Music. (Image credit: The Velvet Sundown)Apple and Spotify

What’s interesting is that both Apple and Spotify are happily streaming the band’s music while not flagging it as AI. Don’t we, the paying punters, deserve to know if the band we are listening to is fake?

In fact, The Velvet Sundown is one of a number of recent ‘bands’ that have exposed a massive loophole in the big music streaming services like Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music: They have absolutely no requirement that AI music be flagged as AI-generated.

Interestingly, the smaller-sized streaming service Deezer does, and it has used its own technology to identify The Velvet Sundown’s music as AI-generated, and it flags it as such.

Deezer flags Dust and Silence as "Ai-generated content". (Image credit: Deezer)

The Velvet Sundown isn’t the only band suspected of being AI-generated (other suspected bands include Stellar Cruise and The Luna Lounge), but we’re only at the start of this problem. Music streaming services are about to be overrun by AI-generated content, and they need to act fast.

I don’t want to be sending whatever meagre cents that music streams generate these days to a band that doesn't exist when there are plenty of struggling artists who need genuine support. Perhaps this whole mess will lead Apple and Spotify to rethink their policies on flagging AI music and take a leaf out of Deezer’s book, because I think it should be their responsibility to tell us, their paying customers, if the music we are listening to is AI-generated or not.

Whether they are real or not, after the success of The Velvet Sundown, an absolute deluge of AI music will be on the way now that people have realized it’s an easy way to generate revenue, and Apple and Spotify do not flag it as such. And the next generation of AI bands will probably be a bit cleverer about hiding the fact that they are AI-generated.

We’ve reached out to both Apple and Spotify for comment on AI music on their streaming platforms and will update this article if we receive any.

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Now that the PS5 Pro is in the hands of gamers everywhere, the list of PS5 Pro enhanced games continues to grow. Around launch, Sony detailed 50+ titles that have dedicated modes that make use of everything the upgraded console has to offer. Since then we've even put together a best PS5 Pro games list, highlighting the ten top titles that are enhanced on the new console.

Now that the PS5 Pro is out, and we've finalized our PS5 Pro review, there's a lot to love about Sony's most powerful console. Thanks to the PS5 Pro specs, it's no surprise that games such as Marvel's Spider-Man 2 look and feel better than ever, leveraging AI-driven upscaling and improved raytracing. Now that the dust has settled on the PS5 Pro launch, we’ve even been able to spend time with many of the upgraded games, and feel confident offering some recommendations on the PS5 Pro games to play first.

Before you seek out where to buy a PS5 Pro, however, you'll want to know what games have received upgrades, which is where we come in. In this article, we'll cover every PS5 Pro game confirmed so far, including a look at what's set to change in each title. As more games are unveiled in the future, we'll be sure to update this list.

Update (July 2, 2025): Added details on Death Stranding 2, which is out now, featuring PS5 Pro enhancements.

PS5 Pro games list - confirmed PS5 Pro-enhanced titles

(Image credit: Guerrilla Games)

Given that there are now over 100 PS5 Pro enhanced games, and with each developer handling things slightly differently, the list below represents just a small slice of the headline games that have received beefy PS5 Pro updates since launch:

• 007: First Light - enhanced for PlayStation 5 Pro, using PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and having optimized performance, with the game playable at 60 FPS in Quality Mode. Coming in 2026.
• Alan Wake 2 - Performance Mode now offers 4K at the same fidelity as the base PS5's Quality Mode. The PS5 Pro Quality Mode however, will target raytracing. As confirmed in this blog post.
• Assassin’s Creed: Shadows - exhibist an enhanced ray-traced global illumination technology. Improved fidelity thanks to expanded GPU capabilities, and leveraging of PSSR. As per the PS Blog.
• Death Stranding 2 - higher visual fidelity in Performance Mode. You can read our thoughts on the upgrades here: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach sold me on the PS5 Pro
• Demon’s Souls - 4K image-like quality at 60 frames per second.
• Dragon’s Dogma 2 - benefits from the power of the PS5 Pro, PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and new ray tracing technology, allowing improved framerates.
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard - The game’s Fidelity and Performance modes both see improvements on the hardware, including improved resolution in 30FPS Fidelity and 60FPS Performance modes.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - enhanced on PlayStation 5 Pro
• Doom: The Dark Ages - enhanced on PS5 Pro. details not given.
• Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - The new Enhanced Mode* developed especially for PS5 Pro combines the characteristics of the existing Performance Mode and Graphics Mode to offer players a new visual experience.
• F1 24 - F1 24 is upgrading its Quality mode to add new ray tracing effects that shined particularly on rain-soaked courses and made the tracks feel more realistic and immersive. As per the PS Blog.
• Gran Turismo 7 - now able to support ray tracing during races, which was previously impossible. This allows not only for car surfaces to show full reflections of other cars, but also for a car to reflect its own parts, greatly enhancing realism and immersion throughout the whole game.
• Hogwarts Legacy - Players are able to experience crisper, richer, higher resolution graphics, leveraging PSSR on all visual modes.
• Horizon Forbidden West - you can now enjoy a visual quality that matches or surpasses the Quality mode on the regular PlayStation 5, but now at 60 FPS – double the framerate.
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - experience next-level realism and image clarity with native 4K resolution and advanced ray tracing.
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 2 finds a new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - PSSR technology allows for the trees and the lush vegetation of the game’s iconic jungle terrain to become more vivid, and enhances the sense of realism of infiltrating through a natural environment
• Monster Hunter Wilds - Resolution Mode for full Ray Tracing at 4K and 30FPS. Performance Mode allows for uncapped frame rate. Balanced Mode with some Ray Tracing at 40FPS on 120Hz monitors
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
• Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered - new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
• Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales - new default Performance Pro mode, which marries the crisp 4K resolution and ray tracing features of Fidelity mode with the speedy 60 frames per second of Performance mode.
• Resident Evil 4 Remake - the game runs at a higher framerate, making the dynamic action even more intense. Resident Evil 4 also uses the power of PS5 Pro for ultra-high-resolution technology, painting vividly realistic imagery brimming with detailed environments and more natural and beautiful visual effects than ever before.
• Resident Evil Village - added 120fps gameplay to provide the best possible user experience on PS5 Pro.
• Returnal - new resolution offering a boost of up to 2.5x
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - In Quality Mode, the game offers its highest-ever console resolution at 2160p. At the same time, Performance Mode continues to deliver a solid 60 fps—but now with higher resolutions and the added visual depth of ray tracing for reflections and ambient occlusion.
• Stellar Blade - 4K resolution at 50fps or more, with smoother gameplay, and you’ll notice an improvement in grain and detail in the game in PSSR upscale mode. Plus, the HFR (high framerate) option is supported, allowing you to enjoy a fluid gaming experience at 80 fps (120hz display support required).
• The Crew Motorfest - more objects on-screen – decals, vegetation, crowds – all running at 60fps.
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered - PS5 Pro Enhanced
• The First Descendant - expanding the ray tracing feature by leveraging PS5 Pro’s superior GPU performance and enhanced ray tracing architecture.
• The Last of Us Part I - new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that takes advantage of improved graphics processing, rendering 1440p, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR super resolution. This mode maintains the 60 fps target, offering an ideal balance of framerate and resolution.
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered - new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode that takes advantage of improved graphics processing, rendering 1440p, then upscaling to 4K via PSSR super resolution. This mode maintains the 60 fps target, offering an ideal balance of framerate and resolution.
• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 - Upscaled resolution of 2160p. Target performance of 60FPS, unlocked with VRR enabled. Leverages PSSR upscaling technology.
• Lies of P - "Quality Mode benefits from more than a 30 percent increase in FPS, delivering smoother, more fluid gameplay. Additionally, Performance Mode now supports full native 4K resolution, allowing players to enjoy stunning visuals without sacrificing responsiveness," - Lies of P director Jiwon Choi in an interview with Eurogamer.
• Lords of the Fallen - the PS5 Pro enhanced version of the action role-playing game (RPG) allows players to experience a "40% increase in pixel density over the base PlayStation 5 console, resulting in a sharper image and finer details. Read the full details here.
• Zenless Zone Zero - native 4K resolution and 60 FPS simultaneously with the average frame rate increasing by nearly ten frames. Update arrives December 18, 2024.

And now, a highlight of the major titles that have received a PS5 Pro patch, as previously confirmed on the PS Blog ahead of the PS5 Pro launch.

• Alan Wake 2
• Albatroz
• Apex Legends
• Arma Reforger
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage
• Assassin's Creed Shadows
• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• EA Sports College Football 25
• Dead Island 2
• Dead Rising Deluxe Remastered
• Demon’s Souls
• Diablo IV
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• Dying Light 2 Reloaded Edition
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• EA Sports FC 25
• Enlisted
• F1 24
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Fortnite
• God of War Ragnarök
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Horizon Forbidden West
• Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Kayak VR: Mirage
• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
• Lies of P
• Lords of the Fallen
• Madden NFL 25
• Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• NBA2K 25
• Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
• No Man’s Sky
• Palworld
• Paladin’s Passage
• Path of Exile 2
• Planet Coaster 2
• Professional Spirits Baseball 2024-2025
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil 4
• Resident Evil Village
• Rise of the Ronin
• Rogue Flight
• Slitterhead
• Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
• Star Wars: Outlaws
• Stellar Blade
• Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
• The Callisto Protocol
• The Crew Motorfest
• The Finals
• The First Descendant
• The Last of Us Part I
• The Last of Us Part II Remastered
• UFC 25
• UFL
• Until Dawn
• War Thunder
• Warframe
• Warhammer 40,000 Darktide
• World of Warships: Legend
• Zenless Zone Zero
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

The games above have received dedicated PS5 Pro versions, and are even be labeled separately to indicate as such. There's also a whole host of PS4 and PS5 games that'll benefit from what Sony is calling PS5 Pro Game Boost (as per the PS Blog):

"With the PS5 Pro version of the Game Boost feature, you can enjoy faster and smoother frame rates in some of the PS4 and PS5 console’s greatest games."

This is said to apply to at least 8,500 PS4 and PS5 titles, so there are plenty of changes and upgrades on the way to the games you already own if you do choose to pick up a PS5 Pro. In addition, PS5 Pro will significantly enhance PSVR 2 games according to Mark Cerny.

PS5 Pro enhanced games - what's the difference?

As part of the initial PS5 Pro technical presentation, we saw a few games running on the new hardware, highlighting the differences relative to the base PS5 console. Each enhanced game benefits from the new specs in different ways, but they all pull from the improvements below:

• Upgraded GPU with 67% more compute units and 28% faster memory; resulting in 45% faster rendering
• Advanced ray-tracing
• AI-driven upscaling known as PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR)
• 2TB SSD
• PS5 Pro Game Boost
• Optional disc-drive
• VRR and 8K gaming support

(Image credit: PlayStation)

In our PS5 Pro review, we came to the conclusion that the main attraction is really “the convergence of graphical fidelity and performance with games now able to tap into the PS5 Pro’s hardware and features to shine in both ways - at the same time”. This boosted graphical fidelity is, more often than not, on par with the Quality Modes of the base PS5, but with a much smoother experience thanks to 60FPS or higher. This best of both worlds approach is really going to be the key difference moving forward, though it’s likely that we’ll see developers experiment further with higher end graphical settings that focus on ray tracing, or make use of the hardware’s new AI-boosted upscaling.

Speaking on ray tracing, there have been significant advancements for many of the games now enhanced by the PS5 Pro. In our PS5 Pro review, we were impressed by the ray tracing across the board, noting that “you can now enjoy some of the best ray-tracing PS5 has to offer in a performance mode, targeting 60 frames per second, which is truly special in games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.” So far, we’re looking at games that have already come out as well, so moving forward we’re excited to see what the PS5 Pro’s ray tracing capabilities can achieve as games get bigger and better looking across the board.

PS5 Pro review: The TechRadar Gaming verdict

(Image credit: Future)

Our Managing Editor, Rob Dwiar, spent some time with the PS5 Pro pre-launch, and gave his verdict in the TechRadar Gaming PS5 Pro review. He concludes that the PS5 Pro “is a superb console and now the best PlayStation 5 machine available. The advancements are glorious and bring a new level of immersion and beauty to games, while also boosting performance levels to offer fluid and smooth frame rates and very high levels of image fidelity - at the same time - offering a clear advancement over the base PS5, and will be perfect for those enthusiasts yearning for more from the camps of fidelity and performance.”

One thing that is immediately surprising when taking the PS5 Pro out of the box is its size and weight relative to the base model, especially the one that launched with a disc drive back in 2020. The PS5 Pro is much lighter than you’d expect, and its sleek design and black vented sides really stand out alongside the all white of the PS5’s faceplates. Under the hood, you now get 2TB of storage as standard, meaning that you can hold more games on your hard drive without having to swap things out for new releases.

While the technical upgrades and visual changes are indeed exciting, it’s also vital to point out the price jump between the base PS5 and the PS5 Pro. For $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199, you do not get a disc drive, or even a vertical stand, something that really represents a sting in the tail for an otherwise enticing mid-generation upgrade. Our review concludes that “If you’ve a keen eye for detail, are a PlayStation fanatic who wants to be at the bleeding edge of the brand’s console and wants the most performant PlayStation console going, or you’re a graphics obsessive who wants the best experience going, or are a PS5 user with a new 120Hz-capable gaming TV or PS5 monitor, then the gaming experiences provided by the PS5 Pro are going to be very tempting indeed. For everyone else, it’s just going to be too expensive.”

You can read more on the differences between the Pro and the base PS5 in our PS5 Pro vs PS5 article.

PS5 Pro games: FAQsWill new games be PS5 Pro-enhanced?

While we'll have to wait and see what upcoming PS5 games like Ghost of Yōtei do with the new PS5 Pro technology, it's highly likely that first-party games will offer some form of PS5 Pro version. This was how things worked with the PS4 Pro, so expect there to be boosts to upcoming games like Marvel's Wolverine, and Saros. In terms of third-party, PS5 Pro enhancements will come on a case by case basis. Some games will lean into the PS5 Pro's features, even offering separate PS5 Pro-labelled versions, while others may focus on a more general PS5 offering.

How much does the PS5 Pro cost?

The PS5 Pro launched on November 7, 2024, and currently retails for $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,999.95. This is a significant step up from the base console, especially when you consider that you won't get a disc drive or a vertical stand with it.

What games are the TechRadar Gaming looking forward to on PS5 Pro?

Now that the PS5 Pro is out, we’ve spent some time with the currently available list of enhanced games. Looking ahead, Borderlands 4 and Ghost of Yōtei will most likely show off the next level of PS5 Pro enhancements, especially the latter, which is being developed by Sony first party studio Sucker Punch. Beyond that, we've just had news of 007: First Light's PS5 Pro support, arriving in 2026.

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• Apple is paying out $95 million to settle a Siri class-action lawsuit
• If you think you're eligible, you need to submit a claim by the end of July 2
• Apple has denied all wrongdoing in settling the case

Back in January, Apple agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit related to its Siri voice assistant. The case saw some Apple device owners claim that Siri had disclosed their private conversations to advertisers, following "unintended Siri activations".

Apple denied all wrongdoing and agreed to settle the case to "avoid additional litigation" (more on that below). But the result of the 'Lopez vs Apple Inc' suit means that, if you owned and used an Apple device between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024, you could be due a small slice of the payout. You'll need to be quick, though – the deadline is today, July 2.

Those who are eligible could be a line for a maximum payout of $100 (that's $20 per device, for up to five Siri devices). Not exactly a lottery jackpot, but worth investigating if you think you've been affected by unintentionally activating Siri during a private conversation during that period.

As The Verge reports, many of those affected will have received an email titled “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement" (from the address 'info@lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com'). Despite sounding like spam, this is a genuine email containing details like your 'claimant identification code' and more.

But even if you didn't receive this, you can also submit a claim. Here's a quick breakdown of what happened, how Apple's responded and how to file a claim if you think you've been affected...

What happened?

The lawsuit's plaintiffs alleged that "confidential or private communications" were "obtained by Apple and/or shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation". According to the suit's homepage, that took place sometime between 17 September, 2014 and 31 December, 2024.

But how? Apple has always maintained that iPhones don't 'listen' to their owners, aside from when wake words like 'Hey, Siri' are used. Well, the key is that phrase "unintended Siri activation".

The plaintiffs say that Siri not only tuned into private conversations by mistake – perhaps by mishearing a wake word – but also used that information to subsequently trigger ads.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / DedMityay)

Again, Apple denies that this is possible, stating that "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose".

Nevertheless, as Reuters reported, two plaintiffs claimed that their mentions on Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants later resulted in them getting ads for those products, while another plaintiff claimed they got ads for a brand name surgical treatment after talking about it with their doctor.

What did Apple say?

Despite agreeing to pay $95 million to settle the Siri lawsuit, Apple was pretty bullish in its response – and admitted no wrongdoing, despite settling the suit.

Apple told us that "Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose,” adding that collected data is only used to improve the virtual assistant.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images)

In a separate statement, it added: "Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private."

That's fairly emphatic then, but the settlement means that potentially millions of Apple device owners could be eligible for a claim – here's how to check to see if you're one of them.

How to claim

(Image credit: Lopez v Apple Inc)

If you think you're eligible for a payout in the 'Lopez v Apple Inc' lawsuit, you'll need to use the official claim form and submit it by the end of July 2, 2025.

You'll need to meet some pretty specific criteria in order to be eligible for a payout. That criteria is below and the claim form asks you to confirm all of the below under oath:

• between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024 you bought or owned a Siri device in the United States, and enabled Siri on that device
• you experienced an "unintended Siri activation" in that period
• that unintended Siri activation took place "during a conversation intended to be confidential and private"

You can make claims for up to five Siri devices – these can include iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, MacBooks, iMacs, HomePods, the iPod touch, or Apple TVs.

As mentioned above, many of those who are potentially eligible will have received an email titled "Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement". But you don't necessarily need to have received that email to make a claim – if not, just click "New Claim" in the claim form and enter your details from there.

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We’re officially over halfway through the year and Paramount+ is still proving it’s the king of the best streaming services for classic movies. Amazingly, we’ve got even more added to its hefty binge list from July 2025.

Jackass is making a huge comeback to the platform with seven of its unhinged movies dropping this month, while tear-jerkers Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Titanic (1997) will make sure we completely run out of tissues.

That’s before we even get to the two big-hitters this month: Dexter: Resurrection and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. Strange New Worlds is a sequel of the original series, while Resurrection is technically a sequel of a prequel of its main show.

Keeping up? You’ve got some serious binging to do of the best Paramount+ shows.

Everything new on Paramount+ in July 2025

Arriving on July 1

A Soldier's Story (movie)

A Walk Among the Tombstones (movie)

A Walk on the Moon (movie)

Airplane II: The Sequel (movie)

Airplane! (movie)

An Officer and a Gentleman (movie)

Beverly Hills Cop (movie)

Beverly Hills Cop II (movie)

Beverly Hills Cop III (movie)

Boys And Girls (movie)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (movie)

Chicago (movie)

City of God (movie)

City of Men (movie)

Congo (movie)

Cracks (movie)

Crisis (movie)

Defiance (movie)

Don Jon (movie)

Downhill Racer (movie)

Election (movie)

Failure to Launch (movie)

Full Metal Jacket (movie)

G.I. Blues (movie)

G.I. Jane (movie)

Gasoline Alley (movie)

Girl, Interrupted (movie)

Glory (movie)

Go (movie)

Hamburger Hill (movie)

Hit & Run (movie)

Jackass 2.5 (movie)

Jackass 3 (movie)

Jackass 3.5 (movie)

Jackass Number 2 (movie)

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (movie)

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 Unrated (movie)

Jackass: The Movie (movie)

Jarhead (movie)

John Grisham's The Rainmaker (movie)

Limitless (movie)

Looper (movie)

Lords of Dogtown (movie)

Machete Kills (movie)

Major League (movie)

Monster Summer (movie)

Mud (movie)

Pet Sematary (2019) (movie)

Rules of Engagement (movie)

Saving Private Ryan (movie)

Seabiscuit (movie)

Set It Off: Director's Cut (movie)

Side Effects (movie)

Sleepless (movie)

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (movie)

Stardust (movie)

Staten Island Summer (movie)

Stop-Loss (movie)

The Aviator (movie)

The Book of Henry (movie)

The Fighter (movie)

The Gunman (movie)

The Killer Inside Me (movie)

The Lincoln Lawyer (movie)

The Patriot (movie)

The Presidio (movie)

The Quiet American (movie)

The Survivalist (movie)

The To Do List (movie)

The Virgin Suicides (movie)

Titanic (movie)

Training Day (movie)

World Trade Center (movie)

Zero Dark Thirty (movie)

Arriving on July 2

Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues special (TV show)

Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado (TV show)

Dora season 3 (TV show)

Arriving on July 8

White Famous season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on July 10

The Great Debaters (movie)

Big Brother season 27 (TV show)

Arriving on July 11

Dexter: Resurrection (TV show)

Arriving on July 13

Alone in Berlin (movie)

Arriving on July 16

The Challenge: All Stars season 5 (TV show)

Max and the Midknights season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on July 17

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 (TV show)

Arriving on July 23

RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 (TV show)

RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked season 16 (TV show)

Arriving on July 30

CMT Live - Nate Smith at Busch Country: One Night Only (TV show)

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According to recent research, nearly half of the FTSE 100 now have a Chief AI Officer (CAIO) – with 42% of those hires happening in just the last year. On paper, this looks like real momentum, as boardrooms recognize the huge transformational potential of artificial intelligence (AI).

With investors asking, employees experimenting, and competitors charging ahead, the pressure to ‘do something with AI’ is everywhere. For many organizations, a new C-suite title feels like a signal of intent.

But leadership titles alone won’t fix underlying data issues – and in most enterprises, their data isn’t yet AI ready. So, the question is: are CAIOs a sign of strategic evolution, or a symptom of something more reactive?

Who owns AI? Balancing responsibilities between CAIOs and CDOs

In many organizations, the CAIO steps into an environment that already includes a Chief Data Officer (CDO). In others, CDOs are simply absorbing the AI remit without additional support or clarity. It may tick a box on the surface, but it doesn’t solve the underlying issue: who’s actually accountable for AI success?

The result is often blurred lines, overlapping mandates, which can potentially lead to internal friction. CAIOs may be tasked with developing an AI strategy to support technology goals, while the CDO manages data governance, but overlapping responsibilities can sometimes lead to differences over resources and accountability, which may slow the progress of their shared initiatives.

What’s needed is more than simply another title. It’s clarity. AI initiatives are far more likely to succeed when there’s clear ownership of the data lifecycle – from ingestion and governance through to analytics and deployment. Without that end-to-end view, AI projects become fragmented and fail to scale.

AI ambition meets data reality

While boards chase cutting-edge AI strategies, their IT teams are often stuck managing fragmented and outdated data – and legacy systems that weren’t built for AI. IT teams are dealing with dozens of disconnected sources, each with its own structure, format, and security posture. This disconnect between business goals and execution makes it difficult to translate strategy into implementation at scale.

The situation is intensified by relentless data growth, increasingly complex regulatory demands, and hybrid environments spanning both cloud and on-premises infrastructure.

Traditionally, organizations have turned to point solutions to manage scale and compliance. While these tools can accelerate specific use cases and give the impression of faster time to value, they often introduce their own set of complications. Integration challenges, fragmented workflows, and the need for specialized training can all erode long-term ROI – resulting in long-term complexity. This is effectively imposing a ‘data integration tax’ on organizations, at a time when they want to accelerate AI investment.

Many organizations underestimate just how foundational the data layer is. AI requires full visibility into where data lives, how it flows, who has access, and how it’s governed – wherever it resides – whether on-prem, in the cloud, or at the edge. You can’t trust your AI output if you don’t trust your data input.

This is why unified data management platforms are so critical. Without a consistent approach to control, access, and lifecycle management, AI models are not being built on a strong enough foundation. This gap between vision and reality is exactly where a CAIO should be equipped to translate complex technical potential into practical solutions.

CAIOs don’t have to be deep technologists – but they must be translators

Another misconception in the CAIO role is that you need an advanced technical background, like a PhD in machine learning, to do the job. In reality, many of today’s effective AI leaders come from business or operational backgrounds. They understand how to align AI strategy with business outcomes – and just as importantly, how to communicate that strategy to the board.

The real value of the CAIO isn’t just technical – it’s also translational. The best one's act as a bridge between data science teams and the wider organization, making sure that AI initiatives are solving real business problems. They know how to ask the right questions, interpret what’s possible, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver impact.

Of course, technical literacy is integral. But it’s the ability to integrate this with business outcomes and communicate cross functionally across the business that sets a great CAIO apart.

Before businesses hire, they need to ask if they’re ready

There’s no question that CAIOs can add enormous value. But only if the foundations are in place. If the data is fragmented, governance controls are poor, and internal ownership is unclear, even the most visionary AI leader will struggle to deliver results.

That’s why forward-thinking organizations need to ask themselves questions before rushing to hire. Do we have full visibility across our data lifecycle? Are we applying governance and security consistently, no matter where our data lives? Is our architecture flexible enough to support AI at scale? And critically, do we have the cultural and operational readiness to embed AI in a way that actually delivers value?

In this context, it's not about rushing to appoint someone just to show momentum. It’s about ensuring they have the structure, support, and systems in place to actually make a difference. At the end of the day, it’s not the title that will define a company's AI success – it’s the trust they have in their data.

We've featured the best AI chatbot for business.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Wireless Account Lock is now available for AT&T consumer and business users alike
• Free feature that can be toggled in the myAT&T app
• The feature prevents SIM-swapping and similar attacks

AT&T has introduced a new feature to protect consumer and business accounts from SIM-swapping attacks.

Wireless Account Lock will be able to disable several key account changes, a key part of SIM-swapping, which can give attackers control of a victim’s phone number and lets them intercept SMS-based two-factor authentication app codes.

“The lock forces an extra step before important account changes can be made,” AT&T said of the new tool. “It prevents anyone from buying a device on the account, for example, or conducting a SIM swap – moving a phone number to a SIM in a different device.”

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Malicious insiders and tricked employees

The feature is now available in the myAT&T app for postpaid consumer wireless accounts. There, users can toggle it on or off, adding an extra step before they can upgrade a device, change a SIM or an eSIM card, initiate a phone number transfer, add a new line, change billing information, change authorized users, or change phone numbers.

For business users, there is the Business Account Lock and an AT&T Prepaid wireless account lock with similar functions. For businesses, account admins can find the lock switch wherever they access the account online.

Adversaries typically pull off SIM swapping attacks by tricking or bribing mobile carrier employees, or using stolen personal data to impersonate the victim and convince the carrier to transfer the number to a SIM card they control.

Once successful, the attacker can reset passwords and take over sensitive accounts like email, banking, or crypto wallets.

Although it might sound far-fetched, these types of attacks happen all the time - most recently, Bitdefender reported a student interning at the Société Générale bank was arrested under suspicion of helping SIM-swapping scammers defraud 50 clients.

Via MacRumors

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• Proton has joined a US lawsuit against Apple over anti-competitive practices
• The suit seeks both changes in the App Store ecosystem and monetary damages
• On April 30, 2025, a US judge found Apple guilty of violating the 2021 Epic Games case federal injunction over illegal monopoly

Swiss privacy firm Proton has sued Apple over anti-competitive practices that, the company warns, undermine freedom and democracy, hurt privacy-first companies, and lead to a worse user experience.

The provider behind one of the best VPN, secure email, encrypted calendar, and password manager services, Proton, has joined an existing class-action lawsuit in the US against Apple on Monday, June 30, 2025.

The suit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks changes in the App Store ecosystem as well as monetary damages. The latter, Proton said, will be donated to organizations fighting for democracy and human rights via the nonprofit behind the company, Proton Foundation.

Why Proton is suing Apple

"Apple’s monopoly control of software distribution on iOS devices presents a myriad of problems for consumers, businesses, and society as a whole," wrote Proton in a blog post.

"Anti-monopoly laws exist because the power gifted by monopoly status inevitably leads to abuse. In the case of oligarchic tech giants, these abuses have wide implications for society, and it’s vital to the future of the internet that they be addressed now."

Specifically, Proton claims that Apple's policies favor a surveillance capitalism model that hurts privacy and privacy-first companies.

Apple not only requires all developers to pay an annual fee to be in the App Store, but it also takes a 30% cut from all subscription payments made through iOS apps.

On April 30, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found this behavior to violate her federal injunction over illegal monopoly issued in 2021 in the Epic Games case.

The Big Tech giant was indeed supposed to halt anti-competitive practices by giving third-party developers more power to redirect users to cheaper non-Apple payment options.

On that occasion, Proton's Founder and CEO, Andy Yen, said that the company could lower its pricing by up to 30% if Apple were finally forced to remove its tax on the App Store.

In response to the recent court ruling in the US against Apple's illegal in-app purchase monopoly, @ProtonPrivacy will finally be allowed to let iOS users purchase subscriptions outside of the app store. No Apple tax means we will lower prices for users by up to 30%.May 1, 2025

Proton also warns that Apple's total control of the App Store endangers app distribution across different markets.

"Apple argues this control is necessary for security reasons. But the reality is that this has made Apple the single point of failure for free speech and a tool of dictatorships," said the provider.

In 2024 alone, for example, Apple has removed at least 60 VPN apps from Russia's App Store at the request of authorities, for a total of nearly 100 applications unavailable in Apple's market in Russia.

We are seeking to permanently end anti-competitive behavior on the App Store

Proton

Researchers at AppleCensorship also found a staggering 11,026 unavailable apps in China's App Store, which affect sensitive categories like virtual private network (VPN) – ProtonVPN included – other privacy software (like ProtonMail, Signal, and DuckDuckGo), news apps, social media, and even dating applications.

Proton also accuses Apple of "intentionally crippling third-party apps that compete with Apple services," ultimately delivering Apple users a worse internet experience.

For example, Apple allegedly prevents users from using the Proton Calendar app as a default option, Proton said, despite this interoperability being available for email services.

What's next?

As mentioned earlier, Proton has joined an existing lawsuit that was filed on May 23 against Apple by a group representing Korean app developers.

Yet, the lawsuit isn't just about money. The decision to join this legal action against such a tech behemoth, Proton said, stems from the commitment to improve the state of the internet by changing Apple App Store policies once and for all.

"We are seeking to permanently end anti-competitive behavior on the App Store, and we are joining this lawsuit to ensure that any future settlement enforces real changes to Apple’s practices and policies to benefit all consumers, developers, and competition, and not just cosmetic changes," said Proton.

We approached Apple for comments, but we're still waiting for a response at the time of publication.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, July 2 (game #1255).

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 #1256) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1256) - 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 #1256) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1256) - 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 #1256) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• E

• G

• E

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

Quordle today (game #1256) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1256, are…

• DANCE
• EYING
• GLAZE
• EGRET

I only just completed Qourdle today, after making two rookie errors.

I failed to check before typing out “glade” and ignored that the letter D had already been ruled out for this word. And then I gambled on a double letter with “greet”. Still, both mistakes led me to the correct answers, so I’m not too disappointed in myself.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1256) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1256, are…

• ZEBRA
• MINCE
• STOOP
• TOWEL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY
• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, July 2 (game #752).

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 #753) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CONTACT
• NUMBER
• EXCHANGE
• INSURANCE
• ARRIVAL
• COLLEGE
• MARKET
• POSITION
• ALMANAC
• FLIGHT
• DEALINGS
• TEAM
• GATE
• TAN
• DESTINATION
• INTERACTION

NYT Connections today (game #753) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Communicating
• GREEN: Crucial at the terminal
• BLUE: Player information
• PURPLE: Preceded by a profession that rhymes with “llama”

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 #753) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CORRESPONDENCE 
• GREEN: AIRPORT BOARD INFO 
• BLUE: PRO ATHLETE DATA 
• PURPLE: FARMERS' THINGS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #753) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #753, are…

• YELLOW: CORRESPONDENCE CONTACT, DEALINGS, EXCHANGE, INTERACTION
• GREEN: AIRPORT BOARD INFO ARRIVAL, DESTINATION, FLIGHT, GATE
• BLUE: PRO ATHLETE DATA COLLEGE, NUMBER, POSITION, TEAM
• PURPLE: FARMERS' THINGS ALMANAC, INSURANCE, MARKET, TAN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

My first two mistakes came trying to put together AIRPORT BOARD INFO including POSITION and then NUMBER instead of ARRIVAL. It seems obvious now, of course, but the word “time” after “arrival” would have helped.

Next, I struggled to see what was left from the eight remaining words and landed at PRO ATHLETE DATA through some fortunate shuffling. 

I had never heard of several of these FARMERS’ THINGS before, but can see now why a farmer’s TAN could be a unique thing, as it indicates someone who works outside a great deal. 

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, July 2, game #752)

• YELLOW: KNOCKOFF BOOTLEG, COPY, FAKE, REPLICA
• BLUE: WORDS AFTER "T-" MOBILE, PAIN, REX, SHIRT
• GREEN: ASSOCIATED WITH FREUD DREAMS, ID, OEDIPUS, SLIP
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE ABBREVIATIONS FRESHWATER, JUNIPER, SENECA, SOPHOCLES

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, July 2 (game #486).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… ... Beyond vanilla

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MARCH
• BROWN
• BORE
• STRETCH
• SCOTCH
• CROWN

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #487) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 3rd column

Last side: top, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #487) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #487, are…

• CHERRY
• COFFEE
• BUTTERSCOTCH
• BROWNIE
• PISTACHIO
• SPANGRAM: ICE CREAM

• My rating: Tricky
• My score: 1 hint

In many ways this was my perfect Strands game. It was tricky, but not too tricky. The spangram was of a standard, acceptable length. There were no disputable words. 

Most of all, it made me think about my favorite treat for a few minutes.

I forget that I’m lactose intolerant when it comes to ICE CREAM (in case anyone wants an argument, my theory is that every human is lactose intolerant) and especially when it comes to PISTACHIO ice cream.

I’d been under the impression that it was a relatively rare flavor, but here it is rubbing shoulders with the other top alternatives to the ice cream flavor mafia of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. The Salted Caramel team are going to be really annoyed they didn’t make into this puzzle.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, July 2, game #486)

• FEATHER
• TWIG
• WOOL
• GRASS
• LEAF
• FLUFF
• MOSS
• SPANGRAM: NESTING MATERIAL

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.

Now we know why your favorite fast food now costs more than ever before.

Netflix has a bonkers new anime movie that has proven to be a smash hit, as critics and audiences across the globe race to stream the viral animation.

Since dropping on June 20, KPop Demon Hunters has shot to the top of the streamer's charts, becoming the number one most-watched movie worldwide. The new Netflix movie has also topped the charts in a variety of countries and is sitting comfortably in the top 10 everywhere that one of the best streaming services is available.

It’s hardly surprising considering critics are rating it among the best Netflix movies currently streaming, with the film earning a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics.

From directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Spider-Verse stable Sony Pictures Animation, the film tells the story of fictional K-pop girl group Huntr/x and their battle with rival boy band the Saja Boys, who are secretly demons, naturally.

The band, consisting of Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) may spend much of their time selling out stadiums, but unbeknownst to their legions of fans, the trio are also part of an ancient order of badass demon hunters who use their singing voices – and great big swords – to maintain a barrier between our world and that of the demons known as the Honmoon. However, when one band member begins to lose their voice as a result of a dark secret, the Honmoon begins to weaken as an ancient evil plots to conquer our world.

Since its release, the film has become a viral sensation, not only due to the eye-popping animation and bonkers demon slaying action, but also the music, which as you can imagine, consists of K-pop banger after K-pop banger.

"I’ve always thought of K-pop as the most theatrical genre of pop” says the film’s executive music producer Ian Eisendrath, “and so I was just instantly excited by the possibilities of what could happen in a narrative context with the K-pop songs [and] incorporating actual, hit-making K-pop artists. I just felt like everything was really set up to be a special musical and narrative experience.”

To ensure the film felt authentic to its K-pop world, Kang and Appelhans enlisted the services of some of the genres biggest producers including Teddy Park, Lindgren, Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews, who between them have produced tracks for the likes of Blackpink, BTS, TWICE and Together X Tomorrow.

The film boasts a whole heap of original K-pop style songs that both perfectly fit the action on screen and will get stuck in your head for days afterwards, with at least a couple likely to feature on your Spotify Wrapped come December.

What are the critics saying about KPop Demon Hunters?

(Image credit: Netflix)

As you’d expect from such a high Rotten Tomatoes score, critics are loving KPop Demon Hunters, with redditor 'Common Sense Media' saying: “What's not to like about an animated superhero tale set against the world of K-pop music?” while Mashable praised the writing, stating “What makes KPop Demon Hunters so effective isn’t just that it nails the aesthetic; it gets the emotions right.”

'InSession Film', meanwhile, warn that the film may just make you a fan of the musical genre: “Kang and Appelhans’ film more than deserves your attention, and could act as a gateway to the incredible, highly imaginative world of KPop. You may never be the same after the credits roll.”

The lively animation has also received plenty of acclaim, with Screen Rant calling the film “stunning” while Decider applauded the “striking visuals”.

What's the subscriber's verdict?

Subscribers have been equally vocal in their praise, with the flick boasting a very respectable 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

On Reddit, one user said “I love it so freaking much,” calling it their “all time favourite movie of 2025” while another said “It was amazing. Great animation, I loved most of the songs, and the vibe was off the charts.”

The music, in particular, has been a hit with audiences as Redditors praise the "absolutely phenomenal” songs, calling them “catchy” tracks which "absolutely banged.”

A few detractors have shared their thoughts on plot aspects they wish were further developed, however, with one user saying “I kinda wished the demons had been more complex" while another said “I wish they would have explained Rumi’s parents more.”

Comment from r/netflix

By all accounts, it seems Sony Pictures Animation have once again delivered an instant classic, so if you’re in the mood for a bonkers, uplifting movie that will leave you toe tapping for days afterwards, head over to Netflix and stream KPop Demon Hunters right now.

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Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares snapshots of moments from their lives and work around the world.

After years of litigation following the Dobbs decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court justices, with their liberal majority, ruled that the state's 176-year-old law does not ban abortion in the state.

(Image credit: Ruthie Hauge/AP)

Sony aired a State of Play event in June, meaning we may not be getting one for a little while. Still, there's sure to be more of them by the end of the year, and thankfully we do know there will be a bespoke presentation for an upcoming PS5 exclusive at some point this month.

Since the series of shows began in 2019, Sony has used the State of Play presentations to reveal big-hitting games and details such as the initial reveal of Saros, debut gameplay footage for Death Stranding 2, and more. So, it's always worth tuning in to the State of Play live streams if you want to be alerted to any big announcements for new PS5 games.

Following the release of the PS5 Pro console, all eyes have turned back to the next State of Play - a new console will need new games to play on it, after all, even if it is a mid-gen refresh machine. Here's what we know.

When is the next Sony State of Play?

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

There's no info on when to expect the next Sony State of Play, and considering we just had one on June 4, we could be waiting a while. The good news is that there's a Ghost of Yotei-focused gameplay showcase to enjoy in July. Whether this is an actual branded State of Play remains to be seen, but it'll be the next PlayStation-led look at an upcoming game for sure.

What was revealed at the last Sony State of Play?

(Image credit: IO Interactive)

The last Sony State of Play event aired June 4, 2025. We covered the State of Play event live, where we saw 007 First Light for the first time. elsewhere, Baby Steps got a release date, and Nioh 3 was announced. Here's everything that was shown:

• Lumines Arise, PS5, PSVR 2
• Pragmata, 2026
• Romeo is a Dead Man, 2026
• Silent Hill f, , September 25, 2025
• Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, 2026
• Digimon Story Time Stranger, October 3 2025
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, September 30, 2025
• Baby Steps, September 8, 2025
• Hirogami, September 3, 2025
• Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, September 5 2025
• Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, July 31 2025
• Cairn, November 5, 2025 (demo available today)
• Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection, 2025
• Project Defiant fight stick
• Metal Gear Solid Delta, August 28 2025
• Nioh 3, early 2026 (demo available today)
• Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow, PSVR 2
• Tides of Tomorrow, Feb 24, 2026
• Astro Bot free DLC later this month + the Astro Bot DualSense returning
• Sea and Remnants, 2026
• Sword of the Sea, August 19
• 007 First Light, 2026
• Ghost of Yotei, gameplay demonstration coming in July
• Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls, coming to PS5 and PC in 2026

What can we expect from the next Sony State of Play?

(Image credit: Sucker Punch)

We just had a State of Play event focusing on 007 First Light, Sword and the Sea, as well as a bunch of other announcements. That means we'll be waiting a while for the next one, though I'd expect to see more on Marathon, Ghost of Yōtei, and perhaps even Saros, the next game from Returnal developer Housemarque that's due in 2026. We'll have to wait and see.

We do know that there's an in-depth gameplay showcase for Ghost of Yotei that'll air at some point in July. This will likely only include information on Ghost of Yotei, but it's possible we'll hear about the next proper showcase afterwards.

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• Cloudflare is introducing a way to charge AI web scrapers
• Content creators can protect their sites from unwanted scrapers
• Specific crawlers can be granted free access, charged, or blocked

Online creators often have very little control over the types of crawlers that can access their content, but Cloudflare may have a solution.

The company has revived HTTP response code 402 as a neat way to block or charge AI crawlers to access your site in a new feature it calls ‘pay per crawl’.

The best part is, it’s not a block or charge all control - users will be able to allow specific crawlers to access their site for free, charge others for access, and block the ones you don’t want trawling your content.

Charging AI crawlers for access

HTTP response code 402, otherwise known as the 402 Payment Required status code, indicates to crawlers payment is needed to access the content. As a result, the crawler can either respond with intent to pay, or is blocked from accessing the content.

As an added bonus, content creators with a block on their site can effectively ‘tell’ AI crawlers that they are open to potential payments in the future.

(Image credit: Cloudflare)

For those thinking that someone could simply spoof a crawler that has access to the site, Cloudflare is one step ahead. An authentic crawler will use the ‘signature-agent’, ‘signature-input’, and ‘signature’ headers to authenticate themselves with Cloudflare.

Cloudflare will then compare a public key from a Ed25519 key pair that is stored in a hosted directory with the URL of the key directory and user agent information that is registered with Cloudflare, thus allowing the authentic crawler through and blocking any spoofed crawlers.

(Image credit: Cloudflare)

Crawlers will also be able to crawl the web with a set budget for accessing protected sites using the ‘crawler-exact-price’ header to accept the proposed price listed by the ‘crawler-price’ header on the desired site, or preemptively use the ‘crawler-max-price’ when accessing a site which will grant access if the price is equal to or less than the crawler’s budget.

Cloudflare also has some theories for the potential of pay per crawl in the future. An AI agent can be given a budget to crawl the web when responding to a prompt, allowing the user to access high-quality and relevant content when entering a prompt.

Pay per crawl is currently only available in private beta, but interested parties can reach out to Cloudflare via the link at the bottom of the blog.

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Our series on identity theft protection apps will evaluate the features, pricing options, competition, and also the overall value of using each app. However, these are not full hands-on reviews since evaluating identity theft protection apps is almost impossible. It would require several months of testing, purposefully hacking accounts to see if the protection app works, handing over personally identifiable information, performing multiple credit checks, and risking exposure of the reviewer’s personally identifiable information.

The Internet includes a hazardous element that functions as a major danger. Trolls persist in using social media platforms to conduct humiliating activities against users, but more dangerous threats exist beneath the surface. Criminal groups engage in illegal activities that involve trading stolen personal information, including credit card details, home addresses, and birth dates.

The stolen information is distributed to the highest bidder at black market prices. The criminal activities span a broad spectrum, including attacks against retirement accounts through compromised 401(k) logins and social media account hijacking. Hackers continuously explore new strategies to destroy people's financial assets to pursue monetary benefits.

According to expert studies, the Dark Web generates an estimated 5% of worldwide internet traffic. This remarkable measurement reveals the extent of the issue. Various apps provide security measures through e-commerce website credit card protection and connection security alerts, but others help people review their credit reports to measure their online visibility.

The most effective solution requires a comprehensive answer that satisfies various needs. IdentityForce is one of the most complete identity theft protection solutions with its broad range of features, including VPN protection, which forms the fundamental basis of online security.

IdentityForce exceeds standard credit card and Social Security number protection because it actively prevents data breaches instead of merely reviewing them. The program provides strong evaluation tools that enable you to access 24/7 phone or chat support from an identity theft protection specialist. The premium plans from this provider are more expensive than standard identity theft protection applications, including LifeLock and Experian IdentityWorks.

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The price of IdentityForce's UltraSecure plan has increased quite a bit since our last review (Image credit: IdentityForce)IdentityForce: Plans and pricing

IdentityForce offers multiple service plans that cater to different customer requirements so that every person can select a suitable option. The service provides special annual discounts to customers who choose this payment method. The top-tier plans come with a higher cost, but customers can access premium services at a lower price through annual payment options. The 30-day trial period enables potential customers to test the complete service benefits without financial risk before subscribing to a long-term plan.

The UltraSecure Plan represents the most affordable option at $19.90 per month. Customers who opt for annual subscriptions at IdentityForce can reduce their monthly costs to $16.66. The annual payment for this plan amounts to $199.90, which provides an affordable identity protection solution. The UltraSecure Plan offers budget-friendly identity protection through its complete feature set, which includes dark web and social media monitoring. The digital world demands constant personal information monitoring because it remains at risk.

(Image credit: IdentityForce)

To enhance your financial security, consider upgrading to the UltraSecure & Credit package, a premium offering. The monthly fee is set at $34.90, with an annual payment option of $349.90, effectively reducing the monthly cost to just $29.16. This plan not only includes all the features of the standard tier but also provides additional benefits. These enhancements encompass comprehensive credit monitoring from three bureaus, detailed credit reports, up-to-date credit scores, a credit score tracker, and a credit score simulator, giving you a total view of your credit standing.

In addition to individual plans, there are two tiers of family plans with identical services but a $5 monthly surcharge. Each family plan includes coverage for two adults and up to 10 children for this modest price increase.

Alerts, protection and credit monitoring are all easy to find in IdentityForce's mobileapp (Image credit: IdentityForce)IdentityForce: Interface and mobile app

Selecting the right software for theft prevention is essential for safeguarding personal information. A key component of this selection process is the website associated with the identity theft protection service. The website not only provides insights into the range of features offered but also reflects the company's professionalism and reliability. Regrettably, some identity theft protection organizations fall short in this area, presenting poorly designed and confusing websites that create a negative first impression. In stark contrast, IdentityForce stands out as a beacon of clarity and functionality, featuring a well-organized site that presents an extensive list of services in an easily navigable format.

The centerpiece of IdentityForce's offering is its innovative dashboard, which transforms the user experience in identity theft protection through its intuitive and visually appealing design. This dashboard ensures that all vital information is presented in an easily digestible manner, facilitating users' efficient management and safeguarding of their identities.

Upon logging in, users are greeted with a dashboard adorned with a row of clearly labeled icons, each representing a different facet of identity protection. This thoughtful layout allows for quick navigation to essential sections, including credit checks, banking details, car loans, retirement plans, and more. The spacious sections are designed to accommodate personal data comfortably, providing ample room for users to input all relevant information without feeling cramped.

To further enhance the user experience, IdentityForce's dashboard provides streamlined data entry options. Fields are clearly labeled, and the dashboard incorporates helpful prompts and tooltips to guide users through the process of entering sensitive information. Whether they need to input their driver's license number, passport information, or Social Security details, users can do so with peace of mind, confident that IdentityForce's robust security measures will protect their data from potential breaches.

One standout feature of the dashboard is a dynamic progress bar that tracks the user's completion status of their identity protection profile. This visual indicator urges users to complete their profiles and ensures they provide all necessary information for comprehensive protection against identity theft. The progress bar motivates users and gives them a clear visual representation of their preparedness, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding their identities.

Overall, IdentityForce's dashboard sets a new benchmark in identity theft protection, combining user-friendly interface elements, well-structured sections, clear prompts, and motivational features like the progress bar. This seamless navigation empowers users, allowing them to control their identities proactively and effectively guard against potential threats.

However, users who wish to utilize IdentityForce's services on mobile devices face a stark contrast between the experiences provided by iOS and Android applications. The Android version of the app struggles with a moderate rating of 2.6 out of 5 stars, indicating a significant level of dissatisfaction among users. Commonly reported issues include unreliable performance, frequent crashes, and frustrating login challenges, which can severely hinder users’ ability to access their accounts and utilize the app's extensive features for identity protection.

Conversely, the iOS version of the app fares slightly better, earning a rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars. This suggests that while the iOS app may provide a more stable experience than its Android counterpart, it still grapples with its own set of issues. Users have reported instances of credit scores failing to update, encountering persistent "Server error messages," and experiencing account lockouts due to login difficulties. Although these problems may occur less frequently than in the Android app, they can still prove to be inconvenient and frustrating for users seeking reliable identity protection.

In summary, while IdentityForce offers an impressive array of features and a user-centric approach through its dashboard, significant differences in the mobile app experience highlight the need for continuous improvement, particularly for Android users. By addressing these challenges, IdentityForce can further enhance its service and reputation in the competitive landscape of identity theft protection.

IdentityForce offers all of the features you'd expect from one of the best identity theft protection services (Image credit: IdentityForce)IdentityForce: Features

IdentityForce is renowned for its extensive identity protection services, but what might surprise some users is that it also offers a VPN (Virtual Private Network) tool within its Mobile Defense Suite. This integrated VPN, available exclusively through the mobile app, enhances security by alerting users to numerous online threats, including rogue applications, spyware, and unsecured Wi-Fi connections. However, it’s important to note that this VPN is limited to mobile devices and does not protect PC users.

Regrettably, key details about the VPN remain somewhat ambiguous. Essential information, such as the server locations, the presence of a “no logs” policy, and whether or not there’s a built-in “kill switch” to protect your data in case the connection drops, has yet to be disclosed. Given these uncertainties, users looking for robust VPN functionality may want to explore more established VPN services for anything beyond casual browsing.

One of the standout features of IdentityForce is its proactive monitoring of "Payday loan" hacks, a specific form of identity theft where individuals fraudulently obtain loans using another person's identity. With this feature, users receive timely notifications, allowing them to address potential issues rapidly with their financial institutions. This immediacy can be crucial in mitigating financial loss and preventing further fraud. Furthermore, IdentityForce takes its commitment to user safety further by tracking sex offenders who may have obtained personal information to elude local identity registration laws, thereby enhancing community security.

The premium plans offered by IdentityForce are equipped with a robust suite of features to deliver comprehensive protection against identity theft and online threats. Central to these plans is a strong theft protection guarantee of up to $1 million. This provision ensures that members have access to crucial financial assistance and a dedicated resource network in the unfortunate event of identity theft. Members also gain access to lost wallet assistance, which expedites canceling and replacing lost or stolen credit cards, driver’s licenses, and other vital documents, making a potentially stressful situation much more manageable.

To further bolster security, IdentityForce’s premium plans include advanced Dark Web data analysis. This feature continuously scans the dark web for indications of compromised personal information, such as passwords, credit card details, and social security numbers. Users are promptly alerted if any sensitive data is detected and receive guidance on mitigating the risks and securing their accounts effectively.

IdentityForce includes a mobile password manager in its premium offerings to improve convenience and maintain security. This invaluable tool enables members to securely store and manage their passwords across multiple devices, promoting the use of strong and unique passwords for all online accounts. It also features a robust password generator, which creates complex, random passwords to enhance overall account security.

Moreover, IdentityForce extends its protection to social media by offering identity monitoring services. This feature actively scans social media platforms for unauthorized usage of members' personal information, helping to identify potential identity theft attempts before they escalate. By detecting these threats early, users can take swift measures to safeguard their online reputations and prevent further reputational harm.

In summary, IdentityForce’s premium plans combine a suite of essential features—including $1 million in theft protection, lost wallet assistance, Dark Web data monitoring, a mobile password manager, and social media identity surveillance—into a singular solution designed to address the multifaceted challenges of identity protection. Together, these elements offer users peace of mind, knowing their personal information is being vigilantly monitored and safeguarded against the continuously evolving landscape of identity theft and online threats.

IdentityForce: The competition

IdentityForce is a strong contender in the identity theft protection market, but it faces significant competition from several other highly rated services. One of its primary rivals is Aura, which is often praised as a top overall choice due to its comprehensive monitoring. This includes dark web monitoring, public records checks, and financial account surveillance, which are usually competitively priced. Aura also offers higher identity theft insurance coverage options and additional cybersecurity tools, such as a VPN and antivirus software.

Another major competitor is LifeLock, a well-known name in the industry that is now part of Norton 360. LifeLock provides extensive monitoring, including social media, home title monitoring, and substantial identity theft insurance. However, its pricing structure can sometimes be less transparent, with introductory rates that increase significantly after the first year.

IDShield distinguishes itself with a strong focus on identity restoration. It often guarantees the restoration of your identity or the provision of your money back, and it offers access to licensed private investigators for complex cases. Additionally, IDShield has competitive pricing for its features.

Other notable competitors include Identity Guard, which is known for its AI-powered threat detection and often provides good value for families, and ID Watchdog, which offers solid credit monitoring and recovery services. Services like Experian IdentityWorks also compete directly by leveraging their connection to one of the major credit bureaus for enhanced credit monitoring.

Ultimately, the best choice for a consumer depends on their specific needs concerning features, pricing, and the desired level of insurance and restoration support.

IdentityForce: Final verdict

IdentityForce offers a robust suite of identity protection services that goes beyond the standard offerings of many competitors. While it does provide essential features like malware blockers, identity theft insurance, and credit monitoring, its premium plans offer a standout benefit: $1 million in identity theft insurance. This substantial coverage provides significant peace of mind during a breach. Additionally, including a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service for smartphones is a valuable extra, helping to secure your mobile data.

However, potential users should be aware of some drawbacks. Several reports indicate that mobile applications can be buggy and offer a less-than-satisfactory user experience. Furthermore, IdentityForce's pricing is generally higher than that of some comparable products in the market. Another critical consideration for families is that child protection features come with additional fees, rather than being included in the base subscription.

Despite these points, one significant advantage of IdentityForce is its unified dashboard. This central hub consolidates all identity protection features, meaning users don't need to download and manage multiple applications for various security aspects. This streamlined approach offers a definite benefit, simplifying identity management and making comprehensive protection more accessible.

We've also highlighted the best identity theft protection services

• US PC shipments were up 15% in Q1 2025 compared with 9% globally
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New data from industry analysts Canalys has revealed PC vendors are stockpiling inventory in anticipation of higher tariffs from the Trump administration, but they're not selling enough to clear their stock.

A sizeable 15% surge in PC shipments was observed in the US during the first three months of 2025, however this also aligned with an excess in inventory, with consumers far less likely to renew their devices this year compared with businesses.

The market outlook aligns with suspicions of higher tariffs, with US PC shipments expected to only grow 2% in 2025 despite strong first-quarter growth.

US vendors are preparing for higher prices

According to the data, inflation from broader tariffs and general economic uncertainty is seeing consumers hold onto their devices for longer than usual.

Canalys expects consumer PS shipments to decline 4% this year, compared with the 8% increase in PC shipments to businesses, largely driven by October's end-of-support date for Windows 10.

Research Director Ishan Dutt explained: "Although PCs currently remain exempt, broader tariffs impacting key spending categories have already resulted in inflationary pressure."

Furthermore, the hype around AI PCs appears to have tamed. High prices, a lack of clear value and confusing messaging is preventing many buyers from hopping on the bandwagon as AI PCs remain in their first generation.

Canalys Research Manager Kieren Jessop explained that poor battery life, slow performance or hardware failures tend to push consumers towards updates , indicating that the Windows 10 deadline may not be as much of a motivation to consumers as it is to businesses.

A March 2025 poll suggested that 14% of customers are now aware of Windows 10 deprecation, and a further 21% don't plan on upgrading as a result.

In the meantime, US stockpiling continues to distort PC shipment figures on a global scale, with Q1 2025 global PC shipments up 9%. Dutt summarised: "This preemptive strategy allowed manufacturers and the channel to stock up ahead of potential cost increases, boosting sell-in shipments despite otherwise stable end-user demand."

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