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Fifty years ago this week Communist forces seized the city of Saigon bringing an end to the Vietnam war. It was a war that defined a generation with effects that reverberate today. We go to Laos were one man's search for closure takes him to the top of the tallest mountain.

The company's first AI developers conference on Tuesday fell flat with very few new announcements and products, including a standalone AI app that technically already existed.

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• Iran has thwarted an attack against its critical infrastructure
• The attack was "widespread and complex"
• It's not confirmed who was behind the incident

Iran’s national infrastructure was hit with a “widespread and complex” cyberattack, which was repelled by the country’s cybersecurity experts, a senior official speaking to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked Tasnim News Agency confirmed (via The Record).

Although the incident wasn’t described in detail, the head of the Iranian government’s Telecommunication Infrastructure Company (TIC), Behzad Akbari, said;

“By God's grace and the efforts of the security and technical teams of the Communications Infrastructure Company and the Ministry of Communications, yesterday one of the most widespread and complex cyber attacks against the country's infrastructure was identified and preventive measures were taken,” said Akbari on X (Translated from Persian by Google).

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Unconfirmed cause

Very little is known about the attack, nor about the Iranian security team’s success in stopping it - TechRadar Pro did reach out to the TIC, but has not yet received a reply.

This comes just a day after an explosion at the country's largest port, Shahid Rajaei, killing at least 28 people and injuring 800 more, authorities report - although there’s no indication these two incidents are linked.

This isn’t the first time Iranian national infrastructure has come under attack. In 2023, Iranian petrol stations were targeted in a controlled cyberattack, causing havoc across the country and affecting around 70% of petrol stations around the nation.

The Iranian government attributed this incident to a cybergroup named ‘Predatory Sparrow’, which it says has ties to Israel.

As geopolitical tensions rise, national infrastructure continues to be the top target for state-backed threat actors and cybercriminals, especially given the critical nature of the services they provide, and the chaos created by downtime. The consequences for compromised telecommunications, transportation, energy, or water networks could be severe or even life-threatening, so cybersecurity is more critical than ever.

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• Google’s NotebookLM now supports Audio Overviews in over 50 languages
• Users can generate AI podcasts based on uploaded information in their preferred languages
• The Gemini 2.5 Pro-powered feature maintains the same casual, conversational style regardless of language

It seems the AI 'podcasters' you create with Google's NotebookLM have been playing a lot of Duolingo. The AI-generated hosts of the Audio Overview feature can now perform in more than 50 languages. Audio Overview is the NotebookLM feature that transforms the documents, videos, books, and other information you give it into an audio show hosted by a couple of AI voices.

When you make the Audio Overview now, you can go to the settings and pick an Output Language ahead of generating the audio. You can also switch languages on the fly, generate summaries for friends or students in their native tongue, or prep multilingual study guides without hiring a translator or braving the often messy results of Google Translate.

The addition may not seem like a big deal among other AI spectacles, but it's potentially huge. Language plays a gatekeeper for so many things, especially technology. Now, Google can entice those who might be interested in playing with its AI toy without them having to learn a whole new language.

An entire global audience of people studying, teaching, researching, or just interested in learning new things can now better navigate a Google platform previously limited by English exclusivity. Teachers, for instance, can upload a hodgepodge of resources in different languages and generate a digestible audio recap in whatever language their students are most comfortable with.

Global AI podcasts

The feature is only in beta, and Google is keen to caution that there are still some problems. The voices might stumble, and you might encounter weird or wrong translations, especially in less frequently used languages. But the synthetic personalities will still discuss your research paper sources or complete home makeover guide and riff, recap, and remark on the content; it's just that English won't be the only tongue they do it in.

That tone matters. One of the reasons Audio Overviews clicked with users in the first place is that they don’t sound like a monotone robot trying to teach you tax law. The AI hosts crack jokes, pause for effect, and express amazement in (usually) appropriate spots.

There’s something deeply satisfying about hearing your own research about ancient Rome explained to you in Latin. It definitely makes learning the language feel more exciting. Amo audire podcasts novis linguis.

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What started off as an antitrust trial about Google's dominance in the search engine market has led to a penalties phase that is focused on its role in artificial intelligence.

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

The Trump Administration dismissed all the scientists working on the next National Climate Assessment. The report is the most comprehensive source of information about climate change in the U.S.

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• Panasonic just launched its new RB-F10 earphones
• They'll cost just £79.99 (around $110 / AU$165)
• They boast Bluetooth 5.4, a seven-hour battery life, and solid audio

Panasonic has just announced a new pair of cheap wireless earbuds with its open ear Panasonic RB-F10 earphones.

Like other open ear designs, rather than sitting inside your ear, these earbuds sit over your ear canal. This allows you to hear your music clearly, but also, because your ear isn’t blocked, you can hear what’s going on around you.

The Panasonic RB-F10s specifically come with a few handy features.

They boast Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint, so you can easily switch their connection between two different devices. They also feature built-in microphones for voice calls with automatic background noise removal, allowing you to be heard more clearly.

Additionally, they have a seven-hour battery life, which can be extended by a further 18 hours using their charging case.

(Image credit: Panasonic )

Lastly, because open ear headphones are usually a little bigger than earbuds, they can boast bigger drivers, which should lead to a richer sound than you might be used to. At least, that’s what Panasonic is promising from its new RB-F10s.

Best of all, they come in at just £79.99 (around $110 / AU$165) which makes them one of the more affordable options in the open ear space – and if they can stick the landing could help them secure the best budget option spot in our pick of the best open ear headphones guide.

Open ear headphones are the best

(Image credit: Panasonic )

I adore open ear headphones, and recently converted my fiancée to the lifestyle as well.

We love to watch videos or listen to music on our phones, but it’s easy for it to become a competition as we each try to drown the other’s audio out by turning up our speakers louder and louder. We’ve tried using over-ear noise-cancelling headphones, but then it’s impossible for us to talk to one another, especially if one of us is trying to shout for the other from another room.

Open ear headphones strike the perfect balance because we can enjoy our own private audio, but still call out to each other or easily come in and start chatting without having to compete with noise cancelling tech.

They’re also ideal for working out (especially running, as you can enjoy your motivational audio and still hear what’s going on around you), or while traveling, as you can keep an ear out for any public transport announcements that you might miss if ANC is turned on.

I love the Shokz OpenFit Airs (Image credit: Shokz)

I’ve also found that they’re hooked design is generally comfortable yet secure. I’ve tested several open ear headphones designs, and I frequently forget to take them off even when I’m not playing any music because I just forget I have them on.

Lastly, as is true for other earbuds, their small case makes them so easy to carry with you. Unlike a pair of headphones, you can get away with your pockets rather than needing to bring a bag as you can transport your cans when you aren’t wearing them.

Now we haven’t yet tested the Panasonic RB-F10 earphones, but they look like they tick a lot of essential boxes on paper, which could make them a solid choice if you’re after the convenience of open ear headphones that I and others are already enjoying.

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• LG has announced pricing for its two flagship QNED TVs, the QNED9M and QNED92
• The QNED9M is the first non-OLED LG TV to get a wireless connection box
• The flagship QNED92 mini-LED is priced the same as the Samsung QN80F

LG has revealed US pricing for two of its flagship QNED TVs, the QNED9M and QNED92.

Pricing for the QNED9M, which features LG's Zero Connect Box (which previously was a feature exclusive to the LG M-series OLED TVs), is listed as $1,799 for the 65-inch model, $2,299 for the 75-inch model and $3,499 for the 86-inch model.

Pricing for the QNED92, the only mini-LED model in LG's 2025 QNED lineup, is listed as $2,299 for the 75-inch model and $3,499 for the 85-inch model. It will also be available in a 65-inch size, though no price was given for this model.

However, based on how its pricing is identical in 75 and 85-inch sizes to the rival Samsung QN80F, we'd guess it'll be roughly $1,799, the same as the 65-inch Samsung QN80F. Samsung, maker of some of the best mini-LED TVs available, announced pricing for its entire mini-LED lineup in March.

The LG QNED9M will feature the Zero Connect Box, an external connection box that wirelessly transmits signals from all sources to the TV, which will only require a power cable. The QNED9M will use an LED panel with a QNED color solution and it features the Alpha 9 AI processor Gen 8, the same found in the LG C4 OLED TV, one of the best TVs. It will support Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and 4K 144Hz – all wirelessly.

The LG QNED92, successor to the LG QNED90/91T from 2024, features a mini-LED backlight and the Alpha 8 AI processor Gen 2, the same used in the LG B4 OLED TV. It will also support Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and 4K 120Hz for gaming, just to highlight some of its features.

Is LG looking to further shake up the mini-LED TV market?

The LG QNED92 (left) is a big upgrade over its predecessor the LG QNED90 (right) (Image credit: Future)

It's no secret that the mini-LED TV market is fiercely competitive, with Samsung, Hisense, TCL and Sony all big players in the category. LG has never really targeted the market like it does the OLED TV one, but that could be about to change.

I got the chance to see the QNED93 next to its predecessor earlier this year, and it was a significant upgrade, with improved backlight control, higher brightness and better detail overall. Its picture quality reminded me of some of Samsung's mini-LED sets, namely the Samsung QN85D from 2024.

So it's interesting that LG's QNED93 is priced exactly the same as the Samsung QN80F, the 2025 'equivalent' of the Samsung QN85D. It now seems LG has seriously thrown its hat into the mini-LED ring, creating a direct rival for Samsung.

Also, bringing the Zero Connect Box to the LG QNED9M takes aim at Samsung's Frame Pro series, one of the first TVs to use Samsung's own Wireless One Connect Box. It's worth noting the QNED9M is cheaper in all sizes than the Frame Pro, but the Frame Pro has its Art Mode, a mini-LED backlight, and unique design, all things that contribute to a more premium price.

We'll need a more detailed look at the new LG and Samsung TVs to get an idea of which reigns supreme, but it's interesting that LG has laid down the marker with the features and pricing of these two flagship TVs.

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• 55% of the businesses that made AI-induced redundancies regret it
• 38% of leaders still don't understand AI's impact on their business
• Humans are essential, but AI investments continue to rise

According to organizational planning platform Orgvue, two in five (39%) UK businesses made redundancies due to their AI adoption and hopes for the technology, however more than half (55%) of them are now admitted those redundancy decisions were wrong.

Consequences of the AI-induced redundancies include widespread internal confusion, leading to employees quitting and a drop in productivity – the exact opposite of what businesses had initially hoped for with the deployment of artificial intelligence.

Having seen how it's played out, businesses are now less likely to believe that AI will replace human workers after all.

Business leaders regret prioritizing AI over human workers

The report uncovers huge amounts of uncertainty over AI's impacts on the workforce. Two in five (38%) leaders still don't understand AI's impact on the businesses, with 25% unsure which roles are most at risk from AI.

Despite only 48% of managers expecting AI will replace some workers compared with 54% last year, leaders reportedly feel less responsible in protecting their workforce from redundancies.

"While 2024 was the year of investment and optimism, businesses are learning the hard way that replacing people with AI without fully understanding the impact on their workforce can go badly wrong," Orgvue CEO Oliver Shaw noted.

"We’re facing the worst global skills shortage in a generation and dismissing employees without a clear plan for workforce transformation is reckless."

Looking ahead, nearly half (47%) fear uncontrolled AI usage by employees, with four in five planning to retrain employees to use the tools properly. Two in five (41%) have already increased their learning and development budgets accordingly, with half (51%) introducing internal AI usage policies and 43% working with third-party AI specialists.

Although it's apparent that human workers are fundamental to businesses, 80% plan to increase AI investments in 2025, yet 27% still lack a clear roadmap.

Overall, Orgvue's research paints a troubling picture of the state of AI, highlighting a total lack of understanding. "While it’s encouraging to see investment in AI continue to grow, businesses need a better understanding of how the technology will change their workforce in the coming months and years," Shaw concluded.

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• FAVM unveils its FA-EX9 mini PC with AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 chip
• 96GB GPU memory and 128GB total RAM makes it ideal for creative professionals
• Compact AI-focused mini PC is a challenger for Nvidia DGX Spark

Chinese hardware manufacturer FAVM has announced the FA-EX9, a compact AI-focused mini PC powered by AMD’s latest Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 processor. Based on the Strix Halo platform, the chip features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units (Radeon 8060S).

The diminutive device measures just 192 x 190 x 55mm and with a total chassis volume of just 2 liters, FAVM claims the system is among the smallest of its kind.

The FA-EX9 is squarely aimed at AI professionals and is positioned as a challenger to platforms like Nvidia’s DGX Spark. It supports the MAX+ 395 processor at a sustained 120W power draw, which the company says offers performance comparable to a Ryzen 9 9955HX paired with a GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU.

OCuLink connector

The system uses LPDDR5 memory across a 256-bit bus, offering 128GB of total memory. Up to 96GB can be allocated as GPU memory, so it can handle large language model workloads without requiring discrete GPUs.

FAVM claims that the integrated GPU and NPU architecture in the FA-EX9 delivers 2.2 times the AI performance of an RTX 4090 in LM Studio when running locally. The system uses dual turbine fans and phase-change thermal materials to manage heat while keeping noise levels low during high-load tasks.

FA-EX9’s connectivity includes HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and two USB4 ports, with support for up to four 8K displays. It also features an OCuLink connector with a bundled adapter for high-performance external GPU expansion.

Although no release date or pricing has been confirmed, VideoCardz reports teaser campaigns are currently underway in China.

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