Feed aggregator

• Borderlands 4 won't cost $80, despite Gearbox CEO's previous comments
• It will cost $69.99, meeting the recent standard for most games
• It comes after a plethora of comments from users suggesting they won't purchase the game

Gearbox Software's fourth installment in the Borderlands franchise is just months away from launch on September 12, and concerns of an $80 (or more specifically, $79.99) price tag have been put to bed.

Gearbox CEO, Randy Pitchford, announced on X that Borderlands 4 will not cost $80 but the current industry standard of $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$119.95 (or AU$109.95 on PC) – and it's available for pre-order now for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam).

It comes after Pitchford's comments on the game's potential price tag; gamers were told that if they were "real fans," they would find a way to buy Borderlands 4 if it were priced at $80, considering Nintendo and Microsoft's shift to a $80 game price tag.

Unsurprisingly, that was met with a barrage of criticisms, and if I'm honest, those comments from a CEO weren't a pretty sight, to say the least (although not very surprising to see).

However, this is a prime example of what happens when consumers voice frustrations and essentially vote with their wallets; in this case, long before the game has even launched, as a significant portion of the criticisms were gamers promising not to purchase the game due to Pitchford's comments

Just don't buy it. Talk with your money. If you're a true fan, you won't accept them pricing people out. This one's 80 the next game will be 100 and continue to rise. Say no.May 20, 2025

While there wasn't a price tag set in stone, Pitchford's comments alone suggested that Borderlands 4 would follow the new $80 trend – and it appears as though the backlash has convinced 2K, Take-Two Interactive, and the seniors involved to stick with $69.99.

Unfortunately, that may not be the case with other games priced at $80, and Nintendo's Mario Kart World is the best example. However, the Nintendo Switch 2's launch is likely a significant factor in the new title's high sales.

Analysis: Stop saying 'there's nothing that can be done' and keep your voices heard

(Image credit: Gearbox / 2K)

Even if there are future cases like Mario Kart World selling well at $80, at the very least, ensuring that CEOs and senior management of game companies are aware of complaints regarding egregious pricing is incredibly vital.

Like I've seen over the years, if there's enough backlash and rejection of a move that fans don't like, change is more often the answer from game companies.

I can almost guarantee that the response to the Gearbox CEO's comments was a major factor in the $69.99 price tag – and frankly, some gamers could likely still turn away from a purchase as $69.99 is still frowned upon (and rightly so).

Nintendo's move has already set the dangerous precedent I feared, but Borderlands 4's case should be enough of an indication that the more you vote with your wallet by stating displeasure and actively avoiding $80 games, the more we'll see game companies take a step back...

You might also like...

• Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser says 'stay tuned' when asked about the absence of a mainline Mario game for the Switch 2
• Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser seemingly reveals the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour price
• Nintendo of America president says 'tariffs were not factored into the price' of the Switch 2 and weighs in on the price of games

Nexar One: One-minute review

The Nexar One is a 4K dash cam that employs a clever modular design and an always-on LTE data connection to offer automatic cloud uploads with unlimited storage, wireless video transfer, and remote streaming. It can be bought with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, but there's no microSD card support. Rear and internal cameras are also available.

Unlimited cloud storage and live streaming for as little as $71.90 a year feels like good value, but the One is reliant on a strong cellular signal to work properly; if you have patchy 4G at home, this might not be the dash cam for you.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)Nexar One: price & availability

The Nexar One is priced from $329.95 for the 128GB model (which can hold up to 37 hours of recordings), or from $379.95 for the 256GB model (which has space for up to 78 hours). Adding the interior camera featured in this review increases those prices to $379.95 and $429.95 respectively.

Nexar’s LTE Protection Plan costs $9.99 a month or $71.90 a year. This includes the ability to live stream from the dash cam to your phone, plus unlimited cloud storage, a 24/7 parking mode, real-time GPS tracking, emergency alerts, and rear camera compatibility.

Nexar says the One will be available in the UK soon, but hadn’t announced prices at the time of review in June 2025. The cost of the LTE Protection Plan is also unknown for now, and the One is not available in Australia.

Nexar One: specsNexar One specs

Video

4K resolution at 25 to 30 frames per second

Field of view (FoV)

140 degrees (forwards), 160 degrees (interior)

Storage

Internal (128GB or 256GB), cloud (unlimited, fees apply)

GPS

Yes

Parking Mode

Yes, with remote streaming

App support

Nexar Connect app

Dimensions

3.5 x 2.75 x 1.2 inches / 88.9 x 69.8 x 30.5mm

Weight

7.4oz / 210g

Battery

Yes, used to record parking events

Nexar One: Design

The Nexar One is a clever piece of design, as far as dash cams go. It doesn’t have a screen, so there’s no chance of being distracted while you’re driving, and the unit itself is relatively slim, but with the LTE data module and interior camera connected, it’s quite large.

The clever bit is how the Nexar One uses magnets. Firstly, it connects to its windshield mount with a very strong magnet. You then stick the mount to your windshield with an adhesive strip, and a power cable runs from the mount to your car’s OBD2 port for a constant power supply, even when it’s parked and turned off. Power is then sent to the dash cam itself as soon as the magnets snap it into place.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)

There are more magnets on either side of the main unit. You can remove a cover from one end to attach what Nexar calls the connectivity add-on, which is basically an LTE (4G) antenna that gives the dash cam a cellular data connection for live streaming to your phone and cloud video storage – more on that later.

Removing the cover from the other end enables you connect the optional interior camera, which sold separately but was also provided by Nexar for this review. Overall, it’s a clever design that's been nicely executed, and I especially like how Nexar includes an OBD2 cable in the box, rather than a USB cable and a 12-volt socket adapter.

As mentioned, there’s no microSD card slot, with the One relying entirely on internal storage.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)Nexar One: Performance

The setup process requires the Nexar Connect smartphone app and, for the dash cam, a decent 4G connection. Although I live in London, my street has awful cellular coverage, so it wasn’t a surprise to see the One fail to get itself online. I drove about half a mile, parked up, and the dash cam then quickly connected to Nexar’s cloud service and completed the setup process.

While video quality is the most important aspect of any dash cam, there’s more to this model than video recording. You can use either the Nexar Connect app or Nexar’s online dashboard to view every journey completed with the One installed. Your driving route is shown on a map, along with the distance and duration of your journey. It’s then easy to either view a low-resolution timelapse of a journey, or download a high-resolution portion.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)

If you’re away from your car (and therefore not connected directly to the dash cam via Wi-Fi), you can view the mapped routes and timelapses. And, while you can request to download a high-res portion of between 30 seconds and five minutes, the download won’t happen until the next time you turn your car on. Instead, it’s best to get in your car, connect directly to the dash cam over Wi-Fi, and transfer high-res recordings to your phone.

Another feature is live streaming, where the Nexar One’s LTE connection lets you view a live feed from the dash cam on your phone. This takes about 30 seconds to start and when using LTE (instead of a direct Wi-Fi connection) you’re limited to three minutes of live viewing at a time. This is understandable, given how much data would be swallowed up by longer streams. It’s a handy way to check up on your car, and means you can view a live feed right after the dash cam detects a collision while parked, as it will automatically start recording.

Since I live in an area with patchy cellular coverage, some driving routes and timelapses failed to upload right away. This process happens after you park up, while the dash cam is powering down, but a poor data connection can stop the upload from happening. The downloads are then unavailable until the next time you turn your car on and drive to an area with better signal.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)

If you live and mostly drive in an area with strong LTE coverage you’ll be fine, but if not – and you want to regularly use the Nexar One’s connected features – you’ll need to think twice about buying it. The Nexar One is designed to connect to a range of networks, instead of just one, so it should always hunt out the best signal. But I found it sometimes failed to connect, especially in known blackspots.

Incidents – where the dash cam detects a collision, either while parked or driving – are sorted into their own section of the app and dashboard, making them easy to find.

The app lets you pick from three video quality options, but frustratingly these use names – Basic, Standard and Premium – instead of recognizable numbers, like 1080p or 4K. Tapping on 'Learn more' opens Nexar’s website and explains that Basic is 720p (and 540p for the interior view), Standard is 1080p (and 720p for the interior), and Premium is 4K (plus 720p again for the interior).

Standard is the default option. These Full HD recordings look great on the phone app, but quality takes a dip when blown up onto a larger computer screen. Footage is okay, but details like the license plates of oncoming vehicles, even at just 20mph in bright daylight, are often difficult to read.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)

Bump the Nexar One up to Premium and the 4K videos are noticeably sharper, with more legible license plates and street signs. Files are also larger, with a five-minute clip weighing in at 1.5GB from the front-facing camera and 360MB from the lower-spec interior view.

The larger size of 4K files highlights the Nexar One’s slow Wi-Fi transfer speeds. Moving those five-minute, 1.5GB and 360MB clips to my iPhone, over a direct Wi-Fi connection, took a full five minutes.

The interior camera is of a lower spec, but still provides a decent view of the driver and front-seat passenger. Since I drive a small two-seater (a Mazda Miata, or MX-5 for non-US readers), this camera manages to capture an acceptable view out of the rear windshield too. However, due to my car’s tiny front windshield, I’ve had to partially hide the Nexar One behind the mirror, which blocks some of the camera’s interior view.

If I bought the Nexar One myself, and still owned a car tight on space, I’d likely do without the interior camera. That said, if you’re a taxi or ride-share driver, having recordings of your interior (and a sign telling your passengers as much) could be useful.

Lastly, there’s a parking mode. This works when the Nexar One is connected either with the included OBD II cable, or the optional hardwiring cable that powers it from the fuse box. When a collision is detected, the camera springs into life and starts recording. These videos appear in chronological order in the app, but can only be downloaded when you next switch your car on – and so long as the camera has a good cellular connection.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)

Parking mode, unlimited cloud storage, live streaming and other functions – including emergency alerts, GPS tracking and rear camera compatibility – are all part of a subscription plan. This is priced at $9.99 a month or $71.90 for a full year. Although the Nexar One works like any other offline dash cam without this fee, storing footage locally, not subscribing removes much of its functionality. If you don’t want to pay for a subscription, you’d be better off buying a different dash cam.

That said, I can see the value here – especially if you live in an area with solid cellular coverage. Having videos available online, through the app or any computer browser, takes away the usual dash cam pain point of having to eject the microSD card and transfer footage manually. I also like the idea of being able to check in on my car while I'm away from home, but my local cellular coverage made that tricky.

The dash cam occasionally sent phone notifications, promising more information when tapped. But doing so simply opened the app and showed me the home screen. It also sometimes told me a recording was in process (while the car was parked and switched off), then saved a five-minute journey in the Activity page of the app. Tapping on this brought up a page full of error messages, a map with no indication of where the car was, and the promise of a timelapse and high-res clip being “available shortly”.

Nexar told me it has had some issues with a recent firmware update, but after reinstalling the latest firmware I still experienced connectivity problems. The One connects to multiple phone networks, but it seems that none could provide the coverage it needed to function where I live. It worked fine elsewhere, but poor signal at home takes away a chunk of the One's functionality.

I asked Nexar if it can be connect to home Wi-Fi for video uploads and firmware updates but, and was told that while this is on the roadmap, there's no timeline for launch.

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)Nexar One: Sample videosFront cameraInterior cameraShould you buy the Nexar One?

(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)Buy it if...

You need lots of cloud storage
Nexar’s subscription fee generously includes unlimited cloud storage for your recordings. Low-res timelapses and location data are automatically uploaded after every journey, while high-resolution clips can be requested manually and are uploaded when the dash cam is next switched on. Incidents, like collisions, are uploaded in full.View Deal

You want 4K footage
The Nexar One can record at 4K resolution, which captures a good amount of detail in your videos. The interior camera is limited to 720p HD.View Deal

You want live streaming
Its LTE connection makes the Nexar One function like a security camera. You can view a live video stream on your phone or computer, so long as the dash cam is in an area with cellular coverage, which is handy for keeping an eye on your parked car.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You live in an area with poor LTE coverage
Since the Nexar One is so reliant on the cellular phone network, it struggles to function properly in areas with poor signal. Clips fail to upload, and even the setup process will fail without a decent connection.View Deal

You’re on a budget
At over $300 for even the simplest model, the Nexar One is an expensive dash cam – especially when you factor in the ongoing cost of a data subscription. There are plenty of other dash cams that offer high-quality video recordings for less money, but go without the bells and whistles of the Nexar One.View Deal

You want a compact dash cam
If you drive a car with a particularly small and/or shallow windshield, you should pass on the Nexar One. With the LTE module and interior camera attached, it’s a big dash cam that takes up plenty of space. You can tuck it behind the mirror, but that’s likely to partially block the view of the interior camera.View Deal

How I tested the Nexar One

• I installed the Nexar One in my own car
• I used the dash cam during multiple journeys over the course of a week
• I downloaded footage, adjusted settings and experimented with the live streaming function.

I installed the Nexar One in my car and used it as my dash cam for about a week. I used it on numerous journeys, and recorded footage every time I used my car. I then downloaded (and uploaded) footage from the dash cam to check its recording quality, and used the live streaming function to see how well that worked.

• First reviewed June 2025

• Microsoft Teams working on adding noise suppression for calls
• Should cut out background noise like traffic or typing
• All Microsoft Teams users should benefit upon launch

One of the most painful issues when dialing into a Microsoft Teams call could seen be a thing of the past thanks to a new update.

The video conferencing platform has revealed it is working on adding noise suppression for participants dialing in to a call.

Once included, this should spell an end to potentially ear-splitting call interruptions, or participants being deafened by background noise from another person on the call.

Microsoft Teams noise suppression

Microsoft says as well as improving the user experience for everyone on a call, the new addition will also "enhance clarity and reduce distraction for all meeting participants".

In a Microsoft 365 roadmap post, it noted the feature will automatically filter out background noise (such as traffic, typing) for users who join meetings via phone (PSTN).

The feature is listed as being "in development" for the time being, with an expected rollout start date of September 2025.

When launched, Microsoft says it will be available for users across the world using Teams on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS - as well as Teams and Surface devices, and Teams on Web.

The launch is the latest in a series of recent improvements to Microsoft Teams announced by the company as it looks to improve the experience for users.

This includes a tweak that will allow multiple people to control slides being presented in a meeting or call.

Microsoft says the addition will mean that presenters are able to maintain "a smooth flow during meetings or webinars" - hopefully meaning the end of manual slide changes - and hopefully, the phrase "next slide please".

It also recently launched of real-time text (RTT) capabilities, allowing participants to type a message while someone else's speech is being transcribed, giving users who prefer typing to speaking another way to make sure their voices get out there.

You might also like

• Microsoft Teams is finally adding a tiny but crucial feature I honestly can't believe it never had
• Microsoft Teams will now let companies block people for good — so you'd better behave
• We've rounded up the best productivity tools around right now

We consulted doctors, dietitians and nutritionists to determine the best foods for migraines and headaches and the foods to avoid.

• EA games have arrived on Amazon Luna
• Titles include EA Sports FC 25, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• You can play them for free if you already own them on PC and have Amazon Prime

Amazon Luna is a criminally underappreciated cloud gaming service, offering the chance to play loads of demanding games without the need for any expensive PC hardware.

If you have access to a basic laptop, old phone, compatible smart TV, or spare tablet, then you can its large library of titles straight from your browser window. You need a strong internet connection for it to work well, but that's still much cheaper than splurging out for fully fledged gaming laptop or PC that will be out of date in a few years anyway.

The biggest reason I love it is the fact that a brilliant free tier is included with your Amazon Prime subscription - letting you play loads of great games at no extra cost. You can link your Luna account to your GOG or Ubisoft libraries, allowing you to play select games that you already own wherever and whenever you want to.

To give you an example of what this means, I already own Far Cry 5 on PC so I can play it straight from my phone using Amazon Luna while I'm out and about. It runs via Amazon's servers, so no installation is required and I can play it even if my PC is turned off at home.

If all that wasn't enough, earlier this month the service received a massive upgrade with a robust slate of games added from the catalog of publishing giant Electronic Arts (EA). This includes EA Sports FC 25, Need for Speed Unbound, Dead Space, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

I'd recommend each any every one, and if you have Prime, and already own them on PC, you can access them right now for at no additional cost. Just head to the Luna homepage to sign in and link your accounts.

But what if you don't own these games on PC and still want to play? They're also part of the Luna+ subscription service, which costs $9.99 / £8.99 per month and includes access to loads of other games.

You can also buy the titles outright on Amazon Luna itself, which also nets you a PC copy. They're currently subject to some pretty generous discounts, so this option is definitely worth checking out.

If you want to learn even more about how Amazon Luna works, and see how it stacked up in my testing, check out my detailed Amazon Luna review.

You might also like...

• The next Nintendo Direct will highlight the Switch 2's next big game, Donkey Kong Bananza – here’s when you can watch it
• Wuchang: Fallen Feathers kept me on the edge of my seat as a soulslike that rewards dodging over parrying
• After an hour with Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, I think Mario Kart World has got a race on its hands to hold onto pole position in the kart-racing genre

• Xbox president Sarah Bond has formally announced the next generation of Xbox
• Xbox maintains its 'play anywhere' mantra with new consoles, handhelds and accessories
• The company is partnering with AMD for its next generation hardware

Xbox is beginning to talk about its next generation hardware in earnest now, as president Sarah Bond has announced a "strategic multi-year partnership" with tech giant AMD.

In a video uploaded to Xbox's official YouTube channel, Bond accentuates the 'play anywhere' mantra that's formed the nucleus of the Xbox brand for the past few years.

"At Xbox, our vision is for you to play the games you want, with the people you want, anywhere you want," explains Bond, adding that Xbox is now "investing in our next-generation hardware lineup across console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories."

Bond says that by partnering with AMD, Xbox promises to "deliver the next generation of graphics innovation to unlock a deeper level of visual quality and immersive gameplay and player experiences enhanced with the power of AI".

'AI' is a buzzword that Microsoft likes to throw around a lot, and it's understandable if the notion of it prevailing on Xbox has you feeling a little uneasy given the rise of generative AI content in recent years.

In truth, the use of AI here will likely boil down to helpful technologies, such as resolution upscaling (like we see with PS5 Pro's bespoke PSSR) and frame generation for smoother performance overall. As such, we could see something similar to PSSR implemented on next-generation Xbox consoles.

As for handhelds, we've already seen the announcement of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X, two gaming handhelds designed around playing Xbox Game Pass games on the go. Both are set to launch sometime in 2025, as per last week's Xbox Games Showcase.

In better news, Bond also seems to confirm full backwards compatibility with Xbox's next generation, stating that new hardware will maintain "compatibility with your existing library of Xbox games." It's reasonably safe to assume that counts Xbox Series X|S games, though the jury remains out on Xbox One and classic Xbox and Xbox 360 titles.

Lastly, it seems that Xbox will be sticking to the Windows ecosystem for its next generation of hardware. Bond confirms Xbox is "working closely with the Windows team, to ensure that Windows is the number one platform for gaming." So don't be expecting a return to the iconic Xbox 360 'blades' dashboard that millions have a fondness for.

You might also like...

• The studio behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has announced a digital jewelry collaboration - but I just wish they were available in game
• Free games alert! Get Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, Saints Row 2, and more for nothing during Amazon Prime Day 2025
• Nintendo has made Switch 2 scalping much harder in Japan by making a simple change to what’s in the box

• The ICO has issued 23andMe with £2.31 million ($3.1 million) fine
• Fine is punishment for failings following 2023 data breach
• An investigation found 'serious security failings'

The British data protection watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a £2.31 million fine to 23andMe for “failing to implement appropriate security measures to protect the personal information of UK users”

This follows a 2023 cyberattack in which hackers accessed 23andMe personal user data.

The breach only affected 0.1% of the company's customer base, roughly 14,000 individuals, but thanks to the sensitive nature of the information 23andMe holds, hackers were able to access “a significant number of files containing profile information about other users’ ancestry that such users chose to share.”

Save up to 68% on identity theft protection for TechRadar readers!

TechRadar editors praise Aura's upfront pricing and simplicity. Aura also includes a password manager, VPN, and antivirus to make its security solution an even more compelling deal.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Keeping secure

The joint investigation, carried out between the ICO and Canadian Privacy Commissioner revealed ‘serious security failings’ after the breach, calling 23andMe’s actions ‘inadequate’.

After the hackers carried out their credential stuffing attack, the company waited months until starting a full investigation, only confirming the breach after an employee discovered stolen data advertised for sale on Reddit.

This breach put those affected at risk, not just for the typical identity theft and fraud, but also for seriously sophisticated social engineering attacks. If your genetic or family history is sold to a criminal, it could be leveraged against you.

“This was a profoundly damaging breach that exposed sensitive personal information, family histories, and even health conditions of thousands of people in the UK,” confirmed John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner.

“As one of those impacted told us: once this information is out there, it cannot be changed or reissued like a password or credit card number.”

An example of this could be a “family member” reaching out and asking for more information about yourself, or a “medical company” contacting you about an existing genetic health condition. If you’re affected by this breach, be sure to be extra vigilant and cautious about any unexpected communications you receive.

“23andMe failed to take basic steps to protect this information. Their security systems were inadequate, the warning signs were there, and the company was slow to respond. This left people’s most sensitive data vulnerable to exploitation and harm,” Edwards confirmed.

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around
• Check out our choice for best antivirus software
• Hackers claim 64 million leaked T-Mobile records, but it denies breach

The two Koreas have engaged in psychological warfare since the 1960s, with weapons like huge billboard screens, loudspeakers installed along the border, and airdropping propaganda leaflets.

(Image credit: Anthony Wallace)

While reviewing AI image generators, I've created some truly terrible content. Take a good laugh, then learn how to fix these annoyingly common problems.

• DC Studios has found the lead star for its Clayface movie
• Surprisingly, the Batman villain won't be played by Alan Tudyk
• Tudyk voiced Clayface in season 1 of Creature Commandos

DC Studios has revealed which actor will star in its forthcoming Clayface movie – and, surprisingly, it won't be Alan Tudyk.

First reported by Deadline and later confirmed by studio co-chief James Gunn, the budget horror film's titular character will be portrayed by Tom Rhys Harries. Taking to Instagram, Gunn said it had been a "long and exhaustive search" to find the right person to play the shapeshifter, but he and fellow producer Matt Reeves eventually settled on Harries after they were "blown away" by his auditions.

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

A photo posted by on

Clayface will be the third film released as part of the DC Universe's (DCU) first line-up of movies and TV shows. Currently, it's set to be released on September 11, 2026, so it'll arrive three months after Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow – or, as Gunn recently confirmed, the DCU's second movie that's now known by its much simpler title in Supergirl.

Little is known about Clayface's story. However, it'll be directed by James Watkins (Speak No Evil) and its original script was penned by horror auteur Mike Flanagan. According to Deadline, Hossein Amini conducted some rewrites for the DCU Chapter One film, but Gunn has confirmed (via Threads) that the vast majority of Flanagan's initial screenplay has been retained.

Principal photography is set to begin this October, according to The Wrap's Umberto Gonzalez. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn and company are looking to make it for a modest $40 million, too.

Why isn't Alan Tudyk playing Clayface in his live-action DC comic book movie?

Alan Tudyk voiced Clayface in Creature Commandos season 1 (Image credit: Max)

Harries' hiring has certainly raised some eyebrows among DC fans.

There's no question that the Welsh actor is a talented up-and-comer – indeed, he's proved as much in Apple TV+ series Suspicion, Netflix show White Lies, and Guy Ritchie's 2019 crime comedy flick The Gentlemen. More recently, Harries portrayed Ricky September in Doctor Who episode 'Dot and Bubble', which, per its 94% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is one of the highest-rated installments of the Ncuti Gatwa era.

Nonetheless, fans have expressed surprised that prolific actor Alan Tudyk, who voiced Clayface in season 1 of Creature Commandos, aka the DCU's first TV series, on Max, wasn't tapped to portray Clayface's titular character. After all, some people have pointed out that Gunn previously said actors who are cast in the DCU would play their character in live-action and animated projects.

Gunn, though, has tried to clear up any confusion about Harries' casting. Responding to a fan on Threads about why Tudyk wasn't chosen, Gunn wrote: "I said we would plan on using primary actors whenever we can. I've also never said if the two characters are the same. (I've also never said they're not)."

It's the final part of his response that's most telling. There have been eight incarnations of Clayface in DC Comics, so it's entirely possible that Tudyk and Harries will portray different versions of the villainous metahuman in the DCU. We'll learn if that's the case once Clayface has taken shape and landed in theaters next year.

You might also like

• 'I think I have a way in': James Gunn gives exciting update on the DCU's Batman movie, but I want clarity about The Dark Knight's next film as well
• James Gunn confirms new Wonder Woman movie is on the way, and DC fans say a Star Wars actor is the clear choice to play her
• Get the definitive lowdown on what we know about Superman

Even multinational corporations used to run effectively and efficiently without a screen or a mouse or a keyboard in sight – other than a typewriter keyboard, of course. No data storage issues, no input errors, no backup problems, no memory losses or system failures, let alone cyberattacks.

Today – barely forty years since computers started appearing in workplaces – we can scarcely imagine life without them. In little more than a generation, all business processes have been completely altered, and a whole array of risks and threats and dangers have appeared that we could hardly even have dreamed of back then.

Despite these growing threats, myths continue to prevail that prevent business owners from being effectively equipped to defend themselves against attack or to deal with the consequences of an attack, should it happen. In this article, I debunk five of the biggest myths to ensure all business owners recognize the importance of cybersecurity.

1. Cybercrime only happens to others

It is a trait of most humans, to think that bad things will only happen to others. That can’t happen to you. But at some point, it hits you. You become the unlucky other. Since 2021, cyberattacks have risen over 300% according to the latest Microsoft Digital Defense Report – a threefold rise.

None of the companies that were hit by ransomware over the last decade thought they were chosen or deserved to be attacked. None. This is no different to saying that a car accident will never happen to you. That can only be true if you are not going out of your house. Even as a pedestrian, it can happen to you. If you have a business and you are using some kind of technology and, God forbid, if you are making money, then yes, you are a potential target.

Following an encounter I once had with a dairy farmer, I came up with a question that I now often ask in my presentations: do you believe that a cow requires cybersecurity? The crowd usually answers that of course they don’t. I then explain to them that the latest development in AgTech (agricultural technologies) means that a team of two farmers can milk 1,000 cows.

This amazing advancement allows us to break the physical limitations that used to plague farms. All these devices are connected to the internet in order for sensor data to be collected. I asked one of its makers if they secured the connections. He answered there was no need as it was only sensor data, not interesting to any cybercriminals.

There was the door – the way in for a cybercriminal who will do anything to get to their goal, which is bullying you into giving them your money.

Hence, a bad actor, thousands of kilometers away, can stop all the farm’s robots cold. Stop the cows from being milked and send a nice email for a ransom. With no milk, the dairy farm would be out of revenue for months and would probably collapse.

What if this attack is executed on 100 farms? They could all be stopped at once. We are talking about millions in lost revenues, all because cows don’t require cybersecurity, and the magic thinking that these things only happen to others.

2. We’re too small to be attacked

The root of this myth is the assumption that cybercriminals are like fishermen: that they carefully choose their spots and then cast a line into the water to catch a particular fish. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Cybercriminals today operate in networks, constantly offering services to new members to make them more efficient and sharing their profits throughout the network. They are no longer individuals in hoodies in basements; this is the age of dark corporations with objectives and quotas, of ‘ransomware as a service’. Not lone fishermen, but fleets of trawlers capturing all they can, by the ton.

When they send out a phishing email with the aim of infiltrating a company, months before the actual attack, they do not send ten or twenty; they send between 100,000 and 500,000.

What does that say about small and medium businesses? It says that you make up the greatest volume of fish – you are the largest group in the sea. For each large corporation, there are thousands of small and medium businesses. As an example, according to the renowned data site Statista, there were, in 2021, 8,365 companies with over 1,000 employees, compared to the total of 16,435,439 companies below that number.

According to those numbers, enterprises constitute 0.051% of all companies, so they may get targeted as the bigger fish, but never as often as the largest shoal in the sea.

3. We have nothing worth stealing

If you are in business, it is unlikely that you have nothing to steal. Apart from artists and artisans, who are paid in cash for services that only their talented hands can provide, pretty much all businesses today have valuable customer and employee information. More importantly, if you are in business, you must be making money; hence, you have the one thing that cybercriminals crave above all else: money.

After a short time, they will know how much money you have. They will spend months in your systems, sniffing around for clues – in documents, emails, financial statements, human resources files or customer databases – until they have figured out two things: what is important to you and how much you are willing (and able) to pay to get it back. Yes, this can (and most likely will) include deleting or infecting your backups to solidify their claim.

Then they will send you a ransom demand. (Whether you decide to pay or not is up to you, but you should understand that as long as victims will pay ransoms – and the attackers make money – cyberattacks will continue.)

4. Our data is safe in the cloud

Don’t kid yourself. This is not how the cloud works. Although Microsoft (and most other cloud providers) are secure environments, they also have what is known as a Shared Responsibility Matrix. This means that for your data, your research and your business intelligence, to be isolated and to remain fully yours, Microsoft will not access it. They will not subject it to their own security procedures, which might alter the structure of your data and potentially disrupt your business. That would go against the reasons for offering you space in the cloud. Instead, they guarantee that the foundational, underlying systems will be secured and defended.

What do I mean by the underlying system? Picture that you are hiring a security company. They will guard the access to your lot, make sure that no one is messing with access to your house, and that you have electricity and communications, but they will not manage what happens inside your house.

Same here: you are a tenant within the cloud provider’s infrastructure. He will make sure the gate to your space is guarded and that you have everything you need, but what happens within your company, on services and servers that he is leasing you, is completely your responsibility.

5. We have adequate insurance

What would buildings and contents insurance provide you if there was a fire in your offices? It would allow you to rebuild, buy back furniture and equipment and return to a normal life in perhaps four to six months. In other words, your insurance company will send you a cheque once your premises are in ashes (if you are lucky).

Far better – and usually much cheaper – to avoid a fire than to recover from one.

Don’t misunderstand me, insurance is necessary, but it cannot be the only component of your business protection plan. You also need proactive services that will enable you to react to a ‘fire’ before it reduces everything to ashes. As I said before, having a few battery-powered smoke detectors is far from adequate.

With proper cybersecurity, you might lose a device or a server, but you will survive the attack and still have a company to run. Instead of playing phoenix, you will live to fight another day.

Conclusion

As an expert, it is my duty to ensure that those false beliefs are challenged. I hold dear my vision that within the next decade, cybercriminality can be but a distinct memory and that we, as a species, will have evolved beyond that.

I strongly believe in making cybersecurity accessible, so that all business owners are in a position to understand and support cybersecurity initiatives within their company.

With this in mind, it is vital that you, as a leader, revise your mindset and understand that all cybercriminals are after are your assets. And that, if you are in business, you most likely have some. Either money, recipes, intellectual property, or even, perhaps simply a reputation that you have built over the years. All things that cybercriminals would use against you, to get to their final goal, your money.

Please take preventive measures. Just like at home, when you leave, make sure the alarm system is armed, the front door is locked and that the alarm center will be informed if something happened.

Deploy that same logic for your company and its assets. It is worth protecting.

We list the best antivirus software.

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

As President Trump weighs U.S. military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., says he backs any move by the president "if that is what is required to finish the job."

(Image credit: Richard Drew)

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who is also on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, about U.S. policy toward Iran.

The latest 12-month report from the CDC showed 1,400 more deaths in January of this year compared with the year prior. This comes after more than a year of dramatic progress. Experts say they're not sure if this is a "blip" or something more troubling.

(Image credit: Anadolu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Here are some of the best entries in NPR's 2024 College Podcast Challenge.

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady Wednesday. Members of the central bank's rate-setting committee will telegraph their plans for possible rate cuts later this year.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

Trump says he backs the MAHA agenda which includes eliminating toxins linked to human health problems. But his administration continues to cuts funds, grants and regulations that support that goal.

(Image credit: Nathan Posner/Anadolu)

U.S. bankruptcy Trustee Christopher Murray has filed three suits accusing Infowars host Alex Jones of hiding millions of dollars in cash and property.

(Image credit: Joe Buglewicz)

The category of the best Bluetooth speakers has never been more congested or hotly contested, but that only makes it all the more intriguing. And thus far, 2025 has been a grrrreat year for people who like their Bluetooth speakers bold, colorful, cute or…strappy.

As you'll soon see in this missive, three of our long-term favorites were updated with fresh iterations this year. It's impossible not to kick off with the March-release JBL Flip 7, (successor to the excellent Flip 6, and indeed the splendid Flip 5 that came before it) while Bang & Olufsen finally updated its chic and unique crumpet (muffin?) shaped option, which delighted us across the board soon after making its debut in May. And to round things off, Bowers & Wilkins updated one of its most iconic wireless speakers (OK, it was the tail end of 2024, but availability for most of us wasn't until early 2025) and received nothing but praise from us in February.

We've also seen the fresh and intriguing speaker partnership between LG and will.i.am (which was announced at the end of last year) bear fruit with mixed results – but one of the models actually gives the aforementioned Flip 7 a run for its money and is very much in this roundup.

Elsewhere – and this is the 'also ran' bit – Tribit's March 2025-issue Stormbox Lava was a little rough around the edges, and the joyfully named Happy Plugs Joy (which arrived in January) sadly fell short of the mark. Ah well…

(Image credit: Future)The biggest and most successful 2025-release Bluetooth speakers thus far

Aside from the 5-star-all-day-long Flip 7, above, it's also hats off to the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Generation. Yes, bit of a mouthful, but so, so worth saying – and assuring people you want exactly this speaker. It looks and feels every inch as high-end as you'd expect from B&O, and it sounds the absolute business for the money.

(Image credit: Future)

Next up is the LG xboom Grab, which boasts dimensions very similar to the Flip 7 but a few additions, including two useful elasticated straps around its casework – see below for what they can do.

Not to be confused with the slightly disappointing LG xboom Bounce, the Grab performed very well under intense review, earning a highly recommended 4.5-star rating. Not bad for a debutante…

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Rounding off my 'biggest of 2025' quartet is Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro Edition.

It's big, it's bold, it still looks like it's floating above whatever you put it on, it'll use your home Wi-Fi to bring wireless streaming (as well as Bluetooth), and it's B&W's best Zep yet. It can also be paired with other members of Bowers & Wilkins’ ‘Formation’ range of wireless speakers, or in conjunction with any of the company’s current (and excellent) line-up of wireless headphones and earbuds to 'hand off' audio as you leave home.

(Image credit: Future)Bluetooth speakers 2025: what's coming later this year

We're just dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's on our full-fat JBL Charge 6 and Sony ULT Field 3 reviews, (because these things take the time that they take, and we shall not be rushed into verdicts) but one big product we thought we might see falls under Apple's remit.

For over a year now, we've been hearing strong rumors and mumblings about a HomePod mini 2, and even a HomePod Hub with full touchscreen – both slated for a 2025 release. So far, nothing; Apple's WWDC event came and went on June 9, 2025, without so much as a dicky bird on any HomePod speakers from the Cupertino giant.

Surely there's no smoke without fire, though? For now, we wait…

(Image credit: TechRadar)You may also like

• Everyone needs 5 pairs of headphones: here are the ones to buy
• Need Wi-Fi streaming? See our pick of the best wireless speakers
• Check out our guide to the best earbuds

• Hays study finds 78% of organizations are struggling with skills shortages
• Four in five professionals would work for a foreign company
• Physical relocation is no longer a necessity of working abroad

The global tech job market is in flux, and new research from recruitment platform Hays claims three in five tech professionals are eyeing up a change, either by switching employers or stepping back into the contracting market.

And with nearly four in five (78%) organizations already grappling with skills shortages, the gap between tech demand and supply could be about to widen.

Hays' research also illustrates how worker dissatisfaction had made prospective job-seekers more willing to consider international job opportunities.

The tech job market is changing

More professionals are open to working abroad, but relocation is no longer a must. In the UK and Australia, more than four in five say they'd consider an overseas role, echoing a growing trend of remote, cross-border employment.

However, just half of those surveyed said they'd be willing to physically relocate – suggesting the post-pandemic flexibility is reshaping traditional career movement and progression.

On the whole, 86% of permanent specialists and nearly as many (83%) contractors are open to working for companies abroad.

Although contracting (8%) is gaining in popularity, changing organizations (53%) remains the most common job change. Workers cited job security (51%) as a key concern, but career progression opportunities (42%) and staff recognition/appraisal (32%) are also motivating factors.

The report also revealed that those working across AI, ML, cybersecurity and network engineering could be among the most likely to seek a job change, with technical and solutions architects more likely to stay put – probably due to the long-term project nature of their roles.

"The findings from our study highlight the importance of effective employer branding and the need for organisations to optimise their employment proposition by truly understanding what professionals value the most in a potential employer," noted Hays Global Head of STEM James Milligan.

You might also like

• Check out the best job sites around today
• Boost your skills by using the best online learning platforms
• Many in-house developers are ready to quit over inadequate tech