Nvidia cut its price by half to $249 in a bid to attract more developers to its platform
It has also released a firmware that "unlocks" up to 70% performance for free
In a move which is likely to raise more than a few eyebrows, Nvidia has rolled out a free upgrade that significantly enhances the performance of its Jetson hardware line, making it "super".
Aimed primarily at developers working on AI and robotics applications, the new software update delivers a staggering 57-70% increase in INT8 TOPS performance.
This boost applies to a range of devices, from the Jetson Orin Nano 4GB to the Jetson Orin NX 16GB, marking a major leap in computing power for edge AI applications.
Why wasn’t it unlocked sooner?
What makes this upgrade particularly impressive is that it requires no hardware changes. Nvidia has mysteriously somehow unlocked double the memory bandwidth, boosting it to 102GB/s on the Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit - all while retaining the original hardware specifications.
The upgrade not only enhances raw compute performance but also boosts generative AI capabilities by 70%, enabling developers to deploy sophisticated AI models, including vision transformers and large language models, on compact devices.
This development platform, which has also seen a price drop from $499 to $249 to attract more developers to build robotics on Nvidia hardware, makes cutting-edge AI development accessible to a wider audience, including hobbyists and students.
With an Nvidia Ampere architecture GPU and a 6-core Arm CPU, the developer kit supports up to four high-resolution cameras and concurrent AI applications, making it ideal for prototyping and real-world edge AI deployments.
ServeTheHome raises a valid question about this upgrade: “So somehow, in a 25W envelope, using the same hardware, we get double the memory bandwidth and more raw compute performance.”
The site adds, "Reasonable folks will ask if the hardware was capable of this performance in the first place, why not unlock it from the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Launch in 2022 or the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit Launch in 2023? Have these devices been out in the field with the hardware waiting for a firmware switch to unlock massive performance gains? It just feels strange. Still, it is awesome that we do not have to re-buy modules to get the new performance."
It wasn’t a great year for smartphone AI. While AI tech advanced in leaps behind the scenes, the actual AI products we got to use seem less useful than ever. Even though AI computations make the best camera phones fantastic, we feel like we're being exposed to more bad AI than good AI. I’m here to offer a ray of sunshine through the cloud! AI is going to be very good for mobile devices. It’s going to make everything so much easier that you won’t ever think about having AI on your phone.
Before then, AI will have to overcome its bad rep. As I’ll explain, AI is going to be everything, but we’re not there yet. I don’t think today's situation is due an AI failure. I blame people, not AI. I’m hopeful about AI – I predict it’s going to be an inseparable aspect of mobile computing in a couple of years. You won't consider buying a phone without it.
Today’s AI isn’t even version 1.0. The features we have today – generative AI for creating images and text, live chat agents – aren’t the AI, but rather the tools that will build AI. These aren’t finished products. They aren’t even products at all, they’re tricks that the nascent AI systems can perform on the way to being functional.
Today's AI makes me ask 'Why do we need this?'
I can’t write an email or text message without my AI assistant offering to help screw it up
I may be cynical, but look at the AI features that we’re being force fed. We’re getting image generators rife with stereotypes, copyright violations, and potential for fraud and violence. We’re getting language models that offer inaccurate facts and incorrect summaries. Minor features like handwriting recognition and photo lighting effects now rely on cloud computing, draining untold power and adding steps to the process for minimal usability gains.
Everywhere you look, pushy AI features try too hard. I can’t write an email or text message without my AI assistant offering to help screw it up with gobbledygook. In Google Photos, new AI tools offer to search for the pics I want, then return results that are useless compared to the older, AI-less search capability.
A stereotypical AI wallpaper image of robots partying hard(Image credit: Freepik)
New AI wallpaper tools are ubiquitous, but they create wallpapers that are impersonal at best, and they may be a bit racist at worst. Were we running low on wallpaper creators? Why do we even need generative AI for wallpapers?
If these tools were all we could expect from AI, I’d say it’s time to shut down the project and go home. It’s time to look for what’s next.
I think that will probably be smart glasses, but it’s clear that smart glasses, and any future mobile technology, will rely on AI and machine learning to deliver a robust experience. That’s why I’m still optimistic about smartphone AI. I have to be optimistic. It’s going to get better, a lot better.
When AI solves a smartphone problem, it will become valuable
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
I don’t think I could change my home screen ... without searching the Settings menu, and I’m a bona fide smartphone expert
Today’s AI doesn’t solve any big problems for users. What’s the biggest problem you have with your phone? The battery dies too quickly. Okay, AI might help with that, and I can attest that Qualcomm’s newest AI-forward processors are also the most efficient high-end smartphone processors I’ve ever benchmarked. So, what else?
Smartphones are still too difficult to use. I really want to use all the cool features, but I don’t know how. I know that my phone can do a million and one things, including a million things I never use because I don’t know how.
Do you know how to share a photo by tapping your phone to another phone? Do you know how to charge your earbuds using your phone’s battery? Have you ever created a safety Check In on your way home at night? I know that my phone can do all of that, but I’d need a refresher to figure it out. Honestly, I don’t think I could change my home screen from Light Mode to Dark Mode without searching the Settings menu, and I’m a bona fide smartphone expert.
AI will solve this problem. I won’t need to know whether it’s ‘Reverse wireless charging’ on my OnePlus versus ‘PowerShare’ on my Galaxy versus USB-C Power Delivery with my iPhone. I’ll just tell my phone’s AI what I want to do and it will turn on wireless power to charge my Galaxy Buds.
In the future your smartphone's AI will be the entire interface
Today’s slate of AI features are parlor tricks. Watch as I pour beer out of this bottle without picking it up! Bet me that I can’t insert Mickey Mouse into our group photo! See me compose a message using AI and no thought whatsoever! Okay, cool, but that’s not something I want to do every day, or maybe even more than once.
Thankfully, that’s not the future for AI. In the near future, we’re going to interact with what Qualcomm and other tech companies call AI agents. Think Siri, Gemini, and Bixby, but more capable and understanding. The AI is going to be the interface. You’ll be able to swipe, or open apps, but you won’t have to. Just tell the phone what you want, and don’t worry about the AI. When AI finally makes our smartphone lives easier, instead of more complicated, it’s going to be amazing.
I’ve been a PC gamer for basically my entire life. Even as a young kid on my dad’s boxy beige work computer, I spent hours playing the only game it had installed: Microsoft Golf 1998 Edition. I loved the glorious Flash era of browser games, and bought plenty of magazines purely for the demo disks.
Growing up, I had my dalliances with console gaming, but once I got my first gaming laptop as a teen, we were back in familiar territory. It wasn’t long before I built my first gaming PC, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I never thought I’d abandon my trusty gaming desktop - perhaps the fourth or fifth PC I’ve built purely for myself over the years, discounting the literal dozens I built while working at Maximum PC magazine - and yet nowadays, I find myself using it less and less for gaming. I used to spend hours seated at my desk grinding away in my live-service game du jour, yet now I mostly just sit in that chair to write articles like this one. The reason for that? I got myself an Asus ROG Ally.
The handheld revolution
PC gaming handhelds have been floating around for a while in early forms, but it wasn’t until Valve released their successful and popular Steam Deck handheld that interest really started to pick up. It wasn’t long before other manufacturers wanted to muscle in on the scene; Asus was the first major rival to Valve with its ROG Ally (and the new ROG Ally X), then more started to appear: the MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go, and most recently the Zotac Zone all deliver quality handheld gaming experiences beating anything in the existing console space.
I do love my Switch, but it's just not the same as having a PC I can play in bed.(Image credit: Shutterstock/Wachiwit)
But the ROG Ally is a different beast entirely; my huge game libraries across Steam, Epic, GOG, and more mean that I can enjoy a vast variety of games, with better graphics than anything offered by the Switch. Plus, as a fan of indie games, I get the added bonus of getting to play all the great stuff on Itch.io, the majority of which isn’t available on consoles.
What makes PC handhelds so great?
My love for the ROG Ally has grown so much that I’ve taken to actively recommending it and its ilk - forsaking my usual advice about gaming laptops and PC-building. The first reason, quite simply, is pricing. The ROG Ally can routinely be picked up for around $400 / £400 if you keep an eye on sales - and frankly, good luck finding a gaming laptop capable of offering the same performance for that price, even during sale events.
Speaking of performance: the Z1 Extreme APU chip inside the ROG Ally and some other handhelds performs great, offering strong 1080p gaming performance. Sure, you’ll likely need to tone down the graphics in some more demanding games to hit that coveted 60 frames per second, but the performance for such a compact device is truly excellent and would’ve been unprecedented just a few years ago.
Valve's Steam Deck is a cool handheld, but in terms of raw performance it doesn't quite measure up to many other models on the market right now.(Image credit: Unsplash)
And of course, it’s that compact nature that makes the Ally so much more appealing to me than a desktop PC or a chunky gaming laptop. I sit at my desk all day long; why would I continue to sit there during my free time after work, when I could take my handheld and go lounge on the couch while playing the exact same games? It’s a benefit you don’t notice until you have the option. During a recent storm here in the UK, I stayed warm and cozy in bed with a hot water bottle and the rather excellent Afterparty, and it was great. Although the Ally is a bit heavy, it’s comfortable design and sturdy thumbsticks are a lot easier on my hands than a mouse and keyboard.
So yes: I’m done with gaming laptops, and while I’m not about to toss my powerhouse desktop in the garbage anytime soon, I’m certainly putting a lot less mileage on it now. That’s probably good for my electricity bill too, now that I think about it - the RTX 4080 sure is a power hog.
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This Black Friday, I snagged a killer deal on a new iPhone 16 Pro . It’s the first new phone I’ve had in years, and it replaced my old iPh...
I switched from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 Pro – here are 5 things I love and 3 disappointments
This Black Friday, I snagged a killer deal on a new iPhone 16 Pro. It’s the first new phone I’ve had in years, and it replaced my old iPhone 12 Pro that was starting to show its age.
After holding out for so long, I’ve got to say that it feels good to have joined the modern era – blazing fast performance, Apple Intelligence goodness, silky smooth animations, you name it. But there are also a few things I’m not so happy about – things I never had to deal with on the iPhone 12 Pro. Because while I absolutely love the iPhone 16 Pro, it’s by no means perfect.
Using it is buttery smooth
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Not everyone talks about it, but using the iPhone 16 Pro is smooth. I’m not talking about how fast everything is to load – I mean its animations. My iPhone 12 Pro was limited to a 60Hz display, but the iPhone 16 Pro ups that to 120Hz, and it feels amazing.
Swiping between app screens and scrolling through web pages feels so smooth compared to my old phone. And while the 60Hz screen on my old phone was never a problem, now that I’m using a faster refresh rate every day, there’s no way I’d ever go back (and I know I’m not alone).
It’s not something I can ever adequately explain in text, and you’ve got to just experience it in person to understand how lovely it feels. Once you do, you’ll love it just like I do.
The Dynamic Island
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
The Dynamic Island has received a lot of stick since it launched for never really living up to its potential. And I agree that it could probably do a little more than it already does. But compared to what I had on the iPhone 12 Pro, it’s an excellent addition.
On my old phone, the notch was a big, bulky bar that really did nothing for me. Sure, I know it’s needed to hide all the cameras and Face ID sensors, but it takes away a large chunk of your screen that can’t be used in any other way.
With the iPhone 16 Pro, the notch (now a cutout) is put to good use, as it can display information from various apps in an easy-to-see way. Even something as simple as checking how long is left on my timer (no matter what app I’m using) is a really useful touch. I also love that I can quickly interact with whatever information is hidden in there without having to open the associated app. It might not be a ground-breaking feature, but it’s a much better use of the notch than the iPhone 12 Pro offered me.
More screen real estate
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
I never really thought that my old iPhone 12 Pro had thick, chunky bezels, but the iPhone 16 Pro has slimmed them down even further, helping to expand the device’s display as a result. It doesn’t sound like much, but the extra screen space – combined with the smooth 120Hz scrolling – makes consuming content just that much better.
Part of the reason is that, right now at least, I’m using my new phone without a case (more on that later), meaning there’s no extra bulk crowding in on the screen. But I can’t ignore the difference that the slimmer bezels and increased screen size have made to my enjoyment of the new phone, even if it’s a subtle difference.
Macro photography is brilliant
(Image credit: DXOMARK)
I’m someone who takes a lot of photos on my iPhone, and I mean a lot – my Photos library contains 39,201 items at the time of writing. Yet despite my iPhone long since replacing my DSLR in my day-to-day usage, it’s always bugged me that the iPhone 12 Pro was only average at taking macro shots.
Now, though, that’s all changed. With the addition of macro photography to recent iPhones, you can get closer than ever to your subject. That’s something I’ve really noticed with the iPhone 16 Pro, and it’s helped me capture shots that just weren’t possible on my old device. Combined with the 5x optical zoom, it’s the best phone camera I’ve ever used.
I feel like I’m even less likely to need one of the best DSLR cameras in my life now that I can turn my phone into a proper photography tool. They say the best camera is the one you have with you, and that’s just become even more true in my case.
Genmoji are often exactly what I need
(Image credit: Future / Apple)
Whatever you think of it, Apple Intelligence is a part of our world now, and it was a big addition to my new iPhone (my iPhone 12 Pro wasn’t powerful enough to run it). And now that I’ve got a taste of it, there’s one element in particular that I’ve grown very fond of.
That aspect is Genmoji, Apple’s AI-powered emoji. In any app that contains a text field, you just type in what you want and Apple Intelligence will whip up a brand-new emoji for you to use. I’ve had some great use out of it so far, and I love that I can create any emoji I want to perfectly fit the moment at hand. It’s especially fun to whip up new emoji based on photos of people I know.
Sure, I wish it worked a little faster, and sometimes it takes a couple of attempts to get exactly the result I want. But overall, it’s a great new feature that’s left me thoroughly impressed with my new phone.
I instantly disabled the always-on display
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
It’s not all good, though. As soon as I got my new iPhone, the first thing I turned off was the always-on display. I’ve heard the horror stories about it draining iPhone batteries and I didn’t want any of that for myself, particularly not if it risked prematurely ageing my device’s battery and lowering its maximum capacity.
Aside from that, I just plain don’t need the iPhone’s always-on display. I’ve also got an Apple Watch Series 10, and on that device, the always-on display is extremely useful. Because my Watch is almost always within my sightline, I can just glance down to see the time without needing to raise my wrist. That’s a good example of a place where the always-on display is valuable.
But my iPhone is usually in my pocket, where the always-on screen doesn’t help me in any way. Even if my phone is on my desk, it’s still easier to just use my Watch to check the time. It’s an unnecessary feature on my iPhone, and I don’t regret disabling it.
Butterfingers beware
(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
At the moment, I’m not using a case with my iPhone 16 Pro, mainly because I’ve been agonizing over which one to buy (finding the best iPhone case can be surprisingly difficult). During this time, I’ve come to realize that a naked iPhone is dangerously slippery, and there have been several occasions where I’ve come perilously close to sending it hurtling towards the ground (luckily, there have been no disasters yet).
My iPhone 12 Pro was also pretty easy to lose hold of, and I had it in a case from almost day one as a result. But over the ensuing four years, I’d hoped that Apple had done something to make its phones a grippier. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The Ceramic Shield will help, but I don’t want to have to rely on it saving my phone when extra grip would stop it dropping in the first place.
The bulbous camera bump
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Another thing I’ve noticed from going temporarily caseless is that the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera bump is freaking huge. If I rest the phone on a table, it prominently wobbles from side to side any time I tap. It’s something that was never a problem with my previous phone and its much more slimline camera protrusion.
I worry that all that close contact with surfaces can’t be good for the camera lenses. That’s something that will be alleviated by swaddling my phone in a case, which should add a bit more protection around the camera. But for now, it’s a worrying side effect of increasing the lens sizes on the newer phone.
SK Hynix has released a 61.44TB PCIe 5.0 SSD using QLC NAND
The press release mentions that the firm will launch a 122TB SSD in 2025
Also in the pipeline is a 244TB SSD, set to be launched probably in 2026
Samsung’s South Korean neighbor and leading memory competitor, SK Hynix, has unveiled its latest product, the PS1012 U.2 - a 61.44TB PCIe 5.0 SSD designed for AI data centers.
The drive, developed in collaboration with Solidigm, SK Hynix’s U.S. subsidiary, builds on that firm’s earlier achievements, including the launch of its own 61.44TB SSD, which went on sale in January 2024.
Solidigm more recently announced a 122.88TB SSD targeting hyperscalers, further cementing its role in developing high-capacity storage solutions.
Supporting AI advancements
The PS1012 is built with Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND and offers sequential read speeds of up to 13GB/s - double that of PCIe 4.0 products - while achieving data transfer rates of 32GT/s. Designed to meet Open Compute Project (OCP) 2.0 standards, it ensures compatibility with a wide range of server systems, making it suitable for AI and enterprise data center environments.
SK Hynix has ambitious plans for the future of high-capacity SSDs. Following the PS1012, the company intends to launch a 122TB model in 2025, using its advanced 321-layer 4D NAND technology. A 244TB model is expected to follow that, probably in 2026, targeting the growing storage demands of AI and hyperscale data centers.
By using QLC NAND, the PS1012 promises both solid storage density and reliability, addressing the increasing demands of AI-driven workloads. This new SSD reflects the industry’s need for larger capacities and faster speeds to support advancements in AI and machine learning.
“SK Hynix and Solidigm are strengthening our QLC-based high-capacity SSD lineup to solidify our technological leadership in NAND solutions for AI,” said Ahn Hyun, President and Chief Development Officer of SK Hynix.
“In the future, we will lay the foundation for growth to become a Full Stack AI memory provider by meeting the diverse needs of AI data center customers based on our high competitiveness in the eSSD field.”
SK Hynix says it plans to supply samples of the PS1012 to global server manufacturers for evaluation by the end of 2024, beginning of 2025.
If you've decided to fire up your Meta Quest 3 for some holiday gaming, you don't want to then find it broken by a software update – but that's exactly what's happening to the Quest 3, as well as the older Meta Quest 2 and the newer Meta Quest 3S.
As reported by UploadVR, users have been hitting the web to complain after a new software patch left their headsets unusable. You can read some of the stories of Meta Quest woe on the Meta community forums and on Reddit.
There seems to be a running theme in that a lot of the complaints are coming from people who haven't used their headset in a while, and it's possible that an out-of-date firmware version at the lowest level is causing the software update on top to fail.
Some users say applying the v71 and v72 updates put their Meta Quest headsets into a startup loop, and that factory resetting the devices then means they don't power on at all – so we're talking about a serious issue for VR gamers.
Fixing the problem
The Meta Quest 3S(Image credit: Meta)
As per the UploadVR article, Meta's initial advice to those affected was to try booting up their headset while holding down the power button for 45 seconds, then releasing it – which is something to try if you've been affected.
The Meta support site has since been updated to say "in most cases, you are now able to use your device normally". That suggests software updates are now working again, which is backed up by a new note posted to Reddit.
If you are still experiencing problems, Meta says you should get in touch with the support team through the official channels, which you can do here. As yet it's not immediately clear how to restore a bricked device, beyond the power up method mentioned above.
Hopefully everything is now back to normal, but it's been a frustrating few days for those who've had this problem. What makes it even more frustrating is that v72 has some genuinely useful new features in it as well.
New Gorilla Glass rumored for the Galaxy S25 Ultra
The phone could also get a storage speed upgrade
All four Galaxy S25 models are expected on January 22
Another day, another Samsung Galaxy S25 leak or two to pick through – and this time we've got news about upgrades that could be coming to the display and internal storage of the Ultra model in the series.
First up, according to well-known tipster @UniverseIce, we can look forward to "second-generation" Corning Gorilla Armor Glass with anti-glare tech built into it for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, improving on the Corning display used in the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
It's not clear exactly what upgrades the new screen tech will involve. Corning last unveiled a new type of glass back in November 2022, but we're assuming this is something the company has been working on specifically for Samsung.
That was the case with the current model, so presumably the next version of the screen tech will be even tougher and even better at reducing reflections. That should help with outdoor viewing as well as giving you some extra peace of mind.
Storage boost
The Galaxy S24 Ultra launched in January 2024(Image credit: Future)
Our next Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rumor concerns the internal storage, which is apparently going to get an upgrade in terms of speed. That's based on some digging into leaked files by the team at Android Authority.
The files point to UFS (Universal Flash Storage) version 4.0, and while that matches the spec of the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the new phone will apparently use an improved version of UFS 4.0 with more data lanes – so faster read and write times.
We've already heard plenty about the Galaxy S25 Ultra from those in the know, including the colors it's expected to come in, and the internal specs that will be packed inside. It also seems next year's model will be more rounded in terms of its design.
The Ultra model is expected to show up on January 22 if the leaks are accurate, and there could be three other models unveiled alongside it: the standard Samsung Galaxy S25, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, and a new Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim.
When I downloaded and signed up for Tidal recently, I finally made the leap from Spotify because I had to, for coverage on TechRadar – but I must admit I was a little excited to try it out.
I never used to be an audiophile, but I’ve tested enough of the best headphones and best earbuds for TechRadar to become a convert – there’s something magical about higher-resolution audio (this is why we can’t have nice things; we get too used to them).
Tidal’s made a name for itself as a streaming service that dishes out hi-res CD-quality audio. So to me, getting let loose in Tidal was like if 10-year-old me was let loose in Legoland.
Never did I think that I’d be back on Spotify after trying out Tidal's souped up offering. More than that, I didn’t even get through a week of streaming hi-res music before I was clicking on that green-and-black sound wave logo. Three days! My Tidal trial hadn’t even expired!
That’s not to say Tidal is a bad streaming service, (on the contrary, it's one of the best music streaming services) but I had enough issues with it for me to bounce straight off – enough issues in fact, to create a nice little listicle! Audiophiles are already shaking their heads, tutting and closing this article, but people who are on the fence between Tidal and Spotify might find themselves agreeing with some of the things I've said.
Reason 1: the playlist problem
The teething problems with Tidal began as soon as started it. I’ve spent a decade creating a huge number of incredible playlists (and an even huger number of really terrible ones). And while there is a way – arguably a few ways – to convert your Spotify playlists to Tidal, you have to pay if you transfer over 500 songs' worth of playlists. At last count, my library was about ten times that.
I only managed to transfer about eight playlists over to Tidal, and so when I was trying to enjoy my favorite songs in hi-res, I was spending more time re-building my old playlists than I was actually listening to them!
My job is to fiddle around with tech; I don’t want to do that in my spare time too. And after building about five playlists, I got sick of the process and started simply using Spotify for the ones I hadn’t recreated. That was the start of the problems, but it’s not what made me stop Tidal for good…
Reason 2: lagging, buffering and bugging
(Image credit: Tidal)
I had a lot of trouble listening to Tidal.
Whether I streamed on my computer, on my phone or on my iPad, Tidal would often take some time to buffer each song. Sometimes it was a few seconds, sometimes it was literal minutes. It turns out that streaming hi-res audio over the internet takes a lot of loading (as does streaming low-res audio on Tidal, for some reason).
I couldn't exactly get into the flow with my songs if I had to wait patiently for each one to start. And this totally ruled out using Tidal for my workout playlist too; I'm not waiting minutes between each set of weights so my next motivation song can play!
That wasn’t all, though, as I found the PC app very buggy. It often decided to change computer input on a whim, jumping from the default output to other PC outputs for no real reason. When I booted up the app it’d sometimes decide to begin on a random output I’d never use, and I’d only realize when music playback failed.
Nearly every time I used Tidal, I ended up having to fight it simply just to listen to music, which was incredibly infuriating. Spotify may not have high-res audio (yet?) but at least it works!
Reason 3: the accessibility issues
Beyond its issues, Tidal simply isn’t accessible to everyone.
And I’m not just talking about the price, even though the $10.99 / £10.99 / $11.99 monthly cost of Tidal compared to the $0 / £0 / AU$0 of Spotify's Free tier was an intimidating spectre to face for when my free trial ran out.
I’m talking about the tech side of it too. You need pretty premium headphones to make the most of Tidal’s high-res audio, and that isn’t cheap. Moreover, Tidal didn't actually let me listen on its Max quality setting via Bluetooth (ie, the way most people listen), and so I couldn’t even enjoy it most of the time.
I mostly listen to music when I’m out and about, so my Tidal app constantly telling me that I couldn’t listen to music at a high resolution really made me question why I was signed up in the first place. Sure, I could find excellent wired headphones and an adaptor for my phone, or I could listen on my computer with my proper gaming cans. But that's not how I listen to music... at least, it's not the only way.
Spotify Wrapped shows me getting between 50 and 100 hours of music listening time each year for the past few years, and that's not just from one source. It's from when I'm out and about, when I'm working on my computer, when I'm at work, when I'm playing from speakers in the living room or at others' houses; it's from a whole range of methods.
A music streaming app has to be so minimal and easy-to-use that we forget it's its own app or a service, and start thinking it's an everyday part of our tech phone. From my experience, Tidal didn't feel like that.
I've been using Spotify for 10 years now (or maybe more, but my first playlist was created a decade ago) and so Tidal always had an uphill battle to win me over. This time around, it wasn't successful, due to the issues mentioned above that I kept stubbing my toe on. Maybe, as tech gets more advanced, it'll get a leg up over Spotify... but I'll wait until then to try it again.
Whenever Hulu drops its monthly list revealing everything new on Hulu in January that will be available for us to indulge in, it's a solid reminder of why we still appreciate it as one of the best streaming services. But while it's great to see new movies and shows come to these platforms, older ones must be removed and Hulu is gearing up to wipe more in January 2025.
Compared to previous months, the titles leaving Hulu in January 2025 aren't all disappointing as a large majority are festive movies which you will undoubtedly be sick and tired of. This means that, thankfully, none of our best Hulu movies or best Hulu shows will be departing in January 2025, which is a major positive.
Everything leaving Hulu in January 2025
Arriving on January 2
Mia and Me: Hero of Centopia (movie)
Arriving on January 6
The Year of the Everlasting Storm (movie)
Arriving on January 9
Pharma Bro (movie)
Arriving on January 13
Ailey (movie)
Arriving on January 14
Bergman Island (movie)
Arriving on January 20
Paris, 13th District (movie)
Arriving on January 21
The Estate (movie)
Arriving on January 26
Happening (movie)
Arriving on January 27
Mayday (movie)
Arriving on January 28
Charli XCX: Alone Together (movie)
9 Bullets (movie)
Assassin (movie)
Stop and Go (movie)
Arriving on January 29
The Reef: Stalked (movie)
Gigi & Nate (movie)
Arriving on January 31
10.0 Earthquake (movie)
12 Pups of Christmas (movie)
A Chance for Christmas (movie)
A Christmas Movie Christmas (movie)
A Snow White Christmas (movie)
A Unicorn for Christmas (movie)
An En Vogue Christmas (movie)
Christmas Crush (movie)
Country Christmas Album (movie)
Four Cousins and a Christmas (movie)
Merry Kissmas (movie)
The Spruces and the Pines (movie)
Small Engine Repair (movie)
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83% of businesses were caught off guard by CrowdStrike 2024 outage
More than half of IT leaders now see preparation as an ongoing effort
Business leaders are preparing for the next big outage as we head into 2025, new research by PagerDuty has claimed.
The research explores how mindsets have changed following the widely reported July 2024 disruptions, when a dodgy CrowdStrike update caused an estimated 8.5 million Windows Server devices to go offline.
Nine in 10 (88%) now believe that another major incident is inevitable within the next year.
Leaders are preparing for the next big outage
Business leaders have significantly increased their spend on cybersecurity in recent years amid growing attacks and threats from nation-state actors, however 86% now believe they’ve prioritized security at the expense of their readiness for disruptions similar to 2024’s CrowdStrike-induced outage.
A similar number (83%) also noted that the July outage caught them off guard, with British businesses being most surprised by the disruption (89%).
"The … study shows that executives around the globe are shifting their leadership priorities with major incidents in mind, with 100% of those surveyed reporting a heightened focus on preparing for future service disruptions at their companies," noted PagerDuty CIO Eric Johnson.
The effects of the July disruptions were felt widely, with more than a third (37%) of the businesses surveyed saying that they lost revenue or were unable to process sales transactions. Nearly half (44%) had to revert to old manual processes or workarounds as a result, highlighting the reliance on digital tools.
Looking ahead, between 78% and 91% of leaders (depending on country) are now preparing for “when” the next outage or major disruption will occur, rather than “if” they’re likely to be affected by one.
PagerDuty is calling for more real-time data tools, with more than half (55%) of IT leaders and execs now seeing outage readiness preparation as a continual effort rather than a one-off investment.
Now that 2025 is upon us that means one thing: new year, new movies. And that's not just subject to brand new cinema releases, as Hulu has a range of exciting new titles arriving in January 2025, and we'd expect nothing less from one of the best streaming services.
Joining the array of best Hulu movies and best Hulu shows is yet another mix of TV specials and movie franchises from action thriller John Wick, to the horror series Insidious and even the Paul Blart movies. Like clockwork, most of Hulu's January titles will be available to stream on January 1, meaning that you can jump straight into tailoring your 2025 movie wish lists.
What's great about Hulu's monthly lists is the range of genres it packs, so whether you're more of a sci-fi buff or you prefer a simple comedy you know Hulu will have it.
Everything new on Hulu in January 2025
Arriving on January 1
Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025: Special Premiere (TV show) Kids Diana Show: Let's Celebrate Together season 1 (TV show) Papa Jake: Epic Box Forts season 1 (TV show) After Earth (movie) American Psycho (movie) The Devil's Own (movie) The Devil's Own En Español (movie) Dirty Grandpa (movie) Empire Records (movie) Ender's Game (movie) The Great Debaters (movie) Heat (movie) Insidious (movie) Insidious: Chapter 2 (movie) Insidious: Chapter 2 En Español (movie) Insidious: Chapter 3 (movie) Insidious: Chapter 3 En Español (movie) The Intouchables (movie) John Wick (movie)
John Wick: Chapter 2 (movie) John Wick: Chapter 3 (movie) The King of Comedy (movie) Little Manhattan (movie)
Man of the House (movie)
Man of the House En Español (movie)
Mr. Deeds (movie)
Pacific Rim (movie)
Paddington (movie)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (movie)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (movie)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 En Español (movie)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop En Español (movie)
Shutter (movie)
Sorry to Bother You (movie)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (movie)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada En Español (movie)
Threesome (movie)
The Town (movie)
To Rome with Love (movie)
The Walk (movie)
xXx (movie)
xXx En Español (movie)
xXx: State of the Union (movie)
xXx: State of the Union En Español (movie)
Arriving on January 2
2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Special Premiere (TV show)
American Pickers season 25 (TV show) Beyond the Headlines: The Tanya Kach Story with Elizabeth Smart season 1 (TV show) The Butcher season 1 (TV show) Dark Side of the 90s season 3 (TV show) My City's Just Not That Into Me season 1 (TV show) The Unbelievable with Dan Aykroyd season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 3
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition series premiere (TV show) Animal Control season 3 Premiere (TV show) Going Dutch series premiere (TV show) Mother's Instinct (movie)
Arriving on January 7
Dead Pixels seasons 1-2 (TV show) Stopmotion (movie)
Arriving on January 8
The Rookie season 7 (TV show) Will Trent season 3 (TV show) Doc series premiere (TV show) Ishura season 2 (TV show) Fall (movie)
65 (movie)
Arriving on January 9
Celebrity Jeopardy! season 3 (TV show) Shifting Gears season 1 (TV show) Biography: Alice Cooper season 1 (TV show) Biography: Chris Farley - Anything for a Laugh season 1 (TV show) Biography: Jeff Dunham - Talking Heads season 1 (TV show) Biography: Jeff Foxworthy - Stand Up Guy season 1 (TV show) Booked: First Day In season 2 (TV show) Extreme Builds season 1 (TV show) Interrogation Files season 1 (TV show) Mashle: Magic and Muscles season 1 (TV show) More Power season 1 (TV show) My Hero Academia season 7, episodes 148-159 (TV show) Kitchen Nightmares season premiere (TV show) Special Forces: World's Toughest Test season 3 (TV show) Dance First (movie) 65 En Español (movie)
Arriving on January 10
Goosebumps: The Vanishing season premiere (TV show) The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story (TV show) American Star (movie)
Arriving on January 12
The Silent Hour (movie)
Arriving on January 13
Toilet Bound Hanako-kun season 2 premiere (TV show) Biography: WWE Legends season 2 (TV show) The First 48 season 25 (TV show) The Mega-Brands That Built America season 2 (TV show) Murder at the Motel season 1 (TV show) Quarter Ton Teen season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 14
My Penguin Friend (movie)
Arriving on January 15
Unmasked season 1 (TV show) Sniper: The Ultimate Competition season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 17
Roy Wood Jr.: Lonely Flowers special premiere (TV show) The Bad Shepard (movie)
Arriving on January 20
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 21
Rurouni Kenshin season 1 (TV show) Sleep (movie)
Arriving on January 22
Whiskey on the Rocks season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 23
The Misfit of Demon King Academy season 1-2 (TV show) Persona5 the Animation season 1 (TV show) Swamp People: Serpent Invasion season 4 (TV show) Theresa Caputo: Raising Spirits season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 24
The Killer Inside: The Ruth Finley Story (movie)
Arcadian (movie)
City of Dreams (movie)
Arriving on January 28 Paradise series premiere (TV show) The Bachelor season 29 premiere (TV show) Humane (movie)
Arriving on January 30 The First 48 Presents: Critical Minutes season 3A (TV show) The Food That Built America season 5 (TV show) Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid season 1 (TV show)
Arriving on January 31
Rachael Ray's Meals in Minutes season 1 (TV show) Scamanda series premiere (TV show) Take Cover (movie)
If 2025 is the year you’ve finally promised yourself you will actually get fit, lose weight, run that marathon, or lift those weights, then you should make sure you have as many tools at your disposal as possible.
Starting a new fitness challenge, program, or routine can be really daunting, especially for first-timers. If you own a smartphone, however, there are a ton of great apps out there that can really help you get on top of your fitness goals for 2025. Many of them are free, while some of them require a subscription. Either way, starting out with one of the best fitness apps can be one of the best ways to help your fitness goals.
They can be downloaded to a smartphone you probably already own, and there's usually no immediate upfront cost like there is for a new fitness tracker, smartwatch, or gym membership. So whether you want to run your first marathon, take control of your calories, or just get out and walk, here are some of the best apps to help you achieve your 2025 fitness goals.
1. Fitbod: Workout & Gym Planner
(Image credit: Future)
Fitbot is our number-one pick of the best fitness apps on both iPhone and Android. It’s a pocket personal trainer with a massive range of exercises that caters to both beginners and experienced users. It also has an impressive UI and can be used even without any equipment.
The full version will cost you $12.99/£10/AU$20 a month or $79.99/£63/AU$122 a year, but there’s a very limited free trial if you’d like to test it out.
Runna is one of our very favorite running apps thanks to its personalized running programs, very solid design, and the broad range of features you get for free.
I’ve personally used this app for a really solid Couch to 5K plan, and the workouts feature really helpful guidance that talks to you as you run. If you want to do any sort of running in 2025, be it your first-ever 5K, an ultra or anything in between, this definitely should be top of your list.
I’ve used Push for well over a year as my go-to daily workout companion. It’s an AI-powered strength training app with a stunning interface, and workout plans designed to give you maximum results in the gym when it comes to strength training. You won’t find anything except weightlifting for the purposes of building muscle, but if you want to get massive in 2025, this is the one I’d recommend.
There’s an old adage that you can’t out-train a bad diet, and it’s sadly true. All that hard work in the gym isn’t going to matter if you aren’t doing the heavy lifting in the kitchen.
Whether you want to shed those pounds, build muscle, or ensure you’re fuelled for long distances, getting your food right is crucial MyFitnessPal is a mainstay calorie tracking app that lets you input your targets and goals and divide up your macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat) to help you hit your target.
The app’s peak feature is undoubtedly the barcode scanner, which gives you crowdsourced nutritional information about the food you buy so you don’t have to put it in manually.
If you want to get into the outdoors and feel like you’re part of a fitness community, Strava’s 135 million members are waiting for you.
Ever-popular amongst cyclists and runners, Strava lets you record your exercise and share it with the world, so if you’re ultra-competitive and want to take your fitness to the next level, or you want to join like-minded exercises on your first steps, it’s hard to go wrong with Strava. It also offers analysis and feedback, importing data from your wearable, and kit tracking.
Noom is a sleeper weight loss and diet app that uses personalized programs and psychology to not only track your food and log calories, but also change your behavior and thinking around food.
It’s a dedicated weight-loss app with a serious price tag (at least $209 a year) but could be a winner for those who really want to get inside the psychology of food.
Tasty is a much more conventional meal planning and recipe app that can help you come up with great, tasty food to keep your diet going.
There are plenty of indulgent and decadent recipes for cheat days, but there are also easy dinners, five-ingredient meals, and of course healthy options for low-carb, low-calorie, high-protein, or low-fat meals.
After a life-changing brush with health anxiety a couple of years ago, Headspace is one of the most important apps on my iPhone these days. There’s no point doing all that legwork in the gym and on the dinner table, if you’re not taking care of your mental wellbeing too.
Headspace features a massive range of mindfulness exercises from brief meditations and breathing exercises to 30-day courses. There are even guided meditations for exercises like yoga and cardio, as well as specific courses for mindful eating.
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SK Hynix's 321-layer NAND targets AI-driven data storage needs 321-layer NAND flash improves data transfer speed by 12% AI storage ...
Samsung's archrival becomes first chipmaker to launch 300+ layer TLC NAND flash memory; SK Hynix's 321-layer 1-terabit TLC paves the way for more affordable 100TB+ SSDs
SK Hynix's 321-layer NAND targets AI-driven data storage needs
321-layer NAND flash improves data transfer speed by 12%
AI storage demands drive innovation in high-capacity NAND solutions
Samsung and SK Hynix have continued their head-to-head battle in the NAND flash memory market with the latter taking the lead with a new launch.
SK Hynix, the world’s second-largest memory chipmaker, recently became the first to mass-produce triple-level cell (TLC) NAND flash with over 300 layers.
The company’s new 321-layer, 1-terabit TLC 4D NAND flash, announced recently, is set to revolutionize the data storage industry, paving the way for more affordable ultra-high-capacity solid-state drives (SSDs) that exceed 100TB in capacity.
SK Hynix 321-layer NAND
The NAND industry is racing to push the limits of data storage technology, and SK Hynix's achievement is a major milestone.
After the launch of its 238-layer NAND flash last year, SK Hynix’s latest 321-layer NAND flash sets a new industry standard. The company plans to supply these chips to customers starting in the first half of 2025, targeting the booming artificial intelligence (AI) market, which demands high-performance, energy-efficient storage solutions.
The 321-layer NAND was made possible by SK Hynix’s "Three Plugs" process technology, which involves electrically connecting three plugs through an optimized follow-up step, significantly improving the speed, power efficiency, and overall performance of the chips.
SK Hynix also developed a low-stress material and introduced technology that automatically corrects alignment among the plugs to further optimize the manufacturing process.
The 321-layer product offers a 12% increase in data transfer speed and a 13% improvement in reading performance relative to the previous 238-layer NAND. Furthermore, it reduces power consumption by over 10%. With a 59% boost in productivity, SK Hynix’s new NAND offers an enhanced storage solution for AI data centers and on-device AI applications.
The company’s roadmap includes developing bonding vertical NAND (BV NAND) technology, which will allow for even greater storage density and minimized heat buildup. Samsung’s long-term goal is to introduce NAND chips with over 1,000 layers by 2030, potentially breaking the 200TB storage barrier for AI-driven SSDs.
"SK Hynix is on track to advancing to the Full Stack Al Memory Provider by adding a perfect portfolio in the ultra-high performance NAND space on top of the DRAM business led by HBM," noted Jungdal Choi, Head of NAND Development at SK Hynix.
Apple wants to bridge gaps in connectivity with advanced satellite technology
New direct-to-device satellite services how to expand signal to remote areas
Enhanced satellite services redefine iPhone’s global communication reach
Apple is working to enhance satellite-based services for iPhone users, focusing on improving connectivity in areas lacking cellular coverage.
Building on its 2022 collaboration with Globalstar, Apple’s latest investment aims to bolster its position in the growing direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communication market.
Apple has committed $1.5 billion to satellite communications company Globalstar, which includes a $1.1 billion cash investment and a $400 million allocation for a 20% equity stake in the business.
A game-changing partnership in low Earth orbit connectivity
This new deal between Apple and Globalstar represents one of the most substantial consumer OEM investments in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology to date.
Globalstar, which operates 31 satellites, plans to use Apple’s funds to expand its network.
The company has already ordered up to 26 additional satellites to strengthen its LEO constellation, ensuring broader and more reliable coverage. Approximately 85% of Globalstar’s network capacity will remain dedicated to Apple’s services, underscoring the strategic significance of this partnership.
With Globalstar, Apple will further position itself as a leader in the D2D satellite communication market - a field that enables standard smartphones to connect directly with satellites. The announcement has already had a notable market impact, with Globalstar’s stock rising by 31.4%.
The deal could have a significant impact on the connectivity ecosystem, as the largest and most important consumer OEM low Earth orbit (LEO) agreement to date.
Lumma Stealer rises 1154%, marking a new malware peak
Outdated systems remain vulnerable to ransomware
In its recent Q3 2024 Threat Report, Gen highlights alarming trends that reveal the rising complexity of cyber threats, highlighting that as cybercriminals refine their methods, the dual role of AI becomes evident.
While AI can be weaponized to enhance attacks by proliferating realistic deepfakes and highly convincing phishing campaigns, AI tools also serve as a crucial defense mechanism.
With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect, awareness and proactive measures are essential for safeguarding sensitive information.
Social engineering tactics take center stage
Cybercriminals increasingly use social engineering tactics to deceive millions into compromising their security. Quarter-over-quarter, there has been a 614% rise in “Scam-Yourself Attacks” which use psychological manipulation to trick individuals into unintentionally installing malware on their own devices.
Attackers will use fake tutorials shared on popular platforms like YouTube that claim to provide free access to paid software, enticing users to follow the instructions. However, the victims inadvertently download malicious programs instead.
Another tactic, known as ClickFix Scams, deceives victims by presenting fake technical solutions and then instructing users to copy and paste malicious code into their command prompts, unknowingly granting attackers control of their systems.
Similarly, fake CAPTCHA prompts have emerged disguised as standard verification steps, prompting users to paste harmful code into their systems. Fake updates that present themselves as essential software updates are being sent to users loaded with malware disguised to gain administrative privileges once installed.
Data-stealing malware and ransomware has seen an uptick with information stealers rising by 39%. The Lumma Stealer for example increased its activity by 1154%.
Ransomware attacks also surged, with a 100% increase in risk ratio, with the Magniber ransomware leading these attacks by exploiting unpatched software to gain access. Outdated systems, such as Windows 7, remain particularly vulnerable, however Gen has worked with governments to release free decryption tools like the Avast Mallox Ransomware Decryptor.
Mobile devices also suffered rises in data-stealing malware attacks, which grew by 166% during Q3/2024. A new spyware strain, NGate, emerged, capable of cloning bank card data to withdraw money or conduct unauthorized transactions. Meanwhile, banking malware, such as Rocinante, increased by 60%, with new strains like TrickMo and Octo2 surfacing.
In terms of delivery, malicious SMS messages remain the primary delivery method. Telemetry from Norton Genie shows that smishing (malicious SMS scams) accounts for 16.5% of observed attacks, followed by lottery scams (12%) and phishing emails/texts (9.6%).
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