A few simple fridge organisation tweaks can make a huge difference not just to your cooking repertoire, but to your lifestyle too. They can help you make better and more interesting food choices, and they can also help reduce your stress levels when you're looking for something quick and easy to eat for you, your family or your friends.

It can also help the planet, and your pocket. That's because around 19% of all food in the world is thrown away uneaten. Across Europe, a significant portion of food waste comes from households—often because we buy too much or forget what’s tucked away in the fridge, hidden behind other items.

(Image credit: TCL)

Is it time for a fridge upgrade? For many kitchens the answer is an enthusiastic yes, because if your fridge is working efficiently, organised smartly and suits your specific needs it can reduce food waste, save you money and encourage you to eat better too. If opening your fridge is more of a pain than a pleasure, TCL have some really smart ideas for every kind of kitchen and every kind of cook.

The technology of tasty

When you choose a TCL fridge you're benefiting from the technology of tasty: cutting-edge tech that doesn't just keep your cucumbers cool but can also keep food fresher for longer and cut down on food waste too.

(Image credit: TCL)

Say hello to the TCL Free Built-In refrigerator. Designed with a 90° opening door and stable recessed hinges, ensuring easy access even when positioned against a wall. TCL's innovative bottom heat dissipation system minimises the required side clearance from 10 cm to just 1 cm by enabling heat exchange at the base. Furthermore, the 4th generation microporous foaming agent reduces the insulation layer's thickness by 10%, maximising internal storage capacity.

(Image credit: TCL)

The TCL Free Built-In refrigerator seamlessly combines style and functionality with an XL capacity, perfect for busy families and cooking enthusiasts. Its spacious design keeps fresh food within easy reach, while customizable compartments adapt effortlessly to your grocery needs, making organization simple. The large-capacity drawer for easy access to ingredients of all sizes. Its smooth slide-out design ensures clear visibility, keeping everything from small spices to large items neatly stored and easily accessible.

Whether hosting a gathering or managing everyday essentials, this fridge’s smart storage solutions keep your kitchen organized and your food fresh, making life more efficient and enjoyable.

(Image credit: TCL)

There are two key features that do that in the TCL Free Built-In refrigerator: T-Fresh, and T-Temp. Now in its fourth generation, T-Fresh is industry-leading sterilisation that delivers comprehensive protection, preventing the formulation of 99.99%* of the bacteria that can make your food lose its freshness and eliminating unwanted odours too.

T-Temp is just as useful. It enables you to easily adjust the temperature for different kinds of food, with adjustable temperature settings of -3°C, -1°C, and 4°C, ensuring optimal storage conditions for a variety of foods.

While T-Fresh and T-Temp are the stars here, there's another clever bit of tech inside TCL's fridges: Pure Air. That's a smart air circulation system that effectively maintains a fresh and odour-free environment within your freezer.

The Cleverest Combi

The TCL Combi Fridge is designed to simplify and improve your every day. With flexible storage options including a bottle rack and shelf, flexible balcony and impressively large storage space, the Combi Fridge adapts effortlessly to your specific needs whether you're storing large items or want access to frequently used ingredients – or both.

(Image credit: TCL)

Like its Built-In sibling, the TCL Combi Fridge has TCL's clever T-Temp technology to keep your food fresher for longer by regulating temperature and humidity levels. And it can help with your utility bills too thanks to its environmentally friendly inverter technology, which makes it the smart choice for eco-conscious homes. And with a 10-year warranty** on its compressor, it delivers peace of mind too.

How can TCL help bring more order to your kitchen?

(Image credit: TCL)

If your existing fridge seems to be taking up loads of room without delivering lots of storage space inside it, the TCL Free Built-In refrigerator series will be a breath of air that's as fresh as the food inside it. That's because the Free Built-In Fridge Series is a clever addition to any kitchen. They're designed to fit seamlessly into any space, enhancing your kitchen's aesthetic appeal while maximising space efficiency too. They're made to suit your specific kitchen, and that means they can go wherever suits you: against the wall, next to a cabinet or freestanding.

The TCL Free Built-In refrigerator features a sleek, integrated design that seamlessly fits into your cabinetry, elevating your kitchen's aesthetic while optimising space efficiency. Its flush, built-in appearance creates a cohesive and clutter-free look that’s both functional and stylish. Designed for versatility, the Free Built-In design adapts effortlessly to various kitchen layouts—whether placed against a wall, beside a cabinet, freestanding, or fully integrated.

That's not all. The fridge compartments are customisable, enabling you to keep everything organised and making it all incredibly easy to access. And the brilliant large-capacity drawer can accommodate every kind of ingredient while making it super-easy to find everything from small spices to giant joints.

The customizable design of TCL's Free Built-In refrigerator offers unmatched convenience and practicality. Its ample capacity and flexible compartments prevent the frustration of cramming a large shop into a small space, making it easier to see and access everything—no more forgotten ingredients lurking at the back. This same thoughtful design extends to the TCL Combi Fridge, which features customizable compartments, reversible glass shelves, versatile racking, and flexible door balconies, making organization effortless. Plus, its Humidity Side Crisper keeps produce crisp and fresh, ensuring your lettuce stays crunchy and ready to enjoy.

(Image credit: TCL)

Whether you fancy the freestanding Combi Fridge or would prefer the flexibility of the TCL Free Built-In refrigerator series, TCL delivers exceptional cooling, massive storage space and all kinds of clever features to make every day easier. Click here to find out more about the technology of tasty.

* 99.99% from BV report. Tested bacteria represented were Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

***The inverter compressor's 10 years warranty need to be registered on TCL official website within 30 days of purchase.

Product models, capacities, and appearances are subject to the actual market availability in each region. For specific details, please refer to local retailers or the official website.

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• iPhone 17 price increases are expected
• As yet we haven't seen many price leaks
• A new model is expected to appear in 2025

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It's a pretty safe bet that the iPhone 17 is going to break cover at some point during September 2025, but how much is it going to cost? Well, more than the iPhone 16, if recent comments from an industry analyst are to be believed.

Commenting at a guest lecture (via @Jukanlosreve), Samsung Securities Research Center senior researcher Jong Wook Lee has gone on record as saying "iPhone prices are expected to increase next year" – after no price increase in 2024.

iPhone 16 pricing currently starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, which matches the launch pricing of the iPhone 15 (though that phone is now available for less) – in fact, the 2024 model was AU$100 cheaper than the 2023 model was in Australia.

According to Lee, that means Apple is set to hike prices this time around, though we don't know how much they might go up. In fact, we haven't heard much in the way of iPhone 17 price leaks at all, up to this point.

The price is right?

At a guest lecture, Jong Wook Lee, a senior researcher at Samsung Securities Research Center, stated, “Although there were initial expectations that Apple’s iPhone prices would rise this year, prices were unusually not increased. As a result, profit margins have declined since…December 14, 2024

While we don't know how much the iPhone 17 will cost, we can look at current pricing. We've already mentioned the iPhone 16, and the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599 for the lowest amount of storage.

The iPhone 16 Pro will set you back $999 / £999 / AU$1,799 and up, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at a considerable $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149. We'll have to wait and see whether price hikes hit some or all of the iPhone 17 models.

And there's rumored to be a new model arriving in place of the iPhone 16 Plus: the iPhone 17 Air. That phone is apparently going to set you back $1,299 (around £1,030 / AU$2,045), which would be a considerable jump over the handset it's replacing.

With sales of the iPhone 16 Plus reportedly not what they could be, perhaps a change in design can help – and of course a higher price will often mean more money per device for Apple. We can expect a few more price leaks to appear between now in September.

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• Quadrant offers free Dark Web reports for small businesses
• Early detection helps prevent costly data breaches
• Small businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals

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The Dark Web, a hidden part of the web where illicit activities often occur, has become a prime marketplace for stolen data, including compromised credentials from businesses, and with cyberattacks on the rise, organizations must remain vigilant.

This is especially true for small and mid-sized companies that may not have the same resources as larger enterprises.

In response to this need, Quadrant Information Security, has launched Free Dark Web Reports, a new service offering companies crucial insights into what sensitive data, specifically user credentials, has been leaked and is potentially up for sale on the Dark Web.

Free Dark Web report for small and medium size businesses

The service provides a monthly report that highlights newly discovered compromised credentials related to the organization, and provides actionable insights, allowing organizations to implement timely measures such as enforcing password resets, increasing multi-factor authentication (MFA) usage, or refining security policies.

Any discovered passwords or other confidential data are redacted to comply with regulatory standards, ensuring organizations can act on the information without risking further exposure.

Cybersecurity breaches that involve compromised credentials are among the most common and dangerous types of attacks. With credentials can be harvested through phishing schemes or security lapses and often find their way onto the Dark Web where can be sold or misused by malicious actors, leading to costly data breaches or even identity theft.

Early detection of compromised credentials is one of the most effective ways to prevent a cybersecurity incident. By offering these reports, Quadrant empowers organizations to respond swiftly to any security gaps identified. Moreover, these reports can be especially beneficial for businesses that lack the internal resources to monitor the Dark Web themselves.

Quadrant's Dark Web Reports can also identify high-risk users, such as top executives, employees handling sensitive data, or any user with privileged access. By flagging compromised accounts or users at higher risk, organizations can prioritize their security efforts and implement targeted defensive measures, such as additional authentication layers for these users.

“Many security leaders are shocked to see the sheer amount of compromised data sitting on the Dark Web related to their organization," said Jeff Foresman, President of Services at Quadrant.

"This proactive discovery of compromised credentials helps companies avoid expensive breaches and data loss. These reports are informational and directly useful for implementing better security measures."

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• macOS faces an emerging ransomware threat, NotLockBit
• NotLockBit malware demonstrates file-locking capabilities
• Apple's built-in protections face issues from evolving ransomware threats

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For years, ransomware attacks have predominantly targeted Windows and Linux platforms, however cybercriminals have begun to shift their focus toward macOS users, experts have claimed.

The recent discovery of macOS.NotLockBit suggests a shift in the landscape, as this newly identified malware, named after the notorious LockBit variant, could mark the beginning of more serious ransomware campaigns against Mac users.

Discovered by researchers at Trend Micro and later analyzed by SentinelLabs, macOS.NotLockBit shows credible file-locking and data exfiltration capabilities, posing a potential risk to macOS users.

macOS.NotLockBit threat

Ransomware targeting Mac devices tends to lack the necessary tools to truly lock files or exfiltrate data. The general perception has been that macOS is better protected against these kinds of threats, partially due to Apple's built-in security features, such as Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) protections. However, the emergence of macOS.NotLockBit signals that hackers are actively developing more sophisticated methods for targeting Apple devices.

macOS.NotLockBit functions similarly to other ransomware, but it specifically targets macOS systems. The malware only runs on Intel-based Macs or Apple silicon Macs with Rosetta emulation software installed, which allows it to execute x86_64 binaries on newer Apple processors.

Upon execution, the ransomware collects system information, including the product name, version, and architecture. It also gathers data on how long the system has been running since its last reboot. Before locking the user’s files, macOS.NotLockBit attempts to exfiltrate data to a remote server using Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 storage. The malware employs a public key for asymmetric encryption, meaning decryption without the attacker’s private key is nearly impossible.

The malware drops a README.txt file in directories containing encrypted files. The encrypted files are marked with an “.abcd” extension, and the README instructs victims on how to recover their files, typically by paying a ransom. Additionally, in later versions of the malware, macOS.NotLockBit displays a LockBit 2.0-themed desktop wallpaper, co-opting the branding of the LockBit ransomware group.

Thankfully, Apple’s TCC protections remain a hard nut for macOS.NotLockBit to crack. These safeguards require user consent before granting access to sensitive directories or allowing control over processes like System Events. While this creates a hurdle for the ransomware’s full functionality, bypassing TCC protection is not insurmountable, and security experts expect that future iterations of the malware may develop ways to circumvent these alerts.

Researchers from SentinelLabs and Trend Micro have not yet identified a specific distribution method, and there are no known victims at present. However, the rapid evolution of the malware demonstrated by the increasing size and sophistication of each new sample indicates that the attackers are actively working on improving its capabilities.

SentinelLabs identified multiple versions of the malware, suggesting that macOS.NotLockBit is still in active development. Early samples appeared lighter in functionality, focusing solely on encryption. Later versions added data exfiltration capabilities and began employing AWS S3 cloud storage to exfiltrate stolen files. The attackers hardcoded AWS credentials into the malware to create new repositories for storing victim data, though these accounts have since been deactivated.

In one of its most recent versions, macOS.NotLockBit requires macOS Sonoma, indicating that the malware developers are targeting some the latest macOS versions. It also showed attempts at obfuscating code, suggesting that the attackers are testing various techniques to evade detection by antivirus software.

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• EU citizens share opinions on the use of AI in everyday lies
• Younger citizens are happy to include it in democratic procedures
• Older citizens are more fearful, and wouldn't trust its use in elections

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A new report from IE University in Madrid suggests a decent level of support for the implementation of AI in security and surveillance, with many Europeans favoring the use of technologies like facial recognition and biometric data.

However, concerns about AI’s role in elections and public decision-making highlight the complex relationship between trust in AI and fears of manipulation.

According to the study, 75% of respondents support the use of AI technologies by police and military forces. Given Europe’s stringent data privacy laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the fear of authorities or AI misusing data is far lower than it would be in the US. GDPR imposes severe penalties for non-compliance, with fines reaching up to 4% of a company’s annual revenue or 20 million euros, whichever is higher.

Fear of manipulation persists

While many Europeans are comfortable with AI’s use in public administration and security, they express significant concern about its impact on elections. The report found that 67% of respondents fear that AI could manipulate democratic processes, particularly by spreading misinformation.

Moreover, nearly a third (31%) of Europeans believe AI has already played a role in shaping their voting decisions, underscoring the growing influence of these technologies in political campaigns.

The public enthusiasm for AI use in some areas like traffic management is high with 79% of respondents supporting its use in optimizing transportation systems. However, opinions shift when AI is applied to more sensitive tasks, such as deciding parole outcomes, with 64% opposing its involvement in judicial matters.

The younger generation, aged 18 to 34, is more open to the idea of delegating political decisions to AI and about 34% of respondents in this age group said they would trust an AI-powered app to vote on their behalf.

Only 29% of individuals aged 35 to 44 would consider using AI to cast their votes. The skepticism becomes even more pronounced among older adults, with just 9% of people aged 65 and above willing to trust AI in the voting process.

Via CNBC

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Hugging Face has introduced its latest offering, Hugging Face Generative AI Services (HUGS), aimed at simplifying the deployment and scaling of generative AI applications using open-source models.

Built on Hugging Face technologies such as Transformers and Text Generation Inference (TGI), HUGS promises optimized performance across various hardware accelerators.

For developers using AWS or Google Cloud, the service is available at $1 per hour per container, with a five-day free trial on AWS to help users get started.

Streamlining AI with zero-configuration inference

HUGS offers developers a solution to run AI models on their own infrastructure without the need for manual configuration. One of the primary challenges when deploying large language models (LLMs) is optimizing them for specific hardware environments. Each accelerator, whether it is an NVIDIA GPU or an AMD GPU, requires fine-tuning to extract maximum performance.

With HUGS, these optimizations are managed automatically, delivering high throughput out of the box. In addition to NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, the company promises that its support will soon extend to AWS Inferentia and Google TPUs.

Hugging Face aims to ease the transition from black-box APIs to open, self-hosted solutions with support for a wide array of models, including well-known LLMs like Llama and Gemma, with plans to introduce multimodal models such as Idefics and Llava soon. In the future, the company says it will include embedding models like BGE and Jina, giving developers even more options to customize their AI applications.

This service uses standardized APIs compatible with OpenAI’s model interfaces, therefore, developers can migrate their own code.

For startups in particular, HUGS provides an opportunity to build AI applications without incurring the high costs associated with proprietary platforms. The availability of one-click deployments on DigitalOcean makes it even easier for small teams to experiment with generative AI technologies.

Meanwhile, larger enterprises can leverage HUGS to scale their applications without being locked into a single cloud provider or proprietary API. On DigitalOcean, HUGS is included at no extra charge beyond the standard cost of GPU Droplets. Hugging Face also offers custom deployment solutions for enterprises through its Enterprise Hub.

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Welcome, folks, to a week that has included some of the biggest announcements we might see before CES 2025, in what was an uncharacteristically busy few days so close to the holidays.

Samsung dropped a buzzer-beating announcement to keep its promise we’d find out about its XR tech “this year,” Apple Intelligence finally dropped its most-hyped features, and the Nintendo Switch 2 possibly broke cover. Phew!

To help you get all caught up, scroll down for our picks of the seven biggest tech news stories of the week. Once you’ve recapped the news, why not check out our picks for the seven new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (December 13).

7. Sony’s PlayStation Wrap-Up broke day one

(Image credit: Sony)

It’s the end of the year and that means Spotify Wrapped clones for everything – not just your music. PlayStation got in on the action with its own gaming Wrap-Up, but either because it was too popular or due to some glitch it was down for a while after launch.

Thankfully it’s back up now, so you can finally head to the official PlayStation Wrap-Up 2024 page to see your stats – I apparently played nearly 200 hours of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in my hunt for the Platinum Trophy, and over 50 hours just of Balatro, TechRadar’s Game of the Year.

• Read more: PlayStation Wrap-Up broke immediately at launch

6. We celebrated the lighter side of (wild) life

Smooching owlets, Sarthak Ranganadhan (Image credit: © Milko Marchetti)

From more than 9,000 images 45 finalists were shortlisted for this year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024, with Italian photographer Milko Marchetti scooping the top award for a hilarious image of a squirrel looking like it’s stuck head-first in a tree.

Every image is an inspiring look at what artists can achieve with the best cameras on the market, and some creativity.

A free exhibition is happening from 11-15 December in the Gallery@Oxo in London, but if you can’t make it, all of 2024's finalists can be seen on the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards website.

• Read more: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024 winners announced

5. We saw the Switch 2, maybe

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Kyli Petersen)

The Nintendo Switch 2 is one of tech most poorly kept secrets. The follow up to the hugely popular Nintendo console has been the subject of multiple leaks over the past few months, and we might now have our first glimpse of it thanks to a now-deleted trailer from third-party accessory manufacturer Satisfye.

The video was for the Zengrip 2 specifically, and the trailer for the add-on seemingly showed us a blurry Nintendo Switch 2 model which highlighted a similar overall design to the original but with the rumored extra button which has been teased.

There are questions around whether this leak is legitimate or merely a way to stoke up hype for a Nintendo Switch grip, but with a release date announcement for the Switch 2 possible before the end of 2024, even, we might not have long to wait before we see the console for real.

• Read more: Nintendo Switch 2 leak may have revealed the first look at the new handheld

4. Apple crowned the 17 best App Store apps

(Image credit: Kino)

Following Google’s recent announcement of the best Android apps of 2024, Apple has revealed the 17 apps it thinks are the best its App Store had to offer us this year.

iPhone App of the Year Kino will help you capture better videos, Mac App of the Year Adobe Lightroom will help you edit those videos and other snaps, while Apple Arcade Game of the Year Balatro+ will help you lose a lot of hours from the working day (I’m definitely not speaking from experience on that one. Not at all).

There are a lot of good picks among them, so you’ll want to see what the winners have to offer users across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro.

• Read more: Apple names the 17 apps you should download now

3. Sora video generation looks scarily good

(Image credit: Future)

OpenAI has been busy of late, giving us a slew of big new reveals as part of its 12 Days of OpenAI event.

This week, it finally gave us access to Sora, its new AI video-generation platform that lets you generate shockingly realistic-looking videos. We’ve been giving it a test and even in our brief hands-on it’s clear that the tech will bring about a video creation revolution – though maybe not in a great way.

You can give it a try at Sora.com once you log into your ChatGPT Plus account; you need at least that level of access to start creating up to 50 generations a month, while Pro gets you unlimited. However, while it is kinda fun to play around with the software to create fun clips, their realistic look can’t help but set off fears that this technology could be abused.

The tech isn’t perfect right now, with our own tests generating dogs with tails that grow and disappear at random, for example – but it is something to be wary of as you browse the web. It's all very impressive, sure, but it's about to become a lot harder to tell what is and isn’t real online.

• Read more: I just used Sora for the first time and it blew my mind

2. iOS 18.2 took Apple Intelligence up a notch

(Image credit: Apple / Kino / NYT / Moises)

Apple Intelligence has, to put it mildly, been feeling a little lacking. That was until this week, when iOS 18.2 rolled out with some much-needed updates to Apple's AI.

These include Genmoji and Image Playground for generating custom emoji and images using text prompts, ChatGPT integration into Siri for more in-depth answers, and the rollout of Apple Intelligence to non-US English – meaning you can access it in the UK and Australia without changing your phone’s language settings.

It wasn’t just for iPhones either; Apple Intelligence updates came to Apple’s full suite of products via iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates.

• Read more: The biggest Apple Intelligence upgrade yet for iPhone, iPad, and Mac is here

1. Samsung’s Project Moohan broke cover

(Image credit: Google)

The worst-kept secret in tech – even more so than the Switch 2 – finally got unveiled this week, with Samsung and Google showcasing Project Moohan, the pair’s mixed-reality headset. And yes, it does look a lot like an Apple Vision Pro.

Powered by the Android XR platform, Moohan will launch sometime in 2025, with the developer kit rolling our right now to app creators so they can make software ahead of the headset’s release.

Details are light on the ground with regards to cost, a precise release date, and even battery life and weight – but we do know that Samsung has a pair of AR glasses up its sleeve, too. Once again, though, we’ll have to wait a while before we hear more about them, and even longer until we can try the specs out for ourselves.

• Read more: Google and Samsung reveal Project Moohan mixed-reality headset and Android XR

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• A Turbo version of the Renault 5 EV will go into production in 2026
• The production model will boast a staggering 500hp
• Around 2,000 will be made and it will predictably be very expensive

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Rumour has been rife that Renault would resurrect the iconic Turbo badge, ever since it mentioned that the 1980s hot hatch was a big influence on its most recent EV.

But in a cool twist of fate, the French marque will put into production a limited number Renault 5 Turbo 3E models.

Clearly taking inspiration from the Renault Turbo and Turbo 2 of the 1980s, it wears the same yellow, black and white livery as the car that raced in the infamous Group B rally competition – a time where bodywork was over the top and performance borderline psychotic.

In order to revive some of that gung-ho spirit, Renault has equipped its limited edition throwback with two electric motors, one driving each rear wheel for precise control of power and a total system output of 500hp – almost triple that of the original car.

(Image credit: Renault)

The upper body is said to be made from a carbon composite material, in order to keep the weight down, while the charging socket is cleverly housed in the rear air scoop to keep everything clean.

As for performance, you can expect the 0-62mph sprint to take less than 3.5 seconds.

Concrete details remain scarce, but it is slated to run on the same Ampere platform as the latest Renault 5 and the Alpine A290, with engineers of the latter very much involved in the development of the retro-inspired Renault 5.

As a result, it is rumored to have a number of driving modes and computer trickery to increase the grins, including specific drifting profiles and a mode reserved for pulling smoky doughnuts, as previewed by an earlier, be-winged R5 Turbo concept car that was revealed in 2022.

We are only allowed to speculate on the remaining details, but we have it on good authority that the Renault 5 Turbo 3E will go on sale in Europe, costing around €150,000 (around £125,000 / $157,000 / AU$246,500) – although that price is subject to change.

Only around 2,000 will likely ever make it into production and customers will have to wait until 2026 (again, we are speculating) to drive one in anger.

Renault is on a roll

(Image credit: Renault)

The standard Renault 5 EV was one of the most exciting launches of 2024, proving that affordable electric motoring doesn't necessarily have to be bland and boring.

That model has already gone on to become one of the fastest-selling EVs in Europe, but the introduction of this madcap, retro-inspired halo car will only likely fuel demand for the standard model further.

It's great to see Renault pushing the boundaries and daring to try something new, while not leaving all of the fun stuff to sister company Alpine.

Renault has long stood for affordable performance, with its RS-badged hot hatches of yesteryear earning a place in the history books for their ability to raise smiles on a budget.

The lofty asking price of the limited edition Renault 5 Turbo 3E doesn't exactly stick to that mantra, but it offers a glimmer of hope that Renault might decide to produce some slightly less bonkers EVs that the average Joe can afford.

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• Astro Bot's Winter Wonder update arrives this week
• It includes a brand new level and some new bots to find
• Studio director Nicolas Doucet says he wants it to be "a little surprise"

Astro Bot developer Team Asobi has announced that the game's next update will feature an all-new level with some new bots to collect.

Studio director Nicolas Doucet wrote about the Winter Wonder update over at the official PlayStation Blog, confirming that the new content will be added to the game for free later today, December 12, at 6pm PT (that's December 13 at 2am GMT / 3am CET for those of you across the pond).

Doucet adds that players will need to complete Astro Bot first in order to enjoy this new content. As for the Winter Wonder level itself, he doesn't give much away, stating: "Since we want it to remain a little surprise, we will not say too much, but you should expect a fun-filled level with shiny presents, a good dose of jingle bells, and brand-new special bots to add to your crew!"

He also hints that the Winter Wonder level, unlike the five speedrun challenges previously added to the game, shouldn't prove to be too difficult: "This winter update was made with every user in mind," he says, "meaning it is a celebration enjoyable for children and adults alike. So, no hair-pulling challenge this time!"

The imagery of the level released so far certainly looks the part. It looks to be appropriately festive, coated in snow and decked out with presents, trees and all manner of Christmassy paraphernalia.

I am curious about the "surprise" Doucet mentions in the blog post, though. Can we expect even more deep cuts from PlayStation's history? I certainly hope so. But it could just as easily be Jim Ryan in a Santa costume. Sigh.

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• OpenAI demo ChatGPT integration in Apple Intelligence for day five of 12 Days of OpenAI
• The ChatGPT service then goes down, but it's back up now
• ChatGPT is ready to play a central role in Apple tech

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OpenAI's 12 Days of OpenAI day five involved a demo of ChatGPT working with Apple Intelligence. The demo invoked the holiday season by sharing gifts with Apple and wearing holiday sweaters on the live stream. The announcement twined with Apple's release of iOS 18.2 and served to remind everyone that ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence have several deep links. OpenAI's models are making Siri smarter while powering several of the new features introduced by Apple on the same day.

Unfortunately, while OpenAI was celebrating its Apple integration, the fifth day was a bit marred as the ChatGPT service had a sizable outage. This meant that if you've been trying to use ChatGPT, Sora, APIs, or even Dall-E, right after the OpenAI announcement then you were hit with a currently unavailable screen or encountered errors when trying to do anything. The service is back up and running now.

Complex questions

Apple pitches Apple Intelligence as a way of making its devices more creative and intuitive to use. That includes many apps and tools on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Most notably, ChatGPT integration with Siri changes the voice assistant in remarkable ways.

The AI helps answer complex questions for Siri to match its more natural, fluid conversations. Instead of getting short, robotic answers, you can ask detailed questions and get thoughtful, context-aware responses.

The demonstration by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, product team member Miqdad Jaffer, and engineering manager Dave Cummings showcased how Siri could use ChatGPT to review documents and answer questions about it, with the answers coming from Apple's assistant.

They also showed how you can send information right to ChatGPT to dive deeper and how Siri can now open different ChatGPT tools like Canvas and DALL-E. The presenters then had Siri review the most recent ChatGPT model card, asking the voice assistant about the model's coding abilities, and then had Siri send the response to the ChatGPT app to code a program visualizing those abilities.

(Image credit: Apple)

OpenAI x Apple

For OpenAI, this collaboration is a reminder that ChatGPT is ready to play a central role in mainstream tech. Apple Intelligence is making ChatGPT part of the daily experience for Apple users. And in return, Apple also gets a better shot at keeping pace with competitors like Google Gemini and other rivals.

The festive sweaters worn by the presenters served an additional demonstration purpose, too. Using Apple Visual Intelligence, they had Siri process a photo of them in their sweaters, then had ChatGPT, via Apple Visual Intelligence, award one of them with the best sweater. Altman won.

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• Creature Commandos episode 3 contains the fledgling DCU's first big death
• The character's voice actor can't say if their demise is permanent or not
• DCU co-chief James Gunn previously said that characters can appear in animated and live-action projects

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Well, that didn't take long. Creature Commandos, the first project released as part of the new-look DC Cinematic Universe (DCU), has already killed off one of its main characters, and I'm not sure if I'll emotionally recover from this devastating moment.

The animated Max show's third episode, which is titled 'Cheers to the Tin Man' and aired earlier today (December 11), proved that nobody will be safe in James Gunn and Peter Safran's cinematic franchise reset. Full spoilers for episode 3 immediately follow, so go and watch it before you continue.

RIP, G.I. Robot (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Pore out a glass of oil, because everyone's favorite Nazi-killing android, aka G.I. Robot, is seemingly no more. The character – one of two voiced by Sean Gunn, the brother of DC Studios' co-head – was eviscerated by Circe, Creature Commandos' apparent Big Bad who's also one of three big ties to Wonder Woman ahead of her eventual DCU debut.

Frankly, G.I. Robot's death shouldn't have come as such a huge shock. For one, episode 3's title is a clear reference to the decades-old automaton, who was originally built to murder German soldiers during World War II. One of the best Max shows' latest chapter also explores G.I. Robot's tragic backstory – after the global conflict, he becomes a relic that serves little to no function in modern day society – too. Okay, that's not necessarily an indication that he'll meet his end in episode 3. But, with G.I. Robot finally being allowed to "kill Nazis" (really, he's murdered the Sons of Themyscira who attack Pokolistan, but that's not important) by Rick Flag Sr, and knowing how James Gunn likes to rip out our hearts after finally allowing a character in one of his projects to experience any form of joy, G.I's death was always on the cards.

Is G.I. Robot really dead in Creature Commandos?

Is there any way for Nina to be reunited with her bestie? (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

That's the big question on everyone's minds. Nobody stays dead for too long in comic books and, while characters have been permanently bumped off in live-action and/or animated franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DCU's predecessor, aka the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), G.I. Robot isn't human. In short: he could be repaired and be given a new lease of life in another DCU Chapter One film or TV show, or even before Creature Commandos ends.

There's previous form for this happening, too. In DC Comics, there have been no fewer than six versions of G.I. Robot – those being Joe, Mac, J.A.K.E 1, J.A.K.E 2, J.A.K.E 6 (don't ask where versions 3 to 5 are), and Lord Job. As Daft Punk famously observed, he can be made "harder, better, faster, stronger".

I really hope this isn't the last we've seen of G.I. Robot (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

So, what are the chances of G.I. Robot making a miraculous recovery after his death at Circe's hands? Whether he's reborn or not, Sean Gunn is giving nothing away. Indeed, speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of Creature Commandos' launch, the former Guardians of the Galaxy star stayed tight-lipped on such a prospect.

"No, I am not", he told me with a smile when I asked if he was allowed to say whether G.I. would return. "I don't mind you asking. I always say [to journalists] that they can ask me anything they like, but I might not be able to answer everything, including that."

I guess we'll have to hang tight and hope that G.I. is alive and well in a few weeks' time, then! For now, get some clues about whether the R-rated series will go next in my spoiler-light Creature Commandos review, or read more exclusive coverage on the DCU TV show below.

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• PlayStation Wrap-Up 2024 is now live...
• ...except for one problem: it's down right now
• The site is supposed to present a range of statistics from your year of PlayStation gaming

Sony has launched PlayStation Wrap-Up, a website that's supposed to bring you a detailed breakdown of your year on PlayStation consoles and devices. That's what it would be doing if it wasn't still broken.

Heading to the official PlayStation Wrap-Up 2024 page right now presents you with a simple "we'll be back soon" message, indicating that the site is still down since its launch yesterday, and that maintenance is underway. It's unclear what caused the site to go down so sporadically, but hopefully Sony will have a fix soon.

It's a shame as I find end-of-year wrap-ups like this to be quite a fun read. The official PlayStation Blog post for Wrap-Up 2024 shows what some of the presented information is supposed to look like. It presents stats like the number of individual games and hours played, trophies earned, and even a "play style" based on the kinds of titles you've enjoyed in 2024.

This year's Wrap-Up will also include some rather nostalgic stats, including the total number of games played since a user created their PlayStation Network account.

If you're concerned about missing anything due to PlayStation Wrap-Up 2024 currently being down, there's nothing to worry about. The site will run from now up until January 10, 2025, with more stats being added as the days progress it seems. That also gives Sony plenty of time to sort the issues out, too.

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• Security researchers Huntress uncover flaw in LexiCom, VLTransfer, and Harmony tools
• The flaw was patched more than a month ago, but the patch did not work
• Now hackers are abusing the bug, possibly to steal data

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Multiple managed file transfer tools from the same developer are being abused to launch attacks and possibly steal data, experts have warned, with dozens of organizations already targeted.

Cybersecurity researchers at Huntress have claimed LexiCom, VLTransfer, and Harmony were all vulnerable to CVE-2024-50623, an unrestricted file upload and download vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution.

All three tools were built by the same company, Cleo, which published a patch for the bug in late October 2024 - however, Huntress claims that the patch doesn’t work well and doesn’t protect the users from threat actors.

Post-exploitation activity

In fact, Huntress, which says its tools protect more than 1,700 Cleo users, claims it spotted at least 24 compromised businesses.

“Victim organizations so far have included various consumer product companies, logistics and shipping organizations, and food suppliers,” Huntress said in its writeup, adding that countless other companies are at risk.

TechCrunch added that Shodan shows “hundreds” of vulnerable Cleo servers, mostly in the United States. The company has more than 4,000 clients, including a number of large enterprises.

The attackers have not yet been identified, and Huntress is not conclusively saying if they stole any information from these organizations. However, the researchers did say that the threat actors were running “post-exploitation” activity, which could hint that files were, indeed, stolen.

Cleo acknowledged the flaw, and confirmed the team was working on a further fix, but until that is released, users should put the tools behind a firewall, just to be on the safe side.

Managed file transfer (MFT) solutions and security issues started grabbing headlines in 2023, when a Russian ransomware group Cl0p found a hole in MOVEit and used it to exfiltrate data from thousands of organizations around the world.

Via TechCrunch

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• A new report claims that the next Apple Watch Ultra will get satellite connectivity
• While not a health feature, the extra connectivity could prove life-saving
• It also means that we should get a next-generation Apple Watch Ultra in 2025

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While Apple didn’t have a next-generation Apple Watch Ultra to show off in 2024, that pause in ushering in a new model might be especially worth the wait. Sure, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 now comes in black – and effectively looks like Batman’s watch – but for the next generation, it might be getting a new lifesaving feature, according to a new report.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is now reporting that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 – likely arriving in September of 2025 – will gain satellite capability just like the iPhone to let “smartwatch users send off-the-grid text messages” when no other network, like Cellular or Wi-Fi, is available.

This makes perfect sense as the next evolution for the Apple Watch Ultra, which is already built tough with long battery life and excellent tracking, making it the perfect adventure watch. For instance, say you’re on a multi-day hike going through an area with no cellular coverage; if you need to call for help or simply text someone while you’re on the trail, this will provide that lifeline.

(Image credit: Future)

Now, dating back to the iPhone 14, Apple’s yearly launches have kept adding to the basic Satellite Connectivity feature set. Whether you have an iPhone 16, an iPhone 15, or even a 14, you can use satellite connectivity to contact emergency services through Emergency SOS via Satellite, seek help from roadside assistance companies like AAA, and even iMessage contacts via Satellite. In fact, I’ve used the iMessage via Satellite functionality when networks have gone down.

Having the ability to take one of these satellite communications right from your wrist could be lifesaving and even more useful than having it baked into an iPhone especially since you may not always have your iPhone with you. Bloomberg’s report notes that the Apple Watch Ultra gaining this would make it the first mainstream smartwatch with this feature and would lessen the need to purchase a standalone satellite communication device from the likes of Garmin.

Considering the Apple Watch Ultra currently, and since its inception, it has come as one model with Wi-Fi and Cellular connectivity. It would also beef up the “Pro” level features that come out of the box and better represent the price and its status as the best smartwatch on the market.

Apple’s satellite connectivity on the iPhone runs off of Globalstar Inc. satellites, and the report notes that Apple has continued to expand on that partnership and even invested “about $1.5 billion in GlobalStar to beef up infrastructure” in November of this year. It’s likely then that Apple would use those same satellites if it added the functionality to the Apple Watch Ultra.

(Image credit: Future)

In the same report, Bloomberg notes that Apple is still working on a next-generation health feature for the Apple Watch. Blood pressure functionality has been rumored for some time and could arrive as early as 2025. The feature is described as being able to “monitor whether Apple Watch users have high blood pressure,” similar to Apple’s approach to Sleep Apnea detection.

If Apple manages to ready this functionality, alongside satellite connectivity for the Apple Watch Ultra, it could usher in a larger upgrade cycle or at least better entice folks already invested in the category. This year, in 2024, the Apple Watch Series 10 thinned the overall build and stretched the display, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 was re-released in a new black color option. Still, Apple also pushed on health by rolling out Sleep Apnea Detection, but you didn’t need to get a new Apple Watch to access it.

Both satellite connectivity and a new health feature like blood pressure monitoring would help to lengthen the overall feature set for the Apple Watch, and I, for one, am excited about the potential arrival of one of the most useful iPhone’s features arriving on its prominent wearable.

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• Reports out of South Korea suggest the Samsung Galaxy S25 series will cost slightly more than the S24 line
• We've also heard what storage configurations these phones might be available in, with the standard S25 starting at just 128GB
• Another leaker claims all three phones might support MagSafe-like magnetic wireless charging

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 series is leaking at an increasingly rapid rate, with three new leaks having emerged in the past couple of days – and two of them contain claims that have me worried about what to expect when the phones launch, likely a few weeks from now.

First up, according to a report from Yonhap News Agency (via @Jukanlosreve), the Samsung Galaxy S25, Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will all probably cost slightly more than their predecessors.

The site gives two reasons for this. First, as we’ve heard before, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset that the phones are expected to use is thought to cost a lot more than the previous Snapdragon model, which in turn will increase Samsung’s production costs.

The site adds that there’s a chance some models will instead use the cheaper Exynos 2500, but this is apparently looking unlikely, due to difficulties in manufacturing it.

In any case, the site also says the falling value of the South Korean won could affect the price of these phones, as it will increase the cost for Samsung to import parts.

As for exactly how much the Samsung Galaxy S25 price might rise by, JoongAng.co.kr claims prices will rise by around 150,000 won (roughly $105 / £80 / AU$165), though that doesn’t necessarily mean the price will rise by exactly that much in other regions.

Low starting storage and a charging upgrade

Next up, leaker Roland Quandt has shared storage capacities for the three phones on Bluesky. Quandt claims, disappointingly, that the Galaxy S25 will start with just 128GB of storage, which I’d argue is too little for a high-end phone.

There will apparently also be a 256GB model, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is said to come in both 256GB and 512GB configurations, while the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will apparently be available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions.

Those storage capacities are exactly the same as the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, although there was also a 512GB model of the standard Galaxy S24 in select regions, so it’s unclear if the same will be true of the S25.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Finally, in more positive news, leaker @Jukanlosreve claims that fellow leaker @UniverseIce has said the Galaxy S25 series will support Qi2 wireless charging. This charging standard allows for chargers and other accessories to attach to the phone magnetically, similarly to how Apple’s MagSafe system works.

So if this is accurate you should be able to magnetically stick the likes of wireless battery packs, PopSockets, and mini tripods to the back of your phone.

I'm taking all these leaks and claims with a pinch of salt of course, but they all come from reputable sources, so they may well prove accurate. We’ll probably find out in January, as the Samsung Galaxy S25 release date is rumored to be January 22.

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• I gotta feeling
• (Woo-hoo)
• That tonight's gonna be about LG releasing Bluetooth audio kit in partnership with will.i.am at CES

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will.i.am, the former Black Eyed Pea and solo musician who's also carved out an niche as a tech entrepreneur, is lending his percussively punctuated name to a new range of audio products.

The artist never known as Mr Am is now the "experiential architect" for LG, a rather silly job title that comes with some equally silly-sounding marketing. But the actual news is interesting, because it means LG's going to launch some new audio products under its xboom by will.i.am brand – and both parties are claiming that the artist will actually have a hand in the process.

will.i.am: the man, the brand

will.i.am is a busy chap. He's lent his name to the Puls smartband – which earned a mighty two out of five stars in our review – and the i.am Dial+ smartwatch, which resembled a fat Fitbit. He teamed up with Gucci to launch a luxury "smart band" that's so exclusive it's never been on sale to anybody, he was the face of a triangular speaker backpack and he's also the mind behind the foto.sosho iPhone lenses.

So what's he doing at LG? The visionary will "provide strategic counsel for LG xboom’s product development, design, and brand marketing," LG says.

More practically, LG says he played a pivotal role in developing the "LG signature sound" and will integrate his RAiDiO.FY "AI-powered interactive audio experience, to introduce a new generation of listeners to infotainment." Soon you too will be able to "have a two-way real-time conversation with [your] favorite topic-based STAiTiONS."

The "xboom by will.i.am" Bluetooth speakers and earbuds will be unveiled at CES in January 2025. And gentle ribbing aside, they'll emphatically be worth a listen considering LG's XBoom XO2T gained a glowing review from us in 2024, as did the company's LG Tone Free T90S earbuds.

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• A 6.7-inch OLED screen is predicted
• This fits with other competing smart displays
• The device is rumored to be launching in 2025

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We still don't know what Apple is going to call its first smart display, but it seems that some kind of HomePod-meets-iPad device is almost certainly on the way – and we just got a bit more information about its screen in a new leak.

According to South Korean outlet Seoul Economic Daily (via @Jukanlosreve), the OLED display on the upcoming smart home gadget is going to be fitted with low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) technology.

That's not quite as advanced as the low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) version of OLED – which enables variable refresh rates and always-on displays on the best iPhones – but it's good enough for a smart home display, and it's also cheaper to manufacture.

We get one more tidbit out of this report: the screen size is apparently going to be 6.7 inches. That would make it smaller than the 6.9-inch display on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the 8.3-inch display on the iPad mini 7.

Taking on Amazon and Google

The Google Nest Hub Max (Image credit: Google)

That screen size is perhaps smaller than you might have imagined based on something like the Amazon Echo Show 10, but it's in line with previous predictions, as well as fitting in with what Amazon and Google are doing.

The Echo Show is available in a variety of different sizes, while Google has the 7-inch Nest Hub and the 10-inch Nest Hub Max. With that in mind, Apple's offering would be towards the smaller end of the smart display scale.

There's been talk that the display will be on a movable arm (think the old iMac G4), attached to a rounded base. A smart home controller screen from Apple – without a speaker fixed to it – has also been rumored.

After years of rumors, it would seem that a launch is now approaching. We recently heard that the launch date had been pushed back to the second half of 2025, though it's possible we might get some kind of reveal earlier in the year.

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