If you're looking to sleep on a cloud, we've tested the top soft mattresses on the market. Here are our top picks, backed by our years of mattress expertise.
That didn't take long: just days after launching a dedicated Copilot app for Android, Microsoft has restored balance to the universe again by making the same app available for those users who prefer iPhones and iPads.
As initially spotted by The Verge, the Copilot app for iOS and iPadOS seems to be an exact replica of the Android one, and is also free to use. The same rules apply: you can use it in a limited fashion without logging in, but signing into a Microsoft account gives you more prompts and more features (like image generation capabilities).
If you do sign in with a Microsoft account, then you can enable the latest and greatest GPT-4 model from Microsoft's partner OpenAI. Responses will generally be slower but better, and bearing in mind that ChatGPT customers have to pay to get the GPT-4 version, this is a pretty good deal from Microsoft.
While it's a notable move from Microsoft to give Copilot its own app, this hasn't come out of nowhere: pretty much all of the functionality here was previously available in the Bing apps for Android and iOS, so little has changed in terms of what you can do.
Copilot everywhere
If you're completely new to generative AI, these tools can produce text and images based on a few user prompts. You can get Copilot to do anything from write a poem about TechRadar to produce an image of a glowing Apple iPhone.
You can also get Copilot to query the web – if you need party game or travel ideas, for example – and have it explain complex topics in simple terms. It's a bit like a supercharged version of Google Assistant or Siri from Apple.
Microsoft is continuing to push forward quickly with upgrades to Copilot, as it knows that the likes of Apple and Google are busy improving their own generative AI tools. It looks inevitable that AI will be one of the hottest tech trends of 2024.
And if you don't want to install Copilot on your phone, you can find it in plenty of other places too. The same features are still available as part of Bing on the web, and Copilot has also now been added to Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Right now this Moosoo 2-qt air fryer is just $37.99 at Walmart. That's ridiculously cheap even for an air fryer from a lesser-known brand. Reviews on the store page are generally positive too though at just 2-quarts it's fairly small, and its cooking capabilities don't come close to rivaling those of the best air fryers.
Alternatively, if you're budget can stretch a little further we'd recommend this Ninja AF101 air fryer at Amazon. It's $79.99 which is $50 less than its usual $129.99 price and offers twice the cooking capacity and better results.
Today's best air fryer deals
Moosoo 2-quart air fryer:was $49.81 now $37.99 at Walmart
This small air fryer won't be the best out there but it is ridiculously cheap at just under $40. If you're on a tight budget and only need to cook small amounts then this could be a solid pickup. That said...View Deal
Ninja AF101 4 quart air fryer:was $129.99 now $79.99 at Amazon If you can afford to spend $40 more you can get an air fryer that boasts twice the space and much stronger cooking credentials. This Ninja model has been cheaper before but this current price is the best it has been in 2023.View Deal
In our review of the entry-level Ninja air fryer we gave it four stars. We celebrated its cooking abilities, though it lost points for being small and a little pricey. At this discounted price it's much better value for money, and while size is still an issue that's only a problem for larger families.
If you're living alone, or don't need to cook much in this air fryer the 4 quart size shouldn't be much of an issue. If anything its compact size could be a good thing as it won't take up space on your worktop.
If you are looking for a more sustainable and eco-friendly bed, an organic mattress is an excellent option. Here are the best organic mattresses you can buy right now, chosen by our sleep experts.
Considering the all-foam version of the brand's top tier mattress? Here's what's changed, what hasn't and what to really consider before adding it to your cart.
Getting a new computer is super exciting, whether you've picked up a new gaming rig or an updated laptop. But getting the new hardware invariably means that you now have some old gear hanging around. Sure, you could put it in a cupboard or the garage and forget about it, or you could send it to the scrapheap instead. But wouldn't be better to find a cool new use for it?
There are plenty of different ways to turn an old PC or laptop into something useful, including the doorstop that more than a few old machines have found themselves becoming. But there are some real ways that old computers can make themselves useful, and best of all they normally won't cost you a penny.
The possibilities are almost endless, but we're going to focus on a handful of the most interesting ways an old computer can find a new lease of life in your home or office.
The home fileserver
This is one that's particularly handy if you're a family or working in a small office, both instances where giving people quick and easy access to information can be a huge win. Whether those files are MP3s of your music collection or the latest business proposal, having them to hand at all times is easy with a fileserver.
Many people use things like Raspberry Pis or network-attached storage (NAS) devices for this kind of thing, but you can set your old computer up to do the same job without buying any additional hardware. You can of course use the same operating system that's already installed, likely a flavor of Windows, or you can install software built for the job. Amahi is one solution, as is FreeNAS, and as ever, Google is your friend.
The web server
(Image credit: Amazon)
Setting up a web server on the internet is surprisingly cheap these days, but where's the fun in letting someone else do it for you? Thanks to fast always-on home internet connections there are now few reasons that you can't host your own server and provide web pages to the internet yourself.
Setting up a web server will give you the chance to learn more about cool technology like Linux as well as how the internet actually works — including the dastardly world of DNS. If you're technically inclined, setting up a web server can be a rewarding experience and you can then self-host a website via WordPress or one of the many different solutions without spending a penny.
The learning PC
If you're learning how computers work there are few better ways to do it than with a machine that you aren't worried about breaking — and your newly-old PC or laptop is the perfect example.
Whether you want to get to know how to fix problems with Windows or get to grips with the command line and Linux — and the many different versions thereof — a PC that you don't need to work at the end of the day is vital. It takes the pressure off and gives you the room you need to make mistakes and learn from them.
The firewall and ad-blocker
(Image credit: Pixabay)
Similar to the idea of hosting your own website or fileserver, you can also turn any old computer into a firewall for additional control over how your devices connect to the internet.
PiHole is software that can be run on just about anything — not just a Raspberry Pi, as the name suggests — and then configured to block ads and control what websites different devices can access. This can be a real boon if you have kids and want to prevent their personal phones and tablets from reaching specific websites and services, for example. And like the rest of our examples, this won't cost a thing to get up and running and you'll even learn a thing or two in the process.
Distributed computing
If none of those ideas get you excited, you could always turn to distributed computing as a way to put that old computer to good use.
Distributed computing projects use the collective power of computers all around the world to crunch numbers in an attempt to solve complicated problems. Those problems include trying to locate extraterrestrial intelligence and helping with scientific research.
All you have to do is install a piece of software on your old computer and set it on its way. It'll use its CPU and GPU to crunch numbers and solve problems, much in the same way that cryptocurrencies can be mined.
Which brings us to...
The crypto miner
(Image credit: Manuel Medir/Getty Images)
There are tons of dedicated mining rigs out there, but you can use any computer. The more powerful the better, and strong GPUs are preferred. But while the days of making your fortune from mining crypto in your home are probably gone, it still might be something that you want to get into — again, it's a learning experience as much as anything.
Really old computers are going to struggle here, so keep that kind mind. And sometimes just buying crypto is a better option. But where's the fun in that?
Donate to a worthy cause
The final option on our list might be the best of all because it means that kids who might otherwise not have access to a computer get the opportunity to use one.
Many local schools or libraries will be more than grateful for a free computer, so long as it's fully working and doesn't look like it's been kicked around the yard.
Don't have a school or library to hand? There are plenty of charities that will accept your old hardware, and this is a great way to move on your old computer if you no longer need it yourself.
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/ATVUphE
Cybersecurity researchers from McAfee hae uncovered over a dozen malicious apps lurking in the Google Play Store.
The researchers claim these apps were carrying a potent piece of malware, capable of stealing sensitive data from the infected Android devices and possibly even running ad fraud.
The apps were downloaded at least 330,000 times.
Accessibility Service
According to the researchers, the backdoor is called “Xamalicious”, and has so far been discovered in thee following apps:
- Essential Horoscope for Android – 100,000 installs
- 3D Skin Editor for PE Minecraft – 100,000 installs
- Logo Maker Pro – 100,000 installs
- Auto Click Repeater – 10,000 installs
- Count Easy Calorie Calculator – 10,000 installs
- Dots: One Line Connector – 10,000 installs
- Sound Volume Extender – 5,000 installs
After being labeled as malicious, Google removed these apps from its app repository.
While Google's action is commendable, the move doesn’t protect users who already downloaded the apps in the past, with some reportedly having been available for download since mid-2020. They will have to remove those manually and use an anti-virus program or cleaner to remove up any loose ends.
The majority of the victims were found in the US, the UK, Germany, Spain, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina.
To operate properly, the malware asks the victim to grant it Accessibility Service permissions, which is often a red flag and should help most people identify a malicious app from a legitimate one.
That being said, with Accessibility enabled, the malware is able to grab device and hardware information, including Android ID, brand, CPU, model, OS version, language, developer options status, SIM details, and firmware. Furthermore, it can identify the device’s physical location, ISP name, organization, and services. It also comes with a few features to help it determine if it’s installed on a genuine device or an emulator.
Finally, the malware can pull a second-stage payload from the C2 server.
Every year since its inception, hackers have stolen more cryptocurrencies than the previous year, until 2023, new research has claimed.
Data presented on the REKT platform, which keeps track of all the different crypto-related hacks and thefts, says that in 2023, hackers stole a total of $1.83bn.
“This amount, though dispersed across various incidents, underscores the persistent vulnerabilities and challenges within the DeFi ecosystem,” De.Fi wrote in its paper, TechCrunch reported. “2023 stood as a testament to both the ongoing vulnerabilities and the strides made in addressing them, even as interest in the space was relatively muted by the ongoing bear market in the first half of the year.”
Weakest link
The biggest incident happened on Multichain, with more than $230 million lost on the bridge in early July. Other notable mentions include Euler Finance ($196m), Mixin Network ($142m), and Poloniex ($122m).
While almost $2 billion is a lot of money, this is the first time ever that hackers stole less compared to the previous year. Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis reported $3.8 billion stolen last year, and $3.3 billion stolen in 2021. Most of the cash stolen in these incidents went to Lazarus Group, a notorious North Korean state-sponsored threat actor, which is said to be helping fund the country’s nuclear program with the stolen money.
“It isn’t a stretch to say that cryptocurrency hacking is a sizable chunk of the nation’s economy,” Chainalysis said at the time.
REKT tracks hacks and crypto breaches to mid-2011, and in total more than $77 billion have been stolen. At the same time, $6.6 billion has been recovered by law enforcement and other agencies.
While the networks of the biggest chains, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, remain secure, surrounding infrastructure is where most hacks happen, with lending protocols, bridges, and similar, remaining the industry’s weakest link.
Now that the holiday season is winding down, it's time to prep for the year ahead. Unfortunately, like the rest of us, you've probably amassed a lot of junk throughout the year. There's a reason why spring cleaning is a thing in the first place.
Spring cleaning isn't an easy chore, but you can get through it easier and with less fuss when you have the right tools. A cordless vacuum, for example, will make the job more effortless since they tend to be lighter and cord-free.
True, there's a steep price of admission for that type of vacuums, making them a little pricier than their wired counterparts, but you can get one for less by scoring a great deal now. Christmas deals may be over, but now, many retailers are trying to get rid old stock to make room for new products, which means you can still get a cordless vacuum for less.
And with Walmart holding it's Can't Miss Clearance sale, less means up to 75% off the retail price.
I'm not kidding. I found five highly-rated cordless vacuums at Walmart that are now so cheap, they're almost too good to be true. And they're just the perfect tools to get through that inevitable spring cleaning you have to do easier, quicker, and with less effort from you.
Up to 75% on cordless vacuums from LG, Shark and more
Shark Cordless Pro Stick:was $299.99now $159 at Walmart Save $140.99 - Praised by verified customers for its powerful suctioning on both hard and carpeted flooring, easy set up, and long battery life of up to 40 minutes, this Shark vacuum cleaner is understandably a little pricier than others. Luckily, with Walmart's clearance sale, you can get it for almost 50% off with this deal that knocks $140 off its retail price. This is probably the best choice out of the deals on this roundup, if you're not seeking a budget-basement price.View Deal
Wyze Cordless Stick Vacuum: was $199now $78 at Walmart Save $121 - Wyze is known for its fantastic yet very affordable smart home products, but did you know it makes home appliances as well. This budget-friendly cordless vacuum cleaner from its home appliances line is lauded for its light weight, great maneuverability, and a battery that's detachable. It's already affordable, but it's even cheaper now with this Walmart clearance sale that gives you $121 in savings. That's such a large discount, you're getting more of it than what you're paying for the vacuum.View Deal
LG Cord Zero A9 Cordless Stick Vacuum: was $344now $179 at Walmart
Save $165 - If you want a more premium product, this cordless vacuum from LG might be for you. It's great for carpeted flooring and homes with sensitive family members. It comes with a 5-step filtration system to filter 99. 99% of dust, a whopping 50-hour battery life, and an adjustable wand length. Users love it for its powerful and effective suctioning as well as its ease of use. At its retail price, it's pretty expensive. However, thanks to this Walmart end-of-the-year deal, it's almost 50% off, making it a must-grab now. View Deal
INSE Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: was $348.99now $87.37 at Walmart Save $261.62 - You may not be familiar with this brand, but if there's one thing I learned from this job is that even unknown brands can deliver excellent products. This one, which has more than 4,000 reviews on Walmart, is a great value according to customers, praising it for its durability, effective suctioning. good battery life, and great design. With this 75% discount from Walmart, it's a better value than ever. This is a great option if you don't have very demanding vacuuming needs.View Deal
HART 20-Volt Cordless Stick Vacuum: was $168now $86 at Walmart Save $82 - Another highly-rated cordless vacuum at Walmart, this one from Hart is a crowd-favorite, thanks to its washable filter that traps over 99.9% of dust and allergens - something that you only typically find in pricier vacuums. Customers says that it's got powerful suctioning as well, great for all types of flooring and for cleaning up pet hair. With this $82 Walmart deal, it's almost half off, making it an even better value.View Deal
Dell has added an AMD-powered server to its ranks of high-performance computing portfolio for AI workloads.
Alongside an Nvidia-powered version, customers can soon snap up a new version of the Dell PowerEdge XE9680 fitted with eight AMD Instinct MI300X accelerators. This helps businesses train and run their own in-house large language models (LLMs) – offering 1.5GB of high-bandwidth memory (HBM3) and over 21 petaFLOPS of performance.
Customers can also scale systems they deploy with the global memory interconnect (xGMI) standard, and connect AMD's GPUs over an Ethernet-based AI fabric with a Dell PowerSwitch Z9664F-ON. It follows Dell's launch of the unit fitted with Nvidia H100 GPUs earlier this year.
Dell adopts an open approach to AI infrastructure
This comes alongside a new standard called Dell Validated Design for Generative AI with AMD. It's a mouthful, but is essentially a framework for organizations wishing to run their own hardware and networking architecture to run LLMs.
Dell customers could use the solution to build generative AI platforms with various frameworks that guide the integration of the technology as well as physical installation and optimization for performance.
It also uses AMD ROCm powered AI frameworks, which is an open source package of drivers, dev toolkits and APIs compatible with AMD Instinct accelerators. They include popular frameworks like PyTorch, TensorFlow and OpenAI Triton – which all have native support on the PowerEdge XE9680 that's fitted with the AMD accelerators.
Dell's continued push for standards-based networking, as a member of the Ultra Ethernet Consuortium (UEC), means it's adopted a more open approach to that adopted by Nvidia.
Although an AI infrastructure industry leader, Nvidia differs from AMD in that the latter advocates for an open Ethernet for AI – in which switches from different vendors can interoperate together on the same system. Likewise, Dell wants businesses to take an open approach across the compute, fabric as well as storage components needed to power generative AI models in-house.
The new hardware and services that comprise Dell's latest AI push are set to be available during the first half of next year, the company said.
Christmas deals abound, and you can still save a lot, whether you're still seeking last-minute Christmas gift ideas or you're prepping for the new year. The unfortunate thing is that it is December 23 now, and most online stores will tell you that unless you order online and pick it up at one of their physical locations, you won't be getting that order until after Christmas.
You always have the option to join the shopping fray, but it's like the Wild West out there, and unless you're a glutton for punishment, you'd want to avoid that as much as possible.
The great news is that you absolutely can. While most items on Amazon won't arrive until after Christmas, even for Prime members, the retailer is still offering its free one-day shipping for a handful of products. And I found 9 of them for your convenience - because trust me, it's not easy.
There's more good news: all of these nine products that include an educational toy for the kids, some of the best-rated headphones, and a couple of tablets are heavily-discounted still. You know what that means. Not only are you saving yourself a massive headache and a whole lot of stress, but you're saving money as well.
Just keep in mind that these products have varying time-frame in terms of that one-day shipping privilege. Some, you can get by the 24th when you order within the next 12 hours; others, you'll only have a few hours. Make sure to check before you hit that buy button.
LeapFrog Magic Adventures Microscope:was $79.99now $55.99 at Amazon
30% off - Christmas may be the perfect time to spend with the family, but the adults need a bit of relaxation as well before the new year. If you're looking for a new toy to get the kids entertained over the holiday break, this educational toy from LeapFrog may just be the solution. With 8double-sided smart slides showing educational BBC videos and images and 15 topics including flowers, animals, food and minerals that can enjoy on its 2.4-inch display, the kids will have hours of fun while the adults can put their feet up and unwind with a glass of wine and a good book. Order this within the next few hours, and you can get it delivered by the 24th for free!View Deal
Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds:was $249.95now $159.99
Save $89.96 – For those looking for fitness-inspired wireless earbuds, the Powerbeats Pro are a great pick. You're scrapping noise cancellation in favor of fantastic comfort and an ear grip design that ensures your buds will never slip out during even the most intense of workouts. Plus, you're getting up to 9 hours of listening time and more than 24 hours with charging case. Currently, the ivory version is a whopping 36% off, and you can get delivered for free on the 24th if you order now.View Deal
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K:was $49.99 now $29.99 at Amazon
40% off - Get the best-selling Fire TV Stick on sale for just $29.99. The HD streaming player allows you to enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills and features an Alexa voice remote, plus support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio. What's even better is that the included remote has Alexa built-in so now only can you quickly find content with just your voice, you can also use it to control compatible smart home devices like cameras, lights, and more. Order this today, and you'll also get it on the 24th, giving you enough time to wrap it and nestle it under the tree before Christmas morning.View Deal
KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender:was $59.99now $44.99
25% off - Winter is soup season, and this immersion blender from KitchenAid is just the perfect affordable last-minute gift for the chef or aspiring chef in your life. This comes with a removable bending arm, a 4-point stainless steel blade, and a 3-cup blender jar for smaller jobs. Bear in mind that KitchenAid doesn't hold sales as often as other brands, so this is a must-grab. As with all the others on this list, you can get it before the 24th if you order soon.View Deal
Amazon Fire 10 Kids:was $189.99now $129.99 at Amazon
Save $60 - With a 10.1-inch 1080p display, this kiddie tablet offers the best immersion for young kids as they consume educational content for hours and hours. As with Amazon's other kids tablet, it comes with a kid-proof case, a free year of Amazon Kids+, and comprehensive parental controls. As a new release, it's also 25% faster than its predecessor, which means the kids won't get impatient waiting for their favorite content to be pulled up. Order this tablet today, and you can rest assured you'll get it on Christmas Eve.View Deal
Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023): was $139.99now $89.99 at Amazon
Save $50 - Amazon promises a 25% performance improvement on this new Fire HD 10 over the previous Fire HD 10 slate, with a feature set built for "streaming, reading and gaming." Amazon has also worked on the tablet's durability, while the 2023 HD 10 also promises up to 13 hours of battery life and a baseline 32GB of storage. Order this one today at 36% off, and you can get it by Christmas Eve!View Deal
Sony SRS-XB100 Wireless Bluetooth Portable Travel Speaker:was $59.99now $38 at Amazon
37% off - Summer may be months away, but this portable Bluetooth speaker from Sony may just be the perfect gift for the beach bum in your life. This comes with IP67 waterproof & dustproof, a versatile strap, and up to 16 hours of battery life. It also comes in different colors, but the blue shade in discounted right now for the holiday season. Order it today, and you'll get it before Christmas with Amazon's free one-day shipping.View Deal
Sony LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo:was $199.99now $178 at Amazon
$21 off - Sony's LinkBuds S are great noise-canceling earbuds that have smart features and are lightweight in design. But this version are even more fantastic, especially to the Olivia Rodrigo fan in your life. Coming in an adorable pink-and-purple colorway, these are a special edition that must not be missed, especially since they come with two custom EQs tuned by Olivia herself. Order these within the next few hours, and you'll get it delivered by Christmas Eve.View Deal
Echo Studio:was $199.99now $159.99 at Amazon
20% off - Want the best-sounding smart speaker for Amazon to gift to the audiophile in your life? Then the Echo Studio is your best bet. Not only does it come with all of Echo's basic smart home features to control your devices, but it comes with a smart home hub as well. As a speaker, it's able to automatically sense the acoustics in the room to adapt its audio and it comes wtih a booming bass as well. Order within the next few hours, and you can get this on the 24th, leaving you just enough time to gift-wrap it.View Deal
from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/zYK64tc
Google accompanied the recent launch of its Gemini AI models with the latest version of its flagship tensor processing unit (TPU) for AI training and inference, in what appears to be an attempt to take on Nvidia's own market-leading GPUs.
TPU v5p – Google's most powerful custom-designed AI accelerator – has been deployed to power the firm's 'AI Hypercomputer'. This is a supercomputing architecture that's built specifically to run AI applications, rather than supercomputers which normally run scientific workloads, because TPUs are unsuited to this.
The latest version of its TPU has 8,960 chips per pod (which comprise the system), versus 4,096 in v4, and it's four times as scalable in terms of total availability of FLOPs per pod. These new pods provide a throughput of 4,800Gbps. The new pods also have 95GB of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) versus 32GB HBM RAM in TPU v4.
Nvidia H100 vs Google TPU v5p: Which is faster?
Unlike Nvidia, which offers its GPUs out for other companies to purchase, Google's custom-made TPUs remain in-house for use across its own products and services. Google's TPUs have long been used to power its services including Gmail, YouTube and Android, and the latest version has also been used to train Gemini.
Google's v5p TPUs are up to 2.8 times faster at training large language models than TPU v4, and offer 2.1-times value-for-money. Although the intermediary version, TPU v5e, released earlier this year, offers the most value for money of all three, it's only up to 1.9-times faster than TPU v4, making TPU v5p the most powerful.
It's even powerful enough to rival Nvidia's widely in-demand H100 GPU, which is one of the best graphics cards out there for AI workloads. This component is four times faster at training workloads than Nvidia's A100 GPU, according to the company's own data.
Google's TPU v4, meanwhile, is estimated to be between 1.2 and 1.7-times faster than the A100, according to research it published in April. Incredibly rough calculations would suggest the TPU v5p, therefore, is roughly between 3.4 and 4.8-times faster than the A100 – which makes it on par or superior to the H100, although more detailed benchmarking is needed before any conclusions can be drawn.
We’re about to witness a significant surge in the deployment of DarkGate and NetSupport, security experts are warning.
Researchers from Proofpoint claim to have observed a brand new threat actor, dubbed "BattleRoyal". This threat actor mounted at least 20 email campaigns in the months between September and November this year, to deliver the DarkGate malware.
In late November and early December, the group pivoted from DarkGate to NetSupport, a legitimate remote access tool frequently abused by hackers to establish persistence on targeted endpoints. Besides emails, the group also used a series of compromised websites and fake update lures to get people to download the malware.
Abusing a SmartScreen flaw
The reasons for the switch remain a mystery, with the researchers hinting it might be due to DarkGate drawing too much attention.
In any case, the group was abusing a vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-36025 to deliver the malware. Other groups abused this flaw too, but the BattleRoyal cluster “exploited this vulnerability more than any other actor observed in Proofpoint threat data.” BattleRoyal was abusing it even before it was published by Microsoft, the company said.
The flaw is found in Windows SmartScreen, a security feature designed to stop people from visiting dangerous websites. Proofpoint explained that the attackers could bypass SmartScreen defenses by getting the victim to click on a specially designed URL, which the vulnerability allowed.
As explained by Malpedia, DarkGate is a commodity loader first documented in 2018. It comes with numerous features, including the ability to download and execute files to memory, a Hidden Virtual Network Computing (HVNC) module, the ability to log keystrokes, steal sensitive information, and escalate privileges. DarkGate abuses legitimate AutoIt files and typically runs multiple AutoIt scripts.
New versions of DarkGate have been advertised on a Russian-language eCrime forum since May 2023, the report concludes.
Beeper Mini is officially no more. The developer is calling it quits in trying to find new workarounds for bringing iMessage to Android devices.
Instead, Beeper would much rather work on its own projects and achieve its goal “of building the best chat app on Earth.” The developer goes on to state in a recent announcement post that every time Beeper Mini goes offline or is made worthless because of Apple’s meddling, its credibility takes a hit, adding it’s unsustainable to continue like this. It admits that it just “can’t win a cat-and-mouse game with the largest company on Earth”. It’s just not worth the hassle anymore. They would rather move on.
The final workaround
There is a final workaround available although it is very convoluted. The process requires you to first own a Mac or Linux computer (a Raspberry Pi works as well) with the Beeper desktop app installed and a jailbroken iPhone.
You plug the iPhone into the computer then run certain commands in the Terminal tool. You will need to install an app called Palera1n along the way. Eventually, you will install Beeper Mini onto the smartphone in order to receive an iMessage registration code for your Android device. Then and only then, will you be able to use the service as intended. Also, the iPhone at the heart of all this must be connected to your Wi-Fi and turned on at all times, according to TheVerge.
That's the basic rundown. We glossed over a lot of the more elaborate steps involving Palera1n. What’s more, if your Mac is equipped with Apple silicon, you may have to unplug the iPhone when the word “Checkmate!” appears otherwise the workaround presumably fails. Beeper doesn’t explain why you need to disconnect the device. As we said earlier, this whole thing is convoluted.
Beeper Mini's future
If you don’t own a jailbroken iPhone, you can buy one from Beeper. Prices range from $30 to $60. Or you can rent one for “several dollars per month”. You will however need to sign up and fill out a special form on the developer’s website before renting or buying. Interested users will need to act fast because it looks like the service will stop at the end of the year. But “if there is enough interest”, Beeper will extend the program into the new year.
This solution, as crazy as it may seem, is the final method. If Apple decides to block it, the developer says it won’t make another. Again, it’s not worth the hassle in their eyes. That said, Beeper believes it managed to create a workaround that the tech giant is willing to “tolerate”, although whether or not this is true remains to be seen.
An AI just mastered Labyrinth in six hours, and I am questioning my own existence.
I started playing Labyrinth in the 1970s. While it may look deceptively simple and is fully analog, Labyrinth is an incredibly difficult, nearly 60-year-old physical board game that challenges you to navigate a metal ball through a hole-riddled maze by changing the orientation of the game platform using only the twistable nobs on two adjacent sides of the game's box frame.
I still remember my father bringing Labyrinth home to our Queens apartment, and my near-total obsession with mastering it. If you've never played, then you have no idea how hard it is to keep a metal ball on a narrow path between two holes just waiting to devour it.
It's not like you get past a few holes and you're home free; there are 60 along the whole meandering path. One false move and the ball is swallowed, and you have to start again. It takes fine motor control, dexterity, and a lot of real-time problem-solving to make it through unscathed. I may have successfully navigated the treacherous route a few times.
It sometimes ignored the path and took shortcuts. That's called cheating.
In the intervening years, I played sporadically (once memorably with a giant labyrinth at Google I/O), but mostly I forgot about the game, though I guess I never really forgot the challenge.
Perhaps that's why my mouth dropped open as I watched CyberRunner learn and beat the game in just six hours.
In a recently released video, programmers from the public research university ETH Zurich showed off their bare-bones AI robot, which uses a pair of actuators that act as the 'hands' to twist the Labyrinth nobs, an overhead camera to watch the action, and a computer running an AI algorithm to learn and, eventually, beat the game.
In the video, developers explain that "CyberRunner exploits recent advances in model-based reinforcement learning and its ability to make informed decisions about potentially successful behaviors by planning into the future."
Initially, CyberRunner was no better than me or any other average human player. It dumped the metal ball into holes less than a tenth of the way through the path, and then less than a fifth of the way through. But with each attempt, CyberRunner got better – and not just a little better, but exponentially so.
In just six hours, according to the video, "CyberRunner's able to complete the maze faster than any previously recorded time."
The video is stunning. The two motors wiggle the board at a super-human rate, and manage to keep the ball so perfectly on track that it's never in danger of falling into any of the holes. CyberRunner's eventual fastest time was a jaw-dropping 14.8 seconds. I think my best time was... well, it could often take many minutes.
I vividly recall playing, and how I would sometimes park the ball in the maze, taking a break mid-challenge to prepare myself for the remainder of the still-arduous journey ahead. No so with CyberRunner. Its confidence is the kind that's only possible with an AI. It has no worries about dropping its metal ball into a hole; no fear of failure.
It also, initially, had no fear of getting caught cheating.
As CyberRunner was learning, it did what computers do and looked for the best and fastest path through the maze, which meant it sometimes ignored the path and took shortcuts. That's called cheating. Thankfully, the researchers caught CyberRunner, and reprogrammed it so it was forced to follow the full maze.
Of course, CyberRunner's accomplishment is not just about beating humans at a really difficult game. This is a demonstration of how an AI can solve physical-world problems based on vision, physical interaction, and machine learning. The only question is, what real-world problems will this open-source project solve next?
As for me, I need to go dig my Labyrinth out of my parent's closet.
Finding the right mattress for you starts with deciding on what's the ideal size for your needs. Here's what to consider when choosing between the two most popular bed sizes.
Smart home brand Eve is slated to kick off 2024 with the launch of three new Matter-supporting gadgets including its first in-wall outlet.
The company does currently sell smart plugs, but the Eve Energy Outlet, as it’s called, won’t have the big brick jutting out as it’ll be flush with the wall. It’s meant to be the more “permanent solution”. According to the announcement, it’ll allow users to remotely control and access other Matter devices on their home network via the app or through voice commands. Each receptacle can be “automated individually” so people can create scenes and automation that best suit their needs.
There is a catch with this device, however. While it does let people “monitor and control their energy consumption”, you can only do so on either the Eve app on iOS or Samsung’s SmartThings app. As TheVerge points out, you won’t be able to monitor your energy consumption on other platforms like Google Home.
Something to keep in mind about the Eve Energy Outlet is that it uses the Thread wireless protocol meaning it requires both a Thread border router and a Matter controller to connect to a home network. Finding the right supporting hardware can be tricky. So to help users out, the company has a guide on its website listing out the best controllers for specific smart home ecosystems.
Controlling the lights
Next, there is the Eve Light Switch which will let you control the light bulbs in your house either through the mobile app or by voice commands. On iOS, users can set up schedules for when the lights should automatically turn on or off. No word on whether the company will bring this function to the Android app.
Then we have the Eve Blinds Collection. These, as the name suggests, are shades custom-made to fit the window frames in your house. The product will support the brand’s Adaptive Shading tech giving them the ability to “automatically close according to the position of the sun.” The fabric used in the collection will be available in a semi-transparent or blackout with special “insulating properties” to help you save on energy.
Availability
The Blinds Collection will come out on February 1st in the United States and Germany on the official Eve Store. After that, the Energy Outlet will become available for purchase from the same online store as well as Amazon for $49.95 beginning February 6th. The Light Switch will go on sale for $49.95 sometime in the second quarter of 2024. An exact date was not given.
We reached out to Eve for clarification on certain details. It’s unknown how much the blinds will cost although if we had to take a guess, the final price will probably depend on the size of a window frame. Additionally, we don’t know if there are plans to launch international versions of the outlet or the switch. This story will be updated at a later time.
Kwumsy has launched a new model of its keyboard and display combo device, the Kwumsy K3, which combines an 82-key mechanical keyboard with a 13-inch touchscreen display.
As you can tell from its name, the Kwumsy K3 Touch-Expanding Screen Keyboard is the third-generation model, and one of the significant upgrades in this iteration is the ability to tilt the screen upward, adjusting the viewing angle between 0 and 90 degrees, which means it can sit at a right angle to the keyboard or lie flat.
The 13-inch LCD touchscreen has a 1920 x 720 resolution, a 60 Hz refresh rate, and up to 300 nits brightness. It supports 10-point multitouch input.
Fully customizable
The Kwumsy K3 includes two USB Type-C ports, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an SD card reader, and an M.2 2280 slot, so users can add an SSD to the device. A pair of stereo speakers is also incorporated into the design.
The keyboard itself is equipped with RGB backlighting and supports 20 different lighting effects. RGB light strips are also present along the sides of the device. There are hot-swappable Gateron yellow switches, and 18MM cherry keycaps.
The Kwumsy K3 package also includes a USB-C power adapter and several adapter cables, such as USB-C to HDMI, USB-C to USB-C, and USB-A to USB-C.
As you might expect, the Kwumsy K3 is rather large - measuring 330 x 295 x 39mm.
The keyboard is usually priced at $599, but it’s currently on sale for $360 through the Kwumsy website. In addition, if you use the code MC15, you can get an additional 15% off, bringing the price down to $313.65. Free shipping is included.
