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TikTok Traffic Bounces Back as Creators Diversify Amid Shutdown Fears TikTok Traffic Bounces Back as Creators Diversify Amid Shutdown Fears A 3D-printed miniature model of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 19, 2025. Dado Ruvic | Reuters TikTok has nearly bounced back to its original traffic levels after usage fell 85% when the app temporarily shut down earlier this month, according to Cloudflare Radar. “DNS traffic for TikTok-related domains has continued to recover since service restoration, and is currently about 10% lower than pre-shutdown level,” David Belson, head of data insight at Cloudflare, told CNBC in a statement. DNS, short for Domain Name System, converts website names into IP addresses that browsers use to access internet resources. Cloudflare Radar is the connectivity cloud company’s hub that displays internet trends and insights with DNS to monitor global internet traffic. TikTok briefly shutdown in the U.S. following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a law signed by former President Joe Biden in April. That legislation required China-based ByteDance to either divest its ownership of TikTok or have the app face an effective ban in the U.S. on Jan. 19. Consequently, Apple and Google removed TikTok from their U.S. app stores to comply with the law. The app came back online after President Donald Trump said he would postpone enforcement of the ban, signing an executive order on his first day in office to extend the law’s deadline by an additional 75 days to April 5. In the meantime, U.S. investors from Frank McCourt to Jimmy Donaldson, known as Mr. Beast, have offered to do deals that would bring ownership of TikTok to the U.S. Trump has also expressed interest in billionaire Elon Musk, who runs Tesla and SpaceX and owns X, or Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison obtaining partial ownership of the app. The data from Cloudflare shows that, for the most part, TikTok has managed to maintain the bulk of its users and creators in the U.S. despite going offline for about 14 hours and remaining off of the Apple or Google app stores. As for its alternatives, Cloudflare’s data shows a spike in traffic the day of the temporary ban, with levels remaining steadily higher in the following week. Traffic for alternatives began to grow a week ahead of the expected shutdown, driven by the increased popularity of RedNote, known as Xiaohongshu in China, Belson said. But traffic to TikTok alternatives peaked on Jan. 19, the day TikTok returned online, he added. “DNS traffic fell rapidly once the shutdown ended, and has continued to slowly decline over the last week and a half,” Belson said. ‘Made peace with it’ With TikTok’s long-term future in the U.S. still uncertain, many creators are expanding their online presence to other platforms. “I’ve kind of made peace with it going away,” said Dylan Lemay, a creator with more than 10 million followers on TikTok. “When they threatened to get rid of it the first time, that was my wake-up call to say I need to make sure that I’m prepared if this ever does happen.” Trump first threatened to ban TikTok during his first go as president in 2020. Since then, Lemay has been putting efforts into building his followings on other platforms to protect his career as a full-time creator if TikTok is ever officially banned. Lemay said he has found audiences on other platforms. YouTube is where he is now making his most consistent earnings. Currently, he has more than 5.6 million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts long- and short-form videos that have amassed billions of views. “If the worst comes to worst and TikTok goes away, I have this solid foundation with a company like Google,” Lemay said. “That’s not going anywhere.” While some successful TikTok creators have been able to find audiences on YouTube Shorts and Meta’s Instagram Reels, many have discovered that their TikTok content doesn’t translate as well to other platforms. Noah Glenn Carter, another creator with nearly 10 million TikTok followers, has not been able to find the same kind of audience on Instagram and YouTube, where his following and viewership are significantly lower. In the weeks leading up to the ban, Carter contacted companies he’s previously worked with on brand deals, which are agreements where brands pay creators to promote their products and services on social media. With TikTok’s future in limbo, brands are pausing or altering their agreements to include competing platforms, Carter and other creators and managers told CNBC. In the meantime, Meta has begun offering creators deals to promote Instagram on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat and other services, CNBC reported earlier this month. “I don’t know if I can really keep the same rates with my biggest platform going dark,” said Carter. Other creators say they refuse to believe TikTok will ever truly get banned. “I’m going to believe it when I see it in those 75 days,” said Michael DiCostanzo, a creator with more than 2.3 million followers on TikTok. DiCostanzo posts his content to competing short-form video platforms, but he said other apps have yet to build the kind of environment that brought him and others success on TikTok. “I don’t know if YouTube Shorts or Reels can ever actually replicate that sense of community,” said DiCostanzo. “If TikTok were to completely shut down, I don’t think they would get that big of a boost.” Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #TikTok #Traffic #Bounces #Creators #Diversify #Shutdown #Fears Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Atari Reveals Classic Game Patch Packs Atari Reveals Classic Game Patch Packs thesoftware73048m ago I really don’t understand the correlation between what you posted and this comment, this is about a single game, and the game being first party or “respected “. The things you mentioned is irrelevant and a major stretch at best. Me not seeing the humor in post stating that a game may possibly be somehow less respected because it’s multiplatform is just plain and simple. I asked a few questions and made a factual statement, and when he said it was a joke, I admitted that I missed the humor and said “my bad”. These is no gotcha moment here, there is no letting me off the hook, and the past post you posted was weak at best. I am far, far from “salty”, believe me this or none of the other situations in gaming bother me, 99% of my post has nothing to do with hating another system…I usually point out hypocrisy. Letting me off the hook, haha, that is rich, as if I’m on the hook somehow. But I’m glad you fellas feel that way, and I’m able to give you a sense of a…..win? Oh, PS. It’s a fact that I own every system, except the PS5 Pro, but you lot feel the need to think gaming is locked to a certain box, that’s why things similar to this does not affect me in the slightest…and even if I didn’t, I still don’t really care…this is my truth. Source link #Atari #Reveals #Classic #Game #Patch #Packs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Column | Trump’s revenge targets feds, expands his power and disrupts government – The Washington Post Column | Trump’s revenge targets feds, expands his power and disrupts government – The Washington Post Column | Trump’s revenge targets feds, expands his power and disrupts government The Washington PostContinuing resolution creates doubts agencies can honor OPM’s ‘deferred resignation’ deal Federal News NetworkTrump offers buyout to all federal workers. How many are there in Connecticut? Norwich Bulletin Source link #Column #Trumps #revenge #targets #feds #expands #power #disrupts #government #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Here’s How to Avoid Microsoft 365’s Price Hike—Grab This Office License Instead Here’s How to Avoid Microsoft 365’s Price Hike—Grab This Office License Instead This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use(Opens in a new window) . (Credit: StackSocial) Are you still paying a subscription fee for Microsoft 365? You shouldn’t have to pay fees just to access your daily productivity apps—you’re essentially renting them each month, if you think about it. It’s time to rid yourself of that subscription and own your Microsoft tools outright, especially since Microsoft 365’s fee is now being raised to $99.99. While a Microsoft Office license typically costs users upwards of $200, lifetime access to a 2019 Windows license is now available at a new low price: only $34.97 (reg. $229) for two more days. Your Microsoft Apps, But With No Fees You’ve read that right—when you pay this one-time fee, you’re getting these Microsoft apps for life. And unlike Microsoft 365, this license allows you to download the apps directly to your PC, meaning they’ll be regularly updated. Another bonus? Since this Microsoft Office license is connected to your PC, you’ll always be able to use your apps, even when you’re offline. The only downside is that you’ll need to purchase another license key if you upgrade your device. While this isn’t the latest version of Microsoft Office, the 2019 version might be a better fit for your refurbished PC. You’ll gain lifelong access to the following apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. Create stunning slide decks with PowerPoint to impress that big-name client at your PR firm, or jump into Excel to organize digits for your manager. If you’re working remotely, use Teams to stay in the know and collaborate with your coworkers online! Professionals aren’t the only ones who would benefit from Microsoft Office—anyone from casual users to small business owners would as well. You might use Excel to track and manage your monthly grocery expenses or Outlook to communicate with potential vendors and clients. Get your lifetime subscription to Microsoft Office Professional 2019 for Windows for just $34.97 while supplies last. No coupon is needed, but this offer ends February 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT. StackSocial prices subject to change. Source link #Heres #Avoid #Microsoft #365s #Price #HikeGrab #Office #License Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Uber files racketeering suit against New York groups alleging car ****** fraud Uber files racketeering suit against New York groups alleging car ****** fraud Uber has filed a racketeering suit against a group of legal firms and medical professionals, claiming they staged car crashes and performed unnecessary surgeries to commit insurance fraud, Bloomberg reported. The group allegedly recruited passengers involved in purported or minor vehicle collisions and provided “medical unnecessary… [sometimes] invasive and painful surgeries like spinal fusions,” according to the federal suit filed in Brooklyn yesterday. Driving the alleged racket is New York’s no-fault insurance, particularly as it applies to cab and rideshare chauffeurs. The city forces those workers to carry personal injury coverage up to $200,000, four times that required for individual drivers — providing potential scammers with lucrative targets. There are other issues behind the claim. New York City’s largest taxi insurer, ATIC (American Transit Insurance Co.), which insures about 60 percent of the 120,000 for-hire vehicles in the city, recently went insolvent. Uber sued ATIC last year, saying that its “unreasonable practices” spawned 23 lawsuits against Uber, forcing it to deal with the claims itself in court. On top of that, ATIC itself filed a $450 million racketeering suit in December last year, also seeking damages from doctors and others for insurance fraud. That has left New York with a big mess around the availability and pricing of for-hire insurance, so Governor Kathy Hochul recently proposed legislation to make it easier for insurance to adjust commercial car insurance rate. Uber has been pushing for insurance and tort reform in multiple states to address rising insurance costs that have hurt its business. The company recently agreed to a $328 million settlement with New York rideshare drivers who were underpaid between 2014 and 2017. Source link #Uber #files #racketeering #suit #York #groups #alleging #car #****** #fraud Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

I saw Nvidia’s new DLSS 4 in action on the RTX 5090 and it’s a true game changer – here’s why I saw Nvidia’s new DLSS 4 in action on the RTX 5090 and it’s a true game changer – here’s why DLSS 4 is about to change the game for all RTX GPU users The super resolution performance mode has seen a significant boost in terms of image quality and clarity Frame Generation’s smearing and ghosting has been reduced After its long-awaited reveal at CES 2025, Nvidia’s RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards have now officially launched, which has opened the gateway to improved performance across numerous games with both more raw power and better Frame Generation over the last RTX 4000 series generation – but from what I’ve seen first hand after sitting down with Team Green at its office in Reading, its biggest enhancements stem from its work on DLSS 4. DLSS 4 is now available on all RTX GPUs with support for titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, and Hogwarts Legacy – but a new feature, DLSS Override, allows users to utilize DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation (the latter of which is exclusive to RTX 5000 series GPUs) in games that don’t have native support yet. While that’s great to hear, you might be wondering why DLSS 4 is receiving so much praise from other users (and myself). A new era of upscaling fidelity I didn’t personally review the RTX 5090 for TechRadar, but having now seen DLSS 4 in action running on the GPU thanks to Nvidia’s press invite, I can tell you that DLSS 4’s new transformer model is a genuine game changer. With the previous CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) model for older DLSS versions, ghosting and smearing were a big issue and part of the reason many worried about upscaling becoming the quick fix for game developers (which I do still believe is true to a degree) – but with this new transformer model, the likes of DLSS 4’s performance mode is visually on par if not better than DLSS 3’s quality mode (despite having a lower internal resolution). DLSS 4 performance mode running in Alan Wake 2 on an RTX 5090 with path tracing enabled… trust me, it was magnificent, if you’ll excuse my ******* video quality. (Image credit: Future) It’s evident in the gif above showing Alan Wake 2 (and in Nvidia’s video below), along with my first tests in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC despite its current crashing and stability issues (based on current Steam reviews), as results were consistent – for once, I could actually use DLSS performance mode without feeling disgusted by slightly – but noticeably – blurry image quality with flickering and ghosting in every sequence. This is all possible thanks to the new transformer AI model, which significantly enhances image clarity and stability, especially in motion, with Insomniac’s title taking advantage of Nvidia’s ‘ray reconstruction’ feature in this case. I continuously flicked back and forth between the quality and performance modes, assuming my eyes were playing tricks on me, but believe me, the latter is truly that good. The same applies to scenarios where Frame Generation for RTX 4000 series GPUs or Multi Frame Generation for RTX 5000 series GPUs is in use – as I said, input lag and ghosting were the two biggest constraints of DLSS 3’s frame-gen, and this has now been addressed with DLSS 4 along with Reflex 2 (which I saw significantly reduced input lag in competitive games like Marvel Rivals), which Nvidia confirmed will first be available to RTX 5000 series GPUs before coming to older graphics cards. DLSS Ray Reconstruction with New Transformer Model | Alan Wake 2 – YouTube Watch On While the demos showcased to me were with the new generation’s flagship GPU (which is unsurprisingly a powerhouse), this makes the ‘Overdrive’ path tracing preset in Cyberpunk 2077 on RTX 4000 or maybe even 3000 series GPUs possible – those with access to frame-gen will certainly yield even better frame rates, but the transformer super-resolution model set to performance mode will make it playable on GPUs that don’t have access to frame gen, without compromising image quality like the CNN model did. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. What does this mean for future PC ports? Now, considering my stance on concerns about game developers taking their hands off the wheel in terms of game optimization on PC, DLSS 4 has genuinely lightened my worries – at least by a bit. While I’m still absolutely adamant that PC ports should launch without the drastic performance issues found in games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, DLSS 4’s performance mode (which has always been great at providing better performance in previous iterations of DLSS) now maintains fantastic image quality with the new transformer model. In unfortunate cases where games are still poorly optimized, I have a strong feeling that DLSS 4 will work wonders with patching things up where necessary – and with DLSS Override, this can effectively be done with minimal effort on the developer’s part, although manual implementation will still be ideal. It’s especially the case for those who own an RTX 4000 series or 5000 series GPU with access to frame generation (and there’s still a chance frame-gen could come to RTX 3000 GPUs), as the enhancements made to the original Frame Generation model reduce VRAM consumption to boost performance across the board. I’ve already acknowledged that AI upscaling is most likely the future of gaming – as much as that makes me nervous about game development, Nvidia has done a great job here at potentially helping future cases of bad PC ports, while also catering to older GPUs. In my eyes, that’s worth heaps of praise – keep doing good stuff like this, okay Nvidia? You may also like… Source link #Nvidias #DLSS #action #RTX #true #game #changer #heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

******* inflation, January 2025 ******* inflation, January 2025 Customers waiting at the checkout in a supermarket. Markus Scholz | Picture Alliance | Getty Images ******* inflation was unchanged year-on-year at 2.8% in January, preliminary data from the country’s statistics office Destatis showed Friday in the last reading before Germans head to the polls next month. The reading was also in line with a forecast from economists polled by Reuters. The print is harmonized across the euro area for comparability. On a monthly basis, the harmonized consumer price index fell by 0.2% Germany’s inflation rate has now stayed above the European Central Bank’s 2% target for the fourth month in a row, after falling below that threshold in September last year. This roughly mirrors the development of re-accelerating inflation in the wider euro area. The European Central Bank on Thursday said that disinflation in the bloc “is well on track” and has broadly developed in line with staff projections. Euro area inflation came in at 2.4% in December. The January figures are slated for release next week. The January inflation print is among the final key economic data released before Germany’s election on Feb. 23, which is taking place earlier than originally scheduled after the collapse of the ruling coalition in November 2024. Germany’s economy has been one of big topics during campaigning next to immigration, as the country has been grappling with lackluster economic growth and the renewed rise of inflation. The government earlier this week slashed gross domestic product expectations to 0.3% for full-year 2025, after annual GDP contracted in the last two years. Quarterly growth has also been sluggish, even as the economy has so far avoided a technical recession characterized by two consecutive quarter of contraction. Non-harmonized inflation is expected to average 2.2% this year, the government added in its annual economic report. This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Source link #******* #inflation #January Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft Copilot just gave you ChatGPT’s second best reasoning model for free, but there are some limitations Microsoft Copilot just gave you ChatGPT’s second best reasoning model for free, but there are some limitations Microsoft has added ChatGPT-o1 for all Copilot users, even on the free tier You’ll find a new ‘Think Deeper’ button in Copilot to access it ChatGPT will be releasing the o3 reasoning model for free users in the coming days Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, has announced via X that ChatGPT’s o1 deep reasoning model is now available to all Copilot users, even on the free tier, but there are limits to access. Writing on X, Suleyman said “This now gives everyone access to OpenAI’s world class o1 reasoning model in Copilot, everywhere at no cost. I urge you to give it a try. It’s truly magical.” Today we’ve made Think Deeper free and available for all users of Copilot.This now gives everyone access to OpenAI’s world class o1 reasoning model in Copilot, everywhere at no cost.I urge you to give it a try. It’s truly magical. Think Deeper helps you: pic.twitter.com/nzccl0tdhLJanuary 29, 2025 Suleyman then goes on to describe various possible usage cases for Copilot using the o1 model, such as getting in-depth advice on managing a career change, detailed educational milestones, or taking a deep-dive on any topic you want to know about. Initial reports suggested that access to the o1 reasoning model in Copilot was unlimited, but this has proved to be false, with several users coming up against usage limits. In response Microsoft then upped the usage limit, with the Copilot account on X yesterday announcing: “Think Deeper limits for free and Pro subscribers have been expanded!” Sharing with the class Think Deeper limits for free and Pro subscribers have been expanded! [Hidden Content] 30, 2025 Thinking deeper with Copilot The ChatGPT-o1 and ChatGPT-o1 mini reasoning models were first introduced by OpenAI in December last year as part of ’12 days of OpenAI’, and promised to offer improved reasoning and logic abilities. The o1 model breaks down questions and tasks into smaller parts and solves each before responding. Accessing ChatGPT-o1 in Copilot is as easy as clicking the new ‘Think Deeper’ button in the prompt bar, which is available in both the mobile app and web browser versions of Copilot. Our initial testing with the feature shows that it indeed pretty impressive, providing really detailed answers to every question we put to it, although you do have to wait for a few seconds longer than you would for a normal Copilot query to activate this deeper reasoning power. To use the o1 and o1-mini reasoning models in ChatGPT you’ll currently need a ChatGPT Plus subscription which costs $20 p/month (around £16 / AU$30). OpenAI recently confirmed that it will be opening up its latest o3 reasoning model to free users, with the release expected any day now. You may also like Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Source link #Microsoft #Copilot #gave #ChatGPTs #reasoning #model #free #limitations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rockstar’s Silence About GTA 6 Could Be Due to a Classic Big-Game Announcement Trope Rockstar’s Silence About GTA 6 Could Be Due to a Classic Big-Game Announcement Trope Ever since Rockstar Games dropped the GTA 6 trailer in December 2023, fans have been waiting on the edge of their seats for more. The trailer shattered YouTube records and gave us a first glimpse of what’s to come but since then? Silence. Absolute radio silence. No new trailers, no fresh details. The anticipation of the game is palpable. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games So why is the studio playing this game of quiet? Well, a former developer recently shed some light on the situation, revealing that when it comes to big game announcements, silence might just be the smartest move. After all, every single time, things take a negative spin. Rockstar’s silence regarding GTA 6 might be part of a plan GTA 6 is undoubtedly the most anticipated game in recent memory. Fans have been waiting years for an official update, and it’s completely understandable that there’s a sense of frustration among the community over the lack of new information. The last official piece of news came in the form of the GTA 6 trailer, which debuted on December 4, 2023. While it set the record for the most views of a videogame reveal on YouTube since then Rockstar has kept quiet and left fans hungry for more. This radio silence has been puzzling for many, especially considering the level of hype surrounding the game. However, former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij, in a recent interview with YouTuber SanInPlay, shed some light on why this approach might be a strategy. Vermeij explained that the lack of official updates may not be as damaging as it seems, but is due to the recent trend in the industry. He added that when big companies like Rockstar release information, even the smallest announcement often gets dissected, analyzed, and criticized. It gets analyzed and it often gets spun negatively. It turns into a negative thing. From their point of view, their best bet is just to be quiet. That’s what they’re doing. He emphasized that in an era where fans find negative even in small details, it is safer for a studio to remain silent to protect its public image, especially big ones like Rockstar, EA, or Ubisoft. The recent trend of backlash and negative spin Small information gets dissected and turned into something negative. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games Fans’ expectations are often set so high that any news, even if it’s positive or neutral, can quickly turn into criticism. This cycle of hype, followed by criticism, is a challenge every major studio faces. When studios, like Rockstar, try to engage with their audience too early or release too much information, they open themselves up to negative spins, no matter what the content or intention behind the announcement. As Vermeij explained, for many developers, the solution to avoid this issue seems simple: remain silent. If the game eventually delivers, then the negativity will fade away and the conversation will shift back to the quality of the game. But if the game faces issues at launch, the negativity will persist. It’s not just their fault. It’s also the fault of the public. Everybody’s attacking the big companies all the time, so they’re just better off being quiet. If we take the words of Vermeij at face value, it’s easy to understand that the studio’s silence surrounding GTA 6 isn’t about avoiding the hype, it’s about controlling the narrative. By keeping quiet until the game is ready for launch, Rockstar reduces the chances of a negative backlash. In the end, when the game is finally ready, Rockstar will break its silence. Until then, fans should expect the studio to remain silent as it is trying to avoid getting caught in the cycle of unrealistic expectations and online backlash. Do you think this is the case, or is the game actually not ready? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. Source link #Rockstars #Silence #GTA #Due #Classic #BigGame #Announcement #Trope Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rory McIlroy hits remarkable slam dunk hole-in-one at Pebble Beach Pro-Am as Scottie Scheffler returns from ‘stupid’ injury – CNN Rory McIlroy hits remarkable slam dunk hole-in-one at Pebble Beach Pro-Am as Scottie Scheffler returns from ‘stupid’ injury – CNN Rory McIlroy hits remarkable slam dunk hole-in-one at Pebble Beach Pro-Am as Scottie Scheffler returns from ‘stupid’ injury CNNMcIlroy makes slam dunk ace at Spyglass Hill ESPNMcIlroy and Lowry hit holes-in-one at Pebble Beach Pro-Am BBC.comGolf: Shane Lowry follows Rory McIlroy and hits SECOND ace of day at Pebble Beach Pro-Am! Sky SportsMajor winner aces Pebble 7th — and his hole in one list becomes even wilder Golf.com Source link #Rory #McIlroy #hits #remarkable #slam #dunk #holeinone #Pebble #Beach #ProAm #Scottie #Scheffler #returns #stupid #injury #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best smartphones to buy in 2025 The best smartphones to buy in 2025 You might already have a good idea of which smartphone you want to be your next one. But there are more solid options available now than ever before, making the decision not as cut-and-dry as it used to be. While the decision is a bit easier if you know you want an iPhone, there’s even enough variation between those new models that you may have to think about it longer than you anticipated. If you’re an Android person, you have even more options to choose from — including foldables — and more questions to answer before you spend any money. At Engadget, we review phones regularly and have tested dozens over the years. Whether you’ve had your eye on one of our current top picks, one of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 phones, a cheap phone or another device, we’re here to help you decide which is the best phone to buy this year. Android or iOS? When you’re searching for the best smartphone, it becomes clear that each OS has its pros and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it super easy to share data between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off phone calls or music from one device to another. At the same time, you’re effectively locked in, as services like Apple Messages aren’t available on other platforms. As for Android, there’s a much wider range of handsets from companies like Google, Samsung, Sony and more. However, Android phones don’t enjoy that same length of software support and often have lower trade-in values. In short, there’s no wrong answer. However, you will want to consider how your phone will fit in with the rest of your devices. So unless you’re really fed up with one OS and willing to learn another, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone (or vice versa) – especially if everyone else in your household is using the same platform. Cameras Since your cell phone often pulls double duty as your primary camera, figuring out what kind of photo tools you want is key. Nowadays, practically every mobile phone can take a great picture in bright light. But if you want a long optical zoom, you’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive device. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Mid-range phones often only have two rear cameras (a primary wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide camera) and can sometimes struggle in low-light situations. Each phone maker also has various features that might be a better fit for your style, with Apple offering four different color presets on the latest iPhones, while Google’s Pixel 9 Pro comes with neat tools like dedicated long exposure and Action Pan modes. Will you get mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7? The good news is that in 2025, most phones have at least Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e and support for some kind of 5G connectivity. However, if you want the fastest wireless speeds possible, it’s going to cost you a little extra. For example, on certain networks, mmWave 5G offers up to gigabit download speeds, less latency and better bandwidth. But mmWave 5G also requires more sophisticated (and pricier) modems, which means support for it is often missing on less expensive devices. On the bright side, mmWave 5G isn’t as widely available as other versions of 5G, so depending on where you live and what network you’re on, you may not be missing out on much right now if you buy a phone that doesn’t support it. It’s a similar situation for Wi-Fi 7, which is available on some high-end handsets like the Galaxy S25, but harder to find on cheaper devices. Wi-Fi 7 also requires you to have a compatible router, so unless you know you need it or have a specific use case in mind, the lack of support for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7 shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when looking for a new phone. Other features to consider Because not everyone agrees on what makes the best phone, you should think about any other specs that might be extra important for you. Mobile gamers will almost certainly appreciate the 120Hz refresh rates you get on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 or the Apple iPhone 16 Pro. Alternatively, if long battery life is important, you’ll probably want to go with a larger iPhone or an Android phone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in size. Meanwhile, if you find yourself juggling a lot of devices, it can be really nice to have a phone that supports reverse wireless charging, which on Samsung phones even lets you recharge the company’s Galaxy Watches. Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget Read our full iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max review Screen size: 6.3-inch | Storage capacity: Up to 1TB | SIM support: Dual eSim | Battery Life: About one day Just like last year, if you want the best iPhone experience, you should get an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max. Not only is there not much of a leap between the two when it comes to camera array or general performance, but these handsets will get all of the benefits of Apple Intelligence — on top of the handy customizations that comes with iOS 18. The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max have slightly different sizes this time around: 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. Aside from that meaning you’ll have to shell out money for a new case if you upgrade, it won’t make too much of a difference in regular use. The biggest hardware differences that you’ll absolutely notice are the Camera Control button and the Fusion Camera. The former is a new side button that has touch and pressure sensors, making it easier to not only launch the Camera app but control things like exposure when you’re actually taking photos. As we discovered in our testing for the iPhone 16 Pro review, it’ll take a bit of getting used to at first. But overall, the Camera Control button is a net positive that shutterbugs will appreciate. The new Fusion Camera sports a faster quad-pixel sensor, among other improvements, and allows for 4K video at 120 fps in Dolby Vision and “zero shutter lag.” The latter means you’ll be able to actually capture the moment when you press the button, rather than the moment right after it. The Fusion Camera also supports new features like Photographic Styles, which are fun enhancements that are even more customizable than regular filters. Elsewhere, the new A18 Pro chipset provides excellent performance for both the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, plus support for Apple Intelligence. Whereas in years past, there would have been a significant difference in the Pro and Pro Max camera arrays, this year that gap isn’t as noticeable. Where you will see major gains with the Pro Max is battery life — it’ll last two days (like its 15 predecessor), while the standard 16 Pro has just full-day battery life. Only you can decide if that’s worth ponying up the extra $200 for the Max, but regardless, both the Pro and Pro Max handsets offer stellar performance, excellent photography chops, enhanced customization with iOS 18 and (soon) the full host of Apple Intelligence features. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor Pros Fast camera with high quality video capture Photographic styles are effective and pretty Nice customizations available throughout Cons Relatively short battery life Camera Control isn’t perfect $999 at Apple Google Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL review (Pixel 9 Pro) Screen size: 6.3-inch | Storage capacity: Up to 1TB | SIM support: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery Life: 24+ hours Finally, a smaller Pixel Pro. Google’s Pixel series has long been one of the best Android phones around, with the Pro model being the superior version. But it was always a little too big and too cumbersome for those of us who have smaller hands or want our phones to fit in our pockets. Cue the Pixel 9 Pro, which is the littler version of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Instead of a relatively large 6.8-inch screen like that on its ******* sibling, the standard Pro has a 6.3-inch display that is easy to maneuver. No more worrying about dropping your Pixel Pro just because you fumbled while trying to reach the top of the screen! Better yet, with the Pixel 9 Pro, Google hasn’t sacrificed any key feature to get to the smaller size, meaning you’ll find the same camera setup and performance in both handsets. The only real differences are the screen size, battery and charging speeds, as the non-XL model recharges at a slightly slower rate. But the Pixel 9 Pro is also much longer-lasting than the XL, notching almost 25 hours on our battery test. Those distinctions aside, the Pixel 9 Pro lineup is our favorite Android phone because of its top-notch camera performance, intriguing AI features and a general grown-up vibe. While previous Pixel flagships had a colorful, blocky design that felt fresh, this year’s devices feel solid and refined. And, dare we say it, almost like iPhones. Without the camera bars, they would be pretty hard to tell apart from Apple’s phones. Possibly because it’s grown up so much over the years, but the Pixel phones now cost the same as iPhones. The Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro both start at $999, and though some of us have come to think of Google’s handsets as the more competitively priced option, this year’s model might be good enough to justify a premium price. If you still want something from the Pixel 9 family but don’t want to pay $1,000, the base Pixel 9 is still a solid handset for most people. But as it stands, the Pixel 9 Pro is the best Android handset money can buy. — Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor Pros Great camera features and improved telephoto camera A year of Gemini Advanced for free Incredible battery life A beautiful, bright screen that’s easy to use outdoors Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor Cons Slower charging speeds than the XL Not the best phone for gaming $999 at Google Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget Read our full iPhone 15 review Screen size: 6.1-inch | Storage capacity: Up to 512GB | SIM support: Dual eSim | Battery Life: Up to one day Our previous pick here was the iPhone 13, but that model is no longer being sold at Apple. Now, if you’re looking to save a little (just a little) cash and still get an iPhone, your best bet is the iPhone 15. Yes, the iPhone 14 is still hanging on in the lineup, but it relies on a Lightning port for wired charging. It’s 2025, and we recommend your next phone — regardless of how much you spend — have a USB-C port. We called the iPhone 15 the “most substantial update to the regular iPhone in years” in our iPhone 15 review. While the overall design and display were familiar, the biggest upgrades came in the camera array and the adoption of the Dynamic Island. You’ll get a 48-megapixel main shooter with a quad-pixel sensor that’s capable of taking better shots in dim lighting. You can also apply portrait mode settings after taking photos with this system, instead of having to choose it before taking a shot. We saw noticeable improvements in photos taken on the iPhone 15 when compared to those taken on the iPhone 14, particularly in low-lighting conditions, so you’re getting a better camera system overall. As for the Dynamic Island, it’s a carry-over feature from Pro-level iPhones that’s genuinely useful here. The iPhone 15 runs on Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset, and performance is as we expected — solid, with very few instances of running warm during daily use. The smartphone has Apple’s signature “all day” battery life, and we’ve seen it last a little longer than that in our testing. While we understand that $700 isn’t exactly a “midrange” price, we believe the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE, which come in at $600 and $429, respectively, present too many compromises to be worth the cost. If you’re dead-set on getting an iPhone but want to spend as little as possible, future you will be grateful that you spent the extra money on the iPhone 15. — V.P. Pros Upgraded camera Solid performance Dynamic Island is handy USB-C charging Cons Overall design is getting stale No high-refresh rate display USB-C is limited Colors are underwhelming $700 at Apple Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget Read our full Google Pixel 8a review Screen size: 6.1-inch | Storage capacity: Up to 256GB | SIM support: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery Life: Close to 20.5 hours Google’s A-series Pixels have long been some of the best midrange phones on the market. But now with the addition of a Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports the same powerful and versatile AI functions you get on Google’s flagship phones along with excellent cameras, a gorgeous 120Hz OLED display and great battery life. The device also comes with creature comforts like IP67 dust and water resistance and convenient (but slow) 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging. But most importantly, starting at $499, it might be one of the best deals on the market. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter Pros Colorful 120Hz OLED display Strong battery life Excellent cameras Great value Cons Slow wireless charging Thick bezels $490 at Amazon Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review Screen size: 7.6-inch (main) 6.3-inch (folded) | Storage capacity: Up to 1TB | SIM support: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery life: Up to 23 hours While we would have liked to see some more drastic design changes, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 remains one of the most versatile and well-rounded examples of a big, premium foldable phone. Its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip delivers strong performance and improved energy efficiency while its Enhanced Armor Aluminum chassis is noticeably lighter than before (and a bit more durable too). There’s also a new ultra-wide angle camera sensor and a boatload of AI-powered features scattered throughout the phone. Plus, the Z Fold 6 remains one of the few foldables with native stylus support, though you’ll need to pay extra for one of Samsung’s S Pens. Perhaps the biggest downside is that Samsung’s latest flagship now costs $100 more than its predecessor. If you don’t need things like stylus support and care more about “standard” features like camera quality, consider the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. We consider it to be the best foldable phone overall on the market right now, thanks to its refined design that’s easier to hold and use, its solid performance, remarkable battery life and excellent camera chops. — S.R. Pros Super bright and colorful display Even lighter chassis Great battery life Native stylus support Cons Even more expensive than before Same main camera as the previous two Z Folds S Pen not included Charging speeds could be faster $1,900 at Samsung Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review Screen size: 6.7-inch (main) 3.4-inch (front) | Storage capacity: Up to 1TB | SIM support: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery life: Up to 23 hours Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 has an upgraded camera and a larger battery than its predecessor. Those two specs alone make the latest Galaxy flip-phone a more tempting option, in the face of rival flagship phones. The leap from a 12-megapixel to 50MP camera means you can choose to capture more detail, or crop in for, effectively, a digital zoom. The front screen has plenty of space for framing your selfie shots, and a new Auto-Zoom feature means it can even frame unsupervised group shots for you. Photography is augmented by Samsung’s improved AI photo editing tools, which is much easier to use. The Z Flip 6 now has a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so it’s just as powerful as the S24 Ultra and Z Fold 6. Unfold the main screen and you’ll find one that’s brighter than ever (up to 2,600 nits). Samsung says this is its brightest foldable display yet, making it easier to use and read outdoors. The design hasn’t changed much and a focus on new AI software and tricks comes at the cost of limited cover screen utility, but it’s still as pocketable as ever and is still the most mainstream foldable yet. — Mat Smith, Editor, *** Bureau Chief, Newsletter Pros Better cameras Longer battery life Fun generative AI tricks Cons More expensive than its predecessor Design is almost identical to last year Limited front-screen utility Sluggish charging $895 at Amazon Other smartphones we’ve tested Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Like its predecessor, the S25 Ultra is an incredibly versatile phone. It’s one of the few handsets that come with an included stylus and premium features like a gorgeous 6.9-inch AMOLED display, titanium frame and a 5x telephoto camera. It also has excellent performance and strong battery life. The issue is that, aside from improved AI, this year’s phone doesn’t offer that much more than the previous model (or the one before that), and with prices starting at $1,300, we feel it needs to do more to earn a top pick spot. OnePlus 12 While the OnePlus 12 wasn’t able to unseat the latest Pixel, it’s worth mentioning because it offers powerful specs for the money. It features a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a big and bright 6.8-inch, 120Hz OLED screen and the best battery life we’ve seen on any phone to date. OnePlus also brought back support for wireless charging for the first time in several generations, along with a good (but not great) IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. And even though its huge camera module looks a bit ungainly, its photos are surprisingly sharp. But the best thing is that, with a starting price of $800, the OnePlus 12 costs $200 less than its biggest competitors. FAQs How do I know which smartphone is the best for me? While choosing the best smartphone can be challenging, it mostly comes down to how you plan on using the device. All of the best phones available now get the basics right — you’ll be able to make calls, text and access the internet without many hiccups. If your smartphone is your most used gadget, you may want to consider paying for a device on the higher end of the price spectrum. That will get you better overall performance, higher-quality cameras and a phone that will last for many years. If you don’t use your phone for everything, you may be able to compromise on performance and extra perks and spend less on a still-capable handset. How much is a smartphone? Smartphones range in price from $300 to over $1,500. The best budget phones available now will usually compromise on overall performance, design, camera prowess and extra features to keep costs down. On the flip side, the most expensive phones will have powerful processors, triple-camera arrays and even flip or fold designs. Most people will find a phone that fits their needs somewhere in the middle of that wide price range — we’ve found that most of the best smartphones available right now cost between $500 and $1,000. What can you do on a smartphone? Smartphones are essentially small, portable computers that let you do things like check email, browse social media, follow map directions, make contactless payments and more. This is all on top of the basics like making phone calls and texting, which we’ve come to expect in all modern cell phones. Smartphones have also mostly replaced compact cameras thanks to their high-quality, built-in shooters, and the fact that most smartphones today as just as portable, if not more so, as compact cameras. How long do smartphones last? Smartphones can last years and people are holding on to their phones longer now than ever before. Software updates and battery life are two of the biggest factors that can affect phone longevity. Apple promises five years worth of software updates for its latest iPhones, and Google promises the same for its Pixel phones. Samsung phones will get four years worth of Android updates from the time they launch. As for charging speeds and battery life, your phone can deteriorate over time as you use and recharge your phone on a regular basis. Recent updates January 2025: Updated to include details about Samsung’s latest Galaxy S-series phones. September 2024: Updated to include the latest iPhone 16 models and a new midrange iPhone top pick. September 2024: Updated to include an editor’s note about the latest iPhones and to mention the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in the “best foldable phone for multitasking” section. Source link #smartphones #buy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Everywoman in Tech Forum 2024: Being the best leader you can be Everywoman in Tech Forum 2024: Being the best leader you can be The number of women in the ***’s technology industry has been slowly increasing in the 11 years since Everywoman ran its first Tech Forum. But there is still a lack of women at the top, with numbers collected by the Tech Talent Charter finding women made up only 21% of senior tech leaders in the *** within its signatories, and Frank Recruitment Group finding women only made up a quarter of CIO positions in FTSE 100 companies in 2023. There are lots of reasons for this, as Everywoman co-founder Maxine Benson pointed out: “There are numerous challenges, such as the lack of female role models, impostor syndrome, issues around work-life balance and the lack of access to leadership roles, which must be addressed if we are to keep female talent in the technology space.” Imposters and interlopers Imposter syndrome, whereby the sufferer doubts their skills and abilities despite their previous accomplishments, is very common amongst women in the technology sector, and is more likely to occur in high-achieving individuals. It can act as a barrier to success, with many women not applying for roles they are more than qualified for, or finding themselves afraid to speak up and express their opinions, however valid they may be. Avril Chester, chief technology officer at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, admitted despite her now high rank in the technology sector, even to this day she gets racing thoughts and imposter syndrome, but she’s learning to live with it. On the journey to senior management, Chester suggested listening to your gut – there’s a difference between feeling scared and uncomfortable and knowing what’s not the right move. She said: “Not every moment is going to feel right. So when you listen to yourself, if your guts are telling you it’s not the right move, don’t do it. But if you find yourself in your thoughts … finding every excuse under the sun not to go into it, maybe you take that chance. Maybe you’ve learned from that chance.” When aiming for a senior management position, Chester stated a step into any new role will be intimidating because it’s new, and individuals should be aware of whether they are their own barrier to success – advising people to utilise their “roar”, or in other words what makes you an individual. As with any role, leadership comes with its own skillset, and your skills as an individual will determine what kind of leader you are. Mivy James, digital transformation director and engineering fellow at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, pointed out leadership traits are often described using masculine language – “alpha, masculine, extroverted behaviours”. She described having felt “interloper syndrome” in the past and has tried to display these typically male traits to fit into a leadership role in the technology sector, but she ended up losing her sense of humour. Instead, it’s more valuable to a company and to a team to bring your individuality to a role – there is no “one way to be a leader”. As James said: “We need to have a true diversity and allow people to behave and be their authentic selves in those leadership roles. “I’m a chief technology officer, so it turns out it’s okay to be a woman, and to be feminine, and to have that kind of career path.” Diverse leaders The speakers agreed there is a lack of diversity at the top of tech, which is impacting the trickle-down of diversity within organisations, and without an inclusive culture running throughout the firm, it becomes increasingly difficult to attract and retain diverse talent. James stated the fact many believe male traits are more conducive to leadership is an example of how diversity in tech leadership is on a “superficial level” – firms will present outwardly as catering to different people’s needs, but there is no inclusion once you get there. She said: “We need that diverse leadership because any type of decision-making needs to have a different set of voices, so anywhere there’s decision-making, you have that diversity. Otherwise, you end up with this groupthink, and a decision that only works for a small set of people.” One of the reasons there is a lack of diversity at the top of tech firms is “affinity bias”, according to James, who stated many in a leadership role feel safer delegating and promoting people who are like them. Chester shared some stories highlighting other biases and issues that can stand in the way of rising to leadership, including being told that while she was perfect for a job, she was in a “******” as someone had been waiting longer for a promotion, and being asked how the firm could be sure she wouldn’t have a child soon that would interfere with her work as she was of a certain age. When it comes to finding your leadership opportunities, many of the speakers described choosing the firm you work for carefully to suit your needs and leadership style, noting the people you work with will mean more than anything else. Cheryl Razzell, UKIR head of compute solution architecture at Amazon Web Services, explained: “When I look to work for an organisation, I look at the leadership principles and try to understand what the values of the company are. I want to work for a company that brings out the best in me.” Ultimately, people want to work with other good people, as Razzell put it: “Nobody wants to follow a leader that doesn’t inspire you. And it has to be genuine to be able to inspire others.” The type of leader you are can determine whether you’re able to encourage those from underrepresented groups to join your team. Razzell said: “We need more role models, we need more diversity, and we need intersectionality. So diversity, everyone talks about females in technology, but it’s more than that. It’s inclusivity of every type of group. And that includes, you know, the diversity of skin colour, and neurodiversity.” Always learning Success in the technology sector hinges on continuous learning; the nature of technology is to constantly change and adapt, meaning people’s skills have to as well. It has become increasingly apparent in the past few years that continuous learning will be a huge part of ensuring everyone maintains their tech skills as technology adoption accelerates, but learning in general is also something that never stops in life. Chiamaka Odikanwa, head of product management (CTO) at HSBC, said: “I remember years ago when I finished my final year master’s degree exams, and I was so happy because I was thinking to myself, ‘I’m done with exams, I don’t have to do this any more. There’ll be no more tests, learning is over’. And how wrong was I?” Part of being a good leader, Chiamaka explained, is to facilitate learning and improvement by making it safe for employees to fail. She does this by presenting her teams with the question: What can we learn? “I like this question for two reasons. First, it doesn’t focus on the destination, it tells us that we are on a journey, and we can continue to improve,” she explained. “The second reason I like this question is because it’s breaking out all the different behaviours that we want. We want our teams and ourselves to experiment more. We want to fail safely, have curiosity, innovation, psychological safety, leadership, and so much more. So this question is such an important way for us to start thinking deeply around how to bring our learnings into our worlds to really elevate team performance.” Finally, Jo Churchley, head of delivery for infrastructure and platforms at SSE, claimed you’re likely to be a better manager and leader if you enjoy what you’re doing – and usually what you enjoy doing is what you’re good at. The more people who want to work with you is a measure of how effective your leadership is, and once you’ve reached a good position in your career, Churchley advised to “pay a bit of that back”. Whether that’s through mentoring, coaching, or nominating people for opportunities, part of the goal of good leadership is to lift others behind you. Source link #Everywoman #Tech #Forum #leader Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2025 GWM Cannon price and specs: More power, higher base price for renamed ute 2025 GWM Cannon price and specs: More power, higher base price for renamed ute The updated GWM Cannon ute brings more power, more equipment and refreshed styling, although the base price is up. Source link #GWM #Cannon #price #specs #power #higher #base #price #renamed #ute Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* party could rely on far-right again for immigration vote – BBC.com ******* party could rely on far-right again for immigration vote – BBC.com ******* party could rely on far-right again for immigration vote BBC.com‘Did they learn nothing?’: Auschwitz survivor to return ******* honour over AfD vote role The GuardianAngela Merkel throws firework into ******* election campaign POLITICO EuropeGerman lawmakers set to vote on contentious immigration law DW (English)******* Conservatives Press Ahead on Controversial Migration Bill Bloomberg Source link #******* #party #rely #farright #immigration #vote #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Go Home Annie Review — The Gamer’s Lounge Go Home Annie Review — The Gamer’s Lounge “The Vilnius-based (Lithuania) indie games publisher Nordcurrent Labs and Novska-based (Croatia) indie games developer Misfit Village, are today very glad and thrilled to announce that their SCP-inspired first-person horror/adventure “Go Home Annie“, is coming to PC (via Steam, GOG, and EGS) on December 3rd, 2024, and later next year (2025) on console.” – Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #Home #Annie #Review #Gamers #Lounge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sam Kerr to learn her fate two years after alleged slur against a police officer Sam Kerr to learn her fate two years after alleged slur against a police officer Sam Kerr’s parents Roger and Roxanne have flown to London to support her as she prepares to face a four day racial harassment trial. Source link #Sam #Kerr #learn #fate #years #alleged #slur #police #officer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Blade Chimera Review — The Gamer’s Lounge Blade Chimera Review — The Gamer’s Lounge WTMG’s Oliver Shellding: “Fans of the genre should absolutely dive into Blade Chimera. Tight, brutal and engaging, I could spend another two thousand words singing the praises of the combat, the items and the overall world building. But I think seeing is believing, and you won’t believe what you see. PCor Switch, you should go ahead and gear up: Blade Chimera is ready for you, even if you’re not remotely prepared.” Source link #Blade #Chimera #Review #Gamers #Lounge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gmail warns users to secure accounts after ‘malicious’ AI hack confirmed Gmail warns users to secure accounts after ‘malicious’ AI hack confirmed Sophisticated scams fueled by artificial intelligence are threatening the security of billions of Gmail users. security warning issued As AI-powered phone calls mimicking human voices have become incredibly realistic, a new report from Forbes warned that the email service’s 2.5 billion users could be targeted by “malicious” actors that are employing AI to dupe customers into handing over credentials. The outlet reported that the cybercriminals deploy phone calls posing as Google support — complete with a caller ID that looks convincingly legitimate. The technician might say the person’s account has been compromised in some way, or that they are attempting an account recovery. “She sounded like a real engineer, the connection was super clear, and she had an American accent,” Latta told Forbes. Anadolu via Getty Images The so-called support agent will then send an email to the user’s Gmail account from what appears to be a legitimate Google email address to confirm the account was compromised and receive a code to recover the account. For Zach Latta, the founder of the Hack Club, this is where he stopped the elaborate scam. “She sounded like a real engineer, the connection was super clear, and she had an American accent,” Latta told Forbes. Despite how real the voice on the other end of the line sounds, however, it is a scheme to trick customers into handing over precious login information to gain access to their accounts. Garry Tan, the founder of venture capital firm Y Combinator, issued a “public service announcement” on X after receiving convincing phishing emails and phone calls. “They claim to be checking that you are alive and that they should disregard a death certificate filed that claims a family member is recovering your account,” he wrote. “It’s a pretty elaborate ploy to get you to allow password recovery.” “It’s a pretty elaborate ploy to get you to allow password recovery,” said Tan. Diego – stock.adobe.com Simiarly, Sam Mitrovic, a Microsoft solutions consultant, experienced the same phenomenon months ago, according to a blog post written at the time. He recalled receiving a Google account recovery attempt notification, followed less than an hour later by a phone call that looked like it was from the tech company, but he ignored it. A week later, it happened again. This time, he picked up. “It’s an American voice, very polite and professional. The number is ***********,” he recounted, adding that he verified the phone number on an official Google support page. “He introduces himself and says that there is suspicious activity on my account. He asks if I’m traveling, when I said no, he asks if I logged in from Germany to which I reply no.” Then, the agent informs Mitrovic that “someone has had access to my account for a week” and was offering to help him secure it, but, luckily, he noticed that the follow-up email sent by the caller was a spoofed email address and stopped answering. “The caller said ‘Hello,’ I ignored it then about 10 seconds later, then said ‘Hello’ again,” he described. “At this point I released it as an AI voice as the pronunciation and spacing were too perfect.” Upon double-checking his log-in sessions in his Google account settings, he saw that the only log-ins were his own. “Despite many red flags upon closer inspection, this call seemed legitimate enough to trick many people,” he warned. “The scams are getting increasingly sophisticated, more convincing and are deployed at ever larger scale.” To protect yourself and your accounts from malicious actors, Forbes advised turning on “Advanced Protection,” which, according to a Google spokesperson, “takes extra steps to verify your identity” with the use of passkeys and smart keys to keep your account secure, even if hackers have your credentials. Source link #Gmail #warns #users #secure #accounts #malicious #hack #confirmed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Bleach: Brave Souls celebrates its tenth anniversary with two-part celebration, coming soon Bleach: Brave Souls celebrates its tenth anniversary with two-part celebration, coming soon Bleach: Brave Souls will mark its 10th anniversary this year Although it’s a while off yet (July, to be exact) KLabs has launched a new teaser site An exclusive trailer, and more, tease some great upcoming events in this two-part celebration! Bleach: Brave Souls, the action-packed mobile adaptation of the hit manga and anime series, is set to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a whopping two-part celebration. It’s a while off yet, in July to be specific, but developer KLabs has just launched a tenth-anniversary site that’s set to give us a taste of what’s to come! Oh, and did we mention that there’s also a kick-off celebration to boot? Yes, until February 13th you can benefit from the newest instalment in the ongoing kick-off campaign as round three begins. Log in for at least ten days over the course of the event ******* and you’ll nab 60 Spirit Orbs and 80 Soul Tickets. And to mark the start of the year those of you that log in at least once will get Crests of each Attribute to mark the beginning of the 10th anniversary. That’s on top of a new summoning event featuring Blood War 2025 versions of Äs Nödt, NaNaNa Najahkoop, and Driscoll Berci, running until February 15th. Brave Soul The official site remains somewhat vague on what we can expect for Bleach: Brave Souls’ tenth anniversary, but there are hints at the fact we can expect a lot more in the way of celebratory campaigns, which I’m sure are welcome to those of you looking for some more great rewards. There are also hints at the so-called 10th Anniv. Project, which I would assume is some kind of larger celebration. It could be something like the special VA feature streams that Brave Souls has rune in the past, or something *******. We’ll just have to keep our eye out for this impressive milestone to be passed in 2025! In the meantime, if you’re looking to either jump back into Bleach: Brave Souls or try it out for the first time don’t forget to take a gander at some of our guides, including our recently updated tier list! Source link #Bleach #Brave #Souls #celebrates #tenth #anniversary #twopart #celebration #coming Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia’s RTX 5090 branded a “paper launch” after major stock shortages – The Verge Nvidia’s RTX 5090 branded a “paper launch” after major stock shortages – The Verge Nvidia’s RTX 5090 branded a “paper launch” after major stock shortages The VergeGeForce RTX 5090 & GeForce RTX 5080 Out Now, Featuring Game-Changing AI and Neural Rendering Capabilities, and DLSS 4 With Multi Frame Generation NVIDIA Daily News ReportNVIDIA RTX 50 Series Creates Frenzy at Newegg: 20-Minute Sellout Signals Massive GPU Demand StockTitanRTX 5090 Lottery in Japan ends in chaos: buyers climb fence of next-door kindergarten VideoCardz.comRTX 50-series paper launch saw RTX 5090, RTX 5080 fly off the shelves — Micro Center, Best Buy, and Newegg are all out of stock Tom’s Hardware Source link #Nvidias #RTX #branded #paper #launch #major #stock #shortages #Verge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The beautiful ocean adventure game Beyond Blue: After the Storm is now available for PCVR The beautiful ocean adventure game Beyond Blue: After the Storm is now available for PCVR “E-Line Media is proud to announce that the virtual reality follow-up to its award-winning 2020 “Beyond Blue”, “Beyond Blue: After the Storm” is now available for Meta Quest headsets.” – E-Line Media. Source link #beautiful #ocean #adventure #game #Blue #Storm #PCVR Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Construction Resumes on Taller Tijuana Border Wall as Legal Method of Entry Now Closed Construction Resumes on Taller Tijuana Border Wall as Legal Method of Entry Now Closed TIJUANA, Mexico – The Trump administration has been making big changes to immigration policies, cracking down on the border and even shutting down the CBP One app that many migrants were using in an effort to gain lawful entry into the U.S. The CBP One app, which allowed nearly a million migrants to schedule their entry into the U.S., was abruptly canceled on day one. Oscar Ramirez, a ******** journalist, recalled the chaos of that day. “On the Inauguration Day, around 12:00 East Coast time, we were at a port of entry in Chaparral. We saw 300 to 400 migrants with CBP One appointments. Immediately after Trump was inaugurated, the app was canceled, and all appointments were gone.” For migrants who fled dangerous conditions in countries like Venezuela, the suspension of the app has been devastating. Many had already been waiting in Mexico for months, hoping for a legal route into the U.S. Venezuelan migrant Oscar Marcaibo shared his frustration. “We applied on November 28, and our application was approved on January 5. However, after President Trump’s announcement, everything changed. We are still waiting here,” he said. At the border, the impact of the policy shift is visible. The once-busy crossing here in Tijuana was a location where the CBP One system used to bring in thousands of migrants. Now, migrants who hoped to enter through legal channels are left stranded. The Trump administration has also ramped up deportations, with hundreds of migrants being sent back daily. Many of those deported had spent thousands of dollars to enter the U.S. illegally, only to be captured and returned. Robert Maynes, a cab driver, described the emotional and financial toll. “Most of them did come in and were able to get flights out of El Paso or buses, but many stayed because they didn’t have transportation. I see a lot of them throughout El Paso, asking for money. Mothers with small children—it’s sad because you can only do so much,” he said. As deportations increase, the cost of crossing the border illegally has reportedly tripled, along with a rise in violence. At the San Ysidro border crossing in Tijuana, CBN News observed migrants being deported after paying large sums to cartels for dangerous routes into the U.S. Some of the people paid $15,000 to the cartels in order to get into the United States through the mountain passes that are east of Tijuana. But they say that the Border Patrol was using drones and ATVs and captured them almost immediately. Cartels who profit from smuggling migrants are also feeling the pressure of the crackdown. In places like Tapachula, reports indicate increased gunfights as smugglers adjust their operations to counter the new policies. Oscar Ramirez observed, “The cartels’ pockets are being hurt, and they’re agitating. In Baja California, the National Guard is now patrolling hotspots where smuggling was rampant. Without legal channels, migrants are being forced into more dangerous situations.” On the ground in Tijuana, construction has resumed on a taller border wall. Just a few steps from the Pacific Ocean, here on the ******** side of the U.S.-******** border, you can see the old fence, and the new fence that’s going in is twice as tall. The construction has restarted since Trump took office, wasting no time in securing this border. For many migrants, the future remains uncertain. Oscar Marcaibo, a Venezuelan migrant, shared his dilemma. “We’re considering returning to Venezuela because staying here is unsustainable. But I have faith something will change, and the U.S. president will have a good plan for migrants.” The Trump administration, meanwhile, remains firm in its stance, emphasizing that it is just getting started in its efforts to remove ******** immigrants already in the U.S. An empty border crossing stands as proof that these policies are making an immediate impact. Source link #Construction #Resumes #Taller #Tijuana #Border #Wall #Legal #Method #Entry #Closed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Perth parents jailed for almost starving teenage ballerina daughter to death Perth parents jailed for almost starving teenage ballerina daughter to death A court has been told how the parents of a teenage ballerina almost starved their daughter to death – denying anything was wrong with her. Source link #Perth #parents #jailed #starving #teenage #ballerina #daughter #death Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Destructive Procedures’: Trump Moves to Ban ‘Mutilation’ of Gender-Confused Children ‘Destructive Procedures’: Trump Moves to Ban ‘Mutilation’ of Gender-Confused Children Since taking office 10 days ago, President Donald Trump has signed executive orders making sweeping changes on everything from immigration to climate change, DEI programs, and more. Now the 47th president is making good on a campaign promise to protect some of the nation’s most vulnerable – gender-confused minors. In one of his latest orders, the president has taken a strong stance to protect those children ages 19 and younger by cutting federal support for gender transition procedures like puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy, and irreversible ******** surgeries. “Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions,” reads the order. “It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” it continues. The “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” order directs federally-run insurance programs, including Medicaid and Tricare exclude coverage for those procedures; it restricts research and education grants to medical schools and hospitals that contribute to the “chemical and surgical mutilation of children”; and directs the secretary of Health and Human Services to issue regulations improving the health of minors with gender dysphoria without blatantly harming them. “Our Nation will no longer fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’ which has ruined far too many precious lives,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) released a statement praising the president’s executive order. “The American College of Pediatricians applauds President Trump on his bold defense of vulnerable children from mutilating procedures in the name of gender ideology,” Dr. Jill Simons, Executive Director ACPeds wrote. “ACPeds has been sounding the alarm for years on the physical, emotional, and psychological harms of these mutilating procedures on children. Thank you President Trump for protecting children! Children are beautiful just the way they are. No child is born in the wrong body,” she continued. Worship leader Sean Feucht says Trump’s action holds “profound” spiritual significance for the nation. Never underestimate the profound spiritual significance of this moment for America. pic.twitter.com/rn3NgD391o — Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) January 29, 2025 Chloe Cole, an outspoken detransitioner who realized she was misled by transgender ideology, says the order is a “historical first.” The Trump Executive Order to Protect Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation is a huge step forward for the fight against gender ideology. Here is my instant take on what are the most significant takeaways, along with some things to watch out for: pic.twitter.com/LCTH6bHpNz — Chloe Cole(@ChoooCole) January 29, 2025 “This is the first executive order that is going to tackle the institutional abuse of our children,” she explained. “As taxpayers, we are no longer going to be forced to have our money put towards these procedures in children.” Cole points out that the executive order specifically says the U.S. will no longer follow guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, or WPATH, a controversial organization that promotes transgender beliefs as medical guidance. “They are the ones who have written these abusive standards of practice to transition children under the age of 18,” she said. “…they have no place in our institution.” Cole says the battle is far from over. She explains that the executive order stops short of a ban and it does not address these harmful practices done through private insurance. “We are just at the very beginning,” Cole shared. “We cannot stop now because this fight is not going to end until there are no more children in the United States who are being put in harm’s way under the guise of ‘gender-affirming’ care.” Source link #Destructive #Procedures #Trump #Moves #Ban #Mutilation #GenderConfused #Children Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DeepSeek blows up the AI world DeepSeek blows up the AI world In the span of a week, the ******** startup DeepSeek has completely disrupted the AI landscape with its free and “open source” R1 model. In this episode, Devindra, Engadget Senior Reporter Igor Bonifacic and Producer Ben Ellman dive into what makes R1 so special, and what DeepSeek is doing differently from OpenAI and other competitors. Also, we try to figure out what’s up with “Incention,” a weird AI/blockchain project for creating new Hollywood IP, and wonder if Helion’s fusion reactor is actually legit. Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News! This embedded content is not available in your region. Subscribe! Topics DeepSeek’s R1 model shakes up the AI landscape – 1:55 Quick mention: Sam Rutherford’s Galaxy S25 review “Too much AI, not enough Ultra” – 30:19 Incention is proof that blockchain nonsense is alive and well – 37:16 Fusion startup Helion has Altman and Thiel on its side, but maybe not physics – 42:50 Google agrees to rename Gulf of Mexico on U.S. version of its maps – 49:19 Working on – 50:07 Pop culture picks – 51:32 Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Igor Bonifacic Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Source link #DeepSeek #blows #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]