Elon Musk might be working on an 'anti-woke' version of ChatGPT - and that sucks for AI

The explosion in popularity of the ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot is one to be admired and feared (just a little), and we’re seeing more and more companies scramble to include it in their products as quickly as possible. Meta and Twitter are likely to be next in the Silicon Valley Scramble for AI, and no one seems to be sure what this might mean for users.

We’ve already witnessed the breakdowns of Microsoft’s new ChatGPT-powered Bing and how quickly Microsoft had to act to try and fix the issues the chatbot was facing. A lot of the fixes that had to be made were centred around the way people interacted with Bing AI, ‘jailbreaking’ the bot, getting inaccurate answers and how the bot generally freaked out when confronted with its own existence. A relatable feeling, sure, but these are all problems that had to be dealt with swiftly because of how rushed the rollout of the product was. 

Without proper foresight, it’s likely that we’ll continue to see numerous errors (and rushed fixes) because AI-powered technology in the hands of the general public is unpredictable and at times divisive. Google’s own employees aren’t a fan of its version, Google Bard, for example.

So, it’s a bit concerning to see social media giants starting to take interest in this AI boom.

Twitter is apparently considering implementing AI into the platform by developing an alternative to ChatGPT.  Late last year Twitter CEO Elon Musk criticised OpenAI  - the developers of ChatGPT - for putting safeguards in place that would prevent the chatbot from producing responses that could offend users. 

The danger of training AI to be woke – in other words, lie – is deadlyDecember 16, 2022

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This included the bot repeating racial slurs, sexist ideologies or drafting inappropriate content. Musk titled ChatGPT’s safeguarding measures as ‘training AI to be woke’ which, while a bizarre thing to say, could give us an insight into what his rival chatbot could be like.

Musk has reportedly recruited Igor Babuschkin, a researcher who recently left Google’s patent company Alphabets’ DeepMind AI unit, and specializes in machine learning models that power chatbots like ChatGPT.  We’re uncertain how exactly AI could be injected into Twitter, but Musk’s previous comments decrying the ‘woke’ limits OpenAI put in place, give us concern that its implementation could be offensive, derogatory, and downright toxic.  

Facebook has joined the chat 

Twitter isn’t the only social media platform eyeing up AI. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg put up a post announcing a new group at Meta (Facebook’s parent company) that will be focused on ‘generative AI’ to boost its products. 

The focus seems to be on creating its own AI-powered tools in the short term (probably akin to Microsoft and Google's attempts) and in the longer term, weaving AI more intricately into Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram. This means, for the ChatGPT and AI sceptics, unfortunately, that few social media platforms are going to be safe from the clutches of rushed AI. 

(Image credit: META)

Zuckerberg’s announcement is a little vague, but some of the examples we’re given are creative filters and ad formats on Instagram and enhanced text features for Whatsapp and Messenger. Zuckerberg admits there’s a lot of ‘foundational work to do’ before any of these features are rolled out, which gives us hope that they may be more thought out than their predecessors.

One thing is for sure: it may become harder to avoid the AI influence for much longer and if there’s one silver lining here, we can only hope developers learn from mistakes and mishaps and make the contagious technology better, not quicker. ChatGPT with safeguarding measures in place is still a wild beast to tame at the best of times and is still prone to spitting out hateful language when ‘broken’ or prompted just the right way. The idea of Musk’s ‘anti-woke’ rhetoric seeping into something as complex and unpredictable as AI technology spells nothing but safety concerns for users actively participating in the emerging technology sphere of AI chatbots, and for those of us that are not. It seems like in the mad dash to do it quickly and do it better, companies have not considered how the technology will spill out into more general areas of the internet or into spaces that are not equipt for it. 

The hope is that these developers come up with useful tools that will benefit a majority of users and stay contained in their defined purpose, though we cannot be sure of it right now and perhaps bracing for the worst and hoping for the best is a more realistic strategy. 

Should we see more AI leak into our social media spheres we’ll have to be more focused on promoting transparency and safety for users not quite acquainted with ChatGPT and its emerging versions, and those of us directly affected by ‘anti-woke’ nonsense propaganda may have to gear up for a turbulent time online. 

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OnePlus Ace 2V Confirmed to Launch on March 7; Tipped to Feature MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC

OnePlus has finally announced the launch of its OnePlus Ace 2V, the handset that is tipped to launch as the OnePlus Nord 3 outside China. The phone will be launched on March 7 in China. The company has confirmed the same on its China website, while also revealing the smartphone's design and colour options.

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The Galaxy Ring could be Samsung's take on the health-tracking Oura Ring

Samsung might be developing its own smart ring, a wearable that could monitor your health and fitness data in a similar way one of the best fitness trackers.

Like the Galaxy Buds, Galaxy S23, and Galaxy Watch 5, the new smart ring would likely use the brand’s typical naming convention and be called the Galaxy Ring. Not many details are known about it yet, but the trademark filing that revealed its existence described Galaxy Rings as “smart devices for measuring health indicators and/or sleep in the form of ring” (that's translated from Korean).

This description sounds a lot like existing smart rings such as the Oura ring. In our four-star Oura ring review, we commended its impressive array of health sensors, although it is fairly expensive compared to a typical smartwatch at $299 (about £230 / AU$420) – and that price tag can feel like an especially tough pill to swallow when you consider that smartwatches are more useful than rings thanks to their screens.

However, rings have their advantages too. For one, they tend to last longer on a single charge than a smartwatch, and they also tend to be more of a fashion item.

Do you want a Galaxy Watch or a Galaxy Ring? (Image credit: Future)

As much as I love the capabilities of my Fitbit, it’s not the nicest-looking wearable – especially not compared to my favorite analog watch. So whenever I have to dress smart, it’s not hard for me to find a reason to swap my fitness tracker out for a tech-less option.

However, while I’m unlikely to need fitness stats while wearing a suit – it’s hardly suitable attire for a 5km run or 99% of sports – both fitness trackers and watches are now packed with sensors that monitor a variety of health figures and other data, some of which can potentially save lives.

Electrocardiogram tech in wearables allows them to pick up if you have an irregular heart rhythm – an early sign of some serious health issues – and the Apple Watch 8 includes crash detection, which can automatically send an alert to emergency services if you’re in an accident.

With a smart ring, we can have the best of both worlds – we can wear a more conventional watch that suits our style, and still monitor our vital health data. Plus, if Samsung does enter the smart ring market we might see the tech come down in price, making rings an even more appealing option.

Trademark filings don’t guarantee that we’ll ever see the product in question – there’s a chance that Samsung is simply claiming the name before some other brand tries to make a Galaxy Ring of its own – but given the growing interest in fitness and health wearables, we wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung (along with other device makers) has a smart ring on the way.

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Beyond Good and Evil 2 Hits Another Development Setback as Studio Head Departs: Report

Beyond Good and Evil 2 has hit another development setback as the studio’s managing director Guillaume Carmona has reportedly exited the company. As per Kotaku, while Carmona had been absent from the office since the start of 2023, the Ubisoft Montpellier staff were informed of this leadership change just last week. The news comes in the wake of a labour investigati...

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Human brain cells are trouncing computers in raw speed and power

Scientists are using human brain cells to create biocomputers that offer “unprecedented advances in computing speed, processing power, data efficiency and storage capabilities” over the current zeitgeist in computer processing, artificial intelligence (AI).

Per an article in academic journal Frontiers in Science (FiS), scientists note that this form of biocomputing, known as organoid intelligence (OI), is a natural progression because AI was inspired by our understanding of the human brain.

OI is driven by lab-grown cell-cultures known as brain organoids, three-dimensional clusters of brain cells, sharing structures, such as neurons and other cells that power our capacity for memory and to learn.

Organoid intelligence 

This certainly sounds impressive, but, just like AI, OI has to break the skepticism barrier on its own. After all, isn’t the reason why we defer most of the tasks in our daily lives to computers precisely because they operate faster than we do?

Thomas Hartung, Professor at John Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, thinks that trying to get computers to think like humans is less effective than simply making the human element central to a computer.

“Silicon-based computers are certainly better with numbers,” Hartung explained. “For example, AlphaGo [an AI that beat the world’s #1 Go player in 2017] was trained on data from 160,000 games. A person would have to play five hours a day for more than 175 years to experience that many games.”

“[But] we’re reaching the physical limits of silicon computers because we cannot pack more transistors into a tiny chip. The brain is wired completely differently. It has about 100bn neurons linked through over 1015 connection points. It’s an enormous power difference compared to our current technology.”

Hartung also claimed that brains are more energy efficient that the computers powering AI models. “For instance, the amount of energy spent training AlphaGo is more than is needed to sustain an active adult for a decade.”

OI is still in its infancy and has several shortcomings, not least that brain organoids currently contain about 50,000 cells when, to be practical, this needs to be scaled up to “10 million”, according to Hartung. 

And just like with AI, there are ethical concerns,  though the idea that actual human brains can develop consciousness is perhaps more pressing than the notion that a computer could.

Still, in December 2022, one of the FiS article’s co-authors, Dr. Brett Kagan, authored a study where a flat brain cell structure learned to play Pong, and the science community has bigger plans for the technology.

For instance, Hartung notes that “personalized brain organoids” can be cultured from adult skin cells, allowing scientists to study the effects of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimers, and test the effects of certain substances on learning and memory processing.

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The challenge from here, he says, is building up a scientific community willing to investigate OI further. 

AI having its day in the sun suggests that this is a realistic goal, but we have, in all likelihood, a long time - years, perhaps decades - to go before the technology is in any way usable or bearable within an enterprise setting. That’s never stopped us from reporting on cool, far-off future developments like DNA storage before, though.

•  Here’s our list of the best business computers right now

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Netflix March 2023 Releases: Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, Rana Naidu, Murder Mystery 2, and More

What are the biggest Netflix originals in March 2023? Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, Rana Naidu, Murder Mystery 2, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Shadow and Bone season 2, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, Kill Boksoon, Copycat Killer, The Night Agent, and more lead the releases for Netflix in March 2023.

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Cisco wants to turn your Mercedes into a moving meeting room

Cisco reckons it has found the next hybrid working trend, and it’s partnering with Mercedes-Benz to start delivering it, but spoiler alert: it’s not the first to have thought this up.

The two companies have joined forces at MWC 2023 to bringing its video conferencing platform Webex to mid-size Mercedes E-Class sedan vehicles.

In a press release, Cisco notes explains how hybrid workers “expect an exceptional experience regardless of how and where they work - and the car is no exception.”

Cisco Webex in Mercedes E-Class

The company added that it wants its business users to be able to “take a meeting between visiting a client and picking up the kids from after school care”, opening up a new type of time optimization that flexible workers could only have dreamt of up until recently. 

Workers whose companies use Webex will be able to take part in “frictionless” meetings and calls on the go, benefitting from the platform’s noise cancellation technology which will be tapped into to reduce unwanted road noise and passenger noise.

Two levels will be unlocked depending on the driver’s state of alertness. When the car is parked, they will have access to video meetings, automatic AI-powered transcription, content sharing, and reactions, just as if they were sat in the boardroom or at their desk. Even when they’re on the move, workers will still be able to participate in voice calls.

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This feature forms part of a wider Mercedes E-Class update that was previewed earlier in February, including the adoption of 5G connectivity. Mercedes says European customers will get delivery of their new E-Class models by the summer, with US customers due to receive their models by autumn.

Other applications currently announced for the infotainment system’s built-in app store include TikTok, Angry Birds, Zoom, and the Vivaldi browser.

Because car companies typically introduce newer features on their high-end cars, it’s possible that at some point in the future, cars like the C-Class may also get Webex integration. The C-Class remains a popular car for company car drivers and is substantially cheaper than the E-Class.

Beyond Mercedes, Zoom and Tesla announced a collaboration before Christmas that would see its electric vehicles benefitting from video conferencing capabilities.

• Here are the best online collaboration tools

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The Umbrella Academy season 4's new cast reveals have me worried

Netflix has revealed three new characters who will appear in The Umbrella Academy season 4 – and I'm not sure what to make of them.

The streaming giant has confirmed that Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and David Cross have signed on to appear in The Umbrella Academy's fourth and final season. According to Netflix's press release, Offerman and Mullally will play community college professors (and husband and wife) Doctors Gene and Jean Thibedeau. Cross, meanwhile, will portray a shy businessman called Sy Grossman, who longs to be reunited with his lost daughter.

So, what's the problem? First, let me say this: I have nothing against this talented trio. Offerman is a fantastic hire for one of the best Netflix shows around – his performances in The Last of Us, Parks and Rec, Devs, and many other productions are proof of that. Mullally – Offerman's fellow Parks and Rec alumnus – is equally wonderful in Bob's Burgers, and Will and Grace among others, while, Cross (Arrested Development, Kung Fu Panda) is a brilliant piece of casting, albeit someone who's had his fair share of controversy.

No, The Umbrella Academy season 4's biggest issue is one that TV fans – especially those who enjoy TV adaptations of other forms of media – know very well.

The Game of Thrones problem

Game of Thrones' final season suffered because it had no source material to draw on (Image credit: HBO)

Yep, it's the Game of Thrones problem. HBO's fantasy series was one of the world's most popular show throughout the 2010s, but its final season drew plenty of criticism for some controversial character development (or, rather, underdevelopment), baffling storylines, and a finale that left viewers underwhelmed. 

The reason that its final season tarnished its overall legacy in the eyes of many? The TV adaptation got ahead of George R R Martin's book series of the same name. The legendary author still has two more novels to write, meaning the writers of one of the best HBO Max shows (if you ignore season 8) had to forge their own path for its final batch of episodes.

This is a problem that The Umbrella Academy now faces. Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá's graphic novel series of the same name only comprises three volumes, although a fourth one is on the way at some point. With three seasons under its belt, The Umbrella Academy TV show has caught up with its source material. Like Game of Thrones, then, The Umbrella Academy's showrunner Steve Blackman and wider writing team have to create everything from scratch for its final season.

The Umbrella Academy family is getting even bigger: welcome Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and David Cross to the cast in the final season! pic.twitter.com/RtOEQHSG9bFebruary 25, 2023

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Admittedly, this isn't the first time that Blackman and company have put a novel spin on Way and Bá's works. The Umbrella Academy season 2 added storylines that aren't present in the graphic novels, such as the introductions of Lila Pitts and Harlan Cooper, and Vanya's romance with Sissy Cooper. Meanwhile, The Umbrella Academy season 3 introduced The Sparrow Academy, who were teased in the final panels of volume 3, and who'll feature prominently in volume 4. Without much in the way source material to draw on, though, The Sparrow Academy's TV iteration is sure to be different to its comic book counterparts.

And that's what has me worried heading into season 4. In my review of The Umbrella Academy season 3, I said it was the weakest installment of Netflix's adaptation so far. Seasons 1 and 2 largely stuck to the narratives and character arcs seen in the comics. The show's third season didn't have the luxury of adapting any elements from the books, resulting in original content being created by the writing team – most of which felt like a step-by-step retread of what we've seen before (we're looking at you, world-ending apocalypse number 3...).

Then there's the concern over the Thibedeaus. As professors – ones who are suffering from the most extreme case of deja vu, according to Netflix's press release – it seems they've encountered the Hargreeves family (i.e., The Umbrella Academy) before. If that's the case, and if (as I suspect) the Thibedeaus are physicists who specialize in theories surrounding time travel, season 4's main narrative could be based around the idea of a multiverse and/or branching timelines.

In an increasingly saturated multiversal story market – Marvel, DC, and even the multi-award-winning movie Everything Everywhere All at Once have explored this extensively – we could do without another film or TV show doing likewise.

Case for the defence

The Umbrella Academy needs a great ending (Image credit: Netflix)

All of this isn't to say I want The Umbrella Academy's TV adaptation to fail. I'd love nothing more than for it to live up to its potential, give us a fantastic final season, and allow the Hargreeves family to walk off into the sunset after rectifying the time travel errors they've made along the way. If a trailer and official plot synopsis – once they're released – suggest that's going to be the case, I'll be more confident in Blackman and company delivering a fitting end to the TV series.

As it stands, though, I'm a bit concerned about whether The Umbrella Academy season 4 will live up to expectations. 

I love the graphic novel series, so I feel more invested in the show and its success than more casual fans. I want to see these characters get a break, and actually save the world properly for once. I want them to make peace with each other after the familial trauma they've suffered; and I want a emotionally satisfying conclusion to their overarching journey. 

Right now, though part of me feels like I'll be left disappointed. I hope I'm wrong but, based on the latest character reveals and potential retread of stale storylines, I'm worried that The Umbrella Academy season 4 could become another Game of Thrones – and that would be a huge pity.

For more Netflix coverage, read up on the best Netflix movies, best Netflix documentaries, and new Netflix movies coming in 2023.

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Qualcomm Working With Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and More to Develop Android Phones With Satellite-Based Messaging

Qualcomm announced that it was working with a host of Android smartphone manufacturers to develop satellite-based messaging capable devices. The San Diego, California-based company, which is the world's biggest supplier of chips that connect mobile phones to wireless data networks, said it is working with Honor, Lenovo-owned Motorola, Nothing, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi t...

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Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Xiaomi 13 Lite Launched Ahead of MWC 2023: Details

Xiaomi 13 series had a global launch today, on February 26, a day before MWC 2023 begins. The smartphone series from the Chinese manufacturer sported three models — the vanilla Xiaomi 13, the Xiaomi 13 Pro and the Xiaomi 13 Lite. The smartphone series announced its launch in China in December 2022.

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Why securing your smartphone might be the best move you make

We're all aware of the need to keep our computing devices secure, with a range of security solutions available for PCs and laptops - but what about our mobile devices?

Smartphones have made huge leaps forward in terms of power and capabilities over the past decade, becoming high-level computing devices in their own right, holding not just our apps, photos and games, but also becoming an entry point for work.

With many of us now embracing hybrid working, having a smartphone geared for work is a crucial tool, but they also need to be kept safe from cyber-threats - so here's some tips to keep your mobile devices safe and secure.

Keeping safe online

Sadly, some parts of the Internet aren’t really a safe place to visit, and this can be true when mobile browsing as well as being on a PC.

Dodgy websites can look to infect your device with malware or other malicious software, installing trackers or keyloggers, with phishing websites looking to scam their victims out of their hard-earned cash,

Fortunately, Bitdefender Total Security offers an anti-phishing system that scans webpages and warns you if you land on a fraudulent site. It also comes with the Bitdefender Web Protection tool, which filters all mobile traffic, not just your intentional browsing, to provide real-time protection against all online dangers. 

Full scanning, all the time

Let’s face it - most of us spend a lot of time on our phones or other mobile devices, using them for a wide range of activities and functions.

This includes whatever apps and services you may have installed on your device - but how much do you really know about your apps? Bitdefender’s On-Demand & On-Install Scan function scans your Android phone or tablet to ensure all your apps are legitimate and safe, checking each app once you install it, and alerting you if there are any issues.

Bitdefender Total Security also protects your phone by using AI models to spot any unusual app activity, as well as intercepting threats before they hit, and flagging potential scam chats or messages, making sure you never fall victim to even the most devious threats. 

Watch out for scams

Security scams are sadly a common part of online everyday life, with hackers and fraudsters looking to con victims in any way they can, With many of us checking emails or browsing the web on our mobile devices, it can be deceptively easy to accidentally click on the wrong link or web page, and end up on a scam site. 

Fortunately, Bitdefender Total Security comes with built-in Scam Alert protection, blocking threats and websites it detects as harmful, making sure your handset remains safe.

And to make sure your internet usage remains protected from prying eyes, Bitdefender VPN encrypts all traffic on your device, offering up to 200 MB per day of encrypted traffic for Android and iOS devices.

Yours and yours only

If the worst does happen, and your mobile device is lost or stolen, then you can still rest assured that your data is safe from criminals.

Bitdefender Total Security’s Anti-Theft tool allows you to remotely locate, lock, wipe or send a message to your device in case of loss or theft. It will even allow your phone to snap a mugshot of anyone who tries to tamper with it, sending it to your Bitdefender Central account.

The platform’s App Lock tool is also able to protect your most treasured apps, securing them with a PIN code for that extra level of safety, meaning no one can change or alter your settings or private info. Finally, its Smart Unlock tool means you can set your phone to allow direct access to your protected apps only when using a trusted Wi-Fi network, keeping all your precious information safe.

For news on all the latest threats, you can also get real-time updates about malware outbreaks and scams on the Bitdefender Blog.  

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MWC 2023 Live Blog: Fresh mobile gadgets from Xiaomi, OnePlus, Honor, and more

While most of the gadget world celebrates New Year with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, for the phone world there is Mobile World Congress (MWC), the huge show in Barcelona focused on mobile technology. We're on the ground in Spain covering the latest phone launches and forward-looking technology news, including flashy new devices from Xiaomi and OnePlus, and a race to talk to satellites. 

We've already seen the newest phones from Xioami, the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro, plus the rebadged Xiaomi 13 Lite. These phones made a big splash in Xiaomi's home market of China, and now that they are going global we've gotten a hands-on look. 

We're also expecting news from OnePlus, which has been teasing its OnePlus 11 Concept phone for the MWC show. We should have all the details, including whether this is even a phone we'll be able to buy, before the show is over. 

We're expecting announcements from almost every major phone maker that isn't Samsung, which launched its flagship Galaxy S23 earlier this month, or Apple. Honor and Oppo will both have events and keynote sessions here at the show, so we could hear more from those brands. 

We're also on the lookout for any new surprises. We knew that Bullitt Group would have its satellite-capable Motorola Defy at the show, and the company had some other satellite surprises as well. We'll keep on the lookouot out for any other new mobile phones with an eye on the sky. 

Keep checking back through the week as we update our Mobile World Congress Live Blog continually. We'll have all the news from Spain and the entire mobile world. 

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Welcome to Barcelona, mobile fans! We are on the ground at Mobile World Congress in Spain, the largest mobile technology trade show. We expect plenty of news, and Xiaomi has already kicked things off with a big global announcement. 

The Chinese company will finally be bringing its lauded Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro to global markets. That one inch camera sensor and Leica-branded lens on the Xiaomi 13 Pro will be available in the UK and plenty of markets beyond, though unfortunately it won't find its way to US soil. 

We've gotten hands on with both of Xiaomi's new phones,  as well as the rebadged Xiaomi 13 Lite, a bargain model also getting a global launch. We'll have a more detailed Xiaomi 13 review soon, so keep checking back. 

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We could get two more Apple AR/VR headsets in 2025

The Apple AR/VR headset that's rumored to be in production could be arriving as early as this year – but we're already seeing predictions about a 2nd-gen version, which could include both high-end and low-end models.

This is via well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via MacRumors), who says that the two devices are slated to make an appearance in 2025. Other than that, we don't have too much information about them.

As an industry analyst, Kuo talks about some of the deals Apple is doing with manufacturing partners behind the scenes – but as far as consumers are concerned, it's that promise of a cheaper headset that's most interesting.

The price might be right

If the rumors are accurate, the first Apple AR/VR headset that's coming this year or next will be on the very expensive side: prices of $3,000 (£2,510 / AU$4,460) and up have been mentioned by various sources who you would expect to be in the know.

That's going to put it out of reach for a lot of us, hence the cheaper 2nd-gen model – maybe around half the price. This isn't the first time a less expensive alternative has been mentioned, and it looks as though it might be replacing Apple's planned augmented reality glasses.

As for the latest on the 1st-gen model, Kuo says that it's now unlikely to appear in the first half of the year. Instead, the probability of it showing up alongside the iPhone 15 handsets in September time "is rising".

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Analysis: choose your reality

It's always worth recapping the sort of realities we're talking about here so you can understand exactly what Apple is working on. First there's AR or augmented reality, which is digital elements being overlaid on top of the real world – so you point your phone camera at the ground and see a Pokémon magically appear, for example.

Then we have VR or virtual reality, completely enclosed digital worlds where everything is generated by software. You'll have experienced this if you've ever strapped on something like the Oculus Quest 2, and the processing demands are higher because a greater number of digital objects need to be generated.

It would seem Apple's headset could mix both AR and VR tech: Kuo calls it an "AR/MR headset", with MR standing for mixed reality. Mixed reality tends to mean both AR and VR together in one device, although confusingly not everyone in tech uses it to refer to the same thing – sometimes it's used to mean a higher, more immersive level of AR.

Rounding out the terminology there's XR or extended reality, which most of the time is used as an umbrella term to cover AR, VR and MR all together. Now you can dazzle the guests at your next dinner party with your comprehensive knowledge of all the augmented and virtual reality jargon you need.

• Rumored Apple VR headset won't use controllers – it'll use your eyes and hands

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Xiaomi 13 Pro With Leica-Branded Sensors, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC Launched in India

Xiaomi 13 Pro, the high-end variant of the Xiaomi 13 series, has launched in India today. While the company is yet to reveal the pricing details of the Xiaomi 13 Pro, the handset is confirmed to pack Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The smartphone can be purchased in India via Amazon, while the information regarding its offline availability is yet to be revealed.

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Leaked iPhone 15 Pro Max images show off the phone from all angles

Leaks around the iPhone 15 are arriving thick and fast at the moment, with the latest imagery reveal focusing on the most expensive iPhone 15 Pro Max model – and there are a few changes from the current model to talk about.

These renderings are courtesy of well-known tipster Ice Universe, and we get a look at the iPhone 15 Pro Max from just about every angle possible. The images are apparently based on schematic information that Apple has given to its supply chain partners.

Intriguingly, the same leak refers to the "iPhone 15 Pro Max (or iPhone 15 Ultra)" – we had previously thought that the iPhone 15 Ultra might be a completely separate model, but the implication here is that it will be rebranded Pro Max.

Exclusive：iPhone 15 Pro Max（or iPhone 15 Ultra），Rendering based on CAD.Compared with 14ProMax,bezel is narrower，but thicker.Titanium alloy middle frame with frosted process, Type-C ，No physical button design. pic.twitter.com/d4fLOeqWSuFebruary 25, 2023

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Camera bumps

There's not a huge amount of change in the design from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, though the chassis is more curved than it has been before. The height and the width are said to be slightly less on the 2023 model, while the thickness has gone up a little. We're talking fractions of millimeters here though.

Those fractions apply to the rear camera bump as well, it would seem, with the bump on the iPhone 15 Pro Max set to be a touch shallower than on its predecessor. It seems the camera bump will be slightly different on all the iPhones this time around.

You can see these images are showing the expected switch from Lightning to USB-C for the data and charging port, and there are gaps for the power and volume buttons – perhaps because Apple is using solid-state haptic buttons this year.

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Analysis: a leaky time for Apple

In the last few days alone we've seen plenty of information about the upcoming iPhone 15 range, something that we imagine Apple boss Tim Cook isn't all that happy about. We've seen unofficial renders for both the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Plus, for example.

On top of that, we've seen real life pictures of the new USB-C port, and rumors of a brand new dark red color that could be available as an iPhone 15 Pro special edition. And those are just the leaks from the last week or so.

That has to be a worry for a company that plays its cards as close to its chest as Apple does, and it feels as though we're seeing more leaks than normal this time around. These phones aren't expected to get a full unveiling for another seven months.

It shows how tricky it is to keep anything under wraps these days, especially when a host of partners and suppliers are involved too – leaks can come from any one of them, and it's difficult for Apple to keep control over every link in the iPhone chain.

• The Galaxy S23 isn't the coolest iPhone 15 competitor we could see this year

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MWC 2023: foldable phones, chatbots, 6G and everything to expect

Mobile World Congress (MWC) is back, promising a slew of big launches across the phones space including new handsets, new technologies and more.  

It's the biggest mobile tech show of the year, when major players from all across the industry get together to show off products, make deals, and check out some of the innovations that will be making their way to consumer devices over the next 12 months.

In recent years, we've seen fewer smartphone launches at MWC – these now tend to be at separate events, including Samsung Unpacked – but there will still be a lot of news and announcements coming out of the event across several days.

We'll be on the ground at MWC as always, and will be bringing you all the big news as it happens. Ahead of the official start of the event, here are the most exciting launches to look out for.

When is MWC 2023?

MWC 2023 runs from Monday, February 27 to Thursday, March 2 – though expect most of the big announcements to happen towards the start of the week, rather than the end. It takes place in Barcelona, Spain, with a wide range of exhibitors in attendance, and plenty of conferences and meetings happening across the course of the event.

What to expect at MWC 2023

Just about everyone who's anyone in mobile tech is going to be in attendance at MWC 2023: even if companies aren't launching new products, they'll certainly be showing off existing ones (like the Oppo Find N2 Flip, for instance).

We've already had a few hints and rumors about what to expect at this year's Mobile World Congress, and these are some of the areas where we're anticipating that there will be plenty of news and new gadgets to pore over.

Phones, foldables, and rollables

Expect to see more of the OnePlus 11 Concept (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

As we've already mentioned, we don't get many phone unveilings at MWC these days – though there were a smattering of launches at MWC 2022. Launches we do know about are the OnePlus 11 Concept, an international expansion for Honor's folding Magic Vs phone (above), and global availability for the Xiaomi 13 (plus maybe one or two other Xiaomi surprises).

We'll also sure to get demos of the latest folding and rolling screen technology ready to be deployed in the phones of the future. Expect to see various screens and prototypes shown off at MWC 2023, with improvements in terms of resolution, clarity, and durability – particularly from the Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and Honor.

It continues to get easier and cheaper to make folding phone screens, which means more models are on the way, and phone makers can get more creative when it comes to designs and form factors. As for screens that extend by rolling, we know that multiple manufacturers including Samsung are interested in this sort of tech.

AI, apps, and satellite tech

A robo-bartender at MWC 2022 (Image credit: MWC)

It's difficult to get away from artificial intelligence at the moment – ChatGPT, anyone? – and this is undoubtedly going to spill over into MWC 2023. Expect to see plenty of AI demos running on smartphones, as we've already seen from Qualcomm's Stable Diffusion test in the Galaxy S23, and news about how much better handsets are going to get in this regard in the not-too-distant future.

Apple steers clear of Mobile World Congress now – though that wasn't always the case – but Google usually makes an appearance to promote Android and support its partners. We won't get any major Android news, but there might be one or two software updates or new apps mentioned; plenty of app makers and developers are going to be in attendance at MWC 2023.

Speaking of Apple, the satellite tech that it has added to the iPhone 14 will most probably see a response from the mobile companies who are at MWC this year. Satellite connectivity and satellite messaging are likely to be on the agenda, giving us an idea of how we might be communicating without cell signal or Wi-Fi on the phones of the future.

6G and networking

5G is so 2022 (Image credit: MWC)

There's a lot that goes on at Mobile World Congress that isn't terribly exciting to humble consumers – supply chain deals, infrastructure upgrades and so on – but what this means at our end is hopefully cheaper tech and faster speeds. We haven't heard much about 6G just yet, but that might be about to change at MWC 2023.

You might be thinking that the 5G speeds that you're getting on your phone – if you're getting them at all – aren't good enough yet for us to even think about 6G right now, but this is part of what MWC 2023 is about: previewing future tech. We wouldn't be surprised if we hear news of some 6G testing and theoretical upload and download rates.

Don't panic, 5G fans, because there'll be plenty in the way of news and updates about the existing technology too, whether that's in terms of expanding coverage, better connection speeds for phones, or cheaper internal components that can maintain a high-speed link without using up quite so much battery life.

VR and the metaverse

VR companies will be out in force at MWC (Image credit: MWC)

Virtual reality headsets count as mobile tech, and you'll notice that MWC tech roundups are often accompanied by shots of people wearing weird and wonderful boxes on their heads. Just about all of the big names in VR and AR are going to be at MWC, even though there might not be many major new product unveilings.

Mobile World Congress is often a time for smaller tech companies to shine, and that could well be the case when it comes to realities virtual, augmented, and mixed. Look out for innovative new gadgets from manufacturers that aren't so well known, as well as improvements in the underlying hardware technologies.

There are plenty of metaverse-related talks and discussions happening at MWC 2023 – so even if consumers aren't completely sold on the idea at the moment, those who work in the mobile industry are still keen to push it. As always, we'll pick out the news that's actually newsworthy to share with you.

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The first zettaflop systems will need nuclear power, AMD CEO claims

The CEO of chip giant AMD has said that the high-performance computing (HPC) industry needs to start becoming significantly more efficient, or it will need to turn to nuclear energy.

AMD CPU and GPU performance typically double every 2.4 years which is good progress by any means, but power efficiency has not seen such considerable improvements. 

Speaking at International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Dr Lisa Su noted that with zettaflop HPCs on the horizon, we should turn our attention to performance per unit of energy in order to make zettaflop computation a reality.

Going nuclear

According to current trends and assuming that progress doesn’t slow down, AMD reckons that zettaflop computation could be here in about a decade (although Intel reckons it could be here in about half that time).

The reality is that when they arrive isn’t as important as when they will become available on a usable, energy-efficient scale.

Currently, Su generously estimates that an HPC capable of performance measurable in zettaflops would use 500MW of power, or the equivalent of several thousand homes. To provide such power, consistently and reliably, it’s likely that a nuclear reactor would be required.

While there have been noticeable improvements to efficiency in previous decades, progress is beginning to slow as the room for further improvements diminishes. 

“This flattening of efficiency becomes the largest challenge that we have to solve, both from a technology standpoint as well as from a sustainability standpoint,” said Su.

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She explained that compute efficiency should become the number one priority in order to solve the problem. While our existing means have slowed down, Su explained that there could be other solutions including employing artificial intelligence and machine learning to high-performance computing.

While there could be a nominal sacrifice to accuracy, working on improving this could be the way forward. Whichever combination of methods AMD and other companies ultimately use to deliver performance improvements, it’s clear that the journey between the first zettaflop-capable HPC and real-world use is likely to be a long one.

• These are the best workstations available right now

Via The Register

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Nokia’s new G22 smartphone might be the most easily repairable device of its kind

Nokia owner HMD Global has lifted the lid on not one, not two, but three new smartphones ahead of MWC Barcelona 2023 – and one of them is so easy to repair that you may never have to step foot inside an electronics store again. 

Manufactured in collaboration with global repair community iFixit, the Nokia G22 is designed to be easily repairable by anyone, anywhere, with just a handful of cheap tools. 

The phone’s battery, screen, charging port and back cover can all be popped off and replaced in a matter of minutes, which HMD Global says should allow owners to keep using the G22 for years after its three-year warranty has expired.

We tried our own at-home repairs on a Nokia G22 sample sent to us in advance of the phone’s announcement, and it really is a pretty simple process. All you’ll need is a G22 Fit Kit – which HMD Global says will be available to purchase from iFixit.com for as little as £5 (around $6 / AU$9) – as well as whatever replacement parts your phone requires (which will also be stocked by iFixit.com). 

Image 1 of 2

The Nokia G22 has a 50MP main rear camera with AI imaging algorithms (Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)

Image 2 of 2

The Nokia G22 has a 6.5-inch, 90Hz HD+ display (Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)

The G22 itself will retail for £149.99 (around $180 / AU$260) – which could make it one of the best cheap phones to launch in 2023 – and begin shipping in the UK from March 8. In addition to its repairability credentials, the phone will arrive packing a 6.5-inch, 90Hz HD+ display, a Unisoc T606a processor, a 50 MP main rear camera, a 5,050mAh battery and IP52 water and dust resistance. 

It’ll be available in two storage configurations – 64GB and 128GB, both with 4GB RAM – and the G22 will also run Android 12 to begin with, HMD Global says. 

Clearly, those specs suggest the Nokia G22 isn’t going to challenge the best iPhones and best Samsung phones to the title of best smartphone in 2023, but HMD Global is here targeting consumers who aren’t interested in spending four figures on their mobile devices (hence the company’s focus on repairability and longevity).

“People value long-lasting, quality devices and they shouldn’t have to compromise on price to get it. The new Nokia G22 is purposefully built with a repairable design so you can keep it even longer,” HMD Global’s Head of Product Marketing, Adam Ferguson, said in a presentation given to TechRadar.

---

Good things come in threes

(Image credit: HMD Global)

Nokia has also unveiled two new entries in its popular C-Series line, the Nokia C22 and Nokia C32, ahead of MWC 2023. 

Boasting all the durability bells and whistles of the brand’s existing C-Series smartphones, the C22 will be available in two storage configurations – 64GB with either 2GB RAM or 3GB RAM – and offer a whopping three-day battery life. 

The phone will retail for £109.99 (around $130 / AU$195) and begin shipping in Spring (which is between March and June, for our Australian readers).  

The C32, on the other hand, will arrive sporting Android 13 and a 50MP main rear camera (where the C22 has to make do with a 13MP main lens), and retail for the slightly more expensive price of £129.99 (around $155 / $230). Both phones will share the 6.5-inch, HD+ display of the aforementioned Nokia G22. 

We’ll be sharing our thoughts on all three phones once we’ve spent some more time with each of them in the near future. In the meantime, stay tuned to TechRadar for all the latest news and announcements to emerge from this year's MWC trade show.

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NoiseFit Halo Smartwatch With Over 150 Watch Faces, Bluetooth Calling Launched in India: All Details

NoiseFit Halo smartwatch has been launched in India priced at Rs. 3,999. The smartwatch sports a 1.43-inch round AMOLED display with a screen resolution of 466x466 pixels. It comes with Bluetooth calling and over 150 watch faces along with several health suites and sports modes. It also features an always-on display.

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Unofficial iPhone 15 Plus renders reveal the phone's revamped design

You don't have to wait long for an iPhone 15 leak or rumor at the moment – they're spilling out pretty much every day – and we've now got some unofficial renders showing off the revamped design of the iPhone 15 Plus model.

These renders are based on schematic information given to third-party supply chain partners and obtained by 9to5Mac, which we'd say is one of the more trustworthy sources out there when it comes to Apple information.

In terms of the changes coming to the phone's design, we've got the more rounded edges to the screen and chassis that have been mentioned in earlier rumors. There's also a USB-C port rather than Lightning, another switch that's expected this year.

How the iPhone 15 Plus might look (Image credit: 9to5Mac)

To the millimeter

There's a thicker camera bump this time around, and it appears that the Dynamic Island is coming to the iPhone 15 Plus (and the iPhone 15) – so it's no longer going to be exclusive to the Pro models. We've heard this before, too.

Compared to the dimensions of 160.84 mm x 78.07 mm x 7.79 mm for the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 15 Plus measures 160.87 mm x 77.76 mm x 7.81 mm according to this source. There's really not that much in it, just fractions of millimeters.

Demand has reportedly been weak for the iPhone 14 Plus – and it was of course brought in to replace the mini model that also sold rather poorly – so Apple will be hoping that the 2023 version attracts a few more buyers.

---

Analysis: some subtle changes

As we've seen from previously leaked unofficial renders of the iPhone 15 Pro from the same source, Apple isn't completely throwing out the iPhone design and starting again from scratch this time around. The design changes will be small and subtle.

When you've got a design that's as iconic and as well-established as the iPhone one, it's going to be difficult to come up with genuinely new innovations and changes – although the introduction of the notch with the iPhone X in 2017 was rather inspired.

Most of the best work we're seeing in phone design at the moment is coming from foldable phones, and Apple's entry into the market is still thought to be some way off. In fact the device we end up getting might be more of a folding iPad than a folding iPhone.

As for the iPhone 15 series, the most significant switch this year could well be the adoption of that USB-C port, as dictated by EU regulators. However, there has been talk that there might be restrictions on what you can actually hook up to it.

• The iPhone 15 Pro could tempt you with a stunning new special edition color

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Samsung Galaxy A34 5G Spotted on Google Play Console; Tipped to Feature MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC: Report

Samsung Galaxy A34 5G has recently been spotted on Google Play Console, hinting at the handset's chipset and other specifications. The phone is listed to be equipped with a Dimensity 1080 SoC under the hood. The listing also suggests two performance cores running at 2.6GHz and six efficiency cores clocked at 2Ghz.

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The most expensive domain name in history isn't doing too well with site traffic

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Vivo V27 Pro Price in India Leaked Ahead of March 1 Launch

Vivo V27 Pro is all set to be the next flagship smartphone in the V-series portfolio of the company. The smartphone will debut in the Indian market on March 1. While the design and key specs of the upcoming V27 Pro have been teased via the official website as well as Flipkart, a recent report has tipped the price of the phone in India.

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Intel claims its 3nm CPUs are not delayed, will land in 2024

Following the circulation of rumors claiming that Intel’s upcoming 3nm CPU products would be hit with delays, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has fired back with confirmation that the new chips are in fact on track for their planned 2024 releases.

The in-development CPUs, which will be built on either the Intel 3 or TSMC N3 - both new 3nm processes - include product lines codenamed ‘Arrow Lake’, ‘Granite Rapids’, and ‘Sierra Forest’. Arrow Lake is ostensibly the one we’re most interested in here; that’s the current codename for Intel’s 15th-gen consumer desktop processors.

We’ll try not to get ahead of ourselves here, since we’re currently only on Intel’s 13th generation of Core CPUs (headlined by the mighty Intel Core i9-13900K), but the 3nm process is intriguing. Intel’s incoming 14th-gen ‘Meteor Lake’ chips will still be built on the current 4nm process.

In Intel’s Capital Allocation Update conference call, Gelsinger described the rumors as “patently false” and offered reassurance that “the 3nm programs are on track, both that with TSMC as well as our internal Intel 3 programs”. The Granite Rapids program, which will be server-grade CPUs for commercial use, could prove worrying for Google - the search engine giant has its own plans to start producing chips for datacenters.

---

Analysis: Meteor Lake might be lackluster, but Arrow Lake won’t be

Last year, we learned that Intel did actually delay the 14th-gen Meteor Lake chips, which were set to be produced on TSMC’s 3nm process. Despite the ‘Raptor Lake’ 13th generation producing some of the best processors we’ve ever seen, there are concerns that Meteor Lake will see smaller generational improvements.

That certainly shouldn’t be the case for Arrow Lake in 2024, though - since Intel isn’t using its own Intel 3 process to produce these consumer CPUs, TSMC will have plenty of time to refine its N3 process. The Taiwanese manufacturer will be very experienced with 3nm by the time it comes to put Arrow Lake into production, so we should be getting the optimal version of Intel’s 3nm designs.

Meteor Lake is still expected to launch this year, though we likely have a few more 13th-gen chips to go before a new flagship arrives. Intel has been keeping up a seriously fast release cadence for its CPUs, something we don’t entirely support - the speed at which these new chips arrives means that while some immediately outclass their predecessors, others are a bit harder to justify.

Naturally, all of this will probably be quite troubling for AMD’s execs, who were most likely hoping the rumors of an Arrow Lake delay were true. While Team Red has had some success in measuring up against Intel’s current-gen offerings (and is often still the better-value option), Intel is steamrolling ahead with increasingly powerful CPUs and threatening to leave its competitors in the dust.

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Deactivate Facebook and Instagram searches explode after subscriptions plans revealed

It looks like Meta’s plans to charge subscriptions for Facebook and Instagram have gone down as well as an offensive meme posted by your uncle, with searches for how to deactivate Facebook and Instagram exploding after the news.

A quick glance at Google Trends (and pointed out by VPNOverview.com) shows a large spike in searches for ‘Deactivate Instagram’ – with an incredible increase of 2,400% peaking just after the news broke on February 19.

Searches for ‘Deactivate Facebook’ also rocketed by 1,566%. While Google Trends, which measures how popular certain terms are when used by people searching the internet with Google, shows that after those large spikes things settled down again, it’s clear that Meta’s plans spooked plenty of people into considering leaving those social media platforms.

If you’re considering leaving the platforms, then check out our guides on how to deactivate Facebook and how to deactivate Instagram for a step-by-step process.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / thongyhod / Twitter)

Thanks Elon, I hate it

While it might be fun to blame Elon Musk for everything that’s wrong with the modern world, the fact that Meta announced its subscription plans so soon after Musk bought the rival Twitter platform and implemented controversial changes with the Twitter Blue subscription seems more than just a coincidence – but that’s probably exactly what it is.

Surely, no one at Meta looked at how poorly Twitter Blue was received and thought “we’d like a piece of that.”

Instead, like Twitter, it seems like Meta is trying to work out how to make money from its social media platforms, and it seems by adding a “Meta Verified subscription” for $11.99 / AU$19.99 (around £10) (or $14.99 / AU$24.99 (around £13) for mobile users) with the promise of "increased visibility and reach with prominence in some areas of the platform", including in search, comments, and recommendations, the company hopes to increase its profits, which have been increasingly shaky of late, especially with CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s obsession with the virtual reality Metaverse bleeding out money.

It's a gamble that so far doesn’t seem to have paid off. The subscription service hasn’t even launched yet, but it’s caused a lot of people to look at how to leave the platforms. While both Facebook and Instagram will continue to be free to use, there’s an understandable worry that people who don’t pay to be ‘Meta Verified’ will essentially be treated as second-class citizens.

It’s not clear how many of these searches ended with people actually deactivating their accounts, but Meta isn’t in a position to find out. Time will tell if this backlash causes the company to revise its plans.

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Mortal Kombat 12 Confirmed by Warner Bros., Scheduled for 2023 Release

Mortal Kombat 12 is coming this year. Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed the news during its quarterly earnings call with hopes for “ambitious launch projections.” NetherRealm Studios and Ed Boon had been secretive about the new fighting game iteration. Back in June, Johnny Cage voice actor Andrew Bowen accidentally hinted at Mortal Kombat 12.

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Marvel's Thunderbolts casts a big Invincible star – and he'd be perfect for one role

Marvel Studios has reportedly cast Invincible's lead voice actor Steven Yeun in its forthcoming Thunderbolts movie.

According to Deadline, the Oscar-nominated star has joined the Marvel Phase 5 movie in an undisclosed role. However, the outlet suggests that Yeun has not only been cast as a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, but that he'll feature prominently in other upcoming Marvel projects.

Yeun's star has been on the rise in Hollywood in recent years. Since leaving The Walking Dead in 2016, Yeun has featured in plenty of popular movies and TV shows. Those include Invincible – he'll voice Mark Grayson again in Invincible season 2 later this year – on Prime Video, Jordan Peel's Nope, and A24 drama Minari, for which he earned a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination in 2021.

Marvel declined to comment when Deadline reached out regarding Yeun's supposed casting. Given Deadline's track record for breaking news about MCU hires, though, it's all but confirmed that Yeun is the latest big-name star to join Marvel's cinematic juggernaut.

Steven Yeun is one of Hollywood's most in-demand actors right now (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Yeun's casting in Thunderbolts will add to a busy 18-month period for him. Aside from Invincible season 2, Yeun is set to star in Netflix comedy-drama series Beef, which arrives in March. Looking further ahead, he'll also feature in Bong-Joon Ho's latest feature, Mickey 17, opposite The Batman's Robert Pattinson, due out sometime in 2024.

Yeun joins a stacked cast list for Marvel's Thunderbolts movie. Billed as an anti-hero film in the vein of Warner Bros' The Suicide Squad, Thunderbolts already counts Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastien Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) among its packed lineup. Harrison Ford is also on board, with the legendary actor set to take over from the late William Hurt as General Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross in the MCU.

The superhero movie, which is currently slated to release in July 2024, is being helmed by Paper Towns' Jake Schreier. Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow) is penning the script, with filming reportedly due to get underway in mid-2023.

From playing one Invincible superhero to another

Yeun could portray a different kind of superhero in Thunderbolts (Image credit: Amazon Prime Video)

With no official confirmation on who he'll play in the MCU, Yeun could portray any number of fan-favorite characters from the comics. However, Marvel fans already think they've cracked the case, with many suggesting he'll play the true villain of the piece.

Potentially major spoilers follow for Thunderbolts. Turn back now unless you want the surprise ruined for you.

EXCLU: After facing off with aliens in NOPE and zombies in THE WALKING DEAD, Steven Yeun is now ready to face off against some superheroes in the MCU as he has joined Marvel's THUNDERBOLTS pic in a secret role expected to be significant in future films https://t.co/6XjI6vHtPjFebruary 23, 2023

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According to multiple industry insiders, Sentry – real name Robert Reynolds – has secretly been installed as the movie's primary antagonist.

In the comics, Reynolds is a middle-aged, overweight man who, after suffering a bout of amnesia, remembers that he's actually an extremely powerful superhero named Sentry. When he realizes that his archenemy – The Void – is about to return to take over the world, Sentry tries to enlist the aid of his fellow Marvel superheroes. The likes of Spider-Man, Hulk, and Mister Fantastic, though, fail to recognize him.

Long story short, Sentry and The Void are two halves of the same person, i.e., they both exist in Reynolds' head. To stop The Void last time, Sentry erased his memory (and those of everyone else on Earth) to prevent its return. Think of what happened in the third act of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where everyone forgot that Peter Parker was the webslinger, and you'll get the idea.

Sentry's inclusion in Thunderbolts would make for fascinating viewing. Given that he's both a superhero and a supervillain, Sentry could start the movie working alongside the film's anti-heroes. He's an incredibly powerful individual, so he might be used by the US government as a way of keeping the rest of the team in check on whatever mission they're sent on.

However, in what would be a clever twist, Sentry could become the movie's main villain. If The Void takes over Reynolds' mind – thus pushing Sentry to the sidelines – it would be up to Bucky and company to try and stop him. Pitting a collection of complicated characters against a hugely formidable foe, thereby forcing them to learn to work together to save the world, would be a fun and somewhat novel heel-turn for an MCU project. And, given that Deadline claims Yeun's MCU character will appear in future productions, it means he should survive events depicted in Thunderbolts, making it a rare occurrence where Marvel doesn't kill off its villain after a single appearance. 

Casting Yeun as Reynolds/Sentry/The Void would also give the talented actor plenty to sink his teeth into. Seeing Yeun play a complex, insecure superhero who's mentally pulled in multiple directions, allowing him to show off his impressive acting range? Sign us up, Marvel.

For more MCU-based coverage, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Additionally, read up on the best Marvel movies, or get the lowdown on what we know about Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

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iOS 16.3. macOS 13.2 Updates Included Patches for Major Vulnerabilities Detected by Security Researchers

Apple fixed two major flaws with the release of iOS 16.3 and macOS 13.2, according to security firm Trellix, that helped detect these vulnerabilities. The flaws could allow an attacker to remotely gain access to a user's personal information by exploiting a securtity feature on these devices, as per details shared by research firm Trellix.

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PS6: when can we expect the PlayStation 6 and what do we want to see?

The launch of the PS6 is highly anticipated, despite it only being three years since the launch of the PS5, but just like most consoles, it's likely that Sony is looking ahead to the successor already.

Although we're unlikely to see another new, mainline PlayStation console for a few years yet, but that doesn't mean we can't fantasize about what we would like to see from the next PlayStation - or predict when we're likely to get our hands on it. After all, we know that Sony is already thinking about the future, having trademarked the PS6, PS7, PS8, PS9 and PS10 names. 

In the meantime, it feels much more likely that we'll see Sony releasing a PS5 Slim or PS5 Pro, though when that'll be is currently anyone's guess. That is, assuming the last generation's anything to go by, where the PS4 saw a PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro variants releasing several years after the base console. Mid-generation hardware revisions are pretty common these days, after all.

PS6

So, while we're still enjoying the PS5 and the best PS5 games, we've gathered up everything we want to see from the PS6 and when we expect to get our hands on the next PlayStation. 

PS6 release date: when do we expect it to launch?

(Image credit: Sony)

The PS6 is likely to be a long way off. The PS5 only released in November 2020, so it's unlikely Sony will consider releasing a brand new PlayStation for several years. Typically PlayStation consoles launch around six or seven years apart, with the PS4 arriving in 2013 and the PS5 following up in 2020.

In an interview with Game Informer, Sony's Executive VP of Hardware Engineering Masayasu Ito confirmed that the PS5 life cycle is expected to last about six or seven years, meaning we won't see the PS6 until at least 2026.

"Indeed, in the past, the cycle for a new platform was seven to 10 years, but in view of the very rapid development and evolution of technology, it's really a six to seven-year platform cycle," Masayasu said.

"Then we cannot fully catch up with the rapid development of the technology, therefore our thinking is that as far as a platform is concerned for the PS5, it’s a cycle of maybe six to seven years. But doing that, a platform lifecycle, we should be able to change the hardware itself and try to incorporate advancements in technology. That was the thinking behind it, and the test case of that thinking was the PS4 Pro that launched in the midway of the PS4 launch cycle."

It looks like Sony is following a similar roadmap to the PS4, meaning we're likely to see a PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim release sometime in the middle of this lifecycle: around 2023 or 2024.

PS6: what we want to see

(Image credit: Sony)

A smaller console
The PS5 is a mammoth console. In fact, it's the biggest console in modern history. But bigger doesn't always mean better, and the PS5's size makes it impractical for those who don't have the shelving unit to house it - and, let's be honest, not many of us do.

With the PS6 (and perhaps even with a PS5 Slim Edition), we're hoping that Sony can learn from its mistakes, making the next-gen console smaller and more streamlined, while allowing for adequate airflow.

More affordable expandable internal storage
It will be possible to expand the PS5's internal storage by popping off the side panel and installing an SSD, once Sony drops a software update to enable it - but it's not that simple. The PS5 only accepts compatible NVMe SSDs, which match or excel past the existing drive specifications, and they don't come cheap. 

These types of SSDs are typically pretty pricey, meaning that players may opt for external storage instead - but unfortunately, these externals storage options don't harness the raw power of the PS5. With the PS6, we hope that Sony will make expanding internal storage easier - perhaps taking an approach similar to the Xbox Series X's expandable storage card. 

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Built-in Bluetooth Audio Support - so we don't need a dongle for the official headset
It is baffling that, in the year 2020, a brand-new games console launched and it requires you to plug-in a USB dongle receiver to use its own-brand wireless headphones. Like, what the actual hell Sony. Talk about an aesthetic assault on our eyes and under-TV storage area. Just build the freaking support into the PS6 will you. Good grief. 

Wireless charging for controllers/headset - can just be placed on top when off
Sure, the Sony charging dock for the PS5 DualSense controllers works pretty well and the controllers slide nicely against the charging pins - but we don't want yet another piece of hardware by our TV. Sony should take a leaf out of the smartphone industry's book and build in a wireless charging pad to the top of the PS6. That will allow you to place a controller on the top of the console, when you're not gaming, to charge - and you could even expand the wireless charging tech to headphones, a media remote and any other peripherals.

Wire-free (and zero-latency) connection to the TV
There are far too many wires behind our media stations - and the PlayStation 5 is a guilty party. We've got the power and HDMI, plus a completely separate plug block for the controller charging base. Add in the HD camera, and the additional cable for PSVR 2 when that launches and things are a mess. With the PS6, we want a single power lead and everything else to be wireless - obviously with zero lag and latency.

Improve the UI
The updated PS5 UI definitely screams "next-gen", but it also has some flaws that we would like to see ironed out with the PS6. The PlayStation Store is a pain to navigate, especially when it comes to finding sales, trying to find your friends and organize a party isn't as straightforward as it was with the PS4 and - to top it all off - even trying to find the 'off' button takes longer than it should. While the PS4 UI absolutely needed an update, we found it more accessible to use. With the PS6, we hope to see Sony settle on a middle ground that is both futuristic and accessible.

• Looking for all the newest PS5 games? Here's everything coming out in the next few months

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