Category: 4. Technology

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It’s every manager’s worst nightmare: hiring a remote employee who turns out to be a North Korean hacker intent on loading malware on to your network. But that’s what happened to the US cyber security company KnowBe4 last year, as the company’s founder, Stu Sjouwerman, described in a candid blog post. 

KnowBe4 had posted a job ad for an AI software engineer, interviewed candidates by video, conducted background checks, verified references and made an offer. But soon after the company sent a Mac workstation to the remote employee’s notional address, he went rogue. The company quickly discovered he was a fake North Korean IT worker, who had used a valid, but stolen, US-based identity to land the job. He then accessed the workstation remotely from Asia via an “IT mule laptop farm”.

Thankfully, no data was compromised but the company said it sure was a “learning moment”. “If it can happen to us, it can happen to almost anyone. Don’t let it happen to you,” Sjouwerman wrote.

This scary incident highlights the difficulties of authenticating someone’s identity online — even by specialist security experts. But that challenge is about to become immeasurably harder as we outsource more responsibilities to AI chatbots and agents, getting them to perform many administrative functions online, and we generate lifelike video avatars. 

Up to now, the internet has mostly involved machines communicating with machines and humans interacting with humans. But increasingly those lines are blurring. We’re close to the point where chatbots and avatars are all but indistinguishable from humans online. How can you be sure that you’re not interacting with a synthetic human?

As is the way with Silicon Valley, some tech executives have come up with a proposed solution to the problem they have created, profiting from both sides of the transaction. Prominent among them is Sam Altman, who triggered the generative AI investment frenzy after his company OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022.

Altman has also co-founded Tools for Humanity, which has developed an iris-verification device, a white globe about the size of a football, called the Orb. “We needed some way for identifying, authenticating humans in the age of AGI,” he told an event in San Francisco this year. “We wanted a way to make sure that humans stayed special and central.”

Once a user’s eye is scanned, the company sends them a World ID, a global digital passport, and $42 in Worldcoin cryptocurrency as a reward for joining the network. As of April, some 13.5mn people in 23 countries had used the Orb to generate a World ID. The service was launched in the UK last month.

The Orb is undoubtedly trying to address a real user need. But, quite apart from the scary Black Mirror vibes, it is questionable how effective the iris-scanning service will be. The need for a special machine to identify and authenticate any user (there are currently more than 1,500 Orbs in operation) makes the system clunky and expensive. The insistence on one centralised digital identity deprives a user of the freedom to have multiple, disconnected identities, raising privacy concerns. The World ID passport also risks becoming a walled garden that may not interoperate with other ID networks, such as the EU Digital Identity Wallet, which will become operational across the bloc by 2026.

Nevertheless, some security experts suggest that we are rapidly entering a world where our default assumption must be that all online counterparties are synthetic unless they can prove otherwise. That creates a need to demonstrate genuine presence online, or “liveness”, as Andrew Bud, founder of the biometric authentication company iProov, calls it.  

iProov’s premium service has been used more than 100mn times by customers, including governments and financial services companies, through a smartphone-based facial recognition system. This shoots multicoloured lights at a user’s face and analyses the reflections, verifying their identity in about 2.5 seconds.

“Digital identity is a set of facts. But trust does not reside in facts. It resides in people,” Bud tells me. That means linking those facts to a human being who controls those facts. “And for that you’re going to have to use biometrics.”

The identification and authentication of users is one of the hardest challenges we face on the internet because technology is evolving so fast, but it is critical that we meet it. The likely next threat? Masses of synthetic hackers.

john.thornhill@ft.com

Laptop Mag has officially closed its doors after a 35-year journey. The announcement came during a company-wide meeting led by Faisal Alani, the global brand director at Future PLC, the publication’s parent company.

Alani informed staff that, “After careful consideration and a review of our long-term strategy, we’ve decided to close the Laptop Mag business effective today.”

Originally launched in 1991 as the Laptop Buyers Guide and Handbook under Bedford Communications, Laptop Mag quickly gained traction as a trusted source for mobile technology and laptop reviews. The publication made a full transition from print to digital in 2013, two years after being acquired by TechMedia Network (now known as Purch). In 2018, it became part of the Future PLC portfolio following Future’s acquisition of Purch.

Future PLC’s Restructuring Continues

Future PLC, which also owns TechRadar, PC Gamer, and Tom’s Guide, has been consolidating its tech media assets in recent years. The shutdown of Laptop Mag comes not long after the closure of another respected name in the industry, AnandTech.

During the closure announcement, Alani acknowledged the dedication of the editorial team, saying, “We are incredibly grateful for your dedication, talent, and contributions to Laptop Mag, and we are committed to supporting you throughout this transition.”

While Laptop Mag’s operations have officially ended, there is currently no word from Future PLC on whether the site’s vast library of digital content will remain accessible to readers. Many long-time users and tech enthusiasts now await clarity on the future of these archives.

The US$145 million global opening of Apple’s F1 The Movie came as a relief, both for the iPhone maker itself and cinema operators in the United States hoping for an original hit during this sequel-dominated summer of blockbusters.

The film did better than expected in the US and Canada, generating US$57 million in ticket sales in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates.

Because the movie cost at least US$200 million to make after tax breaks and before marketing costs, the picture is still far from profitable.

Where Winds Meet, the forthcoming action game from Chinese developer Everstone Studio, will be a PlayStation console exclusive on its launch.

A new CGI trailer for the game has been released, showcasing more of its Wuxia-inspired setting and story.

At its close, no release date is given beyond “2025”, but the game is confirmed to be a console exclusive on PS5 alongside its PC and mobile release. “Not available on other consoles until at least six months after release date,” the small print specifies.

We’ve seen similar wording with the likes of Square Enix’s PS5 console exclusive Final Fantasy 16, which has since been released on PC and Xbox.

Other PS5 console exclusives from Chinese developers include Lost Soul Aside and Phantom Blade Zero, with the former listed as part of Sony’s China Hero Project to boost development in the country.

The hugely successful Black Myth: Wukong was also something of a PlayStation exclusive, even if unwittingly – it’s set to arrive on Xbox this August, a year after its PS5 equivalent.

Where Winds Meet is an open-world action-RPG set during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period of Chinese history. Its combat and aesthetics are inspired by classic Wuxia fantasy, with the developers aiming to bring the genre to the west.

A final beta test for the game will take place later this month, on 25th July for players on PC (via Steam) and PS5 across the globe. Registration for access is now open.

The test will include regions from previous tests, as well as the urban region of Kaifeng (pictured above).

The success of Black Myth: Wukong has surely impacted the Chinese games industry, as development has shifted towards console game releases in recent years. Other Chinese-made action-RPGs on the way include Wuchang: Fallen Feathers later this month (across PC, PS5, and Xbox) and the London-set Arthurian fantasy Tides of Annihilation (also coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox).

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched its new global campaign ‘AWS is How,’ created in collaboration with London-based agency Hijinks. This marks the first major global AWS campaign since 2023, and showcases how leading companies are revolutionising its industries using AWS cloud solutions. The campaign debuted in the United States on June 17th, and will be followed by a UK launch, and will expand to nine more markets. It will run through Q1 2026 across television, social media, and out of home.

Directed by Sam Brown through Rogue Films, the ads use movement to take viewers on a dynamic journey up a building where each floor showcases a different level of customer innovation from brands including BMW, Epic Games, and Formula 1. The ad was shot in a modular format that could be tailored to different audiences or regions by swapping in different rooms.

The concept came to life using a motion control camera that could be programmed to create precise, repeatable movements – seamlessly transitioning from BMW’s autonomous parking technology to Epic Game’s ability to deliver smooth gameplay for millions. For the week-long production that took place in Prague, the art department constructed eight distinctive sets. In addition to A-list director Sam, the crew included DOP Franz Lustig, who crafted the perfect lighting for the spot.

​Tamryn Kerr and Marc Allenby, co-founders and chief creative officers at Hijinks, said, “’AWS is How’ positions AWS as the answer to how so many amazing businesses are innovating. The campaign is the culmination of an incredible transatlantic co-creation working with the AWS team. Working with the formidable Sam Brown and the Rogue team to bring this to life was a dream come true.”

Meta Platforms is once again under fire as users across Facebook and Instagram report being locked out of their accounts without warning, including those subscribed to the company’s premium Meta Verified service. Despite paying for features like direct account support, users say they’ve been met with silence, broken links and automated replies that offer little to no help.

A recent TechCrunch report has highlighted growing frustration among Meta Verified subscribers who are facing sudden account suspensions with no explanation or recourse. The issue appears to be widespread, affecting not just individual profiles but also Facebook Groups, business pages, and long-standing messaging histories.

Meta Verified, which costs $14.99 per month in the United States (around Rs. 1,300) and Rs. 699 in India, promises enhanced visibility and direct support from Meta representatives. But users say that in practice, these assurances amount to nothing more than empty promises.

Many users have reportedly labelled the support experience as “useless,” pointing out that no real human help is available and that appeals are either ignored or redirected to malfunctioning webpages.

The report suggests that Meta has issued a vague apology for Instagram-related issues and attributed Facebook Group bans to a “technical error”. The core problem appears to lie in the company’s AI-based moderation systems.

Media reports hint that users and observers believe that overly aggressive algorithms are flagging legitimate content as violations, leading to widespread and unjustified account removals.

It is noteworthy that the consequences have been severe, particularly for small businesses and creators who rely on Meta’s platforms for outreach and communication. Some users report losing years’ worth of personal messages, content, and client interactions.

Calls for accountability are growing. A Change.org petition demanding that Meta fix its AI moderation tools and restore affected accounts has already garnered over 25,000 signatures.

The Handheld Dock Chroma from Razer is a compact stand and dock for portable gaming consoles and tablets, offering charging and an interface to send your games to a bigger screen. As the name suggests, it includes RGB lighting that’s part of Razer’s Chroma ecosystem. It was announced at CES in January, and it recently started shipping. Is it any good? Well, largely yes, with some important caveats.

What I like about the Razer Handheld Dock Chroma

The Razer Handheld Chroma Dock is well built. It follows the company’s signature trend of delivering high-quality accessories that look great and are reliably durable. The metal build quality is a nice touch against all the other plastic, cheap-feeling options out there. It’s also fairly small, making it easy to drop in a bag as you head out. That’s kind of the point, as Razer designed this dock to be portable, fitting in nicely with the whole idea of handheld gaming in the first place.

One big difference of the Dock Chroma, compared to other docks and which also plays well into the portability aspect, is that the stand to hold the handheld is adjustable. It will lie flat, covering the mounting deck entirely and turning the whole thing into a little cube. Or you can adjust it as steep as 75 degrees to find the perfect viewing angle while gaming.

As the Chroma name suggests, there’s an RBG light strip on the front that syncs up with your Chroma settings. If you aren’t using a device that supports Chroma, there’s a button on the right side you can use to cycle between some preset lighting scenes.  

What I don’t like about the Razer Handheld Dock Chroma

The first odd design choice almost flies in the face of the whole portable idea: There’s a USB-C cable sticking out of the back. This is what you connect to your handheld but oddly it can’t be detached or even folded into the dock itself. So it’s a bit clunky from a portability standpoint.

Then there’s the port selection. There’s a 100-watt USB-C port, three USB-A Gen 1 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port and an HDMI 2.0 port. That’s not a terrible port selection for a docking station, but the lack of a second USB-C, DisplayPort or a 3.5mm headphone port is rather disappointing. 

Performance

For something that’s essentially a docking station for handheld gaming rigs, the Chroma Dock works well. I hooked it up to a ROG Ally and had no issues at all. It was cool to be able to drop the Ally onto the dock, Switch-style, and instantly have my games up on my monitor and TV. The plethora of ports navigating Windows 11 on the Ally makes it so much easier by letting me use a keyboard and mouse with it.

The Chroma Dock works with any device that supports USB-C, including the Nintendo Switch. Just be aware that it’s kinda awkward with the Switch because you have to set it upside down for it to work, and you’ll need to use the original Nintendo charger that came with it. You’ll also need to provide your own charger for any device you use as Razer doesn’t include one in the box. But for the Switch specifically, you’ll need the Nintendo one.

Technically, you could mount any USB-C device onto the dock, including a tablet or phone, to have an all-in-one sort of situation. If you’re on the go a lot, this might be a game-changer in more ways than one.

Should you get the Razer Handheld Dock Chroma?

If you’re ready to pay the Razer premium, then perhaps. The Chroma Dock will set you back $80, which is more than double the price of most other similar docks. That’s a lot to ask for something like this. But if you want that Razer brand and you have other Chroma lighting gear, it’s well-built, if lacking in some features.

Razer’s Handheld Chroma Dock is a solidly built dock for your handheld or tablet with most of the ports you would need for a proper gaming setup. It’s also quite portable for gaming on the go. It’s a bit pricey, however, and has some compromises you don’t get on other, similar docks.

Canonical has some extra toppings, flavorings, and offers coming for its bigger Java fans – because the suits swallow a lot of the stuff.

A cluster of related announcements from the house of Ubuntu indicate it is taking Java – and supporting Java – seriously.

It’s introducing its own builds of OpenJDK and offering extended support for them via Ubuntu Pro. It’s offering new chiseled Ubuntu containers for three LTS versions of OpenJRE: 8, 17, and 21 (Chisel is Canonical’s FOSS tool for cutting down packages to their essentials). It’s also making it easier to get started developing apps using the Spring framework with a new pre-assembled “devpack” for Spring.

You don’t tend to see it around much anymore, but Java is very much alive, even thriving. It’s not that it’s not there, it’s just that you may not recognize it. It got middle-aged, lost its hair, put on a suit, and went to work in a big office block.

Java – getting older, ditching the red nose and cyberpunk accessories

It’s also not coincidental that, thanks to this very enterprise use, there’s gold in them thar JARs. Java is probably the main reason Oracle bought Sun 15 years ago, and some half a dozen years later, after everyone relaxed, Big Red figured out how to monetize it.

Once Oracle began charging for the JDK, that drove people to open source equivalents built from OpenJDK. One company trying to help with that was Spring developer Pivotal, which offered prebuilt OpenJDK binaries at a website called AdoptOpenJDK. That’s evolved into an Eclipse-based working group with the whimsical name of Adoptium. (Eclipse started out inside IBM, which is also an Adoptium backer. See what we meant about it going corporate?)

So, for instance, Eclipse offers a pre-built Java SE runtime called Temurin, maintained by Adoptium. Because there are multiple Java runtimes out there now, there’s a quality evaluation toolkit, too, called AQAvit. We’re only bringing up Adoptium and its tools because Canonical references them. Its enterprise Java datasheet [PDF] compares its “chiseled” containers with what it repeatedly calls the “Apache” Temurin ones – favorably, naturally. Apparently, they’re half the size. It also says that they’re tested with “Eclipse Aquavit” [sic], but honestly, after trying to nail this stuff down, we could use a stiff drink, too.

The gist is that you can easily install OpenJDK on Ubuntu. It’s tested, and you can obtain compliancy certification for it. Canonical has documentation on installing a development environment, and it also covers Java build tools such as Maven and Gradle. You can get long-term commercial support through Ubuntu Pro, which has been free for up to five machines for a few years now, and which since last year increased the long-term support lifetime from 10 years to 12.

There are wider aspects than this, as a May blog post on Discourse discussed. As well as the new Devpack for Spring, Ubuntu also supports building native binaries with GraalVM, a special CRaC JDK that enables taking snapshots of the entire Java environment. Outside of Java, it also offers Rust and Zig. Aside from Java, though, its main focus is .NET. As we covered in 2022, it built .NET 6 in as standard and, just a few months later, .NET 7 as well. .NET 10 is coming soon.

In terms of why this emphasis, it’s probably relevant to note the changing landscape outside of Ubuntu. As The Register reported in January, Oracle’s move to charge a lot more for Java licenses is not winning it any friends, with users urged to check their usage before the bills arrive. The change has stung UK higher education, despite some discounts. Separately, promoting its appeal for developers is a big part of the Fedora marketing, complete with a special developer portal. ®

Bootnote

Java SE, incidentally, refers to the Standard Edition, in other words the ordinary standalone version for local applications. The fancy corporate edition, once called Java Enterprise Edition, is now called Jakarta EE for reasons that no doubt made sense at some point. Java ME targeted mobile phones in the era before smartphones, but now it’s more aimed at the Internet of Things. As far as smartphones go, Android dominates and it uses Java too, but that is a whole other story.

The new BMW M2 CS (fuel consumption combined: 10.0 l/100 km; CO2
emissions combined: 226 g/km according to WLTP, CO2 class G)* sets a
new benchmark on the legendary Nordschleife racetrack of the
Nürburgring on 11 April 2025. Driven by BMW M development engineer
Jörg Weidinger, it completed the 20.823-kilometre
Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit in 7:25.5 minutes, beating the
previous best time for compact cars by eight seconds. This
record-setting BMW M2 CS not only raises the bar in the compact car
class, but also further solidifies BMW M’s reputation as a
manufacturer of high-performance vehicles that excel both on the road
and on the racetrack.

“The BMW M2 CS has achieved a significant milestone with its lap
time of 7:25.5 minutes on the Nordschleife, showcasing the potential
for combining performance, technology and exceptional driving dynamics
into a single vehicle,” stated Franciscus van Meel, the Managing
Director of BMW M GmbH. ‘We are proud that the M2 CS has once again
set a new benchmark in the compact car class with this lap time.’

The continuation of a success story.

The previous best time for a BMW M2 model was set by Weidinger in
April 2023, when he completed the course in 7:38.7 minutes. Two years
later, he beat this time by 13 seconds, breaking the class record of
7:30 minutes for the first time. With the newly set best time of
7:25.5 minutes, the BMW M2 CS demonstrates its outstanding performance
as well as the innovative power and engineering skills of BMW M GmbH.

Previous record runs on the Nordschleife by the BMW M4 CS, the BMW M4
CSL and the BMW M3 CS, all mid-range vehicles, achieved times under
7:30 minutes. The BMW M4 CSL also holds the best lap time ever
recorded for a BMW Group production car. The official, notarised time
is 7:18.137 minutes.

The “Green Hell” myth: The Nordschleife as a touchstone.

Often referred to as the ‘Green Hell’, the Nordschleife racetrack is
considered one of the most demanding and challenging racetracks in the
world. Measuring 20.832 kilometres in length with over 70 bends, it
places the highest demands on drivers and vehicles alike. A fast lap
on this track proves a vehicle’s performance and handling
capabilities. The Nordschleife lap times are the gold standard for
measuring a vehicle’s sporting performance and driving dynamics.
Record runs are monitored by a neutral testing organisation, and the
vehicles are checked to ensure they are in standard condition. This
detailed inspection ensures that the record runs are carried out using
production vehicles.

The Nürburgring – Home of BMW M.

BMW M and the Nürburgring have been in partnership for over a quarter
of a century. From the BMW M Power Grandstand and BMW M Bridge to the
BMW M Driving Experience and BMW M Test Centre, not to mention test
drives on the Nordschleife for M vehicles en route to series
production, the partnership between BMW M and the Nürburgring has been
a resounding success for over 25 years. The Nordschleife serves as a
test bench for every M model. The BMW M Test Centre is equipped with
cutting-edge workshop facilities that allow BMW M to put vehicles
through rigorous testing on the Nordschleife track even before they
reach production, as well as to develop new models.

BMW M Motorsport racing cars have achieved numerous successes in
various racing series, including 21 overall victories in the
Nürburgring 24-hour race. The M Power showroom, which was redesigned
in 2021, is another flagship of the cooperation. The Nürburgring’s
position as the home of BMW M has been further strengthened since then.

The new BMW M2 CS: More power, improved driving dynamics and
consistent lightweight construction.

The new BMW M2 CS is a testament to BMW M GmbH’s ongoing commitment
to setting the standard in the compact high-performance sports car
segment. Its combination of performance, lightweight construction and
innovative technology makes the BMW M2 CS a vehicle that gets drivers
and enthusiasts’ hearts racing. The BMW M2 CS increases driving
pleasure in the premium segment with its enhanced performance and
outstanding agility. The advanced six-cylinder in-line engine
featuring BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology delivers an impressive
output of 390 kW/530 hp and a maximum torque of 650 Nm. Model-specific
engine mounts, an adaptive M suspension and an M compound brake system
all contribute to its sporty performance. Power is transmitted to the
rear wheels via an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.
The BMW M2 CS is the lightest model of the current M2 generation
thanks to targeted lightweight construction, including a large number
of exterior and interior components made of carbon fibre-reinforced
plastic (CFRP), which reduces its weight by around 30 kg. This makes a
decisive contribution to its outstanding driving dynamics. The BMW M2
CS comes with forged M light-alloy wheels as standard. Manufactured at
the BMW Group plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, the BMW M2 CS is a
limited edition model with a market launch planned for late summer
2025, priced at 115,000 euros in Germany.

*Consumption and emission figures:


(Fuel consumption combined: 10.0 l/100 km; CO2
emissions combined: 226 g/km according to WLTP, CO2 class G)

The data on fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, power
consumption and range refer to vehicles on the automotive market in
Germany. All figures have already been calculated based on the new
WLTP test cycle. Consumption and emission data refer to the German
Passenger Car Energy Labelling Regulation (EnVKV).