Category: 4. Technology

Barracuda Networks has announced the launch of Entra ID Backup Premium, a solution designed to protect Microsoft Entra ID environments from accidental or malicious data loss.

The newly launched Entra ID Backup Premium aims to address the growing need for fast and reliable identity data recovery, helping organisations maintain uninterrupted access to business applications and enhancing their overall cyber resilience. The solution is fully integrated with the BarracudaONE platform, providing centralised oversight into backup status, data health, and storage insights through a unified dashboard.

According to Barracuda Networks, Entra ID Backup Premium is suitable for both single and multi-tenant environments. It has been designed for IT teams and managed service providers seeking to simplify and scale their approach to identity protection management.

The role of identity in business operations

“Identity is the control plane of today’s digital business – any disruption can halt operations and expose organisations to security risks,” said Neal Bradbury, Chief Product Officer at Barracuda. “With Entra ID Backup Premium, we are closing a critical gap in the identity protection lifecycle by adding fast, reliable recovery to our proven detection and response capabilities. Unlike point solutions that focus only on backup or monitoring, Barracuda delivers a unified, end-to-end approach that makes Entra ID protection simpler, stronger and more resilient so organisations can stay secure, compliant and operational.”

Organisations are increasingly dependent on Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management services, which has resulted in greater risk exposure to data loss from cyberattacks or human error. Microsoft retains Entra ID data for only 30 days and recommends that customers use third-party backups. Barracuda aims to address this gap with its solution that offers long-term, scalable data preservation, enabling recovery beyond Microsoft’s retention limits.

Key protection features

Barracuda Entra ID Backup Premium safeguards 13 of the most essential identity components that maintain a secure Microsoft Entra ID environment. These components include users, groups, roles, administrative units, app registrations, audit logs, authentication and access policies, BitLocker keys, and device management configurations, among others.

John Quatto, Channel Partner Manager at obrio, commented on the importance of the service to managed service providers and their customers.

“As a trusted MSP, we understand how essential Microsoft 365 is to our customers’ operations – which makes protecting and restoring Entra ID security components absolutely mission-critical,” said John Quatto, Channel Partner Manager at obrio. “Ransomware attacks can cripple access to users, groups and core systems. With Barracuda Entra ID Backup Premium, Barracuda has closed a gap in identity and access protection. Its integration into the BarracudaONE platform delivers a comprehensive, unified cybersecurity solution that’s simple to deploy, easy to manage and built to scale – giving our customers the confidence to recover quickly and stay resilient against evolving threats.”

Deployment and management

The cloud-based, software-as-a-service structure of Barracuda Entra ID Backup Premium allows for straightforward deployment without the need for software installation, configuration, or manual patching. Customers can connect their Microsoft 365 tenant and begin backup processes within minutes. Additional features include advanced search, real-time monitoring, comprehensive audit logs, and five levels of role-based access control, giving users the tools they need for efficient and secure identity protection management.

Barracuda Entra ID Backup Premium is available worldwide through Barracuda’s resellers and managed service provider network, either as a standalone product or as part of a subscription with Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup.

Microsoft Advertising has become more particular about word choices. The company’s ads liaison breaks down an ad and landing page to explain why to detail areas of risk based on its editorial
policies.

Since Navah Hopkins joined Microsoft Advertising as Ads Liaison in June, she has been detailing how to successfully create ads and run them on the company’s ad platform.

“The use of the word ‘best’ is followed up with rankings on the landing page, and there is a clear disclaimer indicating that the rankings are not impacted by the affiliate revenue the
advertiser may get from promoting these plans,” she wrote, using Microsoft’s social platform LinkedIn to explain. “There is an advertising policy accessible above the fold. It spells
out that the brands pay a fee to get referrals from the advertiser.”

She writes that it’s important to not forget the extensions, because full use of them means the advertiser is taking
up as much inventory on the search engine results page as possible.

Gazi Nasiful Hassan, which helps interior design businesses generate more leads with paid ads at Think Next Digital,
appreciated the “useful breakdown of Microsoft Advertising’s policies and how they differ from other platforms.”

“It’s clear that small details can make or break ad approval,” he
wrote in the comments to Hopkins’ post.

But Hopkins, who clearly loves what she does, also delved into areas of risk. Those risks come in word choices.

Claims made in the ad such as
“18 free meals” apply to some, but not all meal plans on the landing page — an easy flag that would note untruthful or misleading information and where “careful mapping of
extensions” becomes important.

Hopkins also called out other problems in the wording. This includes when the advertising policy is difficult to see in the image and could be flagged by
Microsoft’s accessibility and deceptive practices rules.

Hopkins points to Copilot to help syntax and word sequences make more sense.

“If you’re importing from Google or Meta and
the content is ‘on the line’ for their policies, odds are you might get hit with editorial violations,” she wrote. “Consider only importing the account structure and adding creative directly in
Microsoft Advertising’s UI.”

The Apple Support app could soon gain a ChatGPT-style AI assistant, which could be powered by Apple Intelligenceor third-party AI, as a new report claims there’s evidence of the feature in Apple code.

As its name implies, the Apple Support application is designed to assist customers. It displays the company’s official store hours, details regarding accessibility at the location, and the specialty services offered, among other things.

The official Support app from Apple has received multiple updates over the years, and it looks like it’s set to gain yet another feature. According to MacRumors, the iPhone maker has plans to debut a new “Support Assistant” powered by generative AI.

Code for this enhancement reportedly already exists, but the alleged AI assistant doesn’t appear to be accessible just yet. The Support Assistant will likely build upon the Support app’s chat feature that relies on Messages.

Currently, Apple users can get in touch with a customer service representative through the Apple Support app, which opens a new Business Chat in Messages. The supposed Support Assistant will likely offer AI-generated solutions to problems or answers to customer questions, before connecting users to a live agent.

Other companies, like eBay, have incorporated similar features into their respective apps and websites, but Apple’s implementation appears as though it could be more advanced. Code related to the feature reportedly says that the Support Assistant uses generative AI models and that it provides information on select Apple products and services, among other things.

Apple has reportedly also included a disclaimer, which cautions users about “incorrect, misleading, incomplete, offensive, or harmful outputs,” and explains that the AI-powered support assistant should not be regarded as a substitute for professional advice from a live customer service representative.

Possibly powered by third-party AI

As for what exactly powers the Support Assistant, the report says that it will be offered through cooperation with partner companies. This suggests Apple might work together with OpenAI to deliver the feature, or possibly with another company like Anthropic or Google. OpenAI seems like a particularly reasonable option, given that ChatGPT integration has been an iOS feature since iOS 18.2.

These latest claims of an alleged Support Assistant line up with an earlier rumor from February 2024, which claimed that Apple was internally testing a tool called “Ask.” While the Support Assistant is a consumer-oriented feature, Apple’s Ask tool is said to have relied on generative AI to respond to the questions of AppleCare employees, using answers from an internal database.

The development of an AI-based Support Assistant is a logical choice for Apple, though the timing is far from ideal. Certain Apple Intelligence features have faced significant delays and have yet to become available to end consumers, which reportedly led to embarrassment behind closed doors.

While Apple did introduce AI-related improvements with iOS 26, in the form of Apple Intelligence Shortcuts and a new Foundation Models framework, there weren’t nearly as many AI features announced at WWDC as there were in 2024. Recently, on June 7, the head of Apple’s foundation models team, Ruoming Pang, was poached by Meta with a significant pay package.

Given the lack of any recent AI development, it’s possible that Apple repurposed the technology behind its Ask tool, but it’s more likely that the company used the technology of a major AI firm like OpenAI or Anthropic. Time will tell if and when the supposed Support Assistant feature will see the light of day.

Prime Day 2025 is the best time this year to get a big-screen TV. Sure, there are deals in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, but those are generally on the previous year’s TV because most new models haven’t been released yet. Prime Day, however, comes after most major TV refreshes — including the 85-inch TCL QM8K, available for a limited time at Amazon and Best Buy for $2,499.99 ($1,300 off).

For its size and overall brightness, especially if you’re looking for a bright-room TV, the QM8K is one of the best buys during the next few days of sales.

TCL has built some great midrange TVs for the past few years, but the 2025 models are a step above its previous models. The QM8K, especially, brings TCL into strong competition with Samsung, LG, and Sony. It can get incredibly bright, making it an excellent choice for a sunny room where ambient light is difficult to control. When I recently had one in for testing, I measured a peak output of over 3,400 nits from a 10 percent window in Filmmaker Mode, the TV’s most accurate picture mode. To put that into perspective, the LG G5 tops out at a little over 2,400 nits with the same test. Under certain circumstances, the TCL QM8K can reach a brightness of 5,000 nits.

TCL’s panel advancements also allow it to limit blooming — where the light from bright images creeps into the surrounding black space of an image — which is an inherent drawback of mini-LED technology. With the QM8K, a new lens design better focuses the light toward the viewer. The optical distance between the backlight and the diffuser plate is smaller than in previous models, so the light has less opportunity to spread into dark areas, providing a sharper delineation between bright and dark.

One of the draws of getting a big-screen TV like the 85-inch TCL QM8K is to share it with your friends for game day or movie nights. Another improvement made with the QM8K is an increase in viewing angles, so the image vibrancy and brightness for those off to the left and right of your seating area is still close to what the person directly in front sees.

• Vantage S marks the arrival of the most performance focused Vantage in Aston Martin’s acclaimed sports car range
• Power increased to a class-defining 680PS and underpinned by 800Nm of torque
• Detailed changes to chassis achieve gains in agility, driver connection and refinement
• New throttle pedal calibration for added feel and precision
• Dramatic new bonnet blades, rear lip spoiler and discreet ‘S’ badging give Vantage S a unique identity
• Distinctive ‘S’ interior styling in new combination of Alcantara and leather. Red or silver anodised drive mode rotary control amongst suite of new ‘S’-specific options 
• Latest addition to Aston Martin’s legendary bloodline of high-performance ‘S’ models, dating back to the 1953 DB3S
• Vantage S to make global dynamic debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2025
• Deliveries expected to commence in Q4 2025

 

Wednesday 09 July 2025, Gaydon, UK: Aston Martin is proud to announce the arrival of the new Vantage S – the most performance focused Vantage in Aston Martin’s sports car range. With the already thrilling, driver-focused Vantage firmly established as the class leading front-engine sports car, Vantage S builds on its position with increased power and even greater dynamic prowess. Together with distinctive exterior and interior enhancements, Vantage S establishes a new benchmark for Aston Martin’s acclaimed front-engine sports car range.

Subsequent to the recently launched DBX S, Vantage S is the next step in the revival of Aston Martin’s long tradition of applying the ‘S’ suffix to special, high-performance derivatives of core models. A convention that began with Vanquish S which made its public debut at the Paris Motor Show in 2004, followed by the exceptional V8 and V12 Vantage S models launched in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

Aston Martin CEO, Adrian Hallmark, said, “For many decades the illustrious Vantage nameplate has stood for the very best in performance, excitement and driving thrills. Those qualities were very much at the forefront when the new Vantage was launched to global acclaim last year. Exceeding those qualities was the challenge and motivation behind the new Vantage S. The result is a new benchmark in the front-engined ultra-luxury sports car sector; a car to excite Aston Martin’s passionate and discerning customers, and a vivid demonstration of the talent, scope and drive which exists within the marque today.”

Central to the Vantage S is an upgraded version of the formidable Aston Martin 4.0-litre V8 Twin-Turbo engine. Extending Aston Martin’s performance advantage in the front-engine luxury sports car sector, the Vantage S now boasts 680PS at 6000rpm, with peak torque of 800Nm delivered between 3000 and 6000rpm for immediate in-gear response.

Further enhancing driver engagement and performance feel, Aston Martin engineers have continued to refine and calibrate the throttle pedal weight and response aligned with ‘S’ characteristics. By offering a resistance matched to a drive-by-wire throttle map bespoke to ‘S’, and tuned for each of the Drive Modes, Vantage S delivers an even greater sense of connection with all controls working in harmony.

Calibration changes have also been made to the powertrain, with optimisation of the Launch Control system resulting in a 0.1 second improvement in 0-60mph time, which is now just 3.3 seconds (0-62mph 3.4 seconds) and 0-124mph (200km/h) in 10.1 seconds. Top speed remains unchanged at a blistering 202mph.

Vantage S also benefits from an extensive suite of detail changes to the new Vantage suspension hardware, powertrain mounts and control software to bring greater agility along with improvements in feel, driver engagement and composure.

While Aston Martin’s chassis engineers were determined to extract more agility and front-end grip from the Vantage platform, they were also focused on ensuring those advances didn’t come at the expense of compliance and refinement.

Hardware tuning and software calibration changes to the Bilstein DTX adaptive dampers have brought increased front-end feel and response, while rear spring aid stiffness has been reduced to balance compression and rebound for improved low speed ride quality. A 10% reduction in transmission mount stiffness brings in additional refinement by controlling the powertrain movement to the body and chassis, allowing the vehicle to breathe in harmony with the road.

Further gains in directness and steering connection have been achieved by directly mounting the rear subframe to the body instead of rubber bushes. Finally, to maximise the compound benefits of these hardware and software changes, the suspension’s camber, toe and caster settings have been finessed to sharpen response, improve front-end grip under high lateral loadings and precisely dial-in the overall dynamic balance. The result is a car which has a thrilling appetite for corners backed up by steadfast stability.

Visually, Vantage S has the looks to match its performance prowess thanks to distinctive features that combine immaculate design form with true performance-enhancing function.

At the front, the new Vantage S is identified by new centrally mounted bonnet blades. Finished in gloss black or 2×2 Twill Carbon Fibre, not only do these vents provide a more assertive design character but they optimise the extraction of hot air from the ‘hot-V’ configured V8 engine.

Model designation is restricted to discreet yet striking ‘S’ signature badging on the front fenders. Each one hand-made, the brass forged ‘S’ is a true piece of automotive jewellery; the ‘S ‘infilled in red glass enamel with the badge surround chrome plated in either bright or dark chrome to match the colour of the Aston Martin wings specified by the customer.

Ensuring Vantage S is as instantly recognisable from the rear as the front, a full width decklid spoiler is the most explicit indicator of the marques sharpened performance focus. Not only for visual design assertiveness, the new rear spoiler increases rear downforce by 44kg at Vmax, contributing significantly to the overall 111kg of downforce at Vmax.  The new spoiler has been used to tune the aerodynamics of the Vantage S, adding stability while ensuring the overall balance of downforce is biased towards the front-end to generate exceptional turn-in response and sustain a high level of cornering grip. Further updates to the underbody make up the additional 67kg of downforce at Vmax, including the addition of a new front airdam and front venturi vanes.

Vantage S is also available to specify with a bespoke 21″ Y-spoke wheel in satin black with a red wheel graphic, continuing to tie in the red detailing synonymous with the ‘S’ marque, elegantly paired with a contrasting bronze painted brake calliper.

Vantage S continues with bespoke ‘S’ cues inside the car, with a unique Alcantara^® and leather ‘Accelerate’ interior as standard with satin 2×2 twill carbon fibre trim inlays. Maximising its sporting appearance and offering a modest weight saving over Vantage, this interior perfectly captures the essence of ‘S’.

Just as the exterior badging embodies handmade craftsmanship, the interior of Vantage S is proudly adorned with colour matched, embroidered ‘S’ logos to the upper shoulder panel of the seats. With almost 2,500 individual stitches and over 16 metres of thread, each ‘S’ leaves no doubt to the commitment of total luxury and performance in every Aston Martin S model.

Complementing the ‘S’ suffix, the iconic Aston Martin wings are also embroidered onto the headrests. An industry-first technique using both embossing and debossing is also an option available to customers, applying extreme pressure (1.5 tonnes) and heat to sculpt the wings into the leather with impeccable precision, creating a subtle but beautiful detail. In addition, the ‘S’ moniker appears on both the treadplates and engine bay final inspection plaque.

Vantage S also offers customers a unique interior option package to further highlight its kudos as the most sporting of all Vantage models; a choice of red or silver anodised finish to the knurled metal drive mode rotary, creating a bold centrepiece to the cabin. The rotary is colour matched to the seatbelt, contrast welt, contrast stitch and headrest embroidery to create a flow of cohesive highlights throughout.

For customers wishing to immerse themselves in even more luxury, Inspire Sport interior is available with either full semi-aniline leather or semi-aniline leather and Alcantara^®, in both monotone and duotone options. These all-new interiors feature diminishing chevron quilting, surrounded by placed perforations, giving an unmistakeable impression of speed.

Marking its global dynamic debut, Vantage S will be seen charging up the famous hill climb at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend. Held at the Goodwood estate every July, The Festival of Speed is a highlight of the British summer season, drawing motorsport enthusiasts from around the globe.

Vantage S is available to order now, alongside Vantage, in both Coupe and Roadster, with first deliveries expected in Q4 2025.

 

-ENDS-

For the first time this year, Microsoft has released a Patch Tuesday bundle with no exploited security problems, although one has been made public already, and there are ten critical flaws to fix.

July’s software flaw fix package includes 130 patches with none exploited and only one earning a CVSS score of over nine – CVE-2025-47981. This critical issue comes with a 9.8 score and breaks Microsoft’s Simple and Protected GSS-API Negotiation Mechanism (SPNEGO) security protocols with a heap-based buffer overflow that would allow remote code execution.

Of the other nine new critical issues, four are in Office, which last month had a major patching update and gets more this month. In July’s fixes, four flaws allow for remote code execution in the Office bundle. In all, Office gets 16 patches this week, but those four should be on the list of first to fix.

• CVE-2025-49695 – An ugly use-after-free issue that is thankfully limited to a user with local access.
• CVE-2025-49696 – Another locally exploitable issue that has a nasty twist.
• CVE-2025-49697 – A nasty buffer overflow issue that earns a CVSS 8.4 rating.
• CVE-2025-49702 – This type confusion requires a user being tricked into opening a malicious file, but that’s not too hard.

CVE-2025-49696 is particularly worrisome, since it can be exploited via the Preview Pane in Office, meaning no serious user action is required. It allows the combination of an out-of-bounds read and heap-based buffer overflow for an attack that requires no authentication to carry off.

If you’re running an AMD processor, there are a couple of fixes that should also be on the priority list, since Redmond has highlighted them in the roundup. The early EPYC and Ryzen chips are all listed as needing an update, but the chances of exploitation are less likely. Microsoft also included a previously exploited flaw in the Chromium engine, CVE-2025-6554, that was released earlier this month.

One of the other critical bugs is in SQL, the most serious of three patched in Microsoft’s database platform. CVE-2025-49717 allows remote code execution using a buffer overflow, but Redmond rates it as less likely for exploitation since exploitation would take a complex attack, albeit with no user interaction required.

There were 16 additional flaws fixed in Windows Routing and Remote Access Service, all considered at low risk of exploitation, but which still need to be patched. There are also five fixes for Microsoft’s BitLocker encryption system, four of them listed by Redmond as more likely to be exploited, which if used improperly could be used to harvest data without the usual security checks.

And the best of the rest

As ever, Adobe has been piggybacking off Microsoft’s patching session with a bundle of patches, the most serious of which are for ColdFusion, and Experience Manager Forms. These two applications need to be updated as a priority, Adobe said.

The former includes 13 patches, five of them ranked as critical, including a CVSS 9.3 issue that would allow data examination by an attacker. In the case of Experience Manager Forms, there’s just a single flaw to be fixed, but it’s a CVSS 9.8 that would allow code to be executed on a target system. Experience Manager Screens also picks up a couple of important patches.

As for the rest of Adobe’s offerings, unusually there were no patches for either Reader or Photoshop this month. However, FrameMaker got 15 patches (13 of them critical) and Illustrator got ten patches today, including seven criticals.

Elsewhere, there were six critical flaws to get fixed in InDesign, and three criticals for InCopy, all with a CVSS 7.8 score. There are also three patches for Substance 3D Viewer, including a single critical fix. After Effects picks up a couple of important updates, as does Dimension, and there’s a singleton apiece for Audition, Substance 3D Stager, and Connect.

In another unusual instance this month, Google released no Android security updates. That might be explained by the fact that Android Version 16 was released last month and contains a lot of fixes – although non-Pixel users are going to have to wait until OEMs catch up.

SAP was happy to fill the gap in admins’ lives, however, with 27 new security updates, and four updated ones. The most serious, scoring a perfect 10 on the CVSS ranking, is a grab-bag of issues with SAP Supplier Relationship Management (Live Auction Cockpit), and there’s a CVSS 9.9 issue with Code Injection vulnerability in SAP S/4HANA and SAP SCM that needs a patch. These are two of the six critical fixes SAP issued. ®

Partnership offers fans new ways to experience the iconic Super Hero’s release on the big screen through digital and in-person activations

 

Samsung Electronics today announced a global partnership with Warner Bros. and DC Studios to celebrate the latest “Superman” film with a series of fan activations, Superman-themed video content and limited-edition digital artworks from DC Comics via Samsung Art Store.

 

“Samsung is committed to creating a richer and more meaningful entertainment experience,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through collaborations with leading creative studios and artists, we continue to help people engage more deeply with the stories and character they love, whether in the theater or at home.”

 

“Superman,” the first film in DC Studios’ new cinematic universe, written, directed and produced by James Gunn, hits theaters worldwide starting July 9. To mark the release, Samsung is launching a global campaign with the tagline “It’s not just big. It’s super big,” spotlighting a range of campaign video content celebrating the original Super Hero and bringing the excitement of the film to audiences across digital platforms, retail locations and public spaces.

 

In London, the campaign will come to life through a series of Daily Planet-themed newsstand kiosks, appearing at high-traffic locations such as The Shard and Kings Cross Station.

 

Fans can also pick up limited-edition Superman-themed items, receive exclusive gifts and take part in a global social media challenge by sharing their event photos or videos for a chance to win super prizes, including a 98” Samsung TV.

 

Interactive activations will appear at major malls across Asia — including Malaysia, Vietnam and Korea — where fans can explore Superman-themed photo booths, immersive pop-up displays and hands-on product experiences.

 

 

Additionally, Samsung Art Store, the leading digital art platform on Samsung Art TVs, is featuring a limited-time 10-piece Superman digital art collection from DC Comics free to users from July 1 through August 31. Available on The Frame as well as 2025 QLED and Neo QLED models,¹ the collection brings Superman’s heroic legacy into the home and gives fans a whole new way to enjoy Superman-inspired art.

 

Samsung’s Super Big TV lineup includes 98” 100” 115” Class options across Neo QLED and Crystal UHD models.² With expansive screens, stunning picture quality and AI-powered enhancements that deliver smoother images and deeper contrast, Samsung aims to deliver a grander home entertainment experience.

 

For more information, visit www.samsung.com.

 

 

About Superman
DC Studios presents a Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran Company Production, A James Gunn Film, Superman, which will be in theaters and IMAX^® July 9 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

 

 

¹ Samsung Art TV includes MICRO LED, The Frame, The Frame Pro, Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED and QLED models starting from Q7F and above.
² Product availability vary by region.

Aston Martin has history in adding an ‘S’ to mark the most bombastic versions of the Vantage, only… they’ve rarely been this bombastic. Because this new Aston Martin Vantage S is a more powerful version of a car that already came stuffed with power.

Incredibly, this ‘baby’ Aston Martin Vantage S – an entry-level Aston, for goodness’ sake – now develops a whopping 671bhp finely-tuned Anglo-German horsies, up from the not-at-all-regular car’s 656bhp.

Six hundred and seventy one! That sound you hear is the Ferrari Amalfi having a meltdown. Not least because there’s 590lb ft of torque on offer to melt the S’s phat rears.

Aston hasn’t specified exactly how it has extracted an additional fifteen horsepowers from the AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, but that unit’s got a good set of lungs on it. So unbelievably, it’s actually a very modest increase.

Aston reckons 671bhp arrives at 6,000rpm, while that unchanged torque figure is available between 3k-6k. It’s made a few tweaks across the board as you’d expect, including slight alterations to the throttle map, pedal weight and launch control.

So it’s now a full 0.1s quicker than before – 0-60mph taking just 3.3s (0-62mph in 3.4s). The 0-124mph dash is done in 10.1s, while top speed remains the same 202mph. Basically, it’s a bit faster.

And pointier. The Bilstein ‘DTX’ adaptive dampers have been tweaked to offer what Aston claims is “increased front-end feel and response”, while the rear spring aid stiffness has been lowered “to balance compression and rebound for improved low-speed ride quality”. Basically, they’ve backed it off so you don’t bounce all over the high street.

There’s a 10 per cent reduction in the eight-speed gearbox mount’s stiffness, the rear subframes are now mounted directly to the bonded aluminium body as opposed to via rubber bushes, and camber, toe and caster settings have all been “finessed”. And lo: it’s pointier.

Naturally an ‘S’ requires additional visual cues, so this new one gets a set of centrally mounted bonnet blades, lots of ‘S’ badging, and a full-width rear spoiler offering an additional 44kg of rear downforce when on a closed road at 202mph. The underbody’s been treated to ‘updates’ too, to allow a full 111kg of downforce at the S’s vmax.

Aston’s slotted special 21in alloys and bronzed brake calipers onto this Vantage S, filled it with Alcantara and leather and carbon fibre inlays, embroidered ‘S’ and Aston’s wings logos inside, and provided the option of a red or silver anodised finish to the rotary drive control. Other options are available, but none include turning up outside a Ferrari showroom and donuting ‘671bhp’ into the car park. Yours from around £170k.

LangChain, an AI infrastructure startup providing tools to build and monitor LLM-powered applications, is raising a new round of funding at an approximate $1 billion valuation led by IVP, according to three sources with knowledge of the deal. 

LangChain began its life in late 2022 as an open-source project founded by Harrison Chase, who was then an engineer at machine learning startup Robust Intelligence. After generating significant developer interest, Chase transformed the project into a startup, securing a $10 million seed round from Benchmark in April 2023, That round was followed a week later by a $25 million Series A led by Sequoia, reportedly valuing LangChain at $200 million.

The startup was an early darling of the AI era. When LangChain first emerged, LLMs lacked access to real-time information and the ability to perform actions such as searching the web, calling APIs, and interacting with databases. The startup’s open-source code  solved those problems with a framework for building apps on top of LLMs models. It became a hugely popular project on GitHub (111K stars, over 18,000 forks). 

The LLM ecosystem has since expanded significantly, with new startups including LlamaIndex, Haystack, and AutoGPT now offering comparable features. Furthermore, leading LLM providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have evolved their APIs to directly offer capabilities that were once key differentiators for LangChain’s core technology.

So the company has added other products, including LangSmith, a separate, closed-source product for observability, evaluation, and monitoring of LLM applications, specifically agents. This product has soared in popularity, multiple people tell us.

Since its introduction last year, LangSmith has led the company to reach annual recurring revenue (ARR) between $12 million and $16 million, four sources told TechCrunch. The company didn’t respond to a request for comment. Developers can start working with LangSmith for free and upgrade to $39 per month for small team collaboration features, according to the company’s website.  LangChain also offers custom plans for large organizations. 

Companies who use LangSmith include Klarna, Rippling, and Replit.

While LangSmith currently leads the burgeoning LLM operations space, it does have competitors like smaller, open-source Langfuse and Helicone. IVP declined to comment on this report.