Its been a long time since Apple has been working on its own 5G modem. However, development is taking much longer than the company expected but recent evidence suggests that well see Apples first 5G modem next year. Read on as we detail everything we know so far about it.A brief recap on Apples 5G modemIts no surprise that Apple wants to have better control over its hardware, as the company designs its own SoCs for iPhone, iPad, Mac and other devices. However, in 2019, Apple showed a huge interest in building its own cellular modems. The company acquired Intels modem division for $1 billion that year. Apple was hoping to have its own modem so that it would no longer have to rely on components made by Qualcomm.However, years have passed and Apple is yet to introduce a device with its own cellular modem. In fact, many rumors suggest that little or no progress has been made in all these years.According to a WSJ report last year, the prototypes built so far were considered a failure. They were too slow and susceptible to overheating, making them worse than Qualcomms 5G modems used in current iPhones. These problems have led Apple to keep delaying the launch of its first custom 5G modem.Apple is expected to introduce its 5G modem next yearLuckily for Apple, it seems that engineers have managed to solve at least some of these problems to make the companys 5G modem a reality. Multiple reports, including from 9to5Mac, have revealed that Apple plans to launch the first devices with its own modem next year.Last month, reliable sources told 9to5Mac that Apple has built an ambitious modem codenamed V59 or Centauri that can not only handle 5G, but also Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and even GPS. According to our sources, the modem should drastically reduce battery consumption, especially when Low Power Mode is on.The first device expected to feature Apples 5G modem is the iPhone SE 4, which is rumored to be announced in the first half of 2025. By the end of next year, at least one of the iPhone 17 models will also have the new modem most likely the iPhone 17 Air. Despite the benefits in terms of battery consumption, Apple still doesnt feel totally confident enough about its modem to put it in flagship products such as the Pro iPhones.For instance, a recent report from The Information revealed that Apples current 5G modem prototypes still cant match Qualcomms 5G chip in terms of performance. The prototypes also lack support for the super-fast 5G mmWave.While it may be a while before Apple puts its 5G modem into the entire iPhone lineup, the new modem seems like a good fit for devices like the Apple Watch, where energy efficiency matters more than performance. Of course, having its own 5G modem will also help Apple cut costs although this doesnt necessarily mean that this difference will be reflected in the final price for customers.It seems that the wait for Apples 5G modem will soon be over, at least for those planning to buy a new iPhone SE next year.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple bought Pixelmator earlier this fall, in a rare occurrence of the company buying an existing app. Though questions about its plans abound, looking at Apples app acquisition history points to a bright future ahead for Pixelmator.Apple has a strong track record with acquired appsJohn Gruber wrote this weekend on Daring Fireball about Apples history with app acquisitions.The full piece is well worth a read, walking through the various outcomes for different acquisitions over the years.Heres a good summary in the form of two excerpts:The bottom line is that what we, as users, hope for after a big company acquires a beloved app is for an outcome where the users of that app remain happy. That might mean just keeping the app going, like with Logic. Or it might mean scrapping the standalone app, but bringing the core features of the app into the OS itself, like with Dark Sky. Sometimes its a mix, though, like with Shazam.[]Apple is a very large company, and Pixelmator is a small company with two very cool apps. But an examination of Apples acquisition history doesnt give me any reason for alarm. Apple really does tend to do right by cool app acquisitions.I was struck, in reading, by how much trust Apple deserves for its track record of app acquisitions.The problem, any time a beloved app gets acquired by another company, is that those stories often dont end well.new owners may over-optimize for profits and make the app worse in the processor they may neglect the app altogether, content with milking existing revenue streamsoften the creative team behind the app departs, leaving a void the new owners cant fillThese scenarios have played out countless times, leading many excellent apps to become a shell of their former selves.But Apples track record is entirely different. As Gruber puts it, Apple respects the art of making great apps, and Pixelmator in particular is simply too good to scrap.I dont know if Apple plans to keep Pixelmator and Photomator running as-is for years to come, or integrate their tech into the Photos app, or something else altogether.But whatever their plans are, its good to remember that this isnt just like any other app acquisition in the tech world. Apple has a strong track record in this area, and that points to a bright future for Pixelmator.What do you think Apples plans for Pixelmator might be? Let us know in the comments.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Sure, grandpa.Energy VampireElon Musk fired up his X-formerly-Twitter fingers on this week suggest, with a madman's glee, that he's a time-traveling vampire. And a gamer, he added."Full disclosure, I'm actually a 3,000-year-old vampire," he first posted back in 2020. "It's such a trial assuming all these false identities over the centuries!"Musk revisited the claim surely a joke, but an embarrassingly self-aggrandizing one this week, declaring that his X profile had been verified since 3,000 BC because he's a "time-traveling vampire alien!""Even though I'm 5000 years old, I think I look much younger," Musk continued, seemingly increasing his age by a full 2,000 years since 2020.He kept indulging the fantasy until a nocturnal 3:00 AM, posting that being a time-traveling vampire alien vampalien? "would explain a lot of things" about him.Life ForceBy the next afternoon, Musk was instead obsessively responding to a now-deleted video showing a recent protest by the frequently topless radical feminist group Femen. In reaction to a crass meme saying "I found this difficult to masturbate to... but not impossible," Musk replied with his signature laughing-crying emoji.Musk, who has an abysmal track record with respecting women or often other people in general often takes refuge in these kinds of daydreams that frame him as untouchably superhuman.Musk loves when people called him the "real-life Tony Stark," for example. He's also posted AI-generated glamor shots of himself as a technocratic Roman general, and he demurely accepted his new best friend Donald Trump extolling himsuper genius."In that sense, being a time-traveling shapeshifter vampire would explain some things about Musk. For instance, it might elucidate why a guy who does things like name a government department after a dubious memecoin is a megalomaniac instead of ashamed.Share This Article

"I never intended you any harm."Him TooAccusations of sexual assault against Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Donald Trump's Health Department pick, are threatening to impede the president-elect's regressive agenda not to mention RFK Jr.'s enthusiasm for raw milk.In an interview with theWall Street Journal, Eliza Cooney recalled the instances, half her lifetime ago, when Kennedy groped and harassed her while she was working for him and his family.Now 49, Cooney began working for the political scion as an intern at his law clinic and live-in babysitter when she was 23 years old. During that time, Kennedy allegedly groped her backside and breasts, touched her leg underneath a table, and came into her room shirtless to ask her for a back rub."It seemed like he thought I was somebody else or wasnt paying attention," Cooney wrote in a diary entry, viewed by theWSJ, of the leg-touching. "Like he would come to every once in a while and snap out of it or I would move away."Though she kept working and living with Kennedy's family for four months after the alleged incidences and continued at his law clinic for several years after that Cooney told the newspaper that she was less confident after the encounters and experienced a constant sense of unease.Choir BoyIn the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, the woman realized how inappropriate the politician's actions had been. As his profile as a 2024 presidential candidate rose, she eventually went public in an expos published byVanity Fair this past summer and after all those years, Kennedy reached out to his old babysitter in calls and text messages confirmed by theWSJ."I read your description of an episode in which I touched you in an unwanted manner," he wrote in the text, which was also confirmed by the Washington Post earlier this year. "I have no memory of this incident but I apologize sincerely for anything I ever did that made you feel uncomfortable or anything I did or said that offended or hurt your feelings.""I never intended you any harm," the politician continued in his missive to Cooney. "If I hurt you, it was inadvertent."In an interview with theBreaking Points podcast after the VF article came out, however, he called her accusations "garbage.""I am not a church boy," the former heroin addict and current anti-vaxxer told journalists Saagar Enjeti and Krystal Ball. "I had a very, very rambunctious youth."As with Trump himself, it's unclear how much damage these accusations will do to RFK Jr. when he goes through his Senate confirmation hearings.Nevertheless, they cast a major shadow over the president-elect's incoming cabinet in which a third of all his picks have some sort of sex scandal surrounding them.More on the Trump agenda: Farmers Beg Trump Not to Deport the Immigrants They Use for Cheap LaborShare This Article

Nov 27, 2024Ravie LakshmananCybercrime / Financial FraudAn INTERPOL-led operation has led to the arrest of 1,006 suspects across 19 African countries and the takedown of 134,089 malicious infrastructures and networks as part of a coordinated effort to disrupt cybercrime in the continent.Dubbed Serengeti, the law enforcement exercise took place between September 2 and October 31, 2024, and targeted criminals behind ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion, and online scams.The participating nations in the operation were Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.These activities, which ranged from online credit card fraud and Ponzi schemes to investment and multi-level marketing scams, victimized more than 35,000 people, leading to financial losses nearly amounting to $193 million across the world.In connection with the $6 million online Ponzi scheme, authorities arrested eight people, including five Chinese nationals, in the West African country of Senegal. A search of their apartments uncovered 900 SIM cards, $11,000 in cash, phones, laptops, and copies of ID cards associated with 1,811 victims.Also dismantled by authorities was a virtual casino in Luanda that targeted Brazilian and Nigerian gamblers with the aim of defrauding them through an online platform and enticing them with a percentage of winnings to members who recruited new subscribers."From multi-level marketing scams to credit card fraud on an industrial scale, the increasing volume and sophistication of cybercrime attacks is of serious concern," Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL, said in a statement."Operation Serengeti shows what we can achieve by working together, and these arrests alone will save countless potential future victims from real personal and financial pain. We know that this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will continue targeting these criminal groups worldwide."Group-IB, which was a private sector partner in the operation, said it also identified approximately 10,000 distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks originating from Africa-based servers over the past year, over 3,000 phishing domains hosted in the region, and details about actors who have leaked data on dark web forums.Russian cybersecurity vendor Kaspersky said it contributed to the operation by "sharing information on threat actors, data on ransomware attacks and malware targeting the region, as well as up-to-date indicators of compromise (IoCs) for malicious infrastructure across Africa."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Nov 27, 2024Ravie LakshmananIoT Security / Network SecurityA threat actor named Matrix has been linked to a widespread distributed denial-of-service (DoD) campaign that leverages vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in Internet of Things (IoT) devices to co-opt them into a disruptive botnet."This operation serves as a comprehensive one-stop shop for scanning, exploiting vulnerabilities, deploying malware, and setting up shop kits, showcasing a do-it-all-yourself approach to cyberattacks," Assaf Morag, director of threat intelligence at cloud security firm Aqua, said.There is evidence to suggest that the operation is the work of a lone wolf actor, a script kiddie of Russian origin. The attacks have primarily targeted IP addresses located in China, Japan, and to a lesser extent Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, India, and the U.S.The absence of Ukraine in the victimology footprint indicates that the attackers are purely driven by financial motivations, the cloud security firm said.The attack chains are characterized by the exploitation of known security flaws as well as default or weak credentials to obtain access to a broad spectrum of internet-connected devices such as IP cameras, DVRs, routers, and telecom equipment.The threat actor has also been observed leveraging misconfigured Telnet, SSH, and Hadoop servers, with a particular focus on targeting IP address ranges associated with cloud service providers (CSPs) like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.The malicious activity further relies on a wide array of publicly available scripts and tools available on GitHub, ultimately deploying the Mirai botnet malware and other DDoS-related programs on compromised devices and servers.This includes PYbot, pynet, DiscordGo, Homo Network, a JavaScript program that implements an HTTP/HTTPS flood attack, and a tool that can disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus app on Windows machines.Matrix has also been found to use a GitHub account of their own that they opened in November 2023 to stage some of the DDoS artifacts used in the campaign. It's also believed that the whole offering is advertised as a DDoS-for-hire service via a Telegram bot named "Kraken Autobuy" that allows customers to choose from different tiers in exchange for a cryptocurrency payment to conduct the attacks."This campaign, while not highly sophisticated, demonstrates how accessible tools and basic technical knowledge can enable individuals to execute a broad, multi-faceted attack on numerous vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in network-connected devices," Morag said."The simplicity of these methods highlights the importance of addressing fundamental security practices, such as changing default credentials, securing administrative protocols, and applying timely firmware updates, to protect against broad, opportunistic attacks like this one."The disclosure comes as NSFOCUS sheds light on an evasive botnet family dubbed XorBot that has been primarily targeting Intelbras cameras and routers from NETGEAR, TP-Link, and D-Link since November 2023. "As the number of devices controlled by this botnet increases, the operators behind it have also begun to actively engage in profitable operations, openly advertising DDoS attack rental services," the cybersecurity company said, adding the botnet is advertised under the moniker Masjesu."At the same time, by adopting advanced technical means such as inserting redundant code and obfuscating sample signatures, they have improved the defensive capabilities at the file level, making their attack behavior more difficult to monitor and identify."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

In March,customer service solutions provider Tidio published a survey on self-service in which 88% of respondents said they expected self-service portals from companies they do business with.Plus, 73% said they wanted to resolve their own issues independently.Swamped with trouble tickets, emails, and phone calls, IT help desk staffs want to see more user self-help, too! But can they?A myriad of software vendors provide solutions for user self-help.These systems feature searchable knowledge bases, user forums, chat services, and even the ability for users to request IT services from a menu of tasks that can easily be auto scheduled and then performed, such as the set-up of a new workstation.In some cases, self-service software is bundled with traditional help desk software. In other cases, the self-service software is standalone but can easily be integrated with commonly used help desk software. That sounds good, but the challenge for IT and other company departments, such as HR, that want to provide self-help to employees is being able to develop information that is actionable for users.SearchUnify, a customer service and self-help solutions provider, cites three major challenges in self-help systems: users not being able to find the information they are searching for; users not finding information thats relevant to their issues; and ITs failure to regularly monitor self-help systems to see how well they are working.Related:Lets examine the issues and see how IT and others can address them.Users not finding the information they want. Users can only find the information they want if the information is there.Some vendors offer self-help libraries for their systems, but most of the time it will be up to IT and user department subject matter experts to populate the knowledge base with the information users want to know.The first step in knowledgebase building is performing research to determine who the self-service target audience is. The next step is meeting with these users to understand the topics they need to learn about and identify the questions on any given topic that they are most likely to ask. Additional insights can be gleaned by reviewing notes and old question logs to see which questions were most commonly asked.Once the team determines as to the types of information that the knowledge base needs, the system can be populated with that information. The content can come from documents, blogs, videos, process steps, outside information and resources, and anything else that IT and user department subject matter experts contribute.Related:In the case of HR, for example, a common question that the knowledge base might address is when a new employees 401K contribution from the company will begin to vest. An IT question that the knowledge base might answer could be what a user should do if their workstation suddenly doesnt connect to the network.Users being able to schedule their own IT service events. Most self-help systems come with a self-service catalog feature that allows IT to list an assortment of IT services for which users can schedule requests.Examples include a user who needs a new workstation or printer configured and connected to the network; or a user who requires a company mobile device; or a security user ID-password setup. Service requests like these are easy to automate and schedule because they are straightforward tasks that IT can execute and fulfill in a timely manner.In contrast, a user request for IT to troubleshoot a mysterious system bug thats crashing a system requires investigation, and the timeframe for resolution is unknown. The complexities of these requests require that they be routed through the normal help desk function.Users finding information thats relevant. Initial information planning meetings with users help define the content of the self-help knowledgebase, but they must also take into account usability. In other words, for the topics and questions that users want to know about, can the knowledgebase quickly arrive at the bottom lines of these requests, so users can deftly help themselves and be on their way?Related:Commercial vendors build in tests for information relevancy by asking users questions after knowledge searches like, Did you find this information helpful?In this way, feedback is gathered. It enables vendors --and IT and subject matter experts -- to continually improve the quality of the knowledgebase and the self-help system functions that users experience and use.ITs need to regularly monitor self-help systems to see how well they are working. Some years ago, a software VP at what was then a 4GL (fourth generation) no/low code software company told me that his company regularly filmed users when they were test driving the generation of reports from data to see how well they were navigating screens and understanding how to use the software.We film them, observing where there is hesitance or confusion because theyre not quite sure what to do next, he said. We also check navigation. Can they easily go to the function they want to use? In some cases, the tool works exceptionally well, but weve also seen cases where weve had to revise the product to make it more user friendly, based upon the usability issues we observed from film.Software testing techniques have advanced since then, but usability is still an important goal. In the self-help environment, you want to ensure that users can easily navigate the system and swiftly get to the answers and services they need. If they cant, they cant help themselves. The only way you can do this is to monitor site abandonment levels, observe how often users are using the system, and continually solicit user feedback.A need for system maintenance.Self-help systems will never find themselves on the same mission critical system list as an ERP system, but they still need to be taken seriously by IT.To take a self-help system seriously means that it must be maintained by ensuring its working well for users and continuously delivering point-on, relevant information. All too often, there is a tendency to place the maintenance of self-help systems at the bottom of the IT to-do list, because these systems are only for internal users, and they are never classified as mission critical.A self-help system is relevant for employees ability to do work on their own with optimized self-help tools and knowledge bases at their fingertips. To keep these systems running at optimum performance levels, their knowledge bases and functions must be regulatory updated. Those who own these functions and content (e.g., IT, HR, finance, and others) should build a regular system maintenance routine for self-help systems into their operational cycles.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the business landscape, already shifting the way we work, create and gather data insights. This year, 72% of organizations have adopted generative AI in some way, and 50% have adopted AI in two or more business functions --up from less than a third of respondents in 2023. On the other hand, as AI adoption heats up, so do concerns around security -- with 45% of organizations experiencing data exposures while implementing AI. CISOs and security leaders now face the critical challenge of balancing AI implementation with growing data security risks.At the same time, government agencies are also turning their attention to AI security concerns -- and the regulatory landscape surrounding the technology is quickly evolving. Uncertainty persists on a federal level, as no all-encompassing legislature is currently in place in the US to set guardrails for the use of AI tools. However, frameworks including the AI Bill of Rights and Executive Order on AI, as well as state-wide regulations like the Colorado AI Act (with 45 other states in 2024 introducing AI bills), are gaining momentum -- as governments and organizations look to mitigate security risks associated with the use of AI.To prepare for rapidly evolving regulations in todays unpredictable threat landscape, while still advancing AI initiatives across the organization, here are the strategies security leaders must prioritize in the year ahead:Related:Building a robust data management infrastructure: Whether or not an organization is ready for widespread AI adoption, implementing an advanced data management, governance, and lifecycle infrastructure is critical to keep information safe from threat. However, 44% of organizations still lack basic information management measures, and only just over half have basic measures like archiving and retention policies (56%) and lifecycle management solutions (56%) in place.To keep sensitive data safe from potential threats, proper governance and access policies must be established before AI is widely implemented. That way, employees are not inadvertently sharing sensitive information with AI tools. Beyond keeping data secure, employing proper governance policies and investing in the automated tools needed to do so can also help streamline compliance with new regulations -- supporting security leaders by building a more flexible, agile data infrastructure to keep up with these fast-moving developments.Leveraging existing standards for AI use: To prepare data and security practices for new regulations in the years to come, CISOs can look towards existing, widely recognized standards for AI use within the industry. International standards like the ISO/IEC 42001 outline recommended practices for organizations looking to utilize AI tools, to support responsible development and use and provide a structure for risk management and data governance. Aligning internal practices with frameworks like ISO/IEC early on in the implementation process assures that AI data practices are meeting widely accepted benchmarks for security and ethics -- streamlining regulatory compliance down the road.Related:Fostering security-focused culture and principles: Security leaders must strive to emphasize that security is everyones job in the organization, and that all individuals play a part in keeping data safe from threats. Ongoing education around AI and new regulations (through constantly evolving and highly customized trainings) ensures that all members of the organization know how to use the technology safely -- and are prepared to meet new standards and mandates for security in the years to come.Adopting do no harm principles will also help to future-proof the organization to meet new regulations. This involves carefully assessing all of the potential consequences and effects of AI before implementation, evaluating how these tools can impact all individuals and stakeholders. Its important to establish these principles early on -- informing what limitations should be set to prevent potential misuse and preparing security teams for future regulations around ethical and fair use.Related:As we continue to see new AI regulations take shape in the coming years, security and business leaders need to focus their attention on how to prepare their entire organization to meet new compliance standards. As CISOs continue to face uncertainty in how regulations will progress, this is a strong signal to safeguard data and ensure individual preparedness now to meet new standards, as they evolve rapidly. AI is now everywhere, and ethical, secure and compliant use is an organization-wide effort in 2025 -- which begins with building the proper data management and fair use principles and emphasizing security awareness for all individuals.

Theres another sort of Marvel multiverse than the one depicted onscreen in the various movies and TV shows of the Marvel CInematic Universe: Thats the alternate versions of the MCU thatcouldhave happened if Marvel had followed through with some of their various initialideas for the characters. What if, for example, Marvel had added Captain Marvel to the Avengers in the final scene ofAvengers: Age of Ultron.That almost happened, until Marvel changed their plans.And moments like that which could have changed the MCU forever are the subject of our latest Marvel video. In it, we detail some of the most important deleted scenes in the companys history; the ones that might have had the biggest impact and set the MCU on a wildly different path than it ultimately took. They include a Wanda storyline that would have completely changed her arc in the MCU, a wildly different scene that almost endedEternals, one scene in The Incredible Hulk that could have shifted the entire MCU in a much bleaker direction,and Deadpools almost cameo inAvengers: Endgame.Check out our full video below:READ MORE: The Worst Marvel Comics EverIf you liked that video on some of the most notable deleted scenes in the history of Marvel, and how they could have changed the MCU forever, check out more of our videos below, including one on why Eternals isnt as bad as you think and why we still want a sequel, one on the new trailer for Captain America: Brave New World and all its Marvel Easter eggs, and one on all of the interesting details in Marvels trailer for their 2025 TV series. Plus, theres tons more videos over atScreenCrushs YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes.The next Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Captain America: Brave New World, is scheduled to open in theaters on February 14, 2025.Sign up for Disney+ here.Get our free mobile appEvery Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie, Ranked From Worst to BestIt started with Iron Man and its continued and expanded ever since. Its the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with 34 movies and counting. But whats the best and the worst? We ranked them all.

We need a Product Analyst who can help our development team discover the truth about user behaviour. Our product has 30 million teachers and student users. This job is a unique opportunity to make a big positive impact in the education field.In this role, you can expect to:identify opportunities for product improvements based on data analysisinitiate and perform product analysis and A/B test analysisexecute ad-hoc requestsanalyse datasets to generate hypothesescollaborate with product managers, designers, and engineers to deliver improvementsuse quantitative methods to find bottlenecks and opportunitiesRequirementsConsider applying if you:have a degree in mathematics, physics, computer science, data science or similarhave 3 years' experience in a data science or product analytics role in a software development contextare located within the time zones UTC-01:00 to UTC+03:00have expertise in advanced analytics using tools like Python and SQLhave solid understanding of basic statistical concepts, such as correlation, confidence intervals, probability distributions, and regressionhave great written and verbal communication skillshave a high level of self-organisation, proactivity, strategy, discipline, result orientationhave a product mindsetSalary and benefits50 - 60k per year30 days paid holiday100% Remote and flexible working #LI-RemoteReal applicants only - please do not contact us if you represent an agency. Related Jobs See more Product jobs