Dec 05, 2024Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / Threat IntelligenceThe U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added multiple security flaws affecting products from Zyxel, North Grid Proself, ProjectSend, and CyberPanel to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation in the wild.The list of vulnerabilities is as follows -CVE-2024-51378 (CVSS score: 10.0) - An incorrect default permissions vulnerability that allows for authentication bypass and the execution of arbitrary commands using shell metacharacters in the statusfile propertyCVE-2023-45727 (CVSS score: 7.5) - An improper restriction of XML External Entity (XXE) reference vulnerability that could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to conduct an XXE attackCVE-2024-11680 (CVSS score: 9.8) - An improper authentication vulnerability that allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to create accounts, upload web shells, and embed malicious JavaScriptCVE-2024-11667 (CVSS score: 7.5) - A path traversal vulnerability in the web management interface that could allow an attacker to download or upload files via a crafted URLThe inclusion of CVE-2023-45727 to the KEV catalog comes in the wake of a Trend Micro report released on November 19, 2024, that linked its active exploitation to a China-nexus cyber espionage group dubbed Earth Kasha (aka MirrorFace).Then last week, cybersecurity vendor VulnCheck revealed that malicious actors have been attempting to weaponize CVE-2024-11680 as early as September 2024 for dropping post-exploitation payloads.The abuse of CVE-2024-51378 and CVE-2024-11667, on the other hand, has been attributed to various ransomware campaigns such as PSAUX and Helldown, according to Censys and Sekoia.Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies are recommended to remediate the identified vulnerabilities by December 25, 2024, to secure their networks.Multiple Bugs in I-O DATA Routers Under AttackThe development comes as JPCERT/CC warned that three security flaws in I-O DATA routers UD-LT1 and UD-LT1/EX are being exploited by unknown threat actors.CVE-2024-45841 (CVSS score: 6.5) - An incorrect permission assignment for critical resource vulnerability that allows an attacker with guest account access to read sensitive files, including those containing credentialsCVE-2024-47133 (CVSS score: 7.2) - An operating system (OS) command injection vulnerability that allows a logged-in user with an administrative account to execute arbitrary commandsCVE-2024-52564 (CVSS score: 7.5) - An inclusion of undocumented features vulnerability that allows a remote attacker to disable the firewall function, and execute arbitrary OS commands or alter router configuration While patches for CVE-2024-52564 have been made available with firmware Ver2.1.9, fixes for the remaining two shortcomings are not expected to be released until December 18, 2024 (Ver2.2.0).In the meanwhile, the Japanese company is advising that customers limit the settings screen from being exposed to the internet by disabling remote management, changing default guest user passwords, and ensuring administrator passwords are not trivial to guess.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Six Columns in Crystal Palace, designed by practice director Will Burges to be his own family home, was chosen ahead of five other finalists - including Surman Westons Peckham House, which won the AJ Manser Medal earlier this week.Also shortlisted were houses by Studio Brassica Architects, TaylorHare Architects, Hugh Strange Architects, and Tom Dowdall Architects.The two-storey, four-bedroom house is named after the six columns that form its main structure, and was designed to evolve to the familys changing needs over time, allowing them to continue to tinker with it, inside and out.Advertisement Source:Building NarrativesRIBA House of the Year 2024 winner: Six Columns by 31/44The RIBA jury said the project is discrete and considerate to its neighbours while boasting design features that carefully balance both conventional and contemporary features such as concrete beams and a statement veined marble panel by the front door adding a touch of bespoke grandeur.Judges said the layout makes the most of the wedge-shaped site, creating a functional family home that can be easily adapted for future requirements.The jury also praised its self-finishes throughout, including exposed painted brickwork and readily available spruce pine panels for fittings and joinery, which intentionally challenge the covering up of contemporary construction and can be easily adjusted in the future.RIBA House of the Year 2024 winners and finalists[WINNER] Six Columns, London, by 31/44 ArchitectsDesigned to meet a familys changing needs, Six Columns is a flexible, future-facing home intended to evolve with its occupants. It makes efficient and sophisticated use of space, and materials, with sustainable and cost-reducing features. Brutalist references and creative flourishes a stepping brickwork wall, rustications and pilasters, and a green marble panel make for a distinct and refreshing aesthetic. Wherever possible, self-finished materials are employed; the ground floor has exposed painted brickwork, and readily-available spruce panels are used to create many of the fittings and joinery, which can be adjusted with ease over time.Farmworkers House, Cornwall, by Hugh Strange ArchitectsNestled into a wooded field, this deceptively simple home adopts an introverted courtyard house typology, its L-shaped plan sheltering a south-facing garden. Thick masonry walls of monolithic clay blocks form the protective wings, simply finished with textured lime render. Beyond the walls, the surrounding agricultural land is left untouched, allowing livestock to graze right up to the boundary walls. Inside, smooth unpainted lime plaster mirrors the roughcast outside, while dark brick floors throughout recall Victorian stable pavers, and an exposed roof structure of locally-grown Douglas Fir hangs above.Peckham House, London, by Surman WestonThis small but generously-spaced family home is full of enthusiasm and playfulness, with a faade defined by a distinctive pattern of hit-and-miss brickwork that playfully interprets the local houses. It sits on the end of an unassuming urban terrace, which makes the most of a small site, including a roof terrace to provide some needed outside space.Eavesdrop, Sussex, byTom Dowdall ArchitectsDesigned for retirement, the home is focused on wellbeing, calm and flexibility, with level thresholds for full accessibility, as well as light, tranquil spaces that open up to host friends and family. A generous central courtyard provides sunlight, fresh air, and year-round enjoyment of plants and wildlife. With its sweeping, rising roof, simple construction, and stone finishes, the house fits seamlessly into the landscape, while close up, the beauty of its stone detailing is revealed.The Hall, Kent, by TaylorHare ArchitectsSituated in the Kent Downs, this Grade II-listed 16th century residence has been extensively and sympathetically refurbished into a sustainable home. Interiors have been both restored and modernised, with finely crafted detailing and considered new interventions that work in harmony so that the historical compliments the contemporary. The house is an exemplar of green living, while simultaneously restoring the surrounding listed outbuildings and adding a pool, pool house, tennis court, stable block, and a new lake. The end result is a demonstration of how to extend the life of a historic building, while creating elegant living spaces for the future.Plas Hendy Stable Block, Monmouthshire, byStudio Brassica ArchitectsA Grade II-listed Arts & Crafts stable block has been rescued and restored to create a novel and accessible family home. Simple materials, detailing, and variation are applied in spirited and thoughtful ways, balancing aesthetic, heritage, and ecological obligations, while upgrades to sustainability and references to the Arts & Craft movement such as sawtooth brickwork and quarry tiles create moments of playfulness while demonstrating the many benefits of repurposing existing buildings.RIBA House of the Year Award chair, Studio Weave founder Je Ahn, said: This philosophy of the home as a lifelong process might be a tricky concept in this fast-paced contractual world, however, Six Columns demonstrates an important message that we should all remember: your home is not a static slice of time but continuously evolves with you.RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said the home cleverly incorporates Brutalist references and creative flourishes while retaining a strong sense of urban belonging.AdvertisementHe added: The generosity of space belies the limitations of this small garden plot. As we look for creative and practical solutions to the housing crisis, Six Columns offers a blueprint for bespoke urban infill development.Projects shortlisted for RIBA House of the Year 2024The RIBA House of the Year award was set up in 2013 and is awarded to the best new house or house extension designed by an architect in the UK. Last years prize went to a home in Tottenham, north London, by Hayhurst & Co described as a riad-inspired urban oasis (pictured below).Previous winners include McGonigle McGrath for House Lessans (2019), HaysomWardMiller for Lochside House (2018), Richard Murphy Architects for Murphy House (2016), Skene Catling de la Pea for Flint House (2015), Loyn & Co for Stormy Castle (2014) and Carl Turner Architects for Slip House (2013). Source:Kilian O'SullivanWinner of RIBA House of the Year 2023: Green House by Hayhurst & Co

Handed out at the opposite end of the year to the RIBA Gold Medal for Architecture, the Presidents Medals recognise the worlds best work by architecture students. This year's awards received a record number of entries, according to the RIBA.Kingston postgraduate Joe Franklin won the Silver Medal which recognises the best Part 2 Architecture design project for his project Ultra Town, reimagining the aborted HS2 Phase 2 site between Birmingham and Manchester as a forested new town.The project imagines the sites development over a period of 50 years as it becomes a home for 250,000 people, via a method of responsible development and new build construction embedded with cycles of support, maintenance and care'.AdvertisementFranklin said it was a real joy to receive the award, especially for such a quiet and at times, deeply personal project.He added: I only hope that the award can go beyond its limitations as a personal achievement, to celebrate the endless support and encouragement from my tutors and friends at the Kingston School of Art.The RIBA Award for sustainable design at Part 2 was given to Swiss student Nathalie Marj (cole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne, 'EPFL' Lausanne), for her project Protocols for Beiruts Unbuildable Lots: Designing Non-sectarian Spaces. Source:RIBAProtocols for Beiruts Unbuildable Lots: Designing Non-sectarian Spaces by Nathalie Marj (Part 2 Award for Sustainable Design)The RIBA Bronze Medal, for the best design project produced at RIBA Part 1 or equivalent, went to the University of Kents undergraduate student Victor Williams Salmeron, for this project Forget Me Not, an almshouse for former carers on the remains of a Victorian chapel.The project builds upon ancient vernacular almshouse traditions, creating a symbiotic place of community and individuality for those whose care is only implicitly spoken of.Advertisement Source:RIBAForget Me Not by Victor Williams Salmeron (RIBA Bronze Medal)Salmeron said it was incredible and so motivating to be recognised with the Bronze award, adding: I hope that my work can keep questioning and promoting the betterment of current standards of architecture and care.The RIBA Award for sustainable design at Part 1 was given to Coventry University student Sasha Farnsworth, for her project Womb Temple: Lunar Re-Birth. Source:RIBAWomb Temple: Lunar Re-Birth by Sasha Farnsworth (Part 1 Award for Sustainable Design)The winner of RIBAs Dissertation Medal was Bianca Zucchelli at the Bartlett School of Architecture, for The Eel, the Dowry and the Seamstress.The written project narrates the overshadowed story of a small Italian fishing village, Comacchio, which is the hometown of Zucchellis grandmother, and its relationship with the textile industry in the early 20th century. Zucchelli thanked the RIBA judging panel for recognising the value of my research in the untold stories of working women, and hope it will positively influence others to appreciate its importance in understanding nowadays world.The Serjeant Awards for Excellence in Drawing went to Kingston Universitys Jack Oaten (Part 2) for Mierceholts New National Timber Reserve, and Cardiff University's Jaehyun Byeon (Part 1) for Fabricated Identities: The Museum of Faith and Fashion. Source:RIBAFabricated Identities: The Museum of Faith and Fashion by Jaehyun Byeon (Part 1 Serjeant Award for Excellence in Drawing)Alongside the Presidents Medals, the 2024 RIBA Annie Spink Award for Excellence in Architectural Education, presented every two years, has been awarded to Jane Anderson, professor and undergraduate programme lead at Oxford Brookes University.The RIBA praised Anderson for her innovative, community-minded pedagogical philosophy, which involves starting every first-year student with a community-oriented building project in the real world.Anderson said: This award is really meaningful because I value education so highly as a force for good in society. Once I began teaching, I realised that the process of learning brings out the very best in humanity.RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said: What unites the winning projects is a true marriage of creativity and community spirit, explored with great sensitivity and personal insight.For me, these projects show a real awareness of the importance of reuse, elevating people and places that have been overlooked, and the social responsibility of the architect. While these are weighty themes, the winners give me confidence in the next generation of architects and designers.Chairs of judgesSilver Medal chairMina Hasman, sustainability director and climate advocacy lead at SOMBronze Medal chair Elena Marco, professor of teaching and learning of architecture and built environment, pro-vice-chancellor and head of the College of Arts, Technology and Environment at the University of the West of EnglandDissertation Medal chair Samir Pandya, assistant head, director of international, and strategic lead for equality, diversity and inclusion at the School of Architecture and Cities of the University of Westminster

The $650 Galaxy S24 FE went on sale this fall with a simple pitch: Get all of the features from Samsung's most expensive phones at a lower price than the $800 Galaxy S24. I tested the S24 FE for six weeks, and it is capable of running everything I usually use a phone for. I enjoy most of the photos I take with its cameras, and I especially appreciate its large 6.7-inch display and loud speakers. The inclusion of the Galaxy AI suite adds tools for transcribing, which I used for a Fortnite press event to transcribe my audio recording of the press conference. I also used Galaxy AI for altering photos with Sketch to Image, notably to transform photos of coffee cups with photorealistic additions made by my doodles.Then there's the Galaxy S24 that has more processing power and better cameras but also a higher $800 starting price. At a time when Samsung has four different Galaxy S24 phones, the Galaxy S24 FE stands out, prioritizing its value and longevity over fancier bells and whistles. This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products. After testing both phones, I found the Galaxy S24 is worth the extra $150 premium over the S24 FE. But if you're looking for a phone that feels premium for the lowest possible price, the FE is a solid option.At the time of this writing, the Galaxy S24 FE can be found for $575, which is even better than Samsung's $650 list price. The higher-end Galaxy S24 is $700, which is a $100 discount, when also signing up for cellphone service with the unlocked model.Samsung Galaxy S24 at Best BuySamsung Galaxy S24 FE at WalmartSamsung's Galaxy S24 series specs compared Samsung Galaxy S24 FESamsung Galaxy S24Samsung Galaxy S24 PlusSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Display size, resolution 6.7-inch AMOLED; 2,340x1,080 pixels, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.2-inch AMOLED; 2,340x1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.7-inch AMOLED; 3,120x1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,120x1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh ratePixel density 385 ppi416 ppi509 ppi501 ppiDimensions (inches) 6.4 x 3 x 0.3 in.5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 in.6.24 x 3 x 0.3 in.6.40 x 3.11 x 0.34 in.Dimensions (millimeters) 162 x 77.3 x 8 mm147 x 71 x 7.6 mm158 x 76 x 7.6 mm163 x 79 x 8.6 mmWeight (ounces, grams) 213g (7.51 oz.)168g (5.93 oz.)197g (6.95 oz.)233g (8.22 oz) Mobile software Android 14Android 14Android 14Android 14Camera 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 8-megapixel (3x telephoto)50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto)200-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 50-megapixel (5x telephoto)Front-facing camera 10-megapixel12-megapixel 12-megapixel 12-megapixelVideo capture 8K8K8K8KProcessor Samsung Exynos 2400eQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3RAM/Storage 8GB + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB8GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 1TBExpandable storage NoneNoneNoneNoneBattery/Charger 4,700mAh4,000mAh4,900mAh5,000mAhFingerprint sensor Under displayUnder displayUnder displayUnder displayConnector USB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-CHeadphone jack NoneNoneNoneNoneSpecial features 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G; IP68 water and dust resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 6E2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and dust resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 25W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 6E2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water and dust resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; 45W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 6ETitanium frame, 2,600-nit peak brightness; 7 years of OS and security updates; 5G (mmWave); IP68 water resistance; wireless PowerShare to charge other devices; integrated S Pen; UWB for finding other devices; 45W wired charging (charger not included); Galaxy AI; Wi-Fi 7; Gorilla Glass Armor cover glassUS starting price $650 (128GB)$800 (128GB)$1,000 (256GB)$1,300 (256GB) Design and features The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. Numi Prasarn/CNETThe screen size is the most obvious difference between the Galaxy S24 and S24 FE. The S24 has a 6.2-inch display that looks diminutive next to the S24 FE's 6.7-inch screen. Both phones' screens have a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes Android animations like scrolling and video games look more immersive. The Galaxy S24's smaller display has a higher pixel density: 416 pixels per inch compared with the FE's 385 ppi. The S24 has thinner screen bezels.The S24 FE's screen has a peak brightness of 1,900 nits and was plenty visible for me in bright environments. Compare that with the Galaxy S24's 2,600-nit screen, which when I had both phones side by side cranked to their top brightness, was certainly brighter.Then there are the under screen fingerprint readers on each phone. The Galaxy S24 uses an ultrasonic sensor that my colleague Patrick Holland described as "blazing fast to unlock." The FE however uses a slower optical fingerprint sensor, which is functionally the same, but it's certainly not "blazing." Aside from speed, the ultrasonic doesn't need to shine as bright to illuminate your fingerprint, whereas the optical one does -- which could be particularly annoying when unlocking your phone in the middle of the night. Watch this: Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Review: A Cheaper Way to Get Galaxy AI 06:09 Both phones feature its three rear cameras stacked vertically on the top left of their body. Both are available in a variety of colors: four for the FE and seven for the regular S24. The base model for each phone comes with 128GB of storage, which can be doubled to 256GB for $60.Samsung's Galaxy AI suite is the headline feature for all of the company's Galaxy S24 phones and has features like text message translation, expanding the frame of an image, turning a sketch into a photo and audio recording transcription. It's worth noting that older Samsung phones, like last year's Galaxy S23 line, now support Galaxy AI. We expect AI features like the Galaxy AI suite to continue to evolve, but for now I wouldn't consider Galaxy AI to be a necessity when making a phone buying decision.Battery and charging The battery activity page on the Galaxy S24 FE. Numi Prasarn/CNETBoth the Galaxy S24 and 24 FE have decent battery life, taking advantage of their respective 4,000mAh and 4,700mAh batteries alongside software enhancements. Both phones withstood long days of testing during our reviews, while ending the day at about 25% to 30%.When we review phones, we use them as our daily driver: taking photos, recording videos, making calls (audio and video), using new features and playing games. The S24 FE's battery life improved compared with last year's S23 FE, which often ended the day with little battery left. Mike Sorrentino/CNETBoth phones support 25-watt wired charging. During our 30-minute fast charging test the Galaxy S24's battery recharged from 0% to 51% in 30 minutes, while the S24 FE recharged from 0% to 56% over the same time. Keep in mind that the S24 FE has a larger battery.Performance Both the Galaxy S24 and S24 FE's processors are designed to handle AI processing. Mike Sorrentino/CNETSamsung's Galaxy S24 FE has an Exynos 2400E chip, while the regular S24 has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. Having different processors might partly explain why the S24 FE costs less, though in my experience it's still a speedy device.In the Geekbench 6.0 benchmark CPU test, the Galaxy S24 FE outperformed the entire Galaxy S23 line, while coming up a hair shorter than the Galaxy S24. Higher scores are better Mike Sorrentino/CNETMoving to a more graphics-intensive 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test, the Galaxy S24 thoroughly outperforms the S24 FE, with the cheaper phone coming in closer to the Galaxy S23 line.I had no issues playing games on the S24 FE, including on-device as well as the cloud-based Xbox Game Pass. But a more power-hungry gamer should consider the S24.Cameras The Galaxy S24 FE does a decent job taking photos, but the more expensive Galaxy S24 uses its more powerful processor to enhance them. Numi Prasarn/CNETWhen it comes to cameras, I'll be direct: Samsung's more expensive phone takes better photos. That's not to say the S24 FE is bad, far from it actually. Samsung's cheaper flagship has a camera that features a wide lens with a 50-megapixel image sensor, an ultrawide camera with a 12-megapixel image sensor and -- notably for this price -- a 3x telephoto lens with an 8-megapixel image sensor.Here are a few images from the Galaxy S24 FE. Enlarge Image Samsung Galaxy S24 FE main camera. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Enlarge Image Samsung Galaxy S24 FE's main camera. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Enlarge Image Samsung Galaxy S24 FE's ultrawide camera. Mike Sorrentino/CNETThe Galaxy S24 similarly has a trio of wide, ultrawide and 3x telephoto lenses. The main camera is identical on both phones, but the regular S24 has the advantage when it comes to image processing. Here are a handful of photos from the Galaxy S24. Enlarge Image Samsung Galaxy S24 ultrawide camera. Patrick Holland/CNET Enlarge Image Samsung Galaxy S24 main camera portrait mode. Patrick Holland/CNET Enlarge Image Samsung Galaxy S24 telephoto camera in night mode. Patrick Holland/CNETOverall, the Galaxy S24 takes better photos in darker settings than the S24 FE. In side-by-side camera tests, I can see the difference between how the two phones handled these more challenging situations. It's possible that the FE's performance is "good enough" as long as you aren't actually taking direct comparisons. Enlarge Image This cloudy street scene taken on the S24 FE (left) versus the S24. Mike Sorrentino/CNETI took the photos above on an overcast, rainy evening. Both images are from the main 50-megapixel camera, which is the same camera on both phones. Unsurprisingly, it's hard to see any noticeable differences between the two images. If you look closely, the building in the S24's photo is tack sharp whereas it's softer in the S24 FE's image -- this might be from the way I was holding the phones when I took the photos. Interestingly, the FE's photo shows more of the red car's street reflection.I pulled the black out curtains nearly completely closed in CNET's TV lab to test how the phone's handled a darker scene. Enlarge Image Galaxy S24 FE main camera, night mode. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Enlarge Image Galaxy S24 main camera, night mode. Mike Sorrentino/CNETThe Galaxy S24 FE's photo is brighter but has a purplish hue -- notice the table. Meanwhile the S24's image has more accurate colors. You can't make out all of the different televisions in the background in either photo.Then there are the selfie cameras. The S24 has a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, while the S24 FE has a 10-megapixel one. Enlarge Image Galaxy S24 FE selfie (left) and Galaxy S24 selfie (right) Mike Sorrentino/CNETI took the selfies above with my boyfriend under the mixed lighting of a brewery. The photos aren't that different, but if you look closely, the S24's image (on the right) has better contrast, which helps the colors pop and our skin tones look more natural. The S24 FE's photo almost looks like there's a haze to it especially when it comes to our faces. Photos From the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Cameras See all photos What about the Galaxy S24 Plus? Samsung Galaxy S24 (white) and larger S24 Plus James Martin/CNETEven though the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus starts at $1,000, it offers similar benefits as the nearly identical S24 but with all the advantages of a 6.7-inch display. The S24 Plus is a similar size as the Galaxy S24 FE but supports 45-watt wired charging and comes with the same fast ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that the Galaxy S24 has. It comes with 12GB of RAM compared to the 8GB of RAM found in the S24 and S24 FE.The base model for the S24 Plus starts with 256GB of storage for $1,000, but you can get the S24 FE with that much space for $710. This means that you'll need to decide whether the better camera, faster charging and other upgraded specs are worth that price gap. And whereas the $150 difference to the Galaxy S24 is a bit easier to argue for, I think it'd be understandable to take the cheaper FE if you don't consider the S24 Plus worth the extra $290.Should you buy the S24 or the S24 FE? The Galaxy S24 FE comes in four colors in the US. This one is Blue, and it's also available in Mint, Graphite and Gray. Numi Prasarn/CNETSamsung's Galaxy S24 FE is an easy recommendation for someone who wants a Galaxy phone that will last for years and has all of the latest features -- as long as you're content not having the fastest phone or the best possible camera. It's also a tempting option for someone looking for a larger-screened Galaxy S24, but doesn't want to scale all the way up to the $1,000 Galaxy S24 Plus.Samsung's $800 Galaxy S24 might have a smaller display than the FE -- which could be a perk for many people -- but it also has a lot of additions that are worth its higher cost, like a faster ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, a more powerful processor and better support for graphically intensive tasks. Photos from the S24 have better image quality, with the phone being able to capture brighter photos in darker environments and telephoto images having a better overall dynamic range (the lightest part of the photo compared with the darkest part).I recommend buying the S24 over the Galaxy S24 FE just for the benefits if your budget allows for it. Otherwise, the S24 FE is a valid choice if you need to pocket that $150 difference.The biggest con to buying the S24 this holiday season though is that Samsung is expected to unveil its Galaxy S25 series early in 2025. And as such, if you decide the Galaxy S24 is the move for you, you should then also ask if you need a phone right now or if it can wait until this winter.

Key Takeaways The top high-yield savings account still offers 5.00% APY, but only for balances up to $5,000.If the Fed lowers rates again, savings APYs could drop further, so your savings will accrue less interest.Kickstarting your savings goals with a HYSA now can help set you on the right track for 2025. There's still time to boost your savings by stashing it in one of the best high-yield savings accounts. The average savings rate APY is still over 4.30%, based on our daily tracking. Savings rates haven't changed drastically over the past few weeks, but banks have steadily lowered them this year.While interest rates on the best savings accounts are still high, APYs have fallen from the 6% highs we saw a year ago. There's only one bank that offers 5.00%, but only for balances up to $5,000.If the Federal Reserve lowers rates at its meeting this month, it could mean even lower savings rates. Even though holiday sales are happening, it's best to start thinking about your 2025 saving goals while rates are still favorable. You can automate your savings and earn interest on any money you're able to set aside before the year ends. Here are some of the top savings account APYs available right now: Today's best savings rates Bank APY*Min. deposit to openVaro 5.00%**$0Newtek Bank 4.90%$0LendingClub 4.75%$0EverBank 4.75%$0Bask Bank 4.65%$0Laurel Road 4.50%$0Synchrony Bank 4.10%$0American Express 3.90%$0Capital One 3.90%$0 Experts recommend comparing rates before opening a savings account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET's partners' best rate for your area.How the Fed could impact your savings rate next yearWhen the Federal Reserve raises or lowers the federal funds rate, consumer products like savings accounts tend to follow suit. The Fed started cutting interest rates in September as inflation cooled. Since then, savings account APYs have been dropping steadily.However, savings rates can rise and fall for other reasons."While it's true that HYSAs are influenced by the Fed's decisions, not all institutions adjust their rates immediately, and some may hold off to stay competitive," said Steven Kibbel, a certified financial planner and founder and CEO of Kibbel Financial Planning. "This means HYSAs continue to be a reliable option for keeping your money liquid while earning more than other low-risk alternatives."After the Fed's first rate cut in September, many CNET-tracked banks started lowering their savings account rates. For example, LendingClub cut its APY from 5.30% to 5.15% on Oct. 18, ending its streak as our top HYSA. On Nov. 7, it lowered it even further to 5.00% APY. Last week, its APY dropped to 4.75%.Despite a slight inflation uptick last month, a third rate cut in December isn't out of the question. The Federal Reserve also considers other data points, such as the unemployment rate. If the Fed cuts rates another quarter-percentage-point in December, as many expect, APYs would likely sink even more.That means you could see a lower savings rate going into the new year. However, even if you can save only a few dollars between now and the end of the month due to the holidays and expenses, any extra funds you allocate toward a HYSA will help set you on track to reach your 2025 savings goals.A high-yield savings account is still worthwhile to grow your fundsStashing money for other short-term goals in a high-yield savings account is generally a good idea, even if rates go down.High-yield savings accounts still offer rates that far outpace traditional savings accounts -- more than 10 times the national average. So there's no time to waste if you want to pad your emergency fund or start a sinking fund.More importantly, high-yield savings accounts offer a safe place to park your funds."Overall, HYSAs remain a smart choice for savers," Kibbel said. "Especially if you prioritize accessibility and safety, though it's always wise to monitor rate trends."There's some degree of uncertainty around whether rates will fall or hold steady following next month's Fed meeting, but a HYSA still provides plenty of value."In a declining rate environment, it's still valuable for people to store cash for shorter-term needs -- think emergency funds, bills and savings for near-term goals -- in high-yield accounts with competitive APYs," said Alex Michalka, vice president of investment research at Wealthfront.The key difference between using a HYSA for your emergency funds compared with a CD or bond is that you can access the funds quickly without incurring a penalty. CDs and bonds are better savings vehicles for your long-term financial plans.If you're earning near 0% on your savings, now is a good time to switch. Here's where savings rates stand at the start of this week compared with the start of last week:Compare the latest savings rates Last week's CNET average savings APY* This week's CNET average savings APYWeekly change4.41% 4.36%-1.15% What to know before choosing a high-yield savings accountWhen you're deciding which account and bank are best for your savings, here's what to look for:Minimum deposit requirements: Some HYSAs require a minimum amount to open an account, typically, from $25 to $100. Others don't require anything.ATM access: Not every bank offers cash deposits and withdrawals. If you need regular ATM access, check to see if your bank offers ATM fee reimbursements or a wide range of in-network ATMs, said Lanesha Mohip, founder of the Polished CFO and CNET expert review board member.Fees: Look out for fees for monthly maintenance, withdrawals and paper statements, said Mohip. The charges can eat into your balance.Accessibility: If you prefer in-person assistance, look for a bank with physical branches. If you're comfortable managing your money digitally, consider an online bank.Withdrawal limits: Some banks charge an excess withdrawal fee if you make more than six monthly withdrawals. If you think you may need to make more, consider a bank without this limit.Federal deposit insurance: Make sure your bank or credit union is either insured with the FDIC or the NCUA. This way, your money is protected up to $250,000 per account holder, per category, if there's a bank failure.Customer service:Choose a bank that's responsive and makes it easy to get help with your account if you need it. Read online customer reviews and contact the bank's customer service to get a feel for working with the bank.MethodologyCNET reviewed savings accounts at more than 50 traditional and online banks, credit unions and financial institutions with nationwide services. Each account received a score between one (lowest) and five (highest). The savings accounts listed here are all insured up to $250,000 per person, per account category, per institution, by the FDIC or NCUA.CNET evaluates the best savings accounts using a set of established criteria that compares annual percentage yields, monthly fees, minimum deposits or balances and access to physical branches. None of the banks on our list charge monthly maintenance fees. An account will rank higher for offering any of the following perks:Account bonusesAutomated savings featuresWealth management consulting/coaching servicesCash depositsExtensive ATM networks and/or ATM rebates for out-of-network ATM useA savings account may be rated lower if it doesn't have an easy-to-navigate website or if it doesn't offer helpful features like an ATM card. Accounts that impose restrictive residency requirements or fees for exceeding monthly transaction limits may also be rated lower.*APYs as of Dec. 4, 2024, based on the banks we track at CNET. Weekly percentage increase/decrease from Nov. 25, 2024, to Dec. 2, 2024.**Varo offers 5% APY only on balances of less than $5,000More savings advice:

Writing WipEout, one of gaming's most enduring, vivid worlds"There was always that sense of: not a lot of people read this, you could kind of go to town with it."Image credit: Internet Archive / Psygnosis Feature by Josh Wise Contributor Published on Dec. 5, 2024 Have you ever chewed fog? Of the many pleasures that games have given us, I'm not sure that I can recall it. Even in the clammier moments of Silent Hill 2, when the mists bulge and bruise with all manner of malevolence, I couldn't tell you what it tastes like. The question arises because of a booklet, that of WipEout, for the PlayStation, which briskly summarises the joys within: "Pick the team you want to race for. take control of your souped-up anti-gravity racer. then ride the six huge circuits leaving the rest to chew the fog." Note the lack of capital letters at the launch of each sentence. In this world, there is never such thing as a full stop.The words belong to Damon Fairclough, who worked at Psygnosis, the legendary, now closed Liverpool-based development studio, in 1995. In a sense, his brief was simple: to write game manuals. Though, given that Fairclough was credited in the finished version of Wipeout 64 with providing "manual text and insanity," we ought to assume that it soon warped from the simple into something else. When I asked him recently about his process, he described that time in cheery tones. "It was kind of like a joke," he says. "There was always that sense of: not a lot of people read this, you could kind of go to town with it." Fairclough was given details - ship sketches, track designs - and was tasked with giving them context. "You would get these crumbs from the developers," he says. "You would just kind of spin a load of stuff around that." Image credit: Internet Archive / PsygnosisThere was little sense, back then, that the spinning would lead a horde of devoted fans into dizzy reverence. "What I never really thought about was the impact this stuff had," says Fairclough. "People who really got into the game then loved to read the story bit." He's right, but quite why this should be the case is tough to pin down. Fairclough is, among other things, a copywriter. (In a campaign of his for Toyota, advertising the company's pledge for a full car service in sixty minutes, we see a man with a satchel clutched above his head in the rain, with the line "Just think what you'll be missing" printed in the downpour.) Though Fairclough is unlikely to be asked to craft an undergirding mythology when he is, as he puts it, "writing about widgets for a bathroom catalogue," his commercial instincts, along with his own obsessions, are essential to WipEout's fiction.Consider the following: "It's about cut-throat competition. It's about the technology, and the landscape, and the venues. It's about the history too, because once there's a history - once the mystical transformation from street plan into sound wave has occurred - it will have a tendency to occur again." He is writing there not about WipEout, with its unbroken vectors of stone, steel, and light, but about Sheffield, where he grew up, and the music of a certain place in time. Show this passage to any lover of WipEout, though, and they will nod in recognition at the weird pull of its lore. Here is a sci-fi racer, fixed on little other than cheek-peeling velocity, with no story or characters to absorb; and yet it hangs around in your memory - not just the pure and hurtling hit of a first-place finish but the feel of being adrift, the burn of a certain place in time.WipEout in action on the original PlayStation.Watch on YouTubeFor Fairclough, the two are almost inextricable. I asked him about his ruminations on Sheffield - housed on a blog called "Noise Heat Power" - and he explained that they were about ageing and looking back. "That specific Sheffield that I grew up in, where this happened and this happened and these certainties that I took for granted existed, changed really a lot," he says. "Industry, landscape, certainties about what the city would look like in the future, when I was young I would imagine that it was going to get more and more concrete and brutalist and, you know, that would just proliferate, and that's the world we would live in. I was quite excited about that."So, how do you get to dreaming up the history of WipEout when you have spent years staring ahead, chewing the fog of an uncertain future? "I was never a big sci-fi buff, really," says Fairclough, "so I don't always know where all the details are coming from." What are these details, exactly? We have the origins of the anti-gravity racing league, laid out, in that same booklet, as a collage of press clippings. An article in New Transport Monthly, dated 2nd February, 2038 ("Scientists who refused to bow to political pressure have emerged as key players in developing the transport system"); another in the "Biz News" section of Race Dayz, a US journal, from 8th June, 2044 ("Be assured - motor racing is DEAD"); and an introduction to the official programme of the F3600 Championships, from chief executive Dirk Breakwater ("To the world watching this event, already bigger than soccer's World Cup or the Olympic Games"). Image credit: Internet Archive / PsygnosisThen, there are the teams. Not just the glorious ships, which resemble the upturned, painted, and rocket-powered contents of a cutlery drawer, but the business that beams out at us from the margins. We get a string of corporate mottos that trim each team with just enough geography and posture. For Federal European Industrial Science and Research, better known as FEISAR: "The Muscles Behind Brussels." For American team Auricom: "Pushing Back the Boundaries," as if all this were just another frontier to tame. And for G-Tech, a Japanese team introduced in WipEout Fusion, we get the phlegmatic: "Products for an accelerated age.""I was packing it with in-jokes, private stuff that was funny to me..."Notice, in that last line, that it isn't the products that have caused the acceleration, merely catered for it; it's the age itself that has quickened, stoked by a consuming hunger. Fairclough gives us glimpses of WipEout's world, but they are glimpses from the inside: refracted through its media and sealed in the bright smog of its advertising. It's almost a Pop Art sensibility. Think of Roy Lichtenstein, cutting strips of American life into lurid comic form, hinting at weight and darkness but locked in an anti-gravity style. It's no wonder that The Designers Republic was drawn to WipEout, creating its box art and much of its in-game branding; that studio has always specialised in the process by which the ironic and the cynical is relit and steam-cleaned until it stirs.The art of good game manuals is one of the saddest semi-casualties of the current era. I was touched when Rockstar Games cleaved to tradition, with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, and included a fold-out map. It was a gesture, in keeping with the overriding theme of that game, toward an outmoded way of life. More than that, though, it acknowledged the will that games have to bolt their enclosures and spur the real world into living colour. Hence the in-game booklet of Tunic, which you filled in and decoded as you played. The pages took shape in step with your understanding of the game's inscrutable country - a delicious nod to the role of the manual, whose purpose is to illuminate the strangeness onscreen. It feels almost inconceivable now that a writer could have such an impact on the texture of a game without actually being in it. If Fairclough's work on WipEout - most of it carried out on the edges, in orbit of the event itself - has power, that is because it is, against the odds, personal. Image credit: Internet Archive / Psygnosis"I was packing it with in-jokes, private stuff that was funny to me," he says, speaking about his work on the website for WipEout Fusion. Along with writing manuals for the series, Fairclough also wrote online pieces and an entire fictional press pack, which he imagined being handed out to journalists at one of the anti-gravity racing events. "In terms of me looking back at the whole series, Fusion is by far the most amazing," he says, "because that was the one where I was just allowed to really go to town, nobody ever saw that press pack stuff, I had just done more work than was required, just for my own self-interest really." Indeed, if there is a defining spirit to Fairclough's work on WipEout, it wouldn't be self-interest but constraint - the freedom to express oneself within the limits of a brief."I knew I wanted to write," he says, "but knowing what to write about, for me, at that point in my life, was quite a sticking point." For Fairclough, being at Psygnosis at that time was a way to come unstuck, as it were. He was given a chance to cast out the old adage of writing what you know, and to write about what he didn't know - gradually, of course, his experience would leak in. "A job where you were getting briefs like this was suddenly really liberating," he says, "because it meant I could do this kind of work that I felt I should be doing, and a subject was given to me, and a kind of vague framework, and I really feel that in many ways that helped me just in my writing generally."Much of Fairclough's work on WipEout is, in some ways, no longer around. The booklets were produced in limited quantities, and his work on WipEout Fusion has pretty much vanished. "Unfortunately, it was all done in Flash," he says. "It's gone." What remains, though, is there not only on a hundred WipEout Wiki pages but, more importantly, whenever you fire up one of the old games. You can catch it in the surreal blend of the corporate and the darkly comic, and if you zip through a circuit or two and sense that these odd, far-flung vistas not only signal a palpable future, but that they have an unreachable past, then Fairclough has done his job. He was a young writer, locked to a ready-laid track, who drifted lightly above his brief and dreamt up something real. Whether his work is bound in old booklets or gone in a flash, it leaves an unmistakable trace. And if, like me, you regularly long for more WipEout, take heart. Once there's a history, it will have a tendency to occur again.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The First Descendant Season 2 is here! Its been anticipated ever since Nexons reveal and developer commentaries, and it looks fantastic as there is a lot of new content to enjoy from day one as well as anticipate for the beginning of the new year. Nexon has shared The First Descendant update 1.2.0 patch notes for Season 2, and they detail everything new at the beginning of the chapter. The release time for The First Descendant Season 2 is set, and there are a lot of new skins to want along with a new character named Keelan. There are also massive improvements to skins, and Nexon has teased additions well beyond S2 including photo mode in S3, and the addition of more types of companions to expand upon Season 2s best new feature, Fellows. While there is a lot to look forward to in 2025 for TFD, right now Season 2 is just beginning, and Nexon has shared The First Descendant update 1.2.0 patch notes. The First Descendant update 1.2.0 patch notesBelow are The First Descendant update 1.2.0 patch notes for Season 2: New Episode: Void ChaserAn unknown ship has been found abandoned at the Void Abyss where radars could not penetrate. Severely mutated Colossi were also detected to be on the move. Void Chaser, the new episode of Season 2, adds a new main quest and various content related to the Void and Colossus. The new main quest, Void Vessel Alarm, can be started by talking to Nell at the Headquarters after reaching Mastery Rank 8. Even if you proceed with the Void Vessel main quest first, the progress of your existing main quest will remain unchanged.The Bastion of Eternity progresses independently from the main quest. The disappeared Vulgus fleet and Karels schemes will return soon.New Content: Void Vessel Including Vulgus vessels destroyed while crossing dimensions, the Void Space has many drifting spaces. These potential threats called the Void Vessel require investigation operations of the Descendants. The new content, the Void Vessel Investigation Operation, can be started after completing the Unidentified Void Vessel Exploration Operation. Features of the Void Vessel Operation are as follows. Various Champion Vulgus: Champion effects such as Legion Shield that can be destroyed with Descendant Skills, Arche Obstruction that can only be destroyed with firearms are added. Void Vessel Commander Dread Armor Force has been added as a new commander Vulgus. One from three random paths are chosen for the Void Vessel Operation. You can acquire blueprints and materials for Fellow Enhancement Item research, materials for Keelan research, and Crystallization Catalyst research materials by inboxes that can be found on your way. Various tiers of Data Vaults appear per the Commander defeat time, and you can acquire research blueprints, code for the new Descendant Keelan or Fellow, and Crystallization Catalyst research material. If you already own a Fellow, the reward acquisition chance of Data Vault changes. A Decryption Key is needed to open an Inbox. Completing Void Vessel Misson allows you to acquire Decryption Keys.New Descendant: KeelanThe new Descendant Keelan is added. You can acquire research blueprints, codes, and materials from the Void Vessel.Keelan Skills Erosion: Using the skill increases the Acidic Infusion Level and grants Agility at every certain number of times. Agility effect increases the Skill Power and Movement Speed with each stack. Void Corrosion: Target an enemy to fire Void Corrosion and inflict Acidic Decay to the hit target. As the Effect Range increases, the number of Max Target Count increases, inflicting Additional DMG to enemies that are already affected by Acidic Decay. Onslaught: Dash forward to deal Damage to the pierced target and cause an explosion when completed to deal Damage and Knockback to nearby enemies. It inflicts Acidic Decay effect to the hit target and Additional DMG to enemies that are already affected by Acidic Decay. Stack Cooldown is decreased by a certain amount per the number of enemies pierced. While dashing, you do not receive DMG from some traps. Septic Gust: Deal Damage and inflict Acidic Decay to enemies within the range. Enemies already inflicted with Acidic Decay get Blood Rot effect. Enemies inflicted with Blood Rot explode after a certain period of time, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Tremor: If there are enemies within the range inflicted with Acidic Decay, deal Damage in proportion of the stacks count of the targets Acidic Decay. If there are no enemies within range affected by Acidic Decay, the current stacks of Onslaught will increase.Skill Module Focus on Prey: Void Corrosion is converted to target a single target rather than multiple targets with an increased Fire Count. The Max Stacks of Acidic Decay is increased, increasing the peak of Tremor by the Acidic Decay stacks count. Mobile Strike: Converts Septic Gust to grant Adventurous Spirit to the player rather than dealing Damage. While Adventurous Spirit is in effect, using Onslaught does not decrease the stacks count, and causing additional Continuous Damage by granting Accelerate Corrosion to the pierced target. You can acquire Keelan Skill Module from Hard Infiltration Operation, Hard Intercept Battle, and Module Combine.New Descendant: Ultimate Sharen Ultimate Sharen is added. You can acquire Blueprint and code with Amorphous Material. You can acquire Research Material from Infiltration Operation.Skill Modules Area Suppression: Flash Shortsword is converted to throw Daggers to nearby enemies. Daggers pierce through enemies to a certain level. Hit targets get Electrocution debuff, and with a Critical Hit, the Cooldown is recovered by a certain amount by the hit count. Ambushed: Movement Speed increases in the Active Camouflage state. When you kill an enemy or deal a Critical Hit on an enemy, you regain Active Camouflage state with a set chance. Shock Nuts is converted to Frangible Rounds that deal Damage by hitting enemies, inflicting Electrocution to the target. You can acquire Ultimate Sharen Skill Module from Hard Difficulty Intercept Battle and Module Combine.Addition of Ultimate Sharen Amorphous Material Amorphous Material Patterns 003, 005, 016, 051, 077, 086, 093, 101, 109, 110-Variant AA, 117, and 124 can no longer be acquired. You can continue using the Amorphous Materials you already have as before. Added the AC variants of Amorphous Material Patterns 003, 005, 016, 051, 077, 086, 093, 101, 109, 110, 117, and 124. You can acquire Ultimate Sharens Enhanced Cell Blueprint, Stabilizer Blueprint, Spiral Catalyst Blueprint, and code with the Amorphous Material.New Ultimate Equipment: VoltiaYou can acquire Voltia Equipment from Battle Pass.Unique Ability Chain Current Discharge Chain Current that links targets within a certain range when hitting on a target to deal damages to all linked targets. Chain Current deal Additional DMG to targets with Anti-Void Shield and Anti-Arche Shield. Enhancing Unique Abilities increases the chain count and shortens trigger cooldown.New Ultimate Equipment: Hammer and Anvil You can acquire Blueprint and code with Amorphous Material. You can acquire Research Material from Infiltration Operation.Unique Abilities Multiple Barrels Press Aim button to change the weapon firing method rather than aiming to convert the Ammo fired per to the Barrel. Smoothbore Barrel Hammer fires Kuiper Shells. Rifled Barrel Anvil fires Gyrojet Explosive Rounds. Gyrojet Explosive Rounds inflict Speed Reduction to hit targets upon explosion. A larger damage is dealt when max range explosion compared to collision explosion, firing additional Kuiper Shells at the explosion point.Addition of Hammer and Anvil Amorphous Material Amorphous Material Patterns 011-Variant AA, 025, 040, 053, 057, 069, 081-Variant AA, 091, 097-Variant AB, 099, 121, and 124 can no longer be acquired. You can continue using the Amorphous Materials you already have as before. Added the AC variants of Amorphous Material Patterns 011, 025, 040, 053, 057, 069, 081, 091, 097, 099, 121, and 124. You can acquire Hammer and Anvils Polymer Syncytium Blueprint, Synthetic Fiber Blueprint, Nano Tube Blueprint, and Hammer and Anvil Blueprint from these Amorphous Materials.New Ultimate Accessory Hunter set, a new Ultimate Accessory is added. (Hunter Auxiliary Power, Hunter Sensor, Hunter Memory, Hunter Processor) 2 Set Effects Skill Cooldown -4% 4 Set Effects MP Recovery In Combat +0.12 MP Recovery Out of Combat +1.03 Acquire Arche Shield when MP is at 50% or lower. While having Arche Shield, Firearm ATK -12%, but removes Arche Shield upon a hit, recover MP +30% (Cooldown 5s) You can acquire it by killing Commander in Void Vessel.New Modules New Ultimate Firearm Modules are added to the newly added Battle Proficiency Group, not the existing Special Mod Group. They can be equipped together with the existing Ultimate Firearm Modules, so we diversified the range of options to offer an even better efficiency in certain situations depending on your choices of combination. Please note that the descriptions of the new Modules in the Battle Proficiency group are based on their effects at the maximum enhancement level.Fellow A new Fellow Hagios Sheepdog has been added. You can acquire research blueprints, codes, and materials of Hagios Sheepdog from the Void Vessel.Interact You can interact with the new Fellow. Enjoy the diverse aspects of the Fellow.Growth Fellow can acquire EXP through Enhancement Items and Level Up with it. Enhancement Items can be acquired by research with research blueprint and materials from Void Vessel.Abilities Grant Module Drop Chance Increase Modifier. The stats increases gradually per the growth. Item Auto Pickup: Automatically pickup items in the Consumable and Inventory within a certain range. The item recognition range increases gradually per the growth. Auto-Dismantle Items: Periodically dismantle items that the Descendant acquired. Dismantling is performed when Inventory is full of items. Items for Dismantling are selected per the Exclude from Junk setting.View Fellow Setting You may change it in View Fellow Setting in Options Gameplay Social Select from View All / View My Fellow Only. View My Fellow Only does not show others Fellows on the screen.Inversion Reinforcement Some Inversion Reinforcement items stats have been improved, and some items effects have been changed. Aggressive items have been added along with the existing defensive items and achievement conditions were eased so that you can select items to situations.Target RewardTarget Reward system has been added for guaranteed item acquisition. If you have failed to acquire the targeted item even after completing the content set as Target Reward for a certain number of times, the item acquisition will be guaranteed. You may set Core Materials and Amorphous Materials as target items. You may designate up to 4 items. Target Reward settings can be set in the Item Acquisition Info (F). Content that can be set as Target Reward include Infiltration Operation, Special Operation, Outpost, and Intercept Battle. Their registration availability is displayed where they are acquired.Void Abyss Intercept Battle Infernal Walker has been added with the Void Abyss Intercept Battle. The Colossus appearing in the Abyss has a much stronger power. To intercept Infernal Walker, you must reach Mastery Rank 18 and clear the The Most Powerful Colossus quest.Infernal Walker Unlike the Frenzied mod of the existing Colossi, Abyssal Colossi have even more formidable attacks and defense abilities with their stats enhanced with the Void Reflux. Infernal Walker that entered the Void Reflux mode regenerates the destroyed parts. You can deal Damage or destroy and remove parts to reduce the Void Depth Gauge to stop the Reflux. Rather than normal attacks, use Chill, the attribute that the Infernal Walker is vulnerable to. Quality Certified ETA Voucher acquired by clearing Abyssal Intercept Battle can be used at ETA-0 Shop. Quality Certified ETA Voucher is removed at the end of the season.Addition of Hard Difficulty Special OperationHard Difficulty Resource Defense/Mine Blockade Special Operation have been added. Resource Defense Fortress Mine Blockade White-night Gulch You can acquire Code Breaker, Fine Adjustment Control Axis, Quantum Incubator, etc.Reactor Max Enhancement Level UP You can level up Level 100 Ultimate Tier Reactor to Tier 5. Other Reactors can be enhanced to Tier 2 at max, per the existing system. For Reactors Tier 3 to 5 enhancement, you need Dimension Analyzer. Dimension Analyzers can be acquired through Research. To perform Research, you need Quantum Incubator, Ion Accelerator, and Precision Ion Accelerator. Quantum Incubator can be acquired from Abyssal Intercept Battle, Hard Difficulty Special Operation, and Void Vessel.Infiltration Support Function Postponed Hotfix 1.2.1 Update The Infiltration Support feature will be included in Hotfix 1.2.1 to ensure stability. We appreciate your patience and understanding.Battle PassEnd of Season 1 Battle Pass Season 1 Battle Pass, Battle Supply Shop, and Bonus Shop will be closed. You will automatically receive Battle Pass rewards you unlocked by leveling up but have not claimed. If you have any leftover Supply Coins, the remaining items in the Battle Supply Shop will be automatically purchased and received in order. The Supply Coins remaining after the purchase of all Battle Supply items will expire and cannot be recovered. Unused Bonus Coins will expire and cannot be recovered.Start of Season 2 Battle PassSeason 2 Battle Pass will start anew. Discover the new Ultimate Weapon, Voltia, as a Battle Pass reward. You can earn a variety of rewards, including the weapon skin of Voltia (Ultimate Voltia), Keelans head skin (Square Sunglasses), Freynas head skin (Elegant Style), and more. Enjoy many more Battle Pass rewards, including some free rewards.Season 2 Battle Supply ShopThe new Season 2 Battle Supply Shop will open. All items sold in the Battle Supply Shop are free. Level up your Battle Pass and obtain various skins. Supply Coins required for purchasing items can be earned by completing certain challenges. Check out the Challenge rewards in the Battle Pass. You can obtain Gleys makeup skin (Snowfield) and head skin (Middle Layered Cut). You can obtain Sharens makeup skin (Cats Eye) and head skin (White Balayage).Season 2 Bonus Shop The new Season 2 Bonus Shop will open. In addition to items sold in the previous season, Code Breaker and Code Analyzer have been added.Shop All common skins purchased will be available to all set Descendants. In-shop discount events List of added items ( Includes items available for sale again.)Advanced Shape Stabilizer Added Advanced Shape Stabilizers 1-8. Used to shape Amorphous Materials, and the designation number of the Advanced Shape Stabilizer usable for each Amorphous Material is the same as the designation number of the normal Shape Stabilizer. Using it reverses the reward drop rates. 1st reward drop rate 5th reward drop rate 2nd reward drop rate 4th reward drop rate 3rd reward drop rate is unchanged 4th reward drop rate 2nd reward drop rate 5th reward drop rate 1st reward drop rate Available in Anais Event Shop and the ETA-0 Shop.Ring MenuThe Ring Menu has been expanded to three pages, with additional functionality for quickly executing various commands in addition to emotes and sprays. The Ring Menu pages can be edited using the shortcut buttonsWhile the Ring Menu is active, you can set the Ring Menu through the Customize feature by pressing the shortcut button. You can also edit the Ring Menu settings from the existing Customize Emote menu.EventWinter Festival events will be held to celebrate Season 2 update. Please refer to the following for a brief overview of the events, and the Winter Festival Event Notice for details on event duration and rewards.(In-game) Festival Beginning Login Event If you log in to the game between the update on 12.05.2024 (Thu) and 01.01.2025 (Wed) 22:59 PST, you will receive the Festival Light title in your mail.(In-game) Winter Festival Attendance Check The Winter Festival Login event will begin after the update on 12.05.2024 (Thu) and run until 01.15.2025 (Wed) 22:59 PST. Your login days are checked once a day when you first log in. A reward will be sent to your Mailbox based on the number of days you have logged in. Make sure to log in every day to receive the awesome rewards below!Event Rewards Some Ultimate Weapons and blueprints Some Transcendent Modules Paint packages Fellow growth food Various customization items Descendant Exchange Token, Descendant Growth Token, Descendant Special Exchange Token These special tokens are obtainable from the event and can be redeemed for rewards at the [Event] shops by visiting Anais. In particular, the Descendant Special Exchange Tokens can be exchanged for a collection of materials to research Ultimate Bunny or a gift box with new skins for Sharen, so dont miss out! (In-game) Anais Token Exchange Shop From the update on 12.05.2024 (Thu) PST to the end of Season 2, you can use the Event Shop by visiting NPC Anais. [Event] Descendant Exchange Shop [Event] Descendant Growth Shop Exchange tokens earned from the Login Event for various rewards. If you mistakenly exchanged for a Normal Descendant you already own using a Descendant Exchange Token at the [Event] Descendant Exchange Shop, you can sell it at the ETA-0 Shop to recover a Descendant Exchange Token.However, the Ultimate Bunny Research Material Bundle exchanged using Descendant Special Exchange Token cannot be sold. If you already own Ultimate Bunny, please exchange it for the HQs Gift Box.(In-game) Descendants Year-end Celebration The Descendants End of Year event will begin after the update on 12.05.2024 (Thu) and run until 01.01.2025 (Thu) 22:59 PST. The Descendants End of Year event will take place over four weeks, with a new challenge and reward each week.(Web) Anais Winter Festival EventFrom the update on 12.05.2024 (Thu) to 01.15.2025 (Wed) 22:59 PST, you can obtain login rewards and achieve weekly Personal and Co-op Goals to obtain Ultimate Weapon Materials, Crystallization Catalysts, and more on the official website. For more information on how to participate, please check the Anais Winter Festival Event page after the update.(Web) Twitch Drops Event The Twitch Drops event will run from 12.05.2024 (Wed) 23:00 to 01.01.2025 (Wed) 22:59 PST. Watch The First Descendant Livestream and receive rewards based on your watch time.The First Descendant Season 2 update 1.2.0 patch notes HotfixContent Improvements(1) Vulgus Largescale Outpost Improvements Modified the location and movement path of outpost spawn monsters that were interfering with Sharens infiltration. Vespers Lost Supply Depot Agna Desert The Storage, Miragestone White-night Gulch Mountaintops, Shipment Base Hagios Dune Base(2) Missions Changed the objectives for field missions and infiltration operations, and improved monster placement.Escort Missions Fixed the drone to move automatically even when you are not near them. The drone moves slower when you are not near them. Your Shield no longer drains when you are near the drone. You no longer have to defend the drone after completing the escort. Adjusted the escort travel distance for some missions to reduce the escort duration.Defense Missions Defeating all monsters that spawn in a Defense Mission now completes the mission immediately. Same as Resource Defense Special Operations.Multi-Assassination Missions The next wave of monsters now appear immediately when all monsters are defeated. Reduced the wait time caused by monster spawn animations.Occupation Missions Reduced missions with 2 or more consecutive occupations to 1 occupation or replaced with Extermination. Reduced the time required for occupation and changed the mission time limit to 5 minutes. Increased the occupation range for some missions.Miscellaneous Changed the locations where monsters spawn and spread out in all directions. Monsters that are difficult to deal with no longer spawn in multiple numbers simultaneously. Lowered the difficulty of missions in Invasion quests so that they dont block progression. Changed the location of gimmick platforms to make it easier to progress. Decreased the proportion of ranged monsters and increased the proportion of melee monsters to help players respond to them during gimmicks. Lowered monster levels and reduced the number of monsters.(3) CustomizationPaint Feature Added more paintable targets The default Descendant head and body skins can now be painted. The default weapon skins can now be painted. Chest and back attachments can also be painted. Individual paint application Painted skins equipped by Descendants can now be saved individually. The same common skin can be painted and saved in different colors for each Descendant that equips it. Descendants that have Regular and Ultimate versions can also have their painted skins saved separately.Paint Sorting Improvement The paints that have been applied to skins are now displayed at the top of the Paint list.(4) Matchmaking Improvements To improve the matching experience, the matchmaking logic has been changed as follows:Reduced network latency range when matching When matchmaking is requested, users in nearby areas will be searched first, and the range will gradually expand. Previously, the maximum search range was set somewhat wide, but the latency search criteria has been strictly revised to ensure that the most neighboring regions are allocated for searching.Added same-platform priority matching logic Added a logic that prioritizes same-platform matching for matchmaking requests. This prioritizes matching with the same platform during the matching wait time, and matching gradually expands to other platforms over time.# Producers CommentWeve analyzed the matchmaking data from last season and improved the logic as above.First, weve narrowed the search range to prioritize matches with neighboring regions, which we hope will reduce the number of matches that experience server lag (network latency).However, our simulation results showed that this could slightly increase the matching time, but we expect this will provide a smoother playing experience than before, so weve made this change.And we were originally going to add the cross-play on/off option to the PC platform.But simulations indicate that the resulting matching pool would be extremely fragmented, so we decided to improve the matching logic first rather than adding the option.Simulations of the same-platform priority matching suggest that it will provide a better experience than the cross-play off option.Therefore, we decided to put the option addition on hold for now and check the matching results before making any further changes.The Dev Team will continue to monitor the results of the changed matchmaking logic in live and make further improvements and responses as needed.(5) Beginner Care Improvement Added a UI animation that highlights the Module button when there is a module in Inventory that can be equipped on your weapon but is unequipped. Added the Best Module consecutive quest, which provides Modules to Descendants who enter Hard Difficulty. Adjusted Normal Difficulty missions to allow repeated acquisition of items required for Gley and Enzo research.Added the Arche Analysis Research consecutive quest, which guides additional acquisition routes for the Descendants Enzo and Gley. Arche Analysis Research Gley, Arche Analysis Research Enzo Added the Ultimate Equipment Research consecutive quest, which supports the crafting of two types of Ultimate Equipment. Ultimate Equipment Gregs Reversed Fate, Ultimate Equipment Executor(6) Addition of Ping System Added a ping system that allows you to display pins on the screen or see the pins of your squad members while playing. You can share your movement and attack points with your party or squad members as icons on the screen through simple controls.However, its not available when youre in Albion or during matching.(7) Contents Reduced the Shield Recovery of the Commander monster Eterllick in Normal Infiltration Operation <Sterile Land The Forgottense>. Fixed the doors in Normal/Hard Infiltration Operations/Invasions to close 5 seconds after entering the Battle area. Changed the Special Operation Mine Blockade in White-night Gulch Battlefield from Shipment Base to Moongrave Valley. Improved the Interim Review stage rewards for Special Operations. More Amorphous Materials and Shape Stabilizers can be obtained. Added Code Analyzers. Removed Gold from the Interim Review stage rewards. The drop rate of gold from defeating each Special Operation monster has been increased to match the amount of Gold that could previously be earned as Interim Review stage reward. The total amount of Gold that can be earned in a single Special Operation has slightly increased. Intercept Battle (Normal) Hanged Man Adjusted the minimum matching number of players for Hanged Man to 1. Destroying the Hanged Mans Imitation Ironheart now continuously decreases its wipe attack gauge. Modified the Hanged Man to move less when it uses Charging Laser (a laser that fires from its mouth when destroying its Charger fails), making it easier to hit its Weak Point. Intercept Battle Grave Walker, Swamp Walker, Frost Walker Adjusted the movement of the guided projectiles fired by Grave Walker, Swamp Walker, and Frost Walker so that they are less likely to follow the Descendant.(8) Descendants Readjusted the skill performance of some Descendants. In the second update, we plan to change the skill mechanics of some of the Descendants listed below, which will allow us to make additional changes that were not included in this performance adjustment.(9) Weapons & Modules Increased Sprint Speed for the Machine Gun, Scout Rifle, Sniper Rifle, and Launcher. Increased Sprint Speed of Descendants when using their unique weapon. Capped the maximum Sprint Speed and Running Speed. This is higher than the maximum that could be set previously with the Descendants skills and items so that the Descendants do not become slower than before. Adjusted the default Weapon Stats and Unique Abilities of Ultimate Weapons.Weapon Stats Adjustment Increased Firearm ATK of Python and Clairvoyance.Unique Ability Adjustment Adjusted the reduced stats in the Basic Information included in the Unique Abilities of all Ultimate Weapons to align with final enhancement level. If a stat is 0 at the final enhancement level, it has been removed from levels 0 to 3, and if a stat has some value at the final enhancement level, it has been adjusted to have the same value at levels 0 to 3.Improved the list of recommended modules to be more accurate than the existing Equip Recommended Modules.When you <Use> a Descendant in the Descendant menu, the improved list of recommended modules will be suggested if no modules are set.When recommending modules in Module mode, the improved list of recommended modules will be suggested.A new quest, Ultimate Equipment Research, will drop one item each for the Executor and Gregs Reversed Fate research.(10) ReactorChanges to Ultimate Reactor Optimization Conditions Changed the Optimization Conditions for Ultimate tier Reactors from when using [weapon] to 11 types of when using xx weapon class.Ex) When using Thunder Cage When using Submachine Gun weapon class If a Reactor has duplicate Optimization Conditions, the cost of Reactor Implant will be refunded. For more information, please refer to the noticeEx) When using Thunder Cage + When using Enduring Legacy + When using Python When using Submachine Gun weapon class + When using Machine Gun weapon class + 1 Reactor Implant cost refundChanges to Reactor Difficulty Level Reward (Rotation Reward) Conditions For Difficulty Level Rewards, the round conditions have been removed from conditions for Reactors to drop in certain areas.Ex) Reactor drops when General Round X Toxic X Tech conditions are met Reactor drops when Toxic X Tech conditions are met Added Toxic X Singular and Toxic X Fusion Reactor conditions for Difficulty Level Rewards. Changed all Reactors that drop as Difficulty Level Rewards to Ultimate tier.Reactor Fixed Farming Improvement Increased the drop rate of Reactors outside of Difficulty Level Rewards (Rotation Rewards) in Hard Missions, Outposts, and Fusion Reactors. Changed the Attribute type X Arche type of Reactors that are fixed drops in some Battlefields on Hard difficulty.(11) UI&UX Removed the cap on the number of Consumable Slots. Calibers spent to expand the number of Consumable Slots will be refunded. Increased the number of Research that can be conducted simultaneously from 5 to 7. Restricted the ability to post recruitment or applications in places (situations) where recruitment or invitations cannot take place. Chat is now restricted when you are in Laboratory or matchmaking for Intercept Battle, Mission: Calling of the Descendant, Special Operation, or Invasion. Added Auto Select, which allows selecting all 4 modules at once when combining modules, and Select All, an option that allows selecting multiple sets of modules in multiples of 4 at once. Auto Select and Select All are only available in the View Duplicate Modules state. Added Deselect and Deselect All options so that you can immediately deselect items you have selected in the Selected Items list when selling blueprints. Improved the Sell Blueprints screen to display the Owned Icon on research materials, intermediate products, and blueprints for the Descendant selected as the starting Descendant or the Descendants purchased from the shop. Changed the Instant Complete (using Accelerate) button input for Research to press and hold. Added the Move All option that allows moving a large number of items between Storage and Inventory at once. Squad/Party display icons are now individually colored to help users distinguish them. Added a feature that allows viewing only the skins that sale have been ended Unpurchasable skins are no longer displayed by default in the list on the Customize screen. Added information on the type and source of Reactors in Access Info. Failing an Intercept Battle without having the recommended specs now displays a pop-up UI with the details. The map now displays a quest marker if a Special Operation needs to be carried out to complete a quest. Removed the feature that automatically equipped randomly set modules when the Recommended Modules feature failed to load a list. Instead, the UI will inform you that a recommended list could not be loaded. The same Dismantle Junk filter settings will now apply to each ID on other devices. Improved the visibility of regions on the World Map where the Invasion has been thwarted.(12) Miscellaneous Beam attacks from Common/Commander monsters can now be dodged. Commander monsters now display a HP bar when they appear. Items dropped by Common and Commander monsters now spawn directly on the ground. Boost items can now be used in the Consumable Inventory. Boost items collected from your Mailbox will now be placed in the Consumable Inventory. Items purchased through Battle Pass etc. will also be placed the Consumable Inventory. Adjusted to allow changing Descendants when near Tactical Mobility Teleporter. Improved so that changing Descendants at a camp or Tactical Mobility Teleporter fully restores HP, shields, and rounds as if respawning. Fixed terrains that hindered character movement in Echo Swamp. Removed the additional reward for using Void Shards in the Void Fusion Reactor, instead added the removed reward to the main rewards.(13) Optimization and Graphics Quality Added Cinematic, which surpasses Ultra in the graphic quality settings. The Cinematic option provides the following quality enhancements. AntiAliasingQuality: Provides improved TSR quality over Ultra.ViewDistanceQuality: Provides more than twice the visibility of Ultra. ShadowQuality: Provides improved Virtual Shadow Map quality over Ultra.ReflectionQuality: Provides improved reflection effects on translucent surfaces compared to Ultra.PostProcessQuality: Provides improved Depth of Field and Bloom effects over Ultra. TextureQuality: Provides better quality for some non-virtual textures than Ultra. EffectsQuality: Provides improved lighting on translucent objects, improved atmospheric effects, and improved cloud effects compared to Ultra. MeshQuality: Provides Nanite mesh of higher peak density than Ultra.RayTracingQuality: Provides about 3 times the visibility of ray tracing effects compared to Ultra.The First Descendant Season 2 update 1.2.0 patch notes Bug Fixes(1) Contents Fixed an issue where teleportation would occur even after entering the Battle area of Infiltration/Invasion Dungeons on Normal/Hard difficulty.(2) Descendants Fixed an issue where the falling bombs would clump together when using Kyles skill module Superconductive Bombing. Fixed an issue where the Skill Power Increase of the Concentrated Fire effect was not applied to the Combat Drone when using Enzos skill module Concentrated Fire. Fixed an issue where the Explosion Damage Range of the Small Supply Ship of Enzos Perfect Support skill appeared to have a smaller visual effect than the actual damage range. Fixed the visual effect displayed when using Ultimate Lepics skill module Increased Efficiency. Fixed Lunas Passionate Stage, Cozy Stage, and Delightful Stage skill windows displaying as if the MP cost on Note failure was not affected by Skill Cost. Fixed Lunas Stage Presence skill window displaying the MP cost on Note failure as a negative number. Fixed Lunas Notes appearing pushed or overlapped when the frame rate drops while using her Stage Presence skill. Fixed an issue where, when Gley equipped the Firing Fiesta, Payout, and Spray and Pray Modules and used the Increased Sensory skill to gain the Maximize Lethality effect, the effects related to rounds consumption would not apply if one effect was removed first.(3) Weapons & Modules Fixed an issue where the tooltip value in the Module Settings would continue to increase when the same module is equipped consecutively. Fixed the Increased Movement Speed on Hit effect not triggering when defeating enemies with a single bullet fired while equipped with Brisk Walk, the Ultimate tier module for General and Special Rounds. Fixed an issue where triggering the Lethal Infection module would display the updated status effect icon. Fixed an issue where equipping the Edging Shot module for General Rounds would incorrectly display Explosive ATK instead of Firearm ATK as Applied Value in the Module Info window.(4) UI & UX Fixed some function buttons not displaying correctly in the Weapon Readjustment UI. Fixed an issue where an Insufficient Balance window would appear when accelerating ongoing Research even if you have enough Caliber. Fixed the Rounds filter function name in Storage, displaying Enhanced Rounds to Special Rounds. Fixed an issue where the Applied Value section in the Module info window incorrectly displayed cumulative values when the same Module was repeatedly equipped.(5) Miscellaneous Fixed an issue in Intercept Battles where AoE (Area of Effect) damage generated after the Colossus appeared but before the battle began would not apply the correct amount over time. Adjustments have been made so that the damage amount is no longer displayed when the enemy is killed, and the damage amount is not shown when a lot of damage is displayed at once.For more The First Descendant, we have a guide to thebest skills and loadout for Viessa, along with thebest skills, gear, and mods for the hugely popular Bunny. We also have a guide forFreynaalong with fundamentaltips for beginners.The First DescendantPlatform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Action, Adventure, RPG5VideoGamerSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide The ever-expanding weapon arsenal in Call of Duty often results in some weapons standing out from the crowd thanks to their superior performance across your favourite maps and game modes. Since the launch of Black Ops 6, the likes of the Krig C assault rifle and Jackal PDW submachine gun have dominated the meta.The Season 1 Reloaded introduces even more weaponry into the mix giving players even more choice when it comes to building the very best loadouts. Instead of making numerous buffs and nerfs as part of the mid-season update, Treyarch has opted to hold off and fans arent bothered about waiting a little longer for the balancing to arrive. No Black Ops 6 Season 1 Reloaded buffs and nerfsInstead of the developer applying a wealth of changes to restore some kind of balance, Treyarch has decided to launch its next weapon balance pass at a later date. On December 4, 2024, it shared just some of the changes on their way.The lack of headshot damage has been hugely frustrating for many players attempting to get their hands on the coveted Mastery Camos. With most weapons requiring 100 headshots to complete the Military Camo challenges, several fans have switched over to Hardcore thanks to the reduced health making it much easier to progress through the challenges. In addition to headshot damage buffs, Treyarch also plans to reduce the amount of visual recoil generated by the weapon arsenal in addition to the complete removal of idle sway shortly after aiming down the scope of a sniper rifle. Great news if your accuracy is impacted by the unnecessary movements.A positive step forwardInstead of attempting to cram everything into one update, its great to see Treyarch taking its time to ensure the changes are going to make noticeable differences in the gameplay experience. Its also a huge positive to see the developer taking player concerns on board and actively applying changes fans want to see instead of adjusting other areas that may not need any changes.For some, a delay of weapon balancing means a few more weeks of Jackal and Krig dominance but in the long run, a short wait for more thorough changes is going to leave Black Ops 6 in a much better position ahead of its second post-launch season. For more, check out the best LR 7.62 loadout for long-distance duels alongside the latest intel on when the next double XP event is taking place.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Platform(s):PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):ShooterSubscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

KeenTools FaceTracker Becomes Stable By KeenTools on December 5, 2024 Add-ons KeenTools' FaceTracker for Blender, brings professional-grade face tracking from Nuke to the Blender community. Their add-on left beta now, and is ready for production.After three months in open beta, our professional facial mocap add-on is now ready for production. Discover a new chapter of character animation and 3D composting in Blender: markerless motion capture, texture mapping workflow and animation transfer are now just one click away.Short demo:FaceTracker for Blender is: Markerless facial mocap: capture facial performance and head motion with a matching geometry Custom face mesh generation: create digital doubles using snapshots of video frames (available with FaceBundle) 3D texture mapping: beauty work, (de)ageing, relighting 3D compositing: add digital make-up, dynamic VFX, hair and more (NEW) Animation retargeting: convert facial animation to ARKit blendshapes or Rigify rig in one click The new feature is a shortcut for animating your 3D characters using only source video a game-changer for Blender animation workflows!With the stable release, FaceTracker for Blender becomes a paid tool with a 15-day free trial. Get access to all features including custom face mesh generation, motion capture and animation retargeting with the FaceBundle deal: one key for both FaceTracker and FaceBuilder at a reduced price.Moreover, until Dec 31, get 30% OFF the annual Freelancer subscription for FaceBundle or FaceTracker for the first year with the FTB30 discount coupon code.Details, downloads, tutorials, licensing and discounts here.

In recent years, commercial spyware has been deployed by more actors against a wider range of victims, but the prevailing narrative has still been that the malware is used in targeted attacks against an extremely small number of people. At the same time, though, it has been difficult to check devices for infection, leading individuals to navigate an ad hoc array of academic institutions and NGOs that have been on the front lines of developing forensic techniques to detect mobile spyware. On Tuesday, the mobile device security firm iVerify is publishing findings from a spyware detection feature it launched in May. Of 2,500 device scans that the company's customers elected to submit for inspection, seven revealed infections by the notorious NSO Group malware known as Pegasus.The companys Mobile Threat Hunting feature uses a combination of malware signature-based detection, heuristics, and machine learning to look for anomalies in iOS and Android device activity or telltale signs of spyware infection. For paying iVerify customers, the tool regularly checks devices for potential compromise. But the company also offers a free version of the feature for anyone who downloads the iVerify Basics app for $1. These users can walk through steps to generate and send a special diagnostic utility file to iVerify and receive analysis within hours. Free users can use the tool once a month. iVerify's infrastructure is built to be privacy-preserving, but to run the Mobile Threat Hunting feature, users must enter an email address so the company has a way to contact them if a scan turns up spywareas it did in the seven recent Pegasus discoveries.The really fascinating thing is that the people who were targeted were not just journalists and activists, but business leaders, people running commercial enterprises, people in government positions, says Rocky Cole, chief operating officer of iVerify and a former US National Security Agency analyst. It looks a lot more like the targeting profile of your average piece of malware or your average APT group than it does the narrative thats been out there that mercenary spyware is being abused to target activists. It is doing that, absolutely, but this cross section of society was surprising to find.Seven out of 2,500 scans may sound like a small group, especially in the somewhat self-selecting customer base of iVerify users, whether paying or free, who want to be monitoring their mobile device security at all, much less checking specifically for spyware. But the fact that the tool has already found a handful of infections at all speaks to how widely the use of spyware has proliferated around the world. Having an easy tool for diagnosing spyware compromises may well expand the picture of just how often such malware is being used.NSO Group sells its products exclusively to vetted US & Israel-allied intelligence and law enforcement agencies, NSO Group spokesperson Gil Lainer told WIRED in a statement. "Our customers use these technologies daily.iVerify vice president of research Matthias Frielingsdorf will present the group's Pegasus findings at the Objective by the Sea security conference in Maui, Hawaii on Friday. He says that it took significant investment to develop the detection tool because mobile operating systems like Android, and particularly iOS, are more locked down than traditional desktop operating systems and don't allow monitoring software to have kernel access at the heart of the system. Cole says that the crucial insight was to use telemetry taken from as close to the kernel as possible to tune machine learning models for detection. Some spyware, like Pegasus, also has characteristic traits that make it easier to flag. In the seven detections, Mobile Threat Hunting caught Pegasus using diagnostic data, shutdown logs, and crash logs. But the challenge, Cole says, is in refining mobile monitoring tools to reduce false positives.Developing the detection capability has already been invaluable, though. Cole says that it helped iVerify identify signs of compromise on the smartphone of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and Sikh political activist who was the target of an alleged, foiled assassination attempt by an Indian government employee in New York City. The Mobile Threat Hunting feature also flagged suspected nation state activity on the mobile devices of two Harris-Walz campaign officialsa senior member of the campaign and an IT department memberduring the presidential race.The age of assuming that iPhones and Android phones are safe out of the box is over, Cole says. The sorts of capabilities to know if your phone has spyware on it were not widespread. There were technical barriers and it was leaving a lot of people behind. Now you have the ability to know if your phone is infected with commercial spyware. And the rate is much higher than the prevailing narrative.Updated at 12:12 pm EST, December 4, 2024, to include a statement from NSO Group.Updated at 2 pm EST, December 4, 2024, to include additional details about how iVerify's tool detects spyware.