LatestMachine LearningMulti-Agent Collaboration: The Future of Problem Solving with GenAI. 0 like December 15, 2024Share this postLast Updated on December 16, 2024 by Editorial TeamAuthor(s): Shivam Mohan Originally published on Towards AI. This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has witnessed extraordinary advancements in recent years, ranging from natural language processing breakthroughs to the development of sophisticated robotics. Among these innovations, multi-agent systems (MAS) have emerged as a transformative approach for solving problems that single agents struggle to address. Multi-agent collaboration harnesses the power of interactions between autonomous entities, or agents, to achieve shared or individual objectives. In this article, we explore one specific and impactful technique within multi-agent collaboration: role-based collaboration enhanced by prompt engineering. This approach has proven particularly effective in practical applications, such as developing a software application.One compelling approach to multi-agent collaboration is assigning different roles to agents, enabling them to specialize and work together to achieve a shared objective. Think of this as assembling a dream team where each member has a unique skill set. In software development, for example, creating a coding application using multi-agent collaboration might involve agents taking on roles like a planner, coder, tester, and debugger. By dividing responsibilities, the agents can efficiently tackle the problem in parallel while ensuring quality and coherence.Imagine we want to build a simple calculator application using a Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

Kraven the Hunter has, as expected, bombed at the box office with a paltry $11 million domestic haul from 3,211 theatres.That figure is enough to set an unwanted record: the worst ever opening for a Sony Spider-Man Universe movie. The R-rated action flick comes in under the disastrous Madame Web, which brought in $15.3 million during its launch weekend earlier this year, as well as all the Venom movies and 2022s Morbius ($39 million).Kraven the Hunter kicked off its international debut, meanwhile, with just $15 million from 21,500+ screens in 60 markets. Combined with the domestic figure, Kraven has $26 million globally this weekend.Every Upcoming Spider-Man Movie Spin-Off in DevelopmentKraven the Hunter stars Kick Ass and MCU actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular villain, a skilled hunter who sets his sights on Spider-Man after conquering all other prey in the animal kingdom. Its director J.C. Chandor had asked fans to please give Kraven the Hunter a chance ahead of its release.Unfortunately, those pleas fell on deaf ears. Kraven now goes down as yet another damaging Sony superhero flop, especially since it cost an estimated $110 million to produce. When you add on marketing spend, Kraven is set for a big loss.Kraven has also flopped with critics. IGNs Kraven The Hunter review returned a 3/10. We said: Kraven the Hunter takes aim at the audience and instead shoots itself in the foot with ill-conceived action and a poisonously rote script that totally botches its razor-thin examination of toxic masculinity.So, is Kraven the final nail in the coffin for Sonys Spider-Man Universe, a universe that, remarkably, does not feature Spider-Man? Earlier this month a leading talent agent told The Wrap that Sony had "developed what they want to develop for now" and was instead focusing on the next actual Spider-Man film under Marvel Studios, which is confirmed by star Tom Holland to begin filming in 2025. As a point of comparison, Spider-Man: No Way Home pulled in $587.2 million in its weekend box office debut.Sony's Spider-Man universe officially includes six films: Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, Madame Web, Venom: The Last Dance, and Kraven the Hunter. Only one of these has so far managed above a 5/10 in IGN's review, with Venom: Let There Be Carnage earning a 7/10. The rest received 4/10 and 5/10.Sony has the aforementioned Spider-Man 4 to look forward to, at least. It arrives on July 24, 2026 as a continuation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy again starring Holland. It may even introduce Miles Morales into the MCU, something Holland is personally invested in.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The following review contains spoilers for the fifth episode of Dune Prophecy, In Blood, TruthYes! Finally! Some drama! I really wish more of Dune: Prophecy felt like In Blood, Truth. Its got big reveals, big action, and big decisions being made, and it all feels so much more exciting than everything leading up to it. Almost every element of the episode feels elevated, from how the visuals and action come together to give the audience fresh new things to look at, and an energy to the performances that feel much better now that the actors have something to really chew on. Even the boring Imperial storyline gets injected with new excitement especially with the introduction of Mother Francesca to the mix. This is the first time Dune: Prophecy has really nailed the Game of Thrones impression its been trying to do this whole time, and its perplexing why the whole show isnt like this. With only one episode left, it seems the excitement will be short-lived.Its probably easiest to see the effects of the more engaging script in how much the younger actors are able to step it up in In Blood, Truth. Its really the first time Dune: Prophecy has given Josh Heuston something to work with in the role of Constantine Corrino, and hes finally able to make the bastard son trying to win his fathers favor a more compelling part of the series. Sarah-Sofie Boussnina benefits from it as well, and with where Princess Ynezs story is left in In Blood, Truth, itll be exciting to see where things go, and if they can pull off a good ending for the character. Chloe Lea, whos been one of the standouts among the younger actors in the series already, gets to play a whole new character in episode 5, as her foremothers vie for control of Sister Lilasmind, and her impersonation of Mother Raquella is spot on she expertly mirrors Cathy Tysons movements, quirks, and speech patterns. A rising tide lifts all boats, and a more exciting story does the same for these performances.Visually, In Blood, Truth still doesnt come close to the Dune movies, but the heightened action of the episode naturally makes it all more visually interesting. As things start to pop off (literally) with Keiran and Mikaela, were treated to some solid fight choreography as they fight their way through the newly minted Sardukar, and while the explosions that follow dont always look amazing, its just more exciting to watch when the story more naturally works in tandem with the action. Its a welcome change of pace for a series that has so far struggled with its more stunt-heavy scenes.But thats the issue: This is all too little, too late. Theres one more episode next week, and while I have relatively high hopes for it now that things seem to be coming together, this wont save Dune: Prophecy from what its been. Too much time was spent setting the dominoes up, and now theres little to no time left to enjoy watching them fall. Giving Dune: Prophecy only 6 episodes to work with does the series a huge disservice, and links it to the multitude of recent streaming series (maybe most notably the Disney+ MCU shows) to follow the same trajectory: feeling sluggish in the beginning, only to have to rush the ending.Dune: Prophecy 5 Gallery

Geek culture on television has a more storied history than you might realize. The Dark Knight himself made his small screen debut well before he entered multiplexes with 1989s Batman. The Twilight Zone planted the science fiction flag on TV before the invention of the first handheld calculator. And thats not even to get into the Star Trek of it all. Still, while comic books, space operas, and fantasy epics got themselves comfy in cinemas, TV was largely content to pursue smaller budget pastimes like sitcoms, cop procedurals, and talk shows throughout much of the mediums history. That all began to change with the launch of the streaming era. And now, if our list of the best TV shows of 2024 is any indication, the geeks have well and truly inherited the episodic earth once again. TV was fit-to-bursting with geek-friendly storytelling in 2024. From quality superhero spinoffs (The Penguin, Agatha All Along) to ambitious genre animations (Arcane, Invincible) to heady sci-fi book adaptations (Silo, 3 Body Problem), it didnt take much effort to find nerdy bliss in the TV world this year. Combine that with the more traditional cable efforts like Shgun, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Interview with the Vampire, and we had ourselves a recipe for another calendar turn of televisual excellence.These are our choices for the best TV shows of 2024 from a North American perspective. You can also find our selections for British TV excellence here. NOTE: In the interest of getting you this list in time for some holiday watching, were publishing in advance of several late-December releases like Squid Game season 2. Those will be considered eligible for our 2025 list next year.25. Curb Your EnthusiasmAvailable on:Max (U.S.)You only get one shot at an ending. Unless, of course, you areSeinfeldandCurb Your Enthusiasm creator Larry David. The final season ofCurb Your Enthusiasmworks so well because itnever once hides where its going. Even the most casual fan can sense what the series is building up to a do-over of the reviledSeinfeldfinale that David penned but that doesnt make the journey any less pleasant.David has his cake and eats it too this time around. Season 12 operates as both a collection of solid Curbepisodes and a series of goodbyes for the characters weve come to cringe at so much. By the time you get to the finale, youre equal parts excited to see how David atones for endings past and confident that hes going to get the job done. Alec Bojalad24. Nobody Wants ThisAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)The show may be called Nobody Wants This, but as one of Netflixs most popular shows this year, it seems like a lot of people actually did want this romcom starring Adam Brody and Kristen Bell. When sex and relationship podcaster Joanne (Bell) meets hot Rabbi Noah (Brody) at a party, sparks fly despite their glaring differences. They fight their feelings at first, but soon come to realize that their initial attraction could lead to something real and meaningful for both of them. The chemistry between Bell and Brody is unreal, but they arent the only standouts in this series. The supporting cast is just as phenomenal, adding very real stakes as Joanne and Noahs friends and family many of whom have their doubts about their relationship. Nobody Wants This is an incredibly realistic take on what its like to date in adulthood the ups and downs, the joy and the heartbreak. It reminds us that love can come into our lives when we least expect it. Brynna Arens23. The Legend of Vox MachinaAvailable on: Prime Video (U.S. and U.K.)Adapting a Dungeons & Dragons campaign into a TV show cant be an easy task, and yet once again Critical Role has managed to condense hours of gameplay into an epic and compelling 12-episode season. There are some differences between the campaign and the story we see in The Legend of Vox Machina season 3, but every change has been for the better, making this show so much more than just a retelling of Critical Roles first campaign.All of the emotional story beats remain intact. But even if you arent familiar with Critical Role or the original campaign, The Legend of Vox Machina is still a hilarious, fun fantasy with epic stakes. The animation has only gotten better, and this merry band of misfits makes it easy to spend hours with them and their adventures. BA22. BridgertonAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)Though its hard to beat the steamy chemistry of season 2s couple Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton) certainly gave them a run for their money this season. With the added tension of Penelopes secret identity as the tons lead gossip Lady Whistledown, their friends-to-lovers story is full of compelling conflict made even richer by their long history.The side plots woven throughout their blossoming romance are also worthy of note, with Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and Violet (Ruth Gemmell) finding potential love matches of their own. Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) is also eager to avoid being married off to a man three times her age, leading her to make someinteresting choices. Really my only complaint about season 3 is that theres not more of it. BA21. The BearAvailable on: Hulu (U.S.), Disney+ (U.K.)The third season of FX and Hulus culinary megahit was rightly criticized for beingwell, a bit boring. While the first two seasons of this (controversially classified as a) comedy operated at the typical breakneck speed associated with restaurant kitchens, the third outing slows things down to let its characters finally catch their breath. The end result was an imperfect year of television that nevertheless remained a truly entertaining and enlightening experience.From its bravura first episode that featured extended flashbacks scored to Nine Inch Nails to a final outing that featured a long-coming confrontation and a terrifying review, The Bear season 3 remained its stylish, compelling self. And thanks to FXs commitment to the traditional TV filming timeline, we wont have to wait too long for the next entry in the adventures of Carmy, Syd, Richie, and friends. AB20. John Mulaney Presents: Everybodys in L.A.Available on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)In addition to all the brilliant joke-writing and quick-thinking improvisational skills, comedian John Mulaneys best weapon has always been his taste. Despite being only a hair over 42 years old, the former SNL writer has a deep appreciation for the classics. Like Lenny Bruce, he wears suits for his standup specials. Like nearly every comic from the 80s and 90s, his first attempt at a scripted TV series was a multi-camera sitcom with a laugh track. Now, with this years John Mulaney Presents Everybodys in L.A., he finally gets to live out his Johnny Carson Tonight Show dreams.Everybodys in L.A. was short lived but it burned brightly. The premise for the show was that, if every major comedian was going to be in Los Angeles for Netflixs comedy festival Netflix is a Joke, then there should be a Netflix-hosted, L.A.-based talk show for them all to drop by. The simplicity of Everybodys in L.A.s setup belies just how well-written and funny this whole thing was, even over its scant six episodes. Mulaney blended his usual smart comedy with chaotic celebrity interviews, Los Angeles history lessons, and a Richard Kind as a sidetick to giggle throughout the whole thing. AB19. What We Do in the ShadowsAvailable on: Hulu (U.S.), Disney+ (U.K.)In the fast-paced, short-lived world of modern television, it doesnt take long to become the elder statesman of your chosen genre. In eras past, FXs brilliant vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows would just be entering middle age as a comedy in its sixth season. Now, however, its as old as a well, a really old thing so old, in fact, that it is closing the coffin for good. The final season of What We Do in the Shadows is not necessarily its best but its still one of the most consistently entertaining and chuckle-inducing comedies on television. This time around the Staten Island vampires get immersed in corporate culture, wrapped up in petty politics, and of course: make a gosh darn Frankensteins monster; or more accurately: a Cravensworths monster. Well miss WWDITS when its gone but no one can argue it isnt going out on top. AB18. The PenguinAvailable on: Max (U.S.), Now (U.K.)When Warner Bros. Discovery announced that its The Batman spinoff The Penguin would be moving from its original Max streaming home to HBO proper (alongside Dune: Prophecy) it represented a grand sea change in how entertainment conglomerates viewed the their nerd-coded IP. If comic book stories can achieve critical acclaim in cinemas as Serious Art (TM) then why cant they also find a home on televisions most prestigious channel? Thanks to the efforts of The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc and stars Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti, WBDs creative gamble paid off beautifully in 2024.The Penguin falls well short of its desired The Sopranos in Gotham heights because few shows can comfortably reside in the same breath as the original HBO masterpiece. But this bird still flies higher than it has any right to. A heavily made up Farrell never breaks kayfabe as the waddling Oz Cobb while Milioti turns in a confident performance as one of Gothams unlikeliest power brokers. The Penguin not only continues the success of Matt Reeves The Batman franchise, it lays the ground for more ambitious superhero work on the prestige TV network of record. AB17. ArcaneAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)The creative team behind Arcane set an incredibly high bar for themselves with the excellent first season of the series, and with only nine more episodes to wrap up this story, they certainly had their work cut out for them with the second and final season. Unsurprisingly, however, they have surpassed expectations, giving us an epic and visually stunning end to this story.Arcane season 2 begins right where season 1 left off and only continues to hit the ground running from there. Caitlyn and Vi team up to try and stop Jinx from causing more pain, but Vi finds that its harder than she thought to accept that her sister has changed. Ambessa continues to sink her claws into Piltovers politics, hoping to gain an advantage over the mysterious forces hunting down her family. Viktor becomes Hex Jesus after nearly dying, doing his best to create a utopia for the people of Zaun. The final season of Arcane is a wild ride from start to finish, and everyone involved deserves their flowers for this beautiful, heartfelt story woven with rich lore and told through an impeccably gorgeous art style. BA16. The BoysAvailable on: Prime Video (U.S. and U.K.)Even after three seasons and a couple of spinoffs, The Boys refuses to take it easy. Season 4 feels even more relevant after the fact with its focus on a presidential election and a secret fascist plot to overthrow the government hitting closer to home than many Americans would like it to. Homelander (Antony Starr) and Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) become unlikely allies in their quest to get Supes in the Oval Office. The Boys try to track down a deadly virus that could wipe out all Supes for good. And Butcher (Karl Urban) does his best to stay sane as a V-induced brain tumor continues to give him someunique side effects.The Boys continues to offer smart satire on both the superhero genre and the world at large in its fourth season, while also giving us mutated super sheep, an interesting evolution of Homelanders breastfeeding kink, and quite a few emotional and shocking goodbyes. BA15. SiloAvailable on: Apple TV+ (U.S. and U.K.)Set in a world where all of humanity has been forced into underground silos for their survival, Silos second season finally gives us a small look at the world outside of Juliettes (Rebecca Ferguson) silo. After being sent out to clean at the end of last season, we now follow Juliette as she journeys into a nearby silo, seemingly abandoned after an unsuccessful rebellion killed most of the population. However, Juliette isnt as alone in this new place as she thinks she is, and soon finds out that she may have to trust the mysterious stranger Solo (Steve Zahn) if she wants to find a way back home.Back in her home silo, a rebellion is brewing. Thousands of people saw Juliette survive outside far longer than any other person before her, leading to doubt in their leader, Bernard (Tim Robbins). The show may have expanded its scope beyond one silo, but things are just as tense and claustrophobic as ever. Despite being set sometime in humanitys future, Silo is also unexpectedly timely as we see more and more people come together against their oppressive leadership and uncover the truth about their existence. Community is one of the most important things we can cling to right now, and this season of Silo is a great reminder of how powerful we can be when we come together. BA14. InvincibleAvailable on: Prime Video (U.S. and U.K.)Though the momentum of Invincibles impeccable first season was somewhat waylaid by this seasons split into two parts, season two of the series has still proven to be one of the best shows of this year. After the shocking revelation of Nolans (J.K. Simmons) true intentions for Earth, Mark (Steven Yeun) not only has to contend with the aftermath of losing who he thought his father was, but also with the question of how to continue his life as normal. But as Mark soon learns, life as a superhero is rarely ever normal.From parasitic alien hive minds to an impending Viltrumite invasion to discovering his fathers secret alien love child, Mark does not have any easy go of it this season. And on top of it all, he tries to start college and maintain his relationship with Amber (Zazie Beetz). This season may not end with as jaw-dropping of a reveal as the previous one, but the storytelling, acting, and art of Invincible continues to be top-notch. BA13. 3 Body ProblemAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)Since Star Wars first premiered in 1977, the science fiction genre has increasingly come to be associated with action and adventure more than hard science. Not that theres anything wrong with that, of course! But the real heady, Asimov-ian stuff has had a hard time gaining a foothold in pop culture. Thats why its so remarkable that 3 Body Problem, Netflixs biggest genre swing of the year, is full-on hard sci-fi.Thats not to say that 3 Body Problem, based on a trilogy of Mandarin-language novels from Liu Cixin, doesnt have its kinetic moments. In fact, the series includes one of the most thrilling and violent action sequences youre likely to see. But more often than not, 3 Body Problems lead characters of scientists, government agents, and all-around problem-solvers are primarily engaged with tackling the mathematical and sociopolitical questions raised by the central three-body problem. Oh and there are aliens! AB12. English TeacherAvailable on: Hulu (U.S.), Disney+ (U.K.)The powers that be would have you believe that comedy is hard. Then a show like English Teacher comes along to remind us that no, it really is fairly simple. Step 1: Be funny. Step 2: Dont be not funny. Call that an oversimplification if you must but this FX comedy truly excelled in keeping it simple, stupid. From its self-explanatory title (youre never going to believe what English Teacher is about), to its relatively small cast, to its abbreviated eight-episode run, English Teacher didnt try to reinvent the comedic wheel. Instead creator and star Brian Jordan Alvarez used the familiarity of the series high school setting to present fun little 22-minute vignettes about what it means to be a confused teenager or an equally confused adult in 2024. English Teacher is gently political, but not preachy; sweet, but not saccharine; and above all else: very, very funny. AB11. One Hundred Years of SolitudeAvailable on: Netflix (U.S. and U.K.)Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buenda was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. These are the opening lines of Gabriel Garca Mrquez classic 1967 novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. They are also the opening lines of Netflixs ambitious 2024 TV adaptation of the work. This eight-episode series (set to receive a second and concluding season at an unknown time) is all about fidelity to Mrquez beloved opus that chronicles 100 years of the Buenda familys solitude in the fictional Macondo. Long thought unadaptable due to its strange chronology and the sheer lyricism of Mrquezs magically-realistic approach, One Hundred Years of Solitude nevertheless received the Netflix treatment anyway. Thankfully for all of us, the show somehow pulls it off. This is a dense, deliberate, and joyful presentation of a largely inscrutable work. Filmed on several locations throughout Colombia with an almost entirely Spanish-speaking Colombian cast, One Hundred Years of Solitude goes about adapting a classic the right way. In the process it captures some real TV magic realistic or not. AB10. Agatha All AlongAvailable on: Disney+ (U.S. and U.K.)WandaVision continues to be one of the few Disney+ MCU series I go out of my way to rewatch, so there wasnt much, if any, doubt in my mind that Agatha All Along would be something special. And yet, Im still blown away by just how incredible this series is. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer has once again told a compelling story of love, grief, and loss through the lens of pop culture. After breaking the curse placed on her by Wanda, Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) is compelled by a mysterious teen (Joe Locke) to gather a coven and summon the infamous Witches Road. Agatha All Along is a queer, campy, witchy, spooky delight to watch, with leads Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza sharing the most chemistry the MCU has ever seen. This show and its popularity is further proof that Kevin Feige should just let Schaeffer continue to do her thing with the witchy side of the MCU. Agatha All Along is fairly self-contained, but theres still plenty of room for more stories in this world to be told. And if they are, I will absolutely be seated. BA9. FalloutAvailable on: Prime Video (U.S. and U.K.)Whether youre a fan of the video game series or going into the series almost totally blind, Prime Videos FalloutFallout is set in the future, after a nuclear apocalypse has ravaged the planet and left a lawless wasteland in its wake. Somehow, humanity has survived it all, but so many remnants of the old world like religious totalitarianism and corporate greed manage to survive as well, making the mistakes of the past a lot harder to escape.The show manages to capture the essence of the games while still telling a wholly new story led by complicated characters. Lucy (Ella Purnell), a naive vault-dweller who sneaks to the surface in search of her father. Maximus (Aaron Moten) a devout squire of the Brotherhood of Steel sent on an important mission. And the Ghoul (Walton Goggins), formerly actor Cooper Howard, a fierce gunslinger who has wandered the wasteland for 200 years in search of his family, and somehow still looks hot. Their eventual alliance may be a tenuous one, but as the truth about the mysterious company Vault-Tec comes to light, it becomes crucial to their survival. BA8. House of the DragonAvailable on: Max (U.S.), Now (U.K.)House of the Dragon season 2 had a lot stacked against it. From the writers strike impacting the scripts and what could and couldnt be changed during filming to rumors that HBO cut their episode order mere months before filming began, its easier to forgive this seasons shortcomings and focus on what makes it great. And there are a lot of things that make this season great.Despite having only a few scenes together, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyras (Emma DArcy) relationship continues to be a highlight of the series. This world famously doesnt treat its women very well, and yet House of the Dragon wouldnt be the show it is without these two at its heart. Theres also plenty of dragon shenanigans as the tension continues to build between the Greens and Blacks in their war for the throne. BA7. EvilAvailable on: Paramount+ (U.S.)Now that Evil is wrapped following its fourth and final season, I see its pop culture future so clearly it might as well be standing right in front of me. For as long as this Robert and Michelle King-created paranormal procedural exists on a streaming service, curious genre fans will continue to find it, watch it, love it, and then all ask the same question: Wait, how wasnt this a massive hit? Its a mystery to me as well, hypothetical future Evil-watcher. More than ever in season 4, Evil remained the platonic ideal of a monster-of-the-week supernatural TV drama. While the overarching storylines begin to come to a head (a global network of tech-savvy satanists welcoming the birth of the antichrist and thus ushering in an era of perpetual darkness yada yada yada), the series still made time for compelling weekly mysteries while enjoying time with its core trio of Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi), and David Acosta (Mike Colter). There will come a time when consumers begin to wonder why there hasnt been an attempt at a modern X-Files. How lucky theyll be to discover that someone had that same thought back in the 2020s and went ahead and made the thing. AB6. X-Men 97Available on: Disney+ (U.S. and U.K.)X-Men 97 somehow manages to capture the fun of the original animated series without being bogged down by nostalgia. It quickly becomes its own thing, and proves how much potential weve been missing out on from the X-Men over the years. X-Men 97 is like a gripping superhero soap opera, full of relationship drama, secret clones, and world-ending apocalyptic events.Whether youre a fan of the original or coming into the series with fresh eyes, it doesnt take long for the show to pull you in (or for the catchy theme song to get stuck in your head). BA5. IndustryAvailable on: Max (U.S.), BBC iPlayer (U.K.)When it first premiered in 2020, HBO and BBC Two finance drama Industry was seen by many viewers as the we have Succession at home option. Thats understandable as both Industry and its better-known HBO cousin deal with the world of the outrageously wealthy as they strive and vie to get an eensy bit richer, no matter the human cost. The comparison was usually an unfavorable one as Succession is rightly considered an all-time great HBO drama while Industry merely staggered along in its wake.With season 3, however, Industry forged its own unique path and turned in a truly great year of television. Bolstered by the ingenious addition of Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) to an already-capable cast, Industry season 3 was more focused, angry, and pulpy. While viewers still needed an advanced business degree to understand any of the financial machinations at way, the familiar human drama never let up for a moment, culminating in a superb finale that is equal parts Bridgerton and The Godfather. AB4. Mr. and Mrs. SmithAvailable on: Prime Video (U.S. and U.K)Taking a premise that has not only been done once, but twice before and making it something fresh and exciting is no small undertaking. And yet Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane have managed to not only make a version of Mr. and Mrs. SmithDonald Glover and Maya Erskines chemistry as the titular Mr. and Mrs. Smith is electric, in both the series serious and more comedic moments. The generic presentation of the spy organization they work for only adds to the mystery of it all, and further emphasizes that John and Jane dont have many allegiances beyond themselves. It all makes for an addictive, gripping spy series that proves Glover and Sloane arent running out of steam as a creative duo anytime soon. BA3. HacksAvailable on: Max (U.S.)Hacks is one of the most reliable comedies on television. Through its first two seasons, you could practically set your watch to this Max series being both an extremely funny take on aging in the entertainment industry and the oddly affecting depiction of a codependent relationship between two women. The shows third installment, however, might just be its best.Hacks season 3 takes everything that already works about the show and cranks it up to new levels. At the center of it all are the remarkable performances of leads Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder as comedy superstar Deborah Vance and her young writer Ava Daniels. Alone, each performance is among the best in the medium. Together, they are a nuclear bomb of charm, tension, and pathos. AB2. Interview with the VampireAvailable on: AMC+ (U.S.), BBC iPlayer (U.K.)Interview with the VampireLestat (Sam Reid) is very much still a commanding presence in the show as Louis deals with the guilt of both trying to kill him and not making sure the job was finished.Armand (Assad Zaman) also proves to be just as formidable a figure, though a lot more understated. The series has become even more adept at weaving its threads between the past and the present to tell the story of Louis life, and we cant wait to see where it goes from here. BA1. ShogunAvailable on: Hulu (U.S.), Disney+ (U.K.)It didnt take long for Shgun to become one of the most talked-about shows of the year, nor is any of its praise unwarranted. Though many have been quick to compare the shows gripping drama and political intrigue to Game of Thrones, I would argue that Shgun is even better. Set in 1600s Japan, Shgun follows Lord Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his alliance with an English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), as several powers vie for control of Japans future.The cast is incredible, from Sanadas calculating Lord Toranaga to Anna Sawais strong and loyal Mariko to Jarvis fish-out-of-water John Blackthorne and every character in between. There is not a single performance in this show that isnt worthy of praise. While this story may be about mens struggle for power on the surface, the heart of the series lies in its women, who carry this conflict even more than many of the men realize. BA

Its a dicey time for the British TV industry. The BBC may not currently be facing the hostility of the previous government, but its output is being winnowed down by cuts; the chunk taken out industry-wide by Covid-19 has never really been put back; the pockets of the once-shiny new streamers are less deep than they used to be, and more desperate for returns on investment; and the majority freelance workforce that make the shows we love are seriously struggling for security and a future. The model needs to change.Despite all that gloom, 2024 has still seen some amazing work come to screen. Weve had tense crime series, globetrotting thrillers, glitzy entertainment shows, heartfelt comedy, imaginative sci-fi and brilliant period drama. Weve had shows so good they explain why clever, creative people choose unstable careers and crazy hours to make them. Join us in celebrating the most entertaining UK TV series of the year, and add any of your British favourites weve missed below. Youll find the Best Of American TV list here, feat. Shogun and Interview With the Vampire and House of the Dragon and all that great stuff. Happy watching!25. GladiatorsIn terms of uncomplicated, feel-good family joy, few series can beat this years BBC One Gladiators reboot. In an atomised entertainment world where every member of a family is sucked in to their own personal screen, shows with multi-generational appeal are increasingly rare, and this good-natured brawn-fest has to be the pick of the bunch. Presented by light entertainment doyen Bradley Walsh (his son Barney is also there), its charmingly nostalgic for those of us old enough to know who Ulrika(ka-ka) Jonsson is, fresh fun for everybody else, and once again a Saturday teatime staple. Read why its the last feelgood show standing here.24. Renegade NellSally Wainwrights family fantasy felt like a throwback to a different time not the 18th century, when it was set, but the late 20th century, when childrens teatime drama was at its peak. In the 70s, 80s or 90s, this imaginative story about Nell (Derry Girls Louisa Harland), a young woman endowed with magical superpowers by a sprite (Ted Lassos Nick Mohammed), would have been a post-bath and homework Sunday night family favourite. Nells adventures fighting evil lords and standing up for the oppressed were great fun, but sadly couldnt find their audience in the streaming age, hence Disney+ not renewing it. Read our review here.23. Red EyeTheres not much better than a big, silly TV thriller that knows its a big, silly TV thriller and absolutely leans into it. ITVs Red Eye (already renewed for a second series) is exactly that. Richard Armitage plays a surgeon implicated in an international spy conspiracy in this real-time six-parter set mostly aboard a London to Beijing flight. As the altitude climbs, so does the body count and so do the frankly ludicrous twists that come together for a genuinely exciting climax. Brain-off conspiracy fun. Read our review here.22. The Traitors Series 2When it works, it works, and in series two, The Traitors worked. Even the worst TV snob cant argue with the entertainment value of Dianes poisoned fizzy ros death and high drama funeral (well, they could, but as they almost certainly werent watching, the rest of us dont have to listen). Skulduggery, betrayal, twists, and beautiful weirdo Claudia Winkleman the high camp of The Traitors is a thing to behold, and a lifeline in the dark winter months. Bring on series three, and read our guide to the best survival tactics on the show, and why they should put Winklemans face on stamps, here.21. The Red KingFolk horror is a British institution, and one that writer Toby Whithouse (Being Human, Doctor Who) bravely attempted to revive for this Alibi six-parter, with some success. Anjli Mohindra plays Grace, a detective seconded to a remote British island where her investigation into the disappearance of a local teenager leads her to discover a vast conspiracy. Its a twisty mystery that pays bountiful homage to genre classic The Wicker Man and ticks a lot of familiar boxes. Read our review here.20. Until I Kill YouIts become so common for makers of true crime drama to insist that their shows arent exploitative or salacious but instead, all about giving a voice to the victims, that the sentiment has become almost meaningless. Four-parter ITV Until I Kill You though, really delivers on that promise. Serial killer John Sweeney (Shaun Evans) isnt the focus, this is very much the story of Delia Balmer (Anna Maxwell-Martin), a woman who suffered immensely at her former boyfriend Sweeneys hands, but whose story is ultimately one of strength and hope. Maxwell-Martin gives an extraordinary performance as this idiosyncratic survivor. Read about the dramas depiction of Balmers Catch-22 situation here.19. LudwigThis David Mitchell vehicle is charming stuff. Its faintly-ludicrous-but-knows-it story of identical twin brothers (Mitchell) and police conspiracy bumbled along nicely for six episodes, whereupon a cliffhanger made the now-commissioned second series a must. Mitchell plays socially awkward loner John Taylor, a puzzle-setting genius whose more outgoing police detective twin brother James goes missing, leaving his wife (Anna Maxwell Martin) and son behind. To find James, John must assume his identity, and it turns out that a lifetime of solving puzzles is excellent preparation for solving murders. A well-acted, unchallenging binge-watch dotted with treats including cameos by Derek Jacobi and Felicity Kendal. Read our review here.18. PassengerHappy Valley meets Stranger Things in this ITV horror mystery starring Lokis Wunmi Mosaku as a detective investigating weird happenings in an isolated Northern village. The TV screenwriting debut of The Crown and Betters Andrew Buchan, Passenger is a twisty story that pulls you along with eerie revelations, comedic interludes, intriguing characters and a solid cast. Whats really going on at the bread factory? Its worth spending six episodes of this unusual series finding out. Read our review here.17. Day of the JackalSky Atlantics new 10-part adaptation of Frederick Forsyths assassin novel takes the unusual step of following killer-for-hire The Jackal (Eddie Redmayne) and the MI6 agent obsessively tracking him (Lashana Lynch) home to their spouses and children. It slows things down, but adds another Killing Eve-type layer to the action thriller, giving it additional jeopardy as if The Day of the Jackal needed any more of that. Watch it for Redmaynes prosthetic disguises, car chases and expert marksmanship. Read our review here.16. ShardlakeThis TV adaptation of CJ Sansoms Tudor-set mystery novels has been a long time in the coming. Sir Kenneth Branagh was once attached before his attention strayed to Wallander, leaving room for Stephen Butchard (The Last Kingdom) to write this atmospheric adaptation for Disney+. It stars Arthur Hughes as 16th century lawyer Arthur Shardlake, a man tasked with investigating a murder at a wealthy, remote monastery that Henry VIII (Sean Bean) wants to find justification to shut down, and is a transportive crime mystery that does justice to Sansoms character and setting. Read our review here.15. Taskmaster Series 17 & 18What is there to say? Its Taskmaster, one of the most reliably entertaining British comedy shows around. Each new confection of guest brings its own flavour to whatever daft business Alex Horne, Greg Davies and co. have cooked up (performing classical music without any instruments, screaming body parts in Alexs face and secretly saying umbrella five times, to name but a few) . 2024 saw Steve Pemberton, Sophie Willian, Nick Mohammed, John Robins and Joanne McNally vie for first place, followed by Jack Dee, Emma Sidi, Rosie Jones, Babatunde Alsh and Andy Zaltzman. Always daft fun. Read our series ranking here.14. Big Boys Series 2A third series is on the way to Channel 4, so dont worry that the monumental finale to Big Boys second run would be our last visit to Jack, Danny and co. That finale belonged to the excellent Harriet Webb, whose role as Cousin Shannon was expanded this time literally as Shan found herself unexpectedly pregnant and on the labour ward in the last episode. Jack Rookes autobiographically inspired university comedy started strong and just gets better, so expect great things from Jack and Dannys final year at Brent.Read more 13. Blue Lights Series 2Belfast-set BBC One police drama Blue Lights eschews the home life-light approach of a more standoffish crime series like Line of Duty, and foregrounds the characters behind the official acronyms and handcuffs. Series one threw three rookie cops in at the deep end, and series two sees the new trio a little more experienced and steadier on their feet, but still finding their way through policing a city riven by political and religious division. And thats just their work lives; theres just as much drama to be found in the romantic side of things in Declan Lawn and Adam Pattersons well-cast, empathetically written show. Read our interview with Sian Brookes here.12. Mr Bates vs the Post OfficeIts rare in these days of too-much-TV for a single drama to cut through in the way that Mr Bates vs the Post Office did. In what might have been the best scheduling decision of recent years, the ITV four-parter about the sub-postmaster false conviction scandal was stripped across the very first week of 2024, when people were at home and looking for something new post-Christmas. We watched this brilliantly acted (Jason Watkins, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Monica Dolan) true story about cruel miscarriages of justice in droves, and viewers were mobilised to follow the story through the subsequent inquiry and its aftermath.11. One DayThe less said about the 2012 movie adaptation of David Nicholls One Day the better (it wasnt just poor Anne Hathaways Yorkshire accent, everything was just too concertinaed for a movie runtime to make any real impact). This 10-part Netflix series is the only adaptation to watch. Starring Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as Emma and Dexter, the two romantic leads who meet on St Swithins Day (July 15th for anyone born after the ninth century) in 1988 and whose elliptical story we follow on that day for the next two decades. Funny, warm, nostalgic and be warned a teeny bit heartbreaking, this is a pretty perfect rom-com. Read how the Netflix version fixed the movies biggest problem, here.10. We Are Lady Parts Series 2Nida Manzoors excellent Channel 4 comedy about an all-female, all-Muslim punk rock band went even bigger in its second series. Instead of focusing mostly on the story of stage-fright-suffering guitarist Amina (Anjana Vasan), each bandmember had their turn in the spotlight and their own character drama played out inventively through music. With plenty to say about ambition, selling out, political expression and modern life, this ones a funny, raucous must-watch.9. RivalsPerhaps its the waiting-in-for-parcels time of Christmas talking, but how great is it when something actually delivers? When it was first announced, Disney+s Rivals promised to be oodles of saucy fun and delivered exactly that. It retold Jilly Coopers toff-bonking tale with a top cast (David Tennant, Katherine Parkinson, Aidan Turner, Claire Rushbrook) and an overflowing champagne coupe of bubbly 80s energy. The soundtrack, the outfits, the shagging, the wit it all worked, so thank goodness theyve already renewed it for a second series. Read our delighted review here.8. Almas Not Normal Series 2Sophie Willans Bafta-winning autobiographically inspired BBC Two sitcom has such a deft way with serious stuff (addiction, abuse, child neglect, cancer, death) that youre still grinning before youve even noticed that things have turned grim. Which they wont be for long, because Almas Not Normal brings heart, laughs and silliness to every scene, no matter the subject. Series one was great, but series two, which welcomes Steve Pemberton, Craig Parkinson and Nick Mohammed, is even better, and what it has to say about family and more is worth hearing. 7. SupacellThe emotional drama in Rapmans Netflix series would be enough to hold your attention even without the addition of superpowers and time-travel. Theyre the sci-fi fantasy icing on the cake of this extremely watchable and well made story about five Black south Londoners who discover they can do extraordinary things: telekinesis, super-strength, super-speed Its up to Tosin Coles Michael to bring all five together to complete a mission close to his heart, but when the pressures of real life get in the way, being a superheros not that easy. A second series has already been announced. Read our series one review here.6. KAOSDont cry that its over, smile because it happened? Thats about right for KAOS, a bold, inventive, modern take on Greek myths that was cancelled by Netflix in record time. Why? It was both ambitious (read: expensive) but also idiosyncratic and niche, so couldnt quite wipe its face when it came to drawing enough of an audience for the streamer. Created by The End of the F***ing Worlds Charlie Covell, KAOS reimagined Greek mythology through a modern lens, telling stories with imaginative twists and stuffing its episodes with Easter eggs for mythology nerds to savour. The cast was top-notch (Jeff Goldblum as Zeus? Janet McTeer as Hera? Beautiful.) and the whole thing was totally transportive. Read our review here.5. Baby ReindeerYou cant fail to have noticed Richard Gadds acclaimed Netflix series, though perhaps not for the right reasons. Gadds autobiographically inspired story about being stalked was the centre of a very well publicised legal hubbub (is that hubbub the right term when $170 million law suits are involved?) after the real woman Gadd had fictionalised as Jessica Gunning character Martha was first identified by fans online, and then pursued a case against the show for its description of itself as a true story. Expensive lessons are being learned, and Netflixs legal team will doubtless tighten up its processes in future, but brushing all that aside, what remains is the fact that Baby Reindeer is an excellent drama frank, honest, painful, funny and one of the best this year. With spoilers, read about its stunning fourth episode here.4. Slow Horses Series 4Weve said it before, but we (and everybody else writing about Apple TV+ spy thriller Slow Horses) will say it again: if this was on BBC One on a Sunday night, it would get gangbusters ratings and engender a national obsession on a par with the early days of Broadchurch and the later days of Line of Duty. That said, the BBC couldnt afford Gary Oldman, who makes this Mick Herron adaptation as brilliant as it is, so thats that.In series four, the disgraced spy graveyard that is Slough House dealt with a terrorist bombing, a mercenary international kill squad, a serious threat to a senior spook, and a very personal blast from the past. It was pacey, gripping, funny and well, it featured the best character on television. What more is there to say?3. Doctor Who Series 14Rewatch the trailer above. Do it now, Ill wait. Done? Okay. Wasnt it great? Didnt those episodes contain some of the most memorable and imaginative British television that you (and hopefully your kids) saw this year? Jinkx Monsoon crawling out of the piano, the return of Steven Moffat with the supremely tense Boom, Rubys creepy, unknowable shadow in 73 Yards, the spiffy Doctor and his new beau dancing in the Bridgerton episode, the many faces of Susan Twist, the ongoing mystery of Mrs Flood, THAT blast from the past in the two-part finale Granted, Space Babies wasnt the strongest start, and two Doctor-lite episodes out of eight with a brand new Doctor was too many, but looking back, theres so much to cheer about not least Ncuti Gatwa owning the part like he was the first person ever to play it. Bring on the Christmas special. Read our reviews and more here.2. Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the LightYou could call it recency bias seeing as at the time of writing, the second instalment of Peter Kosminsky and Peter Straughans Hilary Mantel adaptation Wolf Hall, featuring an ethereal score by Debbie Wiseman, is still airing on BBC One, but thats not it. The Mirror and the Light is simply the greatest combination of story, setting, writing, directing and performance that television has seen in years. Almost 10 years, in fact, when the first series aired. Damian Lewis is excellent as King Henry VIII, a vain and childlike man of terrible power, but Mark Rylance is supreme as clever, kind, ferocious and idealistic Thomas Cromwell. Last series was all about Cromwells rise, and this ones all about his fall, making it darker, more emotional and totally compelling. Read our slightly giddy episode reviews here.1. Inside No. 9This was an astounding feat. The ninth series of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pembertons brilliant BBC Two anthology marked 55 individual stories and distinct settings with several times as many characters, and countless surprises. Not only did series nine contain episodes as good as the show has ever made (tube train-set opener Boo to a Goose is easily Top 10), but the finale was also the perfect capper to everything that went before. In Plodding On, Inside No. 9 went meta and showed us its own wrap party, complete with a roster of past guest stars and more Easter egg references to previous stories than it would be sane to count (we tried). Having been in such regular supply this past decade, it would be easy to take the extraordinary achievement of Inside No. 9 for granted, so we chose not to by putting it at the top of this list. Bravo to all involved. Read our episode reviews here.

I have an AirTag on my keychain to keep track of my keys, but obviously an AirTag is too big and bulky to fit inside a wallet. Thats what the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is for. Disguised inside a thin, credit-card form factor, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder connects to the Find My app on your iPhone, so you can follow its location, and it even houses a speaker so you can make it beep to help you find your wallet when it inevitably gets lost somewhere in your home.Read on for my review SetupSetup is super simple. Although it ostensibly supports its own app and Android, I have used it solely through the Apple Find My app built into the phone. I didnt even download the SwitchBot app at all. To set up, you open Find My, tap Add Item, and press and hold the button on the Wallet Finder card for a couple of seconds. You then choose a name and emoji icon to identify it later. By default, it suggested Benjamins Keys, but I renamed it to Benjamins Wallet, selected one of the wallet-adjacent available emojis, and pressed Continue and I was done. Then, it just slips into one of the empty card pockets in my wallet.How it tracks locationAs a reminder, Find My accessories do not have GPS. Instead, they broadcast a low-energy Bluetooth signal that nearby Apple devices like iPhones, iPads and Macs pick up on. The location is then transmitted securely and privately to the Find My network, so you can hopefully locate and retrieve your lost item.Even if you are miles away, as long as someone with an Apple device is nearby, the wallet will be locatable on the map in the Find My app.Theres also no ongoing subscription or other costs to worry about (unlike some competitors).As demonstrated by the success of AirTags, the Find My network works really well and the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is just as effective. If your item is stationary, and nearby one of the billion iOS devices in the world, it wont take too long for its location to appear in Find My. If the item is moving, location updates are slightly delayed behind real-time, however.You can also use the Find My app to mark your item as explicitly lost. Then, if someone else finds your wallet and wants to help give it back to its rightful owner, they can use the Identify Found Item feature in Find My which will present your contact information to help arrange returning it to you. The upcoming iOS 18.2 update even adds the ability to make a shareable link to send to others to help assist in tracking down your lost items.Finding nearby using the speakerUnlike an AirTag, the Wallet Finder does not incorporate an ultra-wide band radio. That means it lacks the Precision Finding feature that the AirTag offers when in close proximity.However, the integrated speaker in the Wallet Finder more than suffices for the job of finding your lost wallet. When in Bluetooth range, the card emits a reasonably loud tone. It is slightly less loud than the sound an AirTag makes, and naturally gets a bit muffed when ensconced inside a closed wallet, but it is still audible, more than enough for you to hear it from a good distance away.For the (embarrassingly common) case of when Ive misplaced my wallet somewhere inside my house, I can now just open the Find My app, press Play Sound, and instantly hear which room it is in.Find My also works with the Siri voice assistant, as an added convenience. For example, I can shout wheres my wallet? at my HomePod, and it will start pinging it for me.Safety and trackingIve been using Pebblebee Card for the last couple of years and I love it! They released a new version recently that has even longer battery life. Rechargeable also! View all commentsJust like AirTags, the Wallet Finder is marketed as a device to help recover lost items. It is not designed to address problems of theft or nefariously track other people. If the card is separated from its owner for a period of time, the speaker will emit a noise to make people aware of its presence. It will also trigger Unknown Item Moving With You alerts on any nearby iPhones in the vicinity.Its also worth pointing out that someone else with the card in their possession can deactivate the Find My connection, by pressing the button in a particular shutdown sequence.ConclusionIf used for its intended purpose, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder is a very effective and great value for money. While obviously designed to be kept inside a wallet, it even has a built-in hole cutout if you did want to slip it on some kind of lanyard or keychain. I highly recommend it.Perhaps the only drawback to be aware of is that the Wallet Finder card has no means of replacing the battery. It is a single use consumable, rated for about 3 years of usage. But the contents of your wallet are valuable enough that it probably makes financial sense to simply buy another when it eventually dies. You just have to be okay with yourself regarding the environmental waste.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

With iOS 18.2, Apple introduced an all new Mail app. It introduced mail categorization, a fresh coat of paint, contact photos/business logos for conversations, a new system for grouping emails, and more. All of that sounded nice when it was unveiled back at WWDC, but now that Ive actually spent some time using it, Im having some doubts.Mail CategorizationOne of the biggest features in the new Mail app is categorization, breaking down your emails into varying categories of Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions.This all sounds nice in concept, since itd declutter your inbox, and the Primary tab would contain everything thats important. In practice though, a lot of things were incorrectly categorized, and I found myself swiping over to the All Mail tab most of the time, that way I could see everything without having to deal with inaccurate sorting.And yes, you can choose to recategorize senders if you dont like how Apple chose to sort it. However, I find that a bit tedious compared to simply turning categorization off entirely.How to disable itApple thought about the fact that everyone might not necessarily like categorization, and provided a simple way to disable it.Click on the three dots in the upper right hand corner of the inbox, and you can swap from Categories to List View. This provides an All Mail experience, while still keeping the profile pictures and other design elements of the new Mail app.This setting is also inbox by inbox, so if youd like to have categorization on all inboxes, but a list view for others, you can do that.Priority notificationsAll Mail should be the first tab and default option. Now when you open the app already inside an inbox you need to make sure you're looking at the correct mailbox (if you have multiple accounts), and you're looking at the correct category/all mail. View all commentsLuckily for me, Apple already has Priority Notifications in the Mail app, which does a much better job at quickly highlighting whats important, without me feeling like Im potentially missing out on emails because of less-than-ideal categorization. This feature has definitely saved me a couple times. Obviously, this feature requires an Apple Intelligence capable device (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, iPad mini 7, and M1 and later Macs/iPads) but its my preferred method of seeing whats important.Apple will also soon be expanding Priority Notifications to all Apple Intelligence capable devices in a future iOS 18 release, allowing you to keep track of whats most important, across all of your varying apps not just mail. However, thats not here quite yet.What do you think of the new Mail app in iOS 18.2? Let us know in the comments below.Follow Michael:X/Twitter,Bluesky,InstagramAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Dec 16, 2024Ravie LakshmananCryptocurrency / Phishing AttackCybersecurity researchers are calling attention to a new kind of investment scam that leverages a combination of social media malvertising, company-branded posts, and artificial intelligence (AI) powered video testimonials featuring famous personalities, ultimately leading to financial and data loss."The main goal of the fraudsters is to lead victims to phishing websites and forms that harvest their personal information," ESET noted in its H2 2024 Threat Report shared with The Hacker News.The Slovak cybersecurity company is tracking the threat under the name Nomani, a play on the phrase "no money." It said the scam grew by over 335% between H1 and H2 2024, with more than 100 new URLs detected daily on average between May and November 2024.The attacks play out through fraudulent ads on social media platforms, in several cases targeting people who have previously been scammed by making use of Europol- and INTERPOL-related lures about contacting them for help or getting their stolen money refunded by clicking on a link.These ads are published from a mix of fake and stolen legitimate profiles associated with small businesses, governmental entities, and micro-influencers with tens of thousands of followers. Other distribution channels include sharing these posts on Messenger and Threads, as well as sharing deceptively positive reviews on Google."Another large group of accounts frequently spreading Nomani ads are newly created profiles with easy-to-forget names, a handful of followers, and very few posts," ESET pointed out.The websites these links direct to have been found to request for their contact information and visually imitate local news media; abuse logos and branding of specific organizations; or claim to advertise cryptocurrency management solutions with ever-changing names such as Quantum Bumex, Immediate Mator, or Bitcoin Trader.In the next step, cybercriminals use the data gathered from the phishing domains to directly call the victims and manipulate them into investing their money into non-existent investment products that falsely show phenomenal gains. In some cases, victims are duped into taking out loans or installing remote access apps on their devices."When these victim 'investors' request payout of the promised profits, the scammers force them to pay additional fees and to provide further personal information such as ID and credit card information," ESET said. "In the end, the fraudsters take both the money and data and disappear following the typical pig butchering scam."There is evidence to suggest that Nomani is the work of Russian-speaking threat actors given the presence of source code comments in Cyrillic and the use of Yandex tools for visitor tracking.Similar to major scam operations like Telekopye, it's suspected that there are different groups who are in charge of managing each and every aspect of the attack chain: Theft, creation, and abuse of Meta accounts and ads, building the phishing infrastructure, and running the call centers."By using social engineering techniques and building trust with the victims, scammers often outmaneuver even the authorization mechanisms and verification phone calls the banks use to prevent fraud," ESET said.The development comes as South Korean law enforcement agencies said it took down a large-scale fraud network that defrauded nearly $6.3 million from victims with fake online trading platforms as part of an operation called MIDAS. More than 20 servers utilized by the fraud ring have been seized and 32 people involved in the scheme have been arrested.Besides luring victims with SMS and phone calls, users of the illicit home trading system (HTS) programs were enticed into investing their funds by watching YouTube videos and joining KakaoTalk chat rooms."The program communicates with the servers of real brokerage firms to get real-time stock price information, and uses publicly available chart libraries to create visual representations," the Financial Security Institute (K-FSI) said in a presentation given at the Black Hat Europe conference last week."However, no actual stock trades are made. Rather, the program's core feature, a screen capture function, is used to spy on users' screens, collect unauthorized information, and refuse to return money."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Dec 16, 2024Ravie LakshmananMalware / CybercrimeCybersecurity researchers have discovered a new PHP-based backdoor called Glutton that has been put to use in cyber attacks targeting China, the United States, Cambodia, Pakistan, and South Africa.QiAnXin XLab, which discovered the malicious activity in late April 2024, attributed the previously unknown malware with moderate confidence to the prolific Chinese nation-state group tracked Winnti (aka APT41)."Interestingly, our investigation revealed that Glutton's creators deliberately targeted systems within the cybercrime market," the company said. "By poisoning operations, they aimed to turn the tools of cybercriminals against them a classic 'no honor among thieves' scenario."Glutton is designed to harvest sensitive system information, drop an ELF backdoor component, and perform code injection against popular PHP frameworks like Baota (BT), ThinkPHP, Yii, and Laravel. The ELF malware also shares "near-complete similarity" with a known Winnti tool known as PWNLNX.Despite the links to Winnti, XLab said it cannot definitely link the backdoor to the adversary owing to the lack of stealth techniques typically associated with the group. The cybersecurity company described the shortcomings as "uncharacteristically subpar."This includes the lack of encrypted command-and-control (C2) communications, the use of HTTP (instead of HTTPS) for downloading the payloads, and the fact that the samples are devoid of any obfuscation.At its heart, Glutton is a modular malware framework capable of infecting PHP files on target devices, as well as plant backdoors. It's believed that initial access is achieved via the exploitation of zero-day and N-day flaws and brute-force attacks.Another unconventional approach involves advertising on cybercrime forums compromised enterprise hosts containing l0ader_shell, a backdoor injected into PHP files, effectively allowing the operators to mount attacks on other cybercriminals.The primary module that enables the attack is "task_loader," which is used to assess the execution environment and fetch additional components, including "init_task," which is responsible for downloading an ELF-based backdoor that masquerades as the FastCGI Process Manager ("/lib/php-fpm"), infecting PHP files with malicious code for further payload execution, and collecting sensitive information and modifying system files.The attack chain also includes a module named "client_loader," a refactored version of "init_task," that makes use of an updated network infrastructure and incorporates the ability to download and execute a backdoored client. It modifies systems files like "/etc/init.d/network" to establish persistence.The PHP backdoor is a fully-featured backdoor that supports 22 unique commands that allow it to switch C2 connections between TCP and UDP, launch a shell, download/upload files, perform file and directory operations, and run arbitrary PHP code. In addition, the framework makes it possible to fetch and run more PHP payloads by periodically polling the C2 server."These payloads are highly modular, capable of functioning independently or being executed sequentially via task_loader to form a comprehensive attack framework," XLab said. "All code execution occurs within PHP or PHP-FPM (FastCGI) processes, ensuring no file payloads are left behind, thus achieving a stealthy footprint."One other notable aspect is the use of the HackBrowserData tool on systems used by cybercrime operators to steal sensitive information with a likely goal to inform future phishing or social engineering campaigns."In addition to targeting traditional 'whitehat' victims through cybercrime, Glutton demonstrates a strategic focus on exploiting cybercrime resources operators," XLab said. "This creates a recursive attack chain, leveraging the attackers' own activities against them."The disclosure comes weeks after XLab detailed an updated version of the APT41 malware called Mlofe that adds improved persistence mechanisms and "embeds an RC4-encrypted kernel driver to mask traces of files, processes, and network connections."Once installed, the Linux backdoor is equipped to communicate with a C2 server to receive and execute various commands, including collecting device and process information, launching shell, managing processes, carrying out file and directory operations, and uninstalling itself."Melofee offers straightforward functionality with highly effective stealth capabilities," it said. "Samples of this malware family are rare, suggesting that attackers may limit its use to high-value targets."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

DescriptionSubscript is an early-stage startup focused on making life better for B2B SaaS finance leaders.Were backed by top-tier investors like First Round Capital as well as execs from Looker, Gusto, Postman, Plaid and others. Were looking for our first Content Marketing Manager to help continue our rapid growth!In this role, youll help Subscript become a content powerhouse while you grow your marketing career with us!The way we work:At Subscript, we do things differently and we're proud of that:First, you should know that every job at Subscript (including this one) is completely remote. You can truly work from wherever you want! Youll have co-workers in San Francisco, Portugal, Brazil, England, Vietnam, Canada and many other places. We are an asynchronous team - we don't do scheduled internal meetings, and we rely on each team member to communicate clearly in writing and with recorded videos. If you're sick of pointless meetings, this is the place for you! In fact, youll soon notice that most of this interview process is going to be asynchronous. We told you we do things differently!We're a team that loves working together - we love playing board games (these we do synchronously ). Full-time team members meet up multiple times per year for live offsites around the world (expenses paid!)Like all start-ups we're scrappy, but not scrappy on compensation: Subscript is committed to paying our awesome team members at market rate!The role youll play on our team:As our first Content Marketing Manager, not only are you going to be responsible for creating all of our content, youre also in charge of strategically guiding us to ensure were creating the right type of content. You need to be strategic, but also need to roll up your sleeves and get stuff done.Fortunately, Subscript is already well known for its terrific content. Not only do we have a collection of thoughtful written content, but we also have a well-respected video podcast that has featured thought leaders like the CFO of Braze, the CFO of ThoughtSpot and the CFO of Gainsight. Now, its up to you to build upon that foundation. Finance leaders at B2B SaaS companies are eager for great content and were counting on you to keep impressing them.Youre joining as the second or third marketer on our team. Youll partner with our Head of Marketing and youll be a key reason that Subscript is successful. We hope youll look back in five years and be tremendously proud of the content marketing engine you built.To be a good fit for this role you likely need 2-5 years of content marketing experience at a B2B SaaS company.Traits youll need to be great in this role:A sponge - To excel in this role youll need to be a great learner who is eager to become an even better content marketer.Talented and prolific writer - You need to be a gifted writer who absolutely loves the craft of using words to inspire people. And, at the same time, you need to be able to overcome writers block, or the need to be perfect. Were counting on you to create a large volume of high-quality content. In two years wed like to be known for our incredible content throughout the world of B2B SaaS, and youll be the driving force to get us there.Flexibility - We believe in creating a wide variety of content here at Subscript and youll be in charge of all of it! For example, in a week you might write blog posts, produce a video podcast, craft some LinkedIn posts, and put together an email series. Thats really just scratching the surface!Bias toward action - In this role youll role up your sleeves and do a lot of work. This isnt a simply a content strategy role - were just too early in our adventure for that. Instead, youre leading content strategy, while also leading content production and content analysis. There will be resources to help you along the way, but youll only be successful if you love jumping in and creating things.Resourceful - Youre great at figuring things out!The interview processWe like to be really transparent about everything at Subscript, including our interview process!Our interview process is designed to focus on the traits listed above, as well as your ability to communicate clearly (both written and via recorded video). We're a fully asynchronous company, so that's how we will mostly communicate in this interview process too .1. First, youll fill out the application. This also involves answering a couple of questions.2. Next, youll complete an exercise where you write a Subscript blog post. Well never publish this writing (unless *you* decide to publish it once youre hired). Were eager to see if you can understand our ICP and create something theyd find compelling.3. Then, youll complete your final exercise where youll create a launch plan for an episode of our video podcast.4. Lastly, youll meet with Phil Sharp, our Head of Marketing. This will be a casual conversation where hell have some questions for you, but will also save a lot of time for whatever is on your mind!5. And finally, hopefully we'll send you an offer. And hopefully you'll accept!BenefitsUnlimited vacationCompletely flexible work schedule work literally anytime (and anywhere) you want!Benefits appropriate to your location (health/dental/vision in the USA)Company-wide retreats multiple times per yearLike all start-ups we're scrappy, but not scrappy on compensation: Subscript is committed to paying our awesome team members at market-rate, including benefits. Related Jobs See more Sales and Marketing jobs