ZDNET's key takeaways Sony's Ult Wear headphones debut with a novel audio feature and are perfect for anyone looking for an everyday pair of headphones for $200. An enjoyable sound, all-day comfort, and premium software features and design elements set these headphones apart from others in the same price range. You can only access higher-quality Bluetooth codecs and spatial audio technology with a compatible device or music streaming platform. more buying choices It's official -- premium headphones are out, and mid-range headphones are in. At least, that's my opinion, as many big-name consumer audio brands have beefed up their midrange headphones catalog with impressive offerings.Nowadays, a $200 pair of headphones can sound, feel, and look just as good as a $400 pair, and Sony's 2024Ult Wear headphones fit that bill as one of the coolest mid-range pairs on the market. The all-new headphones borrow audio, design, and noise-canceling features found in the company's high-end flagship 1000X series of headphones but flaunt a more accessible price.Also: The best over-ear headphones: Expert tested and reviewedWhen I think of Sony headphones, I envision warm sound, a utilitarian design, and a high level of functionality. The Ult Wear have all those things, plus a fun feature that other Sony models lack, which I'll touch on in a moment. These headphones might be your next best option if you're considering buying the XM5 but can't justify the price. So what makes the Ult Wear so impressive? details View at Sony First, let me clarify that this review covers Sony's over-ear headphones, in case the suspiciously simple product name confused you. You may have noticed that Sony stopped naming its products after a seemingly random string of letters and numbers. That alone should show you that these headphones exhibit a fresh, new vibe from Sony, and I like it.Now, let's talk about sound. The Ult Wear's 40mm drivers convey Sony's standard warm, bass-forward sound properties. In the upper range, treble reproduction is bright and clear without being too harsh on the ears. This out-of-the-box sound makes bass-heavy genres like hip-hop and EDM electrifying and exciting while keeping lead vocals and instruments at center stage.When I listened to Tame Impala's Is It True, the groovy bassline was present, heavy, and full of energy. The lead singer's vocals and the quirky synth sounds in the upper midrange were transparent, clean, and highly enjoyable.Also: The best over-ear headphones: Expert tested and reviewedPerhaps the most impressive element of the Ult Wear headphones' audio is called Ult Power Sound, a new feature Sony implemented into its line of newly released audio products. At the push of a button, the headphones automatically adjust their sound to provide deeper, richer bass, which Sony says is "designed to make the heart tremble."I love deep, rumbly, almost obnoxious bass, so this feature piqued my interest, but that's also because I've seen it before. I have to be fair; Skullcandy did the whole "bass you can feel" thing first with the Skullcrusher ANC 2 headphones. However, I will admit Sony did it better. Jada Jones/ZDNETWith a push of the holographic Ult button on the left ear cup, the music you're listening to receives considerable depth, delivering boomy bass you can feel at the base of your ears. Sony's Ult Power Sound is much easier to tame than Skullcandy's Crusher Bass, but it's still intense and requires some EQ tweaking to avoid significant muddying of the midrange.Additionally, Ult Power Sound has Sony's high-quality audio technology on its side, and despite a heavier bass presence, harmonic layers and minute details don't get lost in the mix. Sony lent its high-performing V1 chip from its 1000X-series headphones to the Ult Wear, which offers effective noise-canceling technology in their own right. Sony used this same chip in its more affordable WH-CH720N headphones, but the Ult Wear have significantly better noise-canceling properties.Also: The best noise-canceling earbuds: Expert tested and reviewedIn the Sony Headphones app, you can toggle between noise-canceling and transparency modes, and I found the Ult Wear's noise-canceling effectiveness to be on par with noise-canceling headphones in the $300 range, like the Bose QC45. However, activating the noise-canceling or transparency mode does significantly alter the sound quality. This phenomenon is typical for headphones in this price range even for Sony. Jada Jones/ZDNETThe Ult Wear have a premium design, blending the simplistic design of the XM5 headphones with the functional elements of the XM4 headphones. They have roomy, plush oval ear cups made of polyurethane leather and are very comfortable. Their build is primarily plastic, aside from the metal headband extenders. A wholly plastic build is typical in this price range, which ultimately makes these headphones incredibly lightweight.Also: Why I travel with these Google Pixel earbuds instead of over-ear headphones now - and can't go backTap and swipe controls on the right ear cup dictate volume and track skips, and these headphones have wear detection and external ear cup microphones for wind noise reduction. Sony also includes a 3.5mm cable, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a sturdy cloth-covered carrying case with your purchase. Not bad for $200.ZDNET's buying adviceThe Sony Ult Wear headphones are ideal for commuters, frequent flyers, and anyone who enjoys a good bass kick. Sony headphones usually have a bass-forward sound, so if other Sony headphones already have enough bass for you, the Ult Wear may be too much.If you want a great-sounding pair of Sony headphones without the extra bass, consider the Sony WH-CH720N. If you're looking for headphones with a neutral sound and adequate noise-canceling properties, try the Sennheiser Accentum Plus.Featured reviews .

If you're looking for a single wireless charger for your Pixel phone, Watch, and Pro earbuds, this 3-in-1 set from Phelinta is the one for you.

Beware FlowerStorm 2FA bypass attacksgettyUpdate, Dec. 25, 2024: This story, originally published Dec. 23 now includes details of another 2FA bypass threat, AuthQuake, that has been fixed but serves as another warning to the dangers of thinking of two-factor authentication as being a security silver bullet.Security researchers have warned that the demise of the Rockstar 2FA exploit service isnt all good newsfar from it, as here comes FlowerStorm, which could be the same threat thats evolved. What Google and Microsoft users need to know.The Demise Of Rockstar 2FA And The Rise Of FlowerStorm 2FA Bypass AttacksWhat Google And Microsoft Users Need To KnowRegular readers will no doubt recall the warning regarding a two-factor authentication bypass exploit attack service called Rockstar 2FA, not least as that warning came less than a month ago. Based on telemetry gathered by Sophos researchers, the security outfit said, it appears that the group running the service experienced at least a partial collapse of its infrastructure, with pages associated with the service no longer reachable. This, the researchers were quick to point out, was not apparently down to law enforcement takedown action as is often the case. You might think, therefore, that reports of the death of Rockstar 2FA were a good thing. Im not so sure, and nor is Sophos it would seem.So, while its not bad news that some of that Rockstar 2FA infrastructure, such as Telegram channels used for command and control or pages that return a HTTP 522 response currently, a connection timed out error specific to Cloudflare, that another threat has filled the void most certainly is. That new threat comes by way of something called FlowerStorm, and there are some strong signs that it might not be as new as it seems.The FlowerStorm 2FA Bypass Threat ExplainedIn a Dec. 19 report, the principal threat researcher at Sophos X-Ops, Sean Gallagher, and Mark Parsons, a threat hunter for Sophos Managed Detection and Response, warned that in the weeks following the disruption of Rockstar2FA, we observed a surge in the use of a similar set of PaaS portals that have been tagged by some researchers as FlowerStormthe name coming from the use of plant-related terms in the HTML page titles of many of the phishing pages themselves. Interestingly, the FlowerStorm phishing-as-a-service resource shares a number of features with Rockstar, according to Sophos. The FlowerStorm 2FA exploit platform has been active since at least June, 2024, according to Sophos, but has a significant number of similarities to Rockstar2FA, including the format of its phishing portal pages and the connection to its backend server.MORE FOR YOUMitigating The FlowerStorm 2FA Bypass ThreatGoogle and Microsoft users are advised to be alert for any signs of phishing as this is how most 2FA bypass attacks, inlcuding this one, begin. See what Paul Walsh of MetaCert has to say about that here, but meanwhile a Google spokesperson said there are numerous protections to combat such attacks, including passkeys, which substantially reduce the impact of phishing and other social engineering attacks. Such security keys are known to be a stronger protection against automated bots, bulk phishing attacks, and targeted attacks than SMS, app-based one-time passwords, and other forms of traditional two-factor authentication, according Google.2FA Systems Based On Shared Secrets Are Inherently Vulnerable, Security Experts WarnAccording to a recent analysis from researchers based at Oasis Security, a critical vulnerability in Microsoft's 2FA implementation could have enabled attackers to bypass this additional layer of authentication protection and gain unauthorized access to users' Office 365 Microsoft accounts. Heres what you need to know about the AuthQuake vulnerability.AuthQuake relied upon one worryingly simple vulnerability, as is often the case with such things, namely that there was a relatively easy way to get around the 10-attempt code fail rate limit meant to prevent an attacker from executing multiple, simultaneous, 2FA code entry attempts. Given a side-digit 2FA code, the AuthQuake vulnerability could have enabled an attacker to quickly work through the options and crack the code. As I reported at the time, the Oasis researchers both identified and successfully demonstrated the 2FA bypass, which required no user interaction, generated no alerts and could be executed in under 70 minutes with a 50% success rate.Oasis reported the flaw to Microsoft, and a fix was deployed on Oct. 9, although the full details of that fix remain confidential. We appreciate the partnership with Oasis security in responsibly disclosing this issue. We have already released an update, and no customer action is required, a Microsoft spokesperson said.AuthQuake exposed significant flaws in Microsofts 2FA implementation, according to Jason Soroko, a senior fellow at Sectigo, which provides certificate lifecycle management services. Authentication systems based on shared secrets are inherently vulnerable, Soroko said, this discovery is a wake-up call. Organizations must act to adopt patches and reconsider their reliance on outdated MFA solutions. We must strive toward passwordless authentication solutions

Assetto Corsa Evo has revealed it's initial launch content. Credit: KUNOS SimulazioniIn a new developer update video, the team behind Assetto Corsa Evo has revealed which cars and tracks will be available when it first launches into Early Access in a few weeks, as well as confirming other details about what to expect during the first few months.Assetto Corsa Evo will launch into Early Access on Steam on January 16, and now for the first time we know some of the content that will be available when it first becomes playable for the public. The initial Early Access launch will include 20 cars from multiple manufacturers, as well as five tracks.There is seemingly no official list of the cars that will be available, but the reveal video showed off cars from the likes of BMW, Audi and Ferrari. We do know that they will be across multiple different classes, so you wont be stuck with one type of racing, but that could mean options for single class races could be limited at the start of the games life.When it comes to the tracks, we have some more concrete information, with five tracks from four continents being available at launch. They are: Laguna Seca (USA), Brands Hatch (UK), Imola (Italy), Mount Panorama (Australia) and Suzuka (Japan).MORE FOR YOUAs far as an initial track list goes it seems like a fairly good a mixed list, but there are some obvious big hitters that are missing. However, the full release will feature up to 15 officially licensed tracks, so you can expect more to arrive fairly quickly following the Early Access launch. The same goes for cars, with 100 cars expected at the full launch, so expect a fairly rapid release schedule for those.When the Early Access version launches, you will be able to take part in the first part of the single player mode that includes practise sessions, quick races, and the driving academy, which is a new educational feature that seemingly teaches you different parts of the track one at a time. There is no word on if any other modes will be available at launch.The team also showed off the open world part of the game, which is a recreation of the area around the famous Nrburgring in Germany. However, this portion of the game will not be available in the first Early Access build, and will instead launch later in the year, likely around the summer time.The 1.0 full release of Assetto Corsa Evo is currently targeting a Fall 2025 release window, however there is no guarantee it will hit that, with community feedback likely dictating a lot of what needs to be worked on in the coming months. However, everything we have seen so far from AC Evo looks good, and it appears to be shaping up to be a great driving sim.

In context: Google does not want to sell off Chrome, which the U.S. government has proposed, so it has countered with its own suggestion about how to remedy its outsized and according to a recent ruling illegal domination of the online search market. Google is proposing to modify its agreements with Apple and other partners regarding default search engine settings on new devices. This comes in response to a recent U.S. ruling that found the tech giant unlawfully dominating the online search market.Google's proposal, submitted to U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, suggests a more limited approach compared to the government's push for more drastic measures. It aims to address the court's concerns while urging caution against interventions that could potentially stifle innovation, especially in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence and its impact on online services, including search engines.While the company plans to appeal the ruling that it holds an illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising, it suggests that the upcoming "remedies" phase should focus primarily on its distribution agreements.These agreements, which the judge found to give Google a "major, largely unseen advantage over its rivals," have resulted in most U.S. devices coming pre-loaded with Google's search engine. To address this, Google proposes making the agreements non-exclusive, particularly for Android manufacturers, and unbundling the Play Store from Chrome and search for Android phone manufacturers. Additionally, the company suggests allowing browser developers to annually reconsider Google as the default search engine.Notably, Google's proposal does not include ending revenue-sharing agreements, which provide a portion of ad revenue to device and software companies that set Google as the default search engine. These agreements have been crucial for independent browser developers like Mozilla, with Apple reportedly receiving an estimated $20 billion from its agreement with Google in 2022 alone.The proposal has already faced criticism from competitors. Kamyl Bazbaz, spokesperson for search engine competitor DuckDuckGo, argued that Google's suggestions attempt to maintain the status quo and fall short of truly restoring competition in the affected markets. // Related StoriesIn contrast to Google's more limited approach, the U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition of states are seeking more extensive remedies. These include forcing Google to sell off Chrome and potentially its Android mobile operating system, stopping Google from paying to be the default search engine, ceasing investments in search rivals and query-based AI products, and licensing Google's search results and technology to rivals.Google maintains that the government's proposed remedies are extreme and don't properly reflect the specific conduct found to be illegal by the judge. The company argues that courts have historically discouraged such drastic measures and that remedies should be of the "same type or class" as the violations.Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's vice president for regulatory affairs, emphasized that the company's proposal would allow competing browsers like Apple's Safari to have the freedom to partner with any search engine they deem best for their users. Google also proposes allowing device makers to preload multiple search engines and not requiring them to include Chrome and Google search if they want to include other Google apps.As the case progresses, Judge Mehta has scheduled a proceeding in April to decide on appropriate measures to address the lack of competition in the industries Google has dominated. This trial will see prosecutors calling witnesses from OpenAI, AI search startup Perplexity, and Microsoft. A final decision is expected by August 2025.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsChiefs vs. Steelers on Christmas: time, channel, and coverageRavens vs. Texans on Christmas: time, channel, and coverageHow to watch the NFL on Christmas Day 2024Is there a halftime show?The NFL is giving fans presents on Christmas in the form of two regular season games. Basketball used to be the sport that dominated Christmas, but now, the NFL hopes to play games on the holiday annually. While it wont have the same impact as Thanksgiving football, the NFLs Christmas Day games could become one of the leagues newest traditions.The NFL kicks off Week 17 on Christmas with two excellent games. In the early game, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) take on Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5). The late-afternoon game pits Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens (10-5) against C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans (9-5). Find out more about how to watch this NFL doubleheader on Christmas.Recommended VideosThe game between the Chiefs and the Steelers kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 25. The game will be played at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.RelatedFor the first time in league history, Netflix will broadcast the Christmas Day games. Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson, and JJ Watt will be on the broadcast, with Melanie Collins and Stacey Dales reporting from the sidelines.The Core Revealed / FlickrThe game featuring the Ravens and Texans starts at 4:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 25.The game will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston.This game also airs on Netflix. The games on-air talent includes Noah Eagle, Greg Olsen, Jamie Erdahl, and Steve Wyche.Announcing our on-air talent for the NFL Christmas Gameday Live on Netflix! #NFLonNetflix pic.twitter.com/i1TA5pwuNA Netflix (@netflix) December 11, 2024Both games will stream live exclusively on Netflix. The NFL Christmas Day games are included in all Netflix plans. Options include the ad-supported plan at $7 per month, standard at $15 per month, and premium at $23 per month. In the U.S., the games will expire on Netflix three hours after the live stream ends.Fans in the home and away teams markets can watch the games on broadcast television. Additionally, the games will be available to stream with NFL+, available through the NFL mobile app.Pregame coverage begins at 11 a.m. ET with NFL Christmas Gameday. There will be two Gamedaycrews. Kay Adams will host the Los Angeles pregame show with Drew Brees, Robert Griffin III, Manti Teo, and Mina Kimes. The Pittsburgh crew will feature Laura Rutledge, Devin McCourty, and Jason McCourty. Ian Rapoport will serve as the shows reporter for any breaking news, with NFL official Gene Steratore acting as the rules analyst. Comedians Bert Kreischer and Nate Bargatze are set to appear on the broadcast.HOUSTON, TEXAS - 12.25.24Yes! Similar to the Super Bowl, the game between the Ravens and Texans will feature a performance at halftime. This year, the performer is Beyonc, who will be performing songs from her latest album, Cowboy Carter.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsArthur Christmas (2011)Die Hard (1988)Last Holiday (2006)The prices of streaming services are getting out of control. Nearly every major streaming service, from Netflix and Peacock to Hulu and Paramount+, increased their prices in 2024. Unfortunately, that trend will likely continue into 2025 as the streaming wars intensify. Pretty soon, consumers will have to consolidate and choose only one service to pay for and abandon the rest.Wouldnt it be great to receive free movies for Christmas? Luckily, this idea of streaming free movies exists on FAST services, or free ad-supported television. Thousands of movies are available to stream at no cost to consumers. Each movie includes a few ads to watch, but thats it. Tubi is one of the best FAST services on the market. Download Tubi now and enjoy one of these three Christmas movies.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? We also have guides for the 10 best TV shows to watch on Christmas, the best Christmas movies on Netflix, the best Christmas movies on Disney+, the best Christmas movies on Hulu, the best Christmas movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best Christmas movies on Max, and the best Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.RelatedSony PicturesOn Christmas, Santa Claus gets all the glory. However,Arthur Christmaspulls back the curtains and depicts what really goes on at the North Pole. In the animated Christmas movie, Santa, real name Malcolm Claus (Jim Broadbent), is the leader of a high-tech operation that utilizes hundreds of elves to help deliver presents. There is a hiccup this year when one present fails to make its way to one childs home.The present is a bike that belongs to Gwen Hines (Ramona Marquez), who lives in Trelew, Cornwall, England. When a devastated Santa needs help delivering the present, his youngest son, the clumsy Arthur (Speak No Evils James McAvoy), steps up and embarks on a mission to England. Arthur Christmasgoes out to all the underdogs, who prove that even the unlikeliest of people can be heroes, especially at the holidays.Stream Arthur Christmas for free on Tubi.20th Century FoxThe question inspiring countless debates during the holiday season: Is Die Harda Christmas movie? What started out as a fun conversation ultimately transformed into a nauseating argument. Heres a compromise: Its never a bad time to watch Die Hard, whether you think its a Christmas movie or not.On Christmas Eve, NYPD Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) heads to Nakatomi Plaza in LA to surprise his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), during a company party. The party is cut short after Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his group of terrorists take the entire party hostage. McClane manages to slip away and escape capture. McClane cant trust anyone on the outside besides a veteran cop (Reginald VelJohnson). To save his wife, McClane takes the law into his own hands by becoming a one-man wrecking crew that takes out Grubers men.Stream Die Hard for free on Tubi.Paramount PicturesIf you knew you only had a finite amount of time left on earth, how would you spend it? In the obscure Christmas movieLast Holiday, Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) takes the phrase live like were dying to another level. Georgia is a shy and quiet salesperson who discovers she has a rare terminal disease. Unable to pay for the surgery, Georgia decides to enjoy the last few remaining weeks she has left.Georgia quits her job, cashes in her life savings, and heads to Europe to live out the final weeks of her life in style. Georgia checks into a gorgeous hotel suite and spends money on countless pieces of clothing and jewelry. Georgias positive attitude attracts the attention of everyone around her, but all she cares about is winning over the heart of one person, her longtime crush Sean Matthews (LL Cool J).Stream Last Holidayfor free on Tubi.We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)Elf (2003)Miracle on 34th Street (1947)Klaus (2019)The Santa Clause (1994)Whether you celebrate the holiday season or dread its arrival, one thing thats almost guaranteed is the presence of children who need to be entertained. And, if you live somewhere cold, your options might feel a little limited.If youre looking for a Christmas movie for kids that you can put on without feeling the need to tear your hair out, then weve got you covered. Weve put together a list of great Christmas movies for kids that should help keep them entertained during one of the busiest times of the year.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? We also have guides for the 10 best TV shows to watch on Christmas, the 10 best movies to watch on Christmas, the best Christmas movies on Netflix, the best Christmas movies on Disney+, the best Christmas movies on Hulu, the best Christmas movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best Christmas movies on Max, and the best Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.RelatedThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Trailer | Movieclips Classic TrailersNot explicitly a Christmas movie, butThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeis certainly wintery and Christian. The film tells the story of four siblings who travel through a wardrobe into a world known as Narnia. That world has been frozen over with snow and is ruled by an evil queen known as the White Witch.As the children ally themselves with Aslan, a magical lion, in order to stop her, they also have a run-in with Santa Claus and discover that their lives in Narnia might be exactly what they needed to find fulfillment at home.20th Century StudiosThis largely faithful adaptation of C.S. Lewis fantasy novel doesnt try too hard to be another Harry Potter. Instead, it leans into its high fantasy origins, which has made this movie beloved by a generation accustomed to CGI-produced wonder. As the White Witch, Tilda Swinton steals the show, and Liam Neeson uses his deep, authoritative voice to bring life to the messianic Aslan.You can watchThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeon Hulu.Elf (2003) Official Trailer #1 - Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel Christmas Movie HDThis is maybe the most obvious entry on this list, but it really couldnt be avoided. Elfbecame a Christmas classic basically the second it hit theaters, and with good reason. Will Ferrell, playing a human who was raised as an elf and goes to New York in search of his biological family, has never been funnier than he is here as hi is utterly committed to every single absurd thing the script asks of him.James Caan is just as good as his curmudgeonly father, a man who slowly begins to remember what it feels like to actually be happy.Elfis funny, sweet, and touching, all in the exact right proportions. Its no surprise its become a new holiday classic, and spawned a hit musical now running on Broadway.You can watchElfon Hulu.You may not think that a kid would have any patience for a movie that isnt even in color, but hear me out. Old movies arent bad because theyre old, and black-and-white movies arent any worse than ones that have color. Miracle on 34th Streetis a Christmas classic for a reason.Its story of a Macys department store Santa Claus who claims that he is the real thing is a brilliant examination of the belief that fuels so many of the holidays oldest traditions. And, while it may be nearly 80 years old, the movie also has a radiant performance from a young Natalie Wood at its center to keep the kids hooked.20th Century FoxThe 1994 remake is almost as good, with Jurassic Parks Richard Attenborough in the role of Santa and Mrs. Doubtfires Mara Wilson as the little girl who believes in him. But nothing beats the original, and you cant go wrong with the pure sweetness that the 1947 version delivers.You can watchMiracle on 34th Street on Hulu.Klaus | Official Trailer | NetflixA brilliant and utterly surprising animated movie from Netflix, Klaustells the story of a postman who is sent to the North Pole, only to meet a toymaker there who seems to closely resemble Santa Claus.Klausworks so well in part because it is stripped of much of the ceremony that typically surrounds Santa. Instead, the movie tells a rather humble origin story for Santa Claus, imagining him as a man who gets taken advantage of for his gifts, even as he works as hard as he can to make people happy. And it doesnt hurt thatKlausis beautifully animated, which helped result in a Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination.You can watchKlauson Netflix.The Santa Clause (1994) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic TrailersTim Allens movie career was not as big as it could have been, butThe Santa Clauseis an undeniable highlight that still holds up today. Telling the story of a divorced dad who inadvertently kills Santa and must then assume the job himself, the film is equal parts silly and sweet as he slowly comes to accept the role hes been asked to play.Allen has rarely been better, and while the sequels to this movie are a bit too wacky, this first installment is a rock-solid holiday movie that works whether your 4 or 40.You can watchThe Santa Clauseon Disney+.We also have guides to the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu,the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.Editors Recommendations

popularity contest The 20 most-read stories of 2024 on Ars Technica Ars looks back at the top stories of the year. Eric Bangeman Dec 25, 2024 7:00 am | 0 Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreHey, look at that! Another year has flown by, and I suspect many people would say "good riddance" to 2024.The 2020s have been quite the decade so far. No matter what insanity has transpired by a particular December 31, the following year has shown up and promptly said, "Hold my beer."The biggest news at Ars in 2024 was our first site redesign in nearly a decade. We're proud of Ars 9.0 (we're up to 9.0.3 now), and we have continued to make changes based on your feedback. The best kind of feedback, however, is your clicks. Those clicks power this recap, so read on to learn which stories our readers found especially compelling.20. NASA is about to make its most important safety decision in nearly a generation Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, seen docked at the International Space Station through the window of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Credit: NASA Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, seen docked at the International Space Station through the window of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Credit: NASA In June, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were sent into space for a mission slated to last a little over a week. Six months later, they are still orbiting this terrestrial ball.The two retired naval test pilots were the first people to catch a ride to orbit on the Boeing Starliner. Unfortunately for them (and Boeing), Starliner developed problems with its propulsion system.Figuring out how to get them back down to Earth was arguably the biggest safety decision NASA has had to make in decades. Stephen Clark unpacked the situation, looking at how NASA's culture of safety has evolved since theChallenger accident.19. macOS 15 Sequoia: The Ars Technica reviewOne constant in our year-end recaps is operating system reviews. During 2024, Apple's annual macOS release was the sole OS review to hit the top 20.Touted as "the AI one," most of the Apple Intelligence features didn't show up until macOS 15.1 was released. The overall verdict on Sequoia? 2024's installment of macOS was a solid update. Andrew Cunningham liked the new window tiling, mostly unchanged backward compatibility, and all of the minor but useful tweaks to many of the built-in apps.18. What we know about the xz Utils backdoor that almost infected the worldxz Utils is a popular open-source data-compression utility for *nix OSes. In late March, one developer floored developers everywhere when he revealed a backdoor in the utility. The malicious code planted in versions 5.6.0 and 5.6.1 targeted encrypted SSH connections.Thankfully, the malicious code was caught before it was merged into Debian and Red Hat. Years in the making and described the "best executed supply chain attack" by one cryptography engineer, the effort came thisclose to success. Dan Goodin explains what we know and how this might have happened.17, Shields up: New ideas might make active shielding viableOne of the problems humankind faces as we climb out of Earth's gravitational well is cosmic radiation. On a long voyage to Mars, the crew will need to be protected against solar storms and other space radiation. Right now, ensuring that level of protection would require tons of shielding material, but that may change.Active shielding was proposed in the 1960s, but the initial research didn't result in any working prototypes. Now, the ESA and NASA are looking at magnetic fields and electrostatic shields to protect space travelers. Researchers have built and tested small-scale models of their electrostatic shields, and the ESA is working on superconducting magnets.16. I added a ratgdo to my garage door, and I dont know why I waited so longMessing around with the electronics in our dwellings is part of the Ars DNA. In 1998, we were overclocking our Celerons. In 2024, we're messing with our garage door openers.Senior Tech Editor Lee Hutchinson hates looking out the back window to see if he remembered to close his garage door, so he stuck a Raspberry Pi out there that would email him every time the garage door opened or closed. Unfortunately for Lee and his Raspberry Pi, Houston is hot and humid for approximately 10 months out of the year, so his tiny computer gave up the ghost after one 98 day too many.Instead of using the MyQ app that came with his garage door opener, he grabbed a ratgdoa tiny little board with built-in Wi-Fi that gets wired into the garage door openers terminals. The result? A daily experience of the magic of functional home automation.15. Boston Dynamics new humanoid moves like no robot youve ever seenMoves like Jagger? Not quite, but the latest Atlas robot from Boston Dynamics moves like it could bust a move out on the dance floor.This Atlas uses electricity instead of hydraulics. While the old Atlas was capable of lifting heavy objects and traveling across all kinds of terrain, the heavy and complicated hydraulics made it massive. The all-electric version can move in ways that its predecessor couldn't, as there are no hydraulic lines to worry about. As a result, the Atlas has an uncanny range of motion.Hyundai was the first company to test Atlas in a manufacturing environment.14. Unpatchable vulnerability in Apple chip leaks secret encryption keysEven though CPU manufacturers have been baking security features into their silicon for some time, malicious actors and researchers keep poking and prodding, looking for security flaws. A group of researchers found a dreaded unpatchable vulnerability in Apple silicon, one that doesn't even require root access.The attack, dubbed GoFetch, works against classical and hardened encryption algorithms and can extract a 2048-bit RSA key in less than an hour. It takes advantage of the chips' data memory-dependent prefetcher, which optimizes performance by reducing latency between the CPU and RAM. Since you can't patch silicon, the only solution is adding defenses to cryptographic code, and those come with performance penalties.13. Air Canada must honor refund policy invented by airlines chatbotDepending on how you feel about interacting with actual humans for customer support, the rise of AI customer-service chatbots has been either a boon or a curse. An example of the latter comes courtesy of Air Canada.Jake Moffatt had to fly from Vancouver to Toronto for his grandmother's funeral, so he asked Air Canada's chatbot to explain the airline's bereavement policy. The chatbot gave Moffatt incorrect instructions, telling him that he could be reimbursed for a reduced bereavement rate up to 90 days of the ticket being issued. Unfortunately for everyone involved, this wasnot the policy of Air Canada.The airline refused to honor the policy spelled out by its chatbot, at least until Moffatt took them to small claims court and won. When we last checked, the chatbot was no longer active.12. In rare move from printing industry, HP actually has a decent ideaThere are some days that I long for my old Stylewriter printer. It was slow and dumb as a rock, but it more than adequately performed the function of putting ink on paper. I now have a multifunction printer/scanner/fax that suffers print quality problems partly because of how little it's used. It might be different if I wanted to spend over $300 for a set of HP-branded toner cartridges instead of roughly $80 for generic ones, but I'd rather live with faded printouts.HP has rightfully been the target of ire from consumers, and as Scharon pointed out, that company has been a major cause of broken trust between printer OEMs and consumers. So we were all surprised when HP came up with an idea that could simplify and speed up some print jobs. Having a new feature that would improve the printing feature is so much better than, say, using DRM to ensure third-party products don't function correctly with HP printers.11. It turns out NASAs Mars helicopter was much more revolutionary than we knewIngenuity made its first flight on Mars in April 2021. Seventy-two flights and nearly three years later, the small helicopter made its last flight. As Eric Berger noted, Ingenuity stood out from other NASA hardware in two ways. First, it proved that powered flight on other worlds was a possibility. Despite Mars' very thin atmosphere, the copter was able to zoom around on its carbon fiber blades.More importantly,Ingenuity was built with commercial, off-the-shelf hardware. The success of its mission has opened the door to other possibilities, like flying a nuclear-powered drone through the thick, nitrogen-heavy atmosphere of Titan.10. After Russian ship docks to space station, astronauts report a foul smellAround these parts, the usual response to a foul smell is a glance in the dog's direction. But when you're in a tiny space station orbiting the Earth, a bad odor is particularly worrying, as astronauts on the International Space Station found out in November.When the Russian cargo craft docked with the ISS, the Russian cosmonauts that opened the hatch were greeted by a wave of stink. The "toxic" smell was so bad that the Russians immediately shut the hatch.Ultimately, the astronauts crewing the ISS were not in danger, and after some extra air scrubbing, the hatch was opened and the supplies unloaded.9. What I learned when I replaced my cheap Pi 5 PC with a no-name Amazon mini desktop Two cheapo Intel mini PCs, a Raspberry Pi 5, and an Xbox controller for scale. Credit: Andrew Cunningham Two cheapo Intel mini PCs, a Raspberry Pi 5, and an Xbox controller for scale. Credit: Andrew Cunningham One of the fun things about working at Ars Technica is watching Andrew Cunningham stretch the limits of obsolete or inexpensive hardware and software. His attempt to use a Raspberry Pi 5 as a daily-driver desktop had mixed results, but that didn't stop him from trying out a couple of sub-$200 PCs from Amazon.Andrew ultimately settled on the $170 Bostgame B100 and $180 GMKtec NucBox G2. Both of them used Intel Processor N100 quad-core chips and could run Windows 11 along with some Linux distros. If you're curious about what it's like to use a tiny, inexpensive desktop for your daily computing needs, check out Andrew's write-up.8. Users ditch Glassdoor, stunned by site adding real names without consentComplaining about your employer online is a time-honored tradition. Frustrated workers vent all over the Internet, but the hub of employee griping has historically been Glassdoor. That changed for a lot of folks when Glassdoor inexplicably decided to link real names to formerly anonymous accounts.When Glassdoor acquired the professional networking app Fishbowl in 2021, every Glassdoor user was also signed up for a Fishbowl account. The big difference is that Fishbowl requires identity verification, so Glassdoor changed its terms of service to require the same."Since we require all users to have their names on their profiles, we will need to update your profile to reflect this," a Glassdoor employee wrote to a user named Monica, reassuring her that "your anonymity will still be protected." Monica did not trust the company's assurances that it would go to court to "defeat requests for user information," instead requesting that Glassdoor delete her account entirely. She wasn't the only one.7. Whats happening at Tesla? Heres what experts think.Tesla is responsible for two things: making electronic vehicles a realistic option for most drivers and helping make founder Elon Musk the world's richest person. But after years of astronomical growth, Tesla has been on a downward slide. The Chinese market has gotten much tougher for Teslaand everyone elsedue to Chinese OEMs churning out low-cost BEVs. There have been safety problems with Tesla, and the company's once legendary profit margins have crated to below industry average.What's going on? Our crack automotive reporter Jonathan Gitlin talked to some experts to see if Tesla was primed for a turnaround or if its slump was indicative of more troubles to come.6.The Starliner spacecraft has started to emit strange noises Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is seen docked at the International Space Station on June 13. Credit: NASA Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is seen docked at the International Space Station on June 13. Credit: NASA It all started with some weird sounds. "I've got a question about Starliner," astronaut Butch Wilmore radioed down to Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston in late August. "There's a strange noise coming through the speaker... I don't know what's making it."While that space oddity turned out to be just a weird anomaly, it may have helped prepare Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams for the bad Starliner news that followedand an extra-long stay in orbit.5. Heres what its like to charge an EV at Electrify Americas new stationI've been an EV owner for five years. During that time I've been exposed to just about every facet of EV ownership, including charging on road trips. With the right combination of apps (shoutout to PlugShare) and planning, road trips should be problem-free. But sometimes chargers are few and far between, out of service, crowded, or just plain janky.Out of all the charging networksand I've tried almost all of them at some pointElectrify America has been the most reliable for me. Their new flagship charging station is a far cry from their outposts typically located at the far end of a giant parking lot connected to a Walmart or Meijer. Instead of aimlessly wandering the aisles of a big-box retailer, drivers can chill in a well-appointed and secure space while their cars are topped off with electrons.Want to increase EV adoption? Get more of these working, secure, and well-lit stations up and running ASAP.4. Dell said return to the office or elsenearly half of workers chose or elseArs has been all about the remote workforce since our launch in 1998. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, remote work became a thing for millions of workers. Some companies have adapted nicely to this new reality, realizing that their employees could do their jobs just as well from the comfort of their homes while pocketing some savings from a reduced office footprint.Others have been less sanguine about remote work. Some have tried luring workers back to the office with perks, while otherslike Dellhave been more coercive in their approach. The PC manufacturer told employees who stayed remote that they would be giving up on promotions or changing roles within the company. Internal tracking data showed that almost half of Dell's workforce simply shrugged and stayed remote, consequences or not.3. What I learned from using a Raspberry Pi 5 as my main computer for two weeks The Raspberry Pi 5 inside its official case. Credit: Andrew Cunningham The Raspberry Pi 5 inside its official case. Credit: Andrew Cunningham We read about Andrew's experience with a pair of sub-$200 desktop PCs, but this story is what started it all. The spec sheet looked promising enough, with support for two 4K displays running at 60 Hz and space for an internal PCIe SSD, but the experience was not what he'd hoped.Andrew's time using the Raspberry Pi 5 as his daily driver started out disappointing, but once he reset his expectations, he ended up pleasantly surprised by the experience.If you're looking for the cheapest mini desktop PC possible, you'll want to look elsewhere, but if you want to see how far along Arm Linux has come, read Andrew's article.2. What happens when an astronaut in orbit says hes not coming back? The STS-51-B mission begins with the liftoff of the Challenger from Pad 39A in April 1985. Credit: NASA The STS-51-B mission begins with the liftoff of the Challenger from Pad 39A in April 1985. Credit: NASA Being strapped into a small space and thundered into space aboard a giant rocket has to be an incredibly stressful experience. But sometimes the stress doesn't end with a successful launch. We don't often get to peer behind the curtains and get a glimpse of the mental state of an astronaut, so when we do, it's jarring."Hey, if you guys don't give me a chance to repair my instrument, I'm not going back," said astronaut Taylor Wang during a Space Shuttle mission in 1985. The first Chinese-born person in space, Wang was heading up an experiment on the behavior of liquid droplets in microgravity. When it didn't work at the outset, Wang asked permission to troubleshoot it and make repairs. When Mission Control denied his request, he uttered that chilling sentence.1. The surprise is not that Boeing lost commercial crew but that it finished at all Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is lifted to be placed atop an Atlas V rocket for its first crewed launch. Credit: United Launch Alliance Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is lifted to be placed atop an Atlas V rocket for its first crewed launch. Credit: United Launch Alliance Not only has there been a lot of Boeing on this top 20 list, there has been a lot of Boeing in the news all year. And most of that news has been bad.Eric Berger dives deep into the development of Starliner, outlining the problems and setbacks that plagued its development, trying to answer the big question of how a company like Boeing, which had been at the acme of crewed spaceflight for decades, fell so far behind competition that didn't even exist 20 years ago?Thank you for making Ars a daily read during 2024. May you and those you love have a happy and safe holiday season.Eric BangemanManaging EditorEric BangemanManaging Editor Eric Bangeman is the Managing Editor of Ars Technica. In addition to overseeing the daily operations at Ars, Eric also manages story development for the Policy and Automotive sections. He lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where he enjoys cycling, playing the bass, and refereeing rugby. 0 Comments

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