Jason Hiner/ZDNETI've been waiting to test the promised wide and ultra-wide screen monitor features of Apple's VisionOS 2.2 since the Vision Pro first shippedback in February 2024. When the Release Candidate became available, I rushed to install it on my head-mounted headache generator.In this article, I'll be exploring VisionOS's Mac virtual display capabilities, testing the standard display, wide display, and ultrawide display variants, and comparing them to my current physical widescreen setup. This new capability could be a game-changer for the Vision Pro.Also:Just installed iOS 18.2? I'd change these 4 iPhone settings for the best experienceI have no real idea how I'm going to demonstrate this to you. VisionOS is limited when it comes to screenshots and video captures, and trying to demonstrate an ultra-wide screen monitor in a tiny little screenshot window seems like a fool's errand. So you'll have to let me paint a picture of this experience primarily through words. The few screenshots I'm going to show you, as usual for the Vision Pro, don't do justice to the experience. And with that, let's dig in. Table stakes I decided to treat this test like a monitor review. I am a bit of a monster about my monitors because they are so key to my productivity. The configuration of my current "main machine" is a 38-inch LG 38WR85QC-W, with two suspended side monitors, each lightweight 15-inchers. Even the monitor in my second office, where I sometimes go to write when the "real" office is too noisy, has another 38-inch monitor and an old Apple 27-inch monitor as a supporting display. Also: Apple named its 2024 App Store Award finalists - did your favorites make the list?That's partially why Apple's original introduction of the 27-inch virtual monitor in VisionOS did nothing for me. Why would I tether a 27-inch virtual monitor to my Mac by slapping a brick onto my face when I already have a perfectly comfy setup with a much bigger monitor? The introduction of the VisionOS virtual wide-screen monitor allowed the Vision Pro to maintain parity (sort of because it doesn't support side monitors) with my current setup. Of course, again, there's the uncomfortable weight on my head, so maybe it's useful if I have to spend an hour writing in the kitchen while the window guy (not the Windows guy) is putting in new windows in the office. It all comes down to the ultra-wide screen virtual monitor. That could well be a value add to my productivity setup. With the amount of hours I work, I'm always looking for some kind of productivity benefit. Even if it involves grafting a $3,500 over-designed movie prop wannabe on my head, it might be worth it. So there you have table stakes for this test. Can I derive productivity value with the ultra-wide screen monitor? Can I even use it? And, at the bare minimum for a test, can I write this article on it? TL;DR: I did write this article on it. Using a release candidate I'm writing this using VisionOS 2.2, which has been widely available to Vision Pro users since December 12, 2024. If you haven't done so already, you can download it to your headset by going to the General section in the Settings menu. Go to Software Updates, and be sure to activate visionOS Updates to automatically receive patches when they come in.Full disclosure: I had an early version from the beta channel although the experience was still the same as the final release patch. Initially, I was able to get the Mac virtual display to show up, but only in the basic screen format.I wound up also having to update my Mac Studio to the Mac OS 15.2 Release Candidate to enable the multiple display configurations. If you don't see this little menu at the top of your virtual screen, you'll need to update. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNET Using the Standard Display Using the Standard Display virtual display on the Vision Pro was a fine experience -- except for the heavy headset pressing into my forehead and the inability to take sips from my coffee cup. Also: Apple settles Siri lawsuit for $95 million - here's how much you could getWhen I first began using this display, the Displays control panel on MacOS had my resolution set to 1920x1080. I adjusted it to the default of 2560x1440, which is also quite readable. I found that the 5120x2880 display option listed as a default was blurry and completely unreadable. Using the Wide Display Switching to the Wide Display changed my resolution to 3360x1440. I found the default resolution usable for most things, but difficult to read. For example, I couldn't actually read the resolutions on the Display control panel when I was in 5040x2160 mode. I had to switch back to 3360x1400 to read the resolution options.This virtual display is nearly identical to my real-world LG 38-inch wide display. It was functional, but I did lose the two side monitors I have when I use my physical wide display. Using the Ultra Wide Display The Ultra Wide Display is also quite usable, but I did find its virtual edges conflicted a bit with my physical side monitor when in passthrough mode. Here, I found myself still using the x1440 vertical resolution, although I did take advantage of the much wider display. As a trick, I tried the 10240x2880 resolution, just to be able to someday tell my granddogs that I used a monitor with more than 10K pixels across. But, to be fair, I used it for just as long as it took to type this sentence. Readable? It was not. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETWith the Ultra Wide Display in passthrough, I was able to see my keyboard, mouse, and Elgato Stream Deck. But I wanted to see what the experience was like using one of the environments. Unfortunately, there's no environmental cutout for a keyboard or other desktop devices when in a custom environment. I can touch type, but I'm not able to see the keyboard while typing this -- although I can see my hands. It was also interesting, because I wanted to reach for my AirPods Pro 2, but couldn't see them. I had to enable passthrough using the digital crown to find them. Also: This quick Mac tip saves me time and clicks all day longConnecting them was also a bit confusing. I expected to be able to connect them to my Mac, since I was using the Mac. But since they were already bound to the Vision Pro, it took priority. I got my Mac's sound via the Vision Pro, and then via the AirPods Pro 2 bound to that Vision Pro. Still, it worked. Then I launched Final Cut Pro, my video editing application of choice. I spend a lot of time in Final Cut each week. Screen real estate is super-important when video editing because you have to work between many different control and viewing panes. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETIt honestly took some getting used to. Having the timeline stretch ultra-wide was glorious. But the placement of the browser, preview, scopes, and control panes took a little while to dial in. Most of the time, I think my physical wide-screen monitor will be fine. But I can certainly see where having that extra wide timeline for editing complex videos might sometimes mean everything to productivity in certain projects. The same is true for research. I can easily put three side-by-side windows on my 38-inch display. That's why I bought it -- because I do a lot of side-by-side research while writing. But the extra width on the Vision Pro Ultra Wide virtual display allows for four windows (or five, if I squish some of them). That can be a major benefit for some projects where I'm comparing a ton of sources against each other. Overall Vision Pro experience Normally, when using the Vision Pro, its unique immersive experience is the star of the show. It's all about the Vision Pro. But when using Mac virtual displays, it's your work productivity on the Mac that's the raison d'tre of the experience. The Vision Pro is, quite literally, a peripheral. And, the overall Mac experience is just so-so. I'll enumerate the annoyances I found, mostly in order of when I experienced them.To be able to get the most out of my Vision Pro, I had to customize its assistive features. One feature I rely upon is the little blue assistive cursor. Usually, VisionOS just slightly brightens or dims whatever you're looking at and about to select. I find that very difficult to use, so I turned on the little round blue cursor. It helps a lot. Also:This hidden Apple feature turns your iPhone or iPad into an AI image generatorI also turned on wrist tracking rather than eye tracking. I have eyes that VisionOS finds very difficult to track, but once I turned on wrist tracking (using my wrist as my pointing device), VisionOS became much more cooperative. Unfortunately, the little blue circle assistive cursor doesn't work when selecting a screen type. The cursor is visible until it gets close to the screen-type menu. Then it goes away. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETAs it turns out, I wound up having to turn off the assistive cursor entirely. That's because my wrist moves as I type. It moves a lot. That, in turn, made the little blue cursor bounce all over the place, which was incredibly distracting. When I turned the assistive cursor off, I lost a feature I relied upon, but gained the ability to type on the Mac's virtual screen without all the bouncing. After about two hours of dedicated Mac use inside the Vision Pro, my head hurt. It wasn't just a normal headache, although I had one of those, too. But my forehead area over the frontal skull bones really ached after a few hours. My eyes also felt quite strained. Also: I recommend this 15-inch MacBook Air to most peopleI have one more complaint. It's a minor one, but with a company of Apple's size and resources, it shouldn't be something I have to discuss. Why are there so few virtual environments? There are a ton of great coffee shops around Cupertino. You're telling me Apple couldn't send a film crew out for an afternoon to capture one? A nice library? Even a nice office on campus? C'mon Apple, get out there and add some environments. Returning to the Mac As far as the Mac is concerned, the Vision Pro is just another monitor. When you enable virtual displays on the Vision Pro, the Mac interprets that action as connecting to another monitor. The only difference is that the Mac no longer recognizes the additional monitors connected to the system. All you have is the Vision Pro. When you disconnect the Vision Pro's virtual monitor, the Mac interprets that as removing the monitor. The problem is, the Mac does not handle this gracefully -- or at least it doesn't on a machine with multiple monitors. Coming back to my desktop leaves my Mac in a bizarre state. The main screen is off, and everything is squeezed on the small vertical screen to its right. David Gewirtz/ZDNETOn that small vertical screen, there's a mirror setting dialog. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETClicking it provides another mirror dialog, this time to enable my main screen to be mirrored. To be clear, I don't want my main screen to be mirrored, but this is the path that I have to take to get my computer back to functioning order. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETAt this point, all three screens were arranged incorrectly. Just finding my cursor was interesting, because it jumped from one display to another, but not the one you'd expect from their physical arrangement. So, then I had to go into Displays and reset both the arrangement of the screens and all their resolutions. Because the screens were all mirroring each other, all the application windows were moved to one screen. So once the arrangement and resolutions of the various displays are restored to their correct settings, it's time to corral all the windows and applications and move them back to their correct screens. Also: I thought this new VisionOS 2 feature was just a gimmick - until it made me cry into my Vision ProThe process involves a bunch of clicks, and is both confusing and annoying. Worse, you have to do this every single time you exit using the Vision Pro as a virtual display. Get BetterDisplay Fortunately, there appears to be a solution. I've only tried this a few times on my own configuration, so I can't promise it will work for you, but it's got potential. There's an app called BetterDisplay that you can download from GitHub. There is a $20 pro version, but as best as I can tell, the feature I'm going to suggest to you works in the free download. Also: If updates bricked your Meta Quest headset, try this first - then ask for a replacementOnce you install BetterDisplay, you will have many options for controlling your monitors. Make sure your monitors are set up exactly as you'd like them. Click into the settings panel (the little gear way at the bottom of the menubar menu). Then click on Groups. Create and enable a group. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETNotice the option that says "Activate this display group when" and then "All configured group member displays are connected." Here's what happens (I think). When you use the virtual display on the Vision Pro, your Mac thinks there's now only one display. But when you take the Vision Pro off and return to the Mac, then all your displays (in my case there are three) are connected, which causes the group to activate, and reset the display configurations. No guarantee, but it seems like BetterDisplay may fix the biggest pain point (apart from the one on your forehead) of using the Vision Pro as a virtual monitor for your Mac. What's it all mean? Using a 27-inch virtual display on a Vision Pro isn't all that interesting. But when you can use it as a wide-screen or ultra-wide-screen display, this feature becomes a killer app. There is no doubt there were times in my life when this capability alone would have been worth every bit of the $3,500 the Vision Pro cost. While laptops help make you mobile, the kind of work I do requires big screens and lots of screen real estate. Working just on a MacBook Pro screen is productivity-sapping. Also: These new smart glasses remind me of Meta Ray-Bans - but have a clever privacy featureI can see this as a huge benefit to people traveling. During my move to Oregon, when I was cobbling together screens to keep up with work while traveling and moving in, the Vision Pro would have been a massive boon. I also spent the better part of three years commuting three hours each way down to my parents during their end-of-life period when they needed my help and I had to simultaneously keep up with work. Again, the Vision Pro would have made it possible to keep up with my work while helping at their home (and even in the lobby of the care facilities I spent so much time visiting).Apple makes some incredible mainstream computers for the rest of us. But to support a platform where professionals need to get certain jobs done, the company has, for years, provided pro-level tools. The $6,000-$52,000 Intel Mac Pro made sense to certain professionals with certain workloads. Likewise, the $6,000 Pro Display XDR serves a purpose for those professionals who need its capabilities. While some are skeptical of these expensive devices, most people understand that very high-end gear has a place in the professional world.The problem with the Vision Pro, when it launched, was that it was hard to find a compelling application for the device. When the biggest value was entertainment, the cost of the thing at $3,500 was pretty excessive. But as a productivity device, as a tool that lets you take your ultra-wide screen display everywhere you go, it's a killer app. With that capability, the Vision Pro can be more than justified, at least for a certain set of pros who know what they need to get their jobs done. Also: Forget the Ray-Ban Metas: Samsung's upcoming smart glasses are the wearables I've been waiting forIt's just a shame Apple didn't prioritize for this functionality. The device had to incur a year and a half of mediocre, bemused, and ridiculing publicity because there was no good reason to spend so much on a novelty. Now, there is a compelling reason for this device. You know who you are. You know if you need this. And if you do, you really do. Now, the Vision Pro is a workhorse. Now, it makes sense. Any other immersive VR features or spatial computing whatevers are mere gravy. This feature needs some work. It needs to return to the Mac with less disruption. It needs to allow non-Apple keyboards and other interface devices to be seen through VR environments. It needs more virtual environments. Eventually, it needs to get lighter. But even as it stands, right now, this one feature fully justifies the cost to a certain category of professional customer. That's big. That's new for the Vision Pro. It's also promising. What do you think? Are you someone who could truly benefit from a big virtual display anywhere you go? Do you use a big physical display for your job? Do you own a Vision Pro? A Meta Quest? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can follow my day-to-day project updates on social media. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly update newsletter, and follow me on Twitter/X at @DavidGewirtz, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.Featured reviews

CES logo is displayed at the West Hall of Las Vegas Convention CenterGetty ImagesThe Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 is all set to take place from January 7-10. Known for showcasing working prototypes and cutting-edge technology, CES is also a place for critical announcements from leading brands. Its a big event where companies from all around the world showcase their upcoming products. For context, CES 2024 attracted over 135,000 attendees and more than 4,300 exhibitors, according to the official website.In the lead-up to this grand event, several companies in the consumer tech space have announced their plans. Nvidia, for example, will have CEO Jensen Huang host a live event on January 6. But theres much more to CES than consumer tech, and here are the trends to watch for at CES 2025:More Smart Glasses, Laptop Refreshes, And New PC ComponentsMeta Ray-Ban GlassesNurPhoto via Getty ImagesSmart glasses can be broadly categorized into two types. First, AI-powered smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Ban, equipped with a camera, speakers, and AI capabilities. Second, AR glasses like RayNeo Air, which pack advanced features like those of the Vision Pro into a smaller and lighter form factor.At CES 2024, I demoed a pair of AR glasses. While I couldn't review one, theyre like carrying a portable computer with multiple screens wherever you went. I expect to see more AR smart glasses at CES 2025 alongside AI companion robots and translation devices.MORE FOR YOUAI-powered smart glasses are also gaining momentum. While Meta's Ray-Bans may be the most popular smart glasses of 2024, they lack a screen, unlike AR glasses. These AI glasses have inspired more companies to explore the form factor, and CES 2025 is likely to showcase several such form factors.CES is also a hotspot for laptops, and 2025 will be no exception. Expect major announcements from leading computing brands featuring upgraded chipsets from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, all of which are rumored to reveal new processors at the event. AMD and Nvidia are also expected to unveil new GPUs and graphic cards.AI will undoubtedly make its presence felt. The Rabbit R1 was a surprise highlight at last years show, and CES 2025 is likely have more AI-driven products. Itll not be limited to hardware products but will also be integrated into software across software products. Plus, you can expect to see AI in refrigerators, monitors, and other appliances.CES 2025 Keynotes To WatchCES is a stage where several companies host their events for new announcements and these are the CES 2025 events youd want to tune in to.NvidiaNvidia will host its event on January 6 at 6:30 PM PT. The chip giant has seen tremendous growth in recent years and is expected to announce major new chips. CEO Jensen Huang will kick off the keynote with his trademark leather jacket and an unwavering vision.AMDAMDs keynote is scheduled for January 6 at 11:00 AM PT. The company is expected to unveil new GPUs and RDNA 4 cards. Could we see the RX 8000 or RX 9000 series?SamsungThis event isnt about the Galaxy S25 Ultrathat will launch later in the month. Instead, Samsungs CES event will focus on appliances. Last year, we saw the Music Frame and next-gen transparent TVs. This years event tagline AI for All: Everyday, Everywhere suggests a push to bring AI to more home devices.CES 2025 Will Be ExcitingSamsung Transparent Micro-LED at CES 2024Prakhar KhannaCES is also a stage for innovations in TVs, home theaters, and the automotive industry. At CES 2024, Sony skipped showcasing new TVs last year in favor of Afeela, its prototype car with Honda. I expect to see more prototypes with bleeding-edge designs in the automotive industry alongside the usual focus on humanoids, robots, and AI pet companions.One of the best parts about CES is that it surprises you every year. And Ill be on-ground looking for those surprises.

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Apple has just revealed the new content coming to iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV for 2025. There are new episodes of the popular Time to Walk app on the Watch, a workshop-style yoga program and a surprise collaboration with Strava.Apple FItness+Apple Apple Fitness+ is a subscription service that started just over four years ago. From the beginning, it has had an Everybody welcome attitude to encourage people of all levels of confidence to take up exercise. The video sessions are exceptionally high-quality, produced from Apples multi-million dollar Apple Fitness Studios in California. You can watch on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV and your heart rate, gathered from your Apple Watch, shows up on screen.In addition to the existing exercise types, which range from HIIT to dance, meditation to yoga, this year sees the introduction of a progressive strength training program to help users to build and maintain strength with a new three-week course that targets every major muscle group in a series of half-hour workshops.And now theres pickleball, or at least something called a Strength, Endurance and Agility for Pickleball program, guided by Catherine Parenteau, who has been ranked number 1 in the world in both singles and doubles, Apple says. The exercises are inspired by Parenteaus own training.MORE FOR YOUTheres also something I really cant wait for: Yoga Peak Poses. Apple makes every session accessibleif you cant keep up with the main trainer, theres always someone doing gentler, simpler exercises so nobodys excluded.But if youve ever yearned for something a bit more challenging in a particular discipline, this kind of new element could be ideal. New sessions will focus on just one pose, such as Dancer, Twisted Hand to Big Toe and Crow, to help build confidence. If youve ever seen me do Crow (and you havent because in yoga youre just focused on yourself, right?) youll know I need all the help I can get.Yoga Peak Poses in Apple Fitness+Apple Theres a new section to introduce Breath Meditation, with five 10-minute meditations to choose from, such as ocean breathing. Artist Spotlights continue, where workouts have playlists from just one artist. Upcoming are workouts with music from Janet Jackson, Coldplay and Bruno Mars.Time to Walk is a special Apple watch-only strand, an intimate listen where one person tells a little of their life, and chooses three tracks meaningful to them. Over the years these have ranged from Dolly Parton to Prince William. New episodes begin on Jan. 13 and include actor Adam Scott, Tiffany Haddish and Rita Ora.Apple Watch's special edition award.AppleTheres also a collaboration with Strava, improving the integration between Strava and Fitness+ so that if you share a Fitness+ workout to Strava, it shows more detail, such as episode number and image, trainer name and metrics.And a new Apple Watch limited-edition award: close all three Activity Rings for seven consecutive days to achieve this.Apple Fitness+ is a spectacular fitness service and Apple is ensuring it continues to be cutting-edge, with something for absolutely everyone. The new content begins to land on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

Editor's take: In a nostalgic nod to its roots ahead of CES 2025, Nvidia has launched a giveaway campaign offering fans a chance to win five iconic GPUs from its storied history. The first prize is the groundbreaking GeForce 256, often hailed as the world's first GPU a term that Nvidia defined and popularized. While some may view this as a marketing ploy, the appeal of owning a piece of PC gaming history signed by one of the industry's most influential figures is undeniable. The GeForce Greats competition kicked off with a post on X as Nvidia unveiled a framed GeForce 256 graphics card, complete with its original box, bearing the signature of CEO Jensen Huang. This piece of computing history, dating back to 1999, marks the beginning of Nvidia's computer graphics journey.While the company has kept the identities of the four remaining GPUs under wraps, speculation is rife among tech enthusiasts. Many predict that the legendary GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, released in 2017 and still revered for its performance, might be among the prizes. Nvidia plans to reveal one GPU per day in the lead-up to Jensen Huang's CES opening keynote.Participation in the giveaway is straightforward: fans are invited to comment #GeForceGreats on Nvidia's social media thread and share their fondest gaming memories. This engagement strategy not only generates buzz but also taps into the nostalgia that many PC gamers hold for these classic cards.The timing of this promotion is no accident. With CES 2025 on the horizon, Nvidia is drumming up excitement for its upcoming announcements, including the much-anticipated GeForce RTX 50 series. The company is also planning a 48-hour gaming marathon from January 4th to 6th, further fueling the hype for its CES presentation.This giveaway is more than just a trip down memory lane; it's a celebration of Nvidia's impact on the gaming industry. // Related StoriesThe GeForce 256, for example, which was built on TSMC's 220nm process node and featured a 139mm chip with 17 million transistors, boasted several advanced features for its time. It revolutionized PC gaming by offering significantly improved performance and visual quality, providing up to 50% or greater improvement in frame rates compared to previous high-end 3D game accelerators. Ultimately, it set a new standard for graphics processing, influencing the development of subsequent GPUs.The GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, released in March 2017, also stands as a landmark achievement in the history of computer graphics. The card's ability to handle 4K gaming and support for advanced technologies like VR and Nvidia G-Sync was hailed by gamers. What truly set the GTX 1080 Ti apart, though, was its price-to-performance ratio. Retailed for $699, it offered Titan X-level performance for nearly half the cost. This aggressive pricing strategy disrupted the high-end GPU market and put pressure on competitors like AMD, which was struggling to match Nvidia's performance at the top end.

Why it matters: Asus and other companies have spent years exploring ways to remove cables from the custom PC building process. The manufacturer's BTF standard aims to make installing graphics cards safer and easier, and the latest version dramatically increases the power budget to accommodate more components. DIY-APE recently unveiled a new iteration of the Back to the Future (BTF) standard that aims to minimize the number of cables needed for installing PC components. The new design can deliver up to 1,500W while shifting all non-chassis-related wiring to the back of the motherboard.Asus proposed BTF a few years ago as a method for installing GPUs without running power cables in front of the motherboard, which often contributes to messy cable arrangements. Using designs demonstrated in 2023 and 2024, a graphics card can receive up to 600W directly from the motherboard without cables.The new system from DIY-APE adds a 50-pin connector to the rear of a 12VO motherboard a power standard Intel introduced to simplify cable management. By delivering 1,500W, DIY-APE's connector can replace traditional EPS dual 8-pin CPU connectors, 24-pin motherboard connectors, and 12V-2x6 GPU connectors.In custom PCs built to the BTF 3.0 standard, the last remaining components requiring additional cables are coolers and SATA devices like storage drives. With most users transitioning to NVMe SSDs that connect directly into M.2 motherboard slots, only front panel buttons, fans, and RGB lights would reveal front-facing cables.Compliant designs could make assembly easier for newcomers and reduce the risk of bad connections or fires, which plagued early RTX 4090 power connectors. Conversely, BTF could theoretically make troubleshooting more difficult, as individual components would be less isolated.However, the primary downside is that BTF requires new motherboards, graphics cards, and power supply units to support the new connection types. Builders interested in BTF PCs would have to use BTF-compliant parts. // Related StoriesFor BTF to become viable, other PC companies must adopt the standard. A cable-free future would require manufacturers of motherboards, GPUs, PSUs, and cases to approve a common set of connectors so users can build cableless PCs without worrying about viable upgrade paths.Although BTF's chances of mainstream acceptance remain unclear, CES, which starts in a few days, might present an opportunity to showcase its advantages. Asus revealed a BTF version of the RTX 4090 at last year's trade show.

Mark Wahlberg almost always plays the hero. In Flight Risk, Wahlberg showcases his villainous side and a new hairstyle.In the latest trailer forFlight Risk, Wahlberg plays Daryl Booth, a pilot tasked with transporting Air Marshal Madolyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) and her government witness, Winston (Topher Grace), across the Alaskan wilderness. During the flight, Booth reveals his true identity as a hit man hired by the mob to kill Winston to prevent him from testifying in a major case. Madolyn manages to apprehend Daryl after several altercations, but now she must fly the plane to safety.Recommended VideosYall need a pilot, Daryl sarcastically says while chained to the plane. One of the jarring components of Wahlbergs performance is his hair. Wahlberg elected to shave parts of his head instead of wearing a bald cap.Please enable Javascript to view this contentCheck out keep it real no bald cap pic.twitter.com/mU1kIYcYbc Mark Wahlberg official (@markWahlberg_90) January 2, 2025Flight Riskis directed by Mel Gibson from a screenplay by Jared Rosenberg. Gibson is a producer onFlight Riskalongside John Davis, John Fox, and Bruce Davey. Gibson and Wahlberg previously collaborated on 2022sFather Stuand 2017sDaddys Home 2.This marks Gibsons first directorial feature since 2016s Hacksaw Ridge, which resulted in an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Gibson famously won Best Picture and Best Director for 1995sBraveheart, an epic historical drama about William Wallaces crusade during the First War of Scottish Independence. Gibson also directed 2004sThe Passion of the Christand 2006s Apocalypto,with the former potentially receiving a sequel in the near future.Flight Riskwas originally scheduled to come out on October 18, 2024. It will now be released theatrically on January 24, 2025.Editors RecommendationsMark Wahlberg breaks bad in the trailer for Mel Gibsons Flight Risk

WEAK LINK IN THE CHAIN Time to check if you ran any of these 33 malicious Chrome extensions Two separate campaigns have been stealing credentials and browsing history for months. Dan Goodin Jan 3, 2025 7:15 am | 1 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAs many of us celebrated the year-end holidays, a small group of researchers worked overtime tracking a startling discovery: At least 33 browser extensions hosted in Googles Chrome Web Store, some for as long as 18 months, were surreptitiously siphoning sensitive data from roughly 2.6 million devices.The compromises came to light with the discovery by data loss prevention service Cyberhaven that a Chrome extension used by 400,000 of its customers had been updated with code that stole their sensitive data.Twas the night before ChristmasThe malicious extension, available as version 24.10.4, was available for 31 hours, starting on December 25 at 1:32 AM UTC to Dec 26 at 2:50 AM UTC. Chrome browsers actively running the Cyberhaven during that window would automatically download and install the malicious code. Cyberhaven responded by issuing version 24.10.5, and a few days later 24.10.6.The Cyberhaven extension is designed to prevent users from inadvertently entering sensitive data into emails or websites they visit. Analyses of version 24.10.4 showed that it was configured to work with different payloads that were downloaded from cyberhavenext[.]pro, a malicious site the threat actor registered to give the appearance it was affiliated with the company. One recovered payload, Cyberhaven said, scoured user devices for browser cookies and authentication credentials for the facebook.com domain. A separate payload recovered by security firm Secure Annex stole cookies and credentials for chatgpt.com; Cyberhaven said the payload didn't appear functional.The malicious version came through a spear phishing email sent to the developers Google listed for the Cyberhaven extension on Christmas Eve. It warned that the extension wasnt in compliance with Google terms and would be revoked unless the developer took immediate action. Screenshot showing the phishing email sent to Cyberhaven extension developers. Credit: Amit Assaraf A link in the email led to a Google consent screen requesting access permission for an OAuth application named Privacy Policy Extension. A Cyberhaven developer granted the permission and, in the process, unknowingly gave the attacker the ability to upload new versions of Cyberhavens Chrome extension to the Chrome Web Store. The attacker then used the permission to push out the malicious version 24.10.4. Screenshot showing the Google permission request. Credit: Amit Assaraf As word of the attack spread in the early hours of December 25, developers and researchers discovered that other extensions were targeted, in many cases successfully, by the same spear phishing campaign. John Tuckner, founder of Security Annex, a browser extension analysis and management firm, said that as of Thursday afternoon, he knew of 19 other Chrome extensions that were similarly compromised. In all cases, the attacker used spear phishing to push a new malicious version and custom, look-alike domains to issue payloads and receive authentication credentials. Collectively, the 20 extensions had 1.46 million downloads.For many I talk to, managing browser extensions can be a lower priority item in their security program, Tuckner wrote in an email. Folks know they can present a threat, but rarely are teams taking action on them. We've often seen in security, one or two incidents can cause a reevaluation of an organization's security posture. Incidents like this often result in teams scrambling to find a way to gain visibility and understanding of impact to their organizations.The earliest compromise occurred in May 2024. Tuckner provided the following spreadsheet:NameIDVersionPatchAvailableUsersStartEndVPNCitynnpnnpemnckcfdebeekibpiijlicmpom2.0.1FALSE10,00012/12/2412/31/24Parrot Talkskkodiihpgodmdankclfibbiphjkfdenh1.16.2TRUE40,00012/25/2412/31/24Uvoiceoaikpkmjciadfpddlpjjdapglcihgdle1.0.12TRUE40,00012/26/2412/31/24Internxt VPNdpggmcodlahmljkhlmpgpdcffdaoccni1.1.11.2.0TRUE10,00012/25/2412/29/24Bookmark Favicon Changeracmfnomgphggonodopogfbmkneepfgnh4.00TRUE40,00012/25/2412/31/24Castorusmnhffkhmpnefgklngfmlndmkimimbphc4.404.41TRUE50,00012/26/2412/27/24Wayin AIcedgndijpacnfbdggppddacngjfdkaca0.0.11TRUE40,00012/19/2412/31/24Search Copilot AI Assistant for Chromebbdnohkpnbkdkmnkddobeafboooinpla1.0.1TRUE20,0007/17/2412/31/24VidHelper - Video Downloaderegmennebgadmncfjafcemlecimkepcle2.2.7TRUE20,00012/26/2412/31/24AI Assistant - ChatGPT and Gemini for Chromebibjgkidgpfbblifamdlkdlhgihmfohh0.1.3FALSE4,0005/31/2410/25/24TinaMind - The GPT-4o-powered AI Assistant!befflofjcniongenjmbkgkoljhgliihe2.13.02.14.0TRUE40,00012/15/2412/20/24Bard AI chatpkgciiiancapdlpcbppfkmeaieppikkk1.3.7FALSE100,0009/5/2410/22/24Reader Modellimhhconnjiflfimocjggfjdlmlhblm1.5.7FALSE300,00012/18/2412/19/24Primus (prev. PADO)oeiomhmbaapihbilkfkhmlajkeegnjhe3.18.03.20.0TRUE40,00012/18/2412/25/24Cyberhaven security extension V3pajkjnmeojmbapicmbpliphjmcekeaac24.10.424.10.5TRUE400,00012/24/2412/26/24GraphQL Network Inspectorndlbedplllcgconngcnfmkadhokfaaln2.22.62.22.7TRUE80,00012/29/2412/30/24GPT 4 Summary with OpenAIepdjhgbipjpbbhoccdeipghoihibnfja1.4FALSE10,0005/31/249/29/24Vidnoz Flex - Video recorder & Video sharecplhlgabfijoiabgkigdafklbhhdkahj1.0.161FALSE6,00012/25/2412/29/24YesCaptcha assistantjiofmdifioeejeilfkpegipdjiopiekl1.1.61TRUE200,00012/29/2412/31/24Proxy SwitchyOmega (V3)hihblcmlaaademjlakdpicchbjnnnkbo3.0.2TRUE10,00012/30/2412/31/24But wait, theres moreOne of the compromised extensions is one called Reader Mode. Further analysis showed it had been compromised not just in the campaign targeting the other 19 extensions but in a separate campaign that started no later than April 2023. Tuckner said the source of the compromise appears to be a code library developers can use to monetize their extensions. The code library collects details about each web visit a browser makes. In exchange for incorporating the library into the extensions, developers receive a commission from the library creator.Tuckner said that Reader Mode is one of 13 Chrome extensions known to have used the library to collect potentially sensitive data. Collectively, these extensions had 1.14 million installations. The full list is:NameIDVersionPatchAvailableUsersStartEndReader Modellimhhconnjiflfimocjggfjdlmlhblm1.5.7FALSE300,00012/18/2412/19/24Tackker - online keylogger toolekpkdmohpdnebfedjjfklhpefgpgaaji1.31.4TRUE10,00010/6/238/13/24AI Shop Buddyepikoohpebngmakjinphfiagogjcnddm2.7.3TRUE4,0004/30/24Sort by Oldestmiglaibdlgminlepgeifekifakochlka1.4.5TRUE2,0001/11/24Rewards Search Automatoreanofdhdfbcalhflpbdipkjjkoimeeod1.4.9TRUE100,0005/4/24Earny - Up to 20% Cash Backogbhbgkiojdollpjbhbamafmedkeockb1.8.1TRUE100,004/5/23ChatGPT Assistant - Smart Searchbgejafhieobnfpjlpcjjggoboebonfcg1.1.1TRUE1892/12/24Keyboard History Recorderigbodamhgjohafcenbcljfegbipdfjpk2.3TRUE5,0007/29/24Email Huntermbindhfolmpijhodmgkloeeppmkhpmhc1.44TRUE100,0009/17/24Visual Effects for Google Meethodiladlefdpcbemnbbcpclbmknkiaem3.1.33.2.4TRUE900,0006/13/231/10/24ChatGPT Applbneaaedflankmgmfbmaplggbmjjmbae1.3.8TRUE7,0009/3/24Web Mirroreaijffijbobmnonfhilihbejadplhddo2.4TRUE4,00010/13/23Hi AIhmiaoahjllhfgebflooeeefeiafpkfde1.0.0TRUE2297/29/24As Tuckner indicated, browser extensions have long remained a weak link in the security chain. In 2019, for example, extensions for both Chrome and Firefox were caught stealing sensitive data from 4 million devices. Many of the infected devices ran inside the networks of dozens of companies, including Tesla, Blue Origin, FireEye, Symantec, TMobile, and Reddit. In many cases, curbing the threat of malicious extensions is easy since so many extensions provide no useful benefit.In the case of other abused extensions, such as the one used by Cyberhaven customers, it's not as easy to address the threat. After all, the extension provides a service that many organizations find valuable. Tuckner said one potential part of the solution is for organizations to compile a browser asset management list that allows only selected extensions to run and blocks all others. Even then, Cyberhaven customers would have installed the malicious extension version unless the asset management list specifies a specific version to trust and to distrust all others.Anyone who ran one of these compromised extensions should carefully consider changing passwords and other authentication credentials. The Secure Annex post provides additional indicators of compromise, as do posts here, here, here, and here.Dan GoodinSenior Security EditorDan GoodinSenior Security Editor Dan Goodin is Senior Security Editor at Ars Technica, where he oversees coverage of malware, computer espionage, botnets, hardware hacking, encryption, and passwords. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, cooking, and following the independent music scene. Dan is based in San Francisco. Follow him at here on Mastodon and here on Bluesky. Contact him on Signal at DanArs.82. 1 Comments

New year, new rockets Rocket Report: Avio named top European launch firm; New Glenn may launch soon "We are making it simpler for new competitors to get consistent access to the spectrum they need." Eric Berger Jan 3, 2025 7:00 am | 2 A Falcon 9 rocket lofts a Starlink mission on Dec. 30, the final SpaceX mission of 2024, completing the company's 134th orbital launch. Credit: SpaceX A Falcon 9 rocket lofts a Starlink mission on Dec. 30, the final SpaceX mission of 2024, completing the company's 134th orbital launch. Credit: SpaceX Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreWelcome to Edition 7.25 of the Rocket Report! Happy New Year! It's a shorter edition of the newsletter this week because most companies (not named Blue Origin, this holiday season) took things easier over the last 10 days. But after the break we're back in the saddle for the new year, and eager to see what awaits us in the world of launch.As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.Avio lands atop list of European launch firms. You know it probably was not a great year for European rocket firms when the top-ranked company on the continent is Avio, which launched a grand total of two rockets in 2024. The Italian rocket firm earned this designation from European Spaceflight after successfully completing the final flight of the Vega rocket in September and returning the Vega C rocket to flight in December.Three European launches in 2024 ... The only other firm to launch a rocket on the list was ArianeGroup, which had a single launch last year. Granted, it was an important flight, the successful debut of the Ariane 6 rocket. Germany-based Isar Aerospace came in third place, followed by a company I had never heard of, Germany-based Bayern-Chemie. It builds solid-fuel upper stages for sounding rockets. It's hard to disagree with too much on the list, although it certainly demonstrates that Europe could do with more companies launching rockets, and fewer only talking about it.India launches space docking demonstration mission. The Indian Space Research Organization launched a space docking experiment on a PSLV rocket at the end of the year, NASASpaceflight.com reports. This SpaDeX missionyes, the name is a little confusingwill demonstrate the capability to rendezvous, dock, and undock in orbit. This technology is important for the country's human spaceflight plans as well as future missions to the Moon.Target and chaser ... The SpaDeX experiment will be conducted around 10 days following launch when the two satellites, the SDX01 Chaser and the SDX02 Target, will be released with a small relative velocity between them. The pair will drift apart for around a day until they are separated by a distance of around 10 to 15 km. Once this is achieved, Target will eliminate the velocity difference between itself and Chaser using its propulsion system. The Ars Technica Rocket Report The easiest way to keep up with Eric Berger's and Stephen Clark's reporting on all things space is to sign up for our newsletter. We'll collect their stories and deliver them straight to your inbox.Sign Me Up!HyPrSpace conducts hot-fire test. French launch services startup HyPrSpace has completed the first test of its second hot fire test campaign for its subscale Terminator stage demonstrator, European Spaceflight reports. HyPrSpace is developing a two-stage launch vehicle called Orbital Baguette One (OB-1) that will be capable of delivering up to 250 kilograms to low Earth orbit.Like a finely baked bread ... In July, the company completed an initial hot fire test campaign of Terminator, an eight-tonne demonstrator of a hybrid rocket stage. Over the course of this first test campaign, HyPrSpace completed a total of four hot fire tests. HyPrSpace CEO Alexandre Mangeot said the company achieved an average engine efficiency of 94 percent during the latest test. Mangeot added that this represented the "propulsive performance we need for our orbital launcher."A new annual record for orbital launches. The world set another record for orbital launches in 2024 in a continuing surge of launch activity driven almost entirely by SpaceX, Space News reports. There were 259 orbital launch attempts in 2024, a 17 percent increase from the previous record of 221 orbital launch attempts in 2023. That figure does not include suborbital launches, such as four SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy test flights or two launches of the HASTE suborbital variant of Rocket Labs Electron.SpaceX v. world ... That increase in overall launches matches the increase by SpaceX alone, which performed 134 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches in 2024, up from 96 in 2023. The company performed more orbital launches than the rest of the world combined. China performed 68 launches in 2024, breaking a record of 67 launches set in 2023. Russia performed 17 launches, followed by Japan (7), India (5), Iran (4), Europe (3) and North Korea (1).Russian family of rockets reaches 2,000th launch. The Russian space program reached a significant milestone over the holidays with the 2,000th launch of a rocket from the "R-7" family of boosters. The launch took place on Christmas Day when an R-7 rocket lifted off, carrying a remote-sensing satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Ars reports. This family of rockets has an incredible heritage dating back nearly six decades. The first R-7 vehicle was designed by the legendary Soviet rocket scientist Sergei Korolev. It flew in 1957 and was the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile.Good and bad news ... Although it's certainly worth commemorating the 2,000th launch of the R-7 family of rockets, the fleet's longevity also offers a cautionary tale. In many respects, the Russian space program continues to coast on the legacy of Korolev and the Soviet space feats of the 1950s and 1960s. That Russia has not developed a more cost-competitive and efficient booster in nearly six decades reveals the truth about its space program: It lacks innovation at a time when the rest of the space industry is rapidly sprinting toward reusability.Overview of Chinese launch plans for 2025. New Long March rockets and commercially developed launch vehicles are expected to have their first flights in 2025, boosting Chinas overall launch capabilities, Space News reports. The launchers will compete for contracts to launch satellites for Chinas megaconstellation projectsThousand Sails and Guowangspace station cargo missions and commercial and other contracts, helping to boost the countrys overall access to space and launch rate in the coming years.Many new faces on the launch pad ... Among the highlights for the coming year is the Long March 8A rocket, a variant of the existing Long March 8, but with a larger, more powerful second stage, boosting payload capacity to a 700-kilometer Sun-synchronous orbit from 5,000 kilograms to 7,000 kg. It is likely to be a workhorse for megaconstellation launches. The Long March 12A rocket could undergo vertical takeoff and landing tests. And the privately developed Zhuque-3 rocket could make its first orbital launch this year.To deal with more launches, FCC adds spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission has formally allocated additional spectrum for launch applications, fulfilling a provision in a bill passed earlier this year, Space News reports. The FCC published December 31 a report and order that allocated spectrum between 2360 and 2395 megahertz for use in communications to and from commercial launch and reentry vehicles on a secondary basis. That band currently has a primary use for aircraft and missile testing communications.Keep rockets talking to the ground ... Both the FCC and launch companies have said the additional spectrum was needed to accommodate growth in launch activities. By identifying more bandwidth for vital links to launch vehicles, we are making it simpler for new competitors to get consistent access to the spectrum they need, Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of the FCC, said in a December 19 statement calling for approval of the then-proposed report and order.New Glenn completes static fire test. On Friday, December 27, Blue Origin successfully ignited the seven main engines on its massive New Glenn rocket for the first time, Ars reports. Blue Origin said it fired the vehicle's engines for a duration of 24 seconds. They fired at full thrust for 13 of those seconds. Additionally, several hours before the test firing, the Federal Aviation Administration said it had issued a launch license for the rocket.New Glenn wen? ... These two milestones set up a long-anticipated launch of the New Glenn rocket in January. Although the company has yet to announce a date publicly, sources indicate that Blue Origin is working toward a launch time of no earlier than 1 am ET (06:00 UTC) on Monday, January 6, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, though it could slip a few days. If all goes well with the debut flight of the vehicle, Blue Origin will also attempt to recover the first stage of the rocket on a drone ship down range in the Atlantic Ocean. (submitted by Jay5000001)Next three launchesJan. 4: Falcon 9 | Thuraya 4-NGS | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | 01:27 UTCJan. 6: New Glenn | Blue Ring pathfinder | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | 06:00 UTCJan. 6: Falcon 9 | Starlink 12-11 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | 16:19 UTCEric BergerSenior Space EditorEric BergerSenior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 2 Comments

Derek Bentley, Partner and Head of Energy Transition, Solomon PartnersJanuary 3, 20254 Min ReadRazvan Ionut Dragomirescu via Alamy StockTwo generational megatrends are colliding and, without bipartisan collaboration and partnerships among public and private entities, the fallout could have catastrophic economic and social implications.The transition to clean energy is one of our centurys great societal megatrends. Global investment in clean energy infrastructure is on track to hit $2 trillion this year, approximately twice the worldwide investment in fossil fuels but still short of the $4.5 trillion per year needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the most extreme effects of climate change.A second generational megatrend is complicating the energy transition: The sudden and meteoric rise of artificial intelligencehas led to a surge in demand for electricity. Grid operators are expecting electricity demand to increase by 40% to 100% by 2030, largely driven by data centers associated with AI, and this degree of growth is unprecedented since power grids were established nearly 150 years ago.The intersection of energy and AI will reshape both industries, but, currently, no single technology can fill the substantial gap between demand and supply. Solutions will require collaboration across the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Justice, utilities, grid operators, state and local agencies, as well as the private sector.Related:Power-Hungry AIA ChatGPT AI query uses about 10 times more energy than a Google search. The force behind AI -- the hyperscalers -- have aggressive decarbonization targets. However, most AI computing requires consistent power that naturally intermittent renewable power generation cannot provide.Without enough consistent power generation to meet data center demand, the US risks falling behind in the global AI race. That would be catastrophic on several fronts: from ceding economic growth and productivity gains; to jeopardizing national security; to conceding the leadership position that would allow a nation to shape global standards and steer the overall direction of AIs development and deployment.Pressure on the GridWith unprecedented levels of new demand, grid operators are increasingly concerned about their ability to provide the power generation that data centers need while also maintaining grid reliability, especially while decarbonizing the broader energy mix.Consider Loudoun County, Virginia, where over 35% of hyperscaler data centers are located -- and where Dominion Energy has seen a 500% increase in power demand from data centers from 2013 to 2022.Dominions solar capacity has grown by more than 630% since 2015, but its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan would add up to seven new gas-powered plants, more than doubling the companys gas fleet in Virginia to maintain reliability. The plan also proposes delaying by more than a decade the closure of two existing coal-fired power plants.Related:Even with these adjustments, Dominion has been telling large purchasers that the utility wont be able to provide sufficient new power to meet demand for at least five years due to grid constraints. Keep in mind that a data center takes only about one year to build.Multiple SolutionsAnalysts estimate that the US will need to spend$665 billion through 2030on generating capacity alone, not to mention spending on transmission and grid upgrades. Europes grid, which is older, could need on the order of$1 trillionin investment.While energy storage is on a long-term trajectory to solve renewables intermittency problem, deployment remains nascent as technical performance and safety track records improve and costs decline. Small modular nuclear reactors offer another potential solution, but substantial improvements are required which many experts estimate will take 10 or more years to achieve.Related:To meet the insatiable interim appetite for carbon-free power, several previously uneconomic, decommissioned nuclear power plants -- including Three Mile Island, scene of the worst commercial nuclear accident in US history -- are slated to reopen and they still would not provide enough new power. Parties are even starting to discuss possibly building new nuclear reactors.Perhaps even more vital and beyond technological solutions, legislation must create uniform permitting processes for such large amounts of new generation and transmission to be built. Currently, these differ by state and county, which creates enormous inefficiencies and results in moving targets that are prone to change based on partisan politics.Interconnection reform is also required to enable new power generation to dispatch onto the power grid. According to POWERGRID International, interconnect timelines from making an initial request to having an operational plant have increased from less than two years for projects built in 2000-2007, to more than four years for those built in 2018-2023.Unless we advance collaborative and holistic solutions, the energy transition and AI are two megatrends thatwill continue to collide and intersect in ways that create considerable challenges.About the AuthorDerek BentleyPartner and Head of Energy Transition, Solomon PartnersDerek Bentley is a Partner and Head of Energy Transition at Solomon Partners, a leading financial advisory firm.See more from Derek BentleyNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports