What just happened? Sony and Honda announced at CES that pre-orders are officially open for their upcoming 'Afeela' EV. However, only customers in California can make reservations right now, with no clarification on when it will be open to buyers across the rest of the country. The mid-size sedan, which is roughly the same size as a Honda Accord, will come in two trims: the base Afeela 1 Origin priced at $89,900 and the premium Afeela 1 Signature, costing $102,900. Both are available for pre-order through a refundable $200 deposit.Deliveries for the Origin will begin in mid-2026, but the Signature won't start shipping until 2027. Both trims will include a complimentary three-year subscription to multiple smart features, including a Level 2+ driver assist system and an AI-powered personal assistant. Curiously, the Origin will only be offered in a 'Core Black' color, while the Signature is listed with three color options.At the CES press event, Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno showcased the Afeela's AI chops by using the "Come on out, Afeela" voice command to summon the vehicle using a mobile app. However, Mizuno clarified that the voice command was only a "tech demo," so it's unclear if it will be a part of the production model.The Afeela has a new-age design that boasts a panoramic screen spanning the width of the dashboard. It also has 40 sensors, including 1 LiDAR, nine radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors, both inside and outside the vehicle. Other notable tech includes a processor with 800 TOPS of computing power and a host of cameras for the L2+ ADAS feature.The Afeela gets an AWD drivetrain, front and rear motors with 180kW outputs, up to 300 miles of EPA-estimated range, a 91kWh lithium-ion battery, and NACS Supercharger connectivity. It will also support Tesla's ever-growing Supercharger network, which includes over 6,000 stations with over 62,000 connectors.Sony showcased its Vision-S smart car concept at CES 2020 as part of its plans to jump on the EV bandwagon. In 2022, the company partnered with Honda to develop a new mobility service platform. According to the two companies, Sony will take care of the imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network, and in-car entertainment, while the manufacturing will be done by Honda.

What just happened? Tencent, the tech giant that has investments and ownership stakes in firms ranging from Riot and Epic to Activision Blizzard and Reddit, has been added to the Department of Defense's list of Chinese military companies. The move will not result in any immediate sanctions or export controls, but it has caused reputational damage and could make it more difficult for Tencent to continue making investments in American businesses. Tencent appeared on an updated version of the Section 1260H list this week. The DoD's list contains the names of companies that the agency believes are part of China's "Military-Civil Fusion strategy," a national strategy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to develop the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a "world class military" by 2049 by collaborating with local firms and civilian researchers.Tencent is the sole owner of League of Legends maker Riot Games, holds a 40% stake in Epic Games, has stakes in Snap and Activision Blizzard, Larian Studios, and FromSoftware, and has invested in Reddit and Discord.No reason was given for why Tencent was added to the list. The company said its inclusion was "clearly a mistake" and it will appeal. Tencent's Danny Marti told The Verge that the designation "has no impact on our business.""We will nonetheless work with the Department of Defense to address any misunderstanding," Marti added.Consequences of being on the 1260H list aren't as severe as being on the Entity list, which includes Huawei, as those on it cannot do business with US companies unless Washington issues a license. However, some organizations chose to stop working with companies after they were added to the 1260H list. // Related StoriesTencent owns WeChat, the messaging platform and payment service that's incredibly popular in China. WeChat was banned from Canada's government devices in 2023 due to an "unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security."Joining Tencent on the 1260H list is CATL, the world's largest electric vehicle battery maker whose customers include Tesla. CATL also said its inclusion was "a mistake."Ford said it would invest $2 billion to build a battery plant in Michigan. The US automaker has said it plans to license technology from CATL.Tencent's US-listed shares fell 7.8% following the news.Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, told the BBC, "The US's practices violate the market competition principles and international economic and trade rules that it has always advocated, and undermine the confidence of foreign companies in investing and operating in the United States."Drone maker DJI and Lidar-maker Hesai Technologies both sued the Pentagon last year for their inclusion on the list, where they still remain.There may still be hope for Tencent and CATL. Xiaomi was added to the list in 2021 but removed just a few months later.

Something to look forward to: The second part of Square Enix's planned three-part remake of Final Fantasy VII is set to launch on PC nearly a year after the PlayStation 5 version. Performance details and PC features have been revealed along with the full system requirements sheet. Although it doesn't utilize the same graphics engine, the PC system requirements for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth closely resemble those for the notoriously demanding Final Fantasy XVI, so its performance might be similar. Fans continuing from Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, released in 2022, have noted the sequel's significant spec increase.The game's 155GB storage requirement should be unsurprising to anyone who has installed high-end games in recent years. However, those still using older graphics cards should know that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth doesn't support AMD RX 5000 or Nvidia GTX 10 series.Achieving 1080p 30fps gameplay with low graphics settings demands at least an RX 6600, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, or Intel Arc A580. Shader Model 6.6 or newer is required, but it's unclear if that is preventing RDNA1 and Pascal cards from running the game. Alan Wake II enforced similarly stiff minimum requirements due to its use of mesh shaders. More recently, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle locked out older cards because it demands hardware-accelerated ray tracing.Although Square Enix recommends high-end GPUs like the RX 7900 XTX or RTX 4080 for 4K 60fps gameplay with high graphics settings, the spec sheet doesn't account for upscaling. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth supports Nvidia DLSS, but the company hasn't confirmed whether FSR and XeSS are also included.Square Enix also notes that anyone using a 4K display should have at least 12GB of VRAM. Many recent high-end games have encountered performance difficulties in 4K when running on GPUs with 8GB or 10GB of memory, such as the RTX 3080. // Related StoriesThe game's PC edition features improved lighting and textures compared to the PlayStation 5 version. Furthermore, DualSense functionality is supported over USB. While Square Enix can't promise Steam Deck verification yet, the company is optimizing the game to be playable on handheld gaming PCs, which might improve performance overall.Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be available on Steam and the Epic Games Store on January 23. The full MSRP is $69.99, but a generous 30 percent early-bird discount is available until launch, reducing the pre-order price to $48.99.Although Square Enix hasn't confirmed whether the game will receive a free demo for users wishing to benchmark their PCs, the chances of seeing one are good, as Final Fantasy XVI and the PS5 version of Rebirth offered demos.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" At CES 2025, Withings has made connected blood pressure monitors a lot easier to use, more reassuring, and more inclusive than ever with the introduction of the BPM Vision. How? In addition to new hardware features, it has the option to add an unusual service thats like having your own private cardiologist on hand, ready to check over your results and warn you about possible heart arrhythmias.Unlike many blood pressure monitors, the BPM Vision is a friendly and modern-looking device. On the front is a high-resolution color screen that shows your blood pressure results, as well as tutorials on how to use it properly, plus reminders about when to take a reading. Additionally, using Withings AI will show immediate, easy-to-understand feedback and insights. Theres an on/off button and three large main buttons next to the screen. The functionality of each is clearly indicated on the products screen, making it simple to use.Recommended VideosWithings existing BPM Connect blood pressure monitor has a fairly standard adjustable cuff, but to make the BPM Vision suitable for more people, the company will make it with two different cuff sizes. Purchase the BPM Vision from Withings website, and youll have the option of a cuff measuring between nine and 17 inches or between 16 and 20 inches. The BPM Vision connects to Wi-Fi and syncs its data with an app on your phone. It has the capacity to track data from eight different people, plus the battery should last for up to six months. It comes in a handy travel case.WithingsWhere is the private cardiologist? If you subscribe to the Withings+ service, the BPM Vision will come with a feature called Cardio Check-Up, where within 24 hours of making a request, youll be connected to a certified health care professional who will analyze your data and watch for signs of more than 10 different heart arrhythmias. Other services that come with Cardio Check-Up include a quarterly check-up, no-appointment-required reviews, and no need to visit a clinic as its all performed through the app. Cardio Check-Up also works with other Withings health products, including the ScanWatch 2 smartwatch.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe BPM Vision is being certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is expected to be ready for sale in the U.S. in April 2025. It will cost $130. The Cardio Check-Up service will be operated by Heartbeat Health in the U.S. and is part of the $100 annual Withings+ subscription service.Editors Recommendations

AMD revealed its next-gen RX 9000 series graphics cards yesterday well, kind of. The cards were mostly a no-show, with nothing but a promise that wed hear more soon. However, AMDs partners still showed off some of the upcoming RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 graphics cards during CES 2025, which is why we now know what theyre going to look like but we still know very little about how theyll perform when matched up against some of the best graphics cards.Despite the lack of specifics during the presentation, Asus announced four RDNA 4 graphics cards with undisclosed release dates. Unfortunately, the only specification we got out of this is that both the RX 9070 and the RX 9070 XT feature 16GB of VRAM, which is a healthy amount that can rival Nvidias $1,000 RTX 5080.The lineup covers TUF and Prime models, and the TUF series offers a dual-BIOS switch. Asus is also replacing thermal paste with phase-changing thermal pads for improved heat dissipation, so these GPUs should stay nice and cool under pressure. However, we still dont know how much power theyre going to consume. As such, its unclear how hot these GPUs will run in the first place. All cards will be factory-overclocked, but the base and maximum clock speeds havent been announced.Recommended VideosBased on the photos, we can also gather that all four GPUs will come with a triple-fan configuration. The Prime model comes with three 8-pin power connectors, and Im assuming the TUF variant will use the same configuration. There are also three DisplayPort 2.1 and one HDMI 2.1 output.Gigabyte also gave the public a glimpse at its upcoming RDNA 4 graphics cards, as shared by TechPowerUp. The company showed off the Radeon RX 9070 XT Elite and the RX 9070 Gaming OC. Theres also the Aorus RX 9070 XT Elite, which features a couple of new thermal management solutions, such as a redesigned Hawk fan. Gigabyte also offers dual BIOS modes.Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming During the actual keynote, AMD barely mentioned RDNA 4 and FSR4, but both are on the horizon, most likely launching within this quarter. However, prior to the keynote, the company shared a few slides with the press, which is why we now know that RDNA 4 will offer third-gen ray tracing accelerators, and that the lineup consists of the RX 9070 and the RX 9060. We also know that AMD is sticking to the mainstream market, as the flagship will only rival the last-gen RX 7900 XT.RelatedIts nice to see the upcoming GPUs in the flesh, and this makes me hopeful that it wont be long before AMD tells us more about the RX 9000 series.Editors Recommendations

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Beatbot The original AquaSense Series was wildly popular when it hit the market in early 2024, and at CES 2025, Beatbot officially revealed its successor, the AquaSense 2 Series. Consisting of three robotic pool cleaners and starting at $1,500, Series 2 models are designed to automate all aspects of pool cleaning. The high-end AquaSense 2 Ultra even incorporates AI technology into the mix, promising a superior clean.Digital Trends received compensation for considering coverage of these products. The brand had no input on the editorial content and did not influence the coverage.AquaSense 2 is the most affordable of the trio at $1,499, yet the three-in-one pool cleaner is still pretty well-rounded. It can clean floors, walls, and the waterline, and can run for up to four hours before needing a recharge. Toss in obstacle detection, four unique cleaning modes, and an array of 16 sensors, and its well-suited for most pools.Recommended VideosStep up to the AquaSense 2 Pro at $2,499, and youll get a handful of additional features. These include the ability to clean the water surface and carry out water clarification tasks. It even benefits from six additional sensors and manual remote navigation so you can help it navigate any tricky sections of your pool.BeatbotThe most impressive robot in the lineup is the AquaSense 2 Ultra though it carries the premium price of $3,450. That makes it one of the most expensive robotic pool cleaners on the market. However, it backs up that eye-watering price tag with plenty of features you wont find anywhere else. Its coolest feature is HybridSense AI Pool Mapping, which uses an array of 27 sensors to clean the surface, waterline, floor, and walls, as well as perform water clarification tasks. Unlike the other two robots, it also features two side brushes for an improved clean.Please enable Javascript to view this contentAll three are designed to work with above-ground and in-ground pools and cover 300 square meters. They can also handle pools of any shape, ensuring theyre a good fit for nearly all shoppers. The AquaSense 2 Ultra is the most exciting of the trio, as its AI capabilities should make it a serious upgrade over the existing AquaSense Pro. Compared to the old AquaSense Pro, it gets you two additional motors and seven additional sensors, along with AI support, and its poised to make a splash when it hits the market on February 10.RelatedIf you cant wait until February, check out the best robotic pool cleaners for a list of alternatives that are available right now.Editors Recommendations

CEOMark Zuckerberg, who has been building ties with the incoming Trump administration, said the move was an attempt to restore free expression on its platforms.

The regulator said it would open investigations into at least three types of tech platforms at the start of this year to work out which tech giants need to obey a new law governing the digital economy.

GOT SECURE BOOT? Widely used DNA sequencer still doesnt enforce Secure Boot A firmware-dwelling bootkit in the iSeq 100 could be a key win for threat actors. Dan Goodin Jan 7, 2025 9:00 am | 8 A woman placing her finger on the touch screen of the iSeq 100 gene sequencer from Illumina. Credit: Illumina A woman placing her finger on the touch screen of the iSeq 100 gene sequencer from Illumina. Credit: Illumina Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreIn 2012, an industry-wide coalition of hardware and software makers adopted Secure Boot to protect Windows devices against the threat of malware that could infect the BIOS and, later, its predecessor the UEFI, the firmware that loaded the operating system each time a computer booted up.Firmware-dwelling malware raises the specter of malware that infects the devices before the operating system even loads, each time they boot up. From there, it can remain immune to detection and removal. Secure Boot uses public-key cryptography to block the loading of any code that isnt signed with a pre-approved digital signature.2018 calling for its BIOSSince 2016, Microsoft has required all Windows devices to include a strong trusted platform module that enforces Secure Boot. To this day organizations widely regard Secure Boot as an important, if not essential, foundation of trust in securing devices in some of the most critical environments.Microsoft has a much harder time requiring Secure Boot to be enforced on specialized devices, such as scientific instruments used inside research labs. As a result, gear used in some of the world's most sensitive environments still doesn't enforce it. On Tuesday, researchers from firmware security firm Eclypsium called out one of them: the Illumina iSeq 100, a DNA sequencer that's a staple at 23andMe and thousands of other gene-sequencing laboratories around the world.The iSeq 100 can boot from a Compatibility Support Mode so it works with older legacy systems, such as 32-bit OSes. When this is the case, the iSeq loads from BIOS B480AM12, a version that dates to 2018, and Windows 10 2016 LTSB. Both harbor years' worth of critical vulnerabilities that can be exploited to carry out the types of firmware attacks Secure Boot envisioned.Additionally, Eclypsium said, firmware Read/Write protections aren't enabled, meaning an attacker is free to modify the firmware on the device.Eclypsium wrote:It should be noted that our analysis was limited specifically to the iSeq 100 sequencer device. However, the issue is likely much more broad than this single model of device. Medical device manufacturers tend to focus on their unique area of expertise (e.g. gene sequencing) and rely on outside suppliers and services to build the underlying computing infrastructure of the device. In this case, the problems were tied to an OEM motherboard made by IEI Integration Corp. IEI develops a wide range of industrial computer products and maintains a dedicated line of business as an ODM for medical devices. As a result, it would be highly likely that these or similar issues could be found either in other medical or industrial devices that use IEI motherboards. This is a perfect example of how mistakes early in the supply chain can have far reaching impacts across many types of devices and vendors.In an email, Eclypsium CTO Alex Bazhaniuk wrote: "To be fair, with an OS that does not get the most recent security updates, there are plenty of risks and threats, not to mention how each IT organization manages their own assets on their network."He added: "Although we dont have additional examples in the land of DNA Sequencers, it is highly likely that Secure Boot is disabled on devices besides this one from Illumina. Many medical devices are built on off-the-shelf servers and older configurations which may not have Secure Boot enabled or are running outdated firmware, as in many cases it is very hard or impossible to update."Illumina representatives thanked Eclypsium for the research and said that the iSeq 100 follows best security practices. "We are following our standard processes and will notify impacted customers if any mitigations are required," they wrote. "Our initial evaluation indicates these issues are not high-risk."When Secure Boot was first dreamed up, the threat of BIOS-based rootkit was a theoretical risk based on plausible proof-of-concepts such as the ICLord BIOS kit from 2007. In 2011, such threats became a reality with the discovery of Mebromi, the first-known BIOS rootkit to be used in the wild. Real-world instances of other malware targeting the UEFI since then include the LoJax and MosaicRegressor firmware implants.The ability to create similar infections on one of the most widely used gene sequencers could be a golden opportunity for threat actors. Ransomware groups could use one to take out all devices in a given network. Researchers have also shown how malware can cause sequencers to report false relations between arbitrary users on GEDmatch.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. 8 Comments

What have we learned about maintaining IT infrastructure and cybersecurity one generation after putting in the work to correct the Y2K bug?