Relaxed GrindMarvel Rivals' best feature so far is that completing its seasonal passes and events doesn't feel like a second jobI like Marvel and cool skins, but I'm also a semi-functional adult.Image credit: NetEase Games Article by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on Jan. 10, 2025 I told myself I'd work through my hefty backlog over the Christmas break. That was a lie. While I did finish a few short video games, most of my gaming time was spent on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Diablo 4, and Marvel Rivals. All three were riddled with the traditional microtransactions, but only NetEase Games' hero shooter didn't feel like a chore to stay on top of.By and large, I'm okay with battle passes. I think they're a good alternative to gambling money on loot boxes and being tempted by overpriced premium skins, the latter of which are a thing regardless in most online games that have passes. If you're someone who plays an online regularly and cares about cosmetics, battle passes are good value and help pay for the development of actual playable content for everyone. Their traditional implementation could be better though, and one key issue with the model is the fear of missing out (FOMO). Marvel Rivals swiftly fixed that by making passes not expire, but what about the average time to complete them?To see this content please enable targeting cookies. After completely moving away from Overwatch, Marvel Rivals has felt like a winner in that same space so far. It looks gorgeous, exudes charm, is consistently fun to play, and runs well enough. Now, I've also begun to appreciate that it's the rare breed of live service game that doesn't feel like a second job if you want to complete its premium seasonal tracks and free events.At first, I was very worried (and I'm still sorta annoyed) by the game approaching battle pass progression from a 'daily/weekly challenges' angle. For a game that prides itself in letting players embody their favorite heroes and villains from Marvel's impressively rich multiverse, forcing us into certain missions and play styles a fair amount of time just to get the points needed to make progress on the passes and events isn't ideal. It's helped me spend more time with characters I wasn't really paying attention to before, but I'd like to have the opportunity to progress just by playing. Image credit: NetEase Games, VG247I was, however, quite surprised by the rate at which I progressed through the (admittedly half-length) S0 pass. The daily amount of points I could get in short one-hour-ish sessions was quite generous even if it didn't seem like much at the moment. A little below 15 hours later, I'd fully completed the pass. This would make the completion of Season 1's regular pass around 30 hours in length, which honestly feels quite relaxed if the folks at NetEase stick to the planned three-month schedule.As someone who jumps between wildly different games constantly (and not only because of work), I've given up on the idea of ever completing the battle pass for something that isn't MTG Arena (an addiction I've currently escaped) or another card game you can play in small bursts. The time commitment just seems too high and not aimed at functional adults. Marvel Rivals' devs and publisher, on the other hand, appear to be fully aware of this issue. Sure, this might translate in much less engagement when it comes to the total average of hours, but it might help with the recurring issue of players burning themselves out gradually. After completing the S0 pass, I just kept playing, and I can't wait to hit S1 as soon as possible. Image credit: NetEase GamesThe Jeff-centric Christmas event was another pleasant surprise. Even without trying, only a handful of hours allowed me to gain the required 'golden stars' to progress through the slim track that ended with a cool winter skin for our favorite land shark. I'm well aware that such things might change in the future if NetEase and Marvel want to squeeze players harder, but right now, Marvel Rivals is feeling like early days Overwatch 1 in all the right ways.Another byproduct of the first pass and event not steamrolling me is that I've been enjoying the game well enough to constantly jump into competitive matches. It turns out that letting players breathe a little bit and play 'for fun' more often leads to healthier, more curious habits. Shocker! Image credit: NetEase Games, VG247In the age of live service titles coming and going and a handful of massive whales controlling a space that's too large in the crowded online gaming market, more player-friendly approaches such as Marvel Rivals' are gravely needed. It's not perfect by any means, and there's room for both improvement and failure as the game grows bigger and gets into a groove, but as it stands, Marvel Rivals has much more going for it than brand appeal. I'm almost 33 now, and I don't want to be pushed out of online gaming because of business-first practices.Hell, NetEase and Marvel could keep hitting home runs with this banger and I might end up paying for a premium skin that's sick enough. Sorry, but as great as Sue Storm's rear looks with her Mistress of Hate skin, I'm the kind of nerd looking for legendary comic book-inspired looks instead.

WarmodsHelldivers 2 players are modding their own Warbonds into the game, and the latest one's perfect for Halo fansHey, a diver can never have too much gear to pick between before diving pod-first into the Voteless hordes.Image credit: Arrowhead/Jayypino News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on Jan. 10, 2025 Helldivers 2's modding community has been putting out some cool stuff recently - especially if you're into games like Crazy Taxi or, in this case, Halo 3: ODST. You seem, as far as I'm aware, the first ever full-on "Warbond" mod has just dropped for the game, and it looks pretty great.Before we go any further, it's worth stating the obvious that this mod is techincally a Warbond-like rather than having all of the bells and whistles of the proper official Warbonds Arrowhead puts out, but if it's just the trying new armour element you care about, it's definitely got you covered.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. This "modded Warbond" as its principal creator, modder Jayypino, has christened it is dubbed 'Dogmatic Reach' for reasons that'll soon become very apparent.Basically, it contains a few new armour sets and helmets that're made up of blend of Helldivers 2 and Halo 3: ODST gear - meaning you'll look a bit more spartany, but not quite in as potentially jarring a fashion as mods that simply let you dress up as Master Chief or something similar. It's "something different, but familiar", Jayypino writes, with "custom vanilla styled textures" which "should match with vanilla armours nicely".Each of the new armour sets - which replace existing in-game sets - looks to come with alternative paint job options that can add some intimidating teeth to your helmet and a blue colourway that'll match another custom Warbond-style mod Jayypino's worked on, The Grave Situation Team's 'SEAF Specialists'.You'll need to grab the latest version of Teutinsa's 'HD2 Mod Manager' in order to give the mod a go, and say Halo to its three new armours - the Chimera, Hydra, and Cyclops sets.This hasn't been the only interesting thing going on in the HD2 community recently, as a dataminer's claimed to have accidentally triggered some kind of Illuminate Aurora Borealis by messing around obelisks, while a budding artist's created a 14 page mockup of what an indoor dungeon mission could look like.

Welcome to Startups Weekly your weekly recap of everything you cant miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday?Sign up here.The second week of the year is usually a busy one for startup news, and 2025 is no exception. From CES product launches to M&As and funding rounds, heres what you need to know.Most interesting startup stories from the weekImage Credits:May MobilitySeveral startups launched new products at CES 2025: Full Nature Farms and its farm irrigation system, Soliddd and its smart glasses for people with macular degeneration, May Mobility and its electric autonomous minibus, and more. There was other news this week too:Green light: Dutch semiconductor giant NXP announced plans to acquire TTTech Auto, a VC-backed Austrian spinoff specializing in safety software for autonomous vehicles, in an all-cash transaction valued at $625 million.Healthy match: Healthcare analytics platform H1 acquired Ribbon, a Y Combinator alum that helps patients find doctors supported by their insurance and that had raised funding from a16z and General Catalyst.Flock of lawsuits: In a new episode in its recent legal troubles, Flock Safety is getting sued by a mayor who claims the public safety tech company wrongfully terminated him.Room for partners: 3D design app Rooms secured a partnership with Google, which will invest $1 million into the startup and give it early access to Gemini AI.Wild ride: Defense tech headhunter Peterson Conway is quite the character, and his profile makes for a very good read.Most interesting fundraises this weekImage Credits:WhatnotThis year almost had its first pentacorn but not quite. And several other funding rounds of varying size also made the news.Near-pentacorn: Livestream shopping app Whatnot raised a $265 million Series E round of funding, putting its valuation at nearly $5 billion ($4.97 billion, to be precise). The company also revealed that its annual gross merchandise value (GMV) surpassed $3 billion.Blue ocean: Xocean, an Irish marine robotics startup that collects ocean data with uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), raised $119 million to expand beyond the energy and hydrography sectors.Cross-border: NomuPay, an Irish startup that was formed out of some of collapsed German fintech Wirecards regional payment licenses, raised a $37 million Series B round at a $200 million valuation to expand its payment rails in underserved markets across Asia.Paying off: OnPay, an Atlanta-based startup that develops payroll and HR solutions, secured a debt facility and over $100 million in new funding, inclusive of a $63 million Series B round led by Carrick Capital Partners, with participation from AB Private Credit Investors.Game on: Grand Games, the Turkish startup behind Magic Sort and Car Match, raised a $30 million Series A of funding led by London-based Balderton, which also recently backed Find the Cat maker Agave Games.Most interesting VC and fund news this weekImage Credits:DefiantNewcomer: Defiant, a new European early-stage VC firm, came out of stealth and announced its intention to raise as much as $70 million for its initial fund, which is focused on B2B SaaS and fintech, and for which it already secured $30 million.Trucking on: Transportation-focused Trucks Venture Capital plans to make about 30 seed investments out of its new $70 million fund. The new fund, its third to date, is backed by strategic limited partners, including an automotive supplier, tire maker, insurance company, and airline carrier.India-focused fund: Silicon Valley-based South Park Commons is raising an India-specific fund. Some VC firms found the market challenging, but others have doubled down, although Accel is taking a measured approach. In an interview with TechCrunch, partner Shekhar Kirani said the firm could have raised multi-billion dollars for its latest India fund, but chose not to.Last but not leastImage Credits:David Paul Morris/Bloomberg (opens in a new window) / Getty ImagesVC investment in some emerging markets declined by more than 40% in 2024, and over half of global VC funding went to Silicon Valley. The data comes from different sources, but the picture is the same, and as the AI boom continues, there is no indication that this might change in 2025.

The European Commission (EC) has given the greenlight for Synopsys to acquireAnsys, though the companies must sell-off various software products as part of the proposed remedies. Chip design software maker Synopsysrevealed last January its plansto acquire Ansys, a simulation software developer that helps engineers model and analyze the physical behavior of products, such as chips, and evaluate their real-world performance.The $35 billion transaction, involving two publicly-traded companies, is the biggest such deal in the technology sector since Broadcom acquired VMware for $69 billion. That merger also attracted regulatory scrutiny, and was finally passed by the EC last July after the parties agreed to commitments around continued access and interoperability.The crux of the issue, as far as regulators are concerned, is that such a merger would create a comprehensive chip design and simulation giant that could stifle competitors that dont offer such a combination. And so the EC now ays that the firms will sell overlapping parts of their businesses to a suitable purchaser approved by the EC. Synopsys had already reached an agreement to sell its Optical Solutions Group to Keysight, but now it will also sell its optics and photonics software such as Code V, LightTools, LucidShape, RSoft and ImSym. Ansys will also divest PowerArtist, software that can analyze and optimize the power consumption of electronic circuits at a very granular level.The U.K Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched its own antitrust investigation into Synopsys and Ansys back in August, and earlier this week the CMA indicated that it was willing to accept a similar divestment offer from the companies to approve the deal. This is a breaking story, refresh for updates.

Businesses dependent on the physical supply chain the network of facilities and transportation systems used to move materials from one location to another chain face a number of challenges, from staff shortages to increasing customer expectations. The pressures arent easing up. According to a survey from Prologis, a real estate investment trust, two-thirds of executives say that theyre losing sleep over supply chain-related problems.Barry Conlon and David Broe ran into some of these stressors themselves while founding FreightWatch, a startup that provided cargo visibility and supply chain security solutions to corporate clients. After selling FreightWatch in 2012, Conlon and Broe saw an opportunity to address supply chain blockers in a more innovative way, harnessing telemetry and data.So, four years after FreightWatchs exit, Conlon and Broe funneled what they learned into Overhaul, a platform that helps companies track the location of their goods in the supply chain while combating theft. Overhaul also reports on the quality and compliance of products while in transit, and tries to identify areas of possible cost savings.Cargo theft is on the rise, a consequence of emboldened organized crime groups. According to CargoNet, a cargo theft network, cargo theft across the U.S. and Canada increased 14% year-over-year in Q3 2024. The total value of stolen goods exceeded $39 million for the quarter. Many in our industry struggle to gain visibility into their supply chains, especially when dealing with multiple suppliers and partners, Conlon, Overhauls CEO, told TechCrunch. Without visibility, its difficult to identify and mitigate risks.Image Credits:OverhaulOverhaul, which has roughly 350 customers today, including Microsoft, Dyson, and pharma giant Bristol Myers Squibb, develops software to anticipate freight shipping delays. Powering the software are AI models trained on in-transit telemetry and contextual data, which can detect events like when a cargo load is at risk, said Conlon.Our platform can alert our global security operations, Conlon added, who can push shipment and cargo data via a smartlink in real time to responding local law enforcement to move into action and prevent and recover cargo in the event of a theft.Overhaul certainly has no shortage of competition in the market for supply chain visibility software, which could be worth $12.5 billion by 2032, by one estimate. Tive,Altana, Project44, and FourKites are among Overhauls top rivals.And its not getting easier for supply chain startups to raise money. According to PitchBook, only $7.1 billion was invested in the sector last year through Q3 a far cry from 2021, when it brought in $63.7 billion. To stay competitive, Overhaul has launched new apps, an intelligence as a service offering, a cargo insurance program, and a cold chain quality solution for pharma and food and beverage clients.That strategy has helped the company to net new investors. Today, Overhaul announced that it raised $55 million in a funding round led by Springcoast Partners with participation fromEdison Partners and Americo. Bringing Overhauls total raised to around $150 million, the fresh cash will be put toward product development, strategic acquisitions, and growing the Austin-based firms 600-person team, Conlon said. Topics

Breakdown & ShowreelsSecret Level The Company We Keep: Making of by Goodbye Kansas StudiosBy Vincent Frei - 10/01/2025 Dive into the world of animation with Goodbye Kansas Studios as they break down the creative process behind The Company We Keep. This behind-the-scenes series of making-of videos showcases the effort and artistry involved in bringing Tim Millers Secret Level to life!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Goodbye Kansas Studios: Dedicated page about Secret Level: The Company We Keep on Goodbye Kansas Studios website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

The White Heat of Cold Water (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Barry Gallery, shared with permissionTime and Geography Dissolve in Otherworldly Landscapes by Sholto BlissettJanuary 10, 2025ArtKate MothesEncircled by light, water, or stone, the central subjects of Sholto Blissetts oil paintings simultaneously highlight and defy our aesthetic understanding of nature. Drawing on the rich history of landscapes, from the Dutch Golden Age to 19th-century British paintings to the Hudson River School, the artist illuminates spiritual associations and the universality of the sun, moon, the elements, and the earth. In his solo exhibition, Life in Deep Time, at Hannah Barry Gallery, Blissetts large-scale works explore the tenderness between natural architecture, ecological thought, human fantasy, and celestial forms of light and visibility, says a statement.Creatures of the Flame I (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesBlissett often employs classical architecture or historical references that create a kind of gulf or divide between the scene and the viewer, separating us from the scene by time, geography, and a sense of the unknown.In his most recent works, architectural facades like grand palazzos or towering obelisks have been subtly replaced by the more organic forms of trees, caves, or boulders. Were ushered into subterranean realms flooded with moonlight, suggesting a continuum of prehistory through to the future.Blissett is fascinated by the scale of human existence. Think of the way you might feel peering out the window of an airplane and comprehending the magnitude of the world beneath youhow small you feel, and yet, how connected. Compared to millions-year-old caves, tectonic shifts, or dried sea beds, the time span of human existence reads as merely a speck within that timespan.Almost portrait-like, Blissett centers trees, monuments, and natural phenomena in each composition, silhouetted in the light and framed by rock walls or foliage as if the landscape has transformed into a boundless stage. Vertigo (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesThe light itselfwhat it reveals or concealsis a character unto itself, reminding us of the limitations of sight, and that outside of the two-dimensional format of the painting, we are always enveloped by our surroundings. Blissett suggests that the darkness continues around and behind us, too, reiterating our focus toward the light, toward comfort and knowledge.Often more than six feet wide or nearly as tall, Blissetts expansive scenes approach immersion. He calls attention to our manufactured and shifting relationship between social constructions of nature and culturetheir cosmically entwined, spectral, and thorny coexistence, the gallery says. Life in Deep Time continues through February 8 in London, and a book published by Foolscap Editions to accompany the exhibition will be launched on January 25 with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. The artists work is also on view in The Silver Cord at Huxley Parlour, which continues through January 18. Find more on Blissetts website and Instagram.Borrowed Light (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesShip of Fools II (2022), oil and acrylic on canvas, 94 1/2 x 78 3/4 inchesCreatures of the Flame II (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesWorld Maker II (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesFeral (2023), oil and acrylic on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesWorld Maker I (2024), oil on canvas, 78 3/4 x 118 inchesShip of Fools XII (20220, oil and acrylic on canvas on board, 43 3/8 x 39 3/8 inchesNext article

With cyber criminality and fraud against banks running rampant in recent years and showing no signs of slacking off, banking organisations around the world are coming to understand that they need to be doing much more effective due diligence when managing inbound customer contacts via voice calls or web chats.First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) is one of the myriad of consumer and commercial banks all over the world that has to deal with these challenges on a day-to-day basis, but in the past few years, it has undergone a quiet revolution in how it identifies and verifies its customers, after enlisting the help of emergent voice security specialist Pindrop.Based in Nebraska in the US, FNBO was founded by two brothers during the pioneer days of the 1850s. Over a century and a half later, FNBO today runs a full service retail and business banking operation spanning Americas central Great Plains region, from Illinois down to Texas, and westward to the Rocky Mountains.Working at one of the largest privately held banks in the US, with over $30bn in assets, Steve Furlong, FNBO director of fraud management, spends his days ensuring the security of thousands of inbound customer contacts, not all of them from his own customers FNBO also operates Visa and Mastercard credit cards on behalf of other commercial organisations, with partners including hospitality companies, nonprofits and retailers alike.The core cyber security challenge Furlongs fraud team faces is clearly a know-your-customer (KYC) issue. Am I really speaking to the true cardholder? says Furlong. Am I transacting with the right person, and not a fraudster, a man-in-the-middle, or even a deepfake?The difficulties associated with customer verification are something Furlong recognises well after many years in the world of fraud. Historically, he had always been told to work to two core tenets first, he was not to lose any money, but second, he was to make it very easy for customers to do whatever they wanted to do. Its easy to see how these two goals can be fundamentally in conflict with each other.Its an extremely tough challenge, he tells Computer Weekly. My gut tells me to put every bit of protection in place that I can and make it very hard for anybody to interact using all of the KBA [knowledge-based-authentication] tools out there and making people jump through hoops.For a long time, says Furlong, he approached the fraud problem with this in mind, asking for as much data as needed the colour of your first car, your favourite primary school teacher, your first pets name, your address in 1995 checks that many legitimate customers would inevitably fail and then have to go to a physical branch to have their government photo IDs confirmed.Thats a horrible experience, concedes Furlong. But from a fraud viewpoint, its super successful, so it was the hat that I used to wear, and I think everybody in my world did.But as times changed, we realised we couldnt keep putting customers through these hoops we would lose them, he says. And as we became more partner-centric, issuing cards for other companies and brands, we would get complaints from them saying, youre denying our customer, and not only that, youre doing it in our store!Furlong was also experiencing friction with his colleagues in FNBOs contact centres, whose goals were to eliminate time spent on calls, answer questions, and solve problems more quickly and efficiently. He describes it as the antithesis of his old way of thinking.It was this growing need to better meet the challenges of in-the-moment customer authentication and verification that first led FNBO to Pindrop about five years ago. Pindrop got its start in the early 2010s, when its founder, Vijay Balasubramaniyan (who holds a PhD in telecoms security), became frustrated at having legitimate transactions flagged and denied by his bank when visiting India, simply because there was no easy way to prove his identity.Furlong first heard about Pindrop through industry contacts via whom he learned other banks were starting to implement its Protect fraud detection product in their contact centres. However, this first engagement quickly hit a wall that meant FNBO couldnt move forward with the supplier it had to be run on-premise, which for the bank wasnt feasible.We spoke to them but we didnt move down that road because we cant allow someone behind our firewalls, says Furlong. [But] then they went to the cloud and brought out their Passport product, which is all about authentication.He reopened discussions, took the temperature of his peers and analysts, and ultimately was able to sell Pindrop to FNBOs board based on the argument that even though the organisation was not seeing a whole bunch of fraud through inbound customer service channels at that time, it could use an insurance policy against the possibility.Initially, the partnership centred only the Protect product, but during discussions at the banks Omaha headquarters, it became apparent that Passport could also help solve some of Furlongs challenges, so ultimately FNBO took the decision to move forward with both.Pindrop has a great partnership approach, says Furlong, turning to the implementation process. They sent a bunch of people out to Omaha where we had a big, day-long kick-off meeting, [and] then we had regular, biweekly meetings with their development and implementation staff.Because it was in the cloud, it was a fairly seamless process we stood up Protect within 60 days, Passport took a little longer ... to be able to integrate it in the fashion wed want to.For FNBOs customers, the implementation of Pindrop has probably gone, by-and-large, completely unnoticed, says Furlong. Its seamless to them, he says. Outside of the fact that we dont put them through so many authentication steps anymore, depending on what Pindrop is alerting us to.So, if it says, hey, this is a good person, this is Steve, the fraud scores are low, the authentication scores are high, Im not asking you three questions or sending you a one-time passcode. Im able to shorten that process a lot depending on risk.The authentication scoring process draws together various data points that Pindrops systems glean during the customer contact. These data can include, but are not limited to, information such as the geographic location of the inbound contact, or whether or not the customer has changed their device, or downgraded it this is often a sign of nefarious intent.If these scores hit a certain threshold and a contract becomes flagged as a potential risk, FNBO will escalate the contact to a dedicated contact centre where they will speak with a customer service agent who specialises in fraud and can throw down some of the more traditional KBA hurdles.Banking customers will not notice any of this, says Furlong. Weve not had any customers come to us and ask why were not asking 30 questions anymore, so in my mind, theyre liking that theyre not complaining about it!In terms of more tangible benefits, he says, these are largely being seen in FNBOs contact centres. We do get a lot of feedback on it from contact centre reps we have out there, says Furlong. They love the product because it directs them into what to do. They do not have to be fraud experts anymore. We have a fraud shop for that, so they dont have to detect fraud.Its kind of the running joke here, when we lose connection with Pindrop on our side, the agents have to go back to the other KBA processes, and they are immediately raising alarm bells to our IT team saying, hey, somethings down here; Im not getting a score. They love that score.Reflecting on the work FNBO and Pindrop have done to date, Furlong says he has been particularly impressed with the degree to which the relationship between the two firms has been a partnership, rather than a transaction.They take on an advisory role they care as much about hearing from us as we care about hearing from them on what we should be doing, he says. Theyre always working with us to know what were doing and whats the next thing on our mind; what is the next risk.And the next risk is clearly linked to the prospect of hard-to-detect, artificial intelligence-generated deepfake fraud something that has been talked about since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022.At a recent media and analyst event in Washington DC, Pindrop executives demonstrated some of the new anti-deepfake capabilities its now bringing to bear in a recently launched product called Pulse, which it claims provides near-instantaneous analysis and identification of audio deepfakes in the interactive voice response (IVR) system or at the customer service agent level. FNBO helped beta-test this product.I was presenting at a conference two years ago, and someone talked about deepfakes and asked if I was worried about them, says Furlong. I said, no, not really.But in 2023, he started to change his tune, and in 2024, he made a complete 180 on the issue. When we partnered with Pindrop on deepfakes, I was very interested to see if we were getting attacked by them, he says. And we sure were we were getting deepfake calls coming in.Read more about communications securityEnterprise collaboration is an integral part of doing business. But companies must learn to guard against voice security issues that could compromise their networks.Chinese hacking of US telecom networks raises questions about the exploitation by hostile hacking groups of government backdoors to provide lawful access to telecoms services.How Olympic-sized networking nightmares were avoided in Paris despite unprecedented traffic peaks and usage patterns.Concerningly for Furlong and FNBO, deepfakes are democratising, and have the potential to democratise cyber crime and fraud, widening the potential pool of criminality he recounts how during the beta process, he asked one of his team to go off and create a convincing deepfake to try to break through the system, something they were able to accomplish in a matter of minutes.A lot of my peers are worried about gangs and organised crime, and theyre absolutely right to be, but Im also worried about some guy sitting at home thinking hes going to go after some money as well, says Furlong.Theyre coming through the phone, through our IVR, theyre coming through chat, theyre coming through video-conferencing, he says. Its super cool that the world has come to that, and weve advanced to do these kinds of things, but its become scary as to what we can do with those things.FNBO officially implemented the deepfake detection technology in late 2024, and its already detecting attacks albeit not at a significant rate. Its at an expected rate, enough to notice, says Furlong. I would expect as we get into 2025 and 2026 that it will become very significant.Going forward, FNBO is continuing to work with Pindrop on deepfakes and other aspects of voice security currently, Furlong is looking into live call transcription and analysis to be able to tell if a customer is being victimised or prompted by a scammer.Can Pindrop do that for me by detecting pregnant pauses meaning theres a man in the middle or do they sound like theyre reading a script? says Furlong.To me, thats the next evolution of this whole piece, he concludes.

The best smart air purifier is one that not only filters out chemicals, toxins, and particles that cause allergies and other discomforts but also offers mobile app control via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, making it a part of your smart home. And as the smoke from theLA wildfirescontinues to spread across the southern California region, some state officials issue air quality advisories; keeping the air in your home clean is key. Also:How to clean a humidifier (and why you should do it today)Like most devices, however, all air purifiers are not created equally. To help you decide which air purifier will best filter out toxins without sacrificing a user-friendly, intuitive experience, we tested the top choices on the market.What is the best smart air purifier right now?Our pick for the best smart air purifier is the Levoit Vital 200S, thanks to its user-friendly app and decent price point. We've rounded up other smart air purifiers you can buy to make the air in your home cleaner as the air outside is impacted by smoke. Sort by All The best smart air purifiers of 2025 Show less View now at Amazon When testing this smart air purifier, I quickly noticed that just minutes after turning it on, I could feel the air becoming fresher and lighter. Aside from helping reduce my day-to-day allergies, the Levoit Vital 200S is my go-to for whenever the air feels stuffy, or when we want to get rid of an odor, like after cooking a fragrant meal.This air purifier has a u-shaped inlet on the front, which allows it to pull not only dust and particles but also pet hair and dander more efficiently than other models. I keep it in my office, where I spend most of my time working alongside my dog. I appreciate first-hand how effective it is at getting rid of airborne particles and pet odors.The Levoit Vital 200S is controlled by the VeSync app, which is intuitive and user-friendly, easy to navigate, and seamlessly compatible with Alexa and Google Home for voice control.Levoit Vital 200S specs: Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:H13 True HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi|Noise:24-54dB |Coverage:Large room; up to 1,900 square feet in about an hour |CADR:Not specified Pros Easy to set up Affordable User-friendly app Fast filtration Cons Not a seamless look Can definitely hear it When testing this smart air purifier, I quickly noticed that just minutes after turning it on, I could feel the air becoming fresher and lighter. Aside from helping reduce my day-to-day allergies, the Levoit Vital 200S is my go-to for whenever the air feels stuffy, or when we want to get rid of an odor, like after cooking a fragrant meal.This air purifier has a u-shaped inlet on the front, which allows it to pull not only dust and particles but also pet hair and dander more efficiently than other models. I keep it in my office, where I spend most of my time working alongside my dog. I appreciate first-hand how effective it is at getting rid of airborne particles and pet odors.The Levoit Vital 200S is controlled by the VeSync app, which is intuitive and user-friendly, easy to navigate, and seamlessly compatible with Alexa and Google Home for voice control.Levoit Vital 200S specs: Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:H13 True HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi|Noise:24-54dB |Coverage:Large room; up to 1,900 square feet in about an hour |CADR:Not specified Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon The Coway Airmega IconS has a fashionable design reminiscent of a modern piece of furniture. Its light, aspen-like color makes it blend in with any home decor, ditching the stoic and bulky design common with other air purifiers. It's perfect for those who value great air quality but don't want to sacrifice style.It also features a bonus wireless charger at the top, which I use to charge my iPhone and AirPods, making it a multipurpose device that can work in any room.While the Levoit Vital 200S is my go-to during the day, the Coway Airmega IconS is my go-to for sleep. Aside from its sleek design, this smart air purifier is more successful at helping my allergies at night, even more so than the Levoit.I've taken allergy medication daily for years due to dust and seasonal allergies causing congestion and coughing during the night, no matter where I sleep. Being able to finally ditch my nasal spray and antihistamine has made my life easier -- as easy as just telling Alexa "good night" and knowing the Coway Airmega IconS will switch on to remove airborne particles.Coway Airmega IconS specs:Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:H13 True HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi, Bluetooth|Noise:21.7-49.3dB |Coverage:Large room; up to 649 square feet |CADR: 253 Pros Blends in with nearly all styles Bonus built-in Qi wireless charger Good for large areas Cons Controls are not as intuitive as others Fabric cover can trap dust The Coway Airmega IconS has a fashionable design reminiscent of a modern piece of furniture. Its light, aspen-like color makes it blend in with any home decor, ditching the stoic and bulky design common with other air purifiers. It's perfect for those who value great air quality but don't want to sacrifice style.It also features a bonus wireless charger at the top, which I use to charge my iPhone and AirPods, making it a multipurpose device that can work in any room.While the Levoit Vital 200S is my go-to during the day, the Coway Airmega IconS is my go-to for sleep. Aside from its sleek design, this smart air purifier is more successful at helping my allergies at night, even more so than the Levoit.I've taken allergy medication daily for years due to dust and seasonal allergies causing congestion and coughing during the night, no matter where I sleep. Being able to finally ditch my nasal spray and antihistamine has made my life easier -- as easy as just telling Alexa "good night" and knowing the Coway Airmega IconS will switch on to remove airborne particles.Coway Airmega IconS specs:Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:H13 True HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi, Bluetooth|Noise:21.7-49.3dB |Coverage:Large room; up to 649 square feet |CADR: 253 Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less This compact Levoit Core 200S air purifier is perfect for small areas and lightweight enough to move from one room to another, weighing just over six pounds. Though small, it offers powerful filtration, cycling the air five times per hour in a 183-square-foot room at 360 degrees to tackle air pollution.This Core 200S air purifier is the perfect appliance for the nightstand in your bedroom or in a small living room, to help you get rid of stale, stuffy air in favor of an odorless environment with improved air quality.Just like the Vital 200S model, this Levoit smart air purifier can be controlled with the VeSync mobile app, where you can set schedules and timers, as well as connect to compatible voice assistants, like Amazon Alexa.Levoit Core 200S specs:Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:H13 True HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi|Noise:24-48dB |Coverage:Small room; up to 183 square feet |CADR:118 Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less View now at Amazon The A3 air purifier from Rabbit Air has the power to perform two air changes per hour in large rooms of up to 1,070 square feet. Its Advanced HEPA filter technology can trap 99% of particles as small as 0.1 microns in size, making it highly effective at reducing allergens and pet dander in the air. It's also suitable to be placed on the floor and elevated surfaces, or mounted to a wall.Aside from being perfect for large spaces, the Rabbit Air A3 also comes with different designs to choose from in its Artist Series, ranging from monochromatic cherry blossoms to Van Gogh's Starry Night to Snoopy or Hello Kitty for a kids' room.Rabbit Air A3 specs:Filtration:Six-stage filtration |Filter:BioGS HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |Noise:20.3-51dB|Coverage:Large areas; up to 1,070 square feet with two air changes per hour |CADR:Not specified Pros Outstanding for large rooms and areas Different design options 6-stage filtration Cons More expensive than others The A3 air purifier from Rabbit Air has the power to perform two air changes per hour in large rooms of up to 1,070 square feet. Its Advanced HEPA filter technology can trap 99% of particles as small as 0.1 microns in size, making it highly effective at reducing allergens and pet dander in the air. It's also suitable to be placed on the floor and elevated surfaces, or mounted to a wall.Aside from being perfect for large spaces, the Rabbit Air A3 also comes with different designs to choose from in its Artist Series, ranging from monochromatic cherry blossoms to Van Gogh's Starry Night to Snoopy or Hello Kitty for a kids' room.Rabbit Air A3 specs:Filtration:Six-stage filtration |Filter:BioGS HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |Noise:20.3-51dB|Coverage:Large areas; up to 1,070 square feet with two air changes per hour |CADR:Not specified Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less This smart Toshiba air purifier can clean the air in a 483-square-foot room in only 12 minutes. It excels at removing odors from the room with high purifying efficiency. It also features a VOC alert, which ZDNET's Charlie Osborne tested."The 'VOC' alert is, perhaps, one of the most important readings to understand. Split into "clean," "fair," and "poor," volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be removed through this air purifier, as it uses activated carbon filters -- although as some customer reviews have noted, this feature is very sensitive and not every VOC noted should be a worry," Osborne said.As far as the effectiveness of the air purification, Osborne tested it against cigarette smoke and pet odor and said visitors commented on the noticeable difference in the air inside the home.Toshiba Air Purifier specs:Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:H13 True HEPA filter |Connectivity:Wi-Fi|Noise:30dB |Coverage:Large rooms; up to 483 square feet |CADR:312 Read More Show Expert Take Show less Show less Like many of its products, the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 has gone viral. And with Dyson's signature sleek design, a 350-degree oscillating fan, 10 air speeds, and a filter that promises easy and quick changing, it's not hard to see why.In addition to a HEPA H13 standard and using air multiplier technology to generate powerful circulation and purification, the Dyson model also integrates lots of smart features. Those smart aspects include an app that allows users control and monitor their home's air quality in real-time from their phones, voice control available with Siri, Google, and Alexa, and real time air quality reporting presented on an integrated LCD screen.True to its name, the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 also serves as a fan, but allows for purifying backflow to remove toxins for when you don't want air to blow on you. At a starting price of $570, this model is on the pricer side, but consumers on Amazon overall seem report mostly satisfaction with top reviews expressing impression with the unit's purifying and cooling efficiency and versatility.Dyson Purifier Cool TP07specs:Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:360 Glass HEPA (H13) and Activated Carbon filter |Connectivity: Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, iOS and Android app |Noise:78dB |Coverage:Whole room; tested in a 2860 square foot space Pros HEPA H13 filter made of recycled material Oscillating fan Easy UX and UI Supports app and voice control Night mode for light sleepers Cons Expensive 78dB can get loud Like many of its products, the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 has gone viral. And with Dyson's signature sleek design, a 350-degree oscillating fan, 10 air speeds, and a filter that promises easy and quick changing, it's not hard to see why.In addition to a HEPA H13 standard and using air multiplier technology to generate powerful circulation and purification, the Dyson model also integrates lots of smart features. Those smart aspects include an app that allows users control and monitor their home's air quality in real-time from their phones, voice control available with Siri, Google, and Alexa, and real time air quality reporting presented on an integrated LCD screen.True to its name, the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 also serves as a fan, but allows for purifying backflow to remove toxins for when you don't want air to blow on you. At a starting price of $570, this model is on the pricer side, but consumers on Amazon overall seem report mostly satisfaction with top reviews expressing impression with the unit's purifying and cooling efficiency and versatility.Dyson Purifier Cool TP07specs:Filtration:Three-stage filtration |Filter:360 Glass HEPA (H13) and Activated Carbon filter |Connectivity: Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, iOS and Android app |Noise:78dB |Coverage:Whole room; tested in a 2860 square foot space Read More Show Expert Take Show less What is the best air purifier? The best smart air purifier is the Levoit Vital 200s since it combines all the best features for improved air quality at a great price. It features an H13 True HEPA filter as part of its three-stage filtration system, can filter the air in a standard bedroom (up to 380 square feet) in only 12 minutes, and is quiet enough to stay on all night while you sleep. This smart air purifier is a breeze to set up, and the mobile app by VeSync is also quite easy to navigate. However, different preferences for price, coverage area, and noise level can affect which best air purifier is ideal for your situation. Here's how the best air purifiers stack up: Best smart air purifier Best price Coverage area Noise level Levoit Vital 200S $160 1,900 square feet 24-54dB Conway Airmega IconS $600 649 square feet 21.7-49.3cB Levoit Core 200S $90 183 square feet 24-48dB Rabbit Air A3 $750 1,070 square feet 20.3-51dB Toshiba Air Purifier $260 483 square feet 30dB Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 $500 2,800 square feet 78dB Show more Which is the right air purifier for you? Choosing the right air purifier for you will depend on what your needs and priorities are, along with your budget. You may prefer a fashionable option or a quiet one, or you may not care what it looks like, just how well it does, or where you can install it. Either way, there's a choice out there for your needs.In addition, sound can be an important factor. If you plan on running an air purifier in a bedroom, one with variable fan speeds and a low-decibel sleep mode can make it more convenient to operate at all hours.Choose this air purifier...If you want...Levoit Vital 200SOur choice for the best smart air purifier overall. It's powerful, easy-to-use, and affordable smart air purifier, regardless of room size.Coway Airmega IconSImproved air quality without sacrificing style and wide range to adjust your noise level output.Levoit Core 200SA compact, 360-degree output air purifier to fit any side table or nightstand.Rabbit Air A3A whopping six-stage filtration with different design and installation options from standard air purifiers.Toshiba Air PurifierOne of the best options to remove unwanted odors in your home or office.LG PuriCare MiniA portable air purifier that you can take anywhere for travel or work.Dyson Purifier Cool TP07A dual purifier and fan that has a sleek design, voice and app control, night mode for light sleepers, and a HEPA H13 standard. Show more How did we choose these air purifiers? To choose the best air purifiers from the hundreds on the market, I looked at several important factors:Air change per hour (ACH): ACH determines how many times the air purifier can filter the air in a room in one hour.Power: I also considered how powerful the best air purifiers are, especially to determine what room size they're better suited for. Many air purifiers, like the Levoit models, can clean almost any room, and they'll just take longer to finish the work for larger rooms. Other more compact options, like the Toshiba air purifier or the LG PuriCare Mini, don't have the most powerful motors, so they're more efficient in smaller spaces.HEPA filters: Besides size and ACH, the incorporation of HEPA filters was an important deciding factor. Short for high-efficiency particulate air, it's a pleated mechanical air filter that can remove airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. This covers 99.97% of the particles found in the air, including pollen, mold, dust, and bacteria.Personal experience: As ZDNET's smart home expert, I tested and reviewed many of my top choices myself. I gave our best choice overall, the Levoit Vital 200S, a 4/5 rating in my official review.Customer reviews: For those I didn't have the opportunity to go hands-on with, I looked through a variety of customer reviews to get a well-rounded sense of real consumer experience. Show more FAQs on smart air purifiers Do air purifiers help with dust? While air purifiers cannot get rid of all the dust on the surfaces of your home, with frequent use, they can reduce the dust in the air and you may notice dust less often. As a result, they can help prevent or reduce dust allergies.In addition to air purifiers, using your vacuum cleaner at least once per week can help you remove dust from your home, especially if you have pets. Show more Can air purifiers prevent the spread of viruses? With flu season in full swing and society on the tail-end of a global pandemic, the demand for air purifiers has gone up. But do they actually work to stop the spread of viruses?According to peer-reviewed medical studies, HEPA-filtered air cleaners can remove over 99.97% of airborne virus particles, especially when combined with other measures, even in school environments. Though it can help, the use of air purifiers alone isn't enough to stop the spread of illnesses like COVID-19, as they focus on removing potentially infectious aerosol particles from the air. Other measures, like masking and social distancing, must be followed in conjunction with air cleaners to make them effective at preventing the spread of illnesses. Show more Where to place an air purifier? When shopping for an air purifier, keep in mind where you'll be using it. There isn't a plug-in air purifier that can clean the air inside an entire household (unless it's a small living space) -- so it's best to isolate areas, such as a bedroom, kitchen, or living room.Once you know the size of the room you're working with, you can select an air purifier capable of efficiently circulating and cleaning the air in a room that size. A tabletop model is best for small spaces like a nursery or bathroom. A floor model can handle larger areas and may be portable enough to be moved from one room to another. Show more What is a HEPA filter? A HEPA filter is short for high-efficiency particulate air filter. It's the finest type of filtration, able to capture particles as small as 0.3 microns. This includes bacteria, mold spores, pollen, dust, and nearly 99.97% of airborne particles.HEPA filters are commonly used in the medical field due to the powerful filtration they offer. Activated carbon filters are also common in air purifiers and are effective at removing odors from the air. Show more How often will I need to change a filter? An important consideration for air purifiers is filter replacement. Some models require regular replacements of expensive filters, which could end up costing you hundreds of dollars per year.Before you purchase a model, look into what type of replacement filters you'll need, how much they cost, and if you can afford to replace them as required. Otherwise, choosing not to replace filters as recommended could reduce the air purifier's efficiency. After all, they are capturing and trapping harmful particles, such as mold spores and bacteria.Some air purifiers feature washable filters, which make maintenance easier. However, the most effective air purifiers include HEPA filtration and carbon filters, which need to be replaced. You can find the manufacturer's requirements in the manual.Some modern purifiers have an indicator light that warns you when it's time to replace the filters. As a rule of thumb, plan on replacing carbon air filters every three months, and other filters every six months. Show more What size air purifier do I need? To determine the best air purifier based on the size of the room or area you're hoping to clean, look at a purifier's ACH rate and recommended room size. Most air purifiers will list the rate they circulate the entire volume of the room per hour by square footage.And if you have an oddly shaped room, you might consider placing two smaller air purifiers to maximize air circulation. Show more Other smart air purifiers to consider Further ZDNET Tech Coverage Smartphones Smartwatches Tablets Laptops TVs Other Tech Resources ZDNET Recommends

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