XOcean has secured $115mn to expand its fleet of uncrewed surface vessels.Founded in 2017 by James Ives, XOcean builds autonomous boats that zip around the ocean, using sensors to gather large amounts of data on everything from the subsurface structures to the temperature and clarity of the seawater.The bots which are about the size of a small car then relay this information in real time to a ground team via satellite link. They then turn the numbers and measurements into surveys, maps, or reports. This data is especially helpful for ocean research. Its also of great value to companies in offshore wind, oil and gas, and carbon capture.XOceans funding round was led by Big Oil-backed Climate Investment and SGS, an American VC focused on clean energy. The other key investors were Morgan Stanleys 1GT fund and an affiliate of the Crown Familys CC Industries.XOcean also raised $30mn back in June, bringing its total funding to date to $180mn. Although it has not publicly disclosed its valuation, Dealroom puts it north of $500mn.Whatever the precise figure, its certainly a lot of cash, especially for a company building tiny little boats that gather data that weve been able to collect through other methods for decades.However, the real added value is that XOcean can gather this data in a way thats safer, cost-effective, and ultra-low-impact, says Ives.Traditionally, mapping the ocean floor and collecting marine data requires a ship with a large crew working for extended periods at sea, Ives told TNW. When a customer needs data, it can be months before a traditional supplier has availability and costs are uncontrolled.Now, people who need this data can rely on a small, low-energy autonomous vessel to do the hard work.XOcean also promises that its vessels are greener. The company estimates that a fleet of its drones emit just 0.1% of the CO2 of the equivalent surveying boats with a crew on board.And its a pitch that seems to be paying off, not just in VC cash, but in real-world deployments. XOCEAN already works with offshore giants including SSE Renewables, rsted, BP, and Shell. The scaleup has delivered data solutions to commercial and government clients in over 23 territories, it said.As we build more and more infrastructures out at sea, its no surprise that were seeing new technology hopping on board. A second example comes from Zelim, based out of Edinburgh, which is developing AI-powered person-overboard detection that aims to increase survival rates. Meanwhile, another British company, Beam, has built an underwater robot for inspecting offshore wind farms. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

Best of CES 2025: All of the wildest and most intriguing gear, new releases, and hands-on features [Updated]Justin Kahn - Jan. 9th 2025 10:04 am PTGuidesNews9to5Toys: New tech/lifestyle product news. Up to the minute reporting on the latest technology and lifestyle product introductions, in-depth reviews and notable consumer price fluctuationsCES 2025Popular in the Community{{#values}}{{#isDisplay}}{{/isDisplay}}{{#isAniviewVideo}}{{/isAniviewVideo}}{{#isSRVideo}}{{/isSRVideo}}

Tim Cook says that he uses his Vision Pro every day. And in multiple interviews this past year, hes mentioned a specific habit with the product thats a big part of his use: lying down. After following his lead, I can now report that this method can (almost) fix the Vision Pros biggest problem.Lying down makes Vision Pros weight easier to ignoreRecently, I finally gave in and bought a Vision Pro. So Ive been exploring ways to use the device, and naturally wanted to take inspiration from Apples CEO.Tim Cook has expressed on multiple occasions that home entertainment is a big use case for him. And when watching Apple TV+ and other content at home, he prefers to lie down flat.Ben Cohen at The Wall Street Journal:I asked Cook how hes using it. At work, of course, when he wants several windows open for multitasking. But especially at home. Ive always viewed having to sit in a certain place in your living room as really constrained, he says. He prefers to lie flat on the couch, project Ted Lasso and The Morning Show on the ceiling and stare into the Vision Pro. Its a lot more pleasant way to watch something than to sit like a statue in front of a TV, he insists.Last night I put the Tim Cook method to the test, lying down to watch some TV on Vision Pro.It turns outperhaps unsurprisinglythat its a pretty great experience.You can fully relax, throw a giant screen on your ceiling, and get a movie theater-like experience from home.But the thing I paid especially close attention to was how Vision Pro felt on my face while lying down.Weight is largely seen as the Vision Pros most significant flaw. Yes its expensive too, but judged on the products merits alone, weight is undoubtedly the biggest problem.Lying down doesnt remove that heaviness entirely, since its still very much pressing down on your face. But its a much more pleasant experience than wearing Vision Pro upright.I guess Apples CEO knows what hes doing by lying down with the Vision Pro so often.How often do you use Vision Pro lying down? Do you find it more comfortable? Let us know in the comments.Best Vision Pro accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Joining AirTag 4-packs and select Apple Watch Ultra configs back at the holiday pricing, todays deals are headlined by just about every configuration of M3 MacBook Air at $200 off the going rate and $400 under the price they fetched before Apple upgraded to 16GB of RAM pricing starts from $899. We also have open-box Apple Watch Series 10 models at up to $112 off to deliver some of the lowest prices all-time low alongside nearly 40% off one of the nicest leather bands in the game, Apple Watch chargers, and much more in todays 9to5Toys Lunch Break. more

Far-right hate speech incubator X is riddled with disinformation about the ongoing and devastating wildfires surrounding Los Angeles right now.The iconic Hollywood sign adorning the hills behind West Hollywood has quickly become a particularly popular inspiration for AI slop. A quick search on X reveals numerous fictional images and even videos showing the decades-old cultural icon up in flames.In reality, the landmark remains unaffected by the fires, with a wide freeway separating it from the still-burning Sunset Fire miles away though the blaze has engulfed more than 40 acres in the hills north of downtown LA.Other AI slop relating to the ongoing natural disaster is even more insidious. In an apparent effort to sow discord and score points with the platform's more gullible and potentially racist users, a user going by the name Kevin Dalton shared an imageof shadowy figures that seem to be looting the devastation of burning buildings."The remains of Pacific Palisades will get picked clean tonight," Dalton wrote in the caption.That's a common refrain among far-right pundits, who sow fear by tapping into racial animosity by baselessly accusing minorities of ransacking businesses following natural disasters.Except, in this case, the imagery is literally fake."Is this a real photo or AI?" someone asked."Grok... for now," Dalton replied.Understandably, the tasteless post drew the ire of other users on the platform."I cannot describe how enraging and utterly despicable it is to see people spreading AI-generated images of the LA fires when everyone around you is terrified, devastated, and trying to find accurate information to keep themselves and their loved ones safe," Wired senior business editor Louise Matsakis tweeted in response.Dalton has spent much of the last couple of days filling the platform with rage-inciting and -inducing posts about the ongoing situation, taking potshots at California governor Gavin Newsom and arguing that Trump should "fire" him, which isn't something the US president can do.It's a firehose of disinformation, in other words. In one post, Dalton furthered unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about a Newsom-affiliated arsonist being to blame for the blazes.It's far from the first time we've seen the spread of AI-generated content during or in the wake of a natural disaster. In October, an image depicting president-elect Donald Trump wading through Hurricane Helene floodwaters went viral.Other sloppily AI-generated images of devastation following the historic storm spread across a number of social media platforms, including Facebook.Particularly following a chaotic presidential election, there are plenty of reasons to believe that natural disaster AI slop is here to stay. Platforms have made it as easy as possible not only to create but to spread these images.And now that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has chosen to closely follow in the footsteps of X owner Elon Musk and largely give up on content moderation, there's more than just a chance we'll see plenty more disinformation being spread on social media in the future.It's a sad state of affairs, especially considering the real world of natural disasters. The wildfires the city of Los Angeles is currently battling have already left a devastating path of destruction.Preying on the victims by scoring cheap political points with AI-generated images isn't just tasteless; it's a worrying glimpse into the future of social media and how trust in the news cycle is being dismantled bit by bit.Share This Article

The bare minimum: don't create RoboHitler!RoboHitlerFresh on the heels of Meta-formerly-Facebook issuing a sweeping not to mention both inexplicable and all-around awful series of changes to its "hateful conduct" standards allowing for a much-expanded array of horrendous speech on its platform, an NBC investigation has revealed that the social media giant's platforms are literally hosting AI-powered Hitler chatbots.Last year, Meta launched an "AI Studio" allowing Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp users to create and converse their own AI chatbots. Per the company's AI Studio policies, these bots are supposed to follow a fairly strict set of rules: the chatbots can't impersonate a living person, and if they do evoke a real human, that person needs to have been dead for more than 100 years; they can't be based on fictional characters from copyright-protected media like movies, books, or videogames; and they can't embody religious figures or leaders. Known terrorists, mass murderers, hate groups, and other violent or explicit figures and topics are off-limits as well.What's more, Meta claims to review all bots before they go live to ensure they follow these guidelines, which the company touts as a defense against chatbots producing outputs considered "inaccurate, offensive, or otherwise objectionable."But according to NBC's reporting, alotof chatbots are slipping through those purportedly human-monitored cracks including chatbots impersonating the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, arguably humanity's most notorious mass murderer and undoubtedly a violator of Meta's very clear AI Studio policies.The discovery calls the social media giant's promised AI safety practices around its public-facing chatbot characters into question. And backdropped by its deeply controversial move to roll back accepted standards around hate speech, hosting Hitler-styled chatbots is somehow an even worse look than it would be on any given day.Violations on ViolationsNBC's review further discovered a number of other policy-violating chatbots, including AI bots created in the likeness of stars like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber, and many modeled after copyright-protected fictional characters like Harry Potter and the "Frozen" franchise's Elsa. There's also, according to the reporting, a plethora of bots designed to emulate religious figures like Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and God.In a statement, a Meta spokesperson told NBC that the "AIs in question that violate our AI studio policies have already been removed, and we're continuously improving our detection measures to prevent creation and publication of AIs that violate our policies."But reassurance that bots were deleted afterthey were discovered by journalists doesn't exactly sow comfort in Meta's attention to ensuring that its much-publicized AI Studio bots are up to code, especially given how easily users were able to skirt by the company's existing defenses.Share This Article

Palo Alto Networks has released software patches to address several security flaws in its Expedition migration tool, including a high-severity bug that an authenticated attacker could exploit to access sensitive data."Multiple vulnerabilities in the Palo Alto Networks Expedition migration tool enable an attacker to read Expedition database contents and arbitrary files, as well as create and delete arbitrary files on the Expedition system," the company said in an advisory."These files include information such as usernames, cleartext passwords, device configurations, and device API keys for firewalls running PAN-OS software."Expedition, a free tool offered by Palo Alto Networks to facilitate migration from other firewall vendors to its own platform, reached end-of-life (EoL) as of December 31, 2024. The list of flaws is as follows -CVE-2025-0103 (CVSS score: 7.8) - An SQL injection vulnerability that enables an authenticated attacker to reveal Expedition database contents, such as password hashes, usernames, device configurations, and device API keys, as well as create and read arbitrary filesCVE-2025-0104 (CVSS score: 4.7) - A reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability that enables attackers to execute malicious JavaScript code in the context of an authenticated user's browser if that authenticated user clicks a malicious link that allows phishing attacks and could lead to browser-session theftCVE-2025-0105 (CVSS score: 2.7) - An arbitrary file deletion vulnerability that enables an unauthenticated attacker to delete arbitrary files accessible to the www-data user on the host file systemCVE-2025-0106 (CVSS score: 2.7) - A wildcard expansion vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker to enumerate files on the host file systemCVE-2025-0107 (CVSS score: 2.3) - An operating system (OS) command injection vulnerability that enables an authenticated attacker to run arbitrary OS commands as the www-data user in Expedition, which results in the disclosure of usernames, cleartext passwords, device configurations, and device API keys for firewalls running PAN-OS softwarePalo Alto Networks said the vulnerabilities have been addressed in version 1.2.100 (CVE-2025-0103, CVE-2025-0104, and CVE-2025-0107) and 1.2.101 (CVE-2025-0105 and CVE-2025-0106), and that it does not intend to release any additional updates or security fixes.As workarounds, it's recommended to ensure that all network access to Expedition is restricted to only authorized users, hosts, and networks, or shut down the service if it's not in use.SonicWalls Releases SonicOS PatchesThe development coincides with SonicWall shipping patches to remediate multiple flaws in SonicOS, two of which could be abused to achieve authentication bypass and privilege escalation, respectively -CVE-2024-53704 (CVSS score: 8.2) - An Improper Authentication vulnerability in the SSLVPN authentication mechanism that allows a remote attacker to bypass authentication.CVE-2024-53706 (CVSS score: 7.8) - A vulnerability in the Gen7 SonicOS Cloud platform NSv (AWS and Azure editions only) that allows a remote authenticated local low-privileged attacker to elevate privileges to root and potentially lead to code execution.While there is no evidence that any of the aforementioned vulnerabilities have been exploited in the wild, it's essential that users take steps to apply the latest fixes as soon as possible.Critical Flaw in Aviatrix Controller DetailedThe updates also come as Polish cybersecurity company Securing detailed a maximum severity security flaw impacting Aviatrix Controller (CVE-2024-50603, CVSS score: 10.0) that could be exploited to obtain arbitrary code execution. It affects versions 7.x through 7.2.4820.The flaw, which is rooted in the fact that certain code segments in an API endpoint do not sanitize user-supplied parameters ("list_flightpath_destination_instances" and "flightpath_connection_test"), has been addressed in versions 7.1.4191 or 7.2.4996."Due to the improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command, an unauthenticated attacker is able to remotely execute arbitrary code," security researcher Jakub Korepta said.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

Marvel Studios is reportedly firmly open to recasting TChalla/Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.The role was initially played by the late Chadwick Boseman,who debuted in 2016s Captain America: Civil War before starring in his own movie Black Panther two years later, prior to his passing in 2020 and Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider has now claimed Marvel is looking for another actor to take on the role of TChalla.Sneider added the studio was only considering recasting TChalla now that the franchise was exploring the multiverse, and also pointed to Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr.s return to the series as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars as another reason why Marvel was open to bringing the character back with another actor.Sneider claimed that the role of TChalla had been offered to an unknown actor last autumn but they turned the offer down because they didnt want to potentially jeopardize their career by stepping into Bosemans gigantic shoes.Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverMarvelloading...READ MORE: Every MCU Movie Ranked, From Worst to BestWhile Sneider is fairly sure TChalla will appear in the MCU again, the insider doesnt know whether the character will be a part of Doomsdayor Secret Wars before the third Black Panther movie.After his starring performance in Black Panther, Boseman returned as TChalla in Avengers: Infinity War and was last seen in 2019s Avengers: Endgame before his death in 2020 at the age of 43 after a battle with colon cancer.Following Bosemans passing, the series, which is helmed by director Ryan Coogler, pivoted to focus on TChallas sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) as she took on the mantle of the superhero in the 2022 sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.Last year, Wright teased that there was a lot coming up for the character.During an appearance on The View, the 31-year-old actress said: [Shuri is] one of my favorite characters. Such a blessing, honestly. I kid you not, Im so grateful for her.In January 2023, Wright said a third Black Panther blockbuster was already in the works.The film was then revealed to be in active development by Denzel Washington in November as he revealed that a part in the blockbuster would be one of his final roles before retirement.The Gladiator II star said on Australias Today: I played Othello at 22, Im now going to play it at 70. After that, Im playing Hannibal. After that, Ive been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther. After that, Im gonna do the film Othello. After that Im gonna do King Lear. After that, Im gonna retire.The Worst Movies of 2024ScreenCrushs editor and critic picks the 12 worst films he saw in 2024.

It can sometimes feel a little depressing wandering the halls of the world's biggest tech show and find so little designed to tackle our planet's biggest problems. Every time I attend CES, I keep my eyes peeled for technology that has the potential to make its mark on society in a more profound way, and at this year's show, I discovered a humdinger. (Here are some more of the most eye-popping finds.)Read more: The Official Best of CES 2025 Winners, Awarded by CNET GroupSingaporean startup Flint makes rechargeable paper batteries, which CNET chose as the winner of the Best of CES Sustainability award on Thursday. They're fully flexible and can be shrunk down to the size of a coin battery or embedded in a smartwatch strap.Flint's paper batteries share a structure with traditional lithium-ion batteries, but that's where the similarities end. Their key component is cellulose, which acts as a natural medium for ion transfer between the anode and cathode, a critical chemical exchange necessary for batteries to work. CES 2025: We're Obsessed With These 28 New Products So Far See all photos The mining and production of lithium-ion batteries are responsible for significant CO2 emissions, leaking toxic chemicals and depleting waterways, all of which contribute to the wider climate crisis. With our battery requirements growing rather than diminishing, solutions like Flint's are key to reducing the environmental impact of our tech obsession."Our supply chain is very abundant, and we don't require rare earth or toxic material and scarce materials," said Flint Co-Founder Carlo Charles. Some of them, like zinc and manganese, can even be found in your food and body, he added.Disposing of traditional batteries also puts a huge strain on the environment, but paper batteries can biodegrade within six weeks. Charles tells me that in the team office in Singapore, they compost their used batteries to nourish the office plants. Flint's batteries biodegrade and can be used to further feed plants feed plants. Katie Collins/CNETRight now, the company is focused on making smaller batteries for smaller consumer electronics, but there's no reason why one day these can't scale up. "We want to go even further and see how we can embed our products in your smartphones," said Charles. "Folding smartphones could have folding batteries in them there's so much potential."Much further down the line, the paper battery could be scaled to fit into the door of an electric door or wing of an electric plane. As the batteries are so thin, they can be layered, and they also don't pose the same fire hazard as their lithium-ion predecessors.In the week before CES, Flint secured $2M of funding that the company plans to use to build a pilot production facility in Singapore. Establishing the pilot in a country with none of the cobalt, lithium or other minerals traditionally used to make batteries will help prove that the battery industry can be decentralized, says Charles. CES Proves It's Still Deeply Weird With These Bonkers Gadgets See all photos The company already has plans to return to CES next year with an even bigger presence -- although this year's booth was an impressive feat of sustainable engineering in and of itself. The entire thing was constructed from cardboard that could be packed down into a single box.It's with all of this that Flint has planted a flag at CES 2025. We're excited to see where the company's paper batteries go next.

At CES 2025, CNET's Antuan Goodwin takes a look at the Honda 0 SUV and Honda 0 Saloon. Both cars are moving beyond concept vehicles and will be going into production.