Apple has a huge lineup of products coming in 2025, including three new Home products, six devices getting rare updates, five new iPhones, and more. Based on the reporting of Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo especially, heres a full lineup of whats coming.Pretty soon, well start to get the first Apple product launches of the new year. Here are the first products expected to arrive.M4 MacBook Air: Better battery, camera, and external display support.iPhone SE 4: OLED edge-to-edge display, AI features, and more.iPad 11: Upgraded chip to support Apple Intelligence.New iPad Air: Small revision to the M3 or M4 chip.HomePad: Brand new smart home display.Summer 2025: Light on hardware, heavy on softwareApples summer is usually a quieter time for hardware launches, as WWDC kicks off a major focus on software instead. Nonetheless, were expecting the following:AirTag 2: Better range and privacy features.M4 Mac Studio: First M4 Ultra chip.M4 Mac Pro: Largely unknown, likely unveiled at WWDC but launching later.Fall 2025: Apples biggest launch seasonThis is the biggest time of the year for Apple, with major launches usually spread across September and October.iPhone 17: 24MP front camera, higher refresh rate display.iPhone 17 Air: Ultra-thin new design, form over function.iPhone 17 Pro: Better chip, more RAM, upgraded cameras.iPhone 17 Pro Max: All of the above, with a smaller Dynamic Island.Apple Watch Ultra 3: Satellite connectivity, high blood pressure detection, 5G.Apple Watch Series 11: New health sensors likely.Apple Watch SE 3: Fresh look, more modern internals, possibly plastic.AirPods Pro 3: H3 chip, new design, better ANC.New Apple TV 4K: Possibly AI support.HomePod mini 2: In-house Wi-Fi chip.M5 iPad Pro: Spec bump update.M5 MacBook Pro: Spec bump update.Potential surprises and Apples 2025 wrap-upThere are always ways Apple could surprise us with new products not listed above. For example, it would be a great year to launch a new Studio Display alongside the Mac Studio and Mac Pro. Additionally, an M5 Vision Pro is expected to go into production in the second half of the year, which could mean a 2025 launch or perhaps early 2026.Possible surprises aside, it looks like an especially busy year ahead for Apple hardware releases.Which new Apple products are you most looking forward to in 2025? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone 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

AI companies continue to reach for tortuous narratives to justify stuffing AI tech into virtually every aspect of our daily lives.Take Mikey Shulman, the CEO of AI music generator company Suno AI, who had some choice words about how he sees the creative process when it comes to making music during an appearance on the "20VC" podcast flagged by 404 Media."Its not really enjoyable to make music now," he said. "It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of practice, you need to get really good at an instrument or really good at a piece of production software.""I think the majority of people dont enjoy the majority of the time they spend making music," he added.Shulman's comments are astonishingly self-serving, as that's exactly the kind of audience Suno AI is hoping to attract. And in reality, of course, lots of people amateurs and professionals alike love playing music.If it were up to Shulman, it seems, music would devolve into an amalgamation of often copyright-infringing AI slop, allowing "artists" to create tracks with a click of a button.In short, arguing that the majority of people no longer enjoy making music is symptomatic of an industry hellbent on eliminating as much of the human element from creative endeavors as possible a dystopian vision,critics charge, of art as a whole.According to Shulman, Suno AI is aiming to make making music "ten percent faster" and "ten percent easier.""If you want to impact the way a billion people experience music you have to build something for a billion people," he told the 20VC podcast.But whether the resulting, AI-generated music will give listeners the same kind of satisfaction as creating music themselves remains debatable.Sure, creating your own bespoke track by typing some words into an AI music generator is a fun trick, but relegating almost the entire creative process to an algorithm leaves plenty to be desired.Suno AI has also been caught up in a number of copyright lawsuits, with the Recording Industry Association of America accusing the startup of training its AI on copyrighted recordings without permission.In other words, Shulman doesn't just want people to give up agency in the creative process, but his company may be ripping off the work of human artists as well.Shulman's comments also highlight a nagging debate surrounding the use of these kinds of tools: can we even claim ownership over the resulting music? Is taking shortcuts with the help of AI really what human music artists should strive for? Could AI-generated music even be called "art?"Users on social media were almost unanimously appalled by Shulman's remarks on the podcast, calling his stance that almost nobody enjoys making music an "absurd mindset.""It's very revealing," one X user tweeted in response. "The solutionist language just doesn't make sense for art, or for other things where the work is the enjoyment, but the tech companies seem stuck in their story.""What a dystopian future," one YouTube commenter wrote. "And lack of self-criticality is especially disconcerting."Share This Article

Jan 14, 2025Ravie LakshmananVulnerability / CybersecurityThe U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Monday added a second security flaw impacting BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS) products to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation in the wild.The vulnerability in question is CVE-2024-12686 (CVSS score: 6.6), a medium-severity bug that could allow an attacker with existing administrative privileges to inject commands and run as a site user."BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS) contain an OS command injection vulnerability that can be exploited by an attacker with existing administrative privileges to upload a malicious file," CISA said."Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can allow a remote attacker to execute underlying operating system commands within the context of the site user."The addition of CVE-2024-12686 to the KEV catalog comes nearly a month after it added another critical security flaw impacting the same product (CVE-2024-12356, CVSS score: 9.8) that could also lead to the execution of arbitrary commands.BeyondTrust said both vulnerabilities were discovered as part of its investigation into a cyber incident in early December 2024 that involved malicious actors leveraging a compromised Remote Support SaaS API key to breach some of the instances, and reset passwords for local application accounts.Although the API key has since been revoked, the exact manner in which the key was compromised remains unknown as yet. It's suspected that the threat actors exploited the two flaws as zero-days to break into BeyondTrust systems.Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury Department revealed its network was breached using the compromised API key in what it said was a "major cybersecurity incident." The hack has been pinned on a Chinese state-sponsored group called Silk Typhoon (aka Hafnium).The threat actors are believed to have specifically targeted the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Office of Financial Research, and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), according to multiple reports from the Washington Post and CNN.Also added to the KEV catalog is a now-patched critical security vulnerability affecting Qlik Sense (CVE-2023-48365, CVSS score: 9.9) that allows an attacker to escalate privileges and execute HTTP requests on the backend server hosting the software.It's worth noting that the security flaw has been actively exploited in the past by the Cactus ransomware group. Federal agencies are required to apply the necessary patches by February 3, 2024, to secure their networks against active threats.Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

If you've ever wondered whether the wonder product retinol is right for you, you're not alone. I've spent hours scouring skin care Reddit to work out if it's something I should use, as well as which version is right for me. And then when I have used it, whether it's working the way it should.I'm one of the nine out of 10 women who feel frustrated about skin care and can't work out which products are best for me, according to cosmetics giant L'Oreal. There's a "joy" in experimenting with makeup, but experimenting with skin care is "frustrating," says Guive Balooch, the company's global managing director of augmented beauty and open innovation."Part of the problem with that is the fact that we're doing a lot of auditioning without facts and science behind what our skin individually actually needs," Balooch says. Last year, I tried out some of L'Oreal's cutting-edge tech products at Vivatech in Paris, including Kiehl's Derma-Reader, an imaging machine that can examine your skin and make product recommendations. The Derma-Reader was fascinating to experiment with, but the technology looks at only the top surface level of your skin, and also recommends only Kiehl's products as a treatment, which may not be the best for you.At CES 2025 this year, the company unveiled a new device, the Cell BioPrint, a collaboration with Korean beauty tech company NanoEnTek. It can take a reading from under our skin and read the biomarkers to tell us whether we should be responsive to certain ingredients like retinol, for example and then match our skin with appropriate products. Watch this: I Gave L'Oral My Cells to Know What Products Are Good for My Skin (And So Can You!) 02:32 I was excited to try the tech, as I've experimented with retinol a little over the years and haven't been able to work out whether it's for me. Retinol a form of vitamin A is affordable, available over the counter and promises to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, shrink enlarged pores and treat acne. But it also has its downsides: namely that your skin can take a long time to adjust to it, and in the meantime, it can become dry and flaky, or it can cause an acne purge.I've twice abandoned retinol during an ongoing acne purge, often referred to as the retinol uglies. But as L'Oreal's imaging tech has told me, my skin's age is three years older than my actual age and if I can tolerate retinol, the anti-aging effects could be well worth it.What the Cell BioPrint revealed to me Upgrade your inbox Get cnet insider From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated. My Cell BioPrint experience started with dabbing my skin multiple times with a sticker to pick up skin cells. The sticker went into a cartridge, and it took about 1 minute to strip out everything but the proteins from my skin. The liquid within the cartridge containing the proteins then got squeezed from a dropper onto a test strip and inserted into the tabletop Cell BioPrint machine, which took around 90 seconds to read my biomarkers.The good news: L'Oreal's tech told me that my skin has a high responsiveness to retinol, with a score of 75 out of 100. If I can tolerate it, I might be able to improve my pores, oiliness and barrier function, all of which L'Oreal identified as "needing attention." Along with retinol, it gave me recommendations for a SkinCeuticals salicylic acid serum and a zinc PCA IT cosmetics cream.I really appreciated the scientific analysis of my skin, which made me determined to persevere with retinol the next time I feel like quitting, even though I might need to start at a lower concentration than I've previously used. I also liked that the service, which is designed to provide in-store skin analysis, was able to tap into L'Oreal's vast library of skincare products, rather than solutions just from one brand."Today, we have so many choices, and what we need to understand is, what are the right choices for our biology and our needs?" Balooch said. "A lot of the products take time to work. So this really is seeing the invisible and taking the guessing game out and giving you the most precise products." CES 2025: See the 35 Coolest Tech Products We Can't Shake See all photos

Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake details surface as leaker says it's coming in JuneThe mane event.Image credit: Bethesda News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on Jan. 13, 2025 Fresh details of Bethesda's long-rumoured - but as yet unannounced - Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake have surfaced in a new leak, alongside word it could well be arriving this June.An Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake - supposedly being developed in Unreal Engine 5 - was first rumoured in July 2023, when a former Virtuos employee posted to Reddit claiming it was in the works at the Chinese studio. Curiously, references to an Oblivion remaster then emerged later that year, spotted in an internal Microsoft document from 2020 that was leaked during the company's court battle with the FTC, lending at least some credence to the earlier claim.But that wasn't the end of it. Earlier this month, a Virtuos technical art director updated their LinkedIn profile to highlight their work on a mysterious "unannounced Unreal Engine 5 remake", and now another former employee has - seemingly unintentionally - shared more explicit details of a Virtuos-developed Oblivion remake on their own website.As reported by MP1st, the unnamed employee - who is said to have worked on the project between 2023 and 2024 - described the game as a "fully remade" version of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, developed (as previously rumoured) in Unreal 5. The former Virtuos employee is also said to have referenced six gameplay systems reworked for the remake: stamina, sneaking, blocking, archery, hit reaction, and HUD.The new blocking system, as summarised by MP1st, supposedly takes inspiration from games including Souls-likes, to replace an original system considered too "boring" and "frustrating", while archery has been improved to make it "more playable and modern" in first- and third-person views. The new stamina system, meanwhile, is described as being "less frustrating", with the knockdown that occurs when stamina is depleted now less frequent.As for the Oblivion remake's updated sneaking, it'll apparently feature highlighted Sneak icons and reworked damage calculations, and that's alongside the introduction of hit reactions to improve the response to damage inflicted on the player and NPCs. Additionally, MP1st says the former employee referenced an updated HUD intended to be "easier to understand and more aesthetically appealing to young players."MP1st's report follows recent claims by reliable leaker NateTheHate that an Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake would be launching this June. Before all that, of course, developer Bethesda will actually need to announce the thing - and with Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct currently scheduled for next week, an opportunity is looming.

My experience: This duvet cover is divine! The material is smooth and silky to the touch. As a hot sleeper, I enjoy that the material feels lightweight and airy, allowing my body heat to ventilate throughout the night. Its also extremely easy to take off and wash as needed and has four corner ties to ensure that the comforter stays in place.The bottom line: Anyone who sleeps with their window open for extra ventilation will want to make this duvet cover their new best friend. I dont find myself tossing my sheets away from my body throughout the night because of heat sweats. Now more than ever, I bury myself into my duvet. I also enjoy the minimal and earthy aesthetic. For those looking to step up your sleep game, Buffy's Linen Duvet Cover is a must-have.Best Linen Duvet Cover: Brooklinen Linen Duvet CoverBrooklinen Linen Duvet CoverTester: Zo Sessums, senior digital design editorMy sleep preferences: I wouldnt say Im a particularly needy sleeper, but I do run quite hot, so thats always a consideration. I also tend to look for nice colors, simple patterns, and a natural fiber in my bedding. I think a duvet cover is a particularly great option if you have pets (its easier to wash than an entire comforter or quilt) or if you like to mix up your bedroom look on the regular.About the brand: As a hot sleeper, I find linen to be a great all-weather material. Brooklinen is the home of the internets favorite sheets, so it seemed like a worthy destination for quality bedding. This duvet is made from 100% European flax linen and is OEKO-TEX certified for chemical safety.My experience: I have a limited-edition blush pink linen duvet cover and find it to be really lovely. The pink gives my room a bright pop, and the wrinkled nature of the linen makes the duvet not look too precious. I found the process of putting on and taking off the duvet to be as easy as any other, so no complaints here.The bottom line: Brooklinen really knows how to make a quality set of bedding, and this duvet cover is no exception. My only issue is that I wish the cover came with a set of pillowcases for the price.Best Budget Duvet Cover: Quince European Linen Duvet CoverQuince European Linen Duvet CoverTester: Elise Portale, contributorMy sleep preferences: I live in a studio apartment, so my bed is not just a place for sleep but a place to hang out and decompress at random times of the day. Having a soft duvet cover is a must for me, but Im also a pretty hot sleeper, which means that heavier fabrics that are super plush are a no-go. My cat is also the messiest person I know, so, you know, its got to be durable and easy to clean.About the brand: Quinces entire deal is about making high-quality luxury products at an affordable price. They work only with factories that are both sustainable and pay a fair wage, which is something that many shoppers care enough about to pay a little extra for, but Quince cuts back on things like fancy packaging to keep costs down.

TikTok denied a report that China is looking at potentially facilitating a sale of the app to tech billionaire Elon Musk to keep TikTok operational in America amid a looming U.S. government ban.On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Chinese officials are evaluating a potential option that involves Elon Musk acquiring the US operations of TikTok if an American law goes into effect that would require parent company ByteDance to divest its TikTok stake or effectively ban the app in the U.S. The Bloomberg report cited anonymous sources.We cant be expected to comment on pure fiction, a TikTok rep said in reply to Varietys request for comment.Popular on VarietyRelated StoriesMusk has not commented on Bloombergs TikTok report. Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and is the worlds wealthiest individual, bought Twitter in 2022 in a $44 billion deal and subsequently renamed it X. Under one scenario that has been discussed by the Chinese government, X would take control of TikTok US and run the businesses together, according to the Bloomberg report. The news outlet noted that it is unclear whether Musk, TikTok and ByteDance have held any talks about the terms of any possible deal.TikTok is in danger of being outlawed in the U.S. under a law set to take effect Jan. 19, unless the Supreme Court issues a ruling stopping it from taking effect. On Friday, Jan. 10, the Supreme Court heard arguments in TikToks emergency appeal seeking to block the law, with TikTok and ByteDance arguing that the law violates First Amendment rights of its 170 million U.S. users. But the justices seemed to lean toward being more receptive to the governments position that TikTok represents a national security threat, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Communist Party.Beijing-based ByteDance has not indicated that it is exploring the sale of its approximately 40% stake in TikTok to an entity or investor group that would meet with U.S. approval. Meanwhile, Chinese officials previously indicated that if ByteDance did try to sell the stake in TikTok, such a move would be blocked because it would represent a technology export.Congress passed the divest-or-ban legislation targeting TikTok last year with solid bipartisan support and it was signed into law by President Biden. U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed deep concern about TikToks Chinese ownership, suggesting that the Chinese communist regime could use the app to spy on Americans or use it to spread pro-China propaganda.The law the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act prohibits Apple and Googles app stores, as well as web hosting services, from hosting or distributing TikTok in the U.S. unless ByteDance sells its ownership in the app to any party located in a country that is not designated a foreign adversary of the United States.President-elect Donald Trump has requested that the Supreme Court suspend the law from going into effect on Jan. 19 to allow his administration to pursue a negotiated resolution that could prevent a nationwide shutdown of TikTok, thus preserving the First Amendment rights of tens of millions of Americans, while also addressing the governments national security concerns. During his first term, Trump unsuccessfully sought to force a TikTok sale to U.S.-based parties, also over national security fears.

[Insert dolphin laughter here].Sega has announced it's reviving a lot of classic IP and with this in mind, it's been discovered the company recently filed trademarks in December 2024 for Ecco The Dolphin and 'Ecco', which have been made public today.This action and adventure series, developed by Novotrade International (Appaloosa Interactive) started on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive in 1992, with the classic entries rereleased over the years in collections and even made available in more recently via the Switch Online Sega library.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

TikTok has warned of a looming shutdown in just six days, as the Supreme Court is currently weighing the law that would ban the app. So we thought its time to take a look at other platforms that may be able to fill the TikTok-shaped hole in our lives.The law gives TikTok parent company ByteDance until January 19 to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban in the country. TikTok is hoping for a pause to the law, but If that doesnt happen, the app will effectively be banned in the country.Theres no 1:1 TikTok replacement, but there are some viable options to consider that offer a similar experience. Many companies have spent the last few years building out TikTok clones within their own products, and several newer companies have looked to challenge the apps dominance.Heres a look at the different apps that are worth checking out:Instagram ReelsImage Credits: MetaImage Credits:MetaInstagrams Reels product is arguably the most popular TikTok clone, and for good reason. Many of the videos are the same, as creators often share the same content that they post on TikTok to Instagram Reels. Plus, a lot of the trending sounds and topics on TikTok eventually make their way over to Instagram Reels. Because a lot of the content is the same, Instagram Reels might be the best option for a TikTok alternative.However, given that TikToks algorithm is largely unmatched, Instagram Reels might not be able to surface videos youre interested in on the same level that TikTok can. But, Instagram has spent the past few years enhancing the Reels recommendation algorithm, so we can probably expect it to get even better over time.If a TikTok ban becomes a reality, Instagram Reels might become the most popular home for short-form video content because it already largely dominates the social media landscape and has most of the same people and types of content as TikTok.YouTube ShortsImage Credits: YouTubeImage Credits:YouTubeYouTube is another platform that has been building out and prioritizing its TikTok-like product. YouTube Shorts might be the best TikTok alternative for you if youre someone who already spends a lot of time on YouTube, or likes to find new music on TikTok, given that YouTube Shorts has access to YouTubes vast library of songs and music videos.YouTube Shorts has an advantage that other services on this list dont, which is an integration with a popular long-form video content platform. Millions of people around the world already go to YouTube every day to watch content, so if TikTok were to get banned, YouTube has the potential to become the go-to place for short-form content as well, especially if popular TikTok creators choose it as the new home of their content.Unfortunately, the content on YouTube Shorts often isnt as engaging as it can be on platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels, as it sometimes features content that has been reposted from longer YouTube videos. Still, you could search for content that you want to see and find videos based on hashtags or keywords.Snapchat SpotlightImage Credits: SnapchatImage Credits:SnapchatSnapchats Spotlight feed is another viable TikTok alternative if youre looking for short and entertaining content. Unlike TikTok and Instagram Reels, Spotlight generally only surfaces funny and lighthearted videos. You likely wont find political or news content on the feed, which could be a selling point for some users.Spotlight features a trending section where you can watch popular videos based on different topics and songs that are having a moment. Similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels, you can search for content based on keywords and hashtags.However, one of the biggest cons when it comes to Snapchat Spotlight is that it has struggled to go beyond its younger users. Given that adults are more likely to use a platform like TikTok or Instagram Reels, you might not find the content on Spotlight as engaging because it mostly caters to younger audiences.Triller Image Credits:TrillerTriller, which started off as a TikTok competitor, could be a good alternative for people who are mainly interested in the music and dance aspects of TikTok. Its worth noting that Triller has a much smaller user base than TikTok, so content is somewhat limited.Triller is already looking to take advantage of the potential TikTok ban in the U.S. The company recently launched a website, SaveMyTikToks.com, to allow TikTok users to save their TikTok videos by transferring them to Trillers platform, encouraging creators to migrate their content to its app.Plus, Triller recently hired ex-TikTok exec Sean Kim as its CEO to focus on an overhaul of the app. Kim previously served as TikToks head of product from 2019 to 2022, working on things like its For You feed, creator monetization, the developer platform, third-party integrations, and more. Trillers addition of one of TikToks top talents could help the platform build out its service to be a better-positioned TikTok alternative.RedNoteImage Credits:RedNoteTikTok users in the U.S. are already flocking to Chinese short-form video app Xiaohongshu (known as RedNote in English). Launched in 2013, the app is Chinas answer to Instagram.The app features a layout thats similar to Pinterests and boasts a number of social shopping features. It provides users with a mix of video and livestreaming features. RedNote includes a lot of the sort of content you see on TikTok, like beauty tutorials and product reviews.Its not clear whether RedNote will sustain the interest its getting right now. Its also not clear whether the U.S. government will want to crack down on the app due to its Chinese ownership if its able to get a significant American user base.Lemon8Image Credits:ByteDanceIn the months leading up to the TikTok ban deadline, the company has been promoting its sister app, Lemon8. TikTok also recently started allowing users to access Lemon8 with their TikTok account.The app is similar to Instagram and Pinterest, as it lets people share slideshows, photo collections, and browse content through Following and For You feeds. Lemon8 offers access to creative tools, filters, effects, stickers, text templates, and more.However, its worth noting that Lemon8 could get tangled up in the TikTok ban, especially since lawmakers main concern with TikTok is its Chinese ownership. As a result, Lemon8s presence in the U.S. remains unclear.LikeeImage Credits:LikeeLikee is a short-form video app that, alongside the ability to share videos, features editing tools and livestreams. The app boasts over 100 million users from all around the world.Likee is big on AR filters, similar to Snapchats, and lets creators use them in their videos and livestreams. Likee also features an extensive music library, so it could be good for people who use TikTok to find new music.In addition, the app has monetization features that allow creators to earn money for their content through SuperLikes from their followers. However, as with the other smaller apps on this list, engagement on Likee is somewhat limited since it doesnt have the same amount of reach as TikTok. Of course, that could change over time.FanbaseImage Credits: FanbaseImage Credits:FanbaseFanbase is a subscription-based social network that is essentially a combination of TikTok, Instagram, Patreon, Clubhouse, and Snapchat. The app features short-form videos, images, long-form videos, Stories, livestreams, and audio rooms. While the app is free to use, you can pay a subscription to get access to exclusive content.What makes Fanbase a possible alternative to TikTok is the apps Flickz feed. Like TikTok, Flickz includes a feed for discovery and another feed dedicated to content from creators you follow. You can find all sorts of content on Fanbase, including videos on sports, cooking, music, humor, and more.The app was founded with the mission of valuing and platforming Black creators, whose content is often appropriated or undervalued on traditional social media platforms. Fanbase is an ad-free platform that promises to never shadowban or suppress content.ZigazooImage Credits: ZigazooImage Credits:ZigazooZigazoo is a relatively new short-form video platform aimed at young users and could be a good TikTok alternative for kids and teens. The app features lighthearted and playful videos and is considered a safer alternative to TikTok, as it doesnt have a comments feature and has strict moderation policies.The app lets users browse through or create short videos based on challenges or educational prompts. Zigazoo also features fun dancing videos, which is one of TikToks most popular content categories. Like TikTok and Instagram Reels, the app includes different effects, sounds, and filters for video.While the app isnt a TikTok replacement for adults, its a great alternative for younger users, especially those with parents who are concerned about TikToks potential harm to kids and teens.FavoritedImage Credits:FavoritedFavorited is an a16z-backed social app that gamifies livestreaming. The app lets livestream creators interact with their audiences and earn money through virtual gifts from viewers. The app also features a 70/30 revenue split for creators, whereas TikTok has a 50/50 split for live creators.Favorited also lets creators link their digital stores. However, unlike TikTok, Favorited doesnt feature a discovery feed to help people find new content.The app has 750,000 users so far this year and is seeing thousands of new signups per day. Unfortunately, the app doesnt have much of a presence outside of the U.S., but of course, that could change.ClapperImage Credits:ClapperClapper is a platform that champions authentic expression and unfiltered interactions. The app is a short-form video platform thats known for limited moderation, which may not be for everyone.Clapper lets you post videos that are up to three minutes long. The app features an audio-only feature that allows users to create a room with up to 2,000 listeners with 20 speakers. Plus, creators can create communities where they can interact with their followers one-on-one.The app is ad-free and is more focused on unfiltered content, rather than polished content that is designed to go viral. It includes some video editing features, but they are quite limited when compared to whats available on TikTok. And, of course, the apps user base is quite small, so there is somewhat limited social interaction.FableImage Credits:FableFable is a good app for TikTok users who are part of the social networks reading-focused BookTok community. The app features book clubs where people can discuss the books theyre reading, kind of like they would on TikTok.Unfortunately, Fable lacks the video aspect, so its nowhere near a complete TikTok alternative. Instead, it could provide a way for BookTok creators and members of the community to continue their discussions on another platform.NeptuneImage Credits:NeptuneNepture is an upcoming female-founded social network that promises to put content creators first. The app has started to get buzz on social networks like TikTok and X by users who are wondering if it could become the next TikTok. Their hopes arent random, as Neptunes marketing strategy frames the app as a TikTok alternative, but better.The beta version of the app is expected to be released either this month or in February. The public release for the app is expected in the spring.The company says that on Neptune, a creators content will get seen not because of an algorithm but because of its quality and impact. The app is also going to feature customizable content feeds and ghost metrics, which would allow users to try out new ideas without worrying about the pressure to perform.

The UKs Metropolitan mayors all want digital transformation decisions to be made locally, but theres a lack of understanding in areas such as the time and money required to turn ideas into reality.These regions face a similar challenge in replacing legacy systems to that faced by banks over the past decade, but lack the same skills and financial resources.According to research of the 12 mayoral manifestos by IT services firm CGI, the regional leaders, who represent about half the UK population, are all in full agreement that digital transformation decisions need to be made locally.Tara McGeehan, UK and Australia president at CGI, which is heavily involved in the UK public sector, said: These regions are a long way from Whitehall, and therefore from a priority point of view, in the general understanding of whats going on out in the regions, having mayors who have more vertical interest is a lot more sensible than having all decisions out of London.CGI researched the manifestos of metropolitan leaders in Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, East Midlands, Greater London, North East, South Yorkshire, Tees Valley, West of England, West Midlands, York and North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.Weve got lots of interesting mayors now, and I think what theyve all got in common is an opportunity to listen harder to their local people and perhaps make a difference technology forms a major part, she said. To different extents, they have all worked that out.But McGeehan questioned whether theres an equivalent understanding of the skills needed, the investment required and the time it takes to do the work.The challenge of understanding the costs and time it will take to transform local services digitally is deepened by the elephant in the room, which, according to McGeehan, is that much of the IT used in local government is very, very old.The current legacy IT environment doesnt lend itself to digitisation, she said, adding that there are examples of local government introducing digital services, which are in fact little more than putting a digital wrapper around an existing service.In my experience, it takes a long time to get new IT, and therefore you hang onto it and sweat the assets for a long time, said McGeehan. A lot of the systems that exist dont lend themselves very well to a bright, new digital future. And maybe councils want to put a skin over it and call it digital, but actually its not all.Read more about digitisation in metropolitan regionsFor many years, banks had a similar approach to overcoming the roadblock to digitisation created by their legacy systems. Fintech and a huge amount of investment overcame this, but local government lacks the skills and resources of big banks.She added that the legacy systems mean regions cannot apply any principles of artificial intelligence or any kind of digital transformation, because they are stuck with methods of transporting data between many different systems.The CGI research also revealed a lack of understanding of data protection, with just half of Metropolitan region manifestos addressing data sovereigntyIts a hard topic to get your head around and really think about, said McGeehan. Its about where your data lives and not letting your data go off the shores, because it could potentially be misused elsewhere. Its around cyber security and protecting your estate, and that is abstract.Like banks digitising their services, local government faces challenges bringing their customers, the citizens, with them. McGeehan said there is the twin challenge of ensuring mayors have the skills required to implement digital projects and at the same time ensuring the community have the skills to use the new digital services.For example, in my local car park at the railway station, you can only park there if you have the app and youre able to book a ticket, she said. That actually excludes a lot of older people who dont really understand that kind of technology.Banks faced the challenge of bringing older people onto their online banking and mobile platforms. It wasnt until the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced people online, that take-up of mobile banking among older generations really took off.