Next Level Racing GTTrack Simulator Cockpit Best racing sim cockpit overall $900 at Amazon Playseat Challenge Sim Racing Seat Best affordable racing sim cockpit $199 at Amazon Next Level Racing Wheel Stand Racer & Wheel Stand Lite Best cheap racing sim cockpit $140 at Amazon OpenWheeler GEN3 Racing Wheel Stand Cockpit Best racing sim cockpit overall runner-up $399 at Amazon Next Level Racing F-GT Simulator Cockpit Best racing sim cockpit for hardcore formula racing fans $500 at Best Buy CXC Motion Pro II Racing Simulator Best home motion control sim racing cockpit if money is no object $75,000 at CXC Simulations Next Level Racing Motion Platform v3 (Update: Currently unavailable) Best entry-level motion control sim racing cockpit $3,500 at Amazon There's nothing quite like being in a racing car setup. But if you're more of a fan of racing games -- it's far less dangerous, after all -- and still want to experience what it's like to tear down the track in your favorite car, why not get a sim racing cockpit? After all, you deserve it. While you can get by on a basic wheel and pedal setup, it fails to provide the atmosphere and sensation of an actual racing cockpit. A sim racing cockpit is a serious improvement over a basic wheel and pedal setup, making you feel like you're tearing down the track. A sim racing cockpit isn't just a way to make you look cool and authentic; it also helps provide a stable environment for you to experience what it feels like to race. It provides a stable platform while giving you the experience of constant steering and pedal pressing to maintain control of your vehicle. A well-designed sim racing seat setup enhances ergonomics and control placement, ensuring the wheel and pedals are positioned naturally for improved power. If you like the way that sounds, maybe you'd like gift a cockpit to one of the sim racers in your life.We've compiled a list of the best sim racing seats and home racing cockpits for various budgets and spaces. We've also included motion control rigs, which enhance force feedback by allowing drivers to feel cornering, acceleration, and braking through the seat. Next Level Racing For close to $1,000, GTTrack isn't cheap, but it's a solid and upgradable platform for sim racing. The sim racer rig starts with a beefy frame that can support the most powerful direct-drive force feedback racing wheels while standing up to strong pedal pressure. The seat is supportive and comfortable which is good for extended lapping sessions. Roadshow's Editor-in-Chief, Tim Stevens, has recommended this sim racing setup before and uses one in his iRacing setup.The GTtrack racing simulator cockpit is adjustable for a wide range of body types, compact enough for most homes and is compatible with Next Level's ecosystem of motion control electronics. Playseat Besides being significantly less expensive than a full racing rig like the GTtrack, the Playseat Challenge's best feature is how it quickly folds into an extremely compact package for storage in a closet, corner or under a bed. The foldable racing simulator cockpit design comes with a few compromises but ultimately makes the Challenge one of the most ideal simulator cockpits for casual and serious racers in small apartments, bedroom setups and shared spaces.There are adjustments for the wheel, pedal and seat placement, but no gear shifter mount. (If you must have a shifter box, consider the Next Level Racing GT Lite.) Getting in and out of the racing simulator seat can be a touch awkward, especially for kids. The racing simulator frame is strong enough for most console racing wheels and the fold-out pedal mount keeps the foot controls surprisingly planted during use. I personally use the Playseat Challenge sim rig in my small San Francisco Bay Area apartment. $199 at Amazon Next Level Racing The Next Level Racing Wheel Stand provides a firm platform for mounting a racing wheel, pedal box and even a shift lever. The Wheel Stand is meant to be a starting point around which you can upgrade, adding a seat and more as you go. Unfortunately, that means that it doesn't come with a real racing seat in the box, and the racing simulator ergonomics of a couch or rolling office chair aren't the best.The low entry point price makes this a good option for casual racers who want to get away from just clamping onto a coffee table or desk. OpenWheeler If you don't have the space (or the bucks) for a full GTrack cockpit, but don't need the foldability of the Playseat Challenge, the OpenWheeler GEN3 sim racing rig sits nicely in the Goldilocks zone between the two. This sturdy racing seat and frame combo accommodates mounting a wheel, pedal set and shifter and is very adjustable for a wide range of body types. The racing seat is also quite comfortable.When not in racing simulation use, the OpenWheeler can collapse a bit. Fans of flight sims can also purchase optional mounts to quickly convert the rig to a HOTAS setup, complete with a perfectly centered flight stick. $399 at Amazon Next Level Racing Offering the excellent build quality of the GTtrack at a more affordable price point, the Next Level Racing F-GT Simulator Cockpit has an extra trick up its sleeve that makes it an ideal choice for F1 racing fans. The dual-position seat and pedal box can be configured in the traditional, upright GT passenger car seating position or transformed for a low-slung, high-pedal position for a Formula Sim racing experience.Like the GTTrack racing simulator, the F-GT is a flexible and upgradeable platform that can support the addition of display mounts, extra hardware and even a conversion kit for flight sim setups. Unfortunately, the F-GT is not compatible with the Motion Platform V3 kit, which shouldn't matter too much to buyers on a budget. CXC Simulations If price is not a factor and you want the best home racing experience short of building a track in your backyard, look no further than the CXC Motion Pro II. This is a full turn-key sim racing rig complete with a large monitor, racing seat with motion control force feedback, an immersive audio system, direct-drive steering wheel and pedal box. Just add a gaming PC or console and you're ready to rock. This is the most immersive (and most expensive) sim racing rig that I've ever tested that could conceivably fit in a game room or garage.Starting at $69K for the standard setup, the Motion Pro II can be further upgraded with flight sim controls, a 3-head ultrawide display or a VR headset. There are myriad steering wheel options to choose from and even an option for a real FIA-certified racing bucket from Cobra. Checking all of the boxes pushes the price just over the six-figure mark, at which point, maybe just consider taking your actual car for a cruise more often. $75,000 at CXC Simulations Next Level Racing The Motion Platform V3 is an add-on for the Next Level Racing GTtrack rig at the top of our best racing simulator cockpit list, providing an easy and relatively inexpensive entry point into the world of motion-controlled sim racing. The Motion Platform adds 2-axis force feedback to the racing seat allowing drivers to feel the G-forces of every corner, braking point and application of throttle. You'd be amazed how much this extra level of immersion and feel can improve your sim racing performance. The hardware is compact -- adding nothing to the GTtrack's footprint -- fairly quiet and easily configurable with the included software. Just make sure your favorite racing sim is compatible, most of the big ones for PC are, but console racing is not. $3,500 at Amazon Comparison of the best sim racing cockpit for 2024 Racing simulator cockpitPriceBest racing sim cockpit overall Next Level Racing GTtrack Simulator Cockpit$900Best affordable racing sim cockpit Playseat Challenge Sim Racing Seat$199Best cheap racing sim cockpit Next Level Racing Wheel Stand Racer & Wheel Stand Lite$140Best racing sim cockpit overall runner-up OpenWheeler GEN3 Racing Wheel Stand Cockpit$399 Best racing sim cockpit for hardcore formula racing fans Next Level Racing F-GT Simulator Cockpit$499 Best entry-level motion control sim racing cockpit Next Level Racing Motion Platform v3$3,500Best home motion control sim racing cockpit if money is no object CXC Motion Pro II Racing Simulator$75,000 Racing simulator seat and cockpit benefitsMost casual racing wheel and pedal combos for consoles or PC come with hardware that allows them to be clipped to the edge of a table or desk, which is fine for casual racers. Gaming wheels with strong force feedback -- including the strongest direct drive sim racing wheels -- may need a sturdier platform than your Ikea desk can provide. A sim racing cockpit provides that strong base, allowing you to feel the full feedback of the wheel and crank away without fear of flipping your coffee table.Your desk may indeed be hefty enough to hold up to your Logitech G93, but the most overlooked benefit of a good sim racing cockpit is providing a stable base for the pedal box. Racers apply a lot of pressure to the accelerator, clutch and especially the brake pedal and without a strong base, that box can start to slide during intense lapping sessions -- hurting your performance and times while you struggle with ever-shifting ergonomics. Unlike an office chair on casters, a good cockpit also connects the seat to the pedal box, so that you don't go sliding away every time you brake.Things to look for in a sim racing seat/cockpitThe most important things to look for in a sim racing cockpit are strength, adjustability and comfort.If you're looking at a racing cockpit, odds are good that you've invested in a racing wheel with force feedback. The stronger the wheel, the stronger the frame you'll need to allow the wheel to provide the best feedback and give you the best control. A $1,200 Fanatec Podium with direct drive feedback needs a beefy base like the Next Level GTtrack. With a weaker wheel like the Logitech G920 for Xbox or the Playstation-compatible G29, a lighter stand like the OpenWheeler Gen3 will do and is a better match for the budget. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the pedal box; you're going to be stomping on this bit, so it needs to be strong. Unless you plan on adding motion control to your rig, it's more important that your seat be comfortable and sturdy than deeply bolstered. Next Level RacingLike real-life driving, ergonomics are a big deal. Being able to comfortably reach the pedals and easily control the wheel can make the difference between the pole position and the back of the pack. Since you're likely a different size from me, I've only recommended cockpits and seats with a good level of adjustability. If you share your sim rig with other members of your family, being easily adjustable is another good get.Most home sim racing rigs don't move, so the seat doesn't need to hold you in place while cornering. Deep bolsters are nice to have and can feel more immersive, but aren't strictly necessary unless you're also diving deep into motion control. Look for a seat that's comfortable for longer sessions, supportive enough for steering and pedal pressin' and easy to get into and out. If you live in a small or shared space, consider a foldable cockpit like the Playseat Challenge or the Next Level Racing GT Lite, which can be easily stored in a closet when not in use. Racing in a small or shared space? Consider a racing seat that quickly folds away when not in use. PlayseatWhat's the deal with motion control sim racing?A good gaming wheel will provide force feedback that simulates the weight of a real steering wheel and the feel of the tires struggling for grip. They can't duplicate the seat-of-the-pants feeling of the rest of the car's inertia and weight transfer. For that, you'll need to dive into the immersive and expensive world of motion control.The single most expensive and immersive simulator I've personally used is Volvo's 3 million euro chassis simulator, a massive room-sized simulator with 5-axis control of an actual vehicle chassis suspended in front of a wrap-around display -- you take a retractable gangway to get in or out -- but good luck getting that thing out of the Gothenburg R&D facility.The most basic motion control system I recommend is the Next Level Motion Platform V3, an add-on to the GTtrack racing simulator cockpit that mounts between the seat and the rest of the chassis. When playing compatible racing sims, the Motion Platform can tilt the seat forward and back, and from side to side to simulate the G-forces experienced when a car brakes, accelerates and corners. A sim racing cockpit can be as simple as a wheel stand and your couch or as complex as this VR and motion-enabled CXC Simulations rig. Antuan Goodwin/RoadshowThis $3,000 add-on for an $800 racing sim rig is painfully expensive, but it can be further upgraded with Next Level's $6,000 Traction Plus platform, which adds yaw motion to the system allowing drivers to feel the rotation of a vehicle during a drift or the lack-thereof when understeering. There's also an optional Buttkicker haptic add-on that lets players feel the rumble of the road and engine through the seat.Just like in a real car, being able to feel how the car is reacting to your inputs and the surface of the road is not only enjoyable but is also a great tool for improving your driving performance. Going all-in on a Next Level motion control racing setup can push upwards of $10 grand when you include the cost of your wheel and pedal box. Compared to our "price is no object" pick -- the CXC Motion Pro II that starts at $63K and can crest the six-figure mark when fully kitted out -- or breaking into an automaker's headquarters, that seems like a bargain.Sim racing cockpit FAQs What is a sim racing cockpit? A racing sim cockpit supports your steering wheel and pedals in an ergonomic position while you digitally drive in a racing sim or game. It can be as simple as a wheel stand plopped in front of your couch, but a good setup also includes a seat that physically connects you to the wheel and pedals in a driving position familiar to a real car with increased stability for force-feedback. What makes a good sim racing cockpit? A good racing cockpit should be sturdy enough to support you and your wheel and pedal combo. This is particularly important with force-feedback wheels and high-quality pedal boxes, which transmit loads of torque and foot pressure upon their mounting points. You'll also want to make sure that the ergonomics work well for your body type. Is a sim racing seat worth it? If you're serious about sim racing -- and especially if you're looking to supplement or transition to real-world racing -- then a sim racing cockpit is definitely worth it. A good racing rig may not be worth the investment for more casual players interested primarily in arcade racers. What budget should I set for a good racing simulator? The budget of your racing simulator depends on how powerful/expensive your wheel and pedal combo is, how much physical space you can dedicate to sim racing and how seriously you take your sim racing. Running a $300 Logitech setup for casual arcade racing in a small apartment? A $200 folding rig is probably best. Do you have an $800+ Fanatec direct drive setup that you use for weekly iRacing? Spending a similar amount to lock that powerful wheel down is a worthwhile investment. What is haptic feedback in sim racing? Haptic feedback adds a physical feel to your gaming or race simulation. The most basic level is force feedback through the steering wheel -- although even this "basic" level can get very complex once you delve in. For the rest of your racing simulation rig, haptic feedback can range from a seat rumbling subwoofer/motor to motion control systems that tilt and slide the seat, mimicking the G-forces you'd experience in a real moving car.

Marvel Snap team seeking new publisher as game returns online following unexpected US ban alongside TikTok"We know this probably leaves you with even more questions than answers."Image credit: Second Dinner News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on Jan. 21, 2025 Marvel Snap is back online, following its unexpected ban in the US.Over the weekend, the digital collectible card game was banned in the US alongside TikTok, due to its publisher Nuverse being owned by TikTok owner ByteDance.At this time, developer Second Dinner said the ban was every bit as much a "surprise" to the Marvel Snap team as it was to players, too. It went on to state it would do everything it could to get the game back up and running as quickly as possible. Second Dinner has now achieved this, and Marvel Snap is back online in the US.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. What Does the New Nintendo Switch 2 JoyCon Button Do? The Internet's WILDEST Theories. Watch on YouTubeThe developer is now "working to bring more services in-house and partner with a new publisher" to ensure this kind of surprise ban does not happen again.Calling this move the "start of a new era" for the card game, the Marvel Snap team acknowledged players may have "more questions than answers". However, it assured its followers on social media that it would keep them updated with more details on the matter "as soon as possible".There are still some remaining issues following Marvel Snap's suspension. Replying to users on X, Second Dinner said it is still working on restoring the game's App Store availability, adding this "may take some time".It additionally noted "in-app purchases remain unavailable but the team is working on it". In the meantime, it said web shop purchases are all in working order, so players can go there for now. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Following its release, Marvel Snap won itself scores of fans, including many on the Eurogamer team. It was soon nominated for a number of awards and prestigious events including the BAFTAs.Our Donlan was especially taken with Marvel Snap on its debut, praising the game for giving him some welcome moments to pause and reflect."Whenever I lose a game - and I lose all the time - I get to spend a pleasant few moments working out what went wrong, picking over my deck, and swapping cards in and out. There's a reward for being bad at the game. How kind," he wrote in his feature: Games of 2022: Marvel Snap offered the best moments of reflection.

Donkey Kong's new look in Switch 2 Mario Kart approved by former Rare artist"Change is good!"Image credit: Nintendo / Eurogamer News by Ed Nightingale Deputy News Editor Published on Jan. 21, 2025 Former Rare artist Kevin Bayliss has responded to Donkey Kong's redesign seen in the Mario Kart segment of the Switch 2 announcement.As fans quickly spotted, the gorilla has received a bit of a redesign for the next karting game. He now looks closer to his film design and the retro design by Shigehisa Nakaue, with a cuter looking face.Bayliss, who redesigned Donkey Kong for the SNES game Donkey Kong Country, responded to a fan video spoofing the new look.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart 9 have been revealed - but questions remain.Watch on YouTube"You can take the KONG out of the Country, but you can't take the Country out of the Kong! (I love it - this is really funny! - Everything changes! - Change is good!)," wrote Bayliss.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.While Donkey Kong is the most obvious example, look closer and all the characters in the Mario Kart clip have a softer, more cartoonish look.Nintendo similarly redesigned Princess Peach in the box art for Princess Peach: Showtime! to be aligned with the film.To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Nintendo announced the Switch 2 last week with a short first-look trailer of the console's redesign.It was shown along with a clip of a new Mario Kart game, which fans have been scouring for clues. One theory is the addition of fuel tanks to shake up gameplay.

CW+ Premium Content/Computer WeeklyThank you for joining!Access your Pro+ Content below.21 January 2025Will the UK become an AI powerhouse?In this weeks Computer Weekly, we analyse the UK governments new AI strategy and ask if the ambitious plans are achievable. The latest EU regulation affecting cyber security, called DORA, will affect digital resilience plans for many businesses we examine the implications. We also look at the benefits and technologies behind cloud data lakes. Read the issue now.Access this CW+ Content for Free!Already a member? Login hereFeaturesin this issueCan UK government achieve ambition to become AI powerhouse?byCliff SaranThe artificial intelligence opportunities action plan has been largely well received, but there are plenty of questions about how it will be achievedA guide to DORA compliancebyCliff SaranWe look at the new EU regulation for cyber resiliency, the role of IT asset management in auditing and third-party risksView Computer Weekly ArchivesNext IssueMore CW+ ContentView All

PM Images/Getty ImagesThe cloud has dominated enterprise technology provision for a decade or more. Public cloud services, with huge capacity, commitments to security, and assurances that the latest and greatest technologies are running underneath, offer a compelling value proposition. In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), capacity is critical. However, a new survey suggests evidence of a movement away from public provision.Close to seven in 10 companies (69%) have moved at least some apps off the cloud and back to on-premise systems or private clouds, thesurveyof 1,420 IT executives from Rackspace finds. Reasons given for this retrenchment back to on-premise environments include data security and compliance concerns, cited by 50%, better integration with existing on-premise systems, mentioned by 48%, and cost savings and budget constraints, cited by 44%.Also: The best email hosting services: Expert testedIndustry experts and business leaders also recognized a reconsideration of the value of public clouds. For one, the rising costs of cloud subscriptions -- with accompanying sticker shock -- means many finance chiefs have paused for thought. "Enterprises are just spending too much on public cloud services, given applications they may have migrated to the cloud years ago," said David Linthicum, a leading consultant, author, and former CTO with Deloitte.Technical debt may be the root of many moves back to on-premise environments. "Normally this is a self-inflicted thing," Linthicum said. "They didn't refactor the applications to make them more efficient in running on the public cloud providers. So the public cloud providers, much like if we're pulling too much electricity off the grid, just hit them with huge bills to support the computational and storage needs of those under-optimized applications."Rather than spending more money to optimize or refactor applications, these same enterprises put them back on-premise, said Linthicum. Security and compliance are also an issue. Enterprises "realize that it's too expensive to remain compliant in the cloud, with data and sovereignty rules. So, they just make a decision to push it back on-premise."Also:5 reasons why Google's Trillium could transform AI and cloud computing - and 2 obstaclesThe perceived high costs of cloud operations "often stem from lift-and-shift migrations that in some cases didn't optimize applications for cloud environments," said Miha Kralj, global senior partner for hybrid cloud service at IBM Consulting. "These direct transfers typically maintain existing architectures that don't leverage cloud-native capabilities, resulting in inefficient resource utilization and unexpectedly high expenses." However, the solution to this problem "isn't necessarily repatriation to on-premises infrastructure," said Kralj. "Most performance, security, and cost challenges we encounter can be addressed through cloud-native refactoring -- redesigning applications to fully utilize cloud capabilities like auto-scaling, containerization, and serverless architectures. Organizations that invest in refactoring consistently report improved operational efficiency and better cost control."When it comes to costs, "many organizations are finding that cloud solutions can be costly, with unexpected expenses from data egress fees and premium features, among others," said Timothy E. Bates, professor at the University of Michigan and former CTO for Lenovo and General Motors. "On the other hand, on-prem solutions have upfront costs, but they are more cost-effective in the long run for stable workloads." Bates witnessed the trend toward achieving a better balance between cloud and on-prem while architecting and building hybrid solutions for GM: "Large enterprises are increasingly reevaluating the risks and limitations of relying solely on the cloud for critical workloads and intellectual property." Enterprises don't like being dependent upon someone else's cloud infrastructure, said Richard Robbins, founder and owner of TheTechnologyVault.com. "Many of the enterprises that are regulated, especially banks and other financial institutions, are moving some or all of their web apps from the cloud back to on-prem or to hybrid setups," he observed. "It is clear that there has been enough vulnerability and downsides to cloud hosting to make executives feel nervous about not having more control over the security and other aspects of cloud hosting." Bates also said security, control, and cost efficiency are at the roots of such cloud hesitation: "A cloud, while offering scalability, is a shared resource -- organizations have to trust third-party providers like Azure, Amazon, or Google with their most sensitive data. For businesses with highly proprietary information or strict compliance needs, the potential risks of not having end-to-end control over the storage of that information far exceed the benefits."Also:How to easily use Cloudflare's secure DNS on your Mac and why it even mattersTo a large degree, the hype around the cloud has dissipated, with many people focusing on AI instead. As a result, many decision-makers are taking a clear-eyed view of the cloud's benefits and drawbacks. "I remember talking to CIOs and DevOps personnel in 2017 -- several of them had been assigned, to their dismay, to do whatever was needed to move their technology into the cloud," said Robbins. "Most felt overwhelmed with the assignment and pushed back. That was during the cloud rush, when having apps hosted in the cloud was a status symbol and a marketing flex." Now, "with the movement to the cloud being hasty and not very well coordinated, enterprises are re-thinking their initial decision to move to the cloud," Robbins continued. "Companies like Dropbox, one of the first major enterprises to use the cloud, began moving back to their own hosting infrastructure as early as 2015. The benefits of their reversal -- including saving nearly $75 million in operational costs over a two-year period -- have influenced other enterprises to follow suit."Bates said reliability and performance are also considerations that favor on-premise systems. He said applications that require low latency, and mission-critical tools or apps that deal with proprietary processes, are sometimes better run from dedicated, in-house infrastructure. "When we built the hybrid model for GM, we got the benefits of the cloud without compromising on the security and reliability of on-prem systems," he said. "This hybrid model is something that is now being adopted by more companies."However, some experts believe evidence of a movement away from the cloud is unclear, especially when vendor perspectives are involved. "When we talk about the potential security benefits of local architecture, this is a drop in the bucket compared to larger conversations in cybersecurity at this moment," said Seth Geftic, vice president of product marketing at Huntress. "Although I don't believe that people are moving away from the cloud in such high waves, there are a number of potential reasons that a company could look toward local infrastructure."A balancing act between on-prem and cloud will likely continue, with the need to weigh the advantages for both sides. "Cloud providers have a huge deal of control over their resources, meaning that there is little companies can do when they decide to put up prices," said Geftic."Cloud is an expensive solution, but one that offsets that with a number of advantages -- speed, scalability, ease of use. What the industry could experience is a slight deviation from full-cloud architecture and a restructuring toward hybrid environments. A direct leap from fully cloud-based to fully local seems like a slight stretch, if I'm being honest."Featured

These passwords must be changednow.gettyUpdate, Jan. 21, 2025: This story, originally published Jan. 20, now has further detail on the hacked password list, including an analysis of the five passwords for which a successful compromise attack is considered most likely.Its hard to find anything good to say about passwords, truth be told. You either hate them or you hate them. While the push for a more secure alternative in passkeys is ongoing, most of us are stuck with password protection for most of our accounts right now. Which is a problem, given high-speed brute-force password attacks on Microsoft users, poor router password security issues, 2FA bypass attacks and sign-in-with-Google hacking tactics being exploited. All of this makes using a strong and secure password a must, something people on this recently published list are most certainly not doing. Heres what you need to know and the passwords you need to change right now.Change Your Password Now If Its On This ListSecurity researchers from anyIP, a mobile proxy service, have analyzed the results of research undertaken by NordVPN, which revealed the worst 200 passwords being used across 2024. Although Im not keen on the old-chestnut of this password can be cracked in less than a second hacking speeds when it comes to password security or strength because those measurements are arbitrary at best and dangerously ingenuous at worst, theres no denying that the resulting top ten of most hackable passwords is one any user who cares about their account security should be steering very clear of.The anyIP researchers found that, sadly, all too believably, password was the most used of these intolerably weak and useless passwords. The rest of the list wasnt any more comforting to a veteran cybersecurity professional who has been spreading the word about the importance of secure password usage for three decades. In the No. 2 spot was the keyboard-crawler of qwerty123 followed by qwerty1 and 123456. Being a U.K.-specific list, this included place names and sports teams specific to Britain, but any geographic region would see a similar weak password pattern emerge; just replace those cities and teams with your own.Tip ten most hackable passwords in the U.K.anyIPThese findings highlight the alarming prevalence of predictable and easily hackable passwords, Khaled Bentoumi, co-founder of anyIP, said. Hackers are increasingly using sophisticated tools to breach accounts in seconds, and relying on weak passwords is akin to leaving your front door unlocked. Bentoumi is not wrong; the idea that convenience still trumps security for many users reflects poorly upon the cybersecurity industry for not doing better and on commentators such as myself for not getting the poor security message across more successfully.MORE FOR YOUAnalyzing The Password ListMost Likely To Be HackedThe anyIP researchers analysis used a calculation based on data collected between 2019 and 2024 to determine how many times each password had been used in an attack. They also took an in-depth look at some of the most at risk passwords globally that this methodology uncovered.123456 - This easy to remember, and easier to type, numeric sequence was used a staggering 112 million times. This password is especially prevalent due to its ease of recall, the researchers said, but it can be breached instantly by automated hacking tools, posing a severe security threat. To be honest, I think we should all have reached that conclusion a long time ago, but the numbers dont lie. Literally. 123456789 was used more than 50 million times, and 12345 was found 36.5 million times. Nearly 50% of the most frequently used passwords around the globe this year consist of simple keyboard patterns of letters and numbers, the researchers warned.password - The analysis revealed that password is both common and persistent in usage. In the United States, the researchers said, it holds the position of the third most popular password, while for those in the UK and Australia, it takes the top spot. Apparently, every year, it consistently appears at the top of the lists across various countries despite being so patently weak and easy to hack. Ditto when it comes to qwerty, which is the most common password in Canada, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Finland and Norway.Global list of most frequently used passwordsanyIPWhat Users Need To Do Now To Mitigate Password Hacking RiskAs mentioned, moving to a passkey-based login process is recommended wherever it is available. You can try a simple passkey demo at Passkeys.io and see just how painless they are to use and create. The takeaway from the technology perspective is that passkeys are all but impossible, although nothing is 100% secure, for hackers to guess or intercept. They arent shared during the sign-in process, and the keys are randomly generated to begin with.Theres a clue here to making your passwords more secure: randomly generate them using a password manager to ensure strength, complexity and uniqueness. Never reuse your passwords either, although if its something like password or qwerty123 that would be the least of your problems.

This Russian drone delivers a cellphone-enabled trail cam to spy on any location.Serhii Flash via TelegramLast week Ukrainian analyst Serhii Flash Beskrestnovan FPV drone carrying a trail camera and mounted on a bamboo frame . Flash, who detailed technical knowledge has won him more than 100,000 followers has been adept at highlighting significant new developments.The trail cam drone looks odd, but this lashed-together combination can sit beside a track and covertly send back video of every vehicle that passes for weeks. Assembled from cheap commercial components, It is the sort of efficient, stealthy spy that U.S. forces used to dream of.Prehistory Of Ground Sensors: Igloo WhiteUnattended ground sensors or UGS date back to the 1960s when the U.S. was trying to stop traffic along the Ho Chi Minh trail, the key supply route for the Viet Cong. 1960s seismic, magnetic and acoustic sensors which were able to detect nearby vehicle movements, but the technology did not exist for a video device. Thousands of sensors, each the size of fencepost, were dropped under the Igloo White program from F-4 Phantoms, CH-3 helicopters and other aircraft.Air-dropped Igloo White sensors used in the Vietnam conflict U.S. Air ForceThe sensors either hung in the canopy or embedded themselves in the ground depending on type. About 80% worked after landing, and had a battery life of up some weeks. The sensors communicated with specially-equipped aircraft circling overhead. Picking up the successive pings as a vehicle passed a series of sensors.MORE FOR YOUThe aircraft passed the data to a 20,000 square foot data center in Thailand with state-of-the-art IBM 360/Model 65 computers, a type also used by NASA. Analysts pinpointed the location, speed and direction of travel of vehicles, and called in airstrikes to hit them.Strike aircraft arrived three to five minutes after contact. The pilot never saw the target; they just flew over the target area and the planes computer automatically dropped bombs over the point that the target was calculated to have reached at its known speed.A major disadvantage of all ground sensors was that none of them were able to view the target or to transmit pinpoint locations to the attacking aircraft up to the moment of weapon release, according to one report. In order to overcome this shortcoming, large numbers of bombs were dropped on every suspected coordinate.Damaged and destroyed trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, many struck as a result of Igloo White ... [+] sensorsBettmann ArchiveIgloo White cost a billion dollars a year and was presented as a triumph of technological warfare. Its actual effectiveness was limited. The program suffered a loss of credibility when the Air Force claimed to have destroyed more trucks than the North Vietnamese possessed. And supplies, including artillery and tanks, were still reaching the Viet Cong.Even with a huge amount of support, the sensors available simply were not able to provide the information needed. Modern military sensors are far more advanced, and now the commercial world is catching up if not overtaking them.The Trail Cam RevolutionConsumer trail cam. The tripod mount gives it elevation to see over grass and otherclutterDavid HamblingModern trail cams started appearing in the 1980s with the advent of motion sensors that could trip a camera shutter. These were film cameras, but provided hunters and researchers a means to see exactly what animals were using a trail and when. They were soon followed by infra-red versions for night sensing. These gave an unprecedented capability to see what wildlife was using a given area.Trail cams with infra-red illumination provide a means to track nocturnal wildlife like this ... [+] hedgehogDavid HamblingDigital cameras were transformative for trail cams, storing thousands of images as well as video clips. Soon they were fitted with WiFi and by 2007 trail cams could send data over the cellphone network. Costs plummeted; for under $200 you can now get a camera that will shoot photographs and video, day and night, and send them direct to you. They are great gadgets for finding out what wildlife is stalking around your back yard.And, just as a cheap camera drone than can see over the hill or around the corner becomes a useful military tool, so is a cellphone-enabled trail cam.Cellphone modems have featured before in Russian drones, notably in some of the recent Shaheds which use Ukrainian SIMS. They are likely used to send back location data so the operators know which drones get through and which approaches are defended; in some cases they may also send back imagery of targets.Consumer trail cams capture better images in daytime but the night capability may be more useful.David HamblingSerhii Flash notes that on the trail cam drone, the antenna was not connected so the unit may not have worked. He also says that the bamboo structure is puzzling; it may have been meant to catch in the trees to the camera could look down from above, or it may be a stand so that the camera can see over grass or other vegetation. Trail cams positioned by hand are often strapped to tree trunks or fenceposts for elevation.While the 1960s sensors required relay aircraft and a computing center, the drone-delivered trail cam uses the existing phone infrastructure. It would be possible to jam all phone signals in the combat zone, phones are essential kit for troops on both sides and this might be impractical. New technology, like the Starlink satellite communications units used by both sides for drones and other system, are rapidly becoming more affordable and would likely replace cellphone connections if these are unavailable.Full image of the Russian trailcam droneSerhii Flash via TelegramRather than giving approximate data like Igloo White, the trail cam gives a picture to accurately identify and locate the target. Game cameras have been used to monitor vehicle traffic, so an unmodified camera would probably be effective off the shelf. They typically work out to twenty meters, but some long-range models are claimed to reach sixty metres . The lenses tend to be wide angle, so they might not catch much detail at this distance. Drone delivery system means the operator can find a track or road and position the sensor accordingly. With smart placement a trail cam could easily monitor all activity.And while the drones battery only lasts a few hours even when inactive, trail cams are designed to operate for weeks. Some have solar cells to operate indefinitely. The model seen here does not appear to have them, but even a day of information on enemy movements would more than justify the low cost of the operation.Trail Cams Go To WarTrail Cams could be used like the sensors in Igloo White, to call down attacks on logistics vehicles by FPV drones. They could also be placed to monitor the effects of drone-dropped mines, so any immobilized vehicles can be destroyed and mined areas refreshed. They can monitor the pattern of activity in enemy positions and note the numbers coming and going and when troop rotations occur.Or it could be used defensively, placed on front of a position to detect the approach of enemy troops trying to infiltrate.Trail cams may be easily spotted and removed though the risk of booby traps can make this challenging but they can quickly be replaced.As with other developments drone-delivered caltrops, and flamethrowing dragon drones which ignite tree lines with thermite the trail cam drone shows how the air mobility provided by drones can be combined with other technology to produce impressive results.If Ukraine is not already using similar or more advanced versions of the same technology, they will soon.

Leaders from across the world of business, technology, policy, and entertainment gathered at the TIME100 Davos Dinner as the World Economic Forums 55th annual meeting kicked off on Jan. 20. In keeping with this years annual meeting theme Collaboration for the Intelligent Age, Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of AI company Anthropic, joined TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs on stage to talk about the future of AI.Discussing what Amodei calls powerful AI, which he prefers over Artificial General Intelligence because of the latters connotations with science fiction, the CEO emphasized the importance of understanding the reality of the technologys potential. We have to be very serious about when this actually happens, what is possible and what exists. What are the bounds that are provided by physics, by the limits in human institutions, what's left after we consider those, he said. Those barriers really will be truly radical, but it will have limits, and it's high time that we start thinking about that. Almost none of that is in the public conversation.The event was held just after President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term in the White House in Washington, D.C.. His inauguration was attended by billionaire Elon Musk, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple boss Tim Cook, and Alphabet chief Sundar Pichai.Elaborating on his previous comments about the influence of industrialists on government, Amodei said, We're probably hitting similar levels of wealth concentration as we had in the mid-to-late 19th century. I think John Rockefeller, his wealth was equivalent to something like 1.5% of the U.S. GDP in the late 19th century. We're now reaching that rate with Elon Musk as well. And I do have a concern that, without intervention, AI will make that even more extreme, make it five or 10 times more extreme, and I think that is undesirable.Looking forward to AI developments he expects in the year ahead, Amodei predicted the rise of virtual collaborators that operate a lot like a co-worker.There's going to be a lot of debate about how to use them, the economic value that they create. But also, are they safe? Are they wreaking havoc? And perhaps most important of all, what about the human economy? What about job displacement? he said.While Amodei was the keynote speaker at the TIME 100 Davos dinner, other leaders gave toasts about how they think new technology can help the world. Obiageli Ezekwesili, president of Human Capital Africa and former vice president at the World Bank for the Africa region, shared her hopes for the potential of technology in the continent. Whereas Africa missed out on the agrarian revolution, missed out on the industrial revolution, which remarkably transformed our societies in the world, Africa is on board the train for information and communication technology, she said, and with even brighter hopes through artificial intelligence.She said that in Africa, Technology is leveling a playing field, ensuring that talent and determination, not privilege, is basically driving success. She also spoke about how technology is unleashing the talents of women and young people in Africa, amplifying their points, scaling their ideas and connecting their efforts to economic opportunities beyond their others.Read More: 5 Predictions for AI in 2025Speaking about what gives her hope, Gita Gopinath, first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said, Im increasingly optimistic, even though it's not an unmitigated blessing, that technology can help with the three challenges of weak economic growth around the world, climate change, and aging demographics.Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, made a call to be brave enough to take action to stop aggression during her toast. In the Ukrainian language, the word freedom has one more meaning: its 'will,' she said. So if we want true freedom, we must have will for peace, will for security guarantee, will for sanction policy, will for mutual support, will to invest in Ukraine and strengthen our economy, and will to make the right choice for the future of our country.The TIME100 Davos Dinner was presented by SOMPO, Diriyah Company, Technology Innovation Institute, Brandi, and Fortescue.

In an odd development, Asus may be taking some naming inspiration from Samsung for an unexpected upcoming release. A phone named the ROG Phone 9 FE has been spotted in benchmarking tests, combining the familiar Asus ROG Phone 9 name with Samsungs FE suffix, which stands for Fan Edition.Asus only recently released the ROG Phone 9 and ROG Phone 9 Pro, and there was no mention of a third model at the time. While we may have expected an Ultimate version to arrive at some point, given how the company approached the ROG Phone 7 series, the FE model may be a step down in spec from the ROG Phone 9.Recommended VideosSamsung uses the FE name on slightly updated older flagship phones it later releases to sit alongside its latest models, like the Galaxy S24 FE, giving buyers the choice to get a recent high-end phone for a sensible price. The FE name has an unfortunate history, having been first used by Samsung to get rid of its old Galaxy Note 7 phones. You know, the ones that didnt explode.Please enable Javascript to view this contentDespite this, Asus seems to have latched onto the name, at least in the benchmarking test results. The phone has the model number AI2401 N, which has also been seen as an entry in the GSM Associations (GSMA) database of devices, which indicates the benchmarking test information is more likely to be accurate. No specification details have been leaked, but links are being made between it and the ROG Phone 8, which had the model number AI2501 C.Asus may also be imitating Samsungs FE model strategy by taking the ROG Phone 8s shell and specification and repackaging it as an ROG Phone 9 model, and then using the FE name to differentiate it in the range. Its an odd decision, seeing as the FE moniker means nothing outside of Samsungs camp, and inside it is associated with a problematic time in the brands history.No release details are known at this time, but you can go and buy the ROG Phone 9 and ROG Phone 9 Pro today, and if youre a very keen mobile gamer its very much worth your time and money.Editors Recommendations

Images of the two peculiar icy objects captured by the ALMA radio telescopeTakashi Shimonishi/Niigata UniversityTwo strange, icy objects in our galaxy that look unlike anything astronomers have ever seen could be an entirely new kind of star.In 2021, Takashi Shimonishi at Niigata University in Japan and his colleagues spotted what appeared to be two icy balls of gas in roughly the same patch of sky, but separated by a large enough distance to be unrelated to each other.The objects properties were baffling. They looked like