In BriefPosted:5:48 PM PST January 22, 2025Image Credits:Getty ImagesRaymond Tonsings Caffeinated Capital seeks $400M for fifth fundCaffeinated Capital, a San Francisco venture firm started by a solo capitalist Raymond Tonsing, is raising a fifth fund of $400 million, according to a regulatory filing.The firm, an early investor in software company Airtable and defense startup Saronic, has already raised $160 million toward the fund. If Caffeinated hits its target, it will be the 15-year-old firms largest capital haul date. Although the outfit didnt announce its previous fund, PitchBook data estimates that Caffeinated closed its fund four with a total of $209 million in commitments.Although Tonsing was Caffeinateds only general partner until four years ago, Varun Gupta, who led data science and machine learning at Affirm, joined him as a second general partner in 2020.Tonsing was an early investor in Affirm, a buy-now-pay-later platform that went public in 2021. The firms other notable exits include A/B testing startup Optimizely, which PitchBook estimates was sold for $600 million in 2020.Topics

Cinesite and Frameless Creative, an immersive experiences company, has formed a long-term partnership with the National Portrait Gallery. Their collaboration, National Portrait Gallery Unframed will launch with Stories Brought to Life, will explore the lives of people who have shaped the UKs history and culture, from the Tudor period to the present day. The touring art experience will premiere at MediaCity, Salford, Greater Manchester in May ahead of a national and international tour.We are delighted to announce this new long-term partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, said Rich Storton, General Manager, Frameless Creative. We hope that by unleashing the power of digital storytelling we can help the Gallery to bring art to a whole new audience. Were living in a changing world and there is a real need for new experiences that help open up art and culture to new audiences and crucially help ensure that national institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery and their incredible collections continue to be accessible and have cultural significance for the next generation. MediaCity is a vibrant cultural hub attracting a hugely diverse audience. This combined with its proximity to major transport links and focus on technology made it an obvious choice for premiering our first experience.Stories Brought to Life will combine high quality digital projection, Hollywood-style visual effects, and the latest audio technology with music and creative narratives to tell the stories behind some of the Gallerys best-loved portraits. Cinesite acts as Frameless content production partner.The National Portrait Gallery aims to share our unique collection of portraits with as wide an audience as possible and explore the human stories that shape our history and culture, Rosie Wilson, Director of Programmes, Partnerships and Collections at the National Portrait Gallery. This exciting new partnership with Frameless, inspired by our Collection, will enable us to take these stories outside of the Gallery walls and bring them to life in new, innovative ways.We are honored that the National Portrait Gallery and Frameless have chosen MediaCity as the first stop on the tour of this unique immersive experience, concluded Caroline Aikman, Director of Marketing, Brand and Place at MediaCity. Weve hosted many arts and culture events, experiences, festivals and exhibitions over the last few years and we cant wait to welcome visitors to Salford when the experience opens its doors in May.Source: Frameless Creative Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Kerry Wan/ZDNETSamsung's Big Bad Galaxy phone has arrived, and it's almost everything I expected. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, which starts at a bold $1,299 price tag, remains the company's do-everything handset, with a more durable display than ever, an upgraded camera system with some useful editing tricks, and the infamous S Pen stylus. Oh, and yes, AI is everything, everywhere, all at once.Also:Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2025: Galaxy S25, Gemini AI, moreWhile last year's Galaxy S24 series ushered in Samsung's Galaxy AI era, this year feels more like the company cementing itself as the leader in the space, besting Apple and even Google (for now) on features and capabilities. Of course, how decorative that honor is ultimately depends on how invested you are in using AI.I spent an intimate afternoon with the new Galaxy S25 phones, with a particular focus on the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra, and wasn't too surprised to find myself equal parts fascinated, equal parts bored. After all, this is now Samsung's fifth iteration of the S-series Ultra model, and the changes year-over-year have been modest, to be generous. But if even a part of you is considering upgrading to the latest Galaxy flagship, here are the changes you should know about.1. A slimmer, more durable design Kerry Wan/ZDNETThe Galaxy S Ultra has always been a big-phone, two-handed affair, and that holds true this year. In the hand, the S25 Ultra feels like the fanciest calculator ever (and I say that in a nice way), with its squared-off edges and tall stature.Fortunately, the device is not as top-heavy as I remember previous models being. In fact, the S25 Ultra is lighter than its predecessor by 16 grams, and Samsung says it's the company's thinnest-ever S-series device. That is, until the Galaxy S25 Edgereleases.Also:I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S25 - and the AI features were surprisingly polishedThe other notable design upgrade is the Corning Gorilla Armor 2 layered over the front display. It doesn't take away from the anti-reflection surface treatment that made headlines on last year's S24 Ultra, yet promises improved drop protection and scratch resistance. I remember my S24 Ultra having numerous micro-scratches after just a week of usage, so I'm hopeful that the S25 Ultra will hold up better this time around.Now if only Samsung could bring back the glory days of psychedelic Aura Glow finishes. These S25 Ultra colors are not it.2. The best AI phone by Samsung (and Google) Kerry Wan/ZDNETUnder the hood is a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the same processor powering competing Android phones like the OnePlus 13 and Honor Magic 7 Pro. The most notable benefit of the chipset comes in the form of AI experiences -- specifically, a 40% increase in NPU performance compared to last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.In layman's terms, on-device AI features should take up less bandwidth and power to operate while also functioning quickly. I saw the results in person, placebo effect or not, as my S25 Ultra demo unit swiftly removed subjects (along with their shadows) from the background of photos via Generative Edit and pulled up Gemini search results in a matter of seconds.Also: I may finally ditch my Google Pixel for a Samsung Galaxy phone in 2025. Here's whyYou can also chalk up the performance to the enhanced Gemini app, which can now be fired up with a long press of the power button. Previously, Samsung phones were limited to Bixby -- or Google Assistant, if you made some higher-level, backend modifications.The new Gemini app can handle natural-sounding, conversational chains of actions, like telling the AI assistant to look up the upcoming schedule of your favorite sports team and adding the date(s) to your calendar. While the agent-like capability mainly works across Google and Samsung apps, some third-party services like Spotify are supported, too.Considering last year's S24 series introduced Google's Circle to Search feature, and this year's S25 series is doing the same for the enhanced Gemini experience, it wouldn't be farfetched to say that Samsung, not Google, makes the best AI phone for Android users right now.3. Camera features fit for professionals Kerry Wan/ZDNETOne of the key reasons to buy a Galaxy Ultra phone is still the camera, though Samsung hasn't improved the specifications much this year -- at least on paper. The only hardware change this year is with the 50-megapixel ultrawide lens (up from 12MP), which yields greater detail and vividness, especially when capturing macro photos. The rest of the lenses, such as the 200MP wide, 50MP 5x telephoto, and 10MP 3x telephoto, are identical to last year's S24 Ultra. Boo.Also:The best Android phones to buy in 2025There's a bigger focus on the software side of things, with Samsung introducing helpful photo and video features like 10-bit HDR video recording by default to capture a wider dynamic range, a new Audio Eraser feature that lets you adjust the volumes of various frequencies (classified as audio subjects like voices, wind, and noises), and the ability to record in Galaxy Log mode.The latter feature allows you to better spot overexposed areas and adjust the dynamic range as you're recording videos, while also applying LUTs in post for better color and light control. How all of these new features fare in the real world is what I'm most interested in seeing. I'll test the S25 Ultra over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for the updates. The reason to skip the Galaxy S25 UltraThis one's fairly obvious, but with how enticing Samsung and other major retailer's offers can be, let this be a reminder that you don't have to upgrade your phone every year or two. When I first tried the S25 Ultra, I was quite surprised by how similar it felt overall to older flagships like the S22 and S23 Ultra.Samsung has also confirmed that most of the new AI features, especially the ones embedded into One UI 7, will eventually trickle down to older Galaxy phones, so if the latest software is part of the reason why you're considering upgrading, you should reconsider.The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is available for preorder today with a starting price of $1,299 for the 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage variant. You'll have a choice of Titanium SIlverblue, Titanium Whitesilver, Titanium Gray, and Titanium Black if you're shopping through a major retailer or carrier, and have more colorful options if you buy directly from Samsung.Samsung Unpacked

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus won't break new ground, but the refinements and polish make them easy to recommend.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: UFC commentator Daniel Cormier looks on during the UFC 255 event ... [+] at UFC APEX on November 21, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesDaniel Cormier is online.Recently, the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion took to X to reply to a post from MMA Uncensored. Cormier took umbrage with the account posting an old quote seemingly out of the blue.In the post, the account featured a quote from Cormier about his rival Jon Jones on an infographic. The quote is from an episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast when Cormier was a guest of Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman.It reads: There will be a person that comes along that people will replace Jon Jones as the greatest of all time. He has not left such a legacy that it doesnt feel like it will be toppled.Cormier replied to the post: This is a take from 3 years ago?MORE FOR YOUThe post isnt exactly fresh, but its not three years old. It came from Cormiers appearance on the podcast in an episode that was posted on September 26. Cormiers words came in response to a comment from Usman.The former UFC welterweight champion called Jones the Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Tom Brady of MMA. Cormier scoffed at that lofty comparison, citing Jones suspensions for the use of banned substances and other struggles.The post does seem to be a strange one considering neither Cormier nor Jones were figuring prominently in MMA news, but the account didnt specify when the quote was used. Perhaps they should have, to eliminate any confusion.The Cormier-Jones rivalry is the best in the history of the sport. The bad bloodespecially on Cormiers sideseems to run deep. They are quite possibly the two greatest light heavyweights and among the greatest heavyweights of all time.LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 03: Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (R) punches Daniel Comier during ... [+] the UFC 182 event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 3, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jones retained his title by unanimous decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)Getty ImagesWhile Cormier lost two fights to Stipe Miocic at the end of his career, you could argue that, in his prime, the only man capable of beating him was Joneswho got the better of him twice, though the last one was turned into a no contest.Jones is seemingly moving toward an epic defense of his UFC heavyweight championship against reigning interim champ Tom Aspinall. No date has been set, but most expect the fight to happen at some point late in the spring or early in the summer.The fight seems like a strong possibility to happen at International Fight Week.Whats Next for the UFC?There is no UFC event this weekend, which might also explain the post. The promotion gets back to action on February 1 with a card from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Here is a look at the lineup of fights, headlined by Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov.Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov - Middleweight (185 lbs)Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Michael Page - Middleweight (185 lbs)Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik - Heavyweight (265 lbs)Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira - Bantamweight (135 lbs)Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andr Muniz - Middleweight (185 lbs)Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli - Featherweight (145 lbs)Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen - Heavyweight (265 lbs)Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadovi - Lightweight (155 lbs)Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis - Lightweight (155 lbs)Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva - Flyweight (125 lbs)Bogdan Grad vs. L. Alexander - Featherweight (145 lbs)Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues - Heavyweight (265 lbs)Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Bolaji Oki - Lightweight (155 lbs)

Apple is the target of a class action lawsuit alleging that the tech giant has been selling Apple Watch bands containing high levels of PFAS commonly known as forever chemicals without properly informing customers of their presence or associated health risks. Forever chemicals are so called due to their extreme persistence in the environment and inability to break down naturally. They can also build up in the body over time and have been linked to increased cancer risk, immune system suppression, and potential harm to unborn children. Studies are ongoing to determine the level of risk attached to such chemicals.The lawsuit, which was first spotted by The Register after it was filed this week in the Northern District of California, singles out three Apple Watch bands: the Sport Band, Ocean Band, and Nike Sport Band, each of which is made from fluoroelastomer, a fluorocarbon-based synthetic rubber noted for its resilience against skin oils and sweat.Recommended VideosThe class action suit, which includes anyone who has purchased one of the listed bands with or without an Apple Watch, cites a study carried out by University of Notre Dame scientistslast year, which found elevated PFAS levels in several fitness tracker and smartwatch bands, including some manufactured by Apple. The study tested 22 different bands and found high concentrations of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), a type of PFAS, in some samples.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThe plaintiffs allege that Apple is aware of the presence of PFAS in its products and of their potential dangers. It also accuses Apple of violating Californias consumer protection laws, fraud, negligence, and of unjust enrichment. The action is seeking an injunction to stop the sale of the alleged offending watch bands, as well as monetary penalties.[Apple] could have avoided the unreasonable safety and environmental hazard with available manufacturing alternatives, and its failure to do so while continuing to promise consumers health, wellness, and sustainability is unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent under consumer protection laws, the lawsuit claims.The University of Notre Dames research points out how multiple watch bands are marketed toward sports and fitness enthusiasts. Wearing one during exercise would mean increased sweat contact and open skin pores, offering an easy route for the harmful chemicals to seep into the skin and bloodstream. The researchers dont say which specific bands were tested, but they do mention Apple and Apple/Nike products. It should also be noted that its not currently clear if the three bands mentioned in the lawsuit were part of the study.Digital Trends has contacted Apple for comment on the class action lawsuit and we will update this article when we hear back.Editors Recommendations

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsGalaxy S25 vs. S25 Plus: specsGalaxy S25 vs. S25 Plus: design and displayGalaxy S25 vs. S25 Plus: performance and softwareGalaxy S25 vs. S25 Plus: camerasGalaxy S25 vs. S25 Plus: battery and chargingGalaxy S25 vs. S25 Plus: verdictLike previous years, the early 2025 Samsung flagship phone series contains three models, the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra the main differentiator being size. While the Ultra goes all out with specs and extra features like the S Pen and Gorilla Armor 2 glass, the difference is minimized when comparing the more affordable duo.You might think the differences between these two comes down to different display and battery sizes. But as you go into the details, youll notice there are more differences than those immediately visible on the spec sheet. Heres what you need to know about the two devices.Recommended VideosSamsung Galaxy S25Samsung Galaxy S25 PlusDisplay6.2-inch FHD+1080 x 2340 resolutionDynamic AMOLED 2x6.7-inch QHD+1440 x 3120 resolutionDynamic AMOLED 2xRefresh rateAdaptive 1-120HzAdaptive 1-120HzDimensions and weight5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 inches5.71 ounces6.24 x 2.98 x 0.29 inches6.70ouncesProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for GalaxyQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for GalaxyMemory and storage12GB/128GB12GB/256GB12GB/256GB12GB/512GBColorsIcyblueNavyMintSilver ShadowIcyblueNavyMintSilver ShadowCameraRear facing:50-megapixel main12MP ultrawide10MP telephotoFront facing:12MP selfieRear facing:50MP main12MP ultrawide10MP telephotoFront facing:12MP selfieBattery4,000mAh4,900mAhCharging25W wired15W wireless4.5W reverse wireless45W wired15W wireless4.5W reverse wirelessPriceStarting from $800Starting from $1,000RelatedPrakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsThe Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus feature a similar design language as their respective predecessors. You get three vertically aligned cameras on the back, rounded corners, and flat sides. These might look the same as before but theyre slimmer and lighter this year. The Galaxy S25 sheds four grams of weight to measure 162 grams this year, while the Galaxy S25 Plus weighs 190 grams.Both of them feel good in the hand but the Galaxy S25 has the best in-hand feel of any compact phone, including the Pixel 9 and iPhone 16. The smaller flagship sits more comfortably in the hand, as compared to the Galaxy S25 Plus.Coming to the front, the base Galaxy S25 comes equipped with a 6.2-inch FHD+ AMOLED display at 1080 x 2340 pixel resolution and 416 pixels per inch (ppi). The Galaxy S25 Plus sports a sharper and bigger 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with 1440 x 3120 resolution and 513 ppi.Other than the size and pixel resolution, the displays are similar. Both of them use an LTPO panel so you get an adaptive refresh rate. These displays can go from 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate when needed.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsThe Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset. Samsung says that the Qualcomm SoC is tuned to offer better performance on the Galaxy S25 series.While well get more clarity on how they perform in our review later, most of the new features are part of Android 15-based One UI 7. Moreover, Samsung has upgraded the base RAM on the Galaxy S25 from 8GB to 12GB this year. As a result, all three flagship smartphones have the same RAM capacity but differ in storage variants. Like last year, the Galaxy S25 starts at 128GB base storage, whereas the Galaxy S25 Plus comes with 256 gigs of onboard storage in the base variant.There are a slew of new features in One UI 7 that are part of both phones. Theres a new Now Bar thats like Dynamic Island but sits at the bottom of the lock screen. It houses active apps as cards, so when you have things like navigation, stopwatch, and workout going on, theyll be stacked as cards on the lock screen. You can interact with them and switch between the active cards with swipes.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsBoth the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 are said to get better as you use them, thanks to the AI Brief feature. It sends you a brief at 6am and 9pm every day based on data from your Calendar, Samsung Health, and more. For instance, if you havent slept well, itll suggest you go lighter on yourself for the day. These briefs will also include weather information and things like scores and fixtures of your favorite teams.Samsung is also offering an Audio Eraser feature that can detect up to six types of sound in a video to select, separate, and tune the sound to your liking. It works like Apples Audio Mix feature. For example, if you record a person playing an instrument in a noisy environment, you can select the wind disturbance and the public chatter, tone them down, and get better clarity of the instruments sound.There are a bunch of other AI features like AI Select, Circle to Search and more that can potentially make your experience better.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsNot much has changed in terms of optics on the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus. They sport identical cameras and Samsung is relying on Snapdragon 8 Elites prowess to improve details and clarity on these images.Both of these phones have a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and 85-degree field of view with optical image stabilization (OIS), a 12MP ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120-degree field of view, and a 10MP telephoto camera with an f/2.4 aperture, and 3x optical zoom. The selfie shooter is a 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and an 80-degree field of view.Samsung has improved its color science over the years for better quality photos with each flagship. This year, the company says it has also worked on achieving better shutter speeds, so you can capture moving subjects with ease.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsThe Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus battery capacity and charging is unchanged from last year. However, Samsung claims theyll offer better battery life than before.The Galaxy S25 packs a 4,000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S25 Plus houses a 4,900mAh cell, which is very close to the 5,000mAh battery capacity of the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The bigger phone also charges faster at 45 watts, while the Galaxy S25 can only go up to 25W charging speeds. Both the S25 and S25 Plus are still capped at 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging.Prakhar Khanna / Digital TrendsThe Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus are almost identical. The choice comes down to mostly size preference. If you want a compact phone, the Galaxy S25 should be your choice. Fortunately, you dont lose out on the optics since it features the same camera setup as its bigger sibling. However, youll get a lower-resolution display and slower charging speed.By contrast, if you opt for the Galaxy S25 Plus, you also get a QHD+ display resolution, double the storage in base variant, and faster charging speed. The overall software experience is likely to remain the same on both devices.Editors Recommendations

The South Korean memory-chip maker reported record quarterly and annual results after stronger-than-expected earnings for the final quarter of 2024 on robust chip demand.

The leading technology investment banker would return to the bank at a later date.

Watch Duty became a critical app amid the Los Angeles wildfires which have burned 35,000+ acres.The app saw 2.5 million downloads in the past two weeks, CEO John Mills told BI.Mills said he has no interest in further monetizing on the platform.One of the most critical apps in January was a real-time wildfire alert system powered by a nonprofit that has 15 employees and about 200 volunteers.The app, Watch Duty, provides timely updates of the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, among others that burned and continue to burn in the Los Angeles region. Residents and first responders, including LA's Emergency Operations Center, relied on the app to receive up-to-date information on the fast-moving fires that have so far burned more than 35,000 acres and killed at least 27 people.CEO and cofounder John Mills told Business Insider in an interview that the app received 2.5 million downloads and 12 million active users in the past two weeks. Watch Duty shot to the top of Apple's app stores in the first days of the fire.Mills said that's no reason to start charging more for Watch Duty's services or try to further monetize from the app."We want to do this for the greater good, and the best way I found to do that is to use the nonprofit angle," Mills said.Watch Duty, which was founded in 2021, has no brick-and-mortar HQ, and its staff all work remotely. Mills himself has a background in tech and co-founded an operations platform for chain restaurants.The CEO said he was motivated to start the organization shortly after he moved to Sonoma County in 2020, the same year California saw a record-number wildfires. The Walbridge Fire in Sonoma alone burned more than 55,000 acres."The Walbridge Fire was the ultimate one that really got me to do something about this, and that was the one that ended about a quarter mile from the edge of my property," he said. "I evacuated for the first time and I spent seven nights just up all day, all night, trying to learn about what was going on, how to help, and what the problems were. It occurred to me that this was not going to get resolved any other way."Part of the advantage Watch Duty has is that it's not restricted by boundaries or jurisdictions unlike government agencies, which could slow down the speed of updates and emergency notifications, Mills said."It's really challenging because one county might have more advanced systems and the other one doesn't, but the fire is tearing through multiple counties at a time, Mills said. "There's not one integrated system that really helps tie all this together and that's really where we shine."By 2024, according to its annual report, Watch Duty grew its yearly active users to 7.2 million people. The app provides updates across 22 states.For regular users, Watch Duty remains free. Some can pay $25 a year for extra features such as flight tracking data. The organization has even started to build and sell government services, "albeit very cheap," Mills said."People laugh. They say you should charge more. I'm like, that's not the point, man. This is my life. I live in the woods. We're going to make money, but the money is to support the free operation and pay our engineers and our reporters," he said.As a nonprofit, Watch Duty can accept donations. Tech CEOs including Snap's Evan Spiegel and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg have donated, Mills said. Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, has given $2 million, he added.Mills said he intends to keep Watch Duty a nonprofit."We've been on phone calls with Amazon, Google, Apple everyone is giving us resources to make sure this thing stays alive," he said. "And so, I don't need to sell out to keep the thing doing what it does."