When you ask fans, Whats the quintessential action game? the NINJA GAIDEN series is one of the legendary names that is guaranteed a mention. With roots as far back as the original 1988 arcade game NINJA GAIDEN (Ninja Ryukenden in Japan), the series has captivated fans in various forms over the years, from 2D to 3D, with its focus on swift traversal, eye-catching swordplay, and ninjutsu techniques, all jam-packed into exhilarating action gameplay.In particular, the Xbox version of NINJA GAIDEN, released on Xbox consoles in 2004, stood out for its smooth controls and elegant action, earning its place as a revolutionary action game. The series biggest allure lies in deeply satisfying and challenging battles featuring its iconic lead character, master ninja Ryu Hayabusa.The NINJA GAIDEN series has gained a reputation for being notoriously difficult, but with a near-unmatched sense of accomplishment upon clearing levels and defeating bosses that drives players to persevere. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Team NINJA, the studio behind the majority of these iconic titles, has declared 2025 to be The Year of the Ninja.In a surprise announcement during todays Developer_Direct, fans were thrilled to see the reveal of NINJA GAIDEN 4, a brand-new mainline entry that arrives in Fall this year after a 13-year hiatus (co-developed with legendary action studio PlatinumGames), alongside the surprise release of NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black, a remaster of the classic 2008 game. We were lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with Fumihiko Yasuda, Head of Team NINJA and NINJA GAIDEN 4 producer at Koei Tecmo Games, as well as Yuji Nakao, NINJA GAIDEN 4s producer and director from PlatinumGames, to learn much more about this long-awaited new chapter for NINJA GAIDEN. A New NINJA GAIDEN World UnveiledWhile the series has been beloved for almost four decades, the announcement of NINJA GAIDEN 4 marks the first new mainline entry in 13 years. When asked about the long gapspanning two Xbox console generationsYasuda expressed Team NINJAs long-standing desire to bring the series back. Fans have long been asking us for a new NINJA GAIDEN game, he said. Koei Tecmos President, Hisashi Koinuma, and PlatinumGames CEO, Atsushi Inaba, share a close relationship, which led us to explore a collaborative development effort. PlatinumGames had the expertise we felt was ideal for working on NINJA GAIDEN, and with support from Microsofts Phil-san [Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming], the three companies were able to take the next step towards creating a brand-new NINJA GAIDEN.Appearing for the first time in the Developer_Direct broadcast, and published by Xbox Game Studios, NINJA GAIDEN 4 is positioned as the direct sequel to NINJA GAIDEN 3. While maintaining the dark and gritty world that the series is known for, players will take on the role of a new protagonist, Yakumo. A significant amount of time has passed since NINJA GAIDEN 3, and players will find themselves arriving in a gruesomely transformed Tokyo. One of the key themes of this story is the return of the Dark Dragon, which has plunged the city into chaos. Within these unsettling conditions, Yakumo will have to face off against his foes, as well as the formidable Master Ninja himself, Ryu Hayabusa, Nakao explained.When asked why a new protagonist was introduced, Nakao clarified that since its been a while since the last game, we wanted a new hero to make the series more approachable for new players. Of course, we also wanted long-time fans to enjoy the game, so Ryu Hayabusa plays a significant role in the story, serving as a major challenge and growth milestone for Yakumo. Ryu will appear throughout the game and be playable, ensuring his prowess and presence is deeply felt in NINJA GAIDEN 4. Overcoming Adversity in NINJA GAIDEN 4In the Developer_Direct trailer, the new protagonist, Yakumo, shows off stylish new mechanics which include traversal using wires and rails, something new for a NINJA GAIDEN title. When asked about the addition of these elements, Nakao revealed one of the games core themes: Adversity is a key concept for this game. From the beginning to the end of each stage and even in the transitions between, everything is designed to represent adversity for Yakumo. First and foremost, that adversity will come in the form of NINJA GAIDENs signature combat, but Nakao explains that these new additions outside of the fights keeps that feeling high at all times: To maintain the tension throughout, weve added high-speed elements like rail and wire-based actions to keep up the sense of challenge.The announcement footage also depicted a rain-soaked, cyberpunk-like Tokyo, leaving a strong impression to those who watched the trailer. In NINJA GAIDEN 4, we wanted to blend old and new elements. Tokyo in this game has been drastically transformed by the influence of the underworld., which is why it appears this way, Nakao explained, elaborating on the Dark Dragons miasma rain, as well as the disasters it has caused. Rain is a major visual theme in this game. For example, weve put a lot of effort into how characters look when drenched, how raindrops hit the ground, and various other effects. These visual motifs stay true to the signature dark, hardcore atmosphere of the series while bringing new flavor to its visual direction.Nakao also touched on the games anticipated difficulty. Weve brought together the best aspects of the series and elevated them for the current generation. Personally, I believe [the difficulty level of] NINJA GAIDEN 2 had a lot of standout qualities, and I think fans will feel its influence strongly throughout NINJA GAIDEN 4.After such a long break between games, its paramount that the team balances whats great about the series, while adding new ideas. Despite the daunting challenges, the collaboration between Team NINJA and PlatinumGames promises an unparalleled NINJA GAIDEN experience.One of the key differences between modern action games and NINJA GAIDEN lies in the sense of fairness when confronting enemies, Nakao said, explaining the series unique game balance philosophy. Enemies are designed to be masters of defense and experts of unrelenting aggression, but players never feel theyre at an unfair disadvantage. Theres a sense of balance thats been passed down through the series, transcending current-day trends.The rapid shifts between offense and defense, the almost fighting game-like 1v1 combatyoull see these elements evolve in NINJA GAIDEN 4. At the same time, weve ensured that returning players will immediately feel at home when they pick up the game, he concluded. A True SuccessorWhen asked about the challenges involved in achieving the fairness that defines the NINJA GAIDEN series, Nakao shared his thoughts with a laugh.If I were to go into detail about the feel of the action, wed be here for quite a while (laughs). In all NINJA GAIDEN titles, a delicate balance is carefully crafted to maintain the satisfaction of attacking enemies without losing the speed and exhilaration that define the gameplay. I remember struggling with the fine adjustments required to achieve the right feel when we first started implementing and testing the systems. Additionally, when we brought Ryu Hayabusa into NINJA GAIDEN 4, we wanted long-time fans to experience the exact same enjoyable gameplay feel theyve come to expect. We had numerous discussions with Team NINJA to fine-tune the mechanics and ensure everything felt just right.Yasuda also added that when it comes to gameplay feel, Team NINJA was deeply involved. Fairness in combat with enemies is only possible when ultimate playability is a given. To achieve that, we pushed for even deeper refinement of controls and other aspects. I know it probably seemed like we were being a bit too demanding at times(laughs). This collaboration across company lines was crucial to creating the next ultimate NINJA GAIDEN experience. One of the standout features of NINJA GAIDEN 4, which embodies the series experience while introducing fresh elements, is Yakumos Bloodraven Form. Nakao described this as a technique that manipulates the blood of oneself and enemies, transforming it into a massive weapon capable of slicing through multiple foes at once. He elaborated further on how this addition expands upon the series traditional gameplay.Yakumo fights using Bloodraven Form, and when certain conditions are met, he can unleash a move called Bloodbath Kill, which instantly bisects enemies in one strike. Nakao explains that, while previous entries have tasked players with working out how to approach encounters with multiple enemies, and NINJA GAIDEN 4 is introducing another exhilarating way to fight against swarming crowds: This time weve added large-scale, high-damage attacks with the Bloodraven Form, enabling players to instantly turn the tide of battle in their favor. This system introduces moments of release from overwhelming situations, offering new depth to the gameplay that Nakao hopes both newcomers and returning fans will enjoy.Both Team NINJA and PlatinumGames are known for their expertise in high-end action games. According to Nakao, the process of creating NINJA GAIDEN 4 revealed the unique strengths and characteristics of each studio.Looking at the titles created by PlatinumGames, we noticed clear differences in approach. While we emphasize flashy, impactful strikes and moment-to-moment experiences, the NINJA GAIDEN series focuses on delivering refined and satisfying gameplay feel, culminating in an exceptionally polished overall action experience. This collaboration was a truly unique learning opportunity for us at PlatinumGames.When asked about the significance of bringing NINJA GAIDEN 4 to Xbox, Yasuda reflected on Team NINJAs long history with the platform.With titles like the Dead or Alive series and the NINJA GAIDEN seriesespecially the original NINJA GAIDEN, NINJA GAIDEN Black, and NINJA GAIDEN 2we have a deep history with Xbox. Its been a long time, but were thrilled to bring the latest installment back to Xbox players. Additionally, with the game being added to Game Pass, were excited that more people will have the opportunity to experience it.Nakao, who became a fan of the series during his days as a student, also shared his excitement. Personally, I played NINJA GAIDEN 2 on Xbox 360, so being able to play the latest installment on Xbox again makes me very happy. Even now, I occasionally boot up NINJA GAIDEN 2 on my Xbox Series X. As a developer and a fan, Im thrilled to see the NINJA GAIDEN series come together on Xbox, creating a moment in time where all these titles can be enjoyed in one place. The Year of the Ninja Has Just Begun: Play NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black Starting TodayDuring Developer_Direct, fans were not only treated to the announcement of NINJA GAIDEN 4 but also received the exciting surprise that NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black is available today on Game Pass. We asked Yasuda about the process behind this project and the updates made to the game.This simultaneous announcement and same-day release alongside NINJA GAIDEN 4 might have caught some people by surprise, he began. The biggest reason for developing NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black was to address the concerns of core fans who might be wondering, Whats going to happen to Ryu Hayabusa? We also wanted to give players something to enjoy as they wait for the release of NINJA GAIDEN 4. We chose NINJA GAIDEN 2 because it stands as one of the most solid action games in the series. We added Black to the title to signal to fans that this is the definitive version, much like NINJA GAIDEN Black was for the first game.Yasuda also shared that the idea for NINJA GAIDEN 2 Black came from fan feedback received during the release of NINJA GAIDEN Master Collection in 2021. Many fans expressed a desire to experience something closer to the original NINJA GAIDEN 2. Speaking about the Unreal Engine-powered remaster, Yasuda reassured fans, This version is crafted to satisfy both those who played the original and newcomers discovering it as a current-generation action game. Weve meticulously incorporated some of the additions of NINJA GAIDEN Sigma 2 while staying true to the challenge and feel of the original 360 version, including its signature gore and violence. Weve also adjusted the weapon upgrade system to more align with the original release.Closing RemarksIn 2025, a year that marks Team NINJAs 30th anniversary, the aptly titled Year of the Ninja was kicked off in grand fashion with the announcements made during Developer_Direct. As stealthy and precise as the ninjas theyve brought to life, Team NINJAs Yasuda and PlatinumGames Nakao both shared their heartfelt thoughts as the interview drew to a close.Yuji Nakao, PlatinumGames:Im incredibly grateful that we were able to announce NINJA GAIDEN 4. As a huge fan of the NINJA GAIDEN series myself, this is a truly exciting moment. The game is currently about 7080% complete, and weve entered the polishing phase. Well continue to work closely with Team NINJA, ensuring every detail meets the expectations of fans. Theres more information coming that will help you understand just how fun and exciting this game is, so please stay tuned. As both a fan and a developer, Ill do my utmost to deliver an experience that satisfies everyone.Fumihiko Yasuda, Head of Team NINJA, Koei Tecmo Games:I want to thank fans who have patiently waited for the return of the series. Their passion was the driving force behind the development of NINJA GAIDEN 4 and our collaboration with PlatinumGames. Im thrilled that we were finally able to make this announcement and hope it brings joy to our fans. Well continue working hard to meet your expectations. NINJA GAIDEN 4 is an action game at heart, and we are looking into ways to give you opportunities to get hands-on experience, so please stay tuned.

If theres one element of the Assassins Creed series that has evolved significantly, its the combat. While earlier games established the franchises trademark stealth skillset skulking across rooftops and expertly luring unsuspecting foes into bushes later instalments introduced a more direct approach, with explosive entrances and confrontational hand-to-hand fights. While previous games have chosen to lean more heavily in one of those directions, Assassins Creed Shadows offers the opportunity to indulge in both in a refreshing and incredibly seamless way.During a recent preview, Xbox Wire got to spend a few hours with Assassins Creed Shadows, playing through the prologue missions of the two protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, and spending some time getting to grips with their two contrasting but complimentary combat styles. We also got to freely explore the games open world which takes us to a gorgeous recreation of Feudal Japan, a new, long-requested setting for the series. What we found was a game that takes Assassins Creed forward by respecting multiple facets of its past.Sneak or Siege The Choice is YoursThe contrast between the two characters combat styles was a standout aspect for me while playing Assassins Creed Shadows. Naoe and Yasuke both have their own distinct way of doing things, and this is immediately prevalent as soon as you start playing with either of them. This not only separates two wildly different ways of playing into distinct entities, it also gives two characters a fighting style that complements their narratives and personalities, an approach that Assassins Creed has taken before, but never as intensely.Naoe feels like a classic Assassins Creed character, and she performs at her best shrouded in silence and darkness. She can navigate rooftops and trees with ease and, of course, has her trusty Hidden Blade for swift, brutal takedowns. Shes also equipped with a grappling hook to reach high spots quickly, smoke bombs for distraction or stealthy attacks, and kunai to throw. Naoe can hold her own in close quarters combat in a pinch, with the option to wield similarly effective katana and kurisarigama swords, but her strength is in that familiar assassins approach. She feels absolutely badass to wield with this arsenal a tad squishy if shes overwhelmed and out in the open but its very easy to regain the element of surprise and recalculate her attacks.Yasukes combat is a stark variation, with a lot of focus on ground combat and confrontational brawling. He compliments Naoes stealth with pure brawn, equipped with heavy sword and parrying skills, a naginata spear which deals strong, sweeping attacks to multiple enemies within range and a Portuguese firearm, a teppo, for devastating ranged blows. There is rarely a cause for retreating to the shadows for Yasuke the only entrance he needs to scout for is the one he plans to shoulder barge through before launching into an all-out siege, swinging at anything in his path. Yasuke can climb to a more Assassin-friendly perch in a pinch, but his strengths lie in well his strength.Best of all, I never felt the need to main one of these characters. Assassins Creed Shadows allows you to switch between them at will, so it doesnt feel as though youre hard committing to one or the other. That said, if youre a big fan of either classic stealth characters your Ezios and Altairs or later, more aggressive leads like Edward and Evor, theres always the option to stick solely with what you love best.Switching between the two also lends itself naturally to roleplaying in a way that Assassins Creed games have rarely allowed for. Initially, I chose to take on missions as Naoe, favouring that slick, stealthy assassin outfit. After getting to know the characters a little more, I found myself choosing who to play based on the narrative, as well as their abilities.To give an example of this: At one point, I managed to talk myself out of a combat situation entirely, choosing to assign a more calculated resolve to Naoes character than I would have engaging in the same conversation with Yasuke, who, in my mind, would have just thrown a punch. In another scenario, I took Yasuke on a quest to find someone in a hidden gambling den, and felt like his approach of smashing in with a firearm raised might be more fun than a sneaky extraction mission as Naoe.Switching between both protagonists while out in the world is incredibly convenient and barely interrupts the flow of your play once you change character, the one you picked appears exactly where the previous one was standing, so you can immediately crack on with whatever you were doing, whether you need to scale a building, enter dialogue with a certain character or barge into a stronghold for a brawl.As I did this, I realised Im intertwining my own story with the one that Assassins Creed Shadows is weaving. The result is a highly personalized adventure that you have control of every step of the way, with the ability to change it up whenever and wherever you feel it necessary, and we cant wait to play more.Assassins Creed Shadows launches on Xbox Series X|S on March 20.

Ah, quantum computing that moonshot technology full of potential, full of promise and jam-packed with enough jargon to make the average person cry.Qubits, entanglement, superposition, trapped-ions, Schrdingers cat. These terms sound strange because the world of quantum mechanics where things can exist in multiple states at once is strange.And thats why I want you to bear with me while I relay this latest piece of news from the buzzing quantum computing startup scene.ZuriQ, a spin-out from ETH Zurich in Switzerland, has raised $4.2mn to commercialise a new chip architecture that could dramatically increase the number of qubits a trapped-ion quantum computer can handle, supercharging its computational power.The space for few-qubit devices that act as toy models is already saturated, and devices with 20-40 qubits wont drive large profits, said Pavel Hrmo, CEO of ZuriQ. We need to focus on long-term scalability.ZuriQ wants to build a quantum computer with thousands of qubits, powerful enough to solve wickedly complex problems and revolutionise fields from medicine to cryptography.How can it do that, you ask? Well, its got something vaguely to do with aeroplanes, cars, and magnetic fields. But first, a quick science lesson.Qubits are the basic units of information in a quantum computer. Unlike bits in a regular computer, which can only be 0 or 1, qubits can be 0, 1, or both at the same time. This allows quantum computers to solve many problems simultaneously, making them light-years faster than even the top supercomputers of today.Now, there are two main kinds of quantum computers in development. The first and most common are superconducting quantum computers, pioneered by the likes of Google and IBM. They use tiny loops of supercooledmetal to create qubits. These machines are lightning-fast. However, they must be kept at 273C at all times and are more error-prone than their main rival, the trapped-ion machine.Trapped-ion quantum computers use charged atoms (ions) as qubits. Electric and magnetic fields trap these ions in place, and lasers control them to perform calculations.Theyre very stable and precise but slower than superconducting quantum computers due to one fatal flaw: ions arranged in a line, like cars in a traffic jam, become overcrowded and inefficient as more qubits are added.Thats why scaling up the number of qubits in a trapped-ion quantum computer has proved a major roadblock for companies developing them, like IonQ and Quantinium putting a cap on their abilities. That is, perhaps, until now.Setting qubits freeZuriQ has developed a completely new way to design trapped-ion quantum computers by allowing ions (the qubits) to move freely in two dimensions on a quantum chip instead of being restricted to one-dimensional chains. This allows qubits to move in all spatial directions like an aeroplane, instead of like cars driving along roads and through junctions.If the startups technology is all it is cracked up to be, it could enable trapped-ion quantum computers to far exceed the capabilities of their superconducting counterparts.Fuelled by fresh funding, ZuriQ is on track to demonstrate its first prototype machine by the end of this year. The startup said it aims to become the flagship provider of quantum computing worldwide.We have been highly impressed by the speed of execution of ZuriQs founding team and the pace of progress towards technical milestones that have been elusive in the community so far, said Pascal Mathis, partner at Switzerland-based VC Founderful, which led the investment round.The funding arrives at exciting times for quantum computing. Interest in the field has been abuzz since Google unveiled an experimental machine that was able to solve a mathematical equation in five minutes that a traditional supercomputer could not master in 10 septillion years thats older than the universe. The breakthrough brought the dream of quantum computing a step closer to reality. Nevertheless, Nvidias CEO Jensen Huang was quick to pour cold water on the hype, cautioning at CES 2025 that practical quantum applications are still 15-30 years away. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

A new season of the Champions League of Tech has begun with the return of TECH5 Europes hottest scaleup contest.Over the next five months, TECH5 will showcase the continents future stars. The competition comes to a climax on June 19-20, when the 2025 winners are announced on the main stage of TNW Conference.Applications for the tournament opened this week. Promising scaleups from across the continent have been invited to submit their entries here.A range of prizes are at stake, from media coverage to VIP passes to TNW Conference. Companies need to act fast though the application window slams shut on February 28.The selected participants will join an illustrious list of TECH5 graduates. Among the previous winners are Starling Bank, Wise, Too Good To Go, Picnic, and Tier and a host of other industry leaders.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!A total of 588 companies are TECH5 alumni. Since entering the contest, theyve experienced tremendous success. Revolut, for instance, went on to become Europes most valuable private tech firm. Deliveroo, meanwhile, enjoyed the biggest flotation on the London Stock Exchange for a decade. Collectively, TECH5 finalists have raised over 10bn.Arbo Robotics, a pioneer in automotive radar, is one of many winners that have attracted big investments. Just this month, Arbo announced plans to raise a fresh $29mn through a stock offering which would bring its total funding to an estimated $251mn.Shlomit Hacohen, Arbos Chief Marketing Officer, credited TECH5 with accelerating the companys rise.Being named a top five company in TNWs TECH5 review back in 2019 provided us with valuable exposure in Europe and the US during the early stages of our growth, she said.TNWs TECH5 is exceptional at identifying companies with the potential for market success. Since the competition, Arbe has gone public and has established itself as the leading developer of radar technology in the automotive industry.This years nominees will enter a revamped competition. Like the Champions League of football, the tournament rules have been tweaked to improve the results.The contenders will be evaluated on upgraded criteria. Alongside company and team growth, the judges will now assess a new metric: impact. The change aligns with broader trends in the ecosystem.TECH5 in 2025Across the tech sector, growth alone is no longer perceived as the sole marker of success. Companies are now increasingly judged by their impacts and solutions to big problems. Thats not only wishful thinking just look at the strategic shifts of businesses, investors, and policymakers.A blend of economic instability, environmental concerns, and socially conscious consumption has fueled support for tech with real-world impacts.Major funds are now flowing towards scaleups that address important issues. Last year, research firm Brainy Insights estimated that the impact investing market will grow from $3 trillion to $7.78 trillion by 2033.Government regulations are encouraging the momentum. The EU has taken a global lead in the charge, introducing new rules that push sustainable innovation in everything from AI to EVs.TECH5 plans to stimulate the progress further. Yeni Joseph, TNWs Head of Ecosystem Strategy & Partnerships, expects this years edition to deliver a powerful boost.For TNW, identifying and showcasing Europes fastest-growing and most impactful scaleups is at the core of our mission to drive innovation and foster connections in the tech ecosystem, she said.By spotlighting these companies, we not only celebrate their success but also create opportunities for collaboration, investment, and growth that fuel the future of technology in Europe.The spotlight will shine on a range of locations. For this years edition, TECH5 is covering scaleups in the following regions:Benelux: Belgium, Netherlands, LuxembourgUK & IrelandNordics: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, SwedenDACH: Germany, Austria, SwitzerlandSouthern Europe: Andorra, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, SpainFranceBaltic States: Estonia, Latvia, LithuaniaWant to represent your region and show your vision to the world? Then apply to enter TECH5 via this link. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

While we are still tracking big-time price drops on just about every M3 MacBook Air configuration, todays deals are headlined by a massive discount on premium renewed iPhone 15 Pro units at up to $476 off the launch prices as well as select M4 iPad Pro models at up to $300 off. From there we move over to the accessory space with the return of all-time lows on the Find My Twelve South wall charger as well as the official 4-pack of Apple Pencil Tips at just $7, Philips Hue gear, and one of the thinnest MagSafe power banks we have ever seen at just $20. All of that and more is waiting for you below.Apple Intelligence-ready 512GB iPhone 15 Pro now up to $470 off original price (Amazon renewed, 1-yr. warranty)Theres nothing quite like a shiny brand new current-generation iPhone 16, but theres also nothing wrong withsaving over$470on a512GB iPhone 15 Proeither. Amazons Renewed Premium program is now offering the upgraded512GB iPhone 15 Pro starting from$822.69 shipped thats $476 under the price of a regularly $1,299 iPhone 16 Pro with the 512GB storage upgrade.We have seen some solid deals on iPhone 14 as of late, not to mention the renewed iPhone 15 Pro 128GB modelsstarting at$722right now, but a 512GB 15 Pro is significantly more future-proof and powerful than either of those options.Deals on Apples sweet M4 iPad Pro seem to mostly top out at $200 off, with select models on the more affordable end of the configuration spectrum typically dropping $100, and sometimes $150 during holidays and special sale events. But Amazon is now offering the11-inch M4 iPad Pro with the maxed out 2TB of storagestarting from$1,699 shippedright now.This is a regularly $1,999 configuration seeing a giant $300 price drop.Sharpen that Apple Pencil up with the official 4-pack of tips down at just $7 (62% off)All-time low pricing returns on Twelve Souths PlugBug USB-C Wall Charger with Find My from $56Philips Hue lighting sale from $14 Prime shipped: Oak Signe Floor Lamp $115 off, bulbs, strips, moreApples most affordable 15-inch current-gen MacBook is now $200 off, open-box at $470 under the original listWe are still tracking solid price drops across just about every configuration in the current-generation M3 MacBook Air lineup, as detailed below. And you can now score all four colors of thebase model 15-inch variantwith 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD at $200 off it is now back downto$1,099 shipped. Regularly $1,299, and more like $1,499 before Apple upped its RAM game to 16GB on the base models, this is the most affordable 15-inch laptop in Apples current lineup at $200 off the list price and $400 under the original listing from October of last year.This deal is also matched at Best Buy on all colors outside of the Starlight with the only better deal coming by way of its open-box listings that ship with a full 1-year warranty. Pricing kicks off from$1,028.99on the Space Gray variant, or $470 off the regular price this model would have fetched last fall before the RAM upgrade, and goes up a touch from there on the other color options.13-inch M3 MacBook Air 16GB/256GB$899(Orig. $1,299, Reg. $1,099)13-inch M3 MacBook Air 16GB/512GB$1,099(Orig. $1,699, Reg. $1,499)13-inch M3 MacBook Air 24GB/512GB$1,299(Orig. $1,699, Reg. $1,499)15-inch M3 MacBook Air 16GB/256GB$1,099(Orig. $1,499, Reg. $1,299)15-inch M3 MacBook Air 16GB/512GB$1,299(Orig. $1,699, Reg. $1,499)15-inch M3 MacBook Air 24GB/512GB$1,499(Orig. $1,899, Reg. $1,699)Todays best accessory and charging deals:Massive clearance deal knocks the official Apple Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) Pro Cable down to $35 (50% off)Latest 16GB M4 MacBook Pro with 1TB SSD now back down at $1,599 all-time low ($200 off)Update:This deal is now live once again. Details below in the original post.Amazon has now dropped the price on Apples newM4 MacBook Prowith the 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD back down to its best price ever. We are indeed still tracking some notable price drops on the M4 Pro machines as well as this wild deal on an M3 Pro configuration at up to$1,000 off, but you can now indeed land the16GB/1TB M4 MacBook Pro down at$1,599 shippedin Space Black right now.Regularly $1,799, this model is now$200 offthe going rate and matching the lowest price we have tracked since its debut last October todays deal is $29 under our previous mention on this one and on par with both the Black Friday sale price and the brief deal we spotted right at Christmas.Bring home a 46mm Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 for 2025 at $113 off (Open-box, full warranty)Apple Watch Series 10 makes for a wonderful companion to help power you through 2025 fitness resolutions and stay motivated throughout the year. While the $70 holiday all-time lows atAmazonhave come and gone now, Best Buys open-box listings in excellent condition are here to deliver even better prices with full 1-year Apple warranties in tow. One of the highlight offers here has the46mm Jet Black model down at$315.99 shipped, or $113 off to deliver one of the best prices yet. Scope out the details below.The 46mm Jet Black model featured up top iscurrently selling for $412in brand new condition viaAmazonwhere it has never gone for less than the $359 we featured for Black Friday last year.For comparisons sake, the smaller 42mmin silverorrose goldare down at$318.99and$347.99 shipped, respectively. The open-box42mmJet Blackis selling for atouch more than the 46mm right now at$316.99 shipped. All of these offers are indeed the lowest we can find in this sort of condition with the full Apple warranty, but they have all sold for less in the past via the Best Buy open-box program.Nintendo just officially announced the next-gen Switch 2Introducing 9to5Toys Steals a new deal format to save you even more money on everyday essentialsWatch 9to5Toys on YouTube:Upgrading Logitechs race sim setup with R series accessoriesExploring the ProtoArc XK01 Foldable Bluetooth KeyboardMoza Vision GS review: The premium sim racing wheel with a rotating touch screen [Video]Review: Next Level Racings $300 Formula Lite Pro living room-friendly racing cockpit [Video]Review: Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro goes back to the basics and I love it [Video]NZXT H7 Flow review: New PSU placement gives cool GPU temps [Video]Add 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

India remains Apples largest market opportunity after China. Growing the business in India, however, has always required a bit of compromise with the local government. In 2019, it was a small investment of $1 billion that helped unlock iPhone exports from India. More recently, India has pressured Apple to put its government-backed app store on the iPhone.Thats according to a new report from Bloomberg, which says India asked both Apple and Google to offer the Gov.in app store on iOS and Android. India already lists its state-backed apps on Apples App Store on iPhone, but it reportedly wants its app marketplace to be more centrally available.The countrys technology ministry called in executives from Apple, Google and other smartphone makers last month to request that they provide Indians direct access to the governments suite of apps, according to people familiar with the matter. Officials asked the tech companies to make the state-backed GOV.in app store available in their marketplaces, including in the Apple and Android ones, said the people, asking not to be named because the talks arent yet public.Apple doesnt allow app stores within its App Store, and third-party marketplaces are only available where legally required. For that reason, the request could require legal action on behalf of India for Apple to comply with the request. In Russia, Apple went so far as to present iPhone users with a government-mandated list of state-backed apps during setup. Thats reportedly a possibility in India too, Bloomberg reports:The ministrys goal is to expand distribution of its public-welfare services through technology. They would also like the state-backed app suite installed on mobile devices before sale and available for download from third parties without warnings like untrusted source, they said.Considering the opportunities Apple sees in India from accessing a massive market to diversifying manufacturing outside of China this might be a battle Apple is willing to lose. Promoting local government apps certainly isnt on the same level of requiring a backdoor into iOS, for example. Thoughts?Shop Apple on Amazon to support my work Add 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

A so-called relationship therapist quoted everywhere from Newsweek to The Independent appears, per a new investigation, to be completely made up.As writer Ashley Abramson reports in a captivating investigation forAllure, a purported therapist named Sophie Cress set off alarm bells almost as soon as she pitched the Abramson using the now-defunct Help A Reporter Out (HARO), a service that connected journalists with potential sources.Though Cress set off alarm bells for Abramson not least because her email address was associated with the sex toy review site SexualAlpha.com the journalist eventually decided to respond to the would-be therapist's second pitch. When Abramson insisted that she could only conduct interviews over phone or video call, however, Cress ghosted.After digging into Cress' background and alleged qualifications Abramson discovered why: Sophie Cress strongly appears not to exist, a fabrication made up by the Latvia-based owner of Sexual Alpha to drive traffic and search ranking to his site.That owner, Dainis Graveris, never responded to any of Abramson's requests for comment, so she had to rely on her own sleuthing to get to the bottom of the Cress story.She not only looked into whether anyone by the name "Sophie Cress" or any similar monikers was licensed to practice family and relationship therapy in Cress' professed state of North Carolina, but also into whether someone using that name actually held the degrees she claimed to have or was certified for Prepare/Enrich and Gottman Therapist specialties, which her onetime website claimed she held.The North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board was unable to find any such therapist, and representatives from Prepare/Enrich and Gottman couldn't confirm that anyone with Cress' name was certified with either organization. Because there was such limited information on the "therapist," Abramson was also unable to confirm whether either her bachelor's or master's degrees were legit.Another nail in the coffin was even more mundane: Abramson traced Cress' headshot back to a stock photo website, where the woman in the picture doesn't share her name.When Abramson reached out to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy to ask if it had ever heard of a case of a brand concocting a fake therapist to pitch to journalists, its executives said no but not because it wouldn't be possible."The barrier [to do that] is very low," James Punelli, the association's director of ethics and legal affairs, told her.Needless to say, most journalists contacted by Cress didn't do all that homework; her operators appear to have duped everybody fromMashable to theDaily Mail to theNew Zealand Herald.Though HARO is no more it was eventually acquired, rebranded and shut down by the tech outfit Cision it has a sludgy history of being used to dupe journalists, including a prankster who used it in the early 2010s to get himself featured as an expert on obscure topics in publications ranging from the New York Times toCBS to ABC.And Cress just might still be at it: while HARO is no more, Futurism found that Cress still has a profile on the imitator site Qwoted that links back to Sexual Alpha, suggesting that what's left of her mostly-scrubbed online persona is still churning out traffic for the sex toy site.Share This Article

The newly-minted Trump administration is wasting no time in imposing its vision across the United States government, and NASA is no exception.As Ars Technica reports, the space agency's acting headis threatening employees with "adverse consequences" if they fail to snitch on any coworkers involved with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs."We are taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trumps executive orders titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions," NASA's acting administrator Janet Petro wrote in the email."These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination," she wrote, without providing any evidence.A Tuesday memopermanently laying them off. As such, NASA's website dedicated to diversity and inclusion now been taken down.It remains to be seen how specifically NASA will be affected by the incursion. But the massive culling could send ripples across federal agencies, including the space agency."Given the broad brush that they have painted, it's potentially very large numbers of people," the head of the Office of Personnel Management under former President Joe Biden Rob Shriver told NPR.Do you know anything about the purge at NASA? Send us an email: tips@futurism.com. We can keep you anonymous.Petro's email also insinuated that DEIA programs were being hidden from the Trump administration, requesting that employees inform on each other."We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language," the email reads. "If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances."The phrasing "DEIA or similar ideologies" should raise alarm bells. The vague language invites all sorts of discriminatory and problematic interpretations, even beyond diversity and inclusion efforts.As SpaceNews points out, it's a major ideological reversal for Petro. She has previously praised diversity initiatives, telling Engineering News-Record in late 2021 that the agency's "commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility has been paramount to mission success.""The entire NASA leadership team stands behind this commitment," she added at the time.It's unclear whether Petro personally supports the dismantlement of DEIA programs and the mass firing of related hires, or whether she was acting under pressure.But the whole thing is a sign that the Trump administration is willing to treat federal employees with disdain, threatening them and setting them against each other in its pursuit of a more homogenous workforce."Penalizing career civil servants for faithfully doing their jobs during a prior administration is wrong," Partnership for Public Service CEO Max Stier wrote in a statement. "The affected employees are everyday people who have to support themselves and their families, and the abrupt and rushed approach chosen here will have a traumatizing impact on not just them but their colleagues who remain in their roles serving the public, as well."More on NASA: Elon Musk Trying to Scrap NASA's Moon ProgramShare This Article

Jan 23, 2025Ravie LakshmananMalware / Enterprise SecurityEnterprise-grade Juniper Networks routers have become the target of a custom backdoor as part of a campaign dubbed J-magic.According to the Black Lotus Labs team at Lumen Technologies, the activity is so named for the fact that the backdoor continuously monitors for a "magic packet" sent by the threat actor in TCP traffic. "J-magic campaign marks the rare occasion of malware designed specifically for JunoOS, which serves a similar market but relies on a different operating system, a variant of FreeBSD," the company said in a report shared with The Hacker News.Evidence gathered by the company shows that the earliest sample of the backdoor dates back to September 2023, with the activity ongoing between mid-2023 and mid-2024. Semiconductor, energy, manufacturing, and information technology (IT) sectors were the most targeted.Infections have been reported across Europe, Asia, and South America, including Argentine, Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, the U.K., the U.S., and Venezuela.The campaign is notable for deploying an agent after gaining initial access through an as-yet-undetermined method. The agent, a variant of a publicly available backdoor referred to as cd00r, waits for five different pre-defined parameters before commencing its operations.On the receipt of these magic packets, the agent is configured to send back a secondary challenge, following which J-magic establishes a reverse shell to the IP address and port specified in the magic packet. This enables the attackers to control the device, steal data, or deploy additional payloads.Lumen theorized that the inclusion of the challenge is an attempt on part of the adversary to prevent other threat actors from issuing magic packets in an indiscriminate manner and repurpose the J-magic agents to meet their own objectives.It's worth noting that another variant of cd00r, codenamed SEASPY, was deployed in connection with a campaign aimed at Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG) appliances in late 2022.That said, there is no evidence at this stage to connect the two campaigns, nor does the J-magic campaign demonstrate any signs that it overlaps with other campaigns targeting enterprise-grade routers such as Jaguar Tooth and BlackTech (aka Canary Typhoon).A majority of the potentially impacted IP addresses are said to be Juniper routers acting as VPN gateways, with a second smaller cluster comprising those with an exposed NETCONF port. It's believed that the network configuration devices may have been targeted for their ability to automate router configuration information and management.With routers being abused by nation-state actors preparing for follow-on attacks, the latest findings underscore the continued targeting of edge infrastructure, largely driven by the long uptime and a lack of endpoint detection and response (EDR) protections in such devices."One of the most notable aspects of the campaign is the focus on Juniper routers," Lumen said. "While we have seen heavy targeting of other networking equipment, this campaign demonstrates that attackers can find success expanding to other device types such as enterprise grade routers."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Star Trek has endured for 60 years, on television and in movies, through high highs and low lows. If the critics are to be believed, the latest addition to theTrekcanon a streaming film calledStar Trek: Section 31 starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh may represent the absolute nadir of those decades of stories.To be fair, the first reviews of the film, which debuts this week on Paramount+ after a lengthy development process, are not entirely uniform. There are acouple of mildly positive articles out there. The Verge, for example,said its pretty damn fun./Filmcalled Section 31B-movie trash (in a good way). That is a compliment, I suppose, if a backhanded one.But the vast majority of critics call it anywhere from mediocre to saying it is flat-out, no qualifications the single worst thing in the history ofStar Trek.Yeoh plays Philippa Georgiou, a character she originated onStar Trek: Discovery.In the film, Georgiou a former genocidal emperor from the Mirror Universe joins the members of Starfleets secretive Section 31, a covert intelligence group, on an all-important mission.The film was actually conceived as a TV series way back in early 2019. Paramount worked on various concepts for the show for years until, in 2023, they announcedSection 31 would instead be a one-off streaming film on Paramount+.ParamountParamountloading...READ MORE: The Coolest Star Trek Movies That Were Never MadeHere is a sampling of theStar Trek: Section 31 reviews so far:Daniel Cooper, Engadget:It is the single worst thing to carry the Star Trek name in living memory.Jeannette Catsoulis, TheNew York Times:A dogs dinner of head-snapping reversals and explanatory dialogue a movie with little on its mind but mayhem.Jordan Hoffman, IGN:My reaction is simple: This isnt Star Trek.Alex Perry, TrekCore.com:Star Trek: Section 31is the Kurtzman-eras most spectacular miss ...On nearly every level,Section 31is a failure.James Whitbrook, io9:A mediocre action movie, and an even worse Star Trek one.ParamountParamountloading...Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter:Not even Michelle Yeoh can save Paramount+s subpar spinoff movie.James Dyer, Empire:Re-tooled as a movie from episode scripts, it ends up feeling neither one nor the other: a bland comedy spacecapade stuck between two (strange new) worlds.Clint Worthington, RogerEbert.com:At best, its an olive branch to its contractually obligated megastar; at worst, its a Rebel Moon-level fiasco that doesnt get why people watch Trek in the first place.Samantha Coley, Collider:A mediocre episodes of a television show that doesnt exist.David Opie, Total Film:Is Section 31 deliberately camp in a knowing sense or is that an unintentional by-product of how some of the more serious moments fall flat? That's not entirely clear.It is not as if the people in charge ofStar Trek have no idea what theyre doing.I havent kept up with all of the recentStar Trek shows, but I really likeStrange New Worldsa lot. Thats as good aStar Trekshow as there has been in decades.And Michelle Yeoh in her ownStar Trekmovie sounds pretty great. The film described in the reviews above ... not so much.If you want to see it and decide for yourself,Star Trek: Section 31 isset to debut on Paramount+ on January 24.Get our free mobile appEvery Star Trek Movie Ranked From Worst to BestEvery Star Trek movie, from The Motion Picture to Beyond, ranked. Did we get them right?