Fitbit Versa 3FitbitFitbit users are complaining their wearables do not last anywhere near as long off a charge as they used to, following a recent software update.The update was intended to address possible battery overheating in the Sense and Versa 3 wearables, which came to light last month. But the effect has brought a much more dramatic downgrade to some than was expected.Multiple users have complained about the longevity of their Fitbit over at the Fitbit Community forums.User Laurarhi claims their Versa 3 would last 3+ days before the update, and now lasts barely more than 12 hours.Similarly, user Dorlor says their Versa would last 4 or 5 days before the update, and now needs to be charged daily. They also say the wearables step counting feature has become unreliable, an issue also noted by other forum users.Most battery issues are being reported by Versa 3 owners, but should in theory also affect Fitbit Sense wearables too, as both are subject to Fitbits mandatory software update.Why Are Fitbits Batteries Draining?Fitbit did warn back in January that the update would reduce battery capacity, but there was no suggestion the scale of the effect would be so quite so deleterious to the usability of the watch.It could be behind Fitbits establishment of a compensation program at the same point it announced the mandatory software update, on January 21.Affected users will be offered $50 compensation. To apply you need to supply Fitbit with basic personal details, through a form on the Fitbit website.While Fitbit does not advise immediately disposing of Versa 3 and Sense watches if they are among the affected batches, theres no option to swerve the update. Not unless you completely avoid connecting the wearable to a phone or Wi-Fi, therefore blocking ways for the update to be sent over-the-air.Fitbit taking swift and serious action against possible cases of overheating was a must, from the companys position, as it is not the first time a similar issue has cropped up.The Fitbit Ionic, Fitbits first smartwatch, also overheated. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were 115 U.S. reports of overheating, and 78 cases of burn injuries. That Fitbit saga, which resulted in a recall of 1.7 million watches in 2022, also saw Fitbit fined $12.25 million in a case settlement last month.

The tech industry is working to both provide consumers with helpful, convenient financial services tools and better secure financial transactions and accounts.

Key TakeawaysSoon after Grok 3 was launched, some netizens found that it was programmed to leave out Donald Trump and Elon Musk when asked about Who is the biggest misinformation spreader?The company has fixed the issue now, stating that it doesnt align with the companys values.Questions still remain about why such a bias was allowed in the first place and if AI chatbots can actually be trusted.Ever since Musk started his journey with X and then xAI (his own AI company), he has always positioned himself as a staunch supporter of free speech. He used the same argument to justify removing censorship and guardrails from the social media platform X and the first two versions of Grok xAIs first generation of AI bots.However, soon after he unveiled Grok 3, an incident shook all his past claims of free speech and raised questions on whether Musk and his AI bots are as unbiased as they claim to be.What Is The Incident?Soon after Grok 3 went public, some users noticed a glitch (or probably an intentional tweak that the developers forgot to hide). With the Think mode on, which is what allows the user to see how the AI is arriving at an answer, the tool was asked, Who is the biggest misinformation spreader?In its chain of thoughts, it was clearly seen that the tool had been instructed to never mention Donald Trump or Elon Musk.This incident triggered widespread criticism, which traveled like wildfire and soon reached xAIs office. By Sunday the matter was addressed and Grok 3 began taking Donald Trump into consideration for the response.After this incident was resolved, another arose. The tool had been constantly saying that both Donald Trump and Elon Musk deserve the death penalty. This glitch was fixed soon, too.What Does Musk Have to Say?Musk addressed the glitches and blamed them on the training datasets. Engineering lead Igor Babuschkin also came clean about the matter on his X account. He said while the tool was briefly instructed to not mention Trump or Musks name for such queries, they decided to overturn this programming after the users began to point, stating that this move did not align with the company values to begin with. He also promised to make Grok 3 politically neutral.Even though the matter is now resolved, the larger question remains, i.e., whether the AI tools we use on a day-to-day basis are even giving us the truth or are simply a propaganda tool for powerful leaders.AI is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives. A lot of people rely on their favorite AI bots for any query they might have. In a situation like this, if the bot itself is biased and inaccurate, the users will also develop a distorted perception of everything around them. Not just that, such misinformation also takes away from an individuals right to unfiltered and unbiased truth.The scary part is we were only able to find out about Grok 3s biased programming because of the Think mode that displays the exact steps the bot follows to reach a conclusion. There are so many other tools out there that are not this transparent. So, we might never truly know whether what were being told is the absolute truth.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Alpa is a senior editor with a wealth of experience in alternative finance, fintech, cryptocurrency, app security software, and the medical industry. She's currently an in-house managing editor with the Techreport team.Alpa is passionate about breaking down complex topics and sharing informative content that provides value. View all articles by Alpa Somaiya Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.

Smelly Computing: Asus is one of the world's largest PC vendors by unit sales. The Taiwanese company also sells a wide range of computer peripherals and accessories. However, its new wireless mouse stands out as an unusual offering seemingly designed for a very specific type of customer. Do we really need odorous, potentially smelly pointing devices on our desks? Asus seems to think so and is offering its new Fragrance Mouse for customers seeking a more synesthetic experience while using their PCs. The wireless mouse, according to Asus, emits a scent that can be customized at will.The Fragrance Mouse features an ergonomic design and is available in white and pink. The mouse includes three adjustable DPI levels 1,200, 1,600, and 2,400 allowing for more precise and customizable control across different resolutions and surfaces.With a reported 10-million-click lifespan, the Fragrance Mouse also provides a low-noise click experience, thanks to its "almost silent" switches. It can connect via either a USB dongle or Bluetooth, and a single AA battery should power the device for up to a year.There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about the new Fragrance Mouse, except for its internal fragrance compartment located on the bottom of the device. This compartment holds a refillable vial where users can place their preferred aromatic oils. The removable vial can be washed and refilled with different scents, according to Asus.The Fragrance Mouse features a peculiar design with a curved thumb rest and a "comfortable" grip. Since mouse grips are highly personal and often a matter of preference, it's unclear what Asus means by a "comfortable" grip in this case. The company describes the mouse as having a contemporary, ergonomic design, with a subtle underglow lighting effect. // Related StoriesAsus claims that the peripheral can add a touch of elegance to home workspaces or office setups. However, a scented mouse may not be ideal for sensitive co-workers or family members. Asus has yet to provide specific details regarding the price and availability, but the mouse should be available for purchase worldwide soon.In 2024, Asus released its first scented device, the Adol 14 Air laptop, though it was only available in the Chinese market.

In a nutshell: Canadian security researcher Eric Daigle recently discovered a security deficiency associated with control panels used to restrict access to apartment buildings across the US and Canada. In short, some operators never bothered to change the system's default password, making it trivially easy to gain access, view activity logs, and more. Daigle started digging into the system late last year after noticing an interesting looking access control panel while out and about one day. A quick Google search for "MESH by Viscount" led to a sales page advertising remote access capabilities, and another search turned up a .PDF installation guide.As is somewhat common, the system ships with a default password that admins are encouraged to change (yet according to Daigle, the manual doesn't explain how to do so). Searching the UI's login page title surfaced several login pages, and he was able to log into the very first one using the default credentials. That is not a good sign.Once inside the system, Daigle had the power to unlock any entrance, register new key fobs or delete existing ones, change the floor they are authorized for, and more. He also had access to a multi-year log showing all fob activity as well as residents' full names, unit numbers, and phone numbers. It doesn't take much poking around to pick up on residents' behavior, either. For example, you could easily determine that John Doe leaves for work at 8 am and gets home around 6 pm Monday through Friday.In total, Daigle found 89 exposed systems in use by apartment buildings. Most of them 71 were in Canada, with the rest being in the US.The researcher reached out to the system's vendor, who said that admins are not following the manufacturers' recommendations to change the default password. The issue has been designated as CVE-2025-26793, with a critical severity score of 10. A senior product manager told TechCrunch that it had reached out to customers about following the instruction manual. // Related Stories

The Rebellion is coming together in the Andorseason 2 trailer.Were in a war, Diego Lunas Cassian Andor says in the trailer. You wanna fight, or you wanna win? Season 2 of Disney+s most critically acclaimed series will explore Cassians continued path toward the Rebel Alliance. This season begins four years leading up to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, when Cassian teams with Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to steal the plans for the Death Star.Besides Luna,Andorseason 2 starsStellan Skarsgrd, Genevieve OReilly, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, and Elizabeth Dulau. Several actors fromRogue Onereturn for season 2, including Alan Tudyk as K-2SO, Ben Mendelsohn as Director Orson Krennic, and Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera.Please enable Javascript to view this contentCassian's journey continues.The second season of Andor streams April 22, only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/W9aH86gDDr Andor | A Star Wars Original Series (@andorofficial) February 24, 2025One of the great thrills of makingAndor is the scale of the story and the number of characters were able to meet ordinary people, Imperial overlords, passionate revolutionaries, said creator and executive producer Tony Gilroy in a statement. They are real people making epic decisions, all of them staring down questions with terrifying consequences. Cassians journey is the soul and spine of our story, but its the choir that makes the show. Im so excited for audiences to see where we go in Season 2.Andorseason 1 received universal acclaim, with many critics dubbing it the adult Star Wars show. Digital Trends writer Alex Welch said Andorfundamentally changed the franchise forever.Season 1 garnered three Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.Andorseason 2 begins streaming on Disney+ on April 22, 2025. Season 2 will consist of 12 episodes split into four chapters of three episodes each.Editors Recommendations

Would you believe that the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is already available with a discount from Samsungs phone deals? The 512GB model, which has an original price of $1,420, is on sale for $1,300, which is what the 256GB model is going for, so youre technically getting a free storage upgrade, and youll even receive $80 in Samsung Credit to spend on accessories. Theres also up to $900 in credit up for grabs through an enhanced trade-in program for the device. With all of these offers, buying the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could cost much less than you think, but you should hurry as they may disappear at any moment.The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the top-of-the-line model of Samsungs latest series of flagship smartphones, and it received a high rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars in our review. It promises amazing performance with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite for Galaxy processor and 12GB of RAM, which make One UI 7 over Android 15 run extremely smooth while also supporting Samsungs astounding Galaxy AI. The smartphone is also equipped with a gorgeous 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen featuring a 120Hz refresh rate and 3120 x 1440 resolution, and a camera system headlined by a 200MP main camera and an upgraded 50MP wide-angle camera.We made a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra versus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comparison for those who are choosing between the two devices, and for those who are thinking about making an upgrade. Our verdict? Go for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra because of its more powerful processor and upgraded camera, and if you own the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, youll earn the maximum allowable credit from Samsungs enhanced trade-in program for the new device.RelatedLets take a look at all the Samsung Galaxy deals for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra the 512GB model at $120 off to knock its price down from $1,420 to $1,300, which is the same price of the 256GB model; extra Samsung Credit of $80 to spend on accessories or your next major purchase from Samsung; and up to $900 in credit from an enhanced trade-in program. If you thought the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is beyond your budget, the good news is that you may be able to afford it with these offers, but only if you act fast.Editors Recommendations

The U.S. expansion plan is in line with the companys spending pattern and its efforts to diversify manufacturing away from China.

Trying to confront or resolve doubt spurs the kind of imaginative thinking that is essential for navigating business decisions.

AI apps Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AIbut theres fierce competition Comet joins Cursor and others in an early wave of AI takes on traditional apps. Samuel Axon Feb 24, 2025 1:18 pm | 9 The hero image and logo for Comet. Credit: Perplexity The hero image and logo for Comet. Credit: Perplexity Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreNatural-language search engine Perplexity will launch a web browser, joining a competitive and crowded space that has for years been dominated by Google.The browser will be called Comet, but we know nothing at all about its features or intended positioning within the browser market at this stage. Comet was announced in an X post with a flashy animation but no details.Perplexity followed up the X post with a link and an invitation to sign up for beta access to the browser. Those who follow the link will find a barebones website (again with no details) and a simple form for entering an email address.When we entered an address, we received a brief email saying that Perplexity will add new users to the beta every week and that people can get in faster by sharing Comet on social media and tagging Perplexity's account.Perplexity was founded in 2022 by a group of engineers with backgrounds in machine learning. Its primary product is a large language model-based search engine wherein users can type queries to get information from the web and various databases. Perplexity gathers the information, summarizes it, presents it, and takes follow-up questions to dig deeper.It has recently been expanding its offeringsfor example, it recently launched a deep research tool competing with similar ones provided by OpenAI and Google, as well as Sonar, an API for generative AI-powered search.It will face fierce competition in the browser market, though. Google's Chrome accounts for the majority of web browser use around the world, and despite its position at the forefront of AI search, Perplexity isn't the first to introduce a browser with heavy use of generative AI features. For example, The Browser Company showed off its Dia browser in December.Dia will allow users to type natural language commands into the search bar, like finding a document or webpage or creating a calendar event. It's possible that Comet will do similar things, but again, we don't know.So far, most consumer-facing AI tools have come in one of three forms: general-purpose chatbots (like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude; features that use trained deep learning models subtly baked into existing software (as in Adobe Photoshop or Apple's iOS); and, less commonly, fully dedicated software meant to remake existing application categories using AI features (like the Cursor IDE).There haven't been a ton of AI-specific applications in existing categories like this before, but expect to see more coming over the next couple of years.Samuel AxonSenior EditorSamuel AxonSenior Editor Samuel Axon is a senior editor at Ars Technica. He covers Apple, software development, gaming, AI, entertainment, and mixed reality. He has been writing about gaming and technology for nearly two decades at Engadget, PC World, Mashable, Vice, Polygon, Wired, and others. He previously ran a marketing and PR agency in the gaming industry, led editorial for the TV network CBS, and worked on social media marketing strategy for Samsung Mobile at the creative agency SPCSHP. He also is an independent software and game developer for iOS, Windows, and other platforms, and heis a graduate of DePaul University, where he studied interactive media and software development. 9 Comments