News
- Experts flag 150 Firefox add-ons which served as infostealers and keyloggers
- Add-ons added to the store are benign, but when they gain a reputation, they are transformed into malware
- The crooks steal crypto and track their victims' IP addresses
Cryptocurrency users running the Firefox browser should be careful - a major campaign has been detected aiming to steal their tokens right out of their wallets.
Recently, security researchers from Koi Security identified 150 add-ons in the Mozilla store which served as infostealers and keyloggers.
These add-ons started as benign tools, impersonating popular crypto wallets such as MetaMask, TronLink, or Rabby, but after accumulating enough downloads and positive reviews, the attackers replace them with new names and logos and inject malicious code that steals user wallet credentials and IP addresses.
GreedyBear"The weaponized extensions captures wallet credentials directly from user input fields within the extension’s own popup interface, and exfiltrate them to a remote server controlled by the group," Koi Security said in its writeup.
"During initialization, they also transmit the victim’s external IP address, likely for tracking or targeting purposes."
The malicious code was partially generated with the help of AI, the experts said, dubbing the campaign “GreedyBear”, and claiming it raked in more than a million dollars already.
The “bear” in the name could be a reference to Russia, since the operation is apparently complemented by dozens of pirated software websites distributing 500 malware variants, as well as fake Trezor, Jupiter Wallet, and other crypto websites. All of them are written in Russian.
The malware distributed through the website is generic, the researchers added, with LummaStealer standing out as a more notable name.
All of the sites are linked to the same IP address, which means that a single entity is running the entire operation.
Koi Security reported its findings to Mozilla, which swiftly removed all malicious add-ons from its repository. However, users who downloaded them in the meantime will remain at risk until they delete the add-ons from their browsers and refresh all login credentials.
Via BleepingComputer
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- A leaker has shared a list of rumored specs and prices for upcoming Samsung Galaxy tablets
- Deallabs writer bill-bil kun shared rumored information about the Galaxy Tab S11, Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, and Galaxy Tab S10 Lite
- The report, while comprehensive, is light on named sources
Specs and details for the next Samsung Galaxy tablets have been revealed in what could be one of the biggest tablet leaks we’ve ever seen.
As Notebookcheck reports, a well-known France-based leaker has shared purported details of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11, Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, and Galaxy Tab S10 Lite.
If these rumors are anything to go by, Samsung could be planning a big shakeup for its tablet line when it comes time to replace the current-gen Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra.
The last time Samsung released an 11-inch tablet with flagship-grade hardware was the Galaxy Tab S9 in 2023 – there was no ‘standard’ Galaxy Tab S10 to speak of.
The information comes courtesy of a Deallabs report authored by contributor and noted game leaker bill-bil kun, and includes pricing and technical specs for each of the three new models.
While the report doesn't name many of its sources, the information given matches what we'd expect to see from a single-generation upgrade.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra rumored specs The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra blurred the line between tablet and laptop (Image credit: Blue Pixl Media)According to these new rumored specs, the Galaxy Tab S11 will sport an 11-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600, the same size and resolution as the Galaxy Tab S9's screen.
The Galaxy S11 Ultra is tipped to get a larger 14.6-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2960 x 1848, which is the same size and resolution as the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra’s.
As for internals, Deallabs reports that both the Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra will have the MediaTek MT6691 chipset – this is a code name for the Dimensity 9400 chipset, a powerful flagship-grade mobile chipset. Last year’s Galaxy Tab S10 models used the Dimensity 9300+ chipset, so this seems like a logical upgrade.
They also claim the Galaxy Tab S11 will come with 12GB of RAM and an 8400mAh battery, while the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra will have either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on storage configuration, as well as a larger 11,600mAh battery. Both tablets are said to support 45W charging.
Deallabs says the Galaxy Tab S11 will be available with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage, and the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage (the latter of which models, they claim, comes with 16GB of RAM).
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 could bring back the standard-sized flagship format last seen with the Galaxy Tab S9 (pictured) (Image credit: Future)As for other hardware, both tablets are said to feature a 13MP main camera and 12MP selfie camera, four speakers, WiFi 6E (WiFi 7 on the Ultra) and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity with optional 5G, and an included S Pen.
Moving on to the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite Deallabs' report lists it as having a 10.9-inch display with a resolution of 2112 x 1320. They say this tablet will get the Exynos 1380 chipset (the same found in the Galaxy Tab S10 FE), an 8000mAh battery with 25W wired charging, an 8MP main camera and 5MP selfie camera, two speakers, and support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.
They add that the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite will come in two configurations – a model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra rumored pricingThe report also gives rumored pricing for each model in euros, which we can convert to other currencies for a rough estimate.
The Galaxy Tab S11 is said to start at at €899, which is about $1,050 / £800 / AU$1,600), the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra at €1,339 (about $1,600 / £1,150 / AU$2,400), and the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite at €459 (about $540 / £400 / AU$800).
It's worth highlighting again that all of the above is rumor for now, but if these specs are the real deal we could be looking at some serious new contenders for the title of best tablet on the market. Be sure to let us know what you want to see from Samsung's next tablets in the comments below.
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- A French Court has issued new orders against five popular VPN services to block more pirated sites illegally broadcasting live sports events
- Streaming giants Canal+ and beIN raised the requests on July 18, 2025, against NordVPN, Proton VPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN
- A landmark ruling in May ordered the same VPNs to block access to over 200 pirate domains
France has continued to tighten its grip on online piracy this summer with another round of court orders for some household names in VPN.
Five of the best VPN providers on the market right now have, yet again, found themselves under the spotlight of the Paris Judicial Court with demands to block sites providing illegal sports live streams.
As reported by TorrentFreak, global sports broadcaster beIN Sports France raised a successful request for NordVPN, Proton VPN, and CyberGhost to block seven domains hosting WTA tennis streams.
While NordVPN, Proton VPN, CyberGhost, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN now have to close access to their customers to five web domains showing Formula One after complaints from the country's broadcast rights holder Canal+.
These orders follow a landmark ruling in May, which forced the same VPN companies to block access to over 200 pirate domains. An action that, according to the VPN industry, set "a dangerous precedent."
New French VPN blocking orders(Image credit: Future + Photo by MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas/AFP; Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)The Court decisions issued on July 18, 2025, enforces the blocking of those sites until the end of their 2025 season. For F1, that's set for December 7, 2025. For the WTA tennis, the judge ruled until November 10, 2025.
Canal+ first shared plans to target VPN usage in an escalation of anti-piracy tactics back in February. This came after the streaming giant carried a successful legal action against DNS services in 2024.
Fast-forward to May 2025, and with two rounds of illegal streaming blocks already under its belt, it seems likely that the official French streamers are not done yet.
With BeIn Sports now following suit, and getting its way in court, we will surely see more paid services jumping on board to protect their investments in the rights to broadcast live sports events.
Are VPNs striking back?Talking to TechRadar back in May, the VPN industry raised many concerns about France's blocking orders, including a potential technical difficulty in fulfilling such requests.
All the targeted services, in fact, are known to operate under strict no-log VPN policies. This means that they don't log any activities or other data linked to the users.
A NordVPN spokesperson told TechRadar at the time that the team was still evaluating how to identify customers in French territories while preserving the services' privacy obligations.
Those complaints have been given short shrift by the Paris Judicial Court, though, which rejected "the grounds of inadmissibility" raised by all the VPN providers, on July 18.
The Court even dismissed the opportunity for referral to the EU Court issued by ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, leaving the VPN companies seeming with no escape route.
We have approached the VPN providers for more clarification on the matter, but we are still waiting for a response at the time of writing.
You might also like- US law enforcement claims BlackSuit is completely dismantled
- The agencies seized servers, domains and digital assets
- Since 2022, the group hit 450 companies and stole millions of dollars
BlackSuit, a ransomware group and a successor to the Royal gang, managed to compromise 450 organizations in the United States and steal $370 million in ransom payments, before being dismantled by US law enforcement agents, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said.
A press release published on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) website, said ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (its main investigative arm), in coordination with both US and international law enforcement agents, “successfully dismantled critical infrastructure used by BlackSuit ransomware”.
“The operation resulted in the seizures of servers, domains and digital assets used to deploy ransomware, extort victims, and launder proceeds,” it was said.
No arrestsThe announcement said that since 2022, Royal and BlackSuit ransomware groups have compromised more than 450 known victims in the United States, including healthcare, education, public safety, energy, and government sector organizations.
These attacks brought them more than $370 in cryptocurrency, based on today’s prices.
Unfortunately, no one was arrested, and if history taught us anything - these threat actors will be back sooner rather than later.
While disrupting the infrastructure is a commendable move and will certainly make things difficult for the threat actors in the short-term, they will have no issues reestablishing the hardware, especially with $370 million in their pocket.
Previously, the FBI, US Homeland Security, the US Department of Justice (DoJ), and other partners, defaced BlackSuit’s main website, as well as extortion and data leak sites, in a sting called “Operation Checkmate”.
A US Department of Health and Human Services report published in late November 2023 said BlackSuit was first spotted in May that year, showing “striking parallels with Royal, the direct successor of the former notorious Russian-linked Conti operation”.
“This operation strikes a critical blow to BlackSuit’s infrastructure and operations,” said US Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division Special Agent in Charge William Mancino.
“The US Secret Service is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal enterprises and prevent the deployment of malicious ransomware that victimizes businesses and organizations.”
Via BleepingComputer
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- Thunderbolts* might drop on Disney+ in late August
- A leaked advert has indicated it'll be with us before the end of the month
- It was the final Marvel Phase 5 movie to land in theaters
Thunderbolts* is reportedly set to make its bow on Disney+ in late August.
The Marvel movie, which underperformed at the box office following its global theatrical release in early May, is seemingly coming to the streaming service on Wednesday, August 27.
A leak that's like a bolt out of the blue (Image credit: Reddit)As I outlined in my Thunderbolts* on Disney+ piece, Marvel's parent company hasn't officially confirmed when the Marvel Phase 5 film will join the movie ranks of its primary streaming platform. However, a TV spot caught by an eagle-eyed fan in Greece, which they subsequently uploaded a screenshot of to the Marvel Studios sub-Reddit today (August 8), the Florence Pugh-fronted superhero film apparently revealed it'll land on that date.
I've reached out to Disney for an official comment on the leak and I'll update this article if I receive a response.
Thunderbolts* didn't perform as well as many expected at the global box office (Image credit: Marvel Studios)Thunderbolts* was the second of three Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films that was released this year. However, despite being met with critical acclaim – read my Thunderbolts* review to see what I thought of it and where I subsequently ranked it in my best Marvel movies guide – the ensemble flick struggled to translate positive word of mouth into substantial ticket sales.
Indeed, it ended its run at the worldwide box office with an underwhelming $382.4 million haul. That's enough to make it the 10th highest-grossing film of 2025 so far (at the time of publication, anyway). Nevertheless, it's a far cry from the financial windfalls of Marvel films of yesteryear, including 2019's Avengers: Endgame ($2.8 billion), 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.92 billion), and even last year's Deadpool and Wolverine ($1.3 billion).
In spite of its box office underperformance, Thunderbolts* is an integral part of the Marvel Multiverse Saga that'll be wrapped up with the next Avengers films – Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars – that are due out in December 2026 and December 2027 respectively.
For more details on how it helps to set up events to come in those Marvel Phase 6 movies, read my Thunderbolts* ending explained piece. Once you're done reading that article, check out more Marvel coverage from yours truly below.
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- ExpressVPN has finally implemented support for the WireGuard VPN protocol
- Resistance to WireGuard by ExpressVPN resulted in the development of its Lightway protocol
- Post-quantum WireGuard has been added to Windows, iOS, and Android ExpressVPN apps, with macOS to follow
After over five years of refusing to adopt the protocol, going so far as to develop its own alternative, ExpressVPN has finally embraced WireGuard – and it made it quantum-secure.
In a move that will impact the entire VPN industry, what TechRadar’s reviewers rated as one of the best VPN providers on the market right now has conceived a future-proofed implementation of the protocol, combining WireGuard with the next-generation encryption algorithm ML-KEM.
That said, ExpressVPN intends to retain its proprietary protocol Lightway – which already integrates ML-KEM – as its default protocol. But in terms of the post-quantum future of online privacy, its adoption of WireGuard is hugely significant.
What is the WireGuard protocol? (Image credit: WireGuard)Several different protocols – configurations of rules that manage a VPN connection – are currently in use. Many providers rely on WireGuard, alongside older solutions like IKEv2/Ipsec, OpenVPN (which is regularly revised), and proprietary solutions like NordVPN’s NordWhisper and Lightway.
All current protocols have various strengths and weaknesses, as well as potential vulnerabilities that have not yet been uncovered. WireGuard, which ExpressVPN initially evaluated and rejected in 2019, is used by many virtual private network (VPN) services, and has been touted as a potential solution for Internet of Things and smart home device encryption.
ML-KEM, meanwhile, is a quantum-resistant encryption standard issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in late 2024, and widely welcomed by the cryptography community as the superior response to post-quantum encryption (PQE) needs.
By finally including WireGuard in its VPN client software, and integrating ML-KEM, ExpressVPN has offered a solution to the entire VPN industry. It means that any VPN provider, big or small, providing it runs its own servers, can introduce PQE protections.
As ExpressVPN has observed in a blog post: “Post-quantum protections are practically non-existent in production deployments… We’ve solved those gaps and published the results. Now it’s on the rest of the industry to catch up.”
Starting from August 6, 2025, Post-quantum WireGuard is available on ExpressVPN’s iOS, Android, and Windows apps. Support for macOS will also follow soon.
Is quantum computing really a risk to VPNs?Quantum computers have long been recognized as posing a significant risk to the most stringent current encryption standards. The underlying math of encryption algorithms that might take millennia to be solved by today’s machines can be broken relatively quickly by quantum computers.
This clearly poses a risk to all forms of current encryption, not least VPNs. In creating an encrypted route through the internet via a VPN server using a VPN app, users expect their data to remain private, and safe from observation by ISPs, governments, and bad actors.
Quantum computing disrupts this entirely.
As far back as 2020, in its development of Lightway, ExpressVPN recognized the risks posed by quantum computing, despite its arrival being a decade away. Understanding the maxim of cybercriminals who “harvest now, decrypt later,” they took steps to ensure that Lightway offered PQE security to users. So, any data secured with PQE should be protected from decryption by quantum computers.
The white paper, “Post-Quantum WireGuard: A Practical Implementation Guide” by ExpressVPN engineers, Peter Membrey and Timo Beyel, states that while their development of Lightway solved post-quantum protection, they were “concerned that WireGuard deployments weren’t getting simple solutions well-suited to VPN providers.”
ExpressVPN hasn’t stopped at showing the rest of the VPN industry what to do next, either, introducing HTTPS proxy support as an added privacy option. This is thanks to a new “strategic partnership” with Bitripple which integrates LT3 acceleration into Lightway, providing improved data transmission for slower internet connections.
You might also like- President Trump has demanded Intel CEO resigns
- But Lip-Bu Tan is not bowing down to Trump demands
- Intel has reduced its US factory workforce
President Trump has not been afraid of leveraging his influence to try and pressure organisations into policy or personnel changes, with his most recent vendetta is against Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
Tan is accused by Trump of being ‘highly conflicted’, and the sitting President calls for his immediate resignation, claiming there is ‘no other solution to this problem’.
Trump’s call comes after Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote to Intel’s board of directors asking about Tan’s "concerning" alleged ties to Chinese firms.
Policy pressureThe conflict Trump and Cotton are referring to is Tan’s alleged control over multiple Chinese companies, some with reported ties to the Chinese military, as well as investments into Chinese tech companies, and an extended stint as CEO of tech firm Cadance Design Systems.
Ostensibly, the ties to Cadence Design Systems seem to be the sticking point for Trump, as the company plead guilty to unlawfully exporting chip design tools to restricted Chinese military organizations, and paid over $140 million in penalties - although Tan was not personally indicted.
“There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about my past roles at Walden International and Cadence Design Systems,” Tan said in a statement to Intel staff.
“I want to be absolutely clear: Over 40+ years in the industry, I’ve built relationships around the world and across our diverse ecosystem – and I have always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards," he noted.
"My reputation has been built on trust – on doing what I say I’ll do, and doing it the right way. This is the same way I am leading Intel.”
Intel has been under fire recently, having reduced its headcount in a series of layoffs which have affected over 20,000 workers, or 20% of its workforce.
A huge company policy shift has seen factory job cuts in the US, a move which contradicts President Trump’s goal to expand manufacturing on home soil, which may explain his hostility.
Although it may not feel out of place in the current administration, under any other context the head of state demanding a prominent business leader resign would be extraordinary, and an example of the type of government overreach that libertarian-leaning Republicans especially would likely deem an Orwellian attack on the free-market.
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- China has spent billions of dollars building far too many data centers for AI and compute
- TP-Link TL-WR3602BE router supports file backups with USB 3.0 and works with external hard drives
- Supports phone tethering, hotspot mode, and USB modems to create networks anywhere you go
- External antennas improve signal stability in congested areas like airports, hotels, and conference centers
TP-Link has introduced a new travel-focused networking device designed around Wi-Fi 7 technology.
The TL-WR3602BE WiFi router is billed as a dual-band travel router with combined speeds reaching 3.6 Gbps, including 2882 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band.
In principle, this bandwidth should be more than enough to support streaming, large file transfers, and cloud-based productivity tools.
High-speed performance in a compact frameTP-Link claims this portable WiFi router can even be converted to a power bank with its Type-C interface.
This device allows users to share and back up files on their private network because it supports external hard drives, which can be connected via its USB 3.0 port.
What makes this stand out from typical travel routers is its integration of WiFi 7 features like Multi-Link Operation and 4K-QAM, which aim to provide greater stability and efficiency even in crowded networks like hotels or conference centers.
Despite its high-end specs, this is still a travel device, built small enough to fit in a bag or even a pocket.
It is equipped with one 2.5 Gbps WAN port and one standard Gigabit LAN port, providing the kind of flexibility required for on-the-go networking setups.
It also supports USB tethering and 3G-4G USB external modems, hotspot, access point, range extender, and client, making it possible to create a network in places without conventional infrastructure.
A major selling point of this router is its support for OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, giving it the potential to function as a secure router even when connecting to public networks.
Some VPN providers like NordVPN and Surfshark are already integrated into the device’s interface, reducing the need for manual configuration.
The inclusion of a hardware switch to toggle features like VPN or guest access could prove practical for users who value quick access to privacy controls.
For small businesses, this could make the TL-WR3602BE a viable SMB router when mobility is essential.
Although the router supports seven operating modes and offers a user-friendly setup via mobile app or browser, it's still a niche product.
For all its features, it’s unlikely to replace a fixed-line connection or a full-featured office router, but should perform just fine for remote workers who need something between a phone hotspot and enterprise equipment.
This device is currently available on Amazon for $109.99 if you use the coupon code 30WIFI7 - but be warned, the code will expire on August 31, or whenever the product runs out of stock.
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- Nvidia chips under investigation as China questions hidden access in H20 hardware
- Beijing summons Nvidia after US proposals ignited fears of remote chip surveillance capability
- TSMC is still building chips for Nvidia, despite regulatory heat and uncertainty in China
Nvidia’s position in the global AI hardware market could soon be under scrutiny following news of an investigation from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
The Chinese regulator has summoned the American chipmaker to explain potential “backdoor” risks in its H20 chips, developed specifically for China after US export restrictions disrupted prior sales of high-end AI processors.
The concern stems from US legislative moves proposing location verification systems on chips intended for export, which Chinese authorities fear could compromise data sovereignty and user privacy.
Mounting suspicionWhile Nvidia has firmly denied the existence of any such vulnerabilities, the Chinese government’s decision to interrogate the issue introduces a new layer of uncertainty into the company’s already complex relationship with its second-largest market.
The regulator has not detailed any specific actions it plans to take, but the call to clarify potential security flaws suggests the company’s access to Chinese institutions could face added friction.
Nvidia’s official position has remained consistent: its chips do not contain any embedded features that could allow remote access or control.
In its own words, “Cybersecurity is critically important to us,” and no “backdoors” exist in Nvidia hardware.
However, this reassurance may not be enough to shift growing skepticism, especially as U.S. and Chinese policies around technology exports continue to diverge.
Meanwhile, Chinese analysts have suggested the move could be a political gesture, mirroring concerns the US has raised about Chinese tech in recent years.
What’s notable is that even amid rising tensions, Nvidia continues to see robust demand for the H20 chip within China.
The company has reportedly ordered 300,000 units from TSMC, reflecting the chip’s ongoing relevance to Chinese developers, research institutes, and universities, all of which rely heavily on high-performance AI chips to drive local advancements.
Even military and state-backed projects are known to use Nvidia technology.
Despite public optimism and high-profile visits by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to China, the broader regulatory environment is increasingly unpredictable.
The regulator is also looking into the acquisition of Israeli chip designer, Mellanox Technologies, claiming Nvidia violated some of the terms in the 2020 conditional approval of the deal.
Supply chain uncertainty, potential import limits, or changes in licensing rules could eventually impact hardware availability and cost.
As both nations dig deeper into their technology standoffs, Nvidia’s global leadership in AI hardware is no longer guaranteed to go unchallenged.
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- Qualcomm is building server racks and CPUs, eyeing AI inferencing clusters in hyperscale data center
- Qualcomm's promised CPU might arrive in 2028, well after rivals have scaled infrastructure
- But investors weren’t excited by Qualcomm’s data center plans, as share prices dipped on earnings release
Qualcomm may finally be ready to move beyond its mobile stronghold and take a real step into the data center market.
During its recent Q3 earnings call, the company confirmed it is in “advanced discussions” with a hyperscale customer regarding new silicon targeted at server infrastructure.
This could mark a significant shift for the firm, which has long teased ambitions to bring ARM-compatible processors into cloud computing spaces but never quite followed through at scale.
Ambitions grow, but execution will be criticalQualcomm's CEO Cristiano Amon framed the moment as an opportunity created by the evolving nature of AI workloads, arguing cloud service providers are increasingly focused on efficiency metrics like tokens per watt and tokens per dollar, not just performance.
This, coupled with a broader industry move away from x86 CPUs toward custom ARM-based alternatives, might finally give Qualcomm the entry point it has been looking for.
However, the market is already crowded with established players who have been building dedicated AI infrastructure for years, and Qualcomm will need more than ambition to earn meaningful traction.
Amon explained the company is developing “a general purpose CPU” aimed squarely at hyperscalers.
“While we are in the early stages of this expansion, we are engaged with multiple potential customers and are currently in advanced discussions with a leading hyperscaler,” he said, “If successful, we expect revenues to begin in the fiscal 2028 timeframe."
Amon also mentioned other projects, including accelerator cards and even full server racks, additions which are intended to support AI inferencing clusters, signaling Qualcomm is aiming to become more than just a CPU vendor.
Still, questions remain about the timeline and competitiveness of such efforts.
While Qualcomm expects revenue from this move to begin around fiscal 2028, that delay might leave it trailing behind more entrenched rivals like Broadcom, whose own custom accelerator business appears to be scaling aggressively.
Despite the optimistic tone of the announcement, investor reaction was muted.
Qualcomm's stock briefly dipped following the earnings release, suggesting that the market remains cautious about the viability of its expansion plans.
The company’s PC business, while showing modest gains, remains small - its share of premium Windows laptops has reached only nine percent, and there’s little indication yet that it holds the fastest CPU in any major computing category.
Competition also looms back in Qualcomm’s core segment, and its rival, Samsung, has indicated it is preparing to bring its own advanced SoCs into flagship mobile devices by 2026.
This rivalry suggests Qualcomm might be trying to diversify out of necessity, rather than from a position of strength.
For now, Qualcomm’s leap into the workstation and datacenter space is still mostly theoretical.
Whether it can deliver a credible, high-performance CPU and become a serious player in AI infrastructure remains to be seen.
Via The Register
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This week, ChatGPT got an upgrade, and Tom Holland swung back into action as Spider-Man.
To catch up on all this and more from the world of tech and entertainment, scroll down for our weekly ICYMI round-up. There are some big stories you won't want to miss.
Once you're all up to speed, be sure to also read our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (August 8).
7. Spider-Man swung into actionFilming is officially underway on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with people flocking to Glasgow to catch glimpses of the web-slinger in action.
We got a sneak peek at the new suit, which looks to pay homage to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's live-action iterations of the character.
We also saw that the flick will involve the first usage of practical webslinging in one of the webslinger's solo MCU movies.
Lastly, we might have gotten a tease of the principal villain of the movie: Mister Negative, as tanks driving through the set are emblazoned with a logo that resembles the Inner Demons logo associated with Negative’s forces.
6. Samsung leaked its own earbuds(Image credit: Samsung Panama)Oh Samsung, you were doing so well! Having seemingly quashed the Evan Blass image leak in July, it looked as if all noted tipsters had been warned and deterred. But then, oopsie, a half-finished product listing with pricing and images goes live – on Samsung’s own Panama site.
Two colors are shown (white and a very dark gray), and the price, in Panama at least, is listed as $129. We’re trying very hard not to make a bad joke about the Panama Ear Canal, but at times like thes,e it really is best to laugh.
The Galaxy Buds 3 FE also appears to have silicone ear tips, but everything else is still guesswork since the product page doesn't include any actual specs or features, which is yet another indication that somebody hit the ‘publish’ button too early.
The Buds 3 FE are the follow-up to the original Buds FE or 'Fan Edition'. That's right, there's no Buds 2 FE, so we really thought Samsung was handling the launch of this potentially confusing iteration with delicacy and care…
This week, Sonos announced that “later this year, we plan to raise prices” in response to US tariffs.
While the company no longer makes most of its products in China – which is currently facing a 30% tariff – it makes its tech in Vietnam and Malaysia, which are facing 20% and 19% tariffs, respectively (based on rates as of the time of writing on August 7).
Precisely how much of a cost increase the actual speakers will see is yet to be announced, and we don’t yet know exactly when the price hike will come either, but unless things change, it looks like a price hike is coming – so you might want to buy a Sonos speaker sooner rather than later.
4. Harman Kardon took on Sonos(Image credit: Future)Audio Advice Live is a US-based consumer audio and video show held annually in Raleigh, North Carolina, and at this year’s event, which ran from August 1-3, 2025, we had the opportunity to check out Harman Kardon’s forthcoming Enchant series soundbars and wireless speakers.
The big news about the Enchant series is that it carries many of the same great features found in Sonos soundbars and speakers, including multi-room playback and app-based control. But the Enchant soundbars go beyond popular Sonos models, such as the Sonos Arc Ultra, in offering both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, along with an HDMI pass-through input for connecting an external device like an Xbox Series X or PS5 console.
Is the Enchant series primed to topple Sonos? We won’t know that until we get our hands on a system for review, but if Harman Kardon can nail the app part of the equation – a recent pain point for Sonos and its customer base – it could provide a compelling alternative to the Sonos multi-room ecosystem.
3. The Z Flip 7 was torturedSince their launch, we, like many other testers, have been putting the new Samsung foldables through their paces. But some testers take things to an extreme when it comes to judging durability.
JerryRigEverything seriously put Samsung’s new foldable through its paces with a test that involved setting fire to the phone screens, bathing the gadget in dirt, and attempting to scratch every surface with a knife – before trying to snap the phone in half.
Somehow, the Z Flip 7 survived, but it just goes to show that foldables aren’t as flimsy as they once were.
2. Microsoft teased the future of Windows(Image credit: 2p2play / Shutterstock / Microsoft)A Microsoft exec shared his vision of Windows in 2030, making the rather bold claim that we’ll not be using keyboards and mice to interact with our computers by then, but rather using our voice and AI. We’ve heard this before (remember when virtual assistants like Cortana [RIP] were going to do everything for us with simple voice commands?), and I’m not convinced.
I don’t want to be speaking to my computer when I’m alone, let alone in a busy place or office, and there’s a reason we still use keyboards, mice, and trackpads decades after these peripherals were created: they remain the fastest and most convenient way to interact with our computers for a lot of people.
1. ChatGPT-5 launched(Image credit: OpenAI)After hyping up its creation for the past couple of weeks, even saying it scared them, Sam Altman and OpenAI finally unveiled GPT-5 – the latest version of the digital brain which powers ChatGPT.
As expected, GPT-5 is said to be better than its predecessor, apparently being more reliable than before – being more honest with gaps in its knowledge rather than lying, or hallucinating, as it’s called for AI – and it’s also meant to be better at maths and coding, making it a more useful vibe coding partner.
Not everyone is happy, however. Many users have taken to social media to call the new bot “horrible” as ChatGPT now only gives shorter answers with less personality, and the prompt cap seems lower, too.
It might not do much to make affected users feel better about the situation, but OpenAI did at least warn of just this ahead of GPT-5’s launch: teasing “probable hiccups and capacity crunches,” as Sam Altman put it.
- GPT-4o is coming back for ChatGPT Plus users
- There have been plenty of complaints about GPT-5
- OpenAI is looking at ways to improve the new model
When OpenAI rolled out its shiny new GPT-5 model for ChatGPT earlier this week, the plan was to have it replace all of the older models for both free and paying users – but now GPT-4o is being brought back in response to a significant number of user complaints.
"We for sure underestimated how much some of the things that people like in GPT-4o matter to them, even if GPT-5 performs better in most ways," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on social media, after announcing GPT-4o would be sticking around.
However, it's not clear just how long the GPT-4o reprieve will be for, and it's only going to remain available for those on the $20-per-month ChatGPT Plus plan. "We will watch usage as we think about how long to offer legacy models for," Altman said.
There were other updates from Altman as well: GPT-5 rate limits are being doubled for ChatGPT Plus users, and some behind-the-scenes upgrades are making GPT-5 "smarter" too, as the latest model continues to roll out to everyone.
'An overworked secretary'GPT-5 rollout updates:*We are going to double GPT-5 rate limits for ChatGPT Plus users as we finish rollout.*We will let Plus users choose to continue to use 4o. We will watch usage as we think about how long to offer legacy models for.*GPT-5 will seem smarter starting…August 8, 2025
As we reported yesterday, the response to GPT-5 from a lot of users has been pretty brutal. It's been labeled "horrible", "insufficient", "obnoxious", "atrocious", like "an overworked secretary", and worse than GPT-4o – with tighter restrictions on how much it can be used.
People aren't happy about GPT-5 either giving shorter responses than previous models, or throwing up multiple responses that the user then has to choose between. If you're using AI to try and save time, it's not ideal.
At least OpenAI is listening to its userbase, with the reintroduction of GPT-4o, though you may not see it immediately in the model picker if you've been upgraded to GPT-5. "Users have very different opinions on the relative strength of GPT-4o vs GPT-5," admits Altman.
The OpenAI CEO also says his team are looking at more ways to provide different personalities and customizations within the same model for users. Watch this space for further tweaks to GPT-5 going forward.
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