Smartphone and laptop speakers often leave music sounding thin and uninspiring, especially when you want to share a track or enjoy it outdoors. The JBL Go 3, priced at $29.95 (was $40), offers a straightforward fix that fits easily into daily routines or weekend escapes. Compact enough to slip into a jacket pocket or clip onto a backpack strap, the speaker measures about 3.4 inches long, 2.7 inches tall, and 1.6 inches deep. It weighs just 0.46 pounds. A sturdy fabric loop on one end turns carrying into a simple clip-on task.

Build quality is all about real-world dependability, or how well it can endure the stresses of daily life. With an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, you can spend the day at the beach without having to worry about sand or pool splashes. Owners routinely travel with these speakers from the city streets to the beach without regard for durability.

Sale

JBL Go 3 – Portable Mini Bluetooth Speaker, big audio and punchy bass, IP67 waterproof and dustproof…

• RICH JBL ORIGINAL PRO SOUND: The legendary JBL signature sound delivers surprisingly big audio and punchy bass from Go 3’s small size.
• ULTRA-PORTABLE DESIGN: JBL Go 3’s ultra-portable design goes great with the latest styles, and its colorful fabrics and expressive details make it…
• 5 HOURS OF PLAYTIME: Don’t sweat the small stuff like charging your battery. Go 3 gives you up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge.

Inside, a single 1.5-inch driver generates 4.2 watts of power, which is more than you’d think from such a little speaker. The vocals and lead instruments are crisp and clear, and the overall sound is just intense enough to get the party started. This thing has it all, whether you prefer rock, pop, electronics, or any other style. The volume can be loud enough to fill a picnic area or a small gathering; however, pushing it too far may cause strain, although at moderate volumes, the ride is relatively smooth.

The battery life is rated at five hours, but in reality, at normal volumes, you can get 8 to 10 hours without having to recharge. In a nutshell, this is what many tests and owner reports have revealed. USB-C charging is quick and efficient, taking about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and you also get a handy little cable for topping up your battery on the go. Bluetooth 5.1 manages the connection nicely, with simple pairing and a reasonable range. Up top, there are buttons for basic playback, volume, power, and other functions.

Ever since Tim Cook announced in April that he’d be stepping down as CEO, the countdown to his planned exit in September began, ahead of the expected iPhone 18 launch. What became Cook’s last year coincided with Apple’s 50th anniversary (which, in hindsight, doesn’t seem like a coincidence), complete with celebrations like a private concert with Paul McCartney.

Given those revelries, we can expect some send-offs at WWDC lauding Cook’s 15 years steering the ship. Apple’s mid-year developer show is always about looking ahead to the next big software updates, but we’d expect some looks back at Cook’s legacy. It’s easy to forget the uncertainty surrounding Cook’s ascension, which coincided with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ passing, but the logistics master leaves the company a multi-trillion-dollar success, with a limited but steady embrace of AI in its software and new products like the iPhone Fold on the horizon. 

With that legacy of stability, we don’t expect much to change at Cook’s last WWDC: more software focused on incremental, continued refinement of the company’s operating systems. For the modest Cook, one last wave as the Apple juggernaut steams ahead seems fitting.

There have been a huge number of new products announced at the High-End audio show, with the world’s largest audio event now coming to end of its first stay in Vienna.

But it remains the same old High-End, showcasing the latest in extravagant hi-fi as well as more affordable kit looking to attract attention.

With plenty of brands launching new kit at the show, we’ve rounded up all the biggest and most important news from the event. Keeping reading for all the latest news from High-End Vienna 2026.

Astell&Kern

Korean audio brand Astell&Kern debuted two new products at High-End Vienna, and as per usual, they’re both expensive and high-specc’d.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The SP4000T continues where the SP3000T left off and goes even further. It’s an industry-first by being the first digital audio player to have Raytheon Jan6418 MIL-Spec vintage vacuum tubes in a Quad configuration. We’re not sure what that means but it does sound fancy.

It also marks A&K’s first dual Wi-Fi antenna design, delivering faster and more stable wireless performance. That is something we can definitely get behind.

Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins took the wraps off its flagship 800 Series loudspeakers, which it says are its most “advanced” loudspeakers yet.

The new D5 range marks the fifth generation of Bowers’ 800 series, describing the new 800 Series Diamond as fusing “acoustic and mechanical excellence with elegant and meaningful design”. The design has been optimised with a new top plate, spine,and plinth, as well as revised drive unit, pods, tweeter body, trim rings and grilles.

The new 800 Series loudspeakers are due to go on sale in September of this year.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Yamaha

Yamaha has returned to the wireless speaker market for the first time in over a decade with the NX-70A.

It’s active wireless speaker full to the brim with Yamaha’s proprietary tech that includes YPAO that adjusts the sound based on the acoustics of the room the speakers are in, the Synergistic Drive that minimises distortion in the audio signal, and drive units made from ZYLON and spruce wood to help reproduce vocals and instruments naturally.

Wirelessly, there’s Spotify Connect, Google Cast, AirPlay 2 and Roon functionality to count on, and there’s HDMI eARC port to connect to a TV.

FiiO

FiiO has launched three new products, but who knows, considering their track record, there could be more.

Advertisement

Advertisement

At the forefront is the JT9 planar magnetic headphones with an open-backed design for desktop listening. The Level 1 is a a desktop amplifier with 300W of power at its disposal, as well as LDAC Bluetooth for streaming; while lastly, there’s the Class A headphone amplifier that’s designed for high-end headphones in mind.

Kanto

Announced back in April after it made its debut at AXPONA, Kanto is previewing its new Tuk Grand speakers at High-End Vienna.

The Tuk Grand sits at the top of Kanto’s latest range and features a larger cabinet than the previous model, with a 6-inch aluminium concave woofer to handle the lows and an Air Motion Transformer tweeter for treble. Peak power output is rated at 320W, and the Tuk Grand comes with Bluetooth connectivity with aptX HD and aptX Adaptive streaming.

Also on show will be redesigned, active speaker versions of Tuk, Yu6, and Yu4, alongside passive versions of the same speakers.

JBL

Advertisement

JBL took the wraps off its most ambitious loudspeakers yet with the unveiling of its next-generation Summit Everest and Summit K2.

Advertisement

The Summit Everest sits at the top of the stack, carrying forward the legacy of four previous Everest generations. It uses a redesigned mid and high-frequency system built around JBL compression drivers and a large-format HDI horn.

Slightly lower in the range, the Summit K2 follows a similar design philosophy, useing JBL’s compression driver system and HDI horn design, paired with a 15-inch woofer and 10-inch mid-bass driver. This approach aims to deliver the same sense of scale and clarity as the Summit Everest, but in a smaller footprint.

KLH Audio

The Model 4 joins the Model 3 and Model 5 speakers from the American heritage loudspeaker brand, and makes its debut at High-End.

It’s a loudspeaker that combines attributes of the Model 3 and 5 into one speaker enclosure, utilising the smaller footprint of the Model 3 and sonic architecture of the Model 5 to create a speaker for rooms where there’s not as much space but high fidelity is still paramount when it comes to listening sessions.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Arcam

Another company marking an anniversary this year is Arcam, and its celebrating the occasion with two new high-end audio launches in the A50 Signature integrated amplifier and the CD25 CD player.

Arcam has positioned both devices as a continuation of its current Radia Series, with a clear focus on modern system flexibility, refined engineering, and high-end performance.

The A50 Signature is the new flagship integrated amplifier, and the most advanced Class G model Arcam has released to date. The CD25 is the first Arcam CD player since the FMJ D33 DAC to use a dual-mono DAC architecture, with ESS Hyperstream 4 technology onboard to improve channel separation and deliver more controlled dynamics in standard CD playback.

iFi Audio

It wouldn’t be an High-End event without iFi Audio launching yet another product, and in Vienna it’ll be previewing the iDSD GR2, which replaces the five-star xDSD Gryphon.

Advertisement

The iDSD GR2 has been rebuilt from the ground up from the Gryphon, with iFi describing it as its most capable true-portable DAC/amp so far.

Advertisement

Upgrades include new DAC architecture, a fully balanced amplification stage, support for lossless Bluetooth audio, and a new colour OLED touchscreen interface for making adjustments to settings.

Also announced at the show was the Go Link 2 Max, a USB-C dongle that can transform “your phone, laptop, or PC into a powerful high-resolution audio source”.

Topping

Topping is a brand you may not have heard of but it’s having an impact with hi-fi kit that offers more value than the price point suggests. The E50 II brings higher-end features to a more affordable price.

It’s a DAC rather than a headphone amplifier, supports hi-res audio up to 32-bit/768kHz and native DSD512, and Bluetooth support with LDAC and aptX Adaptive onboard. All that for just £199.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Onkyo

Marking 80 years since founder Takeshi Godai established the company in 1946, Onkyo has introduced two anniversary product lines.

The anniversary edition of the Muse Y-50(G) Network Integrated Amplifier takes its visual cues from the Integra M-588, carrying Bordeaux walnut side panels, a Champagne gold aluminium front panel, and a ventilated top plate patterned on the Japanese San Kuzushi motif.

The Muse delivers 250 watts into 4-ohm speakers through an Axign Class D amplifier with MOS FET output. A 5.46-inch colour LCD displaying track information and analogue-style VU meters alongside support for AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect, and TIDAL Connect.

The Creator Series features the GX-30ARC and GX-10DB powered monitors. Each uses Class D amplification with bi-amplification technology that powers the tweeter and woofer independently, with the GX-30ARC featuring Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI ARC, optical, RCA/Phono, Subwoofer Pre-Out, and USB-C connectivity for integration with desktop, gaming, and home theatre setups.

Advertisement

Advertisement

WiiM

WiiM has launched its first ever soundbar and it’s got Sonos in its sights with the WiiM Bar.

We had a sneak peak of this in its prototype form at Bristol Hi-Fi Show, and the finished product is functionally the same as we saw it earlier in the year. It transfers the porthole display from the WiiM Sound speaker with a 2.1-inch effort that is also a touch screen for adjust settings.

It’s a 3.0.2 configuration, and when partnered with the Sound/Sound Lite speakers and the WiiM Sub, can be used in a full 5.1.2 immersive home cinema set-up. Audio support includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

Majority Audio

Majority Audio aims to make modern streaming audio more accessible with its new Link Series.

Advertisement

The entry point is the Link Mini, a small streamer designed to plug into existing speakers, radios, or hi-fi systems. The step up is the Link View, which introduces a 2.1-inch circular touchscreen paired with a rotary control dial.

Advertisement

Above the Link View is the Link Pro, with streaming support, DAB/DAB+ radio, internet radio and HDMI ARC. At the top of the range is the Link Pro Amp that can deliver up to 300W of Class-D power, combining streaming, amplification and radio features in a single unit.

Audio Technica

Audio-Technica has expanded its flagship cartridge line with the AT-MCD1. It’s a moving-coil design built around a one-piece CVD diamond cantilever and stylus construction.

The AT-MCD1 is priced at £9,999 and is available on to buy now.

Jamo

Advertisement

The Jamo name has lain dormant for several years but it’s back and it’s launching several new products in Vienna.

For now, we’re concentrating on its two new speaker series in the Concert Legacy and Concert Element, an evolution of its Concert models from the 1990s.

Advertisement

Developed in Denmark, with the drivers co-designed with Scan-Speak and SEAS; the Concert Legacy zeroes in on performance, while the Concert Element focuses on design. Both series launch in August but you can preview them at High-End.

Cambridge Audio

Cambridge launched the Evo 300, a streaming amplifier “engineered for music lovers who want serious, high-end hi-fi performance and effortless power” All you need to do is add speakers to it.

With Evo 300 300W per channel from its Hypex NCOREx Class D amplification configured in a dual-mono layout, there’s an ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M with audio support up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM, along with DSD512.

Advertisement

Also announced by Cambridge is the availability of a black version of its Evo One wireless speaker.

Advertisement

Meze Audio

Meze Audio is known for its expensive wired headphones, but with the ARTA, it’s pushed the boat out even more in terms of price.

Rinaro has developed a new MZ5 HΩ planar magnetic driver that Meze claims is the highest-impedance planar magnetic headphone driver yet, operating at 225 ohms. Other specs include a frequency response of 3Hz to 115kHz, with distortion below 0.05%. Users can also replace every major part of the headphones to keep them lasting for as long as possible.

The price for the headphones is a stonking £6000 / $6000 / €6000.

Klipsch

Advertisement

Klipsch has two new notable products to note at High End and both speak to its past.

It marks its 80th anniversary by bringing out the Limited Edition 80th Anniversary of the Klipschorn, a modern take on founder Paul W. Klipsch’s original 1946 loudspeaker design. Only 280 pairs will be made.

Advertisement

The second loudspeaker is the Rebellion, the brand’s first compact entry in the Heritage line and directly inspired by Paul W. Klipsch’s original 1958 H8 design. It is a two-way speaker built around a high-efficiency design that Klipsch says it delivers deep bass and crisp, low-distortion highs from a relatively compact cabinet.

Moon

Moon will be showcasing the latest additions to its Compass Collection at High-End.

The Moon 491, in typical Moon fashion, is a Swiss Army knife of hi-fi, taking in network player, preamplifier, DAC, phono stage and headphone amplifier” skills so it can act as the hub “of a high-performance audio system”.

Advertisement

The Moon 461 power amplifier can act as a partner for the 491 network player, pumping out 150W per channel for low distortion and stable performance across a “wide range” of loudspeaker loads. They’ll both be on sale in the UK from July onwards.

Advertisement

Ruark Audio

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Ruark Audio has revealed its R710 Music Console and Talisman-R floor-standing speakers.

The R710 delivers a “clean power output” of up to 200W per channel, and it supports Spotify Connect, Qobuz Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Internet Radio and aptX HD Bluetooth.

The Talisman-R is a two-way, bass reflex design, retaining Ruark’s preference for natural driver materials with a 165mm low throw treated fibre NS+ woofer, plus a 27mm silk dome tweeter.

The R710 Music Console comes in a choice of Fused Walnut or Satin Charcoal Finishes with a suggested retail price of £2199 / €2699. The Talisman-R floostanding speakers are available in the same finishes with an SRP of £1499 / €1799.

Advertisement

Advertisement

DALI

DALI is attending this year’s High-End with a preview of its interesting, upcoming all-in-one speaker system.

The Vega can be placed on a desktop of hung from a wall, with 10 drivers inside to produce sound, plus various streaming inputs and HDMI ARC for those who wish to connect to a TV. With plenty of style and grace, it’s an system that looks like it might give the Focal Hekla Muso some competition.

Clearaudio

Clearaudio unveiled its biggest product line-ups in recent years at High-End, introducing everything from customisable turntables and limited-edition collector models to a new phono stage, power supply and cartridge.

Leading the announcements is the new Elevation Series, comprised of the Elevation 45 and Elevation 55 turntables. Considering the number of products Clearaudio announced, you’re advised to have a look at our write up of everything it launched.

Advertisement

Audeze

Audeze has updated its Manny Marroquin Signature Series with the introduction of the MM-520.

Developed in collaboration with 18-time Grammy-winning mix engineer Manny Marroquin, the MM-520 are at audio professionals for monitoring across different playback systems.

Advertisement

This latest update comes with Audeze’s SLAM technology, short for Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator, which it claims optimises the air pressure inside the earcups to improve low-frequency performance and spatial presentation without altering the neutral character of the sound.

Noble Audio

In a surprise for a premium brand such as Noble Audio, it’s launched a pair of true wireless at what some might describe as ‘normal’ prices.

Advertisement

The Osprey is a true wireless that brings Noble’s high-tech approach down to more affordable levels, with support for ANC, LDAC Bluetooth, and a hybrid driver design that cover the frequency range and deliver the precise and balanced sound that the brand is known for.

You won’t need to be at Vienna to sample them, though, as they’re on sale now.

Advertisement

Also featuring from Noble Audio is its FoKus Artemis over-ear headphones, which rather relying on a single full-range drive unit for sound, the Artemis combines three: a dynamic driver for bass, a balanced armature driver for midrange, and a planar magnetic driver for speed and detail.

Pricing is $899 / £799 / €949 with shipping expected to start in July 2026

Fyne Audio

Fyne Audio is presenting its recently announced Cubitt 5 active speaker at High-End Vienna.

Advertisement

The Cubitt 5 is an active stereo system with 240W of amplification, a built-in phono stage, and HDMI eARC to connect to a TV. There’s no Wi-Fi but there is Bluetooth 5 connectivity with AAC and aptX HD supported for streaming.

Advertisement

Sound is delivered through Fyne’s 5-inch IsoFlare point-source driver, a coaxial design that it says can radiate sound from a single point in space to produce a stereo image that’s consistent across a wide listening area.

The FyneFlute surround technology reduces colouration to improve midrange clarity, and there’s a front-firing bass port also allowing close-to-wall placement without reducing bass loss.

Canor Audio

Canor Audio expanded its Performance series with the introduction two of its Verto D3 DAC and Asterion V3 phono preamplifier.

The Verto D3 is a tube-based digital-to-analogue converter, using a fully balanced dual-mono design and factoring in support for PCM files up to 768kHz and native DSD512 playback.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Asterion V3 is a new tube phono preamplifier aimed at vinyl enthusiasts, and features support for both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, with extensive adjustment options allowing users to tailor performance to different turntable setups.

President Trump signed a national security presidential memorandum on Friday ordering the US military and intelligence agencies to accelerate their adoption of cutting-edge AI. The directive, NSPM-11, establishes a framework for “rapid onboarding of the most advanced AI models from multiple vendors.” It also bars any company from disabling, degrading, or modifying an AI system that warfighters depend on without prior government approval.

That vendor restriction is the most striking provision. It means an AI company cannot pull a deployed model from military use unilaterally, even if the company has safety concerns about how it is being used. The clause lands directly in the context of the Pentagon’s ongoing feud with Anthropic, which was blacklisted as a supply chain risk after refusing to allow its Claude models to be used for autonomous weapons or mass surveillance.

“The men and women who defend our nation deserve the best, most secure and most reliable AI in the world,” said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

The memo also directs Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to issue an updated directive on autonomous weapon systems within 90 days. That update would revise DoD Directive 3000.09, the foundational Pentagon policy governing when and how autonomous and semi-autonomous weapons can be used, including requirements for human judgment before lethal force is applied.

There are stated limits. The memo prohibits defence agencies from creating or releasing AI models designed to “censor free speech, embed ideological bias or conduct unlawful surveillance against the American people.” But it does not define those terms or explain how compliance would be enforced.

The directive follows Tuesday’s executive order that established a voluntary 30-day review window for frontier AI models before public release. Together, the two documents outline a dual approach: light-touch regulation for the commercial sector and aggressive adoption for the military.

The “multiple vendors” language signals a shift away from single-provider dependency. Until recently, Anthropic was the only AI vendor approved for classified military use. After the Pentagon signed classified deals with Nvidia, Microsoft, and AWS, the administration is now formalising a multi-vendor approach.

The memo makes accountability central. Commanders, directors, and agency heads remain responsible for ensuring AI is used in line with its stated obligations. Annual reviews of key guidance across the national security enterprise are required to keep pace with the AI frontier. Whether those reviews will be meaningful or performative remains an open question.

WWDC’s keynote will celebrate macOS 27, but it will also be a funeral for Intel Macs. The final countdown for their apps starts tomorrow.

The introduction of Apple Silicon immediately put a timer on the Intel Mac experience. Apple Silicon was the company’s new direction, and that everyone should migrate that way or be left behind.

Evolve or die. Except less morbid and that it really dealt with software and hardware support.

As the years have progressed, the migration to an Apple Silicon existence has marched onward. There’s no signs of it stopping until it reaches the end, when Apple no longer actually supports any Intel Mac at all with its operating systems and software.

Cupertino’s multi-year impression of the Terminator crossed with the Borg has already claimed some scalps. In 2025’s WWDC Platforms State of the Union address, Apple confirmed macOS 26 Tahoe will be the last major release to include native support for Intel Macs.

That means macOS Tahoe is the last Apple-created operating system you can install on Macs using an Intel chip.

Hardware communities such as OpenCore and Hackintosh users have braced for the end for over a year already. They all know that, hardware-wise, the time has come.

Intel hardware won’t be making the move to macOS 27. Software that uses it, though, will.

Rosetta 2 goes on, for now

Reusing a trick from a previous architecture transition, Rosetta 2 is a macOS feature that translates Intel-based Mac apps to run on Apple Silicon Macs. This is handled automatically, and without modifying the source code of the app itself.

There’s a small performance hit, but otherwise the app runs fine.

The whole point of Rosetta 2 was to buy some time for both app developers and Mac users. The users get to keep running their existing collection of Intel macOS apps, while developers update them to work on Apple Silicon.

Back in the day, you were asked to install Rosetta 2 if you ran an Intel app on an Apple Silicon Mac. – Image Credit: Apple

Advertisement

Developers also benefited from a universal app, namely an app package that contained both Intel and Apple Silicon versions. To users, they wouldn’t have to remember whether they were using an Intel or Apple Silicon Mac, as they’d just install one app.

While you can expect universal apps to hang around for a few more years, Rosetta 2 won’t last as long.

During the same Platforms State of the Union address, Apple told developers that they need to get their apps supporting Apple Silicon in time for macOS 28.

This doesn’t mean that Rosetta 2 will be killed off entirely. Really, it’s only being scaled back to only support legacy apps that won’t get updated again, like really old games.

Don’t worry, your game saves are probably going to be playable for a while longer. To developers, this means embracing Apple Silicon if they haven’t already done so, assuming they care about their game.

Developers don’t have to go full Apple Silicon either, as they can still service Intel Mac users with the universal app package. This is especially good for apps that have a very large user base, who may be more likely to hold onto their older hardware.

They just can’t expect to produce just Intel-only apps and expect to build their audience.

Update your damned apps, people

While developers have their marching orders from Apple, it’s only half of the audience that should pay attention. End users should, too.

Like many other long-time users of Apple’s ecosystem, AppleInsider is a collection of digital packrats. We have excessive software collections, including apps and tools that are probably old enough to vote.

However, many users will be thinking that their existing apps are already fine, because they run on their Apple Silicon hardware. But, if they’re Intel-only apps, they’re running through Rosetta 2, which makes them a ticking timebomb of annoyance.

Universal apps support both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

Updating the apps is a pretty straightforward way to migrate, but there’s no guarantee that the apps will switch to an Apple Silicon version. It’s easy to check your own Mac app collection for compatibility, too.

Many developers have already made the jump, with DoesItARM.com listing 52.2% of apps as running natively on Apple Silicon. If we factor out the 38.4% of questionable listings that “need info,” that works out to be a massive 84.7% of apps on the site being Apple Silicon-native.

That is a very encouraging sign, but there’s also 7.4% that work on Rosetta, or 12% if we ignore the “need info” group. While the current “unsupported” group is 2%, that will raise significantly if these Rosetta-needing apps don’t get an Apple Silicon alternative.

There’s also the issue of trusting a developer or a company leaving it late to bring out an Apple Silicon-supporting version of an app. If they’re this late to the party already, there may be other things to worry about on the horizon.

You may have a year to still comfortably use your apps, but seriously consider giving your library a check-through for any Intel-only apps. You’ll have plenty of time to either nag the developers to see sense, or to replace the stragglers with an alternative.

To be fair, you should act like a digital Marie Kondo and get rid of apps that don’t spark “joy” anyway.

Hardware hangups

This is, of course, discussed from the angle of users who have already moved to Apple Silicon. I do have to acknowledge that there are some who are still using Intel Macs, and don’t really intend to make the upgrade.

For computer archivists and historians, and those into retro computing in general, it’s completely understandable to use the older hardware. There’s no argument about that at all.

But, for those who have paid a lot for their Intel Mac and feel it still suits them fine, I implore you to check out Apple Silicon.

The last Intel Mac was the Mac Pro sold in 2023

The claims during the launch of it being much faster than Intel were true. Years and multiple chip generations later, things have only become faster and better.

Sure, there’s the sunk-cost fallacy to deal with, in that you want to get your money’s worth from spending thousands on a Mac Pro.

Yes, we understand that the Mac Pro has its place as an upgradable computer for specialized applications. But really, it was a status symbol that can now be outpaced by a suitably kitted-out MacBook Pro.

The performance gains, even from models that aren’t top-of-the-line, is very real and should be considered. You’ll get over what you spent on your previous Mac, eventually.

Even if your Intel Mac is a mission-critical system for your business, seriously think about making the change. At some point, the metaphorical wheels will come off that wagon, and preventative upgrades are better than dealing with a potentially expensive cure, accompanied by severe downtime.

Monday’s WWDC keynote and Platforms State of the Union will introduce many new shiny features and a massive amount of AI news. What it also brings is the end of Intel hardware updates, and Apple’s preparation to sound the death knell for Intel apps.

It’s two messages that users may miss, but really should listen out for.

Last week’s Sunday Reboot asked Craig Federighi to make the WWDC announcements a little less AI-focused, and to make AI actually matter for once.

The Silent Ransom Group extortion gang is actively targeting U.S. law firms and professional services organizations in social engineering attacks that often lead to data theft within hours of initial contact, according to a new report by cybersecurity firm Mandiant.

The report follows an FBI FLASH advisory published last week warning that the Silent Ransom Group was targeting U.S. law firms in social engineering and even in-person data theft attacks, with Mandiant now providing additional technical details about how the intrusions are conducted.

Mandiant says the threat group, tracked as UNC3753, Luna Moth, and Chatty Spider, targeted dozens of organizations across the legal, financial, and professional services sectors between January and May 2026. 

Mandiant warned that legal firms remain especially attractive targets because they store large volumes of highly sensitive client information and may feel pressured to resolve extortion incidents to avoid reputational and regulatory damage.

“Legal services firms represent high-value targets for extortion actors. They maintain concentrated repositories of extremely sensitive client transaction files, merger and acquisition plans, client trade secrets, and corporate regulatory reports,” explains Mandiant. 

“Threat groups recognize that legal entities are subject to heavy reputational and regulatory exposure and may be highly motivated to resolve extortion situations quietly to protect their professional standing.”

The researchers say the attacks begin with invoice-themed phishing emails from consumer email accounts. These emails do not contain malicious links or attachments and instead serve as a precursor for follow-up phone calls from attackers impersonating corporate IT staff.

Conducting attacks via voice calls has been an ongoing tactic by these threat actors for years, which they previously used in BazarCall social engineering campaigns tied to Ryuk and Conti ransomware attacks. A callback phishing attack is when threat actors send benign-looking phishing emails containing alarming or IT-related lures that prompt the recipient to call them back at an enclosed phone number.

In the current campaign, the Silent Ransom Group impersonates IT help desks and convinces employees to join remote support sessions via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Quick Assist, or Microsoft Terminal Services.

During these sessions, the threat actors trick the target into installing remote monitoring and management tools such as AnyDesk, Zoho Assist, Bomgar, or SuperOps, thereby granting them initial access to the corporate network.

Mandiant also discovered phishing domains tied to the campaign that impersonate internal IT portals using naming patterns such as:

-itdesk[.]com
-it[.]com
-helpdesk[.]com

The researchers say the threat actors also use privnote[.]com, a self-destructing messaging service, to share installation links and commands with targets during remote support sessions. According to Mandiant, this tactic helps reduce forensic artifacts left in browser histories or corporate chat logs.

Once inside a network, the group searches for sensitive legal and financial documents, including contracts, tax records, Social Security numbers, and merger or acquisition files. The attackers commonly target document management platforms and cloud storage repositories before exfiltrating the data using tools such as WinSCP or Rclone.

Mandiant says the extortion operation is highly aggressive, with ransom demands often arriving within 30 minutes of the attackers leaving the victim environment. 

“These highly aggressive extortion letters give organizations a three-day deadline to respond and initiate ransom negotiations. If the victim organization is unresponsive, the threat actors declare they will call and email target employees and external clients directly to alert them of the data breach,” reports Mandiant.

“The extortion letters explicitly emphasize that the leak will compromise client trust, invite substantial regulatory fines, and suggest that external clients sue the victim organization for data mishandling.”

The report also references the FBI’s recent advisory in which law enforcement warned that the Silent Ransom Group was targeting U.S. law firms with in-person data theft attacks.

According to the FBI, attackers impersonate internal IT staff over phone calls and emails, then attempt to gain remote access or physically visit offices to “image” computers or create backups while secretly stealing files.

While Mandiant said there was limited forensic evidence, the researchers believe these in-person attacks are likely linked to UNC3753 based on similarities in targeting, timelines, and operational behavior.

The Silent Ransom Group has been active since at least 2022, when it was part of the Ryuk and Conti cybercrime syndicate. 

As previously reported by BleepingComputer, the threat actors were previously linked to BazarCall callback phishing campaigns that provided initial access in Conti and Ryuk ransomware attacks.

After the Conti syndicate shut down in 2022, the group shifted to standalone data theft and extortion operations under the Silent Ransom Group branding.

Researchers say the group no longer relies on traditional ransomware encryption and instead focuses entirely on data-theft extortion, in which they steal sensitive data and pressure victims into paying to prevent leaks.

A separate report released this week by Resecurity found that the gang is also operating fast-flux infrastructure to hide and protect its data-leak platforms.

DNS fast flux is a method where attackers constantly rotate a domain’s IP addresses through a large pool of compromised devices to hide their infrastructure and make takedowns or blocking far more difficult.

According to the company, the infrastructure uses residential IP addresses across multiple countries and ISPs to make takedowns more difficult.

Resecurity said the group’s “business-data-leaks[.]com” leak site and related infrastructure rely on residential proxy networks spread across Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Asia. The researchers also linked the infrastructure to other cybercrime-related services and domains.

To defend against the attacks, both Mandiant and the FBI recommend implementing strict verification procedures for IT support interactions, limiting remote access tools, enforcing MFA, restricting USB storage devices, and training employees to recognize voice phishing attempts.

For organizations looking to defend against phishing, BEC, and account takeover attacks, BleepingComputer is hosting a webinar with Abnormal titled “Stop chasing alerts: Automating email security with behavioral AI.“

The webinar will explore how behavioral AI can help security teams detect and respond to modern phishing attacks, automate investigations and remediation, and reduce the operational burden caused by alert fatigue and increasingly sophisticated social engineering campaigns.

Security teams log 54% of successful attacks and alert on just 14%. The rest move through your environment unseen.

The Picus whitepaper shows how breach and attack simulation tests your SIEM and EDR rules so threats stop slipping by detection.

Get the whitepaper

Here’s the thing. I’ve reviewed loads of the best PS5 controllers, including a bunch of those at the premium price level, including the Razer Raiju V3 Pro, DualSense Edge, and the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded. The Scuf Omega hasn’t outshone any of them in my testing, even though, on paper, it should win out with its feature set and customization options.

So, where has Scuf gone wrong? Much of it comes down to build quality. While it’s solid enough in the hands – and actually very comfortable – most individual parts can be removed, like the faceplate, touchpad plate, d-pad, face buttons, and the thumbsticks. In isolation, these parts (and the accessories included in the box, like button and paddle blanks and optional long-shaft thumbsticks) feel cheap and flimsy.

Latest Videos From

I’m also not at all a fan of the optional paddle buttons on the sides of the controller. These are far too easy to press accidentally, and because they come pre-mapped out of the box, even gently tapping one mid-game can feel like the video game equivalent of stepping on a Lego brick.

After years of forcing Bing into nearly every corner of Windows Search, Microsoft may finally be giving users a way out. The company is reportedly testing changes in Windows 11 that would allow people to completely disable Bing-powered web results from the operating system’s built-in Search experience.

For many PC users, this is a long-overdue change. Windows Search has spent years blending local file searches with Bing suggestions, online results, news links, and Microsoft services – often frustrating users who simply wanted to find an app, document, or system setting on their computer.

According to a report by PCMag, Microsoft is now introducing options that separate local Windows search functionality from Bing’s web integration. That means users could eventually type into the Start menu or taskbar and receive only local PC results instead of being pushed toward online Bing content.

The shift appears connected to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is forcing major technology companies to provide users with greater control over bundled services and platform defaults. Microsoft has already begun making several Europe-specific Windows changes, including easier browser switching and fewer prompts pushing Edge and Bing.

Windows Search may finally become simpler again

For years, Windows users criticized Microsoft for aggressively integrating Bing into Windows Search, even when it reduced usability. Searching for local files could surface unrelated web links, online recommendations, or Bing-powered suggestions that many users never wanted in the first place.

The frustration became even more noticeable after Microsoft began integrating AI-powered Bing and Copilot features directly into Windows 11. While the company positioned those additions as productivity enhancements, many users felt Windows Search became increasingly cluttered and less focused on core desktop functionality.

The reported update could significantly improve the experience for people who mainly use Search to launch apps, locate files, or navigate Windows settings. Removing Bing integration may also improve responsiveness and reduce unnecessary online queries happening in the background.

For Microsoft, however, the move represents something larger than just a settings toggle. Bing has long been a strategic part of the company’s ecosystem push, helping drive users toward Microsoft services, search advertising, Edge, and now AI-powered Copilot experiences.

Allowing users to disable Bing more freely suggests regulators are having a measurable impact on how Microsoft designs Windows.

Microsoft still wants AI everywhere in Windows

Even with the potential Bing removal option, Microsoft is not stepping away from AI or online integrations inside Windows 11. The company continues investing heavily in Copilot and AI-powered productivity tools, which remain central to its long-term strategy for Windows.

That means the upcoming changes are less about abandoning Bing entirely and more about giving users additional control over how deeply Microsoft services are integrated into the desktop experience.

The bigger question now is whether these Bing-removal features remain limited to Europe due to DMA compliance or eventually expand worldwide. If Microsoft rolls the option out globally, it could become one of the most user-friendly Windows Search changes in years.

For longtime Windows users, though, the update already feels symbolic. After years of Microsoft insisting Bing belonged inside Windows Search, users may finally get the choice they have been requesting all along: the ability to search their PC without Microsoft’s search engine constantly getting in the way.

The Poke app will give Siri even more competition, as it lets you send emails, set reminders, generate images, and more, right from the Apple Messages app.

WWDC 2026 is right around the corner, and it’s been rumored that Apple is working on improving support for third-party AI utilities in iOS 27. We may just have gotten a better idea of what the future of iOS might entail, as the iPhone now supports AI agents in the Messages app

Following its public launch in March 2026, the proactive AI assistant Poke has now become the first third-party AI agent officially available via iMessage. It’s offered via the Apple Messages for Business platform, originally designed to let companies reach customers via Apple Messages for Business.

The Interaction Company of California, the startup that created Poke, posted a video on X detailing what its AI agent can do via the Apple Messages app.

Say hi to the new Poke!

Now officially approved by Apple to text on Apple Messages.

As the first and only AI agent. Chat now: https://t.co/VIWYU64dUI pic.twitter.com/AtZxupI2Ji

— Poke (@interaction) June 4, 2026

In essence, Poke can help you respond to emails, including those about potential events. If someone wants to schedule dinner with you, for instance, Poke can help you select the date, time, type of food, restaurant, and more. It can also schedule reminders for you.

Additionally, Poke can conduct web searches, generate and edit images, set up automations, check you in for domestic flights, track flight deals, and a lot more. The Poke service is also capable of generating QR codes, YouTube video summaries in transcript form, and controlling Philips Hue smart lights and Sonos speakers.

Compatibility with other third-party services and products, like the Oura smart Ring, Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, GitHub, Strava, and Navan, is also built in.

While it might not be as impressive as the Google Gemini features previewed in May 2026, Poke’s Apple Messages for Business integration represents a welcome addition to the iPhone.

How to set up Poke

As for what Poke costs users, the service’s FAQ page says that “Poke sets pricing through negotiation with you, so keep chatting until you agree on a price!” In essence, Poke will conduct light actions, process manual prompts, and do background tasks for free, but any intensive requests will require payment.

To use Poke, you will need to create an account with your phone number or Telegram. More detailed descriptions of Poke’s features and capabilities are available via the Poke.com website.

Aside from Siri and its built-in ChatGPT integration, iPhone users now have even more options when it comes to AI agents on iOS. Poke is likely the first of many AI agents that will be available via the Apple Messages app going forward.

The upcoming iOS 27 update might allow for even greater freedom of choice, giving iOS users the option to select AI agents with integration and capabilities rivaling the Apple-designed Siri.

A San Francisco Airbnb host is suing The Bot Company, the $2 billion robotics startup founded by ex-Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt, for allegedly using his home as a secret robot testing lab. Sean Donovan claims workers booked his Portola neighbourhood property under false pretences in April, posing as remote workers from Thailand. He is seeking $12,383 in damages.

What Donovan found was not a group of digital nomads. Using his outdoor Ring camera, he counted more than 30 people entering and leaving the house over 11 nights. He overheard some of them discussing their “shifts,” he told SFGate.

When Donovan stopped by to take out the trash, he found bundles of wires leading inside. He followed them and discovered a six-foot robot he described as looking like a “borg” from Star Trek, or a giant “Roomba with treads.” The Bot Company builds household chore robots but has shared almost nothing about its prototypes publicly.

The 💜 of EU tech

The 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!

The damage was extensive. A 70-year-old family dining table was scratched and water-marked. A Franciscan pottery set went missing. A bathroom tile was chipped, a coffee table banged up, and a broken mug had its handle glued back on. An entire shoe rack disappeared. “They came in and put everything back in a new place,” Donovan told SFGate. “Silverware in a new drawer or a different room.”

Vogt co-founded The Bot Company in 2024 with Paril Jain, the former head of Tesla’s AI division. The startup has raised more than $300 million, including a $150 million round led by Greenoaks. It is valued at approximately $2 billion, despite having revealed almost nothing about what it is building.

Vogt’s previous venture did not end well. He was CEO of Cruise, GM’s robotaxi division, which was shut down in 2024 after a series of safety incidents. GM absorbed the technical team and redirected autonomous driving work toward personal vehicles.

There is a legitimate reason to test household robots in real homes rather than sanitised labs. Domestic environments are cluttered, unpredictable, and full of objects that break. But doing it without the property owner’s consent, under a false identity, crosses a line. The lawsuit alleges unauthorised commercial R&D activity, including robotic prototype testing and filming for commercial purposes.

Other robotics companies testing in real-world environments have faced similar scrutiny. Robotaxi operators have been criticised for using public roads as de facto test tracks. The Bot Company appears to have applied the same logic to someone’s living room, and the result was a trashed house and a rare, accidental glimpse at a prototype the company would rather have kept secret.