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As we head further into 2025, the global economic landscape remains a mix of challenges and potential shifts that will shape markets and industries worldwide. From high interest rates to the evolving impact of AI, there are several key factors that will define the year ahead. While there will be friction in some areas, persistence, agility and out-of-the-box thinking will ensure a competitive edge.

The economic slowdown in the European Union (EU) and the UK will likely persist into 2025, with high interest rates continuing to weigh on consumer spending and business investment. Central banks’ inflation-control measures are dampening growth, making a swift recovery unlikely. Governments will be under pressure to boost the economy through fiscal policies, increasing social program spending and infrastructure investments. The success of these efforts will depend on how quickly businesses adjust to a more cost-conscious climate and how consumers respond to rising financial pressures. The balancing act between controlling inflation and sustaining growth will be the key to success in 2025.

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The RISC-V development ecosystem is expanding with the introduction of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS on the HiFive Premier P550, a collaboration between SiFive, ESWIN Computing, and Canonical. This integration brings the power of Linux to developers using the HiFive Premier P550, offering a seamless development experience within the RISC-V ecosystem.

The HiFive Premier P550, initially announced in 2024, now ships with Ubuntu pre-installed. At the heart of the system is the ESWIN-designed EIC7700X SoC, which features a quad-core SiFive P550 Core Complex running at 1.4GHz, currently the highest-performing commercially available RISC-V CPU. The board offers a robust set of features, including up to 32GB of LPDDR5 memory, PCIe expansion slots, dual Gigabit Ethernet, SATA3, five USB 3 ports, and an onboard GPU, making it an attractive option for developers.

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Lenovo has unveiled three forward-thinking retail solutions powered by artificial intelligence and robotics at NRF 2025 in New York City. These innovations aim to help businesses overcome modern challenges while enhancing efficiency, improving customer experiences, and minimizing costs. It’s refreshing to see AI and robotics applied in ways that deliver tangible, positive impacts. Lenovo deserves credit for focusing on practical solutions rather than hype.

One standout offering is Lenovo Retail Content Management Services, which enables retailers to create, schedule, and update multimedia content across in-store screens. This service allows real-time adjustments and targeted messaging, making it easier for businesses to connect with customers while reducing waste from paper-based materials. A major food and beverage chain that adopted the platform across 100 stores saw significant cost savings and improved campaign efficiency.

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Despite being an effective tool for safeguarding sensitive information, encryption remains underutilized by many organizations, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats.

Many companies still rely on perimeter security measures, viewing encryption as optional rather than essential. Misconceptions about the complexity and cost of encryption further hinder its adoption, leading to a reactive approach that often waits for a data breach before taking action.

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For two months or more, users of Microsoft Outlook have been hit by a bug that results in the email client freezing. Unfortunately, the bug is triggered by performing a very common action -- using Ctrl + C to copy text.

Having finally acknowledged the issue in November, Microsoft has now been able to address the problem. Here is what Microsoft 365 users need to know.

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v-color has introduced its DDR5 OC RDIMM modules, which it describes as the first overclockable registered DIMMs. With individual module sizes of 128GB and 256GB, these RDIMMs support configurations reaching up to 2,048GB (2TB) when paired with compatible hardware. Designed to work with GIGABYTE’s AI Top Series TRX50 and W790 motherboards, the modules are intended for tasks like artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and enterprise applications requiring substantial memory resources.

According to v-color, the DDR5 OC RDIMM modules are engineered to address the growing needs of AI and data-focused workloads. The company highlights their compatibility with AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro and Intel Xeon platforms, facilitated by GIGABYTE motherboards. These modules are said to reach speeds of up to 6000MT/s with timings as low as CL38, potentially providing enhanced performance for memory-demanding applications.

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Petcube has announced the launch of its first pet hydration product, the Petcube Water Fountain. Designed for cats and small dog breeds, this new smart device focuses on promoting urinary and kidney health by providing clean, filtered water.

The Petcube Water Fountain uses a UV-C antibacterial light and a 4-layer filtration system to purify water by removing particles, chlorine, and other contaminants. The device also features a cordless magnetic pump, which operates at less than 30 decibels, ensuring quiet performance. Its food-grade plastic tank holds 1.7 liters of water, providing over a week’s supply, and is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

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PNY has introduced its latest DDR5 notebook memory kits, offering improved performance and efficiency for laptops. Available in 64GB (2x32GB) and 32GB (2x16GB) configurations, these memory modules are designed for users seeking faster speeds and smoother multitasking.

Built on the DDR5 standard, this next-generation memory technology offers higher-density modules and faster base frequencies compared to DDR4. PNY’s DDR5 memory operates at 5600MHz, making it well-suited for tasks like gaming, content creation, and other performance-intensive applications.

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SOUNDPEATS has introduced its latest audio product, the PearlClip Pro wireless earbuds. Designed to blend comfort, performance, and affordability, these earbuds aim to enhance daily activities like travel and workouts while delivering exceptional sound quality. With advanced features like a 12mm dual-magnet driver and Bluetooth 5.4, the PearlClip Pro promises a high-quality listening experience at a competitive price.

Each earbud weighs just 5.85g, ensuring lightweight comfort for long periods of use. The unique cuff-like design provides a snug yet pressure-free fit, eliminating the need for traditional ear hooks. Currently available in black, additional colors, including white, purple, and beige, will be released soon.

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The Linux Foundation has announced the launch of "Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers," an initiative aimed at funding and supporting open development within the Chromium ecosystem. The purpose of this effort is to provide resources and foster collaboration among developers, academia, and tech companies to drive the sustainability and innovation of Chromium projects.

As Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, explains, “This project will provide much-needed funding and development support for open development of projects within the Chromium ecosystem.”

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MINISFORUM has announced two new devices at CES 2025 -- the AI X1 Pro Mini PC and the N5 Pro NAS. These products focus on delivering strong performance in small form factors, designed to meet modern computing and storage demands.

The AI X1 Pro Mini PC features the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, which is known for its balance of performance and efficiency. Paired with the AMD Radeon 890M graphics card, the device can handle tasks such as gaming at over 60 frames per second. It also supports Copilot AI functionality, aimed at enhancing productivity by incorporating AI-driven tools. With connectivity options like Dual USB4 and Oculink, the AI X1 Pro Mini PC offers flexibility for various use cases and peripheral connections.

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In 2024, ransomware groups claimed responsibility for 5,461 successful ransomware attacks on organizations worldwide. Of these 1,204 were confirmed by the targeted organizations, according to analysis by Comparitech.

Across the 1,204 confirmed attacks, 195.4 million records have been breached. These figures for 2024 are lower than those recorded in 2023 (1,474 attacks affecting 261.5 million records), though they are expected to rise as reports often come in months later.

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As organizations strive for greater project management efficiency, AI can be a powerful tool to identify inefficiencies, anticipate risks, and improve decision-making. From content creation to data summarization, generative AI (GenAI) transforms how teams work by quickly creating valuable outputs with less effort. For example, a daily sprint report that might take a team member up to an hour to compile can be generated in seconds by AI that is trained to summarize data from multiple sources.

Over time, small efficiencies like these are multiplied, leading to extensive time savings across teams and organizations. By handling repetitive tasks, GenAI models give teams more time to focus on collaboration, strategic thinking, and creative problem-solving.

In large companies, particularly those with high staff turnover or matrixed, cross-functional teams, new team members often face a steep learning curve when adapting to the team’s specific tools and processes. By functioning as a copilot, an ever-present, always-patient expert on all things project management, GenAI can provide answers from both static documentation and real-time data. When getting up to speed in a new role, a manager could ask a GenAI copilot what is happening across a team that could, over time, negatively impact the projects they are working on. The feedback given can help address these issues, reduce the manager’s learning curve, and provide on-the-job training that delivers immediate, actionable insights.

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The Raspberry Pi Foundation has expanded its Raspberry Pi 5 lineup with the launch of a 16GB variant, priced at $120. This new model joins the previously released 4GB and 8GB versions introduced in 2023 and the cheaper 2GB model released last summer.

In a blog post announcing the new model, the company explains that it continues to be impressed by the diverse projects its hardware is being used in.

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Having agreed to pay out $95 million to settle a lawsuit alleging Siri recorded private conversations without consent, Apple has doubled down on its assertion that it has done nothing  wrong.

In a statement entitled “Our longstanding privacy commitment with Siri”, the company stresses it is committed to protecting user privacy. Referring specifically to Siri as “the most private digital assistant”, Apple insists that it “has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose”. 

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