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Pawport has announced its updated Smart Pet Door at CES 2025. The product, designed to modernize existing pet doors, aims to improve security and functionality. It mounts onto current pet doors and connects to a mobile app for remote control and smart home integration.

The company’s new model includes an additional exterior door that works alongside the indoor smart door to enhance security, weatherproofing, and usability. The doors are constructed from powder-coated steel and aluminum and feature dual deadbolts. The updated system also includes tamper alarms and is available in three series -- Standard, Designer, and Signature -- to offer varied price points and design options.

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In November 2024, we covered the reveal of Satechi’s Mac Mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure, a versatile accessory designed to add functionality to Apple’s Mac Mini M4. Today, Satechi has shared the pricing and availability details for its eagerly anticipated product.

This accessory delivers advanced features tailored to meet modern productivity needs. It includes Gen 2 USB-C technology with speeds up to (a theoretical) 10Gbps, USB-A 3.2 and 2.0 ports, and an SD card reader capable of 312MB/s transfer speeds. Additionally, the integrated SSD enclosure supports up to 4TB of NVMe storage, providing ample space for large projects, file backups, and extensive photo or video libraries.

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OWC has released its new Active Optical Cable, aimed at providing reliable long-distance connectivity for Thunderbolt 4/3 and USB4/3/2 devices. Designed to address the limitations of traditional copper cables, this solution offers extended reach without compromising data speed or power delivery. The cable offers bandwidth up to 40Gb/s, support for up to 8K video resolution, and power delivery capabilities of up to 240W.

The Active Optical Cable uses advanced optical fiber technology, overcoming the typical 2-meter distance limitation of copper-based cables. This extended range allows for more flexible device placement, which can be beneficial for reducing noise, creating cleaner workspaces, or optimizing cable management.

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Newly released usage data from the O'Reilly online learning platform reveals that interest in AI-related skills has surged dramatically, with the most pronounced usage increases seen in topics like prompt engineering (456 percent increase), AI principles (386 percent increase), and generative AI (289 percent increase).

Use of content about GitHub Copilot has seen a dramatic increase too, by an impressive 471 percent, reflecting developers’ enthusiasm for tools that enhance productivity.

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JavaScript: The Comprehensive Guide provides a full introduction to JavaScript and web development, starting with the basics of programming and progressing through advanced topics.

The initial chapters introduce JavaScript, exploring its history, its relationship with HTML and CSS, and how to integrate it into web pages. Readers will learn to create and manipulate variables, data types, and operators while controlling the flow of programs using loops and functions.

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The state of high-profile cyber incidents in recent years has highlighted the fact that defenses need to be kept up to date to provide adequate protection.

AI and machine learning have the potential to transform security operations to enhance protection against emerging threats. We spoke to Gurucul CEO Saryu Nayyar to get her view on how protection technologies are evolving and why this is so crucial.

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Millions of computers are heading towards a security crisis as Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Despite this impending deadline, 32 million devices -- roughly 65 percent of household computers in Germany -- are still running the aging operating system. In the DACH region, including Austria and Switzerland, over 35 million systems rely on Windows 10, leaving millions of users exposed to potential cyberattacks once updates stop. By contrast, only about 33 percent of German devices have transitioned to Windows 11, and over a million are still running even older systems like Windows 8, 7, or XP.

Thorsten Urbanski, an IT security expert at ESET, is sounding the alarm. “It’s five minutes to midnight to prevent a security fiasco in 2025. We strongly urge users not to wait until October. Upgrade to Windows 11 now or choose an alternative operating system if your device cannot support the latest version. Otherwise, users are exposing themselves to significant security risks, including dangerous cyberattacks and data breaches.”

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Belkin has introduced a new design for its existing BoostCharge Pro MagSafe Power Bank 5K to celebrate the Year of the Snake. This refreshed version of the popular power bank features a colorful snake-themed pattern symbolizing intelligence and elegance, inspired by the Chinese Zodiac. The updated design is available now through apple.com and select Apple retail stores across Asia and Australia, with a planned launch in the United States and Canada.

The BoostCharge Pro MagSafe Power Bank 5K remains unchanged in functionality, offering the same reliable performance it is known for. Equipped with a 5000mAh battery, it provides up to 16 hours of additional battery life for iPhone 12 and newer models. It supports Qi2 wireless charging, delivering up to 15W when plugged in or 7.5W when used as a standalone battery. Additionally, a USB-C port enables dual-device charging for added convenience.

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BenQ’s gaming brand, Zowie, has revealed the XL2586X+, a 24.1-inch eSports monitor tailored for competitive gaming. With a 1920x1080 resolution, 600Hz refresh rate, and 320-nit brightness, this monitor is designed for gamers who demand fast performance and sharp visuals. It offers a 1000:1 contrast ratio, delivering detailed imagery with deeper blacks and brighter highlights. Connectivity includes three HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4, and a headphone jack, 

The XL2586X+ features several enhancements, including DyAc 2 technology, which uses dual backlights and precise control to minimize ghosting and improve motion clarity. Additionally, a new vivid color film enhances color accuracy by up to 35 percent, addressing common issues with TN panels like color washout and making on-screen elements more visually distinct.

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McAfee has announced that its Deepfake Detector will now come preinstalled on the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip and HP OmniBook X Next-Gen AI PCs. This collaboration aims to address the growing concerns around deepfake videos and the potential for AI-driven scams and misinformation. By integrating advanced AI detection technology directly into consumer devices, McAfee and HP are offering users a way to assess the authenticity of online content.

Deepfakes -- AI-generated videos and audio that mimic real people -- are increasingly used to spread misinformation. McAfee’s Deepfake Detector analyzes video and audio for signs of manipulation using the neural processing unit (NPU) on HP’s Copilot+ PCs. This on-device processing approach enhances privacy by ensuring user data stays local and off the cloud.

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ORICO has introduced its Mac Mini Upgrade Series, a collection of accessories designed to expand the functionality of Apple’s popular Mac Mini M4. Known for its compact design and reliable performance, the Mac Mini arguably falls short when it comes to storage capacity and port availability.

The company’s new lineup offers practical solutions aimed at addressing these limitations for users in fields like graphic design, video editing, and content creation. These accessories provide expanded storage, improved connectivity, and enhanced workspace organization, catering to the needs of modern professionals.

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Apple Fitness+ has expanded its offerings for 2025 with new fitness and mindfulness programs, including strength training, yoga workshops, pickleball conditioning, and breath meditation. The service also features a collaboration with Strava, enhancing how users can share and track their workouts.

Among the updates is the “Three Perfect Weeks of Strength” program, which provides a structured approach to building and maintaining muscle. The program includes progressive overload, time under tension, and dynamic power exercises over three weeks. A new pickleball program led by professional player Catherine Parenteau focuses on strength, endurance, and agility, catering to the growing popularity of the sport.

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AbstractSpoon Software has unveiled a New Year’s gift for fans of its portable Windows to-do manager with the release of ToDoList 9.0.

ToDoList, which provides a range of tools and views for managing to-do lists, is designed to be run from a USB drive allowing access from any Windows PC. It unveils two major new features with this release, along with a host of additions to existing tools.

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Despite not admitting to having done anything wrong, Apple has agreed $95 million in settlement payouts for “unintentional” Siri activations that may have resulted in private conversations being recorded.

The payment agreement comes after years of legal back and forth following reports from users that Siri was “spying” on them after being activated unbidden. The proposed class action lawsuit has its roots in complaints dating back to 2014.

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Most business areas are starting to feel the impact of artificial intelligence, enabling data to be used more effectively to deliver intelligence and outcomes.

Sales, though, has always been about people and building relationships over time, so can AI offer value here too? Nikhil Cheerla, co-founder of sales AI assistant company Nooks, thinks it can, and we talked to him to find out how.

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