DIGITAL LIFE

Fake job offers, international calls, and spoofing: How to avoid phone-based scams?

No one likes receiving unwanted calls, but phone scams have been on the rise in recent years, accompanied by suspicious messages reaching smartphones in various formats designed to deceive potential victims.

From fake job offers and international calls to spoofed numbers, ESET experts warn that—while these situations may seem different—such contacts share a common goal: getting the person on the other end to respond, share information, or take an action that opens the door to a fraudulent scheme.

The goal isn't always to obtain money or data during the initial contact. As researchers from the cybersecurity firm explain, in many cases, this first step merely serves to initiate an interaction and prime the victim for a subsequent action.

For instance, a call from an unknown international number that rings for just a few seconds before disconnecting may be intended to prompt the recipient to call back.

According to ESET, this type of scheme aims to trigger a reaction based on curiosity or concern; depending on the number and service involved, returning the call can result in huge costs for the caller.

Messages advertising supposed job opportunities or ways to earn extra income follow a similar logic. Often, the initial goal isn't to ask for money, but to get the recipient to reply and agree to continue the conversation.

In one case analyzed by the cybersecurity firm, cybercriminals contacted users via WhatsApp with a purported job offer. The initial tasks were simple and came with small rewards, creating the impression that it was a legitimate opportunity.

Once they secure an initial response, scammers can prolong the interaction, build trust, and gradually increase the victim's level of engagement. The approach then evolved to other platforms and, later, to requests for deposits to continue securing the alleged gains.

These scams also include instances where a contact might pose as a bank, a company, a family member, a colleague, or a public entity, using genuine information to make the approach more credible.

Beyond *vishing* cases, the appearance of legitimacy can be reinforced through spoofing—a technique that allows the caller ID to be faked—something entities like ANACOM and the GNR have been warning about.

ESET also emphasizes that AI adds a new dimension to this problem, enabling the creation or imitation of messages, profiles, images, voices, and videos with increasing realism.

How can you avoid falling victim to phone scams?

“Nowadays, a familiar number, a recognizable voice, or a convincing message no longer guarantees that the contact is legitimate,” explains Ricardo Neves, Head of Marketing and Communications at ESET Portugal.

Quoted in a press release, he details that “scammers’ primary goal is often simply to get a response and build trust.” “That is why it is important to pause, verify who is on the other end, and only then take action,” he says.

To help you avoid these scams, ESET experts offer a set of recommendations. First, do not return calls impulsively or provide data, codes, credentials, or financial information during an unexpected contact.

Bearing in mind that caller IDs can be faked via spoofing, you should verify the caller's identity through an official, independent channel—such as the entity's website, app, or official phone number.

Another recommendation is to use a security solution that includes call filtering and protection mechanisms against phishing, fraudulent SMS messages, and malicious connections.

Stop unwanted robocalls and texts...Robocalls are more than an annoyance, they are often the preferred tool of fraudsters. Stopping illegal robocalls is the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) top consumer protection priority.

To restore trust in our phone networks, the FCC is fighting illegal robocalls at every point of a call's journey, from its source to your phone.

This includes empowering carriers to block more illegal robocalls before they reach consumers, giving consumers better tools to distinguish legitimate calls from scams, stepping up enforcement, and disrupting scam calls that originate outside of the United States.

How to avoid phone scams...Scammers create a false sense of urgency and leverage technology and information they can find online to sound convincing.

Don't answer calls from numbers you don't know.

Hang up right away if someone asks for money or personal information.

If you feel pressured, or a caller asks you to pay with gift cards, it's a scam!

Never share account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords, PINs, or other important information over the phone.

If someone says they're calling from a company or a government agency, hang up and call back using an official phone number from an account statement (if you have one) or their website.

Don’t respond to texts or click on links sent from numbers you don’t recognize.

Set up strong passwords for your voicemail so it doesn’t get hacked.

Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools they may have and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls.

Robocalls rules...Robocalls are phone calls made using an autodialer or a prerecorded or artificial voice message.

FCC rules require a caller to obtain your prior written consent – on paper or through electronic means, including website forms or a telephone keypress – before they make a prerecorded telemarketing call to your home or wireless phone number. FCC rules also require a caller to obtain your oral or written consent before making an autodialed or prerecorded call or text to your wireless number.

These rules do not apply to emergency calls about danger to life, safety, or property.

Types of permitted autodialed calls...FCC rules allow market research or polling calls and calls on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit groups to landline numbers. Calls about school closings or flight information are also permitted to your landline.

Opting out of autodialed calls...Prerecorded telemarketing calls must provide an opt-out option at the start of the message. You may opt out of any robocall or robotext at any time and in any reasonable manner, even if you previously gave consent for such calls.

Prerecorded voice messages...All prerecorded voice message calls must include the caller's name, number, and business name at the beginning of the message.

Artificial intelligence and voice cloning...AI-generated voice calls are illegal unless the consumer has agreed to receive them or the caller is exempt.

Telephone solicitations...Telephone solicitations are calls that act as an advertisement. Phone solicitations are permissible with prior express permission or from tax-exempt non-profits. Telemarketing calls based on an established business relationship are not permitted to your landline phone without your advanced permission.

Robotexts...FCC rules ban text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer unless the phone owner previously gave consent to receive the message or the message is sent for emergency purposes.

Commercial texts require written consent; for informational texts, your consent may be oral.

FCC rules apply even if you have not placed your mobile phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.

Tips for avoiding text scams and spam...Do not respond to texts from unknown or questionable sources, and never click links in these messages.

Most mobile carriers let you block spam by forwarding the message to 7726 (SPAM)—check with your provider.

Be careful about giving out your mobile phone number and personal information.

Before submitting your number on websites, read the privacy policy and look for opt-out options—often a checkbox.

Check the policies of the companies you do business with for selling or sharing your information.

Political campaign robocalls & robotexts...The Telephone Consumer Protection Act contains specific rules callers must follow when making campaign calls or sending texts:

Landlines: Political robocalls (autodialed or prerecorded) are allowed without prior consent.

Cell phones: Political calls, texts, or prerecorded messages require the recipient’s prior permission—unless sent manually.

Robotexts: Autodialed political texts need consent; manually sent texts do not.

Caller Identification: Prerecorded or artificial voice calls must begin with the caller’s name, phone number, and the name of the organization they represent (if calling on behalf of a third-party).

Filing complaints about robocalls and texts...FCC Complaints: You can report illegal calls or texts to the FCC. Choose the “unwanted calls” category and note if your number is being spoofed, blocked, or mislabeled.

What Happens Next: The FCC doesn’t resolve individual complaints but uses them to guide policy and possible enforcement under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act or the Truth in Caller ID Act. Your complaint may also be shared with other enforcement agencies.

Do not call registry...The National Do Not Call Registry is a list of landline and wireless phone numbers that legitimate telemarketers agree not to call. You can register your numbers for free at donotcall.gov, or by calling 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236). You must call from the phone number you wish to register.

Under FCC rules, telemarketers calling your home must provide their name along with the name, telephone number, and address where their employer or contractor can be contacted. Telemarketing calls to your home are prohibited before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m., and telemarketers must comply immediately with any do-not-call request you make during a call.

Other do-not-call lists...Many states now have statewide do-not-call lists for residents. Contact your state's public service commission or consumer protection office to find out if your state has such a list and how you can sign up.

FCC actions to protect consumers...Issued hundreds of millions of dollars in enforcement actions against illegal robocallers.

-Empowered phone companies to block suspected illegal calls.

-Allowed phone companies to block numbers not on a customer's contact list or "whitelist" when the customer opts in.

-Required caller ID authentication to reduce illegal spoofing.

-Mandated blocking of illegal international robocall traffic.

To avoid phone-based scams, you can use built-in device settings, carrier tools, and strict personal habits.

Immediate habits & red flags:

• Do not answer unknown numbers: Let calls from numbers not in your contacts go straight to voicemail.

• Hang up immediately: If a caller pressures you, threatens you with arrest, or asks for immediate payment, end the call.

• Never share sensitive data: Legitimate companies and government agencies will never ask for your passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, or account details over the phone.

• Watch out for payment demands: Hang up if anyone asks you to pay using gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer apps.

• Verify through official channels: If someone claims to be from your bank or a government office, hang up and call back using the official number listed on your statement or their verified website.

Phone & device settings:

• Silence unknown callers (iPhone): Go to Settings > Phone and turn on Silence Unknown Callers to send unrecognized numbers directly to voicemail.

• Block spam filters (Android): Open your Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Caller ID & Spam, and activate spam protection.

• Use carrier tools: Activate free anti-spam services provided by your wireless provider—such as Verizon’s Call Filter or T-Mobile’s Scam Shield—which flag or block suspected junk calls.

• Protect your voicemail: Set a strong password for your voicemail account so scammers cannot hack or intercept your messages.

Registry & reporting:

• Register your number: Add your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry to cut down on unwanted telemarketing calls.

• Report scams: File a report with the FTC Scam Reporting Site so carriers and agencies can update their blocking databases

mundophone

 

TECH

US seizes domains used by China-linked hackers

The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI announced the seizure of seven domains associated with China-linked hackers in an operation aimed at disrupting tools used to identify vulnerabilities and attack critical infrastructure. Authorities attribute the activity to Integrity Technology Group, a Chinese company linked to the cyber-espionage group Flax Typhoon.

The intervention, announced on October 8, targeted two software tools named Microscan and FishHub. According to U.S. authorities, the systems enabled the identification of vulnerable networks, the exploitation of security flaws, and unauthorized access to organizations in the United States and other countries.

Microscan and FishHub enabled network identification and attacks...According to the Department of Justice statement, the Microscan tool was used to scan computer networks and identify vulnerabilities that could subsequently be exploited.

Identified targets included a South Carolina electric utility, airports in Japan and Poland, Taiwanese companies in the natural gas and electricity sectors, and universities.

The second tool, FishHub, served a different function. Court documents indicate it facilitated spear-phishing attacks—a technique using targeted messages to trick victims into taking actions that compromise system security.

Following an initial intrusion, FishHub could download additional malicious software, enabling unauthorized remote access to networks or the collection of specific files.

Authorities identified approximately 20 Taiwanese universities among the victims of this activity.

The domain seizure aims to deprive the operators of access to the infrastructure needed to use these tools. The operation may hinder the continuation of the identified campaigns, although it does not mean that all compromised systems have been recovered. Second operation against the Flax Typhoon group

This marks the second public technical intervention by U.S. authorities against infrastructure attributed to Integrity Technology Group.

In September 2024, the Department of Justice announced the dismantling of a botnet comprising over 200,000 compromised devices distributed across the United States and other countries.

The network included routers, video surveillance cameras, digital recorders, and internet-connected storage devices. The infected equipment could be used to carry out malicious operations and mask the origin of the attackers' activities.

At the time, the FBI linked Integrity Technology Group to Flax Typhoon, a group identified by the cybersecurity industry and regarded by U.S. authorities as part of Chinese state-linked cyber-espionage operations.

The new intervention demonstrates that, despite the 2024 operation, authorities have continued to identify tools and infrastructure used by operators associated with the company.

According to Reuters, the FBI believes Integrity Technology Group performs cyber-reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering functions for Chinese security agencies.

The agency notes that the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the operation. Beijing has repeatedly denied accusations of involvement in cyberattacks.

The link between the company, the seized tools, and the cyber-espionage operations stems from investigations and court documents filed by U.S. authorities. Attributing responsibility to the parties involved does not, in itself, constitute a judicial conviction.

Alongside the domain seizures, the FBI and partner entities issued a cybersecurity alert containing technical indicators associated with Integrity Technology Group's activities. The goal is to help organizations identify potential intrusions and protect their networks against similar attacks.

To that end, the agencies seized several domains and blocked access to platforms that were used to scan, and in some cases infiltrate, U.S. critical infrastructure. The list of seized domains is as follows -

c0cc[.]cc

98aiblog[.]com

98aicai[.]com

98aicode[.]com

outlook3650[.]com

youtubecard[.]com

linkedinns[.]net

Flax Typhoon, also tracked as Ethereal Panda and RedJuliett, is associated with Integrity Technology Group, a Beijing-based company that contracts with the Chinese government. It was previously attributed to a botnet called Raptor Train that comprised thousands of compromised small office/home office (SOHO) and IoT devices. It was taken down following a U.S. court-authorized operation in September 2024.

"These state-sponsored hackers continue to aggressively target and access networks and systems throughout the world in an effort to identify and steal files and otherwise exploit victims' vulnerabilities," said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Court documents allege that Integrity Tech created and operated an IoT botnet that leveraged a variant of the Mirai malware. According to the FBI, the botnet is said to have used a number of domains, including subdomains of w8510[.]com, for command-and-control (C2), enabling bidirectional communications between the operators and devices in the botnet. The botnet itself was controlled and managed by an application named Sparrow.

A database server hosted on the server ("202.182.109[.]151") contained records for more than 1.2 million infected devices as of June 5, 2024, including over 385,000 unique U.S. victim devices. In all, more than 260,000 devices, including approximately 126,000 U.S. devices, were actively infected as of June 5, 2024.

The botnet made use of a tool called Microscan to facilitate reconnaissance and computer vulnerability scanning, allowing the threat actors to identify targets of interest. The Python-based web tool, originally hosted on "198.13.53[.]226," was accessible via the domain "c0cc[.]cc" as recently as September 9, 2026, according to an FBI affidavit. The tool is believed to have been put to use as early as 2017.

MicroScan features over 1,300 penetration testing scripts to scan websites for specific vulnerabilities, including OpenSSL, Oracle WebLogic, Rejetto, WordPress, Juniper ScreenOS, Jenkins, and Apache Struts. The scanner is complemented by open-source tooling like BBScan, dirsearch, Fscan, ksubdomain, masscan, NMAP, OneForAll, ShuiZe, and wpscan that are used to find vulnerabilities in networks and web-based applications.

Some of the targeted companies include a U.S. power company based in South Carolina, a multi-national Non-Governmental Organization, Japanese and Polish airports, Taiwanese critical infrastructure companies in the natural gas and power sectors, and two Taiwanese universities.

A second Integrity Tech tool is FishHub, which allegedly enabled the exploitation of computer networks through spear-phishing attacks and the deployment of follow-on payloads. Confirmed victims of FishHub-related activity include 20 Taiwanese universities.

"This malware provided Integrity Tech's clients with unauthorized remote access to the victim network or searched for specific files and sent them to servers controlled by Integrity Tech," the DoJ said.

"Integrity Technology Group provided China-linked threat actors with capabilities used to conduct widespread vulnerability scanning and, in some cases, intrusions targeting U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure," said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI's Cyber Division.

"The PRC relies on contractor and enabling companies to expand the reach and scale of its malicious cyber activity. By exposing and disrupting these enablers, we make it harder for the PRC to target American networks and infrastructure."

In tandem, a joint advisory issued by cybersecurity and intelligence agencies from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and Spain has called out the for-profit company for enabling malicious cyber actors to target organizations worldwide by acquiring or building cyber tools for use and sale and compromising networks.

Since at least mid-January 2021, the threat actors have been observed breaking into victim networks and cloud-based services using Python- and Go-based command line utilities, while also relying on cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks to conduct user credential harvesting.

Besides installing SoftEther VPN software clients on victim devices for persistence, the threat actors have been found to use EBurst, an open-source Python-based brute-force tool, to target accounts in Microsoft 365 Cloud environments, and gain unauthorized access to mailbox data using a command-line utility known as office-cli.

"Malicious cyber actors, enabled by Integrity Tech, are uniquely using AI tools, such as automated scanning, alongside large-scale botnets and manual exploitation techniques to compromise and steal confidential data from companies around the world, including critical sectors," the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said.

The development comes as the U.S. State Department announced rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Zhang Yu, a Chinese national charged in the U.S. in connection with the 2021 Microsoft Exchange Server attacks.

The activity is tracked under the moniker Silk Typhoon (formerly Hafnium). In April 2026, co-defendant Xu Zewei was extradited to the U.S. from Italy to face charges related to allegedly stealing COVID-19 research from U.S.-based universities, immunologists, and virologists.

mundophone

 

YASHICA

Brand-new compact camera launches with 6x zoom in 126g body

Compact cameras small enough to fit in a jeans pocket are becoming more popular again. Yashica has now developed Crew, a brand-new camera that offers a flip-out selfie display, 6x optical zoom, and USB-C in an especially lightweight body.

Yashica has already launched several affordable compact cameras over the past few months, mostly with rather mixed specifications. At around $168, the new Yashica Crew is not quite as affordable as some of the older models, but it is supposed to offer a slightly more well-rounded feature set.

The camera's body is just 25.7 millimeters thick and weighs 126 grams. The back is dominated by a 3-inch touchscreen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display is mounted on a hinge that allows it to flip upward by 180 degrees, making it easy to take selfies with the camera. However, the lens is not particularly wide-angle, as Yashica advertises a 35 mm-equivalent focal length of 31 – 183 mm, or just under 6x optical zoom.

Yashica just unveiled a pocketable point-and-shoot – and the new Crew feels made for photographing friends like it's 2005. The Yashica Crew is a budget point-and-shoot camera built around a 180–degree flip screen and 6x optical zoom lens.

The Yashica Crew’s list of specifications feels made for the trend of shooting with older digital compact cameras from the start of the new millennium. The resolution is 13MP, but the sensor is the small 1/3.06-inch type – the same size found in budget cameras like the Camp Snap CS-Pro and the Instax Pal 2. The camera can also upsize shots to 24MP or 36MP, but 13MP is the native resolution.

But while the Crew may use a small sensor, it still manages to fit in a lens with 6x optical zoom in the classic retracting style of point-and-shoots. That’s paired with a three-inch screen that flips up 180 degrees for selfies.

The name “Crew” hints at who Yashica sees buying this camera. The Crew is meant for photographing outings with friends without using the same device that comes with social media feeds and notifications.

The Crew also supports video, shooting native 2.7K, 30p by default but supporting up to 4K60. An LED light, rather than a photo-only flash, is also built in.

The maximum aperture is a modest f/3.1 – 6.4, despite the tiny 1/3.06-inch sensor. The sensor has a native resolution of 13 megapixels, with upscaling allowing photos to be saved at a nominal resolution of up to 36 MP. 4K videos can also be recorded, but Yashica provides no details on frame rate or bit rate. The 700 mAh battery can be charged directly in the camera via USB-C, but can also be replaced. Instead of a xenon flash, Yashica apparently only uses an LED.

In the past week, I’ve been seeing a whole lot of crazy news that I didn’t think that I’d hear. Manual NYC, which makes compact cameras, opened up a shop in Manhattan. Camp Snap’s CS8 sold over $20 million thus far. And there’s solid evidence that the compact camera market isn’t just a niche. People are sick of the lack of a tactile experience that their phones give them and the market is now correcting itself. One of those is evident in the form of the Yashica Crew camera.

Available in both silver and black, I can see myself getting one and covering it in stickers.

I remember it very vividly in my mind: back in the early 2010s Sony held a meeting with the press to tell us that the smartphone had killed the compact camera market. We, as a society, were all so excited with the tech that was being put in front of us. It was all designed to be so easy to use and extra convenient. But in time, more and more of us started to realize that the lack of friction isn’t good at all. And convenient doesn’t mean that it’s good.

My bigger problem is that people will use these cameras just to feed their social media feed. The problem overall is social media. We enjoyed these cameras back in the day because we could turn off the internet router and just be disconnected from the world to be present. A camera like the Yashica Crew can surely help you do that with its tactile interface. But we all have to make actively better decisions for ourselves here too.

YASHICA Crew Compact Digital Camera with 6X Optical Zoom

Sensor: 1/3.06-inch, 13MP effective resolution that can interpolate to 32MP.

Lens: 6x optical zoom, 4.26mm to 25.56mm focal length, f/3.1 to f/6.4 aperture

Focus range: 1m to infinity

Digital zoom: 3x

Focus: Auto focus, with face focus and real-time focus

Metering: Central focus exposure, average exposure, or single point

Photo modes: Automatic, Program (default), Shutter priority, Scene selection

Photo format: JPEG, in 4:3 or 16:9

Photo resolution: 36MP, 24MP, or 13MP (default)

Self-timer: 2, 5, or 10 seconds

Continuous shooting: 3, 5, or 7 shots

ISO: Auto, or ISO 100 to 3200

Shutter speed: 1/8000 sec to 1 sec

Exposure compensation: -3 to +3 EV in 1/3-stop steps

White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent (H), Fluorescent (L), or custom 3000K to 9000K

Filters: Standard, Natural, Vivid, Monotone, High Contrast B&W, Retro, Color Creation

Color settings: Contrast, saturation, and sharpness, each adjustable from -3 to +3

LCD: 3 inches, 16:9, 360 x 640 resolution, 180-degree screen rotation

Screen saver: Off, 1, 2, or 3 minutes

Video format: MP4/H.264

Video resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160) at 60 or 30 fps; 2.7K (2688 x 1512) at 60 or 30 fps (30 is the default); 1080p at 120 or 60 fps; 720p at 120, 60, or 30 fps

Built-in LED light, AF lamp, and speaker

Interface: USB-C

Memory card: microSD, 8GB to 256GB, Class 10, UHS-1 U1 or higher. For video, 32GB to 256GB, UHS-3 U3 or higher is recommended.

Battery: BL-5BD, 700mAh

Languages: 19

Dimensions (length x width x height): 10 x 2.6 x 6 cm with the lens retracted, 10 x 5.3 x 6 cm with the lens extended

Weight: 126g

$168 US

by mundophone

TECH

Can your employer demand proof that you’ve slept well?

Fatigue in the workplace today is often brushed off as just "being tired." However, from a medical and safety standpoint, real fatigue or sleep-related impairment is a crucial physiological condition that can make an employee unsafe to work. The inability to stay alert is a serious risk not only for production but also for physical safety, whether caused by an acute illness, a chronic sleep disorder, or extreme stress.

In Australia, employees who realise that they are too tired to work safely are not seen as weak but rather responsible. Under Work Health and Safety principles, workers are expected to consider their fitness for duty and may need to step away from tasks if fatigue could affect safety.

On the other hand, taking time off must be supported by facts. Employers must be able to determine whether a medical condition caused a temporary inability to work, rather than a "rough night." Prime Medic is the place where we make the pathway smoother. Our AHPRA-registered doctors can conduct telehealth consultations to assess work capacity and consider whether documentation is appropriate, allowing you to focus on recovery while meeting workplace documentation requirements.

Too tired to work? Request a telehealth consultation to discuss fatigue-related work documentation without exposing yourself to the danger of driving to a clinic.

Fatigue and work safety or performance...The state of mental fatigue is commonly associated with slower reaction times and reduced concentration. It causes delayed reactions, impaired decision-making, and inattentiveness. In many sectors, this is not just an inconvenience but a real danger.

Safety sensitive jobs...The limit of being "unfit for work" due to tiredness is much lower in industries that are highly safety-dependent.

Transport and logistics: For truck drivers and other heavy vehicle operators, microsleeps can be fatal. Regulators such as the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) enforce strict fatigue management laws.

Construction and mining: Operating heavy machinery requires constant, high-level focus. Fatigue increases the risk of crush injuries or falls.

Healthcare: Medical professionals making calculation errors due to exhaustion can compromise patient safety.

Even in office settings, extreme fatigue significantly impairs cognitive functions such as memory, logical thinking, and emotional control, making it impossible to perform complex tasks. Awareness of fatigue risk factors can support workplace safety practices.

Sleep-related diseases necessitating medical documentation...Extreme tiredness is a symptom of several medical conditions. A doctor will be able to assess the individual's ability to function, in other words, whether they have the capacity to maintain wakefulness and concentration, which is the focus of the documentation, rather than the diagnosis itself.

Acute insomnia: An episode of sleeplessness, typically stress-related, which results in a person not being able to function the following day.

Sleep apnea complications: A time when a person requires an adjustment of their treatment, which causes them to be sleepy during the day.

Shift work disorder: The conflict between shifts and the body's internal clock requires a few days of rest for the body to recuperate.

In such situations, the doctor may assess whether reduced alertness is affecting your current work capacity. An online family doctor consultation enables a GP to look at your medical background and symptoms and consider whether absence documentation is appropriate.

Fatigue can be just as dangerous as drink-driving. That is why both researchers and companies are increasingly investing in technologies that can monitor and improve our sleep. But what happens if sleep is no longer regarded as a private necessity, but as something that can be measured, documented and optimised?

This is the question posed by three bioethicists from the University of Copenhagen, the National University of Singapore and ETH Zurich in a new commentary article in the journal Nature. The researchers warn that sleep technologies can bring significant health benefits, but may also challenge fundamental rights such as privacy and the right to self-determination over one’s own body.

‘Technologies that improve sleep have the potential to benefit health, wellbeing and safety. But we need to discuss now who will benefit from these improvements and who will have access to the data these technologies collect,’ says Sebastian Porsdam Mann, a bioethicist and legal researcher at the University of Copenhagen’s Centre for Advanced Studies in Bioscience Innovation Law.

From sleep monitoring to sleep enhancement...Millions of people already use watches and apps to monitor their sleep. At the same time, researchers and companies are working on technologies that not only track sleep but actively seek to improve it.

These may include headbands that send weak electrical impulses to the brain during sleep, or systems that play sounds at precise times to influence brain activity and promote deep sleep. The aim is to enhance the restorative effect of sleep and improve both health and performance whilst awake.

‘However, the evidence is still limited. Most studies have been conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, and the effects vary between different technologies,’ emphasises Sebastian Porsdam Mann.

Risk of surveillance in the workplace...If these technologies prove effective, they may quickly become attractive to employers, particularly in sectors where fatigue can have serious consequences, such as healthcare, transport and construction.

This raises ethical dilemmas:

The researchers point out that companies have previously attempted to collect employees’ sleep data. In 2016, two Dutch companies were investigated by the data protection authority for collecting activity and sleep data from employees. The authorities assessed that this constituted sensitive health information and that the employees’ consent could not be regarded as freely given due to the power imbalance between employer and employee.

According to the researchers, sleep technology may seem more harmless than other forms of performance-enhancing technology. Precisely for this reason, the pressure to use it may also be easier to justify.

‘It can quickly come to resemble a welfare provision. But when monitoring and performance enhancement are linked, there is a risk that voluntary schemes will gradually turn into expectations or requirements,’ says Sebastian Porsdam Mann.

Three proposals for responsible regulation...In the article, the researchers highlight three key principles for the future regulation of sleep technology.

Firstly, we should ask what is actually being improved and who benefits from that improvement. The aim should not be solely higher productivity, but also the sleeper’s overall well-being and health.

Secondly, regulations on sleep technology should be developed through public debate and democratic participation before the technologies become widespread.

Finally, access to effective sleep-enhancing technologies should be equitable, whilst protecting privacy and the right to opt out. Among other things, the researchers argue that people themselves should control access to the data generated whilst they are asleep.

‘Unless such safeguards are put in place, society risks sleep shifting from being a personal need to an institutional obligation,’ warns Sebastian Porsdam Mann.

Can your employer demand proof that you've slept well? No, your employer generally cannot demand proof that you have slept well, such as requiring you to hand over sleep tracker data or biometric logs. Labor laws and data protection authorities view sleep data as sensitive personal health information, meaning your boss cannot legally force you to track or share it.

However, there is a legal and ethical line between tracking your private sleep habits and ensuring you are fit for duty.

1. The legal boundaries of sleep tracking...With the rise of commercial sleep technologies (like smartwatches, headbands, and apps), bioethicists from the University of Copenhagen have warned about the growing risk of workplace surveillance.

• The Consent Issue: Even if a company introduces a "voluntary" wellness program that tracks sleep, regulatory bodies argue that employee consent is rarely truly voluntary due to the power imbalance between boss and worker.

• Precedent: Regulatory authorities have heavily penalized companies attempting this. For example, the Dutch Data Protection Authority previously investigated companies for collecting employee sleep and activity data, ruling it a severe violation of privacy laws.

2. When employers can intervene: Fitness for work...While an employer cannot monitor your bed hours, they do have a legal right and obligation to ensure workplace safety, especially in high-risk industries like healthcare, transportation, and construction.

If you are visibly exhausted or impaired, an employer can take action:

• Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations: If an employer has a reasonable, data-backed safety concern that fatigue is impairing your ability to work safely, they can suspend you or request a medical clearance note from a doctor.

• What a Doctor's Note Shows: A doctor's note only certifies whether you are medically fit to perform your job. Under privacy protections like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or regional labor laws, the medical certificate does not need to disclose your specific sleep metrics, diagnosis, or private habits to your boss.

The commentary has been published in the journal Nature under the headline ‘How tech-enhanced sleep could improve rest but erode privacy’. The authors are Sebastian Porsdam Mann (University of Copenhagen), Brian D. Earp (National University of Singapore) and Effy Vayena (ETH Zurich).

DOSSIER

TECH

Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 hits 5GHz with neural fusion gaming, Wi-Fi 8

Today at its Snapdragon Summit event, Qualcomm is launching its next-generation flagship smartphone silicon with not one, but two new members of the Snapdragon 8 Elite family. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 are both built on an unspecified 2nm process and introduce a new generation of Qualcomm's custom Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, Hexagon NPU, Spectra ISP, and advanced connectivity hardware.

The two chips are extremely similar at the CPU and platform level, with the Extreme model distinguishing itself primarily through a more capable GPU and expanded multimedia capabilities. Both chips feature an eight-core Oryon CPU with two Prime cores running at up to 5GHz and six Performance cores running at up to 4GHz, along with 16MB of Qualcomm's new Oryon Flex Cache. Qualcomm describes the 5GHz Oryon design as the first mobile CPU to reach that clock speed.

Oryon CPU Reaches 5GHz...The Oryon CPU retains the basic two-Prime, six-Performance configuration used by previous Snapdragon 8 Elite processors, but Qualcomm has redesigned the CPU subsystem around a new cache architecture called Flex Cache, which provides a dynamically allocated shared cache pool that can be accessed by the heterogeneous CPU cores. Qualcomm says this allows the Prime cores to draw on the entire cache when workloads demand it, rather than being constrained by a fixed cache allocation. Larger working sets can therefore remain resident in the CPU cache instead of spilling into external memory, reducing latency and memory traffic as work moves between cores.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Elite Extreme Gen 6 both feature 16MB of Oryon Flex Cache. The Extreme model's CPU isn't simply a faster version of the standard Gen 6, then; both are specified with the same maximum CPU frequencies and cache capacity. The chips also support both LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 memory at up to 5,300MHz (10.6Gbps DDR), with configurations of up to 24GB of memory, as well as UFS 5.0 storage.

Qualcomm has not specified the memory bus width or resulting peak memory bandwidth for either processor, but the company does say that CPU performance improves 10% and 13% over last generation for the Elite and Elite Extreme, respectively. Those gains are broadly aligned with what we'd expect from a small clock bump and cache improvements. The more impressive detail is the efficiency story; Qualcomm says CPU power efficiency is up 37% over last-gen. Of course, that's mostly thanks to the move to 2nm, but it's still very impressive.

Hexagon NPU targets agentic AI...Qualcomm is putting much of the new generation's emphasis on the much-vaunted Agentic AI, where an AI system handles multiple steps, tools, and tasks rather than simply generating an answer to a single prompt. The revised Hexagon NPU features a new Element Accelerator designed specifically around transformer workloads alongside 12 scalar units, eight vector units, and one tensor unit. Qualcomm also lists Hexagon Direct Link, Micro Tile Inferencing, and 64-bit memory virtualization as features.

The chip firm says that the new NPU has a 50% larger shared-memory subsystem than the previous generation, although it didn't actually tell us the absolute size of that memory. The expanded local memory seems intended to keep model state, activations, and intermediate tensors closer to the NPU, once again reducing trips to external system memory. Qualcomm says the resulting architecture is designed for longer context windows, concurrent workloads, and low-latency "action loops" in which an agent can repeatedly reason, call a tool, process the result, and continue working.

The company is also positioning the NPU for much larger on-device models. Qualcomm says the platform can run Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) models with more than 30 billion total parameters, with roughly 3 billion routed parameters active for each token-generation step in its example. Because an MoE model doesn't execute all of its parameters for every token, that claim shouldn't be interpreted as equivalent to running a 30-billion-parameter dense model at its full computational cost; these are very different workloads.

For INT4 models, Qualcomm claims up to 50% higher prefill performance, along with faster decoding, enhanced speculative decoding, and higher overall tokens per second. The company is also emphasizing a broad INT2-to-FP16 precision range (including mixed-precision) as part of its effort to support different classes of local AI models.

The Hexagon NPU isn't the only AI processor in the platform, either. Qualcomm's new Sensing Hub includes "Dual Micro NPUs" as well as dual always-sensing ISPs intended to process sensor information of all types while keeping power consumption low. Qualcomm says the new Micro NPUs provide 85% more performance and 20% greater efficiency, while supporting models of up to 200 million parameters. The Sensing Hub also supports Qualcomm's Personal Scribe and the creation of personalized knowledge graphs. Privacy concerns aside, this sounds rather similar to a mobile version of Microsoft's Copilot for Windows 11.

Adreno adds dedicated AI hardware for neural fusion...The biggest generational improvements, as well as the largest architectural distinction between the two Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 processors, both come on the graphics side. The standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 uses a next-generation Adreno GPU (no name given) with Qualcomm's high-performance memory architecture, while the Elite Extreme Gen 6 adds dedicated Adreno Matrix Cores. Qualcomm describes the Matrix Cores as AI-dedicated GPU cores designed to run advanced AI models directly within the graphics pipeline, much like NVIDIA's Tensor Cores.

Those Matrix Cores are the foundation for Qualcomm's new Adreno Neural Fusion technology. Neural Fusion combines AI processing, performing super resolution and frame generation directly in the graphics pipeline. This will be familiar to most of the HotHardware audience, as it's directly analogous to NVIDIA's DLSS or Intel's XeSS. Qualcomm makes some bold claims about the quality and performance of Neural Fusion, and we're eager to test it ourselves. Notably, the technology is supported through Unity, Unreal Engine, and other development environments, allowing developers to integrate the feature without creating an entirely separate rendering pipeline.

The Extreme model's GPU also includes the full 18MB of Adreno High Performance Memory. Qualcomm describes HPM as a low-latency memory structure integrated closely with the GPU, keeping tiles, frame buffers, and compute data local to the graphics subsystem rather than repeatedly transferring that information through system memory. The new Adreno architecture uses three GPU slices, and Qualcomm says the combination of local memory and dedicated Matrix Cores is intended to reduce both latency and power consumption.

Performance-wise, the chipmaker claims 35% and 44% improved GPU performance over the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for the Elite and Elite Extreme, respectively; these gains come along with an impressive 40% gain in GPU power efficiency, gen-on-gen. That means power actually goes down for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, while the Extreme uses a bit more, although that's to be expected given all of the extra silicon present in that part.

The Elite Extreme Gen 6 also adds support for Unreal Engine 5's advanced graphics optimizations, including the new MegaLights feature, alongside hardware-accelerated ray tracing for Lumen global illumination as well as Nanite virtualized geometry. The standard Gen 6 retains support for the latter graphics technologies but does not receive the Extreme model's Neural Fusion feature set nor, apparently, support for MegaLights. We saw an Unreal Engine 5 demo running live on a demo unit at the summit and it looked very smooth, although it's not clear how much of that frame rate came from frame generation.

Spectra pushes mobile video further...Both processors feature Qualcomm's Spectra image signal processor with "triple 20-bit AI ISPs," real-time 3D LUT support through the Elite Color Engine, and support for a wide range of modern HDR sensor technologies. The image pipeline reportedly supports up to 64-megapixel triple-camera operation with zero shutter lag, up to 108-megapixel single-camera operation with zero shutter lag, and still-image capture at up to 320 megapixels.

The ISP also provides substantially more AI processing capability. Qualcomm specifies 16 bits of AI data per pixel, enhanced AI video segmentation at 4K60, and real-time AI skin and sky tone adjustments at 4K60. The system can perform AI-assisted noise reduction, including Bayer multi-frame processing, and supports ultra-low-light video capture at 4K60.

The Extreme model extends the platform's video capabilities substantially. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 supports 8K video recording at 30 frames per second and 4K slow-motion capture at 120 frames per second, while Elite Extreme Gen 6 raises those limits to 8K60 and 4K240. The Extreme model also adds support for the Advanced Professional Video codec, developed over years in close cooperation with rival Samsung.

The Spectra ISP can also work closely with Hexagon to provide considerably more granular AI information during image processing. Qualcomm describes this as providing up to 256 times more granular AI data per pixel, although the precise baseline behind that comparison isn't exactly clear. We suspect it simply refers to a move from 8-bit (256 values) to 16-bit (65,536 values) precision on the AI tag data, but that's not confirmed.

New connectivity for the 5G advanced era...Both Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 platforms integrate Qualcomm's X105 5G Modem-RF system, which supports peak downlink speeds of 14.8Gbps and peak uplink speeds of 4.2Gbps. That's approximately 18% faster on the downlink and 14% faster on the uplink versus the previous generation X85 modem. The X105 supports 5G Advanced, both standalone and non-standalone operation, mmWave and sub-6GHz connectivity, up to eight mmWave carriers, six-carrier aggregation with up to 500MHz of downlink bandwidth (+25% over last-gen), four-layer uplink carrier aggregation, 1024-QAM on sub-6GHz, and six-antenna receive configurations.

Qualcomm also says the X105 is hardware-ready for 3GPP Release 19 and supports both NB-NTN and NR-NTN, providing a path toward satellite connectivity using cellular standards. An integrated fifth-generation Qualcomm 5G AI processor provides additional AI-based network optimization, while the modem supports global 5G bands and Qualcomm's Turbo DSDA multi-SIM technology.

The wireless connectivity subsystem gets an even more substantial upgrade with Qualcomm's FastConnect 8800. The new system supports Wi-Fi 8 and a peak PHY rate of 11.6Gbps, using a 4x4 design and high-band simultaneous multi-link operation. FastConnect 8800 also integrates Bluetooth 6.0, Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Qualcomm's High Data Throughput technology, Ultra Wideband, and Thread 1.4, making it remarkably versatile. Qualcomm is positioning these technologies as part of a broader effort to make the smartphone aware of its surroundings and its nearby devices, rather than simply providing higher raw wireless throughput.

Two flagships, one new platform...The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 family is really less about a dramatic increase in CPU speed than it is about broad improvements throughout the smartphone SoC. The new Oryon CPU reaches 5.0GHz and delivers up to 10% more performance on the standard Gen 6 and 13% more on the Extreme, while Qualcomm claims substantially greater power efficiency (37% on both). Even larger gains arrive elsewhere, with the Adreno GPU apparently improving by up to 44% and the Hexagon NPU by up to 35% on the Extreme model.

That performance split also explains why Qualcomm is offering two flagship platforms. The standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 carries the new CPU, NPU, connectivity, and graphics architecture into a broader range of premium smartphones, while the Extreme adds dedicated graphics AI hardware, additional high-performance GPU memory, Neural Fusion, and higher-end media capabilities that many users may not want or need. Rather than making the Extreme a faster CPU, Qualcomm has elected to build a more capable accelerator-heavy platform for enthusiasts and power users.

Motorola is providing the first concrete example of that strategy with the "Motorola Signature 27," which it announced on stage at the Summit and which it plans to launch as one of the first smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. The handset pairs Qualcomm's highest-end mobile silicon with an advanced multi-camera system including a 50MP Sony LYTIA 910 main sensor and 200MP periscope telephoto, seven years of operating system upgrades, a new Audio by Bang & Olufsen partnership, and a substantially upgraded ArcticMesh cooling system, which Motorola emphasizes considerably in its press release, signaling to us that the new chip can get pretty spicy.

The result is a Snapdragon generation where the most significant advances aren't necessarily visible in a spec sheet or technical readout. Qualcomm has increased CPU, GPU, and AI performance while targeting substantially lower power consumption, and it has added increasingly specialized hardware throughout the SoC to keep data close to the engines processing it. The coming generation of flagship phones will be the ultimate measure of just how much of that silicon can be translated into real-world performance, battery life, camera quality, and gaming experiences.

 

by mundophone

TECH

Apple iPhone Air 2 to get even thinner, despite battery upgrade

The second-generation Apple iPhone Air is set to receive even more upgrades than previously expected. According to the latest rumors, the flagship smartphone will be even thinner, but will still feature a larger battery, as Apple is reportedly opting for a battery with higher energy density.

For months now, rumors have been circulating that the successor to the iPhone Air will launch in spring 2027 with a range of exciting upgrades. Leaker yeux1122 has now learned that, despite several hardware upgrades, the smartphone is expected to become thinner by around 0.4 millimeters.

This would reduce its thickness from 5.6 to 5.2 millimeters, making the second-generation iPhone Air exactly as thick as an unfolded iPhone Ultra. Despite the thinner chassis, Apple is reportedly not making any further compromises on the battery. Quite the opposite, as a battery with higher energy density is expected to actually increase capacity. The exact battery capacity of the second-generation iPhone Air is not yet known, the current model has a 3,149 mAh battery. Combined with the more efficient Apple A20 Pro the iPhone Air 2 should deliver noticeably longer battery life.

According to earlier rumors, the second-generation iPhone Air will receive at least one more significant upgrade, namely a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, which is expected to be installed alongside the 48 MP main camera. This would address one of the iPhone Air's biggest weaknesses, as the expensive flagship smartphone is set to offer at least as many cameras as the cheaper iPhone 17. The N2 chip for wireless connectivity and the C2 modem are expected to further improve battery life, while the iPhone Air 2 is also set to receive the smaller notch of the iPhone 18 Pro. As usual, such early rumors about new iPhones should still be treated with caution, as Apple's plans may change before launch.

mundophone

 TECH

Metallica’s high-tech show at the Sphere impresses fans

Metallica kicked off their residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas this Thursday (the 1st), combining some of the biggest hits from their 45-year career with the arena's massive technological capabilities.

For over two hours, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo performed a 16-song setlist that spanned various eras of the band.

However, part of the spectacle unfolded all around the musicians, reports *USA Today*. Known for the enormous LED screen that envelops the audience, the Sphere featured visuals created specifically to accompany Metallica’s songs.

During "The Shortest Straw," for instance, a massive skull with red eyes dominated the screen, while the band appeared inside a custom slot machine that featured guitar picks as the prize.

"Wherever I May Roam" was accompanied by a black-and-white video simulating a high-speed journey past landmarks around the world, including the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and Yankee Stadium. The visuals included roller-coaster-like dives, creating a sensation of movement within the arena.

Technology also played a role in the stage structure itself. Lars Ulrich used three different drum kits during the performance; they emerged at various points on the triangular stage to bring the musician closer to different sections of the audience.

"This is a dream come true—and more than that," Hetfield told the crowd. "After 45 years, there’s still a lot of fun ahead." Metallica’s Sphere residency will consist of 24 shows, spread across 12 "No Repeat Weekends." The concept is for each weekend's shows to feature distinct setlists, with no songs repeated between the two nights.

Metallica made their monumental debut at the Las Vegas Sphere last night, blending thrash metal with cutting-edge visual storytelling. The four-piece opened their 18-song set with the classic 'Battery,' utilizing the venue's massive curved screen to display haunting imagery, including ruined buildings and multidimensional monsters during 'The Call of Ktulu.'

Frontman James Hetfield praised the synergy between their loud, old-school sound and the venue's modern technology. The performance marked the beginning of a 24-show residency running through March 2027. These dates follow the 'No Repeat Weekend' format, ensuring fans get a unique experience every night with no overlapping setlists between shows.

The setlist covered everything from their 1983 debut to their latest 2023 album. Highlights included 'Sad but True', 'Nothing Else Matters', and 'Lux Æterna'. For event organizers looking for world-class production inspiration, this residency sets a high bar for live entertainment.

The band’s Sphere residency will see live staples and surprises spanning the Metallica catalog enhanced by the venue’s immersive technologies that will allow fans to experience the sound and fury of the band’s live performance in new experiential dimensions. Whether you’ve seen Metallica from the upper reaches of a stadium or arena, at an intimate club or theater gig or from the famed Snake Pit surrounded by the 360-degree M72 stage, Sphere’s technology, including the world’s highest resolution LED display that wraps up, over and around the audience; Sphere Immersive Sound, which delivers audio with unmatched clarity and precision to every guest; and multi-sensory 4D technology, will present a wholly unique and entirely new Metallica experience for all who attend — including James, Lars, Kirk and Robert.

Metallica co-founder/drummer Lars Ulrich commented, “About 12 seconds into the opening night of  Sphere with U2 back in ‘23, I thought ‘We have to do this, it’s completely uncharted territory!’ This residency gives us another chance to reinvent how we interact with our fans in a live setting. We are beyond excited to share this with the world in six months time, and way fuckin’ psyched to go next level!”

Metallica Life Burns Faster at Sphere is produced by Live Nation and presented by inKind.  inKind rewards diners with special offers and credit back when they use the app to pay at thousands of top-rated restaurants nationwide.  inKind also provides innovative financing to participating restaurants in a way that enables new levels of sustainability and success. 

Do you want to experience Metallica live at your event? Tributeworld books S.A.D. — Metallica Tribute (IT) — the professional Metallica tribute act for festivals, theaters, and events in the Netherlands and Belgium 

mundophone