Did Iran capture a US submarine? Iran threatens Gulf data centres: How exposed is the region's internet? Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, has warned that cables, data centres and artificial intelligence (AI) facilities across the region could be attacked if war with the United States erupts again. The warning comes as the capture of Yemeni territory along the Red Sea coastline last month by the Iran-backed Houthis has raised concerns over the safety of internet cables linking Europe and Asia. Fierce fighting is under way between Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthis at several locations, including Bab al-Mandeb, through which nearly one-fifth of global internet traffic passes.

But they were both great at getting attention. Public Domain Indeed, academics at the time reportedly sent flustered letters to the editor at calling the prediction "ridiculous" and "manifestly absurd." "There was never, even at that time, any reason to think that it would keep growing fast like that."

Apple's much anticipated smart home launch event is here, and it has quite an array of new hardware to show off. In addition to the new HomeView smart display and updated Apple TV and HomePod mini, the company also announced an ecosystem of accessories that it designed in collaboration with LG Electronics and Schneider Electric. These include home security cameras, video doorbells, thermostats and sensors, with an entire ecosystem that the company is calling the Apple Home Collection. To be clear, these aren't just existing products that LG and Schneider repurposed to meet a set of specs just to qualify for a program. They were designed in collaboration with Apple, and are meant to be reliable, private and easy to set up.

It seems like an eternity since the first reports that Apple was working on a smart display to rival Amazon's Echo Show came out, and at long last the company has finally revealed its take on the smart home screen. HomeView is a touchscreen device that acts as a hub for various connected devices, as well as a personalized control center for audio and more. The device was built for Siri AI and can adapt its content and features based on which of your family members are using it by pulling data from their iPhone or iPad. The centerpiece of the HomeView is a 7-inch square Liquid Retina display. To me, it looks like an enlarged Apple Watch, and the tabletop version with a base comes in Silver, Starlight, Rose Pink and Space Gray colors.

With customizable "faces," this 7-inch smart display is a unique hybrid between an iPhone and an Apple Watch. The company launched the first MacBook Neo, unveiled its first folding iPhone in September, and installed a new CEO for the first time in 15 years . Now comes the Apple HomeView, Apple's first smart display . Rivals like Google and Amazon have made countless screen-enabled smart speakers since voice assistants invaded the home a decade ago. But Apple stuck with a smaller smart home ecosystem centered on its HomePod speakers, even removing the iPad as a hub device a few years ago, which forced users to buy an Apple TV or HomePod to get started.

Apple's news today is all about the smart home, and part of that push is an updated HomePod mini speaker. Officially dubbed the HomePod mini 2, this new version looks almost exactly like the original mini, save for a few new colors for its fabric cover. There are some new features that are exclusive to this version too, and eventually the company's smallest smart speaker will work with Siri AI. However, that capability won't arrive until later. Almost all of the HomePod mini 2's new features are audio-related.

I got an early glimpse of Apple's biggest push into the smart home in years. Apple has lagged in the smart home race, which Amazon and Google have dominated for a decade with Alexa and Google Assistant (now Gemini), respectively. But after finally revamping Siri AI this year and turning the butt-of-the-joke voice assistant into a more competitive companion --paired with a more mature Matter-supported ecosystem of smart home gadgets--Apple now has the brains to power the home system it has always envisioned. That starts with three new devices: the Apple HomeView, the company's first smart display; the HomePod Mini 2 smart speaker; and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. Apple announced the products at a media-only event in New York City, and it also revealed a slew of new smart-home gadgets made in collaboration with LG and Schneider Electric, including a video doorbell, thermostats, and security cameras .

As part of Apple's smart home push, the company has unveiled an updated version of the Apple TV 4K that supports Siri AI. There are a number of new features for the streaming box, not just for the company's voice assistant. Perhaps most notable, at least for me, are the upgrades to the remote, but there are both voice and audio upgrades that will enhance the overall experience of using the device as well. First and foremost, the new Apple TV 4K has been overhauled for Siri AI. The assistant is primarily used for discovery, but it can also answer general questions on screen.

The Dell Laptop Buying Guide UK: Which Dell Laptop Should You Buy? When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. How much SSD space do you really need? For the best PC/laptop experience, there's a minimum you don't want to drop below. Whether you're buying a laptop or building your own PC, you're going to want an SSD as the main storage drive -- and you're also going to want to make sure it's the right size for your needs.

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