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Unofficial render of rumored Moto 360 2025 smartwatch. (Image source: Android Headlines) If the latest leak is true, this year could mark the return of the Moto 360 smartwatch that could be running on Wear OS. The leak brings images of the rumored watch and claims there will be five color options. Motorola could be bringing back its Moto 360 lineup of smartwatches this year. A new report seems to bring renders for the smartwatch and the name which suggest a 2025 launch. Since the Moto 360 was discontinued in 2017, Motorola has switched over to a different naming convention for its smartwatch models, though there was a Moto 360 release in 2019 by another company. The information comes courtesy of Android Headlines who claim to have obtained images for Motorola’s upcoming smartwatch called the Moto 360 2025. Judging by the name, it is expected to arrive later this year, but it’s unclear exactly when. As for the images, they show a round dial in what looks to be a stainless-steel construction. The pictured version has a metal band. There is a crown at the 2-o clock position and a button at the 4-o clock position. The report adds that there will be five color options for the Moto 360 2025. As for the software, the Moto 360 2025 could come with Wear OS, which will be a departure from the company’s previous smartwatches that uses Moto Watch OS, a custom RTOS (real-time operating system) developed by Motorola. For some context, Motorola first released the Moto 360 in 2014 and sticking to the name, it was the first round smartwatch to run Android Wear. The second generation came out in 2015 but the lineup was discontinued in 2017. Then, in 2019, a third generation Moto 360 was released but it was made by a Canadian company called eBuyNow. It could be that Motorola is bringing back its Moto 360 series of watches to enter the more premium space. Its current offerings, the Moto Watch 120 (buy on Amazon), Moto Watch 40 (buy on Amazon), and Moto Watch 70 (buy on Amazon) are more budget oriented options. Related Articles Vineet Washington – Tech Writer – 319 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025 I have always been passionate about gaming and technology, which drove me towards pursuing a career in the tech writing industry. I have spent over 7 years in the tech space and about a decade in content writing. I hope to continue to use this passion and generate informative, entertaining, and accurate content for readers. Vineet Washington, 2025-07-21 (Update: 2025-07-21) Read More

The Philips Hue Devote ceiling light (pictured) has arrived in Europe. (Image source: Philips Hue) The Philips Hue Devote Slim ceiling light has arrived in European countries, including the UK and France. This new smart light is available in two sizes and is a cheaper alternative to an older model. Features include white and colored lighting effects, app-based controls and support for voice commands. A new Philips Hue smart home product has appeared: the Devote Slim ceiling light. Available in two sizes, S and M, this round product has been spotted at Amazon in various European countries. Not to be confused with the earlier Devote Pendant light, this new model is designed for a living room, bedroom or kitchen. The Devote ceiling light shares many similarities with the Tento, which was released in 2024. It is a dimmable White and Color Ambiance light, with users able to choose from a wide range of colors and color temperature. Users can choose from preset scenes or create their own; the new Philips Hue AI Assistant can also be used to generate scenes for your mood or activity. The smaller S size is a 16W light delivering up to 2,000 lumens of brightness. The larger size M is a 23W light, with a higher brightness level of 2,900 lumens. Each has a white frame, with the S measuring 300 x 31 mm (~11.8 x 1.2 inches) and the 430 x 30 mm measuring (~16.9 x 1.2 inches). For comparison, the smaller Tento round light measures 291 mm (~11.5 inches across) and delivers up to 2,250 lumens of brightness. This older model also has a second light source at the rear for softer diffused lighting cast onto the ceiling. You can remotely control the smart light through the Philips Hue smartphone app. When connected to a Hue Bridge (curr. $52.99 at Amazon), users can also control the ceiling light with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. The Philips Hue Devote Slim ceiling light is now available at Amazon in countries like the UK and France. Users can purchase a 1-pack or a 2-pack of the smaller size, with prices starting from £71.20/€79.99. This makes the lights cheaper than their Tento counterparts, which start from £94.99/€109.99. It is unclear whether these smart lights are exclusive to Amazon. Whether or when these lights could be released in the US remains to be seen. 1-pack S Philips Hue Devote Slim – £71.20/€79.99 2-pack S Philips Hue Devote Slim – £131.18/€149.99 1-pack M Philips Hue Devote Slim – £TBC/€119.99  The Philips Hue Devote ceiling light. (Image source: Philips Hue) Related Articles Polly Allcock – Senior Tech Writer – 4215 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2021 I’ve been interested in technology for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I have loved gadgets and understanding how things work. Since graduating, I have worked for several technology companies across FinTech, AdTech and Robotics. Polly Allcock, 2025-07-22 (Update: 2025-07-22) Read More

Two central figures behind the development of Samsung’s Color E-Paper (Image source: Samsung) The Samsung Color E-Paper is a new digital signage solution capable of retaining images without requiring continuous power. The 32-inch display delivers QHD resolution and supports up to 2.5 million colors, all while consuming an exceptionally low amount of energy. In April 2025, Samsung unveiled the Color E-Paper EM32DX, a 32-inch e-ink display designed especially for commercial spaces, such as retail shops and food & beverage establishments. Notably, the panel can display static content without requiring a continuous power supply, setting new standards in energy efficiency and sustainability. According to Samsung, the Color E-Paper uses a microcapsule ink technology, where each capsule contains four color pigments (red, yellow, blue and white) that selectively rise to the surface when an electric current is applied – a working principle similar to conventional printing. Once an image is formed, it can be retained without consuming additional power. Measuring just 8.6 mm (0.3 in) thick and weighing a mere 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) with the battery included, the system offers flexible installation options thanks to its thin and lightweight design. One key feature of the Color E-Paper is Samsung’s proprietary Color Imaging Algorithm, which allows the display to reproduce up to 2.5 million hues with just six base colors by leveraging probability distribution and optimized color arrangements. Samsung claims a 40-fold improvement in color richness compared to conventional e-paper solutions, and images also appear exceptionally smooth and easy on the eyes.  The system can be managed through the Samsung VXT platform, which supports features like color preview, layout planning and content update. Furthermore, the display incorporates recycled plastic in its body and is shipped in eco-friendly packaging. The Samsung Color E-Paper technology was showcased at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025, where it received several awards. Samsung also revealed plans to launch more display sizes and continue advancing its research in color optimization. Related Articles Translator: Zhiwei Zhuang – Translator – 419 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2022 After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, I moved from Singapore to Cologne in 2014 and began pursuing a career as a freelance translator. Much of my translation work focuses on science, engineering and technology. My fascination with computers and mobile electronics began when I was young. And I have fond memories reading countless tech and gaming magazines. Working with Notebookcheck gives me the opportunity to incorporate my personal interests into my professional work. Ulrich Mathey, 2025-07-21 (Update: 2025-07-21) Read More

By Michael Bürgi  •  July 22, 2025  • Ivy Liu Consolidation among independent media agencies continues apace — a reaction to the holding companies getting bigger and bigger, which creates more opportunity for indies to pick away mid-market clients.  Digiday has learned that performance-oriented media agency Brainlabs has acquired L.A.-based fellow independent media agency Exverus Media. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed upon request, but it brings the total company to 1,060 employees. The thinking behind the acquisition, according to Dan Gilbert, Brainlabs’ founder and CEO, is to round out Brainlabs’ offering to be more full-funnel, given Exverus’ abilities on the upper- or brand-end of the funnel.  “There was an increasing demand from clients to have a full-funnel approach,” said Gilbert. “So we started looking around at the various agencies in the market, and when we came across Exverus, it was like a light went [on].” “I think it’s a fantastic acquisition for both of them, because I think that there’s related, but very complementary skills,” said Steve Boehler, who runs consultancy Mercer Island Group. “But most importantly, the Exverus acquisition brings some really important top of the funnel thinking and capabilities to Brainlabs.” Although small (only about 50 people work there), Exverus has expand its offerings to reflect more abilities than most smaller media agencies, including building out programmatic offerings at a time when that was almost exclusively the domain of holding companies. For now, the two agencies will continue to operate under their brand names (although Exverus will henceforth be known as Exverus by Brainlabs). The principals of both Brainlabs and Exverus said they’re already working together on new pitches.  “From a cooperational standpoint, there are probably going to be opportunities for us to fold in with the Brainlabs team and tackle projects new client opportunities together and really be one team, one dream pretty quickly,” said Bill Durrant, who co-founded Exverus with Talia Arnold, the shop’s managing director. “There are strategic opportunities that have already happened and that are going to continue to happen where we can now fold in new services and new solutions for our clients.” Arnold said clients just want to know they can be covered for all their needs in one place. “I can’t tell you the number of conversations that I’ve had with clients that are saying, ‘You know, I just want someone that’s able to look at everything’,” said Arnold, whose clients include Premier Protein, Dymatize, and New Belgium and Bell’s Brewing. “They want national brand building equity media, but also want to know how that fits in with increased investments in retail media and programmatic.” “For Brainlabs, there aren’t very many acquisition targets that are as smart and with as good a track record [as Exverus] and yet would be as affordable,” said Boehler. ”For their brains and their reputation, [Durrant and Arnold] punch above their weight already.” But Arnold and Durrant were also quick to point out what they gain from being bought by Brainlabs — the expertise goes both ways. “Things like SEO and organic content and creative and their bigger tech stack, and their planning software and data software,” said Arnold. “A lot of the resources that we’ve been hungry for for a long time now we’re going to be able to offer.” The move also empowers Brainlabs and Exverus to compete for a larger type of client, as well as larger independent media agencies like PMG or Tinuiti — the latter of which also made a few acquisitions over the last few years to round out its ability to service clients from top to bottom of the funnel. https://digiday.com/?p=583833 More in Media Buying Read More

By Sam Bradley  •  July 22, 2025  • The beverage sector’s in a tough spot right now. In the U.K., customers are drinking less and spending less, a combination that’s dragging on the performance of firms like Diageo, which just lost its CEO. Finding new customers is an imperative. Heineken U.K. has found one way around that problem — it’s been using a blend of contextual targeting and attention metrics to diversify its media plans, incorporating otherwise overlooked display inventory into campaigns. According to the brewer’s marketers, the approach led to a 17% jump in brand awareness during an initial test with its premium cider brand Old Mout, staged last summer. The firm is set to roll out the contextual attention solution across its portfolio in the second half of the year. It’s the latest sign that brands are weaving contextual targeting into the media planning process in order to get media dollars (or in this case, media pounds) working harder — rather than just looking at it as a meal replacement for the third party cookie. Brands like pet food advertiser Lily’s Kitchen, for example, had previously used attention metrics to monitor campaign performance. The test, staged with contextual ad tech firm GumGum, coincided with the first campaign in two years for Old Mout — a chance for a brand refresh, but also a tricky challenge. The summer months, which traditionally boost cider sales, also bring competitors to market like wasps to a countryside picnic. “We want to be active around then, because it’s probably the most profitable time of the year,” said Dan Glynn, media buying lead at The Heineken Company, who didn’t provide the campaign’s budget or financial specifics. “The difficulty is that it becomes really saturated.” The advertiser is no stranger to dabbling in attention, having staged tests last year to measure how eye-catching its Cruzcampo digital ads were, relative to rivals’ efforts. On this occasion, it used GumGum’s “Mindset Graph” tool, which assigned attention scores to media inventory using predictive models based on a 35,000 strong eye-tracking survey panel. Combined with contextual data, it gives advertisers a way of backing up hunches in the media planning process. “We’re able to build out predictive models based on industry category, based on creative … where we believe the highest level of attention will be garnered based on context,” said Pete Wallace, general manager for EMEA at GumGum. By uncovering under-used media inventory — in this case, high impact digital display units on the open web — Heineken was able to reach cider consumers where its rivals weren’t and wring more juice out its budget. “We were able to more effectively optimize and drive performance,” said Glynn. One example of that new supply was travel media. Previously overlooked by the brand, Heineken’s work with GumGum led it to buy more media against travel websites and better reach its audience of female millennial drinkers. “The open web is still one of the biggest untapped opportunities, and we want to make sure that we’re getting everything we can out of that,” said Glynn. Heineken’s brand uplift studies conducted showed awareness of Old Mout increased 17% and mental availability among female drinkers, one of the key target audiences for the campaign, rose 23%. The campaign contributed to a strong year for the cider brand. Despite a muted commercial environment for brewers, Old Mout’s revenues in the U.K. grew over 10% throughout 2024, according to Heineken’s latest annual results, released in April. The company is currently rolling out the solution on campaigns for portfolio products like Inch’s Cider, Cruzcampo and Birra Moretti, and on Foster’s, Strongbow and the mainline Heineken brands in campaigns launching in the third and fourth quarters of this year. Although Dentsu handles Heineken’s above-the-line media buying (including linear and streaming TV and out-of-home), the brewer worked directly with GumGum on the tool. Media agencies PHD, Havas Media Network and Mindshare have each since begun using the tool with U.K. clients. Chris Appleton, head of programmatic at PHD Media U.K., said the agency had used the tool to “surface affinities that will help inform future activation — like discovering that the audience for one of our FMCG clients was over-indexing in PC gaming and travel.” He didn’t name the clients PHD had tested the solution with, but added: “These insights will allow us to meet consumers in unexpected, high-engagement arenas.” There’s a creative benefit here, too.  “Many of our clients can’t make mid-flight creative changes — it’s just not feasible. But using this tool during planning lets us be more proactive,” said Jacob Kiernan, programmatic account director, Havas Media Group UK. “We can launch with more relevant creative, matched to the audience’s mindset, which ultimately helps capture more attention.” In Heineken’s case, that’s meant bringing GumGum into conversations with its creative agencies, including St Luke’s and Lucky Generals, enabling them to drum up creative assets that properly suit new media environments the brand is unearthing. “Being able to add data to creative is such a new way of thinking for that part of the industry, but it’s becoming more and more prevalent,” said Glynn. https://digiday.com/?p=583763 More in Marketing Read More

By Alexander Lee  •  July 22, 2025  • Ivy Liu Brands’ pullback from diversity and equity marketing has hit marginalized creators directly in the pocketbook, four creators told Digiday. It’s no secret that the advertising world has moved away from DEI messaging in the wake of the 2024 presidential election. As brands from Target to Harley-Davidson scale back or remove their DEI programs in 2025, they are signing fewer influencer or creator marketing deals that focus on the marginalized identities of creators. Six months into the year, creators who previously leveraged diversity and equity to build their sponsorship businesses have seen this revenue stream drop off or disappear entirely. Last year, Twitch streamer Alex Norimaki signed 14 brand deals around Black History Month and Women’s History Month; so far this year, she has had one DEI-focused partnership, a Black History Month sponsorship by Twitch. “There’s usually so many brands that reach out specifically to Black creators — and, in recent years, they were doing a heavy push for Black women creators as well. I’ve been at this for five years now, and it’s like clockwork,” she said. “This year, they just did not come.” The creator added that she had experienced a “very noticeable” drop in sponsorship income, but declined to share a specific revenue drop figure. Four creators across different marginalized identities told Digiday anecdotally that their revenue has been hit by brands’ pullback from DEI messaging. “The pullback has been for not just LGBTQ+ creators, but for anything that’s cultural or orientation-based,” said mixed-race creator Erin Ashley Simon, who said that she hasn’t signed a single DEI-focused brand partnership in 2025 after leaving XSET, a diversity and inclusion-focused esports organization, at the beginning of the year. Veronica “Nikatine” Ripley, a transgender and Latina creator, said that her diversity-focused partnership business dropped off considerably between 2024 and 2025, although she did not provide specific numbers. “My personal business has definitely been affected. I’ve been passed over or dropped by longtime brand partners,” said Ripley, who declined to name specific partners that had dropped her to avoid damaging professional relationships. “Big brands are just silent now; opportunities are almost completely limited to fundraisers for other queer organizations.” Across the board, creators blamed the current sociopolitical climate in the United States for brands’ pullback from diversity or equity messaging, with prospective sponsors increasingly cagey about political scrutiny or boycotts sparked by their involvement with creators perceived as pushing DEI.  In particular, government organizations’ sunsetting of so-called “identity months” such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Pride Month have put a chill on brands’ spending around them. In the past, these months were boom periods that allowed marginalized creators to pack away brand partnership revenue for the rest of the year; now, for creators, they’re just like any other month. “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need to lean on national months and holidays for this inclusion — but it was the month when we could at least expect companies to halfway pretend to have us be a part of the conversation,” AlexNorimaki said. “So, now, we’re just not very hopeful for the rest of the year.” The wider pullback from DEI marketing is bad news for marginalized creators, but it also creates opportunities for some advertisers to build stronger bonds with these creators and their fans, creators told Digiday. Both creators and audiences from marginalized communities increasingly feel overlooked by the advertising industry, making it all the more valuable when brands and marketers choose to stand by them. “This is a window of advantage for brands,” said Sheryl Daija, CEO of Bridge, a marketing industry trade organization focused on promoting diversity and equity. “While some might go quiet, others that are staying consistent are gaining ground, building reputational trust and relevance. Despite the politicization of DEI, the high potential growth markets haven’t gone anywhere.” One particularly effective way for brands to build connections with marginalized communities is to work with micro- or mid-tier influencers whose audiences index highly within those communities, according to Raul Rios, head of strategy for the creative agency Saylor, who cited data from e-commerce ad tech tool Cropink showing that 73 percent of Gen Z consumers trust micro-influencer recommendations over celebrity endorsements. “Brands that invest here don’t just maintain visibility,” Rios said. “They build sustained cultural credibility.” https://digiday.com/?p=583773 More in Media Read More

By Digiday Editors  •  July 22, 2025  • Earlier this year, eMarketer predicted that year-over-year growth in U.S. CTV media budgets would reach 17%, surpassing $33 billion, with the acceleration in ad spend finally exceeding the increase in time spent with CTV (7%).  However, while advertisers begin to catch up with viewers’ eyeballs — that’s more than 70% of the population, according to eMarketer — there are still numerous sticking points to resolve if marketers are to feel they’re receiving value for their investment, with audience measurement and pricing transparency being the most common complaints. Last month, tensions flared between TV networks and Nielsen over its new “big data plus panel” measurement system. Networks — especially smaller ones and those with multicultural audiences — say fluctuating metrics are hurting their businesses, compared to Nielsen’s legacy system. Despite concerns, the new methodology is expected to become the de facto standard for upfront deals, prompting fears that it could unfairly influence future TV and streaming ad pricing. VAB organized the meeting after repeated complaints. Meanwhile, at Digiday’s first-ever CTV Ad Strategies event earlier this month, townhall discussions — conducted under the Chatham House Rule — focused on challenges in CTV advertising, particularly pricing, fees, and the difficulty of achieving consistent reach and frequency measurement across platforms.  Several participants mentioned the lack of transparency in fees, noting that marketers often don’t understand how they are precisely calculated, with supply-side platforms, agencies, and other ad tech players sometimes equally ignorant of the market forces at play. “They [clients] may not be used to seeing every layer of the ad tech fees,” observed one participating media agency executive. “You have things like data, supply, and other ad tech fees, and it just gets compounded… and can be upwards of 15-to-40% of your media when you use certain platforms.”  Meanwhile, a second participant recounted an instance when clients insisted they only run ads on premium CTV properties, such as Amazon Prime and Hulu, etc., with a subsequent RFP returning alarming discrepancies in quoted pricing, particularly in how tech platforms’ prices compared to direct buys.  “We did individual RFPs to understand what their [the streaming services] CPMs were, and individually, they came back with prices in the range of $20 [CPMs], and with all the targeting you want,” explained the participant. “But then the ones with the DSPs came back, and they were between $45 and $55 [CPMs]. How do we justify that to a client?!”  Meanwhile, several additional townhall participants mentioned the challenges of sell-side players often finding ways to make margins without “getting caught,” with overstretched buying teams often lacking the time to interrogate such tactics.  “The brands are putting in dollars, but they expect outcomes,” noted a separate agency executive, alluding to certain sell-side tactics that are increasingly raising the ire of the industry’s buy-side. “Meanwhile, there are a lot of games being played that extract high-margin fees.”   The townhall session also heard testimony from participants claiming that some demand-side platforms attempt to offer better accountability.  “There are certain DSPs, like The Trade Desk [even with its well-documented fees] that offer some additional measurement to help better quantify if you’re driving incremental reach, and manage frequency holistically,” added one. “I don’t think it’s a perfect science, but sometimes having a third party measure that out helps you understand where the duplication is.”    The debate further turned to why reach and frequency challenges persist, despite omnichannel campaign management being a long-standing issue in the sector. “If you’re operating on multiple platforms, different DSPs can give you different outputs at different times. So it’s tough to get the holistic picture,” observed one speaker. “That’s going to take time to prove that, and you can have different methodologies across the different platforms, too. So it’s just more logistical gymnastics.”  Participants often credited this ongoing challenge to the inflexibility of large platforms, which are seldom willing to abandon their walled-garden strategies. “Until such point that there’s one holistic seismic point where there’s one DSP that has access to everything,” noted a separate participant, “that’s just going to be the challenge that the agency faces.” https://digiday.com/?p=583671 More in Media Buying Read More

This Ad Tech Briefing covers the latest in ad tech and platforms for Digiday+ members and is distributed over email every Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET. More from the series → Last week, it was announced that The Trade Desk will join the S&P 500, replacing ANSYS. In a LinkedIn post, CEO Jeff Green underscored the scale of the achievement, stating that it was something he had not dared to dream about at the firm’s inception. For those who haven’t heard, the S&P 500 is a stock market index that tracks the performance of 500 of the largest publicly traded U.S. companies, selected based on their market capitalization, liquidity, and sector representation. Inclusion signals financial strength and stability, boosting a company’s reputation with investors.  It often leads to increased demand for shares, as many index funds and ETFs are required to buy stocks in the index. This heightened demand can drive up a company’s stock price and reduce volatility, offering both prestige and practical financial benefits. For example, The Trade Desk saw its stock price rise by double-digits on the back of the news, with its market capitalization surpassing $41 billion the day before its July 18 admission to the S&P 500. It’s also in stark contrast to the precipitous stock price plunge following the demand-side platform’s first quarterly decline in revenues after 33 straight periods of meeting, if not surpassing, analysts’ expectations. However, ad tech observers can rightly ask why The Trade Desk was inducted into the S&P 500 ahead of its ad tech contemporary AppLovin, which had a market capitalization of approximately $124 billion during the same week. Officially, the answer to such queries is that inclusion in the S&P 500 is based on more than just market capitalization.  While size is a key factor, the index also considers profitability, liquidity, public float, sector representation, and U.S. incorporation. The Trade Desk, despite its smaller market cap compared to AppLovin, evidently met the complete set of eligibility criteria, including consistent profitability and a sufficient percentage of publicly traded shares. AppLovin, although larger in value, may not have met such requirements, like a history of positive earnings over recent quarters or having a sufficiently broad investor base. Additionally, the S&P 500 aims for balanced sector representation. Suppose the index committee determines that a company better aligns with its goals for diversification and stability. In that case, it may be selected over a larger peer that has been deemed to have fallen short of its selection criteria by the powers that be. As highlighted by Investor’s Business Daily, the selection committee for the S&P 500 Index also passed household names, such as Robinhood, in favor of The Trade Desk, but it also asks questions of the wider sector. However, for some, it will also raise questions as to whether transparency in ad tech had anything to do with it. After all, in the last year, AppLovin faced multiple aggressive short-seller attacks from Fuzzy Panda, Culper Research, and Muddy Waters. They accused the company of overstating its AI capabilities, misappropriating user data, violating app store policies, and employing deceptive ad-install tactics, all to inflate metrics. These claims triggered significant declines in stock prices during the same period, with some instances reaching as high as 23%.  Such claims led AppLovin to be hit with a class-action securities lawsuit alleging fraud and misleading disclosures about its AI platform, AXON, and data practices. The company responded by retaining Quinn Emanuel to investigate and vigorously defend its business, while analysts debated the impact of these controversies. Similar circumstances befell fellow publicly-traded ad tech firm Zeta Global in the last 12 months, and it’s also worth noting that  AppLovin’s stock price has since started to move up and to the right. However, historians of the sector will note how Rocket Fuel’s drawn-out exit from the highs of its float on the public markets (arguably) began with similar finger-pointing.  So while the first ad tech firm to land on the S&P 500 is truly a moment to remember, and a collective pat on the back, it’s also worthy of some a moment for reflection that the sector as a whole needs to be wary of misdeeds. Numbers to know 11%: The number of respondents planning to decrease their retail media spend in H2, according to MediaOcean’s latest report.  47%: The number of respondents using generative AI for data analysis, per the ad tech firm’s survey findings. 45%: The number of executives citing “conversions” as the most critical metric when evaluating CTV/live sports buys.  52%: The number of executives citing fragmented measurement as the critical challenge to measuring reach and frequency. What we’ve heard “Amazon DSP is a very different competitor than Google…  if the Amazon DSP tech eventually matches their aggression, Amazon and The Trade Desk will be a real match.” — Daniel Salmon, an equities analyst specializing in ad tech at NewStreet Research, reflects on recent meetings charting the rise of Amazon’s demand-side platform, and how it is leveraging wider Amazon capabilities, such as free clean room services from AWS, as part of the ongoing DSP wars.    What we’ve covered: Streaming is reaching 50% of all upfront dollars Streaming is set to dominate the 2025 upfronts, with up to 50% of commitments shifting from linear TV. Buyers are consolidating DSP partners — favoring Amazon, Google, or The Trade Desk — making programmatic a “buyer’s market.” Yet transparency remains a sticking point, with unclear CPMs and ROI metrics. Advertisers demand better data to justify higher costs, but many still face challenges in proving CTV’s value and navigating complex pricing structures. The transition is real but gradual, with trust and clarity lagging behind spend. CMOs might be pushing ahead on AI, but lack of measurement’s holding them back Generative AI is widely adopted in marketing, but clear ROI remains elusive. Marketers track time saved and efficiency gains, yet standardized metrics are lacking. While some report cost savings and productivity boosts, many remain cautious. Without clear benchmarks, full-scale adoption

Key Takeaways: Password breaches are common: The latest data leak exposed 16 billion passwords. Hackers can use these leaked credentials to access your emails, bank accounts, and other sensitive data.   Hackers have many ways to steal your passwords: They rely on phishing scams, keyloggers, brute-force attacks, and compromised websites to get unauthorized access to your passwords.   Password managers can keep you safe: Tools like Bitwarden can protect you against many attack vectors used by hackers, especially brute-forcing (by creating strong passwords). It can also scan for weak and reused passwords, and verify if your credentials have been leaked in any data breaches. Passwords are the first line of defense for your digital identity. They guard everything from emails and bank accounts to social profiles and sensitive data.  Think of passwords as the key to your entire digital life. Whoever has the key can access everything you have online. That’s why hackers are constantly trying to guess or steal them. And the recent leak of 16 billion passwords shows just how determined they are. Hackers can use your stolen credentials to impersonate you, steal your data and money, or sell them on the dark web (which puts you at further risk).  Have your passwords been exposed in the recent or past data leaks, and are they strong enough to resist snooping attempts? Can password managers help keep them safe?  I have been using Bitwarden extensively for several years. From its password generation feature to its Data breach reports and Autofill function, I experienced everything it has to offer.  And I’m here to tell you it’s a complete game-changer in securing your digital life.  Are Your Passwords Safe? After news broke about the 16 billion leaked passwords, one question crossed everyone’s mind: Are my passwords safe?  There’s an easy way to find out if your passwords have appeared in known data breaches. Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) lets you do it in just a few clicks. Visit HIBP’s website, type your password in the search box, and click on the ‘Check’ button. It shows whether your password was part of a known leak. For demonstration purposes, I deliberately used a common password, 123456789, which has likely been exposed in data breaches. And indeed, it has. If HIBP finds your password in a data leak, you should immediately change it.  For further testing, I used a password generator to create a strong 19-character password and ran it through the tool.  As you can see, it hasn’t appeared in any known data breaches, so it’s safe to use. However, remember that HIBP only tells you if the password was part of a known data leak. It doesn’t indicate the strength of your password.  Disclaimer: We mentioned HIBP only for informational purposes. It’s trusted in the security community, and doesn’t store passwords. Still, no site is fully hack-proof. The safest course of action, if your password was leaked, is to change it immediately. That said, you can have weak passwords that are easy to crack but haven’t been exposed in any known data breach. However, hackers can easily crack weak passwords through brute-force, where they try common combinations until they find the right one. For instance, a short, simple password like ‘password123’ can be cracked in less than a second. Other methods often employed by hackers are: Phishing: Hackers send you fake emails or messages that look legitimate. Often, these messages urge you to click a link that takes you to fake websites set up by hackers to steal your login credentials.  Keylogger: Hackers secretly install keyloggers on users’ devices. These malicious tools record every keystroke you type, including usernames and passwords. Later, they send the recorded credentials to the hackers.  Data breaches: Sometimes, threat actors hack the websites you use and steal login credentials from the websites’ databases. Aside from practicing security best practices (like knowing what a scam email looks like), having hard-to-guess passwords is the next step in better protecting yourself. But it’s not so easy to remember complex passwords, is it? Fortunately, you don’t have to. Not when you have a password manager like Bitwarden that does that for you. Bitwarden can not only create strong passwords but also help you keep them safe.  I have extensively tested the leading open-source password manager to assess its capabilities in protecting your digital life.  Did it meet my expectations? Let’s find out next. But a little context first.  What Is Bitwarden? Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that lets you create, store, and manage passwords securely. Its codebase is available online on GitHub, where thousands of security researchers and third parties can review and audit it for vulnerabilities. You can download the desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and the mobile app is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The browser extension is available on the most popular browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, and Vivaldi. Its key features include a password generator, passkey storage and access, vault health reports, and advanced two-factor authentication (2FA), including security keys like YubiKey.  As for pricing, the free plan works well for saving and auto-filling passwords, but the premium subscription (starting at $1/month) offers additional features such as emergency access and security reports. I’ve been using Bitwarden Premium for over four years, and it was more than worth it for me. But if you just want to test it out or if you won’t use it extensively, the free plan is one of the best I’ve seen. Can Bitwarden Really Protect You From Password Leaks? Yes, Bitwarden can protect you from password leaks by making you aware your passwords were exposed in one (through vault health reports). Its password generator, secure auto-fill, and industry-standard encryption give you additional protection from hacking attempts.  Now let me show you what Bitwarden can do and what I liked the most. 1. Password Generator Short passwords with familiar patterns, such as QWERTY or 123456789, are easy to hack. That’s why cybersecurity experts recommend creating passwords that

Tommy Lee Walker – stock.adobe.c Hitachi Vantara says its approach to storage and AI offers the most comprehensive solutions, based on its industrial heritage and RAG-like functionality it claims others don’t have By Stéphane Larcher, LeMagIT Yann Serra, LeMagIT Published: 22 Jul 2025 10:24 Among storage player claims about how well-suited their products are to AI workloads, Hitachi Vantara has a unique backstory to support its arguments. Namely, that the Japanese array maker is part of a giant manufacturing conglomerate that makes everything from nuclear power stations and high-speed trains, to air conditioners and household appliances, and handles its data using Hitachi Vantara products.   Also key to the narrative is that the company offers a converged infrastructure portfolio – Hitach iQ – that combines Nvidia GPUs and Enterprise AI software with Hitachi Vantara’s VSP One storage arrays, Hammerspace file storage and data orchestration, Hitachi Vantara server products, plus Cisco networking equipment. “Our group uses Nvidia’s Omniverse digital twin ecosystem, which provides training data for AI that allows for development and extension of robotic capacity in manufacturing,” said CTO for AI at Hitachi Vantara, Jason Hardy. Converged infrastructure for AI Meanwhile, Hitachi Vantara’s AI converged product family, Hitachi iQ, is a complete converged infrastructure that can go from one to 16 SuperMicro servers, each with eight Nvidia GPUs for AI processing using Nvidia’s HGX configuration. Then there are multiple Hitachi HA G3 servers that share the (object storage) contents of VSP One array nodes. Some of these servers run the Nvidia AI Enterprise software layer in Kubernetes containers. Others run Hammerspace storage software that allows parallelised access between GPUs and storage. Finally, Cisco Nexus switches connect the whole thing. Regarding the role of the VSP One array – the flagship of the Hitachi Vantara array family – it is connected to Hammerspace servers to provide object storage to the bulk of the data which these servers distribute in file mode.  IQ Time Machine: VSP One gives LLM a memory “To base the whole thing on our VSP array offers some benefits,” said Hardy. “Among them is our new Hitachi iQ Time Machine functionality, which allows submission to an LLM of previous versions of documents and data that has since been updated.” Hardy’s point here is that such documents in other systems will have been updated and therefore past versions will be lost to LLMs that interrogate that dataset. The RAG-like function rests on the retention of historic data in object storage on the VSP One array, and iQ Studio – the chatbot that provides the Hitachi iQ infrastructure to Hitachi Vantara – provides this via a timeline in the interface. For example, if a member of the finance team wants to ask the AI about an event, they can hover over the date and potentially see details notified via a document ingested at the time. And so, customers can access data from different time periods via an LLM. Data storage is a critical component for AI projects because it must deal successfully with three constraints – the array must communicate very rapidly with the GPUs; for RAG, data needs to be in a format compatible with Nvidia’s software modules that build AI applications; and, finally, they are required to help enterprises prepare and test data that they submit to AI. With Hitachi iQ, which goes way beyond just storage functionality, Hitachi aims to tackle these three challenges at the same time.  Read more on Flash storage and solid-state drives (SSDs) Hitachi Vantara: VSP One leads revamped storage portfolio By: Antony Adshead Storage players ride the Nvidia bus at GTC 2025 By: Antony Adshead What is Hitachi Vantara? By: Alexander Gillis Hitachi Vantara expands in hybrid and multi-cloud storage By: Scott Sinclair Read More