Monthly Archives: February 2025

The best Apple AirTag accessories for 2025

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If you’ve ever spent way too much time searching for your keys, wallet, or even your backpack, Apple’s AirTag could be a total lifesaver. This tiny, coin-sized tracker pairs with your iPhone and uses the Find My network to help you track down lost belongings with impressive accuracy. Whether it’s hiding under the couch or left behind at a coffee shop, an AirTag makes sure you can find it fast.

But to get the most out of your AirTag, you’ll need the right accessories. Since AirTags don’t have built-in clips or keychain holes, one of the best AirTag holders can help you attach it to your keys, bags or even your pet’s collar. From sleek leather keychains to rugged waterproof cases, the right AirTag holder not only keeps your tracker secure but also adds a touch of style or extra protection. Some even come with adhesive backs, letting you stick an AirTag onto your bike, laptop or remote control so it never goes missing again.

To help you find the perfect match, we’ve rounded up the best AirTag accessories, including must-have accessories like the best AirTag holders, keychains and protective cases. Whether you need something stylish, durable or budget-friendly, there’s an option that’ll keep your AirTag safe and make tracking your stuff even easier.

AirTags need a holder because they do not have built-in keyring holes like Tile, Chipolo and other Bluetooth trackers do.

You’ll need a holder or case to attach an AirTag to your stuff. If you’re comfortable slipping an AirTag into an interior pocket of a bag or coat, you can do so without an extra accessory. But if you want to use one to keep track of your keys, wallet, backpack or even your pet on their collar, you’ll need an accessory that can accommodate that use case.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-apple-airtag-cases-holders-accessories-123036404.html?src=rss

Hackers Planted a Steam Game With Malware To Steal Gamers’ Passwords

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Valve removed the game PirateFi from Steam after discovering it was laced with the Vidar infostealer malware, designed to steal sensitive user data such as passwords, cookies, cryptocurrency wallets, and more. TechCrunch reports: Marius Genheimer, a researcher who analyzed the malware and works at SECUINFRA Falcon Team, told TechCrunch that judging by the command and control servers associated with the malware and its configuration, “we suspect that PirateFi was just one of multiple tactics used to distribute Vidar payloads en masse.” “It is highly likely that it never was a legitimate, running game that was altered after first publication,” said Genheimer. In other words, PirateFi was designed to spread malware.

Genheimer and colleagues also found that PirateFi was built by modifying an existing game template called Easy Survival RPG, which bills itself as a game-making app that “gives you everything you need to develop your own singleplayer or multiplayer” game. The game maker costs between $399 and $1,099 to license. This explains how the hackers were able to ship a functioning video game with their malware with little effort.

According to Genheimer, the Vidar infostealing malware is capable of stealing and exfiltrating several types of data from the computers it infects, including: passwords from the web browser autofill feature, session cookies that can be used to log in as someone without needing their password, web browser history, cryptocurrency wallet details, screenshots, and two-factor codes from certain token generators, as well as other files on the person’s computer.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

5 reasons I can’t go back to Windows after trying Linux

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Linux distros might be extremely popular in the server community, but they’re still a niche in the general computing sector, which the Windows lineup continues to dominate. Ever since I began my home lab obsession, I’ve spent more time with Linux than Windows – and let me tell you, Linux distributions have some game-changing features that are severely lacking in their modern Windows counterparts.

WhatsApp Faces Tougher EU Rules As Users Top 45 Million

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Meta’s WhatsApp messaging service has surpassed 45 million users, earning the designation of a “Very Large Online Platform” under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Bloomberg reports: WhatsApp’s open channels, which are feeds affiliated with news outlets or public figures that under the DSA are comparable to a social network, averaged about 46.8 million monthly average users in the second half of 2024, Meta said in a filing on Feb. 14 that hasn’t previously been reported. […] The DSA content moderation rulebook imposes stricter requirements on very large online platforms, defined as those whose EU-based monthly active users exceed 45 million. Users of WhatsApp’s core messaging feature do not count toward the designation under the DSA.

The commission would still need to rule that WhatsApp should be included in the more regulated tier. Under the DSA, very large online platforms must carry out risk assessments on the spread of illegal or harmful content, and put in place a mitigation strategy. Fines under the DSA can reach as much as 6% of a company’s annual global sales. The DSA requires platforms to disclose user numbers every six months. Messaging service Telegram also published an update this week, saying that monthly EU users of its public channels are “significantly fewer than 45 million.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

In a last-minute decision, White House decides not to terminate NASA employees

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Unlike workers at many other federal agencies this week, probationary employees at NASA were not terminated on Tuesday.

For much of the day employees at the space agency anticipated a directive from the White House Office of Personnel Management to fire these employees, but it never came. “We were on pins and needles throughout the day,” said one senior official at Johnson Space Center in Houston on Tuesday afternoon.

However, by late in the afternoon, several field center directors received confirmation from the White House that their probationary employees—of which there are more than 1,000 across the agency’s headquarters and 10 field centers—would not be terminated. NASA had sought exemptions for all of these employees, who comprise about 6 percent of NASA’s workforce. Ars could not confirm whether the reprieve applied to some field centers or all 10 of them.

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Google Play Books Purchases on iOS Now Skirt the App Store’s Commission

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Google has gained permission to sell its e-books and audiobooks directly to customers through its iOS app, Google Play Books. From a report: While iOS apps today can offer access to content previously purchased elsewhere, like e-books bought via a website, developers have to request a specific exception to link their iOS app’s users to the company’s own website to make purchases. According to a brief post on Google’s blog, users will now be able to click on a new “Get book” button in the Google Play Books iOS app which will take them to the Google Play website to complete their e-book or audiobook purchase.

From there, users will be able to see their recently opened book listings and complete a purchase using their Google Account and saved payment information. By processing the transaction on its own website, Google can avoid paying Apple a commission (generally 30%) on in-app purchases of digital content.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Mira Murati Is Launching Her OpenAI Rival: Thinking Machines Lab

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Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has launched Thinking Machines Lab with several leaders from OpenAI on board, including John Schulman, Barrett Zoph, and Jonathan Lachman. Their mission is “to make AI systems more widely understood, customizable, and generally capable,” with a commitment to publishing technical research and code. The Verge reports: In a press release shared with The Verge, the company suggests that it’s building products that help humans work with AI, rather than fully autonomous systems. “We’re building a future where everyone has access to the knowledge and tools to make AI work for their unique needs and goals,” says the press release.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.