After the UK`s warmest ever Bonfire Night, Helen Willetts looks at how long the mild November weather will last. Read...

I’m a semi-old, to riff on today’s online parlance. Things have changed a lot since I was young, especially with computers. A lot of advice just isn’t as applicable in quite the same way as it was 20 years ago. And yet what’s old is new again. Because compromised software is becoming a regular problem once more. Infostealers are a kind of malware that capture sensitive information right under your nose. They masquerade as legitimate software, but as you go about your business, the app or browser extension will record your passwords, personal details, and other information needed to take over your accounts. Unlike with many website leaks and breaches, this data always comes to the attacker unencrypted, so they can start using it immediately. How do infostealers end up on a PC? In addition to cracked software, browser extensions and even legitimate apps can end up infected with malicious code.Google Back in the stone age, avoiding infostealing malware was as simple as only buying and downloading official software. That advice still applies today—cracked or pirated apps are one way an infostealer can make its way onto your PC. But these days infostealer malware can also land on your computer through seemingly innocent free software. Think browser extensions that give weather updates or help you select a color palette. It can also appear through formerly legitimate software. Developers can get hacked—or worse, they actually sell their software to a bad actor. An attacker can then add malware to the code and push an update to unsuspecting users. In 2025, we’ve seen this happen not just through browser extensions, but also games on Steam. (And more than once.) How to avoid infostealers The simple advice is to just watch what you download. In practice, that’s more complicated these days because attackers can place an infostealer on your PC in multiple ways. I take a two-pronged approach.  Online applications like Photopea don’t require any downloads, making them a great alternative for installing software to your PC.Photopea First: Be smart about what you download. Who is the developer? How many times has it been downloaded? Who is recommending it? How many reviews does it have? Is it mentioned by reputable online journalists and experts? How often do you see it mentioned in forums and on Reddit during conversations? When reading feedback from other people, trust individuals who back up their opinions with the experiences they’ve had from using the software. Look for a big cross-section of reviewers from all different sources, too. One nice thing about 2025 is that you don’t have to install software to get your usual tasks done. For example, alternatives like Photopea and Canva can make Photoshop unnecessary. If you need specific software, look for discounts. Students in particular qualify for many freebies, like six months of Adobe Express Premium and a year of Microsoft 365. Second: Wipe unused apps and software from your PC. Do this regularly. A legitimate app can’t compromise your system if it’s no longer installed. For games that I may want to play again or are a pain to download, I save the files to an external hard drive before wiping it from my system. (As applicable, I also back up save files.) These steps won’t guarantee your PC won’t ever become infected with infostealers (or other malware). But it reduces the risk. Antivirus software does a great job at catching nasty software, but it’s not failsafe. Read...

The lessons of Cyclone Gabrielle are being consolidated into a strengthened, Wairarapa-wide emergency management and support plan for a more resilient, community based response for future disasters. Read...

A heavy rain watch is forecast to kick in for the lower South Island on Sunday evening. Read...

Fire and Emergency says it will continue to respond to severe weather events, despite `scaremongering` suggesting otherwise. Read...

Certain space weather events - like solar tsunamis - have the potential to cause disaster on a global scale. And they’re not as unlikely as you might think. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Incredibly cheap Slightly more effective than other skimmers Remote control is handy for spot cleaning Cons Repeatedly bashed into the pool’s walls No real navigation features Initial setup is confusing Our Verdict This sub-$200 skimmer looks funny and feels flimsy, but it gets the job done better than most, even without having any smarts to speak of. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer Retailer Price $229.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices As a category, pool skimmers aren’t the most effective at cleaning your pool, but they’re better than just letting surface debris sink to the bottom. What makes them potentially more compelling is when they’re inexpensive, and the Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer is as cheap as they come. And much to my surprise, it works as well as (or better than) anything else in its class that I’ve tried. Specifications The Ultenic S1 measures 8 x 15 x 19 inches (HxWxL) once it’s assembled, and it weighs just 6 pounds. Like many modern pool skimmers, it features a solar panel on top (this one puts out 9 watts) that keeps its 5200mAh battery charged. If the weather isn’t cooperating, you can charge it manually with the included custom USB cable (power adapter included). The unit offers a 6-liter debris basket, and as its sole bonus feature, it comes with a slim remote control that lets you drive the robot around the surface of the pool on demand. The solar-powered Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer would commonly run all day, even in relatively cloudy weather. The filter basket includes a small chamber that can be used to hold a chlorine tablet, dispensing chemicals as it moves around the pool. This can be removed if you don’t need it. The device does not have any wireless capabilities aside from its remote control, and it does not connect to a mobile app. Installation and setup The Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer comes partially disassembled, and it can be intimidating to put together; fortunately, the user manual guides you as to what goes where.Christopher Null/Foundry The Ultenic S1 comes in a jumble of pieces, and considering how simple the product is, it’s remarkably confusing to set up. You’ll need to attach various components to the core device, including two propellors, guide wheels, anti-stranding bars, and the filter basket, which comes in two parts. Assembly is far from intuitive and even after studying the quick-start guide, I struggled for longer than I care to admit to figure out how the guide wheels clipped into place. The longer, printed manual is, fortunately, more thorough and explanatory, but the process still took longer than I expected to complete, about five minutes. I fully charged the device as the manual suggested via wall power in advance of its initial deployment. At this point I noticed the power port on the underside of the device has no cover to prevent water ingress, though I ultimately did not notice any ill effects of water getting into this part of the device during several days of testing. A front-mounted paddle-wheel impeller pulls debris into the skimmer.Christopher Null/Foundry Lastly, a skimmer blocking system—a slim piece of foam rubber—is included in the box should you find your robot getting stuck in the wall-skimmer intake. I didn’t encounter a problem with this, so I didn’t use it. Using the Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer A physical switch on the front of the S1 is all it takes to power up the robot; and in fact, it’s the only onboard control. It’s clear that, much like Ultenic’s Pooleco 10 floor-cleaning robot, there is not a lot of intelligence built into the device. There’s no real rhyme or reason to how it moves, alternately pushing straight ahead or opting to turn. When it comes to a wall, the S1 just plows right into it, and the guide wheels in front of the robot are not soft or padded in any way. Over time I can imagine this might have an impact on your pool’s waterline tiles, possibly leading to cracks or looseness. The device just feels flimsy, almost like a toy. A wireless remote control gives you the option to “drive” the skimmer around your pool. Christopher Null/Foundry Ultenic promises 15 hours of running time on a full charge, and while that’s difficult to properly test given that solar power is constantly recharging the battery—and there is no battery level meter—I did note that the Ultenic S1 would commonly run all day, even in relatively cloudy weather, stopping only for occasional breaks and then starting back up again once it had enough juice. The device can always be charged via cable overnight, but I usually didn’t bother and let the unit pick up where it left off each morning once the battery had enough charge to work with. The remote control works well, and while it’s always difficult to control something that has momentum on water, I was easily able to navigate the skimmer around the pool to pick up debris on demand. Another button can be used to instruct the S1 to “dock” against the side of the pool with a single press, but I found it easier to simply drive it to the wall. The Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer is outfitted with a 6-liter filter basket.Christopher Null/Foundry I had low expectations for the Ultenic S1, but much to my surprise it was more effective than I guessed it would be; in fact, it was better at cleaning than many other much more expensive skimmers I’ve tested. Despite an intake that measures just about 14 inches across and no real sense of direction, the unit gobbled up more than 50 percent of the test material in my test run, after about 5 hours of uninterrupted operation. While most of the remaining debris sank to the bottom of the pool, which might not sound like a great result, it’s because debris won’t float forever. The bottom line is that that’s the best score I’ve seen from a skimmer to date. These ard plastic bumpers on either side of the skimmer constantly slammed into my pool’s walls at the waterline.Christopher Null/Foundry My theory for explaining the Ultenic S1’s unexpected effectiveness is that its very light weight creates less bow wake as it moves across the water. This, in turn, causes fewer leaves to be pushed out to the sides, escaping the skimmer’s “mouth,” as you’ll see with larger skimmers. The front-mounted paddlewheel, meanwhile, is effective at pulling in debris—it even captured small branches. The debris basket’s confusing two-part design, on the other hand, makes cleaning a little more difficult than other skimmers; but once you’ve done the disassembly and reassembly a few times, the hassle eases. Should you buy the Ultenic S1 Pool Skimmer? I’m still not convinced most pool owners need a robotic skimmer at all, but in times of significant wind and rain, it can be helpful to have something to complement the wall skimmer if the pool gets a heavy dusting of leaves. The price is, of course, what makes this product worthwhile: At less than $200, the Ultenic S1 is an exceptionally low-risk investment to have on hand in case of emergency. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robotic pool cleaners. Read...

One of my favorite things I’ve bought for my home has been a smart assistant. Need to turn off the smart lights? Need to know who that actor is in the movie I’m watching? Need to set up a quick reminder while my hands are busy? The Amazon Echo Spot is great for that—and it just so happens to be on sale for just $55 right now (was $80). View this Amazon deal This is a sleek redesign of previous Echo Spot models, now featuring a proper digital display and a speaker underneath. This makes it so much easier to spot the time, the weather, or whatever song is playing with a simple glance at the device. The aesthetic is clean and matches easily, with a modern look that doesn’t feel out of place anywhere. Alexa is just as easy as ever to access by using voice commands, too. Just ask whatever questions you have, or speak whatever instructions you want for controlling the other smart devices on your network (e.g., toggling lights on/off, changing light colors, playing songs, getting weather forecasts). You can also set up automated routines, like gently waking up every morning to chill music. The coolest part is that the Echo Spot also comes with an Eero built in, which extends your Wi-Fi coverage with a compatible Eero network. Grab the Echo Spot for $55 on Amazon before this deal is gone! We’ve only ever seen this low of a price during big sale events, so now’s a fantastic time to get one. `Alexa, what`s the best time to get an Echo Spot?`Buy now on Amazon Read...

Warm, humid weather is on the way for early summer - with a chance of heavy rain for parts of the country. Read...

Catch up on all you need to know about the 165th edition of the Melbourne Cup that is being run at Flemington on Tuesday. Read...