“The MKH 8018 is a high-class shotgun model that rounds off our MKH portfolio at the top end,” says Kai Lange, senior product manager for the MKH series. “It has extremely low self-noise and truly excellent sound, very clear and pure due to the mic’s great off-axis rejection. Moisture resistance, minimal non-linar distortion, and a balanced audio signal at the transformerless, fully floating output are further benefits of the RF condenser technology, which Sennheiser has been perfecting for more than 60 years.”

Lightweight, non-modular, and with a tailored frequency response
To make the MKH 8018 as easy to handle as possible, the Sennheiser engineers have given it an aluminium housing to have less weight on a camera or boom pole. Also, the microphone is – unlike most of the other mics in the 8000 series – non-modular with a fixed XLR-5M output and integrated -10 dB pad against overdriving, filters for tailoring the frequency response, and an additional switchable -3 dB low-cut filter at 70 Hz.

As the MKH 8018 has been designed for broadcasting and filming applications, the usual extremely wide frequency response of the MKH mics has been limited to 40 – 20,000 Hz. This avoids any overloading of the mixing console with unhearable distortion below 40 Hz and above 20 kHz, where ultrasonic camera lens measurement systems are active.

Matrix inside
The MKH 8018 impresses with its homogeneous sound image, and can output MS stereo for further processing in the studio or on a mixer, or – via an internal matrix – XY stereo in a wide or narrow mode without the need for an external mixer. In XY-w, the mic emphasizes the side signal to a greater extent, thus capturing more ambience. In XY-n, the focus is more on the mid signal, giving the sound engineer more directionality.

The MKH 8018 is delivered complete with an MZQ 100 microphone clip, MZW 8018 foam windshield and a threaded plastic transport tube. The MZR 8000 camera adapter (pictured below on the right) wraps around the microphone body and ensures a secure fit with other mic clips and on cameras.

The MKH 8018 RF condenser stereo shotgun microphone is delivered complete with (from left to right) an MZQ 100 microphone clip, a threaded plastic transport tube, the MZW 8018 foam windshield and the MZR 8000, which wraps around the 8018 and securely adapts it to wider mic clips or camera mounts

Optional accessories for the mic are the MZS 20-1 suspension/pistol grip, the MZW 60-1 basket windshield and the MZH 60-1 hairy cover for outdoor use of the MKH 8018.

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Users who have previously backed up their Google Photos to their QNAP NAS using MARS can rest assured that their existing backup data will remain intact and accessible. However, new backups from Google Photos to QNAP NAS will no longer function.

Alternatively, the company encourages users to follow this tutorial to continue backing up their Google Photos to QNAP NAS using Google Takeout.

We understand that this may impact some of our users who rely on MARS for Google Photos backup, and we sincerely appreciate your support and understanding. QNAP remains committed to providing robust and efficient backup solutions to protect your important data.

If users have any questions, they can contact QNAP Customer Service.

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Headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., QuSecure is a privately held company founded in 2019. QuSecure’s QuProtect software offers an end-to-end quantum security-as-a-service architecture that combines zero-trust, next-generation quantum-resilient technology and crypto agility to protect networks, cloud systems, edge devices and satellite communications against today’s cyberattacks and future quantum threats, all with minimal disruption to existing systems.

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Presight Synergy is a next generation, home-grown data and AI platform designed to future-proof AI adoption and simplify the implementation of various industry specific use cases.

Today’s CIOs and CDOs face a constantly evolving technology landscape, juggling fragmented AI tools, siloed data systems, and multiple vendors just to stay competitive. This patchwork of solutions drives up costs, hampers operational efficiency, and leaves organizations perpetually racing to integrate new capabilities. Presight Synergy directly tackles these challenges with a single, end‐to‐end platform – unifying data management, AI analytics, business intelligence, and governance into one cohesive ecosystem. By consolidating critical functions, it minimizes overheads, accelerates innovation, and ensures that enterprises can swiftly adapt to shifting market demands without the burden of disconnected technologies.

Quantifying the impact of Presight Synergy
Based on market research insights and Presight estimates, Presight Synergy could:

• Achieve a 50% faster time for development and production cycle due to the built-in capabilities within the platform
• 30% less requirement on software coding due to the low-code environment
• 50% less requirement for professional service fees and overall manpower resources 

Seamless integration with leading LLMs (Large Language Models)
Built on a modern, modular architecture, Presight Synergy includes 150+ prebuilt machine learning models and connects seamlessly to leading open source LLMs, including OpenAI’s GPT-4o, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama, G42’s Jais, DeepSeek, and Mistral. By seamlessly integrating large language models (LLMs) into the data and AI platform, enterprises can quickly harness domain-specific insights, streamline automation, and develop tailored solutions for diverse use cases – from predictive maintenance and fraud detection to personalized customer experiences. This unified approach accelerates innovation by embedding AI‐driven intelligence across every workflow, enabling organizations to create, refine, and deploy industry‐specific applications with far less complexity and significantly higher impact. 

Thomas Pramotedham, CEO of Presight, said: “Presight Synergy offers enterprises an AI platform to address the complexities and inefficiencies that leaders face today, providing a seamless, integrated solution that empowers them to adopt AI in a more future-proof manner.

“Importantly, Presight Synergy is not just another AI product, it’s the central platform which will sit at the very heart of your organization to turn raw information into real intelligence, helping organizations act faster and smarter. This is Applied Intelligence in action; Data, AI, and agentic workflows seamlessly integrated to drive impact at scale.” 

Presight Synergy is structured around three core pillars:

• Synergy Data: A centralized hub for data integration, storage, and governance. AI-assisted pipelines and data lakehouse architecture ensure a unified, high-quality dataset that meets compliance and security standards.
• Synergy AI: An advanced intelligence engine that enables automation, analytics, and optimization. Its flexible architecture supports both open-source and proprietary models, allowing businesses to customize and scale their industry specific AI use cases.
• Synergy BI: A business intelligence suite with real-time dashboards, KPI tracking, and custom reporting. Users can move from raw data to actionable intelligence without deep technical expertise. 

Designed for every industry and deployment model
Presight Synergy is industry-agnostic, supporting complex data ecosystems across public services, energy, finance, and smart cities. Its deployment model is equally adaptable, as enterprises can use Presight Synergy either on-premise to maintain data sovereignty, or in the cloud for greater scalability. 

Security and governance at every layer
Security and governance are embedded at every layer. Real-time compliance monitoring, bias detection in AI models, and transparent audit trails ensure enterprises can trust their AI-driven decisions. 

Accelerating AI adoption
AI is no longer an experimental tool for niche applications. It is a necessity for modern enterprises. Presight Synergy brings Applied Intelligence to businesses that need real-time insights, predictive analytics, and automated decision-making – all within a secure, flexible ecosystem.

For companies looking to accelerate AI adoption without overhauling existing infrastructure, this platform offers a practical, scalable solution.

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As a global leader in private cloud, managing 520+ exabytes of data across 13 million servers, and trusted by over half of the Fortune 500, Synology delivers reliable, secure, and flexible solutions for businesses to protect and optimize their data. Synology protects over 25 million workloads worldwide, ensuring business continuity and data resilience across diverse industries.

In the MEA region, the growing wave of ransomware attacks—such as the 2023 incident targeting key financial institutions in the Gulf—has accelerated demand for robust data protection. The regional backup and recovery market is projected to grow over 10% annually through 2027, reflecting the urgent need for stronger cyber resilience.

Recognizing the growing cybersecurity threats and data management complexities, Synology introduces the ActiveProtect Appliance, a next-gen backup and recovery solution. This new lineup enhances backup speeds, ransomware resilience, and usability, ensuring robust cyber resilience for modern enterprises.

Key Highlights of the ActiveProtect Appliances:

• Enhanced Ransomware Protection: Advanced security protocols and secure your data with immutability and isolate your data with air-gapped backups to ensure robust data integrity and access control.
• Unified Management Interface: Single user interface mechanism enables effortless monitoring and control with scalable cluster architecture simplifies management for 150,000 devices and optimizes data visibility.
• Simplified Enterprise-Grade Protection at a Lower Cost: Compared to traditional backup solutions, the implementation cost of this solution averages only 20%. With its software-hardware integrated design, installation, maintenance, and support require significantly less time, making enterprise-grade data protection more accessible to businesses of all sizes.

“Data is the backbone of every modern enterprise, and in today’s evolving digital landscape, building a cyber-resilient infrastructure is more critical than ever,” said Michael Chang, Synology’s APAC Sales Head. “With global cyber threats increasing by 38% in 2023 and the cost of data breaches averaging $4.45 million, businesses need a scalable, secure, and intuitive data protection solution. ActiveProtect is designed to address these challenges in the MEA region, empowering enterprises to safeguard their most valuable assets with greater efficiency and confidence.”

Synology ActiveProtect Appliance has a diverse range of restoration capabilities for business continuity. From regular recovery to disaster scenarios, the solution enables enterprises to quickly and efficiently restore operations, safeguarding critical data and minimizing downtime.

Unlike traditional backup software, which often requires complex integration with multiple hardware devices and licenses—resulting in high software costs per workload license mechanism and complicated pricing based on uncertain storage capacity—Synology offers a streamlined, cost-effective approach. With pricing based on nodes and free licensing for up to three servers, businesses can better estimate costs while ensuring robust data protection.

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The TS-h765eU combines robust performance, multitasking capabilities, and great I/O expandability to meet diverse application requirements. It features the latest Intel Atom x7000C Series processor, supports built-in 8GB DDR5 RAM, upgradable to 16GB (In-Band ECC), has dual 2.5GbE ports, and provides four 3.5-inch SATA drive bays and three E1.S/M.2 PCIe NVMe slots for installing E1.S/M.2 2280 SSDs to enhance read/write performance or upgrading to 10GbE using E1.S interface network modules. Running the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system, the TS-h765eU prioritizes data integrity, immutability with WORM protection, and powerful data reduction.

“In modern IT applications, every second counts and having your data storage close by can be the difference maker. The TS-h765eU short-depth rackmount NAS is perfect for edge storage while its performance and I/O expandability isn’t compromised by its compact form factor,” said Andy Chuang, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “Users can pair the TS-h765eU NAS with QNAP’s short rail kit Rail-S01 and short-depth JBOD, making it easier to install in small media cabinets while reducing the total cost of ownership.”

TS-h765eU Key Features

• Maximized space utilization: The 1U short depth of only 292.1mm (12 inches) is suited for small cabinets or wall-mounted network racks, making it flexible to install in offices, factories, multimedia rooms, mobile broadcasting vehicles, or small IT rooms.
• Next-gen Intel Atom processor: Equipped with an Intel Atom x7405C quad-core processor (up to 3.4 GHz) for multitasking and heavy workloads.
• Advanced DDR5 RAM: The built-in non-ECC DDR5 memory (expandable up to 16GB) features high performance and low power consumption; In-Band ECC (IBECC) is supported for enhanced data protection.
• Outstanding expandability: Three built-in E1.S/M.2 PCIe NVMe slots allow for installing two QNAP QXG-ES10G1T E1.S to 10GbE network modules for faster network connectivity; or installing three E1.S/M.2 2280 SSDs for SSD storage pools or SSD caching to boost IOPS.
• Futureproof: Supports E1.S SSDs (heights of 5.9/9.5/15mm) that provide higher density storage, power-loss protection (PLP), hot-swappable supports, and better heat dissipation.
• Excellent network connectivity: Achieve high-speed networking with two built-in 2.5GbE ports, and upgrade to two 10GbE ports if necessary. Higher bandwidth is possible by enabling Port Trunking or SMB Multichannel for faster data transfer, large file access, backup and restoration.
• Effortless storage expansion: The built-in USB 3.2 Gen 1 port allows for connecting a QNAP’s short-depth USB JBOD TR-004U to the TS-h765eU for additional data storage and backup.

Key Specifications

• TS-h765eU-8G: Intel Atom x7405C 4-core 2.2GHz processor (up to 3.4 GHz); 8GB DDR5 non-ECC RAM (In-Band ECC supported), expandable up to 16GB (1x 16GB); 4x 3.5-inch/2.5-inch SATA 6Gbps HDD/SSD slots; 3x E1.S/M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD slots (an E1.S to M.2 adapter attached in each slot); 2x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports; 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) Type-A port; 1x USB 2.0 port
• QXG-ES10G1T: E1.S to 10GbE network module; PCIe Gen 3 x4 interface; supports Multi-Gigabit 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M; hand-screw design for toolless installation

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In 2024, AV-Comparatives subjected 16 consumer security products for Windows to rigorous testing, evaluating their ability to protect against real-world Internet threats, identify recent malicious programs, defend against advanced targeted attacks, and provide protection without slowing down the PC. ESET HOME Security Essential emerged as the top performer, receiving the highest Advanced+ Award in all seven tests conducted throughout the year.

As stated in the AV-Comparatives´ Summary Report 2024, “Reviewers were impressed by the clean, intuitive user interface designed for non-expert users, as well as the extensive customization and scan options available for power users.”

Although the majority of vendors make auto-renewal mandatory, the report points out that, most commendably, ESET is among those vendors who do not impose auto-renewal on users. The report further highlights ESET HOME Security Essential as a well-designed and easy-to-use security product that provides safe default settings and essential features easily accessible to all users.

Andreas Clementi, founder and CEO of AV-Comparatives, commented on ESET’s recognition: “ESET’s performance throughout our 2024 tests has been consistently strong, earning high ratings across multiple categories. The awards reflect the product’s reliability in malware protection, usability, and system performance. ESET HOME Security Essential demonstrated a well-balanced approach, providing effective security without imposing a significant burden on the system, which many users will appreciate.”

“We are honored to be recognized as AV-Comparatives’ Product of the Year for 2024. This award is a testament to our commitment to providing high-performance, technologically advanced security solutions that protect digital lives of our customers without compromising their device performance. We will continue to innovate and enhance our products to address real-life cybersecurity and privacy needs of our users, so they can enjoy the full potential of themselves and their technology in a secure digital world,” said Viktória Ivanová, Vice President of Consumer and IoT Segment at ESET.

ESET HOME Security for Windows is designed to offer high-performance protection with low system impact, utilizing multilayered technologies that go beyond basic antivirus capabilities.

Click here to read the full AV-Comparatives’ Summary Report 2024.

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“English has become the go-to language for international business, but the reality is that only about 20% of the world’s population speaks it fluently,” said Jarek Kutylowski, CEO and Founder, DeepL. “This has a significant impact on global businesses and professionals – over half of C-level leaders spend more than an hour each day dealing with ineffective communication, a challenge that also extends to other management and leadership levels. To address this, what we’re seeing through our research is that businesses are increasingly turning to AI solutions – 72% are planning to integrate AI into daily operations, with 25% targeting specific tasks such as translation in 2025.”

Report highlights include: 

• Businesses are budgeting for AI integration: In 2025, businesses will be looking more closely into how AI is bringing ROI-positive value to their organization. Across every region, top AI budgeting allocations include business operations (28%), workplace tools (19%) and specialized tasks such as translation (25%). The Netherlands shows the highest AI spending commitment, with 30% of businesses in the nation planning to integrate AI into all operations, closely followed by Germany (29%), Belgium (28%), France (26%) and the United States (25%).
• Communication barriers are a significant issue facing global companies: As businesses expand globally and scale into new markets, language barriers are emerging as a key challenge. Market expansion (35%), engaging customers across borders (32%), and customer service (24%) are cited as the top language obstacles faced in their business while navigating this global landscape. In particular, expanding into new markets is a significant challenge for European companies operating in geographies with multiple official languages or export-driven economies – including Belgium (45%), Germany (41%), and the UK (44%) – followed by the US (37%), which represents the world’s second-largest export economy. Of the markets surveyed, France (42%), the US (38%) and Belgium (38%) also reported the most significant challenges while serving customers from other markets; emphasizing the importance of robust multilingual capabilities in those regions.
• Specialized AI tools like DeepL are combatting top business communication challenges: Language AI is unlocking significant growth and efficiency for global businesses, enabling them to harness language as a strategic asset to better tap into the power of communication and collaboration both internally and externally – all while driving deeper connections and expanding global reach. Businesses are merging Language AI solutions with human expertise and oversight to solve their urgent communication issues and minimize the challenges associated with cross-cultural communication – particularly in highly regulated industries with high-stakes communications, like legal and manufacturing. This includes utilizing Language AI alongside external translation agencies (32%) and supporting in-house translation teams with AI (31%), to embedding AI into key products (26%).
• Internal communication is a growing priority in European markets: Internal language barriers are leaving global companies struggling to effectively and efficiently move business forward. In particular, The Netherlands (31%) and France (25%) report the highest pressure to support communication between teams speaking different languages, highlighting how linguistic diversity impacts both customer engagement and workplace collaboration. DeepL’s findings are aligned with a 2024 Forbes study that found half of all knowledge workers say they are hampered by communication challenges.

“In order to communicate with people from other countries, naturally, we have to use English, and it’s always urgent. It used to take staff up to half a day to translate a document created in Japanese into English. Now that we are using DeepL, we can do this task very fast,” said Shoji Otsubo, Senior Manager, Panasonic Connect.

Since its inception in 2017, DeepL has become the go-to Language AI provider for businesses around the world, offering cutting-edge translation and writing solutions that are a critical investment for international business growth, addressing communication challenges across various domains. DeepL’s rapid growth and demand worldwide are also reflected by its rapidly-expanding customer network, which now includes over 100,000+ businesses, governments and other organizations worldwide including 50% of the Fortune 500.

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This partnership builds on the solid foundation established by the Merak Gaming Fund (MGF), an $80 million investment fund under the Gaming and Esports Sector Financing Program, overseen by the National Development Fund (NDF) in collaboration with the Social Development Bank and the Saudi Esports Federation. Playing a key role in advancing the National Gaming and Esports Strategy and the Ignite Digital Content Program, the fund aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 to drive innovation and growth in the gaming industry.

As part of its broader mandate, the National Development Fund (NDF) oversees an integrated development finance ecosystem that supports key sectors, including E-gaming and esports. Through initiatives like the Merak Gaming Fund (MGF), NDF plays a pivotal role in driving investment and innovation in the gaming industry, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. By fostering strategic collaborations, NDF strengthens the sector’s growth and positions the Kingdom as a regional leader in digital entertainment and economic development.

Through this partnership, gaming startups participating in the Exel Gaming Accelerator program will receive cloud infrastructure credits, enabling them to access Huawei Cloud’s advanced infrastructure, to develop and scale gaming solutions, advanced technical workshops focused on cloud-native gaming development, personalized technical consultation for optimizing cloud architecture and costs. The initiative will also feature regular knowledge-sharing sessions, technical workshops, and collaborative events designed to foster innovation in the gaming sector.

Abdullah Altamami, Founder and CEO of Merak Capital, commented: “The $80 million gaming fund, supported by the National Development Fund, and the launch of Exel Gaming Accelerator reaffirm our dedication to cultivating a thriving gaming ecosystem in the Kingdom. Through our partnership with Huawei Cloud, we are ensuring that startups have access to cutting-edge technology and essential resources, empowering them to enhance their capabilities and successfully expand into new markets.”

Lawrence Liu, CEO of Huawei Cloud Saudi Arabia, said: “The gaming industry represents a crucial frontier in Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. By combining Huawei Cloud’s advanced infrastructure with Merak Capital’s investment expertise, we’re creating a powerful ecosystem empowering local gaming startups to innovate and compete globally. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to supporting Vision 2030’s goals of digital economic diversification and our broader mission of developing the tech ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.”

The strategic partnership between Huawei Cloud and Merak Capital underscores a unified commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and E-Sports Strategy (NGES) and the broader objectives of Vision 2030. By leveraging Huawei Cloud’s cutting-edge technical expertise and Merak Capital’s investment leadership, this program aims to foster a thriving ecosystem that drives innovation, empowers local talent, and supports the growth of gaming businesses in the Kingdom.

Applications for the inaugural Exel Gaming Accelerator cohort remain open until February 16, 2025. The program seeks gaming startups with innovative solutions and strong growth potential, offering them access to this comprehensive support ecosystem.

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The integration of Lucidya’s customer engagement and data analytics capabilities into Infobip’s platform will allow businesses to leverage AI-driven social listening insights for personalized, multi-channel engagement. This partnership aims to enhance customer support, marketing effectiveness, and overall customer experience.

Zeid Shubailat, Director at Infobip, said:“This strategic partnership with Lucidya allows us to enhance our multi-channel communication capabilities by integrating their powerful social listening and AI-driven customer insights from social media channels. Jointly, we empower businesses to engage with their customers with more personalized, data-driven experiences, creating stronger connections and driving better outcomes across the customer journey to meet a wide range of customer needs.”

Some of the benefits of this strategic partnership include:

• Advanced AI-driven solutions for detailed customer intelligence and analysis
• Seamless integration of communication products and services for enhanced customer interactions
• Personalized engagement through innovative messaging channels

Ziyad Bin Sulaiman, Business Development Director at Lucidya, said: “Our partnership with Infobip represents a significant step forward in our mission to provide businesses with the tools they need to foster meaningful and personalized customer experiences. By leveraging Infobip’s cutting-edge communication technology, we’re confident that our clients will see a significant improvement in customer satisfaction and loyalty.”

This collaboration marks a significant step forward in providing businesses with the tools they need to foster meaningful and personalized customer experiences in the Middle East region.

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