TechRadar News

Prime Video has a slew of modern and classic films rotating in and out of its catalog in the upcoming weeks.

Amazon hasn't revealed how many of its titles are leaving its streaming service in May quite yet, but this last week of April and early May have a few titles already labeled on the website that you won't want to miss.

Here are three of the most highly rated films – each movie below has a Rotten Tomatoes critical rating higher than 90%, meaning it's one of the best Prime Video movies you can stream – that are leaving the service this week.

Train to Busan (2016)

• RT score: 90%
• Directors: Yeon Sang-ho
• Age Rating: PG-13
• Length: 1 hr 57 min
• Leaving on: May 1

A crowd-pleaser, Train to Busan is one of the first Korean horror films to become popular in the US. Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) is a divorced dad and workaholic fund manager who decides to grant his daughter's wish to spend her birthday together with her mother in Busan.

On the way there, the train is hijacked by zombies and they find out in real-time about the epidemic. Seok-woo has to work together with the other passengers to try to make it all the way to Busan with his daughter, which is the last safe haven in the outbreak.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

• RT score: 98%
• Directors: Alexander Mackendrick
• Age Rating: 7+
• Length: 1 hr 32 min
• Leaving on: April 30

The Sweet Smell of Success is a noir crime thriller in which an overprotective older brother takes it too far. J. J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster) is a Broadway-based gossip columnist who doesn't approve of his sister Susan's relationship with Steve, a jazz guitarist.

Sidney Falco, played by Tony Curtis, is a press agent desperate to advance his career, enough that he helps J.J. sabotage his sister's romance and ruin Steve's public image.

Midnight Run (1998)

• RT score: 95%
• Directors: Martin Brest
• Age Rating: R
• Length: 2 hr 6 min
• Leaving on: April 30

Another oldie but a goodie. Midnight Run stars Hollywood icon Robert De Niro as a character that subverts his typical crime and gangster role. Instead of playing the criminal, he's hunting them under the table. Jack Walsh (De Niro) is a bounty hunter hired to capture wanted accountant, Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin).

As requested by his employer, Walsh leaves New York to deliver Mardukas to LA. However, the FBI and major mobsters tracking them complicate the journey.

You might also like

• 5 environmental movies with over 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
• The Wheel of Time cast hasn't given up hope the show's renewal
• G20 is Prime Video's #2 movie but critics are calling it chaotic

Dyson is really, really good at moving air around. While the company made its name in vacuum cleaners, it's now almost as well known for its aircare appliances – it makes some of the best fans and the best air purifiers around, sometimes in one appliance. In fact, some can also heat or humidify the air, as required.

Dyson's aircare products are instantly recognizable, with most of them sporting a slick, space-age design that seems to magic up wind from nowhere. The downside of such an established look is that it can be very difficult to tell the difference between the various models in the range. With a wide selection of options available, it can be tricky to figure out exactly which product is which, and then which one to buy.

We've put together this guide to help you tell the difference between the various options, so you can choose the right one for your needs.

Overview table

This table provides a very basic overview of the full Dyson aircare range. Click the links in the 'List price' column to jump to the product listing at Dyson in each territory. If the currency you're looking for isn't listed, it's worth doing a quick Google, because the product may still be available to buy via a third-party retailer in that territory.

I mainly want a fan

Great! Most of Dyson's aircare appliances function as fans, so you have a lot of options to choose from.

If you just want a fan, you need the Dyson Cool AM07. Because it only has one function, it's the cheapest option in the whole lineup. You can find out what we thought of it in our Dyson Cool AM07 review.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you might want to consider a fan-purifier combo. Your main options here are the TP models, which have names starting with 'Purifier Cool'. The cheapest and most basic option here is the Purifier Cool TP10, and the most advanced is the Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09. Note that adding formaldehyde-removing capabilities to any Dyson product bumps up the price considerably.

(Image credit: Dyson)

Perhaps you need a fan because your home isn't especially well insulated, and you experience big temperature swings between seasons. In that case, you might consider a fan-heater combo. This option has the added benefit of meaning the appliance isn't just gathering dust in the summer months. The only option here is the Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09. We've tested that one, and you can see how we got on in our Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool review.

Finally, you could go the whole hog and opt for a fan-purifier-heater. For this, you want the HP range, with names starting 'Purifier Hot+Cool'. Options vary by country, but one that's available everywhere is the Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10.

I mainly want an air purifier

Great! Dyson has lots of air purifier options. This tech goes hand-in-hand with what the brand needs for its vacuum cleaners, so it knows what it's doing when it comes to capturing particles.

If you just want air purification, check out the Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde models. There are two slightly different versions: the BP04 and BP03, of which the 04 is slightly higher-spec. These are bulky and expensive, and designed to tackle large areas (up to 100m²) quietly. The purification capabilities are about the best you'll find anywhere, stretching to include nasties that most air purifiers can't handle, like NO2 and formaldehyde. You can read our thoughts on this range in our Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde review.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

If you just want a purifier for your bedroom or living room, and would prefer something smaller and cheaper, we'd suggest a purifier-fan. Look in the TP range, with products starting 'Purifier Cool'.

The most affordable, simplest model is the first-gen Purifier Cool TP10. It still has excellent purification capabilities, but it can't handle everything the Big+Quiet options can. Alternatively, opt for the Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09, which is more advanced.

Finally, you could go for a triple-action model. The purifier-heater-fan options have names starting 'Purifier Hot+Cool' and codes beginning HP, and the most widely available option is the Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10. Alternatively, there are a couple of options that swap heating for humidification – in the US it's the PH03 and in the UK it's the PH04.

I mainly want a heater

There are no standalone heater options in Dyson's range, but it's included as a bonus function with a number of the brand's aircare appliances.

The simplest and most affordable model is the Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus AM09, which operates as a fan or as a heater, depending on your needs. Otherwise, you'll need to opt for a three-in-one 'Purifier Hot+Cool' with a code name starting HP. All of these can heat, cool, or purify air. The most widely available is the Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10. We've tested the HP09, and you can read about how we got on with it in our Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 review.

(Image credit: Dyson) I mainly want a humidifier

Dyson isn't really that focused on humidifiers, but again, it's included as an added function on some combo humidifier-fan-purifier models. However, you're very limited in choice. In the US, you've got the Purifier Humidify+Cool PH03, and in the UK, it's the Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04.

• Better search has been added to ChatGPT integration in WhatsApp
• ChatGPT search now has improved citations
• Improved memory is coming to search and shopping

On the back of the new shopping features rolling out to ChatGPT, OpenAI is also improving its search capabilities in a few helpful ways.

Firstly, the ChatGPT integration in WhatsApp has been beefed up to include more up-to-date answers when searching.

WhatsApp integration with ChatGPT works by adding ChatGPT as a new contact inside your WhatsApp app, then chatting with it via WhatsApp messages (or using voice calls in US and Canada), as you would a friend.

You can start a conversation with ChatGPT in WhatsApp by simply clicking this link on your mobile phone.

Better citations

Secondly, ChatGPT's search function has improved citation capabilities. Paragraphs can now have multiple citations, and when you hover your cursor over each citation, a different part of the text will highlight, indicating what it’s referring to. This feature seems to already be functioning when we tested it today, and is working perfectly.

Next, you should soon be able to get real-time suggestions from ChatGPT that autocomplete with trend suggestions as you're typing. This sounds very similar to the way that Google autocompletes when you start typing in Google search, however, this feature hadn't been rolled out to our account to test at the time of writing.

Finally, improved memory is going to work with ChatGPT search and its new shopping feature. This means that ChatGPT will consider what you’ve said before when it searches and shops for you, meaning you won't have to keep explaining to it that you hate a particular brand and don't want to see results from them.

Memory in search and shopping will not initially be available in the European Economic Area, UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

You may also like

• 5 easy ways to make Gemini your AI BFF who 'just gets you'
• I tried using ChatGPT to restore old photos, here’s how to really do it
• The Godfather of AI is more worried than ever about the future of AI

• Japanese retailers are restricting Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs to Japanese residents only
• It's an attempt to stop tourists from buying the Blackwell GPUs
• It comes after a previous attempt to block tax-free purchases

Besides overpriced third-party models, Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs are both difficult to obtain (especially Founders Edition cards). And as it turns out, one potential 'easy' alternative for consumers has very quickly been shut down.

As reported by VideoCardz, Japanese retailers have restricted purchases of the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 to Japanese nationals only. This comes after previous attempts to stop tourists from buying the prestigious graphics cards; notably, stores had blocked tax-free purchases, but they're now taking a much more aggressive approach.

Signs in stores state that both of Nvidia's high-end GPUs won't be sold to anyone who intends on using the GPU outside of the country, effectively shutting out all tourists from buying. Customers will reportedly be put through a 'Japanese resident' test before purchasing.

It's a highlight of the short supply and high demand situation surrounding graphics cards right now, and it's perhaps quite an amusing tactic from consumers considering the lack of availability at launch price, elsewhere. On paper catching a plane to another country to buy a GPU sounds like an extreme measure, but I suppose a flight to Japan could cost less than the inflation differential in other regions.

(Image credit: Nvidia)

It may sound like an extreme measure, but it's actually rather familiar. Nvidia currently has its Verified Priority Access scheme in place, which allows US customers to reserve an opportunity to buy either an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 Founders Edition GPU; the catch is that you must have made an Nvidia account on or before January 30 to be eligible.

This prevents scalpers from spoiling the party for genuine buyers, while also ensuring there's enough to go around for consumers in the US (although, it'd be nice to see this become available for more regions), particularly in a time of high demand.

Jumping through these hurdles to get an RTX 5000 isn't worth it if you ask me...

As I write this article on an RTX 5080 laptop, I can testify to how good the Blackwell GPUs are. However, going to another region to buy a graphics card isn't worth the hassle.

Since I'm hooked on high-end gaming experiences at high resolutions, I'd never turn down the opportunity for a powerhouse GPU. For other gamers though, it's not a necessity, and Steam's latest hardware survey results show that 1080p is still the most widely used resolution.

We're now at a stage where AMD's APUs and Intel's SoCs (System-on-Chip) are performing great in games at 1080p and 1440p resolutions; for example, AMD's Ryzen AI Max 395+ outperforms some discrete GPUs in games like Cyberpunk 2077.

The only problem is these chips are only now gradually starting to make their way to desktop PCs, and most PC hardware components are facing price inflation anyway (particularly GPUs). It's now a matter of weighing your options and whether high resolutions are a priority for you - just please don't overspend, okay?

You may also like...

• Nvidia's RTX 5060 8GB GPU is rumored to launch at $299 - but history suggests it will cost more at retailers
• Is Nvidia's GPU supply drought finally ending? A new leak hints at more RTX 5000 series GPUs being restocked
• Trump's tariffs may be paused, but that won't stop GPUs being overpriced and expensive

• First leaked image suggests LiDAR could debut in DJI's Mini series of drones
• The Mini 5 could get a larger sensor than the Mini 4 Pro for better video
• The DJI Mini 5 is rumored to be taking flight in August or September 2025

The first leaked image of what is said to be DJI's next Mini drone has been shared on DroneXL, a site run by prominent DJI leaker Jasper Ellens – and it could be the upcoming DJI Mini 5 Pro.

With the Mini 4 Pro currently holding top spot in our best drones buying guide, naturally we're excited that its successor could potentially land soon – possibly in August or September.

The Mini 4 Pro is already the best sub-250g drone available, and the best premium option for beginners – so what upgrades could DJI possibly have up its sleeve?

I can think of a few improvements I'd like to see, and the leaked image, which shows the drone being tested in public in China, appears to tease some upgrades that have got DJI fans talking – let's look at what those could be, and what's hopefully coming in the rumored Mini 5 Pro.

I will tell you all about the #Mavic4Pro in the coming days. But let's appreciate this new #leaked image from the upcoming #DJIMini5 spotted in the wild. Are you just as excited about this like I am? Will definitely buy this. Cheers! Jasperhttps://t.co/IZQ5WelEaqApril 24, 2025

1. LiDAR to debut in the Mini series

In the grainy leaked image, Ellens has spotted front-facing LiDAR sensors above the drone's camera.

LiDAR would give the rumored Mini 5 Pro a more effective collision-avoidance system than the Mini 4 Pro, especially in low light – making it a safer drone to fly during twilight and at night.

DJI debuted LiDAR in the Air 3S last year, and the all-rounder drone proved better able to navigate obstacles and terrain at night than its predecessors, which are equipped with standard night-vision and object-sensing tech.

A potential Mini 5 Pro would be the world's first sub-250g drone with LiDAR, assuming that it stays within the same weight class as previous versions – more on this below.

As someone who loves flying at first and last light, and in areas with plenty of points of interest, I'd love to see LiDAR tech, but it's of limited use to users who only fly their drones in open spaces on clear days.

The Air 3S was DJI's first drone with LiDAR sensors – could the Mini 5 Pro follow suit? (Image credit: DJI) 2. Longer and more stable flight

Larger motors have also been gleaned from that leaked image, suggesting a beefier design and and potentially more efficient performance. This could translate to better wind resistance for more stable flight, plus enhanced flight times.

Improving stability and flight times could represent a significant upgrade in an area where the Mini 4 Pro didn't improve on its predecessor, the Mini 3 Pro. Some leakers are suggesting flight times of up to 50 minutes, which would smash the Mini 4 Pro's 34-minute flight time on a fully charged battery.

This improvement would be huge for a Mini-series drone – 50 minutes is the sort of flight time I'd expect from a pricier and weightier drone.

3. A larger sensor

Some leakers are also claiming that the Mini 5 will pack a 1-inch sensor, which is a much larger sensor than the 1/1.3-inch sensor utilized by the Mini 4 Pro.

A drone's camera specs are of keen interest to me as a photographer and filmmaker, and a larger sensor could be the most significant upgrade in the next model – it should deliver a cleaner image in low light, with better dynamic range, helpful in bright conditions.

I'd take better image quality in challenging light over higher resolution, but we could also see a bump to 5.3K video, which would mark an upgrade over the Mini 4 Pro's 4K video, which is available up to 100fps. The larger sensor could be the springboard for some of the biggest video upgrades the Mini series has seen yet.

The DJI Flip features propellor guards for safer flight in tight spaces around people, and the Mini 5 Pro could adopt this design (Image credit: James Abbott) 4. A new direction for design?

Back to the leaked image again, which clearly shows that the drone has propellor guards, much like those on the DJI Flip. This would be a first for one of DJI's Mini drones, but just because the drone in this image has propellor guards that it doesn't mean the final version will have them – they could just be a safety measure for the drone's pre-production testing phase.

Should a Mini 5 Pro have such a design, it could feel more like a Flip 2. This would mark a new direction for DJI's Mini series, and the reaction to this possibility has been mixed. On the plus side, propellor guards make for safer flight in tight spaces; but adding guards will affect the weight and flight performance, and many fans will be hoping for a continuation of the existing guard-free design.

5. Not so mini anymore?

Key to the appeal of DJI's Mini series of drones is that every model falls under 250g, which keeps them in the largely restriction-free weight category, and is a must for beginners and casual users.

However, if the above speculation is true, and the Mini 5 does indeed arrive with LiDAR sensors, heftier motors, and a larger image sensor, it would surely make it a weightier drone than the Mini 4 Pro, which squeezes in under 250g.

Could this upcoming model be the first DJI Mini drone to tip the scales above 250g? And if so, would its rumored upgrades be worth the price of placing the drone in the next weight category up?

Surely not – if there's one feature I'd love to see in DJI's next Mini drone, it's one that has been there from the beginning: a sub-250g weight.

You might also like

• Camera rumors for 2025: new gear we're expecting soon from DJI, Sony, Canon and more
• The best beginner drones for 2025: top flying cameras for new pilots
• Newly leaked DJI Mavic 4 Pro images may have revealed the premium drone's design in full

• HMRC is looking for a new CRM supplier, and it's encouraging SMEs to apply
• The winning bid will supply the CRM system for at least 15 years
• HMRC isn't particularly known for its great customer service...

HMRC has announced plans for a new SaaS CRM platform to manage citizen tax interactions, and a preliminary market engagement notice has been issued to invite bids and engage with potential suppliers.

Ideally, the CRM platform will include registration, subscription, and customer record management as well as identity, verification, access, and fraud services, plus secure communications and document storage options.

The news comes as HMRC also explores plans for a future Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) platform set to be procured this year. The notice stresses that the two systems must seamlessly integrate.

HMRC is looking for a new CRM system

By ensuring interoperability across its different platforms, HRMC hopes that the modernization will "directly [enhance] taxpayer interactions, [streamline] services, and [reduce] administrative burdens."

HMRC's current systems aren't known for their strong performance – MPs reported significant issues with the department's phone services in 2023-24, with 44,000 callers cut off after waiting 70 minutes in the tax year's first 11 months (via The Register). The average call wait time was reportedly over 23 minutes, and only two in three calls were ever answered.

The National Audit Office (NAO) also noted that customers spent a combined 798 years on hold in the 2023-24 financial year.

A total of £1 billion excluding VAT (£1.2 billion with VAT) has been set aside to find a CRM supplier, with whom HRMC anticipates entering into a 15-year contract. Formal competition for the CRM platform is expected to start in June 2025, and there's a particular preference for small and medium-sized enterprises to step forward.

In its notice, HMRC noted: "The programme is critical to supporting the government's critical aims for HMRC to modernise its systems, improve customer service, and close the Tax Gap."

You might also like

• Check out the best accounting software for SMBs in the UK
• UK Public Sector under fire: the battle against cybercrime
• We've listed the best MTD software

• Garmin could be adding LTE to the Fenix 8
• A new leaked screenshot could point to inclusion of cellular support in a future model
• It would be the first LTE Garmin since the 2021 Forerunner 945 LTE

A new leak purportedly reveals that Garmin may be preparing to launch an LTE version of its best Garmin watch, the Garmin Fenix 8, which would let users leave their phone behind in more scenarios providing your watch is added to a data plan.

Garmin hasn't offered LTE – cellular connectivity for making calls, streaming music, and more – on its smartwatches since the Forerunner 945 LTE, which launched in 2021. If this leak is real and shows us what we think it does, that could be about to change.

Gadgets and Wearables claims to have acquired a screenshot "showing a Fenix 8 device with LTE appearing as one of the connectivity options during the troubleshooting pairing process, sitting alongside Wi-Fi, Phone, and Sensor & Accessories."

The screenshot clearly reveals an LTE settings option. If it's real, it could mean users will eventually have the option to buy an LTE-capable version of the Fenix 8.

Garmin Fenix 8 LTE?

(Image credit: Gadgets and Wearables)

As the report notes, LTE inclusion in the Fenix 8 could denote a couple of things. Garmin could choose to restrict LTE to safety features like emergency alerts and live tracking, so your friends and family can more readily see your location even if you've ventured off without your phone.

A more exciting upgrade would be LTE as we know it on most watches, which enables streaming of music, calls, and texts. It's a mainstay option on many of the best smartwatches, including the best Apple Watches in 2025, and an obvious gap in Garmin's repertoire.

The veracity of this leak is impossible to determine at this stage, but there's no reason to suspect Garmin couldn't pull off an LTE Fenix 8. Naturally, cellular requires modified hardware, so this would be a more expensive new model that customers could buy from Garmin, rather than an upgrade to existing devices.

Garmin has endured a torrid 2025, notable for a massive outage and the beleaguered launch of its very unpopular Garmin Connect+ subscription service, which has generated a slew of user outcry because of its very shallow feature set and a general aversion to subscription fatigue from customers.

You may also like

• Furious Garmin users revolt over new subscription service – "We need to take a firm stand"
• The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 seems set to bring back the Classic – and it might even make me switch from my Garmin
• I wish I was a better runner so I could use more of the features on my Garmin watch

• Shokz OpenDots ONE weight just 0.23oz per earbud
• Interchangeable left/right earbuds, and 10-hour battery life
• $199 (about £149 / AU$309), available now

Shokz has launched its smallest open-ear wireless buds yet, the OpenDots ONE. Weighing just 0.23 ounces (just over 6g) per bud they're extremely light, and their clip-on design should ensure they stay put even when you're active, despite they being smaller and not having the wrapround design of the Shokz that top our list of the best open earbuds.

The clip-on section is made from a nickel-titanium arch that Shokz says feels gentle but stays secure on all ear sizes. It's enclosed in soft silicone for comfort and the earbuds are interchangeable: simply stick them in whichever ear you like and they'll work out which bud is in which ear and adjust the stereo accordingly.

(Image credit: Shokz) Shokz OpenDots ONE: pricing and key features

The buds are powered by custom 11.8mm drivers with Shokz' Bassphere design for a strong low end. There are four EQ modes and what Shokz calls DirectPitch Audio, which is designed to minimize sound leakage despite the buds not being directly in your ear canal.

There are two microphones for calls, and AI noise reduction for clarity when you're speaking to someone – though there's no active noise cancellation here.

The battery life is up to 10 hours on a single charge and a total of 40 hours from the lightweight charging case. The buds are IP54 water and sweat resistant, and they have multipoint so you can connect to two devices simultaneously for easy switching.

So far the launch is US-only, with availability from today (April 29th). The recommended retail price is $199 (about £149 / AU$309, though there's no confirmation of a launch in other countries yet).

You might also like

• The best wireless earbuds 2025, all real-world tested
• The best open ear headphones
• The best earbuds 2025 for every budget, all tested by our experts

• VeriSource started sending out data breach notification letters and reported the February 2024 incident to Maine's AG
• It now says the number of victims is four million, up from the initial 55,000
• Names, addresses, and SSNs were grabbed in the attack

Four million people may have had their sensitive data stolen in the Verisource data breach that happened last year. The company confirmed the news in a new filing with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, as well as in a data breach notification letter sent to affected individuals.

VeriSource Services is a Houston-based employee benefits administration company, with clients in different industries in the US, including healthcare, education, and the public sector.

It recently started sending out data breach notification letters, in which it said that it became aware of “unusual activity” that disrupted access to certain systems, on February 28, 2024. The subsequent investigation, which concluded on April 17, 2025, determined that threat actors stole “certain personal information” the day before being spotted.

Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month

​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data.

It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Unknown attackers

The information stolen includes people’s names, addresses, dates of birth, gender information, and/or Social Security numbers (SSN). “Please note that VSI has no evidence of any actual or suspected misuse of information involved in this incident,” the company said.

It is also worth mentioning that no one has so far assumed responsibility for the attack and the data has not surfaced anywhere on the dark web. Therefore, it is difficult to determine if this was a simple smash-and-grab, or a ransomware attack.

While the letter didn’t say how many people were affected by the breach, a listing on the website of the Maine Attorney General’s Office puts the number of victims at four million, up from 55,000 in May 2024, and another 112,000 in September 2024.

VeriSource said that it offers 12 months of free credit monitoring, identity theft protection, and identity restoration services to the victims. Although it might sound too little too late, the fact that the data hasn’t surfaced yet could mean the offering might make sense.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• Major dating app data breach may have exposed 1.5 million private user images online
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

I don't know if there's a correlation between athletic ability and interests in sports, but I can tell you that my general disinterest probably stems from an early inability to throw, catch, or kick a ball.

That's why Apple's Sports, a powerful catchall app for dozens of major athletic leagues' stats, didn't turn me on when it was released in 2024. There is, of course, an exception to every rule, and for me, that's the Mets. I've been a fan for over 50 years, and now they're the reason I genuinely love and use the Sports app.

Compared to other sports, baseball might be considered one of the least athletic or even interesting. Most of the players are standing around while a pitcher tries to throw a small white ball by a batter. Even if the hitter connects, usually only a portion of the fielders are involved in the play.

Some think baseball is plodding and dull (recent changes like limited pick-off throws and a pitch clock were designed to address those complaints), but it's the only sport I care about, and, more specifically, the Mets are the only team I follow.

Outside pitch

(Image credit: Future)

I've never been a great fan, though, making it to just a handful of games a year and often losing track of the team's performance for weeks at a time. When I cut cable, I lost access to SNY, PIX11, and Fox 5, three TV networks that regularly broadcast games. During the Mets' spectacular post-season run in 2024, I did everything I could to watch every single game (they eventually lost in the National League series to the Dodgers).

This year, the Mets got off to a very strong start. I even attended an early-season game in April and, breaking my own jinx (they lose almost every game I attend), watched the Mets come from behind to win. This season felt different.

In the meantime, I hadn't thought much about Apple's Sports app in ages. Over the last year, I could probably count on one hand how often I'd checked it. This is not a judgment on the app, as I noted earlier, I'm not a sports guy. However, my relationship with the app changed this year, and now, it's a home run.

It started when I noticed that for every Mets game, the Dynamic Island on my iPhone 16 Pro lit up with game stats. In that small space, there's just enough room for the Mets logo, an opposing team logo, and the run totals for each team.

I was surprised to see it appear without any action on my part, but I'd also forgotten that when I first installed the app in 2024, I selected the Mets as my only favorite team.

Doing so didn't have much impact throughout the summer of 2024, as the Mets played most of their 162 games. That changed with the launch of iOS 18, which introduced Live Activities, adding the ability to display sports stats for your selected teams on lock screens and in the Dynamic Island. It has also added the notifications to my Apple Watch.

Now the app feels like I'm stealing third.

Caught looking

(Image credit: Future)

I can now glance at my iPhone screen or, better yet, my Apple Watch Series 10 and quickly catch up with the latest game. While the Dynamic Island only displays the score, both the Apple Watch and Lock screen alerts show the inning and provide a concise description of the most recent play.

And when someone scores, my Apple Watch's taptic engine bounces on my wrist like a soft liner between second and third, and I glance to see if the Mets or the opposing team just crossed home plate.

(Image credit: Future)

Inside the Sports App, Apple offers an admirable level of play-by-play detail. I can track every pitcher, batter, hit, and run. However, for details about every pitch style (slider, fastball, curve) and exact pitch location (complete with a visible strike zone), I turn to MLB.com's play-by-play. I'd love to see Sports add this level of detail.

Even so, I'm impressed with Sports and its speed, something Craig Mahonchak, Head of Product for Sports at Apple, explained to TechRadar Managing Editor, News, US, Jake Krol last year. "We’ve nearly eliminated the latency from what we received from a provider to getting it down to your screen," Mahonchak told Krol.

For all those times when I'm not sitting in front of a TV or listening to the radio, which is most of the time, Apple Sports has graduated to my big leagues and is now the best way to track my favorite team.

Does it help that, as of this writing, the Mets are currently the best team in baseball? Of course. Will I still pay attention to Apple Sports when the Mets inevitably slip back to mortality? I'm a die-hard fan, and you bet I will. LGM.

You might also like

• iOS 18: new features, compatible devices, and everything ...
• My favorite iOS 18 app is a tool you're probably not using
• iOS 18.4: 5 reasons to update now, including new Photos ...

• Marks & Spencer suffered a cyber-incident earlier in April
• The media are saying the attack was the work of ScatteredSpider
• The retailer is still tackling the outage

The major cyber-incident at British Retailer Marks & Spencer, which has been ongoing for more than a week now, seems to be the work of Scattered Spider, an infamous and slippery threat actor. The news was broken by BleepingComputer, citing “multiple sources” and claiming this was a ransomware attack. The company itself did not want to comment on the information, though.

In late April, news broke of a “cyber incident” that affected M&S stores for “days” and resulted in “small changes” to store operations. The company also confirmed Click and Collect services were impacted, and that some stores were unable to process contactless payments.

A few days later, the company said it had to take some systems and processes offline, and that Click and Collect services had to be paused in all stores. Online orders were halted as a result, as well.

Get Keeper Personal for just $1.67/month, Keeper Family for just $3.54/month, and Keeper Business for just $7/month

​Keeper is a cybersecurity platform primarily known for its password manager and digital vault, designed to help individuals, families, and businesses securely store and manage passwords, sensitive files, and other private data.

It uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers features like two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, secure file storage, and breach alerts to protect against cyber threats.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Old actors or new copycats?

The retailer said in a statement that in order to protect colleagues, partners, suppliers, and the business, it “made the proactive decision to move some [of our] processes offline”. There were no confirmations that this was a ransomware attack, although it all pointed to that being the case.

Now, BleepingComputer says that this was, in fact, a ransomware attack, conducted by none other than Scattered Spider. This is not a state-sponsored threat actor, but rather a financially motivated collective. It usually targets companies in the west, such as tech firms, telcos, and those working in hospitality. The group breaks into networks through social engineering tactics and SIM-swapping.

In earlier years, it used to deploy the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware variant, but since this group disbanded and disappeared, it pivoted to other solutions. In this case, the publication says it deployed the DragonForce encryptor to M&S’ VMware ESXi hosts on April 24, encrypting virtual machines. DragonForce has recently pivoted to a 'cartel' business model.

Multiple cybersecurity teams have been brought in to investigate and assist with mitigating the damage, including CrowdStrike, Microsoft, and Fenix24.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• M&S checkout chaos persists as cyberattack fallout continues
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

When it comes to viewing numbers, The Last of Us season 2 is bigger than a bloater – and notably, bigger than the first season too.

Where season 1 attracted 4.7 million viewers for its debut, making it the second most-watched HBO premiere in more than a decade, the first episode of The Last of Us season 2 reached 5.3 million people.

The Last of Us has been a huge hit for HBO. As Variety reports, the first season reached 8.2 million people with its finale and this second season got off to an even stronger start.

What makes it one of the best Max shows is that the characters feel incredibly real – and that means their stress is our stress, their fear is our fear, their losses are our losses. And if that's the kind of thing you like, Max has many more shows that deliver the same kind of experience, albeit in very different environments.

While these other shows may not be full of Infected, they're as contagious as cordyceps; if you're looking for shows that'll absolutely hook you like The Last of Us does, I think you'll love these.

The Pitt

Where to watch: Max (US), Foxtel Now / Binge (AU)

The hospital in The Pitt isn't quite as bleak as the one we saw at the end of The Last of Us Season 1 and in flashback in season 2. But it's hardly a holiday resort either.

Noah 'ER' Wyle and a spectacularly strong cast are doctors in a Pittsburgh ER, and over the course of 15 nail-biting hours the story strands come together in a horrifying event that pushes everyone involved to, and sometimes beyond, their limits.

There are no zombies in here, but there's a whole ton of humanity as we follow the residents, nurses and patients through a single marathon day. So far I've only cried at one episode of The Last of Us; I cried at least once in every single episode of The Pitt.

As The New Yorker put it: "It’s structured such that you know you’ll have your heart broken and mended several times per episode – it’s just a matter of how."

True Detective

Where to watch: Max (US), Sky / Now TV (UK)

Over its four seasons True Detective's quality wavered – season 1 has a 92% Rotten Tomatoes critical rating, whereas the you-should-probably-skip-it second season didn't even crack the halfway mark. But the first, third and fourth seasons of this intense, odd and often deeply disturbing cop drama are well worth watching.

The first season was "one of the best detective shows ever aired on TV," CBR said, while RogerEbert.com praised the leads: "[Matthew] McConaughey and [Woody] Harrelson don't just fill out these characters, they disappear into them, delivering two of the best performances you'll see in TV or film this entire year."

Season 2... let's not go there. Instead, let's go to the third season and the magnificent Mahershala Ali. Digital Spy spoke for many: "Come for the unravelling Arkansas mystery - but stay for the mesmerising tour de force that is Mahershala Ali and you won't be disappointed by this latest outing." Los Angeles Magazine agreed. "Ali isn't in every scene in True Detective; it just seems like it. The show is Ali's masterpiece".

One question came up again and again: where are the women? In response, season 4 put Issa López in the director's seat and Jodie Foster and Kali Reis centre stage for a disturbing snow-set nightmare.

"The Jodie Foster-led revival balances supernatural flourishes with distinctly human horrors," said The New Yorker. And RogerEbert.com described it very well: "A mesmerizing study of murder, misogyny, racism, cycles of abuse, and possibly something out of H.P. Lovecraft, 'Night Country' will rattle you."

Chernobyl

Where to watch: Max (US), Sky / Now TV (UK)

Chernobyl is a dramatization of the events that created a post-apocalyptic wasteland near Pripyat, then part of the Soviet Union, in 1986. And it's almost unbearable, a masterclass in tension and looming horror.

For The Australian, the short season was "created with an awesome attention to historical accuracy and detail, brought back that harrowing event with frightening clarity and a superbly orchestrated sense of danger and dread." And Collider said that "Chernobyl is a series where you will have to remind yourself to unclench your jaw and un-tense your shoulders while watching it. It is heartbreaking and intense".

For Polygon: "HBO's five-part Chernobyl series is perhaps one of the best examples of cosmic horror that has ever been filmed, and that feat is made more impressive by the fact that the show is based on real-world events." And Vanity Fair said that the show "is not just excellent television; it's paradigm-shifting historical storytelling, the kind of tale that alters, ever-so-subtly, the texture of the real world."

You may also like

• How to watch The Last of Us season 2 online and on TV
• Everything new on Max in May 2025
• 7 new Max movies with over 83% on Rotten Tomatoes worth streaming in May 2025

• 25,000 workers only saw a 2.8% time saving after using GenAI chatbots
• 8.4% saw new tasks being created, adding to their workloads
• Time savings rarely translate to higher earnings

According to a new working paper from the University of Chicago's Becker Friedman Institute for Economics, generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude have had minimal to no impact on wages or employment so far, despite initiation concerns and worker apprehension.

The findings come from a study of around 25,000 workers in Denmark across 11 AI-exposed occupations. The study found no significant changes in earnings or hours worked after the implementation of these AI tools.

Anders Humlum and Emilie Vestergaard, the paper's authors, also noted no noticeable economic outcomes, such as total employment and wage bills at the firm level.

GenAI isn't actually affecting workers that much, study finds

The paper explores how companies can guide their workers, noting that encouragement and training efforts can boost adoption. Firm-led investments nearly doubled adoption rates from 47% to 83%, according to the research.

However, the average time savings reported by users was only 2.8% – just over an hour on the basis that an employee is working a 40-hour week. Furthermore, only 8.4% of workers saw new jobs being created, such as teachers monitoring AI-assisted cheating, workers editing AI outputs and crafting better prompts.

Contrary to the time-saving promises, Humlum and Vestergaard noted that these additional responsibilities actually increased workloads in some cases, meaning that time savings only translated into higher earnings 3-7% of the time.

The researchers noted: "While AI chatbots are now widely used – saving users time and creating new job tasks, especially in workplaces that encourage their use – their overall impact on the labor market remains limited."

They also noted that "labor market rigidities appear to delay the economic impact," demonstrating how a company's approach to artificial intelligence can dictate its success.

You might also like

• We've listed the best AI tools and best AI writers
• Check out our roundup of the best productivity apps you can use today
• British businesses are getting used to AI at work - but there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, April 29 (game #1191).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1192) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1192) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1192) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1192) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1192) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• B

• T

• A

• D

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1192) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1192, are…

• BATON
• TORSO
• ANNEX
• DROWN

This Quordle was really hard work.

Fortunately, to begin, I was faced with a word that had to end ATON, so had no choice but to guess BATON.

However, the next three words were less straightforward. I got TORSO after deducing that TOR was the most obvious letter combination for the start of the word, and I got DROWN by thinking the same with DRO.

No logic was going to help me with ANNEX, but I’m delighted that it only took me one wrong turn before I guessed correctly.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1192) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1192, are…

• UNDER
• BLUFF
• WAIVE
• SHAPE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSE
• Quordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNT
• Quordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDE
• Quordle #1188, Saturday, 26 April: LINGO, LOCUS, THROW, CLICK
• Quordle #1187, Friday, 25 April: SHALT, WRATH, MAMBO, HUMPH
• Quordle #1186, Thursday, 24 April: CHOKE, COLOR, FRAME, CAIRN
• Quordle #1185, Wednesday, 23 April: VALET, PUPAL, CREEP, DRIFT
• Quordle #1184, Tuesday, 22 April: POUTY, CHEST, BROOM, TEPEE
• Quordle #1183, Monday, 21 April: SHARD, PRINT, SUMAC, LEACH
• Quordle #1182, Sunday, 20 April: DINER, HORDE, SHONE, FUGUE
• Quordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULT
• Quordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTO
• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT
• Quordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUT
• Quordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAY
• Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCE
• Quordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOP
• Quordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THING
• Quordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLY
• Quordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, April 29 (game #688).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #689) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HEEL
• ROOM
• DYNASTY
• FACE
• GIMMICK
• STANDING
• SEATING
• MILDEW
• UPPER
• SOLE
• REGARD
• CHAIRS
• CAPACITY
• ENGROSS
• TONGUE
• IMAGE

NYT Connections today (game #689) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Think feet first
• GREEN: Lodging
• BLUE: Your honor
• PURPLE: Look for disgust

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #689) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A SHOE 
• GREEN: ACCOMMODATION 
• BLUE: REPUTATION 
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "YUCK" 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #689) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #689, are…

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A SHOE HEEL, SOLE, TONGUE, UPPER
• GREEN: ACCOMMODATION CAPACITY, CHAIRS, ROOM, SEATING
• BLUE: REPUTATION FACE, IMAGE, REGARD, STANDING
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "YUCK" DYNASTY, ENGROSS, GIMMICK, MILDEW

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I made just one mistake today, but I'm classing this as a dirty win as I had no idea what any of the categories were and had zero confidence throughout that any of my four word groups were correct.

At first I saw 16 random words with only three very tenuous links – SOLE and HEEL (soul and heal), CAPACITY and SEATING (theaters), REGARD and STANDING (class system). Instead, I fudged similar-sounding groups together and somehow fluked through.

My mistake came with the final two groups. For reasons I can’t even explain I had ENGROSS wrong but the other three words correct. When I got “one away” I swapped in TONGUE and kicked myself that I’d failed to see this group, at least.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, April 29, game #688)

• YELLOW: COOKING CONCOCTIONS BATTER, DOUGH, MIXTURE, PASTE
• GREEN: SEEN ON A TABLE AT A DINNER PARTY CANDLESTICK, PITCHER, PLACEMAT, PLATE
• BLUE: THINGS TO CLIMB LADDER, MOUNTAIN, ROPE, TREE
• PURPLE: WHAT "DIAMOND" CAN REFER TO GEMSTONE, INFIELD, RHOMBUS, SUIT

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, April 29 (game #422).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #423) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Best in class

NYT Strands today (game #423) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• DOOM
• SEED
• SLUR
• MORBID
• LIME
• SLATE

NYT Strands today (game #423) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #423) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 3rd column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #423) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #423, are…

• EYES
• DRESSED
• SMILE
• COUPLE
• ATHLETE
• FRIENDS
• HAIR
• SPANGRAM: YEARBOOK

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

It took me a long time to realize that today’s Strands search was YEARBOOK, or to be precise senior superlatives in yearbooks.

The first correct word I got was EYES, so I thought we could be looking for dogs, which was my initial hunch from the theme “best in class” – although the "best in show" search was not that long ago, so it would have been a quick repeat.

Thankfully, being British and extremely senior I didn’t have to go through the humiliation of yearbooks and having my mullet forever enshrined in print.

Although I get their charm as time capsules, I know I would have been voted “Most likely to bluff their way through life” rather than any of the ego-boosting categories in today’s search.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, April 29, game #422)

• TACO
• TORTOISE
• WALNUT
• NUCLEUS
• NAUTILUS
• ARMADILLO
• SPANGRAM: SHELLS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

I’ve been a loyal Spotify subscriber for the best part of 10 years, and there are many reasons why I’ve stuck with it (my Daylist is the first thing that comes to mind). However, despite this, there are several downsides to one of the best music streaming services - its Smart Shuffle feature being one. But now there’s a new way to disable this annoying feature altogether.

Spotify introduced Smart Shuffle in 2023, a feature that weaves song recommendations in between the ones in your personally curated playlists, and it didn’t sit well with music fans- myself included - to say the very least. Thankfully, you no longer have to put up with its annoyances as users have spotted a new way to disable it.

Eagle-eyed users on Reddit brought attention to the new ‘Enable all play modes’ toggle in the Spotify app settings that was added very quietly. When this setting is enabled, you can sift through the Linear, Shuffle, and Smart Shuffle options when listening to your playlists. Disabling it turns off Smart Shuffle for all of your playlists.

You can now remove Smart Shuffle! from r/truespotify

This new setting appears differently for some users (see below) but has the exact same functionality. So far, it seems as though it’s gradually rolling out globally - I’ve already taken advantage of it - so it may not be visible to all Spotify users just yet.

Comment from r/truespotify Goodbye Smart Shuffle, we never needed you anyway

Though it was designed to ‘breathe new life’ into your listening experience and offer a personal new music discovery alternative, a large portion of Spotify subscribers never warmed up to the feature as a whole, complaining that its rotation of song suggestions lack in variety and don’t live up to its daily renewal promises. On top of that, Smart Shuffle annoyingly interrupts the standard Shuffle function.

When Spotify first brought out Smart Shuffle, I dabbled in it mainly as a means of finding similar songs to fill out my specific playlists, an alternative way of using the ‘Recommended songs’ list at the bottom of each playlist. At first, it was handy, but the novelty wore off rather quickly.

For a feature that uses your music habits as well as the knowledge of Spotify’s music experts to offer new song suggestions, it’s not the most dynamic music discovery feature and lacks scope. There are far better features out there for music discovery - I stand by the trusty New Music Friday playlist that’s generated weekly, and I’ll reiterate my soft spot for Spotify Daylists. So, for now, it’s time to disable Smart Shuffle until Spotify can come up with a better solution.

You might also like

• Spotify's price may rise in some countries – and you might also pay more for Premium 'add-ons' soon anyway
• DJ with Apple Music lands, allowing subscribers to build and mix DJ sets directly from its +100 million-song catalog
• Spotify HiFi: release date rumors, price predictions, and everything we know so far

• A Windows leaker has found a guided tour for the Copilot app
• This is present in a test build of Windows 11, and offers a six-step introduction to the AI app
• It covers the basics such as how to upload a file to have Copilot examine it, and the major interface elements of the app

Microsoft is apparently planning on introducing a guided tour for the Copilot app, in order to show the uninitiated what the AI assistant can do in Windows 11.

The fresh introduction for Windows 11 preview builds was noticed by PhantomOfEarth on X, as you can see in the below post.

The Copilot app on Windows is getting a guided tour to help new users get started with it. pic.twitter.com/4BRqQiPAWlApril 28, 2025

The leaker provides a quartet of screenshots to show you how the guided tour is currently implemented. (I should note that although it isn’t stated explicitly, the assumption is that this is hidden in Windows 11 test builds, and not yet enabled by Microsoft).

The offer of the guided tour is placed at the top of the screen, above the Copilot text and prompt panel.

If you click to take it, the tour in its current form is something of a whirlwind affair. We’re shown three of the six steps which introduce the prompt box (where you ask Copilot to do things), the button to upload files for Copilot to work with, and the icon to click to transform the app into a mini-window (for multitasking).

(Image credit: MSI) Analysis: An obvious move

A guided tour for newbies to this particular facet of AI in Windows 11 seems like a sound enough move. Not everyone is familiar with Copilot in its new standalone app form, and a gentle introduction to the basic functions isn’t going to hurt. And if you’re not interested, obviously you can just ignore it (dismissing the prompt by turning down the tour).

Indeed, Microsoft might even work to beef up the tour a bit, although that may not be the case given that its purpose is just to deliver a brief introduction to the key elements of the Copilot app.

All of this is assuming that the piece of functionality makes the cut for inclusion in Windows 11, although as noted, I can’t see why it wouldn’t.

As you may recall, Copilot wasn’t always an app. When the AI assistant first arrived in Windows 11, it was integrated directly into the OS as a side panel (that pulled out from the right-hand side of the desktop). Microsoft then changed its mind and split off the AI into a standalone application, so it could be interacted with like a normal app – even though decoupling it from the operating system in this way kind of felt like a step backwards. Particularly when the Copilot app was so basic to begin with, although that has now changed.

Exactly where Copilot is going in Windows 11 remains to be seen, and there’s no shortage of folks who are rather underwhelmed at the progress made with the AI assistant so far. (And some who might’ve been quite glad to encounter a recent bug that accidentally deleted Copilot from Windows 11, rather unbelievably).

A lot of big initial promises about Copilot being able to enact sweeping changes to settings based on broad natural language prompts (such as “make my games faster”) still seem a long, long way off from where we stand right now. Currently, the Copilot app for Windows 11 isn’t that much different to using Copilot on the web.

You may also like...

• Windows 11 users are getting fixes for some longstanding bugs in 24H2, including the cure for a seriously annoying File Explorer glitch
• Windows 11 is getting a very handy change to the taskbar, as Microsoft takes a leaf from Apple’s Mac playbook
• Microsoft looks to be making a big change to how you install and log in to Windows 11 – and I’m not happy about it at all

Earlier this year, the government accepted, almost in its entirety, the proposed AI Opportunities Action Plan. The ambitious plan demonstrates a significant commitment to the development and deployment of Sovereign AI capabilities to deliver an “AI vision for Britain.”

UK government is bullish about AI’s potential for economic growth, and rightly so. It’s estimated that AI will contribute up to $ 15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. Today, Britain is the third-largest AI market in the world, behind the US and China. But the race is gaining pace. For the UK to meet its ambition to deliver the highest sustained growth in the G7 and remain a world leader, it needs a thriving domestic AI ecosystem.

The AI Action Plan represents a defining moment in advancing the UK’s leadership in AI innovation. It prioritizes secure and sustainable AI infrastructure, high-quality data and a skilled workforce, all wrapped up in safe and trusted AI development and adoption. This is a crucial moment for UK enterprises. Those who seize the opportunities it presents and position the UK as “an AI maker, not an AI taker” will succeed. Those who do not risk obsolescence.

The business imperative for Sovereign AI

Sovereign AI represents a crucial strategy for establishing the UK as a global leader in advanced AI capabilities. But the ramifications are broader than that. Sovereign AI also offers UK businesses a pathway to unlock the full potential of AI while mitigating the risks associated with reliance on foreign technologies. To put that into context; more than £ 14 billion worth of inward investment and thousands of jobs were confirmed immediately after the AI Opportunities Action Plan was published.

With that in mind, we should view the AI Action Plan as a call to action to the private sector. UK businesses should seize this moment to embed themselves within the AI ecosystem by forming alliances with technology partners and government stakeholders already championing sovereign AI. And there are more AI-businesses putting their weight behind the UK’s AI strategy every day. These relationships are critical for scaling operations and driving advancements in priority sectors such as healthcare, sustainable energy and education.

What Sovereign AI in the UK looks like

Worldwide, we see three approaches to implementing Sovereign AI: government for government, government for industry, and government with industry. Any country or nation can adopt one or more of these models.

Sovereign AI compute’ is defined in the AI Action Plan as compute owned or allocated by the public sector (what we would class as ‘government for government’ and ‘government for industry’). The AI Action Plan recommends a 10-year investment commitment of Sovereign AI Compute. That includes expanding the capacity of the AI Research Resource (of which The Dawn supercomputer at the University of Cambridge, is part) twenty-fold by 2030.

This represents a significant expansion of the UK’s AI compute capabilities and will ensure that researchers and startups can access the necessary infrastructure to drive breakthroughs. Clearly the opportunities here are vast. But the UK does not need to own or operate all the compute it will need. In fact, the AI Action Plan determines that Sovereign AI compute will almost certainly be the smallest component of the UK’s overall compute portfolio.

We believe it is the third approach, ‘Government with industry’, that arguably presents a greater opportunity for UK enterprises. This collaborative model emphasizes codesigning national strategies with private industry, fostering an environment where private industries can innovate, modernize and lead in AI ecosystems.

For example, the Action Plan recommends establishing ‘AI Growth Zones’ (AIGZs) to lead the accelerated build out of AI data centers. AI developers who choose to work on shared AI priorities as part of these Growth Zones could benefit from a streamlined planning approvals process. There is even discussion about the possibility of relief schemes that incentivize private sector investment.

The public-private collaboration advocated for in the AI Action Plan will enable business and government to get the most from each other and play to their respective strengths. Government can provide policy frameworks and financial support, while private enterprise can contribute expertise, innovation and speedy execution. Crucially, the model also represents an opportunity for quick wins, with smarter procurement on the table, best practice sharing and even ‘AI Sector Champions’ on hand to drive through adoption barriers.

Targeted innovation for national growth

Sovereign AI provides a framework for developing AI solutions that address critical societal and economic challenges. By aligning their objectives with national priorities, such as those outlined in the AI Action Plan, businesses can create targeted innovations with a meaningful impact. For example, the UK ranks healthcare, sustainable energy and education as priority sectors for AI-driven transformation. By collaborating within these frameworks, businesses can both contribute to national development and position themselves as leaders in emerging AI markets.

The dual benefit of this approach lies in its localized impact. Innovations codeveloped with national-level goals in mind are more likely to find support, funding and widespread adoption, making them less susceptible to external disruptions. This directly supports UK businesses in obtaining a competitive advantage against global counterparts, particularly in industries reliant on cutting-edge technologies.

Paving the future with Sovereign AI

Sovereign AI is a defining element of the UK’s vision to secure its position as a global leader in AI. It empowers secure innovation and competitiveness and enables businesses to adapt to the rapidly changing data landscape. And it provides those who want to start up and scale-up their businesses to play an active role in building a prosperous future for the UK.

UK business leaders must seize the opportunity to embed themselves in this evolving AI ecosystem. By aligning their strategies with national frameworks and taking advantage of government-supported partnerships, they can position themselves at the forefront of this transformational wave.

We've featured the best productivity tool.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• The Wheel of Time fans have launched a campaign to ensure the show isn't cancelled
• Amazon hasn't confirmed if the high fantasy series will return for a fourth season
• The Prime Video TV Original's latest season was the best-rated one yet

The Wheel of Time (TWoT) fans have rallied together to call on Amazon to renew the high fantasy show for more seasons.

With the Prime Video TV Original's fate hanging in the balance, fans are urging Amazon MGM Studios and fellow production company Sony Pictures Television not to cancel it after three seasons.

With general audiences and critics alike (per Rotten Tomatoes, anyway) labeling it the show's highest-rated entry so far – I even waxed lyrical about it in my review of The Wheel of Time season 3 – many assumed that a season 4 renewal was a case of when, not if.

However, that's not been the case. At the time of publication, The Wheel of Time season 3 only ended 12 days ago, but viewers have grown increasingly concerned by Amazon and Sony's radio silence on the matter. So, they've taken matters into their own hands.

TWoT's fanbase are worried that Amazon and Sony are choking the life out of the Prime Video TV Original (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios/Prime Video)

The global fan campaign, dubbed 'Renew WoT', is a concerted and concentrated fan effort to prove how eager they are to see TWoT's story told in full.

Indeed, TWoT devotees are petitioning their fellow viewers, as well as Amazon and Sony, to ensure that the program returns for a fourth season and beyond.

In a bid to prove how much they care about one of the best Prime Video shows' future, organizers have set up a website – RenewWot.com – as a hub where worried audience members can throw their weight behind the campaign. There, fans can sign a petition asking the show's production studios to greenlight more seasons, read testimonials from their fellow fanatics, and more.

That's not all. TWoT fans are also being called on to send an email to Amazon and Sony executives via an Action Email webpage to politely show why they want to see the series continue. To date, almost 7,000 emails have been sent to those in the corridors of power.

Will we see Mat, Nynaeve, and Min in season 4 and beyond? (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

Lastly, every Friday at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm BST, fans are being asked to take to social media, use the hashtag #RenewWoT, and state why they'd like to see more seasons of Amazon's live-action adaptation of Robert Jordan's book series namesake.

In a press release, the campaign's organizers called the series "a rare example of a major fantasy adaptation with deep character arcs, inclusive casting, and intricate world-building. Consistently improving each season, fans believe its potential is far from finished". The group also believes the campaign "stands out for its tone – focusing on appreciation, not outrage – and amplifying the voices of diverse fans across cultures and backgrounds."

So, will it work or is this another fan petition set to fall on deaf ears? For what it's worth, Josha Stradowski, who plays Rand, exclusively told me that the cast and crew were "confident" that The Wheel of Time season 4 would be greenlit eventually.

A post shared by Wheel of Time Series News (@wot.series)

A photo posted by on

Per audience measurement specialists Nielsen, The Wheel of Time accrued 505 million minutes streamed for the week running March 24 to 30. However, that data only takes US audience figures into consideration and is spread across the series' 21 episodes that were released up to and including March 30. Without more public data to pore over, then, it's still difficult to determine how well the Rafe Judkins-created program has performed worldwide and if it'll return at some point.

Still, fans aren't giving up hope that TWoT will be back.

"We know renewals depend on a lot of factors and maybe it [season 4] just hasn’t been announced yet," one unnamed organizer said. "By showing the studios how much we appreciate the show and want more, we are either validating a decision already made, or giving them a helpful nudge."

Time will tell if all of this hard work has paid off or not. For now, I've reached out to Amazon for an official comment on the fan campaign and I'll report back if I receive a response.

You might also like

• The Wheel of Time season 3 ending explained: who dies, who is [spoiler], will there be a season 4, and more questions answered
• 'There's a reason why we do it': The Wheel of Time showrunner responds to fans who are still upset over the Prime Video show's plot alterations
• Find out more about The Rings of Power season 3