TechRadar News

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, May 4 (game #1196).

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 #1197) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1197) - 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 1.

Quordle today (game #1197) - 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 #1197) - 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 #1197) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• W

• C

• S

• Q

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

Quordle today (game #1197) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1197, are…

• WREAK
• COWER
• STEAD
• QUEUE

Well, that was fun! Getting QUEUE ended up being easy and instead of a rare letter tripping me up it was a common four-letter ending.

I went through three wrong -REAK words before finally getting to WREAK and just one shot at my final word.

Fortunately, with five letters in the wrong positions, COWER just needed some rearrangement.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1197) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1197, are…

• ASCOT
• HAUTE
• RECUT
• IMPLY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1196, Sunday, 4 May: PINCH, SMOKE, SCARY, CANNY
• Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
• Quordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELT
• Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPE
• Quordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWN
• 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

Soundbars are an effective way of boosting your TV’s built-in sound, as the built-in speakers even on the best TVs can’t match the quality of their picture.

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is one of the best soundbars on the market, delivering punchy, immersive performance across movies and music at a mid-range price.

The mid-range soundbar market is extremely competitive, with various brands offering alternatives to the Sonos Beam. One such brand is Sony.

I recently got to test the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6, a 3.1.2 channel soundbar, side-by-side with the Sonos Beam. The Theater 6 comes with a subwoofer in-box, something that isn't the case for the Sonos Beam (though it does have effective bass for an all-in-one soundbar).

How would these two similarly priced soundbars fare against one another? I hooked them up to the Panasonic MZ1500, a brilliant OLED TV, and used some reference 4K Blu-rays to test that out.

A quick note first: the Sony Theater 6 is a better value in the UK. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is priced at $449 / £449 / AU$799, and the Sony Bravia Theater 6 is priced at $649 / £499 / (roughly AU$1,000 converted from US price), meaning you’re getting a closer price match in the UK.

The case for Sonos Image 1 of 2

The Beam delivers impressive sound for its size (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

The Beam could be seen as having one big obstacle to overcome out-of-the-box: no included subwoofer. For that reason, you’d think it would have significantly weaker bass compared to the Bravia Theater 6, but that didn’t exactly turn out to be the case.

Watching a chase scene from The Batman, the Beam delivered punchy, weighty bass for a compact soundbar, perfectly capturing the rumble of the Batmobile’s roaring engine. The same was true watching Top Gun: Maverick, as the ignition of the Darkstar jet’s engine in the Mach 10 scene was impactful.

Speech clarity was another area where the Beam performed well despite its size. Watching various musical performances from A Complete Unknown (the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet), vocals were delivered precisely without sacrificing other elements in the mix. In Wicked, Elphaba’s soaring, powerful vocals in the ‘Defying Gravity’ scene were delivered accurately through the Beam. I also found myself preferring the Beam over the Bar 6 when it came to the music sequences in A Complete Unknown.

The Beam’s sound connected to the action on screen as well, accurately placing effects such as screeching tyres and careering cars in The Batman, and the jets in Top Gun: Maverick.

The case for Sony Image 1 of 2

The Bravia Theater Bar 6 delivers impressive bass and height effects, and it has a wide soundstage (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 external subwoofer gives it one big advantage over the Sonos Beam. Although the Beam is great for its size, it cannot compete with Bar 6 when it comes to bass.

Sony’s mammoth sub means the Bar 6’s bass is room-filling and delivers plenty of heft. Watching the same scene from The Batman, the rumble of the Batmobile’s engine was more powerful and engaging than what the Beam could muster – I even had to turn the bass level down. Bass was also tightly controlled and nuanced. For sheer sound power, the Bar 6 was the winner in this contest.

With two height speakers positioned on the soundbar, the Bar 6 does a better job of delivering height effects than the Beam. The sound of rain throughout The Batman was more prevalent, even during the Batmobile chase with its propulsive score and loud explosions. And in the Mach 10 scene from Top Gun: Maverick, where the Darkstar jet flies over Admiral Cain, the trajectory of the jet was more accurately mapped by the Bar 6 than by the Beam.

The Bar 6 soundbar is significantly wider than the Beam (37 inches / 950mm to the Beam’s 25 inches / 651mm), which gives it a wider soundstage. During the defying gravity scene in Wicked, the winds and direction of sound felt more immersive on the Bar 6 as Elphaba took flight on her broom, although the Beam also did a credible job here. And activating the Sound Field mode on the Bar 6 made the sound even more immersive.

During the musical performances in A Complete Unknown, the Bar 6 delivered a fuller, more spacious sound than the Beam. For instance, as Dylan and Joan Baez played at the Newport Folk Festival, the applauding crowd sounded clearer on the Bar 6, and the vocals and guitars had a more sprawling, expansive quality.

Beam vs Bar 6: the verdict Image 1 of 1

Which soundbar is better will ultimately depend on your circumstances (Image credit: Future)

Both the Beam and the Bar 6 are great examples of how effectively mid-range soundbars can improve a TV’s sound, and both have their unique strengths. The Beam shines with music-related content and has an impressive soundstage and bass considering its size.

But the Bar 6 with its included subwoofer has the more powerful bass, a wider soundstage thanks to its wider size, and upfiring speakers that deliver more accurate height effects than the Beam.

Which soundbar is ultimately better will depend on your circumstances. If you have a smaller space, the Beam will be more than enough. But if you have a medium-sized room and are looking for more powerful, spacious sound, the Bar 6 is the way to go. If you’re in the US, it will be tough to ignore the $200 price gap between the two. The Beam arguably delivers better bang for your buck in that case, but in the UK, it’s a much closer contest.

Since I’m in the UK, I’d choose the Bar 6 over the Beam, but the latter is a fantastic example of what an all-in-one soundbar can do. In the end, you’re spoilt for choice with these two great soundbars.

You might also like

• I just upgraded my Dolby Atmos TV sound system – here are the first 5 movies I watched to give it a workout
• I added a second subwoofer to my Sonos soundbar setup, and it took it to a new level
• The best Dolby Atmos soundbars 2025: home theater upgrades for all budgets

• Apple is rumored to be splitting the iPhone launch schedule
• The changes could be made in 2026
• Apple wants to boost sales of all four flagship models

For many years now, we've got used to Apple launching its best iPhones all together every September – most recently the iPhone 16 series – but if a new report is to be believed, that scheduling could be set for a major shakeup in the years to come.

According to The Information (via MacRumors), Apple is planning to stick to September releases for the Pro and Pro Max models, while shifting the other iPhones to springtime in the US (so presumably around March time).

The idea is that splitting up the iPhone launches like this will "rejuvenate long-stagnant sales", the report from The Information says. There also seems to be some uncertainty over how well the upcoming, ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is going to sell.

It seems these changes aren't planned for this year, but will instead be put into place next year – with the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone 18 Air launching in September 2026, and the standard iPhone 18 and quite possibly the iPhone 18e then arriving in March 2027.

All change

The high-end iPhone 16 Pro Max on launch day (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Information acknowledges there are risks involved in shaking up this long-established schedule. However, it's thought that it'll persuade consumers to upgrade more regularly, while also easing the production pressure on Apple's manufacturing partners.

Another reason for the switch: to make room for the foldable iPhone, expected sometime in 2026. Pushing the less expensive iPhones to a launch window earlier in the year will mean more production capacity for a new model.

None of this is confirmed yet, of course: we'll have to wait and see what Apple does in the months ahead. It's possible that Apple itself hasn't fully decided whether or not to try and mix up its release schedule in 2026 and 2027.

If the company does go through with it, it's going to be a substantial shift in the annual phone launch calendar. We've already seen Samsung and Google move their flagship phone launches to earlier in the year – and it's possible that these moves are part of the reason Apple is thinking about a revamp of its own.

You might also like

• Testing the best cameras on phones in 2025
• I switched from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 Pro
• Our full review of the iPhone 16e from Apple

• Minisforum's G1 / G1 Pro mini PC takes its design cues from Sony's game console
• The device supports desktop-class RTX 5060 GPU with up to 120W draw
• It's powered by a Ryzen 9 8945HX CPU and 350W PSU in console-sized case

At the recent Japan IT Week Spring event, Chinese mini PC maker Minisforum unveiled two exciting new systems: the MS-A2, which is a superfast AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX CPU powered follow-up to the MS-A1 micro workstation (but really the spiritual successor to the MS-01), and the G1 / G1 Pro gaming mini PC.

It’s fair to say the latter takes more than a few design cues from the Sony PlayStation 5, with a vertically oriented white chassis and a center-mounted black I/O strip that closely mimics the PS5's iconic silhouette.

Spotted by PC Watch, the G1 / G1 Pro is Minisforum’s latest living-room-friendly system aimed at gamers who want desktop-level power in a console-style form factor. The slim, upright unit - reportedly scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2025 - is the direct successor to Minisforum’s AtomMan G7 Ti.

Not just for gaming

The standout feature of the new mini PC is support for a desktop-class GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card (up to 120W), installed using a low-profile, dual-slot configuration. Minisforum says users will eventually be able to upgrade the GPU themselves.

Inside, the system is powered by AMD's Ryzen 9 8945HX processor, making it well-suited for demanding gaming workloads - or other creative tasks, if you like the look of the PS5 but aren’t that into gaming.

Storage support includes up to two M.2 SSDs, and there's a built-in 350W power supply to help reduce cable clutter in a media center setup.

Despite its compact size (216 x 315 x 57.2mm), the G1 series offers two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, two DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, 5 Gigabit Ethernet, and audio I/O jacks.

By combining console-style design with true gaming hardware, Minisforum aims to deliver a compact alternative to traditional towers without compromising performance or upgradeability.

Pricing and global availability have yet to be announced but, as with the MS-A2, more details are expected soon.

You may also like

• Check out our list of the best mobile workstations for any budget
• And these are the best mini PCs you can buy right now
• Minisforum's NAS packs a Ryzen AI HX 370, up to 96GB RAM and 154TB storage

The Studio, streaming now on Apple TV+, seeks to answer one central question: Can you make great art and still make a billion dollars doing it? And in case you were wondering, the answer is no, but we’re going to have a lot of fun along the way!

The Studio follows the daily trials and tribulations of Matt Remick, played by Seth Rogen, who lands his dream job as head of Continental Studios, a movie studio whose job is to make 'movies' not 'films', you know, the sort of movies that make a lot of money at the box office, but aren’t necessarily going to win an Academy Award.

I got into all of this cause I love movies. Now I have this fear that my job is to ruin them

Matt from The Studio

The problem is that Remick is a film devotee who dreams of making great films, the sorts of films that mean something to people. The kind of films that are actually shot on film. Unfortunately, his efforts get thwarted at every step, normally by his own cowardice and eagerness to abandon all his principles in order to keep his job, often with hilarious results.

What follows, over ten immaculately-crafted and performed episodes, is an ensemble comedic performance worthy of every award going. Think of the great workplace-based comedies like The Office or Parks and Recreation, but put them into the world of LA hotels, parties and movie sets dripping in all the luxury and celebrities that only Hollywood can provide. And that's not to mention the supporting cast that casually throws acting giants like Kathryn Hahn and Bryan Cranston into the mix.

Many of the celebrities and movie directors here are playing themselves, so many in fact that the cameo list (courtesy of Collider) is longer than the cast list on most feature films.

We get treated to appearances by Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Zack Snyder, Charlize Theron and more all playing exaggerated versions of themselves. In fact, there are so many celebrities in each episode that some of them, like Ben Stiller, just appear in the background and aren’t even part of the plot.

But it’s not just that The Studio has some of the sharpest satirical writing you’ll find in any TV show, it’s made in such a captivating way. Long, single-camera shots are used almost all the time with whip pans across the screen at dizzying speed putting you right in the conversation, which is further fueled by a jazz drumming accompaniment that feels improvised, as if the drummer was playing live while the actors riff their lines back and forth at each other. The drumming often reflects the mood of the scene, starting slow and building to a crescendo, then tense and tight when it needs to be before signaling a sudden breezy change of atmosphere when a key plot point is resolved.

• Watch The Studio on Apple TV+ in the US
• Watch The Studio on Apple TV+ in the UK
• Watch The Studio on Apple TV+ in Australia

Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Chase Sui Wonders and Seth Rogen in The Studio. (Image credit: Apple)

The one moment when you realize that The Studio isn’t just another Apple TV+ show on one of the best streaming services, but is something genuinely special is halfway through episode one when Remick is trying to find a director for his ridiculous Kool Aid movie. Martin Scorsese actually appears, playing himself, pitching his movie script to Remick, who despite being handed the gift of one of the world’s all-time great directors wanting to actually direct his ridiculously dumb movie, then goes on to fumble the ball spectacularly with hilarious results.

There are so many other great set pieces that you’re guaranteed at least one genuinely unbelievable moment in each episode, but I don’t want to spoil the fun. Let me just say that the burrito incident sticks out in my mind in particular.

When you consider how much money Apple TV+ is losing a year (current estimates are around the $1 billion dollars mark) to make TV like this, I wonder if we’ll look back at 2025 as a high point in ridiculously good streaming shows and if we’ll ever see their like again, because The Studio is up there with the best Apple TV+ shows.

You may also like

• FX confirms Shōgun season 2 is still far-off returning to Disney+ and Hulu, but two of the best characters will be back
• 8 new horror movies on Netflix, Shudder, Max and more in May 2025
• Prime Video's 'Shop the Show' feature just got bigger – and I fear it could ruin some of the streamer's best shows

Nobody Wants This season 2: key information

- Premiering on Netflix later this year
- Currently in production in Los Angeles
- No official trailer released yet
- Main cast set to return
- New cast members announced, including Leighton Meester
- Erin Foster teases potential for season 3

Nobody Wants This season 2 is on its way to Netflix later this year and the cast are officially back in production. So, what's next for Joanne the 'shiksa' and Noah the 'Hot Rabbi'? Well, it turns out quite a lot.

An instant hit on Netflix, season 1 premiered in September 2024 and quickly became one of the best Netflix shows to watch on one of the best streaming services. Hearing it got renewed for a second series then made for some pretty exciting news.

And fortunately, there's plenty more where that came from. Here's everything we know so far about the return of Nobody Wants This from release date, to cast, to plot and so much more.

Nobody Wants This season 2: is there a release date?

A post shared by Netflix US (@netflix)

A photo posted by on

Nobody Wants This season 2 may not have an official release date yet, but it has been confirmed that the show will premiere on Netflix later this year.

As per the Instagram post above, the cast and crew commenced filming for season 2 in early March and it appears the first episode will be called, 'Dinner Party'.

If we take a look at season 1, filming was carried out between February and May 2024 with the show launching in September of the same year. So, since filming for season 2 started in March, that may well mean an October release date, or thereabouts. But, we'll have to wait and see.

Nobody Wants This season 2: has a trailer been released?

There's no official Nobody Wants This season 2 trailer yet, which is not surprising considering the cast and crew only started filming in March. Usually a trailer comes a little closer to the release date, so we'd expect to see one later this year.

What we do have though is the season 2 renewal announcement that plays out over a montage of clips from season 1, and it's always nice to have a quick refresher of where we left off. When a trailer drops, we'll be sure to update here.

Nobody Wants This season 2: confirmed cast

The main cast are all set to return (Image credit: Netflix)

Good news! For Nobody Wants This season 2, the main cast are all set to return:

• Kristen Bell as Joanne
• Adam Brody as Noah
• Justine Lupe as Morgan
• Timothy Simons as Sasha
• Jackie Tohn as Esther
• Michael Hitchcock as Henry
• Stephanie Faracy as Lynne
• Paul Ben-Victor as Ilan
• Tovah Feldshuh as Bina
• Sherry Cola as Ashley
• D’Arcy Carden as Ryann

A post shared by Nobody Wants This (@nobodywantsthisofficial)

A photo posted by on

And, excitingly, there's a bunch of new cast members joining the show. One of which is Adam Brody's real-life wife, Leighton Meester. As revealed in Tudum, Leighton will guest-star as Abby, 'Joanne's nemesis from middle school who is now an Instagram mommy influencer'.

Leighton isn't the only one joining the romantic drama though. There's also Miles Fowler who will play Lenny, 'Noah's Matzah Ballers teammate who gets set up with Morgan (Justine Lupe)'.

And there's some more recurring guest stars including Alex Karpovsky playing Big Noah, 'an overly confident rabbi at Noah's temple' and Arian Moayed as Dr. Andy, 'a charming, highly regarded (particularly by himself) psychotherapist who might just be the perfect match for Morgan.'

There's also some new additions to the crew, with Jenni Konner and Bruce Eric Kaplan, both of Girls fame, joining as showrunners alongside the series' creator, Erin Foster.

Nobody Wants This season 2: story synopsis and rumors

Can Noah and Joanne move past their differences? (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers for Nobody Wants This season 1 to follow. Plus, potential spoilers for season 2.

Nobody Wants This season 1 left viewers on quite the hopeful love heart eyes cliffhanger ending. The couple's tumultuous relationship was seemingly held at a religious stalemate towards the end of season 1, despite them finding plenty of reasons to stay together.

But, Joanne did not feel ready to convert to Judaism, and so it seemed that love was lost. Until, Noah made a grand gesture outside a Bar Mitzvah. Hope restored.

But, when it comes to season 2, Adam Brody told Tudum: "In the light of day, will he still feel that way? I don't know. It's an open question." And fortunately, it seems season 2 will provide the answers.

Brody added: "I think that's what the show an explore. What should we do? What should she do? What versions of sacrifice is worth it? What constitutes growth, or what constitutes dimming yourself to be with someone else? It's a sacrifice, but ideally, you grow together and you're better for it – you don't have to [lop off a limb]."

So, there's clearly some big life-altering questions that the couple need to find answers for if they're going to navigate moving forward, in spite of their cultural and familial differences standing firmly in the way.

An unexpected connection was also sparked in Nobody Wants This season 1 (Image credit: Netflix)

But, it's not only Noah and Joanne that have a love life to navigate in season 2. Joanne's confident and bolshy sister/podcast co-host, Morgan, formed a bond with Noah's married brother, Sasha, in season 1. And many viewers have spoken on how keen they are to see them take that relationship a step further in season 2. But, seemingly that won't be the case.

Speaking to ScreenRant, Timothy Simons who plays Sasha brushed the gossip away, saying: "It's not particularly funny to break up a family". Adding: "Justine, I think, looked straight into the camera when we were at the Golden Globes and was like, "They're not getting together," so I think we can dispel that rumor."

Instead, if we take a look at the new cast members joining for Nobody Wants This season 2, there's new love interests in town for Morgan. And that's why we get to say: "Come on down, Miles and Dr. Andy."

Of course, Noah and Joanne stand at the center of this emotional and captivating drama, praised for its ability to shine a light on a complicated religious relationship. And there's plenty more to unravel in Nobody Wants This season 2.

Will there be more seasons of Nobody Wants This?

Could the 'Hot Rabbit' return for another season? (Image credit: Netflix)

Nobody Wants This season 2 was renewed the month after season 1 aired. Because of this, we aren't sure what the future holds as far as a season 3 is concerned, since season 2 hasn't yet premiered.

But, Erin Foster has hinted of more. Speaking to People alongside her sister Sara, with which she also runs a podcast like the show, she suggested a possible cameo appearance in season 3: "I always thought that it'd be fun to do that, but I never created a character that I thought was the perfect character."

Sara then replied: "Maybe season 3, Morgan and Joanne go on sabbatical and then it's us." To which Erin replied: "Oh, we just replace them."

So, while there's no official line from Netflix yet, there's most definitely hope.

For more Netflix-based coverage, read our guides on 3 Body Problem season 2, Stranger Things season 5, Arcane season 2, and One Piece season 2.

• North Korean agents use AI to apply for remote tech jobs
• Simple questions about Kim Jong Un instantly derail their job interviews
• Laptop farms and deepfakes help agents bypass remote hiring defenses

At the recent RSA Conference in San Francisco, security experts raised the alarm over a growing and increasingly sophisticated campaign by North Korean operatives to infiltrate global companies through remote job applications.

Speaking at a panel, Adam Meyers, senior vice president of CrowdStrike's counter adversary division, said thousands of North Korean workers have managed to secure roles in Fortune 500 companies.

According to Meyers, these infiltrators use tools like generative AI to produce polished LinkedIn profiles and job applications, as during technical interviews, multiple collaborators work behind the scenes to complete coding challenges while a single individual handles video calls, sometimes unconvincingly.

An unexpected question

"One of the things that we've noted is that you'll have a person in Poland applying with a very complicated name," Meyers explained. "And then when you get them on Zoom calls it's a military age male Asian who can't pronounce it."

Meyers shared his favorite method of exposing such candidates: asking an off-script question. "How fat is Kim Jong Un? They terminate the call instantly, because it's not worth it to say something negative about that," he said.

Once inside a company, the infiltrators often excel, thanks to team-based efforts behind a single identity.

FBI Special Agent Elizabeth Pelker said this success can make employers hesitant to remove suspected agents. "I think more often than not, I get the comment of 'Oh, but Johnny is our best performer. Do we actually need to fire him?'"

The goals of these North Korean infiltrators are twofold: collecting wages and gradually exfiltrating intellectual property, often in small amounts to avoid detection.

Pelker recommended conducting coding interviews within the corporate environment to observe behavioral red flags. If detected and dismissed, these workers may still hold credentials or leave behind dormant malware for later extortion attempts.

The operation has evolved further. Meyers described how laptop farms in the U.S. allow remote workers to spoof local IPs. In one case, the FBI busted a farm in Nashville. Meanwhile, false identity schemes have emerged in Ukraine, with citizens unknowingly supporting North Korean efforts.

Pelker warned that deepfake technology is also being used to fool hiring teams. Education and vigilance, she said, remain the best defense. As one panelist put it, organizations should be wary of hiring fully remote workers and consider personal meetings whenever possible.

Via The Register

You might also like

• 75 zero-day exploitations spotted by Google, governments responsible for attacks
• New spyware found to be snooping on thousands of Android and iOS users
• We've rounded up the best firewall software around

• Innodisk launches PCIe Gen5 SSD series for AI and big data demands
• Up to 128TB capacity and 14GBps read speeds for enterprise data centers
• New drives support multiple form factors with enhanced security and VMware compatibility

Innodisk has announced its first PCIe Gen5 SSD series, targeting the high-performance – and lucrative – data center market.

The new drives are designed to meet the demands of AI model training, big data analytics, and other data-intensive environments. The series supports multiple form factors, including U.2, EDSFF E1.S, E3.S, and the newer E3.L, offering flexibility for a wide range of enterprise and data center needs.

“To ensure high quality and alignment with market trends, the PCIe Gen5 SSD aims to enhance integration with industry-leading data center standards, such as OCP Data Center NVMe SSD spec v2.0," Innodisk commented.

Fast read/write speeds

Built on the PCIe Gen5 x4 interface, Innodisk says the new 128TB drives achieve read speeds up to 14GB/s and write speeds up to 10GB/s.

The company says the PCIe Gen5 SSDs have been developed to integrate easily with industry standards, offering compatibility with VMware environments and other virtualized systems to enhance performance.

Enterprises managing large-scale or multi-tiered deployments will benefit from features like NVMe-MI for streamlined SSD management and multi-namespace support, helping to ensure scalable, efficient operations, Innodisk says.

The SSDs also include advanced security mechanisms. Secure Boot technology checks digital signatures during firmware updates, blocking unauthorized modifications and ensuring only verified firmware is executed.

The Innodisk PCIe Gen5 SSD series is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2025, but there's no word on pricing as of yet.

You might also like

• These are the fastest SSDs you can buy right now
• More 128TB SSDs on the way, but they won't be cheaper, says NAND maker
• Solidigm launches another 123TB SSD after Phison, WD and Samsung

• Rugged smartphones aren't boring - the Tank 4 Pro has a built-in DLP projector
• 8849 Tank 4 Pro is ready for anything, even weekend survival missions
• Big batteries are yesterday’s news; this rugged phone brings a full entertainment system outdoors

The best rugged smartphones now offer more than just durability and big batteries; high-end cameras and even portable projectors are becoming the new norm.

8849, a Chinese smartphone brand known for rugged devices, has announced the 8849 Tank 4 Pro, which blends power and protection, following earlier releases such as the 8849 Tank 4, and Tank 3 Pro.

Its newest device combines a 720p DLP-class projector with 100-lumen brightness and a 64MP night vision camera, as well as a 50MP main camera and a 50MP telephoto lens - and there's even a 32MP front sensor for selfies.

More than just durability

Built to be as smart as it is tough, the Tank 4 Pro features a 6.73-inch AMOLED display delivering 3K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Powering the device is MediaTek’s Dimensity 8300 chip, supported by 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.

The 8849 Tank 4 Pro also sports dual camping lights, IP68 water and dust resistance, and a massive 11,600mAh battery. The battery supports 120W fast charging, helping users stay off the grid for days.

This rugged smartphone's connectivity is just as strong, supporting Wi-Fi 6, dual SIM, and compatibility with GSM to 5G NR networks, reaching download speeds of up to 2.34Gbps.

The device easily meets expectations as a rugged tablet replacement for those who prefer portability without sacrificing endurance. It is not just a simple rugged phone but more like a survival kit.

While pricing and availability details are still under wraps, a review sample is expected to arrive on our desk very soon.

You might also like

• These are the best rugged laptops around today
• And these are the best rugged tablets you can buy right now
• HostGator vs Hostinger: which is the best reasonably-priced web host

• Researchers set new wireless data record over 4.6km with infrared
• Data beams allow many parallel high-speed connections without interference
• Researchers believe this can bridge future 5G and 6G network connectivity gaps

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have transmitted data between the TU/e campus and the High Tech Campus over a 4.6km distance using infrared light.

This feat happened at the astonishing rate of 5.7 terabits per second, the equivalent of streaming 1.9 million Netflix shows in HD simultaneously, making it the fastest wireless data transmission ever demonstrated over this big a distance in an urban setting.

The record-breaking connection was established using advanced optical antennas from Aircision, a spin-off of TNO based at the High Tech Campus. These antennas transmit data through invisible infrared beams instead of cables or radio signals. This technique, known as free-space optical (FSO) communication, enables ultra-fast, interference-free data transmission.

Paving the way for its future applications

“We need new ways to meet the increasing demand for fast and reliable connectivity,” said Vincent van Vliet, a TU/e PhD researcher involved in the project. “Infrared wireless communication combines the high data speeds known from optical fibers with the flexibility of wireless communication systems.”

The team used the Reid Photonloop testbed to achieve the breakthrough. This permanent set-up allows experiments with high-speed wireless communication and uses cutting-edge technology to combine multiple wavelengths in a single transmission.

“Because the transmitted infrared light is highly focused, an almost unlimited number of communication links can exist side-by-side without interference, allowing wireless network capacity growth at an unprecedented scale,” Van Vliet explained.

The Reid Photonloop testbed, named after the late John Reid, a driving force behind the project who passed away before its realization, stretches between the Flux building at TU/e and Building 37 at the High Tech Campus, a distance of 4.6km across Eindhoven.

"This facility will allow us to refine high-speed wireless communication and optimize its reliability and availability in all weather conditions,” said Chigo Okonkwo, Associate Professor and head of TU/e’s High-Capacity Optical Transmission Lab.

Aircision sees future applications for this technology in connecting 5G and 6G antennas where laying fiber is impractical.

“We are redefining how data is transmitted over the air. This record-breaking achievement proves that our technology is ready to make high-speed internet accessible to millions of people faster than ever before,” said Luis Oliveira, co-founder of Aircision.

The findings were presented at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference 2025 in San Francisco.

You might also like

• This laser technology could save the planet and help AI industry
• Researchers want to grow lasers, yes lasers, on material commonly found in sand
• Netflix doesn't even know how much it spends on cloud computing

We live in times when tech firms will more often than not leave us disappointed; such is the nature of iterative technology upgrades and product cycles. So I was fully prepared to be disapproved by an attempt to run Death Stranding on my aging MacBook Air 13-inch (M2).

Last year, Apple touted how the 2019 game, which originally launched on the PS4, was coming to both macOS and iOS.

Now, Death Stranding is a rather attractive open-world game with a good few systems at play, and it has the added need of rendering actors Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux, among others, with solid realism. It’s not a game for a bit of low effort porting, so I’d prepared myself for disappointment.

Thanks to the move to in-house Apple silicon, modern Mac and MacBooks have buckets of performance to tap into – be that for battery efficiency or handling a mass of Chrome tabs or some professional video rendering. Of course, one’s mileage varies depending on the generation of chip and whether it’s an M-series with a 'Pro' or 'Max' suffix (those offer the most power).

While I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the M2 chip in my MacBook Air, it’s mostly been for how well it handles everyday tasks and sips power – at least compared to Windows laptops I’ve used. It can also run Baldur’s Gate 3, which is no mean feat, and handles the likes of Divinity Original Sin 2 with aplomb.

Still, I was concerned that a more graphically ambitious game would prove too much for my MacBook.

Reader, I was wrong.

Out-stranding

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

Booting up Death Stranding, I was surprised at how smooth everything felt – there were no odd audio glitches or stutters, as can happen in my experience when running demanding games on Valve’s Steam Deck. Positive first steps, then.

Once the game got up and running, and after an oddball opening sequence that’s very much in keeping with the style of director Hideo Kojima, I was dropped into the boots of futuristic delivery man Sam Porter Bridges’ boots.

And, to my surprise, the game ran at what I felt was a steady 30 frames per second – sure, not the smooth 60 fps I like, but more than playable. This was at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and with graphics settings turned up to their highest settings.

Now, playing a game with the kind of expansive vistas that Death Stranding sports on a 13.6-inch display isn’t the best way to experience it. But the impressive colors the Retina display on my Air manages, despite being an LCD panel, helped make some of the wet and green landscapes of North America pop with punchy dark greens, blues, yellows, and grays.

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

At 30 fps Death Stranding – at least so far – feels very playable. Plus I’m sure I could squeeze out more if I dig into the graphics settings.

It’s also seriously impressive that I’m running a game of this calibre on a fanless laptop, where previously it would take a dedicated games console to kick Death Stranding into gear. So yeah, I was impressed and had to put my skepticism to bed.

More than all of that though, is how this shows the promise for proper gaming on MacBooks.

Mac gaming has arrived

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

With Apple's in-house designed chips showcasing that they are more than just great slices of silicon for getting stuff done, and have the graphical grunt for gaming, I could see a decent future for actually gaming on Macs.

Now I don’t expect custom Windows PCs to be replaced by Macs, no matter how powerful the latter get. But I do see MacBooks being viable gaming machines if more games are ported over to run on M-series chips, either via the App Store on Stream.

I like the idea of a MacBook being a form of secondary device to game on when you don’t want to be hunched over a desktop PC. Or as a machine that goes from work to play when on a trip away from home; perhaps replacing the need to carry the likes of the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, especially when dealing with limited luggage capacity.

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

But beyond that, I think there’s scope for Apple Arcade to be expanded to include games that are made from the ground up to run on M-series chips. This might go against the initial idea behind the ‘Arcade’ moniker, which suggested that the subscription service was able to offer the same games on all manner of Apple devices. But it could open up a new tier of gaming for Macs.

There’s a slight wrinkle in that I’ve been waiting for gaming to improve on Macs for a while, what with the introduction of the Metal graphics API, but it’s only just feeling like it's getting to a noteworthy level. So it could be a case that we’ll need to wait a few more years before we see any significant changes.

But I’m hopeful for a future where gaming on Mac is less of an afterthought, and the laughable proposition it once was is left thoroughly in the rear mirror.

You might also like

• I spent four hours with Nintendo Switch 2, and it hasn't just exceeded my expectations – it's blown them away
• Intel’s latest boasts about its integrated graphics makes me less excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 - and more hyped for the MSI Claw 8 AI+
• Grand Theft Auto 6 release date confirmed, but it's been delayed - here's why

The idea has been hanging in the air for a few years (pun very much intended), and now it’s finally happened: DJI has killed off its long-running Phantom drone.

The company recently announced that, as of 1 June 2025, it’ll be suspending after-sales support and servicing for its Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced drones. This means there’ll be no more official technical support or product maintenance for these two models – and that doesn’t come as a great surprise, given that neither of them has been in production since 2018. It’s just the way of the consumer electronics world: things move quickly, nothing lasts forever, and resources need to be directed towards newer products.

Still, when a product line as iconic as the Phantom comes to an end, it feels like a momentous occasion. After all, this is the drone series that truly popularized and democratized aerial photography and videography, taking them from something only experts and professionals could undertake into hobbies available to anyone with a few hundred pounds to spare.

DJI launched the line in January 2013 with the original Phantom (later known as the Phantom 1), a distinctive white quadcopter that used a GPS-based navigation to hover steadily in place. It didn’t include a built-in camera but could accommodate an optional GoPro Hero.

By the end of the year, its successor the Phantom 2 Vision had arrived, complete with a gimbal-mounted camera capable of capturing 14MP photos and 1080p video plus the ability to deliver a live feed directly to the pilot’s smartphone, which would be mounted on the remote controller.

A truly visionary drone

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision and its pioneering 1080p camera in action (Image credit: DJI)

Back in early 2014, the Phantom 2 Vision became the first drone I ever reviewed. Or ever flew, for that matter. I’d been writing about cameras and photography for a few years already, but the idea of being able to take a camera up into the sky and gain an entirely new perspective on the world felt incredibly fresh and exciting.

I was living in New York at the time and often took this (rather ungainly) white quadcopter soaring above the parks, playgrounds, streets, buildings of my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and even over the East River.

The footage looks extremely rough these days, but at the time there was nothing else like it out there. It felt crazy and more than a little transgressive to be flying above the city capturing HD video – like the Phantom had given me access to a secret world that very few others had cottoned onto yet. I never quite had the guts to fly it among the skyscrapers and packed streets of Manhattan, even if the drone laws back then were a lot less strict than they are today.

Few non-techy people even knew about the existence of consumer camera drones in 2014, and I’d often have to field questions from intrigued passers-by – which could be difficult to answer adequately whilst simultaneously trying to keep a drone that had nothing in the way of anti-collision technology in the air.

I crashed several review samples of this and other Phantoms over the following years (sorry, DJI PR people!), not only in New York but when I eventually returned home to the UK – memorably ploughing one straight into a tree seconds after informing a curious dog-walker that “these things are pretty much impossible to crash”.

The Phantoms did get less accident prone over the years, incorporating more and more of the autopiloting and obstacle avoidance technology that we’ve come to take for granted in today’s DJI drones. They also saw the introduction of better cameras, gimbals to keep those cameras dead level with the horizon, and batteries that went on for far longer than the Phantom 2’s stingy 15-minute lifespan.

The DJI Phantom 4 Advanced: a much more capable drone than the early Phantoms, but still a little too large by modern standards

By the time the Phantom 4 Advanced arrived in 2017, the range was capable of capturing 4K video and flying for almost 30 minutes on a charge. However, it soon became clear that DJI’s priorities were shifting to its folding drones like the Mavic and later Mini and Air series. And why not? For all the Phantom’s charms and lightweight build, its inability to fold down to a conveniently portable size made it a pain to carry, whereas the Mavic, Air and Mini series will easily fit into a backpack – or even a pocket, in the Mini’s case.

DJI's drones dominate practical every drone category today, from the feature-packed sub-250g Mini 4 Pro, to the triple camera Mavic 3 Pro, with others offering superb value such as the Mini 4K beginner drone.

It is probably an apt time, then, for the Phantom to fade away into darkness like the spirit for which it’s named. But even if it’s gone, I’ll certainly never forget those early days of the range. It was a truly ground-breaking product that essentially built the consumer drone market from nothing. Godspeed, DJI Phantom – and may your props never stop spinning.

You might also like...

• Camera rumors for 2025: new gear we're expecting soon from DJI, Sony, Canon and more
• Best DJI drone: the finest flying cameras from its impressive range
• Upcoming DJI Mavic 4 Pro premium drone could deliver new camera skills and LiDAR

• The Sony WH-1000XM6 could be out in the next couple of weeks
• They may go back to the older folding design
• It seems likely that they'll cost more than the WH-1000XM5

When it comes to the best over-ear headphones you can buy, our current list features both the WH-1000XM4 and the WH-1000XM5 from Sony – and it looks as though the Sony WH-1000XM6 pair are going to be unveiled before too long.

As per The Walkman Blog (via Notebookcheck), the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are set to be announced in the first or second week of May. However, it might be the middle of June before you can actually order them online or find them in shops.

The same source says the price will be around $479. As you'll see from a read of our Sony WH-1000XM5 review, the current headphones launched at $399 / £380 / AU$649 (though they're now cheaper) – so we're looking at quite a substantial price hike.

Bearing in mind that the WH-1000XM5 headphones made their debut in May 2022, the follow-up pair have been a long time coming. The model before that, the Sony WH-1000XM4, were unveiled all the way back in August 2020.

What we think we know so far

The non-folding WH-1000XM5 headphones (Image credit: Future)

There's one other tidbit of information from this leak: the WH-1000XM6 headphones will apparently fold, unlike the WH-1000XM5 we have now. It's a return to the design of earlier models, including the WH-1000XM4 and the Sony WH-1000XM3.

It's a lot more information about a pair of headphones we haven't really heard too much about so far, despite their launch apparently being imminent. One leak that has emerged suggests the color options are going to be black, platinum silver, and midnight blue.

Another leak from the start of the year pointed to improved Bluetooth capabilities and perhaps a redesigned and stronger hinge. Our expectations are pretty high, considering we've been waiting for these headphones for three years now.

As we've also seen the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones make their way through regulatory filings, it seems very likely that they're going to be unveiled in the coming weeks – and we will of course let you know as soon as anything is official.

You might also like

• Our review of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
• Should you still buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones?
• These are the best earbuds you can buy right now

• Fraudulent chargebacks are no longer rare, they're a rising epidemic draining billions from merchants
• First-party fraud is booming because banking apps make it easy to lie and win refunds
• Mastercard says businesses face 324 million chargebacks by 2028 if nothing changes fast

Fraudulent chargebacks are fast becoming a major financial and operational burden for global businesses, new research has warned.

A Mastercard-sponsored study by Datos Insights estimates sellers will lose $15 billion to fraudulent chargebacks in 2025.

The total volume of chargebacks is projected to reach $33.79 billion this year and rise to $41.69 billion by 2028. These fraudulent disputes have far-reaching implications that affect everyone from merchants to consumers.

Digital growth comes with new risks

The increase in digital and card-not-present transactions has made online shopping faster and easier, but it has also made it more vulnerable. More purchases made via ecommerce platforms mean more chargeback claims.

Ironically, 45% of chargebacks stem from "first-party" claims, where valid customers fraudulently deny transactions. This is aided by the ease with which malicious actors can contest charges via banking apps, even without solid proof.

Mastercard believes that if nothing is done quickly, there will be 324 million chargebacks by 2028, up from 261 million in 2025. Unfortunately, a system created to protect consumers is now being abused.

Chargebacks are more than just a financial hassle for online companies, particularly those that use even the best ecommerce platform. On average, the chargeback value per dispute for some industries exceeds $120.

Businesses, especially SMEs, cannot handle this cost, and so to save time, many sellers dismiss low-value claims, but these losses mount quickly. They are now forced to decide whether to bear the loss or invest heavily in cybersecurity and dispute resolution procedures. Either way, they will spend more money, which will eventually lead to higher prices or even worse outcomes.

The Mastercard data shows that 46% of SMEs have experienced a cyberattack, with severe outcomes: 18% filed for bankruptcy, and 17% shut down entirely. Cybersecurity is now seen as essential, with 62% of SMEs making it a top budget priority and around 80% calling it critical to daily operations.

The solution? Advanced AI tools. Automated alerts, clear transaction labels, and detailed digital receipts enable smarter dispute handling. Mastercard notes that businesses using these tools now win more than half of their representation cases, where they contest chargebacks with evidence.

Businesses need to collaborate with the best merchant service and payment gateway providers to curb this threat because, without intervention, the costs will inevitably fall on everyday shoppers in the form of higher prices and slower service.

You might also like

• Build an e-commerce platform for your business with the best website builders
• And these are the best online marketing services
• M&S checkout chaos persists as cyberattack fallout continues

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #692).

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 #693) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CHEWY
• NOODLE
• CARS
• DARTH
• JAM
• ВОВА
• TOUGH
• SHRED
• SOLO
• DRY
• SUGAR
• BLUTO
• TEA
• GENUS
• STRINGY
• MILK

NYT Connections today (game #693) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: (Very) well done
• GREEN: Grab your plectrum 
• BLUE: Syrups optional
• PURPLE: Altered space

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 #693) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT 
• GREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR 
• BLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA 
• PURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED

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

NYT Connections today (game #693) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #693, are…

• YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, TOUGH
• GREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR JAM, NOODLE, SHRED, SOLO
• BLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA BOBA, MILK, SUGAR, TEA
• PURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED BLUTO, CARS, DARTH, GENUS

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I’m not sure I would describe CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, and TOUGH as “QUALITIES”, but it was thinking about eating something unpleasant that led me to linking them together. It just wasn’t OVERCOOKED MEAT that I had in mind.

I used to work in the meat department at a large supermarket and it was the animals I worked alongside that put me off meat for 15 years, rather than the thought of erm, eating animals.

Lab-grown meat, untouched by humans and farmed by robots, cannot arrive quickly enough as far as I’m concerned.

My mistake came in thinking that we were looking for the elements of a classic English teatime, rather than the INGREDIENTS IN A BUBBLE TEA – so I had JAM (like one spreads on one’s scones) instead of BOBA.

Having eliminated this, I was able to put another meaning of jam, along with some other things people who enjoy butchering music like doing with their electric guitars.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, May 3, game #692)

• YELLOW: AWESOME DOPE, FIRE, LIT, SICK
• GREEN: DEFEAT SOUNDLY CREAM, LICK, PASTE, SMOKE
• BLUE: "WILL" CONTRACTIONS WITHOUT THE APOSTROPHE HELL, ILL, SHELL, WELL
• PURPLE: URL ENDINGS PLUS A LETTER COMP, MILK, NETI, ORGO

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 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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #1195).

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 #1196) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1196) - 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 1.

Quordle today (game #1196) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1196) - 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 2.

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 #1196) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• S

• S

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1196, are…

• PINCH
• SMOKE
• SCARY
• CANNY

A total of 15 percent of five-letter words begin with the letter S, so it’s no surprise that today’s Quordle featured two of them.

It is also a good reason to use one of them as a start word, which helped me no end today, giving me a headstart with SMOKE and SCARY.

Despite roaring through today’s puzzle pretty quickly I still tripped up by guessing SCARF – a case of going with a bad hunch, instead of the data.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1196) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1196, are…

• GRASS
• CURIO
• EMBER
• SWILL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
• Quordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELT
• Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPE
• Quordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWN
• 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

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #426).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Star Wars: A New Hope

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• POLE
• NINE
• REIN
• NAME
• REAL
• WARBLE

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 1st column

Last side: bottom, 8th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #427) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #427, are…

• PLANET
• EMPIRE
• SPACE
• LONG
• TIME
• GALAXY
• REBEL
• SPANGRAM: OPENING CRAWL

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was wondering about the reason behind this edition of Strands and then I noticed the date on my laptop screen.

Fortunately, you didn’t have to be a Star Wars fanatic to enjoy today’s search, which instead pays tribute to the OPENING CRAWL, the introductory piece of floating text that became a signature of all the Star Wars movies.

In the 1977 original version, the text, which begins “A LONG TIME ago, in a GALAXY far, far away…”, was designed to sync with John Williams’s main theme, with each new paragraph timing with a new section of music.

Sadly, this subtle effect was lost when the movie was retitled “A New Hope” and subsequently became chapter four of the nine-part Luke Skywalker saga and the insignificant seed of the sprawling 99-part franchise.

For all the hooplah that was to follow, that opening crawl was a reminder of the power of words to set the imagination flowing and transport us to another dimension. May the fourth be with you.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, May 3, game #426)

• GAUZE
• TAPE
• SYRINGE
• STETHOSCOPE
• THERMOMETER
• SPANGRAM: DOCTORS KIT

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.

Full spoilers follow for Thunderbolts* and various other MCU projects.

"Marvel has a villain problem". It's a criticism that's been hurled at the comic book giant's cinematic juggernaut for years.

And with good reason. Between 2008 and 2017 (or, rather, from Iron Man to Thor: Ragnarok), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was as much of a graveyard for its supervillains as it was a multi-billion dollar-spinning franchise.

Aside from the odd Big Bad who survived due to their fan popularity (Loki) or status as an anti-hero rather than a full-blown villain (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier), Marvel Studios didn't think twice about killing those who opposed some of the best superhero movies' protagonists.

That all changed with Thanos' arrival. Not only did the Infinity Saga's primary nemesis actually live to fight another day by the end of Avengers: Infinity War – a film he was arguably the main character of – but he also did the unthinkable: he won. Indeed, he bested Earth's Mightiest Heroes and successfully carried out his plan to wipe out half of all life in the known universe.

Thanos was the first real Big Bad who not only survived the events of an MCU movie, but also achieved his goal (Image credit: Marvel)

Okay, he met his end a year later in Avengers: Endgame, but Thanos' introduction was a watershed moment for the MCU because it proved Marvel villains didn't need to be one-and-done scenarios.

Since then, Marvel has been far more selective with the villains it kills off. Spider-Man: No Way Home, WandaVision, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Captain America: Brave New World... more villains have survived the events of these MCU movies and Disney+ shows, as well as other Phase 4 and 5 projects, than those in Phases 1, 2, and 3.

Now, when someone from the comic titan's never-ending rogues gallery bites the dust, there's a valid excuse to bump them off. Take Deadpool and Wolverine's Cassandra Nova, for example. If the titular odd couple hadn't killed her, she would've destroyed the multiverse, so she had to be disposed of. Nonetheless, these days, Marvel villain deaths are the exception rather than the norm.

Marvel's Thunderbolts* film continued the comic giant's recent trend of not killing its primary villain (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

All of which brings me to Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie and the two feature films – The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday – that'll come after it.

The final Marvel Phase 5 movie, which has just landed in theaters worldwide, Thunderbolts* follows in many of its recent forebears' footsteps by not killing its primary antagonist. Though The Void, aka the darker half of Lewis Pullman's Bob Reynolds/Sentry, is more of an antagonistic force – one who Reynolds and his fellow misfits must nonetheless overcome to save the day – than the outright villain of Thunderbolts*. The fact that Pullman was one of the initial 27-strong cast confirmed to appear in Doomsday also spoiled how this film would end. After all, Reynolds wouldn't be part of Doomsday's cast if he and his superpowered alter-egos perished in Thunderbolts*.

But I digress. The point is, Marvel's latest big-screen offering is another example of its desire to keep villains and/or antagonistic figures around who can still serve a purpose.

Predictably, Marvel is keeping schtum on the plot of Avengers: Doomsday (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

That gives me hope, then, that the bad guys due to appear in First Steps and Doomsday – Ralph Ineson's Galactus and Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Victor von Doom – might not be unceremoniously dumped soon after their MCU debuts.

The chances are that one or both antagonists won't make it out of these movies alive. Somehow, The Fantastic Four might find a way to beat the planet-devouring cosmic being. According to The Fantastic Four: First Steps' official trailer, Galactus has marked this version of Earth – remember, Marvel's First Family will exist in a different universe for much of this film – for destruction, but that doesn't mean he'll succeed in his endeavor.

Meanwhile, Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga, will likely see a seemingly infinite number of MCU heroes, plus legacy characters from Fox's defunct X-Men film franchise and previous Sony Spider-Man movie series, work together to defeat Doom. That could lead to the reinstallation of the MCU in its current form or, as some fans have predicted, a hard reset that reboots Marvel's money-printing franchise for a new generation of heroes, villains, and viewers alike.

Marvel Unlimited monthly subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Marvel
The ultimate digital comics subscription for Marvel fans is offering new and returning customers 50% off their first month, which is much cheaper than a streaming subscription to watch all the best superhero movies. To gain access to a library of more than 30,000 comics, use the code 'SPIDEY50' at checkout. You're able to use the Marvel Unlimited app on all iOS and Android devices, including the web, too. But, be quick – the deal expires on May 5!View Deal

But, what if Marvel does the unthinkable? What if it doesn't just keep Galactus and Doom around for the long haul but, in a world-first for its cinematic franchise, also delivers back-to-back films where the villains win?

Alright, it's highly probable that Doom will be victorious by the time Avengers 5's end credits roll. Much like Infinity War and Endgame, Doomsday and Secret Wars are being approached as a two-part tale, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo seeking inspiration from both of Marvel's 'Secret Wars' comic book storylines.

The third and fourth Avengers movies are proof that if Earth's Mightiest Heroes are divided, they will fail to stop an existential threat. Based on what Thunderbolts* post-credits scene suggests – read my Thunderbolts* ending explained piece for more details – plus rumors that Doomsday will be an Avengers vs X-Men film in all but name, it's possible Doom will conquer all because its heroes are too busy fighting among themselves to unify and take him down.

How much of a shock would it be if The Fantastic Four were defeated in their first MCU movie? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

First Steps' narrative outcome is less certain. Again, thanks to Thunderbolts* end credits stinger, we already know that The Fantastic Four will appear in the MCU by the end of one of 2025's most anticipated new movies. How and why they traverse the multiverse to get there, though, is a mystery that First Steps will solve.

Right now, the prevailing theory among fans is that the iconic quartet will regrettably flee their utopian universe because they can't save it. Some MCU devotees believe they'll be forced to run because of Doom, who may destroy their reality to prevent the spread of Incursions – a cataclysmic event where two universes collide and one destroys the other – that were first introduced in Doctor Strange 2.

Other observers predict Galactus will follow through on his plan to consume the Earth that The Fantastic Four call home. The group will try to stop him but fail. Knowing they can either escape with their lives or perish alongside their world, they make the difficult but selfish decision to disappear into the night.

Will Downey Jr's Doctor Doom adopt this pose if and when he wins the day in Avengers: Doomsday? (Image credit: Walt Disney Studios/Marvel Studios)

I'm hoping for the latter outcome. Indeed, it makes an incredibly tragic backstory for Reed Richards and company upon their MCU arrival; one they could try to redeem themselves with by helping the MCU's current hero roster defeat Doom. Not only that, Galactus' victory would also be a better fit for the direction I want Marvel to go in with First Steps and Doomsday – i.e. releasing two movies in relatively quick succession where the bad guy triumphs.

We've already had a situation where a villain wins the day in one film but is ultimately defeated in the next with Infinity War and Endgame. In my view, it would be baffling if Marvel played the same card with Doomsday and Secret Wars as it did with the aforementioned pair.

Despite the recent turbulence the MCU has been buffeted by, fans will turn up in their droves to watch the next Avengers movies. Wouldn't it be even more fantastic, then, if they did so knowing that, having watched The Fantastic Four lose in First Steps, they witness Downey Jr's Doom similarly be victorious?

Neither the MCU nor its fanbase would have seen the likes of villains securing victories in back-to-back movies. Your next two films are a golden opportunity to surprise us all and do just that, Marvel. My advice? Don't mess it up.

You might also like

• Thunderbolts* is an electrifying and emotionally impactful Florence Pugh-front Marvel movie that defied my expectations of what an MCU film can be
• Get the lowdown on everything to do with Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• See if you agree with my ranking of the best Marvel movies

• References to Galaxy S25 FE firmware have appeared
• The phone could launch in September or October
• It may well come with an Exynos processor inside

As our Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review will tell you, these 'Fan Edition' takes on the flagship models often hit the sweet spot when it comes to price and performance – and it seems we're getting a Galaxy S25 FE model in the not-too-distant future.

The team over at SamMobile has discovered evidence that work has begun on the firmware for the Galaxy S25 FE, the lowest level of software that operates underneath Android (known as One UI on Samsung handsets of course).

Now this doesn't really tell us anything about the phone itself: just that Samsung remains committed to the FE series and should be unveiling the Galaxy S25 version sooner rather than later. The US unlocked variant has the model number SM-S731U and uses firmware version S731USQU0AYDH, according to the digging done by SamMobile.

The thinking is that the phone will run One UI 8 (based on Android 16) out of the box. While One UI 7 is only just making its way out to the majority of Samsung handsets, we've already seen indications that One UI 8 is in testing.

So when will we see it?

The Galaxy S25 launched in January (Image credit: Future)

It's not easy to predict a potential launch date for the Galaxy S25 FE. We know that last year's model launched in September, and that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE was unveiled in October 2023, so there are some clues there.

Most likely, this upcoming phone will also show up in September or October, but first we're going to have the launches of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, which are expected to be happening sometime during July.

We haven't heard many rumors around the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE to this point, but there has been talk that it will come with one of Samsung's own Exynos processors. All the other handsets in the Galaxy S25 series use Qualcomm Snapdragon silicon, but we're still waiting for full details on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

Speaking of the Galaxy S25 Edge, that should be the next handset that's launched by Samsung. Most tipsters are predicting that we're going to see the phone unveiled in full on Tuesday, May 13, after we first got a glimpse of it in January.

You might also like

• Samsung's next foldables could run One UI 8
• The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has just leaked in full
• How the Galaxy S24 FE beats the iPhone 16

• Over 700 Epson projectors transform walls into moving, responsive works of living digital art
• teamLab Phenomena redefines immersive art by blending environmental feedback with human interaction
• Wet and Dry zones let visitors shape, touch, and move through responsive visual landscapes

The largest digital art experience in the world has been unveiled in Abu Dhabi, showcasing a fusion of interactive storytelling, cutting-edge projection, and immersive design.

Over 700 Epson projectors were integrated into the expansive 17,000-square-metre teamLab Phenomena exhibition to create a visual landscape that turns art into a dynamic environment reacting to its surroundings.

The launch event matched the exhibition’s scale, featuring 6,000 synchronized drones lighting up the sky in what is believed to be the region’s largest aerial display, accompanied by a special musical composition from Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi.

Technology meets environment in living art

The exhibition features two sections: the Wet Zone and the Dry Zone. Through fluid-like digital environments that react to touch and motion, visitors can have up-close, personal experiences with changing landscapes in the Wet Zone.

Conversely, the Dry Zone encourages movement through interactive areas where artwork changes in real time in response to each visitor's presence.

The artworks are not simple static objects but phenomena shaped by the environment itself. This dynamic quality is what makes teamLab’s work unique and places immense demands on the visual hardware powering it.

“Even if people immerse themselves physically into the artwork, the artwork will remain intact, capable of naturally restoring itself even if disrupted,” said teamLab founder, Toshiyuki Inoko.

To meet the technical demands of this exhibition, Epson supplied an array of high-brightness projectors, showcasing not just creative brilliance but also what the best business projectors and best portable projector solutions can achieve when integrated with immersive design.

This effort is not a standalone attraction. It forms part of a larger vision for the Saadiyat Cultural District, which is set to include institutions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Zayed National Museum.

“teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is a groundbreaking cultural landmark that redefines immersive art experiences on a global scale,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

The visual fidelity and real-time responsiveness of teamLab Phenomena could not be realized without advanced projection and display systems. In a digital art space this large and complex, having powerful computer systems is essential for backstage coordination and real-time content control.

You might also like

• Here's our roundup of the best 4K projectors
• Check out the best cheap projector deals according to our experts
• Breach at health insurance giant Blue Shield of California leaked health data of millions to Google