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Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,393 for April 12.

The judge gave Khalil until April 23 to request a stay of his deportation and said that if his attorneys miss the deadline, she will order him deported either to Syria or to Algeria

(Image credit: Ted Shaffrey)

Many communities have thrived for years on the peninsula and islands in the lagoon around Nigeria's crowded commercial capital Lagos. But the last decade has seen a violent shift, as thousands of people have been evicted by the Nigerian Navy and the government in an apparent effort to make way for luxury developments. We go to the communities and meet the people affected.

In puzzle roguelike game Blue Prince, you play as a young boy named Simon who has inherited his great uncle’s estate. However, Simon’s inheritance is predicated on the notion that he’ll discover the fabled Room 46 – the very existence of which is doubted by others. What follows is a surreal adventure like no other, one that’s filled with mystery not just because of how the environments are designed, but also due to all the cryptic notes and hidden secrets that you discover along the way.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: April 10, 2025

The gargantuan manor that you find yourself in has a 9x5 grid-like layout – nine rows and five columns – and you have to place rooms in each slot. You might think that the best way to do this is to just plop down hallways with straightforward connections to the Antechamber to the north, but that’s not the case.

That’s because Blue Prince uses concepts similar to deck-building games except, instead of cards, you draw from a set of three rooms, each with its own pathways and unique effects. Some have items or documents lying around, while others cause debilitating penalties or lead to dead ends. Because draws are randomized, you’ll never know what you’ll get. You could have a decent run where you make it halfway through the mansion, only for the next set to contain rooms with no exits. That, or the rooms themselves are locked or they require you to find gem resources first.

Instead of health, you have steps in Blue Prince, which can be replenished by entering bedrooms or eating food lying around. If you run out of steps, the day ends. You’ll have to start back at the Entrance Hall as room slots and items are reset.

(Image credit: Dogubomb) The architect of rogues

Within the first few hours of playing Blue Prince, I was already engrossed. While it’s a game in which I can feel like an architect, placing down rooms wherever I want, there’s also a deep strategic layer to it. Numerous thoughts crossed my mind each time I ventured into the manor.

For instance, before placing a Walk-In Closet, I debated if this dead-end room was worth it – sure, it had four items, but I’d block off that section rather than having an open pathway. Conversely, whenever I drew a Hallway – which has three exits – I wondered if I should be using it so soon or if I should save it for later when I really needed it.

This strategic layer also coincides with the aforementioned steps mechanic. If my placement of rooms isn’t optimal, I could end up backtracking so often that I’d waste dozens of steps just to get from Point A to Point B.

There was even one moment when I debated where I should place the Foundation, a room that has an elevator that leads to the underground section of the manor. Unlike most other options, the Foundation’s placement does not reset each day/run. Since I needed it to progress further, I decided to plop it down next to the Entrance Hall for easy access. Had I drafted it closer to the end, that would’ve meant relying heavily on randomness (and the RNG gods) just so I could make a path to it.

Randomness is even more impactful in the game – at one point, I was so close to Room 46, only to draw room cards that didn’t have connections to the only open doorway. In another attempt, I was planning to open a locked deposit box in the Vault, but the key never appeared in any of the areas I checked. These instances were frustrating, of course, but it’s par for the course in roguelite titles. The challenge itself makes achieving the goal even more rewarding.

(Image credit: Dogubomb) Perplexing puzzle perfection

Blue Prince encourages you to plan your attempts carefully and, while you’re at it, you’re bound to stumble upon puzzles that are meant to stymie you. Some even gradually become more difficult the more you complete them in successive runs.

For example, a math-based Darts Puzzle involves looking at the colors on the board and performing algebraic operations – i.e. addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Little did I know that dozens of successful completions would cause migraine-inducing equations that involved exponents, fractions, negative numbers, and symbols that I’d never seen in my life. Thankfully, I found a means of upgrading rooms with perks, and I was able to revert the Darts Puzzle to simple addition. I’m terrible at math anyway.

Best bit

(Image credit: Dogubomb)

Several hours after I started playing Blue Prince, I finally figured out why each room had an odd pairing of paintings. I then deciphered the hidden message, a 44-character phrase representing 44 rooms I placed around the mansion, and I exclaimed out loud. No, I didn’t receive a material reward. My reward was a subtle hint that helped me solve another puzzle. I felt like a genius.

There are also puzzles that go hand-in-hand with exploration, such as the Chess Puzzle. You see, there are certain rooms that have chess pieces, like the pawn, rook, queen, and king. To solve the Chess Puzzle, I had to remember where I placed those rooms on the manor’s grid-like layout, and then I had to move the corresponding pieces on the chessboard based on their locations. Oh, and the chess board itself was in a distant section of the estate, too, which meant I had to carefully retrace my steps just to arrive at the correct chamber.

Other brain teasers are equally perplexing. For those who’ve read Maze: Solve the World’s Most Challenging Puzzle – a book that helped inspire Blue Prince – you’ll be glad to know that the author, Christopher Manson, actually designed the Gallery Puzzle. It has four abstract paintings, and you have to choose one word that best represents each illustration. Speaking of illustrations, there are pairs of paintings in every room. At first glance, you might think they’re just there for design purposes until you realize that they’re part of an elaborate puzzle, too.

All in all, the puzzles in Blue Prince are nothing short of outstanding. That unique spark of creativity is showcased, as what starts out as little hints and clues transform into bigger arcs and intricately woven threads that I was eager to follow. Even the unremarkable tidbits might be part of a broader and stranger enigma. No pattern, item, or fixture is there by accident; everything has a purpose.

(Image credit: Dogubomb) C’mon gang, we’ve got a mystery to solve

Blue Prince astonishingly goes beyond traditional puzzle rooms and objectives-based tasks as the story slowly unfolds. Simon is the only person in the estate, but the rest of the narrative, including background information on other characters, is all told by way of documents, notes, books, and, in some cases, emails.

There’s an arc about someone being blackmailed, which then led me to several red envelopes stashed within safes (and, of course, I had to figure out the passcodes). There’s another about a missing author, with hints that are found in plain sight, albeit inconspicuous at first glance. At one point, I even had to browse several books to find a visual cue, piecing together a hidden message, which then allowed me to find an item in a specific spot even though there was no icon telling me that something was there.

It’s this facet that truly sunk its claws into me, pulling me further down the rabbit hole well past my arrival in Room 46. The story developed and unraveled organically the more hints I came across. There were riddles upon riddles and secrets within secrets, that I was finding new things hours later in areas that I’ve frequented numerous times.

Perhaps my only complaint is that the game does not have an in-game journal. Even if you’ve already read a letter, there’s no system that keeps track of the information in-game. You have no other choice but to take a screenshot, jot down notes, or hope that you can draft the room again in the future. In fact, as of the time of this writing, my Blue Prince screenshots folder has well over 3,000 images already, all organized per room and theme. This was hard to manage even for me – and I write guides for a living – and I’m sure it will be problematic for those who don’t commit too many details to memory.

Even with this qualm, Blue Prince still remains a spectacular offering from developer Dogubomb. What I said before about the Antechamber and Room 46 are just your initial goals. The biggest surprise in this game is the fact that traditional progression is just the tip of a continent-sized iceberg.

Fair warning: Blue Prince will occupy every waking moment of your life just like it did mine. You won’t be saying good night to this sweet prince anytime soon. It’s that damn good.

Should you play Blue Prince? Play it if...

You enjoy puzzle games and roguelike elements
Blue Prince has countless puzzles that are meant to confuse you, though you’ll feel like a genius once you’ve solved them. Roguelike elements also enhance the strategic depth.

You love taking down notes and looking for secrets
There are numerous notes and documents, many of which are part of the secrets that you should discover.

Don't play it if...

You’re looking for a lot of hand-holding
Outside of a few documents explaining basic mechanics, you’re left to your own devices and you have to figure out what you need to do next.

You dislike roguelike mechanics and randomization
A lot of facets of the game are randomized, especially item placements and room selection pools. Things can get frustrating if you run out of steps or you don’t get the items or rooms that you need.

Accessibility

Sadly, Blue Prince features no accessibility features whatsoever. Let alone specific features like colorblind modes, the game doesn't even allow you to alter subtitles in any way or even customize controls. A disappointing element of such an otherwise fantastic game.

(Image credit: Dogubomb) How I reviewed Blue Prince

I played Blue Prince on a TCL P755 TV at 4K resolution and maximum settings. My gaming PC has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, Intel Core i9-10900K CPU, and 32GB of RAM. I used a Razer Viper Mini mouse and a locally-made keyboard, as well as a Logitech F710 wireless controller.

My progress as of the time of publishing this review is around 70 hours across a week or so of playing. I was able to reach Room 46 several times, as well as explore various locations in, out, and under the manor, all to discover numerous secrets along the way.

First reviewed April 2025

It's not just tariffs. The White House is rethinking the central role of the dollar in the global economy.

(Image credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Specs

Type: mono laser printer

Functions: Print only

Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi

Data storage slots: none

Max print speed: 29ppm

Max paper size: Letter/A4

Print quality: 600 x 600 dpi

Memory: 64 MB

Apple AirPrint: yes

Consumables included: Black cartridge (700 pages)

Dimensions/Weight: 355 x 279 x 205 mm (WxDxH)/12.3lb/5.6kg

The HP LaserJet M209dw is an affordable and remarkably compact mono laser printer aimed at small business and the micro office. It’s a simple print-only device, but it comes with key features such as auto-duplex printing, dual-band Wi-Fi, Wolf Security and fax functionality that add up to something that would do well in shared office.

HP reckons it can handle a duty cycle of up to 2,000 pages per month. Being a LaserJet, rather than an inkjet, I already know it’ll always be ready to print without fear of blocked nozzles, and the total cost of ownership looks very competitive.

However, I was curious how it would compare to the best home printers and the best small business printers I've reviewed. After all, with only one paper input, however, and not much inbox toner, it still needs to justify its $149 price tag, so let’s delve deeper.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Design and build

(Image credit: HP)

HP often leads the way when it comes to printer design and innovation and the LaserJet M209dw is a good example. It’s significantly smaller than the similarly priced Brother HL-L2865DW in every dimension and with its paper tray folded away, it fits into my desk drawer. In operation, though, you’ll need to keep the paper cassette in place so it takes up a bit more desk space than those dimensions suggest.

There’s no scanner, no touchscreen display and just one paper input, so it’s a minimal and clean aesthetic. The buttons are on top while a stripe of vivid LED light across the front panel lets you know when the printer is on and connected to the Wi-Fi. It changes from violet to blue when it’s online.

The paper input tray feels rather insubstantial and comes unclipped a bit too easily. On the plus side, this forward-facing flap makes it easy to load 150 sheets of paper and switch paper stock quickly. It’ll take any paper size from 4x6 photo paper to A4 or legal. With no additional multi-purpose input tray it’s something I had to do a lot during the test.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Features & specifications

(Image credit: HP)

Being a budget print-only device, the HP LaserJet M209dw isn't likely to top my round-up of best HP printers any time soon. It has few features to mention. You do have, what I consider the essentials for a business printer; auto-duplex, dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB ports and some security software to prevent attacks over the network. But it also has Bluetooth to make the setup procedure easier, and if you use the HP Smart software, you add a fax facility and the ability to print remotely via the cloud.

It’s a pity there’s no multi-purpose tray for those one-off jobs such as printing on headed paper and a display of some sort would have been nice. For such a small printer that’s regularly discounted to below the one hundred dollar price point, I can’t complain too much.

The quoted maximum print speed of 29ppm (pages per minute) in simplex draft mode is not too shabby, and there’s room for 150 sheets of paper in the input tray. The output tray can hold 100 sheets. There’s no USB Host port at the front, but you do have Ethernet and USB ports at the rear. Print quality is given as the standard 600x600dpi and there’s 64GB of inbuilt memory, which is less than most new printers, but it didn’t prove to be a problem during the test.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Setup and operation

(Image credit: HP)

With Bluetooth built in and a good companion app called HP Smart, the HP LaserJet M209dw is especially easy to set up. The starter cartridge is already installed, so all you need to do is load some plain paper, turn on and follow the instructions on your smartphone. You’ll see your new printer appear on the app because it can make a Bluetooth connection right away and then help you to join your local Wi-Fi network.

OK, so it didn’t actually work first time for me, but after turning things off and on again, I managed to get the printer online eventually. I’m sure this had more to do with the capricious nature of Wi-Fi than HP’s streamlined setup procedure.

A touchscreen interface would have made the HP LaserJet M209dw easier to operate, but a simple print-only device like this doesn’t really need one. The forward-facing paper tray is conveniently located for switching media and the button controls are intuitive enough.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Performance

(Image credit: HP)

The HP LaserJet M209dw printed clearly and reliably throughout the test, with no misprints or paper jams. It did especially well with black text on plain paper, which appeared consistently crisp and legible down to the smallest point size. Printing in draft mode produced only slightly paler print that would be fine for most circumstances.

This isn’t the fastest laser printer on the block. Its top speed of 29ppm is slower than that of the Brother HL-L2865DW, but it’ll still beat any inkjet and it flips the paper in auto-duplex mode quite quickly. The first page out time is given as 7.6 seconds, but this depends on so many factors as to make it a not very useful parameter. More significant is the 30-second warm up time, which is rather slow.

The HP LaserJet M209dw is not so good at printing graphics and photos. Both appear too dark and with poor contrast, as you can see in the photo comparison where a Xerox printer shows how the lion should look.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Consumables

(Image credit: HP)

The HP LaserJet M209dw will take a high yield black toner cartridge (135X) costing around US$130 (£83), which gives a reasonable page rate, that’s just a little higher than the aforementioned Brother HL-L2460DW.

It’s significantly more expensive to run than an ink tank inkjet like the Epson EcoTank ET-M2140, but much cheaper than any cartridge inkjet. I should warn you that there’s not much toner in the starter cartridge that comes with this printer. Barely enough for 700 pages.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Maintenance

(Image credit: HP)

Usually, the only component of any of the best laser printers that you need to replace is the imaging drum, but in this case the drum is integrated into the cartridge, so you’re replacing it every time you change cartridges. Unlike inkjets, which need to run a maintenance cycle every so often, the only thing to think about here is stopping an excess of dust from penetrating the printer.

HP LaserJet M209dw: Final verdict

(Image credit: HP)

The HP LaserJet M209dw is so small and effective and reasonably priced that it’s hard not to like.

Home users will appreciate the prompt and precise pages of text that this black and white printer can turn out and the Bluetooth-enabled setup procedure, while business users in a small shared office will welcome HP’s Wolf Security protection and dual-band Wi-Fi.

I would like to have seen an additional multi-purpose input tray, as the solitary 150-sheet input is limiting. And while text looks sharp, graphics generally appear too dark and lacking in contrast. The amount of toner in the setup cartridge (enough for 700 pages) is also a bit stingy, but those niggles are all explained by the low price and conveniently compact size of this neat laser printer.

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(Image credit: HP)

For more budget models, I've reviewed the best cheap printers around.

• ^ Back to top

The Apple Mac Studio made a huge splash when it entered the market a few years back. The form factor with that kind of power was nearly too good to be true. Now, the best mini PC manufacturers are replicating that style of desktop powerhouse.

The Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra is an excellent example of that. Lenovo took the exact size of the popular Mac Studio and threw their machine into it, claiming it was the business version of a Mac Studio.

For the most part, it has excellent ports, an option for up to 8 displays, beats out the Mac Studio, an RTX 4060 GPU, and even a discrete AI NPU. But can this machine match the performance ability of the Mac Studio at its best?

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra: Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra starts at around $3,000 but's frequently discounted to under $2,000. If you spec this thing out, you can run over $5,000. The Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra is available for purchase through Lenovo.com and enterprise partners, so if you are looking to pick this up, I'd check first at Lenovo to snag one of those great deals on this machine.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra: Unboxing & first impressions

The Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra is nearly the exact dimensions of the Apple Mac Studio. It comes in a compact box with the cable and paperwork you'd expect. Unlike the popular silver on Macs, the ThinkCentre Neo Ultra comes in a Luna Gray chassis that looks more like what I'd expect a Lenovo device to look like.

Much like other compact desktops, the ThinkCentre Neo Ultra would fit easily under a monitor, even if not on a monitor arm, or if you wanted to, you could tuck it off to the side, keep it front and center to show off or mount it behind the monitor or under the desk.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra: Design & build quality Specs

CPU: Up to Intel Core i9-14900 vPro
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 8GB
RAM: Up to 64GB DDR5
Storage: Up to 2x 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs
Ports:
1x USB-C 20Gbps, 1x 3.5mm combo jack, 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 4x USB-A 10Gbps, 2x HDMI 2.1, 4x DisplayPort 1.4a, 2.5GbE LAN
Optional: Configurable punch-out ports (HDMI, VGA, USB-C, LAN, etc.)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions: 7.68” x 7.52” x 4.25” (3.6L), 7.7 lbs

The Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra is a very professional and simple-looking machine. Lenovo has done a great job at making this a machine that does not stand out, is not overly flashy, but looks professional and top-tier at the same time. It's got a solid frame with rounded off edges, but not so much so that it looks round, more just not sharp. The top panel looks like it's the roof to a building with a row of windows, leaving plenty of room for ventilation to keep this powerhouse from overheating.

For those who like being able to upgrade RAM and SSD on their own, it’s great to see that the bottom panel can easily be removed. This is something that I see less and less in computers in general. But it’s a vital component for some users.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra: In use

I work predominantly from a laptop. It has always appealed to me to have a single computer that I can easily take from place to place. However, having used this computer in my rotation of devices for the last several weeks, I can say there is something fantastic about a desktop that is set up, ready to rock, no dock needed, no charge needed, plugged into multiple displays, set up when you’re ready—a kind of desk setup.

As you can see in the desk shots, I usually have this on a single monitor setup. However, I ran five displays on this at one time simply because that was the number I had with me at the time of testing. I can confidently say that this is an excellent desktop if you are working primarily on business tasks and want to use multiple displays.

There is no need for an external graphics card or a dock with DisplayLink like I need with my M2 Series MacBook Pro, and there are no issues when running different types of monitors, as I have seen questions about. I was running a 49-inch ultrawide, a 32-inch, a 27-inch, a portable monitor, and a TV, all without any issues.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

During my testing, I used this display for a few virtual meetings, a lot of writing and admin work, some basic photo editing, some video rendering, a lot (40+) of heavy Chrome Tabs (multiple extensive project management tools), Slack, Asana, Jira, Basecamp, ZenDesk, Hubspot, Postman, VS Code, WhatsApp, Email, and more. I worked on some web design, system automation, large Google Docs with 40+ pages of 11pt font and many comments, and so on. I tried to crash this computer, which handled everything while easily outputting to an abundance of screen real estate.

I wouldn’t use this machine for heavy video editing because I don’t think it's one of the best video editing computers available, but it is one of the best business computers in this form-factor, ideal for administrative or more standard business tasks like project management, documents, emails, virtual meetings, and so on.

After testing, I also see a lot of advantages to using this if you're a project manager or supervisor. It would allow for ample displays to show everything that kind of role needs to see all at once, without compromise.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo Ultra: Final verdict

The ThinkCentre Neo Ultra is a powerhouse of a machine. I’d still choose a Mac Studio for creative tasks, but this machine is a genuine contender for classic business performance. It’s got better video outputs, is just as compact, and has leading enterprise security and great software.

For business professionals, developer teams, or even things like conference rooms, command centers, or other setups that need a lot of screens, this machine is a fantastic one to consider. Just know that it doesn’t have Thunderbolt, so file transfers will be quite a bit slower than on something that does support a version of Thunderbolt.

For extra power, we reviewed the best workstations you can get right now.

Apple Solo Loop review

If you ever get fed up with fastening up your Apple Watch every morning, the Apple Solo Loop is sure to liberate you from frustration. The Apple Solo Loop is as simple as it gets – a plain Apple Watch strap that slips straight onto your wrist – no buttons, buckles or the like to contend with here. And although it’s not quite the perfect strap, it’s still a favorite of mine – here’s why.

Firstly, the absence of any fastening features is a big time saver. Sure, that means this watch is non-adjustable – not ideal if you’re sharing your Apple Watch with another person, for instance, but the ability to just slip it on was a plus for me overall. Simply check out Apple’s size guide on its website and find the fit that works for you. Easy as you like.

I tried out the Size 6 edition and found it to be both snug and secure – just as all the best Apple Watch bands should be. But there were more design aspects that I loved. Firstly, this band is made from liquid silicone rubber – a material that felt comfortable on my skin and smooth to the touch. It’s also both swimproof and sweatproof, making it totally workout-ready.

And there’s more. This band comes in a variety of eye-catching colorways, including Northern Lights (neon green), Periwinkle (a blue-ish purple) and Peony (pink). These colors were added in Spring 2025 – just after I picked up the far less adventurous black variant. I know. I’m still not over it.

But look, I’m going to have to burst the Apple Solo Loop’s bubble for a second. It's pretty prone to picking up loose fibers and dust, which means it may need a bit of a clean every few days – something that won’t bother you with a model like the Apple Nike Sport Loop. On top of that, the closed nature of this band means it’s not the most breathable, so it’s not the best suited for runs or gym sessions.

One more thing – this isn’t the cheapest Apple Watch band on the market, carrying a list price of $49 / £49. Sure, that’s in line with the more affordable first-party options, like the Apple Sport Band, for instance. But it’s worth noting that there are some more budget-friendly third-party options out there, like the Upeak Sport Strap and Yoohoo Adjustable Metal Strap – both of which you can often get for less than £10 in the UK.

So when all’s said and done, I think it’s fair to say that the Apple Solo Loop is a very solid option for anyone seeking out a new Apple Watch band. It’s comfortable, easy to fit and vibrant (if you want it to be), not to mention the fact it's both swim and sweatproof. Sure, it’s not as breathable or dust-resistant as some of its rivals, but in the end, the Solo Loop is still worthy of my recommendation.

(Image credit: Future) Apple Solo Loop review: price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Apple Solo Loop? Buy it if…

You want ultimate simplicity
If you don’t want to mess around with fastening up your Apple Watch, I understand – it can be kinda annoying, especially when you’re in a rush. With the Apple Solo Loop, all you have to do is slide the strap over your hand and onto your wrist. That’s really it!

You want to add a splash of color to your wrist
Look… I know the black band I picked out isn’t the most vivid, but there are much more exciting options for the Apple Solo Loop, I promise! There’s Peony, Periwinkle, Northern Lights… even Light Blush if you’re into that. So rest assured, there’s plenty of ways to spice things up a bit.

Don't buy it if…

You want the best watch strap for workouts
Unlike alternatives such as the Apple Nike Sport Band, there are no holes in the Apple Solo Loop. That means it’s not as breathable – something that’s not ideal if you’re in the midst of a sweat-heavy workout. It’s great for underwater activities though, thanks to its swimproof material, so it just depends what kinda activities you’re getting into.

You want a more dust-resistant option
This Apple Watch band is slightly prone to picking up dust and fibers and if that’s something that’ll annoy you, it’s probably best avoided. Instead, I’d suggest checking out the Apple Nike Sport Loop. That model is made from nylon yarn and is much less susceptible to picking up unwanted fluff.

Apple Solo Loop review: also consider

Apple Nike Sport Band
The Apple Nike Sport Band is still my go-to whenever I’m wearing the Apple Watch SE. That’s because it has a smooth, breathable design, cool color options and a highly adjustable fit.. On top of that, it’s sweat and water-resistant. I mean, what more could you want? Read our full Apple Nike Sport Band review.

• In a December 2024 meeting, China privately took responsibility for cyber offensives
• These include attacks on US infrastructure, like communications and energy
• The state warned that US increasing support for Taiwan was a key factor

Amid a serious escalation of hostilities between the two nations, senior Chinese officials have apparently acknowledged behind closed doors that Beijing was involved in a series of cyberattacks on US critical infrastructure.

These attacks saw Chinese Volt Typhoon hackers infiltrate US critical infrastructure systems for years, including compromising energy, communications, transportation, and water industries.

China had previously denied any involvement in these attacks, but the Wall Street Journal now reports Beijing officials admitted involvement in an “indirect and somewhat ambiguous” way, interpreted by US officials as a “warning to the U.S. about Taiwan.”

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Escalating tensions

News about increasing reciprocal tariffs between the two nations is pretty unavoidable, but the trade war is not the only stage for offensives, with US officials reportedly considering pursuing cyber strikes against China and security experts warning that China is poised to retaliate against tariffs with a “Typhoon” attack - referring to hacking groups Salt and Volt Typhoon.

This news comes after the Trump administration has implemented mass federal layoffs, which a former NSA cybersecurity director has warned will have a “devastating impact on cybersecurity”.

These admissions are, of course, likely to be a tactical move from China to underscore its own capabilities and willingness to use them.

For example, the Salt Typhoon attack into telecoms networks is considered a “historic counterintelligence failure”, and some officials even believe the group still lurks on US networks.

Previously, the US state department had opposed Taiwanese independence, but under Trump this seems to be much more uncertain, and escalating tensions between China and the US could lead to cyber offensives on both sides.

Taiwan has a strong economy, and crucially, is home to manufacturers of semiconductors - computer chips which are essential to almost all modern technology, and are used in satellite systems, phones, laptops, and AI.

You might also like

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• UK government introduces new Cyber Security Bill to keep critical infrastructure safe

I love coffee, but I also love my sleep, so after about 2pm I always switch to decaf to avoid being kept awake at night. It works well, but opting for decaf generally means you miss out on some of the more unusual flavors around – like the double-fermented passionfruit beans I got from my local coffee roaster recently, or Nespresso's white chocolate and strawberry coffee pods, which are an unlikely but delicious combination of flavors.

My Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) instructor calls it 'cheating coffee', but when it tastes this good, who cares?

Thankfully, just as alcohol-free beer is now mainstream and varied, we're starting to see roasters and manufacturers start to get more creative with decaf – and Nespresso's new Sweet Vanilla Decaffeinato pods are so comforting, they might just become my new favorite bedtime drink.

The Sweet Vanilla Decaffeinato pods work in any Neespresso Vertuo machine (Image credit: Future)

Coffee beans can have notes of vanilla by themselves, depending on the variety and the roast, and when extracted correctly (a tricky process to get right), coffee does have a natural sweetness. However, it's quite subtle, and if you want something more dessert-like, a coffee with added flavor is the way forward.

Decaffeinated coffee is made by removing the caffeine from green (unroasted ) coffee beans by dissolving it in water. There are a few different ways to achieve this, and Nespresso uses two different methods. The first involves simply soaking the beans in hot water to dissolve the caffeine (known as the Swiss water process). This process leaves behind no residue that could alter the taste and character of the coffee

The second method (the carbon dioxide process) is more efficient. Again, it involves soaking the beans in water to make them porous, but this time the soaked beans are placed in a pressurized container and exposed to CO2, which dissolves the caffeine.

Once caffeine has been extracted from the beans, it can be re-used to make high-caffeine drinks like Nespresso's energy-boosting functional coffees.

The vanilla flavor works well with barista oat milk (Image credit: Future)

After loading a pod into my Nespresso Vertuo Pop (one of the best Nespresso machines around if you need something compact) and hitting the brew button, I was left with a cup full of creamy decaf coffee with a generous layer of foam.

It's delicious by itself, and the added flavor doesn't overpower the taste of the beans, but I enjoy a milky bedtime drink and vanilla typically works well with dairy, so I was keen to see how it would hold up as a white coffee.

The Sweet Vanilla Decaffeinato pods are mug-sized, meaning they'll fill a 230ml mug, but I still had room for a little caramel-flavored barista oat milk, or regular dairy milk. The flavors both combine very nicely, though regular milk would work best if you don't have a particularly sweet tooth.

Hopefully we'll see even more decaf options soon – cheating or otherwise.

• IBM's fastest mainframe computer to date has a Telum II CPU with on-chip AI coprocessor
• There is also an AI accelerator that it hopes will make it an attractive option
• The IBM z17 brings Big Blue in the age of AI but will this be enough to fend off competition?

IBM has announced the z17, a new mainframe to address growing AI demands on enterprise infrastructure.

Positioned as a foundation for hybrid cloud environments, and with support for real-time AI and enterprise-grade resilience, the IBM z17 is designed to handle transaction-heavy workloads, improve operational efficiency, and address security concerns in industries with stringent compliance needs.

Central to the new mainframe is the Telum II processor, which was originally announced at Hot Chips 2024. Developed using Samsung 5nm technology, it integrates an on-chip AI coprocessor to support inferencing tasks, including small language models with fewer than 8 billion parameters.

Big on security

Alongside the processor, Big Blue plans to offer the Spyre Accelerator card (also originally previewed at Hot Chips) to complement the Telum II and extend the AI compute capabilities for unstructured data processing such as text-based generative AI.

The z17 can accommodate up to 48 of these accelerator cards, allowing scalability across enterprise workloads. It is expected to be available 4Q 2025 via PCIe card.

Security is a big focus for the IBM z17 and includes AI-powered features such as Sensitive Data Tagging for z/OS and IBM Threat Detection for z/OS, both of which use natural language processing to identify and protect sensitive data or scan for potential threats.

In addition, it supports NIST-standardized quantum-safe cryptographic algorithms to address future regulatory requirements.

The z17 system also incorporates a new data processing unit to accelerate I/O protocols for networking and storage.

IBM says it expects application developers to benefit from AI-driven assistants that can automate tasks across the software development lifecycle, improving productivity and reducing skill transition issues in mainframe environments.

Transactional AI use cases such as fraud detection, money laundering prevention, and anomaly detection can now be deployed closer to the data source, IBM says, with support for multimodel inference to improve accuracy and reduce false positives.

"The industry is quickly learning that AI will only be as valuable as the infrastructure it runs on," said Ross Mauri, general manager of IBM Z and LinuxONE, IBM.

"With z17, we're bringing AI to the core of the enterprise with the software, processing power, and storage to make AI operational quickly. Additionally, organizations can put their vast, untapped stores of enterprise data to work with AI in a secured, cost-effective way."

Available in configurations that support up to 208 processors and 64TB of memory, the z17, which is the culmination of five years of design and development, is designed to operate at 5.5GHz and comes housed in up to four frames. While aimed at critical workloads, IBM is also positioning it as part of a larger hybrid cloud strategy.

IBM also took the wraps off z/OS 3.2, the next version of its flagship operating system for IBM Z systems. This is planned for release in the third quarter of 2025.

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• New leaks have given us our first glimpse of the Fujifilm 'X-Half'
• The half-frame compact camera would be a first for Fujifilm
• It'll seemingly combine digital half-frame shots with a retro design

Fujifilm has never exactly followed the herd, but even by its standards the company's next compact camera will be an eccentric one – if new rumors about the so-called 'X-Half' are to be believed.

Fuji Rumors recently shared what it claims is the first leaked image of the camera, and has now followed that up with new post that gives it a name. The X-Half, it seems, will be a compact camera with 1-inch sensor that rivals the many half-frame cameras that have become popular among young snappers in recent years.

What is half-frame? As the Pentax 17 and Kodak Ektar H35 show, the format –traditionally found on 35mm film cameras – sees shots taken in vertical format, effectively giving you twice as many photos from a roll a film. The X-Half's twist, according to rumors, is that it'll be digital and, potentially, a bit more desirable than those two cameras.

Meet the Fujifilm X-Half – Fujifilm’s Upcoming Digital Half Frame Camerahttps://t.co/5Bpynjtpy9 pic.twitter.com/viEj6jIThIApril 11, 2025

Another reason why half-frame cameras are popular is because they easily let you create 'diptych' images, or two side-by-side frames. This lets you juxtapose two different angles on the same subject, which is a very social media-friendly trick. To help you compose these shots, Fuji Rumors claims the X-Half will have a vertical LCD on its rear panel.

Like Fujifilm's other big hits – notably the Fujifilm X100VI – the X-Half will also seemingly again blend digital convenience with film-like charm. The leaked specs include an optical viewfinder (which should keep the price down, compared to an EVF), a retro, Leica-like design, and a few manual controls including an exposure compensation dial. It'll also apparently have a fixed lens with an f/2.4 aperture.

There's unfortunately no rumored released date for the X-Half yet. But with speculation on the rise, it seems possible that Fujifilm could launch it in time for the summer seasons in the US and UK – assuming tariff-related complications don't derail it.

Analysis: A fun idea, if not for the hardcore Fuji faithful

The recent Fujifilm GFX100RF (above) sits somewhere towards the opposite end of the scale to the rumored X-Half (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

With many Fujifilm fans patiently waiting for more 'serious' cameras, like an X-Pro 4, these X-Half rumors probably aren't what many have been waiting for – but I'm happy to see something new on the horizon.

While the idea of a digital half-frame camera seems odd on paper – after all, you don't need to worry about saving film costs with digital – the X-Half could definitely find an audience among those who want a retro sidekick that's different from their smartphones, but easier to use than the best film cameras.

In that sense, it'll likely have more in common with Fujifilm's Instax series than pricier pro models like the GFX100RF. If it is Fujifilm's next launch, you could see it as the perfect flip-side to the latter, which is a medium format powerhouse that costs $4,899 / £4,699 / AU$8,799. The X-Half could, instead, be a compact that caters to a new, younger audience who want something with a bit more substance than an Instax.

That may leave Fuji fans who sit in between those two extremes feeling a little unloved, but a Fujifilm X-E5 is still rumored to be en route in 2025. For now, it seems Fujifilm is doing what originally brought it such big success in the early days of mirrorless cameras – hopping on new photographic trends with its own unique twist.

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They can't keep getting away with this.

A federal judge in Maryland wants the government to "facilitate" Abrego Garcia's return to the U.S. after the Supreme Court largely upheld her original order.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

President Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran in his first term. Now he's trying to negotiate a new agreement that would prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

(Image credit: EVELYN HOCKSTEINAMER HILABI)

Surgeons at NYU Langone Health in New York City had to remove a genetically modified pig kidney from Towana Looney, 53, of Gadsden, Ala., because her body rejected the organ. She's back on dialysis.

T-Mobile is boosting some fees that it says are for governmental or telco uses.

• Garmin has announced a bike light that doubles as a 4K safety camera
• That means it's effectively a cycling dash cam with a 600-lumen light
• The Varia Vue is available now for $549 / £459 (around AU$965)

Garmin has just revealed a powerful new gadget for cyclists who want to invest in their road safety – a cross between a powerful 600-lumen front light and a 4K safety camera, which means it can double as a cycling dash cam.

The new Varia Vue is effectively the flip-side of Garmin's rear tail light and radar (called the Varia RCT715), which it can also sync with. This model is much more powerful, though, being much brighter thanks to its 600-lumen output. It also packs a 4K front-facing camera (rather than 1080p), which can automatically save videos if it detects an incident – just like the best dash cams.

It's one of those products that it feels like Garmin should have made years ago. Whether you cycle in busy, well-lit urban areas or on country roads – or, like me, a bit of both – a powerful front light and a camera are essential cycling accessories, so it's good to see them combined one nicely designed, albeit expensive bundle.

Garmin says the built-in camera has electronic image stabilization to help you make out license plates even on pot-holed roads, although this does come at the expense of a crop. We'll have to see how well that stabilization compares to the best action cameras like the GoPro Hero 13 Black.

While Garmin has experience with action cams with its now-discontinued Virb series, I'm not expecting the Varie Vue to match GoPro and DJI for image quality. Even so, it needs to reach a certain level to make it a viable cycling dash cam, as capturing small details can be important. To help capture those incidents in full, it also has a concealed microphone for audio.

(Image credit: Garmin)

The only potential downside of combining these two gadgets is battery life, but Garmin's claimed specs suggest it's workable. It says the Varia Vue will last "up to seven hours" in day flash mode with the camera recording (although this drops to just over an hour on full brightness) and or "up to nine hours" when the headlight is turned off, and you shoot in 1080p. If you're planning a long ride, the camera can also be used while charging.

Your video clips are stored on a microSD card (which isn't included), and you can also save footage automatically to the cloud via Wi-Fi using Garmin Vault.

The downside? There's inevitably a subscription for using Vault, and it's a pretty pricey at $99 / £99 a year.

Still, the overall concept is a good one, and as a London-based cyclist, I like the idea of neatly combining a light and cycling dash cam in one relatively small unit. The Varia Vue is available to buy now for $549 / £459 (around AU$965).

Safety comes with a hefty price tag

In many ways, bike tech still feels a little behind the times, which is why I still combine a fairly dated Lezyne front light (which still has a micro USB charging port) with an old GoPro if I'm heading out on a long-ish ride on the roads.

But it seems there's finally a little more competition in the smart bike light space, with Garmin's Varia Vue arriving to take on the more established Cycliq Fly12 Sport (which combines a 4K camera with a 400-lumen light for a more affordable $319 / £299 / AU$449). Wahoo also recently announced the new Trackr Radar, a rear taillight with radar tech like Garmin's Varia RCT715.

None of these are exactly cheap, and there is an argument that you're better off going with two separate devices if you don't need a camera for every ride. While nice in theory, Varia Vue's cloud storage component could also prove to be an excessively expensive extra if you don't often use it.

Still, it's good to see some long-awaited innovation in bike safety tech, and the increased competition should hopefully mean some more affordable options follow in Varia Vue's slipstream – depending on tariffs, of course.

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• Sarah Wynn-Williams, former Director of Public Policy at Facebook, spoke in front of the US Senate
• She said Facebook offered data on US citizens to the Chinese Communist Party in exchange for being allowed to operate in the country
• Facebook has denied all claims

A former Meta executive recently spoke in front of the US Congress, accusing Facebook and its CEO of allegedly offering sensitive data on American citizens to the Chinese government, in exchange for being allowed to operate in the country.

Sarah Wynn-Williams, former Director of Public Policy at Facebook, spoke in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism.

During the hearing, she alleged that for her former employer, there was “no bridge too far” to get into the Chinese market, and that it would do anything to get access to 1.4 billion people living there, including offering data on Americans to the Chinese Communist Party.

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AI and censorship

“The only reason China does not currently have access to US user data through this pipeline is because Congress stepped in,” she was cited saying.

The company slammed her testimony, calling it “divorced from reality and riddled with false claims,” according to a Meta spokesperson.

“While Mark Zuckerberg himself was public about our interest in offering our services in China and details were widely reported beginning over a decade ago, the fact is this: We do not operate our services in China today,” the spokesperson added.

Wynn-Williams did not stop there, either. She also alleged that Meta contributed to China’s advancements in artificial intelligence, since its Llama AI models were “openly available” in the country.

There were even mentions of military applications of AI. Finally, she also alleged that Meta collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party in developing censorship tools, and then lied about it in the public.

Some senators commended Wynn-Williams’ testimony, and the fact that the filed whistleblower complaints with the SEC and the US Department of Justice after leaving the social media business.

They commented that Facebook was afraid of the truth coming out and that they would stop at nothing to prevent Wynn-Williams from testifying.

Via The Register

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• Nvidia's new RTX 5060 Ti GPU is almost here as MSI's third-party models have been leaked in new images
• The images reveal the GPU's PCIe 5.0 interface along with 16-pin or 8-pin power connectors
• PCIe 4.0 motherboard users may need to upgrade to get the best out of the new GPU

Nvidia has yet to complete the full launch of its RTX 5000 series GPU lineup, as it still has some low-end cards in the pipeline. Fortunately, a new leak has given us a first look at third-party models of an unannounced Blackwell GPU. Spoiler alert: you might want to upgrade your motherboard.

Thanks to VideoCardz, MSI's GeForce RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards have leaked with new images showcasing four different models, and each of them uses either 16-pin or 8-pin connectors. More importantly, all of these GPUs will use PCIe 5.0, as the leaked images (which I won't post here) indicate.

While higher-end RTX 5000 series GPUs can provide great performance results for users on non-PCIe 5.0 motherboards, it might not be the same story for lower-end cards like the upcoming RTX 5060 Ti.

Since low-end GPUs don't have the same processing power as what you'd get with an RTX 5080, for example, aspects like VRAM capacity and PCIe bandwidth speeds have a bigger impact on performance.

If the RTX 5060 Ti is indeed PCIe 5.0 x8, it's more than likely going to hinder performance for gamers still using PCIe 4.0 (or older) motherboards, as the GPU won't be used to its full potential when it may desperately need it - especially for the rumored 8GB VRAM models.

In this case, you have to wonder whether buying a new budget GPU and possibly having to upgrade to a PCIe 5.0 motherboard (if you don't already have one) is worth the cost: instead, it may be a better choice to purchase an older high-end GPU - if one can be found at launch price, anyway.

(Image credit: Nvidia) Is budget PC gaming gradually becoming non-existent?

Let me get one thing straight: this isn't me having a go at Nvidia or any other GPU manufacturer making the jump to the PCIe 5.0 interface. It's rather an observation of how bad the GPU market is in terms of consumers finding GPUs at their launch prices, and the high likelihood of having to mandatorily upgrade your motherboard or other components to get the best out of your new graphics card.

For those using PCIe 4.0 motherboards, the RTX 3000 and 4000 series GPUs are ideal, as they are all PCIe 4.0 cards. While the new PCIe 5.0 cards can still be used on other motherboards, you will definitely feel the performance loss, particularly with weaker hardware as its capabilities would be cut in half by bandwidth limitations.

It's also easy for me to suggest buying an older high-end GPU, but you'd either struggle to find it in stock anywhere due to discontinuations, or end up overpaying (just look at XFX's Radeon RX 7900 XTX for example).

So it begs the question: is 'budget' PC gaming becoming non-existent? Inflation, scalpers, low availability, and tariffs are all active, making what is supposed to be budget hardware more expensive. When you tie that in with an entire PC build, it's no longer 'budget'.

Aside from handheld gaming PCs or laptops, PC gaming is currently an expensive hobby, and I'm hoping things can change sooner for the better...

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