Feed aggregator

Hints and answers for Connections for May 1, #690.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 424 for May 1.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,412 for May 1.

• Google will roll out a version of Gemini AI for kids under 13
• The app will include parental controls and safety features via Family Link
• Google is pitching Gemini to parents as a way for kids to learn, be creative, and get help with homework

Google is keen to widen the usage of its Gemini AI assistant and is creating a version of the Gemini app for children, including parental controls on content. The company sent an email to parents about its plans for a Gemini designed for children under 13, first spotted by 9to5Google.

Google's email cites comments encouraging managed access to AI from parents, teachers, and experts on kids as the reason for the new app. The child-friendly AI assistant will supposedly help kids with homework, answer idle questions, and help them with creative writing. Parents will be able to set Gemini as the child’s default assistant on Android devices.

Of course, as Google is often quick to point out, Gemini can make mistakes. Any kid using Gemini should check with their parents about any facts (and frankly, adults should confirm anything Gemini tells them as well). So if Gemini tells your child that Abe Lincoln invented peanut butter, hopefully they will ask you before they turn in their essay on how the Gettysburg Address was so short because Lincoln had a mouthful of peanut butter and nothing to wash it down.

The idea is that if AI tools are going to shape the future of learning, kids should be introduced to them under controlled circumstances. Those digital training wheels will help kids learn how to use AI safely before the parental limits are removed when they're older.

The Gemini for Kids app will come with many extra safety and parental control features, powered by Google's Family Link, which provides tools for parents to limit their children's activities online. Parents will be able to monitor their child's Gemini activity and be alerted if their kid starts using it for less-than-pure purposes, asking questions like, “Can you do my science fair project?” or “How can I start betting on football games?"

Schools will also have protections in place. If kids access Gemini through school-issued accounts, administrators can set usage policies and supervise interactions using the Google Admin Console.

Gemini kids

This is arguably much more than just another checkmark in Google's plans for Gemini. It marks a real push by Google to normalize AI for the whole family, specifically Gemini. Google is planting a flag with the app. If Gemini is a child's first AI app, the one they grow up with, they're more likely to trust it and keep using it in their adult lives too.

There are serious questions about deploying AI to kids. Making sure Gemini doesn't mislead kids or mess with their critical thinking development is critical. And Gemini is not where kids should find answers to their deepest emotional questions, but it's hard to imagine a child not at least trying to ask Gemini about drama with their friends.

To assuage some of those concerns, Google told parents there will be no ads or data harvested from the kids version of Gemini. Instead, the focus will be on learning and creative expression. That it might conveniently train a generation to be comfortable using Google's AI tools is not brought up by the company, but it feels a lot like a very elaborate and high-tech version of a college giving out branded pens to second graders to get them thinking about applying in a decade every time they reach for a pen.

You might also like

• I tried Google's new AI mode powered by Gemini, and it might be the end of Search as we know it
• Google’s AI Mode can explain what you’re seeing even if you can’t
• Google Gemini could soon get a super-useful 'Power up' button – here's what it does

With stock market volatility and fears of price increases driven by the new tariffs, you may be worried about your finances. A certified financial planner explains how to navigate these tricky times.

(Image credit: Wenjing Yang for NPR)

The eccentrically titled RPG is a hit with gamers and critics, meaning physical copies are flying out of stores.

Facing financial headwinds, budget carrier Avelo Airlines struck a deal to operate deportation flights for ICE. Now it's dealing with angry customers and politicians at its hub in Connecticut.

(Image credit: Patrick T. Fallon)

Polygraph exams are commonly called "lie-detector tests" but experts say that's not true.

(Image credit: Fernando Vergara)

These are steps you should take if your data was compromised in the VeriSource Services breach.

• YouTube has rolled out some new improvements for smart TVs and consoles
• They include several new sections to help you find videos and music
• This follows news of a bigger redesign due to roll out "this summer"

YouTube is committed to polishing its smart TV experience in a big way this year – and the first signs of its efforts are rolling out now for its app on both TVs and game consoles.

As Google announced in a new YouTube support post, there are nine new UI tweaks that are designed to help you find shows, podcasts, and live music. While they're not quite as big as the promised redesign of YouTube's TV experience, they should help save you time and effort when navigating the slightly dated app.

Firstly, there's a new 'Continue your search' section on the home screen, which will apparently display your top three searches. That sounds handy considering the search experience on TVs can be pretty inconsistent and laborious.

Other new home screen sections (which YouTube refers to as 'shelves', for some reason) include 'Listen again' (showing you the top songs you've searched for) and a handy new one called 'Live performances, remixes and covers'.

As someone who regularly digs into YouTube's treasure trove of obscure live performances, I can see myself using that quite a bit.

Another new section includes one for 'Primetime channels', where you can see the channels you've subscribed to, like Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, or DAZN in one place. It seems the lines between YouTube and YouTube TV, its cable replacement service in the US, could soon start to blur further.

The final new 'shelf' (or section) might be the most useful, as you can see in the image above, the 'From your top channels' section provides some shortcuts to your most-watched YouTube channels. That should mean less time hunting in the slightly annoying subscriptions section.

(Image credit: YouTube / Google)

Outside of those new sections, arguably the biggest arrival is a new Podcasts tab. In February, YouTube noted that it is now the most popular service for listening to podcasts in the US (according to Edison Research), so this feature certainly makes sense.

Another promising upgrade is that YouTube has now split its more mobile-friendly Shorts from its longer-form videos. There'll now be a 'Shorts Row' in your 'Watch Next' feed, plus a dedicated Shorts section in your Subscriptions tab.

It isn't yet clear if this means you'll now never see Shorts in your subscriptions feed (something I'd be happy with), but either way, it should make the experience feel cleaner.

If you like your videos to play on repeat, it's also now possible to loop all on-demand videos on YouTube – a feature that was previously only available for playlists. To do that, head into the Playback Settings menu and choose the 'loop' setting.

The final UI tweak in this round of updates is that 'inline previews' (the little video teasers you see when hovering over a video thumbnail) have now been expanded to pages for channels, subscriptions, and topics.

That feature will likely divide opinion, so it could prove the most controversial of this otherwise positive step forward for YouTube's TV experience.

This update should roll out soon for the YouTube app on your Smart TV or gaming console, or by the end of this quarter in June. I haven't received it on my Apple TV box yet, but it will hopefully be available on streaming boxes soon as well.

What else is coming?

(Image credit: Google)

Last week, YouTube celebrated its 20th birthday by teasing a redesign of its TV experience, which is apparently coming "this summer" (or by the end of September).

It didn't expand much on specifics, but released the preview image above and promised "easier navigation" alongside "streamlined access to comments, channel info, and subscribing."

These upgrades appear to be focused more on the playback experience than the new homescreen improvements, but are certainly welcome too. The big question is whether we'll also see other 'upgrades' like 'pause ads' sneakily added to the mix alongside the broader redesign.

We'll have to wait until later in the year to see, but with a new "second screen experience" that lets you use your smartphone to interact with the videos you're watching, also coming later this year, it's clear that YouTube on smart TVs is changing – and mostly for the better.

You might also like

• YouTube’s new TV app redesign looks promising, but I hope it fixes this annoying subscriptions problem
• 20 years of YouTube - here are 20 of our all-time favorite memes and moments
• You are the way you are because of YouTube – 20 years of a life-altering platform

Sundar Pichai testified in the remedies trial that will determine which penalties Google will face for monopolizing the search engine market, calling the DOJ's proposals a "de facto divestiture" of the company's tech.

(Image credit: Nathan Howard)

Subscribers can also blast some pixelated enemies in this Warhammer 40K game.

• SK Telecom is now giving away replacement SIM cards
• Earlier in April, it suffered a malware infection in which crooks stole USIM data
• 25 million customers are eligible, but just 6 million will be serviced in May

South Korea’s number one telecommunications provider, SK Telecom, is giving away free SIM cards to 25 million of its customers, after the recent USIM cyberattack. However, due to logistics challenges, it won’t be able to service everyone that fast.

Earlier in April, news broke that SK Telecom suffered a malware infection through which threat actors tried to grab customer USIM information. The attack allegedly happened in mid-April 2025, at night between Saturday and Sunday, when most employees were away for the weekend.

A USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) is the successor of the old SIM card. It’s used in 3G, 4G, and 5G mobile networks and is found in most devices with cellular connectivity.

Booking a slot online

At its core, a USIM authenticates the device’s identity on a network, stores subscriber data (International Mobile Subscriber Identity, authentication keys, contacts, and sometimes text messages), encrypts the information passing through, and enables secure access to mobile services such as calls, data, or texts.

A cybercriminal could use the data to clone the SIM, track people’s location, bypass app security, or eavesdrop on communications.

While the investigation is still ongoing and the number of affected individuals is yet to be determined, SK Telecom announced offering replacement SIM cards to 25 million mobile subscribers, including some two million spilled over from budget carriers. However, it won’t have more than six million units throughout May 2025, which is why the company urged users to book a slot online:

“SK Telecom has blocked the misuse of SIM information with its FDS and SIM protection services, but it still offers a free service for customers who want to replace their SIM card,” reads the machine-translated announcement. “Currently, we have 1 million USIMs, and we plan to secure an additional 5 million SIMs by the end of May. However, it is expected that there will be a large number of customers at once, so please check in advance through the online reservation application system.”

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• SK Telecom reveals cyberattack, customer USIM data stolen could be used in attacks
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

Last week, news broke that the Amazon-backed Slate Auto project would begin production of its cut-price electric pick-up next year, but the company isn’t alone.

While pricing is still to be determined, Isuzu – arguably one of the most iconic names in commercial vehicles – has said that it will release an electric version of its D-Max pick-up truck in 2026.

Although its range is startlingly sparse in some markets (only the D-Max is now sold in the UK, for example), the company enjoys success in Asia, including its domestic market of Japan, Thailand and others, where solid, reliable trucks are essential to daily life.

The D-Max EV joins the likes of KGM’s (formerly SsangYong) electrified Musso, the Maxus eTerron 9, the upcoming BYD Shark and a raft of cheap electrified pick-up trucks that could soon make their way from China.

While the likes of Ford and Chevrolet experienced relatively slow sales of electric pick-ups, the market could soon become the next hotly-contested EV battleground for global manufacturers.

Towing, hauling and off-road performance have typically proven barriers to entry for this body style, but Isuzu claims its EV is on a par with the diesel option it also offers: it can carry more than 1,000kg in the bed, tow 3,500kg and accelerate from 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds.

The 66.9kWh battery pack is located under the floor and the EV version uses the same ladder chassis as the existing truck. Although here, Isuzu adds permanent four-wheel drive with a motor at the front and rear axles.

According to the marque, off-road performance isn’t affected by the electrified powertrain, with a hefty 210mm of ground clearance and a wading depth of up to 600mm. There are also steep approach and departure angles for when the terrain gets tough.

Pick up a bargain

(Image credit: Slate Auto)

Isuzu hasn’t revealed an official price for the D-Max EV, but we would expect it to be substantially more than the circa $53,000 / £40,000 / AU$84,000 it currently charges for a diesel-powered version.

This puts it in the firing line of the Ford F-150 Lightning, which offers an EV range of 230 miles in the most basic variants. Isuzu, on the other hand, says its truck manages around 163 miles on a single charge.

As we have seen with various electric pick-ups, including the Tesla Cybertruck, hauling or towing loads has a big impact on electric range which, for many, is already too tight for daily use cases.

Slate Auto has been honest about battery range and the very basic nature of its upcoming model, but the upshot is that it looks set to be truly affordable. Those trucks offered by Ford, Chevrolet, Rivian, Tesla and now Isuzu are still likely too expensive for many, given the compromises.

But electric commercial vehicles are rapidly growing in popularity, as the technology is improving and many governments continue to incentivize their use for environmental reasons.

According to one report, the global electric truck market is set to reach a valuation of $78 billion by the end of 2033, up from a $19.5 billion valuation in 2023.

With a host of cheaper, electric models due to arrive from China in the coming years, as well as those from more established Western brands, the electric pick-up market could well be the next hotly-contested battleground for sales.

You might also like

• Mercedes' new steer-by-wire tech is the next big EV trend – and I'll begrudgingly accept that it's the future
• The Citroen Ami sheds its doors and roof for one of the simplest and cheapest EV experiences around
• Ford slams the brakes on its pure EV plans – and is taking the hybrid road instead

The U.S. and Ukraine are expected to sign a deal to jointly invest in Ukraine's mineral, raw materials and natural resource wealth in exchange for future U.S. aid.

(Image credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service)

If your loans are in default, you can take steps to voluntarily enter repayment or your paycheck may be docked up to 15%.

• Chinese AI centers are dismantling 4090D GPUs and selling them off
• Reselling idle GPUs yields faster profits than waiting on rental returns
• Some say it’s overcapacity, others claim preparation for newer tech

Some Chinese AI data centers are dismantling and reselling China-specific Nvidia RTX 4090D GPUs, reports have claimed.

A report from DigiTimes Asia says these 48GB cards, designed to circumvent U.S. export restrictions on the flagship AD102 gaming GPU, and initially deployed as part of China’s AI infrastructure push, are now being pulled from racks, refurbished, and sold on the open market.

Data center operators are reportedly finding that this offers a faster and more profitable return than waiting three to five years to recover their investment through GPU rental.

An alternative theory

Each RTX 4090D sells for between CNY20,000 and CNY40,000 (around US$2,735 to US$5,470), and even if lightly used, the cards require modification for consumer resale.

Typically this means converting them from fan-style to blower-style coolers, which are better suited to dense server environments but less effective for single-GPU use.

DigiTimes Asia says this move reflects deeper financial pressure, with many AI data centers struggling to keep their heads above water amid low demand.

According to the report, data centers need utilization rates of at least 70% to break even - but current rates are often below 20%. That leaves expensive infrastructure sitting idle while loan repayments loom.

This isn’t an isolated case. As we reported recently, China’s rapid AI infrastructure expansion - encouraged by state policy - has led to overbuilding.

Hundreds of data center projects were launched across the country in 2023 and 2024, but actual usage has lagged behind expectations. It's no surprise therefore that developers are now offloading hardware to reduce losses.

Although overcapacity is likely at least part of the reason behind the selloff, some operators may simply be clearing space for newer technology.

With interest moving from large-scale model training to real-time inference, older training-focused systems may no longer be as relevant as they once were.

Combined with the latest US export restrictions, which affect chips like Nvidia’s H20, Chinese data centers will be looking at offloading old hardware and shifting to inference-ready setups.

You might also like

• China has spent billions of dollars building far too many data centers for AI
• China “has completed its journey to cyber superpower”
• No Nvidia? No problem - Huawei debuts new super-fast AI system

• Samsung teases Project Moohan is coming in second half of 2025
• The headset was previously given a 2025 launch year
• It doesn't name Moohan directly, so it could be launching different hardware

We had suspected Samsung’s Project Moohan headset, which it is working on in collaboration with Google and its Android XR platform, would arrive sometime in late 2025, and Samsung basically just confirmed that is the case.

During its recent Q1 2025 earnings report, the tech giant shared details about its financial situation and, more importantly for us, information about its hardware releases scheduled for later this year.

It confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge would be launching in Q2 – so sometime in the next couple of months – and revealed that it will “explore new products such as XR,” in the second half of the year.

While Samsung doesn’t explicitly mention Moohan by name, previous, more direct comments about the headset have already teased that the device would be landing this year, so this statement is likely referring to its launch.

Though it could also be teasing the launch of some other XR hardware, like the recently revealed Android XR glasses.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) What do I hope the Android XR headset will offer?

It’s a tad frustrating that Samsung still has yet to give us a firm release window, opting for a six-month time frame, teasing a launch sometime in late 2025.

So while we wait, let’s go over what we want to see from the headset when it is eventually shown off, and what leaks support these Android XR dreams.

Something tells us this headset won’t be cheap, with some early reports suggesting Samsung is looking at something in the $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$ 1,500 range (just like the Meta Quest Pro). So, if it's going to be costly, at least give us some impressive performance and abilities to justify the cost.

I’d love for this headset to feel like a wearable laptop from a productivity perspective – and unlike the Vision Pro, it would ideally achieve this goal without you needing a MacBook add-on.

I want to be able to seamlessly navigate Google Workspace apps like Sheets and Drive, as well as third-party productivity apps that utilize mixed reality, to help me work more easily than if I were just sitting at my normal desk.

The Meta Quest 3 is a great template for Samsung to copy (Image credit: Meta)

It’ll need to be comfy too. I’m fine to have a battery pack in my pocket to help trim some weight from the core device, because I want this headset to feel like I can wear it for hours with no trouble, rather than it being a pain in my neck.

Thankfully, early testers have all claimed that the prototype isn’t too uncomfortable, thanks to its adjustable straps and well-shaped face, so here’s hoping the main product is comfy too.

Next up, I want this device to be a versatile machine. I don’t want it to be pigeonholed into productivity, or entertainment, or some other XR use. I want it to be a jack-of-all-trades like the Meta Quest 3.

This means it needs to have a broad range of worthwhile apps, which is essential for any successful VR headset. It also needs a design that is well-suited for wearing while at a desk or on your couch, as well as while working out and being active.

So, beyond being lightweight like I touched on above, it needs to use an easy-to-clean material (like silicone) for parts like its facial interface rather than fabric, so it doesn’t soak up sweat.

We’ll have to wait and see what Samsung has up its sleeve, but with its release date set for some time later this year it’s only a matter of time before we see the device in action and can decide if it’s the best-in-class XR device I hope it will be.

You might also like

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 colors: every rumored and predicted shade
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 release date: when might the new phone launch?
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: latest news, rumors, and everything we know so far

Critics see the terminations as an effort to politicize the Holocaust museum. The White House says Trump will appoint new board members "who are also steadfast supporters of the State of Israel."

(Image credit: Angela Weiss)

The United States told the International Court of Justice Wednesday that Israel must provide aid to Gaza, but the country does not have to work with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

(Image credit: Peter Dejong)