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The day after a deadly attack, India announced it was closing a border with Pakistan, downgrading its diplomatic ties and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan denies involvement in the attack.

(Image credit: Dar Yasin)

Whether your mother is still here for you to hug or you are holding on to cherished memories, NPR wants to hear about the moments that bring you the most joy when you think of her.

There's no word on when the free version of Copilot will also get the same viral image generator.

• Google has teased a redesign of the YouTube experience for TVs
• The update is coming "this summer" and includes improved navigation
• Google also announced a Multiview upgrade for YouTube TV subscribers

Twenty years ago today, the first video was uploaded to YouTube (the thrilling 'Me at the zoo'). To celebrate that milestone, Google has announced that YouTube's TV app experience is going to get a big upgrade soon. And as someone who watches a lot of big-screen YouTube, that's something I'm very much looking forward to.

Google hasn't revealed a lot about the "TV viewing upgrade" it has planned. It's apparently coming "this summer" (which means sometime between June and September, if you're in the southern hemisphere). But it has revealed a screenshot (below) of what it'll look like, plus a few hints of what's coming.

Apparently, we're going to get "easier navigation" alongside some "quality tweaks" and an improved playback experience. There will also be "streamlined access to comments, channel info, and subscribing". In other words, YouTube on your TV (not to be confused with YouTube TV) is going to become a lot more like the fully-featured browser experience.

(Image credit: Google)

Alongside the improved TV experience, YouTube TV subscribers will also gain the ability to build their own multiview experience. This four-way grid has traditionally been reserved for sports fans, but this is being opened up to non-sports content with a "small group of popular channels" in the "coming months". So if you aren't feeling quite distracted enough yet, this multiview update could be for you.

A subtle but important update

(Image credit: Google / YouTube)

I've been watching YouTube on TV for years and it's always felt a few steps behind the full experience. The Apple TV app, for example, was only given a comments section relatively recently – and while that might sound like a mixed blessing, I've always found comments to be an important part of the experience for the channels I follow.

The incoming YouTube update for TVs appears to be more about design than functionality, but still looks a lot more modern and in tune with its mobile apps. There's a new button for adding the video to your playlists and it also appears to be easier to subscribe from within videos. There are no doubt more tweaks not shown in the single teaser image.

YouTube is naturally reserving lots of features for Premium subscribers, too. As part of its 20th birthday announcements today, Google also revealed that a '4x playback speed' option is coming to smartphones for Premium subscribers (a service that costs $13.99 / £11.99 / AU$14.99 per month).

I'm still sorely tempted to upgrade to YouTube Premium (particularly after reading my colleague David Nield's strong arguments in favor of doing so), but I'm glad to see YouTube is still upgrading the TV experience for us non-Premium mortals. Let's just hope it happens in the earlier rather than later interpretation of "summer".

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• I was watching YouTube on my TV before it became more popular than phones – here are 3 reasons why it’s better on the big screen
• Best streaming service 2025: Netflix, Apple TV Plus, Max, Disney Plus and more

• Roku has launched two new weather-resistant home security cameras
• The larger of the two has a battery life of up to two years on a single charge
• Roku hasn't revealed prices, but the cameras will go on sale later this year

Streaming specialist Roku has launched a pair of new wireless security cameras that can send video footage straight to your phone or TV, letting you watch your yard without leaving the couch.

The Roku Battery Camera can run for up to six months on a single charge, while the Battery Camera Plus runs up to two years. Both cameras are weather-resistant, and can be set up indoors or out in a few seconds.

You can use the Roku Smart Home app or Roku Web View to customize your camera's settings, set up schedules, and receive notifications. The cameras can also be used as motion-detectors to activate some of the best smart lights or other connected devices.

(Image credit: Future) Blink and you'll miss it

Real-world battery life will depend on which settings you choose and the weather (lithium-ion batteries tend to drain faster in cold conditions), but the Battery Camera Plus should be a serious rival to the Blink Outdoor 4, which also runs for up to two years before it needs recharging.

Both the Blink Outdoor 4 and Roku Battery Camera Plus boast 1080p resolution with motion detection and notifications, but the Roku camera also offers color night vision rather than black and white, which could give it the edge over the Blink model if the price is right.

You could also extend the Roku cameras' battery life even further by connecting an optional solar panel – something that's not possible with the Blink camera.

Roku has yet to announce official pricing for the two cameras, but it says they will be available "in the coming months". We're hoping to test both ourselves so we can see whether they deserve a place in our roundup of the best home security cameras to secure your smart home.

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• Eufy's new smart lock reads the veins in your palm for touchless entry – even if your hands are dirty
• Your Philips Hue cameras are getting a free upgrade to boost their battery life
• This renter-friendly smart lock fits over your existing door hardware, and costs less than you might expect

Technology is moving at an increasingly fast pace, requiring more and more data and bandwidth as it does. This means that keeping track of everything that is going on can be challenging, especially if you’re looking to track how much data you’re using and what external threats could have access to your network. Luckily for Windows users, Microsoft has been doing a good job, including its Windows Firewall in its operating system. Windows Firewall is by no means perfect, but it’s more than enough for the average user. However, if you belong to another group of users or are looking to “advance,” then additional firewall tools may be required to give you the granular control and overview of your network.

Enter GlassWire, an application that, among other things, offers better manageability for the Windows Firewall. Some users may argue that a VPN could be an equally suitable solution; however, a VPN mostly protects your privacy and anonymity when you’re online, whereas a firewall takes things a step further. Namely, with a firewall, you can determine which programs should be allowed to access your network and devices. GlassWire does this remarkably well, nevertheless, users who do not have a lot of networking experience may be confused by all of the graphs and data offered by GlassWire.

Downloading and installing the app is as easy as it can be, and as soon as you launch it, the graphing starts. Your network traffic is analyzed and recorded, showing you the last five minutes of activity (for new users). Once you’ve been using the app for some time (day, week), you will get more data and “markers” on your graphs. These markers represent an individual event (i.e., first connection of an app), and they’re clickable so you can glean more information from the events. Graph spikes are also clickable, and unusual activity is also recorded. While all of this is great, if you’re an average user, it can, and does, feel simply overwhelming.

(Image credit: GlassWire) Features

While internet usage tracking represents the bread and butter of GlassWire, it can do much more. It offers an extra layer of security thanks to its in-depth analysis of each application on your computer, as well as which apps are accessing the internet and how they’re doing this. For each new event, you will get a discrete notification that contains enough information for you to make an educated step towards resolving an issue. Under the GlassWire Protect tab, you can see all of the apps on your PC as well as details such as Version, GW Score, Traffic in/out, Hosts, and download and upload speeds. Here you will also find the Firewall toggle button that lets you turn on or off the firewall functionality, which comes from Windows Firewall. GlassWire interacts with Windows Firewall for program control and reporting, which is a different approach compared to competing solutions such as ZoneAlarm, etc.

(Image credit: GlassWire)

If you want to put an app onto a block list, simply click on the flame icon, or if you want, you can block all network traffic for the app if you do not wish to block the app itself. This way, you can quickly block all connections until you end the mode. If you like granular control over your network access, you can turn on the “ask to connect” mode, where you will be asked to confirm each time a program attempts to access the network. Note, if you have some apps that have already connected to the internet, this mode will not affect them. If some apps you’re using trigger a “this might be malware” alarm, GlassWire gives you the option of submitting the file to VirusTotal. VirusTotal checks the file against dozens of antivirus engines and reports how many of them recognize the file as malware. This is a handy feature, however, you will need to provide your VirusTotal API key to GlassWire (you can find the specific location to enter your API key under the settings menu). Another note, VirusTotal can present you with some false positives, so we would not rely solely on the analysis provided by them.

A short digression, the fact that VirusTotal is used, we would appreciate it if the apps would automatically show a malware score based on what VirusTotal has in its database, but that is not the case; you need to submit files to get some feedback.

If you want to configure what GlassWire monitors, you can do so in the settings under the security tab. You have 15 settings that you can tweak; in the free plan, only four are “unlocked”. By default, most of the settings are on, and GlassWire will notify you when a new device joins the network, or when a program connects for the first time, or even when a remote session starts. Speaking of remote sessions, GlassWire allows you to have a remote connection, even on the free plan (only one, though). If you move onto the paid plan, you will get an unlimited number of remote connections, but also access to something called the Wi-Fi evil twin detection. Hackers use deceitful wireless connections to gain access to devices through Wi-Fi, which means that these malicious actors can use any internet-connected PC/smartphone to create an evil twin Wi-Fi that looks legitimate. The goal is for you to connect using this evil twin and to siphon all of your data. GlassWire protects you by notifying you of any Wi-Fi password loss, the same name Wi-Fi’s or any new hardware.

If you’re a Mac user or an iOS user, you’re out of luck with GlassWire as it is not available for Apple’s ecosystem. On the positive side, you can get it on Android, using Google’s Play Store. On Android, the app looks and feels the same as the one on Windows and has all of the powerful features available on its desktop counterpart. It’s similarly easy to set up, but just like the desktop version, if you want to make additional tweaks, you will have to go for the paid version.

Pricing

(Image credit: GlassWire)

You can get GlassWire completely free, with a lot of powerful features, and for most, this should be enough. However, if you’re looking for additional features, you can opt for a paid plan that starts at $2.99 for one license. While the free plan covers basic monitoring like real-time traffic, anomaly detection, and new device alerts, Premium significantly expands the toolset. It unlocks unlimited bandwidth history, full access to historical alerts, and advanced threat detection features like ARP spoofing detection, system file monitoring, and proxy settings alerts. Users can also customize and automate firewall behavior with features like unlimited app blocking, lockdown mode, and firewall profiles. For privacy-focused users, Premium offers DNS server monitoring and unlimited remote device connections. It also includes exportable usage data, an interactive network map, and dedicated customer support. Finally, the icing on the cake is the fact that the premium version also unlocks theme selection, offering roughly 13 additional themes. While the price is not that steep, the usability of the premium features comes down to the professionals who require all of the additional bells and whistles.

Protection

It’s worth noting that GlassWire is not an antivirus replacement, but a companion tool that adds a crucial layer of network-level visibility and early threat detection. The usability and blocking rate depend on your settings and how you utilize the app. There have not been any independent laboratory tests of the application, but since it uses the Windows Firewall API, its performance and effectiveness could be generally assessed within the context of the overall Windows security infrastructure, rather than through isolated testing. We tend to recommend Windows Firewall as the go-to firewall solution for most users, believing that it’s more than enough to protect you online, so take that for what it's worth.

Ease of use

GlassWire is generally pleasing to the eye, and we enjoyed using it. The icons and settings are well laid out and logical; however, if you’re newer to the world of networking and security, all of the colors, graphs, and information can be overwhelming. An additional positive remark we would like to make here is the notifications. Most firewalls tend to bombard you with notifications, alerts, bells, and various sounds; not GlassWire, they’ve managed to implement a discreet system of notifications which we enjoyed very much. If you’re one of those people who simply have to have a notification presented to them at each activity, GlassWire somewhat allows this if you go for the ask to connect mode.

Final verdict

As far as third-party firewall apps go, GlassWire offers a unique approach and a unique experience by relying on the Windows Firewall API. It’s easy to install and get working out of the box, but interpreting all of the data requires some “advanced” computer knowledge that is not common among PC users. If you’re an average user who has never even fired up Windows Firewall settings, then keep enjoying your browsing experience and skip over any additional firewall tools. GlassWire is not for you!

On the other hand, if you’re a competitive gamer looking to squeeze the last iota of performance from your network, analyzing your networking with a tool like GlassWire makes a lot of sense. We also see security professionals benefiting from such a tool, especially under the paid plan, since it offers a granular approach to tweaking your network and devices on it. We’re sure others can benefit from the app, but paying for more licenses certainly has to have a business value behind it.

All in all, GlassWire is a great addition to Windows Firewall. The fact that you have a free forever version gives you a great opportunity to test it out or even use it fully without the need to make a purchase. The developers behind the app are active across various developer forums, giving us confidence that user feedback is appreciated and updates are going to keep coming.

• Check out our rundown of best firewall software

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who caucuses with Democrats, has been touring the country with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to push back against the Trump administration.

(Image credit: Sam Ghazi)

Those 30th anniversary themes for the PlayStation 5 proved much too popular for Sony to ignore.

• Andor season 2 gives fans the Syril-Dedra partnership they've been craving
• It's a dynamic full of weird moments, according to the actors who play them
• Kyle Soller and Denise Gough have also teased what to expect from their characters' dynamic throughout this season

Full spoilers immediately follow for Andor season 2 episodes 1 to 3.

Andor season 2 will take some very bold swings with the incredibly weird romantic relationship that develops between Syril Karn and Dedra Meero.

That's according to Kyle Soller and Denise Gough, who told TechRadar that they're still struggling to truly "work out" what's going on between their characters one year on after filming wrapped on the Star Wars show's latest season.

They aren't the only ones. Ever since Syril saving Dedra's life in Andor's season 1 finale – a moment that was infused with a strange romantic tension – fans have longed to learn if the pair would actually get together. Now that season 2's first three episodes are not only out, but also confirm they're involved in some form of romantic entanglement, viewers are equally fascinated by the dynamic that's played out thus far.

Indeed, threads on numerous Star Wars-based Reddit pages are filled with fans commenting on the curious atmosphere that arises whenever the Imperial officers are in the same room. Other social media platform are similarly awash with people trying to dissect the clearly uncomfortable nature of their dynamic.

Are Syril and Dedra really in love? Soller and Gough don't believe so (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Fan examination of the romance between two members of Andor season 2's cast is sure to continue for weeks and months to come, too. Well, as long as some of them remain as fascinated by the relationship as Soller and Gough continue to be – the duo telling me they're still not sure what's actually going on between their characters in one of the best Disney+ shows' second and final season.

"I think it was really bold of [showrunner] Tony [Gilroy] to end season one with the two of them in this strange little cupboard [where they hide from the Ferrix rebellion]," Soller mused. "Now, going into the domestic intimacy of it all, and what that might look like for these two very strange animals, I think it's another masterstroke."

My biggest fear was 'Oh, great, they fall in love and then what?'

Denise Gough, Andor season 2 actor

"But he [Tony] doesn't change them," Gough interjected. "Going into this season, my biggest fear was 'Oh, great, they fall in love and then what? What does domestication look like to them?'. But, once I got the scripts for season two, I was like 'Okay, it still looks weird and it's even more surreal than before.'"

There was plenty for audiences to enjoy regarding the pair's relationship in one of 2025's new Star Wars TV shows throughout its first three chapters, too.

Anybody else feel that Dedra wears the proverbial trousers in this relationship? (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Whether it was the extremely uncomfortable nature of Dedra meeting Syril's overbearing mom Eedy in episode 3, or the general conversations that they engage in, it seems fans are smitten with this villainous duo enjoying some frivolity amid the evil nature of their day-to-day jobs as employees of the Galactic Empire.

So, will the good times last? Predictably, Gough and Soller wouldn't be drawn on how this dynamic will evolve over the next nine episodes. That said, they drop a couple of teases that viewers are sure to pore over during the wait for new episodes to air on one of the best streaming services every Tuesday (US) and Wednesday (UK and Australia).

"Relationships are all about power in one way or another," Soller said. "This is a beautiful realization of how that power imbalance can grow and take things in all kinds of directions. I always thought Syril wants Dedra, but I also think he wants to use her, so it's hard to get a read on where his motives truly lie."

The last thing I was expecting from #Andor S2 was a Syril and Dedra home life sitcom but I absolutely loved every second of it.Also, absolute mood: pic.twitter.com/Q5TRbjODtAApril 23, 2025

"At her core, Dedra is a monster," Gough added. "She does awful things based on where she's come from.

"Does she really care for Syril? I watch it as a viewer and I still don't know," Gough continued. "To me, she doesn't have that human programming inside her to make me think that she's in love with him. She's like a computer, but I also think that she definitely wants him. It's not a loving relationship where they turn down the lights and cuddle. It feels very transactional and strange. It baffles me and I still can't fully work it out."

My full review of Andor season 2 doesn't contain any spoilers about where Syril and Dedra's relationship goes next. Nevertheless, it'll give you some hints at what will happen in the weeks to come. Read that for more insights and then check out more of my exclusive coverage on the series below.

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The first tape of DON’T NOD’s latest narrative adventure, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, ended on a particularly heart-rending cliffhanger. Kat, the beloved firecracker of the titular girl group, has been hiding an illness and isn’t likely to make it through the year. After two months of waiting, Tape 2 picks up almost immediately after this climactic information is revealed, with the once inseparable girl group now splintering as the weight of the real world starts to seep into their surreal summer.

Review information

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam
Release date: April 16, 2025

Ever since I rolled credits on the first half of Lost Records, I’ve been anxious to unpack the remaining hours of this time-bending coming-of-age story, which highlights heady themes like rebellion, girlhood, and grief. Not just because I wasn’t ready for the story to end, but because DON’T NOD’s ambitious narrative had a lot of big questions to answer, and I wasn’t entirely sure how or if they would bring it home.

I was also keen to get back behind the lens of protagonist Swann’s video camera to record and relive more memories, which is by far the game’s most compelling mechanic.

Unfortunately, single-player game and follow-up, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 2, doesn’t fully investigate the most exciting motifs Lost Records laid up in the first half, and the addition of janky new modes of gameplay don’t play nice with the previously curated vibe. Still, even with Tape 2’s rough edges, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage tells an important story that celebrates the complexities of female friendship in a sincere and meaningful way.

The kids aren't alright

(Image credit: DON'T NOD)

If Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 concerns the slow burn of blossoming friendships, this second part is more about raging violently against the machine. The hazy palette that dominated Tape 1 has been swapped for a darker, more brooding set of hues that create a shrouding atmosphere.

The local watering hole is now adorned in chauvinistic graffiti, and Swann’s clutter-filled room is half empty and ready for her big move out of state. This tone shift feels wonderfully emblematic of the second tape’s narrative pivot – I felt the Summer slip away and a cold Autumn breeze roll in in its place.

As the girls struggle to negotiate their positions in the past, their adult counterparts wobble in the present, too. Unearthing their memories of Kat introduces a new tension in conversation that feels difficult to navigate from both a gameplay perspective and an emotional one.

Swann, Autumn, and Nora appear ready to thaw their frozen feelings, though how they choose to cope seems oppositional from one another, and I found myself enthralled by the complexity of their characters, even though I was constantly walking on eggshells when picking a conversational response.

Best bit

(Image credit: DON'T NOD)

Across both tapes of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, you work on a song with your gal pals to condemn Dylan’s antagonizing boyfriend Corey and the other close-minded folks of the town through the sonic lens of 90s punk. See You In Hell – a nostalgic earworm performed IRL by Montreal’s Nora Kelly Band – is revisited throughout the game and feels like an auditory timestamp that reflects the emotions of the protagonists as they journey towards Tape 2’s climactic finale.

However, it’s not just the mood that’s changed as the gameplay in Tape 2 has evolved in tow – with mediocre results. Sadly, Swann’s profound camcorder documentation projects take a back seat and are replaced with fetch quests, minor puzzles and a surprising bout of forced stealth, which all feel strangely out of step with a game that was previously story-first and better for it.

Searching an area for a screwdriver or using your wits to intuit the owner of a toothbrush felt like passable additions. On the other hand, sneaking around a house at night and dealing with janky sightlines was much less interesting.

These mechanical changes align with Swann’s deflated mood, but I persistently missed the nostalgic, game-defining act of whipping out my camera in search of collectable memories I could remix and watch back later.

There are still a handful of camcorder moments to encounter, they just don’t feel essential this time around, which is a real shame. I didn’t feel that exploring every nook and cranny would necessarily teach me anything new in Tape 2. It was as if I’d done my due diligence already with the first half, and these final hours were more about rewarding my previous attentiveness than giving me some fresh narrative meat to chew on.

The adults aren't talking

(Image credit: DON'T NOD)

Even with the inclusion of new mechanics, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 has a significantly shorter runtime than Tape 1, which can make the pacing feel a bit uneven at times. In Tape 1, I had hours between pivotal points to roam and investigate the quirks and familial history of the supporting cast.

There isn’t the same amount of downtime in Tape 2, as you jump between plot points at an urgent pace. It makes sense in the broader context of the story, but it means that the most intriguing developments established in the first half are left unanswered when the credits roll.

In particular, I was left with more questions than answers when it came to Kat’s sister, Dylan, and her abusive boyfriend Corey. Despite efforts to give both of them personalities and depth in Tape 1, Tape 2 sees the duo reduced to strangely one-dimensional archetypes. I wasn’t looking for any kind of redemption arc, but I would have loved to investigate the nuances of their messy relationship in more detail.

Yet despite all my gripes, I was still in floods of tears when the curtains closed on this sensational story. Ultimately, the primary cast of Lost Records are just so tenderly written and easy to connect with – even when the framerate chugs or an annoying gameplay mechanic rears its head to stifle your fun. I could see pieces of myself in all four girls – as teens and adults – from their sisterhood to their shame, and even their awkward kisses.

Should you play Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 2? Play it if...

You want to play a game that will stick with you beyond the credits
If you thought Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 was emotional, Tape 2 capitalizes on those intense story beats to deliver a moving finale you won’t soon forget.View Deal

You prefer cinematic games
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 is filled with thoughtfully choreographed scenes and shocking moments that propel the story towards its climactic end.View Deal

Don't play it if...

You prefer action-oriented games
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 flubs its attempts to fold in more action-oriented gameplay. The main purpose of this narrative adventure is just that… to embark on a story-driven journey propped up by memorable characters.View Deal

Accessibility

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 arrives as an update from Tape 1, and so the accessibility settings are essentially the same. From the settings menu, you can choose the interface text size (small, medium, and large) and toggle on and off subtitles. From this screen, you can also select the size of the subtitles (small, medium, large). Due to the heavy themes in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, you’ll also have the choice to turn on trigger warnings.

These warnings include topics such as drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. On this screen, you can also tweak audio dynamic range, choosing between a narrow (little difference between loud and quiet moments, suitable for low-quality sound systems or noisy playspaces), Medium (moderate difference between loud and quiet moments, ideal for most speakers), and Wide (sizable difference between loud and quiet moments, ideal for high-quality sound systems or quiet playspaces).

From the pause menu, under controls, you can toggle on and off vibrations and how the camcorder behaves in the game. There are also options to reduce motion sickness, such as toggling off head bob, camcorder motion controls, and shifting the camcorder feel between regular, light, very light, and none. You can additionally invert cameras and movements and remap the entire keyboard from this menu.

Where visual effects are concerned, you can toggle on and off motion blur, camera smoothing, and camera shake. From the interface menu, you can also toggle on and off a speaker cue that provides a visual cue for who is talking, as well as toggle the persistent reticle in first and third person.

How I reviewed Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

I completed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2’s story in around six hours on PC. In that time, I searched thoroughly through each environment and made conversational choices until the finale. I used an AOC 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz gaming monitor, a Logitech MX Master 3S mouse, and a Logitech G915 TKL gaming keyboard.

For sound, I used my external Creative Pebble V2 computer speakers and Audio Technica ATH-MX50X headphones plugged into a Scarlett 2i2 interface. My gaming PC is powered by an RTX 3080 graphics card, and my CPU is an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X.

First reviewed April 2025

The Dow Jones advanced after Trump said he wouldn't fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell and on hopes of easing tensions over tariffs with China.

(Image credit: Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images)

The world's most famous telescope is celebrating in style with new views of Mars, nebulas and a galaxy that reminds us of home.

The conclave to select a new pope will be sharply different from the body that chose Francis in 2013. Experts say that could make it harder to predict what the conclave will do.

(Image credit: Mario Tama)

• Western Digital targeting 40TB HDDs by late 2026 using HAMR tech
• OptiNAND and UltraSMR will boost capacity until HAMR adoption begins to drive growth
• Storage demand from AI boom is expected to arrive in late 2026

Western Digital recently held an investor day, with a primary focus on how it intends to supercharge hard drive capacity within a decade.

WD’s detailed roadmap showed a clear technological evolution from energy-assisted Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (ePMR) to Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR), and ultimately to Heat Dot Magnetic Recording (HDMR), at which point it will be targeting capacities in excess of 100TB.

By 2026, WD said its HDD capacity will reach 36TB-44TB thanks to HAMR technology which uses laser heating to temporarily lower the magnetic resistance (coercivity) of the disk, allowing for significantly denser data writing.

Waiting for demand

In a recent interview with PC Watch, Kimihiko Nishio, sales manager for Western Digital Japan, went into further details on the company’s plans.

“Other companies have started adopting HAMR with 30TB HDDs, but we believe HAMR’s true potential begins at 40TB," Nishio said.

"Until then, we'll continue using technologies like OptiNAND and UltraSMR to increase the capacity of existing HDDs up to 40TB.” OptiNAND, integrates flash memory with HDDs to boost capacity, performance, and reliability, while UltraSMR, uses advanced error correction to pack data tracks more densely than traditional SMR.

“We’re targeting the latter half of 2026 for the release of 40TB drives,” Nishio said, adding that WD is "currently developing HAMR with that goal in mind.” He explained that while data generation is booming, particularly due to AI advancements, storage demand is still catching up.

“Right now, there's a huge surge in demand for generative AI, but storage hasn't really benefited from it yet. Currently, the biggest beneficiaries are GPU servers. First, data is being generated in large volumes, and after that, it will need to be stored. That’s where we expect storage demand to spike.”

Western Digital is timing its production plans to coincide with this predicted demand. “We anticipate that spike will happen in the second half of 2026, which is why we're aligning our HAMR-based high-capacity HDD development to that timeframe,” Nishio said.

“Since HAMR production requires a complete overhaul of materials, starting production now while demand is still low (e.g., for 40TB drives) would result in high costs. But we expect that in 2–3 years, demand will rise, allowing us to offer them at reasonable prices.”

Nishio also shared Western Digital’s even more ambitious long-term vision. “Looking further ahead, we plan to release 100TB drives by 2030, after which we’ll pursue even greater capacities using new technologies,” he said.

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The National Institutes of Health plans to pool information from private sources like pharmacies and smartwatches.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

OpenAI is making its "GPU-melting" feature available for other developers and apps, including Adobe Firefly and Microsoft Copilot.

Whether you're giving your workouts a boost or just looking to be at your best, these hand-picked electrolyte sports drinks are exactly what you want in your bag.

The no-buy challenge was more eye-opening than I anticipated. (And more fun too)

You can always count on Max for a show-stopping drama, but you never know when it could get rid of that one movie you've been relying on it for. Luckily, that's what we're here for, and you can bet that we've had our eagle eyes peeled for the titles leaving Max soon.

There are five stand-outs that have limited time left on one of the best streaming services and now is the time to make the most of them. With two A24 movies on the chopping block (one of them a previous Best Picture Oscar winner), there's a beloved superhero movie, a British modern classic animated feature, and historical war biopic that Max have decided to let go.

Thankfully none of our picks for the best Max movies are leaving any time soon - but that's never guaranteed. On a brighter note, Max has a wave of new movies and shows on the way, and you can view our full list of everything new on Max in May 2025.

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

RT score: 94%
Directors: Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
Age rating: R
Length: 132 minutes

One of the most-loved movies to come from the A24 studio that captured the hearts of millions of movie fans, and now it's running its course with Max. Though many were left utterly disappointed with Jamie Lee Curtis' Oscar victory over fellow nominee Stephanie Hsu, it certainly redeemed itself when it swept Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture.

In this surrealist comedy action drama Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant who is under IRS investigation. She uncovers a strange ability to transport through different universes and connect with her alternative timelines. Through this crazy journey across the multiverse she must stop a powerful being from destroying everything, but this wild ride turns into a touching story of self-discovery which leads her to rekindling her complicated relationship with her daughter.

The Imitation Game (2014)

RT score: 90%
Director: Morten Tyldum
Age rating: PG-13
Length: 113 minutes

When I started my monthly streaming diary roundups earlier this year, The Imitation Game was one of the nine movies I streamed in January 2025. As far as biopics go, Tyldum's retelling of Alan Turing's history-altering discovery is a gold standard British drama film despite its small handful of historical inaccuracies.

As much as its a war drama, The Imitation Game is an inspiring story of a queer genius who helped saved millions, but was still persecuted for his sexuality even in the events after his ground-breaking achievement.

It's the Second World War, and English mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) has been recruited by MI6 to help crack the Enigma Nazi code which professionals have failed time again to achieve. Behind him is a team of computer whizzes Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode) and Joan Clarke (Kiera Knightley), who assist Turing in building a machine which he hopes will be the answer to saving the country from war.

The Florida Project (2017)

RT score: 96%
Director: Sean Baker
Age rating: R
Length: 111 minutes

If you loved recent Best Picture winner Anora (2024) you only have a few more weeks left to revisit this coming-of-age drama from the back catalog of Sean Baker.

Before he dabbled in comedy crime dramas, Baker put out his slice of life drama starring Willem Dafoe exploring the small joys in life and the means of creating your own fun and happiness with what you have. Six year-old girl Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) lives with her single mother at a motel in Florida who struggles to make ends meet and dips in and out of homelessness. Their world is a stark contrast from the one which surrounds them - the surreal and built-for-distraction Walt Disney World.

Paddington (2014)

RT score: 96%
Director: Paul King
Age rating: PG
Length: 95 minutes

The Paddington series of movies has sat very well with audiences, with its recent installment Paddington in Peru (2024) scoring 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. But its second movie Paddington 2 (2018) comes out on top with a near-perfect score of 99%.

Inspired by the classic British children's literature Paddington Bear (Ben Whishaw) lands himself in London after his Peru home is destroyed by an earthquake. He immediately warms to the family of Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville) and Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins) and their two children, who decide to adapt him into the family, but shortly after settling into city life, he becomes the target of Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman), a taxidermist who will stop at nothing to get her hands on a bear as rare as he.

Deadpool (2016)

RT score: 85%
Director: Tim Miller
Age rating: R
Length: 108 minutes

Miller made his directorial debut with Deadpool in 2016 and went on to produce the Sonic trilogy of movies (we won't mention Borderlands).

In contrast to other Marvel movies and superheroes, Deadpool isn't the suave, put-together action hero you'd expect. Instead, he's irreverent and unserious, yet has smart comedic timing. After serving in the Special Forces Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is disfigured by evil scientist Ajax (Ed Skrein) and is turned into Deadpool. In spite of his disfigurement he's left with superhuman powers which he uses to his advantage to track down the man who ruined everything for him.

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