Technology

Syncing to Microsoft OneDrive will end on Sept. 30.

Here are hints and the answers for today’s NYT Connections puzzle No. 1,196 for Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026.

Most phone batteries degrade faster than we want them to.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may be the first phones to go on sale under new Apple CEO John Ternus, but today’s launch hinted at even more hardware launches to come.

Here are hints and the answer for today’s NYT Wordle puzzle No. 1,918 for Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026.

The EU Kids Act would accelerate age verification plans and ban social media use for those under 13.

A Microsoft executive called OpenAI’s use of publishers’ material “the largest theft of labor in human history.”

From portable radars in shipping containers to orbital cameras, I asked scientists how the space-junk tracking industry plans to avoid catastrophic crashes.

• Google and Nvidia are just two of the tech giants behind the new AI Energy Management Alliance
• The group is focused on building future data centers that coordinate power usage with the grid
• Moving training to off-peak hours and balancing on-site energy are some of the solutions

Emerald AI, Google and Nvidia have come together to form the AI Energy Management Alliance (AEMA), and it could be exactly what we need to tackle rising energy consumption within the data center field.

Together, the group hopes to deploy flexible AI data centers that can dynamically adjust how much electricity they consume from the grid based on a number of different conditions.

This important development comes in response to rising power availability pressures, which are leading to years-long delays for many new projects.

Future data centers could adapt how much power they use

In an announcement, Nvidia Head of Sustainability Josh Parker explained how these future campuses could shift compute workloads, discharge storage, use paired generation or respond to other system contingencies to dynamically change how much electricity they're drawing from the grid at any given time.

The concept involves shifting high-compute tasks like training to off-peak times, using on-site batteries or generation in conjunction with the grid and exporting excess stored energy back to the grid during times of stress.

Crucially, the AEMA must now set out technical specifications, performance metrics and open standards to allow this to happen at scale.

And while only Emerald AI, Google and Nvidia are behind the alliance from launch, a number of additional partners are set to join the scheme. SiliconANGLE reports that Anthropic will be one of them.

The concept itself isn't new – Google also announced earlier this year that it had over 1GW of demand-response capacity – but doing so at scale would likely make a considerable impact across the board.

Both Nvidia and Emerald AI have already developed software to handle power consumption in relation to the grid.

"By creating a common framework for performance, reliability and collaboration, AEMA aims to help the US build the infrastructure of intelligence at the speed and sustainability the moment demands," Parker wrote.

All of this, of course, comes against a backdrop of mounting energy pressures. Recent Bloomberg data suggests that US data centers alone could use as much natural gas as the entire of Germany and Japan combined by 2035, with a similar Moody's study projecting that total US data center energy consumption could top 426 TWh by 2030.

Spoilers for MobLand season 2 episode 1 ahead.

Unsurprisingly, Guy Ritchie has wasted no time getting stuck into absolute madness in MobLand season 2.

Helpfully, he's included a season 1 recap montage before any of the new action gets underway. Conrad's (Pierce Brosnan) feud with Kevin (Paddy Considine) has reached civil war levels, with Jan (Joanne Froggatt) accidentally stabbing Harry (Tom Hardy) in the stomach while daughter Gina (Teddie Allen) made a run for it.

They've all made it through to a new season unscathed, but for how long? With MobLand season 2 episode 1 now on Paramount+, let's dig a little deeper into what's actually happened.

Conrad and Maeve open fire on the dog track after Kevin goes behind their back

As episode 1 picks up, we're down the dog track. Conrad, Maeve (Helen Mirren) and a handful of their cronies have arrived for a 'sit down' with Turkish gangster Gakbu, who we understand has entered into a drug partnership with the family.

However, Gakbu himself hasn't shown up to meet Conrad. Instead, he's approached Kevin to strike a deal, having considered Conrad to be "old news." In the heat of the moment, Kevin's only too happy to betray his dad, leaving Gakbu's brother Luca to attend the dog track face-to-face.

Within the first 10 minutes of the episode, Gakbu's henchmen are all dead, with Conrad and Maeve opening fire on the group as if they're "a real-life Bonnie and Clyde." Staff cower behind the bar in fear, while Conrad screams "We are the Harrigans! Don't know the name? Then f**king Google us."

Harry and Jan start divorce proceedings as the Harrigans hit a 'death spiral'

(Image credit: Paramount+)

We then cut to Jan and Harry, who are sitting in a therapist's office. Jan discusses their "rough patch," explaining that they've struggled to make quality time for each other thanks to Harry's work, including the admission that Jan stabbed him in the stomach.

Jan reveals that Gina left a note before she left, reading "Mum, you saw a way out. There's another one… it's called a door. Gina. P.S. I wish you'd killed the c***."

Their session is interrupted when Harry gets a call from Paul (Emmett J. Scanlan) who briefs him on what's happened at Green Park Dogs. Harry, surprisingly, didn't have a clue that a meeting with Gakbu was taking place.

As DCI Kavanagh (Ophelia Lovibond) arrives at the scene, Harry tells police mole Finch (Warren Brown) to clean up the mess from the inside. Bella (Lara Pulvey) is across town meeting with a prospective team of lawyers, but Kevin pulls her out of the meeting — he's heard too, and it's no longer safe for Bella to leave in a known car.

Harry arrives at Conrad and Maeve's house, as Paul tells him that they've gone into a "death spiral." He believes that the chain of command has gone completely out of the window, and everyone is terrified of what's to come.

Harry questions Conrad about why he didn't know about the Gakbu meeting, but Maeve admits that it was her idea. She believes that his closeness with Kevin means that sensitive plans must be on a "need-to-know basis." Harry tells them at the family is now "surrounded by sharks, ripe for the picking," and theorizes that Gakbu was being controlled by Kat McAllister (Janet McTeer).

In Harry's eyes, the opposition is capitalizing on the fractures between Kevin and Conrad, meaning that a war on the family has already begun.

A witness comes forward while Maeve secretly meets with Eddie to try and get rid of Gina

(Image credit: Paramount+)

As Harry leaves the house, one of the dog track waiters arrives at the police station. Finch clocks him and alerts Harry, as the waiter tells Kavanagh exactly what Conrad did.

As Maeve leaves for London, Conrad insists that new recruit Fergus (Jack Archer) goes with her. Maeve drives down the road before ordering Fergus out of the car, who chooses to spend the afternoon hiding in the bushes so he doesn't get in trouble with either of them. Harry asks Zosia (Jasmine Jobson) to follow her from a distance.

Jan officially asks Harry for a divorce, telling him "I know you love me. I know you love Gina. But it's not enough." Harry leaves once Dean, the waiter who went to the police, is found trying to return to his flat. Harry packs him into a van and drives him to an empty warehouse unit.

Dean is told to return to the police station to retract his statement, and instead claim that he was coerced into making it by Gakbu. If not, he "won't be needing his bicycle anymore."

We then see Maeve meeting Eddie (Anson Boone) in a Greasy spoon, with Zosia watching on outside. Eddie gives her a bag with £30,000 inside, claiming that it's "her cut." Eddie explains that he and Gina have been shaking down prolific YouTubers with cash to spare, offering them security in exchange for a hefty fee.

Maeve, however, isn't happy with this. She claims that she has "big plans in store," for Eddie, and they involve Gina being in the "f**king rear view mirror." Next time they meet, Maeve wants Gina taken care of... and another £50,000.

Seraphina tries to make her move on Kat McAllister as Kevin admits all to Harry

(Image credit: Paramount+)

Harry pays a visit to Kevin, who explains what happened with Gakbu. He explains his theory that Gakbu is being controlled by Kat, though Kevin doesn't seem phased by this.

"She's gonna eat us piece by piece," Harry explains. "Her mob has eight trillion in cash and the world's biggest nuclear arsenal." Kevin remains convinced that "he can look after himself," despite everyone else thinking that he's the weakest link in the family.

We cut to Kat, who is giving a speech at the London Imperial College. Two notable people are in the audience: Seraphina (Mandeep Dhillon) and Colin (Toby Jones).

Seraphina gets to her first, who tells Kat that it's time for Conrad to move on. She's convinced that Harry feels the same way after saving her life at Antwerp. Kat tells Seraphina that she'd want half of all Harrigan revenue for the next five years, if she's to be trusted as a business partner.

Seraphina tries to barter this down to four, convinced that Kat is out of other options after her attempts to corrupt Harry proved futile. Kat gives her a number and tells her to call it whenever she has a conversation with another family member, and to repeat it word for word. "You wanna play in the f**king big league? Honey, you're here... and you're up to bat."

Colin offers Kat her own Harry Da Souza as Gakbu meets his maker

(Image credit: Paramount+)

As Seraphina leaves, Colin arrives. Through one of his infamously long-winded historical references, Colin offers her "a brave knight to ride into battle for you," allowing Kat to keep her nose, and reputation, clean.

Describing himself as a "lowly middleman," he wants a fee to find the right person to act in Kat's interest... much like Harry does for the Harrigans. "In five years time, this man will run London with your help, and as such, you will own him. The Harrigans will be consigned to the dustbin of history" he claims.

Kat doesn't give an answer as Colin leaves, but she's clearly mulling it over. Harry, meanwhile, has gone to pay Gakbu a visit, taking every last remaining family member — and the main man — out. Zosia rings, telling Harry that he's found Gina.

Colin arrives at a house full of young men, approaching a man called Frankie (Johnny Flynn) while he uses a barbecue. "Start talking, copper," Frankie says as the scene closes out.

How do you approach a sequel? Do you refine the predecessor’s mechanics and stick with the main character? Well, Control Resonant chucks those out the window.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Xbox Series X
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: September 24, 2026

Instead of an open-zone map like the first game, Resonant goes full open-world. You play as Dylan Faden, old protagonist Jesse’s brother, who was (mostly) freed from the Hiss’s evil influence towards the end of the last adventure.

Now, Jesse has disappeared somewhere in an otherworldly Manhattan, and it’s his job to find her.

Like brother, like sister

(Image credit: Remedy)

Control Resonant’s story is markedly improved over its predecessor. The sibling bond between Dylan and Jesse provides an emotional anchor to latch onto. Learning about their childhoods through the main missions was engaging enough and made it much easier to follow this time around. It kept my attention in ways that Control didn’t.

The small cast of support characters also smartly keeps the character development focused mainly on Dylan. Zoe De Vera is assigned as Dylan’s handler, and I like how their relationship starts off rocky with her viewing him as just a tool to fight the Hiss. But as the story progresses, Zoe starts considering Dylan as more than that, asking him personal questions about his favorite music.

Emily Pope returns from the first game and acts as an important linchpin for Dylan to discuss Jesse. As Emily helped Jesse throughout the entirety of Control, Dylan can confide in Emily, giving him hope he’ll eventually find his sister. These powerful relationships make Resonant a less lonely trip.

As someone who’s fascinated with sci-fi and the occult, Resonant plays around with common tropes to great effect. In one particularly memorable main quest, Dylan is tasked with figuring out what happened to a missing crew, and its implementation of time dilation and alternate timelines really had a grip on my attention. It’s moments like these that make Resonant’s story emotionally satisfying, but narratively absorbing too.

Go big or go home

(Image credit: Remedy)

Going from Control to Control Resonant feels similar to how Final Fantasy 7 Remake transitioned to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It’s a high-risk endeavor, as creating an open world can add a lot of unnecessary bloat compared to a more streamlined experience.

Thankfully, Resonant’s exemplary art direction and traversal mechanics make its distorted version of Manhattan a treat to run around in. Rather than the brutalist architecture of the first game that took place entirely indoors within the Oldest House, Resonant doubles down on the more kaleidoscopic and parallactic aspects in the open world.

As part of the main quests, you’ll also be given objectives to find “Faults,” which are areas where remnants of Jesse could be residing. While they’re not very combat-heavy, they offer a lot of story exposition exploring Dylan and Jesse’s background. At the very end, you’ll be awarded a new way for Dylan to move around.

These include being able to shift his gravitational orientation around so the wall next to him becomes the floor, or the intriguing take on the traditional grappling hook, which looks more like an invisible magnet pulling Dylan by the waist.

Best bit

(Image credit: Remedy)

Like the first game's massive brutalist skyscraper, the weird, twisted version of Manhattan in Control Resonant is an absolute joy to explore full of striking views.

Control Resonant is also reminiscent of Elden Ring, in that you’re able to tackle tough side bosses called Resonants all across the Big Apple. By defeating them, Dylan is able to unlock more of his offensive move kit. You’re incentivized to go for it, as it’ll give you more options to fight against the Hiss and other enemies.

You only need to take out a few to advance the story, but afterwards you can actually complete it without taking the rest of them on if you want. This open-endedness comes in handy if you get stuck on a certain story boss. You can explore more, get stronger, and return later.

There are also plenty of other interesting activities to tackle, and these often bring a more down-to-earth tone to Resonant’s paranormal twists. In a multi-part side quest, Dylan is trying to help a girl find her way home from an alternate dimension. And he has to play “spot the difference” with different taxi cabs to take the right one back. There’s another side quest where Dylan helps a colleague find their invisible cat, which ends up in the cat actually helping out against a mini-boss fight in a humorous conclusion.

These side quests reflect Dylan’s altruism and the guilt he harbors for his actions from the first game, allowing him to redeem himself in small, yet meaningful ways. They also reward massive amounts of EXP and useful ingredients to unlock new skills and abilities.

Close quarters combat

(Image credit: Remedy)

As opposed to the first game’s third-person shooter gameplay, Control Resonant is a melee-focused action game. It’s an interesting switch-up that certainly helps this sequel differentiate itself.

The basic gameplay loop you’re going for is to stagger enemies and then perform an execution. Doing that causes Dylan to temporarily enter Dominance, which astronomically ups his attack power and allows him to kill enemies quicker. It’s a gratifying process that’s just as exciting as it looks cool.

The big issue here is that it’s incredibly difficult to falter enemies when you first start out. Dylan’s weapon, the Aberrant, can morph into different forms for both his light and heavy attacks. At the beginning, you can pick one form, and the rest you can create later on with the proper drops and materials.

(Image credit: Remedy)

If you’re like me and picked a heavy weapon choice that didn’t fit your particular playstyle, then you’re going to have a tough time. You can use limited reset points to rechoose your points and abilities, but the fact that it’s not free feels like it’s discouraging experimentation, especially at the start before eventually unlocking everything.

After initially selecting the spear as my heavy weapon and being disappointed, I reset my build and opted for the slow but powerful hammer instead. I found that it fit my approach much better, and suddenly I was enjoying it more. Beforehand, combat felt like a slog as enemies seemed to just be damage sponges, as it took forever to falter them.

A little later on, after defeating the giant fire Resonant, I unlocked the ability to cloak my weapons in flame, increasing both the damage and falter output. Now even my light weapon attacks with the multi-target scythe-like glaive inflicted a decent amount of stagger. I was able to enter Dominance faster, and the combat became more frenetic, explosive, and most importantly, fun.

It just takes a while to get to.

Should I play Control Resonant?Play it if...

You like action-adventure games
If you’re a fan of games like Devil May Cry, this might be up your alley. Just don’t expect to be graded on your work, though.

You enjoyed the first Control
Control Resonant is a direct sequel, so if you enjoyed the first game, then you should play this one too. It’s surprisingly loose with the events of the predecessor, so you don’t actually need to play it before jumping in here, but it helps.

You like open-world games
Control Resonant has one of the more interesting open-world games in recent memory, and the traversal mechanics are a joy to toy around with.

Don't play it if...

You like shooters
While the first Control was a third-person shooter, Control Resonant is not. This could be a sticking point for those coming from the first game.

You want a more streamlined experience
The first Control was much more confined, with open-zone environments rather than the open world that Control Resonant has.

Accessibility features

Control Resonant has an impressive suite of accessibility features. These options include text, subtitles, colorblindness adjustments, and toggles.

It also has an Assist mode, which lets you change gameplay parameters to your liking. For example, you can change how fast Dylan’s Power meter replenishes, which lets him fire off special abilities. You can also make him invincible.

There’s even an option to OHKO enemies with just one attack, and it works on bosses too. None of the options disable Achievements either.

How I reviewed Control Resonant

I played 25 hours of Control Resonant on Xbox Series X with the standard Xbox Wireless Controller on my 1080p LG Sharp TV, finishing up the main campaign while completing some side quests.

After witnessing the ending, you can go back into the open world once again to mop up any remaining collectibles and quests.

First reviewed September 2026

• Diablo 4 game director Brent Gibson tells fans not to worry about support for the game ending because of Diablo 5
• He says that even though the team is excited for Diablo 5, "we're going to be making content for a long time"
• Gibson says, "The end is not nigh"

Not to worry, Diablo 4 fans! Despite the announcement of Diablo 5, Blizzard swears it will continue supporting the popular action-RPG "for a long time."

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon, game director Brent Gibson quickly put concerns to rest and stated outright that players don't need to worry about the game's future, even though the studio is already working on the sequel.

"If you're wearing the sign in the middle of Times Square that says 'The End is Nigh', the end is not nigh," Gibson said. "We have a lot coming," he added before acknowledging the Amazon class pack, coming to Diablo 4 in 2027.

"The train isn't stopping," he continued. "One of the things that I love about our world is we're not a series of games. We are a universe. We are even adding to Diablo 2 with that of the Warlock. It's one of the few franchises where we have the luxury to continue to play, and we know our communities are there multiple communities that make us a whole."

Gibson reiterated that if you're a fan and you're worried, "don't sweat it," because even though the team is excited about Diablo 5, "we're going to be making content for a long time" and "we've got a lot of things coming," including the Netflix adaptation.

"The train is not stopping," he said. "Hold on tight. Gone are the years of waiting 10 years for more content, right? So it's a great place to be at."

Diablo 5 is slated to launch in 2029, so there are few years to wait. In the meantime, Diablo 4 fans can sink their teeth into Season of Hell's Legacy, the game's 15th season, which arrived on September 15.

The initial preorder window has now closed, and the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have officially launched. Those who ordered a device early should finally be receiving one today or in the next few days. If you didn't preorder, though, it's not all bad news.

Most of the best deals that were available during the preorder period are still on the table. If you've been waiting to pick up one of Apple's latest Pro devices, there are still plenty of ways to save. I've laid out the biggest savings for both the US and UK down below.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 / £1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 / £1,299. While those are the official starting prices, there are several ways to get either device for less, particularly if you're willing to trade in an existing phone or sign up for a new carrier plan. Note that some carriers are facing slightly delayed delivery times, but both devices are still readily available to order at most outlets.

In the US, it's possible to get an iPhone 18 Pro included with either a new line (with a pricey unlimited plan) or a qualifying trade-in at the major carriers. Apple's own offers include a trade-in rebate of up to $885 for unlocked devices, alongside its new leasing option, which I'm covering in more depth just below.

In the UK, we're currently looking at trade-in rebates of up to £885 at Apple, which is actually quite good in terms of discounts for the official store. Several networks are also stocking the devices, including Three and Vodafone, giving shoppers more options now that the phones have officially launched.

If you're looking for more details on these devices, then you can check out our full iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max review page for specs, image samples, and more.

iPhone 18 Pro preorders in the US

• Apple: up to $885 off with trade, or leasing from $34.99/mo
• AT&T: up to $1,200 off with a trade-in
• Verizon: up to $1,200 off with a trade-in
• T-Mobile: device included with switch, or trade-in
• Walmart: devices from $11.75/mo (no trade-in required)
• Xfinity Mobile: 18 Pro Max included with trade and line

iPhone 18 Pro: up to $1,200 off with a trade or phone and plan for $80/mo, plus iPad and Apple Watch
Verizon's opening iPhone 18 Pro deal breaks down into two avenues. The first is the traditional trade-in rebate of up to $1,200, which is eligible with the carrier's myPlan unlimited plans for both new and existing customers. Secondly, there is the option to bundle a device with the carrier's new 'Simplicity Pro' with the plan and device included for $80/mo. This second option will let you upgrade your device free of charge 12 months from now. Finally, both of these deals are eligible with a 'free' iPad and Apple Watch as bonus gifts. I say free in quotation marks here, because you need to take out relevant cellular lines on each device to be eligible for a freebie.View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro: included with a new line, or with an eligible trade-in at T-Mobile
T-Mobile's opening iPhone 18 Pro deal is exactly what I was expecting; it's a very competitive deal indeed. Firstly, new customers can get a standard iPhone 18 Pro included if they switch over from another carrier and pick up a device on the Experience Beyond 2.0 plan. The other option at the carrier is a trade-in rebate of up to $1,200 off, which is a good option for upgraders. That's also eligible on the Experience Beyond plan, but according to the T&Cs, it's also eligible for existing customers on the older Go5G Next plan too. View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro: up to $1,200 off with an eligible trade-in and unlimited plan at AT&T
AT&T's deal is pretty much in line with what we were expecting from the carrier, but that's not to say it isn't an excellent promotion. For example, you can currently trade-in a device in any condition to hit the maximum rebate of $1,200 off - which is conveniently enough to cover the entire cost of the iPhone 18 Pro. Not bad if you were looking to upgrade. View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro: get $480 off with a new line on Visible+ Pro
Visible Wireless' promotion on the iPhone 18 Pro has to be one of the best open deals on the market right now. The carrier is currently offering an excellent $480 discount when you pair up the device with a new line on the Visible+ Pro plan. No trades are needed here, and the discount comes in the form of a monthly discount over the duration of 24 months. This deal is open to both new and existing customers.View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro: get $480 with a plan at Straight Talk
If you're thinking about pairing up your device with a cheaper prepaid plan, then check out Straight Talk's opening deal for the iPhone 18 Pro. Right now, the carrier will give you a $480 discount over the duration of 24 months if you bundle a device with a Gold Unlimited plan or higher. That's a plan that comes in at just $55 per month, so this could be a real dark horse deal if you're on a budget. View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro: save up to $600 at Total Wireless
Total is one of the better options on the market if you want a prepaid plan that doesn't skimp on the features. This particular deal on the iPhone 18 Pro lets you bundle it together with the $60/mo Total ALL ACCESS plan with a decent $600 price cut. Unlike some similar discounts, this one doesn't require a trade-in, so it's pretty accessible if you're a new customer looking for a reasonably priced plan.View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro: up to $885 off with trade, or leasing from $34.99/mo at Apple
Apple's own iPhone 18 Pro deals remain the best (and only) option for unlocked devices. Nonetheless, there are a few good options here for upgraders. First is the usual trade-in rebate, which is hitting up to $885 for unlocked devices in this preorder window. Another option for this year is Apple's new upgrade program, which lets you lease a device for as little as $34.99/mo over two years. That actually equates to being cheaper than buying a device outright, and you're also entitled to upgrades. Of course, it comes with the caveat of having to pay a monthly fee - and you don't own your device, either!View Deal

iPhone 18 Pro preorders in the UK

• Apple: up to £885 off with a trade-in
• EE: up to £750 off with a trade-in
• Carphone Warehouse: from £52/mo with 100GB plan
• Mobiles.co.uk: unlimited data from £55/mo, plus trade discounts
• Sky: from £38 per month
• Three: save up to £1,035 with trade-in and plan
• Tesco Mobile: £100 gift card for Club Card members
• Vodafone: up to £885 off with a trade-in

Apple iPhone 18 Pro: what's new?

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

• A20 Pro chipset on both models
• Improved battery life
• New variable aperture lens, plus photographic styles

The star of the show in this year's September Apple event was undoubtedly the iPhone Duo, but that doesn't mean the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max aren't without their merits. In fact, both devices have a decent number of upgrades that could justify a trade-in, depending on what you're eligible for.

For example, both devices now carry the new A20 chipset. While we haven't tested this to confirm, Apple claims the new chipset delivers a claimed 20% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU than its predecessor due to its 2nm architecture. Battery life has also improved, with the iPhone 18 Pro offering up to 36 hours of video playback, matching last year's 17 Pro Max, while the 18 Pro Max reaches up to 45 hours.

The biggest upgrades, however, are arguably focused on the 18 Pro's camera. The devices now feature a 48MP main camera with variable aperture and a new sensor. In layman's terms, that means better low-light performance and greater user control over depth of field. There's also talk of a "computational imaging pipeline", which includes new Photographic Styles for share-ready JPEGS.

• AI watermarking aims to prove the authenticity of any text
• New study finds it also changes LLM behavior – and in a bad way
• EU AI Act could mean more models have watermarks despite side effects

New Lasso research has revealed that AI watermarking could actually unintentionally change how LLMs behave following the testing of Google DeepMind's SynthID-Text.

The company's researchers found that SynthID-Text can change whether models refuse harmful requests, their susceptibility to prompt injection, which tools AI agent choose and more.

However, at its core, SynthID-Text and other similar watermarking is only designed to hide a machine-readable indicator as to whether text was AI-generated or human-written.

Researchers find that AI watermarking can unintentionally change AI behavior

The "watermarking procedure can therefore affect both what the model says and what an agent does," Lasso concludes, referring to the side effect as "sampling drift."

One of the biggest concerns highlighted by the paper is that, even without an attack, watermarking changed some of the models' refusal decisions, making them more willing to answer potentially harmful prompts. Combined with prompt injection, Lasso found the consequences more amplified.

Despite the unintended consequences, Anthropic recently announced that future generations of Claude would use AI watermarking similar to Google DeepMind's, stressing that one of the key drivers was to adhere to the EU AI Act. With that in mind, AI watermarking is set to become far more mainstream across other model providers, making these mishaps far more common and leading to further security concerns.

Ultimately, Lasso urges developers to rerun benchmarks, safety evaluations and other tests to check for any unintended consequences, rather than just applying it blindly to existing configurations.

"These findings make reassessment important whenever watermarking is introduced or its configuration or key changes," Lasso concludes, stressing that the work shouldn't be taken as an argument against AI watermarking for provenance.

Additionally, the research presents a new angle on AI watermarking, because until now researchers have largely focused on whether watermarks can be both applied and detected effectively. Few have uncovered such security-focused consequences as this one.

A new video shows off the BlackBerry-like phone’s features, including the speech-to-text Prompt Key, Message Hub and new Clicks Mobile wireless service.

• The Steam Machine now has a collection of official repair guides
• They're written by iFixit and are commendably thorough
• The only catch is that they highlight the trickiness of some repairs or upgrades, notably the system RAM

The Steam Machine now has a whole raft of repair guides from iFixit, which is great to see – although they have highlighted some fiddly and less-than-ideal aspects when it comes to working inside Valve's compact PC.

TechPowerUp spotted (via VideoCardz) that iFixit published 18 repair guides for the Steam Machine, which cover essential maintenance or the replacement of parts in the device.

It's a thorough set of instructional guides, detailing how to replace parts of the chassis or the Steam Machine's fan, and carry out key upgrades to the RAM and SSD. It even shows you how to replace the motherboard, and how to properly clean and maintain the Steam Machine.

Valve has a partnership with iFixit which has produced a similarly in-depth collection of guides for the Steam Deck, and also sells replacement parts for that handheld, from thumbsticks and bumper buttons through to a new screen or battery. Replacement parts are reportedly coming for the Steam Machine, too, though they aren't on sale yet.

Analysis: easy does it with some of these repairs

(Image credit: iFixit)

This is great, and what I particularly like is the cleaning guide, which is an effective reminder of what a dust magnet PCs can be — and to keep the innards of the Steam Machine relatively dust-free.

However, what this also makes clear, as noted at the outset, is that some of the replacement procedures are relatively tricky — notably upgrading (or replacing) the system RAM.

Okay, so it's nothing too bad if you take your time and work carefully, but there are a lot of steps — 49, in fact, and that's to reach the memory to replace it (then you have to reverse those steps and put the Steam Machine back together). This isn't something that less tech-savvy people will be able to do, at least not without running a serious risk of breaking something else in the process.

Indeed, I'd say you'd need to be pretty confident in your abilities to perform a RAM replacement. Removing the fan is one of most awkward steps, and one method involves heating the glue (with a hair drier if you don't have iFixit's iOpener heat pad) to make the two attached antennas easier to detach. This, and a few other fiddlier aspects, are where I could see something quite easily going awry.

As one of the readers of VideoCardz observed: "Upgrading RAM is super annoying. They should place it near SSD or something in the next revision, because as it is now you have to basically dismantle the whole damn thing. Not that it's particularly 'hard' to do, but it's super annoying and you can actually damage something, like Wi-Fi antennas for example."

Still, I can't knock the quality of the guides, and the thoroughness of the step-by-step instructions, complete with diagrams and information about exactly which way you should orientate the device when moving onto the next step.

Of course, you won't be able to perform repairs until you have the replacement parts, and hopefully iFixit will stock these before long (as it does with the Steam Deck). Right now, parts are obviously thin on the ground, as Valve needs them for manufacturing as many Steam Machines as it can, but that situation will change in time.

• Fiio launches FT15 planar headphones with bigger, thinner diaphragm and a lighter weight
• They're open-back successors to the five-star Fiio FT5
• They cost $499 / £499 (about AU$999) — but that's not bad for planars

Breakout affordable audiophile brand Fiio has been riding high with its debut planar magnetic headphones, launched in 2024, called the FT5 — they scored the full five stars in our Fiio FT5 review. The brand clearly thought it was time to revisit the tech, because it's launched a follow-up. No, not the FT6; meet the Fiio FT15.

These new wired open-back headphones bring refinements across the board, including some new internals and a lighter build. Numbers are up (or down, depending on which direction counts as an improvement).

The price is up too. The new FT15 cost $499 / £499 (about AU$999), and for comparison the FT5 sold for $449 / £429 / AU$799. So it's not a huge price hike, but given that Fiio is reliable as a budget brand, it's notable.

The Fiio FT15 are on sale right away, joining the brand's growing 2026 roster including the KA15 DAC dongle and FG3 gaming headset. Here's why they're exciting to audiophiles who are, well, maybe not quite on a budget, but like to optimize their spending.

Thinner, Better, Faster, Lighter

(Image credit: FiiO)

Fiio decided that its new planar cans needed some spec increases, and so the driver now measures 101mm (compared to 90mm in the FT5), but most notable is that it's now 800nm thick, which Fiio says is 86.7% thinner than its previous planar driver.

That's pretty notable, because the whole thing about planar drivers is that you have a super-thin, super-responsive diaphragm suspended between two magnetic fields, capable of excellent dynamic response and therefore detail.

Fiio also says the driver has a "full-face diamond coating", which is presumably to add stiffness. A much larger, much thinner, super-stiff diaphragm is a very interesting prospect when it comes to both dynamic range and detail in the sound.

The overall design has seen some improvements too. The FT15 is 31g lighter than the FT5, at 425g, using a carbon fiber headband and natural wood earcups. There are also multiple pairs of earpads in the box, as well as a range of adaptors for 4.4mm, 6.35mm and XLR-4, so it can fit into a range of hi-fi set-ups.

That's doubly true with the FT15s' sensitivity (95dB/mW, and a 24 ohms impedance), and the brand says it was designed to work with a range of dongles, DAPs, amps and CD players — including smaller and lighter dongles without external power. Fiio also sells all this kind of tech. Coincidence? I think not.

We gave the FT5 a perfect review, and it's hard to imagine how this range of improvements could result in a lower one, even with a slight price increase — but is with anything audio-related, the proof will be in the testing. Stay tuned.

• Diablo 4 game director Brent Gibson says it's "liberating" that there are no expansions to work on or have the narrative tied to
• The team will continue the game's story through seasons instead
• Diablo 4 - Season of Hell's Legacy is the game's latest update

Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo 4 won't receive any more expansions, as it will continue the game's story through seasons, something the team is glad about.

BlizzCon 2026 has officially wrapped, and there were plenty of announcements for fans across the board, including the huge reveal of Diablo 5, slated for a 2029 launch, as well as Diablo 4 - Season of Hell's Legacy, the game's 15th season and the centerpiece of Blizzard's 30th Anniversary celebration for Diablo.

"Amid the dead rising from Pandemonium, the lost soul of the legendary Horadrim Deckard Cain returns with dire news," the questline description reads. "Three dark wanderers have returned, each leaving a trail of death in their wake. Confront them and delve into the nightmares of their horrific past. Only there can you defeat the Prime Evils that torment them and lay their souls to rest."

No additional expansions are planned at the moment, and although Lord of Hatred was the big conclusion of the overarching narrative, the team will now use seasons to continue the game's story, presumably until Diablo 5 is ready for launch.

The game will likely be supported for a good few years to come, just like Diablo 3, but the new direction the team is working on removes the constraints it had before.

"I think it's liberating," game director Brent Gibson told TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon. "So we completed the story, but the butterfly effect can take us anywhere, you know? And we've got season 15 with all the events of pandemonium leading to someone else taking the mantle of death," before teasing, "Who is it? I'm not going to answer that today."

He added, "But it allows us to be really creative with all the pieces that we have, now that we hit the beat that we were all looking forward to with confronting Mephisto. So, I say it's liberating."

• Sublime researchers warn ICS phishing via calendar invites is surging ~33,000% since May 2026
• Attacks bypass filters, trick users into installing RMM tools like ScreenConnect for full compromise
• Defenses: scrutinize suspicious invites, verify senders, and treat ICS attachments with caution

ICS phishing - the type of phishing that abuses calendar files (.ics) is set to increase by around 33,000% between May and September 2026. This is according to a new report by cybersecurity researchers Sublime, who argue that this type of phishing has finally “hit the mainstream”.

The methodology is simple - the attacker uses a free service, such as Gmail, and sends a calendar invite to the target. Since both services are legitimate and free, the attacks bypass most email security filters and can be done at scale with close to zero cost.

Furthermore, the victim is exposed to the attack twice: once in the inbox, and once in their calendar. Inside the calendar invite is usually a link to download a maliciously configured remote management and monitoring (RMM) solution such as ScreenConnect. The attackers can use the tool to take over the compromised endpoint, deploying stage-two malware such as infostealers or ransomware, and grabbing passwords, documents, and other valuable secrets.

Spiking in popularity

ICS phishing started increasing in popularity roughly a year ago, but has been really picking up speed lately. Between May and June it increased 282%, and between June and July - 338%.

Between July and August it rose 1,216%, and in just the first half of September it rose 1,426% over the full month of August. Projections for the entire month of September, over August, are 2,852%, Sublime says.

“The jumps in August and September appear to be indicators that this attack type has finally hit the mainstream,” the researchers explained. “To really drive that point home, the increase from May to September is projected to be ~33,000%.”

Defending against these attacks is best done with a little common sense, the researchers conclude. Users should be mindful of the telltale signs, such as suspicious CTAs, suspicious senders, and the usual financial urgency.

A summer in Silicon Valley presented a studio build challenge which transformed the way I think about portability, quality, and more broadly, the future of remote contribution. Since 2020, I’ve regularly contributed as a panelist to a volunteer group of AV & tech professionals who answer questions together from all over the world.

The panelist’s feeds are remotely switched by a fully remote crew and the finished show streams live via YouTube as Office Hours Global (OHG). While my trip began to take shape, so too did the challenges I’d have to overcome if I wanted to broadcast throughout the summer.

Over the years, I have built many remote broadcast studios, but none with such an elaborate cocktail of prerequisites, portability hurdles, and output quality standards. I narrowed everything down to three constraints.

First, to travel as checked airline luggage, everything must fit in two Pelican Air 1615 cases, each under 50 lbs. Second, the sound & video must be as good as my permanent studio or this project would be over before it had begun. Third, my MacBook Pro couldn’t be a part of the build. I was in Silicon Valley to take meetings, attend conferences, and generally do things which required it to be uncoupled from the studio.

Equipment

Any claim about production has to be backed by the equipment that made it.

Computing: Apple Mac mini M4.

Video: Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro with a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II, routed through an ATEM Mini Extreme ISO.

Audio: Heil PR 40 into a Sound Devices MixPre-6 II, with NoiseAssist handling room noise in real time.

Monitoring: Shure PSM 300.

Lighting: Dual GVM LED panels.

IO: OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock. Uplink: long Ethernet run.

Platform: a paid Zoom account with the enhanced media add-on.

Control & Automation Triggers: Elgato Stream Deck.

For the fans of the nitty gritty, this is the full wiring diagram.

You’ll notice there are no displays on this list. They are one of the more fragile components a packed studio could include, and cheaper to buy than to fly. I’d planned to pick up a couple when I landed, but never needed to. The places I rented had more than I could ever use. The rig, as designed, ran with a single display. I lucked out and used three.

Travel setup

I expected to spend three months tolerating a travel setup. Instead, I forgot I wasn’t at home. Not only did the rig surpass my expectations, it did so by eliminating the countless little quick-fix gadgets that I’d spent years buying for the main studio. No single niche gadget contributed more than a whisper to the complexity of the studio.

Over the years, they’ve converged into an outright shout. The components, having performed perfectly all summer, now sit packed in its original pair of cases at Stanford awaiting our return flight.

Compared to my usual rig, the only tell that I was somewhere else was the blank white wall behind me. It’s true that a permanent studio has other, non-technical benefits. An in-frame space which can silently express your career, interests or achievements can’t fit in two Pelican cases. At home, my backdrop is full of old lenses colorfully lit and beautifully in bokeh: a proper wall of depreciation!

I used to believe a remote rig earned its portability by cutting corners. Nothing could be further from the truth. Optimization is how we improve with practice. The trick is noticing when an optimization has outlived the situation that produced it.

Once you can see a better way and leave things as they are, you’ve taken on technical debt. At best, this technical debt costs a project its elegance, at worst it stacks up enough complexity to push an ambitious project past feasible.

Workflows

There’s a line from The Dark Knight I can’t get out of my head: “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” That happens to workflows!

Every one of them started as somebody’s clever answer to a real problem: remote access into a workstation because a Mac mini couldn’t run the job or approval loops built for the era before anyone could see the same frame at the same time. Those were heroes of their day. Some still can be. The rest remained long after the problem went away.

The primary assumption I had to overcome this summer was that remote, by its very nature, is lesser than professional. The workflows we built around it are a cast still protecting a limb that isn’t there.

A broadcast is just someone trying to reach other people who aren’t in the same room. By that definition, every video call can have the same clarity and authority as a broadcast. This lesson applies to everyone. Let’s test my theory.

A background blur that can’t decide when hair is foreground between one frame and the next is a small thing. The cognitive load it imposes might not rise to the level of conscious awareness when it occurs. Yet, your recognition of it, be it on your last call or your next, is proof that it has occurred to you before.

See that as an opportunity to raise the standards and the friction becomes an opportunity to prepare. Such preparation for a call is like dressing up for a formal meeting. It automatically says that the occasion was worth looking and sounding your best

Walt Disney once asked his Imagineers why the animatronic birds in the Enchanted Tiki Room didn’t breathe. The mechanism was tedious, they explained, and nobody in the audience would ever notice. He said, "People can feel perfection."

Nobody needs to name what was wrong with a virtual meeting to know they’d rather not sit through another one which felt virtual.

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