Technology

Can anyone look at the Nothing Headphone 1 for the first time without cracking a smile? It was the talk of TechRadar's Sydney office when I unboxed it for the first time and has practically everyone else I've shown cooed over. And that's because it wears its best aspects on the outside.

The Nothing Headphone 1 is a breath of fresh air among otherwise well-tuned but very same-same headphones. I'm sure I'll have stirred some strong reactions with that statement, but hear me out, please.

I might be focused on covering smartphones at TechRadar (having just gone hands-on with the Nothing Phone 3), but it's still pretty obvious in my opinion that the overwhelming majority of over-ear headphones feature neutral, uninspired aesthetics, incorporating ovular cups and typically single-tone colorways without much style to speak of. Touch buttons are common, as are limited color options.

In protest, the Headphone 1’s cups are squared, with the exterior sporting an aesthetic evoking retro sci-fi hits like Blade Runner and Akira. A combination of metals and plastics have been employed to make the Headphone 1 feel unique wherever your fingers may land, and unlike the company's phones – which you'd be inclined to put in a case – the aesthetic of these headphones are on full display at all times.

And, best of all, there are no touch controls – a feature I’m growing increasingly tired of across all the tech that I review, from wearables to electric cars. This is the bit I’m most head over heels for, and when mixed with a fairly modest price point, I believe the Headphone 1 represents the best realization of Nothing’s vision yet.

The Nothing Headphone 1 is iconic and, by my estimation, it's the tech of the moment.

Nothing’s cooking

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

I don’t believe Nothing needs its headphones to offer the best sound quality among its close competition. Indeed as you would have read in our Nothing Headphone 1 review, sound can come across as compressed from these cans – but I’m smitten by all the aspects that the company aces to place too much weight on its soundscape – after all, sound is a personal preference.

Nothing’s distinctive aesthetic will no doubt weed out many potential customers, but as with Nothing’s phones, the style has its fans. This is exactly the kind of aesthetic that appeals to me, harking back to retro designs while also feeling fresh and unique in its own regard. It’s bold, different and to some extent underscores the design chops that companies like Apple were known for years ago (think the iMac G3).

And I could harp on about the aesthetics for an entire article, but I’ll save you the boredom by moving onto Nothing’s silver bullet – real buttons. The tech industry at large, so dedicated to efficiency and maximized savings, forgot that tactile buttons actually feel really great to use, and give the user much more confidence over their product (in that they’ll be better informed about what buttons have been pressed, ergo what functions are activated).

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The volume is controlled by what Nothing calls the Roller, a horizontally moved cylinder on the edge of the headphones, which can also be pressed to pause, play, and switch between ANC and transparency (more on that later). It’s a button of all trades, in effect, and something rarely seen in the headphone industry these days. The Sonos Ace and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have multi-function buttons, but I’m not aware of many sets that give one button so many functions.

Meanwhile, a ‘paddle’ below the Roller selects the next or previous track, while also offering answering and rejecting calls. An additional button to the top right of the right cup then activates your voice assistant on Android and iOS platforms, but can also be bound to several other functions on Nothing OS (or if you use a Nothing Phone). There's one more button on the inside of the right cup, but that's only used for Bluetooth pairing.

This just makes me so happy! So long and farewell to the annoyance of not activating a function like skip or pause because a touch control failed to notice the delicacy of your finger press.

Better yet, with most of the headphones’ exterior left without any buttons in the way, the headphones are showing off quite a lot of free space. On the one hand, that’s space I’m happy to leave exposed as they look great. On the other, I want to cover these bad boys in stickers, and that’s the kind of thought Nothing’s fun philosophy feeds into.

Wrapping up the things I really love about these headphones, the active noise cancellation is extremely impressive – on par with Sony headphones I've used in the past – and powerful enough to sufficiently remove the audio from a room with a live DJ standing right beside me. I like getting work done with noise cancellation turned all the way up, so this is super satisfying for me.

Nothing’s perfect

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

There are only a couple of things that I’m hoping Nothing will change with either software updates or upcoming product releases.

The first might seem kind of strange, but believe me when I tell you it’s unnerving. Nothing’s sound effects with the Headphone 1 are uncomfortable. Switching to transparency mode gives an effect that sounds like someone’s breathing in your ear, while other sound effects feel aggressive and way too tight – such as a bass thud when switching on noise cancellation, or a sci-fi computer beep when switching off ANC or transparency.

I get it, Nothing has a very deliberate approach to aesthetics and design, and that extends to its sound effects, but this is just too much – you can be unique without being weird.

Another is that the headphones are quite tight on my head – and I have a fairly average-sized head! After a while of use, the Headphone 1 starts to feel uncomfortable, so I’m hoping the company releases an upsized model or makes an adjustable band for the second-gen model.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

There’s also obviously the issues reviewers have raised with sound. Indeed my Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones produce more balanced sound despite being a slightly older set of cans, with deeper bass and richer audio. For a pair of headphones as expensive as they are, you’d certainly expect the Headphone 1 to be up to scratch – especially as they’ve been tuned in collaboration with British hi-fi stalwart KEF.

Now, don't get me wrong: the sound is great and passable, but I’d certainly like it to be better. Unfortunately, while you’re given a decent amount of audio profile tweaking via the Nothing X app, you can’t make the headphones produce sound that just sounds more dynamic.

I would still encourage anyone who appreciates the design to audition the Headphone 1, of course, as what may not sound quite right for me may sound fantastic to you – as I've already alluded, sound is personal. Reviews can only provide so much information, if you like the sound a product produces, then that’s the right one for you.

Apart from that, I genuinely don’t think there’s anything else wrong with the Nothing Headphone 1: it’s well weighted, can go flatly compact and has some of the best ANC I’ve ever heard.

Nothing’s on the rise

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Four years after releasing its first product, the Ear 1 earbuds in 2021, followed by a competitive portfolio of aesthetically interesting tech, Nothing has finally tipped its hand to reveal its most impressive product yet – a device that genuinely one-ups the competition with an exceptional user interface.

It’s really that simple. The Nothing Headphone 1 might not have the best sound quality of all the headphones on the market, but it’s certainly one of the most exciting options. The aesthetic rocks, it has a great feature set and ultimately it’s not priced inaccessibly (and chances are you might find it getting a good discount when Black Friday 2025 comes calling later in the year).

I’m really excited to see what a next-generation set of Headphones from Nothing shapes up to be like. For now, I think I’ll be using the Nothing Headphone 1 as my daily audio device instead of my Sonys or my Samsung buds, and that is saying something.

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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 27.

• Sandisk enlists top computing minds to shape flash-based memory alternative for AI
• HBF memory backed by RISC and GPU leaders promises high bandwidth and massive capacity
• Patterson and Koduri join Sandisk to guide flash memory expansion beyond HBM limits

Sandisk has appointed two leading figures in computing to help shape the direction of its high-capacity memory tech for AI workloads.

Professor David Patterson and Raja Koduri have joined Sandisk’s new Technical Advisory Board to provide strategic and technical input on High Bandwidth Flash (HBF), a flash-based alternative to High Bandwidth Memory (HBM).

Patterson is credited for co-developing Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) and Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID), and will lead the advisory board. Koduri is known for his leadership in graphics architecture, having overseen GPU designs at AMD and Intel.

Decades of experience

Together, they bring decades of experience across computing, memory systems, and large-scale architecture.

“We’re honored to have two distinguished computer architecture experts join our Technical Advisory Board,” said Alper Ilkbahar, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Sandisk.

“Their collective experience and strategic counsel will be instrumental in shaping HBF as the future memory standard for the AI industry, and affirming we not only meet but exceed the expectations of our customers and partners.”

Patterson said, “HBF shows the promise of playing an important role in datacenter AI by delivering unprecedented memory capacity at high bandwidth, enabling inference workloads to scale far beyond today’s constraints. It could drive down costs of new AI applications that are currently unaffordable.”

Koduri added, “HBF is set to revolutionize edge AI by equipping devices with memory capacity and bandwidth capabilities that will support sophisticated models running locally in real time. This advancement will unlock a new era of intelligent edge applications, fundamentally changing how and where AI inference is performed.”

HBF is designed to match the bandwidth of HBM while offering up to 8 times the capacity at a similar cost.

Built with BiCS flash, CBA wafer bonding, and proprietary stacking that allows 16 dies per package, HBF offers a new way to expand GPU memory without relying entirely on expensive DRAM.

While not a direct replacement for HBM, HBF shares the same electrical interface and only requires minimal protocol changes.

Sandisk previously demonstrated how an AI GPU using only HBM might support 192GB of memory, but by combining it with HBF, that figure could reach 3TB.

In a configuration using only HBF, memory capacity could scale up to 4TB.

The technology was first revealed at Sandisk’s Future FWD 2025 investor event back in February 2025, alongside its roadmap for future HBF generations.

These updates show increases in capacity and bandwidth over time, with some tradeoffs in energy efficiency.

By forming an advisory board and seeking open standard development, Sandisk is trying to avoid locking the market into proprietary solutions.

This may help it gain traction against rivals like Samsung and SK Hynix which are both heavily invested in the HBM space.

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• Dell’s $250 laptop beats its own entry-level desktop and rivals more expensive models
• The cheapest Dell desktop lacks Windows, while next options start at $599.99
• At under half the price, Dell's laptop offers full PC experience with modern specs

Desktops used to be the default for affordable computing, offering more power, easier upgrades, and better value.

Components can be swapped out, memory increased, and parts repaired when needed - which is much harder to do with laptops, which typically have elements like memory soldered in place.

But if you’re in the market for a budget PC, then you might not want to be considering a desktop -case in point, Dell is now offering a 15-inch laptop for just $250.

Far cheaper than a desktop

The Dell 15 laptop is currently $130 cheaper than its usual $379.99 asking price. That’s nearly half the price of Dell’s least expensive desktop, the $439 OptiPlex 3000 Thin Client. It’s not just about cost either.

The default laptop configuration comes with Windows 11 Home, an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor, 8GB of LPDDR5 memory, and a 512GB SSD. It also includes a 15.6-inch Full HD 120Hz screen, Wi-Fi, and ports for basic connectivity, including one USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, one USB 2.0 port, and a universal audio jack.

The OptiPlex desktop doesn’t run Windows, rather it uses Dell’s ThinOS, only has 64GB of onboard storage, and lacks Wi-Fi entirely.

It’s meant for narrow business environments, not general use, so for the average buyer, it’s hard to recommend unless they’re locked into a specific setup.

Looking beyond that, Dell’s next Windows-ready desktops start at $599.99. The Dell Slim Desktop includes a Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 512GB SSD. It does offer more power but also costs more than twice as much as the laptop.

The Dell Tower Desktop at $749.99 bumps things up with a Core Ultra 7 chip, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. But again, that’s triple the price.

For most users, especially students, small business owners or casual users, those upgrades may not be needed anyway.

The $250 Dell 15 Laptop delivers a full experience that covers everything from web browsing to light productivity.

Desktops still make sense for users who need expansion or maximum performance of course, but on the low end, the gap is closing fast. In some cases, it may already be gone.

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Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 27, No. 307.

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• Bitdefender Security for Creators now monitors Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for unauthorized account changes or mass deletions
• Over 184 million login credentials are exposed, many tied to creator social media accounts
• Financial losses from online scams have crossed $1 trillion, with creators becoming prime targets

Influencers and digital creatives are increasingly targeted by phishing scams and account hijacking, and Bitdefender has revealed a new platform in order to address this threat.

The company says it is expanding its reach into the online creator economy with new updates to its Security for Creators suite, now offering coverage for Facebook and Instagram.

Bitdefender claims its new product offers creators a more focused and proactive form of protection, covering not only their content accounts but also their devices.

Rising threats underline the need for creator-focused security

Online scams and credential leaks are reportedly accelerating, with Bitdefender claiming over 184 million sets of login credentials were recently found exposed online, many linked to Instagram and Facebook.

At the same time, scam-driven financial losses have topped $1 trillion globally, according to recent data.

“Online creators are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals who weaponize trust to take over accounts and scam followers out of money or into downloading malware,” stated Ciprian Istrate, senior vice president of operations, Consumer Solutions Group at Bitdefender.

“Bitdefender Security for Creators offers the first end-to-end service to help safeguard creators’ accounts, content, and devices across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, delivering continuous, always-on security as online threats evolve.”

The continuous monitoring feature across the different social media platforms looks for signs of unauthorized activity, such as mass deletion of content or unapproved changes to profile settings.

Bitdefender says these signs can point to possible account takeovers, and that alerts are sent immediately if anomalies are detected.

Creators are also offered the ability to manage their account security, malware scans, and threat alerts from a unified control panel.

Regular antivirus scans mostly protects the device, and this all-in-one design could appeal to influencers juggling multiple platforms.

From a single dashboard, users can track device scans across different operating systems, with support for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Bitdefender places particular emphasis on its AI-based anti-phishing features, claiming they can detect scams disguised as partnership requests and even spot phishing content generated using large language models.

The company also introduces support for collaborative protection, allowing creators to extend coverage to team members like editors or social media managers.

In the event of a compromise, users are given a recovery playbook to restore account access and manage communications with their audience.

For Bitdefender, the expansion reflects an attempt to capture a market it describes as underserved.

Yet whether digital creators will adopt a dedicated service in place of existing Android antivirus apps or broader social media management tools remains the big question.

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Fortnite OG is running its first ever live event later today (July 26, 2025). It's a recreation of the rocket launch that happened all the way back in 2018, which culminated in the first appearance of the crack in the sky that has now become a mainstay of the game.

Fortnite OG Blast Off live event - key info on the rocket launch

Fortnite OG Blast Off live event start time
Fortnite OG Blast Off event duration
What to expect from the Blast Off live event
How to watch the Fortnite OG rocket launch event
Live coverage as it happens

Now that Fortnite OG is a permanent mode, we can look forward to a new Fortnite OG season launching in early August. Before then, there's the Blast Off event, as well as regular updates that add new weapons into the loot pool. So far, this season has really switched things up, and it's been a real treat to revisit Risky Reels and Dusty Divot. It's changes like these that have kept Fortnite well and truly cemented as one of the best free games to play in 2025.

Here's TechRadar Gaming's live coverage of the Fortnite OG rocket launch live event. I'll be detailing everything you need to know in the hours leading up to the event, as well as some details on what to expect. Once the rocket launch is live, I'll be giving my impressions as it unfolds. Stay tuned to see how this one compares to the 2018 original.

Fortnite OG Blast Off live event start time

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite OG's Blast Off live event will start on July 26 at 2pm ET / 11am PT / 7pm BST. You'll likely want to load into the game half an hour prior to the start, just to make sure you've secured a spot in the queue.

Fortnite OG Blast Off event duration

(Image credit: Epic Games)

The original rocket launch event in Fortnite only lasted a few minutes, but I'm betting things will be a bit different this time around.

We'll have to wait and see what tricks Epic has planned, but given that this is the first major live event for Fortnite OG, we could see a remix on the original event's pacing. If it's just the exact same sequence again, expect the live event to last around 5 minutes at most.

What to expect from the Blast Off live event

(Image credit: Epic Games)

So far, we don't know all that much about the upcoming Blast Off live event that'll take place on Saturday (July 26). If it ends up just being a repeat of the same event that aired back in 2018, then we'll see the rocket launch, before it's intercepted and steered through multiple rifts. The event will culminate in voice lines from The Visitor, and a huge rift crack will be left in the skies above the Fortnite OG island.

I'm hoping that Epic Games finds a way to remix the original event, adding a bit more player interaction and spectacle to proceedings. Fortnite events have gotten quite a bit more complex since 2018, so it'd be great to see a modern take on the classic rocket launch event.

Personally, I'd love to be a little closer to the action than before, perhaps following the rocket as it makes its way into space.

How to watch the Fortnite OG rocket launch event

From the darkest depths of space… pic.twitter.com/u6ygBDy8HuJuly 15, 2025

To watch the Fortnite OG rocket launch event, make sure to load into the game 30 minutes before the specified start time. Select Fortnite OG and wait for the event to start.

It's possible that there may be a separate playlist, which will go live prior to the event. Then, you just need to sit back and find a place to watch.

With the rocket launch, you'll be able to look up into the skies to see the rocket get intercepted. Last time, you were given a sort of floating drone view of things, so shouldn't have to worry about missing anything.

Live coverage as it happensLet's launch a rocket!

Mystery is on a collision course with danger.Strap in, the OG Rocket Launch Event is live today at 2 PM ET! pic.twitter.com/Hje3UD3DQkJuly 26, 2025

Hello and welcome to my live coverage of Fortnite OG's Blast Off event. I'll be giving my impressions as the event happens, detailing the event that starts in just over an hour.

Here's the key info

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite OG will air its first ever live event at 2pm ET / 11am PT / 7pm BST. It's a recreation of the rocket launch that happened back in 2018, and we should see the spacefaring craft get intercepted and thrown through multiple rifts.

How to watch the rocket launch

You'll be able to jump into Fortnite OG and watch the rocket launch live. Make sure you get in a little early, I'd recommend half an hour, just to make sure you get your place in the queue.

Blast Off event - Live Soon

(Image credit: Epic Games)

If you head into Fortnite OG now, you'll see a pop up message indicating that the Blast Off event will soon go live. We'll have to wait and see whether there's a separate playlist, or if the event will just naturally trigger during matches.

You can still play Fortnite OG while you wait

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite OG won't be experiencing any downtime around the rocket launch, so you can still hop in and play. We're currently on Season 4

Just 45 minutes to go!

(Image credit: Epic Games)

The Fortnite OG Blast Off event will begin in just 45 minutes. Make sure your game is updated to the latest version, and select a Fortnite OG playlist to get entry into a match once the show starts.

Fortnite original rocket launch

(Image credit: Epic Games)

The original rocket launch happened in Fortnite during Season 4. This was the season that ran in 2018, so it's been a while since players were able to witness the now iconic event.

Last time, the rocket launched, and players could watch it climb up high into the skies above the island. Then, a transmission from The Visitor played out, and the rocket was intercepted. The rocket travelled through multiple rift portals before leaving a huge crack in the sky.

20 minutes to go!

Rocket launch tailgate this weekend @ where? pic.twitter.com/2mLDQ3ippsJuly 23, 2025

Fortnite OG's Blast Off rocket launch will start in 20 minutes. I'll be jumping into a match 15 minutes beforehand to see if there's a safe zone of any kind. Stay tuned!

Matchmaking Error (#1)

(Image credit: Epic Games)

It seems Fortnite OG servers are currently overloaded, as players are being greeted with a Matchmaking Error (#1) message. Keep trying to load in, hopefully servers will be opened up closer to the event. I had the error previously, but got in eventually, so keep trying!

Damage has been turned off

It seems as if the storm circle and player damage have been turned off for the event. You won't have to worry about surviving long enough to see the rocket launch then.

Just 1 minute to go!

Get yourself a good view of the rocket launch. Sit back, and enjoy the show!

We have liftoff!

(Image credit: Epic Games)

The rocket has launched, and is now soaring up towards space. The Visitor can now be heard too.

The final rift is red this time around!

(Image credit: Epic Games)

It appears that the Blast Off event played out precisely as before, except for one key detail. The crack that appeared in the sky at the end is red this time, rather than blue. We'll have to see what this means, but it's clear that Epic Games has some tricks up its sleeves.

A red butterfly

Just before the rocket launch, I saw a red butterfly appear and circle around my character. This matches the color of the rift crack that appeared at the end of the event.

So, what's next?

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite OG Season 4 still lasts until August 8, 2025. If things follow the pattern of the original run, we'll start to see rifts appearing around the island, in the aftermath of the Blast Off event. These rifts will pull objects out of the island and replace them with objects from other worlds. This all leads into Season 5, which will have the theme of "Worlds Collide".

• LTO tape sets new capacity record with 176.5 exabytes shipped
• Compression inflates numbers masking real 70.6EB uncompressed data capacity
• LTO-10 costs rise threatening tape’s long-standing affordability advantage

The LTO Program, backed by HPE, IBM, and Quantum, has reported a new high in tape capacity shipments, with 176.5 Exabytes of LTO media shipped in 2024.

The announcement says this marks the fourth straight year of growth for the tape format, driven by expanding hybrid cloud strategies and the demands of AI and machine learning infrastructure.

The figure, though, comes with an asterisk. The 176.5EB is a compressed capacity total, not the raw figure. Based on the LTO program’s standard 2.5:1 compression ratio, the uncompressed total is closer to 70.6EB. That’s the actual amount of real data the tapes could hold if compression doesn’t apply.

Pricing hurdles

Since compression depends on data type - some files compress well, others like video or encrypted data barely at all - these numbers can be misleading in terms of practical storage delivered.

“Setting a new growth record for the fourth year in a row, LTO tape technology continues to prove its longevity as a leading enterprise storage solution,” said Bruno Hald, General Manager, Secondary Storage, Quantum.

“Organizations navigating their way through the AI/ML era need to reconfigure their storage architectures to keep up, and LTO tape technology is an essential piece of the puzzle for those seeking a cost-friendly, sustainable, and secure solution to support modern technology implementation and the resulting data growth. We look forward to introducing the next iteration of LTO tape technology this year to bring enhanced storage capabilities to the enterprise,” he added.

Those “cost-friendly” advantages are coming under pressure, however.

LTO-10, the latest generation of tape, carries a high price tag, with cartridges selling for between $275 and $315. That puts it just over 2x the cost per (native) terabyte compared to earlier versions, and while the capacity of LTO-10 is higher, the speed remains the same as LTO-9.

Phil Goodwin of IDC sees LTO as part of a broader strategy. “Tape’s unique combination of scalability, cost-efficiency, and cyber resilience makes it a valuable component for enterprises,” he said.

While tape still offers long-term value, especially as part of a tiered storage model, the price of LTO-10 may slow adoption.

For many businesses, spending hundreds per cartridge could be difficult to justify when lower-cost options like cloud cold storage continue to expand.

The LTO Program emphasizes tape’s offline resilience and low energy draw, but its strongest selling point has always been price.

At $315 for 30TB native storage, that’s a tougher story to tell.

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• Exascend 30.72TB PE4 SSD claims to avoid thermal throttling even at 70°C
• Uses predictive thermal algorithms to keep performance stable in hot, compact deployments
• Consumes just 7 watts when active and below 1.5 watts when idle

In a market dominated by Kioxia and Samsung, Exascend has introduced what it calls the industry's first 30.72TB SSD in a 7mm U.2 form factor.

The company appears to be targeting thermal-challenged deployments, such as edge servers and compact AI systems, where airflow is constrained and power budgets are tight.

Exasecnd says its new PE4 series maintains consistent throughput in ambient temperatures up to 70°C without suffering performance-hindering thermal throttling, an issue that typically plagues high-density storage solutions.

Specs positioned for the enterprise edge

This heat control is achieved through its proprietary Adaptive Thermal Control technology, which is supported by a mix of predictive algorithms, optimized controller layouts, and a casing designed for improved heat dissipation.

While the underlying approach seems to borrow from known principles of passive heat management, how well it performs in real-world data center deployments remains to be seen.

The PE4 drives use 3D TLC NAND and a PCIe Gen4 x4 interface, delivering up to 1 DWPD endurance and a 2-million-hour MTBF.

This rating is typical for enterprise drives of this class, but the long-term viability of such high-capacity SSDs in continuous-write environments will need verification.

On the security front, the drive offers AES-256 hardware encryption and TCG OPAL 2.0 compliance.

It also supports end-to-end data protection via LDPC and RAID-level parity.

The SSD uses hardware-based power-loss protection and support for field-upgradeable firmware, which makes it useful for edge deployments where physical access is limited.

“The PE4 30.72TB isn’t just an incremental step forward. It’s a paradigm shift for edge and on-premises storage,” said Frank Chen, CEO at Exascend.

“By delivering 30.72TB of storage in a 7mm slim form factor while cutting power consumption by 50%, we enable customers to scale storage density without overhauling existing thermal design or server layout.”

The PE4 power consumption is 7 watts when active and less than 1.5 watts when idle.

This is claimed to be 70 percent lower than what most other drives use.

It is not clear if this level of efficiency stays the same under mixed workloads, but if it does, it could help reduce cooling needs and make systems more energy efficient.

In addition to the 30.72TB model, Exascend also launched a 23.04TB version that retains the same 7mm form factor, thermal control features, and power efficiency, making it a more affordable option for deployments that don’t require maximum density.

“For customers that need a sweet spot between 15.36TB and 30.72TB, our new 23.04TB model delivers extra storage headroom at a more budget-friendly price point,” Chen added.

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It's fairly well known now that the source behind the success of handheld gaming PCs in the past few years is Valve's Steam Deck. After launching in 2022, it went on to become a huge success, stemming from its affordability, making it the easiest and one of the most inexpensive ways to play PC games.

SteamOS is a huge factor in its success, with a simple console-like UI that allows gamers to jump straight into games without tweaks or configurations. At $399 / £349 / AU$649, it is arguably the best handheld gaming device on the market, keeping gaming experiences fun with reasonable performance at a price that a large majority of gamers can afford.

While it would be naive of me to expect much more powerful hardware to release at the same price range as the Steam Deck, it doesn't change this one matter: handheld gaming PCs are becoming far too expensive, specifically from mainstream manufacturers like MSI, Asus, and Lenovo.

It's not like expensive handhelds are suddenly a new thing; handhelds before the Steam Deck were more niche and up in the $1,000 department. However, the reason handhelds have suddenly become popular again is because of the Steam Deck's pricing, while still being able to deliver good performance in multiple Steam games.

You could argue that the jump in pricing is justified, since new handhelds wield more powerful hardware. That's true. Still, the difference in performance capabilities between something like the Asus ROG Ally Z1 Extreme versus the MSI Claw 8 AI+ isn't enough to warrant such a huge retail price for the latter device.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ and MSI Claw A8 are prime examples of steep pricing

(Image credit: MSI)

Don't get me wrong, the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is the best handheld I've used so far, as you'll eventually see in an upcoming review. The performance boosts coming from an Asus ROG Ally are very noticeable, and the battery life gave me a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, that's not enough to go from a device like the Asus ROG Ally that has a $649 / £599 / AU$1,299 retail price (which often has significant discounts now), to one that's just under $1,000, at $899 / £899 / AU$1,799 (and the price has now increased to $999 for US consumers). It's also worth noting that the Claw A8, using AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, is around the same price based on listings at European retailers, and early benchmarks suggest it may be on the same level as the Claw 8 AI+ or slightly worse in performance.

It makes matters worse when you realize that there's little to no availability for these handhelds in many regions – and in all fairness, this is likely due to the recent issues with tariffs, but frankly, consumers won't care about that.

Perhaps, an easy solution would be to ensure that expensive handhelds have much cheaper counterparts; MSI (and others) have done this with its Claw 7 AI+ that uses the same Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor as the Claw 8 AI+, but just has a smaller 7-inch screen and a 54.5 WHr battery.

Its retail price is $799.99 / around £700, which is still a hefty sum, but far more reasonable compared to $899. The problem is I've yet to come across a single listing of this device at any retailer in the UK – and if you're in the US, its price has jumped up to $899 on Best Buy, the same retail price the MSI Claw 8 AI+ was at before it saw an increase.

(Image credit: Future)

It's not just the MSI Claw either, as rumors about the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally suggest we could see similar price patterns of between $800 and $1,000, depending on the configuration.

The Asus ROG Ally X is also a culprit, priced at $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,599, and it's another device that has seen a $100 price increase, available at Best Buy for $899.

The same also applies to the Lenovo Legion Go S Z1 Extreme model, which has seemingly almost disappeared off the face of the earth, with one of the only listings I've seen available at Best Buy. That's available for $829.99. Do you see what I mean now?

We're fast approaching a stage where Valve's template of keeping its Steam Deck models affordable is forgotten, and instead, taking handheld PC gaming back to its old niche status. I understand that some will be willing to bite the bullet and pay these prices for stronger gaming performance, but the longevity of the handhelds will likely suffer, as a large majority of gamers won't be able to afford them.

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• The Steam Deck 2 and a home console are reportedly in the works – and Sony may be helping to turn the handheld into the portable PlayStation game device I really want
• Help us, Lenovo, you're our only hope – Legion Go 2's prototype and OLED screen should worry Nintendo, MSI, and other handheld makers
• Sorry MSI, but you blew it – the Claw A8 is overpriced and could struggle to compete against cheaper rivals like the Steam Deck

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, July 26 (game #1279).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1280) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1280) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1280) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1280) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1280) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• B

• P

• M

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

Quordle today (game #1280) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1280, are…

• TRAWL
• BALER
• PIANO
• MINCE

Today’s game was a bit of a bruiser for me, and I needed three guesses in order to eventually get BALER. A machine used to make hay bales is not the first thing that pops into the head, but then Quordle is fond of stretching us.

My struggles came after I’d taken an age to wrestle PIANO out of my brain, following some intensive head scratching. 

I hope it was all less of an ordeal for you.

Daily Sequence today (game #1280) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1280, are…

• BLEAK
• UNWED
• GREED
• KNEEL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1279, Saturday, 26 July: MUDDY, SAINT, KINKY, POLAR
• Quordle #1278, Friday, 25 July: BONUS, RESIN, CEDAR, MADAM
• Quordle #1277, Thursday, 24 July: AGONY, VERVE, GLEAN, MINUS
• Quordle #1276, Wednesday, 23 July: OZONE, PENCE, ROOMY, WIDER
• Quordle #1275, Tuesday, 22 July: OPTIC, GIDDY, VOCAL, ADULT
• Quordle #1274, Monday, 21 July: KNEED, SNAIL, PINTO, FEAST
• Quordle #1273, Sunday, 20 July: GRACE, COUNT, EGRET, GIANT
• Quordle #1272, Saturday, 19 July: EARLY, CLICK, TRITE, SPREE
• Quordle #1271, Friday, 18 July: CINCH, FOYER, FUDGE, TAFFY
• Quordle #1270, Thursday, 17 July: CRESS, TABOO, POWER, HATER
• Quordle #1269, Wednesday, 16 July: UNCLE, NADIR, REMIT, BROOM
• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, July 26 (game #776).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #777) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HALLOWEEN
• PICNIC
• EASY
• GRADE
• CHILD'S PLAY
• ELEMENTARY
• CON GAME
• TAILGATE
• GRAMMAR
• MAGIC SHOW
• BLOCK PARTY
• PIECE OF CAKE
• FESTIVAL
• NO SWEAT
• PRIMARY
• HEARTS

NYT Connections today (game #777) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Not a problem
• GREEN: Al fresco fun
• BLUE: Followed by a word that rhymes with “fool”
• PURPLE: Who’s fooling who?

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #777) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: "NOTHING TO IT!" 
• GREEN: OUTDOOR EVENTS 
• BLUE: WORDS BEFORE "SCHOOL" 
• PURPLE: ASSOCIATED WITH TRICKS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #777) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #777, are…

• YELLOW: "NOTHING TO IT!" CHILD'S PLAY, EASY, NO SWEAT, PIECE OF CAKE
• GREEN: OUTDOOR EVENTS BLOCK PARTY, FESTIVAL, PICNIC, TAILGATE
• BLUE: WORDS BEFORE "SCHOOL" ELEMENTARY, GRADE, GRAMMAR, PRIMARY
• PURPLE: ASSOCIATED WITH TRICKS CON GAME, HALLOWEEN, HEARTS, MAGIC SHOW

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

My one mistake today was putting ELEMENTARY instead of EASY in the group that became “NOTHING TO IT!”, something that wouldn’t have happened if I’d have looked at the board longer, rather than rushing in.

I had the quote “elementary, my dear Watson” in my head, of course – although in this case it was far from, erm, elementary (and although it's actually a misquote anyway, and never appears in the original Sherlock Holmes stories).

Instead, Elementary was part of the WORDS BEFORE ”SCHOOL” group, together with the less common (depending on where you are) alternatives of PRIMARY, GRADE and GRAMMAR. All in all, no PICNIC.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, July 26, game #776)

• YELLOW: HERBS AND SPICES ANISE, DILL, MACE, SAGE
• GREEN: SHADES OF GREEN BOTTLE, HUNTER, KELLY, PEA
• BLUE: TRAVEL ON FOOT HIKE, MARCH, TRAMP, TREK
• PURPLE: STARTS OF EUROPEAN CAPITALS COPE, LUXE, SARA, WARS

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, July 26 (game #510).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #511) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… That's a good look

NYT Strands today (game #511) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• EXAM
• ZINE
• SNAIL
• TINY
• GREEN
• DINE

NYT Strands today (game #511) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #511) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 3rd column

Last side: top, 2nd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #511) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #511, are…

• STUDY
• EXAMINE
• SURVEY
• WEIGH
• INSPECT
• SCRUTINIZE
• SPANGRAM: ANALYSIS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

My first thought when I saw the theme was that we would be searching for something to do with fashion trends.

After finding STUDY in the grid I was initially puzzled, especially as it was sitting right next to what I initially tapped out as "exam" before adding the I-N-E for EXAMINE. The Spangram came next, which finally settled my befuddled mind.

I was initially thrown by the letter Z in SCRUTINIZE (I'm in the UK, where we use an 'S'), but not enough to trouble me for long. A satisfyingly tricky – but not too tricky – game.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, July 26, game #510)

• ASSEMBLE
• CONVENE
• GATHER
• MEET
• MUSTER
• CONGREGATE
• SPANGRAM: REUNION

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

• Lucid’s Air model lacks the native NACS charge port of the newer Gravity
• As a result, Lucid now offers an adaptor to customers
• But it comes at a cost and throttles charging speeds

Californian EV manufacturer Lucid has announced that it will offer owners of older Air models the chance to purchase a DC NACS-to-CCS1 adapter that will allow the vehicles to charge from Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network.

The adaptor, which costs $220 excluding taxes, will work with any V3 Supercharger and above, with owners paying for the charge via the Lucid App, with a credit card saved to their Lucid Wallet.

However, due to the high-tech 924V electrical architecture touted by the Lucid Air, which allows it to charge at 300kW or higher for ultra rapid top-ups, the optional adaptor will see charging speeds throttled to just 50kW from Tesla’s 400V charging outlets.

Lucid says this will allow drivers to gain up to 200 miles of range per hour of charging, giving owners “additional peace of mind while on the road”.

While not offering the fastest charging speeds, Tesla owns and operates more than 70,000 Superchargers across the globe, with almost 40,000 ports found dotted around the US, connecting east to west and north to south.

The Lucid Air already offers an impressive amount of all-electric range, but its 2026 Air Touring model will receive a 6% increase, taking the total EPA-estimated range to 431 miles. The remainder of the line-up can tackle a mammoth 512 miles on a single charge.

Analysis: EVs are out-pacing the charging network

(Image credit: Tesla)

Lucid’s optional adaptor might get a handful of owners out of a bind on the longest journeys, but it feels like an additional outlay for not a huge amount of benefit – 50kW charging speeds feel like an antiquity now.

But the issue that many new EV manufacturers are facing boils down to an existing and arguably aging charging network that was designed for 400V electrical architecture.

Porsche got around this with the ability to effectively split the pack of its 800V Macan EV. Although this is an expensive solution that is ultimately passed on to the consumer with high sticker prices.

Similarly, there was uproar when Mercedes-Benz suggested its newest 800V CLA wouldn’t be able to charge at 400V outlets, potentially robbing owners of the ability to plug into the vast array of legacy outlets still in operation.

Mercedes explained at the recent launch that only early models would be affected, stating that it will fit an adaptor to 2026 models that will allow the CLA to effectively charge at lower speeds.

Unfortunately, the global electric vehicle charging infrastructure is struggling to play catch up with the pace of innovation, with vast discrepancies between charging speeds offered in various countries and regions.

Even Tesla, which arguably introduced electric vehicles to the masses, is struggling to roll out its long-promised, next generation 500kW V4 Supercharger network.

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• The Lucid Air just broke the world record for the longest EV journey on a single charge – across three countries without stopping
• Lucid's affordable new SUV shows it's planning to overtake Tesla as the new EV king
• Lucid says its incoming Air Pure is the most efficient EV ever made