Technology

• Apple has patented a radical Apple Watch redesign
• It reveals a unique new foldable design with two inner displays and one outer display
• It also features a camera, and even rotating and sliding elements

A new patent has revealed that Apple is considering a radical redesign of the Apple Watch that would deliver a foldable dual-screen display and a camera.

The patent, innocuously dubbed 'wearable electronic device', was filed for by Apple back in September 2023 and published today, March 20.

First spotted by PatentlyApple, the filing reveals a wearable device "including a fixed portion and a movable portion" with a display assembly, and an optical sensor, presumably for registering when the display is opened and closed.

The patent text notes that even the best smartwatches available today "are limited in terms of screen size and functionality relative to their smartphone counterparts," and are as such preferred for many device interactions.

Apple highlights a "constant need for improved functionality of wearable electronic devices," hence its ground-breaking proposed redesign.

Is this the Apple Watch of the future?

(Image credit: Apple / USPTO)

The customary dense patent language is complemented by images that clearly reveal Apple's vision for a smartwatch of the future.

It references a device that contains both an outer display and an inner display, the latter being two displays hidden inside a folding mechanism akin to any foldable smartphone you might be familiar with.

One such iteration of the patent includes a "continuous" display, one unit joined by a folding mechanism, rather than two separate displays that fold out from each other.

There's also a reference to a movable, rotating portion that can move around an axis, as shown in the image above.

Another part of the patent references an outward and inward-facing camera pairing that could be used for taking pictures and answering FaceTime calls.

As you can imagine, this outlandish overhaul of the Apple Watch is nowhere near release, so don't expect to see a folding Apple Watch Ultra 3 with two cameras.

However, Apple has at least explored the idea of overhauling the design of the Apple Watch. By nature its form factor is small and limited in scope, so a folding display mechanism could be a novel solution to solving that problem.

Another recently revealed patent shows Apple is considering blood pressure monitoring tech powered by a liquid-filled sensor in the Apple Watch strap.

Of course, this is merely an idea committed to paper at this point, and may never see the light of day, but it's certainly an enticing look behind the scenes at how Apple considers designs for future tech, especially its wearables.

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• A bunch of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 images reveal how the show's first chapter will end
• Filming is well underway on the Marvel TV series' next installment
• The spoiler-filled stills were posted online in mid-March

It's time to be vigilant, erm, vigilantes, because some huge spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again's season 1 finale have already appeared online.

Surprisingly, though, those details weren't leaked by an industry insider on social media. Instead, they come by way of official behind-the-scenes shots snapped by photographers as filming continues on the Marvel TV show's second season.

I won't directly post the images in this article, but I plan on discussing what they reveal about the final episode of Daredevil's TV revival on Disney+. So, if you don't want to know anything about how season 1 will end or where its sequel will begin, I urge you to turn away now as major spoilers immediately follow.

What do the pictures tell us about Daredevil: Born Again's season 1 finale?

"...what do you mean Born Again season 1's finale has already been spoiled?" (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The first few images, which have circulated online since they were first uploaded last Tuesday (March 11), don't reveal anything hugely significant.

A couple of them confirm that Genneya Walton's B.B. Urich will be back for more on-the-beat reporting in one of the best Disney+ shows' second season, though, so she's set to survive the events of its forebear. Urich is seen speaking to a new addition to Born Again's cast for season 2, though, in the form of Sydney Parra. It's unclear who she'll be playing in the follow-up to this Marvel Phase 5 project (NB: Born Again season 2 will be part of the Marvel Phase 6 line-up).

Karen and Matt will be reunited in Born Again season 2, if not beforehand (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

It's the photographs that were uploaded to the internet on March 18, though, that contain the biggest spoilers.

For one, the images confirm that Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock will reunite with Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page. The pair had become estranged after Franklin Foggy Nelson's death in the season 1 premiere. It's made clear here, however, that the duo will patch things up before this season ends or its sequel entry begins.

That's not all. The pictures show Woll's Page sporting a dark red, bob-style haircut, which is a stark contrast to the long, blonde hairstyle she's had since a live-action Daredevil TV series was made. That program originally aired on Netflix, but is now available on Disney+, aka another of the world's best streaming services.

Cox's Murdock is also sporting something of a disguise. He's wearing plain clothes – complete with a goodie to hide his identity – and a knee-length coat, which is also a far cry from Murdock's classier attire in the suits that he wears as a lawyer. His crimefighting costume is nowhere to be seen, either.

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If the duo are wearing what passes as a disguise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), they must be on the run or trying to keep a low profile, right? It appears that way, especially when you read the small print on a missing person's poster – one that confirms Murdock is the MIA individual – that's been slapped on a nearby wall.

"Matt Murdock attended the Mayor's recent gala at Gracie Mansion," it reads. "Where he heroically saved Mayor Fisk's life by blocking an assassin's bullet, but was himself critically injured."

Wait, Murdock saved his archnemesis from being shot?! This isn't the first time that Fisk has been shot – his surrogate daughter Maya Lopez also tried to kill him in Hawkeye – but it's fascinating to read that Murdock actually stopped another Fisk assassination attempt.

What's even more intriguing is that, if Murdock saved Fisk's life, wouldn't the latter be grateful and call off his crusade to eradicate the so-called threat of New York's vigilante contingent? Evidently not, if Murdock and Page have gone into hiding. Oh, and based on the fact that the images also confirm Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Task Force is still patrolling the streets.

Who tries to assassinate Mayor Wilson Fisk? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The big question now is: who tries to kill Fisk? Will it be Bullseye, who's currently incarcerated but has the capacity to land every shot he takes? Is it Frank Castle/The Punisher, who'll have an ax to grind with Fisk with the latter going after lawless crimefighters? Could it be Muse, who finally made an appearance in Born Again episode 4? What about someone we haven't seen yet in the show?

Whoever it is, we know how Daredevil: Born Again's first season is largely going to end. Murdock will save Fisk's life, Fisk will continue his pursuit of vigilantes as New York Mayor, and Murdock and any of his allies will have to go into hiding or go on the run. We'll find out what actually happens when season 1's ninth and final episode arrives on April 15 (US) and April 16 (UK and Australia).

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• A popular spyware company has suffered a data breach
• Almost 2 million SpyX records were compromised
• The software monitors devices without the users knowledge or consent

A widely-used consumer-grade stalkerware operation was hit by a data breach in 2024, with millions of customers potentially affected.

A TechCrunch report claims the beach affected SpyX and two related mobile apps, impacting the information of almost 2 million people, including 17,000 Apple iCloud credentials.

Seemingly, neither the targets of the spyware, nor the customers of the software were ever notified of the breach, which reportedly occurred in June 2024.

SpyX breach

SpyX calls itself the ‘best phone monitoring App’, and provides ‘real-time recording, video, audio, and screenshots' of the target’s device.

It markets itself as a ‘parental control’ service, and operates stealthily, running without notifications or icons, so a target could be completely unaware of the invasive software installed on their device.

Exposed in the breach were IP addresses, email addresses, device information, 6-digit PINs, and iCloud credentials likely used to monitor targets through the cloud. This breach is the 25th mobile surveillance software to have suffered a breach or exposed victim or user data since 2017, TechCrunch notes, leaving anyone affected in serious danger of identity theft, fraud, or just a real threat to their privacy.

The existence and legitimization of spyware puts both victims and users at risk, as these malware tools can be injected easily but are incredibly difficult to detect. In July 2024, millions of spyware customers were exposed in a huge breach, and sensitive information was compromised.

Spyware, or stalkerware, lets users who buy the software install the app on devices belonging to children, employees, or partners (or anyone whose device they have access to), without their knowledge or consent.

Although these apps are designed to be undetectable, there are signs you may have been infected, like a device being unusually slow, crashing randomly and more often, or a sudden increase in ads and pop ups.

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Sales of vinyl are higher than they have been for 40 years, and these are over 20 of the best-sounding albums.

• Miele has launched Guard L1 Comfort XL cylinder vacuum
• Features a companion app, LDC screen, and automatic floor detection
• Available now in UK and Ireland, RRP £499

Miele has launched a new cylinder vacuum that boasts a range of cutting-edge features for a more efficient and low-effort cleaning routine. The Guard L1 Comfort XL vacuum features Wi-Fi integration, a companion app, and automatic floor detection – all features that appear on today's best cordless stick vacuums, but (until now), nowhere else.

The LCD screen – like you'd find on one of the best Dyson vacuums on the market – provides a useful way to convey information at a glance. It'll tell you what percentage full the dust bag is, so you don't have to worry about overfilling it and can make sure you're prepped with spares before you need them. It'll also tell you when the exhaust filter needs replacing, and provide warning notifications – for example, if there's a blockage that needs attention.

You can also access this information via a companion app. I'm not sure if you must have the companion app downloaded to use this machine effectively, but I hope not.

(Image credit: Miele)

Another useful feature ported in (rather late) from cordless stick vacuums is automatic suction adjustment. The Miele Guard L1 can tell what kind of floor it's on, and change the suction level in response. So it'll ramp up to pull dust from deep in your carpet fibers, but drop to a lower-power mode for hard floors, where the dust is just on the surface.

Even though you don't have to worry about preserving battery (as you might on a cordless vacuum) it's a win when it comes to not wasting power, and also ensuring an efficient clean with minimal effort. If you want to manually change suction, you can do so via a switch on the handle rather than having to return to the canister.

Each data point that the app and LCD screen show focus on highlighting common issues that cause a loss in suction power, both immediately and that can cause longer-term performance issues over the course of the vacuum's life.

Dan Young, Floorcare Manager at Miele GB

"The Miele Guard L1 vacuum cleaner is designed to make your cleaning routine smarter and more efficient," Dan Young, Floorcare Manager at Miele GB, told TechRadar. "Each data point that the app and LCD screen show focus on highlighting common issues that cause a loss in suction power, both immediately and that can cause longer-term performance issues over the course of the vacuum's life."

The Miele Guard L1 Comfort XL cylinder vacuum is available now in UK and Ireland, at an RRP of £499. It's one of several new 'Guard L1' vacuums, but unfortunately, it looks like it's only the range-topping Comfort XL that comes with the screen, app connectivity, and automatic suction adjustment. Miele has a presence in both the US and Australia, but no news yet as to whether the new model will make it over there.

Why the wait?

Cordless, bagless stick vacuums remain the floor cleaner du jour, and I can see why. It's certainly convenient not to have to dodge cables and plug and re-plug into power outlets as you go about your cleaning routine. But there are downsides to this style of vacuum. Upright vacuums or cylinder vacuums almost always have more suction power, and last far longer overall.

Bags are a minor hassle but have their benefits too. One of my regular vacuum cleaner testers swears by bagged vacuums, and there are benefits for allergy sufferers because there's less chance for dust and other particles to escape back into the air once they've been sucked up.

In short, these alternative vacuum types aren't a dusty (pun intended) relic of a bygone era, and there's no reason why stick vacuums should be getting all the attention. Miele is known as a more traditional premium brand, and I'm pleased to see it has finally stepped up to the plate to deliver a cylinder vacuum for the modern era.

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Just months into 2025, and the global race to innovate around AI has already delivered a slate of major developments. Most recently, the launch of (DeepSeek in China) set off discussions about the downward trend on the costs of AI for businesses, and that was just weeks after the UK government laid out its plans to make the country an AI superpower.

We’re seeing a collision of AI policy and business response, and the UK government’s promised infrastructure improvements will create a newfound urgency to create or implement solutions that can take advantage.

But are businesses ready? While organizations may already be using AI in different capacities to boost productivity and make better decisions, for those gains to improve in line with the technology’s rapid development they need to consider one key factor: the caliber of their data.

The three elements of ‘good’ data

There are three pillars that underpin strong data foundations - quantity, quality and context - which leaders across business functions will need to understand to reap the benefits AI promises for their teams. As the pace of innovation quickens, the sooner these principles can be applied, the earlier companies can start extracting value from their AI adoption journeys.

1. Quantity

Many data stores rely heavily on manually entered data, which opens the door to human error and inconsistencies. These existing data gaps cannot be ignored any longer or organizations risk letting them continue to widen, putting them further and further behind the pack as others adopt AI.

For example, a tech firm that solely uses CRM data to drive sales for a new product might overlook signs of buyer hesitation that were never entered into its platform. Scale this across processes in a world where AI is integrated throughout organizations, and soon you’re left with a lot of misguided decisions. However, an AI solution that automatically captures data from multiple sources like calls and emails – wherever prospects engage with them – could get deeper insights into how they can better communicate the product’s benefits.

Businesses need to be bridging the data gap today, adopting tools and processes that enable automated data capture across various touchpoints. Even within functions that haven’t yet integrated AI, effectively collecting data now is the first step on the roadmap to eventually doing so.

2. Quality

Having lots of data means little if it isn’t objective and trustworthy, and this is where human error or unintentional bias can prove a pitfall. If the dataset powering a model is incomplete, biased or outdated, even the most powerful AI’s outputs will be flawed and impact any decisions made that are based on them.

Organizations will only be able to take advantage of the rapid pace of AI innovation if they adopt automated data capture to minimize manual inputs. Otherwise, they’ll continue running into the same issues over and over: outputs that reflect the assumptions and biases of whoever first entered the data, rather than reality.

3. Context

AI only becomes truly powerful when it can merge lots of high-quality data with the specific context it is being used for. A work landscape where processes are AI-enhanced across functions, ultimately the vision many have for the technology, cannot be achieved if organizations don’t map their discrete data to the relevant business context.

Say a customer wants to churn because they are unhappy with the service they’re getting. An AI model that doesn’t understand the business or customer won’t generate a meaningful response to their concerns. Arming it with the right contextualized data, however, would allow the AI to account for past interactions, the length of the relationship and available products or services in order to generate a tailored response that will actually help the customer.

Why data matters - now and in the future

No amount of government support will change the fundamental principle that in order to deliver accurate and actionable outputs, enterprise-grade AI solutions need to have the right data feeding into them. Without a strategic approach to gathering data and applying the right context to it, even the most technically advanced AI platform will come up short, even with the infrastructure gains countries are racing to put in place.

Limited or inaccurate data will lead an AI application to produce unreliable or superficial results, like advice for engaging with prospects based on incomplete CRM data that, as a result, could be biased. On the other hand, an AI strategy built on strong data foundations lets organizations tap into deeper, more relevant insights with unmatched speed in the short-term, while setting the stage to take advantage of new advancements as they emerge from different parts of the world.

There’s no shortcut to success with AI. Anything built on shaky foundations is at risk of underdelivering from the start, and that’s where we are with AI. There is still so much potential to unlock but many organizations still aren’t putting themselves in a position to fully realize it.

Organizations that get it right will be able to apply AI to existing operations more effectively and give themselves a competitive edge in capitalizing on the global race to build out the necessary infrastructure.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

The world's best players are set to take on the Copperhead Course's infamous "Snake Pit."

• Anti Social Social Club has revealed a new Assassin's Creed collection
• It features designs inspired by Assassin's Creed Shadows
• Products include hoodies, t-shirts, and accessories

Fashion brand Anti Social Social Club (ASSC) has announced a new collection in collaboration with Ubisoft. Intended to celebrate the latest entry in the Assassin's Creed franchise, Assassin's Creed Shadows, it includes a range of streetwear items that actually look remarkably good as far as gaming merchandise goes.

The highlight of the collection for me is easily the slick white hoodie, which features a striking Assassin's Creed Shadows logo on the front and a bright red graphic featuring heroes Yasuke and Naoe on the back.

The contrast is excellent and the overall design strikes a good balance between minimalism and prominent artwork from the Assassin's Creed game.

If those colors aren't your style, there is also a distinct maroon hoodie with a front print showing a manga-style interpretation of Naoe and Yasuke plus Japanese kanji text on the arms. This is in addition to a few black hoodies, with their own unique graphics.

There are plenty of t-shirts in many different colors, with designs ranging from an illustration of Yasuke's helmet to shurikens inside the ASSC logo.

For something a little more unique consider the football jersey - which blends a sports style with prominent Assassin's Creed Shadows and ASSC logos. Similarly sporty are the tracksuit sets, featuring more bright logos and kanji.

I quite like the coach jacket too, with a cool white and grey design that shows Yasuke and Naoe wielding their trademark weapons.

Some accessories will also be available alongside these items of clothing, including a range of Assassin's Creed Shadows-inspired hats. On top of this, the brand will be releasing a ceramic sake glass set in limited quantities.

The products will be available via the Anti Social Social Club website from March 29, 8:00 PST / 11:100 EST / 15:00 GMT. Prices range from $40 to $125.

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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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #1151).

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 #1152) - hint #1 - Vowels How 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 #1152) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1152) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do 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 #1152) - 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 #1152) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• V

• T

• A

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

Quordle today (game #1152) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1152, are…

• DITTY
• VALOR
• TOWER
• AMISS

I’ll put this down to a lucky win as I had several options instead of DITTY, but for some reason guessed the correct word.

I also made a mistake with AGISM, ignoring the far more obvious AMISS – a word that has cropped up a few times in Quordle. That’s one of the big differences between this game and Wordle, previously used words will return again and again.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1152) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1152, are…

• SIEVE
• AWAKE
• BLOCK
• WEIRD

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCH
• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC
• Quordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINK
• Quordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEER
• Quordle #1147, Sunday 16 March: INPUT, RUMBA, ELUDE, BLANK
• Quordle #1146, Saturday 15 March: SPEED, CLASH, RISKY, GRATE
• Quordle #1145, Friday 14 March: BELIE, SPEAR, GROWL, ADOBE
• Quordle #1144, Thursday 13 March: AMISS, METAL, TEARY, SHORT
• Quordle #1143, Wednesday 12 March: AWASH, PUSHY, RALPH, PROOF
• Quordle #1142, Tuesday 11 March: LINGO, JUICE, SHARP, REVEL
• Quordle #1141, Monday 10 March: AVAIL, THESE, TITAN, GAUGE
• Quordle #1140, Sunday 9 March: SKILL, IDEAL, WHERE, REHAB
• Quordle #1139, Saturday 8 March: WATCH, LAPSE, WREST, HEFTY
• Quordle #1138, Friday 7 March: GLEAN, SHINY, DECRY, MANGA
• Quordle #1137, Thursday 6 March: TRICE, EIGHT, BELCH, RIPER
• Quordle #1136, Wednesday 5 March: PLEAD, TWANG, MAJOR, RISKY
• Quordle #1135, Tuesday 4 March: FLOWN, ETUDE, TOPAZ, JOKER
• Quordle #1134, Monday 3 March: FRILL, KAYAK, REBAR, WORDY
• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR

The UK recently announced its AI Opportunities Action Plan, outlining the next phase of AI development for Britain. The ambition is to use AI for economic prosperity, improved public services, and increased opportunity. The UK already has the groundwork to be a leader in AI as it benefits from high-quality research and engineering talent, particularly in AI for science and robotics. As the UK makes a concerted push on AI, the US has announced $500 billion in private capital funding to grow AI infrastructure.

This increased focus from plans and investments will impact the way that AI is utilized. As AI grows increasingly pivotal in technology, offering tools and methodologies that can enhance precision and adaptability across various domains, there are three areas where we can anticipate growth: generative AI, verification & validation, and control system designs.

GenAI moves onto block diagrams, 3D models, and flow charts

While the initial focus on text-based GenAI continues to influence software-centric workflows, its impact on tools with higher-level abstractions is lagging. In 2025, we expect continued progress in applying GenAI to “no code” tools such as block diagrams, 3D models, and flowcharts. These tools enable organizations to graphically represent complex systems, effortlessly edit components, and manage the inherent complexity.

Furthermore, they are essential to productivity and validate confidence in system-level performance. Integrating GenAI with these tools will further increase their productivity while keeping the interfaces familiar to end users. More tools in this space will integrate AI copilots that can understand engineering models and assist in their design and management.

Leveraging verification and validation for AI compliance

Industry governing bodies are introducing AI compliance requirements, frameworks, and guidance as the integration of AI into safety-critical systems in automotive, healthcare, and aerospace applications accelerates. In response, technology leaders must prioritize the introduction and implementation of Verification and Validation (V&V) processes to ensure their AI components are ready for deployment under all conditions and can meet potential reliability, transparency, and bias compliance standards.

V&V is crucial for verifying the robustness of deep learning models and detecting out-of-distribution (OOD) scenarios, particularly in safety-critical applications. Robustness verification is crucial because neural networks can misclassify inputs with minor, imperceptible changes, known as adversarial examples. For instance, a subtle perturbation in a chest X-ray image might lead a model to incorrectly identify pneumonia as normal. Engineers can provide mathematical proof of a model’s consistency and test these scenarios using formal verification methods, such as abstract interpretation. This process enhances the model's reliability and ensures compliance with safety standards by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities.

Out-of-distribution detection is equally important, as it enables AI systems to recognize and appropriately handle unfamiliar inputs. This capability is vital for maintaining accuracy and safety, especially when unexpected data leads to erroneous predictions. The ability to discern between in-distribution and out-of-distribution data ensures that AI models can defer uncertain cases to human experts, thereby preventing potential failures in critical applications.

Focusing on V&V allows organizations to comply with AI frameworks and standards while advancing product development within their industry. A proactive compliance approach ensures that AI systems are reliable, safe, and ethically sound, maintaining a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving landscape.

The rise of AI-based reduced order models in engineering

The trend of using AI-based Reduced Order Models (ROMs) is expected to grow, driven by advances in AI technology and computational power. Organizations leveraging these models will enhance system performance and reliability, as well as the efficiency and efficacy of system design and simulation.

The primary driver behind this shift is the need to manage increasingly complex systems while maintaining high levels of precision and speed. Traditional computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are accurate but computationally heavy and suboptimal for real-time applications. AI-based ROMs address this by cutting computational demands while maintaining accuracy. Organizations can use these models to simulate complex phenomena more quickly, facilitating faster iterations and optimizations.

Furthermore, AI-based ROMs' highly versatile ability to adapt to varying parameters and conditions enhances their applicability across different scenarios. This adaptability is particularly valuable in the aerospace, automotive, and energy fields, where engineered systems often involve intricate physical phenomena that require detailed modeling and simulation. For example, businesses that design and test aircraft components, such as wings or engines, can simulate aerodynamic properties and stress factors more efficiently, allowing engineers to iterate and optimize designs quickly. Additionally, AI-based ROMs can adapt to various flight conditions, making them versatile tools for testing multiple scenarios using the same model. This capability accelerates the development process, reduces costs, and enhances the reliability of the final product.

AI breaks down barriers in complex system control

AI’s continued integration into control design will transform the field, particularly in managing complex systems and embedded applications. Traditionally, control system design relied on first-principles modeling that required deep knowledge and understanding of the system. Data-driven modeling was largely limited to linear models that are valid only in a small part of the design envelope. AI is transforming this landscape by enabling the creation of accurate nonlinear models from data. This enables the creation of highly accurate models that combine first principles and data and are valid over the entire operating range. This advancement allows for better control of complex systems.

Simultaneously, the growing computational power of microcontrollers is facilitating the embedding of AI algorithms directly into systems. This integration is particularly impactful in the consumer electronics and automotive industries, where highly responsive systems are becoming the norm. For instance, AI is embedded in power tools to monitor and react to environmental changes, such as sudden material density shifts that could pose safety risks. These tools use embedded AI to autonomously adjust their operation, enhancing safety and performance.

The convergence of AI with complex system control and embedded systems ushers in an era of more robust, adaptive, and intelligent control design. Organizations can now create systems that learn and adapt in real-time, providing unprecedented precision and efficiency. This creates an environment where AI-driven solutions address traditional control problems, paving the way for smarter, more integrated systems across various engineering domains.

There should be excitement about AI’s continued maturation and progression. The fusion of physics insights with AI models will enhance transparency and adaptability, reducing the “black box” nature of traditional approaches. The democratization of AI tools enables organizations to access advanced capabilities more easily. These advancements will elevate AI's role in engineering and enable technical professionals to build better engineered systems more rapidly and effectively.

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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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #382).

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 #383) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Ode to the aubergine

NYT Strands today (game #383) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SAME
• TILL
• APRIL
• GEAR
• GAIN
• DIES

NYT Strands today (game #383) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #383) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #383) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #383, are…

• STUFFED
• MOUSSAKA
• PARMIGIANA
• RATATOUILLE
• SPANGRAM: EGGPLANT DISH

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Although initially confused by today’s theme (is there a song called Ode to the aubergine?) I quickly saw the Spangram EGGPLANT DISH in the puzzle and found the vital words with little difficulty.

Well, apart from – even with help – struggling to spell RATATOUILLE, MOUSSAKA and PARMIGIANA.

Far harder today was finding some Hint words.

My favorite eggplant dish didn’t make the cut, but then perhaps Baba Ganoush (a fun thing to say instead of a swearword) being a dip doesn’t qualify as a dish.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 20 March, game #382)

• FLAMINGO
• STORK
• BITTERN
• IBIS
• EGRET
• SPOONBILL
• SPANGRAM: WADING BIRD

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.

More mobile companies, including Samsung and Google, have embraced satellite texting to keep customers connected off the grid.

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #648).

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 #649) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• COMPASS
• ICON
• SOAP
• WORLD
• LEGEND
• EXAM
• STENCIL
• CHART
• SCENE
• RULER
• MITZVAH
• CIRCLE
• GREAT
• SPHERE
• LION
• T-SQUARE

NYT Connections today (game #649) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: A person’s environment
• GREEN: Notable  
• BLUE: Building plans 
• PURPLE: The word that connects them rhymes with “car”

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 #649) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: MILIEU
• GREEN: LUMINARY
• BLUE: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS
• PURPLE: __BAR

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

NYT Connections today (game #649) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #649, are…

• YELLOW: MILIEU CIRCLE, SCENE, SPHERE, WORLD
• GREEN: LUMINARY GREAT, ICON, LEGEND, LION
• BLUE: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS COMPASS, RULER, STENCIL, T-SQUARE
• PURPLE: __BAR CHART, EXAM, MITZVAH, SOAP

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

A very rare Connections where I saw the Purple group well before the end. MITZVAH was the biggest clue but I still used up a Mistake. I knew the common thread was the word __BAR but stupidly I included LION as there is a UK candy called Lion Bar and I thought maybe it was a worldwide thing. This daft decision aside, I'm pleased to have completed today’s puzzle.

I almost included CIRCLE among the ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS before remembering it’s the same thing as a COMPASS.

In another rarity I didn’t get the Yellow group at all, seeing LUMINARY first – including LION was a stretch, but I didn’t see any alternatives.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 20 March, game #648)

• YELLOW: OUTSPOKEN DIRECT, FRANK, LOUD, VOCAL
• GREEN: BODIES OF WATER BAY, CHANNEL, SOUND, STRAIT
• BLUE: KINDS OF CORDS BUNGEE, EXTENSION, SPINAL, UMBILICAL
• PURPLE: THINGS IN BOTTLES GENIE, LIGHTNING, MESSAGE, SHIP

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.

• New data reveals that the PS5 is outselling its predecessor the PS4 in the US
• The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, however, are falling behind the Xbox One by 19%
• The PlayStation Portal was also the best-selling gaming accessory of February 2025

New sales statistics have shown that the PS5 is outselling the PS4 in the United States, but the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S units are falling behind Xbox One by a significant margin.

That's according to new data from Circana's video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella who recently shared that after each console's first 52 months in the market, the PS5 is outpacing the PS4 in sales by 7%.

Sony's current-gen console just had its best financial quarter on record, shipping almost 10 million units at the end of 2024, so the fact that it's way ahead of its predecessor isn't surprising.

As for Microsoft's systems, sales for its current-gen consoles seem to be lacking as both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are being outsold by the Xbox One by 19%.

It's also said that the PS5 was the best-selling hardware platform of February 2025 "across both units and dollars" and that the Xbox Series systems ranked number two in both measures.

Sony continued to have a successful February as its PlayStation Portal base model was once again the month's best-selling gaming accessory in consumer spending, while the PS5 Portal Remote Player - Midnight Black ranked third overall, and the PS5 DualSense Edge Wireless Controller - Midnight Black placed fifth.

The reason for lower Xbox Series X and S sales can't be determined from the data we have, but it could be in part due to Microsoft's PC presence, especially when you factor in Xbox Game Pass, which hit 34 million subscribers in February 2024.

Last year, it was reported that the PS5 was massively outselling the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and had shipped 4.5 million units between January and March 2024. From the latest data, it's clear that the PS5 is still dominating console sales and that's not counting PS5 Pro units.

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The new phone, which costs just over $1,000, has a wide display and does not include Google's Android software.

• A German news site has published detailed information about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE series
• Two new midrange tablets are said to be slated for release by mid-April
• Samsung has yet to confirm this release window or any of the rumored specs

Samsung has had a busy few months, with the launch of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra flagship phones, as well as the behemoth Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra late last year.

However, it seems like there’s no slowdown in sight for the Korean tech giant, with a major rumor suggesting the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is on the way by mid-April - and by the looks of its specs sheet, it could prove to be a strong rival to Apple’s iPad Air.

The information comes courtesy of German tech news site WinFuture (via GSMArena), and details the specs, European pricing, and color options for both the base Galaxy Tab S10 FE and larger Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus.

According to the WinFuture, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE sports a 10.9-inch display with a 2304 x 1440 resolution, Exynos 1580 chipset, RAM configurable to 8GB or 12GB, and 128GB and 256GB storage options. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE also supposedly sports an 8,000mAh battery.

A render supposedly showing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE (Image credit: WinFuture)

As for the larger sibling, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus sports a 13.1-inch display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution, the same Exynos 1580 chipset, and the same 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. It also sports a 10,00mAh battery.

The pair are seemingly the same tablet other than their display size and resolution and battery size.

A render supposedly showing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus (Image credit: WinFuture)

Both tablets support the S-Pen stylus, but we aren’t sure if they ship with one yet. Both support 45W wired charging and are likely to run a version of One UI 7, based on the pattern of recent Samsung releases. Both sport a 13MP rear camera and 12MP selfie camera and have one USB-C port.

Additionally, renders shared by WinFuture show both tablets as coming in a light-blue color, as well as a black and white option.

The WinFuture report also includes European pricing for the tablets, which we can convert to get estimates for pricing elsewhere.

According to these rumors, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE costs €579 for the model with 128GB of storage, and €679 for the model with 256GB of storage. That’s roughly $630 / £490 / AU$1,000 for 128GB, and $740 / £570 / AU$1,200 for 256GB.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus supposedly costs €749 for the model with 128GB of storage and €849 for 256GB, which is approximately $810 / £630 / AU$1,300 and $920 / £710 / AU$1,470 respectively.

If these prices turn out to be accurate, then the Galaxy Tab FE series could offer users a cheaper alternative to the iPad Air, which comes in similar 11-inch and 13-inch models. The Exynos 1580 chipset is, admittedly, nowhere near as powerful as the iPad Air’s M3 chipset, but it’s still likely to be a compelling choice for budget-conscious buyers who want a premium-feeling device.

Keeping in mind that all of the above is based in rumors, what do you think of the rumored Galaxy Tab S10 FE? Would you ever choose one over an iPad Air? Let us know in the comments below.

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• WhatsApp patches vulnerability used to deploy Graphite
• Graphite is a commercial spyware built by Israeli devs Paragon
• Around 90 people were targeted, WhatsApp said

WhatsApp says it has fixed a zero-day vulnerability which was apparently used by nation-states to spy on journalists, dissidents, political opponents, and others.

After being tipped off by security researchers from Citizen Lab, WhatsApp addressed a bug which allowed threat actors to deploy Graphite, a sophisticated spyware tool developed by the Israeli company Paragon Solutions.

Graphite was deployed in a “zero-click” attack, meaning no interaction from the victim was required.

Protecting your Android phone

"WhatsApp has disrupted a spyware campaign by Paragon that targeted a number of users including journalists and members of civil society. We’ve reached out directly to people who we believe were affected," a WhatsApp spokesperson told BleepingComputer.

"This is the latest example of why spyware companies must be held accountable for their unlawful actions. WhatsApp will continue to protect people’s ability to communicate privately."

A CVE was not assigned to the vulnerability.

WhatsApp further said it notified some 90 people, located in more than two dozen countries, including Italian journalists and activists.

In theory, the attack was very simple. After obtaining their target’s phone numbers, the threat actors would add them to a WhatsApp group, before sending a weaponized PDF. Since the device automatically processes PDF files, the endpoint gets compromised without any action from the user. The next step is to escape the Android sandbox and install the spyware, which grants the attackers access to the device’s messaging applications.

Citizen Lab was analyzing Graphite’s infrastructure and found “potential links to multiple government customers,” including Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore.

Governments in Europe and the United States have been quite vocal in their opposition to commercial spyware. In February 2022, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) recommended banning the use of Pegasus spyware within the EU, citing concerns over fundamental rights and freedoms. Pegasus’ developer team, NGO Group, was blacklisted in the United States on November 3, 2021.

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• New details regarding the recently announced God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set have been revealed
• It costs $300 / £250 to pre-order now
• Three limited edition double LP releases are also on the way

Laced Records has revealed new details regarding the recently announced God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set.

It features a whopping 13 discs, with 150 remastered tracks from across the series. This includes the original soundtrack for God of War, God of War 2, and God of War 3 in addition to the 2018 reboot God of War and its sequels God of War Ragnarok and God of War Ragnarok Valhalla.

On top of this, there are a selection of songs from spinoffs God of War: Ascension, God of War: Chains of Olympus, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta. There are even some from the God of War Ragnarok: Lofi Beats to Journal to promotional album.

The box set features a dual rigid board outer slipcase, with a leather effect and gold foiling to give it a sleek black and gold look. Each set of discs comes with widespined outer sleeves, plus a printed inner sleeve with artwork from Santa Monica Studio.

Pre-orders are open now via the Laced Records website and cost $300 / £250. With that high price tag, this is definitely an item for the most dedicated collectors.

In addition to this, three limited edition double LP releases are also on the way. They feature the God of War, God of War 2, and God of War 3 soundtracks respectively, and come in at $42 / £36 each so could be a fantastic alternative if you don't want to drop $300 / £250 on the whole package.

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