Technology

• The Phone Link panel attached to the Start menu is getting a new feature
• It’ll allow Windows 11 users to start screen mirroring with a single click
• It’s in testing ahead of a full rollout that could begin soon

Microsoft is bringing in a new trick with Windows 11 for those who use the Phone Link app, allowing for quickly and easily mirroring the screen of an Android smartphone on the desktop.

Windows Latest reports that the new feature is currently rolling out to Windows 11 testers, and is part of the Phone Link panel that’s attached to the Start menu (indeed, the rollout of said panel began relatively recently, too, and I’ll come back to that later).

For the uninitiated, the Phone Link panel is off to the right-hand side of the Start menu and offers easy access to your messages, calls, plus the recent activity on your phone, and shows various status details (like battery life).

To access the new feature, all you have to do is click on the icon for your smartphone – at the top of the panel – and it’ll fire up a screen mirroring session.

You don’t need to start the Phone Link app, or do anything else; just click the icon and Windows 11 will mirror your Android phone screen on the desktop there and then (well, given a few seconds to load and sync).

Analysis: Being patient with the rollout

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Windows Latest tested the feature on several Samsung Galaxy smartphones and observes that it works well, and that OneUI, the interface for Samsung mobiles, is implemented quite seamlessly on the PC desktop.

Of course, only certain Android devices work with the Phone Link app’s screen-mirroring feature (and this new feature). That includes Samsung Galaxy models, and also phones from Asus (ROG-branded), Honor, OnePlus, Oppo, Surface Duo, Vivo, and Xiaomi (here’s the full list of compatible phones).

As mentioned, the new quick access for screen mirroring via the Start menu side panel is in testing now, but it should be rolling out to the release version of Windows 11 in June, Windows Latest says. That might even mean from today (June 10), given that a new cumulative update for Windows 11 is due later on today.

Even so, the rollout of this new feature is likely to be limited to begin with, because not everyone has the Phone Link panel for the Start menu yet. Officially, the rollout of the panel kicked off in April for those on Windows 11 23H2 and 24H2, but wider availability didn’t happen until May, and from what I can tell from reports on some online forums, some folks are still waiting for this to come through.

It should be imminent at this point, though, even if this new shortcut for screen mirroring may not arrive for a while longer yet (you can pretty much bet on that).

In short, Phone Link users with compatible devices just need to stay patient for now, and all these goodies will turn up in time. Microsoft is looking towards considerably deeper integration with Windows 11 and mobiles, too, given apparent plans for resuming the use of apps across your PC and phone in a seamless manner, much like Apple's Handoff capability.

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AI is often seen as a tool for efficiency, but its role in content generation and brand-building is still evolving. The rise of AI website builders has sparked debate: Can an algorithm create something that feels personal, unique, and authentic to a brand’s identity?

We’re entering a new chapter in digital creativity, one in which AI is not just executing tasks faster, but helping to shape tone of voice and brand narrative. However, that shift comes with both promise and responsibility.

The creative tension between automation and authenticity

At its core, design is about storytelling and creating experiences that connect emotionally, not just functionally. Great stories rarely come from cookie-cutter templates. Yet for many early AI-powered tools, speed has been the primary objective, resulting in content that feels overly generic or misaligned with a user's brand or message.

This trade-off between automation and authenticity is one of the defining tension points of AI-assisted design. It’s also the area where the most interesting progress is happening. The best emerging tools are now capable of far more than just populating placeholder text and inserting stock imagery. They’re learning to synthesize brand inputs, design preferences, and user prompts into something closer to a creative brief that adjusts dynamically in real time.

This evolution matters. In today’s digital economy, a brand’s website is more than just a storefront, it’s a reflection of personality and trustworthiness. The ones that feel personal and genuine are the ones that truly stand out. Today’s consumers are looking for more than just products or services.

They’re drawn to stories and experiences they can connect with. By expressing a unique and consistent voice, brands can foster deeper emotional connections with their customers, building trust and long-term loyalty. For entrepreneurs and small businesses trying to break through the noise, every pixel has to carry weight.

The rise of AI fluency as a creative skill

As AI becomes more accessible and powerful, a new form of literacy is needed for all creatives: AI fluency. Knowing how to speak to an algorithm – crafting the right prompts, steering creative direction, and refining outputs – is becoming just as important as traditional design skills. However, the future of design doesn’t lie in replacing creative vision with algorithmic output, but in building systems where human taste and expertise remain critical and shine through.

Unlike earlier waves of automation that aimed to remove friction at all costs, a new generation of AI design tools is being shaped not just by engineers but by artists, brand experts, and product designers. This shift prioritizes art direction and intentionality over brute-force automation. In practice, it means packaging the nuanced expertise of experienced designers into a format that can scale without flattening individuality or sacrificing taste and composition.

The real innovation isn’t just the generative model itself, but the ways it can be shaped by human judgment and intent. When guided and curated by humans, these tools don’t replace designers, they empower them. Their creativity becomes embedded into the tool itself, ensuring output that feels on-brand.

This reframing of AI as a creative partner, not a replacement, presents an opportunity to reimagine how design work happens. Rather than threatening creative roles, it elevates the value of creative judgment, turning style and storytelling into skills that help steer AI systems. The result? More empowered creators, more unique brand identities, and more space for human expression in the age of automation.

This shift is democratizing web design. Professional-grade websites once required hours of manual work, but can now be created by individuals with a vision and a few minutes to spare. It’s also changing behavior: more users are publishing earlier in their website journey, and fewer are spending time replacing stock images or tweaking default templates. These signals suggest that the technology is finally catching up to users’ creative expectations.

Personalization, not homogenization

Still, speed isn’t the endgame. If all AI-generated sites start to look and sound the same, we haven’t solved the real problem; we’ve just automated it.

One of AI’s greatest promises is personalization at scale: building systems that offer billions of possible combinations in layout, imagery, tone, structure, fonts, and more. The goal isn’t to replicate what a human designer would do, it’s to offer something that feels equally thoughtful and branded.

True personalization, however, isn’t about token customization; it’s about channeling human nuance, taste, and storytelling into design outcomes that feel unmistakably “you”. The tools that are getting this right don’t just churn out content, they reflect brand personality and the specifically individualized taste of the ones creating it.

When personalization is art-directed by human expertise, it transcends templates and starts to feel like a genuine extension of the user’s voice. The best tools honor that voice, guiding and accelerating the process, while preserving creative control so the end result stays true to the user’s vision.

Toward human-centered AI

The real promise of AI in design isn’t just about what it can do. It’s about what it can enable people to do. That’s the true measure of progress in this instance: are we making it easier for people to express themselves creatively, or are we simply optimizing them out of the process?

For now, the outlook is hopeful. AI can be a powerful accelerant for entrepreneurship, a creative collaborator for designers, and a tool for expression for anyone with a story to tell. But realizing that vision requires more than smart algorithms. It takes thoughtful engineering, ethical design, and a relentless focus on user empowerment.

Systems that prioritize human-centered design don’t just speed things up, they make space for better ideas to emerge faster, supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and creators in building high-quality digital presences with fewer barriers.

We’re not just automating websites, we’re redefining how people bring their ideas and identities to life online. And in that mission, technology should always serve creativity, not the other way around.

We've compiled a list of the best website builder services.

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

• Call of Duty: Blacks Ops 7 was revealed at the latest Xbox Games Showcase
• The game is set to come to Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC
• That said, the team is reportedly still "committed" to a Nintendo Switch 2 version

The next Call of Duty game, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, was revealed at the recent Xbox Games Showcase, and is expected to launch for Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.

The current lack of a Nintendo Switch 2 version is certainly interesting, as Microsoft and Nintendo entered into a binding 10-year legal agreement back in 2023, which Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith promised would bring Call of Duty games to Nintendo platforms.

The games would allegedly launch "the same day as Xbox, with full feature and content parity" and came as part of a move towards "providing long-term equal access to Call of Duty to other gaming platforms".

The announcement came in the shadow of an impending Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit against Microsoft, which argued that the tech giant's purchase of Call of Duty owner Activision Blizzard would breach US anti-trust laws.

The case was eventually dropped by the FTC, with the $75.4 billion acquisition completed on October 13, 2023.

Although there is currently no official word on a Black Ops 7 Nintendo Switch 2 version, a source told Eurogamer that the company was "committed to getting the franchise on Switch" with "both [development] teams working on it."

With Black Ops 7 details set to release throughout the year, I would expect some more concrete news on a Nintendo Switch 2 port in the weeks and months to come.

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AI is more than a buzzword. Across various industries, it’s proving value by streamlining operations, enhancing decision-making and unlocking new levels of efficiency. But despite its potential, many businesses are still struggling to realize their AI ambitions— caught in limbo between experimentation and execution.

According to a recent study by Boston Consulting Group, only 26% of companies have successfully moved beyond proofs of concept to achieve tangible results. Bridging this AI adoption gap goes beyond technology; it's dependent on a clear strategy, organizational readiness and employee engagement.

Start with clear objectives

One of the main reasons AI initiatives fail is an absence of well-defined objectives. It's easy to be swept up in the hype — launching pilot projects or deploying experimental chatbots simply to ‘get started’. But without clear understanding of the areas AI can most effectively enhance, investments will likely devolve into fragmented, siloed initiatives with little long-term impact.

A useful starting point is to ask: “what are the pain points within my business?” Depending on the size and structure of the company, these can vary significantly, but common objectives for AI implementation include streamlining internal processes, automating repetitive tasks and saving time finding and analyzing information. In any case, businesses should approach AI like any other digital transformation initiative: begin with strategy, not software.

Create a north star with centralized knowledge

Even the most advanced AI models are only as good as the quality of the data they have to work with. In many organizations, valuable information is scattered across various platforms, locked in legacy systems or buried in disorganized documents. This fragmentation not only causes frustration due to information being time-consuming to access, but it also stifles AI's ability to deliver accurate and meaningful insights at scale.

To remedy this, businesses should ensure that company knowledge is maintained in a centralized system. Accessible and well-structured data stored within a unified platform makes it easier for AI to process vast amounts of information quickly, surface relevant insights and inform decision-making across the organization. If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without reliable, high-quality data, that engine can’t take you far.

Bring employees on the AI journey

Another hurdle for AI adoption is how the roll-out strategy is received. Recent research indicates that around 70-80% of AI initiatives fail, and lack of employee buy-in is a key contributing factor. Some employee apprehension is understandable and can be due to numerous factors, such as feeling excluded from the decision-making process or struggling to comprehend how AI fits into day-to-day roles.

That’s why actively engaging teams throughout the process is crucial. While support and clear communication on the AI strategy from company leadership is essential, you also need to identify champions to help drive change across the organization. These ‘builders’ - enthusiastic early adopters - will be instrumental in showing tangible use cases and building trust among their peers. Their support, alongside continuous investment in training and an inclusive approach, will facilitate a successful roll-out.

Measure impact and stay flexible

Employee engagement is also key to measuring results: the more people use and benefit from AI tools, the more you see a return on investment. Look at the usage data - how many people are using AI, and how often? - and pair this with surveys to gauge time savings and quality of work improvements. Talking to the most active users on what value they’re seeing allows you to replicate it across the business.

This ongoing dialogue also sheds light on evolving use cases for AI, helping you to refine the strategy further. For example, I’ve seen that customers who initially used AI tools mainly for writing support are now using it for project management and customized tasks. Companies that succeed with AI treat it as a living system, not a static tool.

Converting potential into performance

The promise of AI is real — but it’s not an automatic outcome. Bridging the AI adoption gap requires more than just experimenting with the latest tools or following trends. With clear strategic intent, robust data foundations, inclusive implementation practices and a culture of continuous improvement, companies will be on the right track to convert experimentation to enterprise value.

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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

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, June 10 (game #464).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… If you build it …

NYT Strands today (game #465) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BRAT
• ARCH
• BARB
• SALTS
• LAST

NYT Strands today (game #465) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #465) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #465) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #465, are…

• REVIVAL
• DECO
• BAROQUE
• BRUTALIST
• CLASSICAL
• SPANGRAM: ARCHITECTURE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

My first thought about today’s theme was the incantation from the movie Field of Dreams that “if you build it, they will come”. A sentiment that has, no doubt, inspired many an out-of-town sports stadium. However, it was immediately apparent that we were looking for something to do with ARCHITECTURE.

My eyes were drawn to the corners today. To the word "list" – which became BRUTALIST – and to the two letter Vs in the top right-hand corner of the grid, which formed themselves into the word REVIVAL. 

I got DECO next, but that’s when I hit the brakes. I spent far too long trying to form a word that began E-Q-U before taking a hint and seeing the error of my ways with BAROQUE. From here, the building was virtually complete. And kudos to the NYT Strands team on that front, too; it's always nice when the spangram makes a pretty picture.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, June 10, game #464)

• APOLOGIZE
• RESPECT
• SHARE
• THANK
• LISTEN
• CONSIDER
• SPANGRAM: BE POLITE

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.

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, June 10 (game #730).

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 #731) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• EYEBROW
• NUMBER
• RAINBOW
• ROOSTER
• LEPRECHAUN
• DAGGER
• COUNT
• CROW
• ASTERISK
• FLIGHT PATH
• STRUT
• BANANA
• SHOW OFF
• PARENS
• ELVES
• BLUSTER

NYT Connections today (game #731) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Display of arrogance 
• GREEN: In an arch 
• BLUE: Breakfast stars 
• PURPLE: Reference point

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 #731) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: BOAST 
• GREEN: ARC-SHAPED THINGS 
• BLUE: CEREAL MASCOTS 
• PURPLE: WAYS TO DENOTE A CITATION 

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

NYT Connections today (game #731) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #731, are…

• YELLOW: BOAST BLUSTER, CROW, SHOW OFF, STRUT
• GREEN: ARC-SHAPED THINGS BANANA, EYEBROW, FLIGHT PATH, RAINBOW
• BLUE: CEREAL MASCOTS COUNT, ELVES, LEPRECHAUN, ROOSTER
• PURPLE: WAYS TO DENOTE A CITATION ASTERISK, DAGGER, NUMBER, PARENS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

They say a little bit of knowledge can go a long way, but in my case a little bit of semi-useful hunches got me absolutely nowhere as I crashed out after getting obsessed over two groupings.

First off, despite knowing nothing about American breakfast cereals I was convinced there was a group about Lucky Charms and the shapes of the cereal. So I thought RAINBOW, LEPRECHAUN, ASTERISK, BANANA. I appreciate now that just one of these is a Lucky Charms shape,

Then, after abandoning that, I thought we were looking for an emoticon of a face or something similar. An assumption based off the fact that I knew PARENS was a rounded bracket and most emoticons featured asterisks.

How wrong I was, but I should have known we were looking for a group from the exciting world of word processing (see WAYS TO DENOTE A CITATION), an area the crazy spreadsheet heads at Connections HQ are constantly returning to.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, June 10, game #730)

• YELLOW: ARBITRATE CHAIR, JUDGE, MEDIATE, MODERATE
• BLUE: '80S SLANG CHILL, PSYCH, RADICAL, WORD
• GREEN: THINGS YOU CAN INSERT IN A DOCUMENT CHART, IMAGE, TABLE, TEXT BOX
• PURPLE: __ DUTY CIVIC, CUSTOMS, HEAVY, JURY

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 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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, June 10 (game #1233).

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 #1234) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1234) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1234) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1234) - 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 #1234) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• R

• A

• F

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

Quordle today (game #1234) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1234, are…

• CRAVE
• ROOST
• ANGLE
• FLOOD

It’s a familiar frustration in Quordle, but one that also makes it a fun game, when you think you’ve got the right word and you excitedly tap it out only to be one letter out.

Such was the case for me today when I was dead certain that my final word would be BLOOD and completely overlooked any alternatives – such as FLOOD. Had this error come in my 9th go I might have been a little less upbeat about it!

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1234) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1234, are…

• DILLY
• GRASP
• MOLAR
• FILER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST
• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE
• Quordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHID
• Quordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITE
• Quordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDE
• Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGH
• Quordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURER
• Quordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADAR
• Quordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOP
• Quordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEAN
• Quordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLAR
• Quordle #1215, Friday, 23 May: SHIRE, GIANT, AWAIT, CAPER
• Quordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCEL

Keeping a major golf championship connected and secure is a unique technical challenge. Here's how Cisco's network solutions pull it off.

• United Natural Foods confirms cyberattack
• It said parts of its infrastructure were forced offline, and delays might occur
• No threat actors have assumed responsibility yet

United Natural Foods, North America’s largest wholesale distributor, has confirmed it suffered a cyberattack which forced it to pull parts of its IT infrastructure offline.

In a new 8-K form filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company said it was working with third-party cybersecurity experts to assess and mitigate the damage.

The incident caused “temporary disruptions” to United Natural Foods’ business operations, it was further said, as the company works on assessing, mitigating, and remediating the incident with the help of third-party experts. The police were also notified of the attack.

Unknown culprits

“On June 5, 2025, United Natural Foods became aware of unauthorized activity on certain of its Information Technology (IT) systems,” the filing states.

“The company promptly activated its incident response plan and implemented containment measures, including proactively taking certain systems offline, which has temporarily impacted the company’s ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders.”

While other details were not shared, businesses usually take systems offline when they suffer a ransomware attack, as that is the best way to prevent additional devices from being encrypted. It also prevents the threat actors from exfiltrating sensitive files from the network, which is the standard practice with ransomware attackers these days.

“The company is continuing to work to restore its systems to safely bring them back online,” the document concludes. “The investigation to assess the impact and scope of the incident remains ongoing and is in its early stages.”

Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, and supplies more than 30,000 retail locations across the US and Canada, United Natural Foods is the largest wholesale distributor of natural, organic, and conventional grocery products in North America, including being the main supplier for Amazon-owned Whole Foods.

No hacking groups have yet claimed responsibility for this attack.

Via BleepingComputer

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• The new integration is easy to activate
• It is available to all HubSpot users with a paid ChatGPT plan
• It is designed for go-to-market teams

HubSpot, one of the best CRM platforms, has just announced a new integration with ChatGPT, giving go-to-market teams a new tool capable of creating actionable insights, based on business-generated data. In a recent press release, HubSpot stated that the deep research connector is a “game-changer” that allows teams to apply “powerful, doctorate-level research and analysis to their own customer data and context.”

“The HubSpot connector is like having an extra analyst on the team, empowering sales reps to identify risks, opportunities, and next best actions,” said Colin Johnson, Senior Manager, CRM at Youth Enrichment Brands. “For a non-technical user, the fact that it’s easy to use and talks directly to my data is huge.”

To use the new integration, HubSpot users should navigate to ChatGPT and turn on the HubSpot deep research connector function. From there, they can select HubSpot as a data source, authenticate their account, and start asking questions. The company also says the deep research connector is “easy to trust”.

"Easy to trust"

“We built it to ensure users only see the CRM data they’re allowed to access in HubSpot. For example, individual sales reps will only see pipeline data for deals they own or manage. With the HubSpot deep research connector, customer data is not used for AI training in ChatGPT.”

The new offering will be available to all HubSpot customers across all tiers with a paid ChatGPT plan (EU: Team, Enterprise, and Edu; all other regions: Team, Enterprise, Pro, Plus, and Edu). The list of available languages can be found here.

Further explaining who the new integration is tailored for, HubSpot mentioned marketers (who can use the insights to launch automated workflows, for example), sales teams (who can find new opportunities), customer success teams (who can use the tool to drive retention), and support teams to handle spikes in support tickets.

Via Financial Times

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• Surfshark has unveiled "an industry-first technology" for greater VPN connection stability
• Surfshark Everlink works in the background to recover dropped VPN connections
• The provider also promises to reduce the risk of IP address exposure

Surfshark has just unveiled an "industry-first" patented technology designed to minimize the impact of lost VPN connections – but don't call it a VPN kill switch.

Surfshark Everlink comes as a "self-healing infrastructure," the provider explains to TechRadar, which works in the background to recover dropped VPN connections while reducing the risk of IP address exposure. The new technology is now available by default on the WireGuard protocol across all platforms.

"We wanted to improve this industry standard and take it to the next level – instead of killing the connection, we want users to stay securely connected and private," said Chief Technology Officer at Surfshark, Donatas Budvytis.

Surfshark Everlink: more privacy and convenience

Already one of the best VPN providers on the market, according to TechRadar's testing, Surfshark now promises to deliver even more stable and secure performance. Surfshark Everlink is indeed a technology designed to enhance what the provider considers the most critical VPN quality metric – connection stability.

"While other shiny metrics, such as the number of servers, might seem important, connection stability is something that truly makes the difference to the user experience,” explains Budvytis.

Put it simply, Everlink acts as an additional layer of security to help recover lost VPN connections.

This means that every time you connect to your Surfshark VPN service, you'll also connect to the Everlink infrastructure. The tool promises to revive your connections when they drop by reconfiguring the VPN tunnel without the need to disconnect and reconnect from the virtual private network (VPN).

"If the VPN is a tunnel that secures your traffic, imagine Surfshark Everlink as another one that secures that VPN tunnel. If one connection goes down, you're automatically switched to another, so you stay connected and secure,” said Budvytis.

This ability to self-heal lost VPN connections can also ensure a stable performance even when the provider undergoes some network maintenance. Everlink will simply route all traffic to the closest available server without any interruption to your experience.

Surfing safely just got smoother! We’ve launched Everlink — a new feature that keeps your VPN connection stable and your data safe, even when something goes wrong behind the scenes. Learn how it works (and why it matters) in our blog! https://t.co/QK8tixnOhDJune 10, 2025

Besides greater VPN connection stability, Surfshark Everlink also promises to boost the level of security and privacy protection.

As Budvytis explains, an unstable VPN connection isn't just an annoyance, but can also lead to IP address exposure, leaving users traceable and vulnerable.

He said: "For journalists, activists, whistleblowers and anyone who values online privacy, this can be a significant risk."

All of the most private and secure VPN services, however, already have a feature to minimize the risk of IP exposure – a VPN kill switch. This feature, as the name suggests, kills your device's internet access every time your connection drops.

Yet, Everlink seeks to prevent leaks while ensuring users are securely connected.

"Users can still choose to use the Kill Switch feature, but we wanted to offer something in addition to this," said Budvytis.

Surfshark Everlink was built on a patented technology (US11190491B1) and is now available by default on the WireGuard protocol across all platforms, including iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux VPN apps.

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• There's a new update rolling out now for the Sonos Ace headphones
• It brings the long-awaited TrueCinema feature, and TV Audio Swap can now support two Ace headphones
• Sonos also promises more natural calls and enhanced noise cancellation

Sonos is marking a year since the launch of the Sonos Ace – the first and long-anticipated pair of over-ear headphones from the company – with a significant software update that delivers on a much-anticipated feature set.

Rolling out now as a free update, the release introduces several new features and expands existing ones to help the Ace stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Over-ear headphones are a crowded space, with major players like the newly launched Sony WH-1000XM6, and Sonos is leaning into what sets the Ace apart: deep integration with the company’s home audio ecosystem, particularly its soundbars.

In our review we called the Ace the best headphones for movie watching – and this update only enhances that capability. One of the headline improvements builds on TV Audio Swap, a feature that allows users to wirelessly send audio from a Sonos soundbar (like the Arc, Beam, or Ray) directly to the Ace.

With the update, this feature now supports two pairs of headphones simultaneously. That means two users can listen in sync via their own Ace headphones without disturbing anyone else in the room – it was one of the most-requested features from Sonos fans after the Ace's launch.

(Image credit: sonos)

Arguably even more exciting is the debut of TrueCinema for the Sonos Ace. This feature is designed to create a more immersive, spatial audio experience that feels less like headphone playback and more like full home theater sound.

Better yet, Sonos promises that the audio produced, well played back in the headphones, will be close to what you get from the soundbar setup for your own space. Working in tandem with TV Audio Swap, TrueCinema requires a Sonos Arc, Arc Ultra, Beam, or Ray connected to your TV, with the resulting experience delivering more natural, room-accurate sound.

Also included in the update are enhancements to active noise cancellation (ANC). Sonos is using onboard sensors to detect variables such as hair, hats, and glasses, which can affect the seal around the ear and therefore the effectiveness of noise canceling. The Ace headphones then make real-time adjustments to refine noise cancellation, based on testing across a diverse group of users.

Finally, Sonos is introducing SideTone, a feature that makes phone calls sound more natural when noise cancellation is enabled. With SideTone, you’ll hear a bit of your own voice fed back through the headphones, preventing the disorienting 'vacuum' effect that often accompanies full ANC during calls.

(Image credit: Sonos)

Altogether, these updates – TV Audio Swap for two, TrueCinema, enhanced ANC, and SideTone – mark a meaningful evolution for the Sonos Ace. With most of the serious app problems fixed and a new CEO at the helm, this update both rewards early adopters and could convince those who are still undecided to give the Ace a closer look. The Sonos Ace remain priced at $449 / £449 / AU$699.

The update begins rolling out today, June 10, and can be installed through the Sonos app on iOS or Android – just make sure your Ace headphones are connected via Bluetooth. I do hope it's a trend that Sonos continues with the Ace, eventually rolling out more features and introducing more products.

There is still a feature that Sonos fans want most, but that we haven't seen yet: support for them to act as a full speaker option within the Sonos multi-room ecosystem. Sonos told TechRadar at the Ace's launch that this could be technically possible, but it hasn't appeared yet.

It would be useful for people who have one of the best turntables or another music player as part of their Sonos system, because then you could listen to it on the Ace in high quality wirelessly. Perhaps that will be the next big upgrade.

You can read our full review of the Sonos Ace headphones, and we’ll be sharing hands-on impressions of TrueCinema as soon as we’ve tested it.

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• Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, has said that 007 First Light is "definitely not a reskin of Hitman" and will play differently to the stealth series
• The game will emphasize the action compared to Hitman's critical planning and stealth
• Abrak said 007 First Light will be the "ultimate Bond experience"

IO Interactive has said that 007 First Light is "definitely not a re-skin" of Hitman despite their similarities.

Speaking in a recent interview with IGN following the official reveal of the James Bond game, Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, said that First Light will have a different tone to the Hitman series.

"It is very, very important to get the humor right. In Denmark, we love dark humor and the silliness because it takes away from the seriousness of being an assassin," Abrak said.

"Bond is different. Bond, the humor is first of all very British. And the humor there is to support the energy and his personality, which is much more front and center. So I would say less silly. It's not flamingo disguises, as you said, but still entertaining."

Abrak continued, saying that 007 First Light "plays differently" from games in the Hitman series and is "emphasizing more action", compared to Hitman's critical planning and stealth gameplay.

"Like there are more linear parts where you have the spectacle moments and exotic vehicles. And then we also give space in Bond to open up a bit and breathe a bit," the CEO explained.

"It's less of an analytical mind, chess play, where you sit and meticulously plan. All the clockwork things in Hitman where if you do this or do this, where Bond is more impulsive, more reckless sometimes. It's more like he's just taking things and acting and handling it more as they arise."

It's hard not to compare the new James Bond game to Hitman. They're both agents, both games are third-person action games that take players around the globe to take on various missions. However, Abrak has promised that 007 First Light is not a copy-paste of Hitman and is the "ultimate Bond experience."

"So it's a different dynamism, because we want to make something that feels true for a Bond fantasy," Abrak explained. "So it's definitely not a reskin of a Hitman kind of thing, but I feel that people will see IO Interactive, that is a game made by Interactive, but they will also see that this game is something else. It's something that's true to what we are hopefully going to deliver 360, an ultimate Bond experience."

007 First Light is set to launch in 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

The action game will follow a 26-year-old James Bond, played by actor Patrick Gibson, in a re-imagined origin story that led him to become MI6's best agent.

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I hope I can punch a Demogorgon in the mouth.

From major cable providers to lightning-fast fiber internet, here are our top internet picks in Chandler.

The 2025 Roku Pro Series TV features sound that's polished enough you won't need a separate sound bar.

The AI chatbot is out of commission for many users, along with the Sora video tool and the company's APIs.

Consumers appear to care even less about mobile AI than they did last year, despite companies like Apple, Samsung and Google piling on new AI capabilities.

Looking for fast, competitively priced internet in Bloomington? We've got you covered.

• JBL reveals its new range of Dolby Atmos soundbars, the Bar MK2 series
• It's headlined by the flagship JBL Bar 1300MK2, an 11.1.4 channel soundbar
• Four other soundbars also feature in the range

JBL has announced its new range of Dolby Atmos soundbars, the Bar MK2 series, which features five models.

The flagship soundbar of the range is the JBL Bar 1300MK2 – successor to the JBL Bar 1300X, one of the best soundbars we've tested in recent years – an 11.1.4 channel soundbar with a dual eight-inch compact sub and detachable rear wireless speakers with Bluetooth functionality, totaling a whopping 2,470W max power output.

The other soundbars in the range include the JBL Bar1000MK2, JBL Bar 700MK2, JBL Bar 500MK2 and JBL Bar 300MK2.

Check out the grid below for each soundbar's channel configuration, power output and subwoofer and rear speaker inclusion:

Soundbar

Channel configuration

Total Power output

Subwoofer/rear speakers

JBL Bar 1300MK2

11.1.4

2,470W

Dual 8" compact subwoofer / 2 detachable wireless rear speakers with Bluetooth functionality

JBL Bar 1000MK2

7.1.4

960W

10" subwoofer/ 2 detachable wireless speakers

JBL Bar 700MK2

7.1

780W

10" subwoofer / 2 detachable wireless speakers

JBL Bar 500MK2

5.1

750W

10" subwoofer / no extra speakers

JBL Bar 300MK2

5.0

450W

No subwoofer or extra speakers

The JBL Bar range is set to launch first in June 2025 with the Bar 1000MK2, Bar 700Mk2, Bar 500MK2 and Bar 300MK2 released during this time and the flagship JBL Bar 1300MK2 set to launch later in the year in October 2025 in the US and September 2025 in the UK.

Pricing for the JBL Bar range is as follows – we don't yet have pricing for countries outside the US:

• JBL Bar 1300MK2: $1,699.95 / £1,299.99
• JBL Bar 1000MK2: $1,199 / £899.99
• JBL Bar 700MK2: $899 / £799.99
• JBL Bar 500MK2: $649 / £499.99
• JBL Bar 300MK2: $449 / £349.99

JBL Bar range: Features

The JBL Bar 1000MK2 will also feature detachable wireless speakers (Image credit: JBL )

Every soundbar in JBL's Bar MK2 range will come with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready features. All but the Bar 300MK2 will support Amazon Music HD, although the Bar 300MK2 will support Samsung's SmartThings.

Every soundbar in the range will also support Dolby Atmos in some manner, with the flagship Bar 1300MK2 and Bar 1000MK2 supporting true Dolby Atmos, while the three step-down models will support virtual Dolby Atmos.

It's also worth noting that only the Bar 1300MK2 and Bar 1000MK2 will support DTS:X at launch. The other three will receive DTS: Virtual X later in the year via an update.

It was also confirmed that these soundbars will support Eclipsa Audio,

As for other technologies, all soundbars will support JBL's MultiBeam 3.0 tech, which is said to create an immersive, surround sound experience from a single soundbar. They will all support PureVoice 2.0 for enhanced dialogue and speech.

All of the soundbars are also compatible with the JBL One Platform, compatible with the JBL One app, for streaming of hi-res and spatial audio from compatible music services.

Putting flagship Dolby Atmos soundbars on notice?

The Samsung HW-Q990D (pictured) is one of our top picks for Dolby Atmos soundbars, but how will the JBL Bar 1300MK2 fare against it and its successor, the Samsung HW-Q990F? (Image credit: Future)

We've been spoilt for choice when it comes to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars in recent months. Both the Sonos Arc Ultra and Marshall Heston 120 have proved to be excellent all-in-one soundbars for under $1,000 / £1,000, earning 4-out-of-5 and 5-out-of-5-stars respectively in their reviews.

Last year, the Samsung HW-Q990D cemented itself as our favorite multi-box system solution thanks to its incredible power and immersive, nuanced sound – and we're looking forward to getting our hands on its successor, the Samsung HW-Q990F, very soon.

But, could the JBL Bar 1300MK2 and Bar 1000MK2 be about to put these soundbars on notice? In terms of features, both bars are jam packed with ready-made support for streaming services (although so are their rivals) but its the Bar 1300 MK2's detachable rear speakers that make it stand out: something we loved about its predecessor, the Bar 1300X when we reviewed it. It's a handy solution to keep your speaker setup neat when not in use.

The Bar 1000MK2 may be a little pricier than the Sonos Arc Ultra and the Marshall Heston 120 ($200 more to be precise) but it has the added benefit of an included subwoofer that's likely to give it an advantage in the bass department. In the UK, the Bar 1000MK2 is actually set to launch at £899.99, £100 cheaper than the Arc Ultra and Heston 120.

The JBL Bar 1300 MK2, priced at $1,699.99 / £1,299.99, looks set to launch at a similar price in the US but significantly cheaper in the UK than the Samsung HW-Q990F, which has dropped to $1,599.99 / £1,575.99 recently. The Bar 1300MK2 offers 2,470W of total power to the Q990F's 756W, which would actually put it more in line with the JBL Bar 1000MK2.

On paper, the JBL Bar's have all the potential of offering more power for the similar prices to a lot of rivals and if it can get the performance right, JBL could really shake up the Dolby Atmos soundbar market again.

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