Technology

• The EU's General Safety Regulation is set to be expanded
• Driver Distraction Warning systems will need to be fitted to new cars
• Privacy advocates are already voicing data concerns

As of this week, the European Commission has stated that all new vehicles registered in the European Union will have to be fitted with Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) systems to comply with new, more stringent safety legislation.

While European roads are among the safest in the world, the European Commission said in its announcement that "the number of deaths and injuries from road accidents is still too high." As a result, it is set to expand its General Safety Regulation to include several new requirements.

Among the new requirements are advanced emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians and cyclists, as well as "better forward vision" and camera-based driver distraction technology that audibly warns drivers to pay attention to the road.

Many new cars already feature this technology, which uses a small camera mounted behind the steering wheel or somewhere above the infotainment system in the center of the dashboard.

Constantly active, the system monitors the driver's eyes and facial expressions, intervening if it detects that the driver is looking away from the road for too long.

(Image credit: DS Automobiles)

Today's manufacturers' systems range from audible bleeps and on-screen safety notifications when it detects distraction, to the deactivation of automated cruise control and other functions.

Critics have already hit out at the decision, with the European Conservative describing the commission's move as the "latest annoying piece of EU overregulation," which arrives with little clarification on how the data will be handled.

These ADDW systems should operate in a closed-loop system, where all data is processed locally in the car and never uploaded to any third-party server.

However, since April 2018, all newly approved passenger cars and light vans in the EU have been required to include an eCall emergency system that automatically contacts emergency services in the event of a serious crash.

This, coupled with the fact that consulting firm McKinsey predicts that 95% of all vehicles will be connected to the internet by 2030, means it isn't a huge stretch to think that driver-monitoring data could eventually leave the vehicle.

Analysis: a data privacy nightmare

(Image credit: Volkswagen)

Analysis by Mozilla in 2023 examined the privacy policies of 25 car brands and found that every single one failed to meet its own privacy and security standards. Mozilla concluded that cars were "the worst product category we have ever reviewed for privacy."

In 2024, the Texas Attorney General opened an investigation into several automakers following reports that they had been collecting large amounts of driver data and selling it to third parties.

As the European Conservative points out, there is currently very little clarity from the EU over how driver data is handled, meaning there is the potential for these systems to eventually help determine insurance premiums or act as evidence in a court of law, for example.

Beyond this, ADDW technology can also prove extremely distracting when implemented poorly.

I've lost count of how many times a system has warned me to pay attention when all I'm doing is trying to find a simple function in a baffling series of touchscreen menus.

On the one hand, Euro NCAP says it will target "annoying" safety tech, but on the other, the European Union is mandating greater reliance on these systems. Now is a confusing time to be a motorist.

Asus ProArt RTX 5090: Two-minute review

The Asus ProArt GeForce RTX 5090 32GB GDDR7 OC Edition is a specialised flagship GPU built for a niche audience and isn’t going to appeal to those looking for a premium upgrade for a gaming build. It’s aimed at creators, AI users and compact workstation builders who want full RTX 5090 performance without the bulk of larger 3.5 or 4 slot coolers.

The ProArt uses the normal RTX 5090 spec: 21,760 CUDA cores, 32GB of 28Gbps GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus and PCIe 5.0 support. The card has a 2482MHz default clock and a 2512MHz OC mode, and a 1000W power supply is recommended.

The 32GB of VRAM helps when rendering, running larger AI models or heavily modded 4K games would exceed the memory available on lower-tier cards. The ports — HDMI 2.1b, DisplayPort 2.1b and USB-C — give excellent monitor setup flexibility.

The 304 x 140 x 50mm, 2.5-slot SFF-ready design is a key selling point, as most flagship RTX 5090 cards are much chunkier, while the slimmer ProArt leaves more room for nearby expansion cards, side-panel clearance and power-cable routing.

Installation is straightforward: a 1-to-4 adapter is included and the 16-pin socket on the card is angled back for easy cable routing, plus the included adjustable GPU support can be used to help prevent sag.

Build quality is top-notch, with no obvious flex, and the GPU avoids gamer-style RGB lighting in favour of a subdued creator/workstation look with brown wood-patterned laminate trim and subtle ProArt gold markings.

Cooling is provided by two large Axial-tech fans, a vapour chamber, liquid metal on the GPU and a double-vented backplate. In OC mode, the GPU peaked at 76°C and memory at 86°C, with a 36dB peak sound level, which is reasonable for a slimmer RTX 5090 cooler. Unfortunately there was noticeable coil whine under heavy loads, and at times it was louder than the fans.

Standard mode was about 5% cooler and 6% quieter, but most importantly, barely slower, while Quiet mode was about 7% cooler and 6% quieter than OC mode, but gave around 2% less performance.

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

Overall performance is excellent, as expected from an overclocked RTX 5090. OC mode was about 3% faster than a stock RTX 5090, around 45% to 50% ahead of the RTX 5080 in compute loads, and up to 60% in gaming. The improvement is most obvious at 4K, in ray tracing and compute-heavy workloads.

The coil whine is frustrating given this is a card designed for creators, though it’s not so bad that you’d hear it outside a well-designed closed case.

Otherwise, the ProArt RTX 5090 OC Edition does a difficult job well. Yes, it’s expensive and specialised, but its slimmer design, quiet fans, 32GB of GDDR7 and top-end performance make it a capable choice for creators and high-end builders who can use what it offers.

That said, unless you can find it at a compelling price, it faces stiff competition from slim RTX 5090 cards that use AIO water cooling.

Asus ProArt RTX 5090: Price & availability

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

• How much is it? It retails for about $4,099 / £3,799 / AU$6,499
• When can you get it? The Asus ProArt RTX 5090 is available now
• Where is it available? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Asus ProArt RTX 5090 is available now, retailing for about $4,099 / £3,799 / AU$6,499 depending on the region and retailer. That makes it around the typical price for a premium RTX 5090, though it sits above many cheaper air-cooled cards with the same spec.

While the ProArt would always be an expensive card, AI data centre demand has really pushed up prices, so it’s a tough sell unless you really need the features.

The premium price mostly gets you the compact ProArt design rather than a big performance uplift. You still get the full RTX 5090 spec, a mild factory overclock, 32GB of GDDR7, USB-C display output, a slimmer 2.5-slot cooler and a three-year warranty.

The main competition is from other RTX 5090 cards, and if you don’t need the SFF-ready form factor, cheaper air-cooled models will get you very similar core performance for less, while larger premium or all-in-one (AIO) water-cooled RTX 5090 cards may offer lower temperatures, less noise or more overclocking headroom for similar money.

If the compact creator-focused GPU is perfect for your next build, the ProArt may be a compelling buy. If you just want the cheapest route to RTX 5090 performance, wait for the price to come down a little, or look at alternatives.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Asus ProArt RTX 5090: Specs

(Image credit: Future)

• Full RTX 5090 spec and 32GB of GDDR7
• Slimmer SFF-ready 2.5-slot design

Asus ProArt RTX 5090 vs stock RTX 5090 vs RTX 5080

Asus ProArt RTX 5090

Stock RTX 5090

RTX 5080

Process Node

TSMC 4N

TSMC 4N

TSMC 4N

Transistor Count (Billion)

92.2

92.2

45.6

CUDA cores

21,760

21,760

10,752

RT cores

170

170

84

Tensor Cores

680

680

336

Render Output Units

176

176

112

Cache (MB)

96

96

64

Boost Clock (MHz)

2,482 default / 2,512 OC

2,410

2,620

Memory Speed (Gbps)

28

28

30

Memory Type

GDDR7

GDDR7

GDDR7

Memory Pool (GB)

32

32

16

Memory Interface (bits)

512

512

256

Memory Bandwidth (GB/s)

1,792

1,792

960

PCIe Interface

5.0 x16

5.0 x16

5.0 x16

TBP (W)

575

575

360

Recommended PSU (W)

1,000

1,000

850

Power Connector

1 x 16-pin, 1-to-4 adapter

1 x 16-pin, 1-to-4 adapter

1 x 16-pin, 1-to-3 adapter

• Specs: 4 / 5

Asus ProArt RTX 5090: DesignFutureFutureFutureFuture

• Slimmer than most flagship RTX 5090 cards
• SFF-ready

The ProArt design is the main reason to choose this particular RTX 5090 over a more conventional option. Asus has kept the card to 304 x 140 x 50mm (12.0 x 5.5 x 2.0in) and a 2.5-slot thickness, which is much easier to work with than the very large 3.5-slot and 4-slot RTX 5090 designs.

It’s also SFF-ready, which means it fits Nvidia’s size guidelines for small-form-factor enthusiast builds rather than just being smaller than average. That doesn’t make it a tiny GPU, but it does mean the ProArt is built to work in more compact cases that support SFF-ready graphics cards, as well as larger systems where you want more room for other expansion cards or easier airflow.

Visually, it avoids the usual gaming-card look. The brown wood-patterned laminate trim and small ProArt gold details give it a more subdued workstation feel, and there’s no RGB lighting to worry about.

Cooling is handled by two large Axial-tech fans, a vapor chamber, liquid metal on the GPU and a double-vented backplate. That’s a decent cooling setup for a thinner RTX 5090, though the slimmer cooler does mean it has less heatsink volume than some of the much larger cards.

FutureFuture

The card includes a dual BIOS switch for Performance and Quiet modes, a solid backplate and an adjustable GPU holder in the box. The 16-pin power connector is angled back toward the end of the card, which helps cable routing, but you’ll still need to be careful with bend clearance, especially in smaller cases.

Overall, the design feels practical, premium and nicely understated, but it only really makes sense if you specifically need a thinner RTX 5090.

FutureFutureFutureFuture

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Asus ProArt RTX 5090: Performance

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

• About 3% faster than a stock RTX 5090
• Excellent cooling and low fan noise
• Very noticeable coil whine

The Asus ProArt RTX 5090 is at its best when you look beyond gaming and treat it as a compact high-end creator card. In Geekbench 6 Compute and Blender, it performs at the level expected for a tuned RTX 5090, with small but useful gains over the stock RTX 5090.

The gap is much bigger against older or lower-tier cards. Across the compute tests, the ProArt was about 50% ahead of the RTX 5080 on average, and around 40% ahead of the RTX 4090. The RTX 4090 is still a very capable GPU, but the ProArt’s combination of 32GB of faster GDDR7 and Blackwell architecture gives it a clear advantage in compute workloads and makes it a worthwhile upgrade.

While not the focus, gaming is still excellent, as you’d expect from an RTX 5090. Cyberpunk 2077 reached 98fps at 4K using Ultra Ray Tracing and balanced scaling, while Black Myth: Wukong hits 88fps at 4K with ray tracing, Cinematic settings and 50% upscaling. So while not the point of the ProArt, it’s a very capable gaming card.

FutureFutureFuture

Thermals are quite good for a slim RTX 5090. The ProArt peaked at 75°C, which is much warmer than larger 5090s with aftermarket cooling, which typically run about 10°C cooler. The VRAM reached 86°C, which is again higher than most 5090s but not in any way problematic.

Fan noise was also very low, with the ProArt peaking at just 36dB in my testing. That’s about the same as 5090s with big coolers.

All in all, Asus has done a good job tuning the ProArt to keep performance high and fan noise under control, even if that means letting temperatures sit a little higher than some larger cards. That trade-off is perfectly fine for a 2.5-slot RTX 5090, and the GPU and VRAM temperatures stay well within reasonable limits.

The catch is coil whine, which is an electrical buzz caused by components vibrating under heavy power load, rather than the fans themselves. In fact, most of the time it's louder than the fans themselves.

Some coil whine isn’t unusual on very high-power graphics cards, but it’s still disappointing on a premium creator-focused model where low noise is a key selling point.

Benchmark results

Asus ProArt RTX 5090

Stock RTX 5090

RTX 5080 OC

Synthetic Benchmarks

3DMark Steel Nomad

14,440

14,430

8,743

3DMark Speed Way

14,366

14,560

9,435

3DMark Port Royal

38,501

36,310

22,021

Compute benchmarks

GeekBench 6 Compute (OpenGL)

391,245

383,000

275,612

GeekBench 6 Compute (Vulkan)

408,212

355,000

259,633

Blender (aggregate score)

4,551

4,440

3,001

Thermals / noise

Peak GPU temp

76°C

72°C

67°C

Peak VRAM temp

86°C

89°C

70°C

Idle temp

43°C

35°C

45°C

Peak sound level

36dB

50dB

38dB

Gaming (average fps)

Cyberpunk 2077 - 4K

98

94

50

Black Myth: Wukong 4K

88

84

55

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultra Ray Tracing, balanced scaling
Black Myth: Wukong: Ray Tracing, Cinematic, 50% upscaling

• Performance: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Asus ProArt RTX 5090?Asus ProArt RTX 5090 Scorecard

Category

Notes

Score

Value

Very expensive but on par with other premium RTX 5090s.

3.5 / 5

Specs

A 5090 GPU with 32GB of GDDR7, USB-C display output and a mild OC mode.

4 / 5

Design

The 2.5-slot build and understated styling suit compact creator PCs.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Solid performance overall, with low fan noise and temps kept under control. The coil whine is frustrating though.

4 / 5

Final score

A capable specialised RTX 5090 for compact high-end builds, but the high price and coil whine keep it from being an easy recommendation for everyone.

4 / 5

Buy the Asus ProArt RTX 5090 if...

You want RTX 5090 performance in a slimmer build
The ProArt is easier to fit than many oversized flagship cards, while still giving you the mighty RTX 5090 GPU and 32GB of GDDR7.

You want a creator-friendly card
The subdued design, USB-C display output and included GPU holder make it a better match for a compact workstation or high-end creator PC.

Don't buy it if...

You just want the best-value RTX 5090
Cheaper RTX 5090 cards will get you very similar performance if you don’t need the ProArt size or features like the USB-C output.

Coil whine will bother you
Fan noise was low, but coil whine was very noticeable under heavy load, so it’s best in a case that insulates sound well.

How I tested Asus ProArt RTX 5090

• I spent about a week testing the Asus ProArt RTX 5090
• I ran synthetic, compute and gaming benchmarks
• I compared it against the stock RTX 5090, 4090 and the Asus ROG Astral RTX 5080 OC

Test System Specs

Here are the specs on the system I used for testing:

Motherboard: MSI Z890 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 285K
CPU Cooler: Corsair Titan 360 RX
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5 (2 x 16GB)
SSD: Samsung 9100 Pro
PSU: Corsair HX1000
Case: Thermaltake Core P3 TG Pro

I spent about a week with the Asus ProArt RTX 5090, testing it in OC mode and comparing it against other high-end cards. The main comparisons were stock RTX 5090 and RTX 4090 performance and the Asus ROG Astral RTX 5080 OC.

I used 3DMark for synthetic performance, Geekbench 6 Compute and Blender for creator workloads, and games including Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong for real-world gaming results.

• Originally reviewed June 2026

Looking for a coffee machine that serves up a delicious espresso but won’t break the bank? Look no further than the Philips Baristina. This adorable, cost-friendly bean-to-cup machine currently holds the spot for the best budget coffee machine in Australia, and it’s now even cheaper in the Prime Day sales — just AU$418.99.

My colleague Cat Ellis couldn’t have been more positive in her Philips Baristina review, and she loved the fact it combines the best of bean-to-cup machines, with the convenience of capsule machines.

It handles all aspects of the coffee-making process — grinding, dosing, tamping and brewing, so you barely need to lift a finger. What’s more, it puts on a bit of a show, as it will automatically slide the portafilter into position once it's finished grinding and tamping. It’s unlike any other coffee machine I’ve come across.

• Follow our live coverage of the best Prime Day 2026 deals, many of which ship to New Zealand as well

The best entry-level bean-to-cup coffee maker was already amazing value, and this 30% discount makes it even more incredible. If you were thinking of buying a compact espresso machine on Prime Day, you won’t find better than this.

Also available in white for the same price.View Deal

When Philips announced the Baristina, it certainly piqued my interest. My colleague Cat was able to get her hands on a unit first though, inflaming my jealousy.

What drew me to the compact machine was its simplicity. Once you’ve loaded in some beans and filled the water tank, just push the portafilter handle into its slot and slide it to the right. Select which drink you want — it can only brew a 40ml espresso or a 110ml lungo — and the machine will get to work grinding the perfect quantity of coffee into the filter basket and tamping it down.

Ensuring the whole process is as hands-off as possible, the machine will then slide the handle to the left and dispense the coffee into your cup.

It even helps with cleaning, as once your coffee has finished pouring, the handle will release so you can pull it free and knock out the grounds.

FutureFutureFutureFuture

I also love the look of the Baristina, in either its white or black guises it’s very modern. Do note that there’s no steam wand on this machine, but there is a matching Baristina Milk Frother. I do have this and use it daily to froth oat milk, perfect for lattes and cappuccinos. It’s also on sale right now during Prime Day.

The only negative Cat could find with the Philips Baristina is that it doesn’t let you adjust the grind size, so you'll have to choose beans that work with the machine's default settings. There’s no real guidance on this in the user manual, so it may require some trial and error. If your coffee tastes under- or over-extracted then you'll need to try a different bean.

Otherwise, there’s very little to find fault with the Baristina. It looks great, works a charm and brews a delicious espresso, all for an affordable price. What more could you ask for?

• The world's largest digital camera begins recording the changing universe every night
• Giant Chile observatory discovers thousands of hidden asteroids during early testing already
• A new sky survey captures fresh cosmic images every forty seconds overnight

A camera roughly the size of a small car has begun the most ambitious astronomical survey ever attempted from Earth.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, perched atop Cerro Pachón in northern Chile, officially started its Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

Every 40 seconds throughout the night, the 6,600-pound instrument captures a new image using its 3200-megapixel sensor, the largest digital camera ever built.

A decade-long cosmic recording begins

Over the coming decade, the camera will return to each patch of sky roughly 800 times, building a living record of celestial change.

Željko Ivezić, head of LSST, said the launch followed extensive system optimization and a careful review of technical readiness across multiple performance measures.

"Important factors that played a role in this decision included image quality, effective survey speed, system uptime and reliability, and calibration accuracy," Ivezić said.

The $800 million observatory is jointly funded by the US National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

“Today, we begin filming the greatest cosmic movie ever made…This moment reflects decades of vision, innovation and the power of federal investment,” said Brian Stone of the US National Science Foundation

Each night, the camera collects approximately 10 TB of data while generating as many as seven million alerts flagging changes across the sky.

During early optimization surveys lasting roughly six weeks, Rubin already discovered more than 11,000 previously unseen asteroids, including 33 near-Earth objects.

Mapping dark matter and the solar system

Scientists intend to use the completed dataset to build a new inventory of the solar system and the Milky Way galaxy.

The survey will also help researchers examine dark matter by studying the distorted light of distant background galaxies.

Bob Blum, director of the Rubin Observatory at NSF NOIRLab, said the project follows more than two decades of sustained engineering and scientific effort.

"Rubin Observatory is for everyone; the LSST will change how we do astronomy and astrophysics," Blum said.

Phil Marshall, deputy director of Rubin Operations for SLAC, noted that millions of alerts generated in recent months already demonstrate the system functioning as a genuine discovery machine.

Once complete, the final dataset will contain billions of astronomical objects and trillions of individual measurements, according to the observatory.

This data will be released regularly, marking the first time such a comprehensive astronomical archive becomes publicly accessible to researchers and the public alike.

“Rubin is bringing the universe to life, illuminating a treasure trove of discoveries: pulsating stars, supernova explosions, the fossil record of galaxies, clues to the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, and entirely new phenomena never seen before,” the observatory team said.

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, July 9 (game #1124).

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 #1125) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• OUTKAST
• DEPECHE MODE
• FRESH-BAKED
• BALL GOWN
• DO NOT DISTURB
• À LA MODE
• STRIKE A POSE
• AIRPLANE MODE
• ERASURE
• SAFE MODE
• DECADENT
• NEW ORDER
• HOTSPOT
• PET SHOP BOYS
• MOLTEN
• LOCATION SERVICES

NYT Connections today (game #1125) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: iPhone options
• GREEN: Pudding levels
• BLUE: UK chart acts of yesteryear
• PURPLE: Umpire beginnings

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 #1125) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SMARTPHONE SETTINGS
• GREEN: DESSERT MENU DESCRIPTORS
• BLUE: '8OS SYNTH-POP BANDS
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH BASEBALL CALLS

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

NYT Connections today (game #1125) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1125, are…

• YELLOW: SMARTPHONE SETTINGS: AIRPLANE MODE, DO NOT DISTURB, HOTSPOT, LOCATION SERVICES
• GREEN: DESSERT MENU DESCRIPTORS: DECADENT, FRESH-BAKED, MOLTEN, À LA MODE
• BLUE: '8OS SYNTH-POP BANDS: DEPECHE MODE, ERASURE, NEW ORDER, PET SHOP BOYS
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH BASEBALL CALLS: BALL GOWN, OUTKAST, SAFE MODE, STRIKE A POSE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

There were a number of fashion links among today's tiles: A LA MODE, of course, STRIKE A POSE — which features in Madonna’s Vogue — BALL GOWN, and DEPECHE MODE, which was the name of a French fashion magazine.

What caught me out, however, was the SMARTPHONE SETTINGS, as I originally included SAFE MODE instead of DO NOT DISTURB.

Today’s game also featured my two favorite bands — PET SHOP BOYS and NEW ORDER, both of whom joined forces in the 1990s with Electronic and who still tour together occasionally.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, July 9, 2026, game #1124)

• YELLOW: NON-ALCOHOLIC DESIGNATORS: NA, SPIRIT-FREE, VIRGIN, ZERO-PROOF
• GREEN: MUSIC PUBLICATIONS: BILLBOARD, PITCHFORK, ROLLING STONE, SPIN
• BLUE: KINDS OF RUGS: PERSIAN, PRAYER, SHAG, THROW
• PURPLE: PONTIAC MODELS: FIREBIRD, G6, GRAND PRIX, TRANS AM

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, July 9 (game #858).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… I think…

NYT Strands today (game #859) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STAY
• STORY
• SNAKE
• LEEK
• ROBE
• HATE

NYT Strands today (game #859) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #859) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 1st row

• Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #859) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #859, are…

• BELIEVE
• HISTORY
• HASTE
• GOOD
• MERRY
• LOVE
• SENSE
• SPANGRAM: WECANMAKEIT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Is it possible to look at today’s theme and not say to yourself “... therefore I am”? Apparently it is, because the words that complete “I think…” here were instead the more seemingly everyday “we can make it”.

Thinking that I was missing out on some cultural reference point I googled all of today’s game words, along with the spangram, and the AI result claimed that all the words feature in the 17th-century Irish Jacobite love song, Mo Ghile Mear (My Gallant Hero). And there was me thinking it was from Ted Lasso or a Taylor Swift song I’d not heard of.

Despite my ignorance I was able to navigate the game without using any hints.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, July 9, game #858)

• STICK
• GLOSS
• STAIN
• LINER
• TINT
• BALM
• PLUM
• SPANGRAM: KISSANDMAKEUP

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 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, July 9 (game #1627).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1628) — 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 #1628) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1628) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1628) — 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 #1628) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• G

• S

• D

• H

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

Quordle today (game #1628) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1628, are…

• GREET
• STEAK
• DUSKY
• HAUTE

It took me a while to realize that my final word must have two letter Es.

But after getting that right I made the error of believing it had a rare letter too.

Fortunately I had enough lines left to survive my impulsiveness.

Daily Sequence today (game #1628) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1628, are…

• DECRY
• ADOBE
• CABIN
• ESSAY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE

In a new motion, the New York Times, Ziff Davis and 15 other media organizations say OpenAI "chose obstruction" on details about how it trains its AI models.

• B-52 bombers receive gigabit weapon links through advanced fiber optic pylons
• The US Air Force plans 130 modern pylons for the aging strategic bomber fleet
• New pylons allow heavier weapons on upgraded B-52 aircraft for decades

The US Air Force is moving ahead with another major modernization effort for its fleet of 75 B-52H bombers, focusing on replacing weapons pylons originally designed during the late 1950s.

The proposed Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon introduces support for far heavier weapons while also bringing modern digital connectivity through the MIL-STD-1760E interface.

Those interface requirements include gigabit data transfer capability and fiber optic connections that allow advanced weapons to exchange significantly larger volumes of information with aircraft systems.

New pylons prepare decades-old bombers for future weapons

According to an Air Force business notice, the replacement pylon must carry either conventional or nuclear weapons weighing up to 20,000 pounds, while the wing hardpoint remains limited to 28,000 pounds.

This development effort will require about 36 months before reaching a critical design review, although industry feedback will determine whether that schedule remains achievable.

The service expects an initial production requirement of between 20 and 24 pylons, with at least 12 arriving during the first production year before expanding toward roughly 130 units.

The procurement replaces the Improved Common Pylon, introduced during the 1960s after its original design work began in 1959 for considerably lighter weapons.

Air Force documents explained that previous engineers never anticipated external weapons exceeding 5,000 pounds, leaving the current equipment facing structural concerns under modern operational requirements.

Officials said the replacement effort will identify suppliers capable of delivering accelerated pylon designs while modifying existing carriage equipment for newer and substantially heavier munitions.

The standardized electrical interface also enables modern avionics to exchange complex guidance, mission, and release information with sophisticated precision weapons through high-speed digital links.

Upgrade supports broader B-52J modernization effort

The pylon replacement forms part of the wider conversion turning today's B-52H fleet into the B-52J through new engines, modern radar, updated avionics, and expanded weapons integration capabilities.

The Air Force requested $30 million during fiscal 2027 for research and development supporting the new pylons, alongside another $50 million for integrating newer AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile variants.

Budget documents describe the Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon as "the key that unlocks all future heavy-weight weapon capabilities for the B-52," reflecting its importance within broader modernization plans.

The upgraded equipment increases both weapon weight capacity and carriage numbers, allowing each pylon to support eight JASSM missiles instead of six.

Separately, the Air Force requested $1 million during fiscal 2027 to begin examining possible long-term successors for the B-52, even as modernization continues.

Those parallel efforts illustrate how military planners intend to extend the bomber's operational usefulness toward almost 100 years while simultaneously examining eventual replacement options.

Whether every modernization objective proceeds according to current schedules remains uncertain, although ongoing investment shows continued confidence in extending the aircraft's military relevance for decades.

Via Aviation Tech Today

Since disclosing massive global surveillance programs, the former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden has been campaigning to strengthen privacy and the right of citizens to not be monitored by government agencies.

Nothing to hide

Snowden published his memoir, Permanent Record, in 2019 as a means to convey his full story – including his upbringing and how he came to be the whistleblower we all now know.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

In this book, the former NSA contractor used several analogies in a chain to underline what the right to privacy actually means, as he saw it, and to stress that just because you aren't using a particular right, that doesn't mean it shouldn't apply.

He argued that various freedoms may not apply to you, or make sense today, but that they may have meaning for you or those you know in the future. Privacy, too, fell into this category, and he urged more and more people to defend their rights.

Nothing to fear

The legacy of Snowden, since he first helped journalists reveal the breadth and extent of government-led spying in 2013, is far-reaching. His revelations sent shockwaves throughout not only the intelligence-industrial complex but society at several levels.

For example, there's been a dramatic surge in the use of software and applications in which end-to-end encryption can prevent communications data from being intercepted, either in a targeted or indiscriminate way.

Many of the practices he revealed were wound down thanks to the USA Freedom Act, while a US federal court ruled in 2020 that one of the NSA's mass surveillance programs, in which bulk telephone data was collected, was done so illegally and possibly unconstitutionally.

His disclosures also fuelled data protection movements and new laws around the world, like GDPR in the EU.

The move would benefit companies such as Tesla, which are already designing in that direction.

A new ChatGPT Work program can let the AI take charge of your files.

A 20-minute nap will count toward your daily sleep total. But is a quick power nap worth it?

Meta reportedly plans to deploy its fourth custom AI chip by September as it looks to cut AI costs and reduce reliance on Nvidia and AMD.

The post Meta’s Custom AI Chip Timeline Just Got More Interesting appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Custom drone achieved a 261-minute flight after months of engineering refinements
• Guinness World Records recognizes Cape Town pilot for record-breaking multirotor endurance flight
• Software tuning unlocked crucial efficiency gains during the historic flight

A Cape Town YouTuber and drone pilot has secured a new Guinness World Record after keeping a custom-built multirotor drone airborne for 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 39 seconds.

The achievement followed months of redesigns, repeated testing, and engineering refinements that transformed an earlier prototype into an officially recognised endurance aircraft.

Rather than relying on a single breakthrough, the record came through a series of hardware and software improvements that steadily extended flight time beyond previous attempts.

Weight reduction and stronger construction unlocked longer endurance

Luke Bell had already exceeded the previous endurance benchmark with an earlier version that remained airborne for 3 hours, 31 minutes, and 6 seconds, although that attempt was never officially recognised.

Instead of submitting that result, Bell continued refining the aircraft with the goal of securing a larger margin and earning formal recognition from Guinness World Records.

One of the simplest improvements came after viewers suggested replacing two-piece clamp mounts with single-piece C-style clamps, reducing overall weight by approximately 26 grams.

Bell also rebuilt the airframe using continuous 1.88 metre carbon fibre tubes for each rotor arm, removing weak connection points that affected the earlier design.

Additional reinforcement connected the front rotor arms, while a custom mounting system secured the approximately 5 kg high-density SMC battery pack rated at 380 Wh/kg throughout the extended flight.

The drone also received specially designed 3D-printed landing gear incorporating thermoplastic polyurethane joints to absorb landing forces more effectively.

Live software tuning helped extend the record flight

Mechanical improvements alone did not deliver the final result because early test flights revealed vibration severe enough to interfere with the flight controller's inertial measurement units.

Bell replaced the original controller with a Cube Orange Plus system featuring isolated internal IMUs before installing an external antenna connected to a Here4 base unit for real-time kinematic positioning accurate to within 1 centimetre.

Further adjustments focused on the autopilot, where notch filter tuning removed resonant frequencies responsible for instability while reducing unnecessary power consumption during flight.

Bell also monitored live performance through a Wi Fi connection linked to a RadioMaster transmitter, allowing power logs and flight settings to be reviewed while the aircraft remained airborne.

The data showed the drone consumed about 500 W during straight flight, compared with roughly 450 W while turning, prompting a mid-flight route change with more frequent turns.

Flying at approximately 5.5 metres per second, or around 20 km/h, the drone eventually returned after 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 39 seconds before hovering until almost every remaining watt had been consumed.

This feat shows that larger batteries alone may not determine endurance, as careful engineering, software refinement, and efficiency improvements also played important roles.

Via Luke Maximo Bell (YouTube)

A public preview of Muse Spark 1.1 is now available to developers.

Amazon raised $25 billion through a bond sale as AI infrastructure spending accelerates, highlighting the growing cost of competing in the AI race.

The post Amazon Raises $25 Billion in Bond Sale as AI Spending Accelerates appeared first on TechRepublic.

A Pixel 11 pricing leak suggests Google may drop 128GB storage and start all models at 256GB, potentially raising entry prices.

The post Google Pixel 11: Pricing Leak Reveals Bigger Storage, Higher Costs appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Apex Recordhunter drone unofficially set a new air speed record of 434 mph
• High-speed demonstrator will help develop next-gen military drones
• Company targets further records with interceptor drones soon

Germany’s Quantum Systems Group has broken the world airspeed record for an electric drone, hitting speeds of 699km/h (434mph) during internal testing on June 26, 2026.

Though the company is yet to carry out a formal, independently verified attempt at setting a record under the official measurement rules to be recognized by both Guinness World Records and Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the speed far exceeds that of the current record holder – 657.59km/h (409mph).

The latest, unverified record was set in straight and level flight, and would represent a 6.3% increase over the current record. Official testing is expected within the coming weeks, the company said in a press release.

Record-breaker is merely a technology demonstrator

Quantum Systems explained that the Apex Recordhunter drone was developed over the past year, but “serves as a technology demonstrator for next-generation high-speed systems” rather than being a commercially viable product. “Several innovations from the project are expected to support future interceptor drone programs,” the company added.

It is a battery-electric, fixed-wing aircraft developed by the firm’s N3XT advanced development team, benefiting from Porsche-subsidiary-supplied V4Smart battery cells.

Of course, the drone and its successors would not target consumer photographer and hobby markets, instead focusing on high-speed interceptors for modern warfare. Quantum Systems says lessons learned from Apex will directly influence future interceptor platforms for real-world defense scenarios.

“Super proud of the Quantum Systems team, showing our engineering ambition across our Group and reinforcing our commitment to developing world leading technologies,” co-CEO Florian Seibel wrote.

Engineers from Quantum’s Ukrainian WIY Drones division also contributed to the program – a noteworthy inclusion because Russia has increasingly deployed high-speed, jet-powered one-way attack drones. Deploying high-speed drones like the one Quantum Systems has developed could be much cheaper and more accessible than sending off expensive air-defense missiles.

Records continue to be broken as rapid development continues

By mid-July, the company also hopes to have set two other records. The first – the highest speed achieved by an FPV interceptor drone carrying a 500g payload – by its STRILA Interceptor. Second, its SPYS drone, gunning for the highest speed achieved by an anti-aircraft class FPV interceptor drone.

These achievements and potential records reflect an ongoing global race to develop faster military drones, but they also underscore the growing relevance of airborne, remote and autonomous weapons in modern warfare.

That said, other electric drones have technically achieved even higher speeds. Tom’s Hardware recently reported of a New Zealand duo who recorded high speeds of 730km/h (453mph) – that Blackbird drone uses sawtooth carbon fiber prop blades.

Despite lacking official recognition, the duo had previously set a record of 626km/h (388mph) in December 2025 with a separate drone, before quickly being overtaken by another record-holder which achieved a higher 659km/h (408mph). Regardless, an 11.7% increase from December’s first record to today’s unofficial record confirms there’s plenty of scope to continue pushing the boundary.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 10, No. 1,847.