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Peaky Blinders the movie: key information

- The film was rumoured to be happening from around 2020

- It was confirmed in June 2024, and filming began three months later in the West Midlands

- Filming finished in December 2024

- The film is still to be officially given a name, though it’s thought it might be its working title, The Immortal Man

- Creator Steven Knight has said the film is set in World War II

- Cillian Murphy will be returning, and new faces include Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth

- It will be available to stream on Netflix, possibly in 2025, but all the streamer are saying is “soon”

Peaky Blinders is returning as a movie. The show is one of the UK’s longest running – and most loved – period crime dramas.

A dark and thrilling look into gangland crime in Birmingham, set just after World War II, it was based on the real-life Peaky Blinders street gang who terrorised the city of the West Midlands, robbing ‘n’ racketeering, unleashing brutal violence on others and running illegal gambling set-ups.

The BBC show ran for six seasons from 2013 to 2022, and its creator, Steven Knight, made household names of the main actors, Cillian Murphy as the lead, Tommy Shelby; Anna Taylor-Joy, Sam Claflin, Joe Cole, the late Helen McCrory and the ever-expanded cast saw all sorts of brilliant other faces pop up, like Adrien Brody, Stephen Graham and Paddy Considine to name just a few.

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Netflix got hold of Peaky Blinders’ rights and streamed it in the US, and just before the final series aired on the BBC, Knight first mentioned the idea of a PB film in January 2021 to Variety:

“[The film is] in development. It’s a fully formed idea and it has a beginning, middle and end. And I think it’s going to be a fitting conclusion to the story told so far, but from it, there will be things I don’t really call spinoffs, but there will be other TV shows that I hope will come out of [it], that will continue to tell the story of this part of society and this family.”

The film – still unnamed at this point – was confirmed in June 2024, with Knight telling Deadline that the film would “be an explosive chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. No holds barred. Full-on Peaky Blinders at war.” Murphy added: “It seems like Tommy Shelby wasn’t finished with me. It is very gratifying to be re-collaborating with Steven Knight and Tom Harper on the film version of Peaky Blinders. This is one for the fans.”

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Filming began in September 2024 and it all started rolling in Digbeth Loc Studios in Birmingham, and in St Helens, around the Pilkington Watson Street works. It was a relatively quick shoot for a film, as it was all wrapped by December 13, giving everyone a nice long Christmas break, presumably.

As for the film’s name, well, we’re still not entirely sure. It might be called The Immortal Man – this was apparently its working title when residents of filming locations were informed about the film shooting in their neighbourhood, and a make-up artist working on set appeared to reveal the name on their Instagram.

However, this is still yet to be officially confirmed, so for now, let’s just stick with calling it the Peaky Blinders movie. So, with the film in the can: that’s where we are right now, but what else can we expect from the film? Here’s everything we know so far.

Peaky Blinders the movie: release date prediction

(Image credit: Netflix)

It’s been a looooong old slog waiting for this film to hit the screen, and even now, Netflix won’t be drawn on when the actual release date will be, other than saying: “Soon”.

That kind of sounds like what a parent would say when they want to you stop asking about something. We’re presuming soon means “in 2025”, so we will let you know as “soon” as any better approximations of date are released.

Peaky Blinders the movie: trailer, is there one?

Nope, not so much as a peek of a flat cap yet. Again, as soon as the trailer is released, we’ll bang it up here in all its glory.

Barry Keoghan and Cillian Murphy have a laugh on set the Peaky Blinders movie (Image credit: Netflix ) Peaky Blinders the movie: cast

Well, obviously it wouldn’t be Peaky Blinders without Cillian Murphy, who returns once again as Tommy Shelby.

But the big interest is around new faces joining the gang, namely Barry Keoghan and Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth, whose roles have yet to be announced.

Other confirmed cast include:

First look of Barry Keoghan on set in Birmingham (Image credit: Netflix )

• Stephen Graham as Hayden Stagg
• Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne, née Shelby
• Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong
• Packy Lee as Johnny Dogs
• Ian Peck as Curly
• Jay Lycurgo

Meanwhile, Knight has teased that there are even more famous names to come, calling the cast list “mindblowing”.

Peaky Blinders the movie: plot

(Image credit: Netflix)

We’re moving into further war territory in the film, with Knight revealing that it’s set in World War II. He told Deadline: “The thing is that when I’m writing anything, but particularly Peaky, I tend to not have a plan except something very, very broad."

So for the film, it’s actually set in World War II which I think I probably wouldn’t have done for series 7; I’d have probably taken it up to the war but because it’s a movie then I think we need a sort of gear change.”

Knight reiterated this again in September 2024, and when filming began, he told Netflix: “I’m thrilled to see the cameras rolling on this new chapter of the Peaky Blinders story, set during World War II. The country is at war, and so, of course, are our Peaky Blinders.”

The Peaky Blinders-verse: future

(Image credit: BBC)

As the world of Shelby and co. jumps from the BBC over to Netflix for the feature-length story, the streamer seems to suggest that there could be more after The Immortal Man, which is very fitting, given the name of the film.

Netflix have billed the film as “an epic continuation” of the Peaky Blinders-verse, while Knight has called it “an explosive chapter”, which suggests that there could be more to follow.

Speaking with Esquire in 2022, Knight hinted that someone was planning to “pop out” in the film, which could then take the story elsewhere, in another film or even format: “The film, I know exactly what it's about. And I know what two stories it's going to tell. How the story will unfold, I don't know. What will happen after that, I want that to depend on the film. For all we know somebody is going to pop out – I think I know who it's going to be.”

And he confirmed that the film won’t be the end of PB in an interview with Times Radio in December 2024. He said: “Well, it’s interesting you should ask that question because the film is coming out and that won’t be the end. It won’t be the end, let me put it that way. I’m not saying none of it.” Watch this space!

For more Netflix TV-based coverage, read everything we know about Stranger Things season 5, Squid Game season 3, and Wednesday season 2.

The road to net zero is a long one. For the UK to hit its 2050 target, there must be a unified effort across all sectors to decarbonize. While highly visible polluters such as heavy industry and transport make up the lion’s share of emissions, we can’t let the invisible activities of the online world off the hook. One polluter we encounter every day but may never consider a carbon culprit is digital advertising.

For years, there has been a concerted effort to optimize the supply chain that powers digital advertising, but the barriers are stubborn and steep: the lack of transparency, the vast number of adtech intermediaries, the spend wasted on low-quality placements. Each of these challenges also drive up emissions, for a global CO2 bill of 7.2 million tons a year, all just to put an ad on your screen.

Programmatic advertising — the automated process for buying and selling ads — is particularly inefficient. Advertisers pour money into the system for the sole purpose of easily reaching consumers at scale, but an audit by the Association of National Advertisers found only 36 cents of every dollar spent reaches its intended destination.

This presents a unique opportunity to the industry: cut bloat in the advertising supply chain and you kill two birds with one stone: increasing campaign performance and reducing emissions at the same time. If there’s nothing but benefits to such optimizations, why haven’t they been achieved yet? It’s simple, we didn’t have AI.

Cleaner, leaner programmatic advertising that delivers on its promise

At its heart, programmatic advertising is meant to streamline digital media buying by automating the process of placing ads in real-time. Instead of manually negotiating with individual publishers, advertisers use demand-side platforms (DSPs) to bid for ad placements as they become available across a vast network of websites and apps, who surface their available inventory on supply-side platforms (SSPs). This entire process happens in milliseconds.

Unfortunately, over time programmatic advertising has become a tangled web of intermediaries, inefficiencies, and hidden costs. The sheer number of players involved means budgets leak away before they reach publisher inventory, and every unnecessary transaction comes with its own little puff of CO2.

Worse still, the sheer volume of bid requests swarming the system is staggering; in the US alone, 647 times more bid requests are sent out every day than there are people in the country. And this pollution is not merely ‘digital’: audits have found that 60% of carbon emissions from programmatic advertising are generated during the ad selection process.

The signal-to-noise ratio is clearly way off, but machine learning and AI — perfectly suited to such messy mathematical challenges — can rebalance the scales. Instead of blindly spraying a “firehose” of requests — as the practice has been labelled — AI-powered bidding technologies take a more calculated approach. By “learning” from prior and real-time digital advertising campaign data, AI can map out the most efficient pathways for delivering ads, reducing unnecessary steps and ensuring more budgets are allocated to actual working media.

The best part? What’s good for the bottom line is also good for the planet: fewer wasted impressions mean lower costs and lower emissions; a rare win-win solution.

Emissions reductions aren’t just a happy accident of supply chain optimization, AI can also deliberately steer campaigns towards low-emission inventory using an array of real-time data signals. Factors like time of day, device type, Wi-Fi versus mobile connections, and even whether the local energy grid is running on renewables can all be accounted for; all without getting in the way of campaign KPIs.

AI’s predictive capabilities can even be trained to prevent unwanted and unintended downstream effects of optimization. For example, if you make the cost per impression cheaper, advertisers could by default buy more of them, causing a “rebound effect” where reducing costs ends up actually increasing overall emissions. AI can keep this unintended consequence in check, ensuring that absolute carbon emissions remain reduced.

Decarbonization so good even climate sceptics won’t resist

With AI taking over the number crunching, digital advertising can evolve beyond the inefficient, carbon-heavy machine it once was. Advertisers now have the means to make their campaigns work harder while using fewer resources. The old trade-off between performance and sustainability no longer applies.

For the first time, AI is enabling climate-conscious advertisers to set custom sustainability goals alongside traditional campaign metrics. Instead of just tracking cost-based performance or engagement metrics, brands can now measure carbon impact and actively work towards lower-emission media strategies without sacrificing results. But even if an advertiser doesn’t care about emissions, they’ll end up cutting them anyway in the pursuit of better performance and boosting the bottom line.

And the best is yet to come. AI isn’t a set and forget solution, it continuously learns and adapts, its scope and capabilities improving as it connects to more data sources, identifying patterns that humans would overlook. Over time, campaigns become even more efficient, with costs dropping and emissions shrinking further.

The impact of this technological revolution goes far beyond individual campaigns. As AI tools become more widespread, platforms and publishers will be incentivized to support more sustainable practices to avoid being left out of AI-optimized media plans. Demand for quality data to power this system will drag digital advertising towards total transparency, through which even more emissions savings can be uncovered.

The beauty of AI-driven programmatic optimization is that it makes doing the right thing the easy choice. As more brands and agencies realize that sustainability and profitability go hand-in-hand, the momentum will only grow. Thanks to AI, we finally have the tools to build a better, more sustainable future for digital media, one campaign at a time.

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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

Progress towards sustainability is rarely straightforward. Building a truly sustainable telecom network is a long and complex journey, one that requires balancing innovation, financial realities, and the constraints of existing infrastructure.

Telecom operators are discovering this first-hand as they strive for more sustainable networks. Compared to other key sectors like utilities or transportation, telecom operators were among the earlier adopters of net zero targets, led by major players like BT, Vodafone, Telia, and AT&T who helped set the pace.

These targets are admirable, but operators have a big challenge on their hands to hit them. As critical national infrastructure, telecom networks can't simply be de-installed or decommissioned and replaced from scratch. Sustainability goals must be balanced against two critical business priorities: competitiveness and financial viability. It’s a fine balance.

Balancing legacy with innovation

Even as they look to evolve their networks with more advanced (and often more eco-friendly) technology like 5G or fiber, operators are wrestling with a hidden beast – maintaining the network they already have. Telecoms is one of the longest-standing forms of what we still consider ‘modern’ technology.

It has evolved massively over time, but in the UK and US for example, some of these networks have existed for over a century. More importantly, even today, many still contain equipment that is up to fifty years old. If you flipped this around on the consumers that use these networks, it would be the same as still using the Nokia 3310 ‘brick’ or the first-ever laptop.

While older technology like copper-based DSL and PSTN infrastructure in fixed networks, along with 2G and 3G hardware in mobile, is being replaced by modern alternatives, this is a gradual process. Several major US carriers have already phased out 2G and 3G, but in the UK, VM02 is only just beginning its 3G phase-out.

Meanwhile, in the fixed space, BT, which has been preparing for its PSTN switch-off for several years, has now pushed the final deadline back from 2025 to 2027. Indeed, 81% of operators expect their copper network infrastructure to remain operational until at least 2028. Meanwhile, 60% say they’ll still be using 2G until around 2030 and beyond. The shift to modern networks is happening, but not at the same pace everywhere.

The legacy burden

This situation is a bit of a catch-22. Operators need to evolve their networks to improve their service, use less energy and drive revenue growth, but ageing infrastructure slows this down in a number of ways. The first is a financial drain. According to data from Omdia, around 50% of total operational expenditure (OpEx) is typically spent on maintaining and operating a network. This includes utilities, leasing real estate and infrastructure, and maintenance costs, with ageing equipment a big driver of this. While newer technology might demand more up-front investment, it is far more efficient in the long run, with lower day-to-day costs.

There are also more second-hand costs that come from legacy infrastructure. The ‘operational toil’ of maintaining, repairing, and replacing faulty equipment is invisible to consumers but demands significant time and resources. Outages on legacy networks are also remarkably common, with 96% of network managers in the US and UK reporting incidents. According to the same findings, the average annual impact of network downtime is £500K-£1M ($632K-$1.2M in the US), with very few respondents reporting losses below this range.

The result of all of this? Slower network evolution. This operational burden has huge implications for telcos trying to roll out new technology and services. 97% reported diverting resources from investing in new technologies like fiber or 5G to maintain legacy networks. Four out of five believe this has hindered their ability to roll out these new services versus newer greenfield operators.

The long road out

This ‘opportunity cost’ is significant, but it is not insurmountable. It just means that operators need to be as commercially and environmentally efficient as possible when decommissioning and evolving their networks.

On the financial front, the burden from legacy networks leaves such fine margins that delivering more cost-positive decommissioning projects is critical. But those ambitious net zero targets can’t be overlooked at this stage – we need to minimize the environmental impact of network evolution.

Modern equipment typically consumes between 20-50% less energy, but embedded emissions (upfront impact) for manufacturing new equipment like fiber cables or 5G radios are significant. So, while long-phase emissions are lower, the full impact depends on how long the equipment is used, how circular the supply chain is and how well the technology it replaces is phased out. Currently, many operators are running both new and old, temporarily adding to footprints rather than reducing them.

Going circular

To address this dual challenge, we are seeing operators increasingly leveraging the circular economy to minimize the environmental and financial impact of decommissioning. This means recovering, and recycling or reselling hardware and raw materials as much as possible.

According to recent research, 80% of respondents plan to resell copper infrastructure for fixed networks, while 72% intend to resell 2G or 3G equipment for mobile networks.

The market for the recycling and resale of copper is huge. At the time of writing, copper prices are at an all-time high, making ‘urban mining’ from telecom networks not just better for the environment, but also financially rewarding. For fixed network operators, this can free up resources that would normally go toward maintaining the network to reinvest in further decommissioning and accelerate timelines.

This isn’t just theoretical - BT’s infrastructure division, Openreach, has already recouped £105M in recycling old copper cables from its network. Telefónica Spain is also actively pursuing large-scale copper recovery as part of its national switch-off plans. On the mobile side, because certain markets (including the US, UK and the Nordics) are slightly ahead on network evolution, there is a market for selling refurbished equipment, but the window is closing.

While there is of course an environmental benefit to reusing and recycling old hardware, it is arguably the financial uplift that the circular economy can give operators that will be more influential in the industry’s journey towards net zero.

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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

• GMKTec EVO-X2 offers Ryzen AI Max+ 395 power at a surprisingly low price
• GMKTec’s compact workstation promises serious AI performance
• High-end specs in a mini PC make EVO-X2 perfect for creative and AI tasks

Following the official launch of the GMKTec EVO-X2, a compact yet powerful mini PC powered by AMD’s flagship Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU, the device was listed on the Chinese market for CNY 14,999 (roughly $2,066), which appeared to be rather on the steep side.

However, the device has now arrived in Europe, where buyers can unlock a reduced pre-sale price of €1,499 for the base model by paying a $100 deposit.

Those who want the higher configuration need to place a €200 deposit to qualify for a discounted €1,799 final price. All orders must be completed by May 7 to receive the full discount.

Ryzen AI Max+ 395 brings workstation-level performance

The GMKTec EVO-X2’s CPU is based on the Strix Halo platform and comes with an integrated Radeon 8060S GPU using the latest RDNA 3.5 architecture. With up to 40 compute units and a total power budget of 140W, the EVO-X2 marks a serious leap forward in AI-capable compact systems.

As AMD’s strongest integrated chip to date, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, brings workstation-level performance into a smaller footprint, making the EVO-X2 one of the best workstation PC options for creatives and developers alike.

The base model ships with 64GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8,000 MT/s and a 1TB SSD, while the higher variant comes with 128GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.

These features also make the EVO-X2 an excellent choice for users looking for the best laptop for Photoshop. Even though it’s a desktop, its compact mini PC design is mobile enough to compete with traditional laptops for creatives who need raw power.

The EVO-X2 isn't just about internal specs. It comes with a wide range of ports, including USB 4.0, USB 3.2 Gen2, USB 2.0, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, an SD card reader, and dual 3.5mm audio jacks. Network demands are handled by a 2.5 Gbit Ethernet port, and there’s a dedicated button for fan control as well as a mysterious "Performance Mode" switch.

Considering the hardware packed into this device, it could even rival the modular, enthusiast-focused Framework Desktop, while undercutting it in price.

The GMKTec EVO-X2 is positioning itself as one of the best mobile workstations available, combining compact form, cutting-edge performance, and future-ready AI acceleration.

Via Computerbase

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• Looking Glass 27 offers 16 inches of depth in a one-inch thick frame
• It can project up to 100 views across a 53-degree cone, perfect for shared use
• Built for developers: create in Unity and deploy across platforms using an iPad

Looking Glass has announced a 27-inch 5K light field display which shows 3D content without any need for headsets or glasses.

Looking Glass 27 is designed for shared use, projecting 45 to 100 perspectives across a 53-degree view cone. At just one inch thick and capable of displaying 16 inches of virtual depth, it offers shared 3D experiences that were previously only possible with specialized gear.

Designed for plug-and-play deployment in offices or exhibitions, the display supports flexible VESA mounting and can even run entirely off an iPad. This alone reduces system-level costs by roughly 35%, while shrinking the overall hardware footprint.

A breakthrough moment for 3D?

Developers can build content in Unity on a PC and deploy it to iPads across multiple platforms via TestFlight or the App Store, streamlining workflows. It has broad support for web-based 3D pipelines and simplified cross-device compatibility.

"This is a breakthrough moment for 3D. With the new 27-inch display, we’ve combined major hardware and software advances to cut system costs and dramatically reduce compute requirements," said Shawn Frayne, CEO of Looking Glass. "It’s never been easier for developers and enterprises to build, test, and then deploy applications for their audiences in 3D."

With a pre-order price of $8,000 (currently 20% off), significantly lower than many would expect, Looking Glass 27 sets a new standard for professional-grade 3D displays. The pre-order window lasts until April 30th. You can see it in action in the video below.

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• Funding for the critical CVE security detection system renewed before deadline

• Phishing kits sold for $25 give low-skilled criminals powerful tools to steal data
• Drag-and-drop website builders and fake emails make launching professional scams easy
• Phishing-as-a-service platforms help criminals run large attack campaigns

The world of cybercrime is ever-evolving, and phishing attacks are becoming easier to carry out.

New research by NordVPN’s shows that phishing kits - pre-made software bundles - are now widely sold for less than $25, giving even low-skilled criminals the ability to steal sensitive data and launch malware attacks.

NordVPN’s research found phishing kits are, like so much criminal gear, often sold on the dark web and apps like Telegram, with the packages typically including everything an attacker needs: ready-to-use fake websites, pre-written emails, and stolen contact lists.

Targeting Google, Meta and Microsoft

Brands such as Google, Meta/Facebook, and Microsoft are some of the most commonly impersonated, with nearly 85,000 fake Google URLs discovered in 2024 alone.

Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, explained these kits are making cybercrime more accessible.

“Phishing kits are a force multiplier for cybercrime. They put powerful attack tools into the hands of people who may not have the skills to build them on their own,” he says.

“With features like drag-and-drop website builders, email templates, and even contact lists, these kits enable even the least technical attackers to carry out professional-looking scams.”

At the same time, phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platforms are rising. These subscription-based services allow criminals to launch campaigns without having to manage any of the technical work themselves.

“Phishing kits and PhaaS platforms lower the barrier to entry, so we’re seeing a surge in the number and variety of attacks,” Warmenhoven adds. “That means consumers need to be more alert than ever.”

How to stay safe

(Image credit: Amazon India)

Protecting yourself starts, as always, with being skeptical about unexpected emails, especially ones that try to create a sense of urgency or promise big rewards.

Always hover over links to check for small spelling errors or unusual domains before clicking.

Enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible to add a second layer of protection to your accounts. This can stop attackers even if your password gets compromised.

Avoid using free file sharing or video hosting sites you do not trust. These often hide malware or invasive trackers.

Keep all your software and devices updated to patch known security flaws. Use anti-malware tools to scan downloads, and consider installing browser tracker blockers to protect your privacy.

If you accidentally click on a suspicious link or download something you are unsure about, run a full malware scan immediately. If you think your information may have been exposed, change your passwords right away from a safe device.

Staying careful with where you browse, what you download, and who you communicate with online can reduce the risks from phishing attacks and help keep your information secure.

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Andor season 2 is almost here. The Emmy-nominated Star Wars TV show returns for its second and final season very soon, so I imagine you'll want to know when you can stream it.

In this guide you'll find a detailed rundown of when this season's three-episode premiere will be released in the US, UK, and Australia. I've also compiled a full launch schedule for Andor's second season, so you can see when new episodes will be released in those countries.

So, what are you waiting for, rebel? Dive in to kickstart the revolution!

When will Andor season 2 come out on Disney+ in the US?

Stop looking so worried, Bix – season 2 arrives tomorrow in the US! (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Andor season 2 will make its Disney+ debut in the US on Tuesday, April 22 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

As I mentioned above, you won't be treated to just a single episode on release day, as there will be three chapters to stream. That's because this season's 12 episodes have been split up into four acts comprising three entries apiece, with each act depicting a specific event across four years that lead up the beginning of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

According to showrunner Tony Gilroy, this season's narrative structure makes for some "very sexy" time jumps. I suspect season 2 will be just as dangerous, gripping, and heart-wrenching as Andor season 1 was, too.

When can I watch Andor season 2's first three episodes in the UK?

Dedra Meero will be keeping tabs on you while you watch season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

UK viewers should tune into Disney+ UK to catch Andor season 2 episodes 1 to 3 on Wednesday, April 23 at 2am BST.

That'll be a bit early (that's the understatement of the year!) for pretty much everyone on British shores. So, if you'd prefer to stream one of 2025's new Star Wars movies and shows at a later time, you can. Just make sure you stay off social media and/or avoid your fellow Star wars devotees to avoid spoilers.

What day and time will Andor season 2 be released in Australia?

Nobody tell Syril when Andor's second season will air on Disney+ (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

Andor's final season will be released in Australia on Wednesday, April 23 at 11am AEST. You'll be able to watch one of the best Disney+ shows on, well, Disney+ as well.

Andor season 2 full release schedule: when will new episodes come out?

Stop scouring the web for more details on season 2's full launch schedule, Mon! (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

Want to know when new episodes of Andor will be released on one of the world's best streaming services? Read on to learn more:

• Andor season 2 episode 1 – April 22 (US); April 23 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 2 – April 22 (US); April 23 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 3 – April 22 (US); April 23 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 4 – April 29 (US); April 30 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 5 – April 29 (US); April 30 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 6 – April 29 (US); April 30 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 7 – May 6 (US); May 7 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 8 – May 6 (US); May 7 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 9 – May 6 (US); May 7 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 10 – May 13 (US); May 14 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 11 – May 13 (US); May 14 (UK and Australia)
• Andor season 2 episode 12 – May 13 (US); May 14 (UK and Australia)

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• The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip tipped to arrive in July
• Mass production on these devices could start next month
• The tri-fold and affordable flip phone may follow on later

If Samsung sticks to the same timings as last year, then we should see the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 appear sometime in July – and we now have a big hint that these foldables are indeed on schedule.

According to a new report from South Korean outlet The Bell (via SamMobile), mass production for the two foldable phones is set to begin in May, as per information obtained from Samsung Display – which is of course supplying the screens.

The news fits in nicely with a July launch, and the article itself mentions a foldable phone launch in "the second half of the year" (as per Google Translate). No doubt Samsung will arrange another of its Unpacked launch events for the occasion.

We don't get much information here about the rumored Galaxy Z Flip FE or the tri-fold foldable that Samsung has confirmed is on the way. The report intimates that these devices will appear in the fourth quarter of 2025 – October, November, or December.

The rumors so far

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Samsung)

Various rumors and leaks have been floating around when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and the overall impression we've got is that there are going to be some decent upgrades from the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6.

It would be a surprise if these phones didn't come running the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which has been seen in benchmarks for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the book-style foldable has also been tipped to have improved cameras and a slimmer design.

As for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, there has been talk of a full-sized cover screen that wraps fully around the cameras, which should make the outer display more useful. We've also heard that there might be a noticeable bump in battery capacity.

Both these phones could make their debut running One UI 8 as well, which is based on Android 16. The Samsung Galaxy S25 handsets were the first to arrive with One UI 7 in January, so it would be a relatively quick turnaround for the next version.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, April 20 (game #1181).

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 #1183) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1183) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1183) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1183) - 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 2.

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 #1183) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• P

• S

• L

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

Quordle today (game #1183) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1183, are…

• SHARD
• PRINT
• SUMAC
• LEACH

Even though I only had the first letter in the correct position, and three in incorrect positions, I was confident that it would start S-H-A-R, and I was proved right when my final start word turned out a green D to create SHARD.

Changing my start word from WOULD to COULD was also a big help, as the next two words both had a C – SUMAC and LEACH – and may have been trickier to get if they didn’t.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1183) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1183, are…

• ALLOT
• BANAL
• BOAST
• UNTIE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1182, Sunday, 20 April: DINER, HORDE, SHONE, FUGUE
• Quordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULT
• Quordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTO
• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT
• Quordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUT
• Quordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAY
• Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCE
• Quordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOP
• Quordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THING
• Quordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLY
• Quordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSE
• Quordle #1171, Wednesday 9 April: LITHE, LEFTY, KNOLL, MULCH
• Quordle #1170, Tuesday 8 April: WIDTH, VISOR, MEDAL, BROOK
• Quordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABIN
• Quordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICK
• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, April 20 (game #412).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… What talent!

NYT Strands today (game #414) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BASIC
• RICE
• GLUE
• CAGE
• COIN
• URGE

NYT Strands today (game #414) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #414) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 2nd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #414) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #414, are…

• ACROBAT
• JUGGLER
• DUET
• COMIC
• MAGICIAN
• DANCER
• SPANGRAM: VARIETY ACTS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

My immediate thoughts on today’s theme were TV talent shows and the many variants of such and such a country’s “got talent”.

In the UK, our version ran out of talent and we started importing contestants that had appeared in other country’s versions of the show. At that point the emphasis switched from unearthing talent and more about creating a fun TV show, which it did – but it broke the format. Hard to keep up the illusion of judgement when you’ve cast the competitors.

Anyway, I digress. Knowing the VARIETY ACTS we were looking for made for a very dull Strands. Although having DUET instead of SINGER is a slight curveball. Also missing were the cute dog acts that seem an integral part of a variety show — or at least ones involving Simon Cowell.

Concerns about exploitation have seen, probably correctly, the decline of performing animals – apart from dogs, who seem more than happy to humiliate themselves dancing / jumping over tiny fences / posing on pedestals / smoking pipes / catching frisbees / wearing bomber jackets and pork pie hats for human entertainment. Not good enough to make Strands though, lads.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 20 April, game #413)

• BUNNY
• TOYS
• BOOK
• EGGS
• CHOCOLATE
• CANDY
• PEEPS
• SPANGRAM: EASTER BASKET

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, April 20 (game #677).

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 #680) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CELL
• IRON
• TWIST
• SHEET
• SPRING
• WRENCH
• PROTEIN
• CORKSCREW
• DNA
• CURVEBALL
• COLUMN
• SODIUM
• BOMBSHELL
• ROW
• FAT
• FUSILLI

NYT Connections today (game #680) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Food information
• GREEN: Surprise element
• BLUE: Excel or Google 
• PURPLE: Spirals

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 #680) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: INFO ON A NUTRITION LABEL
• GREEN: METAPHOR FOR SOMETHING UNEXPECTED 
• BLUE: THINGS YOU CAN INSERT INTO A SPREADSHEET 
• PURPLE: HELICAL THINGS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #680) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #680, are…

• YELLOW: INFO ON A NUTRITION LABEL FAT, IRON, PROTEIN, SODIUM
• GREEN: METAPHOR FOR SOMETHING UNEXPECTED BOMBSHELL, CURVEBALL, TWIST, WRENCH
• BLUE: THINGS YOU CAN INSERT INTO A SPREADSHEET CELL, COLUMN, ROW, SHEET
• PURPLE: HELICAL THINGS CORKSCREW, DNA, FUSILLI, SPRING

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

My mistake today came with what would become HELICAL THINGS.

From FUSILLI, I immediately knew that we were looking for spiral shapes, but I ignored SPRING as an object and picked CURVEBALL instead, thinking of the spin of a ball thrown by a baseball pitcher spun in a spiral. I abandoned this group as the rest seemed more concrete.

I use Google Sheets nearly every day for one reason or another, so THINGS YOU CAN INSERT INTO A SPREADSHEET was an easy solve. And although INFO ON A NUTRITIONAL LABEL wasn’t what I was thinking, FAT, IRON, PROTEIN and SODIUM seemed to belong together.

Incidentally, returning to fusilli, it is a brilliant pasta shape that is often the victim of misidentification.

For years I thought I was eating fusilli, which is a hollow coiled spring shape, but I was actually eating rotini, which is corkscrew shaped pasta. It's not my fault rotini is often sold as fusilli. It’s like John Travolta and Nicolas Cage in Face/Off – they’ve changed identities and everyone’s unsure who is who. Fortunately they both have excellent sauce-attracting grooves (the pasta, not John Travolta and Nicolas Cage's faces).

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 20 April, game #679)

• YELLOW: GLIMPSE GANDER, GLANCE, LOOK, PEEP
• GREEN: NEEDS FOR TIE-DYEING A SHIRT BASIN, DYE, RUBBER BANDS, SHIRT
• BLUE: THINGS YOU CAN CRACK CODE, EGG, JOKE, WHIP
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "HOP" BAR, BUNNY, HIP, SOCK

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.

Money no object

We love to give practical buying advice on the latest gadgets here at TechRadar. But sometimes what we love even more is to indulge in the most outrageously high-end, cutting-edge, luxurious tech on the planet. That's what we bring you in these Money No Object columns – you can read the whole series here.

Only recently, we discovered a pair of luxury speakers that look like something from Elton "Rocket Man" John's house. And today we've got two pairs of luxury speakers that look like actual space rockets, or maybe robots that'd chase Doctor Who around a quarry, or maybe something Jony Ive would've designed in 2003.

These are the new Rhea and Theia Passive speakers from Swiss luxury audio brand Goldmund, and they're yours for around $108,000 (£82,000 / AU$171,000) and $215,000 (£162,000 / AU$338,000).

If you're a fan of mythology you'll recognize the names: Theia and Rhea are Titan goddesses, and Goldmund also has an even more premium set of speakers named after their mythical mother, Gaia.

The Gaia speakers currently retail in the UK for £650,000 (about $860,000 / AU$1,354,338), so by comparison these are super-cheap budget buys.

If you told me this tormented James Caan in a ’70s space movie, I'd believe you. (Image credit: Goldmund) Goldmund Theia and Rhea: key features

Goldmund already makes speakers called Theia and Rhea, but these are new, passive models that support mono, bi- and tri-wired setups. The firm warns that you'll need very high-quality amplification to drive them, as lesser amps won't be able to deliver the speed the speaker drivers need to perform at their best.

The speakers are three-way in the case of the Rhea and four-way with the Theia. The Rhea has a soft dome tweeter, a seven-inch mid-range driver and a 12-inch woofer, and the Theia has a soft dome tweeter, a four-inch high-mid driver, a six-inch low-medium driver and again, a 12-inch woofer.

Frequency response is 27Hz to 25kHz for the Rhea, and 20Hz to 25kHz for the Theia.

As you might expect, when you order a pair of these speakers Goldmund doesn't just chuck some bubble wrap around them: each set comes packaged in a custom flight case. That adds to the already considerable weight: the Rhea is 123kg and the Thea is 197kg. Oh, and that's per speaker.

Both sets of speakers are available today. If you'd like something a little more affordable, we have a list of the best stereo speakers.

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“My experience with people who ever doubt themselves is that they will prepare, they will read everything, they will reach out to the experts, they'll do their job with humility because they won't believe they have all the answers,” former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on stage at the recent Zendesk Relate 2025 conference.

After sharing stories from her time as Prime Minister, including her approach to empathetic leadership, the nation’s struggles with social media and her own battles with confidence when stepping into the global spotlight, Ardern’s discussion quickly turned to artificial intelligence.

“You can either have excitement or enthusiasm for the opportunity that lays ahead,” she said as she likened the emergence of artificial intelligence to an endless list of technological advancements over the course of decades.

A human-centric AI landscape

One of the biggest concerns we’ve been writing about regarding AI since the public preview of ChatGPT, which opened up a new chapter in public artificial intelligence, is its impact on the workforce.

The growing apprehension that AI will replace human workers, particularly in roles involving repetitive and administrative tasks, continues to play out today.

According to Ardern, these fears don’t just stem from the technology itself, but from workers’ past experiences of changes that have maybe failed them – changes that didn’t fully consider human impact.

In her discussion with the audience at Zendesk Relate 2025, it was clear that the former New Zealand Prime Minister advocates for proactively addressing such concerns through more clarity, guidance and transparency.

Ardern’s approach involves shifting the dialogue from one of fear to one of opportunity – understanding that jobs will be redefined rather than wiped out completely.

Although their roles will change, potentially considerably, the leader said that workers need to understand that the value they bring to organizations will remain constant.

Sure, artificial intelligence can significantly boost the productivity of workers who operate within certain fields, but even AI agents can’t operate entirely autonomously – they still require plenty of human input, be it on development, guidance or correction.

Moreover, she highlighted how governments can protect workers on a macro level. Ardern cited New Zealand’s initiatives, including state-level income insurance and lifelong learning programs designed to ease the transition into this new era of employment.

Citizens are more likely to feel comfortable about such major changes when there’s the guarantee and backing of their own government.

This aligns with the need for a cultural evolution, where citizens and employees must adopt the values of continuous learning, innovation and increased agility. Companies and government agencies hold most of the responsibility for this, however workers must be just as proactive in their approach to adapting.

To summarize, it appeared that Ardern is not concerned about AI’s impact in the long term. Though she acknowledges short-term displacement can be worrying for some, deeper support and commitment from all parties involved, including governments, companies and staff will ultimately secure our continued role on this planet.

• The UK government wants to help businesses make trustworthy AI products
• UK government releases new AI code of practice to help protect companies
• Check out the best AI tools and best AI writers

• We can expect the Nothing Phone 3 in Q3
• July seems a good bet based on previous launches
• We already have the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro

We've been waiting a while for the Nothing Phone 3 – you may remember its launch was pushed back last year because Nothing wanted more time to work on its software and AI – but we now know it will definitely be arriving this year.

After opening up an 'ask me anything' session on X, Nothing CEO Carl Pei said that the Nothing Phone 3 would be launching in "Q3", the third quarter of this year. That puts the launch window as July, August, or September.

We didn't get any more details than that, unfortunately, so it remains to be seen exactly when the next flagship phone from Nothing will make an appearance. The Nothing Phone 2 was launched in July of 2023, which may give us a clue.

Back in November of last year we heard a tip that Nothing would launch three phones by the middle of this year, which means around June and July time – and the Nothing Phone 3a and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro were both unveiled in March 2025.

The story so far

Q3April 18, 2025

If Nothing had stuck to a regular schedule, we would've seen the Nothing Phone 3 in July 2024. However, in June 2024, Pei announced that the handset's launched would be pushed back to this year, stressing the need to "get the product right".

Pei went on to say that "integrating hardware and AI in a way that is both useful and brings a smile to people's faces" was the aim with the next Nothing flagship phone, so we can expect to see a bundle of artificial intelligence features included.

As our Nothing Phone 3a Pro review will tell you, there's already plenty of AI on board the current Nothing handsets – but these features, including the Essential Space 'second memory', could still use some work. Improvements may arrive with the Nothing Phone 3.

From the leaks we've come across so far, it sounds as though the Nothing Phone 3 is going to be a significant upgrade on its predecessor, and quite possibly one of the phones of the year. In a few months time, we should know for sure.

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AI is going to take over our lives. At least that’s what we keep being told. So, in a world where thousands of jobs could be replaced by AI, it’s easy to scoff that AI can make our lives better.

But it can. As we’ve seen from our use of scores of artificial intelligence platforms, artificial intelligence can equip all of us to do many things that were once beyond the scope of the majority.

And, as controversial as some of those things may be, they can also make a big difference to our overall well-being, freeing up time, making us skilled in new areas and helping to keep us calm.

Having played around with Gemini, I’ve certainly seen its transformative powers and it’s helping me to become more productive, informed and chilled.

Whereas once I was getting severe FOMO, having missed a heap of events I would have loved to attend, I’m even very much on top of my social life. Here are five things you can ask Gemini to help improve your life, too.

1. How can I save time doing something?

(Image credit: Pixabay)

Many of us perform monotonous, repetitive tasks each day, whether that’s trying to extract information from documents to organize into spreadsheets, checking text for grammar errors, writing code and more.

Gemini can help with most of this and all you need to do is ask “how can I save time doing XXX” where XXX is the thing that you need assistance with.

You should see a rundown of the steps you need to take to complete that particular task. So, for example, when we’re asking to save time with data entry, it’ll tell you to indicate the columns you need, the data types for each column and more.

This saves you having to browse the web looking for instructions but this time-saving tip also extends beyond what Gemini itself can do for you. You can ask it to shave hours off practically any task whether it’s laying a patio, assembling IKEA furniture or tips on how to make journeys quicker.

2. Is there a mindfulness or de-stress routine I can try?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Gemini can come to the rescue by helping you to relax or focus on the tasks you need to complete. It can give you a full mindfulness routine lasting up to 15 minutes or tailor it for a specific set of time.

Gemini can also act as a therapist and it’s interesting to note that a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders observed “noteworthy improvements in depression and anxiety” among 3,477 participants who used AI-based chatbots to treat these conditions.

Taking cues from that, there is a Mental Health Companion AI app, which has leveraged the power of Gemini, that was an entry in a Gemini API Developer Competition. It’s certainly worth trying, although always seek professional guidance if necessary.

3. What solutions can you offer me for a problem?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes)

If you’re stuck on a task and just can’t think of a way around it, Gemini can usually offer you a fresh solution and help to move you forward.

For example, if you’ve spotted some damp on your wall and you can’t work out what could be causing it, you could ask Gemini to offer some different perspectives.

You could ask it to help with an afternoon slump, perhaps detailing the food you’ve eaten today and the things you’ve done in order to discover a potential cause. If you get in the swing of asking for assistance, it’ll become second nature and that can make life better in the long run.

4. What is the weather today and what can I do?

(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rainforest Fund)

Gemini is able to make use of your location to not only tell you what the weather is going to be but also what you may be able to do with your time.

You can specify exactly the kind of thing you’re after – tell it if you want low-cost or free activities and whether you’re looking to relax, for example – and it will give you a list of suggestions, the length of which will be dependable on your area.

The AI platform can access the web and discover any events that may be on with direct links to the source so you can read more or obtain tickets if required.

In that sense, it can revolutionize your free time by ensuring you don’t miss out. What’s more, with Gemini Live on your phone, you can also get suggestions based on what’s on your screen – for example destination ideas based on a video or article.

5. Learn a new skill

(Image credit: Pixabay)

According to scientists at the Zuckerman Institute in Columbia, you should seek to learn something new each day. A study published in the journal Nature suggested discovering new skills can prime the brain to adapt to changing circumstances and it keeps our gray matter ready to learn.

There’s a simple way to do this in Gemini. Just write: “I want to start learning” and detail what it is you want to skill up in. Then add: “Can you outline the first steps I should take and suggest some good free online resources or tutorials”. This can break down those daunting tasks and it makes use of Gemini’s ability to find and structure information.

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Outer Banks 5: Key information

- The fifth and final season was confirmed in November 2024

- Production is expected to start in early 2025 through until the end of the year

- Confirmed cast include Madison Bailey (Kiara), Carlacia Grant (Cleo), Drew Starkey (Rafe) and Carlacia Grant (Sofia)

- The plot is likely to be about the friends avenging JJ’s death – he was stabbed by his dad, Chandler Groff – and trying to get back the Blue Crown

- The focus of season five is going to be on Kiara and Cleo

- The creators also teased that it will be an incredible season: “We think it will be our best yet”

Outer Banks season 5 is one of the most highly-anticipated Netflix teen dramas.

The show is based around two rival groups, the Kooks and the Pogues – no, not affiliated to the bands of the same names – who live on the fictional island of Kildare in North Carolina.

The previous series of the show, which premiered in April 2020, has mainly followed the Pogues through all types of high drama, but the fourth series rolled to an end in November 2024. Alongside the show’s first feature-film length episode, the creators announced that a fifth – but final – season had been confirmed.

Writing an open letter to OBX fans on social media, creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke said: “From this beginning, we imagined a mystery that would lead to a five-season journey of adventure, treasure hunting, and friendship. At the time, seven years ago, it seemed impossible that we would really get to tell the whole five-season story, but here we are at the end of our fourth season, still chopping away."

"Now, with a little sadness, but also excitement, we're putting season 4 behind us, and are turning to season 5, in which we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we imagined and planned years ago.”

With production planned in for 2025, it’s going to be a while before it hits our screens, but in the meantime, here’s everything we know so far, including OBX 5’s release date, confirmed cast, trailer news and potential plots:

Outer Banks 5: does it have a release date?

(Image credit: Netflix)

As the fifth season hasn’t gone into production yet – it’s been pencilled in from early 2025 to the end of the year – there’s no release date on the horizon.

We might expect to see it on screens in late 2026, but it could even end up being more like 2027 before we join the gangs again.

Outer Banks 5: is there a trailer yet?

(Image credit: Netflix)

No, not yet, but a warning, be wary when Googling for it, as there’s quite a few fan-generated trailers claiming to be genuine, however they are not the official trailer. We’ll let you know when that drops.

Outer Banks 5: has there been a cast confirmed?

The shock death of JJ will have repercussions and revenge in season 5 (Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

The shock death of JJ Maybank – stabbed by Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), who he had just discovered was his biological father – obviously means there will be no Rudy Pankow in season 5, unless he appears as flashbacks.

As a result, speaking with Deadline, the creators confirmed some key characters who the fifth season would focus on. “Kiara [Madison Bailey] is going to be a big focus, but we definitely want to give more time to Cleo [Carlacia Grant] too,” Josh Pate said. “It’s a question of bandwidth in the show that we have with all these stories, so it’s hard to say, but we definitely want to develop Cleo and honor her character as well.”

Pace also confirmed a return from Rafe (Drew Starkey) and his ex-fiancée, Sofia (Fiona Palomo): “We have plans for both of them. We love Drew and we think he can do anything, so he's heavily involved in our seconds for next year.”

We’ll keep you posted as to when other cast members are confirmed as making a comeback.

Outer Banks 5: what do we know about the plot?

The friend's search for the Blue Crown continues, now it's in Chandler Groff's murderous hands (Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

Well, the feature-length ep of season 4, The Blue Crown, definitely gave us lots to chew on, and a lot of storylines that could be picked up in the final season. Namely, the murder of JJ by Chandler in Morocco. The rotter even stole the Blue Crown from his Pogue son, and planned to sell it in Portugal. So it’s likely that season 5 will see us all travel to the Mediterranean country, as his gang mates were forced to bury JJ in the desert, but vowed to get revenge on Groff.

Speaking with Tudum, Josh Pate said: “We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent. JJ’s death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honoring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do.”

Meanwhile, John B (Chase Stokes) and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) announced that Sarah is pregnant with their baby, so a new Poguelet arrival is likely on the cards for the follow-up season. The storyline might also follow Pope (Jonathan Daviss) having his imminent Marine enlistment, as well as dealing with PTSD from killing Lightner.

Whatever the plot for the season will be, the creators have promised: “Season 5 will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you'll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break.”

Outer Banks: what’s the future?

(Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

While Outer Banks is coming to an end with this next season, there are plans already in place for a prequel, called Kildare.

According to Port City Daily: “It will have a whole new set of younger actors, as it will take place at the founding of each group and explore the class divide present on the show’s fictitious Figure 8 (named after Wilmington’s own private island of wealthy residents) in Kildare County.” It will be reportedly shot in Wilmington.

For more Netflix TV series coverage, read our guides on Bridgerton season 4, One Piece season 2 and Emily in Paris season 5.

In many ways, I’m an odd guy – I do odd things, think odd thoughts, and find odd solutions to odd problems. But then I also use and love the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which probably makes me seem supremely basic as a tech journalist.

Yet putting aside that imagined juxtaposition, I have found an odd use for Apple’s new Camera Control feature that I really wasn’t expecting to catch my attention.

Now, I’ve written before about how I’m interested in the haptics-centric extra button Apple has added to its best iPhones with the explicit idea of doing more with the cameras with greater control. But Camera Control isn’t a feature that I’ve fully embraced; more often than not, I’ll forget about it if I’m shooting quick snaps. I appreciated its potential, but Camera Control still feels a little half-baked…

That was until I needed to photograph and record the back of my head.

Thinking with my head

(Image credit: Future)

No, no, before you rush to the comments section, I haven’t gone mad. Rather, I needed to do so for a pseudo-medical reason. Specifically, I was concerned about the health of my hair at the back, and potential skin irritation (look, I’m 38, and at the age where parts of my body start to malfunction bit by bit).

If you’ve ever tried snapping a photo of the back of your noggin, then you’ll know it’s a nightmare.

Trying to guess the angle of the cameras – whether you’re using rear or selfie snappers – is an exercise in frustration and borderline madness. Then, when you think you’ve nailed the angle after a deluge of attempts, you fail to hit the digital shutter button or tap it in such a way that the shot goes askew.

Such moments can make you want to fling your phone across a room or at an inviting wall. But I can’t alleviate my irritation like that, as the phones I use are review samples and I’d get into more trouble than a moment's angry respite is worth.

However, for me, having a physical shutter button changed the weird photography game.

Through the use of Camera Control and my iPhone’s selfie camera, I was able to get some semi-useful shots and videos of the back head, ready to be pored over with increasing paranoia.

It's growing on me

The simple ability to smoothly tap a physical dedicated button was mildly transformative, letting me keep what I thought was the right framing and snap shots at speed, two things I would and have struggled to do before Camera Control.

Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture, as I’ve gone about my travels and odd wanderings, I’m slowly finding myself using the Camera Control button a lot more. It’s a weird mental leap, not automatically tapping the digital shutter button, but when I need to keep a nicely lined-up shot in place, Camera Control proves its usefulness.

I’m not fully won over by it, and I’ve yet to really get to grips with the Apple Intelligence features it facilitates. Yet there’s scope for Apple to build out the functionality and intuitiveness of Camera Control, which I hope to see realized on the rumored iPhone 17.

What do you reckon? Do you use Camera Control, or do you think it’s still a bit of a dud now that the iPhone 16 line has had time to settle in? Let me know in the comments.

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While on the ground at the recent Adobe Summit 2025 conference, which was filled with announcements of how AI can revolutionize the creative industry and customer service, I spoke to Anjul Bhambhri, SVP for Adobe Experience Cloud, about the real impacts AI can have on both customers and CX workers which weren’t covered in the main keynote sessions.

Throughout the whole event, the candidness exhibited by the speakers was already more evident than I’d expected, given the intention to show off new products, but Bhambhri made this more evident in opening up to me about how Adobe really goes about driving AI innovations.

The key themes of our discussion were customer centricity and transparency, which Bhambhri covered from all angles – both Adobe’s commitment to protecting workers and how Adobe’s clients can pass this value on to their customers.

How transparency should guide your AI strategy

I probed Bhambhri to offer SMBs advice on how they can keep up with evolving trends, and that sense of transparency rang true.

She noted that all businesses must remain agile by actively listening to customers to pinpoint their unique pain points, which would lead them to create more impactful products.

With the industry still taking shape, I criticized governments, companies and regulatory organizations for not offering enough guidance, which makes it challenging for anybody adopting AI to know that they’re doing it right – a sentiment felt even more so by SMBs and startups with limited resources.

Bhambhri added that ensuring data governance with clearly defined roles and responsibilities is just as important as being ‘on the ground’ with customers.

Regulations like GDPR, HIPAA and FERPA all set out how data should be managed, and it’s the responsibility of any company, AI-enhanced or not, to manage customer data responsibly.

However, all of this requires huge amounts of capital, human resources and computational power, which can come at the expense of sustainability. I asked Bhambhri how smaller companies can handle these huge expenses when resources can be so limited, particularly in the current climate.

The SVP explained to me how Adobe categorizes data into hot, warm and cold storage to manage resources more effectively in order to minimize environmental impacts.

Setting a strong foundation for data management today is vital, because the amount of data we produce is rising exponentially both as businesses and as consumers – think about it, when was the last time you cleared through your iCloud photo library?

Companies can also consider splitting storage across SSDs and HDDs, finding the most optimal balance for storage acquisition and energy consumption.

Whatever the advice was that Bhambhri had given to me, she was keen to stress one thing – businesses should keep their clients in the loop at all points of the transaction, whether that means simply telling them that their data might be moved from different storage categories or given them the choice to get more involved.

Although Summit 2025 focused on Adobe’s own innovations, my brief discussion with Anjul Bhambhri highlighted two key takeaways that small businesses can adopt so that they’re not left behind on the AI wave: transparency both with customers and about services is paramount, and the proper management of data both from a regulatory and an environmental standpoint is vital.

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I’ve heard the term ‘console-quality graphics' touted around a fair bit for first-person shooter or action adventure mobile games. But few have really delivered on the promise of such visual wizardry, even when looking back at last-generation consoles – at least not until now.

With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple’s A17 Pro chip brought the ability to run actual console games like Death Stranding, albeit with slightly choppy performance and at a low resolution. But we’re still taking a proper AAA, full-fat console game running on a slim device that you can slip into your pocket.

The iPhone 16 Pro then upped the game - literally - with the A18 Pro chip, which promised a gaming performance boost.

Taking aim

(Image credit: Future)

I recently had the chance to try out the iOS version of Sniper Elite 4 on such a chip with my iPhone 16 Pro Max.

If you’re not already familiar, the Sniper Elite games are third-person tactical shooters set in WW2. Players are tasked with taking out targets using stealth and ranged shots on large open world maps. The game became renowned for its gory kills, where a bullet’s trajectory is shown in slow motion, complete with an X-Ray look at how it entered a Nazi soldier's body, splitting bones, sinew, and guts in glorious detail.

Released back in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, Sniper Elite 4 wasn’t exactly cutting-edge but it was still a great-looking game. I played it a few years ago on an Xbox One X, after it had been enhanced for that powered-up console, and had a fantastic time, especially in the co-op mode with a friend.

Coming back all these years later, I was curious how it would hold up on a modern smartphone.

Going in, I’ll be honest and admit my hopes weren’t too high… though they weren’t exactly low either given the performance that Apple claims its in-house chip can achieve – especially when we’re talking about running a somewhat old game rather than the likes of Cyberpunk 2077.

And so with the help of a Backbone One Gen 2 mobile controller, I dived into Sniper Elite 4.

Sniper treat, but not quite elite

(Image credit: Future)

Straight off the bat (or should that be rifle butt) I’m surprised at how good the game looks on iOS; sunlight pierces the puffy clouds realistically, buildings are suitably detailed, and the realistic character models are miles from the low-poly plastic soldiers I was expecting. It’s not flawless, though as some of the foliage looks a little flat and, running at a 720p resolution, there’s no shortage of jagged edges.

There are other caveats too. First off, the frame rate caps out at around 30 frames per second – that’s ok on paper, but in a game that rewards smooth pinpoint accuracy, it’s not exactly ideal. Add in some dips and the experience can be a little ropey when the action picks up.

The second issue is the built-in touchscreen controls are asking a bit much of a modest 6.7 inch display. Maybe people who are adept at Call of Duty Warzone Mobile will have a different experience, but my recommendation would be to play with one of the best mobile controllers instead.

(Image credit: Future)

Yet the experience impressed me on the whole. It’s like playing something on my Steam Deck; the game still looks perfectly pleasant, despite clear compromises in detail and sharpness. As such, I could see myself ploughing a decent amount of time into Sniper Elite 4 to pass the time on a tedious journey or when sitting out in the sun.

It’s also promising in another way: iOS could become the home of proper console-quality gaming on smartphones. When the currently rumoured but almost inevitable iPhone 17 comes around, I expect Apple to equip it with a new and improved chip.

While AI performance will likely be the focus thanks to its current Apple Intelligence push, I’m hoping to see a generational boost in gaming power too.

If that happens, it could open up the door for even more demanding console games to come to iOS.

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• Americans admit to hoarding digital files with 77% saying they have too much data
• Managing their files leaves a third of people feeling overwhelmed and anxious
• Younger generations are projected to spend $40,000 on cloud storage across their lifetime

Americans are facing a growing digital clutter problem, according to a recent survey by Compass Datacenters, which found over three-quarters (77%) of people admitted - unsurprisingly - to having more digital files than they need.

Conducted between January 21 and February 5, 2025, the poll of 1,000 people revealed digital hoarding is not only out of control, but many are unsure how to even begin managing it.

One-third of respondents said managing their digital files made them feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed. A mere 10% reported feeling confident when it comes to deleting unnecessary files. Although they recognized that excess data can slow devices, drain batteries, and make it harder to find important information, they were not ready to hit the delete key and take action.

A costly habit

Digital clutter is not just a minor inconvenience - it can be a costly one too, as storage prices are climbing. The survey found that younger generations, in particular, are paying to store files rather than deleting them.

The survey authors note, “Accounting for a 3% inflation rate, assuming a 25-year-old pays $20/month for data storage until the age of 85, they will spend $40,000 over their lifetime on digital storage.”

Compass Datacenters partnered with expert digital minimalist Kath Younger to inspire and assist people in cleaning out their digital closet.

You can view the tips and tricks they came up with at Delete Digital Dust Bunnies.

How to declutter your data

(Image credit: Paul Tessier / Shutterstock)

Digital decluttering does not have to be a huge project. Taking small, regular steps can protect devices, save money, and reduce stress.

The first place to start is by cleaning out your photo library. Delete blurry shots, duplicates, and old screenshots you no longer need. Aim to do this monthly rather than waiting for years to pass.

Next, sort through your apps. Check what you have and what you actually use. If you have apps you haven't opened in months, get rid of them. You can always reinstall any you need.

Review your downloads folder and email inbox. Old receipts, newsletters, and random files add up fast. Focus on emails with attachments to free up the most storage space.

Consider setting up a simple backup system with an external hard drive instead of paying for cloud storage. HDDs and SSDs with 4TB of storage are available for a one-time purchase price that is far less than you would pay for years of cloud fees.

Schedule a “digital spring cleaning” day a couple of times a year. Treat it like cleaning out a closet - a little annoying at first, but rewarding once done.

By being more mindful of the digital clutter you create and keep, it becomes easier to manage over time. Taking action today can save you from bigger hassles down the road.

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