TechRadar News

• A remake of Silent Hill has been announced at the Konami Press Start livestream
• The game is being made by Konami in partnership with Bloober Team, which made Silent Hill 2 Remake
• The broadcast also offered a new look at Silent Hill f

Konami has announced that a Silent Hill remake is in development in partnership with Bloober Team.

The publisher shared the news during today's Konami Press Start livestream as the final surprise announcement of the show, alongside a very short teaser trailer showing the game's title accompanied by the game's iconic theme music.

"We are currently working with Bloober Team on a remake of 'SILENT HILL', which was released for PlayStation in 1999," Konami said on X / Twitter.

Unfortunately, there's no release date just yet, but the game will likely be available on PC and PlayStation 5.

Bloober Team also worked on Silent Hill 2 Remake, which was released last year to critical acclaim.

『SILENT HILL』リメイク制作中1999年にPlayStationにて発売した『SILENT HILL 』のリメイクをBloober Teamと制作しています。ぜひ音声とともに動画をご覧ください。詳細は今後の続報をお待ちください。#SILENTHILL #サイレントヒル pic.twitter.com/qMeX67FyR5June 12, 2025

The reveal of the Silent Hill remake followed a behind-the-scenes look at Konami's upcoming game, Silent Hill f. Series producer Motoi Okamoto and several other developers made an appearance to showcase a series of new gameplay clips and cutscenes.

Konami also explained that the new entry was created with the idea of "Find the beauty in terror" and that the story will "tackle a type of theme that's never been explored in the Silent Hill series before". What that theme is, we'll have to wait and see.

Silent Hill f launches on September 25 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

It's confirmed that Silent Hill f is a standalone title in the Silent Hill timeline, and that newcomers will need no prior knowledge of the franchise to experience the horror game.

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• Report claims that DJI will launch all three products within July
• DJI Osmo 360 will be the first product officially announced
• DJI also rumored to be unveiling the DJI Mini 5 Pro drone imminently

July could be a busy month for DJI – at least if one report is correct. Serial leaker Jasper Ellens claims that the company will be launching the DJI Osmo 360, DJI Osmo Nano and DJI Mic 3 all in the same month (but not all at the same time, interestingly enough).

Writing at his website Drone XL, Ellens says he’s been informed by two separate sources that all three of these products will be released in July.

First up, according to Ellens, will be the DJI Osmo 360 on July 15 2025, just five weeks away. The Osmo 360 is DJI’s long-rumored answer to the GoPro Max or Insta360 X series, a 360-degree camera designed to capture everything happening around it through the use of two ultra-wide camera units and automatic image stitching. It’s already been glimpsed in leaked images, and is rumored to have similar performance and specs to the Insta360 X5.

Release dates leaked! We will first see the #Osmo360, the #nano one week later and last but not least the #Mic3. July will be a fun Osmo packed month! Cheers!https://t.co/AWVIpuZ8moJune 11, 2025

I rate the X5 as currently the best 360 camera around, so if DJI can match or surpass it with its first ever 360 camera, I’d be extremely impressed.

The second DJI camera apparently set for a July launch is the DJI Osmo Nano, which Ellens says is releasing on July 23 2025. This camera is rumored to be an ultra-compact action camera with a modular design. To date there have been no leaked images, but online rumors suggest it will be similar in many ways to the 2021-released DJI Action 2 rather than just a slimmed-down version of DJI’s more recent action cameras.

We could be seeing a successor to the superb DJI Mic 2 (pictured) much sooner than we would have guessed. (Image credit: Future)

Last but not least comes the DJI Mic 3 which, according to Ellens, will be launched on July 29 2025. There haven’t been many rumors about this follow-up to the excellent DJI Mic 2 (which only arrived last year and is in top spot of our best wireless mics guide), but an FCC filing document seemingly confirmed the Mic 3’s existence and hinted at a slight design refresh with a new display for the receiver unit. The DJI Mic 2 and Mic Mini are hugely popular with content creators and integrate closely with many of DJI’s camera and drone products, so I’d expect a Mic 3 to make small improvements rather than engage in a major overhaul.

And there could be even more DJI launches to come

The above trio of products may not be the only imminent announcements for the consistently active DJI, either. The company is best known for its camera drones, and it’s been strongly rumored that the next flying machine to emerge from its secretive hangers will be the DJI Mini 5 Pro, potentially as soon as September 2025. That may be followed later in the year or in early 2026 by a DJI Avata 3 FPS drone and a DJI Neo 2 small entry-level drone.

As always, we’ll bring you more news and rumors on upcoming DJI products when we get them.

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Prime Video has quietly doubled the amount of advertising it shows paying customers. According to AdWeek, the initial ad load of two to three and a half minutes of ads per hour is now sitting at four to six minutes.

I'm not surprised: Amazon told investors last year that it'd be ramping up the volume of ads, and introducing new ways to annoy you when you pause or browse. But as one of the subscribers who'll be seeing these ads, I'm really not sure if I'll stay and pay for a service that's getting worse, and that I expect will continue to get worse.

The fact I'm in the UK is worth noting here. I've seen lots of reports saying "hey, you know, it's not as bad as US broadcast TV, amirite!". But I'm from a place where TV advertising is a lot more civilized. Sure, US viewers have long been exposed to 13 to 16 minutes of ads per hour. But here in the UK, the regulator says that the main broadcasters – including the commercial broadcasters ITV, STV and UTV – can only average seven minutes per hour.

That means Amazon can still keep its promise to show fewer ads than the "linear TV" networks it competes with in the US while increasing the ad load to show vastly more advertising than UK broadcasters show. And those broadcasters don't charge me a monthly subscription to watch their ads.

This isn't just a Scot complaining about US-style ad stuffing, although I am absolutely doing that. It's also about the problem of tech firms trying to make more money by making their products worse.

Here's why streaming is broken

(Image credit: Amazon)

I've been writing about digital media, file sharing and streaming for a very long time, and what made streaming successful was simple: it was less of a pain than piracy. Sure, you could poke around The Pirate Bay or use a peer to peer app, but why bother when you had Netflix right there? One flat fee, tons of great things to watch, no ads: a no-brainer.

But of course we don't just have Netflix now. What we have instead is endless streamers with stockholders who want growth, growth and more growth in a market that's oversaturated at a time where the cost of everything is soaring and people's incomes aren't.

If you can't win over new customers, you can squeeze the ones you've got harder. And again and again that appears to be the option that tech firms prefer: password crackdowns and ads and price hikes and ads and less choice and ads and reduced video quality and ads and no Atmos without an upgrade and ads and ads on the ads on the ads on the ads.

Here in the UK we have an airline people love to hate, Ryanair; the US equivalent is probably Spirit. But while the low-cost airlines are widely hated, we still use them because there's not really an alternative – so they can throw away the seats and make the baggage allowance the size of a Coke can and maybe start to fill the airplane with snakes and honey badgers and mustard gas mid-flight and we'll put up with it because there's no other option.

But that's not true of streaming.

There are lots of other options for viewers, albeit not with the exact same shows. But for the shows you can't get, there's piracy – often in full quality and HDR with Atmos and no ad breaks.

I'm not here to argue the legality (it's illegal in most places) or the morality (it's bad) of piracy. But as someone who's been covering online media since the 1990s, who lived through the file sharing wars, I can promise you that what made piracy effectively disappear wasn't Metallica suing high schoolers or ISPs banning the odd kid. It was Spotify, and then it was Netflix.

The best streaming services beat piracy because bingeing Breaking Bad on Netflix was less hassle and a much better experience than assembling the episodes via The Pirate Bay.

Is that still true?

And if it is, for how much longer?

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• Academic researchers found a way to broadcast sensitive data from airgapped systems
• It involves having malware installed on the computer, and an accompanying smartwatch
• The attack is rather difficult to pull off

Security experts claim to have found a way to steal sensitive data from airgapped systems using smartwatches.

Airgapped computers are physically isolated from the wider internet, and cannot be accessed remotely. They are usually used in high-security environments and critical infrastructure, to protect sensitive data and various operations.

University researchers led by Mordechai Guri, a specialist in the field of covert attack channels, discovered a method that allows threat actors to exfiltrate login credentials, encryption keys, or keyboard strokes.

Listening to secrets

The method, which they named ‘SmartAttack’, does come with quite a few caveats, but in theory, it sees a threat actor finding a way to either access the target computer physically, or have someone (an unsuspecting, or disgruntled employee) access and deploy a piece of malware.

That malware will first act as an infostealer, gathering valuable information for exfiltration. Then, it will use the computer’s speakers to emit ultrasonic sounds, inaudible to the human ear, to the environment.

The sounds would be played in two frequencies - 18.5 kHz, and 19.5 kHz. These two form the binary system, with the former being the zero, and the latter - the one.

The final step is for the watch to pick the sounds up. It, too, needs to have a special app installed on it, so it either needs to be compromised itself, or it needs to be worn by the attacker.

If that didn’t sound difficult enough, the watch needs to be facing the speakers, and should be placed in a range between 6-9 meters from the speakers. The data transmission rate also ranges between 5bps and 50bps, depending on the distance.

There are different ways to prevent SmartAttacks on airgapped systems, from preventing people from wearing smartwatches, to removing speakers from the computers. Sound jammers could also work.

Via BleepingComputer

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As climate change continues to impact global ecosystems and disrupt supply chains, the responsibility to build resilient and sustainable operations becomes a key priority—particularly for IT manufacturers.

The growing adoption of AI and digital technologies demands ever-increasing infrastructure, yet this growth must be balanced with a commitment to environmental stewardship.

The IT sector, known for its innovation, now has an opportunity—and an obligation—to lead by example in prioritizing eco-friendly networks over outdated hardware and tools to boost energy efficiency, reduce emissions and promote green sourcing and production practices.

One of the most effective ways IT manufacturers can reduce their environmental impact is by working closely with their suppliers to decarbonise the supply chain, and the first step is transparency.

A positive approach for manufacturers is to encourage and, where possible, require suppliers to disclose their environmental impact data, including emissions output, material sourcing practices, and energy usage, which must, by now, be standard practice.

Collaborative data-sharing platforms and sustainability scorecards can help track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Joint sustainability initiatives can incentivize meaningful progress. These may include co-investments in renewable energy projects, pilot programs for low-emission transportation, and workshops on circular design and sustainable packaging.

By building shared goals for which lower emissions are the key target across the supply chain, manufacturers can extend their environmental impact beyond their own operations.

Against the backdrop of uncertain climate events, however, contingency plans need to be implemented that allow for, and anticipate, disruptions. Diversifying sourcing strategies, using more local suppliers, and implementing adaptive logistics frameworks can help mitigate the risks of supply chain instability while also lowering carbon footprints from long-distance transportation.

Embedding sustainability into sourcing practices

Eco-friendly sourcing is more than just a checkbox—it’s a philosophy that can guide supplier selection and purchasing decisions. Industry best practices for IT manufacturers include prioritizing materials with lower environmental impacts, such as recycled metals, biodegradable plastics, and conflict-free minerals. Wherever possible, sustainable certifications—like ISO 14001 for environmental management—should be a prerequisite for supplier partnerships.

Lifecycle thinking is fundamental to a sustainable approach. When sourcing components, manufacturers can think about not just the production impact but also the integration with systems, maintenance requirements and end-of-life recycling programs that will be needed throughout.

By ensuring that the choice of materials and products follows a circular design, easy recycling and safe disposal without hazardous waste--which also incorporates transportation costs for disposal--is easily managed. There are multiple benefits to using lean inventory strategies which can reduce excess and waste, aligning resource use more closely to actual demand.

Smarter tech, greener results

In addition to partner collaboration, IT manufacturers can also optimize their own production environments. One of the most effective ways to do this is through intelligent power management systems. These technologies allow for real-time monitoring and automated regulation of energy usage, significantly reducing waste during both active and idle production periods.

Centralizing power management means that rather than relying on multiple isolated power supplies for various systems and devices, manufacturers can adopt a centralized infrastructure that provides scalable, efficient energy delivery. This approach consolidates equipment, decreases heat generation, and simplifies energy audits—all of which reduce energy consumption and support greener operations.

Every segment of the network needs to keep pace with technical advancements. Wired and wireless technology, from multi-gig Ethernet to the new WiFi 7 standard, is changing rapidly and delivering transformation results, but there are also advantages to simplifying wiring architectures.

By streamlining cable configurations, manufacturers reduce not only the material requirements but also the potential for human error during setup, which leads to less repairs and fewer component replacements. These savings compound across large production facilities avoiding the complexity that can breed inefficiency.

Sustainability as a business imperative

IT companies that embrace sustainability as a core business principle stand to gain far more than just compliance with regulations. The environmental credibility that comes from green practices can significantly strengthen brand reputation, attract eco-conscious customers, and open doors to investment from sustainability-focused funds.

But it is the bottom line that always matters most to the Board and key stakeholders, and it is a fact that if businesses invest in energy efficiency and eco-friendly designs, often they will also enjoy long-term cost savings.

Reduced energy bills, fewer repairs, and lower maintenance requirements can quickly offset the initial investments in sustainable infrastructure, delivering a fast ROI, which coupled with reduced environmental risk exposure, create a compelling business case for change.

Organizations today are always looking at how they can future-proof operations, and prioritizing sustainability can help them in this regard.

Emissions standards for businesses are expected to tighten, with the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requiring larger companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in 2025, and the UK ETS tightening limits on industrial, power, and aviation emissions, aiming for net-zero goals.

At the same time customers are becoming increasingly more discerning, which means early adopters will be better positioned to comply with evolving expectations. They’ll also be more agile in responding to climate-related disruptions, having already embedded resilience into their supply chains and operations.

Actionable activities

Being more sustainable can often start with the simplest activities. Here are a few suggestions:

• Ensure a good site survey to optimize predictability and prevent truck rolls, or a waste of time, energy, and resources.
• Turn devices completely off when not in use instead of sleep mode.
• Invest in quality equipment for scalability that is multipurpose and works efficiently so it can be controlled remotely and start up quickly.
• Use low voltage displays to save up to 70% of energy.
• Choose responsibly-sourced materials with reusable or recyclable options.
• Install PoE-based AV networks to reduce wiring and promote modular upgrades. Using PoE reduces the number of cables and outlets required, which can help to reduce clutter while improving the appearance of rooms/installations.
• Automate recording for ease in broadcasting and educational contexts.
• Promote cooperation over competition in finding complete manufacturing solutions to aid the end user.
• Provide carbon-reducing options for remote, in-person and hybrid working environments.
• Promote operations in buildings and with manufacturers who have sustainability certification schemes.
• Work in the digital world by bringing everything over the network for the possibility of having remote visibility for operations and management of physical spaces.

Responsible innovation

The IT sector is uniquely equipped to lead the shift toward a sustainable future. With its foundation in cutting-edge technology and a culture of innovation, the industry can pioneer the development of low-emission solutions, intelligent networks, and scalable green practices that can be replicated across other sectors.

This leadership must begin internally. IT manufacturers can adopt best practice by embedding environmental responsibility into corporate strategy, from R&D to customer support. Design choices—such as modularity, repairability, and energy efficiency—should reflect a commitment to sustainability at every level.

To drive industry-wide change, manufacturers can advocate for policies that support green innovation and collaborate with peers to establish open sustainability standards. Through knowledge sharing and coordinated action, IT companies can raise the bar for environmental performance across the board.

We've featured the best green web hosting.

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

Looking for a different day?

A new 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, June 12 (game #1235).

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 #1236) - 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 #1236) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1236) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1236) - 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 #1236) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• L

• S

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1236) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1236, are…

• REPEL
• LARGE
• SNIDE
• CARRY

My three-starter words uncovered a good crop of correct and in-the-wrong place letters today, handing me two straightforward anagrams to put together for LARGE and SNIDE.

CARRY was my wildest guess today, taken without really considering the alternatives, while my final word was a choice between REVEL and REPEL and I got lucky.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1236) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1236, are…

• FINAL
• MEDIA
• CROWD
• SWATH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST
• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE
• Quordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHID
• Quordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITE
• Quordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDE
• Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGH
• Quordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURER
• Quordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADAR
• Quordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOP
• Quordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEAN
• Quordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLAR

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, June 12 (game #732).

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 #733) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• DOG
• LITTLE SPOON
• IRIS
• WATER BOTTLE
• TOO CLOSE
• LENS
• BENT
• ROD
• CONE
• ONE WEEK
• POTATO
• POINT OF VIEW
• ANGLE
• CUP
• CLOSING TIME
• SCOOP

NYT Connections today (game #733) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Look at things
• GREEN: Gelato
• BLUE: Hits of the 90s
• PURPLE: Preceded by the opposite of “cold”

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 #733) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PERSPECTIVE 
• GREEN: SEEN AT AN ICE CREAM SHOP 
• BLUE: HIT SONGS OF 1998 
• PURPLE: HOT ___ 

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

NYT Connections today (game #733) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #733, are…

• YELLOW: PERSPECTIVE ANGLE, BENT, LENS, POINT OF VIEW
• GREEN: SEEN AT AN ICE CREAM SHOP CONE, CUP, LITTLE SPOON, SCOOP
• BLUE: HIT SONGS OF 1998 CLOSING TIME, IRIS, ONE WEEK, TOO CLOSE
• PURPLE: HOT ___ DOG, POTATO, ROD, WATER BOTTLE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

I was questioning LITTLE SPOON as something SEEN AT AN ICE CREAM SHOP, but then I remembered that they do indeed keep long little spoons.

They’re there for the consumption of ice cream sundaes, where long small spoons are required to get to the bottom of the glass. In some establishments they are als used to offer samples to dithering customers who can’t decide whether they want salted caramel or raspberry ripple-flavored scoops.

After getting the first two groups fairly quickly I struggled to see any connections among the remaining eight words, before, after much turmoil, working out that the connection was HOT.

I’m fortunate that I got the purple group, as I did not recognize any of the HIT SONGS OF 1998. This is most likely because I was too busy in a French melancholic haze  listening to Air’s Moon Safari album 20 million times for the entirety of 1998 to pay any attention to Semisonic (CLOSING TIME) or the Goo Goo Dolls (IRIS).

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, June 12, game #732)

• YELLOW: GETTING COZY CUDDLING, HUGGING, SNUGGLING, SPOONING
• GREEN: GOSSIPING BUZZING, DISHING, SPILLING, WHISPERING
• BLUE: ENGAGING IN AN ACTIVITY WITH PINS OR NEEDLES ACUPUNCTURING, BOWLING, SEWING, WRESTLING
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH TITLES DOCTORING, LORDING, MISSING, SIRING

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, June 12 (game #466).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Scattering petals

NYT Strands today (game #467) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• LAZY
• GRAIN
• DARN
• DAIRY
• VOLTE
• DAZE

NYT Strands today (game #467) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #467) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 5th column

Last side: bottom, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #467) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #467, are…

• ROSE
• DAISY
• VIOLET
• POPPY
• LILY
• AZALEA
• PETUNIA
• SPANGRAM: FLOWER GIRLS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

I took a hint because I was feeling lazy today, and was given ROSE, which I quickly followed with the spangram FLOWER GIRLS. That got me hunting for the kind of flowers one would scatter down the aisle at a wedding ceremony.

I was a page boy at a wedding when I was a toddler, the memory of which still haunts me thanks to the tartan kilt and beret I had to reluctantly wear – a feeling that gave me a lifelong loathing of fancy dress – but my duties didn’t include throwing petals.

I digress. The relatively rare letters V and Z made VIOLET and AZALEA easy to spot, with the most tricky petal for me being PETUNIA.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, June 12, game #466)

• HOOK
• REEL
• LURE
• SWIVEL
• SCALE
• SINKER
• BOBBER
• SPANGRAM: TACKLE BOX

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.

• Samsung appears to be working on two new sets of earbuds
• One model name spotted suggests Samsung is bypassing the Buds 2 FE
• Both product names were spotted in the latest Buds Controller App

It's been an odd month for naming in tech. Hot on the heels of Apple's WWDC event, at which the Cupertino giant launched iOS 26, rather than iOS 19 (which would've been too easy, since the vast majority of iPhone owners are currently using iOS 18.5), Samsung has apparently been working on something with a similarly head-scratchy moniker

But while Apple simply wants to align with the year (ie, 2026, when most of the features within iOS 26 will land) rather than its own operating system history, Samsung seems to have just… bypassed an iteration entirely?

What's happened is that two sets of fresh Samsung Galaxy earbuds have been spotted in the latest Galaxy Buds Controller app (Wear OS version, v1.0.08.38) by Android Authority, and instead of name-dropping the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 FE (which would make sense, given that their only predecessors are the original Samsung Galaxy Buds FE), the company is apparently working on the 'Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE' and 'Samsung Galaxy Buds Core'.

(Image credit: Future)Samsung Galaxy Buds Core (cor!) and Buds 3 FE: what's the deal?

It's odd. OK, the inaugural 'Fan Edition' Galaxy Buds arrived in September 2023, and it's been nearly two years, so one plus two is three (ah-thank you), but I do feel like I'm clutching at straws here. However you look at it, we usually get a second-generation model before a third!

And that 'Core' moniker is also surprising, because although we've reviewed 'Live', 'Plus' and two 'Pro' suffixed Buds since the original Galaxy Buds launched in 2019, we've never seen a 'Core' offering – unless you count the 2021 Galaxy Buds 2 and 2024 Galaxy Buds 3, which didn't have any special suffix and so could be considered a 'core' product.

The decidedly AirPods-esque Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro arrived in July 2024 and are the company's latest earbuds alongside the Buds 3, following the game-changing Buds 2 Pro in 2022.

Given that two-year gap, I wouldn't have expected to see a new Pro offering for 2025, but still, it leaves me wondering what a 'Core' offering means in 2025 – especially when you consider that it's been barely a year since the Buds 3 hit shelves. A return to actual 'buds' again, ie, a set without those rather thick stems? I hope so.

With entry-level offerings from various heavy-hitters now featuring tech that might've been reserved for 'Pro' sets a year or so ago – think ChatGPT integration (hello, Nothing), ANC, personal sound profiles and more – it will also be interesting to see the types of features Samsung considers 'Core' and what it deems 'Pro'.

Since these names were spotted in APK code, there's no concrete information on specs, design, release date, pricing, or even a guarantee that these are the official names. Still, I maintain that the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro were some of the most talented buds of their time (sitting pretty in my best earbuds roundup for many months).

If either set makes an appearance at the next Unpacked event, which is likely to be either July 2 or July 9, I'll be very eager to try them.

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• Telegram has rejected allegations of ties with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB)
• According to a new investigation, Telegram's server network were suspected to be controlled by a man whose firms have links to Russian intelligence services
• Telegram is one of the few social platforms still available in Russia

Telegram has rejected allegations that the popular messaging app may have ties with Russian Intelligence services.

This comes as an investigation carried out by the Russian independent investigative outlet Important Stories (IStories) claimed to have found evidence suggesting Telegram's server infrastructure is under the control of a man whose firms have links to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

While Telegram hasn't issued any public responses at the time of writing, the company's spokesperson Remi Vaughn told TechRadar: "All Telegram servers are owned by Telegram and maintained by Telegram employees. Unauthorized access to any data is impossible."

Telegram is one of the few online platforms that isn't blocked in Russia, meaning that citizens can access it without using one of the best VPN services.

What does the investigation say?

According to the IStories investigation – which was supported by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) – over 10,000 IP addresses within Telegram's technical infrastructure are managed by a company registered in Antigua and Barbuda called Global Network Management (GNM).

As per documents from a Florida court case accessed by IStories reporters, the owner of this company is a Russian network engineer named Vladimir Vedeneev, who allegedly told the court that he had been involved in the installation of Telegram Messenger and further technical support.

Florida's court documents seem to reveal more details of the relationship between Vedeneev and Pavel Durov, Telegram's Founder and CEO. This includes Vedeneev telling the court "he had the power of attorney to sign documents on behalf of Pavel Durov and on behalf of Telegram".

Telegram also reportedly operates 5,000 IP addresses provided by another St. Petersburg-based company, Electrontelecom, which IStories said to have found evidence to be an FSB contractor.

NEW: Messaging app Telegram has a reputation for security — but @istories_eng found that its technical infrastructure is run by a man whose companies closely collaborate with Russian intelligence services.Meet the little-known engineer at the center: https://t.co/zmaQ5Jpc1VJune 10, 2025

The IStories investigation claims that Vedeneev is also the founder of GlobalNet, a major Russian backbone telecom operator, which allegedly controlled Telegram's IP addresses, now managed by GNM, until 2020. ISStories claimed:

"But GlobalNet is not just any network provider. Among its clients is the Main Research Computing Center of the Presidential Property Management Department of Russia (GlavNIVTS). Officially, this organization provides technical support for President Putin’s public 'direct line' question-and-answer events, summits, and other high-level meetings."

In 2022, GlobalNet launched the first filter and traffic monitoring systems based on Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) at the request of Roskomnadzor, the Russian internet watchdog tasked with enforcing online restrictions.

What does Telegram say?

(Image credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Telegram rejects these accusations. In a written comment sent to TechRadar, Telegram's spokesperson Remi Vaughn said:

"As a global company, Telegram has contracts with dozens of different service providers around the world. However, none of these service providers have access to Telegram data or sensitive infrastructure.

"All Telegram servers belong to Telegram and are maintained by Telegram employees. Unauthorized access to any data is impossible. Throughout its entire history, Telegram never disclosed any private messages to a third party – and its encryption has never been breached."

A response that, according to IStories reporters, "contradicts facts established in a US court."

Is Telegram safe to use?

Launched in 2013, Telegram markets itself "as a messaging app with a focus on speed and security."

Its Founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, is a Russian-born billionaire, popular among free speech fighters for refusing to give away Telegram's users' identities to law enforcement requests.

Some countries have blocked access to Telegram over the years for this reason, with France issuing an arrest warrant against him for illicit activities that occurred on the platform. Yet, the company is one of the few mainstream online platforms still available in Russia at the time of writing.

Telegram doesn't offer the same level of security as the likes of Signal and WhatsApp, which encrypt all messages and calls by default. On the contrary, only Telegram's secret chats are end-to-end encrypted, and users have to actively turn on this extra protection themselves.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Michele Ursi)

Talking to IStories, Michał "Rysiek" Woźniak, a security specialist who used to work for OCCRP as head of infrastructure and information security, warns that this system could leave users vulnerable to tracking, even if their messages remain inaccessible.

He said: "If I know your device’s ‘auth_key_id,’ and I can listen in on the network that handles the data … I know it is your specific device communicating with Telegram servers. By looking at the network packets … I also get your IP address at a given time, which tells me your rough geographic location."

According to Woźniak, this could become a real problem if Russian intelligence services actually have access to Telegram traffic. "A tool for global surveillance of messenger users, regardless of where they are and what server they connect to."

Whether a link between Telegram and the Russian FSB is yet to be confirmed, the investigation still highlights that protecting the content of communications isn't enough, as metadata privacy matters, too. I invite anyone concerned about their privacy to use solutions that minimize metadata exposure, like Signal and Session.

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• Match’s Singles in America report shows AI use in dating has surged 333% in just one year.
• Nearly half of Gen Z singles now use AI to help with profiles, messages, or match filtering.
• AI may help polish dating experiences, but its long-term utility is questionable.

Finding a date online or with an app went from an embarrassing secret to a universal experience over the course of a few years. But, while it arguably peaked a few years ago, it's still a hugely popular way to meet someone.

In 2025, a new wingman in the form of artificial intelligence has exploded in popularity. Match, the company behind Tinder, Hinge, and more than a dozen other digital dating services, found an enormous 333% increase in AI usage among singles in just one year. The rise was reported as part of the 14th annual Singles in America study, the largest of its kind, conducted with the Kinsey Institute. So, roughly one in four American singles now enlist AI to shape their profiles, come up with opening lines, or check up on potential matches.

The Singles in America survey is from 75,000 people. The AI usage isn't spread evenly among single people, with nearly half of Gen Z singles saying they’ve used AI in some aspect of their dating life. But, 44% of all singles said they’d like AI to help them filter potential partners, and 40% want help crafting the perfect dating profile. That means if you’ve been on a dating app recently, there’s a good chance you weren’t flirting with a person; you were flirting with an AI's suggestion of how they should flirt.

As odd as it sounds at first, it makes sense when you consider how so many people I know have become burnt out on them after dealing with confusing etiquette rules and more ghosts than a haunted house. Why not let a chatbot help you finesse your opening line or rewrite your bio?

"AI isn't replacing intimacy, it's giving singles an edge," Match Director of Sex and Relationship Science Dr. Amanda Gesselman said in a statement. "For a generation overwhelmed by options, tools that bring clarity and efficiency are more than welcome."

Apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble have already started rolling out AI tools that suggest better photos, screen messages for tone, or recommend bios that perform well. Grindr’s testing an AI wingman to write icebreakers and date ideas.

AI romance

I used dating apps a lot in my single days. Crafting a fun, friendly hello, usually with a joke or little pun, was a key part of it, since if they didn't like my sense of humor, it would probably be a bad date. Sure, it could be frustrating if it didn't pan out, but the idea of letting an AI choose my photos, write my bio, message my matches, and schedule a date would not have been something I would have been interested in doing.

It was bad enough when my taken friends insisted on swiping and messaging on my behalf. Plus, when you finally meet in person after both using AI for the whole initial interaction, who exactly are you going on a date with?

I get the appeal of using AI to smooth over awkwardness. But AI should be a tool for taking over the tedious, boring bits of life. Using it for the fun parts of flirting and meeting someone seems like the opposite of how we should engage with AI. I’m not trying to be a Luddite or cranky old man about AI with dating.

If you're anxious or just very awkward when starting a conversation, an AI prompt or suggestion can be a lifeline. Or if English isn’t your first language, these tools can help you express yourself more clearly. But going beyond little assists could cross a line and lead away from actual relationships.

The Match study also found a stunning number of Gen Z singles, around a third, have already had a romantic interaction with AI, as in, they skipped from AI helping find a date to AI being the date. It might sound hyperbolic, but enough people building relationships with AI will reshape what they expect from human relationships in unpredictable ways.

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• An Nvidia events page has been hijacked with AI generated spam
• NPR, Stanford, and some US government sites were also taken over
• The spam seems to be explicit but non-malicious

Several Nvidia-owned web domains were hijacked to show explicit and AI-generated content in a spam campaign that also targeted NPR, Stanford, and US Government sites.

The Nvidia page, events.nsv.nvidia[,]com has now been taken down, but was seemingly an events site. The page was taken over and more than 62,000 AI-generated articles were posted, primarily containing incorrect or incomplete information about popular search topics like video game round-ups or restaurant recommendations.

Elsewhere, a domain belonging to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) advising on vaccines was also targeted, being defaced in a similar fashion.

WowLazy spam campaign

It’s not clear who hijacked the site or the purpose behind it, since the AI slop doesn’t seem to have a consistent theme or angle. The links in the pages direct to a “nonsense SEO spam page” stocks.wowlazy[.]com.

Much of the content appears to have been apparently explicit, but much was also “entirely mundane” - the spam campaign was discovered thanks to a technologist who was searching for ‘best Portland cat cafes’ on DuckDuckGo and was directed to the events.nsv.nvidia[,]com site and a spam page about cat cafes.

This isn’t the first time that cybercriminals have hijacked websites in order to post their own content, but usually this contains some type of malware of infostealer to gain profit from the spam campaigns - but as far as we can see, that wasn’t the case on this occasion.

SEO seems to be a tool that cybercriminals are taking advantage of in order to deliver malware (or not) to a wider audience. To mitigate the risk from this type of attack, users should disable push notifications from sites they don’t know/trust, and be very cautious with unfamiliar links.

TechRadar Pro did reach out to the CDC, NPR, Stanford, and Nvidia for comment but haven’t yet received a response.

Via 404media

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• Bose QC Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 launch this summer for $299
• Improved noise-cancelling algorithms, wireless charging now standard
• Six hour battery life and wireless charging for the case

The best noise cancelling earbuds you can buy right now are by Bose, and right now I'm going to suggest maybe not buying them. That's because there's a newer version incoming, and Bose promises that these ones are even better.

The Bose' QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen will launch later this summer with a price tag of $299; pricing and availability for the rest of the world hasn't been announced just yet.

In addition to the new earbuds, there are also two new SoundLink speakers. One of them is coming this month and the other shortly afterwards.

(Image credit: Bose)Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): what's new

We're pretty unanimous when it comes to rating ANC earbuds: Bose are the best. That's been the case for quite a while, ever since we found the Sony WF-1000XM5 to be a bit of a let-down in the ANC department.

If I'm travelling any distance I'm more likely to take my OG first-gen QuietComfort Earbuds than my AirPods Pro 2. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are better still, and the second generation promise to improve the ANC experience yet again.

Bose says it's got new and improved AI algorithms for better filtering of sudden noise spikes via its ActiveSense system, so less outside sound will break through. Bose promises improved voice pickup and call quality too, which is good, because that was a weak spot f the Ultra compared to the competition.

Battery life is six hours with ANC, or four with immersive spatial audio turned on too, and the case can be charged wirelessly – weirdly, the first-gen Ultra Earbuds required a sleeve for the case to add wireless charging, but it's here by default now.

There's also a new embedded ear wax guard to prevent buildup, and avoid any audio blocking from it.

There are three color options: black, white smoke and deep plum.

Two new SoundLink speakers

There's a lot of citrus yellow in this photo of the SoundLink Plus Portable (Image credit: Bose)

Bose has also announced two new SoundLink portable speakers: the SoundLink Plus Portable, which sits between the SoundLink Flex and the Max, and a second-generation SoundLink Micro.

The SoundLink Plus Portable is IP67 rated, floats in water, delivers 20 hours of playback and features one subwoofer, a tweeter and four passive radiators, so it should be pretty big in the bass department.

It'll be $269 and comes in a choice of black, blue dusk or a new citrus yellow. Pre-orders start today, 12 June, except for the citrus yellow: those orders open on 18 June. All three models will be on sale from 26 June.

(Image credit: Bose)

The second-generation SoundLink Micro speaker gets USB-C charging, 12 hours of battery life and Bose app compatibility for adjusting the EQ, customizing the buttons and other tweaks.

There's a new removable fabric strap that makes it easy to attach it to things, and Bose says the new model delivers clearer highs without sacrificing any of the lows.

The SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) will go on sale later this summer with a US price of $129 and two color choices: black and blue dusk.

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• The Chinese Room has announced the Still Wakes the Deep: Siren's Rest expansion
• The expansion will launch on June 18 for PC and console
• Siren's Deep will take place over a decade after the events of the original story

Developer The Chinese Room has announced Siren's Rest, a brand new story expansion for its 2024 horror game Still Wakes the Deep.

Still Wakes the Deep: Siren's Rest is set to release on June 18 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass, and is set over a decade after the events of the original game.

In this expansion, written by Helldivers 2's deputy game director Sagar Beroshi, players will sink below the waves of the North Sea as Mhairi to explore what’s left of the Beira D, an offshore oil drilling platform.

"1986. The Beira D is now a groaning steel catacomb interred in the inky depths of the North Sea," the expansion blurb reads. "What really happened that December day in 1975, when communications to the mainland were severed and the rig sank without a trace? What answers can be given to families who still grieve, ten years on?

"You are Mhairi. And you will find those answers. As the leader of a saturation dive to the wreck of the Beira D, you descend, a fragile light in the crushing dark. Your mission: uncover the fate of the crew and recover what remains of their passing."

Players will need to swim through the underwater wreckage armed with a cutting torch, crowbar, and camera, piece together the mystery of the lost crew, all while avoiding danger that lurks in the depths.

Siren's Rest will also introduce a new voice cast directed by Kate Saxon, including Doctor Who's Lois Chimimba, who will star as Mhairi, Bridgerton's Lorn Macdonald, and David Menkin, known for Final Fantasy 16 and Alan Wake 2.

In TechRadar Gaming's four-star Still Wakes the Deep review, Rob Dwiar said the game is "an incredibly atmospheric, tense, and gripping first-person horror game."

"With a tremendous sense of place, superb voice acting, and creepy horror elements, it’s a small but punchy experience that we fully recommend despite some hand-holding, simple puzzles, and the story being a little too short," he wrote.

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• Amazon has provided an update on The Rings of Power season 3
• Filming is underway on the Prime Video show's next installment
• The Lord of the Rings prequel series has also added three new actors to its cast

Amazon has announced the latest cast additions to The Rings of Power as principal photography finally gets underway on the hit show's third season.

In a press release, the company confirmed filming had recently begun on The Rings of Power season 3 at Shepperton Studios in the UK. That's the same location at which The Lord of the Rings prequel series' second season was shot and produced.

Three new cast members were also revealed as part of the high fantasy Prime Video show's next chapter.

A post shared by Amazon MGM Studios (@amazonmgmstudios)

A photo posted by on

Andrew Richardson, who some viewers might recognize from Apple TV+ sci-fi miniseries Extrapolations, will feature as a season 3 regular. Zubin Varla, who portrayed Xanwan in Andor's first season on Disney+, and Adam Young, who appeared in two episodes of Apple TV Original Masters of the Air, are also on board in recurring roles.

The trio join fellow season 3 newcomers Jamie-Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan on the cast roster, with the Stranger Things and Heartstopper stars signing on in late February. That pair's hiring came two weeks after Amazon MGM Studios officially renewed The Rings of Power for a third season.

Which characters will Richardson, Varla, and Young play in The Rings of Power season 3?

Could one of these season 3 newcomers play the individual who becomes The Witch King? (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

We don't know. Amazon hasn't revealed who they'll portray in one of the best Prime Video shows' third installment, but that won't stop me from speculating on who they might play.

Per its official plot brief, The Rings of Power season 3 will "jump forward several years" to the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron. This near-decade long conflict should form the basis of next season's plot alongside Sauron's creation of the One Ring. It's possible, then, that Richardson, Varla, and Young could simply be new characters who are commanders, lieutenants, or ordinary soldiers for each army.

However, it's also a possibility that one or more of them could assume the role of established characters who populate Middle-earth in J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works.

I previously suggested that Marsan could play Durin IV's brother, who might vie with his sibling for Khazad-dûm's throne next season. Could someone like Varla, though, play him instead?

Then there's the prospect that one of next season's subplots will center on Sauron gifting the final nine Rings of Power to the Kings of Men.

Canonically, Middle-earth's Dark Lord does so before he fashions the One Ring to Rule Them All. The Rings of Power has been pretty liberal in its depiction of how and when events play out in the Second Age, but it wouldn't make sense if Sauron creates his own ring before presenting the remaining rings to the individuals who'll become his most trusted lieutenants, aka the Ringwraiths. After all, he can't use the Kings of Men's rings to bend them to his will without the One Ring.

So, if and when the Kings of Men are presented with this nonuplet, it's plausible that Richardson, Varla, and/or Young might play some of these individuals. That includes the monarch who goes on to become The Witch-King of Angmar and Khamul the Easterling, the latter of whom also becomes one of the nine Ringwraiths.

Season 3 doesn't have a release date yet, so we'll be waiting a while to find out who these actors will play. For now, get further insights into what next season's story might entail by checking out my ending explainer on The Rings of Power season 2, or checking out some of my exclusive season 2 finale coverage below.

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• Google Beam's first compatible hardware comes from HP, and it costs $25k
• You'll still need to pay separately for a license from Google
• HP has new mics for your everyday video calls, too

HP has shared more details of the first-ever 3D video communication solution for enterprises, co-developed with Google Beam, as it looks to make holographic video conferencing calls a reality.

Formerly known as Project Starline, the newly-named 'HP Dimension with Google Beam', utilizes Google's platform, which promises life-like 3D video calls with no glasses or headsets needed.

HP says workers could see a 28% increase in memory recall when talking to colleagues using Google Beam, while benefitting from 39% more non-verbal communication.

HP Dimension

HP says the technology delivers realistic depth, colour and presence in one-on-one virtual meetings.

The hardware consists of six high-speed camera, adaptive lighting and spatial audio to create life-size imaging with natural eye contact on a 65-inch light field display – it means that users won't need to use headsets or glasses, as they would with an Apple Vision Pro.

From launch, the technology supports Zoom Rooms and Google Meet, but it also offers interoperability with Microsoft Teams and Webex, covering most bases.

There are some limitations, though, for example Google Beam requires a plain, white background for optimal performance and life-like projections.

Then, there's the price. At $24,999, it's not a cheap piece of kit, and enterprises will require separate licenses for the Google Beam technology – an essential tool to unlock the hardware's capabilities. Salesforce and Deloitte are among the early enterprise customers committed to HP Dimension with Google Beam.

A launch later in 2025 will see units arrive in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany and Japan.

In the same breath, HP also lifted the wraps off its new Poly Studio A2 Audio Bridge and Table Microphone for improved communications and interactions across more conventional video calls.

Featuring daisy-chain support for up to eight mics, NoiseBlockAI for smart background sound suppression and simple integration with other Poly Studio hardware, pre-orders open this month for shipping in September 2025, with prices starting at $549 and $329 respectively.

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• The June update for Windows 11 24H2 was paused by Microsoft
• A revised update took its place for PCs that were impacted by a compatibility issue
• Microsoft has now explained the nature of the bug, which pertained to certain PC games using anti-cheat protection

Microsoft just fixed an issue with the latest Windows 11 update and has now clarified exactly what the problem was, and the apparent extent of the bug.

The June update for Windows 11 24H2 was deployed yesterday (June 11), but it came with a ‘compatibility issue’ that meant Microsoft paused the rollout for certain PCs. However, the company didn’t tell us what this mystery compatibility problem was.

That patch (KB5060842) was replaced by a new one (KB5063060) which has now rolled out to affected devices, and Microsoft has explained what the bug was, as Windows Latest reports. It was a problem with an anti-cheat tool which meant that the PC games which used this system were crashing.

Microsoft said: “This update addresses an incompatibility issue where Windows might restart unexpectedly when opening games that use the Easy Anti-Cheat service. Easy Anti-Cheat automatically installs with certain games to enhance security and prevent cheating in multiplayer online PC games.

“Windows users likely didn’t experience this issue because the [initial] update that led to the incompatibility issue (KB506842) was not offered to devices with Easy Anti-Cheat installed.”

Analysis: cutting through the confusion

(Image credit: Epic Games)

This whole affair has been causing some bewilderment. Some people have been left scratching their heads and wondering whether, if their PC got the first June patch, does it need the second (replacement) one? And others were left confused about why they weren’t getting any patch at all.

To try and clear things up, if you didn’t get any patch, that’s because your PC has a game installed that uses Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC). Microsoft blocked the patch for those Windows 11 devices to avoid the compatibility bug which crashed those games. At this point in time, though, you should have received the second (tweaked) update (KB5063060).

If your Windows 11 PC received the first update (KB5060842) and you don’t have games with EAC, you probably won’t be given the second patch. After all, you don’t need it as such. However, if you received the first update and you have got PC games with EAC on-board – and this happened to some folks before Microsoft paused the initial patch, even though the company insists it wasn’t “likely” – then you will get the second update which will effectively overwrite the first one.

You can see where the confusion comes in, as it’s a bit of a sticky situation. The long and short of it is that if you have one of these patches, you’re good for all the security fixes and feature improvements the June update brings. They’re both identical updates; it’s just that the second one packs the mitigation for the EAC bug on top.

So, as long as you have one of these patches installed, that’s all good. If you’re still seeing crashing in games that use EAC, keep checking Windows Update for that second patch to override the first (assuming you haven’t already got it).

A further oddity here is that Microsoft said the compatibility issue applied to a ‘limited set’ of Windows 11 devices. But EAC is in some huge games, such as Apex Legends, Fortnite and a bunch of other Epic games. That explains why quite a few folks were reporting that they didn’t receive the initial June patch for Windows 11, which seemed strange given that Microsoft indicating that this was a niche issue.

It may have been a limited problem in terms of the number of PCs actually experiencing crashing, but the number prevented from receiving the June update was substantial, and Microsoft didn’t make that distinction.

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• Dying Light Franchise Director Tymon Smektała has said that Dying Light: The Beast will answer a number of unanswered questions, including why Kyle Crane has returned
• Smektała said The Beast doesn't have a branching narrative, because Techland wanted the game to be canon
• He also said that the game is "a very canonical Kyle story that answers everything that happens to him"

Dying Light: The Beast is set to see the return of former series protagonist Kyle Crane, but developer Techland has said that fans will need to play the game to find out.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Summer Game Fest 2025, Franchise Director Tymon Smektała explained that one of the goals of Dying Light: The Beast is to offer answers to "a number of unanswered questions", including why Kyle Crane has returned.

At the end of Dying Light: The Following, players are presented with two possible outcomes for the character: Kyle will be fully infected or killed in a nuclear explosion.

Despite these endings, The Beast will once again star Kyle, but Smektała emphasized that players will need to play the game to find out why.

"Play the game, play the game to get that answer. But actually, that's what that's one of the goals," Smektała said. "That's one of the kinds of things about Dying Light: The Beast, is that we want to answer a number of unanswered questions from previous games, and I say plural games meaningfully and reasonably."

Smektała said this is one of the reasons why The Beast doesn't have a branching narrative, because the team wanted the game to be canon and be set in the same timeline as the previous games.

"There is a continuity in all of those games," he continued. "If we were to give players agency in terms of how they want to shape the story, then it will be harder for us to have Kyle where we want him to have at the end of this game.

"So, so this is like a very canonical Kyle story that answers everything that happens to him, before, after, the events of Dying Light: The Following, but also sets him a little bit into the future."

Smektała added that the upcoming game will also have post-credit scenes like the MCU films that will "hint at some things that are going to happen in the future", but didn't give anything away.

Dying Light: The Beast is set to launch on August 22 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. It was initially being developed as downloadable content (DLC) for Dying Light 2: Stay Human, but Techland announced last year that the project had become a standalone title.

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It really is the season for game presentations, live streams, and showcases, and today we strap in for another one.

Today's Konami Press Start live stream will focus on two upcoming games from the publisher: Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (the excellent-looking remake of the critically acclaimed third Metal Gear Solid game), and Silent Hill f (the survival and psychological horror game in the famous series).

Konami is promising an "extended look" at both games, too, so we expect to see plenty of action, new footage, and more.

Might we see news about other things in the franchises, though? Who knows, but I always hold out hope that publishers and developers throw in surprises! Konami has got more games and series up its sleeve, so here's hoping for a treat!

We've been covering live game reveals and events for ages now, so we know how to present the most pertinent information quickly and concisely for you in moment-to-moment coverage.

Konami Press Start live stream: start time

Konami's Press Start live stream showing off the two games will start at 9am ET / 6am PT / 2pm BST.

Konami Press start live stream: where to watch

You'll be able to watch the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f presentation on Konami's YouTube channel and Twitch page.

Hello and welcome!

Greetings! Welcome to our live coverage of the imminent Konami Press Start live stream.

We'll be providing moment to moment coverage of what the publisher shows off, as well as giving you all the best information about the stream and throwing in some fun predictions and personal takes too.

Strap in, the live stream starts in just under an hour!

The key information

Right, let's remind you of the most important information, shall we?

Konami's Press Start live stream will start at 9am ET / 6am PT / 2pm BST, and you can catch it on the publisher's YouTube channel and Twitch page.

Easy peasy - but get in position and open those tabs now, as interest will be peaking soon!

More Metal Gear Solid is never a bad thing

(Image credit: Konami)

While the two games on show today are both huge deals, personally, I'm more excited for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

As a PlayStation fan of a...certain age group..., Metal Gear was a huge part of my gaming youth and is 'my' PS1 and PS2 series. As a result, my hype is reaching fever-pitch levels, and with the game looking as good as it does, it looks set to be a cracker.

Cold War Russia never looked so good, and Naked Snake's famous adventure can't come quickly enough for fans like me.

• Garmin has revealed the Garmin Venu X1, a surprise new premium smartwatch
• It costs a hefty $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499
• Its 2-inch square display is bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra 2 – but could last up to 8 days (vs the Apple Watch's 36 hours)

Surprise! Garmin has revealed the Garmin Venu X1, an "ultrathin" smartwatch with a massive 2-inch AMOLED display and up to eight days of battery life.

The Garmin Venu X1 looks set to be an Apple Watch Ultra 2 competitor, with an even bigger screen (the Ultra's is 1.9-inches). This giant, square AMOLED display is set to showcase full-color maps to ensure you can navigate adventures with ease, custom watch faces and what appears to be a redesigned interface.

An on-board speaker and microphone array allows you to take calls on-wrist while connected to your phone, and use simple voice commands such as 'set a timer' or 'start a running activity' even while offline.

The new model packs 32GB of internal memory, presumably for on-watch music, and Garmin's updated Elevate v5 heart rate sensor, most recently used on the Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970. It's got Garmin's LED flashlight onboard, a titanium back, and scratch-proof Sapphire Glass coating the display.

Component

Garmin Venu X1

Price

$799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499

Dimensions

41 x 46 x 7.9 mm

Weight

41g

Case/bezel

Titanium

Display

51.2 mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display

GPS

GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS

Battery life

Up to 8 days

Connection

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE

Water resistant

Yes, 5ATM

This is certainly a watch ready for the great outdoors, while incorporating lifestyle elements such as those voice commands and more font sizes, which makes notifications much easier to receive and navigate on that giant screen.

The Garmin Venu series has always aimed to straddle the line between a 'true' smartwatch extension for your phone and Garmin's classic dedicated fitness companion, and has done so admirably in the past: the Garmin Venu 3 was ranked 'best for most people' in our best Garmin watches list for 2025. This new thinner Venu X1 appears to follow a similar brief, with its square watch face inevitably drawing comparisons to Apple like the Venu Sq before it.

As you might expect from a premium GPS watch from Garmin, the Garmin Venu X1 doesn't come cheap, costing $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. Perhaps not entirely coincidentally, this is right around the Apple Watch Ultra 2's price point.

It's available now in two colors, Black and Moss, and includes Garmin's 24mm ComfortFit nylon band.

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