TechRadar News

• Google Chrome fixes out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability in V8
• It's being exploited in the wild, so be on your guard
• Chrome usually updates automatically, but it wouldn't hurt to check

Google has patched a zero-day vulnerability recently discovered in its Chrome desktop browser which it says is being actively exploited in the wild, so users should apply the fix as soon as possible.

The bug is described as an out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability present in V8, tracked as CVE-2025-5419, and has been given a severity score of 8.8 (high).

V8 is an open source JavaScript engine used primarily in Chrome and Node.js. It was developed by Google, and powers many of today’s key productivity apps, such as Google Docs, or Gmail.

Forcing the update

In theory, a threat actor could create a malicious website which would execute arbitrary code on the victim’s system while visiting. That could potentially lead to full system compromise, data theft, or additional malware deployment.

The bug is fixed in version 137.0.7151.68, and users are advised to upgrade immediately. Patches are out for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Usually, Chrome updates automatically upon a new launch. However, users can do it manually by navigating to the Chrome menu > Help > About Google Chrome, checking for updates, and clicking the “Relaunch” button.

The company said the vulnerability is being abused in the wild, but did not want to share additional details before the majority of Chrome browsers are updated, adding it was, “aware that an exploit for CVE-2025-5419 exists in the wild.”

"Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix," Google said. "We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven't yet fixed."

This is the third Chrome zero-day vulnerability fixed in 2025, as two more were patched in March and May. In 2024, the company fixed a total of 10 zero-day flaws.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Details of the Philips Hue Smart Wall Washer have appeared on Amazon
• It will work like the Philips Hue Play Light Bar, flooding your wall with color
• It uses the same ColorCast system as the Philips Hue Twilight lamp

Amazon has published a listing for an unreleased Philips Hue lamp that promises to flood your walls with color. The Philips Hue Play Smart Wall Washer, spotted by Hueblog.com, is currently listed on Amazon's UK store, though there's no release date or price available yet.

The Smart Wall Washer combines the best features from two of our favorite smart lights: the Philips Hue Play Light Bar and the Philips Hue Twilight.

Like the Light Bar, it can be synchronized with an HDMI source to project colored light onto the walls behind your TV, or be used by itself to help set the mood. If you have other Philips Hue lights, you'll be able to group them together with the Smart Wall Washer and apply the same scene or automation to all of them.

The Philips Hue Play Smart Wall Washer (left) uses the same ColorCast gradient light system as the Philips Hue Twilight (right) (Image credit: Signify / Future)

Look at the back of the Smart Wall Washer and you'll notice a setup very similar to the LED panel on the back of the Philips Hue Twilight. Like the Twilight, the Wall Washer features a system called ColorCast that uses "precisely-arranged LEDs" to create a striking, smooth color gradient on the nearest wall.

When we tested the Twilight, ColorCast was one of our favorite features. "The LEDs point slightly upwards, which enables them to spray a wonderful cone of light up walls," said Josephine Watson, Managing Editor of Lifestyle. It looks like the Smart Wall Washer will deliver the same results, but over a larger area.

Twice as bright

The Smart Wall Washer measures 3.6 x 3 x 6.2 inches / 9.1 x 7.6 x 15.7 cm, which is even smaller than the Light Bar. However, with a maximum of 1035 lumens, the Wall Washer is twice as bright.

The UK listing is for a single lamp, but some of the lifestyle images show a pair of Smart Wall Washers linked to a TV via an HDMI Sync Play Box, so it's possible that they'll be sold in multi-packs as well.

The case of the Smart Wall Washer has a matte finish to help avoid unwanted light reflections, and judging by the images in the Amazon listing, it appears to be available in black and white.

Signify has yet to officially announce the Smart Wall Washer, but I'll keep you updated as soon as I have more details about pricing and availability.

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• Hello Games' No Man's Sky will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 with the new Beacon content update and cross-save functionality
• Similar to previous updates, it will be free for existing owners without a paid upgrade path
• It's an example of why cross-save is important for other game developers to include in games

The Nintendo Switch 2's launch is now just hours away, alongside a handful of launch titles – and one of them will be coming with plenty of benefits for players at no extra cost.

Hello Games has announced a No Man's Sky Switch 2 edition launching with its new Beacon content update, featuring full multiplayer, improved frame rates including 4K texture support – and perhaps most importantly, cross-save and cross-play functionality. All will be free to existing Switch 1 No Man's Sky owners when it launches on June 5.

It's great for fans to see the improved frame rates and 4K resolution, especially based on the expectations set for a variety of the console's games. It's also worth noting that the Switch 1 port didn't have full multiplayer, which will now be possible thanks to the Switch 2's extra horsepower. However, another big highlight is the inclusion of cross-save and cross-play from day one.

Cross-save has been available in No Man's Sky for all platforms for some time, but with the Switch 2's launch, you'll be able to pick up exactly where you've left off. We don't often see cross-save inclusion in other triple A games at launch, or even at all (in both multiplayer and single-player titles), and fortunately, indie developer Hello Games has considered it.

It's a testament to how considerate the game developer has been over the past few years, especially with its Beacon update joining the huge list of free content released, and fans will undoubtedly be hoping the goodwill continues – and push other game developers to do the same.

Analysis: The Switch 2 is an example of why we need more cross-save games

(Image credit: Nintendo)

It's a massive feat for Hello Games to go full throttle with the Switch 2 port, especially with all the improvements that are coming without any need for a paid upgrade path. It's also another reason to stress that not enough games have cross-save support, from console to PC and vice versa.

I applaud developers such as Larian Studios with Baldur's Gate 3, CD Projekt Red with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Cyberpunk 2077, but I think there's more room for this to be a common occurrence. It's worth noting that I'm not just talking about cross-save on the same platform, like the Switch 1 to the Switch 2, but rather including all consoles and PC – you get the idea.

It's a dealbreaker for me when deciding whether I should buy a PC port of Sony's PlayStation titles, especially when I already own the title on the PS5 – and a prime example is Stellar Blade, launching on Steam on June 11, without cross-save functionality.

A decent portion of the games coming to the Switch 2 at launch are games that have already launched on other platforms, and that players buying the Switch 2 have already made progress in – for example, Capcom's Street Fighter 6 or IO Interactive's Hitman World of Assassination, both of which don't support cross progression. So simply, it's not just a PC problem, but also all platforms that need this support.

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WWDC 2025 is almost here, and we’re expecting to hear big news of Apple’s upcoming iOS 19, macOS 16, visionOS and iPadOS 19 operating systems updates.

While we’re expecting the best iPhones and best Macs to get some substantial updates, it could be an even bigger year for the iPad if the latest rumors are to be believed.

According to various rumors, iPadOS 19 could bring Apple’s tablet experience closer to a true computer feel than ever before, as well as getting a new look and perhaps even a new name.

So, with that all in mind, here are the six new features we'll be looking out for at the WWDC keynote on June 9 – check out our how-to-watch WWDC guide to tune in yourself.

Better multitasking

Stage Manager was introduced with iPadOS 16, but we think it needs an update (Image credit: TechRadar)

When Apple launched Stage Manager for iPad in 2022, reactions were mixed. The new UI mode gave users groups of kind-of free-floating windows, but was generally considered both too complicated in its usage and too simple in its capabilities.

With Samsung DeX giving Samsung users access to a proper laptop-style mode on their tablets, and Android 16 promising free-floating windows for multitasking, Apple needs to step up its game to keep up.

The simple answer is free-floating windows in Stage Manager. Apple’s multitasking solution actually has pretty good range when it comes to resizing windows, so this is the natural next step.

And as Reddit user albertserene suggests in a post to r/iPadOS, Apple could also offer the ability to save groups of windowed apps as presets, similar to the much-loved Desktops feature on Mac.

We recently reported on rumors from noted tipster Majin Bu that suggest Stage Manager could get a major update with iPadOS 19, but haven’t heard any further details.

Multiple accounts

(Image credit: Future)

Sticking with the iPad’s push towards computer-style use, it’d be great to see Apple allow users to set up multiple accounts on the same iPad.

This is an essential feature for families, entrepreneurs, and businesses, or indeed anyone who wants to use their iPad for two or more different purposes.

Apple does offer Profiles, but these are designed for use by one individual who wants to switch between different notification and app settings at different times.

Though there are no strong rumors for this feature, others like Mashable have also pointed out the lack of multiple user support on iPad, and it’s something we’ve had our eyes on here at TechRadar and TechRadar Pro for more than a decade.

A new look

VisionOS could serve as the base for the next iPadOS visual update (Image credit: Apple)

It’s been a little while since we reported on rumors of a visionOS inspired visual overhaul for iOS and iPadOS – but in the time since I’ve become more excited at the prospect of a new look for Apple’s mobile operating systems.

A focus on transparency and glass-like UI would work well with an updated Stage Manager – with more on screen, it could be useful to have a way to peek through certain UI elements.

And focusing in on the two current iPad Pro models – the thinnest tablets Apple has ever made – a sleek new software design would compliment the beautiful hardware of Apple’s most powerful tablets especially well.

iOS and iPadOS haven’t had a major UI redesign since iOS 7, all the way back in 2013.

A Mac-style Menu Bar

The Menu Bar is an icon of MacOS - rumors suggest it could make the jump to iPad (Image credit: Future)

Sticking with the themes of Mac-like productivity and new visuals, further rumors suggest that iPadOS could be getting a menu bar in the style of macOS.

Again going off of rumors from noted tipster Majin Bu, it seems the iPad could get a Mac-style Menu Bar, offering contextual options for the currently-engaged app as well as more general settings.

This could be a neat addition to the iPad, especially the 13-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro models. On smaller iPads – particularly the iPad mini – I’m a little more concerned about losing screen space.

Improved Siri

(Image credit: Future)

The long-awaited Siri update could be on the way with iPadOS 19, bringing the full power of Apple Intelligence to Cupertino's virtual assistant.

The new Siri should be able to answer more complex questions and perform a wider range of in-app functions. We’ve been looking forward to this update for quite a while now, considering that Siri has started to fall behind other digital assistants, like Google’s AI powered Gemini.

Furthermore, we had originally expected Siri to get an overhaul at some point during the lifespan of iPadOS 18, but this didn’t materialize due to the botched rollout of Apple Intelligence.

Split keyboard

(Image credit: Apple)

This is a smaller one, and more of a speculation, but I’d personally like to see Apple bring back split keyboard support for every iPad that runs iPadOS 19.

As pointed out by Reddit user AungmyintmyatHane, Apple doesn't support the split keyboard feature on modern iPads.

I’m an iPad user myself, and it’s never made sense to me that my 2013 iPad Air allowed me to split the keyboard in two for easier typing in landscape mode, while my newer, more powerful, and more expensive 2020 iPad Pro 11-inch lacks the same function.

I doubt Apple would make much noise about this feature returning, but it’d go a long way in making the iPad feel more flexible.

What are you looking forward to most at WWDC? Let us know in the comments below.

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• The i2Coalition published a new report to map the collateral damage of DNS blocking and other internet restrictions across the world
• Some European governments and the US are actively debating infrastructure-level blocking as an anti-piracy solution
• Experts urge the global community to help them document these incidents

From halting online dissent and illegal content to copyright infringement and child safety, governments worldwide have been increasingly turning to blocking practices that target the core internet infrastructure to pursue their policy goals. Yet, even when deployed with the best intentions, these measures are not only thought to be ineffective, but also to lead to "unintended and profound" collateral damage.

This is the warning from a new report published by the i2Coalition (Internet Infrastructure Coalition). The group wants to shed light on what it describes as an "alarming trend" of governments across the world weaponizing DNS resolvers and even the best VPN services as enforcement tools.

"This report is a wake-up call," said Christian Dawson, Executive Director of the i2Coalition. "DNS resolvers are neutral infrastructure – not censorship tools. When governments use them to enforce content policies, the result is overreach, disruption, and long-term harm to the open Internet."

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From DNS to VPN blocking – how authorities block the internet

As the report shows, internet blocking tactics span from DNS-based restrictions, IP-level enforcement, and even AI-driven filtering. Nonetheless, experts highlight DNS blocking as the most widely used mechanism.

Short for Domain Name System, we can think of a DNS as the Internet phone book. It translates user requests into strings of numbers – IP addresses – to connect them with the right websites.

DNS servers are at the core of the internet infrastructure as they enable users to navigate the internet. This is exactly why these services have become a target of censors like Russia, Iran, and China, first, and now, rights-holders or lawmakers behind children's safety policies.

Some European countries, including Italy, Spain, and France, have been increasingly using such infrastructure-level blocking against pirated or other harmful content. The US is also currently debating a bill to employ similar blocking methods against copyright infringement.

DNS blocking, however, isn't just according to experts ruining the internet, but also ineffective. This is because these network-level blocks only obscure rather than remove the content, which remains online and accessible through other means.

Do you know?

(Image credit: Future + Photo by MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas/AFP; Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

After a successful legal action against DNS services in 2024, on May 15, 2025, the Paris Judicial Court backed Canal+'s request and ordered five VPN providers – NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, and CyberGhost – to block access to 203 domains linked to illegal sports streaming sites.

Increasingly more internet users have learned to use virtual private network tools, which enable users to spoof their IP addresses and bypass these restrictions. Hence, VPNs are now becoming the next target of authorities.

Russian authorities have been particularly active in cracking down on the usage of VPN services. A law that was enforced in March 2024 to criminalize the spread of information about ways to circumvent internet restrictions, especially, led to an escalation of Russia's battle against VPNs, with many apps being removed from official App Stores.

In Europe, rights-holders in Italy and France have so far targeted both DNS and VPN providers within their fight against online piracy.

Again, while the motivations behind differ, the unintended consequences seem to be the same. As the i2Coalition notes in the report: "These measures are too often implemented without legal or technical precision, transparency, or accountability, resulting in overblocking, fragmentation, and collateral damage."

In Italy, for example, the country's Piracy Shield system caused widespread service outages on other platforms such as Google Drive. Then, following the decision to require VPN and DNS providers to block pirated content, a VPN provider (AirVPN) had already stopped accepting new Italian subscribers.

The report explores this and other examples of overblocking and internet fragmentation across Europe (France, Spain, Austria, and Portugal), alongside case studies from Russia, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Myanmar, Venezuela, and even the US.

"The global Internet depends on common protocols, trust, and neutrality at the infrastructure layer," said Dawson. "This initiative shines a spotlight on where that’s breaking – and what we can do about it."

Dawson is now urging the global community to "help push back with evidence and clarity" by documenting these incidents. You can do this by heading to the nsatrisk.org platform that the group has just created.

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• Nvidia has released yet another driver hotfix amid frequent updates in recent months
• The hotfix comes after Game Ready Driver 576.52
• Users are still reporting black screen issues, months after the bug's initial revelation

Nvidia has been at the center of controversy since its RTX 5000 series Blackwell GPU launch, with issues regarding missing specs and driver issues widespread – and unfortunately, the latter is still a trend after multiple updates.

As reported by VideoCardz, Nvidia released a new GeForce Hotfix 576.66 driver, which comes after the Game Ready Driver 576.52, to fix and address several game crashes and bugs. It's another addition to the frequent Nvidia Game Ready Drivers and hotfix updates in recent months, most of which have seemingly failed to address some of the long-lasting issues.

While it doesn't appear to affect all users, RTX 4000 and some RTX 5000 GPU series owners have voiced frustrations regarding the infamous black screen problem, which now mostly appears to occur on reboot (even without driver installation). It seems slightly different from prior complaints, which had a majority of users annoyed with black screens during new driver installations.

However, the Game Ready Driver 576.52 Reddit discussion suggests otherwise, as users highlight the same installation bug, either forcing a restart or wiping drivers completely using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller). It's not exactly clear what is causing the issue, but some users state that disabling G-Sync is one of the solutions.

Installing any of Team Green's new GPU drivers is essential, as they often come with new game or GPU support, but running into game or system-breaking bugs is a big gamble. Fortunately, rolling back to previous drivers doesn't require too much effort, but the same can't be said for Blackwell GPU users who can't go back to stable and older drivers before the lineup's launch.

Comment from r/nvidiaComment from r/nvidiaComment from r/nvidiaAnalysis: Are new driver updates even worth installing at this point?

Luckily, my RTX 4080 Super doesn't require driver updates for functionality, unlike the new Blackwell GPUs. The problem is I'm missing out on important support updates for games; is it worth it to avoid any annoying bugs, though? The simple answer is yes.

I'm still using Game Ready Driver 572.47 from February, which has been the most stable for me. It came after I ran into the notorious black screen issue when installing a new GPU driver and attempting to reboot my system, ultimately pushing me to roll back to 572.47.

You could say I'm paranoid or overreacting, but I don't think I'm wrong in saying that caution is warranted with recent Team Green updates – and I know I'll have to take the risk eventually, but I don't think I'll do so until it's absolutely necessary...

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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is less than two months from release – and, to celebrate, Marvel has released a new trailer for its final movie of 2025.

Unveiled today (June 4), the teaser contains plenty of footage we've seen in First Steps' other trailers. However, there are a couple of references – one visual and one audio – that confirm two of the worst-kept secrets about the Marvel Phase 6 film's plot. Potentially big spoilers immediately follow the embedded trailer below, so turn back now if you don't want to know anything!

The trailer's first big reveal occurs at the 0:17 mark and, as if further confirmation was needed, reveals that Franklin Richards will appear in The Fantastic Four's next big-screen outing.

The son (and first-born child!) of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Franklin is one of the most powerful superhumans in Marvel comic book history. You can read more about him in a previous article of mine that covered a CinemaCon 2025 teaser that confirmed a big fan theory about Sue Storm. The fan theory in question? That Franklin would make his live-action debut in this film.

Meanwhile, the other big reference that the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie's trailer contains concerns Ben Grimm/The Thing.

Jump to the 0:47 mark of said teaser, and you'll hear Johnny Storm/The Human Torch ask The Thing "Is it Clobberin' Time?", which The Thing replies "Hell yeah!".

Marvel devotees will immediately recognize this catchphrase but, for those who don't know, "It's Clobberin' Time!" is The Thing's most famous saying in Marvel literature. Until now, the cast and crew of one of 2025's most exciting new movies wouldn't confirm if Grimm – or anyone, for that matter – would say it in First Steps. Well, now we have our answer.

As a family, they're unstoppable. Tickets for #TheFantasticFour: First Steps in IMAX are on sale now! https://t.co/liJpJh2idi #FilmedForIMAX pic.twitter.com/QIASNW3mB7June 4, 2025

As Marvel ramps up its promotional campaign for the iconic quartet's arrival in the MCU, we've learned plenty more about what to expect from The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Most recently, First Steps' runtime and a bunch of major story spoilers appeared online. Before then, Marvel confirmed a First Steps prequel comic would be released ahead of the movie's arrival. Oh, and a leaked Lego set gave us our first proper look at Galactus, aka the superhero flick's Big Bad.

Throw in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' official trailer revealing our first look at Julia Garner's Silver Surfer and Mister Fantastic's stretchy powers, the superteam being announced as part of the initial 27-strong cast for Avengers: Doomsday, and – spoiler – the group appearing in Thunderbolts' post-credits scene, and things have been looking pretty *ahem* fantastic for fans of Marvel's First Family. Roll on July 25, ie the date that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be released in theaters worldwide.

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• Security researchers Wiz find four major DevOps tools being abused
• The misconfigurations allow threat actors to deploy cryptocurrency miners
• A quarter of all instances are at risk, so users should be on their guard

Cybercriminals have been spotted abusing misconfigurations in popular public DevOps tools to deploy cryptocurrency miners - generating valuable tokens, while raking up huge electricity and computing bills for their victims.

Security researchers from Wiz Threat Research spotted the campaign and attributed it to a threat actor named JINX-0132.

Apparently, the crooks target many DevOps tools, but four stood out: Nomad, Consul, Docker Engine API, and Gitea.

Mitigation measures

The first two are built by HashiCorp: Nomad is a workload orchestrator that schedules and manages the deployment of containers, virtual machines, and standalone applications across clusters, while Consul is a service networking solution that provides service discovery, health checking, configuration, and segmentation for distributed applications.

Docker Engine API is a RESTful API that allows developers and automation tools to interact with the Docker daemon to manage containers, images, networks, and volumes, and Gitea is a self-hosted Git service that provides source code hosting, issue tracking, code review, and collaborative development tools through a web interface.

“Misconfiguration abuse by threat actors can often go under defenders’ radar, especially if the affected application isn’t well known as an attack vector,” the researchers explained.

“A key characteristic of JINX-0132's methodology is the seemingly deliberate avoidance of any unique, traditional identifiers that could be used by defenders as Indicators of Compromise. Instead of utilizing attacker-controlled servers for payload delivery, they download tools directly from public GitHub repositories.”

The problem seems to be quite widespread, too, as up to a quarter of all cloud users could be exposed. In the report, the researchers said that 25% of all cloud environments are running at least one of the four technologies listed above. What’s more, at least 20% are running HashiCorp Consul.

"Of those environments using these DevOps tools, five percent expose them directly to the Internet, and among those exposed deployments, 30 percent are misconfigured," the team concluded.

To mitigate the risks, companies should implement strict access controls, conduct regular security audits, and perform frequent vulnerability assessments. Furthermore, they should not stall on applying patches, and should monitor their systems for abnormal resource usage.

Finally, they should secure DevOps environments against misconfigurations, restrict unauthorized command execution, and strengthen their authentication measures.

Via The Register

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• News report claims White House executive order banning Chinese drone sales is imminent
• DJI claims its products are fully secure and that it welcomes scrutiny
• DJI has already postponed the launch of the Mavic 4 Pro in the US

According to reports in the US, the Trump administration may be about to issue a total ban on US sales of Chinese-made drones. While that might sound like disastrous news for the likes of DJI, it may in fact provide it with an excellent opportunity to finally clear up any lingering doubts over security risks.

The Washington Post claims that, as early as this week, the White House will issue multiple executive orders that could lead to companies like DJI being effectively barred from selling any new models in the US.

Assuming the reports are true (and bearing in mind that Trump has U-turned on some proposed tariff and trade policies) this would be the latest development in an ongoing cold war between the US government and Chinese drone companies.

It’s one that precedes the current administration, too. In December of last year, one of Joe Biden’s last actions as president was to sign the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 1709 of which mandates that “within one year of enactment, a designated national security agency must evaluate whether communications and video surveillance equipment from [Chinese drone] manufacturers pose ‘an unacceptable risk’ to U.S. national security or the safety of American citizens.”

US politicians have often made sweeping, somewhat vague statements suggesting that data collected by Chinese-made drones could be used for purposes counter to American security or commercial interests. And the aforementioned act tasks the US’s security apparatus to definitively find out if this is the case.

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro, which hasn't even been launched in the US due to the current uncertainty surrounding tariffs. (Image credit: James Abbott)“We welcome this scrutiny.”

Thus far, the Trump administration has yet to assign any of the five national security agencies to take up this task. DJI, however, seems keen for the process to begin as soon as possible. Back in March, DJI Head of Global Policy Adam Welsh wrote an open letter to the agency heads requesting that “any or all of your agencies” begins the evaluation right away.

“We welcome this scrutiny,” Welsh wrote. The letter went on: “DJI is confident that its products can withstand your strictest scrutiny. We are confident not only because we have nothing to hide, but because independent firms and other U.S. government agencies have repeatedly validated and confirmed that DJI’s products are secure.”

Welsh outlined that the company had implemented a number of measures to ensure that its drones keep user data secure. For instance, flight logs, photos and videos are not synced with DJI servers unless a user chooses to do so, and US-based users cannot sync flight records with DJI servers at all.

DJI drones also feature Local Data Mode, which cuts any connection between the flight app and the internet, while the app allows users to manage their data, use third-party software and easily delete information on the drone.

US-based drone company Skydio, which produces the Skydio 2 pictured here, may benefit from the banning of Chinese-made drones. (Image credit: Skydio)

Welsh goes on to point out the financial knock-on effect that restricting the sale of DJI drones could have on the US economy, claiming that DJI enables more than $116 billion in economic activity across the country, while supporting almost half a million jobs.

If the Trump administration were to implement a blanket ban, it could be as a means of boosting the domestic US drone industry which, at present, appears to represent a tiny share of US drone sales compared to the likes of DJI and Autel. While it’s clear the US drone industry could use some help, would US residents really be happy to be forced into buying far pricier drone hardware, just because it wasn’t made in China?

DJI, like many non-US companies, is already experiencing trouble due to the Trump administration’s blanket tariffs – or, more accurately, the confusion surrounding if they’re actually going to be introduced or not. Citing this uncertainty, the company has postponed the launch of its excellent new flagship camera drone, the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, in the US.

Let us know what you think of the rumored drone ban in the comments below.

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Samsung threw us a curveball this week, or rather a ball that flies straight before making a spectacular 90-degree turn, a fold, if you will: The company plans to unveil a folding Galaxy Ultra.

Now, some might see this as a simple rebranding of the anticipated Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (or maybe they were just jealous over Apple's rumored rebranding of all platforms to year format), but I do believe it's more than that. Without a doubt, it means very good things for the Z Fold...er...Z Fold 7 Ultra's camera array, which has always lagged behind the flagship Ultra line. As with previous top-tier Galaxy S phones, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra features a 200MP main camera and 50MP 5X optical zoom. By contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 has just a 50MP main camera and a 10MP 3X optical zoom lens.

Most people now expect that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra (or just Galaxy Z Fold Ultra) will match the S25 Ultra camera specs.

But, to my mind, that still doesn't make this new foldable a true Ultra. To do that, it needs to incorporate the S Pen. I'm aware that the Galaxy S Ultra line didn't always feature a stylus. This happened when, in a similar fashion to what Samsung is announcing here, the Samsung Galaxy Note line disappeared and core features, like the S Pen, became part of the S21 Ultra line.

It's been four years since Samsung made that choice and, as I see it, the S Pen is now integral to the S25 Ultra's identity. It makes the phone far more versatile than flagship competitors like my beloved iPhone 16 Pro Max and many other Android rivals. It's a powerful tool when paired with Galaxy AI features like Sketch to Image, as well as note taking, and one of my favorites, drawing.

S Pens are not foreign to the Galaxy Z Fold line. You can buy a one or a special case that incorporates one. It isn't the same S Pen that slips into the S25 Ultra. You would damage the Z Fold's flexible screen if you used the traditional S Pen on it. There has never been, though, an S Pen incorporated into the Z Fold body.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's Pen. Let's make it thinner and slip it into the Z Fold Ultra. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

There are likely good reasons for this. Chief among them is the current Z Fold 6's incredible svelte frame. Unfolded, the Z Fold 6 is 5.6mm thick. That's 0.2mm thinner than the new Galaxy S25 Edge and a few millimeters thinner than the S25 Ultra.

Still, if Samsung insists on calling this new phone an Ultra, simple "S Pen support" won't be enough. I want to see it innovate and make a special S Pen thin enough to slide inside one side of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra. It seems almost possible – after all, Samsung already removed Bluetooth support from the current S Pens. That likely means fewer components and more space, or at least the option to slim down a little bit.

It's not that I can't live with a decent S Pen Z Fold case but, considering what we're paying for the fold, and the Z Fold Ultra is unlikely to be any cheaper, why should I pay another $100 or $150 for a case and accessory? Also, the convenience of having the S Pen just a press away – it pops out of the Z Fold Ultra body – is so alluring.

So, that's my pitch. I'm all for a little strategic rebranding but, if you want me to get excited about it, it should bring some reinvention, too. A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Ultra with an integrated S Pen would be the absolute bomb.

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• Spotify held its annual Open House event in Stockholm where it addressed user feedback for Wrapped 2024
• The platform shared that the amount of negative user feedback it received was more than previous years, amounting to inaccurate streaming data on Spotify's part
• While we still have over 6 months until Wrapped 2025, Spotify shed light on its plans to improve this year's music recap

If you’re a Spotify user like myself, then you’ll definitely remember the flop that was Spotify Wrapped 2024, which received the most negative feedback than any of the platform’s music recaps in previous years – and I stayed far from quiet.

Packed with inaccurate listening data paired with a lack of creativity in its graphics, Spotify Wrapped 2024 was an epic fail, and now, Spotify itself is admitting that it got it all wrong.

Last week Spotify hosted its annual Open House event in Stockholm, inviting journalists to ask questions about its platform growth plans. In between questions about AI features and Spotify HiFi, the platform was asked about how it plans to step up its game with its annual Wrapped music recap – and CPO Gustav Söderström took the reins.

Last year, users reported inaccurate data from Spotify Wrapped which showed them artists they hadn't streamed that year. (Image credit: Future)

“If you look at the numbers, it was the biggest Wrapped we’ve ever had” Söderström responded, adding “but there was more negative feedback than we’ve seen before”. This negative feedback from users was largely in response to Wrapped’s false listening data: users reported that Wrapped showed them artists they hadn’t streamed at all in 2024.

Now that we’re almost halfway through 2025, this year’s Wrapped is already on a lot of music fans’ minds who, like me, are wondering which artists and songs will appear and if the data will be accurate this time around. It may seem far away from now, but Spotify is already “working hard on making (Wrapped) the best that it’s ever been”.

What’s in store for Spotify Wrapped 2025?

At its Open House event, Spotify’s representatives didn’t go into detail about what new measures Spotify would be adapting to improve this year’s music recap, but judging by its acknowledgement of users’ negative feedback we can assume that there will be a change in how Spotify presents your streaming data.

Söderström also addressed user feedback that compared Wrapped 2024 to the successes of previous years, sharing “I think people just wanted something newer, something that wasn’t there the year before. There was also some feedback that some of the things people loved from years before were not there”.

This leads me to think that Spotify Wrapped 2025 will most likely get a new look with some (hopefully) more innovative graphics, but the possibility that features from Wrapped’s past could return is also on the table. I’m praying for the return of the Sound Town feature from 2023, which grouped listeners into "towns" based on their own listening habits.

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The last few years have seen many consumer brands embracing AI to drive growth, using it to enhance customer experience and create more tailored platforms. While B2B sellers have also begun to implement AI, they’re still a few steps behind.

According to a recent McKinsey report, only 19% of respondents are using generative AI in B2B buying and selling, with as little as 23% actively developing or experimenting with these technologies. By looking at their B2C counterparts, B2B ecommerce businesses can identify valuable examples of how AI can be implemented effectively and at scale.

At a time when traditional sales methods need to become more efficient and customers expect greater personalization and a more seamless experience, B2B sales must continue to evolve and modernize.

To stay ahead while still addressing the unique complexities of B2B, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and other businesses must evaluate where AI fits within their sales strategies and how to navigate any initial implementation challenges. Once these factors are addressed, B2B ecommerce brands have a strong opportunity to achieve significant return on investment from AI adoption, while also meeting buyers’ expectations.

Why is AI essential for B2B growth?

A new standard of personalization and efficiency is being set in B2B ecommerce, shaping a future where both sellers and buyers benefit from deeply tailored, data-driven experiences.

As digital transformation accelerates, the future of B2B is being redefined. Every touchpoint in the buyer's journey can now be seamlessly powered by AI, delivering hyper personalized content, intelligent product recommendations, and dynamic pricing, all in real-time. The era of static personas and a one-size-fits-all-marketing approach is undeniably behind us. With AI, B2B companies can create adaptive strategies that respond to customers' unique and evolving needs.

Using vast amounts of customer data, AI has the ability to identify a customer's past purchases, browsing behavior, and engagement with content, encouraging businesses to deliver hyper-personalized recommendations which specifically speak to the buyer and ultimately foster loyalty. Beyond suggesting products, AI can enhance capabilities by presenting the right products at the right time based on buyer intent, preferences, and even contextual data.

The latter can include seasons, location, or growing trends, meaning every interaction can be an opportunity to increase sales by delivering exactly what the customer needs, often before they realise it themselves.

From an operational perspective, AI is a transformative technology for B2B sellers to foster increased efficiency and productivity. AI tools can automate routine tasks like lead qualification, inventory tracking, and even customer support, freeing up valuable time for sales and service teams to focus on business strategy.

Driving efficiency with AI through smart inventory and supply chain optimization

Another key area where AI is delivering significant value is inventory and supply chain optimization. Through the use of advanced machine learning models, AI is helping businesses predict demand with unparalleled precision, ensuring they have the right products available at the right time without overstocking or running into shortages.

Having these capabilities that can predict future stock levels means that AI has the ability to analyze vast amounts of historical data, from past sales behaviors to seasonal trends and market dynamics. This works to create highly accurate forecasts.

Whether it's a sudden supply chain disruption or a shift in market conditions, AI keeps businesses one step ahead by factoring in external delays, making businesses more adaptive and resilient to unexpected changes and able to mitigate the cost impact of stockouts or surplus.

Redefining sales engagement through AI empowerment

AI is also revolutionizing B2B sales by streamlining how sales teams engage with prospects and close deals. AI-powered tools such as Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions are transforming the quoting process, allowing sales reps to generate accurate, customised quotes in real-time based on complex pricing rules, customer history, and product configurations.

Additionally, AI-driven CPQ also helps identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities by analyzing purchasing patterns and suggesting additional products that align with the customer’s needs, increasing revenue potential.

By analyzing customer data, AI enables hyper-personalized outreach at scale. Sales teams can craft messages based on behavior like website visits, previous purchases, or even sentiment analysis from emails. These personalized communications will massively boost sales operations, leading to better engagement, stronger relationships, and opening doors for further sales opportunities.

Initial implementation challenges

For businesses looking to innovate in the age of digital transformation and maximize ROI, it’s essential that they approach AI implementation strategically, starting with lower-risk tasks and gradually expanding its use and involvement.

In sectors like manufacturing and distribution, where complex system integrations are the norm, implementing AI can be technically demanding.

The intricate web of legacy systems, ERPs, CRMs, and other business tools often act as barriers to successful AI adoption. However, businesses can overcome these challenges by implementing AI gradually.

They should start with smaller, lower-risk tasks such as automating routine processes or enhancing data analytics, allowing businesses to build confidence and gradually phase AI into their existing ecosystem without overwhelming their systems.

The road ahead to digital transformation

To successfully integrate AI, businesses must grasp that AI is a tool to augment human capabilities in sales and not replace them. The combination of human insight and AI’s power will position B2B companies at the forefront of this technological revolution, resulting in growth, operational improvements, and increased revenue.

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

The AI boom continues to shake up the world as we know it and fuel the rapid development of new technologies. Whilst this wave of innovation is exciting, it also comes with an unprecedented level of cyber risk exposure.

Like with anything cutting edge, regulation and compliance is playing catch-up when it comes to stopping malicious hackers. But there is another growing problem on the horizon. The scale and complexity of hacking has outpaced human capacity to respond, leading to an increase in flaw remediation time and, in turn, a greater exposure to exploitation and cyber threat.

Finding the flaws is the easy part, but companies are drowning in security debt as they struggle to compete with a growing attack surface and increasingly sophisticated cyber intrusions. This not only creates capacity issues for teams fixing the flaws but also exposes businesses to critical cyber threat.

Why time is of the essence when it comes to cyber security

The process of fixing flaws often begins in earnest but tapers off over time, with other priorities taking precedence. Unfortunately, the longer a flaw survives, the less likely it is to be resolved. Research has found the time it takes to fix flaws has skyrocketed, up 47% in five years and 327% in 15, now averaging 252 days. At this rate, businesses could be waiting more than 400 days to fix vulnerabilities by 2030, plunging them into a cycle of whack-a-mole with growing security debt.

But why is this happening?

Along with the evolution of sophisticated AI tools, cyber flaws have become increasingly complex and difficult to fix. As applications become bigger and incorporate more third-party components, the scope for potential flaws increases, making it more time consuming to remediate issues. Even if an in-house team is writing flawless code, the rest of the supply chain isn’t – 70% of applications have flaws in third-party code due to the use of open-source libraries.

Another developing problem is that many teams are under immense pressure to rapidly roll out new features, thus deprioritizing security fixes unless they are absolutely critical. Severity is no longer a major driver of flaw remediation, and more companies are sleepwalking into the red of security debt.

Left unresolved, organizations become more exposed to security breaches as fix times stretch and the software ecosystem grows in complexity. The exposure to breaches is set to increase as more teams adopt AI for code generation, and with almost three quarters of organizations having accrued some level of security debt, the issue is only going to worsen without action.

The knock-on effect of the digital skills gap

While it’s all too easy to point fingers at various teams for not prioritizing cyber risk fixes, the cause of delay isn’t only down to the complexity of the flaws. The developer shortage has been bubbling away for some time, and it is no surprise it is having a knock-on effect on security debt.

The combination of the increase in pressure to tackle cyber risks and the global skills shortage means developers are at breaking point. Finding developers or security specialists with both domain knowledge and security expertise is challenging. Until we find a way to close the digital skills gap, this limited capacity will delay fix timelines further.

Fixing flaws faster

But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are ways organizations can tackle the problem of security debt and get their cyber resilience back on track. By having visibility and proper integration across the whole Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), companies are now able to prevent net new flaws through automation and feedback loops. This can be achieved at scale with AI, using existing AI capabilities to boost fix capacity and speed.

The upcoming cyber policy measures set to be introduced later this year will, in turn, be critical for the automation of flaw remediation. Legislation like the UK’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be a long-term solution to help direct the entire supply chain on what needs to be fixed, whilst holding bad actors accountable.

Perhaps one of the most immediate solutions is for organizations to overhaul the ways in which they approach the black hole of security debt. With third-party flaws being one of the biggest contributors to security debt, it’s time companies properly evaluated the third parties with which they engage.

Avoiding those riddled with flaws by using software composition analysis (SCA) can slash major issues across applications. True prioritization is also essential - if everything is a priority, then nothing is. Working on the flaws that are most severe as quickly as possible is a quick win for time-poor developers.

Modern software security is all about remediating real risk with context and having visibility across the board, climbing out of the weeds of security debt specifics and using available technologies to act fast. With the software ecosystem ever-growing in complexity, it’s never been more important for organizations to tap into AI solutions and re-examine how they take on these cyber-attacks.

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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

• From the World of John Wick: Ballerina doesn't set up events to come in John Wick Chapter 5
• Ballerina's position on the John Wick timeline made that impossible, its director admits
• John Wick icon Ian McShane says discussions are ongoing about the titular hitman's next story

There were never any discussions about how From the World of John Wick: Ballerina could set up John Wick Chapter 5.

That's according to Ballerina director Len Wiseman, who told TechRadar such a scenario was due to Ballerina's position on the John Wick timeline.

For those who might not be aware: Ballerina is set between John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum and John Wick Chapter 4. Chronologically, that means it's the fourth film that fans should watch as part of any Wick-Verse movie marathon. For more information on that front, check out my guide on how to watch the John Wick movies in order.

But I digress. With Ballerina's story wrapping up before John Wick Chapter 4 begins, it wouldn't make sense for the Ana de Armas-led installment to pave the way for Keanu Reeves' next outing as the titular assassin.

Keanu Reeves' popular assassin will return, but we don't know how or when that'll be (Image credit: Lionsgate)

When I asked if there were ever any plans to set up John Wick Chapter 5's plot within Ballerina's story or via a post-credits scene, Wiseman replied: "With this, we were solely focused on what Ballerina's story was.

"Because it straddles the third and fourth John Wick films, there weren't any conversations about what this necessarily does for John Wick Chapter 5. So, no, we just focused on this story and how to bring the character of Eve into this world."

That isn't to say that internal talks have taken place about what John Wick 5's story could be. In a separate interview, I asked Ian McShane, who's played The Continental New York manager Winston Scott in the franchise's five movies so far, if he'd heard anything about the next Reeves-fronted installment, which is still in the very early stages of development.

A post shared by Ballerina (@ballerinamovie)

A photo posted by on

"There are a lot of options," McShane teased. "But nobody seems to know what's going on with it at the moment.

"Of course, they [John Wick's chief creative team] want it to go on for as long as possible. There's an anime movie that'll be great, and there's a possible TV series called Under the High Table, which I believe they're delivering the scripts for right about now.

"I don't think anybody thought the John Wick universe would become as big as it is," McShane added, "And now it's about keeping the monster under control while expanding it in new directions. That's why we've got this film Ballerina, which I think Len [Wiseman] did a very good job with, and Ana [de Armas] is fantastic in. You have to have fresh blood coming into franchises like this to help it grow."

In short, we'll just have to wait for more details from the 'gun-fu' series' creators about what John Wick Chapter 5 will entail. In the meantime, get ready to watch From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, aka one of 2025's most exciting new movies, which will make its worldwide theatrical debut on Friday, June 6.

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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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, June 4 (game #724).

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 #725) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PIPE
• EVE
• SUMMER
• APPLE
• SNAKE
• RIM
• CROW
• VERGE
• BUMPER
• TURNER
• PLUNGER
• SPOILER
• BRINK
• WRENCH
• GRILLE
• CUSP

NYT Connections today (game #725) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: On the edge
• GREEN: Waterworks
• BLUE: Pimp my ride
• PURPLE: Award winning singers

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 #725) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PRECIPICE 
• GREEN: PLUMBING EQUIPMENT
• BLUE: WAYS TO MODIFY A CAR'S EXTERIOR 
• PURPLE: BEST FEMALE ROCK PERFORMANCE GRAMMY WINNERS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #725) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #725, are…

• YELLOW: PRECIPICE BRINK, CUSP, EVE, VERGE
• GREEN: PLUMBING EQUIPMENT PIPE, PLUNGER, SNAKE, WRENCH
• BLUE: WAYS TO MODIFY A CAR'S EXTERIOR BUMPER, GRILLE, RIM, SPOILER
• PURPLE: BEST FEMALE ROCK PERFORMANCE GRAMMY WINNERS APPLE, CROW, SUMMER, TURNER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

PIPE and APPLE made a return after featuring in yesterday’s Connections, but today it wasn't things featured in Magritte paintings we were searching for.

Instead, the answers were BEST FEMALE ROCK GRAMMY WINNERS, of which Fiona Apple is one, and PLUMBING EQUIPMENT – of which pipes play an integral part.

I’m thrilled that I got WAYS TO MODIFY A CAR’S EXTERIOR first, as this is an area that I know completely nothing about and generally glaze over if anyone ever mentions anything to do with cars or roads or zzzzzzz – in fact I’m glazing over typing this.

The biggest surprise today is that Donna SUMMER won a Rock Performance Grammy in 1980 for Hot Stuff, as I associate her with being the queen of disco and saucy dance classics I Feel Love and Love to Love You Baby. 

I am ashamed that I seem to know more about car exteriors than I do about Donna Summer.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, June 4, game #724)

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A SONG BRIDGE, CHORUS, HOOK, REFRAIN
• GREEN: SUPPORT AUDIBLY CHEER, CLAP, ROOT, WHISTLE
• BLUE: THINGS IN AN ENTRYWAY BENCH, COAT RACK, CONSOLE, RUNNER
• PURPLE: IMAGERY IN MAGRITTE PAINTINGS APPLE, BOWLER, CLOUD, PIPE

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, June 4 (game #1227).

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 #1228) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1228) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1228) - 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 #1228) - 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 #1228) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• R

• G

• L

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

Quordle today (game #1228) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1228, are…

• CHIDE
• RABBI
• GUSTY
• LANCE

A nice day today, with three words that were easy to get after my starter words provided plenty of correct letters.

The final word was the most challenging and put the brakes on a speedy exit. I had the R and A in the correct spots and an I, but for some reason RABBI eluded me.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1228) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1228, are…

• ROOST
• LIPID
• WHARF
• COYLY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST
• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE
• Quordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHID
• Quordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITE
• Quordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDE
• Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGH
• Quordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURER
• Quordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADAR
• Quordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOP
• Quordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEAN
• Quordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLAR
• Quordle #1215, Friday, 23 May: SHIRE, GIANT, AWAIT, CAPER
• Quordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCEL
• Quordle #1213, Wednesday, 21 May: NOVEL, CHOSE, DIRTY, DONUT
• Quordle #1212, Tuesday, 20 May: DECOY, SHAKE, MAPLE, PURER
• Quordle #1211, Monday, 19 May: LINK, HANDY, DITCH, WAIVE
• Quordle #1210, Sunday, 18 May: QUACK, ROACH, PURGE, DOWNY
• Quordle #1209, Saturday, 17 May: STRIP, RANGE, UNITE, GEESE
• Quordle #1208, Friday, 16 May: SHEEP, SNUCK, DRIFT, BREAK

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, June 4 (game #458).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Mary, Mary, quite …

NYT Strands today (game #459) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• NEED
• SAME
• GRAY
• COKE
• SNORE
• HELL

NYT Strands today (game #459) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #459) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 3rd row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #459) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #459, are…

• COCKLESHELLS
• PRETTY
• MAIDS
• SILVER
• BELLS
• CONTRARY
• SPANGRAM: GARDEN

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Knowing the words we were looking for certainly made today’s Strands an easier task. But despite it being the most obvious and easiest of words to discover, I still found CONTRARY last.

I’m sure we all had the nursery rhyme (or as some people may know it, Roud Folk Song Index number 19626) going round in our heads as we searched for the various things Contrary Mary liked lining up in her GARDEN – namely SILVER BELLS, and COCKLESHELLS, and PRETTY MAIDS all in a row.

Like many nursery rhymes this is one with macabre origins; although disputed, many scholars think the words refer to Mary Queen of Scots, with the garden representing a graveyard filled with all the people who dared to upset her.

Then again, it could just as easily be about a woman called Mary who liked sticking shells in her garden.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, June 4, game #458)

• YETI
• BIGFOOT
• KRAKEN
• CRAWLER
• MOTHMAN
• JACKALOPE
• SPANGRAM: CRYPTIDS

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.

• Zen 6 CPUs now have “preliminary support” in a system monitoring tool
• Typically that support comes into play around 12-18 months before release
• Given that, we could be looking at Zen 6 chips going on sale late in 2026

AMD’s Zen 6 desktop processors are more fully on the radar now in that the chips have been mentioned in a popular piece of software, hinting that they may not be too far away.

Things have been pretty quiet around the next-gen Ryzen chips to date, but the Zen 6 range has just shown up in AIDA64, a widely used system monitoring and diagnosis tool (that offers a famous stress test for CPUs).

As Tom’s Hardware spotted, HXL posted on X to share the release notes for the new beta version of AIDA64, which state that it brings in “preliminary support” for next-gen AMD desktop (and laptop) processors.

https://t.co/hYg8NXF0F8 pic.twitter.com/qPvxav0GBsJune 3, 2025

This is just the groundwork for supporting the next range of Ryzen CPUs, but it suggests that the follow-up chips to AMD’s Ryzen 9000 processors are inbound sooner than the rumor mill previously believed.

Typically, this kind of early support for a new range of CPUs will arrive in AIDA64 around 12 to 18 months before the silicon in question is available to buy.

Analysis: A new gaming champ CPU on the horizon?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

That means we could conceivably witness AMD reveal its Zen 6 desktop processors at Computex 2026, in around a year, perhaps ahead of a release date for late in 2026, or maybe early in 2027. These chips are codenamed Medusa Ridge, and rumors around them claim we could see CPUs that have chiplets with 12 cores on board (as opposed to Ryzen 9000, which has 8 cores on its chiplets).

If that’s true – and it’s a sizeable if, of course – we could see the mainstream X3D processor for the next generation offer 12 cores that are all boosted by the 3D V-Cache (in a single chiplet), making that a potentially heavyweight gaming offering. The current workhorse Ryzen 9800X3D has 8 cores that can tap that crucial cache – and yes, the higher-tier Ryzen 9 X3D chips have more cores still, but don’t forget that only half of those cores get access to the 3D V-Cache (as it’s placed atop just one of the two chiplets these CPUs feature).

In theory, the name of the next series of desktop CPUs from AMD will be Ryzen 10000, although given the possibility of mistaking that for Ryzen 1000, it’s perhaps possible Team Red might divert to another naming convention.

Finally, it’s worth making it clear that I’m talking about the arrival timeframe for desktop processors here, not mobile chips. APUs for laptops are rumored to be called Medusa Point, and they likely won’t debut until sometime after the desktop offerings land, but expect them to be equally as promising.

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I'm so hyped for the Nintendo Switch 2. Like, ridiculously hyped for Nintendo's next console. In fact, I'm so excited for the successor to the Nintendo Switch to launch that I pre-ordered three units: One for myself, one for my fiancée, and one for a friend so we can play Mario Kart World together.

With only a couple more days to go until the Switch 2 release, I've been gearing up for the new hardware launch by consuming every little tidbit of content about the new console possible.

From Mario Kart World to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Breath of the Wild, the hype train has well and truly left the station. Like a kid at Christmas, I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I can't wait to get fully engrossed by Nintendo's world built for 2025.

While I'm incredibly excited for Mario Kart World and experiencing Link's open world adventure in 60fps, there's one game that I'm most excited about, and I never would've thought that would be the case.

(Image credit: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company / GAME FREAK)

You see, I'm a massive Pokémon fan. To put it into context, I've got a Pikachu tattoo on my arm, a Lego Pikachu built out of over 5000 yellow bricks, Pokémon cards everywhere, and physical versions of most of the last 29 years of the franchise.

I've grown up with Pokémon, whether that was Pokémon Yellow, my first ever video game, to experiencing the joy of exploring Kanto after defeating the Johto Elite Four in Pokémon Gold.

I've played every Pokémon game and experienced every Pokémon region. From Kanto to Kalos, Johto to Unova, I've been there, and Pokémon has been with me through many different points of my life.

Every game that is, apart from one. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

It's all about to change...

(Image credit: Game Freak)

When Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launched in 2022, my love for Pokémon was at its peak. I was collecting cards almost weekly, was covering Pokémon TCG content for an old website I used to write for, and was playing all my favorite classic games on my Analogue Pocket (a modern-day Game Boy with hardware emulation).

Based on that setting, you'd think I'd have run to the store and bought Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at launch. Instead, the game looked terrible, ran terribly, and just made me crave the classics instead of playing a muddy-looking open-world Pokémon game with a new generation that I wasn't interested in.

Over time, as Scarlet & Violet has made its way into the Pokémon TCG, I've fallen in love with new creatures like Tandemaus and Maushold, as well as new takes on classics like Raging Bolt, Great Tusk, and Iron Thorns.

As I've grown more fond of the new generation 9 Pokémon, I've wanted to play the latest games. Unfortunately, for me, there's no way I can handle low framerates without getting motion sickness, and I don't want to play an ugly-looking open-world that feels empty to explore.

Serebii Update: A trailer for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet for Nintendo Switch 2 has been released on the Nintendo Today app https://t.co/gDbXkHSvkT pic.twitter.com/JQlc66YobGJune 2, 2025

Yesterday, Nintendo showcased a new gameplay trailer for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on the Switch 2 through its Nintendo Today app, and as soon as I saw it, I purchased a copy of Pokémon Violet.

You see, the game now runs at higher resolution, and at what appears to be a locked 60fps, with perfectly smooth gameplay that I've been dreaming of. Best of all, the update is completely free, rather than an extra fee like some other improved versions of original Switch games.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Switch 2 is the epitome of what makes the new console a must-buy, giving you access to some of the best games of the last decade, but playable with 2025 standards.

Breath of the Wild is one of my favorite video games of all time, yet its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, barely got any playtime in my household. Why? Because when you're playing AAA games on the PS5 Pro and then turning on a choppy mess that just feels awful to play, you quickly stop being able to cope with the difference.

I get motion sick very easily when gaming, and that was the crux of the Nintendo Switch for me, especially in demanding games like Tears of the Kingdom, or badly optimized ones like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and backwards compatibility, I'm going to get to experience so many new games over the coming weeks. These original Switch games will feel brand-new, creating one of, if not the best, launch lineups we've ever seen.

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• Cybernews researchers find unsecured MongoDB database containing millions of dental user records and appointments
• It most likely belonged to a "dental marketing specialist" agency
• Users should be on their guard against possible attacks

A massive database containing personally identifiable information and other records belonging to millions of US citizens was sitting unprotected on the internet, easily obtainable for anyone who knew where to look, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers at Cybernews discovered the archive in late March 2025, finding it contained roughly 2.7 million patient profiles and 8.8 million appointment records.

The data included people’s names, dates of birth, emails, postal addresses, phone numbers, gender information, chart IDs, language preferences, billing details, and appointment records (including patient metadata, timestamp, and institutional references).

Gargle

Cybernews couldn’t confirm its owner, but says that “clues buried in the database” point toward Gargle, a digital marketing company that describes itself as “specialists in dental marketing”, offering services such as website design, SEO, content marketing, PPC management, and ad creation.

“While not a healthcare provider itself, Gargle’s business model relies on handling patient-facing infrastructure, and in this case, possibly patient data,” Cybernews explained.

Other details are scarce - it's not known if Gargle really handled the database, or had a third party do it. We also don’t know for how long the archive remained unlocked, and if any malicious actors found it before Cybernews - although we do know that it was locked down the same day it was discovered.

Unsecured databases remain one of the most common causes of data leaks. Many security researchers are warning that organizations don’t understand that security in the cloud works on a model of shared responsibility.

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