TechRadar News

• Google’s new Flight Deals uses AI to find trips based on conversational requests
• It uses Gemini 2.5 to interpret descriptions of feelings and vague time frames to compile deals
• Flight Deals is rolling out in beta across the U.S., Canada, and India

Google is using Gemini AI to reinvent the travel agent experience, turning conversations into airplane tickets. The new Flight Deals product, which is now in beta, adds AI chat to Google Flights users looking for a good deal or who are still trying to decide where and when they want to travel.

Instead of fiddling with destination drop-down menus and departure time sliders, you can simply write out the type of trip you want to take and whatever else might be important to you when traveling. Instead of an airport code and a date, you can pick a season, the vibe of the location, and how you feel about very early flights. Gemini will then scan real-time pricing from hundreds of airlines and deliver up-to-date options tailored to your request.

This isn’t a replacement for traditional Google Flights. That familiar grid of dates and sliders is still alive and well. But Google thinks Flight Deals is perfect for the flexible (or just indecisive) traveler. Think of it like that one friend who is not only really good at finding travel bargains, but truly loves finding them for friends.

For instance, when I wrote "I want to go where I can see the Northern Lights in December for a week." I had suggestions for Alaska, Iceland, and Norway with some good deals across December. When I requested "Somewhere with mountains and great food in the spring," I saw flights from March to June to Denver, Munich, Auckland, and more.

(Image credit: Screenshot)Flitting AI

The more casual your phrasing, the more it has to work with. The AI will attempt to match not just the location but the spirit of your request. Gemini 2.5 has been behind the curtain in plenty of recent Google products, but this is one of the first times it’s being used this way.

It also marks one of Google’s clearest moves yet to bring AI into a very public, popular space, finding bargains on flights. Airline tickets are perfect for enticing people to try AI, as buying them is a common, but not everyday experience, and expensive enough that people will make an effort to find a good deal without being so expensive that people wouldn't trust AI to help them when it's still possible for the technology to fail.

Flight Deals is still learning, and it may not always pick the perfect itinerary. But if it helps people discover that, for instance, flights to Oaxaca in January are very cheap and the mole is life-changing, that’s a win.

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Looking for some cheap wireless earbuds? Well, if you head over to Amazon, you’re gonna find a treasure trove of options, believe me. And it got us thinking. Do these unspeakably cheap models sound OK? Do they even work? Do they truly exist, or are they simply a construct…a mere mirage?

Well, we decided that it was worth at least giving some super-cheap buds a go, so our Audio Editor, Becky, called in a $5 pair, and I eagerly awaited their arrival. Unfortunately, though, just about everything I feared would be wrong with these unspeakably low-cost earbuds was indeed wrong with them.

So, by now you must be interested. What was so bad about these pocket change buds? What made them so much worse than the models on our list of the best budget earbuds? Well, if you’re sitting comfortably, I’ll tell you everything. Here goes.

A design disasterclass

(Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

After unboxing these budget wireless earbuds, I instantly knew something was off. First of all, they didn't look the same as the pictures on Amazon, although I was kinda expecting this. No, the real problem was the charging case.

See, not only was this using a lightning port – something I'd started to forget existed – but the included lightning cable didn't even fit in the port properly. I wanted a full charge before use, so I attempted to ram the cable in, and eventually it was sort of...half in. Was it charging? Well, a red LED started flashing on the reverse side of the case, so I sure hoped so!

After a short while, I decided it was time to use the buds. I took them out of their case, popped them in, and...realized another clunky design choice. I had to hold down on the underside of each bud to turn them on. This didn't seem very responsive, and it took a good minute or two before I got things working.

Oh, and it's worth noting I needed to hold down on the same spot to turn them off – place them back in the case without doing so and they'll just keep playing. Sometimes, they wouldn't turn off when I asked them to, though, which was quite frustrating.

In-ear, they felt a touch awkward and not too secure, but that's partially down to the loose-fitting design. In fact, looks-wise, you may think they're Apple AirPods at a glance. Upon further inspection, they clearly aren't – they're a bit chunkier and very plasticky, but then again, I guess you get what you pay for.

Next to no features and sonically dull

(Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

We've only spoken about design so far, and these buds are already stinkers. So, did they at least sound alright? Well, sorry to be so negative, but they did not. They did not sound alright at all.

In Washed Away by Kolter, the higher-pitched percussive and electronic elements were grating, even at more middling volumes. Let's not even discuss what they sounded like after I ramped things up. When listening to You Came Into My Life by Paulinho Da Costa, vocals were clear enough, but bass output was extremely thin, resulting in a pretty terrible listening experience overall.

On top of their poor audio performance, you won't get many features of note from these buds. They have Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and you can activate your voice assistant with touch controls.

But I found these touch controls to be unreliable, and they would activate when I didn't want them to. Controversially, I actually like touch controls. Earbuds like the LG Tone Free T90S and headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6 absolutely nailed them. But not these. These can stay away.

And now, for the real kicker

Just when I thought things couldn't get much worse...they did. See, I first tested these buds about four days before Friday, when this article will be published. But on Friday afternoon, I decided I wanted to give them one more chance. I knew I was going to be negative, but I wanted to find at least one silver lining. However, that's when it happened.

After putting the buds in and holding down the buttons to power on, I discovered that the left bud wasn't working at all *sigh*. I tried a number of times to get it working, and it just wouldn't play ball. There were no issues with the right bud, by the way.

It turned out that the left bud hadn't been charging at all. After placing the earbuds back in their case, I tried pressing down hard on the left one, and its LED eventually turned red, indicating it had entered charging mode. Having to do this every time you use these buds would be very irritating.

Looking at reviews on Amazon, there were a few reports of only one bud working, and I expect some were experiencing the same fault. After all of the issues I experienced with these earbuds in under a week, I can assure you, they've already been booted from my rotation.

Despite that, it's not all doom and gloom. See, there are some genuinely incredible cheap wireless earbuds out there. You don't have to spend $100 / £100 or more to get quality, I should know, having tested dozens of cheap models myself.

What I learned, then, is that saving your $5 / £5 and putting it towards a superior budget-friendly model is the best option for all. Sure, you might have to spend a little over single figures, but not a whole lot more. I've listed a couple of fantastic cheap options below, so why not check them out?

What to get instead

(Image credit: Future)

JLab Go Pop ANC
These are some of the best cheap buds on the market, no questions asked. Why? They pack in solid audio, a nifty companion app, and best of all, ANC. Oh, and you get all of that for less than $30 / £30. That's mind-blowing value for money.

Read our full JLab Go Pop ANC review.

Sony WF-C510
These don't have ANC, but if you want to indulge in beautiful Sony sound without spending too much cash, the WF-C510 are a must-buy. We were impressed by their punchy, talented audio, battery life, and fit. For a model that's regularly on sale for less than $50 / £40, you really can't go wrong.

Read our full Sony WF-C510 review.

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New parents curious about what they should expect from their newborn should probably steer clear of TikTok and AI. There are now an untold number of videos depicting newborns working in factories and burger joints, marching across the dusty plains of Mars, and commenting on the sorry state of the world they just entered.

Ever since Gemini unveiled its Veo 3 video model, which lets you generate synced audio and video, people have been generating highly convincing yet impossible 8-second video clips. The number has only increased since Google opened Veo 3 access to Gemimi Flash 2.5 Pro users.

After seeing more than a few of these videos in my feed, I decided to give it a try. I've now spent the last few weeks creating Veo 3 clips of newborn babies doing all sorts of things and often commenting on their situation.

Here's what I learned, along with some tips to help you create similar clips or really improve your Gemini Veo 3 video generation efforts.

Planning

Unless you're paying for an account, you get a maximum of three 8-second Veo 3 clips per day, so you want to use that number wisely and, if possible, pre-plan all three clips.

Start with a concept or idea

What do you want your newborn to be doing and saying? Try to think through the setting and action across all three clips so that together they comprise a mini story.

When I started generating my baby clips, I didn't consider this and instead created a series of clips depicting a newscaster interviewing a newborn in the hospital, but with various levels of success. Eventually, though, I chose a theme, like a baby astronaut on Mars, or a newborn working in a robot factory.

Once I had a mini story in mind, my results improved exponentially.

Imagine a style

(Image credit: Gemini Veo 3)

One of my favorite sets of clips is the one in which I imagined a baby in the role of Dr. Frankenstein. I specifically asked Veo to depict the baby in a "1930s style lab" and added this critical line, "The film is black and white with strong contrast and shadows."

Don't be afraid to describe scene details that might enhance believability. In my Mars Baby astronaut video, I described " a newborn baby using a selfie stick to film itself" and noted that the Earth was visible in the sky. Veo 3 did an excellent job of including these details.

Be specific @lanceulanoff

♬ original sound - LanceUlanoff

I found that unless I described the main character as a newborn baby, I ended up with a toddler, and sometimes one that looked like a Pixar character.

Also, be sure to describe the action. What is the baby doing? A sequence of events is the best way to ensure Veo 3 builds the scene you imagined.

Keep the dialogue tight

(Image credit: Gemini Veo 3)

You have just 8 seconds of video, so be sure to time your dialogue to make sure it's not 15 seconds of blather. Whatever Veo 3 can't fit, it will cut off.

Keep the characters to a minimum @lanceulanoff

♬ original sound - LanceUlanoff

One of the reasons these videos are so compelling is that they feature newborn babies speaking like adults. Achieving these results has occasionally proved challenging.

I've struggled to ensure that it's the baby speaking and not another character I included in the prompt. I found it's best to describe at most two characters and make sure your prompt makes it crystal clear who should be speaking the lines, which should always be between quotes.

Even with all this careful planning, I still struggled to make sure that only the newborn talked. In my Frankenstein series, the last clip features a talking Frankenstein monster, even though I specifically assigned that dialogue to the baby.

Tell a story @lanceulanoff

♬ original sound - LanceUlanoff

If you create all three clips in the same session, one after the other, Gemini Veo 3 will remember the style and even look of the included characters, which means you don't have to repeat all those details in subsequent prompts.

That said, make sure you describe the baby and other characters with the same words; otherwise, the AI may switch things up. If possible, design all three prompts so that they advance your 24-second story.

Call it "realistic"

(Image credit: Gemini Veo 3)

To ensure photo-realism, use the term "photo-realistic" or "realistic" in your prompt. Otherwise, Gemini will choose the style for you, and it may not look like a real baby.

Download the video @lanceulanoff

♬ original sound - LanceUlanoff

Gemini doesn't save your generated videos indefinitely. They're usually gone within a day, though the prompts will remain. If you like what the prompt created, be sure to download the video.

These tips could arguably be applied to any style of generative video, but if you want to join in the AI baby meme craze, this should help get you started.

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• Compromised FBI.gov emails are being sold for $40 on encrypted dark web channels
• Criminals use stolen government accounts to submit forged emergency requests to tech companies
• Sellers offer full SMTP, POP3, or IMAP credentials for complete account control

Cybersecurity researchers have raised concerns over the sale of compromised FBI.gov and other government email accounts on the dark web, warning the activity could enable malware campaigns on a large scale.

A report from Abnormal AI claims these accounts are being offered through encrypted messaging services such as Telegram and Signal, with some priced as low as $40.

In some cases, sellers have offered bundles containing multiple US government accounts, including those with FBI.gov domains, which carry a high level of credibility.

Hackers offer full access and high credibility

The cost of these accounts is relatively small, but the potential impact is substantial because the accounts can be used to impersonate trusted authorities.

When purchased, typically using cryptocurrency, the buyer receives full SMTP, POP3, or IMAP credentials. This level of access allows control over the account through any email client, enabling the sending of messages, attaching malicious files, or accessing online platforms that require government verification.

Some ads encourage buyers to submit fraudulent emergency data requests.

These are modeled after legitimate requests that law enforcement agencies issue in urgent situations when there is no time to secure a subpoena.

Technology companies and telecom providers are legally obliged to respond to valid requests, meaning forged ones could potentially lead to the disclosure of sensitive data such as IP addresses, emails, and phone numbers.

Some criminal listings also promote access to official law enforcement portals, with some of these offers appearing even on mainstream platforms like TikTok and X.

Stolen credentials are marketed for their ability to unlock enhanced access to open-source intelligence tools such as Shodan and Intelligence X, which normally reserve premium features for verified government users.

The methods used to obtain these accounts are often straightforward but effective.

One major approach is credential stuffing, where attackers exploit password reuse across multiple platforms.

Another method involves infostealer malware, which is software designed to extract saved login credentials from browsers and email clients.

Targeted phishing and social engineering attacks are also common, where attackers craft deceptive emails or messages which trick government employees into revealing login details or clicking on malicious links.

Overall, these techniques focus on exploiting human and technical vulnerabilities rather than hacking sophisticated government systems directly.

That said, emails originating from domains such as .gov and .police tend to bypass many technical filters, making recipients more likely to open attachments or click on embedded links.

This advantage increases the success rate of phishing attempts or malware delivery.

While compromised law enforcement accounts have been sold for years, researchers say there has been a recent shift toward marketing specific criminal use cases rather than simply offering access.

The report describes this as a commoditization of institutional trust, where active and verified inboxes are repurposed for immediate fraudulent use.

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• Cybercriminals are using the Japanese alphabet to spoof Booking.com
• Scammers are targeting people with listings on the site
• Users are advised to carefully review incoming messages

Cybercriminals are spoofing Booking.com with a clever use of Unicode characters in their phishing landing pages to spread malware.

Independent security researcher alias JAMESWT recently reported seeing phishing emails being sent to people listing their real estate on the popular lodging reservation service. In the email, the victims are told that someone complained about their listing, and that they should review it fast or face termination.

The email also provides the link which when opened, at first glance looks legitimate. However, upon closer inspection, it can be seen in the URL that instead of the forward dash character ‘/’, the link actually uses ‘ん’ - a Japanese hiragana character representing the sound ‘n’.

Typosquatting

Hiragana is one of the three main scripts used in written Japanese, alongside katakana and kanji.

Those that fail to spot the trick and open the site will get served a malicious MSI installer from a CDN link. The researcher added that samples of the malicious site are already available on the cybersecurity platform MalawareBazaar, and that the any.run analysis already shows the infection chain.

It is believed that the attackers are spoofing Booking.com to deliver infostealers and remote access trojans (RAT).

Replacing a single character in the URL, in order to trick victims into opening websites, is a long-established practice. It is called “typosquatting” and banks on the victims not being careful when reviewing the URL they are opening.

Booking.com, being one of the most popular lodging reservation services in the world, is often spoofed in such attacks, together with the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, DHL, and others.

Defending against these attacks is relatively easy, and requires users to slow down and carefully review incoming communications, especially unsolicited messages. Double-checking links, attachments, websites, and thinking twice about sharing sensitive data is the best course of action these days.

Via BleepingComputer

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• iKKO MindOne has raised over $1.2 million through its crowdfunding campaign
• A 4.02-inch AMOLED display is protected by sapphire glass with curved, impact-resistant edges
• The device’s 50MP rotating camera doubles as both front and rear photography hardware

The iKKO MindOne is a crowdfunded smartphone that has raised over $1.2 million, promising a compact yet capable design for work and travel.

Measuring 86x72mm and 8.9mm thick, only slightly wider than a credit card, this business smartphone uses a 4.02-inch AMOLED display with precision-curved edges to improve resistance against cracks and drops.

Marketed partly as a rugged smartphone, the MindOne uses sapphire glass with a claimed 9H hardness rating, designed to resist scratches and moderate impact.

Dual-purpose camera protected by sapphire glass

The device features a 50MP Sony 1/1.56-inch sensor with custom OIS and F1.88 aperture, similar to many smartphones on the market.

The rotating module flips 180 degrees, serving as both front and rear camera, and is protected by sapphire glass, promising higher-quality selfies and flexibility for video calls without sacrificing main camera performance.

The iKKO MindOne integrates a virtual SIM system with two modes.

NovaLink provides free global access for built-in AI tools in more than 60 regions, while a paid vSIM service covers over 140 countries for full data use, including browsing and streaming.

It also supports a nano SIM slot that offers global 4G+ LTE bands for traditional connectivity.

The manufacturer chose 4G+ over 5G for better roaming stability, lower heat output, and improved battery life.

The device runs Android 15 alongside iKKO AI OS, a dedicated workspace for focused tasks.

It also supports Google Mobile Services, and the company promises three major Android version upgrades and five years of security patches.

Switching between the two is done via a physical button, and selected Android apps can be brought into the AI environment.

The device supports real-time translation, voice notes, transcription, and summarization, with no subscription fees and claims of zero personal data collection.

Powered by the MediaTek MT8781, a low-power 4G+ platform, the MindOne carries a 2200mAh battery designed for all-day use in a compact form.

An optional snap-on QWERTY keyboard case adds tactile typing, a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC with 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 500mAh auxiliary battery.

This accessory could appeal to those needing precise text entry or high-fidelity audio, although it increases the device’s size and weight.

The iKKO MindOne offers an intriguing take on making a mobile phone truly mobile, but whether it moves from a well-funded crowdfunding project to a reliable everyday tool will depend on how these features perform beyond early marketing.

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• Deutsche Telekom T Phone 3 launches at $170 with a €1 bundle offer in Germany
• Perplexity Pro subscription worth $360 is included free for 18 months with purchase
• Picsart Pro image editing tools are bundled for three months at no extra cost

Deutsche Telekom has launched the T Phone 3, a new AI-focused smartphone priced at $170, positioning it as an affordable entry point into integrated AI services.

A bundle offer reduces the cost to €1 when purchased with a tariff, and the package also includes an 18-month subscription to Perplexity Pro, valued at $360, along with a three-month Picsart Pro license.

The company has confirmed a "Pro" version of the AI phone will be released later this year, although exact details aren't known.

AI integration and activation methods

The smartphone centers on Perplexity Assistant, providing AI tools for real-time translation, trip planning, tutoring, email drafting, content summarization, and image editing.

Users can activate these functions either by pressing a dedicated magenta button or by double-tapping the power key.

Both voice and text input are supported, aiming to streamline interaction and reduce dependency on conventional app-based workflows.

This approach positions the device as a business smartphone option for users who prioritize efficiency in communication and task management.

The T Phone 3 features improved charging and AI-assisted camera functions compared to its predecessor.

Although not marketed strictly as a rugged smartphone, Deutsche Telekom points to improved durability and the use of recycled materials in its construction.

The device’s longevity in more demanding conditions remains to be seen, although the company emphasizes sustainability in design and component sourcing.

Alongside the smartphone, Deutsche Telekom also launched the T Tablet 2 in Germany, priced from €199 and includes the same 18-month Perplexity Pro subscription and Picsart Pro license.

Like the phone, it supports the dedicated AI activation controls and upgraded performance features, although the smartphone remains the primary focus of the company’s AI device push.

The inclusion of an 18-month subscription is central to the value proposition, yet the long-term appeal will depend on how many users continue paying once the free period ends.

With forecasts predicting that AI smartphones could dominate shipments by 2028, the challenge for Deutsche Telekom will be to maintain relevance when the initial incentives expire.

Via MobileWorldLive

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• Sixunited launches lightweight 16 inch laptop powered by Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 APU
• AMD's Strix Halo processor has mostly be found in mini PCs to date with a few pricey exceptions
• Large 99.9Wh battery delivers long runtimes while keeping weight under 1.8kg

Sixunited, a relatively unknown laptop maker from Shanghai, China, has unveiled a new notebook which arrives ahead of Dell and Lenovo in adopting AMD’s latest high-end laptop processor.

The XN77-160M-CS features the AMD Ryzen AI MAX+ 395 APU, also known as Strix Halo, a 16-core chip with integrated Navi 3.5 graphics and a 50 TOPS NPU.

This APU has been rare in the laptop market, with only a handful of models, such as HP’s ZBook Ultra G1a and Asus ROG Flow Z13 announced so far.

Large capacity battery

Sixunited will offer two thermal configurations, 85W and 120W, both supported by a dual-fan cooling system, and paired with LPDDR5X (non-upgradable) memory running at up to 8000 MT/s.

Storage comes from up to two PCIe 4.0x4 SSDs in M.2 2280 format, allowing for large and fast configurations.

Perhaps the most notable aspects of the new laptop is its 99.9Wh battery, which is the largest capacity allowed for most airlines.

Despite the large battery, the chassis weighs under 1.8kg and is built with aluminum and mylar materials.

The laptop includes a 16-inch display at 2560x1600 resolution with a 165Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB coverage, with an OLED version also planned for the future.

Videocardz notes the XN77-160M-CS is a barebones design, meaning it may appear under different brand names. Sixunited often acts as an OEM supplier for other companies.

Pricing remains unknown for now, but it’s not likely to be cheap. For comparison, Asus’ AI MAX+ 395 laptop starts at $2099, while HP’s device is priced from $4099.

Sixunited’s move adds another option for those seeking a compact yet powerful laptop with extended battery life.

It also highlights growing interest in AMD’s Strix Halo platform, which to date has mostly appeared in mini-PCs like the GMKTec EVO-X2, Beelink AI Mini and AOOSTAR NEX395.

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• Crypto24 ransomware group was seen disabling AV protection before deploying the encryptor
• In some cases, it can even uninstall the AV programs
• A layered defense is the best approach to mitigate the threat

Security researchers have found another antivirus-killing tool out there that hackers are using before dropping any additional payloads.

Experts from Trend Micro have uncovered custom variant of the open source tool called RealBlindingEDR.

This tool comes with a hardcoded list of antivirus company names:

Trend Micro
Kaspersky
Sophos
SentinelOne
Malwarebytes
Cynet
McAfee
Bitdefender
Broadcom (Symantec)
Cisco
Fortinet
Acronis

When it is deployed on a device, it looks for these names in driver metadata, and if it finds one, it disables kernel-level hooks/callbacks, essentially blinding detection engines. Trend Micro’s researchers found the hackers are also able to silently uninstall antivirus programs altogether, opening the doors and enabling easy deployment of stage-two malware.

Crypto24

The tool was seen in the wild, used by a hacking collective called Crypto24, a nascent ransomware group first spotted in September 2024.

However, the researchers believe the group consists of former members of other, defunct hacking collectives, since its members are highly skilled and experienced.

When it gains initial access, establishes persistence, and removes antivirus roadblocks, the group usually deploys two pieces of malware - a keylogger, and an encryptor. All of the stolen secrets are exfiltrated into a Google Drive using a custom tool.

The identity, or location, of Crypto24 is currently unknown. However, researchers are saying that in its short lifespan, the group successfully hit a number of large organizations in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Most of their targets are in finance, manufacturing, tech, and entertainment.

There are many ways to protect against attacks looking to disable antivirus protection, including opting for a layered defense strategy.

Companies can use a reputable antivirus with tamper protection, enable real-time protection and firewalls, and use a separate anti-malware tool that can work alongside an AV.

Via BleepingComputer

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• A Mac Pro has again been rumored for launch later this year
• It'll come with an M4 Ultra based on clues drawn from Apple's internal code
• M4 UItra could run with a 32-core CPU and an 80-core GPU in theory

The next iteration of the Mac Pro might see Apple powering the computer with an M4 Ultra chip, we've heard again.

It's been a couple of years since the last incarnation of the Mac Pro, which used the M2 Ultra, so it would be a considerable leap in performance to upgrade to a theoretical M4 Ultra – but Macworld reports that this is what's in the cards.

This is based on Apple's internal code that Macworld caught a glimpse of somehow, which contained the identifier 't8152' – and we're told this suggests the use of the M4 Ultra, codenamed 'Hidra' (a name that's previously been aired on the rumor mill via Bloomberg).

There's not much else to this rumor, and Macworld doesn't have any details on the spec, although it theorizes that the M4 Ultra could run with a 32-core CPU and an 80-core GPU.

As ever with this kind of leak, it could be genuine and yet never come to fruition. It might just show us that Apple has been testing a Mac Pro configuration along these lines – but it's possible that this machine may never see the light of day, ending up canned at some point in prototyping.

(Image credit: Brittany Hosea-Small/ AFP/ Getty Images)Analysis: M4 or wait for M5?

This leak tells us a couple of things. Firstly, that Apple staff can't spell 'Hydra' (well, okay, alternatively let's say Apple engineers can't think up decent codenames). And, being serious, that it does appear increasingly likely that a new Mac Pro design is going to pitch up later this year.

Indeed, the Mac Pro coming out later in 2025, complete with M4 Ultra, was suggested over a year ago now, so this latest nugget of speculation backs up the previous buzz on the grapevine.

On top of the weight of rumors starting to add up, there's also the fact that for Apple, the Mac Pro is in something of an odd predicament right now. This is due to the M4 Pro flexing some considerable performance muscles, and outgunning the Mac Pro's M2 Ultra. The upshot is you can buy a Mac mini (with M4 Pro) and get better performance – at least in terms of raw CPU power – than the Mac Pro, which isn't a good look for the seriously pricey computer.

Not that the Mac Pro is competing with Apple's compact Mac mini, of course – it's a heavyweight pro-targeted PC that offers a lot of advantages in terms of hefty memory loadouts and PCIe expansion options. It is a very different beast indeed, but still, Apple needs to keep the Mac Pro on a reasonable footing in relative performance terms - again meaning that the rumored refresh with an M4 Ultra seems more likely.

A two-year gap also seems a fair enough timeframe for a refresh, and it feels somewhat unlikely to me that Apple would want to wait until the M5 series before pushing out a new Mac Pro given the above reasons.

That said, there are those who've argued that the M4 Ultra isn't going to happen – due to issues around jamming two M4 Max chips together, which is what the Ultra chips do – and that Apple will indeed wait it out for the M5 series to make another Ultra model.

So, everything's rather up in the air for now – but if an M4 Ultra is going to happen, it will surely be in a new Mac Pro, and we're likely to see more leaks soon enough. If the whispers go quiet over the next couple of months, that'll tell its own story.

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It is not surprising that climate change is becoming a growing weight on society, with sustainability needing to take priority if we want to protect the future of our planet. To put this into context, over the last few years, the UK alone has been responsible for 1.6 million tons of electronic waste, and it is known to be one of the largest e-waste producers worldwide.

Although these figures are slowly decreasing, sustainability must become a growing business imperative if we want to seriously change the tide. For businesses to truly thrive, more sustainable practices are essential to success in the modern consumer climate.

Beyond both consumers and businesses, governments are also being seen to take note of the importance of increased sustainability and implementing a range of measures to help foster a circular economy. In particular, as part of the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and its recent Energy Labelling Working Plan announcement, the EU aims to ensure tech companies that place products in the EU marketplace start implementing processes to tackle sustainability first hand.

The regulatory reasoning: The EU’s ESPR and Working Plan

Under its Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), the EU has led a series of efforts aimed at pushing businesses toward greater sustainability and circularity. A clear example of this commitment is the ESPR, which came into effect last summer and underscores the European Commission’s drive to build a more circular, resource-efficient economy.

For context, the ESPR aims to boost circularity and the practices that contribute to sustainability by creating a framework that “aims to make sustainable products the norm on the EU market.” In layman's terms, it focuses on the production of items that last longer, use energy and resources more efficiently, are easier to repair and recycle, contain fewer substances of concern and include more recycled content.

The circularity regulation is set to apply to select product groups, including those in the electronics and textiles space, and will apply to all businesses that place products within these groups on the EU marketplace, regardless of where they were produced.

As part of this, businesses will need to work towards the implementation of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) - a mandatory requirement for products that fit within the identified product categories.

As the ESPR’s first Working Plan was published at the end of April, a document officially listing the sectors due to be prioritized by the regulation, it is more pressing than ever for technology companies to begin their ESPR compliance journey now.

As the Working Plan provides a timeline for the delegated acts - a set of requirements concerning each product group - to be announced , compliance urgency is increasing at speed. Moreover, with the Working Plan outlining a range of upcoming horizontal requirements, such as repairability for consumer electronics and increased use of recycled content, the technology industry has been listed as a key priority.

In simple terms, the Working Plan aims to focus on the ESPR’s ability to have positive environmental impacts, its capacity to deliver, and the need to simplify regulations.

This update in legislation, and its focus on the timeline for the delegated acts to be announced, is only another reminder that the compliance clock is ticking for technology companies across the world that sell in the EU marketplace.

With the timelines for the delegated acts now established—some taking effect as early as 2026 for sectors like steel - businesses face significant changes in the near future. Companies that delay action risk not only non-compliance but also losing their competitive edge.

Where do DPPs fit in? The mandate and fostering eco-products

To unpack DPPs - a key component of the compliance exercise - they largely act as a digital record of a physical product, securely keeping track of information across its lifecycle. This can include anything from the material used in its production, the environmental impact of its manufacturing, a record of its authenticity, and guidance for end-of-life handling. In most circumstances, this data will be accessible via a data carrier like a QR code or barcode affixed to a product and accessible by scanning with a device such as a smartphone.

DPPs are set to play a key role in advancing the ESPR’s circularity ambitions by offering greater visibility into a product’s entire lifecycle. By embedding DPPs into products, the regulation encourages everyone who interacts with them, from manufacturers to end-users, to adopt more sustainable practices and embrace circular thinking.

For consumers, DPPs provide the information needed to make environmentally conscious purchasing decisions and dispose of products responsibly at end of life. For businesses, this level of transparency opens up opportunities to enhance sustainability across supply chains, from sourcing materials to refining internal processes.

DPPs also prove beneficial to tech industry businesses when considering notions of brand engagement and customer loyalty. For example, they could help businesses to prove the sustainability credentials of their products to the end consumer and can help to avoid accusations of greenwashing.

By potentially even verifying authenticity and keeping a history of any repairs made to a product, technology firms could even utilize the information in DPPs to facilitate take back or resale schemes, encouraging users to recycle their products, turning them back into usable products to be resold - another effort towards the circular economy.

Action point one: Data and DPP solution strategies

As the ESPR’s Working Plan has just been released, it is very easy for businesses to feel overwhelmed by the upcoming regulation and its DPP mandate. In particular, with the Working Plan establishing the horizontal requirements and its focus on product repairability and recyclability, the technology sector must begin considering its DPP compliance journey now to ensure the products they create meet sustainability standards.

As a first step, businesses should assign an employee or team to be at the forefront of upcoming compliance efforts. By ensuring that an employee or group of employees is staying updated on legislation, businesses can ensure they remain aware of specific industry requirements coming down the pipeline.

As part of this, it would be advisable to reach out to a DPP advisor and gain a deeper understanding of the mandate’s industry-specific impact. By doing so, companies can carve out a coherent and bespoke strategy accordingly.

To stay ahead of the ESPR, businesses should start by mapping where critical product data resides - both within their own operations and throughout their supply chains. It's also essential to evaluate which partners are best equipped to support the rollout of DPPs. Once a solution is in place, piloting becomes the logical next step.

Running a pilot allows companies to test implementation in real-world conditions, identify process gaps, and gather valuable data to better estimate the scale and timing of a full rollout. With this groundwork laid, businesses will be well-positioned to accelerate their efforts as soon as the delegated acts come into effect.

For all tech companies selling into the EU marketplace, the ESPR’s forthcoming DPP mandate represents a range of challenges and opportunities for the industry. As the Working Plan’s recent publication only heightens the need for DPP compliance, this moment represents a critical chance to advance a circular economy.

As companies are faced with an opportunity to advance their sustainability credentials (and subsequent business success), the way they choose to tackle this legislation will determine whether they merely meet compliance standards or accelerate as sustainable brands of the future.

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The current distribution model is broken.

The channel is flooded with innovation: AI, automation, infrastructure, security. Everywhere you turn, another vendor is promising the future. But most of them won’t make it. Not because their tech isn’t good, but because the legacy route-to-market isn’t built to support them.

The traditional distribution model was designed for scale, but the kind that follows success, not the kind that builds it. It’s focused on process over potential. It rewards predictability, not boldness. And for emerging vendors trying to break into the market, that’s a problem.

Growth-stage vendors don’t need a distributor. They need a distribution partner. They need experts in their corner who can recognize early potential, do the heavy lifting to bring it to life, and move quickly when opportunities arise. That’s not the job most distributors were built to do. But it’s the job that needs doing now.

Distribution isn’t dead

When Pax8 took out a full-page ad in the New York Times to challenge the legacy distribution model, it raised eyebrows across the channel. It was bold, unapologetic, unexpected, and whether you agreed with the tactic or not, it was a conversation starter.

And that’s the point. Distribution is being disrupted; it’s changing. But it’s not dying.

And no, we’re not talking about changes like a move from hardware to SaaS, or from perpetual to subscription. This new age of distribution is about a new set of expectations. Think real-time analytics, partner orchestration, recurring revenue models, and AI-infused everything.

It is also, most importantly, about the human touch. Vendors and partners need to be able to have live conversations with humans that care and can address any challenges they face. The ability to make a call to your main contact at a distributor can’t be underestimated – the contact that knows your business inside out.

To serve this market, distributors need to behave more like GTM strategists and growth consultants – and behave like they have equal skin in the game. They need to know when to push, where to invest, and how to build momentum from zero.

Challenger brands need challenger distribution

The channel loves a leaderboard. Gartner. Forrester. IDC. And more often than not, the attention goes straight to the top-right of Gartner’s Magic Quadrant; to the ‘Leaders’ that already have market share, not necessarily those driving the next wave of innovation.

The problem is that innovation rarely starts at the top.

The most exciting technologies today are being built by vendors you won’t find in glossy analyst reports. These companies are small, focused, and fast. They’re solving problems in new ways. They’re thinking beyond incremental change. And they’re ready to scale, if they can find the right partner.

But most distributors aren’t built to serve them. Their KPIs don’t account for emerging vendor complexity. Their teams aren’t structured for market creation. Their onboarding processes weren’t designed for agility, and most distributors require healthy marketing budgets to get attention. As a result, the most promising solutions often get overlooked.

What challenger vendors need is a distributor that moves differently. One that’s selective, strategic, and unafraid to bet early.

Data-led, outcome-obsessed

The best distributors don’t just move quickly to identify new opportunities. They move with purpose. And that purpose is driven by data.

Emerging vendors don’t have the luxury of guesswork. Every GTM decision and every partnership matters. That’s why the distributors that really add value aren’t the ones offering the broadest line card, they’re the ones doing the best homework.

Before a single contract is signed, the best distribution partners are already elbows-deep in analysis. They’re evaluating financials, scrutinizing product maturity, interrogating GTM plans, and mapping market readiness. This ensures that they’re not dazzled by demos or led by hype. They’re guided by evidence.

And it doesn’t stop at onboarding.

Smart distributors monitor vendor growth signals in real time. They know which channel programs are converting, which partner profiles are selling, and where the real momentum is coming from—not just at the regional or vertical level but at the micro-layer of product features, deal size, and partner behavior.

Data drives every decision here. From which vendors are onboarded, to how they’re launched, developing a marketing plan and to the way pipeline is tracked and optimized over time.

There’s a growing divide between the brands that are truly ready to scale and the ones who just look good on paper. Spotting the difference is hard. That’s why most distributors don’t try. They wait until success is proven, then show up with a cookie-cutter pitch deck.

But that’s not how category leaders are built. Category leaders are backed early, built methodically, and launched with focus, strategy, and a GTM strategy that knows how to win.

The channel is changing

If one thing is certain, it’s that the channel is changing. Subscription-first, AI-led, everything-as-a-service. The challenge is that you can’t brute-force legacy systems into this new way of doing things and expect a different outcome.

What this moment demands is a new kind of distributor. Not just another name on a long list, but one that actually understands how to build traction in a saturated market, create meaningful differentiation, and help emerging vendors move from underdog to industry standard.

Because if growth is the goal, you don’t have time for slow ramp-ups or vague strategies. You need someone who’s ready to run with you.

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• Canada’s House of Commons notified its employees of a cyberincident
• It lost sensitive employee data to unnamed hackers
• Threat actors apparently broke in through a Microsoft SharePoint flaw

Canada’s House of Commons has reportedly suffered a cyberattack which saw it lose sensitive employee data.

A CBC report, citing an internal email that the organization sent to its staff, says the attack saw an unidentified threat actor exploit a “recent Microsoft vulnerability” to access a database with information on employee computers and mobile devices.

Among the data stolen in the attack was employee names, email addresses, job titles, office locations, and information about the devices they use.

SharePoint under the magnifying glass

At the moment, both the House of Commons and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) are investigating the issue.

"Attribution of a cyber incident is difficult. Investigating cyber threat activity takes resources and time, and there are many considerations involved in the process of attributing malicious cyber activity," CSE apparently said in a statement.

The organization told its employees to remain vigilant, and be wary of incoming communications.

The details are scarce, but the House of Commons saying the attackers used a “recent Microsoft vulnerability” fueled speculation that it was done through an infamous SharePoint flaw which has been exploited recently.

Canada’s Cyber Centre recently issued a warning about a SharePoint Server flaw called ToolShell, tracked as CVE-2025-53770.

ToolShell was first observed in late July 2025, and has been abused by multiple threat actors, including Chinese state-sponsored groups.

Multiple high-profile organizations have already been compromised this way, including the US National Nuclear Security Administration, Rhode Island General Assembly, and many others.

Via BleepingComputer

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Managing energy consumption is one of the biggest challenges to turn a nation’s AI vision into reality. AI data centers require vast power resources at a time when the national grids are shifting toward renewables. Another major hurdle is talent. With global competition for AI expertise heating up, countries must invest more in education and training. There should also be more industry collaboration to build the skilled workforce needed for a true independent AI vision.

AI workloads and energy use

AI workloads, particularly those associated with large language models (LLMs) and advanced analytics, impose varying energy demands. Training AI models is an extremely computationally intensive process, requiring stable, high-energy inputs over extended periods. It involves feeding large datasets into deep learning models, running complex calculations, and iterating repeatedly to refine accuracy.

This process demands high-performance computing resources and an uninterrupted power supply, making it one of the most energy-consuming aspects of AI.

In contrast, AI inference runs models in real-time to make predictions, classify data, or analyze text, images, and video. Though less demanding than training, inference workloads are dynamic and need efficient and steady energy resource allocation for real-time tasks like chatbots, automation, and edge computing.

So how can we manage the energy consumption from these intensive AI workloads?

Renewable energy: A double-edged sword

Renewable energy is central to the UK's AI Action Plan and its ambitions to become a leader in AI data centers. With substantial resources in wind, solar and hydro contributing 36.1% of electricity generation in 2023, the UK can tackle the growing electricity demand in a more environmentally sustainable manner.

The UK's newly established AI Energy Council is expected to explore innovative energy solutions, such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), to bridge this gap. With AI-driven energy consumption accelerating, a 160% increase in data center power demand is anticipated.

Despite hardware efficiency gains seen in AI adoption and real-world scenarios, increasing demand for the technology outpaces these improvements. Popular AI-driven solutions, such as ChatGPT, have seen rapid user adoption, surpassing 100 million users in 2025 with approximately 464 million visits per month.

The International Energy Agency reports that a single ChatGPT query requires 2.9 watt-hours of electricity, nearly ten times more than a Google search, which only needs 0.3 watt-hours.

As AI continues to scale, the growing energy consumption raises important concerns about environmental sustainability, highlighting the need for strategic solutions.

Aligning AI workloads with renewable energy and advanced resource management

It is clear that renewable energy alone is insufficient in meeting the UK’s AI Action Plan’s requirements, which presents a chance for AI data centers to adopt intelligent workload scheduling and resource management strategies. AI workloads should be scheduled to coincide with periods of peak renewable energy generation, such as high-wind periods or midday solar peaks.

This approach allows AI training tasks, which require significant power, to be executed when renewable energy availability is at its highest, reducing reliance on non-renewable backup sources or storage technologies such as batteries.

AI requires high levels of compute resources, typically utilizing specialized hardware like GPUs, which handle high levels of parallel transactions essential for AI models and applications. Multi-tenanted GPU virtualization and graphics virtualization solutions effectively consolidate resource utilization, reducing the need for additional hardware and energy consumption.

GPUs are significantly more energy-efficient than CPUs for AI inference tasks—studies show up to 42x greater efficiency—but their increasing cost and energy intensity make strategic allocation crucial. Given the complexity of GPU scenarios, which vary depending on applications, query types, and user volume, ensuring these powerful resources are fully utilized and not left idle is a top priority for reducing environmental impact and maximizing return on investment.

Effective GPU optimization strategies include dynamic sharing and partitioning techniques, enabling better resource allocation, minimizing wastage, and supporting data centers transitioning to renewable energy sources.

AI schedulers should be designed to scale compute resources up or down based on real-time energy availability. This means distributing (within data proximity requirements) workloads across different geographic locations where renewable energy is abundant at any given time and adjusting processing speeds to match fluctuating renewable energy supplies.

Further boosting energy efficiency in data centers requires innovative solutions, like liquid cooling and AI-driven optimization, with advanced designs and hardware that minimize energy consumption. A diversified energy mix is also key, combining renewables with technologies like SMRs to ensure a stable power supply, supported by data center energy monitoring and allocation modelling.

Government agencies can also drive environmental sustainability by financially incentivizing data centers to run on renewable energy while managing growth to protect the energy grid. These strategies ensure consistent power availability while maximizing the use of renewable energy when conditions are favorable.

Building a future of innovation and environmental sustainability

The UK is well-placed to achieve its AI ambitions without overwhelming the energy grid, provided it embraces a portfolio of efficiency levers across workload, hardware and infrastructure layers. Physical virtualization is one of the most immediate and proven techniques. Deployments of advanced virtualization platforms can cut physical servers by 39 % and trim three-year infrastructure cost by 34 %, according to IDC’s 2024 study.

Fewer racks translate directly into a lower baseload on the grid and quicker alignment with renewable-energy contracts. AI acceleration now benefits as well; tests have shown that virtualization solutions with GPU support delivers AI training performance within 1–6 % of bare metal and inference at 94–105 % yet still leave up to 88 % of CPU cores free for other work. Multi-tenant GPU virtualization therefore drives higher AI throughput per watt, deferring additional hardware purchases and the embodied carbon they carry.

Alongside virtualization, emerging technologies such as liquid cooling, AI-driven energy-optimization software and diversified power sources (including small modular reactors) will further curb data-center consumption. While no single solution is a silver bullet, the strategic combination of consolidated, software-defined infrastructure and intelligent energy management positions the UK to set a global example—demonstrating how cutting-edge AI capability and energy security can advance together on a clear trajectory to net-zero.

By prioritizing environmentally sustainable and sovereign approaches, the UK has a unique opportunity to set a global example – demonstrating how cutting-edge AI and energy security can evolve together.

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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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, August 15 (game #796).

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 #797) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TISSUE
• WORK
• PLUCK
• CONSTRUCTION
• CRUSH
• CREPE
• CREAM
• RESOLVE
• ROLLING
• REPAIRS
• SHELLAC
• TOILET
• GRIT
• ROUT
• UPGRADES
• FORTITUDE

NYT Connections today (game #797) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Unwavering perseverance 
• GREEN: Home improvements
• BLUE: To deliver a heavy defeat
• PURPLE: Pulp friction

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 #797) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: INTREPIDITY 
• GREEN: RENOVATIONS
• BLUE: TROUNCE
• PURPLE: KINDS OF SOFT/LIGHTWEIGHT PAPER

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

NYT Connections today (game #797) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #797, are…

• YELLOW: INTREPIDITY FORTITUDE, GRIT, PLUCK, RESOLVE
• GREEN: RENOVATIONS CONSTRUCTION, REPAIRS, UPGRADES, WORK
• BLUE: TROUNCE CREAM, CRUSH, ROUT, SHELLAC
• PURPLE: KINDS OF SOFT/LIGHTWEIGHT PAPER CREPE, ROLLING, TISSUE, TOILET

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

A great puzzle today which got me pondering how we use TOILET paper to sneeze into, blow our noses, or dab them.

TOILET paper works perfectly well for this function because it’s essentially the same product as facial tissue, just in a different format. Yet, despite this, we’d never think of using facial tissue in place of toilet paper. Why is that? We might even use less and save money if we did.

The INTREPIDITY group contained four incredible qualities we should all strive to possess and I suspect those that do possess them don’t have time to ponder the differences between KINDS OF SOFT/LIGHTWEIGHT PAPER.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, August 15, game #796)

• YELLOW: POULTRY CUTS BREAST, TENDER, THIGH, WING
• GREEN: HANDLE, AS A BILL FOOT, PAY, SETTLE, TAKE CARE OF
• BLUE: SPLENDID BRILLIANT, CAPITAL, FINE, GRAND
• PURPLE: STARTS OF CULINARY NUTS CASH, HAZE, MAC, PEC

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, August 15 (game #1299).

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 #1300) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #1300) - 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 #1300) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1300) - 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 #1300) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• O

• Q

• S

• E

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

Quordle today (game #1300) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1300, are…

• OWING
• QUAKE
• SLIDE
• ELITE

A very tricky round that could have easily gone sideways.

It took me quite a while before I found a letter containing A,U and E from the letters I had left. I could think of plenty using unavailable letters and came close to entering "usage" just to end the misery. Then I thought of QUAKE and the sweet relief of reaching the end.

Daily Sequence today (game #1300) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1300, are…

• SPEAK
• MORAL
• WIMPY
• SMACK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
• Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST
• Quordle #1286, Saturday, 2 August: WARTY, PUPAL, CLEAR, SLICE
• Quordle #1285, Friday, 1 August: ACTOR, MEALY, WIDTH, ADOBE
• Quordle #1284, Thursday, 31 July: STYLE, VALET, AGONY, ALLOY
• Quordle #1283, Wednesday, 30 July: DEBAR, ADMIN, FOLIO, USAGE
• Quordle #1282, Tuesday, 29 July: BATCH, TOPIC, MURKY, BUNCH
• Quordle #1281, Monday, 28 July: CANDY, TRYST, SHIRT, FORGO

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, August 15 (game #530).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Think on it!

NYT Strands today (game #531) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• LEGAL
• BANGER
• GAURD
• SNUB
• NOSE
• FATAL

NYT Strands today (game #531) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #531) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 2nd column

Last side: bottom, 1st column

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

NYT Strands today (game #531) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #531, are…

• LOGIC
• ANALYSIS
• LANGUAGE
• NUMBERS
• ORDER 
• REASON
• SPANGRAM: LEFT BRAIN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

The theme “Think on it!” could mean anything at all, so I went hunting for non-game words to earn a hint.

I got the word LEFT but completely missed seeing BRAIN, which probably says something about my lack of LOGIC and LEFT BRAIN dexterity.

Anyway, with logic gifted to me I was able to spot the other thinking words including a corkscrewing ANALYSIS and backwards REASON.

A nice work out for the brain, then, but not so taxing an exercise that I actually had to do any proper thinking.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, August 15, game #530)

• DISHES
• GARBAGE
• GROCERIES
• LAUNDRY
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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.

• President Trump and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan could be in discussions about a deal
• Intel shares rose 7% following the report
• The company's $28 billion Ohio One campus could benefit from such investment

The Trump administration is reportedly in talks over taking a stake in beleagured chipmaker Intel in its latest bid to boost US manufacturing,

Reports from Bloomberg claim after the recent meeting between President Trump and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan – a relationship that's been threatened after the President called for Tan to resign over alleged ties to China, talks have reportedly been held over a deal.

A potential government investment could include equity stakes, guaranteed purchases, loans and private financing, similar to the Pentagon's recent $400 million stake in MP Materials which recently brought on the provision of a $150 million loan.

US Government could buy a stake in Intel

The news comes after a long period of uncertainty for Intel with multiple quarters of revenue decline.

Things have already slowly started to turn around, though, with Intel seeing flat year-over-year revenue in its last quarter under the guidance of new CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

"We are laser-focused on strengthening our core product portfolio and our AI roadmap to better serve customers. We are also taking the actions needed to build a more financially disciplined foundry," he said.

Intel shares rose more than 7% following the report that the US Government could get involved in Intel's operations, however the deal remains unconfirmed with no agreement reached as yet.

The White House explained, "discussion about hypothetical deals should be regarded as speculation unless officially announced by the administration."

Intel had already signed a deal with AWS in September 2024 to accelerate the development of chip manufacturing in Ohio, but progress has remained slow.

As part of the deal, AWS was going to add $7.8 billion to expand its own data center operations in Central Ohio.

In February 2025, EVP, Chief Global Operations Officer and GM for Intel Foundry Manufacturing, Naga Chandrasekaran, said Intel expects the first of its two Ohio fabs to begin operations between 2030 and 2031, with the second coming online around a year later.

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• A collaboration between Sony and cult fashion favorite Chopova Lowena
• Made specifically for the WH-1000XM6
• £800 (about $1,085 / AU$1,665) including headphones

Sony has teamed up with cult British/Bulgarian fashion brand Chopova Lowena to create a bag for the WH-1000XM6 headphones that "seamlessly blends Chopova Lowena’s distinctive aesthetic with Sony’s cutting-edge technology and functionality".

The Alto bag, available now for £800 (about $1,085 / AU$1,665) including a set of black WH-1000XM6 headphones, is exclusive to Dover Street Market London and doverstreetmarket.com.

Maybe it's because I'm just back from the Edinburgh Festival and its streets of shops selling tourist tat, but looking at the photos of the alto it reminds me very much of the "see you Jimmy" comedy hats available everywhere (and that I've included for illustrative purposes in the gallery below, if you scroll right), or a squashed set of bagpipes. Or maybe a wild haggis that's been smashed with hammers? I don't think that's the intention here, but it's what I see.

Clearly middle-aged sarcastic me isn't the target demographic here, and Sony is very excited about the collaboration, which delivered on their brief to "create something fun, distinctly original and fashion forward."

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Sony / Chopova Lowena )Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Dover Street Market / Temu)A bag for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, for sure

Chopova Lowena are Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena, and according to the press release they're a woman-centered, ethical employer creating "job opportunities for women passionate about rejuvenating cultural heritage through the preservation of traditional techniques. The objective of their design and production of distinctive garments is to usher in a system of ethical consumption with a focus on appreciating skill, craft, time and consideration for impact on the environment."

The duo "see music and fashion as deeply intertwined forms of expression that immerse individuals in their own worlds." The Alto bag is inspired by their own Sofia bag and also incorporates elements of their AW23 Pow Pow bag, creating what Sony says is "a totally unique accessory meant for the music-obsessed".

According to Chopova Lowena: "The Alto bag is here for every mood, every genre, and every tear wept to a playlist listened through your Sony headphones. You’re part of the Sony x Chopova Lowena family so no matter how you’re feeling, you’re never going through it alone.”

The Alto bag is available now. Of course, you can buy the headphones on their own (ie. without this bag) and you'd be making a great purchase if you did, since the WH-1000XM6 are some of the best over-ear headphones we've tested. Yes, we still recommend their older siblings (the excellent WH-1000XM4) as the best pick for most people owing to their incredible value and the excellent sound and feature-set, but if your budget stretches a little bit further, the XM6 are an excellent set of 2025 headphones.

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• GPT-5 completed Pokémon Red in just 6,470 steps
• That's almost a third of the time it took ChatGPT-o3
• AI is going to try and complete the sequel, Pokémon Crystal next

There's a new champion – for now – in the contest to be the fastest AI to complete the original Pokémon Red video game, with ChatGPT-5 completely eclipsing its rivals.

GPT-5, the latest model from OpenAI, took just 6,470 steps to complete the 1998 Game Boy classic, eclipsing the previous record of 18,184 steps by ChatGPT-o3.

If it's hard to comprehend how many steps the main character, Red, had to make to defeat the Elite Four – 6,470 equates to around seven days of gameplay, compared to over 15 days for o3, the next best Pokémon model.

It's a stark contrast to earlier this year, when Gemini 2.5 and Claude 3.7 Sonnet were in a race to even get to the end of the game, let alone do so in a fast time.

Anthropic used Pokémon as a benchmark to showcase the prowess of its latest Claude model, combining it with a YouTube video in which developers discussed why GameFreak's iconic franchise was the perfect way to assess an AI model's problem-solving capabilities.

Now, just a few months later, AI models are able to complete these classic games faster and faster – and they're only going to improve.

All of AI's attempts to complete Pokémon have been livestreamed on platforms like Twitch, where channels like GPT_Plays_Pokemon have regular viewers and subscribers.

Having destroyed the previous record time for completing Pokémon Red, GPT-5 is now going to take on the sequel, Pokémon Crystal. The game, which was released in 2000, has double the amount of content to conquer, as you can venture back to the world of Kanto following your adventure in the Johto region.

GPT-5 Just Finished Pokemon Red! from r/singularityGotta train 'em all!

(Image credit: Nintendo)

GPT-5's Pokémon Red journey highlights a tactic young kids have used in the game for years: leveling up one Pokémon and neglecting the other five creatures in your party.

In the Reddit thread highlighting the AI model's accomplishment, the top comment from u/Ok_Business84 reads, "Learned that sticking to one Pokémon and hard tanking everybody is the easier way."

After nearly 30 years, I finally feel like my younger self has been validated. Back in 1999, I completed Pokémon Yellow with an overpowered Pikachu, and nothing else to show for it.

It would be cool to see GPT-5 play Pokémon less like 6-year-old me, and more like an accomplished player, building a varied team of creatures that can take on any battle in the game. This run feels like the AI brute-forced its way to victory, and while it achieved the goal it set out to achieve, it's not entirely viable in a regular playthrough.

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