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What, like making a prequel series is hard? I should never have doubted the power of Elle Woods, who at this point feels like the pop culture equivalent of Mother Teresa to millennials.

Since the moment that Elle was announced by Prime Video, I've been it's number one hater. I've written opinion pieces about how its existence is going to destroy the sanctity of Elle's journey at Harvard, and I've spent hours stewing over how anybody could touch the side of Reese Witherspoon's career-defining performance. If we're getting another Legally Blonde project, make it about Elle's Supreme Court Justice years... right?

But oh, how the mighty have fallen. Having now watched all eight episodes of Elle, my hater-self is metaphorically standing in a dumpster fire of her own making. As someone prepared to loathe it, take this next remark with absolute seriousness and sincerity: this series is outrageously good.

In the blink of an eye, I once again felt like my 6-year-old self when the 2001 movie first came out — enraptured, inspired and completely at ease with who I am inside. How? Well, that's just what Elle Woods does, regardless of who is playing her.

But if you'd have told me at Lexi Minetree was actually an AI version of Witherspoon in her twenties, I'd have believed you. Minetree has all of Witherspoon's mannerisms down to a tee, has perfected her voice, and wholeheartedly understands the spirit of the woman we all know and love. It is, frankly, a miracle.

But Minetree isn't the only reason for Elle's success... absolutely everybody, and almost everything, is pulling their weight.

Elle is about to put the Legally Blonde haters to shame — and most of the film's lore holds up

When Elle turns 16, she's forced to leave her Bel-Air luxury lifestyle behind for Seattle, all thanks to a plastic surgery scandal that her father is embroiled it. With her new high school in the grip of the 90s grunge scene, our favorite pink tornado is once again a fish out of water, and she has to fight to fit in.

As I've pointed out, Minetree's freakishly brilliant understanding of Elle — and how unwilling she is to deviate from Witherspoon's blueprint — spearheads the feel-good fun, but let's look at what's happening around her.

Surprisingly, Elle isn't just a nod to Legally Blonde. There are also clear references to big nineties and noughties hitters including Mean Girls, Clueless, Freaky Friday and The Breakfast Club, and the nostalgic yearning is strong. From the corded landlines to the banging soundtrack, our young adult life from this time period is fully and lovingly represented.

As willing as I initially was to write our Seattle newbies off, they're also a treat of an ensemble. Bel-Air bestie Madison (Jessica Belkin) shirks the airhead sidekick stereotype in favor of a grounded spirit and unshakable loyalty, while high school mean girl Kimberly (Chandler Kinney) is hiding a true self that is the last thing you'd expect (no spoilers here).

British boy Dustin (Zac Looker) fuels Elle's curiosity for anarchy and change, while also providing proof that she can truly extract the best out of every walk of life. A more touching shoutout goes to the enigmatic role of Dean Wilson, which marks James Van Der Beek's final acting credit before his death earlier this year.

It's no surprise that my favorite side character is Eva Woods, played by the underrated powerhouse in June Diane Raphael. You only had to briefly see this woman in Parks and Recreation or Grace and Frankie to know how much she truly understands the superficial class, which she poignantly balances with a steady heart and sense of empathy.

Sadly, Perfect Day by Hoku is nowhere to be seen

(Image credit: Prime Video)

Now for the most important bit of feedback: the existing Legally Blonde lore. For the most part, I found that it adds to my love of the IP rather than takes away from it, especially when it answers some pivotal questions.

Without giving too much away, we'll find out how Elle gets Bruiser the Chihuahua (who's wardrobe is absolutely jaw-dropping, by the way), how Elle ends up back in Bel-Air in time for the events of the original movie, and how she begins to gain an interest in defending innocent people.

However, it's this last one that's a bit of a sticking point. For those of us who know the 2001 film better than we know ourselves, it's unspoken knowledge that Elle had zero interest in pursuing anything related to a law degree, but was only compelled to do so to win boyfriend Warner back.

That, in a nutshell, is the reason why Legally Blonde even exists. So the mere fact that Elle's rewritten history suggests that this inspiration came much earlier in her life doesn't completely sit with what we know of her adult life. It's clearly supposed to be a seedling for what's to come, but perhaps is a little overplayed.

Even so, I had such a good time watching Elle that I don't even care. The ebbs and flows of high school drama are deliciously played, the script is genuinely hilarious, and the overarching narrative plot is addictively compelling. I've been that engrossed that I'd even go as far as to say that it needs a second season, stat.

As someone who's amassed a vast collection of storage devices, from USB sticks to external hard drive over decades, there's no doubt about it - the Samsung T9 is one of the fastest portable SSDs I've ever used. It's one of my favorite rugged drives around.

And right now, the 1TB Samsung T9 has dropped to $180 (was $288) at Amazon. The drive works with Windows PCs, Macs, tablets, the iPhone 15 upwards, cameras, and even gaming consoles, so it's an useful addition to almost any setup and a great choice if you regularly switch between devices. In the UK, the price has also dropped on the Samsung T9 down to £199 (was £239) at Amazon.

For my money, this portable SSD is ideal for business and creative professionals, and students prepping for the back to school season thanks to read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s help reduce waiting around when moving large files or loading demanding applications.

Today's best Samsung portable SSD deal

With read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, this compact portable SSD offers fast file transfers, broad compatibility, and 1TB of storage. It's an excellent companion for students, professionals, creators, and anyone carrying large files.

In the UK: now £199 was £239View Deal

Samsung says the T9 Portable SSD maintains those high transfer speeds even during longer file transfers.

Dynamic Thermal Guard helps control temperatures under heavy workloads, keeping performance consistent when you're copying hundreds of gigabytes in one go.

As you might expect, the rugged T9 can survive drops from up to 9.8ft, giving you extra peace of mind if you're carrying it between the office, classroom, studio, or client meetings.

In our review we praised the SSD's "great read speeds and its ability to sustain write performance," but did note, "Samsung didn’t attribute any IP-rated tests to the T9, and it isn’t water or dust-resistant."

AES 256-bit hardware encryption helps protect sensitive files, while Samsung's Magician Software keeps firmware updated, monitors drive health, and offers additional management tools to keep everything running as it should.

Samsung has long been one of the biggest names in flash storage, and the T9 combines speed, durability, broad compatibility, and useful security features in one pocket-sized drive.

Although 1TB will be plenty of room for documents, photos, videos, and creative projects, Samsung also sells 2TB and 4TB versions if you need even more capacity.

Also consider

Offering transfer speeds of up to 1,050MB/s, this portable 1TB SSD provides reliable storage for work, study, and everyday backups. Its compact design and broad compatibility make it easy to carry.

In the UK: Now £177.11 was £229View Deal

With Apple now raising prices across the board, Best Buy's 4th of July sale definitely caught my eye, with MacBook deals and discounts on the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops. If you're looking to jump in before the price hikes really hit, here's what I've found for business professionals.

• See the full Apple sale at Best Buy

Right now, our favorite ultra-portable for business travel, the MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) is down to $1349 (was $1499 - alongside its 13-inch counterpart. For creative professionals, the cheapest MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) is now $1749 (was $1999). It's a staggeringly fast machine, and there are M5-powered alternatives available.

Check out the full line-up below. Whether you're looking for a lightweight laptop for work or a powerful machine for creative projects, there are plenty of offers worth checking out in Best Buy's Apple sale.

Today's top Apple MacBook Air deals

16GB RAM | 512GB SSD

Powered by Apple's latest chip, this lightweight laptop pairs fast everyday performance with 16GB of memory and a spacious 512GB SSD. Its large display offers plenty of room for work, creativity, streaming, and multitasking.View Deal

16GB RAM | 1TB

Powered by Apple's M5 chip, this compact laptop delivers fast performance with 16GB of memory and a spacious 1TB SSD. It's ideal for productivity, creative work, streaming, and everyday multitasking, whether you're at home or traveling.

In our review, we said it offered the "best mix of winning design, near-pro-level performance, and battery life you can find in an ultraportable."View Deal

16GB RAM | 512GB SSD

This slim laptop pairs Apple's M5 chip with 16GB of memory and a speedy 512GB SSD for responsive everyday performance. The generous 15-inch display gives you extra room for work, entertainment, creative projects, and multitasking.View Deal

Today's top Apple MacBook Air deals

24GB RAM | 512GB SSD

Built for demanding workloads, this laptop combines Apple's advanced M4 Pro chip with 24GB of memory for fast multitasking and creative projects. A 512GB SSD delivers quick storage access.View Deal

16GB RAM | 1TB SSD

Powered by Apple's latest M5 chip, this laptop delivers fast performance for work, creative tasks, and everyday computing. With 16GB of memory and a roomy 1TB SSD, there's plenty of speed and storage for demanding workloads and large files.View Deal

24GB RAM | 512GB SSD

Created for demanding workloads, this laptop combines Apple's M4 Pro chip with 24GB of memory to handle multitasking, content creation, and productivity with ease. A fast 512GB SSD keeps apps and files responsive throughout your working day.View Deal

48GB RAM | 512GB SSD

Featuring Apple's M4 Pro chip, this high-performance laptop pairs 48GB of memory with a fast 512GB SSD for demanding creative and professional workloads. The large 16-inch display offers plenty of room for multitasking and detailed projects.View Deal

• Shop the full 4th of July sale at Best Buy

• Netflix users are being asked to add email addresses to their individual profiles
• The platform says this will allow separate sign-ins while offering even more personalized recommendations
• It seems convenient on paper, but users think it could lead to another big crackdown

Sharing Netflix accounts today isn’t as easy as it was in the mid-2010s, but now the best streaming service has another account crackdown on the way that’s already getting under people’s skins.

A handful of users have noticed a new in-app pop-up asking each member in a shared account to add individual email addresses to their individual profiles, instead of using the account owner’s email address as the primary one. One of the most jarring parts about it is that the pop-up doesn’t clear unless the request is fulfilled.

This hasn’t rolled out to all Netflix account holders yet, but the company informed Ars Technica that the new sign-in update began on June 15, so we imagine a wider rollout is inevitable. The outlet also stated that this pop-up doesn’t apply to profiles that are labelled as belonging to children.

(Image credit: Reddit / scotti_dev)

Netflix households accounts have always been built on the traditional 'one email, one password’ foundation, allowing you to create up to five profiles to keep watchlists and recommendations separate from other members in your family. That’s all about to change, but why Netflix has decided to roll out yet another crackdown is the question that everyone is asking.

According to the details mentioned in the pop-up, this is purely a convenience reason. Having individual emails assigned to individual profiles under one account means you won’t have to keep relying on using the account holder’s email to sign in each time. It also means that if you ever need a verification code to log into Netflix, you won’t have to chase up the account holder for it in their inbox.

Additionally, the pop-up also says that adding an email address to your profile will make it a lot easier for you to recover the account when needed, and get personalized content recommendations with more features to come. On paper it sounds like Netflix is adding this requirement as a user experience enhancer, but subscribers are convinced it’s just another way for the company to surveil user activity.

When Netflix rolled out its password crackdown back in 2023, it ended an era of serial account sharing and that’s where the service decided one account was strictly for one household, the ‘Netflix Household’ in official terms. With its latest move, we believe that there’s more than meets the eye — and so do a vast majority of users online.

Bye Bye profiles on Netflix. So shady. Sheesh. from r/netflix

Over the past few weeks Reddit has seen a swarm of reactions following the first appearances of the pop-up, but the main concern expressed by users is the possibility of this morphing into a payment system, charging account holders to fork out extra just to add more profiles. “This is killing Netflix for me”, one user added.

Based on Netflix’s past crackdowns, the new requirement could also give the streaming giant another way to better distinguish between the activity of individual profiles, or even shift them to individual accounts later down the line. But while users have expressed outrage over this, some say they’ve found a workaround.

It appears that creating email aliases has helped some users get past the pop-up without giving Netflix all of their information, however this has only worked for those using Gmail.

One person in particular says that you can amend your Gmail address in order to create an alias, giving the example that if your email is ‘johnsmith@ gmail.com’ you could set up ‘johnsmith+kid1@gmail.com’. They go into further detail in their Reddit post, while others in the replies who use this workaround for other situations confirmed that it works.

As mentioned, this update hasn’t reached every Netflix subscriber yet and is rolling out slowly to start, similar to how the platform kick-started its password crackdown. Given Netflix’s history, we’re definitely keeping one eye open on this one.

• A post about Microsoft Edge has ignited a fierce debate on X
• The post asked who runs Edge on Apple’s macOS platform
• Users both praised and criticized Edge, but I still prefer Firefox

Apple and Microsoft are known to be arch-rivals in the tech world, so when X user Macfolio asked its followers “what kind of freak uses Microsoft Edge on a Mac?” they might have expected the debate to fall along partisan lines, with rival sets of fans lining up to berate each other’s products.

But while there was indeed a vigorous debate, it wasn’t the pile-on you might have expected. Instead, many users chipped in with reasons why they enjoy using the combination of Microsoft’s web browser and Apple’s macOS operating system.

X user @wiedymi, for example, described Edge as “the best browser for Mac.” User @secretised explained that when they used it, it was “the only browser that didn’t consume 4GB of RAM with four tabs,” while @osxdaily said “It’s actually pretty good!”

For others, the reason was more prosaic, with @asikunaa pointing out that “some internal government sites require you to use Edge actually because they don’t distribute the security certificates for Chrome.”

Meanwhile, user @tarekmohmd9 summed up what many people apparently felt, saying Edge on macOS has “the speed boost of Chromium without the horrible RAM management of Chrome, it’s great (faster than Safari, uses less resources than Chrome, supports most Chromium extensions unlike Opera and Firefox).” They finished succinctly by saying “it is excellent.”

Of course, not every response was positive. User @rafalo claimed that “I just downloaded it and uninstalled it after [five seconds].” And @LansorHQ simply asked, “What kind of freak uses Edge in general?”

Why I use Firefox instead

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I’m a long-time Firefox user and have been rocking Mozilla’s browser for over 20 years. I’ve dabbled with other browsers, from big dogs like Chrome and Safari to more niche offerings like Opera and Vivaldi. And yes, I’ve spent plenty of time with Microsoft Edge, too.

Yet despite all that, I keep coming back to Firefox. There are a few reasons for that, and I’ve got to admit that a sizable one is inertia. After so many years of usage, Firefox feels comfortable and familiar. I like how it works and switching would be a chore considering how many extensions and tabs I have running.

But there’s a lot more I love about Firefox. I use both a Mac and a PC in my day-to-day life and Firefox runs on both, unlike the Mac-only Safari. I can also send tabs between any of my devices, which is helpful when I find something interesting on my iPhone and want to read it later on my Mac or PC.

As I've written about previously, it's also a genuine privacy-first browser that goes to great lengths to protect your data, which is something that I truly appreciate. It isolates cookies to stop them building a detailed picture of you, and Firefox limits access to my data that could be used to create a digital 'fingerprint' of my browsing habits.

So despite the debate on X, I won’t be switching to Microsoft Edge any time soon. But the discussion highlights that just because you use one operating system or another, you don’t have to be exclusively loyal to that developer’s own products — you can even switch to those made by their arch-rival.

• DC Studios won't alter its long-term vision for its cinematic universe
• That's what co-CEO Peter Safran told one reporter after Supergirl's disastrous launch
• The Milly Alcock-fronted film earned just $68 million during its opening weekend

It appears that it's damage limitation time for DC Studios.

After Supergirl launched — and subsequently bombed — at the global box office, the comic book giant's movie and TV division is seemingly refusing to alter its wider plan for its nascent cinematic universe.

Indeed, speaking to The New York Times (NYT) in the wake of Supergirl's disastrous opening weekend performance, DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran insisted that he, fellow studio head James Gunn, and parent company Warner Bros. "remain confident in" the long-term vision for the DC Universe (DCU). That's despite Safran's admission that the Milly Alcock-starring movie "didn't meet our box office expectations".

Such a statement is a, well, understatement. Following its June 26 release, the film formerly known as Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow suffered something of a catastrophic debut. As NYT's report noted, the DCU Chapter One earned a paltry $68 million worldwide — $38 million in North America and $30 million internationally — during its first four days in theaters.

To put the first of those figures in frighteningly bleak context, the much-maligned Spider-Man spin-off flick Morbius, aka the vampiric anti-hero film starring Jared Leto, made just $39 million in North America during its own miserably opening weekend in late 2022.

What makes Supergirl's performance all the worse is, at the time of publication, it holds a middling 56% critical score on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, Morbius has been stuck at a life-draining 15% for almost four years. The fact that the second DCU Chapter One movie made $1 million less in North America than Morbius, then, should really set the alarm bells ringing at DC Studios HQ.

Why didn't Supergirl fly higher at the global box office?

Supergirl might have flown into theaters, but it's already crashed down to Earth with a bump (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Studios)

There are numerous reasons that can be pointed to, including the ongoing superhero fatigue debate, prioritizing a new Supergirl movie over, say, a film starring another of DC Comics' so-called Holy Trinity in Batman and Wonder Woman, and — perhaps most crucial of all — word of mouth. After all, where the last of those reasons is concerned, movies can live or die on what critics and/or general audiences not only think of them, but say about them. You can see what I thought of the Alcock-led adventure via my own Supergirl review.

But I digress. In my view, there's another major cause for Supergirl's incredibly poor performance worldwide — and it's got to do with two powerhouse animated film franchises: Toy Story and Minions.

Where the former is concerned, the critical reception to its fifth installment was as mixed as Supergirl's was. Heck, in my Toy Story 5 review, I gave it three out of five stars, which is the same score Supergirl earned.

Nevertheless, Toy Story's immense popularity means it can — for now, at least — withstand any negativity that comes its way. That much is clear based on its own worldwide ticket sales, which have seen Toy Story 5 rack up an almighty $585 million (per Variety) in its first 12 days in theaters.

Then we come to the other aforementioned billion-dollar-spinning film series in Minions. With its next story — Minions and Monsters — set to not only arrive on July 3, but also predicted to make a similarly huge sum of cash, the timing of Supergirl's release couldn't have been worse. Maybe if its launch had been held back until August when its biggest competitor would arguably have been the next Insidious film, it might have soared higher.

For more on the latest DCU project, check out my Supergirl ending explained piece to see how it potentially sets up Man of Tomorrow, aka the sequel to last year's Superman film. Alternatively, see when Supergirl might come to HBO Max.

• A new rumor about the DC Universe's (DCU) Batman is spreading online
• Various insiders claim an unlikely name has been cast as the Dark Knight
• Interestingly, said actor almost won the race to play Superman

James Gunn and Peter Safran have reportedly found the actor they want to play Batman in the DC Universe (DCU).

According to industry insider John Campea, an unlikely name has been tapped to portray the Dark Knight in Gunn and Safran's comic book franchise.

Campea wouldn't reveal the identity of said actor on the latest edition of his podcast, but says two different sources — one of whom is "well-positioned" to know these things, and neither of whom knows the other — linked the same star to the role.

So, who is this mystery individual? According to other leakers with less reputable track records, including MyTimetoShineHello, it's Tom Brittney.

Who is Tom Brittney and has he actually been cast as the DCU's Batman?

Tom Brittney's acting credits include Grantchester, Back in Action, and Greyhound (Image credit: Variety/GettyImages)

An English actor best known for playing the lead role in seasons 4 to 8 of British detective drama Granchester, Brittney won't be familiar to the vast majority of readers.

However, he's starting to make a name for himself in Hollywood circles. For a start, he was one of three individuals who made it to the final round of auditions to play Superman in the DCU. The others? David Corenswet, who won the race to play the Man of Steel, and Nicholas Hoult, who wound up being cast as Supes' archnemesis Lex Luthor.

Among other roles post-Granchester, Brittney had a small supporting role in hit Netflix movie Back in Action, which starred Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. He'll next appear on the big screen in Lionsgate's Fall 2: Deadpoint, aka the follow-up to 2022 survivor thriller Fall, which is out in early September. If Brittney hasn't officially been announced as the DCU's Caped Crusader by then, expect him to field many, many, many questions about his potential casting during Fall 2's press tour.

"Great, Tom, but is there any truth to this rumor?", I hear you ask. At the time of publication, Gunn, who isn't shy about debunking hearsay — or, on the rarest of occasions, confirm a casting rumor — via social media, hasn't commented on the matter.

Admittedly, the DCU co-chief has his hands full with Man of Tomorrow, i.e. the sequel to 2025's Superman movie. Unless Gunn raises his head above the parapet to confirm or deny Brittney's involvement, we might not know until, well, tomorrow (June 30) when new scenes are expected to be filmed for Clayface, the next DCU Chapter One film.

Why new filming days for Clayface could confirm Brittney's casting as Batman

Well production for Clayface is back on the Wirral right now as teams are gearing up to film some pick up shots for the upcoming DC film releasing in October! Filming is taking place at the old Birkenhead Tunnel entrance from 30th June to 1st July!!!!#Clayface #DC #Movie pic.twitter.com/c0TddF20ELJune 28, 2026

According to X/Twitter use 4thdoctorstan74, Clayface's production crew will be back on Merseyside in the UK to shoot more material for the forthcoming body horror flick between June 30 and July 1.

Now, 4thdoctorstan74 has claimed that said crew will only be filming pick up shots. These are usually shot during the post-production process to, among other things, aid a movie's pacing and narrative flow. It's highly likely, then, that the film isn't underdoing any major reshoots ahead of its late October launch.

That said, I don't think we can completely rule out the possibility that one of these pick ups could involve Brittney if he has been hired to play Bruce Wayne and his vigilante alter-ego. After all, there have been countless rumors that Batman won't appear in Clayface, which feels like a huge misstep considering, you know, the titular villain is just one of the Gotham-based crimefighter's many foes. And, with Supergirl currently struggling to make an impact at the box office, it might be in Messrs Gunn and Safran's best interests to introduce the DCU's Batman as soon as possible to maintain interest in their nascent cinematic franchise.

If — and I honestly cannot keep stressing this enough — Brittney is set to portray the legendary hero in this DC comic book universe, it would make sense for his Batman to make his debut in Clayface, even if it's just a cameo, ahead of his standalone DCU film The Brave and the Bold. All eyes, then, are on Gunn's social media accounts and the north-west of England to see whether Brittney has been tapped to play the World's Greatest Detective.

In the meantime, find out everything we know so far about Clayface. Alternatively, find out how to watch the Batman movies in order or see if you agree with our ranking of the best Batman movies.

For years, software subscriptions followed the same pattern.

Businesses signed up for new tools, teams tested them for a while, interest faded, budgets came under pressure, and subscriptions were cut.

Many companies ended up with overlapping platforms that few people fully used or even understood.

The result was fragmented systems, rising costs, and growing frustration.

SMEs continue to adopt AI.

Among UK small and midsize businesses that paid for AI tools in 2024, nearly eight in ten were still paying for them a year later.

That matters because businesses do not keep spending money on business software that does not prove its value.

What feels different this time is how naturally AI fits into the software businesses already use every day. For many people, it is simply becoming part of how work gets done.

Why SMEs adopt technology differently

Small businesses are usually the clearest test of whether technology genuinely works. SMEs operate with tighter margins, smaller teams, and far less room for wasted spending. If something does not help, it goes.

The businesses seeing the most value from AI are often using it in practical ways. They are reducing admin, speeding up repetitive tasks, organizing information faster, supporting customer service, and helping small teams get through more work in less time.

In the UK, businesses report using AI most heavily in admin, data processing, and customer service work. Those are areas where the work is structured, outcomes are clear, and oversight is straightforward.

AI is a productivity multiplier. It does not make businesses less busy, it removes friction, which means they progress faster than it previously thought possible.

That idea of removing friction may explain why this software cycle feels different from previous ones. Businesses are improving work that already exists instead of layering on more disconnected tools.

The most useful AI tools are often the least noticeable.

Relying on AI everyday

Many businesses are now using AI inside software they already rely on every day — not as a separate product to log into, but as a capability running quietly inside existing systems. For smaller businesses especially, that distinction matters. The value is not in adopting something new. It is in existing work becoming faster, more accurate, and less dependent on manual effort.

That shift changes the nature of the relationship between a business and its technology. When AI is a standalone tool, it remains optional. A business can trial it, decide it is not worth the cost, and remove it without consequence.

The calculation changes entirely when AI is integrated into the systems businesses already use to manage invoicing, customer records, financial reporting and daily communications. The tool is no longer separate from the work. It has become part of how the work happens.

That is why retention rates look the way they do. Businesses are not renewing AI subscriptions out of habit or inertia. They are renewing because the workflows they have built around these capabilities would have to be rebuilt without them.

AI allows a small team to operate with the maturity, governance, and delivery capability of a much larger organisation.

For SMBs that have spent years competing against larger businesses with bigger teams and deeper resources, that is not a small claim. It is the argument for AI in a single sentence.

Businesses still want people at the center of important decisions

Businesses remain cautious about where AI should be used — and that caution is well founded.

Research into how businesses use AI suggests hesitation is closely tied to trust. Businesses are comfortable using AI where the work is routine and easy to review. Areas involving legal judgments, people management, and financial decisions still depend heavily on human oversight.

The businesses getting the most from AI are usually clear about those boundaries. They use it to handle routine work more efficiently while keeping people closely involved in the decisions that carry real responsibility.

A few years ago, many companies were adding software faster than they could properly use it. Today, smaller businesses are becoming far more selective. Tools stay when they save time, reduce pressure, or help teams work more effectively. They disappear when they do not.

That may explain why AI is sticking. For a growing number of UK businesses, AI is no longer experimental. It is becoming part of the operational basics.

Checkout our list of the best IT automation software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to 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/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• BT and Verizon new joint venture could target $4 billion in annual revenue
• The companies are targeting 3,000 global enterprises across 180+ countries
• AI and cloud are the two primary selling points for this new joint venture

BT and Verizon have come together to form a 50:50 joint venture looking to serve around 3,000 multinational customers across more than 180 countries.

The official announcement details the creation of a new "scaled international connectivity platform" designed for a cloud-first, AI-first world.

Martijn Blanken has been appointed as CEO of the new joint venture, the name of which currently remains unconfirmed.

BT and Verizon target multinational enterprises in new JV

By combining their respective expertise, the two hope to provide enterprise customers more resilient global networking, more secure connectivity and infrastructure designed specifically for local laws, regulations and data sovereignty demands.

"Customers will benefit from new, secure and resilient connectivity platforms, which are designed for the age of AI and sovereign where it matters," BT CEO Allison Kirkby noted.

"Our international customers require secure, flexible connectivity that works seamlessly across borders and cloud environments," Verizon CEO Dan Schulman added.

The announcement also implies that, by spinning off a new JV for global enterprises, it would allow the two companies to improve focus on their domestic markets.

BT boasted about its "resilient communication and network services," and Verizon said it would bring secure connectivity via its enterprise wireline arm.

Though it's unclear which type of enterprises the JV will be targeting, it will likely bid on contracts for some of the biggest enterprises given the target of around 3,000 customers. Private enterprise networks, cloud connectivity, cybersecurity and cross-border connectivity will form the basis of the company.

According to the firms, the join venture could target around $4 billion in combined annual revenue.

Dell's EOFY laptop discounts can be a little less obvious than a normal retailer sale, because there’s no before price shown after a drop. Fortunately, I track Dell pricing, so I can spot when an easily missed price drop is actually worth paying attention to.

That's why the Dell 14 Plus caught my eye: it's a compact 14-inch Windows laptop with a pretty grunty Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, 16GB RAM and a roomy 1TB SSD. Just as importantly, there’s a TechRadar coupon code available that brings the price down to just AU$1,139.05.

Our review said the Dell 14 Plus "delivers pretty much exactly what you need to get the job done" for everyday use, school work and general productivity.

What more could you want?

The Dell 14 Plus specs are an excellent mix for the money, while the 14-inch 2K display and 1.52kg weight keep it pretty portable. Our Dell 14 Plus review found it well suited to general-use productivity, though not heavy gaming or serious video editing. It recently dropped to AU$1,199 from AU$1,498, and you can get an extra 5% off with the code FUTUREAU5%.View Deal

One of the reasons I like this little laptop is that for the price, it doesn’t shortchange you on memory or storage space. And it might not feel as important now, but that 1TB SSD means you can store loads of photos and files without worrying about running out of space.

Our review gave the Dell 14 Plus 4.1 stars, and the scorecard sums it up neatly: "a solid general-use and productivity notebook that's great for work or school". The value score is a top-notch 5 out of 5, while performance and battery life each score 4 out of 5.

There are some caveats, of course. The display is only 300 nits, so it's better suited to an office, home desk or lecture room than bright outdoor use. Our review also noted the keyboard, trackpad and speakers could be better, so I wouldn't buy this expecting a premium MacBook Air feel.

But considering the price, those trade-offs make perfect sense if you mainly need a portable Windows laptop that handles everyday work without any fuss.

There's also a related Dell deal that may suit some readers better: the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 with a Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD is AU$1,299.10 with the same FUTUREAU5% code, down from the early June price of AU$1,799.

The 2-in-1 makes more sense if you like using a touchscreen. Personally, I find that being able to fold the display back into tablet or tent mode is super handy for things like handwritten notes, reading on the couch, marking up documents or watching movies on a plane.

If you want to check out more laptop options before deciding, our main EOFY laptop deals hub is chock full of laptop deals. It covers everything from more Dell deals to MacBooks, Windows laptops, 2-in-1s and gaming laptops, so it has something for everyone.

For even more Dell discounts, check out our TechRadar Dell coupons page, or try one of the codes below.

• FUTURE13% — Save 13% off selected XPS and Alienware laptops and desktops
• FUTURE11% — Take 11% off select monitors and displays
• FUTUREAU5% — Enjoy 5% off a wide range of laptops and desktops

With just days to go before Prime Day 2026 kicks off in Australia, it's no surprise that early deals have already started, with Amazon's own subscription services being the stars of the opening act.

You can now get three months of free Kindle Unlimited and Audible if you're a new or returning customer to either or both of the services, which is fantastic news for avid readers.

That's the best early Prime Day deal in my books (pardon the pun) because, as a voracious reader who has set herself a challenge to read upwards of 60 books in the calendar year (I usually average about 30), three months free of Kindle Unlimited is sure to help. Yes, I did sign up for Kindle Unlimited myself as a returning customer, hoping to discover some unknown gems in my preferred genres of history, fantasy and mythology.

So, instead of the usual 30-day free trial, you get an extended three months free trial, but keep in mind that this will not include an additional 30 days — the original trial period becomes null and void in these circumstances.

That's still a good deal, because you save two months of subscription cost at the very least, which is AU$27.98 (or AU$13.99p/m) for Kindle Unlimited and AU$17.98 (or AU$8.99p/m) for Audible.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited: three months free, then AU$13.99p/m
Kindle Unlimited is a great service if you read a lot of books or can't settle on just one genre. It provides access to a near never-ending supply of fiction and non-fiction, including biographies, self-help books, and foreign language novels. There are even audiobooks — though they're not as high quality as Audible. View Deal

Audible: three months free, then AU$8.99p/m
Prefer to listen to stories rather than read? Then you’ll prefer this deal over the Kindle Unlimited deal above. Audible gives you the chance to listen to thousands of Originals as well as plenty of other hot titles. You also get to keep any purchase you make if you decide to cancel your subscription.View Deal

Note that these early Prime Day deals — like all other Prime deals — require a Prime membership to be eligible. In fact, you won't even see those offers on Amazon if you aren't signed in with a Prime account. If you have a standard Amazon account, you will find Kindle Unlimited for half price (AU$6.99p/m) for three months instead.

Again, it looks like opting for this half-price deal voids the standard 30-day free trial as that's presented as a separate sign-up option for non-Prime members. So definitely take advantage of this excellent deal as a Prime subscriber.

The best early deal I can see for non-Prime members is four months free of Music Unlimited, and that's even better value, especially if you listen more than read. Not only does a Music Unlimited subscription get you ad-free HD streaming access to millions of songs, there are hundreds of thousands of podcasts and audiobooks too.

Music Unlimited: four months free, then AU$13.99p/m
No ad breaks, just music, podcasts and audiobooks. You can stream in high resolution and experience spatial audio for a full four months, and you can cancel any time if you don't want to pay the ongoing monthly subscription. You will need to be a new Music Unlimited subscriber, however, to take advantage of this offer.View Deal

If you've never had a Prime membership before, you can get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime to get access to this year's Prime Day deals. You get the same benefits as paid members, including free delivery in thousands of eligible products, and access to other services such as Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Gaming and more. You can cancel at any time during the trial to avoid paying the regular fee of AU$9.99 per month. Just click on any of the buttons below to sign up now.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, June 28 (game #1113).

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 #1114) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• WOOFER
• RUFFIAN
• INHALE
• GROOT
• EMBARK
• MAGNET
• SNARF
• CONE
• ROGUE
• CRUSH
• CABINET
• STRUNK
• NUDIBRANCH
• MISCREANT
• GUZZLE
• SCOUNDREL

NYT Connections today (game #1114) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Hooligans of yesteryear
• GREEN: Eat quickly
• BLUE: Parts of a device for musical volume
• PURPLE: Don’t bark up the wrong one

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 #1114) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS
• GREEN: CONSUME WITH GUSTO
• BLUE: PARTS OF A SPEAKER
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE

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

NYT Connections today (game #1114) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1114, are…

• YELLOW: OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS MISCREANT, ROGUE, RUFFIAN, SCOUNDREL
• GREEN: CONSUME WITH GUSTO CRUSH, GUZZLE, INHALE, SNARF
• BLUE: PARTS OF A SPEAKER CABINET, CONE, MAGNET, WOOFER
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE EMBARK, GROOT, NUDIBRANCH, STRUNK

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I wasted some time looking at parts of words and convinced myself that there must be some canine-themed collection thanks to WOOFER and EMBARK, but ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE passed me by.

My mistake was a stupid one. I knew that we were threading OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS, but I included GROOT instead of ROGUE based on some half-remembered slang rather than the Marvel character.

Meanwhile, did anyone else experience deja vu from the green group CONSUME WITH GUSTO? I’m sure we have had this quartet before.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, June 28, game #1113)

• YELLOW: HIGH-QUALITY CHOICE, FINE, PRIME, SELECT
• GREEN: SIGNALS TO COMMENCE BEGIN, GO, NOW, START
• BLUE: ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST CAPO, PICK, SLIDE, STRAP
• PURPLE: THEY HAVE BOARDS CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, June 28 (game #1616).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1617) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

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

Quordle today (game #1617) - 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 #1617) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1617) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1617) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• C

• C

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1617) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1617, are…

• SLURP
• CRACK
• CRANK
• PHONY

After a spell of very difficult games it feels as if we are being given an easy ride.

This is the first time in ages I can remember two words as similar as CRACK and CRANK.

After my bad run I am not complaining.

Daily Sequence today (game #1617) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1617, are…

• DANCE
• SPELT
• SPEAR
• GREET

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, June 28 (game #847).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… The mark of a good composer

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CRAB
• TRAM
• BALD
• FELON
• ARABIC
• CRANK

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #848) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #848, are…

• CLEFT
• REST
• NOTE
• BRACKET
• MEASURE
• ACCIDENTAL
• SPANGRAM: MUSICALSTAFF

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

The theme was initially confusing — were we searching for composers like Mozart? — and even spotting the spangram MUSICSTAFF didn’t make any difference.

Musical staff? Is that a posh way to describe an orchestra? 

However, after a hint, I realized we were searching for words associated with the composer’s craft of writing music.

That said, ACCIDENTAL was a new one for me, as I did not know this was a musical term and it took me ages to connect — it is a symbol placed immediately before a note that alters its pitch, temporarily raising or lowering it.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, June 28, game #847)

• PARADE
• RAINBOW
• DRAG
• RALLY
• FLAGS
• CELEBRATION
• SPANGRAM: PRIDEMONTH

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.

Generative AI is capable of some astonishing feats, with image and video generators, in particular, capable of creating stunning visual scenes based on text-based instructions. Plenty of the images you can generate, however, steal the distinctive styles of iconic artists – and many of these artists aren't best pleased.

Imitation is the best form of flattery

Filmmaker Tim Burton, who created heavily stylistic films like Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, was among several artists whose iconic styles were showcased in AI-generated images.

Quote of the day

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

BuzzFeed used AI to show us what iconic Disney movies would look like if they were directed by various filmmakers, with a series of garish and creepy results.

Burton, responding to the feature, told the Independent that seeing his own artistry imitated was akin to some cultures believing that capturing your image with a camera takes something away from your soul.

These comments also tap into the debate as to whether media generated by AI can ever be considered 'original' or 'creative' – or if they're simply crude averages.

The rise of AI in the creative industries

Burton's viewpoint mimics the thoughts of the iconic Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, the mind behind Studio Ghibli hits such as My Neighbour Totoro.

"You can make horrible things if you want but I want nothing to do with it. It's an awful insult to life," Miyazaki said in response to learning an illustrator was using AI to aid with his work on Boro the Caterpillar.

But AI has increasingly infiltrated the creative industries, with several major studios finding ways to use AI in the production process, but also on-screen elements, such as in the case of Lionsgate's partnership with Runway AI.

Despite the warning from filmmakers, the trend continues, with the likes of studio A24 also partnering with Google to build AI-powered filmmaking tools.

I live in a two coffee-drinker household, and my husband and I don't always agree on what makes a perfect cup of coffee. Luckily, with the Ninja AutoBarista Pro, we don't have to come to a compromise. This machine lets you easily swap out two different kinds of whole beans plus whatever pre-ground beans you like. In addition, you can set up two different user profiles for each kind of coffee beverage you make.

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is a fully automatic coffee and espresso machine. You put whole beans in, and the machine brews your perfect cup of Espresso, Lungo, Drip Coffee, Americano, Cold-Pressed, Over Ice, Cortado, Flat White, Latte, Cappuccino, Iced Latte, or Cold Brew. In my Ninja AutoBarista Pro review, I mentioned that it comes with two interchangeable coffee bean hoppers and that you could set up two different user profiles for each type of coffee beverage.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

He likes extra dark roast whereas I prefer more of a medium-dark roast. Thanks to Ninja's two-hopper system, we can each have our own beans and easily swap them out as needed by just switching hoppers. It's that simple.

The first time you put each hopper in place, Grind iQ will run a cycle to determine the perfect grind for each set of beans.

Additionally, there is a pre-ground coffee chute. You can choose to bypass the whole bean hopper if you prefer to use pre-ground beans at any time.

My own personal espresso

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

In addition to changing out the beans, you can also save two different user profiles for each type of coffee you can make with the Ninja AutoBarista Pro.

To set up the first user profile, you select a drink, choose the brew strength, temperature, and number of shots. Press the user profile button and the User One indicator will light up. Press and hold that button for a couple of seconds until you hear a confirmation beep. Now you're all set! Do the same thing for User Two, only you'll need to press the button twice so the second user profile is indicated before doing the long press.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

Once you've set up user profiles, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro will always default to User One. If you're User Two, just press the user profile button twice, so the light above User Two is lit up. Then start your brew.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

This makes a heck of a lot more sense than having two different coffee machines in one kitchen in order to accommodate two different coffee drinkers' preferences. It couldn't be easier to set up and use; frankly it probably took you longer to read this article than it will take to actually do it.

• Despite Tesla trademark application, the Megapod concept already exists
• Megapod's trademark is owned by someone else
• Nvidia and others already dominate this market

Tesla has filed a trademark application for ‘Megapod’ as the company begins to expand beyond electric cars, batteries and solar energy. Already with fingers in the autonomous transportation and humanoid robotics pies with Robotaxi and Optimus, the company is now looking to build modular AI data center infrastructure.

Though the filing is based on an intent-to-use application, meaning that no commercial product is available yet, it describes a self-contained AI computing platform that includes servers, AI hardware, networking equipment, power distribution units, cooling and software.

However, the project and associated trademark application has already hit three big walls – the concept already exists, the ‘Megapod’ trademark is already owned by somebody else, and the market itself is highly crowded with Nvidia, Huawei and others already more established.

Megapod could be related to Megapack

Tesla already uses the ‘Mega’ naming strategy, as evidenced by its Megapack. A battery system that offers a similar commercial proposition to the proposed Megapod, consisting of factory-built complete modules that can be deployed quickly with minimal on-site assembly or construction.

Rather than customers assembling servers, networking, cooling and other infrastructure themselves on-premises, Megapod could arrive as a plug-and-play AI data center, expandable by its modular design.

The news comes around a year after Musk’s company reportedly wound down its Dojo AI training computer project, indicating that it’s no longer gunning for the AI chip market. It now looks like Tesla could be going after more complete physical infrastructure using existing chips, instead.

Mitsubishi already has its own MegaPod, and it possesses a trademark already. And it’s not the first time Musk has faced complications over trademarks, failing to acquire a Robotaxi trademark over it being too generic and facing Cybercab trademark delays after another applicant got in first.

Submer even sells its own MegaPod, described as a data center in a box, adding to the naming complications.

Is there room for Tesla to join the market?

Trademarks aside, if Tesla were to launch a Megapod-type product, it would face stiff competition from established rivals. Nvidia’s DGX and HGX platforms are already commonplace in enterprise deployments, and Huawei has also developed its own solutions based around its Ascend accelerators. Server manufacturers like Dell and HPE also have their own hardware.

However, Tesla could bring its broader experience to the market to entice some customers into its ecosystem. Integration with its Megapack could, for example, give it uninterrupted power supply – xAI has already purchased $1 billion worth of Megapacks. Purchasing power and other internal efficiencies could also keep costs low.

While the company doesn’t really have an existing enterprise customer base, AI startups could be sold on its tech.

Integrated cooling could also be a major selling point, with thermal efficiency now nearly as important as chip performance itself. Nvidia, for example, has already introduced next-generation liquid cooling specifically for its Rubin systems.

As for what’s next, given Musk’s track record and those of his companies, we’re probably more likely to learn about any potential Megapod developments via X posts or surprise launches, rather than blog posts and official announcements.

Over the years, there's been one iPhone app that keeps drawing me back. It’s called GarageBand, and since its iOS release in 2011, it has consistently managed to keep its claws stuck into me. There’s something about being able to generate good-sounding music with just a few loops that keeps me dreaming of being a music creator!

But, as good as GarageBand is, it’s not the only kid on the block, and I’ve recently been wondering what the alternatives are. There’s Splash, WalkBand, and FL Studio Mobile, to name only a few, but I’ve recently landed on BandLab as my favorite GarageBand alternative.

BandLab is a free music-making app and one of the quickest ways to turn ideas into release-ready tracks. It’s feature-rich, comprehensive, and easy-to-use, all with a nifty (albeit ad-heavy) interface, and it's simple and intuitive to use.

Homescreen heroes

This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn't live without. Read them all here.

The BandLab app has enough depth to deliver professional results while also being playful enough to have that GarageBand experimental feel. And as you’d imagine, there are a host of AI music generation tools to get your teeth stuck into as well. This is 2026 after all!

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Creating music is a breeze

The first step involves creating music. This can be done by uploading an audio file or adding a track. I started from scratch and laid down a drum beat, which I subsequently edited. Creation and editing tools are fast, intuitive, and easy to find, so even though I was new to BandLab, I was able to find my way around without any problem at all.

From there, I entered Studio mode and started laying down multiple tracks, including voice, drum, bass, and guitar. Each instrument comes with its own interface, but with enough consistency between them to not overcomplicate navigation.

Without any formal training, I was able to add effects, crop clips, and perform auto-pitching. With over 300 sound presets, premade drum kits, and 100K+ loop and layer sounds, I effortlessly created a professional-sounding mix.

If at any time I needed to change the settings of my project, I could do so using the Project Settings tab. It's possible to change the tempo, time signature, and project key. Underneath these, there are the app's studio settings, such as changing the input device, which is your phone by default, or whether or not you want a count-in not.

From there, the library of projects becomes your friend. With it, you can manage albums, bands, playlists, and more. It’s also the easiest way to duplicate tracks for creating multiple edits of the same song.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Collaborate and share

One of the best collaboration tools centers around creating music as a band rather than individually. Any project you’ve already created can be assigned to a band, or if you create a new project, then it can be done at the point of creation. Either way, sharing your project lets other band members contribute to the creation process.

With your music created, it’s time to share it. With BandLab, publishing, sharing, and social media tools are built into the very heart of the app experience. Through it, you can easily connect and collaborate with like-minded creators on the BandLab social music platform.

BandLab is much bigger than just your world of music. The Home tab provides access to a vibrant feed of music and videos from other artists. This helped me discover new artists as well as genres of music that I never considered exploring.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Go big with BandLab Premium

Getting a BandLab membership unlocks exclusive creation features with AI tools. One premium feature that is well worth the monthly cost is AutoMix, which instantly adjusts a track’s volume and panning for a clean, polished mix. All you have to do is pick a genre, and you get a balanced, polished mix in seconds.

BandLab Pro is available for $180 / £149 per year, or if you want the complete unlocked experience, then you’ll need a BandLab Max membership, which costs $360 / £199 per year.

Download BandLab and get creating on iOS and Android.

I’m a huge Atlus fan. I’ve played through countless games from the legendary Japanese developer, from the oddball sheep-infused puzzler Catherine: Full Body to my favorite Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) ever made, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne, which I recently replayed on the PlayStation Portal.

But although I’d typically lean towards the moodier vibe of SMT, I can’t deny that the Persona series is what Atlus is best known for now — and for good reason. Of course, Persona 5 and its refined Royal follow-up saw the series absolutely explode in the West, and these releases sold millions of copies worldwide. But even Persona 3 and Persona 4 (across their numerous versions) are critically acclaimed, beloved releases that really laid the groundwork for P5 to blossom into the politically-charged, mysterious, and vibrant success that it became.

And now, after years of waiting, we finally have a new series entry on the way in Persona 6. The title, which was confirmed at the 2026 Xbox Games Showcase, is set on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC. Although we only got a brief teaser for the game, it actually made me feel very hopeful for the future of the series. But why? And what am I expecting the new game to bring? I’ll reveal all in due course.

A more mature take?

Persona 3 and its various editions especially succeeded with their dark tone and setting, mature themes, and use of internal struggle to progress character arcs. (Image credit: Future / Sega)

Allow me to lay my cards on the table. I think that Persona 5 was a very good game. The Palaces felt a lot more varied than the dungeons of previous entries, the overhauled user interface was a joy to behold, the life sim elements felt a lot more fleshed out, and that soundtrack? It’s simply iconic. But out of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5, the latter is unfortunately my least favorite.

Why? Well, it’s largely personal. Of course, I shared the frustrations others had with the hand-holding nature of Morgana in the early game; I understood people’s distaste for the Okumura boss fight, and I also agree with many fans’ critiques of the narrative — which is brilliant in moments, but a little aimless in others.

For me, though, it comes down to something deeper.

See, Persona 3’s cast had to navigate experiences of grief while investigating the chilling Dark Hour. And although it's a bit brighter than P3, Persona 4’s cast is forced to face up to their true selves — even the ugliest parts — and solve a gripping murder mystery case. P5, however, takes a more holistic, societal approach — both in terms of its narrative focus and in the way it explores its cast. And while this is largely executed well, I personally preferred the way previous games centered around internal struggle as well as their generally darker feel.

This was even reflected in the games’ environments. For instance, the stylish urban style of the setting was undoubtedly eye-catching, but the isolating nature of P4’s Inaba and the almost unsettling Tatsumi Port Island in P3 helped the darker, more mature themes bloom. There’s no denying that Persona 5 touches on some mature topics itself — the early portion of the game in particular comes to mind — but it doesn’t have that same feeling of dread that previous games conjured up.

And that brings me to Persona 6. In the teaser, we instantly get a taste of something that leans into the more unsettling roots of the Shin Megami Tensei — and in turn — Persona series.

In a short horror-themed video, we see a green-colored sky, some eerie-looking trees, and a chilling graveyard setting. We also see a headless statue, a distorted collage face, and some creepy extended hands. This is all overlaid with pouring rain, radio static, and some ambient, chilling music. Now that’s how to set the tone.

It’s very clear, then, that Persona 6 is going to lean into a more mature direction. Even the game’s Steam listing describes it as a “pulse-pounding, supernatural adventure,” and while previous entries haven’t been quite as focused on these horror elements, I’m still delighted to see the series getting darker again — it already feels like a step in the right direction.

Of course, you can still expect some light-hearted moments in the life-sim segments, and the brilliant aspects of P5 — including its slick UI and varied dungeon design — will likely return. But I’m already hopeful that Atlus will blend all of these innovations with the moodier tone of previous Persona games — hopefully resulting in a ‘best of both worlds’ experience.

What can I say, even though we don’t have a release date yet, I’m already pretty hyped.

But what are your thoughts? Are you encouraged by the Persona 6 teaser? What do you want to see from the upcoming entry? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, June 27 (game #1112).

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 #1113) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PICK
• CHESS
• START
• SELECT
• CHOICE
• GO
• SLIDE
• CORPORATION
• BEGIN
• PRIME
• SURFER
• STRAP
• CAPO
• DARTS
• NOW
• FINE

NYT Connections today (game #1113) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: The best available
• GREEN: Ready, set…
• BLUE: A musician’s tools
• PURPLE: Something flat and dull in common

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 #1113) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: HIGH-QUALITY
• GREEN: SIGNALS TO COMMENCE
• BLUE: ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST
• PURPLE: THEY HAVE BOARDS

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

NYT Connections today (game #1113) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1113, are…

• YELLOW: HIGH-QUALITY CHOICE, FINE, PRIME, SELECT
• GREEN: SIGNALS TO COMMENCE BEGIN, GO, NOW, START
• BLUE: ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST CAPO, PICK, SLIDE, STRAP
• PURPLE: THEY HAVE BOARDS CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I very nearly collected the games GO, CHESS and DARTS together, but the absence of a fourth stopped me. 

I was a long way from seeing the connection THEY HAVE BOARDS between CHESS and DARTS; congratulations if you linked those with CORPORATION and SURFER.

When it came down to eight tiles left I went with the obvious — although I did think the thread between them was words supermarkets use when they want to charge you more for something slightly better.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, June 27, game #1112)

• YELLOW: MONOPOLY SQUARES BOARDWALK, INCOME TAX, SHORT LINE, WATER WORKS
• GREEN: COMPONENTS OF A FASHION SHOW CATWALK, COLLECTION, DESIGNER, MODEL
• PURPLE: ENDING IN HORSE GAITS DECANTER, ENVELOPE, FIREWALK, FOXTROT
• BLUE: COMMONLY STRIPED THINGS BARBER POLE, BILLIARD BALL, CREDIT CARD, CROSSWALK

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.