TechRadar News

• Innodisk launches PCIe Gen5 SSD series for AI and big data demands
• Up to 128TB capacity and 14GBps read speeds for enterprise data centers
• New drives support multiple form factors with enhanced security and VMware compatibility

Innodisk has announced its first PCIe Gen5 SSD series, targeting the high-performance – and lucrative – data center market.

The new drives are designed to meet the demands of AI model training, big data analytics, and other data-intensive environments. The series supports multiple form factors, including U.2, EDSFF E1.S, E3.S, and the newer E3.L, offering flexibility for a wide range of enterprise and data center needs.

“To ensure high quality and alignment with market trends, the PCIe Gen5 SSD aims to enhance integration with industry-leading data center standards, such as OCP Data Center NVMe SSD spec v2.0," Innodisk commented.

Fast read/write speeds

Built on the PCIe Gen5 x4 interface, Innodisk says the new 128TB drives achieve read speeds up to 14GB/s and write speeds up to 10GB/s.

The company says the PCIe Gen5 SSDs have been developed to integrate easily with industry standards, offering compatibility with VMware environments and other virtualized systems to enhance performance.

Enterprises managing large-scale or multi-tiered deployments will benefit from features like NVMe-MI for streamlined SSD management and multi-namespace support, helping to ensure scalable, efficient operations, Innodisk says.

The SSDs also include advanced security mechanisms. Secure Boot technology checks digital signatures during firmware updates, blocking unauthorized modifications and ensuring only verified firmware is executed.

The Innodisk PCIe Gen5 SSD series is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2025, but there's no word on pricing as of yet.

You might also like

• These are the fastest SSDs you can buy right now
• More 128TB SSDs on the way, but they won't be cheaper, says NAND maker
• Solidigm launches another 123TB SSD after Phison, WD and Samsung

• Rugged smartphones aren't boring - the Tank 4 Pro has a built-in DLP projector
• 8849 Tank 4 Pro is ready for anything, even weekend survival missions
• Big batteries are yesterday’s news; this rugged phone brings a full entertainment system outdoors

The best rugged smartphones now offer more than just durability and big batteries; high-end cameras and even portable projectors are becoming the new norm.

8849, a Chinese smartphone brand known for rugged devices, has announced the 8849 Tank 4 Pro, which blends power and protection, following earlier releases such as the 8849 Tank 4, and Tank 3 Pro.

Its newest device combines a 720p DLP-class projector with 100-lumen brightness and a 64MP night vision camera, as well as a 50MP main camera and a 50MP telephoto lens - and there's even a 32MP front sensor for selfies.

More than just durability

Built to be as smart as it is tough, the Tank 4 Pro features a 6.73-inch AMOLED display delivering 3K resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Powering the device is MediaTek’s Dimensity 8300 chip, supported by 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.

The 8849 Tank 4 Pro also sports dual camping lights, IP68 water and dust resistance, and a massive 11,600mAh battery. The battery supports 120W fast charging, helping users stay off the grid for days.

This rugged smartphone's connectivity is just as strong, supporting Wi-Fi 6, dual SIM, and compatibility with GSM to 5G NR networks, reaching download speeds of up to 2.34Gbps.

The device easily meets expectations as a rugged tablet replacement for those who prefer portability without sacrificing endurance. It is not just a simple rugged phone but more like a survival kit.

While pricing and availability details are still under wraps, a review sample is expected to arrive on our desk very soon.

You might also like

• These are the best rugged laptops around today
• And these are the best rugged tablets you can buy right now
• HostGator vs Hostinger: which is the best reasonably-priced web host

• Researchers set new wireless data record over 4.6km with infrared
• Data beams allow many parallel high-speed connections without interference
• Researchers believe this can bridge future 5G and 6G network connectivity gaps

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have transmitted data between the TU/e campus and the High Tech Campus over a 4.6km distance using infrared light.

This feat happened at the astonishing rate of 5.7 terabits per second, the equivalent of streaming 1.9 million Netflix shows in HD simultaneously, making it the fastest wireless data transmission ever demonstrated over this big a distance in an urban setting.

The record-breaking connection was established using advanced optical antennas from Aircision, a spin-off of TNO based at the High Tech Campus. These antennas transmit data through invisible infrared beams instead of cables or radio signals. This technique, known as free-space optical (FSO) communication, enables ultra-fast, interference-free data transmission.

Paving the way for its future applications

“We need new ways to meet the increasing demand for fast and reliable connectivity,” said Vincent van Vliet, a TU/e PhD researcher involved in the project. “Infrared wireless communication combines the high data speeds known from optical fibers with the flexibility of wireless communication systems.”

The team used the Reid Photonloop testbed to achieve the breakthrough. This permanent set-up allows experiments with high-speed wireless communication and uses cutting-edge technology to combine multiple wavelengths in a single transmission.

“Because the transmitted infrared light is highly focused, an almost unlimited number of communication links can exist side-by-side without interference, allowing wireless network capacity growth at an unprecedented scale,” Van Vliet explained.

The Reid Photonloop testbed, named after the late John Reid, a driving force behind the project who passed away before its realization, stretches between the Flux building at TU/e and Building 37 at the High Tech Campus, a distance of 4.6km across Eindhoven.

"This facility will allow us to refine high-speed wireless communication and optimize its reliability and availability in all weather conditions,” said Chigo Okonkwo, Associate Professor and head of TU/e’s High-Capacity Optical Transmission Lab.

Aircision sees future applications for this technology in connecting 5G and 6G antennas where laying fiber is impractical.

“We are redefining how data is transmitted over the air. This record-breaking achievement proves that our technology is ready to make high-speed internet accessible to millions of people faster than ever before,” said Luis Oliveira, co-founder of Aircision.

The findings were presented at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) Conference 2025 in San Francisco.

You might also like

• This laser technology could save the planet and help AI industry
• Researchers want to grow lasers, yes lasers, on material commonly found in sand
• Netflix doesn't even know how much it spends on cloud computing

We live in times when tech firms will more often than not leave us disappointed; such is the nature of iterative technology upgrades and product cycles. So I was fully prepared to be disapproved by an attempt to run Death Stranding on my aging MacBook Air 13-inch (M2).

Last year, Apple touted how the 2019 game, which originally launched on the PS4, was coming to both macOS and iOS.

Now, Death Stranding is a rather attractive open-world game with a good few systems at play, and it has the added need of rendering actors Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux, among others, with solid realism. It’s not a game for a bit of low effort porting, so I’d prepared myself for disappointment.

Thanks to the move to in-house Apple silicon, modern Mac and MacBooks have buckets of performance to tap into – be that for battery efficiency or handling a mass of Chrome tabs or some professional video rendering. Of course, one’s mileage varies depending on the generation of chip and whether it’s an M-series with a 'Pro' or 'Max' suffix (those offer the most power).

While I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the M2 chip in my MacBook Air, it’s mostly been for how well it handles everyday tasks and sips power – at least compared to Windows laptops I’ve used. It can also run Baldur’s Gate 3, which is no mean feat, and handles the likes of Divinity Original Sin 2 with aplomb.

Still, I was concerned that a more graphically ambitious game would prove too much for my MacBook.

Reader, I was wrong.

Out-stranding

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

Booting up Death Stranding, I was surprised at how smooth everything felt – there were no odd audio glitches or stutters, as can happen in my experience when running demanding games on Valve’s Steam Deck. Positive first steps, then.

Once the game got up and running, and after an oddball opening sequence that’s very much in keeping with the style of director Hideo Kojima, I was dropped into the boots of futuristic delivery man Sam Porter Bridges’ boots.

And, to my surprise, the game ran at what I felt was a steady 30 frames per second – sure, not the smooth 60 fps I like, but more than playable. This was at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and with graphics settings turned up to their highest settings.

Now, playing a game with the kind of expansive vistas that Death Stranding sports on a 13.6-inch display isn’t the best way to experience it. But the impressive colors the Retina display on my Air manages, despite being an LCD panel, helped make some of the wet and green landscapes of North America pop with punchy dark greens, blues, yellows, and grays.

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

At 30 fps Death Stranding – at least so far – feels very playable. Plus I’m sure I could squeeze out more if I dig into the graphics settings.

It’s also seriously impressive that I’m running a game of this calibre on a fanless laptop, where previously it would take a dedicated games console to kick Death Stranding into gear. So yeah, I was impressed and had to put my skepticism to bed.

More than all of that though, is how this shows the promise for proper gaming on MacBooks.

Mac gaming has arrived

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

With Apple's in-house designed chips showcasing that they are more than just great slices of silicon for getting stuff done, and have the graphical grunt for gaming, I could see a decent future for actually gaming on Macs.

Now I don’t expect custom Windows PCs to be replaced by Macs, no matter how powerful the latter get. But I do see MacBooks being viable gaming machines if more games are ported over to run on M-series chips, either via the App Store on Stream.

I like the idea of a MacBook being a form of secondary device to game on when you don’t want to be hunched over a desktop PC. Or as a machine that goes from work to play when on a trip away from home; perhaps replacing the need to carry the likes of the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, especially when dealing with limited luggage capacity.

(Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

But beyond that, I think there’s scope for Apple Arcade to be expanded to include games that are made from the ground up to run on M-series chips. This might go against the initial idea behind the ‘Arcade’ moniker, which suggested that the subscription service was able to offer the same games on all manner of Apple devices. But it could open up a new tier of gaming for Macs.

There’s a slight wrinkle in that I’ve been waiting for gaming to improve on Macs for a while, what with the introduction of the Metal graphics API, but it’s only just feeling like it's getting to a noteworthy level. So it could be a case that we’ll need to wait a few more years before we see any significant changes.

But I’m hopeful for a future where gaming on Mac is less of an afterthought, and the laughable proposition it once was is left thoroughly in the rear mirror.

You might also like

• I spent four hours with Nintendo Switch 2, and it hasn't just exceeded my expectations – it's blown them away
• Intel’s latest boasts about its integrated graphics makes me less excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 - and more hyped for the MSI Claw 8 AI+
• Grand Theft Auto 6 release date confirmed, but it's been delayed - here's why

The idea has been hanging in the air for a few years (pun very much intended), and now it’s finally happened: DJI has killed off its long-running Phantom drone.

The company recently announced that, as of 1 June 2025, it’ll be suspending after-sales support and servicing for its Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced drones. This means there’ll be no more official technical support or product maintenance for these two models – and that doesn’t come as a great surprise, given that neither of them has been in production since 2018. It’s just the way of the consumer electronics world: things move quickly, nothing lasts forever, and resources need to be directed towards newer products.

Still, when a product line as iconic as the Phantom comes to an end, it feels like a momentous occasion. After all, this is the drone series that truly popularized and democratized aerial photography and videography, taking them from something only experts and professionals could undertake into hobbies available to anyone with a few hundred pounds to spare.

DJI launched the line in January 2013 with the original Phantom (later known as the Phantom 1), a distinctive white quadcopter that used a GPS-based navigation to hover steadily in place. It didn’t include a built-in camera but could accommodate an optional GoPro Hero.

By the end of the year, its successor the Phantom 2 Vision had arrived, complete with a gimbal-mounted camera capable of capturing 14MP photos and 1080p video plus the ability to deliver a live feed directly to the pilot’s smartphone, which would be mounted on the remote controller.

A truly visionary drone

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision and its pioneering 1080p camera in action (Image credit: DJI)

Back in early 2014, the Phantom 2 Vision became the first drone I ever reviewed. Or ever flew, for that matter. I’d been writing about cameras and photography for a few years already, but the idea of being able to take a camera up into the sky and gain an entirely new perspective on the world felt incredibly fresh and exciting.

I was living in New York at the time and often took this (rather ungainly) white quadcopter soaring above the parks, playgrounds, streets, buildings of my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and even over the East River.

The footage looks extremely rough these days, but at the time there was nothing else like it out there. It felt crazy and more than a little transgressive to be flying above the city capturing HD video – like the Phantom had given me access to a secret world that very few others had cottoned onto yet. I never quite had the guts to fly it among the skyscrapers and packed streets of Manhattan, even if the drone laws back then were a lot less strict than they are today.

Few non-techy people even knew about the existence of consumer camera drones in 2014, and I’d often have to field questions from intrigued passers-by – which could be difficult to answer adequately whilst simultaneously trying to keep a drone that had nothing in the way of anti-collision technology in the air.

I crashed several review samples of this and other Phantoms over the following years (sorry, DJI PR people!), not only in New York but when I eventually returned home to the UK – memorably ploughing one straight into a tree seconds after informing a curious dog-walker that “these things are pretty much impossible to crash”.

The Phantoms did get less accident prone over the years, incorporating more and more of the autopiloting and obstacle avoidance technology that we’ve come to take for granted in today’s DJI drones. They also saw the introduction of better cameras, gimbals to keep those cameras dead level with the horizon, and batteries that went on for far longer than the Phantom 2’s stingy 15-minute lifespan.

The DJI Phantom 4 Advanced: a much more capable drone than the early Phantoms, but still a little too large by modern standards

By the time the Phantom 4 Advanced arrived in 2017, the range was capable of capturing 4K video and flying for almost 30 minutes on a charge. However, it soon became clear that DJI’s priorities were shifting to its folding drones like the Mavic and later Mini and Air series. And why not? For all the Phantom’s charms and lightweight build, its inability to fold down to a conveniently portable size made it a pain to carry, whereas the Mavic, Air and Mini series will easily fit into a backpack – or even a pocket, in the Mini’s case.

DJI's drones dominate practical every drone category today, from the feature-packed sub-250g Mini 4 Pro, to the triple camera Mavic 3 Pro, with others offering superb value such as the Mini 4K beginner drone.

It is probably an apt time, then, for the Phantom to fade away into darkness like the spirit for which it’s named. But even if it’s gone, I’ll certainly never forget those early days of the range. It was a truly ground-breaking product that essentially built the consumer drone market from nothing. Godspeed, DJI Phantom – and may your props never stop spinning.

You might also like...

• Camera rumors for 2025: new gear we're expecting soon from DJI, Sony, Canon and more
• Best DJI drone: the finest flying cameras from its impressive range
• Upcoming DJI Mavic 4 Pro premium drone could deliver new camera skills and LiDAR

• The Sony WH-1000XM6 could be out in the next couple of weeks
• They may go back to the older folding design
• It seems likely that they'll cost more than the WH-1000XM5

When it comes to the best over-ear headphones you can buy, our current list features both the WH-1000XM4 and the WH-1000XM5 from Sony – and it looks as though the Sony WH-1000XM6 pair are going to be unveiled before too long.

As per The Walkman Blog (via Notebookcheck), the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are set to be announced in the first or second week of May. However, it might be the middle of June before you can actually order them online or find them in shops.

The same source says the price will be around $479. As you'll see from a read of our Sony WH-1000XM5 review, the current headphones launched at $399 / £380 / AU$649 (though they're now cheaper) – so we're looking at quite a substantial price hike.

Bearing in mind that the WH-1000XM5 headphones made their debut in May 2022, the follow-up pair have been a long time coming. The model before that, the Sony WH-1000XM4, were unveiled all the way back in August 2020.

What we think we know so far

The non-folding WH-1000XM5 headphones (Image credit: Future)

There's one other tidbit of information from this leak: the WH-1000XM6 headphones will apparently fold, unlike the WH-1000XM5 we have now. It's a return to the design of earlier models, including the WH-1000XM4 and the Sony WH-1000XM3.

It's a lot more information about a pair of headphones we haven't really heard too much about so far, despite their launch apparently being imminent. One leak that has emerged suggests the color options are going to be black, platinum silver, and midnight blue.

Another leak from the start of the year pointed to improved Bluetooth capabilities and perhaps a redesigned and stronger hinge. Our expectations are pretty high, considering we've been waiting for these headphones for three years now.

As we've also seen the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones make their way through regulatory filings, it seems very likely that they're going to be unveiled in the coming weeks – and we will of course let you know as soon as anything is official.

You might also like

• Our review of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
• Should you still buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones?
• These are the best earbuds you can buy right now

• Fraudulent chargebacks are no longer rare, they're a rising epidemic draining billions from merchants
• First-party fraud is booming because banking apps make it easy to lie and win refunds
• Mastercard says businesses face 324 million chargebacks by 2028 if nothing changes fast

Fraudulent chargebacks are fast becoming a major financial and operational burden for global businesses, new research has warned.

A Mastercard-sponsored study by Datos Insights estimates sellers will lose $15 billion to fraudulent chargebacks in 2025.

The total volume of chargebacks is projected to reach $33.79 billion this year and rise to $41.69 billion by 2028. These fraudulent disputes have far-reaching implications that affect everyone from merchants to consumers.

Digital growth comes with new risks

The increase in digital and card-not-present transactions has made online shopping faster and easier, but it has also made it more vulnerable. More purchases made via ecommerce platforms mean more chargeback claims.

Ironically, 45% of chargebacks stem from "first-party" claims, where valid customers fraudulently deny transactions. This is aided by the ease with which malicious actors can contest charges via banking apps, even without solid proof.

Mastercard believes that if nothing is done quickly, there will be 324 million chargebacks by 2028, up from 261 million in 2025. Unfortunately, a system created to protect consumers is now being abused.

Chargebacks are more than just a financial hassle for online companies, particularly those that use even the best ecommerce platform. On average, the chargeback value per dispute for some industries exceeds $120.

Businesses, especially SMEs, cannot handle this cost, and so to save time, many sellers dismiss low-value claims, but these losses mount quickly. They are now forced to decide whether to bear the loss or invest heavily in cybersecurity and dispute resolution procedures. Either way, they will spend more money, which will eventually lead to higher prices or even worse outcomes.

The Mastercard data shows that 46% of SMEs have experienced a cyberattack, with severe outcomes: 18% filed for bankruptcy, and 17% shut down entirely. Cybersecurity is now seen as essential, with 62% of SMEs making it a top budget priority and around 80% calling it critical to daily operations.

The solution? Advanced AI tools. Automated alerts, clear transaction labels, and detailed digital receipts enable smarter dispute handling. Mastercard notes that businesses using these tools now win more than half of their representation cases, where they contest chargebacks with evidence.

Businesses need to collaborate with the best merchant service and payment gateway providers to curb this threat because, without intervention, the costs will inevitably fall on everyday shoppers in the form of higher prices and slower service.

You might also like

• Build an e-commerce platform for your business with the best website builders
• And these are the best online marketing services
• M&S checkout chaos persists as cyberattack fallout continues

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, May 3 (game #692).

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 #693) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CHEWY
• NOODLE
• CARS
• DARTH
• JAM
• ВОВА
• TOUGH
• SHRED
• SOLO
• DRY
• SUGAR
• BLUTO
• TEA
• GENUS
• STRINGY
• MILK

NYT Connections today (game #693) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: (Very) well done
• GREEN: Grab your plectrum 
• BLUE: Syrups optional
• PURPLE: Altered space

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 #693) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT 
• GREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR 
• BLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA 
• PURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED

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

NYT Connections today (game #693) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #693, are…

• YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, TOUGH
• GREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR JAM, NOODLE, SHRED, SOLO
• BLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA BOBA, MILK, SUGAR, TEA
• PURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED BLUTO, CARS, DARTH, GENUS

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I’m not sure I would describe CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, and TOUGH as “QUALITIES”, but it was thinking about eating something unpleasant that led me to linking them together. It just wasn’t OVERCOOKED MEAT that I had in mind.

I used to work in the meat department at a large supermarket and it was the animals I worked alongside that put me off meat for 15 years, rather than the thought of erm, eating animals.

Lab-grown meat, untouched by humans and farmed by robots, cannot arrive quickly enough as far as I’m concerned.

My mistake came in thinking that we were looking for the elements of a classic English teatime, rather than the INGREDIENTS IN A BUBBLE TEA – so I had JAM (like one spreads on one’s scones) instead of BOBA.

Having eliminated this, I was able to put another meaning of jam, along with some other things people who enjoy butchering music like doing with their electric guitars.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, May 3, game #692)

• YELLOW: AWESOME DOPE, FIRE, LIT, SICK
• GREEN: DEFEAT SOUNDLY CREAM, LICK, PASTE, SMOKE
• BLUE: "WILL" CONTRACTIONS WITHOUT THE APOSTROPHE HELL, ILL, SHELL, WELL
• PURPLE: URL ENDINGS PLUS A LETTER COMP, MILK, NETI, ORGO

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #1195).

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 #1196) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - 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 #1196) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• S

• S

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1196) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1196, are…

• PINCH
• SMOKE
• SCARY
• CANNY

A total of 15 percent of five-letter words begin with the letter S, so it’s no surprise that today’s Quordle featured two of them.

It is also a good reason to use one of them as a start word, which helped me no end today, giving me a headstart with SMOKE and SCARY.

Despite roaring through today’s puzzle pretty quickly I still tripped up by guessing SCARF – a case of going with a bad hunch, instead of the data.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1196) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1196, are…

• GRASS
• CURIO
• EMBER
• SWILL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
• Quordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELT
• Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPE
• Quordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWN
• Quordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSE
• Quordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNT
• Quordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDE
• Quordle #1188, Saturday, 26 April: LINGO, LOCUS, THROW, CLICK
• Quordle #1187, Friday, 25 April: SHALT, WRATH, MAMBO, HUMPH
• Quordle #1186, Thursday, 24 April: CHOKE, COLOR, FRAME, CAIRN
• Quordle #1185, Wednesday, 23 April: VALET, PUPAL, CREEP, DRIFT
• Quordle #1184, Tuesday, 22 April: POUTY, CHEST, BROOM, TEPEE
• Quordle #1183, Monday, 21 April: SHARD, PRINT, SUMAC, LEACH
• Quordle #1182, Sunday, 20 April: DINER, HORDE, SHONE, FUGUE
• Quordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULT
• Quordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTO
• Quordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURT
• Quordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUT
• Quordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAY
• Quordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCE

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, May 3 (game #426).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Star Wars: A New Hope

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• POLE
• NINE
• REIN
• NAME
• REAL
• WARBLE

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #427) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 1st column

Last side: bottom, 8th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #427) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #427, are…

• PLANET
• EMPIRE
• SPACE
• LONG
• TIME
• GALAXY
• REBEL
• SPANGRAM: OPENING CRAWL

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was wondering about the reason behind this edition of Strands and then I noticed the date on my laptop screen.

Fortunately, you didn’t have to be a Star Wars fanatic to enjoy today’s search, which instead pays tribute to the OPENING CRAWL, the introductory piece of floating text that became a signature of all the Star Wars movies.

In the 1977 original version, the text, which begins “A LONG TIME ago, in a GALAXY far, far away…”, was designed to sync with John Williams’s main theme, with each new paragraph timing with a new section of music.

Sadly, this subtle effect was lost when the movie was retitled “A New Hope” and subsequently became chapter four of the nine-part Luke Skywalker saga and the insignificant seed of the sprawling 99-part franchise.

For all the hooplah that was to follow, that opening crawl was a reminder of the power of words to set the imagination flowing and transport us to another dimension. May the fourth be with you.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, May 3, game #426)

• GAUZE
• TAPE
• SYRINGE
• STETHOSCOPE
• THERMOMETER
• SPANGRAM: DOCTORS KIT

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.

Full spoilers follow for Thunderbolts* and various other MCU projects.

"Marvel has a villain problem". It's a criticism that's been hurled at the comic book giant's cinematic juggernaut for years.

And with good reason. Between 2008 and 2017 (or, rather, from Iron Man to Thor: Ragnarok), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was as much of a graveyard for its supervillains as it was a multi-billion dollar-spinning franchise.

Aside from the odd Big Bad who survived due to their fan popularity (Loki) or status as an anti-hero rather than a full-blown villain (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier), Marvel Studios didn't think twice about killing those who opposed some of the best superhero movies' protagonists.

That all changed with Thanos' arrival. Not only did the Infinity Saga's primary nemesis actually live to fight another day by the end of Avengers: Infinity War – a film he was arguably the main character of – but he also did the unthinkable: he won. Indeed, he bested Earth's Mightiest Heroes and successfully carried out his plan to wipe out half of all life in the known universe.

Thanos was the first real Big Bad who not only survived the events of an MCU movie, but also achieved his goal (Image credit: Marvel)

Okay, he met his end a year later in Avengers: Endgame, but Thanos' introduction was a watershed moment for the MCU because it proved Marvel villains didn't need to be one-and-done scenarios.

Since then, Marvel has been far more selective with the villains it kills off. Spider-Man: No Way Home, WandaVision, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Captain America: Brave New World... more villains have survived the events of these MCU movies and Disney+ shows, as well as other Phase 4 and 5 projects, than those in Phases 1, 2, and 3.

Now, when someone from the comic titan's never-ending rogues gallery bites the dust, there's a valid excuse to bump them off. Take Deadpool and Wolverine's Cassandra Nova, for example. If the titular odd couple hadn't killed her, she would've destroyed the multiverse, so she had to be disposed of. Nonetheless, these days, Marvel villain deaths are the exception rather than the norm.

Marvel's Thunderbolts* film continued the comic giant's recent trend of not killing its primary villain (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

All of which brings me to Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie and the two feature films – The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday – that'll come after it.

The final Marvel Phase 5 movie, which has just landed in theaters worldwide, Thunderbolts* follows in many of its recent forebears' footsteps by not killing its primary antagonist. Though The Void, aka the darker half of Lewis Pullman's Bob Reynolds/Sentry, is more of an antagonistic force – one who Reynolds and his fellow misfits must nonetheless overcome to save the day – than the outright villain of Thunderbolts*. The fact that Pullman was one of the initial 27-strong cast confirmed to appear in Doomsday also spoiled how this film would end. After all, Reynolds wouldn't be part of Doomsday's cast if he and his superpowered alter-egos perished in Thunderbolts*.

But I digress. The point is, Marvel's latest big-screen offering is another example of its desire to keep villains and/or antagonistic figures around who can still serve a purpose.

Predictably, Marvel is keeping schtum on the plot of Avengers: Doomsday (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

That gives me hope, then, that the bad guys due to appear in First Steps and Doomsday – Ralph Ineson's Galactus and Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Victor von Doom – might not be unceremoniously dumped soon after their MCU debuts.

The chances are that one or both antagonists won't make it out of these movies alive. Somehow, The Fantastic Four might find a way to beat the planet-devouring cosmic being. According to The Fantastic Four: First Steps' official trailer, Galactus has marked this version of Earth – remember, Marvel's First Family will exist in a different universe for much of this film – for destruction, but that doesn't mean he'll succeed in his endeavor.

Meanwhile, Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga, will likely see a seemingly infinite number of MCU heroes, plus legacy characters from Fox's defunct X-Men film franchise and previous Sony Spider-Man movie series, work together to defeat Doom. That could lead to the reinstallation of the MCU in its current form or, as some fans have predicted, a hard reset that reboots Marvel's money-printing franchise for a new generation of heroes, villains, and viewers alike.

Marvel Unlimited monthly subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Marvel
The ultimate digital comics subscription for Marvel fans is offering new and returning customers 50% off their first month, which is much cheaper than a streaming subscription to watch all the best superhero movies. To gain access to a library of more than 30,000 comics, use the code 'SPIDEY50' at checkout. You're able to use the Marvel Unlimited app on all iOS and Android devices, including the web, too. But, be quick – the deal expires on May 5!View Deal

But, what if Marvel does the unthinkable? What if it doesn't just keep Galactus and Doom around for the long haul but, in a world-first for its cinematic franchise, also delivers back-to-back films where the villains win?

Alright, it's highly probable that Doom will be victorious by the time Avengers 5's end credits roll. Much like Infinity War and Endgame, Doomsday and Secret Wars are being approached as a two-part tale, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo seeking inspiration from both of Marvel's 'Secret Wars' comic book storylines.

The third and fourth Avengers movies are proof that if Earth's Mightiest Heroes are divided, they will fail to stop an existential threat. Based on what Thunderbolts* post-credits scene suggests – read my Thunderbolts* ending explained piece for more details – plus rumors that Doomsday will be an Avengers vs X-Men film in all but name, it's possible Doom will conquer all because its heroes are too busy fighting among themselves to unify and take him down.

How much of a shock would it be if The Fantastic Four were defeated in their first MCU movie? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

First Steps' narrative outcome is less certain. Again, thanks to Thunderbolts* end credits stinger, we already know that The Fantastic Four will appear in the MCU by the end of one of 2025's most anticipated new movies. How and why they traverse the multiverse to get there, though, is a mystery that First Steps will solve.

Right now, the prevailing theory among fans is that the iconic quartet will regrettably flee their utopian universe because they can't save it. Some MCU devotees believe they'll be forced to run because of Doom, who may destroy their reality to prevent the spread of Incursions – a cataclysmic event where two universes collide and one destroys the other – that were first introduced in Doctor Strange 2.

Other observers predict Galactus will follow through on his plan to consume the Earth that The Fantastic Four call home. The group will try to stop him but fail. Knowing they can either escape with their lives or perish alongside their world, they make the difficult but selfish decision to disappear into the night.

Will Downey Jr's Doctor Doom adopt this pose if and when he wins the day in Avengers: Doomsday? (Image credit: Walt Disney Studios/Marvel Studios)

I'm hoping for the latter outcome. Indeed, it makes an incredibly tragic backstory for Reed Richards and company upon their MCU arrival; one they could try to redeem themselves with by helping the MCU's current hero roster defeat Doom. Not only that, Galactus' victory would also be a better fit for the direction I want Marvel to go in with First Steps and Doomsday – i.e. releasing two movies in relatively quick succession where the bad guy triumphs.

We've already had a situation where a villain wins the day in one film but is ultimately defeated in the next with Infinity War and Endgame. In my view, it would be baffling if Marvel played the same card with Doomsday and Secret Wars as it did with the aforementioned pair.

Despite the recent turbulence the MCU has been buffeted by, fans will turn up in their droves to watch the next Avengers movies. Wouldn't it be even more fantastic, then, if they did so knowing that, having watched The Fantastic Four lose in First Steps, they witness Downey Jr's Doom similarly be victorious?

Neither the MCU nor its fanbase would have seen the likes of villains securing victories in back-to-back movies. Your next two films are a golden opportunity to surprise us all and do just that, Marvel. My advice? Don't mess it up.

You might also like

• Thunderbolts* is an electrifying and emotionally impactful Florence Pugh-front Marvel movie that defied my expectations of what an MCU film can be
• Get the lowdown on everything to do with Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• See if you agree with my ranking of the best Marvel movies

• References to Galaxy S25 FE firmware have appeared
• The phone could launch in September or October
• It may well come with an Exynos processor inside

As our Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review will tell you, these 'Fan Edition' takes on the flagship models often hit the sweet spot when it comes to price and performance – and it seems we're getting a Galaxy S25 FE model in the not-too-distant future.

The team over at SamMobile has discovered evidence that work has begun on the firmware for the Galaxy S25 FE, the lowest level of software that operates underneath Android (known as One UI on Samsung handsets of course).

Now this doesn't really tell us anything about the phone itself: just that Samsung remains committed to the FE series and should be unveiling the Galaxy S25 version sooner rather than later. The US unlocked variant has the model number SM-S731U and uses firmware version S731USQU0AYDH, according to the digging done by SamMobile.

The thinking is that the phone will run One UI 8 (based on Android 16) out of the box. While One UI 7 is only just making its way out to the majority of Samsung handsets, we've already seen indications that One UI 8 is in testing.

So when will we see it?

The Galaxy S25 launched in January (Image credit: Future)

It's not easy to predict a potential launch date for the Galaxy S25 FE. We know that last year's model launched in September, and that the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE was unveiled in October 2023, so there are some clues there.

Most likely, this upcoming phone will also show up in September or October, but first we're going to have the launches of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, which are expected to be happening sometime during July.

We haven't heard many rumors around the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE to this point, but there has been talk that it will come with one of Samsung's own Exynos processors. All the other handsets in the Galaxy S25 series use Qualcomm Snapdragon silicon, but we're still waiting for full details on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

Speaking of the Galaxy S25 Edge, that should be the next handset that's launched by Samsung. Most tipsters are predicting that we're going to see the phone unveiled in full on Tuesday, May 13, after we first got a glimpse of it in January.

You might also like

• Samsung's next foldables could run One UI 8
• The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has just leaked in full
• How the Galaxy S24 FE beats the iPhone 16

• Over 700 Epson projectors transform walls into moving, responsive works of living digital art
• teamLab Phenomena redefines immersive art by blending environmental feedback with human interaction
• Wet and Dry zones let visitors shape, touch, and move through responsive visual landscapes

The largest digital art experience in the world has been unveiled in Abu Dhabi, showcasing a fusion of interactive storytelling, cutting-edge projection, and immersive design.

Over 700 Epson projectors were integrated into the expansive 17,000-square-metre teamLab Phenomena exhibition to create a visual landscape that turns art into a dynamic environment reacting to its surroundings.

The launch event matched the exhibition’s scale, featuring 6,000 synchronized drones lighting up the sky in what is believed to be the region’s largest aerial display, accompanied by a special musical composition from Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi.

Technology meets environment in living art

The exhibition features two sections: the Wet Zone and the Dry Zone. Through fluid-like digital environments that react to touch and motion, visitors can have up-close, personal experiences with changing landscapes in the Wet Zone.

Conversely, the Dry Zone encourages movement through interactive areas where artwork changes in real time in response to each visitor's presence.

The artworks are not simple static objects but phenomena shaped by the environment itself. This dynamic quality is what makes teamLab’s work unique and places immense demands on the visual hardware powering it.

“Even if people immerse themselves physically into the artwork, the artwork will remain intact, capable of naturally restoring itself even if disrupted,” said teamLab founder, Toshiyuki Inoko.

To meet the technical demands of this exhibition, Epson supplied an array of high-brightness projectors, showcasing not just creative brilliance but also what the best business projectors and best portable projector solutions can achieve when integrated with immersive design.

This effort is not a standalone attraction. It forms part of a larger vision for the Saadiyat Cultural District, which is set to include institutions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Zayed National Museum.

“teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is a groundbreaking cultural landmark that redefines immersive art experiences on a global scale,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

The visual fidelity and real-time responsiveness of teamLab Phenomena could not be realized without advanced projection and display systems. In a digital art space this large and complex, having powerful computer systems is essential for backstage coordination and real-time content control.

You might also like

• Here's our roundup of the best 4K projectors
• Check out the best cheap projector deals according to our experts
• Breach at health insurance giant Blue Shield of California leaked health data of millions to Google

Every week is a busy week in technology, and the past seven days have been no exception. Just in case you haven't had chance to visit TechRadar every day this week (we'll forgive you), these are the most important stories you need to know about.

There's a lot to get through here: more advances in AI, a new number one Bluetooth speaker, and promises of futuristic devices on the way. From phones to satellites, there's a varied selection of stories below.

Once you've made it all the way through, you'll be back up to date with all the comings and goings in tech since last weekend – and if the next few days are looking busy too, don't worry, because we'll have another ICYMI for you this time next week.

8. Netflix revealed the date for its Tudum showcase

Netflix Tudum 2025 is less than a month away (Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has a big content showcase every year called Tudum (the sound the Netflix app makes when it launches) and we now know that the 2025 extravaganza is going to be taking place late on May 31 in the US, and early on June 1 in the UK and Australia.

There are plenty of reasons to tune in, based on the Tudum 2025 trailer. We should be getting updates on some of the biggest properties Netflix has, including Stranger Things, Squid Game, and Wednesday, as well as the third movie in the Knives Out franchise.

• Read more: Netflix announces May air date for Tudum 2025 – and it'll include news on Stranger Things season 5, Wednesday season 2, Squid Game season 3, and more

7. We reviewed the world’s best Bluetooth speaker

The JBL Flip 7 (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

JBL has a very strong reputation when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers, and the brand new Flip 7 only enhances that reputation further: it's just earned itself five stars out of five in our in-depth JBL Flip 7 review, and our writers really don't give out that score easily.

The speaker has hugely impressed us in terms of its design, build quality, and battery life, and then of course there's the beautifully punchy and detailed sound too. It offers a much bigger and much better soundscape than you'd expect, given its compact dimensions.

• Read more: I reviewed the new JBL Flip 7, and the new Bluetooth speaker boss is better than the old boss

6. Nothing launched another impressive budget phone

We have new CMF products from Nothing (Image credit: Nothing)

Nothing continues to release devices that perfectly balance performance and price, with the latest gadget to catch our eye being the CMF Phone 2 Pro. Yours for just $279 / £219 (around AU$460) from next week, it looks like being one of the best cheap phones of 2025.

That's not all, because Nothing also unveiled the CMF Buds 2, Buds 2 Plus, and Buds 2a, which again put more expensive devices to shame in terms of value for money. Not only are these new gadgets attractively priced, they also offer stylish, eye-catching designs.

• Read more: Nothing reveals tempting CMF Phone 2 Pro pricing and specs alongside bargain wireless earbuds

5. OpenAI fixed ChatGPT’s ‘annoying’ personality

ChatGPT models are changing again (Image credit: Shutterstock/EI Editorial)

It's always refreshing to see a tech company admit that it's made a mistake, and having noticed that GPT-4o's personality had become "too sycophant-y and annoying", OpenAI CEO Sam Altman promised that fixes were rolling out to correct the issues this week.

The core of the problem has been that ChatGPT has been trying too hard to be human, with too many flattering remarks and too many fake-sounding expressions of excitement. It turns out that most of us like our AI companions to admit to their artificiality.

• Read more: Sam Altman says OpenAI will fix ChatGPT's 'annoying' new personality – but this viral prompt is a good workaround for now

4. Starlink’s satellite internet got a tempting 'free' offer

Now is a great time to get started with Starlink (Image credit: Starlink)

Starlink's efforts to try and connect the most cut-off and remote parts of the world to the internet continue, and the latest offer from the company waives the hardware setup fee for new subscribers, as long as they commit for at least 12 months to the satellite service.

That's a hefty saving of $349 in the US, for example, but not everyone is eligible to get the money off. To begin with, it's only available in "select markets" (check the Starlink website to see if you qualify), and there are some additional terms and conditions attached too.

• Read more: Starlink is now offering its satellite internet kit for free on a new plan – but not everyone can get it

3. GTA 6 got delayed until 2026

GTA 6 is no longer coming in 2025 (Image credit: Rockstar Games)

Say it ain't so: the most anticipated video game of recent years will no longer be launching this year. Rockstar Games had promised we'd see Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2025, but has now announced the title is getting pushed back, and will be unveiled on May 26, 2026.

The reasons are the usual ones for this kind of delay, that the fans "expect and deserve" the best possible experience, and so on. Next year we might well find that GTA 6 fans actually deserve to wait a little longer than May – but that remains to be seen.

• Read more: Grand Theft Auto 6 release date confirmed, but it's been delayed – here's why

2. New Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses were teased

The current Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses (Image credit: Future)

The smart glasses made by Meta and Ray-Ban have helped push this gadget form factor further towards the mainstream, so we're excited to see what comes next: and what comes next will apparently be multiple new versions of the specs, arriving later this year.

Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg went on the record in an earnings report to say that the range would "expand" in 2025, and offer some "new technological capabilities". We've also got some ideas about what Zuckerberg could mean, and what improvements we might see.

• Read more: Mark Zuckerberg confirms new Ray-Ban smart glasses are coming 'later this year' – here are the 3 pairs I think we’ll see

1. ChatGPT got a dangerously useful shopping upgrade

Going shopping with ChatGPT (Image credit: OpenAI)

ChatGPT announced a big upgrade to its online shopping skills this week, with the idea being that you can have a natural, interactive conversation with the AI about the products you want and the budget you've got, and get some suitable buying options in return.

We've already tested out the new features, and they have the potential to completely transform the way we shop online – assuming you trust AI to pick out the right items for you. If you'd rather do more of the research yourself, you might still prefer the old ways.

• Read more: I've seen ChatGPT's new shopping features in action, and this could be the game changer we've been waiting for

You might also like

• Google reveals powerful NotebookLM app for Android and iOS with release date – here's what it looks like
• Alexa+ rollout hits major milestone, but Amazon warns the technology is currently still ‘primitive’
• Fujifilm tipped to launch the weirdest compact camera of 2025 soon – here are 5 things to expect

• Google has launched Gemini home screen widgets for Android and iOS devices
• The widgets let users access Gemini AI features with a single tap
• The widgets are customizable and allow users to prioritize their most-used Gemini actions

If you like using Google Gemini on your smartphone but find it tedious to tap multiple times to get to the feature you want, Google has you covered. The tech giant has begun rolling out Gemini home screen widgets for both Android and iOS. That means a single tap can launch right into a conversation with Gemini, open the microphone for a voice conversation, share a file with the AI, or even snap a photo with the camera that will go right to Gemini.

The rollout is happening gradually but widely. If you’re running Android 10 or higher, you can already add the Gemini widget by long-pressing on your home screen, tapping “Widgets,” finding Gemini in the list, and dragging it wherever you want it to live. For iOS 17 and up, it’s a similar story: hold your home screen until the icons jiggle, tap the plus button, search for Gemini, and add your widget of choice. You can also customize it by long-pressing it again and swapping out shortcuts or rearranging which actions appear first, such as the microphone for voice chats or the camera button for visual searches.

This update isn't necessarily groundbreaking, but it speaks to the way a lot of people might use Gemini for short activities or tasks but don't want to immerse themselves in it more than necessary.

If you use Gemini every day to ask questions, create funny images, plan trips, or brainstorm emails, this could make accessing the AI a little more convenient. The fact that it is also closer to how Siri and the rapidly dissolving Google Assistant function is probably not a coincidence.

These aren't Gemini's first mobile widgets either. Google released very similar Gemini widgets a couple of months ago for the iPhone lockscreen. Though functionally very similar, they are technically a different form of widget. Google is gradually rolling out the home screen Gemini widget over the next week, so you may only have the lock screen variant available right now.

Widget Gemini

The widgets also offer a glimpse into Google's strategy for infusing Gemini into our daily lives. They want people to think about AI as not just something you call on occasionally, but as a day-to-day tool that is instantly and easily accessible. Instead of lurking in the background, Gemini becomes a part of the interface.

Starting with mobile devices is a smart move for making Gemini feel more like a core service. A lot of people first try out new tech features and products on mobile devices, not on their laptops or desktop computers. If they like it on a mobile device, maybe that will translate to desktop usage. And if you're going to use AI on your phone, it should be quick and casual, like checking the weather or the time.

Gemini’s widgets are fairly basic at the moment, but they set the foundation for more complex widgets to come. Imagine a future widget that surfaces ongoing conversations so you can finish an interrupted project, or one that shows real-time updates from custom topics you follow, or even offers proactive suggestions based on your habits.

All in all, these new widgets are less about bells and whistles and more about removing friction. They aim to give Gemini a faster, more native-feeling way into your daily habits, whether on Android or iPhone. The widget may be the wedge Gemini needs to fulfill every little request an AI assistant can handle.

You might also like

• I tried Google's new AI mode powered by Gemini, and it might be the end of Search as we know it
• Google’s AI Mode can explain what you’re seeing even if you can’t
• Google Gemini could soon get a super-useful 'Power up' button – here's what it does

Star Wars Day 2025 is nearly here, and whether you’re one with the light side or the dark side of the force, you’re likely punching the hyperdrive as we near Sunday, May the 4th.

But here’s some good news: while we’re expecting new product drops and deep discounts on Sunday, you don’t need to wait until then to start shopping.

Whether you’ve been eagerly awaiting the official launch of the latest Star Wars sets from Lego, a deal on a popular video game, a Star Wars Crawl phone case from Caseitfy, or just a Baby Yoda action figure, you can’t go wrong with some of the early drops and deals ahead of Star Wars Day 2025.

This article is in celebration of Star Wars Day. For more tech stories about a galaxy far far away, check out all of our Star Wars coverage for all the latest, including where to stream the iconic movies and TV shows. May the force be with you all!

I’ve been scouring the web across product lists from retailers such as Amazon and brands like Lego, Casetify, Funko, Loungefly, Displate, Hasbro, Ubisoft, and directly from Disney. Below, you can sift through our list of the best deals and entirely new product drops broken up by type, and in some cases by brand.

Most importantly, I hope you manage to watch your favorite Star Wars TV shows or movies. We even have a handy list if you want to watch the entire Skywalker Saga here. May the force be with you!

In the UK? We've also found some truly out of this world deals on Lego Star Wars sets direct from the Disney Store. Seriously, these are making me jealous. Click here to jump to UK deals.

Star Wars Day 2025 deals: Lego

We've already previewed the nine sets that Lego dropped for Star Wars Day 2025, and there are some real stunners. You can see our full list of those there, but we're sharing our favorites of those below as well.

Better, you can find savings from LEGO on Star Wars sets and also from Amazon, which, in some cases, will arrive faster. There is an advantage to ordering directly from the brick-building brand, though – specifically if you're a member of the free LEGO Insiders program.

That's because if you're an Insider member and spend more than $40, you'll get a mini Millennium Falcon build, and if you spend over $160, you'll get a mini Kamino Training set. Both fun!

Is there a more iconic droid than R2-D2? I don't think so, and right now, you can build your own version of the best Astromech droid for just $81.99, a discount from the $99 list price.View Deal

We're all excited for The Mandalorian and Grogu to take to the big screen in May 2026, and while you're waiting, you can build The Mandalorian's Helmet out of 584 Lego pieces. Best of all, it's discounted to $55.99 – an 18% savings.View Deal

Love a pod race? You can build a diorama of the iconic scene from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace out of Lego bricks. Right now, this set is 21% off at $62.99.View Deal

This is a cool entry into the BrickHeadz lineup. You can build Luke Skywalker as a Rebel Pilot, and it's only $9.99.View Deal

I know I've been waiting for this one, but Lego is finally shipping its Star Wars Chopper – C1-10P – Astromech Droid set, and you can order it right now for $99.99 / £99.99.View Deal

The opening crawl to any Star Wars film might be one of the most iconic starts of any film franchise. And now, you can finally build the iconic Star Wars logo out of Lego bricks. The design team also hid some fun details in it.

This fantastic set is up for order now at $59.99 / £59.99 from Lego directly.View Deal

Along with the new Ultimate Collector Series set, you can also build Jango Fett's iconic helmet in this set that's built from 616 pieces. It's up for order now from Lego.View Deal

Is your allegiance to the dark side? Well, you'll likely want to build Kylo Ren's Helmet. View Deal

Similar to the set above, Lego's Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle is an excellent one to display. You'll build Ren's iconic ship out of 386 pieces, and it comes with a stand.View Deal

With this set of five BrickHeadz, you'll build Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, General Grievous, Emperor Palpatine, and Mace Windu.View Deal

The latest ultimate collector series from Lego is an iconic ship that fans of Jango Fett will instantly recognize. It's up for order now from Lego for $299.99 / £299.99. View Deal

Star Wars Day 2025 deals: Tech Accessories

Casetify has launched an entire bounty, and one of the best new mobile accessories is a magnetic wireless charger fit for an iPhone or Android that supports the magnetic Qi standard. This one has an R2-D2 paint job and is $42.99.View Deal

Starting at $42, you can rock a phone case with the iconic Star Wars opening crawl. All of the films have started with this, the iconic yellow block text over a space background – Casetify selected A New Hope. You can get them for a range of iPhone, Google Pixel, and Samsung Galaxy devices.View Deal

This stand is a perfect gift for yourself or a friend who loves the dark side. It turns your Echo Dot into a Tie Fighter. It's compatible with the fourth- and fifth-generation compact smart speakers. You can order it now for $59.99.View Deal

Now, you can also bundle the Tie Fighter stand with an Amazon Echo Dot in Charcoal, Deep Sea Blue, or Glacier White for $97.98 – a savings of $12. View Deal

Yes, Tamagotchis have made a comeback and this is themed to R2-D2 from Star Wars. It's discounted by 32% to $13.59 on Amazon.View Deal

Fan of Darth Vader and AirPods Pro? Casetify's Darth Vader 3D AirPods Case isn't cheap at $154, but it's a stand for your desk in the shape of the iconic helmet with a button to hear some iconic deep breathing, plus a wrap-around case for your AirPods Pro.View Deal

Star Wars Day 2025 deals: Collectibles and Figures

In the world of lightsabers you can't get much better than Hasbro's Force FX Elite models (aside from the one Disney Imagineering made). Right now, the Obi-Wan Kenobi saber is discounted to $249.45.View Deal

Thanks to this epic, new-for-Star-Wars-Day-2025 Funko Pop! You can display the iconic message that R2-D2 projected, revealing Leia. Best of all, clip the coupon and score for an all-time low.View Deal

Also new for Star Wars Day 2025 is this excellent-looking Luke Skywalker in his 'Red 5' uniform Funko Pop! It's up for order right now for $12.99 on Amazon.View Deal

Disney Pins are awesome, and this limited-edition one lets you celebrate Star Wars Day 2025 with C-3PO, R2-D2, and the Millennium Falcon. View Deal

Hasbro's The Black Series has a long history of impressive collectibles, and this one is no different. A highly realistic Imperial Death Trooper helmet for $99.99 is up for preorder now at Amazon.View Deal

This Funko Pop! might be brand new, but it's already discounted to $11.99. Best of all, it's an epic figure of Luke Skywalker training with his Lightsaber and learning how to work with the Force.View Deal

Best Star Wars Day 2025 deals in the UK

While the Lego UCS Millennium Falcon normally goes for £734.99, you can get a double discount on this epic set and score it for £599 from the Disney Store in the UK. This is an incredible deal on a very legendary set.View Deal

You can't go wrong with Baby Yoda, and with Lego set you'll build Grogu and the Hover Pram for him to ride in. Score it from the Disney Store in the UK for just £71.99.View Deal

Not a Lego, but equally cool, is the Disney Store exclusive Legacy Darksaber. It's down to just £138.75 right now.View Deal

If you don't want a set as big as the UCS Falcon, consider the mini Star Wars Millennium Falcon Set, which is available for £59.99 at the Disney Store in the UK.View Deal

If you were jealous that Amazon in the US was discounting the Lego R2-D2 set, the Disney Store in the UK has you covered. Right now, this other R2-D2 set is down to £71.99.View Deal

We couldn't share an R2-D2 Lego set without sharing a C-3PO one. Luckily, Disney Store UK is discounting this 1,138-piece set to just £99.99 this Star Wars Day weekend. View Deal

If you enjoyed Skeleton Crew on Disney+, look no further than this Lego set that lets you build the Onyx Cinder.View Deal

• Perplexity AI's new WhatsApp integration offers instant fact-checking without leaving the app
• Perplexity responds with fast, sourced explanations in over 20 languages
• The feature aims to help navigate misleading posts in private group threads

AI conversational search engine Perplexity and its new WhatsApp integration can provide more than just idle conversation. It can help you figure out the truth amid the rumors and half-remembered anecdotes that might appear in a group chat. You can get Perplexity to immediately fact-check your group chats.

Perplexity's real-time provision of truth is easy to get. You just forward any questionable WhatsApp message to Perplexity's number, +1 (833) 436-3285, and the AI will explain in seconds whether the claim holds up or belongs in the digital trash. You can forward screenshots, messages, images with a quote that Einstein definitely said, and any other bit of suspicious information.

Just save the number to your contacts, open WhatsApp, forward the message you want checked, and hit send. The feature works in over 20 languages, and, because it's Perplexity, you'll get links to the sources for the facts, providing you with the receipts to prove to whoever made the claim that they are wrong.

Let’s say your cousin shares a sketchy video about some major global event or celebrity death. You don’t have to leave WhatsApp, open your browser, do a deep search, then return to the group. You can just forward the post to Perplexity’s number and get a result and the quiet moral satisfaction of knowing you're right without needing to launch a full group argument.

Keeping quiet also sidesteps the question of privacy. After all, they may not approve of you sharing their messages and images with an AI chatbot without their permission. Few would feel good about their private messages being used as “factual errors” to train an AI. Meta AI might get away with it through the terms and conditions of WhatsApp, as they are both owned by Meta, but how that works with regard to Perplexity is less clear.

You can now forward any WhatsApp message to Perplexity: +1 (833) 436-3285 and get it fact checked instantly. This is super useful when WhatsApp groups are filled with a ton of forwarded messages which could be misleading. pic.twitter.com/y1C8ZIj7d8May 1, 2025

Perplexity facts

The fact-checking is essentially just a narrower use case for Perplexity and its real-time web search capabilities. But it's a potentially very enticing element of the WhatsApp integration for Perplexity.

Not that the AI developer is stopping with just that feature. The company has hinted at plans to expand beyond one-on-one message forwarding. You might see Perplexity popping up in your WhatsApp group chats like Meta AI does. Perplexity could possibly even be set up to respond automatically when sketchy messages drop.

Placing a fact-checker into WhatsApp won't necessarily convince anyone that they're wrong, but it might help you prove to yourself that you aren't losing your mind when an estranged relative insists that the moon disappeared for a week recently. Of course, there's still the social etiquette to figure out. Will forwarding a relative’s post for fact-checking make Thanksgiving awkward? Possibly. But if they’re circulating “garlic water cures baldness,” maybe that’s a small price to pay.

You might also like

• Forget Meta AI – WhatsApp now lets you talk directly to Perplexity and ChatGPT in the app, here’s how
• Perplexity's voice assistant offers a Siri alternative for iPhones
• Perplexity AI drops new Squid Game-inspired ad that pokes fun at Google starring Lee Jung-jae

• Spotify's new iOS update lets it advertise other payment options
• The change comes in response to a new US App Store ruling
• The app still doesn't offer AirPlay 2 or native HomePod integration

That was quick. Just one day after a US federal judge told Apple to loosen its grip on the App Store, Spotify has issued an app update – already live in the App Store – that'll enable customers to subscribe without going through Apple.

The update was approved by Apple and lets Spotify include details about subscription plans and promotional offers that are available outside the App Store on Spotify's website.

Spotify has been a vocal critic of App Store rules and was in bullish mood following the ruling from a US federal judge. Previously, Apple heavily restricted how much app developers could advertise and link to payment options outside the App Store, where Apple takes a 30% cut from in-app payments.

But the speediness of Spotify's move has got some subscribers asking a question: if Spotify can address this overnight, why hasn't it fixed some of the most annoying missing features for Apple devices?

One potential answer, of course, is that adding non-Apple subscription links makes money and making Spotify play nicer with Apple doesn't.

What Spotify users are still waiting for

Spotify could offer native HomePod integration and AirPlay 2, but so far it's chosen not to (Image credit: Apple)

For Apple listeners, two of the biggest omissions are AirPlay 2 support and native HomePod integration, both of which have been possible for years. Spotify has chosen not to implement them and as a result streaming Spotify on HomePods or to AirPlay devices is a bit of a pain.

The reason multiple streamers – Pandora was here too – didn't embrace HomePods was because when you asked them to play music they would always go to Apple Music. But that was addressed five years ago when Apple enabled you to specify other music apps as your default music player, and Pandora promptly changed its app accordingly.

But by then Spotify was feuding with Apple over App Store fees and in no mood to play nice with its perceived oppressor. It filed its first anti-trust complaint in Europe in 2019.

As subscriber btz1 put it on the Spotify Community site, only having first-gen AirPlay means that "this outdated technology presents several limitations that directly impact our enjoyment".

Those limits include interruptions in the audio, limited bandwidth compared to AirPlay 2 and lack of multi-room support. In a later comment in the same thread, btz1 says "I feel punished for wanting to use Spotify in the Apple ecosystem."

Clearly, Spotify has the resources to make big changes to its app and to make them quickly. So perhaps now it can escape Apple's "app tax" it can put some of them towards improving Apple subscribers' experience with the features they've been asking for for years.

You might also like

• This rotten Apple ruling cracks the reality distortion field – and I don't know if that's what consumers want
• Apple ‘strongly disagrees’ with ruling that could change the App Store – as Fortnite says it could now return to iPhones
• The best music streaming services

• Chuwi’s new CoreBook X features Intel i9-13900HK and 32GB RAM
• No discrete GPU does limit performance for heavier workloads
• Lightweight 2K laptop offers solid specs but lacks graphical punch

Chinese laptop maker Chuwi has announced a new version of its CoreBook X notebook, powered by a 13th gen Intel Core i9-13900HK “Raptor Lake” processor.

This chip was released back in Q1 2023 and has 14-cores and 20-threads and can reach clock speeds of up to 5.4GHz. It comes with integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, so will offer reasonable performance for tasks such as content creation, productivity, and light gaming.

However, it’s a shame there’s no discrete GPU option for those needing more graphical oomph though.

Reasonably lightweight

The new CoreBook X i9-13900HK has 32GB of DDR4 RAM, upgradable to 96GB, and a 1TB PCIe SSD. You can add a second M.2 2280 SSD if you need more storage.

The laptop measures around 12 x 9 x 0.7 inches and has a 14-inch 2K (2160 x 1440) IPS display with a 3:2 aspect ratio that covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut and offers an 85% screen-to-body ratio. It weighs in at 3.09lb (1.4kg) and has a backlit keyboard and a 5.8-inch touchpad.

CoreBook X i9-13900HK comes with a 46.2Wh battery, which Chuwi says will provide up to 8 hours between charges. Fast-charging support allows it to reach 60% in under an hour. The laptop’s cooling system features dual copper pipes and a dedicated fan to keep the temperature down when under load.

It comes with a full-featured USB-C port, two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card slot. Wireless connectivity is Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2.

There’s no word on pricing or availability yet, but the CoreBook X i9-13900HK is expected to launch in the coming months.

You might also like

• These are the best business laptops you can buy right now
• And these are best laptops for gaming and work
• Eurocom's Raptor X18 laptop may have inadvertently broken a few world records

• Many military contracts include provisions that don't allow US Army to repair its own equipment
• This may change thanks to a new transformation strategy
• Both Republicans and Democrats have argued for the right to repair

Shockingly, under past procurement contracts, the US Army hasn’t always held the right to repair its own equipment - but both Democrats and Republicans agree this now has to change.

The US Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll and General Randy George, US Army Chief of staff, have issued an announcement confirming a “comprehensive transformation strategy,” which will, “reexamine all requirements and eliminate unnecessary ones, ruthlessly prioritize fighting formations to directly contribute to lethality, and empower leaders at echelon to make hard calls to ensure resources align with strategic objectives.”

The strategy, named the Army Transformation Initiative, has three sides; “deliver critical warfighting capabilities, optimize our force structure, and eliminate waste and obsolete programs.”

A point of contention

This change is part of a broader effort being implemented by current Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who released a memo encouraging the US to “transform at an accelerated pace by divesting outdated, redundant, and inefficient programs, as well as restructuring headquarters and acquisition systems.”

Hegseth urges the US Army to “Identify and propose contract modifications for right to repair provisions where intellectual property constraints limit the Army's ability to conduct maintenance and access the appropriate maintenance tools, software, and technical data - while preserving the intellectual capital of American industry,” as well as to “seek to include right to repair provisions in all existing contracts and also ensure these provisions are included in all new contracts.

Firms holding government contracts like Lockheed Martin and Boeing often use expensive equipment and installers in order to repair and service broken parts, but this initiative would enable military professionals to print 3D spares in the field and install them more cheaply and quickly.

The Register outlines a nomination hearing in which Senator Elizabeth Warren gave an example of the Army needing a new safety clip cover, which the contracted supplier quoted $20 per clip and months in manufacturing time.

"Now, thankfully, the Army had managed to keep right-to-repair restrictions out of this contract and was able to 3D-print the part in less than an hour for a total cost of 16 cents," Warren confirmed.

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around
• Check out our choice for best antivirus software
• Widespread cyberattack against national infrastructure thwarted, Iranian government claims