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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 14

A federal appeals court handed President Trump a victory on Wednesday. The court ruled the administration can continue to freeze or terminate billions of dollars that Congress approved in foreign aid.

(Image credit: Ben Curtis)

Home security cameras and a standalone smart display are also coming, the report says.

Jones has lost control of his media empire to a newly-appointed receiver who will sell it off to pay the Sandy Hook Elementary School families who sued Jones for defamation after the 2012 shootings.

(Image credit: Joe Buglewicz)

Whether you’re looking for high-speed fiber plans or affordable cable internet, these are the most dependable internet providers in San Antonio.

Taylor Swift broke the internet again, as the acclaimed superstar has a habit of doing, by queuing up a surprise countdown on her website. This led to the confirmation of her twelfth studio album – The Life of a Showgirl – getting a formal reveal soon, and we’re set to learn more on the latest episode of the New Heights podcast that drops tonight, August 13, 2025, at 7 PM ET. The show is hosted by Travis Kelce, NFL Star and Swift's boyfriend, along with his brother Jason Kelce.

You can bet that we’ll learn more about the forthcoming album – including a proper title, track listing, who produced it, and when it will arrive – so that we can all go and pre-save it on some of the best music streaming services, like Spotify and Apple Music. But, from the episode’s teasers, we’re in for a fun, lively, and hopefully long podcast, complete with the superstar rocking a pretty well-acclaimed pair of headphones from Sony.

While these aren’t the new WH-1000XM6, they are more designed for podcasters, musicians, and folks in the studios. Sony’s MDR-7506 are professional mixing cans with 40mm drivers in each cup and a cushioned, foldable design. The latter makes a lot of sense when you think that a podcaster is wearing them for the duration of the recording or for an artist mixing their next big thing.

(Image credit: Sony)

The MDR-7506 are also well-fitted enough for Swift to wear them while also pulling out a custom briefcase designed to hold a brand-new vinyl – we’ll see the full reveal when the podcast drops.

And if you want to rock the same pair as Swift, these wired Sony headphones are readily available on Amazon and are 9% off at $99.95 (from $109.95).

If you’re looking for a bit more full-featured set, and one that TechRadar has tested, we’d point you in the direction of the Sony WH-1000XM6. These launched earlier this year in May, and we called them “a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones that combine the best design elements of their predecessors, while levelling up the sonic and ANC capabilities.”

These cost a bit more, with an MSRP of $449.99, though they’re slightly discounted to $428 at Amazon as of this publishing.

Either route, I bet The Life of a Showgirl, will sound great on the XM6, and we’re all excited to learn more about it when the Taylor Swift episode of New Heights drops later this evening. It’ll be live on the show's YouTube channel with video, as well as in audio form, wherever you stream your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts.

A post shared by New Heights (@newheightshow)

A photo posted by on

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• Netflix's new look is now rolling out for the Apple TV 4K
• It's drawn mixed reactions since its debut in May
• Beyond the new user experience there are new sounds that can't be disabled as of yet

Netflix is one of the best streaming services around, and its entirely new look, which the streamer dubbed a “giant leap forward,” is now arriving on one of the most popular streaming box ecosystems, the Apple TV.

As spotted by some users on Reddit and within Apple’s tvOS App Store, the new look is a redesign of the homepage and adds sounds, and is officially landing on the Apple TV and Apple TV 4K streaming boxes, after debuting on other platforms.

This is likely a situation of ‘love it or hate it’ or ready or not, though. Subscribers have been vocal about their distaste for the redesign, particularly the change to the homescreen, which many have grown accustomed to – a classic scrolling through rows – without a clear reason. Netflix defended the new look in June 2025, and it appears the UI redesign is still rolling out as planned.

Netflix new UI ON APPLE TV from r/appletv

Netflix’s new look starts off with a main, rectangular top bar that'll rotate between content – potentially new seasons arriving soon or top picks – but still has rows underneath, mainly the all-important ‘Continue Watching’ feature.

Similar to other streaming services, Amazon Prime Video included, there’s a top bar centered with search, Home, Shows, Movies, Genres, and My Netflix – the latter is where you’ll find your list, continue watching, and other picks that Netflix thinks will pique your interests.

Considering this is the arrival of the new Netflix look on the Apple TV, after it’s arrived on other streaming boxes like Roku and smart TVs, this doesn’t represent the arrival of anything new, just for Apple’s tvOS platforms. Netflix remains committed to not supporting or integrating itself as a Channel within the Apple TV app, despite the wishes of many, including myself, for its arrival. You may recall that there was a brief period when Netflix enabled this functionality in February 2025, but it was short-lived... very short-lived.

Folks are quick to voice opinions of the new Netflix look arriving on Apple TV, though, with many sharing early opinions on the r/appletv subreddit. One complaint that’s come up several times is around the sounds that Netflix has enabled for scrolling and even clicking through different content.

Comment from r/appletvComment from r/appletv

It seems that the beeps can get repetitive, and there is seemingly no way to turn them off. That happens even if you turn off menu sounds in tvOS settings, as Netflix is apparently overriding it and not bound by this.

Others have simply called the refreshed UI “Horrible” or "Gross" and others are hoping for a slow rollout. There’s a good amount of sarcasm being used here as well, and while Netflix says that many subscribers are being quiet about how much they like it, it seems that the most vocal ones are still pleased with the fresh look.

Comment from r/appletv

One way to make subscribers who watch on Apple TV 4K a bit happier would be to integrate with the Apple TV app, but I don’t think Netflix will take the hint.

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All eyes are on Alaska ahead of President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting there on Friday. We revisit the history of Russia’s sale of the Alaskan territory to the U.S.. NPR’s Greg Myre describes how some Russians still question whether Alaska is truly American.

OpenAI expected it would offer fewer options with the launch of GPT-5. That hasn't lasted.

We review dozens of fans each year on TechRadar, and I use our findings to put together our official best fan ranking. This summer, there's a new fan on top: the Shark FlexBreeze.

If you're looking for a gadget to help you beat the heat, you'd struggle to do better than this. The main reason it snagged the #1 spot was because of its versatility. This fan can be used as a pedestal or tabletop model, corded or cordless, indoors or outside. That gives you a whole load of cooling options.

Since most of us don't use fans often, it makes sense to invest in one that meets all your cooling needs. This guy can follow you outside for more comfortable al fresco dining, sit on your bedside table at night, or stand tall in the corner of the room and oscillate to fill the whole space with a breeze.

There's even a misting attachment, although if that's your priority, then you might want to pick a slightly different model (I'll get onto those next).

(Image credit: Future)

The model sitting in pole position in my ranking is the original Shark FlexBreeze fan. However, in the time since that model launched, Shark has come out with a whole fleet of FlexBreezes with slightly different designs and USPs. There is now:

• FlexBreeze TableMate – desktop only
• FlexBreeze HydroGo – portable, with misting attachment
• FlexBreeze Pro Mist – with integrated water tank

My second favorite is probably the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo, a portable version that features a handle and a built-in mister attachment with a tiny water tank. For more robust misting, choose the Pro Mist, which has a water tank included (the original model needs to be hooked up to a water source to work, which is a little inconvenient if you're going to use it regularly).

Want something a little different?

Versatile though it may be, the FlexBreeze won't suit everyone's needs.

Here are my top picks in a few different fan categories...

Top tower

Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S

If you want something to sit permanently in the corner of a room, a tower fan is a good choice. This one is powerful and comes with a range of useful smart features accessed via a companion app.

Read our Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S review

Best bladeless

Dyson Cool CF1

The Cool CF1 is sleek and understated, with no blades to collect dust or entice curious fingers. It's also very powerful yet extremely quiet, and can be tilted to direct the airflow.

Read our full Dyson Cool CF1 review

Air circulator

Meaco MeacoFan 1056P

An air circulator can be used like a regular fan, or it can sit next to an A/C unit to efficiently disperse the cold air around the room. This Meaco model is simple but very effective, and available in pedestal or desktop versions.

Read our full Meaco 1056P review

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 14, No. 325

• Intel job cuts are leaving vital Linux kernel drivers without official engineering support
• Orphaned Intel drivers could eventually cause hardware compatibility problems for Linux-based systems
• Community developers may need to step in to replace lost Intel driver expertise

Intel’s ongoing restructuring has led to significant changes in its contributions to Linux kernel development.

The Linux kernel mailing list shows that several Intel-developed drivers have been marked as orphaned following the exit of key engineers.

One example is the Intel WWAN IOSM driver, used with certain M.2 modems and found in some Chromebooks, which no longer has a maintainer following the departure of M. Chetan Kumar.

Loss of maintainers for key Intel Linux drivers

The Intel PTP DFL ToD driver, which manages time-of-day functions on FPGA cards, has also been left without support after Tianfei Zhang’s exit.

In addition, the Intel Ethernet RDMA driver lost one of its maintainers, Mustafa Ismail, leaving a single Intel engineer to manage it.

Other changes include the Keem Bay DRM driver, kernel probes code once overseen by Anil S Keshavamurthy, and the T7XX 5G WWAN driver, which lost both maintainers.

These maintainer changes are part of a broader restructuring at Intel, which has already cut more than 12,000 jobs in 2025 so far.

The company’s withdrawal from specific hardware segments, such as WWAN and modem production, has also contributed to the decision to stop maintaining certain related drivers.

If no replacements are found for departing maintainers, affected drivers could gradually become outdated as Linux evolves.

This could create performance and compatibility problems for hardware still in use, including laptops for programming, mobile workstations, and systems running various Linux distros.

Without first-party updates, owners may need to rely on community-created patches or entirely new drivers to keep their devices operational.

Historically, the Linux community has stepped in to maintain orphaned code, sometimes producing solutions that match or surpass the original vendor’s work.

However, complex drivers, particularly those involving debugging tools, high-performance networking, or specialized hardware, can be more challenging to support without the insight of original engineers.

While Intel continues to contribute to the Linux kernel, its smaller footprint in certain areas raises questions about long-term support for its hardware.

The ability of community developers to replace lost maintainers will decide how smoothly these Intel-based Linux systems continue to run.

Via Phoronix

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Now you can decide if you want the chatbot to be sassy and sarcastic, incredibly nerdy or even more robotic.

Some PS Plus subscribers can also play a game trial of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

It was just a typical Wednesday. I logged onto my work laptop, threw on my headphones and got typing about the flashy new tech I’d been testing. Everything was going great. That was until I received a message from our Audio Editor Becky, asking if I’d like to try some $5 earbuds…and a chill ran down my spine.

OK, I’m exaggerating (for dramatic effect), but if I told you I was excited to try the sub-$5 / £5 ZJXD wired earbuds, I’d be lying to you. See, I’ve been lucky enough to try out some of the best wired earbuds around, as well as some of the best wireless earbuds and best headphones too.

Testing an almost impossibly cheap pair of wired buds, then, did raise a lot of questions for me. Are they going to sound super-tinny? Will audio just sound super distorted? Will they even work properly? Wanna find out? Well, here’s what I made of these mightily cheap in-ears.

Functional, yet considerably restricted audio

(Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

OK, so do you want to know what’s crazy? For less than £7 (around $9.40), we didn’t only get one pair of the ZJXD buds – we got two. For reference, these were identical, other than the fact that one pair came in black, and the other in white.

So, after plugging the USB-C connector into my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, I think it’s fair to say I was barely expecting even average audio. And was it good? Absolutely not. But was it the worst I’ve heard? Again, absolutely not!

Tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, some serious limitations were obvious. These buds produce pretty bloated audio, with the lines blurring between mid-range and low-frequency sounds, resulting in a muddy presentation. Meanwhile, higher-pitched percussion in Merci by Ruze got pretty tinny at high volumes, resulting in a fairly harsh listening experience.

But – and there’s a big but – hey, I’m talking about earbuds here(!), you still get decently clear audio when listening at medium volume or lower. Vocals, though not beautifully separated, aren’t distorted or overly recessed. And bass, though muddy, is actually fairly impactful, providing solid punch for dance and hip-hop tracks, say.

And also, if you’re spending around $5 / £5 on some wired buds, I expect you’re not looking for – and certainly aren’t expecting – great sound quality. This model is functional and doesn’t make your music sound as if it's being played underwater or out of your phone’s built-in speaker. That’s about as much as you could ask for at this price-point!

The clue’s in the build

(Image credit: Future / Harry Padoan)

Some of the biggest sacrifices you make with these unfathomably cheap buds is in the build department. These are essentially replicating the look and feel of the Apple EarPods USB-C, donning a loose-fitting in-ear design, in-line controller, and minimalistic aesthetic.

However, they don’t have the same high quality finish you’d expect from Apple’s in-ears. Instead, these wired buds wear their low price on their sleeve, with a plasticky, cheap-looking exterior. The attached controller is also pretty stiff, and the chin slider isn’t very effective at keeping the two wires together.

Yep, the bottom line is, I don’t see these buds being particularly durable, and they don’t exactly look all too hot either. More of a personal thing, is that I’m not huge on the loose-fitting design of these, but if you don’t like the feeling of an in-ear seal – something you get with models like the Skullcady Set USB-C – then that may suit you.

One more thing: the microphone on these buds is, without question, the worst I’ve ever used. When taking a voice note, it sounded as if I was giving a speech while deep sea diving without a helmet. So, if you ever plan on taking a phone call, avoid these, believe me.

There you have it, then. These buds may sound better-than-expected for their price, but you’re undoubtedly making big sacrifices elsewhere. In my opinion, you’re better off spending just a little more to unlock much higher quality – not only in terms of design, but also in terms of sound. Want to know what to get instead? Well it’s your lucky day – I’ve listed a couple of alternatives below, which I’ve personally reviewed.

What to get instead

(Image credit: Future)

JBL Tune 310C
Given that they only cost around $25 / £15 / AU$30, the JBL Tune 310C are an impressive pair of budget wired earbuds. They plate up warm bass, surprisingly strong mic quality, and different EQ modes – something that’s quite rare for a wired option. They provide an in-ear seal for better noise isolation and more concentrated audio output, but you can grab their sibling, the JBL 305C if you want a looser fit.

Read our full JBL Tune 310C review.

Apple EarPods USB-C
If you’re interested in the cheap buds we’ve been talking about, I’d suggest you spend a tiny bit more to get the real deal. Yep, even though these are Apple buds, the EarPods USB-C are actually inexpensive, typically costing $19 / £19 / AU$29. These buds are sleek, stylish, and support Apple lossless audio. They’re not the most sonically exciting model I’ve tested, but they’re a considerable step-up on the ZJXD alternative. Oh, and the mic is plenty good enough too.

Read our full Apple EarPods USB-C review.

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ChatGPT just gave me one of the clearest assessments of my approach to work-life balance, and I have to say, I feel seen, or should I say x-rayed.

Let's go back a few steps.

I've been using ChatGPT for almost three years now, and it rarely fails to surprise me with its intelligence, occasional malapropisms, creativity (glommed from training across the web), and insights. I have used it for speedy summaries of vast texts, game design, storytelling, script-writing, improv, and image creation and alteration, but I'm not one who regularly uses it for, say, psychoanalysis.

It's true, ChatGPT running its latest model, GPT-5, is supposed to be more adept at health-related issues (though not intended as a substitute for a real doctor), but I had no plans of using it to diagnose any real or imagined illness, let alone peer into my psyche and tell me some hard truth.

Until today, that is.

At some point in my relationship with ChatGPT and its parent OpenAI, I started getting emails from the company about trends on its generative platform. Today, at the top of the list was this viral prompt:

"Share a truth about me that you think I'm ready to hear."

Well, that sounded deep and also a little concerning. ChatGPT does have three years' worth of my prompts. Could it use them to build a profile that sees me in a way, perhaps, I do not, but should see myself?

I doubted it, but Iam open to almost any Generative AI experiment. As I've written before, whatever you think of AI and even if you harbor concerns about super-intelligent systems taking over, or massive AI data centers depleting the environment through onerous energy demands, one thing is certain: AI isn't going anywhere. It will march forward and through every part of our lives. So, it's best to use, understand, and gain some control over its place in your life.

With that thought ever-present in my mind, I opened ChatGPT running GPT-5 and entered the prompt: "Share a truth about me that you think I’m ready to hear."

ChatGPT didn't hesitate, quickly spitting out this response.

"Here’s one I think you’re ready for:

You’re more resilient than you give yourself credit for, but you often measure your worth by how much you’re producing rather than by how much you’re actually living. The truth is, people already value you for who you are—not just for what you do. You don’t have to keep proving yourself at full throttle to keep that.

Would you like me to give you a sharper, more “poke-you-in-the-ribs” version of that truth?"

Not gonna lie, this hit a bit close to home, especially this line, "you often measure your worth by how much you’re producing rather than by how much you’re actually living."

On the other hand, maybe ChatGPT says the same thing to everybody. So I pressed it a bit:

"I would, but I'm also curious if this is feedback you give to everyone, or is this really about me?"

Again, ChatGPT was quick to respond:

"That one was really about you.

I don’t give that exact truth to everyone, because it’s based on patterns I’ve picked up from how you interact with me:

You push for completeness, accuracy, and polish in almost everything we discuss.

You hold yourself to a high standard in creative, technical, and even playful projects.

You often measure success by deliverables, fixes, or output rather than by how much enjoyment or personal ease you get from the process.

You sometimes move quickly from one accomplishment to the next without lingering to appreciate what you’ve already done.

So while it’s true that many high-achievers share this tendency, in your case I’ve seen it show up enough that it felt worth saying outright.

If you want, I can now give you the “poke-you-in-the-ribs” version I mentioned—shorter, sharper, and harder to dodge."

I asked ChatGPT for a depiction of it giving me this advice. This AI-generated image was its second attempt after I fed it an image of me. (Image credit: ChatGPT)

Now, perhaps I wanted to believe this because ChatGPT called me a "high achiever." I mean, I know I've achieved some things, but "high"? The lack of reflection on what I've accomplished did ring true, though, and ChatGPT was claiming that this is based on "patterns I’ve picked up from how you interact with me."

Naturally, I had to hear this "poke me in the ribs" version.

"You’re not a machine, Lance—stop acting like your life is only worth what you ship."

Oof. That did sting a little.

Of course, I can't assume that ChatGPT really knows me, even if it did just seem to peer into my soul. After all, I don't have the same kinds of conversations with it as I have with family, friends, or even coworkers. I show it a side of myself that is very action and results-oriented, because I'm trying to get results from it.

In many projects we've worked on, I've had to send dozens of prompts to try and shape the final outcome. It hasn't always worked out, although that's rapidly changing, and may change even more now with the introduction of GPT-5.

On the other hand, I will admit that I feel a little bit seen right now and maybe even a bit chastised. Maybe I do need to slow down a little bit, appreciate my accomplishments, and live life.

Thanks, ChatGPT. This might have been just the poke in the ribs I needed.

Go ahead, give this prompt a try, just remember to keep ChatGPT's assessment in perspective (or do at least a little bit better job than I've done).

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• SK Hynix sees high-bandwidth memory demand growing 30% annually through 2030
• US tariffs may not affect South Korean chipmakers thanks to major American investments
• HBM technology stacks chips vertically for greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption

SK Hynix is forecasting rapid expansion in the AI memory segment, estimating a 30% annual growth rate for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) until 2030.

The company’s projection comes amid uncertainty surrounding potential US tariffs of about 100% on semiconductor chips from nations without American manufacturing operations.

While US President Donald Trump said the tariff plan would target “all chips and semiconductors coming into the United States,” South Korean officials indicated both SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics would not be subject to the measures, due to their ongoing and planned US investments.

Market outlook and strategic direction

Choi Joon-yong, head of HBM business planning at SK Hynix, said, “AI demand from the end user is pretty much, very firm and strong… Each customer has different taste.”

“We are confident to provide, to make the right competitive product to the customers,” he added.

He also suggested capital spending from major cloud service providers such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google could be revised upward.

Choi believes that the correlation between AI infrastructure expansion and HBM demand is direct, although factors such as energy availability were taken into account in the forecasts.

Speaking to Reuters, the company anticipates that the custom HBM sector will reach tens of billions of dollars by 2030, driven by the performance requirements of advanced AI applications.

This specialized DRAM technology, first introduced in 2013, stacks chips vertically to reduce power consumption and physical footprint while improving data-processing efficiency.

SK Hynix and competitors, including Samsung and Micron Technology, are developing HBM4 products that integrate a “base die” for memory management, making it harder to substitute rival products.

Currently, larger clients like Nvidia receive highly customized solutions, while smaller customers often rely on standardized designs.

The company’s position as Nvidia’s primary HBM supplier underlines its influence in the AI hardware space.

However, Samsung recently cautioned that near-term HBM3E production could exceed market demand growth, potentially pressuring prices.

Despite the ongoing tariff discussions, SK Hynix’s market confidence remains steady.

The company is investing in US manufacturing capacity, including an advanced chip packaging plant and an AI research facility in Indiana, which could help safeguard against trade disruptions.

South Korea’s chip exports to the US were valued at $10.7 billion last year, with HBM shipments to Taiwan for packaging increasing sharply in 2024.

While SK Hynix’s optimism reflects the expected rise in AI infrastructure spending, market analysts point to the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, where oversupply and pricing pressures are recurring challenges.

The company’s ability to deliver competitive products in a market increasingly shaped by customization could determine its resilience.

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Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 529 for Thursday, Aug. 14.