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• Galaxy Watch 8 firmware models have appeared
• New smartwatches could appear in July
• It's not clear what upgrades the new watch could have

Given how regularly Samsung launches new smartwatches, we were already expecting a successor to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 this year, but now there's some actual evidence of the Galaxy Watch 8 actually being in development.

Tipster @theordysm (via SamMobile) has spotted firmware versions for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, and as you would expect there are different model numbers for versions with extra cellular connection capabilities on board.

It also looks as though there are going to be two sizes of the flagship smartwatch again this year. The current model is available in both 40 mm and 44 mm sizes, so you can pick the one that best matches your wrist size.

And that's just about all the information we can glean from this particular leak – that the Galaxy Watch 8 is indeed on the way. We'll have to wait for further leaks to get details on the upgrades and any design changes that might be in store.

Classics and Ultras

No surprises here, we know they're coming, Samsung's prepping for themHere are the latest test firmware infoBT/WI-FI:SM-L320/L330 ("GW8"): U0AYC4SM-L500 ("GW8C"): U0AYC4LTE (US):SM-L325U/L335U ("GW8"): U0AYC6SM-L505U ("GW8C"): U0AYC6 pic.twitter.com/CA3HZoc52xMarch 29, 2025

This isn't quite the first Galaxy Watch 8 leak we've seen. Back in December, the device name "Galaxy Watch 8 Classic" was spotted in an industry database – suggesting a Classic model, with a rotating bezel, could make a return in 2025.

There was no Classic model in 2024, but we did get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra alongside the Galaxy Watch 7. Samsung may well launch a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 this year as well, but there's been no sign of it so far.

We've also seen a patent suggesting Samsung is working on a watch strap that's more adjustable and more secure than the one on the current models – though it's unlikely the upgrade would be ready for this year's watches.

If Samsung sticks to its schedule from last year in 2025, we can expect the Galaxy Watch 8 to show up sometime in July – most likely alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, so there's the potential for another big Unpacked launch event.

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Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: two-minute review

Want to talk to whoever comes to your front door no matter where you are in the world? Then you will need a video doorbell. While Amazon-owned Ring is generally acknowledged as the market leader, another Amazon-owned company, Blink, offers a cheaper and, for some, more attractive option.

Now available with the company’s Sync Module 2 (a compact home hub), the Blink Video Doorbell can be used as part of a wider security system comprising several Blink cameras, or by itself without the sync module. However, its functionality without the sync module is restricted to live interactions including viewing recordings up to 60 seconds after they have taken place. If you want to watch and listen to recordings after this then you will either need to pay for a subscription starting at £2.50 a month or use the sync module with up to 256GB USB storage for storing recordings locally (sold separately).

The Blink Video Doorbell can be used with the Sync Module 2 to create a larger ecosystem including extra Blink cameras (Image credit: Chris Price)

What I like about the Blink products is that they are generally easy to install. The Blink Video Doorbell is no exception. Two decent Energizer Lithium AA batteries are provided for wire-free connectivity. Alternatively, you can connect the video doorbell to your existing doorbell wiring, including a legacy doorbell chime (providing it's rated between 16 and 24 volts).

Unfortunately, the Blink device doesn’t come with its own chime. This means if you are using the device wirelessly you will need to use either a Blink Mini 2 camera as a chime, or connect to an Alexa-compatible device such as an Amazon Echo Show, Echo Dot or Amazon Fire TV stick via the Alexa app (support isn’t provided for Apple HomeKit and Google Home products). A speaker is also built into the video doorbell, though this may not always be loud enough to hear indoors, especially if you live on a noisy street.

Image 1 of 2

The doorbell is easy to install and takes two AA lithium batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

The doorbell is easy to install and takes two AA lithium batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)

Provided with the Blink are two mounting options: a standard mount for placing on a flat surface, and a wedge mount for a door architrave. We installed ours using the standard mount and the provided screws and wall plugs, which took about five minutes to complete. The video doorbell simply clips into the mount although if you want to remove it you will need to use the metal ‘key’ provided. This springs the unit out of the mount from underneath and helps to protect it from getting stolen.

As with all video doorbells, installation requires downloading the app and scanning the QR code on the back of the device (or entering its serial number manually) before pairing with your home’s Wi-Fi. Support is provided for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, but it lacks the 5GHz connectivity of some other devices. Once installed, you can customise the camera to suit your needs. Options are provided for adjusting the video resolution of the camera, ranging from ‘saver mode’ to ‘best’ (1080p HD during the day, infrared HD night vision after dark). However, you will need to replace the batteries more often if recording in ‘best mode’

There are two ways to mount the Blink Video Doorbell (Image credit: Chris Price)

Other actions you should take include editing ‘motion zones’ so you only record footage of people coming to the door, rather than people walking past or even cars driving by. As with all video doorbells, it seems, the Blink is a little overly keen to capture everything going on outside so it’s worth turning down the sensitivity. Not only will this help preserve your device’s battery, it will also help preserve your sanity as you really don’t want to get pointless alerts every time a dog-walker goes past your garden gate.

Finally, you can also adjust settings for the video doorbell itself, including the speaker volume (the speaker is located on the bottom of the device) and the ‘dingtone’ – the sound that the doorbell makes when you press it. For UK readers, this sounds remarkably similar to the Moonpig ad.

If you have an Amazon Echo speaker or Firestick it’s also advisable to connect the Blink app to Alexa so you can get additional chimes to choose from. These include clock sounds, jingle bells and even a funeral march – perhaps not the most welcoming chime for guests to hear when they come to your house.

Blink video doorbell with Sync Module in black supplied by Screwfix.

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: subscription options

Blink Basic Plan: £2.50/month per device or save and subscribe via Amazon for £24.99/year.

Blink Plus Plan: £8/month for unlimited devices or save and subscribe via Amazon for £80/year

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: price and availability

• How much does it cost? Blink video doorbell and Sync Module $69.99/£59 (about AU$110)
• When is it available? Available since November 2024 with Sync Module 2
• Where is it available? UK/US

As with other Blink home security products, the Blink Video Doorbell represents very good value for money with a retail price of only $69.99 / £59 (even cheaper without the sync module but that’s probably a false economy). That works out at about AU$110, though it's not currently available in Australia.

It doesn’t offer the same range of features that more sophisticated doorbells offer, including those from Ring. Video resolution isn’t the highest, and it doesn’t come with its own chime. However, for most people it is more than adequate, especially if you use it in conjunction with other Blink home security products (the company makes some of the best home security cameras if you're on a budget).

The Blink doorbell comes in black and white, so you can choose the option that looks best (Image credit: Chris Price)

It’s also quite a convenient option if you don’t want to remove the doorbell camera for charging every couple of months, or wire into your old doorbell system. And while functionality is limited to live alerts without paying a subscription, there is the always the option of storing video footage locally using a USB stick connected to the Sync Module 2 to avoid monthly costs.

Subscriptions start at $3 / £2.50 a month, which is much less than many video doorbell manufacturers charge (Ring’s cheapest plan is currently $4.99 / £4.99). This includes 30 days of cloud storage as standard in the UK (60 days in the US), person detection and photo capture (images are captured frequently for more coverage). Alternatively, for $10 / £8 a month you can get support for an unlimited number of devices as well as some additional functionality such as Moments, where multiple clips from several cameras are automatically grouped into one video.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: design

• Easy-to-install mounting bracket
• Lightweight
• Compact

While some of the best video doorbells, such as the Yale Smart Video Doorbell, are quite chunky, the same can’t be said of this Blink model. Available in a black or a white finish to suit your décor, it’s quite a lightweight and compact model – bigger than a standard doorbell, but not much bigger. It also comes with an IP54 rating which means that it offers protection against limited amounts of dust and water splashes but isn’t completely waterproof.

A release key allows you to open the doorbell to change the batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)

Supplied are two mounts (one for placing on a door architrave and one for mounting flat) which can either be screwed or drilled into the door frame. The doorbell then just clips into the mount.

As with other devices, the Blink video doorbell features the camera on the top of the unit so it’s important not to mount the device too high. Around 1.5 metres off the ground is probably ideal. Underneath the lens is a microphone and beneath that is the actual round doorbell button. This boasts a stylish blue LED light around it that glows when pressed (it can also be set to glow when it senses motion).

Image 1 of 2

The doorbell comes with an angled plate (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

There's also a flat plate, so you can choose the one that suits your door (Image credit: Chris Price)

In terms of design that’s pretty much it, apart from a small speaker and the release key on the base of the unit for when you need to change the batteries. At the back is space for housing two Lithium AA batteries (supplied), screws for connecting doorbell wires if needed and a reset button. There’s also the QR code to scan with your phone after installing the app.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: performance

• Image quality not the best (especially in saver mode)
• Stable video connection
• Overly sensitive camera

If you're looking for the ultimate in video doorbell performance, then expect to be disappointed. While the Blink Video Doorbell is more than adequate, it’s not the best unit out there by a long way. Firstly, it lacks the functionality of some other devices, most notably the lack of support for Google Home and Apple HomeKit.

Image quality isn't the sharpest, but will be fine for most users (Image credit: Chris Price)

Images aren't quite as sharp as those from higher-end doorbells, either. Maximum resolution is 1080p, and that's in ‘best' mode, rather than standard mode, which Blink recommends in order to preserve battery life. The camera is also quite sensitive to motion, which means it has a tendency to record too much footage unless you turn the sensitivity down and limit the active areas to around your front door.

That said, I didn’t have too many complaints during testing. It only took around 5-10 minutes to set the video doorbell up properly and once set up the doorbell maintained a strong connection with the wireless router. Throughout the testing process, I was also able to get a relatively quick connection when talking to someone at the door which has proved to be a problem in the past.

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Setting up the Blink Video Doorbell is quick and easy (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

You can access extra features with a Plus subscription (Image credit: Chris Price)

And while not having a chime to hear the doorbell indoors could certainly be an issue for some, I found it easy enough to connect the doorbell with Alexa in order to play doorbell sounds through my Amazon Echo speakers.

In summary, the functionality of the Blink Video Doorbell might be a little limited but, considering its very low price, performance is quite good.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2? Buy it if

You already have Blink cameras

The software makes it easy to use the video doorbell as part of a Blink home security system comprising indoor and outdoor cameras.

You're on a shoestring budget

Costing just $69.99 / £59 with the Sync Module 2, the Blink video doorbell is one of the cheapest and easiest to install models on the market

Don't buy it if

You need a separate chime indoors

The Blink doesn’t come with a chime so you will need to turn up the volume of the device or rely on either a separate Blink camera or connect to Alexa-enabled devices.

You don’t want to buy expensive batteries

If you opt for wire-free installation, you will need to buy two Lithium batteries every few months – much more expensive than standard alkaline batteries.

Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2: also consider

Not sure whether the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2 is right for you? Here are a few other options for you to consider.

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

Amazon-owned company Ring has firmly established itself as the ‘go to’ company for video doorbells and now has several including this wire-free model.

Read our full Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review

Arlo Video Doorbell

An affordable wired video doorbell, the Arlo device offers a lot of useful features, but you will need to pay for a subscription to benefit from many of them.

Read our full Arlo Video Doorbell review 

Yale Smart Video Doorbell and Doorbell Chime

A solidly built video doorbell, the Yale device offers good image and sound quality. However, streaming recorded content and speaking to people at the door can be a little slow.

Read our full Yale Smart Video Doorbell review

How I tested the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2

• I used the doorbell every day for two weeks
• I installed it myself
• The doorbell was set up on the front door facing towards the road

To test a video doorbell properly you really need to use it as part of your home system for at least two weeks, which is what I did. Obviously, this isn’t long enough to test all aspects of the product, such as its battery life, which Blink claims to be up to two years (having used Blink products for several years it’s probably more likely to be around six months). However it is long enough to give me a good idea of the product’s functionality and performance.

On many occasions I was able to speak to people at the front door (usually the postman) and I recorded lots of footage from the front door that was stored both in the cloud and locally via a USB stick without any problems. I was also able to link the device successfully to the Alexa app to get alerts/view footage via my Echo devices, though it’s worth noting some people have reported problems with this.

Finally, I tested both white and black versions of the video doorbell to see how each looked when it was installed on the doorframe. Personally, I thought the white version looked much nicer, but it is largely a matter of taste.

First reviewed March 2025

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The M2 Mac Mini is now just $600, which is a staggering 50% off at Best Buy. But act fast, as this deal won't be around for long.

ChatGPT is rapidly changing how we write, how we work – and maybe even how we think. So it makes sense that it stirs up strong emotions and triggers an instinct to figure out what’s real and what’s not.

But on LinkedIn, the hunt for AI-generated content has gone full Voight-Kampff. According to some, there’s now a surefire way to spot ChatGPT use: the em dash.

Yes, the punctuation mark officially defined by the width of one “em.” A favorite of James Joyce, Stephen King, and Emily Dickinson. A piece of punctuation that’s been around since at least the 1830s. So why is it suddenly suspicious? Is it really an AI tell or punctuation paranoia?

Describe, in single words, only the good things you know about the em dash

Rebecca Harper, Head of Content Marketing at auditing compliance platform ISMS.online, doesn’t think so: “I find the idea that it’s some kind of AI tell ridiculous. If we start policing good grammar out of fear of AI, we’re only making human writing worse!”

She’s right. The em dash isn’t some fringe punctuation mark. Sure, it’s used less often than its siblings – the en dash and the humble hyphen – and it’s more common in the US than the UK. But that doesn’t make it automatically suspicious.

Robert Andrews, a Senior Editor, explains that this is a difference in style rather than a smoking gun: “It’s not just a marker of AI, but of US English and AP Style. It’s quite alien to UK journalism training and style, at least my own, albeit long ago. But increasingly encountered in AP Style environments - (or –, or —) unsurprising that this would flow into LLMs.”

I’m not getting into the weeds of when and why you’d use an em dash over a hyphen. It’s boring, and despite writing professionally for close to two decades, I’m not sure I even know. But I can vouch for the fact that I’ve written for plenty of US outlets where the em dash was simply house style – years before ChatGPT turned up.

And that’s likely why it’s become a so-called “tell.” The em dash is ChatGPT’s default dash. Probably because it was trained on mountains of US English content, where that style is totally normal.

Still, because it’s slightly less common in some circles, people have latched onto it as a tell. Chris McNabb, Chief Technology Officer at eGroup Communications, makes this case: “I think it's a strong indicator, especially when you see it being used often by one person. Typically most people aren't going to long press the dash key to even use the en dash BUT AI such as ChatGPT uses it by default in a lot of cases. So yes when you do see an em dash particularly more than one in a message it's a pretty safe bet for a majority of posts.”

So now, some people are actively scrubbing their em dashes to avoid suspicion. Editors, marketers, and content folks are switching them out for commas or full stops just to avoid being mistaken for a ChatGPT user.

Lauren Kennelly, Brand Services Director at brand agency Manifest Group has felt that pressure: “I had this chat with a colleague recently. Proper use of an em dash is not just grammatically correct, which is important in our industry, it's also part of our Manifest brand ID. But I've now programmed ChatGPT to drop it from anything I'm using to help me edit for fear of losing engagement or being judged for using AI.”

Capillary dilation of the dash response

So—is the em dash a tell? No. Well, maybe. But not in isolation. “It depends on the context,” says Will Moore, Manager of Communications and Brand Awareness at networking company Tailscale. “If it's from a writer or someone I know who cares deeply about well-written content, no. If my 12-year-old son uses them in his homework, it paints a different picture,” he tells me.

And that’s the real issue here, context. There are signs of AI-generated content. Especially the kind we often call AI slop. Like clunky syntax, emoji-stuffed bullet points, bizarre transitions, and overly chirpy marketing speak. But even those aren’t as reliable anymore.

Some say better AI detection tools are the answer. In theory, maybe. In reality? Not so much. I ran a completely human-written paragraph through one just before I wrote this article and it flagged it as “probably AI.” Unless this is the anticlimactic moment I discover I’m a replicant, the tools just aren’t good enough.

There have been efforts to watermark AI-generated content or embed metadata, but whether that’s technically feasible (or even a priority for the companies building these tools) remains to be seen.

What actually makes AI-generated content obvious, more often than not, is bad prompting. Rushed inputs lead to rushed outputs. But a thoughtful prompt, a decent edit, a personal touch? That’s much harder to detect.

So maybe we’re not flagging AI at all. Maybe we’re just flagging laziness. Because most people I know who use AI tools regularly aren’t handing over the entire process to ChatGPT. They’re using it for headlines, phrasing, and proofreading. It's helping them to do their work, not doing it for them.

But we live in a world of automation, productivity hacks, and hustle culture. So of course people use AI for everything, under the (sometimes false) belief that it saves time.

As a writer, I get the frustration. I’ll spend hours carefully crafting a piece, then watch something clearly half-baked and AI-churned rack up the views.

There’s also the elephant in the room: AI tools don’t come free. They carry a significant environmental cost and, depending on who you ask, a massive ethical one, too.

Still, the witch hunt is exhausting. And kind of pointless. Because even if someone has used AI if they’ve also put in the work – refined it, edited it, made it their own – you probably won’t be able to tell anyway.

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe… like the em dash being cancelled

Maybe we’ll look back on this moment and laugh. Or cringe. Maybe the AI bubble will burst, and human-made content will feel valuable again. Or maybe AI will become so deeply embedded, so seamless, that trying to tell the difference will feel quaint.

Until then, let’s stop blaming punctuation. Because what we’re really afraid of isn’t the em dash. It’s the slow, creeping erosion of what’s real. And honestly? It’s painful to live in fear. Isn’t it?

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 30 (game #1161).

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 #1162) - 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 #1162) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #1162) - 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 #1162) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

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

Quordle today (game #1162) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• M

• W

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1162) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1162, are…

• RECUT
• MOODY
• WHERE
• BRACE

After a run of checking out after seven guesses, I hit a small bump in the road today but still got lucky and completed Quordle with a line to spare.

RECUT was very tricky as it wasn't the most obvious word from the letters I had available (but both truce and cruet were not possible) and it took me a while to realize there were no other possibilities.

Meanwhile, a huge slice of good fortune getting a word in two goes helped me beat my Daily Sequence hoodoo and return to winning ways.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1162) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1162, are…

• FLANK
• JUICE
• ALOOF
• THRUM

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER
• Quordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREE
• Quordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FROND
• Quordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKE
• Quordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIAD
• Quordle #1156, Tuesday 25 March: SNEER, WATCH, FLORA, STAIN
• Quordle #1155, Monday 24 March: FLOUT, SMASH, RAZOR, SMALL
• Quordle #1154, Sunday 23 March: ALLEY, GAMUT, GEESE, RADII
• Quordle #1153, Saturday 22 March: PICKY, BRACE, BOOZE, SURLY
• Quordle #1152, Friday 21 March: DITTY, VALOR, TOWER, AMISS
• Quordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCH
• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC
• Quordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINK
• Quordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEER
• Quordle #1147, Sunday 16 March: INPUT, RUMBA, ELUDE, BLANK
• Quordle #1146, Saturday 15 March: SPEED, CLASH, RISKY, GRATE
• Quordle #1145, Friday 14 March: BELIE, SPEAR, GROWL, ADOBE
• Quordle #1144, Thursday 13 March: AMISS, METAL, TEARY, SHORT
• Quordle #1143, Wednesday 12 March: AWASH, PUSHY, RALPH, PROOF
• Quordle #1142, Tuesday 11 March: LINGO, JUICE, SHARP, REVEL

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 30 (game #658).

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 #659) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• FORE
• WORD
• DEPOSIT
• TOO
• PUT AWAY
• SCREEN
• ATE
• BALANCE
• BESIDES
• HORSE
• TRANSFER
• TO BOOT
• HAD
• AS WELL
• TOOK IN
• WITHDRAWAL

NYT Connections today (game #659) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Absorbed 
• GREEN: An addition
• BLUE: Banking
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “say”

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 #659) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CONSUMED 
• GREEN: ALSO 
• BLUE: ATM OPTIONS
• PURPLE: __PLAY 

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

NYT Connections today (game #659) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #659, are…

• YELLOW: CONSUMED ATE, HAD, PUT AWAY, TOOK IN
• GREEN: ALSO AS WELL, BESIDES, TO BOOT, TOO
• BLUE: ATM OPTIONS BALANCE, DEPOSIT, TRANSFER, WITHDRAWAL
• PURPLE: __PLAY FORE, HORSE, SCREEN, WORD

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

After my worst ever Connections yesterday I was relieved to return to winning ways, but also experienced that rarest of pleasures (for me at least) of actually getting the purple group.

I wasn’t particularly thinking ATM OPTIONS, more just banking terminology, but I was happy to begin with the blue group – even if this seemed a very easy blue group.

Initially I was thinking the word “silver” was a link for SCREEN and HORSE (I’ve got a vague memory of silver horse being used to describe a motorcycle), before I realized _PLAY was the connecting word.

I should be feeling quite clever, but not seeing the yellow group at all suggests this run was down to luck rather than Connections skill.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 30 March, game #658)

• YELLOW: AVERAGE MEAN, NORM, PAR, STANDARD
• GREEN: PICTURED ON THE U.S. GREAT SEAL ARROWS, EAGLE, OLIVE BRANCH, SHIELD
• BLUE: PROPER NOUNS IN BROADWAY MUSICAL TITLES THAT ARE SPOKEN
• PHRASES BIRDIE, DOLLY, KATE, YANKEES
• PURPLE: __MAN BOGEY, CRAFTS, GENTLE, SPOKES

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 NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 30 (game #392).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… That's an equine of a different shade!

NYT Strands today (game #393) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• LOSS
• LOSE
• LION
• RUNS
• BUSH
• HOOK

NYT Strands today (game #393) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #393) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 5th column

Last side: bottom, 2nd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #393) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #393, are…

• ROAN
• DAPPLE
• BUCKSKIN
• CHESTNUT
• PALOMINO
• SPANGRAM: HORSE COLORINGS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 4 hints

Even with four hints I still struggled with today’s word search. I guess I have spent my entire life ignoring HORSE COLORINGS.

The only color I tapped out with confidence was CHESTNUT and this is only because Chestnut Mare by The Byrds is my fourth favorite song about horses. Give it a listen, it’s quite mad.

My top three, incidentally, are Crazy Horses by The Osmonds (for the giggles), the theme tune to the 1960s TV show White Horses (for the innocence of youth), and Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones (for the melancholy majesty).

Also, as previously discussed, Spangrams that begin in the center of the puzzle are an abomination and should be banned by the international puzzling authorities.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 30 March, game #392)

• BASS 
• ALTO
• SOPRANO
• TENOR
• TREBLE
• BARITONE
• MEZZO
• SPANGRAM: CHOIR PART

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.

Severance season 2 may be over (read my Severance season 2 ending explained piece and Severance season 3 hub for more details on where things may go next) but you won't want to cancel your Apple TV+ subscription just yet.

Indeed, there are plenty more fantastic TV shows to enjoy throughout April on one of the world's best streaming services. Okay, there aren't any new movies for the film buffs among you to be entertained on the platform. Apple's specialty is creating unmissable TV Originals, though, and it just so happens that you'll be well stocked on that front between now and April 30.

From new episodes of Apple's latest TV hit The Studio to brand-new offerings including Your Friends & Neighbors and Government Cheese, I'm certain you'll find something worth watching with the aid of this guide. So, read on to find your next favorite Apple TV+ series!

April 2

There aren't many episodes left of Berlin ER to enjoy (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Berlin ER episode 7
• The Studio episode 3

April 4

Dope Thief will be halfway through its episodic run in early April (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Dope Thief episode 5
• Surface season 2 episode 7

April 9

There'll be many new episodes of The Studio to enjoy throughout the month (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Berlin ER episode 8
• The Studio episode 4

April 11

The Surface season 2 finale airs in mid-April (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Dope Thief episode 6
• Surface season 2 episode 8
• Your Friends & Neighbors episodes 1 and 2

April 16

Government Cheese arrives with a four-episode premiere in mid-April (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Government Cheese episodes 1 to 4
• The Studio episode 5

April 18

The third episode of Your Friends & Neighbors will be released on April 18 (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Dope Thief episode 7
• Jane's Animal Adventures season 3 episodes 1 to 5
• Your Friends & Neighbors episode 3

April 23

Five episodes of The Studio down, five more to go! (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Government Cheese episode 5
• The Studio episode 6

April 25

Dope Thief's final episode will launch on Apple TV+ before April ends (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Dope Thief episode 8
• Your Friends & Neighbors episode 4

April 30

Careme makes its streaming debut on the final day of April (Image credit: Apple TV+)

• Carême episodes 1 and 2
• Government Cheese episode 6
• The Studio episode 7

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on the best Apple TV+ movies, Ted Lasso season 4, Slow Horses season 5, and Foundation season 3.

At the 2025 Game Developers Conference, graphics-chip maker Nvidia showed off its latest tools that use generative AI to augment future games.

I tested the Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler and compared it against the traditional RTIC icebox cooler to determine which you should take on your next camping trip.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition is designed for mid-level racing sim enthusiasts, promising a smooth and precise experience.

The leatherette steering wheel has a thick, squared-off design, which I personally prefer. It feels premium and smooth to the touch, sliding through the hands with ease. The paddles also feel excellent, responsive, and easy to tap.

All the other buttons are of a similarly high standard and are positioned well to make for easy access, just like those of the best racing wheels. The dial switch is also a nice touch, although it can only flick toward its two available directions rather than remain on them, which might limit its usability for some.

The pedals are metal and have a high shine, which makes them seem as though they’re made from plastic. They feel great under the foot, though, and the pedal base is stable even on hard floors.

Attaching the wheelbase to a desk is easy enough, if a bit awkward thanks to the weight of the servo and its clamp design. However, it remains firmly in place once attached. Once you power on the TX, take care to keep your hands well away from the wheel, as the autocalibration is quite vigorous.

The TX requires you to download a driver and software in order to get the latest firmware updates and tweak various settings. It’s not the most elegant tool in the world, but it’s stable to run for the most part and offers the usual force feedback settings with plenty of scope for tailoring the experience to your liking, with individual settings for spring and damper configurations, for instance.

In action, the TX is pleasantly smooth and accurate, imparting a strong sense of connection between you and the car. The pedals are also a pleasure to use, being easy to press while offering plenty of feedback, especially the brake pedal. The throttle might be a bit too loose for some, but I found it was still informative enough for controlled inputs.

I did have a few gripes with the TX, though. While the pedals offer plenty of adjustments, the throttle and brake were a little too close for me – although this is a problem I have with many pedal sets. Also, while playing American Truck Simulator, the calibration seemed to go awry, with wheel turns no longer syncing up with those in-game. Whether this is a fault with the wheel or the game is hard to say, but it’s worth mentioning all the same.

However, for the price, the TX is certainly a capable wheel, offering great feel and decent build quality in the main. Depending on your territory, it’s cheaper than the Thrustmaster T300RS, and I think it performs considerably better than this wheel.

Conversely, the Thrustmaster T248 is cheaper than the TX, and is our pick as the best racing wheel overall, thanks to its ease of use and great force feedback. And if you’re looking specifically for the best Xbox racing wheels, then the Logitech G923 is hard to beat. Nonetheless, the TX is a great wheel for those starting out on their racing sim journey.

(Image credit: Future) Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Price and availability

• $369.99 / £309.99 (about AU$588)
• Available now with various accessories
• Some rivals are cheaper

The Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition costs $369.99 / £309.99 (about AU$588) and is available now. It can be configured with various wheels and pedal sets, as well as handbrakes and shifters.

It’s slightly more expensive than the T300RS in the US, although quite a bit cheaper than that wheel in the UK. Regardless, the TX performs better in my view, thanks to the smoother steering, better paddles, and greater feedback from the pedals. The button placement is also better, and the T300RS lacks a dial switch.

However, the Thrustmaster T248 is cheaper than the TX, but it’s the best racing wheel overall in our view, thanks to its ease of use, brilliant pedals, and generally excellent performance for its relatively low price. The Logitech G923 is also one of the best around, although this is more expensive than the TX in the UK but cheaper in the US.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Specs Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Design and features

• Great feeling wheel
• Stable pedal base
• Unglamorous but stable software

The Thrustmaster TX follows a rather typical design. The steering wheel is relatively thick and flatter than perfectly cylindrical designs, which I prefer. It’s finished in a leather material that feels very smooth and makes for seamless slides whenever the wheel self-centers.

The T3PA pedal set features pedal heads made from metal with a high shine, although they feel more like plastic under the foot and are quite light. The base is pleasingly stable, even on hard floors, which I didn’t find with the T300RS. An optional conical stop for the brake is also included but uninstalled by default.

You can adjust the spacing, height, and incline of all pedals, and the process involves unscrewing the pedals with the included Allen key, which is simple enough, if a little time-consuming.

Installing the wheelbase is also quite straightforward, if not the most seamless experience. The screw and thread for fixing the clamp isn’t the smoothest, and the clamp itself tends to rotate out of place while screwing, which is a little frustrating. Also, the handle for turning the screw frequently gets in the way of the base, further adding to the awkwardness.

What’s more, the front-heavy weight distribution of the wheelbase means it won’t stay on the table without falling off, so I had to lean it on my chest while I attached the clamp to my desk with both hands. Ultimately, though, these are minor grievances, and it didn’t take long to get set up.

(Image credit: Future)

Once installed and powered on, you should take care to keep your hands well clear of the wheel, as the autocalibration of the TX – and other Thrustmaster wheels – is quite violent.

If you’ve owned a Thrustmaster wheel before, you should find software setup quick and easy. If you haven’t, you will have to download drivers and a configuration tool via Thrustmaster’s website, which took me a couple of attempts to get working correctly the first time, requiring a restart of my PC. It’s also a little awkward to open the configuration tool, since it’s integrated with Windows’ controller control panel, and it uses a rather dated-looking UI, but it at least functions well.

You’ll find the typical racing wheel adjustments, with options to change the steering angle, with a maximum of 900 degrees, and force feedback options for the periodic and constant forces, as well as those for the spring and damper parameters.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: Performance

• Smooth and accurate steering
• Great brake pedal
• Experienced a one-time calibration issue

The overall performance of the TX is hard to fault. Steering feels much smoother and more connected than on the Thrustmaster T300RS, for instance – lacking that wheel’s notchiness, especially at the start of turns. This meant that making slow and small movements was a more pleasant experience, and was especially noticeable when playing American Truck Simulator, which largely calls for this style of driving. However, steering is still responsive enough for rapid turns and corrections, as I found when racing in Assetto Corsa.

Tracking is also accurate and precise; however, when playing American Truck Simulator, I did experience an instance of desynchronization, with the game lagging well behind my inputs. It’s hard to say whether this is an issue with the game or the wheel, but it’s worth pointing out. Thankfully, the rest of the time it was faultless.

The paddles are quick and provide enough feedback – another area of improvement over the T300RS. The same is true of the buttons, which are tactile and satisfying to use, with many positioned towards the edge of the center, which makes them easy to reach with the thumb. Despite how they feel, though, they’re still no match for those adorning the best PC controllers.

(Image credit: Future)

Pedal response, though, is more impressive. The throttle might be too light for some, but I adapted quickly and found it still offered enough control. The brake pedal is a real highlight, as it’s super smooth and offers the ideal amount of progressive resistance, which in turn imparts plenty of feedback to let you know how hard you’re braking.

However, my one gripe with the pedals is that the brake and throttle are too close together for my liking, even after I adjusted their spacing to their furthest points. I will admit, though, that this is a problem I usually experience with pedal sets in general, so others may not have an issue in this regard.

As with other Thrustmaster wheels, the force feedback can be extremely strong, and I found it borderline unusable on its maximum setting. Thankfully, there are plenty of adjustments you make to it, so getting the right balance between ease of use and immersion is simple. The other force feedback parameters, such as those for the spring and damper, offer noticeable changes too, allowing for greater degrees of steering weight and rebound.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You want good button selection
The buttons are laid out sensibly, and the dial switch is a useful addition, allowing for more mid-race adjustments.

You want smooth inputs
Both the wheel and pedals offer smooth operation with plenty of feedback, making you feel better connected to in-game vehicles.

Don't buy it if...

You want a standard dial
Although the TX helpfully includes a dial switch, it only flicks; it doesn’t stay in position, which might not be ideal for all use cases.

You want a strong throttle
The throttle pedal on the TX is very light, so those who want something less sensitive might want to go with another pedal set.

Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition review: also consider

The Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition faces some stiff competition, namely from these alternatives.

Thrustmaster T248
As the best racing wheel overall in our opinion, there’s not a lot the T248 gets wrong. It’s easy to use and has good pedals and force feedback. We did find that the wheel was slow to recenter, and the paddles weren’t the best, but it’s a great wheel in many other respects.

Read our full Thrustmaster T248 review

Logitech G923
The Logitech G923 is the best Xbox racing wheel in our view. It greatly improves its force feedback system over previous iterations and offers tremendous build quality and steering performance.

Read our full Logitech G923 review

How I tested the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition

• Tested for a few days
• Played various driving games
• Decades of experience

I used the Thrustmaster TX Racing Wheel Leather Edition for a few days, during which time I tried to make as many adjustments as possible to the pedals and force feedback settings in order to experience the full extent of its capabilities.

I played Assetto Corsa in order to test its fitness for serious sim racers. I also played American Truck Simulator to see how well the wheel handles slower and smaller pedal and steering inputs.

I have been gaming for decades, with arcade and sim racers being among my favorite genres. I have used various racing wheels in the past, and have previously reviewed the Thrustmaster T300RS, a similar wheel to the TX.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

The U.N. has identified Kabwe, a city of almost 300,000 people in Zambia, as one of the most polluted places on the planet. Who is to blame? And can justice be done?

(Image credit: Tommy Trenchard for NPR)

• Google says new Nest devices are in the pipeline
• We can expect the gadgets "in the coming months and years"
• Two older pieces of hardware have been discontinued

If you were getting the impression that Google's focus on Pixel phones and AI models meant that the company was ignoring its Nest smart home kit, think again: Google says "more helpful home devices" are on the way "in the coming months and years".

That promise of future hardware was made in a blog post (via 9to5Google) that also announced that the Nest Protect smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector, and the Nest x Yale Lock smart lock, were being discontinued.

It's perhaps no surprise that it's the end of the line for those two pieces of hardware, which haven't been updated in several years – but it seems Google remains committed to smart home devices and to the Nest brand in general.

The blog post points to the Google TV Streamer and the 4th-gen Nest Thermostat (both launched last August) as evidence that it's still interested in hardware for the home, even if there haven't been a huge number of launches in recent times.

New Nests

The Nest Audio was launched in 2020 (Image credit: Future)

Besides the streaming box and smart thermostat, the current Nest range of devices covers security cameras, video doorbells, smart speakers, and smart displays. It sounds as though at least some of those gadgets could be updated this year.

We know that Google is busy swapping out Google Assistant for Google Gemini on its devices and in its software, so that would appear to be a good reason to push out some updated Nest speakers and displays as well.

New models are certainly due: the last new smart speaker we had was the Nest Audio, launched in September 2020, while the most recent smart display to arrive was the 2nd-gen Nest Hub, which made its debut in March 2021.

Amazon is busy upgrading Alexa on its smart home hardware, which might push Google into action – and there are even reports that Echo speakers and displays could be rebranded as Alexa devices in the near future.

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• I've been smart home hunting at CES 2025
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