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Fast-paced floodwaters in San Antonio left 13 people dead. West Virginia also witnessed at least three deaths from flash flooding, with more people missing.

(Image credit: Lekan Oyekanmi)

President Trump says Israel and Iran should make a deal to end their exchange of airstrikes. But there's no sign of a diplomatic solution on the horizon, and Trump is also warning Iran not to strike at any U.S. targets.

The political assassination yesterday of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman was a shock to the people of the state and the country.

NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi reports from Tel Aviv as Israel and Iran trade airstrikes for another night.

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with immigration lawyer Lindsay Toczylowski about the condition of detainees swept up in the ongoing immigration arrests in Los Angeles.

• AI-generated documents are replacing traditional forgeries and bypassing verification faster than ever imagined
• Synthetic identity fraud has surged 195% globally, with Europe and North America hardest hit
• Most fraud now happens after onboarding, using tricks like credential stuffing and device spoofing

Synthetic identity document fraud is now spreading at an alarming pace globally, driven almost entirely by the misuse of generative AI, experts have warned.

New data from Sumsub has claimed the creation of fake documents using AI grew by 195% worldwide between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025.

The most dramatic spike was recorded in Europe, where synthetic ID fraud surged by 378%, followed by North America (311%) and the MENA region (258%).

Traditional forgery declines

This trend appears to be gaining ground on traditional document forgery, which has declined sharply in most regions, dropping by 82% in Africa and 50% in North America - with Europe the exception, where traditional forgeries increasing by 33%.

This shift suggests scammers are moving from conventional techniques to AI-generated identities, which can now be produced in seconds using largely unregulated tools.

The industries most affected by this trend include crypto, trading, transportation, fintech, and gambling, all sectors which often rely on rapid onboarding processes and may not yet have strong enough safeguards to detect synthetic documents before damage is done.

Compounding this vulnerability is the fact over three quarter (76%) of fraud now occurs after the onboarding stage, using methods such as device fingerprint spoofing, credential stuffing, and so-called “money muling.”

“The rise of AI-generated fraud is exposing critical flaws in traditional verification systems, and this data shows sophisticated fake documents are becoming a key tool in the fraudster’s arsenal,” said Pavel Goldman-Kalaydin, Head of AI/ML at Sumsub.

“We expect companies like OpenAI to strengthen safeguards controlling the use of its programs to generate passports, IDs, and other personal documents.”

Parallel to this trend is a dramatic rise in deepfake-related fraud, where North America saw a staggering 1,100% increase in such cases, with Europe following at 900%.

Nations like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Germany saw the highest individual surges, raising concerns about the future role of manipulated visual media in identity fraud schemes.

For individuals and organizations trying to protect themselves, relying solely on conventional KYC protocols may no longer be enough. Businesses are advised to use identity management software and multi-layered verification systems for stronger protection.

Consumers should also consider top-rated ID theft protection solutions, especially those that monitor for synthetic identity use. Using reputable people search tools can add an extra layer of safety when verifying unknown contacts or confirming someone’s legitimacy online.

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Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 470 for June 16.

Here are hints and the answer for today's extra-difficult Wordle No. 1,458 for June 16.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for June 16, #736.

• Fake wallet apps ask for your 12-word phrase and quietly drain your crypto funds
• CRIL found over 20 Play Store apps built solely to steal users’ crypto credentials
• Malicious apps used WebView to fake real login pages from PancakeSwap and others

New research by Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) has uncovered a large-scale phishing campaign involving more than 20 Android applications listed on the Google Play Store.

These apps, which appeared to be legitimate cryptocurrency wallet tools, were created with a singular purpose: stealing users’ mnemonic phrases, the crucial 12-word keys that provide full access to crypto wallets.

Once compromised, victims risk losing their entire cryptocurrency holdings, with no possibility of recovery.

How the apps work and what makes them dangerous

Many of the malicious apps were built using the Median framework, which enables the rapid conversion of websites into Android applications.

Using this method, threat actors embedded phishing URLs directly into the app code or within privacy policy documents.

These links would then load deceptive login pages via a WebView, tricking users into entering their mnemonic phrases under the false belief they were interacting with trusted wallet services such as PancakeSwap, SushiSwap, Raydium, and Hyperliquid.

For example, a fraudulent PancakeSwap app used the URL hxxps://pancakefentfloyd[.]cz/api.php, which led to a phishing page mimicking the legitimate PancakeSwap interface.

Likewise, a fake Raydium app redirected users to hxxps://piwalletblog[.]blog to carry out a similar scam.

Despite variations in branding, these apps shared a common objective: extracting users’ private access keys.

CRIL's analysis revealed that the phishing infrastructure supporting these apps was extensive. The IP address 94.156.177[.]209, used to host these malicious pages, was linked to over 50 other phishing domains.

These domains imitate popular crypto platforms and are reused across multiple apps, indicating a centralized and well-resourced operation.

Some malicious apps were even published under developer accounts previously associated with legitimate software, such as gaming or streaming applications, further lowering user suspicion.

This tactic complicates detection, as even advanced mobile security tools may struggle to identify threats hidden behind familiar branding or developer profiles.

To protect against such attacks, CRIL advises users to download apps only from verified developers and avoid any that request sensitive information.

Using reputable Android antivirus or endpoint protection software, along with ensuring that Google Play Protect is enabled, adds an important, though not infallible, layer of defense.

Strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication should be standard practice, and biometric security features should be enabled when available.

Users should also avoid clicking on suspicious links received via SMS or email, and never enter sensitive information into mobile apps unless their legitimacy is certain.

Ultimately, no legitimate app should ever request a full mnemonic phrase through a login prompt. If that happens, it’s likely already too late.

Full list of the 22 fake apps to avoid

• 1. Pancake Swap
  Package: co.median.android.pkmxaj
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://pancakefentfloyd.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 2. Suiet Wallet
  Package: co.median.android.ljqjry
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://suietsiz.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 3. Hyperliquid
  Package: co.median.android.jroylx
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://hyperliqw.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 4. Raydium
  Package: co.median.android.yakmje
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://raydifloyd.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 5. Hyperliquid
  Package: co.median.android.aaxblp
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://hyperliqw.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 6. BullX Crypto
  Package: co.median.android.ozjwka
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://bullxni.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 7. OpenOcean Exchange
  Package: co.median.android.ozjjkx
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://openoceansi.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 8. Suiet Wallet
  Package: co.median.android.mpeaaw
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://suietsiz.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 9. Meteora Exchange
  Package: co.median.android.kbxqaj
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://meteorafloydoverdose.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 10. Raydium
  Package: co.median.android.epwzyq
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://raydifloyd.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 11. SushiSwap
  Package: co.median.android.pkezyz
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://sushijames.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 12. Raydium
  Package: co.median.android.pkzylr
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://raydifloyd.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 13. SushiSwap
  Package: co.median.android.brlljb
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://sushijames.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 14. Hyperliquid
  Package: co.median.android.djerqq
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://hyperliqw.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 15. Suiet Wallet
  Package: co.median.android.epeall
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://suietwz.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 16. BullX Crypto
  Package: co.median.android.braqdy
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://bullxni.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 17. Harvest Finance blog
  Package: co.median.android.ljmeob
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://harvestfin.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 18. Pancake Swap
  Package: co.median.android.djrdyk
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://pancakefentfloyd.cz/privatepolicy.html
• 19. Hyperliquid
  Package: co.median.android.epbdbn
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://hyperliqw.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 20. Suiet Wallet
  Package: co.median.android.noxmdz
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://suietwz.sbs/privatepolicy.html
• 21. Raydium
  Package: cryptoknowledge.rays
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://www.termsfeed.com/live/a4ec5c75-145c-47b3-8b10-d43164f83bfc
• 22. PancakeSwap
  Package: com.cryptoknowledge.quizzz
  Privacy Policy: hxxps://www.termsfeed.com/live/a4ec5c75-145c-47b3-8b10-d43164f83bfc

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Vance Boelter, the subject of a nationwide manhunt, described himself as an experienced security professional who worked in conflict zones. A friend said at least part of that account is "fantasy."

(Image credit: FBI)

• SoftBank and Intel plan low-power memory to rival South Korean HBM
• Saimemory aims for 2030 launch but faces major market delays
• Intel and SoftBank are already stretched across AI chips and tech investments

SoftBank and Intel are reportedly teaming up to develop a new type of AI-focused high-bandwidth memory that they hope will rival HBM products produced by South Korean tech giants Samsung and SK Hynix.

A report from Nikkei Asia, claims the pair are aiming to create stacked DRAM chips with a new wiring structure that cuts power consumption by half, compared to current HBM chips.

The initiative will be led by a new company called Saimemory, with a prototype expected within two years, and commercialization targeted before 2030.

Too little too late?

Despite the technical ambition, the timeline poses a serious challenge. Samsung and SK Hynix are already several product generations ahead and comfortably dominate the global HBM market. By the time Saimemory brings its alternative to market, the existing players are likely to have extended their lead further.

A SoftBank executive told Nikkei Asia that if the project is successful, “we want priority for the supply,” reflecting just how early-stage the effort remains.

The memory is intended for use in AI data centers, where energy consumption and high throughput are growing concerns. SoftBank hopes the new chips will support large-scale AI training more efficiently and at lower cost.

Stronger domestic supply chains could also reduce Japan’s reliance on Korean suppliers.

Nikkei Asia notes Japan once held over 70% of the global DRAM market but exited as South Korean and Taiwanese players rose. Elpida, Japan’s last DRAM manufacturer, went bankrupt in 2012 and was acquired by Micron, which itself is currently seeking a bigger slice of the $100 billion HBM pie.

SoftBank is the largest investor in Saimemory, with a 3 billion yen stake in the 10 billion yen project. Intel is contributing technology, while the University of Tokyo and other Japanese academic institutions are providing patents. Government support is also being considered.

Although this is a promising endeavor, both SoftBank and Intel have a lot on their plates right now. Intel is managing its foundry expansion, pushing AI chips, and trying to reclaim CPU market share. SoftBank is focused on growing Arm and expanding its AI investment portfolio.

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• Android 16 is causing problems for some Pixel devices
• Navigation buttons and gestures are freezing
• As yet Google hasn't said anything officially about the bugs

Android 16 was officially pushed out to Pixel owners last week, but reports are coming in of the software update causing some pretty major bugs on certain handsets, related to gestures and interface and navigation.

As noted by Android Headlines, the reports say certain navigation buttons and gestures don't respond as they should – meaning certain operations (like going back to the previous screen) take seconds to complete, or don't happen at all.

It's not difficult to find users having problems: on Reddit, we've got posts about unresponsive buttons on a Google Pixel 8, swiping up not doing anything on a Pixel 9 Pro XL, and multiple gestures not functioning on a Pixel 6.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), Artem Russakovskii from Android Police says the back gesture only works intermittently since updating to Android 16 – and there's a screen recording included so you can see what happens (or rather, doesn't happen).

Problems for some

Here's a demo of the back button randomly not working on Android 16.I grabbed a bug report and submitted it to Google engineering along with this reproduction screencast. Hopefully, they'll figure it out. pic.twitter.com/nEmifqQRvbJune 14, 2025

While there are numerous reports of issues online, these problems clearly aren't affecting everyone: since upgrading to Android 16 on my Google Pixel 9 phone, I haven't noticed any problems using the navigation gestures.

As yet, Google hasn't yet said anything officially about these problems. If you are affected, you can report the bug to Google. With so many users now complaining, no doubt this is going to get addressed sooner rather than later.

What makes these bugs particularly annoying is that they relate to a fundamental part of the user experience, and affect multiple apps and screens. Being able to get around your phone is a pretty fundamental part of using it.

Android 16 brings with it a number of useful upgrades, including a new Pixel VIPs feature for your favorite contacts, but we're still waiting for the big Material 3 Expressive revamp to arrive – which should be along later this year.

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Group B gets underway with an all-European clash.

Witnesses said Israeli forces opened fire around dawn toward crowds of desperate Palestinians heading to two aid sites in the southern city of Rafah.

(Image credit: Abdel Kareem Hana)

Samsung HW-QS700F: Two-minute review

The Samsung HW-QS-700F is one of the company's latest soundbars. It combines the performance of Samsung’s Q series models with a stylish lifestyle-friendly design usually found in Samsung’s S series soundbars. Does this mean this crossover soundbar is twice as nice, though, or has becoming a jack of all trades made it a master of none?

At first glance, you might be forgiven for not understanding why the Samsung QS700F might be considered a designer ‘lifestyle’ example of the best soundbars. With its long, angular, hard-finished main soundbar and compact, roughly cubic subwoofer, it looks mighty similar to the components of Samsung’s latest performance-led Q series models.

That’s not to say it’s ugly; it’s slender enough to fit beneath most TV screens, long and deep enough to promise some potent sound, and robustly finished enough to feel like a premium product. And the new subwoofer design Samsung has adopted across most of its soundbar range this year might even be called cute thanks to its relatively small footprint, rounded edges, crisp black finish and jauntily large circular drivers.

In the end, though, despite unfortunately not joining most of Samsung’s performance-oriented Q series models in carrying a proper built-in LED display, it shares more immediate DNA with the Q series than the usually sleeker, smaller S Series.

The S part of the QS700F deal heaves into view with its so-called Convertible Fit feature. This “dynamic dual set-up” system means that, unlike the vast majority of other soundbars, the QS700F can be configured to truly work in either a wall hanging or stand placement.

Of course, many other soundbars out there can either be attached to a wall or placed on a bit of furniture. Practically none of those other soundbars, though, do what the QS700F does and actually adjust their speaker configuration to optimise their performance for their separate wall-hanging or stand placement options.

What happens with the QS700F, essentially, is that the front and up-firing height speakers in play when the soundbar is sat on a TV stand can reverse their functionality if you tip the soundbar up into a vertical position and turn it upside down to place it flat on a wall. There’s even a gyro system built into the QS700F’s main bar component that can automatically tell if the soundbar is being used flat or vertically, adjusting the sound channel configuration accordingly.

Pictures are worth a thousand words when it comes to explaining this extremely rare feature, so I suggest you take a moment to peruse the below images if you’re still struggling to figure out how it does what it does – and why the result is so different to simply sticking a regular soundbar on a wall bracket.

Image 1 of 2

A gyro system built into the QS700F reverses the front and the up-firing height speakers when the soundbar is tipped up into a vertical position to place it flat on a wall for a wall-mount installation (see next slide). (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

The QS700F isn’t the first soundbar that’s been expressly designed to look good and work well when mounted on a wall. Most wall-based soundbar designs, however, can’t also be used in a stand set-up. And soundbars that can do what the QS700F does and completely reconfigure their driver array to support both horizontal and vertical setups are very rare indeed. The main current model I can think of is the Devialet Dione, with its ‘rotating ball’ centre channel speaker, but that will currently set you back £1,800 / around $2,440 – two and a half times what the QS700F costs.

Delivering genuine wall or stand placement flexibility isn’t the QS700F’s only attraction, though. Its 3.1.2 channel count is also more numerous than might have been expected with such an affordable and customisable soundbar – especially given that the .2 bit indicates the presence of two up-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos height effects that are available in either of the soundbar’s two orientation options, and the .1 bass channel bit is delivered by an external subwoofer.

This subwoofer manages to combine likeable, compact aesthetics, too, with two startlingly large drivers on two of its opposing sides. One of these is an active 8-inch driver, while the other is a smaller, passive unit, with the dual-sided approach intended to make it possible to underpin music and, especially, film soundtracks with smoother and less directional bass than Samsung’s previous sub designs did.

The Dolby Atmos playback support (for music as well as movies) mentioned earlier is joined by support for DTS:X soundtracks too, while music lovers can enjoy their favourite tunes streamed in via direct Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Airplay and Tidal Connect support. Supported music file formats are expansive, too, including MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, WAV, ALAC and AIFF.

Stereo music can be played in its basic two-channel format by the QS700F, as you would expect, but its sound presets also include a couple of options that can upmix two-channel music to take advantage of all of the system’s available channels. The Surround mode is the most straightforward of these two options, while an Adaptive option brings AI into play, with a particular focus on optimising volume and enhancing detailing and clarity.

A Game preset, meanwhile, emphasises the multi-channel directionality of the surround sound (often Dolby Atmos) audio tracks modern games typically use, to both make the game world feel more immediate and intense, and to give you a better idea of exactly where approaching or attacking enemies are relative to your own position.

The QS700F's compact remote control (Image credit: Future)

While the QS700F doesn’t carry nearly as many channels as you get with Samsung’s flagship soundbars for 2025, there’s still enough going on to potentially present you with a bit of a setup headache. Happily, though, Samsung has equipped the QS700F with a so-called SpaceFit Sound Pro system that automatically and constantly works to optimise the tone and impact of the bass to keep it in line with the rest of the soundstage, as well as keeping dialogue and effects in balance.

If you decide you want to make the QS700F a full surround system, you can either add a pair of Samsung’s SWA-9500S speakers for £249 / $299, or a pair of Samsung’s Music Frame speakers for a £800 / $600. As well as being much cheaper, I’d suggest the SWA-9500Ses would be the much better option for adding to the QS700F because they include extra up-firing speakers as well as the main forward-facing drivers, enhancing Dolby Atmos’s hemisphere of sound effect.

The QS700F is decently connected considering how affordable it is for such an innovative design, with an HDMI pass-through being joined by an optical digital audio input and the now expected Bluetooth and Wi-Fi streaming options. The Wi-Fi functionality even extends to support for Samsung’s Wireless Dolby Atmos streaming, where the soundbar can receive Dolby Atmos soundtracks from compatible Samsung TVs without the need for any cables.

The QS700F supports Samsung’s Q Symphony system, too, where the speakers in the TV can work alongside those in the soundbar to create a more detailed and well-staged soundscape, rather than the soundbar just taking over all sound duties by itself.

The one disappointment with the QS700F’s connections is that the HDMI pass-through doesn’t join the HDMI ports on Samsung’s Q990F flagship soundbar in supporting 4K 120Hz gaming feeds. So if you have a console or PC capable of outputting graphics to that format, you’ll have to connect your gaming device directly to your TV and use eARC functionality to send game sound from the TV to the soundbar. That approach can sometimes, though thankfully not that often these days, cause a loss of synchronisation between the pictures on your TV and the sound coming from the soundbar.

The QS700F's top surface control buttons (Image credit: Future)

The QS700F’s performance turns out to be startlingly uncompromised by its innovative multi-placement design. There are some mild differences in how it sounds in its two usage configurations, but overall, it sounds excellent whichever way round you use it, and better, in fact, than most ‘standard’ soundbars at the same sort of price point.

Looking first at performance features that remain consistent regardless of whether you’re using the QS700F in its vertical or horizontal stance, the most immediate thing you notice is how powerful it is. Despite its fairly compact two-piece design, it’s capable of both getting seriously loud and projecting its sound far beyond the boundaries of its physical form. The result is a sound that’s capable of filling at least the front half of even quite a substantial room with a really potent soundstage.

There’s much more to the QS700F’s power and projection than just brute force and loudness, though. Its speakers are also sensitive enough to deliver impressive amounts of detail, be it a mild background ambient sound or a more specific, placed effect. Yet it does so with an excellent sense of balance, where no sound stands out artificially brightly from the mix.

Spot effects are accurately placed in the three-dimensional sound space the QS700F creates in either of its vertical or horizontal placement configurations, too, and sound transitions as noisy objects move around the three-dimensional space are tracked with strong and involving accuracy, clarity and consistency, even if there are multiple moving objects to track at the same time.

Impact sounds are delivered with a degree of venom and projection that’s rare indeed at the QS700F’s price point, while the subwoofer performs well beyond its size, underpinning action scenes with seriously deep and distortion-free rumbles. These also, crucially, feel like natural extensions of the dynamic range delivered by the main bar, with no sense of bagginess or dislocation in the way the subwoofer’s sound ‘attaches to’ it.

Treble effects, finally, also emerge without sounding distorted or overly shrill, especially as the subwoofer’s contributions at the other end of the spectrum provide such a potent counterpoint.

While the QS700F is at its absolute best as an ultra-flexible movie soundbar, it’s also a strong music performer. In either of its vertical or horizontal configurations, music enjoys good staging, with effective but not over-stated stereo separation, nicely positioned vocals that sit at the centre of and slightly above the rest of the mix, and some tight and typically well-timed and consistent bass from the subwoofer.

They might not be to everybody’s taste, but the surround sound upmixing options the QS700F provides for stereo sources work unusually well, too. There’s a level of intelligence and naturalism about the way elements in a stereo mix are separated out and redirected around the system’s 3.1.2 channels that you don’t get with arguably any other soundbar brand bar except, perhaps, Sony. Add a pair of the optional rear speakers and the upmixing becomes even more effective, sounding at times more like a professional surround mix than something that’s being essentially made up on the fly by Samsung’s processing.

The QS700F's rear ports include HDMI pass-through for connecting an external source like a Blu-ray player (Image credit: Future)

Looking at the differences in the way the QS700F sounds in its vertical and horizontal configurations coincides for the most part with the weaker aspects of the soundbar’s performance.

Due I think to its rather unusual configuration, where it sits tucked up into the upper edge of the soundbar when it’s placed on a desktop so that it can also work when the soundbar has been turned upside down and placed vertically on a wall, the centre channel speaker isn’t a total success. It can sound a touch muffled at times when using the soundbar in its TV stand set up, and in the wall-hanging configuration, while dialogue sounds clearer, it can also sound like it’s coming from slightly below the onscreen action. (Simply overriding the auto-calibration system and turning the centre channel volume output up a couple of notches helps the stand set up centre channel issue, mind you.)

With the QS700F used vertically, for wall hanging, height and ambient effects in a Dolby Atmos mix aren’t spread quite as far and wide or with quite as much authority and polish as they are when the soundbar is in its desktop position. Finally, stereo music sounds slightly more open, rich and detailed with the QS700F in its vertical stance. In stand mode, stereo music sounds a bit hemmed in, not quite escaping from the soundbar’s bodywork as cleanly and effectively as movie soundtracks do.

In the end, I’d suggest sticking with Standard mode for stereo music playback if the soundbar’s hanging on a wall, but at least giving an extended trial to the Surround mode for two-channel music if the soundbar’s sat on a surface.

I need to wrap all this up, though, by circling back to the point I made earlier that while there are one or two mostly minor performance differences in how the QS700F sounds in its two different set ups, Samsung’s new soundbar’s unique convertible fit design doesn’t stop it from still sounding much better, especially with movies, in either of its configurations than the vast majority of normal soundbars do.

Samsung HW-QS700F review: Specs

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Main bar: 1160 x 51 x 120mm/45.67 x 2 x 4.725 in, Subwoofer: 249 x 252 x 249mm/9.8 x 9.92 x 9.8 in

Speaker channels

3.1.2

Connections:

HDMI input, HDMI output (eARC), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, Airplay, digital optical input, wireless Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos/DTS:X

Yes/Yes

Sub included

Yes

Rear speakers included

No

Features

4K 120Hz passthrough, voice assistant support, room calibration

Samsung HW-QS700F review: Price & release date

The QS700F comes with a compact, dual-driver subwoofer (Image credit: Future)

• First available: April 2025
• Price: £749 / $699.99 / AU$999

The QS700F was released globally in April 2025. While the brand launched a slim-design Q700D soundbar in 2024, the QS700F’s unusual convertible fit design means that it stands as a new product category for Samsung rather than just being an evolution of a previous soundbar model.

The HW-QS700F costs £749 in the UK, $699.99 in the US and $999 in Australia. These prices make the QS700F great value for such a flexible but still high-performance model.

Should I buy the Samsung HW-QS700F?

(Image credit: Future)Samsung HW-QS700F soundbar

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

3.1.2 channels of sound, Dolby Atmos and DTS support, Bluetooth, and a rare true multi-placement design

4.5 / 5

Performance

Outstanding power, detail and staging that mostly holds up no matter which way round you use it

4 / 5

Design

The way the speakers change their role to suit different setups is genius, and both the main bar and wireless sub are surprisingly compact for such a powerful system

4 .5/ 5

Value

Considering the combination of performance and features it provides, the QS700F looks like a pretty good deal

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a soundbar that can truly switch between wall and surface use

The QS700F joins the rare breed of soundbar design that can swap speaker duties around depending on whether the soundbar is hung on a wall or sat on a tabletop.

You want much more powerful sound than your TV could ever manage

Worries that the QS700F’s extremely unusual focus on delivering a low-profile design, whether it’s wall- or stand-mounted, would compromise Samsung’s usually powerful soundbar performance proved spectacularly unfounded. No TV sound system can sound anywhere near this good.

Don't buy it if...

You want an out-of-the-box full surround sound experience

While the QS700F creates a large soundstage, it doesn’t include any rear speakers and so can’t extend its sound behind you.

You’re sure you will only ever want to sit your soundbar on a piece of furniture

If you don’t envisage ever wall-hanging your soundbar, then I guess you could get a ‘normal’ soundbar instead. Though the QS700F sounds good enough in its simple desktop mode to stand tall against most of its ‘standard’ mid-range rivals.

Samsung HS-QS700F soundbar: Also consider

Samsung HW-QS700F

Sonos Arc Ultra

Samsung HW-Q800D

Price:

£749/$699/AU$999

£999/$999/AU$1,799

£699/$699/AU$799

Dimensions (w x h x d):

Main bar: 1160 x 51 x 120mm/45.67 x 2 x 4.725 inches, Subwoofer: 249 x 252 x 249mm/9.8 x 9.92 x 9.8 inches

1178 x 75 x 110.6mm/46.38 x 2.95 x 4.35 inches

Main bar - 1110.7 x 60.4 x 120mm/43.73 x 2.38 x 4.73 inches; Subwoofer - 403 x 210 x 403mm/15.87 x 8.27 x 15.87

Speaker Channels:

3.1.2

9.1.4

5.1.2

Connections:

HDMI input, HDMI output (eARC), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, Airplay, digital optical input, wireless Dolby Atmos

HDMI input (eARC), Bluetooth, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, Airplay, Sonos Multiroom

HDMI input, HDMI output (with eARC), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, digital optical audio, Airplay, Wireless Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos/DTS:X:

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Sub / rear speakers included:

Yes/No

No/No

Yes/No

Sonos Arc Ultra

The Sonos Arc Ultra is one of our current favourite one-box soundbars. The scale and detail of the sound it’s able to produce from its surprisingly compact form is incredible, and while it doesn’t ship with a subwoofer, its integrated low frequency system still delivers startling amounts of rumble and bass. You can add optional rear and subwoofer speakers too. The Sonos Arc Ultra doesn’t support true multi-position placement like the QS700F, though, and it also costs £250 more.

Read our full Sonos Arc Ultra review

Samsung HW-Q800D

The Samsung HW-Q800D was rated by us in our recent best soundbars of 2025 selection as the best soundbar for most people. A position it earns by virtue of being an excellent all-rounder that combines outstanding sound quality, a compact two-piece design, good connectivity and a great value price considering what it offers. It’s a 2024 model, though, so if you want one, you’d best be quick about it – and again, it doesn’t truly support multi-position placement like the QS700F does.

Read our full Samsung HW-Q800D review

How I tested the Samsung HW-QS700F

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested across 9 days
• Used in both a regular living room environment and a dedicated test room, in both its wall-mount and stand mount orientations
• Tested with a mixture of music and video sources

Testing the Samsung QS700F was more complicated than usual, thanks to its Convertible Fit technology, requiring it to be used for half the time in a regular surface-mounted stance, and half the time in a vertical wall-mounted stance. I tested it extensively in both of its configurations with a range of CDs, high-quality audio streams and 4K Blu-ray movie soundtracks.

The 4K Blu-ray soundtracks I used included both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X mixes, since the QS700F supports both, while stereo music was tested both in native two-channel mode and using the soundbar’s multi-channel upmix feature.

First reviewed: June 2025

Read more about how we test

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, June 15 (game #1238).

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 #1239) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1239) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1239) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1239) - 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 #1239) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• S

• D

• F

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

Quordle today (game #1239) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1239, are…

• RETRY
• SCALD
• DINGO
• FEIGN

There was one word that stopped me roaring home today and that was DINGO. Despite having all five letters I really struggled to find an actual word before finding the wild Australian dog.

RETRY took a little while too, until I accepted the possibility of a repeat letter – first E, then the correct choice of R. 

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1239) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1239, are…

• FIFTY
• ENNUI
• SIREN
• ROACH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST
• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE
• Quordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHID
• Quordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITE
• Quordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDE
• Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGH
• Quordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURER
• Quordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADAR

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, June 15 (game #735).

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 #736) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SHIPSHAPE
• INANIMATE
• CARBON
• ROD
• GLASS
• WOODEN
• BRACKET
• GARNISH
• BUSBOY
• TRAINEE
• FLAT
• STRAW
• BLANK
• HOOK
• COASTER
• CURTAIN

NYT Connections today (game #736) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: No emotion
• GREEN: Hang on
• BLUE: Bartender accoutrements
• PURPLE: Needed to get from A to B

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 #736) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: EXPRESSIONLESS 
• GREEN: DRAPERY HANGING ITEMS 
• BLUE: WHAT A DRINK IS SERVED WITH 
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION 

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

NYT Connections today (game #736) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #736, are…

• YELLOW: EXPRESSIONLESS BLANK, FLAT, INANIMATE, WOODEN
• GREEN: DRAPERY HANGING ITEMS BRACKET, CURTAIN, HOOK, ROD
• BLUE: WHAT A DRINK IS SERVED WITH COASTER, GARNISH, GLASS, STRAW
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION BUSBOY, CARBON, SHIPSHAPE, TRAINEE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

EXPRESSIONLESS was easy enough to get, but from here my progress was purely down to lucky guesses.

DRAPERY HANGING ITEMS I only got because I thought we were looking for things linked to furniture, so I used up one guess by including COASTER.

Then, for the purple group I would like to have seen STARTING WITH METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION but I didn’t. I put four random words together from the eight that were left and got lucky with a ‘one away’, then managed to guess correctly.

I suppose I could have pretended I was clever enough to see all today’s links but the truth is I fudged it all the way.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, June 15, game #735)

• YELLOW: SLANG FOR COFFEE BREW, JAVA, MUD, ROCKET FUEL
• GREEN: "AW, HECK!" BLAST, CRUD, CURSES, FUDGE
• BLUE: CONSIDERATIONS FOR MOVIE RATINGS ACTION, LANGUAGE, NUDITY, SMOKING
• PURPLE: WHAT "POP" MIGHT MEAN BURST, FATHER, POPULAR, SODA

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, June 15 (game #469).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Key notes

NYT Strands today (game #470) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• REPEAT
• NEEDS
• LICE 
• SAUCE
• PLATE
• CLUE

NYT Strands today (game #470) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #470) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #470) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #470, are…

• ETUDE
• SUITE
• MINUET
• NOCTURNE
• SONATA
• PRELUDE
• SPANGRAM: PIANO PIECES

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

I desperately needed a hint to start me off today and the word that I was given – ETUDE – is one that I’m only familiar with from playing Wordle spinoff Quordle, where it has appeared several times this year.

It’s a piece of music that’s used as practice for students and is intended to stretch and test their abilities. 

Once I had this prompt I managed to find the other words without any further assistance.

All of these words for PIANO PIECES are familiar, but I was uncertain what they all meant. MINUET, for example, I had assumed meant a very short piece but is actually a slow, stately dance in triple time. Everyday’s a school day with Strands.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, June 15, game #469)

• CHALUPA
• CRAWDAD
• POPCORN
• PAPARAZZI
• POPSICLE
• SPANGRAM: FATHERS DAY

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.

The German giant takes on Oceania's only representative in the tournament.