Technology

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, April 1 (game #1163).

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 #1164) - 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 #1164) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1164) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. Two of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1164) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1164) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• I

• Q

• I

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1164) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1164, are…

• INDEX
• QUEEN
• INCUR
• STOLE

Oh my gosh this was a tricky round of Quordle, with two rare letters and not much joy from my start words.

Although I managed to complete it in seven guesses I don’t think I have ever spent as long taping out possible words before eventually arriving at the correct one.

Getting QUEEN was a royal pain. I hope you found it easier.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1164) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1164, are…

• MYRRH
• FRANK
• NADIR
• CHOKE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT
• Quordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE
• 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

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, April 1 (game #394).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Shine on

NYT Strands today (game #395) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• DART
• KITE
• MARS
• RATES
• DATA
• SHIP

NYT Strands today (game #395) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #395) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th 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 #395) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #395, are…

• DAZZLE
• TWINKLE
• SHIMMER
• SPARKLE
• GLEAM
• RADIATE
• SPANGRAM: STAR POWER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

The double-Z of DAZZLE set me on my way today as I ticked off these shine synonyms.

To anyone who is or was a parent the word TWINKLE will have added meaning as a key component of a nursery rhyme intended to lull tiny tots to sleep and also one of the first things learned during music lessons — for these reasons it’s equally nostalgic and irksome.

I’ve always struggled with fact that light from our nearest star system takes over four years to reach us, but then if you knew me this wouldn’t really surprise you, as when the clocks go forward or back I’m in a state of confusion for the rest of the week and constantly ask myself “yes, but what time is it really?”

The fact that the SPARKLE I’m seeing in the night sky is from 2021 hurts my brain almost as much as yesterday’s Connections.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 1 April, game #394)

• SHOWERS
• BUDS
• ROBINS
• POLLEN
• PUDDLES
• BLOSSOMS
• SPANGRAM: SPRINGTIME

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.

OpenAI has opened up the formerly paywalled feature, allowing anyone to create images using ChatGPT 4o technology.

• One of The Last of Us games is reportedly getting a PS5 special edition release soon
• It'll cost $109.99 or €119.99 and be available as a physical edition
• The special edition could be a bundle containing both The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

A new physical edition of The Last of Us is reportedly being released for the PlayStation 5.

That's according to reliable leaker 'Billbil-kun' at Dealabs, who reports that a "PS5 special edition" will be announced soon, but there's no indication as to what game it will be (via Eurogamer).

It's said that the special edition will cost $109.99 or €119.99 and will be "available in physical form on PS5 very soon".

There are no more details other than pricing, and Billbil-kun asks, "Could it be for Part 1, Part 2, or something entirely new?"

Following the release of The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered on the PS5 - the latter of which is getting a PC launch this week - it would make sense for this new special edition to be a bundle containing both games, especially considering the pricing - especially given season 2 of the HBO series is starting this month too.

"Everything seems to indicate that the officialisation of this edition, as well as the opening of pre-orders, would take place very soon, in a time window that we estimate within two months," said Billbil-kun.

We can cast any ideas about a Last of Us Part 3 aside for now since Naughty Dog is currently developing its new game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

Described as a new sci-fi franchise, the game was announced last year and is set to launch on PS5. There's no release date just yet, but according to a recent report, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet won't launch until after 2026.

It could release in 2027 at the earliest, which means that a cross-gen launch for the PS5 and PS6 is a possibility.

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• Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan discusses the company’s future at its Vision conference
• Spinning off non-core assets and adding more engineers are a priority
• Tan wants to listen to customers, but “it won’t happen overnight”

Intel's new CEO and successor to Pat Gelsinger, Lip-Bu Tan, has announced plans to spin off non-core units to address the company’s recent struggles.

Tan emphasized there would be no quick fix, adding that his first week as CEO meeting with customers uncovered that Intel had fallen short of their expectations.

“Please be brutally honest with us,” he said at the chipmaker’s Vision event in Las Vegas.

Lip-Bu Tan announces long-term plans for Intel

Tan also revealed how Intel could become leaner, with more direct involvement from engineers after it lost its once dominant market position to rivals like Nvidia and AMD.

On the AI chip front, the company severely lags behind Nvidia, which has spent some time as the world’s most valuable company with a market cap of more than $3 trillion.

“We lost quite a bit of talent,” Tan said as he discussed plans to recruit more engineers and give them the “freedom to innovate from within” (via Reuters).

The CEO also wants to be more responsive to customer needs – creating custom semiconductors tailored to client specifications will be one such way.

At the event, Tan also indicated plans to spin off Intel’s non-core assets to focus on core operational strategies – there are no current plans to split Intel’s product and manufacturing units.

Intel stock rose in the days between the announcement and Tan’s appointment but has gradually faded again. Shares also fell 1.2% after he made these remarks at this week’s Vision conference, spelling out further uncertainty and a potential drop in confidence.

“It won't happen overnight, but I know we can get there,” he added.

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• Microsoft used Security Copilot to scan open source bootloaders for vulnerabilities
• It discovered 20 new flaws in just a short time
• Microsoft says the AI tool saved the company at least a week of work

Microsoft has revealed more on how its latest AI tools are proving useful spotting code vulnerabilities and more.

The company has published a new blog post detailing how it used Security Copilot (its AI-powered cybersecurity tool) to find almost two dozen vulnerabilities in different open-source bootloaders.

In total, Microsoft found 11 flaws in GRUB2, and nine more in U-Boot and Barebox.

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Remote code execution risks

GRUB2 (GRand Unified Bootloader version 2) is a bootloader used in Linux and other Unix-like operating systems to manage the boot process and load the operating system.

U-Boot (Das U-Boot) and Barebox, on the other hand, are bootloaders primarily used in embedded systems. U-Boot is a widely adopted bootloader supporting various architectures, while Barebox is an alternative designed for faster boot times and easier maintenance.

The vulnerabilities span from integer and buffer overflows, to side-channel attacks and out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities.

Some of the flaws could be used to execute arbitrary code, Microsoft said, whereas others would need physical access to the vulnerable device, or would need the device to be infected with malware beforehand.

"While threat actors would likely require physical device access to exploit the U-boot or Barebox vulnerabilities, in the case of GRUB2, the vulnerabilities could further be exploited to bypass Secure Boot and install stealthy bootkits or potentially bypass other security mechanisms, such as BitLocker," Microsoft said.

"The implications of installing such bootkits are significant, as this can grant threat actors complete control over the device, allowing them to control the boot process and operating system, compromise additional devices on the network, and pursue other malicious activities."

"Furthermore, it could result in persistent malware that remains intact even after an operating system reinstallation or a hard drive replacement."

All of the flaws now have a CVE assigned, and their severity is mostly “medium”, with one being rated “high” - 7.8/10.

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• Apple may not bring iOS 19 to the iPhone XR, XS or XS Max
• This leak contradicts previous reports on the software update
• The 7th-gen iPad apparently also isn't getting iPadOS 19

Back in December, a leak promised that owners of the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max would be getting iOS 19 alongside the rest of the iPhone range. But a new leak from a pretty reliable source now says that isn't true.

This leak comes via 9to5Mac, whose source – an anonymous, private account on X with a good track record in breaking Apple software stories – says that the XR, XS and XS Max won't be invited to the iOS 19 party.

The new leak also appears to confirm that the seventh-generation iPad, launched in 2019, won't be able to get an iPadOS 19 upgrade either.

What iPhones are getting the iOS 19 upgrade?

The iPhone XS Max may be left behind by the iOS 19 update (Image credit: TechRadar)

Nothing's official until Apple announces it at WWDC 2025, which we now know will start on June 9. But if the latest leak is correct, then the oldest iPhone that iOS 19 will support is the iPhone 11. Of the iPhone SE phones, both the second and generation versions will get the upgrade.

If Apple sticks to its usual timeframe we should see a developer beta of iOS 19 in June, with various public betas before a final release alongside the iPhone 17 in September 2025.

Details of the iOS 19 upgrades haven't been released yet, but of course the leaks have already started. We're expecting to see a visual redesign that allies iOS and iPadOS more closely with visionOS, a new camera app, and maybe even a version of Siri that works more reliably.

It's an important update for Apple: iOS 18 was launched with heavy emphasis on Apple Intelligence, and some of the most talked-about features have been delayed significantly. That means iOS 19 needs to do more than make promises of future fun; it needs to actually deliver.

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• AirPods Max USB-C's lossless update is available now
• You'll need iOS 18.4 to get the update to your Max
• Instructions for checking the update are below

Apple has announced that the lossless audio update to AirPods Max with USB-C launches today, alongside the release of iOS 18.4 for iPhone.

Apple revealed that the AirPods Max update with lossless and latency-free Personalized Spatial Audio was coming previously, but without an exact date – and here it is.

This is the first totally lossless audio support ever for a pair of AirPods, and it provides 24-bit 48 kHz lossless support over USB-C, with a promise that this also brings the latency down to effectively zero, making it great for audio production or gaming.

(The original AirPods Max were lossless-ish, with support for cabled connections, but via an active cable that took analog signal, converted it to digital, then converted it back to analog in the headphones, so too much conversion to be truly lossless.)

Apple says you can connect to a Mac, iPhone or iPad to get lossless audio, but we'll check whether it works with all other USB-C sources too.

Apple has also finally launched its own 3.5mm to USB-C cable, too, to enable the AirPods Max with USB-C to work with analogue audio output (making them work with airplane entertainment systems at last).

(Image credit: Future) How to make sure you've got the update

AirPods updates should be automatic, though Apple recently explained for the first time how to kick AirPods updates into gear if you need to.

You'll need iOS 18.4 on your iPhone, and then follow these steps:

• Put your AirPods Max in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad or Mac, which must be connected to Wi-Fi
• Put your AirPods Max on to charge
• Wait 30 minutes
• Check if you have the new update

To check if you have the update, put your AirPods on, open the Settings app, tap on your AirPods Max, then scroll to the bottom and check to see if Version reads '7E99'.

AirPods Max with USB-C still rank among the best wireless headphones despite their age, thanks to strong sound quality (even at their high price) and tons of unique features for Apple users, including Personalized Spatial Audio, auto-switching between Apple devices, and Find My support.

We actually had to remove them from our list of the best travel headphones since the USB-C version arrived, though, due to their lack of wired input for airplane journeys. This update means we might finally add them back in.

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• The Garmin Vivoactive 6 has been officially revealed
• It looks very similar to the Vivoactive 5, but some spec upgrades offer improvements
• It comes after heavy criticism from Garmin users over the new Conenct+ premium tier

Garmin has revealed the Garmin Vivoactive 6, an affordable smartwatch with a new smart-wake alarm functionality and access to features from more premium Garmin watches, such as Running Dynamics. It's priced at £279.99 (around $360 / AU$580; exact US and AU pricing are TBC).

Garmin’s Vivoactive line is full of sporty, value-orientated watches pitched at the Apple Watch crowd, and the Garmin Vivoactive 5 sits pretty as our current ‘best-value’ pick on our list of the best Garmin watches.

The Vivoactive 6 watch looks very similar to the Garmin Vivoactive 5, with a plastic casing, aluminum bezel, two buttons instead of the usual five-button configuration found on more premium Garmins, an AMOLED screen and a silicone strap.

Just like the Vivoactive 5, the Vivoactive 6 sports up to 11 days of battery life. It shares the dimensions and 1.2-inch screen with the Vivoactive 5, although Garmin has made some changes.

Among the upgrade highlights is a ‘smart alarm’ feature that can wake you at the optimum time during a sleep phase – a features that's new to Garmin, and one we've wanted on Garmins for years – along with daily suggested walking workouts along the lines of its running ones.

As mentioned above, the Vivoactive 6 also has access to Garmin’s advanced Running Dynamics metrics, which the Vivoactive 5 didn't have.

According to a Garmin press release, users "can also download a robust selection of step-by-step workouts for strength, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, mobility and more through Garmin Connect.

"They can also access Garmin Coach running and strength training plans – several of which adapt daily based on performance, recovery and health metrics to help users prepare for their next race, train for a milestone or improve overall fitness."

A wheelchair mode that tracks pushes, and which was one of the best modes introduced on the Vivoactive 5, is also included.

The Vivoactive 6 is available in four snappy-looking color combos: Black/Slate, Bone/Lunar Gold, Jasper Green and Pink Dawn.

Analysis: Garmin is moving the news cycle on

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 (Image credit: Future)

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 seems like a great watch, especially given that it's cheaper than many of its contemporaries from Apple and Samsung. After all, we loved the Vivoactive 5, and there's no indication that this is anything other than an improvement, albeit an iterative one.

However, I can't help feeling that the timeline for this launch may have been pushed up. In the last few days the news cycle has been dominated by the backlash against Garmin for releasing Garmin Connect+, a new paid-for premium tier with AI features that's available separately to the free Garmin Connect app.

Users have taken to social media to complain about paying for a very expensive watch only to then have new features locked behind an additional subscription. Justifiably or not, they fear new features being introduced to Connect+ at the expense of the app’s free version, until the subscription effectively becomes essential in order to get the most out of your watch.

A well-received new budget device from Garmin would help to move the news cycle on, although user ire is unlikely to be easily assuaged in the short term.

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• ChatGPT 4o's impressive image generation is now available for free
• It's fantastic for editing images as well as generating new ones
• There's a daily limit for free users which can be quite infuriating

ChatGPT's viral 4o image generation features are now available to everyone for free, albeit with some limits that can make the new AI tool a little infuriating.

Announced by OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, on X, the new native image generation has taken the world by storm thanks to its impressive ability to create images far better than Dall-E (the previous model used by ChatGPT) ever could.

You might've seen the controversy surrounding the image generation tool's blatant copy of Studio Ghibli-style anime over the last week, but if not we've covered the drama at length here.

In this article, I'm going to show you three ways to use ChatGPT 4o's image generation that aren't following the anime recreation trend.

Why only three you might ask? Well, unfortunately, the daily limit for free users is only three image generations, so it only felt fitting to limit the ideas just like OpenAI has limited the use of the tool.

chatgpt image gen now rolled out to all free users!April 1, 2025

1. Change the background Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

ChatGPT's image generation is very impressive when it comes to replacing the background of your images. In the first example above, I uploaded an image of my French Bulldog, Kermit, and asked 4o to "change the background to the beach."

Like magic, Kermit was now on the beach, although you can tell there have been slight modifications to his likeness. For example, in the original photo, he had a pimple under his mouth, which is now completely removed.

ChatGPT 4o's image generation is very good at determining the outline of a subject and creating a realistic background to match. While I've not yet tried Galaxy AI's version of background editing, from my testing with ChatGPT I can't imagine a better AI background editor is available for free on the market.

After taking Kermit to the beach, I thought I'd try recreating his namesake's iconic opening scene of the 1979 Muppet Movie. In the movie, Kermit the Frog sits on a log in a swamp playing the banjo.

While Kermit the Dog can't play the banjo, ChatGPT managed to take the source material and edit the background so Kermit was indeed on a log in a swamp. Pretty cool!

2. Use a reference to generate a new image

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

ChatGPT 4o's image generation is also very good at using a source image to create anything you can imagine.

After feeding the AI tool multiple images of my dog, I asked "Can you imagine a french bulldog riding a skateboard while dressed as a frog?"

After waiting about 20 seconds, yes the image generation can be pretty slow, I had an excellent image of a French Bulldog that looks like my boy Kermit, in a frog costume riding a skateboard.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice his back paws only have three digits, but I guess ChatGPT thought the dog costume should mimic an amphibian rather than have enough space to be comfortable for the mammal inside.

Unfortunately for ChatGPT, a frog has 18 toes altogether... 10 at the back and eight at the front.

3. Change the mood

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

Last but not least, I decided to upload an image of Kermit in a cow costume. Why is he wearing a cow costume? You might ask. Well, for the purpose of this article I needed an image where he's clearly a bit miffed.

You see I live in Scotland so Kermit needs a fleece to keep himself warm in the winter. Unfortunately for him, he hates wearing a fleece. That said, ChatGPT's new image generation tools can help with that, so I asked AI to "Make this dog happy."

The result here is bizarre because it takes everything from the previous image and recreates it perfectly, just with a smiling dog with its tongue out.

I would argue a French Bulldog always looks miserable, and a tongue sticking out like this would actually imply it's thirsty. But AI deems this a happy dog, and to be fair, it has doesn't a very good job a recreating the image with the mood tweaks I asked for.

Try ChatGPT image generation yourself

So there you have it, ChatGPT's image generation is now free for everyone to try and it's capable of some fantastic photo editing.

The image limitations are pretty annoying, however, as I was only able to generate three images without loading up my paid ChatGPT Plus work account.

I also experienced upload limitations, where ChatGPT stopped allowing me to add source material to edit after providing two images.

So it's worth noting ChatGPT image generation is very powerful, but on the free tier you'll need to be patient as you'll quickly reach a daily limit.

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• A Nintendo Switch 2 trade-in deal at GameStop has seemingly leaked
• The deal is offering buyers up to $175 toward the new console
• Buyers can trade in the original Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED for money off

GameStop's Nintendo Switch 2 trade-in deal has seemingly leaked, offering big discounts for buyers who already own a Switch.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase airs tomorrow on April 2 and is expected to finally unveil a new in-depth look at the console, along with the long-awaited release date, pricing, and pre-orders details.

However, it seems that another leak has broken ahead of the event, and this time, it's a big money-saving offer at GameStop.

As spotted by X / Twitter user MikeOdysseyYT (via 9meters) GameStop's trade-in deal reveals that it will be offering three different discounts when buyers exchange their original Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED for the Switch 2.

Trading in the OLED will get you $175 toward your Switch 2 reservation, the original Switch (V1 or V2) $125, and the Switch Lite $100.

Here is @gamestop's Switch 2 trade in deal. What you get as credit when you trade in your console. Let's say Switch 2 is $399.00, plus 6.5% tax(FL) Comes out to $424.93. If you trade in an OLED, you would pay $249.93 for your new Switch 2. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/hUIXNc94BXMarch 31, 2025

We don't know how much the Switch 2 will cost just yet, but these offers are brilliant if you're looking to save money on the upcoming console.

According to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, the company is aware of rising inflation but has said the console will be in line with the "affordable prices customers expect".

TechRadar Gaming predicts that the Switch 2 will cost around $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$699.95, which is more expensive than the original Switch that launched in 2017 and started at $259.99 / £259.99 / AUD$435.

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• Now Brief has been found on the latest One UI 7 beta
• There's no user interface so the fetaure can't be used properly
• Its presence suggetss it may come to older phones with One UI 7

For many, the best new Samsung Galaxy S25 feature is Now Brief, but for a while it appeared the feature would remain exclusive to only Samsung’s latest phone release even as One UI 1 rolls out to other phones. Thankfully, it seems like a few older phones will get Now Brief after all.

Now Brief is a handy AI tool that gets you prepped for the day ahead with useful info like what events you have today, what journey times are like so you can avoid being late, how well rested you are based on data from your smartwatch, and if coupons in your digital wallet are close to expiring.

It’ll even give you different briefings based on when you check (with morning, afternoon and evening briefings focusing on different information), and our own Senior Writer AI John-Anthony Disotto calling Now Brief “precisely the kind of first-party functionality that I think will make a real difference to users’ lives and, in turn, showcase the true power of AI.”

Unfortunately the feature has been absent from the One UI 7 software betas currently available for older devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 phones.

This has led many to believe it wouldn’t be unlocked for these phones, but it turns out Now Brief is hidden in the One UI beta after all.

That’s according to @MEMETCAN88 who managed to access the hidden function on an S24 running the latest One UI 7 beta (via SamMobile, who confirmed it’s also available on other devices).

Breaking. Now brief feature is available in s24 series. Oneui 7 beta 6 is also hidden but I've uncovered with activity launcher.@tarunvats33 @SamMobiles @theonecid @UniverseIce pic.twitter.com/uvLoHZOJAuMarch 31, 2025

It didn’t work completely however, with the hidden Now Brief lacking the necessary user interface to function properly.

So, what does this mean? Well the optimistic amongst us are hoping it means that Now Brief will make it to older devices. However, given the full release is set to begin on April 7, it may be a feature that isn’t released for a few update cycles.

The more pessimistic look is that Samsung has hidden this feature because it may have thought about releasing Now Brief but ultimately decided to keep it exclusive to its new phones – and it was easier to hide Now Brief than completely remove it from One UI 7.

We’ll have to wait and see what’s announced as One UI 7 arrives on older phones and in following updates, but there’s still a chance the best Samsung Galaxy S25 feature will make its way to older phones – and we're seriously hoping it does.

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• Amazon has launched early access to Alexa+ for selected users, but a few features are missing
• Not all the features showcased at its February launch event will be available straight away, and will instead be rolled out in parts over the next few months
• While Alexa+ is only available on Echo Show 8, 10, 15 and 21, we expect it to come to more Echo devices as more features become available

When Amazon announced its new AI-enhanced Alexa+ voice assistant, we were beyond excited to finally see Amazon’s answer to ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence come to life. In our live blog we speculated a March 31 roll, and it seems as though we were correct as Alexa+ has started rolling out to selected users in the US on certain Echo devices, but it wouldn’t be a major launch without a few catches.

During Amazon’s devices event in February, the company took pride in boasting Alexa+’s revamped voice and AI capabilities, but a report from The Washington Post has identified that Alexa+ is missing a number of handy features. They’ll be unveiled in waves over the next few months, but it does feel like a broken promise in some ways.

During Amazon's devices event in February, Panos Panay demonstrated a handful of new features but not all of them are available in Alexa+'s early access. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) What’s missing from Alexa+?

Amazon promised an array of new features for Alexa+ that provided a more interactive and personal experience with the voice assistant, most notably its ability to offer food recommendations and place orders through Grubhub based on what you’re craving. This feature has the potential to be a saving grace for indecisive foodies out there, but it has been delayed until further notice.

Other useful generative features have gone missing from Alexa+’s early access, including its ability to brainstorm gift ideas when the pressures of gift-buying get too intense, and its storytime mode feature for kids has also been pushed back. The Post has also spotted that Alexa+ lacks the ability to visually identify family members around your home - both of which were demonstrated at its launch event - and the web version for Alexa+ is also unavailable for now.

As per The Post’s initial report, Amazon has declared that these features are missing from Alexa+ simply because they “don’t yet meet Amazon’s standards for public release”. It’s reassuring to know that Amazon has plans to bulk up Alexa+’s features, but you’ll just have to remain patient for a few more months.

So, what can Alexa+ do at the moment?

Despite the missing features, Alexa+’s early launch isn’t totally lackluster. Since it started rolling out yesterday (March 31) Alexa+ can order you an Uber, search for particular products, and draft emails. While you’ll have to wait a little longer for Grubhub integration with Alexa+, you can still use the voice assistant to give you advice on what to cook.

Alexa+ can be accessed for a monthly subscription fee of $19.99, but Amazon Prime members will have full access for free.

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• Samsung Galaxy Watch users are complaining of resetting issues
• Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra users appear to be affected
• Users say their watches go through a forced reset that requires setting up the watch again

A slew of Samsung Galaxy Watch users are reporting that their Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra models keep encountering a forced-reset issue that requires them to setup their devices again.

I was first alerted to the issue by reader Spike, who reached out to me about a problem with their Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. Since the last update, they and other users have noticed the Watch 7 randomly disconnecting from the phone it's paired with, such that the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app won't recognize the watch, requiring a factory reset to re-pair.

"For me this happens about once a week," Spike told me. "I contacted Samsung who wanted me to send my watch in, but I'm pretty certain it's a software issue since a lot of people on the forum are having the same issue."

Samsung Galaxy Watch reset issue

A Samsung Community forum scoured by TechRadar does indeed reveal an extensive thread of users who seem to be suffering from this issue.

"For no apparent reason, my watch keeps doing a forced reset," the original poster said. "I then have to go through the whole process of setting it up again," they added, even mentioning that the latest hiccup completely changed some watch settings.

Other users chimed in to say that they've been experiencing the same issue. "Me too. 3 times now in under 2 weeks," one user replied.

The thread is titled '"Galaxy Watch 7/Ultra resetting', which seems to indicate that this problem is affecting Samsung's two best Android smartwatches; it's unclear if it extends to any other models.

The precise nature of the issue and its extent are little murky, but users are definitely reporting persistent forced resets on their Galaxy Watches, often multiple times a week. At least some of the time, this requires users to go through the setup process to reconnect the watch.

We've reached out to Samsung regarding the problem, but this is definitely a developing issue, and one that appears to be fairly prevalent.

The Samsung forum post has 24 likes and over 300 replies from similarly affected users. Samsung also recently confirmed that some of its watches were not tracking sleep properly, and recommended a fix to users.

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