Technology

• The fully recovered source code for Command & Conquer is getting a public release
• Steam Workshop support for several Command & Conquer games has also been added
• A 'C&C Modding Support' pack for all games is also available for modding

EA has announced that it's releasing the fully recovered source code for Command & Conquer.

Luke "CCHyper" Feenan, a veteran of the Command & Conquer community, modder, and Admin of CnCNet, shared the details on behalf of the studio in a new Reddit post, confirming that the source code for Command & Conquer, aka Tiberian Dawn, C&C Red Alert, C&C Renegade, and C&C Generals + Zero Hour will be released to the public under the GPL license.

In addition, Steam Workshop support will also be introduced for several Command & Conquer titles allowing users to upload their custom maps. These games include C&C Renegade, Generals and Zero Hour, C&C 3 Tiberium Wars and Kane’s Wrath, Red Alert 3 and Uprising, and C&C 4 Tiberian Twilight.

All Mission Editor and World Builder tools have also been updated, which means players can easily publish edited maps directly to the Steam Workshop.

A 'C&C Modding Support' pack containing the source Xml, Schema, Script, Shader, and Map files for all the games using the SAGE engine will also be released for modders to access.

"This has been another wish from the community for almost 15 years now so we’re excited to finally make this happen, and we hope this helps you all in continuing to make amazing content and mods for the years to come

These new initiatives were initially ideas proposed by Feenan, who was also a part of the development of the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, following its release in 2020.

"I know this will empower those in the community who continue to create content for these classic entries in the franchise, and I hope it will aid communities like CnCNet to continue to support these games and keep them playable for future generations to come," Feenan added.

To celebrate the release of the source code, Command & Conquer Remastered Collection producer Jim Vassella shared that the team was able to discover and digitize some rare gameplay footage from the early development of C&C Renegade and C&C Generals. This footage is also now available in a compilation format for fans of the series to watch and enjoy.

You might also like...

• Best PC games 2025: the must-play titles you don’t want to miss
• Xbox Game Studios boss says there are 'a bunch' of games yet to be revealed
• Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater's PC requirements confirm you'll need a high-end graphics card to run the game at its best settings

The improving Hammers take on a Foxes side edging closer to the trap door at the London Stadium.

Are you getting enough omega-3s? Here are the best omega-3 supplements to add to your diet.

Fill nutritional gaps with the best multivitamins that women need to stay healthy.

• A Google Chrome Canary beta build has revealed a new split-screen feature
• It's been updated twice and renamed since it was first discovered
• It's not available to the public yet, but is expected to release soon

The latest beta build of Google Chrome features brand-new split-screen functionality. This feature lets you use two windows in a single tab and even dynamically change the size of the windows for enhanced productivity.

Uncovered by X user Leopeva64, the new Google Chrome split-screen feature appears to be now known as "Show side-by-side". However, it was first available in the drop-down menu as "Split tab with active tab".

Naming conventions aside, the functionality is identical between the two beta updates; you can merge two windows in the browser under one larger tab, and then you're able to resize the two sides, which means you won't have to manually drag two windows snapped together or swap tabs out.

While confirmed to not be fully functional yet, plans are in place for the handle (space between the tabs) to be resizable as well. With a larger dividing gap, you can better separate the two tabs or minimize the gap completely for a seamless encompassing window.

The functionality is not live yet for regular users in Google Chrome, as it's currently only available in a Chrome Canary test build. Considering it's already been updated twice since it was discovered earlier in the month, there's no telling how it will perform when it's eventually rolled out in an update for everyone.

A time-saving productivity tool for one of the best web browsers

Despite how demanding Google Chrome can be on your RAM and CPU, there's no debating that it's one of the best web browsers you can use in 2025. This new split-screen tool is a smaller update than what we've traditionally seen rolled out, but it is something that could be a productivity powerhouse for those studying and working and needing web access.

It sounds particularly good for laptop users or people working with a smaller computer monitor, as there will be no need to awkwardly try to snap multiple windows together in a cramped space. Similarly, with adjustable scaling to each tab, all under one umbrella. If you're someone doing research and you need the source larger than where you're writing, that can be easily done, and vice versa. It's another step in improving the speed and customization of Chrome as a web browser at a time when more users are demanding more functionality or going elsewhere.

Google Chrome Canary is a beta build of the web browser aimed at developers that is updated every single night. While it can be unstable, it provides insights into new features and improvements long before they arrive to the rest of the users (if they show up at all). Things are tested automatically, and usually not too extensively, so it's a chance to play around with things that may or may not always work.

Recent Chrome updates have included long-term security features for ChromeOS, and stability updates for desktops, iOS, and Android. Previously, in October 2024, Google released performance controls for the web browser so you could make it run faster or more efficiently. In the same month, the company made its plans known to crack down on ad blockers and other unauthorized extensions on its web store.

You might also like...

• Nvidia is retiring PhysX for its RTX 50 series graphics cards
• Alleged benchmarks show AMD RX 9070 XT could match RTX 4080 performance
• Grok 3’s voice mode is unhinged, and that’s the point

The effort is said to be part of Meta's initiative, called Project Ray, aimed at taking on TikTok.

• Valve's new headset is reported to cost $1,200 in a bundle
• The company is allegedly selling the headsets at a loss
• Sources claim you'll be able to play Steam Deck games on it

The upcoming Valve VR headset, codenamed 'Deckard', is rumored to launch towards the the end of 2025 and is alleged to cost $1,200, according to fresh claims from a well-known content creator.

According to Gabe Follower, a content creator with over 200,000 followers on X, the new Valve Deckard VR headset will be available as a full bundle for $1,200, which allegedly includes some games, as well as the two "Roy" controllers. Despite the high price tag, it is claimed that it will be "sold at a loss" by Valve.

As well as playing virtual reality games, it is believed the headset will also be able to play "flat games" akin to the Steam Deck with no requirements of using an external monitor or TV. Gabe Follower claims that "Valve want to give the user the best possible experience without cutting any costs."

Additionally, it's been said that the models for the "Roy" controllers were visible in a SteamVR update. Allegedly, the new VR headset will support a modified version of SteamOS as seen in the Steam Deck, but tailored for a virtual reality experience. The controllers appear to do away with the traditional ring design of the company's previous model, the Valve Index, in favor of something more akin to the Meta Quest 3S.

As a standalone device that can also be plugged into a PC, it's currently unknown what kind of hardware Valve's new VR headset will feature, with some concerns that it could struggle to achieve its rumored 120Hz refresh rate with a claimed resolution of 1440p across two screens. Similarly, there has been no mention of the expected battery life at this time.

Previously, in September 2023, Valve certified an unannounced hardware device in South Korea, and the company hinted towards the next generation of its VR headsets. Product Designer Greg Coomer said, "I can definitely say that we are continuing to develop VR headsets recently. Valve has a lot of expertise in VR devices and has faith in the medium and VR games."

The next generation is going to be expensive

While the PC-tethered Valve Index launched at $999 back in June 2019, the upcoming Deckard standalone VR headset looks to be pricier at $1,200 for the "full bundle". As an all-in-one device, its main competition will not be from high-end PC VR options such as the HTC Vive Pro 2 and the Pimax Crystal but the likes of the Pico 4 and (most crucially) the Meta Quest 3, as well as the cheaper Meta Quest 3S.

Most standalone headsets come in significantly cheaper than the alleged price of the Valve Deckard. For instance, the Meta Quest 3 retails for $499.99 for the 512GB model, with the Meta Quest 3S costing even less, starting from $299.99 for the 128GB version. Additionally, the Pico 4 Ultra, a mid-range all-in-one headset, retails for the equivalent of $670, although it's currently not yet available in the US.

That puts Valve's upcoming VR standalone headset into a tough market where it's a high-end headset aimed primarily at PC gamers that also costs anywhere from double (or triple) the bulk of its competition. While its functionality (essentially doubling as a wearable Steam Deck) does sound intriguing, that's an incredibly high asking price given the current state of the market, eclipsing all of the mainstream options available right now.

We won't know if the Valve Deckard is worthwhile until we see it in action or test it ourselves, so it's too early to judge its qualities based on just the rumored pricing. However, factoring in it costs more than the Index by $200 (and far more now since sales) and many of its competitors, it seems like a niche product for a smaller subset of PC gamers who also want to play a premium for wearable Steam Deck use, when they likely already have the handheld in their homes to begin with.

With that said, it could be a smash-hit success as an encompassing solution for replacing monitors and TVs if you're someone who lives in a cramped space. As we saw with the Steam Deck's meteoric rise in popularity over the last three years, with the competition now incredibly fierce, the Deckard could be doing something that catches on and ends up being imitated and innovated upon by others. If this is to happen, though, it'll need to offer a far lower MSRP than what's alleged here.

You might also like...

• How to recover files in Windows 11
• What is Leonardo.Ai?
• AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT has allegedly leaked at $699

• The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is still a prototype, but a new YouTube video showcases its potential performance stats
• There is currently no release date for the handheld gaming PC
• Based on the Legion Go S' starting price, the Legion Go 2 is expected to cost between $900 and $1,000

We're likely still months away from Lenovo's full reveal and launch of its Legion Go successor, purported to be powered by AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip. While a prototype model was present at CES 2025, performance stats were kept under wraps considering its incomplete nature - now, (assuming the specs remain the same) we may have just seen what the Lenovo Legion Go 2 will have to offer.

On this occasion, the stats come from Fps Vn (reliable for handheld gaming PC benchmarks and comparisons) on YouTube, where we can see the Lenovo Legion Go Z1 Extreme compared to what is supposedly the Lenovo Legion Go 2 Z2 Extreme. In multiple games, the Z2 Extreme handheld leads mostly by 10 or 11 frames per second (on average) while using frame generation at 30W - this is evident in Cyberpunk 2077 (video below), with a 15% performance difference.

It's important to note that this is while using frame generation, and hence doesn't provide raw performance impressions - there also isn't any full clarity on whether the Legion Go 2 in the video is indeed the real Legion Go 2, despite the description stating a 'private lab' test.

Another possibility is that the performance stats here are from a device that also utilizes AMD's Radeon RX 890M integrated GPU (which is present in the Z2 Extreme APU), so it's best to wait until the Legion Go 2 is finalized and more benchmarks are available. But if these performance stats are accurate, they may not leave a great impression - at least when looking at the cost of the handheld.

A 10 or 11 fps difference is great don't get me wrong, but not at a potential $1,000 price

Once again, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 is currently a prototype, so there is no confirmation of any price point - however, if these supposed performance results for a highly anticipated successor are accurate, I'll be a little disappointed.

Based on the Legion Go S with its $729.99 / £600 / AU$1,299.00 starting price, it would make very little sense for Lenovo to price its superior product (with an OLED screen, too) in the same region. This means we'll likely see a price range between $900 and $1,000, neither of which is justifiable for this sort of meager performance gains, in my opinion.

I hold the same sentiment towards the MSI Claw 8 AI+, despite it seemingly being the king of this generation's handheld gaming PCs based on what I've seen - its $899 / £899 (around AU$1,440) price tag is a big ask, and nearing the sort of budget I'd suggest if you wanted to build a mid-range gaming PC.

When the Legion Go 2 actually gets officially unveiled, if Lenovo can provide a strong price point that is reasonable then I'll gladly walk back my statements on this matter - however, the addition of 32GB of RAM and an OLED screen suggests that my price estimate could be right on the money.

You may also like...

• Hands on: MSI Claw 8 AI+: will the second time be a charm for MSI? It sure feels that way
• Meet the MSI Claw 8 AI+, MSI's shot at redemption for the PC gaming handheld market
• I absolutely love handheld gaming PCs, but I’m sorry Acer – an 11-inch display is just too large

• New leaked 3D models seemingly give us a final look at the Nintendo Switch 2 dock
• The renders show off the Switch 2 dock from all angles and its ports
• The dock's features appear to align with previously leaked photos from before the Switch 2 reveal

A new look at the Nintendo Switch 2 has seemingly leaked, showing us what appears to be the final design for the dock.

Nintendo finally unveiled the first look at the Switch successor in January in the long-awaited announcement trailer, and though the console's dock was featured in the video, it appears that the final design is a little different from what was initially revealed.

As reported by wwftech, the same leaker who previously posted images of the system last year has now shared brand-new 3D models of the dock from the front, angled from the back, a top-down view, and the base.

The top-down view in particular offers a look at where the Switch 2 itself will slot into and connect, while the back shows a grid-like feature that could potentially be the cooling system. It also seems like the dock will have a built-in ethernet port, a HDMI slot, and a USB-C AC adapter.

These features seem to align with leaked models that were circulating online in January, before the console's official reveal, which showed the dock's input and output voltage. It also seems that the Switch 2 will ship with a 60W charger to use with the dock.

We can't say for certain what the final Switch 2 design will look like, but Nintendo has confirmed that a new Nintendo Direct showcase will be broadcast on April 2 which should hopefully provide us with an in-depth look at the hardware, as well as its software.

You might also like...

• The best Nintendo Switch games to play in 2025
• Nintendo Switch 2 Direct - five things I want to see
• Don't worry about the Nintendo Switch 2 price, Nintendo says it will follow the 'affordable prices customers expect'

• Oura Ring's readiness core is getting a big upgrade
• The algorithm now takes into account the biometric changes of the menstrual cycle
• It will ensure more accurate assessments of daily well-being

Oura, makers of some of the best smart rings you can buy, has today unveiled an update to its Readiness Score algorithm that the company says will ensure more accurate metrics for menstrual tracking.

Alongside a new pregnancy study and a new underrepresented menstruation study, the company has rolled out the algorithm improvement to its smart rings, including the Oura Ring 4.

As the company notes, previous research conducted using the Oura Ring "has revealed how cycle-related hormonal fluctuations can impact women’s physiology and daily lives." Now, the company is putting that data to good use by updating its Readiness Score to take into account "the biometric changes that each individual experiences during their cycle," a move the company says will ensure "a more accurate assessment of daily well-being."

Oura Ring's Readiness upgrade

According to Oura, "35 percent of cycling members will see no impact on their Readiness Score during their luteal phase." As the company notes "many women experience increased heart rate and temperature and decreased heart rate variability," which are all metrics that factor into a Readiness Score and might otherwise be a sign of increased stress and strain.

Oura says that any members who do see an impact should only see a lower Readiness Score on three percent of days, an 81 percent overall decrease in days that members see their cycle impact their score. Generally, this should mean that members see better scores overall during the menstrual cycle.

Holly Shelton, chief product officer at Oura, said that Oura was "dedicated to ensuring our app features accurately reflect the latest scientific understanding of the physiological changes women experience," and said the move would help empower "women to confidently navigate their unique cycles with the most accurate and personalized information possible.”

Oura has also announced a 10,000 participant study into pregnancy in partnership with The Scripps Research Digital Trials Center.

You may also like

• Samsung and Oura can rest easy – Apple isn't developing a smart ring
• I tried wearing an Oura smart ring and might never go back – but it can’t replace my Apple Watch
• Less than $250! You can now buy an Oura Ring 3 at an all-time low price

• Check Point uncovers major hacking campaign, targeting hundreds of thousands of devices
• The campaign leveraged a vulnerable, but signed, Windows driver
• It allowed crooks to disable antivirus programs and take over endpoints

A huge cybercriminal campaign has been spotted utilizing outdated and vulnerable Windows drivers to deploy malware against victims. The campaign originated in China, and the majority of the victims are also located in China.

An in-depth article published by cybersecurity researchers Check Point said the attackers identified a vulnerability in the Truesight.sys driver, version 2.0.2. This is an older version, known to allow arbitrary process termination.

The crooks created more than 2,500 unique variants of the driver, to maintain its valid signature and thus avoid being picked up by antivirus programs.

Hundreds of thousands of victims

They then set up their C2 infrastructure using servers located in China, and hosted the vulnerable drivers. The victims would then be targeted through phishing and social engineering, being offered fake deals on luxury goods, and similar. Once they download the vulnerable driver and the initial piece of malware, their security programs would be remotely disabled, and additional payloads dropped, granting the attackers full control over infected machines.

Check Point did not say how many people were targeted, but suggested that the campaign was massive, potentially hitting hundreds of thousands of devices. While the majority of the victims (75%) are in China, the rest is spread across Asian regions such as Singapore, Taiwan, and similar.

The first steps (setting up the infrastructure) were made in September 2024, the researchers explained, hinting that the campaign is active for at least half a year. In mid-December last year, Microsoft updated its Vulnerable Driver Blocklist, preventing further exploitation of the flawed driver.

The threat actor behind this campaign is most likely a group called Silver Fox, a financially motivated group, and not a state-sponsored one.

Check Point says the execution chain, as well as tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) closely resemble a September 2024 campaign that was attributed to Silver Fox. What’s more, the group is known for using Chinese public cloud servers to host payloads and C2, as well as for targeting victims in the Asian region.

You might also like

• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• A major FBI operation has deleted Chinese malware from thousands of US computers

The new Cricut Maker 4 and Cricut Explore 4 offer a new sensor for accuracy and loads of smaller improvements to its excellent platform.

Your CD earnings aren't all yours to keep. Be sure to budget for paying the government their share.

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, February 27 (game #1130).

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 #1131) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1131) - 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 #1131) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1131) - 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 #1131) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• P

• R

• P

• D

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

Quordle today (game #1131) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1131, are…

• PASTA
• RAZOR
• PLUMB
• DROOL

I made hard work of today’s puzzle, guessing Pasty ahead of PASTA.

Meanwhile, I took forever before I got to RAZOR, despite having most of the word. It’s funny how some letters, Z among them, are almost invisible when you try to work out what you’re missing.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1131) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1131, are…

• GUISE
• FLOAT
• GLYPH
• SHARP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME
• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
• Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
• Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, February 27 (game #627).

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 #628) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PEACH
• YO-YO
• EGG
• MARBLES
• TOOTHPASTE
• WAFFLE
• DOLL
• MIND
• GENIE
• ANGEL
• SENSE
• HESITATE
• WAVER
• WITS
• BELL
• DEAR

NYT Connections today (game #628) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Willy-nilly
• GREEN: Clarity
• BLUE: Names for your sweetheart
• PURPLE: Featured in sayings

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 #628) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: BE INDECISIVE 
• GREEN: LUCIDITY 
• BLUE: LOVELY PERSON 
• PURPLE: COMPONENTS OF METAPHORS FOR THINGS THAT CAN'T BE
• UNDONE 

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

NYT Connections today (game #628) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #628, are…

• YELLOW: CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE CALL, DIAL, PHONE, RING
• GREEN: PARTS OF A CAR BELT, HORN, MIRROR, WHEEL
• BLUE: LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION ATOM, CELL, ORGAN, TISSUE
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH UNITS OF MEASURE BIGFOOT, COMPOUND, INSTAGRAM, THERMOMETER

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

You can’t unring a BELL, put the GENIE back in the bottle, make an omelette without breaking an EGG, or put the TOOTHPASTE back in the tube, but if you could, maybe you could come up with a snappier category than COMPONENTS OF METAPHORS FOR THINGS THAT CAN'T BE UNDONE.

While it’s true that you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube, I do have a nice little winding device that means I can get every drop out of mine. I do this because I have very fancy and expensive taste in toothpaste. I can’t afford to waste a single pea-sized squeeze.

Anyway, sorry to WAFFLE on my DEAR.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 27 February, game #627)

• YELLOW: CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE CALL, DIAL, PHONE, RING
• GREEN: PARTS OF A CAR BELT, HORN, MIRROR, WHEEL
• BLUE: LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION ATOM, CELL, ORGAN, TISSUE
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH UNITS OF MEASURE BIGFOOT, COMPOUND, INSTAGRAM, THERMOMETER

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, February 27 (game #361).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Nautical ink

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MAID
• LOSER
• PART
• SOLD
• WEST
• CARP

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Seafaring body art

NYT Strands today (game #362) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #362) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #362, are…

• EAGLE
• SHIP
• SWALLOW
• ANCHOR
• MERMAID
• COMPASS
• SPANGRAM: SAILOR TATTOO

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The SAILOR TATTOO made an appearance in Connections recently, so I was well-versed in what I was looking for here.

The subjects that made it to today’s puzzle are among the most popular, but there’s lots of traditional ones that didn’t make the cut – among them is the superstition that having a pig tattooed on your left foot and a chicken on the right would ward off being the victim of a shipwreck.

Over time, the meaning of some of these symbols has been lost or unappreciated by non-sailors. A single SWALLOW, for example, was inked on a seafarer after they had travelled 5,000 nautical miles from home, two were awarded after reaching 10,000.

Maybe tattooists could come up with some similar reward-based tattoos for us land lovers – a tattoo of a cardboard box after 2,000 Amazon deliveries? 100 editions of Strands without a Hint.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 27 February, game #361)

• FOOT
• BIRD
• BREAK
• SPENDER
• CHEESE
• LEAGUES
• PICTURE
• SPANGRAM: BIG STUFF

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and 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.

• Pro-Ject's AC/DC deck may set you on the highway to hell
• It's limited edition, so are you ready?
• What (do you do for) money? Around $1,450 / £1,149 / AU$2,319

Rarely on this rock 'n' roll train we call life does a new hi-fi product make me consider whether I want to use it for music or hang it on a wall as art (although Samsung's Music Frame is one other notable example). But make no mistake, Pro-Ject's limited-edition AC/DC turntable is every inch designed for those about to rock.

The deck is the latest addition to Pro-Ject's Artist Collection and if you want one, well… money talks. As you'd expect, it's a big gun; the thunderbolt is of course back in black but there's a red LED-lit sub-platter to make a T.N.T-style visual statement, plus an all-new acrylic tonearm and a heavy glass platter for the full witch's spell effect.

Touch too much? Not for me – unlike the riff raff, I'd be willing to part with the full £1,149 for one when it arrives in the UK in March (which is around $1,450 or AU$2,319, give or take). No, it's not exactly cheap. But if you want blood…

That red tonearm also says 'SuperTed' to me – which only makes me want it more (Image credit: Pro-Ject (AC/DC) ) Who made who?

Pro-Ject started making turntables in 1991 and my beloved Sydney rock screamers formed in the early 1970s, so I think there's your answer to that one.

Back to the jack in hand though, and given Pro-Ject's enviable track record (see the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo for starters, which is still one of the best turntables we've ever tested) this is far from a shot in the dark. This is Pro-Ject, so the build quality will be hard as a rock and your vinyl will be safe (yes, even in New York City) under that pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Red cartridge.

I can't currently afford this big balls Pro-Ject proposition, although the company has recently started making cheaper turntable music systems, which are a whole lotta rosie and might just as readily shake you all night long. For now, I'll have to imagine inviting people over, casually saying "Have a drink on me" and setting Let There Be Rock down on the platter, as they whisper "Girl's got rhythm" among themselves…

You might also like...

• The American gods of valve-based audio have released a huge monoblock power amp and I've never wanted 92kg of hi-fi more
• I heard Rotel's ultra-luxe CD player and Hi-Res Audio DAC, and I'd buy it in a second if I could (even if it won't play my SACDs
• Technics SL-G700M2: a high-achieving network streamer that's also a high-end CD player

• The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been tipped to get 12GB of RAM.
• That's more than the current models 8GB.
• This could be a big power boost for running AI tools on-device.

The rumored iPhone 17 Pro could get a RAM boost, and the next phone is tipped to sport 12GB of random access memory by GFHK Tech Research analyst Jeff Pu.

In an investors note seen by 9to5Mac, Pu corroborated rumors flagged last year by analyst and pseudo-Apple oracle Ming-Chi Kuo that the next-generation Pro iPhone models will get a decent upgrade from the 8GB of RAM the current iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max use.

“Meanwhile iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to migrate to LPDDR5 12GB, this transition alone will contribute to a 3.5% YoY increase in smartphone DRAM content across an estimated 100 million new iPhone units,” Pu said.

Now, in my time with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with its current suite of 8GB RAM and the fast A18 Bionic chip, I hardly find it to be slow; apps load quickly and the whole iOS experience feels very slick and smooth.

However, more RAM is one way to future-proof next-gen Pro phones, as artificial intelligence features, Apple Intelligence here, tend to require a healthy pool of RAM, especially if they run AI tasks on-device rather than tap into the cloud.

9to5mac observed that such a boost in RAM for AI purposes was also part of Apple's Mac lineup update. Today's new Mac computers come with 16GB of RAM as a minimum. So, this note by Pu and Kuo’s original claim all make sense.

While upping the RAM of the future iPhone is promising to ensure they have a degree of longevity amid the yearly releases of flagship phones, my hope is Apple uses this extra power to also introduce some impressive and smart new AI features to the next Pro iPhones. Right now, Apple Intelligence has some solid features but none feel like groundbreaking, must-use tools.

Just spitballing, I’d love to see Apple Intelligence use both iPhone cameras and Apple Watch data to propose custom workouts for me to bust my gut and get in trimmer shape. Instead, Apple Intelligence has me stuck with being able to rework the tone of emails and messages, or squash two emojis together to create some new abomination… sigh.

Also, as we roundup the best AI phones, I feel Apple needs to bring something special to iPhone 17 fore to beat Google and its Pixel phones on the AI front.

You might also like

• I tested the iPhone 16e for a week and found it's a good phone that stretches the definition of 'budget'
• iPhones are replacing 'Trump' with 'racist' during dictation – but Apple is fixing the problem
• Sorry, Samsung fans: the tri-fold Galaxy phone might not make it to the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked

The new game is accessible to Switch, iOS and Android players, allowing these disparate fanbases to butt heads in cross-platform battles.

• Disa confirms hackers were present for over two months
• They siphoned sensitive data on hundreds of thousands of users
• The company didn't say how it got compromised

American employee screening company Disa has confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive customer data.

In a breach notification letter sent to affected individuals, as well as in reports filed with Maine and Massachusetts attorney general offices, the company said it discovered a breach, impacting a “limited portion” of its network, on April 22, 2024.

The subsequent investigation determined that the threat actors, who were unnamed, accessed the company’s infrastructure on February 9, and lingered for almost three months, during which time the crooks managed to grab “some information” on Disa’s customers.

3.3 million affected

“Although our forensics investigation could not definitively conclude the specific data procured, DISA conducted a detailed and time-intensive review of the affected files to identify the personal information contained therein,” the letter reads.

The company added there is currently no evidence suggesting the data was misused in other attacks.

In the filing with the Maine Attorney General, Disa said the total number of affected people is 3,332,750. In the filing with the Massachusetts AG, it said that the data stolen included people’s Social Security numbers, financial account information (credit card numbers included), and government-issued identification documents - more than enough data to run phishing scams, identity theft, and even wire fraud.

We don’t know who the attackers were, or what their end goal is. We also don’t know how they managed to infiltrate Disa, and whether or not they tried to extort the company for the stolen information.

DISA Global Solutions is a prominent American company specializing in employee background screening, drug and alcohol testing, and compliance solutions. According to its website, DISA serves over 55,000 customers across various industries, including transportation, energy, manufacturing, and healthcare. Allegedly, approximately 30% of Fortune 500 companies utilize DISA's services.

Via TechCrunch

You might also like

• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• Orange confirms it suffered breach after hacker leaks company documents