Technology

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, May 15 (game #438).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… To a degree

NYT Strands today (game #439) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CHIP
• CHEEP
• SPORES
• SINS
• SORT
• RACES

NYT Strands today (game #439) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #439) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 8th row

Last side: right, 1st row

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

NYT Strands today (game #439) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #439, are…

• GOWN
• PHOTO
• SPEECH
• DIPLOMA
• TASSEL
• PROCESSION
• SPANGRAM: GRADUATION

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

There are many universal traditions associated with GRADUATION ceremonies, from paying far too much to hire a GOWN to posing for a PHOTO that will be given pride of place in your parents' house until the zombie apocalypse – and even then it’ll still be there, just with added cobwebs and a splatter of green blood.

There is also a whole legend surrounding the tassels on the mortarboard hat. Traditionally, tassels are worn on the right side and moved to the left during a special portion of the ceremony for high-school graduates. For college graduates, Bachelors again wear tassels on the right side until their degrees are conferred, then move to left. 

Goodness knows what might happen to you if you move your tassel from the left to the right – maybe you get burdened with a lifetime of debt or something awful like that. Erm, hang on a sec…

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 15, game #438)

• BEETLE
• BRONCO
• MUSTANG
• RABBIT
• IMPALA
• JAGUAR
• SPANGRAM: AUTOMOBILES

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.

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, May 15 (game #704).

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 #705) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• RODEO
• HOURGLASS
• KUBRICK
• SUNSET
• TREE
• SCRAP
• WALL STREET
• VINE
• MICHAEL JORDAN
• HOLLYWOOD
• HERB
• TAURUS
• END
• SHRUB
• NEUROPLASTIC
• DISSOLVE

NYT Connections today (game #705) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Greenery
• GREEN: It’s over
• BLUE: An animal connects them
• PURPLE: Hidden raw materials 

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 #705) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: KINDS OF PLANTS 
• GREEN: DISCONTINUE 
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH BULLS 
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH BUILDING MATERIALS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #705) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #705, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF PLANTS HERB, SHRUB, TREE, VINE
• GREEN: DISCONTINUE DISSOLVE, END, SCRAP, SUNSET
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH BULLS MICHAEL JORDAN, RODEO, TAURUS, WALL STREET
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH BUILDING MATERIALS HOLLYWOOD, HOURGLASS, KUBRICK, NEUROPLASTIC

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

Seeing HOLLYWOOD and VINE beside each other along with SUNSET convinced me we were looking for famous Los Angeles streets.

Unable to think of a fourth I added KUBRICK to the group, reasoning that the great director must have a road named after him somewhere – it turns out he does, but Stanley Kubrick Avenue is in Denham just outside of London, England rather than California.

After this ding I went for the more obvious KINDS OF PLANTS and DISCONTINUE – which discontinued my search for streets.

I failed to see the very obvious connection with MICHAEL JORDAN and BULLS – a classic Connections group of four very different things with something in common – but instead saw the less obvious ENDING WITH BUILDING MATERIALS after staring at the word HOURGLASS for far too long.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, May 15, game #704)

• YELLOW: RATIONALE BASIS, FOUNDATION, GROUNDS, REASON
• GREEN: TYPES OF SNOW CRUST, ICE, POWDER, SLUSH
• BLUE: LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS OPERA TITLES BESS, BUTTERFLY, FLUTE, SEVILLE
• PURPLE: REAL ___ DEAL, ESTATE, MADRID, WORLD

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.

The more deeply integrated system will come to older Aston Martins in a few weeks, and is also set to roll out to Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles.

Aston Martin has become the first automaker in the world to offer deeper integration of Apple CarPlay in its vehicle’s infotainment system with the debut of the new Apple CarPlay Ultra.

Having been in development for a number of years, both Porsche and Aston Martin revealed in 2023 that they would be among the first to offer Apple’s latest infotainment offering, but the British sports car maker has beaten all other manufacturers to it.

Apple CarPlay Ultra builds on the existing CarPlay platform by taking over both the infotainment head unit and the vehicle’s digital instrument cluster for the first time.

The new CarPlay will initially be limited to the new Aston Martin DBX on models ordered in North America and Canada, but is coming to other Aston cars and regions over the next 12 months. Apple also says it's working with Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis to bring CarPlay Ultra to more models.

Want to know what all the fuss is about? Here are four things you need to know, plus a gallery of images to show what CarPlay Ultra looks like in Aston Martin's latest drive...

1. It offers a more personal experience Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Apple / Aston Martin)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Apple / Aston Martin)

Now, drivers can select between a number of Aston Martin-designed digital options for the speedometer and tachometer dials, while the ability to toggle between live maps from a preferred navigation provider, as well as media applications, gives owners a way to "curate their own multi-screen set-up," according to James Bond's favorite brand.

What’s more, the British marque has also provided a number of different instrument cluster themes, as well as the ability to tailor wallpapers, color schemes and the general look to their personal tastes.

The key to making the tie-up work was to ensure Aston Martin had full control over design, with Apple claiming CarPlay Ultra allows automakers to "express their distinct design philosophy with the look and feel their customers expect".

2. It offers everything in one place Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Apple / Aston Martin)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Apple / Aston Martin)

One of the biggest bugbears about the current CarPlay environment is that users often have to leave it in order to interact with key vehicle functionality, such as changing driving modes or adjusting the climate control, for example.

Apple CarPlay Ultra banishes this sort of behavior to the naughty step and finally allows drivers to tweak the radio station, adjust the climate control or fire up the heated seats from within the Ultra interface via touchscreen controls, physical buttons, or by using Siri voice commands.

Better still, the British marque talks about “Punch-through UI”, which essentially means its has been able to bring very vehicle-specific menus and settings into the CarPlay environment for the first time.

So, if you wan’t to adjust the balance and fader on the swanky Bowers & Wilkins, it is possible to do so through a specific menu screen that is housed within the CarPlay Ultra environment.

3. It has a highly customizable cluster with more info Image 1 of 1

(Image credit: Apple / Aston Martin)

Aston says customers can also select from a number of widgets that can reside on either the 10.25-inch infotainment screen or on the digital driver display for a highly customizable cluster. This could include things like tyre pressure monitoring, weather forecasts or advanced driver assistance system settings.

Although it is not explicitly mentioned by Aston Martin or Apple, it is understood that owners will need to initially pair an iPhone 12 or later (running iOS 18.54 and later) either by plugging it in or choosing the wireless option.

The system will the automatically recognize the handset and the driver every time they enter the vehicle, even going to far as to knowing the region they are from, adjusting the units of measurement accordingly.

Of course, it opens up easy access to things like email, WhatsApp messages and the ability to hop on Zoom calls, all without having to juggle between interfaces.

4. It's coming to other car brands Image 1 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 2 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 3 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 4 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 5 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 6 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 7 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 8 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)Image 9 of 9

(Image credit: Apple)

Unfortunately, Android users won’t be able to enjoy a similar sort of Android Automotive experience in the car, seeing as this is a specific Apple tie-up.

Instead, Aston Martin provides physical buttons and switches for most of its functionality and explains that its next-generation infotainment system, which debuted on the all-new DB12 in 2023, is perfectly a perfectly decent digital offering as it is.

Also, CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to the new Aston Martin DBX, and only those models ordered in North America and Canada for now. Although it will be rolled out to other Aston models and markets in the coming 12 months.

What’s more, Apple said it is working with a number of automakers to bring CarPlay Ultra into a variety of new models soon, including those from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.

Aston Martin's 10.25-inch Pure Black touchscreen technology is relatively modest compared to many rivals, so it will be interesting to see what other manufacturers can do with larger and more impressive screen arrays.

Apple Arcade while waiting to charge up, anyone?

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• Wednesday season 2 has a confirmed release date on Netflix
• It will be split into two parts arriving in August and September
• The streaming service has also announced the cast, and some of the new names are huge

Wednesday season 2 is almost upon us after a three year gap. Indeed, fans of one of the best Netflix shows don't have to wait much longer after its release dates were confirmed. As part of the Netflix Upfront presentation, the streaming service has confirmed the new season will arrive later this year.

Netflix has revealed that Wednesday season 2 will be split into two parts, with the first arriving on August 6, and the second on September 3. And yes, aptly enough, both of those are Wednesdays!

We've all been waiting patiently for the return of Jenna Ortega's child of woe, and now it's only a couple of months away. If you missed the trailer, you can watch it below.

Who's in the cast of Wednesday season 2?

Gwendoline Christie has left the Wednesday cast, and the new school principal is played by Steve Buscemi. (Image credit: Vlad Cioplea/Netflix)

Perhaps the better question is, who isn't? Seriously though, it's a stacked line-up and as well as returning names like Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Isaac Ordonez, Fred Armisen and Luis Guzmán, we've got plenty of great new stars joining the macabre Tim Burton series.

Joanna Lumley joins the Addams Family this season, playing the role of Morticia's mother, Hester. Following the departure of Gwendoline Christie's principal, Nevermore has a new one in the form of Steve Buscemi, and I'm so excited to see how he steps into the role.

The faculty is huge this season with Billie Piper and Christopher Lloyd joining the ranks and, of course, we have returning students such as Emma Myers and Joy Sunday, so fans will be pleased to see the cast has increased in size, with plenty of favorites coming back.

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The rule is meant to make it just as easy to cancel as it is to sign up. Companies asked for more time to comply.

The $700 Razr exudes elegance with its design, but you will be taking a performance hit compared with traditional phones.

The lower-cost member of Motorola's 2025 Razr phone family is still quite the looker.

Don't miss the latest on Max, Hulu and other streaming services. Here's what you should binge this weekend.

The new Razr Ultra mixes retro cool vibes with modern power. Here's how it looks up close.

Review: Motorola pulled out all the stops for the newest Razr. It has high-end features, tons of AI and more durability. But it also comes with a $1,300 price tag.

• BianLian, RansomEXX, and others, are jumping the NetWeaver bandwagon
• In late April, SAP fixed a 10/10 bug in NetWeaver Visual Composer Metadata Uploader
• Researchers claim there are 1,200 vulnerable instances

Multiple ransomware operators are trying to take advantage of the recently discovered, maximum severity flaw, affecting SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer. This is according to, among others, ReliaQuest, a cybersecurity company that also reported on the initial flaw.

In late April, security researchers reported that more than 1,200 SAP instances were at risk of being hijacked, due to a maximum severity vulnerability found in NetWeaver Visual Composer’s Metadata Uploader component.

The bug stems from the fact that the uploader was not protected with proper authorization, allowing unauthenticated actors to upload malicious executables.

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Multiple critical flaws

The bug is tracked as CVE-2025-31324, and despite SAP releasing a patch rather fast, multiple in-the-wild attacks were spotted.

Now, ReliaQuest said it saw evidence suggesting involvement from BianLian and RansomEXX, two known ransomware families. Other researchers also claim Chinese state-sponsored actors were in on the action, as well. “We assess with moderate confidence that BianLian was involved in at least one incident,” ReliaQuest said. “In a separate incident, we observed the deployment of “PipeMagic,” a modular backdoor linked to RansomEXX.”

The researchers also said that the miscreants moved fast, with the malware being deployed “just hours after global exploitation”.

Earlier this week, SAP patched a separate, also critical, zero-day vulnerability in NetWeaver server. This one, it said, was being chained in attacks targeting some of the world’s biggest enterprises. It is tracked as CVE-2025-42999, and carries a severity score of 9.1/10 (critical). Also discovered in the NetWeaver Visual Composer Metadata Uploader, the bug allows a privileged user to upload untrusted or malicious content which, “when deserialized, could potentially lead to a compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host system.”

SAP said it found this bug when analyzing the maximum severity one. Both were allegedly being abused in attacks since January 2025.

Via BleepingComputer

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Not only is Spotify one of the go-to music streaming services, but it’s evolved into a reliable platform for audiobooks, and it’s just launched a new immersive experience that aims to help fans connect more with the artists and albums they love the most.

This new immersive feature called ‘Follow-Along’ is now available to use in the Spotify app and can be found in selected audiobooks in Bloomsbury’s 33 ⅓ series, a collection of short books about popular albums that was first released in 2003, including books about Oasis’ Definitely Maybe (1994), to Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love (1985).

So, how is Spotify merging popular music with audiobooks? Well, when you listen to one of the audiobooks in Bloomsbury’s 33 ⅓ series, you’ll see additional media such as photos, graphics, and songs appear in the Now Playing section. Imagine you’re listening to the audiobook that discusses The National’s Boxer (2007), when the narrator goes into detail about a specific song, Follow-Along will show you the track right for you to add it to your library.

(Image credit: Spotify)

In Spotify’s blog post, the music streamer stated that Follow-Along ‘marks the beginning of cross-functional collaboration between Spotify’s music and audiobooks teams’, with Manager of Audiobooks Licensing Henna Silvennoinen describing it as ‘a dream project’ for the audiobook side.

Out of the 192 books in the 33 ⅓ series, Spotify has released 51 audiobooks about some of the most influential albums and the artists behind them. But only a select number will come with Spotify’s new Follow-Along function, including Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) and Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) - though if it were up to me, it would be The Wall (1979).

I see the vision, but it needs to involve more audiobooks

Music and books go hand-in-hand, and I’m always coming across videos with book recommendations based on specific artists, as well as literature-inspired playlists in the Spotify app. I tested out the new Follow-Along feature, and while I see the vision, there’s one setback that’s preventing it from unlocking its full potential.

One of my favorite things about popular music is learning about its contextual framework, and Follow-Along hits the nail on the head with this, especially with Bloomsbury’s series of books. But wouldn’t it be great if Follow-Along were applied to fiction audiobooks as well?

Think about it; you’re listening to the audiobook of Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, a story set during a prime time for the evolution of music. Whenever the name of a band or artist is dropped, their Spotify profiles and albums appear, or even better, Follow-Along gives you an insight into the inspiration behind the characters and story, sending you into a discography deep dive of Fleetwood Mac or The Doors.

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• Wix announces standalone online design platform Wixel
• Acts as an alternative to Canva and Adobe Express
• Includes AI tools alongside traditional design features

Top website builder Wix has announced the release of Wixel, an AI-powered visual design suite that’s effectively an alternative to the likes of Canva and Adobe Express.

According to the company, Wixel aims to “democratize visual design” - in other words, designers and non-designers will now have the tools to create professional-grade content and assets.

Interestingly, Wixel is a standalone product, so even those who don’t use the website builder will be able to sign up to the design tool. And, much like Canva and Express, it’s free to use with an optional upgrade for premium features.

What is Wixel and what can users expect?

When it comes to visual design suites, it’s a pretty crowded market right now, an area notably dominated by Canva.

It may not have been the first to market, but it’s the one that captured the imagination of marketing teams and businesses, letting even non-designers spin up professional-grade images and videos. So popular is it that even Adobe upped the ante and brought much-needed improvements to its Express platform.

Given the popularity of these suites, I’m not completely surprised to see Wix get in on the action. But what can users expect to get from Wixel?

Wix has offered an insight on this. Armed with just a single product photo uploaded to the platform, users can now remove or add backgrounds, crop, convert, and edit images, include text, and customize the layout within a template.

Alongside this, Wixel is capable of AI-generating images across different styles that can better suit the user’s brand guidelines. And voila, a user has a post fit for social media posting or adding to their online store. According to Wix, the entire process can be complete in minutes.

(Image credit: Wix)

Discussing the launch, Avishai Abrahami, Wix CEO and co-founder, said: “AI is the foundation of Wixel. Design is in our DNA, and simplifying complex experiences is what we do best. We’re now determined to revolutionize design by democratizing access to powerful and creative tools for everyone, regardless of their design expertise.”

I toyed with Wixel and, yes, if you’re familiar with either Canva or Express, you’ll have a pretty good idea what to expect. An intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate, customizable templates allowing users to swiftly edit designs and create assets, and, of course, AI tools for enhancing and generating on-brand content.

The company also confirmed that future tools are in the works, including story creation and video. Given trends, this is an absolute essential that can’t come quick enough.

You can check out Wixel now by clicking here.

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The latest trailer for James Gunn's Superman movie has taken flight and, hoo boy, is it a doozy.

There's quite a lot to unpack from the forthcoming comic book film's newest teaser, not least the fact that Supes will battle yet another villain who's not who everyone thinks they are (in my opinion, anyway). In fact, so much is crammed into trailer #2's two-minute runtime that there are numerous key details and Easter eggs you'll definitely have missed upon first viewing.

Below, I've rounded up seven of the biggest secrets hidden in Superman's latest round of footage. Potentially big spoilers immediately follow for the upcoming DC Universe (DCU) flick, so proceed with extreme caution.

1. Paging Walter Cronkite

The subtle vocal change between Kent and his superhero alias is also noticeable during this scene (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The DCU movie's official trailer begins with David Corenswet's Clark Kent/Kal-El agreeing to be interviewed – as Superman, no less – by his perennial love interest and fellow Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (played here by Rachel Brosnahan).

It's a sequence that appears as though it'll start out as a fun idea, but soon turns into a more much dramatic affair. Indeed, as Lane politely interrogates the titular hero over recent incidents he's been involved in that haven't exactly put him or the US government in a good light, Kent gets increasingly agitated over her questioning of the good he's doing on his adoptive home, aka planet Earth.

Before the love birds' (if the rumors are to be believed, they've been secretly dating for three months by the time this film starts) interview becomes fraught, though, Kent playfully calls Lane "Cronkite" as the recorded conversation begins.

This is a tribute to the late and legendary US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, who anchored CBS Evenings News almost 50 years between 1937 and 1981. He reported on some of the biggest real-life events of the past 50 years, too, including the Vietnam War, the assassinations of JFK and Martin Luther King, the 1969 moon landing, and the Watergate scandal.

2. War never changes

Superman intervenes in an ongoing conflict between two nations in his self-titled DCU film (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Part of the reason why Kent and Lane's interview quickly turns sour is their supposed disagreement over Superman's involvement in stopping a war in what appears to be the Middle East.

Now, there are obvious parallels between this conflict and one currently playing out in the real world, but this isn't the time or place to get into the political and humanitarian weeds of that. All I'll say is, in light of what's going on right now, I'm curious to see how much of Superman's fictional war we'll see in this Gunn-directed flick.

But I'm getting off-topic. What war did Supes stop to draw so much ire from the US government and other interested parties? According to X/Twitter fan account DCU Updates, plus an Instagram post from actor Fahim Fazli, who has a minor role in Superman (thanks to Reddit for the catch), the fictional nations of Boravia and Jarhanpur will be the countries involved in this conflict.

By all accounts, it seems Kal-El's intervention stopped the former from invading the latter, too. If true, it's not surprising that the so-called Hammer of Boravia would track down Superman and engage in a bout of fisticuffs in the skies above Metropolis.

3. Planting a Flag in a new government role

Frank Grillo returns as Rick Flag Sr, who he voiced in Creature Commandos last December, in Superman (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr has dealt with a lot before and since his DCU introduction. Not only was his son was murdered by Peacemaker in 2021's The Suicide Squad film (a movie many now consider to be a progenitor to the DCU's creation), but he was duped by Princess Ilana and almost beaten to death by Clayface in season 1 of Max's adult animated show Creature Commandos. Simply put, he deserves to catch a break.

Nevertheless, I don't think anyone of us expected him to be installed as the US' latest Secretary of Defence. Again, this is seemingly revealed during Kent and Lane's stress-inducing interview, with the trailer cutting to a brief shot of Flag Sr when Lane says "Secretary of Defence".

Now, this could be a bait and switch on Gunn's part. This wouldn't be the first time that some trailer trickery has been employed to suggest one thing (e.g. Flag Sr being Secretary of Defence) but mean another (e.g. he's not really). If he is, though, it'll be a surprise promotion for Grillo's gruff army veteran and one I certainly didn't seen coming.

4. Where the streets have many names

You can just make out the name 'Ross' on the street sign in the top right hand corner of this image (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Walter Cronkite isn't the only individual to be honored with a blink and you'll miss it mention in the DCU Chapter One movie's latest trailer.

In shots where Corenswet's Man of Steel protects a child from falling debris and he's arrested by ARGUS chief Rick Flag (with the aid of Angela Spica/The Engineer and Ultraman (more on this duo later)), the names 'Ross' and 'Waid' can be seen on two street signposts.

The Waid Street sign is even more obvious in this picture (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

These are clear tributes to Alex Ross and Mark Waid, two of the most famous artists and writers who've worked for DC Comics since 1993 and 1985, respectively.

5. Engineering an entrance

Maria Gabriela de Faria will portray Angela Spica in her live-action DC comic book movie debut (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

But let's return to two of Superman's aforementioned villains: The Engineer and Ultraman.

The former was largely conspicuous by her absence in Superman's first official trailer – indeed, save for a missable moment where she's standing on the bridge that connects Luthercorp's two skyscrapers together in that teaser, she didn't feature as much as many people expected her to.

Thankfully, Maria Gabriela de Faria's nanotech-infused antagonist earns more screentime in trailer #2. She's seen going to town on the jaw-dropping Fortress of Solitude's android staffers before receiving a swift paw in the jaw from the adorable yet boisterous Krypto the Superdog. Spica can be spotted later in the trailer, too, when she's seen battling Superman alongside Ultraman.

Ultraman (second right) will surely be unmasked in the movie's third act, right? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Speaking of Ultraman – that's the name that fans have given this mysterious, black-clad villain, anyway – it seems he's going to have a more integral role in the story than many suspected.

Initially, it seemed he was going to be the muscle that Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor employs when things are about to get physical. However, some observers believe Ultraman will not only wind up being the primary villain in one of 2025's most anticipated new movies, but will also be unmasked as none other than a genetically-engineered clone of the eponymous Son of Krypton himself.

I've already sifted through much of the evidence that backs up this fan theory in my main Superman trailer #2 article, which I linked to in this piece's introduction. But, there's one more sign that suggests this hypothesis isn't as outlandish as it sounds.

How does Lex break into the Fortress of Solitude? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

This trailer confirms that Luthor and company will gain access to the Fortress of Solitude at some point. However, in the comics, there are only two ways that someone can enter Supes' secret hideout.

The first, which was used in the early years of Superman literature, involves finding and then using a giant key. Kal-El is the only being strong enough to lift it in the comics, though, and we already know this method won't be used in Superman's latest big-screen reboot. Indeed, the Fortress of Solitude clip article I linked to earlier confirms Krypton-originating individuals, such as Kent and Krypto, can gain entry to it via some form of vocal command.

I don't think that's the only way for anyone to enter the DCU's take on Superman's Arctic-based HQ, though. That's because, in the comics, the second method usually involves some form of highly advanced security system.

This is where Ultraman comes into play. If he is a clone of Kal-El, he could simply remove his face covering in front of the Fortress' likely hidden security cameras. They'll surely recognize him as Superman and allow him (plus Spica, Luthor, and the latter's girlfriend Eve, who can be briefly spotted when the group enters the Fortress) to set foot in it. It's that, or Ultraman utters a command that only Kryptonians would know, which would unlock the Fortress' front door. Either way, he seems key to the group's successful attempt to make their way inside.

6. Journeying to the Phantom Zone

Is this our first look at the DCU's take on the Phantom Zone or another pocket universe? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Later on in the teaser, we see Lane and Edi Gathegi's Mister Terrific exploring what appears to be a cavernous, underground lair.

What if this isn't an Earth-based location, though? Instead, what if it's one of our first glimpses at the DCU's take on Pocket Universes (essentially, alternate realities that are tied to another dimension) and, more importantly, one called the Phantom Zone that Kryptonian criminals are banished to?

This isn't as big a stretch as you might think. For starters, Superman's two main trailers have included shots of him being incarcerated in an undisclosed location. It's likely that he's jailed following his arrest by Flag and company, too.

However, human prisons wouldn't be able to hold him. As such, I predict that, under Luthor's orders, Kent will be sent to and imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, i.e. a place where nobody should be able to find him. Well, unless you're a roving investigative reporter like Lane and a scientific genius like Mister Terrific...

7. Not faster than a speeding Kryptonite bullet

Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho can create any element or substance he desires (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Phantom Zone should be the least of Superman's worries, mind you, because it seems he'll be injured by an Kryptonite bullet at some stage, too.

Before you scoff at the idea, hear me out. First, consider what Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho – one of Supes' fellow imprisoned metahumans – is creating in the trailer. For the uninitiated, Metamorpho is a superpowered being who can make any substance in the known universe, so it's not outlandish to assume that he'd be able to craft Kryptonite (Superman's one and only major weakness) out of thin air.

Metamorpho is being forced to make some Kryptonite here, isn't he? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Next, take a good look at the above image. More importantly, look at Metamorpho's left hand. Why is it glowing green? There's only one logical solution: he's created a small amount of Kryptonite, whose primary color is – yep, you guessed it – green.

That's not all. In both trailers, we see Luthor brandishing a revolver whose cartridge chamber he's seen spinning. If Metamorpho has reluctantly crafted a Kryptonite bullet, it's logical to assume that Luthor would load his weapon with it and play a rigged game of Russian Roulette with Superman. If Supes works out that Luthor isn't playing fair, that could be the catalyst for him punching his way out of his glass box-based cell. Again, we see this in both trailers.

I'd be surprised if this scene doesn't occur after Kent is injured by Luthor's Kryptonite bullet (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

However, to paraphrase a classic Superman line from the comics, it seems he isn't faster than a speeding Kryptonite bullet.

Another clip in trailer #2 shows Kent's adoptive parents watching over their bed-bound surrogate son. Take a closer look at the upper left side of Kent's head, and you'll see what appears to be a bullet wound and some form of infection around his left temple.

This has to be the aftermath of not only Supes' escape from the Phantom Zone, but also the Kryptonite bullet striking the titular superhero. It's a good job, then, that Lane and Terrific seem to be on hand to help Supes escape and make his way back to the Kent residence to rest and recuperate.

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• Ubisoft has confirmed a new March 2026 release window for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake
• The company said in an earnings call that the remake will release in fiscal year 2025-2026
• The game was announced in 2020 and was initially set to release in 2021

Ubisoft has finally shared a release window for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake.

During the company's latest earnings call on May 14, 2025, Ubisoft revealed that it plans on releasing the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake in fiscal year 2025-2026 (via GameSpot).

This means the game will release before March 31, 2026.

The remake was announced in 2020 alongside a teaser trailer for last-gen consoles, and by the time the game releases, it will mark six years since its initial unveiling.

The Sands of Time was scheduled to launch in January 2021, but was then delayed to March 2021, until Ubisoft delayed it indefinitely.

"This extra development time will enable our teams to deliver a remake that feels fresh while remaining faithful to the original," the company said at the time.

Ubisoft later shared an "important internal milestone" in 2023, but we've yet to receive a new trailer.

It's also unclear if the game will be coming to current-gen consoles, like PS5 and Xbox Series X, considering the long development cycle.

In the same earnings call, Ubisoft said that it is delaying some of its major unannounced titles to allow for better quality games.

According to Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot, an unspecified number of games from its biggest brands, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six, The Division, and Ghost Recon, will now release between 2026 and 2028.

Guillemot pointed to Assassin's Creed Shadows' delay, calling it a "good decision" that allowed for the game's success.

"After a review of our pipeline, we have decided to provide additional development time to some of our biggest productions in order to create the best conditions for success," Guillemot said. "As a consequence, FY2026-27 and FY2027-28 will see significant content coming from our largest brands."

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• Dali V-16 F is its most powerful and precise subwoofer to date
• 1,500W (2,500W peak) with 18Hz bass reflex ports
• £4,499 / €4,999 (about $5,970 / AU$9,300.

Dali has unveiled the most powerful subwoofer it has ever built, with up to 2,500W of peak power thanks to its Class D amp. It features the strongest magnet ever connected to a Dali speaker, according to the company, and it's made specifically for the home entertainment systems of audiophiles.

While this particular model is a flagship sub with a price tag to match, Dali hinted during its launch that the tech and design featured here may make their way into smaller and less expensive (relatively speaking) options in the future.

Power and precision

(Image credit: Dali)

According to Dali, while the new V-16 F is capable of filling the largest rooms with staggering levels of bass, it has "all the precision and control needed to work in any audio system context and even in small rooms… Put simply, the V-16 F is the most powerful and least compromised subwoofer we have ever built."

The V-16 F driver has been created to defeat what Dali calls "the main enemies of accurate bass reproduction": distortion and compression. The V-16 F is engineered to minimize the losses from both of those things, and Dali says that its ability "to accelerate huge volumes of air to turn electrical signals into tangible, palpable, room-filling bass is absolutely unprecedented."

The driver is a 16-inch (406mm) unit with the largest ever Constant Surface Surround diaphragm design to date, powered by a 1500W (2500W peak) Class D amplifier. Constant Surface Surround, CSS for short, is different from the usual driver surrounds: it uses alternating positive and negative regions of stepped and curved sections to keep the surface area the same, to reduce distortion and suppress resonance. Dali said this is the only use of this technology in a subwoofer to date, though it's been used in other speaker types.

There are four Continuous Flare reflex ports tuned to a very low 18Hz, and their job is to reduce the need for bass driver excursion at low frequencies, again to reduce distortion. They also mean that the driver spends more time near the rest position, where its damping and motor force are more linear; Dali explains that that means more consistent and accurate low frequency performance across volume levels.

They're open by default, but the V-16F is supplied with optional port plugs if that better suits your listening space or preferences.

The Dali V-16 F will be available in July for £4,499 / €4,999 (about $5,970 / AU$9,300.

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• One UI 8 is coming in "summer" for the US
• Samsung first pushed out One UI 7 in January
• It's not clear yet which phones will get it

We've barely had a chance to check out One UI 7 (Samsung's take on Android 15), which first appeared on the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones in January, but One UI 8 (Samsung's take on Android 16) is going to be with us within the next few months.

This comes from Samsung VP and Head of Smartphone Planning, Minseok Kang (via GSMArena). Speaking at Google's recent Android Show event ahead of Google I/O next week, Kang said One UI 8 would launch "this summer" in the US.

That puts the launch date somewhere across June, July, or August. At the same event Google said Android 16 would be pushed out in June after months of beta testing, and previous leaks suggest Tuesday, June 3 will be the big day.

We've known for a while that Google has been planning to push out its big annual Android update earlier in the year, well ahead of the Pixel phone unveilings, and it seems as though Samsung is on board with the plan – and keen for One UI to keep up.

Which phones will get One UI 8?

Great News ‼️Galaxy S22 Ultra spotted running Android 16 with One UI 8 on GeekBench!!Single-Core: 1581Multi-Core: 3680Build Version: S908USQU8GYCB pic.twitter.com/p4aeOGAteHMay 14, 2025

The next question is: which Galaxy phones will get One UI 8? Samsung hasn't said much about this yet, and it's not immediately clear if there are any handsets that are eligible for One UI 7 but not for One UI 8.

Well-known tipster @tarunvats33 has spotted a benchmark showing the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra from 2022 running an early version of One UI 8 – suggesting that the new software will go back to phones that are three years old at least.

As the current flagships, there's no doubt that the Galaxy S25 series will get the One UI 8 update, and it's a fairly safe bet that the Samsung Galaxy S24 phones and other 2024 models will get it too. Beyond that, we're going to have to wait and see.

Earlier rumors had suggested the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, due in July, would come with One UI 8 out of the box. Based on the new comments from Minseok Kang, it looks like that'll be the case.

All of this means that, in theory, the Galaxy S25, S24, S23 and S22 series should all get One UI 8, and potentially also the Galaxy S21 FE.

The last three iterations of the Z Fold and Z Flip series should also be covered (from the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 to today's models), alongside the Galaxy Tab range going back to the Galaxy Tab S8 from 2022, plus Galaxy A-series phones stretching back to the A23 from the same year. But we'll have to wait a little longer for that full official list.

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