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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, April 6 (game #1168).

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 #1169) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #1169) - 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 0.

Quordle today (game #1169) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1169) - 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 #1169) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• B

• S

• B

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1169) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1169, are…

• BROTH
• SHOUT
• BRUTE
• CABIN

I tweaked my start words a little today in the belief that the perfect calibration of letters is out there somewhere.

It made no difference whatsoever. I was still caught out by a 50/50 choice, but as often happens one wrong word leads to a correct one.

Meanwhile, I continue to fall to pieces doing the Daily Sequence. I'm convinced it's getting harder.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1169) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1169, are…

• TEMPO
• DOUGH
• TEARY
• TABBY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICK
• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• 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

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, April 6 (game #665).

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 #666) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• POUND
• LOCKER
• LEVEL
• CRATER
• NAIL
• HILLS
• САРЕ
• HANGER
• PULSE
• HAMMER
• BEAT
• GORGE
• BALL
• RIDGE
• PRINT
• THUMP

NYT Connections today (game #666) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Palpitate
• GREEN: Geography
• BLUE: Putting art on the wall
• PURPLE: Begin with a body part

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 #666) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: THROB 
• GREEN: LANDFORMS 
• BLUE: PICTURE HANGING NEEDS 
• PURPLE: FOOT__ 

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

NYT Connections today (game #666) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #666, are…

• YELLOW: THROB BEAT, POUND, PULSE, THUMP
• GREEN: LANDFORMS CAPE, CRATER, GORGE, RIDGE
• BLUE: PICTURE HANGING NEEDS HAMMER, HANGER, LEVEL, NAIL
• PURPLE: FOOT__ BALL, HILLS, LOCKER, PRINT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

A very frustrating round of Connections for me. I got LANDFORMS easily enough, managing to avoid including HILLS, but then fell for all the traps.

I put together HAMMER, POUND, BEAT, and THUMP thinking we were looking for words that describe being hit. With “one away” I switched to PULSE. Annoyingly HAMMER still would have worked, as it could also describe a heart throbbing quickly.

With just two groups left I thought I was on safe ground, but even though I realized that we were looking for words that describe hanging a picture, I had PRINT instead of LEVEL.

I should have known when I saw that this was puzzle number 666 that I was in for hellish time. I hope it was better for you.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 6 April, game #665)

• YELLOW: ALOOF COOL, DISTANT, REMOTE, RESERVED
• GREEN: UTILITIES CABLE, GAS, TRASH, WATER
• BLUE: WHAT AN ELECTROMETER MEASURES CHARGE, CURRENT, RESISTANCE, VOLTAGE
• PURPLE: __ JOINT DOVETAIL, HIP, PIZZA, SPIKE LEE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, April 6 (game #399).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Half-and-half

NYT Strands today (game #400) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CRATE
• TRIM
• MICE
• HERD
• CRACK
• PEAK

NYT Strands today (game #400) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #400) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 1st column

Last side: bottom, 6th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #400) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #400, are…

• SATYR
• MERMAN
• GRIFFIN
• CENTAUR
• JACKALOPE
• SPANGRAM: HYBRID CREATURE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

I found it tricky to get going today and wasn’t helped much when my first Hint gave me SATYR – a mythical beast I had never heard of before.

It wasn’t until the second word that I knew what we were looking for and completed the search after landing the lengthy Spangram.

To save you Googling – and you really may not want to if you value a clean search history – a Satyr is a “comically hideous” man who has the ears of a horse or goat (depending on whether you’re Greek or Roman) and a prominent magical body part he enjoys balancing a wine cup on.

A JACKALOPE, meanwhile, is a horned rabbit-like creature, a MERMAN is the male equivalent of a mermaid, a CENTAUR has the torso and head of a man and the body of a horse; and a GRIFFIN is a mythical combination of a lion and an eagle – but it tastes like chicken.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 6 April, game #399)

• CLICK
• RELATE
• MESH
• CONNECT
• VIBE
• HARMONIZE
• AGREE
• SPANGRAM: GET ALONG

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.

• KTC's H27P3 monitor offers 5K resolution and dual refresh rate modes
• Pro-level color support makes it a good choice for creative users and gamers
• Its spindly stand supports tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments

KTC, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, has been making monitors and TVs since 1995, often as an OEM supplier, with its devices rebranded by better-known international firms - however in recent years, the company has been promoting its own brand more actively, and its latest offering, the H27P3, is a 27-inch 5K display aimed at both creative professionals and gamers.

The H27P3 features a 5120x2880 display with support for both 5K at 60Hz and 2K at 120Hz, giving users the choice between image clarity or higher refresh rates.

The monitor features an IPS panel and claims full coverage of the sRGB color space, along with 99% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB. A peak brightness of 500 nits and HDR400 certification suggests decent handling of HDR content. The static contrast ratio is listed at 2000:1. For those concerned about accuracy, KTC says it supports 1.07 billion colors (8-bit + FRC) with a Delta E below 1. Response time is 7ms.

Competitively priced

Physically, the screen - which KTC says consumes less than 168W at peak draw - measures 613mm wide, 453mm high (including stand), and is a svelte 77mm thick.

The monitor weighs 3.75kg and its ergonomic stand supports tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments.

I’m personally not a huge fan of the stand if I'm honest - it looks a bit spindly for my tastes, takes up more desk space than it needs to, and doesn’t offer much in terms of style or (I'd imagine) stability - but you may disagree.

Ports include a 65W USB-C for display and charging, DisplayPort, HDMI, and two USB-A ports. Included in the box are a power cable, a USB-C cable, DisplayPort cable, a power adapter, and a screwdriver.

Priced at around 3,599 yuan in Asia (roughly $565), the H27P3 undercuts several high-resolution alternatives while still promising pro-level color accuracy and refresh flexibility. For daily creative work and a spot of gaming on the side, it looks to be a reasonable choice.

(Image credit: IT Home)

Via IT Home

You might also like

• These are the best 5K and 8K monitors that you can buy right now
• And these are the best monitors for photo editing on any budget
• This Lenovo monitor has more ports than an Apple MacBook Pro laptop

Fruity coffees are having a bit of a moment – not just beans with a hint of cherry or blackcurrant brought out by careful roasting, but coffee with actual fruit added in some way. One particularly interesting example I tried recently was a double-fermented coffee, where the coffee cherries (the fruit that contains the coffee bean) have been allowed to mature along with passionfruit before being processed.

The flavor of the passionfruit is infused into the beans, and the result is delicious – particularly when brewed cold overnight and served over ice. Some people call it cheating, but I call it tasty.

Nespresso has also got in on the act with a new Vertuo pod packed full of ground arabica beans, with added flavors of strawberry and white chocolate. I'd typically think of coffee as fruity (lending itself well to being drunk black) or chocolatey (which tends to work well with milk), so I was very curious to see how this unusual mix would work.

The coffee has white chocolate and strawberry flavors added after roasting (Image credit: Future)

The launch follows Nespresso's debut of energy-boosting 'functional' coffees, with extras like added caffeine (derived from coffee beans that have been decaffeinated) and B-vitamins. Those turned out to be quite delicious, and I'm a particular fan of the caramel-scented Ginseng Delight, so I was hoping for another pleasant surprise.

I've also been turned onto sweetened coffee by the Jura J10 espresso machine, which has an attachment that infuses syrup into milk as it's dispensed, and has earned itself a place in our guide to the best coffee makers.

Strawberries and cream... and coffee

With that in mind, I dropped one of the candy-striped strawberry and white chocolate pods into my trusty Nespresso Vertuo Pop (which ranks highly in our roundup of the best Nespresso machines thanks to its compact design and budget-friendly price) and hit the button to start brewing.

The white chocolate and strawberry capsules are Nespresso's 230ml 'mug' size (Image credit: Future)

The resulting coffee – a blend of arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia with extra flavors added after roasting – was a surprise, but a pleasant one. The added aromas don't overpower the taste of the coffee, but complement it.

I found that the strawberry was the more noticeable of the two, and it adds a freshness to the drink's flavor before the creamier base notes of sweet vanilla become apparent.

These capsules are Nespresso's 'mug' size, which means they create 230ml of coffee – enough to completely fill my glass cups – so I had to take a few sips before I could experiment with stirring in a little milk. I was a bit worried that the fruit might clash with dairy, but if anything it was even better.

The flavor works well alone, or with milk (unlike a typical fruity coffee) (Image credit: Future)

Next time I'll use a larger mug and add some steamed milk to make a giant strawberry latte. I think, like my dual-fermented passionfruit coffee, it will also work well chilled over ice. I've got some experimenting to do.

You might also like

• My favorite Nespresso coffee maker just got a fresh new makeover, and now I love it even more
• I wasn't a fan of syrup in coffee until I tried the Jura J10 espresso machine – here's why
• De'Longhi's new bean-to-cup coffee machine could make you a milk-frothing maestro

The rivals battle for local bragging rights at Old Trafford after a disappointing campaign for both teams.

A biotech company recently announced that it's implanted another pig kidney into a human recipient. Here's what to know.

• One UI 8 (based on Android 16) could launch early
• It may make its debut on Samsung's next foldables
• One UI 7 is rolling out more widely this week

The One UI 7 (Android 15) update made its proper debut on the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones in January, and is set to roll out to other devices from next week – but it seems One UI 8 (Android 16) will soon be ready to go as well, as it's being tipped to show up on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Those two foldables are expected to arrive around July time, and sources speaking to SamMobile say they're going to come with One UI 8 on board rather than One UI 7. It's a surprisingly speedy turnaround for Samsung's next software upgrade.

It does fit in with the expected release schedule of Android 16, however: we know Google is keen to get this year's big software update pushed out to phones sometime in June, and we've already had several months of beta testing for the next version of the mobile operating system.

For comparison, Android 15 began appearing on Pixel phones in October 2024, but now that Google has shifted to launching its flagship handsets in August – most recently the Pixel 9 series – needs to get Android ready earlier too, ideally.

What we've heard so far

Android 16 is also coming later this year (Image credit: Google / Future)

We haven't heard much about One UI 8 to date, but presumably Samsung will follow the lead set by Android 16. The next big update for Google's mobile OS is said to be improving support for desktop mode and upgrading the health features available on your handset, as well as adding features to put off phone thieves.

We've heard quite a bit about Samsung's upcoming foldables too. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, for instance, is apparently going to be thinner than its predecessor, and should get the usual under the hood speed improvements – and maybe even better cameras.

As for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, the rumors suggest it'll come with a full-sized cover screen for the first time, though otherwise the design may stay the same (as could the RAM and storage options). Both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are apparently getting better battery life, due to more efficient displays.

There's also been talk of a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip SE and perhaps a tri-fold Samsung foldable too, which could all launch at the same time as the other handsets – and at the same time as the One UI 8 upgrade.

You might also like

• The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is my favorite phone ever
• These are the best foldables you can buy
• I switched to a foldable – and I'm not going back

As a 10-year Apple Watch veteran, I've only really taken notice of Garmin in the last six months or so in my role as one of TechRadar's fitness and wearables experts.

Since the turn of the year, there has been an awful lot of negativity around Garmin for a variety of reasons: a global outage that saw devices rendered unusable for well over a day, users upset about older, premium models being left out in the software cold, and more recently the controversial Garmin Connect+ subscription service.

I've seen plenty of despair in Garmin forums like the r/Garmin subreddit, reading countless posts and comments about users who are considering ditching their Garmins or making the switch to Apple, Samsung, and co.

But as a tenured Apple Watch user, I'm here to lend a comforting hand to the Garmin faithful. Life may not be perfect right now, but there are still a myriad of reasons to be thankful for your Garmin and a ton of impressive features and benefits to using one.

It got me thinking about just how many advantages and upsides there are to using a Garmin, and so I thought I'd collate some of them here to bring Garmin users some much-needed joy.

Who knows, if you're in the market for a new smartwatch, maybe this is the push you need to grab one of the best Garmins instead of an Apple Watch Ultra 2. Of course, features and benefits swing both ways, but let me lay out some of the things Garmin does better than the Apple Watch right now.

1. Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

The best Apple Watch will get you at most 72 hours of battery life on a single charge in Low Power mode. When you come to Garmin, battery life specs are measured in days rather than hours. Of course, there are reasons for this, Apple Watches tend to have brighter screens and generally a bit more going on under the hood, but there's no denying that even formidable, powerful models like the Garmin Fenix 8 offer insane longevity. The latter is rated for up to 34 days of typical use, an astonishing figure.

Pound for pound, any equivalent Garmin is going to smash Apple Watch battery life by an order of magnitude, and that's before we even consider Garmin's secret weapon and point number 2...

2. Solar charging

(Image credit: Garmin)

Complementing battery life is solar charging, an option offered on plenty of Garmin models. In exchange for a less impressive display, you get solar charging for potentially limitless battery life in the right conditions. While that's rarely a reality, solar charging pushes the aforementioned 34-day battery life of the Fenix 8 to up to 58 days on solar.

Apple has never once hinted at solar charging on the Apple Watch during its 10 years of existence, and I'd love to see the company give it a try.

3. Running metrics

(Image credit: Garmin)

If you want the best running watch to help you hone your stride, up your pace, and break your marathon record, Garmin is really the only option.

Garmin has a dedicated range of running watches, spearheaded by the impressive Forerunner 965, but the entire lineup boasts a slew of industry-leading running metrics to which Apple can't hold a candle.

At their most advanced, Garmin running metrics and features include running dynamics, vertical oscillation and ratio, ground contact time and balance, stride length, cadence, running power, grade-adjusted pace, performance condition, lactate threshold, PacePro, and even a race time prediction.

Apple Watch does some of these, but there's no denying that Garmin leads the pack when it comes to running.

4. Training plans and Garmin Coach

(Image credit: Garmin)

While your Apple Watch can track a workout, Garmin has an extensive array of training tools. Notably, you can use Garmin Coach training plans to fuel your running or cycling regimen, and you can also use the Garmin Connect app to create step-by-step workouts you can follow right from your wrist.

You'll even get daily suggested workouts based on your previous performance (for running or cycling) and information about how long you should leave for recovery based on your effort.

Apple might have newer Training Load features from watchOS 11, but otherwise, the company has barely scratched the surface in this field.

5. Readiness and Body Battery

(Image credit: Future)

Garmin also features very impressive readiness scores and its own Body Battery technology, which you won't find on any Apple Watch. Now, there's some debate about the efficacy of this kind of tech, and some folks would probably tell you it's a pseudoscience.

However, Garmin takes metrics like your heart rate variability, activity data, and more to generate a score out of 100 to estimate your energy reserves and overall readiness to tackle the day's training.

For some people (myself included), that isn't always helpful – you can often become a slave to the numbers and end up feeling in worse condition than you might actually be – but for those who want it, Garmin's Body Battery and readiness scores are much better than anything Apple offers in the space.

6. Models and pricing

(Image credit: Garmin)

By all accounts, Garmin boasts the richest lineup of models of any smartwatch manufacturer, Apple included. While Cupertino has opted for a simple three-device lineup, Garmin has models within models on top of layers of configurations wrapped around pricing structures.

It's a lot to get your head around, especially if you're a beginner – what's the difference between the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED, Solar, and Instinct E, for instance? – but the upshot is that there is a Garmin for everyone. From the cheapest Forerunner 55 to the Tactix 8 replete with ballistics tracking and night vision mode, there's a Garmin in every color and at every price point.

7. Platform agnosticism

Apple Watch is all fun and games until you decide you want an Android phone (Image credit: Future)

One of the best things about buying a Garmin is that it works with both iPhone and Android equally well. Of course, you miss out on some key notification features you'd get from an Apple Watch on iPhone, but generally, buying a Garmin frees you up to move more readily between iPhone and Android if you feel so inclined.

That can be tremendously freeing when it comes to choosing your next smartphone, especially because moving between the two doesn't mean losing all your workout data and training accolades.

8. A real flashlight

(Image credit: Garmin)

Bonus round - Apple Watch does have a flashlight feature, but it just involves turning up the screen to max white brightness. Plenty of Garmins, such as the Instinct 3, come with a full-fledged flashlight for exploration or just fumbling your way to the bathroom at 3 am.

Garmin users take heart

As I've said, this isn't an exhaustive list by any means, but hopefully, Garmin users can take some heart that there are still plenty of reasons to be satisfied with their purchases, and to stick with the brand.

Have I missed anything? If you can think of something else Garmin does better than Apple Watch, drop your thoughts in the comments below!

You may also like

• Garmin Vivoactive 6 officially revealed, as Garmin attempts to regain its stride after heavy Connect+ criticism
• TechRadarFurious Garmin users revolt over new subscription service – "We need to take a firm stand"
• Garmin's new subscription is causing chaos: here are the six features behind the new paywall

Neither the design nor the display will wow you, but the performance and battery life from its Intel Lunar Lake CPU provide excellent value to budget laptop shoppers.

• One of A Minecraft Movie's funniest scenes was left out of the final film
• Its director has explained why the sequence didn't get used
• Jared Hess has also revealed what his favorite Easter eggs are in Minecraft's movie adaptation

A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess has opened up on the "really hilarious" scene he was disappointed to leave out of the film's final cut.

Ahead of the movie's April 4 release, I sat down with Hess to discuss his latest feature film. And, while A Minecraft Movie clocks isn't exactly on the long side for a family-friendly movie – it runs for one hour and 40 minutes, FYI – Hess admitted it would've been a few minutes longer if he'd successfully *ahem* mined it for more material.

There's one particular scene that Hess was most upset to leave out, too. Indeed, when I asked if there was anything that was considered off-limits by Minecraft creator Mojang Studios for the film adaptation, Hess said yes. His answer was an unexpected one, though, because it had nothing to do with Mojang telling him what he couldn't use in the Warner Bros-distributed flick.

Spoilers immediately follow for A Minecraft Movie.

The film's crew made sure that everything that appears on the screen could actually be made in Minecraft (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)

"Yeah, there were a ton of fun sequences we wanted to do," Hess said. "[Popular Minecraft YouTuber] Mumbo Jumbo, who's a Redstone genius, was working on a great scene that we just couldn't do.

"We had a sequence that involved a giant Piglin robot, which was a Trojan horse-type thing that worked via Redstone," Hess continued. "I storyboarded it, we had full animatics of it, and it was a really hilarious scene. But, we just weren't able to do it.

"Everything we designed for the film, we wanted to make sure that you could actually go and make in the game," he added. "So, even Steve's Lava Chicken Shack and all of those things, we'd be like 'Gosh, are we sure we can do this? Does it work? Okay, let's go to the game and build it right now. Right, it checks out. It's bulletproof.'

"It would've been super fun to have that Mumbo Jumbo-designed sequence, but ultimately it didn't work out. He also designed a bunch of crazy booby traps for us as well, but we couldn't make those work in the confines of our movie, too."

'There are some really special Easter eggs in our movie'

There's a seemingly infinite number of Minecraft secrets and references hidden within A Minecraft Movie (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)

Disappointed though Hess is about that sequence's absence, there are plenty of Minecraft Easter eggs and wider video game references that he was able to include in one of 2025's new movies.

From real in-game physics and genuine item and food crafting recipes, to a whole host of blink and you'll miss them objects, Hess and company made sure to populate the flick with as many gaming Easter eggs as possible. There are so many secrets, in fact, that Minecraft devotees and fanatical gamers will need to watch A Minecraft Movie numerous times to spot them all.

There are a couple of surprise additions above all others, though, that Hess was more proud than most to include.

Did you spot every Easter egg in your screening of A Minecraft Movie? (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)

"There are some really special ones," he told me. "We've got some really amazing Minecrafters that have mini cameos like Mumbo Jumbo, DanTDM, and Aphmau.

"There are a bunch of others that I'm missing, but there are some funny Easter eggs that I think die-ahrd Minecrafters and members of the community will notice. There's a really special Easter egg that Sebastian Hansen, who plays Henry, came up with. There's a nod to a really amazing Minecrafter in the film that you'll just have to check out, but I won't say who it is!"

I guess you'll all have to run out to watch the film to try and work out what that secret is, then! Before you do, be sure to read my review of A Minecraft Movie to see if it's worth watching. Then, read my A Minecraft Movie end credits piece to see if there are any and what they tell us about a potential sequel.

You might also like

• 'We had to have the same approach': A Minecraft Movie's simple title was chosen for one very big reason, director says
• 'They were taken out of context': A Minecraft Movie director responds to fan backlash over the film adaptation's visuals
• 'We were old school': A Minecraft Movie's Jared Hess denies using AI to enhance his film adaptation of Mojang's very popular sandbox game

There's debate over using carbon-plated running shoes for marathons -- here's what the experts say.

Arne SLot's Reds can take a step closer to claiming the EPL title with a win in west London.

• Sigma rumored to be working on a 200mm f/1.8 telephoto prime
• Full-frame lens could debut in L-mount and Sony E mount
• First of its kind for any mirrorless camera system

Back in 1988, Canon introduced the EF 200mm f/1.8L USM – the world’s fastest 200mm telephoto lens. Made for Canon’s EF-mount DSLR cameras, it was discontinued in 2004. Nothing since then has come close to its unique combination of reach and speed. That might be about to change: according to online rumors, Sigma is working on a spiritual successor for the mirrorless era.

L-rumors, a source for L-mount camera system news, recently ran a story claiming that Sigma is developing a world-first 200mm f/1.8 L-mount lens for Sony E and L-mount (Leica, Sigma and Panasonic) full-frame cameras. It points out that the optical design for such a lens was patented by Sigma back in 2020. Sony Alpha Rumors carried the same story.

Neither site provides any concrete information on performance, pricing or release date, speculating only that the lens will form part of Sigma’s Sports series. Whatever the specifics, the lens – if real – would be unique among modern mirrorless glass.

No other optic offers the same pairing of prime telephoto reach and a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture. It’s a recipe that promises sharp stills with beautiful background blur, giving it appeal for sports, portrait and landscape photographers alike.

Sigma's lens department regularly innovates – its 28-45mm lens (above) was the first F1.8 zoom lens for full-frame. (Image credit: Sigma) Who would a 200mm f/1.8 lens be good for?

A 200mm telephoto prime might sound like a niche lens, but it’s one that has a lot to offer for sports and wildlife photographers. It gives a useful degree of magnification, bringing distant subjects significantly closer, but not so close that you can’t readily pan to follow the action from the sidelines.

It’s also a flattering focal length for portrait photography, creating an attractive compression effect where the background appears larger. That same effect gives it appeal for landscape photographers who want to create compositions which contrast specific details of foreground and background.

Prime optics famously offer faster maximum apertures than zoom lenses. This allows photographers to shoot at faster shutter speeds in low-light conditions. It also comes with the promise of soft bokeh and background blur. Both of those benefits will be maximized at an aperture of f/1.8.

As above, rumors suggest that the Sigma 200mm f/1.8 will be part of Sigma’s Sports line. That makes a lot of sense: at that aperture, sports photographers would be able to work at faster shutter speeds to freeze action indoors or under floodlights. Similarly, both wildlife and landscape photographers would be able to make use of all available light, even when shooting in dim settings.

Portrait photographers would naturally benefit, too. The lens promises to isolate subjects sharply against wonderfully defocused backgrounds. The Sigma 200mm f/1.8 would deliver the shallowest depth of field possible at that focal length for a modern mirrorless camera. That makes it a pretty compelling, if inevitably pricey and physically weighty, proposition.

You might also like

• Sigma unveils a killer portrait lens for Sony and Panasonic cameras with a tempting price tag
• Sigma announces the world’s first f/1.8 full-frame zoom for mirrorless cameras
• I’ve shot hundreds of photos with the stunning Sigma BF – despite its flaws, it makes other cameras feel ordinary

• Ajinomoto is best known for MSG but it also makes semiconductor material
• It dominates production of the ABF insulating film used in GPUs and CPUs
• The company plans 50 percent capacity boost with more investment by 2030

Ajinomoto is a Japanese company best known for producing MSG, or monosodium glutamate - the ubiquitous flavor enhancer commonly used in food, especially in Asian cuisine.

As one of the world’s largest MSG manufacturers, the company is often closely associated with the ingredient - the name "Ajinomoto" actually translates to "essence of taste" in Japanese.

Right about now, you’re probably wondering why this is on TechRadar Pro, right? Well, it’s because Ajinomoto is set to massively expand its investment in the semiconductor sector.

Increasing ABF production by 50%

A report from Nikkei Asia claims the Japanese food and biotech company plans to boost production of Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF), a key insulating material used in the packaging of advanced CPUs and GPUs, where it helps ensure thermal stability and electrical insulation.

First developed using the company’s expertise in amino acid chemistry (you can read the whole history here), ABF is now essential for high-performance semiconductor substrates and Ajinomoto holds over 95% market share in its category.

Nikkei Asia says Ajinomoto has already spent 25 billion yen over the past two years to expand production at its facilities in Gunma, northwest of Tokyo, and in Kawasaki, but it is now looking to increase ABF production capacity by 50%.

"We will invest the same amount or more by 2030 as demand increases," President Shigeo Nakamura, who took on the role in February 2025, said in an interview with Nikkei Asia.

"We are also exploring establishing new bases," he added, although this expansion is expected to remain within Japan.

Ajinomoto's ramping up of ABF isn’t a surprise, given that Nakamura previously worked in research and played a key role in the development of the company’s electronics materials division.

"We expect sales of electronics materials, mainly ABF, to grow at an annual rate of more than 10% through 2030," Nakamura told the news site.

"We will continue to meet needs by evolving ABF to a more highly functional form that supports high-performance semiconductors in the long term."

You might also like

• TSMC and Broadcom could tear apart Intel's legendary business after 57 years
• MIT researchers say nanoscale 3D transistors promise more efficient electronics
• EU needs to update Chips Act and provide more support, semiconductor body says

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 6.

Microsoft followed at least one part of my wishlist for its Copilot event when it announced Copilot Vision will be embedded in Windows 11 and the mobile app.

Copilot Vision will let the AI actually see what’s on your screen and the world around you. Microsoft first toyed with the idea in Edge, where Copilot could peek at the browser and offer help. But now it’s going system-wide, across apps, websites, and even what your smartphone camera shows on your screen.

The idea is to offer a proactive AI assistant that can scan an Excel sheet, summarize a PDF, suggest how to adjust your settings, or identify the wild berry you're not sure is edible or poisonous.

The appeal is obvious, even when compared to tools with similar features like ChatGPT and Gemini. Those tools can be great on a desktop or laptop, but they don’t have the luxury of being built directly into your operating system.

Copilot has a home-field advantage on Windows 11. Vision leverages that advantage. It doesn’t have to wait for a prompt; it can see what you’re doing and offer context-relevant help.

Copilot Vision caution

Microsoft clearly anticipates some trepidation over Copilot Vision's expansion based on how eager the company is to highlight the feature's privacy aspects. Microsoft says Copilot Vision only works when you grant access. Still, there’s no denying the privacy weirdness. The digital equivalent of someone looking over your shoulder sounds creepy out of context.

Of course, it's not like we haven't all been handing over swaths of data to the cloud to get slightly better movie recommendations or similar benefits. But I can understand why letting AI literally read your screen as you do the same might feel intimate in a disconcerting way.

Control and trust might make the difference in Copilot Vision's success. If Microsoft starts making Copilot Vision default-on or hides the permission settings in some deeply buried system menu, more people might turn away from Copilot entirely and turn to another option with the same abilities but with the user controlling it more.

I still think it will be a genuinely useful addition to Copilot, especially on the surprisingly well-designed Copilot mobile app. You'll want to keep track of what permissions you give and when Copilot Vision is active. I'd encourage trying it out, but keep your eyes open when the AI is doing the same.

You might also like

• I tried Microsoft Copilot's iOS app, and here are 3 reasons why you should too
• I think Microsoft is smart to follow OpenAI in making these premium features free
• Microsoft Paint brushes up on AI

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 195, for Sunday, April 6.

Find hints and answers for the New York Times' Connections puzzle for Sunday, April 6.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 399 for April 6.