Technology

The announcement should mean tariffs won't impact prices on its smart ring.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 432 for May 9.

Samsung’s The Frame has long stood out from the list of the best TVs available for you to spend your hard-earned money on, basically since its inception. Not necessarily for its picture quality or the tech onboard, but more so due to the fact that it’s extremely aesthetically pleasing.

When it’s off, it’s not a big, black rectangle on your wall or propped up on a cabinet – instead, it displays artwork or photos, and rather than a thick bezel around the screen, it’s wrapped in a bezel that makes it look like a picture frame.

It’s been a winning combo, and with the screen gaining the same matte finish as the flagship Samsung S95D OLED TV in recent generations, works of art now look even more realistic as screen reflections are blocked.

And that’s what makes The Frame Pro such an interesting addition to Samsung’s lineup – it replaces the larger-screen sizes of the standard Frame with much of the same feature set, plus offers two key upgrades.

The standard QLED screen is replaced with NeoQLED, which features Mini-LED backlighting, and there's now a Wireless One Connect box for wirelessly connecting sources. It’s an especially appealing upgrade for folks who already have a standard Frame TV and are after a better quality picture or those who have always been interested, but were waiting for the image quality to be kicked into a higher gear.

It also keeps a premium price tag. Here’s how the Frame Pro breaks down by size:

• 65-inch The Frame Pro for $2,599.98 / £2,099 / AU$3,499
• 75-inch The Frame Pro for $3,599.98 / £2,999 / AU$4,499
• 85-inch The Frame Pro for $4,699.98 / £3,999 / AU$5,999

Even so, in typical Samsung fashion, it’s already discounted. The 65-inch is $2,199, the 75-inch is $3,199.99, and the 85-inch is $4,299.99.

I’ve been using a 55-inch The Frame with the matte finish and a Disney metallic silver frame bezel for a few years as my bedroom TV, and after spending some time with the Frame Pro, here’s why I think it’s a significant upgrade over the original.

Disconnecting the One Connect Box is a bigger deal than it sounds

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Part of the appeal of the Frame TV was that one cable connected to the TV itself, and it came from the external One Connect Box, which serves as a central hub for the HDMI, optical, and other ports, allowing you to more effortlessly, and effectively, cable manage your home entertainment setup.

While the Frame Pro still requires a power cable, albeit a thinner one, that’s the only connection you’ll make anywhere near the TV. The One Connect Box is wireless, and a good bit slimmer, and can be placed up to 30 feet away from the TV itself. This infinitely frees up placement options for the Frame Pro – either on the included stand or mounted using the included bracket – and it doesn’t mean any shortcoming for picture quality. It can stream up to a 4K resolution picture at up to 120Hz refresh rate as long as it’s within 30 feet of the Frame Pro.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

The new box itself takes up considerably less space than the previous One Connect Box, as well, meaning it should be easier to find a spot, and you get the freedom of placement. I have a feeling many folks with a current Frame TV will be jealous of the wireless box, though Samsung has made it clear that it is exclusive to the Pro.

The jump to NeoQLED should be a big one, and it looked sharp in early testing

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Now, I only spent about an hour with the Frame Pro, and unfortunately, it wasn’t alongside the standard Frame but instead a competing model – likely Hisense’s Art TV. Even though I couldn’t do any side-by-side comparisons, the NeoQLED upgrade is noticeable on its own, just as it was when I saw it at CES 2025.

The Frame Pro delivered excellent picture quality with high brightness and popping colors in some tests. Future Labs also conducted some early benchmarking and found that it reached 1,000 nits of brightness at its peak, which is 400 nits over the standard Frame’s brightness.

Samsung’s testing room was pretty dim, and the Frame Pro got quite bright. It was great for some test content, ranging from YouTube videos of varying quality levels to Netflix shows.

It’s a much more solid TV overall, with better hardware to deliver stronger contrast and more vivid color. I really look forward to spending more time with the Frame Pro, which also provides a bit more value within the Frame lineup.

The Frame, now Frame Pro, has always cost more than Samsung’s core QLED TVs and was priced at the same level or more than some NeoQLED models, so having a much-improved display type is a delight here.

It’s still a great-looking TV that does the not-a-TV trick

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

The Frame has always been the most aesthetically pleasing TV, and the Frame Pro takes this up a notch. It still displays art very well with great detail and realism. Especially if you pay extra to wrap the Frame Pro in the frame bezel, which completes the look.

I ran through more than a dozen pieces of artwork, all available from Samsung’s Art Store, which is built into the TV and costs extra ($4.99 a month or $49.99 a year in the United States). All looked particularly sharp and vivid… well, at least if that’s how the artist intended it.

And to keep the realistic approach, so you might do a double-take, Samsung switches off local dimming and 120Hz display so as not to up the brightness too much when in Art Mode. This can also help with energy consumption.

All in all, the Samsung Frame Pro is still one to watch. If you’ve been waiting for a substantial upgrade to the Frame, this is the tech giant’s answer. It’s more than the equivalent leapfrog of when Samsung added the matte, anti-reflection coating.

Plus, that Wireless One Connect Box will make finding a home for the Frame Pro a little less challenging. The only downside would be the limited sizing for the Frame Pro – anything smaller than a 65-inch, and to get the Frame effect, you'll need to be alright with the standard QLED picture and a hardwired One Connect Box, but at least you'll get a boosted refresh rate as well.

You might also like

• I'm very impressed with the Samsung S95F's anti-glare technology, but I'm far more excited for the other TVs of 2025 – here's why
• Samsung’s Ballie robot companion still comes in yellow, but has more AI and a promised 2025 launch
• Is the Galaxy S25 Edge ready for its debut? Samsung sets May 12 for virtual Galaxy Unpacked

The next installment in the Mafia series won't take a huge time commitment or break the bank.

The company is reportedly pulling back on some privacy concerns to give its smart glasses lineup a bigger AI boost.

• Nearly 40% of IT workers admit to secretly using unauthorized generative AI tools
• Shadow AI is growing as training gaps and fear of layoffs fuel covert use
• AI tools used without oversight can leak sensitive data and bypass existing security protocols

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in the workplace, organizations are struggling to manage its adoption responsibly, new research has said.

A report by Ivanti has claimed the growing use of unauthorized AI tools in workplaces is raising concerns about deepening skill gaps and increasing security risks.

Among IT workers, over a third (38%) admit to using unauthorized generative AI tools, while nearly half of office workers (46%) say some or all of the AI tools they rely on were not provided by their employers.

Some companies allow the use of AI

Interestingly, 44% of companies have integrated AI across departments, yet a large portion of employees are secretly using unauthorized tools due to insufficient training.

One in three workers say they conceal their AI usage from management, often citing the “secret advantage” it provides.

Some employees avoid disclosing their use of AI because they don’t want to be perceived as incompetent.

With 27% reporting AI-fueled impostor syndrome and 30% worried their roles may be replaced, the disconnect is also contributing to anxiety and burnout.

These behaviors point to a lack of trust and transparency, emphasizing the need for organizations to establish clear and inclusive AI usage policies.

“Organizations should consider building a sustainable AI governance model, prioritizing transparency and tackling the complex challenge of AI-fueled imposter syndrome through reinvention,” said Ivanti’s Chief Legal Counsel, Brooke Johnson.

The covert use of AI also poses a serious risk. Without proper oversight, unauthorized tools can leak data, bypass security protocols, and expose systems to attack, especially when used by administrators with elevated access.

Organizations must respond not by cracking down, but by modernizing. This includes establishing inclusive AI policies and deploying secure infrastructure - starting with strong endpoint protection to detect rogue applications and ZTNA solutions to enforce strict access controls in distributed environments.

Ivanti notes AI isn’t the problem; the real issues are unclear policies, weak security, and a lack of trust. If left unchecked, shadow AI could widen the skills gap, strain mental health, and compromise critical systems.

You might also like

• Check out the best AI phones on the market
• Here is our list of the best AI website builders on the web
• After AI, Nvidia wants to own a slice of that sweet trillion-dollar cybersecurity pie

Hints and answers for Connections for May 9, No. 698.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,420 for May 9.

• Pinterest has debuted a set of new AI-powered visual search tools
• The AI tools enable users to explore fashion by vibe, mood, or aesthetic
• The results are aimed at helping produce personalized shopping ideas

Pinterest has always been about visuals over text. Now, with the help of AI, you can figure out how to describe those visual inspirations and even get a chance to buy your favorite items, starting with women’s fashion.

A growing number of Pins on Pinterest will have specific pieces of an outfit or aesthetic highlighted with a shimmering animated glow. Click on, say, the plaid skirt or the blue jacket, and Pinterest will show you some of the words to describe the item and help you find more like it without you needing a fashion dictionary.

Pinterest is using generative AI and Visual Language Models (VLMs) for the new features. The VLMs essentially translate images into searchable terms, decoding your taste from an image and helping you shop for it. It's like a more nuanced reverse image search tool, one that can converse with you about your interest in vivid tones and stereopunk plaid.

You’re not expected to describe your dream outfit with perfect vocabulary. You’re not expected to know what kind of tailoring makes a jacket “structured casual.” You just have to know that you liked that one look for its vibe. Pinterest takes it from there.

“Our visual search technology represents a shift in how users interact with and discover inspiration,” Pinterest vice president of design Dana Cho said in a statement. “We're not simply delivering search results – we're curating a personalized journey of discovery that empowers individuals to find their unique style, and shop it too."

Pin AI

There are other new AI features as well, including a new refinement bar that lets you tweak results on the fly. For instance, if you like a look but want to change its color or styling, you can use the refinement bar to filter for them or other elements like fabric.

And if you spot something you want to use to start a visual search from within the app, you just need to long-press on it. Pinterest says it plans to expand the AI tools beyond women’s fashion eventually, but it makes sense that it would start there when it's such a major facet of the platform.

Pinterest's new tools don't mean it's entirely trusting of AI. The company has also begun adding new labels for AI-modified or AI-generated images and giving users the option to see fewer of them via topic filters. It’s a small but smart nod to the fact that inspiration is great, but that reality still matters when you're shopping for actual clothing.

Still, it's an interesting approach to online shopping, and one that fits the way people shop in person by looking at clothes, not just describing them. The AI is like a personal shopper who understands most people rely on visual impressions and gut feelings to decide what to buy, rather than knowing stitch patterns and trend terms.

You might also like

• Google’s AI Mode can explain what you’re seeing even if you can’t
• Amazon's new AI guides know what you want to buy before you do
• Perplexity AI's Comet browser will streak across the web this month

It's the final tour event before next week's PGA Championship.

• SZBOX S9 tablet handles 4K video and runs Windows 11 like a pro
• It looks small but packs some serious heat for work and multitasking
• With eight ports, this rugged tablet might outconnect your office desktop setup

A device with a tiny screen, small battery, and eight ports isn’t what you’d typically expect from a Windows 11 Pro machine, but here is the SZBOX S9, a rugged tablet that doubles as a fully functional mini PC.

With its 7-inch touchscreen and modest 1280x800 resolution, the SZBOX S9 clearly isn’t aiming to be a media powerhouse.

Instead, this business tablet finds its niche in utility, industrial, and mobile computing scenarios where space is limited but versatility is essential.

SZBOX offers both tablet and mini PC features

The internal specs are as surprising as the layout. It runs on an Intel N200 processor, built on a 10nm process, with four cores and a 3.7GHz boost clock.

It comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage via M.2 2242 SATA or NVMe, impressive for such a small footprint.

Integrated Intel UHD Graphics allow 4K video playback at up to 60fps, making it capable of media streaming and light editing tasks, and a rear kickstand makes tabletop use convenient.

The 3400mAh battery doesn’t promise all-day life, rather the Windows tablet is designed for short bursts of productivity or continuous operation while plugged in.

For connectivity, the SZBOX S9 offers a surprisingly rich selection: three USB-A 3.2 ports, one USB-A 2.0, two USB-C (one for charging and one full-function), HDMI 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

This puts it in a unique category, rivaling some of the best AIO PC units in terms of I/O, despite being handheld. With Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6, it also meets modern wireless expectations.

Although it ships with Windows 11 Pro out of the box, users are free to switch to Linux if needed.

This peculiar but intriguing device is now available for $341 on Amazon.

You might also like

• These are the best business laptops available to buy right now
• And you should take a look at the best office chairs we've tried
• Major US PC vendor hints at unannounced AMD EPYC 4005 mini PC being used in huge 35-units 42U racks

Some of Nintendo's best games pushed the Switch to its limits. Switch 2 editions will buff them out with better graphics and improved frame rates.

The Basilisk Mobile and Joro are an ergonomic mouse and keyboard, and the Clio is a gaming chair head cushion with wireless sound.

• Amazon's latest warehouse robot can feel items that it handles
• Vulcan has already processed 500,000 orders in pilots
• It'll work alongside workers to boot efficiency and safety

Amazon has unveiled a brand-new warehouse robot that it's calling Vulcan, and it's a step closer to being human than many humans might feel comfortable with, but for good reason.

Vulcan has the ability to 'feel' the objects it interacts with using force sensors and tactile feedback, which means Amazon can improve precision and reduce errors in its warehouses.

The (thankfully not humanoid) robot uses two separate arms, one for rearranging items in compartments and another, equipped with a camera and suction cup, to be used for item retrieval.

Amazon Vulcan robot can "feel" objects

The company noted Vulcan was trained using physical data, including force and touch feedback, and it's already capable of picking about three-quarters of the ecommerce giant's inventory, having already processed over 500,000 orders in pilot deployments across Spokane, Washington and Hamburg, Germany.

Vulcan is also capable of self-improvement, learning from experiences much like a human child would do.

Because of this ability to learn combined with touch sensors and tactility, Amazon says Vulcan mimics human dexterity, allowing it to manipulate tightly packed compartments without damaging items.

It's also able to identify when it cannot currently handle an item, calling on a human for assistance.

Notably, in highly-stacked shelves and taller warehouses, Vulcan is able to access items more quickly than humans because it doesn't need to use a ladder, improving safety and efficiency. It's also said to work at speeds comparable to humans.

"Vulcan works alongside our employees, and the combination is better than either on their own," Amazon Robotics Director of Applied Science Aaron Parness explained.

Amazon now has more than 750,000 robots already in use across its warehouses, which it stresses are there to support and collaborate with human workers rather than replace them. Other projects include Sparrow, Robin, Cardinal and Proteus – the company's first autonomous robot.

"Our vision is to scale this technology across our network, enhancing operational efficiency, improving workplace safety, and supporting our employees by reducing physically demanding tasks," Parness concluded.

You might also like

• We've listed the best free website builders
• Take payments online with the best payment gateways
• Amazon is spending billions to expand its delivery network across rural America

• New details about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach have been revealed ahead of the game's release next month
• The story, which is set 11 months after the first game, finds Sam in Mexico and Australia and "unfolds at a faster pace"
• New features like a day and night cycle, an aerial view camera, and environmental hazards that affect gameplay have also been added

New details about Death Stranding 2: On the Beach have been revealed ahead of the game's release next month.

The latest comes from PlayStation Blog's hands-on impressions, which offers fresh insight into Death Stranding 2, including information about the game's story, gameplay, and newly added features.

In terms of narrative, the sequel is set 11 months after Death Stranding and finds Sam Bridges living in Mexico in a quiet life with his BB Lou, until he gets caught up in an incident that brings him to Australia where he is once again tasked with traveling across the map to "re-connect a fractured society".

Compared to the first game, Death Stranding 2's story "unfolds at a faster pace" and will give players access to new equipment and structures earlier on.

The story will start in Mexico, but new footage of the Australia map showcases the expansive terrain. During travel, players will be able to switch to an "aerial camera" that will show Sam from a bird's-eye view, allowing a further look at the environment surrounding them.

It's also said that the game will offer "more choice and freedom in terms of strategy and decision-making", which applies to the new equipment, as well as transportation, infrastructure, weapons, smoke grenades to avoid combat altogether, and more.

Alongside new enemy types, like a new BT called "the Watcher" that detects and attacks through sight, gameplay appears to be much more reactive this time around, with the addition of a new day and night cycle.

For instance, terrain and enemies are more visible during the day, but threats can locate the player more easily. Meanwhile, night-time offers more opportunities for stealth at the cost of visibility.

Environmental hazards, like earthquakes, flash floods, and heavy rain, will also impact the world around Sam, meaning players will need to find alternate routes from time to time.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is set to launch on June 26, 2025, for PlayStation 5. Sony has also revealed a new limited edition DualSense Wireless Controller inspired by Death Stranding 2, which will release alongside the game.

You might also like...

• Ghost of Yotei pre-orders live: Collector's Edition up in the US, Standard Edition retailers, and where to buy in the UK
• Grand Theft Auto 6 looks mind-blowingly beautiful in latest screenshots
• Rockstar confirms the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was all 'gameplay and cutscenes' captured 'entirely in-game' on the PS5

• Meta is apparently working on glasses with always-on AI
• It can recognize people's faces and remind you of things you forget
• Existing glasses apparently have all the same sensors, but too small a battery for the feature to be worthwhile

Meta’s next smart glasses might always be watching with a new AI that can track everything you do.

That’s according to a leak from The Information (behind a paywall), which details two pairs of specs the company is working on, according to insiders.

Internally codenamed Aperol and Bellini, the two pairs of specs would feature a new live AI. You start it with a command phrase, like “Hey Meta, start live AI,” and the glasses would start recording your every move.

This includes being able to recognize people with facial recognition, and to remind you of things like your house keys if the glasses saw you forgot them.

(Image credit: Meta)

The current Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses models are apparently already packed with the sensors they’d need to pull off this same feat of AI.

Unfortunately, those familiar with Meta’s tests with the existing glasses have said the feature cuts their battery life to only 30 minutes, which isn’t ideal.

Meta’s current focus is reportedly to have its in-development glasses – and a pair of Meta earbuds that will supposedly also boast cameras and super sensing software – run for hours on a single charge with this feature switched on.

(Image credit: Ray-Ban / Meta) Always watching

In many ways, I can see the advantage of this always-live AI assistant. Anyone who has locked themselves out wishes they’d had a little software assistant reminding them to pick up their keys before they leave home.

At the same time, it sounds like a privacy nightmare.

People who point somewhat nervously at my Meta Ray-Ban glasses and ask, “Are those recording us right now?” always seem to relax when I show them they’re switched off or explain they only record when instructed, like if I say, “Hey Meta, take a picture.”

Now, imagine I instead say, “Yeah, they’ve been recording you the whole time.” I imagine I’d lose a few teeth.

The Information's report also suggests Meta has reworked its privacy and safety policy to speed up innovation, which, in conjunction with the huge amounts of data this live AI will collect, isn’t something that fills me with joy. Personally, this seems like the time to tighten your privacy policies to ensure sensitive data isn’t shared in a way it shouldn’t be.

I love my Ray-Ban smart glasses, but I'm not keen on an always-on AI (Image credit: Future)

I expect this AI would come with some of Meta’s existing safety features, such as the light on the glasses being on while you’re recording, and it is at least a feature you have to manually activate, but (call me old fashioned) I can’t imagine ever wanting a camera to record my every move.

Others will probably feel similarly about these potential new always-on AI glasses. Just look at the backlash against Microsoft’s always-on AI feature, Recall – and that was an app that just took computer screenshots.

As with all rumors, we’ll have to wait and see what Meta announces officially, but I’m hoping the final product isn’t anything as scary as it sounds right now.

You might also like

• Meta announces a big change to its Quest 3 game subscription – but it remains as great a deal as ever
• I took my Meta Quest 3 on a 3,000-mile flight so you don’t have to – here's what I learned
• Mark Zuckerberg confirms new Ray-Ban smart glasses are coming ‘later this year’ – here are the 3 pairs I think we’ll see

• Far Cry 4 and Revenge of the Savage Planet director Alex Hutchinson thinks Nintendo's Game Key Cards are "sort of lame"
• The director thinks Nintendo will "get away with it" because of "the power of nostalgia in our business"
• He believes "we’re losing some of what made the business special"

Alex Hutchinson, the director of Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed 3, has said that the Nintendo Switch 2's controversial Game Key Cards are "sort of lame".

Speaking in an interview with VideoGamer following the release of his new game, Revenge of the Savage Planet, Hutchinson said he sees the appeal of digital downloads as someone who has released both physical and digital games, but that he isn't a fan of Nintendo's new system.

"It’s funny that Nintendo is going to get away with it," Hutchinson said. "It just shows you the power of nostalgia in our business that the way they will beat up Microsoft versus Nintendo is just not the same, especially in Europe. It’s like, 'oh, Nintendo’s doing it, alright we’re not gonna say much.'

"I hate it," he continued. "I think it’s sort of lame. I don’t know, I just feel like it’s getting away… we’re losing some of what made the business special. Trading Game Boy cartridges at school, or, you know, DS for the modern audience. There’s something nice about that."

Game key Cards are physical Switch 2 games that will contain a download "key" on the cartridge, but don't include the full game data.

While new Switch 2 titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will offer standard physical game cards like the original Switch, some third-party titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, and more will be Game Key Card only releases.

There are also rumors that Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will be a Game Key Card, as well as The Duskbloods, but we'll have to wait and see.

In case you missed it, the Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

You might also like...

• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders live: latest UK stock updates as My Nintendo Store's pre-order date arrives, while US pre-orders remain delayed
• Here are the Nintendo Switch 2 launch games that you'll be able to pick up and play on June 5
• Rockstar confirms the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was all 'gameplay and cutscenes' captured 'entirely in-game' on the PS5

The app will push out notifications and let you easily track letters and deliveries.

AT&T Fiber, Verizon 5G and more top providers were looked at by our experts to find the best internet in Houston.

The next pair of Sony WH-1000XM noise-canceling headphones will see a series of improvements and AI mics, if leaked specs are to be believed.