Technology

Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections No. 621 for Feb. 21.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,343 for Feb. 21.

• With up to 600W power draw, the ROG XG Mobile is fast, but power-hungry
• Creative professionals are catered for —unless they’re on Mac
• Asus trims 18.2% off the size of this desktop-class powerhouse

Asus has introduced its latest external GPU, the ROG XG Mobile, which comes equipped with either an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti or the high-end RTX 5090.

Per Videocardz, the RTX 5090 model features 10,492 CUDA cores and 24GB of GDDR7 memory, making it one of the most powerful eGPU solutions available.

This device also features an updated design with a new hinge mechanism and a built-in stand, reducing its size by 18.2% while maintaining a compact, portable appearance — somewhat resembling a high-performance heater — at under 1kg.

A creative powerhouse — unless you use a Mac

The ROG XG Mobile comes with Thunderbolt 5 connectivity supporting transfer speeds of up to 80Gbps. However, it remains backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4.

Additionally, it serves as an expansion laptop docking station, offering multiple connectivity options, including USB Type-A ports, an SD card reader, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, and a 5G Ethernet port capable of speeds up to 5000Mbps.

Cooling is a major focus of the new ROG XG Mobile; Asus has integrated a vapor chamber and dust filter, increasing the cooling surface by 54% compared to previous models.

Its redesigned rear-side vents contribute to quieter operation, reducing noise levels by 3dB. The device also includes an integrated 350W power supply, but with the RTX 5090’s high power demands, total system consumption can reach up to 600W under load.

Asus has priced the RTX 5070 Ti version at $1,999, with the device set to launch on February 25, coinciding with NVIDIA’s official preorders for the RTX 50-series laptop GPUs. While the price for the RTX 5090 model has not been confirmed, it's expected to be significantly higher.

This eGPU is a compelling option for professionals using business laptops who need high-end GPU power in a portable setup. However, for Mac users, the news isn’t as promising. Apple Silicon chips, from the M1 to the latest M4, do not support eGPUs, leaving many creatives without an external GPU option.

You may also like

• Seagate smashes largest HDD world record with 36TB hard drive and reveals a 60TB model is coming
• Nvidia unveils new GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 graphics cards at CES 2025
• Check out the best 3D modeling software for 3D printing and more

Approximately 500 NIST staffers, including at least three lab directors, are expected to lose their jobs at the standards agency as part of the ongoing DOGE purge, sources tell WIRED.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos says the money will go toward projects like Alfonso Cuarón’s film Roma, which was made in Mexico and went on to international acclaim.

• Google researchers are warning of an ongoing phishing campaign
• It distributes QR codes which grant the attackers access to people's Signal accounts
• The targets are mostly military personnel, experts warn

Russian state-sponsored threat actors have been increasingly targeting Signal Messenger users, with QR code-powered phishing attacks, malware, and more, experts have warned

A report from Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) notes Signal’s use among military personnel, politicians, journalists, activists, and other high-risk groups has lately become widespread, triggering Russian state-sponsored threat actors’ increasing interest, particularly since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

As a result, different threat actors (most notably APT44 and UNC5792) have been trying to abuse the “linked devices” feature in the attack. Linked devices allows users to connect multiple devices, such as laptops, tablets, and mobile devices, to the same account. To simplify the login process, users can scan a QR code from a device that’s already logged in, instead of typing in a password, or registering a new service.

QR codes

That being said, cybercriminals have started sending out phishing emails with invites to fake groups, different security alerts, and similar, which also carry a QR code. If the victim scans it, the attacker’s device gets logged into their account, getting access to contacts, messages, and more.

Since the phishing email doesn’t carry a malicious link, or attachment, that can be scanned by email security solutions, these emails often make it past filters and into people’s inboxes.

Beyond phishing, Russian and Belarusian threat groups are also using malware and specialized tools to exfiltrate Signal messages directly from compromised Android and Windows devices.

These efforts include scripts like WAVESIGN, which periodically extracts messages from Signal’s database, and Infamous Chisel, a known Android malware variant. Other actors, such as Turla and UNC1151, have leveraged PowerShell and command-line utilities to steal stored Signal messages from compromised computers, as well.

You might also like

• United Healthcare data breach may have affected 190 million Americans
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app

• OnePlus is looking for FDA approval for its Sleep Apnea detection feature
• The OnePlus Watch 3 launched without FDA certification for its ECG feature
• Without FDA approval, these features are unusable in the US

OnePlus is hoping the OnePlus Watch 3 could get FDA approval for its new sleep apnea detection feature, bringing it one step closer to rivaling the best Apple Watches.

We’ve been testing the OnePlus Watch 3 all this week, and it’s a powerhouse of a watch. With five days (120 hours) of battery life, sophisticated health tracking, and all Wear OS 5’s smarts and third-party apps at its metaphorical fingertips, it’s looking likely to end up on our best Android watches list.

However, one area where it cannot compete with Apple’s watches is its features’ approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With FDA certification seen as the gold standard for health-based features, the OnePlus Watch 3’s ECG feature failed to receive this certification in time for launch, leaving ithe feature unusable for potential US users.

Not to be deterred, OnePlus is seeking FDA regulatory approval for a different feature, sleep apnea detection, first identified by Wareable during an interview with OnePlus' Dr. Leo Zhang, Head of Research & Development. Sleep apnea is one of the features scanned for as part of the OnePlus Watch 3’s 60-second Health Check-In feature, alongside snoring detection, oxygen saturation, and other night-time metrics.

During the Apple Watch Series 10 launch in September 2024, Apple made much out of its new Breathing Disturbances feature, which notifies users that they may be experiencing signs of sleep apnea and recommends they check in with a medical professional. The feature was FDA-approved days after the device’s launch.

OnePlus has a significant advantage over Apple regarding sleep tracking, and that’s battery life. Compared to the Apple Watch’s meager 18 hours, the OnePlus’ 120-hour behemoth can go from day to night with no charge in between. Apple gets fast charging, but if you forget to charge it, you’re still likely left with a dead watch in the morning.

Adding an FDA-approved sleep apnea detection feature could be a major kudos for OnePlus – although given the gulf between Android and the best watches for iPhone, it’s unlikely this will be the deciding factor for users looking to switch operating systems.

You might also like...

• I gave up my Garmin for an old-school digital Casio watch for a week: here's what happened to my running
• Your smartwatch could help predict when you're about to get depressed, according to research
• Garmin's latest update offers a to-do list task manager app, in a swerve towards traditional smartwatch territory

Amazon is taking creative control of the James Bond franchise, and Jeff Bezos is asking for your opinion on casting for the next 007 superspy.

• 1More's new ANC headphones cost just $50 / £60
• Hi-Res USB-C Audio, LDAC, and spatial audio
• A 90 hour battery life (60 hours with ANC on)

Audio brand 1More has now released a new entry in its budget ANC headphone line, and you’re getting a lot for the price of just $59 / £59 (about AU$119) – they're only $50 in the US for the launch (via DigitalTrends).

The new SonoFlow SE HQ31 over-ear headphones are a new iteration on last year’s SonoFlow SE model, keeping the latter’s low price tag while packing in plenty of more premium capabilities.

This time, 1More has borrowed some features from its higher-end SonoFlow Pro model, adding support for Hi-Res and spatial audio, making these headphones a great choice for those who want high tech on a low budget.

• See the 1More SonoFlow SE HQ31 at Amazon US
• See the 1More SonoFlow SE HQ31 at Amazon UK

The main improvement seems to be the addition of a wired connection over USB-C – USB-C to 3.5mm cable included – for higher-quality sound, compared to the wireless-only predecessor. But the new SonoFlow SE headphones also appear to almost double the former model’s battery life, from 50 hours to a claimed 90 hours without ANC. That’s four days of continuous use!

Even with ANC turned on, you're promised 60 hours, matching the highest number you get from premium options in our list of the best noise cancelling headphones.

Softer edges, but no more travel case for carrying these headphones around... (Image credit: 1More) Fir Green, or Wine Red?

Other specifications include fast charging, Bluetooth 5.4 support, 40mm drivers, and AI-boosted ANC for reducing 42 decibels’ worth of ambient noise.

The company has good form for ANC specifically, even in affordable headphones: in our 1More SonoFlow review last year, we said they would “should suit most office environments and commutes, cutting back most of the lows and mids you’ll hear throughout the day”, and we’ll report back from our own tests when we get our hands on the new model.

There are some changes to the design, opting for softer, more rounded edges; and while these headphones are still foldable for travel, there’s no longer a hard carry case included in the purchase, so you’ll either have to source your own travel solution or be content with these cans rattling around in your backpack.

The SonoFlow SE HQ31 headphones are available now in four different colorways including Black, Blue, Pink and White.

You might also like

• Stay aware of your surroundings with the best open ear headphones in 2025
• Grado's elite new open-back headphones feature huge 52mm drivers, and a beautiful walnut wood finish
• Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: everything you need to know about Beats' all-new athletic earbuds

The PowerShot V1 is a video-centric compact camera featuring an all-new, and surprisingly large, image sensor.

While satisfaction numbers are up 4% from 2023, internet service providers are still near the bottom of all industries covered by the ACSI.

We’ve reviewed Norway’s internet providers and found the fastest, most affordable options for you.

• SambaNova runs DeepSeek-R1 at 198 tokens/sec using 16 custom chips
• The SN40L RDU chip is reportedly 3X faster, 5X more efficient than GPUs
• 5X speed boost is promised soon, with 100X capacity by year-end on cloud

Chinese AI upstart DeepSeek has very quickly made a name for itself in 2025, with its R1 large-scale open source language model, built for advanced reasoning tasks, showing performance on par with the industry’s top models, while being more cost-efficient.

SambaNova Systems, an AI startup founded in 2017 by experts from Sun/Oracle and Stanford University, has now announced what it claims is the world’s fastest deployment of the DeepSeek-R1 671B LLM to date.

The company says it has achieved 198 tokens per second, per user, using just 16 custom-built chips, replacing the 40 racks of 320 Nvidia GPUs that would typically be required.

Independently verified

“Powered by the SN40L RDU chip, SambaNova is the fastest platform running DeepSeek,” said Rodrigo Liang, CEO and co-founder of SambaNova. “This will increase to 5X faster than the latest GPU speed on a single rack - and by year-end, we will offer 100X capacity for DeepSeek-R1.”

While Nvidia’s GPUs have traditionally powered large AI workloads, SambaNova argues that its reconfigurable dataflow architecture offers a more efficient solution. The company claims its hardware delivers three times the speed and five times the efficiency of leading GPUs while maintaining the full reasoning power of DeepSeek-R1.

“DeepSeek-R1 is one of the most advanced frontier AI models available, but its full potential has been limited by the inefficiency of GPUs,” said Liang. “That changes today. We’re bringing the next major breakthrough - collapsing inference costs and reducing hardware requirements from 40 racks to just one - to offer DeepSeek-R1 at the fastest speeds, efficiently.”

George Cameron, co-founder of AI evaluating firm Artificial Analysis, said his company had “independently benchmarked SambaNova’s cloud deployment of the full 671 billion parameter DeepSeek-R1 Mixture of Experts model at over 195 output tokens/s, the fastest output speed we have ever measured for DeepSeek-R1. High output speeds are particularly important for reasoning models, as these models use reasoning output tokens to improve the quality of their responses. SambaNova’s high output speeds will support the use of reasoning models in latency-sensitive use cases.”

DeepSeek-R1 671B is now available on SambaNova Cloud, with API access offered to select users. The company is scaling capacity rapidly, and says it hopes to reach 20,000 tokens per second of total rack throughput "in the near future".

(Image credit: Artificial Analysis) You might also like

• Nvidia and AMD trade blows over who is faster on DeepSeek AI benchmarks
• A look at the Nvidia GPU that powers DeepSeek's AI global ambition
• AI phenomenon DeepSeek is officially growing faster than ChatGPT

The blanket firing of Department of Agriculture scientists has thrown a host of climate science and crop projects into chaos.

• GoPro refreshes the Max 360-degree camera with modest hardware updates
• New 360 modes added to GoPro's Quik app, including object tracking
• A big price drop lowers the list price to $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$599.95

GoPro has announced a 360-degree camera, but it's not the Max 2 that we've been waiting years for. No, it's a refreshed Max with a couple of hardware tweaks – and a very welcome price drop.

The new camera has an upgraded mounting system for compatibility with all 1/4-20 tripod mounts, plus GoPro's latest Enduro battery for improved battery life – and that all that's new. However, the 'new' Max comes with a sizable price drop, with a new list price of $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$599.95.

It has the same image-making skills as the original Max, including 5.6K video from its twin lenses with complete 360-degree coverage. However, GoPro has improved its Quik app for the Max with new 360-degree features, including a neat-looking AI-powered object tracking that keeps your selected subject in the center of the action.

We haven't tried the new modes in the app yet, but 360-degree video edits can be a time sink, so any smart features that simplify the process are welcome.

Refreshing a five-year-old camera with minor hardware tweaks, amid the backdrop of a much delayed successor, feels like a puzzling decision on the part of GoPro. So what are we to make of the Max relaunch?

The original Max was launch in 2020 and is long overdue a successor if GoPro is to challenge new market leader Insta360. (Image credit: TechRadar) Will we ever see the GoPro Max 2?

The biggest news here is the price drop compared to the original Max – a drop of around a third. GoPro's hand was forced here, because its dated Max camera previously cost the same as the superior-in-every-way Insta360 X4 – the best 360-degree camera available with powerful features including 8K video.

We're keen to give the improved Quik app a spin – in addition to smart object tracking, it also offers keyframing to set precise views, CameraFX for cinematic camera movements, smooth auto transitions between clips, edits to single clips, and a frame-grab tool for exporting stills from your video clips. Combined, these new skills could provide an Insta360-beating editing experience.

However, refreshing the Max only serves to heighten the question – where is the Max 2? It's been delayed time and again, and we're wondering if it will ever materialize.

I'm still hoping that we'll see GoPro's all-new and improved 360-degree camera in 2025 – and at this point it will need to be a big upgrade, with 8K video and more in order to effectively rival Insta360's X4. The leading action camera maker typically saves its most exciting launches for September, so that could be a realistic scenario – we'll be sure to share any Max 2 updates as and when we get them.

You might also like

• Best 360 camera 2025: the finest choices for capturing every angle
• The leaked DJI Osmo 360 looks like very bad news for the delayed GoPro Max 2
• Forget 8K video, the GoPro Hero 13 Black’s swappable lenses are a masterstroke and the future of action camera design
• GoPro Max 2 hit by further delays – 2025 is the earliest we'll see the 360-degree action cam

Listening to a peaceful playlist of the best music for sleep is an easy and free bedtime hack. Here's how to create your sleep playlist.

Its Majorana 1 chip, made of a new material, can perform high-level computing tasks with greater speed and accuracy, Microsoft says.

The ninth edition of cricket's "mini World Cup" takes place in Pakistan and Dubai over the next three weeks.

• GTA 5 is getting a free PC upgrade in March that adds previously released PS5 and Xbox Series X features
• The update will add GTA Online features, improved graphics, ray-tracing features, and more
• New minimum and recommended specifications have been shared ahead of its release

Rockstar Games has announced that a free PC upgrade for Grand Theft Auto 5 will be released next month that will add PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S features.

The studio shared the details in a new blog post confirming that the update will be available on March 4 and have features previously only available in the console versions of GTA Online.

These include the latest vehicles and performance upgrades at Hao's Special Works, animal encounters, GTA+ Membership access, as well as improved graphics, ray-tracing features, faster loading times, DualSense Wireless Controller support, and more.

The upgraded version of the game will also feature the most recent player improvements for GTA Online, which include kernel-based anti-cheat protection and proactive voice chat moderation.

Players who download the free upgrade will also be given the ability to migrate their Story Mode and Online progress.

With the addition of features like ambient occlusion, global illumination, ray-traced shadows and reflections, as well as Nvidia DLSS 3, AMD FSR1, and FSR3 support, the new and improved version of GTA 5 also means PC specifications are changing.

You can take a look at the minimum and recommended specs below to make sure your PC can handle the new upgrade.

Rockstar confirmed that support for the previous version of GTA 5 will continue for players whose hardware doesn't fulfill the minimum requirements.

However, for the original version of GTA Online, players who remain on that previous version will not be able to play in online sessions with those with the upgraded patch.

"PC Players who want to play with each other will need to ensure they’re playing the same version of the game," Rockstar said. "Both versions will be available to everyone who upgrades - and first-time purchasers will get access to both versions as well."

The upcoming patch comes as we eagerly await the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is scheduled to be released in Fall 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. Unfortunately, much like the GTA 5, a PC version will arrive later; reportedly in early 2026.

You might also like...

• Upcoming games 2025 for console and PC
• Grand Theft Auto 6 will reportedly run at 30FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series X
• Grand Theft Auto 6's release could mean an uptick in PS5 and Xbox Series X sales, according to Take-Two boss

• Dead Boy Detectives star Jayden Revri will reprise his role as Charles Rowland in The Sandman season 2.
• His appearance was confirmed in two now deleted social media posts.
• Dead Boy Detectives was canceled last year, with The Sandman also coming to an end after two seasons.

The Sandman season 2 is set to have a big reveal as a star from the canceled Netflix show Dead Boy Detectives will appear in the final season of the dark fantasy epic.

The hit supernatural series Dead Boy Detectives was canceled last year, which prompted fans to campaign to bring the show back from the dead. It developed a cult fanbase when it first aired on the best streaming service and a big viewership was promised since the show is based on the characters from the DC Comics. Despite this though, it wasn't enough to resurrect it for another season.

Netflix also pulled the plug on The Sandman and won't be back after its upcoming second season. The series is finishing because the story of Dream/Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) is coming to a natural end, with showrunner Allan Heinberg revealing that they only had enough story for one more season. However, the ongoing sexual misconduct accusations against The Sandman creator Neil Gaiman will be another contributing factor for its cancelation.

It's not all bad news for Dead Boy Detectives fans though as What's On Netflix has reported that Jayden Revri, who played Charles Rowland in the best Netflix show will feature in The Sandman season 2.

A dead detective is back, sort of

This news came from a post from The Sandman fan page Sandman News, which noticed that Revri’s agency, Revolution Talent confirmed his appearance in The Sandman series on Instagram. According to What’s On Netflix, the now deleted social media posts reportedly said: "Season 2 sees the conclusion of the supernatural-fantasy series, with Jayden’s series-lead role in Dead Boy Detectives making a special appearance. Expect love, loss, destiny and redemption!”

The Sandman spin-off Dead Boy Detectives is one of the nine canceled Netflix shows in 2024 that you should still watch and follows two teenage ghosts, Charles and Edwin (George Rexstrew), who work alongside a clairvoyant to solve mysteries for their supernatural clients.

This is the closest we'll get to a Dead Boy Detectives season 2, so now that Revri is reprising his beloved role, it's a good opportunity to say a final farewell to the character and fill the Dead Boy Detectives void in your life now that the paranormal series is no more.

You might also like

• ‘The world of Peaky will continue’: Steven Knight confirms the hit Netflix drama Peaky Blinders won't end after its highly-anticipated movie
• Netflix's hit French thriller series Lupin might be coming back, but not as you know it
• Netflix is getting its first-ever English medical procedural series and a historical drama that looks like a Spanish Bridgerton