Technology

As someone who writes about smartphones as part of my job, there's a special place in my heart for budget-oriented or mid-range handsets that outperform their price tags — especially those good enough to become fixtures in my list of the best cheap phones in Australia.

So I was pleased to find one of my top-rated picks, Samsung’s Galaxy A57, hitting an all-time low price of AU$519 as part of Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, making it an even better value handset than ever.

• Follow our dedicated live coverage of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026 sale for more deals and discounts

Galaxy A57 (128GB, Lilac): was $749 now $519
Beating its last all-time low price on Amazon of AU$597, this price makes an already affordable mid-range phone an even more compelling buy if you’re in the market for a new Android handset that nails all the basics, while also looking and feeling like a flagship. Our review gave it 4 out of 5 stars for its thin and light chassis and vibrant display and I personally had a blast using it. The Navy colour costs slightly more at AU$539, while the 256GB model starts at AU$619.View Deal

I would go so far as to say that the Galaxy A57 is a much better value than Samsung’s new Galaxy S26 FE — especially with its price hike from its predecessor — with prices starting at AU$1,149.

With both handsets using 6.7-inch AMOLED displays, similar main and ultrawide camera specs, along with the same starting storage of 128GB and similar battery sizes, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend the more expensive Galaxy S26 FE unless you really want a telephoto camera, wireless charging and the full Galaxy AI suite.

The Galaxy A57 brings a fair few upgrades over the just-as-excellent Galaxy A56 from last year, including a much thinner and lighter chassis (6.9mm thick and 179g compared to the A56’s 7.4mm depth and 198g weight), a faster Exynos 1680 chipset that can now handle more AI tasks, and an IP68 durability rating (up from IP67).

If you don’t need flagship specs but want something that still feels like a premium handset, you can’t go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy A57, especially at this rock-bottom price point.

• Japan plans to hire millions of AI robots as its working population shrinks
• One domestic startup plans to build 100 workplace robots by 2027
• Japanese insurers are preparing for accidents involving increasingly capable workplace robots

The Japanese government has set a goal of placing 10 million robots driven by artificial intelligence into workplaces before 2040, hoping to offset a rapidly thinning workforce in its aging population.

By 2040, United Nations medium-variant estimates place Japan's population at 112,158,304, which is 6.2% lower than the 119,584,122 projected for 2030.

The median age would reach 54.0 years, with 35.3% of people at least 65 years old and only 10.4% of them children below 15.

Machines move into offices and wards

Hospitals and factories in Japan already struggle to fill positions, which is why a growing number of employers are turning to machines for daily tasks.

Startup Zeals recently introduced the D1 in Tokyo, a wheeled machine with a humanoid form that costs from 5 million yen (about $32,000).

The indoor unit stands 129 cm tall, recognizes faces through a camera, and each of its two arms can lift a maximum of 5 kg.

Zeals intends to build 100 units by March 2027 and accumulate 10,000 hours of running time, selling through dealers and leasing partners.

The company writes its own software and buys components from American and Chinese suppliers, but it eventually hopes to use only Japanese parts.

In late August 2026, a hospital in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, trialed the robot for leading visitors and clearing tables in its dining space.

“It is important to gather training data and ensure that it is actually useful in real-world settings,” said Masahiro Shimizu, CEO of Zeals.

Kakuichi, a Nagano firm that sells steel and systems for managing energy, will onboard a humanoid machine among its new graduates in April 2027.

Play Robotics, a firm that studies humanoids, is helping Kakuichi install and run the Chinese-built robot called Miyazawa Noah.

Kakuichi intends to assign the robot to manufacturing, sales and other departments so that it builds skills by doing real work.

“Developing a humanoid robot is also about fostering employees who will make full use of it,” said Riu Tanaka, CEO of Kakuichi.

Insurers prepare for the dangers that the machines create

Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance has joined forces with Zeals to sell policies built for D1 users, counting on demand from hotels, hospitals, factories and logistics firms.

It acknowledges that the use of these robots will be associated with some mishaps, whether physical or cyber-related.

"There are risks of causing harm to people or property, as well as concerns about data breaches in cyber-attacks," said Masaki Oshiro, manager of the 1st Branch Office at the insurer's Tokyo East Branch.

In July, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance acquired shares in a Japanese firm developing physical AI, which lets robots learn new tasks on their own.

The purchase was meant to give the insurer a closer look at how such systems behave and what could go wrong with them.

Buying into a developer while already selling policies suggests the insurer is still learning what these robots can do and how often they fail.

So, while Japan makes moves to boost its workforce with robots, the performance and impact of these robots on its economy is uncertain.

Via Japan Today

• Consumer Reports has released a study on car privacy practices
• The report found huge privacy breaches across the board
• Big Tech firms are some of the largest recipients of your personal data

Your car could be leaking personal information to Big Tech data brokers and invading your privacy without your knowledge. That’s the conclusion of a new study from Consumer Reports, and it will be uncomfortable reading for anyone who’s concerned that their car may be sending personal info to data brokers.

The report was conducted by privacy researchers from Northeastern University in Boston and used Consumer Reports’ vehicles and Auto Test Center. The data, it argues, shows that “your car may be spying on you,” with the information it gleans from your driving behavior being sent to “some of the world’s biggest tech companies.”

It’s no secret that many recent cars collect an enormous amount of data about you — not just the way you drive, but the apps you use and even your voice. This is sometimes used to market products to you and could potentially result in you being charged higher insurance premiums. Several carmakers have been fined for carrying out these practices without clearly informing users.

Now, Consumer Reports says that, of the vehicles it tested, “Nearly every automaker sent data to outside companies.”

Moreover, “almost a quarter of the vehicles’ apps were found to be sending out personally identifiable information, including vehicle owners’ names, vehicle identification numbers (VINs), and precise geographic locations.” That data could be sold to data brokers and linked to other information held about you, which means that anyone who purchases that information would know a huge amount about you without having met you.

It also puts you at greater risk should that data be leaked or hacked. A massive aggregation of personally identifiable information could be used for stalking, identity theft, medical fraud or other damaging forms of criminal and nefarious behavior.

As Sarah Elizabeth Gillespie, one of the study’s co-authors, opined: “It does not appear that a customer can buy a new car that does not track you.”

Where is the data going?

(Image credit: Tesla)

The worst privacy breach involved those firms that sent both the VIN and another data point, such as your email address or full name, to a data broker. That allows an advertising firm to link you to “to one of many commercially available consumer profiles, which are sold by data brokers and other companies. The data often includes online behavior and shopping history,” Consumer Reports concluded.

Interestingly, Consumer Reports said that “The top recipients of the driver data were some of the country’s largest tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Snap, and Yahoo.”

Why is this data primarily flowing to Big Tech firms? The answer, Consumer Reports said, was twofold: they are often providers of connected apps in the car’s infotainment system, and also function as operators of advertising auction platforms used by third-party marketers.

While some automakers said that their data-sharing terms could be opted out of, that could severely restrict the way you use it. In the case of Tesla, the company’s data-sharing agreement says that opting out “may result in your vehicle suffering from reduced functionality, serious damage, or inoperability.”

Indeed, Tesla was one of the worst offenders, with the researchers noting that the Tesla Model 3 connected to 34 advertising, tracking or analytics domains. The second-worst offender in this category was another Tesla vehicle, the Cybertruck, with 23 connections.

“Of the vehicles tested, 28 of 30 connected mobile apps sent data to at least one outside advertising and/or analytics company, and seven sent at least one piece of personally identifiable information — the vehicle owner’s name, the car’s VIN, or its precise geographic location — to at least one outside company,” Consumer Reports warned.

The study added that “The findings underscore the immense personal data ecosystem that American consumers are unwittingly drawn into when they purchase and use everyday consumer products, including autos.”

Amazon Australia's second Prime Day sale is here and, as always, there are plenty of vacuum cleaner deals to help sort out your spring cleaning, then continue on for a while yet.

Vacuums of all kinds have been bestsellers on Amazon for a long time but, in recent years, robot vacuums have gained in popularity. However, one trend has not changed — we love ourselves a cheap buy and, if there's a vacuum that can be had for around the AU$200 mark, we're all for it. And that's totally fine as we've tested some affordable stick vacs that are quite remarkable.

The good news is that I've dug up a fair few options across all types of floorcare machines for you, including some of the best vacuum cleaners in Australia. Of course, I've also gone looking for some the best robot vacuums in Australia and the best stick vacuums, giving you plenty of options to choose from.

So, no matter your needs — whether you're a pet-friendly household or have only carpets — there's a vacuum cleaner that's right for you and there's no need to pay full price.

It would be good for you to be a Prime member when shopping these deals as they're exclusive discounts for subscribers. If you're a first-time customer, Amazon will give you a 30-day free trial and you can cancel any time.

• For more deals and discounts, follow our live coverage of the best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days offers

Best Prime Big Deal Days vacuum dealsStick vacuum deals

Editor's pick

PowerDetect Clean & Empty: was $750 now $462.10
With powerful and dynamic suction, plenty of attachments and an auto-empty charging dock, this is arguably the best value non-Dyson cordless vacuum right now. Read our review for the full scoop. Often sold around the AU$750 price point, I have seen it as low as AU$608, which makes this the lowest price on what is my pick of the best stick vacuum cleaner in Australia. View Deal

R10 Pure: was $399 now $142.49
This is a very basic, no-frills stick vac that can handle the regular everyday cleaning tasks you need it for. It may not be the most powerful tool in the shed, but it sure will keep it clean. Even the boat, the car or your home for not a lot of cash.View Deal

This is a very different Dreame R10 to the one we've previously reviewed on TechRadar, but if it performs anything like the light-coloured version that has since been discontinued, then I think this is excellent value. For not a lot of money, this appliance promises up to 45 minutes of runtime and a bendy wand to get under furniture. It even comes with a wall-mount attachment.View Deal

Cordless Vacuum with Self Cleaning Brushroll (IZ102): was $399.99 now $189
We haven't tried this vacuum ourselves, but user reviews are glowing and there has to be some truth to what people claim about this affordable sucker (pun intended). Now down to a record-low price.View Deal

Detect Pro with Auto-Empty System: was $599 now $333
Scoring almost five stars in our Shark Detect Pro Cordless vacuum cleaner review, we called this vacuum "a wonder". Versatile, powerful, offering automatic power adjustment and equally good at cleaning hard floors as it is on carpet, this is one of the best vacuums on the market, at a stellar price.View Deal

V8: was $799 now $399
If you don't need the latest and greatest machine from the British brand, this is not a bad vacuum cleaner to get. You'll get up to 40 minutes of fade-free power, enough for a small apartment, plus three other attachments besides the Digital Motorbar for versatile cleaning. We have seen it for under AU$340, but this deal isn't too bad at half price. View Deal

Arguably the cheapest Dyson available right now, the V8 Origin is pretty much the same machine as the standard V8 (listed above), just with a red wand and barely any additional accessories shipping in the box along with it — which explains the lower price. Honestly, I think the standard V8 is the better buy, but if cash is tight and you just need the digital motorbar for your floors, this will suit you fine.View Deal

Stratos Cordless Pet Pro: was $799 now $424
It's now an older model from Shark but it's still one of the best stick vacs we've tested at TechRadar. It's a bit on the heavy side though, weighing about 4 kilos, but it's powerful enough to handle pet fur, plus it has a spot in the floorhead for an odour neutraliser puck (sold separately and usage is optional) as well.View Deal

V9 Submarine: was $999 now $449
Dyson quietly released this model last year, offering a cheaper way to get yourself a wet-and-dry vacuum. It has lesser suction power than the V15s Detect, but we haven't been able to try it for ourselves yet. It also lasts no more than 40 minutes on a single charge. I'd say this would be better suited to smaller homes with hard floors.View Deal

V10: was $1099 now $529
AU$11 more than its July Prime Day price, this is still not too bad a deal on this older Dyson. It offers fade-free power for up to 60 minutes, and this variant comes with a Fluffy cleaning head (not the one with the light as in the V15) as well as the Digital Motorbar to suit homes with mixed flooring. There are three additional attachments in the box, along with a wall dock.View Deal

Dyson’s V11 Advanced handstick vacuum offers up to 60 minutes of runtime and an LCD screen where you can monitor battery life and other functions. It also has a V11 motor, which adjusts the suction power based on the floor type so you get a more precise clean. View Deal

Dyson's original wet-dry cordless stick vacuum is pretty handy to have around the home. I still use it at home and, in my Dyson V15s Detect Submarine review, I found the mopping to be very good indeed, but a design flaw makes some of that dirty water slosh out when you want to clean out the Submarine attachment. If you can find a way around it, this is one could be well worth considering even though I've seen the price drop below the AU$800 mark.View Deal

Robot vacuum deals

Deebot T30S Pro: was $1999 now $499
Ecovacs now has more powerful models than this, but the T30S is sibling to Deebots that performed really well in our Ecovacs Deebot T30 Omni review and Deebot T30S Combo review. Which gives me confidence that this too will be an efficient cleaner at a good price for a set-and-forget robovac. It offers up to 11,000Pa of suction and a 180-minute run time.View Deal

L10 Ultra Gen 2: was $1699 now $549
It may not be the most powerful robovac in the Dreame arsenal but it sure offers excellent value. Honestly, if you mostly have hard floors at home, I think this is all you'll need. We were impressed by the original (and now older) L10s Ultra model, and this is similar in some ways. For your money, you get 10,000Pa of suction and a dedicated pet-zone cleaning mode.View Deal

Deebot X8 Max Pro Omni: was $2599 now $699
A whopping 73% discount is absolutely nothing to scoff at. And yes, I admit I can't vouch for this model myself as an expert, but Amazon users seem happy with its performance, although some of those reviews are incentivised. Non-Vine users have also claimed it's a good buy and, given how impressed I was with the X8 Pro Omni, I think this will work just as well.View Deal

L10s Ultra Gen 3: was $1999 now $607.99
We haven't tested this Gen 3 model, but it certainly improves on the original significantly, which we have reviewed. We gave the original a strong 4 out of 5 stars, and that was for just a 5,300Pa suction — this gives you a whopping 25,000Pa. So it's a much better vacuum. It's also a better mop, and the base station has been improved for better washing and drying of the pads. I also like the Dreame app more than Ecovacs.View Deal

X40 Ultra (black): was $2799 now $712.49
This robovac has some of the best obstacle avoidance we have seen in a robovac and it scored 4 stars in our Dreame X40 Ultra review. Even better, many of the complaints we had at the time (such as the slightly clunky app) have been fixed. View Deal

Deebot X11 Pro Omni: was $2699 now $899
A pretty good discount on last year's flagship, one that is a better model than the X12 OmniCyclone that Ecovacs is yet to release in Australia. We haven't tested this version out, but if it works as well as the previous Deebot X8 Pro Omni did, then I think this is a good premium robovac to consider without the hefty price tag. View Deal

L50 Ultra CE: was $2199 now $999.99
Want the latest Dreame tech? Released in June this year, this robovac packs everything that Dreame models are good at — excellent suction, decent mopping, superb obstacle avoidance, pet-zone cleaning and so much more — into a sleek machine. OK, so it looks like all the others, but c'mon, you can't tell me the white with metallic accents don't fit into any home.View Deal

X50 Ultra: was $2999 now $1279
It might cost a heck of a lot more than the X40 listed above, but this is a newer model that we were very impressed by. In fact, the latest X60 doesn't necessarily improve on this one, so you know your money is being well spent here.Up to 20,000Pa of suction, excellent navigation and obstacle avoidance, as well as good threshold clearance makes this a top contender if you have the budget for it.View Deal

This is the robovac I would consider buying if I didn't already have a high-end Dreame machine that's been cleaning my home like... a dream. This Roborock is slimlined to crawl under furniture (no navigation puck here), and can raise not just its mop pads, but its side brush to avoid scattering and excessive tangling. Its headline act, however, has to be its cleaning prowess — our Roborock Saros 10R review didn't score 4.5 stars for nothing!View Deal

Wet-dry floor washer deals

Hydrovac Pro XL: was $449.99 now $254
This wet-dry vacuum mop is a little basic compared to other options listed below, but at its discounted price, that's hardly a complaint. In fact, it performed quite well in our Shark Hydrovac Cordless review, offering good performance without breaking the bank.View Deal

Floor One Stretch S6: was $899 now $359.99
If you have only hard floors that need constant mopping, consider getting a wet-dry vacuum like this one instead of a regular cordless vac. This one will suck up any dirt or debris on your floor while it's mopping, so it's saving you time. It can also lie flat to get under low-lying furniture and clean itself with hot water and hot air.View Deal

For not too much money, the H12 Pro FlexReach will vacuum and mop at the same time, then clean its roller mop with hot water and hot air to prevent bacterial growth and odour build up. And, as the name suggests, it can lie completely flat to clean under low-lying furniture too.View Deal

F25 Ace: was $999 now $349
This Roborock wet-dry vacuum will leave your hard floors sparkling clean thanks to powerful suction and effective cleaning. It can get up close to edges and the whole body can lay completely flat to help get underneath tricky to reach places. It's now at an all-time low price, but read our review to find out why it's still worth it.View Deal

Floor One S9 Artist: was $1199 now $619.99
It might cost more than any other wet-dry floor cleaner on this list, but it also offers more in terms of sheer performance. It has more suction to ensure it's able to pick up more dirt particles as it's mopping, and it's able to lie completely flat. It also uses hotter air than any model we've tested to try out the roller mop, practically disinfecting it in the process.View Deal

Upright vacuum deals

PowerForce Helix Turbo (2110F): was $219 now $104
This is a remarkably affordable upright vacuum that has scored well from users on Amazon. Shipping with a dusting brush and a crevice tool to make it versatile, it red trim makes it look rather dapper too in my opinion. It promises to pick up hair and fur well while not burning a massive hole in your budget.View Deal

PowerForce Helix Turbo Rewind (2261F): was $249 now $139.65
There's up to 1000W of power here, and the rather long 7.6m power cord can be retracted fully as the name of the machine indicates. Otherwise it's a similar machine to the standard Bissell PowerForce Helix Turbo listed above.View Deal

Navigator Pet Vacuum (ZU62): was $349.99 now $203.30
Already quite affordable, this corded upright machine features an extendible flexible hose that's fabulous if you need to vacuum stairs — just leave the heavy machine upstairs or downstairs and clean each step as you go. It promises to clean well too, although we haven't tested this at TechRadar, but with 84% of Amazon users giving it 5 stars, it must be doing something well.View Deal

Pet Hair Eraser Turbo: was $399 now $259
Designed specifically for pet households, this Bissell features not just a tangle-free floorhead, but also an LED-lit crevice tool to see the pet dander hiding away in corners or dark spots. It also ships with a couple of other pet tools that can be handy, especially if your furry friend is a pooch that sheds a lot.View Deal

PowerDetect Corded Upright: was $699.99 now $360.99
It's a heavy machine but comes with plenty of features to ensure your floors are free of dirt and debris, including the floorhead being able to suck up dust while moving backwards. There are dirt-detect sensors and two brushrolls for the best clean possible, with dynamic suction working as you go along.View Deal

Corded Upright Vacuum with Self-Cleaning Brushroll (: was $448 now $293.55
It's not a huge discount but this one upright vacuum my colleagues in the UK vouch for. It absolutely sucks, in the best way possible, and any saving is good to have. The dust canister easily lifts away for this machine to become a handheld vacuum for cleaning steps or reaching to high places, which makes it a versatile upright vacuum. View Deal

Corded vacuum deals

CleanView: was $209 now $129
Even at full price, this canister vacuum cleaner isn't expensive, but when you can save some cash and grab it up for under AU$150, it's good value. There won't even be the ongoing spend on bags as this canister can be emptied and washed out before its next use manually. It has a telescopic wand, but everything else about it is minimal, with the basic accessories shipping with it.View Deal

Boost CX1 Powerline: was $499 now $397
It's the most powerful Miele barrel vacuum on the market, but it is one of the more affordable options even at full RRP. And with a decent discount, it becomes a compelling option. We weren't too impressed with its carpet-cleaning abilities in our Miele CX1 Boost Powerline review, but if your home is mostly hard floors, you shouldn't be unhappy with this machine.View Deal

Guard L1 Cat & Dog: was $879 now $689
A newer range from Miele, the Guard series uses active charcoal in its filter to not just eliminate dust and pet hair, but also tackle odours that can build up inside a home. This machine, however, uses a dust bag, so you will need to take into account that it will require emptying and replacing at some point.View Deal

Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog: was $849 now $649
With no need for replacement bags, this Miele is both good-looking and powerful enough to ensure your floors are fur free. Unlike cordless vacuums, you'll get very limited accessories with this vacuum, but they all stow neatly into the body of the machine itself.View Deal

• Eric Schmidt's Perennial Autonomy wins Gauntlet II deep strike with 80.1 points, with a massive 9.2-point margin over the competition
• All four entrants tied directly to Ukrainian drone makers, including a Gauntlet I order winner, missed both top-five lists
• Ukraine's SkyFall still placed fourth indirectly in deep strike through British partner Skycutter, and Defender Media says another hidden Ukrainian firm also performed well

Perennial Autonomy, the drone company founded and funded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has topped the deep strike category of Gauntlet II, the second round of the Department of War's Drone Dominance Program.

The contests, which center around a straightforward goal of finding the most effective but cheap one-way attack drones in bulk, attract competition from across the globe as small and large players alike vie for the top five positions in each category that would allow them to secure production orders.

One of these tests is called "Deep Strike," and Perennial Autonomy not only delivered an impressive result, but it also kept some of its fiercest competition in check by a considerable margin.

The bigger surprise: who is missing?

While Perennial Autonomy's win and 9.2-point lead over the next-best competitor are impressive, they aren't a record by any measure: 4th-place holder Skycutter won Gauntlet I in March 2026 by about 12 points, showing that results can change quickly in an industry where innovation happens at a breakneck pace.

The more surprising part isn't Perennial Autonomy's impressive showing, but who failed to make it through.

Four entrants tied directly to Ukrainian drone makers reached the trials at Fort Carson, Colorado: Stellarion and Grim Tech under their own names, F-Drones through its US subsidiary UDD Tech Corp, and General Cherry through Wilcox Cherry Defense, a joint venture with US firm Wilcox Industries, according to a field breakdown by Challenging Defence Markets. Stellarion and UDD flew deep strike, while Grim Tech and Wilcox Cherry flew close quarters.

None of these are small-time players in Ukraine's burgeoning homegrown defense industry, however; Grim Tech, for example, claims to be delivering as many as 350,000 drones to the war effort monthly.

It does, however, raise the obvious question many would ask: why aren't any Ukrainian firms in the top 5 of the Deep Strike tests?

The scores are a sharp reversal from earlier in the year. At Gauntlet I, held at Fort Benning, Georgia, UDD was among the 11 companies that secured orders, according to reports. By mid-August, UDD was one of only three Gauntlet I vendors to complete deliveries, alongside Neros and Griffon Aerospace, according to Inside Unmanned Systems. Delivering on time evidently did not translate into a place on the new boards, where the merits of one's newest tech evidently trump past reliability.

On closer inspection, Ukraine's presence is quieter but more persistent than one might initially assume. This is because, while Skycutter is headquartered in London, the drone that won Gauntlet I was the Shrike 10, developed by Ukraine's SkyFall.

DroneXL summed up the SkyFall connection this way: "Ukrainian engineering did place, under a British flag." Defender Media's sources also say at least one more Ukrainian company performed well through a Western partner, but the firm has declined to comment, and the claim has not been independently verified.

Ukraine also had a hand in the current winner, albeit indirectly; Perennial began in 2023 as White Stork following Schmidt's meetings with Ukrainian officials, according to Inside Unmanned Systems, and has since traded as Project Eagle and Swift Beat. Neros won a 2025 contract to supply 6,000 Archer FPV drones to Ukraine and later opened a Kyiv office that year. The jamming deployed for the contests was also partly Ukrainian.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

This does beg the question: why are companies from what is arguably one of the largest users and producers of attack drones falling short of the competition despite having the most battlefield experience in play?

The answer might be a little more unglamorous than one would like: Stellarion, the only one of the four to comment publicly, blamed logistics rather than its drones. Export permits and shipping dragged on so long that, as its representatives told Defender Media, "This complicated the integration of products with American components, including warheads."

This adds to friction already built into the program: The Pentagon cannot buy directly from Ukrainian suppliers; contractors must be US legal entities registered with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, and significant foreign ownership brings extra conditions such as US-citizen leadership. Motors and batteries from certain countries were barred from August, and finalists had about five weeks to deliver 120 drones fitted with live payloads, underscoring that companies linked to the US industrial base would have a de facto edge.

Companies whose supply chains were built around Ukraine's front line therefore had the most to rebuild in the least time. That is a plausible explanation, not a confirmed one, and it may have cost them time, resources, and, down the line, a top-5 score in the Department of War's Gauntlet II.

As a result, one could argue that for Ukraine's drone makers, the next round (Gauntlet III) may be decided as much by permits, paperwork, and parts lists as by what actually happens during the tests themselves.

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, September 29 (game #1709).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1710) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1710) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1710) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo 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 #1710) — 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 0.

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 #1710) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• B

• M

• E

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

Quordle today (game #1710) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1710, are…

• CHOKE
• BATCH
• MOSSY
• EAGER

A close call today as I struggled to guess EAGER.

Fortunately I only had a few letters left, but if it had been possible I would most definitely have guessed “lager” or “cager”. A lack of options saved me.

Daily Sequence today (game #1710) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1710, are…

• STOLE
• UNDUE
• JOIST
• SERIF

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1709, Tuesday, 29 September: BILGE, MEDAL, LODGE, PORCH
• Quordle #1708, Monday, 28 September: BRUNT, TORSO, STONE, HEATH
• Quordle #1707, Sunday, 27 September: VALET, CHEST, VIGIL, PUREE
• Quordle #1706, Saturday, 26 September: SNORT, BIBLE, LAPSE, CRANE
• Quordle #1705, Friday, 25 September: SWEAR, FLOOD, GUPPY, GROAN
• Quordle #1704, Thursday, 24 September: TOPIC, METRO, SCALP, FREED
• Quordle #1703, Wednesday, 23 September: SHEET, BLAND, JOIST, GUAVA
• Quordle #1702, Tuesday, 22 September: COMFY, LOBBY, DRESS, PANEL
• Quordle #1701, Monday, 21 September: WAXEN, HIPPO, PETAL, LEASH
• Quordle #1700, Sunday, 20 September: DERBY, LIMBO, GAWKY, REIGN
• Quordle #1699, Saturday, 19 September: SCOPE, HEIST, PULSE, CHAMP
• Quordle #1698, Friday, 18 September: MUCUS, MIRTH, APPLE, TILDE
• Quordle #1697, Thursday, 17 September: CRIER, CHIRP, NEIGH, FREER
• Quordle #1696, Wednesday, 16 September: SPEAR, PRICE, BLUNT, FISHY
• Quordle #1695, Tuesday, 15 September: SHUSH, LITHE, DELTA, BUGLE
• Quordle #1694, Monday, 14 September: ZEBRA, LEGAL, RATIO, TROLL
• Quordle #1693, Sunday, 13 September: LUCID, SPRAY, MANGE, EMAIL
• Quordle #1692, Saturday, 12 September: SUPER, BRUSH, RESET, SOWER
• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL
• Quordle #1690, Thursday, 10 September: AGENT, EXILE, TITAN, PUREE

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, September 29 (game #1206).

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 #1207) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TAMBOURINE
• SEPTUM
• DECENT
• BOND
• MARTINI
• OPTION
• NOVELTY
• CASINO
• SPRAY PAINT
• OCTOPUSSY
• DONNIE BRASCO
• FUTURE
• BUGSY
• ETCH A SKETCH
• STOCK
• SCARFACE

NYT Connections today (game #1207) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Trading terms
• GREEN: Shake it up
• BLUE: Mobster films
• PURPLE: Hidden calendar

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 #1207) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SECURITIES
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED)
• BLUE: GANGSTER MOVIES
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS

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

NYT Connections today (game #1207) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1207, are…

• YELLOW: SECURITIES: BOND, FUTURE, OPTION, STOCK
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED): ETCH A SKETCH, MARTINI, SPRAY PAINT, TAMBOURINE
• BLUE: GANGSTER MOVIES: BUGSY, CASINO, DONNIE BRASCO, SCARFACE
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS: DECENT, NOVELTY, OCTOPUSSY, SEPTUM

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

007 was today’s red herring, with tiles for BOND, OCTOPUSSY and MARTINI, although his fussy cocktail instruction did end up being the green groups connection, in which the appearance of the ETCH A SKETCH a toy from the pre computer age may have confused some.

I did fear that the four GANGSTER MOVIES would be a trick too, as it seemed too obvious a grouping or that I was missing a more significant reason for why they were collected together.

With eight tiles left I made my only mistake, although I was on the right track with STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS as I included MARTINI (as in Mar for March) instead of SEPTUM.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, September 29, 2026, game #1206)

• YELLOW: SECLUDED: HIDDEN, REMOTE, SECRET, TUCKED AWAY
• GREEN: RIVER FEATURES: DELTA, DRAINAGE BASIN, MOUTH, STREAM BED
• BLUE: FIRST WORDS OF PIXAR FILMS: FINDING, INSIDE, MONSTERS, TOY
• PURPLE: PHRASES HIDING GREEK LETTERS: FREEZE TAG, HOME GAME, MODEL TANK, ORAL PHASE

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, September 29 (game #940).

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 #941) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… An instrumental destination

NYT Strands today (game #941) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SLIP
• RINK
• CRIER
• ROUND
• FUSE
• FAMILY

NYT Strands today (game #941) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #941) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 5th row

• Last side: right, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #941) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #941, are…

• CAPO
• PICK
• GUITAR
• DRUMS
• PIANO
• SYNTH
• AMPLIFIER
• SPANGRAM: MUSICSTORE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I have only been in a MUSICSTORE twice in my life and on both occasions it was to buy the cheapest thing they sold — a guitar PICK, or “plectrum” as we liked to call them in my brief-lived teenage band.

I played the bass even though I only knew two bass lines, something called “walking bass” and the hook of Peaches by The Stranglers. I was terrible, and didn’t improve over the two months of our existence.

Anyway, I digress. I did originally think the theme may be connected to instrumental classics such as Green Onions or Tequila, but CAPO ended that assumption. Then, after getting PICK I thought it might be about musical accessories, but thankfully GUITAR and PIANO stopped that as I couldn't think of any more musical accessories — well, until I managed to spot AMPLIFIER.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, September 29, game #940)

• PRESSURE
• BLOOD
• VEIN
• PULSE
• ARTERY
• ATRIUM
• SPANGRAM: CARDIOVASCULAR

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.

This includes apps that promote the practice of cycle syncing.

• Russian underwater robots could reach offshore accidents within hours, not days
• USC says robotic systems could handle most routine underwater inspections
• The robots inspect hulls, propellers, and rudders while ships remain stationary

Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) has introduced a new line of underwater robotic systems built for oil, gas, and maritime repair operations.

The robots were shown at a recent St. Petersburg conference dedicated to technologies for the energy, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors.

Corporate representatives described the systems as part of a broader push toward domestic marine robotics, according to the company's press service.

A faster alternative to traditional vessel response

Officials from USC's engineering division noted that mobilizing a standard vessel after an accident can take between 4 and 14 days under normal conditions.

A resident marine robotic complex, by comparison, is said to respond within just a few hours of an incident occurring nearby.

That speed advantage is central to the pitch — the corporation claims the approach can cut financial losses tied to drilling platform downtime by as much as 85%.

The same systems are also expected to take over roughly 80% of routine monitoring, inspection, and minor repair work currently handled by human crews or slower vessels traveling from distant ports.

Engineers involved in the project argue that keeping a robotic unit permanently stationed near offshore infrastructure removes the delay caused by weather, distance, and vessel scheduling conflicts.

These robots can also be used to check a ship's condition while it sits at anchor or alongside a pier waiting for its next assignment.

It examines the hull, propeller, and rudder assembly, flags any visible damage, and streams footage back to a human operator in real time.

Vessel owners can then reach repair decisions faster, while repair yards get an early estimate of what work will be required before the ship even arrives at the dock.

USC representatives said this cuts down on guesswork once a vessel finally reaches a repair facility.

Software platform ties navigation, sensing, and AI together

Beyond the underwater vehicles, USC unveiled a unified software platform meant to serve as the backbone for these operations.

The platform folds navigation, hydrographic data collection, communication links, and AI tools into one continuous system rather than separate tools.

The company also displayed uncrewed surface vessels intended for logistics runs and hydrographic survey missions along Russia's coastal waters.

USC additionally outlined concepts for defending port waters using barriers built from booms and netting, plus modular systems designed for seismic exploration work.

Those exploration complexes are described as capable of coordinating groups of up to 1,000 individual devices operating together but the company did not reveal details on how such coordination would function in practice.

USC’s long-term goal is to move these robotic complexes into serial production, with cost control serving as the guiding design principle behind every future model built.

Via 1.ru

• Rainbow Six Tactics game director Martial Potron says it was "crucial" that the development team designed a unique roster of Operators
• Each of the 15 Operators has unique gadgets, playstyles, and progression to avoid "overlap"
• He says it would have been "impossible" not to feature fan favorites like Ash and Sledge

Rainbow Six Tactics game director Martial Potron has said that it was important for Ubisoft to design the game's Operators with unique loadouts and progression to avoid overlap.

"My team really wanted the operators to feel unique and to serve unique places," Potron told TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom. "It was part of the creative process to make sure that every Operator would serve one turf course in the experience, so we really made sure that all Operators were unique: unique gadgets, unique playstyles, unique progression. It was crucial for us, in fact, that we didn't have too much overlap with other Operators."

The upcoming turn-based tactics spin-off will offer 15 Operators in total, with Ash, Sledge, Glaz, Montagne, Doc, and Nokk confirmed so far, and you won't be able to play them repeatedly due to the game's new gameplay systems. While that's far from the entire roster fans are familiar with in the core series, Potron explained that it was also important to include "community favorites."

"We really did the operators that were impossible not to have, [like] Sledge and Ash," the game director said, adding that there are a few that he's personally disappointed aren't included.

"I love Tachanka. We don't have Tachanka; we don't have Lion." Potron said. "We had to make [tough] choices. It's part of my job to make [tough] choices."

As for the possibility of adding more Operators in the future, Potron said there are no current plans to do so, saying, "For the launch, it's not something we are digging into. We are very close to releasing a fantastic single-player experience, and so [we're] focused on the release date; shipping something amazing, and we'll see [about] the future."

Rainbow Six Tactics releases in 2027 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

The purported renders show a similar design to the Pixel 10A, but this time with the newest Tensor chip.

• A macOS flaw could give hostile apps the highest system privileges
• An NFC tag could trigger an Android app without owner approval
• Android flaw lets apps change Wi-Fi settings without requesting extra permissions

Russian cybersecurity firm Positive Technologies has claimed it discovered 11 security flaws affecting Android and Apple devices.

The company, which is currently under American sanctions, gave the findings to Russian news agency TASS.

Nine of the flaws affected Apple devices and software, while two affected Android, including Pixel phones, and were reportedly rated high severity.

How a tag and an app exposed Android phones

The first Android flaw let attackers use a crafted NFC tag to fetch, set up, and run an app while the owner approved nothing.

The second flaw allowed an app already on the phone to alter network settings, including joining a chosen Wi-Fi network, without any extra permissions, and also let the app add a certificate or adjust proxy parameters, and neither action required the phone owner to confirm anything.

Google resolved both Android flaws in its September 2026 patches, so devices which have installed those patches should no longer face either problem.

The company describes the tag flaw as especially hazardous since holding a phone near the tag suffices to trigger it.

There was no mention of specific Android versions or Pixel models that were vulnerable, so the number of exposed devices remains unknown, but to be safe from malware attacks, get the latest security patch.

What some Apple flaws allowed

According to TASS, the nine Apple flaws covered higher access rights, privacy exposure, and weakened data safeguards.

One macOS flaw allowed a hostile app to obtain the highest level of control over the computer, and another exposed information the system normally protects. The keys used for access could be deleted without the user approving the action.

Another flaw was found inside the kernel of the operating system and could cause a device to fail or corrupt data held in memory.

Apple has released patches for the flaws, although the company did not say which operating system versions carry the fix.

Devices that never received an update stay exposed to every flaw the firm described, whatever patches the vendors have issued.

Owners of older phones and computers that no longer receive vendor updates face the most uncertainty, because a fix never reaches them.

Android owners should check their software version in system settings to confirm the September 2026 patches arrived on their devices.

Neither Apple nor Google acknowledged the Positive Technologies report as expected, but they both released patches fixing these flaws, which implies that the report is legitimate.

Via 1.ru

Apple’s first foldable isn’t available for preorder until Oct. 16. Don’t believe anything that says otherwise.

Top AI companies are investigating tens of thousands of cybersecurity incidents involving models escaping from test environments.

No cute, fuzzy mascot is worth all the security risks.

The filming app adds controls for the variable aperture and shutter, giving you more ways to dial into the 18 Pro and Pro Max’s new camera features.

OpenAI rolls out new agents called dots, powered by GPT-6 Astra, at its annual DevDay.

This is everything announced at Tuesday’s OpenAI DevDay. And you don’t have to be a developer to use these new tools.

The update patches an issue that might lead to a “sophisticated attack,” according to Apple.