Technology

The US government’s primary foreign aid agency has employees stationed all over the world, many of whom are now bracing to abruptly leave their posts.

If it's not a necessity, it's best to wait to make the purchase.

OpenAI is upgrading the ChatGPT phone number you can text with on WhatsApp to be a lot more like the mobile app and web portal. From now on, you won't need to type out everything you want to say to the AI chatbot. Now, you can send a photo or record a voice memo that ChatGPT will "see" or "hear" and respond via the usual text form.

You'll be able to do things like take a picture of a foreign-language sign and ask for a translation or send an audio clip of your toddler’s latest philosophical ramblings and ask for a text transcription. It’s not quite as capable as the more standard portal, but it's very close. The phone number 1-800-CHATGPT still works, too, but by its nature as a phone call, it already takes audio input but can't accept images.

You've been able to use ChatGPT on WhatsApp since it debuted in December, but some may have been annoyed at having to fumble with the keyboard. Being able to snap a picture or send a quick voice note to get ChatGPT's help will be a real boon for them. Accepting voice messages and photos within an app that many people regularly use during the day makes it much easier for more spontaneous interactions, the way you'd randomly send a photo of voice recording to a friend when you think to do so.

For instance, imagine you’re out for a run and suddenly remember an idea you don’t want to forget. Instead of stopping to type it out, you can send a voice message to ChatGPT, asking it to summarize your thoughts into a note for later. Or let’s say you’re trying to fix something at home, and instead of awkwardly explaining the problem, you snap a picture and ask ChatGPT if it can offer troubleshooting tips.

ChatGPT remembers you

The update also introduces account linking. That means the AI will remember you and your previous preferences and interactions if you have a ChatGPT account through the app or web portal, whether at the free tier or with a subscription to ChatGPT Plus or Pro. Previous limitations, such as the 15-minute-a-month cap on AI calls, are being loosened. This update could entice those who like the idea of ChatGPT but have been reluctant to download the app or go to the website.

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the world, and adding more ChatGPT features there and removing the extra step of opening another app or switching contexts could be OpenAI's subtle pitch to WhatsApp users without ChatGPT accounts. Instead of needing to open ChatGPT separately, it’s now embedded in a place where they already spend time texting their family and friends. Why not an AI assistant, too?

OpenAI has mentioned that messages may be reviewed for safety purposes, so users should keep that in mind before sending anything too personal or sensitive. Still, for everyday tasks, creative brainstorming, and answering random questions on the fly, this update makes ChatGPT feel more integrated into everyday life than ever before.

Any upgrade that makes an AI chatbot feel like a natural, conversational tool within your favorite apps and less like a standalone tool with an app you only open when you need something specific is going to be of interest to OpenAI and its rivals.

Whether WhatsApp fans start reaching out to ChatGPT whenever a thought crosses their mind like “What’s for dinner?” or “Can you turn my 2 AM voice ramblings into something coherent?” remains to be seen.

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Our CNET experts spent time testing heart rate monitors to find the best chest strap devices to give you accurate data.

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You don’t need to be a homeowner to protect the place you call home. These are the best renter-friendly security systems.

• Fujifilm ZUH6000 supports projection onto walls, ceilings, floors without moving the projector or adjusting the lens
• Concealed pop-up lens mechanism resembles a turtle’s retractable neck
• Projected to hit the market in June 2025, but pricing remains under wraps

Fujifilm has introduced its latest innovation in projection technology, the Fujifilm Projector ZUH6000, an ultra-short-throw (UST) 4K projector equipped with a folded two-axial rotatable lens.

This latest addition to the Z Series is designed to project high-definition images with improved color accuracy and smooth gradation.

Compared to its predecessors, it reportedly enhances color reproduction by 1.5 times, with red hues seeing a twofold improvement.

A retractable lens inspired by nature?

Measuring 486 mm in width, 496 mm in depth, 175 mm in height, the ZUH6000 is hardly a portable projector, but you're getting a lot of fidelity.

At the heart of the ZUH6000 is a high-performance DLP chip, enabling it to project 4K-resolution images (3840 x 2160 pixels). It supports a brightness of 6000 lumens which is lower than the 8000 lumens brightness of the Z8000 that Fujifilm released in 2021.

The ZUH6000's two-axial lens allows the lens to rotate 90 degrees around the mounting axis and 360 degrees around the lens axis. The lens can also be concealed, leaving only the pop-up mechanism exposed which is reminiscent of a turtle’s ability to retract and extend its neck.

It also supports a lens shift function which offers up to 82% vertical and 35% horizontal adjustment. This flexibility enables projection in multiple directions, as well as fine-tuning the position of the projected image without physically moving the projector or altering the lens direction.

A 1.1x optical zoom mechanism ensures efficient and precise image positioning, making it ideal for complex spatial designs.

Although there is no official information on the price of this device, it is scheduled for release in June 2025.

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Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the Feb. 5 Strands puzzle, No. 339.

Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections: Sports Edition No. 135 for Feb. 5.

Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections No. 605 for Feb. 5.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,327 for Feb. 5.

Google published principles in 2018 barring its AI technology from being used for sensitive purposes. Weeks into President Donald Trump’s second term, those guidelines are being overhauled.

Major new information about Sonos' much-rumored set-top streaming box has leaked via The Verge, and as a long-time Sonos user, I was borderline salivating at the promised features here – it sounds like the device I'd be dreaming of when thinking what I'd want a Sonos streaming box to be. In fact, it started sounding too good to be true, and then you get to the pricing and a reminder about the software behind it, and it starts falling apart.

Let's start with the great stuff. The box is said to be a small black square when seen from above, slightly thicker than a deck of cards – so quite similar to the Apple TV 4K. It will apparently connect to your TV, and will act as a wireless streaming hub for the best Sonos speakers, meaning that your lovely Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar wouldn't have to be connected to your TV via a cable.

We're moving towards the era of wireless soundbars, and I've said before that if Sonos can't find a way to make its soundbars go wireless with big-brand TVs, it's doomed. But, wireless soundbar connectivity is the least interesting part of it.

Apparently, Sonos will enable users to do what they've dreamed of for ages and have multiple wireless Sonos speakers in a separate surround configuration, with no soundbar required. The report says that Sonos is finalizing which speakers will be compatible, but basically the idea is that you could have a Sonos Era 300 to the left and right of your TV providing left and right channels as well as Dolby Atmos upfiring channels and you could have the same behind you for a 4.0.4 configuration, as an example.

Add a Sonos Sub, and you've got meaty bass; hopefully, you could add something like a Sonos Ray as a center channel, too, because I'm not especially into these 'virtual' center configurations, such as the Sony Bravia Home Theater Quad offers when used with a non-Sony TV.

The ability to use Sonos speakers as left and right channels is something that the hardcore users on the r/sonos subreddit ask for basically daily and Sonos has always gently resisted in response. But it sounds like we're moving in that direction, and I would love for this to be as flexible as possible.

Get ready fellas, your time to really shine is coming. (Image credit: Future)

The streaming box, apparently codenamed Pinewood, is also said to offer multiple HDMI ports, which will pass video through to the TV so it acts as an HDMI switch. I love this idea as someone whose TV has only two HDMI 2.1 ports, and one of them is the HDMI eARC port, meaning that a soundbar is eating up my precious 4K 120Hz space.

It's such a clever way for this to stand out over the Apple TV 4K (2022) or Google TV Streamer and it is a genuinely useful and unique feature. You'll get more HDMI ports by using this product, not losing one; it's a great value proposition and solves real problems.

The final dream offering is one that I'm far more skeptical about as a claim. Supposedly, the streaming interface will offer a truly unified search, recommendations, and control interface drawn from all the best streaming services, including Netflix.

Netflix is a real prickly customer to work with in this regard. It doesn't allow something like Apple's TV app to pull in shows you've been watching and let you pick them back up because it doesn't want you to use another app as your 'home base.' It doesn't like its shows to appear in universal search tools. What it wants is for you to go to Netflix for everything, where it can recommend 100% Netflix shows and movies.

Could Sonos be the company that finally persuades Netflix to play nice and not be the sole center of your streaming universe? It doesn't feel likely, but it's possible… for reasons that bring us to the first of the big flaws of this whole affair.

Premium with Ads

According to The Verge's article, the streaming box has a “beautiful” interface design, but the whole thing has been developed with an ad-tech firm. So maybe Sonos has gotten Netflix on board for its fancy interface because it's prepared to give the streamer better data about your habits, and Netflix will compromise in exchange for making more money by showing people better ads.

That's just speculation on my part, but something would have to change things for Netflix, and the whole ad element really weighs heavily over the whole project.

If the Sonos interface is full of ads, or people feel like it's hoovering up all their data, we've said before that the whole streaming box endeavor feels doomed – and while that was before we knew about the promised authentic wireless surround sound and the HDMI switching, it was also when we thought the price would be $150-$200.

Now, let's get to the real problem: the rumored price of $200-$400. This is a category where Apple – Apple! – keeps its offering under $150. And if the software is indeed designed around ads, a super-premium price just isn't going to be accepted.

The likes of Google TV and Amazon Fire TV are also designed around ads. Still, the devices they're on are generally very inexpensive, so you actually feel like the ads are subsidizing you getting something for a great value.

If the Sonos streaming box comes anywhere near the $400 mark, it will be for a niche audience only when it could be something far more popular.

To be fair, adding a load of HDMI ports obviously adds expense and complexity, and apparently, Sonos will include cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 for the best performance.

And I also have to note that the price of four $449 Sonos Era 300 speakers with a $400 streaming box would be $2,200, which is the exact same price as the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, which would be a direct equivalent. So it's not out of line compared to a like-for-like product at all.

But it means that only the wealthier hardcore are going to be interested when otherwise, this could be so good for so many people.

Here's hoping that Sonos will bring the dream side of things that I want and will find a way to keep the price realistic – because if it can make things work, the best soundbars might be on notice from a Sonos streamer and surround combo.

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• From obscurity to global fame, DeepSeek’s rise spooks global giants
• It now sits in second position behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT
• DeepSeek’s 24-hour reign as the top AI term sparked market chaos

On January 28, DeepSeek R1, a mere eight days old at the time, became the world's most popular AI term on Google Trends for 24 hours.

It surpassed well-known AI terms such as ChatGPT, Llama, Gemini, and CoPilot, capturing global attention and causing unprecedented volatility in stock markets.

This sudden rise sent shockwaves through stock markets, particularly affecting shares of major companies like Nvidia and ASML, which saw significant declines. The fear among investors regarding DeepSeek's “disruptive” potential led to massive sell-offs, resulting in billions lost across various sectors in a single trading day. Nvidia was hit the most, suffering a record-breaking $600 billion share price drop.

DeepSeek now second but remains popular

After its 24-hour rise, 'DeepSeek R1' has now dropped to second position behind just ChatGPT in many territories, but remains top in Russia and unsurprisingly, China.

Deepseek's global popularity is still growing. According to Similarweb, within a few days, the global daily visits to DeepSeek doubled from 6.2 million to 12.4 million while downloads on Google Play Store now exceed 10 million.

DeepSeek R1 has gained popularity not just for its performance but also for its remarkably low development costs, reportedly around $6 million, compared to the billions spent by its US counterparts Nvidia, Google and OpenAI.

What's more striking is that, in many cases, it outperforms ChatGPT, challenging the status quo in the AI tech industry.

Nevertheless, as DeepSeek’s popularity rises, so do its woes. Several countries have taken significant steps to restrict or ban its use, citing concerns over data privacy and national security.

As of February 2025, Taiwan has banned government agencies and critical infrastructure from using DeepSeek. Italy's Data Protection Authority has blocked DeepSeek from mobile app stores, while the U.S. Navy has banned its personnel from using the app.

Other countries, including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and the Netherlands are also reportedly considering further action.

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The Tesla CEO caused a stir after claiming the program, which allows Americans to file their taxes straight to the IRS, had been "deleted."

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, February 4 (game #604).

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 #605) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• FAN
• FLAG
• WILLIAM
• TELL
• BONUS
• BANKNOTE
• CUT
• DEAL
• BEAK
• SALARY
• INVOICE
• GIVEAWAY
• INSURANCE
• SIGN
• SHUFFLE
• VACATION

NYT Connections today (game #605) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Redundancy deal
• GREEN: Pointers
• BLUE: Spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds
• PURPLE: Mr Clinton’s first name

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 #605) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A COMPENSATION PACKAGE 
• GREEN: INDICATION 
• BLUE: THINGS TO DO WITH A DECK OF CARDS 
• PURPLE: WHAT "BILL" MIGHT REFER TO 

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

NYT Connections today (game #605) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #605, are…

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A COMPENSATION PACKAGE BONUS, INSURANCE, SALARY, VACATION
• GREEN: INDICATION FLAG, GIVEAWAY, SIGN, TELL
• BLUE: THINGS TO DO WITH A DECK OF CARDS CUT, DEAL, FAN, SHUFFLE
• PURPLE: WHAT "BILL" MIGHT REFER TO BANKNOTE, BEAK, INVOICE, WILLIAM

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Some days the Connections grid is a fog of words that make no sense whatsoever and I can see absolutely no links. Other days, the mists clear slowly to reveal one or two vague commonalities. Very occasionally I see the groups of four immediately and I’m in and out in a minute, thinking I’m a right clever clogs (but knowing I am far from alone in mastering the rare easy game).

Today was one of those days. Not quite as straightforward as WILLIAM Tell shooting an arrow at an apple on his son’s head, but pretty close.

There'll be overtures composed about this puzzle.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 4 February, game #604)

• YELLOW: CONSERVE KEEP, PRESERVE, SAVE, STORE
• GREEN: SMOOTH USING FRICTION BUFF, FILE, GRIND, SAND
• BLUE: SPORTS GAMBLING TERMS FAVORITE, PARLAY, SPREAD, UNDER
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "FINGERS" BUTTER, CHICKEN, LADY, STICKY

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 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, February 4 (game #1107).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1108) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* 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 #1108) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #1108) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1108) - 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 #1108) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• V

• B

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1108) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1108, are…

• SIXTH
• VERVE
• BLURB
• CACTI

Not exactly a SIXTH sense, more of a hunch, but I just knew there was going to be an X today, so when I got stuck on a word with an “S”, an “I”, and a “T” I took a gamble and it paid off.

This was also a day of double letters and getting the two Es in VERVE helped me across the line.

I think we can officially say that it was a tricky game.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1108) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1108, are…

• DIMLY
• ASSET
• TOPIC
• SWORN

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1107, Tuesday 4 February: BIRTH, DRAWN, MILKY, JOIST
• Quordle #1106, Monday 3 February: SLEET, TENSE, SEIZE, SCAMP
• Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
• Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
• Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO
• Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
• Quordle #1101, Wednesday 29 January: CROWN, SCENE, AGILE, CRANK
• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED
• Quordle #1099, Monday 27 January: ANGEL, GLOBE, MAYOR, BRAVE
• Quordle #1098, Sunday 26 January: WATER, ORBIT, BRIDE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1097, Saturday 25 January: GIVER, GROOM, GUSTO, MAKER
• Quordle #1096, Friday 24 January: GRIND, STOCK, SERVE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1095, Thursday 23 January: RUGBY, SASSY, WORRY, BANAL
• Quordle #1094, Wednesday 22 January: SLANT, TRUNK, WOOZY, EATEN
• Quordle #1093, Tuesday 21 January: CHART, VIGOR, PRINT, SPAWN
• Quordle #1092, Monday 20 January: SIXTY, THONG, TATTY, ROBIN
• Quordle #1091, Sunday 19 January: WREST, RINSE, SCOUR, CANNY
• Quordle #1090, Saturday 18 January: BLARE, ITCHY, BICEP, PIPER
• Quordle #1089, Friday 17 January: CATCH, WEARY, SWOON, LATHE
• Quordle #1088, Thursday 16 January: PARTY, BLUNT, TWEED, PLANT

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, February 4 (game #338).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… What's your reaction?

NYT Strands today (game #339) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• DUEL
• NUDE
• POKE
• LUST
• NOSE
• GLAD

NYT Strands today (game #339) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Aversions

NYT Strands today (game #339) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 5th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #339) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #339, are…

• LATEX
• SMOKE
• DUST
• MOLD
• DANDER
• POLLEN
• FRAGRANCE
• SPANGRAM: ALLERGENS

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 hints

As an extremely sensitive type, I suffer from several of the ALLERGENS in today’s Strands – DUST and SMOKE triggering asthma and POLLEN triggering hayfever.

In fact, who am I kidding. I suffer from all of them. Many a perfume FRAGRANCE makes me sneeze, MOLD exposure would lay me up with a cold for a week and LATEX would likely give me a rash if I stood within a yard of anyone wearing it. DANDER I had never heard of, but after Googling it I discovered I was allergic to that too – despite owning two cats.

Thankfully, I’m not allergic to bacon or chocolate.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 4 February, game #338)

• PIXIE
• FAIRY
• SPRITE
• HOBGOBLIN
• GREMLIN
• LEPRECHAUN
• SPANGRAM: IMPISH

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and 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.