Technology

These tech accessories and devices will make getting to their final destination a breeze.

• Alphabet and Google CEO pledges major spending spree
• Sundar Pichai reaffirms plans for $75 billion investment
• "We are excited about the possibilities, and we can't wait to see what you'll build," Pichai says

Google's parent company Alphabet has reaffirmed its plans to spend billions on infrastructure capacity to boost the capabilities of AI and cloud computing.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, took to the stage at Google Cloud Next 25 in Las Vegas to praise the company's work in the space, and double down on its plans to spend big in the future.

The company is set to spend around $75 billion in 2025 alone to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI, despite worldwide concerns over the global economy.

Alphabet AI investment

"The chance to improve lives and reimagine things is why Google has been investing in AI for more than a decade," Pichai declared.

"We see it as the most important way we can advance our mission to organize the world's information, make it universally accessible and useful with Google Cloud...the opportunity with AI is as big as it gets," he notes.

"That's why we are investing in the full stack of AI innovation."

This includes the infrastructure powering AI, Pichai added, unveiling plans to spend $75 billion, covering servers and data centers, including powering its AI computer cloud business.

"We need our infrastructure to move at Google speed," he added, "with near zero latency, supporting services like search, Gmail and (Google) Photos) for billions of users worldwide."

Pichai revealed Google's network now spans more than 200 countries and territories, powered by over two million miles of fiber - and to boost that even further, he revealed Google is making its Cloud Wide Area Network open to businesses which are Google Cloud customers across the globe.

"We are excited about the possibilities, and we can't wait to see what you'll build," Pichai concluded.

"Our goal is to always bring out latest AI advances into the full layer of our stack, across products and platforms...getting advances into the hands of both consumers and enterprises is something we are really focused on - this is why we are able to innovate at the cutting edge and push the boundaries of what's possible for us and for you - the result: better, faster, and more innovation for everyone."

You might also like

• Cloud and AI demand push Alphabet and Microsoft earnings to new high
• Alphabet CEO says more than a quarter of new code at Google is AI-generated
• Check out the best AI writers around today

Elon Musk’s satellite internet company has already lost hundreds of millions in contracts with Canada, while other countries move forward despite tariffs.

I've taken the phone all over Europe to test its impressive camera setup. Here are some of my favorite snaps.

• Google unveils Ironwood, its 7th-generation TPU
• Ironwood is designed for inference, the new big challenge for AI
• It offers huge advances in power and efficiency, and even outperforms El Capitain supercomputer

Google has revealed its most powerful AI training hardware to date as it looks to take another major step forward in inference.

Ironwood is the company's 7th-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) - the hardware powering both Google Cloud and its customers AI training and workload handling.

The hardware was revealed at the company's Google Cloud Next 25 event in Las Vegas, where it was keen to highlight the great strides forward in efficiency which should also mean workloads can run more cost-effectively.

Google Ironwood TPU

The company says Ironwood marks "a significant shift" in the development of AI, making part of the move from responsive AI models which simply present real-time information for the users to process, towards proactive models which can interpret and infer by themselves.

This is essentially the next generation of AI computing, Google Cloud believes, allowing its most demanding customers to set up and establish ever greater workloads.

At its top-end Ironwood can scale up to 9,216 chips per pod, for a total of 42.5 exaflops - more than 24x the compute power of El Capitan, the world's current largest supercomputer.

Each individual chip offers peak compute of 4,614 TFLOPs, what the company says is a huge leap forward in capacity and capability - even at its slightly less grand configuration of "only" 256 chips.

However the scale can get even greater, as Ironwood allows developers to utilize the company's DeepMind-designed Pathways software stack to harness the combined computing power of tens of thousands of Ironwood TPUs.

Ironwood also offers a major increase in high bandwidth memory capacity (192GB per chip, up to 6x greater than the previous Trillium sixth-generation TPU) and bandwidth - able to reach 7.2TBps, 4.5x greater than Trillium.

"For more than a decade, TPUs have powered Google’s most demanding AI training and serving workloads, and have enabled our Cloud customers to do the same," noted Amin Vahdat, VP/GM, ML, Systems & Cloud AI.

"Ironwood is our most powerful, capable and energy efficient TPU yet. And it's purpose-built to power thinking, inferential AI models at scale."

You might also like

• New Blackwell Ultra GPU series is the most powerful Nvidia AI hardware yet
• We've rounded up the best workstations around for your biggest tasks
• On the move? These are the best mobile workstations on offer

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 199, for April 10.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 403 for April 10.

Here are hints -- and the answers -- for Connections for April 10, #669.

Here are hints -- and the answer -- for today's Wordle No. 1,391 for April 10.

• Google is testing a new “Power Up” button in its Gemini app that upgrades your typed prompt
• The button will produce a clearer, more detailed prompt without multiple attempts
• The aim is to get better responses from Gemini immediately without needing to write perfect prompts

If you've ever used an AI chatbot, you know that figuring out how to phrase your prompts can make all the difference in getting a useful answer or gibberish. You can spend a long time fiddling with phrasing, word order, and detail level before stumbling upon the right way to ask the AI a question. Google is testing a new button for its Gemini AI assistant to help you get to that ideal prompt immediately. The upcoming “Power Up” button, found by Android Authority, gives your first attempt at a prompt a glow-up before you submit it to Gemini.

The idea is that instead of sweating over how to phrase your prompt to Gemini perfectly, you tap this button and let Gemini polish or 'power up' your initial attempt into something more detailed, more specific, and more likely to convey what you want to the AI model.

Gemini power

This matters a lot when you think about how much of the AI experience hinges on you and your ability to craft a prompt. You have to be specific but not too detailed, thorough but not so much as to distract from your main point. Sometimes, you even have to psychoanalyze the AI, figuring out weird quirks that may affect the result, like being polite or telling the AI not to be lazy.

I've often found it helpful to straight-up ask an AI chatbot for help crafting a prompt if I'm not sure what the best phrasing is to coax the information I want from the model. There are also some cases where the AI will automatically, but invisibly, reshape your prompt before answering. That can be helpful, but it might also be the culprit behind some of the more erratic responses you have seen.

The Power Up button would make it faster to get the right prompt and more transparent than just doing a behind-the-scenes polish. You write your prompt as usual, even if it's only half-formed, then hit Power Up and let Gemini heat up your scattered thoughts into a sharp inquiry worth submitting to the AI. The improved prompt then gets sent, and voilà, your AI assistant has a much better idea of how to help.

In some ways, this just expands on the suggestions for prompts you see from Gemini when you first open the chatbot. Those are much more generic than what the Power Up button might produce. It would also fit well into the other features providing variations on Gemini's output, like Deep Research, Canvas, and image creation with Imagen 3.

The Power Up button would be a relatively quiet kind of upgrade, but one that might serve Google's interests in preventing frustration among Google Gemini users who feel like they can't get the AI to fulfill their requests properly. It might also encourage those using other AI chatbots facing similar annoyances to come check out Gemini and its powered-up prompts.

You might also like

• I tried Google's new AI mode powered by Gemini, and it might be the end of Search as we know it
• One of my favorite AI tools is getting an iPhone app, and here's why you should install it
• Google’s AI Mode can explain what you’re seeing even if you can’t

Here's how to stream new episodes of the Emmy-winning series.

The company's latest televisions are designed to look even more like artwork.

• Pico just debuted waist trackers that work just like its feet trackers
• It's out now for £39.99 (around $50 / AU$85)
• When we reviewed the Pico 4 Ultra, its motion trackers were the headset's best feature

Pico has just announced an upgrade to its best VR headset feature: a new motion tracker for your waist, and yet again, I’m left wishing my Meta Quest 3 could get this upgrade, too.

When I tested the Pico 4 Ultra last year, its best feature was the pair of motion trackers you could buy as an add-on. These often came included for free as part of a bundle during sales of the VR headset.

You’d attach them to your feet, and you could bring surprisingly accurate foot tracking to supported games. Combined with hand tracking, this led to supremely immersive experiences, as you could interact with your whole body as if you were really in virtual space.

(Image credit: Pico)

Now, that simple yet effective solution is coming to a brand new Pico Motion Tracker for your waist. In fact, the device is launching today (April 9, 2025) for £39.99 (around $50 / AU$85).

We haven’t been able to test the tracker for ourselves, but given how impressive the foot trackers are, we expect Pico’s new waist trackers will be solid, too, when used in supported titles such as VRChat and compatible PCVR titles through the Pico Connect feature.

I can see this waist tracker being perfect for VR exercising, dancing games, and allowing players to use new VR props like a hula hoop, but we’ll have to wait and see how it’s implemented.

(Image credit: Pico) Meta needs better body tracking

Meta does offer its own basic body tracking via your headset’s downward-facing cameras but it’s not the most robust solution. The AI it relies on is fairly good at predicting where your legs and body should be, but it isn’t always perfect. Further, it hasn’t been implemented into many VR apps in the way that Pico’s sophisticated solution has been.

While Pico’s motion tracking is superb, I’m still not convinced it’s the best headset option for most people.

It doesn’t have the same impressive software catalog you’ll find on Meta’s Quests, and it’s pricier than the Meta Quest 3S and Meta Quest 3 without offering a significant performance bump.

That coupled with it not being available to buy in every region the Meta Quest 3 is including the United States, and that it's a device that has struggled to build a name for itself except amongst VR enthusiasts who are staunchly anti-Meta.

Meta has yet to announce physical motion trackers for Quest – with its CTO shooting the idea down last year (via UplaodVR) – but I seriously hope that changes. They’re easily the best Pico feature, and the Meta Quest 3 would be much more versatile if it had access to the same tools.

You might also like

• Pico 4 Ultra VS Meta Quest 3: the battle of the best mid-range VR headsets
• This beginner-friendly train-driving simulator is the chillest Meta Quest 3 game I've played – but it's not for everyone
• You might get a free Meta Quest 3 to use on your next flight, but I'm not keen on the advertising it'll serve you

• Framework Laptop 12’s upgradable storage and modular design make it perfect for tech enthusiasts
• Offers a fully upgradeable device, a practical option for long-term use
• Originally designed for students, but every adult wants one

Framework Laptop 12 pre-orders are now live, and while originally designed for students, the company claims every adult who tried the device has shown interest in owning one.

This business laptop features a 12-inch touchscreen with a 1920x1200 resolution, over 400 nits of brightness, and both touch and stylus input capabilities.

Unlike most budget-friendly notebooks, the Framework Laptop 12 is powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, coupled with up to 48GB of DDR5-5200 RAM and 2TB of NVMe storage. It exceeds expectations given its size, making it a good laptop for programming.

A practical solution for long-term use

The device is easily repairable and upgradeable. Its metal structure is wrapped with an overmolded, shock-absorbing TPU over rigid PC/ABS plastic.

You don’t have to worry about breaking it, as every component, from the battery to the display, is easily replaceable, with QR codes linking to repair guides.

Framework’s founder and CEO, Nirav Patel, said that the Framework Laptop 12 is, “the purest manifestation of our vision and product philosophy at Framework, and is in many ways the product I started the company to create.”

The Laptop 12 comes in five pastel color options with a color-matched stylus, supports Wi-Fi 6E, and includes four modular expansion slots, including USB, DisplayPort, and HDMI, all of which are user-upgradeable.

Taking cues from modular concepts like Lego, the Laptop 12 replaces internal cables with POGO pin connectors, simplifying repairs. The 360-degree hinge prioritizes laptop mode for everyday use, while enabling tablet functionality for note-taking.

This is likely to be a good laptop for engineering students or anyone who enjoys disassembling and reassembling devices, as the Framework Laptop 12 offers plenty of room for hands-on tinkering.

You may also like

• These are the best budget laptops available
• We've listed the best NAS devices around
• Check out our list of the best firewall software

I spoke with industry analysts who offered their guesses on the potential cost of the next-gen Nintendo console.

Misuse by companies and the government are top concerns, a new survey shows, and some people are taking action. Here's how to protect your online data.

Market volatility is scary, especially as you near retirement age. But panic-selling isn't the answer.

• Malicious apps are being disguised to gather data for China
• Uighur, Tibetan and Taiwanese communities are being targeted
• The apps look like religious and cultural applications

The UKs National Cyber Security Center, alongside compatriots in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the US, are warning apps loaded with spyware are being used to target Uighur, Tibetan and Taiwanese communities.

The spyware, named BADBAZAAR and MOONSHINE, is likely being used to gather information “of use to China” on individuals who could pose a threat to China’s security.

Many of the apps loaded with spyware are designed to mimic religious or cultural applications.

Monitor your credit score with TransUnion starting at $29.95/month

TransUnion is a credit monitoring service that helps you stay on top of your financial health. With real-time alerts, credit score tracking, and identity theft protection, it ensures you never miss important changes. You'll benefit from a customizable online interface with clear insights into your credit profile. Businesses also benefit from TransUnion’s advanced risk assessment tools.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Gathering location, audio and photo data

The apps in question include “Audio Quran”, a religious app used to target Uighur communities, and “TibetOne” which appears at first glance to be an application used to share images, videos, music, and articles celebrating Tibetan culture.

There have been attempts to share the applications through legitimate channels such as the Google Play Store, but these attempts have largely been unsuccessful thanks to the security controls in place on the Play Store.

As a result, the apps were instead shared on forums frequented by the target communities, and relied on users installing the apps through .apk files.

According to the NCSC report [PDF], the apps aren’t just being used to target individuals, but are also being used to monitor civil society groups to track their activities.

The BADBAZAAR and MOONSHINE spyware would be able to access real time location and gps data, live audio and video capture, files stored on the device, SMS and call logs, and device information, as well as being able to play audio through the device.

The joint statement says, “Although BADBAZAAR and MOONSHINE have been observed targeting Uighur, Tibetan and Taiwanese individuals, there are other malware that target other minority groups in China. Citizens from co-sealing nations, in China and abroad, who are perceived to be supporting causes that threaten regime stability are almost certainly under threat from mobile malware such as BADBAZAAR and MOONSHINE.”

“The capability to capture location, audio and photo data almost certainly provides the opportunity to inform future surveillance and harassment operations by providing real-time information on the target’s activity.”

You might also like

• Take a look at the best antivirus
• These are the best endpoint protection services
• TVT DVRs become prime target for Mirai botnet

Some PlayStation Plus subscribers can play these games in April.

• Disneyland is prepping for its 70th anniversary
• For the first time, park guests will be able to vote for which characters appear in a show
• World of Color Happiness! features fountains, lighting, lasers, fogs, mist sprays, and flame effects

Disneyland Resort is getting ready to celebrate a big anniversary – more specifically, its 70th anniversary. And, Disney is looking to pull out all the stops, including rolling out new and enhanced experiences at theme parks Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure.

While I hope that includes some new dance moves for the delightful BDX Droids, the upgrades and entirely new immersive experiences extend beyond Galaxy’s Edge at the park.

We already knew that Disney was prepping a new World of Color evening show – aka a ‘night-time spectacular’ – at Disney California Adventure dubbed ‘World of Color Happiness!'. It’ll still feature an impressive water show with jets, fountains, and mist sprays that turn into a screen on projections, lasers, and even flames that tell a story on. It looks very impressive, and the new show is promised to evoke ‘happiness’ and will be hosted by Joy from Inside Out and Inside Out 2.

(Image credit: Disney Parks/Future)

It’ll no doubt be an impressive event – but, even neater is the level of interactivity that Disney has announced for the show. Via the Disneyland app for Android or iOS, park guests can vote for which emotion from Inside Out will be featured in scenes. This means that each showing of ‘World of Color Happiness!’ could be different from the previous night in that you’ll be able to vote to see Sadness, Anger, Disgust, or Envy featured throughout.

You’ll likely need to have a park ticket registered to your Disneyland account to take part, and location services are required – this way, you can vote if you’re in the park. As Disney does and how Moritz Bächer, the Associate Lab Director of Disney’s Zurich-based robotics team previously told TechRadar, this is a case of technology being used for storytelling.

(Image credit: Disney/Pixar)

Disney has previously allowed MagicBand+ – a wearable bracelet that acts as your ticket for park entry and to ride well rides – to glow and vibrate for different experiences. In fact, with ‘World of Color’ at Disney California Adventure and fireworks shows at Disney Parks around the globe, we have been able to interact before.

But now, the Disneyland app, which is used for countless other things like ordering food, viewing photos, or making reservations, can let you have a say in the night-time spectacular. This is the first time Disney has used this interactive feature of voting for what character will be featured in a show.

It also comes at a time when Disney Parks is ushering in more immersive visuals. As part of Season of the Force at Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, you’ll see scenes from the Star Wars projected on the spires of Batuu at the park. It looks incredibly impressive and is a perfect use of the park's land.

No one’s seen ‘World of Color Happiness!’ just yet, but from the teaser image, it’s set to offer an immersive, happiness-inducing journey with some Disney characters, and you might just be pulled more into it thanks if you opt to vote.

Of course, it’ll also be neat to see a movie screen made of water with lasers for color, jets, and even flames in a lake.

You might also like

• The adorable BDX Droids are coming to more Disney Parks around the world, including Disney World
• This full-color E-Ink display could give your IKEA frame a huge upgrade
• Disney’s giving a classic Buzz Lightyear ride a tech overhaul – here's everything you need to know