Technology

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 18.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 18, No. 329

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Aug. 18, No. 799.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for Aug. 18, No. 1,521

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Aug. 18, No. 533.

Our CNET experts have tested the top teeth whitening kits that deliver professional-quality results from home, saving you those pricey dentist visits.

Meal kits are easy and fun but there are still blunders to avoid if you want to get the most out of your subscription.

Ruben Amorim's new-look Red Devils host last season's runners-up.

Can I compete with the Figure's humanoid robot at household chores like folding laundry? Let's see who's faster and better.

The Bees kickoff the post-Thomas Frank era with a trip to the Midlands to face the Tricky Trees.

London derby sees the new FIFA Club World Cup winners host Oliver Glasner's FA Cup holders.

Murderbot season 2: key information

- Officially renewed in July
- Release date yet to be revealed
- No trailer released yet
- Main cast expected to return
- Season 2 may follow more than one of the book series
- Hope for future seasons

Murderbot season 2 is officially on the way, which is great news (and no surprise) given season 1's success.

The first ten episodes, based on the novels by Martha Wells, saw Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård) unlock his full potential and subsequently setting out on a path to discover who he truly is. Oh, while murdering anyone or anything that tries to kill the team he's assigned to protect.

It's a super hit for Apple TV+, scoring 96% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing, and vying for a spot in the best Apple TV+ shows. And given how season 1 left matters, there's plenty more to explore – and plenty more novels from Wells to seek inspiration.

Here's everything we know so far about Murderbot season 2 from release date prediction, expected cast, plot rumors and more.

Potential spoilers follow for Murderbot season 1.

Murderbot season 2 release date

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A Murderbot season 2 release date is a little while away yet considering season 2 only wrapped on July 11. But, what we do know is that the sci-fi comedy thriller has been officially renewed.

Just a day before season 1's epic finale, Apple TV+ confirmed the show's renewal with head of programming, Matt Cherniss, saying: "Chris, Paul, Alexander and the entire 'Murderbot' team have delivered a brilliantly original, addictive, witty and vibrant adaptation that has captured the imagination of audiences everywhere.

"We can't wait to unveil what's next for Murderbot and, of course, 'Sanctuary Moon' in season two."

If I were to make a Murderbot season 2 release date prediction, I'd say since season 1 premiered in May 2025, we'll be looking at late 2026/early 2027 before we get to see what Murderbot gets up to next.

Murderbot season 2 trailer: is there one?

A Murderbot season 2 trailer isn't flying in just yet (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

There's no Murderbot season 2 trailer to share – and there won't be for a while. For season 1, the trailer came out, as is usually the case, just a month before the show premiered on Apple TV+.

So, I wouldn't expect a trailer until nearer to the release date that we don't yet have! I'll be sure to update here when it does though.

Murderbot season 2 predicted cast

The main cast are all expected to return (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Full spoilers follow for Murderbot season 1.

The Murderbot season 2 cast is most likely going to consist of the following main characters from season 1:

• Alexander Skarsgård as Murderbot
• Noma Dumezweni as Mensah
• David Dastmalchian as Gurathin
• Sabrina Wu as Pin-Lee
• Akshay Khanna as Ratthi
• Tamara Podemski as Bharadwaj
• Tattiawna Jones as Arada
• John Cho as Captain
• DeWanda Wise as Navigation Unit
• Clark Gregg as Lieutenant
• Jack McBrayer as Navigation Officer

It's seems incredibly likely that the stars of the TV show within a TV show 'Sanctuary Moon' will return, too, considering Matt Cherniss's statement after the season 2 renewal.

Murderbot season 2 potential plot synopsis and rumors

A new path for Murderbot? (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Major spoilers follow for Murderbot season 1.

Murderbot season 1 was full of sci-fi adventure, weird laughs, bug blasting and plenty of binge-watching episodes of 'Sanctuary Moon'.

However when it comes to the plot for season 2, the show, much like its titular character, may start to form its own path.

Speaking to ComicBook, Murderbot's executive product David S. Goyer said: "The only difference between the books and next season is that the economics of making a TV show requires you to book series regulars.

"Now that we have done a season and have X amount of series regulars, most of those characters aren't in the second book. You might see a little bit of a remix of a couple of the books."

And so, while there's rumors of Murderbot season 2 picking up on the second novel of Martha Wells's series, Artificial Condition, and season 1 ending true to how the first book did, it might not be that linear.

If it does follow along with book two though, the official synopsis reads: "It has a dark past―one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more.

"Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…"

What's next for Murderbot? (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

The Murderbot season 1 finale set viewers up with a strong plot line to pick up on for episodes to come though.

Murderbot, after nearly dying and saving Mensah's life, wakes up with his memory wiped. With the team coming to save him and even Gurathin stepping up to help Murderbot recapture what he's lost, the future for Murderbot looks hopeful.

When they do gain Murderbot back, buying him from The Company, they let him be free. But, what will Murderbot do with this newfound freedom?

Armed with his autonomy and some serious killing skills, he boarded another ship. And while this may be the one mentioned in the book two synopsis, it's a plot kept firmly under wraps.

But, the season 1 finale was an incredibly thoughtful conclusion and after an intense battle in the penultimate episode, it stripped the pace back to let Murderbot feel all his feelings. And, I'm sure, there's plenty more of this to explore in Murderbot season 2.

Will Murderbot get more seasons on Apple TV+?

No news on future seasons of Murderbot, just yet (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

There's no news currently on what lies beyond Murderbot season 2, which is not all that surprising given it only got renewed for its second outing in July.

But, in conversation with ComicBook, Goyer did mention something that could possibly, hopefully, hint at more: "I would say there are five other books that Martha Wells has written, so there’s a lot more material. I don’t know if the show will last five, six seasons."

Sure, if Murderbot season 2 becomes more of a mashup of Wells's iconic series, that may limit how many seasons are left in the pipeline. But, with a stellar cast and unique premise behind it, there's perhaps space for at least a couple more seasons.

Time will tell and I imagine we won't hear much more about it until at least season 2 premieres. For now, I'll emulate Murderbot's enhanced senses and listen out for any news on the ground.

For more Apple TV+ coverage, read our guides on Ted Lasso season 4, Foundation season 3, Presumed Innocent season 2, and Silo season 3.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 17.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 17, No. 328

• SMÅ Printer simplifies printing with only three buttons and a single LED for status updates
• The top-feeding paper design saves desk space while holding up to 120 sheets reliably
• Maintenance is intuitive, allowing one-handed ink replacement without spills or awkward handling

Our printers have long been seen as bulky, frustrating gadgets that occupy too much desk space and often require complicated maintenance.

The SMÅ printer, designed by Jakob Höxtermann, challenges these assumptions with a design that emphasizes simplicity, sustainability, and compactness.

Unlike many home and business printers that are built with glued components, the SMÅ uses screws to hold its parts together, making it easier to take apart and recycle at the end of its life.

Streamlined functionality - not for heavy duty printing

Traditional printers often overwhelm users with buttons, menus, and unclear indicators.

The SMÅ simplifies this with only three buttons: power, stop, and a setup option for occasional adjustments.

A single LED communicates the printer’s status using intuitive colors, allowing users to know instantly when everything is ready, when ink needs replacing, or when a paper jam occurs.

The design of this printer encourages reduced paper and ink usage, while its straightforward interface makes it easy to operate.

Remember the Panasonic SP-70 and SPV series with a vertical screen printer? The SMÅ printer recreates this vertical layout, which sets it apart visually and functionally from standard horizontal designs.

By feeding paper from the top, the SMÅ conserves valuable desk space while also offering storage for up to 120 sheets without the need for additional trays.

A transparent extension ensures that stacked paper remains stable, which is a subtle but practical feature often overlooked in other printers.

Maintenance is equally straightforward: replacing ink involves lifting the outer shell and sliding in a new cartridge with one hand, avoiding messy spills or awkward handling.

Visually, the SMÅ adopts a minimalist style with soft edges that blend naturally into contemporary home or office environments.

It does not dominate a desk or appear as an industrial tool, which can make it easier to integrate into spaces where aesthetics matter.

This printer pushes intuitiveness and can be set up with smartphones or PCs.

That said, this device does not include advanced features found in high-end business printers and will not cater to heavy-duty needs.

Via Yanko Design

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• Google unveils another huge AI spending spree - tech giant is splashing out $9 billion in Oklahoma

• Perplexity AI stunned the industry with an unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer for Google Chrome
• Chrome browser remains a key part of Google’s AI tools and long-term LLM development strategy
• Perplexity’s own valuation is less than half of the amount it offered to acquire Chrome

Perplexity AI has attracted attention with an unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer to acquire Google’s Chrome browser.

The proposal comes despite Chrome not being officially for sale, and its deep-set integration into Google’s broader AI strategy, not to mention its wider software platform.

Analysts view the bid as an ambitious move aimed at boosting publicity, given Chrome’s role in driving search traffic, supporting AI tools, and collecting user data essential for Google’s long-term machine learning and large language model (LLM) development.

Bid details and competitive implications

The proposed acquisition terms reportedly commit to keeping Chromium, the underlying browser code, open source, with Perplexity saying it would invest $3 billion over two years and maintain Chrome’s current default search engine.

The company claims these steps would protect user choice while potentially easing regulatory concerns.

However, the offer is below the $50 billion valuation that some industry figures, including DuckDuckGo’s CEO, believe Chrome might fetch if divestiture were ever mandated.

Regulatory context plays a huge role in this situation, as the US Justice Department has pursued a Chrome divestiture as part of remedies in a broader antitrust case against Google, which was found to hold an unlawful monopoly in search.

Federal Judge Amit Mehta is expected to issue a ruling on remedies soon, but experts suggest a sale order could face years of appeals.

Experts also claim that higher courts, including the D.C. Circuit and potentially the Supreme Court, tend to be skeptical of forced divestitures.

Perplexity’s own financial position is raising questions, mainly because the company was founded just three years ago.

It raised around $1 billion from backers such as Nvidia and SoftBank and was last valued at $14 billion.

It has not disclosed exactly how it would finance the acquisition, but says multiple unnamed funds have offered full financing.

The scale of the bid, more than twice its valuation, recalls Perplexity’s earlier high-profile but unrealized proposal to merge with TikTok’s U.S. operations.

The bid also highlights shifting dynamics in how people interact with the web.

Browsers, once considered stable infrastructure, have regained strategic importance as more users turn to AI tools and chatbot interfaces for information.

By acquiring Chrome’s three billion users, Perplexity could potentially accelerate the adoption of its AI-driven browser, Comet, which is currently limited to waitlisted users and premium subscribers.

For now, it appears the bid is primarily a publicity stunt, and the likelihood of Google accepting the offer is very low, as Chrome remains integral to Google’s AI roadmap, including features like “Overviews” that provide AI-generated search summaries.

If Perplexity’s bid is mainly a visibility strategy, it may succeed in drawing attention to Comet, but it will likely not scratch Chrome’s dominance.

Via Reuters

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Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Aug. 17, No. 532.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Aug. 17, #798.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for Aug. 17, No. 1,520

Most modern robot vacuums don't just vacuum your floors – they can also mop them for you. This type of robovac is sometimes referred to as a 'hybrid robot vacuum', and it's increasingly difficult to find bots that don't offer mopping these days.

But how much should you focus on the mopping part? How does it work, and is it actually any good? I review robot vacuums for a living, and I've tested out cheap bots with the very simplest mops, right up to the very best robot vacuums on the market, with complex wet cleaning setups. Here's everything you need to know about robot vacuum mops, and if they're worth your time.

How does the mopping work on a robot vacuum?

The exact setup varies by model, but essentially, there will be a mop pad (or two) that's fed water from a tank in the main part of the robot. The robot vacuum will pull the pad(s) across your floors to clean them.

Sometimes the pad might spin, vibrate, or press down to dislodge dirt. Some robovacs will vacuum at the same time as mopping – the idea being that it cuts down on overall cleaning time. Others can be set to mop after vacuuming, or just do one or the other.

If you opt for a more advanced dock type, it might refill the bot's onboard water tank for you, so you don't need to top it off yourself as frequently. It might also wash and dry your mop pads for you. However, with cheaper, more basic bots, you'll need to take care of all this yourself.

What kinds of mop are there?

Some robot vacuums can mop much better than others. Here's a quick rundown of the main mop types, and my experience of how well each one cleans.

D-shaped pad

This is one of the most common mop types. It consists of a fixed, D-shaped pad that can be cleaned and reused. The pad is fed with water from an onboard tank as it's dragged along the floor. On more advanced bots, this pad might vibrate or press down as it goes, to help dislodge dried-on dirt.

A fixed, D-shaped pad will do a decent wipe-down job (Image credit: Future)

In general, I've found this style of mop pad pretty effective. It'll do a good job of wiping down your floors and picking up any lingering dirt. However, the dragging pad doesn't offer much by way of scrubbing – and especially so if it doesn't press down or vibrate – and because the pad isn't getting cleaned as it goes, if you have a spillage on the floor, it might end up getting dragged about a bit.

Two spinning discs

Another common type of robovac mop. Two disc-shaped pads are attached to the base of the bot and spin to scrub away dirt. They're fed with water from an onboard tank as they clean.

Spinning circular pads tend to be better at scrubbing (Image credit: Future)

This is probably my favorite mop type. It's similar to a D-shaped pad, but the rotation means these mops are a little better at scrubbing; some can even handle dried-on stains.

The pads can be removed and popped into the washing machine for a deep clean. However, because they're not getting cleaned as they go, big spillages will likely end up getting spread around, and I wouldn't use this kind of mop to tackle sticky or smelly substances.

Rotating roller

This is a less common type of robot vacuum mop, consisting of a mop pad on a track, like a tank. Fresh water is applied as the pad rotates around, but where this mop style has the edge on other setups is that there's a scraper that siphons off dirty water and any general gunk that's been picked up, too.

(Image credit: Future)

Roller mops are relatively new to the market right now, but are getting more popular. I wonder if we'll start seeing a lot more of them before long.

I haven't had a chance to test out a bot with a roller mop yet, but my reviewers who have done so have been impressed. In our Eureka J20 review, our tester found it "did a fantastic job of cleaning up spills," although noted that it wasn't as successful with dried-on dirt, suggesting that, like most robovac mops, it's more of a wiper than a scrubber.

Just a wet wipe

It's rare to see, but some budget bots just have space to attach a wet wipe, which is then dragged across the floor. This is the least effective type of mop.

The pads have a smooth surface rather than a grippy one, and do very little by way of scrubbing. They also can't be washed or reused, so you're generating waste if you opt for this style of mop, and you'll need to factor in the ongoing cost of replacing the wipes.

Wet wipe style mops are more fiddly, and only provide a light wipe (Image credit: Future)

The most high-profile brand to use this approach is Switchbot with its mini robovacs. I've yet to test one of these models out myself, and opinions differ as to whether this kind of mopping is worth the effort at all.

Our SwitchBot K10+ Pro Mini Robot Vacuum reviewer called it "perfunctory at best" and commented that he couldn't see anyone bothering to purchase a new set of wet wipes once the provided pack ran out.

However, my teammate Cat Ellis finds the setup useful for everyday cleaning: "It definitely isn't a substitute for proper mopping, but I've found it very handy for keeping everyday dust under control on my dark floors (which show up every speck of dirt). I'm often surprised by just how much it manages to pick up in the hallway, even when I've vacuumed recently."

Is the mopping any good?

Generally, my experience is that robot vacuum mopping is good enough to be a significant effort-saver – especially if you have lots of hard flooring that requires regular mopping. They're great for everyday maintenance cleaning, but not good enough that you won't need to resort to manual cleaning occasionally.

Regardless of mop type, I wouldn't leave one to tackle a big spill (it'll get stuck on the mop cloth and end up being spread around the floor) or a dried-on stain (the bot won't scrub hard enough to clear it).

Will my carpets get wet?

Maybe – depends which model you go for. Mid-range robot vacuums and above can often detect when they're going over carpet, and lift their mop pads so they're not dragging. Some premium bots have magnetic mops that they'll drop off in the dock when tasked with vacuuming carpet.

Some bots have a thin, removable water tank, and the mopping is 'on' whenever it's attached (Image credit: Future)

However, cheaper, more basic robot vacuums will drag their damp mop pads over carpets if you don't remove them. On some, the water is automatically 'on' when the mop pad and/or water tank is attached, so you'll need to shut the bot in the room you need mopping so it doesn't try and give your carpets and rugs the same treatment.

Will the mops start to smell?

If you leave them damp and don't clean them, yes. More basic robot vacuums will need to have their mop pads removed to dry after mopping, and you'll also want to hand-wash them or run them through the washing machine fairly regularly to keep them fresh and hygienic.

More advanced robot vacuums have docks that will take care of some mop maintenance for you. For example, they might be able to wash the mop pads – sometimes with hot water, to cut through grease – and dry them off, too. That cuts down the amount of intervention required from you. You'll pay extra for these kinds of features, though.

More advanced docks can take care cleaning the mop pads for you (Image credit: Future)Can you use floor cleaner?

Sometimes, but generally no. Most hybrid robot vacuums recommend you just use water, although it's worth checking the manufacturer's instructions as to whether it's okay to mix in cleaning solution.

The most advanced bots will let you use cleaning fluid, but they'll stress that only their proprietary cleaner is allowed, and it's invariably very expensive. Some will have a cleaning fluid tank that sits alongside the water tanks in the dock, and dispenses fluid evenly as the bot's onboard tanks are refilled.

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