Technology

Abode’s new sensors detect tilting, strange movements and more, a rarity among current security systems.

• Michael Dell marked 42 years since PC's Limited by reposting its 31 July 1984 statement, showing ~$135,000 of net income on roughly a million dollars of sales from $1,000 of starting capital
• The document, which he also showed in March 2018, served as a baseline for him to persuade his parents to let him skip university
• The decision helped make him a billionaire and turned Dell into a company that is currently worth over a quarter of a trillion dollars thanks to an AI-centric surge of late

Michael Dell has posted a photograph of a fairly unique single sheet of paper to X and LinkedIn: the quarterly financial statement for PC's Limited, dated 31 July 1984, produced from a dorm room at the University of Texas at Austin.

The page shows roughly a million dollars in sales, about $198,000 in gross profit, and net income of $134,762.75 for the three-month period.

The then 19-year-old Dell had just finished his freshman year as a pre-med student, and had started the business with $1,000. He used the statement to persuade his parents that he should not go back for his sophomore year.

A multi-billion dollar decision backed by receipts

This one page changed my life.42 years ago today, it convinced my parents I shouldn't go back to college.I started by upgrading PCs from a dorm room.Today @Dell is helping build the infrastructure that powers AI, from the edge to some of the world's largest AI factories.… pic.twitter.com/OF3KTMrBeHJuly 31, 2026

Nothing on the page suggests or requires a leap of faith. It suggests the opposite: a 19-year-old who had already been running a business through an academic year, who had generated close to a million dollars of turnover, who had kept books well enough to separate gross profit from net income, and who understood that the way to win an argument with two skeptical parents was to hand them a profit and loss statement.

The decision to leave college was not a gamble that happened to pay off. It was the conclusion the numbers already supported, and Dell was sharp enough at 19 to know that presenting them in a document would carry more weight than simply presenting them as enthusiastic conversation starters.

The decision that followed allows Michael Dell to command a $236.7 billion net worth, as reported by Forbes, and to lead a company with a market cap north of $270 billion. What makes Michael Dell's story unique, however, is that it isn't the typical dropout-founder story usually told as one about conviction outrunning evidence. The document he brought to the table is evidence outrunning conviction.

(Image credit: Nvidia)

It raises an interesting parallel: The question one needs to ask is not whether to bet on yourself, but at what point do you have enough data to stop calling it a bet and start calling it a data-driven conclusion.

It is also worth noting that this is not the page's first outing. Dell posted the same statement to Twitter in March 2018, describing it then as the document he used to convince his parents "it was OK for me to not go back to college".

What the document shows, when read carefully, is a teenager who has figured out something about persuasion that many people twice his age never do. His parents were not going to be moved by a description of the market for IBM-compatible upgrades.

They were going to be moved by a number they could check, printed on a page, covering a period that had already happened. Dell did not ask them to believe in the future of the personal computer. He showed them what he had already earned and let them draw their own conclusions.

The result was a computer-centric giant that makes many of the desktops, laptops, and servers that power the modern world and is synonymous with reliable tech for many users. One could argue that the singular page did not change his life. The quarter behind it did. The page was just the format he could use to prove it, and the rest is history.

Turtle Beach Command Series KB5: One-minute review

The Turtle Beach Command Series KB5 is a full-size keyboard with an interesting display module that has more functionality than many others.

However, the board fails to make a great first impression. It looks dated with its unnecessary angles, while the plastic materials feel cheap. The brushed metal face plate is a nice touch, though, as are the floating double-shot PBT keycaps. It’s also quite a light unit, especially so for a keyboard this size.

The included wrist rest also feels like a low-grade plastic, and doesn’t attach magnetically like those bundled with some of the best gaming keyboards. Instead, it relies on a somewhat fiddly — but ultimately secure — mechanical attachment. And despite its lack of padding, its ergonomic contours offer sufficient levels of comfort. The rest also helps to make up for the KB5’s shallow tilt angle, even with the two-stage feet propping it up.

The standout feature of the KB5, though, is its interactive touchscreen in the top-right corner of the unit. It lacks the responsiveness we’ve come to expect of modern touchscreens, taking multiple swipes and taps for it to register them. However, it has a lot of useful functions and features, with plenty of settings for the KB5 itself, as well as a wealth of customizable shortcuts and readouts for Windows and various apps.

(Image credit: Future)

These shortcuts can be customized using Turtle Beach’s Swarm 2 software. There are a wide variety of templates to choose from, but you can also create your own shortcut clusters from a wide selection of widgets. The software also has a generous selection of remapping and macro options, although there aren’t any performance-related adjustments. I wish it provided more explanations for its features, too.

In action, the KB5 performs reasonably well. The keycaps have a very low profile, which makes them easy to glide over, while the switches are satisfyingly damped. However, presses are a little heavier than you might expect, sometimes resulting in taps failing to register, especially if you have a light touch. This is more of an issue when typing than gaming.

The WASD position is comfortable and the keys are well spaced, making it easy to reach them. I could easily hit the space bar flush, thanks to its low profile and generous slant. However, the sheer width of the board can result in collisions when swiping your mouse vigorously.

At $150 / £140, the KB5 isn’t exactly a budget-friendly board, and is especially dear for one with no wireless connectivity and a less-than premium construction. The integrated touchscreen and large layout make up for this somewhat, but the fact remains there are better value rivals if you don’t need all those keys and a sophisticated display.

(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Command Series KB5 review: Price & availability

• $149.99 / £139.99 (about AU$210)
• Available now in one colorway
• Reasonably expensive for a wired mechanical keyboard.

The KB5 costs $149.99 / £139.99 (about AU$210) and is available now in one colorway. It comes with a braided USB cable, an attachable wrist rest, and extra WASD keys with a grippier texture. You can remove the stock ones using the included keycap puller.

This is quite expensive for a wired mechanical keyboard. Granted, it’s a full-size board with plenty of keys, but it lacks the premium build of some of its cheaper rivals, such as the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra. This is an extremely solid unit, and its gaming performance is as good if not better than the KB5’s, with its analog switches providing more adjustability. It also has multiple wireless connectivity modes.

Then there’s the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro. This is vastly more expensive than the KB5, but it’s one of the best performing mechanical keyboards I’ve ever used, and its software and build quality are superior. What’s more, its included wrist rest is far more plush, and it also has multiple wireless modes.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Turtle Beach Command Series KB5 review: Specs

Layout

Full-size

Switch

Mechanical (Titan Low-Profile Linear)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

18.8 x 6.9 x 1.1 inches (477 x 175 x 27mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Command Series KB5 review: Design & features

• Gamer-ish design
• Cheap-feeling plastics
• Useful integrated display

The KB5 leans into the gamer aesthetic, with its odd contours along the top edge and flashes of brown. Personally, I found this look a little garish and quite dated, although I did like the brushed metal front plate and its countersunk screws, which are prominently displayed. These are also quite practical since they’re easily accessible.

Overall, the build quality is less impressive. The plastic of the chassis feels cheap, although in fairness it’s also quite light, which means this large keyboard isn’t a chore to move around. Another plus is the keycaps are made from double-shot PBT, the gold standard keycap material, and they’re solidly fitted.

The notching on the cylindrical volume wheel feels good too, making for easy flicks while at the same time offering fine control. However, it can be hard to press inwards to mute without accidentally triggering a scroll.

A wrist rest is included with the KB5, which is always a welcome addition in my view. However, it appears to be made from the same cut-price plastic as the keyboard itself. And while it actually attaches to the keyboard, it requires snapping latches in place, which is certainly less elegant than the magnetic method utilized by many others.

On a more positive note, the display in the top-right corner is larger, sharper, and more interactive than many others I’ve seen integrated in keyboards. It also has touchscreen functionality, although this is fairly rudimentary and gestures often require repeating two or three times before the display responds. Also, the texture of the screen itself is a little grippy, which can hamper swipes.

Nonetheless, it offers a lot of features. By tapping the left side of the screen, you can access three pages of settings for the KB5, with options to toggle ReacTap (Turtle Beach's Rapid Trigger function), remap keys, and alter the RGB backlighting, to name a few.

(Image credit: Future)

There are also three pages of widgets, with each page containing a cluster of six. These can be customized using Swarm 2, Turtle Beach’s peripheral software. You’ll find a large selection of template clusters to choose from, catering to various use cases. For instance, there’s a gaming one that features a shortcut widget for opening Steam, while the other widgets display CPU and GPU loads and temperatures. There’s also a template for general productivity, with widgets for copying and pasting and opening Windows’ Calculator app.

You can also edit and create your own templates by selecting each individual widget. In addition to common Windows commands and multimedia controls, there are app-specific widgets for Steam, OBS, Steamlabs, and Discord. There are also those under a section labelled ‘CS’, although it’s unclear what game or games in the Counter-Strike series these widgets are compatible with. All I can say is that they failed to work with Counter-Strike 2 when I played it.

Swarm 2 features other customizations, including key reassignment. There is a generous selection of shortcuts you can assign, and four mapping layers to choose from: primary, Fn, Game Mode, and Easy Shift. You can also remap the scrolls and button of the volume wheel, which isn’t always possible on gaming keyboards. More impressively, the wheel has the same four layers of assignments available to it.

There are a wealth of preset macros to choose from as well, not only across a broad selection of games, but also for other software such as Photoshop. However, a lot of the other macros are quite basic, merely boiling down to simple inputs and system commands.

During my time with Swarm 2, it performed well without any major bugs or glitches occurring. There were times when the RGB backlighting failed to turn on, but whether this was an issue with the app or the keyboard’s own firmware, I can’t say. Regardless, I managed to get it working again by unplugging and replugging the USB cable, or by turning the lighting off then on again in the app.

Swarm 2 is easy to use and navigate, although it could do with more explanations for some of its features. For instance, I couldn’t find any explanation as to how to access the Easy Shift and Game Mode layers, and the ReacTap feature isn’t toggleable anywhere in the app, only via the integrated screen. Neither location explains what it does or how it works; I had to gather this information from Turtle Beach's website.

• Design and features score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Command Series KB5 review: Performance

• Very low-profile keys
• Deep actuation point detrimental to typing
• Board width can hamper mouse movement

In general, the KB5 is a capable gaming keyboard. Its Titan mechanical switches are damped to a large degree, making them tactile and relatively quiet, although a certain clickiness emanates from key presses.

The keys also have a very low profile, perhaps the lowest I’ve ever come across. I appreciated this when typing, since I could glide between them easily, but their actuation point is deeper than you might expect, resulting in hits often failing to register when I typed quickly.

(Image credit: Future)

Thankfully, this is less of an issue when gaming. Also, the indents on the keycaps offer a secure hold, while the WASD position is comfortable thanks to the spacing of the keys, which is large enough to avoid feeling cramped, yet all the peripheral keys are still easy to reach. What’s more, the space bar slopes downwards slightly, making flush hits easier to achieve.

However, the KB5’s lack of tilt is slightly disappointing. Despite having two stages, the feet don’t create much of an angle, which is something I often lament in gaming keyboards. The included wrist rest does make up for this somewhat, thanks to its sloping design, and it’s comfortable to use. Despite the lack of padding, a bigger issue with the KB5 is its sheer width. If you like using a low DPI setting for your mouse and need to make large movements, you may find yourself slamming into the side of the board.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Turtle Beach Command Series KB5?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

It may be full-size and have mechanical switches, but its plasticky build and wired-only connectivity diminish its value.

3.5 / 5

Design and features

Fairly light for a full-size board, and the included wrist rest is comfortable, but the plastic-heavy construction and finicky touchscreen are downsides.

3.5 / 5

Performance

The low-profile keys are easy to glide around, but the actuation isn’t snappy enough and the wide layout can get in the way of mouse swipes.

3.5 / 5

Overall

The KB5 has some interesting features, but a few issues hamper its performance, and build quality lags behind others in the space.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want an interactive screen
The KB5 has a unique touchscreen that gives you access to various settings and customizable widgets.

You want keys with a very low profile
This board has the lowest key profile I think I’ve ever seen, and they feel great.

Don't buy it if…

You have large mouse swipes
Given how wide the KB5 is, you need to take care with large mouse movements.

You have a light touch
The switches’ actuation point is deeper than their low profile might lead you to believe, which can result in taps failing to register.

Turtle Beach Command Series KB5 review: Also consider

Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra
For a lot less than the KB5, you could have the FUN60 Ultra. It has analog rather than mechanical switches, but I found them to be very tactile, and their actuation, along with a load of other parameters, can be adjusted to suit your preferences. Not only that, but it has a much more solid build than the KB5, and features 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity modes. Read our full Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra review.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75
It may be a lot more expensive than the KB5, but the BlackWidow is just about the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever used. The switches feel excellent, while there are plenty of customizations courtesy of Razer’s Synapse app. This too has both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth modes. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75 review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Turtle Beach Command Series KB5

• Tested for a few days
• Performed various tasks
• Plentiful gaming keyboard experience

I tested the KB5 for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, general browsing, and working.

I played various games, including Counter-Strike 2, a great title for revealing the true performance of peripherals, given the demands it places on the speed and accuracy of inputs.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used a great many keyboards in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, from small budget models to large premium offerings, across a wide range of brands.

• First reviewed: August 2026
• Read more about how we test

• Virtual Mac on iPad gets macOS running on compatible iPads
• It requires a jailbroken tablet and specific versions of iPadOS
• Its many limitations mean I don’t think it’s worth the hassle

For years, people have been wondering if Apple is ever going to “merge” iPadOS and macOS into some unholy mutant operating system. While Apple has repeatedly and resoundingly denied that’s ever going to happen, one intrepid developer has taken it upon themselves to do the hard work instead. And while the result lets you run full-fat macOS on your iPad Pro or iPad Air, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but the hardiest of souls.

Dubbed Virtual Mac on iPad, this GitHub project ports macOS onto Apple’s best iPads. That means it’s nothing like Apple’s Sidecar feature, which lets you use an iPad as a second display for a Mac. In the case of Sidecar, the Mac is doing all the processing. With Virtual Mac on iPad, however, it’s your iPad that’s actually running the operating system.

Unfortunately, getting that to actually happen is more than a little convoluted. You can’t even get started unless you’ve jailbroken your iPad, which means hacking it so it can run apps and systems not authorized by Apple. As well as that, the jailbroken iPad must be running iPadOS 16 to iPadOS 16.3.1 — nothing more, nothing less — in order to harness an exploit that was patched in subsequent editions. The requirements so far will probably be enough to put a lot of people off.

If you’ve persevered, you’ll need to add a specified repository to your device and install Virtual Mac on iPad from there. But you’ll need to be aware that even with macOS successfully set up, you won’t be able to log into your Apple Account — since you’re using a jailbroken device with an unofficial port of macOS, you’ll run into problems if you try to sign in, putting features like Find My and iCloud syncing out of reach.

Is it worth it?

(Image credit: Apple)

Why would you go to all this effort to run macOS on your iPad? Well, there are a few reasons, including accessing Mac-only apps and getting a more portable platform to run macOS on.

But I certainly don’t think it’s a good idea. Apple’s iPadOS and macOS systems have been designed for very different use cases, and simply shoehorning a platform designed for a Mac onto an iPad isn’t a guarantee of success.

For one thing, macOS is made for large screens and input devices like mice and keyboards, while iPadOS works best on smaller screens operated by your fingers and thumbs. Sure, there’s some crossover — I’m aware that you can use mice and keyboards with an iPad, for example — but that doesn’t escape the fact that Virtual Mac on iPad puts the Mac’s operating system on a device it was never intended for.

As well as that, it requires a lot of effort for seemingly very small rewards. There are only a handful of cases where installing Virtual Mac on iPad is worthwhile, at least in my opinion: accessing apps like Xcode and Terminal that aren’t available in iPadOS, for example, or getting macOS on the most portable device possible.

But Apple’s best MacBooks are still lightweight and easy to carry around, and with a touchscreen MacBook Pro rumored to be just around the corner and Sidecar already a thing, the need for something like Virtual Mac on iPad feels limited. Is it worthwhile to go to all this trouble just for an ounce more portability? I’m sure it is for some people, but that number is likely to be vanishingly small.

At the end of the day, I know there will be some people for whom this is a welcome development. But its complicated installation process and limited use case just reinforce for me that Apple is absolutely right not to merge iPadOS and macOS. They’re meant to be separate, just as Apple intended.

The texting app, which was pulled in 2023 over privacy concerns, is back on the Google Play Store.

• A former FBI counterintelligence supervisor is accused of memorizing seed phrases from bureau systems
• The agent moved roughly $1 million out of wallets tied to a foreign adversary without having to resort to any sort of hacking
• Investigators recovered ChatGPT conversations in which he asked how to invest the money and how to gain EU residency, and the chatbot's replies recited his age, wife, child, and property plans back to him

Patrick Steven Yaroch, a supervisory special agent in the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, has been arrested and charged with interstate transportation and receipt of stolen goods.

An affidavit filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, claims Yaroch took roughly a million dollars in cryptocurrency from wallets he encountered while investigating a foreign adversary and then used ChatGPT to determine what to do with it.

The theft, as described, required no technical sophistication whatsoever: Yaroch held a Top Secret clearance with SCI access and had spent 2017 to 2025 on a national security squad at the FBI's Boston division working against a single adversarial nation, which NBC News reports was Russia.

An atypical heist with the alleged mastermind acting out of "frustration"

Patrick Steven Yaroch encountered the cryptocurrency wallets tied to his work in November 2024. He had researched how wallets work, created one of his own, searched the FBI's holdings for the relevant account information, and memorized the recovery seed phrases.

He then made roughly 10-12 transfers to his own wallet. No encryption was broken, and no protocol was exploited because none was in place for a man with his security clearance; he simply read a phrase off an internal system and remembered it.

The incident is particularly interesting because he self-reported, effectively turning himself in to his colleagues: on July 28 2026, he contacted a Justice Department employee he had worked with in Boston over Signal, asking to meet. They met at FBI headquarters the next day, where Yaroch reportedly began breaking down almost immediately, and the conversation moved to the other man's office.

He said the situation was "eating him up inside" and that he wanted to give all the money back. He filed an online self-report to the FBI's Security Division and told headquarters personnel he had screwed up. When agents arrived at his Ashburn home that evening, he told them, unprompted and in blunter terms, that he had messed up.

His defense, as per the affidavit, however, is slightly different from what one would expect: His stated motive was not greed. He told his colleagues he had grown frustrated that the FBI could not or would not act against those accounts, described himself as "spinning out of control" at the time, and said he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Despite this, he seemingly had a change of heart after cooperating earlier, asking for a paper containing his wallet seed phrases, which he had volunteered to agents, while declining to continue the interview without a lawyer while asking for time over the next two days.

This culminated in agents obtaining warrants, executing them on July 31 with SWAT securing the house, and recovering an iPhone, a Trezor hardware wallet, the handwritten seed phrases, a Portuguese power of attorney dated June 15, and three passports, one of them diplomatic.

(Image credit: Marjan Apostolovic / Shutterstock)

Ironically, the most potentially damning evidence of his intentions comes from his conversations with AI, still on his phone and directly linked to him.

His conversations with ChatGPT convey a very different thought process: On May 28, he asked how to invest or spend a million dollars to maximize profit and return. On June 4, he asked what someone with about a million dollars should do to leave the United States and become a resident or citizen of an EU country. On June 17 he asked whether an American connecting through Turkey needs a visa. On June 26 he asked for help drafting an email to an executive about a job opening and life in Greece.

There is more evidence that he might already have acted based on the answers he received: prosecutors have found a power of attorney authorizing two Portuguese lawyers to register him with the country's tax authority and obtain a Portuguese tax identification number, and unreported foreign travel to Germany in May, Portugal later that month, and Grenada in early July, all in breach of bureau reporting rules.

His current investments seem to be equally erratically reasoned: On July 23, five days before he first confessed, Yaroch moved roughly $1.02 million into Suilend, a lending protocol on the Sui blockchain, reaching it through the Slush wallet app, which he then deleted. He parked the funds there to earn interest. When asked why he chose that service, he said he liked its logo, a water droplet.

When agents looked, the position was worth $933,756, roughly 8% below its level a week earlier. His Kraken account held another $188,570, including about $5,000 in a token called Squid and $1.67 in Bitcoin. Agents ultimately swept $925,426 into government wallets, leaving about $165,582 behind because it was dollars and could not be moved to a crypto wallet.

Yaroch is charged under sections 2314 and 2315 of the federal criminal code, the general provisions on transporting and receiving stolen goods. He is not charged with espionage, with computer fraud, or with theft of government property.

The wallets were not the government's, and that might change how they are treated legally, even as it raises important questions about the security protocols at federal agencies regarding cryptocurrencies, since they both monitor and have seized increasingly large amounts of them over the past few years.

In Yaroch's case, if the allegations hold, government protocols failed to identify the theft for nearly eighteen months before the person responsible reported himself, making the case for a potential review by federal agencies about how they handle such matters.

Researchers found a backdoor implant that gives servers in China full control over the routers.

Instead of more Americans using the Linux operating system, the sharp increase may be attributable to a different cause.

If you like the aesthetic vibes of colonial gothic horror stories such as Jamaica Inn and Wide Sargasso Sea, new Sky TV supernatural thriller Possession is definitely for you. However, a word of warning — the story is going to touch a much more modern nerve.

We're set to follow Claudia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), an ambitious bi-racial lawyer who travels to Jamaica to challenge an inheritance claim made by a local man against a wealthy white aristocrat.

However, she arrives to find the disputed estate is a former plantation that has long haunted her dreams. Cue a terrifying slew of 1800s flashbacks, curses, and misunderstood spiritual connection.

On a surface level, you can see why someone might find this frightening. The drama isn't just tense to the level of consistent jump scares, but is often violently disturbing in its commitment to guts and gore (think Evil Dead levels of supernatural horror).

But then there's a secondary layer of discomfort when you consider the role that different countries have played in the history of colonialism and enslaved people. Culturally and historically, we know how abhorrently the Western world behaved during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, but here, we also understand how regularly spirituality and beliefs were misunderstood and chastised.

With such a distinct 2026 twist, Possession left me shaken in the entirely opposite way to what I expected. But according to star Gugu Mbatha-Raw, it's not the cast and crew's job to make the uncomfortable comfortable.

'The power of drama is posing these lofty subjects in an accessible way'

"I don't think it's our job to make the audience comfortable... I think probably it's more our job to take you on a journey," Mbatha-Raw tells me when I ask her if it's possible to make the uncomfortable comfortable.

"Claudia goes on this massive journey and it's a quest to find out about her identity. She's dealing with justice and legacy. But even though there's some weighty themes in the show around the legacy of colonialism and the complexity of reparations, I think that that's the power of drama. Pose these lofty subjects, but in a more accessible way."

"I don't know that 'comfortable' is the word. I think that we celebrate discomfort in this genre, and I think that that's okay. It's okay to have difficult conversations and to not shy away from uncomfortable subject matter. I think there's a place for that in drama and in society."

She continues, "Good stories a place for discovery, and I think we want people to lean in and be like, 'whoa, look at this lush, interesting, rich, vibrant world.' Once they're in, they grapple with some hard truths."

It's certainly an apt way of describing the intense viewing journey that unfolds over just five episodes, each being under an hour long. Simply put, Possession is the kind of TV show that sits with you for days and weeks afterward, leaving you with the kind of internal conversation that unpicks the things that you think you already know.

That's a lot for anybody to take on, particularly when you've simply sat down to unwind with some TV of an evening. But what is art when it doesn't challenge us? If you want my advice: Possession is more than worth a watch — and if you're left feeling disturbed, then that's all the better.

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, August 5 (game #1151).

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 #1152) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SWIMMING POOL
• TENNIS COURT
• FREEWAY
• HOCKEY RINK
• BARCLAYS CENTER
• COLOSSEUM
• SUPERMARKET
• JACOB'S LADDER
• PANTHEON
• BOWLING ALLEY
• LINCOLN LOGS
• SPANISH STEPS
• ALPHABET
• BLOCKS
• FISHING BOAT
• TREVI FOUNTAIN
• CUP-AND-BALL

NYT Connections today (game #1152) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Things kids play with
• GREEN: Linked by something you must stay in
• BLUE: Well known tourist attractions
• PURPLE: Linked by something you could get caught in

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 #1152) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CLASSIC WOODEN TOYS
• GREEN: PLACES WITH LANES
• BLUE: ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS
• PURPLE: PLACES WITH NETS

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

NYT Connections today (game #1152) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1152, are…

• YELLOW: CLASSIC WOODEN TOYS: ALPHABET BLOCKS, CUP-AND-BALL, JACOB'S LADDER, LINCOLN LOGS
• GREEN: PLACES WITH LANES: BOWLING ALLEY, FREEWAY, SUPERMARKET, SWIMMING POOL
• BLUE: ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS: COLOSSEUM, PANTHEON, SPANISH STEPS, TREVI FOUNTAIN
• PURPLE: PLACES WITH NETS: BARCLAYS CENTER, FISHING BOAT, HOCKEY RINK, TENNIS COURT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I was utterly confused by today’s game, but somehow managed to get away with just two mistakes.

The only thing I was certain of was that BARCLAYS CENTER is the home of the Brooklyn Nets, but this meager piece of knowledge didn’t help at all. First, I linked BOWLING ALLEY, SWIMMING POOL, HOCKEY RINK and TENNIS COURT thinking these were all amenities every town should have (they are right).

Then after threading together ICONIC ROMAN LANDMARKS with the idea that they all sounded like historical tourist spots, I made another mistake linking ALPHABET BLOCKS, TENNIS COURT, BOWLING ALLEY and BARCLAYS CENTER — reasoning that they all described types of buildings.

Somehow, shuffling around the various options got me over the line, but this really was a game I should have lost.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, August 5, 2026, game #1151)

• YELLOW: NAVIGATE: DRIVE, MANEUVER, PILOT, STEER
• GREEN: JEANS BRANDS: DIESEL, GAP, LUCKY, WRANGLER
• BLUE: HOUSE STYLES: CAPE COD, MISSION, RANCH, TUDOR
• PURPLE: WHAT "STOCK" MIGHT REFER TO: BROTH, CATTLE, INVESTMENT, MERCHANDISE

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, August 5 (game #885).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Blossoming forth

NYT Strands today (game #886) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• WRATH
• LION
• GOON
• FLOW
• HATRED
• BEER

NYT Strands today (game #886) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #886) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: bottom, 1st column

• Last side: top, 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 #886) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #886, are…

• CHERRY
• REDBUD
• DOGWOOD
• HAWTHORN
• MAGNOLIA
• SPANGRAM: FLOWERINGTREE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

This game came to me in stages.

First I managed to find CHERRY while searching for non-game words, then in the belief that we were looking for fruit trees I took a hint and was given REDBUD, which changed my thinking completely.

Spotting “tree” and “flower” I managed to put together the spangram and then complete the board. Like the act of gardening and maintaining a FLOWERINGTREE it felt like a long, but rewarding process.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, August 5, game #885)

• IDEA
• THOUGHT
• OPINION
• PLAN
• NOTION
• CONCEPT
• SPANGRAM: BRAINSTORMING

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.

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, August 5 (game #1654).

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 #1655) — 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 #1655) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1655) — 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 #1655) — 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 2.

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 #1655) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• B

• C

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1655) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1655, are…

• AMUSE
• BRAND
• CEDAR
• BLURB

After seeing the two B-words immediately I made a wrong guess with my third word.

Fortunately, the letters I had left meant that after guessing “pause” AMUSE was the only alternative, while CEDAR was just a case of rearranging five letters.

Daily Sequence today (game #1655) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1655, are…

• WEARY
• THREE
• SUNNY
• TOPIC

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1654, Wednesday, 5 August: MOUND, WRONG, STOOD, WEIRD
• Quordle #1653, Tuesday, 4 August: GOOEY, TARDY, HUMAN, CHALK
• Quordle #1652, Monday, 3 August: FUNGI, MUDDY, DEBUT, MANIA
• Quordle #1651, Sunday, 2 August: BOOTH, EASEL, REACH, MAKER
• Quordle #1650, Saturday, 1 August: OMEGA, BIRCH, SMOCK, EERIE
• Quordle #1649, Friday, 31 July: MANIA, SINGE, STOOL, LOFTY
• Quordle #1648, Thursday, 30 July: MODAL, IDLER, CHUMP, LUMPY
• Quordle #1647, Wednesday, 29 July: GAWKY, ALLOY, AUDIT, LATCH
• Quordle #1646, Tuesday, 28 July: SMITE, ROACH, RUDDY, GLOBE
• Quordle #1645, Monday, 27 July: TAFFY, FIGHT, GUILD, WAGER
• Quordle #1644, Sunday, 26 July: STOMP, LIMIT, FUNKY, STEAD
• Quordle #1643, Saturday, 25 July: SALON, SHEEN, BURST, GOURD
• Quordle #1642, Friday, 24 July: DOLLY, EDIFY, LAGER, PRANK
• Quordle #1641, Thursday, 23 July: LADEN, EVICT, WOVEN, SHIRE
• Quordle #1640, Wednesday, 22 July: COYLY, SINGE, AWASH, AWOKE
• Quordle #1639, Tuesday, 21 July: TRUSS, AXIAL, SWINE, THING
• Quordle #1638, Monday, 20 July: ICING, SLICK, GAILY, RISEN
• Quordle #1637, Sunday, 19 July: SPURT, ACRID, THRUM, BLEEP
• Quordle #1636, Saturday, 18 July: KNAVE, TIGHT, BLEAT, CHAOS
• Quordle #1635, Friday, 17 July: CUMIN, PALER, GRASS, INBOX

• Japan ramps up drone production to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturers
• Defense startups are shifting from civilian projects into military drone manufacturing rapidly
• Japan dramatically increases funding for interceptor drones and autonomous defense systems

Japan's drive toward large-scale drone manufacturing has gained fresh urgency, as a growing cluster of startups, including Eams Robotics and Terra Drone, are now shifting from civilian projects toward defense-oriented drone production.

A report from Nikkei Asia said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi seeks to reduce the country's reliance on Chinese suppliers.

Chinese firms currently hold about 90% of the global industrial drone market, a dominance Tokyo now views as a strategic vulnerability worth addressing.

Startups pivot from civilian work

Eams Robotics began in 2016 as an aerial photography company serving television broadcasters before moving into drone manufacturing two years later.

The company, based in Minamisoma, has since worked with Sagawa Express, the University of Tokyo, and NTT DoCoMo on autonomous flight systems.

In December 2025, the company flew a fully autonomous drone across an active railway line without a ground observer present.

It now reportedly aims to partner with the American defense firm Anduril, mirroring a wider shift taking place across the industry.

Terra Drone, the more defense-focused of the two firms, is launching mass production of Japan-made batteries for defense and industrial customers.

Batteries account for more than a quarter of a drone's cost, and Japan currently lacks a domestic supplier able to meet defense-grade demands.

Budget and battlefield pressure build

Japan's budget for unmanned defense systems jumped this year to 277 billion yen (~$1.72 billion), up from 111 billion yen (v$705 million) in 2025.

Its total defense spending is also set to rise to 3.5% of GDP, a shift expected to channel further investment into unmanned systems.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party approved a plan on June 9 to produce roughly 80,000 drones annually by 2030, though funding details remain sketchy.

Japan's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA), the defense ministry's procurement arm, has scheduled demonstrations next month, aiming to fast-track acquisition and deployment of interceptor drones near radar sites and bases.

These systems are meant to counter long-range suicide drones such as the Shahed-136, which have flown as far as 1,100 miles in the Middle East.

The push for domestic production comes as reports surface that Tomahawk missile deliveries to Japan could face delays, after the 38-day U.S. campaign against Iran strained the U.S stockpiles.

Defense officials in both Washington and Tokyo have denied any disruption, though Japan's defense minister said domestic missile development will continue.

Unconfirmed reports suggest Anduril has discussed converting Nissan's Oppama plant into a drone production site, amid concerns over a possible Taiwan Strait conflict.

This fits into Japan's wider five-year military buildup, set to wrap up in 2027, which also covers missile networks and unmanned ground and maritime systems.

Terra Drone CEO Toru Tokushige described interest from Japan's defense ministry as "very much positive," citing lessons drawn from Ukraine's battlefield experience.

However, whether that optimism will eventually translate into real, battle-tested capability against long-range drone threats remains genuinely uncertain.

New Pixel and watches are on the way, but what else could Google have in store?

Online dating is evolving to be more, well, offline.

The thought of infusing AI into weapons immediately evokes deep fears, not only based on the idea that autonomous weapons may make life-and-death decisions on our behalf, but also on the prospect of errors creeping in. But for Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, there's no alternative but to add intelligence into the weapons systems of tomorrow.

Dumb vs smart weapons

Luckey was speaking in a Q&A portion of a TED talk when he made the comparison between the weapons of today and the AI-powered weapons of tomorrow.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

The talk was themed around his notion that adding intelligence to weapons systems could prevent future catastrophes, based on the notion of deterrence preventing different superpowers from waging war.

On the subject of the ethics of incorporating AI into weapons, Luckey pointed out that 'dumb weapons' may indiscriminately kill without context or an understanding of a particular target.

He used a land mine as an example of a weapon that may kill innocents or combatants – possibilities that wouldn't be considered ethically superior to his vision for smart weapons.

Intelligence-driven warfare

The rise of AI weapons has been quick but consequential, with new technologies being deployed on battlefields across the world. The war between Russia and Ukraine, in particular, has shown the potential for automated systems to dominate conflicts.

But the use of AI doesn't end at weaponry. It also involves the use of machine learning, for example, to classify different moving elements from several sources of imagery. It's the holistic picture, Luckey argues, from which he draws his conclusions rather than isolated implementations.

• Disney is exploring a free Disney+ tier to bring more viewers into its streaming ecosystem
• CEO Josh D’Amaro says a free offering could help drive subscriber growth
• The idea is for Disney+ to become a broader digital hub beyond movies and TV shows

Disney’s TikTok partnership wasn’t the only streaming news from the House of Mouse today. During the company’s earnings call, CEO Josh D’Amaro revealed that Disney is exploring a free tier of sorts for Disney+ — a move that could eventually give more viewers a way into the platform without paying for a subscription.

That doesn’t necessarily mean free access to the entire Disney+ catalog. The service currently houses a massive library of owned content spanning Disney Animation, Disney Channel, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, FX, and more. Disney+ already offers an entry tier with ads, including pre-roll and mid-roll placements during TV shows, movies, and documentaries.

Instead, Disney appears to be viewing a free offering as a potential new funnel to introduce more viewers to the platform and eventually convert them into paying subscribers.

On the call, D’Amaro explained that the idea could help Disney reach a more price-sensitive audience, saying: “First, we see it as a way to expand our reach to a customer segment that’s more price sensitive. Expanding our reach is, as we’ve talked about before, one of our strategic priorities.”

He added that a free tier could also support Disney’s growing advertising business: “Second, unlike a lot of our AVOD competitors, we’re fairly well sold, meaning more inventory would actually help us accelerate our ad revenue growth.”

Finally, D’Amaro noted that a free offering could help drive new subscribers into Disney+: “And then finally, as you mentioned in your question, a free offering could help us drive top-of-funnel Disney+ subscriber growth.”

For now, Disney isn’t committing to a launch date or specific structure. “So nothing specific to announce today, but definitely something that we’re considering,” D’Amaro concluded.

While some of the best streaming services, including Disney’s own Hulu, have offered free tiers, the current market for fully free, ad-supported streaming is largely dominated by platforms like Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, and Roku. Disney+ entering that space could be a compelling move, especially if the company uses its massive portfolio of franchises and recognizable brands to attract viewers.

But the bigger picture may not just be about streaming. D’Amaro also underscored the importance of Disney+ as a “global touchpoint” for the company, suggesting the service could become a much larger gateway into the broader Disney ecosystem.

Today, that ecosystem is still fairly fragmented digitally. Disney+ serves as the primary destination for its streaming content, while other major parts of the company operate through separate experiences — including the My Disney Experience app for Walt Disney World, the Disneyland app for guests in California, Disney Cruise Line’s own digital tools, dedicated apps for international parks, and various gaming platforms including a partnership with Fortnite.

While there have been rumors about Disney+ eventually evolving into something closer to a super app, D’Amaro instead described it as a “digital centerpiece” that could eventually encompass shopping, other brand experiences, and even gaming. The timeline for those expansions may be further out, but it’s clear Disney sees Disney+ as more than just a place to watch movies and TV shows.

A free tier could be the first step in lowering the barrier to entry and getting more people connected to that larger Disney ecosystem — even if they aren’t paying a monthly subscription fee right away

With coding as a key capability for AI companies, Meta throws its hat into the ring.

• Ukraine develops ground robot firing nets against incoming FPV drone attacks
• VORON combines drone interception with logistics and battlefield evacuation capabilities effectively
• Net launchers attempt physical drone captures instead of explosive aerial interceptions

Ukrainian firm SMART BIRDS has introduced an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) called VORON, built specifically to intercept first-person view drones from multiple directions simultaneously.

The system relies on Pavuk net launchers, a defensive mechanism designed to trap incoming drones before they reach their intended target.

The system was unveiled during a closed demonstration organized by the Technological Forces of Ukraine.

Net-launching system functions for drone capture

Each VORON platform can carry up to eight net launcher modules, allowing coverage against threats approaching from any angle around the vehicle.

The system engages targets at distances reaching 45 meters, with nets fully deploying after traveling 5 meters and forming a defensive radius of 5 meters.

Every two-barrel module weighs 4 kg, and operators can reload and fire the launchers repeatedly during a single engagement.

A human operator triggers the system manually through a control panel, using an onboard camera to visually confirm each threat before firing.

"The UGV operator, having seen a threat through the camera, can fire a shot from the control panel,” a company representative said.

“The equipped net gun has two nets for shooting, installed at different angles relative to the horizon, which allows you to neutralize both the "waiting drone" and the drone on the approach. If necessary, the net gun can be recharged and fired repeatedly."

This dual-angle configuration suggests engineers anticipated drones adopting either stationary or approach-based attack patterns.

Additional roles beyond drone interception

According to SMART BIRDS, the VORON platform serves purposes extending well beyond countering aerial threats.

This system also serves for logistics support, casualty evacuation, reconnaissance, and minelaying operations.

The unmanned vehicle weighs 120 kg yet can transport payloads of up to 250 kg under standard conditions.

Figures released by the company claim that the carrying capacity can increase to as much as 400 kg over shorter distances.

"We expected that sometimes the UGV would also have to evacuate personnel, so we built in increased lifting capacity," says a company representative.

The UGV’s top speed reaches 15 kilometers per hour, while the platform's operational range extends to 30 kilometers on a single battery charge.

These specifications place VORON within a category of lightweight ground robots meant for frontline support rather than heavy transport duties.

The vehicle remains in the codification process required for formal military adoption, and the company has indicated plans to integrate further mission-specific modules later.

As of the time of writing, all figures on the interception range and reliability of this device rest solely on manufacturer statements.

Without independent verification from military testing bodies or combat deployment records, these figures remain uncertain.

Net-based counter-drone systems face inherent limitations, particularly against fast-moving or evasive drone maneuvers that could avoid capture entirely.

Whether VORON performs consistently across varied battlefield conditions — weather, terrain, electronic interference — remains an open question until broader field data emerges from actual deployment.

Via Oboronka

• Disney has a new partnership with TikTok
• Select creator-made vertical TikTok videos will appear on Disney+
• The deal marks a shift toward real creators over AI-generated content after Disney's short-lived Sora partnership

Disney+ is soon going to be home to a new content type in the form of vertical videos, and unlike the original deal between Disney and OpenAI that would have had Sora-created videos using famous characters, this one seems a lot better on paper.

In a new deal between Disney and TikTok, select creators on the social platform will have access to the Mouse's IP and can use it to create videos that could land on the Disney+ app within the Verts tab. It will be pretty all-encompassing in terms of topics, featuring characters and stories from across the Disney umbrella, including Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel, and FX.

The idea, it seems, is that Disney is tapping into an already very vocal audience. There are likely hundreds of thousands of Disney creators already on TikTok, sharing thoughts about the Parks or Disney Cruise Line around the world, as well as all the facets of media that Disney creates.

In fact, my feed has been all about theories surrounding Spider-Man: Brand New Day recently, along with Disney World making its switch to Halloween theming — Mickey pumpkins, am I right?

Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer of The Walt Disney Company, is quoted in the release as saying, "The best storytellers are fans first; that has always been true at Disney, and today, fans are celebrating our stories in entirely new ways."

"This collaboration creates a new bridge between the stories we tell and the creativity they inspire, giving creators a bigger stage to share what they've made, and audiences more to discover on Disney+ every day."

(Image credit: Disney)

It also shows a focus on creator-made content for Disney and a deeper embrace of this type of content. We'll see the first results in the coming months, initially in the United States, with selected content appearing on Disney+ afterward.

While Disney hasn't shared the specific characters and franchises creators will have access to, the release states, "TikTok will offer their creators access to assets related to hundreds of films and series from Disney's vast library of enduring franchises and beloved IP."

Seemingly, if there's a new series or addition to Disney+, the Verts platform could serve up TikToks of people reacting, sharing a viral dance, or really any medium that relates back to the show, helping to inspire more conversation.

(Image credit: Disney)

The notion of vertical videos within Disney+ is not new, but this deal with TikTok seems to be a swap for the Sora alternative. That is, before Disney pulled away from the OpenAI deal and the AI giant shut down Sora. There, many Disney characters would have been used within Sora to create AI-generated videos. As I wrote back when the deal was announced, it felt like magic lost.

This new approach of working with TikTok — and arguably a community of creators who already post and create content about what's on Disney+ — will likely be a much better combination.

Once approved and accepted into the Disney Creator Ambassador Program within the TikTok x Disney partnership, creators can get access to event invites, increased visibility, and special rewards, though specifics on how to apply or join have not yet been released.

I suspect those details will come in the coming weeks or months, similar to when we see these TikTok-created videos appear in Verts on Disney+. The timing also comes as another arm of Disney is partnering with creators, albeit not just for short-form content but long-form as well.

Dubbed Created in LA and led by the Disney Experiences arm of The Walt Disney Company, this will be a two-day event in Los Angeles. Creators can apply to attend, and it will open with a premiere and screening of creator-made videos — think TikTok creators, YouTubers, and Instagram creators — at the El Capitan Theatre, followed by a summit on the second day at The Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank.

(Image credit: Disney)

Disney is partnering with creator Jon Youshaei on the event, and it shows yet another embrace of and willingness to partner with creators. In this case, it's helping to spotlight creators, big and small, who apply and get approved, giving them a larger stage while also providing access to Disney and insights from the company.

It will be interesting to see if there's any crossover between Created in LA and this new Disney x TikTok partnership, but time will tell. Either way, it's a better direction to have real creators rather than AI-created content in Sora.