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The iPhone 17 Pro probably won’t land until September 2025, but this being a high-profile handset we’re already hearing leaks and rumors about it – along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series.

The Pro will likely slot in just below the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and just above the iPhone 17 and perhaps the rumored iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim.

And while we don’t know loads about it yet, early rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new button, new cameras, and a new chipset, making this a potentially major and exciting upgrade. Below, you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the iPhone 17 Pro so far.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next smaller Pro iPhone
• When is it out? Probably September 2025
• How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

Expect it in September

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• Likely to land in September of 2025
• Will probably cost at least $999 / £999 / AU$1,849

We haven’t heard any iPhone 17 Pro release date leaks yet, but based on Apple’s usual patterns we can say that it will probably be announced in the first or second week of September.

More specifically, it will probably be announced on the Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of that week. Apple more often goes for the second week of September, leaving the most likely announcement dates as September 8, September 9, or September 10.

Pre-orders then typically open on the Friday of the announcement week, which would mean September 12, and the iPhone 17 Pro will most likely ship the following Friday, which would be September 19.

But it’s possible the various stages of the launch will happen a week earlier, or that Apple will break with its usual patterns.

There aren’t yet any iPhone 17 Pro price leaks either, but the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,849, so you can expect to pay at least that much for the next model.

Can you trust these rumors?

So far there aren't any release date or price leaks, but based on past form we're almost certain that the iPhone 17 Pro will be announced in September.

A new button and a new color

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• Might include a new button
• Expect the same screen size but possibly upgrades to the tech
• A Teal Titanium shade is possible

The biggest iPhone 17 Pro design leak we’ve heard so far is that the volume buttons and the Action button might all be replaced by a single new key that can do the job of all those things. Exactly how it would do all those things is uncertain, but it may well have a similar design to the Camera Control button, meaning it can register different strength presses as well as swipes, and respond in different ways to each.

The iPhone 17 Pro will probably also be available in at least one new shade, with one leak suggesting Apple is considering using one of the three colors pictured below. From left to right these are Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium, and Green Titanium, and the source says Teal Titanium is the most likely to get used.

(Image credit: Majin Bu)

We’ve also heard that the iPhone 17 Pro might use a “more complex” aluminum design, rather than the titanium of its predecessor.

As for the screen, the iPhone 17 Pro might have a 6.3-inch display, just like the iPhone 16 Pro, but it could be more anti-reflective than the current display, as well as being more scratch resistant.

Can you trust these rumors?

We fully expect the iPhone 17 Pro to have a 6.3-inch screen, since Apple only recently upped the display size with the iPhone 16 Pro. The other design and display leaks so far are worth taking with a pinch of salt though, as not many sources have weighed in.

Two upgraded cameras

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A 48MP telephoto upgrade is likely
• It could also have a new 24MP front-facing camera

The main camera upgrade coming to the iPhone 17 Pro could be a 48MP telephoto camera, up from 12MP on the iPhone 16 Pro. This 48MP telephoto camera has been mentioned in several iPhone 17 Pro camera leaks, so this may well happen. However, leaks suggest it will still offer the same level of zoom – namely 5x optical zoom.

The other significant camera upgrade we could see is a 24MP front-facing camera, up from 12MP on the current model.

As for the main and ultra-wide cameras, leaks so far suggest they’ll stick at 48MP like on the current model.

And while less likely there’s also talk that the iPhone 17 Pro could have a mechanical aperture, meaning you’d be able to change the aperture and therefore also the depth of field.

Can you trust these rumors? 

So many sources have talked about a 48MP telephoto camera that this upgrade seems likely. We haven't heard as much about the other cameras though, including the rumored 24MP selfie snapper upgrade, so we're less sure of those specs. We also wouldn't count on the phone having a mechanical aperture, as that seems a bit niche for how much work it might involve.

The most powerful iPhone chipset yet

The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

• A top-end A19 Pro chipset
• 8GB of RAM again

One thing we can be very confident about is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, one that will most likely be called the A19 Pro.

Not only is an A19 Pro chipset an obvious upgrade, but it has also been mentioned by multiple sources.

Beyond that, there’s a chance that the iPhone 17 Pro will get 12GB of RAM, which would be an increase on the 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro. However most current leaks suggest that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get this upgrade.

And as for the battery, Apple is reportedly considering using a thinner and lighter motherboard, which could free up additional space for a larger battery than in the current model.

Can you trust these rumors? 

One of the few things we're almost certain of is that the iPhone 17 Pro will have a new chipset, since that's a standard yearly upgrade for Apple's phones. We hope it will also get a RAM upgrade, but so far it looks more likely to stick at 8GB.

You might also like

• Best iPhone: which Apple smartphone reigns supreme?
• iPhone 16 Pro review: pocket-sized brilliance and no concessions
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far

Traditional security testing often provides only a static snapshot of an organization's defenses, relying primarily on hypothetical scenarios and vulnerability scanners to identify potential weaknesses. While these methods offer some value, they often fall short in simulating the dynamic and evolving tactics employed by real-world adversaries.

Threat emulation, on the other hand, takes a realistic approach to assessing an organization's security posture. This advanced testing methodology goes beyond identifying vulnerabilities to evaluate the effectiveness of an organization's overall defense strategy. By emulating attacker behaviors, security teams can prioritize mitigation efforts, optimize resource allocation, and make more informed decisions about cybersecurity investments. In essence, threat emulation empowers organizations to close the gap between their current security posture and the level of protection required to thwart modern cyberattacks.

Achieving a threat-informed defense

Threat emulation is a core component of threat-informed defense, a proactive cybersecurity strategy focused on helping security teams prepare for the threats that matter most, and on developing granular visibility into their security program's effectiveness. Unlike static vulnerability scans, threat emulation actively mimics attacker behaviors to expose vulnerabilities and potential exploitation paths. This provides a comprehensive view of an organization's security posture, akin to a cybersecurity audit focused on attacker tactics.

By emulating real-world attacker techniques, including those employed by prolific ransomware groups like LockBit and BlackCat, organizations gain critical knowledge to prioritize defenses, optimize resource allocation, and make informed security decisions. This proactive approach empowers organizations to anticipate and counter evolving threats.

Threat emulation also facilitates a continuous learning cycle. By regularly testing the organization’s defenses against simulated attacks, security teams can identify gaps, refine their response capabilities, and stay ahead of emerging threats. This iterative process ensures that the organization's defense mechanisms remain aligned with the evolving threat landscape.

Threat emulation can be enhanced through the use of attack graphs. These visual representations of potential attack paths provide a structured approach to understanding and emulating complex attack scenarios. By incorporating attack graphs into threat emulation programs, organizations can gain deeper insights into adversary tactics, identify critical dependencies, and prioritize mitigation efforts more effectively.

Bridging the gap

Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their methods, making it imperative for organizations to stay ahead of the curve. Threat emulation helps bridge the gap between reactive incident response and proactive threat prevention. By regularly testing defenses against emulated attacks, organizations can identify weaknesses, refine their security controls, and reduce the likelihood of a successful breach.

Moreover, threat emulation offers a tangible return on investment (ROI) for security initiatives. By quantifying the effectiveness of security controls against real-world threats, organizations can make data-driven decisions about resource allocation and investment priorities. This ability to demonstrate the value of security controls in concrete terms is particularly valuable when communicating with non-technical stakeholders, such as executives and board members.

Threat emulation is not a standalone solution but an integral component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By simulating real-world attacks and providing actionable intelligence, it empowers security teams to make informed decisions, prioritize mitigation efforts, and ultimately reduce the risk of a successful cyberattack. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, threat emulation will become increasingly critical for organizations of all sizes and industries. By embracing threat emulation, organizations can take a significant step toward building a more resilient and secure environment.

We've featured the best cloud antivirus.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Amazon's first ever color ereader has only just gone on sale and users who've received their early orders are already unhappy, with some returning the Kindle Colorsoft or exchanging it for a new one.

As first reported by The Verge, a strip of yellow is marring the bottom of the Kindle Colorsoft display for some users, leading to a rather dismal 2.6 star rating (at the time of writing) on the Amazon listing page in the US.

In fact, the discoloration isn't uniform for all users. As per the Reddit thread on this problem, some users are also seeing the discoloration along a vertical edge as well as along the bottom. Others aren't too bothered by the yellowing, but they have returned their device due to "a corner speckled with dead pixels".

Colorsoft has yellow tinge to bottom of display from r/kindle

Not everyone seems to be miffed by their purchase however – other Kindle Colorsoft customers seem really happy with their new ereader and the user reviews on Amazon are mixed.

kindle from r/kindle/comments/1ggrajr/my_color_soft_arrived_what_is_everyone_talking

It's as yet unclear whether the discoloration is due to a software or hardware problem but, as per a post on the original Reddit thread, Amazon says it's aware of the problem and is working on a fix. That could indicate it's just a software glitch, but if the lighting on the screen isn't even, it's likely more due to faulty hardware and a firmware update may not help.

We haven't yet received a review sample of the Kindle Colorsoft here at TechRadar, so we haven't experienced this for ourselves, and the short time we spent with the device at its media launch in October showed no such problem.

The Verge, however, says the "discoloration is more obvious in pictures than in real life" and their reviewer wouldn't have picked up on the problem if users weren't complaining about it as much.

A part of me is now a little glad that I won't get to see the Kindle Colorsoft in person until 2025 as that's when it releases in Australia (where I am based). By then Amazon would have fixed the issue and I'll probably receive what could actually end up being the best Kindle ereader ever made (we'll see). For the early adopters, though, it's a real shame that a popular device that costs around $300 is shipping with a flaw.

You might also like...

• Find better options in our guide for the best ereaders money can buy
• Check out our first impressions of the new Kindle Paperwhite (2024) and the new Kindle (2024)
• The Kindle Colorsoft is too late to the party – I'm firmly in camp Kobo now

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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 #1015) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 2*.

* 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 #1015) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1015) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1015) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1015) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• T

• G

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1015) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1015, are…

• CHILL
• TACKY
• GRAPH
• PLAZA

It's not often that you get a Quordle with only two different vowels, but that's what we have today: TACKY and GRAPH contain only one A, PLAZA has two of them, and CHILL has one I. Given that vowels are generally much easier to find, that's one factor that might complicate today's game, while the two repeated letters, and the presence of Z, are others.

None of the words are particularly obscure, though, so I'd say this is of moderate difficulty rather than being super-hard. Then again, everyone's experience with Quordle will be slightly different depending on which words you play early on, and on your strategy, so it's often hard for me to judge how tough a game is for others. I didn't find it too bad at all, as it happens – though I did need some guesswork to complete the set.

The Daily Sequence, meanwhile, was objectively difficult due to the final word being GOLLY, a word that is part of the -OLLY trap. This has at least possible solutions – POLLY, LOLLY, JOLLY, HOLLY, GOLLY, FOLLY and DOLLY and requires more care to solve than I gave it today.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #1015) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1015, are…

• STOOP
• BUYER
• PINKY
• GOLLY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN
• Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST
• Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
• Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
• Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
• Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
• Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO
• Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS
• Quordle #1006, Saturday 26 October: DUCHY, CANNY, BLOCK, SMART
• Quordle #1005, Friday 25 October: PRANK, EXIST, RUDDY, PICKY
• Quordle #1004, Thursday 24 October: DAIRY, RALLY, CURLY, LABEL
• Quordle #1003, Wednesday 23 October: DROSS, ANNEX, GRAVE, BROKE
• Quordle #1002, Tuesday 22 October: ADORE, SMITH, AFOOT, LUCID
• Quordle #1001, Monday 21 October: TREAD, NINTH, GRIEF, UNSET
• Quordle #1000, Sunday 20 October: CORAL, WHOSE, HEIST, SOAPY
• Quordle #999, Saturday 19 October: GUSTY, BROKE, ENJOY, HAZEL
• Quordle #998, Friday 18 October: PUPIL, MOCHA, EGRET, NATAL
• Quordle #997, Thursday 17 October: BUILD, BIRTH, LURCH, SASSY
• Quordle #996, Wednesday 16 October: EERIE, SMIRK, HUNCH, EMBED
• Quordle #995, Tuesday 15 October: UMBRA, BRIEF, GRAVY, TORUS

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 clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #512) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SHELL
• VANITY
• OUTFIT
• ID
• WARDROBE
• CANT
• CONSOLE
• EGO
• STOCK
• CHARACTER
• BEING
• CHEST
• SELF
• PROVISION
• WERE
• FURNISH

NYT Connections today (game #512) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Supply with
• Green: It's all about ME!
• Blue: You can put things in them
• Purple: Dont spell like this

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 #512) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: EQUIP
• GREEN: INDIVIDUALITY
• BLUE: FURNITURE
• PURPLE: WORDS WITH APOSTROPHES REMOVED

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

NYT Connections today (game #512) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #512, are…

• YELLOW: EQUIP FURNISH, OUTFIT, PROVISION, STOCK
• GREEN: INDIVIDUALITY BEING, CHARACTER, EGO, SELF
• BLUE: FURNITURE CHEST, CONSOLE, VANITY, WARDROBE
• PURPLE: WORDS WITH APOSTROPHES REMOVED CANT, ID, SHELL, WERE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

A good strategy for Connections is (obviously) to focus on any words that have limited possible links to others. By which I mean that some have multiple possible connections; a word such as STOCK might go before MARKET or after BEEF; it might be grouped with other words that mean LINEAGE or BLOOD, or with words that mean TRUST. Or, as here, it might mean EQUIP and be grouped with PROVISION, OUTFIT and FURNISH.

CANT, on the other hand, is a relatively uncommon word that only really has a couple of very limited connections to anything. And by staring at it for a while it occurred to me that one of those was that it lacked an apostrophe. Once I considered that, I spotted SHELL (SHE'LL), WERE (WE'RE) and ID (I'D) and solved the purple group. The others followed fairly quickly after that toughest group was found.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 3 November, game #511)

• YELLOW: HEARTWARMING MOVING, SWEET, TENDER, TOUCHING
• GREEN: SNEAKING SUSPICION FEELING, HUNCH, IMPRESSION, SENSE
• BLUE: LEGAL SESSION HEARING, INQUIRY, PROCEEDING, TRIAL
• PURPLE: EASY ___ CHAIR, LISTENING, MONEY, STREET

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.

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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… In a(n) ...

NYT Strands today (game #246) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TOES
• DIAL
• FAIL
• TIME
• STAIN
• TOLL

NYT Strands today (game #246) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• It won't take long!

NYT Strands today (game #246) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: top, 3rd column

Last: bottom, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #246) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #246, are…

• TICK
• MINUTE
• JIFFY
• FLASH
• MOMENT
• SECOND
• MOMENT
• INSTANT
• SPANGRAM: SMALLTIME

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The subtitle to this Strands puzzle could easily be "Words you use when you tell someone you're going to do something immediately but really you're just going to finish scrolling through social media/complete this video game boss fight/watch the end of this episode/fail to raise yourself off the couch". Or at least that's my experience, because I am always telling people – mainly my other half – that I will get that washing up done in a SECOND, or walk the dog in a MOMENT, when really it's more a long or at least medium amount of time, rather than SMALLTIME as the spangram would have it.

None of that made this game any harder to solve – it's a pretty simple one – but playing it did delay the household chores I was supposed to be doing in a JIFFY, so it was at least apt.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 3 November, game #245)

• CLASS
• PHYLUM
• ORDER
• FAMILY
• SPECIES
• GENUS
• DOMAIN
• SPANGRAM: TAXONOMY

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Steel and concrete, the traditional materials used in data center construction, are major carbon emittersm but in a move toward sustainability, Microsoft is testing fire-resistant cross-laminated timber (CLT) in its first wood-based data centers near a northern Virginia suburb.

The company says this project is part of an “all-hands-on-deck task” to meet the company’s ambitious climate targets: becoming carbon negative by 2030 and offsetting all emissions since its founding by 2050.

Although Microsoft has made progress towards this goal, data centers’ indirect emissions - stemming from materials extraction, manufacturing, and transport - rose by 30.9% over three years.

A market mover

Using CLT, alongside concrete and steel, in the hybrid design is projected to reduce embodied carbon emissions by 35% compared to traditional steel construction and 65% compared to standard concrete.

Microsoft’s decarbonization efforts extend beyond this project, supported by its $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund, which has so far invested $761 million in scalable environmental projects.

Microsoft is collaborating with green building material companies, including Sweden’s Stegra, which is developing a hydrogen-based steel process that emits water vapor instead of carbon, cutting emissions by up to 95%. Microsoft has also partnered with Boston Metal, which uses renewable electricity to produce steel while generating oxygen instead of carbon dioxide.

To lessen reliance on traditional cement, Microsoft has teamed up with companies like CarbonCure, which injects CO₂ into concrete, and Prometheus Materials, which creates zero-carbon cement using microalgae. Microsoft plans to pilot Prometheus’s cement in its Virginia data centers to test its durability.

“Microsoft is in a unique position just because they’re so large,” says Thomas Hooker of Thornton Tomasetti, a structural engineering firm working with Microsoft. “They can almost be like a market mover and to some extent actually push some of these technologies to more widespread use just because it’s a high priority for Microsoft.”

(Image credit: Microsoft) More from TechRadar Pro

• Data centers could be used as residual power generators
• Microsoft hired a director of nuclear development acceleration
• Why the data center of 2030 will look very different from today

Over 27 million tons of single-use polystyrene packaging are produced worldwide each year, yet only 12% is recycled - most ends up in landfills after its initial use.

Researchers at RMIT University and Riga Technical University have developed an innovative way to generate electricity using waste polystyrene, addressing both energy needs and the environmental impact of the ubiquitous packaging material.

The invention repurposes discarded polystyrene into a device that generates static electricity from motion, such as wind or airflow. The device is a thin patch, made from multiple layers of polystyrene, each around "one-tenth the thickness of a human hair," according to lead researcher Dr. Peter Sherrell, who went on to explain, “We can produce this static electricity just from air blowing on the surface of our clever patches, then harvest that energy.”

Producing electricity consistently

The patch, which can capture turbulent airflow from air conditioning units, could reduce energy demand by up to 5% and lower the carbon footprint of these systems. Tests show the device can reach up to 230 volts, comparable to household voltage but at a lower power level.

Sherrell noted, “The biggest numbers come from a compression and separation, where you've got faster speeds and bigger motion, while smaller motion generates less energy. This means that in addition to air conditioners, integrating our patches in high traffic areas such as underground walkways could supplement local energy supply without creating additional demand on the grid."

The device’s longevity stems from the same properties that make polystyrene slow to decompose. “The great thing here is the same reason that it takes 500 years for polystyrene to break down in landfill makes these devices really stable – and able to keep making electricity for a long time,” Sherrell said.

This process involves learning how to modify plastics to optimize their energy-generating potential: “We've studied which plastic generates more energy and how when you structure it differently – make it rough, make it smooth, make it really thin, make it really fat – how that changes all this charging phenomenon.”

This static electricity generation project is part of the team’s ongoing research into triboelectric nanogenerators, as published in Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research. RMIT has filed a provisional patent for its device and is now looking for industry partners to help develop the technology for commercial applications.

More from TechRadar Pro

• Researchers generate 500MWh a year by recycling wasted wind
• Micro nuclear reactors can deliver 5MW of power for up to 100 months
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It goes without saying that Nvidia is the dominant force within the GPU market. The RTX 4000 series has taken the market by storm, with its flagship graphics card (the RTX 4090) providing the best performance on gaming PCs to date.

With the long-awaited RTX 5000 series announcement now on the horizon, all eyes will be shifting toward Nvidia’s hotly-anticipated RTX 5090 and what DLSS 3’s successor has to offer. Team Green's upscaling method has been a formidable tool for RTX 4000 series users - particularly for those not using the high-end overkill (and overpriced) 4090.

The RTX 4090 is an absolute beast of a GPU, but it's not the one I'd personally pick (yes, because it's insanely expensive). (Image credit: Future)

While I love AMD and FSR 3.1, especially with what it's done for handheld gaming PCs like the excellent Asus ROG Ally X, it would be quite naive of me to suggest the upscaling method is superior to Nvidia’s rival offering. DLSS 3 with Frame Generation has been shown to push in-game frame rates above and beyond usual standards at higher resolutions with ray-tracing enabled.

However, this should by no means be the only factor when deciding which GPU you should buy. There are plenty of games that run great on AMD’s Radeon GPUs (particularly the RX 7900 XT and XTX) and this should continue to be the case for years to come.

Upscaling methods shouldn’t be the easy way out for game devs

Now, I will acknowledge that we’re more than likely heading in the direction of DLSS, FSR, and XeSS becoming prominent factors in the future of PC gaming. The expectation is that DLSS 4 will be driven by AI for the RTX 5000 series (you’d better not make this generation-exclusive again, Nvidia) just as AMD confirmed for the upcoming FSR 4 - a departure for Team Red, since previous versions notably didn't use AI for upscaling.

If Moore's Law continues to hold true, there's only so much that future series releases from Nvidia or AMD can do to step up GPU capabilities generation-on-generation, so it makes sense to look towards AI as the next big step. While this stands as a benefit for all PC gamers (and consoles that may use upscaling, like the PS5 Pro's PSSR feature), I'm already concerned that this could give game developers more leeway to release poorly optimized games with the thin promise of future patches.

Dragon's Dogma 2 was just one of many recent games to be plagued with optimization issues on PC at launch. (Image credit: Capcom)

This has been happening for a long time; even just in recent memory, Hogwarts Legacy, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Starfield have all suffered from poor optimization on PC at launch. We’re then left with no choice but to use the aforementioned upscaling methods and frame-gen software, but once again, there's only so much that can be done to paper over the cracks.

Upscaling tools should not be the deciding factor for your GPU choice

When faced with upscaling methods that barely improve frame rates in poor-performing titles, this is when your GPU’s power and hardware specifications matter most. Considering how costly Nvidia’s graphics cards are compared to AMD’s, and the closeness in power between the RTX 4080 Super and the RX 7900 XTX, the easy choice is the latter.

This is AMD’s current flagship GPU, coming with a hefty 24GB of VRAM against the 4080 Super's 16GB, and is still one of the best graphics cards - I truly believe dismissing a potential purchase of this GPU solely because of missing out on DLSS, is a poor choice. It may appear that Team Red is losing the upscaling battle to Nvidia (and now Sony with PSSR), but it remains faithful to ensuring all GPUs can take advantage of upscaling technology thanks to FSR's open-source design.

For those gaming on mid-range or budget GPUs, AMD’s decision to allow FSR 3 to be utilized on a wide range of graphics cards, including Nvidia’s and even integrated graphics on Intel chips, goes a long way in showing where its loyalties lie - providing improvements for all gamers (I’m looking at you again, Nvidia).

Even if you shelled out hundreds for an RTX 3090, Nvidia says you still can't use DLSS 3 - sorry! (Image credit: Future)

While it’s important for me to mention that AMD GPUs cannot use DLSS since they have no tensor cores, it does not give Team Green the excuse to make its upscaling methods exclusive to new GPU ranges. Despite Nvidia’s claim that the improved Optical Flow Acceleration stood as the main reason for DLSS 3’s exclusivity on RTX 4000 cards, it didn’t take PC players long enough to find a way to use it on older hardware (like this workaround on NexusMods from ‘Nukem’).

Now if Nvidia does allow DLSS 3’s successor to be used with older GPUs, the point remains. You should not let this be the dealbreaker for your next GPU upgrade, especially if the prices of AMD’s high-end graphics cards continue to fall…

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On October 29, we reported that the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) had published the annual survey of its predicted top fitness trends for 2025. The research provides “valuable data for fitness professionals, business owners and exercise enthusiasts,” designed to “help inform critical business decisions and professional development plan”, according to the ACSM report. These trends varied by region, but we’ll largely be discussing the United States-orientated trends in this article.

While wearable technology (such as the best fitness trackers) remained at the top spot, “mobile exercise apps” aka the best fitness apps came in at number two and “data-driven training” at number three. These two often go hand-in-hand, with apps and wearables providing easy ways to record granular information about your training, from heart rate to explosive power, and use those metrics to guide you into training more effectively.

Wearables, apps and (by extension) data-driven training have gotten smarter, frighteningly so. In-app AI chatbots can draw from your personal data recorded via the app, often with an attached wearable, and recommend the next steps to your training. You can use virtual pacers to race against yourself. Within apps like PUSH and Garmin Connect, training plans can take your last few sessions’ worth of performance into account and adjust themselves automatically.

One category that didn’t make the top 10 this year is “personal training” which fell to number 15. While still prevalent in many countries and popular enough to squeeze its way into the top 20, its sharp fall from the top 10 “warrants attention” according to the report, which also noted “employing certified exercise professionals only appears as a top 10 trend in Portugal and Australia”.

Cause and Effect

(Image credit: Future / PUSH)

Looking at the highest trending topics, it’s easy to see correlation and causation. According to the US National Strength and Conditioning Association, hiring a personal trainer (PT) can cost anywhere from $25-$100 a session. This is presumably on top of a gym membership or day rate, which you’ll need to access the space.

When you can get a YouTube channel that shows you the moves for free, or an AI-powered fitness app that provides you feedback for $8.99 a month, it’s hard for many people undergoing a cost of living crisis to justify hiring a PT as anything other than a major luxury, like a massage or a spa day.

To say that you can get the full experience of in-person personal training from an app on your phone would be an insult to the hard-working personal trainers who are fantastic coaches, motivators and experts in their field. However, there’s no denying that personal training, once the bastion of the fitness industry, is losing popularity, and PTs are having to diversify their revenue streams to make it in 2024. This income can come from offering online classes, writing books to better market themselves as experts, creating their own training app or social media community, or becoming part-time content creators.

Very few PTs are likely to have signed up knowing they’ll need to be effective writers, programmers, salespeople or on-camera talent: there was a time when all you needed was to be very good at training people, but those days are long gone. The most successful PTs now are the most effective brand-builders and content marketers, not necessarily the best coaches.

Now that data-driven apps and wearables can provide passable programming and even feedback via a chatbot, the fitness industry has become the latest in a long line of sectors to be hit hard by automation and AI. I’m not sure what the answer is for all those talented PTs and coaches out there, but I don’t envy them trying to maintain an analog business in a world that, with the advent of AI, has become truly digital-first.

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• Galaxy AI is tipped to be coming to Samsung phones
• It might be introduced as part of One UI 7
• Apple Intelligence already offers a similar feature

A new rumor suggests Samsung's upcoming One UI 7 software update could add a new Galaxy AI feature that's already available as part of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.1: notification summaries.

This comes from well-known tipster @chunvn8888 (via SamMobile), but there's not much to go off here. All that's said is Galaxy AI has had a notification summary feature added, which Samsung is calling AI notification.

The update hasn't been publicly announced, which leads us to believe it's currently being tested as part of One UI 7. We're expecting a beta version of One UI 7 to be made available to Samsung phone users before the end of the month.

If it is indeed added to the Galaxy AI suite of features, there's a good chance it'll work on a variety of different phones: we've seen Galaxy AI features make their way to phones such as the Galaxy S22 after originally launching with the Galaxy S24.

AI everywhere

Galaxy AI now has notification summary feature, it's called AI notification.November 2, 2024

The idea of notification summaries in Apple Intelligence is that AI will read all of your messages for you and pick out the most important points – saving you time as you won't have to check them all individually.

While the feature has only just been made available, it's not been an unqualified success so far. TechRadar's John-Anthony Disotto found the experience a little freaky and unnerving, and it doesn't work well for personal messages – like break-up texts.

It's perhaps for the best then that you can turn it off, or customize it on an app-by-app basis. There are perhaps certain types of apps and notifications better suited to being summarized than others.

Samsung seems to think the feature is very much worthwhile, and potentially useful for Galaxy phone owners. If it does appear as a Galaxy AI feature soon, it'll join tools such as Sketch to Image and AI-powered audio transcription.

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New research from Barracuda has revealed threat actors are now using OpenAI in impersonation campaigns that target businesses across the globe.

The attack uses an email which impersonates OpenAI and sends an ‘urgent message’ to the victims recommending they update their payment information for their subscription, all through their handy direct link - a textbook phishing technique.

The operation was far reaching, with one email being sent to over 1,000 users. The first red flag was the sender's email address, which did not match the official OpenAI domain (e.g. @openai.com). Instead, it was sent from info@mta.topmarinelogistics.com.

AI powered

Worryingly, the email passed DKIM and SPF checks, meaning it was sent from a server that is authorized to send emails on behalf of the domain. The language in the email is common for phishing attacks, pressuring the user to take immediate action and creating fear and urgency.

This is far from the only AI related malicious campaign reported in the last few months. Earlier in 2024, a Microsoft report found 87% of UK organizations are more susceptible to cyberattacks thanks to the increasing use of AI tools.

That’s not to mention the rise in deep fake and convincing AI voice scams that have been targeting businesses and consumers. Already businesses around the world have lost millions to deep fake fraud, and almost half have been targeted at some point by this type of scam.

The introduction of machine learning algorithms that can uncover and leverage software flaws means that AI is leading to a dramatic increase in the number of attacks.

Despite this, research indicates that 90% of cyberattacks will still involve some element of human interaction, like with phishing attacks, so making sure everyone in your organization is trained to spot the signs of an attack is the best protection for a business.

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• Seamless (A/B) updates tipped for the Galaxy S25
• Streamlines the process of updating a device
• First introduced by Google back in 2016

We're getting closer to the expected January launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25, and the latest rumor around this phone series suggests it'll be getting an upgrade in terms of how updates are applied at the most fundamental level.

As per tipster @chunvn8888 (via SamMobile), the Galaxy S25 phones will get A/B updates, also known as seamless updates. These updates cover new Android versions as well as more minor security patches and fixes.

The A/B name refers to the way the next software update (B) is downloaded and set up on a separate storage partition while the current software (A) carries on running. Most of the heavy lifting is done behind the scenes while you carry on using your phone.

A reboot is still required to apply the update, but the restart happens more quickly – a lot of the installation work is already done, so you don't have to spend as much time watching a progress bar move across the screen.

Getting with the program

S25 series support A/B updateNovember 1, 2024

Google introduced the option of A/B updates for Android all the way back in 2016, so it's taken some time for Samsung to get around to introducing it on the Galaxy series – if the prediction turns out to be accurate.

However, the Galaxy S25 wouldn't be the first Samsung phone to get this functionality: it's also available on the Samsung Galaxy A55 that launched earlier this year. It would be the first time it had shown up on a flagship Samsung phone, however.

As SamMobile points out, A/B support needs to be built in at the hardware level – it's not something that can be added to a handset at a later date. Either a phone has A/B capabilities or it doesn't, for the lifespan of the device.

We should see three Galaxy S25 phones show up in January, if Samsung copies its 2024 launch schedule in 2025. There have been plenty of leaks already, covering everything from the predicted color options to key internal specs.

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Grindr is joining the trend for augmenting dating apps with AI, according to a new Wall Street Journal report. Described as a virtual wingman for online dating, the AI chatbot will proactively try to link prospective romantic partners and even help plan their dates when it officially debuts.

The main idea behind Grindr's development is to take the increasingly common AI chatbot experience, a la ChatGPT, and adapt it to a space where people are looking to connect. The chatbot would have more agency than the usually reactive chatbot, making decisions autonomously and completing tasks on behalf of users without them even asking. In the company's vision, the chatbot will seek out potential dates for users, even messaging on their behalf, then suggest they talk and offer topics for a conversation between users. It will even be able to design a date for them that they would both enjoy and make any reservations necessary.

One of Grindr's particular focuses is the idea of a bot-to-bot conversation between AI agents acting on behalf of different people. The idea seems to be to streamline the initial compatibility testing part of a first conversation. Instead, the AI agents would interact to determine compatibility before the people involved talk. That would theoretically cut down on dates going nowhere and could make Grindr more appealing for people burned out on bad dates.

Of course, this would entail sharing a lot of information about yourself with the AI. Considering Grindr's users are primarily gay and bisexual men who may not be public about their sexuality or live where it is stigmatized, that's a lot of trust to give an AI engine. Grindr claims measures to protect its users' identities and interactions are top of the list of priorities for the AI wingman.

AI romance

While Grindr's plans sound exotic now, there is a real push in the dating app space to augment products with AI. For instance, Tinder has a new feature to help you pick your best profile photo, while Bumble, in addition to photo help, wants AI to help users design their entire profile and smooth the initial conversation between users.

To build the AI, Grindr is working with Ex-human, a company whose AI is built on understanding human emotion. The model is being trained on data specifically relevant to Grindr's user base, including the phrases and style of speech unique to the community using the app. The concepts are still in early testing. The small test group will expand to 1,000 people by 2025 and 10,000 by the next year as Grindr gathers feedback. Grindr is aiming at a gradual feature rollout that will be able to do everything it envisions for its approximately 14 million users by 2027.

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Nvidia has rebranded its flagship Blackwell Ultra products, in what appears to be a strategic shift at the chipmaker aimed at promoting the B300 and GB300 lines, both of which leverage CoWoS-L technology.

The move, first reported by TrendForce, will see the B200 Ultra series now be known as the B300, while the GB200 Ultra is known as the GB300.

The B300 series from Nvidia is expected to launch any time between the second and third quarters of 2025, with the B200 and GB200 series in particular set to begin shipping in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Nvidia’s shift has broader long-term implications

TrendForce noted Nvidia is in the process of refining chip segmentation across its Blackwell series in a bid to meet growing performance demands from CSPs, improve supply chain flexibility, and meet cost-performance needs among server OEMs.

The B300A series, for example, is aimed primarily at OEMS. Production of this series is expected to begin during the second quarter of 2025 as shipments of the H200 series begin winding down.

Notably, TrendForce said Nvidia had originally planned to launch the B200A series to specifically cater to server OEMs. The chipmaker later shifted to the B300A series during the design process, however, which the market research firm suggested indicated a “weaker demand for downgraded GPUs than anticipated”.

This shift in product strategy from Nvidia could have long-term implications, with TrendForce suggesting the move “reveals a clear pivot toward AI models that promise greater revenue in 2025”.

“The company is making significant investments in improving NVL rack solutions, assisting server system providers with performance optimization and liquid cooling for NVL72 systems,” analysis from TrendForce noted.

“Companies like AWS and Meta are being urged to transition from NVL36 to NVL72.”

Notably, shipment trends point toward Nvidia’s high-end GPU offerings surging in the year ahead, with overall shipment share anticipated to hit around 50% in 2024.

This, TrendForce said, marks a sizable 20% increase compared to the year prior - and it’s expected to continue. The Blackwell platform is projected to drive this further to a share of around 65% in 2025.

Nvidia driving CoWoS demand

In the year ahead, Nvidia is expected to play a “crucial role” in driving demand for CoWoS technology, according to TrendForce.

With the Blackwell series beginning to gain widespread enterprise appeal, CoWoS demand is forecast to increase by around 10% year-on-year.

“In light of recent changes, NVIDIA is likely to concentrate on supplying B300 and GB300 products to major North American CSPs—both leveraging CoWoS-L technology,” TrendForce said.

Running parallel to this, HBM procurement is also anticipated to rise, TrendForce found. Current projections for the year ahead suggest the chip maker will account for more than 70% of the global HBM market.

This once again marks an increase of around 10% annually. A key factor here is that all models across the B300 series will feature HBM3e 12hi.

With production expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, this will drive demand, TrendForce said. Suppliers could be left waiting, however.

This marks the first mass production of a 12hi stack product by Nvidia, analysts noted, therefore the company could take at least two quarters to “refine processes and stabilize production yields”.

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Cyfirma Research recently discovered a serious security vulnerability affecting users of iTunes on Windows systems.

This local privilege escalation vulnerability, classified as CVE-2024-44193, allows attackers with limited access to elevate their privileges, potentially compromising entire systems.

The vulnerability, present in iTunes for Windows version 12.13.2.3 and earlier, poses a critical threat to the security of systems, making timely updates and patching essential.

Urgent iTunes update addresses this escalation risk

The core issue behind CVE-2024-44193 lies in improper permission management, specifically related to the AppleMobileDeviceService.exe.

Attackers can exploit the CVE-2024-44193 vulnerability by manipulating the files within the C:\ProgramData\Apple\Lockdown directory. With inadequate permission settings, even low-privileged users can write arbitrary files to this directory, enabling attackers to create opportunities for privilege escalation.

This vulnerability is not difficult to trigger, and thus makes its exploitation particularly concerning, as attackers can use various tools, such as NTFS junctions and opportunistic locks, to craft sophisticated exploit chains resulting in the execution of arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

The exploitation of CVE-2024-44193 follows a structured sequence of steps, allowing attackers to manipulate the AppleMobileDeviceService.exe and gain elevated privileges. First, attackers create arbitrary files within the Lockdown directory, leveraging tools like Oplock to halt processes at key moments. They can then exploit NTFS junctions, which redirect file deletions to critical system areas.

These actions culminate in the deletion of essential system files, giving the attacker administrative access. The ease of exploitation, combined with the widespread use of iTunes, particularly in enterprise environments, increases the vulnerability's risk profile. Organizations are urged to update iTunes to version 12.13.3 or later to mitigate the risk.

The impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it grants attackers administrative-level access to the targeted system. With SYSTEM-level privileges, attackers can manipulate system files, install malware, access sensitive data, and even disrupt services. This makes CVE-2024-44193 a critical risk for organizations, particularly those with large numbers of unmanaged or outdated systems running vulnerable versions of iTunes.

At the moment, there is no confirmed evidence of this vulnerability being actively exploited in the wild and there is also no active discussion of this vulnerability in underground forums. However, its potential for widespread use remains high due to the low complexity of the attack.

CVE-2024-44193 affects iTunes for Windows globally, impacting a variety of industries that rely on Windows-based systems. Media and entertainment, education, government, and corporate environments are particularly vulnerable due to the widespread use of iTunes. Additionally, organizations handling sensitive data or operating in high-risk environments may face increased exposure to attacks.

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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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… In my kingdom

NYT Strands today (game #245) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MAID
• MOAT
• MATH
• LOOSE
• MICE
• SOLO

NYT Strands today (game #245) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Life, organized

NYT Strands today (game #245) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 4th row

Last: right, 3rd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #245) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #245, are…

• CLASS
• PHYLUM
• ORDER
• FAMILY
• SPECIES
• GENUS
• DOMAIN
• SPANGRAM: TAXONOMY

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

You might need to be a bit of a science geek to solve today's Strands, because it features a few words that not everyone will be familiar with. Or at least that many people won't have heard since school biology lessons.

TAXONOMY, as the spangram has it, is the subject of the game – and that word is a tricky one to find in its own right. But harder still are surely PHYLUM and GENUS, with the first of those in particular a word that really doesn't appear in any other context.

My own game went very well, because I am a bit of a science geek, and I got lucky with my early guesses. I found CLASS while searching for hint words to use in this column, and put that together with the theme clue of 'In my kingdom' to establish what the central concept was. I then found the likes of FAMILY, SPECIES and – yes – PHYLUM, and was able to complete the set with no major hiccups.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 2 November, game #244)

• PRINTER
• SCISSORS
• PENCILS
• STAPLER
• RULER
• SPANGRAM: OFFICESUPPLIES

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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 #1014) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1014) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1014) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1014) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1014) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Q

• H

• E

• K

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

Quordle today (game #1014) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1014, are…

• QUIRK
• HEART
• ELBOW
• KNOWN

The puzzle setters at Merriam-Webster really threw the full gamut of Quordle complications at us today. KNOWN contains a repeated letter and also two uncommon letters in K and W, and also an uncommon spelling in the form of that KN at the start. ELBOW has a W at the end of the word, QUIRK has a very rare Q. On the plus side, none of the four words are obscure, at least.

Still, it was a difficult one, and I didn't make the task easier for myself by stupidly guessing BOWEL when the E had already been ruled out in that place. I nearly followed up with an also-impossible BELOW before taking a pause and spotting ELBOW. Phew!

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #1014) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1014, are…

• FORGE
• OTTER
• SCOUR
• MIDGE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST
• Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
• Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
• Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
• Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
• Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO
• Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS
• Quordle #1006, Saturday 26 October: DUCHY, CANNY, BLOCK, SMART
• Quordle #1005, Friday 25 October: PRANK, EXIST, RUDDY, PICKY
• Quordle #1004, Thursday 24 October: DAIRY, RALLY, CURLY, LABEL
• Quordle #1003, Wednesday 23 October: DROSS, ANNEX, GRAVE, BROKE
• Quordle #1002, Tuesday 22 October: ADORE, SMITH, AFOOT, LUCID
• Quordle #1001, Monday 21 October: TREAD, NINTH, GRIEF, UNSET
• Quordle #1000, Sunday 20 October: CORAL, WHOSE, HEIST, SOAPY
• Quordle #999, Saturday 19 October: GUSTY, BROKE, ENJOY, HAZEL
• Quordle #998, Friday 18 October: PUPIL, MOCHA, EGRET, NATAL
• Quordle #997, Thursday 17 October: BUILD, BIRTH, LURCH, SASSY
• Quordle #996, Wednesday 16 October: EERIE, SMIRK, HUNCH, EMBED
• Quordle #995, Tuesday 15 October: UMBRA, BRIEF, GRAVY, TORUS
• Quordle #994, Monday 14 October: ROGUE, STORY, EMCEE, AUNTY

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 clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #511) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STREET
• SENSE
• MOVING
• MONEY
• TENDER
• FEELING
• HEARING
• LISTENING
• PROCEEDING
• TOUCHING
• CHAIR
• INQUIRY
• SWEET
• HUNCH
• TRIAL
• IMPRESSION

NYT Connections today (game #511) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Awwww
• Green: I think this might happen
• Blue: All rise
• Purple: [Not hard] blank

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 #511) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: HEARTWARMING
• GREEN: SNEAKING SUSPICION
• BLUE: LEGAL SESSION
• PURPLE: EASY ___

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

NYT Connections today (game #511) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #511, are…

• YELLOW: HEARTWARMING MOVING, SWEET, TENDER, TOUCHING
• GREEN: SNEAKING SUSPICION FEELING, HUNCH, IMPRESSION, SENSE
• BLUE: LEGAL SESSION HEARING, INQUIRY, PROCEEDING, TRIAL
• PURPLE: EASY ___ CHAIR, LISTENING, MONEY, STREET

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Is it just me or are the difficulty levels in Connections all over the place? There are days on which the easiest yellow group is harder than the supposedly hardest purple group today. This really was a simple one: yellow (HEARTWARMING) and green (SNEAKING SUSPICION) are merely synonyms, blue (LEGAL SESSION) is an obvious connection and though purple is a more complex 'Blank something' type, it was not a tricky one particularly. What's more, you won't even have needed to solve it if you got the other three.

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Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 2 November, game #510)

• YELLOW: SEEN IN A KITCHEN COUNTER, FRIDGE, RANGE, SINK
• GREEN: GROUP OF ADVISORS BOARD, CABINET, COUNCIL, PANEL
• BLUE: CORE EXERCISES BOAT, CRUNCH, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, PLANK
• PURPLE: KINDS OF EARRINGS CHANDELIER, DROP, HOOP, STUD

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.

Macrium, a leading provider of backup, disaster recovery, and imaging software, has unveiled its latest product, Reflect X, designed to support Copilot+ ARM-based Windows devices with native bare metal recovery and boot menu recovery options.

The company says Reflect X can be a reliable backup and recovery solution, particularly for businesses that rely on ARM-based devices in their critical infrastructure.

Macrium claims Reflect X restores images up to five times faster than its predecessor thanks to changes in compression technique and backup optimization of multithreading processes allowing the system to achieve top performance, thereby reducing the time needed for backups and recovery.

Reflect X promises to tackle downtime challenges

As businesses become increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, the ability to quickly recover from system failures or cyberattacks is more important than ever. Disruptions caused by hardware issues or data breaches can result in significant financial losses and operational setbacks.

Many businesses, particularly those in the OEM, manufacturing, and energy sectors, face the constant risk of hardware failure which leads to loss of data and finance. For these businesses, fast recovery is essential to avoid prolonged downtime.

Reflect X's rapid recovery times offer a solution, allowing companies to restore operations quickly and meet their Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO).

In addition to performance improvements, Macrium has introduced a new approach to file accessibility by making backup files created with Reflect X open source. Macrium's singular focus on backup, recovery, and image deployment has allowed the company to dedicate all its resources to perfecting these solutions. Unlike companies that offer a one-size-fits-all approach to cyber resilience, Macrium specialises in providing best-in-class tools for each element of an organisation’s security strategy.

"Reflect X has been designed and developed around the needs of businesses, with an increased focus on metrics that matter most, such as Recovery Time Objective, and Recovery Point Objective. As well as enabling businesses to better protect their data, whilst minimising downtime in increasingly complex IT and OT environments,” said Dave Joyce, CEO at Macrium.

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