TechRadar News

• OpenAI is reportedly going to add Sora to the ChatGPT app
• As yet there's no timeline for the integration
• The full Sora experience will continue to be a separate app

Having launched in the US last December, and going live for a bunch of European countries earlier this week, OpenAI's video generation tool Sora is expanding quickly – and the plan is to eventually put it inside the ChatGPT interface.

That's according to discussions at a company meeting, as reported by TechCrunch. Right now, Sora lives on its own separate website, and isn't part of the ChatGPT apps on web or mobile – apps that do include image generation capabilities.

Sora product lead Rohan Sahai apparently said that OpenAI has plans to put Sora in more places, as well as to build on the features and tools of the AI video maker. However, it seems likely Sora would also remain as a separate, standalone experience too.

The version of Sora put inside ChatGPT may not be as comprehensive as the current web tool, Sahai admitted. Part of the reason the integration isn't already in place is to avoid cluttering up the ChatGPT interface too much.

More on the way

The Sora web interface (Image credit: Future)

Right now there's no timeline for any of this, though Sora inside ChatGPT could help drive more paid subscriptions: right now, you need to be a ChatGPT Plus ($20-a-month) or ChatGPT Pro ($200-a-month) subscriber to be able to use Sora.

You get different limits on video resolution and the number of videos you make, depending on how much you pay. Every user gets a certain number of credits each month, and videos that are longer and of higher quality cost more credits.

The same user credentials are used to sign into both ChatGPT and Sora, so some of the work is already done. However, the Sora website has elements like a featured video showcase that would be difficult to cram into ChatGPT.

Sahai reportedly also said that an improved version of the AI model running underneath Sora is on the way, and said that OpenAI was also working on an image generator powered by Sora that could produce more photorealistic images. Stay tuned.

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It's time for Netflix's monthly changeover! You can read everything new on Netflix in March 2025, but the platform is once again removing a handful of titles. But don't you worry, you won't be saying goodbye to a lot of movies as Netflix, as usual, has kept it short and sweet this month.

One of the better things about its monthly clean-out is that the best Netflix movies are, more often than not, untouched. While the same can be applied to its March list, some of our favorites – including Inception (2010), Still Alice (2014), and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – have limited time left on one of the best streaming services.

There's only a matter of days left to catch these so, as I'd always suggest, it's best to act fast to avoid disappointment. But don't let that put you down, as Netflix is making up for its lost movies and shows with even more titles that are brand new to the platform – I have my eye set on Saoirse Ronan drama The Outrun (2024).

Everything leaving Netflix in March 2025

Leaving on March 1

21 Bridges (movie)
A Haunted House (movie)
A Haunted House 2 (movie)
Aloha (movie)
Blended (movie)
Cinderella Man (movie)
Due Date (movie)
Free State of Jones (movie)
Green Lantern (movie)
In the Heart of the Sea (movie)
Inception (movie)
Legends of the Fall (movie)
Little (movie)
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (movie)
Oblivion (movie)
Scooby-Doo (movie)
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (movie)
Seven Years in Tibet (movie)
Sixteen Candles (movie)
Stand by Me (movie)
Still Alice (movie)
The Angry Birds Movie (movie)
The Other Guys (movie)

Leaving on March 2

Ravenous (movie)

Leaving on March 15

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (movie)

Leaving on March 16

A Walk Among the Tombstones (movie)

Leaving on March 23

The Machine (movie)

Leaving on March 24

Oldboy (movie)

Leaving on March 25

No Escape (movie)

Leaving on March 27

Happy! seasons 1-2 (TV show)

Leaving on March 30

Godzilla vs. Kong (movie)
Mad Max: Fury Road (movie)

Leaving on March 31

The Windsors seasons 1-3 (TV show)

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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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, March 1 (game #1132).

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1133) - 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 #1133) - 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 #1133) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do 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 #1133) - 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 #1133) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• G

• D

• L

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

Quordle today (game #1133) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1133, are…

• TUNIC
• GLOSS
• DEBUG
• LARGE

Lots of educated guesses got me home today – and by educated I mean things that have appeared in Quordle before, not actual education.

I got myself into a bit of a corner with my start words. I was aiming to cover as many letters as possible, but took a long time trying to think of a decent word that had R and U in it. Fortunately the one I chose got me off to a great start with all five letters of TUNIC.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1133) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1133, are…

• BELLE
• PLUMP
• SLINK
• MEDIA

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR
• Quordle #1131, Friday 28 February: PASTA, RAZOR, PLUMB, DROOL
• Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME
• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, March 1 (game #363).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Getting closure

NYT Strands today (game #364) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PEEL
• TENT
• ROCK
• SLAVE
• LOCK
• GAMER

NYT Strands today (game #364) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Lock together

NYT Strands today (game #364) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #364) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #364, are…

• ZIPPER
• VELCRO
• BUTTON
• SNAP
• BUCKLE
• CLASP
• MAGNET
• SPANGRAM: FASTENERS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

I have a relative who would have been triggered by today’s puzzle, as they suffer from koumpounophobia.

In their case it is not so much a fear of the BUTTON as much as disgust for its tiny plasticness with the itty bitty holes.

You’d think this would result in them having no clothes that feature buttons and that they’d commission an entire wardrobe of clothes utilizing the wonder of VELCRO, but you’d be wrong. It’s very confusing.

On probing their condition it turned out their real phobia wasn’t buttons at all – it was toggles, and those are far easier to avoid, so long as you avoid campsites and the deep-sea fishing industry.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 1 March, game #363)

• HUMAN
• CROCODILE
• LION
• ORCA
• TYRANNOSAURUS
• SPANGRAM: APEX PREDATORS

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.

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, March 1 (game #629).

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 #630) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• WIN
• SHOE
• SHAKE
• WEST
• VIBRATE
• LOSE
• HAM
• DRAW
• HEART
• AIRPLANE
• TUNGSTEN
• DODGE
• DO NOT DISTURB
• WATT
• ESCAPE
• RING

NYT Connections today (game #630) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Settings
• GREEN: Ways to get away from someone
• BLUE: 23rd letter of the alphabet
• PURPLE: Add a ropey word that rhymes with “thing”

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 #630) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CELLPHONE MODES
• GREEN: EVADE 
• BLUE: WHAT "W" MIGHT STAND FOR 
• PURPLE: ___STRING 

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

NYT Connections today (game #630) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #630, are…

• YELLOW: CELLPHONE MODES AIRPLANE, DO NOT DISTURB, RING, VIBRATE
• GREEN: EVADE DODGE, ESCAPE, LOSE, SHAKE
• BLUE: WHAT "W" MIGHT STAND FOR TUNGSTEN, WATT, WEST, WIN
• PURPLE: ___STRING DRAW, HAM, HEART, SHOE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I can’t help but think that today’s puzzle was the work of someone who follows the machinations of the English Premier League, considering how it contained the words WEST and HAM beside the word LOSE (West Ham United are a London football club having a fairly indifferent season).

The EVADE group came together quickly but it was just guesswork that got me ___STRING after initially thinking I was looking for objects from Dr Seuss stories (HAM in Green Eggs & Ham, SHOE in Wacky Wednesday).

Meanwhile, my lack of knowledge of the periodic table meant that WHAT “W” MIGHT STAND FOR was a mystery until Google helped me out with my confusion – W being the symbol for TUNGSTEN, as it is also known as Wolfram in many countries.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 1 March, game #629)

• YELLOW: ASSOCIATED WITH GOOD LUCK HORSESHOE, LADYBUG, PENNY, SHAMROCK
• GREEN: TO-BO- COMPOUND WORDS TOLLBOOTH, TOMBOY, TOOLBOX, TOWBOAT
• BLUE: BROADWAY MUSICALS, FAMILIARLY FIDDLER, MERRILY, PHANTOM, SUNSET
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "COWBOY" IN FILM AND MUSIC DRUGSTORE, MIDNIGHT, RHINESTONE, SPACE

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.

• Framework says Laptop 12 is the “purest manifestation” of company vision
• It will come in a choice of five colors and be hard to break, easy to repair
• No word on pricing, but pre-orders start in April, with shipping in the middle of 2025

Do you remember the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project? The super-ambitious initiative, which launched in 2005, looked to provide low-cost, durable laptops to young students in developing countries at a time when an estimated one billion children had little access to education and no access to computers.

OLPC introduced the XO-1 laptop in 2007, featuring a unique energy-efficient design, a sunlight-readable screen, and mesh networking capabilities. The goal was to sell it for $100 per unit - although costs ultimately far exceeded expectations. There were also logistical challenges, such as limited internet access and a lack of teacher training.

Now, Framework, the company behind a range of modular laptops, has introduced the Framework Laptop 12, a “durable, repairable, upgradeable” 12.2-inch touchscreen convertible notebook that reminds me of that project. It’s surely no coincidence that Framework’s founder and CEO, Nirav Patel, worked on OLPC, creating open source camera and computer vision libraries for the Sugar OS on the XO laptops.

"Purest manifestation" of Framework vision

Patel says the new Framework Laptop 12 is, “the purest manifestation of our vision and product philosophy at Framework, and is in many ways the product I started the company to create.”

Available in five colorways, each with an optional color-matched stylus, it features an overmolded shock-absorbing TPU over rigid PC/ABS plastic, with an inner metal structure for durability. And because it comes from Framework, if you do break it, it will be easy to repair.

It might be small, but it's also mighty. As Patel explains, “Instead of using a typical small-core processor, we brought in the full 13th Gen Intel Core processor in i3 and i5 variants. We enabled support for up to 48GB of DDR5-5200 RAM, 2TB of NVMe storage, and Wi-Fi 6E, all of which are modular and upgradeable.” The 1920×1200 display delivers >400 nits of brightness along with touch and stylus support.

“Even though we had students in mind when we began developing this product two years ago, we found as we iterated through prototypes that every adult who tried it wanted one too!” Patel says.

There’s no word on pricing yet (it certainly won’t be $100), but we should know more soon, as it’s expected to be available for pre-order in April, with shipments in mid-2025. As always, you’ll be able to choose between Windows or Linux.

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Daredevil: Born Again is almost here, everyone. The highly anticipated Marvel TV show, not to mention sequel to Netflix's live-action Daredevil series, will arrive on March 4 (US) and March 5 (UK and Australia). While some actors will reprise their roles from Netflix's adaptation, many others will make their debut in Matt Murdock's first standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) adventure. So there's no better time to get the scoop on them all.

Below, I've compiled a list of the Disney+ show's confirmed cast, the characters they'll play, and where you might have seen them before. I won't be discussing any actors who are rumored to appear in cameo or supporting roles, though – if you want to read about those, my dedicated Daredevil: Born Again guide is the place to go.

One last thing before you proceed: full spoilers follow for all three seasons of Daredevil on Netflix, plus Echo on Disney+. Light spoilers are also incoming for Born Again.

Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil

Matt Murdock moonlights as the blind vigilante known as Daredevil, aka the Devil of Hell's Kitchen (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

The protagonist of Netflix's Daredevil show and now the lead character of his own MCU TV series, Charlie Cox returns to play Matt Murdock and his superpowered alter-ego in Marvel's sandbox.

While Cox has had small roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Echo and was effectively the co-star in episode 8 of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, this is the first time he'll have a more substantial role in a Marvel Studios production.

So, what's Murdock up to at the start of Born Again? Picking up events after the season 3 finale of the Netflix series, he's become the co-owner of law firm Murdock, Nelson, and Page – teaming up with long-time friend and fellow lawyer Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson, and former reporter/Murdock's perennial love interest Karen Page... and that's all I'll say for now!

As for Cox, you might have seen him in other TV shows, including Kin, Treason, and Boardwalk Empire. He was also the male lead in the cult classic fantasy film Stardust.

Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk

Wilson Fisk is making a play to become New York mayor in Daredevil: Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Like Cox, Born Again isn't Vincent D'Onofrio's first rodeo in the MCU. Reprising his role as Fisk from Daredevil on Netflix, he had a small but important role in Hawkeye ahead of his primary antagonistic role in Echo.

Thanks to events that transpired in the latter's finale, we know that the former crime lord, who used to go by the pseudonym Kingpin, will be running for New York City's Mayoral office at the beginning of Born Again. If he's successful, it'll spell bad news for Murdock and his fellow crimefighters.

D'Onofrio will be a familiar face to film and TV fans alike, with the long-time actor appearing in Full Metal Jacket, Jurassic World, Men in Black, Godfather of Harlem, Ratched, and many more besides.

Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page

Woll's Page (left) was brought into the fold after a substantial creative overhaul of Born Again's plot (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

One of the three individuals who owns Murdock, Nelson, and Page, Karen Page is a former investigative journalist-turned-business owner. She's part of Daredevil's core acting quartet who have returned for this Marvel sequel.

That wasn't always the case, mind you. Originally, Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson weren't part of this show's cast; Marvel intended Born Again to be an entirely new series that would only reference the Netflix show in passing. However, after Marvel decided to creatively overhaul Daredevil: Born Again in October 2023, Woll and Henson were asked to return as their respective characters. Marvel hasn't publicly acknowledged how big of a role Page will have in this series. However, fans fear for her safety after leaked Born Again footage suggested that she may be targeted by a returning villain (more on him later).

Some readers will know Woll from the popular vampire TV show True Blood. She's also appeared in more of Netflix's Marvel series like The Defenders and The Punisher, as well as horror flicks including Escape Room.

Elden Henson as Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson

Henson (left) is back as Nelson in Daredevil: Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Like Woll, Elden Henson only officially joined this show's cast after a Daredevil: Born Again image confirmed their return last January. As I mentioned earlier, his character is one of the three owners of the Murdock, Nelson, and Page law firm. Marvel hasn't revealed if Nelson will play a big part in this Marvel Phase 5 show's story, either.

As for where you may have seen Henson previously, he appeared in both installments of Lionsgate's live-action adaptation of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Apple's Killers of the Flower Moon film, and shows like Smith and The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.

Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn

Glenn (right) is the latest woman that Matt Murdock falls for (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The first of many new faces to enter Matt Murdock's orbit, Margarita Levieva will play Heather Glenn, a therapist and Murdock's new love interest. Her character profile and backstory differ from how she's presented in Marvel comic books, which depicts Glenn as a socialite. By the way, if you want to learn more about Glenn and any other Born Again characters you're unfamiliar with, check out our exclusive offer below for Marvel Unlimited, the comic giant's digital subscription service that's home to over 30,000 comic books – but, be quick! The deal expires on March 4.

Anyway, some people may remember that Levieva played Mother Koril in last year's Star Wars: The Acolyte (which isn't one of the best Disney+ shows). Others might know her from main roles in The Deuce, Litvinenko, Allegiance, and Vanished.

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Nikki M. James as Kirsten McDuffie

Kirsten McDuffie (right) becomes Matt Murdock's (left) new law firm partner in Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Joining Levieva on the newcomer list is Nikki M. James, who'll portray Kirsten McDuffie. In the comics, she's a deputy district attorney whose close friendship with Murdock eventually led to them becoming romantically entangled. Oh, and they also set up their own law firm in Marvel's source material.

It remains to be seen if Born Again will authentically adapt this part of Daredevil lore but, given Glenn will be Murdock's paramour in the show's first season, nobody should expect Murdock and McDuffie to fall in love. Don't be surprised if they cross paths professionally, though!

James will be instantly recognizable to anyone who watched season 1 of mystery thriller series Severance on Apple TV+, where she played Alex. She's also featured in Proven Innocent, The Good Fight, and BrainDead among other TV programs.

Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher

Marvel fans were delighted to see that Jon Bernthal is back as Frank Castle (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Switching back to some actors who are returning from Daredevil, aka one of the best Netflix shows. Jon Bernthal, who made a name for himself in The Walking Dead, is back as Frank Castle, a US Army veteran-turned-vigilante who fights the criminal underworld using lethal force. Like Woll and Henson, I can't say how integral he'll be to season 1's overarching narrative. Whatever role Castle has in proceedings, it's sure to be a bloody and brutal one.

The Walking Dead notwithstanding, Bernthal has appeared in other acclaimed TV shows, including The Bear on Hulu, and numerous movies like The Accountant, Sicario, and The Wolf of Wall Street.

Wilson Bethel as Benjamin 'Dex' Pointdexter/Bullseye

Bethel's Bullseye also returns in Daredevil: Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The secondary antagonist of Daredevil season 3, Wilson Bethel's Pointdexter is a mentally unstable former FBI agent who was molded into a cold-hard killer by Fisk in the hit show's final chapter. Indeed, he even impersonated The Devil of Hell's Kitchen in a bid to tarnish the eponymous vigilante's name and reputation. Ironically, Bullseye was near-beaten to death by Fisk in the season 3 finale after he learned that Fisk was responsible for his wife's death.

Unfortunately for Murdock and Fisk alike, Bullseye will return, with Bethel making a brief appearance in Daredevil: Born Again's gritty and brutal first trailer. Who knows who he'll be gunning for first.

Bethel was last seen starring in All Rise, but he's also appeared in The Astronaut Wives Club, Hart of Dixie, and The Young and the Restless.

Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Fisk

Vanessa Fisk is having marital issues with her husband as Born Again's story begins (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Another star who was asked to return following the show's creative reinvention, Ayelet Zurer will reprise her role as Wilson Fisk's wife Vanessa, who'll reportedly be estranged from her husband at the start of Born Again. Per Business Insider, she's taken over his criminal empire in his absence, too.

Outside of Daredevil and its follow-up series, Zurer is known for her performances in Moonhaven, Losing Alice, and Money Heist.

Zabryna Guevara as Sheila Rivera

Rivera helps Wilson Fisk win the New York City mayoral election (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Zabryna Guevara is set to play a character who doesn't exist in Marvel comics, Sheila Rivera. She's believed to have ties to Fisk in Born Again and based on the footage and images I've seen so far, I suspect she'll be part of the team trying to help him win New York City's mayoral position.

Guevara is most famous for appearing in Gotham, a DC Comics TV show that served as a Batman prequel and reinterpreted many of the Dark Knight's seemingly infinite number of characters. More recently, she's been part of the casts of New Amsterdam, Emergence, and Castle Rock.

Arty Froushan as Buck Cashman

Froushan is part of Wilson Fisk's mayoral office team (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Another individual I expect to be part of Fisk's campaign team is Buck Cashman, played by Arty Froushan. Cashman will differ from his comic book counterpart. In Marvel literature, he's a mercenary who works for the US government under the alias Bullet, but it's unclear if the MCU's Buck Cashman will eventually become Bullet.

Best known for playing Jonah Breakspear in Prime Video's Carnival Row, Froushan has also featured in House of the Dragon and Downton Abbey 3 among other projects.

Michael Gandolfini as Daniel Blade

Wilson Fisk reportedly takes Daniel Blake (pictured) under his wing (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The son of The Sopranos star James Gandolfini, Michael Gandolfini is set to play Daniel Blade, who was revealed to be Fisk's protege in a previous edition of SFX Magazine. Blade is another original character created for Born Again.

This series is far from Gandolfini's first role, though. He's appeared in shows like Extrapolations and The Deuce, but his most famous role came in The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel movie to The Sopranos that saw Gandolfini play a younger version of Tony Soprano, aka the same character his late father portrayed in one of the best Max shows.

Kamar de los Reyes as Hector Ayala/White Tiger

White Tiger is one of the newer vigilantes who's appeared in New York City recently (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The first Hispanic superhero to appear in Marvel's illustrious history, Hector Ayala is more famously known as his superpowered counterpart White Tiger, whose enhanced physical abilities manifest when Ayala wears a mystical amulet.

Kamar de los Reyes will play the character in Born Again, which marks White Tiger's live-action debut in any big- or small-screen Marvel production. It also marks de los Reyes' final acting performance. The Puerta Rican actor died in December 2023 after a short battle with cancer. Other projects he appeared in before his death include the TV adaptation of Sleepy Hollow, The American, and The Rookie.

Genneya Walton as B.B. Urich

Walton will play the daughter of Ben Urich, who featured in Daredevil's TV show on Netflix (Image credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

A young, on-the-beat investigative reporter, B.B. Urich is the daughter of the murdered Ben Urich, who was killed by Fisk in Daredevil season 2. Will she find out that Fisk was responsible for her father's demise and, if so, will she attempt to prevent him from taking office? Only time will tell.

Known for her roles in BlackAF, Never Have I Ever, and Candy Cane Lane, Genneya Watson's star is certainly on the rise. Don't be shocked if you hear more about her following her supporting role in one of 2025's most exciting new shows.

Clark Johnson as Cherry

Cherry is a former New York City police detective who's on retainer at Matt Murdock's law firm (Image credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

A retired New York police officer who works as a freelance investigator for Murdock, the character simply known as Cherry will help the titular lawyer/vigilante crack some of his most important cases.

Last seen as part of the cast of Evil, Clark Johnson has also had acting roles in The Wire, Bosch, and The Shield.

Jeremy Earl as Cole North

Cole North is put in charge of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force in Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Another individual whose Marvel comics backstory has been slightly altered for Daredevil: Born Again. In the source material, Cole North is a highly-regarded police detective who transfers from Chicago to New York and is ordered by Fisk to track down and arrest any vigilantes operating in the city. In Born Again, North will be a corrupt cop assigned to lead the Anti-Vigilante Task Force (per Inverse), which may or may not be set up by Fisk. So, as I say, it's a slight tweak to his comic book origins story.

As for Jeremy Earl, he's been a part of the cast of Empire, NCIS: Hawaii, and Chicago PD.

Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne/Swordsman

Tony Dalton's Swordsman will have a small supporting role in Daredevil: Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

First appearing in Hawkeye, Tony Dalton's Jack Duquesne, aka Swordsman, was the fiance of Kate Bishop's mom Eleanor. He was framed by Eleanor Bishop, who was working for Fisk at the time, for killing his own father Armand. In the end, Duquesne walks away a free man after Eleanor is arrested for Armand's murder. Nobody knows why Dalton will cameo in Born Again, but my best guess is that he'll be one of Murdock's clients who needs a hand to evade the law and/or clear his name.

An actor who's only recently started appearing in English language projects after many years starring in Spanish language films and TV shows, Tony Dalton is best known for playing Lito's agent in Sense8 and portraying Lalo Salamanca in Better Call Saul.

Mohan Kapur as Yusuf Khan

Kamal Khan's father will also appear in Born Again season 1 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Another of Murdock's likely clientele, Yusuf Khan is the father of Kamala Khan, aka Ms Marvel. He made his MCU debut in his daughter's self-titled Disney+ show before cameo-ing alongside the rest of their family in The Marvels, aka one of the lowest-ranked films on my best Marvel movies list.

Another actor who only made their English-language production debut in recent times, Mohan Kapur has been part of the cast for movies including Life's Good and The Vaccine War, as well as numerous Indian Hindi-language projects.

??? as Muse

We still don't know which actor is playing Muse in Daredevil: Born Again season 1 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Now this casting is an interesting one. A recent addition to Daredevil's rogues gallery in the comics, Muse is a serial killer who uses the corpses and bloody remains of his victims to create grotesque artworks across New York City. If there was any doubt that Daredevil: Born Again would be fully TV-MA (that's 18-plus in the UK and M in Australia), Muse's inclusion proves it will be.

Anyway, we know that Muse will be a secondary antagonist in the forthcoming show. What we don't know, however, is who's been hired to play them. There have been rumors that Hunter Doohan, who was last seen starring in Netflix's hugely successful Wednesday TV series, has been secretly cast as Muse, but that's still speculation at the time of publication. Once I know more, I'll update this article.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, Spider-Man 4, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Marvel Phase 6.

Paramount Plus is the underdog out of all the best streaming services. It's great for classic movies and popular series including The Good Wife, Yellowstone, and its spin-off 1883, which make up some of the best Paramount Plus shows. With its March 2025 schedule arriving, its already extensive library of titles is about to get even better.

Of course, Paramount Plus will be bringing brand new TV titles this month (we're quite excited for its new true crime series Happy Face) as well as filling the gaps in the calendar with old favorites from the greatest filmmakers out there. Think Inglorious Basterds (2009), Mulholland Drive (2001), and Marie Antoinette (2006), a varied concoction of Hollywood's finest. Take it from me, this month your Paramount Plus watchlist is in store for a big revamp. At least I know mine is.

Everything new on Paramount Plus in March 2025

Arriving on March 1

A League of Their Own (movie)
Annihilation (movie)
Becoming Jane (movie)
Blue Crush (movie)
Boys on the Side (movie)
Cloud Atlas (movie)
Continue (movie)
Crawl (movie)
Dune (1984) (movie)
Edge of Tomorrow (movie)
Elizabethtown (movie)
Ex Machina (movie)
Face/Off (movie)
Failure to Launch (movie)
Foxcatcher (movie)
Foxfire (movie)
Frozen River (movie)
Good Will Hunting (movie)
Harlem Nights (movie)
Inglorious Basterds (movie)
Julie & Julia (movie)
Jungleland (movie)
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (movie)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (movie)
Love, Rosie (movie)
Marie Antoinette (movie)
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (movie)
Million Dollar Baby (movie)
Motherhood (movie)
Mulholland Drive (movie)
Only the Brave (movie)
Pan’s Labryrinth (movie)
Practical Magic (movie)
Pulp Fiction (movie)
Rat Race (movie)
Room (movie)
Run All Night (movie)
Searching For Bobby Fischer (movie)
Serpico (movie)
Shutter Island (movie)
Sicario: Day of the Soldado (movie)
Sleepy Hollow (movie)
Snake Eyes (movie)
Son of a Gun (movie)
Staying Alive (movie)
Sugar & Spice (movie)
The Abandon (movie)
The Fifth Estate (movie)
The Glorias (movie)
The Heartbreak Kid (2007) (movie)
The Hurt Locker (movie)
The Ides of March (movie)
The Kite Runner (movie)
The Lodge (movie)
The Machinist (movie)
The Manchurian Candidate (movie)
The Other Boleyn Girl (movie)
The Queens of Comedy (movie)
The Sum of All Fears (movie)
The Terminal (movie)
The Virgin Suicides (movie)
The Warriors (movie)
The Way Of The Dragon (movie)
The Weekend (movie)
The Women (movie)
There Will Be Blood (movie)
Trail of Justice (movie)
Up In The Air (movie)
Wayne’s World (movie)
Wayne’s World 2 (movie)
Witness (movie)
Strange Darling (movie)

Arriving on March 3

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (movie)
Rumours (movie)

Arriving on March 4

Sin City Gigolo: A Murder in Las Vegas (TV show)

Arriving on March 5

The Amazing Race season 37 (TV show)
The Fairly OddParents: Abra-Catastrophe Special (TV show)
The Surreal Life season 2 (TV show)

Arriving on March 8

Babylon (movie)
India Sweets and Spices (movie)

Arriving on March 10

Ringo & Friends at the Ryman (TV show)

Arriving on March 11

Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party (TV show)

Arriving on March 16

Bridge of Spies (movie)

Arriving on March 18

The Last Manhunt (movie)

Arriving on March 19

Teen Mom: The Next Chapter season 2 (TV show)

Arriving on March 20

Happy Face (movie)

Arriving on March 21

The Hunting Party (movie)

Arriving on March 23

The Free World (movie)

Arriving on March 26

Mass (movie)
Basketball Wives season 11 (TV show)

Arriving on March 31

American Psycho (movie)
American Psycho II: All American Girl (movie)

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• Eight wallpapers for the Pixel 9a have leaked
• They match four expected colors for the handset
• The phone could make its debut this month

Sometimes it's not the specs, the design, or the features of an upcoming phone that leak out: it's the wallpapers. And we now apparently have the official, preinstalled backdrops for the Google Pixel 9a.

These images come courtesy of Android Authority, and you can go right ahead and download them in full resolution if you want to. The set of pictures have supposedly come from a source inside Google.

It appears we're looking at abstract interpretations of flowers here. There's a lot of color and a lot of creative blurring on show – it's possible they were made in collaboration with a digital artist, but we don't have any details on that right now.

The eight wallpapers seem to match the four Pixel 9a colors that have been leaked so far: Obsidian (black), Iris (purple), Porcelain (white), and Raspberry or Peony (pink). We've got light mode and dark mode variations for each color.

The Pixel 9a rumors so far

The Pixel 9a may borrow some components from the Pixel 9, shown here (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

There have been plenty of Pixel 9a rumors flying around recently. Indeed, the Google mid-ranger is expected to get a full reveal sometime this month, at which point we'll get a proper look at the wallpapers and everything else.

Compared with the Google Pixel 8a, the biggest change would appear to be the removal of the iconic Pixel camera bar on the back of the phone – the next model will apparently be flat on the back, which isn't quite as interesting from a design perspective.

On the inside, we should get a Tensor G4 chipset (like the other Pixel 9 phones), and that's set to be paired with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. It seems we're also looking at a 6.3-inch, 120Hz display.

As for pricing, the phone is expected to match its predecessor with a starting price of $499 / £499 / AU$849, though the version with more storage could get a small price bump. Free trials of YouTube Premium, Fitbit Premium, and Google One are expected to be included.

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Despite increasing competition, Netflix continues to cement its place as one of the best streaming services, starting 2025 with a bang by bringing a whole host of titles that Rotten Tomatoes has dubbed near perfect, awarding a 100% score.

Netflix latest offerings include Oscar-nominee Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, the latest in the long-running Dragon Ball saga, and new crime doc sensation American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson. From true crime to true love, prison penguins to prison drama there’s something for everyone – and we're only at the end of Feb.

I can’t wait to get binging on these movies and shows, and you can read the full list of new titles with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes below.

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Movie)

After a long absence, Ardman Animation’s most famous creations returned with a brand new feature length film. The movie contained all the heart and humor we expect from Nick Park and co. and Ben Whitehead slipped into his feature debut as Wallace – following the death of Peter Sallis – like a pair of old slippers.

And the critics agreed, with Filmweek calling it “The most sheerly entertaining movie I’ve seen this year.”

Cunk on Life (TV Special)

Diane Morgan’s sardonic host returned for a feature length instalment of the mockumentary spin-off from Charlie Brooker's (the Black Mirror creator) shows, as Philomena Cunk set out to venture right up the universe to provide answers to the big questions, and plenty of laughs.

Decider called the special “laugh out loud funny” while The Guardian praised the host, commenting that “Morgan is peerless.”

Dragon Ball Diama (Season 1)

Comic Book Resource called the latest instalment in the long-running franchise “the best Dragon Ball fans have eaten in years” with the inter-quel (set between the iconic Dragon Ball Z and follow-up Dragon Ball Super) telling the story of Goku and the gang being turned into children before exploring the unknown Demon Realm. While the DB saga can be hit and miss at times, Diama is an often hilarious nostalgic treat.

Offline Love (Season 1)

The Japanese dating series sees a group of young singles spend 10 days in Nice, France, stripped of smartphones and other connected devices and left to find love the old-fashioned way – through chance encounters and dating.

Decider called the show a “fun throwback” to the pre-internet days, and it’s not hard to see why the easy-going nature of nurturing relationships against the stunning surroundings of the French city has become such a hit.

Cassandra (Season 1)

“Fusing elements of sci-fi, horror, psychological thriller, and women-focused family dramas” according to Collider, Cassandra follows the Prill family as they move into a house unoccupied for decades.

Their arrival awakens the AI domestic helper based there, who has greater intentions than household chores. Inverse said the show could be Netflix's “next international hit,” while Collider called it a “sleek, ambitious limited series.”

American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson (Season 1)

While the Simpson case may seem well-covered ground, this new true crime doc has been called “compelling, gripping, and, at times, jaw-dropping” by FandomWire, and it’s hard not to agree, with the mini-series uncovering a few new pieces of information and footage, and featuring a rare interview with former prosecutor Christopher Darden.

Asura (Season 1)

This Japanese drama, set in Tokyo in 1979, follows four sisters who, upon discovering their aging father’s affair, find their lives beginning to unravel as hidden truths are revealed and facades drop.

Critics have praised the character driven storytelling and fascinating characters, as well as the deft touch of writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda (director of Monster (2023) and Broker) with the New York Times saying the helmer delivers a “stylishness to make it sing.”

Black Warrant (Season 1)

Based on Sunil Gupta & Sunetra Choudhury’s book about Gupta’s time as a jailer in an Indian prison, this Hindi-language thriller covers the author’s experiences at Tihar Prisons in the early ’80s.

A “piercing look at Tihar, an absorbing story of a baptism by fire and an insightful snapshot of an era in the life of a nation” (NDTV), the drama gives an uncompromising look at the hardened men on both sides of the bars, and a system designed to punish rather than rehabilitate.

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• The De'Longhi La Specialista Touch is a new bean-to-cup coffee machine
• It can adapt brewing to suit your coffee beans, and offers five milk textures
• The machine can also prepare cold brew coffee in five minutes

De'Longhi makes some of the best coffee makers we've tested here at TechRadar, and its latest bean-to-cup machine looks like it could rival the technical skills of a professional barista. Not only does the new De'Longhi La Specialista Touch offer an extensive menu of hot and cold drinks, it can also tailor the brewing process to suit your preferred beans, and offers five different milk textures. The only thing you need to worry about is pouring the latte art.

Unlike the De'Longhi La Specialista Opera, which launched in October, the new La Specialista Touch has a large color touchscreen that lets you browse through a list of preset drink options, and tinker with brewing settings, taking your pick from 15 grind sizes and three brewing temperatures.

Not quite sure how to extract the most flavor from your beans? The machine's Bean Adapt technology makes recommendations for different types of coffee, with optimized dosing, grind and extraction settings for different types, roasts, and blends. Once you've found something you like, you can save it to your personal profile so you can access it quickly next time.

(Image credit: De'Longhi) Plant or dairy

As a fan of a good macchiato, what I find most intriguing is the machine's new milk texturizing system, which uses a cool-touch automatic steam wand to produce five different milk textures. The system has settings for both plant and dairy milk, which is always welcome too. Many machines are optimized for dairy only, and struggle to create silky foam with almond or oat alternatives.

Another particularly interesting feature is cold extraction, which De'Longhi promises will create a smooth drink with the same flavor profile as traditional overnight cold brewing, but takes just five minutes from start to finish. Several coffee machines I've tried recently have done a respectable job of cold extraction, so I'm interested to see how the La Specialista Touch compares.

I'll be testing the new machine very soon, and will bring you a full review so you can see how it holds up against the competition – and whether it can create the dreamy, creamy microfoam it promises. It's available now direct from De'Longhi, priced at £699 (about $880 / AU$1,400).

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AMD’s most powerful processor to date, the EPYC 9965, is being offered on eBay and other online retailers, at the time of writing, with discounts of up to 47%.

Compared to other similar instances I tracked before, the big difference is that there are far more EPYC 9965 on sale in the US than before and all the CPUs are brand new.

Launched in October 2024, the EPYC 9965 is AMD’s most expensive CPU with a suggested retail price of $14,813 and its most powerful as well with 192 Zen 5c cores and 384 threads. A search on eBay for 100-000000976, the OEM SKU (stock keeping unit) code for the 9965, brings up 10 results, all of them US-based and brand new.

This is the first of several articles based on data I’ve compiled on 41 AMD Zen 4 and Zen 5 CPUs (socketed, OEM). In the rest of the series, I will be looking at the cost per core, performance per core, AMD CPUs that are getting more expensive, all this with the new Ryzen 9 9900/9950 X3D CPUs in the backdrop.

Some sellers offered the 9965 for as little as $8,250 when buying a pair; individual pricing started from $8,369. Oddly enough, searching for EPYC 9965 brought up several entries from mainland China. I estimate at 100 the total number of EPYC 9965 currently on sale on eBay.

On the open web, Wiredzone, a popular online US-based retailer stocks the EPYC 9965 for just over $10,000, a fair bit more expensive than eBay but it’s a recognized business. It has been at this price for more than three months now. About a dozen other retailers worldwide sell AMD’s flagship server processor for less than $11,000, a clear sign that supply is relatively abundant.

The EPYC 9965 requires a special motherboard if you plan to run a pair of them (because, why not). Experiencing 768 threads on one motherboard such as the Gigabyte MZ73-LM2 with up to 24 DIMM slots is something few of us will ever need, especially when such a dual-socket motherboard retails for about $2500 and requires a special casing. But if you want the best workstation out there, that’s a very good place to start.

This Comino Grande server is an example of the type of device that could accommodate the 9965 (Image credit: Comino) So, why such a drop?

Demand for this particular type of processor, one which focusses on hyperscalers such as Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, has been one of the drivers of AMD’s success in the server market. AMD’s market share rose from nearly zero a decade or so ago to about 25% in 2024.

So what to make of the myriad of vendors that are selling this flagship, cutting-edge server processor for thousands of dollars less than the sticker price? Could excess inventory be a reason as to why prices have gone down so quickly on such a recent CPU?

But here’s the thing, during my research, I was shocked to see that the 9965 was not the only one to have such a big discount: the 9655P (up to 47%), the EPYC 9655 (up to 57%) and so on, and so forth all experienced big price drops.

Indeed, my snapshot survey of AMD’s 5th gen socketed CPUs (with a sprinkle of Threadripper), 41 CPUs in all, reveals that the majority of models have a discount of 20% or more once they hit retail.

History repeating itself

I began tracking this odd scenario back two years ago when I noticed that US retailers were selling the then-three month old EPYC 9954 processor with a massive 30% discount. A month later, in March 2023, I found that hundreds of used 64-core 3rd gen EPYC CPUs were being as Chinese hyperscalers rushed to upgrade their servers.

It looked like someone in the supply chain tried to make a quick buck off the ‘obsolete’ hardware with prices tumbling down to just over $1000 in June 2023. The same happened with the 128-core EPYC 9754 server processor which saw significant discounts but nothing on the scale I am seeing today.

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One week, the tech news will slow down – but not this week. It's been another seven days packed with announcements, rumors, reviews, and debate, and our In Case You Missed It summary will bring you right up to speed on everything that's been going on.

We've got everything from a new iPhone to next-gen AI to cover here, with some Netflix leaks and an outrageous OnePlus gaffe in between, so whatever your tech tastes you're going to find something that's of interest here.

No doubt the next week in tech is going to be just as frenetic as this one, so make sure you're up to speed on all the major news – so you're ready for the next batch.

7. Framework launched a cute desktop PC

We're quite taken with the new Framework Desktop (Image credit: Framework)

Framework is well known for its modular laptops that promote user choice and reduce e-waste, and now it's turning its attention to desktop PCs, too: the new Framework Desktop is a compact, colorful, and cute system with parts you can easily swap in and out.

While we haven't been able to put this PC to the test yet, it certainly impresses in terms of its looks and specs (led by new AMD Ryzen AI Max processors). You've got a host of customization options to pick from, and the system starts at $799 / £799 (about AU$1,265).

• Read more: My favorite laptop maker just unveiled its first desktop – and it's the cutest little PC I've ever seen

6. OnePlus made an embarrassing typo

"Meda in China" apparently... (Image credit: Future)

You wouldn't think an obvious typo would make it all the way to a finished hardware product from one of the biggest gadget companies in the business, but here we are: certain OnePlus Watch 3 models have rolled out with "Meda in China" labels on them.

It's all rather embarrassing for OnePlus, though the manufacturer has tried to keep a sense of humor about the whole affair. Due to the mistake, the full launch of the wearable has been pushed back a couple of months, but the preorder deals have improved.

• Read more: Whoops! OnePlus Watch 3 delayed by two months due to an embarrassing typo, but there is some good news

5. Photoshop got a new iPhone app

Adobe has a new Photoshop app to show off (Image credit: Adobe)

Various flavors of Photoshop for mobile have appeared down the years, but the latest Photoshop app for iPhone (with Android coming soon) is the most complete and most powerful yet, bringing over many of the best features from the desktop application.

As you might have expected, some of the more advanced tools need a paid subscription to access, but this is an app that's bound to be of interest for anyone who wants to edit photos on the go – and we've got all the key details right here.

• Read more: Photoshop gets its most powerful free iPhone app so far – with a mix of classic tools and Firefly AI

4. Stranger Things season 5 was leaked

The Stranger Things squad is returning one last time (Image credit: Netflix)

It feels as though the Stranger Things kids have grown up as Netflix has grown up as a streaming service – the show debuted way back in 2016 – and so there are mixed emotions as we get to the fifth and final season, made up of eight episodes and due this year.

If you're keen to avoid spoilers ahead of the season premiere, you might want to skip this extensive leak, which has rocked Netflix: details of the plot, when the episodes will air, and more besides have appeared online, and it isn't the first time this has happened, either.

• Read more: Netflix reportedly suffers huge Stranger Things season 5 leak as supposed launch date, release schedule, and plot details emerge online for the popular show's final chapter

3. ChatGPT levelled up

ChatGPT is more natural and knowledgeable than ever (Image credit: ChatGPT)

The pace of AI development isn't slowing down: OpenAI just pushed out an upgraded GPT-4.5 model for its ChatGPT bot, promising a "more natural" conversation experience and a "broader knowledge base" – as well as, hopefully, fewer hallucinations.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has admitted the company is struggling to scale up the data center support for its models, so for the time being GPT-4.5 is in a "research preview" stage, and can only be accessed by those paying top dollar for a subscription.

• Read more: ChatGPT-4.5 is here for Pro users now and Plus users next week, and I can't wait to try it

2. We reviewed the iPhone 16e

Say hello to the iPhone 16e (Image credit: Future)

The iPhone 16e is being widely seen as the next model in the iPhone SE series – but as the name change and price hike indicates, this is actually the start of a new iPhone range, with close to top-tier performance wrapped inside a mid-range package of materials.

Our full iPhone 16e review will tell you everything you need to know about the latest Apple iPhone: what's good about it, what could be better, and why it might be the perfect phone for you. Only seven more months, and we'll be welcoming the iPhone 17 series...

• Read more: I tested the iPhone 16e for a week and found it's a good phone that stretches the definition of 'budget'

1. Amazon unveiled Alexa+

Alexa+ was launched by Amazon this week (Image credit: Future)

Amazon's long-rumored next-gen AI upgrade for Alexa is here, so it – in theory – can catch up to ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Siri with Apple Intelligence, and all the other AI assistants that have appeared since we first started chatting with Alexa more than a decade ago.

TechRadar was at the Amazon Alexa+ launch event, and we've got all the details you need on the upgrade: the new features it brings with it, when it's going to start rolling out, the Echo devices it will and won't work with, and how much you'll have to pay to get it.

• Read more: Amazon unveils Alexa+, its brand new AI-infused voice assistant

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A good baby monitor is your link to your child when you can't be close. You want to choose one that will ensure your baby is safe, whether they're sleeping soundly in their crib or enjoying playtime with the nanny while you're away from home. Thankfully, modern tech has provided new solutions to age-old problems, and checking in on your child is easier than ever thanks to high-tech baby monitors like the Momcozy 5-inch Dual-Mode Smart Baby Monitor. The dual-mode baby monitor can be paired with the app and a dedicated parent unit, keeping you in the know and your baby in sight.

Peace of mind for new parents

(Image credit: Momcozy)

A new baby in the house is life-altering, and it can be scary to leave your little one alone in their room at night, even when you're in desperate need of sleep. A smart monitor from Momcozy can help you relax when your baby sleeps by providing useful, nonintrusive, smart features that keep you informed about your little one's well-being. Nobody wants to wake a sleeping baby, but parents need to be reassured they're safe and made aware when their needs change. Baby monitors from Momcozy offer useful alerts for smart features like real-time motion and cry detection, so you know when your little one stirs from their slumber. These alerts help you to stay one step ahead of your baby’s needs, keeping them safe from potential dangers.

It's recommended that parents lay their babies down to sleep on their backs, but that doesn't mean your little inchworm can't figure out how to get themselves in other positions once they've been laid down. The 5-inch Dual Mode Smart Baby Monitor from Momcozy features unique smart detection technology that can detect all of your baby’s movements and even offers cry detection. Paired with the dedicated parent unit the cry detection and top-tier movement detection functionality, you can check in on your baby as they sleep and ensure you know that your baby is safe when it matters the most. Paired with the Momcozy app's instant alerts, the Momcozy Dual Mode Smart Baby Monitor ensures your little one's safety and gives you peace of mind.

Keeping toddlers safe

(Image credit: Momcozy)

Watching our little ones grow is one of life's greatest joys, but it can also be incredibly stressful. There's nothing quite like waking in the middle of the night to find your newly mobile toddler standing at your bedside when you thought they were safely in their crib. That's where this Momcozy monitor's Danger Zone alert comes in handy. It offers an instant app notification to let you know when your little Houdini has escaped the crib and may be wandering the halls of your home.

Danger Zone alerts aren't just great for keeping your child safe at night. They can also be used to designate safe play spaces for your toddler during the day, like a sandbox in the backyard or a playroom in the house. Using this monitor, your toddler can enjoy some important independent playtime, and you can focus on getting through chores or catching a much-needed moment for yourself without worrying that your little one is getting into something they shouldn't.

It takes a village

(Image credit: Momcozy)

Raising babies is hard work, but it's made easier when there are helping hands. Sometimes we need to leave the little ones with Grandma, Auntie, or even a friendly neighborhood teenager who babysits. Having a smart monitor that only connects to your smartphone would be limiting. The Momcozy 5-inch Dual-Mode Smart Baby Monitor allows you to share video access with up to 20 friends and family members, ensuring that the village that helps raise your baby is just as connected as you are.

Creating a connected network for safety and security

(Image credit: Momcozy)

With this monitor, you can create a smart network with optional Wi-Fi or non-Wi-Fi connected monitoring with advanced encryption so that you can control who connects to the video. This keeps you and your house safe and secure, while giving you and your loved ones the tools for peace of mind.

The Momcozy 5-inch Dual-Mode Smart Baby Monitor is equipped with a 1080p resolution high-definition camera that captures crystal-clear video. The camera is also bolstered by superior night vision to ensure that video of your little one is just as clear at night as it is during the day. The parent unit uses a 5000mAh battery, giving the 5-inch screen over 10 hours of performance when the display is always on and up to 20 hours when set to its standard mode. You can be sure your monitor will last through the night while your little one is sleeping.

(Image credit: Momcozy)

We can't all be with our little ones 24/7, and a baby monitor has become an essential purchase for parents. Parenting is a unique adventure for each person, but the desire to stay connected and to keep an eye on your baby’s safety is a universal one felt by working parents and stay-at-home parents alike. Whether you're creating a baby registry for a new bundle of joy or need a new solution to keep your toddler safe, a smart baby monitor from Momcozy is the secure, reliable choice to keep you connected when it counts the most.

When OpenAI first introduced ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, I was intrigued by the idea that this might be the template for a voice assistant capable of all the Star Trek-style feats that Amazon and Google had promised a decade ago. A fluid, back-and-forth conversation with an AI that didn’t sound like you were talking to a robot stuck in 2014, capable of everything ChatGPT does, seemed ideal. It was a major reason I continued paying $20 a month for ChatGPT Plus.

It's worth taking a moment to appreciate what ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode can do, albeit imperfectly. You can engage in a real-time conversation with ChatGPT, one with the rhythm and even some of the emotions inherent in a human voice. You can interrupt the AI mid-sentence, and it won't forget what you were discussing. It generally mimics human listening and response behavior, even to the point of not waiting for you to finish speaking; it can interrupt you right back.

OpenAI recently decided to share the sound of ChatGPT with a version of Voice Mode that doesn't require a subscription fee. That raises an obvious question: If ChatGPT’s Voice Mode is now free, is it even worth paying for ChatGPT Plus anymore? Now, before you hit the cancel button, you should know the free version is not identical to what paying users get. OpenAI has made sure there’s still an incentive to upgrade.

First, the free tier is powered by GPT-4o mini, a smaller, slightly less powerful version of the GPT-4o model ChatGPT Plus users talk to. That means free-tier responses might be a little less nuanced and a bit more generic. The biggest difference, though, is the daily limit. Free users only get Voice Mode for a limited time each day before they’re cut off, while Plus subscribers can keep chatting five times as long.

Another major perk for Plus users is access to richer features like video and screen sharing within Voice Mode. While the free version is great for basic conversations, Plus users get a more immersive experience that lets ChatGPT provide visual explanations, making it more useful for things like troubleshooting, learning new skills, or getting walkthroughs on complex topics.

Sound Planning

I wanted to evaluate the differences between ChatGPT's free and Plus versions of Advanced Voice Mode. I conducted three distinct tests to see how each performed: a casual multi-turn conversation, a tongue twister challenge, and a request for entertainment recommendations. These tests aimed to assess both versions' responsiveness, coherence, and depth of interaction.​

For the casual conversation, I started by saying, "Hey ChatGPT, how's your day going?" I then asked the AI for a hobby suggestion and asked how to get into those hobbies. Both AI models responded immediately and in a similarly casual way. They each offered a couple of ideas for hobbies, and both suggested photography as an option. The free version's second suggestion was painting, while in ChatGPT Plus, the other suggestion was to try something more active, like hiking. Asking about how to start painting led to a somewhat generic list of painting supplies, and the same for hiking gear. Oddly, they both had the same suggestion for a camera to get if I wanted to try photography: the Canon EOS Rebel T7.

I then decided to test the listening ability of the models with a classic tongue twister by saying: "Alright, ChatGPT, let’s test your listening skills. Can you repeat this back to me? Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?" There was zero difference in the accuracy of the response or the speed. Both almost immediately said it back exactly right.

For the final test, I chose something that involved a search and judgment. I asked about a movie to watch and a restaurant to try in my town this weekend. They each paused for a couple of seconds before answering.

Both suggested seeing the new Captain America movie, though the free version offered the new Paddington movie as an alternative. The Plus model suggested Mufasa instead. They were perfectly in sync in recommending the nearby AMC theatre, though, and both pointed to the Hudson House restaurant in my town as the place to eat.

Pay for more

I conversed with both models for a while longer and noted a lot of overlap, if not outright repetition, between them. But, as I mentioned before, I was soon told I had maxed out my time with the free Voice Mode, whereas I went nearly twice as long with the Plus version before choosing to stop, with no indication I was close to reaching my time limit.

Both versions of ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode were helpful, accurate, and equally good at mimicking human speech in all three tests. While the GPT-4o model is undoubtedly better and more powerful than GPT-4o mini, you'd have to be a real power user to detect that.

If you’re a casual user who wants to mess around with AI voice chat for a few minutes each day, the free version is honestly pretty great. It’s smooth, responsive, and easy to use. You'd need to really rely on using it a lot to make Voice Mode the sole reason to pay for ChatGPT Plus. That said, there's a lot more to the subscription than just the better AI model for voice.

I've written about many of the ways I employ ChatGPT, and ChatGPT Plus means I have access to better models and extra features for everything from planning dinner ideas, entertaining children, keeping my New Year's Resolutions, and performing many other tasks. That includes getting access to the Tasks feature for ChatGPT, which lets you schedule AI missions in the future.

So, is it still worth paying for? If you’re just here for casual AI chats, maybe not. But if you’re using ChatGPT in other ways, that $20 a month still buys you a noticeably better experience. And if you’ve already been paying for ChatGPT Plus, I'd say the extension of Voice Mode to the free tier is not nearly enough of a reason to cancel. Of course, if OpenAI more than doubles the price, I may reconsider.

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Netflix continues to prove why they're one of the best streaming services, releasing a new trailer for their twisted comedy series Welcome to the Family. It looks like a hilarious mashup of Knives Out and Weekend at Bernie's, with all the inheritance politics of the Daniel Craig mystery smashing headfirst into the corpse chaos of the 80s comedy.

In Welcome to the Family, “A struggling single mom rallies her quirky family to outsmart a mafia boss after her estranged, wealthy father dies, leaving them with his debt.” Said debt, it turns out, is the very apartment that Cristina (Marimar Vega) and her family live in. Teaming up with his second wife Luciana (Erika Buenfil), who also stands to lose big in the deal, they formulate a plan: hide the body until the late patriarch's will can be falsified to return ownership of everything abc to the family and outsmart an increasingly agitated mob boss. However, with a nosy neighbor poking around and a lovestruck police officer on the case, things begin to unravel as the family desperately try to keep their ruse under wraps.

Judging by the trailer, which you can watch below, the show looks to be an absolute blast for fans of crime comedy, with everything from cartoonish mafioso and over-the-top violence to absurd characters to a lawyer who makes Breaking Bad’s Saul Goodman look like a paragon of virtue. Meanwhile, the sunkissed setting and bickering family dynamic will appeal to anyone who felt that Modern Family needed more organized crime.

Titled Bienvenidos a la Familia in its native Mexico, the show is a remake of the Catalan Benvinguts a la família, which ran for two seasons in its home country before finding international acclaim when it was acquired by Netflix for global release.

Confusingly, both are now available on the streamer under the Welcome to the Family title, so be sure to check the release year. That being said, the Catalonian version is well worth a watch, receiving critical acclaim on its release in 2018 and being favorably compared to Weeds and Shameless. Critics also pointed out how its themes of eviction and displacement tie into the larger context of the Catalan independence movement and the 2017 declaration of independence from Spain. The new version looks to play things more broadly, with a high-budget sheen that differentiates it from the bleaker, darker original. That’s not to say the Spanish-language version won’t have points to make, but fans of the original would be wise to expect a more popcorn-friendly approach this time out.

Either way, I’m always here for a new black comedy, especially one from the home of After Life and Santa Clarita Diet. And with a cast that’ll be familiar to anyone up to speed with Mexican cinema and telenovelas – including Ana Layevska, Erick Elías, and Martín Altomaro – Welcome to the Family is one I'll be checking out when it arrives new on Netflix in March.

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Watch Brit Awards 2025

Remember Brat Summer? Charli XCX's love-it-or-loathe-it siren call for "partying through a breakdown" feels like it was from a different era, but she's out to resuscitate that feeling for one night only at the Brit Awards. With comedian Jack Whitehall hosting, here's where to watch Brit Awards 2025 online for free – from anywhere with a VPN.

The Cambridge electropop artist leads with five nominations, one more than Dua Lipa, The Last Dinner Party, and 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective. Ahead of the show, Charli XCX was named Songwriter of the Year and her long-time producer A.G. Cook named Producer of the Year, while Sabrina Carpenter received the prestigious Global Success Award.

Carpenter, The Last Dinner Party and Sam Fender will headline the performances at the O2 Arena, so read on as we explain how to watch Brit Awards 2025 from anywhere.

Can I watch Brit Awards 2025 for free?

Yes. Viewers in the UK can watch Brit Awards 2025 for free on ITV1 and the ITVX streaming service, and fans everywhere else, including the US, Canada and Australia, can tune in for free via the Brits YouTube channel.

Away traveling and don't want to miss out? Don't forget you can use a VPN to watch Brit Awards 2025 on your usual free streaming service from abroad.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 from anywhere

If you're keen to watch Brit Awards 2025 but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.

Use a VPN to watch Brit Awards from anywhere – our favorite is NordVPN.

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The best value plan is the two-year deal which sets the price at $3.39 per month, and includes an extra 3 months absolutely FREE. There's also an all-important 30-day no-quibble refund if you decide it's not for you.

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How to watch Brit Awards 2025 in the US

The 2025 Brit Awards will be streamed for free on the Brits YouTube channel, with the ceremony set to begin at 3.15pm ET / 12.15pm PT on Saturday afternoon, though coverage is expected to be on a delay, starting at around 4pm ET / 1pm PT.

It isn't clear if the live red carpet show at 12.30pm ET / 9.30 am PT will also be available to stream on the service.

Americans currently on holiday in the UK can use a VPN to watch Brit Awards 2025 on YouTube.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 for FREE in the UK

Brits can watch Brit Awards 2025 on ITV1 at 8.15pm GMT on Saturday, March 1. It will also be available to stream both live and on demand on ITVX.

A pre-party show will air on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm on Thursday, February 27 and again at 3.10pm on Saturday. There will also be a live red carpet show at 5.30pm on Saturday, which will be streamed on both Instagram and Facebook.

Outside the UK? Brits abroad can use a VPN to tune into ITVX while away from home, and watch Brit Awards 2025 for free.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 in Canada

As with the US, fans based in Canada can watch Brit Awards 2025 on the Brits YouTube channel. The show begins at 3.15pm ET / 12.15pm PT on Saturday, and coverage is due to start on a delay at 4pm ET / 1pm ET.

There will also be a red carpet show, beginning at 12.30pm ET / 9.30am PT, though it isn't yet clear if this will be available to live stream.

Canadians currently traveling in the UK can use a VPN to unblock the YouTube stream. We recommend NordVPN.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 in Australia

The Brits YouTube channel will be live streaming Brit Awards 2025 for free, from 8am AEDT on Sunday morning. If that's a little early for your liking, you'll likely be able to tune in on-demand too.

There's also a red carpet show scheduled for 4.30am, though it isn't clear if it will be shown live on YouTube.

Australians currently away from home in the UK can use a VPN to watch Brit Awards 2025.

Brit Awards performers 2025

Sabrina Carpenter

JADE

The Last Dinner Party

Myles Smith

Teddy Swims

Sam Fender

Lola Young

Ezra Collective

Jorja Smith

Brit Awards nominations 2025 British Album of the Year

Charli XCX – Brat

The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism

Ezra Collective – Dance, No One's Watching

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

Song of the Year

Artemas – "I Like the Way You Kiss Me"

The Beatles – "Now and Then"

Bl3ss with Camrin Watsin featuring Bbyclose – "Kisses"

Central Cee featuring Lil Baby – "Band4Band"

Charli XCX featuring Billie Eilish – "Guess"

Chase & Status featuring Stormzy – "Backbone"

Coldplay – "Feelslikeimfallinginlove"

Dua Lipa – "Training Season"

Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental – "Alibi"

JADE – "Angel of My Dreams"

Jordan Adetunji – "Kehlani"

KSI featuring Trippie Redd – "Thick of It"

Myles Smith – "Stargazing"

Sam Ryder – "You're Christmas to Me"

Sonny Fodera with Jazzy and D.O.D. – "Somedays"

British Artist of the Year

Beabadoobee

Central Cee

Charli XCX

Dua Lipa

Fred again..

Jamie xx

Michael Kiwanuka

Nia Archives

Rachel Chinouriri

Sam Fender

British Group

Bring Me the Horizon

Coldplay

The Cure

Ezra Collective

The Last Dinner Party

Best Pop Act

Charli XCX

Dua Lipa

JADE

Lola Young

Myles Smith

Best R&B Act

Cleo Sol

Flo

Jorja Smith

Michael Kiwanuka

Raye

Best Dance Act

Becky Hill

Charli XCX

Chase & Status

Fred again..

Nia Archives

Best Alternative/Rock Act

Beabadoobee

The Cure

Ezra Collective

The Last Dinner Party

Sam Fender

Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act

Central Cee

Dave

Ghetts

Little Simz

Stormzy

Best New Artist

English Teacher

Ezra Collective

The Last Dinner Party

Myles Smith

Rachel Chinouriri

International Artist of the Year

Adrianne Lenker

Asake

Benson Boone

Beyoncé

Billie Eilish

Chappell Roan

Kendrick Lamar

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift

Tyler, the Creator

International Group of the Year

Amyl and the Sniffers

Confidence Man

Fontaines D.C.

Future and Metro Boomin

Linkin Park

Best International Song

Benson Boone – "Beautiful Things"

Beyoncé – "Texas Hold 'Em"

Billie Eilish – "Birds of a Feather"

Chappell Roan – "Good Luck, Babe!"

Djo – "End of Beginning"

Eminem – "Houdini"

Hozier – "Too Sweet"

Jack Harlow – "Lovin on Me"

Noah Kahan – "Stick Season"

Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen – "I Had Some Help"

Sabrina Carpenter – "Espresso"

Shaboozey – "A Bar Song (Tipsy)"

Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – "Fortnight"

Teddy Swims – "Lose Control"

Tommy Richman – "Million Dollar Baby"

• Illegal crrypto transactions could have hit as much as $51 billion in 2024, according to Chainalysis
• With the introduction of ETFs, the ratio of crime-to-industry volume dropped significantly
• Criminals are moving away from BTC and into stablecoins

Cryptocurrency addresses known to be associated with criminals received $40 billion in 2024, marking another hugely successful year for wrong-doers across the world.

The annual report from Chainalysis notes this is not a precise figure, and as time goes by, and new information emerges on previous crimes, it will likely rise - possibly to be closer to $51 billion.

Another important detail is that this estimate does not include money from non-crypto native crime, such as drug dealing, or money laundering.

Stablecoins

The 2023 figure stood at $46.1 billion, so if Chainalysis’ estimates turn out to be true, it will be a significant increase - in raw numbers, as percentage-wise, the figure has dropped significantly.

In 2023, the ratio of crime volume to industry volume was $0.61% - but with the approval of multiple spot ETFs in 2024, many large institutions and investors with big pockets moved into the industry, increasing the overall volume, and thus shrinking the ratio to just 0.14%.

Finally, cybercriminals seem to be moving away from Bitcoin and into stablecoins.

So far, whenever a ransomware attack (or a similar incident) happens, most threat actors would demand payment in Bitcoin, despite there being tens of thousands of different cryptocurrencies. That being said, four years ago around 70% of all criminal transactions were made in Bitcoin, dropping to 20% last year. At the same time, stablecoins moved in (cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to fiat currency and doesn’t fluctuate violently as standard crypto does), now taking up around 63%.

Monero was used in 10% of cases, Chainalysis added. Monero is a popular privacy-oriented coin, which is also mined through the infamous cryptojacker called XMRig.

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• Stellantis pulls investment into future Maserati products
• Aston Martin will cut jobs and delay debut EV... again
• Luxury car industry continues to struggle with electrification

Both Aston Martin and Maserati are reevaluating their plans for future electrification models, as budget and job cuts force the businesses to decide whether there is an appetite for future EVs bearing the recognizable performance badges.

Earlier this week, Aston Martin announced plans to cut 5% of its workforce following hefty fourth quarter losses at the tail end of last year, according to The Guardian.

Supply chain issues and a cooling of demand in China have been cited as reasons for the poor financial performance.

Although the marque hasn’t linked the jobs cuts directly to its future EV launches, Adrian Hallmark, the current chief executive, told The Telegraph that electric cars are “too extreme a step” for many of its customers and that we won’t see a fully-electric Aston Martin until “the latter part of this decade”.

We were due to see the British marque’s first attempt at electrifying its line-up this year, but the model was later postponed until 2027… and now looks like it might be delayed even further.

Instead, Hallmark told The Telegraph that plug-in hybrid vehicles will be a priority, because “you get more torque in the phase of acceleration but you still get all the benefits of combustion engine when the electric motor becomes less efficient at the higher performance range.”

Luxury Italian sports car manufacturer Maserati is also experiencing increasingly worrying sales figures, with its sales dropping by over 50% last year, falling from 26,600 in 2023 to just 11,300 in 2024, according to CarScoops.

The company, which only recently announced its Folgore range of EVs that includes the GranCabrio, GranTurismo and Grecale SUV, will have to limp on as its owner Stellantis pulled the plug on a planned £1.2billion ($1.6billion) investment this week.

The money had been earmarked to create new and exciting models, including an electrified Maserati MC20 supercar and EV replacements for the Quattroporte and Levante models.

According to Autocar, Stellantis’ chief financial officer Doug Ostermann, again blamed performance in China, noting that the company had higher expectations regarding the luxury market and how quickly it would transition to electrification.

Luxury brands continue to face EV struggles

(Image credit: Aston Martin)

While it is disappointing that both Aston Martin and Maserati have had to scale back their future EV plans, they aren’t the only luxury automakers struggling as the world pivots towards electrification.

Porsche said that it would cut 1,900 jobs by 2029, according to The FT, as it struggles with poor demand for its electric vehicles, even going so far as to mull over the possibility of shoehorning internal combustion engines, which it says it will continue to develop, into models that it previously stated would be all-electric.

Lotus Cars, which is currently owned by Chinese multinational Geely, was resurrected as a highly electrified brand, but it says it will bring back gas power next year with new “Hyper Hybrid” technology.

European CEO Dan Balmer told Evo Magazine that he is “reading the room” when it comes to determining the best powertrain to appease an ever-evolving market.

Unlike smaller and cheaper electric vehicles, buyers in the luxury market have been put off by eye-watering price tags and even more painful residual values that battery packs and electric motors bring with them.

Add to this the lingering sense of range anxiety and the lack of sonorous V6, V8 and V12 petrol engines, and it is proving a recipe for disaster for those in the business of making desirable performance machines.

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• Spitz Plus GL-X2000 offers dual-SIM connectivity, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and high-speed Ethernet
• There's also advanced networking features like QoS, encrypted DNS, and policy-based routing
• External SMA connectors and four antennas enhance signal reception

GL.iNet has introduced the Spitz Plus GL-X2000, a portable Wi-Fi 6 cellular router powered by the Qualcomm IPQ5018 dual-core 1 GHz SoC.

GL.iNet says the new offering supports bandwidth bonding, a feature that merges the data speeds of two SIM cards into a single, faster hotspot connection.

It also supports 4G LTE Cat.12 with 3-carrier aggregation, reducing network congestion and enhancing data throughput. This enables download speeds of up to 600 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 150 Mbps across global frequency bands.

Dual SIM and bandwidth bonding for stable connections

In addition to dual SIM slots and gigabit Ethernet connectivity, the GL-X2000 offers the option to install a physical eSIM, allowing storage of up to eight profiles for seamless carrier switching.

Just like the D-Link G530 5G NR AX3000 router, it supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), offering speeds of up to 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz and 2402 Mbps on 5GHz.

For wired networking, it includes a gigabit WAN port and a gigabit LAN port, providing high-speed data transfer and low-latency connections.

Equipped with four large antennas - two for LTE and two for Wi-Fi - the GL-X2000 is designed for strong signal reception and stability. External SMA connectors allow users to swap antennas for better coverage, making them well-suited for mobile setups, rural areas, or locations with weak cellular signals.

Running a customized version of OpenWrt 19.07, the router supports routing, access point, wireless bridge, and wired bridge modes. Features like QoS management, encrypted DNS, and policy-based routing provide greater control over network traffic.

For those looking for a secure router, users benefit from preinstalled VPN support for over 30 providers, with OpenVPN reaching speeds of up to 30 Mbps and WireGuard up to 190 Mbps.

Remote management options allow users to monitor data usage, update firmware, and configure settings from anywhere.

The GL-X2000 maintains a relatively low power consumption, operating at under 14W with a 12V/2.5A input, making it compatible with portable battery packs.

Weighing 443 grams and measuring 141 x 86 x 36 mm, it remains compact while offering full-sized networking functionality.

The GL-X2000 is currently available at a limited-time 23% discount, priced at $185.90 in North America and $175.90 in the EU, UK, and Australia. Without the discount, the device costs $239.90 and $229.90, respectively.

Via Cnx-software

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