TechRadar News

Nintendo has released a new Nintendo Switch software update which addresses several bugs.

Version 19.0.1 is now available to download and alongside general system stability improvements, the latest Switch patch fixes a connection issue with the GameCube Controller Adapter and GameCube Controllers.

The update also resolves an issue where some network processes weren't working, including the ability to download software while the Nintendo Switch is in sleep mode.

As always, users will need to head to their system settings to install the latest update.

Nintendo Switch Version 19.0.1 - Patch Notes

• Fixed an issue with the Nintendo GameCube Controller Adapter and Nintendo GameCube Controller(s) not being recognized
• Fixed an issue where some network processes, like downloading software, weren’t working as expected during sleep mode
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience

Last week, Nintendo released a brand new Nintendo Switch OLED bundle exclusive to Europe for £309.99. The bundle included a white Switch OLED console, a pre-installed digital copy of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online membership.

While Nintendo has yet to formally announce the Nintendo Switch 2, we do know that the handheld will be revealed before the end of 2024 and is expected to launch in 2025.

Rumors about the console have also been ramping up over the past year. Most recently, new images allegedly leaked online showcasing the supposed final design of the Switch 2. 10 out of the 12 images supposedly showed 3D model renders suggesting that the console will be thicker and feature a larger display and kickstand, like the OLED.

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If you're rushing to get one of Apple's freshly-released M4 Macs, you'll need to install a software update immediately upon starting to use it to unlock all of its exciting new capabilities. If you ordered right away and receive your M4 iMac, Mac mini, or MacBook Pro on November 8, you'll find that these devices are running a unique version of macOS Sequoia 15.0 (24A8332) made just for these devices, which doesn't yet include Apple Intelligence.

In order to access macOS Sequoia’s new AI-driven features, including Writing Tools, a smarter Siri with new features and design, smart replies, notification summaries, and health hearing features for the AirPods Pro 2, you’ll then need to update your M4 Mac device to macOS Sequoia 15.1 (build number 24B2083).

If you’re restoring data from a backup of another Mac device that was already running macOS Sequoia 15.1, you’ll still have to update your device’s software as part of the data transfer process to make sure all the new features work seamlessly, according to MacRumors.

macOS Sequoia also introduced the well-received iPhone Mirroring feature to desktop and this update adds drag-and-drop capabilities to it.

Will Apple Intelligence be the first AI tool to win users over?

Apple Intelligence is expected to be a pretty significant development both for Apple and for consumer AI products in general. Going by Apple’s rhetoric, it’s invested a lot of time and resources into Apple Intelligence, while taking its time after other consumer AI products have bolted out of the gate to try and capitalize on the hype. Apple makes products that feel sleek and intuitive, and it’ll get people using Apple Intelligence and features powered by it if it successfully creates at least the illusion of easy, responsive AI.

Of course, time will tell if Apple is successful at making its users feel like this. M4 users in particular are well poised to feel the benefit of Apple Intelligence, with the M4 chips offering AI workload processing times of up to 46% faster than its predecessor, the M3 (according to Apple’s own figures, at least), and I’m eager to see how it impacts the overall macOS user experience along with Sequoia’s new developments.

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Apple Intelligence is now available on macOS Sequoia 15.1, bringing Apple's AI tools to the Mac. Writing Tools, in particular, is incredibly useful on Mac, allowing you to proofread, rewrite, and change the tone of your writing easily. Now, those using Windows on a Mac can access Apple Intelligence Writing Tools thanks to an update to Parallels Desktop.

Parallels, the developer of Parallels Desktop, revealed the update in a blog post, saying: "Thanks to Parallels Tools, you can now use Apple Writing Tools to improve your texts in Windows apps such as Microsoft Word."

The blog post shows users how to get Apple Intelligence and use Writing Tools in the Windows virtual machine. To access Apple Intelligence in Windows, you'll need Parallels Desktop 20.1 and Apple Intelligence activated in macOS Sequoia 15.1. Once enabled, you can use Apple Intelligence Writing Tools in Windows – who would have thought we'd see the day?

Writing Tools in Windows can be activated by selecting text and using the keyboard shortcut Shift+Cmd+W. Alternatively, you can access Writing Tools from the macOS menu bar by clicking Edit, then Writing Tools.

(Image credit: Parallels) Apple Intelligence Writing Tools

Writing Tools is one of the standout features of Apple Intelligence in macOS Sequoia 15.1, and being able to use the feature when you need to use Windows 11 on your Mac is a huge benefit.

Writing Tools works similarly to grammar tools like Grammarly but it's built into macOS, allowing you to use it whenever you need it and in most applications. Whether you're clicking the Apple Intelligence button in Notes, or selecting text to activate Writing Tools in Word, it's a powerful and easy-to-use AI feature that could become pivotal to your workflow. While Writing Tools is the only Apple Intelligence feature available on Windows via Parallels at the moment, hopefully, we'll see other Apple AI tools working on Windows in the future.

Parallels Desktop is priced from $99.99 /£89.99 (about AU$150).

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Expressing your real self on Microsoft Teams is set to get a lot easier after the company began rolling out a significant new update.

Users of the video conferencing service will now get the option to select their preferred skin tone for Microsoft Teams reactions and emojis.

The update, available for users across the world, on all platforms, including Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, is rolling out now, having been first announced in April 2024.

Microsoft Teams reactions

Previously, only a single skin tone option has been available, however Microsoft's new update will now change all that.

An entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap noted, "This preference will be applied to all emojis and reactions in chats, channels, and desktop/web meetings, allowing users to express themselves more authentically in conversations."

Although only a minor tweak to the platform itself, the change is an important signal from Microsoft Teams as it looks to offer a more inclusive environment for workers everywhere.

First introduced in January 2021, Microsoft Teams reactions give users a quick and easy way to show their approval (or not) to chat messages and on calls, covering a range of emojis and symbols such as a thumbs up, frowning face or even a love heart.

The update is the latest in a series of changes recently released for Microsoft Teams allowing users to show a little more personality in their calls and chats.

This includes a "unified fun picker" which brings together stickers, GIFs and more into a single location, hopefully making it a lot quicker to bring some joy to your Microsoft Teams calls and meetings, meaning you will no longer need to search around for the best reaction or emoji to brighten up a meeting.

Microsoft Teams also recently launched a tool allowing workers to book a desk in increasingly crowded offices. Users will be able to reserve desks when arriving at their workplace or office by plugging in to shared desks, quickly spotting where any spaces are, hopefully letting them get online and working without any hassle.

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Nintendo has released a new Nintendo Music app that lets you browse and listen to music from a wide range of the company’s games on your mobile phone. The app is exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online members and requires you to sign in with your Nintendo account once it's downloaded.

The app currently features music from a range of Nintendo Switch hits including the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey, and Splatoon 3. There are also a handful of soundtracks from games on older systems, like Super Mario Galaxy on Wii and Nintendogs on DS. 

It’s not all games though, as there’s even a dedicated Wii Channels album, finally letting you jam out to the iconic Wii Shop Channel theme to your heart's content. Nintendo has also confirmed that more music will be added to the app in the future via software updates.

I’ve downloaded the app to give it a whirl and have been pleasantly surprised by some of its features. There are custom playlists, recommendations, the option to save songs offline, and even the ability to seamlessly extend some tracks by up to an hour. I’m also a big fan of the automated section that is wholly dedicated to games that you’ve previously played on Nintendo Switch.

The app uses in-game screenshots in place of traditional album art and warns upfront that some may contain spoilers. Luckily, you can add games to a spoiler block list in the settings menu, which stops its music from being displayed.

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• The Weather app was previously a Pixel 9 exclusive
• Pixel 6 and later Pixels can now get the app
• The update should arrive on your phone automatically

Our Google Pixel 9 review will tell you that this is a phone series we're very much fans of, and alongside its flagship handsets for 2024, Google also put a new and improved Weather app on the Pixel 9 devices – an app that's now making its way to older Pixels, too.

Earlier this month Google told us this would be happening, and 9to5Google has spotted that the roll out is now underway: every Pixel phone from the Google Pixel 6 onwards is now eligible to get the updated Weather app.

If you own a supported phone, you should get the update automatically. You can also manually check for it by opening up the Play Store app, tapping your profile picture (top right), then choosing Manage apps and device. If any updates are available (including the Weather app), you'll see them here.

This will upgrade the Weather app already on your Pixel phone with all the new features. It's a good idea to restart your phone after updating, so that every part of Android (including the at-a-glance widget) is pulling data from the new app.

Lots to explore

The Google Pixel 6 can get the update (Image credit: Future)

As we've previously reported, there's lots to explore in the new Weather app, not least a Dark Sky-style radar map showing precipitation areas in real time. Alongside the basics, there's information on wind speed, UV levels, visibility, and sunset and sunrise times.

There's an hourly forecast too, as well as notifications that will warn you if rain or snow is on the way to your current location. You can sign up for daily weather forecast notifications if you'd like to, via the app settings.

However, the AI weather report – which uses AI to generate a summary of conditions in your area, will remain exclusive to the Pixel 9 phones. That's most likely due to the extra on-board AI processing available on the Pixel 9 series via Gemini Nano (the Pixel 8 phones have Gemini Nano too, but it's not enabled in the same way).

That AI hardware limitation most probably means we won't see the other Pixel 9 exclusives – like Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio – make their way to older phones. However, it's good to see the excellent Weather app trickling down.

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New research from Veracode has revealed over three-quarters (76%) of financial institutions have ‘Security debt’, which it defines as any flaw that has gone unfixed for longer than a year - and shockingly, 50% have ‘critical security debt’ from high severity flaws.

The financial sector is facing a rising number of cyberattacks, and critical infrastructure is proving to be a top target for threat actors.

The average cost of a data breach in the financial sector has hit a staggering $6.08 million, Veracode says - so any security flaw could be costly.

AI driven attacks

Of all applications in the industry, 40% have security debt, but just 5.5% are flaw-free, so the clock is ticking. The flaws primarily come from financial organizations own code (84%), however the critical flaws overwhelmingly come from third party dependencies (78%).

Whilst security teams do fix half of the first-party flaws within nine months, the flaws stick around longer in third party code, only being fixed after an average of 13 months. Of those, only 44% of first party flaws turn into security debt compared to 52% from third parties.

“The high rate of security debt in the financial sector poses significant risks to organizations and their customers if not addressed quickly," said Chris Wysopal, Chief Security Evangelist at Veracode.

“As AI-driven cyber-attacks continue to grow in strength and numbers, and organizations struggle to keep up with evolving regulations due to existing security debt, the current landscape allows threat actors to exploit vulnerabilities at an alarming, unprecedented rate."

This trend is one we’ve seen repeated across the board, with AI changing the cybersecurity landscape on both sides. Cybercriminals show no signs of relenting, so even minor flaws could end up costing your organization millions.

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Passwords are falling out of fashion with younger generations around the world, as passkeys provide faster and more secure login without the hassle of remembering, new research has claimed.

New data from FIDO Alliance shows passkey awareness has risen from 39% familiarity in 2022, to 57% in 2024.

Moreover, businesses are missing out on revenue from younger generations, with 50% of people aged 25-34 abandoning at least one purchase per month because they had forgotten their password.

Youngsters want authentication alternatives

Recent findings from Google claim passkeys are four times simpler to use than passwords, making them highly attractive for youngsters looking to log in rapidly or make a quick purchase. Passkeys are also phishing resistant, as they are stored on a local device such as a phone, which means that an account secured with a passkey cannot be accessed by a hacker without that device. They would also need the authenticator app you use, as well as your chosen method of verification, such as a fingerprint or facial scan.

Forgetting a password can quickly ruin an online experience, with over half (56%) of those surveyed by FIDO Alliance giving up using an online service because they had forgotten a password, with the number rising to two thirds (66%) for those below the age of 35.

Password managers are already taking some of the sting out of constantly having to remember passwords, but that doesn’t mean their usage isn’t declining. In fact, password usage decreased daily in 2023 with biometric authentication now ranking as the most popular login method.

China and India are leading the passkey revolution, with adoption rates at 80% and 73% respectively, while the UK ranks third at 66%. The research also indicates that tech savvy youngsters are becoming more aware of the cyber threats that affect them personally, with 54% of 18-24 year olds and 61% of 25-34 year olds seeing scams and suspicious messages getting smarter and more targeted.

“Consumer expectations are changing, and this data should serve as a clear call to action for brands and organizations still relying on outdated password systems," noted Andrew Shikiar, CEO at FIDO Alliance.

"Consumers are actively seeking out and prefer passwordless alternatives when available, and brands that fail to adapt are losing patience, money, and loyalty – especially among younger generations.”

“When consumers know about passkeys, they use them. Excitingly, 20% of the world’s top 100 websites and services already support passkeys. As the industry accelerates its efforts toward education and making deployment as simple as possible, we urge more brands to work with us to make passkeys available for consumers. The pace of passkey deployment and usage is set to accelerate even more in the next twelve months, and we are eager to help brands and consumers alike make the shift,” Shikiar concluded.

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AMD’s Ryzen 9800X3D is close at hand now, and Gigabyte has given us a look at a new feature for its latest motherboards that boosts the performance of 3D V-Cache chips (and other Ryzen CPUs besides).

VideoCardz points out the revelations that come from a video (and presentation slides therein) uploaded to YouTube by Gigabyte, which informs owners of its AM5 motherboards that they can install the latest BIOS and get access to an ‘X3D turbo mode’ that speeds up their CPU for gaming.

The Ryzen 9800X3D is mentioned – even though it’s not officially confirmed yet, it is strongly rumored to be the sole Zen 5 X3D processor set to launch on November 7 – and we’re told we can expect frame rate boosts to the tune of up to 5%.

The motherboard maker claims that Tomb Raider gets a 5% boost, Horizon Zero Dawn gets a 4.5% uplift, and Far Cry 6 a 3.5% increase with the 9800X3D in turbo mode. We don’t get to learn anything about the PC configuration or settings used here, though, save for the fact that it’s a measurement of turbo mode on, versus turning off the feature.

Gigabyte explains that this is a one-click turbo mode (turned on in the BIOS) that works with all X3D chips, including past generations (not just 9800X3D, or other Zen 5 X3D chips when they arrive), and indeed it will give vanilla Ryzen processors a similar boost, too.

So, this is good news for gamers who have any Ryzen CPU in a Gigabyte AM5 motherboard, not just X3D owners.

Analysis: Tempering expectations and peeking under the hood

This is a little odd, as previous leaks from Gigabyte had suggested that X3D turbo mode could provide a massive boost for PC games (there was talk of up to 35%), and these are far more modest increases aired here – but they are still gains which are well worth having. (And if any huge gains were in evidence, these were always likely to be outliers of one kind of another – it’s possible that the previously mentioned figures included EXPO memory overclocking as well as this turbo mode).

What’s the feature doing under the hood? As VideoCardz notes, the turbo mode appears to turn off SMT (multi-threading with the CPU) and doing so has benefits for games, as well as fine tuning aspects of power usage and core distribution. Dropping SMT is the reason why Gigabyte recommends you only turn on X3D turbo mode when gaming, as it’s likely to drag down the performance of your everyday apps (and demanding non-gaming workloads in particular).

If the leaks are right, the Ryzen 9800X3D processor is set to provide an 8% performance boost for gaming compared to the Ryzen 7800X3D, and the gains from turbo mode will be on top of that (but also applicable to the 7800X3D, too – perhaps not to quite the same extent, though).

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Apple’s brand-new MacBook Pro laptops come with a range of upgrades, from the M4 chip to faster Thunderbolt 5 ports. The improvements extend to the display, and that’s great news if you want to use the MacBook Pro in either bright outdoor sun or in very dark surroundings.

Apple says the mini-LED display inside the M4 MacBook Pro can ramp up to 1,000 nits of brightness when you're viewing SDR content outside. That’s much brighter than the 600 nits the M3 model was capable of in these conditions, and it should help make on-screen content much more visible when the sun is shining.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the MacBook Pro’s display can now drop down to a mere one nit of brightness in low light, compared to two nits on the previous version. If you want to work in the dark without blinding yourself with a bright screen, your eyes will feel the benefits even more.

The values for HDR content have not changed – the MacBook Pro will still offer up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness for HDR media and up to 1,000 nits of sustained full-screen brightness, which is the same as you’d get with the M3 model.

(Image credit: Apple)

Other display elements remain the same between the M4 and M3 MacBook Pro. You can still expect True Tone technology, the ProMotion variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, and support for the P3 wide color gamut.

However, there is one other change that’s come not to the display itself, but to the tech that lives inside it: the MacBook Pro’s webcam. Apple has upgraded it with a 12MP resolution, but perhaps more interesting is the addition of Center Stage and Desk View. The former feature automatically keeps you centered in the middle of your video call’s frame as you move around, while the latter shows a top-down view of your desk without you needing to tilt your camera. Both were previously only available while using Continuity Camera on a compatible iPhone, but can now be used on both the MacBook Pro and the M4 iMac.

There have long been rumors that Apple is working on bringing out an OLED MacBook Pro that would swap out the MacBook Pro’s mini-LED display for something even better, but given that the latest MacBook Pro lacks an OLED screen, that’s clearly something for a future update.

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It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to hear new research has found British workers often have to give up their spare time for work related commitments - but if you’re one of the 1 in 3 British workers who regularly skips their lunch break to catch up on admin tasks, HP has new tools for you.

The company has announced its new Amplify AI programme, which is set to offer “tools, resources, training, and certification” to make sure partners are well equipped to use AI to help their customers and within their own business.

An earlier survey, found that just 42% of workers and 51% of business leaders believe that AI can alleviate tedious tasks and allow employees to focus on the more critical aspects of their work - but HP hopes this will improve.

An AI PC for your admin needs

Alongside the Amplify programme, the company HP is releasing the new HP OmniBook Ultra 14 Flip, its next-gen AI PC 2-in-1 laptop costing £,1699 and featuring an inbuilt AI companion which can answer questions, analyze documents, and gather insights to help reduce workloads.

“AI is set to be a significant driver of change in the future of work, increasing productivity and allowing workers to enjoy their jobs more by taking simple and repetitive tasks off their plates,” said Neil Sawyer, Managing Director of HP’s Northwest Europe market.

“In the UK, according to HP’s WRI, 65% of workers believe AI will make their jobs easier, and at HP we want to make this a reality by empowering workers with the latest in AI technology to achieve their aspirations.” he continued.

Recent research has shown that British workers are overwhelmingly confused about how to integrate AI into their day-to-day work, and in fact only one in four workers actually use AI every day.

We have seen a slew of new products such as these, as Lenovo AI capable PCs saw a 228% rise in the second quarter of 2024. These products are hoping to encourage workers to adopt AI for mundane tasks to boost productivity across the board.

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With paperless options slowly becoming everyone's new favorite, you might think that printing has become obsolete. But the truth is, whether you're a busy professional, a student, or a home user, having the best printer can make a world of difference in your daily life. From printing important documents to creating studio-quality photos, the right printer can be a huge productivity boost.

But with so many options available, how do you choose? Inkjet, laser, LED - each technology has its own strengths and weaknesses. Do you need speed or quality? Are you printing mostly text or photos? And what about those running costs that can sneak up on you?

In this guide, we'll dive deep into the world of printing technologies. We'll explore how each type works, their pros and cons, and help you figure out which one is the perfect fit for your needs. By the end, you'll be equipped with all the knowledge you need to make the right choice for your ideal printing station.

Also check out our complete list of the best all-in-one printers available.

What is an Inkjet Printer?

Inkjet printers are probably what most of us think of when we picture a home printer. These versatile machines are popular for good reason — they're affordable, compact, and capable of producing high-quality color prints.

The technology behind inkjet printers is fascinating in its simplicity. These printers work by spraying tiny droplets of liquid ink onto paper. The print head contains thousands of microscopic nozzles that fire these droplets with incredible precision. As the print head moves back and forth across the paper, it lays down these droplets to form your text or images.

I've always been amazed by the quality inkjet printers can achieve, especially when it comes to photos. The ability to blend colors smoothly makes them a favorite among photographers and anyone who needs to print vibrant images.

Pros:

• Affordable initial cost
• Excellent photo quality
• Compact and lightweight
• Versatile paper handling
• No warm-up time needed

Cons:

• Higher cost per page
• Slower printing speeds
• Ink can smudge when wet
• Not ideal for high volumes
• Frequent ink replacements needed

What is a Laser Printer?

Laser printers have been a staple in offices for decades for good reason. These powerful devices use a technology that's very similar to photocopiers, creating sharp and professional-looking documents at impressive speeds.

Here's how it works: When you hit print, the printer's laser beam "draws" your document onto a drum inside the printer. This drum is coated with a material that becomes electrically charged where the laser hits it. Then, a fine powder called toner is applied to the drum. The toner sticks to the charged areas, creating your image or text. Finally, the toner is transferred onto paper and fused with heat and pressure, resulting in your printed page.

The best thing about laser printers is their speed and efficiency, especially for text-heavy documents. They're the go-to choice for many businesses that need to print out high volumes of paper quickly and consistently.

Pros:

• Fast printing speeds
• Sharp text quality
• Lower cost per page
• High-volume printing capability
• Smudge-resistant prints

Cons:

• Higher upfront cost
• Bulky size
• Less versatile paper handling
• Not ideal for photos
• Warm-up time required

What is an LED Printer?

LED printers might be the new kid on the block, but they're quickly gaining popularity. These printers are similar to laser printers in many ways, but with a key difference in how they create the image on the drum.

Instead of using a laser beam, LED printers employ a strip of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to create the image on the drum. The rest of the process - using toner and fusing it to the paper - is very similar to laser printers. This technology was pioneered by OKI in 1989, and other manufacturers have since adopted it.

The use of LEDs instead of lasers might seem like a small change, but it brings some significant advantages. LED printers tend to be more compact, as they don't need the space for a moving laser and mirror system. They're also often more reliable due to having fewer moving parts.

Pros:

• Compact design
• Reliable performance
• Energy-efficient operation
• Fast printing speeds
• Quiet operation

Cons:

• Limited model selection
• Higher upfront cost
• Less common than alternatives
• Potential color accuracy issues
• Limited availability of supplies

Choosing the right printer for your setup

When it comes to selecting the perfect printer for your needs, understanding the key differences between inkjet, laser, and LED printers is crucial. Let's recap these differences one more time so we can explore how to make the right choice:

How to create your ideal printing setup

Now that we've explored the different printing technologies, let's talk about how you can create the perfect printing setup for your needs. Remember, the right choice depends on your specific requirements, budget, and printing habits.

1. Assess your printing needs: Before you start shopping, take some time to think about what you'll be printing most often. Are you primarily printing text documents, or do you need high-quality photo prints? How many pages do you typically print per month? Understanding your needs will help guide your decision.
2. Consider your budget: While it's tempting to go for the cheapest option, remember to factor in long-term costs. Inkjet printers might be cheaper upfront, but if you print a lot, a laser printer could save you money in the long run due to lower per-page costs. Make sure to research the cost of replacement ink or toner for any printer you're considering.
3. Think about space and placement: Where will your printer live? If you're tight on space, a compact inkjet or LED printer might be your best bet. Also, consider connectivity options. Do you need Wi-Fi capabilities for easy printing from multiple devices, or is a simple USB connection sufficient?
4. Don't forget about paper handling: If you frequently print on different types of paper or envelopes, look for a printer with versatile paper handling capabilities. Some printers offer multiple trays or the ability to handle thicker paper stocks, which can be a real time-saver.
5. Future-proof your purchase: Technology is always evolving, so try to choose a printer that will meet your needs not just now, but for years to come. Look for features like mobile printing capabilities, cloud integration, or the ability to add functionality through software updates.

Remember, the perfect printer is out there waiting for you. By carefully considering your needs and understanding the strengths of each technology, you'll be well on your way to creating your ideal printing setup. Happy printing!

We've listed the best small business printers.

ChatGPT conversations can accumulate quickly if you regularly converse with the AI chatbot. Finding a particular bit of discussion with ChatGPT has been difficult, though, even with well-labeled thread names. OpenAI has released a new search feature for ChatGPT to address that issue. The feature lets you sift through past conversations by looking for specific terms, making it much easier to find bits you don't totally remember or pull up old threads without having to dive deep into the list of threads.

The search tool is only available to those subscribing to ChatGPT Plus or Teams for now, though free users are supposed to be able to use it starting next month. To use the search tool, you just need to click on the magnifying glass icon at the top of the ChatGPT sidebar. Write in the word or phrase you want to find, and the AI chatbot will sort through your history to locate specific messages. If you have particularly long chat threads, that could save you a lot of time.

We’re starting to roll out the ability to search through your chat history on ChatGPT web.Now you can quickly & easily bring up a chat to reference, or pick up a chat where you left off. pic.twitter.com/YVAOUpFvzJOctober 29, 2024

ChatGPT search, not SearchGPT

Hearing the term search with the term ChatGPT immediately brings to mind SearchGPT, the rather imperfect web search feature teased by OpenAI this summer. The new tool is more like how you might hunt through a folder of documents or perhaps an email inbox.

And while OpenAI didn't explicitly call it out, it would be logical for the search tool to learn from your interactions the way it does from your conversations. That might mean getting better at knowing the kind of conversation history you are likely to search for and maybe filtering the results.

The search feature isn't exactly earth-shattering, but it does at least bring ChatGPT to parity with some of its rivals like Google Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude. It fits with some of the other quality-of-life improvements to ChatGPT, including a better chat interface, autocomplete suggestions, and using “/” to immediately command ChatGPT to search online or generate images.

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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 #508) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BAT
• EGG
• LOVE
• WITCH
• PUMPKIN
• SPIDER
• BLINK
• JOB
• DIABLO
• FLUTTER
• TREASURE
• VIPER
• SCAVENGER
• MUSTANG
• WINK
• DARLING

NYT Connections today (game #508) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: My sweetheart
• Green: Or you could add shadow…
• Blue: Fast drives
• Purple: Blank [look for]

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 #508) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
• GREEN: THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR EYELIDS
• BLUE: SPORTS CARS
• PURPLE: ___ HUNT

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

NYT Connections today (game #508) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #508, are…

• YELLOW: TERMS OF ENDEARMENT DARLING, LOVE, PUMPKIN, TREASURE
• GREEN: THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR EYELIDS BAT, BLINK, FLUTTER, WINK
• BLUE: SPORTS CARS DIABLO, MUSTANG, SPIDER, VIPER
• PURPLE: ___ HUNT EGG, JOB, SCAVENGER, WITCH

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 mistake

So here we are with our Halloween edition of Connections, complete with BAT, PUMPKIN, WITCH and SPIDER. Except it's not really – because there's no Halloween-themed group here today. Instead, PUMPKIN formed part of the easiest group with DARLING, LOVE and TREASURE to make TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, while BAT joined with BLINK, FLUTTER and WINK to form THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR EYELIDS (green).

Neither of these two were too tricky, but I actually solved blue first. This was SPORTS CARS, containing DIABLO, MUSTANG, SPIDER and VIPER, and though I'm no automotive expert I spotted it quickly, possibly because I am currently driving a Mustang Mach-E (on loan while my own car is in for repairs).

That meant I didn't need to solve purple, although I did give it a try earlier on and would have got it if I'd needed to. My mistake was to place TREASURE there with EGG, SCAVENGER and JOB as ___HUNT, but obviously WITCH was the correct missing word.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 30 October, game #507)

• YELLOW: UPSWING BOOM, RISE, SPIKE, SURGE
• GREEN: THINGS WITH WHEELS DOLLY, ROLLERBLADE, SKATEBOARD, WAGON
• BLUE: KINDS OF TAPE DUCT, ELECTRICAL, GAFFER, PACKING
• PURPLE: RETAIL CHAINS WITH A LETTER CHANGED BEST BOY, IDEA, KRONER, STABLES

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.

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 #1011) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

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

Quordle today (game #1011) - 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 #1011) - 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 #1011) - 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 #1011) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• R

• B

• A

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

Quordle today (game #1011) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1011, are…

• TWINE
• RIGID
• BELCH
• AMEND

I was slightly surprised not to see any Halloween-themed words in today's Quordle, although I suppose some kids might BELCH after eating too many sweets. But no GHOST or GHOUL or WITCH to be found. Then again, I think Quordle's words are set in advance, like Wordle's are (most of the time), so I guess the fact that it's October 31 is irrelevant.

This was not a particularly tricky one, despite the repeated I in RIGID. I made one mistake (guessing LEECH rather than BELCH), but still had a guess to spare at the end. Tonight's festivities will probably be scarier.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1011) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1011, are…

• ESTER
• GROVE
• HEDGE
• DRUID

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #993, Sunday 13 October: UNFIT, NYMPH, THUMB, PUREE
• Quordle #992, Saturday 12 October: SAUCY, UNDUE, EGRET, HELLO
• Quordle #991, Friday 11 October: RINSE, ANIME, PUSHY, ZEBRA

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Trick or treat!

NYT Strands today (game #242) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• RINSE
• TRUSS
• POSE
• COPE
• MINK
• PUNK

NYT Strands today (game #242) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Fancy dress!

NYT Strands today (game #242) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 4th row

Last: 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 #242) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #242, are…

• GHOST
• MUMMY
• WITCH
• CLOWN
• PUMPKIN
• PRINCESS
• PIRATE
• SPANGRAM: COSTUME

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I'm a staunch traditionalist when it comes to Halloween costumes: they need to be spooky, otherwise what's the point? I think this might be yet another cultural difference between America and the UK, possibly, although I increasingly see it creeping up on us over here too, with more and more people attending Halloween parties dressed as, well, whatever they want. And I say stop this! Go as a GHOST, go as a MUMMY, go as a WITCH. Maybe go as a PUMPKIN – not scary, but Halloween at least – or just about a CLOWN, if it's a scary one. Then again, they're all scary in a sense.

Today's Strands isn't strictly Halloween themed, because the spangram is merely COSTUMES rather than having the word Halloween in there, but then again the theme clue was 'Trick or treat'. For that reason it took me slightly longer to spot PRINCESS (not acceptable for Halloween, sorry) and PIRATE (ditto), but really this was still among the easiest games in recent days.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 30 October, game #241)

• LICORICE
• LOLLIPOP
• TOFFEE
• CHOCOLATE
• GUMDROP
• SPANGRAM: CANDYSTORE

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.

Tony Stark may rely on AI to help build and pilot his Iron Man armor, but actor Robert Downey Jr. will go after any executive thinking to use AI to replicate him for a role. Downey made his feelings clear on a new episode of the “On With Kara Swisher” podcast, where he discussed AI, deepfake technology, and his antipathy toward any effort to recreate him with AI, even after he passes away.

Downey isn't too concerned about future urges at Marvel Studios to insert an AI replica of him into future films without his permission. The temptation is obvious since Downey's most famous role kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe and he is even returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film. Amusingly, both characters are well known for their use of AI and advanced technology, with Doom, in particular, sending out an endless array of robotic duplicates with AI versions of his mind and personality to carry out his bidding.​ Still, he trusts that the leadership of the studio won't betray him.

"And to go back to the MCU, I'm not worried about them hijacking my character's soul because there's like three or four guys and gals who make all the decisions there anyway. And they would never do that to me with or without me," Downey said on the podcast.

Host Kara Swisher pointed out that it's more about what will happen after he passes away, but Downey had an answer for that: "Well, you're right, And, I would like to here state that I intend to sue all future executives just on spec," he declared.

“You’ll be dead,” Swisher countered, to which Downey quickly riposted: “But my law firm will still be very active.”

Eternal battle against AI

The Oscar-winner is hardly alone among actors in being wary of AI duplicates, an issue critical to the strike and eventual deal made by the recent Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) strikes this year. Downey's view may be bolstered by law thanks to a bill introduced by California legislators prohibiting the unauthorized replication of deceased actors.

On the other hand, some actors seem fine with having AI take up their iconic roles as long as they and their eventual estate approve and are compensated. For instance, James Earl Jones agreed to let Disney use his voice for future Darth Vader projects before his recent passing. His contract details how and when his AI voice clone may be used.

Jones isn't the only celebrity allowing AI companies to replicate their voice or face. Meta scored deals with many celebrities, including John Cena, Keegan Michael Key, and Kristen Bell, to voice its Meta AI assistant. ElevenLabs did the same with Deepak Chopra for its Reader App. , and reached a deal with the estates of James Dean, Burt Reynolds, Judy Garland, and Sir Laurence Olivier to let it add AI versions of their voices to the app. Not every performer has the resources to push back against the potential AI deepfakes that could be produced. Hence, AI's place in Hollywood was a key sticking point during the strike.

Downey has been immersed in questions of AI and art thanks to his recent turn on Broadway in McNeal. The drama, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar, sees Downey play a famous author battling AI's takeover of creative projects and how artists and audiences should grapple with the implications of the technology. It's not too dissimilar to what Downey said in the interview, including criticizing the way AI developers sometimes hint or outright proclaim that AI is a key to saving creative industries. ChatGPT is no Ultron, but Downey very much opposes some of what AI might do to actors, writers, and other creators just as much as Iron Man fought the murderous AI on the big screen.

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Apple’s M4 Mac mini has already garnered plenty of attention thanks to its brand-new and innovative design. Still, there’s another reason why it deserves your praise according to the tech giant.

The M4 Mac mini is now the second Apple product and the first Mac device to receive the “carbon neutral” label. In order to reduce the carbon footprint of the Mac mini, Apple invested in enough renewable energy to offset the emissions created by consumer use of the product.

This all started in 2023 with the Apple Watch Series 9’s production, in which it decided to eliminate emissions by purchasing renewable energy sources. While the energy needed to power a smartwatch is relatively small compared to the footprint of the device’s components, a Mac mini requires far more energy to function, which makes the latter a much more sustainable option for this method of carbon reduction.

While its reduced size likely reduced its carbon footprint, Apple tends to be tight-lipped about the specifics regarding materials and production for its environmental initiatives, which makes it hard to determine to extend of this.

Will this initiative really work?

While this does sound nice, and it really does, these renewable energy source purchases beg an important question — does any of this matter in the end?

Of course, any bit of reduction helps, and establishing a carbon-neutral footprint is certainly commendable. However, how carbon-neutral are these footprints when looking at the ecological impact of the semiconductor industry? Not only is it incredibly energy intensive but it also uses chemicals that pose a significantly higher global warming risk than carbon dioxide.

According to TechCrunch, manufacturing the base model for the Mac mini “generates 32 kg of carbon pollution” even after subtracting from Apple’s carbon-reduction investments, and the top-spec model “nearly quadruples the carbon footprint to 121 kg.”

It goes to show you how much — even with all these initiatives tech companies have been investing in for years — carbon emissions, chemical waste production, and overall contribution to ecological damage (not to mention the unethical labor practices that go into resource mining) are embedded in the tech industry.

The only real way to truly reduce carbon emissions is to reduce the production of tech products in the first place, while developing more sustainable materials and manufacturing practices. Otherwise, all the renewable energy sources in the world won’t offset the permanent damage being dealt to the planet.

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A major Brazilian driving school appears to have exposed the sensitive information of up to 400,000 individuals after failing to properly secure a cloud database.

Researchers from Cybernews claim to have found an unprotected Google Cloud Storage bucket containing information about Brazilian Learner’s Driving permits - Licença De Aprendizagem De Direção Veicular.

The learner permit is a document that the Brazilian government issues to people currently attending driving lessons, allowing them to drive a vehicle during lessons. Cybernews says the archive is most likely owned by a driving school from Sao Paulo, called Centro de Formação de Condutores Free Alda.

Still available

Most of the exposed data carries a Detran insignia - which stands for State Department of Traffic (Departamento Estadual de Trânsito).

The researchers believe that up to 400,000 individuals have had sensitive data exposed this way, including full names, photographs, postal addresses, government ID numbers, taxpayers’ numbers, details about the driving permit, including issue date and validity period, signatures, IP addresses, and user phone models. This is more than enough to run all sorts of cybercrime, from identity theft to wire fraud.

The pros think the archive was either misconfigured, or not properly secured. It is impossible to determine for how long it remained open, or if anyone accessed it before they found it. The Cybernews team says they made the discovery on June 2, and that the school was subsequently contacted by Brazil’s CERT. However, as late as September 19, the archive was still open to anyone who knew where to look.

“The exposed data could be exploited by malicious actors for identity theft, fraud, or other illegal activities. Moreover, a breach of this type can undermine public trust in governmental agencies responsible for managing and protecting sensitive personal information,” Cybernews researchers said.

More from TechRadar Pro

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A mysterious AI image generator known as Red Panda shot up the ranks of the Artificial Analysis Image Arena this week, cementing itself at the top of the charts. While we had no idea who developed Red Panda, or even what, exactly, it was, we now know who makes one of the best AI image generators and where you can try it… enter Recraft V3.

Recraft V3 is an AI tool for professional designers and its developer, also called Recraft, has just released its new image generation model ‘red_panda’. As we reported yesterday (October 29), the leaderboard king Red Panda was indeed a new model in testing, and it looks like it could be one of the best out there.

Recraft V3 secured the number 1 spot on Artificial Analysis' Text-to-Image Model Leaderboard, a crowdsourced research tool that is created by giving users the choice between images created using two different models and asking them which one they prefer.

The new model has a lot going for it, including improved image generation compared to Recraft's previous model. Recraft V3 is the first model of its kind to offer image generation of any size and length of text. Recraft says, "This feature sets it apart from others – while very few models can offer similar capabilities, they still can’t match Recraft’s ability to generate long texts within an image."

Anna Veronika Dorogush, Founder and CEO of Recraft says, "We don't just want users to just enter a prompt and see what comes out. Our goal is to help designers realize the exact result they have in mind. Recraft gives designers enhanced control over their work, enabling them to deliver projects that align perfectly with their creative vision. We are committed to making Recraft the essential, daily tool for every designer.”

The king is revealed

Recraft V3 took part in Artificial Analysis' test for four days, and currently has a 1172 ELO – ELO is a skill-based system found in online gaming and chess, which compares performance based on how many times something wins or loses. The image generator has an arena win rate of 72%, meaning users are more often than not picking the new model over its competitors. Recraft V3 topped the leaderboard, beating Black Forest Labs' FLUX1.1 and Midjourney, TechRadar's current pick for the best AI Image generator.

The new model is available from Recraft's website and the company offers a range of subscription plans ranging from free to $48 per month (about £37 or AU$73). Users can access all of Recraft V3's capabilities from the website, or via the iOS / Android app.

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