TechRadar News

One of the biggest internet service providers (ISP) in France has confirmed suffering a cyberattack that saw it lose sensitive customer data.

A threat actor alias “drusselx” opened a new thread on the infamous Breach forums, advertising a major database for sale, claiming it contains data on 19.2 million Free customers, and holds more than 5.11 million IBAN numbers.

An IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is a unique identifier for bank accounts used in international transactions to ensure accuracy and streamline cross-border payments. While an IBAN cannot be used directly to make money withdrawals, it is still a valuable piece of information that can be abused in other ways. “It affects all Free Mobile and Freebox customers, and includes the IBANs of all 5.11 million Freebox subscribers,” the ad concluded.

Smash and grab

"The affected subscribers have been or will be informed by email shortly," a Free spokesperson told BleepingComputer. "No operational impact was observed on our activities and services" the spokesperson added, stating that "all necessary measures were taken immediately to put an end to this attack and strengthen the protection of our information systems."

It seems this was a simple smash-and-grab. The company filed a criminal complaint, and notified the appropriate authorities. Free also added that the crooks did not steal passwords, bank card information, and communications content (even though drusselx did not mention it).

The ISP had almost 23 million subscribers this summer, and is considered the second-largest telecommunications company in France.

It warned customers to be vigilant of any suspicious bank transfers, noting, "If subscribers nevertheless notice an unusual direct debit, not corresponding to any date and no known invoice amount, their bank is obliged to reimburse them. They have 13 months to report the fraudulent direct debit."

More from TechRadar Pro

• T-Mobile will pay FCC millions in settlement over multiple data breaches
• Here's a list of the best firewalls today
• These are the best endpoint protection tools right now

• You need to join a waitlist after installing iOS 18.1
• The delay might be down to Apple Private Cloud Compute
• Most users don't need to wait long

If you're an iPhone owner eager to get started with Apple Intelligence after the launch of iOS 18.1, you might be disappointed to discover that there's a waitlist to access the new AI features – and now we might have a better idea of why that's the case.

As spotted by well-known tipster ShrimpApplePro and Apple vlogger Brandon Butch, a post on Reddit from a non-Apple server engineer suggests that the delay is down to getting people registered on Apple's Private Cloud Compute (PCC) platform.

That's the server or cloud side of Apple Intelligence: it's designed to process AI requests that can't be managed on-device, while still maintaining user privacy, so your prompts are protected from unauthorized access (not even Apple can see them).

According to the Reddit post, the process of granting users access to this fenced-off server space needs to be staggered – possibly to accommodate the advanced authentication methods it uses. You can read more in the official PCC documentation provided by Apple.

How to get started

For those still asking: "why is there a waitlist for Apple Intelligence?" Here's some good insight from a server engineer: "The real cause is almost certainly enrolling you in Private Cloud Compute. That's the server side of Apple Intelligence. Some of your requests are handled… pic.twitter.com/EDItCS90QaOctober 29, 2024

While we can't verify that this information is accurate, it's an educated guess that makes sense. Apple Intelligence doesn't just place demands on your gadgets; it puts pressure on Apple's cloud resources too.

You can now access the first wave of Apple Intelligence features if you've downloaded iOS 18.1 to an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model, and your device is set to US English. Head to Settings, then tap Apple Intelligence & Siri, and Join the Apple Intelligence Waiting List.

As per 9to5Google, some of the delay might also be down to the beta status of Apple Intelligence, with Apple wanting to minimize the risk of misleading or offensive answers. There's also quite a significant data download to consider.

The good news is that most people only seem to be on the waitlist for a few hours or even a few minutes (if you want to skip the queue, we can help with that too). So you shouldn't see too much of a delay – and more Apple Intelligence features are on the way with iOS 18.2.

You might also like

• How to get Apple Intelligence on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• 5 questions I still have about Apple Intelligence
• Here are the Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1

The OnePlus Open 2 could be the first major foldable phone of 2025, as a recent leak suggested the OnePlus Open 2 would land in the first quarter of the year, and today we’re hearing that the specs could be in for quite an upgrade.

According to leaker Digital Chat Station, posting on Weibo (via GSMArena), the OnePlus Open 2 will have a similar design to the current model, but with a larger screen and “extreme slimness.”

For reference, the original OnePlus Open is already only 11.7mm thick when folded and 5.8mm thick when unfolded, so presumably the OnePlus Open 2 will be even thinner.

A big battery and three new cameras

The OnePlus Open's cameras could be replaced (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

It’s also said to have a 5,700mAh battery (up from 4,805mAh in the original), a new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a trio of new 50MP cameras, with the main snapper joined by an ultra-wide and a 3x telephoto.

Now, the original OnePlus Open also has a 3x telephoto camera, along with main and ultra-wide ones, but the megapixel counts differ, coming in at 48MP for the main sensor, 48MP for the ultra-wide, and 64MP for the telephoto.

While that would mean there’s fewer megapixels in the telephoto camera this time around, it’s likely that all three sensors on the OnePlus Open 2 are upgrades, as the company probably wouldn’t change them otherwise.

So if this leak pans out then the OnePlus Open 2 could be an upgrade in numerous ways, which should make for an impressive phone, given that we gave the original 4.5 stars in our OnePlus Open review.

Of course, we’d take this leak with a pinch of salt for now, but if the OnePlus Open 2 really does land in the first few months of 2025, then we should find out all of its specs before too long.

You might also like...

• We may have our first official glimpse of the OnePlus 13
• I switched to a folding phone – and I'm never going back
• These are the best Android phones you can currently buy

Apple’s Mac mini with M4 processor could well be revealed later today – or perhaps tomorrow – but Amazon has already spilled the details on the revamped compact PC.

MacRumors picked up on Amazon US accidentally listing the Mac mini M4, showing that just as rumored, it will come with a choice of the M4 and M4 Pro CPUs – with the top-end chip offering 14-cores (paired with a 20-core GPU).

Notably, rather than a maximum of 32GB of RAM as is the case with the Mac mini currently, the M4 spin on the PC can be loaded up with 64GB – assuming these product details are on the money in all these respects, of course.

Storage, however, will remain the same with the new Mac Mini, with a top capacity of 8TB for those who need plenty of drive space.

Accompanying the spec details is a tiny picture and as MacRumors notes, it’s very blurry, but appears to confirm that there will be two USB-C ports on the front of the device. If the rumors are right, those could be complemented by three USB-C connectors on the rear for some models, with a grand total of five ports in theory.

Another major thread from the rumor mill regarding the Mac mini M4 is that the new model will be a good deal more portable than the current offering, and based on the comparative pics shown by Amazon, this appears to be the case. The Mac mini is apparently set to be silver only, with no other color options.

There’s also what looks like it might just be a headphone jack on the front of the PC, though it’s difficult to make it out exactly (and could just be a power button, or indicator, even).

(Image credit: Future) Analysis: Mac mini in the middle?

Yesterday saw the big reveal of the iMac 24-inch (and some controversy around the Magic Mouse that’ll be bundled with the all-in-one), as the first of Apple’s M4 Macs for this week of announcements we’ve already been primed for.

As we observed yesterday, we reckon the MacBook Pro M4 was either coming first, or being saved for last, and so given that the iMac was pushed out initially, we’re expecting the laptop tomorrow – therefore the Mac mini today. Amazon pulling the trigger a day early on the product details makes sense in this light, too, in that the new Mac mini is literally about to be launched – all in theory of course.

We don’t know that for sure, and neither can we take the specs aired for granted either – though it seems unlikely a retailer with the clout of Amazon would get things wrong.

It seems the rumors about the Mac mini M4 were pretty much bang on, at any rate, and most of this is speculation we’ve already heard, save for the upping of the RAM to 64GB (and the apparent confirmation of the top-end CPU configuration). It seems a beefy and potent – yet nicely compact – computer is about to arrive, and the Mac mini M4 is a product a lot of folks are looking forward to.

You might also like

• I used to laugh at the Mac Mini but today I bought one
• These are the top MacBook deals right now
• Apple just declared a bunch of Macs obsolete – these are the affected MacBook and iMac models

A group of the leading cloud computing providers, including Google, have come together to form the Open Cloud Coalition, with a mission of fostering a competitive, transparent and resilient cloud market across the UK and European Union.

Initially made up of 10 members, including Centerprise International, Civo, Gigas and Google Cloud, the group plans to “champion openness, interoperability, and fair competition.”

According to OCC spokesperson and Civo director Nicky Stewart, the Coalition aims to counter the “restrictive agreements” that make it challenging for customers to adopt multicloud and hybrid setups, noting the OCC is, "determined to reverse this trend by promoting a more competitive and flexible market and driving the adoption of open standards.”

Open Cloud Coalition to tackle Europe’s challenging cloud landscape

The OCC’s launch comes as cloud providers across Europe, and other regions globally, come under more scrutiny from antitrust regulators like the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission over anti-competitive practices.

It follows Microsoft’s recent settlement with the Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE), which included licensing concessions and a $22 million payment to address complaints.

Speaking about the formation of the group, Stewart added: “A dedicated platform campaigning on these issues is needed to advocate for fairness, openness, and interoperability, ensuring that regulations and industry practices support these principles.”

In response to the OCC’s launch, Microsoft CVP and Deputy General Counsel Rima Alaily wrote: “This week an astroturf group organized by Google is launching. It is designed to discredit Microsoft with competition authorities, and policymakers and mislead the public.”

Alaily added: “Google has gone through great lengths to obfuscate its involvement, funding, and control, most notably by recruiting a handful of European cloud providers, to serve as the public face of the new organization.”

Google Cloud told TechRadar Pro: “We’ve been very public about our concerns with Microsoft’s cloud licensing. We and many others believe that Microsoft’s anticompetitive practices lock-in customers and create negative downstream effects that impact cybersecurity, innovation, and choice. You can read more in our many blog posts on these issues.”

More from TechRadar Pro

• These are the best cloud hosting providers
• Google Cloud: When it comes to business AI, no-one can deliver value like us
• Keep your data online with the best cloud storage and best cloud backup tools

Between Apple, Google, and Samsung, not to mention a whole host of more affordable options, the best fitness tracker contenders have been a crowded market for a while. But the next tech giant to enter could be Microsoft, with a new slew of AI-powered Surface wearables.

That's according to the company's EVP and Consumer CMO Yusuf Mehdi in an interview with tech YouTuber Austin Evans, which you can see below.

During the interview, Mehdi says "I do think that these devices that see the world, that you wear on your body, on your person — I think that those combined with the AI will be very valuable."

"It can do image recognition, it can tell you [and] talk to you about what's going on. I think that's a fascinating place that we'll go."

More AI wearables?

AI wearables have struggled to capture the market despite the popularity of AI in general across all facets of tech.

For every success story like the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, there are some like the Humane AI Pin that have come and gone with little fanfare.

Still, the possibility of a tech giant like Microsoft entering the frame will generate additional interest on all products in the space, while also potentially helping persuade developers to jump on board to offer new solutions – particularly if the market picks up.

The trouble is that Microsoft's own AI efforts have been fraught with controversy. Its Recall feature, which tracks everything on your screen in case you need to refer back to it later, has undergone several revisions after suggestions it was invasive, while other reports have suggested a strained relationship with AI partner OpenAI.

If the company plans to bring a wearable to market, here's hoping it gets the balance right between usefulness and privacy.

You might also like...

• Vitafit Smart Bathroom Scale review: A $20 health hero
• Garmin's latest watch is ludicrously expensive, but I still want it
• Apple is testing a new blood-sugar product, but it's not the Apple Watch update we've been waiting for

We all want our homes to be beautiful, but sometimes technology makes that difficult: TVs bring us entertainment and enable us to witness world famous moments that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives, but when we turn them off, they don’t always fit with the rest of your décor theme. With current design trends including ‘quiet luxury’, with its emphasis on classic shapes and silhouettes being see worldwide, wouldn’t it be great if your TV could be as beautiful as the rest of your room?

That’s exactly what the gorgeous new NXTFRAME TV from TCL has been designed to deliver. It’s not just a TV. It’s a work of art.

(Image credit: TCL)

As you'd expect from TCL, the NXTFRAME TV is simply a brilliant TV. And something special happens when you're not watching a movie or tuning into a TV show. The TCL NXTFRAME TV becomes a work of art – and we mean that literally. It's your very own art gallery, and it comes with a stunning soundtrack, meaning your room transforms from being just the TV room into a room with a dual entertainment purpose.

The TV that isn't like other TVs

The TCL NXTFRAME TV has been designed to be a versatile piece of art.

It comes with hundreds of subscription-free, carefully curated libraries of beautiful artworks, and you can access even more art online. Whether it's a painting from major national galleries, some of the world's best street photography or your most precious family photographs via USB, the NXTFRAME TV displays it with perfect clarity on its stunning matte screen.

And talking of screens - The TCL NXTFRAME TV is the slimmest in its series at just 27.9 mm thick. It features a built-in chassis that eliminates the need for an external connectivity box, allowing for a sleek, uninterrupted design.

This isn’t the only TV that can show artwork, we know. But those TVs don’t look like this one, they look like… well… TVs. The TCL NXTFRAME is the first ever completely flush-framed TV with a flat back, and that means it sits 100% flush against the wall. No bumps, no odd angles, nothing to spoil those smooth, sleek lines. It’s a masterpiece of clever design and engineering, and it looks like a masterpiece too.

(Image credit: TCL)

When TCL made the NXTFRAME TV, its goal was to help you transform your home into something even more special. With the NXTFRAME TV, your living space becomes much more than just a place to spend time with your family, TCL’s vision was that it could become a dynamic art gallery and a personal cinema at the touch of a button to suit any mood or setting.

Beautiful from every angle

The NXFRAME TV is designed to look fantastic whether it is on or off. With a range of customisable magnetic frames in Dawn Birch, Twilight Elm and Vernal Mint it looks elegant and refined in any room, and the snap-on frames make it easy to switch between styles if you're redecorating or just fancy a different look.

(Image credit: TCL)

The NXTFRAME TV's elegant, easel-style design looks great on a stand or mounted to the wall, and its included flush wall mount helps get your TV right against the wall just like a regular painting. There's also a movable floor stand that makes it easy to move your NXTFRAME TV anywhere in your home whether you want to watch a sports match in the garden with friends or stay cosy and watch an old classic movie in the bedroom. TCL has even thought about cable clutter, with a handy storage tray for cable management and a decorative cover that makes the NXTFRAME TV look striking from any angle.

(Image credit: TCL)

There's another really important feature here too: TCL's matte anti-reflective screen. Not only does it reduce unwanted reflections and glare, but it also has multiple software-enabled textures to choose from so that you can make it look exactly the way you want it.

Immerse yourself in incredible audio

The NXTFRAME TV brings outstanding sound – and the NXTFRAME TV PRO model is even more immersive thanks to Audio by Bang & Olufsen, from the world-renowned audio brand. In a world first, the Pro version teams up your NXTFRAME TV with a wireless soundbar and subwoofer to deliver a premium audio experience. The Pro’s soundbar and subwoofer have been tuned by the same expert sound engineers who’ve perfected some of the world’s most awe-inspiring and iconic speakers. And with the NXTFRAME PRO, you can bring that amazing expertise into your home.

(Image credit: TCL)

The audio system also includes Enhanced Dialogue Mode and BeoSonic technology, enabling you to customise their sound profiles to suit whatever you're watching and listening to. That means that whether you're watching a movie, listening to music or simply enjoying some quiet time the audio experience is immersive, clear and refined, with every note and sound detail tuned to perfection.

Cutting-edge tech for premium performance

The NXTFRAME TV isn't just a gorgeous, great-sounding TV. It's also packed with the must-have features including Dolby Atmos, DTS, and DTS Virtual, along with Enhanced Dialogue Mode.

And that's not all. The NXTFRAME TV has been made to meet the highest standards of movie buffs, sports fans and gamers: its super-fast 120Hz refresh rate is fantastic for fast-moving actions, while gamers can enjoy a silky-smooth 144Hz refresh rate with VRR for best-in-class clarity and speed.

That cutting-edge tech means that your NXTFRAME TV won't just be the perfect TV for you today. It'll be the perfect TV for many years to come.

Discover how the new TCL NXTFRAME TV can help make your living space even more special.

Have you seen this post on GenAI – now almost an adage of the times?

“You know what the biggest problem with pushing all-things-AI is? Wrong direction. I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.”

The post is sassy, but spot on. It’s a stark reminder that humans want AI to assist with undesirable and painstaking tasks, not to assimilate creativity. Companies may ultimately want the same thing. They need creative productivity from humans, and they need GenAI to deliver the ROI that keeps the financial house in order, rather than falling into the AI money pit.

If you think this message is coming from yet another company looking to jump on the GenAI bandwagon, think again. We come at GenAI and data management – which is critical to GenAI success – from a position of unrivaled understanding, experience and commitment.

Here’s what we’ve learned, and what to do in transforming your organization with GenAI.

Be extremely selective in using GenAI

Organizations sometimes fail to take the time to define what it is that they want to get out of GenAI. This has led many companies to go too big too fast or proceed with excess caution, or not move forward at all.

Everest Group says that 2023 saw more than 1,200 GenAI proofs of concept (PoCs), signaling strong enterprise engagement, but less than 18% of PoCs reach production stage. Gartner adds that growth in 90% of GenAI enterprise deployments will slow by 2025 as costs exceed value.

Position your GenAI efforts for success and growth by first defining the problem you are trying to solve. Specify what outcomes you expect. And be selective in using GenAI, because it requires tremendous compute resources and scaled out IT infrastructure that can handle large data sets, so it can get expensive fast. Also keep in mind that consuming a lot of compute and power will have an impact on the planet and your sustainability goals. So, make sure that you’re using GenAI in a sensible manner, and only use GenAI to solve problems that couldn’t otherwise be solved.

Implement robust policies and infrastructure

If someone is using GenAI to write a poem, there are no right or wrong answers. But mission-critical enterprise applications are going to require near 100% accuracy. If you don’t employ high-quality data in your GenAI efforts, you won’t get the results that you are expecting.

Assess where you are with your GenAI and data strategies. Our recent research indicates that less than half (44%) of organizations have well-defined GenAI policies, and even fewer (37%) believe their infrastructure and data ecosystem are well-prepared for GenAI implementation.

Work with data experts to establish and implement robust data management solutions and strategies that address data security and integrity wherever that data may reside.

Also, make sure your GenAI strategy positions you to be agile in this fast-moving environment in which there are a lot of acquisitions and consolidation. Plan and build for GenAI in a way that keeps you flexible because what worked a few months ago may not work in the future.

Understand and address risks and regulations

Using high-quality data sets is also important considering the growing regulatory scrutiny around AI and GenAI. For example, the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act went into effect Aug. 1. This applies to any providers that put AI systems into service within the EU.

The new EU AI Act calls for AI systems that are classified as high risk – such as systems that are used for energy and transport, medical devices, and systems determining access to education or employment – to implement risk-mitigation strategies. The EU explains that includes achieving high standards of accuracy, cybersecurity and robustness; ensuring human oversight; maintaining activity logs; providing detailed documentation; and using high-quality data sets.

But the unprecedented volume and complexity of data environments can make that a challenge. Employ the tools and DataOps processes to understand data lineage, do data cost optimization, and ensure reliability, resilience, and visibility throughout the data lifecycle.

Establish a data foundation for innovation

GenAI now makes it easy for virtually anybody to put AI to work, which is accelerating the pace of business transformation at an exponential rate. And that’s an extremely powerful thing. With GenAI, you can drive more automation and save on costs. GenAI also can enable product differentiation to drive revenues. If you can become more proactive by using GenAI’s infinite knowledge and capacity to act quickly, you can fix problems and deliver better solutions faster.

But, in the process, GenAI is increasing the storage demands and extending the infrastructure concerns at enterprises far and wide. To stay competitive, modern businesses like yours must establish a data foundation for innovation – allowing your business to run, manage, and harness data and applications wherever they exist – on premises, in the cloud, and/or at the edge.

Whether your organization opts to leverage GenAI to save on everyday tasks, build revenue by delivering differentiated services or all of the above, keep in mind that getting GenAI right is both an art and a science. And it requires people and organizations to leverage both the knowledge earned with years of experience and the latest innovations in data management.

We've listed the best AI tools.

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

How to watch The Boy That Never Was online

A father's grief and guilt return with a vengeance when he becomes convinced that he's seen his son at a train station, three years after he was engulfed in the ruins of an earthquake. Here's where to watch The Boy That Never Was online for free – from anywhere.

Harry (Colin Morgan) and Robin's (Toni O'Rourke) idyllic life in Essaouira is shattered when their apartment is reduced to rubble with their three-year-old son, Dillon, inside. Harry only survived by virtue of being out at the moment of impact, but with Robin working, why wasn't he at home?

Robin doesn't realize it until her husband's impulsive return to Morocco, but Harry's chance encounter on the train platform has stirred up a sense of immense remorse, and his quest for salvation lands him in a dangerous situation. What really happened on that night?

Read on as we explain how to watch The Boy That Never Was from anywhere in the world.

Can I watch The Boy That Never Was for free?

Yes. All four episodes of The Boy That Never Was are already available to stream on the free TVNZ streaming service in New Zealand.

Don't forget you can use a VPN to watch The Boy That Never Was on your usual streaming service from abroad.

Unblock any stream with a VPN

If you're keen to watch The Boy That Never Was 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 The Boy That Never Was from anywhere:

Editors Choice

NordVPN – get the world's best VPN
We regularly review all the biggest and best VPN providers and NordVPN is our #1 choice. It unblocked every streaming service in testing and it's very straightforward to use. Speed, security and 24/7 support available if you need – it's got it all.

The best value plan is the two-year deal which sets the price at $3.69 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.

- So, try NordVPN 100% risk-free for 30 daysVIEW DEAL ON

Can you watch The Boy That Never Was in the US?

At the time of writing, any plans to make The Boy That Never Was available to watch in the US are yet to be announced.

Kiwis currently away from home can use a VPN to watch The Boy That Never Was on TVNZ Plus from abroad.

How to watch The Boy That Never Was in the UK

The Boy That Never Was premieres on Alibi at 9pm GMT on Tuesday, October 29. Each of the four episodes is an hour long, and they'll air as double-bills on consecutive Tuesdays.

Alibi is available to stream via the Sky Go service. You can also watch through Sky's pay as you go option, NOW. Check out our dedicated guide to Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices.

New Zealanders currently away from home can use a VPN to watch The Boy That Never Was on TVNZ Plus from abroad.

Can you watch The Boy That Never Was in Canada?

As with the US, there's no word as to when or if The Boy That Never Was will air in Canada.

However, New Zealand nationals currently traveling in Canada can use a VPN to unblock TVNZ Plus and watch the show from anywhere in the world. We recommend NordVPN.

Can you watch The Boy That Never Was in Australia?

Any plans to make The Boy That Never Was available to watch in Australia are yet to be announced at the time of publication.

Brits currently away from home can use a VPN to watch The Boy That Never Was on TVNZ Plus from abroad.

The Boy That Never Was cast

• Colin Morgan as Harry Lonergan
• Toni O’Rourke as Robin Lonergan
• Kerr Logan as Ollie
• Mansour Badri as Fadoul Kadiri
• Kelly Campbell as Eva Doyle
• Cillian O'Sullivan as Dave Garrick
• Simon Callow as Cozimo

The Boy That Never Was episode guide and schedule

In the UK, The Boy That Never Was airs on Alibi the following dates:

(All times GMT)

• Episode 1 – Tuesday, October 29 at 9pm
• Episode 2 – Tuesday, October 29 at 10pm
• Episode 3 – Tuesday, November 5 at 9pm
• Episode 4 – Tuesday, November 5 at 10pm

We have entered a new era in banking and financial services. The period of transformation has given way to an era of “agility and flexibility,” driven by relentless technological advancements, fierce competition and the demands of digital-savvy customers.

Traditional banks find themselves at a crossroads of balancing the proven reliability of their legacy systems with the need for agility. And with fintech disruptors, the expansion of big tech into financial services and the increasing demand for embedded finance solutions reshaping the industry, there’s no time to waste hesitating. Modernization is a necessity – not an option.

Legacy technology, the long-standing backbone of banking operations, is becoming a burden. These outdated systems are ill-equipped to cater to the demands of the digital age that require real-time transactions, data analytics and seamless integration with modern SaaS solutions.

The operational costs of clinging to these systems are 20-30% higher due to the maintenance required. This also diverts resources and means a 50% slower time to market for new products as well as higher risk of security vulnerabilities compared to banks that have modernized their systems (McKinsey, 2023).

Finding people with the capabilities and expertise to maintain these systems is also becoming a challenge as the pool of legacy IT talent, such as COBOL programmers, dwindles. As these professionals retire, fewer people have the knowledge required to operate and fix these antiquated systems. As this expertise becomes scare it also becomes costly.

Faced with these challenges, banks are increasingly implementing a strategy of progressive modernization by updating an organization's existing IT infrastructure incrementally, rather than through a complete overhaul. This enables institutions to build on the strengths of their existing core systems while integrating flexibility through modern platforms that work seamlessly with legacy infrastructure.

Benefits  of modernization

The benefits include:

Accelerated Time to Market: decoupling product development from legacy systems allows banks to launch new products faster, adapting to market changes and customer needs in real-time. 

Better Customer Experience: experiences can be both personalized and seamless across all channels, which keeps customers satisfied, reduces dropout rates and ultimately helps create customer loyalty. 

Cost Efficiency: maintaining legacy systems generates significant expenses that consume and divert IT budgets, preventing banks from spending on innovation. Investing in progressive modernization, however, is more cost effective and can be tailored to suit the size, scale and needs of an organization – while freeing up resource and budget to go to better use. 

New Revenue Streams: the ability to rapidly launch new products enables companies to tap into new markets and unlock additional revenue streams. 

Improved Security: companies need not worry about cybersecurity and compliance as modern platforms manage risks by incorporating robust features to safeguard sensitive data against sophisticated threats.

Progressive modernization empowers banks to exceed the limitations of legacy technology while enabling continuous improvement and rapid iteration.

Without having to service legacy tech, banks can shift focus toward innovation and test-and-learn, accelerating their time to market.

If progressive modernization is the “what”, and agility and flexibility is the “why”, then optionality is the “how.” Banks should avoid one-size-fits-all solutions and embrace a "best-of-breed" approach, choosing providers that excel in specific areas, such as card issuer processing.

Embedded finance: the new frontier

The rise of embedded finance, where non-financial companies integrate financial services directly into their offerings, represents a significant shift that banks cannot afford to ignore.

Up to 15% of bank revenues and 25% of retail and SME lending revenues may be derived from embedded finance by 2030 (McKinsey, 2024).

Solutions like Cards-as-a-Service, Wallets-as-a-Service, and Ledger-as-a-Service enable businesses to integrate payment and financial capabilities seamlessly, tapping into a market poised for explosive growth.

UX: the differentiator in the digital age

So often is the case that bank product teams start-off with customer-centric designs but end-up building legacy-centric experiences. Rapid iteration empowered by continuous experimentation – essential for modern DesignOps – is not possible. Without the configurability, functionality, and modularity of modern cloud apps, banks will always be one step behind FinTechs.

In today's hyper-competitive landscape, user experience (UX) is a real differentiator – and it is becoming increasingly essential for customer acquisition and retention.

Modern card issuer processing platforms enable banks to deliver exceptional and intuitive UX through features such as real-time transaction processing, personalized rewards, and omnichannel integration.

The future of banking will be shaped by those willing to challenge the status quo, embrace cutting-edge technology and move towards a more flexible, agile, and customer-centric future. Those that remain competitive will not be held back by antiquated legacy systems.

We've rated the best mobile credit card processors.

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

Apple finally got with the program and made 16GB memory the base option for the iMac and how they need to do the same for MacBooks

One of Apple’s most oft-repeated criticisms regarding Mac devices is that its 8GB base memory is way too low, especially in this day and age where 16GB is widely considered the standard in many laptops.

It’s understandable, though still disappointing, why Apple continued this policy cycle after cycle. The M-series chips are incredibly efficient, and require much less memory to operate than Windows-based laptops. However, this strategy is finally catching up with the tech giant as not only are program sizes much larger now than even five years ago, but it’s beginning to interfere with Apple’s own tech advancements.

But the recent announcement regarding the M4 iMac gives me hope for the future of the Mac line, as it was revealed the base model will come with 16GB of memory. Following this, it would be incredible if the rest of the Mac line and for the MacBooks in particular.

The MacBook Pro is the obvious choice for an upgrade to 16GB, but the MacBook Air could use one too

The MacBook Pro would be the perfect candidate for such an upgrade. Unlike the MacBook Air, it’s intended for creative work which requires far more memory due to the CPU-intensive programs needed and the larger-than-normal app footprint of creative apps like Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere, among others.

And though the MacBook Air may be more of a general-use laptop, more memory is always a boon as users can run more apps at once without slowing down or receiving that inevitable and annoying message forcing you to close down programs to conserve RAM.

There’s also a more practical reason why the laptops need this memory enhancement — its Apple Intelligence tech, which requires 8GB of memory to function. iMacs are already making the jump to 16GB to better accommodate it, and it logically follows that the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air should get the same upgrade.

If Apple wants to keep its Mac devices, especially its MacBook lines, competitive with the market and able to keep up with its own technological advancements, then the tech giant needs to get with the program.

Don’t let the M4 iMac be the exception, but rather let it be the precursor to much-needed change with a product line that has slowly been stagnating for years.

You might also like...

• I’ve been reviewing PCs and laptops for almost 20 years – which is why I’m more excited about a potential M4 Mac mini than any new MacBook
• Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 could be a real treat for Halloween, if latest CPU and RAM spec rumors aren’t a trick
• I left Windows 11 for a MacBook Pro and it's the best tech relationship I've ever had

Now that ChatGPT has its own Windows app, the question of whether it's worth picking over Microsoft’s Copilot, which is already threaded throughout Windows 11, is front and center.

With the two sharing the stage, you should learn where ChatGPT shines versus Copilot. So, we've assembled four reasons why you might prefer the ChatGPT app on Windows and where it stands out.

Instant Access with Alt + Space

Speedy access to a tool is always a major selling point, which is why Copilot's native home on Windows is appealing. But, with the ChatGPT app, you just have to press Alt + Space to open a chat window instantly. That's true regardless of what you're already doing or if you're juggling a bunch of other tasks.

Imagine you’re writing a document and want to ask AI for help improving your word choice or checking the grammar. You don't need to open the Copilot app; just press Alt + Space, type your query, and get an answer. Copilot often requires opening an app; even with a single button to open it, it still feels a little slower than the ChatGPT app.

Accessing Chat History Across Devices

As someone who uses multiple devices that don't all use Microsoft operating systems, the most obvious benefit of the ChatGPT app is that it syncs my account and chat history to the web portal, my mobile app, and anywhere else I use ChatGPT. If I am using ChatGPT on my desktop computer with the Windows app and want to continue the conversation while taking the train, I can pull the conversation up and keep going, and vice versa, once I return home.

On the other hand, Copilot is pretty integrated into Microsoft 365, which is fantastic for staying within Word or Excel but doesn’t let me carry a conversation from my desktop to my mobile. So, if I ask Copilot to help brainstorm some ideas for a party, I'll need to wait until I'm on another Windows device before I can continue the conversation. ChatGPT's ability to stay connected across devices makes a big difference if you work on the go and want to keep all your AI conversations contained in one platform.

Image Analysis for Visual Projects

One of the best ChatGPT features is its ability to analyze images you upload. Drop in a photo, and the AI will interpret what’s going on in the image – something Copilot doesn’t currently offer.

I've regularly used this feature on the mobile app with complex charts or multiple seemingly contradictory parking signs on a street post, even with recipe photos to work out the ingredients. This kind of image-based assistance isn’t part of Copilot’s toolkit yet, so when visuals are all you have, and words aren’t enough, ChatGPT is the go-to option.

Plugin and GPT Store Access (Coming Soon)

This is still more anticipation than actual reality, but the ChatGPT app for Windows will get access to OpenAI's GPT Store along with the plugins built by other companies to work with the AI chatbot. That means more customization and new ways to use the AI chatbot are on the horizon. For instance, you might link a content calendar plugin to ChatGPT to get its responses and other specialized tools.

Copilot is great for how it blends with Microsoft's apps, but it otherwise doesn't have the kind of flexibility provided by the GPT Store (albeit still speculatively for now). So, while both the ChatGPT Windows app and the built-in Copilot provide Windows users with many AI tools and features, ChatGPT has enough unique perks to make it more enticing in many cases. That could certainly change as Microsoft continues to improve Copilot, but I suspect you'll see a spike in Windows ChatGPT usage and a drop in Copilot for the foreseeable future.

You might also like...

• 4 ways you can use ChatGPT's Canvas mode to improve your daily life
• New ChatGPT prompt goes viral with Sam Altman’s approval
• ChatGPT’s Google search rival is set to go live this year – could SearchGPT break Google's hold on the web?

More and more people want the internet to forget about them. This sentiment is especially strong in the US where almost half of internet users would like to be removed from the web. However, most of them don't know how.

This is the main finding unveiled by a joint investigation recently carried out by one of the best VPN providers around, NordVPN, and personal data removal company Incogni. Worse still, the global percentage of people worried about their personal data rose from 30% in 2022 to 35% this year.

"The shift in people’s attitude and their increasing need to delete their presence from the internet highlights a trend: people are no longer passively accepting the idea that their data should live on the internet forever," said Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.

152 million Americans want to delete themselves from the web

Under NordVPN and Incogni's commission, researchers at Cint surveyed a total of 6,800 respondents aged 18 years old and older from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Unsurprisingly, Americans came out as the most worried, with Canadians following suit.

Almost half of the people in the US (48% of respondents) feel used by companies that collect, sell, or use their data to benefit third parties. This is the main reason why Americans want their personal information removed from the internet. At the same time, they are also worried that someone will eventually hack their devices to steal their sensitive data.

Most American respondents (40%) agree that their names shouldn't be online, either, while 41% expressed a lack of trust in the internet, and one-fifth fear manipulation by third parties.

Did you know?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Vector Image Plus)

Since 2018, GDPR has prompted more stringent data protection and privacy rules in the EU and the UK. Among these is the right to be forgotten, allowing citizens to request that companies delete their information.

Financial information tops the list as the data category people in the US are most keen to erase (64%). This is followed by a third of respondents seeking to remove their old dating/social media profiles and others (31%) eager to clean up embarrassing moments uploaded to social media. Medical history (38%) and dating/sex details (31%) also feature as data sets that Americans would prefer to keep offline.

Despite all these concerns, though, almost half of Americans (44%) said they don't know how to delete their sensitive information from the web. A third of respondents would be willing to spend up to $100 to browse anonymously at all times – and 5% claimed that they'd pay up to $1000.

While a few states including California, Colorado, and Connecticut passed their own privacy laws, the US still lacks comprehensive data protection legislation on a federal level. This research is a stark reminder that citizens, however, have different needs.

"There is a growing demand for control, empowerment, and the right to be forgotten," said Briedis.

How to protect your privacy on the internet

A federal privacy law might not be here yet, but there are still some steps you can take to protect your data every time you browse the web.

As a rule of thumb, Briedis suggests limiting what you share online as much as possible. You should be mindful of the posts you share on social media, for example, and ensure that you're not giving away sensitive details by mistake. You should also consider adjusting your social media settings to make your account private.

Using a VPN is also an important step to reclaiming control over your data. A VPN, short for virtual private network, is security software that encrypts your internet connection to prevent third parties from tracking your online activities. It also spoofs your real IP address location for better security. NordVPN is our top pick at the time of writing, followed by Surfshark and ExpressVPN.

Anonymity is no longer a luxury but a necessity

Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN

You should also protect your account security at all times. Briedis recommends using strong passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your accounts. I also suggest checking out handy password manager solutions to help keep track of all your login details.

Lastly, delete your info from data broker databases. These companies collect your data, use it to build personalized profiles, and inundate you with targeted ads – then, they'll sell it all to anyone willing to pay. While you could remove your data yourself, I recommend subscribing to a data removal service like Incogni, where the team will handle all the required processes for you.

All in all, as Briedis pointed out, anonymity is quickly becoming a necessity – not a luxury. He said: "People want to browse the internet without leaving traces, free from tracking and profiling. Looking ahead, the internet will evolve to resolve these privacy concerns. The next generation of users will push both technology providers and policymakers to rethink how personal data is handled online."

You can now ask the Meta AI chatbot for news and get an answer based on the latest Reuters reporting without leaving Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Messenger. Meta and Thompson Reuters have reached a deal to link the AI chatbot with Reuters content in an agreement that will see Reuters paid – an undisclosed amount – for its content.

Right now, the news responses will only appear to U.S. users. When you ask about news on topics that Reuters has reported on, you will get a short summary of the news and a direct link within the AI chatbot's response to the relevant Reuters article.

Meta hasn't made a deal with news providers since announcing plans to reduce the news content appearing on Facebook and its other social media platforms. In fact, Meta has made fighting against mandatory compensation of news companies its policy. That's why Meta blocks all news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada. Arguments over AI regulations are also why you won't find Meta AI in the EU.

Reuters is widely considered a trustworthy news source, so Meta's interest in adding its imprimatur to Meta AI's answers about the news makes sense. Signing a deal that will compensate Reuters rather than just summarizing and linking to articles available without a paywall suggests Meta also wants to stay on the news service's good side amidst a growing debate about how AI platforms use news articles to answer questions and train their models.

Meta's news tangle

Other AI chatbots have made their own deals to access news sources. For instance, OpenAI inked a licensing deal with publishers, including The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and the Meredith group of publications. At the same time, some major media organizations have been pushing back in court. The New York Times is in exactly that kind of legal dispute with OpenAI, claiming the ChatGPT creator infringed on its copyright by training AI models with its content without permission or compensation.

A news service is definitely a departure from the more entertainment-focused features Meta AI has highlighted until now. For instance, the celebrity voices highlighted at Meta Connect and the AI chatbots with personalities (that no longer have celebrity faces) were decidedly not about sharing real-world news.

Despite the contentious situation around news and AI platforms, the agreement with Reuters could boost the appeal of Meta AI to users looking for credible information on current affairs. As Meta AI faces plenty of competition in AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI platforms, Meta wouldn't want this specific feature to be the thing that keeps potential users away.

You might also like

• Meta AI can imagine anything… except operating in the EU
• Meta AI's latest feature can show you in a fantasy world – if you feed it your face
• I spoke to Meta AI and, yes, it can carry on a conversation

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 #506) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TIMES
• NEW
• ROMAN
• TOWN
• POCKET
• EAR
• FRIEND
• FELLOW
• ATTENDING
• ORIGINAL
• PERFECT
• RESIDENT
• MINT
• COUNTRYMAN
• INTERN
• UNUSED

NYT Connections today (game #506) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Untouched
• Green: Doctor doctor
• Blue: Et tu?
• Purple: Blank [four equal sides]

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 #506) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: IN PRISTINE CONDITION
• GREEN: MEDICAL ROLES
• BLUE: SINGULAR NOUN IN A FAMOUS “JULIUS CAESAR” LINE
• PURPLE: ___ SQUARE

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

NYT Connections today (game #506) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #506, are…

• YELLOW: IN PRISTINE CONDITION MINT, NEW, ORIGINAL, UNUSED
• GREEN: MEDICAL ROLES ATTENDING, FELLOW, INTERN, RESIDENT
• BLUE: SINGULAR NOUN IN A FAMOUS “JULIUS CAESAR” LINE COUNTRYMAN, EAR, FRIEND, ROMAN
• PURPLE: ___ SQUARE PERFECT, POCKET, TIMES, TOWN

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

One thing I love about Connections is the way in which it forces you to draw upon disparate sources of knowledge. Today, for instance, I needed to know about both William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, medical roles and, um, eBay, sort of.

Green was the first to fall: ATTENDING, FELLOW, INTERN and RESIDENT all standing out as MEDICAL ROLES, possibly because I'm rewatching the excellent comedy-drama House at the moment. Then I attacked what turned out to be the yellow group; I could see that MINT, NEW, ORIGINAL and UNUSED were all examples of something being IN PRISTINE CONDITION, the kind of descriptions you get on auction sites, but PERFECT could potentially fit there too.

Eventually I had a guess at it and got it right. The other two were harder still. I focused on COUNTRYMAN, because it's not a common word with obvious connections. The presence of ROMAN and FRIEND alerted me to that famous speech, and I added EAR to complete the set.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 28 October, game #505)

• YELLOW: AUDIO APPS AUDIBLE, PANDORA, SHAZAM, TIDAL
• GREEN: INDICATE MEAN, SIGNIFY, SPELL, SUGGEST
• BLUE: CHURCH OF ENGLAND WEDDING VOW VERBS CHERISH, HAVE, HOLD, LOVE
• PURPLE: MAGIC WORDS ABRACADABRA, PLEASE, PRESTO, THANK YOU

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 #1009) - 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 #1009) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1009) - 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 #1009) - 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 #1009) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• B

• S

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1009) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1009, are…

• CLIFF
• BURNT
• SNAKY
• POLYP

There are some interesting words in today's Quordle. POLYP has a very uncommon spelling, with P at both ends and a Y in position #4, and isn't a particularly widely used term (unless you have some skin in the game medically, so to speak). BURNT is a less common form of burned, although it does depend on whether you're using it as a verb or adjective, and whether you're in the UK or US (or somewhere else entirely). CLIFF is a common word, but it has those two Fs at the end. SNAKY is not particularly common as a word and contains a K, one of the least likely letters to appear.

Put it all together and you have a tricky selection to solve. I needed some inspired/very lucky guesses to get home in seven, so I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself today.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1009) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1009, are…

• STAMP
• TAMER
• CRUMP
• GLAZE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #990, Thursday 10 October: UNTIL, MARSH, METAL, WINDY
• Quordle #989, Wednesday 9 October: TRIAL, HUSKY, DOWNY, TRADE

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… You and me

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• NAME
• MESS
• SITE
• BIKE
• DINE
• FINE

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Just the two of us

NYT Strands today (game #240) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: top, 4th column

Last: bottom, 2nd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #240) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #240, are…

• FRIEND
• PARTNER
• BESTIE
• COMPANION
• SIDEKICK
• SPANGRAM: TOGETHERNESS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Strands is generally at its easiest when the words are all simple synonyms – and today's is one such example. There are only five words to find, because the spangram, TOGETHERNESS, is so long, and the likes of FRIEND, COMPANION and BESTIE are all pretty obvious. Finding that spangram was the hardest part of it, but even that was only the work of a minute or so.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 28 October, game #239)

• PUMPKINS
• APPLES
• MAZE
• CIDER
• DOUGHNUTS
• HAYRIDES
• SPANGRAM: ORCHARDS

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.

The Lenovo Legion Go handheld gaming PC is now on sale, with its price falling to $499 (was $699) at Amazon for the first time amidst rumors of AMD’s Ryzen Z2 handheld gaming chips - and this could be positive news for a potential successor.

Lenovo remains the only brand among recent handheld manufacturers that is yet to build a successor or upgrade to its original handheld device; Asus released the improved ROG Ally X earlier this year and Valve launched the Steam Deck OLED in November 2023. There have been reports of a Lenovo Legion Go ‘Lite’ ‘leak’, which might have a smaller screen and an HDMI output, but would reportedly stick with the Ryzen Z1 chip.

The rumors surrounding the purported Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip suggest it could feature RDNA 3.5 for better gaming performance and battery life. Since Asus ROG Ally prices fell drastically before the launch of the improved Ally X, the timing here could mean Lenovo may be about to follow in the same direction.

Z2 Extreme means better battery life for gaming handhelds? Yes please

Valve’s Steam Deck is a prime example of a gaming handheld device that prioritizes battery life (even if it could still be much better). Compared to the ROG Ally and Legion Go, it is currently the best at allowing gamers to get the most time out of their gaming sessions on the go. While the recent Ally X offered a significant bump in battery life, this was achieved thanks to a much larger battery than the one seen in the original Ally.

While there is no official confirmation yet, the Z2 Extreme promises to enhance gaming performance and battery life - this could be highly beneficial for a Legion Go successor, which we noted in our review was in dire need of stronger battery performance.

Asus’ next Ally is also rumored to come with three variants, if the ‘Z2G’ chip reports are true - this could support the Legion Go Lite leak mentioned earlier, potentially leading to stronger competition in the gaming handheld market. In other words, things are starting to get interesting…

You might also like...

• Hands on: Acer Nitro Blaze 7: Acer gets in the PC gaming handheld game but is it enough to Blaze a trail out of a crowded field?
• Hands on: Zotac Zone: the newest challenger in the handheld PC gaming arena, but it needs some work
• AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D full specifications have leaked, and it’s great news for gamers and overclockers alike

The specifications for AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 7 9800X3D have leaked ahead of its scheduled release on November 7 - and it’s good news for gamers.

The leak remains consistent with the previous marketing description leak regarding a performance boost over its predecessor, the 7800X3D. As spotted by VideoCardz, the leak originates from Geizhals, a price comparison tool used by retailers in Europe. While the veracity of the information can’t be fully determined at this point, it’s likely to be accurate; leaks that stem from retailers tend to be more reliable than anonymous claims made on social media, after all.

AMD’s upcoming CPU will reportedly utilize eight Zen 5 cores with a 4.70GHz base clock speed, which can be boosted up to 5.20GHz - a 0.20GHz jump over the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, and with the CPU multiplier unlocked, users will be able to manually overclock this new processor. This wasn’t possible with previous AMD CPUs that utilized 3D V-Cache, which could be a significant boon for overclocking enthusiasts.

The leaked specifications reference 96MB of 3D V-Cache, identical to the 7800X3D (which is among AMD’s best processors), but the aforementioned marketing leak suggested that the 9800X3D may have an 8% performance boost over AMD's current high-end gaming CPU. This is reportedly powered by ‘Next-Gen 3D V-Cache’, but the Geizhals leak doesn’t appear to add any more information.

What does this mean for gamers?

AMD’s 3D V-Cache is a nifty tool for PC gamers, since it effectively triples the amount of available cache memory on the processor - something virtually every game can easily take advantage of, but it's especially valuable in CPU-bound titles.

Content creators in particular could benefit from the rumored Next-Gen 3D V-Cache, as it should boost performance when running multiple applications simultaneously - for example, having OBS or Twitch open in the background while playing a game.

Of course, it’s important that we wait for AMD’s official reveal, to find out if the leak’s suggested improvement in gaming performance is indeed the case - and if so, it could go a long way in improving gaming experiences for many on PC, considering the recent slate of CPU-bound titles such as Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

You might also like...

• The best AMD processor in 2024: top AMD CPUs for gaming, creating, and more
• Intel Core Ultra 9 285K overclocked to 7.5GHz smashes a bunch of records – and of course AI was involved (it had to be, right?)
• Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 issues just keep getting worse, with the new update now causing crashes on Intel motherboards

If you want to buy a MacBook Air but your budget won’t quite stretch, Infinix has launched a lightweight, highly-affordable Windows 11 alternative which brings an impressive array of features promising to rival higher-end competitors.

The Inbook Air Pro+ weighs only 1kg, placing it firmly in the thin and light category - ideal for everyday use, performance, processing, and multitasking.

Equipped with Intel’s 13th Gen Core i5 processor (1334U), featuring 10 cores, a 4.6GHz turbo boost, and integrated Iris Xe graphics, the laptop comes with 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 512GB of M.2 NVMe SSD storage - doubling the memory and storage capacity of the entry-level MacBook Air. An advanced cooling system with 79 precision-designed 0.2mm S-shaped fan blades prevents the device from overheating when under load.

Short battery life

One of the highlights of the Air Pro+ is its 14-inch OLED 2.8K (2880 x 1800) display. It’s rare to see an OLED panel at this price, so that alone is a great selling point. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, a peak brightness of 440 nits, and a 120Hz refresh rate, it promises vibrant, sharp visuals. The display also supports 100% of both the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction - ideal for creative professionals.

The Air Pro+ sports all the ports you expect to see on a modern laptop, such as USB-C, HDMI 1.4, and USB 3.2. It also comes with a Full HD+ IR webcam supporting face recognition and a backlit keyboard. Wireless connectivity is provided in the form of WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.

The 57Wh battery life, as per Infinix’s claims, lasts up to 8–10 hours, which should be just enough to get you through a full workday. In comparison, the Apple MacBook Air offers up to 18 hours. The Air Pro+ does at least support 65W Type-C fast charging.

Currently priced at 49,990 Indian rupees (approximately $600) on Flipkart, the Infinix Air Pro+ provides impressive specs for its price, offering a tempting option for budget-conscious buyers who need performance and portability without breaking the bank.

More from TechRadar Pro

• These are the lightest laptops you can buy right now
• And these are the best business laptops around
• GPD Duo may be the best mobile workstation ever