TechRadar News

• Sandisk says 3D Matrix Memory will be an affordable replacement for DRAM
• Will deliver DRAM-like performance at 4x the capacity and half the cost
• Sandisk says it will become more affordable as the technology matures

At its recent Sandisk 2.0 investor day session, the flash storage giant unveiled a series of new SSDs, including a 128TB data center model, while outlining its ambitious roadmap for even larger drives - a 256TB SSD in 2026, a 512TB SSD in 2027, and a whopping 1PB drive expected a few years later.

Sandisk is keen to calm any investor wobbles following its split from Western Digital, and beyond discussing its strategy to boost returns and margins, the company also took the wraps off its groundbreaking 3D Matrix Memory, a scalable memory technology that reportedly promises DRAM-like performance at four times the capacity and half the cost.

Sandisk has positioned 3D Matrix Memory as an affordable solution in response to the end of Moore’s Law for DRAM, where scaling stagnation, a widening compute-memory gap, and soaring memory costs have become major challenges. The company says its scalable memory architecture will break through the "memory wall", solving the problem of memory capacity and bandwidth struggling to keep pace with ever-increasing processing demands.

More cost-efficient

Developed in collaboration with IMEC, Sandisk’s 3D Matrix Memory is built on a dense array architecture featuring a novel memory cell design while maintaining compatibility with open industry standards, such as CXL.

The company claims its new memory tech will become increasingly more cost-efficient over time. According to a graph Sandisk shared, by Year 6, 3D Matrix Memory will achieve over 50% cost savings per bit compared to DRAM, with a significantly steeper decline in $/GB, making it a more affordable alternative to traditional DRAM solutions.

The company’s development roadmap, shown below, outlines a number of milestones, with transitioning from a 150mm WD Research Fab to a 300mm IMEC Facility in 2024, marking the tech’s first significant step toward large-scale production.

Beginning in 2017, the project has evolved from isolated devices to passive arrays, to CMOS development vehicles. Gen1 media samples will be the next big step and these are expected to reach 32-64Gbit capacities, although there are no details about raw performance, as of yet.

(Image credit: Sandisk) You might also like

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• Sandisk takes over SSD, memory cards and USB drives from Western Digital

I’ve just finished watching MGM Plus’ Earth Abides, and for a post-apocalyptic thriller, it was a nice change of pace to the usual grim battle for survival in a future world plagued by zombies and/or cannibals you find in movies like The Road or the long, plodding The Walking Dead TV series, or where everybody lives underground like Silo or Fallout.

Earth Abides, the TV show, is based loosely on the classic 1949 sci-fi novel of the same name written by George R. Stewart. The story follows protagonist Isherwood ‘Ish’ Williams (Alexander Ludwig), a geology student who is working on his thesis in the mountains somewhere in California. Bitten by a rattlesnake he manages to make it back to his cabin in the woods before passing out in a fever from which he doesn’t wake for days, possibly weeks.

When he does come round, he finds that nature biting back was a foreshadowing of what’s to come. Nature has indeed struck back and he’s completely alone. Civilization has been destroyed by a deadly pandemic; everyone he knows is dead, the streets are empty and the TVs and radios are all quiet. Wandering into the city he finds a couple of oddball survivors who were immune to the virus, but it’s only when he retreats to the suburbs that he finds Emma (Jessica Frances Dukes), a woman who seems to be more adept at surviving in a post-apocalyptic world than he is. They decide to make a life together and he gains direction as they slowly start to build a community around them.

If, like me, you trudged through every series of The Walking Dead out of some misplaced sense of duty, only to find out that it essentially repeats the same 'bad guy' plot line over and over every season, you’ll find it refreshing that the main focus of Earth Abides isn’t on how humans are inherently selfish and evil, but on how we need to cooperate to survive in nature.

Sure, they occasionally meet other groups, not all of whom have their best interests at heart, but more often than not the goal is simply to stay alive and the people choose to band together because they want to form a community. As humans it appears that working together gives us our best chance of survival – who knew?

• Watch Earth Abides on Fubo or MGM Plus in the US
• Watch Earth Abides on Prime Video or MGM Plus in the UK
• Watch Earth Abides on Stan in Australia

While Mary Shelley’s The Last Man was the first post-apocalyptic novel, Earth Abides is most likely the original source material for all the ‘waking up to discover civilization has collapsed’ plot lines that you see repeated again and again in sci-fi and horror – 28 Days Later, I’m looking at you. And talking of classic literature, throughout Earth Abides the value of a good old-fashioned public library is continually emphasized, because if you want to know how to do something in a post-apocalyptic world, like say, install solar panels or deliver a human baby, you can’t simply fire up YouTube. The local library turns out to be a lifesaver.

As the title suggests, throughout it all, the Earth abides. We get to watch nature recover and reclaim the world. As every last brick, fibre-optic cable and bridge that humans have created begins to rot away, cities are turning back into forests and wild animals are frolicking in the streets. There’s plenty of action, heartbreak and drama along the way, but we get to see a world where humans live without the concept of money or a social status to chase after, the survivors slowly lose their hangups and become freer to become the sort of people they really want to be, especially when it comes to human relationships.

If you’re looking for something different for your next binge watch of one of the best Prime Video shows (if you're in the UK), then I like to think that Earth Abides offers you a more realistic look at a post-apocalyptic future than we’ve seen so far, one where we don’t all instantly default to cannibalism as our first means of survival, and people find out what it really means to be human after all.

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• The Umbrella Academy season 4 is a bittersweet but frustrating finale that proves the hit Netflix show is ending at the right time
• Best Netflix sci-fi movies: fantastic films to stream right now

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, February 22 (game #622).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

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

NYT Connections today (game #623) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PICKLE
• GRATE
• MILK
• TEA
• JAM
• SCRAPE
• CAN
• BUTTER
• GRIND
• BEANS
• SYRUP
• FERMENT
• FREEZE
• GUTS
• HOT SAUCE
• GNASH

NYT Connections today (game #623) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• GREEN: Longer lasting produce 
• YELLOW: Smoosh it up
• BLUE: First meal of the day 
• PURPLE: “Drop” into a common phrase

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 #623) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• GREEN: WAYS TO PRESERVE FOOD 
• YELLOW: RUB TOGETHER 
• BLUE: BREAKFAST CONDIMENTS 
• PURPLE: PROVERBIAL THINGS THAT ARE SPILLED 

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

NYT Connections today (game #623) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #623, are…

• GREEN: WAYS TO PRESERVE FOOD CAN, FERMENT, FREEZE, PICKLE
• YELLOW: RUB TOGETHER GNASH, GRATE, GRIND, SCRAPE
• BLUE: BREAKFAST CONDIMENTS BUTTER, HOT SAUCE, JAM, SYRUP
• PURPLE: PROVERBIAL THINGS THAT ARE SPILLED BEANS, GUTS, MILK, TEA

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I found today tough going and got myself in a real muddle with thinking I was looking for pancake ingredients and then when I ruled that out some combination of breakfast items – MILK, TEA, JAM and BUTTER are all key factors of tea and toast.

WAYS TO PRESERVE FOOD was far easier to get.

The strangest preserved food I’ve ever had was some shark meat that had been covered in salt and buried under sand and rocks for two months. This was in Iceland and I only found out what it was after I’d eaten it, along with being teased (or at least I hope I was being teased) about another way they preserve this particular delicacy. Chewy and pongy is my 2-star review.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 22 February, game #622)

• YELLOW: MEMBER OF A TEAM WITH THE MOST CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SPORTS CANADIEN, CELTIC, PACKER, YANKEE
• GREEN: CREATE SOME VOLUME/TEXTURE IN HAIR CRIMP, CURL, FEATHER, TEASE
• BLUE: SUPPLIES FOR MACARONI ART GLITTER, GLUE, MACARONI, PAPER
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "GOLDEN" DOODLE, GOOSE, PARACHUTE, ROD

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, February 22 (game #356).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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

NYT Strands today (game #357) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Oh, this old thing?

NYT Strands today (game #357) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SHINE
• LINE
• COLT
• COIL
• MALE
• TALL

NYT Strands today (game #357) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Available on eBay

NYT Strands today (game #357) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 3rd column

Last side: top, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #357) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #357, are…

• STAMP
• COIN
• VINYL
• COMIC
• PLUSHIE
• BOBBLEHEAD
• SPANGRAM: COLLECTIBLES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today’s puzzle collates items that some may consider junk and that others treasure, depending on your collecting demeanor.

Personally, I’ve always veered on the side of treasure and although my loft is free of a single BOBBLEHEAD it contains plenty of everything else listed here, all of which will bail us out of crisis and pay the mortgage off one day.

Well, that’s the dream of everyone with COLLECTIBLES, but the brutal reality upon perusing eBay is that it is all close to worthless . Having said that, I did once sell a comic for $300. The fact that it’s now worth $1,000 further entrenches my position of holding on to everything.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 22 February, game #356)

• GRIDLOCK
• BLOCKAGE
• CONGESTION
• OVERCROWDING
• SPANGRAM: TRAFFIC JAM

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.

• 'Sandisk 2.0' aiming for higher investor returns, faster, higher capacity SSDs
• 128TB Data Center UltraQLC SSD launching later this year
• Sandisk plans 256TB SSD next year, and a 1PB model in the near future

Western Digital announced plans to separate its HDD and flash businesses back in 2023 and began the process in October 2024.

Going forward, WD will focus on the hard drive and platforms side, while Sandisk will concentrate on flash technology products, including SSDs, memory cards, and USB flash drives.

Sandisk recently held an investor day session titled "Sandisk 2.0" to emphasize this brand new iteration of the business. The company explained it is focused on generating higher returns and improving margins for investors, in an obvious attempt to quell any concern that might be brewing following its spinoff.

More excitingly, Sandisk also took the opportunity to reveal details of a new, large capacity SSD arriving later in 2025.

1PB SSD incoming

The UltraQLC DC SN670 is an NVMe PCIe Gen 5 QLC Data Center SSD that promises 68% faster read speeds and 55% faster write speeds "compared to the competition". This will be Sandisk’s first 128TB SSD (with 122.88TB usable capacity), following similar drives from Solidigm, Samsung, and Phison. This, along with a 64TB model (61.44TB usable), is expected to debut in Q3 2025.

Blocks and Files notes, “The UltraQLC angle refers to the controller having hardware accelerators, being scalable to the 64 Die/Channel level, able to scale power according to workload demand and including an 'integrated advanced toggle mode bus Mux control.' Toggle mode NAND uses a double data rate interface for faster data transfers and a multiplexer (Mux) manages the data lanes. Sandisk’s version of this technology will be managing the NAND-SSD controller data flow more efficiently."

Although it didn’t provide an exact timeline, Sandisk also teased it is working toward a 1PB data center drive, possibly within the next four years. It did confirm a target of 256TB in 2026 and 512TB in 2027, however.

While Sandisk typically uses TLC NAND for its performance SSDs, and QLC NAND for capacity drives, the firm will be shifting towards QLC for most purposes by 2028 (Sandisk teased BiCS9 with more than 300 layers which will be used to make a 1Tb TLC die).

Later this year will see the arrival of a value PCIe Gen 4 QLC NAND drive in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities, and also a PCIe Gen 5 TLC drive in 512GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities.

(Image credit: Sandisk) You might also like

• These are the fastest SSDs you can buy right now
• And these are the largest HDDs and SSDs on the market at the moment
• Sandisk takes over SSD, memory cards and USB drives from Western Digital

Thunderbolts: key information

- Releasing in theaters globally on May 2
- Three trailers released so far
- Main cast revealed
- Story synopsis unveiled
- Other cast and plot rumors circulating online
- Unclear how it'll set up future MCU events

Thunderbolts is the final Marvel movie to be released – on May 2 – as part of the comic giant's Phase 5 line-up. The highly anticipated flick aims to combine the ragtag, comedy-laced style of Guardians of the Galaxy with the team-up appeal of the Avengers. Based on what I've seen and read so far, it seems like it'll succeed.

Before the next Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie arrives, I've rounded up the latest news and rumors on Thunderbolts* (more on the asterisks later), including its confirmed cast, story specifics, trailers, and potential impact on the MCU's future.

Full spoilers follow for various Marvel projects, including Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS), Black Widow, and Ant-Man and the Wasp (AM&TW).

Thunderbolts release date

Thunderbolts will charge into cinemas worldwide in early May (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

As mentioned, Thunderbolts – or, to give its official title, Thunderbolts* – will leap onto the big screen on Friday, May 2. That's the fifth launch date it's been given since Thunderbolts was first announced by Marvel in June 2022.

Originally, it was going to be released in December 2024. However, the 2023 Hollywood writer and actor strikes led to multiple Marvel movies being delayed, including Thunderbolts*. Its release date was shifted around until its current launch date was settled on.

Filming didn't begin on Thunderbolts until it had ridden out its creative storm last March, either. Indeed, principal photography only started once some cast issues, including the departure of Steven Yeun and Ayo Edebiri, had been resolved. Thankfully, its shooting schedule only lasted five months and, with the end of its post-production stage in sight, it's finally set to be released very soon.

Thunderbolts trailer

The official trailer for Thunderbolts was released during Super Bowl LIX. There's a lot to take in from its humorous, action-packed, and melodramatic two-minute-plus runtime, too, including the revelation that its main villain is someone you probably expected to be a good guy.

That isn't the first trailer we've seen for one of 2025's new movies. Thunderbolts' first trailer was released publicly last September following its exclusive debut at D23 Expo 2024 – check it out below:

Two months later at the Brazilian edition of D23 Expo 2024, Marvel unveiled another look at Thunderbolts that suggested it'll help Marvel Phase 5 end with a bang rather than a whimper, too.

Thunderbolts cast: confirmed and rumored

Thunderbolts will feature plenty of familiar faces (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Potentially big spoilers follow for Thunderbolts. Major spoilers also follow for multiple MCU projects, including Captain America: Brave New World.

Here's the confirmed cast list for Thunderbolts* so far:

• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
• Sebastian Stan as James 'Bucky' Barnes/The Winter Soldier
• David Harbour as Alexei Shoshtakov/The Red Guardian
• Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent
• Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost
• Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster
• Lewis Pullman as Bob Reynolds/Sentry/The Void
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
• Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel

Everyone except Pullman's Bob Reynolds and Viswanathan's Mel will be familiar to MCU fans. But, if you're new to the franchise or need a quick refresher on who they are, read on.

Pugh's Belova, who's positioned as the movie's lead, was first introduced in Black Widow. She's the sister of Natasha Romanoff, who sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame to allow Clint Barton/Hawkeye to retrieve the Soul Stone as part of the titular group's plan to reverse 'The Snap', aka the event that saw half of all life wiped out of the MCU. Belova was last seen in Hawkeye on Disney+ where, suspecting Barton was behind Romanoff's death, tried to kill him. However, after finding out that he wasn't responsible for her sibling's demise, Belova ended her quest for vengeance.

Harbour's Shoshtakov and Kurylenko's Dreykov also made their MCU debuts in Black Widow. Shoshtakov is Romanoff and Belova's father, and he's also Russia's answer to Steve Rogers' iteration of Captain America – i.e. a super-soldier who wields a shield. Meanwhile, Dreykov is also known as Taskmaster, aka an individual who can mimic any person's combat skills.

James 'Bucky' Barnes was last seen in Captain America: Brave New World (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Stan's Barnes needs no introduction. He's been ever-present in the MCU since 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, appearing in nine Marvel properties. Another super-soldier with a vibranium arm, formerly a brainwashed Russian assassin called The Winter Soldier, Barnes will either be running for Congress in Thunderbolts* or have been elected by the start of the movie. This story beat was revealed in Brave New World – read my Captain America 4 ending explained piece for more details on how it sets up events in this flick.

Wyatt's Walker was an antagonistic figure in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He was enlisted as the new Captain America in that TV show after Rogers gave up the shield, but eventually lost the title to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson. He was later hired by Louis-Dreyfus' duplicitous CIA Director to become a black ops-like version of Cap called US Agent.

Speaking of Fontaine, she first appeared in Black Widow's post-credits scene and has since shown up in FATWS and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She's responsible for sending Belova after Barton, too. Oh, and she'll be helped by Viswanathan's Mel, who's her aide in this flick.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is behind the Thunderbolts team's formation (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

John-Kamen will reprise her role as Starr/Ghost, the primary antagonist of AM&TW whose abilities allow her to phase through solid objects. Like Belova and Walker, it appears Fontaine hires her to conduct secret missions for the CIA.

Rounding out the main cast is MCU newcomer Pullman, who'll portray Bob Reynolds. In the comics, he's an amnesiac middle-aged man who doesn't know he's one of the world's most powerful superheroes and goes by the pseudonym Sentry. However, Reynolds harbors a dark secret. Due to the super-soldier serum he receives, he also possesses a demonic persona called The Void. If it manages to mentally overpower Reynolds and Sentry, it uses its abilities to cause wanton destruction. We catch a very brief glimpse of The Void in action in the final trailer for Thunderbolts*, so don't be shocked if Reynolds ends up being its Big Bad.

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Thunderbolts story synopsis and speculation

It seems that the titular group of anti-heroes weren't assembled for a righteous cause (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Possible spoilers follow for Thunderbolts.

Here's the movie's official story synopsis: In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes – Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?

The "death trap" aspect of that plot brief won't come as a surprise to anyone who's seen the trailers. Indeed, the footage we've seen so far suggests Fontaine sends Walker, Starr, Dreykov, and Belova on a mission to eradicate Reynolds. Of course, the quartet doesn't know about Reynolds' abilities or dark side, so they wouldn't stand a chance against him.

US Agent and Ghost are two of Fontaine's mercenaries who are seemingly sent on a suicide mission (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The big question on everyone's minds is why Fontaine is sending these mercenaries to their apparent deaths. Is she simply trying to tie up some loose ends as Director of the CIA? In my view, that's the most likely explanation. Unfortunately, the trailers reveal that Fontaine's plan goes awry, the group escapes alongside Reynolds and, after teaming up with Barnes and Shoshtakov, confronts Fontaine at her new headquarters in the building formerly known as Avengers Tower. Yes, that's the same skyscraper that Tony Stark owned until his death in Avengers: Endgame. How and why Fontaine has acquired it is another of Thunderbolts' big mysteries.

Anyway, away from that, each team member will be dealing with their own insecurities throughout this Marvel Phase 5 film. The trailer shows a disenchanted Belova going through the motions before she seeks out Shoshtakov for emotional support. Unfortunately, the wisecracking super-soldier appears ill-equipped to help as he struggles with his own demons of being a dead-beat dad and yearning for new adventures despite his aging body.

Walker will be grappling with his dark past and raising his son alone after his wife's death in FATWS, while Barnes will likely need to face up to his own murder-laden history and attempts to make a difference as a newly-elected Congressman. Then there's Reynolds who, as I discussed in the cast section, has a huge, supervillain-esque internal issue to continually quell.

Say hi to Bob, everyone (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Thunderbolts won't be a wholly melancholy affair. There'll be plenty of trademark MCU humor to enjoy, especially once this group of oddball heroes and anti-heroes join forces for the greater good. Per Variety, Stan has even likened it to the iconic 1985 teen movie The Breakfast Club, which featured a similarly eccentric group of misfits who realize they have more in common during a Saturday detention.

But back to something I mentioned at the start of this article: what could the film title's asterisk be alluding to? Some fans have suggested it's a placeholder for a subtitle, which will be revealed in its third act or just before the credits roll. Right now, fans have two suggestions for what it'll be: Dark Avengers or New Avengers. The former would befit this team of not-so-morally upstanding individuals. However, the latter appears more likely, especially in light of Fontaine claiming that the world needs a new Avengers-like team in Thunderbolts' latest trailer. We'll see if either of those theories is correct soon enough.

What Marvel movies and shows do I need to watch before Thunderbolts?

Yelena Belova has appeared in two other live-action MCU projects (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

I've already hinted at the MCU movies and TV shows that you'll need to stream on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services before the final Phase 5 film is released.

However, if you scrolled past this guide's cast and plot sections, here's a quick round-up of what you'll want to stream before Thunderbolts* arrives (NB: you can read more about each one in my Marvel movies in order guide, too):

• Ant-Man and the Wasp – introduction of Ava Starr/Ghost
• Falcon and the Winter Soldier – introduction of John Walker/US Agent
• Black Widow – introductions of Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster
• Hawkeye – progression of Belova's MCU journey
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – more details on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's history and CIA role
• Captain America: Brave New World – details on Barnes' campaign to become a Congressman

How will Thunderbolts impact the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Thunderbolts* could establish plot threads that'll be explored further in the next two Avengers films (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The short answer is: I don't know, but that won't stop me from speculating.

If Belova and company are installed as the newest version of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, I wouldn't be shocked if some of them appear in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. The pair, which are currently set to release in theaters in May 2026 and May 2027, are expected to bring down the curtain on the Marvel Multiverse Saga. And, aside from Robert Downey Jr's shock casting as the villain in both films, plus the inclusion of Mackie's Wilson/Cap 2.0 and The Fantastic Four, there's no word on which other heroes will appear.

It's possible, then, that the likes of Belova and Barnes (at the very least) will feature in these Marvel Phase 6 projects. Stan was in the last two Avengers flicks, while Pugh is one of the most popular actors on the planet right now so, in my opinion, she's a shoo-in to appear. I'm not so sure if Russell, Harbour, or any other Thunderbolts* cast members will show up, though.

As for whether this movie will set up any story threads for Avengers 5 and Avengers 6, I don't think that's likely. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the final MCU film that'll land in theaters before Doomsday, so I'd expect it to do most of the heavy lifting (from a plot perspective) for that duo. We'll see if I'm right in early May.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on the best Marvel movies, Daredevil: Born Again, and Spider-Man 4.

If you’re looking to grab one of the best soundbars around, there’s something that you’ll almost certainly be seeking – Dolby Atmos support. And I wouldn’t blame you. This immersive audio tech can provide a three-dimensional, natural sound profile to your viewing experiences that will really take movie nights to the next level.

Luckily, I’ve been able to test a number of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars here at TechRadar – everything from ultra-cheap models around the $100 / £100 mark to more premium options in the $1,500 / £1,500 range. So, you might be wondering, if you can access Atmos at such a low price-point, is it really worth spending extra on a more elite option? Let’s find out.

A few months ago, I checked out the Majority Elias, a soundbar that’s available in the UK for £99.95 (about $130 / AU$190). This budget standalone soundbar packs in Dolby Atmos support alongside upfiring speakers – something you need if you’re looking to reap the benefits of Atmos’ verticality.

I tried watching a few movies with this soundbar, such as Top Gun: Maverick – a hit that gives Atmos plenty of space to showcase its strengths, with soaring jets and all-action onslaughts. During one scene where Tom Cruise’s character flies his aircraft up at a rapid pace, the Elias offered a more expansive impression than my standalone TV audio, but it couldn’t map his trajectory to a precise, true-to-life degree.

(Image credit: Future)

The Elias is a 2.0.2 soundbar – it lacks a standalone sub and rear speakers, merely offering two forward facing and two upward firing speakers. Now, a lot of the more expensive models out there come with their own sub, maybe even individual rear speakers, meaning you get true surround sound. This really takes the effects of Atmos up a level, enveloping you in a layer of sound for high-calibre immersion. Its worth commending the Majority Elias for casting a decent spatial impression – but also noticing that despite having Atmos capabilities, they're fairly limited.

Ultimately, the Elias also suffers from an issue that many cheap soundbars – including models like the Ultimea Nova S50 – struggle with. Namely, disappointing overall audio quality. I found that dialogue could sound fairly muddy when watching movies and TV shows and that it struggled with busier scenes where details could get hidden away in the mix.

And what that unfortunately means is you’re not going to be able to fully indulge in the joys of Dolby Atmos. With average or sub-par audio, more subtle artefacts can seem hidden – something you don’t have to worry about with the Samsung HW-Q800D – a model I tested at the tail-end of 2024.

(Image credit: Future) Atmos, in all its glory

The HW-Q800D has a list price of $999 / £749 / AU$1,099, so it’s by no means cheap, but oh my do you still get your money’s worth. First off, you don’t have to face up to middling audio quality here – the HW-Q800D can do it all, from ultra-defined dialogue through to rhythmic music replication.

But on Atmos specifically, the HW-Q800D can plate up phenomenal three-dimensional audio that fills your room effortlessly. When testing, I threw on The Boy and the Heron and the soundbar mapped the titular bird’s flight expertly, tracing his every flutter. In an area consumed by fire, both the width from the soundbar’s side speakers and verticality from its upfiring ones captured the frightening, heart-racing atmosphere of the opening scene to perfection, really involving me in the action.

This model also comes with a dedicated sub, which adds incredible low-end power for those tense moments in movies and video games – or bass-heavy bangers in your music library. You’re getting a total power output of 360W from the HW-Q800D, more than double that of the Majority Elias – so you can attain the kind of power needed for an authentic home cinema experience.

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, if you have a bit more money to play with (lucky you), you can heighten performance by adding rear speakers with a model like the Samsung HW-Q990D. But there are cheaper options available that offer amazing Atmos. For instance, we still love the Sony HT-S2000 – a standalone soundbar that can often be found for less than $400 / £300. This bar harnesses virtual processing to make height effects in Dolby Atmos soundtracks like Top Gun exceed the verticality of your TV screen – pretty neat at this price-point!

All in all, I’d argue that if you have the budget, spending extra on a higher-end Dolby Atmos soundbar is well-worth it. You can access more accurate mapping, impressive verticality and truly expansive sound, even with mid-range options like the Sony HT-S2000. Ultimately, a lot of budget soundbars lack the ability to plate up nuanced, fully three-dimensional audio – especially without surround channels.

But if you are on a tighter budget, fear not – there are some excellent cheap options out there – albeit without Atmos. One of the best cheap soundbars is the diminutive Hisense HS214, which offers clear dialogue and impressive power for less than $100 / £80.

(Image credit: Future) You might also like

• I spent a month testing the 11.4.6-channel Nakamichi Dragon, and it’s a Dolby Atmos soundbar on steroids
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• HaLowLink 1 combines Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi HaLow
• Speed peaks at 32Mbps over 10 miles on the 8 Mhz band, but 300Mbps is possible on 40 Mhz
• Two HaLowLink 1 routers can replace Ethernet cabling

Morse Micro has introduced the MM-HL1-EXT, a Wi-Fi HaLow router with an external antenna designed for long-range, low-power communication.

The MM-HL1-EXT leverages the IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow standard, enabling connections over distances of 10 miles (16km) in rural areas and 3km in urban environments.

Unlike conventional Wi-Fi routers, HaLow operates in the 900MHz band in the US and also supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n). It can function as a standalone access point or as an extender, improving connectivity in difficult-to-reach areas.

A game-changing long-range router

The MM-HL1-EXT is part of the HaLowLink 1 series — optimized for IoT and industrial applications.

It's been certified for use in North America (FCC), Canada (IC), and Australia (RCM) but the company is working to secure certifications for EMEA (868MHz) and Asia.

“The certification of the HaLowLink 1 reinforces the growing importance of reliable, interoperable Wi-Fi HaLow products in the connectivity ecosystem,” said Maureen Gallagher, VP of Marketing at Wi-Fi Alliance.

“With its extended range and low-power capabilities, Wi-Fi HaLow is a powerful solution for IoT applications, and Morse Micro is committed to accelerating adoption by delivering high-quality products through the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program.”

At the core of the HaLowLink 1 is the MediaTek MT7621A dual-core CPU, paired with 256MB of DRAM and 32MB of NAND flash storage. The radio module features Morse Micro’s MM6108 chipset alongside AzureWave AW-HM593, delivering a transmission power of up to 23 dBm for stable, long-range performance.

For wired connections, the router includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports and supports Ethernet-over-USB for enhanced networking flexibility. A USB-C port provides power and Ethernet data transmission.

It runs on OpenWrt 23.05, an open source, customizable networking platform that supports online firmware updates.

The HaLowLink 1 speed maxes out at 32Mbps when using an 8MHz bandwidth. In contrast, its Wi-Fi 4 capability supports speeds of up to 300Mbps at 40MHz bandwidth.

In harsh industrial settings, two HaLowLink 1 units can be deployed together to replace Ethernet cabling, providing a wireless alternative to outdoor and remote installations.

“With the launch of the world’s first Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi HaLow CERTIFIED gateway, we’re equipping developers with a powerful tool to explore the extended-range, low-power connectivity benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow, paving the way for widespread adoption,” said Michael De Nil, co-founder and CEO of Morse Micro.

The MM-HL1-EXT is now available on Mouser for €97.81 (about $99). At press time, eight units are in stock, with 56 more expected by April 14, 2025. Larger bulk orders have an estimated factory lead time of eight weeks.

Morse Micro has been developing Wi-Fi HaLow tech for nearly a decade, but its breakthroughs only began gaining widespread attention in 2024. Back in February of that year, it demonstrated router hardware that provided 2-mile coverage for months while running on coin batteries.

By September, that range had extended to 10 miles. Most recently, at CES 2025 in January, Morse Micro showcased Wi-Fi routers capable of delivering 250Mbps over a 10-mile radius.

Via EENewsEurope

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• Benchmarks for the iPhone 16e have appeared online
• Performance and RAM details are revealed
• The handset goes on sale next Friday, February 28

While Apple has now unveiled the iPhone 16e, it won't actually be available to buy for another week – and ahead of that February 28 date, benchmarks have appeared online that tell us a bit more about the newest iPhone.

As spotted by MySmartPrice, the information apparently revealed here includes the impact of the reduced GPU core count on the A18 processor: it has a 4-core GPU, rather than the 5-core GPU on the iPhone 16 flagships.

That means a drop of around 15% in graphics performance terms compared to the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus. It's a difference worth being aware of, though it's unlikely to be all that noticeable if you were comparing the handsets side by side.

The Geekbench listing also confirms the iPhone 16e has 8GB of RAM, which is something that was widely assumed, but hasn't been specifically mentioned by Apple. That's a jump up from 4GB on the iPhone SE 3, in part to add support for Apple Intelligence.

Specs comparisons

The iPhone 16, which shares some specs with the iPhone 16e (Image credit: Future)

The final little tidbit of information from the MySmartPrice report suggests that the iPhone 16e will offer a wired charging speed of 29W, as per a Chinese regulator certification – another upgrade over the iPhone SE 3, which delivered 20W.

As you can see from the iPhone 16e specs page, Apple doesn't typically list every last detail of its devices. We don't yet know the phone's battery capacity, though up to 26 hours of video playback on a single charge is mentioned (beating the 22 hours of the iPhone 16).

Preorders are now live for the iPhone 16e, and you may well have decided whether or not you're picking up this phone – but if you're still unsure, these extra details may help you come to a decision one way or the other.

While the iPhone 16e does stack up well against the pricier iPhone 16, there are some features missing (including MagSafe), so if you're choosing between the two then it's important to do a thorough comparison check before buying.

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We say this every week, but what a week it's been in tech: we've seen a flurry of new product launches, reported on a seismic shift in one of the biggest movie franchises in history, and spent some time with the thinnest foldable phone on the planet.

It's a lot to keep up with, which is why our weekly 'In Case You Missed It' round-up exists. Get yourself a beverage, settle down somewhere comfortable, and let's go through everything that happened over the last seven days.

Once you're fully caught up, we're all set for the next week in tech – and you can rely on TechRadar to bring you all the tech news that matters, as it happens.

8. You told us how you’re using AI

The rise of AI continues (Image credit: Anthropic / OpenAI / Perplexity AI)

The TechRadar team has been polling the general public in a new Special Report that takes the temperature of how AI tools are continuing to change our lives: there's no industry hype here, just real data taken from hundreds of users in the US and the UK.

We made some interesting discoveries about which AI tools are the most popular, how polite we're being to our AI companions, what AI is actually useful for, and why AI search is a genuine threat to Google – it's well worth your time to read through all these in full. Or just get your favorite AI tool to summarize them, at least.

• These are the 12 most popular AI tools right now, according to a new survey – and rivals are catching ChatGPT
• Goodbye Google? People are increasingly switching to the likes of ChatGPT, according to major survey – here's why
• These are the top 5 things people are using AI for – and free therapy doesn’t make the list
• Are you polite to ChatGPT? Here's where you rank among AI chatbot users

7. James Bond got a new boss

Daniel Craig as 007 (Image credit: MGM)

Amazon-owned MGM Studios bought the Bond franchise back in 2022, but now the company has full creative control over the property: long-time stewards of Ian Fleming's creation, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, are stepping aside.

It's a huge shift, and the world of James Bond won't ever be the same again. Let's hope the executives at MGM Studios keep everything that's great about the suave spy and resist the urge to churn out 12 spin-off television shows that we'll never get around to seeing.

• Read more: Amazon MGM Studios acquires the license to thrill as its gains full creative control of the entire James Bond franchise in landmark deal

6. Amazon culled a useful Kindle feature

A long-standing Kindle feature is being taken away (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

When it's not charting out the future of James Bond, Amazon makes ereaders: and older Kindles owners are losing the ability to download their purchased ebooks to a computer. In the future, these files will be transferred wirelessly and locked to a Kindle.

This was a useful way of backing up ebooks you'd bought direct from Amazon, but it was also a feature people were exploiting to pirate files and distribute them across the web. Once again, normal users lose out because of the shady actions of a minority.

• Read more: Amazon just killed a useful Kindle USB feature – leaving me stuck with less flexibility for ebook downloads and backups

5. We met the new OnePlus Watch 3

The new OnePlus Watch 3 (Image credit: Future)

Fresh from the launch of the excellent OnePlus 13, OnePlus has now pushed out the OnePlus Watch 3 to go with it – and we've been spending some hands-on time with the big, beautiful wearable. It's an iterative update, but it's still an impressive one.

Our full OnePlus Watch 3 review is still pending, but immediate highlights are the long, long battery life, the classic look of the timepiece, the new health features, and the extensive support for Google's third-party apps. This could be one of the best smartwatches for Android yet.

• Read more: Hands-on OnePlus Watch 3 review – Android's long-lasting chunky smartwatch

4. Canon teased a promising little video camera

Say hello to the PowerShot V1 (Image credit: Canon)

Vloggers in the market for a compact and capable camera would do well to consider the newly teased Canon PowerShot V1. Quietly announced on the Canon Japan website, it features an all-new 22.3MP sensor and some rather handy features for video makers.

We're still waiting for the full details of the camera, and global pricing, but we're liking what we've seen so far. While there are already a lot of vlogging cameras at this sort of price point, Canon may have come up with the perfect mix of price and performance here.

• Read more: Canon PowerShot V1 unveiled with all-new sensor, and it looks like a Sony-beating compact vlogging camera

3. Amazon revealed two powerful Wi-Fi 7 routers

Amazon has new routers to show off (Image credit: Amazon)

When it's not charting out the future of James Bond, or making ereaders, Amazon also manufacturers routers. The Eero series has long been a great choice for affordable and reliable home networking kit, and there are now two new Wi-Fi 7 models available.

The Eero 7 and Eero Pro 7 come in at cheaper price points than the premium Eero Max 7, but still appear to do a fantastic job of blanketing your entire home in speedy Wi-Fi – ideal for busy households and power users. The devices start shipping on February 26.

• Read more: Amazon's new Eero 7 and Pro 7 complete a 'comprehensive lineup' for its customers – here's everything you need to know

2. We reviewed the world’s thinnest foldable phone

The Oppo Find N5 is super-thin (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

Full marks to the engineers at Oppo, who have managed to build a foldable phone that measures just 4.21mm front-to-back when unfolded. That's incredibly thin, and we've been putting said phone – the Oppo Find N5 – to the test in a full review of its capabilities.

In short: Samsung should be worried, because the Oppo Find N5 stacks up very well against the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Not only is the phone very thin and light, it boasts a couple of excellent displays, and offers an impressive level of battery life for a foldable handset.

• Read more: I spent a week with the world's thinnest folding phone – here's why I'd pick the Oppo Find N5 over the Galaxy Z Fold 6

1. The iPhone 16e landed – and replaced the SE series

Apple's newest iPhone is the iPhone 16e (Image credit: Apple / Future)

There's no doubting the biggest news of the week: with the iPhone 16e, Apple revamped its most affordable iPhone series, ditching the Home button, Touch ID support, and the iPhone SE name at the same time. And there's a new modem chip for good measure.

Find out everything you need to know about the iPhone 16e on TechRadar below, including the internal specs (which compare very favorably with the iPhone 16), and how much it's going to cost you. It could well be the best value iPhone on the market at the moment.

• Read more: iPhone 16e – 5 things you need to know, including its price, camera, and that C1 chip

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The Handmaid's Tale season 6: key information

- Coming to Hulu in April 2025
- No official trailer, but short teaser unveiled
- Main cast all set to return
- New cast member announced
- Final season, but sequel, The Testaments, in the works

The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will arrive in spring 2025, and while we eagerly await the final season of one of the best Hulu series, there’s plenty to talk about.

Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s best-selling novel of the same name, five gripping seasons so far have told the dystopian tale of a totalitarian society, Gilead, that forces fertile women to become surrogates for the rich and privileged. Led by Offred (Elisabeth Moss), a handmaid assigned to a couple, has fought for her freedom over five seasons, and yet there's still more to come.

As one of the best streaming services, Hulu has astounded with The Handmaid’s Tale, winning a multitude of awards during its eight intense years – and the finale aims to tie up the show with a bow - in any color, we hope, but red. Here’s everything we know from release date, possible plot, confirmed cast, news, rumors, and more.

The Handmaid's Tale season 6: is there a release date?

A post shared by The Handmaid's Tale (@handmaidsonhulu)

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In September 2024, an official Instagram post of Moss holding a production clapper board revealed that filming had commenced. It also revealed that The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will be coming in the spring of 2025, which has since been confirmed by Hulu to be on April 8. Exciting news, considering it’s been nearly three years since season 5.

While the previous seasons came out in consecutive years, there was a delay for The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes. Fortunately, with resolution came the chance to finally start filming the long-awaited final season and bring the dystopian tale to a close.

Three of the past five seasons have been released in April – and filming for those took place between September and February – so the release date is inline with previous seasons. Filming for season 6 started in September and is yet to wrap.

The Handmaid's Tale season 6: has a trailer been released?

(Image credit: Hulu)

While there’s been no full-length trailer yet for The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, there was a teaser embedded in the Disney Plus and Hulu 2025 trailer. Unfortunately, while we can't share the trailer, we can tell you what is shown. It starts with Serena Joy saying: “Something big is about to happen,” followed by June adding: “Let’s bring them home.” For now, that's all we have to go on, but we'll update here when a trailer drops.

The Handmaid's Tale season 6: confirmed cast

The main cast will return for The Handmaid's Tale season 7 - plus, two new faces (Image credit: Hulu)

Potential spoilers follow for The Handmaid's Tale season 6.

First look images of The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 officially confirmed the return of most of the main cast – though we imagine any not featured will still be back for the sixth and final season:

• Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne
• O-T Fagbenle as Luke
• Max Minghella as Nick
• Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford
• Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia
• Samara Wiley as Moira
• Bradley Whitford as Commander Lawrence
• Amanda Brugel as Rita
• Madeline Brewer as Janine
• Sam Jaeger as Mark Tuello
• Ever Carradine as Naomi Putnam
• Josh Charles as TBC
• Timothy Simons as TBC

While the main cast are reprising their roles, there's also two new roles that have been cast - though details on their roles are being kept firmly under wraps.

Firstly, in July 2024, Deadline revealed that The Veil and The Good Wife star, Josh Charles, would be joining season 6: "in a series regular capacity." Then, in September 2024, as per Variety, a new role for Veep and Nobody Wants This star, Timothy Simons, was unveiled. Simons has reportedly been cast in a guest role, but as mentioned, we have no further intel than that right now.

The Handmaid's Tale season 6: story synopsis and rumors

(Image credit: Hulu)

Full spoilers follow for The Handmaid’s Tale seasons 1-5 below.

The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is the final season of the show - and so, there's a lot to tie up, especially considering how season 5 ended. June found herself on a train with her former captor, Serena, and their babies in tow. They're not exactly on good terms, so the situation as they escape to Canada will certainly be interesting to watch unfold.

Though June wasn't meant to be alone as the escape plan was always meant to involve Luke. Unfortunately, after June was almost murdered by a man instructed by Gilead, Luke killed him and ultimately handed himself over to the police, letting June leave without him.

(Image credit: Hulu)

For June's role in season 6, Elisabeth Moss spoke to Elle: "I think that it's going to be a season where June is going to figure out who she is and who she's going to be for the rest of her life." She added: "The fight is not just about one individual; it's much larger than that. And I think she is, in season five, getting to that place where she's realizing that. And then season six is going to be very much about that, and then about all the characters figuring out whose side they're on and what their next move is."

There's also Nick's successful escape to Canada after his wife, Rose, left him. Janine being pulled away by The Eyes and Aunt Lydia showing some real emotion around the situation. Plus, Commander Lawrence's hopes and dreams for New Bethlehem seem entirely more likely after the death of Commander Putnam.

Creator Charlie Brooker has more sci-fi tales to tell (Image credit: Hulu)

But, there's a big change when it comes to who's running the show as Bruce Miller stepped down to focus on his next project - the screen adaptation of Margaret Atwood's sequel, "The Testaments," as reported by Deadline. Great news for the spin-off, but he's left The Handmaid's Tale season 6 in the hands of Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang. Who, both worked on the show before this move.

Before he left though, Ben Miller spoke to Entertainment Weekly regarding the final season: “We are ending our show on our own creative terms. Hulu and MGM have been uniquely remarkable and generous in that way. So I think the good thing is, I’m able to do it the way that I want to do it. So if you hate it, it actually was on purpose. It wasn’t a mistake. I didn’t stumble.”

And the cast and crew are clearly dedicated to delivering a season six that impresses. Producer Warren Littlefield revealed to Deadline that when it comes to the final season: "A lot of people won't make it to the end of Handmaid's Tale. It's pretty chilling, but also exciting." Adding: "And I think we will satisfy those who have been with us through six seasons, I think they're feel powerfully rewarded."

Will there be more seasons of The Handmaid's Tale?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We've mentioned this a few times already, but The Handmaid's Tale season 6 will be the show's last. But, in Littlefield's interview with Deadline, he spoke about Miller's focus on The Testaments and the future of the franchise as a whole. While Deadline reported that there had been "chatter that the project is heating up for a series greenlight," Littlefield said that it was "a priority project" and that it's a show that "we're spending a lot of time on" and that "we're full speed ahead; it's a really important franchise."

So it seems while The Handmaid's Tale may be coming to an end, the story of the Republic of Gilead could live on through an adaptation of Atwood's follow-up novel. The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale – narrated by Aunt Lydia, Agnes, a woman living in Gilead, and Daisy, a woman living in Canada. Without giving anymore away for those who haven't read the book, there's plenty of story left to tell.

For more Hulu-based coverage, read our guides on Only Murders in the Building season 5, Shōgun season 2, and The Bear season 4.

The idea of AI podcasts built from whatever documents you have lying around still feels like a trick of some kind, but Google's NotebookLM has shown me repeatedly that it can make informative, if not always lively, audio episodes on whatever subject I like.

The concept is simple: texts and transcripts become conversations among AI characters. They might casually discuss your research, breaking it down in an engaging, digestible way. You can even jump in, ask questions, and guide the discussion if you want.

But setting up NotebookLM to provide the best episode isn't necessarily intuitive. So, if you're a big audio learner or simply have many long car rides coming up, here are some tips to make the best fake podcasts possible.

Gather all your sources first

Before diving into any project, one of the best things you can do is gather all your materials in one place. We all like to think we’ll remember which tab we left open for later, but we won’t. The beauty of NotebookLM is that it functions best with as much context as possible, so uploading everything relevant in a single notebook helps it find connections, identify patterns, and deliver meaningful insights.

For my gardening plans, it was like having two expert gardeners discuss my exact research – except I didn’t have to chase them down at a plant nursery. Instead of clicking through multiple articles, I got a clear, organized breakdown of what I needed to know, making it easier to retain and act on.

Ask follow-ups

NotebookLM's podcasts aren't just passive, either. You can turn them into an interactive call show. Whenever the AI podcast brings up something interesting or unclear, you can take advantage of the ability to ask follow-up questions. This will help you refine the information and tailor it to your needs.

For my garden plans, the fertilizer discussion confused me a bit, but I jumped in and asked what to use for the kinds of veggies I wanted to grow. Then, the AI hosts immediately started answering my question before returning to the broader topic.

Tailored episodes

NotebookLM’s podcast feature isn’t one-size-fits-all. You can tailor it based on what’s most important to you. Since I wanted a low-maintenance garden, I adjusted my NotebookLM session to focus on drought-resistant plants and natural pest control.

The AI picked up on this and emphasized strategies like mulching and using marigolds to deter insects. If you have a different goal, like maybe maximizing vegetable yields or growing flowers for aesthetic appeal, you can make whole new episodes that cover those elements alone.

'Hire' the right voices

I quickly realized that the AI-generated podcast sounds even better when you tweak the voice settings to match your preferences. NotebookLM offers different pacing and tones, and adjusting them can make a huge difference in how engaging and digestible the content feels.

For example, I found that setting the voices to a slightly slower pace helped me absorb the information better, especially when dealing with detailed gardening instructions. You can also break long episodes into smaller chapters. You can hear a good overview example from my gardening podcast experiments below.

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ChatGPT is used by 400 million people a week, as confirmed by OpenAI in a Reuters report. That's a shocking number, considering the AI chatbot is only a little over two years old. It makes ChatGPT one of the most widely used digital tools on the planet, putting it in the same league as search engines and social media platforms.

ChatGPT was a huge hit from its debut, hitting 1 million users in five days after launching in November of 2022. But, the pace of adoption has only accelerated, as, in December, it had reached 300 million weekly users, but its numbers have rocketed up by 100 million just two months later.

But just because a lot of people use ChatGPT doesn't mean they're all experts. You might still be only scratching the surface of what ChatGPT can actually do. If you want to really put ChatGPT through its paces, here are some tips.

Be specific

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

How you ask ChatGPT for something dramatically affects what you get in return. If you type in something like, “Tell me about the French Revolution,” sure, it’ll give you a solid history lesson. But if you want more than a thumbnail explanation, get specific. Ask for an explanation of how the French Revolution impacted modern democracy, written in the style of a political thriller. Or tell it to summarize the causes of the revolution from the perspective of Marie Antoinette’s hairdresser.

ChatGPT is better when you add more detail. If you want help finding a job, don’t just ask, “Can you help me with my resume?” Instead, say, “I’m applying for a marketing manager role at a sustainability-focused company. Can you help me write a resume summary that highlights my experience in digital campaigns and environmental advocacy?” That gets the AI to really drill into ways to help you personally, not just on a general level.

Tell ChatGPT who to be

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

One of the best ChatGPT tricks is getting the AI to play a role. Instead of making it guess what kind of response you want, you can tell it to become a character. If you need legal advice, though not the type that will hold up in court, you could say, “You’re an expert in intellectual property law. Explain how trademarks work in the fashion industry.” If you’re stuck on a creative project, tell ChatGPT, “You’re a veteran screenwriter. Help me outline a sci-fi movie about time travel paradoxes.”

When you assign ChatGPT a role, you'll notice its responses become sharper, more relevant, and more insightful as it sifts through its databases for how to behave and respond like the kind of person you tell it to be. It’s the difference between asking a random stranger for advice and sitting down with an actual expert, except, in this case, the expert just happens to be a chatbot with a deep knowledge base.

Don't take the first answer as final

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

One of the most common mistakes people make is treating ChatGPT like Google or another search engine. Sure, you can ask a question and get an answer or a link, but that should be only the beginning. It's like treating a world-class chef as a vending machine.

Instead, think of ChatGPT as your brainstorming buddy, helping shape your ideas and getting shaped in turn by your prompts. If it gives you an answer that’s too formal, tell it to loosen up. If it writes something too long-winded, say, “Make this more concise.” If you need a more cheerful approach, you can ask, “Can you rewrite this from a more optimistic perspective?”

Refining ChatGPT’s output is the real power of the AI chatbot. Try having a back-and-forth, tweaking the response until it fits your needs. If you’re working on an important email, don’t just accept the first draft. Instead, ask ChatGPT to make it friendlier, then ask to make it more persuasive, and then shorten it. Before you know it, you’ll have an email that makes you sound like an absolute pro.

Get weird

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

Most people tend to use ChatGPT in predictable ways. They ask the AI to summarize things, answer questions, draft emails, and do other dull tasks. But if you want to see what ChatGPT can do, you need to push the boundaries.

Instead of just asking it to explain a complex concept, tell it to do it in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet or a rap battle between Newton and Einstein. Instead of asking for a meal plan, tell it, “Create a week’s worth of meals for someone who eats like a medieval knight but needs to lower their cholesterol.”

Weird prompts lead to creative, unexpected, and often brilliant results. If you’re brainstorming for a project, don’t just ask for ideas. Combine the specificity and role suggestions above and tell the AI to think like a rebellious 1980s ad executive, a minimalist Zen master, or a time traveler from 2090. You’ll get answers you might never have come up with on your own.

Learn from the AI

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

Most people use ChatGPT to do things for them, but the AI chatbot can have a longer-lasting impact on your life by teaching you how to learn better. The trick is treating ChatGPT like a coach, not just a tool.

If you’re learning to code, don’t just ask it to fix your errors; have it walk you through what went wrong and how to avoid it next time. ChatGPT can converse casually in several widely spoken tongues and correct you in real time if you want to learn to speak a new language. And if you need to be better at job interviews, you can practice to your heart's content with ChatGPT and get it to vary in interview style and difficulty. Thinking of ChatGPT as a personal tutor you can meet with at any time, and that doesn't judge you open up a lot of possibilities for self-improvement.

With 400 million people using ChatGPT every week, the AI chatbot is quickly becoming part of everyday life. That doesn't mean all those millions are taking advantage of ChatGPT's full abilities. The difference between a dabble and an expert in ChatGPT is how much someone pushes the AI chatbot beyond its most basic functions. So, get weird and specific. Combine ideas and act out scenarios with the AI chatbot. Remember, it will never outdo you at being human, but it could be the teacher and assistant supporting your goals in ways you've never imagined.

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• Why settle for one screen when you can have two with the Lenovo ThinkBook Flip AI PC?
• Need to share your screen? Just fold the display backward for an instant shared view
• There's also a built-in keyboard, as Lenovo looks to appeal to productivity pros

Lenovo, the world’s largest laptop maker, is set to unveil a unique business laptop with a foldable OLED screen.

The ThinkBook Flip AI PC's screen folds vertically via two hinges, allowing the top half to fold behind the main display — effectively doubling the available screen space.

Despite the flexible design, it also includes a built-in keyboard, making it practical for business and travel.

A fresh take on foldable screens

When closed, its display faces outward like a tablet. When unfolded, the top section extends upward. The design concept is similar to the Asus Zenbook Duo and GPD Duo, both of which offer extra screen space through unique dual-screen setups.

Lenovo itself is no stranger to experimenting with screens. The company currently developing a rollable OLED laptop expected to debut this summer, showcased a transparent laptop at MWC 2024, and has already released the Yoga Book 9i, which features two full-sized displays.

Questions remain about the ThinkBook Flip's specifications and price, with answers expected at MWC in March 2025. However, OLED screens are already expensive to produce, so you can bank on a foldable costing a good chunk more than any old laptop, and I'm wary about the cost implications of the AI PC label here.

Via Liliputing

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• iOS 18.4 Dev Beta is here
• The big Siri update is not
• There are some notable and possibly useful additions

Apple released its first developer beta for iOS 18.4, and it's missing the single biggest and likely most requested Apple Intelligence update: the new and much smarter and more useful Siri.

A big caveat here: No one is encouraging you to install a developer beta on your best iPhone. These updates are intended for developers and ultra-nerds like me who are desperate to try the very newest stuff. So downloaders, beware.

Even so, the exclusion of what should be Apple Intelligence's crowning feature is worrisome. Apple started its AI journey almost a year ago and has been rolling out Apple Intelligence features since the summer and through September with the release of the iPhone 16 lineup. Since then, there have been numerous updates, but Siri has remained frustratingly behind. Sure, there have been smaller enhancements like more app awareness, but full system cognition and the ability to engage in a conversational manner that connects the prompts to everything the iPhone knows about you is still missing.

As far as I can tell, Siri on iOS 18.4 Dev Beta 1 is unchanged. Siri can still easily open the camera app on command, but if I ask it to open the camera and take a picture, it only completes the first task. When I ask it to analyze my calendar and emails to see if I have too much going on, it has no idea what I'm going on about.

(Image credit: Future) What you do get

iOS 18.4 (and iPadOS 18.4) is not devoid of enhancements. The update brings a new News+ Food section, which Apple notes in a release on the update will include "tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the world’s top food publishers, including Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats." This feature was not evident, though, in this first developer beta, and Apple says it will arrive in April for Apple News+ subscribers.

Image Playground gets a tiny update in the form of a new illustration style: Sketch, which delivers a visual output that looks more like, say, a colored pencil sketch.

The update also promises the new Vision Pro app, a sort of utility, control, and information update that gives you a clearer iPhone connection to the powerful and expensive mixed reality wearable, which is also getting Apple Intelligence.

Even though this beta isn't bringing a ton of Apple Intelligence updates, its release does mark an expansion of sorts. Apple Global Head of Marketing Greg Joswiak tweeted on X that Apple's brand of AI is expanding to eight more languages on iPhone, Mac, and iPad. The Vision Pro Apple Intelligence update is set to arrive in April.

Apple Intelligence continues rolling out to more languages and more platforms!It will expand to eight more languages across iPhone, iPad, and Mac and is set to arrive on Apple Vision Pro in April. Developers can start exploring these new capabilities today.February 21, 2025

I'm sure there are quite a few other bug fixes and updates, big and small, in iOS 18.4, but it's hard to get truly excited without the full Apple Intelligence-infused version of Siri. It's like getting a cream-filled donut, biting into it, and finding the cream missing; there's just an empty cavity.

Apple surely has one or two more major iOS 18 updates to go before they call us all to Cupertino for WWDC 2025 to talk iOS 19 and the next big Apple Intelligence update. If Apple wants to finally deliver whatever Siri is going to finally be before then, it better get moving.

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• Amazon’s most recent quarterly revenue was $8bn higher than Walmart’s
• Solid holiday season 2024 performance raises Amazon figures
• Walmart continues to battle with the high costs of physical stores

It might be the world’s fourth-most valuable company, with a market cap of $2.36 trillion dollars, but Amazon has never been able to reach Walmart's levels of quarterly revenue - until now.

In the three months ending December 31, 2024, Amazon reported a 10% year-over-year increase in revenue to $187.8 billion, putting it ahead of Walmart ($180.6 billion) for the first time ever.

This is despite the ecommerce platform being around three times larger than Walmart, which has a valuation of $780.92 billion.

Amazon vs Walmart

Despite the historical moment, projections for 2025 suggest that the two companies could be battling it out for months to come. Walmart’s full fiscal year projection stands at $708.7 billion, just a small jump ahead of the $700.8 prediction for Amazon.

Speaking on its earnings release, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy thanked the most successful holiday season yet for strong growth. Cloud developments within AWS also propped up company revenue, acconting for $28.8 billion, or around 15% of the entire revenue.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said that “low prices, a growing assortment, and an eCommerce business driven by faster delivery times” were all responsible for strong results.

However, while Walmart may have expanded into third-party marketplaces, fulfillment services and advertising, its core business remains centered around in-person shopping, and maintaining physical stores is costly due to increasing wages and other expenses.

To put the two companies’ revenues into perspective and to highlight what’s at stake, Apple, the world’s most valuable company and one of three with a $3 trillion+ market cap, posted quarterly revenue of $124.3 billion. Nvidia, the second-most valuable company, posted $35.1 billion and Microsoft, in position three, posted $69.6 billion.

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• The Bapaco is a portable Windows PC disguised as a mechanical keyboard
• Its 12.3-inch ultrawide touchscreen tilts 90 degrees, and can function as a second display
• Crowdfunding on Kickstarter, it’s powered by a 12th-gen Intel i5 with up to 32GB RAM

The Bapaco (try saying it three times fast - it’s oddly satisfying) is a portable computer that’s unlike anything else on the market. At first glance, it looks like a compact mechanical keyboard, but it actually packs an entire Windows PC into its slim frame.

The device stands out from traditional laptops or compact PCs because instead of being a clamshell, it’s a flat, board-like device with a 12.3-inch ultrawide touchscreen that tilts up to 90 degrees. Its unusual 16:6 (1920x720) aspect ratio reminds me of Toshiba’s widely mocked Satellite U845W ultrabook from 2012, which featured a 21:9 display meant for widescreen movie viewing. It’s also similar in design to the Maxfree K3, a compact 82-key mechanical keyboard which has an integrated 13-inch touch screen.

Currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter, the Bapaco is designed to function as both a standalone Windows 11 computer and also as an external keyboard and display for Windows, Mac, and Android devices.

(Image credit: Bapaco) Gorgeous mechanical keyboard

Under the hood, Bapaco runs on a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with 10 cores and 12 threads, paired with up to 32GB DDR4 RAM. Storage options include an M.2 NVMe PCIe X4 SSD and an M.2 SATA 3.0 SSD. The attractive 68-key RGB backlit mechanical keyboard is fully customizable, featuring hot-swappable switches and multiple lighting modes. There’s no touchpad though.

The device also includes dual 3W speakers, Bluetooth 5.2, and a range of ports, including USB 3.0, USB 2.0, Type-C DP 1.4, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Its 5000mAh battery provides up to six hours of video playback, long enough for a The Brutalist and Paddington in Peru double-bill.

If you want a Bapaco, there’s still over two weeks to go on its Kickstarter campaign. At the time of writing, it has received $27,248 of pledges, well above its tiny $642 funding goal. For a super early bird pledge of $624 (27% off the $856 MSRP) you can get a model with no RAM and no SSD. Should you wish to have a full working Bapaco you can pledge an additional $79 for 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, or $249 for 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD.

The creators behind the device say they intend to begin production in March 2025, with the aim to start shipping in May. As always, it’s worth pointing out that crowdfunding comes with risks. While projects like Bapaco can be exciting, backing a campaign is not the same as buying a finished product. Delays, design changes, or even cancellations can happen, so be warned.

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Apple’s most expensive piece of consumer hardware is finally getting Apple Intelligence. The latest visionOS 2.4 update, which becomes available as a developer beta today (February 18, 2025), brings Apple’s brand of artificial intelligence to Vision Pro devices, though for now, it’s only for US English devices.

The move instantly helps better position the spatial computing platform against the upcoming Project Moohan headset, a mixed-reality device from Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm that promises to put Google Gemini at the center of the experience. The move by Apple also lowers some frustration from Vision Pro owners who were wondering why Apple’s most advanced consumer technology was lacking a feature that is on all models of the iPhone 16, many iPads, and MacBooks.

As has often been the case with the Apple Intelligence rollout, the update does not include every feature you’ll likely soon find on iOS 18.4-supporting iPhones. However, it does include more than what we got on the initial iPhone Apple Intelligence rollout.

Key new features include:

• Writing tools across Vision Pro’s native apps
• Genmojis
• Image Playground
• ChatGPT access

Image 1 of 4

Genmojis in Vision Pro (Image credit: Apple)Image 2 of 4

Movie Memories in Vision Pro (Image credit: Apple)Image 3 of 4

Image Playground in Vision Pro (Image credit: Apple)Image 4 of 4

Writing Tools in Vision Pro (Image credit: Apple)

More importantly, these features will integrate with Vision Pro’s native functions, including voice and gestures.

What’s missing here is any kind of Siri update beyond the current digital assistant features, an exclusion that might frustrate some. On the other hand, now that Apple has opened the door to the Apple Intelligence on Vision Pro, numerous updates are sure to follow.

So, whatever Siri features you see in the iPhone 16 with iOS 18.4, they’re sure to eventually arrive on Vision Pro. We’d look forward to seeing a version that is aware of activities on the mixed reality headset and can take intelligent action based on what it sees through the device's multiple cameras and sensors (something that we expect from Project Moohan, whenever it finally ships).

With the visionOS 2.4 update, users will be able to use voice prompts to request writing changes like, “Make it more friendly,” and they'll get rewriting and proofreading assistance. Image Playground will be integrated into Messages, just like iOS. Smart Replies will be able to look at the contents of a message thread and create a contextual response. And you’ll be able to use voice prompts to create Movie Memories. Those obviously exist on the iPhone but may take on a new dimension thanks to the Vision Pro’s immersive field of view.

Ease and access

The new Vision Pro app on the iPhone (Image credit: Apple)

Apple is also making several other changes to better connect your iPhone and Vison Pro experiences. The most notable one might be the new Vision Pro App on iOS, a utility that Apple arguably should have delivered when it launched the headset over a year ago.

Think of the app as similar in some ways to the iPhone Watch App.

The Vision Pro app acts as both a promotional tool for fresh Vision Pro content and spatial experiences but also a place where you can take remote actions. You can, for instance, use the app to add movies to watchlists, trigger app downloads, and learn details about your headset, like serial number, software version, and the prescription for your Zeiss lens inserts (if you have them). The app is set to arrive with iOS 18.4 and only installs if the system knows you have a Vision Pro.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple seems to be doing a lot of work to widen the Vision Pro tent. To that end, Guest Mode gets a valuable update that should ease the sharing process. With visionOS 2.4, Vision Pro owners can simply hand someone their Vision Pro. When the guest puts it on, a message appears on the Vision Pro owner’s iPhone or iPad, letting them enable sharing from there and choose which apps to share.

Inside Vision Pro, users will find a new Spatial Gallery app offering curated spatial content, including photos, videos, and panoramas, cutting across multiple genres like sports, entertainment, and travel.

Without a doubt, this is one of Vision Pro’s most significant upgrades, and much of it is designed to help the headset better compete with upcoming devices from Google, Samsung, Meta, and others. None of it addresses the hefty $3,499.99 price tag, but at least there are now even more good reasons to make the investment.

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I just spent a week testing out the world’s thinnest book-style foldable, the Oppo Find N5, and as my full Oppo Find N5 review details I've been very impressed with Oppo’s efforts.

Fitting a powerful, productivity-focused phone into such a thin and light chassis is no mean feat – the Find N5 weighs just 229g and measures just 4.21mm thick when unfolded, lighter than a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and thinner than an iPad Pro 13-inch.

I’ve never really been one to obsess over the dimensions of a smartphone – as far as I see it, flagship slab phones are normally thin enough to use comfortably, and I’ve always assumed that the extra space is necessary to fit more powerful internal components.

However, the Oppo Find N5 has me thinking the time for compromise might be coming to an end. Its impressively thin build conceals the flagship-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, and I didn’t notice any issues with cooling during my time with it. The Find N5 has more surface area to spread its internal components over, but it’s no more than twice as large as a typical big flagship phone. Surely, with a few minor compromises, that same ergonomic advantage could come to the slab form factor.

Enter the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

Going to the edge

(Image credit: Future/Viktoria Shilets)

At the first Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event of the year in January, Samsung revealed the all-new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, a slimmed-down version of its flagship Galaxy S25 Plus handset.

In the aftershock of this announcement, I wrote that the Galaxy S25 Edge could usher in a new split in the smartphone market dedicated to thin and light phones, but also of my concern that this could come at the expense of hardware power.

Having now used the mighty Oppo Find N5, though, my concerns feel much smaller. Like the Oppo Find N5, the Galaxy S25 Edge will probably suffer a step back camera wise (notice its uncharacteristic double-camera system), but I think this is a worthwhile tradeoff to make the power of Samsung’s mobile platform more portable than ever.

Currently, the top-tier of the smartphone market is dominated by massive, heavy slab phones with screens approaching 7 inches in diagonal length, weighing on average around 220g and measuring around 8mm thick.

That’s a lot of phone, and with the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Apple’s A18 Pro chipset offering so much power, there’s a good chance that most users are never making use of the full computing potential such a large chassis allows.

(Image credit: Future)

Having felt the unfolded Find N5 disappear into my hands across my week-long testing period, part of me thinks we’ve all just forgotten how nice a thin phone can be. I’ve come to associate heavy multitasking and high-performance gaming with these larger devices, but the Find N5 has proved to me that a different way is possible.

It seems likely that Samsung will equip the Galaxy S25 Edge with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 12GB of RAM, in line with the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup, and while the phone may not cool as efficiently or opt for a lower-powered 7-core chipset, I honestly don’t think many users will notice.

And even if there is a noticeable hit to performance, I think giving users the full power of One UI, Galaxy AI, and Android 15 in a thin, light, easily wieldable device is a worthwhile goal to pursue – and the Oppo Find N5 has made it seem all the more possible.

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• Cocospy and Spyic were found to be leaking sensitive information
• The developers are not responding and the bugs have not been fixed
• People's photos, messages, call logs, and more, are at risk

Email addresses, text messages, call logs, photographs, and other sensitive data, belonging to millions of people may have been exposed online thanks to a pair of faulty spyware applications.

Spyware apps, often also called “spouseware”, are apps that people covertly install on mobile devices belonging to their partners, children, or similar. They are advertised as legitimate monitoring apps, but are essentially operating in the grey zone and are not allowed on major app stores, such as the App Store or Play Store.

A cybersecurity researcher recently analyzed Cocospy and Spyic, two popular spyware apps whose code apparently has significant overlaps which allowed the researcher to pull sensitive information from their servers.

Email addresses and more

TechCrunch, which first reported on the findings, said the bug was “relatively simple to exploit”, but in order to protect the victims, decided not to share any details at this time.

When a person wants to install the spyware on someone else’s device, they first need to use an email address to register an account.

The researcher managed to exfiltrate 1.81 million of email addresses used to register with Cocospy, and roughly 880,000 addresses used for Spyic. Besides email addresses, the researcher managed to access most of the data harvested by the apps, including pictures, messages, and call logs.

Due to the nature of the apps, the developers try their best to remain hidden and out of reach. TechCrunch deduced that the developers are most likely of Chinese origin, but could not say for certain - although there is some evidence that the developer might be 711.icu, whose website isn’t even loading.

The operators did not respond to media inquiries and have not, at press time, addressed the vulnerabilities.

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