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When it comes to the best smartwatches of the moment, the discussion always includes the Apple Watch series – and the Apple Watch SE model, which we've had two of so far, is the least expensive way to get an Apple-made smartwatch wrapped around your wrist.

Our Apple Watch SE 2 review will tell you that we're very impressed with the latest model, which was unveiled on September 7, 2022. That's more than two years ago now, which makes us think that an Apple Watch SE 3 isn't going to be too far off at this point.

Apple hasn't said anything officially of course – it never does, until a product actually launches – but here we've gathered together everything we've heard so far about what the Apple Watch SE 3 will bring with it: rumors, leaks, best guesses, and what we want to see.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The 2025 Apple Watch SE
• When is it out? Probably September 2025
• How much will it cost? Around $249 / £259 / AU$399

Apple Watch SE 3: release date and pricing

(Image credit: Apple)

• A September 2025 release looks likely
• The existing model starts at $249 / £259 / AU$399

The original Apple Watch SE was launched in September 2019, with the second-gen model appearing in September 2022. That's a gap of three years, and if Apple sticks to the same scheduling for the third-generation model, then we're looking at a launch window sometime during September 2025 – which is fast approaching.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in January that Apple would unveil the Apple Watch SE 3 in the second half of 2025. That would mean a launch alongside the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, as well as the four expected iPhone 17 models of course.

When it comes to pricing, again there haven't been any rumors or leaks mentioning this particular detail, so we need to look at past pricing for some clues: the first Apple Watch SE started at $279 / £269 / AU$429, while the Apple Watch SE 2 started at $249 / £259 / AU$399, both for the smaller 40 mm sizes. Remember that pricing is from 2019 and 2022 respectively, however.

While Apple will want to keep the Apple Watch SE 3 affordable – it's the primary reason for the device existing, after all – there might be a slight price bump this time around. We would certainly welcome a small drop in price, as there was between the first and second Apple Watch SE models, but right now that seems less likely.

Apple Watch SE 3: leaks and rumors

The Apple Watch SE 2 (Image credit: TechRadar)

• We might get a plastic casing
• Improved health sensors are possible

There hasn't been an overwhelming flood of Apple Watch SE 3 leaks so far, but that doesn't mean Apple isn't working on a new watch: most of the Apple rumors we hear trend to be around iPhones and iPads, so perhaps there are smaller teams working on the Apple Watch models that are tighter in terms of information security.

Reliable Apple reporter Mark Gurman has gone on record as saying that we will get an Apple Watch SE 3 during 2025 and that it's going to be a "fresh" upgrade with a "new look" – quite what that new look will involve, Gurman doesn't say. We're thinking thinner bezels and sleeker edges that are more like the Apple Watch 10 than the current Apple Watch SE 2 (which does now look rather dated).

In the background, there's always chatter about Apple introducing new sensors for its Apple Watch – for glucose monitoring, for example – so that's a possibility. However, real innovation in terms of health monitoring still seems some way off, based on what we've heard, and any notable upgrades would most likely go to the more expensive Apple Watch devices first.

Gurman has also predicted a more plastic, kid-friendly look for the Apple Watch SE 3, maybe to get parents to buy the new model for their children. We can almost certainly look forward to new colors, new watch faces, and perhaps new straps when the Apple Watch SE 3 makes its debut, and of course, watchOS 12 (the successor to watchOS 11) will be ready at the same time.

Apple Watch SE 3: what we want to see

The Apple Watch SE 2 (Image credit: TechRadar)

We'd expect the Apple Watch SE 3 to instantly become one of the best Apple Watches when it does make an appearance, but we also have some ideas about how Apple could make sure the Apple Watch SE 3 has broad appeal. Here's what's on our wishlist when it comes to the next model – let's see how many of them Apple manages to check off.

1. A serious drop in price

We've already said it's unlikely that the Apple Watch SE 3 will cost significantly less than its predecessor, but we can hope. There are some very inexpensive smartwatches competing with the Apple Watch at the moment, which is surely something Apple has noticed – and perhaps the rumored switch to a plastic shell will help bring production costs down.

2. Better health tracking

The Apple Watch SE series currently lacks some of the health tracking features you can find on the standard Apple Watch line: you don't get ECG, blood oxygen, or temperature sensing capabilities on the Apple Watch SE 2, for example. Here's hoping Apple manages to put some of these upgrades into the new model, while still keeping prices down.

3. An always-on screen

We don't really have too many gripes about the Apple Watch SE 2, but one of them was the lack of an always-on screen – something that's hugely useful for a smartwatch, even if it does affect battery life a little. We'd very much welcome this as a feature on the Apple Watch SE 3, which may require some kind of screen tech upgrade at the same time.

4. A smattering of AI

The wealth of Apple Intelligence features that have made their way to iPhones, iPads, and Macs in recent months are yet to find a place on any Apple Watch, and we're hoping that changes soon – AI assistance could be really helpful on such a small screen, with summaries for example, as long as Apple doesn't go overboard with the additions.

5. Better battery life

Yes, yes, yes... it's the same request every year, with every smartwatch. Hopefully, the engineers at Apple manage to figure out a way to eke more battery life out of the Apple Watch SE 3. Based on our testing, the current Apple Watch SE 2 manages to get around two days between charges, so we're hoping for something even better from the next model.

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• Apple has settled a lawsuit over battery swelling in old Apple Watch models
• Owners of the Series 3, 2, 1, and the original Apple Watch
• The company denies wrongdoing, but you could still grab yourself $50

Apple has settled a lawsuit related to battery swelling in some of the oldest Apple Watch models. If you qualify, you could receive up to $50.

As spotted by TechCrunch, Apple has settled a class action lawsuit alleging that the company's earliest Apple Watches, the first-gen, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 models, "experienced issues related to battery swell".

While Apple fervently denies the issue, the company has agreed to a payout to settle the claim and stop the case going any further. In a defiant statement, the company said: "Apple Watch is designed to be safe and reliable. This settlement applies to purchasers of Original Apple Watch, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3, which are no longer available for purchase." It continued: "While we strongly disagree with the claims made against these early generation Apple Watch models, we agreed to settle to avoid further litigation."

All that remains is for potential settlement class members to make a claim for a payout, which could be up to $50. Here's how to find out if you're eligible, and what to do next.

Make your old Apple Watch pay

The Apple Watch Series 3 was first unveiled in 2017. (Image credit: Apple)

As per the settlement website, a $20 million fund has been set aside for "Settlement Class Members who are natural persons who reside in the United States who own or owned a Covered Watch for personal and/or household use and who are reflected in Apple’s records as having reported issues potentially related to battery swell in the United States."

If you owned a first-generation Apple Watch, Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3, and Apple has recorded you having reported an issue with battery swelling, you should be eligible for payment.

In theory, if you fit this bill, you don't need to submit a claim, as you should be included automatically. If you think you're eligible you may want to confirm or update your payment info so you get the cash. For various statutory reasons, if you want to exclude yourself from the class you need to do so by February 24, 2025.

Payments should be between $20 and $50 - not enough to pay for one of the best Apple Watches you can buy right now, but sufficient for one of the best Apple Watch bands.

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• Microsoft and Alphabet CEOs are among the latest investors in a London cricket team
• London Spirit seals £145m deal for 49% stake in franchise
• Bid led by Palo Alto Networks chairman Nikesh Arora

The CEOs of Alphabet and Microsoft are among several technology heads behind a record-breaking bid for a minority stake in a franchise of the UK's Hundred cricket competition.

Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai have joined a number of other cricket fans holding major roles at technology firms who have come together for a £145 million bid for a 49% in the London Spirit franchise.

The bid is the largest in this year's tender, and values the London Spirit, which plays its matches at the iconic Lord's cricket ground in the capital, at over £300 million.

London Spirit deal

Leading the bid, officially made by a consortium called the Cricket Investor Holdings Limited, is Nikesh Arora, the chief executive of security firm Palo Alto Networks, who heads up what the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), owner of Lord's, called "11 high net-worth individuals".

Along with Nadella and Pichai, this includes Shantanu Narayen, chief executive of Adobe, Egon Durban, the chief executive of Silver Lake Management, and Satyan Gajwani, the co-founder of Major League Cricket and vice-chairman of Times Internet.

Nadella and Pichai are both huge fans of cricket, which enjoys a huge fan base in their home nation of India. Nadella in particular is known for sneaking cricket references into the background of online talks and addresses, and is also an investor in the new Major League Cricket competition, co-owning the Seattle Orcas team.

The group was only able to bid for a 49% stake due to the remainder being retained by the MCC. Each of the hosts for the eight teams were given a 51% stake in their franchise, which they can sell or keep, with the ECB then selling the remaining 49%.

Elsewhere in the auction, Indian-American IT entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, the founder and chairman of Infinite Computer Solutions, also spent £80m for a stake in the Welsh Fire franchise.

India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, founder of the Reliance Group, snapped up the stake in the Oval Invincibles, London's other franchise in the competition.

Via Cricket.com

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• Three in five workers are already using some form of AI agents
• Most IT execs are keen to adopt even more agentic AI
• The same challenges are blocking a full rollout

As artificial intelligence begins to become more engrained into business operations, companies are looking to hand over more of their processes to the more autonomous side of the technology.

A report from Pega claims three in five (58%) workers are already using AI agents, with separate research from AI technology firm UiPath revealing nearly all (93%) of IT execs are very interested in agentic AI.

UiPath also found over two-thirds (69%) of IT execs are using or will use AI agents within the next six months – a figure not too dissimilar to Pega’s.

The next step of AI is agentic AI

We’ve already seen how artificial intelligence can save workers hours per week on mundane, repetitive tasks, and workers are excited to see AI agents automate these tasks, summarize meetings more efficiently, improve the oversight of business workflows and ultimately reduce the amount of time workers spending searching for job-related information.

However, while companies like Salesforce are bidding big on agentic AI, some key hurdles remain in place, and they’re the same challenges that businesses faced and continue to face with regular AI.

UiPath identified IT security issues (56%), the cost of implementation (37%) and integration with existing systems (35%) are concerns among IT executives, while Pega found a lack of confidence in AI’s ability to autonomously replace humans as a sticking point, be it AI’s work quality (33%), the lack of human intuition and emotional intelligence (32%) and untrustworthy AI-generated responses (30%).

“As AI systems become more autonomous, enterprises must strike a balance between autonomy and human oversight to prevent unintended consequences and guarantee that AI-driven actions align with ethical, compliance, and legal standards," noted Daniel Dines, CEO of UiPath.

Looking ahead, there is a clear need for better education and transparency to encourage agentic AI adoption, as well as careful consideration as to the balance between AI autonomy and human oversight.

With the right approach, 46% of Pega’s survey respondents believe AI will positively impact their jobs over the next five years.

“Organizations must meet employees where they are by integrating AI agents with actual workflows so they’re not just doing any work, but doing the right work," added Pega CTO Don Schuerman.

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• A durability test has revealed that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's Corning Gorilla Armor 2 screen might scratch more easily than first thought
• This could, however, mean that the phone is less likely to shatter when dropped
• These results are at odds with Corning's claims

The move to Corning Gorilla Armor 2 protection is supposedly one of the biggest upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the new material sounding, on paper, like a big improvement on the original Gorilla Armor used by the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, a new durability test suggests the reality might be a bit more complicated than that.

JerryRigEverything (via Phone Arena) has released a video testing the durability of the Galaxy S25 Ultra in various ways, and one interesting thing they found was that the phone's screen started getting scratched at level six of the Mohs scale of hardness (a system used to measure scratch resistance).

That’s in line with a lot of other high-end phones, but it’s a step down from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which in the same test didn’t start getting scratches until level seven. So, in other words, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s screen is seemingly easier to scratch than its predecessor’s.

A shatter-resistant compromise

So, what’s going on here? While JerryRigEverything doesn’t have a definitive answer, they posit that perhaps the glass was too brittle on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. After all, increasing scratch resistance will typically mean making the glass harder, which can also make it more likely to shatter when dropped.

So, Corning and Samsung might have decided that this is a better balance – sacrificing some scratch resistance for improved drop resistance.

That said, while Corning itself states that drop resistance has been improved compared to the original Gorilla Armor, it also says that “Gorilla Armor 2 maintained its exceptional scratch resistance.”

So, it’s possible that, for whatever reason, JerryRigEverything’s results will prove to be outliers. But even if the glass on the Galaxy S25 Ultra really is more prone to scratching, we’d argue it’s probably a fair trade if that means it’s less likely to smash.

What do you value more in a smartphone: strong scratch resistance or strong drop resistance? Let us know in the comments.

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• A fairly reliable leaker has hinted at the next State of Play date
• The next PlayStation presentation could air around Valentine's Day
• Updates for upcoming PS5 games like Ghost of Yotei seem likely

A PlayStation State of Play presentation could be happening this month per a reliable leaker, which would line up with previous years.

The rumor comes from NateTheHate on X / Twitter (via VGC), a fairly reliable source who has revealed accurate information about PlayStation and Nintendo products in the past. In a reply to another user asking about a specific date for the State of Play presentation, he responds: "What does your heart tell you?" That strongly suggests a live date of on or around February 14 (Valentine's Day).

Now, it's possible that Nate could just be guesstimating here. A State of Play for February 2025 is a fairly safe bet, given Sony has run these presentations towards the start of the last two years. We also know that Sony has at least two big PS5 games in the pipeline for this year - those being Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yōtei, both sequels to a pair of critically acclaimed titles.

A State of Play this month would also present a good opportunity for Insomniac Games to give a more thorough update on its upcoming Marvel's Wolverine game. The developer did share a small message about the game last week, stating it has to remain "very stoic until it’s time to pop the claws down the road." Could that time be this month? We'll need to wait and see.

It'd also be reasonable to expect an update on Tekken 8 season 2 - a massive patch for the fighting game that doesn't yet have a release date. While we currently don't know which characters are going to be added for the game's second year, Bandai Namco has not so subtly teased the return of Anna Williams in the original season 2 trailer.

In any case, keep your eyes glued to PlayStation's social channels this month, as that State of Play announcement could happen any day now.

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To most people, words like algebra, algorithms, and computational mathematics may bring back memories of educational struggles. But behind these abstract concepts lies a powerful, life-saving tool: High-Performance Computing (HPC). HPC leverages advanced mathematics and enormous processing power to handle calculations that were once unimaginable, making it indispensable across a range of disciplines, including meteorology.

Without HPC, our ability to predict natural disasters would be vastly diminished. From issuing hurricane warnings that enable mass evacuations to forecasting floods before they reach populated areas, HPC allows meteorologists to transform data into actionable insights that save lives. In a world without HPC, many more lives would be lost to extreme weather.

Mathematics that saves lives

Natural disasters impact nearly every corner of the globe. In 2023, earthquakes in Turkey and Syria led to the highest death toll of any natural disaster that year. Economically, Hurricane Katrina remains one of the world’s most costly disasters, second only to the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011 These catastrophic events underscore the importance of accurate and timely forecasting, a feat made possible by the power of HPC.

During my tenure at Red Oak Consulting and my time working within the Met Office, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of High-Performance Computing (HPC) in forecasting and predicting impending weather catastrophes with remarkable accuracy, which is only going to be more vital to society as we progress through the modern world.

Natural disasters on the rise

Climate change is transforming the world’s landscape, fueling extreme weather events that threaten to reshape entire regions. Rising global temperatures drive severe droughts, increase the intensity of storms, and intensify tropical cyclones. The oceans, warmed by climate change, provide ideal conditions for storms to form and strengthen, while rising sea levels and water-saturated air supercharge these events.

With rising sea levels blurring the boundaries between land and ocean, coastal areas that were once considered safe are now at risk of flooding. Climate change redraws the map of risk, leaving previously untouched regions vulnerable to natural disasters. As the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) notes, climate change is a key driver behind the increased frequency and severity of hurricanes, which last longer and reach higher intensities than ever before.

The devastating floods in Spain, which tragically claimed 200 lives, highlight the increasing risks climate change poses to weather patterns and water systems. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change extreme weather events, including floods and droughts, have intensified due to human-induced warming. Rising global temperatures accelerate and destabilize the hydrological cycle, resulting in extreme variations in water availability.

The phenomenon known as DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) played a major role, as residual summer heat from the Mediterranean clashed with polar air, creating convective clouds and torrential rains. Warmer sea surfaces and a moisture-laden atmosphere, both driven by climate change, amplify such events, making deadly flash floods more frequent and severe.

Why is HPC crucial to meteorology?

For decades, weather forecasting has relied on complex mathematical equations and vast amounts of data. However, until recently, the computing power needed to process these elements quickly and accurately was limited. HPC has now become a crucial tool, allowing meteorologists to model and forecast extreme weather events with unprecedented precision and speed, giving communities precious time to prepare for what lies ahead.

HPC processes vast datasets from satellites, ocean buoys, radar, aircraft, and ground stations, integrating them to create models that simulate various weather scenarios. These advanced models can predict hurricanes, cyclones, heatwaves, and flash floods by running billions of calculations that reveal how atmospheric conditions may develop. HPC enables these models to be run at an incredibly high resolution, pinpointing likely developments across specific regions and timeframes.

For example, in the case of an approaching hurricane, HPC can forecast its expected path, intensity, wind speeds, and rainfall distribution, allowing meteorologists to issue accurate, targeted warnings well in advance of impact. Without HPC, such precise predictions would be impossible, and communities would be left with much less time to prepare for incoming disasters.

HPC also enables real-time data assimilation, which means it can integrate the latest data into ongoing forecasts, updating predictions minute by minute as conditions change. This capability is particularly vital for rapidly shifting events, like thunderstorms and cyclones, which can be unpredictable and fast-moving. HPC’s speed and scale make it possible to refine forecasts down to highly specific locations, helping authorities make informed decisions on evacuations, shelter locations, and resource deployment.

Future-proofing with climate modelling

While weather forecasting predicts short-term conditions, climate modelling aims to simulate long-term changes, giving us insight into how rising temperatures, greenhouse gases, and other factors will shape our planet’s climate over decades or centuries. HPC is essential for this purpose, allowing scientists to simulate the complex, interconnected systems driving Earth’s climate and to explore possible future scenarios.

At its core, climate modelling is about understanding the intricate dynamics between atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and land-sea interactions. Models consider variables like greenhouse gas concentrations, solar radiation, cloud formation, and human activities, integrating them to project future climate conditions. Because Earth’s climate system has countless interdependent factors, climate models require immense computational power. HPC enables scientists to run these models and simulate climate interactions with unprecedented detail and accuracy.

HPC-powered climate models provide insights crucial for planning and policymaking. For instance, by running simulations based on different emissions levels, scientists can predict potential outcomes for global temperatures, sea levels, and weather patterns. This data helps inform government policies on climate resilience, infrastructure planning, and disaster preparedness, empowering decision-makers to build defenses against the impacts of climate change.

Furthermore, HPC enables ‘ensemble modelling’, where multiple simulations run in parallel with slight variations to account for uncertainties. This approach yields more reliable, probabilistic forecasts, offering a range of potential outcomes. Ensemble modelling is essential in climate science, as it provides a fuller picture of possible scenarios and equips policymakers with the information needed to make informed, adaptive decisions.

HPC and global aviation

A less visible yet equally vital area where HPC powers forecasting is in global aviation. The skies may seem vast and unpredictable, but behind every transatlantic flight and intercontinental journey lies a finely tuned network of meteorological support. Just two centers worldwide provide real-time aviation forecasts: the World Area Forecast Centers (WAFCs), operated by the UK Met Office and NOAA in the United States.

Tasked with delivering critical weather forecasts for safe flight planning, the WAFCs rely on HPC to generate up-to-the-minute insights that help pilots navigate potential hazards. The Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) oversees these centers, which keep watch on everything from turbulence to icing conditions across global airspace. With HPC enabling rapid data processing, WAFCs can predict hazardous conditions well before a flight reaches them, allowing pilots to adjust routes and ensure passenger safety.

Imagine a transatlantic flight with hundreds of passengers on board, cruising at high altitude over the Atlantic. Without HPC, forecasters would struggle to track storm systems, turbulence, and potential icing hazards in real time. Thanks to HPC, WAFCs monitor vast stretches of atmosphere, predict weather events, and ensure that flight paths are optimized for safety and efficiency. This essential capability keeps global aviation moving smoothly and mitigates the risks posed by unforeseen weather conditions.

Preparing with precision

As the risk of natural disasters grows, high-performance computing stands as a frontline defense, transforming raw data into life-saving forecasts. HPC models simulate hurricanes, wildfires, and floods in astonishing detail, giving communities and emergency responders precise, real-time updates that guide preparations and minimize harm.

Beyond immediate crises, HPC powers long-term climate models that reveal how rising temperatures and sea levels will shape future risks. Cities use this information to strengthen defenses, plan resilient infrastructure, and adapt to an era of extreme weather. Enhanced by AI, HPC pushes the boundaries of early detection, identifying patterns that signal emerging threats and offering vital insights that help us act with precision.

So, the next time you check a weather forecast, remember the sophisticated systems working behind the scenes-powered by HPC, predicting natural disasters, and preparing us for whatever lies ahead.

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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

By now, even casual observers of the tech world are well aware of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s dazzling contribution to artificial intelligence. Its ability to generate coherent, on-point responses has upended online research and sparked endless speculation about AI’s growing role in our everyday lives.

A recent rising challenger, China’s opensource AI-powered chatbot, DeepSeek, has drawn its own intrigue, promising to run more efficiently and be better suited to non-English users than its American competitor.

Yet in the rush to assess its functionality, adoption, and potential geopolitical sway, one pressing question seems to have been sidelined: how do the environmental credentials of these ChatGPT and DeepSeek compare?

Where It All Began: A Look at ChatGPT and DeepSeek’s Origins

ChatGPT

ChatGPT’s meteoric rise began in late 2022, with OpenAI and Microsoft forming a high-profile alliance to scale it via Azure’s cloud services. Every iteration of the GPT architecture, however, comes at a steep environmental price. Training such a colossal model requires immense computing power, and the subsequent energy use has raised uncomfortable questions about its carbon footprint.

DeepSeek

While DeepSeek hasn’t yet become a household name to the extent ChatGPT has, it’s earning a reputation as a leaner, more multilingual competitor. It uses techniques like pruning (removing unnecessary parts of the model to reduce size and improve efficiency), model distillation (training a smaller "student" model to imitate a larger "teacher" model), and algorithmic streamlining (optimizing each step of the computation process to minimize wasted resources and improve overall performance) – all intended to cut down on resources and associated costs.

The theory goes that an AI needing fewer GPUs should, in principle, consume less energy overall. Yet details on its total environmental impact remain conspicuously thin, leaving observers to wonder if DeepSeek’s operational gains could truly deliver on the sustainability front.

Energy and Carbon Emissions

The most glaring environmental toll for both models lies in the power needed to train them. Early estimates suggest that rolling out ChatGPT’s latest language model, GPT4, demanded colossal GPU capacity for weeks on end.

DeepSeek, meanwhile, claims to require fewer high-end chips, potentially reducing its total electricity draw.

Data Centers and Energy Sources

Powering ChatGPT on Microsoft’s Azure platform has its upsides and downsides. Microsoft is working to become carbon-negative by 2030, underpinned by investments in green energy and carbon capture. Yet many of its data centers remain tethered to non-renewable energy grids, and the manufacture of sophisticated AI chips is itself resource-intensive.

DeepSeek appears to rely on Alibaba Cloud, China’s most prominent cloud provider, which has set similar targets for carbon neutrality. But China’s national grid continues to rely heavily on coal, meaning the actual environmental impact might be more significant unless DeepSeek is sited in locations rich in renewable infrastructure. That said, DeepSeek’s focus on efficiency might still make it less carbon-intensive overall.

Water Usage and Cooling

Running giant clusters of GPUs produces heat – lots of it. Data centres typically use vast amounts of water for cooling, especially in regions with high temperatures. Microsoft has come under fire for consuming billions of liters of water, some of which goes towards cooling the hardware behind AI operations.

Information on DeepSeek’s water footprint is scant. If Alibaba Cloud’s newer facilities use advanced cooling methods – such as immersion cooling (submerging servers in a thermally conductive liquid to dissipate heat more efficiently) – DeepSeek might fare better in terms of water usage. But with so little public data on its processes, it’s difficult to measure how it stacks up against ChatGPT on this front.

The Hidden Cost of E-Waste

The relentless pace of AI hardware development means GPUs and other accelerators can quickly become obsolete. ChatGPT’s operations, involving cutting-edge equipment, likely generate a rising tide of e-waste, though precise figures are elusive.

In principle, DeepSeek’s more frugal approach implies fewer chips, which could mean slower turnover and less waste. Still, this remains an educated guess until there’s more visibility into how DeepSeek’s hardware ecosystem is managed.

Where Do They Stand?

At first glance, OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft suggests ChatGPT might stand to benefit from a more environmentally conscious framework – provided that Microsoft’s grand sustainability promises translate into meaningful progress on the ground. DeepSeek, meanwhile, must grapple with a coal-reliant grid in China, yet its drive for efficiency could place it in a better position to curb overall energy consumption per operation.

That said, the U.S. is hardly a clean-energy haven either. While Microsoft has pledged to go carbon-negative by 2030, America remains one of the world’s largest consumers of fossil fuels, with coal still powering parts of its grid. Moreover, political shifts could slow progress: the resurgence of a "drill, baby, drill" mentality in Republican energy rhetoric suggests a renewed push for oil and gas, potentially undermining AI’s green ambitions.

Ultimately, AI is hurtling forward at breakneck speed, but the environmental ramifications lag far behind in public scrutiny. As these systems weave themselves ever deeper into our politics, economy, and daily interactions, the debate on their energy sources, water usage, and hardware footprints must become more transparent. If the world’s appetite for AI is unstoppable, then so too must be our commitment to holding its creators accountable for the planet’s long-term well-being. That responsibility extends not just to China and the U.S. and every nation where AI is trained, deployed, and powered.

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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

When we hear the word “mobile,” the automatic assumption is that we’re talking about iPhones and iPads. However, "mobile" is an umbrella term that extends far beyond just phones and tablets.

Mobility use cases are enabled by infrastructure that affords users the freedom to stay connected while on the move. This ranges from handheld portable electronic and smart wearables to point-of-sale (POS) systems and Apple Vision Pro headsets. This means that most of the critical technologies used by businesses to operate and connect with customers are increasingly provided through mobile solutions.

Many organizations have yet to reach a level of maturity in their mobile programs to reflect the critical role devices play. Such assets can no longer be viewed solely as ‘niche’ by businesses. They are, in fact, ‘mission-critical’ devices that must be treated as first-class assets when developing both security and resilience strategies.

What is meant by ‘mission-critical use’

It’s safe to say that one of the biggest revolutions over the last 30 years, alongside developments like the internet, has been the introduction of mobile devices into the workplace.

What originally started as a “nice to have,” with only certain individuals having access to smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), has evolved to the point where mobiles are a necessity for any successful business.

As a result, we have seen new device form factors join the ‘mission critical’ category. These mobile devices are essential to the operation and running of an organization; if one of these devices fails, the entire business would likely grind to a halt.

Many of these devices are deployed in environments where they might be shared among multiple users or designated for specific functions rather than assigned to an individual.

Given the broad definition, there is a wide spectrum of devices that can count as ‘mission critical,’ each one serving a distinct need within a business. This includes tablets used in healthcare to monitor patient recovery or clinical therapy, as well as systems used in retail environments such as mobile credit card processors, as well as to process payments, manage inventory, or for time tracking on the sales floor.

Even an Apple Vision Pro headset can be considered ‘mission critical’ depending on the use case, with such devices being used in power stations to train technicians and optimize site operations.

Whilst these are three very different examples, each illustrates how vital mobile assets have become for organizations. If they were to fail, it could result in lost revenue for a small business, or, in more serious cases, put patients’ or workers’ lives at risk.

Challenges organizations face with managing ‘mission-critical use’ devices

Maintaining operational uptime on ‘mission-critical use’ devices is essential and this means making them both cyber resilient and operationally resilient.

Mobiles are now a common attack vector for cybercriminals, in part because they often exhibit the worst security standards. For example, 40% of mobile users are running a device with known vulnerabilities. Poor cybersecurity standards mean that the bar to exploit such an asset is extremely low, making it easier for cybercriminals to take them offline and halt the operations of victim organizations.

Businesses tend to focus all their efforts on meeting regulatory checkboxes for compliance, yet they often overlook specific security threats and vulnerabilities that might put the device at risk. It’s also frequently assumed that limited-access devices are safe by default, but this is rarely the case, particularly when work devices are used for personal reasons.

On the other hand, some businesses may have elements of strong cybersecurity but fail to implement practices strategically. For example, automated processes might update all devices with new patches at the same time. If the business doesn’t have backup systems in place, then it could face operational downtime while the update takes place.

Performance is king when it comes to mobile devices, and providing the best possible service to customers means frontline workers having the right tools performing reliably.

For example, you can’t have a mobile device used in a critical scenario run out of power because heavy cumbersome software is placing undo strain on the battery.

While these are two different issues, they stem from the same problem: businesses don’t fully understand how dependent they are on mobiles and lack awareness when examining the security of such devices.

While mobile devices used by workers on the frontline, such as POS systems, are obvious additions to the ‘mission critical’ category, the mobile devices of knowledge workers, are equally important. If an executive loses access to their smartphone, they can’t retrieve essential information or perform their job effectively. This is potentially as disastrous as a frontline system going down; however, it’s often overlooked by IT teams.

Organizations need to understand assess all the mobile devices that are used for work and recognize which ones are ‘mission critical.’ Only then can they start addressing the security challenges they face and make mobiles more resilient. Tackling the problem requires a structured and layered model.

Building resilience in ‘mission critical’ devices

The first stage in assessing an organization's ‘mission critical’ footprint involves a comprehensive asset inventory. This means understanding what assets are deployed, where they are, and what they’re accessing.

The inventory should include a mapping of where there are overlaps between devices and the applications that are also ‘mission critical.’ These are crucial aspects that organizations often overlook. Once a business has an understanding of their ‘mission critical’ assets, they can implement a backup plan for when they go down.

During this phase, it’s also crucial for organizations to know their suppliers, and to understand the control options available for the devices they’ve acquired. This will enable security teams to apply minimum security standards immediately as devices are unboxed, making good security hygiene just as important as application deployments.

Basic cyber hygiene practices, such as implementing Multi-Factor Authentication, enforcing rigorous patching processes, and requiring strong passwords, are essential for improving the security standards of ‘mission criticals’. The majority of breaches can be tied to failures in getting the basics right.

Following the ‘mission critical’ asset inventory, it is imperative to implement threat prevention, this includes Device Management to ensure that devices are monitored and security policies enforced. By implementing such capabilities, organizations can block malicious activity before it reaches the device, helping to maintain operational availability in devices.

Settings are equally important. Limiting non-essential notifications, restricting high-risk applications, and carefully managing access controls can enhance safety on ‘mission critical’ tools. The same approach applies to backup planning.

Finally, organizations should think about connectivity to workloads and backend applications that are operated off the device – for example, connection to a database or running an AI workload in the cloud. It’s important that all data in transit between devices and workloads is protected.

However, cybersecurity strategies and practices must also be aligned with uptime strategies. It’s a wasted effort improving cyber hygiene if a malfunctioning update causes downtime in all ‘mission-critical’ devices at the same time.

For ‘mission critical’ devices, broad updates or general alerts aren’t ideal. A tablet relied on by an airline pilot or surgeon should not receive disruptive updates during essential operations.

Organizations need to either establish a plan to schedule downtime aligned with business requirements or procure backup devices and implement a local protocol to enable immediate device swapping as needed.

Ultimately, mobile devices are now critical to the operations of every business. Therefore, IT teams need to treat them in the same way they would other critical assets. Businesses need to have a clear plan for how they manage ‘mission critical’ devices that ensures they are both secure and operationally resilient. For many, this means the time has come for mobile to assume a first class role in the enterprise, where its impact on business is understood and maintained.

We've listed the best Mobile Device Management solutions.

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

Severance season 2 has all of us on the edge of our seats, and they're once again teasing us with weekly releases. Episode 3 of one of the best Apple TV Plus shows is finally here, and it packed a lot into its hour-long runtime. Most notable were, of course, the goats, but we've also had our first look at Gwendoline Christie's new character and witnessed Mark making a shocking decision about severance. Elsewhere, Dylan's latest perk could prove to torment him.

If you need a reminder for previous episodes, check out our Severance episode 1 recap and Severance season 2 recap to bring you up to speed.

Cobel's job offer

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

The episode sees Cobel still on the road after abruptly driving away from Mark, who confronted her outside her home. When she reaches an unknown place called Salt's Neck, she decides to turn around and head back, but like most things Cobel does, we don't quite know why.

Cobel heads to Lumon, where she meets up with Helena after considering the job offer. She says if she returns, she wants to keep a close eye on MDR so she can watch Mark complete Cold Harbor, one of the biggest Severance mysteries. She's also not pleased about Milchick running the show and wants him gone, but Helena pushes back on this.

Not for the first time, Cobel abruptly leaves the meeting and drives off, so she's been constantly running away from her problems and fears recently. Something weird is going on, and I want to know what!

Meeting a new department

By this point, Mark is now fully back to work at Lumon. We see him timing how long it takes to get into Lumon to the point where he's severed, where he obviously switches into innie Mark, abruptly stopping the countdown.

He's on a mission, printing out flyers of a Ms. Casey drawing, and asks Helly and Irving to pass them around the Lumon departments. It's also important to note that Helly is still acting weird around Mark and not like Helly at all. Nevertheless, she helps Mark on his quest to find Ms. Casey.

They come across a small hallway. They crawl through it and find it leads to a large room full of goats on what seems to be artificial grass. We then meet a brand new team led by Gwendoline Christine, who is immediately suspicious of MDR and asks if they're going to kill her (not a normal question to ask at work, but okay...). She reveals that this department is called Mammalians Nurturable, and hey presto, we've got a new department – and it's linked to the goats, who have intrigued fans enough to inspire plenty of Severance goat theories.

Mark and Helly talk to the woman, asking her if she knows anything about the Wellness department or Ms. Casey. Mark reminds her that if they can make Ms. Casey disappear, any one of them could follow, including their goats, and it seems to do the trick. She eventually admits that Ms. Casey used to conduct wellness sessions in their “husbandry tanks.” She and her staff all seem to have liked her; they believe she retired but tell Mark they won't get in the way if he thinks otherwise. So that's something, at least.

Milchick's disturbing gift from The Board

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Natalie arrives at Milchick's office to present him with a gift from The Board. But he is left visibly uncomfortable when he realizes they're a series of paintings recontextualizing Lumon’s history with Black versions of Kier and his subjects. With her earpiece connected to the mysterious Board, Natalie reels off some corporate-approved messaging, saying: “The Board austerely desires for you to feel connected to Lumon’s history. To that end, please accept from the Board these inclusively re-canonicalized paintings intended to help you see yourself in Kier, our founder.”

She also claims she received the same gift and was "moved" by it, but when the Board terminates the call, Milchick and she exchange an uncomfortable glance before she goes back to her forced smile. Natalie's facade has slipped for a brief moment, and I'm excited to see if she starts to rebel against Lumon, too. Milchick, understandably, packs up the paintings and puts them away.

Dylan’s innie and Gretchen

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

In a very emotional scene, Ms. Huang comes to get Dylan and leads him to the former security room, which has now been turned into the Outie Visitation Room. Turns out, Milchick was right when he teased these plans to Dylan and it has the potential to be one of the most twisted "perks" Lumon has come up with.

Dylan learns he's "earned" an 18-minute visit with his outie’s wife, Gretchen, where they discuss their three kids and get a bit closer. As Dylan’s session with his wife ends, she tells him she’s proud of him and loves him. He doesn’t know how to respond but feels great. Later, Dylan's outie watches the kids and when asked about the visit, Gretchen tells him it was "weird but good."

Mark's big decision and a surprise visit

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Natalie visits Devon’s home to discuss Ricken's book, which became an unexpected hit after it was found on the severed floor. Lumon wants an "innie version" of the book, given the fact they liked it so much, but it's pretty suspicious that Lumon keeps rocking up to Devon and Ricken's home.

Devon is equally as suspicious of Devon as she is of Milchick and leaves to meet up with Mark. They try to burn an image into his retinas to take into Lumon, but as we've seen before, previous attempts to sneak messages in and out have not gone well.

Asai Reghabi shows up and stops him from going through with this bold idea. She tells him that his wife Gemma is alive and there’s only one way to get information in and out of Lumon: reintegration. Now, reintegration is a controversial choice, considering it killed Petey in Severance season 1, but since Mark is desperate, he decides to go through with the procedure to hopefully stitch his memories back together.

Asai and Mark begin the reintegration process. and this episode ends with the two sides of Mark's persona blending together, insinuating that the reintegration process may work this time around, but now I'm pretty fearful for Mark's mental and physical health.

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• Severance season 2 has a brand new title sequence and I love it – here are the 5 major clues it gives us
• 'He's got a lot of work to do': Severance actor Tramell Tillman teases what lies in store for Seth Milchick in season 2 of the hit Apple TV show
• 4 shows similar to Severance with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes that you should stream

• A shipping manifest has detailed what looks like a professional workstation card
• It could possibly be the successor to Nvidia's RTX 6000 Ada, the most expensive graphics card in the world
• Based on the RTX5090, it is expected to have a whopping 96GB, twice that of it predecessor

The GeForce RTX 5090, the latest flagship graphics card for gamers and creatives in Nvidia's GeForce 50 series, was unveiled at CES 2025 and has just gone on sale - buts hortly before it did, rumors began to swirl of an RTX 5090 Ti model featuring a fully enabled GB202-200-A1 GPU and dual 12V-2×6 power connectors, theoretically allowing for up to 1,200 watts of power.

This speculation began following the appearance of a prototype image on the Chinese industry forum Chiphell - reporting on the image, ComputerBase said, “With 24,576 shaders, the GB202-200-A1 GPU is said to offer 192 active streaming multiprocessors, which were previously rumored to be the full expansion of the GB202 chip. The memory is said to continue to offer 32GB capacity, but with 32Gbps instead of 28Gbps, it will exceed the 2TB/s mark.”

Shortly after the engineering card surfaced online, ComputerBase alsospotted shipping documents on NBD Data listing a graphics card with 96GB of GDDR7 memory, marked as “for testing.” It is a reasonable assumption that this unidentified model is actually a professional workstation card, potentially – let’s say probably – the RTX 6000 Blackwell.

Useful for AI applications

(Image credit: NBD)

The GeForce RTX 5090 features 32GB of GDDR7, using sixteen 2GB modules connected through a 512-bit memory interface. 48GB would be possible if sixteen 3GB chips were used instead of 2GB chips.

If two of these 3GB chips were connected to each 32-bit controller, placing 16 chips on both the front and back of the graphics card in a "clamshell" configuration, the 96GB mentioned in the documents – which is twice as much as the RTX 6000 Ada, the most expensive graphics card in the world – would become a reality.

The shipping records indicate these GPUs use a 512-bit memory bus, reinforcing this theory. The internal PCB designation PG153, seen in the documents, aligns with known Nvidia Blackwell designs and has not yet appeared in any existing consumer graphics cards.

Nvidia is expected to introduce the RTX Blackwell series for workstations at its annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC 2025), so we should know more about them come March 2025. And yes, if you’re thinking 96GB of GDDR7 memory is overkill for gaming or creative purposes I’d agree with you. It is a good amount for AI tasks though, so we can expect to see Nvidia announce an AI version of the RTX 6000 Blackwell when it finally takes the wraps off its next-gen product.

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• These are the best video cards for video editing you can buy right now
• Nvidia has renamed its Blackwell Ultra product series - here’s why
• Geforce GPUs beat the competition in this popular video software benchmark

Yes, I know, we’re all very excited about how powerful Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is, and presumably many of us are also very upset that Nvidia apparently thought seven cards per retailer would be enough stock for launch day (note to Jensen Huang: that was a joke, please take your hitman off speed dial).

But even though it does look mighty impressive – and as per our RTX 5080 review, the middle child of the Blackwell generation is no slouch either – there’s a different GPU I’m really looking forward to this year, and it’s the lowest-spec desktop card Nvidia announced at CES 2025. That’s right, I’m talking about the RTX 5070.

Now, I’ve always had a soft spot for Nvidia’s xx70 GPUs; I rocked a GTX 970 back in the day, and I was a strong supporter of the RTX 3070 when it came out back in 2020. These cards typically find the right balance between performance and pricing; not too expensive, but still perfectly capable of delivering a solid gaming experience to the average consumer. And with the RTX 5070, I think we could be in for a treat – not least because Nvidia has seemingly done the unthinkable.

A pleasant surprise

See, at launch, the current-gen RTX 4070 cost $599 / £589 / AU$1,109. I thought that was a pretty fair price at the time – certainly better value for money than the higher-end Lovelace GPUs, and something we praised it for in our review. I was expecting to see the exact same price tag for the RTX 5070, but no: Nvidia has actually lowered the list price, bringing it down to $549 / £549 (around AU$880).

I’m really not exaggerating when I say that this is nuts. Obviously, we don’t have performance figures for the RTX 5070 yet, so there’s every possibility Nvidia does screw the pooch on this one, but let’s be honest: this card will likely sit somewhere between the RTX 4070 and RTX 4080, with $50 / £40 shaved off the price tag to boot. That’s great!

That’s not all, either; I’m just talking about my raw performance expectations here, but that’s without even factoring in Multi Frame Generation, which combined with DLSS 4 and Reflex 2 provides a serious performance boost for RTX 5000 GPUs without many of the drawbacks seen in previous iterations of Nvidia’s upscaling and frame-gen tech. Access to these tools – which can be retroactively improved by Nvidia – is a key winning factor for the 5070.

With that price tag, the RTX 5070 has genuine potential to be the new 1440p gaming king – or even a reasonably priced 4K card, once we see how well DLSS 4 and MFG actually perform on a more affordable Blackwell card. Personally, I have high expectations… don’t let me down, Nvidia.

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• We've got another leak around the OnePlus Open 2
• Macro support on the telephoto camera is rumored
• The foldable will appear first as the Oppo Find N5

Oppo has been busy teasing the upcoming Oppo Find N5, which will almost certainly be sold as the OnePlus Open 2 outside of China, and the latest rumor suggests the handset will have one particular camera upgrade – an upgrade that even top-tier flagships such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra don't offer.

As per well-known tipster Smart Pikachu (via Android Authority), the Oppo Find N5 – and therefore the OnePlus Open 2 – is going to come with macro photography support on its telephoto lens, offering extra flexibility for close up shots.

It means the ability to take close ups without actually having to get close to whatever you're shooting – that's the advantage of having macro support on the telephoto camera, rather than included with the standard primary camera.

While the feature can be found on a few handsets, it's not something that Samsung, Google, or Apple have added to their phones – so you could get more photo flexibility from the OnePlus Open 2 than the Pixel 9 Pro or the iPhone 16.

Rumors and teases

An official teaser image from Oppo (Image credit: Oppo)

We've seen lots of unofficial leaks and official teases when it comes to this foldable phone. Some serious upgrades are apparently on the way, including a large 5,900 mAh battery, waterproofing, and a bump to the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset from Qualcomm.

This is apparently going to be the thinnest foldable to hit the market yet, and Oppo executives have posted pictures showing just how thin it will be – with one image comparing it to the M4-powered iPad Pro from Apple.

What we're not sure of yet is exactly when the handset is going to launch, though it shouldn't be far off now. One rumor has pointed to the OnePlus Open 2 going on sale in the second half of 2025, though we're hoping to see it sooner.

As you can tell from our OnePlus Open review, we are big fans of the original folding phone from OnePlus – and that means we're looking forward to seeing what a new and improved version brings to the best foldables market.

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January is finally over. After what always feels like the longest month of the year, it's time to get the lowdown on what you can stream on Apple TV Plus during the shortest month of 2025.

In this guide, I've rounded up all the new movies and TV shows that'll debut on Apple's streaming platform in February. You'll also find more details on the weekly episodic releases for recently launched and returning TV Originals, including new installments of Severance season 2 and Prime Target. Without further ado, then, here's what you can look forward to on one of the world's best streaming services before March 1.

February 5

Spanish rom-com Love You to Death premieres in early February (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Love You to Death episodes 1 and 2
• Mythic Quest season 4 episode 3
• Prime Target episode 4

February 7

Severance season 2 continues to get weirder and weirder with each new episode (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Severance season 2 episode 4

February 12

Prime Target's fifth episode is out in mid-February (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Love You to Death episode 3
• Mythic Quest season 4 episode 4
• Prime Target episode 5

February 14

The Gorge is a supernatural action-thriller that stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• The Gorge
• Severance season 2 episode 5

February 19

Mythic Quest's fourth season continues apace throughout February (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Love You to Death episode 4
• Mythic Quest season 4 episode 5
• Prime Target episode 6

February 21

Surface season 2 makes its streaming debut in late February (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Severance season 2 episode 6
• Surface season 2 episode 1

February 26

Another Mythic Quest season 4 episode will be released before the end of the month (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Love You to Death episode 5
• Mythic Quest season 4 episode 6
• Prime Target episode 7

February 28

Severance season 2's seventh episode arrives on the final day of February (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

• Onside: Major League Soccer episodes 1 through 8
• Severance season 2 episode 7
• Surface season 2 episode 2

For more Apple TV Plus coverage, read our guides on Foundation season 3, Slow Horses season 5, Presumed Innocent season 2, and the best Apple TV Plus movies.

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, February 2 (game #602).

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 #603) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SNAP
• SCREW
• BURN
• ZEST
• LOUSE
• WEDGE
• ZING
• MITE
• SLICE
• MUCK
• BIT
• OUCH
• LITTLE
• TWIST
• FOUL
• TAD

NYT Connections today (game #603) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Jibe reactions
• GREEN: Titchy 
• BLUE: Lemon and lemon
• PURPLE: It’s all gone wrong

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 #603) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: COMMENT AFTER AN INSULT
• GREEN: TINY AMOUNT, WITH "A" 
• BLUE: BIT OF CITRUS GARNISH 
• PURPLE: BUNGLE, WITH "UP" 

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

NYT Connections today (game #603) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #603, are…

• YELLOW: COMMENT AFTER AN INSULT BURN, OUCH, SNAP, ZING
• GREEN: TINY AMOUNT, WITH "A" BIT, LITTLE, MITE, TAD
• BLUE: BIT OF CITRUS GARNISH SLICE, TWIST, WEDGE, ZEST
• PURPLE: BUNGLE, WITH "UP" FOUL, LOUSE, MUCK, SCREW

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

My first mental detour today was linking SCREW, TWIST and WEDGE and my imagined category of "Putting together flatpack furniture". Then, I thought we were looking for bugs – MITE and LOUSE – before TINY AMOUNT, WITH "A" came together after some shuffling.

It took getting BIT OF CITRUS GARNISH before I saw the final groups and I achieved Zero Mistake nirvana. No BUNGLE, WITH “UP”s for me today.

A lovely Connections puzzle without any weirdness. I shall sleep well tonight.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 2 February, game #602)

• YELLOW: DEJECTED BLUE, DOWN, HANGDOG, SORRY
• GREEN: BIRDS THAT ARE VERBS DUCK, GROUSE, HAWK, SWALLOW
• BLUE: TV COMEDY FAMILIES GRIFFIN, MUNSTER, PARTRIDGE, PICKLES
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "K" MART, POP, STREET, SWISS

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 Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, February 2 (game #1105).

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1106) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1106) - 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 3.

Quordle today (game #1106) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1106) - 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 3.

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 #1106) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• T

• S

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1106) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1106, are…

• SLEET
• TENSE
• SEIZE
• SCAMP

You’d think getting four letters right on your third go would be a great start but I managed to come up with three other words before SLEET – a frustrating experience you only get from Quordle, as you feel your likelihood of completing all four words slide.

On reflection I should have switched my focus to SEIZE, as that was very gettable – but it’s hard to stop plugging away at a word when you have four letters. One day I’ll get the hang of this thing!

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1106) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1106, are…

• FRISK
• CROOK
• AWASH
• BUDGE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
• Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
• Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO
• Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
• Quordle #1101, Wednesday 29 January: CROWN, SCENE, AGILE, CRANK
• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED
• Quordle #1099, Monday 27 January: ANGEL, GLOBE, MAYOR, BRAVE
• Quordle #1098, Sunday 26 January: WATER, ORBIT, BRIDE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1097, Saturday 25 January: GIVER, GROOM, GUSTO, MAKER
• Quordle #1096, Friday 24 January: GRIND, STOCK, SERVE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1095, Thursday 23 January: RUGBY, SASSY, WORRY, BANAL
• Quordle #1094, Wednesday 22 January: SLANT, TRUNK, WOOZY, EATEN
• Quordle #1093, Tuesday 21 January: CHART, VIGOR, PRINT, SPAWN
• Quordle #1092, Monday 20 January: SIXTY, THONG, TATTY, ROBIN
• Quordle #1091, Sunday 19 January: WREST, RINSE, SCOUR, CANNY
• Quordle #1090, Saturday 18 January: BLARE, ITCHY, BICEP, PIPER
• Quordle #1089, Friday 17 January: CATCH, WEARY, SWOON, LATHE
• Quordle #1088, Thursday 16 January: PARTY, BLUNT, TWEED, PLANT
• Quordle #1087, Wednesday 15 January: RISEN, PLATE, RURAL, ENVOY
• Quordle #1086, Tuesday 14 January: SWARM, SCRAP, ONION, BELCH

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 2 (game #602).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Order up!

NYT Strands today (game #337) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• COLD
• KIND
• BOND
• BIKE
• BECK
• SLACK

NYT Strands today (game #337) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Over easy

NYT Strands today (game #337) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #337) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #337, are…

• POACH
• BAKE
• BOIL
• BASTE
• PICKLE
• SCRAMBLE
• CODDLE
• SPANGRAM: MAKING EGGS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

Today’s Strands was an easy one to, er, crack featuring seven of the 100 ways of MAKING EGGS – but not the most popular one (fry).

It’s a commonly held belief that if you want to learn to cook you should begin with eggs and it’s true that once you’ve mastered the perfect SCRAMBLE you’ll be set for life – from there you can get increasingly fancy.

CODDLE is a new one to me and it sounds very doable – basically crack an egg in a ramekin and place it in a shallow pan of water that’s just below boiling point. In other words, a poached egg in a ramekin. See, fancy.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 2 February, game #336)

• SWIFT
• WONDER
• HILL
• CROSS
• STYLES
• KING
• JONES
• SPANGRAM: GRAMMY WINNERS

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 best Raspberry Pi distros have long been a favorite among hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts, but at $120 for the latest Raspberry Pi 5 16GB model, running one isn't necessarily the value proposition it once was.

But, for just little bit more, you can buy a full-fledged AMD Ryzen-powered mini PC that delivers formidable performance without breaking the bank.

I've found three mini PCs on Amazon under $180, that may be a little bigger, but also give you more for your money.

Mini PC performance

The Beelink GTR5 is priced below $180 (though temporarily out of stock at press time, it's worth a wishlist), the GenMachine Mini PC costs $178.99 (with a 5% discount at time of writing), and the BOSGAME E2 Mini PC is listed at $239.99, but a $60 coupon brings it down to $179.99.

These aren’t weak, low-power machines. They're all powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 3550H, a 4-core, 8-thread processor with a 3.7GHz max turbo clock, making them far superior to Intel's entry-level N-series chips.

The Beelink GTR5 includes a 500GB SATA SSD, while the GenMachine and BOSGAME E2 come with NVMe SSDs in the region of 500GB of storage that offer uncompromised data transfer speeds.

All of these products ship with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and fast SATA SSD storage, with an M.2 NVMe expansion slot for additional storage.

For bells and whistles, the GTR5's Radeon Vega 8 GPU handles 4K video playback and multi-monitor support is standard, thanks to HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C output. The GTR5 also goes a step further with a fingerprint reader for secure logins and a dual-fan cooling system to keep temperatures in check.

The BOSGAME E2 and GenMachine, meanwhile, focus on no-frills computing, coming with a Radeon 770M or simply integrated graphics, respectively. These could leave you wanting more, but if you’re after a compact, capable workstation on a budget comparable to the most expensive Pi 5, then I don't think you'll do much better.

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• Canon rumored to reenter the compact camera game with new Powershot V1
• Announcement of new camera tipped for March / April
• Recent viral model Powershot G7 X Mark III could be discontinued

Point-and-shoot digital cameras making a comeback wasn't on my 2024 bingo card – after all, smartphones pretty much killed off that market many years ago. However, several models went viral last year, none more so than 2019's Canon Powershot G7 X Mark III, so it seems there's life in the pocket snapper yet.

I'm all for it, but as I previously wrote about point-and-shoots for 2025, no leading brands are actually making new models, and so those looking to buy are left to choose from models several years old, increasingly secondhand. That's fine in a way – the quality of popular and well-reviewed cameras from years back still holds out today. But, let's be honest, new tech would be very welcome, too.

Now it appears that Canon will be the first of the big names to step up and recommit to making new point-and-shoots with meaningful upgrades after CanonRumors posted a couple of stories with a fair bit of info about what it says is an upcoming new Powershot V1. It's tipped to be announced sometime between March and May this year, with pretty exciting specs and an estimated price of $600-800 (around £650-850).

What's expected to happen concurrently is the discontinuation of the popular G7 X Mark III, and if that's the case, Canon must be all-in with a new and improved Powershot compact – why else discard a winning horse? Here's what's being said and why Canon recommitting to compact cameras makes sense.

(Image credit: Future) A new dawn for Powershot?

It looks like Canon is set to start afresh with its Powershot compacts, ditching the G-series nomenclature to make Powershot V-series models. It already launched the Powershot V10 vlogging camera in May 2023 and showcased two Powershot concepts: a 360-degree camera and a 180-degree camera with VR capabilities. However, a new Powershot V1 will be a proper point-and-shoot for photographers, and I'd expected it to garner the most interest of all, especially if rumors of its specs and price turn out to be on the money.

Highlight features supposedly include a Canon-made 24MP CMOS sensor of a size 'close to Micro Four Thirds,' and a 3x optical zoom lens (16-50mm approx). It'll likely shoot 4K video with a slight crop and include Canon's C-Log3 and HDR PQ color profiles. Additionally, it might include a standard 3-inch screen, though it's not clear if this is a fixed, tilting, or vari-angle screen. There's no proper word on the rumored V1's design either, but mockups suggest a camera that looks similar to the G7 X III.

Much of those key specs tally with certain existing Powershot G-series cameras. So, will this just feel like a rehash, like Panasonic did with the recent Lumix ZS99 / TZ99? I hope not and that Canon will also put newly developed features from its mirrorless cameras in the V1, such as its latest autofocus system.

What's most exciting of all, though, is the prospect of Canon launching a new compact camera that's readily available to buy at a very reasonable price. There are simply not many high-quality options available today for the $600-800 mark. Sprinkle in a few new features, and I expect the Powershot V1 to be one of 2025's most popular cameras.

There's even some suggestions that Canon could spring a suprise reveal or two at CP+ in Tokyo at the end of February – might the Powershot V1 be the star of the show?

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• The folding iPhone is apparently another step closer
• Apple may be about to choose a display supplier
• Previously Apple had struggled to find a satisfactory display

Apple hasn't officially said there's a folding iPhone on the way, but the number of leaks we've come across about such a device make it very likely that it's in development – and there's another rumor to report on today.

Well-known tipster Yeux1122 (via MacRumors) says that Apple is now close to deciding on a manufacturing partner to produce the folding displays for the folding iPhone. That's based on information from sources in Apple's supply chain.

There's not too much more information here, but there is a suggestion that some parts suppliers are now getting close to the standard required by Apple in terms of the folding display and the mechanisms that underpin it.

Previously, we have heard that the foldable iPhone project was on the verge of being cancelled, because Apple couldn't get a bending screen it was happy with. It would seem those obstacles may now have been overcome.

Earlier rumors

Google has now launched two foldable phones (Image credit: Future)

There have been plenty of earlier rumors around a folding iPhone. Back in November, we got news that the device had gone past the concept stage and was actively being worked on as a physical product that would ship to consumers.

More recently, we've heard talk that the folding iPhone would have a 7.6-7.9-inch main display and a smaller 5.3-5.5 inch cover screen. The same source predicted a launch window sometime in 2026 for this long-awaited smartphone.

Other predictions had suggested 2025 could be the year of the foldable phone from Apple, but as we're now into February that seems less likely. Exactly what style of foldable we'll get – book-style or flip-style – remains to be seen.

While Apple hasn't yet launched a folding iPhone, the foldable market has seen plenty of new and high-end devices appear over the last 12 months – including the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.

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