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New research has claimed nearly as much as two thirds (62%) of SMBs have been impacted by a ransomware attack that originated through software supply chain vulnerabilities.

The report from OpenText notes this is creating apprehension with businesses, as 90% plan to increase collaboration with software suppliers to try and bolster their security practices.

Weaknesses in supply chains are a significant worry for SMBs, with 91% of respondents concerned about ransomware attacks on their organization’s downstream software supply chain or third-party and connected partners - with nearly half (49%) concerned enough to consider vendor changes.

AI in ransomware

Ransomware remains a serious issue for businesses, with 48% of respondents experiencing an attack, and 73% of those being hit within the last year. This affects SMBs more than large enterprises, but only by a small margin, with 76% of SMBs experiencing a ransomware attack in the past year, versus 70% of large enterprises.

Recovery after an attack is a mixed bag. The positive news is that 97% of respondents successfully restored their company’s data, but 46% paid the ransom to do so. The average ransom is rising too, with 31% of those surveyed paying over $1 million.

Research suggests attacks have as much as doubled thanks to AI, and this is reflected in anxieties from SMBs. Over half of all respondents (55%) reported that their company is now more at risk of ransomware thanks to the increased use of AI by threat actors, and 45% have already seen an increase in phishing attacks thanks to AI.

AI is increasingly being used in both cyberattacks and cyberdefence - with the landscape rapidly evolving to accommodate new technologies. AI tools are equipping cybercriminals with new capabilities and methods, making it more difficult for spam filters and antivirus to detect nefarious actors.

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Proton Pass, one of our picks for the best password manager around right now, has launched a new family tier to simplify credential management and storage for parents and children alike.

The Pass Family plan is being offered for a limited time at $3.99 per month (billed annually), and includes all of the features of the Pass Plus plan, but for six users instead of one.

Families will be able to benefit from integrated two-factor authentication (2FA), secure vault and link sharing, dark web monitoring and advanced account protection, all managed from an admin panel.

Family password protection

The new Proton Pass family tier makes sharing credentials for streaming services and household accounts easier and more secure, while also providing vaults for storing personal information such as emergency contact information that can be shared with other users. Each user account is segmented by a unique email address to mitigate data breaches and identity theft.

Password sharing has quickly gone from a big security no to a fact of life, especially within families. Statistics show that 43% of Americans share at least one password with someone else, emphasizing the need for secure password sharing tools.

"Password sharing among family members is common, but it also exposes them to significant cybersecurity risks," said Son Nguyen Kim, Product Lead for Proton Pass. "The Pass Family plan offers a safer, more organized way for families to manage their online identities, combining Proton's high standards of privacy and security with user-friendly features that everyone can use."

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As more and more tech companies enforce office-centered hybrid working policies, many mandating three office days per week, Spotify has bucked the trend and says that working from home is absolutely fine.

Spotify first introduced its ‘work from anywhere’ policy in February 2021 as pandemic restrictions eased, and while the likes of Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft have all mandated workers back into the office, the music streaming platform says it has no reason to re-implement in-person working.

The company indicated that it trusts workers to be productive and get the job done, adding that they “aren’t children.”

Spotify says it’s ok with working from home

Chief Human Resources Officer Katarina Berg added: “You can’t spend a lot of time hiring grown-ups and then treat them like children.” She stated that the company had no reason to believe that it should enforce office working policies, but understands why some companies prefer to return to what they know.

Spotify’s remote work policy, which allows workers to choose there they work, has had no noticeable impact on efficiency. That being said, the Swedish firm has partnered with the Stockholm School of Economics to launch a study into the effects of remote work on collaboration and innovation.

While Spotify retains office spaces worldwide, the company encourages employees to come in during a designated ‘core week’ for in-person collaboration and strategy discussions, where projects can be thrashed out without the latency that’s typical of video conferences.

Berg added that this structure appeals to workers as well as reduces the company’s climate impact.

Despite struggling with the tough economic conditions that followed the pandemic, including having to lay off more than 2,000 workers (1,500 in December 2023 alone), the company’s commitment to hybrid working appears to be paying off.

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Intel has added some new games to the list of supported titles for its APO tech – including some big names like Fortnite and CyberPunk 2077 – as well as bringing its latest Arrow Lake desktop CPUs (Core Ultra 200S) into the fold.

APO (Application Performance Optimization) is a feature that boosts frame rates with supported games and processors, optimizing thread scheduling, and essentially helping those games make better use of efficiency cores. The latter are the cores which are present in Intel’s hybrid CPUs (those since Alder Lake, the 12th-gen family for Team Blue).

TechSpot noticed that Intel has introduced APO support for its Core Ultra 9 285K and Core Ultra 7 265K (and 265KF). In the case of the Core Ultra 5 245K, the other Arrow Lake CPU released as part of Intel’s first arrivals, this has fewer than eight performance cores, so it runs a more limited take (‘Advanced Mode’), but you’ll still get some benefit. (Any CPU must have at least six cores, and be a ‘K’ series unlocked chip, to use APO, we should note).

As for the new games that are now supported, they include Fortnite and CyberPunk 2077 as mentioned, as well as other big hitters like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2.

The full list is as follows:

• Company of Heroes 3
• Counter-Strike 2
• Cyberpunk 2077
• Dota 2
• Fortnite
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• Riftbreaker
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
• Total War: Pharaoh
• Total War: Three Kingdoms
• Total War: Warhammer 3

(Image credit: Getty Images / RyanKing999) Analysis: A needed boost in a tough battle against AMD

Another dozen games, and some pretty high-profile titles at that, being added to the Intel APO family is definitely good to see. With Arrow Lake, though, it could be argued that Team Blue needs to pull out some more stops on the gaming front, so these fresh APO introductions are seemingly part of that effort.

In case you missed it, Arrow Lake has rather disappointed PC gamers with its generational performance gains – it pushes more for efficiency, than raw performance – something that leaks flagged up for us ahead of time.

Indeed, Intel readily admitted that Core Ultra 200S CPUs are 5% slower than AMD’s 7000X3D chips in gaming – and remember, the Ryzen 9800X3D is supposedly about to arrive, packing a serious gen-on-gen uplift, if some rumors are correct.

These are tricky times for Intel, really, especially given the recent debacle over 13th-gen and 14th-gen processors which suffered from instability gremlins (that we should note are not a problem for Arrow Lake CPUs).

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Another series has fallen victim to Netflix's scrap pile as the workplace comedy Unstable, starring Rob Lowe and his son John Owen Lowe, has been canceled after two seasons.

According to Deadline, Unstable was axed as season 2 after it failed to break into Netflix's Top 10 list after it debuted on August 1. Unstable was reportedly pitched to Fox where Lowe hosts the game show The Floor and stars in departing drama 9-1-1: Lone Star, but will not be picked up by the network for another season.

It's been a brutal week of cancelations from the best streaming service, with sitcom That '90s Show and dark comedy Greek mythology-inspired series Kaos being the most recent shows to be axed. Netflix has scrapped over 15 shows this year and I was particularly hurt to hear that the streamer had quietly canceled the most realistic zombie show I’ve ever seen Black Summer, which has since left my Netflix subscription on rocky grounds in my home.

With its 68% Rotten Tomatoes score, Unstable is not one of the best Netflix shows, but it sure does deserve a place on seven shows canceled by Netflix in 2024 so far that you should still watch.

What is Unstable about?

Unstable stars Rob Lowe as Ellis Dragon, the eccentric CEO and founder of a successful biotech company who is struggling after the death of his wife. Ellis' estranged, introverted son Jackson (played by Rob Lowe's real-life son John Owen Lowe) starts working at the company to support his father with his mental health and save the business from ruin.

The series was co-created by Rob Lowe, John Owen Lowe and Victor Fresco, and was inspired by the father and son duo's social media relationship where John Owen comically trolls his dad.

John Owen told Variety: “It took doing a TV show with each other for Rob and I to re-explore some of the deeper parts of our interpersonal relationship, so we figured, why not make it so that Ellis and Jackson have to literally play characters in order for them to work through an interpersonal conflict? It’s literally a wink at what we’re doing on the show for our father-son relationship.”

While all these cancelations have me thinking twice about canceling my Netflix membership – here's how to cancel your Netflix account – it's not all bad news as the streamer has decided to renew my favorite rom-com series Nobody Wants This and hit political thriller series The Diplomat, so maybe I can trust it not to cancel everything I like again.

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Hackers are abusing a vulnerability in a Veeam product to try and deploy ransomware against their targets.

This is according to cybersecurity researchers from Sophos, who detailed their findings on Infosec Exchange late last week. As per the researchers, crooks are using a combination of compromised credentials, and vulnerability abuse, to deploy Fog and Akira ransomware.

First, they would go after VPN gateways with poor passwords and no multi-factor authentication (MFA) set up. Some of these VPNs were even running unsupported software versions, it was said. After that, they would exploit a vulnerability in Veeam Backup & Replication, tracked as CVE-2024-40711, which allows them to create a local account.

Akira and Fog

CVE-2024-40711 is a critical vulnerability that allows unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) via deserialization of untrusted data. By sending a malicious payload to the app, threat actors can be granted arbitrary code execution abilities, without authentication. It has a severity score of 9.8 (critical). Veeam released a fix for this flaw in the version 12.2 (build 12.2.0.334), which was pushed in September this year. The vulnerability affected previous versions of VBR, particularly version 12.1.2.172 and earlier.

Admins were advised to upgrade to the latest version to mitigate the risk of exploitation.

After creating a local account, the crooks would try to deploy either Fog, or Akira ransomware. In total, Sophos’ researchers observed four attack attempts so far.

“These cases underline the importance of patching known vulnerabilities, updating/replacing out-of-support VPNs, and using multifactor authentication to control remote access. Sophos X-Ops continues to track this threat behavior.”

Despite having only a handful of recorded attack attempts, the news was big enough to warrant an advisory from NHS England. As reported by The Hacker News, the advisory stressed that enterprise backup and disaster recovery applications were “valuable targets” for cybercriminals everywhere.

Via The Hacker News

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A new leak of the Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro has revealed the Chinese telecomms company could be planning to launch a new iteration of the Smart Band 9 very soon – and it's got plenty of similarities to smartwatches like the Apple Watch SE 2. Only it's likely to be much cheaper.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro is our top budget pick when it comes to the best fitness trackers on the market thanks to its two-week battery life and cool screen. It offers much that you’d expect from a fitness wearable at that price point, namely 24/7 heart rate monitoring, activity tracking, GPS, and more.

The company recently released a slimmer Xiaomi Smart Band 9 replete with upgraded sleep monitoring, improved heart rate and blood oxygen tracking, and up to 21 days of battery life. Now it looks like a Pro version isn’t far behind. Leaked renders from YTECHB have revealed the company could be planning a new Xiaomi Smart Band 9 Pro in three colors, with a slightly tweaked design.

Apple Watch SE 3? Don’t bet on it

(Image credit: YTECHB)

According to the report, the new ninth iteration will feature “minor design changes and color options,” but there’s a heavy emphasis on the “minimal” nature of the changes. The colors on display appear to be silver, black, and gold, although this doesn’t preclude further color options at launch or later down the line.

Notably, the new Band 9 Pro’s display appears to have a slightly curved display, as opposed to the flat display of the previous model. There’s also an improved thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) strap which connects to the watch chassis at the end. Also noted is the rougher finish of the Band 9 Pro’s housing, along with a larger display complemented by smaller bezels.

It’s not a major overhaul by any stretch, and the design is mostly noteworthy for looking exactly like the Apple Watch SE, one of the best Apple Watch models currently available, only missing the digital crown. Xiaomi has an unfortunate record of apeing Apple’s hardware and software, and if the leak is accurate, this Band 9 Pro appears to be just one such example. The aluminum chassis and that redesigned band mechanism do look strikingly similar to the Apple Watch, but take the leak with a grain of salt until verified.

Other details of the Xiaomi Band 9 Pro, including any potential release date, are scant at this stage. However, considering the Band 8 Pro sold for just $90 / £60 / AU$95, this could be the ultra-cheap SE rival you've been waiting for.

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A new tip from a OnePlus employee suggests the upcoming OnePlus 13 will ship with a custom next-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset that beats the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro in terms of power efficiency.

The tip comes from Weibo user Cai Zuxuan, who said in a post that the as-yet-unnamed chipset “directly beats the A18 Pro” in internal energy efficiency testing; Notebook Check notes that Zuxuan is an employee of OnePlus.

Apple is renowned for the efficiency of its proprietary chipsets, so an even more efficient Snapdragon chipset could have a substantial effect on performance and battery life.

Our OnePlus 12 review found the phone to be capable on all fronts and exceptionally stylish, so we're not surprised by rising anticipation for its sequel.

For example, multiple leaks point to the OnePlus 13 getting an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, a step up from the optical reader found on the OnePlus 12. As the name suggests, ultrasonic readers use high-frequency sound waves to sense your fingerprint. These readers are currently the preserve of high-end and premium flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google Pixel 9 Pro.

A pricey proposition

According to Notebook Check, a Weibo post from user 体验more suggests the OnePlus 13 will receive this upgrade alongside a price increase in China, which could be mirrored in global markets.

The leaker suggests a launch price of ¥5,299 in China, compared to the ¥4,799 launch price of the OnePlus 12. In global markets the OnePlus 12 launched at $799 / £849, and a proportional increase would suggest a launch price of around $879 / £933 for the OnePlus 13. That's more than an iPhone 16.

Additionally, we previously reported that the OnePlus 13 may come equipped with an enormous 6,000mAh battery, which would give it one of the largest cells ever seen in a smartphone. On another occasion, we heard of redesigned screen technology with greatly improved brightness.

Head of OnePlus China Louis Lee (also known as Li Jie Louis) confirmed the OnePlus 13 via Weibo on October 9, suggesting an October release date that we think only applies to China.

We expect the OnePlus 13 will follow the lead of the OnePlus 12 and launch globally a few months later, likely in January 2025. For now, the above remains based nearly entirely on rumors and leaks – for the latest official updates as we hear them, be sure to check in with our OnePlus coverage.

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If you want to walk 10,000 steps in a day, you need to put one foot in front of the other 10,000 times. But while the “how” of walking 10,000 steps a day is blindingly obvious in one sense, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye. For some people, walking 10,000 steps might come very easily, perhaps even without thinking if your work involves a lot of walking or travel. But for others, some factors can make it more difficult, such as inclement weather, safety, fitness, health, mobility, and more.

The idea of walking 10,000 steps a day (roughly five miles for most people, but you can check our guide to find out the distance that’s right for you) can be a daunting and difficult challenge, especially for people who are overweight, recovering from an injury, or are restricted by disease or illness.

So if you’re starting out trying to tackle 10,000 steps a day, what are some of the things you can do to make life easier? For starters, you’re going to need at least some tech to make sure that you’re achieving your goals. That could be a smartwatch, one of the best fitness trackers, or even a pedometer.

When it comes to hitting your step goal (10,000 or otherwise), there are plenty of other useful tools and tips to help you get there. If you work from home, a standing desk or an under-desk treadmill can get you on the move. Maybe you need a walking plan to help break up the day into more manageable walks, or perhaps you just need some tips to incorporate more walking into your everyday life. So if you need help getting to that magic number, here are some of our top tips.

How to walk 10,000 steps a day Get a fitness tracker

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to walk 10,000 steps a day, you need a good way to track your movement. Most of the best phones on the market will have a step counter, but they’re not tremendously accurate and you may not always have your phone on you. Picking up one of the best smartwatches or even a cheap smartwatch is one great way to add fitness tracking and step counting to your arsenal. You could go for a mainstream option like the Apple Watch Series 10, or a cheap Apple Watch SE 2. Other options include the Fitbit Versa, Amazfit’s Bip U Pro, or the CMF Watch Pro by Nothing.

If a smartwatch is out of your budget, then a fitness tracker is often cheaper, and you can often pick up a Fitbit or Xiaomi’s Smart Band 8 Pro for around $50 / £50 / AU$70.

If that’s still more than you’d like to pay, there are pedometers (simple, dedicated step counters) on Amazon for as little as £10/$12/AU$14.

Break up your steps into manageable chunks

As noted, walking 10,000 steps will come very naturally to some people, and others may already be hitting that number without even thinking. But for people who are looking to get started on a fitness journey, sometimes the easiest way to hit a goal is to break it down into more manageable chunks.

When it comes to how far 10,000 steps is in distance, the answer is broadly five miles. Walking that in one go might be a bit of a challenge, if not physically, then logistically because of time, or inhibiting factors like work, your location, or something else. A more realistic approach could be to go on a couple of different walks throughout the day. Here’s one example:

• Morning walk - 1 mile
• Lunch walk - 2 miles
• Evening walk - 2 miles

You could even do 2.5 miles in the morning, and another 2.5 miles in the afternoon. Realistically though, you’re going to accrue a certain amount of steps going about your daily life, so unless you live a very sedentary lifestyle, you probably don’t need to do five miles of walking every day. This is why having a fitness tracker or smartwatch is vital, there’s no point struggling to walk 5 miles every day if you’re already walking 3,000 steps a day, and just need to get in another 7,000 (3.5 miles). Just remember that walking 2,000 steps is roughly a mile in distance, so you can calculate your own required distance to bridge the gap to 10,000 steps each day.

But how can you make walking those miles easier, safer, and more accessible?

UDTs, standing desks, and Netflix

(Image credit: Future)

Walking a few miles outside is all fun and games if you live in a temperate climate with plenty of daylight, but what if you live in Scotland like me? For an abundance of reasons, walking outside to get those steps in isn’t always an option for some people. That could be because of the weather, allergies, traffic, lack of green spaces, or simply because there’s not enough daylight.

One of our picks for the best treadmills could be a handy way to get your steps in at home and would double as a training aid for running. However, if you’re low on space, or just want to walk, the best under-desk treadmills on the market could suit you much better. Amazon is packed with offerings, some as cheap as £139 / $99 / AU$195, and many of them are foldable and portable, so you can hide them away when they’re not in use.

As the name suggests, they can also be used under the best standing desks on the market so you can walk while you’re at work. If you can afford the outlay, a walking pad and a standing desk is the easiest ways to get your steps in during the working day. If you find it too hard to type or walking is distracting, you can always plonk your pad down in front of the TV after work and walk while watching the best Netflix shows, YouTube, or anything else you can think of.

Treadmills at the local gym

(Image credit: Future / Harry Bullmore)

If you really don’t want the outlay or the physical burden of owning your own treadmill, then you can always pop down to your local gym and get your steps in there. As with walking in the house, this will alleviate many of the struggles of putting the work in outdoors. A good gym is likely to have some pretty cutting-edge gear too, so Netflix and the like might still be there to carry you through your workout.

Get the right footwear

(Image credit: Future)

If you’re serious about getting steps in – on the road or a treadmill – then you’ll need a decent pair of trainers. Some picks for the best gym shoes might help you here, but really the best running shoes are probably better suited to the task. Find what works for you, but ideally, you’ll want plenty of cushioning and support, especially if you’re new to exercise, as both are key to avoiding injury and reducing fatigue.

Apply the principles of NEAT

As you can see, the beauty of trying to walk 10,000 steps is that it doesn’t really matter how you get the steps in, because the movement is all that counts. To that end, there are a series of tiny lifestyle changes you can make that add up to a big overall impact. If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you might have heard of non-exercise activity thermogenesis. NEAT is all about increasing the energy we burn outside of sleeping, eating, and exercising.

A good example might be standing instead of sitting at your desk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It’s a principle you can also apply to walking 10,000 steps. By simply being mindful of your activity and choosing to do a bit more legwork, small gains can add up to your daily steps goal before you know it.

Do you commute to work? While ditching the train or bus altogether might not be an option, could you consider getting off a stop earlier, or joining a stop later? Driving to pick up some groceries? Why not park a little bit further away from the door of the supermarket? Take the stairs where you can, or set an alarm or timer to remind you to stretch your legs every hour. Some smartwatches like the Apple Watch even have built-in time-to-stand reminders you can use to keep you on your toes.

In short, walking 10,000 steps a day doesn’t have to be about slogging a five-mile walk every day, rain or shine. With just a few subtle lifestyle tweaks and some helpful tech, you’ll find those steps racking up in no time, along with all the health benefits you might expect.

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If visible crease issues have so far been stopping you from picking up one of the best foldable phones on the market, we've got some good news: the rumor is that Samsung's next folding handset is going to have a far less noticeable crease.

This tip comes from serial leaker Ice Universe, who has one of the better track records when it comes to rumors. Apparently the "crease control" in the upcoming Special Edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is "better than ever".

Now we're not expecting this Special Edition model to appear anywhere outside of South Korea and China, but it augurs well for future Samsung foldables that will be available more widely – including the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

As per well-respected industry analyst Ross Young, the improvement may be down to Samsung using Ultra Flexible Glass (UFG) for the first time: this high-strength panel tech is a little thinner around the crease, meaning a more seamless look.

Crease is the word

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 special editionThis time, they have done a good job in crease control, better than ever.October 12, 2024

Foldable display technology has improved significantly down the years – don't forget that the first Galaxy Fold phone launched in 2019 – but these screens still aren't completely flat when they're opened out, because of the underlying hinge.

Even on our favorite folding phones, including the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the OnePlus Open, the crease is still visible – although to give credit to OnePlus, on the OnePlus Open you do have to be looking pretty closely to be able to see it.

We'll have to wait and see for ourselves how much progress Samsung has made in this department, but it's fair to say that progress is being made year-on-year. The crease issue is apparently one of the reasons we haven't seen a folding iPhone yet.

As for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Special Edition, previously leaked renders have suggested it's going to be a thinner model, with larger screens on the inside and outside. It should make an appearance in the coming months.

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Apple Intelligence’s ChatGPT integration and its iPhone 16 exclusive feature, Visual Intelligence, could come sooner than expected as part of iOS 18.2.

While the well-connected Mark Gurman already hinted that ChatGPT integration would arrive in iOS 18.2, we had no info on Visual Intelligence’s arrival past Apple’s “later this year” promise. This new info, found by Aaron Perris on X, shows references to “Siri with ChatGPT” and “Visual Intelligence” found in Apple's code.

ChatGPT integration will enable you to access the chatbot via Siri on the newest models among the best iPhones, while Visual Intelligence takes full advantage of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro’s Camera Control so you can snap images and search for results using AI – think of it as Apple’s Google Lens competitor.

Based on this info, it’s expected that both free Apple Intelligence upgrades could arrive as part of iOS 18.2 which should be entering beta shortly. This comes at an exciting time for Apple users as we get closer to October 28th, iOS 18.1 and Apple Intelligence’s leaked release date.

Just found new references to "Siri with ChatGPT" on Apple's backend. Looks likely that it will come in iOS 18.2, as predicted. pic.twitter.com/U6qkhSVy9kOctober 13, 2024

Apple Intelligence’s ChatGPT integration

Siri's new redesign in iOS 18.1 activated on an iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Apple )

ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool in the world, and having it incorporated into Siri is going to be a major addition to the iPhone. Siri’s big Apple Intelligence upgrade won’t arrive until 2025, but ChatGPT integration is a nice stop-gap until then. You’ll be able to ask Siri to contact ChatGPT’s servers to create meal plans, summarize articles, and even write code.

The other feature here, Visual Intelligence, is the iPhone 16’s exclusive Apple Intelligence feature, and lets you use Apple AI to search for anything you can see. You’ll be able to simply snap a photo with Camera Control, the new side button, and Apple Intelligence will give you information about what you’re looking at. Want to know a restaurant’s opening times? You got it! How about a dog’s breed? Yep, it can do that too.

While this new information doesn’t confirm the inclusion of Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT integration in iOS 18.2, it does make it incredibly likely. So if you’ve read our iPhone 16 review and are waiting patiently for Visual Intelligence, you might just be in luck sooner rather than later.

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Nvidia’s RTX 5090 may not be as eye-wateringly expensive as a recent rumor suggested, according to another leaker who has chimed in on the matter.

Moore’s Law is Dead floated the idea of an RTX 5090 that could cost from $2,000 up to $2,500, but on X, Kopite7kimi – another regular leaker in the world of GPUs – has claimed that this is ‘totally fake’ no less.

Totally fake.October 10, 2024

Kopite7kimi adds to the thread: “I don’t believe there will be a significant price increase for RTX 5090.”

Predictably enough, the subsequent replies on X are full of attempts at guessing what the price point of the RTX 5090 might be. Not to mention trying to get the leaker to offer something firmer than there not being a significant hike for the next-gen flagship GPU, but Kopite7kimi wouldn’t be drawn to add anything else.

(Image credit: Nvidia / Future) Analysis: Make some noise (once again), PC gamers

Clearly, Kopite7kimi feels quite strongly about the RTX 5090 pricing prediction from Moore’s Law is Dead, as shown by the language of their reply (‘totally fake’ is a pretty blunt statement, let’s face it).

Of course, Kopite7kimi is still predicting a price hike for the RTX 5090 GPU, but just that Nvidia won’t make this a ‘significant’ increase, which we guess would indicate something in the region of a rise of $100 to $200 ($300 at a push, perhaps).

We’d like to be reassured by this latest nugget from the grapevine, but we remain nervous about the potential pricing of the RTX 5090 – and the rest of the next-gen Blackwell range of graphics cards for that matter. Notably, Kopite7kimi doesn’t talk about the price of the RTX 5080 here (or RTX 5070), which are the GPUs where the cost is really going to matter to consumers when it comes to buying one of the best value GPUs.

Nvidia’s flagship graphics cards remain a relatively niche proposition, and to some extent there is an attitude that people will pay through the nose for these GPUs, almost whatever the cost (within some kind of vague reason). And that’s partly why expectations of the RTX 5090 costing so much are relatively easily accepted (not meaning that people like this notion, not at all – it’s just that they can readily believe it, ourselves included).

If you look at the prices that the current RTX 4090 has hit now (Lovelace flagship models are continuing to rise in price), and you take into account Nvidia’s big AI ambitions – with heavyweight Blackwell GPUs for AI usage that make a fortune, turning huge profits compared to GeForce graphics cards, so AI is where the priority for chip allocation will inevitably lie – it’s easy enough to be pessimistic about how much the RTX 5090 will cost.

We guess the good news here, though, is the expression of such a different viewpoint on the potential price hike for the RTX 5090 reminds us that the rumor mill is a volatile place by its very nature.

We should further remember that Moore’s Law is Dead did also heavy caveat his pricing prediction in terms of it being Nvidia exploring and mulling where to pitch its next-gen GPUs – no actual decision has been made yet. Indeed, the YouTuber further raised the possibility that letting slip these prices could even be an intentional move from Nvidia to gauge reaction from PC owners out there (as if you couldn't predict what that would be).

Still, the point remains that all the rumor peddlers out there are saying Nvidia has not made any decision on pricing yet. And in that respect, it may not be a bad idea to pre-emptively rail and make noise about potentially hefty price hikes for Blackwell GPUs – to ensure Team Green hears the displeasure of would-be buyers of the RTX 5090, and indeed 5080 and 5070. All of these next-gen GPUs might be aired at CES 2025 (possibly alongside new Blackwell laptop graphics cards, too).

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We’ve been hearing reports of a foldable iPhone for years, and rumored launch dates have slipped ever later, with recent leaks suggesting the foldable iPhone wouldn’t land until late 2026 or 2027. However, a new leak suggests we might actually see it as soon as 2025.

This comes from Taiwanese site United Daily News (via @Jukanlosreve), which claims that Apple has accelerated its development of a foldable iPhone, and has been in frequent contact with Taiwanese manufacturers to try and get key components like the bearings ready for mass production by the end of this year.

This in turn apparently means that the foldable iPhone is likely to launch sometime next year. The site doesn’t say when, but we’d guess that, if this is accurate, it might launch in September, alongside the iPhone 17.

Ever increasing interest and competition

So, why is Apple reportedly accelerating the launch? According to United Daily News, it’s because Samsung, Huawei, and other brands are frequently releasing foldable phones, and the product category is getting ever more popular as a result.

So, now that there’s an appetite for these products, the time could be right for Apple to launch one. Many of the early teething problems with foldable phones have also been ironed out in recent models like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 – though minor issues like creases in the screen remain.

All that said, we’d take this rumor with a pinch of salt, since most previous leaks regarding the foldable iPhone suggest we’ll be waiting longer. But it sounds like United Daily News has sources in the supply chain, so they may well be right in saying that production is being accelerated.

In which case, Apple could be launching two totally new models in September, with both the foldable iPhone and the previously leaked iPhone 17 Air possibly landing.

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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is building a new plant in Germany in order to address ongoing interest and continued investments in AI.

The news comes as part of the company’s efforts to expand globally, including across Europe, the US and Asia – a move confirmed by Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council Minister, Wu Cheng-wen (via Bloomberg TV).

Wu confirmed that the construction of a facility in Dresden, Germany had already started, with opening more plants already on the agenda.

Taiwan is building more chip plants in other regions

The Minister confirmed: “[TSMC is] already planning the next few fabs in the future for different market sectors as well.”

TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, is reportedly investing billions to build new manufacturing sites in the US, Japan and Germany for a handful of reasons, including meeting demand for powerful components and mitigating risks associated with ongoing geopolitical tensions in China, which has resulted in import and export restrictions and tariffs in recent years.

The company’s $10.9 billion chip fabrication facility in Dresden is expected to be operational by the end of 2027 thanks to around 50% funding from state subsidies.

Alluding to ambitions to work more closely with the European Union, Wu hinted at opportunities from next-generation European chip designers like Germany’s Black Semiconductor and the Netherlands’ Axelera AI. However, US pressures could continue far beyond the upcoming presential election.

We added: “Short term, maybe it’s painful for Taiwanese companies because it’s more expensive if they move over there… But in the long run, maybe it’s good for them, from my point of view, because they can improve themselves.”

Moreover, relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic have strengthened in recent months, which could represent an open door for TSMC into Europe.

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A quick start out of the gate is an enormous advantage for sprinters, swimmers, jockeys and race car drivers alike. It’s also extremely valuable to cybercriminals. By exploiting a zero-day vulnerability before anyone else knows about it, cybercriminals gain an early window to infiltrate systems and achieve goals like stealing data or deploying ransomware while avoiding detection.

Attacks that exploit zero-day vulnerabilities cannot be prevented — but they can be faced with confidence. This article offers practical guidance containing these threats by building a resilient IT infrastructure that features reducing the attack surface, fast detection and effective response.

The Frustration of Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

It is an inescapable fact that every operating system and software application have vulnerabilities that are not yet known by the vendor or the organizations using the product. Another unhappy fact is that cybercriminals are constantly looking for these vulnerabilities, and when they find one, they begin working hard to find a way to exploit it.

Organizations need to come to terms with the reality that adversaries sometimes succeed in developing an effective zero-day attack and there is little they can do to prevent the initial strike. Instead, they must focus on blocking the escalation of the threat and preventing attackers from gaining access to precious data or establishing control over the whole system.

Essentially, exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability is just the first stage of a longer battle for control over your valuable digital assets. To win that battle, security teams must proactively reduce their exposure to attack, stay on top of vulnerabilities, master threat detection and response, and ensure they can restore operations quickly after an incident.

Reducing the Attack Surface

The first priority in reducing the risk from zero-day vulnerabilities is to minimize the attack surface. Core strategies that will help include disabling unneeded services, implementing a robust patch management process, and segregating your network into distinct segments to isolate critical systems and sensitive data.

Another critical best practice is configuring stringent access controls that adhere to the least privilege principle. Even if an attacker gets into the system, their ability to move laterally will be restricted, since each account has only the access rights necessary for the user to perform their tasks.

For an even more robust approach, highly privileged accounts can be replaced with just-in-time (JiT) elevated privileges that are granted only after additional verification and that last only as long as needed for the task at hand. Such an approach further limits the ability of an adversary to escalate privileges.

Discovering and Mitigating Vulnerabilities

What makes a vulnerability a zero-day is that it is discovered by adversaries and exploited in attacks before anyone else knows about it. Software vendors usually quickly provide a security patch or mitigation strategy. Unfortunately, many organizations fail to perform the recommended action in good time, so they remain at risk from the vulnerability far longer than necessary.

Accordingly, a robust patch management strategy is another vital element in reducing the attack surface area. That strategy should include scanning systems for unpatched vulnerabilities so they can be mitigated promptly. One option is a traditional patch management tool that scans systems regularly. However, as the number of software products in use has grown, this process now takes more time than ever before. Modern solutions use a discovery process known as a scan-less scan, which maintains a real-time inventory of the software installed on the system and flags any vulnerabilities as they appear.

Detecting Threats in Their Early Stages

Attackers don’t advertise the time and place that they are going to attack, but entire websites are devoted to detailing the tactics and techniques that they use. Identity threat detection and response (ITDR) solutions leverage this knowledge, with a focus on detecting threats relating to identity and access control systems. Signs of these threats include unusual login attempts, suspicious access requests and unplanned changes to privileges. Detection of a threat can trigger automated responses like blocking access and resetting credentials.

Organizations also need an endpoint detection and response (EDR) system. EDR complements ITDR by monitoring endpoints for potentially malicious activity and enabling prompt response to those threats.

Of course, if these solutions flag too many events as suspicious, security teams will be overwhelmed with false alerts. Accordingly, file integrity monitoring (FIM) is also crucial, since it can filter out planned system changes and empower IT teams to focus on swift response to real threats.

Ensuring Quick Recovery

Organizations must also be prepared for attacks that succeed in taking down key systems and destroying or encrypting valuable data. To minimize disruption to the business in the wake of an incident, they need a documented strategy for data recovery and getting processes back on track as soon as possible.

A robust recovery plan starts with backing up key data and systems, testing those backups carefully and storing them securely. If attackers make malicious changes, IT teams should be able to identify the specific assets involved and granularly reverse the modifications. In a broader disaster, IT pros need to be able to quickly restore key domain controllers, applications and data to reduce downtime and business losses.

Conclusion

While it is not possible to prevent cybercriminals from discovering and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities, organizations can and should take action to reduce the impact of these attacks. By implementing the practices above, organizations can build a multi-layered security strategy that enhances their resilience against not only zero-day exploits, but other types of cyberattacks and insider threats.

We've rated the best identity management software.

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

The blazing-fast speeds, extremely low latency, and massive connectivity achieved with 5G technology are changing how mobile media is being perceived. As such, storage solutions need to keep up with the growing demands of the content supply chain. In 2009, 4G introduced the concept of mobile data as an object that is downloaded to a device and is then played back. This innovation led to an increase in the amount of data processed on mobile devices.

For example, more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded in a single minute just on YouTube alone, and 5G is only going to increase how much media can and will be consumed worldwide. In this article, we’ll provide insights on how the 5G innovation will change storage requirements and the way media is consumed on mobile devices.

Impact of 5G on Media Consumption

The performance of 5G far surpasses standard wired Ethernet ports on desktop computers, with speeds up to 20 Gbps in theory. This is compared with the typical 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps of wired Ethernet. In practice, 5G is more than a match for most wired connections, capable of download speeds from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps, which is on par with your desktop computer. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile own the 5G infrastructure and are able to create private 5G cells, where a higher performance can be achieved and may even reach 20 Gbps as you don’t have to share the bandwidth with many devices.

UHD Streaming

5G's higher speed and lower latency allow high-resolution videos such as 4K and 8K to be streamed easily with minimal buffering on mobile devices. For reference, a 4K stream requires about 25 Mbps of bandwidth, while an 8K stream calls for 100 Mbps, both of which are demanding, but easily achievable with 5G. As a consequence, consumers can seamlessly stream UHD videos from their phones in almost any setting.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): AR and VR apps, with their full immersion, rely extensively on high bandwidth and low latency. Although 5G's 1ms latency is significantly higher than Ethernet's 10-30 microseconds latency, it is still suitable for these applications. To meet these fast requirements, storage systems must be capable of real-time data retrieval and processing.

Interactive Live Streaming: High-data volume and speed for 5G empower new interactive live streaming possibilities, such as multiple angles and instant replays. To achieve this, the underlying system and storage infrastructure need to be efficient and quick enough to handle countless requests while maintaining sub-second video latency.

Storage Challenges and Solutions

As more advanced and data-driven media technologies become possible through 5G, older, conventional storage infrastructures face various technical limitations:

1) Scalability: The surge in high-resolution and interactive content calls for storage solutions that are capable of handling increased amounts of data. Conventional storage systems might be unable to keep up with the amount of information created by innovative, 5G-enabled applications due to their sheer size and rapid expansion. Distributed storage systems, such as those using software-defined storage (SDS) architectures, offer the scalability needed to handle these demands efficiently.

2) Bandwidth Management: Compression technologies are used to effectively manage the greater data bandwidth offered by 5G networks, with many of them leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for more efficient algorithms. These algorithms help reduce the size of the data being stored or transferred, making sure that bandwidth is not wasted while preserving media quality.

3) Security: Given the massive amount of data pushed through 5G networks, security is growing even more important and challenging. With massive amounts of data being sent around at an unprecedented rate, traditional encryption methods may fall short. Improving encryption techniques and incorporating blockchain for data integrity and Self-Encrypting Drives (SEDs) into storage solutions can improve security.

Future Trends

Edge Storage: As 5G becomes more widely available, it will be critical to make better use of "edge storage,” which is a type of decentralized storage that keeps data close to where it's needed. This approach has the potential to reduce latency while improving performance and overall user experience in real-time applications such as AR/VR and streaming for Apple Vision Pro and similar devices.

AI-Driven Storage Optimization: The use of AI in storage management is likely to become more widespread in the 5G era. AI tools can analyze usage patterns and dynamically optimize storage allocation, making sure that resources are used to their fullest potential. For example, AI can predict which content will be accessed frequently and then cache it in high-performance storage tiers, while less frequently accessed data is moved to lower-cost storage.

5G as Backbone for Broadcasting: Mobile broadcasting and network infrastructure, including cables, are not particularly suited to sudden changes in mobility. 5G technology reduces the need for extensive infrastructure, making it an ideal solution for dynamic, live broadcasting environments such as breaking news or outdoor events. When combined with edge computing, 5G enables local processing of video feeds, reducing latency and boosting broadcast efficiency. This seamless integration improves the efficiency and speed of live content delivery, representing an important shift forward in the media industry.

5G as Backbone for Mobile Broadcasting: Leveraging 5G has the potential to transform how cameras and other devices connect with the Outside Broadcasting (OB) trucks. With technically up to 20 Gbit, private 5G cells and an acceptable latency of 1ms, the setup becomes considerably more flexible. Inside the OB truck, data storage receives the recorded data and may send it out via 5G and allows for real-time editing and graphic overlays directly from that storage. 5G technology can also greatly improve mobile broadcasting workflows by delivering rapid speeds of up to 10 Gbps. This allows for the seamless transmission of uncompressed 4K or 8K video directly from cameras to production facilities without sacrificing video quality.

5G as Backbone for Live Broadcasting: For live sports broadcasts, 5G enables near-instantaneous synchronization of multiple camera feeds with an ultra-low latency of only 1 millisecond. Thanks to these precise positioning and angles, viewers get to enjoy an immersive, “live-like” experience from any screen. Furthermore, 5G’s impressive speeds easily support real-time editing and graphics overlay right from the field, allowing editors to integrate live feeds and make quick edits with minimal delay.

Conclusion

Innovative storage solutions and 5G completely transform the way media is consumed on mobile devices, and the latter will continue to change the way digital media is consumed on every screen. Storage technologies must meet security standards and continue evolving to keep pace with 5G’s increased bandwidth management and scalability requirements to ensure viewers enjoy always-on seamless experiences. Luckily, 5G higher speeds and lower latency makes it easy to transmit live 4K content over the internet from anywhere possible. 5G and advanced storage solutions can not only facilitate great viewing experiences; they can vastly improve upon them. Who knows what’s next?

We've rated the best cloud storage.

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

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

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

NYT Strands today (game #225) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Get out of here!

NYT Strands today (game #225) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TUCK
• RUCK
• SOLE
• DOLL
• BUNG
• NEAT

NYT Strands today (game #225) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Packed and ready

NYT Strands today (game #225) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 4th row

Last: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #225) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #225, are…

• DOLLY
• BUNGEE
• TRUCK
• BOXES
• FOAM
• CRATE
• TAPE
• STRAP
• SPANGRAM: MOVINGDAY

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

It's a long time since I moved house – 14 years and counting, although before that I'd moved 10 times in a decade. And honestly, none of my moves were anywhere near as organised as the NYT's fictional example that provides answers such as FOAM, BUNGEE and DOLLY; mine were strictly cardboard-boxes-tape-and-a-few-friends-in-a-hired-van jobs.

Setting aside my relative unfamiliarity with the subject, this is a fairly tricky Strands puzzle anyway, with lots of short words to find. Sure, short words are theoretically easier to uncover than long ones in that there are fewer possibilities for where the letters could go, but they can be harder to solve simply because there are many four-letter words on the board, and if you don't know what the concept is, you don't know where to start.

I did get going without help, as it happens, but uncovered DOLLY first and could not imagine how that might relate to 'Get out of here!' Adding BUNGEE didn't really help, and it was only once I found TRUCK and BOXES that it all came together. I still needed one hint to get started on the bottom-right corner of the board, though; this was a harder game than many that we've had recently.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 13 October, game #224)

• VEST
• SWEATER
• FLANNEL
• FLEECE
• CARDIGAN
• SCARF
• SPANGRAM: FALLFASHION

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.

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

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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

NYT Connections today (game #491) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PONY
• ROLL
• COMB
• BOOK
• ROOT
• TREE
• CLAP
• TABLE
• BUN
• SALAD
• DIG
• RUMBLE
• SIFT
• TWIST
• PEAL
• BRAID

NYT Connections today (game #491) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Look for
• Green: Sonic boom
• Blue: Up-do
• Purple: Eats shoots and __

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 #491) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: RUMMAGE
• GREEN: SOUNDS OF THUNDER
• BLUE: WAYS TO WEAR YOUR HAIR UP
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT CAN HAVE LEAVES

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

NYT Connections today (game #491) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #491, are…

• YELLOW: RUMMAGE COMB, DIG, ROOT, SIFT
• GREEN: SOUNDS OF THUNDER CLAP, PEAL, ROLL, RUMBLE
• BLUE: WAYS TO WEAR YOUR HAIR UP BRAID, BUN, PONY, TWIST
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT CAN HAVE LEAVES BOOK, SALAD, TABLE, TREE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I'm disappointed at myself for not solving today's purple group, because it's a really nice connection; THINGS THAT CAN HAVE LEAVES, featuring BOOK, SALAD, TABLE and TREE. I did stare at it for a while hoping for inspiration, but none came and I ended up entering those four words by default and solving it without knowing why I was doing so. This is arguably the worst thing about Connections – the fact that you can complete it by only getting three of the four groups. Maybe there should be a way whereby when faced with that final puzzle you get to write in your answer, and an AI assistant decides whether it's correct or not (I imagine too many people play Connections for a human to be the arbiter).

That's my only criticism today, though. This was a fairly simple Connections game, but a perfectly enjoyable one.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 13 October, game #490)

• YELLOW: MADE OF KERATIN CLAW, HOOF, HORN, NAIL
• GREEN: ROAD RUNNER CARTOON STAPLES ANVIL, BOULDER, COYOTE, TNT
• BLUE: KINDS OF PANTS CAPRI, CARGO, HAMMER, STIRRUP
• PURPLE: ___ ROLL CALIFORNIA, DRUM, EGG, HONOR

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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

Quordle today (game #994) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

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

Quordle today (game #994) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #994) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #994) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #994) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• S

• E

• A

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

Quordle today (game #994) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #994, are…

• ROGUE
• STORY
• EMCEE
• AUNTY

More tricky words in today's Quordle; but then when was that not the case? ROGUE always trips me up, because for some reason I always play ROUGE first. EMCEE is a nightmare with its three Es and its uncommon MC bit in the middle. Yes, the other two are standard words, but when 50% of them are toughies, it ramps up the difficulty a lot.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #994) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #994, are…

• BORNE
• RUDDY
• CACHE
• SMOKY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #993, Sunday 13 October: UNFIT, NYMPH, THUMB, PUREE
• Quordle #992, Saturday 12 October: SAUCY, UNDUE, EGRET, HELLO
• Quordle #991, Friday 11 October: RINSE, ANIME, PUSHY, ZEBRA
• Quordle #990, Thursday 10 October: UNTIL, MARSH, METAL, WINDY
• Quordle #989, Wednesday 9 October: TRIAL, HUSKY, DOWNY, TRADE
• Quordle #988, Tuesday 8 October: TROUT, HATER, BARGE, DOZEN
• Quordle #987, Monday 7 October: CAULK, HALVE, APING, HEATH
• Quordle #986, Sunday 6 October: FUDGE, TENOR, BEGAT, ROUSE
• Quordle #985, Saturday 5 October: ELECT, CROAK, FRISK, JAUNT
• Quordle #984, Friday 4 October: ELFIN, GRAIL, PATIO, RECAP
• Quordle #983, Thursday 3 October: TENTH, REMIT, CURVE, TOAST
• Quordle #982, Wednesday 2 October: ARGUE, CRANE, TOKEN, PRINT
• Quordle #981, Tuesday 1 October: FRILL, MADLY, GRANT, NYLON
• Quordle #980, Monday 30 September: CRUSH, TARDY, TEACH, STUMP
• Quordle #979, Sunday 29 September: SERIF, BORNE, WRITE, SLEEK
• Quordle #978, Saturday 28 September: BUSHY, CIVIC, SNOUT, EQUIP
• Quordle #977, Friday 27 September: GUEST, CHASM, ROOST, BASAL
• Quordle #976, Thursday 26 September: STAGE, VOGUE, CLUMP, HEATH
• Quordle #975, Wednesday 25 September: UMBRA, DADDY, GLAZE, PRANK
• Quordle #974, Tuesday 24 September: SPACE, INNER, SPAWN, BEGAT

After US trade restrictions stopped Nvidia from exporting its advanced AI chips to China, the company responded by developing the H20 GPU, a modified version which complies with the regulations by offering lower performance levels while still meeting the AI processing demands of Chinese firms.

Although there is a thriving black market for Nvidia’s high-end GPUs, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, already under intense scrutiny in the US, cannot afford the legal and reputational risks of engaging in such illegal markets, and so has been purchasing Nvidia’s lower-capability processors for its AI needs. ByteDance is reportedly the largest buyer of H20s in China, having spent over $2 billion on the hardware in 2024 alone.

While it is expected to continue using Nvidia GPUs, Reuters claims ByteDance is now shifting its attention towards domestic chip suppliers like Huawei to meet its AI ambitions.

Not without challenges

The report claims that ByteDance has purchased more than 100,000 Ascend 910B chips to date, making it one of the largest buyers of Huawei’s AI hardware in China, although as of July it had received less than a third of the order.

Training AI models is a computationally demanding process, which is why high-end GPUs like Nvidia’s are so in demand. Making the shift to Huawei’s Ascend chips might be a strategic move for the TikTok owner, but it won’t be without its challenges.

ByteDance’s existing AI models, such as Doubao and Jimeng, were built using more powerful hardware and are used in applications ranging from chatbots to text-to-video tools. The company's ultimate aim is to reduce its dependency on Nvidia, but the shift to Huawei’s Ascend chips could hinder its ability to train more complex models, Reuters says.

ByteDance’s strategy appears to be to navigate US trade restrictions while looking for local suppliers to help it maintain its competitive edge in AI, and beyond. The company recently invested in Xinyuan Semiconductors, a Chinese memory chip manufacturer, which could lead to developments such as a potential VR headset to compete with Meta's Quest and Apple's Vision Pro.

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• TikTok set to spend billions on new European data centers and security upgrades
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