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At last week's CES 2025 event, Signify – the company behind Philips Hue smart lights – announced that it's developing a new AI assistant that will let you use voice commands to set the mood for your home. Instead of scrolling through the Philips Hue app to find a suitable Scene (a color scheme that can be applied to all the lights in a room), you will simply be able to state what feeling you want to evoke, and your virtual lighting engineer will pick suitable shades for all your fixtures.

It sounds fun, but it's not what I really want to see from Philips Hue this year. No, what I'm really hoping for is something much more simple – a price cut that brings the lovely but eye-wateringly expensive Philips Hue Twilight wake-up lamp down to a price that won't give me nightmares.

I've tested a lot of the best wake-up lights, from budget-friendly models through to premium lights that promise to rouse you as gently as a summer sunrise. The most affordable ones tend to suffer the same issues – the light increases in brightness too rapidly, or in abrupt steps that jolt you awake. Any 'nature' sounds provided tend to be so short they're just annoying. A three-second loop of synthetic birdsong won't get anyone's day off to a soothing start.

Even pricier wake-up lights that do a better job of creating an artificial dawn usually jolt me awake because their lowest brightness setting isn't dim enough. The second the wake cycle starts, I'm shocked awake by the sudden change in illumination.

The Philips Hue Twilight is an extremely accomplished wake-up light, but its price might keep you awake at night (Image credit: Future) Not so fast...

According to my colleague Josephine Watson, who tested it at home for two weeks, the Twilight is different, starting each morning with a barely visible glow and ramping up the brightness very gradually, not in sharp jolts. "Dimming proved incredibly smooth, with a near-imperceptible transition between the light's lowest brightness and fading out completely," she said.

The Twilight's gentle glow comes from two sources: the main bulb, which also works as a reading lamp during your nocturnal wind-down routine, and a strip light down the back that casts a flood of diffuse color onto your bedroom wall. The result is more like being woken gradually by the warm sun during a summer camping trip than having a spotlight thrown in your face during an interrogation.

Philips Hue products are some of the best smart lights around, and the Twilight also works with the rest of your Hue bulbs and lamps. For example, you can set its rear lighting strip to work like a Philips Hue Gradient Signe Table Lamp and function as part of a lighting scene applied to your whole bedroom.

The downside is the price: at $279 / £249 (about AU$450) the Twilight is easily one of the costliest wake-up lights on the market, and the most expensive Philips Hue table lamp you can buy. I'd hoped that it might receive at least a modest price cut on Black Friday, but sadly it wasn't among the many lamps and bulbs included in the November sales.

A voice-controlled AI lighting assistant sounds nice, and would probably make me more likely to use Philips Hue Scenes on a regular basis, but personally I'm not planning to upgrade my home system until the Twilight gets its first significant discount, no matter how long that takes.

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• Copilot and Microsoft Teams get new features
• Copilot will now suggest follow-up questions in meetings
• Extra questions could be on meeting topics, clarification or other areas

Wrapping up your Microsoft Teams meetings on time may soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new Copilot feature.

Microsoft's AI tool will now be able to suggest follow ups to, "keep the conversation going", when responding to a prompt, whether you like it or not, the company has revealed.

This could mean your video conferencing calls drag on a little longer than expected - or you and your colleagues are able to stumble on some previously unknown insights.

Microsoft Teams and Copilot

News of the update was revealed in a post on the Microsoft 365 roadmap, where it was simply entitled "Copilot in Meetings will suggest follow up questions to ask it".

The post noted that the feature will consist of Copilot in Teams Meetings suggesting follow ups when it answers a prompt from a user.

Microsoft says these follow-up questions will "generally" be based on the response Copilot has given in the past, meaning they could focus on a particular topic, asking for more details, or clarifying what a particular person has said during the meeting.

The feature is still listed as being in development for the time being, but Microsoft has listed an expected rollout start date of March 2025, meaning users won't have too long to wait.

When released, the feature will be available to users on Windows and Mac, on desktop, across the world.

The news is the latest in a raft of additions and improvements to Microsoft Teams in recent months as the service looks to stay useful for users across the world.

Most recently, Microsoft Teams revealed it will be introducing transcription for multi-lingual meetings, supporting more languages than ever, even when it comes to meeting recaps.

The news will also see an improved version of document summaries, generated and supplied by Copilot, to help users stay on track with their chats.

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• Apple is expected to unveil three new Apple Watch models in 2025
• There will reportedly be a new Ultra 3, SE 3, and Apple Watch Series 11
• The SE is rumored to feature a new design, while the Ultra and Series 11 likely won't

Apple is expected to unveil three new Apple Watch models in 2025, according to a reliable source.

Apple releases a new Apple Watch alongside its new iPhone for the year, usually in September at its main keynote, and according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, 2025 will be no different.

In his Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple will offer its "usual major announcements" in the second half of 2025, including the iPhone 17 and upgrades to all of the best Apple Watches.

Specifically, Gurman says Apple is planning a "fresh" version of the Apple Watch SE with "a new look." We can also expect a new Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch Series 11; however the report suggests that these will "probably stay roughly the same." So what else can we expect from these new models?

Apple Watch SE 3 and Ultra 3 details

The Apple Watch Series 11 is unlikely to iterate on the design of the Series 10. (Image credit: Future)

Gurman notes that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 may add both satellite connectivity and 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) network access. Gurman also says it's "highly likely" that high blood pressure detection will be added to both the Series 11 and Ultra 3.

The rumored redesign of the Apple Watch SE 3 is particularly noteworthy, and makes a lot of sense given the current lineup. The Apple Watch SE 2 design sticks out against the rest of the lineup – it hasn't changed since the first generation of the Apple Watch SE, which in turn was based on the Apple Watch Series 6.

As such, the current model's design language lacks the sleeker edges and thinner bezels of today's best Apple Watch models. Gurman doesn't say exactly what will change with the Apple Watch SE 3, but it's likely that Apple is planning to bring its budget model into line with the main series' more modern look.

The Apple Watch SE 2 is easily one of the best cheap smartwatches available right now, so a design tweak, plus the usual slew of upgraded internals that we can probably expect, should be enough to enable Apple to maintain a lead in this space for another year or two. Other likely upgrades are a new chip – the SE 2 runs on the older S8 SiP – and possibly a larger 41/45mm form factor.

Whichever way you slice it, 2025 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Apple Watch fans.

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• AI will displace 92 million workers, but create 170 new roles
• Clerical and secretarial roles are most at risk of displacement
• New skills to learn include AI, big data, networks and cybersecurity

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released its latest report on the future of jobs, staing AI might actually create more jobs than it destroys.

The prospect that artificial intelligence could be beneficial to the labor market goes against initial concerns surrounding the technology, and echoes findings from other studies that have been published since the public preview launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, which is credited with starting the AI boom.

WEF’s report not only suggests that a net job increase could happen, but it also explores the changing landscape and evolving skills demand.

AI will create more jobs than its destroys

We’ve recently heard from AI and ML expert Tak Lo that artificial intelligence will lead to “net job creation [and] new job creation,” but official WEF documentation confirming this should be music to the ears of skeptics.

By the end of the decade, the report predicted AI will displace 92 million roles, however the creation of 170 million jobs will result in a net creation of 78 million positions. The total amount of new roles set to be created equates to around 14% of today’s total employment.

“As we enter 2025, the landscape of work continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Transformational breakthroughs, particularly in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), are reshaping industries and tasks across all sectors," said WEF Managing Director Saadia Zahidi.

The report reveals a big emphasis on AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy skills, which are said to be the fastest growing, while predicting the demise of clerical and secretarial roles as a result of automation.

On the flip side, some of the safest roles include manual labor, such as farmers, laborers and truck drivers. As for knowledge workers, software and application developers look to be the safest from AI’s impacts.

Employers are also still looking for workers with traditional skill sets, like analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility and agility, leadership and social influence.

To that point, WEF expects two-fifths (39%) of the current skill sets to be “transformed or become outdated” between now and 2030.

Looking ahead, WEF’s research suggests more than three in four (77%) companies are planning to implement retraining programs to support their workers, while 70% intend to hire AI specialists, highlighting the importance of upskilling in that area.

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• Hyperkin has announced a new collaboration with Crunchyroll
• This includes new Nintendo Switch accessories inspired by Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Two controllers and two cases have been revealed

Gaming hardware brand Hyperkin has partnered with Crunchyroll to release a new line of anime gaming accessories. The first batch features designs inspired by the hugely popular Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End show.

As revealed in a recent X / Twitter post, four products are on the way. This includes two cute new variants of the Hyperkin Pixel Art Controller and two unique Eva cases for the Nintendo Switch. In my eyes, the controllers are definitely the star of the show here as they look absolutely stunning.

One comes in an almost duck-egg blue color scheme, decorated with a print of protagonist Frieren wielding a staff. Shiny golden face buttons and bright red power and turbo buttons add a lovely splash of contrasting color. The other controller is even better, however, coming with that same duck egg blue hue but introducing mellow lilac thumbsticks and using a lovely baby pink for its D-pad, start and select, and face buttons.

It’s complimented by a wonderful print with Frieren in a field of flowers beneath a sky with a perfectly matching gradient. As with the standard Hyperkin Pixel Art Controller, both models are fully compatible with Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile. They weigh just 0.65 lbs / 294.8g and, thanks to their small Super Nintendo Entertainment System controller style shape, seem impressively pocketable.

Carrying in style

The two cases are a little less exciting, but still pretty cool, as they both have similar designs to the controllers, so you can match them for a fully coordinated setup. Both have printed graphics on their hard shells and can fit a Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED, or Nintendo Switch Lite thanks to a removable foam insert.

As they are just cases, there’s not a lot in the way of special features here but they do have storage space for up to eight game cartridges plus an area for small accessories like cables. They also both have small carrying handles, making it a bit easier to haul your console around without a rucksack.

There’s no official word on any prices or even a release date for these items at the moment, but there’s hopefully not going to be that long to wait.

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• Marvel Zombies' official launch date has been confirmed by Disney
• The MCU's first adult animated show will make its debut on October 3
• The Disney Plus series' final episode won't be released on Halloween, though

Disney has finally revealed when Marvel Zombies will be released on Disney Plus.

In a 2025 Marvel animation preview posted on The Walt Disney Company website, the comic giant's first TV-MA animated show's launch date was confirmed to be Friday, October 3. That means the What If...? spin-off miniseries will arrive in time for the spookiest season of the year, aka Halloween.

Marvel Zombies' October launch date isn't a great shock. Last November, Marvel revealed the official release dates and windows for its 2025 Disney Plus line-up, which includes the highly-anticipated arrival of Daredevil: Born Again. Among the latter's sibling projects, Marvel Zombies was confirmed to be releasing on Disney Plus this October, so this latest announcement just narrows down its late 2025 release window.

For the uninitiated: Marvel Zombies is a follow-up to What If...? season 1 episode 5, titled 'What If... Zombies!?'. That entry, which was inspired by Marvel's 'Zombies' comic book series, took place in an alternate reality to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – one where, surprise surprise, a zombie outbreak leads to an apocalyptic event that almost wipes out humanity. Marvel Zombies will pick up the story after that episode's ending, which left Earth's remaining superheroes, including Spider-Man, still searching for a cure. Ms Marvel, Shang-Chi, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Kate Bishop, and Ironheart are confirmed to be part of the show's dwindling superhero roster.

Rising from the dead, but not on Halloween itself

"Fine, I'll do it myself... again" (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Given its TV-MA rating, Marvel Zombies will, according to the comic titan's head of TV and streaming Brad Winderbaum, be "more hardcore" than previous MCU projects. What better time to release the studio's first potentially gore-filled series, then, than the scariest time of the year, i.e. Halloween?

The Marvel Phase 6 show will arrive ahead of 2025's spooky season, but it won't make its debut on that date, nor will the limited series' final chapter arrive on October 31. Indeed, Zombies will be a four-part event, with its premiere set for the aforementioned date of October 3. If all four episodes are released on launch day, it'll debut in full almost one month before Halloween arrives. Even if Zombies follows the traditional MCU TV series release schedule format – i.e. new episodes airing weekly – though, its finale is set to land on one of the world's best streaming services on October 24.

Similarly spooky MCU projects, such as Werewolf by Night and Agatha All Along, haven't debuted or ended on Halloween. The former mini-TV film arrived on October 7, while the latter WandaVision spin-off premiered on September 18 and ended on October 30, so Marvel has previous form for not launching its horror-esque productions on October 31. Still, I think it's a little disappointing that Zombies won't do so, especially as Halloween falls on a Friday this year. Streaming Zombies' finale would've made for a frightfully fun aperitif to a weekend of spooky season partying, in my view!

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• Reputable leaker Mark Gurman has detailed the likely launch windows for Apple's 2025 products
• First up we could see the iPhone SE 4, iPad 11, and iPad Air 2025
• Later in the year we'll likely see the iPhone 17 series, including the iPhone 17 Air

It’s been looking for a while like Apple could be set for another busy year, with talk of an iPhone 17 Air and an iPhone SE 4 alongside the company’s annual launches, and now we have a clearer idea of exactly what to expect and when.

In a paywalled Bloomberg article (via NotebookCheck) reputable leaker Mark Gurman has laid out a roadmap for Apple 2025’s product launches, and first up we’ll apparently get the iPhone SE 4.

This device – which we recently heard might instead launch as the iPhone 16E – will apparently have an iPhone 14-like design, complete with Face ID. Gurman also claims it will support Apple Intelligence, all of which is stuff we’ve heard before. These upgrades may mean a slight price rise relative to the iPhone SE (2022), but this is still expected to be marketed as a budget iPhone.

It will reportedly land in Q1 or early Q2, and either alongside it or soon after we could get the iPad 11, according to Gurman. This will reportedly have an A17 Pro chipset (just like the iPhone 15 Pro) and 8GB of RAM, a combination that will presumably be sufficient to power Apple Intelligence features.

An influx of Airs

A successor to the iPad Air (2024) could be coming soon (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Then sometime in the spring (so presumably between early March and late May), Apple will apparently launch a new iPad Air, which Gurman expects will have an M4 chipset, bringing it closer to the current iPad Pro models. This slate could also launch alongside some new Magic Keyboards.

Then we come to Apple’s biggest launch of the year, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 17 Air (or possibly just iPhone Air). The last of those will apparently use Apple’s first in-house modem, be equipped with an A19 chipset, and have a single-lens camera.

That might be it as far as phones and tablets go this year, though Gurman adds that a new iPad Pro equipped with an M5 chipset could launch in either late 2025 or early 2026, so it’s possible Apple will close out the year with that.

So that’s a lot of devices that are supposedly on the way. If we include the iPad Pro and exclude the Magic Keyboards then that’s eight distinct new Apple devices we might see in 2025, and once you factor in the likely multiple sizes the iPad Air and iPad Pro could launch in, that number goes up to at least 10.

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The start of a new year presents an opportunity for businesses to take stock and evaluate the effectiveness of their data storage. As the world continues to generate record volumes of data, particularly through the evolution of AI capabilities, it’s more important than ever that organization ensure they safeguard against future storage challenges.

With surging data volumes, industry is set to face two key challenges in 2025: an impending data shortage crisis, and the environmental impact of data centers. However, there are actions organizations can take to navigate these challenges.

The explosion of global data will cause a data shortage crisis

The world is creating data at unprecedented volumes, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. For reference, in 2028, as many as 400 zettabytes will be generated, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24%.

To put into perspective how large this quantity is, consider how many grains of sand there are on all the world’s beaches – in theory, the latest research indicates there are over seven sextillion. Research by the California Institute of Technology equates one single zettabyte of information to exactly this, the amount of sand across the world’s beaches. Now times that by four hundred and we can begin to understand just how much data that will be generated and processed by the world’s computers in 2028 alone.

With the development of AI tools continuing to mature and grow in scale globally, the value of data will increase, which will lead us towards storing more data, for longer periods of time. However, the storage install base is forecasted to have only a 17% CAGR, which is a significantly slower pace than the growth of data being generated. As it takes a whole year to build a hard drive, the disparity in growth rates will subsequently disrupt the global storage supply and demand equilibrium, causing a data shortage crisis.

Looking ahead, organizations will likely become less experimental and more strategic in their use of AI. Navigating this looming storage crisis will require businesses to start building long-term capacity plans now, to ensure adequate storage supply, and fully monetize investments in AI infrastructure.

Storage innovation is imperative to tackling the data center crunch and protecting the planet

As the global data boom continues unabated, it will eventually reach the point where data centers will become overwhelmed. According to the UK’s National Grid, power demand from commercial data is expected to increase six-fold within the next 10 years along. This increase in demand will clearly impact the capabilities and performance of data centers, resulting in a crunch in resource.

However, there are a number of barriers to tackling this issue, including financial, regulatory and environmental hurdles. These barriers will increasingly challenge and oppose the need for greater, physical data center space, and capacity.

According to CBRE, AI advancements are specifically projected to be a significant driving factor for future data center demand. To manage the rising need for power density, high-performance computing will require rapid innovation in data center design and technology.

That being said, it’s not just innovation in computing that is needed to help address this data crunch. The implementation of higher area density hard drives, which expand the amount of data stored on a given unit of storage media, can enable greater data capacity in data centers. Investing in these drives can help data centers avoid the need for building new data storage sites, resulting in significant TCO savings and reducing the future environmental impacts of new centers.

Navigating the challenges in 2025

As we look towards the year ahead and the potential obstacles that may affect business operations, there are key actions that organizations should implement now to be ahead of the curve.

Businesses should prioritize building robust long-term capacity plans, to minimize the future disruption caused by rapid global data growth. There are also huge benefits in investing in improved AI infrastructure and higher areal density hard drives, to effectively tackle the impact of increased demand on data centers.

As we end this year and approach the next, and as organizations map out their 2025 business plans, it’s critical they factor in implementing effective data storage solutions for the good of their performance, bottom line and the planet.

We've compiled a list of the largest SSD and hard drives.

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

Great businesses are built on data. It's the invisible force that powers innovation, shapes decision-making, and gives companies a competitive edge. From understanding customer needs to optimizing operations, data is the key that unlocks insights into every facet of an organization.

In the past few decades, the workplace has undergone a digital transformation, with knowledge work now existing primarily in bits and bytes rather than on paper. Product designs, strategy documents, and financial analyses all live within digital files spread across numerous repositories and enterprise systems. This shift has enabled companies to access vast volumes of information to accelerate their operations and market position.

However, with this data-driven revolution comes a hidden challenge that many organizations are only beginning to grasp. As we look deeper into corporate data, organizations are uncovering a phenomenon that's as pervasive as it is misunderstood: dark data.

Gartner defines dark data as any information assets that organizations collect, process, and store during regular business activities but generally don't use for other purposes.

What makes dark data that insidious?

Dark data often contains a company's most sensitive intellectual property and confidential information, making it a ticking time bomb for potential security breaches and compliance violations. Unlike actively managed data, dark data lurks in the background, unprotected and often forgotten, yet still accessible to those who know where to look.

The scale of this problem is alarming: according to Gartner, up to 80% of enterprise data is “dark,” representing a vast reservoir of untapped potential and hidden risks.

Let's consider the information from annual performance reviews as an example. While official data is stored in HR software, other sensitive information is stored in various forms and across various systems: informal spreadsheets, email threads, meeting notes, draft reviews, self-assessments, and peer feedback. This scattered, often forgotten data paints a clear picture of the complex and potentially dangerous nature of dark data within organizations.

A single breach exposing this information could lead to legal liabilities and regulatory fines for mishandling personal data, damaged employee trust, potential lawsuits, competitive disadvantage if strategic plans or salary information is leaked, and reputational damage that could impact recruitment and retention.

The unintended consequences of AI

AI is changing how organizations handle dark data, bringing both opportunities and significant risks. Large language models are now capable of sifting through vast troves of unstructured data, turning previously inaccessible information into valuable insights.

These systems can analyze everything from email communications and meeting transcripts to social media posts and customer service logs. They can uncover patterns, trends, and correlations that human analysts might miss, potentially leading to improved decision-making, enhanced operational efficiency, and innovative product development.

However, this newfound ability to access data is also exposing organizations to increased security and privacy risks. As AI unearths sensitive information from forgotten corners of the digital ecosystem, it creates new vectors for data breaches and compliance violations. To make matters worse, this data that is being indexed by AI solutions is often behind permissive internal access controls. The AI solutions make this data widely available. As these systems become more adept at piecing together disparate bits of information, they may reveal insights that were never intended to be discovered or shared. This could lead to privacy infringements and potential misuse of personal information.

How to combat this growing problem

The key lies in understanding the context of your data: where it came from, who interacted with it, and how it's been used.

For instance, a seemingly innocuous spreadsheet becomes far more critical if we know it was created by the CFO, shared with the board of directors, and frequently accessed before quarterly earnings calls. This context immediately elevates the document's importance and potential sensitivity.

The way to gain this contextual understanding is through data lineage. Data lineage tracks the complete life cycle of data, including its origin, movements, and transformations. It provides a comprehensive view of how data flows through an organization, who interacts with it, and how it's used.

By implementing robust data lineage practices, organizations can understand where their most sensitive data is stored and how it is being accessed and shared: By combining AI based content inspection along with context on how it’s being accessed and shared (i.e. data lineage), organizations can quickly identify dark data and prevent it from being exfiltrated.

We've compiled a list of the best document 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

Grok isn't just for X anymore. The AI chatbot built by Elon Musk's xAI company has debuted an iOS mobile app in the U.S., Australia, India, and several other countries. The app marks xAI’s ambition to compete against AI chatbot rivals with their own standalone apps, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude.

The app runs on the same Grok-2 AI model that powers its X-based counterpart. The chatbot can rewrite and summarize text, answer queries, and generate images from text prompts. For those in search of up-to-date information, Grok can access real-time data from both the web and X. Though originally exclusive to X’s paying subscribers, Grok now offers a free tier and became more accessible with the launch of Grok.com as its own website.

Mobile Grok

Grok’s image-generation feature is likely to entice plenty of users. xAI has touted Grok's photorealistic rendering skills using the Flux AI model and its ability to analyze photos you upload, explaining whatever objects are captured by your phone's camera. The app may also end up using the Aurora image model that xAI apparently accidentally released very briefly before removing it.

For better or worse, the AI's image creation abilities have also led to some debates around copyright and ownership. Some have gotten in trouble for making copyrighted characters like Mario do things Nintendo doesn't approve of, leading to its copyright infringement hunter Tracer going after them for infringement.

Grok’s launch outside X represents more than just a feature expansion; it’s how xAI aims to take at least some of those paying for ChatGPT and other AI chatbots. The company clearly hopes to make a bigger product ecosystem where people pay for X to get Grok or pay for Grok to get access to X's premium features. Whether it can outshine its rivals remains to be seen, but one thin

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

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my 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 #1085) - 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 #1085) - 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 #1085) - 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 #1085) - 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 #1085) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• E

• G

• C

• P

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

Quordle today (game #1085) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1085, are…

• EYING
• GIDDY
• CHEAP
• PETAL

A cunning trick, Quordle, repeating a word from yesterday (unless my memory is playing tricks with me PETAL also featured in game #1084), but nonetheless I was positively GIDDY to guess all four words with a line to go.

As often happens – that memory again – I began today’s game thinking I was playing the Daily Sequence, so missed out on my double E tactic with my second guess. Going with WHEEL with my third guess did help me get closer to CHEAP, so it was quite a lucky mistake in the end.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1085) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1085, are…

• ROWDY
• POWER
• STUCK
• GRIMY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1084, Sunday 12 January: BRIEF, PETAL, WOMAN, FELON
• Quordle #1083, Saturday 11 January: ASCOT, FIBER, ROGUE, SMELL
• Quordle #1082, Friday 10 January: BIGOT, INLET, LEECH, TUNIC
• Quordle #1081, Thursday 9 January: RESET, HUMOR, TENOR, IMAGE
• Quordle #1080, Wednesday 8 January: MINCE, SADLY, RISEN, VOUCH
• Quordle #1079, Tuesday 7 January: CREED, FILET, ROUTE, TAPER
• Quordle #1078, Monday 6 January: PIVOT, WOOLY, GRUNT, GROOM
• Quordle #1077, Sunday 5 January: BORAX, JUDGE, CADET, SALON
• Quordle #1076, Saturday 4 January: CORER, CRATE, QUASI, EXIST
• Quordle #1075, Friday 3 January: PERKY, QUARK, NAVEL, SHEEN
• Quordle #1074, Thursday 2 January: UNIFY, SWORE, DEPOT, INTRO
• Quordle #1073, Wednesday 1 January: CLING, SUITE, WORRY, TONIC
• Quordle #1072, Tuesday 31 December: PLUMP, TUBER, IRATE, ICILY
• Quordle #1071, Monday 30 December: TODDY, GROIN, GROWN, VERVE
• Quordle #1070, Sunday 29 December: PURER, SPLAT, RABID, EMCEE
• Quordle #1069, Saturday 28 December: BUNCH, LABOR, TRIPE, BUNNY
• Quordle #1068, Friday 27 December: BRAWL, LYING, ORGAN, CRONY
• Quordle #1067, Thursday 26 December: TATTY, OVERT, FLOUR, SWEPT
• Quordle #1066, Wednesday 25 December: LIVER, CRIER, SHORE, MURKY
• Quordle #1065, Tuesday 24 December: TIPSY, SCALE, FLYER, VALVE

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Hole foods

NYT Strands today (game #316) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BEER
• PAIN
• VERY
• BAGS
• RAIL
• LAME

NYT Strands today (game #316) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Great with cheese spread

NYT Strands today (game #316) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 4th row

Last side: left, 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 #316) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #316, are…

• PLAIN
• EVERYTHING
• GARLIC
• RAISIN
• SESAME
• BLUEBERRY
• SPANGRAM: BAGELS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Sometimes, it’s not until you do Strands that you realise how many different types of a certain thing there are – in today’s case, BAGELS.

This was probably one of the easiest Spangrams. Finding all the different kinds of “Hole foods” was more of a challenge – especially if you’re a PLAIN-only kind of person.

Beyond the difference in the baking process and the denseness of the dough, some people struggle with the appeal of the bagel and wonder why you wouldn’t just eat a sandwich. This completely ignores the unique wonder of the bagel – the hole making it enjoyable to eat and more portable. There’s lots you can do with a bagel that you can’t do with a sandwich, such as thread it through some string and wear one as a necklace, or nail three bagels to a tree to create a bird feeder. In comparison, sandwiches are boring.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 12 January, game #315)

• STUN
• ASTONISH
• GOBSMACK
• SURPRISE
• FLABBERGAST
• SPANGRAM: MINDBLOWN

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 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 #582) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BANK
• PARK
• BOOK
• STORE
• RESERVE
• TRAIN
• SCHOOL
• POOL
• EARTH
• SIGNAL
• INCH
• COACH
• TURN
• GLOW
• GUIDE
• BRAKE

NYT Connections today (game #582) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Learn
• GREEN: Collection of items 
• BLUE: Take the wheel 
• PURPLE: Wriggly creatures

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 #582) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: TEACH 
• GREEN: CACHE 
• BLUE: DRIVING INSTRUCTOR DIRECTIVES 
• PURPLE: WORM 

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

NYT Connections today (game #582) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #582, are…

• YELLOW: TEACH COACH, GUIDE, SCHOOL, TRAIN
• GREEN: CACHE BANK, POOL, RESERVE, STORE
• BLUE: DRIVING INSTRUCTOR DIRECTIVES BRAKE, PARK, SIGNAL, TURN
• PURPLE: WORM BOOK, EARTH, GLOW, INCH

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 mistake

In the list of DRIVING INSTRUCTOR DIRECTIVES the one I heard the most during my lessons was BRAKE. I was so bad at driving that my first instructor refused to take me out after my second lesson – I hit a police car in stationary traffic. The police officers thought it was hilarious, the instructor less so.

When I eventually came to take my first test I failed after 10 seconds, after managing not to SIGNAL and then making a TURN in the wrong direction and directly into oncoming vehicles.

I should add that during this period I also crashed my father’s car into a rock and then a tree.

Fortunately, after a 10-year break it all clicked and I sailed through my second test. I’ve even thought about becoming a driving instructor myself, but then I realised I’d have to teach people like I was at 17.

Anyway, a lovely Connections today. Certainly less stressful than a driving lesson.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 12 January, game #581)

• YELLOW: FABRICATION FAIRY TALE, FANTASY, FICTION, INVENTION
• GREEN: WOO CHARM, COURT, PURSUE, ROMANCE
• BLUE: CLASSIC ATARI GAMES ASTEROIDS, BREAKOUT, CENTIPEDE, DEFENDER
• PURPLE: THINGS FEATURING TAILS COIN TOSS, COMETS, DRESS COAT, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

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.

Anyone who has attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) over recent years will have spotted that major automotive players have been muscling in on consumer tech turf. Autonomous driving, AI-powered voice assistants and masses of high-definition touchscreen displays have been employed to snare column inches and take over TikTok feeds.

This year was no different, with BMW choosing the platform to introduce the latest generation of its iconic iDrive infotainment system that, unsurprisingly, now involves a frankly terrifying amount of screen real estate.

Due to arrive in the upcoming BMW Neue Klasse X electric SUV, with the system slated to roll out to all new BMW models in the near future, the Panoramic iDrive offering features a 3D head-up display in front of the driver, a mammoth 17.9-inch central touchscreen and, to top it all off, a separate head-up display that spans the entire width of the windshield.

As is the way with most infotainment systems now, the central touchscreen is customizable, in so much as drivers can pin their most-used apps and key information to the home screen. Judging by imagery and video released by BMW, there’s at least three tiles that are available to constantly display information.

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What’s more, the epic Panoramic Vision head-up display (HUD) offers space for up to six fully customizable widgets, while the three directly in front of the driver are reserved for key vehicle information, such as speed and remaining battery charge.

Already, we are up to 12 points of information, and that is before we even consider the third and final head-up display that’s projected onto the windscreen in front of the driver, which will show enormous, animated turn-by-turn directions when BMW’s navigation is in use.

Some of the examples BMW cites when it comes to the tiles that can be pinned to its Panoramic Vision HUD are a weather app and a compass. Now call me old fashioned, but can’t you just look out of the window to see what the weather is doing and when was the last time you used a compass while driving? It’s 2025, not 1925.

Finally, there has been no word on how BMW’s flashy Panoramic Display and slightly angled central touchscreen will interact with the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – two systems that the majority of the driving public are perfectly happy with.

An industry issue

(Image credit: Harman)

To only berate BMW would be wrong, because Hyundai Mobis also revealed that it has created the world’s first full-windshield holographic display, which beams a glut of information across the entire width of a windshield.

According to the Korean automotive supplier, its system uses a specialized film that’s embedded with a Holographic Optical Element (HOE), which utilizes the "principle of light diffraction to project images and videos directly to the viewer’s eyes". Say what?

Using a Kia EV9 as a testbed at this year’s CES, it’s easy to see this sort of technology appearing in some of the Hyundai Motor Group’s more premium products in the coming years.

Harman also debuted its home-theater-quality Ready Display, with Quantum Dot and Blue Mini LED-based local dimming technology. That’s high-end television specification, shrunk down to something that will fit in a family SUV and will likely rarely be fully appreciated.

After all, when was the last time you watched an entire Hollywood blockbuster while waiting for your EV to charge?

Killing interior design

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz is set to unleash its all-new CLA model onto the world soon and it comes with the promise of a ‘user-friendly MBUX Superscreen’ that, in the early concept cars at least, takes up the entire width of the cockpit.

It’s not that I’m necessarily anti-touchscreens in vehicles; I write for a tech site, after all. However, dedicating so much space to them, like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have chosen to, leaves little to no room for individual acts of interesting physical design.

Rewind a few years and car interiors all looked vastly different: it was easy to differentiate between the quirky interior flourishes of a Citroen and the more upmarket polish of an Audi, for example.

But the over-reliance on the digital space means that, without interior designers pushing for more unique physical elements, modern vehicle interiors look eerily similar, especially when powered down.

Consider the fact that many manufacturers have turned to Epic Games, which offers its Unreal Engine to produce much of the interface, and even the digital domain is becoming homogeneous.

I've noticed the interface that visualizes an operational advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), for example, is practically the same in numerous modern cars. The small digital representations of trucks, cars and motorcycles that the external cameras pick up look largely identical, no matter if you are in a Tesla or a Volvo EX90.

Of course, the notion of good design is a very personal thing, but there’s also the sticky issue of user experience. Brands (ahem, Volkswagen) have had their fingers burnt in the past, unleashing bouji, sparse interiors that might look like an LA A-lister’s apartment but prove nightmarish to use and live with.

Plastering a vehicle’s interior with screens and irritating haptic buttons typically comes at the expense of easy-to-locate physical switches that, when you are in the midst of driving (a cerebrally taxing task), are essential for distraction-free and safe motoring.

Designing for the future

(Image credit: BMW)

Right now, it feels like automotive companies are designing vehicle cockpits for a time when high levels of autonomous driving are both legal and commonplace.

I’m not simply talking about SAE Level 3, which allows drivers to 'enjoy' eyes-off driving under some fairly strict parameters (highways, speeds under 30mph etc), but Level 4 and 5, where the vehicle does the majority of the heavy lifting.

We are still some way from this technology becoming a reality, and an even larger leap from legislators creating a proper legal framework for the widespread adoption. So it begs the question, why are manufacturers choosing to offer so much potentially distracting information now?

As if to protect themselves from a potential torrent of driver distraction accusations, most modern manufacturers are also working with artificial intelligence and large language models to allow drivers and occupants to interact with their vehicles via natural speech prompts, negating the need to prod around a touchscreen or hunt for buttons.

Having a vehicle predict when you are feeling chilly with a cutting-edge suite of bio-sensing technology is a very expensive and complicated way of admitting that burying the climate control adjuster in a series of annoying sub-menus was probably a bad idea.

Listen, I understand that space-age vehicle interiors is, essentially, what technological progress looks like and I'm not suggesting we head back to the days of walnut wood trim and cigarette lighters (although wood interiors are still cool, IMHO).

But designing vehicles – that are slated for imminent release – with NASA control room-levels of interactive displays seems counterintuitive.

Until the day arrives that I can genuinely kick back and enjoy what's beaming out of those screens, I want to be able to drive a vehicle – not pilot Falcon 9.

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• Lenovo presented a 3.5-inch mock-up of an 'AI storage device', which could be a portable SSD, a NAS, or something new
• Not a product announcement, but a proof of concept
• But presence of a red ring on one of the ports may indicate that it will be a ThinkStorage product

Lenovo has unveiled a new concept device at CES called "AI Storage", which could be the company’s first AI-assisted NAS (Network Attached Storage).

The apparent prototype features a minimalist, space-efficient design with ventilation grilles on the right side for either active or passive cooling.

The 3.5-inch mock-up could be more than a traditional NAS, in that it might also function as a portable SSD, or serve an entirely new purpose, blurring the lines between storage and AI integration.

A smarter future for storage?

The concept image shows that this device will support a standard RJ45 Ethernet port accompanied by dual status LEDs. These could indicate active connectivity or possibly its association with Lenovo’s ThinkStorage branding.

A visible USB-C port should enable high-speed data transfers via USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt protocols. There's also another USB-C port marked with a distinctive red ring, presumably for power.

It's important to note that a good number of concept devices never make it to the market. Whether this device will evolve into a full-fledged NAS or will work as a versatile storage solution remains to be seen.

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• Modular laptop vendor Framework said it will launch a RISC-V product in 2025
• RISC-V is the equivalent of Linux for hardware, open source and free
• More tech companies are adopting but it has yet to hit mainstream in a meaningful way

RISC-V, an open source ISA developed at the University of California, Berkeley in 2010, has steadily been gaining attention as a customizable alternative to proprietary ISAs like x86 and Arm.

Its license-free approach allows manufacturers to create and modify processors without restrictions, leading to adoption in various specialized applications, and this year could mark a key step toward broader consumer adoption of the architecture.

For RISC-V to truly reach the mainstream, it still needs to gain traction in the laptop market. Hong Kong–based DeepComputing introduced the first RISC-V notebook, the Roma, in 2023, followed by the DC-Roma II in 2024, which shipped with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed. While praised for its open-source flexibility, the laptop’s performance lagged behind x86 and Arm alternatives - but speaking to IEEE Spectrum, DeepComputing CEO Yuning Liang said the company's upcoming DC-Roma III will close that gap with performance comparable to the Arm Cortex-A76.

Enter Framework

Perhaps even more excitingly, DeepComputing is collaborating with Framework, a company known for its modular, repairable laptops, to create a RISC-V motherboard for the Framework Laptop 13. Nirav Patel, CEO of Framework, said, "If we look at a couple of generations down the [software] stack, we’re starting to see a line of sight to consumer-ready RISC-V in something like a laptop, or even a phone.”

According to IEEE Spectrum, "Though still intended for early adopters and developers, it will be the most accessible and polished RISC-V laptop yet, and it will ship to users with the same look and feel as the Framework laptops that use x86 chips."

Following the initial announcement in June 2024, Framework launched a product page for the RISC-V motherboard, but it remains a placeholder.

DeepComputing's site however, reveals more details, including images of the DC-Roma RISC-V Mainboard for the Framework 13 Laptop, one of which you can see at the top of the page. The board is powered by the RISC-V 64-bit quad-core CPU JH7110, and supports both Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 and Fedora 41.

RISC-V has already been embraced by a number of tech companies. Western Digital uses it for storage controllers, British startup Blueshift Memory's BlueFive processor is built on an open-source RISC-V core, the Chinese XiangShan project has developed two RISC-V designs, and Ubitium has a universal RISC-V processor that consolidates all computing workloads onto a single, affordable chip.

We will likely see more details about Framework's RISC-V Laptop 13 in the coming months, but given the current focus on developers and early adopters, along with performance limitations compared to established architectures like x86 and Arm, it seems fair to say that while this is unquestionably a huge step forward for the architecture, RISC-V isn’t ready for mainstream consumer adoption quite yet.

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• The AI headphones would offer real-time translation and AI-generated voice cloning
• Given the design, I expect it to be rolled out as part of the Think family
• It could be paired with Lenovo's AI-driven action assistant

At CES 2025, Lenovo showed off prototype AI-powered headphones it hopes will elevate language skills for workers everywhere.

The standout feature is the headphones' ability to provide real-time translation, enabling users to interact across different languages.

The prototype also introduced a new feature called AI-generated voice cloning, which allows the headphones to mimic a user’s voice accurately.

Advanced health features and Action Assistant

The concept also incorporates advanced health monitoring features through Lenovo Virtual Care, which combines biometric tracking with an AI-powered virtual assistant for personalized wellness insights.

These headphones could also integrate with Lenovo’s Action Assistant, a task automation concept also unveiled at CES 2025.

Powered by a large action model (LAM), Action Assistant can understand natural language instructions to perform complex workflows.

From the concept image, Lenovo’s AI headphones integrate seven key ports and buttons - including volume - on one ear.

Adjacent to this is a multi-function button, likely designated for playing or pausing media, answering calls, or activating a voice assistant.

The concept also features with a foldable microphone arm which can swing to any direction for clear audio capture.

A USB-C port should support fast charging and potentially wired connectivity. There's also a dedicated power button as well as a speaker grille that features a perforated design.

Finally, the AI headphones' design is rounded out by a padded and adjustable headband which is usually used to provide comfort during extended wear.

It's worth reiterating that Lenovo’s AI headphones are just a prototype; and pointing out that a significant number of prototypes never reach commercial availability.

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• The OnePlus Open 2 could be arriving imminently
• A tougher, lighter, thinner build is rumored
• The Honor Magic V3 is currently the thinnest foldable

The OnePlus Open 2 is shaping up to be a fantastic foldable, with new details leaking out about what to expect from the phone: apparently it'll be the thinnest foldable to date, while also offering an upgraded titanium build.

These predictions come from two well-known tipsters, Digital Chat Station and Smart Pikachu (via Android Authority). Both leaks mention the Oppo Find N5, which is expected to be marketed as the OnePlus Open 2 outside of China – just like the Oppo Find N3 was rebadged as the original OnePlus Open.

There's a mention of the foldable being the "thinnest in the world" (as per Google Translate). That would mean the OnePlus Open 2 would have to be less than the 9.2 mm thickness of the Honor Magic V3 when closed.

Indeed, this has been rumored since last September, which gives you a sense of the anticipation around the second foldable from OnePlus. We don't get any information about just how thin the phone could be, but it sounds like it will be super-thin.

Lighter and tougher

The Honor Magic V3 is currently the thinnest foldable (Image credit: Future)

Across these two leaks we get a mention of titanium being used in the build, and a "new industrial design, focusing on durability" (again via Google Translate). That suggests we're looking at a phone that will be both lighter and tougher.

There's also talk of a triple-lens camera with periscope zoom and Hasselblad engineering, satellite communication capabilities, a Snapdragon 8 Extreme Edition chipset, a battery approaching a capacity of 6,000 mAh (as previously rumored), and wireless charging – all of which sounds good to us.

One of these tipsters mentions a half a year gap between the next foldable phone and this one – and with new foldables from Google and Samsung expected around July time, the OnePlus Open 2 could be with us before the end of February.

There has been some debate about when the OnePlus Open 2 would see the light of day – bear in mind the first OnePlus Open phone launched in October 2023, so we've now been waiting more than a year for its successor.

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• The LG UltraFine 32U990A has a gorgeous design and targets creatives
• Its Thunderbolt 5 port makes it a perfect complement for Apple's Pro range
• It is the third 6K monitor after Dell and Apple's Pro Display XDR

If you’re in the market for a new monitor that’s going to last you a while, LG’s 32-inch UltraFine 32U990A, showcased at CES 2025, definitely fits the bill. Judging by the image released with the announcement, the monitor sports a minimalist design with ultra-thin bezels and a sleek stand.

Although details are a little lacking, the UltraFine 32U990A is the world’s first 6K high-resolution monitor to feature Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. This could potentially enable refresh rates of up to 120Hz (which would be quite something), but LG has yet to confirm the exact specifications.

What we do know is that the screen features a Nano IPS Black panel, designed for exceptional color accuracy and high contrast. It offers a wide color gamut covering 99.5% of Adobe RGB and 98% of DCI-P3, making it ideal for creative professionals working with high-end content creation.

A great match for the Apple Mac Mini M4

The monitor’s 6K resolution provides nearly 40% more screen real estate than a standard 5K display, positioning it as a competitor to Apple’s Pro Display XDR, though likely at a more affordable price point.

For comparison, Apple’s Pro Display XDR delivers a resolution of 6016 x 3384 pixels with a pixel density of 218 ppi, 1,000 nits of sustained brightness, up to 1,600 nits peak brightness, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Dell’s UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KBA), another competitor, offers a 6144 x 3456 resolution at 60Hz but that only has Thunderbolt 4.

With its professional-grade resolution and Thunderbolt 5 support, the UltraFine 32U990A would be a great match for Apple’s Mac Mini M4 - if you’re prepared to step outside Apple’s ecosystem and opt for a third-party display, that is.

LG's CES announcement says, “With calibration software support, this monitor is perfect for media professionals, while its slim, geometric design enhances both aesthetics and user convenience to satisfy every kind of user.”

Pricing and availability details have yet to be revealed, but are expected soon.

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• SanDisk could be onto something by adding the word Creator to product names
• 3 new products released at CES 2025 are actually refreshes with different color schemes
• Only the Creator Phone SSD is a genuinely new product

CES is when many tech firms announce or launch their latest and greatest products - but sometimes what’s being shown isn’t quite as new as it seems.

Case in point is SanDisk’s new range of Creator storage products, announced at CES 2025. If you’re a creator, or aspire to be one, you’ll probably be very interested in these, as they are clearly tailored to your needs - however, "caveat emptor" as the Romans used to say - buyer beware.

This is because the bright blue 8TB SanDisk Creator Desk Drive, priced at $629.99, looks good and promises 1000MB/s sequential reads. But then, so does the SanDisk Desk Drive, which has a very similar model number, doesn’t include the word “Creator” in its name and isn’t blue, but is cheaper at $549.99 – a not to be sniffed at saving of $80.

Paying a premium for the color

Perhaps you’re looking to buy a microSDXC card. SanDisk has you covered here too.

Its new 1TB Creator microSD Card (in blue!) is designed for use in slotted Android phones and tablets, drones, action cams, and digital cameras, including standard point-and-shoot, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR), and mirrorless (MIL) models - all the devices a creator might use. Plus, it’s temperature-proof, humidity-proof, drop-proof, and waterproof, which is important if you're out and about.

A bargain at $159.99 - or… you could buy the 1TB SanDisk Extreme microSDXC card instead. Sure, it doesn’t specifically list the devices you can use it in, but it’s essentially the same product and $67 cheaper at $92.99.

Perhaps you want a portable SSD, like the SanDisk Creator Pro? Available in – you guessed it – a pretty blue color, it offers up to 4TB capacity and up to 2000MB/s read speeds, letting you back up and access your content with NVMe SSD performance. Good value at $349.99, right? Unless you’re not bothered about the color, in which case you can pick up the extremely similar SanDisk Extreme PRO (reviewed here) for $299.99 and save $50 - enough to buy some blue paint if you really want to match.

Or maybe you’d like to buy the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD (see below), available in 1TB or 2TB capacities, which is designed for producing content on the go by attaching to any MagSafe-compatible smartphone. That doesn’t have a price at the moment, because, unlike SanDisk's other Creator-branded storage it’s actually a new product, and one that looks genuinely useful.

We can’t blame SanDisk for rebadging old products to appeal to the creator market - it’s a smart business move. But unless you’re particularly attached to the blue color, you can enjoy some decent savings by buying the non-Creator versions instead.

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