TechRadar News

• South Park has been removed from Paramount+ outside of the US
• The change came amid a licensing dispute between the show's creators and Paramount Global
• Thankfully, fans outside of the US can still stream the series elsewhere

South Park fans outside of the US were devastated to learn that all 26 seasons of the beloved animated comedy series have been removed from Paramount+ without warning.

With so many of the best streaming services to navigate, it can be hard when titles seem to jump between libraries. In the case of South Park, it is no longer available to stream on Paramount+ in places outside of the US, such as the UK, Canada, Australia and more, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

What is even more confusing is South Park specials, such as the Paramount+ original South Park: Post COVID and South Park: The Streaming Wars, are still available on Paramount+ and will remain on the service as it has the international licensing rights.

The sudden change comes amid an ongoing dispute between South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Comedy Central’s parent company, Paramount Global, following the expiration of the streamer's global licensing rights for the series.

South Park has been removed from Paramount+ worldwide out of nowhere. The specials still remain on the site, the series itself does notWell... that can't be good. pic.twitter.com/dmL4Ut433GJuly 12, 2025

Responding to the news on social media, fans were furious about the decision as many had relied on the streamer to watch the long-running comedy and now didn't feel like their Paramount+ subscription was worth it. Indeed, one user decided to cancel their subscription outright (see the post on X below).

I cancelled my subscription today lol.July 14, 2025

Where can we watch South Park?

(Image credit: South Park Studios/Comedy Central)

This question is more complicated to answer than you might like, but I have good news. You can stream it outside of Paramount+, but it varies depending where you are in the world.

Those in the US can still watch the series on Paramount+, of course. But they also have the option to stream all 26 seasons on HBO Max. According to Deadline, this licensing deal should remain in a "non-exclusive basis" but that's not yet been agreed upon between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global so has the potential to change. In the US, South Park is also streaming on Fubo, Philo and YouTube TV.

Elsewhere, fans in Canada can catch it on Pluto TV for free, while UK viewers can watch it on NOW TV, which has a 7-day free trial if you're not a subscriber. As for Australian viewers, you can still stream the series on channel 10's streaming service.

For fans of the hit animation series, news about its removal from Paramount+ is a blow but at least South Park is still widely available to stream in the US, UK and Australia.

You might also like

• Does Paramount+ have a free trial?
• 3 new Paramount+ movies to stream in July 2025
• Everything new on Paramount+ in July 2025

• “Summer Update” firmware adds battery life boost and improvements to exposure and low-light performance
• ND filters, Ultra Battery and custom-designed lenses now available
• Plus a suite of enhancements for motorcycle riders

I’m a huge fan of the Insta360 X5, calling it the “best overall 360 camera currently on the market” in my review from earlier this year. Its large image sensors make it the first 360 camera I’d be happy to use at night, its lenses are tougher than ever (and easier than ever to replace if you do damage them) and its simple controls and AI-assisted editing make it a joy to use.

But Insta360 isn’t resting on its laurels when it comes to the X5. Hot on the heels of the impressive Insta360 Mic Air, the wireless microphone add-on announced a few weeks ago, the company has just launched a “Summer Update” for the camera, comprising not only a major firmware update but a range of new accessories and even a new special limited edition of the camera for motorcyclists. The upshot seems to be that the best 360 camera is about to get even better.

(Image credit: Insta360)

Let’s start with the firmware update. Firstly, it boosts battery life by adding the power-saving Endurance Mode to 8K recording (which increases battery life to “just under two hours” of continuous recording) and improving Endurance Mode performance for 5.7K recording (increasing recording time from 185 minutes to 208 minutes when shooting at 5.7K 24p).

It also brings in a new feature called AdaptiveTone, designed to improve exposure in tricky lightning situations where part of the scene is very dark and part is very bright – such as shooting from a shady interior into a sunlit exterior. Previously, the X5 used the same lighting data for both lenses, but AdaptiveTone records it independently, automatically balancing the exposure, preserving both highlight and shadow detail and keeping things looking natural. It sounds a little like HDR, which the X5 already offers, so I’m eager to test it out and see what it can do above and beyond that.

The third and final headline improvement is that PureVideo, Insta360’s low-light video mode, is now available when using the X5’s single-lens mode. It was previously only available for 360 video, so this feels like a correction that brings the single-lens mode into line with its dual-lens counterpart.

New Insta360 X5 hardware coming too

Insta360 is also launching a raft of new accessories for the X5, starting with a set of ND filters – the first designed specifically for a 360 camera. The X5 ND Filters Set contains three pairs of filters (ND16, ND32 and ND64), giving users more control over exposure on bright, sunny days. These can be attached to the X5’s lenses in the same screw-on way as the lens guards, and should enable motion blur for fast-moving footage.

There’s also a new X5 Custom Replacement Lens Kit, which features artwork displayed on the lenses. Users can upload their own patterns, use pre-made patterns or use AI to create them. This seems merely cosmetic.

Insta360 has also launched a new Ultra Battery for the most demanding of users. With 2,800mAh capacity, it adds about 17% extra runtime to the X5, taking it to just under four hours when recording at 5.7K 24p quality using Endurance Mode. The Ultra Battery costs $49.99 (UK and Australia price TBC).

The final new accessory announced is the Invisible Dive Case Pro, which offers better optical quality than the existing X5 dive case as well as buoyancy control, which allows users to keep the camera floating in place underwater. There’s no release date for this yet, but it should be coming soon.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Alongside the Summer Update, Insta360 also announced a new BMW Mottorad Edition of the Insta360 X5. This limited-edition bundle, aimed at motorcyclists, features a different design, Ultra Battery and Mini Remote allowing riders to control the camera without taking their hands off the handlebars.

It also comes with some motorcycle-specific software enhancements, which I suspect will be rolling out to all Insta360 X5 cameras with the above firmware update. Immersive Shake Stabilization is a new mode of image stabilization that preserves some natural shake and tilt, in order to add some sense of speed and terrain, while Plate Blur will automatically blur out your bike’s license plate in footage. There’s also integration for Sena headsets.

All of the above seem set to cement the Insta360 X5 as the best all-round 360 camera on the market – for now, at least. With the GoPro Max 2 teased and DJI reportedly preparing its own Osmo 360 camera for launch, there could be other strong contenders on the market by the end of this summer.

You might also like

• It’s finally happening – GoPro Max 2 teaser shows the DJI and Insta360 rival is almost here after years in development hell
• Insta360 X5 vs Insta360 X4: which 8K 360-degree action camera is best for you?
• This leaked Insta360 camera could be the Go 4 – and the design has me asking questions

• Russia is shifting its target to the UK
• The UK is sustaining consistent cyberattacks
• Cyberattacks are aimed at creating chaos and disrupting services

Putin’s focus has taken away from the US in order to avoid antagonizing the Trump administration, reports the Times. Earlier this year, it was reported that a major Russian hacking group shifted its focus from US to UK targets, so it seems the Kremlin is now following suit.

British government sources have described a ‘surge’ in hybrid attacks since the start of 2025, including cyberattacks looking to sabotage critical infrastructure, such as previously observed mapping of undersea fiber optic cables.

Trump’s more favorable attitude towards Russia in comparison to previous administrations has pushed Russia to pivot more harshly against Britain, with UK spy chiefs warning that key facets of national infrastructure are sustaining continued attacks from Russian state-sponsored threat actors.

Sustained attacks

Russian threat actor offensives aim to create ‘sustained mayhem on British and European Streets’ says Sir Ken McCallum, director-general of MI5. Russian actors have successfully disrupted and damaged services in Ukraine, and have flexed capabilities through attacks in energy, agriculture, retail, and more - dealing demoralizing blows to the Ukrainian military and people.

A senior government official told the Times; “It’s been really evident from Russia’s recent propaganda that we’re target No 1,” the official said. “If only the British state was as powerful as they claim.”

These attacks could cause untold damage should a more powerful hit land on a UK target. For example, if a healthcare organization or energy provider was taken offline, that could have immediate and life threatening consequences.

Another Whitehall insider told the publication: “But when we say indirect, it’s not as indirect as it sounds. Russia will, for instance, create software, pass it on to a group of seriously talented 18-year-old hackers and say ‘fill your boots’.”

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal around
• Check out our choice for best antivirus software
• Iran is searching for major cloud providers to help rebuild its tech infrastructure

• Samsung might have an all-new S Pen up its sleeve
• A company exec revealed Samsung is developing a new S Pen
• It will only return when the device is just right, and if enough people want it

The S Pen is dead, long live the S Pen? Yes, while Samsung’s stylus has skipped the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, it might not be goodbye forever – be that a return in future generations or a return for the Z Fold 7 itself.

That’s according to comments made by Samsung’s own Kang Min-seok – its head of smartphone product planning – to Korean outlet ETNews. He explained that Samsung is “researching and developing thinner and innovative technologies for the S Pen” (machine translated from Korean).

Adding that the S Pen will potentially return “when the level of perfection increases and there is consumer demand.”

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

This could align with Samsung’s HiDeep partnership. The pair is said to be working on an S Pen which doesn’t require a digitizer or an internal battery – combining the best of both the batteryless S Pen and the digitizer-less Apple Pencil (via SamMobile).

A new stylus design could explain why Samsung removed the digitizer from its Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. If it was hoping to have the next-gen S Pen ready for the Z Fold 7’s launch, then why would it burden its foldable with a soon-to-be-useless component?

The fact that it isn’t here yet suggests the stylus might have been delayed, or it could be that Samsung is simply holding off until its S26 Ultra launch to introduce a new S Pen to the world. However, that leaves a frustrating 6-month or so long gap for Z Fold 7 users to suffer without a stylus.

Alternatively, tying into the other aspect of Samsung’s comment, it could simply be that the S Pen wasn’t popular enough with the Z Fold line to warrant continued support. And while I’ve never felt the need to use a stylus, that seems as much Samsung’s decision as it is mine.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Samsung doomed the S Pen

If commenters online are to be believed, the Z Fold 7’s tremendous faux pas is enough to kill the foldable outright, but as an avid Z Fold 6 user, I think reports of the Z Fold 7’s death are greatly exaggerated.

I never felt the need to use an S Pen, and I don’t expect I’ll miss it now.

If I ever needed to scribble notes or annotate, I could use my index finger, which was always quick and accurate enough for short annotations. Alternatively, I could type out my annotation – either in full, using swipe to type, or speech-to-text to speed things up.

Perhaps this wasn’t wholly my decision, however, because the main factor in my S Pen usage decision isn’t that I don't want to use one, it’s that I don’t own one.

The Z Fold line didn’t come with an S Pen like Samsung’s Ultra phones, meaning you had to buy the stylus separately. Moreover, you’d need to find your own storage solution for the S Pen, and according to user reviews on Samsung’s website, its official S Pen Z Fold 6 case is beyond terrible.

So if S Pen usage is low on Samsung’s foldables, I’m hardly surprised.

(Image credit: Samsung)

It’s impossible to know how popular the rumored revamped S Pen will be. While many are disappointed by the Z Fold 7’s lack of a stylus, how many of them were ever really planning to buy the foldable, and would a new and improved stylus change their decision?

I’ll never say no to a revamp, but the real change I want to see is Samsung’s next foldable dropping with the stylus in the box. That would make it a true Ultra equivalent as Samsung has promised for the Z Fold 7.

You might also like

• The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a major step forward for Samsung, but Oppo and Honor are still ahead in the foldable race
• I went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, and it matches the Motorola Razr Ultra in one key area
• Hands on: I opened the case file on the new Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, and it was all black and white

• Sony Santa Monica's next game is reportedly the studio's "next big thing"
• Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier responded to speculation, claiming that the studio's new game isn't a new IP, "but might feel like one"
• Schreier also claimed that the sci-fi game rumors are not true

The next game from God of War developer Sony Santa Monica reportedly won't be a new IP, "but might feel like one".

That's according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier (via Eurogamer), who responded to speculation on ResetEra after initially writing about the studio's next project.

"Cory Barlog’s game is Sony Santa Monica’s next big thing," Schreier said. "Last time I spoke to anyone about it (a month or two ago) it was going well."

After sharing this tidbit, fans went on to theorize that the game could be a new IP, which Schreier has now denied.

"I'll put it this way: it's not a new IP but it might feel like one," Schreier explained. "Maybe that's why people are confused. Please don't ask me more questions about this - if I wind up reporting more information at any point in the future it'll be in an article, not on a forum."

There's also been speculation over the years that Cory Barlog, the director of God of War, will be making a sci-fi game next at Sony Santa Monica, but Schreier claims that this isn't correct

"And that the sci-fi stuff (that people have apparently believed for years now?) is nonsense," he said.

Rumors of Sony Santa Monica developing a new IP sprang up last year, but there's no official word from the studio on what it's currently working on.

A third God of War game is also a possibility, but the studio hasn't confirmed if it plans on continuing the series after launching God of War Ragnarok in 2022.

You might also like...

• The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomical
• I’ve spent 40 hours exploring Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s an incredible sequel that builds upon its unique predecessor to become a masterpiece
• I’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgrade

DCU Chapter One is officially up and running. After the release of Creature Commandos season 1 and Superman, James Gunn and Peter Safran's new-look cinematic universe has taken its first steps into the big, wide world. With both projects being well received, the DC Universe (DCU) has gotten off to a good start, too.

"But, what's coming next?", I hear you ask. Allow my expert guide to, well, guide you. Below, I've rounded up the biggest and latest news on all of the new movies and HBO Max shows that'll be part of DCU Chapter One, otherwise known as 'Gods and Monsters'. You'll learn more about any confirmed launch dates, cast details, trailer, plot specifics, and much more from this point on. So, hop to it, DC Comics aficionado!

DCU Chapter One full line-up

In January 2023, Gunn revealed the DCU Chapter One's full line-up. In total, 11 projects – five movies and six TV shows – were announced, but a few more have joined the party in the two-plus years since the initial reveal. You can read more about some of the most recent changes in my article covering six big takeaways about Gunn's latest major update on the DCU.

But I digress. Here's a quick rundown of every DCH Chapter One film and TV series that's confirmed to be in development, alongside any official release dates that have been announced:

• Peacemaker season 2 (TV show, August 21, 2025)
• Lanterns (TV show, expected early 2026 (date TBC))
• Supergirl (movie, June 26, 2026)
• Clayface (movie, September 11, 2026)
• The Authority (movie, TBC)
• The Brave and the Bold (movie, TBC)
• Booster Gold (TV show, TBC)
• Creature Commandos season 2 (TV show, TBC)
• Paradise Lost (TV show, TBC)
• Sgt Rock (movie, TBC)
• Superman sequel (movie, TBC)
• Swamp Thing (movie, TBC)
• Waller (TV show, TBC)
• Wonder Woman (movie, TBC)

DCU Chapter One: confirmed release dates and launch windowsPeacemaker season 2

Release date: August 21, 2025
Director: James Gunn
Main cast: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Tim Meadows, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodriguez, Michael Rooker, Robert Patrick, and Viola Davis

Although it originally existed in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, season 2 of Peacemaker will sit under the DCU banner. Its plot will explain how the titular anti-hero crosses over into Gunn and Safran's rebooted cinematic franchise, too.

Peacemaker season 2 will launch this August and, after its first footage arrived as part of a new on HBO Max in 2025 trailer, the forthcoming season's first official teaser (see above) arrived in May. A new trailer should be released in late July, too, following its possible world premiere at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

As well as the above actors confirmed to appear, one of the best HBO Max shows' second season will also feature the return of other season 1 characters, plus some metahumans who showed up in Superman. For more details, read my guide on what we know so far about Peacemaker season 2.

Lanterns

Lanterns is expected to be released in 2026 (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Release window: expected early 2026
Directors: James Hawes, Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov
Confirmed cast: Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, Nathan Fillion, and Jason Ritter

Lanterns, a Green Lantern TV show that was officially greenlit in June 2024, is expected to arrive in early 2026. Lanterns' creative team was revealed last May, with one particular addition being a perfect fit for its crime thriller tendencies.

Principal photography began in late February 28 and was marked by the first official image of Pierre's John Stewart and Chandler's Hal Jordan (see above). Its filming midpoint was reached in June, so it could be September or October before its shooting schedule wraps.

Fillion, who appeared in Superman as another Green Lantern named Guy Gardner, will have a big supporting role. Meanwhile, Ritter, whose character identity is unknown, has confirmed he's part of the cast.

Little is known about its plot, but here's a brief synopsis, courtesy of HBO: "The series follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland."

Supergirl

Milly Alocck will play Kara Zor-El/Supergirl in the Kryptonian's first solo film in 40-plus years (Image credit: James Gunn/Twitter)

Release date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Confirmed cast: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, and Jason Momoa

Supergirl, which was originally called Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow until James Gunn confirmed its name change in June, will be the first solo big-screen outing for Superman’s cousin since the Helen Slater-starring 1984 movie.

House of the Dragon alumnus Milly Alcock will star as the titular hero, with that confirmation coming days after Gunn whittled down his Supergirl cast list to two stars in January 2024.

Krypto will co-star after appearing in Superman, while 3 Body Problem's Eve Ridley will play Ruthye Marye Knoll. Momoa will play Lobo, a fan-favorite immortal mercenary in DC Comics and Schoenarts is on board as primary villain Krem. The Hollywood Reporter (THR) also suggests David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham have been cast as Kara's Kryptonian parents.

For more on the next DCU Chapter One movie to be released, read my guide on everything we know so far about Supergirl.

Clayface

A Clayface movie is in development and should be released in late 2026 (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: September 11, 2026
Director: James Watkins
Confirmed cast: Tom Rhys Harries

Billed as a low-budget horror film – THR claims it'll have a $40 million budget – Clayface has been written by horror auteur Mike Flanagan. It'll be directed by Speak No Evil's James Watkins and an unlikely star in Tom Rhys Harries has been cast in the titular role.

Filming is rumored to begin in August (per The Wall Street Journal) on a film centered around one of Batman's many iconic villains. No plot details have been divulged but, speaking to ComicBook.com, Flanagan says it's been inspired by one of Batman: The Animated Series' best episodes.

DCU Chapter One: movies in developmentThe Authority

DC Comics describe The Authority as the anti-Justice League (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Expected cast: Maria Gabriela de Faría

DCU Chapter One is still expected to introduce The Authority, a lesser known team of antiheroes who feel right up Gunn’s street. However, at a DCU press event in February, Gunn said progress is slow on this one, adding: "(It’s) the one that got messed with through all of the other things that were happening. The script had a harder time coming along". It's possible, then, that this movie might not get made.

If it is, it'll be based on Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's comic series (released via DC’s Wildstorm imprint) and focus on the eponymous group who are prepared to use any means necessary to save the day. De Faría should feature as Angela Spica/The Engineer following her appearance in Superman, but no-one else has been cast.

The Brave and the Bold

The Brave and the Bold's Robin won't be the easiest Boy Wonder to live with (Image credit: DC Studios)

Release date: TBC
Director: Andy Muschietti
Cast: TBC

Based on Grant Morrison’s popular graphic novel namesake, The Brave and the Bold's movie adaptation – one of TechRadar's most anticipated DCU Chapter One projects – will see Bruce Wayne teaming up with his violent and narcissistic son Damian, a teen raised by assassins who goes on to become Bat-sidekick Robin.

The Flash’s Andy Muschietti will direct it and, while a writer has been found, Gunn reportedly doesn't want to publicly name them due to the intense media spotlight that'll be shone on them. However, Gunn recently said that he thinks "he has a way in" on the movie's script and that Gunn himself is actively involved in shaping its story (per Total Film).

Swamp Thing

The Swamp Thing comics have previously been adapted into movies, a cartoon, and a short-lived 2019 TV show (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

The brainchild of Wolverine creator Len Wein, Swamp Thing's comic series tells the story of brilliant scientist Alec Holland, who finds his consciousness merged with a bog after an attack on his research facility.

This new take on the character is still being written by James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny). However, Safran has said "the ball is really in his [Mangold's] court" about whether he wants to continue working on it.

Sgt Rock

Sgt. Rock has been put on the backburner at DC Studios (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

After making his DCU debut in Creature Commandos episode 3, Sergeant Rock was reportedly getting a standalone movie.

Call Me By Your Name's Luca Guadagnino was set to direct it and Challengers' Justin Kuritzkes was said to be penning its screenplay. Colin Farrell wa reportedly in talks to star (via THR), too.

“What we love about Sgt Rock is the opportunity to tell a story about heroism and conflict in compelling and unique way," Safran said the February press event. "Justin really wrote a wonderful screenplay and that’s what catapulted that project to the forefront."

Since then, confusion has reigned over Sgt Rock's status amid contrasting reports about whether it'll be made. Neither Gunn or Safran have publicly said if it's still in active development so, unless we're told otherwise, we'll assume it is.

Superman 2

Gunn is already planning a follow-up to this year's Superman, but it won't be a direct sequel (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Likely cast: David Corenswet

A follow-up to Gunn's Superman movie is already being worked on by the DC Studios co-chief. However, Gunn has regularly hinted that it won't be a direct sequel, including on Threads in late July.

Meanwhile, Corenswet has said he knows Gunn is working on another project that he'll appear in, but doesn't know what it is. Considering everything else that Gunn has on his plate, expect it to be a while before we find out anything official.

Wonder Woman

A standalone Wonder Woman movie is in the works at DC Studios (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

After Gunn sparked excitement about Wonder Woman's DCU debut in mid-May, the DC Studios co-head confirmed a Diana Prince-led DCU film was in early development one month later. Fans already think that one Star Wars actor is the clear choice to play her, too.

It's unclear how this flick will impact Paradise Lost, the previously announced DCU TV series that'll be based on Prince's home island of Themyscira (more on this in the below section). Like Superman 2, we await more details from Messrs Gunn and Safran.

DCU Chapter One: TV shows in developmentCreature Commandos season 2

Some of the pictured characters will return in the show's sophomore season (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

Following this show's season 1 debut in late 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) renewed the DCU's first animated show for a second season. Showrunner Dean Lorey has confirmed work is already underway on its next installment as well (per Collider).

While we wait for more on the series' return, remind yourself what happened in last season's final episode via my Creature Commandos season 1 ending explained piece. Then, get the full lowdown on its follow-up by reading my Creature Commandos season 2 hub.

Waller

Viola Davis' Amanda Waller, one of the few survivors of the old DCEU, is getting her own TV show (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Confirmed cast: Viola Davis

An Amanda Waller standalone series was expected to be Gunn's next project after Peacemaker season 2 (per Threads). However, speaking at February's press event, Gunn said of its development: "We’ve taken a couple of cracks at it but still haven’t been able to land [it]. Waller has been a bumpy road". As of mid-June, Gunn said (via Threads) that it's still in development.

Once a breakthrough his achieved, Davis will headline this live-action Peacemaker spin-off on HBO Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services. In a 2024 post on Threads, Gunn confirmed events in Peacemaker season 2 will directly lead into Waller, too.

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost is set on Themyscira, Wonder Woman's idyllic island home (Image credit: DC Comics)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

Paradise Lost will go back to Wonder Woman’s idyllic island home for some political in-fighting. "It’s going to be a Game of Thrones-ish story about Themyscira, the home of the Amazons and the birthplace of Wonder Woman," Safran teased in January 2023. "This drama is really about the political intrigue behind this society of all women."

In February, Gunn revealed work was continuing on this DCU Chapter One production, but a writer still hadn't been found, so this series is still a while away. Considering a Wonder Woman film is also in the works now, it's unclear whether this project will ever see the light of day.

Booster Gold

Booster Gold is coming back from the future to headline his own DCU TV show (Image credit: DC Studios)

Release date: TBC
Director: TBC
Cast: TBC

If your first thought was "...who???", you’re not alone. Booster Gold, aka Michael Jon Carter, is arguably the most unlikely superhero on the 'Gods and Monsters' roster but, if you’ve seen any of Gunn’s previous output, you’ll understand why this lesser known comic book appealed to his sensibilities.

For the uninitiated: it’s the story of a guy – read: loser – from the future who comes back in time to the present and uses basic future tech to convince everyone he’s a superhero. Or, as Gunn puts it: "It's the superhero story of imposter syndrome".

Like many DCU Chapter One projects, there are very few details about it. Speaking at February's press event, Safran admitted a showrunner had been found, but they ultimately walked away from the project. However, it is "moving forward with somebody else", Safran added, so development hasn't officially stalled.

For more DC-based coverage, read our guides on how to watch the DC movies in order, how to watch the Batman movies in order, and how to watch the Superman movies in order. Then, see if you agree with our ranking of the best Batman movies.

For fans of high-fidelity audio, Spotify HiFi could be the Holy Grail. After unveiling its plans for lossless, CD-quality audio in 2021, audiophiles around the world have been patiently waiting for Spotify to bridge that gap to competitor services like Tidal and Apple Music. Though it's still one of our best music streaming services, Spotify has yet to deliver its highly anticipated HiFi tier. It's been almost five years, but we are closer to the release of Spotify HiFi than ever before.

When it comes to the hi-res audio game, Apple and Amazon are leaps and bounds ahead of Spotify. Since 2021 subscribers of both services have been able to reap the benefits of lossless audio quality at no extra cost, so what's gone wrong with Spotify? It's a question we're still asking ourselves to this day, but recently Spotify has been dropping more hints about its HiFi tier which we can now point to a late 2025 release date.

(Image credit: Spotify / Apple)

Unfortunately, even when Spotify HiFi does drop, we have reason to believe that it will only be available in “select markets” to start. And while Spotify hasn’t said exactly how much the service will cost just yet, we're confident that the Spotify HiFi tier will cost more than the current standard premium subscription which sits at $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 - and there’s no guarantee that every song in the entire Spotify catalog will have a HiFi version available.

In spite of this very clear downside, we have good reason to believe that Spotify HiFi songs will be available to save and download to your devices for offline listening, which means you should be able to take your new lossless music library with you anywhere.

Ready to make the leap to lossless? Here's everything we know about Spotify HiFi.

Spotify HiFi release date rumors

After five years since Spotify unveiled its plans to introduce lossless audio to enhance music listening for its subscribers, a recent Bloomberg ($/£) report says that Spotify HiFi is tipped to launch in late 2025 and will be called Spotify Music Pro. Not only will this new subscription tier give you the long-awaited lossless audio you've been waiting for, but will include additional benefits such as remixing tools (including some AI-powered features for mashing tracks together), and even special offers on live music and concert tickets.

The latest update comes from tech expert Chris Messina, who found several references to "Lossless" with a capital L in the latest code for the Spotify desktop app. These point to promotional messages inside the app – "The best way to listen in Lossless is with Spotify Connect" – and alerts such as "we're sorry, this track isn't in Lossless yet" or "Looks like your internet connection is having a hard time supporting Lossless right now."

Prior to these findings, Spotify's Open House event in May saw the company implying that it's currently looking at ways to improve the music streaming experience for 'superfans'. In addition to admitting it made mistakes with Wrapped 2024, CEO Daniel Ek had the following to say:

“What more things can we do like Fans First that scales, and that provides a great experience for the artist, and provides a great experience for the consumer?", adding "I do agree that the need – the creator need or the artist need – exists. And the consumer need is there too. The question is just how do you create a great experience?”.

Spotify HiFi was expected to arrive in 2021, and one of the first leaks we came across was back then when a user on Reddit shared a video seemingly pointing to the HiFi onboarding process - but that was five years ago. Back in March, Spotify ran into a number of bug issues including one that showed ads to Premium subscribers, and while we can't directly connect this to the rollout of Spotify HiFi it's definitely raised our suspicions about what Spotify has going on behind-the-scenes.

We’re aware of some issues with the app right now and are checking them out! We'll keep you posted here: https://t.co/lOcqE1o9OeMarch 6, 2025

In a 2021 blog post, Spotify stated the following; "Beginning later this year, Premium subscribers in select markets will be able to upgrade their sound quality to Spotify HiFi and listen to their favorite songs the way artists intended,". Initially, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek claimed that the delay in adding Spotify HiFi has largely come down to licensing issues.

Aside from licensing rights, the Spotify HiFi delay can be attributed to its undivided attention to its social features such as Spotify Wrapped, and its mission to bring more AI integrations to its user experience; its AI DJ feature and generative Daylist feature (one which I frequent regularly) are two of its most popular AI tools. Recently, we reported on Spotify's plans to 'double down' on music in 2025 which we believe could go down one of two paths; either the long-awaited HiFi tier or more AI advancements.

Spotify's AI generated 'Daylist' feature was introduced in September 2023. (Image credit: Spotify)

It's also worth focusing on that select markets bit as it means we won’t see Spotify HiFi going live in every territory at the same time. Previously, when Spotify has rolled out new features it usually starts with the US and Europe, but now that the service is available in more than 180 markets, it’s hard to say which will be among the first to get the new service.

The other issue you’ll run into regarding Spotify HiFi’s release date – whenever it is eventually announced – is that it’s unlikely that every Spotify Connect device will get the upgrade at the same time – which means some speakers like, say, the Sonos One and PS5 might get it long before your slightly older AV receiver.

Spotify HiFi price predictions

According to the recent Bloomberg report, if the rumors of Spotify Music Pro are true then it could cost you an additional $5 a month on top of its $12 Premium plan. This means that it could be a 50% price rise, presumably costing an additional £6 in the UK and AU$7 in Australia.

Previously, we had reason to believe that Spotify HiFi would launch as a brand new subscription tier but the new rumors point to our past guesses that Spotify HiFi would be a new Music Pro feature, as well as a $5 add-on for the Premium Plan. Spotify Premium currently stands at a monthly cost of $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 therefore if the $5 add-on rumors are true, we'd venture a guess that Spotify HiFi could cost between $14.99 and $19.99 which feels like a safe bet.

Speaking of new add-ons, recently a leaked image on X (see below) shows text in the Spotify iOS beta app saying "Explore plans and get more from your Premium experience with add-ons". While we don't know what these add-ons will consist of, they would give credibility to the Bloomberg rumors and mark a big change in Spotify's subscription tier system.

Spotify is working on add-ons!A recent beta of Spotify for iOS mentions "Explore plans and get more from your Premium experience with add-ons" and "'Browse add-ons" pic.twitter.com/nllQtB4xl6April 28, 2025

What’s also influencing our previous guesses is the competition: a Tidal subscription will run you $19.99 per month, while Hi-Res Audio streaming services like Qobuz and Deezer cost $14.99 and $11.99 per month. Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music are a bit cheaper and now include lossless streaming options, and it's possible Spotify HiFi could be around the same price if it ever launches.

On the prices front, The Financial Times ($/£) recently dropped a report hinting at an upcoming price hike. According to it's coverage Spotify will be increasing the cost of an individual subscription by €1 (about $1/£1) as soon as June, but this will only apply to subscribers in Europe and Latin American countries, and not those in the US who received a price hike just last year.

Spotify HiFi audio quality

So, just how good will Spotify HiFi's lossless audio be? It will supposedly sound, at the very least, as good as a CD does – and maybe a bit better.

According to Spotify, Spotify HiFi will stream CD-quality lossless audio to your devices. Ideally, those devices will be connected to a network and capable of using Spotify Connect, otherwise, you’ll have to pipe it over Bluetooth which will likely diminish the quality.

In the absence of Spotify HiFi, you can amend your audio streaming quality in your account settings to add somewhat of an improvement to your listening experience. Just go to your Spotify settings, and tap 'Audio Quality'.

(Image credit: Future)

That’s a heck of a lot better than Spotify's current offering of 320kbps, and will likely bring the service's potential audio quality up to par with Tidal, Deezer, and maybe even Apple’s Digital Masters. Speaking of Apple Digital Masters, there’s always a chance that Spotify might also go above and beyond hi-fi with 96kHz / 24-bit audio, but we’re not holding our breath.

So what does that all mean? In a very practical sense, lossless audio formats have more details and data than their lossy counterparts. That means hearing new details in songs you’ve never heard before that otherwise might’ve been cut out when the data was compressed. It should also sound a bit wider and more immersive, though, a lot of it will depend on which headphones or speakers you use, too.

Spotify HiFi song catalog 

The murkiest detail of all for Spotify HiFi is how many – and which – songs from Spotify’s more than 100 million-song catalog will be included. The safest assumption we can make is that it won't support every song in Spotify's vast catalog, but millions of them should be.

Among those will likely be top hits from major record labels which already distribute the files to other services, while some music from smaller labels and older legacy titles likely won’t make the cut. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for more details on which songs will make the cut, but for now, it’s probably best to keep your CD collection right where it is until new details emerge.

You might also like

• I changed this one small Spotify feature and it made my music sound dramatically better
• My top 5 tips to make more of your Spotify playlists – and trust me, I'm a playlist obsessive
• Forget Spotify – I’m going all-in on Bandcamp for music in 2025, here’s why you should too

• 'FlirtAI' has leaked user data in an unprotected storage bucket
• The app's user base seems to have primarily been teenagers
• The leaked chats could have a devastating affect on victims

It’s hard to imagine a more mortifyingly embarrassing scenario than your own private flirty chats being exposed online, except, perhaps, being caught sending these messages off for analysis by an AI app.

Researchers at Cybernews have discovered a breach at "FlirtAI - Get Rizz & Dates" (yes, that is really what it’s called) which has leaked over 160,000 chat screenshots from users through an unprotected cloud storage bucket.

Users of this app feed screenshots of their private conversations into the application to get tailored responses designed to help the user flirt or escalate the conversation.

Save up to 68% on identity theft protection for TechRadar readers!

TechRadar editors praise Aura's upfront pricing and simplicity. Aura also includes a password manager, VPN, and antivirus to make its security solution an even more compelling deal.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

More than just embarrassing

Unsurprisingly, but worryingly nonetheless, this app seems to have been primarily used by teenagers.

Because of the configuration of the app, those primarily at risk are not those who have sent the chats in, but the person they’re talking to - presumably other teenagers who are completely unaware that their conversation has been leaked, and probably unaware that this app even exists.

Whilst we’ve seen more dangerous personal data leaked by other AI chatbots like SSNs and financial information, the nature of this chatbot and its user base represents a different kind of harm.

As an adult, I’m not sure how well I’d cope with my private chats being exposed online, so for an already vulnerable teenager this could be devastating.

“The fact that teenagers used this app may increase the severity of a potential data breach as data from minors is considered more sensitive, and could be subject to more restrictions regarding potential data uses and collection and processing practices," Cybernews researchers confirmed.

The app does state that users are “only allowed to upload a screenshot when you have obtained the necessary approvals from all users/humans and their information mentioned in the screenshot”.

But, since this would negate the point of the chatbot, it seems pretty unlikely that this is followed.

Those exposed in this breach could be at a heightened risk of social engineering attacks like phishing or, given that the app encourages users to share their target's dating profile, there could be a risk of impersonation attacks.

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around
• Check out our choice for best antivirus software
• Google Gemini can be hijacked to display fake email summaries in phishing scams

• Meta's first multi-gigawatt AI datacenter cluster, Prometheus, will go live next year
• Hyperion will follow, with plans to scale it up to a staggering 5GW
• Company revenue is strong, but Capex rises

Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed plans to build several multi-gigawatt AI datacenter clusters to fuel our growing and insatiable demand for artificial intelligence, with the first cluster, Prometheus, set to go online in 2026.

Another cluster, Hyperion, will follow, with Meta planning to scale this one up to 5 gigawatts over the course of several years.

More so-called titan clusters are also in the works, with the CEO sharing a visualization in a Facebook post showing how Hyperion covers the equivalent of most of Manhattan.

Meta will build massive, miles-long datacenter clusters

Boasting about the company's progress, Zuckerberg shared: "SemiAnalysis just reported that Meta is on track to be the first lab to bring a 1GW+ supercluster online."

The Facebook post summarizes how Meta will combine massive compute power and elite talent to advance superintelligence, backed by hundreds of billions of dollars in compute infrastructure investments. Meta's new Superintelligence Labs promise to have the highest compute per researcher in the industry.

Despite consistent growth, with last year's revenue hitting $165 billion, Meta's spending spree in the world of enhanced intelligence continues. The company's 2025 capital expenditure was raised to an estimated $64-$72 billion, but investors seem to be slightly more cautious about when these massive AI investments will become profitable.

With competition heating up against OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon – among others – Meta aims to bring the first gigawatt-plus AI cluster online with next year's Prometheus.

Speaking about the company's most recent quarterly report, Zuckerberg wrote: "AI continues to transform everything we do." He highlighted five key areas of long-term investment and opportunity: improved advertising, more engaging experiences, business messaging, Meta AI, and AI devices.

You might also like

• These are the best AI tools and best AI writers
• Access powerful chips via the best cloud computing providers
• Many top data center locations could be at risk of climate change

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, July 15 (game #765).

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #766) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• QUAD
• CORNER
• TREE
• HAMMY
• LAMB
• LIBRARY
• DELT
• SURROUND
• OVERDONE
• TRAP
• THE
• BET
• CAMP
• DORM
• DRAMATIC
• CAFETERIA

NYT Connections today (game #766) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: School grounds
• GREEN: Theatrical show off
• BLUE: Hunted down
• PURPLE: Ancient alphabet

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 #766) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A COLLEGE CAMPUS
• GREEN: EXAGGERATED, AS A PERFORMANCE
• BLUE: CLOSE IN ON
• PURPLE: STARTS OF GREEK LETTERS

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

NYT Connections today (game #766) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #766, are…

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A COLLEGE CAMPUS CAFETERIA, DORM, LIBRARY, QUAD
• GREEN: EXAGGERATED, AS A PERFORMANCE CAMP, DRAMATIC, HAMMY, OVERDONE
• BLUE: CLOSE IN ON CORNER, SURROUND, TRAP, TREE
• PURPLE: STARTS OF GREEK LETTERS BET, DELT, LAMB, THE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Although I didn’t make any mistakes I’m classifying this as tricky because I only made a clear run down to luck.

DRAMATIC and CAMP behavior is something I really enjoy and recognizing that some people might associate it with being HAMMY and OVERDONE I quickly put together the green group – EXAGERATED, AS A PERFORMANCE.

I came close to placing TREE in the group that became PARTS OF A COLLEGE CAMPUS before swapping it for CAFETERIA.

The last eight letters were a baffling bunch, so I decided to put THE and BET to one side and concentrate on what was left. CORNER, SURROUND and TRAP all seemed to describe catching someone, but I struggled to find the fourth and just added TREE to make up the numbers. I’m still not sure how it’s relevant to CLOSE IN ON.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, July 15 game #765)

• YELLOW: GYMNASTICS APPARATUS BARS, BEAM, RINGS, VAULT
• GREEN: FORCE TO LEAVE BOOT, BOUNCE, EJECT, REMOVE
• BLUE: HORROR MOVIES FROM 2022 NOPE, PEARL, SCREAM, SMILE
• PURPLE: HORSE__ FEATHERS, PLAY, POWER, SHOE

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, July 15 (game #1268).

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

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

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

Quordle today (game #1269) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #1269) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1269) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1269) - 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 #1269) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• U

• N

• R

• B

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

Quordle today (game #1269) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1269, are…

• UNCLE
• NADIR
• REMIT
• BROOM

My starter words gave me an anagram to solve for my first word – REMIT – and answering that gave me two more. It was until BROOM that I had to do some thinking.

With no other vowels I took a gamble that the word would contain the far more common double-O rather than a single-O, although I was all set to guess groom before realizing I’d already used the G.

Daily Sequence today (game #1269) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1269, are…

• BAWDY
• INCUR
• FISHY
• TENET

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, July 15 (game #499).

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 #500) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Tech accessories

NYT Strands today (game #500) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STAKE
• LION
• PEST
• COAT
• STANDARDS
• SHARE

NYT Strands today (game #500) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #500) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #500) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #500, are…

• CASE
• SPEAKER
• STAND
• STYLUS
• CHARGER
• KEYBOARD
• FOLIO
• SPANGRAM: TABLET

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today’s Strands could not have been more TechRadar-friendly – considering how much we love tech accessories and write about the many different brands of TABLET.

Even for the less tech savvy, this search wasn’t much of a stretch and didn’t include any of the usual twists and turns, just a little bit of right-to-left thinking.

You will have to forgive me for putting “standards” in the hint words list, even though it includes STAND. It’s rare that you can find a nine-letter-long non-game word, so I couldn’t resist.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 15, game #499)

• GAMES
  MUSIC
• RIDES
• LIVESTOCK
• VENDORS
• PRIZES
• SPANGRAM: COUNTY FAIRS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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.

• Google TV interface is evolution, not revolution
• Most changes to the UI are subtle and modernizing
• Advertising on the For You page is not so subtle

Google TV's interface is evolving, and not everyone is happy. The expansion of its Material 3 Expressive design is continuing apace with the goal of making everything feel cleaner and more modern, but some devices are apparently showing really big ads on their revised homescreens.

Let's start with the positives. As Android Police reports, there's a new version of the Google TV app with the excitingly descriptive version of 4.39.3356.780959673.5, and it's delivered some noticeable improvements to key parts of the Google TV interface.

(Image credit: BarfingMonkey / Reddit)What's new in Google TV

Some of the changes are quite subtle, such as the marginally larger banner area at the top of each detail page. The names of TV shows and movies have been moved slightly and center-aligned, and buttons have been made flatter. There are fewer rounded rectangles and more lozenge-shaped buttons, while image previews are now less sharp-edged.

So far it's evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but it's making Google TV more consistent with the wider Android world. And even relatively minor changes make everything feel a lot fresher, a bit like a deliciously refreshing can of Coca-Cola. Mmmm mmmm mmmm!

Don't worry, that's not product placement: it's me segueing into the negatives of Google's user interface evolution. As some Redditors are reporting on r/AndroidTV, they're seeing really big ads on the For You page for the likes of Coca-Cola, and those ads are being greeted with exactly the amount of delight you'd expect from a forum that frequently describes the best ad-blocking techniques.

Okay, believe me now?!!! from r/AndroidTV

Big homescreen ads aren't unique to Google TV, of course, and neither is increasing the amount of ads smart TV users are exposed to. In a lot of cases, though, it's been confined previously to at least showing you sponsored TV shows and movies. Coca-Cola feels a little less natural, even if they have put Kylo Ren in it.

But at least Google TV gives you the option to use a third-party launcher instead of the Google one, so if you object to seeing ever more ads on hardware you paid for then you can swap to something else – people on that Reddit thread suggest Projectivy.

You might also like

• Google TV Streamer: release date, price and everything you need to know
• The Chromecast with Google TV is finally getting its long-delayed free update – here's what's new
• Don't worry if your Roku homepage suddenly changes – a smarter new layout is being tested for a lucky few

• Binarly spotted multiple flaws in UEFI firmware built by AMI
• AMI released fixes months ago, so users should update now
• Many Gigabyte motherboards reached EOF and thus won't be patched

UEFI firmware on dozens of Gigabyte motherboards is vulnerable to a handful of flaws which theoretically allow threat actors to deploy bootkits on compromised devices, establish stubborn persistence and execute additional malicious code remotely, experts have warned.

Security researchers Binarly recently discovered four vulnerabilities in UEFI firmware developed by American Megatrends Inc. (AMI). All four have a high severity score (8.2/10), and can lead to privilege escalation, malware installation, and other potentially destructive outcomes. They are tracked as CVE-2025-7026, CVE-2025-7027, CVE-2025-7028, and CVE-2025-7028.

Binarly reported its findings to Carnegie Mellon CERT/CC in mid-April 2025, resulting in AMI acknowledging the findings and releasing a patch in mid-June. The patch was pushed to OEMs privately, but apparently Gigabyte did not implement it at the time.

Hundreds of motherboard models affected

There are apparently more than 240 motherboard models that are impacted by these flaws.

Many won’t be patched at all because they have reached end of life, and as such, are no longer supported by Gigabyte. Instead, users worried about the vulnerabilities should upgrade their hardware to newer, supported versions.

Products from other OEMs are also said to be affected by these flaws, but until a patch is applied, their names will not be publicized.

UEFI firmware is low-level code that runs beneath the operating system, and whose job is to initialize the hardware (CPU, memory, storage), and then hand off control to the OS. When this code has flaws, threat actors can exploit them to install so-called “bootkits”, stealthy malware that loads at boot time, before the OS.

Because they run in privileged environments, bootkits can evade antivirus tools, and even survive OS reinstalls and disk replacements. This makes them highly persistent and dangerous, especially in high-security environments. The good news is that exploiting these vulnerabilities often requires admin access, which is not that easily obtainable.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• The first UEFI bootkit malware for Linux has been detected, so users beware
• Take a look at our guide to the best website builders around
• We've rounded up the best password managers

• The prices for the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X have reportedly leaked online
• The ROG Xbox Ally will seemingly cost €599 ($699) while the ROG Xbox Ally X will be priced at €899 ($1,050)
• If the prices are accurate, this will make them Xbox's most expensive consoles yet

The pricing information for the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X has seemingly leaked online.

As reported by Spanish publication 3djuegos(via GamesRadar), the console prices were leaked through product boxes on Google.

It appears that the ROG Xbox Ally will cost €599, while the ROG Xbox Ally X will be priced much higher at €899. After converting, the prices respectively translate to $699 and $1,050, and, if accurate, this will make them Xbox's most expensive consoles yet.

This is also how much the original Asus ROG Ally and Asus ROG Ally X cost in Europe.

The pricing has since been removed, but the boxes originally linked back to the official Asus website, suggesting that the company may have mistakenly shared the information ahead of time.

Microsoft announced its take on the Asus ROG Ally last month during the Xbox Games Showcase 2025. Both versions of the handheld will feature a 7-inch 1080p display with a 120Hz refresh rate, but the white Xbox Ally variant targets 720p gaming, while the black Xbox Ally X console aims for 900p to 1080p gaming.

Although the prices may be on the more expensive side, it is understandable considering the console/PC hybrid uses AMD Ryzen chips, with the more powerful Xbox Ally X utilizing the Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, which comes with 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM and a 1TB SSD.

Both handhelds have also been redesigned with contoured grips to mimic the Xbox Wireless Controller, feature the Xbox's 'ABXY' button layout, hall-effect impulse triggers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, and more.

There's no word on release dates for either console just yet, but we'll keep you updated.

You might also like...

• The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomical
• I’ve spent 40 hours exploring Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it’s an incredible sequel that builds upon its unique predecessor to become a masterpiece
• I’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgrade

• New Microsoft Research paper identifies areas where AI is already being used the most
• It also shows areas that AI has very little influence on currently
• The research could show potential for AI job augmentation, not just replacement

I don’t know about you, but I have this kind of nagging fear that AI is coming for me one of these days. If not imminently, then in the very near future. One thing that might allay that fear is knowing exactly where AI’s axe is going to fall in the labor market, so that I can make sure I’m always just out of its reach.

The problem is that right now we have a lot of people making bold assumptions about what sorts of jobs AI will take away, but as we all know, no plan survives contact with the enemy, so it might be better to approach the problem from another direction.

A new report from Microsoft Research has analyzed 200,000 real conversations between people and Copilot to understand how AI is being used by people in the workplace right now. This way, we can determine which roles are likely to be the most impacted as companies adopt generative AI in the future.

The most at risk

It should come as no surprise that the jobs the report identified as the most common work activities people seek AI assistance for all involve gathering information and writing, and that the most common activities that AI is performing are providing information and assistance, writing, teaching, and advising.

It turns out that interpreters and translators are top of the list when it comes to compatibility with AI, with a stunning 98% of their activities overlapping with frequent Copilot tasks that have fairly high completion rates.

So, if you're thinking of changing careers to become a translator, it might be worth considering your options. Also at the top of the list are historians, writers and authors, and journalists. It should be no surprise to also see proofreaders, editors, and PR specialists high up on the list, too.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)The most resistant to AI

It’s physical trades involving working with people that are the most resistant to the influence of AI. The report puts nursing assistants, massage therapists, and machinery operators, including truck and tractor drivers, as the most AI-resistant occupations. Manual laborers like roofers, dishwashers, maids, and housekeeping cleaners were also near the top of the list.

The news will be good for some jobs, but terrible for others. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, and if you’re working in one of the most compatible areas for AI (I know I am!), then don’t panic right now because the research could be simply indicating that your area is one that is ripe for augmentation by AI, rather than replacement.

I think there will always be a need for skilled humans in some capacity, even in areas that will be heavily dominated by AI. That said, understanding AI’s impact on jobs is probably going to put you in a better position than if you have no clue about its threats.

You might also like

• You don’t have to explain everything to Claude anymore – it’s finally in your apps
• The next generation of ChatGPT is just around the corner - here’s why GPT-5 could transform the way you use AI
• I tried asking ChatGPT what my favorite fictional characters say about me – here’s what I learned about myself

Congratulations, fellow Stranger Things fan! You’re on the home stretch of the three year wait between Stranger Things season 4 and Stranger Things season 5. The final episodes will be split into three releases – volume 1 on November 26, volume 2 on December 25 and the season 5 finale on December 31 – so there’s still a small wait to go, but rumour has it we’re getting the first full season 5 trailer at some point this week.

Today (July 15) marks the first time we ever saw one of the best Netflix shows of all time on screen, with the series debuting nine years ago in 2016. If you can’t remember what happened when we last visited Hawkins (and that’s understandable), our group of best friends attempted to defeat Vecna, causing Max's apparent death as well as the opening of a massive rift between the town and the Upside Down. No big deal, I’m sure.

But as Netflix finally tries to get its fanbase excited about the drawn-out end, a painful question has to be asked. Why should anybody care about Stranger Things season 5 when we’ve been left in the lurch for so long? I’m wondering if it would have been less of a hassle to have been eaten by Vecna when we first met him, and that’s a problem.

Stranger Things season 5 and its trailer are coming, but do we even care?

Let’s put it into context. Since Stranger Things season 4 aired, we’ve had four seasons of The Bear, five seasons of Slow Horses (if you count new episodes we’re going to get in September) and two seasons of Severance… and look how long that took to return. In the Stranger Things world alone, we’ve had the arrival of non-canon West End play The First Shadow, plus the announcement of two spinoffs: animated series Stranger Things: Tales from '85 and live-action show The Boroughs. Everyone and their nan has seemingly complained about not getting season 5 in the meantime, and they’ve got good reason to be annoyed.

Back in the good old days of the mid-2000s, we were regularly whipping through 22-episode seasons of TV like there was no tomorrow. Desperate Housewives and Lost were great examples of this, each requiring a high level of input and resource in their own way. Fast forward two decades, and the consolation prize of feeling lucky to get eight new episodes in three years doesn’t feel like something worth investing in.

Sure, these upcoming episodes are basically feature length movies and the technical craft needed to achieve them is immense, but this is Hollywood, for goodness sake! Every resource we allegedly have at our disposal is supposed to be at the top of its game, able to give us everything we have and haven’t yet dreamed up. From a marketing perspective, Netflix might have thought dragging out the jewel in the crown of its streaming back catalog would make fans hungrier for the end product, but there’s only so far you can stretch the theory in practice.

Of course, I’ll be streaming Stranger Things season 5 like the rest of us, but it will be a reluctant watch. The endless wait over the last few years has definitely made me think twice about investing in shows on one of the best streaming services around, and that’s before we even touch on the frequent cancellations (another story for another day).

You might also like

• Stranger Things season 5's 12-month shoot yielded 650-plus hours of footage for its eight 'blockbuster movie' episodes, the popular Netflix show's creators say
• Stranger Things: The First Shadow's big lore reveal needs addressing in hit Netflix show's final season
• Everything new on Netflix in July 2025

• VRI will complement NCSC's current vulnerability research efforts
• It will be tasked with communicating NCSC's needs with external experts
• The goal is to understand the flaws, patches, and research methodology

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has announced the forming of The Vulnerability Research Initiative (VRI), a new program which will see it partner with third-party cybersecurity experts for vulnerability research in commodity and specialized tech.

The NCSC said it currently operates a team of internal researchers who are experts in common technologies, and who conduct vulnerability research (VR) on a range of technologies and products, from traditional commodity tech, to specialized solutions only used in a few places.

However, the team is unable to keep up with the speed at which the technology industry is changing. New tech is popping up every day, and old tech is evolving beyond recognition, “and thus VR is getting harder”.

Understanding the vulnerabilities

“This means the NCSC demand for VR continues to grow,” NCSC explained.

To tackle the challenge, it decided to create VRI, and bring in third-party help. The program’s goal is to help NCSC’s researchers understand the vulnerabilities present in today’s technologies, the necessary mitigations, how experts conduct their research, and which tools they use in the process.

“This successful way of working increases NCSC’s capacity to do VR and shares VR expertise across the UK’s VR ecosystem,” the press release further reads.

The VRI core team will include technical experts, relationship managers, and project managers, with the core team being responsible for communicating the VR team's requirements to VRI industry partners and for overseeing the progress and outcomes of the research.

In the (near) future, NCSC will bring in more experts to tackle AI-powered, or otherwise AI-related vulnerabilities. Those who are interested in participating in VRI should reach out to the agency via email at vri@ncsc.gov.uk. The address should not be used for sharing vulnerability reports.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• NCSC gets influencers to sing the praises of 2FA
• Take a look at our guide to the best website builders around
• We've rounded up the best password managers

• Nintendo is asking Japanese players for their thoughts on Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards
• It follows reports of low sales for third-party Nintendo Switch 2 software
• It hopefully signals a shift towards more traditional physical releases

Nintendo is asking Japanese players for their thoughts on the controversial Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Cards.

As first spotted by SwitchSoku and reported by VGC, surveys have been going out to Nintendo Switch 2 players in Japan.

The multiple-choice form asks whether you are aware of the existence of Game-Key Cards or currently own any. Next, it lists a number of the characteristics of Game-Key Cards and prompts you to select the ones you already know.

Finally, it asks whether you would choose the digital download version of a piece of software if a Game-Key Card was available.

If you're not aware, Game-Key Cards are a special type of Nintendo Switch 2 release. They are physical game cards that do no contain any substantial data. When inserted into a Nintendo Switch 2 system, they prompt a download of the game much like an eShop purchase.

You need to insert the Game-Key Card every time you want to access the title. The game takes up space on your system's internal storage, negating one of the big benefits of traditional game cards.

The only real benefit of a Game-Key Card is that it can be resold or swapped between multiple consoles freely, though in my eyes this isn't really worth the hassle.

The vast majority of Nintendo Switch 2 third-party releases have been Game-Key Cards, much to the disappointment of some players.

As sales of third-party software has reportedly been lower than expected, I suspect that this survey signals that Nintendo is re-evaluating its approach and hopefully will begin pushing developers towards traditional physical releases.

You might also like...

• 'Coming soon': IO Interactive issues update on fixes for Hitman performance problems on Nintendo Switch 2
• Donkey Kong Bananza has potentially been in development for nearly eight years: 'we started developing it after finishing Super Mario Odyssey'
• A new Nintendo Direct is reportedly scheduled for this month – here's what to expect and our predictions for the rumored broadcast

• The tubular bike comes in two guises, with a top speed of 53mph
• Its frame houses a removable battery that looks like a giant AA
• Prices start at €5,999 (around £5,200/$7,000/AU$10,600)

The story of Sol Motors is a long and slightly turbulent one, as the slightly bizarre, Pocket Rocket electric two-wheeler has been teased for many years but struggled to fully achieve lift off.

Now, the German innovators are ready to release their pipe-shaped urban transport into the wild, with pre-orders being taken now and delivery to anywhere in the world typically taking around 6-8 weeks from point of purchase.

Designed to be small, lightweight and practical, the Pocket Rocket comes in two guises that cover the full spectrum of license requirements in Germany (these will differ across markets).

The standard model, for example, has a peak power output of 6.5kW and is limited to a top speed of 45kph (just under 30mph), which makes it legal to ride on most moped or scooter licenses in Europe.

For those wanting more punch, there’s an S model that develops 8.5kW of peak power and can hit 85kph (or around 53mph), which will generally require an additional license.

Both models weigh just 87kg and offer an electric range of between 42 and 67 miles, depending on the version.

When it comes time to charge, the large tubular battery pack that is housed within the frame’s crossbar can be removed and charged in the house, office or apartment, with Sol even offering a stylish charging station to neatly hang the battery from.

What’s more, customers can buy additional battery packs for rapid swaps, although this will see the final bill increase other the tune of €1,695 (around £1,470/$2,000/AU$3,000).

Similarly, if you go wild with the online configurator, which offers a number of frame, fender and logo colors, the price starts to tickle the €8,000 (around £7,000/$9,300AU$14,200) mark.

Funky, fun but not for everyone

(Image credit: Sol Motors)

The emerging EV landscape has encouraged a number of start-ups to produce all manner of weird and whacky designs, but the Sol Pocket Rocket is up there with some of the strangest.

Why anyone would want to ride atop a drainage tube is anyone’s guess and ergonomically, it doesn’t look like a great options for particularly tall or very short users, as there’s not much in the way of adjustability.

But like Infinite Machine, which produces highly futuristic electric scooters and pedelecs, Sol Motors is offering something a bit different for those wanting lightweight, easy-to-maintain urban transport that turns heads.

Will it be the next big thing? Probably not. But will it raise a few smiles on the streets? Most definitely.

you might also like

• I rode the new Maeving RM1S – and it's the first truly convincing 125cc electric motorbike I've tried
• Royal Enfield has turned this classic WW2 bike into a next-gen EV range – and it might just take electric motorcycles mainstream
• Tesla introduces Grok AI into some of its cars, but it can’t control the vehicle… yet