TechRadar News

• Dell expands its range of PowerEdge servers to help with AI workloads
• Integrating AMD processors, some of the solutions offer big boosts to efficiency
• New servers will be available for purchase soon

Dell is looking to address the growing need for scalable, flexible and high performance infrastructure with a new PowerEdge server portfolio.

By integrating the latest AMD 5th Generation EPYC processors and advanced cooling systems, Dell is equipping enterprises with the tools needed to stay competitive.

The PowerEdge XE7745 server will be released in January 2025, while the PowerEdge R6715, R7715, R6725, and R7725 servers will be available as early as November 2024.

PowerEdge servers for enterprise AI workloads

One of the new offerings is the Dell PowerEdge XE7745 which is designed to support up to eight double-width or 16 single-width PCIe GPUs, utilizing AMD's 5th Generation EPYC processors. It comes in a 4U air-cooled chassis and is engineered specifically for AI inferencing, model fine-tuning, and high-performance computing (HPC). The server also features eight additional Gen 5.0 PCIe slots for network connectivity.

In addition, the PowerEdge R6725 and R7725 servers also use AMD 5th Generation EPYC processors and offer greater scalability for enterprises. Ptomized to handle high-demand workloads, Dell claims the R7725 server can deliver up to a 66% performance increase and a 33% boost in efficiency at the higher end of the performance spectrum.

All three of these platforms are capable of supporting up to 50% more cores, with a reported 37% improvement in performance per core. These performance upgrades offer enterprises the potential to consolidate older infrastructure, reducing the need for multiple servers and cutting CPU power consumption by up to 65%.

Dell has also introduced the PowerEdge R6715 and R7715 servers, both powered by AMD’s 5th Generation EPYC processors. These servers bring further efficiency gains and offer up to 37% more drive capacity, increasing storage density. These single-socket servers support various configurations, with up to 24 DIMMs (Dual In-line Memory Modules) to maximize performance.

Dell Technologies will continue supporting the latest AMD Instinct accelerators and IT teams will also benefit from the updated Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC). One key addition is Dell Generative AI Solutions with AMD, which integrates the PowerEdge XE9680 server and AMD Instinct MI300X accelerators, which aim to accelerate AI inferencing and customization, particularly in areas such as retrieval augmented generation (RAG), with these systems reducing time-to-value by up to 86%.

Also, the Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face now supports the PowerEdge XE9680 server, allowing for easier deployment of models such as Llama and Mixtral. These models are optimized to enhance AI inferencing performance and leverage Hugging Face's Text Generation Inference (TGI) back-end.

“By integrating AMD technology into the latest Dell servers, AI solutions and services through the Dell AI Factory, we’re providing the performance and efficiencies enterprises need today and in the future,” said Arthur Lewis, president, Infrastructure Solutions Group, Dell Technologies.

“Together with AMD, we are setting new standards in AI performance, giving enterprises powerful and cost-effective solutions essential for modern data-driven environments," Lewis concluded.

Via HPCwire

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• Music report reveals revenues now higher than global box office receipts
• The value of music sales and streaming has nearly doubled in a decade
• Revenues are growing 11% year on year, but artists aren't profiting

Here's a pair of facts we never thought we'd see: music is now a bigger business than cinema and vinyl is about to overtake CDs. That's according to a new report by Spotify's former chief economist (via MusicRadar), who's been tracking the value of the music business for a decade.

Will Page has spent ten years calculating the value of music copyrights and performing rights, which are the rights that generate payments when music is pressed onto records, streamed over Spotify or played on the radio. And the value of those copyrights has increased from $25 billion in 2014 to $45.5 billion now.

The movie business, by comparison, is a $33.2 billion business (see below). While music has soared movies have declined: box office revenues peaked globally in 2019 at $41.9 billion.

As the bar chart above shows, cinema is still struggling to recover from pandemic closures, whereas the value of music copyright has soared. That said, the comparison isn't a direct like-for-like, with live music also likely still recovering from forced closures a few years ago. (Image credit: IFPI Global Music Report, CISAC Global Collections Report, Music & Copyright and Will Page)

Music revenues aren't necessarily going to artists – most of the music money goes to multiple middlemen; not all musicians who play music wrote it, and writing music is where the most valuable copyrights are – but the report details some fascinating trends.

The vinyl revival

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In the US alone, Page says, vinyl will bring in $1 billion for record labels in 2024. That means vinyl revenues are about to overtake CDs, not just in the US but globally.

There's been a shift in how music generates money too. In 2023, revenues from live music performances overtook those for public performance licensing, which is when commercial premises such as shops or hotels pay a license to play music to their patrons.

Digital streaming, unsurprisingly, is now exceeding radio and other broadcasting; the latter used to account for over 50% compared to streaming's 5%, but streaming is the bigger money maker now.

And interestingly, there's been a significant increase in "glocalization". That's where artists from around the world sing in their own languages but have big hits elsewhere. For example, Colombian artists make more money from US streaming than they do from the entire Colombian music industry.

It's fascinating stuff, and you can get your music geek on by reading the full report.

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 series has been extensively leaked at this point, and along with information on the likely Samsung Galaxy S25 specs and Samsung Galaxy S25 price, we’ve also heard details of the possible colors.

Below, you’ll find every color that’s been leaked so far for the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, along with any accompanying imagery we've seen, and our analysis of how likely we might be to see it.

We’ll also be updating this article any time we hear additional Samsung Galaxy S25 colors news, so be sure to check back soon.

Samsung Galaxy S25 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus colors

Samsung typically sells standard and Plus Galaxy S models in the same colors, so we predict that any color the Samsung Galaxy S25 is available in, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus will be sold in too. Below, you’ll find the shades that have been leaked so far.

Note though that the Samsung Galaxy S24 is only available in seven shades, while eight colors have leaked below, so there’s a good chance at least one of these won’t be happening.

Moon Night Blue

A leaked image of a Galaxy S25 SIM card tray (Image credit: Roland Quandt)

Moon Night Blue is one shade we’ll apparently get the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus in, and this color was first leaked by Ross Young, who has a decent track record.

Since then though, we’ve also seen leaked images of SIM card trays supposedly for the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, courtesy of leaker Roland Quandt, one of which comes in a dark blue color, as you can see above.

Moon Night Blue certainly sounds dark, so these are probably one and the same, and with two reputable sources having leaked this shade we’d say it’s likely to feature. We hope it does too, because dark blue is an interesting color option.

Silver Shadow Image 1 of 2

A Samsung Galaxy S24 in Marble Gray (Image credit: Samsung)Image 2 of 2

A leaked image of a Galaxy S25 SIM card tray (Image credit: Roland Quandt)

Ross Young also mentioned a Silver Shadow shade for the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus, and this could be the same color as the leaked SIM card tray, pictured above. It could also perhaps look similar to the Marble Gray Samsung Galaxy S24.

If so, this would be a fairly understated and plain shade, but with a smart appearance that could appeal to a lot of people.

Sparking Blue / Sparkling Blue Image 1 of 3

A leaked image of a Samsung Galaxy S25 in blue (Image credit: Tarun Vats)Image 2 of 3

A leaked image of a Galaxy S25 SIM card tray (Image credit: Roland Quandt)Image 3 of 3

A Samsung Galaxy S24 in Sapphire Blue (Image credit: Samsung)

Ross Young also mentioned a Sparking Blue shade, and we’ve seen exactly how that might look in the leaked Galaxy S25 image above, shared by Tarun Vats, though they instead call it Sparkling Blue, so we’re not certain which name is right.

This shade can also be seen on a leaked SIM card tray, so between these three leaks it seems highly likely to feature. However, it might not be overly new, as it looks somewhat similar to the Samsung Galaxy S24 in Sapphire Blue.

Sparkling Green Image 1 of 2

A leaked image of the Galaxy S25 in green (Image credit: Tarun Vats)Image 2 of 2

A leaked image of a Galaxy S25 SIM card tray (Image credit: Roland Quandt)

Sparkling Green is another Samsung Galaxy S25 shade that has extensively leaked, with Ross Young mentioning it by that name, Tarun Vats sharing a picture of it, which you can see above, and Roland Quandt sharing a picture of a SIM card tray in a green shade, albeit a slightly different green.

So this again seems a very likely color for the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus.

Midnight Black Image 1 of 2

A Samsung Galaxy S24 in black (Image credit: Samsung)Image 2 of 2

A leaked image of a Galaxy S25 SIM card tray (Image credit: Roland Quandt)

One final shade that might be widely available is Midnight Black, which was also leaked by Ross Young, and included in the SIM card tray leak, as you can see above.

Black is an extremely common and popular smartphone color, so it’s no surprise we might be seeing this, and it could look something like the Onyx Black Samsung Galaxy S24, which you can also see above.

One thing to note though is that Young mentioned this color in relation to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus but not the base model. However, since Samsung usually offers both the standard and Plus models in the same shades, we doubt this would be an exception.

Pink Gold

A Samsung Galaxy S22 in Pink Gold (Image credit: Samsung)

Some or all of the Samsung Galaxy S25 colors above are likely to be widely sold, but based on past form we’d additionally expect a few shades that will be exclusively offered on Samsung’s online store, and Pink Gold is one of these.

This Galaxy S25 shade was also leaked by Ross Young but so far not by anyone else, so we’re less confident of this than the options above. Still, pink gold and variations on that are popular options, and indeed you can get the Samsung Galaxy S22 in a pink gold color, as pictured above, so there’s a good chance we will see this.

Blue/Gold

Another Samsung Galaxy S25 shade that’s likely to be a Samsung store exclusive according to Young is Blue/Gold, which sounds like an interesting and unusual choice, as well as likely being quite different to anything you can get the Samsung Galaxy S24 in.

However, not only has this only been leaked by one source, but there are two other blue shades above, so we’re not sure Samsung would really sell the Galaxy S25 in three versions of blue.

We’d take this with a pinch of salt then, and if it does exist it might lean more towards gold than blue.

Coral Red

A Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in Red (Image credit: Samsung)

The final leaked Samsung Galaxy S25 shade is Coral Red, and this once again comes just from Ross Young, and once again would probably be a Samsung store exclusive if it’s sold at all.

You can’t get any Samsung Galaxy S24 models in a red shade, but the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is available in red, as you can see above, so this might be something like that. In any case, this sounds like it would be one of the brightest and most eye-catching Samsung Galaxy S25 colors if it’s offered.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra colors

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will probably be sold in a completely different selection of shades to those above, and leaks have given us a good idea of what.

Titanium Black Image 1 of 2

A leaked Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra render (Image credit: Android Headlines / @OnLeaks)Image 2 of 2

A Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Black (Image credit: Samsung)

Ross Young also leaked some Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra colors, including Titanium Black, and a black Galaxy S25 Ultra shade has additionally been mentioned by leaker @UniverseIce.

So since this has been mentioned by two reputable sources we’d think it’s likely to happen, and it might look something like the black in the leaked Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra render above.

In fact though, you can already get the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Black, so it will probably look near identical to that.

Titanium Blue

A Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Blue (Image credit: Samsung)

Ross Young has also mentioned a Titanium Blue Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra shade, while @UniverseIce just calls it blue, but either way, some version of blue is looking likely.

We don’t have any imagery of this, but it will probably look like the Titanium Blue Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, pictured above.

Titanium Gray

A Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Gray (Image credit: Samsung)

Titanium Gray has also been mentioned by Ross Young as a Galaxy S25 Ultra color, while @UniverseIce refers to one shade just as ‘Titanium,’ which we suspect might be the same thing.

As with Titanium Blue there are no leaked images of this yet, but this is once again a shade you can get the Galaxy S24 Ultra in, as pictured above.

Titanium Silver

A Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra in Phantom Silver (Image credit: Samsung)

We’ve also heard of a Titanium Silver option for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from Ross Young, though this one hasn’t been mentioned by any other sources, so we’re less sure whether this color will actually be available or not. It could well be though, especially as silver is a popular, smart, and stylish shade.

It’s also a color that you can’t get the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in, but it could look something like the Phantom Silver Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Titanium Blue/Black

In addition to the shades above (which might be widely available) the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will probably also be available in a few additional colors that can only be purchased from Samsung’s online store, and Titanium Blue/Black is one of them according to Ross Young.

Since Titanium Blue and Titanium Black have both also been mentioned by this source, the Blue/Black option would presumably sit somewhere between them, and it’s not a shade that’s currently available, so it could be quite interesting.

That said, since it has only been mentioned by one source we wouldn’t yet count on seeing it.

Titanium Jade Green Image 1 of 2

A Samsung Galaxy S24 in Jade Green (Image credit: Samsung)Image 2 of 2

A Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Green (Image credit: Samsung)

Titanium Jade Green is another possible Samsung store-exclusive mentioned by Ross Young, while @UniverseIce has similarly mentioned a green shade.

This color would probably look something like the Jade Green Samsung Galaxy S24 or the Titanium Green Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, both of which are pictured above.

Titanium Pink Gold

Finally, Ross Young has mentioned Titanium Pink Gold as a possible Samsung store-exclusive for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and this might look something like the Pink Gold Samsung Galaxy S22 pictured further up.

Pink Gold and Rose Gold shades seem to be widespread in smartphones, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see it show up here.

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #538) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• ROCK
• PALM
• FAST
• MODERN
• NAIL
• SWING
• SCREW
• KNUCKLE
• POCKET
• ACE
• TAP
• SWIPE
• CURVE
• JAZZ
• LIFT
• CRUSH

NYT Connections today (game #538) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Shake your moves
• Green: Take without permission
• Blue: Make a big success of it
• Purple: From the mound

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 #538) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: DANCE STYLES
• GREEN: STEAL
• BLUE: PERFORM WELL ON
• PURPLE: ___BALL PITCHES

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

NYT Connections today (game #538) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #538, are…

• YELLOW: DANCE STYLES JAZZ, MODERN, SWING, TAP
• GREEN: STEAL LIFT, PALM, POCKET, SWIPE
• BLUE: PERFORM WELL ON ACE, CRUSH, NAIL, ROCK
• PURPLE: ___BALL PITCHES CURVE, FAST, KNUCKLE, SCREW

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 mistakes

The days on which I solve purple are not all that frequent, so I was pleased to NAIL it today. Or maybe I should say to ACE it. Or CRUSH it or ROCK it. Except no, that group – PERFORM WELL – was the blue one that I solved by default, though I think I would have got it if I'd have needed to.

Instead, purple was ___BALL PITCHES, with CURVE, FAST, KNUCKLE and SCREW, and despite previously having complained about how regularly the NYT puts baseball or other mainly US-only sports into Connections, somehow I got this one. Admittedly, it's among the easier purple groups; I made a couple of incorrect guesses before getting it, because SCREW didn't occur to me, but the other three are well known and feature in my preferred sport, cricket, too.

Yellow and green, meanwhile, were both fairly easy, making this a reasonably approachable Connections game overall.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 29 November, game #537)

• YELLOW: UNDERTAKING ENDEAVOR, ENTERPRISE, PROJECT, VENTURE
• GREEN: UNITS HERTZ, MOLE, SECOND, VOLT
• BLUE: M.L.B. TEAM MEMBER NATIONAL, RAY, TIGER, TWIN
• PURPLE: FIRST WORDS OF HBO SHOWS BOARDWALK, CURB, GAME, SILICON

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.

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

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

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

NYT Strands today (game #272) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Yas Queen!

NYT Strands today (game #272) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BLOW
• BOWL
• POSE
• DOSE
• MOSS
• MOSSY

NYT Strands today (game #272) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Mercuryial

NYT Strands today (game #272) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 3rd row

Last: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #272) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #272, are…

• WIND
• LIFE
• COME
• EASY
• REAL
• BLOWS
• FANTASY
• SPANGRAM: BOHEMIANRHAPSODY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 4 hints

Honestly, this one completely baffled me. I've been asking the NYT puzzle setters to make Strands harder for ages, so I'm not complaining when I get a difficult one – but I simply did not make the connection between these words at all until after I'd uncovered the spangram, which was at the very end of my game.

I'm blaming the theme clue here of Yas! Queen, mainly because it meant nothing at all to me. I am old and out of touch and didn't even know this was a phrase, so I was completely thrown by it. Obviously the Queen aspect should have given it away, but no. To add to that, the answers here are all common words, and I didn't put them together mentally to be the lyrics to BOHEMIANRHAPSODY. All my fault, no complaints.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, 29 November, game #271)

• CHILL
• RELAX
• UNWIND
• PAUSE
• LOAF
• LOUNGE
• LUXURIATE
• SPANGRAM: DOWNTIME

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.

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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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

Quordle today (game #1041) - 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 #1041) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #1041) - 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 #1041) - 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 #1041) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• M

• S

• C

• T

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

Quordle today (game #1041) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1041, are…

• MAMMA
• SNUCK
• CRYPT
• TAROT

MAMMA must be one of the worst possible answers to turn up in Quordle (or Wordle). There are very few five-letter words that contain only two letters, but this is one and it nearly tripped me up today. I very much doubt I'm the only one.

Given that TAROT and CRYPT are also challenging answers for different reasons – repeated T in the first, no vowels in the second – this has the potential to be a very tough game of Quordle indeed. I solved it thanks to some luck with my start words, but it required more thought than is often the case.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1041) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1041, are…

• CRIME
• PENCE
• OLIVE
• ANGER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1040, Friday 29 November: JOIST, DROOL, DUSKY, GLIDE
• Quordle #1039, Thursday 28 November: GRADE, WORRY, NOISE, DAISY
• Quordle #1038, Wednesday 27 November: HEART, ROGUE, INEPT, UTILE
• Quordle #1037, Tuesday 26 November: PRIED, FAINT, HURRY, WOOER
• Quordle #1036, Monday 25 November: NUDGE, SNOOP, SHACK, DRYLY
• Quordle #1035, Sunday 24 November: CLOTH, CLAMP, PETTY, CHEST
• Quordle #1034, Saturday 23 November: AVOID, PLANT, FILET, TWIRL
• Quordle #1033, Friday 22 November: CUTIE, ALOOF, ETUDE, SILLY
• Quordle #1032, Thursday 21 November: RABBI, EAGER, COUGH, BRASH
• Quordle #1031, Wednesday 20 November: MINTY, TOPAZ, BRUSH, LAPEL
• Quordle #1030, Tuesday 19 November: NINJA, PENCE, PAINT, FOIST
• Quordle #1029, Monday 18 November: ASCOT, BRINK, WEIRD, HOMER
• Quordle #1028, Sunday 17 November: STATE, BRAWN, SWORE, URBAN
• Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND
• Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM
• Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT
• Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY
• Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT
• Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY
• Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE

Grok is heading to mobile devices, according to a Wall Street Journal report. xAI CEO Elon Musk is planning to launch a standalone app for his Grok chatbot to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and other AI chatbots like Google Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude.

Like the web version of Grok, the mobile app would likely use the Grok-2 model. The most recent iteration of the Grok line of models, Grok-2, offers similar conversational abilities to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots but is boosted with real-time information from X.

Grok is not universally available even from the web, and interacting with the AI chatbot requires a subscription to X Premium or Premium+. Going mobile might change that limitation, opening up at least a limited free-tier version of Grok in an app.

xAI certainly has the capital to pursue both making an app and making it more available. The company has seen a huge influx of investment that sets it up as a rare OpenAI rival with a real chance at carving away users. Setting up a standalone app for Grok suggests xAI has ambitions in that direction. With its own app, xAI can offer Grok to people who may not have an interest in X as a social media platform but who are still intrigued by what an AI chatbot could do for them.

Grok and go

ChatGPT is undoubtedly the most formidable rival Grok would face in the mobile app market, but is hardly the only one. Gemini, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and many others are quickly launching and upgrading mobile apps with whatever features and abilities the companies believe will entice more people to download the app.

xAI also has to work out how much appeal Grok will have divorced from its context on X. The ability to search through the social media platform is a major selling point for Grok, but would those who don't care about the controversial social media platform still use Grok? And would those who see value in X not just use Grok on the X app?

The details of the app, like whether it will include the Flux AI image creator, aren't clear, though it would be an obvious feature to add if it's not in the initial rollout. Regardless, the laid-back approach to copyright and trademark evident in Grok might also be a problem as it might open up more chances for people to get in trouble for making images of Mario if Nintendo's copyright infringement hunter Tracer goes after them for infringement, as happened on X.

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Black Friday 2024 is looking a little different this year, and it’s all thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence. Forget aimlessly scrolling through endless deals or juggling ten tabs to find the best price when you can turn to AI tools to make shopping more effective and less stressful. Many people are embracing tools like ChatGPT and other AI assistants to streamline the chaos and score serious savings. A report from Boston Consulting Group found that 38% of people either have used or plan to use AI for Black Friday shopping this year. And 44% of shoppers will rely on AI assistants for their holiday shopping, according to a survey by Attest.

The appeal is obvious. Instead of spending hours comparing prices or digging through reviews, you can let AI handle the heavy lifting. Need to find the lowest price on a new laptop? AI can scan dozens of retailers in seconds. Wondering if that fancy espresso machine is worth it? AI can summarize reviews and highlight what people love – or hate – about it. It’s like having a super-savvy shopping buddy who never gets tired.

This year, more shoppers than ever are leaning into AI for their Black Friday strategies. A growing number of people are using AI tools specifically to navigate holiday deals, especially those familiar with the technology. The Attest report found that 56% of AI users leverage the tools to find bargains. AI is also helpful in getting personalized recommendations for gifts and finding items on sale for yourself that you might have missed.

AI Shopping Pals

Retailers are certain to be as happy about AI as the customers if it can boost sales. And, so far, people seem to like using AI tools this way, with 70% of consumers reporting that generative AI tools enhance their shopping experience, according to a WHOP report. Some already have internal AI shopping helpers. Both Amazon and Google use AI to aid shoppers (and encourage more sales) within their own shopping ecosystems, and you'll likely see a growing number of retailers implement AI directly in a similar fashion.

Of course, AI's failings don't vanish at the holidays, so there are plenty of scams that either use AI or that your AI shopping companion might fall for. Watch out for any fake deal site your AI pal directs you towards. With that caveat, you can mostly rely on AI to at least direct you to some good products and bargains. And maybe you won't have to deal with any holiday FOMO over an amazing sale you missed amid the flurry.

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• Raspberry Pi has launched its 5-based Compute Module 5 (CM5)
• Users can get an upgraded I/O board and other accessories for it
• Available to buy from just $45, with multiple configurations

Raspberry Pi has unveiled its latest modular variant of its single-board computer.

Essentially a stripped-back version of the Raspberry Pi 5, the Compute Module 5 (CM5) comes a decade after the first Compute Module, launched in 2014.

CEO Eben Upton said he recognized not all applications are suited to the Pi 5’s design and peripherals, plus users want more control over how and where they set up their SBCs, hence the stripped-down Compute Module.

Raspberry Pi CM5

The simplified design and abundance of configuration options, both in terms of components and hardware accessories, are designed to cater to the needs of Raspberry Pi commercial customers.

The CM5's compact form factor and lack of traditional ports make it ideal for the industrial and embedded sectors, which accounted for around three-quarters (70-80%) of Raspberry Pi sales in 2023.

It uses a 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU with 2GB, 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM – Upton suggested that a 16GB variant could become available in 2025. It’s also configurable with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of MLC eMMC non-volatile memory, and includes Gigabit Ethernet and PCIe 2.0 support.

The CEO also confirmed that CM5 is mechanically compatible with its predecessor, CM4, which means that users can upgrade their single-board computers without having to upgrade other parts of their infrastructure. It fits M2.5 screws in each corner of the board for mounting the device.

CM5 is configurable thanks to a new range of accessories, including an upgraded USB-C powered I/O board with a standard 40-pin GPIO connector, two HDMI 2.0 connectors, two USB 3.0 connectors, a Gigabit Ethernet jack with PoE+ support, a microSD card socket and more.

The I/O board is also available with an enclosed case, which positions the ports all on one side of the neat box. It’s sold with an integrated fan, which connects to the board’s four-pin fan connector.

Other equipment includes a cooler, an antenna kit and a development kit, which bundles together a pre-configured CM5, the I/O board, the case, the cooler, the antenna and more.

Priced alone, the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 is available to buy from $45.

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DJI, the maker the world's best drones, has launched a powerful new add-on battery for its Power 1000 portable power station.

Those pieces of kit are, of course, designed to provide you with a beefy source of power to charge your various devices when you’re out in the wilds somewhere. And the twist with the Power 1000 is that it offers a special port for charging drones (DJI models, or otherwise with the appropriate cable).

The new DJI Power Expansion Battery 2000 is exactly what its name suggests, an expansion battery that you can hook up to the Power 1000 via a cable, stacking neatly on top of the original unit.

The expansion module gives you 2,048Wh of capacity on top of the 1,024Wh from the Power 1000, considerably ramping it up to 3,072Wh. That’s not enough for you?

Well, you can chain up to five of these expansion batteries together with the Power 1000, to get a maximum capacity of 11,264Wh.

Of course, having a giant power bank boasting that kind of capacity with you when you’re out and about will go a long way to keeping whatever you’re carrying charged up, a drone included.

DJI notes that the expansion batteries are easy to stack and store, and the Power 1000 and Expansion Battery 2000 units have the ports all on the same side. The expansion unit has two SDC ports only, for attaching to the Power 1000, and a second expansion battery if you’re daisy-chaining an extra unit (and you can chain up to five in this way as mentioned).

Coffee and a parasol

Because everybody needs a good supply of steaming hot drinks when you’re on a steaming hot beach, naturally. (Image credit: DJI)

DJI tells us that in combination with the Power 1000, the Power Expansion Battery 2000 can deliver a continuous power supply of 2,400W (and it can be pushed to 2,600W for 15 minutes), meaning it can power 99% of everyday electrical appliances.

So, as the above press photo clearly illustrates, if you want to run your coffee machine on the beach, you can do so with these DJI batteries. Because everybody needs a good supply of steaming hot drinks when you’re on a steaming hot beach, naturally.

When charging the Power 1000 plus an expansion battery, DJI’s own figures indicate you can fast charge to 1,024Wh in approximately 36 minutes, if you need a dollop of power quickly.

The DJI Power Expansion Battery 2000 is going to be available soon, and retails at $1,169 or £1,049 – so the catch, if you want five of them for a whopping setup, is that you’re looking at over five grand.

In our DJI Power 500 portable power station review we found it to be an impressive device, with that very useful trick of being able to charge your drones. Although if you don’t need the latter functionality, we observed that there are better options out there among the best portable power stations.

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• Microsoft introduces Azure Boost DPU to handle data-centric workloads
• Specifically for Azure, integrates compute, storage, and networking
• Custom hardware-software design boosts efficiency, lowers power needs

Traditional CPUs excel at general-purpose tasks but struggle to manage multiplexed streams from millions of network connections. GPUs, while effective for AI computations, are similarly not well-suited to these specialized workloads. To address this, the Data Processing Unit (DPU) was developed as a new class of silicon to complement CPUs and GPUs in large-scale data centers and efficiently handle high-volume processes.

At its recent Ignite event, Microsoft announced the Azure Boost DPU, a new SoC created in-house specifically for Azure.

The company’s new DPU is designed to tackle challenges in cloud and AI environments, improve security, and efficiently manage large-scale workloads across networks. Its introduction marks a key step toward the disaggregation of the data center, a growing trend that separates compute, storage, and networking functions into specialized hardware to improve efficiency and scalability.

Hardware and software co-design

“As part of our comprehensive approach to optimizing Azure infrastructure, we are working hard to remove infrastructure constraints that stand in the way of delivering customer value - whether from performance bottlenecks or resource limitations,” said Pradeep Sindhu, Corporate VP Silicon at Microsoft.

"We are innovating at every layer of the stack, from silicon to systems to software, to enhance the security, efficiency, performance, agility, and scale of our infrastructure."

Azure Boost DPU integrates high-speed Ethernet, PCIe interfaces, storage engines, and security features into a single, fully programmable SoC. Its custom hardware-software co-design delivers higher performance and lower power consumption, enabling the DPU to handle cloud storage workloads with three times less power and four times the performance of traditional CPUs, according to Microsoft.

By addressing key bottlenecks, Azure Boost DPU can meet the evolving demands of cloud and AI applications, while improving security through its tightly integrated data protection, and cryptography engines.

“Azure Boost DPU is the newest addition to our family of infrastructure enhancements through hardware innovation. As we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, we remain committed to delivering innovations that make our infrastructure more capable, efficient, and scalable to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Sindhu said.

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• Netflix has released a new trailer for Virgin River season 6
• The trailer teases drama and romance as Mel and Jack tie the knot
• Virgin River was renewed for season 7 before season 6 has aired

Netflix has released the official trailer for Virgin River season 6 and I'm already swooning at Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack's (Martin Henderson) dreamy wedding.

After the best streaming service announced that Virgin River season 6 would be released on December, 19, Netflix released a first teaser trailer that recapped Mel and Jack's most romantic moments across the five seasons. Now, Netflix has released the full official Virgin River season 6 trailer that takes the (wedding) cake when it comes to drama and romance – hey, it wouldn't be Virgin River without it, right?

In the official trailer (see below) Mel and Jack get ready to say yes to forever at their spring wedding, meanwhile Brie (Zibby Allen) and Mike's (Marco Grazzini) relationship gets more serious, but there could be a potential love triangle forming as it looks like she might still have feelings for her ex Brady (Ben Hollingsworth). While it's oh-so-romantic, it's also dramatic as someone is airlifted in a helicopter and Denny (Kai Bradbury) and Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) come to terms with having a baby while he manages his Huntington's diagnosis.

We also get a glimpse at Mel with her biological father Everett (John Allen Nelson), who she reunited with on Christmas Day and all of our other favorite Virgin River residents as they go through their own personal hardships in season 6. The trailer also features a younger version of Mel's parents, Sarah (Jessica Rothe) and Everett (Callum Kerr), as Virgin River season 6 flashes back to how they met and fell in love in the 1970s.

There's more celebrations in store

“You ready for this?” Mel asks Jack at the start of the trailer, while we won't hear his answer until December 19 (I'm sure it's a yes), there's even more good news in store as the best Netflix show has been renewed for season 7 with filming set to begin in 2025.

Netflix officially confirmed the news, posting a video on social media with the cast announcing that Virgin River is coming back for another installment.

Good news, VIRGIN RIVER is confirmed to come back for Season 7! More love, drama, and small-town charm coming your way. You're very welcome ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WcJYNko3HTOctober 23, 2024

This means that Virgin River season 7 could be released in late 2025 or early 2026 where we'll potentially see the couple happily married and maybe even a baby on the way following Mel's heartbreaking miscarriage.

For now though, I'll be getting the tissues ready for Mel and Jack's wedding long-awaited nuptials this festive season.

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Podcasts can be a great way to learn complex subjects, but not everything you're reading has been discussed in an episode. AI audio maker ElevenLabs is solving that with a new feature that reshapes documents you upload into an audio show with virtual hosts discussing the subject matter. The newGenFM feature is part of the ElevenLabs Reader App and will turn any mix of PDFs, articles, and digital books into your own personal podcast episodes.

The new feature shares many similarities with Google NotebookLM, which uses Google Gemini AI models to turn documents into podcast-style shows where synthetic personalities discuss whatever you've uploaded to each other. As with Google's feature, GenFM analyzes the information you upload and produces a synthetic podcast with two AI co-hosts discussing the material. GenFM even attempts to match the voices to the topic under discussion.

If you're an auditory learner or need to absorb information while doing other things, GenFM is likely to appeal to you. That said, while GenFM restricts itself to the documents you upload, you'll likely still want to be wary of any accidental hallucinations or misunderstood data. You can see and hear some examples in the demo video below.

AI podcast future

Though GenFM and Google NotebookLM are pursuing the same kind of product, ElevenLabs' AI-generated podcast efforts are a step beyond Google's. NotebookLM is currently limited to the web and can only make shows in English. In contrast, GenFM's AI hosts can converse in 32 languages. Still, both tools cater to more diverse ways of learning and lifestyles.

The potential demand from students alone will likely justify the work behind GenFM. And, unlike some other ways AI composition tools are used in academia, this doesn't raise ethical questions about cheating or plagiarism. They also increase accessibility to those with impaired vision who don't want to hear a long document read out when they could hear a podcast about it. They also democratize access to information, enabling individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties to engage with content more easily.

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• Push-to-talk app Zello warns users to change their passwords immediately
• It also told them to change the passwords for any other online service where they use the same one
• The company did not explain what happened

Push-to-talk communications app Zello has warned users to change their passwords - and although it did not state why it was asking them to do so, the wording of the message suggests that the company suffered a data breach.

“Zello Security Notice - As a precaution, we are asking that you reset your Zello app password for any account created before November 2nd, 2024,” the warning reads, reported BleepingComputer.

This would suggest that login information for all accounts created before this date were exposed with unauthorized third parties. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean that the company was hacked.

Trust, but verify

Furthermore, information about such databases could have been shared with third-party partners, or other unauthorized entities, by mistake.

In any case, Zello is urging users to lock down their accounts: “We also recommend that you change passwords for any other online service where you may have used the same password.”

When storing passwords and other sensitive data, most organizations would encrypt them in a way that makes it almost impossible to read. Given the stark warning in this announcement, we could speculate that the Zello passwords were stored in plaintext, or in other easily readable format.

Zello is a push-to-talk communication app that functions like a walkie-talkie, enabling real-time voice messaging over Wi-Fi or mobile data. It is widely used for team collaboration, emergency response, and social interactions, offering private and public channels with low latency and high audio quality. Notably, it suffered a cyberattack in 2020, when it also asked all users to reset their passwords - raising fears this could have happened again.

The app is available for Android, iOS, and desktop devices, and reportedly has roughly around 140 million users.

Companies often keep large databases with sensitive data exposed on the internet, inadvertently. However, white hat hackers and security researchers often beat criminals to the punch with these discoveries, alerting the firms before significant harm can be done.

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• Haru encourages children to more enthusiastically react to their treatment
• Successful trial in Spain will lead to wider robot rollout
• Honda is looking at ways to expand its empathetic robot line-up

Honda is renowned for its quirky approach to robotics, demonstrating a wide remit of applications that span self-balancing motorcycles to innovative autonomous wheelchairs that can automatically adjust height so users can interact with others at eye-level.

Now it has added an AI-powered carer to that list, which has been introduced to a hospital in Seville, Spain, to help very sick pediatric patients through their treatments.

Dubbed Haru, the 12-inch desktop robot features dual screens, which act as both digital displays and eyes for better human-machine interaction, as well as an LED-infused base that doubles-up as a mouth.

It looks a little bit like a mash-up of a frog and Johnny 5 from legendary sci-fi movies Short Circuit – albeit minus the cool tank tracks that allowed Johnny to whizz around the place like a lunatic.

But underneath the cutesy exterior, Haru has played a very serious role in assisting and enhancing the lives of children undergoing long-term treatment in hospital.

(Image credit: Honda)

According to Honda, 95% of young cancer patients became more actively engaged with their rehabilitation since trials began at the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital (HUVR) in 2021.

Packing numerous cameras and microphones, Haru harnesses the power of advanced AI to analyze the facial expressions and voice tones of patients and feedback accordingly. It can then use empathetic expressions and offer emotionally supportive responses to the children.

What's more, the dual screens can also connect patients to the classroom, so they can continue their education and catch up with fellow students via a video link from hospital.

Not simply a gizmo to spread a little joy, Haru is also helping neuropsychologists more efficiently undertake emotional and cognitive assessments of their patients.

Thanks to the data gathered by the robot, as well as wider biometric information collected by smartwatches and wearables connected to Haru, hospital staff say the potential to increase the number of assessments conducted per year is almost nine times the current amount, leaping from 510 to as many as 4,500.

(Image credit: Honda)

A spokesperson for the HUVR in Seville said that Haru holds great potential in bringing happiness to children, but also that is a refreshing change from the usual technologies used in hospitals, which typically focus on medical treatments or physical well-being.

“Haru has a positive psychological effect of lightening the mood of our young patients and also contributes to the well-being of the hospital as a whole,” the spokesperson added.

Following the successful three-year trial, Honda will now deliver 10 social robots to the same hospital in Seville, with a view to develop Haru as a “tangible AI system to be part of a society where robots can coexist as partners and facilitate communications that create connections among people,” Satoshi Shigemi, from Honda's research institute, claims.

Analysis: Technology for good

(Image credit: Honda)

One of Honda’s founding principles is “using our technology to help people” and it has historically been forthcoming in its work surrounding robots that it hopes will one day support our daily lives.

The company’s ASIMO robot has been a great showcase for what it is able to achieve, while its experimental Walking Assist Device and Uni-One hands-free personal mobility system have the potential to, one day, genuinely improve the quality of life for those living with disabilities.

However, it feels as if Honda’s social robot, Haru, is the first of its numerous innovations to be adopted following a successful trial period. Honda says the trial is now moving to "fully-fledge utilization of the robot", with 10 units being introduced to the Spanish hospital’s pediatric oncology unit until 2027.

The fact it has also already helped so many children with their ongoing treatment is a great example of AI being used for good. It doesn’t always have to be linked to a dystopian future where the robots take over.

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(Image credit: Future/Sony)

The Black Friday PS5 deals are here and they are even bringing with them bona fide PS5 Pro discounts, as well as a host of sales and price cuts on complementing games and accessories.

I've been tracking gaming hardware and PlayStation deals, writing about gaming tech for years, and covering sales periods for years now. That includes covering the PS5 stock shortage of a few years ago, as well as covering record-low prices on a host of the best and our favorite gaming tech across the years. As a result, I know how to find the best deals, and what the best deals look like on all things PlayStation.

• See all of today's best deals at Amazon

The Black Friday PS5 deals are always a staple of the November sales period and represent the best time to invest in hardware and accessory upgrades as well as pick up the latest and greatest games going too. This year, we've got the introduction of the PS5 Pro to contend with too, and I'm hoping for some value-busting bundles on that machine that will include the disc drive and vertical stand at a reduced retail price - or, at the very least, a restock to make it easier to buy a PS5 disc drive.

Will we see 30th Anniversary stock? Unlikely on the whole, but we have seen some PS5 bundles throwing in the 30th Anniversary DualSense today which is at least something.

Away from that new console, be it PS5 Slim bundles, or discounts on the best PS5 headsets, controllers, storage solutions, or PS5 and PS5 Pro-enhanced games, I'm here to guide you through the swathes of deals and discounts we'll across the whole Black Friday period. And we'll start with a few of my top picks.

US Black Friday PS5 deals - quick links

• PS5 Pro: Walmart's got the best Pro price
• PS5 Slim consoles: Save $75 on both Slim models
• PS5 Slim bundles: Get the Fortnite Cobalt bundle for $75 off
• Controllers: Save up to $31 on all DualSense pads
• Games: Save $20 on Silent Hill 2, Metaphor: Refantazio
• Headsets: Get $20 off the official Pulse Elite headset
• SSDs: Get our favorite SSD for $100 off
• TVs: Pick up our favorite OLED TV for PS5 for its lowest-ever price
• Monitors: Get the five-star Samsung OLED G8 for a record-low price

UK Black Friday PS5 deals - quick links

• PS5 Pro: Get the Pro for just £659 at EE
• PS5 Slim consoles: Pick up the disc Slim console for under £400
• PS5 Slim bundles: Save up to £90 on Slim bundles at Currys
• Controllers: Save over £20 on all DualSense pads
• Games: Save on Astro Bot, Stellar Blade, and more
• Headsets: Get my favorite PS5 headset for a record-low price
• SSDs: Get 2TB PS5 SSDs with heatsink from just £115
• TVs: Pick up our top-budget gaming TV for a lowest-ever
• Monitors: 4K PS5 monitors from £199

My top US Black Friday PS5 deals

The PS5 Pro itself remains in steady stock in the US with a whole host of retailers offering ways to buy the upgraded console.

Also in stock at: $699.99 at Amazon | $699.99 at Target | $699.99 at Best Buy | $699.99 at PlayStation DirectView Deal

If you're after the best-value PS5 Slim console as well as the best-value bundle, then this Fortnite Cobalt Star listing at Walmart is the way to go.View Deal

If you're happy to go digital then the same price cut is available on the Fortnite PS5 Slim Digital Edition bundle and represents excellent value for money if you haven't jumped into all things PS5 yet.View Deal

Adding an extra controller to your setup is never a bad thing and Black Friday is almost always the best time of year to buy a DualSense. Luckily all the colorwayts under the sun(almost) are discounted, but starting with the original white one is always worth a shout.View Deal

The Sony Bravia 8 4K TV is our pick for the best PS5 OLED TV and will be a brilliant companion for any PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro this holiday. Our Sony Bravia 8 review will shine a more detailed light on why.View Deal

Horizon Forbidden West is probably the best-looking game on a console I've ever seen since testing it for my PS5 Pro review this month. It's one of the best games to get first for Pro owners and a superb one for a Christmas list for any PS5 player. Ten bucks off is nothing to sniff at either, which is also its lowest-ever price.View Deal

The Nova 5 is my favorite gaming headset of this year and is exceptional value at this price. Offering supreme comfort, brilliant audio quality, and battery life, as well as excellent flexibility when used in tandem with the Arctis Companion App, this is all the PS5 headset you'll ever need.View Deal

The PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds at their lowest-ever price in the US makes for a much more compelling proposition. They've never offered better value and this brings their price down right into the face of the competition. Go planar for less with this deal.View Deal

This new lowest-ever price for Astro Bot is the easiest PS5 game deal recommendation I can make in 2024 - I've just completed it myself and am so close to the platinum. It's easily one of the top games to play on PS5 and a bargain at this price just a few months after release.View Deal

If you're looking for a quality 4K gaming monitor to team with your PS5 Pro or PS5, then this Acer model is worth considering with over $120 off its list price. It's got a 28-inch panel, so isn't too massive, and channels all that make Acer screens great with loads of ports, a 1ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate and it's also G-Sync compatible for PC gaming too. It's only $20 or so off its lowest-ever price right now.View Deal

This is a brilliant game deal with the Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition now at a new lowest-ever price. This version of the critically acclaimed horror mystery game includes all the DLC and even a free copy of Alan Wake Remastered for the complete experience. Plus, it's PS5 Pro enhanced for good measure.View Deal

My top UK Black Friday PS5 deals

Amazon is our top pick for making a PS5 Pro order today, but the new, mid-generation upgraded console is in stock at a host of others right now too.

Also in stock at: £699 at Amazon | £689.99 at Argos | £699 at Very | £689 at Currys | £699.99 at PlayStation DirectView Deal

For those in the UK looking for the best-value PS5 bundle (or console deal generally, to be honest) then the Fortnite bundle is for you offering a few free Fortnite discounted console. Nice.View Deal

Digital gaming fans in the UK looking for a new PS5 can get the Digital Edition PlayStation 5 console for a massively discounted rate this Black Friday too. Yup, it's got the Fortnite bits in it too which makes it slightly better value.View Deal

The DualSense controllers are discounted in the UK too, with prices dropping across the whole color range which is excellent news for those who need another or are building a collection (like me).View Deal

This new lowest-ever price makes the premium Alienware AW3225QF QD-OLED monitor the best value it's ever been. If you're looking for a premium beauty of a screen to go with your PS5 Pro or PS5 then look no further than this. Add code AFF5MON to get another 5% off and get it down to the above price.View Deal

This white variant of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is the same price as the black version but, being white, is more in-keeping with the slick PS5 aesthetic. It's a brilliant headset, and this new lowest-ever price makes it a great hit for those looking to go big this month.View Deal

The Pulse Explore earbuds are excellent value for money at this price and probably should have launched at this rate to begin with. They offer exceptional audio and are perfect for anyone on PS5 or PlayStation Portal.View Deal

This chunky discount takes the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro wireless gaming headset down a few notches and to a much more tempting (though still premium) proposition at £199. If you've been after a top-end gaming headset for less then this is a fine one to consider.View Deal

While EE doesn't list this as an official discount, it certainly is one with the Portal not receiving a price cut from Sony, and still retailing at its MSRP of £199.99 almost everywhere else. Regardless, this is a solid price on the PS5 remote play device and could make an excellent augmentation to any new PS5 Pro setup.View Deal

This edition of one of 2023's finest bags you all the expansions as well as the base game and only came out recently too! A neat saving of a fiver is very welcome and it's also one of the best Pro-enhanced games you can get right now.View Deal

The DualSense Edge is a superb premium PS5 controller that's usually just a touch too expensive to recommend. This current sale price is more in line with similar controllers on the market, and thus it's much easier to recommend currently.View Deal

This is a terrific price to bag Assassin's Creed Mirage, with John Lewis offering it for less than 15 quid. It's a new lowest-ever price and is absolutely worth it at this low price.View Deal

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one of the sleeper hits of the year and is an absolute banger if you're into third-person action shooters. Even better if you're a Warhammer 40K fan. Even better at this new lowest-ever price.View Deal

The big day is here! Black Friday has finally arrived and there's going to be so many deals and discounts to sift through and peruse!

It's the biggest shopping day of the year and there's so much PS5 hardware and games to save on. I'm back to help you find what you need among this year's Black Friday PS5 deals and PS5 Pro discounts.

(Image credit: Future)

There's almost no better place to start our coverage than the best prices on Sony's latest console, the PS5 Pro. Admittedly, though, this one is more exciting for our UK readers.

Our pick is the discount at EE, and for two reasons. First, it's a solid discount of 41 quid off the retail price of the console, but the shop is also offering an attractive trade-in offer that could see you bag up to £260 for your old console (a trade-in value that's then boosted by a code emailed to you).

This would take your cash outlay on a new PS5 Pro down to £399 which is pretty attractive if you were thinking of upgrading and definitely cements this as the best route to maximizing the value of a PS5 Pro in the UK.

Readers in the US have a much more limited scope for value right now, sadly. However, as long as Walmart continues to ignore the 99 cents of the list price, then that's the place to get your Pro from stateside.

US - PS5 Pro: $699 at Walmart

UK - PS5 Pro: was £699.99 now £659.99 at EE

(Image credit: Future)

Actually, maybe an even better starting point would be the best PS5 Slim prices we've seen in ages - nay, ever!

These prices are for the console only but represent the lowest-ever prices and thus the best-ever time to jump into this generation of PlayStation gaming.

As a PlayStation expert and somewhat fanboy, let me tell you that it is so worth it and these are brilliant prices to jump in on.

US - PS5 Slim: was $499.99 now $424 at Walmart

US - PS5 Slim Digital Edition: was $449.99 now $374 at Walmart

UK - PS5 Slim: was £479.99 now £399 at Amazon

UK - PS5 Digital Edition: was £389.99 now £309 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

Now on to the video games! There are plenty of offers to get your hands on this Black Friday but this is a cracker.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a personal favorite of mine from last year, and one of the best action-adventure games on the PS5. This US offer has been cut down to below half price, saving you $39 total, and the UK price is now distinctly impulse-purchase worthy...

US - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor: was $69.99 now $30 at Walmart

UK - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor: was £28.95 now £24.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

And if you're planning on stocking up on said games this Black Friday, then you might well be in need of some extra storage. Lucky for you, I've found an excellent deal for one of the best SSDs for external use.

The Seagate Game Drive for PS5 offers 5TB of storage, which is plenty of space for anyone, and perfect if you're taking a big library of PS4 games with you onto the Pro.

US - Seagate Game Drive for PS5 5TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive: was $169.99 now $124 at Walmart.

UK - Seagate Game Drive for PS5 5TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive: was £132.93 now £112.59 at Amazon.

(Image credit: Future)

Moving to PS5 accessories, this next deal may give you cause to skip Sony's fancy DualSense Edge as another PS5 "pro" controller is now 25% off at Amazon in the US, and heavily discounted in the UK too.

While a bit more on the expensive side, even with the price cut, I think it's totally worth it for the standout features alone. This controller is officially licensed for PlayStation gaming, as well as PC, and boasts trigger stops, mappable buttons, Bluetooth audio, and more.

US - NACON Revolution 5 Pro Wireless Gaming Controller: was $199.99 now $149.99 at Amazon

UK - NACON Revolution 5 Pro Wireless Gaming Controller: was $199.99 now £159.99 at Argos

(Image credit: Future)

As folks finish work in the UK, it's a good time to remind you guys of some cracking DualSense deals currently running at EE. Among almost the whole range of DualSense controller discounts the retailer has got running, the best are on some of the very newest Chroma colorways - where you can save a whopping 26 quid!

PS5 DualSense Chroma Pearl: was £69.99 now £43.99 at EE
PS5 DualSense Chroma Indigo: was £69.99 now £43.99 at EE

(Image credit: Future/SteelSeries)

Hold up, I've just remembered another UK PS5 deal has come across my desk which I cannot let slide! The even better news is that there's also one running in the US which is superb news.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 is one of the best headsets I've tested in recent years and probably my top headset of 2024. Right now, it's down to a record-low price in the UK but also got a neat $30 taken off its price in the US too.

It's such a good headset that offers great value even at its full price, so this is stupendous and not to be missed.

UK - SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P: was £129.99 now £94.99 at Amazon

UK - SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5P: was £129.99 now £94.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

One of our favorite deals of this entire Black Friday PS5 sales period is the massive savings on PSVR 2 that we're seeing across both sides of the Atlantic.

Furthermore, the PSVR 2 - Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle has dropped to the exact same price at many retailers, including PlayStation Direct! This is the model we'd recommend if you immediately want to pair one of the best PSVR 2 games with your headset at no extra cost.

US - PSVR 2: was $549.99 now $349.99 at PS Direct

US - PSVR 2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle: was $599.99 now $349.99 at PS Direct

UK - PSVR 2: was £529.99 now £335 at EE

UK - PSVR 2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle: was £569.99 now £349.99 at PS Direct

(Image credit: Future)

Another brilliant PS5 game offer this Black Friday is for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, one of the best PS5 games you can play right now, and also a game that just received a PS5 Pro enhancement upgrade.

Saving you $40, this offer is the cheapest online deal currently available, and it's half-price in the UK too. Result.

US - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart: was $69.99 now $29.99 at Best Buy

UK - Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart: was £59.99 now £29.49 at Argos

(Image credit: Future/Sony)

One for UK shoppers, right here: UK shoppers: If you've been hoping to see more 30th Anniversary DualSense stock then have we got the Black Friday miracle for you.

Although not selling the 30th Anniversary DualSense pad individually, EE is throwing it in with PS5 bundles - that include actual savings! There's a bunch of disc console bundles on offer that include the special DualSense, and you can also get it with the digital console.

You'll have to scroll down a bit to find the bundles that include the 30th Anniversary DualSense but they are there and the extra clicks are worth it for the limited edition gear if that's what you've been trying to get this month.

PS5 Slim disc edition Fortnite bundles: bundles from £459 at EE

PS5 Slim digital edition Fortnite bundles: bundles from £375 at EE

(Image credit: EA)

One for the US crowd now.

If you are yet to pick up the behemoth sports game of 2024 that is EA Sports College Football 25 then there's a deal that's perfect for you. And it'll make you feel vindicated for waiting to pick it up.

You can currently get the game for PS5 at Amazon for less than half price which is wild value for money.

EA Sports College Football 25: was $69.99 now $29.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking at investing in more storage for your PS5, then a PS5 SSD deal could be just the ticket for you - and we have exactly that for you right now.

Currently, the WD Black SN850X SSD is on offer at Amazon, negating the expense that some high-end SSDs can demand.

WD Black 1TB SN850X SSD: was $129.99 now $87.60 at Amazon

(Image credit: Ubisoft / Future)

Hey everyone! Hardware Writer Dashiell Wood jumping in here to talk about a great PS5 game deal.

Right now Star Wars Outlaws Limited Edition is on sale at Amazon for just $39.99 - that's $30 off! It's a great price for a spectacular Star Wars and the lowest it's been at the online retail giant.

This Limited Edition version is an Amazon exclusive in the US and packs some neat little bonuses including the Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack which gives you some cool cosmetics.

Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition: was $69.99 now $39.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

Rob here once again!

If you're on the lookout for a low to mid-range 4K UHD gaming monitor, I've managed to find a great deal on the Acer Predator XB273K.

Right now, Amazon is offering a fantastic 33% discount on the 27-inch display, which saves you a massive $150 and represents a new lowest-ever price.

On top of HDR support, this model features a refresh rate of 165Hz, which is perfect for playing the latest PS5 Pro-enhanced games.

Acer Predator XB273K: was $449.99 now $299.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

One of the biggest attractions of the PS5 Pro is that its sizeable 2TB of storage means you'll have no trouble having a whole host of games at your fingertips. However, if you're looking for a way to take multiple PS4 games onto PS5 Pro, or just store them with your regular PS5, then an expandable storage like I've found here is well worth considering.

The WD Black P40 1TB external hard drive is a perfect device for doing just that, and it's come crashing down to a second lowest-ever price at Amazon right now! Snap it up and sort your storage woes (hopefully) in one fell swoop!

WD Black P40 1TB: was $139.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Saber Interactive / Future)

Dash back once again with another great game recommendation.

The hugely popular Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 has received a massive price cut for Black Friday, taking it down to a new lowest-ever price at Amazon. We loved this game in our review and I've been having a lot of fun with it myself so far.

It's a good old-fashioned third-person that really comes to life when you're playing with friends in its co-op mode. If you've got a few buddies and can persuade them to invest in a copy too, then you're going to have a truly banging time.

Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2: was $69.99 now $49.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

I've spotted a great US deal on one of my favorite ever wireless gaming headsets and it would be perfect for PS5 and PS5 Pro users.

The excellent Astro A50 wireless gaming headset is down to what I believe is its lowest-ever price right now at Best Buy and offers a brilliant way of getting premium gaming audio for less this November. Yes, this model is a little bit older, but quality endures and so this is a super deal.

Just note: you will have to get an HDMI adapter like Astro's own one to make the A50 work well with the PS5 but this huge price cut helps to offset that expense.

Astro A50 wireless gaming headset: was $249.99 now $149.99 at Best Buy

(Image credit: Future/Sony/Guerrilla)

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition on PS5 Pro is quite possibly the best-looking game I have ever played on any console ever.

It is stunningly good and, as a result, it's one of the first games I recommend to new PS5 Pro owners. It's also great on the original PS5 and I will be pointing out any discounts I see on it between now and, well, ever.

You can currently get it for $39.99 at Best Buy, beating its recent $10 Amazon discount by taking $20 off the retail price. A bargain.

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition: was $59.99 now $39.99 at Best Buy

(Image credit: Future)

For those in the UK who are still up shopping, I've found the best offer on the excellent Sony Bravia 8.

This 4K OLED TV is perfect for PS5 Pro gaming and with the 122Hz option, it'll allow the console's PSSR upscaling technology to stand out in your living room.

With this offer, you'll be saving £600, which I think is an absolute steal.

Sony Bravia 8: was £2199 now £1499 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

Another great deal for those night owls in the UK!

The DualSense Edge pro controller from Sony has always stubbornly held its high price tag, even in previous sales periods - up until now.

UK shoppers can now bag the pro controller for its lowest-ever price after it received a chunky price cut of £30. This is a record low so it's never been better value and might be tempting enough for folks to finally commit.

PS5 DualSense Edge controller: was £209.99 now £179.97 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future/Sony/Codemasters)

If you're looking for one of the best racing games from this year to sink your teeth into over the holiday season, or to get the most out of your PS5 Pro, then I've found the deal for you.

The latest in Codemasters' awesome F1 racing series is a stand-out game on the PS5 Pro, and we can tell you directly why.

Our hardware writer, Dash, recently got to sit down with it and the developers to go hands-on with the game and hear about the tech that makes it so good. Here's what he thinks of the game on PS5 Pro:

"EA Sports F1 24 looks absolutely stunning on the PS5 Pro, achieving a lush 60 fps at 8K or a butter-smooth 120 fps at 4K. Ray tracing makes iconic tracks like Monaco and newer additions to the calendar like Las Vegas more life-like than ever, especially when you really crank up the rain and let its reflective surfaces shine. It will be a real treat for sim racers on the platform, but also makes for a fantastic showcase of what the PS5 Pro can achieve when all of the graphics options are pushed to the max."

This is the game's lowest-ever price too, so the value has literally never been better.

EA Sports F1 24 for PS5: was $69.99 now $34.99 at Amazon

• A rep from Inno3D Brazil let slip info about the next-gen flagship
• On a YouTube livestream they initially said it’d be available in a few weeks
• They then backtracked and said the reveal is set for CES 2025

Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is widely expected to be revealed at CES 2025, and here’s another leak to add to the growing pile of speculation suggesting that this is indeed the case for the next-gen flagship GPU.

VideoCardz spotted that a representative from the Brazilian arm of Inno3D, a graphics card maker, accidentally let this nugget of info slip in a livestreamed interview on YouTube with Brazil-based retailer Pichau. (The video has just been taken down, we should note – it was live when we started writing this story, but is now marked as unavailable).

The Inno3D rep was responding to questions from viewers about the next-gen Blackwell GPUs, and there were mentions of the RTX 5090, whereupon the representative said that the graphics card would be ‘available’ in just three weeks.

You can imagine the reaction to that from viewers, which led to the representative backpedaling and saying that the RTX 5090 will “only be announced at CES 2025 in January.”

(Image credit: Gigabyte) Analysis: CES 2025 looks a pretty sure bet now – as does a price hike

As VideoCardz theorizes, what’s probably happened here (grab your saltshaker now) is that the rep was referring to Inno3D receiving its first RTX 5090 cards in a few weeks – so it’s probably prelaunch samples that’ll be ‘available’ to the board maker (not the public, of course).

However, this does indicate that Nvidia is readying everything for the big launch early next year, and that as many previous rumors have now insisted, the RTX 5090 is set to be revealed at CES 2025. (To be fair, there was some buzz about a late 2024 launch in recent times, but we think that idea has pretty much been sidelined again).

When the RTX 5090 does turn up, if the rumors are right, it’ll be very powerful – a big step on from the RTX 4090 – but also very power-hungry. And perhaps most worryingly, very expensive too, possibly to the point that Nvidia is pitching it as a GPU targeted at professionals, rather than PC gamers, to justify the price. Although GeForce is a gaming brand, so as we’ve discussed in the past, that doesn’t really make a lot of sense.

Whatever the case, the RTX 5090 is likely to see a price hike of some variety, the rumor mill is pretty certain about that – and possibly the RTX 5080 as well, the other Blackwell GPU supposedly set to be sprung on the world at CES 2025.

If you want an affordable high-end card – and affordable is a heavily relative term these days at the top of the graphics card spectrum – your soundest bet might be to check out some of the best GPU deals for Black Friday currently in play, with some tempting offers to be had (which is true at the mid-range, too).

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• React Native documentation for Fabric Native Components includes a detailed guide with specific commands
• One command was flawed, potentially resulting in malware deployment
• A hacker discovered the flaw and tried to exploit it

Hackers found a way to abuse official company documents and get people to install malware on their devices, new research has claimed.

In a recent blog post, cybersecurity researchers from Checkmarx explained how the React Native documentation for Fabric Native Components includes a detailed guide for creating custom components.

While Checkmarx did not detail the malware and its capabilities, it did say that the implications of this attack “extend beyond immediate data exposure”, suggesting the malware was some form of an infostealer.

Trust, but verify

React Native is an open-source framework developed by Meta, for building mobile applications using JavaScript and React, allowing developers to create applications for iOS, Android, and other platforms from a single codebase. Fabric Native Components, on the other hand, are part of the Fabric architecture in React Native, which is a re-engineered rendering system aimed at improving performance, interoperability, and developer experience in building native components.

The guide uses “RTNCenteredText” as an example, and suggests using “yarn upgrade rtn-centered-text” to update local development packages.

The problem here is that the command first checks the npm registry for packages, before looking at local files. A cybercriminal picked up on this flaw, created a malicious package with the same name, and uploaded it to npm.

“This incident serves as a reminder that supply chain security requires vigilance at every level,” the researchers said. “Documentation must be precise about package management commands, developers need to verify package sources, and security tools should monitor for packages that may be impersonating official examples.”

In this example, developers are advised to use explicit paths when adding local packages. “Instead of using “yarn upgrade”, use “yarn add ../package-name” to ensure you're referencing local development packages,” the researchers conclude.

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• The market for TVs over 97-inches has grown by nearly 900%
• Slightly more modest TVs are selling well in 2024 too
• The growth is driven by plummeting prices and post-pandemic upgrades

The market for huge TVs over 97 inches in size has grown bigger than the bill for our Black Friday impulse buys. It's increased by a whopping 877% in just one year, according to a new report, compared to a slightly less stratospheric 19% for TVs larger than 75 inches.

The eye-opening stats from market research firm Cicana, reported by CNN, confirm that there's one key reason for the rocket-powered growth: big TVs are finally getting much cheaper.

As the report states, those big TVs are 53% cheaper than they were this time last year. Hence the fast growth: the slower growth of the 75-to-96-inch market is likely due to much smaller price drops of a relatively titchy 6%.

In other words, people who previously wanted a really big TV couldn't afford them. And now, increasingly, they can – but the market isn't getting more affordable across the board.

Why are big TVs getting cheaper?

LG showed off a 97-inch OLED TV (the 97G2, above) in 2022, but the growth in TVs of that size has been largely generated by VA LCD panels. (Image credit: LG)

As ever with the TV market, some tech is cheaper than other tech. In big TVs, that tech is LCD: most of the names in big TVs offer models with relatively affordable VA LCD panels, which have come down in price even at the very largest sizes.

Price drops have been slower with more complex tech, which is why the very largest OLED TVs and micro-LED TVs are still much more expensive than their VA LCD siblings. That's likely to remain the case for a while yet.

There's another reason for the market growth: Cicada reckons that many people are buying big TVs to replace the TVs they bought during the Covid pandemic.

According to vice-president of consumer tech at Circana, Paul Gagnon, "The strong growth trend for ultra-large TVs aligns with the increase in 65-inch TV sales from 2018 to 2020, which consumers are now starting to replace five to six years later, in line with what our research suggests is the most common replacement interval."

That’s a trend the firm expects to see continuing into 2025 and beyond. Put another way, your long-held wish to buy a truly enormous TV has been officially granted.

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Long the purview of doctors, prescription, and expensive hardware, it's a pivotal moment for hearing aid technology with over-the-counter clinical-grade solutions like Apple's recently updated AirPods Pro 2 arriving in consumers' ears and potentially changing lives.

I think that is the message of Apple's latest holiday commercial, "Heartstrings," naturally, which focuses specifically on the Apple AirPods Pro 2's latest auditory capabilities.

Apple unveiled its over-the-counter (OTC) clinical-grade hearing aid test and augmentation in September alongside its new iPhone 16 handsets. Instead of new hardware, Apple was able to push a firmware update in the Apple AirPods Pros and for iPhones courtesy of iOS 18.1. I tried the hearing test last month and was surprised to find that I am not suffering from much hearing loss at all.

Apple's ad, though, paints a different scenario. In the video, which you can view on YouTube, a teenager opens her Christmas gift in front of her parents. It's a guitar, and as she tears into the wrapping, her father's mind traces back through flashbacks of her childhood. It's touching and effective because the toddler and child all appear to be the same person, but it's also heartbreaking because of the audio in the current scene, and all the memories are muffled. The father is clearly suffering from some hearing loss.

Apple doesn't specify his level of hearing loss but its Hearing Aid technology is designed to address mild-to-moderate hearing loss and not something that might be addressed with a doctor-prescribed hearing aid.

The daughter begins playing on her new (and miraculously in-tune) guitar, and the mother encourages the dad to "listen". He puts in the AirPods Pros and the sound is, as the commercial depicts it, instantly clearer. He uses a hearing aid volume slider on the iPhone to raise the volume of the assisted hearing.

I don't know if it's because I'm a dad or that Apple's advertising firm is just that good, but I got emotional watching the nearly two-minute ad.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are incredibly effective at high-quality audio and excellent noise-canceling earbuds. They're also quite smart when it comes to automating transparency mode. I walk up to my coffee guy while wearing my AirPods Pro 2s and listening to a podcast. As soon as I start talking, the podcast pauses, and the ambient sound rushes in, delivered by the earbud's built-in mics. It's that technology, in concert with the recent firmware upgrade and a solid ear seal, that helps make the new hearing aid technology possible.

(Image credit: Apple)

I can confirm that Apple's scientifically validated hearing test works, and even though I don't have hearing loss, we already have examples of people using – and loving – Apple's new hearing aid technology.

TechRadar's Managing Editor, news, Jake Krol, asked his 77-year-old dad, whom the tests found was suffering from moderate hearing loss, to try the AirPods Pros 2 as hearing aids. Here's how Krol described his dad's experience:

"He described sounds as being more pronounced and amplified, particularly voices when he was conversing with family members or visitors in the house. Henry said he could hear much better, picking up all the details, including more subtle sounds, which he doesn’t have with partial hearing loss."

Seems like a lot of the heart-warming AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid stories might involve parents and their children. Also, if you plan on watching that ad, maybe find someplace private so you can have yourself a good ugly cry.

By the way, if you have or think you have some hearing loss and want to try out Apple's latest audio gear with hearing aid technology, you might want to check out the latest Black Friday Deals. There are some excellent values on the AirPods Pro 2 (previous AirPod models do not support OTC hearing aid tech).

• Amazon: Record low on AirPods Pro and Max
• Best Buy: Double discounts with Best Buy Plus
• Target: AirPods from $99
• Walmart: AirPods Pro 2 for $154

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