TechRadar News

• Miele has launched Guard L1 Comfort XL cylinder vacuum
• Features a companion app, LDC screen, and automatic floor detection
• Available now in UK and Ireland, RRP £499

Miele has launched a new cylinder vacuum that boasts a range of cutting-edge features for a more efficient and low-effort cleaning routine. The Guard L1 Comfort XL vacuum features Wi-Fi integration, a companion app, and automatic floor detection – all features that appear on today's best cordless stick vacuums, but (until now), nowhere else.

The LCD screen – like you'd find on one of the best Dyson vacuums on the market – provides a useful way to convey information at a glance. It'll tell you what percentage full the dust bag is, so you don't have to worry about overfilling it and can make sure you're prepped with spares before you need them. It'll also tell you when the exhaust filter needs replacing, and provide warning notifications – for example, if there's a blockage that needs attention.

You can also access this information via a companion app. I'm not sure if you must have the companion app downloaded to use this machine effectively, but I hope not.

(Image credit: Miele)

Another useful feature ported in (rather late) from cordless stick vacuums is automatic suction adjustment. The Miele Guard L1 can tell what kind of floor it's on, and change the suction level in response. So it'll ramp up to pull dust from deep in your carpet fibers, but drop to a lower-power mode for hard floors, where the dust is just on the surface.

Even though you don't have to worry about preserving battery (as you might on a cordless vacuum) it's a win when it comes to not wasting power, and also ensuring an efficient clean with minimal effort. If you want to manually change suction, you can do so via a switch on the handle rather than having to return to the canister.

Each data point that the app and LCD screen show focus on highlighting common issues that cause a loss in suction power, both immediately and that can cause longer-term performance issues over the course of the vacuum's life.

Dan Young, Floorcare Manager at Miele GB

"The Miele Guard L1 vacuum cleaner is designed to make your cleaning routine smarter and more efficient," Dan Young, Floorcare Manager at Miele GB, told TechRadar. "Each data point that the app and LCD screen show focus on highlighting common issues that cause a loss in suction power, both immediately and that can cause longer-term performance issues over the course of the vacuum's life."

The Miele Guard L1 Comfort XL cylinder vacuum is available now in UK and Ireland, at an RRP of £499. It's one of several new 'Guard L1' vacuums, but unfortunately, it looks like it's only the range-topping Comfort XL that comes with the screen, app connectivity, and automatic suction adjustment. Miele has a presence in both the US and Australia, but no news yet as to whether the new model will make it over there.

Why the wait?

Cordless, bagless stick vacuums remain the floor cleaner du jour, and I can see why. It's certainly convenient not to have to dodge cables and plug and re-plug into power outlets as you go about your cleaning routine. But there are downsides to this style of vacuum. Upright vacuums or cylinder vacuums almost always have more suction power, and last far longer overall.

Bags are a minor hassle but have their benefits too. One of my regular vacuum cleaner testers swears by bagged vacuums, and there are benefits for allergy sufferers because there's less chance for dust and other particles to escape back into the air once they've been sucked up.

In short, these alternative vacuum types aren't a dusty (pun intended) relic of a bygone era, and there's no reason why stick vacuums should be getting all the attention. Miele is known as a more traditional premium brand, and I'm pleased to see it has finally stepped up to the plate to deliver a cylinder vacuum for the modern era.

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Just months into 2025, and the global race to innovate around AI has already delivered a slate of major developments. Most recently, the launch of (DeepSeek in China) set off discussions about the downward trend on the costs of AI for businesses, and that was just weeks after the UK government laid out its plans to make the country an AI superpower.

We’re seeing a collision of AI policy and business response, and the UK government’s promised infrastructure improvements will create a newfound urgency to create or implement solutions that can take advantage.

But are businesses ready? While organizations may already be using AI in different capacities to boost productivity and make better decisions, for those gains to improve in line with the technology’s rapid development they need to consider one key factor: the caliber of their data.

The three elements of ‘good’ data

There are three pillars that underpin strong data foundations - quantity, quality and context - which leaders across business functions will need to understand to reap the benefits AI promises for their teams. As the pace of innovation quickens, the sooner these principles can be applied, the earlier companies can start extracting value from their AI adoption journeys.

1. Quantity

Many data stores rely heavily on manually entered data, which opens the door to human error and inconsistencies. These existing data gaps cannot be ignored any longer or organizations risk letting them continue to widen, putting them further and further behind the pack as others adopt AI.

For example, a tech firm that solely uses CRM data to drive sales for a new product might overlook signs of buyer hesitation that were never entered into its platform. Scale this across processes in a world where AI is integrated throughout organizations, and soon you’re left with a lot of misguided decisions. However, an AI solution that automatically captures data from multiple sources like calls and emails – wherever prospects engage with them – could get deeper insights into how they can better communicate the product’s benefits.

Businesses need to be bridging the data gap today, adopting tools and processes that enable automated data capture across various touchpoints. Even within functions that haven’t yet integrated AI, effectively collecting data now is the first step on the roadmap to eventually doing so.

2. Quality

Having lots of data means little if it isn’t objective and trustworthy, and this is where human error or unintentional bias can prove a pitfall. If the dataset powering a model is incomplete, biased or outdated, even the most powerful AI’s outputs will be flawed and impact any decisions made that are based on them.

Organizations will only be able to take advantage of the rapid pace of AI innovation if they adopt automated data capture to minimize manual inputs. Otherwise, they’ll continue running into the same issues over and over: outputs that reflect the assumptions and biases of whoever first entered the data, rather than reality.

3. Context

AI only becomes truly powerful when it can merge lots of high-quality data with the specific context it is being used for. A work landscape where processes are AI-enhanced across functions, ultimately the vision many have for the technology, cannot be achieved if organizations don’t map their discrete data to the relevant business context.

Say a customer wants to churn because they are unhappy with the service they’re getting. An AI model that doesn’t understand the business or customer won’t generate a meaningful response to their concerns. Arming it with the right contextualized data, however, would allow the AI to account for past interactions, the length of the relationship and available products or services in order to generate a tailored response that will actually help the customer.

Why data matters - now and in the future

No amount of government support will change the fundamental principle that in order to deliver accurate and actionable outputs, enterprise-grade AI solutions need to have the right data feeding into them. Without a strategic approach to gathering data and applying the right context to it, even the most technically advanced AI platform will come up short, even with the infrastructure gains countries are racing to put in place.

Limited or inaccurate data will lead an AI application to produce unreliable or superficial results, like advice for engaging with prospects based on incomplete CRM data that, as a result, could be biased. On the other hand, an AI strategy built on strong data foundations lets organizations tap into deeper, more relevant insights with unmatched speed in the short-term, while setting the stage to take advantage of new advancements as they emerge from different parts of the world.

There’s no shortcut to success with AI. Anything built on shaky foundations is at risk of underdelivering from the start, and that’s where we are with AI. There is still so much potential to unlock but many organizations still aren’t putting themselves in a position to fully realize it.

Organizations that get it right will be able to apply AI to existing operations more effectively and give themselves a competitive edge in capitalizing on the global race to build out the necessary infrastructure.

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• Anti Social Social Club has revealed a new Assassin's Creed collection
• It features designs inspired by Assassin's Creed Shadows
• Products include hoodies, t-shirts, and accessories

Fashion brand Anti Social Social Club (ASSC) has announced a new collection in collaboration with Ubisoft. Intended to celebrate the latest entry in the Assassin's Creed franchise, Assassin's Creed Shadows, it includes a range of streetwear items that actually look remarkably good as far as gaming merchandise goes.

The highlight of the collection for me is easily the slick white hoodie, which features a striking Assassin's Creed Shadows logo on the front and a bright red graphic featuring heroes Yasuke and Naoe on the back.

The contrast is excellent and the overall design strikes a good balance between minimalism and prominent artwork from the Assassin's Creed game.

If those colors aren't your style, there is also a distinct maroon hoodie with a front print showing a manga-style interpretation of Naoe and Yasuke plus Japanese kanji text on the arms. This is in addition to a few black hoodies, with their own unique graphics.

There are plenty of t-shirts in many different colors, with designs ranging from an illustration of Yasuke's helmet to shurikens inside the ASSC logo.

For something a little more unique consider the football jersey - which blends a sports style with prominent Assassin's Creed Shadows and ASSC logos. Similarly sporty are the tracksuit sets, featuring more bright logos and kanji.

I quite like the coach jacket too, with a cool white and grey design that shows Yasuke and Naoe wielding their trademark weapons.

Some accessories will also be available alongside these items of clothing, including a range of Assassin's Creed Shadows-inspired hats. On top of this, the brand will be releasing a ceramic sake glass set in limited quantities.

The products will be available via the Anti Social Social Club website from March 29, 8:00 PST / 11:100 EST / 15:00 GMT. Prices range from $40 to $125.

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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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #1151).

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 #1152) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1152) - 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 #1152) - 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 #1152) - 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 #1152) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• V

• T

• A

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

Quordle today (game #1152) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1152, are…

• DITTY
• VALOR
• TOWER
• AMISS

I’ll put this down to a lucky win as I had several options instead of DITTY, but for some reason guessed the correct word.

I also made a mistake with AGISM, ignoring the far more obvious AMISS – a word that has cropped up a few times in Quordle. That’s one of the big differences between this game and Wordle, previously used words will return again and again.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1152) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1152, are…

• SIEVE
• AWAKE
• BLOCK
• WEIRD

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCH
• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC
• Quordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINK
• Quordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEER
• Quordle #1147, Sunday 16 March: INPUT, RUMBA, ELUDE, BLANK
• Quordle #1146, Saturday 15 March: SPEED, CLASH, RISKY, GRATE
• Quordle #1145, Friday 14 March: BELIE, SPEAR, GROWL, ADOBE
• Quordle #1144, Thursday 13 March: AMISS, METAL, TEARY, SHORT
• Quordle #1143, Wednesday 12 March: AWASH, PUSHY, RALPH, PROOF
• Quordle #1142, Tuesday 11 March: LINGO, JUICE, SHARP, REVEL
• Quordle #1141, Monday 10 March: AVAIL, THESE, TITAN, GAUGE
• Quordle #1140, Sunday 9 March: SKILL, IDEAL, WHERE, REHAB
• Quordle #1139, Saturday 8 March: WATCH, LAPSE, WREST, HEFTY
• Quordle #1138, Friday 7 March: GLEAN, SHINY, DECRY, MANGA
• Quordle #1137, Thursday 6 March: TRICE, EIGHT, BELCH, RIPER
• Quordle #1136, Wednesday 5 March: PLEAD, TWANG, MAJOR, RISKY
• Quordle #1135, Tuesday 4 March: FLOWN, ETUDE, TOPAZ, JOKER
• Quordle #1134, Monday 3 March: FRILL, KAYAK, REBAR, WORDY
• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR

The UK recently announced its AI Opportunities Action Plan, outlining the next phase of AI development for Britain. The ambition is to use AI for economic prosperity, improved public services, and increased opportunity. The UK already has the groundwork to be a leader in AI as it benefits from high-quality research and engineering talent, particularly in AI for science and robotics. As the UK makes a concerted push on AI, the US has announced $500 billion in private capital funding to grow AI infrastructure.

This increased focus from plans and investments will impact the way that AI is utilized. As AI grows increasingly pivotal in technology, offering tools and methodologies that can enhance precision and adaptability across various domains, there are three areas where we can anticipate growth: generative AI, verification & validation, and control system designs.

GenAI moves onto block diagrams, 3D models, and flow charts

While the initial focus on text-based GenAI continues to influence software-centric workflows, its impact on tools with higher-level abstractions is lagging. In 2025, we expect continued progress in applying GenAI to “no code” tools such as block diagrams, 3D models, and flowcharts. These tools enable organizations to graphically represent complex systems, effortlessly edit components, and manage the inherent complexity.

Furthermore, they are essential to productivity and validate confidence in system-level performance. Integrating GenAI with these tools will further increase their productivity while keeping the interfaces familiar to end users. More tools in this space will integrate AI copilots that can understand engineering models and assist in their design and management.

Leveraging verification and validation for AI compliance

Industry governing bodies are introducing AI compliance requirements, frameworks, and guidance as the integration of AI into safety-critical systems in automotive, healthcare, and aerospace applications accelerates. In response, technology leaders must prioritize the introduction and implementation of Verification and Validation (V&V) processes to ensure their AI components are ready for deployment under all conditions and can meet potential reliability, transparency, and bias compliance standards.

V&V is crucial for verifying the robustness of deep learning models and detecting out-of-distribution (OOD) scenarios, particularly in safety-critical applications. Robustness verification is crucial because neural networks can misclassify inputs with minor, imperceptible changes, known as adversarial examples. For instance, a subtle perturbation in a chest X-ray image might lead a model to incorrectly identify pneumonia as normal. Engineers can provide mathematical proof of a model’s consistency and test these scenarios using formal verification methods, such as abstract interpretation. This process enhances the model's reliability and ensures compliance with safety standards by identifying and addressing vulnerabilities.

Out-of-distribution detection is equally important, as it enables AI systems to recognize and appropriately handle unfamiliar inputs. This capability is vital for maintaining accuracy and safety, especially when unexpected data leads to erroneous predictions. The ability to discern between in-distribution and out-of-distribution data ensures that AI models can defer uncertain cases to human experts, thereby preventing potential failures in critical applications.

Focusing on V&V allows organizations to comply with AI frameworks and standards while advancing product development within their industry. A proactive compliance approach ensures that AI systems are reliable, safe, and ethically sound, maintaining a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving landscape.

The rise of AI-based reduced order models in engineering

The trend of using AI-based Reduced Order Models (ROMs) is expected to grow, driven by advances in AI technology and computational power. Organizations leveraging these models will enhance system performance and reliability, as well as the efficiency and efficacy of system design and simulation.

The primary driver behind this shift is the need to manage increasingly complex systems while maintaining high levels of precision and speed. Traditional computer-aided engineering (CAE) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are accurate but computationally heavy and suboptimal for real-time applications. AI-based ROMs address this by cutting computational demands while maintaining accuracy. Organizations can use these models to simulate complex phenomena more quickly, facilitating faster iterations and optimizations.

Furthermore, AI-based ROMs' highly versatile ability to adapt to varying parameters and conditions enhances their applicability across different scenarios. This adaptability is particularly valuable in the aerospace, automotive, and energy fields, where engineered systems often involve intricate physical phenomena that require detailed modeling and simulation. For example, businesses that design and test aircraft components, such as wings or engines, can simulate aerodynamic properties and stress factors more efficiently, allowing engineers to iterate and optimize designs quickly. Additionally, AI-based ROMs can adapt to various flight conditions, making them versatile tools for testing multiple scenarios using the same model. This capability accelerates the development process, reduces costs, and enhances the reliability of the final product.

AI breaks down barriers in complex system control

AI’s continued integration into control design will transform the field, particularly in managing complex systems and embedded applications. Traditionally, control system design relied on first-principles modeling that required deep knowledge and understanding of the system. Data-driven modeling was largely limited to linear models that are valid only in a small part of the design envelope. AI is transforming this landscape by enabling the creation of accurate nonlinear models from data. This enables the creation of highly accurate models that combine first principles and data and are valid over the entire operating range. This advancement allows for better control of complex systems.

Simultaneously, the growing computational power of microcontrollers is facilitating the embedding of AI algorithms directly into systems. This integration is particularly impactful in the consumer electronics and automotive industries, where highly responsive systems are becoming the norm. For instance, AI is embedded in power tools to monitor and react to environmental changes, such as sudden material density shifts that could pose safety risks. These tools use embedded AI to autonomously adjust their operation, enhancing safety and performance.

The convergence of AI with complex system control and embedded systems ushers in an era of more robust, adaptive, and intelligent control design. Organizations can now create systems that learn and adapt in real-time, providing unprecedented precision and efficiency. This creates an environment where AI-driven solutions address traditional control problems, paving the way for smarter, more integrated systems across various engineering domains.

There should be excitement about AI’s continued maturation and progression. The fusion of physics insights with AI models will enhance transparency and adaptability, reducing the “black box” nature of traditional approaches. The democratization of AI tools enables organizations to access advanced capabilities more easily. These advancements will elevate AI's role in engineering and enable technical professionals to build better engineered systems more rapidly and effectively.

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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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #382).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Ode to the aubergine

NYT Strands today (game #383) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SAME
• TILL
• APRIL
• GEAR
• GAIN
• DIES

NYT Strands today (game #383) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #383) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: 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 #383) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #383, are…

• STUFFED
• MOUSSAKA
• PARMIGIANA
• RATATOUILLE
• SPANGRAM: EGGPLANT DISH

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Although initially confused by today’s theme (is there a song called Ode to the aubergine?) I quickly saw the Spangram EGGPLANT DISH in the puzzle and found the vital words with little difficulty.

Well, apart from – even with help – struggling to spell RATATOUILLE, MOUSSAKA and PARMIGIANA.

Far harder today was finding some Hint words.

My favorite eggplant dish didn’t make the cut, but then perhaps Baba Ganoush (a fun thing to say instead of a swearword) being a dip doesn’t qualify as a dish.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 20 March, game #382)

• FLAMINGO
• STORK
• BITTERN
• IBIS
• EGRET
• SPOONBILL
• SPANGRAM: WADING BIRD

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.

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 20 (game #648).

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 #649) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• COMPASS
• ICON
• SOAP
• WORLD
• LEGEND
• EXAM
• STENCIL
• CHART
• SCENE
• RULER
• MITZVAH
• CIRCLE
• GREAT
• SPHERE
• LION
• T-SQUARE

NYT Connections today (game #649) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: A person’s environment
• GREEN: Notable  
• BLUE: Building plans 
• PURPLE: The word that connects them rhymes with “car”

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 #649) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: MILIEU
• GREEN: LUMINARY
• BLUE: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS
• PURPLE: __BAR

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

NYT Connections today (game #649) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #649, are…

• YELLOW: MILIEU CIRCLE, SCENE, SPHERE, WORLD
• GREEN: LUMINARY GREAT, ICON, LEGEND, LION
• BLUE: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS COMPASS, RULER, STENCIL, T-SQUARE
• PURPLE: __BAR CHART, EXAM, MITZVAH, SOAP

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

A very rare Connections where I saw the Purple group well before the end. MITZVAH was the biggest clue but I still used up a Mistake. I knew the common thread was the word __BAR but stupidly I included LION as there is a UK candy called Lion Bar and I thought maybe it was a worldwide thing. This daft decision aside, I'm pleased to have completed today’s puzzle.

I almost included CIRCLE among the ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING TOOLS before remembering it’s the same thing as a COMPASS.

In another rarity I didn’t get the Yellow group at all, seeing LUMINARY first – including LION was a stretch, but I didn’t see any alternatives.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 20 March, game #648)

• YELLOW: OUTSPOKEN DIRECT, FRANK, LOUD, VOCAL
• GREEN: BODIES OF WATER BAY, CHANNEL, SOUND, STRAIT
• BLUE: KINDS OF CORDS BUNGEE, EXTENSION, SPINAL, UMBILICAL
• PURPLE: THINGS IN BOTTLES GENIE, LIGHTNING, MESSAGE, SHIP

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.

• New data reveals that the PS5 is outselling its predecessor the PS4 in the US
• The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, however, are falling behind the Xbox One by 19%
• The PlayStation Portal was also the best-selling gaming accessory of February 2025

New sales statistics have shown that the PS5 is outselling the PS4 in the United States, but the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S units are falling behind Xbox One by a significant margin.

That's according to new data from Circana's video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella who recently shared that after each console's first 52 months in the market, the PS5 is outpacing the PS4 in sales by 7%.

Sony's current-gen console just had its best financial quarter on record, shipping almost 10 million units at the end of 2024, so the fact that it's way ahead of its predecessor isn't surprising.

As for Microsoft's systems, sales for its current-gen consoles seem to be lacking as both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are being outsold by the Xbox One by 19%.

It's also said that the PS5 was the best-selling hardware platform of February 2025 "across both units and dollars" and that the Xbox Series systems ranked number two in both measures.

Sony continued to have a successful February as its PlayStation Portal base model was once again the month's best-selling gaming accessory in consumer spending, while the PS5 Portal Remote Player - Midnight Black ranked third overall, and the PS5 DualSense Edge Wireless Controller - Midnight Black placed fifth.

The reason for lower Xbox Series X and S sales can't be determined from the data we have, but it could be in part due to Microsoft's PC presence, especially when you factor in Xbox Game Pass, which hit 34 million subscribers in February 2024.

Last year, it was reported that the PS5 was massively outselling the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and had shipped 4.5 million units between January and March 2024. From the latest data, it's clear that the PS5 is still dominating console sales and that's not counting PS5 Pro units.

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• A German news site has published detailed information about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE series
• Two new midrange tablets are said to be slated for release by mid-April
• Samsung has yet to confirm this release window or any of the rumored specs

Samsung has had a busy few months, with the launch of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra flagship phones, as well as the behemoth Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra late last year.

However, it seems like there’s no slowdown in sight for the Korean tech giant, with a major rumor suggesting the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is on the way by mid-April - and by the looks of its specs sheet, it could prove to be a strong rival to Apple’s iPad Air.

The information comes courtesy of German tech news site WinFuture (via GSMArena), and details the specs, European pricing, and color options for both the base Galaxy Tab S10 FE and larger Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus.

According to the WinFuture, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE sports a 10.9-inch display with a 2304 x 1440 resolution, Exynos 1580 chipset, RAM configurable to 8GB or 12GB, and 128GB and 256GB storage options. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE also supposedly sports an 8,000mAh battery.

A render supposedly showing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE (Image credit: WinFuture)

As for the larger sibling, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus sports a 13.1-inch display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution, the same Exynos 1580 chipset, and the same 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. It also sports a 10,00mAh battery.

The pair are seemingly the same tablet other than their display size and resolution and battery size.

A render supposedly showing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus (Image credit: WinFuture)

Both tablets support the S-Pen stylus, but we aren’t sure if they ship with one yet. Both support 45W wired charging and are likely to run a version of One UI 7, based on the pattern of recent Samsung releases. Both sport a 13MP rear camera and 12MP selfie camera and have one USB-C port.

Additionally, renders shared by WinFuture show both tablets as coming in a light-blue color, as well as a black and white option.

The WinFuture report also includes European pricing for the tablets, which we can convert to get estimates for pricing elsewhere.

According to these rumors, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE costs €579 for the model with 128GB of storage, and €679 for the model with 256GB of storage. That’s roughly $630 / £490 / AU$1,000 for 128GB, and $740 / £570 / AU$1,200 for 256GB.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus supposedly costs €749 for the model with 128GB of storage and €849 for 256GB, which is approximately $810 / £630 / AU$1,300 and $920 / £710 / AU$1,470 respectively.

If these prices turn out to be accurate, then the Galaxy Tab FE series could offer users a cheaper alternative to the iPad Air, which comes in similar 11-inch and 13-inch models. The Exynos 1580 chipset is, admittedly, nowhere near as powerful as the iPad Air’s M3 chipset, but it’s still likely to be a compelling choice for budget-conscious buyers who want a premium-feeling device.

Keeping in mind that all of the above is based in rumors, what do you think of the rumored Galaxy Tab S10 FE? Would you ever choose one over an iPad Air? Let us know in the comments below.

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• WhatsApp patches vulnerability used to deploy Graphite
• Graphite is a commercial spyware built by Israeli devs Paragon
• Around 90 people were targeted, WhatsApp said

WhatsApp says it has fixed a zero-day vulnerability which was apparently used by nation-states to spy on journalists, dissidents, political opponents, and others.

After being tipped off by security researchers from Citizen Lab, WhatsApp addressed a bug which allowed threat actors to deploy Graphite, a sophisticated spyware tool developed by the Israeli company Paragon Solutions.

Graphite was deployed in a “zero-click” attack, meaning no interaction from the victim was required.

Protecting your Android phone

"WhatsApp has disrupted a spyware campaign by Paragon that targeted a number of users including journalists and members of civil society. We’ve reached out directly to people who we believe were affected," a WhatsApp spokesperson told BleepingComputer.

"This is the latest example of why spyware companies must be held accountable for their unlawful actions. WhatsApp will continue to protect people’s ability to communicate privately."

A CVE was not assigned to the vulnerability.

WhatsApp further said it notified some 90 people, located in more than two dozen countries, including Italian journalists and activists.

In theory, the attack was very simple. After obtaining their target’s phone numbers, the threat actors would add them to a WhatsApp group, before sending a weaponized PDF. Since the device automatically processes PDF files, the endpoint gets compromised without any action from the user. The next step is to escape the Android sandbox and install the spyware, which grants the attackers access to the device’s messaging applications.

Citizen Lab was analyzing Graphite’s infrastructure and found “potential links to multiple government customers,” including Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore.

Governments in Europe and the United States have been quite vocal in their opposition to commercial spyware. In February 2022, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) recommended banning the use of Pegasus spyware within the EU, citing concerns over fundamental rights and freedoms. Pegasus’ developer team, NGO Group, was blacklisted in the United States on November 3, 2021.

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• New details regarding the recently announced God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set have been revealed
• It costs $300 / £250 to pre-order now
• Three limited edition double LP releases are also on the way

Laced Records has revealed new details regarding the recently announced God of War 20th anniversary vinyl box set.

It features a whopping 13 discs, with 150 remastered tracks from across the series. This includes the original soundtrack for God of War, God of War 2, and God of War 3 in addition to the 2018 reboot God of War and its sequels God of War Ragnarok and God of War Ragnarok Valhalla.

On top of this, there are a selection of songs from spinoffs God of War: Ascension, God of War: Chains of Olympus, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta. There are even some from the God of War Ragnarok: Lofi Beats to Journal to promotional album.

The box set features a dual rigid board outer slipcase, with a leather effect and gold foiling to give it a sleek black and gold look. Each set of discs comes with widespined outer sleeves, plus a printed inner sleeve with artwork from Santa Monica Studio.

Pre-orders are open now via the Laced Records website and cost $300 / £250. With that high price tag, this is definitely an item for the most dedicated collectors.

In addition to this, three limited edition double LP releases are also on the way. They feature the God of War, God of War 2, and God of War 3 soundtracks respectively, and come in at $42 / £36 each so could be a fantastic alternative if you don't want to drop $300 / £250 on the whole package.

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• Boston Dynamic's Atlas robot can do cartwheels now
• The robots' more fluid, dynamic moves are possible thanks to Boston Dynamic's robotics expertise and Nvidia's models
• Atlas looks a lot more like C-3PO now and moves a lot more like a human

I get it, Blue, the adorable robot collaboration between Nvidia, Google, and Disney, captivated hearts, but I've seen something better and more practical from Boston Dynamics that's based on many of the same Nvidia foundational models. Further, it's a better indicator of the next big step – or cartwheel – in humanoid robotics.

Boston Dynamics was an early adopter of Nvidia's Project GROOT, and now it has deepened the partnership by tapping into multiple Nvidia platforms, including the Jetson Thor computing platform and Isaac Lab, which uses Nvidia's Isaac Sim and Omiversion technologies to help drive its stunning, all-electric Atlas humanoid robot.

Jetson Thor is paired with Atlas's body and manipulation controllers to tap into multimodal AIs, and the Isaac Lab framework is used to help the robot learn in virtual environments.

All of this helps with motion and adapting to unforeseen or at least unexpected environments, which can also improve the safety of a humanoid robot that might one day work alongside you.

It would be hard to conceptualize the benefits of all that deep technology if it weren't for this video.

In the latest Atlas demonstration, the 6-foot tall, 330-pound all-electric humanoid robot crawls, runs, rolls, performs a can opener move (ask your break-dancing parents), and cartwheels.

The series of moves was so shocking that I had to ask if the video had been sped up to make everything look smoother. Representatives for Boston Dynamics confirmed the video is running at normal speed.

As I watched the video and imagined all the virtual training necessary to pull off the live moves, it occurred to me that we've reached a tipping point.

Step aside, C-3

Sure, the hydraulic Atlas could do parkour and backflips, but it didn't look much like us. The electric Atlas is a different story. Its physiology is decidedly human. The head lacks a true face, but it's clearly a head, and the body proportions are all normal if a bit beefed up to body-builder size. Remember, it's 330 pounds.

In other words, Atlas is finally looking a lot more like C-3PO. Now, there are a lot of new humanoid robots from Tesla (Optimus), Figure AI (Figure 01), x1 (Neo Gama), and Unitree (Unitree G1).

With the exception of G1, these robots are mobile disappointments. None of them move in truly fluid and convincing ways. Their steps are halting, their motions stutter, and sometimes there are significant pauses between actions that humans usually strand together like many shiny pearls.

Most, in fact, move like C-3PO. To be fair, that Star Wars protocol droid was Actor Anthony Daniels in a stiff plastic suit, gamely trying not to succumb to the African desert heat. Even so, the robot became an icon and the template for our nearly five decades of humanoid robot dreams. Perhaps that's why people are so excited about all those other robots, even if they shouldn't be.

That's guy in a costume

Atlas is different, and I think it's the combination of Boston Dynamic's decades in robotics engineering (the company's robots were competing in robotics challenges years before most of these other companies entered the space) and Nvidia's powerful silicon and foundational models that are making the difference.

It's not enough to build a robot that can move and perform basic tasks. Most of the other robot competitors know this and have partnered with Google and OpenAI to gain access to their AI multi-modal models, but I think they're playing catchup.

If humanoid robotic development were a horse race, I'd put my money on Boston Dynamics and Nvidia. Together, they'll likely bring us a legion of factory and, eventually, home robots that all do literal cartwheels around us and make us wonder what we saw in C-3PO in the first place.

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• Housemarque's CEO basically said Saro wouldn't be happening without Sony's acquisition
• Saros likely has a big budget behind it, meaning it could look and play wonderfully
• That's positive news for a PS5-exclusive game and Saros could be one to watch closely

If the past couple of years have been anything to go by, game studios being purchased by big publishers hasn’t been a walk in the park for them, with closures and canceled games. But Returnal developer Housemarque is telling a different story.

In an interview with Finnish publication Helsingin Sanomat, as flagged by VGC, the developer’s CEO Ilari Kuittinen basically indicated that Housemarque’s next game Saros wouldn’t have gotten off the ground had it not been for PlayStation Studios acquiring the company.

While we don't know how much is being put into the development of Saros - an action-adventure game based on the lost off-world colony on the planet Carcosa while under an ominous eclipse - Kuittinen suggested it could be compared to the Remedy’s Alan Wake 2, which had an “an estimated development and marketing budget of around €70 million”.

Kuittinen noted that as an independent “you couldn’t have made such investments”, discussing the challenges for a small developer in wondering how long the company would survive in the gaming world.

“We had the feeling that it was better to try to get into a big family than to stay independent for the next few years,” Kuittinen said. “We thought we had to do the deal now.”

A positive wind of change?

After the shutdown of Sony-owned developers Neon Koi and Firewalk Studios in 2024, and Microsoft’s shuttering of Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Games in the same year, it’s been a rocky road for developers that have been acquired by gaming giants.

So Kuittinen’s words are refreshingly positive. And given how Saros looks set to be a more ambitious title than Returnal, featuring actors like Rahul Kohli of Midnight Mass fame, and likely to be a game dripping in visual effects that really pushes the PS5 and potentially the PS5 Pro, it’s a good sign that the developer feels supported by its PlayStation overlord.

Equally, the recent news of Fable 4 being delayed until next year is, I’m hoping, a sign that Microsoft is also willing to provide the funds to developers to really polish their games and ensure they have the best chance to have a serious impact in a gaming world dominated by the likes of Fortnite and Call of Duty.

I’m crossing my fingers that this is all a positive indication that there’s still room for big-budget games that can explore interesting settings and mechanics without needing an existing franchise or basically GTA 6.

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• One of Apple's top health execs has left the company for Oura
• Ricky Bloomfield joins the smart ring company as its Chief Medical Officer
• Oura says it has ambitious goals for 2025 and an exciting next chapter ahead

One of Apple's top health execs has left the company to join Oura, maker of some of the best smart rings for health and fitness tracking, in what could be a seismic shift in the industry and a signpost to the future of health wearables.

Oura has just announced that Apple's Ricky Bloomfield, MD, will join the company as its chief medical officer.

The company says Dr. Bloomfield "will set the vision for Oura’s global healthcare programs and partnerships, shape its roadmap as it relates to adherence to ever-changing healthcare regulations, enable cross-functional collaboration across the organization to drive the direction of new hardware and software features to scale its healthcare ambitions and guide the company’s expansion in healthcare solutions."

Dr. Bloomfield was previously the Clinical and Health Informatics Lead for Apple Health, whose tenure in his role included the launch of Apple's Health Records for iPhone and iPad.

Oura chief commercial officer Dorothy Kilroy said the company was "thrilled" at Dr. Bloomfield's hiring, but what exactly does this say about the future of health and fitness technology?

Is the smart ring the future?

(Image credit: Future)

The best smartwatches have long been the industry's mainstay for health and fitness tracking, with sensors for monitoring heart rate, exercise, and even sleep.

But alternatives like the Oura Ring 4 offer a more discreet and unintrusive package that you're much less likely to notice. Smart rings don't get in the way of daily life as much as a smartwatch can, and they have other benefits, too.

Rather than relentless notifications and over-zealous encouragement telling you to stand up, smart rings quietly measure your health in the background, giving you actionable data and trends at a time that suits you.

That Dr. Bloomfield would leave the world's largest tech company, and by all accounts, a pioneering industry leader in health and fitness wearables, in favor of a smaller company focused on smart rings could speak volumes about the future of health tracking.

Apple was once rumored to be developing its own smart ring, but last we heard, the project had been shelved. Dr. Bloomfield's departure could be the final death knell for the Apple Ring, as we'd hoped, or it could signal that his ambition outweighs a decision Apple has already made to ditch the idea.

"We have ambitious goals this year, and his expertise will help us refine our vision and dismantle the challenges that exist when breaking into established industries like healthcare," Kilroy said, going on to say Dr Bloomfield's experience in data interoperability and standardization "will set the stage for Oura’s next chapter."

Is Oura hinting at future updates and new models that could work more closely with other smart tech, wearables, your healthcare providers, or even AI?

Only time will tell, but Dr. Bloomfied is a stunning addition to the company's roster that will have rivals like Samsung looking sideways.

While still an emerging technology, smart rings are a serious threat to the smartwatch status quo. This week, Circular announced that its new Ring 2 would feature both blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, and it will be available as over-the-air updates in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

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• McDonald's has revealed a new meal and sauce to celebrate A Minecraft Movie
• The items will be available from April 1 in the US and March 26 in the UK
• Collectibles and in-game goodies will be up for grabs

Fast food giant McDonald's has revealed a new collaboration to celebrate the worryingly imminent arrival of A Minecraft Movie.

The new A Minecraft Movie Meal and A Minecraft Movie Happy Meal fittingly drops on April 1 in the US. The meal features your choice of a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, plus medium fries and a drink.

If that wasn't enough, you also get one of six limited-edition collectibles ranging from the Big Mac Crystal (allegedly "mined from the sea of special sauce" - whatever that means) to a blocky purple Grimace Egg.

Here are the names of all of the collectibles up for grabs:

• Big Mac Crystal
• Birdie Wings
• Fry Helmet
• Grimace Egg
• Soda Potion
• Zombie Hamburglar

Each collectible comes with a special code to unlock a corresponding, exclusive skin in the Minecraft Marketplace. As for the A Minecraft Movie Happy Meal, it comes with one of twelve film-inspired toys and a scannable code that unlocks a digital game to play.

The collab is also introducing a new sauce: the limited edition Nether Flame Sauce. This is described as a hot sauce, with crushed red pepper and cayenne in addition to hints of garlic and sweetness.

Things are a little more exciting over in the UK, where you'll be able to get your hands on the A Minecraft Movie Meal (complete with the collectibles and in-game items) plus limited edition Nether Flame Sauce from March 26.

Those in the region will also be able to try the Apple Cake McFlurry, which comes topped with cubes of shortcake and a sour apple sauce. The brand claims that it is "McDonald’s' most innovative flavor combination in a long time," but I'll be judging that for myself once it hits stores.

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• The iPhone 16e's 5G modem has outperformed the iPhone 16's in some tests
• Its lack of mmWave support might be the only thing holding it back
• This bodes well for future iPhones and future versions of this modem

One interesting aspect of the iPhone 16e is that it uses Apple’s C1 modem. This is Apple’s first in-house 5G modem, and so far the iPhone 16e is the only device you’ll find it in.

With this being a cheaper phone than the rest of the iPhone 16 series you might expect the C1 to trail the Qualcomm modem used in those, but in fact tests suggest the C1 might offer better performance in most situations.

Ookla (via 9to5Mac) has collected data from iPhone 16 and iPhone 16e users in the US, and found that the iPhone 16e offers 10th percentile download speeds of 27.35Mbps, compared to 16.66Mbps on the iPhone 16. Those are essentially the speeds that the users experiencing the lowest performance on either phone can expect.

(Image credit: Ookla)

For median download speeds the iPhone 16e also comes out on top, at 217.64Mbps compared to 210.55Mbps on the iPhone 16. However, at the top end the iPhone 16 takes the win, with 90th percentile download speeds of 756.13Mbps, compared to 560.4Mbps on the iPhone 16e.

Notably though those upper speeds could be skewed by the fact that the iPhone 16e doesn’t support faster mmWave 5G, while Ookla suspects future versions of the C1 modem will support this.

Just as good for uploads

(Image credit: Ookla)

The iPhone 16e and its C1 modem are similarly impressive when looking at median upload speeds, having the iPhone 16 comfortably beat across all three tested carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T).

This all is good news for Apple, since it suggests the company could switch to its in-house modem across all new iPhones without sacrificing speeds, and it’s all the more impressive as Apple claims the C1 is also more efficient than other iPhone modems, meaning it shouldn’t impact battery life as much.

It does put the iPhone 16e in the unusual position of actually having an advantage over Apple’s top models – other than its lack of mmWave support – but that’s one more reason to buy this phone, and looking ahead, it’s a promising sign for future iPhones, especially since the next generation of this modem might be even better.

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• Assassin's Creed Shadows could soon get PSSR support on PS5 Pro
• Technical architect Nicolas Lopez has teased the addition of PSSR and asked fans to "stay tuned"
• Lopez also said the team "went the extra mile" for the PS5 Pro to deliver meaningful performance and visual improvements

The PlayStation 5 Pro version of Assassin's Creed Shadows could soon see even more improvements with the addition of Playstation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR).

After a number of delays, the latest Assassin's Creed entry has finally launched and reviews are in, with many praising the game's overall performance and graphics, particularly on the PS5 Pro.

Digital Foundry also released a video comparing the game on PS5 and PS5 Pro and called it "one of the largest Pro upgrades we've seen so far", thanks to the system's Ray Traced Global Illumination (RTGI) tech.

The game looks stunning, but it seems that the game's visuals could get even better for PS5 Pro owners.

In response to the comparison video, technical architect Nicolas Lopez took to X / Twitter and said, "We went the extra mile for the PS5 Pro and wanted to deliver a meaningful improvement with the extra power."

One fan then asked Lopez if there was a reason the development team didn't implement PSSR on PS5 Pro, to which Lopez replied, "I'd stay tuned."

From this statement, it seems safe to assume that Sony's AI-upscaling technology will be added to Assassin's Creed Shadows in the future, although when exactly is unclear.

Ubisoft does have plans to release downloadable content (DLC) this year, namely Claws of Awaji, so it's possible PSSR could be added in an unannounced content update.

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• Smeg's color of the year is Jade Green – a soft shade of turquoise
• Three appliances are available in the color now, with more to follow
• It continues the trend for kitchen appliances in warm, natural tones

Kitchen brand Smeg has revealed its official color of 2025 – a soft shade of turquoise called Jade Green. Smeg is an Italian company (the name is an acronym for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla), and it says the hue is reminiscent of the country's idyllic waters. Think of gondolas drifting along Venice's Grand Canal, and you've got the right idea.

There are currently three appliances available in the color: the Retro-Style Two-Slice Toaster, the Retro-Style Seven-Cup Electric Kettle, and the Collezione Digital Kitchen Scale, which launched last year.

Smeg says it will be splashing Jade Green onto two more products within the next few months, and judging by the images the company has released, it looks like those may be the Smeg Soda Maker and the Portable Induction Hub.

(Image credit: Smeg) Color me impressed

Jade Green continues 2025's trend for kitchen appliances in warm, nature-inspired hues. It's a marked change from the clinical black, white, and stainless steel we've seen so much of over recent years.

Back in February, KitchenAid revealed that its color of the year is a soft shade of yellow called Butter, which looks good enough to eat.

That announcement followed the launch of the enormously popular (and surprisingly controversial) Evergreen Artisan Stand Mixer, which features a matte olive body and a natural walnut wood bowl for an arboreal look.

Some bakers were worried that the bowl, which needs to be hand-washed and oiled to stay in perfect condition, would be poorly suited to tasks like whisking eggs, though real-world baking tests provide it worked just as well as traditional stainless steel.

KitchenAid has also made all its automatic coffee machines available in a creamy shade called Porcelain White, and Breville has updated its best coffee makers with new colors too. The Brass Accents collection gives machines like the Barista Touch Impress a 2025 update in shades of navy blue, olive green, and off-white, with warm-toned metal detailing.

It's enough to make me want to redecorate my whole kitchen.

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• Beyond 6G networks may unlock AI with real-world adaptability and reasoning abilities
• Virginia Tech researchers believe AI-native networks are the key to AGI
• Wireless technology could help AI bridge the gap to human intelligence

Artificial intelligence has advanced rapidly, yet researchers at Virginia Tech believe that achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) depends on equipping AI tools with common sense, enabling it to think, imagine, and plan beyond its training data.

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the IEEE Journal explores how wireless technology could serve as a foundation for this next step in AI evolution.

The researchers propose that AI-native wireless systems beyond 6G could provide a framework for AI to learn from real-world interactions, mimicking human cognition using the most powerful computers to process vast amounts of data.

Next-generation AI could drive a wireless revolution

Virginia Tech researchers argue next-generation AI is the missing link in future wireless advancements, moving beyond the efficiency-focused AI of early 6G developments to systems that can actively reason and make decisions like humans.

Unlike current AI, which relies on pattern recognition and statistical analysis, this new approach would introduce AI capable of understanding physical principles, predicting events, and adapting to unforeseen circumstances.

However, achieving this remains a long-term goal that will require the best small business servers to ensure seamless data processing and integration.

“We’re looking at least 10 or 15 years down the line before we have a wireless network with artificial general intelligence [AGI] that can think, plan, and imagine,” said Walid Saad, a professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the university.

“We have a blueprint and concrete road map. The entire vision might not be immediately deployable, but pieces of it can be implemented now. We're trying to position this paper in a way to tell the community that there is a path to something really revolutionary — step by step we can work toward a living, thinking wireless network.”

By processing vast real-time data and interacting with digital twins, AI could develop intuition, enabling it to predict outcomes, make logical decisions, and bridge the gap between computational processing and human reasoning.

“Simply put, the current level of AI is good at extracting statistical relationships from data, but it’s very bad at reasoning and generalizing to novel, unexpected situations – things that most humans master perfectly.”

To make this vision a reality, the researchers argue that wireless networks must evolve from merely transmitting data to actively learning from it.

“The missing link is really the wireless network and its components like digital twins, because we can use a twin that exists as a basis for a world model thereby enabling human-level-like thinking and integrating these 'thought' processes in the wireless network now,” Saad said.

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• GoDaddy found a malicious campaign infecting 20,000 WordPress sites
• It is called DollyWay, and it is super persistent
• DollyWay redirects visitors to fake gambling and crypto sites

A long-running, super persistent malicious campaign that infected more than 20,000 WordPress websites worldwide has been uncovered by experts.

Security researchers from GoDaddy dubbed it “DollyWay World Domination”, which had the goal of redirecting vicims to fake dating, gambling, crypto, and sweepstakes sites, although in the past the campaign was also used to spread ransomware and banking trojans.

DollyWay has been active since at least 2016, GoDaddy says, adding today it generates 10 million impressions every month, raking in solid earnings for the operators. Over the years, it also improved evasion, reinfection, and monetization strategies.

A single threat actor

DollyWay is currently in its third iteration, while the previous ones were more focused on malware distribution and phishing.

To compromise WordPress websites, DollyWay’s operators looked for n-day vulnerabilities in plugins and themes for the platform. They also employed a Traffic Direction System (TD) to filter and redirect users based on their location, device, and referrer. To make sure attackers get paid per redirection, they used VexTrio and LosPollos networks.

When it comes to obfuscation, DollyWay was doing a number of things: It redirected users only after they clicked on something, in order to evade passive security scans. It also wasn’t redirecting any logged-in WordPress users, bots, and direct visitors who were coming without referrers. It was also quite persistent, GoDaddy said, since reinfection would occur with every page load.

At first, GoDaddy’s researchers were under the impression that they were analyzing multiple groups and different campaigns.

"While previously thought to be separate campaigns, our research reveals these attacks share common infrastructure, code patterns, and monetization methods - all appearing to be connected to a single, sophisticated threat actor,” the researchers concluded. “The operation was named after the following tell-tale string, which is found in some variations of the malware: define('DOLLY_WAY', 'World Domination')."

Via BleepingComputer

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