TechRadar News

• State-backed rivals have made open source 3D printing nearly impossible
• Chinese subsidies shift global competition in desktop 3D printer production
• Cheap Chinese patents create obstacles far beyond Europe’s market borders

The open source movement in 3D printing once thrived on shared designs, community projects, and collaboration across borders.

However, Josef Prusa, head of Prusa Research, has announced, “open hardware desktop 3D printing is dead.”

The remark stands out because his company long championed open designs, sharing files and innovations with the wider community.

Economic support and patent challenges

Prusa built his early business in a small basement in Prague, packing frames into pizza boxes while relying on contributions from others who shared his philosophy.

What has changed, he now argues, is not consumer demand but the imbalance created when the Chinese government labeled 3D printing a “strategic industry” in 2020.

In his blog post, Prusa cites a study from the Rhodium Group which describes how China backs its firms with grants, subsidies, and easier credit.

This makes it much cheaper to manufacture machines there than in Europe or North America.

The issue grows more complicated when looking at patents. In China, registering a claim costs as little as $125, while challenging one ranges from $12,000 to $75,000.

This gap has encouraged a surge of local filings, often on designs that trace back to open source projects.

Prusa’s earlier machines, such as the Original i3, proudly displayed components from partners like E3D and Noctua, embodying a spirit of community, but were also easy to copy, with entire guides appearing online just months after release.

The newest Prusa printers, including the MK4 and Core ONE, now restrict access to key electronic designs, even while offering STL files for printed parts.

The Nextruder system is fully proprietary, marking a clear retreat from total openness.

Prusa argues Chinese firms are effectively locking down technology the community meant to share - as while a patent in China does not block his company from selling in Europe, it prevents access to the Chinese market.

A bigger risk emerges when agencies like the US Patent Office treat such patents as “prior art,” creating hurdles that are expensive and time-consuming to clear.

Prusa cited the case of the Chinese company, Anycubic, securing a US patent on a multicolor hub that appears similar to the MMU system his company first released in 2016.

Years earlier, Bambu Lab introduced its A1 series, also drawing inspiration from the same concept.

Anycubic now sells the Kobra 3 Combo with this feature, raising questions about how agencies award patents and who holds legitimate claims.

Meanwhile, Bambu Lab faces separate legal battles with Stratasys, the American pioneer whose patents once kept 3D printing confined to costly industrial use.

Declaring the end of open hardware may be dramatic, but the pressures are real.

Between state subsidies, permissive patent rules, and rising disputes, the foundation of open collaboration is eroding.

Via Toms Hardware

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• Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid – Sunday, August 24 at 3.30pm ET / 8.30pm BST

Today's Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid live stream sees La Liga football finally return to the Estadio Carlos Tartiere in Oviedo, as the Spanish league's minnows take on its biggest fish.

Los Blancos' start to the domestic season was steady rather than spectacular. A Kylian Mbappé penalty was enough to secure a 1-0 home win over Osasuna in a game that was more notable for league debuts for the incoming Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Álvaro Carreras.

Making their first appearance in the top flight for 24 years, Oviedo couldn't have been handed a much tougher start. They lost an away trip to Villareal first up, having debutant Alberto Reina getting sent off in the process. And now they face 36-time winners Real Madrid.

Read on for our guide on where to watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid live streams online in La Liga wherever you are today.

Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid team news

Real Oviedo XI: Escandell, Alhassane, Calvo, Costas, Luengo, Sibo, Chaira, Dendoncker, Ilić, Vidal, Rondón

Subs: Bailly, Brekalo, Cazorla, Colombatto, Ejaria, Esteban, Falah, Forés, Gueye, Hassan, Moldovan, Viñas

Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Carreras, Huijsen, Rüdiger, Carvajal, Rodrygo, Tchouaméni, Valverde, Mastantuono, Mbappé, Güler

Subs: Díaz, Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Ceballos, Gonzalo García, Fran, García, Lunin, Mestre, Militão, Alaba, Vinícius Júnior, Pitarch

How to watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid live streams in the US

The Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid live stream is on the newly rebranded ESPN streaming platform in the US. Monthly subscriptions cost from $11.99 a month with the ESPN Select tier or you can upgrade to an Unlimited Plan for $29.99 a month or $299 a year, which also bundles in standard ESPN channels.

Alternatively, if you have access to ESPN Deportes via cable or an OTT streaming service, this La Liga game will also be shown there.

On holiday outside of the US? A VPN will allow you to access your usual US subscription from abroad. We recommend NordVPN as the best overall streaming VPN.

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How to watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid live streams in the UK

Premier Sports is broadcasting the Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid La Liga match live in the UK.

Premier Sports costs £16.99 on a rolling monthly basis. To save money, you can commit to a year for £11.99 per month or one upfront payment of £120.

Not in the UK right now? To access your usual streaming service from outside the UK, you'll need to download a good VPN, as detailed above.

How to watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid in Canada

La Liga fans in Canada can live stream Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid thanks to the TSN Plus streaming service. It costs $8 a month or $80 for a whole year. The service carries all TSN live sports on the likes of web browsers, smartphones, tablets, select Smart TVs, Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and Xbox.

This match is not listed as showing on TSN on TV.

Outside Canada while the soccer is on? Simply use a VPN to watch from abroad.

How to watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid in Australia

Soccer fans in Australia can watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid on beIN Sports, with kick-off at 5.30am AEST on Monday morning.

beIN Sports costs $15.99 a month or you can save big by going for the annual plan that's currently discounted to $129.99. And if you're new to the specialist sports streamer, you can take advantage of its free one-week trial.

How to watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid in New Zealand?

In New Zealand the Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid live stream will be on beIN Sports, which offers new users a 7-day FREE trial. The match starts at 7.30am NZT on Monday morning.

You can add beIN Sports to most pre-existing TV packages, or you can sign up as a separate subscription. It costs $14.99 month or $129.99 if you pay for a year up front, once that week-long trial ends.

In New Zealand on vacation right now? You can simply use NordVPN to catch all the action you need.

When does Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid start?

Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid kicks off at 9.30pm CEST in Spain on Sunday, August 24, which is 3.30pm am ET / 12.30 PT in the US and 8.30pm BST in the UK.

That's 5.30am AEST / 7.30am NZST on Monday, August 25 for fans based in Australia and New Zealand.

Can I watch Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid on my mobile?

Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone's browser letting you live stream Real Oviedo vs Real Madrid on the go.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Data centers in England use far less water than many expected
• TechUK survey shows nearly two-thirds of facilities consume modest water amounts
• Closed-loop cooling systems reduce dependence on traditional water-intensive methods

The world's expanding network of data centers has often been linked with heavy environmental costs, especially when it comes to water.

These facilities form the base for cloud services, LLM training, and the many AI tools now embedded across industries.

However a new survey by techUK, conducted with the UK Environment Agency, has claimed data centers are “not intensive water users” as many people think.

Very few sites with industry-level water usage

The report found nearly two-thirds (64%) of commercial sites in England consume less than 10,000 cubic meters of water per year.

This level of demand is described as lower than that of a “typical leisure center” and similar to the water requirements of a Premier League football club.

Only 4% of facilities reported usage over 100,000 cubic meters annually, a figure associated more with industrial production.

Cooling has long been considered the driver of data center water consumption, although the industry is now moving toward alternatives such as waterless and closed-loop systems.

More than half of the facilities surveyed already rely on waterless cooling, while many others use direct-to-chip techniques that recycle water within sealed systems.

In fact, 89% of operators said they no longer track consumption because their systems use “no water beyond the regular functioning of any building.”

While the report stresses operators are “actively innovating” to cut demand, skepticism remains.

Questions also remain over whether reported figures capture the full lifecycle of water use, including indirect impacts from energy generation.

TechUK argues that data centers are vital for the UK economy, contributing billions in annual value and enabling ambitions in AI and digital innovation.

The trade body is calling for stronger planning frameworks, including a proposed “water exploitation index” to track local stress levels.

“I am encouraged by the work techUK has undertaken to better understand water usage, and the findings suggest UK data centers are using a range of cooling technologies and becoming more water conscious,” said Richard Thompson, Deputy Director for Water Resources at the Environment Agency.

“It is vital the sector puts sustainability at its heart, and minimizes water use in line with evolving standards."

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• Kioxia develops 5TB flash memory prototype with 64GB/s bandwidth for edge computing
• Prototype memory module demonstrates daisy chain design maintaining bandwidth at higher capacities
• New module uses PAM4 signalling and controller prefetch to improve flash performance

Kioxia has developed a new type of prototype flash memory module which offers both large capacity and high bandwidth.

The module was created under Japan’s Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project led by NEDO, the national research agency.

The module offers 5TB of storage and a transfer rate of 64GB/s, positioning it as a potential alternative or supplement to conventional DRAM in data processing. Kioxia said the design addresses the long-standing trade-off between bandwidth and capacity found in DRAM modules by arranging flash memory chips in a daisy-chain rather than a bus connection.

Beads of flash

Each flash unit, described as a bead, is connected in sequence with its own controller. The daisy-chain design allows capacity to expand without degrading bandwidth, something which has been a limitation in earlier architectures.

The company also developed high-speed transceivers capable of 128Gbps throughput. These use PAM4 modulation, which encodes two bits of information per signal, doubling the effective bandwidth compared to traditional binary signalling.

Alongside this, new controller features such as prefetching help reduce read latency, while low amplitude signalling and distortion correction increase the memory interface’s speed to 4.0Gbps.

Kioxia reported the prototype consumes less than 40W when operating at full bandwidth over a PCIe Gen 6 eight-lane connection.

The combination of power efficiency and throughput is being presented as a step toward making flash more practical in memory-intensive roles usually filled by DRAM.

The work is targeted at servers in mobile edge computing environments, where 5G and 6G networks create the need to process information closer to end devices.

Real-time IoT and AI workloads are driving interest in memory systems that balance cost, capacity, and performance.

Kioxia said it plans to continue developing this technology toward commercialization, with potential uses in IoT, big data analytics, and advanced AI models including generative AI.

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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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, August 24 (game #1308).

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 #1309) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1309) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1309) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1309) - 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 #1309) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• G

• S

• C

• J

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

Quordle today (game #1309) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1309, are…

• GEEKY
• SHALT
• CHIEF
• JIFFY

A game of two Hail Mary guesses for me today that somehow both came off.

GEEKY felt the most unlikely. I guessed it with just a G and a single E both in the wrong positions but with no other vowel possible I convinced myself there had to be two Es and that was the first playable word that came to mind.

Sometimes I love this game.

Daily Sequence today (game #1309) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1309, are…

• PRIDE
• DRYER
• STORM
• MOTIF

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1308, Sunday, 24 August: ROVER, GONER, ANTIC, OUTDO
• Quordle #1307, Saturday, 23 August: DEMON, GRATE, FLYER, SHEEP
• Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINY
• Quordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTE
• Quordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORST
• Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
• Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
• Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
• Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, August 24 (game #805).

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 #806) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PEARL
• JAM
• POM-POM
• FILTER
• PIPE CLEANER
• FEATHERS
• FIX
• TAMPER
• PEA
• WILLING
• GUZZLE
• MESS
• LIGHTER
• PICKLE
• SAD
• MOTHBALL

NYT Connections today (game #806) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Sticky situation
• GREEN: Round items 
• BLUE: Tobacco accoutrements
• PURPLE: Connected by the opposite of “up”

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 #806) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PREDICAMENT 
• GREEN: SMALL SPHERICAL THINGS 
• BLUE: PIPE-SMOKING ACCESSORIES
• PURPLE: WHAT "DOWN" MIGHT MEAN

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

NYT Connections today (game #806) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #806, are…

• YELLOW: PREDICAMENT FIX, JAM, MESS, PICKLE
• GREEN: SMALL SPHERICAL THINGS MOTHBALL, PEA, PEARL, POM-POM
• BLUE: PIPE-SMOKING ACCESSORIES FILTER, LIGHTER, PIPE CLEANER, TAMPER
• PURPLE: WHAT "DOWN" MIGHT MEAN FEATHERS, GUZZLE, SAD, WILLING

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I really enjoy the little jokes in Connections when I see them, which isn’t always, and today the PEARL and JAM tiles jumped out right away. I often feel as if these bits of wordplay are the starting point for the creators.

Anyway, this was a particularly tricky start to the puzzling week that took me a long while to put together.

At first I thought that PIPE CLEANER and POM-POM belong together as they were made out of wool or fake wool, but this thought process led me up a blind alley that cost me a mistake.

Then, I thought we were looking for elements of fairytales so I had PEA for Princess and the Pea, FEATHERS for The Three Feathers, and PEARL for The Last Pearl. That cost me another mistake before I started to get things right.

I got PIPE-SMOKING ACCESSORIES thanks to LIGHTER and PIPE CLEANER and then PREDICAMENT and SMALL SPHERICAL THINGS fell into place. Challenging, but I’m glad it’s all over. 

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, August 24, game #805)

• YELLOW: WINE VESSELS BOTTLE, CARAFE, DECANTER, GLASS
• GREEN: RIPPED CLEFT, RENT, SPLIT, TORN
• BLUE: KINDS OF SNAKES CORAL, GARTER, KING, RATTLE
• PURPLE: ____ CALL BOOTY, CLOSE, COLD, CURTAIN

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new 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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, August 24 (game #539).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Back to school

NYT Strands today (game #540) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BACK
• SOLO
• STOKE
• TALL
• LAST
• CORK

NYT Strands today (game #540) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #540) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 5th row

Last side: left, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #540) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #540, are…

• LAPTOP
• NOTEBOOKS
• FOLDERS
• BACKPACK
• CALCULATOR
• SPANGRAM: SUPPLIES

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I had a bit of a back-to-front day today tapping out “top” and “lap”  before I saw we were searching for LAPTOP and tapping out “book” and “note” before seeing NOTEBOOKS.

I just about got through without using a hint although I was sorely tempted after a slow start. 

You will never need as many SUPPLIES for the rest of your life as you do at school. Well for your first day of school anyway. After the first week you wise up and realize you don’t have to fill your gigantic BACKPACK with every single piece of stationery item you may possibly need for the next decade.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, August 24, game #539)

• BLASTING
• LOUD
• BOOMING
• NOISY
• STRIDENT
• BOISTEROUS
• SPANGRAM: HUBBUB

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.

I think I finally understand why my mind so often wanders back to that picture-perfect day in Redmond, Washington, and the Windows 95 launch event on August 24, 1995.

Put simply, it's a combination of the sensory overload of attending my first carnival-atmosphere-level tech launch event and the fact that I was 31 years old, and realizing that I'd found the career and lifestyle that would sustain me possibly for the rest of my life.

Bill Gates at the Windows 95 launch in Redmond, Washington. (Image credit: Getty Images)

In a way, Microsoft and I had this in common: 1995 (and that August 24 launch) marked a turning point for Windows, which had, even with Windows 3.1, been a pale imitation of the Macintosh OS graphical user interface (GUI). Windows 95 put Microsoft's Start button approach to desktop computing in the hands of millions, cementing its position as the PC platform leader just as Apple was sliding into temporary obscurity. In my life, I was a rising tech editor at the number one tech publication in the world, and at home, just months earlier welcomed my first child in our still relatively new home.

In a way, I think I'm nostalgic for that moment. Microsoft felt a little scrappy and a lot nerdy. I was a curly-headed, over-enthusiastic nerdy tech writer who was never quite sure how to climb the media ladder.

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My ticket and press pass for the event. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)

Microsoft's Windows 95 launch event was the culmination of a year-long marketing effort, but it also felt as if Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and company were reaching, without much success, for a little bit of the Apple cool. When Apple launched the iconic Macintosh more than a decade earlier, it did it with an extraordinary TV commercial, one that almost said, 'We don't need you, you need us."

Microsoft hired Jay Leno, an amiable Tonight Show host who has never and will never be "cool," as the master of ceremonies and paid The Rolling Stones a still unknown sum for the opening bars of its salacious Start Me Up (go read the lyrics, I'll wait). Even that didn't make Microsoft cool.

None of that mattered, though, because, at the time, Windows 95's relevance quotient was through the roof.

While I was wandering around the Redmond campus carnival, pausing briefly to watch Jay Leno deliver a standup routine to a dozen or so people seated on the perfectly manicured green lawn and to share a couple of words with Bill Gates who stood behind all of them, watching, thousands of people around the world were lined up at retail stores to buy the first copies of the $99 Windows 95 operating systems (it went on sale at midnight that evening).

That's right. They lined up. Long before Apple inspired consumers to queue up at Apple stores for the first iPhone, Bill Gates had marketed the heck out of Windows 95 and turned everyone into either Windows fans or at least software collectors.

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This Special Edition Windows 95 package was handed to us at the launch event. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 2 of 7

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 3 of 7

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 4 of 7

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 5 of 7

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 6 of 7

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)Image 7 of 7

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)

I remember lots of little bits about the day. It felt important, and I, by extension of my invite and ability to cover it, also felt like I mattered a little more.

In the ensuing decades, I'd visit Microsoft's campus again (most recently the same spot for the company's 50th anniversary), travel to Cupertino for Apple, South Korea for Samsung, Austin, TX, for Dell, and Las Vegas for almost two dozen CES events. But Microsoft's Windows 95 launch was the first. It was the original tech spectacle and rewrote the script for where technology would live in consumers' lives and how they would learn about it.

Within a few years, the Internet would be ubiquitous and Microsoft, which launched Windows 95 without a web browser, would race to catch up, belatedly delivering Internet Explorer.

The original Windows 95 upgrade software (left) and on the right the Plus package that later added, among other things, Internet Explorer. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)

The web splits our attention across an untold number of niche interests. Getting millions to focus on one singular event was becoming virtually impossible.

These days, we craft our own information channels.

Just this past week in Brooklyn, NY, Google launched its new Pixel line with Jimmy Fallon, the SNL comedian who took over for Leno, as host. It was a slightly strange and mildly amusing event that I attended and wrote about. But this isn't 1995, and it wasn't a circus, just another big tech company trying to garner attention. Instead of Ferris wheels, games, and songs about sex, we got the milqutoast Jonas Brothers and a legion of influencers who were either on stage or in the audience, all there to spread the word.

Most of them were either born years after the Windows 95 launch or are too young to remember it.

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• iOS 26 will unlock extra charging speeds on the iPhone 16 models
• 25W is going to be possible using third-party chargers
• We should see the final version of the software roll out in September

Since iOS 26 was announced in June, it's been through several cycles of beta testing ahead of its expected full release next month, and we now know it's going to bring an extra bonus to existing iPhone 16 handsets: faster wireless charging.

As spotted by MacRumors, iOS 26 unlocks the full capabilities of the Qi2 wireless charging standard on the iPhone 16, which means wireless charging speeds of up to 25W on third-party Qi chargers. Previously, the limit was 15W.

To get the best charging speeds, you need several different elements to line up: the phone hardware, the charging standard, and the software support. The Qi2 standard was built-into the iPhone 16 handsets when they launched last September, and then updated to support 25W back in July.

Right now though, that 25W upgrade hasn't been unlocked on the 16 iPhone series – you can only get 25W wireless charging from official Apple MagSafe chargers. When iOS 26 rolls out in full, that will change.

Wireless boosts all round

Official MagSafe accessories can already get up to 25W on the iPhone 16 (Image credit: Apple / Future)

Thanks to the improved charging capabilities, you'll be able to get an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro up to 50% battery from zero in as little as 30 minutes, according to Apple's own figures for its MagSafe range of products.

Belkin has moved fast, and is releasing three new chargers to take advantage of the incoming update. It's not something Apple has specifically referred to yet, though that may change when the iOS 26 beta period ends.

This is also confirmation that the iPhone 17 handsets are going to support the latest Qi2.2 standard, with wireless charging up to 25W, as has been widely expected – although as third-party charger support gets a bump up to 25W, we might see MagSafe capabilities go all the way up to 50W, according to one leak.

It's almost certain that Apple is going to unveil the iPhone 17 series sometime in September, and the indications are that something could happen around September 9. As always, we'll be bringing you all the news and announcements as they happen.

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• The latest Samsung tri-fold leak has appeared
• It relates to how One UI will work on the handset
• We can expect to see the phone in October

We shouldn't have much longer to wait before Samsung finally launches its much-anticipated tri-fold handset, and a fresh software leak may have just revealed how the new handset will have the edge over the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold 7.

The team at SammyGuru (via 9to5Google) has somehow got hold of hidden One UI 8 elements that show the tri-fold is going to have the ability to show three apps side-by-side on the main screen – the ultimate in multitasking.

While you can get three apps up at the same time on the main 8-inch display of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (and its predecessors), one of those apps has to take up the top half or bottom half of the screen. That leaves the other two squashed into the corners.

Another improvement that's apparently on the way: the Samsung tri-fold will be able to show up to three home screens as well, mirrored from three home screens on the outer display (where they can be cycled through with a swipe).

The rumors so far

The main display of the Samsung tri-fold will have three sections, like the Huawei Mate XT (Image credit: Future)

These are promising leaks in terms of software, because it sounds as though Samsung has thought carefully about what makes a tri-fold different. According to this latest report, support for these features will roll out with One UI 8.5.

Considering One UI 8 is already on certain devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, that suggests the tri-fold isn't too far away from launching. Previous rumors have suggested that Samsung's grand unveiling would be sometime in October.

As you may remember, Samsung first teased the device all the way back in January, at the Galaxy S25 launch, so it's definitely coming. However, there's been little official information about the handset since then.

If the leaks and rumors are right, the phone is going to come with a titanium frame, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a triple-lens rear camera, rather ordinary charging times, and a 9.96-inch display. Oh, and it's going to cost you quite a bit of money, too.

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You can watch the 2025 US Open live on 9Now, streaming for free from August 25th to September 7th. The free coverage includes live matches, English commentary and all the big names as the biggest stars in tennis compete for the final grand slam of the year.

The Australian platform will broadcast the US Open in HD throughout the tournament, ensuring all tennis fans get the best quality coverage of the grand slam.

Are you wondering how you can watch the US Open for free in the U.S., U.K and Canada too? And on which apps?

No need to panic - Here's our guide on how to watch the US Open for free on 9Now

How to watch the US Open on 9Now for free

If you're looking for English commentary and HD coverage, 9Now (Australia) is our pick for FREE US Open coverage.

In order to watch 9Now's footage, you will need to create an account if you haven't done so already. You can do this for free, it just asks for your email account.

Travelling or working outside of Australia? You can watch 9Now's coverage of the US Open from anywhere in the world with a VPN.

Our favorite VPN to stream the tennis on is NordVPN, the picture quality is amazing.

How to watch the 2025 US Open from anywhere in the world

The US Open is available across the globe, however, it is only being streamed for FREE in Australia.

No need to worry though tennis fans, if you're travelling or working outside of these countries, you can use a VPN to access your usual streams.

There are heaps of different VPN's on the market but NordVPNis our # 1 ranked, meaning you can rely on them to unblock your streams and enjoy the US Open coverage on 9Now.

NordVPN – try the world's top VPN for the US Open

Want to watch the US Open live streams whilst travelling abroad? If you're away from home right now, use NordVPN to access your domestic streaming services like 9Now as if you were back home. We've tested all major providers and rate NordVPN as the best VPN. With 24/7 support, a 30-day money-back guarantee and over 70% off with the current deal, it's perfect for streaming the US Open. Check out full details in our NordVPN review.

Try NordVPN 100% risk-free for 30 daysView Deal

It's really simple to use a VPN to watch the US Open when you're away from home:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is #1 ranked.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you're traveling in the US but from Australia, select 'Australia' from the listed countries.

3. Sit back and enjoy the tennis. Head to your streaming site or app and watch US Open 2025 action.

US Open Q+AWhat does 9Now's US Open coverage include?

(Image credit: Getty Images- Elsa )

As well as excellent coverage of the tournament, including the men's and women's final, 9Now also offer fans expert analysis.

Tennis fans can expect to see former Australian tennis superstars Jelena Dokic and Todd Woodbridge providing analysis on their screens, with Sam McClure and Georgie Parker hosting and commentating across the tournament.

9Now offers a wide range of content surrounding the US Open, and is the place to go for your FREE coverage.

If you're travelling abroad, don't forget to use NordVPN to gain access to the coverage.

Which devices can I use to watch US Open on 9Now with?

Here's a list of all the devices you can download the 9Now app on.

Apple iPhones and iPads. iOS 12+

Android phones and tablets. 5.0+

Web Browser - 9Now

Amazon Fire TV

Android TV

Apple TV

Chromecast

Fetch TV

Foxtel iQ

Freeview

Hisense TV

LG TV

Roku

Samsung TV

Is 9Now the best way to watch the US Open for FREE?

We've tested 9Now and the service is user-friendly (you'll need a VPN when travelling outside Australia) and dependable. Owned by Nine Network, a leading Australian broadcaster, it offers reliable streaming with excellent replays and full free streams of matches across the 2025 US Open with English commentary.

Additionally, 9Now will cover other major sports events, providing more live sports coverage for free. Just make sure you have a strong internet connection for the best experience and you're good to go.

For catching up, 9Now provides free highlight clips of select US Open matches, lasting around 8 minutes.

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We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Gilded Age season 4: key information

- HBO confirmed renewal on July 28, 2025
- Current speculated release window between 2026 to mid-2027
- Main cast expected to return, Morgan Spector's George less certain
- Plot details are currently under wraps

The Gilded Age season 4 was greenlit by HBO shortly before the penultimate episode of the third season aired.

According to Deadline, ahead of The Gilded Age season 3 finale, the drama series was "adding viewers at a rate nearly 50% higher than in previous seasons." HBO's head of drama series and films Francesca Orsi added: "We couldn’t be prouder of the undeniable viewership heights The Gilded Age has achieved this season.

"Transporting us to 1880s New York City, Julian Fellowes and the enormously talented cast and crew have created a 'cant-miss it' entertainment experience from week to week, and we’re delighted to continue exploring these characters’ grand ambitions for what we promise will be a thrilling fourth season."

For the uninitiated, the hit HBO Max TV show is basically an American version of Downton Abbey (which was also created by Fellowes), following upper-class families in NYC at the turn of the 19th century. Old money has been against new money since the start of season 1, and thanks to the continued drama between Bertha (Carrie Coon), George (Morgan Spector) and Gladys' (Taissa Farmiga) recent marriage, that's not going to stop.

But things have changed in New York society, and that's potentially about to change Bertha's life for good. But what do we actually know about The Gilded Age season 4 so far, and what can we expect?

The Gilded Age season 4 release window speculation

(Image credit: HBO)

As of writing, no confirmed release date has been given for The Gilded Age season 4. This isn't surprising considering season 3 isn't even cold yet, and it's likely going to be a while before we get anything more concrete than the renewal news itself.

That doesn't mean we can't made an educated guess, though. Season 1 premiered in January 2022, with by season 2 in October 2023, and season 3 in June 2025 (though it's worth bearing in mind that the latter two seasons were impacted by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes). Hopefully, this means the gap between seasons 3 and 4 won't be as long as we've seen previously, giving us a rough timeline of summer 2026 to spring 2027 for new episodes.

The Gilded Age season 4 trailer: is there one?

(Image credit: HBO)

Unsurprisingly, there's no trailer for season 4 yet and there won't be for a while (it's not even started filming yet). We'll be sure to update this page as soon as one drops.

The Gilded Age season 4 cast rumors

Morgan Spector (George) and Bertha (Carrie Coon) in The Gilded Age season 3. (Image credit: HBO)

Essentially, we're looking at the main players from season 3 all returning, though nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Only John Adams (Claybourne Elder) actually died in season 3 – we'll come back to George a little later – so there's nothing to suggest anyone else will be leaving at this stage. Of course, an actor can always be written out if they want to or to save scheduling clashes, but let's assume that's not going to happen.

Here are the cast members we'd respect to return for The Gilded Age season 4:

• Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell
• Phylicia Rashad as Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkland
• Cynthia Nixon as Ada Brook
• Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn
• Harry Richardson as Larry Russell
• Denée Benton as Peggy Scott
• Jordan Donica as Dr. William Kirkland
• Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook
• Taissa Farmiga as Gladys Russell
• Ben Lamb as The Duke of Buckingham
• Blake Ritson as Oscar van Rhijn)
• Audra McDonald as Dorothy Scott
• Kelley Curran as Enid Winterton
• Kelli O'Hara as Aurora Fane
• Donna Murphy as Mrs. Astor
• Ben Ahlers as Jack Treacher
• Douglas Sills as Monsieur Baudin
• Celia Keenan-Bolger as Mrs. Bruce
• Simon Jones as Mr. Bannister
• Jack Gilpin as Church
• Debra Monk as Armstrong
• Phylicia Rashad as Elizabeth Kirkland
• Brian Stokes Mitchell as Frederick Kirland

Of course, there's an elephant in the room: will Morgan Spector be returning as George? The jury is currently out after his unexpected departure. Other societal outcasts such as Nathan Lane (Ward McAllister) also have a question mark against them.

The Gilded Age season 4 plot rumors

Season 4 totally depends on what George chooses to do next. (Image credit: HBO)

Major spoilers follow for The Gilded Age season 3.

Let's recap what we learned in the season 3 final episodes. George’s life hung in the balance in the closing scene of season 3 episode 7. He’d previously won out against Clay (Patrick Page) and Mr. Sage (Peter McRobbie), getting the business back on track in spite of their rivalry. However, this comes at a price. A courier soon visited George’s office, pulling a gun on his secretary before aiming it straight at George himself. The gun went off, the screen goes black and we had no idea whether he’s alive or died.

In episode 8, we find out that George was indeed shot, but managed to make a miraculous recovery. Hooray! Lives are saved and the Russells can return to being the stoic force in New York society that they’ve always been, right? Wrong. Once George is well enough to remember he’s being streamed live on HBO Max, he promptly tells wife Bertha that he’s not even sure if he loves her or trusts her, leaving for New York without so much as an amicable thought between them.

Just as Gladys announces she is pregnant right in the episode's final moments, George is seemingly out of the picture. This means Bertha got everything she'd been working towards, but now has been left without a stable family unit of her own.

As far as Carrie Coon is concerned, Bertha won’t take any of this lying down. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she explained: "It’s heartbreaking, of course. But, at the same time, her wheels are already turning about how she’s going to fix it. You know she’s not going to give up on it. She’s indefatigable, of course. So I think she’s looking out that window and she’ll have a moment of grief, and then she’s going to get to work on some kind of plan.”

She later told Variety: "I don’t know [if they'll get back together]. It depends what George wants." She added of George's reveal, "That feels very real to me in long-term relationships. One person can go through a very transformative experience that the other person doesn’t have access to, and it takes them a while to find their way back to each other."

However, Morgan Spector was optimistic, telling TVLine: "Because we know how good this couple can be together, it would be really fascinating to see them spend a season figuring out how to get back to each other."

Obviously, Bertha and George aren't all that's going on the show. Marian and Larry are still on course to be wed, Peggy is newly betrothed to William (despite his mother's objections) and Oscar may be headed toward a lavender marriage with Enid. Of course, we'll be seeing Gladys' pregnancy play out too.

"I hope I don't have to play pregnant too long," Taissa Farmiga told Marie Claire. I don't want to have to wear a corset with a pregnancy belt. Let's just throw this out there – maybe Julian reads this. But also I'll do what I have to do!

"I think she will be more inspired by George's parenting than by Bertha's parenting. I think she's going to want to give more of the emotional comfort that Bertha doesn't give, even though we know Bertha loves her children. She loves them so much, but sometimes a child needs a hug and a gentle smile, not like a firm guiding hand. Sometimes it's just acknowledging their feelings."

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• A software developer sabotaged his employer after being demoted
• Davis Lu created a "kill switch" that would lock out all users
• He was sentenced to four years in jail and additional three years of supervised leave

A disgruntled worker has been sentenced to four years in prison after installing “kill switch” malware on his employer’s network which was set to trigger if he ever lost network access.

According to a Department of Justice (DoJ) press release, a Chinese national named Davis Lu was working for an unnamed software company between November 2007 and October 2019. In 2018, he was demoted and lost system access, after which he “began sabotaging his employer’s systems”. By early August 2019, he introduced malware that crashed systems and prevented other users from logging in.

Court documents also revealed he created “infinite loops” that crashed servers, deleted coworker profile files, and ultimately built a “kill switch” that would lock out all users if his access to Active Directory was revoked. In early September 2019 he was asked to surrender his laptop, after which the kill switch was triggered.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages

Investigators found plenty of incriminating evidence on that laptop, including that on the day he turned his device in - he deleted encrypted data.

An analysis of his search history showed he was looking for ways to escalate privileges, hide processes, and quickly delete files. Finally, the kill switch code was named IsDLEnabledinAD, short for “Is Davis Lu enabled in Active Directory”.

A month after the malware ran, Lu was arrested, and later stood trial in front of the jury.

During the trial, it was shown that Lu’s employer suffered “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in losses, as a direct consequence of his actions. Now, Lu will spend four years in prison, with an additional three years of supervised release.

"The FBI works relentlessly every day to ensure that cyber actors who deploy malicious code and harm American businesses face the consequences of their actions,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division.

“I am proud of the FBI cyber team’s work which led to today’s sentencing and hope it sends a strong message to others who may consider engaging in similar unlawful activities. This case also underscores the importance of identifying insider threats early and highlights the need for proactive engagement with your local FBI field office to mitigate risks and prevent further harm.”

Via The Register

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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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, August 23 (game #804).

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 #805) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• GLASS
• CORAL
• TORN
• CURTAIN
• RENT
• RATTLE
• COLD
• BOTTLE
• KING
• BOOTY
• CARAFE
• SPLIT
• CLOSE
• GARTER
• CLEFT
• DECANTER

NYT Connections today (game #805) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Receptacles for a drink
• GREEN: Divided
• BLUE: Slithering things
• PURPLE: [Blank] thing you can do with a phone

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 #805) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: WINE VESSELS 
• GREEN: RIPPED
• BLUE: KINDS OF SNAKES
• PURPLE: ____ CALL

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

NYT Connections today (game #805) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #805, are…

• YELLOW: WINE VESSELS BOTTLE, CARAFE, DECANTER, GLASS
• GREEN: RIPPED CLEFT, RENT, SPLIT, TORN
• BLUE: KINDS OF SNAKES CORAL, GARTER, KING, RATTLE
• PURPLE: ____ CALL BOOTY, CLOSE, COLD, CURTAIN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

After an easy game yesterday, I was expecting a more cryptic round today – and so it proved. WINE VESSELS was easy enough to get, but the rest of today’s Connections was really difficult.

I was pleased when I managed to finally get KINDS OF SNAKES, but it took me three tries before I finally achieved it. I was pretty sure about the category and had RATTLE, KING and CORAL locked down, but was clueless about the fourth.

I didn’t really know what I was looking for with the last two groups, but thinking that SPLIT, CLEFT and TORN must belong together, I tried CURTAIN first before swapping in RENT for no reason other than a blind guess. 

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, August 23, game #804)

• YELLOW: U.S. PRESIDENTS ADAMS, FORD, GRANT, WASHINGTON
• GREEN: ACTORS WHOSE LAST NAMES ARE ALSO VERBS CHEVY CHASE, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, GEOFFREY RUSH, TOM CRUISE
• BLUE: KINDS OF POKER DRAW, OMAHA, STRIP, STUD
• PURPLE: PROPER NOUNS AFTER GERUNDS IN '90S MOVIE TITLES AMY, JOHN MALKOVICH, LAS VEGAS, PRIVATE RYAN

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new 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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, August 23 (game #538).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Plug your ears

NYT Strands today (game #539) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SITE
• BOON
• SMOG
• BONUS
• LOST
• BORE

NYT Strands today (game #539) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 6 letters

NYT Strands today (game #539) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 5th row

Last side: left, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #539) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #539, are…

• BLASTING
• LOUD
• BOOMING
• NOISY
• STRIDENT
• BOISTEROUS
• SPANGRAM: HUBBUB

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I was expecting today’s search to be about explosions. Especially as the first word I found was BLASTING, but BOISTEROUS and STRIDENT describe LOUD people rather than detonations.

Recently I’ve been finding the spangram fairly quickly and working my way around the board from there, but I found today more difficult and didn’t get HUBBUB until near the end. 

I did manage to get through without taking any hints, but it was far from a straightforward search, with BOISTEROUS taking me a while to get through. A Sunday stretch.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, August 23, game #538)

• DETECTIVE
• STRANGER
• LOVER
• RIVAL
• SPOUSE
• HEIR
• SPANGRAM: ITS A MYSTERY

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 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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, August 23 (game #1307).

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 #1308) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1308) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1308) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1308) - 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 #1308) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• G

• A

• O

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

Quordle today (game #1308) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1308, are…

• ROVER
• GONER
• ANTIC
• OUTDO

The curse of the letter V hit me again today when I plumped for every possible other letter in the middle position taking four guesses before finally getting ROVER. When will I learn?

Despite the error I still – just about – managed to complete the puzzle before the 9th round. Phew!

Daily Sequence today (game #1308) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1308, are…

• FABLE
• PLANT
• WAFER
• HAZEL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1307, Saturday, 23 August: DEMON, GRATE, FLYER, SHEEP
• Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINY
• Quordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTE
• Quordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORST
• Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
• Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
• Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
• Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP

• Jetson T5000 claims 2070 TFLOPS performance through Blackwell GPU architecture
• Jetson AGX Thor Developer Kit transforms a compact board into workstation-level computing
• T4000 is positioned as a lighter, cost-efficient alternative option

Nvidia has expanded its Jetson lineup with the Jetson AGX Thor Developer Kit, a compact platform that carries the new Jetson T5000 system-on-module.

Marketed as a developer system, the dimensions and form factor place it firmly in the realm of a mini PC, although its design and purpose align more with edge AI deployment than home computing.

Nvidia says the Jetson T5000 delivers “2070 TFLOPS (FP4, Sparse),” made possible by its 2560-core GPU based on the Blackwell architecture, with 96 fifth-generation Tensor Cores and Multi-Instance GPU features.

Raw power behind the Jetson T5000

This system is paired with a 14-core Arm Neoverse-V3AE CPU and 128GB of LPDDR5X memory.

Networking is handled by four 25GbE connections, with support for NVMe storage through PCIe.

The Jetson AGX Thor kit includes video encode and decode support across multiple 4K and 8K streams.

There is also a lower-end option, the Jetson T4000, which is still in development, but early specifications list “1200 TFLOPS (FP4, Sparse)” performance, a 1536-core GPU, and 64GB of memory.

Both modules operate across a wide power range, with the T5000 rated between 40 and 130 watts and the T4000 between 40 and 75 watts.

This device is designed to provide researchers and engineers with a complete platform for testing robotics and edge workloads.

For connectivity, it ships with a reference carrier board equipped with a WiFi 6E module, 1TB NVMe SSD, and standard debugging interfaces.

Networking includes a QSFP28 interface with four 25GbE channels and a 5GbE RJ45 connector, highlighting its focus on sensor-heavy applications.

The kit also supports expansion through M.2 slots and offers HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, along with multiple USB ports.

Its physical dimensions are 243.19 x 112.4 x 56.88 mm, making it larger than a business PC but still compact compared with most workstation PC designs.

Nvidia positions this release alongside earlier initiatives such as the DGX Spark, which was presented as a desktop AI development platform.

The Jetson AGX Thor differs by targeting humanoid robotics, visual AI systems, and sensor integration, supported by the company’s Isaac, Metropolis, and Holoscan software frameworks.

The Jetson AGX Thor Developer Kit is listed at $3,499 and is available for pre-order from selected distributors, with shipments expected to begin on November 20, 2025.

Via Cnx-software

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• Geekom mini PC combines AMD Ryzen AI 9 processor with Radeon 890M graphics
• Ships with 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD, expandable to 128GB RAM and 8TB storage
• Wide port selection includes USB4, HDMI 2.1, and support for four 8K monitors

Geekom has launched the A9 Max, a compact desktop usually priced at $1,199 but currently available for $999.

The PC combines AMD’s latest Ryzen AI 9 HX370 processor with Radeon 890M graphics, 32GB of DDR5 memory, a 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD, and support for up to four 8K monitors.

The HX370, based on AMD’s Zen 5 architecture, is built on TSMC’s 4nm FinFET process and features 12 cores and 24 threads, a maximum boost clock of 5.1GHz, and 24MB of L3 cache, with a configurable TDP of up to 54W.

Plenty of ports

It integrates a dedicated AI engine capable of 80 TOPS, making the A9 Max well suited for on-device AI acceleration in workflows such as content creation and professional applications that benefit from local processing power.

The Radeon 890M integrated GPU is based on RDNA 3.5 and offers performance typically beyond what most mini PCs have provided in the past.

It comes with 32GB of dual-channel DDR5 RAM (expandable up to 128GB) and a 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD. Two PCIe 4.0 slots allow storage expansion up to 8TB.

As you'd expect from a modern mini PC, the A9 Max offers a good selection of ports. On the front panel, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A that remains powered even when the system is off.

The rear panel includes two HDMI 2.1 ports, two USB4 Type-C ports with DisplayPort Alt-mode and power delivery, another USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, and one USB 2.0 Type-A.

It also includes dual 2.5Gbps RJ45 Ethernet ports, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, as well as an SD card reader and a Kensington lock.

The chassis is built from metal, keeping the form factor small while maintaining durability. Geekom says it can endure up to 200kg of pressure without bending.

The IceBlast 2.0 Cooling System with a large copper heatsink, dual heat pipes, and high- performance fan, should keep things cool even when under load or during prolonged use.

Compact systems like the A9 Max show how mini PCs are now powerful enough to replace traditional desktops for many users.

They save space, reduce clutter, and still provide the memory, storage, and processing power needed for both professional and everyday work.

A9 Max comes with Windows 11 Pro installed, a three-year warranty, and 24/7 support. It is available to buy from Geekom’s site and Amazon now.

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• BenQ PV3200U is a 32-inch 4K monitor with calibrated color display for content creators
• It has an integrated 2.1 audio system with woofer but headphones may still be required
• A wireless Hotkey Puck lets users make quicker adjustments during editing

BenQ has taken the wraps off its new 32-inch 4K monitor designed primarily for video creators who want better audio than usually found in mid-range monitors.

The PV3200U’s display combines a calibrated panel with an integrated 2.1 sound system. The monitor offers 95% DCI-P3 coverage along with full Rec.709 and sRGB, aiming to deliver consistent visuals across platforms.

With factory calibration at Delta E ≤ 2, BenQ says editors can expect color stability whether producing for Mac, Windows, or mobile playback.

Wireless Hotkey Puck

M-book Mode and ICCsync are included to match Mac devices more closely, which can help reduce unwanted shifts once projects move beyond the editing stage.

While most monitors only include basic speakers, the PV3200U introduces a small 5W woofer alongside dual 2W speakers to produce a fuller sound. It’s hard to say without hearing it in action, whether it will be good enough to replace headphones for detailed audio editing, so you may want to try before you buy.

PV3200U has a useful Studio Mode designed to preserve audio detail by avoiding unnecessary processing, something BenQ says will provide users with an accurate reference point.

To reduce clutter and simplify setup across multiple devices, the monitor makes use of a single USB-C cable to carry 4K video, transfer data, and provide up to 65W charging.

A wireless Hotkey Puck is included, giving users quicker access to adjustments during editing.

The ergonomic stand supports tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments, which should be handy for different working styles.

“Creators shouldn’t have to guess how their content will look and sound once it’s live,” said Peter Huang, President of BenQ Corporation.

“Too often, post-production color shifts and flat audio edits hamper YouTubers. PV3200U’s precise color, clear sound editing, and seamless device compatibility empower creators to trust the creative process from first cut to final upload.”

By combining color precision, integrated audio, and simplified connectivity, BenQ is positioning the PV3200U as an all-in-one editing solution for YouTubers and the like, but whether it can truly do away with the need for external gear is up for debate. Many creators will need convincing that a single screen can replace dedicated speakers and other hardware for critical work.

The PV3200U monitor is priced at £699 in the UK and available to buy from here. No word on global availability yet.

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Let me start off with an apology: I’m sorry I’m writing this article now, as we’re probably only three weeks away from the launch of the next-generation iPhones, which we and many others in the tech world have dubbed the iPhone 17.

That means you should almost certainly wait for the reveal of the new iPhones rather than rush out and buy one unless you absolutely need it; even then it might be better to get a pre-owned older model or an iPhone 16e that to tide you over and one that’ll act as a backup phone once you have a fully new iPhone.

So yeah, I could end the article there and apologize that I’m late to the game here; we’ve had a big Prime Day sale event and the launch of the Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold to distract me.

But there are two questions that I can still mostly answer: if you have waited, should you be excited? And if you’ve just got an iPhone 16 model, did you make a mistake? I think I can answer them both at the same time.

Apple anticipation

Starting with the second question first: No, I don’t think you made a mistake, as I think all the iPhone 16 models are rather good. While I don’t love that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus still use 60Hz displays, they are still fine phones if you’re happy to play in Apple’s walled garden.

And I’m a big advocate for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the latter of which I use as my personal phone, as they blend performance, sleek industrial design, and great cameras into a seamless user experience. They may be a tad boring and incremental compared to some of the best Android phones, but you simply can't go wrong with these iPhones.

Going by the rumors so far, I'm not convinced that the iPhone 17 series will offer a big step up from the current crop of phones. There’s a hint that there'll be 120Hz displays for all four new iPhones, which I’d very much welcome as I love a high-refresh-rate display. And the Pro iPhones are tipped to get a 48-megapixel telephoto camera, which should help give a boost to zoomed-in shots.

There is the rumored iPhone 17 Air, which could replace the Plus model and offer a tall but slim iPhone option, but I don't expect it to be a revolution in Apple phone design.

Aside from that and likely improved A-series chips, it doesn't feel like this year will usher in a big step-change for the iPhone. So my feeling is you don’t need to be super excited for the next Apple event from a phones perspective, but you can pretty much guarantee that an iPhone 17 will once again offer the best iPhone experience, even if it’s only an incremental upgrade over the iPhone 16.

It’s on the AI side that I think Apple will garner a bit more attention with the iPhones this year. The launch of Apple Intelligence wasn't a smooth one, and it’s only recently that I’ve started to feel some of the benefits of it. As such, I reckon Apple will focus a bit more on the new AI features that’ll come with the new iPhones, as well as emphasize those revealed at WWDC 2025 with the showcase of iOS 26.

I’d expect the Cupertino crew to really focus on what Apple Intelligence features will be available for the iPhone 17 straight out of the box, rather than those that may have a regional or staggered rollout. Of course, if you have an iPhone 16, you’ll almost certainly be able to run these features after an update, yet that’ll still mean an iPhone 17-centric Apple event is worth watching.

With that in mind, TechRadar will be looking at bringing you all the news, announcements, and analysis live for the next Apple event, and in the run-up, we’ll be perusing the rumors and last-minute leaks. So keep an eye out for that.

And do let me know in the comments below if you're looking forward to the next-generation iPhones.

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