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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, March 8 (game #636).

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 #637) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SOLID
• METAL
• MICKEY
• MOUSE
• CONCRETE
• PHYSICAL
• STONE
• TABLET
• ABRACADABRA
• MICROPHONE
• FAVOR
• KINDNESS
• BRICK
• SERVICE
• CENTERFOLD
• SCANNER

NYT Connections today (game #637) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: PC peripherals
• GREEN: Construction
• BLUE: It’s nice to be nice 
• PURPLE: Billboard hits 

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 #637) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: COMPUTER INPUT DEVICES 
• GREEN: BUILDING MATERIALS 
• BLUE: HELPFUL DEED 
• PURPLE: #1 SONGS FROM 1982 

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

NYT Connections today (game #637) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #637, are…

• YELLOW: COMPUTER INPUT DEVICES MICROPHONE, MOUSE, SCANNER, TABLET
• GREEN: BUILDING MATERIALS BRICK, CONCRETE, METAL, STONE
• BLUE: HELPFUL DEED FAVOR, KINDNESS, SERVICE, SOLID
• PURPLE: #1 SONGS FROM 1982 ABRACADABRA, CENTERFOLD, MICKEY, PHYSICAL

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

METAL MICKEY popped out at me from today’s grid, both the title of an obscure 1980s children’s show directed by Mickey Dolenz and the brilliant second single by the wonderful Suede. It was of course just a diversion on our quest to find the true answers.

None of the #1 SONGS FROM 1982 have aged particularly well, although Steve Miller's ABRACADABRA (not to be confused with Lady Gaga’s fab new TikTok-friendly hit – which title aside nobody ever will) was sampled by Eminem and remains an utter earworm that I will now be singing to myself for the rest of the weekend.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 8 March, game #636)

• YELLOW: FAUX ARTIFICIAL, FAKE, IMITATION, MOCK
• GREEN: WASHING MACHINE CYCLES/SETTINGS BULKY, COTTON, DELICATE, SPIN
• BLUE: WORDS SAID FREQUENTLY IN THE "BILL AND TED" MOVIES BOGUS, DUDE, EXCELLENT, TOTALLY
• PURPLE: __BOX CHATTER, JUKE, SHADOW, SOAP

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, March 8 (game #370).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Kitty corner

NYT Strands today (game #371) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• WASP 
• COPS
• SLAG
• WITH
• PURE
• VIBE

NYT Strands today (game #371) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Feline habits

NYT Strands today (game #371) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #371) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #371, are…

• PURR
• HISS
• SNUGGLE
• STRETCH
• SWAT
• BLINK
• POUNCE
• SPANGRAM: CAT BEHAVIOR

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

This puzzle filled with CAT BEHAVIOR does not include the one thing our cats Ringo and Opal do the most: snooze. That said, they do PURR a lot, especially while eating or if there’s the imminent promise of eating.

Once they were always busy – hunting mice, bringing in frogs (we have no idea where from, as there is no water or ponds nearby) and working on month-long projects to entrap some poor baby birds.

The neighborhood explored and conquered, they are both now very much in retirement mode and spend most of their time curled up inside whatever is the latest cardboard box to enter the house, conked out after three minutes of playing with a catnip toy. I think they would have found today’s Strands far too taxing.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 8 March, game #370)

• PLATOON
• PARASITE
• MOONLIGHT
• CODA
• SPOTLIGHT
• SPANGRAM: BEST PICTURE

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.

• Vast photo archives exist, yet most images remain unseen
• Cunard’s exhibition highlights the need for preserving physical memories
• Shared experiences create a lasting photographic record for history

Americans take an astonishing 230 billion photos each year, with the vast majority captured on business smartphones., but new research has claimed these could all be at risk of being lost without warning.

A report from luxury cruise line company Cunard says photo books, once a staple of family memory preservation, have become less common, as only 3% of Americans store images in printed form, with most preferring to keep them on phones or in cloud storage.

The decline raises concerns about whether digital images will remain accessible over time, with nearly three-quarters of Americans fearing that without physical copies, future generations may lose valuable memories.

Shrinking tradition of printed photos

Many people assume their digital photos will always be available, but this is naïve - as over half of Americans have had to delete images due to storage limitations, while others have lost pictures when changing or damaging their phones.

Despite these risks, only a third of Americans surveyed reported using cloud backups, leaving countless moments vulnerable to loss, while 54% believe their digital images will still be accessible in 50 years, discouraging their use.

While Americans take an average of 17.3 photos per week, this number jumps to over 60 when on vacation. The ease of capturing images has led to an ever-expanding digital archive, albeit one with a precarious future.

Similar trends are seen in the UK and Germany; Brits capture 35 billion images annually, while Germans take 38 billion, yet only 2% of Brits and 4% of Germans store them in printed albums.

Concerns about long-term accessibility are slightly more pressing here, with just 51% of Brits and 58% of Germans confident that their digital photos will still be accessible in half a century.

In response to the growing dependence on digital storage, Cunard is encouraging people to share their holiday memories as part of a special exhibition.

“As a unique resource that captures Cunard’s unrivalled 185-year history, the Cunard archive is an incredible collection that is accessible to all. It is exciting to see how today’s events will shape the Cunard archive of the future and capture the stories of those connected to the brand,” said Siân Wilks, Cunard Archivist at the University of Liverpool Library.

Curated by photographer Mary McCartney, this showcase aims to highlight the significance of preserving images beyond digital screens.

The exhibition, which will be displayed at Liverpool’s Liver Building, will feature both historic and newly submitted photographs, offering a visual timeline of nearly two centuries of transatlantic travel.

“For 185 years, our ships have been at the heart of unforgettable moments for millions of guests and crew,” said Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, stressing the importance of the initiative.

“This is a chance to celebrate those memories and the stories they tell. By sharing your experiences, you’ll help Mary McCartney create something truly unique—an exhibition that brings Cunard’s incredible history to life for everyone to enjoy.”

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• Getac B360 and B360 Pro laptops enhance security, speed, and efficiency with AI
• B360 supports three SSDs, triple batteries, and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity
• Built for extremes, B360 meets MIL-STD-810H and IP66 standards

Getac has launched two new AI-enabled rugged laptops, the B360 and B360 Pro, bringing AI tool capabilities to its rugged products for the first time following the introduction of the F110 and K120 last year.

Getac says these business laptops are designed for professionals working in extreme environments and demanding industries, such as defense, public safety, and utilities, are also the first fully rugged models to feature Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors and Intel AI Boost technology.

In testing, the devices processed text-to-report tasks within seconds, demonstrating the advantages of edge AI over cloud-based solutions.

AI-driven performance in a rugged design

Beyond AI, the B360 supports high-speed data transfer with Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It also features Wi-Fi 7, which improves wireless performance with faster speeds and lower latency.

The B360 comes with dual batteries as standard and the option to add a third, allowing extended operation without downtime. It supports up to three fast SSDs, providing a total capacity of 6TB.

For professionals handling graphic-intensive tasks, the B360 Pro includes an optional Nvidia Quadro RTX A500 4GB GPU. This enhances visual processing while ensuring smooth performance in applications such as mapping, surveillance, and 3D modelling.

Additionally, the B360 Pro features an optional media bay that can house a third battery, a DVD or Blu-ray drive, or additional storage.

Like most rugged laptops, the Getac B360 and B360 Pro meet MIL-STD-810H and IP66 standards, offering protection against shocks, dust, and water. They can also be fitted with a high-accuracy GPS.

In defence applications, the B360 Pro can be equipped with additional PCMCIA readers for expanded functionality and mounted in vehicles for mobile command operations. At press time, the price of these laptops has not been revealed. However, they will be available in April 2025.

“As the popularity of open source and Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) language models continues to grow at a rapid pace, we have collaborated with industry customers to develop innovative vertical market AI applications that enable them to take full advantage of the operational benefits on offer,” said James Hwang, President of Getac Technology Corporation.

"These advancements will drive demand for rugged Edge AI devices like the next generation B360 and B360 Pro, and accelerate AI adoption across the public safety, utilities and defence sectors."

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I. Loathe. The. Sonos. App. Sorry for that appalling punctuation, but since the firm retooled and relaunched its application last year, thousands of Sonos fans have been forced to endure audio anguish. Up until recently, it was about as dependable as a starving fox guarding a hen house.

Not long ago, we labelled 2024 as the year Sonos slipped. Why? Largely because of the redesigned Sonos app’s refusal to play ball with many of the company’s soundbars and smart speakers, like the wonderful Sonos Era 300.

I was first introduced to how annoying the app was a few months ago when I installed the updated software on my iPad Pro 13-inch (2024). All of a sudden, I could no longer tweak my EQ settings due to a maddening failed login loop that kept telling me to “Sign in as the System Owner to see this content” on both my tablet and iPhone 14 Pro.

It was only recently when I bought the Sonos Arc Ultra that I dared go near the app again. For the first two weeks of owning what we consider to be “the best one-box Dolby Atmos soundbar”, the System Owner loop was still stuck in full Groundhog Day mode for me… minus the Bill Murray-provided chuckles.

I would also say that this, perhaps, is not the most efficient use of space… (Image credit: Future) The sweet sound of success

Finally, I was presented with a glimmer of hope when I installed the app on my Asus Zephyrus G14 laptop. As soon as it allowed me to sign in as the owner of my system – a gobsmacking privilege, I know – the app suddenly started playing nice on my Apple devices. This meant I could at long last tweak the EQ of the best soundbar Sonos has ever made.

Sadly though, more software sadness soon presented itself. The app forced me to resync every one of my Sonos devices – a setup that spans the Arc Ultra, two Sonos Subs and a pair of Sonos Era 300 speakers.

Cue an hour-long experiment in twisted torture that involved scanning the pairing buttons of all my Sonos kit with my iPhone’s camera. The process proved to be incredibly finicky, and it took me around seven attempts on both of my Sonos Subs before the app finally recognized them. My poor, utterly ruined knees.

After obliterating all of my cartilage, my Sonos surround sound setup mercifully at least sounds glorious. And during that fortnight when I couldn’t sync my Era 300 speakers and subwoofers, it made me appreciate how much of an audio upgrade the Arc Ultra provides over the OG Sonos Arc.

Kai hard

With my subs out of action during the App Incident, I could instantly appreciate just how much weightier the bass of the Ultra was compared to the original Arc. Another significant improvement? The way the Arc Ultra handles Dolby Atmos effects. While watching the exhilarating final few episodes of Cobra Kai season 6, it was easy to hear the added height the Ultra pumped out sound during all that kickass karate action.

Patience was necessary to achieve (sound) balance. (Image credit: Future)

I also really appreciate how much clearer dialogue sounds on the Arc Ultra. While I never had many problems while watching the best Disney+ movies on my old soundbar, it was definitely an issue when playing some of the best PS5 games.

On the Arc Ultra, though, playing through Cyberpunk 2077 again is proving to be a delight. That’s in part because the voices of V, Johnny Silverhand and friends feel so much more enhanced; no longer being drowned out by the background buzz of Night City’s streets that blare from my Sonos Era 300 rear speakers.

Though I’ve only owned it for less than a month, I already consider the Arc Ultra the best piece of audio equipment Sonos has ever released. There’s no question that it’s one of the best soundbars you can buy today. I just wish I hadn’t gone through all that app agony to appreciate its full glory.

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• We may have thickness and weight details for the Galaxy S25 Edge
• The price is said to match the Galaxy S25 Plus
• Display bezel size is apparently similar to the Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is going to be the last of the four flagship Galaxy S25 handsets to get a full launch – probably sometime next month – and now fresh leaks have given us a better idea of what to expect when the phone does land.

According to well-known tipster @UniverseIce, the phone will weigh in at 162 grams and have a thickness of 5.84 mm. That's the same weight as the standard Samsung Galaxy S25, though that phone is thicker, at 7.2 mm.

In the same post, the tipster says the price is "similar" to that of the Galaxy S25 Plus. As our Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review will tell you, that phone comes with a starting price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, so adjust your S25 Edge expectations accordingly.

Finally, @UniverseIce has also posted an official rendering apparently showing the bezels of the Galaxy S25 Edge. They're apparently going to be the same size as the bezels on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, around a screen size measuring 6.656 inches corner to corner.

The story so far

The accurate rendering of the S25 edge is here, the screen size is 6.656 inches, but the bezel is the same as the S25 Ultra, which is narrower than the S25+. pic.twitter.com/XHFwVGWe4PMarch 7, 2025

Samsung gave us a good look at the Galaxy S25 Edge when the Galaxy S25 series was launched, and it was on show again at MWC 2025. So far though, we haven't been able to touch the phone or test it out.

Rumors around the handset were swirling way before it was unveiled, and we originally thought it might be called the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim. It looks likely to get the same Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU as the other S25 phones, as well as 12GB of RAM.

It also seems likely that we'll get some decent cameras on this model, and Samsung has told us that durability is a priority for the device – even though it's going to be the thinnest of the four Samsung Galaxy S25 phones when it appears.

In fact it seems as though it's going to be quite the year for super-slim smartphones. The foldable Oppo Find N5 recently launched, measuring just 4.21 mm front to back, while Apple is rumored to be preparing its own ultra-thin phone with the iPhone 17 Air.

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Photoshop is in trouble. Attacked on all sides by the best photo editing apps with powerful image editing features – Canva and Instagram chief among them – the pressure has been on to deliver a Photoshop mobile app deserving of the name.

Lest we forget, Photoshop celebrated its 35th birthday earlier this year, making it one of a very small number of brands to have simultaneously become an enduring household name even as the tectonic plates of content production have shifted dramatically beneath it.

And so, finally, the new Photoshop for iPhone is here. A free app – albeit one improved by the presence of a paid-for Creative Cloud account), Adobe makes some big claims. It delivers Photoshop’s core imaging and design tools as well as some surprisingly powerful pro features, layer masking and blending among them, as well as the generative AI features that are making a splash on the desktop version.

So, as someone who opens Photoshop on a near-daily basis for commercial photography, here’s how the new Photoshop for iPhone tickles my fancy after hours of tinkering and prodding...

Photoshop for iPhone: The likes 1. It's easy to learn

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

I’ll never admit it, but I don’t know everything about Photoshop. And in an app that can’t offer the usual tooltips when you hover over an unfamiliar icon, Photoshop for iPhone has am slight learning curve, even if you understand the core terminology and principles.

Thank goodness, then, for the dozen or so video tutorials you can access when you first open the app. These take the form of talking-head videos describing various actions, such as working with layers, masks and selections, as well as videos provided by creators as they describe their process to building various collages and concepts.

Of these, the latter are particularly useful as they come with the source files, allowing you to see how a final image comes to be – useful if you don’t a file of your own to hand.

2. All the core features are there

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

Blimey. A quick feel around Photoshop for iPhone’s clean-looking interface reveals a really full set of tools. There are no fire-and-forget filters here – if you want to apply a split-tone look to an image, you’re going to have to get up to your elbows in hue and saturation sliders.

That’s a book of two chapters, of course – on the one hand it takes longer, and more practice, to get the effect you want. On the other, all those years I’ve spent laboriously learning how to do things in Photoshop translate like-to-like.

3. It can handle some surprisingly big files and tasks

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

Although Adobe is careful not to claim that Photoshop for iPhone has brought over every tool in the Photoshop chest, the app makes it clear – this is for ambitious types.

So, obviously, I fired a 1GB file over AirDrop to try and bring the whole thing to its knees. Just to make sure it didn’t work, and thus give me something to complain about, the file was a high-res, TIFF-format image in the ProPhoto colorspace. To my immense surprise, the file promptly loaded and looked… fine.

As we’ll come to in a bit, not everything makes the journey betwixt Photoshop desktop and Photoshop for iPhone, but if you’ve got big images, captured on modern cameras, you’ll be able to bring work-in-progress onto your iPhone to work on them.

And, not only is it compatible with layers – finally – it’s also compatible with layer groups, which means you can work up some surprisingly complex image constructions using the same device you use to watch TikToks on the toilet.

4. It's got Adobe Camera Raw

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

This is another big one – import a raw file into the iPhone for Photoshop app and you’ll be greeted with a different-looking-but-still-all-there version of Adobe Camera Raw, allowing you to prepare a file for further editing via a surprisingly full set of options.

Highlights, shadows, whites and blacks all get their own sliders, as does color balance, complete with its own white balance picker. Texture, clarity, dehaze and vignette control are all there, as is a one-tap lens corrections button.

Once you’re finished, you can finish importing your image either as a standard layer or, get this, as a smart object, letting you step back into ACR if you want to fine tune things further.

5. Generative fill has made it, which is… good?

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

Getting images share-ready just got faster, thanks to Adobe’s much-vaunted Generative AI features that also make an appearance in the new Photoshop app.

Lean on Photoshop for iPhone’s automated features and you’re in for an impressive experience – the app was uncannily good at automatically detecting and selecting foregrounds, backgrounds, people and skies. And with the annoying legwork of making selections turned into a one-tap process, removing and replacing objects from your work is equally quick.

I found generative AI – replacing skies and such, removing the odd person – to work as well on iPhone as it does on the desktop – which is to say, impressive, with occasionally hilarious outtakes.

Photoshop for iPhone: the dislikes 1. A few obvious tools are missing

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

It strikes me as strange that an app which prides itself on being the fullest-fledged version of Photoshop that Adobe could manage is missing a few tools which, least for this snapper, are part of my daily arsenal.

For example, I think it’s impressive that Photoshop for iPhone can open a multi-layered, 1GB TIFF file with a load of adjustment layers, but less impressive that when some of those adjustment layers are levels adjustments, there’s no way of editing them. It seems strange – curves has made it, so why not levels?

And although Photoshop for iPhone does a generally decent job of automatically selecting objects, things are a bit trickier if you want to make your selections freehand, as there’s no paths tool. Not only no paths tool, but if an image has paths already in it, there’s no way of accessing them within the app.

You could make the very sensible argument that creating a spot-on bezier curve is hard enough with a mouse or trackpad, of course, and that trying to perfect a bendy path with a fingertip would be a surefire track to PTSD, but it would be nice as an inclusion.

While I'm here, Photoshop’s handy collection of filters are also missing, so if you were looking for a chance to learn, for example, frequency separation, you’ll need to stick with your desktop.

2. It's free, but only just

(Image credit: Adobe / Future)

Real talk: getting an app with the power that Photoshop for iPhone has and then grousing that it costs money is like getting breakfast cooked for you by a Michelin starred chef and then complaining about the language – this is an incredibly powerful app that produces near-desktop results from a device that fits in your pocket.

If you’re a high-end content creator, or want to tip-tap away at an image before transferring it seamlessly to your desktop, Photoshop for iPhone just set a new standard.

Still, if you want the full version – which includes omissions from the free version including generative fill (the free version gives you 10 free generative credits, the paid-for one 100), object select, the magic wand tool and a few others, you’ll need to stump up $69.99 / £69.99 a year.

Don’t sniff – that’s cheaper than Canva, and while Canva is undoubtedly the better tool for whizzing up social media templates, for photographers there’s no contest. And bear in mind – if you already have a Creative Cloud subscription, this is included for free.

3. It's not on Android yet

I’ll be honest, I don’t actually care about this one as I'm on iPhone, but if you’re in the 70% of the smartphone market that uses Android, you might.

While it’s (probably) more efficient to develop an app for Apple’s closed system of app stores and hardware, there will be plenty of content creators out there screaming for a decent image editor, and Adobe hasn’t done them a favor here.

Still, Adobe has promised that an Android version is coming "later this year", so Android fans shouldn't have to wait too much longer for it.

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• Google’s AI co-scientist, built on Gemini 2.0, collaborates with researchers for discoveries
• It uses specialized agents to generate, evaluate, and refine scientific hypotheses
• Scientists can interact naturally, providing ideas or feedback to guide AI research

Artificial intelligence has already had a major impact on scientific research by accelerating discoveries, improving accuracy, and handling vast datasets that would be near-impossible for humans to analyze efficiently. AI-powered algorithms can assist in the discovery of new drugs, optimize materials for energy storage, and aid in modeling climate change.

A number of projects have been set up to make AI more useful and more reliable in a scientific setting. We’ve previously written about the concept of the “exocortex,” which aims to provide a bridge between the human mind and a network of AI agents, and more recently, an Australian research team developed a generative AI tool called LLM4SD (Large Language Model for Scientific Discovery), designed to speed up scientific breakthroughs.

Now, Google is also launching a similar initiative, which aims to turn AI into a co-scientist that can accelerate scientific discoveries. The tech giant explains, “The AI co-scientist is a multi-agent AI system that is intended to function as a collaborative tool for scientists.”

Deploying specialized scientific agents

The AI co-scientist is built on Google’s Gemini 2.0 and is the result of collaboration between Google Research, Google DeepMind, and Google Cloud AI teams. It is designed to “mirror the reasoning process underpinning the scientific method.” Google says that its system is intended to “uncover new, original knowledge and to formulate demonstrably novel research hypotheses and proposals, building upon prior evidence and tailored to specific research objectives.”

The system will use a number of specialized agents - Generation, Reflection, Ranking, Evolution, Proximity, and Meta-review - that can iteratively generate, evaluate, and refine hypotheses. Google says that scientists will be able to interact with the system in whatever way best suits their needs. This will include providing their own seed ideas or feedback on generated outputs in natural language.

“The AI co-scientist also uses tools, like web search and specialized AI models, to enhance the grounding and quality of generated hypotheses,” Google says.

Not wishing to rush its deployment, the company plans to offer access to the system for research organizations through a trusted tester program.

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Not only did MWC excite us with a host of excellent tech launches and innovative concept designs, but Apple gave us new iPads and MacBooks, and AMD wowed us with an affordable GPU.

To catch up on all this and more scroll down for the week's seven biggest news stories for the week of March 8, 2025.

When you're finished, check out our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (March 7).

7. We found the best tech of MWC 2025

(Image credit: Future)

This year’s Mobile World Conference (MWC 2025) was host to a lot of smartphone, computing, audio, and health tech – and we know because we attended the show to check it all out. But among the crowds were a few diamonds that we decided were the best gadgets of the event.

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra was the Best Phone launch with our Xiaomi 15 Ultra review calling it one of the best camera phones ever made thanks to its 50-megapixel wide-angle, 50-megapixel ultrawide, 70-megapixel 3x telephoto and 200-megapixel 4x telephoto lenses; meanwhile the Lenovo Yoga Solar PC won Best Laptop because of its built-in solar panel innovation.

We also awarded prizes to smart contact lenses from Xpanceo, Honor’s Earbuds Open, Honor’s Watch 5 Ultra, and the ZTE Nubia Flip 2 5G to name just a few more of our 10 total award winners.

• Read more: Best of MWC 2025 – the 10 top tech launches we tried on the show floor

6. Apple treated us to a cheaper MacBook Air

(Image credit: Apple)

The arrival of a new MacBook Air M4 this week wasn’t exactly a surprise, given the weeks of leaks – but its pricing certainly was. Yes, despite getting a processor upgrade, two new Thunderbolt 4 ports and some new Center Stage camera tricks, Apple cut $100 / £100 off its price tag in a distinctly un-Apple move.

That doesn’t happen often at launch, and it makes the new Air (which starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699) a major contender for the top spot in our guide to the best laptops. Then again, Apple did also discontinue the M3 MacBook Air in the process (and made the M2 MacBook Air harder to find), leaving us short of even cheaper options. First it giveth, then it taketh away…

• Read more: Apple finally unveils the MacBook Air with the M4 chip – but the best news is the new price

5. Apple launched new iPads too

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple’s iPad Air may no longer be the thinnest iPad (see the iPad Pro M4) but it is shifting into performance and productivity mode.

The latest iPad Air (11- and 13-inch) looks almost exactly like the last one (save the removal of the “iPad Air” label from the back) but it has an all-new brain in the powerful M3 chip that’ll support all sort of activities ranging from video editing and art creation to Apple Intelligence tasks.

But Apple has now paired it with a new, optional (and more affordable) Magic Keyboard that includes a function key row and a noticeably larger trackpad. This is a tablet ready for productivity work, and for some it might be, with that keyboard, a decent ultra-portable substitute.

As for the base, 11-inch iPad, it also got a chip update but only to the A16. Now, that’s a great piece of Apple Silicon but it does not support Apple Intelligence. We bet the target market won’t miss it.

• Read more: Apple updates iPad Air with powerful M3 chip

4. Dyson's pro r hair dryer joined the main range

(Image credit: Dyson)

Previously a professional-only hair dryer, the Supersonic r has now been added to Dyson's main consumer range. Sure, it looks a bit weird, but it's 20% smaller and 30% lighter than the original Supersonic, and more powerful too. So if you're seeking speedy styling without the arm-ache (and have suitably deep pockets), it's well worth a look.

The r boasts a wide range of compatible, magnetic styling attachments. These include the intriguing-sounding PowerfulAir and SmoothNozzle, alongside the fan-favorite FlyAway attachment. As with the current range-topper, the Supersonic Nurall, the dryer knows which one is attached, and will automatically switch to your last-used settings for each.

The Dyson Supersonic r is already available in the US, is due in the UK from April 2. This version is identical to the original pro version, save for a shorter cable (home-length, rather than salon-length), and some cool new colorways.

• Read more: Dyson just released a consumer version of its best pro hair dryer, and I can't wait to get my hands on one

3. Meta teased new clear Ray-Ban smart glasses

(Image credit: Meta / Ray-Ban)

If you missed your chance to get last year’s see-through Ray-Ban smart glasses, then you’re in luck – Meta is releasing another limited-edition batch but they’ll be in even shorter supply.

A teaser on Meta’s website says something new is coming straight from the runway, with a promise that limited-time smart specs are launching this month, though the image also highlights a “0001/3600” stamp – suggesting that this new batch will have less than half the availability of last year’s 7,500 limited run.

Beyond the see-through frame, we don’t know anything more about the drop, but based on the runway comment we suspect this might have a connection to the recent Milan Fashion week which is where A$AP Rocky debuted as Ray-Ban’s first-ever creative director. He's already showcased a couple of standard glasses designs, and this announcement could be teasing his first smart glasses.

• Read more: New Meta Ray-Bans will be in frustratingly short supply

2. Xiaomi revealed the first ever Wi-Fi earbuds

(Image credit: Future)

In easily one of the top 3 ground-breaking earbuds innovations we saw at MWC25 this week, Xiaomi unveiled the first earbuds with Wi-Fi, delivering hi-res audio up to 4.2Mbps. You want lossless audio over Wi-Fi without ruining battery life? Xiaomi’s gone and done it, with the new Buds 5 Pro. They launched in Europe, in two variants – a standard (non-Wi-Fi) Buds 5 Pro, and the Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi. Both models have an imposing spec-sheet, but the Wi-Fi ones are particularly impressive, because they can apparently deliver lossless audio at up to 4.2Mbps using their Wi-Fi connection, which is leaps and bounds ahead of anything you’ll get with Bluetooth.

The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi have Qualcomm's S7 Pro chip and Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite, which can support up to 96kHz/24-bit hi-res audio. Of course, there's a ‘but’: it'll only work with certain smartphones. Xiaomi says a list of compatible devices will be posted on its website soon – but right now, the only known supported phones are the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Ultra. (Your iPhone? Don’t get your hopes up.)

• Read more: Xiaomi unveils earbuds with Wi-Fi, delivering hi-res audio up to 4.2Mbps

1. We reviewed AMD’s bargain gaming graphics card

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is AMD’s first RDNA 4 card to hit the market and it’s a banger, nearly matching Nvidia’s pricier GPUs in 4K and 1440p performance for $599. It ranks close to the RTX 4080 and surpasses older AMD cards, with a 304W TGP that remains manageable at this performance level.

While it lacks top-tier ray tracing and AI compute, it excels at raster and gaming workloads, staying more affordable and less prone to price inflation. Ultimately, it’s the best value for gamers looking to upgrade without breaking the bank.

• Read more: The AMD RX 9070 XT delivers exactly what the market needs

• Jio Platforms is launching a cloud-based AI PC, accessible on any device
• Users will be able to build and deploy AI apps across India's largest phone network
• Enterprise offering JioBrain will provide machine learning-as-a-service

Reliance Industries’ digital division, Jio Platforms, is reportedly building a cloud-based personal computer designed to bring artificial intelligence computing to the masses.

The new system will not require hardware and can be accessed on any device, giving users the ability to develop and deploy high-compute AI applications.

During Mumbai Tech Week 2025, Jio Infocomm chairman Akash Ambani, the son of India's richest person Mukesh Ambani, described the upcoming cloud PC as a way to democratize AI capabilities.

Machine learning-as-a-service

“We have a consumer application which we will be shortly launching. It’s a cloud PC, which is a complete PC in the cloud, which is accessible in each of your houses but really be device agnostic. No hardware. And you can build high compute AI applications on top of that. And what you can leverage is the reach that Jio is going to have,” Ambani was quoted as saying by Inc42.

Unlike past efforts such as the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative, Jio’s cloud-based AI platform will require users to bring their own devices. Jio’s “platform approach” aims to scale AI services to millions of users across India at lower costs.

One of its upcoming enterprise offerings, JioBrain, will provide machine learning-as-a-service, eliminating the need for businesses to invest in costly infrastructure. “You can just tag on to JioBrain, and we’ll launch that in the coming quarters as we perfect the use cases for that,” Ambani added.

Jio is also targeting 100 million users for JioTele OS, its smart TV operating system. As Ambani said, “One of our biggest growth missions of Jio and where we want to make an impact is connecting each home. But with that, we’ll be opening ourselves up as a platform for developers.”

Calling AI one of the biggest technological revolutions of a lifetime, Ambani predicted it would help India sustain economic growth of 10% or more. He also highlighted the need for infrastructure, research, and talent to position India as a leader in AI. Jio’s parent company, Reliance Group has previously announced plans to build a new 3 gigawatt AI data center in Jamnagar - a small town in Gujarat – which it hopes to have operational by 2027.

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Meta rushed to embed its Meta AI assistant into all of its properties, including WhatsApp. Now, it seems like the tech giant is extending the strategy with a dedicated widget, as first discovered byWABetaInfo. This comes after WhatsApp expanded Meta AI from a floating action button to a search bar integration and then the in-chat tag that lets you add it to the group chat.

The widget will give you one-tap access to its text search, camera for image-based queries, and voice input for hands-free interactions. Whether this is useful or just another thing cluttering your home screen depends on how much you actually want an AI assistant embedded in your messaging app.

The idea is that instead of switching to ChatGPT or Perplexity, you can pull up Meta AI within WhatsApp and fire off a question without having to open the app first, as it's right from a widget. Whether that's convenient or annoying probably depends on your disposition. There have been complaints about Meta AI being too intrusive, so making it more deeply integrated is a questionable decision by Meta.

Meta AI bye

Whether this addition is useful or just another AI experiment in search of a problem will likely depend on how much you really need to talk to Meta AI.

Luckily, if you fall into the “no thanks” camp, you can disable it entirely by going into Settings > Chats and toggling off the Meta AI button. At least for now, opting out is still an option.

As Meta is betting big on AI integration, WhatsApp is a prime target simply because of its massive user base. If even a fraction of its billions of users start casually using Meta AI, that’s a win for Meta in the battle for AI dominance. But if users keep disabling the feature or ignoring it entirely, it might just be another forgotten experiment, like Facebook’s attempt at making the Metaverse a thing.

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• Two cybercriminals have stolen over $600,000 worth of tickets
• The tickets were primarily Taylor Swift concert tickets
• The criminals used a backdoor into the StubHub systems to redirect the tickets

A pair of cybercriminals have been arrested and charged after allegedly stealing over 900 concert tickets, raking in over $635,000 in profit. This works out to an eyewatering $700 average profit per ticket, so it might not surprise you to hear that the criminals mostly stole from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, as well as other high profile events like NBA games and the US Open.

The two criminals were employees of ticket site StubHub, and are accused of using their access to company systems to find a backdoor into a “secure area of the network” where tickets that had already been sold were assigned a URL and queued to be sent to the customer. The criminal, Tyrone Rose, then redirected the URLs to his co-conspirator, Shamara Simmons.

The criminals have been charged with grand larceny in the second degree, computer tampering in the first degree, conspiracy in the fourth degree, and computer tampering in the fourth degree - and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

High value targets

Scams targeting popular events like sports competitions, shows, and concerts, especially the hugely popular Taylor Swift Eras tour - are common as criminals look to take advantage of the urgency of quick-selling tickets. In this case, the tickets were purchased through a perfectly legitimate site, but customers were still defrauded, which makes this case particularly worrying.

“According to the charges, these defendants tried to use the popularity of Taylor Swift’s concert tour and other high-profile events to profit at the [expense] of others,” said District Attorney Melinda Katz.

“They allegedly exploited a loophole through an offshore ticket vendor to steal tickets to the biggest concert tour of the last decade and then resold those seats for an extraordinary profit of more than $600,000.”

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The release of GPT-4.5 for ChatGPT naturally leads to questions about how the model compares to its many rivals. After comparing it to GPT-4o and getting somewhat ambiguous results as to which model is preferable, I decided to go for a more direct competitor, Google Gemini, specifically the most recent Google Gemini Flash 2.p

GPT-4.5 claims to be better at emotional understanding and to offer fewer hallucinations than has been the case previously. Gemini Flash 2.0, meanwhile, is Google's latest iteration of its quite successful set of AI models capable of juggling text, images, audio, and even video inputs. To put them both to the test, I came up with four prompts reflecting typical things an average person might genuinely need help with.

Weekend travel

(Image credit: ChatGPT / Gemini Screenshots)

First up was planning a quick weekend trip. I asked both AI chatbots to: “Plan a weekend getaway to the Catskills, including hiking recommendations and dining and accommodation options.”

ChatGPT 4.5 whipped up a neat itinerary suggesting several hikes at different trail difficulties and durations along with nearby dining spots and a place to stay that had the vibe of a cozy, laid-back weekend. It also offered some extra advice about getting there. Gemini had plenty of good hiking and dining recommendations too, but its only advice on places to stay was towns in the general area, so not quite as proactive in its answer.

Translation Total

(Image credit: ChatGPT / Gemini Screenshots)

I decided to try a simple translation test next as that's always a popular use of AI chatbots. I asked the two AI chatbots to: “Translate the phrase ‘Good morning’ into French, Spanish, and Japanese.” As you can see above, the only difference is the links from GPT-4.5. So for basic translation among widespread languages, there's really no major difference.

Laugh AI

(Image credit: ChatGPT / Gemini Screenshots)

Then came the humor test, asking each AI to: “Tell me a joke about artificial intelligence.” GPT 4.5 amused me with the corny pun: "Why did the AI go to art school? Because it wanted to learn how to draw its own conclusions." Gemini went with an equally silly pun, "Why did the AI break up with its chatbot girlfriend? Because she kept giving it scripted responses!" Admittedly Gemini's joke isn't amazing, but I'd put it at the same level as GPT-4.5 in terms of actual humor.

(Image credit: ChatGPT / Gemini Screenshots) Weather measure

I ended with a classic question about weather here in Nyack, New York. This one drew the biggest difference in responses. Gemini gave just the current weather, but GPT-4.5 did an hourly measurement with images denoting the weather along with the words.

Match met

After all this testing, I have to admit I can't honestly say that one of the AI chatbots is better than the other. GPT-4.5 and Gemini had some differences, especially with the weather option, but otherwise, you wouldn't notice unless you're also the kind of person who thinks there's a huge difference between Coke or Pepsi. You’ll get answers, you’ll get some mild amusement, and you’ll probably still end up double-checking Google or asking a real person just to be sure.

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• Users have reported degraded print quality with third-party ink
• Firmware updates are blamed, but Brother denies all allegations
• HP previously admitted to updates that affected third-party ink performance

Printer maker Brother has denied locking in users to its own ink cartridges via so-called firmware updates.

The news came after electronics technician and right-to-repair activist Louis Rossmann accused the company of updating its printer firmware to either block non-OEM toner or degrade performance.

Further posts on the internet, including Reddit threads, have confirmed similar problems from other users, who noticed printing quality drop when using third-party toner.

Brother denies blocking third-party ink

Moreover, reverting to older firmware versions has proven either difficult or impossible, meaning printers that previously functioned as normal could now be considered ‘broken’.

The company stated (via Ars Technica): “We are aware of the recent false claims suggesting that a Brother firmware update may have restricted the use of third-party ink cartridges. Please be assured that Brother firmware updates do not block the use of third-party ink in our machines.”

Brother argued that variations in third-party toner quality could be responsible for print quality issues: “Brother printers do not intentionally degrade print quality based on whether a Brother Genuine or non-genuine ink/ toner cartridge is used. Brother cannot verify the quality of printing that will result when using a third-party compatible with a Brother printer.”

HP has faced lawsuits and legal settlements over similar issues, with CEO Enrique Lores justifying third-party ink blocking by citing enhanced security. Back in late 2023, CFO Marie Myers also noted that Instant Ink subscribers are 20% more profitable for the business.

“It is standard practice that we perform a Brother [G]enuine check when troubleshooting a Brother printer… We believe this check in the process may have led to a misunderstanding[,] but as we confirmed, the firmware update would not be responsible for the degradation of quality or removal of printer features,” Brother added.

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• Despite its footprint, the MT1’s bed is the same size as an electric Hummer’s
• Some variants will boast up to 500hp
• Silicon Valley start-up says first units will ship this year

The world isn’t kind to EV start-ups, with the likes of Canoo and Lordstown Motors succumbing to financial pressures, while even established names like Ford and Chevrolet have struggled to find a captive audience for their battery-powered pick-ups.

But there’s a new start-up on the scene and Telo, a Silicon Valley company cofounded by autonomous driving expert Jason Marks and ex-Tesla battery engineer Forrest North, hopes to make a name for itself with the mantra that bigger isn’t always better.

Dubbed an “Urban Adventure Vehicle”, the diminutive MT1 features the same footprint as a modern Mini Cooper SE, yet boasts Toyota Tacoma levels of practicality and load-lugging ability.

Inside, there’s enough room for five adults, yet the truck bed is larger than a Rivian R1T's and it’s all down to clever packaging. Without the need for an enormous combustion engine or bulky drivetrain, Telo has been able to maximize interior and load space.

That said, there should be a caveat on the bed length estimations, as Telo’s load space extends into the backseats, with a clever 'mid-gate' sliding into place when you want to transport passengers.

According to Telo, the small but mighty electric truck can transport 4ft-by-8ft sheets of plywood and up to 8ft surfboards with a split rear seat configuration. There’s also a retractable tonneau cover to protect kit and a Rivian-esque lockable storage tunnel under the bed.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: TELO)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: TELO)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: TELO)

Despite its small size, Telo claims it will offer the truck with either the option of a 300hp single motor set-up or a monster 500hp dual motor configuration that’s paired to an equally gargantuan 106kWh battery.

It seems overkill, but the company wants the MT1 to be able to haul 1,600 lbs (around 725kg) of kit and be able to tow 6,600lbs (almost 3,000kg), while still offering a range of around 350 miles, as well as the ability to charge from 20-80% in 20 minutes.

Prices start at $41,520 (around £32,000 / AU$66,000) for the Single Motor variant and increase to $49,019 (about £38,000 / AU$78,000) for the Dual Motor, All Wheel Drive model. A smaller, standard battery is included in that price, or customers can option a Long Range version for an additional $3,980.

It comes in eight different colors and can be specified with a handful of neat optional extras, such as a Solar Cab Roof, a hardshell canopy for the rear bed and solar panels for the tonneau cover.

However, Telo is taking $152 reservations right now, which is no guarantee this won’t just be another flash-in-the-pan electric truck start-up.

Showing Tesla how it's done

(Image credit: TELO)

With the backlash against Tesla’s founder and outspoken CEO in full swing, the Cybertruck appears to be taking the brunt of everyone's frustration, with reports of vandalism and even arson at Tesla showrooms as anti-DOGE protests break out across the US and Europe.

With its oddball angular styling, excessive footprint and blinding stainless steel body panels, Cybertruck seems to represent everything that certain pockets of the population can’t stand about Tesla and Musk right now.

Telo, on the other hand, has taken an altogether different approach. Rather than focus on making a bold, arguably egotistical statement, the team has started with practicality and its own slightly goofy looks have naturally followed.

Measuring a massive five feet (1,524mm) shorter than the Toyota Tacoma, it still manages to offer a similar amount of stowage space, without the road-hogging footprint.

Easy to park, simple to thread through busy cities and capable of rolling up its sleeves and getting its hands dirty, it’s everything the Cybertruck isn’t.

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• Apple has delayed the smarter, AI-infused Siri and says it will arrive "in the coming year."
• Since Apple Intelligence's debut, we've been waiting to try the smarter Siri with access to Apps
• "It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features"

We’ve all been waiting for Apple to drop the significant Siri upgrade that was supposed to arrive at some point within the iOS 18 lifecycle. It goes beyond Siri’s colorful glow all around the screen that’s been here since the iPhone 16 lineup launched in September of 2024 and was promised to make the virtual assistant smarter, more useful, and a far better conversationalist.

However, our hopes were greatly diminished with iOS 18.4 arriving as developer and public betas without a new Siri. This is especially true after so many reports and rumors hinted that Apple was planning to release the new Siri – at least the first taste of it – in the spring.

Now, though, Apple has confirmed to Daring Fireball that the significant Siri upgrade is delayed: “It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features, and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.” Those features included Siri factoring in personal context and the ability to see, understand, and control various applications on your device.

(Image credit: Future)

Apple originally announced the upgraded Siri with Personal Context back at the main WWDC 2024 keynote (World Wide Developers Conference) on June 10 without an exact release date in writing, but that it would arrive in the coming months.

The statement to Daring Fireball in full from Apple reads: “Siri helps our users find what they need and get things done quickly, and in just the past six months, we’ve made Siri more conversational, introduced new features like type to Siri and product knowledge, and added an integration with ChatGPT. We’ve also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”

Apple has rolled out numerous Apple Intelligence features, but even so, this major upgrade to Siri, which would have put it on the same playing field as OpenAI’s ChatGPT Voice Mode or Gemini Live, was a real headliner. Writing tools, notification summaries, and Clean Up in photos, among others, are all helpful, and so is Siri’s ability to provide tech support. Even so, the truly smarter Siri would have been the real meat and potatoes of Apple Intelligence.

It’s also a rare admission from Apple, but the strong communication and transparency with level-setting expectations for when these features will finally ship is appreciated. I imagine even more so for folks who have been waiting for it to drop – me being one of them – and have invested in devices that are capable of running Apple Intelligence. It’s on par with the cancellation of AirPower, the iPhone 4’s ‘Antennagate,’ and the retooling of Apple Maps.

Further, it’s worth giving this piece by TechRadar’s Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff a read with this statement from Apple providing additional context – Apple’s privacy first and a more cautious approach with AI and Apple Intelligence was doing it no favors, writing “Yes, I get that Apple is the most privacy-aware and secure consumer platform and ecosystem. A portion of their AI strategy revolves around Private Cloud Compute. But what is that locked-down vapor actually doing for us?”

It's worth a read now in light of the confirmed delay. At least Apple is still committed to rolling out this new Siri with personal context and app access. Further, it’s clear they’re committed to doing it right … even if that takes more time.

Safe to say that the stakes will be even higher at the 2025 World Wide Developers Conference and with iOS 19, both of which are likely three months away as the event is typically within the first two weeks of June.

This story is developing…

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar You might also like

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• Both the AMD Ryzen 9900X3D and 9950X3D are releasing on March 12, 2025
• The respective MSRPs for both CPUs are $599 and $699, similar to previous gen
• The former features a 120W TDP whereas the latter uses a 170W TDP instead

Several months after first being announced at CES 2025, AMD has now officially confirmed the price and release date for its Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D processors. They're billed as the "world's best processor for gaming and content creation".

Both the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D processors will be available starting March 12, 2025. The former carries an MSRP of $599, with the latter available for $699, being the two most expensive (and high-performance) chips from the company.

On the technical side of things, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is confirmed to feature 16 cores (32 threads) with a base clock speed of 4.3 GHz and a boost clock of up to 5.7 GHz. There's 144 MB of second-generation 3D V-cache stacked onboard with a 170W TDP.

In contrast, the secondary processor, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, features 12 cores (24 threads) with a base clock speed of 4.4 GHz and a boost clock of up to 5.5 GHz and 128MB of 3D V-cache pool available. Unlike the flagship model, this processor features the lower 120W TDP of the Ryzen 9 9900X (and cheaper Ryzen 7 9800X3D), which debuted back in August and November 2024.

As with all Ryzen 7000 and Ryzen 9000 processors, the 9900X3D and 9950X3D are built on the AM5 platform, meaning you'll need a compatible motherboard. Similarly, these chips are built exclusively for DDR5 RAM and have PCIe 5.0 compatibility out of the box. If you're thinking of upgrading from an older AM4 platform, then you'll have to do more than just swap out the chips.

Regardless of which of the two new processors you choose from, you're going to want to invest in one of the best CPU coolers in 2025 to keep those core temperatures down whether you're gaming, rendering projects, or more. This is particularly true for the Ryzen 9950X3D with its 170W TDP, matching that of the non-3D variants, something we had not seen up until this point.

With a higher thermal design power comes increased heat along with the performance. We recommend a dedicated AIO with a large radiator attached (such as 240mm or 360mm) with a PC case with sufficient airflow and fans inside the computer case.

Leading CPU options, provided you've got the cash to spend

While both the AMD Ryzen 9900X3D and 9950X3D processors are expensive, the company has made the smart decision to keep the prices consistent with the previous generation versions (7900X3D and 7950X3D) from 2023. Whether the generational performance gains are strong enough to consider investing in is something that we'll only know after thorough testing, but those considering upgrading from AM4 should notice sweeping benefits.

How AMD's second-generation 3D V-cache works is by having a dedicated pool of L3 memory stacked onto the chip which acts as a short-term (but incredibly fast) resource for the processor to access immediate data, for higher gaming framerates and lower rendering times than what's seen from processors without a surplus of L3 cache / V-cache. By having frequently accessed data so close to the CPU cores, there's less of a delay between processes and higher performance as a result.

With that said, AMD chipsets with a higher TDP can (usually) outperform the lower TDP 3D options when it comes to productivity and synthetic performance. However, gamers and content creators will notice the edge in performance thanks to the 3D V-cache. It's a curious (but welcome) decision to see the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 9950X3D with identical TDPs to their non-3D counterparts. We could, therefore, see improved performance across the board.

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• MikroTik's ROSE Data Server RDS2216 combines storage, networking, and containers
• It runs on the 16-core AWS Graviton 1 Arm CPU and has 16 ports
• Supports MinIO, Nextcloud, and encryption, with no subscriptions or paywalls

MicroTik, a Latvian company that specializes in networking hardware and software, has launched a new enterprise server, powered by ROSE (the company’s RouterOS Edition for storage and compute).

Described as a “high-performance, all-in-one storage, networking, and container platform for enterprise environments,” the MicroTik ROSE Data Server RDS2216 combines a U.2 NAS, advanced switch, lightweight 16-core 2GHz ARM CPU and 32GB of DDR4 RAM.

The striking green color server, which has 16 ports including two 100G QSFP28, four 25G SFP28, four 10G SFP+ and two 10G Ethernet ports, also has twenty U.2 NVMe storage slots. It supports a number of advanced storage features, such as NVMe-TCP block device export, encryption layers, and modular configurations, with no subscriptions or paywalls. It's container-ready, seamlessly running MinIO, Nextcloud, Shinobi, Frigate, and other OCI-compliant containers, with additional USB ports for potentially even greater adaptability.

AWS Graviton 1

The ARM chip powering the RDS is certainly one of the more interesting things about the server. The AL73400 is a 16-core ARMv8 SoC developed by Annapurna Labs, which happens to be a subsidiary of Amazon. The chip, also known as the AWS Graviton 1 processor, was originally introduced in 2018 to boost Amazon's cloud infrastructure.

Beyond that, the server has 32GB of RAM (which is a bit stingy) and 128MB of NAND storage. It also features IPsec hardware acceleration, ensuring encrypted connections without performance bottlenecks. MicroTik says the device is rated for 200,000 hours MTBF at 25°C and operates within a temperature range of -20°C to 50°C.

Suggested uses for the RDS2216 include self-hosted MinIO cloud storage, NextCloud enterprise cloud hosting, high-speed backups and database clusters, containerized infrastructure, branch office storage expansion, auto-encrypting storage, and private social media hosting.

Writing about the server, ServeTheHome says, “MicroTik and Ampere have had postings about working together previously. Hopefully that becomes the network side of this with RDIMM support and more. Assuming this sells for under $2000 it might make for a really neat option, but it is also one we want to try before recommending.”

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• Samsung, Meta and Apple are reportedly working on OLED VR headsets
• Meta's headset is tipped for 2026, while Apple's is set for 2027
• Samsung and Meta will use new OLED on Silicon displays

OLED, OLED, OLED – that’s the name of the game right now in the XR world, if a report on leaked hardware specs is to be believed. Samsung, Apple, and Meta are said to be working on OLED-display equipped headsets. And while Samsung's and Apple's plans are interesting, Meta’s OLED headset could be a winner for one big reason: cost.

Starting with Samsung – because its headset is the only one we officially know exists – the report via The Elec (a South Korean outlet, details translated and summarized by @Jukanlosreve) says the upcoming consumer version of Project Moohan headset (the Android XR wearable it developed with Google) will come with a 1.3-inch display boasting a pixel density of 3,800 PPI (pixels per inch).

Interestingly this OLEDoS display (OLED on Silicon, also known as Micro OLED tl;dr: they’re very tiny but high-density OLED panels built on silicon) would come from Sony, not Samsung Display, and it’s higher than the 3,386ppi display used by the Apple Vision Pro – suggesting that Samsung wants to cement Moohan as a high-end alternative the Apple headset. Hopefully it won’t be as pricey (I’m not holding my breath).

Speaking of Apple, it's said to be working on a Vision Pro that’s more consumer-friendly (read: cheaper). Instead of silicon, according to the above report Apple will rely on more traditional glass OLEDs with a 1,500ppi, with a release planned for 2027 – but I’m not holding my breath for this device to be affordable as being cheaper than a $3,500 headset could still be very expensive.

Meta's OLED headset plan

A cheaper Vision Pro isn't necessarily cheap (Image credit: Future)

Last up is Meta, which reportedly plans to use a 0.8 to 0.9-inch OLEDoS display in a headset set for 2026.

The smaller display size would apparently be a cost-cutting measure. OLED panels are typically made large and then cut to size, and Meta is apparently hoping that if it can reliably create a 1.42 OLEDoS unit (the same size as a Vision Pro) it can then cut that up into roughly four 0.8 to 0.9-inch panels, and cut its costs by a quarter. Given this small size, though, it may need to use two displays per headset (which would follow the two-display setup used in its Quest headsets), which would only halve the effective cost.

Regardless, OLEDoS displays, even at a quarter or half the cost, likely wouldn’t come cheap – which is why I’m expecting this 2026 headset would be the rumored Meta Quest Pro 2. It's supposedly been cancelled twice already, but the third time seems to be the charm, as Meta might have settled on a unique glasses-like shape (which I think sounds awesome, by the way), and some OLED screens would help cement it as an exciting proposition.

A 2026 window would also work for a Meta Quest 4 launch (based on the three-year gap between the Quest 2 and Quest 3 releases), although unless Meta can seriously bring costs down, OLED displays might be a bridge too far for its mid-range line, where they wouldn’t be for its high-end Quest Pro headsets.

As with all leaks and rumors we’ll have to take these details with a pinch of salt – especially in the case of Meta and Apple – as even if these are their current plans there’s plenty of time for things to change, and we won’t know what any of these brands has in store for us until they make an official announcement. Hopefully Samsung won’t leave us wondering for much longer, and perhaps Meta will tease something at Meta Connect 2025.

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• Major Russian cryptocurrency site taken down by law enforcement
• Garantex has previously been sanctioned by the EU and US
• The site allegedly had links to cybercrime and ransomware

Law enforcement agencies from across the world have come together to shut down infamous Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, which was popular amongst cybercriminals, especially ransomware gangs, who often use cryptocurrency to launder money gained in ransom attacks.

The Garantex website has been taken down and replaced with a notice confirming the seizure - with the shutdown comes just days after the EU sanctioned the site for being “closely associated with EU-sanctioned Russian banks”.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia obtained a seizure warrant for the domain, which enabled law enforcement to take down the website. Several agencies are credited in the notice, including the US Department of Justice, Secret Service, the Finnish Poliisi Keskusrikospoliisi, and German Bundeskriminalamt.

Crypto losses

The US Government also sanctioned Garantex back in April 2022, after it was linked to criminal activity and dark web markets - including almost $6 million from Russian ransomware gang Conti.

Cryptocurrency is a popular tool for cybercriminals, as currencies are largely anonymous, untraceable, and unregulated - with no central server or administrator. In fact, it’s been reported that around $40 billion worth of illicit crypto transactions took place in 2024, and is predicted to rise in 2025. Dr. Ilia Kolochenko, CEO at ImmuniWeb explains;

“While some jurisdictions are willingly blind and readily close their eyes to certain types of illicit activities related to both cybercrime and money laundering, operating a fully functional crypto exchange solely from those “safe havens” is virtually impossible in the interconnected world.”

"The good news is that we will probably see even more successful cyber operations by law enforcement agencies in 2025, while the bad news is that cybercriminals will certainly learn the lesson and will very soon resurrect with even more resilient infrastructure to continue their business.”

Via TechCrunch

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