TechRadar News

Google Pixel phones are apparently kicking out some strange vibrations after the recent March update.

Over on the Google Pixel subreddit multiple Pixel users reporting that after they install the update the haptic vibrations their Pixel phones are serving up feel different than before.

Some notice this when typing on the Pixel virtual keyboard, while others claim that all vibrations feel different.

One poster going by the handle of Krysnosis noted: "On typing I don't feel it, but the back gesture I immediately felt the hollow feeling. It has less thunk and doesn't feel as clean. Now, it has a lingering light vibration. Before, it just ended cleanly."

It's hard to narrow down whether these changes are affecting particular Pixel models, or most Pixel phones that qualify for the update.

But the general vibe of the Reddit thread is that the change in vibrations feel less direct and robust, something that wasn't met with approval from those affected.

There's no mention of any changes to haptics or the intensity of the vibrations in Google's changelog for the March 2025 update, so this would appear to be a bug.

I'm in the process of downloading an update for my Google Pixel 9 Pro, which is taking some time due to my slow internet, so I'm afraid I can't bring you any insight from my side just yet.

The folks at 9to5Google say they haven't noticed any vibration changes on their Pixel 9 models; however, The Verge reported detecting vibration changes in the Google Pixel 8 phones, while Reddit users noted that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have been affected.

So it's all a little strange, and Google has yet to comment on the vibration issues. If you've notices changes to vibrations on your Pixel, let me know in the comments below.

You might also like

• Android 16 beta users are reporting major battery drain issues – but I’m not too worried about it
• Samsung says ‘millions’ are using Galaxy AI regularly, despite surprising survey results
• iPhone 17 Air leaks suggest it'll get next-gen battery – and offset the 17 Pro Max's weight gains

Independent auditors have put the security infrastructure of all NordVPN's applications under the microscope and found no critical issues, yet again.

Leading auditing firm Cure53 carried out a series of tests across all NordVPN desktop applications, mobile apps, browser extensions, and some key features. Experts uncovered a total of 31 findings, which the Nord team mostly fixed at the time of writing.

The security audit results come only a few weeks after TechRadar's best VPN provider also proved its no-log claims with a third-party check, showing the provider's continuous commitment to transparency, privacy and security.

NordVPN security audit

Experts at Cure53 conducted a mix of penetration and source code reviews between June and August 2024, for a total of fifty-five days.

As mentioned earlier, NordVPN apps (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android VPN) and browser extensions (Chrome, Edge, and Firefox) weren't the only tech to be inspected. Auditors also took apart NordVPN Threat Protection, Threat Protection Pro, and Meshnet.

Cure53 found a total of 31 findings, with 22 being classified as security vulnerabilities (with some ranked as High) and nine as general weaknesses with lower exploitation potential.

"This security assessment revealed a high number of issues. However, given the broad scope included in Cure53’s examination, and the large attack surface it encompassed, a higher than average number of issues was to be expected," noted auditors in their final report, sharing recommendations to fix these issues.

At the same time, however, auditors observed "the system utilized several well-regarded libraries, including NGHTTP2, OpenSSL, and Boost," which are known for their stability and security.

On their side, NordVPN has welcomed Cure53 suggestions and already enforced a fix for most of the issues, which was also verified by Cure53.

"Security is at the core of everything we do at NordVPN. Independent assessments like this allow us to continuously refine our technology and stay ahead of emerging threats," said NordVPN CTO Marijus Briedis, ensuring the team swiftly implemented all necessary improvements to ensure the highest level of protection for users.

Despite the findings, the provider explains, the latest Cure53 assessment has confirmed that NordVPN apps are built on a strong security foundation as no critical issues were found.

The security audits come as the provider confirmed its no-log claims for the fifth time since 2018 back in February. In that instance, experts at Deloitte inspected NordVPN's server configuration and relevant IT systems to ensure data related to users' activities is never logged as stated in its privacy policy.

"Our work towards improving security is never finished, and we will keep moving forward," said Briedis. "We are proud of these results and will keep making NordVPN one of the most secure VPN services available to everyone."

You can read the full Cure53 report by heading to the user control panel on the provider website or clicking here.

• AMD has finally introduced AFMF 2.1 in its new FSR 4 driver update
• Its compatible with RDNA 4, 3, and 2 GPUs, including Ryzen AI 300 series processors
• Performance and image stability in games on the Asus ROG Ally are improved using AFMF 2.1

AMD's RDNA 4 GPUs are finally here, along with a new driver that adds FSR 4 support, but that's not all - handheld gaming PCs and RDNA 3 and 2 GPU users will have a new and improved trick up their sleeve to improve performance in games.

As detailed in AMD's Adrenalin Edition release notes, AFMF 2.1 is now available in driver 25.3.1 for Radeon RX 6000, 7000, and 9070 series GPUs including Team Red's Ryzen AI 300 series processors. This is a driver-based frame generation feature (similar to Nvidia's new Smooth Motion) that allows gamers to force frame-gen into games that don't have official implementation from developers.

AFMF 2.1 is built to improve upon frame generation image quality along with reducing ghosting and better temporal tracking - using AFMF 1 and 2 on handheld devices like the Asus ROG Ally wasn't an easygoing experience since ghosting, stutters, and poor image quality were common complaints from people who used it.

Based on some of my early impressions, AFMF 2.1 is a good step up from its predecessor, providing a cleaner image in motion and reducing ghosting to a significant degree - this was evident in my testing of Sifu and Resident Evil 4 (pictured below), two games that have previously struggled when using AFMF with ghosting and constant frame time stutters.

Fortunately, those issues have been minimized as the non-stop action in Capcom's title isn't interrupted by regular frame time spikes (which used to occur even when idle in-game) allowing for a much smoother handheld experience - and it's a great sign for other games that have previously struggled with frame generation software on handheld gaming PCs.

Image 1 of 2

Where's everyone going? Bingo? (Image credit: Future/Isaiah Williams)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future/Isaiah Williams) Now, we just need FSR 4 to come to RDNA 3...

I know FSR 4 is currently exclusive to Team Red's new Radeon RX 9070 series, but if the new upscaling technology can find its way onto RDNA 3 hardware, handheld gamers are in for a treat.

We've seen how close FSR 4 is to Nvidia's DLSS 4 and its new transformer model - while it doesn't defeat it nor match it, it's managed to topple its fierce rivals' previous CNN model, with greater image stability (especially in motion). AFMF 2.1 has impressed me and given me another reason to keep my ROG Ally (at least for now), and any addition of FSR 4 will likely be a showstopper.

Its performance mode is a prime example of the significant enhancements, which reminded me of how great DLSS 4's performance mode looks - imagining how this would perform on a handheld gaming PC is the stuff of dreams for me.

The only strong competition AMD has for producing chips for handhelds is Intel - while the MSI Claw 8 AI +'s Ultra Core 7 258V processor is more powerful than the Z1 Extreme, the current version of XeSS (Intel's upscaling tech) likely can't match up to FSR 4. In my opinion, Team Red's new upscaling method is the final piece of the puzzle needed to make handhelds like the ROG Ally complete - let's just hope it can be done...

You may also like...

• New benchmark suggests Apple's M3 Ultra may not be much faster than the M4 Max - only a minor uplift in multi-core performance
• Sure, Nvidia DLSS 4 is incredibly impressive - but AMD's improved upscaling tech could be a real game-changer
• Finally, we have some GPU competition - AMD announces the Radeon RX 9070 XT March 6 launch date, starting at $599 alongside the RX 9070 at $549

• Security researchers found JavaScript code installing four backdoors to WP-powered sites
• They also found a vulnerable plugin enabling full website takeover
• There are patches and mitigations for all these vulnerabilities

A single piece of JavaScript code deployed no less than four separate backdoors onto roughly 1,000 WordPress websites, according to a new report from cybersecurity researchers c/side, who detailed the four backdoors and explained how website builder users should protect themselves.

The analysis did not elaborate how the malicious JavaScript made it into these websites - we can assume either weak or compromised passwords, a vulnerable add-on, or similar. In any case, the code is served via cdn.csyndication[dot]com, a domain mentioned in at least 908 websites.

It deploys four backdoors. One installs a fake plugin named “Ultra SEO Processor” that can execute commands remotely, one injects malicious JavaScript into wp-config.php, one adds an SSH key to allow threat actors persistent access, and one runs commands remotely and opens a reverse shell.

Chaty Pro 10/10

To minimize the risk, c/side advises website owners delete unauthorized SSH keys, rotate their WP admin credentials, and scan system logs for any suspicious activity.

At the same time, PatchStack found Chaty Pro, a popular WordPress plugin with some 18,000 installations, was enabling malicious file uploads on websites where it was installed. Chaty Pro allows owners to integrate chat services with social messaging tools.

The flaw is tracked as CVE-2025-26776 and has a 10/10 severity score (critical). Since threat actors can use it to upload malicious files, it can lead to full website takeover, hence the critical severity. Infosecurity Magazine reports the function included a whitelist of allowed file extensions which was, sadly, never implemented.

“Uploaded file name contains the upload time and a random number between 100 and 1000, so it is possible to upload a malicious PHP file and access it by brute forcing possible file names around the upload time,” PatchStack explained.

Chaty Pro’s maintainers released a fix on February 11. All users are advised to upgrade the extension to version 3.3.4.

Via The Hacker News

You might also like

• Google Chrome extensions hit in major attack - dozens of developers affected, so be on your guard
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app

• The RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 are rumored to launch in April 2025
• It's believed the MSRP of the former could be $299, matching the RTX 3050
• Claims are circulating that there will be three variants of RTX 5060 available

The Nvidia RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 are rumored to launch next month, based on the latest rumors circulating online.

According to WCCF Tech, the two mainstream Blackwell RTX 50 series graphics cards will be released soon, following the midrange RTX 5070, which launched earlier this week.

It's believed that the RTX 5050 will use the PG162 PCB with 8GB GDDR7 VRAM and a 145W TDP. Its pricing is expected to fall within the range of $199 to $249, depending on the manufacturer. This would position it alongside other entry-level graphics cards on the market, such as the Intel Arc B580 from December 2024, which we praised with a five-star score in our review.

April could also see the launches of both the RTX 5060 and the RTX 5060 Ti, with the former launching at the end of the month and the latter claimed to be coming earlier. It is rumored that both GPUs will utilize 8GB GDDR7 VRAM (with the Ti supposedly having a 16GB option), with the RTX 5060 expected to retail from $299, but this is unconfirmed at this time, and so far few concrete details are known about the hardware inside the two budget offerings.

Additionally, alleged industry insider MEGAsizeGPU has claimed that the RTX 5060 family could be announced 10 days from now to hit the shelves "a month later". This backs up WCCFTech's information about a launch coming sooner rather than later, and it's certainly believable considering the trajectory we've typically seen in Nvidia's graphics card launches. Historically, the 90 and 80-class cards come first, with 70-class and mainstream offerings following closely behind.

While unconfirmed, TechPowerUp claims that the RTX 5060 will be built on the GB206 graphics processor with 4,608 cores, 144 Texture Mapping Units, and a 128-bit memory bus combined with its 8GB GDDR7 VRAM. In contrast, this source claims the RTX 5060 Ti's 16GB variant will be otherwise identical, save for double the VRAM. It's likely a placeholder until an official reveal and tech specs are announced, however, it gives us a rough idea of how they could stack up to the company's best graphics cards on the market.

A return for Nvidia's 50-class dedicated graphics cards

Should these rumors be true, then we will be seeing the return of the 50-class graphics cards for the first time since January 2022 with the desktop RTX 3050. While far from gaming powerhouses, these affordable cards have (traditionally) given wallet-conscious gamers a way to keep up with today's demanding games in 1080p, even featuring some light ray tracing functionality.

While there technically was an RTX 4050 GPU, it was solely used as a graphics solution inside cheap gaming laptops and never saw a release as a dedicated graphics card. The RTX 4060 was the mainstream leader of Nvidia's previous gen, starting at $299. Depending on the MSRPs of the RTX 5050 and RTX 5060, we could see a disparity in price similar to the difference between AMD's RX 9070 ($549) and 9070 XT ($599).

At a time when it looks as though Nvidia is solely focused on pushing the goal posts in terms of both price and performance, the addition of a 50-class and three 60-class versions of Blackwell could make DLSS 4 (and Multi Frame Generation) far easier to access for those who don't want to pay out $600 or more at the minimum.

Performance of these cards are unlikely to be groundbreaking, but if upscaling from 720p to 1080p for the RTX 5050 and 1080p to 1440p with MFG, we could see the perennially popular RTX 3060 12GB and RTX 4060 finally dethroned from their top spots in the Steam Hardware Survey.

You may also like...

• AMD could be working on a faster RX 9070 Extreme graphics card
• New benchmarks show the M4 Pro may not be much of a leap after all
• United Airlines successfully installed Elon Musk's Starlink in one of its planes

• A new botnet called Eleven11bot was spotted in the wild
• It leverages weak and default credentials to compromise IoT devices
• The botnet is operated by Iranian threat actors

Cybersecurity researchers say they have uncovered the “biggest non-government botnet” in recent years.

It is called Eleven11bot, and its malware was found on more than 86,000 Internet of Things (IoT) devices, according to multiple research teams, including Nokia, GreyNoise, and The Shadowserver Foundation.

The botnet is most likely operated by an Iranian threat actor, GreyNoise reported. It found some 1,400 IPs operating the botnet, the majority of which are based in the Middle Eastern country. The threat actors seem to be hunting for IoT devices with factory or weak credentials, and actively scanning for exposed Telnet and SSH ports, with compromised devices including webcams, Network Video Recorders (NVR), and similar.

Exceptional size

At the same time, The Shadowserver Foundation analyzed the spread of the malware, and found that the majority of compromised endpoints are located in the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, and Australia.

Botnets are most commonly used for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, where infected devices overwhelm a target server, causing disruptions.

They are also used for sending massive spam campaigns, distributing phishing emails or malware while avoiding detection. Cybercriminals leverage botnets for credential stuffing and brute-force attacks, trying to break into accounts using stolen credentials.

Another frequent use is click fraud, where infected machines generate fake ad clicks to inflate revenue. Botnets also enable cryptojacking, secretly mining cryptocurrency on victims’ devices, slowing them down and increasing electricity costs. Additionally, they are used for data theft and espionage, stealing login credentials, financial data, or trade secrets.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• Massive botnet is targeting Microsoft 365 accounts across the world
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app

The next phase of AI has emerged, and it goes by the name of Agentic AI. Operating with greater independence than standard GenAI solutions, Agentic AI tackles more complex tasks, handles ambiguity beyond traditional automation, makes decisions, and drives outcomes without human intervention.

It’s more than an efficiency booster – it represents a paradigm shift in how businesses operate, innovate, and scale.

Companies must now ask themselves: Are we ready to embrace AI that not only assists but autonomously executes? Up until now, most businesses have focused on AI tools as a way to accelerate and streamline workflows, improving efficiency, and optimizing processes. But the next phase promises a shift that will once again redefine the way we work.

In other words, the era of Agentic AI has arrived.

What is Agentic AI?

Agentic AI moves beyond today’s conversational AI chatbots and robotic process automation (RPA). Instead of just responding to queries or processing predefined workflows, AI agents operate independently, make decisions, and take proactive action based on real-time data and learned behaviors.

These agents can collaborate, adapt, and execute complex sequences of tasks with minimal human intervention, bridging the gap between static automation and true autonomy.

Imagine a network monitoring system that doesn’t just identify a security vulnerability but actively remediates it. Or an AI-powered IT helpdesk that doesn’t just respond to a ticket but anticipates and resolves an issue before an employee even realizes there’s a problem. Well, these features aren’t the lofty, visionary promises of the future.

They’re already here.

The three phases of AI

However, rolling Agentic AI out to the mainstream requires a structured approach that aligns with how trust is built between humans and AI, ensuring that businesses move from simple automation to true autonomy in a way that builds confidence and trust – and ultimately, adoption. It’s easy to forget that AI adoption is not a switch we flip; it’s a progression.

This is where the ARC framework (Accelerate, Replace, Create) comes into play, offering a roadmap for AI adoption and a way to assess the ROI of an AI initiative. It serves as the key selection standard for identifying the right opportunities in the vast ocean of possibilities created by recent advancements in AI technology.

Accelerate: Focuses on AI-assisted automation, where AI enhances human decision-making by providing insights, recommendations, and analytics. Here, AI acts as a supportive tool, streamlining workflows and improving efficiency without replacing human oversight.

Replace: AI takes over specific tasks or processes. While humans still maintain control, AI supports them by enhancing accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness. During this phase, businesses typically still require mechanisms for human oversight—this fosters trust and ensures the reliability of AI before transitioning to full autonomy. Additionally, humans collaborate with AI, using it as an augmented analytics solution.

Create: This is where Agentic AI comes into play, with AI operating fully autonomously. It continuously learns from data, user input, and context, making complex decisions in real time and generating innovative solutions without direct human involvement. At this stage, AI becomes a trusted partner, driving unparalleled efficiency and innovation in business operations.

This framework offers a strategic roadmap for AI adoption and identifying ROI, guiding businesses from basic automation to the advanced, collaborative systems of Agentic AI. By following the ARC phases, organizations can move toward full autonomy, driving real ROI through enhanced efficiency, innovation, and smarter decision-making.

Bridging the trust gap

Standing in the way of the “Create” phase of AI adoption is trust – and trust is not linear. Businesses often assume that trust will increase steadily as AI systems prove their capabilities.

In reality, trust in AI ebbs and flows.

When AI is first introduced in an organization, users may find it helpful and intriguing. Still, when AI is given more tasks or decision-making power, some users may experience concerns about reliability and accuracy, which can affect trust levels.

This is why oversight and a phased adoption is critical. Companies must gradually build, reinforce, and validate trust at every deployment stage.

Additionally, trust varies by use case. Employees may trust AI to handle administrative tasks but hesitate regarding high-stakes decisions like security monitoring, compliance enforcement, or financial forecasting. And that’s why organizations must contextualize trust, ensuring AI is introduced in a way that aligns with employees’ comfort levels and expertise.

Adapting to the Agentic AI era

So, how do businesses adapt to this transformation?

For starters, investing in AI literacy is essential. Having the right talent with AI expertise ensures that leadership teams and employees understand AI's capabilities, limitations, and best use cases. These talents can also inform the company’s governance frameworks to provide ethical, transparent, and accountable deployment – essential for building trust and driving adoption.

Crucially, companies need to adopt a hybrid AI-human approach, using AI agents to work alongside people rather than replace them entirely. Businesses should also start small and scale strategically, beginning with pilot projects to test the effectiveness of AI agents before deploying at scale.

Instead of adopting AI simply for the sake of innovation, businesses should use the ARC framework to identify transformative applications that have a lasting impact. This ensures AI adoption is an ongoing, value-driven process, supporting strategic goals and ROI-focused investments.

The new era is now

AI is rapidly evolving from a passive assistant to an active decision-maker. It’s only a matter of time. The businesses that stand out and thrive in the coming years will be those that embrace Agentic AI, not just as a tool but as a fundamental part of how work gets done.

The bottom line? If your AI strategy is still focused on automation, it may be time to rethink your approach. The future will favor those ready to deploy, trust, and collaborate with AI agents. The time to adapt isn’t down the road–it’s now.

We've compiled a list of the best employee monitoring software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Victrola's once Sonos-only wireless Stream turntables got a big update
• A free software upgrade adds Bluetooth, UPnP and Roon-ready smarts
• …and given the year Sonos has had, it's a sensible expansion

Victrola's Sonos-connected turntables just got an important over-the-air upgrade to add thoroughly non-Sonos wireless connectivity – and given the disastrous past 12 months Sonos has had, it's hard to see the move as anything other than Victrola pulling Sonos for that awkward "I'm going to perfectly honest, I think it's time we started seeing other people" talk.

Victrola has expanded the wireless streaming capabilities of its Victrola Stream Carbon, Victrola Stream Pearl, Victrola Stream Onyx (not to be confused with the cheaper, non-Sonos-supporting but Bluetooth-aptX-toting Hi-Res Onyx) and Victrola Stream Sapphire turntables.

What's being added? Well, you could say that Victrola doesn't just want to see other wireless giants besides Sonos, it's actually going for a three-way (sorry). Alongside 'works with Sonos' support, the four Stream turntables now get:

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP): this allows your Stream turntable to automatically jump on a network of similarly-enabled products over Wi-Fi, to stream vinyl wirelessly to UPnP-enabled audio devices, including wireless speakers, A/V receivers, hi-fi streamers and smart TVs.

Bluetooth output – this (as you probably know) lets you stream directly to the best Bluetooth speakers and best wireless headphones, bringing simple wire-free audio to your home.

Roon Ready relay – stream vinyl up to 24-bit/48kHz lossless FLAC quality to any Roon endpoint.

Victrola tells us the update is already live in its Stream Sapphire model, but is rolling out automatically to all Victrola Stream Carbon, Onyx, and Pearl turntables very soon.

Making new connections

The Victrola Stream range was, as Victrola states in its press release "previously designed exclusively for seamless integration with the Sonos ecosystem", but you don't need to be a genius to see that the lineup is much more versatile (and desirable) now, thanks to this free update. We felt the Stream Sapphire struggled to validate its higher price-point under intense review, but this update may well change things.

It's no secret that 2024 was the year Sonos slipped, so it's fair to say that if a product doesn't have to honor a Sonos-only deal, its makers should certainly look to branch out and make new friends.

The automatic software update will be deployed, says the company, to all existing and future Victrola Stream Carbon, Onyx, Pearl, and Sapphire turntables, requiring no manual installation. Existing owners can expect to see the update automatically. In the app (where they would typically select a default Sonos speaker), users will now find toggles for additional options, including Bluetooth. The app will also provide "simple instructions for switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth using the knob" according to Victrola.

Full disclosure: I have a Victrola Stream Carbon, and a Sonos Five on which I listened to vinyl from 2022 until, ahem, right after the new Sonos app updates started causing big issues. I moved home in November last year, and both products are currently languishing in storage, for this very reason. Now though – alongside the news that Sonos seems to have fixed the awful lag on the volume control – I will be making a trip to that storage unit, to dig out my once-beloved Sonos/Victrola vinyl system.

I'll let you know how that goes – and please, if you also own a Victrola Stream, feel free to tell me in the comments what you think.

You may also like

• See our pick of the best turntables
• Need over-ears? Our best over-ear headphones guide is the place
• Considering earbuds? We get it: see the best earbuds you can buy right now, all tested by TechRadar

• Developer Dark Math Games has announced that the XXX Nightshift will be helmed by Grammy Award nominated songwriter and music producer John Cunningham
• The game is an upcoming detective RPG, similar to Disco Elysium
• Pre-orders open tomorrow via the game's official website

Developer Dark Math Games has revealed that the soundtrack for its upcoming sci-fi detective RPG XXX Nightshift will be helmed by Grammy Award nominated songwriter and music producer John Cunningham.

The game, which was first revealed at the end of last year, is something of a spiritual successor to Disco Elysium and is being created by a team of 20 developers - roughly half of which worked on Disco Elysium and Disco Elysium: The Final Cut. Set in a futuristic ski resort, the game promises to deliver "deep single-player role-playing" with choices that dramatically shape how the story unfolds.

Played from an isometric perspective, it certainly looks similar to Disco Elysium - though boasts a unique companion mechanic that allows you to progress in your investigation either solo or with company depending on your decisions.

Cunningham is known for his collaborations with artists including Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, and the late XXXTentacion. He will be working closely with the development team to lead the creation of music and sound for the game.

Regarding the partnership, Dark Math Games founder and XXX Nightshift art director said that "John’s innovative approach matches our energy perfectly.

"He knows how to get the best out of every artist, and we’re thrilled to have him as a hands-on collaborator with the development team," he continued. "He’s taking the lead on sound and music with his signature style—players are in for something unforgettable."

Cunningham said that he's "super curious and excited to be a part of XXX Nightshift."

He added that "the world has evolved so much, and our understanding of music and personalization has evolved alongside it. How is music created, listened to, shared, and loved in this world? And most importantly, how can I impart the feeling upon the player that we are all artists in our own right?"

The studio has also confirmed that pre-orders for the game, which is currently only slated for a PC release, will open tomorrow on March 8 via its official website. Those who pre-order it will receive an exclusive 34-page digital comic. You can get an early glimpse of the comic's cover below.

(Image credit: Dark Math Games) You might also like...

• This indie game gets cheaper when it's cold outside
• Styx the goblin returns in Styx: Blades of Greed later this year
• FragPunk drops tomorrow for PC, but its console launch has been delayed at the last minute

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 7 (game #635).

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 #636) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SPIN
• SHADOW
• EXCELLENT
• JUKE
• TOTALLY
• FAKE
• COTTON
• SOAP
• МОСК
• BOGUS
• CHATTER
• IMITATION
• DELICATE
• DUDE
• ARTIFICIAL
• BULKY

NYT Connections today (game #636) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Not real
• GREEN: Rinse
• BLUE: Alex and Keanu
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “knocks”

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 #636) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: FAUX 
• GREEN: WASHING MACHINE CYCLES/SETTINGS 
• BLUE: WORDS SAID FREQUENTLY IN THE "BILL AND TED" MOVIES 
• PURPLE: __BOX 

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

NYT Connections today (game #636) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #636, are…

• 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

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

After initially thinking BOGUS belonged with FAKE, IMITATION and MOCK and getting “one away” twice, I switched focus and went for what was staring me in the face all along. EXCELLENT.

According to a YouTube compilation, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter say DUDE 44 times in first movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and 91 times in the sequel Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. Both are impressive but pale in comparison to the staggering 161 uses of “dude” in The Big Lebowski.

Dude, that’s a lot of dudes.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 7 March, game #635)

• YELLOW: EMBLEM LABEL, MARK, SEAL, STAMP
• GREEN: SUBJECTS OF ACCLAIMED MUSICAL BIOPICS BROWN, CASH, DYLAN, MERCURY
• BLUE: U.S. CITIES BUFFALO, HELENA, IRVING, PHOENIX
• PURPLE: FRUITS WITH THEIR SECOND LETTERS CHANGED AMPLE, DOTE, LUMON, POACH

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, March 7 (game #369).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Two thumbs up

NYT Strands today (game #370) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SLOT
• STOP
• LINT
• ROOM
• POOL
• STAMP

NYT Strands today (game #370) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Oscar winners

NYT Strands today (game #370) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #370) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #370, are…

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

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

The film critic Roger Ebert, who died in 2013, coined the term “two thumbs up” as part of his grading system – a contemporary update on Roman Emperors giving gladiators a thumbs up or down depending on their performance.

What Mr Ebert would have made of this year’s Oscar nominees and BEST PICTURE Anora is unknown, but one doubts he would have been impressed with The Brutalist star Adrien Brody’s rambling, self-aggrandising acceptance speech.

As a Strands puzzle, this wasn't the easiest, because there are so many words that could be the answer; there have been 97 winners since the Academy Awards began in 1929. Finding the five included here therefore involved more than a little trial and error as much as movie knowledge!

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, 7 March, game #369)

• CRIBBAGE
• POKER
• CANASTA
• RUMMY
• EUCHRE
• PINOCHLE
• SPANGRAM: CARD GAMES

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, March 7 (game #1138).

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 #1139) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 2*.

* 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 #1139) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1139) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1139) - 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 2.

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 #1139) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• W

• L

• W

• H

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

Quordle today (game #1139) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1139, are…

• WATCH
• LAPSE
• WREST
• HEFTY

Seven turns is as good as it gets when you're doing the three-starter-word method – unless you get super-lucky, of course.

Today was one of those green-light days where everything fell nicely into place, with WREST being a stab in the dark that fortunately gave me the starting letter for WATCH.

Right, I’m off to buy a lottery ticket.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1139) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1139, are…

• COVET
• MEANT
• CRICK
• NERVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1138, Friday 7 March: GLEAN, SHINY, DECRY, MANGA
• Quordle #1137, Thursday 6 March: TRICE, EIGHT, BELCH, RIPER
• Quordle #1136, Wednesday 5 March: PLEAD, TWANG, MAJOR, RISKY
• Quordle #1135, Tuesday 4 March: FLOWN, ETUDE, TOPAZ, JOKER
• Quordle #1134, Monday 3 March: FRILL, KAYAK, REBAR, WORDY
• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR
• Quordle #1131, Friday 28 February: PASTA, RAZOR, PLUMB, DROOL
• Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME
• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY

March has arrived (does anyone else feel like they blinked and February was over?), and the third month of 2025 has already given us lots of exciting new movies and TV shows to watch at home. Admittedly, most of them have debuted on four of the world's best streaming services, but I'm trying not to judge their rivals, such as Apple TV+, especially when the latter has served up one of 2025's best shows so far in Severance season 2.

Anyway, aside from a new episode of Severance, there's plenty more to stream this weekend, including the revival of Netflix's Daredevil TV show. So, scroll on to see our seven top picks for the week. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 (Disney+)

The devil's work is never done – and that's certainly the case for Matt Murdock and his crimefighting alter-ego. Almost six years after Netflix canceled its beloved TV adaptation starring The Man Without Fear, Marvel has revived it with Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.

Essentially, it's Daredevil season 4 is all but name, but that's a very good thing. The New York-based lawyer/vigilante's live-action series is not only as epic as it is brutal, but also one of my all-time favorite shows, so I'm delighted that it's had new life breathed into it as a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project. The first two episodes are out now but, before you stream them, read my Daredevil: Born Again review to see whether I think this Marvel Phase 5 program deserves to be added to our best Disney+ shows guide. – TP

• Watch Daredevil: Born Again season 1 on Disney+

With Love, Meghan (Netflix)

Looking for something a bit more wholesome? Why not cosy up on the couch with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, for eight episodes of cooking, gardening, and hosting advice on Netflix.

Originally due to air in January, Netflix delayed this series' release due to the wildfires that ravaged LA. Now, this show is out in full, but early reviews aren't overly favorable, which means it won't make the cut for our best Netflix shows guide. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

• Watch With Love, Meghan on Netflix

Heretic (Max)

I’m so excited that more people can experience this horror gem on Max. Heretic's major selling point is that Hugh Grant swapped his typical charming bachelor character for a creepy loner, but it's so much more than that.

Stylish, tense, and full of theological questions, Heretic is a great addition to A24's catalog. There's plenty to enjoy here, and it does enough for it to stand out among the endless sea of new horror movies in March. I'm also keen to re-watch this and spot things I might've missed the first time around as it feels like the kind of movie which benefits from a second viewing. Even though it wasn’t my favorite horror movie of 2024, I still enjoyed it and feel like it deserves a spot on our best Max movies round-up. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Heretic on Max

The Leopard (Netflix)

Netflix is somewhat of an expert when it comes to period dramas. That much is clear with Bridgerton, aka one of Netflix's most popular shows of all-time.

Now, the streamer has lined up a royal rival with Italian period drama The Leopard. Based on the classic novel of the same name by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the eponymous Leopard is Don Fabrizio Corbera, the Prince of Salina (Kim Rossi Stuart) who grapples with the impact of his family’s ancient privilege and revolutionary change in 1860s Sicily. I can’t wait to be transported back in time with this sumptuous historical spectacle and, with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Leopard has a chance of gracing our best Netflix shows guide. – Grace Morris, entertainment writer

• Watch The Leopard on Netflix

Fear (Prime Video)

Fear is Prime Video's latest thriller series and it's got a truly terrifying premise. Line of Duty star Martin Compston leads the cast as a father who has relocated his family from London to an idyllic location in Glasgow, hoping for a fresh start. It's the kind of scenario that provides the backdrop for plenty of thrillers where, unfortunately, someone's dream home becomes a living nightmare.

Things go terribly wrong when the family begins to be stalked by their neighbor, who begins to accuse them of horrible things and becomes a terrifying presence in their lives. Throughout three episodes, you'll unravel what's going on, making it the perfect weekend binge-watch. It hasn't got a Rotten Tomatoes score yet so we'll have to see if it's good enough for inclusion in our best Prime Video shows article. – LB

• Watch Fear on Prime Video

The Righteous Gemstones season 4 (Max)

The Righteous Gemstones return as the televangelist family go on their final religious outing in the hit Max comedy. For the uninformed: one of the best Max shows follows the Gemstones, who commit sinful acts and hide shocking secrets while trying to build their religious empire.

With its witty parody on spiritual grandiosity and Succession-like family dynamics, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the six Max movies and shows we’re most excited to watch in March. After watching Walton Goggins in The White Lotus season 3, I'm excited to see him at his comedic best in The Righteous Gemstones season 4 along with the rest of the misfit family. – GM

• Watch The Righteous Gemstones season 4 on Max

Chaos: The Manson Murders (Netflix)

Looking for a new documentary this weekend? As part of Netflix's March 2025 line-up, the streaming giant has released a chilling docufilm that completely upends what we thought we knew about the infamous Manson murders.

Adapted from a book by Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring, Chaos: The Manson Murders brings new evidence from years of research, interviews and never-before-seen documents. Acclaimed documentary maker Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line; The Fog War: Eleven Lessons from the life of Robert S McNamara) revisits these interviews, including with Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor-turned-author that chronicled the trial, to unravel a potential conspiracy involving the CIA and others that surrounds the killings. – AS

• Watch Chaos: The Manson Murders on Netflix

For more streaming recommendations, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Apple TV+ shows, best Paramount+ movies, and best Hulu shows.

• AMD is rumored to be planning a faster take on its RX 9070 models
• This ‘Ultimate Navi 48’ GPU is supposedly being readied for a Q2 release
• AMD is apparently aiming for a performance level of between the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080

AMD could be releasing a faster take on its RX 9070 GPUs as soon as Q2 2025, according to a fresh rumor.

Moore’s Law is Dead (MLID) has a new video out on YouTube which discusses a range of topics across AMD’s new RDNA 4 GPUs, with the excellent RX 9070 XT and vanilla 9070 having gone on sale yesterday – and part of the chatter here is more reinforcement of what we’ve already heard about the MSRPs of these boards.

Before I get into that, though, the most interesting revelation here (in my book) is that AMD is purportedly set to produce a new RDNA 4 graphics card using the Navi 48 chip – the one RX 9070 models are built on – with the GPU pushed to the absolute max.

According to one of MLID’s sources at a big US retailer, AMD’s graphics card making partners have been briefed on an ‘Ultimate Navi 48’ GPU which could be released in Q2, though I’d guess this would be more towards June than April (as this is the first whisper of such a board).

Team Red is apparently shooting for a performance level of between the RTX 5070 Ti and the RTX 5080. Naming-wise, this GPU would presumably be an RX 9070 XTX (or 9070 XT Extreme Edition as MLID suggests).

MLID doesn’t have anything else to share about this theoretical graphics card in terms of how the spec might pan out, so this is an early-stage rumor, for sure.

As mentioned, the YouTuber also talks about the RX 9070 launch supply, which was apparently triple the volume of the entire amount of Blackwell GPUs (all RTX 5000 models) that have arrived so far since the end of January.

MLID asserts that the supply of RX 9070 boards is going to be more robust than Nvidia’s RTX 5000 models going forward – not just at launch – with one obvious caveat.

That catch is that only a percentage of the entry-level RDNA 4 graphics cards were sold at MSRP, and as we saw yesterday, once that initial batch was gone, those baseline boards got a fair bit more expensive.

If you’re hoping to grab one of AMD’s new graphics cards, don’t forget, we’re here to give you a leg up with securing your purchase courtesy of our guide on where to buy the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070.

Analysis: An explosive Q2 beckons – and AMD is clearly off to a better start than Nvidia

Presumably with the supposed RX 9070 XTX, or Extreme Edition, we’d be looking at beefed up clock speeds, and possibly more VRAM (perhaps with the memory notched up on the speed front, too, MLID speculates). Whatever the case, however AMD might go with the spec, the intention is clear enough – to produce a GPU that would be roughly equivalent to a (theoretical) RTX 5070 Ti Super, or thereabouts.

What’s also planned for Q2 officially, as announced by AMD at the RX 9070 reveal at the end of February, is the debut of RX 9060 models, bringing more wallet-friendly fodder to the GPU world. So, in theory there’s plenty to look forward to as we head into Q2 which starts in only a few weeks.

As for the RX 9070 launch, from what I saw, stock did appear to be present in reasonable quantities – even if MSRP-level graphics cards sold out quite quickly (but not in the blink of an eye).

Is it fair that there aren’t any MSRP boards left now, because AMD is only willing to subsidize a limited number of RX 9070 graphics cards to get them at that price level for the on-sale day, so the recommended launch price is technically correct?

Well, it’s not an ideal situation, of course. We’re told by MLID that the entry-level price for the RX 9070 XT is likely to be around $670 going forward in the US, and looking at UK pricing now, entry-level 9070 XT boards are actually in stock, but they’re now 10% over the MSRP (roughly the same as that expected US price).

However, as MLID points out, at least a 10% hike isn’t terrible – when the 9070 XT looks good value in the first place, certainly – and there is still stock available in the UK at least (not in the US, mind, that I can see at the time of writing).

With restocking expected to be more robust, too, with AMD’s RDNA 4 graphics cards, this is at least a lot better than the situation with Nvidia’s RTX 5000 GPUs. That said, it’d be difficult to imagine a launch scenario much worse than Blackwell has been, sadly.

Team Red has done okay here, then, on balance, but it remains disappointing to me that the MSRP of RX 9070 models has proved to be something of an illusion spell cast by AMD. Still, with some Black Friday or Prime Day magic, those asking prices may well return later this year…

You might also like...

• AMD warns its RX 9070 GPUs are strictly ‘UEFI-only’ – but don't panic, here's why this probably doesn’t affect you
• Nvidia retiring PhysX for its RTX 5000 GPUs has made some gamers furious - but I don't think it's a complete dealbreaker
• AMD vs Nvidia: who is the graphics card champion?

• A new Geekbench 6 benchmark hints at the M3 Ultra for the Mac Studio only being slightly faster than the M4 Max
• The benchmark reveals the M3 Ultra's supposed 8% performance lead in multi-core processes over the M4 Max
• Its 80-core GPU may be the highlight, specifically for gaming

Apple has finally introduced a new Ultra chip, not yet for its recent M4 lineup but rather for the M3 family. The new Mac Studio is slated for launch on March 12, with configurations using both the M4 Max and the new M3 Ultra - however, the latter may only be a slightly stronger processor, at least in some ways.

As reported by 9to5Mac, an early Geekbench 6 benchmark of the new M3 Ultra chip suggests it may only be 8% faster than the M4 Max in multi-core performance while being 20% slower in single-core performance. The benchmark indicates that this is the top-end configuration of the upcoming M3 Max Mac Studio (it utilizes a 32-core CPU and an 80-core GPU).

It's important to note that the comparison made here is with the MacBook Pro's M4 Max, with its top-end configuration using a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU. While we should wait for more benchmarks when the Mac Studio launches, it looks like the M3 Ultra's winnings over the powerful M4 chip could be present in its graphical processes, specifically gaming.

The high-end M4 Max model (using 1TB storage and 128GB of unified memory) is available for pre-order at $3,699.00 / £3,799.00 / AU$6,049.00, while the best M3 Ultra model (using 1TB storage and 96GB of unified memory) is available for pre-order at $5,499.00 / £5,699.00 / AU$9,249.00.

Based on the early benchmark (which should be taken with a grain of salt), the M3 Ultra may not be the ideal choice between the two chips for CPU processes (considering the supposed minor uplift and the significant gap in pricing), but should be right up the alley for gamers - and that may end up justifying its high cost.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Mykola Churpita) This might be the best Mac gaming experience yet...

While plenty of Apple's Mac devices have provided capable hardware for great gaming performance, it looks like the M3 Ultra Mac Studio may be the best yet.

An 80-core GPU is an exceptional amount dedicated to graphical processing (and its price doesn't surprise me in the slightest), which means it should be able to storm its way through demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077. That's not to say the CPU and unified memory won't matter here, but it's safe to suggest that the GPU will do the heavy lifting for gamers.

Now it's all well and good that gamers will have a monster GPU at their disposal, but there's still more that needs to be done for Mac gaming - games are often optimized for Microsoft's Windows operating system and games aren't coming to Mac devices day one.

The addition of titles like Cyberpunk 2077 is a great sign of the Mac gaming library's rapid growth, and I'm hoping the M3 Ultra is Apple's way of telling us that gaming is now one of its main focuses.

You may also like...

• I saw Apple's new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air with M4, and here's why Sky Blue is my new favorite color
• The M3 MacBook Air is officially discontinued, but the M2 MacBook Air will live on elsewhere and that's good news
• The best MacBook Air (M4) preorder deal is at Best Buy – how to score the new Apple laptop for as little as $449

If there’s one thing that entices music lovers to sign up to Spotify Premium, it’s the seamless ad-free listening. However, a recent bug in the Spotify app has snuck in ads in between music streams, proving that even the best music streaming services have their faulty moments.

First reports of the bug surfaced online four weeks ago in the Spotify Community forum, and it quickly proved to be a common occurrence for a lot of Premium subscribers, causing significant frustration among those who pay to hear ad-free music. A few days following the online complaints, Spotify acknowledged the issue and set about fixing the bug, sharing the following statement: “We have good news from our teams – a fix for the instances where Premium users noticed ads when listening to music has been deployed and you should notice a difference right away”.

But that was four weeks ago, and almost a month after the issue with ads in Spotify Premium was raised, it seemed many paying music fans were still finding ads playing between songs. Although Spotify has been vocal about running into promotional content mainly within podcasts, ads should still have no place in the Premium tier for those who subscribe.

At long last, Spotify finally addressed the issue (again) just this week by taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, March 6, to share the status of the problem (see below). This is the last update we’ve received from the company, therefore, we can only assume that Spotify is currently tackling the issue head-on.

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

Could this bug indicate the arrival of Spotify HiFi?

Spotify has surely had its work cut out for it, especially following its crackdown on ‘cracked’ apps, but it’s awfully convenient that these bugs have surfaced - particularly in the wake of the recent rumors that Spotify HiFi could arrive later this year.

As opposed to launching a brand new tier for lossless audio, we can expect Spotify HiFi to be an add-on to its Premium tier. One of the more interesting parts of Spotify’s next business ventures is the possibility of a new ‘superfan’ tier, which promises enhanced fan experiences through deeper music catalogs and even deals on concert tickets.

Given that Spotify has experienced not one, but two bug issues within a short space of time, it only raises my suspicion that it could be in the middle of making room to introduce its next tiers and subscription add-ons. Spotify has borne the brunt of a lot of criticisms, not just because of its ads-in-Premium bug but also its five-year lossless audio delay. There’s a lot of pressure on Spotify to get it right, and I just hope it can redeem itself.

You might also like

• I streamed the totally silent AI protest album on Spotify and if you don't like AI stealing the voices of music icons, I think you should too
• Shazam now makes it super-easy to add identified songs to a Spotify or Apple Music playlist – here’s how it works
• Apple Music's awesome $2.99 deal is your reason to finally switch from Spotify

• Microsoft says it discovered a major malvertising campaign
• The goal was to deploy infostealers as wide as possible
• The company removed an undisclosed number of GitHub repositories in response

More than a million PCs have been infected by infostealers through a massive malvertising campaign, new research from Microsoft’s security researchers has revealed.

The campaign starts on illegal streaming sites where people can watch pirated content. Apparently, cybercriminals injected ads into those videos, which sent visitors through a roller coaster of redirects, before landing on one of many GitHub repositories under the attackers’ control.

There, they would download the first payload which would run system discovery and collect system information (operating system data, screen resolution, memory size, etc.), exfiltrate it to a server under the attackers’ control, while deploying the second-stage payload.

Infostealers in action

The second-stage payload depends on the compromised device. In some cases, it will be a NetSupport remote access trojan (RAT), followed by the Lumma Stealer or Doenerium infostealer. This malware can grab people’s login credentials, cryptocurrency information, banking details, and more. In other cases, the malware will download an executable file which runs a CMD and drops a renamed AutoIt interpreter with a .com extension.

AutoIt then runs a few additional steps which ultimately lead to the same outcome - the exfiltration of sensitive files from the target system.

In most cases, the payloads were hosted on GitHub, and Microsoft said it took down an undisclosed number of repositories. However, malware was also hosted on Dropbox and Discord. It did not attribute the campaign to any particular threat actor, and said that the victims were found in a wide range of industries.

"This activity is tracked under the umbrella name Storm-0408 that we use to track numerous threat actors associated with remote access or information-stealing malware and who use phishing, search engine optimization (SEO), or malvertising campaigns to distribute malicious payloads," Microsoft said.

"The campaign impacted a wide range of organizations and industries, including both consumer and enterprise devices, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attack."

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• Hundreds of GitHub repositories hijacked to trick users into downloading malware
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app

• The UK Government's guidelines no longer include mentions of E2EE
• The move follows a dispute between the British Government and Apple
• Apple recently pulled its encryption service in the UK after a backdoor request

The dispute between the UK government and Apple continues, with the former quietly deciding to remove its recommendation in using the tech firm’s end-to-end encryption (E2EE), also known as Advanced Data Protection (ADP).

The move, spotted by blogger Alec Muffett, comes weeks after Apple pulled ADP from the country following the Government’s alleged request to build a backdoor into the encryption for law enforcement - which would have allowed agencies to access protected photos, messages, and other data.

Previously, in advice from the NCSC and GCHQ, the agencies recommended barristers, solicitors, and legal professionals turn on encryption, including ADP for iOS - but the encryption advice is no longer available.

The importance of encryption

Apple doubled down on its encryption, promising to “never build a backdoor”, and privacy campaigners argue that this “jeopardizes the security and privacy of millions.”

Encryption is a tool that scrambles information, and end-to-end means that this is done both as the information is sent, and received. Apple’s ADP means that even Apple cannot access the data.

The tech firm argues that once a backdoor, or ‘master key’, is built, that leaves the risk that the key will be stolen by threat actors, or that the information could fall into the wrong hands.

“With Apple removing Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for UK users, consumers need to focus on alternative ways to secure their data,” said Matt Aldridge, Senior Principal Solutions Consultant at OpenText Cybersecurity.

“While iMessages, Facetime, Health data and iCloud keychain remain secure, users should review what they store in iCloud, especially with backups no longer being encrypted. Sensitive files and data may need to be stored securely elsewhere, such as on external encrypted drives or alternative cloud services that still offer end-to-end encryption.”

You might also like

• Take a look at our picks for the best VPN providers around
• Check out our recommendations for the best encrypted messaging apps for Android
• Apple to take legal action against British Government over backdoor request

• Android 16 beta 2.1 is reportedly causing major battery drain for some users
• Comments posted to Reddit complain about the need to charge as much as twice a day
• Android 16 is expected to release at some point between April and June

Android 16 is due to release some time between April and June this year, and as we get closer to that window Google is continuing to roll out beta versions of its latest mobile operating system.

However, these beta versions are still pre-release builds designed to trial and test new features, and as such can have unfortunate side effects – in fact, a recent Android 16 beta seems to be hitting users’ phone batteries’ harder than expected.

As Android Authority reports, users with Android 16 beta 2.1 installed have been reporting a serious impact on battery life as a result of updating.

A Reddit thread started by the official u/androidbetaprogram account in the r/android_beta subreddit contains multiple reports of this battery issue.

User u/jordanl171 said: “The battery life on 2.1 is so much worse than it was on 2.0 [on the] Pixel 9 Pro”.

Others complained of unspecified charging issues, while a now-deleted user said they were “forced to charge twice a day”.

Naturally, this isn’t the type of change you’d want to see with a newer version of any operating system, but I’m not particularly worried about this battery bug.

Beta versions of operating systems are bound to have some annoying or even experience-breaking issues every now and then – it’s part of the process, and much better for users and developers that these issues come to light before full release.

So long as Google follows up on its community outreach via platforms like Reddit and other social media, I’m fairly certain that this issue will be fixed before launch, and probably even in a later beta build.

Though I’ve not been affected by this battery drain issue myself – I don’t have a Google Pixel phone and at the moment you need one to access Android 16 betas – I don’t think this will still be a red light for anyone looking to update to Android 16 at release.

However, it might be worth skipping this particular build. Phone batteries are consumable components, with maximum lifespans that decay over time, so having to recharge more often might have an impact on your device’s longevity.

In any case, I’m still excited for Android 16 to make it to the best Android phones later this year. Let us know what you want to see from the new Android update in the comments below.

You might also like

• iPhone 17 Air leaks suggest it'll get next-gen battery – as offset the 17 Pro Max's weight gains
• Exclusive: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will have durability to match its ‘sexy’ design
• New survey suggests the vast majority of iPhone and Samsung Galaxy users find AI useless – and I’m not surprised

• Google Maps has become the first app to support Live Updates in the latest Android 16 beta
• The new notification style allows some information to persist on the lock screen and status bar
• Android 16 is expected to release some time between April and June 2025

Though many of the best Android phones just recently got support for Android 15, beta versions of Android 16 are already available for Google Pixel users, bringing key upgrades to the operating system as well as to Google’s suite of default apps.

One of the most keenly anticipated upgrades coming with Android 16 is Live Updates, a new notification feature that allows notifications to display much more information as well as persist on the lock screen. A comparable feature, called Live Activities, rolled out to iOS devices last year.

As it turns out, Google Maps is the first app to support this new feature, with Android 16 adding the ability to see directions, time until your next turn, and your estimated time of arrival all in one Live Update notification.

This new Live Update is visible on the lock screen, and an estimated time of arrival persists in the status bar when the phone is unlocked, though as Android Authority notes, the new notification style is currently collapsed on the always-on display.

In a prior build of Android 16, Live Updates were available on the always-on display as an outline, so Google will likely re-enable this in the stable release or later betas.

Live Updates were technically introduced with the first beta of Android 16 back in January 2025, but as mentioned, no apps have supported them until now.

Android 16 is rolling out at a faster pace than normal, and we’ve previously heard that the next mainline update to Google’s mobile operating system will arrive sooner than usual in the second quarter of 2025 – that’s somewhere between April and June.

The update is due to bring Live Updates to a wide selection of the best Google Pixel phones as well as Android phones from other brands like Samsung and OnePlus. Of course, there’s much more on the way than a new style of notification – other keenly awaited Android 16 features include new camera tools and better app resizing for folding phones.

We’ll have the latest through our dedicated Android coverage, but for now, let us know what you’d like to see from Google’s next mobile operating system in the comments below.

You might also like

• Exclusive: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will have durability to match its ‘sexy’ form
• The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 could have a Motorola Razr-style full-sized cover screen – and I think it’s about time
• Android's Find My Device can now let you track your friends – and I can't decide if that's cool or creepy