TechRadar News

• AMD's Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT GPU prices have been inflated at some retailers
• This stems from board partners increasing prices after suggested 'limited-time MSRP'
• It comes after AMD 'encouraged' board partners to stick to MSRP

While AMD's Radeon RX 9070 series GPU launch has certainly fared much better than Nvidia's RTX 5000 series, that doesn't mean it's completely avoided any problems - and in Team Red's case, it's not missing ROPs or scalpers.

As reported by Wccftech, AMD's board partners have quietly increased the prices of Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs, reportedly up to $130 higher than MSRP. This is the kind of behavior we’d expect from scalpers - and it's similar to what we see with Nvidia's GPUs, which always seem to have inflated retailer prices even when there's a good amount of stock.

It comes after AMD stated it would 'encourage’ AIB partners to stick to MSRP for the RDNA 4 GPUs, but that hasn't exactly happened. Retailers implied that MSRP would be timed, meaning prices for the GPUs after the first batch of sales would hike—and that has unfortunately come to pass, as Wccftech highlights the Sapphire Pulse 9070 XT selling for an egregious $729.99, which is indeed $130.99 above the $599 retail price.

While the price shifts may not be coming from Team Red directly, they could still impact the goodwill AMD has built amongst PC gamers during this new GPU lineup - it may now end up short-lived, especially if current inflated prices remain for the foreseeable future. Its fierce rival Nvidia, may still have bigger issues with stock and other hardware problems, but that doesn't mean price issues with RDNA 4 GPUs should be ignored.

(Image credit: Andrew Derr / Shutterstock) This is probably the worst GPU market situation I've ever seen

I've lived through a fair amount of GPU generations where prices were reasonable across the board, and without issues as significant as the one’s we’re seeing at the moment. So, I can say without a doubt, this is the worst GPU market I've seen.

It's already difficult enough to convince console gamers to move over to PC due to pricing, but the price inflation of Team Green and Team Red's GPUs has taken this to a ridiculous level. While the price hike on the Radeon RX 9070 series is still absurd, the inflation on RTX 5000 series GPUs is the worst I've come across.

If you even manage to find an RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 at MSRP (let alone one available at all), then you'd need to be ready to dig deep into your pockets - and the same goes for the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti cards.

You might be thinking about opting for an RTX 4000 series GPU instead, but the same issue is present there. Most of the Ada Lovelace GPUs are either out of stock since they've been discontinued, but the remaining ones in stock are selling for above MSRP as well. Ultimately, gamers have no choice but to pay up, especially as we seem to be seeing an increasing number of poorly optimized PC games that require high-end GPUs for an acceptable level of performance.

If this pattern continues, it will add to the list of reasons why PC gaming is seen as implausible for those looking to move from consoles to PC.

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Last year more than £11.4 billion was stolen from people in the UK by cybercriminals. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the methods cybercriminals can use to commit their crimes. Our ever-growing reliance on technology in day-to-day life is constantly exposing new vulnerabilities cybercriminals can exploit, while at the same time, AI has lowered the skill barrier making it easier for even non-sophisticated criminals to launch advanced attacks.

But it’s not just weaknesses in our technology that can put us at risk of being scammed. In a world where AI tools can clone voices in minutes to generate convincing deepfakes, create fake websites or write thousands of seemingly legitimate reviews in an instant, social engineering tactics are evolving at a terrifying rate, putting even the most cautious individuals and businesses at risk. 

Scammers’ psychological playbook 

In our busy lives, we are reliant on our implicit trust in the systems, people and brands that surround us to oil the wheels of society. As we implement AI systems, we’re encouraging those patterns further. Moving fast on the daily commute or under pressure in a stressful workplace, we often go with the quickest, rather than the safest, choice. For example, we might not double-check the email address of a sender or spot a bogus link, relying on this implicit trust to help us make decisions fast.

When we see a trusted and well-known brand or business, we automatically deem it safe because it appears legitimate and familiar. Scammers can capitalize on the implicit trust we place in our day-to-day technology systems and exploit attentional bias, a cognitive bias wherein we find it more difficult to identify non-obvious threats when under stress and trying to do several things at once, which has become the norm for our working lives.

This means in order for a threat to cut through the noise of day-to-day work and cognitive stress, it has to be very attention grabbing, making it likely that threats designed to imitate or impersonate our well-known systems will be deemed safe because it appears legitimate and familiar. Scammers can tap into this cognitive bias and disadvantage to carry out their attacks, knowing it means people are less likely to question potential scams or threats. They also use impersonation, urgency and fear to manipulate victims into trusting them or acting quickly without verification. 

This technique, known as social engineering, is the deliberate manipulation of people into giving away confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. It’s most commonly seen in personalized scams. By tapping into these cognitive shortcuts, scammers increase the chances of their attacks succeeding because when something feels familiar, we’re far less likely to question it.

Employees under pressure

Employees in the workplace can be particularly vulnerable to this kind of psychological scam. While companies often invest significant resources in cybersecurity systems to keep their infrastructure and revenue safe, the human risks their team pose are too often overlooked in terms of investment. In the midst of a hectic workday, an employer facing decision fatigue might approve a suspicious transaction without proper verification or not question an email that appears to be from a senior colleague asking to click a link or send an urgent bank transfer.

This is not simply a case of 'users are the problem'. Even with rigorous awareness training, overloaded employees will still face this issue. When faced with the fast-paced demands of modern business and stress, especially when workloads are heavy and we have numerous tasks to attend to, we become cognitively impaired at decision-making, which literally gets worse as the day goes on.

Research tells us that we make worse decisions at 6pm than we do at 10am, for this reason. Even with user awareness training that is rigorous, high stress-high workload fields will always suffer the effects of decision fatigue making them more likely to be exploited in this kind of social engineering attack. Busy employees can easily overlook red flags, with potentially huge and damaging consequences for their organization.

AI generates highly convincing personalized messages that mirror the tone and style of a company or individual, allowing hackers to craft the perfect phishing email that often bypasses traditional email filters. Over 30.4 million phishing emails detected across Darktrace’s customer fleet between December 2023 and December 2024 and 70% successfully passed the widely used DMARC authentication approach. With the volume of attacks continuously increasing, and with AI-powered threats leading to enhanced sophistication, human teams need support and augmentation to hope to defend themselves.

How to protect your organization

The business impact of cybercrime goes further than financial losses and can lead to reputational damage that often takes years to build up. But there are steps to take to make sure your organization isn’t the next victim. Education and enhancing digital literacy are key in protecting employers and organizations from the fast-evolving ways cybercriminals operate.

This includes comprehensive employee training programs focused on recognizing and responding to social engineering attempts. Additionally, organizations should implement robust systems of control and guardrails around their employees, including multifactor authentication and using domain-based message authenticators on emails. When online, this could include ensuring employees don’t skip the simple steps of verifying senders, double-checking URLs and always keeping a proactive mindset and healthy dose of skepticism. 

Equally, if not more important, is making sure cybersecurity measures are up to scratch, working in tandem with employees. With cybercriminals employing AI to advance their crimes, our defenses must be doing the same. It’s inevitable that humans won’t be able to spot or prevent all malicious activity so it's critical that cybersecurity systems are adequately plugging the gaps.

Security leaders should leverage AI to stay on the front foot of attacks, using advanced technology to identify threats that may appear harmless in other environments and evade traditional security tools. AI-driven cybersecurity systems, that learn the behaviors and traits of an organization, are an essential piece of the defense puzzle for businesses today. 

A smarter defense

As AI develops, cybercrimes will only become more sophisticated, more affordable and more scalable. We’ve already seen the impact of the likes of ransomware-as-a-service crime groups, as well as wider social engineering methods, and these are only set to grow. Educating teams now about how to be more alert and digitally aware, while also investing in the likes of AI as a defense tool, is critical to staying secure in the complex cyber threat landscape we face today. The best defense is the strong partnership between human awareness and AI-enabled security.

We've compiled a list of the best firewall 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

Full spoilers follow for Severance season 2 episode 9.

We're on the home stretch now, fellow Severance fans. With the penultimate episode of the hugely popular Apple TV Original's second season out now, there's only one more episode left before we bid farewell to this amazing show once more. Boo and hiss.

Before the 76-minute-long Severance season 2 finale arrives next week (March 21), though, there's the small matter of dissecting this week's entry, and speculating on what'll happen in this season's 10th and final chapter. So, make sure you've watched season 2 episode 9, aka 'The After Hours' before reading on because full spoilers immediately follow.

1. Mark's 'outie' will interact with his 'innie' at Lumon's birthing cabin retreat

Apparently Harmony just wants to talk to Mark's 'innie' (Image credit: Apple TV+)

There are a lot of moving parts in 'The After Hours' as the sci-fi mystery-thriller show positions its characters for next week's finale. Three individuals end up in the same place by the end of episode 9, too, with Mark, Devon, and Harmony taking a trip to the Damona Birthing Retreat – i.e., a secret Lumon-owned location where severed women go to give birth.

The reason for this is simple: each birthing cabin has a severed barrier installed in its front door. Essentially, that means that, when a pregnant woman's 'outie' crosses the doorway threshold, their 'innie' persona takes over. That means their 'outie' doesn't actually have to go through the potentially arduous, traumatic, and/or life-threatening experience of giving birth.

It really seems like Harmony is on Mark's side now (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Neither Devon or Harmony are pregnant, though. So, why has the latter, who's allied herself to Mark and Devon following the events depicted in Severance season 2 episode 8, taken Mark and Devon to this remote retreat? Because they can use one of the cabin's severed barriers to talk to Mark's 'innie' – or, rather, Mark's 'outie' can talk to his 'innie'.

Currently, the only way for an individual's two personalities to converse is through video recordings. We've seen that a few times in Severance; most notably when Helly or Helena has recorded a video message to their other half. It stands to reason, then, that Mark's 'outie' and 'innie' could film themselves sending messages to each other to agree on a plan to finally rescue Gemma from Lumon's testing floor.

Remember, Severance season 2 episode 7 revealed she's been trapped down there for over two years and, considering 'outie' Mark has no way of getting to her, it's up to his 'innie' to be the hero of the day and save his other half's wife. I wouldn't be shocked, then, if Mark's two personas don't record messages to their other half using the camera app on his mobile phone or, if there's one to *ahem* hand, a hand-held camcorder within the facility.

2. We'll see Mr. Bailiff – aka Irving – and Burt Goodman again in Severance

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when... (Image credit: Apple TV+)

In an episode full of emotionally devastating moments, the potentially final appearance of John Turturro's Irving Bailiff is a bitter pill to swallow.

To say Irving has been put through the wringer in the popular Apple TV Plus series is an understatement. In the real world, he's a loner whose sole company is his dog. Before he was fired by Lumon in this season's fourth episode (read my Severance season 2 episode 4 ending explained piece for more), his 'innie' had a surrogate family in the form of the Macrodata Refining (MDR) team. He'd also seemingly found love for the first time in the form of Christopher Walken's Burt Goodman.

Following his dismissal, he's been in Lumon's crosshairs. Remember, the intimidating Mister Drummond broke into Irving's home and found his secret stash of investigation files into Lumon's working practices. The cruel biotech corporation won't want any of this confidential information being leaked to the press, so it seems they hatch a plan to get rid of Irving. Indeed, Helena tells her father Jame that Lumon is "seeing to Mister Bailiff" in this episode's opening scene, which is her way of saying they've sent someone to dispose of him.

I don't think this is the last we've seen of Burt (Image credit: Apple TV+)

That would be the case, anyway, if Irving didn't have an ally in the form of Burt. In my Severance season 2 episode 6 theories article, I suggested Burt was a bad guy and was working for Lumon. It seemed, then, that fans' hopes of a happy ending for 'Burtving' would be a distant dream.

Well, 'Burtving' doesn't like it'll happen, but at least I was wrong about Burt being evil. Sure, he similarly breaks into Irving's home and, in the two sinister-laced scenes between the pair that follow, it's insinuated that Burt is driving Irving to a secluded area for a Lumon employee to bump him off.

As it turns out, Burt, who's been seeking redemption for past indiscretions – he used to drive people to remote locations to be executed by whoever he was previously employed by – decides to drive Irving and his dog to a nearby train station. Not only that, he buys Irving a one-way, non-transferable train ticket to a destination that Lumon can't track Irving down to. As long as Irving doesn't return to his home or Lumon, he should be safe.

It's a heart-wrenching and potentially final farewell to Irving as we watch him ride off into the sunset. That scene pretty much confirms we won't see him in the season 2 finale, but I'd be amazed if Turturro doesn't reprise his role down the road. Severance season 3 is already in the works, so we know another installment is on the way, and it simply wouldn't be the same without MDR's 'dad' throwing himself back into the fight to bring down the clandestine organization.

I'm also convinced this isn't the last we'll see of Burt. Sure, Lumon will likely come for him after he defied their orders with Irving, but I've got a feeling that Burt's role in Severance's wider story isn't over yet. I hope that's the case anyway because 'Burtving' needs to live happily ever after. Make it so, Apple!

3. Jame Eagen will kidnap Helly and force Mark to choose between her and Gemma

Jame is an absolute creep, isn't he? (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Jame Eagen, Lumon's current CEO, has always come across as an incredibly creepy guy, but 'The After Hours' episode just ratcheted things up a few notches in that regard.

For one, instead of joining her for breakfast like any normal dad would, he wants to watch his daughter and heir to Lumon Industries Helena eat her hard-boiled egg in episode 9's opening scene. Then, when Harmony and company roll up at Damona Birthing Retreat, Harmony tells the on-duty guard a little white lite. Indeed, she says Devon is 'pregnant' and that "it's one of Jame's".

Hold the phone, Harmony – are you telling us that Helena isn't Jame's only child? If that's true, how many children has he sired? Did he have kids with the same woman or different ones? And did he have non-consensual sex with her or them to have more offspring? Whatever way you slice it, Jame is an extremely unpleasant person. Heck, if the answer to the last of those questions isn't a good one, he's a criminal in every sense of the word.

Well, this isn't unsettling... (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Clearly, Jame has no problem with doing terrible things – and that makes me extremely worried for Helly. In the final few minutes of episode 9, we see Jame creepily appear from nowhere on the Severed Floor. He watches Helly from afar from a few seconds as, while seated at her MDR desk, she pores over Irving's note, aka the one with directions on how to get to the testing floor.

Finally, Jame says "you tricked me", which obviously startles Helly, who responds with one of her classic "...the f***?" lines. That's the last we see of the pair before episode 9's end credits roll.

Jame's not exactly been the warmest, most loving father to Helena, so my theory is that he'll kidnap her 'innie' (i.e., Helly) in a bid to force Mark's hand. We know Mark is going to return to Lumon in one of the best Apple TV Plus shows' next episode because he wants to rescue Gemma. What'll happen, though, if Mark's 'innie' finds out that Jame is holding Helly captive? He's in love with Helly, so he'll want to save her over the wife of his 'outie', who Marks 'innie' has no affection for. I hope I'm wrong, but I can't shake the feeling that Mark will be forced to choose between Helly or Gemma in season 2 episode 10.

4. Jame is personally connected to Cold Harbor

Mark still hasn't completed Project Cold Harbor (Image credit: Apple TV+)

As Lumon CEO, it's not unreasonable to believe that Jame has a vested interest in Project Cold Harbor. Clearly, there's a lot riding on whatever this experiment is because it's all anyone's talked about since season 2 began (read my Severance season 2 episode 1 theories piece for more on that).

I believe that Jame is much more involved in Cold Harbor than any of us realize, however, and there's a growing sense that it has something to do with rebirth or overcoming death (immortality, essentially) completely. There are countless fan theories that Lumon is trying to find a way to transfer a person's consciousness into another vessel, host, or even a clone of the person's own body. Indeed, plenty of viewers have speculated that this is the case and that Lumon is experimenting with such a procedure with the aim of bringing Kier Eagan – Lumon's founder and cult-like deity – back from the dead.

It's not out of the question, then, that Jame would have a personal hand in that. After all, Kier is one of his distant relatives and the man who created Lumon Industries. It's in Jame's best interests to oversee the seemingly impossible act of resurrecting Kier, with the added caveat that he'd go down in Lumon history as being the CEO who succeeded in that endeavor.

With Cold Harbor stuck at 96% until Mark returns to work, it's an ambition that's so close to being achieved, too. Going back to my previous point, I wouldn't be shocked if Mark is forced to complete Cold Harbor before he can see Helly. Once he has, Jame will personally oversee the final stages of this experiment, regardless of whether it's a success or not.

5. Seth Milchick won't betray Lumon

Milchick isn't going to follow in Harmony's footsteps and betray Lumon (Image credit: Apple TV_+)

Now this is an interesting one. 'The After Hours' episode implies that Seth Milchick is readying himself to follow in Harmony's footsteps and rebel against his employers. Whether it's telling Drummond to "devour feculence" (i.e., eat s**t) or his visibly emotional reaction to his phone call with Mark in episode 9's latter stages, it appears that Milchick will be the latest Lumon higher-up to turn his back on the organization.

I don't think he will, though. Milchick is more of a company man than Harmony is or any of the MDR team are. Sure, he's cracking under the pressure of how things have panned out this season, but I think he simply lashed out at Drummond to prove he has the authority and strength to lead the severed floor, and ensure the mysterious and important work is completed. We'll see if I'm right when season 2 episode 10 airs on one of the world's best streaming services.

6. Dylan's 'innie' won't be allowed to quit

Dylan's 'innie' is left heartbroken by Gretchen's rejection (Image credit: Apple TV+)

In more emotionally devastating news, Dylan's 'innie' is alone once more. Indeed, after Gretchen, aka the wife of his 'outie', tells the latter that she kissed his 'innie', Gretchen realizes she can't see Dylan's 'innie' anymore because it has the potential to destroy her real-world family. Cue Dylan's 'innie' trying to propose to Gretchen, her turning him down, and leaving Dylan's disconsolate 'innie' to fall into a state of depression.

Angry about everything that's happened this season, Dylan's 'innie' makes the possibly dangerous decision to quit Lumon. He fills out an employee resignation form and, after being instructed to head to the severed floor's elevator, he does so. One of episode 9's final shots shows his 'innie' enter the elevator before the doors shut. The fate of Dylan's 'innie', then, is left up in the air.

You're not going anywhere, Dylan G... (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Unfortunately, we already know he won't be allowed to leave. We've seen time and again that Lumon doesn't allow its severed employees to quit. The only way an 'innie' can stop working at Lumon is if the company 'fires' (read: kills off) a worker's 'innie'. That's what happened to Burt and Irving's Lumon personas when they were left go. So, if you're worried that we'll never see Dylan's 'innie' again, don't be. He'll be sent right back to the severed floor like any other employee would be.

I do wonder, though, if he'll become Mark's ace in the hole next episode. If Mark can convince Dylan to help him save Helly and Gemma, Dylan could have a vital role to play in another Severance season finale.

7. Sarah Bock's Ms Huang has been sent to Svalbard so she can't interfere at Lumon anymore

Happy graduation, Ms Huang (Image credit: Apple TV+)

Amid all the goings-on in 'The After Hours', it's easy to overlook the fact that Ms Huang has not only completed her Wintertide Fellowship program, but is also leaving Lumon's severed floor altogether.

Early on in episode 9, Milchick informs her that she's graduated and that she'll be sent to the Gunnel Eagan Empathy Center in Svalbard, Norway, to continue her Lumon training. If any further proof was needed about how far-reaching Lumon is, the fact that it has an outpost in a remote part of a European nation is that extra piece of evidence.

But why is Ms Huang, whose first name is revealed to be Eustice in 'The After Hours', being sent halfway around the world? I think Milchick's fast-tracked her graduation so she can't snitch on Milchick or potentially help MDR. In season 2 episode 5, it was insinuated that she's the anonymous informant behind the negative comments made about Milchick during his first quarterly performance review. She's also expressed sympathy for the MDR team throughout season 2, too – an obvious example being when she apologizes to Dylan's 'innie' in episode 9. It's in Milchick's best interests, then, to get rid of her so she can no longer interfere.

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• AMD has described its RDNA 4 launch as "unprecedented"
• Demand has outpaced supply significantly
• The company has promised restocks as "priority number one"

AMD has described its RDNA 4 graphics card launch as "unprecedented" in a new interview, promising that restocks of the two current GPUs are "priority number one".

In an hour-long video interview with AMD's David McAfee, Corporate VP and General Manager via HotHardware, the company made its mission statement clear: "The biggest thing we are doing quite honestly is ramping supply of Navi 48, very aggressively the demand we saw on day one was really unprecendented and unprecendeted across all the price points in the RDNA 4 product portfolio".

Despite promising "wide availability" during the announcement of RDNA 4 hardware at the end of February, RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT stock has been fleeting since the first day they hit the shelves. Current stock is dry in the US, usually reserved to just bundles, and options available in the UK can be well above the aggressive sticker price set by AMD, something claimed to be "limited time" by some retailers.

"We want to make sure that users are able to buy cards at the prices they expect to see in the market" McAfee later adds in the interview, "We're doing everything that we can to make that happen" for "retailers as well as our board partners are doing their part to help ensure that there's plenty of supply at those price points".

AMD did not produce a reference model for either the RX 9070 nor the RX 9070 XT, meaning that the design, features and price point (to some extent) could be dictated by third-party AIB models. As such, it falls on the company's partners to ramp up production to meet demand in "making sure that they have all the components that they need to build the widest assortment of cards that they can".

While the current offerings of RDNA 4 hardware are firmly placed in the midrange market, with respective MSRPs of $549 and $599, respectively (being roughly on par with the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti), McAfee expressed that AMD may still attempt to compete at the higher-end as well.

"We certainly have aspirations to cover the entire gamut of gaming solutions that are out there in the market, and maybe one day we'll get there". It's unclear whether this comment pertains to a potential higher-end RNDA 4 card or whether RDNA 5 will offer RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 rivals in the future.

A commitment to consumer demand

We've been impressed with the current RDNA 4 lineup since it launched earlier this month, citing the RX 9070 XT's near-RTX 4080 performance for the low price of $599 as a particular highlight. This is to say nothing of FSR 4, the latest version of the upscaling and Frame Generation technology, which is now AI-powered, being a step closer in quality, smoothness, and performance to Nvidia's ever-evolving DLSS, too.

Given the sheer price-to-performance afforded by both the current RDNA graphics cards, it's not surprising to see that their availability has been limited (seemingly) far beyond AMD's expectations - hence the shortages.

Traditionally, Team Red has played second fiddle behind Team Green, but the aggressive pricing (and powerful performance) of its latest cards have meant that it's occupying a niche in the midrange space that PC gamers can get behind. This is especially true given the lackluster RTX 5070, which we gave a 3-star write-up.

It's been just over a week since the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT went on sale, and they've been hard to find ever since, selling out in minutes from major retailers across regions like the US and the UK.

AMD's promise of restocks and backing its partners as they ramp up AIB production is an encouraging move. We're hopeful that AMD keeps to its word and that more PC gamers will be able to see what's possible with a GPU under $600, while its major competitor is more concerned with pushing performance boundaries (and prices) in the other direction.

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• Wix announces a new native integration with Printful
• It promises benefits to businesses of all shapes and sizes
• The offering is now available in English, with new languages coming soon

Wix, one of the best website builders on the market, has announced a new integration that will allow users to operate their print-on-demand and dropshipping fulfillment services without needing to leave the platform.

In a press release shared with TechRadar Pro earlier this week, Wix said it is expanding its features to include print on demand by partnering with Printful.

Wix claims that all businesses will benefit from this latest announcement. New businesses, looking to start from scratch and build a brand, can benefit from a streamlined approach. Small businesses can create merchandise in a way that is “typically inaccessible to small businesses on the market today”. Established businesses can benefit from the integration by generating a new revenue stream.

Regardless of business size, all users will be provided access and control over “critical touchpoints of the print-on-demand and dropshipping solution”, as well as the ability to customize merchandise with brand logos and other art. They will also be able to adjust, or change the design of a product, and with a solution that fulfills orders individually, business owners can avoid upfront inventory costs.

Wix expands platform features

Finally, since Printful prioritizes locally-produced products (through its network of fulfillment centers), distribution is faster, and shipping costs are lower, while the on-demand operation model helps eliminate overproduction and remove the need for storage.

This offering is available in English, with plans to expand the availability to other languages “in the near future”, Wix concluded.

Lately, Wix has been hard at work, adding new features and offerings to its platform. In mid-January, it announced teaming up with YouTube Shopping, to give store owners a new and popular avenue to sell products online.

By the end of the month, the company released Business Launcher, a new AI-powered tool designed to help entrepreneurs create new business initiatives, from concept to execution.

If you’re interested in further reading, make sure to check out our in-depth Wix review.

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• Computing power and Unity Game Engine provide slick user experience
• Imax format movies can be viewed in glorious surround sound
• MBUX Virtual Assistant is empathetic and reacts to emotions

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its latest Classic model, which is the first in a family of new vehicles which has been designed to be electric first. The headline stats are impressive: the CLA 250+ with EQ Technology (annoying name, I know) manages a range of almost 500 miles thanks to learnings from the Vision EQXX record-breaking car.

Thanks to the ability to charge at a rate of 320kW, it can add 180 miles of range in just 10 minutes, but the German company says charging stops will be infrequent thank to the large 85kWh battery pack in range-topping vehicles and a target efficiency rate of over five miles per kWh.

Considering many modern EVs struggle to hit three miles before guzzling a kilowatt of electrons, that’s seriously impressive.

But aside from the sleek profile, low stance and hundreds of illuminated stars (142 on the front grille alone) that adorn the front and rear, it is the infotainment and computing offering that arguably ushers in a bold new era for Mercedes-Benz.

The marque says it is “the cleverest” car it has ever made, with a proprietary AI-enhanced fourth generation Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MBOS) that powers an all-new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX).

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Initialism overload aside, it has allowed the company to introduce a mighty array of touchscreen displays, driver screens and head-up displays for an unrivaled entertainment and information offering.

Unlike rivals that cover their front passenger screens in a coating to minimize driver distraction, Mercedes-Benz has incorporated camera technology and eye-detection software that will automatically warn and then eventually shut down the display if it feels the driver isn’t paying attention to the road.

It’s a wise choice, as the MBUX Superscreen, which consists of three separate screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, feels more like a premium smart TV experience than anything typically found inside a car. it’s very tempting to let the eyes wander.

IMAX format movies can be enjoyed thanks to Sony’s Ridevu app, complete with 3D surround sound courtesy of an awesomely powerful Burmester audio system.

Both driver and passenger can link Bluetooth gaming controllers and partake in Fortnite or Triple-A gaming sessions thanks to the Boosteroid app, while the entire home screen and the way it is organized can be fully customized with intuitive, tablet and smartphone-like gestures.

The power of speech

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

While it is perfectly possible to jab and prod at screens to access the feature you need, Mercedes would prefer it if you trial its latest MBUX Virtual Assistant that uses generative artificial intelligence to either change the settings or get the answer you need.

Harnessing the power of multiple agents, such as ChatGPT-4o, Microsoft Bing search and Google Gemini, Mercedes’ latest virtual assistant is capable of handling all manner of queries in a relatively natural way.

I asked it what I should buy my wife for her birthday, it suggested something that we could do together, like a spa day. So I then prompted it to give me some suggestions in the local area and it did. From there, I could call the establishment and book a date, or ask the assistant to come up with cheaper or more expensive ideas. You get it.

The MBUX Virtual Assistant is activated with a “Hey Mercedes” exclamation but it takes the form of a star avatar (yes, more stars). Its default color is blue, but it will change its hue depending on the mood it detects from the driver.

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

If it picks up happy or excited vibes, it will get a little more animated and its tone of voice will be bubbly and welcoming. If it detects anger or sadness, it color changes to orange and it will keep its answers shorter, more direct and less irritating.

This is one of the first integrations of Gemini on Google Cloud for in-vehicle navigation and it works well, allowing users to enquire about the best dog-friendly restaurants in the area, or even ask it the best place to watch the sunset… with cheap parking.

Plus, the deeper partnership between Google and Mercedes-Benz means route-planning takes into account topography, route, ambient temperature, speed, as well as heating and cooling requirements, to give a much more accurate picture on range estimations and whether there will be a need to stop and charge on the way.

Prepping for an autonomous future

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz CLA )

Mercedes has long been at the forefront of autonomous driving, being one of the very few manufacturers to offer true SAE Level 3 hands and eyes-off driving in very select markets and scenarios, but there’s always room for greater capabilities.

The CLA will arrive with MB Drive Assist, the name of its SAE Level 2 autonomous driving system, as well as MB Drive Assist Pro, which the company says requires two additional cameras to it can offer advanced autonomous driving systems in urban environments.

Currently, China and the US are the only two markets that have the legal framework to allow the so-called Level 2++, which allows for automatic lane changing and lets the vehicles make turns without driver input. Think Tesla Full Self-Driving.

A new feature in the CLA seems to hint at more advanced autonomous driving capabilities. Dubbed MBUX Surround Navigation, the digital offering integrates with the driver assistance view on a small display in front of the steering wheel.

It creates a 3D picture of the vehicle’s current surroundings, including game engine-enabled digital representations of the buildings, as well as bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians and other road users.

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Tesla and Volvo offer something similar in their vehicles but it is no way near as detailed as this, with Mercedes able to also overlay intuitive route guidance instructions over the top of this digital world.

It makes it easier to navigate in busy urban areas, with a clear 3D view of taller building and landmarks making it simpler to select the right turning or side street. What’s more, it gives a good insight into the type of UX we can expect when a vehicle is in a highly autonomous mode.

While you might be engaged in answering emails or digesting the latest series of The White Lotus, the MBUX Surround Navigation allows the driver to see what the car is seeing in real-time, potentially offering some peace of mind that the car has everything under control.

The CLA has always been a model that Mercedes-Benz feels attracts a younger, more tech-savvy audience into the brand, and that’s clear with the impressive array it will offer hone it goes on sale in the coming months.

However, with such a large battery pack, powerful enough to electric motors and a dearth of screens, it’s not going to be cheap.

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With the digital-first reality of the modern day, teams are now more scattered than ever before. The wider adoption of remote working, worldwide distributed teams, and complex interconnected workflows has created an urgent need for the secure exchange of credentials such as passwords and secrets. Secrets are sensitive digital credentials, such as passwords, API keys, and encryption keys, used to authenticate and secure machine-to-machine access to IT systems and data, for example for automated DevOps workflows.

Legacy solutions for sharing credentials, such as spreadsheets, consumer-grade password managers, or even messaging apps, are no longer sustainable. These antiquated practices expose organizations to severe security risks, inefficiencies, and compliance problems. Inefficient credential collaboration can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and business downtime. As regulatory requirements continue to intensify, organizations must prioritize secure, scalable, and transparent credential management solutions that serve the demands of the contemporary workplace.

Key Collaboration Challenges in Modern Teams

Modern workplaces rely on a mix of employees, contractors, and external partners who all require different levels of access to company credentials. Managing these access rights securely without inhibiting business effectiveness is a complex challenge. Organizations must adopt a fine-grained approach to credential sharing to prevent unauthorized access while facilitating productivity.

Many businesses operate with separate systems for different kinds of credentials. IT teams might use one solution for SSH keys, API tokens, and database credentials, while business teams manage logins for CRM, financial or human resources systems, and marketing tools elsewhere. This fragmented approach with siloed solutions creates security gaps, inefficiencies, and compliance headaches. A unified credential management solution has the potential to eliminate these issues.

Without proper credential collaboration measures in place, organizations face numerous security threats, including:

Unauthorized access: Weak or shared passwords can be exploited by cybercriminals.

Credential leaks: Storing credentials in plaintext files or unsecured locations increases exposure.

Lack of auditability: Without visibility into who accessed which credentials and when, tracking security incidents becomes difficult.

Poorly structured credential collaboration slows teams down. Employees waste time searching for credentials, requesting access, asking a colleague how to best share it, or resetting forgotten passwords. Small groups may manage credentials manually, but as an organization grows, so do the complexities of access management. Without software-based automation and governance, businesses risk operational bottlenecks, security risks, and non-compliance with industry regulations.

Organizations have different security and compliance demands, which influence their choice between cloud-based (SaaS) and on-premises credential management solutions. While SaaS solutions take away the burden of software maintenance, on-premises deployments provide full control over data residency, security policies, and compliance with regulatory frameworks.

With increasing regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2, organizations must have transparency and control over credential access. A credential collaboration solution must support audit trails, access logs, and role-based access (RBAC).

Practical use Cases for Secure Credential Sharing

The below scenarios reflect the importance of sophisticated credential collaboration software.

For example, upon the departure of an employee, revoking shared credentials is a top priority. Individual accounts (e.g., Google or Microsoft) can be easily revoked, but shared credentials pose a greater challenge. If not properly managed, a former employee may retain access to critical systems, increasing the risk of data breaches. A departing employee might still have access to shared credentials, thus posing a potential security threat. Organizations need systematic policies to manage credential revocation efficiently.

A secure credential sharing system should offer:

Password expiration capabilities: Administrators can revoke access immediately or set expiration dates in advance.

Selective password rotation: Instead of resetting all shared credentials, organizations can identify and rotate only those used by the former employee.

Compliance benefits: Automated alerts and enforced expiration policies ensure governance and regulatory compliance.

Imagine another situation: when a coworker is out on vacation, teams may face challenges accessing critical accounts protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA is a security method that requires a second verification step in addition to a password, which is usually provided by a time-based one-time password (TOTP) generator. This typically means that when logging into an account, such as email, cloud storage, or business software, the user must give a second form of verification.

Reliable credential collaboration

One of the most familiar examples of MFA is entering a verification code received via SMS. Consider logging into an online company system, and after entering the correct password, the system requests a code sent to the mobile number registered for MFA. If the phone is with the vacationing colleague, they would have to be contacted in order to relay the code, causing delays and inefficiencies. Moreover, sharing the code through unsecured channels like email or messaging apps could expose it to interception, increasing security risks.

Thus, a reliable credential collaboration system should have:

MFA credential delegation: Secure ways of sharing temporary or emergency MFA access so that if a team member is unavailable, authorized colleagues can safely retrieve the required MFA codes.

Audit logs and access monitoring: Ensuring all TOTP sharing actions and access attempts are tracked for security and compliance.

Essential Requirements for a Credential Collaboration Solution

Besides the specific credential collaboration features outlined above, the following general considerations should be taken into account when selecting a software solution for your organization.

A highly modern security architecture provides maximum protection against threats. The most robust approach today is private-public key cryptography, which ensures secure authentication, encryption, and data integrity.

Organizations must use role-based permissions (RBAC) and the principle of least privilege (PoLP) so that workers only have access to the credentials they need. This minimizes risk and enhances security posture.

A secure credential management system must encrypt credentials in transit and at rest, thereby introducing a so-called zero Knowledge architecture. This ensures that even if data gets intercepted or compromised, it remains inaccessible to unauthorized parties.

Teams need the ability to share credentials securely without compromising usability. A credential collaboration tool should make sharing simple while enforcing access controls to constrain risk.

Logging and reporting

Comprehensive and detailed logging and reporting features provide organizations with visibility into credential usage. This assists with security monitoring, breaches investigation, and regulatory compliance.

Credential collaboration needs to seamlessly fit into existing DevOps pipelines, cloud environments, and enterprise IT infrastructures. Integrations with tools such as CI/CD systems, cloud platforms, LDAP, Single Sign-On (SSO) and identity providers streamline operations and enhance security.

A credential management solution needs to support small teams as well as scaling to meet the needs of large enterprises. Automated provisioning, centralized access control, and robust governance capabilities ensure long-term sustainability.

Organizations should have the freedom to choose between cloud-based and on-premises solutions based on their security and compliance requirements.

Unlike proprietary solutions, open source credential management tools provide full transparency into how credentials are stored and managed. Independent audits ensure that security vulnerabilities are identified and addressed promptly.

Organizations that must conform to strict privacy laws should have authority over where their credential data is stored. Hosting in GDPR-regulated regions ensures compliance and increased legal safeguards.

Frustration with Legacy Tools Leads to Risky Workarounds

Software users expect intuitive, user-friendly applications. When faced with legacy, cumbersome credential management software, such as business password managers and Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions, they often become disappointed. These systems are usually too inflexible, complex, and difficult to onboard. Thus, they suffer from low user adoption.

When usability suffers, members of the team may resort to insecure workarounds, such as keeping credentials in spreadsheets or sending them over unsecured channels, which undermine security efforts. To prevent this, organizations must transition to modern, agile credential management solutions that:

• Combine security with ease of use to ensure adoption.
• Automate credential provisioning and deprovisioning to reduce friction.
• Offer easy to understand security workflows that can be trusted by users.

If organizations fail to modernize their credential management strategy, they are not only at risk of security breaches, but also poor utilization rates, which drives users back to insecure workarounds. It’s imperative to balance the need for strong security against easy usability in order to keep teams on board with secure credential collaboration.

How to Select the Right Credential Collaboration Tool

In short: Selecting the right credential collaboration tool requires careful evaluation of your organization's unique needs and security profile.

Team size and security requirements: Identify the size of your operation and the sensitivity of the credentials.

Integration requirements: Does the tool allow for integration with existing workflows and platforms?

Compliance necessities: Verify compatibility with industry regulations.

Usability vs. security: Balance ease of use with stringent security controls.

Cost-effectiveness: Evaluate pricing against feature sets and long-term needs.

For organizations handling sensitive data, self-hosting in jurisdictions with strong privacy laws offers greater security, regulatory compliance, and control over data residency.

We showcase the best identity management 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

AI art generation has been evolving at a wild pace, and Google just threw another big contender into the mix through its Gemini Flash 2.0. You can play with the new image creation tool in Google's AI Studio.

Gemini Flash is, as the name suggests, very fast, notably faster than DALL-E 3 and other image creators. That speed might mean lower quality images, but that's not the case here, especially because all of the changes and upgrades to the model's image production ability. Still, if you want really good results, you must know how to talk to the AI. After plenty of trial and error, I've put together five tips for getting the absolute best art out of Gemini Flash 2.0. Some of these may seem similar to advice about other AI art creators, because they are, but that doesn't make them less useful in this context.

Tell a story

(Image credit: Created with Google Gemini)

The most interesting new feature for Gemini Flash's image creation is that it isn’t just good for one-off illustrations, it can actually help you create a visual story by generating a series of related images with consistent style, settings, and moods.

To get started, you just have to ask it to tell you a story and how often you want an illustration to go with the action. The result will include those images accompanying the text.

For my project, I asked the AI to "Generate a story of a heroic baby dragon who protected a fairy queen from an evil wizard in a 3d cartoon animation style. For each scene, generate an image." I saw the above start to appear. And, if there's an issue, you can rewrite any of the bits of the story and the model will regenerate the image accordingly.

Be super specific

(Image credit: Created with Google Gemini)

If you tell Gemini to make “a dog in a park,” you might get a blurry golden retriever sitting somewhere vaguely green. But if you say, “A fluffy golden retriever sitting on a wooden bench in Central Park during autumn, with red and orange leaves scattered on the ground”—you get exactly what you’re picturing.

AI models thrive on detail. The more you provide, the better your image will be. So for the image above, instead of just asking for a futuristic looking city, I requested "A retro-futuristic cityscape at sunset, with neon signs glowing in pink and blue, flying cars in the sky, and people walking in retro-future style outfits." Seven seconds later, the result came in.

Get conversational

(Image credit: Google Gemini Flash 2.0)

One of my favorite things about the new Gemini Flash is that you can get conversational with it without losing much of the speed. That means you don’t have to get everything right in one go. After generating an image, you can literally chat with the AI to make edits. Want to change the colors? Add a character? Make the lighting moodier? Just ask.

In the image set above, I started by asking for "A cozy reading nook with a fireplace, bookshelves filled with novels, and a big comfy armchair." I then refined it by asking it to "Make it nighttime with soft, warm lighting," then followed up by asking it to "Add a sleeping cat on the armchair," and finished by requesting the AI "Give the room a vintage, Victorian aesthetic." The final result on the left looks almost exactly like what I imagined, and makes Gemini feel like an art assistant, one capable of adjusting to what I want without starting over from scratch every time.

Gemini Flash matches ChatGPT

(Image credit: Created with Google Gemini)

Google has boasted that Gemini is full of real-world knowledge, which means you can get historical accuracy, realistic cultural details, and true-to-life imagery if you ask for it. Of course, that requires being specific. For example, if you prompt it for “a Viking warrior,” you might get something that looks more like a Game of Thrones character. But if you say, “A historically accurate Viking warrior from the 9th century, wearing detailed chainmail armor, a round wooden shield, and a traditional Norse helmet”—you’ll get something much more precise.

As a test I asked the AI to make "An ancient Mayan city at sunrise, with towering stone pyramids, lush jungle surroundings, and people dressed in traditional Mayan garments." It's not perfect, but it looks a lot more like the real thing than previous versions, which would sometimes come back with almost an Egyptian pyramid.

Write fast

(Image credit: Created with Google Gemini)

Most AI image models have long struggled with rendering text, turning words into illegible scribbles. Even the better models today that can do so take a bit to do it and getting it right can take a few tries. But, Gemini Flash is shockingly good at integrating text into images quickly and legibly. Being very specific can help though.

That's how I generated the image above by asking the AI to "Make a vintage-style travel poster that says 'Visit London’ in bold, retro typography, featuring a stylized illustration of the city."

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High-end gaming and workstation laptop specialist Eurocom has just released a refresh of its flagship mobile supercomputer, the Raptor X18.

It is one of the fastest laptops ever built and will probably earn a well-deserved spot in our best mobile workstation buying guide.

Its base configuration runs on a Core Ultra 9 275HX, the fastest laptop processor from Intel and the top of the range model will set you back more than $15,000.

For that outlay, you get a mobile Nvidia Geforce RTX5090 GPU with 24GB GDDR7, 256GB of DDR5 RAM - the only one I know that can take that much memory - as well as four WD_Black 8TB PCIe Gen4 SSD configured in RAID-0.

As for previous mobile supercomputers, Eurocom has entrusted an ODM - most probably Clevo - with the design and manufacturing of what is, as of now, the most powerful laptop in the world.

The result is a practical, if underwhelming, finish with its true origins betrayed by the presence of an RGB Keyboard with individual key illumination, N-Key Rollover & anti-ghosting.

A mobile supercomputer can also be one of the best gaming laptops.

The 18-inch screen that completes its setup can be specced up to a UHD+ resolution (that's 3240 x 2400 pixels with a 16:10 aspect ratio).

Its 200Hz refresh rate shows that it can also be a decent gaming panel.

Where this laptop will be sorely lacking is battery life; even with a 99Whr battery, I don't expect users to be able to utilize this laptop, under load, for more than 60 minutes; consider the battery as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) instead.

That’s down to the presence of a power-hungry GPU and CPU (that demand up to 175W and 55W respectively) as well as four memory modules, a large screen and four SSDs.

You may also find its weight (7.9 lbs/3.6kg) and its dimensions (400 x 320 x 33mm) to be slightly overwhelming but then again it is more of a desktop replacement rather than a true laptop.

Raptor X18 vs 16-inch MacBook Pro

(Image credit: Future)

In comparison, the most powerful Apple laptop, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, one of the best laptops ever built, has a maximum selling price of $7,199 when configured with 128GB of RAM and 8TB SSD.

The 1TB SSD version retails for a mere $4,999 or a third of the price of the X18.

The 275HX is the most powerful laptop CPU available right now reaching, on popular benchmark software Passmar, a CPU Mark of just over 61,000.

The 16-core M4 Max, Apple’s most powerful laptop CPU, delivers about 43,700 points, a 40% speed delta.

When compared to desktop counterparts, the 275HX comes ahead of the EPYC 74F3, a 3-year old server CPU from AMD that has the same number of cores but a TDP 4x higher.

Raptor X18 vs Workstation PC

A stock picture of the Dell Precision mid-tower workstation (Image credit: Dell)

There are other Core 9 Ultra 275HX laptops scheduled for release in the coming weeks but Eurocom’s laptop is the only one with four SODIMM slots.

I configured a popular workstation PC, the Precision 5860 to match the Raptor X18.

With a slower Intel Xeon W7-2495X CPU, a less capable Nvidia RTX 4500 Ada Generation professional GPU and four 4TB SSDs, Dell’s alter-ego came out with a shocking $15,700 price tag, without a 4K monitor.

The only saving grace for the desktop workstation is the 3-year basic onsite service with remote diagnosis Dell provides.

I love the fact that the X18 has not one but two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports, the first time I’ve seen this combination in a laptop, that’s in addition to Wi-Fi 7.

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• A hefty price tag might put some users off the new Dell Pro 75 Plus
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• The display features an impressive array of ports

One of Dell’s latest monitors comes with a hefty price tag, but it’s a behemoth of a display.

The Dell Pro 75 Plus is, as the name suggests, a massive 75-inch 4k touchscreen display designed for more professional settings, such as an office space or meeting room. You probably could fit it into a home office space, but that might be overkill.

The new Pro 75 Plus is equipped with 20-point touch technology, and boasts 20W speakers alongside USB-C, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet capabilities. Similarly, the display includes exclusive access to Dell’s Screen Drop features and Dell Pro Micro integration, making it the “ultimate solution for enhancing productivity and engagement”, according to the company.

Looking for a cheaper option? We’ve got you covered

The Pro 75 Plus also comes equipped with Crestron Connect and Crestron XiO Cloud options, Dell revealed, allowing for remote management and greater control via office network systems.

It certainly will be appealing to enterprises overhauling their in-house tech, but the price might be a major stumbling block, coming in at $ 3,999.

The Pro 75 Plus is by no means the priciest touchscreen display we’ve come across in recent years. TechRadarPro was impressed with the ViewSonic IFP9850 4K Ultra HD Display in 2020, for example.

The whopping 98-inch display still retails at $8,490, more than double the Dell monitor.

If you’re in the market for something cheaper, however, the ViewSonic ViewBoard IFP75G1 is a great option. Also measuring in at 75 inches, the interactive display will set you back half the price at $1,999, but this is part of a limited-time promotion.

The 4K UHD display has a few distinct advantages compared to its Dell counterpart, boasting a 40-point touch display, two 10W internal speakers, three HDMI ports, and a whopping nine USB ports.

Notably, the display also gives users the choice of a slot-in PC to really kick things up a notch, with Android and Windows options available.

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• The rumored Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could get a variable aperture feature on its main camera
• Such a feature was last seen on the Galaxy S9 and can be found on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra
• It could be a real benefit to the next Ultra Galaxy phone given the size of the main camera sensor it could use

Rather than take a look at what Apple is doing, Samsung could draw inspiration from the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi and offer a variable aperture on the main camera of the rumored Galaxy S26 Ultra.

This tip comes from reasonably reliable tipster Ice Universe, who, when posting on Chinese social media site Weibo, claimed that the ability to switch physically between apertures will return on the main rear camera of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Such a feature was last seen on the Galaxy S9, which could switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4 to adjust the lens opening depending on lighting conditions.

The idea there was that the wider aperture (f/1/5) was used to let more light hit the camera sensor when the lighting conditions were darker at the expense of sharper photos with a deeper depth of field, while the higher (and smaller) aperture was used in brighter conditions where there was plenty of light hitting the sensor and allowed for sharper pictures with a greater depth of field.

This was a neat feature, but on phones with smaller sensors it was arguably a little moot, as there's generally a rather large depth of field on smartphones given how small a main camera's sensor is in relation to the size of the lens and its wide focal length.

A potentially exciting upgrade

Nevertheless, it would be one way to upgrade the 200-megapixel main camera found on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. And given recent Ultra models in the Galaxy S-series have larger sensors than a lot of older Galaxy phones, greater aperture control could be more noticeable.

It would also give the camera another physical function to help shape the photos it produces, and mean the next-generation Ultra might not be as reliant on algorithmic image processing.

Ice Universe didn’t note the aperture the Galaxy S26 Ultra could use, and such a feature wouldn’t be unique to the phone, as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra has multiple variable apertures on its main camera, and the Huawei Mate 50 Pro also features a main camera with a variable aperture of f/1.4 and f/4. In our Xiaomi 14 Ultra review, tester Paul Hatton waxed lyrical about the quality of the phone’s camera and its apertures, so it would seem like a feature Samsung would be smart to copy.

The flipside is that such a feature could be more of a way to market the phone than yield any transformative results, especially as Samsung already makes one of the best camera phones around.

Time will tell if this rumor bears any fruit, but it’s one that got my attention and could inject a little more creativity in a range of Samsung phones that’s gotten overly iterative, in my opinion.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, March 13 (game #1144).

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 #1145) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1145) - 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 1.

Quordle today (game #1145) - 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 #1145) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1145) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• B

• S

• G

• A

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

Quordle today (game #1145) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1145, are…

• BELIE
• SPEAR
• GROWL
• ADOBE

This was one of those unlucky days where I made all the wrong choices – ABODE instead of ADOBE, BIBLE instead of BELIE and SMEAR instead of SPEAR.

In hindsight, I also made the wrong choice with my start words, but on another day they could have worked perfectly.

You can’t win them all.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1145) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1145, are…

• TURBO
• CRANK
• PECAN
• WOULD

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1144, Thursday 13 March: AMISS, METAL, TEARY, SHORT
• Quordle #1143, Wednesday 12 March: AWASH, PUSHY, RALPH, PROOF
• Quordle #1142, Tuesday 11 March: LINGO, JUICE, SHARP, REVEL
• Quordle #1141, Monday 10 March: AVAIL, THESE, TITAN, GAUGE
• Quordle #1140, Sunday 9 March: SKILL, IDEAL, WHERE, REHAB
• Quordle #1139, Saturday 8 March: WATCH, LAPSE, WREST, HEFTY
• Quordle #1138, Friday 7 March: GLEAN, SHINY, DECRY, MANGA
• Quordle #1137, Thursday 6 March: TRICE, EIGHT, BELCH, RIPER
• Quordle #1136, Wednesday 5 March: PLEAD, TWANG, MAJOR, RISKY
• Quordle #1135, Tuesday 4 March: FLOWN, ETUDE, TOPAZ, JOKER
• Quordle #1134, Monday 3 March: FRILL, KAYAK, REBAR, WORDY
• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR
• 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

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, March 13 (game #641).

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 #642) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• DIRT
• CANDY
• FINE
• SILK
• SHORT
• CHARGING CABLE
• ROCKY
• LEVY
• HIGH
• FILM SERIES
• MAGAZINE
• CHARGE
• EPIC
• CHAPSTICK
• ASSESS
• FEATURE

NYT Connections today (game #642) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Pay your dues
• GREEN: Grab and go
• BLUE: Types of film 
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “code”

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 #642) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: IMPOSE, AS A PENALTY 
• GREEN: CHECKOUT LINE IMPULSE BUYS 
• BLUE: MOVIES OF VARIOUS LENGTHS 
• PURPLE: ___ ROAD 

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

NYT Connections today (game #642) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #642, are…

• YELLOW: IMPOSE, AS A PENALTY ASSESS, CHARGE, FINE, LEVY
• GREEN: CHECKOUT LINE IMPULSE BUYS CANDY, CHAPSTICK, CHARGING CABLE, MAGAZINE
• BLUE: MOVIES OF VARIOUS LENGTHS EPIC, FEATURE, FILM SERIES, SHORT
• PURPLE: ___ ROAD DIRT, HIGH, ROCKY, SILK

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I wouldn’t say I knew what I was doing with today’s Connections, but I muddled home somehow.

My mistake came when I put CHARGE, LEVY and FINE with SHORT, as I thought it was something to do with buying and selling stocks. Something I know nothing about, despite binge-watching three seasons of Industry.

I’m sure CHECKOUT LINE IMPULSE BUYS will be perplexing for many. I can’t remember ever seeing a CHARGING CABLE by the checkouts, but maybe I’m not going to the right stores. I got it by thinking they were all things you’d put in your bag on a day trip.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, 13 March, game #641)

• YELLOW: PARTIALITY ANGLE, BIAS, SLANT, SPIN
• GREEN: SIGNAL DOWN, AS A TAXI FLAG, HAIL, WAVE, WHISTLE
• BLUE: CARDS IN TEXAS HOLD 'EM FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, TURN
• PURPLE: SHAKESPEAREAN WORDS ANON, ART, THOU, WILT

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, March 13 (game #375).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Fillin' good!

NYT Strands today (game #376) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SNAP
• PREY
• CRISP
• RINSE
• PIPE
• MASS

NYT Strands today (game #376) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #376) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #376) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #376, are…

• APPLE
• PEACH
• PECAN
• CHERRY
• PUMPKIN
• BLUEBERRY
• SPANGRAM: CLASSIC PIES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

If you asked a British person to name some CLASSIC PIES they’d probably say 'chicken and mushroom' or 'steak and kidney', both best eaten with mashed potato. It’s not that we don’t also love pastry covering fruit, it’s just more common.

Such was my obsession with Twin Peaks that I once traveled from Seattle to the town where it was filmed – Snoqualmie in Washington State – so I could go to the Double R Diner and eat a CHERRY pie just like Agent Cooper. Except I couldn’t find the diner (it was in the next town), so I left with my craving unsatisfied.

I did buy a mug, though.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, 13 March, game #375)

• BOOMERANG
• BOUNCE
• RETURN
• REBOUND
• RICOCHET
• SPANGRAM: NICE COMEBACK

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.

• Verizon and AT&T are taking the hassle out of personal storage
• Upgrades for group storage are a game changer
• Perks like AI photo editing tools could come in handy

Taken one photograph too many and run out of cloud storage? It’s happened to us all at some point, and there’s nothing more frustrating.

Faced with the prospect of upgrading your plan and forking out for more capacity, it’s worth exploring all of the available options.

Luckily, there are a broad variety out there, but millions of Americans are still missing out regardless.

Verizon cloud storage deals

Verizon, for example, has little-known perks for customers in this regard, offering unlimited cloud storage at a relatively low monthly cost.

Verizon Cloud gives customers access to unlimited cloud storage for $13.99 per month. Better still, if you’re willing to pay $19.99 per month, this can be expanded to a group plan for up to five users, bringing friends or family into the fold.

Both the individual and group unlimited plans come with some handy perks, including automatic backup capabilities. This allows you to keep copies of photographs, documents, or videos and access them via your smartphone or computer.

The service also boasts a range of security features, including a PIN-protected private folder to safeguard sensitive content such as driver’s licenses, passports, or just your personal photos and videos.

One very handy aspect of the Verizon Cloud service is that your saved contacts, photographs, and videos can be easily transferred to your new mobile device when you upgrade.

AT&T's competitor service has added perks

Verizon isn’t alone on this front, either, as AT&T also offers unlimited cloud storage services for customers.

Similar to Verizon Cloud, the AT&T Personal Cloud service comes in at a slightly higher cost, but with additional benefits and features.

Users of this service can access unlimited storage for $19.99 per month, but this is for one individual.

AT&T Personal Cloud offers virtually the same services as the aforementioned Verizon Cloud, including automatic backup capabilities and PIN-protected private folders for sensitive materials.

Some features do differ, though, including in-built AI photo editing tools, which could come in handy for those looking to edit on the go.

The service can also be accessed anywhere, including via your phone, tablet, or desktop computer - and it works on iOS, Android, MacOS, and Windows.

There are other options available out there for consumers, but it’s worth noting that a significant portion of these are capped, albeit with most offering several terabytes’ worth of capacity.

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Black Mirror season 7 has its first look trailer at Netflix, and it's as bonkers as ever, teasing what's to come across six episodes when they land on April 10. As ever, it's an anthology so each story will be different, and for the very first time, we've got a sequel episode, a follow-up to the outstanding USS Callister from season 4. While this was confirmed a while back, something else also caught my eye, and we could well be getting a second returning story if one star is anything to go by.

Outside of the expected spaceship shots, and clips of Cristin Milioti's game developer character Nanette, I also noticed Will Poulter looking eerily familiar. In 2018, Black Mirror launched their interactive movie Bandersnatch, where Poulter played the role of Colin, a computer engineer whose fate was left up to the player/viewer. We haven't heard anything else about Colin until now when he unexpectedly appears in the trailer!

Well, there is a reason this is one of our best Netflix shows, it continues to outdo itself. Take a look below to see it with your own eyes.

What do we know about Black Mirror season 7 so far?

(Image credit: Netflix)

As expected, Netflix isn't giving too much away when it comes to Black Mirror season 7 and they're continuing to tease us with bits of information. So far, we do know that there's a huge cast attached which is in line with some of the most recent instalments (we really have come a long way since its Channel 4 days).

The star-studded cast includes Awkwafina, Milanka Brooks, Peter Capaldi, Emma Corrin, Rashida Jones, Chris O’Dowd, and Issa Rae. We don't know which episodes everyone's appearing in yet, but I can't wait to learn more about this season's line-up.

Black Mirror, like many anthologies, is full of hits and misses but I'm definitely intrigued by season 7. What do you think of the new trailer?

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• The FCC is creating a security council
• This will focus on cyber development and defense
• A holistic approach to cybersecurity is coming to the US government

The new chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, has announced that he will be establishing a security council to protect against cyberattacks, with a specific focus on “persistent and constant threat from foreign adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist party”, The Financial Times reports.

“These bad actors are always exploring ways to breach our networks, devices and technology ecosystem. It is more important than ever that the FCC remain vigilant and protect Americans and American companies from these threats,” Carr warned.

Chinese threat actors have been targeting US infrastructure, including the US Treasury, forcing the agency to declare a ‘major incident’. These attacks are looking to disrupt an already turbulent political climate in the US, and weaken critical services.

Strategic competition

The council will have a number of goals, including ensuring that the US “wins the strategic competition with China over critical technologies” like AI, satellites, 5G, and quantum computing - as well as mitigating US vulnerabilities to nation-state threat actors and cyber espionage, and reducing foreign supply chain dependence.

Bringing the communications regulator into the FCC is part of the US government’s effort to pull resources from a range of different agencies in order to tackle the growing threat from cyber adversaries.

Chinese hacking group Salt Typhoon is said to be part of the council’s focus early-on, and as the infamous group behind the Treasury hack, as well as targeting universities and telecoms networks (and more), this won’t come as much of a surprise.

This is juxtaposed by the recent news that the US is looking to pause cyber-offensive operations against Russia - despite CISA’s confirmation that defense against all cyber threats, ‘“including from Russia” will continue as normal.

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• Toyota's intriguing concept car measures just 8ft in length
• In some countries, those as young as 14 will be able to drive it
• Its solar roof generates around 20 miles of range per day

Toyota unveiled a selection of new models at an exclusive event in Brussels this week, covering everything from motorsport-inspired road cars to battery-powered SUVs. But look a little harder and you’ll spy the diminutive silhouette of the FT-Me micro mobility concept.

Measuring just 2.5m in length (around 8ft), it is marginally larger than the Citroen Ami, which has taken Europe by storm thanks to the low-cost, small footprint motoring that it offers for those living in busy urban areas.

Thanks to its tiny size, Toyota’s concept only occupies half a standard parking space and, in some cases, it can park “nose in” to the curb, taking up the same sort of space as a couple of motorcycles.

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(Image credit: Toyota)

According to the Japanese marque, the styling is inspired by a jet helmet and the interior has been packaged for maximum space. There’s room in there for two adults, but it can also swallow a wheelchair, with wheels removed, and longer pieces of flat pack furniture thanks to a folding passenger seat.

Perhaps more interesting is the solar panel roof, which Toyota says can add 20 to 30km (13 to 18 miles) of driving range per day, even in cloudy urban settings. This is enough to cover most common commutes, without the need to plug it in.

There is no technical specification on official range or battery size, but the fact its maker claims it can be driven by 14-year-olds in some markets suggest it would fall under the quadricycle category, which means it will be limited to 28mph, offer less than 6kW of power and weigh less than 450kg.

A youthful movement

(Image credit: Toyota)

Lacking any sort of flashy infotainment displays, the FT-Me is designed for the smartphone generation, seamlessly linking up with mobile devices and smartphone apps, which can also act as a digital key.

Beyond this, Toyota has designed the vehicle so that it can be driven solely with hand controls, not just the standard accelerator and brake pedals. This means it can be operated by wheelchair users without the need for any modification.

Alongside the fact that it doesn’t need a full license to drive, electrifying.com reports that it will have to compete with Netflix and mobile phone subscriptions in terms of monthly cost if it wants to be successful.

This suggests that it could cost as little as £30 / $40 /AU$60 a month to lease, offering a low-cost, hassle-free way of keeping the younger generation mobile.

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The podcasting app Pocket Casts is carving a new narrative for the future of podcasts in a way that’s almost hard to believe. As of Tuesday (March 1) Pocket Casts has eradicated its basic subscription tier for its web and desktop apps, meaning that you can listen to all of the best podcasts completely free of charge, marking a rather significant move towards making podcasts more accessible and, most importantly, more affordable.

Pocket Casts’ decision to revert to an open access platform reflects its long-standing principles of maintaining an open podcasting ecosystem that’s not overruled by paywalled services, all while eradicating algorithm-controlled discovery features. “By making our Web Player available to everyone, we’re reinforcing our belief that podcasts belong to the people, not corporations”, it stated in its announcement.

(Image credit: Future / Pocket Casts )

This is a rather reassuring statement to read, and one that I hope will spark further conversation about where we draw the line when it comes to paying for audio content like podcasts. And it’s hard for me to believe that Pocket Casts is pulling our legs here, as it promises to offer features that every podcast enthusiast should be entitled to, including multi-device playback syncing, seamless podcast queue management, and subscription savings and preferences - all just by signing up for free.

Even before it was acquired by Automatiic in 2021, Pocket Casts has existed as an open podcasting service (on its mobile version, at least), operating on open technology and allowing users to create, share, and download podcasts to their heart’s content. But since podcasts have migrated to paywalled platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, we've seen some culling of accessible podcasting. That's at least one reason why Pocket Casts has made this rare move.

Pocket Casts has no shame in shading Spotify

“The future of podcasting shouldn’t be locked behind walled gardens. It should be free, open, and available to everyone - on any device, without restrictions”. Pocket Casts shared this statement in their announcement, and I can smell the resentment for Spotify from a mile away.

It’s quite clear that Pocket Casts isn’t all too happy with the way that other audio platforms have taken advantage of the profitability of podcasts, especially when it comes to restricted podcasts within these apps that require an additional fee on top of your Spotify Premium or YouTube Premium monthly charge. Over the past year, there’s been a noticeable shift in the way that these other audio streaming services have been switching up their podcast strategies. It’s not a surprise that Pocket Casts is making such bold decisions.

Last summer, Apple opened the gates of its own walled garden making it easier for non-Apple users to stream Apple Podcasts from a web browser, and Spotify has been meticulous with the business side of its podcasts by launching ad-free video podcasts in January. It’ll take a lot for Pocket Casts to build up a popularity status that can match its competitors, but this rare move will not only open more doors for podcast access, but it may turn the heads of loyal subscribers of Spotify and other major audio platforms.

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• Military-grade AI server wins iF Design Award for its rugged modular design
• Features include electromagnetic shielding, shock resistance, and moisture protection
• Operates in extreme conditions from -55°C to 70°C without performance loss

The iF Design Awards are an international competition recognizing excellence in design across categories such as product, communication, packaging, and user interface.

Organized by iF International Forum Design GmbH in Germany, past winners include products from the likes of Apple, Samsung, Sony, and Lenovo - in 2024, one of the winners included South Korea’s KT (Korea Telecom) with its gorgeous skinnable Wi-Fi router.

There are often unusual winners, and this year the list includes, of all things, a Chinese military AI server. If we’re honest, we can see why it won. It’s unquestionably a thing of beauty, with its olive-green and metallic finish, reinforced metal frame, eight vertical modules with LED indicators, locking mechanisms, connector ports, and a shock-absorbing base - but even so, it’s an unexpected inclusion.

Designed for on-the-go

Created by China’s Chaoyue Technology, the Global "Special Forces" server is described as a “fully environmentally compatible, electromagnetic interference-resistant, high-computing power, and 100% domestically produced server.”

Features include environmental adaptability, one-click control functions, and integrated computing, storage, switching, confidentiality, and display capabilities.

The Special Forces server is designed for use in airborne, ship-borne, and in-vehicle situations. It’s built for harsh environments (frankly it wouldn’t be much use if it wasn’t), and offers anti-electromagnetic interference protection from 10K–10GHz, resistance to strong vibrations and 50g impact, and IP66-rated moisture protection with 95% humidity tolerance.

It also reportedly delivers reliable performance in temperatures from -55°C to 70°C, and durability against salt spray exposure for up to 10 years without damage.

The product, which took up to a year to create and was launched in 2023, is the first domestically produced independent platform LRM server in China.

It features advanced DVI+USB matrix switching, something which Chaoyue Technology says is currently only achievable by two companies in China, alongside AI-assisted control, modular configuration, and energy-efficient design principles.

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