TechRadar News

• 27% of respondents in the US use AI tools instead of search engines
• Uptake is lower in the UK, where 13% of consumers favor AI tools
• Reasons given include efficiency, ease of use, accuracy and personalisation

For decades, “Google it” has been the answer if you want answers on the web. But that could be changing: according to new survey data, more and more people are swapping search engines for AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT.

More than a quarter of people recently surveyed in the US reported using AI tools instead of a traditional search engines. That number was lower in the UK, but still representative of a significant shift in consumer behaviour, with 13% of respondents saying that they now turn to AI ahead of traditional search tools such as Bing and Google.

The data comes from in-depth research conducted in December 2024 by Future, the publisher which owns TechRadar. Hundreds of UK and US consumers took part in the survey, answering a series of questions on their interaction with AI-powered tools and services.

Just as revealing as those headline statistics are the reasons people gave for using AI tools instead of search engines. We’ve unpicked the key takeaways below – and the answers make for fascinating reading.

More AI survey results

• These are the 12 most popular AI tools right now, according to a new survey – and rivals are catching ChatGPT
• These are the top 5 things people are using AI for – and free therapy doesn’t make the list
• Are you polite to ChatGPT? Here’s where you rank among AI chatbot users

Why are people switching?

Every survey participant who said that they use AI instead of search engines was asked to give reasons why. The sentiments were remarkably similar on both sides of the Atlantic, with five clear threads emerging from the data.

Time-saving and efficiency was one justification, with users suggesting that AI tools deliver specific results more quickly. One participant in the US went into detail, saying that AI tools allow them to “grasp key information faster, without having to browse through everything one by one like in the traditional way.”

That was echoed by UK respondents, including one who wrote that AI tools are “much more specific than a general Google search.”

But it’s not just speed that appeals to adopters of AI. Ease of use also plays a key role in the shift away from traditional search engines, with a number of responses claiming that AI tools make the search process simpler, more user-friendly and – in the words of one UK participant – “more convenient”. A US participant summed it up succinctly: “It’s easier than Googling!”

Accuracy of results is another factor cited in the survey feedback. In the US, a user commented that “the results from AI search are more precise”, reflecting a broader idea that AI tools offer more relevant information, with less noise than traditional search. “I get more accurate [sic] and less bias in search results,” wrote a UK participant.

The contextual awareness of AI tools also appears to be a key factor in pulling users away from search engines.

One UK user wrote that they “used it to get more tailored results when writing my Master’s thesis”, while another said that AI “feels more specific and personalized.” That was mirrored by responses in the US, including one which reported that AI responses are "customized for each individual question.”

Finally, survey respondents praised the depth and insight offered by AI tools. “It gives more of an in-depth explanation rather than traditional search engines,” wrote one participant in the UK.

Some praised the ability of AI tools to summarise complex topics in an accessible way, while others appreciated the creative potential of exchanges with AI chatbots. “It can understand the context really well and chat with me,” wrote one US user.

"Swapping Google for ChatGPT isn't a leap – it's evolution"

The sentiments expressed in the survey tally with those of plenty of AI experts, too.

According to A.J. Ghergich, a global VP at Botify, "People are waking up to 'AI as the everyday assistant, not just a search engine.'”

He continues: "Swapping Google for ChatGPT isn't a leap – it's evolution. We're trading link-scrolling for conversation, moving from digital library cards to having a personal researcher who talks back.

"We're done with generic search results. AI promises something better – a digital confidant who gets to know you, remembers your preferences, and becomes smarter with every conversation."

Meanwhile, Ben Wood, Chief Analyst, CCS Insight, says that the research "aligns well with the feedback CCS Insight is seeing from consumers. Around 45% of people we spoke to in the UK told us the most compelling use case for AI is collating answers without having to click on search results. Summarising long documents and automatically writing emails or letters in a particular style are also popular user cases."

Much of this feedback reflects our own hands-on experience comparing ChatGPT Search to Google Search, and with the likes of Perplexity Search also offering an AI alternative to traditional search engines, we wouldn't be surprised if future surveys see this trend accelerating.

As John-Anthony Disotto, TechRadar's Senior AI Writer, says, "People want info and they want it fast. AI is showcasing that it can get you accurate info faster than anything we’ve seen before."

510 participants from the US and 518 participants from the UK responded to the survey.

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Another year, another spate of tech hardware companies trying to entice gamers over to the dark side - by which I mean, trying to convince them that 3D display technology is the Next Big Thing in gaming. I’ve never been a fan; I shelled out for a Nintendo 3DS expecting a wild new dimension of gaming only to spend my entire time with the handheld in 2D mode.

Acer’s still trying to crack this particular nut, having launched its SpatialLabs glasses-free 3D tech a few years back. At the IEM Katowice esports tournament in Poland last week, I got to enjoy some hands-on time with its latest Predator SpatialLabs View 27 monitor - and honestly, although the tech has certainly improved since its earlier iterations, I’m still not convinced.

When most people hear the phrase ‘3D’, they think of a pair of chunky glasses (or perhaps the even older red-blue paper spectacles). SpatialLabs doesn’t work the same way as ‘conventional’ 3D displays; instead, it works by utilizing eye-tracking cameras to perfectly mesh two rendered images together on a stereoscopic display, creating a three-dimensional effect that shifts to remain effective even if you move your head - unlike Nintendo’s clunky handheld.

Gaming in three dimensions

Does it work? Yes, actually - while I’m not going to give you the spiel about graphics that ‘leap out of your screen’ or whatever, the Predator SpatialLabs View 27 does provide a good sense of physical depth, both for individual objects and wide scenes. I got to play some of Street Fighter VI’s World Tour mode on it, and it looked great; exploring Metro City (no, not the one from Megamind) demonstrated a tangible depth of field to the streets and the legions of random pedestrians I could challenge to a fistfight. I think some games might benefit from this tech more than others, and Acer has a list of supported titles if you’re curious.

Regardless of the game you play, though, there are a few glaring issues with using SpatialLabs for gaming. For starters, it’s liable to cause eye strain for some users - I certainly found this to be the case after just five minutes of getting my ass handed to me by Chun-Li, and I’ve heard similar reports from colleagues who have tested out previous SpatialLabs devices. Considering that many gamers (totally not me) are known to spend multi-hour binges at their desktops, it feels like a migraine waiting to happen.

Yes, I know the screen looks blurry; unfortunately, SpatialLabs can't track the 'eye' of a camera. (Image credit: Future)

The other major problem with SpatialLabs - and basically any glasses-free 3D gaming solution - is that it tanks performance. There’s no good way to put this; stereoscopic 3D requires the real-time rendering of two full-resolution frames, which means that you’re going to struggle to achieve high framerates in games unless you're packing some of the absolute best gaming hardware,

My esteemed colleague over at TechRadar Gaming, Dash Wood, struggled with exactly this problem when he reviewed the Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition back in 2023. Despite being a relatively powerful gaming laptop, it struggled significantly once the 3D mode was turned on, and even the newer 2024 model (which uses an RTX 4080 GPU) is locked to a 2K resolution at 60Hz in 3D mode while running in 4K in 2D.

3D vs VR

I’m willing to give Acer a pass on the eye-strain point. Although it feels like 3D has been around forever, this sort of glasses-free tech is still a relatively fledgling technology. Some people struggle to use VR for extended periods of time, and while I used to feel this way, the technology has advanced enough that I’ve become more comfortable with strapping on my headset and picking up my motion controllers for some Beat Saber or Pistol Whip in lieu of going to the gym.

However, as I thought about this, a thought occurred to me: why does anyone still think 3D is the future of gaming when virtual reality exists as it does today? VR is still improving too, but faster than 3D displays are. I can attest to the extreme difference between a first-gen Oculus Rift and Apple’s Vision Pro headset; it’s night and day, a far greater leap than I feel Acer’s Predator SpatialLabs View 27 makes over a 3D TV from the 2000s like Sony’s first 3D Bravia, even if it’s managed to ditch the bulky glasses. Why would I want to use a screen that gives a kinda-sorta-three-dimensional effect when I could put on a Meta Quest 3 and be fully immersed in a rendered world that appears to surround me completely?

So yeah - sorry, Acer, and sorry to everyone else who is hard at work on 3D displays right now. I just don’t think the gaming sphere will ever truly embrace 3D when VR exists. Mind you, there are other valid uses for this technology - Acer highlights the value of its SpatialLabs displays to professionals like architects and 3D asset designers (and prison dentists, according to a conversation I had with Acer PR), so it’s probably not about to die out anytime soon. Still, I think it might be time for SpatialLabs to shift focus away from gamers, and take serious aim at the enterprise space.

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• A new Future survey reveals the most popular AI tools we're using
• ChatGPT remains the most popular AI tool, but its lead is relatively slender
• Rivals like Google Gemini are catching – as other research confirms

Artificial intelligence tools are transforming the way we work and create, but which apps are proving most popular right now? A survey run by Future Publishing (the owner of TechRadar) covering hundreds of tech consumers in the US and the UK shows AI use is increasing – and reveals the tools we're turning to the most often.

There are some familiar names in these results, but also some up-and-coming challengers in the AI space – showing there are more of these apps than ever, all ready and willing to lend a hand with writing text, creating images, searching files, and more. AI has never been more ubiquitous, and the trend is only going one way.

More AI survey results

• People are increasingly swapping Google for the likes of ChatGPT, according to a major survey – here’s why
• These are the top 5 things people are using AI for – and free therapy doesn’t make the list
• Are you polite to ChatGPT? Here’s where you rank among AI chatbot users

Here are the 12 most popular AI tools right now, in reverse order. You may spot some you're already using, and some you feel you should be using. Both US and UK participants were quizzed at two points during 2024, to track changing use over time. Let's dive in…

10. DreamStudio, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion (joint)

• DreamStudio (used by 10% of US survey respondents, 7% in the UK)
• Midjourney (used by 10% in the US, 7% in the UK)
• Stable Diffusion (used by 10% in the US, 7% in the UK)

It's a three-way tie for 10th place, with DreamStudio (images), Midjourney (images), and Stable Diffusion (images, video, and audio) all used by 8.5% of our respondents (on average). They all offer speedy, prompt-based content generation for a wide variety of purposes.

(Image credit: Midjourney)

All three are on the up, too – with growth of 88% for Dream Studio, 59% for Midjourney, and 43% for Stable Diffusion in the months between our two survey snapshots. They're also all paid-for tools, with no free tiers available.

9. Jasper

• Used by 10% of US survey respondents, 7% in the UK

In 9th place, and used by 9% of the people we quizzed on average, there's Jasper. Jasper offers a range of AI services for marketers, so there's everything from chatbots to image generators to trend analysis – for a fee (though you can get a free trial).

(Image credit: Jasper / Future)

Jasper wasn't included in the first survey round, so we can't tell you how much its usage numbers have grown over the course of the last year, but the data shows it's slightly more popular in the US than the UK.

8. DALL-E

• Used by 12% of US survey respondents, 7% in the UK

Up to 8th now, and we have DALL-E, used by 9.5% of respondents: the AI image generator is owned and developed by OpenAI, and is now only available inside the ChatGPT interface for free users and subscribers (who get differing levels of access).

(Image credit: OpenAI / Future)

Type out a prompt, and DALL-E gives you an image – and you can even make edits afterwards. It's used by 12% of people in the US, and 7% of people in the UK, with usage growing an impressive 47.5% between our two survey points.

7. Claude

• Used by 11% of US survey respondents, 9% in the UK

Claude comes in 7th in our results. The AI chatbot can help you brainstorm ideas, produce visuals, create schedules, and work with documents and images. It does have a free plan, though you get a lot more features if you subscribe.

The Claude AI interface (Image credit: Claude / Future)

For example, you get a choice of models to pick from when using Claude, though some are exclusive to paying members. Like Jasper, Claude wasn't included as an option in our first survey snapshot, but is a little more widely used in the US compared to the UK.

6. Perplexity

• Used by 12% of US survey respondents, 9% in the UK

With an average of 11% of our survey participants using it, Perplexity is in 6th place: a chatbot that can generate text, analyze documents, search the web and more, with both free and paid-for plans available. It's also recently launched a Deep Research tool.

(Image credit: Perplexity / Future)

It's also noticeable for letting you run models from other companies inside its interface. We don't have figures for usage over time when it comes to Perplexity, but it is slightly more popular in the US than the UK – 12% vs 9%.

5. Image Creator from Microsoft Designer

• Used by 14% of US survey respondents, 9% in the UK

Into our top five, and in 5th place we've got Image Creator from Microsoft Designer. As you can tell from the name, it's an AI-powered graphic design tool inside the larger Microsoft Designer app, and it's used by an average of 11.5% of our survey participants.

(Image credit: Microsoft / Future)

Used by 14% of US respondents and 9% of UK respondents, it's clear a lot of visuals are being churned out by Image Creator – usage is also up 29% over the course of our survey period. You can use it for free, and pay for additional image generation credits.

4. Grammarly

• Used by 24% of US survey respondents, 16% in the UK

You might not have expected to see Grammarly on this list, but the writing checker has rolled out a host of AI features in recent times, and it's in 4th place with an average usage level of 20%. You can use it for free, though a Pro account gives you more AI access.

(Image credit: Grammarly / Future)

Grammarly's main focus is on text, whether it's generating it from scratch, rewriting what you've already written, or checking for mistakes. It's used by 24% of people in the US and 16% of people in the UK, with a small 3.5% level of growth over the course of the survey.

3. Microsoft Copilot

• Used by 23% of US survey respondents, 17% in the UK

You can't have failed to notice Microsoft Copilot trying to find its way into every single Microsoft product in recent times – Microsoft is really, really keen for people to use it, and it averages 20% in terms of those in our survey who are using it, putting it in 3rd place.

(Image credit: Microsoft / Future)

Copilot can be used to generate text, think through problems, come up with ideas, create images, search the web, and more, with extra features for paying users. Usage is up 64% across last year, with 23% of US users and 17% of UK users regularly logging in.

2. Google Gemini

• Used by 27% of US survey respondents, 18% in the UK

Our 2nd place spot goes to one of the more familiar names in AI apps, Google Gemini. Across the US and UK, 22.5% of people are using it (27% in the US and 18% in the UK), and Gemini grew its userbase by a whopping 97% over our survey period. We weren't the only survey to discover this trend, as you can see further down this page.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Gemini is a multimodal AI app that can deal in text, audio, images, and documents, and Google isn't slowing down when it comes to adding new features. There is a free tier, but paying users get more advanced models and tools.

1. ChatGPT

• Used by 39% of US survey respondents, 35% in the UK

The competition may be gaining on it, but ChatGPT is still out in front as the most used AI tool – with an average of 37% of users we surveyed now making use of it (that's 39% in the US and 35% in the UK). Growth was 7% over the course of our study period.

(Image credit: OpenAI / Future)

ChatGPT is the multimodal bot that's mainly responsible for kickstarting the generative AI revolution: it can produce text and images, analyze documents, and search the web, plus it sounds like there's much more to come too.

Those results in full...

Here's a graph showing those results from our AI survey, where ChatGPT remains on top, but perhaps not as far ahead of its rivals as you might expect...

Our results also chime with some other recent research on the subject. Ben Wood, Chief Analyst at CCS Insight, told us: "At CCS Insight we’ve noted similar findings when it comes to the most popular AI services. ChatGPT leads with 39% of Brits telling us that they have used the service, with that number being even higher in the US, where we recorded that 42% of consumers have interacted with the platform," he said.

"Google’s Gemini is lagging ChatGPT, but we are seeing engagement growing. Awareness is also extremely high for both services, reaching over 80% in the UK and US for ChatGPT. In the US, awareness of Gemini is only fractionally behind ChatGPT at 73% while in the UK it has reached 69%," he added.

The race for the title of best AI tool is only just getting started, then – and it's clear why OpenAI, Google and Microsoft are all keen to add new features on a seemingly weekly basis. It'll be fascinating to see what this chart looks like in a year and beyond.

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The excitement around the Humane AI Pin has faded. The company behind the $700 AI device has sold its assets to HP for $116 million, and some of the employees have joined the company. It's a lot of money, but not exactly a coup for Humane, considering the startup had raised over $230 million. HP discontinuing the AI Pin is just the capper.

The withering of Humane's fortunes has more significant implications for another AI device, the Rabbit’s R1. The chirpy little AI gadget and the startup behind it may end up in a similar place as Humane if it's not careful. There are plenty of reasons why Humane may have failed, though I have a few theories.

The biggest reason may have been a lack of features people wanted. There were some intriguing ideas, like the screenless interaction with the AI, the laser projector that looked great in demo videos, and the continual link to the AI assistant. However, the reviews all highlighted slow AI processing, unreliable hardware, and feeling like the $24 monthly subscription fee was too much, especially on top of the $700 purchase price. As AI apps like ChatGPT improved, many may have decided they could get all the features they liked from their smartphone and returned the Humane AI Pin.

Rabbit should be taking notes. Right now, the R1 is struggling with some of the exact same issues: a lack of must-have features, performance hiccups, and a growing sense that it's an inessential accessory. Rushing out a prototype too quickly when the hardware is still unstable is a problem, especially when the hardware is the main selling point. A lack of certain features, like messaging and social media support, raises the same questions about its value as Humane faced.

Rabbit hole

I think the R1 can survive if Rabbit makes the right moves. That includes upgrading the R1’s Large Action Model (LAM) AI engine. The LAM is supposed to be the magic sauce that makes the R1 superior to Siri or Alexa, but even being just as good won't help it stand out. It needs to be instant and accurate when booking a ride, answering a question, or summarizing emails. Rabbit should throw everything they have into improving LAM, even if that means bringing in outside help and partnering with OpenAI or Anthropic.

Rabbit also needs to get deals in place to work with WhatsApp, Slack, and the Android and iOS messaging services at the very least. Even better, they should lean into voice-based messaging and AI-powered summaries, though they'd need to make sure they work at least as well as Apple Intelligence.

Ultimately, Rabbit needs to work out its positioning. Right now, it’s unclear who the R1 is for. Is it a productivity tool? A digital assistant for busy professionals? A toy for tech enthusiasts? Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, they should focus on a specific audience and go all in. If they position the R1 as an ultra-efficient personal AI secretary, something that can handle voice-to-text notes, summarize meetings, and manage calendars in a smoother way than any smartphone assistant, they might find a real niche.

And let’s not forget developers. Rabbit should aggressively court third-party developers, giving them the tools to build new integrations and apps for the R1. A strong developer ecosystem could turn the R1 from a novelty into a platform.

The Rabbit R1 isn’t doomed yet, but it is at a crossroads. It risks becoming another Humane AI Pin, an ambitious but ultimately forgettable attempt at AI hardware. But if Rabbit takes decisive action, it might just pull a, well, rabbit out of its AI hat.

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• Pika has released an iOS app that enables easy AI video creation from your phone
• The app includes many features, like Pikaffects, PikaScenes, and Pikadditions
• A new mobile feature called PikaMemes will make your face a reaction video GIF

Pika Labs has introduced an iOS app for those who want to play with the AI video creator's tools while on the go. With a few taps and a little patience, you can produce impossible videos ready to post on social media.

Pika chose to release the app only a few weeks after rolling out the Pika 2.1 model and its many new features and upgrades, including higher quality videos, more lifelike people and animals, and far more realistic movement and physics in general.

Further, if you're too impatient to wait for Pika 2.1, you can switch to Pika Turbo, a three times faster model that uses far fewer Pika credits to make a video, though it might not produce quite as impressive results.

AI imagination

All of Pika's popular tools are in the app – including Pikaffects, which creates bizarre transformations that deliver surreal, slightly unhinged visual spectacles. Give that vacation photo a melting Salvador Dalí look, turn the elephant at the zoo into the cake, and explode the litter thrown by a careless driver, all from your phone.

You can also add a touch of whimsy or unreality to a video with the Pikadditions tool. You pick a video to alter, then upload another image and describe how you want to infuse your footage with unreal elements. You might add a dragon to your backyard barbecue video or yourself in your favorite movie. As a test, I gave my dog some surprising new friends in our snowy backyard.

If you want a more narrative film, PikaScenes, formerly Scene Ingredients, lets you set the stage for your stories. If you forget a friend's birthday, you could send a personalized video of an animated scene starring them and a range of appropriate AI-crafted characters, props, and settings from your own photos or by a text prompt.

There's also a mobile app-exclusive feature called PikaMemes. As the name suggests, you can meld a photo with an emoji or popular meme concept and bring it to life in a short video or GIF. Say you want to share exactly how you feel when overwhelmed on a Monday. Just upload a good selfie or headshot and match it to the right mood; you won't need words to share how you feel.

All of these tools on a mobile app really encourage a lot of playing around. To take advantage of this, you'll need more than 150 tokens a month, which are provided for free, as the videos can range from five tokens for a Turbo model basic video to 60 credits for using Pika 2.1 and the most complex features. You can sign up for the Basic plan at $8 per month and get 700 credits, or the Standard plan for $28 and 2,300 credits.

Still, if you want to really stand out on TikTok or Instagram or just feel like really hammering home how much heat you're feeling, it's probably going to be hard to resist giving it a shot.

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Apple has just revealed the iPhone 16e, its new budget phone to replace the aged iPhone SE, but it’s more than just a cheaper take on the iPhone 16, as it comes with a brand-new component: the C1 cellular modem.

That’s Apple’s first-ever modem chip created for an iPhone and marks what could be a major move from using Qualcomm modem chips, further letting the Cupertino crew have greater control over iPhone hardware at a granular level.

We don’t have a vast amount of information about the C1 modem chip. Still, Apple touted that it’s “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity."

A fast and reliable 5G connection is to be expected, especially when the iPhone 16e is a $599 / 3599 / AU$999 phone, so it is hardly a slam-dunk contender for our best cheap phones list, at least in its current content. But what got my attention was the power-efficiency claim.

Unbelievably, I live in a part of London that has yet to get fiber internet connectivity, so when it comes to doing anything that requires a lot of bandwidth, say downloading a PS5 or Xbox Series X game, I need to tether to my iPhone 16 Pro Max to tap into the faster 5G connection.

This is fine until I look at how much battery gets gobbled up from using sustained 5G data transfer, plus the phone gets rather toasty to the touch.

If the C1 can significantly improve power efficiency, we could see the iPhone 16e, and perhaps the likes of the rumored iPhone 17 family, combat this by glugging less juice from the battery and getting less hot under the silicon collar.

Overall, we could see that iPhones improve on the already solid battery life that Apple phones tend to offer, though they are far from being the longest-lasting smartphones. At a time when we’re seeing demanding AI-powered tools and features pop up in the best phones, having improved power efficiency will become rather more important.

Chipping away

(Image credit: Apple)

Another interesting point that popped up when I dug into Apple’s iPhone 16e announcement is that the combination of the new C1 chip and the A18 chip, which can be found in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, has allowed for a new internal design with the iPhone 16e.

Apple hasn’t gone into details here, but like in the world of cars, especially Formula One, new methods of packaging in components can lead to more efficient designs and potentially improved performance.

Or a new internal design for iPhones could yield new hardware features; maybe with next-generation iPhones, we could get a dedicated graphic processing unit separate from the A18 chip that could bring in huge graphics power to supercharge gaming and other graphically demanding tasks on iPhones.

This is just me pondering, of course. But if nothing else, a new internal design could yield more compact and slimmer iPhones.

So, while a new in-house-designed modem chip might not be the most exciting of new Apple components, it could be a bigger deal for future iPhones than one might first think.

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• Instagram is continuing to expand what's possible in the DMs
• You can now schedule a message and easily translate one
• The bigger news dropped from JENNIE and Doechii as you can share music now

Sure, Instagram DMs might be best known as where you might shoot your shot with someone or send Reels to friends with common interests, but Meta wants them to be used as a core messaging service. At least, that’s what we think this pretty major expansion to Instagram DMs, which is rolling out now, indicates.

Just days after debuting the ability to give another user a nickname timed to Valentine’s Day, Instagram is rolling out four major improvements to its DMs. Starting with the ability to schedule a message, which I was surprised wasn’t already there. Instagram is now playing catch up with the likes of iMessage – which only got this feature in iOS 18 – Messenger, and WhatsApp.

Within Instagram, though, you can now write out a message – emojis, GIFs, and all – and schedule it to be sent later for individual or group messages. You can schedule one for up to 29 days in the future, which might prove fruitful if you need to be sure an important message will be sent, like for a friend's birthday or an anniversary with a loved one.

(Image credit: Instagram)

Further, Instagram knows its platform is global and that you might be messaging someone in another language. And rather than copying that message into another app or the web for a translation, you can now translate a message into 99 different languages right within Instagram. You can do this by long holding on to the message and selecting the translate option. This one could prove pretty handy.

Next, we’ve all been there when group messages get busy – it can be a constant onslaught of new items to read, and other messages or items shared can get lost in the mix. Instagram has a fix, well, at least one that could help, as you can now pin up to three messages to the top of an individual or a group chat. So, if you’re planning a weekend trip with friends, you can get the essential details up top.

Considering Instagram already integrates music into Stories and lets you share an adorable vinyl record spinning with artwork, it was only a matter of time before this feature arrived in messages. The result is that you can share your favorite tracks with your friends in a one-person or group message and listen to the track simultaneously.

You also don’t need to navigate out to Apple Music or Spotify to find the track as you can search for your favorite songs right in-line from a new pop-up menu. It’s similar to picking a track to share on Stories or as backing music for a Reel. Instagram actually partnered with JENNIE and Doechii to unveil this feature.

(Image credit: Instagram)

All of this stacks up to make messaging in DMs a bit more seamless but also to keep you more within Instagram rather than navigating out to other apps. Additionally, Instagram also now lets you generate a QR code so another user can easily join a group chat by just scanning it.

Let us know what your favorite feature of this Instagram DM drop is in the comments below, but in the meantime, I’m going to share some new music in a DM with my friends.

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• HPE introduces quantum-resistant encryption

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has unveiled its latest ProLiant Compute Gen12 portfolio, introducing eight new servers powered by Intel Xeon 6 processors.

This marks a departure from previous generations that offered AMD EPYC alternatives, and HPE says the new lineup with faster DDR5 configurations can provide up to 65% annual power savings, thanks to its AI-driven optimizations and fanless Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) architecture which reduces cooling power consumption by up to 90%.

The ProLiant Gen12 portfolio integrates quantum-resistant encryption to guard against cryptographic threats while HPE iLO 7 offers independent hardware-based protection for sensitive credentials, such as encryption keys and system passwords.

Expanding the ProLiant lineup

The ProLiant Gen12 series includes six rack-mounted servers, a blade server, and a high-performance quad-processor system.

Among them, the DL380 (2U) and DL360 (1U) provide dual-socket configurations, supporting up to 288 cores, 8TB of DDR5 memory, and PCIe Gen5 expansion. These models cater to enterprises requiring scalable compute power for AI, cloud, and virtualization workloads.

For businesses seeking cost-effective single-socket solutions, the DL320 and DL340 offer targeted performance benefits. The DL320, a 1U server, supports up to 144 cores, 2TB of DDR5 memory, and PCIe Gen5 expansion, making it ideal for virtualization while the DL340, a 2U server, is optimized for AI-driven cloud computing with support for up to 8TB of DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen5 connectivity.

Designed for SMBs and edge computing, the ML350 tower server offers up to 8TB of DDR5 memory and multiple PCIe Gen5 slots. Meanwhile, the DL380a, a 2U rack server, is built for intensive workloads, supporting up to 16 single-wide or 8 double-wide GPUs.

HPE plans to release the six rack-mounted servers in Q1 2025, while the Synergy 480 blade server and the high-performance DL580 quad-processor system will launch this summer, available as standalone units or through HPE GreenLake.

“Our customers are tackling workloads that are overwhelmingly data-intensive and growing ever-more demanding,” said Krista Satterthwaite, senior vice president and general manager, Compute at HPE.

“The new HPE ProLiant Compute Gen12 servers give organizations – spanning public sector, enterprise and vertical industries like finance, healthcare and more – the horsepower and management insights they need to thrive while balancing their sustainability goals and managing costs," she added.

"This is a modern enterprise platform engineered for the hybrid world, designed with innovative security and control capabilities to help companies prevail over the evolving threat landscape and performance challenges that their legacy hardware cannot address."

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Back when the iPhone SE was still a thing, it was well understood that "SE" stood for "Special Edition," but applying that logic to the iPhone 16e, which Apple announced on February 19, makes no sense. That would make it the "iPhone 16 Edition".

That "e," though, must stand for something.

Apple isn't talking about it. Trust me, I asked. However, a little research reveals that Apple has used the "e" a couple of times before. There was 2002's eMac, where "e" stood for "education." Such a nomenclature made the product's intention clear. Apple wanted schools to adopt this cheaper, boxy, candy-colored computer. I don't think they were very successful.

Twenty years before that, Apple sold the Apple IIe, where the "e" on its second-generation and rather popular personal desktop PC stood for "Enhanced."

As far as I can tell, those are the only other times Apple applied an "e" to a product name. However, the iPhone 16e is neither an "education" smartphone nor exactly an "enhanced" model.

There are other ideas that I think, upon reflection, make some sense, but first, we have to step back and ask why this new 5G, 128GB, 6.1-inch super Retina XDR-sporting phone is not called the iPhone SE 4.

What does 'e' mean to you?

Clearly, with its wealth of updates, including a more powerful rear camera (48MP fusion), the A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence, Face ID, wireless charging, and the Action Button, this is nothing like any SE model. It has far more in common with all the other iPhone 16 models. The notch, instead of a Dynamic Island, is odd and feels like a throwback but otherwise, the iPhone 16e feels like part of the new family.

But those differences, like the notch, lack of MagSafe support, and the missing Camera Control, also make it distinctive.

Perhaps you'd accept that some of those missing attributes might not be core to the iPhone 16 experience (is the Camera Control necessary?) and, on balance, you might consider this $599 phone "exciting" because it's comparatively affordable while still providing the "essential" iPhone 16 "experience".

I think you get where I'm going. If I had to guess, I'd say that Apple is being a little "enigmatic" and using a handful of "e" words to define this model. That's not necessarily a bad thing since it means the "e" in iPhone 16e can mean what you want it to mean.

I do think Apple missed an opportunity here. This is the first and only iPhone 16 with the new C1 cellular modem. The introduction of this piece of Apple Silicon is a huge deal and kind of makes the new phone special or "Special." Why Apple didn't name this the iPhone 16s is beyond me.

This might not have been the answer you were looking for, but I think it's the one we've got. I hope everyone is okay with that.

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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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #1122).

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 #1123) - 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 #1123) - 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 #1123) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1123) - 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 #1123) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• D

• F

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1123) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1123, are…

• HASTY
• DRAPE
• FICUS
• CRAZE

I don’t feel that bad about being defeated by today’s puzzle. I still got three very difficult words – one of which included Z. Plus, I got myself in a bind with a letter combination that led to several incorrect guesses I chose ahead of CRAZE.

But mainly I don't feel bad because I have never heard of the word FICUS (a genus of tropical trees, of course) and would only have got it by chancing it, like we all do sometimes in Scrabble hoping that the random letters we’ve put down are in the dictionary.

Onwards and upwards.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1123) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1123, are…

• CUMIN
• SCENE
• GUEST
• GRAPH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
• Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
• Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL
• Quordle #1110, Friday 7 February: PETAL, ABASE, AMONG, CORER
• Quordle #1109, Thursday 6 February: MADAM, SCAMP, FAUNA, TRACK
• Quordle #1108, Wednesday 5 February: SIXTH, VERVE, BLURB, CACTI
• Quordle #1107, Tuesday 4 February: BIRTH, DRAWN, MILKY, JOIST
• Quordle #1106, Monday 3 February: SLEET, TENSE, SEIZE, SCAMP
• Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
• Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
• Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO

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 Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #353).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Together for the present

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• FIVE
• TIED
• NEST
• THAN 
• THEN
• DONE

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Wedding date celebrations

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 1st column

Last side: top, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #354) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #354, are…

• DIAMOND
• GOLD
• FIRST
• PAPER
• FIFTIETH
• SIXTIETH
• SPANGRAM: ANNIVERSARY

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Just to wrap up these pairs, PAPER is your FIRST ANNIVERSARY, GOLD your FIFTIETH, and DIAMOND the SIXTIETH.

With people getting married later in life, it feels as if there should be celebrations of wedding anniversaries before you toast 50 years together, especially as you’re less likely to want a party by the time you get to that stage. I propose we go big on Tin – which marks 10 years since your wedding day. It’s also a lot more affordable than getting someone a gold or diamond gift.

Come on Hallmark, let's make this happen. All in on Tin.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 19 February, game #353)

• ELDER
• STRAW
• HUCKLE
• BLUE
• RASP
• SALMON
• GOLDEN
• BLACK
• SPANGRAM: BERRIES

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #619).

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 #620) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• ROOSTER
• UMBRELLA
• SLEEP
• STAR
• SOS
• SUNRISE
• STAY
• FLARE
• CIRCLE
• BUNK
• SIGNAL
• DEW
• ALARM
• TRIANGLE
• WORM
• CRASH

NYT Connections today (game #620) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Something you’d sound
• GREEN: Sleepover
• BLUE: First thing in the AM 
• PURPLE: No. 456 picked the hardest

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 #620) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: ALERT 
• GREEN: SPEND THE NIGHT (AT) 
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY MORNING 
• PURPLE: COOKIE CUTTER SHAPES IN "SQUID GAME" 

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

NYT Connections today (game #620) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #620, are…

• YELLOW: ALERT ALARM, FLARE, SIGNAL, SOS
• GREEN: SPEND THE NIGHT (AT) BUNK, CRASH, SLEEP, STAY
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY MORNING DEW, ROOSTER, SUNRISE, WORM
• PURPLE: COOKIE CUTTER SHAPES IN "SQUID GAME" CIRCLE, STAR, TRIANGLE, UMBRELLA

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I made one mistake today, initially thinking that there was a group that was about ways to wake up. I rashly selected ROOSTER, ALARM, SIGNAL and FLARE before coming to my senses.

Getting the Purple group – COOKIE CUTTER SHAPES IN "SQUID GAME – largely depended on whether you have seen the Netflix series or not, although I guess they're all shapes that might go together anyway. Well, other than UMBRELLA, obviously, which rather complicated things. Still, that aside this was not too tough.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 19 February, game #619)

• YELLOW: STRUCTURES BY THE SHORE BOARDWALK, DOCK, LIGHTHOUSE, WHARF
• GREEN: SMALL IMPERFECTION DENT, DING, NICK, SCRATCH
• BLUE: SOUNDS A CUCKOO CLOCK MAKES CHIME, CUCKOO, TICK, TOCK
• PURPLE: _ TAIL COCK, MOCK, PIG, PONY

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.

• Meta Connect is coming on September 17 and 18
• The first-ever LlamaCon is coming on April 29, 2025
• Meta is teasing big AI and XR announcements for these events

Meta has announced the dates of its next two events: LamaCon and Meta Connect; in doing so it has potentially told us precisely when we’ll see its next-gen AI glasses, and maybe a sneak peek at what XR tech it has up its sleeve.

Starting with LamaCon as that’s coming up first – on April 29, 2025 – here Meta says it will share updates on its open-source AI collection Llama. This developer conference will seemingly focus more on back-end tools rather than consumer-facing products. However, these tools could be used to create some impressive AI software down the line.

Then there’s Meta Connect 2025, which is scheduled for September 17 and 18. That’s just under seven months away which is a lot more notice than we’re used to for tech events – look at Apple which gave us about a week’s notice for its February 19 event (where it announced the iPhone 16e). Connect, as always, will feature VR, MR, and AI hardware announcements – such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses – either as products we'll get our hands on soon or tech that’s coming down the line but is still at the in-development stage.

Meta is remaining tight-lipped on specifics for either event but says it’ll be back with updates in the coming months. I’m pretty sure we already have a good idea of what Meta Connect 2025 will have in store for us based on leaks.

What we expect to see at Meta Connect 2025

(Image credit: Meta)

Meta made sure to specifically call out AI glasses in its announcement, and we’re expecting Meta Connect 2025 is where it will launch at least two new products. The first is Oakley versions of its existing Ray-Ban meta smart glasses; they’ll shift the camera from the edge to the nose bridge in the center, and they’ll reportedly be aimed at athletes and cyclists – which could include some AI-powered fitness tools.

The other launch could be next-gen Ray-Ban specs with a display. This single in-lens screen could let a wearer see phone notifications, a preview of images they capture, and other useful info, allowing the Ray-Ban smart specs to communicate with you visually rather than just relying on audio or your phone screen.

Lastly on the AI glasses front I’m predicting the arrival of Meta’s ‘smartwatch’ which is likely just a simple band that allows your specs to pick up hand gesture controls – which we’ve seen a version of for the Meta Orion AR glasses. We’ve heard rumors Meta is working on such a band and has been trying to decide if it should launch it alongside the next-gen Ray-Bans. I’m leaning towards the band dropping later this year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s held back until Meta’s proper AR specs.

The old Meta Quest Pro (Image credit: Meta)

AR glasses aren’t likely – based on leaks, consumer versions of Orion aren’t expected before 2027 – however, I think we have a shot at seeing at least two XR devices.

The first is from Asus in a VR headset codenamed ‘Tarius.’ While it isn’t Meta-made it will boast Meta Horizon OS software – Meta’s operating system which currently only powers Quest devices. Meta has said Asus is working on a Horizon OS device, leaks have started to appear this year for it (hinting that a launch could be approaching), and Meta says in its Connect date announcement that the show will include “the latest and greatest Meta Horizon updates” – it doesn’t get much greater than the platform’s first-ever third-party VR headset. Not much is known about Tarius but leaks tease a high-end gaming headset with top-notch displays.

Finally, I think Meta’s ‘one more thing’ at Connect 2025 will be the Meta Quest Pro 2. But much like the original Pro I think we’ll only be getting a teaser of a device we won’t see properly until Meta Connect 2026. While the Quest Pro was ultimately a flop, and rumors have suggested its sequel has been canned twice (or, specifically, that prototypes that were intended to become the Quest Pro 2 both got scrapped) a third attempt is in the works as a showcase of high-end mixed reality glasses. If that's the case then the Quest Pro 2 could be a super intriguing and unique MR headset – but as with all leaks and predictions we won’t know what Meta has in store for Connect 2025 until its keynote (which usually takes place at the start of the first day, so September 17, 2025).

Whatever announcements Meta makes we’ll be here and ready to cover them.

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• A data breach has apparently hit the US Coast Guard
• The paychecks of over a thousand employees have been affected
• The Coast Guard is investigating the incident

A data breach has affected the personnel and payroll systems of the US Coast Guard, and has impacted member pay, and forced the agency to to take systems offline to prevent further intrusion until “at least February 19th, 2025”.

The Coast Guard told Cybernews researchers it is, “investigating the breach of data within its personnel and payroll system, which has impacted the timeliness of bi-weekly pay to 1,135 members.”

The sensitive financial information of service members was reportedly exposed in the hack, meaning they could be at risk of fraud or identity theft - so it could be dangerous for anyone exposed, here’s what we know so far.

Compromised accounts

The data breach was discovered by a junior petty officer, who alerted the agency to irregular activity on their account, and the source of the breach is yet unknown.

The full scope of the breach also hasn’t been determined yet, and the Coast Guard have confirmed it will “ensure it is resolved as soon as possible”.

“Concurrently, the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center and Pay and Personnel Center are expediting pay to any impacted Coast Guard members,” the agency said, calling “the men and women of the USCG workforce our most valuable resource.”

The service’s Pay and Personnel Center, has pulled its Direct Access military pay and benefits system offline while it investigates the issue, but the spokesperson confirmed that members will be paid “as soon as possible”.

The Coast Guard spokesperson reiterated to Cybernews its members “deserve transparency into the causes and resolution of this incident” and that through the “ongoing response and investigation,” the USCG will “continue to provide timely updates to the workforce.”

In April 2024, the Coast Guard Reserve suffered a data breach which exposed the private information of thousands of individuals, including home addresses, employee identification numbers, and names.

With increased cybercriminal activity from rogue nation states across the world, it's unsurprising that critical infrastructure and government agencies are being targeted. In fact, US military and defense contractors have been increasingly attacked by Infostealer malware, with the US Army, Navy, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and others all affected.

Employees at risk

Since Personally Identifiable Information was leaked as part of this breach, there is a risk for those affected. Financial information puts personnel at risk of fraud, such as false credit card claims, so employees should be sure to monitor their accounts very carefully.

With any data breach, a serious danger is the risk of identity theft for families and employees, which these plans can help with. Staying on top of your accounts and your details is the basis of it, but the plans often offer insurance, dark web monitoring, and antivirus software to keep you protected all in one place.

Besides that, social engineering attacks like phishing are a risk, because attackers can use the personal information gained from the breach to construct a specific email (usually) that references family members, websites you use, the company you work for, or another convincing scam.

These will often prompt the victim into action, like clicking a link, entering credentials, or scanning a QR code. Our advice is to never click links or scan codes you don’t 100% trust, and be very, very wary of communications you aren’t expecting.

Banks are unlikely to email or call you out of the blue, and so are the social media companies or communication platforms you use - and they won’t ask for your information either. If you receive an email from one of these you’re not sure about, look up the official email address and compare them, or call the company up to verify.

Make sure you create a strong and secure password and a unique one for all platforms which hold medical or financial information (like banks and messaging apps) - this quarantines any accounts that do suffer a data breach.

Also important, is to enable multi-factor authentication or MFA. Although this can be a bit of a hassle, it's an extra layer of security and gives you a peace of mind knowing that criminals would face an extra barrier to steal your details.

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• Sales of discs, including 4K Blu-ray, fall for another year
• There was an overall decline of 23.4% year-over-year in 2024
• Subscription streaming services, such as Netflix, grew by 25.3%

Sales of 4K Blu-ray discs (our top format choice for testing the best TVs), Blu-ray discs and DVDs declined for another year in 2024, falling below $1 billion for the first time in the US. Digital movie sales also fell during that time, adding yet more woes for Hollywood studios.

As reported by FlatpanelsHD, the sale of physical media formats fell after a 23.4% year-over-year decline, which is a record low after a peak for physical media sales of $16 billion in 2005. The 4K Blu-ray format accounts for a growing portion of the declining disc sales, though it has seen its sales decrease every year since 2018. Digital movie sales, from places such as Apple TV, fell 10.2% from the previous year.

Interestingly, figures suggest that the home entertainment market is actually growing, up 25.3% from the previous year. That includes revenue from the best streaming services such as Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus and more. At $57.17 billion, it is seven times larger than the US theatrical box office.

This news comes after a year of ups and downs for physical media in 2024, which saw Best Buy and Disney decide to cease selling and distribution of discs, only to be followed shortly thereafter by an agreement between Sony and Disney for the former to take over physical media distribution for the latter. LG also announced it would no longer manufacture 4K Blu-ray players, while retailers such as Fred Meyers and GameStop announced plans to stock 4K Blu-rays.

Are you missing out?

4K Blu-ray remains the best way to view your favorite movies, such as David Fincher's '90s crime epic Se7en (pictured), which had a 4k Blu-ray release in January 2025. (Image credit: Future)

We here at TechRadar are fans of 4K Blu-ray as we use them to test TVs, including the best OLED TVs and even the best soundbars. That’s because playing a disc on one of the best 4K Blu-ray players lets you enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows with superior picture and sound quality compared to streaming.

When you stream from services such as Netflix in 4K, the quality level is actually closer to a 1080p HD Blu-ray. The average video bit rate for a 4K Blu-ray is 128mbps, whereas 4K streaming averages 18mbps, maxing out at 40mbps on services like Apple TV. When I tested Blu-ray vs streaming, however, the impact was felt most with audio: streaming services compress Dolby Atmos soundtracks, whereas the uncompressed version present on Blu-rays sounds much clearer and more powerful.

Another issue with streaming services is that you don’t ‘own’ the movies and TV shows they carry. I’ve consistently found examples of movies I enjoy migrating from one streaming service to another (usually ones I don’t subscribe to) or disappearing altogether. It’s an incredibly frustrating situation that doesn’t happen if you own a physical copy.

The last year was a rollercoaster for 4K Blu-ray and this doom-and-gloom news of falling sales hasn’t got 2025 off to the best start, but I still remain hopeful for 2025. Our readers have shown strong interest in 4K Blu-ray, so much so that we’ve launched a monthly roundup of some of the best 4K Blu-ray releases named the ‘Blu-ray Bounty’, with our latest edition from January 2025 available to read at the link.

For anyone fed up with rising streaming prices, or maybe looking to dip their toe into the world of serious home theater, 4K Blu-ray is an excellent option. If you’re only focused on streaming, you’re missing out on the wonderful world of 4K Bu-ray.

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• Wicked Part One has finally conjured up a streaming release date on Peacock
• The Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-starring musical movie will arrive on March 21
• That means fans of the hit film won't be able to watch it at home before the 2025 Oscars

Get ready to sing your lungs out, everyone, because Wicked has finally landed a streaming release date.

That's right, Universal Pictures' hit film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical of the same name is set to be released on Peacock in the US next month. Indeed, it'll make its streaming debut on the NBCUniversal-owned service on Friday, March 21. At the time of this article's publication, that's just over a month from now.

Holding space for March 21. #WickedMovie will be streaming exclusively on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/xvlWvhmPQtFebruary 19, 2025

That's the good news. The bad news is that Wicked – or, to give its full title, Wicked: Part One – won't be available to watch at home before this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The 2025 Oscars are set to take place on Sunday, March 3, meaning almost three weeks will have passed before one of 2024's best movies is released on one of the world's best streaming services. If you were hoping to catch the multi-Oscar contender before the glitziest event of the year, then, you're bound to be disappointed.

In some ways, it makes sense that Wicked wouldn't be available to stream on Peacock before the 97th Academy Awards take place. Wicked has been nominated for 10 Oscars following its November 2024 theatrical debut, and I'd be very surprised if its cast and crew don't walk away with a few gongs on the night. There'll be more than a few fans who'll want to check it out on Peacock if (or, rather, when) it's won an award or four. That said, the timing of its streaming debut is a bit strange. Interest in Wicked is likely to be at its highest in the week before and after the 2025 Oscars. To me, then, it would be more logical for it to be released on Peacock on February 24 or March 4.

Anyway, if you're interested in watching any of this year's Best Picture Oscar nominees from the comfort of your own home, check out our guide on where to stream The Substance, Conclave, Anora, The Brutalist, and Wicked's other Academy Award competitors.

Where can I stream Wicked in the UK and Australia?

UK and Australian viewers will need to rent or buy Wicked from a digital store if they want to stream it (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Unfortunately, there's no word on when Wicked will be available to stream for 'free' – that is, by way of owning a subscription to a streaming platform – on British or Australian shores. The only way you can currently watch it at home is by renting or buying it from online retailers, such as Amazon, Apple TV, Microsoft, and Sky.

If you're planning on doing so, you'll need to be quick. The Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-starring movie won't be around for much longer on Amazon and Sky in the UK. As of this article's publication, it's leaving these platforms in three days so, if you're reading this after February 22, you'll be out of luck. Australian audiences only have five days to rent or buy it on Amazon down under, too, so you've got until February 24 to see what all of the fuss is about.

Thankfully, it seems that the Apple and Microsoft stores will still allow you to purchase Wicked permanently or temporarily. Anyone who wants to belt out 'Defying Gravity' from their couch between now and March 3, then, will be able to do so. Just don't be surprised if you get a knock at the door from your slightly annoyed neighbor if you do!

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• Apple has announced the new iPhone 16e
• The iPhone SE, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Plus have been discontinued
• The iPhone 16e is available to preorder on February 21

Apple has announced the iPhone 16e, a cheaper addition to the iPhone 16 lineup that we previously suspected would be known as the fourth-generation iPhone SE. We're still covering the iPhone 16e announcement live as Apple reveals more details.

The new iPhone 16e packs the A18 chipset, 48MP Fusion camera, and Apple Intelligence compatibility of the mainline iPhone 16 into a chassis modeled after the iPhone 14.

However, the announcement of the new mid-range iPhone has in fact signaled the end of the iPhone SE and iPhone 14 product lines altogether.

It seems that the iPhone 16e is a direct replacement for the iPhone SE – the SE’s product page is still accessible for now, but there’s no option to buy the phone anymore.

With the iPhone 16e available to preorder on February 21, and shipping on February 28, it makes sense that Apple would stop sales of the iPhone SE to push customers towards the new iPhone 16e.

The third-generation iPhone SE was modeled after the iPhone 8 and carried the internals of the iPhone 13 – so from an aesthetic and performance point of view, it was getting a little long in the tooth.

Not just a 14 with a new name

As mentioned, the iPhone 16e can be seen as a spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, though it is much more expensive at a starting price of $599 / £599 / AU$999 compared to the third-gen iPhone SE at $429 / £429 / AU$719.

The situation with the iPhone 14 is a little more complex. Until today, Apple had the baseline iPhone 14 on sale for the same price the iPhone 16e launches at: $599 / £599 / AU$999.

However, the iPhone 16e’s A18 chipset, 48MP main camera, and Apple Intelligence support effectively make the iPhone 14 redundant, as the iPhone 14 doesn’t have any of these features. Both phones have the same notched 6.1-inch display and the same dimensions. The only thing the iPhone 16e misses out on that the iPhone 14 has is a secondary ultra-wide camera.

Apple has never concurrently sold two iPhones at the same starting price, so the new iPhone 16e has taken the iPhone 14’s spot in the lineup.

Finally, today brings bad luck for anyone looking to pick up a cheap big iPhone – the iPhone 14 Plus has been discontinued along with its smaller sibling.

Your cheapest option for a 6.7-inch iPhone is now the iPhone 15 Plus, which remains on sale for $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

We'll be testing the iPhone 16e as soon as we can to see if it ranks among the best iPhones.

What do you make of these changes? Will you miss the iPhone SE or iPhone 14? Let us know in the comments below.

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It feel like it was just yesterday that I was gearing you up for everything new on Hulu in February 2025 – but that's only because the month is as short as it is. Now that a new month is upon us that means you have a new Hulu streaming schedule for March 2025.

It's always exciting to see what's in store for the best streaming services each month, and March is a particularly thrilling month for Hulu as it marks the long overdue release of Sean Baker's Oscar-nominated Anora (2024) on streaming. This new movie comes just in time for the 2025 Oscars (that will be live streaming on Hulu on March 2), which will be accompanied by previous Oscar-winning flicks such as The Social Network and, a personal favorite of mine, Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance (2014).

There's no hiding that Anora is the movie I have my eye on out of all the new titles coming to Hulu in March 2025, and there's an open spot in our list of best Hulu movies waiting patiently for Anora to fill. Which movies and shows are you going to dig into to kickstart the transition into a month?

Everything new on Hulu in March 2025

Arriving on March 1

Akeelah And The Bee (movie)
Alien (movie)
Alien 3 (movie)
Alien Resurrection (movie)
Alien Vs. Predator (movie)
Alien: Covenant (movie)
Aliens (movie)
Aliens Vs. Predator – Requiem (movie)
The Amateur (movie)
American Hustle En Español (movie)
American Hustle (movie)
The Angry Birds Movie (movie)
Anger Management (movie)
Big (movie)
Birdman Or (The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) (movie)
Bohemian Rhapsody (movie)
Brooklyn (movie)
Couples Retreat (movie)
Crazy Heart (movie)
Dangerous Beauty (movie)
Firehouse Dog (movie)
Good Will Hunting (movie)
High Fidelity (movie)
Jojo Rabbit (movie)
L.A. Confidential (movie)
The Last King Of Scotland (movie)
The Legend of Zorro (movie)
Life Of Pi (movie)
Lincoln (movie)
My Cousin Vinny (movie)
The Other Guys (movie)
The Other Guys En Español (movie)
Pacific Rim: Uprising (movie)
Predator (movie)
Predator 2 (movie)
Predators (movie)
The Predator (movie)
The Princess Bride (movie)
Prometheus (movie)
Pulp Fiction (movie)
Sideways (movie)
The Social Network (movie)
The Wrestler (movie)
Think Like A Man Too En Español (movie)
Think Like a Man Too (movie)
The Truman Show (movie)
3:10 to Yuma (movie)
True Grit (movie)
The Ugly Truth En Español (movie)
The Ugly Truth (movie)
Unbreakable (movie)
Wadjda (movie)
War Horse (movie)
Welcome To The Rileys (movie)
Whatever Works En Español (movie)
Whatever Works (movie)
Wild Target (movie)

Arriving on March 2

The Oscars
Love Again (movie)
Love Again En Español (movie)

Arriving on March 3

Sensory Overload (movie)

Arriving on March 4

The Gutter (movie)

Arriving on March 6

Deli Boys season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on March 7

The Banger Sisters (movie)
Classified (movie)
Confessions Of A Shopaholic (movie)
Hellboy: The Crooked Man (movie)
The Inner Portrait (movie)
Notes On A Scandal (movie)

Arriving on March 8

Babylon (movie)
Babylon En Español (movie)

Arriving on March 10

American Idol season 8 Premiere (TV show)
The $100,000 Pyramid season 8 Premiere (TV show)
The Benefactor (movie)
Ca$h (movie)
Hesher (movie)

Arriving on March 11

Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna (documentary)
New Life (movie)

Arriving on March 12

Murai In Love season 1 (TV show)
Am I Being Unreasonable? season 2 (TV show)
The Conners seasons 1-5 (TV show)

Arriving on March 13

Control Freak (movie)
After the First 48 season 9B (TV show)
American Godfathers: The Five Families season 1 (TV show)
Brigham Young: Architect Of Faith season 1 (TV show)
Lifetime Presents Women Making History season 1 (TV show)
Parents Gone Wild season 1 (TV show)
Pawn Stars: Best Of season 5 (TV show)
Sentenced to Life: Teen Killers season 1 (TV show)
The First 48 season 26 (TV show)
The Boston Strangler (movie)
The First 48: Critical Minutes (TV show)
Monster Hunter (movie)
Stepmom from Hell (movie)

Arriving on March 14

Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years (TV show)
Fight Club (movie)
Force of Nature: The Dry 2 (movie)
The Last Of The Mohicans (movie)
The Prestige (movie)
True Lies (movie)

Arriving on March 15

Premonition (movie)
Premonition En Español (movie)
The Roundup: No Way Out (movie)
The Roundup: Punishment (movie)

Arriving on March 17

The Sabrina Soto Show season 1 (TV show)
Anora (movie)

Arriving on March 18

Carol (movie)
Exhibiting Forgiveness (movie)

Arriving on March 19

Gannibal season 2 (TV show)
Good American Family (TV show)
Hyper Knife (TV show)
Tokyo Revengers season 2B (TV show)
Magi seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Rega Crimson season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on March 20

O’Dessa (movie)
My Strange Arrest season 2 (TV show)
Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys season 1 (TV show)
The Proof Is Out There: Alien Edition season 1 (TV show)
Rachael Ray in Tuscany season 1 (TV show)
Trapped in the Rocky Mountains (movie)

Arriving on March 21

The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy season 1 (TV show)
I’ve Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on March 22

The Jesus Music (documentary)

Arriving on March 23

The Machine (movie)
The Machine En Español (movie)

Arriving on March 24

Wildflower (movie)

Arriving on March 25

Big Boys season 3 (TV show)
Dandelion (movie)

Arriving on March 26

The Conners season 6 (TV show)

Arriving on March 27

The Conners season 8 (TV show)
Alone season 11 (TV show)
Biography: WWE Legends season 4 (TV show)
Find My Country House season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on March 28

Chosen Family (movie)
The Line (movie)

Arriving on March 31

The Fable season 1 (TV show)
Alex Cross (movie)
Bachelorette (movie)

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• Reviews and benchmarks reveal the RTX 5070 Ti's position between the RTX 5080 and RTX 4070 Ti Super
• It's 20% faster than the RTX 4070 Ti Super in Cyberpunk 2077 at native 4K
• An inflated retail price may ruin its potential success in the GPU market

Nvidia's RTX 5000 series GPU launch hasn't been the best, notably due to supply and scalper issues - but the RTX 5070 Ti's release is on the horizon and reviews suggest it's nearly as good as the RTX 5080, if it can be found at its retail price.

Based on multiple reviews and benchmarks, the general consensus surrounding the RTX 5070 Ti is that it's an RTX 5080 lite GPU - it utilizes the same GB203 GPU die and reports (before reviews went live) suggested its placement in between the RTX 5080 and RTX 4070 Ti Super, as highlighted by KitGuru based on 'leaked' benchmarks.

That appears to be the case: a prime example is KitGuru's benchmarks in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K on maximum graphics settings without using DLSS 4, where the RTX 5080 is 19.2% faster than the RTX 5070 Ti. Sure, it sounds like a big margin, but that's excluding the use of DLSS 4 which is a huge game changer for image stability and would undoubtedly increase the average frame rate for both GPUs.

Compared to the RTX 4070 Ti Super, the RTX 5070 Ti is 20% faster in the same Cyberpunk 2077 test - with advantages like Multi Frame Generation to significantly boost frame rates with reduced ghosting compared to the RTX 4000 series model, it would knock the previous gen GPU out of the water based on this metric. However, the problem doesn't stem from how well the new Blackwell GPU performs, but rather its potential retail pricing.

You're probably not going to get it at its retail price...

Similar to the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, the RTX 5070 Ti will reportedly suffer from a limited supply. Inflated prices (for the RTX 5090 and 5080) are widespread at retailers and scalpers are also an issue - unless you're willing to throw your wallet at either of Team Green's premium GPUs, I doubt you'll find them at their retail prices.

The RTX 5070 Ti will launch tomorrow at $749, but the chances of this being the real listed price are very slim due to high demand and potentially limited availability. It's worth noting that there is no Founders Edition GPU, so you'll be left at the mercy of retailers - some retailers clearly don't care about Nvidia's embargoes since some have already received the GPU, so don't expect the $749 price to be honored.

If you own at least an RTX 4070 Ti Super, I wouldn't recommend the RTX 5070 Ti, especially because you're likely going to be overspending. However, if you're still using one of Team Green's RTX 3000 series GPUs, I'd suggest keeping an eye out for one that is hopefully at its retail price.

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• Snake Keylogger seen in more than 280 million blocked infection attempts
• The malware uses advanced obfuscation mechanics
• There are ways to defend the endpoints

Cybersecurity researchers from Fortinet have warned about a new, dangerous threat called Snake Keylogger.

This information-stealing piece of malware has been observed in more than 280 million infection attempts blocked just by Fortinet’s solutions, meaning the threat is widespread, and the threat actors are casting quite a wide net.

In its in-depth report, Fortinet says that Snake Keylogger is most prevalent in China, Turkey, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Spain, but added that its widespread presence highlights it as a global threat.

Advanced evasion techniques

The malware is primarily being spread through phishing emails with malicious attachments and links, and is used to steal sensitive information from browsers such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. Furthermore, Snake Keylogger can log keystrokes, capture credentials, and monitor for clipboard activity. Finally, it uses SMTP (email) and Telegram bots to exfiltrate whatever information it steals.

What makes this malware particularly dangerous is its use of AutoIT for evasion, Fortinet further explains. By hiding malicious code within compiled AutoIT scripts, the threat actors are making static analysis difficult, and ensure that the executables make it past traditional antivirus detection solutions.

There are ways to mitigate risks, though. Fortinet says that users should be careful with incoming email messages, and should avoid opening unsolicited email attachments, or clicking on unexpected links. Furthermore, users should make sure their antivirus software is up-to-date, and should keep their other software patched up, as well.

Finally, the cybersecurity community should continue working on improving user awareness on topics such as phishing, social engineering, and identity theft.

Keyloggers and infostealers are dangerous pieces of malware since they grant attackers keys to the kingdom, which can later be used in ransomware attacks, extortion, and more. In this particular case, Fortinet did not say who built the keylogger, or if they usually target a specific industry.

Via Infosecurity Magazine

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