TechRadar News

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 16 (game #350).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Sun shade

NYT Strands today (game #351) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• WAND
• TOLL
• DOLL
• DUST
• LUST
• LIFE

NYT Strands today (game #351) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Mellow color

NYT Strands today (game #351) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #351) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #351, are…

• LEMON
• CANARY
• GOLDENROD
• MUSTARD
• SAFFRON
• DAFFODIL
• SPANGRAM: YELLOW

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

I needed a Hint to get going today, but once I knew the color we were looking for was YELLOW, it was easy breezy going until the final word.

I could quibble that SAFFRON is a shade of orange, but there seems to be some debate over it being both orange and yellow.

GOLDENROD is not a shade I’ve heard of before. Google’s AI search tool tells me it’s named after goldenrod flowers and it’s a color that conveys “a sense of warmth, cheerfulness, and natural beauty”. Meanwhile, according to Wikipedia’s page on Goldenrod (color): “It is the color of paper that the Church of Scientology's Ethics Department prints its suppressive person declarations on, giving rise to the term ‘golden-rodding’.” Interesting.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 16 February, game #350)

• ALMOND
• CORN
• RICE
• BUCKWHEAT
• TAPIOCA
• CHICKPEA
• SPANGRAM: GLUTEN FREE

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 Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, February 16 (game #1119).

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 #1120) - 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 #1120) - 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 #1120) - 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 #1120) - 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 #1120) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• W

• L

• I

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

Quordle today (game #1120) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1120, are…

• SADLY
• WAFER
• LITHE
• IDIOM

Today was the longest I’ve ever spent on Quordle, hitting a complete brain jam with my final word. My incorrect guess of Doing took about 20 minutes of head scratching and when I did finally get IDIOM it felt like a relief rather than a triumph.

I love/hate how Quordle makes you work so hard for glory.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1120) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1120, are…

• EMAIL
• CLASH
• NAIVE
• BLANK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
• Quordle #1101, Wednesday 29 January: CROWN, SCENE, AGILE, CRANK
• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED

The President’s Day sales are hotting up and there are deals to be had on all sorts of gadgets. For those of you looking for an excellent fitness watch, it’s well worth looking around for some of the best Garmin watches this weekend.

Garmins are perfect for people looking to supercharge their outdoor training, be it cycling, hiking, running, swimming, surfing, climbing, or a mix of disciplines. As it’s the latest high-profile release by Garmin, all eyes might be on the Garmin Instinct 3, which we rated highly and gave 4.5 stars in our recent review.

However, it’s not going to be the best bang for your buck on President’s Day, as I believe it’s not going to receive many discounts based on the fact that it’s very new. Instead, there’s a three-year-old watch we rated even higher, that I believe is going to be very good value based on past sales events.

That watch is the Garmin Instinct 2. We rated the Garmin Instinct 2 an impressive five stars in our original 2022 review. We loved its extra-long battery life and superb fitness tracking features, and it’s often heavily discounted in sales events, making it an easy recommendation. It’s already on offer at Amazon in 40mm and 45mm sizes, from $299.99 down to just $199.99.

Check out that deal in full below:

Today's best Garmin Instinct 2 deal

Get the Garmin Instinct 2 in its smallest 40mm size, with the same $100 discount also on its larger 45mm sibling. It's got GPS tracking, all-day heart health monitoring, Garmin's Body Battery and Morning Report recovery tools (also on the Instinct 3) and all manner of outdoor training and navigation aids. Perfect for runners, hikers, cyclists, swimmers and more. View Deal

This is the first major sales event that has occurred since the Garmin Instinct 3’s release, so this could mean the Instinct 2 gets a bigger-than-usual price drop and go even lower than the deal above, as retailers look to clear old stock. It was a super-popular watch, and continues to be so: there are a lot of Instinct 2s out there, so we should see some great deals on it.

Why get the Garmin Instinct 2?

(Image credit: Future / Garmin)

Why get a three-year-old watch over its sequel, I hear you ask, even if it’s cheaper? Even though the Instinct 3 builds on its predecessor’s features in new ways, adding hardware like a torch and a new AMOLED screen option in addition to updated software, the Instinct 3 actually uses the same heart rate sensor as the Instinct 2.

The Instinct 2 continues (for now) to be supported with regular updates, so your experience tracking your health with the Garmin Instinct 2 won’t drastically differ or be wildly inaccurate compared with the Instinct 3.

The Instinct 3 does happen to have new SatIQ technology the Instinct 2 doesn’t, so it’s less likely to lose your GPS signal, but the Instinct 2 should continue to be more than sufficient for most hobbyist exercisers.

Not so keen on the Instinct 2? Check out our guides to the best smartwatch, best cheap smartwatch and best running watch to find the right one for you.

• New optical tech could slash archival costs by 10x or even more
• Optera Data’s discs could hit 10TB for just $1 - cheaper than tape!
• The low-power, high-density storage has data centers in mind

A team led by Dr. Nicolas Riesen at the University of South Australia has come up with a new optical storage technology that could potentially slash archival storage costs by a factor of ten, compared to current optical solutions.

As reported by Blocks & Files, this method relies on manipulating fluorescence in wavebands at specific recording areas, enabling multi-bit storage that’s similar to NAND flash technology.

The process involves selectively altering the fluorescence properties of nanoparticles within the recording medium, using laser energy to create "spectral holes" where the emission is reduced. This variation in light emission encodes data in multiple levels, potentially allowing for high-density storage. The nanoparticles, composed of hexagonal silicon carbide (SiC) crystals doped with vanadium, reportedly react to laser exposure in ways that affect their light emission characteristics. These alterations can be identified during the read process, allowing data to be retrieved.

$1 per terabyte

Founded by entrepreneur Geoff Macleod-Smith, Optera Data is currently working to commercialize the technology. The startup foresees optical discs capable of high-density archival storage, with a focus on offline security and long-term data preservation. Writing data would involve tuning lasers to set spectral frequencies, while reading would rely on detecting fluorescence patterns.

A whitepaper by Tom Coughlin, available to read on the Optera Data site, projects that overall storage capacity shipments will grow five-fold between 2024 and 2029, with much of this data residing in secondary or archival storage. Traditional hard drives, tape, and other emerging optical solutions are competing for this expanding market, where longevity and energy efficiency are prime factors.

Optera Data claims that, once developed, its technology could achieve a total cost of ownership as low as $1 per terabyte, far below the projected costs of other storage media.

The company hopes to manufacture 1TB discs in the short term, with the ambitious goal of hitting 10TB for $1 by the end of the decade. This price point would make it significantly cheaper than solutions from the likes of Cerabyte, and it could even potentially undercut magnetic tape storage, which is projected to fall below $2.50 per terabyte by 2029.

Unlike hard drives, which require continuous power, and magnetic tape, which depends on specialized library systems, Optera Data’s approach could integrate with existing optical disc formats. This compatibility could help with the tech’s adoption in data centers where reducing energy consumption and storage costs is a big focus for hyperscalers right now.

The viability of the technology will of course depend on its ability to meet storage density requirements and compete with evolving alternatives such as synthetic DNA storage, which offers long-term stability but is still a way off being ready for prime time.

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• Another foldable iPhone leak has emerged
• Display sizes of 7.74 inches and 5.49 inches are tipped
• The handset is expected to appear next year

The rumors around the foldable iPhone aren't stopping, and the latest leak gives us some idea of the sizes of the displays that the handset is going to be sporting – both the main display and the outer cover display.

This tip is from serial leaker Digital Chat Station (via Android Authority), a source that can usually be relied on. Apparently we're set to get a 7.74-inch inner screen and a 5.49-inch outer screen when the folding iPhone eventually makes an appearance.

If you want to know how that stacks up against the competition, check out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review: that foldable comes with a 7.6-inch inner display and a 6.3-inch outer display, so the cover screen is significantly larger on the Samsung model.

Then there's Google: as our Google Pixel 9 Pro review will tell you, it comes with an 8-inch inner display and a 6.3-inch outer display. If this leak is accurate, both screens on the foldable iPhone are going to be smaller.

iPhone not iPad

The book-style Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Image credit: Future)

This leak would suggest Apple is indeed working on a book-style foldable, rather than a flip-style foldable (see our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review for an example). This also sounds more like a folding iPhone than a folding iPad.

Of course if the foldable iPhone has a smaller screen than its rivals, that's not necessarily a disadvantage: it means the handset is going to be more compact when it's closed shut, and take up less room in a pocket or bag.

The rumors so far have pointed to 2026 as the year when Apple will make this folding iPhone public and available to the masses. With Apple's record, it's likely to become one of the best foldables on the market as soon as it's launched.

Apple is said to have started in earnest on developing the phone last November, but given the complexity of a device like this, next year would be a good bet for the folding iPhone making an appearance – and we can expect more leaks and rumors in the meantime.

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• The rumored foldable iPhone could save a stagnant foldable market
• Apple may have taken another key step towards a folding iPhone
• I canceled my Pixel 9 Pro Fold order and got the iPhone 16 Pro Max

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, February 15 (game #1118).

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 #1119) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1119) - 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 #1119) - 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 #1119) - 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 #1119) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• G

• A

• C

• F

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

Quordle today (game #1119) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1119, are…

• GHOUL
• AFIRE
• COVEN
• FIERY

I took a leap of faith today, guessing FIERY immediately after correctly entering AFIRE; the Quordle puzzle setters couldn’t include two very similar words in the same puzzle could they? Oh yes, they could.

Meanwhile, COVEN and GHOUL sound as if they could both feature in the same horror movie. It was all very thematic today.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1119) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1119, are…

• PRAWN
• WORDY
• SPIED
• REVEL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
• Quordle #1101, Wednesday 29 January: CROWN, SCENE, AGILE, CRANK
• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED
• Quordle #1099, Monday 27 January: ANGEL, GLOBE, MAYOR, BRAVE

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, February 15 (game #615).

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 #616) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PUNCH
• SUGGESTION
• TOUCH
• POINT
• MATCH
• BOX
• TRIUMPH
• SET
• HINT
• COMPLEMENT
• OSCAR
• SUIT
• LAMB CHOP
• TRACE
• FIT
• RETRIEVE

NYT Connections today (game #616) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Slight
• GREEN: Teams up
• BLUE: Comic dolls
• PURPLE: Add two letters for a canine

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 #616) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: GLIMMER 
• GREEN: CORRESPOND WELL WITH
• BLUE: FAMOUS PUPPETS 
• PURPLE: DOG BREEDS MINUS "ER" SOUND 

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

NYT Connections today (game #616) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #616, are…

• YELLOW: GLIMMER HINT, SUGGESTION, TOUCH, TRACE
• GREEN: CORRESPOND WELL WITH COMPLEMENT, FIT, MATCH, SUIT
• BLUE: FAMOUS PUPPETS LAMB CHOP, OSCAR, PUNCH, TRIUMPH
• PURPLE: DOG BREEDS MINUS "ER" SOUND BOX, POINT, RETRIEVE, SET

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

Crucial to today’s Connections was knowing the difference between COMPLEMENT and Compliment. Unlike Enquire and Inquire, it’s something I’m confident about after eating many complimentary snacks.

I breezed through FAMOUS PUPPETS, but momentarily snagged on the fourth one to add to LAMB CHOP, PUNCH, and OSCAR before a vague recollection of the fantastically rude mutt TRIUMPH on The Daily Show.

Puppets seem to be able to get away with things a person couldn’t say or do. Maybe it’s a future career move for Kanye West. I’m thinking of something like a cute fluffy cat with a pencil moustache.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 15 February, game #615)

• YELLOW: DIVULGE BLAB, DISH, SPILL, TELL
• GREEN: WORDS ON A MAC KEYBOARD COMMAND, CONTROL, OPTION, RETURN
• BLUE: WORDS SHORTENED IN ROCK GENRES ALTERNATIVE, EMOTIONAL, POPULAR, PROGRESSIVE
• PURPLE: __CAKE CHEESE, CUP, PAN, SHORT

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, February 15 (game #349).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Flour power

NYT Strands today (game #350) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PEND
• GLUE
• CULT
• BRICK
• PEAT
• CHEER

NYT Strands today (game #350) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Gut friendly

NYT Strands today (game #350) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 6th row

Last side: right, 2nd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #350) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #350, are…

• ALMOND
• CORN
• RICE
• BUCKWHEAT
• TAPIOCA
• CHICKPEA
• SPANGRAM: GLUTEN FREE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 hints

An educational Strands for me as I didn’t know there were so many GLUTEN FREE flours – CHICKPEA I knew about, but the others were news to me, especially TAPIOCA, as I associate that with the world’s most disgusting pudding (fight me, tapioca fans).

Originally I thought that we were just looking for cakes, as the first three words I got were ALMOND, CORN and RICE, and it took me BUCKWHEAT before I realized otherwise.

Right, this has made me feel hungry and in need of a power up.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 15 February, game #349)

• SHARKS
• JETS
• DEVILS
• WILD
• AVALANCHE
• LIGHTNING
• SPANGRAM: HOCKEY TEAM

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.

• X86-P6 Pocket is a palm-sized NAS with up to 32TB of storage
• It supports four SSD slots and up to 32GB of DDR5 memory
• There's also flexible storage options and network connectivity

In recent years, mini PCs have evolved into compact yet powerful computing solutions, with some models now small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

One such device is the X86-P6 Pocket, a network-attached storage (NAS) system measuring just 100 x 100 x 58.5mm. Despite that small footprint, it supports up to four M.2 2280 SSDs, allowing for a total storage capacity of 32TB.

Though this sounds great, performance is limited by the Intel Twin Lake processor, which has only nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, which means using all four SSD slots restricts speeds to PCIe 3.0 x1 per drive, whereas opting for a single SSD enables PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds.

Processing power and memory options

The X86-P6 Pocket NAS is available with either an Intel N150 or a Core 3 N355 processor and supports up to 32GB of DDR5-4800 memory via a single SODIMM slot.

For connectivity, the system includes two 2.5 GbE LAN ports (Intel i226-V), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports with 10 Gbps speeds, and two HDMI 2.0 outputs. It also features an M.2 B-Key slot that supports WiFi 6 or WiFi 7 modules, along with Bluetooth.

To manage heat, the NAS' compact design has an aluminum radiator and an active cooling system with a fan beneath the mainboard. The top cover also has screw holes, allowing for an additional fan install.

The barebones model with an Intel N150 processor is priced at around $200, while the Core 3 N355 version costs approximately $315. Users can choose a pre-configured model with storage and memory or opt to install on their own.

Via Liliputing

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• A report claims that Apple has stumbled with Siri’s big AI rollout
• The company is apparently facing ‘engineering problems’ and bugs
• Ironing all this out may mean the revamped Siri doesn’t make the seemingly intended cut for iOS 18.4

Apple is reportedly struggling with its much-awaited major revamp of Siri and may have to push back the upgrade until iOS 18.5 in May.

That's according to seasoned Apple watcher Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, who claims "engineering problems and software bugs" may further delay the overhaul, which was set to give the assistant more far-reaching AI powers driven by Apple Intelligence.

If you cast your mind back to WWDC 2024, Apple revealed a huge AI upgrade for Siri, some of which came into play last year, but other more complex abilities are still in the works.

Citing "people with knowledge of the matter", Gurman reports that this functionality is proving more difficult to implement than expected and that some of these in-depth features are apparently not working consistently enough. That includes some of the more impressive powers demonstrated by Apple previously, such as having Siri scour across emails and text messages to find a relative’s flight and lunch reservation plans, to pick a specific example highlighted by Gurman.

More broadly, Gurman’s sources paint a picture of Apple’s engineers “racing” to finish these AI features. The original plan was supposedly to launch the upgraded Siri in iOS 18.4 – an update rumored for April 2025 (the beta should be imminent, in fact) – but now, that might be pushed back to May (in iOS 18.5 seemingly), or even later.

Some, or all, of these heavyweight AI powers for Siri might be held back, so we could potentially see a smattering of new abilities in iOS 18.4 – but it’s sounding very up in the air still, especially considering this is a relatively close timeframe now.

Gurman also theorizes that another option for Apple could be to include the new AI features for Siri in iOS 18.4, but switched off by default – presumably a ‘use at your own risk’ kind of scenario. Apple might then choose to fully enable them (by default) in the next release of iOS, when any final gremlins are ironed out, presumably.

One way or another, it sounds like Siri getting fully upgraded with all the AI features Apple promised is looking a shakier prospect in the nearer-term – assuming Gurman's sources are accurate, of course.

(Image credit: Future) Analysis: Apple device owners are running thin on patience

What are these AI powers, you might be wondering? To recap on the WWDC reveal, they include some major pieces of the puzzle to really power up Siri, including awareness of what’s on the screen of the device (to use this info in context, when interacting with the user), and deeper integration with apps to facilitate better control over this software.

A more personal experience and a whole bunch of new tricks should be possible, including the ability described by Gurman above pertaining to the relative’s reservation plans.

The problem is that some Apple fans are increasingly eager to actually try out some of the compelling features for Siri that were demonstrated by Apple the best part of a year ago now. Just in the past week, we've written about how the iOS 18.4 beta promises to include the Siri upgrade we've been waiting for and that iOS 18.4 could be the biggest iPhone upgrade ever.

So far, we’ve been treated to a smart new interface for the assistant, and those ChatGPT chops, but there’s nothing that heralds the arrival of the all-new, much more powerful AI that we were promised by Apple at its big developer conference last year.

The danger is that if iOS 18.4 turns up, and Siri is again left standing still on the AI front, people will start to lose patience here. And not only that, but a sluggish deployment of these AI features will reinforce the impression of Apple as lagging behind the rest of the tech industry in the artificial intelligence field.

To be fair to Apple, when it revealed Siri’s new AI functionality at WWDC last year, for the more complex features, the company didn’t promise anything in terms of delivery beyond a rollout over the course of 2025.

That tentativeness may itself have been a hint that Apple wasn’t confident in a delivery timeframe, and realized the complexity of actually implementing all this stuff so it works well.

As ever, this is just chatter from the rumor mill, so take it with some skepticism, although Gurman is certainly one of the more reliable journalists out there when it comes to insider info from Apple. We'll presumably find out soon, with a new iPhone tipped for release next week and possibly some iOS news around the same time.

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• HP’s $4299 EliteBook X G1a packs 128GB RAM, Ryzen AI 9, and Radeon 890M
• Offers AI-ready power, security features, and enough memory for massive models
• It's a Windows powerhouse for those who don't want a Mac

HP has quietly introduced a new $4299 laptop that comes with a whopping 128GB of LPDDR5x-8533 RAM.

The EliteBook X G1a (or, to give it its full name, the HP EliteBook X G1a 14 inch Notebook Next Gen AI PC Wolf Pro Security Edition) is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 processor featuring 12 cores and 24 threads with a maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz.

It includes AMD Radeon 890M graphics and a 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe TLC SSD. This makes it powerful enough for even the most intensive tasks, like running a 70B-120B parameter LLM locally.

(Image credit: HP) Solid choice for Windows users

The 14-inch laptop has a 2.8K OLED touchscreen with 100 percent sRGB color accuracy, IPS technology, BrightView, and a brightness rating of 400 nits. It also features HP Eye Ease for reduced blue light exposure. Audio is handled by Poly Studio, with quad stereo speakers that include discrete amplifiers, along with integrated dual-array microphones.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two Thunderbolt 4 ports with USB-C at 40Gbps, one USB Type-C at 10Gbps, an HDMI 2.1 port, a USB Type-A port, and a headphone/microphone combo.

As you can guess from its name, it comes with HP Wolf Pro Security Edition (for three years), with security features such as HP Sure Platform, HP Tamper Lock, and a fingerprint sensor.

The system is powered by a 74.5Wh battery and comes with a 100W USB-C slim adapter. The chassis measures 12.29 x 8.45 x 0.36 inches at the front and 0.52 inches at the rear, with a starting weight of 3.3 pounds.

One of the key challenges in AI computing, and large-scale data processing in general, is having enough memory to keep up with the increasing demands of complex models. Most consumer laptops max out at 64GB RAM, often pushing users toward workstations. HP’s portable powerhouse addresses this gap while looking good doing it.

With its 128GB of fast memory, a capable processor, and speedy storage, HP’s new laptop looks to be a solid rival for Apple’s highest-end 14-inch MacBook Pro. While I personally think Apple’s product just about wins the battle, the EliteBook X G1a will be a great choice for anyone who prefers Windows.

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• Scientists in Germany and France have built a smarter, greener memory tech for devices
• This new SOT-MRAM memory slashes energy use by 50% while boosting efficiency
• It ditches rare metals, making storage cheaper, faster, and more sustainable

A research team at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Mainz, Germany, has collaborated with Antaios, a French company focused on magnetic memory, to develop an energy-efficient memory technology that could slash power consumption in data storage.

The advancement, based on Spin-Orbit-Torque (SOT) Magnetic Random-Access Memory (MRAM), could potentially offer improved efficiency for a range of smart devices, from smartphones to supercomputers.

This breakthrough comes almost a year after Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and TSMC announced their own SOT-MRAM array chip, which was describe as like cache, system memory and storage rolled into one.

Orbital Hall Effect

SOT-MRAM is considered a promising alternative to static RAM due to its lower energy consumption and non-volatile nature. Unlike traditional memory, it uses electrical currents to switch magnetic states, allowing for reliable data storage. Reducing the high input current required for writing data while ensuring compatibility with industrial applications has remained a challenge, so the team at JGU developed a magnetic material incorporating ruthenium as the SOT channel, addressing these issues and improving performance.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, a former postdoctoral researcher at JGU’s Institute of Physics and the lead author of the new study said, "This prototype is unique and could revolutionize data storage and processing. It not only aligns with global goals to reduce energy consumption but also paves the way for faster and more efficient storage solutions."

The technology cuts energy consumption by over 50%, boosts efficiency by 30%, reduces input current by 20%, and ensures data retention for over ten years, the team claims.

The research relies on the Orbital Hall Effect, which allows for higher energy efficiency without depending on rare or expensive materials. Traditional SOT-MRAM relies on the Spin Hall Effect, which requires elements with strong spin-orbit coupling, such as platinum and tungsten.

"In contrast, our approach takes advantage of a novel fundamental phenomenon by using orbital currents derived from charge currents through the Orbital Hall Effect, eliminating the dependence on expensive and rare materials," Gupta said.

The study, titled “Harnessing orbital Hall effect in spin-orbit torque MRAM” was published in Nature Communications.

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• Captain America 4's creative team have explained why Bruce Banner/The Hulk doesn't appear in the movie
• Julius Onah and Nate Moore didn't want him to step on Sam Wilson's toes in the latter's first movie outing
• Discussions were held about including The Hulk during the early stages of development, though

Captain America: Brave New World's producer and director have defended the decision not to include Bruce Banner/The Hulk in Marvel's latest movie.

Speaking to TechRadar ahead of the film's release, Nate Moore and Julius Onah revealed that they discussed a possible role for the lean, mean, green machine in the Marvel Phase 5 project. However, they, alongside the rest of the movie's creative team, decided to leave him out over fears that his appearance would overshadow Sam Wilson's first big-screen outing as the titular hero.

I bet Sam would've appreciated some Hulk-sized help to deal with Red Hulk... (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Ever since Brave New World's first trailer was released last July, Marvel fans have questioned why Anthony Mackie's Wilson has been dropped into the middle of what's essentially a sequel to 2008's The Incredible Hulk movie.

For starters, it introduces Red Hulk, Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross' gamma-irradiated alter-ego and one of The Hulk's most notorious foes. Then, there's the inclusion of other individuals from The Incredible Hulk, such as Betty Ross and Samuel Sterns, as well as clear references to Banner and his own superpowered alias dotted throughout Brave New World. In the eyes of many, then, Captain America 4 is The Incredible Hulk 2 in all but name.

So, why did Marvel opt to pit Wilson against Ross/Red Hulk in this Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) flick? Because his potential inclusion, whether that would've been in a cameo capacity, or a big or small supporting role, would've impacted the Wilson-focused plot, as well as his character evolution, that Onah, Moore, and company were trying to tell.

Sam Wilson's vibranium- and nanotech-infused super-suit didn't stand a chance against Red Hulk (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

"This is a story about Captain America," Onah replied when I asked him about The Hulk's absence. "It's about Sam's journey and really cementing him as our new Captain America.

"There's also that history that he has with Ross, which has emotional and antagonistic elements. But, there's also this empathy between them that becomes central to where the movie lands thematically. So, the focus was always on telling the best adventure, the best story, and an emotional journey for Sam Wilson in this really fun, exciting ride."

As I insinuated earlier, though, The Hulk was part of internal discussions about who to include on Captain America 4's cast roster. Indeed, Moore revealed that early conversations revolved whether he should be part of the fourth Captain America movie or not. Ultimately, the movie's chief creatives collectively agree not to incorporate Banner or his other persona into the story.

It's about Sam's journey and really cementing him as our new Captain America

Julius Onah, Captain America 4 director

"It would have detracted from the story, to be honest," Moore told me in a separate interview. "It was a conversation we had early on during the script phase, but we wanted this to feel like a Captain America movie. I love Mark Ruffalo [who plays Banner/The Hulk), and I think his Hulk is the best one that's ever been. But, this is really about Sam and Thaddeus Ross having to deal with something that is almost between them. And it didn't seem like it needed the big green guy."

Disappointing as that is, Moore left me with a tease-laden morsel that suggests we won't have long to wait to see Banner/The Hulk again. "That doesn't mean you're not going see the big green guy coming up pretty soon," he said with a smile. So, that's The Hulk confirmed to show up in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars, right?

If you're reading this, you must have watched Cap 2.0's first film at your local theater. What did you think of it? Do you subsequently agree with my review of Captain America: Brave New World? And would you like to have seen The Hulk in this flick? Let me know in the comments!

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• Asus NUC 15 Pro supports up to four 4K displays via HDMI 2.1 and Thunderbolt 4
• Powered by Intel vPro and featuring fTPM 2.0
• There's also Wi-Fi 7 speeds up to 46 Gbps and support for up to 16 simultaneous streaming devices

Asus has introduced the NUC 15 Pro, a new mini PC designed to handle demanding tasks such as AI model training and data visualization.

It is powered by an Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processor, with integrated Intel Arc graphics, while supporting up to 96GB of DDR5 6400 MHz RAM.

The NUC 15 Pro supports up to four 4K displays through two HDMI 2.1 ports and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It also features Intel Wi-Fi Proximity Sensing, which detects a user’s presence and automatically wakes or locks the device for added convenience and security.

Seamless connectivity and intelligent power management

For connectivity, there's Intel Wi-Fi 7; delivering speeds of up to 46 Gbps for rapid file transfers and support for up to 16 simultaneous streaming devices.

Additionally, it comes with Bluetooth 5.4, for data transfer speeds of up to 50 Mbps and peripheral connections.

The 15 Pro also incorporates Power Sync, enabling seamless power management for connected Asus monitors via the HDMI CEC interface.

Despite the compact 0.48-liter chassis, it features a spring-loaded hinge-lever mechanism for tool-free RAM and storage upgrades.

It also comes with Intel vPro and fTPM 2.0 technology, providing enterprise-grade hardware-based encryption and secure remote management capabilities.

Via TechPowerUp

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• AMD RX 9070 GPUs are rumored to hit shelves on March 6
• Another rumor suggests 9070 XT could need a 900W power supply
• That’s for a top-end overclocked version of the 9070 XT, though, and there are numerous caveats to consider here

AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 graphics cards will get a full launch event on February 28, which has been confirmed by Team Red, and now chatter on the rumor mill is indicating these GPUs will be available to buy on March 6.

That purported on-sale date comes courtesy of VideoCardz’s sources, an assertion also backed up by Chinese tech site Benchlife. Even though these two rumors align, we should still take this with a great deal of caution.

That said, AMD has told us that its RX 9070 models will go on sale in early March, which I take to mean the first week, and March 6 fits that picture. Still, we’ll need confirmation officially, and presumably that’ll come at the mentioned press event for RDNA 4 GPUs in late February.

At the same time, more speculation is floating around regarding the power consumption of the RX 9070 XT, suggesting that one third-party variant has a big ask in terms of your PC’s power supply.

Tom’s Hardware noticed a post on X from Tomasz Gawroński showing a purportedly leaked image of the PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red Devil, with the packaging apparently indicating that you’ll need a 900W PSU to have this graphics card in your gaming PC.

There will be 9070 XT cards available at launch that will require lower minimum power supply wattages as will there be plenty with 8 pin power connectors for worry-free upgrading.February 14, 2025

This has raised plenty of eyebrows, as it’s 100W more than the current recommendation for the RX 7900 XTX flagship, though even the poster admitted that they weren’t sure if the image is faked.

Interestingly, Frank Azor, who is head of consumer and gaming marketing at AMD, actually replied to Gawroński, observing that there will be other RX 9070 XT models that’ll “require lower minimum power supply wattages as will there be plenty with 8 pin power connectors for worry-free upgrading.”

Note that Azor didn’t confirm that the image was real, though the AMD executive didn’t call it a fake, either (but of course, he doesn’t work for PowerColor).

(Image credit: AMD / TechPowerup) Analysis: Ready for the AMD vs Nvidia mid-range GPU shootout?

The launch date of March 6 for the RX 9070 models, if it turns out to be correct, is certainly an interesting choice – mainly because Nvidia only just announced March 5 is when the RTX 5070 arrives on shelves. So, as we theorized earlier this week, this is looking very much like a mid-range head-to-head between the RX 9070 and RTX 5070 in the first week of March.

As for the PSU requirement, I wouldn’t panic about the potential scenario of RX 9070 models somehow requiring vast reservoirs of power. Some of the beefiest models may, but we must remember, the Red Devil board mentioned in the leak is a top-end graphics card, and as Azor observed, other models will require less wattage. Indeed, the rumor is that the reference 9070 XT from AMD will ask for a 750W PSU, with the RX 9070 vanilla needing 650W, far more modest requirements (add seasoning with that still).

It's also worth noting that 900W is an odd specification here, given that there aren’t any PSUs delivering that exact figure, as far as I’m aware. There are 850W models and then we jump to 1000W, so why PowerColor is (theoretically) placing the requirement just above 850W, in a non-existent PSU bracket (as it were), I’m not sure. This could perhaps be another suggestion that the image is faked.

That said, I don’t doubt that a heavily overclocked RX 9070 XT model will drink a lot more juice than a standard board. It clearly will, and so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the top dogs of the RDNA 4 graphics card world are considerably more demanding on the PC’s power supply. These GPUs will also cost a lot more than the entry-level 9070 XT products, too, and how competitive AMD’s graphics cards will be in pricing terms is the other key question we’re dying to have answered.

We’ll have those answers soon enough, thankfully. Roll on the end of February.

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• Deutsche Telekom’s NeoCircuit Router pushes for sustainability in consumer electronics
• Project looks to turn old smartphones into routers
• NeoCircuit Router aims for 70% reuse

Deutsche Telekom is exploring a new way to reduce electronic waste by repurposing components from old smartphones to build routers.

Reports from Hardwareluxx (originally in German), claim Deutsche Telekom has developed the NeoCircuit Router, a prototype device that primarily consists of reused parts, , in collaboration with an industrial consortium.

The NeoCircuit router prototype integrates processors, memory chips, and physical connectors from old smartphones, aiming for a circularity rate of around 70%.

Turning old smartphones into routers

Dr. Henning Never, project manager at Deutsche Telekom, believes the NeoCircuit goes beyond typical e-waste recycling, while Bertrand Pascual from Sagemcom believes that repurposing smartphone processors for other applications not only conserves resources but also makes financial sense.

Deutsche Telekom has set an ambitious goal of achieving near-complete circularity for its technologies and consumer devices by 2030. If adopted widely, this approach could reduce production costs by at least 20% compared to manufacturing new components.

This isn't the only Initiative aligns with broader industry efforts from brands like Framework and Fairphone, which promote modular designs to enhance longevity, repairability, and reuse.

The project faces challenges, as many modern devices use glued components and proprietary processors, making extraction and reuse difficult. Nevertheless, the NeoCircuit Router is set to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona on March 3.

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There’s never a good time to find yourself with no mobile reception. Whether you want to look up directions on Google Maps, send someone a WhatsApp message, or just want to post a beautiful view on Instagram: zero bars on your smartphone won’t get you very far. That's where satellite services like Starlink come in – and this week T-Mobile started offering it for free (ahead of a paid rollout) in the US on compatible smartphones.

The network operator has teamed up with SpaceX to launch the “first and only space-based mobile network” in the US, bringing cell phone service to remote areas via satellite. Powered by Starlink, it’s set to change the game for mobile users in rural locations. Those users won’t have to wait long to access it, either: the beta trial is already underway and a full rollout is scheduled for July this year.

What’s more, access isn’t limited to T-Mobile customers. The carrier has made its new service available to both AT&T and Verizon users as well, provided that their phone supports an eSIM. Want to upgrade your coverage with the groundbreaking satellite-to-cell service? We’ve broken down everything you need to know about T-Mobile Starlink, including how you can get it and how much it costs.

What is Starlink and how does it work?

• Starlink is a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX
• It operates a constellation of small internet satellites
• Direct-to-cell satellites work like cell towers in space

Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX, the space exploration company owned by Elon Musk. Starlink owns and operates a constellation of thousands of small satellites. It has been launching these compact satellites into space since 2019. They are used primarily to serve high-speed internet to Starlink customers with a compatible antenna on the ground.

Unlike traditional satellite internet services, Starlink’s satellites circle the planet in a low-Earth orbit. This closer proximity to the Earth’s surface helps to reduce the lag – or latency – experienced as data is relayed between a user’s antenna and the orbiting satellite. Because of the high number of Starlink satellites, the system is also able to offer global coverage, reaching areas beyond the scope of standard broadband or fibre optic connectivity. This makes it a particularly useful service in rural locations.

Early last year, SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities. These satellites have modems on-board which function the same as cellphone towers. No special antenna or other hardware is required to connect to them: they are seen by your smartphone as standard cell towers, albeit up in space.

This means active users can access Starlink coverage wherever they can see the sky. If a phone supports LTE, it can connect to Starlink’s satellite-based network the same as if it’s a normal terrestrial provider.

Starlink on phones: how does T-Mobile’s new mobile service work?

• T-Mobile’s Starlink service is powered by SpaceX satellites
• Free public beta testing launched in February
• Paid subscriptions available from July for T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon users

T-Mobile’s new service is powered by Starlink satellites which are equipped for direct-to-cell connectivity. According to T-Mobile, 451 of these satellites have been launched so far. As above, these work like cell towers in space. Wherever you can see the sky, compatible smartphones can connect to T-Mobile Starlink as if it’s a normal mobile network. No additional hardware or antenna is needed.

That means whenever you’re in an area without cell service, your smartphone will connect automatically to Starlink satellites. T-Mobile reckons that more than 500,000 square miles of the US is currently beyond the reach of any carrier’s standard cell towers. Its new service should eliminate those mobile dead zones, allowing users to stay connected wherever they are in the US.

T-Mobile launched the free public beta test of its Starlink service during the Super Bowl on February 9 2025. It’s open for anyone on any US carrier to sign up, including customers of both Verizon and AT&T. Registered users will be given access on a rolling basis, to provide feedback before the full rollout in summer.

In July, T-Mobile Starlink will switch to a paid version. It will be included free for anyone on T-Mobile’s Go5G Next plan. Other T-Mobile customers can access it as a paid add-on for $15 a month. Anyone who registers for the beta in February will also be offered an Early Adopter Discount, bringing the price down to $10 a month.

Verizon and AT&T customers will also be able to continue using the T-Mobile Starlink service once it switches to a paid version, as will users of any wireless network with an unlocked eSIM phone. This will cost $20 a month and users will need to activate a second eSIM in their phone to access the network.

At launch, the service only supports text messaging when connected to the satellite network. T-Mobile states that voice and data will be added soon, although this will require government approval for SpaceX to use the full bandwidth capacity of its satellite constellation.

Starlink on iPhone: how do you get it?

• T-Mobile Starlink works on most modern smartphones
• Apple iPhone 14 models and later are supported
• iPhones need to be running iOS 18.3 to access Starlink

The only way to get Starlink on an iPhone at present is to sign up to the T-Mobile beta test. To do that, you’ll need to have an iPhone 14, iPhone 15 or iPhone 16. That includes the Plus, Pro & Pro Max variants. You’ll also need to be running iOS version 18.3.

Contrary to TikTok rumors, iOS 18.3 does not secretly install Starlink tech on your iPhone. What it does is make the network settings changes necessary to allow your phone to connect to T-Mobile 1900Mhz spectrum.

You’ll then need to register for the T-Mobile beta. Once you’re approved to participate and you head somewhere outside of standard cellular range, your phone should automatically access network coverage via the Starlink satellite constellation. When it does, you’ll see “SAT” instead of the standard bars in the top right corner of your iPhone.

It’s not just Apple iPhone users who can access the public beta. According to T-Mobile, Starlink “works on most smartphones from the last four years.” While no additional hardware or accessory is required to connect to the Starlink network, T-Mobile does state that smartphones need to be “satellite optimized” for users to have the best experience.

T-Mobile says it has worked with both Apple and Google to “ensure that this experience is integrated directly into their OS.” Whatever phone you have, T-Mobile states that it “needs to be on the latest software to use T-Mobile Starlink.”

The official list of supported handsets is as follows:

• Apple iPhone 14 and later (including Plus, Pro & Pro Max)
• Google Pixel 9 (including Pro, Pro Fold, & Pro XL)
• Motorola 2024 and later (including razr, razr+, edge and g series)
• Samsung Galaxy A14, A15, A16, A35, A53, A54
• Samsung Galaxy S21 and later (including Plus, Ultra and Fan Edition)
• Samsung Galaxy X Cover6 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 and later
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and later
• REVVL 7 (including Pro)

This list is expected to grow as public beta testing continues, with more handsets likely to be supported by the time that the T-Mobile Starlink service rolls out for general usage in July. Whether older Apple smartphones, such as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, will be included isn’t clear.

Starlink Mini: what is Starlink’s backpack-friendly version?

• Starlink Mini is a compact antenna kit that connects to SpaceX satellites
• The kit costs $499 / £399 / AU$599 up-front
• It’s different from T-Mobile’s Starlink service

Starlink Mini is a different way to access the internet via SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. It’s a portable antenna kit with a built-in Wi-Fi router. It allows you connect to high-speed, low-latency satellite internet almost anywhere in the world with a clear view of the sky.

It’s different from T-Mobile’s Starlink service. With T-Mobile, users connect to Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellites using their smartphone. The satellites work like standard cell towers. With Starlink Mini, the antenna kit receives signal from SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites. It then creates a Wi-Fi network at ground level using a built-in router, which other devices can connect to.

This setup makes it more versatile than the T-Mobile service, as you can connect to the Starlink Mini’s Wi-Fi network on a range of devices, not just your smartphone. What’s more, Starlink Mini supports peak download speeds in excess of 100Mbps.

(Image credit: Starlink)

Designed to be used on the move, the backpack-friendly Starlink Mini measures 430 x 334 x 79mm and weighs 6.73kg. It ships with a kickstand and power supply, as well as a pipe adapter for pole mounting. Setup is as simple as plugging it in and pointing it at the sky. You can use the Starlink app to find optimal installation locations.

The Starlink Mini kit costs $499 / £399 / AU$599 up-front. In addition to the one-off cost of the kit itself, you’ll need take out a Starlink subscription to access roaming internet. There’s a 50GB Roam package for $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month.

Alternatively, you can get the Roam Unlimited package with unlimited data for a monthly cost of $165 / £96 / AU$195. Subscriptions can be paused at any time. Coverage isn’t yet global, but it is offered in more than 100 markets.

• Read our in-depth Starlink review

Subaru Starlink: what is it?

• Subaru Starlink is a suite of connected in-car services
• It is completely separate form SpaceX’s Starlink system
• It relies on standard cellular connectivity, not satellites

Despite its name, Subaru Starlink has nothing to do with SpaceX satellites. Subaru Starlink is a package of connected in-car services available on most new Subaru vehicles. It includes a suite of safety, security and remote access features, such as automatic collision notifications, enhanced roadside assistance and remote ignition.

In-car connectivity is via standard cellular networks, rather than satellites. If you’re outside of cell tower range, your vehicle won’t be able to access Subaru Starlink services.

Most supported Subaru vehicles come with a complimentary three-year trial of the system, after which it’s available for an additional fee. There’s no longer a standalone Starlink app, as the features have been rolled into the MySubaru app. The features available vary from model to model.

(Image credit: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Starlink price: what’s the monthly cost for Starlink?

• T-Mobile’s Starlink service starts at $15 per month for T-Mobile customers
• Users of other carriers will be able to use T-Mobile Starlink for $20 a month
• A Starlink Mini Roam subscription starts at $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month

The cost of Starlink depends on how you access it. Once T-Mobile Starlink rolls out to the general public in the US in July, it will be available to T-Mobile customers as an add-on for $15 a month. Users who take out a subscription during the public beta will be entitled to an Early Adopter Discount, bringing the price down to $10 a month.

Customers of other wireless carriers will be able to access T-Mobile’s direct-to-cell service for $20 a month. There is no up-front cost, but they will need an unlocked smartphone with a spare eSIM slot.

Alternatively, you can access satellite internet with a direct subscription to Starlink. Rather than using a smartphone, you will need to purchase a Starlink antenna kit, then take out a monthly data subscription.

The cheapest kit is the portable Starlink Mini (see above) which costs $499 / £399 / AU$599 up-front. The 50GB Roam package costs $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month, while Roam Unlimited is priced at $165 / £96 / AU$19 per month.

If you want a more permanent solution, the Starlink Standard kit costs $249 / £299 / AU$549. Residential service costs at $120 / £75 / AU$139 per month for unlimited data.

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• Chromium browsers can turn a PDF into a working Linux environment under emulation
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A high-school student has achieved another coding feat, getting a lightweight Linux distribution to run inside a PDF document.

Ading2210 developed LinuxPDF for Google Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers by leveraging a version of TinyEMU, a RISC-V emulator, that has been modified to run inside a PDF.

Unlike traditional virtual machines, this emulator operates entirely within Chrome’s PDF viewer by utilizing an older version of Emscripten that compiles to asm.js instead of WebAssembly.

How LinuxPDF works

When a user opens the file and agrees to "Start Emulator," the embedded code loads, launching a minimal Linux environment. The interface consists of a text-based Linux viewport with a soft keyboard made of interactive PDF buttons. Users with a physical keyboard can enter commands in a designated input field.

Despite its ingenuity, LinuxPDF is far from practical for regular use. According to Ading2210, boots takes between 30 and 60 seconds.

This sluggish performance is thanks to Chrome’s disabled Just-in-Time (JIT) compiler, a move which bolsters security but prevents optimizations that could speed up code execution. As a result, LinuxPDF remains more of a technical experiment than a functional operating system.

Those interested in testing LinuxPDF can open it in a Chromium-based browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Developers can also explore or modify the source code which is freely available on GitHub.

Via TomsHardware

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In case you’ve missed it, we’re here with our catch-up of the week’s biggest tech news so you can get up to speed in a flash.

This week we saw a major PlayStation Network (PSN) outage, tried the world’s thinnest foldable, and were treated to a new Apple product teaser – with the launch set for Wednesday next week. All that and more are explained below.

Once you’ve caught up on the news of the week check out our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to stream and more this weekend (February 14) – and the latest episode of the TechRadar podcast which is all about gaming.

1. We got ready to meet the newest member of the Apple family

(Image credit: Apple / Future)

Tim Cook has teased a brand new Apple device with a post telling us to “Get ready to meet the newest member of the family” on February 19.

There’s no indication what this new device will be – our best bet is it’s the much-rumored iPhone SE fourth-generation, but it could also be a new Mac, a second-generation AirTag, a new iPad or something entirely different.

The only other clue is the image we shared above, which shows the Apple logo in front of some kind of circle – though it’s not given us much help in terms of guessing what’s being launched, so we’ll just have to tune in on Wednesday to see what Apple showcases.

• Read more: Tim Cook says we'll meet the newest member of the Apple family on February 19

2. PlayStation Network crashed

(Image credit: Sony)

If you tried to access PSN last weekend then you likely had some trouble, as from around 6pm ET on Friday (February 7) until 6:58pm ET on Saturday (February 8) the service was completely down.

Gamers were locked out from accessing online features for their games – including many Monster Hunter Wilds beta players who were unable to even download the client if they hadn’t installed it already. If your game of choice was an online-only title it was completely inaccessible.

By way of an apology, Sony has said all PlayStation Plus members will automatically receive an additional 5 days of service and blamed the outage on "an operational issue." Regardless, many PS5 gamers are still disappointed. For more detail here's our full report on the 5-day PS Plus extension and the reaction to it.

• Read more: Sony finally explains massive PSN outage and details compensation

3. State of Play gave us a reason to love PlayStation again

(Image credit: Sony)

The latest State of Play was broadcast on February 12, blasting us with a veritable barrage of upcoming PlayStation 5 releases. One of the biggest highlights was the reveal of Tides of Annihilation, a frantic hack and slash game set in a beautiful post-apocalyptic London ravaged by fantasy creatures inspired by Arthurian legend. We also finally got release dates for the highly anticipated Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Borderlands 4, which are arriving on August 28 and September 23 respectively.

On top of this we got confirmation of a new Stellar Blade DLC, which will add a selection of rather skimpy outfits for protagonist Eve inspired by the Goddess of Victory: Nikke mobile game. This was on top of loads of cool looking smaller titles, like the frantic shooter Metal Eden - which we had the chance to try ahead of the stream.

Easily the most controversial news, however, was the announcement of Days Gone Remastered. This PS5 port of the 2019 PS4 zombie game, which is already fully playable on Sony’s latest console thanks to backwards compatibility, upgrades its visuals and adds some new modes. Fans are divided on whether it is worthwhile, with some wishing that the resources of developer Bend Studio were directed towards new titles, rather than upgraded versions of things that we’ve already played.

• Read more: Everything announced at Sony’s State of Play

4. The Powerbeats Pro 2 landed, and they’re great

(Image credit: Beats)

This week Apple finally unveiled the new hotly-anticipated Powerbeats Pro 2 headphones from Beats, and we've been hands-on in the gym to find out how they stack up as workout headphones.

The new model brings an excellent new design that's more secure and comfortable than ever before. The audio is solid, as is the noise-cancelling, and the battery life is better than ever with up to 10 hours of playtime.

In our hands-on, we really enjoyed using them for working out, but can't quite wrap our heads around the new heart rate monitoring feature. It's very cool and impressive technology, but Apple has confirmed to us that for both iPhone and Android users, a smartwatch with heart rate data will take priority. As such, there's not really any appeal here for people who already own a smartwatch.

They're still excellent workout headphones, and we're excited to see the HRM feature on AirPods later this year, but the way the feature works right now is a bit of a head-scratcher.

• Read more: The Powerbeats Pro 2 are my new favorite workout headphones

5. We tried the world’s thinnest foldable

(Image credit: Future)

Oppo has officially revealed the Find N5, the world’s new thinnest book-style folding phone. Though most details are still under wraps, Oppo has shared that the phone is just 8.93mm when folded – barely thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro Max – and weighs in at 229g, which is actually five grams lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. We’re expecting further details of this futuristic foldable when it launches in global markets on February 20.

At a recent hands-on event, TechRadar’s Mobile Computing Staff Writer Jamie Richards got to grips with the Oppo Find N5, finding it to be a clear winner over the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 in terms of ergonomics. The latest rumors point to a folded thickness of 4.2mm, which would make the phone slimmer than any folding device bar the tri-fold Huawei Mate XT. We’ll have the latest details as they arrive, so be sure to keep up with our phones coverage.

• Read more: The world’s thinnest foldable makes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 look massive

6. Garmin Tactix 8 just launched

(Image credit: Garmin)

We've been treated to a few new Garmins in recent weeks but none is more eye-catching than the all-new Garmin tactix 8.

Designed with military application in mind, the tactix 8 is a formidable, rugged watch with a 47mm or 51mm AMOLED display. There are also solar options, and onboard you get an Applied Ballistics solver to help you with long-range rifle shooting. Its essentially a golf watch for gun users.

You also get Garmin's usual suite of industry-leading health tracking features, including support for rucking, a trendy new fitness craze that involves walking around with a weighted backpack on.

Prices start at $1,299/£1,189/AU$$2,299. With military-grade durability, advanced GPS, a kill switch, and night vision compatibility, this is not a Garmin to help you tackle your next Park Run.

• Read more: This might be the most formidable Garmin ever

7. Captain America 4 was too afraid to take off

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The first Marvel movie of 2025 is here – but, truth be told, it’s not very good. Captain America: Brave New World has spread its wings and flown into theaters, but Sam Wilson’s first big-screen outing as the titular hero isn’t as great as we’d hoped. You can learn more about why that’s the case in senior entertainment reporter Tom Power’s Captain America: Brave New World review. Rather than spend your money on a ticket to see it at your local theater, then, you might want to wait for Captain America 4 to make its yet-to-be-announced streaming debut on Disney Plus instead.

• Read more: The first Marvel movie of 2025 is the titular hero’s worst solo film so far

There are some unbelievably great, if abbreviated, films to watch on YouTube Shorts. A lot of them may soon be more literally unbelievable thanks to Google's AI video creation model Veo 2. YouTube has released Veo 2 to the Shorts platform, augmenting YouTube's Dream Screen AI tool and letting you produce AI-fueled flicks based on a text prompt.

Dream Screen has been using the original version of Veo to produce video backgrounds out of text prompts for Shorts since last year. Veo 2 ups the ante significantly by also making the characters and objects for the video along with the background. The upgrade also makes Dream Screen faster, better at understanding text prompts, and able to produce much more realistic results. The videos mimic real-world physics, and the characters move as realistically (or cartoonishly) as you might want.

You can try out the enhanced Dream Screen by opening the Shorts camera, selecting Green Screen, and typing in what you want to see. You can even add an AI-generated clip to an existing Short by tapping "Add," then "Create," then typing up the prompt. Veo 2 takes over, and within seconds, your giant Pomeranian ballerina is ready to perform.

AI visions

The upgrade to Dream Screen raises many questions and possible concerns. Will AI-generated content flood YouTube Shorts, making it harder to tell what’s real and what’s not? What will creativity look like when the barriers to high-quality visuals disappear? Will we simply get stuck in a loop of AI-generated influencers making AI-generated content for an audience of AI-powered recommendation algorithms?

Google does seem to get that hyper-realistic AI videos made in a few seconds might have some potential pitfalls. That's why YouTube is attaching a SynthID watermark and a label indicating the AI origins of any Dream Screen-produced video. How well these transparency and tracking attempts perform remains to be seen, but at least there's something.

The new feature is only coming to the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for now, but others are in the pipeline, with more countries on the way. If you’re a YouTube content creator, this may be a huge boon, especially if the only thing standing between your video and viral fame is a slightly more perfect shot, better stock footage, or something truly outlandish. If you don't have an idea, you can always toss around ideas with YouTube's Brainstorm with Gemini tool.

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