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The U.S. agency has not released information on what global programs were cut this week. NPR spoke to current employees who provided exclusive details.

(Image credit: Elijah Nouvelage)

Fans aren't thrilled that the $450 console doesn't simply include a copy of the tutorial game.

This effort by Microsoft to get consumers to embrace AI across their digital lives is part of a larger trend.

The University of Connecticut's women's basketball team is back in the Final Four thanks in part to Paige Bueckers. Bueckers has done a lot in her amazing career except win the NCAA title. She's ready.

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 194, for April 5.

From cars to cameras, CNET experts weigh in on what you should consider buying now before tariffs increase prices.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 398 for April 5.

By a 5-4 vote, the justices allowed the administration to freeze millions of dollars in grant funding for diversity and instructional programs at public and private universities.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

• Kingdel Mini PC supports up to 32GB of DDR5 memory and 2TB SSD storage
• Runs Windows 11 and boasts dual 2.5 Gb Ethernet, and four screen support
• It has a 7-inch touchscreen that can be raised up or used flat

The mini PC market has evolved in recent years to include models with built-in displays, such as the Ayaneo Retro Mini PC with its 4-inch 90° flip screen, and the Aoostar G-Flip 370 and G-Flip mini, which feature 5-inch and 5.5-inch touchscreens, respectively.

Now, Chinese mini PC maker Kingdel, a relatively unknown player in the space, has entered the fray with a device featuring a 7-inch display and a dual-hinge design that flips beyond 90 degrees, enabling both vertical and horizontal use.

In addition to its built-in tablet-size screen, the Kingdel Mini PC supports up to four external monitors via HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and two Type-C ports. Networking options include dual 2.5 Gb Ethernet ports, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2.

Customizable RAM and storage

This compact machine runs Windows 11 and is powered by a 6nm AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, an 8-core, 16-thread mobile processor based on the Zen 3+ architecture. It has a base clock of 3.3 GHz, a boost clock of 4.9 GHz, and 16MB of L3 cache.

For graphics, the Kingdel Mini PC features the integrated Radeon 680M GPU, built on RDNA 2 architecture with 12 compute units running at 2.4 GHz. It’s designed to handle everyday tasks and light creative workloads.

Measuring just 175 x 137 x 55 mm, the device is compact enough for space-constrained setups. It is available barebones, without memory or storage, on Aliexpress for a reasonable $443.68, which is 40% off its usual $739.46 MSRP.

Alternatively, if you want a preconfigured model, there are a number of options ranging from 8GB DDR5 RAM with 256GB of NVMe storage for $482.24, right the way up to to 32GB RAM with up to 2TB of storage for $715.40. All models are currently 40% of the usual price.

Via Aliexpress

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Hints and answers for Connections for April 5, #664.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,386 for April 5.

Don't want to shell out big bucks for a pair of premium noise-canceling headphones? Check out CNET audio expert's favorite cheap ANC headphones.

• With a price tag of $2,066, the GMKTec EVO-X2 is for those with deep pockets
• Radeon 8060S GPU pushes mini PC graphics performance to new heights
• 126 TOPS of AI performance make EVO-X2 a leader in its category

We recently reported on the official launch of the GMKTec EVO-X2, a compact yet powerful mini PC powered by AMD’s flagship Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU - and GMKTec even got AMD CEO Lisa Su to sign the first production unit, making it a nice little collector’s item.

GMK Gemini now says the EVO-X2 is now set to launch in the Chinese market for CNY 14,999, or roughly $2,066 - a steep increase over its predecessor, the EVO-X1, which cost $1,099 at launch.

At the heart of the EVO-X2 is the Strix Halo APU, boasting 16 cores and 32 threads with a boost clock of up to 5.1GHz. The system supports up to 128GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 2TB of SSD storage, positioning it as a serious contender in the best workstation category.

EVO-X2 packs power

Graphics performance comes from the integrated Radeon 8060S GPU, which includes 40 compute units, more than double the 16 CUs found in the Radeon 890M that ships with AMD’s Strix Point lineup.

In recent tests by ETA Prime, the EVO-X2 demonstrated smooth 1440p gaming performance, assisted by the advanced “Arctic” cooling system featuring a vapor chamber and dual-turbine fans, that keeps thermal output under 140W.

Built with AI and data-intensive workloads in mind, the EVO-X2 also boasts impressive machine learning capabilities. It supports a local 70-billion parameter model without needing cloud resources, and its XDNA 2 NPU delivers 50 TOPS of dedicated AI performance, contributing to a total of 126 TOPS, surpassing the estimated AI capability of Nvidia’s RTX 5090D.

For connectivity, EVO-X2 comes with four USB-A ports, two 40Gbps USB-C ports, an SD card reader, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, a 2.5GbE Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It also supports WiFi 7 for wireless connectivity.

Pre-orders in China begin on April 7 via JD.com. At the time of writing, there’s been no word on global availability for the new device.

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A federal judge in Maryland Friday ordered the Trump administration to take immediate steps to return a Maryland man who was deported to a Salvadoran mega-prison by mistake, setting up another high-stakes clash between the White House and the courts.

(Image credit: Jose Luis Magana)

The annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention gets underway tomorrow, April 5, 2025, in Las Vegas, and one of the first show-related news items to hit my mailbox details a new ATSC 3.0 digital TV tuner from electronics manufacturer ADTH.

The ADTH NextGen TV USB is a $69.99 adapter that offers a low-cost way to upgrade any TV with an Android, Google, or Fire TV smart TV system to receive TV channels broadcast in the ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV format, which provides benefits such as high dynamic range support and Dolby Atmos audio.

Some of the best TVs from brands such as Samsung, Sony, Hisense, TCL, and Panasonic have built-in ATSC 3.0 tuners, but the feature has not yet become universally implemented. That situation has created a niche market for external tuners, most of which cost $200 and up, making ATSC 3.0 compatibility a pricey upgrade.

Now, with an external tuner selling for under $70, upgrading a TV with ATSC 3.0 will be an easier-to-swallow concept for a wider swathe of viewers.

ATSC 3.0: why you need it

According to the ATSC, an industry group that develops the standards used for TV and radio broadcasting, ATSC 3.0, or NextGen TV, is on track to soon reach 80% of viewers in the US (see the most recent coverage map below).

Along with high dynamic range (including Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats) and Dolby Atmos audio, the benefits that ATSC 3.0 offers over the ATSC 1.0 broadcasting system (which is still active and supported even by TVs with ATSC 3.0 tuners) include interactive features such as personalized program guides and even games.

The format also supports 4K broadcasting, though that feature has yet to be implemented and so far appears likely to be eclipsed by HDR, which can be applied to 1080p broadcasts and has already been widely used for sports and other programs.

While many TV makers now provide ATSC 3.0 tuners in their TVs, in some cases the feature is reserved for the highest-end models. Samsung’s 2025 8K mini-LED TVs such as the Samsung QN990F, for example, provide ATSC 3.0 support, while some of its 4K models feature an ATSC 1.0 tuner.

LG also used to include an ATSC 3.0 tuner on its G-series OLED TVs such as the LG G3. Starting in 2024, however, LG ceased ATSC 3.0 support for all of its TVs, making an external tuner a necessity for them to receive ATSC 3.0 broadcasts.

The most recent ATSC 3.0 broadcast coverage map was released in December 2024 (Image credit: ATSC)

Clearly, LG’s popular OLED TVs would be a perfect fit for a relatively cheap, add-on device like the ADTH NextGen TV USB, which plugs into a USB port on a TV and connects to one of the best indoor TV antennas.

But brands like LG and Samsung use a proprietary smart interface for their TVs (webOS for LG, Tizen for Samsung), and, as mentioned above, ADTH’s USB receiver only works with the Android TV, Google TV, and Fire TV smart TV systems.

Will LG bring back ATSC 3.0 support to its TVs, and will Samsung start implementing it in lower-cost models? That's impossible to tell.

ATSC 3.0 support is growing, as is clearly demonstrated by Hisense, which added ATSC 3.0 tuners to its full Hisense 2025 TV lineup. Until then, many viewers will have to depend on external solutions and, unlike the new ADTH USB receiver, they won’t be cheap.

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Many of us remember January 19, the day TikTok was erased from app stores before being reinstated approximately 12 hours later.

We were told TikTok had a new shelf life of 75 days, and promised a US buyer would soon swoop in to save the day.

But today, April 4, is 75 days after January 19 - and we still don't have a finalized deal in place for one of the world's largest social media platforms with over 175M US users.

Is TikTok actually getting banned in the United States again?

No, TikTok won't disappear from app stores - yet

Even though that initial 75 day grace period, issued by Presidential executive order decree, has now passed, TikTok is here to stay...for now.

The Trump administration has issued yet another executive order to keep TikTok in US app stores for another 75 days, which makes the new deadline June 18.

He explains in a post on Truth Social, "My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress. The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days."

Post by @karissabe View on Threads

More importantly, ByteDance sent us their first public comment on the potential sale, and, to be honest, it sounds no more certain that what we''re hearing from President Trump:

"ByteDance has been in discussion with the U.S. Government regarding a potential solution for TikTok U.S.  An agreement has not been executed.  There are key matters to be resolved.  Any agreement will be subject to approval under Chinese law," said a ByteDance spokeperosn in an email sent to TechRadar.

The question remains: How many 75-day extensions will we get before the long-awaited deal is finalized?

Trump mentions his administration does "not want TikTok to 'go dark,'" but at this time, we have very few details on the potential deal in place, and ByteDance notes there are "key matters" they still have to resolve.

While we wait for the pair to reach an agreement, there are numerous TikTok suitors in the mix.

We're aware of some interested parties, namely:

• Mr Beast
• Perplexity AI
• Oracle
• A consortium that includes Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary
• The White House

But TikTok's fate ultimately still looms in the balance as nothing concrete has come from any of these potential buyers.

Governments, Tariffs, and TikTok

President Trump also touches on tariffs, which have been making waves recently as popular tech companies deal with the rising costs of production and transit.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders were just announced as delayed in the US "amid tariff uncertainty" for example, and it's possible the Chinese government isn't interested in approving a sale with these hefty fines in place.

Trump explains, "We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs (Necessary for Fair and Balanced Trade between China and the U.S.A.!). This proves that Tariffs are the most powerful Economic tool, and very important to our National Security!"

It's undoubtedly a rocky sea to navigate, but at least we know we have another 75 days of doom scrolling ahead of us.

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Commentary: Sofwave brands itself as a skin-firming, jowl-tightening, noninvasive procedure. I took it for a spin.

Jose Barco's story is one of battlefield trauma, bureaucratic bumbling and eventually, a serious crime.

(Image credit: Tia Barco)

I was so excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 - in fact, I'm still excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 - but yet I can't help but feel just a little bit empty.

Following on from yesterday's Nintendo Direct, I was lucky enough to snag a Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World Bundle preorder this week at a UK retailer.

For previous console launches, I'd have felt giddy at the upcoming arrival of a new toy, but this time I just kind of feel... fine?

It's not because I'm not excited to play a new Forza Horizon-inspired Mario Kart or revisit some of the best Nintendo Switch games with enhanced graphics like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in 4K resolution (or perhaps 1440p) at 60 frames per second, but because my new Switch is lacking something very specific: A new single-player experience on launch day, and an Italian plumber one at that.

Opportunities came and went

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Depending on who you ask Super Mario Odyssey is arguably the best game on Nintendo Switch. Ask me, and I'd probably say it's one of my favorites alongside Breath of the Wild.

As Nintendo's event started yesterday, I was poised for the first proper 3D Mario since 2017's Odyssey. Since then we've had a remaster of Super Mario 3D World which added Bowser's Fury (the closest thing to a new 3D Mario we've seen since) and new 2D Mario experiences like Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

But still, eight years on and we've not got a direct sequel to Mario Odyssey or just the next in the long line of incredible 3D Mario games.

Unfortunately during the Nintendo event, opportunities came and went where Nintendo opted to prioritize other IPs instead of its most famous platforming protagonist.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that Mario Kart World is a huge release, but in my opinion, Nintendo's best experiences are single player and while replaying the Switch's Zelda games with upgraded graphics on day one will feel amazing, it won't be new.

Towards the end of the Nintendo Direct, after we'd seen all the new hardware, the company wowed fans with three back-to-back game reveals.

The first, which provided genuine shock and awe, was the announcement of a new and exclusive FromSoftware game that looks like a spiritual successor to Bloodborne called The Duskbloods.

Next, a star shot onto the screen and I thought we were about to be graced by the arrival of Super Mario Galaxy 3. Instead, it was a reveal for Kirby Air Riders, a successor to the GameCube game, Kirby Air Ride. But do you need another arcade racer in the same year as a new Mario Kart?

Finally, just to get my hopes up one last time, Nintendo closed the show with the reveal of Donkey Kong Bananza, the first 3D Donkey Kong game since 1999.

Don't get me wrong, the game looks awesome, but not only does it release on July 17, a month on from the Switch 2's arrival, but it also just makes me want Super Mario Odyssey 2.

Nintendo, where's my Mario?

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Most people will be very content with the Nintendo Switch 2's first six months on the market. By the end of 2025, we'll have games ranging from Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

That's a stellar lineup for the first year of a console, let alone half. But Mario is Nintendo, and without a new 3D adventure it makes the Nintendo Switch 2 launch feel lukewarm.

I've come to terms with the lack of Mario Odyssey 2 in 2025, but please Nintendo, make sure 2026 has a new 3D Mario adventure.

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• Donald Trump has announced sweeping tariffs on imports from major US trading partners like the EU and China
• Speculators have suggested that the price of the iPhone could hit $2,300 due to the tariffs
• We checked in with industry analysts for a balanced perspective

Donald Trump has announced that the US will levy sweeping tariffs on international trade that will likely affect the tech industry – with some projections suggesting a $2,300 iPhone could be on the cards.

Trump's proposed tariffs, announced on April 3, will affect imports from a long list of countries including allies like Canada and the European Union as well as major manufacturing economies like China and Vietnam.

Across the tech industry, commentators and consumers are examining what this could mean for them, and as one might expect the news media and internet have lit up with speculation.

According to Reuters, projections from Rosenblatt Securities suggest that the price of a “high-end” iPhone could rise to $2,300 (approximately £1,800 / AU$3,800).

That’s a hefty price rise indeed, but it comes with a few very important caveats. That estimate seems to be based on the price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 1TB of storage, which at $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,149 is already the most expensive phone Apple sells. To attain a price of $2,300, Apple would have to pass on the entirety of the proposed 54% tariff levied against China to consumers.

Apple does manufacture iPhones in other south-east Asian and south Asian countries like Vietnam and India, though both of these countries have been hit with steep proposed tariffs too: Vietnam at 46% and India at 26%.

The reality: what industry experts are saying

The tariffs were announced on April 3 by US President Donald Trump (Image credit: Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

So, are we likely to see a massive price hike for the iPhone? We checked in with industry analysts to get a balanced view.

Kate Leaman, chief market analyst at AvaTrade, told TechRadar: “The idea of a $2,300 iPhone grabs headlines, but it’s more worst-case than real-world. Yes, a 54% tariff on a $1,599 iPhone 16 Pro Max could technically push retail prices north of $2,400 – but Apple isn’t likely to pass the full cost to consumers.”

Leaman continued: “Apple typically absorbs 10-15% of shocks through margin compression and supply chain efficiencies. That means actual price increases might be closer to 20-25%. So we’re likely looking at a top-end iPhone maxing out around $1,900 by year-end.”

Leaman also notes that Apple’s pledged $500 billion investment in the US may lead the company to push for exemptions: “Apple is already shifting production to India and Vietnam, and with $500 billion invested in the U.S., it's expected to push harder on ‘Made in America’ exemptions. So, a $2,300 iPhone is possible, but not probable."

Nick Rakovsky, CEO of DataDocks, offers another balanced take, calling the prospect of a $2,300 iPhone “unlikely”.

Rakovsky told TechRadar: Unless we’re talking about broader inflationary pressure across the economy, Apple has every reason to avoid passing such a dramatic cost increase directly onto consumers.”

Continuing, Rakovsky said: “That said, all companies will feel some level of pain from these new tariffs – Apple included. The interesting question is how well each company can absorb or adapt to that impact. Apple, like the other tech giants, has been working to diversify its supply chain and make it more resilient for years now.”

Rakovsky also notes that Apple is keen to retain its market share and protect its brand perception, adding: “It comes down to pricing strategy, and few do that better than Apple”.

Noted Apple analyst and social media tipster Ming-Chi Kuo has also joined the conversation, noting in a post to X (formerly Twitter) that “85-90% of Apple’s hardware is assembled in China”.

China, as mentioned, has been hit with the heaviest tariffs at 54%, and Kuo adds that China is unlikely to be successful in negotiating this rate.

Kuo added: “India and Vietnam are far more likely than China to secure US tariff exemptions. Though the timeline is unclear, this would speed up Apple’s shift of assembly orders away from China until non-Chinese production can satisfy most US demand”.

Additionally, Kuo mentioned that high-end consumers may be more accepting of price increases.

The verdict: what this all means

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Overall, the common threads from multiple analysts suggest that a price rise for the iPhone can’t be ruled out, but Apple’s efficient supply chain and ability to accept a smaller profit margin may be able to insulate consumers from the full effects of the tariffs.

This all means that a $2,300 iPhone seems like a fairly unlikely prospect at the time of writing.

Many other devices sold by Apple and other manufacturers are made in countries that are due to be hit by tariffs, but for now we haven’t seen much analysis focusing on these products and can’t comment on any potential pricing impacts.

If you want a refresher on the handsets in question, be sure to check out our iPhone 16 Pro Max review and guide to the best iPhones. We’ll have the latest iPhone news as we hear it via our dedicated iPhone coverage.

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