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Commentary: With Apple not refreshing its iPhone SE line, I feel Google had an opportunity that it squandered.

This is going to be a tough one for Valve's portable.

The new software developer kit aims to help developers catch more bugs and give better in-game advice.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wedneday, March 19 (game #647).

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 #648) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• GENIE
• BUNGEE
• STRAIT
• VOCAL
• SHIP
• EXTENSION
• DIRECT
• MESSAGE
• LOUD
• SOUND
• SPINAL
• CHANNEL
• UMBILICAL
• BAY
• LIGHTNING
• FRANK

NYT Connections today (game #648) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Confident speaker 
• GREEN: Ocean geography 
• BLUE: Common thread rhymes with “lord”
• PURPLE: Found inside

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 #648) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: OUTSPOKEN 
• GREEN: BODIES OF WATER 
• BLUE: KINDS OF CORDS 
• PURPLE: THINGS IN BOTTLES 

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

NYT Connections today (game #648) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #648, are…

• YELLOW: OUTSPOKEN DIRECT, FRANK, LOUD, VOCAL
• GREEN: BODIES OF WATER BAY, CHANNEL, SOUND, STRAIT
• BLUE: KINDS OF CORDS BUNGEE, EXTENSION, SPINAL, UMBILICAL
• PURPLE: THINGS IN BOTTLES GENIE, LIGHTNING, MESSAGE, SHIP

• My rating: Difficult
• My score: 3 mistakes

I used up three Mistakes today by convincing myself that VOCAL belonged in KINDS OF CORDS, trying every combination and getting “one away” each time before giving up and dropping it.

All part of the fun of Connections and hopefully I wasn’t the only person who fell for this trap.

This little niggle out of the way, the rest of the groups fell together easily. I might have even have gotten THINGS IN BOTTLES if I hadn’t completed OUTSPOKEN ahead of it.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 19 March, game #647)

• YELLOW: SIGNIFY CONVEY, EXPRESS, MEAN, SPELL
• GREEN: WEB BROWSER BUTTONS BACK, EXTENSIONS, FORWARD, REFRESH
• BLUE: PARTS OF A ROAD DIVIDER, LANE, MEDIAN, SHOULDER
• PURPLE: À/ A LA __ CARTE, KING, MODE, PLANCHA

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 Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, March 19 (game #1150).

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 #1151) - 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 #1151) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #1151) - 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 #1151) - 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 #1151) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• R

• S

• W

• N

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

Quordle today (game #1151) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1151, are…

• RIPER
• STILL
• WAFER
• NOTCH

I was a WAFER away from a 7-guess finish in less than a minute today, gambling on GAMER instead.

Still, it was very pleasing to get home without any other issues, thanks to my 15-letter start revealing a handful of greens and yellows.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1151) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1151, are…

• FERRY
• CHUTE
• ANTIC
• HUMAN

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC
• Quordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINK
• Quordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEER
• Quordle #1147, Sunday 16 March: INPUT, RUMBA, ELUDE, BLANK
• Quordle #1146, Saturday 15 March: SPEED, CLASH, RISKY, GRATE
• Quordle #1145, Friday 14 March: BELIE, SPEAR, GROWL, ADOBE
• Quordle #1144, Thursday 13 March: AMISS, METAL, TEARY, SHORT
• Quordle #1143, Wednesday 12 March: AWASH, PUSHY, RALPH, PROOF
• Quordle #1142, Tuesday 11 March: LINGO, JUICE, SHARP, REVEL
• Quordle #1141, Monday 10 March: AVAIL, THESE, TITAN, GAUGE
• Quordle #1140, Sunday 9 March: SKILL, IDEAL, WHERE, REHAB
• Quordle #1139, Saturday 8 March: WATCH, LAPSE, WREST, HEFTY
• Quordle #1138, Friday 7 March: GLEAN, SHINY, DECRY, MANGA
• Quordle #1137, Thursday 6 March: TRICE, EIGHT, BELCH, RIPER
• Quordle #1136, Wednesday 5 March: PLEAD, TWANG, MAJOR, RISKY
• Quordle #1135, Tuesday 4 March: FLOWN, ETUDE, TOPAZ, JOKER
• Quordle #1134, Monday 3 March: FRILL, KAYAK, REBAR, WORDY
• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR
• Quordle #1131, Friday 28 February: PASTA, RAZOR, PLUMB, DROOL

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, March 19 (game #381).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Wetland patrol

NYT Strands today (game #382) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BONG
• DOLL
• STOP
• GRIT
• FINS
• GREET

NYT Strands today (game #382) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #382) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 3rd column

Last side: top, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #382) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #382, are…

• FLAMINGO
• STORK
• BITTERN
• IBIS
• EGRET
• SPOONBILL
• SPANGRAM: WADING BIRD

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who tapped out wading birds a couple of times before WADING BIRD.

A tangent, and this is a very niche irritation, but I don’t like it when the Spangram ends in the middle of the puzzle. It feels wrong.

FLAMINGOs are amazing birds. Not only do they look brilliant, but they also do lots of strange things – like eat with their heads turned upside down, stand on one leg and only fly at night. The best thing, though, is that the collective noun for a group of flamingos is a flamboyance.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 19 March, game #381)

• COVER
• FRAME
• STRINGS
• HAMMERS
• PEDALS
• KEYBOARD
• SPANGRAM: PIANO PARTS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke for about an hour with President Trump on Wednesday, following Trump's call on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

(Image credit: HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/Lehtikuva)

Eero 7: One-Minute Review

(Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph)

The Amazon-owned Eero got off to an early start in the Wi-Fi 7 market when it launched the high-end – and rather expensive - Eero Max 7 in 2023. That was followed by the Eero Pro 7 earlier this year, and now Eero has launched its most affordable Wi-Fi 7 mesh system in the form of the Eero 7.

But, like a number of ‘affordable’ Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh systems that have been launched in recent months, the Eero 7 has to make one important compromise in order to keep the price down. This means that it lacks support for the high-performance 6.0GHz frequency band and limits itself to basic dual-band Wi-Fi 7 that just uses the older 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands.

That compromise means that the Eero 7 isn’t as fast as its tri-band Wi-Fi 7 rivals that also support the 6.0GHz band. However, it’s worth remembering that the Wi-Fi 7 standard doesn’t just focus on speed. It’s also designed to provide greater reliability when connecting to lots of different devices, such as smart lights and speakers that you may have in your home, as well as your personal computers and mobile devices.

So while the Eero 7 may not be the fastest mesh system around, it still provides an affordable mesh Wi-Fi system for people who need to reliable Wi-Fi that can reach into every corner of their home.

Price & Availability

• How much does it cost? $349.99 / £349.99
• When is it available? Now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK

Eero states that each Eero 7 mesh router can cover an area of 2,000sq.ft, and we like the fact that it allows you to buy one, two or three Eero 7 units as required. This allows you to choose the option that suits you best, and also provides more competitive pricing for the two-pack and three-pack options.

You can also mix and match different Eero models, perhaps buying a single Eero 7 as a low-cost add-on for an existing Eero mesh system.

Prices start at £169.99/$169.99 for a single Eero 7, or £279.99/$279.99 for a two-pack mesh system. However, we tested the three-pack option, which costs £349.99/$349.99.

That’s certainly a lot less expensive than the Eero Pro or Max, which cost £699.99/$699.99 and a whopping £1699.99/$1699.99 respectively for a three-pack – although, of course, their tri-band Wi-Fi is a lot faster than that of the dual-band Eero 7.

The Eero 7 is currently available in the US and UK, but – as often seems to be the case – Australia has to wait for the latest Wi-Fi 7 products to arrive. However, the Eero Max 7 has recently gone on sale in Australia, so hopefully the Eero 7 and Pro 7 will soon be available as well.

Value: 4 / 5

Eero 7: Design

(Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph)

• Compact (and sturdy) design
• Two 2.5Gb Ethernet ports
• Powered via USB-C

Unlike the larger Pro and Max models, the Eero 7 sticks with the now-familiar white plastic and curvy space-pod design that the company has used for several years. The Eero 7 models are slightly larger than their predecessors, but they’re still fairly compact, standing just 64.1mm high, and 130mm wide and deep, so it’s easy to place the routers on any convenient shelf or worktop when you’re setting the system up.

They’re pretty solidly built too – I actually dropped one while unpacking the box, but it worked with no problems as soon as I plugged in the power supply.

Each router has two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports on the back, and these are ‘auto-sensing’ ports, which means that they can be used either to connect to your existing broadband router or modem, or to provide a wired network connection for devices such as a gaming PC or console.

(Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph)

Each router also has a USB-C port on the back, although this is used for the mains power supply, rather than connecting a shared network drive.

Most of the Eero’s rivals provide more Ethernet ports, but that probably won’t be a problem for most home users, and we like the fact that the Eero’s 2.5Gb ports support high-speed broadband connections. However, we’re a little unhappy with Eero’s description of the routers’ performance.

The Eero 7 is quoted as having a ‘BE5000 speed rating’, which many people might interpret as meaning a Wi-Fi speed of 5000Mbps (or 5.0Gbps). In fact, a closer look at the tech specs for Eero 7 reveals that the dual-band routers only support a far more modest Wi-Fi speed of 1.8Gbps.

To be fair, that’s still more than fast enough for most domestic broadband connections, but we can’t help thinking that Eero is overhyping the speed a bit.

Design: 4 / 5

Eero 7: Features

• Well-designed app
• Quick set-up
• Limited parental controls

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

The Eero 7 is certainly well designed, but the low price of this dual-band mesh system does mean that it’s a little sparse on features.

Getting started is fairly straightforward – although poor documentation does mean that we noticed one potential hiccup. There’s no manual provided with the Eero 7, and the Eero app (for iOS/Android) starts by telling you to connect an Eero ‘gateway’ – without explaining what the term ‘gateway’ actually means.

In fact, the ‘gateway’ is simply the first Eero router that you connect to your existing broadband modem or router using an Ethernet cable (included in the box), and any of the Eero routers can act as the gateway.

Once that’s out of the way, setting up the new Eero 7 mesh network is a piece of cake.

You’ll need to turn on Bluetooth on your mobile device, and the Eero app then uses Bluetooth to connect to the Eero routers and link them together to create your new mesh network.

It gives tips on where to locate each router, and can even run a test to check the strength of the Wi-Fi signal as you place the routers in different spots around your home.

To keep things simple, the Eero app combines the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequencies into a single network, and also provides an option to create a guest network if required.

However, additional features, such as parental controls and content filters, VPN and malware protection, do require an additional Eero+ subscription. There’s a two-month free trial available for the Eero+ service, but after that it costs £9.99/$9.99 per month or £99.99/$99.99 per year (and renews automatically at the end of the trial period, so watch out for that).

So while the Eero 7 provides impressive ease of use, there are rival routers and mesh systems that provide a wider range of features without charging for an additional subscription.

Features: 3 / 5

Eero 7: Performance

• Good Wi-Fi range and coverage
• 1.8Gbps Wi-Fi 7
• Dual-band only (2.4GHz/5.0GHz)

With no support for the 6.0GHz frequency band, the Eero 7 clearly can’t match the performance of some of its more expensive tri-band rivals. Even so, its 1.8Gbps Wi-Fi speed is more than fast enough to work with most domestic broadband services, and it didn’t have any trouble dealing with an annoying wi-fi deadspot that we have in our building.

Our aging office router falls well short of the maximum 150Mbps provided by our office broadband connection, generally falling to 120Mbps even for devices that are nearby in the same room. Our old router also struggles to reach an office located at the back of the building, leaving us with a Wi-Fi deadspot where we have to rely on a set of PowerLine adaptors to provide a wired connection instead.

The Eero dealt with both scenarios admirably, immediately bumping our Wi-Fi speed right up to 150Mbs for devices in the same room when running the Ookla Speed Test, and also for large file downloads from Steam. It wasn’t bothered by our office deadspot either, effortlessly maintaining that 150Mbs speed as we picked up our laptop and walked along the corridor to that back office. There’s no doubt that the low cost of the Eero 7 means that its features and performance are fairly basic – but at least it gets the basics right, providing respectable performance and welcome ease of use for home users who simply want to upgrade an older router that still has Wi-Fi 5 or 6.

Performance: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Eero 7? Also Consider

If our Eero 7 review has you considering other options, here are a few good choices.

Netgear Nighthawk RS200

Smaller homes that just need a single, conventional router could consider the RS200 from Netgear. This dual-band router is slightly more expensive than the Eero 7, but it’s much faster, with a wi-fi speed of up to 6.5Gbps.

Read our full Netgear Nighthawk RS200 reviewView Deal

TP-Link Deco BE65 Pro

Recently launched in the US and due soon in the UK and Australia, the Deco BE65 Pro is a high-end option for power users. It’s competitively priced, but provides tri-band Wi-Fi 7 running at a blazing 11Gbps.View Deal

Very few humans have gone up against bird flu. But we've all dealt with seasonal flu for years. Some of our immune systems might be primed to fend off a worse case, research finds.

(Image credit: MATTHEW HATCHER/AFP)

• Genshin Impact Version 5.5 launches on March 26
• It adds two new playable characters
• It also expands the Natlan map with a new area

With Genshin Impact Version 5.5, or 'Day of the Flame's Return', set to launch next week on March 26, developer Hoyoverse has shared some new details about what's included in the update.

Most significantly it introduces two new playable characters: Varesa and Iansan. Varesa is a 5 star Electro Catalyst user, with the ability to enter a Fiery Passion state to deal increased damage.

She's got quite a unique design, with cow-like horns and a tail. Outside of the battlefield, she has a very laid back personality and is almost never seen not nibbling on some kind of food.

Image 1 of 3

The Version 5.5 key art. (Image credit: Hoyoverse)Image 2 of 3

Veresa loves snacking. (Image credit: Hoyoverse)Image 3 of 3

Iansan is a fitness obsessed fighter. (Image credit: Hoyoverse)

Iansan is a 4 star Electro Polearm user and a fitness instructor with a variety of workout-themed attacks. She can smash enemies with makeshift dumbells while healing allies and enhancing their attacks.

The update will also expand the open-world, extending the Natlan map by allowing you to venture into the area surrounding the Great Volcano of Tollan. It contains a special hidden city, plus new mysteries to discover.

In the area, you will also encounter a new tribe - the Collective of Plenty. Devoted to fitness, they share an interesting culture founded in competitions to test their strength.

Occasionally, you'll be able to transform into the Tatankasaurus, a new Saurian from the Collective of Plenty that can smash from large Pulverite chunks and dash across water.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Genshin Impact update without a new event. This time it's the 'Tournament of Glory in Bloom' seasonal event which prominently features the new NPC character Ifa.

New optimizations are also being added, including a handy boss tracker and a revamped Artifact levelling experience.

Interested in diving in? Genshin Impact is available as a free-to-play title on mobile, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

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• Security researchers have developed a new technique to jailbreak AI chatbots
• The technique required no prior malware coding knowledge
• This involved creating a fake scenario to convince the model to craft an attack

Despite having no previous experience in malware coding, Cato CTRL threat intelligence researchers have warned they were able to jailbreak multiple LLMs, including ChatGPT-4o, DeepSeek-R1, DeepSeek-V3, and Microsoft Copilot, using a rather fantastical technique.

The team developed ‘Immersive World’ which uses “narrative engineering to bypass LLM security controls” by creating a “detailed fictional world” to normalize restricted operations and develop a “fully effective" Chrome infostealer. Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, with over 3 billion users, outlining the scale of the risk this attack poses.

Infostealer malware is on the rise, and is rapidly becoming one of the most dangerous tools in a cybercriminal's arsenal - and this attack shows that the barriers are significantly lowered for cybercriminals, who now need no prior experience in creating malicious code.

AI for attackers

LLMs have ‘fundamentally altered the cybersecurity landscape”, the report claims, and research has shown that AI-powered cyber threats are becoming a much more serious concern for security teams and businesses by allowing criminals to craft more sophisticated attacks with less experience and at a higher frequency.

Chatbots have many guardrails and safety policies, but since AI models are designed to be as helpful and compliant to the user as possible, researchers have been able to jailbreak the models, including persuading AI Agents to write and send phishing attacks with relative ease.

“We believe the rise of the zero-knowledge threat actor poses high risk to organizations because the barrier to creating malware is now substantially lowered with GenAI tools,” said Vitaly Simonovich, threat intelligence researcher at Cato Networks.

“Infostealers play a significant role in credential theft by enabling threat actors to breach enterprises. Our new LLM jailbreak technique, which we’ve uncovered and called Immersive World, showcases the dangerous potential of creating an infostealer with ease.”

You might also like

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• The Sex Lives of College Girls has been cancled by Max after three seasons.
• There's a possibility the show may find another home on another streaming service.
• Co-creator Justin Noble released a statement on social media regarding the show's cancelation.

Max has canceled The Sex Lives of College Girls after three seasons, but the hit comedy series might find a new home on another streaming service.

The Sex Lives of College Girls wrapped its most recent season in January, which saw beloved cast member Reneé Rapp (Mean Girls) depart the series after the first two episodes. By the third season, the characters were only midway through their sophomore year and its cliffhanger-free finale left fans wondering if this was the end for the show.

But despite the coming-of-age comedy making it onto Max's top 10 list of most-watched shows over the years, the streamer has decided not to renew the series. However, there is still hope for The Sex Lives of College Girls as Warner Bros. Television is reportedly looking for another streaming service to pick it up, sources familiar with the matter told The Hollywood Reporter.

'We are living in an era where we need comedy badly'

Justin Noble, who co-created the series with Mindy Kaling, made an Instagram announcement (see below) regarding the cancelation. Although he was disappointed and surprised by Max's decision to ax The Sex Lives of College Girls, he wrote that there are “discussions with some new potential homes for the show".

He added that: "I can’t help but mention that it feels like there are fewer and fewer comedy series every month – and we are living in an era where we need that comedy badly. So I really hope that turns around, but I will always be proud of this show for being the things that we weren’t seeing enough of: a hard comedy ensemble where ladies get the jokes."

A post shared by Justin Noble (@thejustinnoble)

A photo posted by on

The Sex Lives of College Girls follows the lives of four 18-year-old college roommates as they navigate their sexually active lifestyle and the challenges of adulthood. The Guardian hailed it as a "modern-day Friends," but it unfortunately hasn't met the same success as some of the other best Max shows like Hacks or Barry.

This isn't the first time one of Kaling's projects has been canceled and moved to one of the best streaming services. Her sitcom The Mindy Project first aired on Fox in 2012, before being canceled after three seasons. The Mindy Project was then saved by Hulu and finished its six-season run.

If The Sex Lives of College Girls were to be re-homed on another streaming service, there's a potential it would attract a wider audience and be renewed for a fourth season. For now though, it remains as another canceled show on Max's scrap pile.

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• Windows 11 could get a feature to better inform you on how fast your PC is
• It’s still hidden in testing, but a new FAQ to help the less tech-savvy has just been discovered
• As this is still in the very early stages – and not an official feature at all yet – we should temper our excitement somewhat

Microsoft is developing a feature in Windows 11 that provides some easy to understand information on the spec of your PC, and how powerful the hardware inside the device is.

Neowin noticed that a regular contributor to the Windows rumor scene on X, PhantomOfEarth, uncovered some new work on this capability which remains hidden under the bonnet of Windows 11.

New Frequently Asked Questions list in Settings > System > About, hidden in builds 26120.3576 and 22635.5090. Has some questions related to the Windows version and device specs. (vivetool /enable /id:55305888) pic.twitter.com/AkaP8XR3PRMarch 17, 2025

PhantomOfEarth found the new FAQ section in preview builds 26120.3576 and 22635.5090, and they enabled the functionality using a Windows configuration utility (ViVeTool).

You may recall that this feature was first discovered in the background of Windows 11 back at the start of 2025, when the same leaker aired images of some ‘cards’ in the Settings app, which are compact info panels that display the specs of the PC so they’re easy to see at a glance.

These panels (in System > About, within Settings) display core specs such as the CPU, graphics card, and amount of memory and storage. On top of that, as we noted at the time, Windows 10 users already had this feature live, in testing, and it came with a FAQ section tacked on.

Now that FAQ has arrived in Windows 11, as mentioned, and it provides a range of questions and answers on elements of the spec of the host PC.

The nifty bit is that the FAQ is tailored based on the PC that’s running Windows 11. So for example, if you haven’t got a discrete GPU, and you just use the integrated graphics provided by your processor, Microsoft will provide info on exactly what that means for your prospects of running certain software or games.

Or if you’ve got a low amount of system RAM, you’ll be given details on how that leaner allocation might affect the running of apps on your PC.

(Image credit: Shutterstock) Analysis: Shaping up nicely (albeit at a very early stage)

It’s good to see this FAQ section arriving in Windows 11, although it was expected to do so, given that it was present in Windows 10 (testing) already. (However, I’m not quite sure why Microsoft is developing this for Windows 10 at all, given that the OS is shuffling off its coil before too long, something Microsoft is now regularly reminding us about in, erm, creative ways, shall we say).

We still must remember that at least for Windows 11, this is a hidden feature and not yet enabled in testing, so there’s no guarantee it’ll ever arrive in the finished version of the operating system (the same’s true for Windows 10, for that matter).

I think it’s quite likely that it will be pushed through to Windows 11, though, given that this will be a helpful feature for computing novices who aren’t sure about the capabilities of their PC. The tailored nature of the new FAQ is particularly useful, so the info provided is guaranteed to be relevant to the user.

Still, the answers to the questions posed do remain a little generic, but I can see them being fleshed out by AI in the future. This could be a good use of Copilot in getting the assistant to be of more use to the less tech-savvy out there.

As I’ve discussed in the past, this new approach looks far superior to the Windows Experience Index, which computing veterans may recall from back in the day. The WEI, as it was known, was introduced with Windows Vista, and rated your PC’s performance in a bunch of categories – but it was convoluted and confusing, rather than helpful.

It looks like Microsoft is going to do much better with this fresh take on the concept, but the proof, as ever, will be in tasting the pudding – and this feature is still very much at the mixing ingredients stage right now.

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• Twin ultrasound transducers create highly focused audio
• Curved sound waves aren't audible if you're not in the sweet spot
• Could be great in classrooms, exhibitions or vehicles

Wouldn't it be great if you could have all the benefits of headphones without having to bother with the headphones? That's what a new technology creating "audible enclaves" could one day deliver.

The technology comes from professor of acoustics Yun Jing at Pennsylvania State University, whose team has found a way to project sound so that only the intended listener can hear it. It's currently short range – about 1m – and relatively quiet at 60dB, but both range and volume should be improved by using higher power transmitters.

(Image credit: Heyonu Heo) How do audio enclaves work?

Audio enclaves are made using ultrasound waves, which are higher frequency than the sound waves we can hear. Two waves are passed through acoustic lenses that bend them, creating a curved path for the waves to follow. Those paths converge at the destination – that's you.

The clever bit here is that each individual wave is inaudible on its own, so nobody hears anything unless they're at the sweet spot where the two waves are in the right place for the listener's ears – then they form something your brain can actually make out.

The hope is that the technology could be used to deliver private audio in public places, such as in classrooms or at outdoor venues, and possibly inside vehicles too.

This isn't the first time we've been promised personalized directional audio. In 2016, Turtle Beach announced their Hypersound speakers which used transparent glass to create "highly directional audio". The promotional video is below.

Turtle Beach announced a partnership with Chinese audio firm Audfly in 2021, and the resulting Focusound speakers demonstrate one of the downsides of the tech: where normal speakers start at a double-digit low frequency (ie, down to 20Hz), these directional speakers have a much higher starting point: 500Hz to 600Hz. That makes them good for speech but not great for music.

This tech isn't likely to remove all need for the best wireless headphones, and may not work on something like an airplane, where the ambient noise is so loud that you'll still need some of the best noise cancelling headphones – but imagine if you could switch your TV to sending sound that only you can hear with a push of a button once the family goes to be, or imagine hearing interesting commentary about a museum exhibit simply by standing in the right place. No headset needed – I like the sound of that (if I'm in the sweet spot).

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• A new leak shows that AMD's Zen 6 APUs will use RDNA 3.5 architecture instead of RDNA 4
• RDNA 4 is shown to be exclusive to discrete GPUs only via GPUOpen Drivers
• This means future handhelds or laptops using Medusa Point APUs may not have FSR 4

While we await AMD's addition to its Strix Point Ryzen AI 300 series processors - like the Ryzen Z2 Extreme for handheld gaming PCs - Team Red is already planning its next generation of mobile APUs, codenamed ‘Medusa Point’. Unfortunately, there’s been some disappointing news.

According to Kepler_L2 (who covers tech rumors and leaks) on X, AMD's upcoming Zen 6 APUs (notably the Medusa Point lineup) won't use RDNA 4 architecture - based on unearthed code in AMD’s GPUOpen Drivers - and instead, will likely use RDNA 3.5. This discovery was made via RDNA 4's device ID 'Gfxlp12', which is for discrete GPUs only according to one line of the code.

Essentially, this means that next-gen features like FSR 4 potentially won't be available on any devices that use next-gen Zen 6 APUs - which will be a huge disappointment for many expecting the new upscaling tech to come to handhelds or laptops. We don't yet know what APUs are included in the Medusa Point lineup or whether any of its processors will star in future handheld gaming PCs, but given the pace of development in the handheld market right now, it would be a surprise if they didn’t.

While no FSR 4 isn't exactly a dealbreaker, it's been shown to provide exceptional image quality enhancements - specifically within its performance mode, in some sequences even outdoing Nvidia's DLSS 3 CNN model - and it would help replace FSR 3's existing performance mode, which significantly sacrifices image quality for better performance.

(Image credit: Lenovo) This leaves me worried about the state of potential Medusa Point APU-powered handheld gaming PCs…

I must clarify again that we still know very little about Medusa Point APUs, particularly whether they’ll be used for handheld gaming PCs. But assuming that they will (which I'm almost certainly sure of), no FSR 4 is a disappointment, to say the least.

I'm aware that AMD isn't ruling out the chance of FSR 4 coming to RDNA 3: Nvidia's Frame Generation tech could only now be making its way to RTX 3000 series GPUs, similar to FSR 4’s potential backport. However, I'm convinced that even if it does, it won't be the full package, with the new frame-gen model potentially missing.

The good news is that the upcoming Medusa Point processors may yield fantastic performance results in games regardless - we've seen AMD’s chief rival Intel achieve this recently, with the MSI Claw 8 AI+ using Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V processor to provide a huge jump over the original Intel-powered Claw, but there are still games that definitely require upscaling.

Hopefully, FSR 4 exclusivity on RDNA 4 GPUs can end soon (as this would even help current handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally), but I doubt it. Let's pray that I'm wrong.

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• Trend Micro warns of an old Windows zero-day still in use today
• Many nation-states are abusing the bug to run espionage campaigns
• Microsoft doesn't deem it critical

A Windows zero-day vulnerability which has remained unpatched for eight years has been exploited by 11 nation-state attackers, and countless financially motivated groups, experts have warned.

Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) criticized Microsoft for downplaying the importance of the findings into the vulnerability, tracked as ZDI-CAN-25373, which is a flaw in Windows that allows attackers to craft malicious shortcut (.lnk) files, enabling the execution of hidden commands when a user interacts with these files.

This exploit can be abused by embedding harmful code within the .lnk file, which the victim then unknowingly runs when opening the shortcut. The vulnerability was used in data theft attacks, espionage, and malware distribution.

"Very detailed information"

The researchers said the bug has been in use since 2017, and that they found some 1,000 weaponized .LNK files recently. The total number, obviously, is much bigger.

After sifting through the files, ZDI said the majority came from nation-state actors (70%), and were used in espionage or data theft. Of that number, almost half (46%) were built by North Korean actors, followed by Russia, Iran, and China, with roughly 18% each. The rest fell to financially motivated groups.

That being said, most victims are government agencies, followed by firms in the private sector, financial organizations, think tanks, and telecommunications firms.

The researchers also slammed Microsoft for allegedly downplaying the issue: "We told Microsoft but they consider it a UI issue, not a security issue. So it doesn't meet their bar for servicing as a security update, but it might be fixed in a later OS version, or something along those lines,” Dustin Childs, head of threat awareness at the Zero Day Initiative, told The Register.

"We consider that a security thing. Again, not a critical security thing, but certainly worth addressing through a security update," Childs opined.

Microsoft seems to agree, at least about the “not critical” part. A spokesperson told The Register: "While the UI experience described in the report does not meet the bar for immediate servicing under our severity classification guidelines, we will consider addressing it in a future feature release."

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The lower-cost sequel to the Pixel 8A arrives earlier than usual for Google.

• Google just revealed the Pixel 9a and it launches in April
• It comes with a host of new upgrades, including the Tensor G4 chip and a new display
• The Google Pixel 9a starts at $499 / £499, undercutting the iPhone 16e

The Google Pixel 9a is official and brings with it a mix of neat upgrades to keep the budget phone firing on all cylinders.

Starting at $499 / £499 (we're still waiting on Australian pricing), the Pixel 9a isn't as affordable as Pixel a-series models of the past but tracks with the Pixel 8a, and notably undercuts the iPhone 16e.

Like the Pixel a-series releases in recent years, at a quick glance you’ll not see a huge amount of difference in the Pixel 9a over the full-fat Google Pixel 9 or the outgoing Pixel 8a. But digging deeper there are a suite of changes here that could make it a new contender for our best cheap phones list.

(Image credit: Google)

For starters, the Pixel 9as comes with a new design. The rear-spanning camera bar of the Pixel 8 and the pill-shaped module of the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro models has been ditched for a smaller, narrower module, which to my eyes has made the 9a seem more compact.

Helping with that are new sides that are less rounded than those of the Pixel 8a but still curve at the top, which should make the Pixel 9a feel a little more comfortable to grip for longer prions. The dust and water resistance has also got a boost and now has a rating of IP68. Just don’t expect a glass back, as Google has stuck with a plastic composite, which is pretty much a signature of the Pixel a-series.

You do get a nice choice of colours for the Pixel 9a, comprising a lavender-esque ‘Iris’, a bright pink ‘Peony’, the standard ‘Porcelain’ white, and the ever-present ‘Obsidian’ black.

(Image credit: Google)

One neat but not immediately obvious upgrade is the new “Actua Display”, which comes in at a larger 6.3 inches and can now hit a peak brightness of 2,700 nits; that’s a decent jump from the Pixel 8a’s 2,000-nit peak brightness.

A variable refresh rate of 60Hz to 120Hz remains present, but Google noted the new display is more scratch-resistant than that of the Pixel 8a, which should help make the 9a more durable than the older phone.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar New Tensor chip, a fresh camera, and a lot of AI

(Image credit: Google)

At the heart of the Pixel 9a you’ll find Google’s latest Tensor G4 chip, which gets paired with 8GB of RAM. Don’t expect screaming fast raw performance to take on the latest Snapdragon or Apple A-series chips, but do expect capable performance such as the kind we’ve seen in the main Pixel 9 models, and responsive AI features.

The smart processing chops of the chip should also help get the most out of the new 48-megapixel main camera on the Pixel 9a. What may seem like a downgrade in sheer resolution on the Pixel 8a’s 64MP main camera, doesn't look set to be the case, as the new camera has a wider aperture that should deliver brighter photos, especially in low-light citations.

A 13MP ultra-wide camera remains, but it now has a Macro Focus mode, a first for the Pixel a-series, and should help deliver crisp up-close photos.

Around the frost you’ll find a 13MP f/2.2 camera, which is business as usual for this Pixel, though the larger display should help make snapping a selfie easier than ever.

The big upgrade for the cameras will likely come from improvements in the sensor and the processing on the Tensor G4 chip.

But the real photography chops will come in the form of the AI features, with the Pixel 9a getting the host of tools that its predecessor came with, but also those introduced with the Pixel 9 phone last year, such as Add Me that lets users combine two shots into one, along with upgrades to tools like Magic Editor and native access to the Pixel Studio that lets you create images with text prompts.

Google Pixel 9a specs

Other AI features include Google Gemini being at the heart of the Pixel 9a, including Gemini Live that allows you to have natural conversation with the generative AI-powered virtual assistant.

There’s also Theft Detection that uses AI to identify potential theft attempts and lockdown the phone if needed, and Crash Detection that also uses AI to detect when you might have had a crash and alert the emergency services.

Rounding all this out is a larger battery, coming in at 5,100mAh, which is a solid jump from the 4,492mAh on the Pixel 8a, plus seven years of software support.

Could this be the best Pixel phone for everyone?

(Image credit: Google)

Now I and the phones team need a closer look at the Google Pixel 9a before we draw any conclusions. And I’d advise you to wait for our full review before buying the phone when it’s released in April.

But Google rarely misses with the Pixel a-series, and the 9a looks to bring a decent mix of upgrades to make it a compelling phone at a palatable price. If that 48MP camera delivers the photography goods, then the suite of AI features, neat design and new display should all be icing on the cake.

Take all this into account and then contrast it to the more-expensive, less well-equipped iPhone 16e and I’d argue Google has somewhat embarrassed Apple on the affordable phones front. The Pixel 9a offers a lot more for a chunk of change less.

I think we could be looking at a new budget phone champion here, when all things are considered, and perhaps an Android phone that I’ll recommend for most people. Stay tuned to TechRadar for more, and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Viltrox 135mm F1.8 LAB: two-minute review

Ever since I saw the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB lens for Sony full-frame cameras I've been counting down the days until Viltrox made it made available for Nikon Z-mount cameras. That day has now come.

Viltrox's first professional LAB lens gets the Z-mount treatment, and I've already had the chance to test the lens for several weeks, pairing it with my Nikon Z6 II for supreme shallow-depth-of-field portraits and more.

It's the affordable alternative to my dream Z-mount lens, the pricey Nikon 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, as well as to Sony's own 135mm F1.8 GM.

At $899 / £829 / around AU$1,500 (discounts are available on the Viltrox website too), it's half the price of the Sony lens, and just a third of the price of Nikon's Plena, which originally cost around $2,600 / £2,700 / AU$4,600. For Nikon Z users like me, that's clearly a huge difference.

135mm is an ideal focal length for portraits, but I also love the perspective for landscape photography, together with the excellent light-gathering capabilities of a fast f/1.8 aperture prime lens like this.

So what do I think of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB now that I've tested it? It's a truly stunning lens, although it does have one significant drawback that has me thinking twice.

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(Image credit: Tim Coleman) Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB specs Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB: Design

• Premium design and build quality
• Very heavy
• Unique customizable LCD screen is a fun touch

It's clear that the Viltrox 135mm is built for pros. The build quality is top-drawer, from the weather-resistant metal barrel, front lens element and rear mount to the reassuringly secure connection to the camera – you'll need some muscle to click the lens into place – and the premium controls dotted around the exterior.

There's a smooth focus ring, a second ring that can be set to smooth or clicked and which by default is set to control aperture, plus custom buttons and a customizable top LCD.

It's possible to customize the welcome screen of the top LCD (seriously), which is a nice touch, even if I can't see myself creating my own welcome screen... yet. It's also possible to apply firmware updates easily through the USB-C port built into the rear mount.

Focus distances are marked precisely on the LCD, down to the centimeter, which is something you don't get with other lenses. There's also a AF / MF switch plus a focus-range limiter. These exterior controls cover all the bases for the scenarios in which I see myself using the lens.

Autofocus is smooth and essentially silent. Viltrox says focus speeds are "150% faster", although I'm not sure what that's in comparison to, and I wouldn't say this is the fastest-focusing lens I've used, even if it is smooth. I'll touch on why I think so in a bit.

In the box is a decent-sized lens hood and a soft lens pouch for packing the lens away safely. So, all in all, the Viltrox 135mm F1.8 sounds great, right? And it is, but for one thing.

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As I mentioned in my verdict at the start of this review, this lens is heavy – very heavy. It's the first thing you notice as you take it out of the box. How heavy? 43.6oz / 1,235g, without the lens hood. Ouch.

To be clear, quality 135mm f/1.8 lenses like this are heavy, but the Viltrox is another level; it's about 25% heavier than the Sony and Nikon lenses I've mentioned.

I wish the Viltrox was lighter, at least for using it with my Z6 II. The balance is so front-heavy that this is a lens that's best used in short bursts, which is a shame because I could see myself using a lens like this for event photography, and those jobs are long hours.

If you shoot with a larger camera such as the Nikon Z8, or more so the Nikon Z9, the balance of the Viltrox lens will be much better.

Still, there's also a very good reason why this lens is so heavy – its supreme optical quality.

Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB: Performance

• 135mm focal length ideal for isolating subjects
• Virtually flawless optical quality
• Precise and smooth autofocus, but not the fastest

The optical quality of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is virtually flawless, much like the Nikon Plena lens, and the MTF charts shared by Viltrox back this up.

Detail is sharp from center to edges, even when using the maximum f/1.8 aperture. There's not a huge amount of vignetting either – it's hardly noticeable if you stop the aperture down to f/2.8, while at f/1.8 it's easily corrected if you don't want those darker corners that help your subject stand out all the more.

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A portrait taken with the aperture set to f/1.8 (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 7

The same portrait, but at f/2.8 (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 7

With aperture set to f/1.8, bokeh is smooth, big and round (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 7

Even at f/2.8, bokeh quality is lovely. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 5 of 7

I tried my hardest to induce lens flare, and even then the quality of shots is top drawer (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 6 of 7

Another lens flare attempt (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 7 of 7

135mm is an excellent focal length for isolating subjects, and focus fall-off at f/1.8 is smooth. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

I purposefully pushed the lens in tricky scenarios, such as backlit portraits at golden hour, and it handled flare admirably. It also focused precisely, no mean feat when its VCM motors are working hard to shift those weighty lens elements, of which there are 14 in nine groups, although focusing is slightly snappier with Sony's and Nikon's lenses in my experience.

Most photographers splashing the cash on a lens like this do so for its ability to produce attractive bokeh, and the Viltrox lens impresses on this front, especially for the price.

The 11-blade circular aperture delivers buttery smooth and circular bokeh in out-of-focus areas of dappled light, as you can see in the sample images. This kind of bokeh quality is the holy grail for pro portrait photographers, and it's now available in a lens that costs a fraction of the price of Nikon and Sony's own lenses.

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f/2.8 (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The top-drawer optical quality, especially for the competitive price, cannot be overstated, and Viltrox has really given me something to think about. Would I buy this lens? Absolutely. I'll just hit the gym first, or upgrade my gear with the chunkier Z8 for better balance, or – more cost-effectively – the Z6 II battery grip.

Its weight and slightly sluggish autofocus are the only drawbacks to an otherwise flawless lens.

Should you buy the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB? Buy it if...

You want a long portrait lens

The telephoto 135mm focal length is ideal for head-and-shoulder portraits and for isolating subjects.

You want top-drawer optical quality

Supreme sharpness, buttery smooth bokeh, excellent control of flare and lens distortions… optically this lens is essentially flawless.

You want a well-made lens

Build quality and handling (aside from the weight) are excellent – this is a lens that's built to last and which offers you all the controls you need.

Don't buy it if...

You want a lightweight lens for long shoots

Weight is the lens's Achilles heel – at 45.6oz / 1,235g, you'll only want to use it in short bursts.

You want class-leading autofocus performance

Autofocus speeds are slightly on the sluggish side, even if the end results are precise and reliable.

You like to include surroundings in your portraits

The 135mm focal length is designed to isolate a subject, with little room for including surroundings unless you're shooting from some distance.

How I tested the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB

• Tested intermittently for a few weeks
• Paired with a Nikon Z6 II
• Used in a range of scenarios and at different times of day

I received the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens for Nikon Z-mount a few weeks ahead of its official unveiling on March 19, 2025. It's already available for Sony E-mount.

I've paired the lens with a Nikon Z6 II body, and used it in a range of challenging scenarios to test its optical quality. These situations included backlit portraits during golden hours, with the light dancing around the sun included in some photos.

I haven't yet had the opportunity to test the lens during inclement weather yet, so I can't comment on its weather-resistance credentials.

• First reviewed March 2025