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How will the Trump administration's cuts to HIV research impact the progress that's been made towards ending the epidemic in the U.S.?

Heat and wildfire smoke affect birth outcomes, according to a new study of women in Los Angeles.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 6, No. 286.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Sunday, July 6, No. 756.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 6, No. 490.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 6, No. 1,478.

XO, Kitty season 3: key information

- Officially renewed in February
- Filming rumored to have begun
- Main cast expected to return
- No official trailer released yet
- Plot details remain under wraps
- No news on future seasons

XO, Kitty season 3 is officially on the way.

Over two seasons of Kitty Song Covey's adventures at the Korean Independent School of Seoul, we've watched her chase her dreams, explore relationships and retrace her mother's steps. And now, we're heading back to KISS for senior year.

A spin-off from To All The Boys I've Loved Before, a trilogy of movies on Netflix based on Jenny Han's novels of the same name, it's an exciting standalone (with surprise crossover guest stars) on one of the best streaming services. So, it's time for some more Seoul searching!

Here's what we know so far about XO, Kitty season 3's plot rumors, predicted cast and more.

XO, Kitty season 3: is there a release date?

A post shared by Netflix US (@netflix)

A photo posted by on

There's no XO, Kitty season 3 release date yet, but I can confirm that the show has officially been renewed.

The announcement was made on Valentine's Day 2025 on Instagram, with Anna Cathcart – who plays Kitty – seen answering the door to some Valentine's Day gifts in an official post. Though she says: "Last time I checked, I was very single."

Via a note on the flowers, Anna reads: "Roses are red, violets are blue, there's a third season of XO, Kitty in store for you". And from her gift bag, she pulls out the script for the next season wrapped up nicely in a pink ribbon ready for more drama and romance at KISS.

And it appears the cast and crew may already have commenced filming. On May 18, Joshua Lee who plays Jin, posted a video on TikTok of him dancing with Regan Aliyah (Julianna) with Sasha Bhasin (Praveena) in the background. He captioned it: "Reunited w/ @regan aliyah @Sasha Bhasin in Korea for no reason at all!!" Hint, hint.

There was a two-year wait between seasons 1 and 2, but something makes me think that with such a swift renewal and filming potentially in progress, we won't have to wait that long for XO, Kitty season 3. We may even be lucky enough to get it next year... Watch this space!

XO, Kitty season 3: has a trailer been released?

With no official release date for XO, Kitty season 3, we'll have to wait for a trailer (Image credit: Netflix)

There's no XO, Kitty season 3 trailer to share just yet. For season 2, the trailer dropped a month before the show hit Netflix. So, until we have a release date, it's hard to say when we'll get a trailer.

But, keep an eye out here and I'll be sure to update as soon there's any whispers of news from KISS.

XO, Kitty season 3: predicted cast

The main cast of XO, Kitty are expected to return (Image credit: Netflix)

While XO, Kitty season 2 was full of dramatic moments, none of those involved the explosive departure of any big characters. So, I'd expect all of the main cast to return for season 3:

• Anna Cathcart as Kitty
• Gia Kim as Yuri
• Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho
• Choi Min-yeong as Dae
• Anthony Keyvan as Q
• Peter Thurnwald as Alex Finnerty
• Regan Aliyah as Julianna
• Sunny Oh as Mihee
• Sasha Bhasin as Praveena
• Joshua Hyunho Lee as Jin Lee
• Jocelyn Shelfo as Madison
• Ryu Hanbi as Eunice

Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) from To All The Boys I've Loved Before has made crossover appearances in both XO, Kitty seasons 1 and 2. So, I'd predict we'll see him once again in season 3.

Plus, XO, Kitty season 2 saw Kitty reconnecting with her family in a bid to fulfil her late mother's wishes. And while it took her to new places to meet with new people, it also reunited her with her sister, Margot (Janel Parrish), who features in the Netflix movies.

And whether Audrey Huynh will return as Stella after her plan was finally exposed, we'll have to wait and see.

XO, Kitty season 3: story synopsis and rumors

Will Kitty and Min Ho spend the summer together? (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers for XO, Kitty seasons 1 and 2 to follow.

XO, Kitty is notoriously dramatic (and that's one of the reasons I love it). Season 2 was full of twists, turns and when it came down to the final moments before KISS went on summer break, Kitty finally admitted her feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Dae's, best friend, Min Ho. Phew.

Yes, Kitty is at KISS for reasons that reach far beyond finding love, but what's moving halfway across the world without a bit of relationship drama? Similarly to season 1, when it comes to Kitty's love life, the season 2 finale ended on quite the cliffhanger.

This time though, Kitty found herself admitting her own feelings for Min Ho (rather than the other way around) and boldly asking to accompany him and his family on their summer adventures – a music tour. Whether he took her with him though, we don't know the answer... yet.

I imagine when it comes to the XO, Kitty season 3 plot, it'll pick up right where we left off. And fortunately, we also know that Kitty got her scholarship renewed, meaning she'll be returning alongside her friends after summer for her senior year.

Showrunner Jessica O'Toole told Tudum: "I'm so excited to head back to Seoul for another season with our incredible cast and crew. If you thought junior year at KISS brought the drama, just wait."

She added: "I know we left fans on a cliffhanger at the end of season 2, but I can promise season 3 will be worth the wait, including our first summer episode – not to mention plenty of romance, friendship, adventure... and kissing. Lots of kissing".

Kitty's not the only one falling in love (Image credit: Netflix)

And all that kissing might have a lot to do with all the new relationships from XO, Kitty season 2.

There's Jin and Q, who will find themselves spending summer apart after Q got accepted in the USC summer training program. Then, there's Dae and Eunice, who started a romance during the talent show. However, Eunice eventually won the competition – meaning she's also heading off for the summer, but this time as an opener for Min Ho's K-pop star brother.

Plus, Yuri learned a couple of hard truths as season 2 drew to a close. One, that Juliana had officially moved on with Praveena (both of whom are seemingly filming for XO, Kitty season 3). And then, finding out her family assets have been frozen due to a class action lawsuit that threatens all of Yuri's wealth.

For Yuri then, life is a lot more complicated than just romance. And to further add to that drama, she also found out she had a brother, Alex, who will no doubt have a part to play in season 3.

There's a lot to unpack, but in true XO, Kitty fashion I'm sure it'll be tackled with drama, crossed wires and a whole lot of love.

Will there be more seasons of XO, Kitty?

Will Kitty return for season 4? (Image credit: Netflix)

There's no news on XO, Kitty season 4 to share just now. Why? Well, given that season 3 doesn't even have a release date, it's hard to look further beyond that.

But, there is speculation that they have to give Kitty a chance to finish her final year of KISS. And that means, another season.

With the focus picking up on the summer of XO, Kitty season 3, there's even a chance viewer won't even see out the full school year in the upcoming episodes. In which case, there's scope for even more than one more season.

For more Netflix-based coverage, read our guides to Nobody Wants This season 2, Stranger Things season 5, The Four Seasons season 2, and One Piece season 2.

• Seagate’s 30TB Exos M is helium-filled and built for data centers, not home PCs
• 2.5 million hours MTBF sounds great until you realize how specific this use case is
• The IronWolf Pro HDD targets NAS users, not hyperscale cloud infrastructure like Exos M

A new listing for Seagate’s 30TB Exos M hard disk drive has appeared online, offering what is currently the largest HDD available for under $620.

ServerSupply lists the drive at $650, but applying the site’s 5% discount brings the price down to $617.50.

Seagate’s Exos M (model ST30000NM004K) is a helium-sealed 3.5-inch internal hard drive built around conventional magnetic recording (CMR) technology.

Enterprise-grade capacity at an unexpectedly low price

With a 7200 RPM spindle speed and a 512MB multi-segmented cache, it delivers a sustained data transfer rate of up to 275MB/s.

The drive supports a SATA interface and is hot-plug capable. According to Seagate, it is designed for high-capacity use cases including hyperscale data centers, enterprise backup systems, and distributed file storage frameworks like Hadoop and Ceph.

The manufacturer also reports a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 2.5 million hours and an annualized failure rate of just 0.35%, suggesting this model is meant for non-stop, 24/7 operation.

Additional features include PowerBalance and PowerChoice technologies for more efficient energy management, and RSA 3072 firmware verification for security.

These specifications strongly indicate that the Exos M is tailored toward enterprise infrastructure, not the typical desktop setup.

Another Seagate 30TB drive also appears in listings and shares many of the same core specifications. Provantage lists the IronWolf Pro ST300000NT011 HDD for a slightly higher $669.69, still an affordable price for a drive of this capacity.

Although they share similarities (30TB, CMR, 7200 RPM), their firmware, vibration tolerance, and workload optimizations will likely differ because Exos is tuned for hyperscale environments, while IronWolf Pro is optimized for NAS workloads.

Despite the attention-grabbing capacity, calling Seagate Exos M the best HDD depends entirely on context.

For cloud infrastructure and archival storage, it may represent strong value, particularly at this price.

But for everyday users, its 3.5-inch form factor, 7200 RPM speed, and enterprise-oriented feature set make it impractical.

Ultimately, the Seagate Exos M is a highly specialized product, but its pricing makes it look accessible.

You might also like

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• Take a look at some of the best external hard drives
• Insurance group Kelly Benefits says over half a million people now affected in major data breach

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: two-minute review

The first step of setting up my WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit was actually removing my Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror Kit, as that was what I had been using for TV accent lighting prior to the test period. Both Nanoleaf and WiZ are among the best smart light brands and so being able to directly compare the two was a valuable asset for the review process.

I’ll admit I was a little sad to put the old Nanoleaf light strip into storage but I really wasn’t going to miss the camera that used to linger above my screen. Luckily, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit doesn’t have any unwelcome distractions like that, and the setup was a good deal cleaner too.

The light strip's corner pieces are cleverly designed to accommodate different screen sizes (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)

My television is 55 inches, and it was definitely the smallest screen the 55-65” kit could fit on. In fact, I had to readjust my positioning a couple of times to avoid any sections of the LED strip going beyond the TV’s edge. Thanks to the adhesive clips and weirdly ingenious corner sections included with the kit, I was to achieve an application that I was confident would last.

Alongside the included LCD light strip, I also tested the Sync Box’s functionality with other WiZ products, including the Gradient Light Bars. The app has a clever and easy-to-use function where you essentially tell it where your extra lights are in relation to your television and that dictates how its colors shift. Sure enough, the synced lights change in line with the light strip, further expanding the glowing halo around whatever episode of Kitchen Nightmares I happen to be watching.

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The Sync Box only has one HDMI input, but it supports switch splitters (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)Image 2 of 2

The Sync Box only has one HDMI input, but it supports switch splitters (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)

When it got to actually testing the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit, I encountered a bit of a problem: my partner and I are the kind of adult children who own at least one of every current gen console, so the singular HDMI 2.0 port included with the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit was just not going to cut it.

Thankfully, the sync box supports the use of switch splitters, meaning you can expand your number of inputs provided you’re happy to spend a little extra. Depending on how many more ports you need, HDMI splitters can set you back about $10 to $50, so keep that added cost in mind if you plan to use the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit while gaming across multiple platforms.

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You can extend the effect further with the WiZ Light Bars and Gradient Lamp (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)Image 2 of 2

You can extend the effect further with the WiZ Light Bars and Gradient Lamp (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)

Skull and Bones is undoubtedly not one of gaming’s greats, but it happened to be one my partner was playing at the time – and, in its defence, it does have an open world that delivers a good deal of color information for the sync box to work with. As I expected, the deep grey-blue of the game’s sea was reflected really beautifully on the wall behind my screen, but what was particularly impressive was when a blast of lightning cut across the game’s skybox.

This in-game weather phenomenon prompted a localised shock of white light to cut across my walls, adding a fabulous sense of drama to what was otherwise rather goofy game.

The WiZ HDMI Sync Box and Light Strip worked particularly well with the weather effects in Skull and Bones (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)

On the other hand, playing Dead by Daylight on a map with a grimy, rust colored palette intermittently produced the most random shade of violet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for some good bisexual lighting at the best of times, but I’d appreciate it if my light strip stuck just a tad closer to the script.

One mechanic in Dead by Daylight involves the appearance of what’s called a ‘terror radius’, causing a blood-red glow to emit from another player’s character. When the sync box picked up the terror radius, it looked superb and truly enhanced the thrill of the chase. The only problem was, it didn’t activate all that reliably.

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I sometimes experienced color inaccuracies from the light strip while playing Dead by Daylight (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)Image 2 of 2

I sometimes experienced color inaccuracies from the light strip while playing Dead by Daylight (Image credit: Abigail Shannon)

Some kind of colored light was always present and enhancing the atmosphere of my media setup, but there were times where I’d pay especially close attention to the WiZ light strip’s output and realise how arbitrary its choices were. I navigated the WiZ app (which as mentioned in my WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp review, is a breeze) and tried to force a firmware update, hoping this would resolve these quirks. Unfortunately, it seems like the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit has a tiny rebellious streak that can’t be quashed.

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: specifications

Connectivity

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only), Bluetooth

Smart home compatibility

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Matter

Supported resolution

4K at 60hz

Supported HDR formats

HDR10+, Dolby Vision

Supported screen sizes

55-65 inch or 75-80 inch

Brightness

Not specified

Color temperature

2,700-6,500k

Total LED strip length

8.5ft / 2.6m

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: price and availability

• 55-65 inch kit price: $89 / £79.99
• 75-85” inch price: $109 / £99.99
• Where to buy: Amazon, WiZ (US only)

The 55-65” WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit costs $89, while the larger 85” model comes with a bit of a premium at $109. Both can be purchased on the WiZ site or on Amazon.

If you’re in the UK, you can browse WiZ products on the website but when it comes to actually popping them in your basket, you’ll have to head to Amazon. Here, you can pick up the 65” kit for £79.99 and the 85” kit for £99.99.

Should you buy the WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV BacklightBuy it if

You like your TV experience more theatrical

Screen mirroring smart lights transform your living space to match the vibe of the show, film, or game you’re enjoying; it’s fun, it’s flashy, and it’s a little silly. If that sounds like your jam, you know what to add to your shopping list.

You’re on a budget

Whereas some HDMI sync boxes can cost you close to $250, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit is just $90 (or $109 if you’re opting for the larger size). This is an especially attractive option if you’ve recently splashed the cash on a new TV.

You don’t want a camera

While Nanoleaf offers a screen-mirroring smart light kit that’s similarly-priced, it relies on information from a camera feed instead of a HDMI input. Depending on the layout of your TV, you can have the camera below or above your screen but either way, it’s a little distracting.

Don't buy it if

You rely on smart TV streaming apps

Given the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit bases its screen mirroring on data from a HDMI source, you can’t use it in tandem with smart TV apps. If you watch the majority of your media directly on your TV instead of a console or cable box, you might want to explore other smart light options.

You want a sync box that natively supports multiple HDMI inputs
While you have the option to hook up a switch splitter, the WiZ HDMI Sync Box only supports one HDMI input as standard. If you have multiple gaming consoles, keep in mind you’ll have to drop an extra $30 to allow you quickly change between them.

You’d like illumination from all angles

The light strip included with the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit provides coverage across the top and sides of your TV or monitor. The lack of light on the bottom is barely noticeable on standing TVs but is a good deal more obvious if your TV is wall-mounted.

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight: also consider

If you’re not totally sold on the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit, it might be worth checking out alternatives like the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit and the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box.

Specification

WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight

Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit

Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 4K

Price

$89 / £79.99 (up to 65 inches)

$109 / £99.99 (up to 85 inches)

$99.99 / £81.94 (up to 65 inches)

$119.99 / £105.52 (up to 85 inches)

$249.99 / £229.99 (light strips sold separately)

Screen mirroring input

HDMI 2.0 Sync Box (single input)

Camera

HDMI 2.1 Sync Box (four inputs)

Supported resolution

4k at 60hz

N/A

4K at 60hz
(8K variant also available)

Supported HDR formats

HDR10+, Dolby Vision

N/A

HDR10+, Dolby Vision

Supported screen size

55-65 inch or 75-85 inch

Up to 65 inch or up to 85 inch

Lights sold separately, Hue Bridge required to link

Smart home compatibility

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Matter

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Matter

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit (Matter compatible if used with Hue Bridge, sold separately)

Light strip length

8.5ft / 2.6m

11.2ft / 3.4m

13.1ft / 4m

17ft / 5.2m

N/A

Brightness

Not specified

1,075 lumens (65 inch variant)

1,122 lumens (85 inch variant)

N/A

Color temperature

2,700-6,500K

2,700-6,500K

N/A

How I tested the WiZ HDMI Sync Box with TV Backlight

• I connected the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit to my TV
• I tested the Sync Box using input from my PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X
• I experimented with in-app features and controls

During the two weeks I used the WiZ HDMI Sync Box Kit, I enjoyed a variety of films, tv shows, and video games while observing how the LCD light strip emulated what was onscreen. After assessing the functionality of the light strip alone, I also connected the Sync Box to the WiZ Gradient Light Bars and the WiZ Gradient Floor Lamp. For more details, see how we test, rate, and review at TechRadar.

First reviewed July 2025

I'm writing this article in June 2025, and with all that I do, I have never had more virtual meetings in my average workday than I do today. I constantly jump between virtual meetings, in-person meetings, projects, tasks, phone calls, Slack, and more. However, a large portion of many people's day-to-day lives is spent on virtual meetings. It expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic out of necessity. As of 2025, most meetings default to virtual unless otherwise specified. I experienced this today with a client meeting. They assumed we were meeting virtually through my plan, so I headed to them to meet in person.

The reality is that businesses, for the most part, need to be hybrid and flexible. That's where a quality webcam comes into play. Suppose your first impression, handshake, and first words were vital in an in-person interaction. In that case, your camera presence, clarity, and ability to articulate as though you were in the same room are of the highest priority. For me, the Logitech Brio 705 did just that. It elevated my otherwise mediocre virtual presence, which was limited to my main desk, to a whole new level.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Logitech MX Brio 705: Pricing and Availability

The Logitech Brio 705 for Business retails for just under $200 and is available at Logitech, Best Buy, Amazon, and many other retailers. If you are looking for this device to be on a corporate machine that you have control of, it may make sense to sign up for Logitech Sync as well, so it notifies me if anyone is struggling.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: Unboxing & first impressions

One of the first things that I noticed about this camera is that it has a dial on the front around the camera itself to physically close the shutter. Now I have never been the kind of person who would put a camera cover on my MacBook Pro, but I do appreciate seeing camera covers on laptops, and now in webcams. I've heard enough horror stories and rumors to make me feel like that is a good idea to keep things covered up just to protect privacy and help put my mind at ease.

After that revelation, I noticed that the setup is super simple, with a multi-functional base, plus a single cable. The base is great because if you don't need it, it magnetically pops off. This is great for those setups that have a mount. But, for those who don't have a fancy mount in their setup, the base is a great option, allowing you to place the camera on just about any monitor shape or size, or on top of a lightbar from just about any brand if they follow the classic BenQ styling.

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Resolution: 4K/30fps, 1080p/60, 720p/60;
FOV: 65°/78°/90°
Sensor: 8.5MP Sony STARVIS
Zoom: 4× digital
Mic: Dual beamforming, 1.2 m pickup radius
Connectivity: 1.5 m USB‑C cable
Weight: 4.8 oz w/o clip; 6.2 oz with mount

The design is sleek, it's professional yet stylish, and it looks great for just about any workspace. I've had this set up at my home office, in my product shoot area, in a more traditional "office" space, and it's also small enough that I took it with me on a trip in my backpack so that I could keep great video quality away from my desk.

I'm a really big fan of darker tech, especially the graphite colorway that Logitech used for this camera, so that design choice scores high in my book. Another thing that I have recently been playing with is mounting gear in my setup with my MonoBlocc mounting grid behind my main monitor, the BenQ MA320U, in my home office.

With this mounting system, I was able to remove the base of the camera and add a perfectly placed camera shot up and above my monitor, right by a light bar, to give me the perfect angle every time. And, since the base is magnetic and easy to add back on, when I took this camera off of this workspace and moved it to others I could use the highly adjustable base to make it work just about anywhere.

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: In use

For my use case, I have chosen to allow for the re-framing feature, but I slowed it down. I frequently stand at my workstation and when I stand I move around a bit. When it's just me on camera, it's not distracting, but if my camera is constantly re-adjusting to find me and zoom in and zoom out and so on, it's a bit ridiculous.

So, I slowed down the reframing, and that seemed to do the trick beautifully. Personally, I don't have many use-cases for show mode, but I could see this super helpful for those who are physically drawing things, are showing what they are working on, or if you are teaching then this feature could be super nice to be able to better showcase to your online viewers what's going on.

I've noticed that the mics work better than I expected. For years, I was an AirPod-only kind of person for virtual meetings, but as webcams like this have gotten better, for quite a few meetings, I have used the webcam mic. So far, I've heard only positives about the clarity of my audio. I have yet to have anyone mention that it's muffled, unclear, faint, or poor.

One downside for Windows users that I have noticed is the lack of ability to sync with Windows Hello, meaning you'll have to use your laptop's camera for this feature or utilize another login method when docked. It's a bummer for sure, but I also understand why Logitech didn't want to go through that certification process.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Minimalist and Powerful

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use on any OS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Great for most

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Priced well for the product

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Logitech MX Brio 705 for Business: Final verdict

The Logitech Brio 705 for Business is an excellent option for those seeking a high-quality webcam without breaking the bank. It offers a great combination of visual quality, audio quality, and features without being overloaded with unnecessary ones. If you are looking for a camera for virtual meetings or presentations, or if you want a camera that works in both a designated setup or a setup on the go, check out the Logitech Brio 705 for Business.

• Flash memory now doubles as secure key storage using conceal-and-reveal method
• Encryption keys hidden in plain sight in standard commercial 3D NAND memory
• Machine learning attacks failed to guess the keys, showing true randomness and security

As digital data volume continues to grow with the rise of AI, cloud services, and connected devices, securing that data has become increasingly difficult.

Traditional password-based protections are no longer enough, and while hardware security solutions like Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) offer stronger protection, they have struggled with real-world deployment.

Most PUFs require custom hardware and lack the ability to hide keys when not in use, leaving systems exposed.

Unique and unpredictable

A research team at Seoul National University has introduced a new hardware security approach called Concealable PUF. This method uses commercial 3D NAND flash memory, typically found in mainstream storage devices, to create a secure method of storing and hiding encryption keys.

What sets this apart is its ability to hide a key beneath user data and reveal it only when needed. The technique was recently published in Nature Communications.

The key innovation involves a weak application of the GIDL (Gate-Induced Drain Leakage) erase process. This boosts variation between memory cells, making each chip's characteristics unique and unpredictable.

These variations can be used to generate the PUF data that serves as a secure, unclonable key.

With this approach, no structural or circuit changes are required. The method works directly with standard V-NAND flash memory, making it easier to scale.

This could potentially allow hardware-level security to be implemented in everyday consumer electronics without added cost or complexity.

The university says Concealable PUF passed stress tests which included wide temperature ranges and over 10 million read cycles. It also withstood machine learning-based attacks, which could not predict the key beyond random guessing levels.

Impressively, the key was able be concealed and revealed over 100 times without any errors, showcasing the system’s stability.

Professor Jong-Ho Lee, who led the project, said, “Concealable PUF stands out for its creativity and practicality, as it utilizes mass-produced vertical NAND flash memory technology without modifications.”

Lead author Sung-Ho Park added, "This research is significant because it demonstrates how PUFs can be implemented using the erase operation of existing V-NAND flash memory without altering the circuitry or design. By enabling selective exposure of the security key, our method opens up new possibilities for enhancing both security and memory efficiency."

The team plans to extend this technology into other security-focused hardware solutions, targeting industries like IoT, mobile, and automotive electronics.

Via TechXplore

Concealable PUF using GIDL erase on V-NAND flash memory. (a) Schematic of the concealable PUF using V-NAND flash memory.(b) Circuit diagram of V-NAND flash memory.(c) Description of the GIDL erase method (Image credit: Nature Communications)You might also like

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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, July 5 (game #489).

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 #490) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… My hero!

NYT Strands today (game #490) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SPORE
• GIRL
• PROW
• SWILL 
• BILL
• FEUD

NYT Strands today (game #490) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #490) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 5th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #490) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #490, are…

• STRENGTH
• SPEED
• FLIGHT
• INVISIBILITY
• HEALING
• SPANGRAM: SUPERPOWER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

All those "I"s made INVISIBILITY very, erm, visible today. Although, to be fair, all of today’s words were hiding in plain sight and didn’t need much of a puzzling SUPERPOWER to reveal.

That said, the very first word I saw on the grid was “girl” right beside “power”, so I did briefly flirt with this being something to do with the Spice Girls.

Asking someone what superpower they’d like is a great conversation starter that can reveal a lot about a person, especially if it comes with the caveat that you don’t actually have to do good things with it – like fight evil geniuses and their henchmen and henchwomen.

FLIGHT would be interesting and STRENGTH would be nice, and being invisible would mean a lifetime of free sports and concerts, but I like the idea of SPEED – although I’d need to find someone with the HEALING superpower first, so they could sort my knees out.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, July 5, game #489)

• CLOCK
• WATCH
• CHRONOMETER
• HOURGLASS
• SUNDIAL
• SPANGRAM: TIMEKEEPERS

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.

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, July 5 (game #755).

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 #756) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SEUSS
• CHINA
• DISNEY
• DECAF
• CRUMB
• PRUSSIAN
• PEPPER
• WARE
• EVIL
• CRYPTO
• POTTERY
• GRAIN
• MORSEL
• DRE
• SHRED
• CERAMICS

NYT Connections today (game #756) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Stick them in the kiln
• GREEN: Bits
• BLUE: What’s up d….?
• PURPLE: Sounds like body part

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 #756) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: FIRED OBJECTS
• GREEN: PARTICLE
• BLUE: DRS
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE LEG

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

NYT Connections today (game #756) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #756, are…

• YELLOW: FIRED OBJECTS CERAMICS, CHINA, POTTERY, WARE
• GREEN: PARTICLE CRUMB, GRAIN, MORSEL, SHRED
• BLUE: DRS DRE, EVIL, PEPPER, SEUSS
• PURPLE: ENDING WITH HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE LEG CRYPTO, DECAF, DISNEY, PRUSSIAN

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I am sure there will be indignation around the English-speaking world about today’s purple group.

Yes, CRYPTO and DISNEY both work as words ENDING WITH HOMOPHONES OF PARTS OF THE LEG – but DECAF? And PRUSSIAN? Maybe, it’s a New York thing.

Thankfully, such quibbling didn’t matter to me, because the other three groups were relatively easy to put together.

DRS I saw immediately and included four examples of non-practising doctors – although having said that, Dr Pepper is named after a real person.

Meanwhile, Green Eggs and Ham author Dr Seuss did get an honorary doctorate years after adding his fake honorific – and he, I am sure, could tell a shin from a shun.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, July 5, game #755)

• YELLOW: CON GAME HUSTLE, RACKET, SCHEME, STING
• GREEN: COMBINE, AS BAKING INGREDIENTS BEAT, BLEND, FOLD, STIR
• BLUE: YEARN BURN, ITCH, LONG, PINE
• PURPLE: KINDS OF LISTS BUCKET, LAUNDRY, SHORT, TO-DO

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, July 5 (game #1258).

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 #1259) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1259) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1259) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1259) - 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 #1259) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• S

• E

• R

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

Quordle today (game #1259) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1259, are…

• AMPLY
• SPAWN
• EXTOL
• RIDGE

This felt like a particularly tricky edition of Quordle, and not just because of the sneaky rare letter, which took me an age to commit to.

I felt confident entering “psalm” and was convinced it would be correct; when that failed, I was forced into making up words that sound a bit like words which, well, can drag on a bit.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1259) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1259, are…

• WEAVE
• CRASS
• RUDDY
• FIBER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY
• Quordle #1248, Wednesday, 25 June: SOGGY, CLASH, MODEM, SQUAD
• Quordle #1247, Tuesday, 24 June: QUALM, SQUIB, AXIAL, FLACK
• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE

• Lists of Pixel Watch 4 colors and bands have leaked
• 41 mm and 45 mm models are predicted
• We could see the new wearable turn up in August

If Google sticks to its previous schedule, then the successor to the Google Pixel Watch 3 should be breaking cover sometime in August – quite possibly alongside the Google Pixel 10 – and we've now seen a flurry of leaks around what to expect from the Pixel Watch 4.

Tipsters Roland Quandt (via Notebookcheck) and Arsène Lupin (via 9to5Google) have both posted extensive lists of the colors, sizes, and bands coming with the Pixel Watch 4, and the two sources are in agreement about what's coming.

We can expect Silver/Porcelain, Silver/Iris, Gray/Moonstone, Black/Obsidian, and Gold/Lemon to be the case color and watch band combinations, which include a few tweaks to the options you can currently get with the Pixel Watch 3.

There will also be a host of official bands to pick from. It seems the materials are staying the same, but the colors – including Jade, Lemongrass, Moonstone, Matte Black, and Indigo – all look like they're going to be new for 2025.

Rumors and renders

Google Pixel Watch 4:WiFi/LTE41mm/45mmBlack/ObsidianGold/LemonMoonstoneSilver/IrisSilver/PorcelainJuly 4, 2025

As expected, all of these combinations are going to be available in 41 mm and 45 mm sizes, and there will be LTE options alongside Wi-Fi-only models too. The bands will be available in multiple sizes as well, according to these leaks.

Nothing is certain until Google actually announces the Pixel Watch 4 and makes it official, but the fact that two of the most prominent tipsters in the business are coming up with the same lists adds more credibility to them.

We haven't heard too much in the way of Pixel Watch 4 leaks and rumors so far. There has been talk that the smartwatch will be more repairable than its predecessors, and that the device may launch with some useful software updates in tow.

There have also been leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 4, pointing to a design that's not too dissimilar to the current model. We'll most probably see a few more tidbits revealed in the next month or so, ahead of the launch.

You might also like

• The Pixel Watch just got a useful update
• These are the best smartwatches you can buy
• Our full review of the Google Pixel Watch 3

Governor Greg Abbott says the state will work day and night to find people who may be stranded and unable to call for help.

(Image credit: Eric Gay)

The concepts in the MingKwai typewriter underlie how Chinese, Japanese and Korean are typed today. The typewriter, patented in 1946, was found last year in an upstate New York basement.

(Image credit: Elisabeth von Boch)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he wants the luxury resort on the eastern seacoast to become a "world destination," but the country has been reluctant to allow in foreign tourists.

(Image credit: Korean Central News Agency)