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Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 372 for March 10.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,360 for March 10.

If, like me, you grew up with the original Star Wars movies as a kid then you will love Andor. It’s the backstory of Cassian Andor, a Rebel Alliance intelligence officer we first met in the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story film, and his five year journey from scavenger and thief to passionate revolutionary that leads up to the events of the film. In a way, his journey parallels Han Solo’s transformation from smuggler to General in the Rebel Alliance.

Unlike other recent offerings from the Disney Star Wars universe, like Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte, which while fun are really made for kids, Andor is a Star Wars TV show that’s aimed squarely at the Gen X audience who were there for the original Star Wars trilogy.

Andor season 2 is set to launch on Disney+ on April 22 in the US and April 23 for those in the UK and Australia. Not sure if the new Star Wars Disney Plus show is for you? Here are three good reasons why you won’t want to miss it.

1. It captures the magic of the original Star Wars

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

It’s hard to explain what it was like to see the original Star Wars in a cinema as a child. From the opening shot showing an absolutely huge Star Destroyer chasing down a Rebel Alliance vessel you were transported to another universe. Everything about Star Wars was believable, from the grisly way a lightsaber could cut through flesh to the constantly malfunctioning droids. I’d never seen anything like it before and I didn’t want it to end.

Looking back, and with the benefit of hindsight, I think the Ewoks in Episode VI – Return of the Jedi were a foreshadowing of the way things were going to go further down the line with Star Wars franchise, but I wasn’t emotionally prepared for the chasm of despair (Darth Maul aside) that the George Lucas’ Episode I, II and III films were going to create in my soul.

Sure, I can accept that they were made for children who were the same age as I was when I watched the original trilogy, but they were very different films and the fact that George Lucas himself had happily gone down the route of CGI-laden slop with zero emotional connection to the characters just made it all the worse.

2. It’s part of the Rogue One universe, one of the best Star Wars movies ever made

When the third trilogy of films kicked off with Episode VII – The Force Awakens, I was interested again. It had promise. It laid the groundwork for some interesting plot developments and the characters were intriguing. Then, Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One appeared out of nowhere filling in the story before A New Hope started, and it had that same thrill and excitement that the original Star Wars movies had given me as a kid. Things were looking up again.

Sadly, Episode VIII – The Last Jedi and Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker seemed utterly pointless and directionless, casually throwing away good story lines and demoting key characters to mere bit parts, destroying my faith in the Star Wars universe.

Until, that is, Andor, one of the way-too-many Star Wars spin-off shows that Disney had invested in, appeared in 2022 and changed everything. I didn’t really know anything about Andor when I started watching it, but I was instantly hooked.

In a way each Star Wars TV show or movie has its own universe. Andor exists in the serious Star Wars universe of Rogue One. It’s not made for kids and it tackles the big issues of life. We get to revisit the characters we met in Rogue One and find out exactly how they got there, what events shaped their lives, and what sacrifices they had to make along the way.

It's highbrow, but in a good way

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)

It’s been noted that the first season of Andor was a Marxist allegory. It follows a group of characters dealing with an oppressive regime (the Empire) and we can watch how a revolution by the proletariat begins, but you don’t need a degree in politics to appreciate the show. What matters is how well it’s made.

Series one of Andor apparently cost Disney a staggering $271.6 million, which was all money well spent if you ask me. It looks amazing, the acting is first rate, the plot is gritty, and the characters are believable. While it moves at a slower pace than the modern world often demands and expects, Andor delivers the kind of emotional punch that you only get from slow burn introductions to fully fleshed-out characters that you really care about.

As much as I loved the original Star Wars films, the concept of the light side of the force vs the dark side that underpinned the whole trilogy was laughably simplistic. In Andor you are asked to inhabit a world of complexity where nothing is truly black and white. Good people have to occasionally do bad things and bad people can still have redeeming features.

If you need further persuading to join the resistance and fight the empire, the first season of Andor has a 96% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 87% audience score, and if you haven’t seen it then there’s still time to watch it before season two drops.

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Fast-moving brush fires fanned by high winds burned through a large swath of land on New York's Long Island on Saturday, prompting the evacuation of a military base and the closure of a major highway.

(Image credit: Steve Pfost)

• DeskTime study finds 75.9% of offices have ChatGPT in their workflow
• Time spent using ChatGPT in US workplaces increased by 42.6%
• Security concerns limit ChatGPT adoption in some major global companies such as Apple, Amazon, and Bank of America

The rapid rise of Chinese AI DeepSeek was unprecedented, but the buzz surrounding its surge is now fading, with new research offers fresh insights into global AI adoption.

A DeskTime study, conducted between January 2023 and December 2024, surveying 2,385 employees across 97 companies using its time-tracking tool claims ChatGPT remains the most widely used AI tool in workplaces worldwide, with adoption rates continuing to grow.

The survey found that as of December 2024, 75.9% of global offices had integrated ChatGPT into their workflows, with India leading the way, with 92% of workplaces surveyed there reporting using the tool.

US ChatGPT adoption lags behind the global average

In the US, workplace adoption rose from 68% in 2023 to 72% in 2024. Although this growth was slower compared to other regions, the time spent using ChatGPT increased significantly, with 42.6% of employees reporting greater usage.

Meanwhile, individual adoption reached 28.3% of employees in the US, a notable rise from 17% in 2023. This suggests that while more employees are incorporating AI into their work, broader company-wide implementation has slowed.

DeskTime’s study also found 75% of US offices used AI tools, including ChatGPT and other similar platforms, in 2024, marking a slight decline from 76% in the previous year.

Interestingly, AI adoption fluctuated throughout the year, with usage dropping to 63% in January 2024 before rising to 81% by October. These variations suggest seasonal work trends, company policies, or evolving attitudes toward automation may influence AI adoption rates.

Despite widespread use, the slower pace of new workplace adoption of ChatGPT indicates that businesses without prior exposure to it are hesitant.

“Although ChatGPT adoption varies across offices, it's still in use across nearly 75% of US workplaces. The slow growth in ChatGPT use could be attributed to the adoption of other generative AI tools, as well as company policies that prohibit or restrict the use of ChatGPT for work purposes due to concerns about data security and confidentiality," said Artis Rozentals, CEO of DeskTime.

"For example, Apple, Amazon, and Bank of America are well-known names known to have restrictions on the tool’s use.”

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Some researchers say these recent attacks are examples of "nonideological" terrorism — the result of several antisocial, decentralized, online networks coming together.

(Image credit: Morry Gash)

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 9.

• Lexar ARMOR GOLD and SILVER PRO claim to be 37 times stronger than other cards
• Video Speed Class 60 ensures seamless 6K recording without interruptions
• Lifetime Recovery Tool access adds extra security for lost files

Lexar has launched two new SD cards, the ARMOR GOLD SDXC UHS-II and ARMOR SILVER PRO SDXC UHS-II, setting new durability standards in flash storage.

The stainless-steel SD cards are engineered to endure extreme conditions while delivering high-speed performance for professional photo editors and in video editing software.

With a stainless steel build instead of plastic, the Lexar ARMOR series is reportedly 37 times stronger than standard SD cards, offering superior resistance to bending, breaking, and against overheating and static electricity for reliable use in challenging environments.

Reinforced design for maximum durability

This new series comes with an IP68 rating, making them dustproof, waterproof, and capable of withstanding drops from up to 5 meters (16 feet).

The simplified design removes traditional ribs and the write-protection switch, further enhancing their structural integrity.

Beyond durability, the ARMOR GOLD model offers write speeds up to 210 MB/s, while the SILVER PRO reaches 160 MB/s, and both support transfer speeds up to 280 MB/s with a USB 3.2 card reader for fast file transfers.

Both cards meet the Video Speed Class 60 (V60) standard, enabling the recording of high-resolution 6K video without lag.

Additionally, users get lifetime access to the Lexar Recovery Tool data recovery software, which helps restore accidentally deleted or formatted files, along with a limited lifetime warranty for added security.

Via TechPowerUp

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Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,359 for March 9.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 371 for March 9.

Lasers engravers offer you a new way to let your maker flag fly. Some can even make you money. Brands like xTool and Glowforge are leading us to a brighter, more creative future.

The 88-year-old pontiff is responding well to the treatment for double pneumonia and has shown a "gradual, slight improvement" in recent days, the Vatican said Saturday.

(Image credit: Andrew Medichini)

Over the past five years, Washington, D.C.'s iconic Black Lives Matter street painting has served as a powerful symbol of activism and a gathering place for joy and resistance.

(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)

• IBM's FlashSystem C200 aims to replace HDDs with high-capacity flash storage
• It delivers 1.1PB raw capacity, 2.3PB effective, with 200,000 IOPS performance
• This flash option is optimized for archives, backups, and sequential workloads

Pure Storage has been predicting the end of spinning disks for some time, and now IBM is looking to accelerate this shift with the launch of the FlashSystem C200, a high-capacity flash-based storage system designed to replace traditional HDDs in enterprises while offering high density, endurance, and lower operational costs.

IBM positions the C200 as a lower-cost flash alternative ("Use it like TLC, pay for it like QLC," IBM boasts) for archive storage, backup repositories, and workloads that can tolerate higher latency.

The system integrates with IBM’s Storage Virtualize, allowing it to join a FlashSystem grid for non-disruptive migrations.

The writing is on the wall

Blocks & Files says, “The C200 uses IBM’s proprietary FlashCore Modules (FCMs) with a Gen 4 version providing 46TB raw capacity using a pseudo-SLC frontend to the QLC NAND. It has 32 Xeon cores and a 256GB cache providing 1-2ms latency, up to 200,000 IOPS, and 23GBps throughput. There is a fixed 24-slot configuration with 1.1PB raw capacity in a 2RU chassis. Because the system has always-on hardware-assisted compression, IBM says it has 2.3PB of effective capacity.”

Alongside FlashSystem grid scaling and a full suite of enterprise software functions, the C200 features eight onboard 10GbE ports and optional configurations of 16x 32Gb FC/NVMe-FC or 8x 25/10GbE NVMe-TCP ports. IBM says it delivers 10 times better performance than traditional HDD or hybrid solutions, making it optimized for sequential workloads.

"The writing really is on the wall for the last of the spinning rust…" IBM blogger Barry Whyte writes. "Over the next few years we will see the price point for Flash get closer and closer, and eventually even reduce lower than NL-SAS. With 300, 500 and even 1PB Flash drives being teased in the industry, it's almost impossible for even the most advanced magnetic platter technologies to keep up."

FlashSystem C200 has an indicative end-user price of $381,000, which Blocks & Files calls “respectable,” and it will be generally available worldwide on March 21.

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• Disney is bringing its BDX Droids to more parks around the world
• Smugglers Run will get its Mandalorian themed overlay in 2026
• Fantastic 4 characters will make their Disneyland debut this summer

Disney Imagineering has made a lot of wonderful stuff, but the BDX droids – aka the trio of, at times, fast-moving, animated, and beeping droids – punch above the rest as the most adorable and fun. They’ve been staples at Disneyland’s Galaxy Edge – Galaxy’s Edge West for those in the know – and will soon be approved for intergalactic missions.

Announced at SXSW 2025 during the Disney Experiences’ “The Future of World-Building at Disney” panel, the BDX Droids are coming to other Disney Parks around the globe. Disney World, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Disneyland Paris will all get an extra dose of Star Wars fun courtesy of the BDX Droids.

I’m thrilled to see Disney World included there – specifically Hollywood Studios, as that’s where Galaxy’s Edge is located. I'm from New Jersey, and I’ve never been to Disneyland. Still, this will give countless folks in Florida, Tokyo, and Paris a chance to see the fun-loving droids in person.

When the BDX Droids first premiered at Disneyland, a Droid trainer introduced them as being built from other parts and that they were explorer droids. With the ability to take image scans, bob their heads, and even perform a little dance, they're simply adorable and much less dystopian than other robots we’ve seen.

Four actuators in the head and neck and five in each leg allow the robot to move and balance on one foot. Disney Imagineering also includes several computers, a swappable battery, LED displays behind the eyes, speakers, a flashlight, and antennas, among other tech.

Further, Disney Imagineering’s BDX Droids will also be featured in the forthcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu film, which hits theaters on May 22, 2026. You can see photos of them on the set of the film above, and in the gallery below.

We’ll have to see if they’re friends or foes to Grogu and the main character. Time will tell, but we have a long way to go.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney)Image 2 of 4

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(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney) One of Disneyland’ and Disney World’s best rides is about to look different Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Disney)Image 2 of 4

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(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

While Rise of the Resistance at Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney World is likely the current showstopper attraction, Disney’s giving Smugglers Run, the original opening attraction for the land, a much-anticipated update.

Originally announced back at the 2024 D23 Expo alongside countless other Disney Parks announcements, including a Villains Land for Magic Kingdom and an expansion of Avengers Campus at Disneyland, we know when Smugglers Run will get a new overlay. Currently, you're either a pilot, gunner, or engineer aboard the Millennium Falcon – one of the fastest ships in the galaxy – and can take part in a smuggling mission with appearances by Hondo Ohnaka and Chewbacca.

The ride will be getting a new spin and an entirely new theme, though. Arriving on May 22, 2026, Smugglers Run will have a Mandalorian and Grogu theme. Exactly what that entails is to be confirmed, but Disney announced on stage that the mission will bring you, Mando, and Grogu to iconic locations in the Star Wars universe like Cloud City, Tatooine, and Endor. It’ll be an exciting upgrade and likely breathe new life into the attraction.

To get some ideas, you can stream The Mandalorian on one of the best streaming services around, Disney Plus.

And if you're at the park, you can join the Bounty Hunters Guild with your iOS or Android phone.

Fantastic Four’ Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing will arrive in Disneyland

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

While the first half of the panel was focused on Star Wars, there is some good news for Marvel fans. We’re all counting down the days until The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters on July 25, 2025.

And if you’ve had meeting one of the Fantastics on your wishlist for some time, you’ll be able to do just that at Disneyland. Arriving in the Tomorrowland section of the park in the summer of 2025 (late May to early September), you’ll find new experiences and be able to meet the main characters – Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing.

There will also be another robot, H.E.R.B.I.E, making its life-like debut during these experiences. The main characters will arrive first, while H.E.R.B.I.E is still being worked on with Marvel and Disney Imagineering.

(Image credit: Disney)

Additionally, Robert Downey Jr. appeared alongside Kevin Fiege to discuss the two new attractions arriving at the Avengers Campus at Disneyland. We already know Robert Downey Jr. was reprising his role as Tony Stark for a new Flight Lab attraction; now we know you'll sit in a special pod that gets attached to a robotic arm that will make 'several high-speed maneuvers' in the style of Avengers heroes.

You can see a full replay of The Future of World-Building at Disney” panel below, with commentary from Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro and Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman. Plus, you can see what else Disney Imagineering has been up to with our deep dive into the Haunted Mansion Parlor aboard the Disney Treasure.

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House Republicans released the text of a continuing resolution that would fund the government through Sept. 30. Now, passing it in a narrowly divided chamber is the next hurdle.

(Image credit: Zayrha Rodriguez)

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The end of the Gemstone saga is finally at hand.

Outside of the invention of penicillin, noise-cancelling cans might be humanity’s greatest creation. I’m not just making that obviously wild statement as an audiophile. Oh no, I’m spouting those controversial words as someone who has suffered from severe insomnia for many moons.

A couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to go on my ultimate dream vacation. Make no mistake: this was bucket list territory of the highest order. As a lifelong Jurassic Park fan, my best friend was gracious enough to join me on a trip to Honolulu in Hawaii.

In case you don't speak fluent 'Spielberg Dinosaur 101', Honolulu is the Hawaiian island where several key scenes from the dino masterpiece were filmed – the gorgeous Kualoa Ranch, to be exact. Such is the pull of the all-time great 1993 masterpiece, 22 years on, the stunning tourist-luring spot still runs several JP themed tours a day.

So what does my favourite film of all time have to do with my AirPods Max and an incredible holiday I’d been dreaming up since I was eight years-old? That would be Apple’s first class noise-cancellation features. With a press of their highly effective Noise Control button, you could silence even the mighty roar of Jurassic Park’s T-Rex.

Not that I was overly concerned with the greatest (very much extinct) predator that has ever walked the Earth disturbing my sleep while staying in Waikiki with my bestie in early 2023. At full blast, the roar of the Tyrant Lizard King could probably shift this planet’s tectonic plates. Yet even the dino to end all dinos can’t hold a prehistoric candle to the constant hum of a mobile food van’s energy generator when you’re trying to nod off. But I’ll get to that.

To the Max

(Image credit: Future)

This is where my Apple AirPods Max’s $399 / $399 credit card-crippling price tag justify that significant outlay. They saved my sleep on this incredible holiday.

Sure, we all know effective noise-cancelling features can put a set of the best over-ear headphones into an elite bracket. Yet without trying to sound hyperbolic, my AirPods Max’s headline noise-kiboshing features put them up there with some of the finest tech purchases to have dented my bank balance.

Recently, and far from the picturesque mountain ranges of Honolulu, I rediscovered the power of Apple’s noise-slaying tech. It is quite simply the best in class din-dampening wizardry. This is a tale about trying to work at a kitchen table beside an adorable doggo, whose snores could perforate your eardrums. Again, that’s another tale I’ll get to in a bit.

It’s no secret that in a busy office, background noise (constant chatter, someone dropping a big jug of milk behind you, the low-level thrum of the printer/scanner/microwave/AC unit above your head, the gurgle of the water cooler as another colleague takes a glass) can severely dampen your productivity. It's hardly a spoiler akin to discovering Darth Vader is Luke’s perpetually wheezing papa. Yet when it comes to craving peaceful moments on vacation, the AirPods Max’s noise-nixing features are nothing short of transformative.

When I had the privilege of staying in Kauai for a few days – one of the smaller Hawaiian islands that Jurassic Park was primarily filmed on – noise-cancelling saved my sleep. And the last lingering remains of my sanity. Despite being the primary filming location of what I’d argue is the greatest, most influential blockbuster of all time, Kauai also has one, far more annoying credit to its name… roosters that won’t stop crowing their guts out.

Cock-a-doodle-boo

(Image credit: Future)

The beautiful island is absolutely covered with them. And you know what? They really enjoy screaming for hours on end during the dead of night. As someone who suffers from crippling arachnophobia, it’s the audio equivalent of sharing your bed with a dozen tarantulas… all of which are into hardcore metal bangers.

Thankfully, my AirPods Max and their noise-kiboshing features helped to slay the rooster racket. I'm a poor sleeper generally, so I’ve never been more appreciative of a piece of technology, even if wearing Apple’s chunky cans in bed is pretty uncomfortable for a side sleeper like myself (although I'm told you can buy ANC sleep earbuds, too).

The best noise cancelling headphones can bring your lobes much welcome peace during what should be the most relaxing days of your life. You know what didn’t bring out my inner audio zen? Staying in an oh so cheap and cheerful two star ‘hotel’ in downtown Waikiki, one that just so happened to be situated above that aforementioned mobile food truck and the world’s noisiest generator. This is where noise-cancelling features really came into their own again.

While holidaying in Hawaii, my friend slept like a vampire… a vamp who’s been heavily sedated before taking that trip to the Land of Nod. I, on the other hand, could barely catch 40 winks during a tornado. Throw in relentless generators, cheeky chickens and the fact the residents of downtown Waikiki never seem to go to bed, and you’re left with an incredibly effective recipe for a terrible night’s sleep. My ears – nay, my very sanity! – owe my AirPods Max a lot.

Circling back to work issues, it’s hardly an eye-rubbing shocker that headphones able to nullify loud sounds can be tremendously effective when it comes to getting work done with minimal distraction. That brings me back to my recent issues with constant ear-pummelling pooch snoring.

A dog's din(ner)

Forget any of the toothy residents of John Hammond’s doomed theme park; I’ve been staying at my cousin’s house recently and the noise his French bulldog makes would drown out the wails of that poor cow as it's being crunched by Jurassic Park’s ruthless raptors.

Yes, Spielberg’s T-Rex could perforate your eardrums with a mild cough in certain movie theaters. But my cousin’s ageing Frenchie could easily ruin both your sleep and productivity from half a house away, due to its adorable squished nose and the resulting room-reverberating racket of her snores.

And hoo-boy, does that dog enjoy its sleep – just try writing a tech feature within 30 ft of that lovely little hound. Without my AirPods Max, I would never have gotten a single word written over the past few weeks. You’d think I was some sort of weird Frenchie whisperer, the way Pixie decides to plonk herself down for an epic nap the second she seemingly hears my digits tapping away on one of the best gaming laptops.

It’s no surprise that the finest headphones or best noise-cancelling earbuds can significantly improve your sleep and ability to work in peace. Whether dealing with a Hawaiian cockerel or a pooch who loves noisy napping more than I love oxygen, subduing ambient noise through headphone tech can genuinely have an uplifting effect on your general mood.

And when it comes to trying to catch some kip on a dream vacation, nullifying noise is an absolute soul-lifting game-changer. And my set of Max cans didn’t just save my trip to Hawaii – they were also lifesavers in both New York’s Times Square and Tokyo. Now those are two cities that really have a creative interpretation of what constitutes sleep.

When it comes to the AirPods Max’s best in class noise-cancelling, Apple is top of the tree in my book. Those premium cans have improved the three best holidays of my 39 years on the spinning rock, and for that, my eardrums will be forever thankful to them.

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• Alibaba's DAMO Academy has launched its first server-grade RISC-V processor
• The C930 is designed for high-performance computing, rivaling Intel and AMD's offerings
• RISC-V's open-source design avoids licensing fees and geopolitical restrictions

Alibaba has launched its first server-grade RISC-V processor, the C930, designed for high-performance computing and positioned as an alternative to Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC CPUs.

The new chip, developed by Alibaba’s research arm DAMO Academy (short for Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook), was announced at a conference in Beijing and is the latest addition to Alibaba’s XuanTie RISC-V processor series, which includes the C910 launched in 2019 and the C920 released in 2023.

In response to the ever-tightening US trade restrictions on advanced technology exports, Chinese firms such as Alibaba’s DAMO Academy, Huawei, and Tencent have been ramping up efforts to develop their own chips to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. RISC-V in particular is gaining traction in China due to its open source nature, which allows companies to design and customize processors without the licensing fees or geopolitical risks associated with proprietary architectures like x86 and Arm. The Chinese Academy of Sciences is set to introduce its own RISC-V-based XiangShan CPU this year.

An aggressive investment

At the Beijing conference, DAMO Academy also outlined future plans for the XuanTie processor series, which includes the development of new chips for use in AI accelerators, automotive computing, and high-speed interconnection.

A report from the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba, states, “The launch of the new chips came days after the tech giant announced an aggressive investment plan of at least 380 billion yuan (US$52 billion) in AI and cloud infrastructure over the next three years. The company, which is China’s largest cloud provider, aims to meet surging demand for AI models fuelled by the recent popularity of the high-performance, low-cost models developed by Hangzhou-based start-up DeepSeek.”

The reports adds the planned outlay exceeds Alibaba’s total spending on AI infrastructure over the past decade and will lead to the construction of more data centers across China.

The new C930 server processor is expected to begin shipping to clients later in March 2025.

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