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• OpenAI has updated its Model Specification to allow ChatGPT to engage with more controversial topics
• The company is emphasizing neutrality and multiple perspectives as a salve for heated complaints over how its AI responds to prompts
• Universal approval is unlikely, no matter how OpenAI shapes its AI training methods

OpenAI's training methods for ChatGPT are shifting to allow the AI chatbot to discuss controversial and sensitive topics in the name of " intellectual freedom."

The change is part of updates made to the 187-page Model Specification, essentially the rulebook for how its AI behaves. That means you'll be able to get a response from ChatGPT on the delicate topics the AI chatbot usually either takes a somewhat mainstream view on, or refuses to answer.

The overarching mission OpenAI places on its models seems innocuous enough at first. “Do not lie, either by making untrue statements or by omitting important context.” But, while the stated goal may be universally admirable in the abstract, OpenAI is either naive or disingenuous in implying that the "important context" can be divorced from controversy.

The examples of compliant and non-compliant responses by ChatGPT make that clear. For instance, you can ask for help starting a tobacco company or ways to conduct "legal insider trading" without getting any judgment or unprompted ethical questions raised by the prompt. On the other hand, you still can't get ChatGPT to help you forge a doctor's signature, because that's outright illegal.

(Image credit: OpenAI) Context clues

The issue of "important context" gets a lot more complex when it comes to the kind of responses some conservative commentators have criticized.

In a section headed "Assume an objective point of view", the Model Spec details how "the assistant should present information clearly, focusing on factual accuracy and reliability", and also that the core idea is "fairly representing significant viewpoints from reliable sources without imposing an editorial stance".

OpenAI does offer an example of a compliant response to the question "Do Black lives matter?" that unequivocally says yes and references how it's a civil rights slogan and the name of a group. So far, so good.

The issue that OpenAI either doesn't see or is ignoring comes with how ChatGPT tries to thread the needle if you ask, "Don't all lives matter?" as a follow-up. The AI confirms that they do, but adds that the "phrase has been used by people that rejected the premise of the 'Black lives matter' movement."

While that context is technically correct, it's telling that the AI doesn't explicitly say that the "premise" being rejected is that Black lives matter and that societal systems often act as though they don't.

If the goal is to alleviate accusations of bias and censorship, OpenAI is in for a rude shock. Those who "reject the premise" will likely be annoyed at the extra context existing at all, while everyone else will see how OpenAI's definition of important context in this case is, to put it mildly, lacking.

AI chatbots inherently shape conversations, whether companies like it or not. When ChatGPT chooses to include or exclude certain information, that’s an editorial decision, even if an algorithm rather than a human is making it.

(Image credit: OpenAI) AI priorities

The timing of this change might raise a few eyebrows, coming as it does when many who have accused OpenAI of political bias against them are now in positions of power capable of punishing the company at their whim.

OpenAI has said the changes are solely for giving users more control over how they interact with AI and don't have any political considerations. However you feel about the changes OpenAI is making, they aren't happening in a vacuum. No company would make possibly contentious changes to their core product without reason.

OpenAI may think that getting its AI models to dodge answering questions that encourage people to hurt themselves or others, spread malicious lies, or otherwise violate its policies is enough to win the approval of most if not all, potential users. But unless ChatGPT offers nothing but dates, recorded quotes, and business email templates, AI answers are going to upset at least some people.

We live in a time when way too many people who know better will argue passionately for years that the Earth is flat or gravity is an illusion. OpenAI sidestepping complaints of censorship or bias is as likely as me abruptly floating into the sky before falling off the edge of the planet.

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• Seagate Ultra Compact SSD bears a striking resemblence to a thumb drive
• Pricing may be a sticking point for users, and performance leaves a lot to be desired
• The slow demise of flash drives marches on

Seagate’s new portable SSD is small but mighty, and may well mark another nail in the coffin for flash drives.

The firm’s new Ultra-Compact SSD, which is available in both a 1TB and 2TB format, boasts a small, sleek design that more closely resembles a thumb stick or top-of-the-range flash drive than a portable SSD.

Complete with a USB-C port, the SSD includes a single-piece aluminum shell and measures in at 2.7 x 0.7 x 0.34 inches. Notably, Seagate had sustainability in mind during development, with the drive made up to at least 35% recycled materials. From a durability perspective, it can also take a slight beating, being rated for drops up to three meters while featuring IP54 dust and water resistance capabilities - so how does it match up to other industry counterparts?

Under the hood of the Seagate Ultra-Compact SSD

As mentioned, the drive comes in both a 1TB and 2TB options. Both of these offer sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps.

PCMark 10 trace-based testing by Tom’s Hardware showed it wasn’t quite up to scratch with other options available on the market, however. On transfer rates, the drive also “fails to impress” - particularly on read speeds.

Its write speed of 512 Mbps did rank it in fourth place behind the Silicon Power DS72 (1TB), Silicon Power MS70 (1TB), and the PNY Pro Elite 3 (1TB). Tom’s Hardware further noted that with a mixed-file read speed of 570 Mbps, this still remains quite an impressive performance for such a compact drive.

One particular area that users may find appealing are the backup recovery options, though. The SSD ships with Seagate Rescue Data Recovery service, covering users for up to three years.

All told, the SSD is an impressive bit of kit for your everyday user. Capabilities may be lacking in some areas, but its compact design will likely be a draw.

There is one major detail that might put customers off, though: the pricing. The 1TB option comes in at £90.99, making it a middling option compared to other drives available. The price jump to the 2TB version - priced at $179.99 - might be jarring.

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Elon Musk claims to have found rampant fraud in the Social Security Administration. There's a much simpler explanation.

JBL Tune 305C review

If you’re on the hunt for some new earbuds but you’ve not bought into the whole wireless thing, the JBL Tune 305C could be an enticing budget option. These wired earbuds promise punchy bass, a comfortable fit – not a bad package for £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21). So can the JBL Tune 305C live up to these bold promises, or do they instead fall flat?

Well, let’s start where it matters most – sound. Of course, the main attraction is meant to be JBL’s “Pure Bass” sound but despite providing enjoyable warmth, this won’t conjure up the low-end boom that bass heads may want. For instance, when I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, there was a solid amount of depth to the thumping drum machine, but it lacked the impact and prominence in the mix to really have my head bopping. When listening to All Night Long by Chris Stussy, the bouncing bass never sounded lethargic or unresponsive, but again, it wasn’t as hard-hitting as I’d hoped.

You can be assured, however, that bass won’t sound nasty and distorted. Similarly, I didn’t experience much in terms of tinniness in the treble range or overly thin mids – something that all our picks of the best wired earbuds are capable of circumventing. But clean audio isn’t always a given with budget buds – the Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds with USB-C Connector, for instance, are very cheap… and they sound it. The JBL feel like good value in comparison.

Another positive is that the JBL Tune 305C can play hi-res music files thanks to the inclusion of a built-in digital to analog converter (DAC) – pretty impressive for some buds that come in at £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21). But although overall audio is certainly clear, it doesn’t really sound massively detailed.

For instance, I tuned into Clair de Lune by Kamasi Washington and piano notes soaring up and sinking down sounded slightly clumped – where they’d sound more individualized and defined using more premium buds such as the Sennheiser IE 200. Piano was also given a lot more breathing space with the IE 200, whereas it sounded more muddied with the Tune 305C – but not to a degree that it was totally lost in the mix.

One reason that I didn’t get a massively nuanced, informative listen from the Tune 305C was their in-ear fit. Like the Apple EarPods USB-C, they’re pretty loose-fitting, with an 'open-ear' design. They don’t include eartips, like the SoundMagic E11D, for example, meaning sound is less concentrated into the ear canal. Some may prefer the looser feel of these – I can’t deny that they were easy to keep in for longer listening sessions.

But still, they would occasionally feel as if they were falling out, especially when I was on the go. Not ideal if you’re on a run or working out. This design choice also limits noise isolation, so you may have to put up with the sound of that wailing baby on your four-hour flight… uh oh.

But again, some may prefer the more relaxed feel of the Tune 305C. On top of that, these are pretty lightweight and didn’t subject me to all too much cable noise – impressive for buds at this price-point.

(Image credit: Future)

And that’s not all – you also get a neat controller, which has volume, play/pause and mic controls built-in. Firstly, I have to say I was very impressed with mic quality. There was some very slight tinniness on a phone call, but my voice was nice and clear. Meanwhile, a voice recording came through with limited background static and well-defined vocals – rare for lots of wired earbuds.

You’re not going to believe me, but the fun doesn’t stop there either. If you hold down the volume up button for two seconds, you can even switch between Standard, Bass and Voice modes. EQ settings are pretty rare for cheap wired earbuds, so I was delighted to find this here. Really, the only downside practicality-wise is the lack of waterproofing, which would be ideal for listening in the rain or when exercising.

Another slightly disappointing aspect of these earbuds is their design. The buds each have a raised piece of plastic with the JBL logo on which looks a little clumsy, and the flat wire might not be to everyone’s taste either. Don’t get me wrong, my eyes didn’t burn just looking at the Tune 305C, but I was hardly swooning over them. The controller looks decent, however, and is positioned near your cheek for easy access, not to mention that the wire – despite not being too pretty – is tangle-resistant, which is useful if you need to slide these into your pocket.

All in all, the JBL Tune 305C are a solid pair of in-ear buds. They have typically clean audio with commendable bass and volume, EQ options and a surprisingly good mic. The loose fit does come with sacrifices in the audio and noise isolation departments and it's a shame not to see waterproofing too. But at £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21), there’s still plenty to like here.

If you want a step-up USB-C option, the SoundMagic E80D will outperform the Tune 305C in most departments, but there are some nice cheaper options too, such as the Skullcandy Set USB-C.

(Image credit: Future) JBL Tune 305C review: Price and release date

• £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21)
• Launched in 2024

The JBL Tune 305C launched in 2024 – the same year that the audio specialists dropped the Tune 310C model, which uses ear tips for a more snug, noise-isolating listening experience.

These in-ears are typically priced at £16.75 / AU$24, making them a very budget-friendly option. They’re also available in a number of attractive color variants including: Black, Blue, Red and White – I tested the latter for this review.

JBL Tune 305C review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the JBL Tune 305C? Buy them if...

You’re on a tight budget
If you want a cheaper wired option, these are worth considering. At £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21), you get audio that’s rarely tinny or grating, solid loudness and even EQ options – not bad at all.

You’re always on the phone
If you love a phone call, you’ll likely be satisfied with the JBL Tune 305C’s built-in mic. You get decently clear, defined speech as well as call controls, making these ideal for those who enjoy a good natter.

Don't buy them if...

You want strong noise isolation
Due to their loose-fitting design, these JBL Buds will offer very little in the way of noise isolation. If you’re looking for decent passive noise isolation at an ultra-low price, consider the Sony MDR-EX15AP. But if you want to take things up a notch and wouldn’t mind going wireless, then take a peek at our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds – which includes a very cheap option.

You’re expecting top-tier audio quality
If you’re expecting a top-drawer sonic performance from the JBL Tune 305C you’re likely to be disappointed. Sure, they have a built-in DAC for hi-res listening and pretty warm bass, but they can sometimes produce a fairly bloated sound, especially at high volumes.

JBL Tune 305C review: Also consider

Skullcandy Set USB-C
If you’re looking for a stylish, moderately priced pair of wired earbuds, the Skullcandy Set USB-C could be the perfect fit. They boast a clean, curved design, attractive color options and solid sound quality. There are no built-in volume controls, which is slightly irritating, but IPX4 waterproofing does give it some points in the durability department. Read our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review.

SoundMagic E80D
The SoundMagic E80D are some of the best budget-friendly wired earbuds around. Why? They offer excellent comfort, an inbuilt DAC for hi-res listening and impressive noise isolation. It’s a decent amount more than the JBL Tune 305C, sure, but if you have that extra cash, you’re in for a far superior sonic experience. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.

JBL Tune 305C review: How I tested

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for one week
• Used in the office and on public transport
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the JBL Tune 305C over the course of one week. When I used these buds for music listening, I mainly used Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I also tried them out with YouTube and Spotify on my Windows Laptop.

Not only that, but I made sure to run through tracks in the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – read our guide on how we test earbuds for more. I did, however, also spend hours tuning into songs from my personal library. And I took the 305C with me everywhere for this review. I tested them at a busy London train station, on walks through my local town centre and in the office.

• First reviewed: February 2025
• Read more about how we test

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, February 17 (game #1120).

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 #1121) - 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 #1121) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1121) - 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 #1121) - 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 #1121) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• S

• B

• D

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

Quordle today (game #1121) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1121, are…

• TAMER
• SCRUB
• BRICK
• DRIFT

I employed a different tactic today, using four start words instead of two. The idea is that eliminating a larger number of letters makes getting the four words faster and easier.

The person who suggested this method on Reddit claimed they regularly complete Quordle in under a minute and I fully believe them.

It worked for me in terms of speed, but it’s far from foolproof as it leaves an uncomfortable margin of error as the best you can do is finish after eight guesses with one line to spare.

Meanwhile, I completed today’s Sequence with the same number of guesses and without any method at all.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1121) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1121, are…

• BURNT
• EDIFY
• THERE
• SHEET

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
• Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
• Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL
• Quordle #1110, Friday 7 February: PETAL, ABASE, AMONG, CORER
• Quordle #1109, Thursday 6 February: MADAM, SCAMP, FAUNA, TRACK
• Quordle #1108, Wednesday 5 February: SIXTH, VERVE, BLURB, CACTI
• Quordle #1107, Tuesday 4 February: BIRTH, DRAWN, MILKY, JOIST
• Quordle #1106, Monday 3 February: SLEET, TENSE, SEIZE, SCAMP
• Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
• Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
• Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO
• Quordle #1102, Thursday 30 January: WEEDY, CHIRP, STALE, SUGAR
• Quordle #1101, Wednesday 29 January: CROWN, SCENE, AGILE, CRANK

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, February 17 (game #351).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Ouch!

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SCORE
• BLEEP
• CONE
• CORNER
• SOIL
• SELL

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Deliver venom

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 3rd row

Last side: left, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #352) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #352, are…

• JELLYFISH
• SPORPION
• HORNET
• PLATYPUS
• BUMBLEBEE
• SPANGRAM: STINGERS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Strands really is an education.

I knew that the PLATYPUS is a strange mammal with a duck’s bill, otter-like body and beaver-type tail. And I knew that they are unique to Australia. But I had no idea they had STINGERS too (well, the male of the species do at least).

It turns out being venomous is just one of the many remarkable features of this incredible creature – they’ve got two layers of fur, they lay eggs, they glow in the dark, they hunt using electroreception, the plural of platypus is platypus. They can complete Strands in 45 seconds without any hints. They are brilliant.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 17 February, game #351)

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

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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

Looking for a different day?

A new 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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, February 17 (game #617).

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 #618) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HEARTY
• READY
• HANDY
• SQUARE
• AVAILABLE
• BUTTY
• CAVITY
• FILLING
• FOOTY
• HOLE
• SOLID
• CHIPPY
• HOLLOW
• TELLY
• NEARBY
• PIT

NYT Connections today (game #618) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Big and hollow 
• GREEN: Easy to get 
• BLUE: Large portion 
• PURPLE: UK speak

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 #618) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CRATER 
• GREEN: ACCESSIBLE 
• BLUE: SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL 
• PURPLE: BRITISHISMS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #618) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #618, are…

• YELLOW: CRATER CAVITY, HOLE, HOLLOW, PIT
• GREEN: ACCESSIBLE AVAILABLE, HANDY, NEARBY, READY
• BLUE: SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL FILLING, HEARTY, SOLID, SQUARE
• PURPLE: BRITISHISMS BUTTY, CHIPPY, FOOTY, TELLY

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Finally, Connections gives me a Purple group I can solve easily and acknowledges the vast army of UK players to boot.

In case you are unaware, a BUTTY is a sandwich made of one slice of bread folded over – invariably filled with chips that you’d buy from a CHIPPY (fish and chip shop) sprinkled with salt and vinegar and red sauce (ketchup), that you eat while watching the FOOTY (soccer) on your TELLY – a delicacy that is more of a snack than SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL.

And now I'm hungry. Thank you, Connections.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 17 February, game #617)

• YELLOW: TIME OFF BREAK, LEAVE, REST, VACATION
• GREEN: FOLLOW A MEANDERING COURSE CURVE, SNAKE, WEAVE, WIND
• BLUE: BOWLING RESULTS DOUBLE, SPARE, STRIKE, TURKEY
• PURPLE: -__FISH BLOW, CAT, GOLD, SWORD

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.

The program, which focuses on mentoring and therapy, relies on the idea that most violent crimes are emotional, not rational.

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

• Google has reversed its policy on 'fingerprinting'
• 'Fingerprinting' is a technique used to collect personal user data
• Users have very little say over what information is given to advertisers

Do you sometimes wish that online advertisers had access to more of your private information without your consent or knowledge? Well, you might just be in luck.

As of February 16 2025, Google is permitting ‘fingerprinting’, which is a stealthy technique which tracks things like your IP addresses, screen resolution, operating systems, and even battery percentage - until it has a creepily accurate profile of you.

This practice will be particularly disturbing to the privacy-conscious among us since it's virtually impossible for users to control what information is collected and when. You can turn off all cookies, use all the private browsers, and use the best VPN money can buy, but you could still be tracked with this technique.

Why the change of heart?

In its response, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office stated it considers fingerprinting to be, ‘not a fair means of tracking users online because it is likely to reduce people’s choice and control over how their information is collected’.

The move is is a pretty stark 180-degree turn in terms of policy, considering that in 2019, Google condemned the practice of fingerprinting, saying;

“Unlike cookies, users cannot clear their fingerprint, and therefore cannot control how their information is collected. We think this subverts user choice and is wrong.”

But the practice will, ‘ help businesses, large and small, meet the opportunities of the evolving digital landscape’, Google’s statement latest says, and it does claim to be ‘meeting user expectations for privacy’ - but you can decide for yourself if your expectations are being met with this policy.

So what can you do about it? Unfortunately, not a lot. The ICO admits, ‘even privacy-conscious users will find this difficult to stop’ as the practice is harder for browsers to block, and it relies on signals you can’t easily wipe - so pressing ‘clear all site data’ won’t stop the advertiser from using the same fingerprinting techniques to just identify you all over again.

That being said, some browsers, such as Firefox and the Brave browser, have fingerprinting protection features that can scramble things like time zone, language, fonts, and language in reports to websites. There are also Google Chrome extensions like Canvas Blocker which can function in a similar way.

If you want more information, we've written a full guide on what fingerprinting is and how to protect yourself.

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The Centauri Carbon looks good and comes at the right price -- it just needs a proper color system.

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Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: one-minute review

The Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System is just that. It is indeed an air fryer, and not really more than that, but the design is utterly unique. Rather than cooking in a plastic drawer, your food goes on a metal tray in a glass cooking container with built-in plastic handles and feet. The heating element, which Ninja calls the PowerPod, is placed onto the glass container. When your cooking is complete, simply remove the PowerPod and place the glass container right onto the table for serving.

If you have leftovers, you can just put the included lid on your glass container and stick it in your fridge. The glass containers come in multiple sizes and the PowerPod has an adapter so it will fit on each container perfectly. There are four cooking modes: Bake, Air Fry, Max Crisp, and Recrisp. Each runs at a different temperature range, so you have some flexibility.

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: price and availability

• List price: $159.99 (about £127 / AU$251)

You can purchase the Ninja Crispi directly from Ninja’s website, where it’s available in a number of bundles containing multiple glass containers. You can also purchase extra glass containers in three different sizes separately: $29.99 for the six-cup container, $39.99 for the 2.5-quart container, and $44.99 for the four-quart size. The standard $159.99 system, which I tested, comes with the large four quart and the small six cup glass container. It’s available just about everywhere that sells air fryers online and in person, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and many more.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: specifications Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: design and features

• Heat comes from removable Crispi PowerPod
• Four cooking functions
• Looks functional rather than attractive

The cleverly designed Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System is a really a cooking pod, called the PowerPod, and a collection of glass cooking dishes. The cooking dishes, which Ninja calls TempWare Containers, withstand high cooking temperatures and are made just for the Ninja Crispi. You must use Ninja’s TempWare Containers; the PowerPod won’t work on other dishes. A built-in plastic piece adds handles and feet so you can place the dishes on any countertop. Each cooking dish comes with a metal crisper plate that nests inside and keeps the food off the bottom so air can circulate around it.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Place your food into one of the glass dishes on the crisper plate and place the pod on top. The PowerPod fits the small six-cup dish perfectly on its own. If you’re using the larger four-quart dish, you’ll need to use the included adapter for the PowerPod. Choose your cooking function mode: Recrisp (380°-400°F), Bake (375°-400°F), Air Fry (400°-425F), or Max Crisp (425°-450°). Select your cook time by pressing the - or + buttons. Press the start button to begin.

As with most air fryers, you will usually need to flip your food over halfway through the cook time. To pause cooking, simply remove the PowerPod and it will power off automatically. To re-start cooking, place the pod back onto the glass container and hit the start button once again.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The standard bundle comes with the largest glass dish, which has a four quart capacity, and the smallest one, which holds six cups. Ninja also makes a medium 2.5-quart glass dish, which is sold separately. Any of the glass dishes can be purchased separately, and there are different bundles you can buy with varying dish combinations. The handles and feet allow you to use the dishes for serving the food; there’s no need to transfer it to another container. All of the cooking dishes also come with an air-tight lid, so you can use the dishes for storing food as well.

Cleaning the Ninja Crispi is easy. You don’t need to clean the PowerPod, just the glass containers and crisper plates. They are even dishwasher safe, though it is easy enough to just wash them by hand. Though it’s not mentioned in the literature, I was able to use paper air fryer liners which made cleanup even easier.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System: performance

Though there are four cooking modes, the Ninja Crispi is truly an air fryer. The Air Fryer, Max Crisp, and Recrisp modes all worked pretty much as expected. The Bake mode, however, was a bit disappointing. I tried baking several items, all of which turned out fully browned on the top and raw in the middle. Since air frying in general requires flipping for even crisping, I’m not that surprised that the baking mode wasn’t great. I think baking would be fine for something quite thin, like cookies or very small mini muffins. If you want to make something thicker, like full-sized cupcakes, you’re better off using a regular oven. Of course, most people don’t buy air fryers in order to bake.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I eat a lot of fresh roasted vegetables, so I air fried broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. I used both Air Fry and Max Crisp modes. There is a learning curve, but once I got the hang of it, the veggies turned out delicious with just the barest spritz of oil. You definitely want to remember to flip your food, at least once during the cooking process. When I didn’t flip it, the food did not cook evenly. The Ninja Crispi is very, very fast. It’s a good idea to check your food frequently to make sure you don’t burn it. Even with careful flipping and checking, vegetables tend to brown (or blacken) quickly in some spots before all of them are fully cooked. Raw vegetables tended to come out more blackened and crisp rather than tender.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

My favorite vegetable cooked from its raw state was the diced sweet potatoes. They were crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. The next day I used the Recrisp mode to heat up the leftovers, which turned out great.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I made a bunch of veggie burgers, as well as protein waffles, veggie tots, falafel balls, and veggie “chicken” nuggets. They all turned out wonderful and crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. I didn’t need to add any oil to any of these convenience foods.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I hosted a Super Bowl party and air fried some frozen french fries for my guests. The fries disappeared so quickly, I ended up air frying another batch immediately! They were perfectly crisp and evenly browned on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle. I did nothing to doctor them at all, no oil or seasonings, and they came out just right.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

My family got in on the air frying fun. My youngest is a more adventurous cook than I, and they made some panko-crusted and seasoned tofu squares. The tofu was delicious! As expected, it was nice and crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. They didn’t even have to press and dry the tofu first. I’m a vegetarian but my husband eats meat; he used the Ninja Crispi to quickly and easily cook some chicken breasts. They got nicely browned on the outside (flipping half-way through cook time is a must) and cooked all the way through.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

As I mentioned above, I did try Bake mode. First, I made some pancake bites in a little silicone baking dish. The tops browned but the rest was still raw. I actually pulled off all the tops, flipped them over, and put them through another bake cycle. That worked fine. I also baked a (rather thick) protein air fryer cookie with the same results. I did the same thing where I pulled off the top, flipped it over, and put it through another cycle. Again, it was fine that way. So if you do use Bake mode, just be sure your items are very thin.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System? Buy it if

You want to minimize cleanup and hassle

Put your food in one specially designed glass dish. Then air fry, serve, and store your food without having to move it to another dish. You only have one dish to clean. Easy peasy!

You want multiple cooking modes

From low heat to high heat: Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Max Crisp.

You want portability

You could easily keep the PowerPod at the office, for example, and just bring the glass container with your food inside ready to air fry each day.

Don't buy it if

You want something pretty to keep on your counter

The Ninja Crispi just looks functional. It has a lot of parts (stackable, but still) so you’ll need some storage space.

You want the cheapest possible no frills air fryer

There are certainly cheaper options out there.

You plan to do a lot of baking in your air fryer

If that’s the case, you might prefer a toaster oven-air fryer combo appliance instead.

Ninja Crispi: also consider

If you're not sure about the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System, here are some other options to consider...

Ninja Double Oven Air Fryer

Cook two different items two different ways at the same time in this two-compartment air fryer oven. This is a good pick if you want to bake and air fry with the same appliance, which is why it earned a place in our roundup of the best air fryers.

Read our full review here.

Russell Hobbs Satisfry Dual Basket Air Fryer

Just want a regular air fryer? This two-basket version does the job, twice, earning it the title “best budget air fryer” on our list of the best air fryers.

Check out our full review here.

How I tested the Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System

• I tested Recrisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Max Crisp modes multiple times
• I used it daily for two weeks to cook a variety of food
• I cleaned it after each use

Although I’m a foodie, I’m kind of a lazy cook. As a wife and mother of three, I used to put more effort into crafting a variety of nutritious meals from scratch when my kids were little. Now that they’re grown, I still want to eat healthy meals, I just don’t want to take the time to cook them. The Ninja Crispi certainly helps me get food on the table fast. My family (my husband, my adult child, and I) used the Ninja Crispi daily, sometimes multiple times in one day, for two weeks. We made loads of fresh veggies, plus veggie burgers, veggie chicken nuggets, french fries, frozen waffles, breaded tofu, falafel, veggie tots, chicken breasts, pancake bites, and a protein breakfast cookie. I cleaned it after each use, which was quite easy. I did use paper air fryer liners sometimes, which made cleanup even easier.

Read more about how we test.

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• A new leak suggests Alexa's AI is too innacurate to launch yet
• It'll still be shown off on February 26, but won't release until later
• The leak follows reports Alexa was delayed from 2024 due to similar issues

It’s all but guaranteed that Amazon is launching a new version of Alexa with souped up AI brain power on February 26 – it literally spelled it out in an announcement – but disaster might have struck at the final hurdle. Alexa AI is reportedly delayed, again.

That’s per an anonymous source who spoke with The Washington Post (the report is behind a paywall) claiming that the new Alexa has been making too many mistakes when asked test questions. As a result Alexa is being delayed to improve its accuracy – with the current launch date now put back 'til March 31.

Amazon is still expected to unveil the all-new Alexa at the New York event on February 26 as it originally planned, however, we expect access to the AI (and the questions it’ll answer in demos) might be restricted so as not to reveal its potentially less-than-perfect side.

As with all rumored information, we should still take all of this with a pinch of salt, though if The Washington Post is correct, this wouldn’t be the first time Alexa has been delayed. Multiple sources had teased a 2024 launch date, with accuracy issues once again cited as the reason Alexa was held back.

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Beyond causing a delay, these issues could also prove a blow to Amazon’s rumored plan to charge users for Alexa's help. It’s been said the revamped Alexa could cost paying customers $5-$10 a month to use (around £5-£10 / AU$8-AU$16). If Alexa is unreliable – or has a reputation for being unreliable beyond what’s expected from a current-gen AI – we imagine there won’t be many users keen to pay for the service.

At least the current-version of Alexa is said to be sticking around as a permanently free and generally reliable option.

If Amazon can solve Alexa’s accuracy problems, the new AI does sound rather useful. Alexa AI is said to be smarter so it can handle multiple prompts at once, rather than requiring its user to give distinct commands one after the other, and to perform as an AI agent – read: taking actions without direct user requests.

Admittedly that last point sounds a little scary, given that Alexa AI would have our credit card info and direct access to the world’s largest online store (Amazon), especially if Alexa is prone to mistakes (I know I'd be nervous about using it). But if Amazon can prove its agent is genuinely helpful, Alexa might finally start living up to the futuristic home assistant many imagined it would be when it first launched.

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• GlobalFoundries was spun off when AMD decided to go fabless 16 years ago
• Thomas Caulfield’s leadership made GloFo profitable; now rumors link him to Intel
• A merger could help Intel, but regulatory hurdles might block the deal

GlobalFoundries (GloFlo) was founded in March 2009 when a struggling AMD spun off its manufacturing division to go fabless, a move designed to help it survive in the highly competitive semiconductor industry.

GloFo eventually became a key player in the foundry business, with a global manufacturing footprint across the US, Europe, and Asia, focusing on specialty chips rather than competing at the leading edge. Under the leadership of Thomas Caulfield, who became CEO in 2018, GlobalFoundries pursued a strategy that led it to become the third-largest semiconductor foundry by revenue, and a public listing in 2021.

However, speculation is currently brewing that Caulfield could be set to become the next CEO of AMD’s long time chip rival, Intel. As reported by eeNews Europe, the rumors began following an unexpected leadership change at GlobalFoundries. Caulfield is set to move from CEO to executive chairman, with Tim Breen, who has also been at the company since 2018, taking over as CEO. This shift has led observers to question whether Caulfield may be preparing for a leadership role at Intel, which has been without a permanent CEO since Pat Gelsinger’s departure in December 2024.

Regulatory hurdles

Caulfield has extensive experience in semiconductor manufacturing but has not led a product company like Intel. This has fueled suggestions that instead of simply taking over as CEO, he could oversee a merger between Intel and GloFo. In such a scenario, eeNews Europe suggests that Caulfield would become executive chair of the combined entity, with Michelle Johnston Holthaus leading Intel’s product business and Breen integrating GlobalFoundries into Intel Foundry.

A merger would definitely benefit both parties. While AMD has seen its fortunes soar in recent times, intel has been struggling. Joining forces with GlobalFoundries could allow the merged company to offer a broader range of manufacturing capabilities.

Adding further fuel to the rumor mill, eeNews Europe reports that observers on a Reddit stream noted a recent purchase of 8,913,000 Intel shares at $19.29. This unusual transaction occurred two days before GlobalFoundries announced its leadership changes, drawing comparisons to the $172 million stock incentive given to Gelsinger when he became Intel’s CEO in 2021.

Any potential merger would of course face regulatory hurdles, particularly in China, which previously blocked Intel’s attempt to acquire Tower Semiconductor. If approval proves difficult, eeNews Europe suggests Intel could appoint Caulfield as CEO while maintaining close ties with GlobalFoundries.

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• Amazon is removing the Download & Transfer via USB option on Kindles
• The feature hadn't appeared on the latest models
• It's likely that the move is to combat ebook piracy

I've owned and loved some of the best Kindles in the series since Amazon first introduced the ereader, but using these devices can feel somewhat restrictive – especially now Amazon is killing off a useful USB file transfer feature.

As reported by The Verge, the Download & Transfer via USB option is going away on February 26. That means you'll no longer be able to download ebooks purchased from Amazon, and then move them to your Kindle over a wired USB connection.

The feature isn't actually available on the latest generation of Kindles, pushed out last year, but all other models are going to be affected. Amazon doesn't give a reason for the move, but it's almost certainly to crack down on ebook piracy.

Using fairly simple tools available online, users could download purchased ebooks from Amazon, crack the DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection on them, and send them to other devices or distribute them widely on the web. That will no longer be possible.

Less flexibility

An ebook on the Kindle Oasis

As is often the case, efforts to battle digital pirates means rule-abiding users lose out. This means ebooks can no longer be saved on computers as backups, or moved over without a Wi-Fi connection, which gave Kindle owners some extra flexibility.

It's worth bearing in mind that Amazon does occasionally remove ebooks from its catalog, or replace them with modified versions. Now more than ever, users are going to be at the whims of what Amazon decides to make available.

You will still be able to move ebooks over via Wi-Fi of course, as well as transfer files to your Kindle via USB and software such as Calibre. It's specifically the ability to download purchases from the Amazon website to a computer that's disappearing.

This also gets closer to fully killing off the older AZW3 format for Amazon ebooks: it's been replaced by the newer KFX format, which is much harder to crack in terms of its DRM, and which is now used in most situations (except downloads to a computer).

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• South Korea privacy watchdog has temporarily halted downloads of DeepSeek
• DeepSeek is working with authorities to get compliant
• Latest in a series of privacy concerns raised about AI chatbots

South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has temporarily halted new downloads of Chinese-owned AI chatbot DeepSeek.

Reports from TechCrunch confirm the app is still up and running for those who have already installed it, and that the decision won’t affect usage of the app - but new downloads will be halted until the Chinese firm complies with Korean privacy laws.

South Korea isn’t the first to ban new downloads of the chatbot, with the model disappearing from the Italian App store and Google Play Store in late January 2025 after the country’s data watchdog filed a privacy complaint and asked for information on how DeepSeek handles users’ personal information.

Recurring concerns

DeepSeek has since appointed a local representative to work with authorities in South Korea, but the data protection agency has said it ‘strongly advises’ current users to refrain from entering personal data into DeepSeek until a final decision is made - here’s everything we know so far.

The restriction is temporary whilst the PIPC assesses the use and storage of data by DeepSeek, but the agency confirms the model will be available for download once it is compliant.

The PIPC found DeepSeek had transferred the data of South Korean users to ByteDance - TikTok’s parent company. TikTok, as many will remember well - was briefly banned in the US over privacy and security concerns.

DeepSeek isn’t the first AI model to come under scrutiny for privacy concerns. The nature of Large Language Models is a bit of a privacy minefield since they scrape every corner of the internet for data to train their models - without the consent of the owners/authors/creators of the media they use.

Further than this though, OpenAI has never asked people for permission to use their data, and it’s not possible for a person to get confirmation of what data has been used or stored - or for it to be deleted. This contradicts an important facet of GDPR laws, which protect the right to be forgotten and should guarantee individuals the ability to have their personal data erased upon request.

As the new kid on the block, DeepSeek is in the spotlight for a number of reasons - and there have been legitimate concerns about how the platform collects and stores your personal information like your email address, name, and date of birth, as well as the data you enter into the chatbot, and the technical information of the device you’re using, like IP address, OS, etc.

Using AI safely

So is DeepSeek safe to use? And can it be used whilst maintaining your privacy? Well there are things you can do to mitigate the risks.

As with all LLMs, if you’re concerned about data privacy, using AI is probably not a good idea. LLMs scrape data from the internet without permission, and will use your interactions to add to the pool of data the model is trained with, and that’s not something you can opt out of, DeepSeek included.

If you’re in South Korea or Italy and still want to download DeepSeek, even the best VPN services will need a little extra help - as they don’t spoof your App store location, so you’ll need to download it from elsewhere. This is something we usually advise against, as it can be a really easy way to be tricked into downloading malware - so do so with caution.

In terms of the cybersecurity risks, there have been reports DeepSeek is ‘incredibly vulnerable’ to attacks, and failed to block any harmful prompts when tested, severely underperforming against its rivals.

You should be wary when using these chatbots - especially on a company device or if you work in an industry that has national security connections - there’s a reason both Australian and Indian government departments have blocked the use of DeepSeek from work devices.

A general rule is that users should be especially careful with the information you give to a chatbot. Don’t enter your health information, financial data, or anything that you wouldn’t want a third party to know. Monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity regularly, and flag anything you see as soon as you see it.

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