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• Dynabook and NEC defy industry trends by bringing back optical drives
• Dynabook T series uses both Blu-ray Disc drive and DVD Super Multi-Drive
• NEC Lavie N16 opts for only DVD Super Multi-Drive

In somewhat surprising news, Dynabook has released its T series (originally in Japanese), with 13th-generation Intel processors, while NEC has introduced the Lavie N16 (also in Japanese), featuring a mix of AMD Ryzen 7 and Intel 12th-generation processors.

The startling part is that these business laptops, from the Year of Our Lord 2025, contain built-in optical drives. bucking the trend of manufacturers prioritising lightweight portability over physical media playback.

Dynabook T series

(Image credit: Mynavi)

All Dynabook T series laptops feature a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels.

The series is available in four configurations: T5/Y, T6/Y, T7/Y, and T9/Y. That's a careful distinction; Dynabook T9/Y model includes a Blu-ray Disc drive, while the other models come with a DVD Super Multi-Drive.

The T9/Y and T7/Y models are powered by the Intel Core i7-1360P and i7-1355U processors, respectively, and are equipped with dual cooling fans.

Meanwhile, the T6/Y and T5/Y models feature the Intel Core i3-1305U and i5-1335U processors, respectively, relying on a single cooling fan.

The T series supports 16GB or 32GB of RAM and offers storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB SSD, with the option to upgrade memory via a dedicated access door on the bottom panel.

The T series includes three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one Thunderbolt 4 (USB4 Type-C) port, an HDMI output, a wired LAN port, and a microphone/audio jack. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The T series starts at approximately 160,000 yen (about $1,046) for the T5/Y model, with the top-tier T9/Y priced at around 280,000 yen (about $1,830).

NEC Lavie N16

(Image credit: Mynavi)

The Lavie N16, meanwhile, is available in three configurations: the N1675/JA, N1655/JA, and N1635/JA series. All models feature a 16-inch WUXGA IPS LCD with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels. Crucially, all contain a DVD Super Multi-Drive.

The top-tier N1675/JA model is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7735U processor with a 512GB SSD. The mid-range N1655/JA and base N1635/JA models come with Intel Core i5-1235U and Intel Core i3-1215U processors, respectively, while both have large SSDs of 256GB.

The Lavie N16 includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, an HDMI output, a wired LAN port, a microphone/audio jack, and Wi-Fi 6E.

Pricing for Lavie N16 configurations range from 154,800 yen (about $1,013) up to 184,800 yen (about $1,209).

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Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 147 for Monday, Feb. 17.

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For fans of high-fidelity audio, Spotify HiFi could be the Holy Grail. After unveiling its plans for lossless, CD-quality audio in 2021, audiophiles around the world have been patiently waiting for Spotify to bridge that gap to competitor services like Tidal and Apple Music. Though we still regard it as one of the best music streaming services, Spotify has yet to deliver its highly anticipated HiFi tier - and it's been almost five years.

When it comes to the hi-res audio game, Apple and Amazon are leaps and bounds ahead of Spotify. Since 2021 subscribers of both services have been able to reap the benefits of lossless audio quality at no extra cost, so what's gone wrong with Spotify? It's a question we're still asking ourselves to this day, though the more Spotify unveils about its new plans for new tiered subscriptions, the closer we get to having our hands on its lossless audio.

(Image credit: Spotify / Apple)

Unfortunately, even when Spotify HiFi does drop, we have reason to believe that it will only be available in “select markets” to start. And while Spotify hasn’t said exactly how much the service will cost just yet, we're confident that the Spotify HiFi tier will cost more than the current standard premium subscription which sits at $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 - and there’s no guarantee that every song in the entire Spotify catalog will have a HiFi version available.

In spite of this very clear downside, we have good reason to believe that Spotify HiFi songs will be available to save and download to your devices for offline listening, which means you should be able to take your new lossless music library with you anywhere.

Ready to make the leap to lossless? Here's everything we know about Spotify HiFi.

Spotify HiFi release date rumors

To cut a long story short, we don't have a specific date we can point to. It's been five years since Spotify unveiled its plans to introduce lossless audio to enhance music listening for its subscribers, which was expected to arrive in 2021. One of the first leaks we came across was back in 2021, when a user on Reddit shared a video with the caption 'Here's a sneak peek at the upcoming HiFi onboarding process from modifying the app', and appears to give prospective HiFi users a backstage tour of the service:

Here's a sneak peek at the upcoming HiFi onboarding process from modifying the app from r/truespotify

Despite sharing this in its Five Things to Know About Spotify HiFi blog post, and confirming that it would be available as an upgrade to Premium, there's still been no addition of HiFi audio.

In 2021 Spotify stated the following; "Beginning later this year, Premium subscribers in select markets will be able to upgrade their sound quality to Spotify HiFi and listen to their favorite songs the way artists intended,". However we've been waiting quite a while for another official update, and now that we've reached 2025, we really have no idea when Spotify HiFi will finally release. Even Spotify CEO Daniel Ek isn't certain, claiming that the delay in adding Spotify HiFi largely comes down to licensing issues.

Aside from licensing rights, the Spotify HiFi delay can be attributed to its undivided attention to its social features such as Spotify Wrapped, and its mission to bring more AI integrations to its user experience; its jarring AI DJ feature and generative Daylist feature (one which I frequent regularly) are two of its most popular AI tools. Recently, we reported on Spotify's plans to 'double down' on music in 2025 which we believe could go down one of two paths; either the long-awaited HiFi tier or more AI advancements.

Spotify's AI generated 'Daylist' feature was introduced in September 2023. (Image credit: Spotify)

It's also worth focusing on that select markets bit as it means we won’t see Spotify HiFi going live in every territory at the same time. Previously, when Spotify has rolled out new features it usually starts with the US and Europe, but now that the service is available in more than 180 markets, it’s hard to say which will be among the first to get the new service.

The other issue you’ll run into regarding Spotify HiFi’s release date – whenever it is eventually announced – is that it’s unlikely that every Spotify Connect device will get the upgrade at the same time – which means some speakers like, say, the Sonos One and PS5 might get it long before your slightly older AV receiver.

Spotify HiFi price predictions

As of right now, there’s no set price for Spotify HiFi so, for now, all we can do is speculate. We had reason to believe that Spotify HiFi would be introduced as a brand new subscription tier, but we've since learned that it may no longer be a standalone tier, nor a new Music Pro feature, but it could be a $5 add-on for the Premium Plan. Spotify Premium currently stands at a monthly cost of $11.99/ £11.99/ AU$13.99 therefore if the $5 add-on rumors are true, we'd venture a guess that Spotify HiFi could cost between $14.99 and $19.99 which feels like a safe bet.

What’s also influencing that guess is the competition: a Tidal subscription will run you $19.99 per month, while Hi-Res Audio streaming services like Qobuz and Deezer cost $14.99 and $11.99 per month. Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music are a bit cheaper and now include lossless streaming options, and it's possible Spotify HiFi could be around the same price if it ever launches.

Spotify HiFi audio quality

So, just how good will Spotify HiFi's lossless audio be? It will supposedly sound, at the very least, as good as a CD does – and maybe a bit better.

According to Spotify, Spotify HiFi will stream CD-quality lossless audio to your devices. Ideally, those devices will be connected to a network and capable of using Spotify Connect, otherwise, you’ll have to pipe it over Bluetooth which will likely diminish the quality.

In the absence of Spotify HiFi, you can amend your audio streaming quality in your account settings to add somewhat of an improvement to your listening experience. Just go to your Spotify settings, and tap 'Audio Quality'.

(Image credit: Future)

That’s a heck of a lot better than Spotify's current offering of 320kbps, and will likely bring the service's potential audio quality up to par with Tidal, Deezer, and maybe even Apple’s Digital Masters. Speaking of Apple Digital Masters, there’s always a chance that Spotify might also go above and beyond hi-fi with 96kHz / 24-bit audio, but we’re not holding our breath.

So what does that all mean? In a very practical sense, lossless audio formats have more details and data than their lossy counterparts. That means hearing new details in songs you’ve never heard before that otherwise might’ve been cut out when the data was compressed. It should also sound a bit wider and more immersive, though, a lot of it will depend on which headphones or speakers you use, too.

Spotify HiFi song catalog 

The murkiest detail of all for Spotify HiFi is how many – and which – songs from Spotify’s more than 100 million-song catalog will be included. The safest assumption we can make is that it won't support every song in Spotify's vast catalog, but millions of them should be.

Among those will likely be top hits from major record labels which already distribute the files to other services, while some music from smaller labels and older legacy titles likely won’t make the cut. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for more details on which songs will make the cut, but for now, it’s probably best to keep your CD collection right where it is until new details emerge.

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said all of the state's 120 counties were impacted by the storm. "The biggest challenge of this event is it's everywhere."

(Image credit: AP)

The Flexispot C7 Pro Max ergonomic Office Chair continues the C7 legacy of chairs that has performed very well in the last few years. I've tried out the C7 and the C7 Lite; both have been excellent chairs.

Like many of the best office chairs from the company, the C7 Pro Max is designed to showcase the best of what Flexispot offers within not only this C7 line-up but also its entire catalog.

Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Price and Availability

The C7 Pro Max is Flexispot's most premium chair, priced at $799.99, but it is currently discounted at the time of writing this down to $599.99 on official website (check it out by clicking here). The C7 Pro Max comes in a light grey or a black colorway, with a matching seat color.

While you may be able to find this chair through some other retailers, it's worth noting that Flexispot runs deals fairly regularly on their site, making the products even more accessible.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Unboxing and First Impressions

The C7 Pro Max came in a box like the other Flexispot chairs I reviewed. The packaging keeps everything secure, yet it's easy to unbox. Assembling the C7 Pro Max took around 27 minutes and was straightforward. The instructions were clear, the parts were easy to find and distinguish, and everything went together quickly.

At first glance, this chair looks a lot like the Flexispot C7 and Flexispot C7 Lite that I have previously checked out. It has a similar shape; you can tell it's part of the same design language. However, some things stick out as upgraded. First, the lovely design on the back "spine" of the chair, the controls are slightly modified, the leg rest is slightly changed, and the lumbar support is somewhat different. The rest looks very similar, just making the changes needed and learning from the success of the C7 Ergonomic Chair. What's great, and what matters, is that this chair is still fantastic; it's comfortable, it's premium feeling, it's sleek and professional, and it's great for all-day comfort.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Design and Build Quality Specs

Weight capacity: 330 lbs.
Height range: Recommended for users 5’9” to 6’11”.
Recline angle: Adjustable to 135 degrees.
Base: Aluminum alloy for durability.
Warranty: 10 years.

The Flexispot C7 Pro Max is constructed with a high-quality mesh seat that allows both support and comfort, all while allowing for ventilation for those who get a little warm in their posterior during the day if they are sitting in a leather seat, for example, that doesn't breathe. The most prominent feature of this chair is the dramatic lumbar support. While this feature is aggressive-looking, it's comfortable. I could dial in just how much resistance I wanted, and once I could pick that amount, I hadn't touched it since.

The last element worth mentioning is the metal base. Some chairs have a plastic base where the wheels connect to the piston that holds the chair up (and usually changes the chair's height too). However, the C7 Pro Max has a metal base, which adds to the frame's comfort and quality build design.

Flexispot C7 Pro Max: In use

The Flexispot C7 Pro Max has been a fantastic chair in my rotation for several months. In that time, I've gotten comfortable dialing in every setting just as I want for maximum comfort while working. While having a lot of adjustability is excellent, you do have to spend the time to set it up; otherwise, there's no point in choosing a nice ergonomic chair compared to a simple, no-adjustment dining chair, for example.

The C7 Pro Max has a gravity-sensing chassis that auto-adjusts based on weight, though this works better for those that 200lb plus, or perhaps it's just more noticeable. I've had friends and peers of many weights and heights check out this chair to see how well it worked for everyone. For those under 200 and under 6 feet tall, this is comfortable and even good. But this is an excellent chair from my little testing group for those a bit bigger and a bit taller. Even my son loves it.

The only issue is that he's five-years-old and skin and bones, meaning he doesn't come anywhere close to even the minimal weight suggestion from Flexispot, nor the height range -- though he does still love running down to my office to jump in this chair pretty much every chance he gets. For reference, I am about 6'2" tall and 210lb. For me, this chair feels great, and like it's designed for me in mind. I had a friend who is around 280lb and 6'4" sit in this chair and his immediate response was to exhale and smile -- in a good way.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

The backrest is great; the armrests are stiff enough that I don't find myself falling to my doom after leaning on them and having them give out on me like has happened on other chairs. But, at the same time, I can adjust them to whatever setting I want to give me the armrest relief I am looking for. The leg rest is nice, too, though I feel like I need to lean back actively or adjust my legs just right to lean back while my legs are up too, that could be my build. Someone built differently than me may experience different proportions, making leaning back with the footrest easier.

For the past several months, this has been a great chair; through all my stress testing, early mornings, and long hours in this chair, It still looks as good as new and functions as though it's brand new. If you're looking for a new, high-quality office chair without paying the ultra-premium pricing of some of these chairs, the C7 Pro Max might be the chair you're looking for.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Flexispot C7 Pro Max: Final verdict

The FlexiSpot C7 Pro Max is a remarkable ergonomic chair designed for users who prioritize comfort and adjustability. While the price tag might be on the higher side, the build quality and extensive features make this a fantastic option, especially if you are taller and a bit bigger. This chair is an excellent representation of what makes the C7 line-up a great choice from Flexispot.

For more office space essentials, we tested the best standing desks and best office desks.

• Need massive storage? Seagate’s Exos 28TB HDD is the current king
• Recertified models are popping up cheap - but they’re not exactly fresh out the box
• Some might’ve worked hard in crypto farms before, so check before you buy!

If you’re looking for a high-capacity hard drive, Seagate’s Exos range will definitely appeal to you. The largest internal drive you can buy in retail right now is Seagate's Exos 28TB HDD - when launched in 2024 it overtook the previous record holder, the Western Digital Gold, which maxes out at 24TB.

Seagate doesn’t disclose pricing for the Exos 28TB HDD, but we’ve noticed refurbished versions of the drive on sale for a fraction of what you might expect to pay. This isn’t the first time these cheaper CMR drives have appeared online, and the same warnings we issued about buying them before apply now.

The drives that you’ll find online at the likes of Amazon ($379.99), ServerPartDeals ($364.99), eBay in the UK (£578), as well as other third-party retailers, are all recertified models. That means they are either previously used or customer returns that have been inspected, tested, and restored to full working condition by either Seagate or an authorized third party. In other words, they aren’t brand new, but they have been verified to meet functional standards.

Linked to the Chia scandal?

In the case of Seagate's recertified Exos 28TB, it means you’re getting a tested and refurbished enterprise-grade HDD at a significant discount, but with potentially lower warranty coverage. The drives we’ve found on sale have “Factory Recertified” printed on them, so you know what you’re getting, and (depending on where you buy from) they could come with up to a two-year warranty. That’s interesting, as Seagate does offer an official data sheet for the recertified Exos 28TB drive, which states it only offers a limited six-month warranty.

There’s no question the recertified drives available to buy are attractively priced, and they should be absolutely fine, but if reliability is your top priority, you might be better off picking up a brand-new unit.

Quite where all these recertified drives have come from is something of a mystery, but it wouldn’t surprise us if at least some – if not most – of them originated in China.

Heise.de recently reported a number of its readers had purchased Seagate drives that were supposedly new but had, in fact, been used previously - potentially for thousands of hours. Further digging suggested at least some of the drives originated from Chinese cryptocurrency mining farms that used them to mine Chia several years ago. We’re not suggesting that the recertified Exos 28TB drives have been used for crypto mining, but it’s always a possibility.

When drives are refurbished and factory-certified by Seagate, the Field Accessible Reliability Metrics (FARM) usage time is reset to zero. Heise.de reports that some readers with recertified drives discovered their purchases had been used for at least 15,000 hours, which, as Tom’s Hardware points out, suggests “that these drives were used, refurbished by Seagate, used again, and then resold as freshly refurbished models.”

If you do decide to buy one of the recertified Exos 28TB HDDs, make sure you buy from a reputable reseller, even if it means paying a little extra.

Towards the end of January 2025, Seagate added the 36TB Exos M model to its growing family of data center hard disk drives, making it the largest HDD currently available, albeit not one that you'll be able to buy (for now). Seagate's CEO, Dave Mosley, also revealed at the time that the company had successfully trialed platter capacities of over 6TB, meaning 60TB drives could be on the horizon.

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Rwanda-backed rebels reached the center of east Congo's second largest city, Bukavu, on Sunday morning in an unprecedented expansion of their reach in their yearslong fighting.

(Image credit: Janvier Barhahiga)

• Spotify Music Pro is tipped to launch later in 2025
• Remixing tools and concert ticket access could feature
• The main draw will be lossless audio quality

It was back in February 2021 – four years ago – when Spotify HiFi was first announced, and we're still waiting for it to appear. Now a new report suggests a full launch could happen before the end of the year, while answering some outstanding questions about the service.

According to Bloomberg, the subscription will be called Spotify Music Pro, and will cost you an extra $6 on top of the $12-per-month Premium plan. That's a 50% hike, so would presumably cost an additional £6 in the UK and AU$7 in Australia.

As well as higher-quality audio – teased many times over the years – that extra cash will apparently get you access to bonus remixing tools (including some AI-powered features for mashing tracks together) and deals on concert tickets.

The "people familiar with the matter" who Bloomberg has spoken to say that Spotify execs think committed music fans will pay more for their subscription – potentially giving the streaming service some valuable additional revenue.

A long time coming

Other services, including Apple Music, already offer hi-res audio (Image credit: Brett Jordan / Unsplash)

As per the report, Spotify is exploring a variety of options for its Music Pro plan, and will test a number of them during 2025. The full experience is apparently going to roll out in phases, so subscribers won't necessarily get everything right away.

That fits with the leaks and rumors we've seen since 2021: it sounds as though Spotify isn't really sure what to offer or for how much. We've even seen multiple names for the subscription plan, including Spotify Supremium.

The Music Pro name did in fact show up last year, when it was spotted hidden away in Spotify app code. Another feature that got a reference was playlist filtering, which may well be part of the package when it finally does appear.

We've also previously heard that the new service would be available as an add-on to Premium, rather than something completely separate. Spotify has promised to "double down" on music in 2025, so let's hope the new tier is included in that plan.

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• The latest Simpsons-themed product drop is an electric toothbrush
• It's a pretty simple collab that nets an iconic yellow toothbrush
• You can pair it with a themed toothpaste when it launches

The Simpsons might just be the most recognizable and well-known animated TV show of all time – scratch that (not like Itchy and Scratchy, though), actually the most well-known animated franchise of all time. Just check out our list of the best Simpsons episodes, all of which you can stream on Disney Plus, one of the best streaming services.

And whether you’re a big fan of donuts, slushies, steamed hams, or a Flaming Moe, this collaboration between The Simpsons and HiSmile might be right up your alley. HiSmile, an online direct-to-consumer brand specializing in brightly colored toothbrushes and equally eyeball-catching flavored toothpaste, is now making a Simpsons-themed toothbrush.

While I partially wish they'd gone the character route – I mean, a Duff Man design would have been cool – you can’t go wrong with the classic vibrant yellow that The Simpsons is known for. The result is a bright yellow electric toothbrush with The Simpsons logo on the front, centered under where the brush head would be.

(Image credit: Fox)

It goes up for sale on February 18, 2025, for $59 USD and will come with one brush head in the same yellow out of the box. HiSmile is set to offer replacement ones, but out of the box, the toothbrush itself is the same as a standard one with three cleaning modes, a built-in timer, and soft bristle heads.

You’ll also get a USB-A to USB-C charging cable inside the Simpsons-themed package. Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Marge, and Homer are on the box with the iconic logo and a photo of the vibrant yellow toothbrush.

(Image credit: The Simpsons)

Equally, if not more, exciting, though, is the Simpsons Purple Squishee Toothpaste that is launching alongside the toothbrush. It promises to taste like a purple squishee, an iconic aspect of the Simpsons. Based on the photos, it looks like the same smooth, purple goop.

The Purple Squishee Toothpaste is also launching on February 18th but is a bit more affordable at just $9. It simply looks fun, though some of my colleagues haven’t had the same reaction as me. I think it’s safe to say that a Simpsons fan would find this pretty exciting, though, and as with countless other drops, it could stand to be a collectible one day.

Either way, The Simpsons toothbrush or Purple Squishee Toothpaste should let you ‘brush with greatness’ – just make sure you’re using the proper technique and for the proper length. You’ll find them both at HiSmile from the 18th of February, and if you’re looking for a new toothbrush, check out TechRadar’s best electric toothbrush guide here.

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It's not any secret that I have tested many, many, many chairs. I rotate through them like some people rotate through socks. It's thrilling, and sometimes chairs rotate through, and I can't distinguish them from one another. Some stick around, some rotate through and get swapped out with the newest and shiniest chair that I need to put to the test.

The Autonomous line of Ergonomic chairs break that mold for me. Back in July of 2023, I reviewed the A72 ErgoChair Pro, and since that review, I have had this chair at one of my workstations exclusively. I can work in several workspaces throughout the week without wasting time diving into them. At one of these spaces, I have a desk setup that the A72 has lived at for a year and a half now, amidst all of the other fantastic chairs coming in and out that I have loved (most of them). There is something about the A72 ErgoChair Pro that became a baseline for me. Everyone of the best office chairs I reviewed was compared to that one for my chair at that desk. It became such a good base that I realized it was a good chair. I didn't see a chair surpassing or replacing it until I unboxed the Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh, which seems to be a perfected ErgoChair Pro at first glance.

Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh: Price and Availability

The Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh has two purchasing options. First, if you are "Buying for the Home," the price is $599, discounted to $549 for a limited time. However, if you are "Buying for the Office" or in bulk, you can grab a nice quantity discount of $507.82 per unit. You can grab the ErgoChair Mesh from the Autonomous website by clicking here and other select retailers.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh arrives in a well-packaged box, ensuring that all parts are protected during shipping. There are clear labels and organized parts once unboxing, making the assembly process a dream. It took me about 22 minutes with a HOTO Electric screwdriver to put everything together correctly.

I immediately noticed that this chair resembles my favorite A72 ErgoChair Pro from my office. This model is an upgrade, enhancing some features while maintaining others that I love.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh: Design and Build Quality Specs

Materials: Ultra Air Mesh
Color Options: Black and gray.
Weight Capacity: Supports up to 300 lbs (136 kg).
Dimensions:
• Seat Height: 18–21 inches (adjustable).
• Seat Width: 20 inches.
• Backrest Height: 22 inches.
Warranty: 2 years.

The Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh is a very sleek and minimalist chair offered in the two most basic colors possible, and only those colors -- black and grey. This makes everything a lot easier on the warehouse side of things and is a premium choice, showing that there are only professional colorways.

The lightweight frame is robust and durable, leaving plenty of room to let air flow through the mesh seat.

This mesh seat is designed to keep you comfortable, even if you sweat during the workday. Those of us who run warm throughout the day appreciate such a design.

Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh: In use

The Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh has lived up to the hype. By this point, you've heard me ramble on about how great it is; it's an upgrade to a chair that even someone like me, who has access to many chairs, has held onto for two years. So, I won't go into the Ultra Air Mesh micro-mesh fabric that enhances airflow and prevents sticky discomfort for those with a lot of moisture that collects in the posterior region of the body. Nor will I dive into the nine adjustment points, including recline angle, seat height, armrest positions, lumbar cushions and more. Lastly, it's not worth diving into the fascinating and one-of-a-kind 2:1 synchro-tilt mechanism that ensures balanced support between the back and seat, ultimately focusing on reducing strain to the lower body with the integrated lumbar.

This chair is excellent. It has just enough bells and whistles to keep those with a squirrel-like attention span when it comes to flashy new gear while not being so complex that you need a manual to sit down, only to feel like you're in a complex chair that rivals an F1 Jet. The backrest is like nothing I have experienced before. I can lean back along with my seat leaning back, which provides support I never knew I needed until I felt it for the first time. Additionally, the seat on the ErgoChair Mesh is wildly supportive while not adding any pressure points to my body. I can sit in this chair for 9 hours plus (and sadly, I have tested this theory). Part of this is because of all of the adjustment features; part of this is because of how fine-tuned you can make these adjustments. Some chairs have a tight or loose adjustment for the back tension. For this chair, for example, I can rotate a little wheel, much like the crank of an old car window when you have to roll it up or down, to fine-tune just how I want my backrest to be.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh: Final verdict

The Autonomous ErgoChair Mesh is a thoughtfully designed ergonomic chair that excels in performance, comfort, and style. While it comes at a premium price, its features justify the investment for those prioritizing quality and health. If you’re seeking a chair to enhance your work-from-home or office setup, this could be your next upgrade.

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• Researchers at Imec have found a way to grow lasers directly on silicon
• Imec’s lasers use gallium arsenide, a material that doesn’t naturally bond with silicon
• This breakthrough could lower costs and improve photonic chips for AI and telecom

Silicon photonics uses light to transmit data instead of relying on electrical signals, but since silicon itself can’t efficiently generate light, it requires lasers as a light source.

Placing lasers onto chips has traditionally been a challenge as Silicon - a material commonly found in sand - is not suitable for making lasers, and the best laser materials, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), do not naturally work with it. Existing methods require bonding these materials onto silicon, a process that’s both costly and wasteful.

Scientists at Belgium research center Imec, have come up with a solution to this problem which involves growing lasers directly on silicon. This discovery could lead to more affordable and scalable photonic devices, potentially transforming applications in data communication, machine learning, and AI.

Short wavelengths

Imec’s approach, detailed in a paper published in Nature, builds on nano-ridge engineering, which confines defects which would otherwise degrade laser performance.

They begin by covering a silicon wafer with a layer of silicon dioxide and etching in arrowhead-shaped trenches (“like a field plowed prior to planting” as IEEE Spectrum describes it). Gallium arsenide is then deposited into these trenches, where it only makes contact with silicon at the bottom. This placement keeps any defects buried within the trench and prevents them from spreading into the laser material above.

The lasers use indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) multiple quantum wells as the optical gain region and are embedded in a doped p-i-n diode structure. They operate at room temperature with continuous-wave electrical injection, achieving threshold currents as low as 5 mA and output powers of up to 1.75 mW.

“Over the past years, Imec has pioneered nano-ridge engineering, a technique that builds on SAG [selective-area growth] and ART [aspect-ratio trapping] to grow low-defectivity III-V nano-ridges outside the trenches,” said Bernardette Kunert, scientific director at Imec.

“Now, Imec exploited the III-V nano-ridge engineering concept to demonstrate the first full wafer-scale fabrication of electrically pumped GaAs-based lasers on standard 300 mm silicon wafers, entirely within a CMOS pilot manufacturing line.”

The nanoridge lasers emit light at 1,020 nanometers, which IEEE Spectrum points out, is a shorter wavelength than those typically used in telecommunications. Imec’s researchers say they are actively working to extend the wavelength and improve the design to reduce defects near electrical contacts. If successful, this approach could provide a scalable and cost-effective solution for integrating lasers into silicon photonics, paving the way for the high-performance optical devices of the future.

A 300 mm silicon wafer containing thousands of GaAs devices with a close-up of multiple dies and a scanning electron micrograph of a GaAs nano-ridge array after epitaxy (Image credit: Imec) You might also like

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The Pro Keys 2 is a solid iPad keyboard case offering great protection for your tablet. However, there are quite a few caveats along the way.

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, February 16 (game #616).

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 #617) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• DOUBLE
• BLOW
• SNAKE
• BREAK
• LEAVE
• WIND
• CAT
• STRIKE
• SPARE
• REST
• SWORD
• WEAVE
• VACATION
• CURVE
• TURKEY
• GOLD

NYT Connections today (game #617) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Take a holiday 
• GREEN: Twisty-turny
• BLUE: Ten pin 
• PURPLE: Add an animal with scales and fins

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 #617) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: TIME OFF 
• GREEN: FOLLOW A MEANDERING COURSE 
• BLUE: BOWLING RESULTS 
• PURPLE: -__FISH 

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

NYT Connections today (game #617) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #617, are…

• 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

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

How often do you solve Connections in the Yellow-Green-Blue-Purple difficulty order?

I feel as if it is quite rare for me – I’m not going to check! – although I do get Purple last 99% of the time.

It all seemed very straightforward today, without many traps. My only moment of hesitation was FOLLOW A MEANDERING COURSE, which I initially thought was about material and patterns. I should have got BOWLING RESULTS quicker, but being a pretty appalling player I’d never encountered the TURKEY (three consecutive STRIKEs).

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 16 February, game #616)

• YELLOW: GLIMMER HINT, SUGGESTION, TOUCH, TRACE
• GREEN: CORRESPOND WELL WITH COMPLEMENT, FIT, MATCH, SUIT
• BLUE: FAMOUS PUPPETS LAMB CHOP, OSCAR, PUNCH, TRIUMPH
• PURPLE: DOG BREEDS MINUS "ER" SOUND BOX, POINT, RETRIEVE, SET

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 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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 16 (game #350).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Sun shade

NYT Strands today (game #351) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• WAND
• TOLL
• DOLL
• DUST
• LUST
• LIFE

NYT Strands today (game #351) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Mellow color

NYT Strands today (game #351) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #351) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #351, are…

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

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

I needed a Hint to get going today, but once I knew the color we were looking for was YELLOW, it was easy breezy going until the final word.

I could quibble that SAFFRON is a shade of orange, but there seems to be some debate over it being both orange and yellow.

GOLDENROD is not a shade I’ve heard of before. Google’s AI search tool tells me it’s named after goldenrod flowers and it’s a color that conveys “a sense of warmth, cheerfulness, and natural beauty”. Meanwhile, according to Wikipedia’s page on Goldenrod (color): “It is the color of paper that the Church of Scientology's Ethics Department prints its suppressive person declarations on, giving rise to the term ‘golden-rodding’.” Interesting.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 16 February, game #350)

• ALMOND
• CORN
• RICE
• BUCKWHEAT
• TAPIOCA
• CHICKPEA
• SPANGRAM: GLUTEN FREE

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 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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, February 16 (game #1119).

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 #1120) - 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 #1120) - 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 1.

Quordle today (game #1120) - 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 #1120) - 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 #1120) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• W

• L

• I

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

Quordle today (game #1120) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1120, are…

• SADLY
• WAFER
• LITHE
• IDIOM

Today was the longest I’ve ever spent on Quordle, hitting a complete brain jam with my final word. My incorrect guess of Doing took about 20 minutes of head scratching and when I did finally get IDIOM it felt like a relief rather than a triumph.

I love/hate how Quordle makes you work so hard for glory.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1120) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1120, are…

• EMAIL
• CLASH
• NAIVE
• BLANK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1100, Tuesday 28 January: TOKEN, DAISY, INANE, PLIED

The President’s Day sales are hotting up and there are deals to be had on all sorts of gadgets. For those of you looking for an excellent fitness watch, it’s well worth looking around for some of the best Garmin watches this weekend.

Garmins are perfect for people looking to supercharge their outdoor training, be it cycling, hiking, running, swimming, surfing, climbing, or a mix of disciplines. As it’s the latest high-profile release by Garmin, all eyes might be on the Garmin Instinct 3, which we rated highly and gave 4.5 stars in our recent review.

However, it’s not going to be the best bang for your buck on President’s Day, as I believe it’s not going to receive many discounts based on the fact that it’s very new. Instead, there’s a three-year-old watch we rated even higher, that I believe is going to be very good value based on past sales events.

That watch is the Garmin Instinct 2. We rated the Garmin Instinct 2 an impressive five stars in our original 2022 review. We loved its extra-long battery life and superb fitness tracking features, and it’s often heavily discounted in sales events, making it an easy recommendation. It’s already on offer at Amazon in 40mm and 45mm sizes, from $299.99 down to just $199.99.

Check out that deal in full below:

Today's best Garmin Instinct 2 deal

Get the Garmin Instinct 2 in its smallest 40mm size, with the same $100 discount also on its larger 45mm sibling. It's got GPS tracking, all-day heart health monitoring, Garmin's Body Battery and Morning Report recovery tools (also on the Instinct 3) and all manner of outdoor training and navigation aids. Perfect for runners, hikers, cyclists, swimmers and more. View Deal

This is the first major sales event that has occurred since the Garmin Instinct 3’s release, so this could mean the Instinct 2 gets a bigger-than-usual price drop and go even lower than the deal above, as retailers look to clear old stock. It was a super-popular watch, and continues to be so: there are a lot of Instinct 2s out there, so we should see some great deals on it.

Why get the Garmin Instinct 2?

(Image credit: Future / Garmin)

Why get a three-year-old watch over its sequel, I hear you ask, even if it’s cheaper? Even though the Instinct 3 builds on its predecessor’s features in new ways, adding hardware like a torch and a new AMOLED screen option in addition to updated software, the Instinct 3 actually uses the same heart rate sensor as the Instinct 2.

The Instinct 2 continues (for now) to be supported with regular updates, so your experience tracking your health with the Garmin Instinct 2 won’t drastically differ or be wildly inaccurate compared with the Instinct 3.

The Instinct 3 does happen to have new SatIQ technology the Instinct 2 doesn’t, so it’s less likely to lose your GPS signal, but the Instinct 2 should continue to be more than sufficient for most hobbyist exercisers.

Not so keen on the Instinct 2? Check out our guides to the best smartwatch, best cheap smartwatch and best running watch to find the right one for you.

Spin class is intimidating, but your gear shouldn't be. Clip in and conquer your next session with these WIRED-approved picks.