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Apple wrote it patches an issue that could lead to an "extremely sophisticated attack."

Find peak TV among titles like Squid Game 2 and The Trauma Code.

The judge had issued a temporary restraining order against an administration plan to freeze payments for grants and other federal programs, but says the administration has not been fully complying.

(Image credit: Jose Luis Magana)

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 10 (game #610).

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 #611) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• MAD
• MAN
• HUB
• BUB
• NIGHT
• MAT
• BUD
• TUG
• JACK
• WRENCH
• BLOCK
• JERK
• STRAP
• KNEE
• YANK
• BOLSTER

NYT Connections today (game #611) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Pull the other one
• GREEN: Rhymes with duster
• BLUE: Namaste
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with nap

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 #611) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: WREST 
• GREEN: BUSTER 
• BLUE: YOGA ACCESSORIES 
• PURPLE: _ CAP 

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

NYT Connections today (game #611) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #611, are…

• YELLOW: WREST JERK, TUG, WRENCH, YANK
• GREEN: BUSTER BUB, BUD, JACK, MAN
• BLUE: YOGA ACCESSORIES BLOCK, BOLSTER, MAT, STRAP
• PURPLE: _ CAP HUB, KNEE, MAD, NIGHT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

Whenever Connections has one of its three-letter word days I can feel my brain seizing up and I have to speak out loud to try to make sense of it all. That’s how I got _ CAP — repeating KNEE over and over like I was going MAD.

YOGA ACCESSORIES was the most gettable and I’m annoyed at myself that I didn’t spot it sooner, as I’m a big fan of trying to do yoga. I wouldn’t say I actually “do it”, though. Well, apart from the corpse pose; I'm great at that one.

As for BUSTER, I think this must be one of those US-UK cultural blindspots as I’ve still got no idea what connects BUB, BUD, JACK and MAN.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 10 February, game #610)

• YELLOW: SPRINKLE DUST, PEPPER, SCATTER, SHOWER
• GREEN: SCENTS OF WINE AROMA, BOUQUET, NOSE, NOTE
• BLUE: "AAH, ENOUGH!" MERCY, STOP, TRUCE, UNCLE
• PURPLE: WORDS FAMOUSLY PRONOUNCED DIFFERENT WAYS AUNT, EITHER, TOMATO, VASE

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, February 10 (game #344).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… "Attention all shoppers"

NYT Strands today (game #345) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MUTE
• TIME
• BOLT
• GRAB
• CITE
• TROT

NYT Strands today (game #345) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Large items

NYT Strands today (game #345) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th 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 #345) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #345, are…

• GARDEN
• BEAUTY
• HOME
• BATH
• KITCHEN
• TOYS
• ELECTRONICS
• SPANGRAM: BIG BOX

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

For children, getting a BIG BOX is often more exciting than what comes inside them. There’s no limit to what you can achieve with a large piece of cardboard, some pens and a little bit of imagination — cars, houses, dishwashers...

Sometimes these creations last longer than many actual TOYS. My daughter turned one BIG BOX into a vending machine that she would climb inside to operate. It had a slot at the top for coins and a flap at the bottom, out of which she would deliver foam packaging peanuts and other random items. We had it in the corner of our living room for six months, until another BIG BOX arrived and a robot took its place. Happy days.

Anyway, BIG BOX is not a term used in the UK, so this one required a little more thought than some for me, but the answers here were all simple enough that once I had the concept it was pretty easy to solve.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 10 February, game #344)

• CHIPS
• NUTS
• FRUIT
• CHEESE
• POPCORN
• GRANOLA
• SPANGRAM: SNACKTIME

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, February 10 (game #1113).

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 #1114) - 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 #1114) - 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 #1114) - 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 #1114) - 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 #1114) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• C

• P

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1114) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1114, are…

• HEAVY
• CIRCA
• PESKY
• SCION

Another one of those days where a mistake helped me get started – Sonic could never be correct as I already had the “I” in an incorrect position. My piece of luck was that SCION contained exactly the same letters.

My second bit of good fortune was that my guess for one word – Peaky – turned out to be very close to the correct one for another – PESKY.

A very cavalier game for me, but they all count.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1114) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1114, are…

• ORDER
• STEIN
• GRIPE
• ELUDE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1099, Monday 27 January: ANGEL, GLOBE, MAYOR, BRAVE
• Quordle #1098, Sunday 26 January: WATER, ORBIT, BRIDE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1097, Saturday 25 January: GIVER, GROOM, GUSTO, MAKER
• Quordle #1096, Friday 24 January: GRIND, STOCK, SERVE, TOUCH
• Quordle #1095, Thursday 23 January: RUGBY, SASSY, WORRY, BANAL
• Quordle #1094, Wednesday 22 January: SLANT, TRUNK, WOOZY, EATEN

• reCAPTCHA tests are not particularly effective at blocking security threats, research claims
• Security tests are also costing millions of hours in lost time for users
• New 'invisible challenges' could be an alternative for businesses

There won’t be many internet users who aren’t familiar with CAPTCHAs, or ‘Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart’ - the commonly-used tests giving you access to websites, often via asking users to ‘click the image with a traffic light’ or such.

Well, it turns out that everyone’s favorite slight inconvenience isn’t even effective at preventing bot traffic, as a study called “Dazed and Confused: A Large-Scale Real-World User Study of reCAPTCHAv2” has discovered the tests have wasted millions of hours of time for internet users -but also generated an estimated $888 billion in tracking cookie data for Google.

The tests are virtually unavoidable, and are so widespread that users have spent roughly 819 million hours solving them, despite each test taking researchers an average of only 3.53 seconds to complete. Bots are increasingly able to solve CAPTCHAs, and the tests may become obsolete - here’s what we know so far.

A for-profit cookie farm?

The report notes there are two common types of test, CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA - the first is the text-based challenges where users decipher scrambled characters, and the second is a more advanced image-based approach which sources pictures from Google street view, and in which users are asked to select the image including a bicycle, for example.

When Google acquired reCAPTCHA in 2009, it used the technology to improve Google Street View by processing photos of house numbers and street signs, and to digitize Google Books.

But the CAPTCHAs are no longer fit for purpose, or at least, not in the way they used to be. The development of new AI tools means that CAPTCHA’s tests can be solved by bots, making them almost entirely obsolete - but only for the ostensible purpose of the tech.

By just 2010, there were automated services that could solve image labeling challenges with 100% accuracy, so reCAPTCHA tests are inadequate as a security challenge.

What this study reveals, is that reCAPTCHA ‘extensively monitors’ user cookies, browser history, and browser environments - which can all be used to track users and for advertising.

The study goes on to explain the tests, "wouldn’t make sense as a security service, yet it would make sense given that obtaining labeled image data is highly valuable and is even sold by Google.”

Not only do the legitimate challenges fall short of protecting users, but researchers have observed fake CAPTCHA pages used to spread infostealer malware, presenting serious risk for unsuspecting surfers,

“Given the blatant vulnerability, ease of implementing largescale automation, and usage of privacy invasive tracking cookies reCAPTCHAv2 checkbox presents itself as a complete vulnerability disguised as a security tool” the study confirmed.

It’s not just about wasted time though, and as with all internet activity, the CAPTCHAs use energy - 7.5 million kWhs, or 7.5 million lbs of CO2 to be precise,

This leads us to the ‘true purpose’ of CAPTCHA tests. These tests could be garnering huge profits for Google, which has potentially gained $8.75-32.3 billion USD per each sale of its total labeled data set;

“The conclusion can be extended that the true purpose of reCAPTCHAv2 is a free image-labeling labor and tracking cookie farm for advertising and data profit masquerading as a security service”.

An ‘invisible’ alternative

It is undeniably important for businesses to verify whether users are humans or bots - to protect against DDoS attacks, data-scrapers, scalpers, and more. So if CAPTCHA isn’t an effective security measure (and is pretty annoying for users), then what are the alternatives?

Well for now, CAPTCHA is virtually inevitable for anyone surfing the internet. However, there are alternatives for businesses, who can move on from the tests to something more secure and user-friendly.

There are now ‘invisible challenges’ which provide a much more user-friendly security solution for websites, with improved data accuracy and adaptability. These work by using complex algorithms and behavioral analysis to distinguish between humans and bots, all without needing explicit user interaction.

Whilst these invisible challenges don’t necessarily spell the end for a need for CAPTCHA, they can combine with the traditional CAPTCHA tests to deliver a much more seamless experience whilst providing more robust security for business websites.

To help keep your networks safe against bot attacks, we've also featured the best firewall software - which will help you by acting as a shield around your network infrastructure, and many will block harmful files before they can install and damage your system.

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• We've also rounded up the best malware removal software on offer right now

A federal judge in Boston is hearing arguments Monday over whether the Trump administration's "Fork in the Road" offer to federal employees can continue. Unions want a temporary restraining order.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

• SoftBank is reportedly close to buying Ampere
• The $6.5 billion deal could shake up AI and data centers
• There are questions about how it affects Arm’s neutrality and SoftBank’s long-term strategy

SoftBank, the Japanese owner of Arm, is close to acquiring Ampere Computing, a company that develops data center chips based on Arm's architecture.

In January 2025, BNN Bloomberg reported SoftBank was exploring a purchase of Ampere, which is backed by Oracle and private equity firm Carlyle Group, in a move widely seen as part of Softbank’s bid to challenge AMD and Intel’s dominance in the AI and data center chip market. However, as we previously reported, there were some hurdles to be overcome - Ampere was gearing up for an IPO, suggesting a desire to remain independent, while SoftBank would require approval from both Oracle and Carlyle Group before a deal could move forward.

However, a new Bloomberg report suggests that the deal is nearing completion and could be announced in the coming weeks. Sources familiar with the matter estimate its value to be around $6.5 billion, including debt. In 2021, SoftBank valued Ampere at over $8 billion during a proposed minority investment.

Strategic questions

Ampere develops high-performance processors for data centers, including the 192-core "Polaris" AmpereOne and upcoming 256-core "Magnetrix", using Arm’s chip designs. Acquiring Ampere could help SoftBank, which previously bought UK-based AI chip designer Graphcore, expand its footprint in the competitive data center and AI markets.

That said, the move does raise some interesting strategic questions. Arm, long dominant in mobile chips, has been working to expand into server and AI processing.

Ampere is one of the few firms independently developing Arm-based server chips. If the deal moves forward, it could impact Arm’s role as a neutral supplier of intellectual property. Integrating Ampere into SoftBank’s ecosystem may also shift competitive dynamics in the industry.

Market conditions add a further level of complexity to the benefits buying Ampere will bring to SoftBank. The semiconductor sector faces rising competition and concerns over slowing AI-related investments.

As Bloomberg notes, “Chinese startup DeepSeek, which unveiled an inexpensively produced AI model last month, has raised the specter that technology providers won’t be generating as much revenue as predicted.”

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• Why would Arm's owner want to buy a rival to AMD and Intel?
• How Ampere Computing plans to ride the AI wave
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President Trump isn't the first politician to call for the end of the penny — but getting rid of it may not be easy. The value of the 1-cent coin has been debated for decades.

(Image credit: Michael M. Santiago)

It is the first legal hurdle thrown up to the Trump administration as it seeks to send thousands of migrants to a detention facility on the naval base near Cuba.

(Image credit: Alex Brandon)

The improving Eagles travel to south Yorkshire to take on the League Two team.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so if you've waffled over getting the ideal gift for the one you love, now would be the time to make some important shopping decisions. Here's your one-stop gift guide to thoughtful presents that your special someone will love -- and will still arrive by the big day.

Services supporting victims of online child exploitation and trafficking around the world have faced USAID and State Department cuts—and children are suffering as a result, sources tell WIRED.

The head of the independent federal Office of Special Counsel has filed a lawsuit, claiming he was illegally fired by President Trump.

(Image credit: Roberto Schmidt)

Scandalous shockers should become a new Netflix sub-genre with the likes of Inventing Anna, The Tinder Swindler and now Apple Cider Vinegar. The "true-ish" new series exposes the bitter side of the wellness industry as Kaitlyn Dever (Unbelievable, Dopesick) portrays Belle Gibson, an Australian influencer and fake health guru who claims she cured her stage 4 brain tumor through healthy living and natural therapies.

Based on the book The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, Apple Cider Vinegar is important viewing in an era dominated by influencers and misinformation. This dramatization follows Belle, who built a lucrative wellness empire by pretending to have terminal brain cancer and other serious health issues.

Gibson's story attracted hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, prompting her to create a food and beverage app called The Whole Pantry as well as a cookbook. Eventually, the con woman's life came crashing down after Australian journalists uncovered her lies and scandals.

Female fraudster series are my new favorite sub-genre

There's just something about scandalous dramas like Baby Reindeer that I can't get enough of. So, when I saw the similarities Apple Cider Vinegar had to one of the best Hulu shows, The Dropout, I had to unbottle this shocking "true-ish" story built on a lie.

While Apple Cider Vinegar and The Dropout follow the lives of female fraudsters in the health and wellness industry, they're told in strikingly different ways. The Dropout focuses on Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried), who founded the healthcare start-up Theranos and put millions of patients at risk with her claims to the point she eventually lost everything.

The Dropout is very much a slow-burn series that's told in a largely linear narrative, but the drama of the jaw-dropping story becomes too irresistible that you can't stop watching. With Apple Cider Vinegar, it's a fast, punchy and witty commentary on the desperation that leads someone to fabricate their whole life for attention and how social media can encourage this behavior.

Although Gibson is the main star of the show, Apple Cider Vinegar also explores three narratives as it jumps back and forth from 2010. One is her growing rivalry with another health influencer Milla Blake (Alicia Debnam-Carey) and a third follows cancer patient Lucy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), who becomes absorbed in Belle's lies.

Where can you stream Apple Cider Vinegar?

(Image credit: Netflix)

What makes Apple Cider Vinegar well worth streaming is Dever's show-stopping performance as Gibson, whose masterful acting is something I couldn't take my eyes off while watching the series.

It's Dever's performance alongside the fact that the show has an 82% score from the critics (at the time of writing) on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes that cements it as one of the best Netflix shows.

All six episodes of Apple Cider Vinegar are available to stream on Netflix (aka the best streaming service) now in the US, UK and Australia.

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Anker Laptop Power Bank review

The Anker Laptop Power Bank is designed to charge large devices on the go, thanks to its high 165W output, large 25,000mAh capacity, and convenient extra features. For such a heavy-duty battery, the Anker Laptop Power Bank does a good job of remaining slender, although it’s as weighty as you might expect it to be. It’s also quite thick, so certainly better stored in your bag than in your pocket.

The Anker Laptop Power Bank is very well built, with every material and panel feeling solid. The screen has hardly any flex either, so I would be confident in it withstanding normal wear and tear.

This display provides various readouts, including those for temperature and wattages for each of the four outputs, which is more than some of the best power banks offer. It’s a shame, however, that it only covers a small area – smaller than the physical size of the screen would lead you to believe, which seems like a missed opportunity to me.

As a result, some figures can appear quite small. This can lead to misreadings when, for instance, charging the bank itself; since it gives the battery percentage to two decimal places, 10% can look like 100% when you glance at it from afar.

It features one USB-C and one USB-A port, both located on the side. This might seem like a strange placement, but the Anker Laptop Power Bank has an ace up its sleeve – two, in fact.

This is because it comes with two inbuilt cables. One loops round into its own clip, creating a makeshift carrying handle (which Anker condones; it can withstand over 20,000 bends), while the other is retractable, with the jack end connecting magnetically to the base to keep it tucked away. This keeps cable clutter to a minimum, as well as saving you the trouble of bringing your own.

Both cables feel very durable and thick, as do the strain reliefs at the base of the jacks themselves. However, they’re flat and rectangular rather than round, which means that they tend to twist themselves when you go to use them, but I only found this to be a minor inconvenience.

The charging performance of the Anker Laptop Power Bank is good. All three USB-C outputs can deliver up to 100W, and Anker claims an M3 MacBook Pro or an iPhone 16 can charge to 50% in about half an hour each. While charging, the display also usefully tracks the output wattage in real time.

I managed to charge a Lenovo IdeaPad 4G in about two hours, which is an admirable performance. More impressively, though, the battery only dipped to about 50% – which means you might just be able to get two full charges out of it – and replenishing its battery from 0% to 100% took just 90 minutes.

The Anker Laptop Power Bank can also charge four devices simultaneously, with the power output dipping to a maximum of 130W. There’s also a trickle charging mode for devices that only need low currents, such as smartwatches and earbuds.

For $99 / £89, the Anker Laptop Power Bank represents good value, considering its power, versatility, and convenience. If you’re a power user who travels with large devices, you likely won’t be disappointed with the Anker Laptop Power Bank as your companion.

(Image credit: Future) Anker Laptop Power Bank review: price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Anker Laptop Power Bank? Buy it if…

You have large devices
All three of the Anker Laptop Power Bank's USB-C outputs can charge at 100W, which is more than enough for many modern laptops and tablets.

You're forgetful
The two integrated USB-C cables, one of which doubles as a carrying handle, are handy additions if you regularly forget to bring your own.

Don't buy it if…

You want something light
At over half a kilo, the Anker Laptop Power Bank isn't exactly light. The thickness means you probably can't carry it in your pocket either.

You're not a power user
The 165W output and 25,000mAh capacity are probably overkill if you're only ever going to charge your phone and other small devices.

Anker Laptop Power Bank: also consider

Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (250W)
As the best power bank for power users, the Anker Prime has the output and capacity for serious demands, eclipsing the Anker Laptop Power Bank on both fronts. It also features similarly detailed readouts. However, it has three outputs rather than four, it’s marginally heavier, and doesn’t have any inbuilt cables. But if power is your primary concern, you can’t do much better than the Prime.

• Check Point warns Salesforce tools are being used in phishing attacks
• The attacks are using Facebook image as a lure
• The goal of the campaign is to steal Facebook login credentials

Cybercriminals have been observed abusing a legitimate Salesforce service to attack people and businesses with Facebook-related phishing emails.

Researchers at Check Point warned about the ongoing campaign on its blog, describing how the criminals were using the automated mailing service that belongs to Salesforce as a marketing tool.

“In other words, they don’t breach any terms of service or the Salesforce security systems,” the researchers explained. “Rather, they use the service normally and choose not to change the sender ID. That way, the email is branded with the email address noreply [at] salesforce [dot] com.

Fakebook

The body of the phishing email is nothing extraordinary. It is the usual “your Facebook account is under review” threat, in which victims are warned about their account being suspended, unless they “verify” their details. The email shares a link to a fake Facebook support page, where sensitive information, such as passwords, get stolen.

The landing page comes with a poor attempt at a Facebook logo (it says ‘Faceloook’, where crooks apparently wanted to make letters ‘lo’ look like the letter ‘b’).

Check Point says more than 12,200 of these emails were sent so far, with “hundreds” targeting different businesses. The majority of the targets are in the EU (45.5%) and the US (45%), with the remaining 9.5% targeting Australia.

“Nonetheless, versions of the notifications have also been found in Chinese and Arabic, showing that the campaign targeted companies across geographic locales,” Check Point stressed.

Phishing continues to be one of the most popular attack vectors in 2025. It is cheap, scalable, and omnipresent, making it a great tool for cybercriminals. And with generative AI coming into the mix, phishing has turned into the ideal way to trick victims into sharing login credentials, or installing malware.

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Amazfit Up: One-minute review

The Amazfit Up earbuds feature an open-ear design, making them a great choice for those who want to stay aware of their surroundings while listening to music. This makes them particularly popular for fitness enthusiasts, outdoor runners, and anyone who struggles with traditional in-ear or over-ear designs.

But these earbuds take a different approach. While many of the best open-ear headphones rely on ear hooks that go over the top of your ear or neckbands for stability, the Amazfit Up earbuds "clip" onto the edge of the ear instead. This isn’t unique to Amazfit – other brands, most notably the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, have used a similar design, along with various budget-friendly alternatives.

However, the Amazfit Up buds could be a game-changer for those who find ear-hook designs uncomfortable, especially if you have thick hair or wear glasses (I’ve personally had trouble with them for both of these reasons).

Another key selling point is price. Amazfit, owned by Zepp Health, is known for its budget-friendly fitness smartwatches, like the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro, which we praised for covering the basics at an affordable price – though not without its drawbacks. The Amazfit Up follow a similar pattern.

Open-ear earbuds can be pricey, with brands like Shokz and Bose offering premium options that require a serious investment. And since open-ear listening isn’t for everyone, spending that much can feel like a gamble. The Amazfit Up buds offer a more affordable entry point, though, as with most budget-friendly devices, compromises are inevitable.

Read on to find out what I thought after three weeks of testing the Amazfit Up – and whether budget-friendly buds can deliver without cutting too many corners.

Amazfit Up: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Priced at $49.99 / £44.99
• Released in late 2024
• Cheap compared to rivals – but competition is mounting

The Amazfit Up earbuds launched in late 2024 with a price tag of $49.99 / £44.99. At the time of writing, there’s no official pricing or release date for Australia.

This price makes them an incredibly budget-friendly option – not just among open-ear designs but among wireless earbuds in general, even compared to those in our best budget wireless earbuds guide.

For context, our current top pick for open-ear earbuds, the Shokz OpenFit, cost $179.95 / £179.99 / AU$289, making them significantly more expensive. While the Shokz model does have a more premium build and better sound quality, fit is subjective. Personally, I found the Amazfit Up more comfortable for my ears, making them an outstanding value prospect.

Some other earbuds with a similar clip-on design – where the buds attach to the edge of the ear rather than sitting in, over, or around it – are priced much higher. The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which we rated highly in our review, are often considered the gold standard for clip-on earbuds but come at a steep $299 / £299 / AU$449.95. The Huawei Free Clip, another alternative, is also pricier at $212.37 / £169.99.

That said, the market for affordable clip-on earbuds is growing. Models like the JLab Flex Open and Anker Soundcore C30i are priced similarly to the Amazfit Up, offering more competition in the budget open-ear space.

So while the Amazfit Up is a strong contender at this price point, it’s not the only budget-friendly option. However, considering what it offers, it stands out as a great value – though it’s worth keeping an eye on the increasing competition in this space.

Amazfit Up: Specifications Amazfit Up: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• A clip-on design
• Incredibly comfortable and light
• Exterior looks a little cheap

The Amazfit Up earbuds feature an open-ear design often described as “clip-on.” While this term is becoming more common, I find it a little misleading since there’s no clamping or tight pressure involved.

Each earbud consists of a main housing that sits behind your ear, connected by a small curved band to a spherical speaker that rests lightly in your ear’s concha, just above – but not touching – your ear canal. While this design isn’t unique, it’s a clever take on open-ear audio, allowing sound to play close to your ears while keeping your ear canals free for situational awareness.

Unlike many earbuds that create pressure points over time, these distribute their lightweight 5g-per-bud so evenly that I barely noticed them, even after hours of wear. In fact, they’re some of the lightest, most comfortable earbuds I’ve tested – and I’ve tested a lot. That’s rare for me to say, as I usually experience some level of discomfort with most headphones. After wearing these for a while, everything else felt heavy in comparison.

For me, this design wasn’t just more comfortable – it was also far more practical. The area behind my ear, where many other open-ear buds sit, is already occupied. If I’m not wearing contacts, my glasses rest there. I also have thick, long hair and often wear hats, especially when running. This is why ear-hook designs tend to get in the way for me, and why the Amazfit Up felt like such a great fit.

(Image credit: Future)

For everyday use, they were ideal for walking and light jogging. While I wouldn’t trust them for intense activities like sprinting or inversions during yoga, they stayed more secure than I expected during running, especially compared to ear-hook designs.

Visually, they’re… fine. The textured design isn’t particularly sleek or premium-looking. A friend pointed out that they resemble a 1990s Star Trek: The Next Generation gadget, and I can’t unsee it now – especially with the small red light and ridged details adding to the sci-fi aesthetic. That said, once they’re on, all you really see is the sleek black band, which I actually loved.

The earbuds are IPX4-rated, meaning they can withstand light splashes, sweat, and rain. That’s fine for casual workouts, but some fitness-focused earbuds offer better water resistance, so it’s something to consider if you plan to use them in tougher conditions.

The charging case is compact and functional, but feels a bit flimsy. While it does the job, it doesn’t seem particularly durable, so it’s worth handling with care.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Amazfit Up: Features

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• Multi-point connectivity
• Connects with the Amazfit line of smartwatches
• 24 hours battery in total: 6 from the buds, 18 from the case

The Amazfit Up earbuds come with a decent range of features, though there are some gaps. One of the most notable omissions is the lack of an app, which is frustrating for those who like customization options. However, they do support voice assistants, including Zepp Flow and other phone-based assistants.

For controls, Amazfit has opted for actual buttons positioned behind the ear. I really appreciated this, especially for fitness use. A tactile button makes a huge difference – especially when your hands are sweaty, cold, or tired. These buttons allow you to adjust volume, play and pause music, skip tracks, answer or reject calls, and wake up your voice assistant. There are multiple input methods – single, double, and triple-taps, as well as a press-and-hold gesture. While the positioning behind the ear isn’t the most intuitive at first, I found the controls to be responsive once I got used to them.

One standout feature is multipoint connectivity, which is rare for budget buds and something even the Shokz OpenFit (our top open-ear pick) doesn’t offer. I connected the buds to two devices simultaneously, my Macbook Air and my iPhone, and the connection was seamless between them both.

Amazfit claims that the Up earbuds integrate well with Amazfit smartwatches, though I wasn’t able to test this firsthand. If you already own an Amazfit watch, this could be a nice bonus.

For calls and noise reduction, Amazfit advertises an “advanced AI algorithm” designed to reduce background noise, particularly wind. While I could still make calls outdoors, and they performed better than expected in windy conditions, the call quality was just okay – my voice sounded slightly muffled and distant according to the person I was calling. For casual use, they do the job, but if you rely on earbuds for frequent calls, you’ll likely want something with stronger microphone performance.

Battery life is decent but not outstanding. You get 6 hours per charge and a full 24 hours in total with the case too, which is lower than some competitors. For comparison, the Bose Ultra Open buds offer 7.5 hours per charge, while the Shokz OpenFit buds deliver 7 hours per charge and 28 hours total. So while the Amazfit Up holds its own, it’s not leading the pack.

• Features score: 3.5 / 5

Amazfit Up: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Decent clarity and crispness
• Volume and bass okay considering the design
• Only a little noise leakage

Open-ear earbuds aren’t designed for premium, immersive audio, especially at the budget end of the market. But I was pleasantly surprised by the way the Amazfit Up sounded – design and price considered.

Since they play audio just outside of your ear canal rather than sealing sound in, they naturally lack some punch, particularly in the bass. That said, there’s still enough low-end presence here to keep workouts energized, and I found the overall sound to be really enjoyable. Vocals come through well, instruments in the higher range are crisp, and the treble is clear – though occasionally a little on the sharp side. The soundstage has an expansive feel, making tracks sound open rather than compressed.

Compared to pricier alternatives like the Shokz OpenFit Air, the clarity isn’t quite as refined, but the difference isn’t huge, especially considering the price gap. Volume levels are decent here, though not the loudest. Then again, the whole point is you’re meant to be able to hear your surroundings, so what could be a negative with other designs is a plus here.

One thing I noticed was a slight vibration at times, which is common with this style of earbuds. Noise leakage is also expected, but in my testing, it was minimal. At about three feet away, people could detect a faint sound but couldn’t make out what was playing. Only those standing very close could actually hear the music, but even then, it wasn’t intrusive. So in the past, I wouldn’t have recommended this design to take from say a run to the office, but unless you’re used to strict silence, these can multi-task.

Ultimately, you’re not getting top-tier audio or ANC here, but that was never the point. Instead, for casual listening, workouts, and walks, the Amazfit Up buds deliver a surprisingly solid, well-balanced sound for the price.

• Sound quality: 3.5 / 5

Amazfit Up: value

(Image credit: Future)

• Excellent value for money
• Cheap compared to rivals – though there is competition
• A good way to try this design

The Amazfit Up earbuds offer excellent value for money, delivering a surprising combination of decent sound quality, excellent comfort, and good features at a budget-friendly price.

While open-ear designs typically come with compromises, the fit is a standout feature, making them far more comfortable – especially for those who struggle with ear-hook designs, many of which are significantly more expensive. They also seriously undercut premium clip-on competitors like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds while still offering a solid listening experience.

That said, the market for affordable clip-on earbuds is growing, with brands like JLab and Anker offering similar designs at comparable prices. While competition is likely to increase, the Amazfit Up still holds its own as one of the best budget-friendly open-ear options we've tested. If you’re looking for an alternative to ear hooks without spending a fortune, they’re well worth considering.

• Value: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Amazfit Up? Buy them if…

You want open-ear earbuds but dislike ear hooks
A great alternative if the more common ear hook design don’t work for you. Ideal for those with long or thick hair or who wear glasses.

You have a clear reason for open-ear buds
If you dislike the feeling of blocked ears, need to stay aware of your surroundings, or worry about external noise, these are worth considering. Otherwise, there are better options.

You’re on a budget
They’re not the cheapest buds we’ve ever tested, but they’re significantly more affordable than most open-ear rivals – perfect if you’re unsure about this style and don’t want to risk it.

Don’t buy them if…

You need ultra-secure buds
They’re more secure than expected, but they don’t match the stability of sports earbuds with fins or more robust ear hooks.

You’re unsure about the style
They offer good situational awareness and decent sound, but their unique design won’t be for everyone.

You want a premium look, feel, and sound
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds may cost significantly more, but they offer better sound, a sleeker design, and an app for customization – something the Amazfit Up lacks entirely.

Amazfit Up: Also consider

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a good shout if you don’t have a budget to consider and you’re pretty convinced by the open ear form factor. They look sleek and deliver some excellent sound, all things considered. It does feel like a risk at this price though, so you’ve been warned.
Read our full Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review

Shokz OpenFit
If you like the idea of open-ear headphones but aren’t a fan of the clip-on style and want top-tier sound quality, the Shokz OpenFit are our top pick, featuring a comfortable ear-hook design. Alternatively, you might prefer the Shokz OpenFit Air, which we found to be even more comfortable during our testing due to their improved design.

Read our full Shoz OpenFit review

Sony LinkBuds Fit
If you’re here because you want sporty buds and don’t want to risk the design of these, then consider the Sony LinkBuds Fit. They sound good and are from a brand we trust to deliver, but we also recommend them as they’re incredibly comfortable – likely to appeal to those who haven’t liked in-ears in the past.

Read our full Sony LinkBuds Fit review

How I tested the Amazfit Up

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for three weeks
• Tested at home, in a cafe, at the gym and outside in all sorts of weather conditions

I used the Amazfit Up open ear buds for three weeks before writing this review, and that involved listening to music and watching streamed movies. This gave me a good opportunity to trial them in a range of different environments and all sorts of situations.

Throughout the testing period, I used the Amazfit Up alongside my iPhone 14 Pro via Bluetooth. Streaming was done via Spotify and Mubi.

I listened at home, whilst travelling on a train, working in a cafe, working out at the gym, running along the beach and in the countryside and walking outside in all sorts of weather conditions.

I've spent the past 12 years testing a wide range of headphones and earbuds, particularly those designed for fitness. I have a keen interest in tech that emphasizes comfort and user-friendly design.

• First reviewed in February 2025.

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