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• Iranian authorities are pushing citizens to use a domestic messaging app to communicate with their families outside the country
• A security audit found Bale Messenger wasn't safe; it lacks E2EE protection and shares sensitive users data with the app server
• Iran has been experiencing a near-total internet blackout since June 18, 2025, impacting citizens' ability to communicate and access information

As Iran enters the fifth day of a near-total communication blackout, officials are reportedly encouraging citizens to turn to a domestic messaging app to stay in touch with their families outside the country.

Fars News Agency – which is managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – shared a tweet on Friday, June 20, saying that foreign users, as well as locals, can now use the Bale app to communicate with relatives and friends during the internet outage.

There's a problem, though: security researchers have previously flagged Bale (or Baleh) Messenger as a state surveillance tool. Not only did they find that it lacked end-to-end encryption protections, but that it also has censorship and surveillance capabilities.

The risks of Bale Messenger

(Image credit: Future)

Reportedly developed by a company with ties to the National Bank of Iran, Bale (which means Yes in Persian) is an instant messaging application that includes voice-over-IP features, a social media platform, and even banking services.

Bale claims to use end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to ensure users chats remain private.

According to data coming from the Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Bale had 16.5 million monthly active users as of May 2023.

Considering its growing popularity, security researchers at the Open Technology Fund decided to verify the claims of Bale and two other Iranian messaging apps (Eitaa and Rubika) with a security audit. The tests were carried out in December 2023 and October 2024 and uncovered several privacy and security vulnerabilities.

Do you know?

(Image credit: Kenneth Cheung/via Getty Images)

Iranian authorities enforced heavy internet restrictions against popular Western apps following the country's 2022 massive protests. This has likely led to a spike in usage of Bale and other Iran-developed applications.

For starters, auditors confirmed that all three apps employed different forms of client-server encryption, but none had E2EE protections enabled, despite government claims.

Specifically Bale was found using "one form of encryption that could be easily reversed in the context of encrypting a user’s credit card data" according to the audit.

All apps could reportedly exchange messages with each other, too, through a backend process called Message Exchange Bus (MXB), which auditors confirmed was a state-owned service.

This meant that the app server "could potentially view plaintext messages due to the lack of E2EE in any of the apps".

Researchers also found evidence of "unexpected transmission of private data".

Crucially, when users click on URLs shared via messages, they appear to be redirected to the application’s backend server.

"This would effectively allow the servers to monitor which websites are viewed by users within the app," researchers explained, deeming the tactic "a mechanism for censorship and surveillance".

The Bale app was also found to share users location data with the app server during authentication.

What experts are saying

Researchers at the Open Technology Fund concluded their security audit by suggesting opting for more secure messaging apps that actually employ E2EE. These include Signal (which also offers anti-censorship proxy servers), Session, and Wire.

Iranian Information Security Analyst and women’s rights advocate Azam Jangrevi also raised concerns following Friday's statement from the Iranian authorities.

Iran's regime has cut internet access, leaving millions disconnected from loved ones abroad. Officials push the "Baleh" app,long flagged by activists as insecure and a tool for state surveillance. #InternetFreedom #Iran #war #IranIsraelConflict pic.twitter.com/3mbuTogCdsJune 20, 2025

Jangrevi told TechRadar: "The app, tied to the National Bank of Iran, has raised red flags due to potential spyware embedded within its code. Key concerns include unauthorized surveillance, remote device access, and metadata collection especially targeting individuals with political or social influence.

"With those risks, analysts urge citizens to avoid Baleh for sensitive communication. Instead, they suggest turning to encrypted services like Signal or WhatsApp (via secure VPNs), though connection quality varies."

Iran's internet blackout

(Image credit: NetBlocks)

Iran has been suffering a near-total internet blackout since June 18, 2025, impacting citizens' ability to communicate and access information.

Internet connectivity was briefly restored on Saturday (June 21) "when residents could exchange messages with the outside world," internet watchdog NetBlocks reported, before collapsing again in the evening.

The latest data from Sunday (see image above) shows that the country remains largely "offline."

"At 72 hours, diminished telecoms continue to impact the public's ability to stay informed and in touch with loved ones," NetBlocks noted.

It's in this context that Iranians were also asked to delete WhatsApp from their smartphones, with officials fearing the app may be used as a source of strategic information for its opponent in the current conflict.

A series of government-imposed restrictions also began on June 13 and sparked a surge of VPN demand across Iran that reached peaks of over 700% increase.

Authorities, however, appear to be targeting VPN usage with some of the best VPN apps now reportedly not working at all times.

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Los Colchoneros need a win against the Brazilian Group B leaders to progress.

• Desktop shipments to enterprises are up 22%, accounting for 17% of enterprise PC sales, report claims
• Consumers on the whole are less keen to upgrade, with just a 9% rise
• The market could slow down or even contract again next year

With the official Windows 10 end of life set for just a few months away, businesses are ramping up their purchasing of new devices in anticipation of boosting support not just for Windows 11, but for future OSs as well.

The latest figures from industry analyst at Context (via The Register) illustrate a 22% year-over-year rise in desktop shipments to enterprise customers during April and May 2025, largely driven by refresh cycles and the looming end of support for Windows 10.

Interestingly, it found companies have been buying many more desktops than portable devices, which ties in with industry trends across the tech sector of widespread return-to-office mandates.

PC shipments rising as Windows 10 end of life nears

"Their share of total PC revenues in early Q2 reached nearly 17%, the highest level in Context's two-year reporting period," Context senior analyst Marie Christine Pygott explained.

"This reflects both a long-overdue refresh cycle in commercial environments and the typical spike in demand ahead of major OS support deadlines."

The trends broadly reflect similar changes seen by Canalys, another firm that tasks itself with monitoring device shipments, among other metrics.

During the first four months of 2025, overall PC shipments were up 9% on average, with desktops up 8% compared with 10% for notebooks. Those metrics account for all PC shipments, though – not just enterprise customers.

Principal Analyst Ishan Dutt explained Microsoft's decision to pull the plug from Windows 10 isn't the only influencing factor over increased sales – ongoing trade war-induced tariffs and widespread economic uncertainty has seen both customers and suppliers aim to acquire new tech before prices increase.

"This preemptive strategy allowed manufacturers and the channel to stock up ahead of potential cost increases, boosting sell-in shipments despite otherwise stable end-user demand," Dutt added.

Windows 10 had remained highly popular for months, with many customers happy with their existing hardware and others limited from upgrading due to software and licensing restrictions. Windows 11 (43%) adoption still hasn't overtaken the number of Windows 10 installs (53%), but the gap has closed considerably in the space of a year (via Statcounter).

However, looking ahead, IDC predicts contraction in the global PC market due to the stabilization brought on by widespread Windows 11 migration.

"Expectations of worsening macroeconomic conditions around the world and in the US characterized by upward pressures on prices and degrading consumer sentiment," IDC Worldwide PC Trackers Research VP Jean Philippe Bouchard added.

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The European champions look to bounce back from a shock defeat at Lumen Field.

The Arm-based Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is small, lightweight and primed to run AI tasks all day long.

• 'Motors' WordPress theme vulnerability leaves accounts open to takeover attacks
• Widespread attacks were observed from June 7 onwards
• A patch is available in version 5.6.68, so update now

A popular premium WordPress theme, has been exploited by hackers thanks to a critical privilege escalation flaw tracked as CVE-2025-4322.

Attackers are able to exploit the vulnerability in the 'Motors' theme to hijack administrator accounts, taking full control of sites to change details, inject false details and spread malicious payloads.

Developed by StylemixThemes and a popular pick among automotive websites, nearly 22,500 sales of the theme have been logged on EnvatoMarket.

'Motors' WordPress theme has been hijacked

The vulnerability had first been discovered on May 2, 2025, with a patch later released with version 5.6.68 on May 14, meaning that up-to-date accounts should be protected from potential account takeovers. Versions up to 5.6.67 are affected by the CVE, with Wordfence reporting on the details on May 19.

"This is due to the theme not properly validating a user's identity prior to updating their password," Wordfence explained.

"This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change arbitrary user passwords, including those of administrators, and leverage that to gain access to their account."

Although the patch has already been released, accounts that are still running older versions are at risk of takeover, with attacks seen to have started on May 20. By June 7, researchers were observing wide-scale attacks – Wordfence has now blocked more than 23,000 attack attempts.

Wordfence also disclosed a number of key IP addresses seen to be attacking sites – many making thousands of attempts each.

"One obvious sign of infection is if a site’s administrator is unable to log in with the correct password as it may have been changed as a result of this vulnerability," the researchers explained.

The biggest change users of the 'Motors' theme can do is to update to version 5.6.68, closing the vulnerability to attackers and securing their accounts from takeovers.

Via BleepingComputer

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The service kicked off as scheduled aboard Tesla's Model Y vehicles, with customers paying a $4.20 flat fee to ride.

As a resident Reviews Writer here at TechRadar, I’ve tested some truly phenomenal gadgets and gizmos, ranging from the best headphones on the planet through to the best Bluetooth speakers. But despite how many impressive products I see, there’s the occasional stand-out release, and the Samsung HW-Q800D soundbar was certainly one of them.

With roaring bass output, awesome Dolby Atmos effects and an abundance of smart features, I was delighted with the soundbar’s talents, awarding it four-and-a-half stars in my Samsung HW-Q800D review.

But recently, I decided it was time for a change and traded my multi-box Samsung set-up for an all-in-one alternative. Why? Well… I’ll reveal that in a moment. But the soundbar in question is the Marshall Heston 120, which packs room-swallowing bass, stellar spatial audio effects and jaw-dropping beauty into one standalone bar.

Still, was it really worth dropping my 360W setup with a rumbling sub for a 150W one-box rival? Yes, yes it was. So, let’s uncover why that’s the case…

The Marshall Heston 120 is a true work of art (Image credit: Future)The noisy neighbor… was me all along

I live in an apartment, and not one that's on the ground floor. And look, I love booming bass as much as anyone… more than most, in fact – but the raw might of the HW-Q800D sometimes felt like overkill for my neighbors.

When watching movies at night – especially those with imposing, bass-heavy scores – I would be hurrying to switch Night mode on through the Samsung Smart Things app. And even then, I sometimes would have to dial down the sub manually, to ensure I wasn’t rousing my lower-floor neighbors from deep slumber.

So, if like me, you live in an apartment complex, especially if you’re in a smaller-sized room and not on the ground floor – a big sub might not be the best move for you.

Since switching to the Marshall Heston 120, I’ve found that night-time viewing is a lot more seamless and worry-free. Yes, the Heston 120 produces incredibly impressive low-frequency audio for an all-in-one bar, but I’m not getting the same floor-shaking rumble that the Q800D dished out.

And if bass power is still a little much, I can still simply switch on Night Mode and adjust the level to ‘high’ in the revamped Marshall app. Easy as you like.

Even if you live in a detached property or don’t have to worry about neighbors for whatever reason, I’d still highly recommend the Marshall Heston 120, though. For most, it will already have enough power to make movie nights that bit more memorable.

But it also has an RCA port, enabling you to connect the soundbar up to any external wired sub. I tried hooking the Heston 120 up to a mega sub from Q Acoustics recently, and the results were mindblowing.

There’ll also be a compatible subwoofer arriving directly from Marshall in the future, dubbed the Heston Sub 200. So if you have the capacity for a multi-box setup, I’m sure this will make your viewing experiences incredibly immersive too.

Here's the Marshall Heston 120 hooked up to the mammoth Q Acoustics Q Sub120, a 600W, 50lbs (22.7kg), 12-inch (30.5cm) beast of a subwoofer! (Image credit: Future)If looks could kill…

OK, so I’m a lot less worried about noise complaints now, but there was something else that really drew me to the Marshall Heston 120. And that’s its incredibly charming retro design, which hooked me from the second I laid eyes on it.

I attended the unveiling of the Heston 120 at Marshall’s Stockholm HQ and I was told that the team was incredibly keen to make its first ever soundbar stand out among a homogenous market filled with hulking black bars. And this is exactly what they did.

The Heston 120 is, to be fair, a hulking black bar. But it's not just that – it has Marshall’s amp-making heritage in its DNA, rocking a wraparound speaker grille, three knurled metal control dials, and a golden Marshall logo positioned right in the center. Golden details and classy red LEDs top off a beautifully crafted product that’s eye-catching, yet classy.

I don’t mind the look of the Samsung HW-Q800D at all. It's got a solid, angular build that screams durability. But in all honesty, it's slightly chunky and lacks the finesse of the Heston 120. If you want your soundbar to be a statement piece as well as a source of sensational cinematic sound, Marshall’s one and only soundbar is a cut above.

I love the gold details on the Marshall Heston 120, they really radiate a sense of luxury (Image credit: Future)A musical maestro, right at the heart of my living room

I’ve spoken a lot about design elements that make the Heston 120 a better fit for my living space, but something I wanted to touch on is performance – specifically, musical performance.

When I tested the Samsung HW-Q800D, I was impressed, overall, with its handling of music. I was treated to excellent depth for dark bass hits, solid instrument separation, and rich mids to boot. But the Heston 120 took things to a new level.

Marshall's soundbar whipped up an incredibly expansive, wide impression when I listened to tunes via Tidal Connect. With Atmos music, guitars sounded as if they were coming from the corners of my room, vocals were pushed forward and percussion danced across the width of the bar.

But stereo music really wowed me, with the Heston 120 offering trouble-free channel separation, subtle detailing and plenty of breathing room for each instrument to express itself as intended.

If want to open yourself up to the best musical experience a soundbar can supply, the Heston 120 is a no-brainer pick. A sidenote to that is you’re even able to connect one of the best record players up to the soundbar via RCA (as long as it has a phono stage built-in) – pretty cool!

Real footage of me switching to Wi-Fi mode before experiencing the Heston 120's mesmerizing musical talents (Image credit: Future)A final note

So, there you have it, the Marshall Heston 120 is the soundbar for me. It suits my living space, it's a real work of art and it has the performance – especially music-wise – to keep me more than satisfied.

But I want to hammer one thing home – the Samsung HW-Q800D is still an excellent multi-box soundbar. I mean, it’s our overall pick for best Dolby Atmos soundbar for good reason!

It might not be optimal for my small apartment, but if you’ve got the right setup, I highly recommend it. Especially as it can be found on sale quite regularly now – as low as £549 in the UK. That’s a considerable chunk less than the Marshall Heston 120, which has a list price of $999 / £899 / AU$1,799.

So, will you be grabbing the Marshall Heston 120? What’s your setup like? I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights in the comments, so please let me know!

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A livestream promised more images of deep space from the new observatory.

There are 20% more homes for sale this May — but it hasn't been enough to pull buyers off the sidelines amid high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty.

(Image credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

• Microsoft has released its 2025 Repsonsible AI Transparency Report
• It outlines its plans to build and maintain responsible AI models
• New regulations are coming in regarding the use of AI, and Microsoft wants to be ready

With AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) increasingly used in many parts of modern life, the trustworthiness and security of these models has become an important consideration for businesses such as Microsoft.

The company has moved to outline its approach to the future of AI in its 2025 Responsible AI Transparency Report, laying out how it sees the future of the technology evolving in years to come.

Just as we have seen AI more broadly adopted by businesses, we have also seen a wave of regulations around the world that aim to establish the safe and responsible use of AI tools and the implementation of AI governance policies that help companies manage the risks associated with AI use.

A hands on approach

In the report, the second following an initial launch in May 2024, Microsoft lays out how it has made significant investments into responsible AI tools, policies, and practices.

These include expanded risk management and mitigation for, "modalities beyond text—like images, audio, and video—and additional support for agentic systems," as well as taking a "proactive, layered approach" to new regulations such as the EU’s AI Act, supplying customers with materials and resources to empower them to be ready and compliant with incoming requirements.

Consistent risk management, oversight, reviewing, and red-teaming of AI and generative AI releases come alongside continued research and development to ‘inform our understanding of sociotechnical issues related to the latest advancements in AI’, with the company's AI Frontiers Lab helping Microsoft, "push the frontier of what AI systems can do in terms of capability, efficiency, and safety."

As AI advances, Microsoft says plans to build more adaptable tools and practices and invest into systems of risk management in order to, "provide tools and practices for the most common risks across deployment scenarios".

That’s not all though, as Microsoft also plans to deepen its work regarding incoming regulations by supporting effective governance across the AI supply chain.

It says it is also working internally and externally to, "clarify roles and expectations", as well as continuing with research into, "AI risk measurement and evaluation and the tooling to operationalize it at scale", sharing advancements with its wider ecosystem to support safer norms and standards.

"Our report highlights new developments related to how we build and deploy AI systems responsibly, how we support our customers and the broader ecosystem, and how we learn and evolve," noted Teresa Hutson, CVP, Trusted Technology Group and Natasha Crampton, Chief Responsible AI Officer.

"We look forward to hearing your feedback on the progress we have made and opportunities to collaborate on all that is still left to do. Together, we can advance AI governance efficiently and effectively, fostering trust in AI systems at a pace that matches the opportunities ahead."

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As its name suggests, AdGuard is best known for its ad-blocker services. However, the organization has also expanded into other security and privacy services, including VPN and DNS services.

Its latest offer, still in beta at the time of writing, is AdGuard Mail, which provides security by offering email aliases and temporary email addresses – so you can keep your mail email addresses and services protected.

Aliases and temporary email addresses can be helpful in a wide variety of scenarios. You might want to sign up for a service or trial to acquire a discount code without signing up for spam, or you could just want to avoid subjecting your mail email address to the risk of phishing attacks or data breaches.

You may need temporary addresses for testing during software development, accessing a webinar or accessing services you don’t fully trust.

AdGuard Mail: Plans and pricing 

At the moment, AdGuard Mail is completely free – which instantly places this product ahead of many competitors.

Bear in mind that AdGuard says that Mail is free “for now”. Given that users have to pay for AdGuard’s other products, we’d expect AdGuard Mail to become a paid product once it leaves beta testing. Indeed, AdGuard’s FAQ says they plan to add paid features and customization options in the future.

Happily, AdGuard’s other products offer competitive pricing, so we’re not concerned about AdGuard Mail having extortionate pricing once it does leave beta.

For instance, the central AdGuard ad-blocking product costs $2.51/£1.99 per month if you pay annually, the VPN’s monthly costs are similar if you stick to an annual deal, and the DNS service has a basic free service.

AdGuard Mail: Features

AdGuard’s concentration on aliases and temporary email addresses gives users several privacy and security benefits.

By using an alias instead of your personal email address, you can avoid using anything identifiable if you want to send or receive messages. Instead, any emails sent to your aliases are then forwarded to their linked mailboxes, providing a layer of protection between you and the sender.

If you use temporary email addresses instead, you can avoid sharing your details and subscribing to any unwanted spam or services.

Ultimately, AdGuard’s aliases are ideal for ongoing communication without using your real addresses, and temporary emails are better for short-term activities.

This helps you avoid spam, phishing attacks, data breaches and privacy issues because you won’t have to use your own email address.

This approach differs from many other secure email providers, which give users their own, permanent email address, but AdGuard still promises robust security.

AdGuard cannot access your messages when using AdGuard Mail, and AdGuard uses secure SMTP connections whenever possible to protect your emails from unauthorized access.

The firm inspects email and website content before they’re loaded to check for any threats – and does so without retaining any information about the content. AdGuard’s thorough filtering protects you from fraudulent websites and websites that are known to distribute malware, and the firm’s filters are updated regularly – so you’re protected from the latest threats.

AdGuard’s reliance on aliases and temporary addresses protects your personal addresses, and that’s not the only area where AdGuard Mail impresses.

Once created, any emails forwarded from your alias are marked in your email client with a special header, so you can easily see AdGuard’s emails. Multiple aliases can be used for single email addresses, and multiple recipients can receive emails from single aliases.

Attachments are also supported for aliases, although temporary email addresses do not currently support attachments. Also consider that you can’t reply to emails forwarded by your aliases – to send replies, you will need to reveal your email address.

Ultimately, AdGuard’s method is simple and effective: use aliases to add a layer of protection so you can enjoy ongoing communication without compromising your email address – and use temporary emails to enjoy the same protection in short-term scenarios.

Of course, it must be noted that AdGuard Mail is markedly different from other secure email providers. This is a secure forwarding service rather than an actual email client, where you can create your own address and access a new, fully featured inbox.

That’s not necessarily bad, though, especially if you want to keep using your primary email address while adding extra protection. And if you combine AdGuard Mail with AdGuard’s other services, like its ad-blocking, VPN, or DNS, you can build a robust and versatile security package.

AdGuard Mail: Interface and in-use

(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)

AdGuard Mail excels thanks to its simplicity and versatility. It’s available as a desktop app for Windows and Mac, as an Android and iOS app, and it can also be accessed using a web interface.

If you want to create a temporary email address for one-time use, you can also just use AdGuard’s website to make and then copy a new address. Once you’ve used it to register for a service or input into a registration form, the reply will actually appear in a temporary inbox that’s right there on the same website. It’s a very clever service.

(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)

No matter what platform you use, AdGuard Mail is straightforward. Open the app for the first time, and it’ll guide you through the main features and launch a simple Wizard dialog that will help you create your first alias.

To create more, it’s just a matter of opening a panel, picking a random address and choosing its forwarding address. You can tag your aliases to make organization more manageable and add a description so you don’t forget its intended use.

(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)

The app includes an option for adding more recipients, a basic inbox for accessing emails sent to your temporary addresses, and a settings menu where you can choose Light or Dark modes, block senders and customize how the app functions on your system.

(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)AdGuard Mail: Support

Right now, the support options for AdGuard are basic – no surprise given its beta status. Most support queries can be answered by browsing the FAQ section, and users can email AdGuard’s support address to access help.

There’s also a web form where users can give feedback about AdGuard Mail, with options for suggesting features and reporting bugs.

AdGuard also maintains active Telegram, Reddit and GitHub communities if you’d like to talk to other service users or troubleshoot using these methods.

AdGuard Mail: The competition

AdGuard Mail has no shortage of competition when it comes to email aliases. Many secure email providers offer this as part of their broader service, like Mailbox.org, Soverin and several others.

Those are paid providers, though, and, at the moment, AdGuard Mail is free – and judging by AdGuard’s pricing elsewhere, it’ll still be a very affordable product in the future, too.

One of the only secure mail rivals that offers aliasing using a free account is Proton, which includes ten aliases in its free product alongside a new email address and 5GB of cloud storage. So, while you do have to maintain a whole new email account, it’s arguably a better deal.

If you just want email aliasing, consider Apple’s Hide My Email feature, Firefox Relay, or even DuckDuckGo Email Protection.

AdGuard Mail: Final verdict

There are plenty of other services beyond AdGuard Mail that offer email aliasing and temporary email addresses.

That said, AdGuard is currently free, it works very well for both aliasing and temporary emails, and it’s certainly worth using – even more if you’re already a keen user of other AdGuard products.

Now more than ever, employers are turning to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies in the workplace, largely due to employees showing interest in saying goodbye to their company-issued phones and leadership looking to increase security measures and cut costs. BYOD adoption rates are increasing year-over-year, with a recent survey finding 67 percent of companies had implemented BYOD policies, up from 51 percent the year prior.

Given the growing interest from organizations and employees looking to transition to the BYOD model, it is critical to understand why this switch is beneficial and the steps companies can take to set them up for success and ensure proper security and privacy measures are implemented.

Making the switch to BYOD: start with “why” & build A plan

Just like any other planning facet of a business, setting up a mobile communications strategy should be based on the company’s “why.” What are the primary reasons this workforce should (or shouldn’t) utilize a BYOD model? Is it productivity, security, better client interactions - or all of the above? Depending on, industry, category, and the size of the company, this “why” can take on many forms.

For instance, a company operating in a highly regulated industry, such as financial services or healthcare, will find it imperative to be able to capture calls and texts for compliance purposes. Another company may instead prioritize data privacy in its phone policy both for the company, itself, and its customers. Either way, having a strong mobile communications strategy, with a BYOD policy in place, is critical.

Companies on the other end of the BYOD spectrum, such as those that rely on a transient, 1099 workforce, will need a solution that allows them to assign business numbers to freelance or contract workers. For organizations looking to cut costs while increasing productivity, companies can look into options such as putting a second, dedicated business identity on employees’ phones to provide a distinct separation of work and personal communications.

No matter which of these examples might fit an organization's business model, it is important to determine the “why” upfront before making a decision on whether or not to utilize a BYOD model.

From there, before putting a BYOD policy into practice, companies should develop an implementation plan, starting with legal and human resources teams collaborating on a phone use policy. Among the many issues to be considered is whether employees will be compensated for the use of their personal phones, typically done in the form of a monthly stipend.

Encouraging employee adoption

While many employees have expressed interest in having a BYOD policy in place, some businesses are still facing difficulties getting their workforce to embrace employee adoption due to employee concerns surrounding data privacy, IT complexities, and execution roadblocks.

Implementing third-party software applications can address many of these concerns, but companies should be cautious of applications that enable secure communications on employee-owned devices. Rather, companies should try utilizing apps that make a distinct separation of work and personal communications. Employees are more likely to engage with a BYOD model if they know their personal data isn’t being monitored or recorded by their employer.

Other strategies for encouraging quick and compliant BYOD adoption:

• Emphasize the benefits of BYOD to employees in rollout communications. Nobody likes to carry a second phone and that alone can often be the driving force for staff engagement.
• If the BYOD policy leverages specific apps, make sure there is adequate training from the start. Additional follow-up training is also useful to assure continued use.
• Implement from the top down. When employees see that leadership is compliant with the new policy, it will encourage other employees to follow suit.

Laying the groundwork for real results

Understanding the “why” for implementing a BYOD policy, selecting an option that works for an organization’s specific needs, and properly encouraging employee adoption, will ultimately result in tangible benefits for both the employer and its employees.

Here are just some of the benefits businesses can realize by switching to a BYOD model:

1. Cost savings: Without the need to buy extra phones or manage another device plan, companies can greatly reduce their hardware and mobile service costs.
2. Convenience: Employees no longer have to carry two devices instead of one. Rather, they can keep work and personal communications separate on the same phone.
3. Security & compliance: Third party applications can offer enterprise-grade security features that support communication compliance (e.g., for financial or legal sectors) with automatic call and text recording, archiving, and monitoring.

In short, a BYOD model, combined with a third party application can give you the benefits of a second phone without the hassle or cost—especially appealing for professionals who need to stay compliant or businesses managing mobile fleets.

We've featured the best business tablet.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

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, June 23 (game #1246).

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 #1247) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1247) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1247) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1247) - 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 #1247) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Q

• S

• A

• F

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

Quordle today (game #1247) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1247, are…

• QUALM
• SQUIB
• AXIAL
• FLACK

Today's Quordle was a slightly trickier one for me, with my opening three guesses giving me only three letters for each part of the board.

I started with the top left, where I had three greens to go on in the format -AUL-; BAULK seemed a good option.

That was wrong, but it gave me a B for the top right and K for the bottom right, and that was enough for me to find FLACK and then SQUIB.

The Q in SQUIB then led to QUALM in top left, leaving just the bottom left – which by this stage could only be AXIAL. A tough bunch of words today, for sure.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1247) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1247, are…

• FRESH
• CLOVE
• USURP
• REIGN

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1246, Monday, 23 June: PIXEL, FJORD, STEAL, EXIST
• Quordle #1245, Sunday, 22 June: WREST, CRAZE, PAPAL, SCION
• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO

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, June 23 (game #743).

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 #744) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SOLID
• POD
• CAST
• STUDIO
• PLANE
• STERN
• HULL
• FIRM
• TITLE
• LINE
• TOUGH
• SHELL
• HUSK
• DIRECTOR
• POINT
• RIGID

NYT Connections today (game #744) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Severe, behaviourally
• GREEN: Outer layer
• BLUE: Screen listings
• PURPLE: Geometric stages of being

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 #744) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: STRICT
• GREEN: BOTANICAL COVERINGS
• BLUE: SEEN IN OPENING CREDITS
• PURPLE: OBJECTS IN 0-, 1-, 2- AND 3-DIMENSIONAL SPACE

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

NYT Connections today (game #744) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #744, are…

• YELLOW: STRICT FIRM, RIGID, STERN, TOUGH
• GREEN: BOTANICAL COVERINGS HULL, HUSK, POD, SHELL
• BLUE: SEEN IN OPENING CREDITS CAST, DIRECTOR, STUDIO, TITLE
• PURPLE: OBJECTS IN 0-, 1-, 2- AND 3-DIMENSIONAL SPACE LINE, PLANE, POINT, SOLID

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 2 mistakes

Although I made a couple of mistakes here, this wasn't a particularly difficult Connections puzzle compared to some.

If you didn't know which color each group was in, you wouldn't necessarily be able to predict which would be yellow and which purple – none were really difficult.

So, how did I make two errors? Simply because the answers for yellow, STRICT, overlapped with a few words from other groups. The eventual solutions were FIRM, RIGID, STERN and TOUGH – but SOLID seemed like it could go with the first couple of those, while STERN and HULL could also have been part of a boat-based grouping.

Anyway, I got there in the end.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, June 23, game #743)

• YELLOW: KINDS OF JEANS BOYFRIEND, FLARE, MOM, SKINNY
• GREEN: FICTION CATEGORIES HISTORICAL, LITERARY, SPECULATIVE, YOUNG ADULT
• BLUE: WORDS IN HEMINGWAY TITLES BELL, FAREWELL, OLD MAN, SUN
• PURPLE: ___ GLASS GLASSWARE COCKTAIL, COLLINS, OLD FASHIONED, SHOT

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, June 23 (game #477).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Healthful helpers

NYT Strands today (game #478) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TIDE
• FAXES
• SEED
• PLUM
• CLAIM
• STOP

NYT Strands today (game #478) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #478) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #478) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #478, are…

• FLAXSEED
• PROBIOTIC
• CALCIUM
• ZINC
• MAGNESIUM
• SPANGRAM: SUPPLEMENTS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

This was a bit of a mixed bag, with the selection of SUPPLEMENTS combining vitamins, live microorganisms and seeds into a group that could be labelled 'Things that you get in foods you buy to make you more healthy'.

I don't generally take any supplements, mostly because I seem to be incapable of actually looking after myself health-wise. I know that CALCIUM is important for bones, and PROBIOTICS can help the gut, but I don't entirely know what MAGNESIUM, ZINC and FLAXSEED do.

Still, I didn't need to know that in order to solve today's Strands, which was rather simple once I'd found FLAXSEED in the top left of the grid.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, June 23, game #477)

• CHEAP
• TRICK
• TALKING
• HEADS
• SMASHING
• PUMPKINS
• SPANGRAM: ROCK GROUPS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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

• The iFFALCON Mural TVs are 55, 65 and 75-inch art gallery-style TVs
• 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium and low-latency game mode
• From $564.99 for the 55-inch model

If you're looking for an art gallery TV that's both cheaper and higher spec than Samsung's The Frame, TCL has just the thing for you. Its terribly named but attractively priced iFFALCON sub-brand includes a great deal on the Mural TV.

If you go for the 65-inch Mural, TV it's currently down to just $749; Samsung's The Frame is $1,499 for the same size. And the 55-inch is cheaper still: just $564.99.

There's also a 75-incher, and that's on sale too. The 75-inch Mural TV is currently down to just $1,129.00.

The Mural TVs aren't just cheaper than the standard The Frame TVs. They also come with specs that don't come as standard on The Frame, and which you'd need to buy the even pricier Frame Pro to get.

Like The Frame TV, the idea is that these will show artwork when you're not watching something – these include "classical masterpieces, generative art using its AI engine, or beloved personal photos".

(Image credit: iFFALCON)TCL iFFALCON Mural TVs: key features

The Mural TV range are 4K UHD QLED TVs that promise 93% DCI-P3 wide color gamut coverage, a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming, plus AMD FreeSync Premium variable refresh rate support.

There's support for all key HDR formats, including Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HLG and HGIG.

On the audio side, there's support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding. The operating system is Google TV, so you'll be covered for all major streaming services.

That's a lot of spec for not a lot of money, although to get the lowest prices you'll need to combine a money off coupon and a discount code too. Here are the appropriate Amazon links and codes:

• iFFALCON 55-inch Mural TV: use discount code QU6HI8WP
• iFFALCON 65-inch Mural TV: use discount code 2EZWGX84
• iFFALCON 75-inch Mural TV: use discount code QCDO2K3D

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• I've used a Samsung The Frame TV for years, and here's why The Frame Pro is a huge upgrade
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