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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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 18 (game #768).

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 #769) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TACK
• TAP
• RAP
• SNAP
• LEO
• BRAD
• SPIKE
• DON
• NAIL
• WELL
• MIC
• PASS
• SPRING
• RAIN
• PUNT
• PIN

NYT Connections today (game #769) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Where the stuff of life comes from
• GREEN: Pigskin possibilities
• BLUE: Hold things together
• PURPLE: How an animated animal collective begin

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 #769) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER
• GREEN: THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A FOOTBALL
• BLUE: SHARP FASTENERS
• PURPLE: STARTS OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

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

NYT Connections today (game #769) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #769, are…

• YELLOW: SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER RAIN, SPRING, TAP, WELL
• GREEN: THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A FOOTBALL PASS, PUNT, SNAP, SPIKE
• BLUE: SHARP FASTENERS BRAD, NAIL, PIN, TACK
• PURPLE: STARTS OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES DON, LEO, MIC, RAP

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

I was at a distinct disadvantage today, knowing nothing about football (of the American kind) or Mutant Ninja Turtles, but that wasn’t the reason why I crashed out.

Like many, I am sure, seeing BRAD and LEO beside each other on the board immediately made me think of Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio so I spent ages trying to find a group that was something to do with Once Upon A Time in Hollywood – wasting a mistake on a wild guess.

My next three mistakes came before I’d even got a single group correct. Thinking that I was looking for a group of things you could hammer, I selected NAIL, PIN, TACK and SPIKE.

After getting one away I tried SNAP instead of spike and then, possessed by another ‘one away’, SPRING. Ah well, you can’t win them all. Or hammer them all.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, July 18 game #768)

• YELLOW: SEQUENCE RUN, SERIES, STREAK, STRING
• GREEN: PICK UP ON CATCH, NOTE, SEE, SPOT
• BLUE: YOGA BACKBENDS BRIDGE, COBRA, COW, WHEEL
• PURPLE: ELECTRIC -___ BLANKET, EEL, GUITAR, SLIDE

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 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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 18 (game #1271).

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 #1272) - 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 #1272) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #1272) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1272) - 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 #1272) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• E

• C

• T

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1272) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1272, are…

• EARLY
• CLICK
• TRITE
• SPREE

I changed one of my start words today – “would” instead of “could” – and came close to ending my winning streak.

I’m not sure whether the two are connected, but when it came down to my final guess I used the letter C and it resulted in a last-ditch correct guess. 

That’ll teach me to experiment!

Daily Sequence today (game #1272) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1272, are…

• SENSE
• STAND
• BIRTH
• COAST

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1271, Friday, 18 July: CINCH, FOYER, FUDGE, TAFFY
• Quordle #1270, Thursday, 17 July: CRESS, TABOO, POWER, HATER
• Quordle #1269, Wednesday, 16 July: UNCLE, NADIR, REMIT, BROOM
• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 18 (game #1271).

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 #1272) - 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 #1272) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #1272) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1272) - 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 #1272) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• E

• C

• T

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1272) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1272, are…

• EARLY
• CLICK
• TRITE
• SPREE

I changed one of my start words today – “would” instead of “could” – and came close to ending my winning streak.

I’m not sure whether the two are connected, but when it came down to my final guess I used the letter C and it resulted in a last-ditch correct guess. 

That’ll teach me to experiment!

Daily Sequence today (game #1272) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1272, are…

• SENSE
• STAND
• BIRTH
• COAST

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1271, Friday, 18 July: CINCH, FOYER, FUDGE, TAFFY
• Quordle #1270, Thursday, 17 July: CRESS, TABOO, POWER, HATER
• Quordle #1269, Wednesday, 16 July: UNCLE, NADIR, REMIT, BROOM
• Quordle #1268, Tuesday, 15 July: VILLA, FLECK, TIGER, CRANE
• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED

CNET's broadband experts have rounded up the top picks for internet service providers in Cleveland, Ohio.

There are many ‘royalty free’ websites out there that offer images, videos, and more which you can add to your projects. Some are free, and although you can get lucky and find what you’re after there, it’s little surprise that the best results all too often come from paid services.

Adobe Stock is the one we’ll be exploring in this review, to see how it compares in a pretty crowded field.

Adobe Stock: Pricing & plans

• Adobe Stock ain’t the cheapest, but it also ain’t the most expensive service out there either, and we like the fact they offer the option to either subscribe or to simply purchase credits for the occasional need instead

Pricing is a subjective thing: just how valuable is the asset you’re after? If you look at various competing services to Adobe Stock (like Getty Images or Shutterstock, for instance), you’ll see that prices vary wildly. Though not cheap, Adobe’s can be viewed as middle of the road.

As usual with Adobe products, you can pay a monthly subscription or sign up for a yearly contract paid monthly (like a phone contract). Depending on the plan, you’ll get a set amount of credits to use.

You can see the full plans here.

• Score: 4/5

Adobe Stock: Interface

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• A huge library of assets is at your disposal, with a powerful search tool and useful filters to help narrow down the results to a manageable level - and you can do all that without even logging in

Browsing through Adobe Stock’s catalog doesn’t require you to be logged in or have set up any kind of subscription, or anything like that. It’s a great way to explore and check what’s available before committing yourself.

The interface is pretty simple: all assets are organised by categories, which can be accessed from the top of every page, through a convenient menu: you can look through ‘Videos’, ‘Photos’, ‘Illustrations’, ‘Vectors’, ‘Audio’, ‘Templates’, ‘Fonts’, ‘3D’, and there’s even a ‘Free’ section.

That’s right: a large number of assets can be downloaded for free, including over a million photos and even over 55,000 4K video clips.

Looking through a category is worse than searching for a needle in a haystack: how can you hope to find the shot you’re looking for through literally hundreds of millions of choices? That’s where filters and a search field come into their own. Type in any keywords to narrow down your search, and if that’s not enough, reveal the filters sidebar on the left to trim down the results. You can choose, for instance, to only look for Photos, ignoring Illustrations and Vectors, or remove any Generative AI images.

One filter we particularly enjoyed was the ‘Undiscovered Content’ tick box. With it enabled, you’ll only see assets that have never been downloaded by anyone, which can be a little disheartening if you’re a content provider, but will ensure that the asset you used has a greater chance of never having been seen before.

Another benefit of this filter is realising that although Stock has over 140 million AI generated images, over 130 million of those have never been bought by anyone, which still gives some hope for humanity and the genuine creative process.

• Score: 4.5/5

Adobe Stock: Assets

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• Acquiring assets is a matter of login in, purchasing and downloading them to your computer. There’s even a way to get Stock to generate new images based on a selected one

Getting assets couldn’t be easier, although you will need to log in with your Adobe ID in order to do so. If you don’t already have one, getting an ID won’t cost you anything. This applies whether you’re on a subscription, using credits, or downloading free assets.

Once you’ve found one you like, mouse over it to reveal a few buttons, including a big blue ‘Download’ one. Click on it, and it’s downloaded to your computer.

One of the other buttons lets you save assets to your library. This doesn’t commit you to buying anything, but is a good way to gather up those you like, and later refine your collection to only download (and purchase) the ones you need.

There’s also an ellipsis in the top right corner of every thumbnail. Within it, is a ‘Find Similar’ option, which uses that chosen image as the basis to locate other similar assets for you. Incidentally, you can also use the ‘Find Similar’ filter with one of your own images.

Another option is ‘Generate Variations’. Based on the selected asset and an optional prompt by yourself, Adobe will generate new options for you to choose from. They claim that should you choose one of those variations, the original artist will be compensated, which is fair and just.

• Score: 4/5

Adobe Stock: Contributing media

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• Adobe makes it as easy as possible to contribute to their growing asset collection - once you’ve completed the relevant US tax forms. You can even upload content straight from Adobe Lightroom

Speaking of contributing, such a service only survives through regular intake of new assets, and is why you’ll find a ‘Sell’ option to the right of the menu at the top of every page.

Once you’ve filled in your details, including tax information, it’s just a question of selecting your images, and uploading them to the service, with the relevant description and tags (you can also do this directly from Adobe Lightroom).

There are some restrictions, such as specific file formats and minimum sizes, but aside from that, you should be good to go, and should someone purchase your work, the royalty rate is 33% for images and 35% for videos.

• Score: 4/5

Should I buy Adobe Stock?

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

Buy it if...

You’re in the market for new assets, you enjoy browsing through a huge portfolio, and like the fact you can either subscribe or buy credits to get what you want.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not keen on adding yet more expense to your already struggling finances, or you’re not a fan of the Adobe ecosystem.

I've tested the three models of the updated line and the V3 Pro has the best balance of design, feel, features and price.

Hulu is gearing up to release its new wave of titles for August, and buried among those are 104 new movies as well as 68 new TV shows.

Now that we're creeping up to August, that means we're getting even closer to the release of the highly anticipated Alien: Earth on August 12 – the first TV show developed for the franchise and one we've been very excited to watch since it was announced back in 2020. It's been a long time coming, but there's still time to get through some of Hulu's other new arrivals before Alien: Earth arrives.

As usual, the first day of Hulu's monthly list will be packed with a slew of new and exciting blockbusters, and there's quite a focus on movies with a comedy touch, starting with action-comedy Kick-Ass (2010), and not forgetting one of my ultimate comfort comedy-dramas The Devil Wears Prada (2006).

Everything new on Hulu in August 2025

Arriving on August 1

Foundation Forward season 1 (TV show)
Kids Diana Show: Greatest Playtime Adventures season 1 (TV show)
Floribama Shore seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Survivor seasons 23-24 (TV show)
Undercover Boss seasons 7 and 11 (TV show)
10 Things I Hate About You (movie)
28 Days (movie)
28 Days En Espanol (movie)
A Simple Favor (movie)
The Beach (movie)
Black Knight (movie)
The Brothers McMullen (movie)
Click (movie)
Click En Espanol (movie)
Coyote Ugly (movie)
Date Night (movie)
Devil in a Blue Dress (movie)
Devil in a Blue Dress En Espanol (movie)
The Devil Wears Prada (movie)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl (movie)
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl En Espanol (movie)
Did You Hear About The Morgans? (movie)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? En Espanol (movie)
District 9 (movie)
District 9 En Espanol (movie)
Equity (movie)
Equity En Espanol (movie)
Evil Dead (movie)
Evil Dead En Espanol (movie)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (movie)
The Exorcism Of Emily Rose En Espanol (movie)
Father Of The Bride (movie)
Father Of The Bride Part II (movie)
Forrest Gump (movie)
Forrest Gump En Espanol (movie)
The Full Monty (movie)
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (movie)
Ice Age (movie)
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (movie)
Ice Age: Continental Drift (movie)
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (movie)
Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade (movie)
It's Complicated (movie)
Kick-Ass (movie)
Old School (movie)
Old School En Espanol (movie)
One Hour Photo (movie)
The Other Woman (movie)
Night Shift (movie)
Practical Magic (movie)
Pretty Woman (movie)
The Proposal (movie)
Raising Arizona (movie)
Ready Or Not (movie)
Resident Evil: Extinction (movie)
Resident Evil: Extinction En Espanol (movie)
Rio (movie)
Robots (movie)
Scarface (movie)
The Sessions (movie)
Simply Irresistible (movie)
Stay (movie)
Super 8 (movie)
Super 8 En Espanol (movie)
Take Shelter (movie)
Take Shelter En Espanol (movie)
Taken (movie)
Thank You For Smoking (movie)
Thirteen (movie)
Under The Tuscan Sun (movie)
Weekend At Bernie's (movie)
Win Win (movie)

Arriving on August 2

Alone: The Beast season 1 (TV show)
Alone: The Skills Challenge season 1 (TV show)
Body Cam seasons 8-9 (TV show)
Evil Lives Here season 16 (TV show)
Mary J. Blige's Family Affair (movie)
Vanished in Death Valley (movie)
The Marksman (movie)
Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story (movie)
Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story (movie)
William Tell (movie)

Arriving on August 4

King of the Hill season 14 (TV show)

Arriving on August 5

Capturing Their Killer: The Girls on the High Bridge (TV show)
Bob Trevino Likes It (movie)

Arriving on August 7

Ted Bundy: Dialogue with the Devil (TV show)
Find My Country House season 2 (TV show)
Fixer Upper season 6 (TV show)
The Flip Off season 1 (TV show)
Why the Heck Did I Buy This House? seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Zombie House Flipping season 6 (TV show)
The Monkey (movie)

Arriving on August 8

Ralph Barbosa: Planet Bosa (TV show)
FX's Necaxa (TV show)
Journey to Bethlehem (movie)
Journey to Bethlehem En Espanol (movie)
Shanghai Knights (movie)
Shanghai Noon (movie)

Arriving on August 9

American Picker season 26 (TV show)
The Challenge seasons 13 and 19 (TV show)
Expedition Unknown seasons 7-8 (TV show)
Moonshiners season 14 (TV show)
Take My Tumor season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 10

The Lost City (movie)

Arriving on August 11

Copshop (movie)

Arriving on August 12

FX's Alien: Earth (TV show)
Sharp Corner (movie)

Arriving on August 14

The Dangers in My Heart seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo season 1 (TV show)
Road Wars season 4 (TV show)
Hollywood Demons season 1 (TV show)
Little Boy Lost: An ID Mystery season 1 (TV show)
See No Evil season 7 (TV show)
Tales From Oak Island season 1 (TV show)
The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd season 2 (TV show)
Bringing Down The House (movie)
Cheaper By The Dozen (movie)
Like Mike (movie)
Stuck On You (movie)

Arriving on August 15

Blippi's Ultimate Playdate part 2 season 1 (TV show)
Stand Up To Cancer 2025: Livestream (TV show)
YAIBA: Samurai Legend season 1 (TV show)
YAIBA: Samurai Legend (Spanish) season 1 (TV show)
The Host (movie)
It Feeds (movie)
John Wick (movie)
John Wick 2 (movie)
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (movie)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (movie)
Killer Elite (movie)
LOL Live with Devon Walker (TV show)
LOL Live with Sydnee Washington (TV show)

Arriving on August 16

Interrogation Raw season 3 (TV show)
Cold Case Files: Murder in the Bayou season 1 (TV show)
The Curious Case of…: season 1 (TV show)
My Evil Sister season 1 (TV show)
See No Evil seasons 5-6 (TV show)
Waco: Madman or Messiah season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 17

Thanksgiving (movie)

Arriving on August 19

Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror (TV show)
High Country season 1 (TV show)
Levels (movie)

Arriving on August 20

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox (TV show)

Arriving on August 21

Alone season 4 (TV show)
Call of the Night season 1 (TV show)
Farming Life In Another World season 1 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid seasons 9 and 11 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid XL season 4 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing season 3 (TV show)
Oshi No Ko season 2 (TV show)
The Bayou (movie)
Money Monster (movie)
Money Monster En Espanol (movie)

Arriving on August 22

Eenie Meanie (movie)

Arriving on August 23

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives seasons 3-4 (TV show)
Expedition Files season 1 (TV show)
Restaurant: Impossible season 2 (TV show)
The Great Food Truck Race season 15 (TV show)
Worst Cooks in America season 28 (TV show)

Arriving on August 24

Total Drama Island: Reloaded season 2 (TV show)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (movie)

Arriving on August 25

Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!! season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 26

Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America's Most Famous Pair of Shoes (TV show)
Little Bites (movie)

Arriving on August 27

Love Thy Nader season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 28

Bewitched (TV show)
Customer Wars season 3 (TV show)
Storage Wars season 12 (TV show)
Thomas Jefferson season 1 (TV show)
Imported (documentary)

Arriving on August 29

Hell of a Summer (movie)
Sisu (movie)
Trail of Vengeance (movie)

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Hulu is gearing up to release its new wave of titles for August, and buried among those are 104 new movies as well as 68 new TV shows.

Now that we're creeping up to August, that means we're getting even closer to the release of the highly anticipated Alien: Earth on August 12 – the first TV show developed for the franchise and one we've been very excited to watch since it was announced back in 2020. It's been a long time coming, but there's still time to get through some of Hulu's other new arrivals before Alien: Earth arrives.

As usual, the first day of Hulu's monthly list will be packed with a slew of new and exciting blockbusters, and there's quite a focus on movies with a comedy touch, starting with action-comedy Kick-Ass (2010), and not forgetting one of my ultimate comfort comedy-dramas The Devil Wears Prada (2006).

Everything new on Hulu in August 2025

Arriving on August 1

Foundation Forward season 1 (TV show)
Kids Diana Show: Greatest Playtime Adventures season 1 (TV show)
Floribama Shore seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Survivor seasons 23-24 (TV show)
Undercover Boss seasons 7 and 11 (TV show)
10 Things I Hate About You (movie)
28 Days (movie)
28 Days En Espanol (movie)
A Simple Favor (movie)
The Beach (movie)
Black Knight (movie)
The Brothers McMullen (movie)
Click (movie)
Click En Espanol (movie)
Coyote Ugly (movie)
Date Night (movie)
Devil in a Blue Dress (movie)
Devil in a Blue Dress En Espanol (movie)
The Devil Wears Prada (movie)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl (movie)
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl En Espanol (movie)
Did You Hear About The Morgans? (movie)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? En Espanol (movie)
District 9 (movie)
District 9 En Espanol (movie)
Equity (movie)
Equity En Espanol (movie)
Evil Dead (movie)
Evil Dead En Espanol (movie)
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (movie)
The Exorcism Of Emily Rose En Espanol (movie)
Father Of The Bride (movie)
Father Of The Bride Part II (movie)
Forrest Gump (movie)
Forrest Gump En Espanol (movie)
The Full Monty (movie)
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (movie)
Ice Age (movie)
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (movie)
Ice Age: Continental Drift (movie)
Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (movie)
Ice Age: The Great Egg-scapade (movie)
It's Complicated (movie)
Kick-Ass (movie)
Old School (movie)
Old School En Espanol (movie)
One Hour Photo (movie)
The Other Woman (movie)
Night Shift (movie)
Practical Magic (movie)
Pretty Woman (movie)
The Proposal (movie)
Raising Arizona (movie)
Ready Or Not (movie)
Resident Evil: Extinction (movie)
Resident Evil: Extinction En Espanol (movie)
Rio (movie)
Robots (movie)
Scarface (movie)
The Sessions (movie)
Simply Irresistible (movie)
Stay (movie)
Super 8 (movie)
Super 8 En Espanol (movie)
Take Shelter (movie)
Take Shelter En Espanol (movie)
Taken (movie)
Thank You For Smoking (movie)
Thirteen (movie)
Under The Tuscan Sun (movie)
Weekend At Bernie's (movie)
Win Win (movie)

Arriving on August 2

Alone: The Beast season 1 (TV show)
Alone: The Skills Challenge season 1 (TV show)
Body Cam seasons 8-9 (TV show)
Evil Lives Here season 16 (TV show)
Mary J. Blige's Family Affair (movie)
Vanished in Death Valley (movie)
The Marksman (movie)
Searching for a Serial Killer: The Regina Smith Story (movie)
Terror Comes Knocking: The Marcela Borges Story (movie)
William Tell (movie)

Arriving on August 4

King of the Hill season 14 (TV show)

Arriving on August 5

Capturing Their Killer: The Girls on the High Bridge (TV show)
Bob Trevino Likes It (movie)

Arriving on August 7

Ted Bundy: Dialogue with the Devil (TV show)
Find My Country House season 2 (TV show)
Fixer Upper season 6 (TV show)
The Flip Off season 1 (TV show)
Why the Heck Did I Buy This House? seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Zombie House Flipping season 6 (TV show)
The Monkey (movie)

Arriving on August 8

Ralph Barbosa: Planet Bosa (TV show)
FX's Necaxa (TV show)
Journey to Bethlehem (movie)
Journey to Bethlehem En Espanol (movie)
Shanghai Knights (movie)
Shanghai Noon (movie)

Arriving on August 9

American Picker season 26 (TV show)
The Challenge seasons 13 and 19 (TV show)
Expedition Unknown seasons 7-8 (TV show)
Moonshiners season 14 (TV show)
Take My Tumor season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 10

The Lost City (movie)

Arriving on August 11

Copshop (movie)

Arriving on August 12

FX's Alien: Earth (TV show)
Sharp Corner (movie)

Arriving on August 14

The Dangers in My Heart seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo season 1 (TV show)
Road Wars season 4 (TV show)
Hollywood Demons season 1 (TV show)
Little Boy Lost: An ID Mystery season 1 (TV show)
See No Evil season 7 (TV show)
Tales From Oak Island season 1 (TV show)
The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd season 2 (TV show)
Bringing Down The House (movie)
Cheaper By The Dozen (movie)
Like Mike (movie)
Stuck On You (movie)

Arriving on August 15

Blippi's Ultimate Playdate part 2 season 1 (TV show)
Stand Up To Cancer 2025: Livestream (TV show)
YAIBA: Samurai Legend season 1 (TV show)
YAIBA: Samurai Legend (Spanish) season 1 (TV show)
The Host (movie)
It Feeds (movie)
John Wick (movie)
John Wick 2 (movie)
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (movie)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (movie)
Killer Elite (movie)
LOL Live with Devon Walker (TV show)
LOL Live with Sydnee Washington (TV show)

Arriving on August 16

Interrogation Raw season 3 (TV show)
Cold Case Files: Murder in the Bayou season 1 (TV show)
The Curious Case of…: season 1 (TV show)
My Evil Sister season 1 (TV show)
See No Evil seasons 5-6 (TV show)
Waco: Madman or Messiah season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 17

Thanksgiving (movie)

Arriving on August 19

Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror (TV show)
High Country season 1 (TV show)
Levels (movie)

Arriving on August 20

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox (TV show)

Arriving on August 21

Alone season 4 (TV show)
Call of the Night season 1 (TV show)
Farming Life In Another World season 1 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid seasons 9 and 11 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid XL season 4 (TV show)
Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing season 3 (TV show)
Oshi No Ko season 2 (TV show)
The Bayou (movie)
Money Monster (movie)
Money Monster En Espanol (movie)

Arriving on August 22

Eenie Meanie (movie)

Arriving on August 23

Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives seasons 3-4 (TV show)
Expedition Files season 1 (TV show)
Restaurant: Impossible season 2 (TV show)
The Great Food Truck Race season 15 (TV show)
Worst Cooks in America season 28 (TV show)

Arriving on August 24

Total Drama Island: Reloaded season 2 (TV show)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (movie)

Arriving on August 25

Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!! season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 26

Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America's Most Famous Pair of Shoes (TV show)
Little Bites (movie)

Arriving on August 27

Love Thy Nader season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 28

Bewitched (TV show)
Customer Wars season 3 (TV show)
Storage Wars season 12 (TV show)
Thomas Jefferson season 1 (TV show)
Imported (documentary)

Arriving on August 29

Hell of a Summer (movie)
Sisu (movie)
Trail of Vengeance (movie)

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• Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos announced the use of generative AI in an original production for the first time
• The Eternaut, an Argentine sci-fi show, used generative artificial intelligence to create VFX of a building collapsing
• The company says it is "thrilled with the results"

Netflix used AI-generated visual effects for the first time in a TV show or movie this year, and co-CEO Ted Sarandos is pretty pleased with the result.

Speaking to investors on Thursday (July 18), Sarandos revealed Argentinian sci-fi show, The Eternaut, is the first Netflix production to use AI to generate a VFX (visual effects) sequence.

He said: "The creators were thrilled with the result. We were thrilled with the result," he said. "And more importantly, the audience was thrilled with the result. So, I think these tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting."

The scene in question shows a building collapse in Buenos Aires after coming into contact with toxic snowfall, and according to Sarandos, given the budget of the show, the scale of the effects needed to pull off the scene wouldn't have been possible without the use of AI.

In fact, Sarandos even confirmed that using AI was not only a cost-saver, but incredibly efficient too. "That VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with visual, traditional VFX tools and workflows," he said.

Considering just how happy Netflix's head honcho and the creators behind The Eternaut are with the results, the Argentinian-made TV series could be the pioneer in AI-generated Netflix effects, opening up opportunities for other productions to follow suit.

Just the beginning

Hollywood's disdain towards AI couldn't be more evident. After all, the technology was a huge point of contention in the Hollywood actors' and writers' strikes that plagued the entertainment industry in 2023.

Now, two years on, we're starting to see AI find its feet in the world of TV and movie production, and despite the negative connotations of the word, it might end up being a good thing for creators working on a smaller budget.

Sarandos said: "This is real people doing real work with better tools. Our creators are already seeing the benefits in production through pre-visualisation and shot planning work, and certainly visual effects. I think these tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting.”

Netflix reported a successful quarter, with over $11 billion in revenue, up nearly 20% compared to the previous year. I might be skeptical, but I'd expect this trial of using AI to generate scenes could spawn into a bigger beast if the profit margins are high enough to ride out any backlash.

Using AI monitored by the creators of a show for a scene is one thing, but at what point does it cross the line? And when it does, will companies like Netflix scale back or go full steam ahead, implementing AI into all the best TV shows and movies?

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• Stranger Things first aired 9 years ago today but who cares? Netflix has made us wait too long for season 5
• Squid Game: The Challenge season 3 is a win for Netflix, but one unhinged game from the K-drama can’t be replicated

• Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos announced the use of generative AI in an original production for the first time
• The Eternaut, an Argentine sci-fi show, used generative artificial intelligence to create VFX of a building collapsing
• The company says it is "thrilled with the results"

Netflix used AI-generated visual effects for the first time in a TV show or movie this year, and co-CEO Ted Sarandos is pretty pleased with the result.

Speaking to investors on Thursday (July 18), Sarandos revealed Argentinian sci-fi show, The Eternaut, is the first Netflix production to use AI to generate a VFX (visual effects) sequence.

He said: "The creators were thrilled with the result. We were thrilled with the result," he said. "And more importantly, the audience was thrilled with the result. So, I think these tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting."

The scene in question shows a building collapse in Buenos Aires after coming into contact with toxic snowfall, and according to Sarandos, given the budget of the show, the scale of the effects needed to pull off the scene wouldn't have been possible without the use of AI.

In fact, Sarandos even confirmed that using AI was not only a cost-saver, but incredibly efficient too. "That VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with visual, traditional VFX tools and workflows," he said.

Considering just how happy Netflix's head honcho and the creators behind The Eternaut are with the results, the Argentinian-made TV series could be the pioneer in AI-generated Netflix effects, opening up opportunities for other productions to follow suit.

Just the beginning

Hollywood's disdain towards AI couldn't be more evident. After all, the technology was a huge point of contention in the Hollywood actors' and writers' strikes that plagued the entertainment industry in 2023.

Now, two years on, we're starting to see AI find its feet in the world of TV and movie production, and despite the negative connotations of the word, it might end up being a good thing for creators working on a smaller budget.

Sarandos said: "This is real people doing real work with better tools. Our creators are already seeing the benefits in production through pre-visualisation and shot planning work, and certainly visual effects. I think these tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting.”

Netflix reported a successful quarter, with over $11 billion in revenue, up nearly 20% compared to the previous year. I might be skeptical, but I'd expect this trial of using AI to generate scenes could spawn into a bigger beast if the profit margins are high enough to ride out any backlash.

Using AI monitored by the creators of a show for a scene is one thing, but at what point does it cross the line? And when it does, will companies like Netflix scale back or go full steam ahead, implementing AI into all the best TV shows and movies?

You might also like

• I watched Brick on Netflix so you don’t have to – here’s a far superior sci-fi thriller I recommend streaming instead
• Stranger Things first aired 9 years ago today but who cares? Netflix has made us wait too long for season 5
• Squid Game: The Challenge season 3 is a win for Netflix, but one unhinged game from the K-drama can’t be replicated

As its name suggests, Adobe Premiere Pro is for professionals, or at the very least, people who are super serious about video editing, and want control over every aspect of their project, right down to the individual pixel…

But what about the rest of us, those who want to create with something simple, but also have fun with the process? That’s where Premiere Elements comes in.

It's a consumer-grade alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for anyone who wants video editing software for beginners.

However, while the 2025 version comes with a great new interface, there's also a big catch we can't ignore: your purchase is limited to three years' use.

Adobe Premiere Elements: Pricing & plans

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• A good price for an easy to use video editing application. Well.. it would be a good price were your purchase not limited to three years - after which your licence expires. This isn’t a purchase: it’s a rental

Unlike Adobe’s professional portfolio, you don’t need to subscribe to the software in order to use it: you can grab Premiere Elements for just under $100 (or £87), or get it bundled with Photoshop Elements for $150 (£131).

You can download the software for Mac or Windows directly from Adobe by clicking here.

You’re even granted a 7-day trial to check out the software, although you’ll have a great big “created with trial version” plastered all across your clips during that period.

If you’re happy with what you see, you’ll need to redeem your purchase. Unfortunately there’s an annoying hoop you have to jump through, as you don’t get to put your code in the software itself, but online through a special page here.

And, frustratingly enough for us, even though we were logged in with our AdobeID and the code was recognised online, our software kept insisting it was still in trial mode. Hopefully this may just be an isolated incident, or linked to the fact ours was a review copy, but we would be remiss if we didn’t mention it here (we used our free 7 days to put the software through its paces, hence the unsightly watermark in the screenshots).

Sadly, there’s an even bigger issue we have to highlight: despite the fact you’re paying a one-off fee, and Adobe clearly refers to it as a ‘purchase’ that you are ‘buying’, you don’t get to own that software for as long as you want. Back in the day, that is what a “one-off fee” was.

As long as your computer’s hardware and OS remained compatible with the software, that fee would’ve been all you had to pay. You didn’t even need to buy any future upgrades if you didn’t want them. One fee, one app, job done.

But Adobe is changing that. That $100 (or $150 for the bundle) only gives you a license for 3 years from the date of purchase. After that, the software becomes inoperable.

So, this is no longer a purchase, but a long-term rental, paid in advance. That’s a very underhand way of introducing subscriptions to their non-professional apps.

If you’re looking for a cheap video editor, there are alternatives. For instance, DaVinci Resolve may look intimidating from a newcomer’s perspective, but it’s free, has no registration issues, and is way more powerful than Premiere Elements - although you will be venturing away from the Adobe ecosystem. Even Adobe's quick-and-easy Premiere Rush is free (see our Adobe Premiere Rush review here).

• Score: 2/5

Adobe Premiere Elements: Interface

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• A redesigned interface that still offers the same ease of use we’ve grown accustomed to, but with a sleeker finish, and more logical repositioning of tools

OK, enough ranting. Let’s take a look at the software. As before, the interface is split into three, depending on your skill level, from ‘Quick’, to ‘Guided’, to ‘Advanced’. ‘Quick’ is designed for both beginners and those wishing to edit fast. As such, it offers a reduced set of tools and options. ‘Guided’ provides a series of tutorials to help you learn more about the software and editing in general, while ‘Advanced’ offers the full range of what Premiere Elements has to offer, which is reflected by a more intricate interface.

You can also switch from light to dark mode, which granted is not new, but the fact you can do so without having to restart the program is a definite plus. So far so good. The main issue here though, is that compared to the last time we checked out the software, everything looks radically different. In fact, Premiere Elements now looks more like Premiere Pro, complete with a totally customisable interface including tearaway windows, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it may necessitate existing users having to reacquaint themselves with their software. It also does away with the simplified, less intimidating look, it had before.

Despite that, you should find Premiere Elements to be easy to use. For instance although ‘Quick’ offers fewer tools, they can be found in the same location in the ‘Advanced’ interface. This makes it easy to switch between the two. Editing in any interface is pretty much all about dragging and dropping, the sidebar on the right offers you many changeable parameters, which you can animate through the use of keyframes, even in ‘Quick’ mode.

All in all, Premiere Elements is an elegant and well designed video editor with more than enough tools to satisfy even the most demanding amateur.

• Score: 4.5/5

Adobe Premiere Elements: Updates

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• Improvements to existing tools, and welcome new features. It might not look like a lot, but it’s all for the better, and we certainly can’t complain about that

Aside from the new coat of paint, Premiere Elements 2025 brings a few new tools to the table, while improving existing ones. One of these is the voice-over narration tool which is no longer in the sidebar, but can be triggered directly from the Timeline: you’ll find a microphone icon at the start of any audio layer. Click on it and the recording will start (after 3 seconds) wherever the playhead is located.

Premiere Elements 2025 hosts a load of new title templates in the left sidebar, including direct access to a hundred from Adobe Stock. All those we randomly checked were free to use.

The colour correction tool has been revamped, with a host of new changeable parameters, even allowing you to set the white balance by using an eye dropper to click anywhere on your footage. Simple and effective and actually used by many if not most of Premiere Elements’ competition, so it’s about time we’ve finally got it here. You’ll also find a bunch of new filters (referred to as Video Effects) which apply a colour style to your footage.

One new feature we particularly liked is the ‘Time Stretch’ tool. Retiming a clip is nothing new, but here Premiere Elements does it as effortlessly as possible. It comes as a new icon to the left of the Timeline, along with other editing tools. With it selected, when you drag the edge of a clip in the timeline, you no longer alter its in and out points, but you retime the clip.

You can tell (in ‘Advanced’, but puzzlingly not in ‘Quick’) what you’ve done thanks to a percentage value next to the clip’s name in the timeline. This is so incredibly easy to do. If you need to be more precise, right-click on the clip, and choose ‘Time Stretch’ from the menu to reveal a floating window from which you can type in a percentage, or specific duration.

And a very useful addition for those upgrading from an older version, is the fact projects created with a previous version can now be opened in this one. They will have to be updated, and some effects or filters won’t be preserved, but having to make a few fixes is a lot better than being denied access to the work you did previously.

• Score: 4/5

Should I buy Adobe Premiere Elements?

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

Buy it if...

You need a versatile video editor that isn’t too complex while allowing you to have simple to advanced tools, depending on my needs and skill.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t like the idea that your software will expire in 3 years despite having paid for it, and the interface looks too much like the Pro version for your liking.

For more creative essentials, we've tested and reviewed the best video editing software, the best free video editing software, and the best video editing apps for mobile devices.

• Foundation's Jared Harris has reacted to a big decision that Hari Seldon makes
• Season 3 episode 2 is defined by a key change to his and Gaal's relationship
• Harris admits he "wanted to see that relationship move on"

Foundation actor Jared Harris has opened up on the huge yet "satisfying" decision that Hari Seldon makes in season 3's second episode.

Speaking to TechRadar, Harris admitted that the crucial choice that one of his characters makes in Foundation season 3 episode 2, aka 'Shadows in the Math', needed to happen so Hari and Gaal could "move on" from the teacher-student dynamic that's defined them since the Apple TV Original's first-ever entry.

Full spoilers immediately follow for this season's second chapter. Turn back if you haven't watched it yet.

You're looking a bit old now, Hari (Image credit: Apple TV+)

'Shadows in the Math' sees Hari renege on Gaal's plan for the pair to enter and exit cryosleep for a few weeks every year to prepare the Ignis-based Second Foundation's population for The Mule's arrival.

A few years into this plan, the duo realize they're running out of time to provide the Mentalics – humans who possess psychic and telepathic abilities – with the necessary tools to defeat Foundation season 3's primary villain. It's at this point that Hari reveals he'll stop entering cryosleep to accelerate the Mentalics' understanding of psychohistory and ensure they're ready for the battle to come.

However, despite promising to continue waking Gaal annually, Hari leaves her in cryosleep for the next 146 years. When Gaal is finally woken once more, 152 years have passed since Foundation season 2 ended and, while Second Foundation is far more prepared than it would've been to try and stop The Mule, Hari is now a frail, old man.

Before they part ways, Hari shows all of the Prime Radiant's secrets to Gaal (Image credit: Apple TV+)

After a heartfelt reunion, Hari once again makes a promise to Gaal: this time, he'll still be around to see her next day. However, later that night, he's greeted by Kalle, aka the individual who previously resurrected Hari via mysterious means on a planet called Oona's World in Foundation season 2 episode 3. Remember, in Foundation season 1 episode 2, Hari was murdered by his adopted son Raych, which we learn was part of Hari's grand plan later on in the Apple TV+ show's sophomore season.

Long story short, Kalle tells Hari that his race has been run. Somewhat reluctant to depart but also accepting his fate, Hari steps through a portal to Oona's World with Kalle and isn't seen again.

The insinuation, of course, is that Hari has died for a second time. Harris' time on one of the best Apple TV+ shows isn't over, though – indeed, he also plays Doctor Seldon, a digital version of Hari's consciousness that permanently exists in The Vault.

Nevertheless, Harris explained why 'Shadows in the Math' was the right time for Hari to step aside and let Gaal takes the reins, though he stopped short of saying if we'd ever see Hari in future installments.

A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

A photo posted by on

"There wasn't a discussion [about Hari seemingly dying again]," Harris told me. "I felt like they [Foundation's writing team] didn't know what to do with Hari and Gaal's relationship and it was becoming a tired, regurgitation of similar things from past seasons.

"Personally, I wanted to see that relationship move on," Harris continued. "One of the changes made to that episode was that it [Hari walking away] was a decision that he and Gaal made together, rather than one he made in secret that would blindside her.

"As a consumer of this show, I also felt more satisfied that Gaal's storyline was no longer defined by her relationship with my character. She's fully inhabiting her story – and this is her story because, from the very beginning, she's the narrator of this show. So, it's important that Hari moves on from this, and Gaal discovers her own agency and isn't held back by anyone else."

Hari and Gaal's relationship... was becoming a tired, regurgitation of similar things from past seasons

Jared Harris, Foundation actor

That's not to say that, if this is the end of the line for Hari Seldon, Harris won't miss portraying this version of the character.

"I found that version [Hari] far more interesting to play because he's human," Harris added. "The other [Doctor Seldon] is this digitized consciousness that allows for some cheats in the storytelling, because he knows everything, so it wasn't interesting to play.

"But, what is interesting about Doctor Seldon, and this is something the writers adjusted after I spoke to them during season two, is that Doctor Seldon discovers his consciousness has been edited. That's a fairly significant thing for him, because he always believed he was writing his own story and knew everything, but he's actually just a pawn in someone else's game. That creates an existential crisis that's been fascinating to explore."

You might also like

• 'She's ready to take this on': Foundation star Lou Llobell teases Gaal Dornick's all-consuming quest to stop The Mule in the Apple TV+ show's third season
• 'He needs to be a big threat': Foundation season 3 star Pilou Asbaek reveals how The Mule differs from his book series counterpart
• 'We're the last to find out': Foundation stars don't know if it'll return for season 4

• Foundation's Jared Harris has reacted to a big decision that Hari Seldon makes
• Season 3 episode 2 is defined by a key change to his and Gaal's relationship
• Harris admits he "wanted to see that relationship move on"

Foundation actor Jared Harris has opened up on the huge yet "satisfying" decision that Hari Seldon makes in season 3's second episode.

Speaking to TechRadar, Harris admitted that the crucial choice that one of his characters makes in Foundation season 3 episode 2, aka 'Shadows in the Math', needed to happen so Hari and Gaal could "move on" from the teacher-student dynamic that's defined them since the Apple TV Original's first-ever entry.

Full spoilers immediately follow for this season's second chapter. Turn back if you haven't watched it yet.

You're looking a bit old now, Hari (Image credit: Apple TV+)

'Shadows in the Math' sees Hari renege on Gaal's plan for the pair to enter and exit cryosleep for a few weeks every year to prepare the Ignis-based Second Foundation's population for The Mule's arrival.

A few years into this plan, the duo realize they're running out of time to provide the Mentalics – humans who possess psychic and telepathic abilities – with the necessary tools to defeat Foundation season 3's primary villain. It's at this point that Hari reveals he'll stop entering cryosleep to accelerate the Mentalics' understanding of psychohistory and ensure they're ready for the battle to come.

However, despite promising to continue waking Gaal annually, Hari leaves her in cryosleep for the next 146 years. When Gaal is finally woken once more, 152 years have passed since Foundation season 2 ended and, while Second Foundation is far more prepared than it would've been to try and stop The Mule, Hari is now a frail, old man.

Before they part ways, Hari shows all of the Prime Radiant's secrets to Gaal (Image credit: Apple TV+)

After a heartfelt reunion, Hari once again makes a promise to Gaal: this time, he'll still be around to see her next day. However, later that night, he's greeted by Kalle, aka the individual who previously resurrected Hari via mysterious means on a planet called Oona's World in Foundation season 2 episode 3. Remember, in Foundation season 1 episode 2, Hari was murdered by his adopted son Raych, which we learn was part of Hari's grand plan later on in the Apple TV+ show's sophomore season.

Long story short, Kalle tells Hari that his race has been run. Somewhat reluctant to depart but also accepting his fate, Hari steps through a portal to Oona's World with Kalle and isn't seen again.

The insinuation, of course, is that Hari has died for a second time. Harris' time on one of the best Apple TV+ shows isn't over, though – indeed, he also plays Doctor Seldon, a digital version of Hari's consciousness that permanently exists in The Vault.

Nevertheless, Harris explained why 'Shadows in the Math' was the right time for Hari to step aside and let Gaal takes the reins, though he stopped short of saying if we'd ever see Hari in future installments.

A post shared by Apple TV (@appletv)

A photo posted by on

"There wasn't a discussion [about Hari seemingly dying again]," Harris told me. "I felt like they [Foundation's writing team] didn't know what to do with Hari and Gaal's relationship and it was becoming a tired, regurgitation of similar things from past seasons.

"Personally, I wanted to see that relationship move on," Harris continued. "One of the changes made to that episode was that it [Hari walking away] was a decision that he and Gaal made together, rather than one he made in secret that would blindside her.

"As a consumer of this show, I also felt more satisfied that Gaal's storyline was no longer defined by her relationship with my character. She's fully inhabiting her story – and this is her story because, from the very beginning, she's the narrator of this show. So, it's important that Hari moves on from this, and Gaal discovers her own agency and isn't held back by anyone else."

Hari and Gaal's relationship... was becoming a tired, regurgitation of similar things from past seasons

Jared Harris, Foundation actor

That's not to say that, if this is the end of the line for Hari Seldon, Harris won't miss portraying this version of the character.

"I found that version [Hari] far more interesting to play because he's human," Harris added. "The other [Doctor Seldon] is this digitized consciousness that allows for some cheats in the storytelling, because he knows everything, so it wasn't interesting to play.

"But, what is interesting about Doctor Seldon, and this is something the writers adjusted after I spoke to them during season two, is that Doctor Seldon discovers his consciousness has been edited. That's a fairly significant thing for him, because he always believed he was writing his own story and knew everything, but he's actually just a pawn in someone else's game. That creates an existential crisis that's been fascinating to explore."

You might also like

• 'She's ready to take this on': Foundation star Lou Llobell teases Gaal Dornick's all-consuming quest to stop The Mule in the Apple TV+ show's third season
• 'He needs to be a big threat': Foundation season 3 star Pilou Asbaek reveals how The Mule differs from his book series counterpart
• 'We're the last to find out': Foundation stars don't know if it'll return for season 4

• Exchange Server and Skype for Business support extended on October 14, 2025
• One final ESU will then be available for just six months
• Customers are being urged to upgrade ASAP to stay safe

Microsoft has confirmed a series of welcome updates which will see older versions of its Exchange Server and Skype for Business retain support for a little longer, to give customers time to continue to migrate to newer options.

Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, and Skype for Business 2015 and 2019, will both lose support on October 14, 2025 – the same day that Windows 10 also loses support – but a new Extended Security Update (ESU) will be offered in its place.

Unlike operating system ESUs, Exchange and Skype will only be available with a one-time, six-month ESU program covering critical and important rated security updates, but it's still a welcome move for those in need of some extra time.

Microsoft offers a six-month ESU on Exchange and Skype

The ESU period will run from October 14, 2025, to April 14, 2026, with no further extensions possible.

Customers can contact Microsoft from August 1 to get pricing and purchase details, as ESUs will not be available via Windows Update or public downloads – just to those who have enrolled in the program.

"This ESU is not an 'extension of the support lifecycle'," Microsoft added. "This ESU is a way for customers who might not be able to finalize their migrations to Exchange SE before October 14, 2025." Redmond made the same comments for Skype in another post.

As such, the company is urging customers to complete migrations to Exchange Subscription Edition (SE) or Skype for Business SE ahead of the end of support.

It's unclear how many users remain on older, soon-to-be-unsupported versions of Exchange of Skype, but if the Windows 11 migration is anything to go by, it could be a lot. It was only in June 2025 that the number of Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations reached near-parity – before then, the number of people running Windows 10 was far higher.

You might also like

• Need to be more cost-aware? Check out the best free office software
• We've listed the best productivity tools and best online collaboration software
• Windows 10 might be at death’s door, but Microsoft hasn’t finished trying to force Bing and Edge on its users

• Exchange Server and Skype for Business support extended on October 14, 2025
• One final ESU will then be available for just six months
• Customers are being urged to upgrade ASAP to stay safe

Microsoft has confirmed a series of welcome updates which will see older versions of its Exchange Server and Skype for Business retain support for a little longer, to give customers time to continue to migrate to newer options.

Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, and Skype for Business 2015 and 2019, will both lose support on October 14, 2025 – the same day that Windows 10 also loses support – but a new Extended Security Update (ESU) will be offered in its place.

Unlike operating system ESUs, Exchange and Skype will only be available with a one-time, six-month ESU program covering critical and important rated security updates, but it's still a welcome move for those in need of some extra time.

Microsoft offers a six-month ESU on Exchange and Skype

The ESU period will run from October 14, 2025, to April 14, 2026, with no further extensions possible.

Customers can contact Microsoft from August 1 to get pricing and purchase details, as ESUs will not be available via Windows Update or public downloads – just to those who have enrolled in the program.

"This ESU is not an 'extension of the support lifecycle'," Microsoft added. "This ESU is a way for customers who might not be able to finalize their migrations to Exchange SE before October 14, 2025." Redmond made the same comments for Skype in another post.

As such, the company is urging customers to complete migrations to Exchange Subscription Edition (SE) or Skype for Business SE ahead of the end of support.

It's unclear how many users remain on older, soon-to-be-unsupported versions of Exchange of Skype, but if the Windows 11 migration is anything to go by, it could be a lot. It was only in June 2025 that the number of Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations reached near-parity – before then, the number of people running Windows 10 was far higher.

You might also like

• Need to be more cost-aware? Check out the best free office software
• We've listed the best productivity tools and best online collaboration software
• Windows 10 might be at death’s door, but Microsoft hasn’t finished trying to force Bing and Edge on its users

Ensuring that your network and your computer are safe from cybercriminals is of paramount importance. To do this, the two most often used tools are the best antivirus software and a firewall.

While they work great in combination, both have different roles and functionalities, often leading users to ponder which one is more important or whether both are needed. There are numerous technical definitions for both terms, but in a nutshell, a firewall represents a software and hardware-based system that tracks incoming and outgoing network activity on a machine.

Conversely, an antivirus is a software product that removes threats from our system or recovers it from viruses.

• Looking for even more protection? Grab the best VPN
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• See why we rate Bitdefender so highly in our testing

What is a firewall?

Think of a firewall as a security barrier that stands between your computer (or network) and the wide expanses of the internet. It keeps an eye on all incoming and outgoing traffic, blocks unwanted traffic, as well as malicious attacks.

Average users usually see a firewall in the form of a software program, however, there are hardware-based firewalls, which are more often seen in corporate surroundings and less among average home users.

Firewalls operate on a set of rules that help them determine which packets (traffic) are allowed to pass through and which will be blocked. Here is a quick list of features you should look for in a good firewall:

1. Packet filtering - Traffic is filtered based on IP addresses, protocols, and ports
2. Intrusion prevention system (IPS) - Offers real-time protection
3. Deep packet inspection (DPI) - Each packet is analyzed for potential threats
4. VPN support
5. URL filtering
6. Ease of use
7. Cloud integration
8. Reputation

Firewall: the types of firewall

There are numerous types of firewalls, all used to protect networks. While for most users, a software firewall is usually enough, there are more complex variants that are usually found in enterprises or small businesses that need higher levels of protection.

1. Packet filtering - each packet (in and out) is checked against a predetermined set of rules; if a packet meets the rules, it is allowed to pass through, otherwise it is blocked
2. Stateful - all connections that pass through it are logged
3. Application-level gateway - an intermediary between a client and a server, inspecting traffic based on application-specific rules
4. Hardware - a physical device installed between a network and the internet
5. Software - installed on the user’s machine, the most common form of firewall, used both in the home and business

Firewall: Limitations

Firewalls are not perfect solutions and can only do a few things, so here is a quick list of their limitations:

• Cannot prevent internal attacks
• Cannot identify authorized attacks
• Can slow down a system significantly if not optimized properly
• Cannot defend a system if you download a virus

What is antivirus?

Antivirus is a software solution that focuses on preventing malicious software (malware) from being executed on your PC.

When talking about what an antivirus protects against, you will usually hear these terms: viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. An antivirus usually detects viruses via scans, either real-time ones or ones triggered by the user.

When detected, viruses are either deleted or quarantined. Real-time protection ensures that threats are quarantined before they can do any real damage.

Here is a quick list of features you should look for in a good antivirus:

1. Strong threat detection validated by independent testing labs
2. Real-time protection
3. Performance - doesn’t slow down your PC and has minimal effect on your laptop battery duration
4. Constant updates
5. Ease of use
6. Reputation
7. Packaged features - newer variants come packaged with a VPN, password managers, etc.

Antivirus: Types of antivirus

Similar to firewalls, there are different types of antivirus’ as well. While most users just one an antivirus installed on their PC to stay protected, it is important to distinguish which types are out there, to be able to choose the best one for your needs.

1. Malware signature - the antivirus compares patterns in programs that match those in malware; if found, programs are flagged and quarantined
2. Heuristic - monitors unusual behavior in apps, and if noticed, the apps are scanned for malware
3. Monitoring - the system is monitored for malware, any change in file size, or unusual file creation triggers the removal of potentially infected files
4. Machine learning (ML) - a newer type of antivirus, using AI to learn patterns used by malware and virus programs

Antivirus: Limitation

Like firewalls, antivirus solutions are not perfect, no matter how reputable or advertised it is. Here is a quick list of its limitations:

• Antivirus cannot be run on read-only files
• Supports only the Common Interface File System (CIFS)
• No new virus or malware will be spotted unless updated
• Files that are being read and written simultaneously cannot be protected by an antivirus software

Note that cybercriminals are constantly developing new malware and viruses.

Cybersecurity experts are trying to keep up, so there are times when new viruses are causing havoc and no new virus definitions are available, so you need to rely on common sense and other methods of staying safe.

Antivirus vs firewall: how do they differ?

Firewall

Antivirus

Can be implemented as both a software and hardware solution

Implemented as a software-only solution

Firewall deals with external threats

Antivirus deals with external and internal threats

Firewalls allow for counterattacks (IP spoofing, routing attacks, etc.)

There are no counterattacks via an antivirus (not counting virus removal)

Firewalls monitor and filter

Antivirus scans files and software

Firewalls check incoming packets for threats

Antivirus checks threats from software and executables

Firewalls, in theory, protect you from any type of threat

Antivirus protects you from viruses

A firewall's source code is more complex compared to an antivirus

An antivirus's source code is more complex compared to a firewall's

In essence, the differences between the two focus on three main areas:

• Focus - antivirus focuses on internal threats (virus, malware); firewall focuses on external threats through traffic management
• Location - an antivirus is installed locally on a PC; a firewall can be installed on a PC or at the network level
• Method - an antivirus scans for malicious code; a firewall creates a barrier to block access

Firewall vs antivirus: Similarities

While there are differences between the two, due to constant evolution of both of these tools, they’re increasingly becoming similar since companies now bundle their antivirus solutions with a firewall, VPN, password manager, etc. Here is a quick list of the similarities between the two:

• Goal - both have the goal of protecting you from threats, filtering malicious agents, and protecting data
• Adaptation - firewalls can be adapted via the help of rules, while antiviruses can be customized with the help of lists, alerts, and scheduled activity
• Cloud native - with the recent evolution of both tools, we can safely say that both are equally cloud native
• Integral - they work well together, and both are considered essential tools for a proper cybersecurity strategy

Example: Windows Defender Antivirus

A larger portion of users are on Windows machines, and by default, they get a firewall and virus protection included in their OS called Windows Defender Antivirus (WDA). Since it's “free” and comes included, they may rightfully ask if WDA is enough to stay protected in 2025. If you’re a more advanced user who can spot phishing sites and emails easily, then we would say, yes, WDA is more than enough for your needs.

Independent antivirus testing laboratories gave WDA the highest grades across all of their tests that focus on protection, performance, and usability. The tests used over 11,000 malware files, and WDA flagged each one correctly, and overall did not throw out any false positives. European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR) also tested WDA and gave it a 2 out of 3, failing it in the area of phishing protection.

(Image credit: Future / Sead Fadilpašić)

WDA also comes with a built-in firewall, which is among the better options that you have on Windows machines. From the Firewall & network protection page, you can perform simple actions pertaining to your built-in firewall, but you can also access the advanced firewall configuration settings.

It comes well-adjusted out of the box, and in conjunction with the SmartScreen filter, it will prevent you from venturing too far into the dangerous waters of the internet. If you understand exploit prevention technologies that are abbreviated under CFG, DEP, and ASLR, you can configure them under the advanced settings; if you don’t know what these mean, then we would recommend leaving everything at default and not touching anything.

Finally, WDA comes with parental controls, and if you pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription, you get access to additional security features from Microsoft. It’s by no means perfect, but for the average user, it offers a great starting point.

Firewall vs antivirus: Do I need both?

The answer to this question will, first of all, depend on the machine you’re using. If you’re on a Mac, the answer would be no; if you’re running a Linux machine, the answer is a bit more complicated. Finally, if you’re on Windows, then the answer is probably yes.

As you can see from the short overview of WDA, even Microsoft thinks you need both, as it comes built into the Windows OS itself.

We would recommend getting a robust antivirus solution to complement WDA’s firewall component, as for most users, the firewall from Microsoft is good enough to keep most, if not all, threats at bay.

If you’re considering what to get for a small or medium-sized business, then a recommendation would go more towards a bundled solution from one of the premium providers in the market. Such bundled solutions usually come with both antivirus and firewall, but also add a VPN, a password manager, and much more.

Firewall vs antivirus: Best practices

Considering that most users could fall under the umbrella term of “average users”, fine-tuning your firewall and antivirus settings can help you stay protected in more challenging situations. Here is a quick list of what you should do to keep your system running smoothly.

Firewall best practices:

• Default settings - if you’re relying on WDA, leave everything at default; it's a great starting point
• Update - regularly update your system
• Sift through the logs - watch for any suspicious activity
• Advanced settings - block specific traffic (advertising, malicious links, etc.), but be cautious since adding your own rules can break features

Antivirus best practices:

• Update - keep your antivirus software updated at all times, new threats are emerging by the hour, so never turn off automatic updates for your antivirus
• Regular scans - run or schedule regular scans to ensure no malware is residing on your system
• Be mindful - watch your actions, check links, and don’t open suspicious emails

To all of these, we would also add that you should use strong passwords that will be unique for all of your accounts. Education about safe computing practices and potential threats is always welcome, and if you’re worried or using your home PC for gig work, a hybrid approach of software and hardware firewalls should be considered to stay on the safe side.

Firewall vs antivirus: Conclusion

Whether a firewall or an antivirus is right for you is typically no longer a decision that needs to be pondered, mostly because they have distinct roles.

Firewalls act as barriers, shielding networks from external threats. They check data, enforce rules, and prevent access. On the other hand, an antivirus detects and removes malicious content from a system. It is worth also noting that firewalls have now evolved to a stage (next generation firewalls) where they often have antivirus functionalities. Though this does not mean that it replaces dedicated antivirus functionality.

Ideally, you would use both for a layered approach, but the notion of choosing between the two is becoming less plausible due to the complementary nature of security architecture and modern offerings targeting the security niche.

So, which is right for you? Both would be the answer, since they serve different functions.

If you’re on a Windows machine, you can save some money by using WDA and layering a free or paid antivirus that fits your budget and needs.

For a more comprehensive approach, layering a hardware firewall and a bundled antivirus premium offering would ensure you stay safe while performing almost any activity on your computer.

Ensuring that your network and your computer are safe from cybercriminals is of paramount importance. To do this, the two most often used tools are the best antivirus software and a firewall.

While they work great in combination, both have different roles and functionalities, often leading users to ponder which one is more important or whether both are needed. There are numerous technical definitions for both terms, but in a nutshell, a firewall represents a software and hardware-based system that tracks incoming and outgoing network activity on a machine.

Conversely, an antivirus is a software product that removes threats from our system or recovers it from viruses.

• Looking for even more protection? Grab the best VPN
• We've rounded up the best password managers
• See why we rate Bitdefender so highly in our testing

What is a firewall?

Think of a firewall as a security barrier that stands between your computer (or network) and the wide expanses of the internet. It keeps an eye on all incoming and outgoing traffic, blocks unwanted traffic, as well as malicious attacks.

Average users usually see a firewall in the form of a software program, however, there are hardware-based firewalls, which are more often seen in corporate surroundings and less among average home users.

Firewalls operate on a set of rules that help them determine which packets (traffic) are allowed to pass through and which will be blocked. Here is a quick list of features you should look for in a good firewall:

1. Packet filtering - Traffic is filtered based on IP addresses, protocols, and ports
2. Intrusion prevention system (IPS) - Offers real-time protection
3. Deep packet inspection (DPI) - Each packet is analyzed for potential threats
4. VPN support
5. URL filtering
6. Ease of use
7. Cloud integration
8. Reputation

Firewall: the types of firewall

There are numerous types of firewalls, all used to protect networks. While for most users, a software firewall is usually enough, there are more complex variants that are usually found in enterprises or small businesses that need higher levels of protection.

1. Packet filtering - each packet (in and out) is checked against a predetermined set of rules; if a packet meets the rules, it is allowed to pass through, otherwise it is blocked
2. Stateful - all connections that pass through it are logged
3. Application-level gateway - an intermediary between a client and a server, inspecting traffic based on application-specific rules
4. Hardware - a physical device installed between a network and the internet
5. Software - installed on the user’s machine, the most common form of firewall, used both in the home and business

Firewall: Limitations

Firewalls are not perfect solutions and can only do a few things, so here is a quick list of their limitations:

• Cannot prevent internal attacks
• Cannot identify authorized attacks
• Can slow down a system significantly if not optimized properly
• Cannot defend a system if you download a virus

What is antivirus?

Antivirus is a software solution that focuses on preventing malicious software (malware) from being executed on your PC.

When talking about what an antivirus protects against, you will usually hear these terms: viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. An antivirus usually detects viruses via scans, either real-time ones or ones triggered by the user.

When detected, viruses are either deleted or quarantined. Real-time protection ensures that threats are quarantined before they can do any real damage.

Here is a quick list of features you should look for in a good antivirus:

1. Strong threat detection validated by independent testing labs
2. Real-time protection
3. Performance - doesn’t slow down your PC and has minimal effect on your laptop battery duration
4. Constant updates
5. Ease of use
6. Reputation
7. Packaged features - newer variants come packaged with a VPN, password managers, etc.

Antivirus: Types of antivirus

Similar to firewalls, there are different types of antivirus’ as well. While most users just one an antivirus installed on their PC to stay protected, it is important to distinguish which types are out there, to be able to choose the best one for your needs.

1. Malware signature - the antivirus compares patterns in programs that match those in malware; if found, programs are flagged and quarantined
2. Heuristic - monitors unusual behavior in apps, and if noticed, the apps are scanned for malware
3. Monitoring - the system is monitored for malware, any change in file size, or unusual file creation triggers the removal of potentially infected files
4. Machine learning (ML) - a newer type of antivirus, using AI to learn patterns used by malware and virus programs

Antivirus: Limitation

Like firewalls, antivirus solutions are not perfect, no matter how reputable or advertised it is. Here is a quick list of its limitations:

• Antivirus cannot be run on read-only files
• Supports only the Common Interface File System (CIFS)
• No new virus or malware will be spotted unless updated
• Files that are being read and written simultaneously cannot be protected by an antivirus software

Note that cybercriminals are constantly developing new malware and viruses.

Cybersecurity experts are trying to keep up, so there are times when new viruses are causing havoc and no new virus definitions are available, so you need to rely on common sense and other methods of staying safe.

Antivirus vs firewall: how do they differ?

Firewall

Antivirus

Can be implemented as both a software and hardware solution

Implemented as a software-only solution

Firewall deals with external threats

Antivirus deals with external and internal threats

Firewalls allow for counterattacks (IP spoofing, routing attacks, etc.)

There are no counterattacks via an antivirus (not counting virus removal)

Firewalls monitor and filter

Antivirus scans files and software

Firewalls check incoming packets for threats

Antivirus checks threats from software and executables

Firewalls, in theory, protect you from any type of threat

Antivirus protects you from viruses

A firewall's source code is more complex compared to an antivirus

An antivirus's source code is more complex compared to a firewall's

In essence, the differences between the two focus on three main areas:

• Focus - antivirus focuses on internal threats (virus, malware); firewall focuses on external threats through traffic management
• Location - an antivirus is installed locally on a PC; a firewall can be installed on a PC or at the network level
• Method - an antivirus scans for malicious code; a firewall creates a barrier to block access

Firewall vs antivirus: Similarities

While there are differences between the two, due to constant evolution of both of these tools, they’re increasingly becoming similar since companies now bundle their antivirus solutions with a firewall, VPN, password manager, etc. Here is a quick list of the similarities between the two:

• Goal - both have the goal of protecting you from threats, filtering malicious agents, and protecting data
• Adaptation - firewalls can be adapted via the help of rules, while antiviruses can be customized with the help of lists, alerts, and scheduled activity
• Cloud native - with the recent evolution of both tools, we can safely say that both are equally cloud native
• Integral - they work well together, and both are considered essential tools for a proper cybersecurity strategy

Example: Windows Defender Antivirus

A larger portion of users are on Windows machines, and by default, they get a firewall and virus protection included in their OS called Windows Defender Antivirus (WDA). Since it's “free” and comes included, they may rightfully ask if WDA is enough to stay protected in 2025. If you’re a more advanced user who can spot phishing sites and emails easily, then we would say, yes, WDA is more than enough for your needs.

Independent antivirus testing laboratories gave WDA the highest grades across all of their tests that focus on protection, performance, and usability. The tests used over 11,000 malware files, and WDA flagged each one correctly, and overall did not throw out any false positives. European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR) also tested WDA and gave it a 2 out of 3, failing it in the area of phishing protection.

(Image credit: Future / Sead Fadilpašić)

WDA also comes with a built-in firewall, which is among the better options that you have on Windows machines. From the Firewall & network protection page, you can perform simple actions pertaining to your built-in firewall, but you can also access the advanced firewall configuration settings.

It comes well-adjusted out of the box, and in conjunction with the SmartScreen filter, it will prevent you from venturing too far into the dangerous waters of the internet. If you understand exploit prevention technologies that are abbreviated under CFG, DEP, and ASLR, you can configure them under the advanced settings; if you don’t know what these mean, then we would recommend leaving everything at default and not touching anything.

Finally, WDA comes with parental controls, and if you pay for a Microsoft 365 subscription, you get access to additional security features from Microsoft. It’s by no means perfect, but for the average user, it offers a great starting point.

Firewall vs antivirus: Do I need both?

The answer to this question will, first of all, depend on the machine you’re using. If you’re on a Mac, the answer would be no; if you’re running a Linux machine, the answer is a bit more complicated. Finally, if you’re on Windows, then the answer is probably yes.

As you can see from the short overview of WDA, even Microsoft thinks you need both, as it comes built into the Windows OS itself.

We would recommend getting a robust antivirus solution to complement WDA’s firewall component, as for most users, the firewall from Microsoft is good enough to keep most, if not all, threats at bay.

If you’re considering what to get for a small or medium-sized business, then a recommendation would go more towards a bundled solution from one of the premium providers in the market. Such bundled solutions usually come with both antivirus and firewall, but also add a VPN, a password manager, and much more.

Firewall vs antivirus: Best practices

Considering that most users could fall under the umbrella term of “average users”, fine-tuning your firewall and antivirus settings can help you stay protected in more challenging situations. Here is a quick list of what you should do to keep your system running smoothly.

Firewall best practices:

• Default settings - if you’re relying on WDA, leave everything at default; it's a great starting point
• Update - regularly update your system
• Sift through the logs - watch for any suspicious activity
• Advanced settings - block specific traffic (advertising, malicious links, etc.), but be cautious since adding your own rules can break features

Antivirus best practices:

• Update - keep your antivirus software updated at all times, new threats are emerging by the hour, so never turn off automatic updates for your antivirus
• Regular scans - run or schedule regular scans to ensure no malware is residing on your system
• Be mindful - watch your actions, check links, and don’t open suspicious emails

To all of these, we would also add that you should use strong passwords that will be unique for all of your accounts. Education about safe computing practices and potential threats is always welcome, and if you’re worried or using your home PC for gig work, a hybrid approach of software and hardware firewalls should be considered to stay on the safe side.

Firewall vs antivirus: Conclusion

Whether a firewall or an antivirus is right for you is typically no longer a decision that needs to be pondered, mostly because they have distinct roles.

Firewalls act as barriers, shielding networks from external threats. They check data, enforce rules, and prevent access. On the other hand, an antivirus detects and removes malicious content from a system. It is worth also noting that firewalls have now evolved to a stage (next generation firewalls) where they often have antivirus functionalities. Though this does not mean that it replaces dedicated antivirus functionality.

Ideally, you would use both for a layered approach, but the notion of choosing between the two is becoming less plausible due to the complementary nature of security architecture and modern offerings targeting the security niche.

So, which is right for you? Both would be the answer, since they serve different functions.

If you’re on a Windows machine, you can save some money by using WDA and layering a free or paid antivirus that fits your budget and needs.

For a more comprehensive approach, layering a hardware firewall and a bundled antivirus premium offering would ensure you stay safe while performing almost any activity on your computer.

Plugging the new glasses into Viture's mobile dock has given me a super-vivid, bright mobile display. But you may want to wait for the Beast.

It’s difficult to be shocked by entertainment news anymore, but waking up to Stephen Colbert’s announcement that his late night talk show was being canceled had me unable to go back to sleep in the middle of the night. The Paramount and CBS show has been on the air for 33 years, and while CBS has cited “financial reasons” for the decision, the internet is convinced there are alleged political undertones that might have fuelled the final fire.

Speculation aside, what we know for certain is that we’re about to lose one of the greatest TV shows of all time, due to be drawn to a close in May 2026. As more and more networks and streaming services are being impacted by production costs, AI and a general lack of profit, the cancelation is another sorry reminder that the industry feels like it’s on a downward spiral it can’t properly control.

But does it all have to be bad news? The more I had time to think about it, the more I remembered what Netflix said in the last few weeks about its plans to expand unscripted content. If The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is leaving a gap in the talk show market that audiences don’t want it to, the time is perfect for Netflix to fill up the space it already wants to.

Could Netflix take the ultimate unscripted inspiration The Late Show with Stephen Colbert?

Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (Image credit: CBS)

In my mind, there’s two moves Netflix could potentially make in the aftermath of the cancelation news. The first is the likeliest scenario: the streamer creates its own ‘rival’ show that exists on a permanently weekly basis. It’s already experimented with Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, though it was pre-recorded on a 12-week order. Reviews were generally favourable, and the TV show supposedly had a two-season order before its debut, so surely the best way to upscale what you’ve already started is to go the whole hog with a weekly live late show.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, we know this is exactly the direction Netflix wants to head in. An increase in celebrity interviews seems likely, while a pilot with The Daily Beast is reportedly being developed, leaning into “buzzy, non-political” events rather than fully-fledged news programming. It’s probable that a Netflix late night talk show would shy away from the political content that network shows typically branch out into, and that’s got equal chance of being a help or a hindrance.

The second move Netflix could make is to offer Colbert a brand-new show of his own on the platform. It’s a slum dunk choice in many respects, with audience demand and sympathy for Colbert now sky high. Netflix would quite literally be the hero of the hour, generating positive PR, natural intrigue and potentially a few new subscribers for good measure. The traditional structure for a TV talk show could also be ditched, meaning something much more creative could open us up to new ways of being entertained. Who doesn’t want that?

No decisions have been made as of yet, but if Netflix makes any announcements about their unscripted plans in the not-too distant future, I won’t be surprised. Late night talk shows are in desperate need of a comeback (or at the very least, a refresh), and Colbert could now be an unexpected vehicle for change.

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It’s difficult to be shocked by entertainment news anymore, but waking up to Stephen Colbert’s announcement that his late night talk show was being canceled had me unable to go back to sleep in the middle of the night. The Paramount and CBS show has been on the air for 33 years, and while CBS has cited “financial reasons” for the decision, the internet is convinced there are alleged political undertones that might have fuelled the final fire.

Speculation aside, what we know for certain is that we’re about to lose one of the greatest TV shows of all time, due to be drawn to a close in May 2026. As more and more networks and streaming services are being impacted by production costs, AI and a general lack of profit, the cancelation is another sorry reminder that the industry feels like it’s on a downward spiral it can’t properly control.

But does it all have to be bad news? The more I had time to think about it, the more I remembered what Netflix said in the last few weeks about its plans to expand unscripted content. If The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is leaving a gap in the talk show market that audiences don’t want it to, the time is perfect for Netflix to fill up the space it already wants to.

Could Netflix take the ultimate unscripted inspiration The Late Show with Stephen Colbert?

Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (Image credit: CBS)

In my mind, there’s two moves Netflix could potentially make in the aftermath of the cancelation news. The first is the likeliest scenario: the streamer creates its own ‘rival’ show that exists on a permanently weekly basis. It’s already experimented with Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, though it was pre-recorded on a 12-week order. Reviews were generally favourable, and the TV show supposedly had a two-season order before its debut, so surely the best way to upscale what you’ve already started is to go the whole hog with a weekly live late show.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, we know this is exactly the direction Netflix wants to head in. An increase in celebrity interviews seems likely, while a pilot with The Daily Beast is reportedly being developed, leaning into “buzzy, non-political” events rather than fully-fledged news programming. It’s probable that a Netflix late night talk show would shy away from the political content that network shows typically branch out into, and that’s got equal chance of being a help or a hindrance.

The second move Netflix could make is to offer Colbert a brand-new show of his own on the platform. It’s a slum dunk choice in many respects, with audience demand and sympathy for Colbert now sky high. Netflix would quite literally be the hero of the hour, generating positive PR, natural intrigue and potentially a few new subscribers for good measure. The traditional structure for a TV talk show could also be ditched, meaning something much more creative could open us up to new ways of being entertained. Who doesn’t want that?

No decisions have been made as of yet, but if Netflix makes any announcements about their unscripted plans in the not-too distant future, I won’t be surprised. Late night talk shows are in desperate need of a comeback (or at the very least, a refresh), and Colbert could now be an unexpected vehicle for change.

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