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Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 111 for Jan. 12.

Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the Jan. 12 Strands puzzle, No. 315.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 12.

We’ve seen a wide range of new tech announced and showcased at CES 2025, including everything from gaming handhelds to electric scooters. The star of the show has certainly been AI, and the new Acer Aspire Vero 16 takes full advantage all while being encased in a blend of post-consumer recycled plastic and a brand-new oyster shell material.

Acer has stated that the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is committed to carbon neutrality for its entire life cycle. On top of using bio-based materials, it uses an easy to fix design in order to ensure that repairing is an option before replacing.

Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

The Acer Aspire Vero 16 is set to release in April in the US at $799.99 and then later on in Q2 in Europe at €1,199. These are starting prices which will fluctuate based on the specifications you’re looking for.

It’s definitely one of the more affordable options on the market, especially in the US. However, regional pricing puts it at a much higher price point elsewhere.

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(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

When first laying-eyes on the Acer Aspire Vero 16, I think its quite clear that it’s made from recycled material due to the color and design. It looks pretty, with a marbled green chassis encasing the entire device including the trackpad. As well as recycled plastic, the chassis is also made from oyster shell material, making it carbon neutral and 100% recyclable.

Unfortunately, when holding and using the Acer Aspire Vero 16, it feels like cheap plastic. The casing has quite a light and fragile feel to it, and I wouldn’t entirely trust the Vero 16 in my backpack without an extra layer of protection like a case or sleeve - and even then, it’s a risk.

Despite being cased in plastic, the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is actually a bit heavier than I was expecting. It weighs in at 3.97 lbs (1.8kg), which isn’t the most lightweight option out there, but isn’t too heavy for you to transport to and from work or keep with you on the go either. Just be sure to pack it up snug and secure.

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(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

The Acer Aspire Vero 16 measures in at less than 2cm and despite being so slim, it still comes packed full of ports. You get to take advantage of two Thunderbolt ports, as well as a USB-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port and an audio jack.

You get an LCD display panel on the Vero 16, which is 1920 x 1200 pixels. Despite not being OLED, the screen is actually very bright and vibrant. It looks absolutely stunning but did leave me wanting slightly more in terms of resolution, however at this price point you can’t complain too much.

Specifications Performance

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Picking up the Acer Aspire Vero 16 allows you to take advantage of up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor paired with Intel Arc graphics as well as 32GB of RAM. This machine offers absolutely insane performance, especially for its price point. Regardless of what you’re intending to use it for, it offers a high level of performance for a wide range of productivity and creativity tasks.

Of course, having this processor means you get to take advantage of a range of AI features including Copilot+ to help you speed up the process of everyday tasks. But as AI slowly takes over the laptop space, this is becoming more common.

With a 65Wh battery you’ll get a decent battery life out of this laptop. Acer states it’ll run approximately 10.5 hours, allowing you to get through a work day and then some on a full charge.

Early verdict

Overall the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is an amazing laptop, providing you with great performance at a low price point. As if that wasn’t already good enough, you get a clean conscience as the casing is made from 70% recycled materials and is gorgeous.

One downside is the material feels quite cheap, but this can easily be looked past when you consider all of the other benefits which are on offer. It’s somewhat frustrating that the regional pricing of this laptop makes it less affordable outside of the US and I hope Acer can adjust this prior to the laptop’s release in April.

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 clues.

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 #581) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• COMETS
• INVENTION
• COIN TOSS
• DEFENDER
• COURT
• ASTEROIDS
• FAIRY TALE
• DRESS COAT
• FICTION
• ROMANCE
• SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
• CENTIPEDE
• CHARM
• FANTASY
• BREAKOUT
• PURSUE

NYT Connections today (game #581) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: All made up
• GREEN: Dating 
• BLUE: Video classics
• PURPLE: Flipside

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 #581) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: FABRICATION 
• GREEN: WOO 
• BLUE: CLASSIC ATARI GAMES 
• PURPLE: THINGS FEATURING TAILS 

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

NYT Connections today (game #581) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #581, are…

• YELLOW: FABRICATION FAIRY TALE, FANTASY, FICTION, INVENTION
• GREEN: WOO CHARM, COURT, PURSUE, ROMANCE
• BLUE: CLASSIC ATARI GAMES ASTEROIDS, BREAKOUT, CENTIPEDE, DEFENDER
• PURPLE: THINGS FEATURING TAILS COIN TOSS, COMETS, DRESS COAT, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

I started today’s Connections completely baffled and unable to see any links at all before writing every word down and noticing – after a brief thought that we were looking for book genres – the words that made up FABRICATION and WOO.

Blue and Purple defeated me. Games are a blindspot for me. If I enjoy a game I get locked into it for years – Tetris, Sim City, Balatro – playing absolutely nothing else until a new game takes over, or as was the case with a dinner party game called RSVP I played every day on my phone, accidentally delete and then find out it is no no longer available. I realize this is a bit odd and it’s left me completely ignorant of everything else. But even if I was aware of the video game canon of the late 20th century I would have definitely included SONIC THE HEDGEHOG as an Atari game (it’s Sega), instead of the THINGS FEATURING TAILS category.

After Googling “does Sonic The Hedgehog have a tail?” (I’m not the first to do this) I eventually discovered that Tails is the name of a character within the Sonic The Hedgehog universe – and yes Sonic does have a tail. Every day’s a school day.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 11 January, game #580)

• YELLOW: DISPLAY OF ROWS AND COLUMNS ARRAY, GRID, MATRIX, TABLE
• GREEN: THINGS TO DO AT A WORK EVENT CIRCULATE, CONVERSE, MINGLE, NETWORK
• BLUE: OLYMPIC EVENTS SINCE 2000 BREAKING, SURFING, TAEKWONDO, TRAMPOLINE
• PURPLE: -_COURT FOOD, KANGAROO, SUPREME, TENNIS

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.

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #315) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Wait what?

NYT Strands today (game #315) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• BALE
• RAIL
• SOLID
• BOOM
• NUTS
• BEAR

NYT Strands today (game #315) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Bewildered

NYT Strands today (game #315) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 4th column

Last side: bottom, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #315) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #315, are…

• STUN
• ASTONISH
• GOBSMACK
• SURPRISE
• FLABBERGAST
• SPANGRAM: MINDBLOWN

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

There’s a couple of brilliant words in today’s Strands that feel as if they belong in boy’s comics from the 1950s and have not been heard much since – GOBSMACK and FLABBERGAST.

I was pleased – although not particularly gobsmacked – to learn that Flabbergast originated in Sussex, which is the English county where I was born, although quite why that particular area popularized a word which originally meant “shocked tubby person” is uncertain.

Gobsmack is also interesting and again began as a portmanteau of two slang words – Gob (for mouth, coined in Ireland in the 16th century) and Smack, which describes the sound of a flat hand hitting something – so hitting your mouth in shock. Something I instantly imagine Stan Laurel doing.

Meanwhile, today’s big SURPRISE was that I completed Strands again without any hints.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 11 January, game #314)

• DAWN
• DUSK
• NOON
• EVENING
• MORNING
• DAYBREAK
• TWILIGHT
• SPANGRAM: TIMING

What is NYT Strands?

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

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

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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 #1084) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1084) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1084) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1084) - 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 #1084) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• B

• P

• W

• F

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

Quordle today (game #1084) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1084, are…

• BRIEF
• PETAL
• WOMAN
• FELON

I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m playing a lot of Quordle (and Wordle), but I’m reaching that stage where I’m kidding myself that I’m achieving synergy with the puzzle setters.

The reason for this is that today I landed two words, PETAL and FELON, without really thinking about it or looking at what letters I had left – they just landed in my head.

Of course, the other possibility is sheer luck, but it’s nice to kid myself for a little while.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #1084) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1084, are…

• THEIR
• GRIMY
• AGATE
• RIVER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1083, Saturday 11 January: ASCOT, FIBER, ROGUE, SMELL
• Quordle #1082, Friday 10 January: BIGOT, INLET, LEECH, TUNIC
• Quordle #1081, Thursday 9 January: RESET, HUMOR, TENOR, IMAGE
• Quordle #1080, Wednesday 8 January: MINCE, SADLY, RISEN, VOUCH
• Quordle #1079, Tuesday 7 January: CREED, FILET, ROUTE, TAPER
• Quordle #1078, Monday 6 January: PIVOT, WOOLY, GRUNT, GROOM
• Quordle #1077, Sunday 5 January: BORAX, JUDGE, CADET, SALON
• Quordle #1076, Saturday 4 January: CORER, CRATE, QUASI, EXIST
• Quordle #1075, Friday 3 January: PERKY, QUARK, NAVEL, SHEEN
• Quordle #1074, Thursday 2 January: UNIFY, SWORE, DEPOT, INTRO
• Quordle #1073, Wednesday 1 January: CLING, SUITE, WORRY, TONIC
• Quordle #1072, Tuesday 31 December: PLUMP, TUBER, IRATE, ICILY
• Quordle #1071, Monday 30 December: TODDY, GROIN, GROWN, VERVE
• Quordle #1070, Sunday 29 December: PURER, SPLAT, RABID, EMCEE
• Quordle #1069, Saturday 28 December: BUNCH, LABOR, TRIPE, BUNNY
• Quordle #1068, Friday 27 December: BRAWL, LYING, ORGAN, CRONY
• Quordle #1067, Thursday 26 December: TATTY, OVERT, FLOUR, SWEPT
• Quordle #1066, Wednesday 25 December: LIVER, CRIER, SHORE, MURKY
• Quordle #1065, Tuesday 24 December: TIPSY, SCALE, FLYER, VALVE
• Quordle #1064, Monday 23 December: SNAKE, SAVVY, ELBOW, TWEED

Looking for internet in Wilmington? Our broadband experts have found the fastest speeds and most affordable pricing available in the area.

The White House commended Pope Francis for his commitment to serving the poor, as well as advocating for peace and protecting the planet.

(Image credit: Alessandra Tarantino)

A report released by the Department of Agriculture found that poor sanitation practices at a Boar's Head facility in Virginia contributed to the largest listeria outbreak since 2011. 

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan)

• At CES 2025, Morse Micro presented a working demo of a HaLow router that can deliver data at up to 250Mbps in a 10-mile radius
• TechRadar first covered HaLow back in 2016, but the technology is only just maturing
• HaLow's long range without the need for a repeater could be attractive for commercial setups

The future of Wi-Fi technology may have taken a major leap forward at CES 2025 with the debut of Wi-Fi HaLow routers from Morse Micro.

Its new prototype (via Yanko Design) boasts a 10-mile range, potentially making a home Wi-Fi network available locally.

Unlike conventional routers which can struggle to penetrate walls when operating at 2.4GHz and 5GHz, HaLow’s sub-GHz frequency waves travel through obstacles, offering reliable connectivity across a distance.

HaLow’s roots: From concept to reality

Designed to operate on the 900MHz band, HaLow was created for low-power, long-range connectivity. Potential use-cases include industrial setups as well as connecting to Internet of Things (IoT) devices and smart homes from afar.

TechRadar reported back in 2016 that HaLow’s initial speeds ranged from 150KBps to 18Mbps; decidedly unimpressive with hindsight - but nine years down the line, advancements showcased at CES 2025 have demonstrated speeds up to 250Mbps, a significant improvement which broadens its potential applications.

In February 2024, Morse Micro demonstrated the potential of Wi-Fi HaLow by setting a record for long-range connectivity using the 802.11ah standard. The company achieved a 3-kilometer (1.8-mile) video call at the time.

More impressive still, in a test at Joshua Tree National Park in September 2024, a rural area with vast open spaces and minimal RF interference, Morse Micro achieved a 16-kilometer (10-mile) range.

While HaLow’s 250Mbps speed isn’t as fast as 5GHz Wi-Fi, it’s more than sufficient for everyday tasks such as browsing, emails, and IoT communications.

Morse Micro says it envisions a future where HaLow routers coexist with current Wi-Fi bands, creating tri-band systems combining 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and sub-GHz frequencies.

Currently, common devices like smartphones and laptops aren’t yet equipped to support this technology, however, Morse Micro is working with engineers to integrate HaLow chipsets into future devices.

Nevertheless, HaLow's long-distance coverage holds notable commercial and industrial potential for environments like warehouses, where robots and IoT devices could communicate without hubs or repeaters.

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Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections No. 581 for Sunday, Jan. 12.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1303 for Sunday, Jan. 12.

• Teamgroup's 8TB PCIe 5.0 SSD will be the first of its kind to hit the market
• The T-Force GE Pro won't top the best PCIe 5.0 SSD but should be fast enough for most use cases
• Samsung, XPG and Crucial have demoed 8TB PCIe 5.0 SSDs but none have gone on sale

TEAMGROUP has announced the T-FORCE GE PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD, which is on track to be the first of its kind to be commercially available.

Though Samsung, XPG, Micron and Crucial have all showcased 8TB PCIe 5.0 SSDs in the past, none have hit the market.

The device comes with read and write speeds of 13,500 MB/s and 11,000 MB/s respectively, while the company claims it is designed for gamers, content creators, and other professionals who need ultra-fast storage solutions.

Optimized cooling for sustained performance

The T-FORCE GE PRO tackles heat management with its patented graphene heatsink to enhances dissipation.

The company also adds the T-FORCE AirFlow1 SSD Cooler with active cooling, and this ensures sustained peak performance during demanding tasks.

Furthermore, the T-FORCE GE PRO supports advanced 4K LDPC (Low-Density Parity Check) to improve data transfer accuracy, reducing errors and extending the SSD's lifespan.

Users can also monitor the SSD's health and performance using TEAMGROUP’s proprietary S.M.A.R.T. monitoring software.

According to the company, the GE PRO's manufacturing process complies with RoHS environmental standards, with all packaging materials being recyclable.

Personally, I don't expect that the GE PRO will be too expensive, in part because it won't surpass the very best PCIe 5.0 SSDs in benchmarks while probably still being fit for purpose.

You might also like

• Here are the best hard drives for desktops
• Huawei rolls out its next-gen OceanStor Dorado all-flash storage — targeting AI mission-critical workloads
• These are the fastest external SSDs on the market

Firefighters made progress overnight on almost all of the active fires, including the massive Palisades and Eaton blazes, officials said.

(Image credit: Lokman Vural Elibol)

• MSI is the latest vendor to jump on the AI PC bandwagon
• The Cubi NUC AI+ 2M is a mini PC with 11 ports and 1 card reader but no TB5
• It comes with a dedicated Copilot button as well as a fingerprint reader

MSI unveiled two new Cubi mini PC offerings at CES 2025, and it likely won’t come as any surprise these models include AI in their names. The Cubi NUC AI+ 2M and the Cubi NUC AI 1UM offer on-device AI capabilities and are designed to deliver powerful performance in a compact form factor suitable for any workspace.

The larger Cubi NUC AI+ 2M measures 0.826 liters and is powered by Intel's Core Ultra processors from the Lunar Lake platform, with configurations up to the Core Ultra 7 258V. It features Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics and up to 32GB of LPDDR5X on package memory. Storage is supported via a single M.2 2280 SSD slot. The device can deliver up to 115 TOPS of processing power through a dedicated Intel AI Boost NPU.

The Cubi NUC AI+ 2M offers a total of 11 ports. On the front, there are two 10Gbps USB Type-A ports and a microSD card reader, as well as a one-touch fingerprint power button for added security, and a Copilot button for instant access to AI tools such as CoCreator, Windows Studio Effects, Live Captions, and Live Translation. There’s also a built-in microphone and speaker for voice commands.

No Copilot button on the smaller model

The rear panel houses dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, one of which supports PD-in up to 100-watts (it’s a shame MSI hasn't yet embraced Thunderbolt 5 for even faster data transfer speeds), dual HDMI ports, and two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports. The Cubi NUC AI+ 2M can drive up to three screens and supports WiFi 7 for high-speed wireless connectivity.

The Cubi NUC AI 1UM is a smaller and presumably more affordable alternative, with a 0.51-liter volume. It is powered by Intel Core Ultra 100 Meteor Lake processors, including options up to the Core Ultra 7 155H.

It supports dual SODIMM DDR5 memory slots and two M.2 SSD drives, and like its larger sibling, it includes dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI outputs, and 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports. It can drive four screens, but doesn't have a Copilot button.

Both models support MSI Power Link, allowing power control through select MSI monitors and reducing cable clutter, especially when mounted behind a monitor. Pricing details for both have yet to be announced.

You might also like

• These are the best business laptops around today
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• The title of the world's most powerful mini PC has been claimed by HP

So far Meta has only abandoned fact-checking in the US. If and when it expands, the move will be a major blow to the Latin American news ecosystem.

The significant winter storm had passed in the South by Saturday morning, but travel issues and power outages were still ongoing.

(Image credit: Megan Varner)

In an age where even casual music fans know how measly streaming services can be regarding artist pay, the return of physical media was perhaps inevitable. Just last year, vinyl record sales grew by 10.5% with 6.7 million discs sold thanks to artists including Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac. Though CD sales remained constant, cassette tape sales have also been making a strong comeback as well.

From 81,000 units in 2015 to 436,400 in 2022, the resurgence has been driven by Gen Z’s embrace of nostalgic formats and affordability. Artists are releasing albums on tape for as little as $10, which is a fraction of newly released vinyls, which are significantly more expensive. So it makes sense for French brand We Are Rewind to have a goal of delivering a sleek yet incredibly functional cassette tape player, inspired by the original Sony Walkman. During my time with the device at CES 2025, it delivered on its promise.

(Image credit: Future)

Available in four colorways for around $160, there’s so much to appreciate about this audio device. We Are Rewind’s cassette tape player works with all versions of tapes, from I (which have only write-protect notches) to IV (which has a third notch set near the middle of the top of the cassette shell). When it comes to playback, the device supports two-track stereo with a quoted frequency response of 30Hz to 12,500Hz, signal-to-noise ratio of 50dB, and minimal distortion.

The player uses Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity to connect to the best wireless headphones and best Bluetooth speakers. We Are Rewind also has $52 retro-styled EQ-001 over-the-ear headphones that come with three interchangeable ear cushions. Those feature a 12-hour battery life and three equalizer modes for tailored audio experiences. The headphones also work on smartphones, alongside offering voice assistant support.

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to keep it old school, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack for the best wired headphones, and an additional 3.5mm jack for recording onto Type I tapes, which I absolutely love. Recording quality is fairly high, featuring a frequency response of 30Hz to 10,000Hz, a signal-to-noise ratio of 45dB, and 1% typical distortion. The We Are Rewind cassette player is powered by a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides an estimated 10 to 12 hours of extended use.

During my time with the device, there were a handful of cassette tapes to use including The Weeknd, Linkin Park and The Saints among others. Thanks to the tech inside of the cassette player, I enjoyed the warm and soft audio quality, but it skips the fuzzy hiss sound. I think the best way to explain it is a cross of the gutsy sonics of vinyl with the clarity of a compact disc.

(Image credit: Future)

Add the headphones into the situation and it does become a uniquely retro listening experience and combo, and had a great time. Users are going to have to be intentional with what tapes they have with them, whether it be an album or a mixtape of their own, but that's all part of the fun.

Avalible now, We Are Rewind has purposefully embraced the past while keeping up with modern audio player trends. A blend of slick style with enough technical sophistication makes this more than a novelty but a different way of consuming music in an instant accessibility age for better or worse. Now I can't wait for when We Are Rewind eventually releases its big $429 portable boombox Blaster player…

You might also like…

• Cassettes are back in a big way – and not just because FiiO's ode to the Sony Walkman is aces
• I’m swapping Spotify for CDs with the affordable Fiio DM13 in 2025 – here's why
• This retro music streamer and speakers combo is a stylish modern version of a classic hi-fi look

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

If you're struggling to find fast internet in Alaska, we know where you should look.