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OpenAI said it's one of a few changes to help avoid harmful behaviors.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Aug. 5, #786.

From inexpensive Windows models to affordable MacBooks and even a cheap Copilot Plus PC, these are my favorite low-cost, high-value laptops that I've tested and reviewed.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,508 for Tuesday, Aug. 5.

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As Canadian wildfires spread smoke across the U.S. the air pollution is dangerous to health. But there are ways to protect yourself. Here's what to know.

(Image credit: Liao Pan/China News Service)

So far, the phone is working fine after 150,000 folds, with more to come.

• Micron 9650 SSD reaches 28GB/s, but it’s strictly for data centers, not consumers
• Liquid cooling in SSDs is no longer hypothetical, and Micron just made it standard
• The 7600 SSD delivers ultra-low latency, yet it still depends on how workloads behave in reality

Micron has introduced what it describes as, “the world’s first PCIe Gen6 data center SSD,” with claims of as-yet-unmatched performance tailored for modern AI workloads.

The 9650 SSD reportedly hits sequential read speeds of up to 28 GB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 14 GB/s.

However, it comes in industrial-grade E3.S and E1.S form factors, making it incompatible with standard desktop PCs, limiting its direct accessibility to broader consumer markets.

Designed for performance but constrained by form factor

This new model targets high-intensity AI environments, offering 5.5 million IOPS in random read performance and up to 900K IOPS for random writes.

Micron’s 9650 improves on Gen5 SSDs with up to 25% and 67% greater energy efficiency for random writes and reads.

It also incorporates liquid cooling options for dense server configurations, and its reduced power draw and emissions support both performance gains and sustainability efforts in data centers.

“With the industry’s first PCIe Gen6 SSD, industry-leading capacities and the lowest latency mainstream SSD - all powered by our first-to-market G9 NAND—Micron is not just setting the pace; we are redefining the frontier of data center innovation,” said Jeremy Werner, senior vice president and general manager of Micron’s Core Data Center Business Unit.

While these specifications may sound impressive on paper, the real test will be in sustained, real-world workloads under diverse operating conditions.

Several vendors have highlighted its potential in supporting inference pipelines and retrieval-augmented generation, suggesting the 9650 could serve as a key infrastructure component for GPU-based servers.

Still, wider adoption will likely hinge on pricing, reliability, and actual ecosystem integration.

Alongside the 9650, Micron also unveiled its 7600 SSD based on PCIe Gen5 and the Micron 6600 ION SSD, which focuses on capacity.

The 7600 claims to deliver sub-1 millisecond latency on demanding database applications like RocksDB.

With read speeds reaching 12 GB/s, the 7600 outperforms existing Gen5 SSDs in metrics such as random writes and energy efficiency.

But the claims of having the fastest SSD must be balanced against actual deployment flexibility and sustained workload performance.

“Micron’s cutting-edge storage technologies showcase the importance of fast, efficient storage as AI workloads continue to redefine infrastructure requirements,” said Raghu Nambiar, corporate vice president, Data Center Ecosystems and Solutions, AMD.

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The Trump Administration’s worldwide tariff wars continue. A top priority for Trump has been resetting U.S. trade relations and earlier this year his administration had vowed “90 deals in 90 days”. But as the August 1st deadline came and went, what emerged wasn’t a flurry of deals but a wave of new tariffs. We hear from reporters around the world about how countries are reacting to the news and what the impact could be.

(Image credit: Damian Dovarganes/ AP)

Earth will complete its daily rotation between 1.25 and 1.51 milliseconds faster than usual, and scientists aren't quite sure why.

New research suggests that maggots may be the secret ingredient responsible for extremely high nitrogen values found in Neanderthal remains.

Abby Breyfogle wears a silver charm bracelet that represents her achievements at Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian camp destroyed by the Independence Day floods. The former camper, who is now a student at the University of Texas, Austin, talks about the memories from the ten summers that she wears on her wrist.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Aug. 5 No. 520.

• A leaked render of the DJI Mini 5 Pro seems to reveal the drone's design
• A separate image of the box may have also revealed its specs
• The leaks hint at a 1-inch sensor and LiDAR-powered autofocus

The DJI Mini 5 Pro seems unlikely to hit its previously-rumored August 7 launch date, but fans of tiny drones have at least been given some solace in the form of two big leaks – and they hint at a little flying camera that could be worth waiting a little longer for.

Firstly, a render of the rumored successor to one of the world's best drones was shared on the Discord channel for Drone-Hacks, giving us what could be our first look at the drone.

If the image is correct, the Mini 5 Pro will look very similar to its Mini 4 Pro predecessor, aside from a larger camera module and the inclusion of two forward-facing LiDAR sensors for improved obstacle avoidance.

That LiDAR-powered feature has previously appeared on the DJI Mavic 4 Pro and DJI Air 3S, but this would be the first time we've seen it on a Mini series drone – and it could be particularly useful if you fly in low light.

Mini 5 Pro leaked render! The leak didn’t come from our team, some beta tester shared a picture on the public Discord. Thanks for the credit tho! #Mini5Pro https://t.co/LV1eQJCYKDAugust 3, 2025

Even more revealing is the potential list of specs, shared by @JasperEllens and DroneXL. According to some leaked packaging, the DJI Mini 5 Pro will have a 1-inch image sensor – up from the 1/1.3-inch chip on the Mini 4 Pro – and be capable of shooting 4K/120fps footage, another slight boost from its predecessor's 4K/100fps mode.

Elsewhere, there's the promise of a "high quality 48mm med-tele mode", which will presumably be similar to the one that recently arrived on the DJI Pocket 3, thanks to a firmware update. This is effectively a 'lossless' crop mode that can be handy if you need a bit more reach.

The leak also promises a 36-minute flight time, which would be a slight boost on the claimed 34 minutes managed by the Mini 4 Pro (or 45 minutes, if you shell out for the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, which isn't available in the EU).

The big question

(Image credit: DJI)

While those Mini 5 Pro specs sound very promising indeed – and could make me consider upgrading my Mini 3 Pro drone – there is one slightly worrying omission from the box and specs sheet.

Usually, there's a "less than 249g" tag accompanying the "ultra-light and foldable" description on a Mini series box. That isn't there this time, at least not on the leaked packaging.

Does this mean the Mini 5 Pro could be the first in the series to exceed that crucial weight? In many regions, including the US and UK, a sub-250g weight is a selling point because flying regulations are more relaxed. For example, in the Open A1 category in the UK, you can fly over strangers (but not crowds) without needing any extra permission.

There is a chance that the Mini 5 Pro's new tech (bigger camera, LiDAR sensors, perhaps new motors) have pushed it over the weight limit, but I'd be surprised if that was the case.

The whole selling point of the Mini series has been that they offer advanced camera tech in a bundle that's barely bigger than a camera lens, and also ducks under that crucial weight barrier. I love my DJI Mini 3 Pro for all of those reasons, so a new model that doesn't tick all of the same boxes wouldn't have the same appeal.

Unfortunately, it appears the Mini 5 Pro has been postponed from its previously rumored launch date, so we may have to wait a while longer to see it – and to find out if it'll actually go on sale in the US.

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Dozens of Texas Democrats left the state to protest a redistricting map, facing potentially steep consequences. Lawmaker walkouts have had mixed success in the past — so what is there to gain?

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

Apple's large internal AI push is aimed at catching up with its competition.

This marks a big shift for Alexa, which until now has mostly steered clear of overt advertising.

• Areas of Russia are experiencing mobile internet blackouts
• These are said to be necessary to combat Ukrainian drone attacks
• Many believe the blackouts may be a crack down on digital rights

Amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, technology has been a crucial point of leverage for both sides, with technological infrastructure like telecoms and mobile internet services targeted in disruptive offensives aimed at weakening the other side - even leading to Russia shutting down its own internet services in the name of national security.

A new report by non-profit Russian Internet Protection Society has outlined a record breaking 2,000 mobile internet service shutdowns in July, pointing to a dramatic increase in digital restrictions - and rights groups say that many of the blackouts don’t appear to be related to any threat.

Russian authorities have blocked the advertising of VPNs and Cloudflare subnets in a large-scale crackdown on digital rights. Platforms like Twitch, TikTok, YouTube, and even Duolingo are all inaccessible without a VPN.

Drone attacks blamed

These blackouts have a serious impact on life in parts of Russia and cut off access to things like maps, banking applications, buying fuel, or even communicating with loved ones - with talks of blocking WhatsApp suggesting the state pushing citizens onto highly monitored, government controlled messaging services.

Russia has cited a need to prevent and defend against Ukrainian drone attacks, but not everyone is convinced by this explanation. The economic losses from these disruptions are estimated by watchdogs to be around 26 billion rubles ($290 million) in July alone - and rural areas are left isolated.

Dmitry Gudkov, a former MP and co-founder of the Center for Analysis and Strategy in Europe told Le Monde that authorities are ‘gradually restricting freedoms’ through these outages;

"They are acclimating society to life without the internet. The day they need to cut the mobile network, for instance to stifle protests, they'll know they can do it."

Via: The Record

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• Samsung's Flip 7 went through an extreme durability test
• Its outer screen is hardy, but the inner screen is easily scratched and burnt
• It couldn't be snapped in half by hand, however

Our phone testing is very rigorous, but we focus on what a regular person would get out of the gadget and if it’s better or worse than the competition at the same price; we don’t routinely set fire to phone screens, bathe gadgets in dirt, or attempt to scratch every surface with a knife – but that’s what one tester has done to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.

In an extreme durability test, which you’ll find several of on his YouTube channel, JerryRigEverything seriously put Samsung’s new foldable through its paces – a follow-up to a similar video involving the Galaxy Z Fold 7 about a week earlier.

In the just under 9-minute video, Samsung’s phone is tortured, but we do learn some useful details.

The outer screen is pretty hardy, standing up to significantly harder materials than the inner screen – which a particularly forceful fingernail scratch is able to create grooves in – and also withstanding direct heat from a lighter’s flame. The inner screen is left with a couple of permanent green damage marks after about 15 seconds of fire exposure.

It then gets drenched in dirt, including getting a healthy heaping dropped straight into its hinge. Opening and closing the phone with dirt covered did allow some soil to enter the mechanism – you can hear it crunch when opening and closing after the fact – but at least during the video, no other permanent harm is noticeable.

Lastly, JerryRigEverything does his best to snap the phone in half with his hands, but it survives his attempts.

You should absolutely go watch the full video – especially if, like me, you’re too cautious with your tech to let the intrusive thoughts win – because it highlights the extreme lengths you have to go to actually tear these foldables apart.

Tougher than you think

Foldables are hardier than we give them credit for (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)

I’ve used a foldable as my daily driver for about a year. I started with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and recently upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Because I get those phones through my job, I’m admittedly a bit more laissez-faire with how I treat them (meaning I’ll buy a cheap screen protector, but not a case), but both phones have been holding up very, very well.

The Z Fold 6 has a few bruises at the edges, but nothing serious, and my Z Fold 7 is close to immaculate. Neither has any issues with their hinges, and while you can see their creases, it’s not super noticeable on either phone when you’re using one.

This brings me to a point I made on our Samsung special podcast. While that IP48 dust and waterproof rating means the foldables can let fine dirt in (anything smaller than 1mm), and their inner screen isn’t as durable as a regular phone display, most normal people probably won’t have any serious issues.

I’ve been to a sandy beach two times in the past year, and visited one desert, without my foldable being affected. I was careful, sure, but no more so than I am with a non-foldable.

If you regularly work at the beach or in, say, a dusty woodwork shop, or in a super-harsh environment, a foldable might not be ideal. But for most folks, these extreme and my year-long tests prove they’re surprisingly durable if you’re kind to them. If durability was the reason you’ve been put off buying one, it might not be as big an issue as you imagine.

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• Kamala Harris says she won't use wireless headphones for security reasons
• Vulnerabilities have been found in many big-name products
• Security risk is very very low, but it's not zero

Everybody loves wireless headphones – but perhaps everyone shouldn't. That's what Kamala Harris suggests, and she knows more than most of us: speaking to Stephen Colbert last week, she explained why her preference for wired earbuds over wireless ones wasn't because she's old-fashioned.

"I know I've been teased about this," she said. "But I like these kinds of earpods that have [a cable] because I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee."

As she explained: "I have been in classified briefings and I'm telling you, don't be on the train using your earpods [she meant AirPods here] thinking someone can't listen to your conversation."

This isn't tinfoil hat territory

With very few exceptions, most wireless headphones connect via Bluetooth – and earlier this year, German IT security analysts identified vulnerabilities in a whole host of headphones from very big names including Bose, Jabra, JBL, Marshall and Sony. The system-on-a-chip manufacturer that those firms use has since updated its SDK to deal with the issue, though we'd be foolish to assume it's the only one.

The presence of a vulnerability in a chip doesn't mean it has been or is going to be exploited. But it's a possibility. Last year BlueSpy demonstrated how to take advantage of such a vulnerability to record audio from "a particular high-end headset". And this year it emerged that a Bluetooth vulnerability could enable eavesdropping on in-car calls.

The risks from wireless devices aren't just interception. For example, the UK's Ministry of Justice notes that Bluetooth devices can be used to track someone's location. It also tells staff that while Bluetooth is fine for people working with "Official"-level material, it may not be safe enough for "Official-Sensitive or higher material".

The likelihood of the average pair of headphones or earbuds being intercepted by anyone is vanishingly small. And that's probably just as well, because 3.5mm audio jacks are vanishing too – although of course you could always use a USB-C adapter or DAC to go wired. But most of the best headphones today are wireless ones, especially for wearing outdoors – and doubly so if you want active noise cancellation. Wired ANC earbuds are nearly extinct, frustratingly for the security

For the average listener like you or I, the security risk is virtually zero. But if like Kamala Harris you don't exactly have an average job, there are plenty of people willing to invest serious time, talent and tech in trying to eavesdrop on your communications. And that could mean that the best wired earbuds are the smart move – going wireless could be going reckless.

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• Sam Altman posts on X about new products over the next couple of months
• Warns of “capacity crunches” and that things “may be slightly choppy"
• ChatGPT-5 possibly delayed as it didn't launch at the start of the month

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has posted on X.com that, “we have a ton of stuff to launch over the next couple of months – new models, products, features, and more”, but so far there is no sign of the widely expected ChatGPT-5.

Many news outlets have predicted that ChatGPT-5 was going to arrive in August, and it was hotly tipped to be released at the start of the month. However, as the calendar flicked over to August, all we got was the tweet from the OpenAI CEO.

The start of the month would have been the ideal time to launch ChatGPT-5, and the fact that Altman mentions the “next couple of months” means we might have to wait a little while yet for the release of OpenAI’s most impressive model.

we have a ton of stuff to launch over the next couple of months--new models, products, features, and more.please bear with us through some probable hiccups and capacity crunches. although it may be slightly choppy, we think you'll really love what we've created for you!August 2, 2025

At the same time, Altman warned that ChatGPT users could be in for some disruptions over the next couple of months: “Please bear with us through some probable hiccups and capacity crunches. Although it may be slightly choppy, we think you'll really love what we've created for you!”, he said.

Capacity cruches

As if on cue, a ChatGPT user has complained that the service has started to cap the number of image uploads that can be done a day to 30, without any notice.

User Rhizopus_Nigrians says, “This cripples the workflow for serious users. And I am one. I’ve paid for Plus since the beginning. I love it. I’ve promoted this tool to friends, peers, even students”, he posted.

Most of the other Reddit users on the thread point out that this is probably just a temporary bug, rather than an actual policy change by OpenAI. To test his theory I uploaded 40 images today, and there was no problem, however that doesn’t rule out that it could also be part of the “capacity crunches” or “hiccups” that Altman warned about in his tweet.

When will ChatGPT-5 arrive?

ChatGPT 5 is expected to be the first OpenAI model that will automatically route your request to its most appropriate model version, or research method, instead of you having to choose which confusingly-named model version to use. It’s also reported to have key improvements in accuracy, speed, and resource efficiency.

While it’s frustrating that OpenAI has missed the start of the month for a release of ChatGPT 5, there’s still plenty of time left in the month for an August release. What will be interesting to see is whether the release is only for Plus users or if free ChatGPT users will also get access to the new model.

When ChatGPT 5 is released, demand to use it will likely be at an all-time high, especially if it contains any improvements to the image generator, which is why I think Altman is keen to warn people that we may be in for some disruption now.

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