Error message

  • Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/common.inc).
  • Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in menu_set_active_trail() (line 2405 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/menu.inc).

Feed aggregator

New forum topics

Last-minute iPhone 16 Pro leak teases good news on pricing and battery life

TechRadar News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 04:02

We’re now just hours away from the launch of the iPhone 16 line – you can follow the build-up at our iPhone 16 event live blog – with Apple set to unveil these phones later today (September 9). The leaks haven’t stopped rolling in even at this late hour, and one last-minute leak contains several pieces of potentially good news.

In a post on X, reputable leaker Mark Gurman (via 9to5Mac) claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro’s starting price isn’t likely to be raised above the $999 of the iPhone 15 Pro. He didn’t talk about pricing for other regions, but for reference the current model starts at £999 / AU$1,849 in the UK and Australia, so it might be that Apple sticks with those prices too.

We weren’t specifically expecting a price rise prior to this leak, but we certainly hadn’t ruled one out either, so it’s encouraging to hear that Apple’s most expensive new phone after the iPhone 16 Pro Max might not come with a price hike.

I expect the touch sensitive camera button to be on all iPhone 16 models tomorrow. The slimmer bezels on the Pro line are noticeable, as are battery life improvements. I don’t expect the Pro entry price to be raised from $999. Big focus will be on AI & A18 chip across the board.September 9, 2024

Gurman also claimed that we'll see noticeable battery life improvements for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and that their bezels will be noticeably smaller than on the current models.

That’s in line with previous leaks which suggested the iPhone 16 Pro Max could have the smallest bezels of any phone, and that the Pro models could both have bigger batteries than their predecessors.

Echoing reports we've heard repeatedly from other sources, Gurman also said that all four iPhone 16 models will probably gain the widely rumored Capture button, for controlling the camera, and that Apple’s focus at the launch event will be AI and the new A18 chipset.

We'll find out very soon

While we should take all of the above with a pinch of salt, Mark Gurman has a superb track record for Apple leaks, and most of this is in line with things we’ve heard previously anyway.

We’ll know for sure soon enough, as Apple’s iPhone 16 launch starts at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, which is 3am on September 10 for those in the AEST time zone. 

We’ve already got an Apple ‘Glowtime’ event live blog up and running, where you can read about any more late leaks ahead of the event followed by all the announcements as they happen. And if you want to tune in yourself, here’s how to watch the iPhone 16 launch event live.

You might also like
Categories: Technology

Are greedy companies to blame for grocery inflation? We looked at the data

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 04:01

Many shoppers blame stores and manufacturers for supermarket inflation. But what do the companies' finances tell us?

(Image credit: Charly Triballeau)

Categories: News

Best Savings Rates Today, Sept. 9, 2024: Rates Top 5% APY -- But the Clock Is Ticking

CNET News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 04:00
Opening a high-yield savings account today allows you to maximize your earnings before the Fed cuts rates.
Categories: Technology

Hair and skin care products expose kids to hormone disrupting chemicals, study finds

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 04:00

A new study links the recent use of hair oils, lotions and other personal care products with higher levels of phthalates in children. The hormone-disrupting chemicals are a health concern for kids.

(Image credit: Allen Chen)

Categories: News

Ex-Memphis officers face trial in death of Black motorist Tyre Nichols

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 04:00

Jury selection begins Monday in the federal civil rights trial of three former Memphis police officers charged in the 2023 beating death of Black motorist Tyre Nichols.

(Image credit: AP)

Categories: News

Best 4K Home Security Cameras for 2024

CNET News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 03:42
Beef up protection in your home with high-quality ultra-HD security cameras, tested and ranked by our experts.
Categories: Technology

A Miami-Dade officer is put on leave after Dolphins star Tyreek Hill is detained

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 02:08

Hill was pulled over near the stadium for a traffic violation. The officers have been condemned for their use of force. The police department says it will review body camera footage.

(Image credit: Rebecca Blackwell)

Categories: News

Ultimate Ears' new Bluetooth speaker is super-tiny, super-light, and has an adorable name

TechRadar News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 02:00

As Oasis almost sang, if you're looking for a cute portable speaker with Auracast compatibility, you gotta Miniroll with it. The new Ultimate Ears Miniroll is a go-anywhere portable Bluetooth 5.3 speaker from one of the best-known audio brands, and unlike an Oasis ticket, it's not going to treble in price when you try to buy it.

The key selling point here is the small size and light weight: it weighs less than a pound (it's 279g, just under 9oz) and it's just 48 x 122 x 105mm high, long and wide, which makes it smaller than the vast majority of the options in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. It has a couple of hooks on the back that can attach it easily to your hiking gear, your clothing or anything else of a suitable size, including rods with diameters from 20mm to 35mm.

The speaker's small dimensions means there's room for just one active speaker, a 45.6mm full-range dynamic driver, but it's teamed with a passive radiator to boost the low end for a bit of extra bass. But the most important feature may be this speaker's sociability, because it's made with multi-speaker sound in mind.

Ultimate Ears Miniroll: key features, availability and pricing

The most interesting bit of tech here is what Ultimate Ears calls PartyUp with Auracast. It's a way of connecting multiple speakers together over Bluetooth, and here it enables you to connect an unlimited number of Miniroll speakers together – handy if you have multiple Minirolls or if your friends do. And with a promised 12 hours of playback between charges it's long-lasting enough for a day at the beach, a hike in the woods or just a day under the duvet.

The Miniroll is drop-proof to 1.2 meters and it uses more recycled materials than before: it's made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and at least 40% recycled plastic parts. 

The Ultimate Ears Miniroll is available in four colors (depending on regional availability) – Gentle Black, Majestic Blue, Revive Grey and Calming Pink – from today, 9 September. The price is $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$119.99, and that means it has stiff competition in the apparently-growing 'speakers you can hang off your bag' market from the excellent JBL Clip 5, which costs around the same. We look forward to putting them head to head!

You might also like
Categories: Technology

7 AI Tricks for Work Productivity That You Should Try and 1 You Shouldn't

CNET News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 02:00
AI can't do your job for you. But it can make you more productive -- if you use it in these ways.
Categories: Technology

Avast Free Antivirus review

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 01:49

If you’re looking for an effective malware-hunting companion, Avast Free Antivirus might not sound very promising. It’s the most basic product in the Avast range, a cut-down version of its free Avast One Essential security suite with most of the privacy tools stripped out; you’ll surely need more than that, won’t you?

Well, maybe not. AV-Comparatives is an independent lab that regularly runs in-depth tests of all the best antivirus software. Most vendors submit their full-featured paid security suites to be sure they get good results, but Avast sends this edition, Avast Free Antivirus. That shows huge confidence, but it’s easy to see why: this app, its most basic free version, regularly wipes the floor with almost all the paid competition.

Protection rates aren’t the only factor in choosing an antivirus, but they’re a very good start. Keep reading and we’ll dig into the detail, run our own tests, and find out more about whether Avast Free Antivirus could be the right malware hunter for you.

Avast Software Updater is a rare bonus feature. (Image credit: Future) Avast Free Antivirus: Features

Avast Free Antivirus can’t quite match the likes of Avira Free Security in the length of its feature list, but there’s a very good reason for that: it’s focused almost entirely on core antivirus functionality, and doesn’t waste your time with bonus extras you may never use.

Avast Free doesn’t have a VPN or a password manager, for instance, unlike Avira Free Security. But Avira’s free VPN is horribly limited, with a 500MB data limit a month and no ability to change location, and although its password works, it’s extremely basic and no match for market leaders like Dashlane.

Avast Free does have a few bonus tools. The Network Inspector checks your network for vulnerabilities and finds all its connected devices; the Software Updater looks out for missing security patches, and Avast's Ransomware Shield prevents untrusted apps from modifying files. 

Where Avast Free wins out, though, is with its core protection engines. It has full system-wide web protection to block phishing and other malicious websites, for instance; Avira doesn’t include full web protection in the free edition (the best you can do is install extensions for specific browsers.)

(Image credit: Future) Avast Free Antivirus: Getting Started

If you’re the type of person who runs an app installer and accepts every default setting, then Avast Free Antivirus could cause you a problem. It also installs Avast Secure Browser and sets it as your default browser unless you notice the warning (in suspiciously tiny print) and clear the checkboxes. We’ve no problem with a provider offering extras like this, but they shouldn’t be installed unless you specifically select them.

The Avast Free Antivirus app looks great. The screens are a subdued gray and white, but they’re brought to life with eye-catching splashes of green and orange. Icons are large, and you’re never left wondering what they mean because they all have a text caption. And with animations everywhere - panels moving in from the left, highlights fading up and down as you move the mouse cursor over them - the app feels more like a polished modern website than the usual dull static Windows app.

(Image credit: Future)

There are neat usability touches everywhere. Many free apps don’t highlight which functions you can use and which you can’t, so you’re regularly choosing an option and getting a ‘CAN’T DO THAT UNLESS YOU PAY!!’ screen. Avast makes it instantly clear with an icon at the top right of each button: a padlock means you can’t use it, a down arrow means you can use it but there’s something to install first, and no icon means it’s all yours. 

The first time you click any option Avast displays a clear explanation of what it does. (Image credit: Future)

When you click any option for the first time, Avast displays a help page quickly and clearly explaining what the feature does and how to use it. It’s another neat touch which avoids confusion and helps you feel at home right away.

Avast Free Antivirus delivers better protection than most paid products. (Image credit: Future) Avast Free Antivirus: Protection

We track the performance of all the top antivirus apps as reported by independent testing labs including AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, MRG Effitas and SE Labs. Most providers submit their full-featured paid versions for testing, but Avast sends its free edition, which shows a lot of confidence in its power.

That confidence seems fully justified, too. We keep an aggregate score of antivirus performance across nine major tests, and currently Avast Free Antivirus is equal first with Bitdefender and McAfee. (ESET, F-Secure and Norton are equal fourth, and Avira follows in seventh place.)

Avast Free Antivirus automatically blocks access to dangerous websites. (Image credit: Future)

Lab results are important, but we’re always keen to run further tests of our own. We began by attempting to access 50 of the latest phishing URLs, as collected by experts at OpenPhish. Avast did a good job, blocking 86% immediately. Bitdefender Antivirus Free was relatively disappointing at 64%. Avira Security Free scored a little better in recent tests with a 90% protection rate, but that was with a browser extension only. Avast Free wins overall because it has system-wide browsing protection which protects every browser and app on your device.

We switched to our malware test, and tried to download some very dangerous files from 50 brand new links. Avast Free did an excellent job, blocking 94% of threats either at the URL level, or when the files hit our hard drive. That couldn’t match Bitdefender Antivirus Free, which blocked 100% of our test threats, but was just ahead of Avira Free’s 90%.

These results can vary significantly depending on the files and links we use, but, on balance, we think they match the independent lab reports: Avast and Bitdefender Free are too closely matched to call, and Avira is just a fraction behind.

Scans are accurate, but are always trying to sell you an upgrade. (Image credit: Future) Avast Free Antivirus: Comprehensive Antivirus

Avast Free Antivirus automatically monitors your device to detect malicious files as they appear, but if you want to run a manual check, it has more scan types than anyone else, even paid products.

The Smart Scan runs a quick antivirus scan in under a minute, for instance, and also looks for poorly configured system settings which might compromise your security. Bitdefender’s Vulnerability Scan tries to do something similar, but we found Avast spotted more relevant issues and gave better advice.

The catch? Smart Scan also checks for a bunch of performance and other issues which can’t be fixed with the free version, and repeatedly prompts you to upgrade to fix them all (it took us an extra four clicks to get rid of the upselling attempts and return to the dashboard.) It’s a little annoying, and more pushy than most of the competition, but no surprise: you’re getting leading-edge antivirus for free, of course Avast is going to try to sell you an upgrade. 

Quick scan not enough? Avast can even run from bootable USB keys. (Image credit: Future)

If you’re looking for something more thorough, the Full System Scan checks your entire device for threats. This can take a very time, perhaps hours, but Avast Scans are faster the second time around.

That’s good, but it’s only the beginning. Avast Free can also run custom scans of whatever files, folders or drives you need, either from the app or the Explorer right-click menu. A Boot-Time scan can remove stealthy threats by checking your system before Windows loads. If that doesn’t work, Avast Free can even create a bootable USB key to scan your device without Windows running, helping catch stealthy threats that you couldn’t remove otherwise. Bitdefender Antivirus Free isn’t nearly as generous, leaving its own Rescue Environment and all but the most essential scan types for paying customers only.

While everyone likes free extras, we much prefer the Avast Free focus on its core antivirus protection. You probably don’t need a horribly limited VPN, but we’ll bet you do need comprehensive malware protection, and that’s where Avast Free Antivirus excels.

Avast Free antivirus: Final verdict

Most top free antivirus apps leave out at least some key features to try and persuade you to upgrade (Avira Free leaves out web protection, Bitdefender Free drops most of its advanced scap types), but not Avast Free Antivirus. It has all the real-time and web filtering technologies you need, and they block more malware than just about anyone else.

If you’re looking for more functionality, though, don’t rule out Avast One Essential. It has the same excellent protection, and includes extras like a free VPN. (Sure, it’s a very limited VPN - no kill switch, can’t change location - but with 5GB of free data a week, it might work for basic browsing.)

We've listed the best cloud antivirus.

Categories: Reviews

Would you take guitar lessons from an AI-powered Jimi Hendrix? The future could have a purple haze…

TechRadar News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 01:01

If you’re a guitar player then you've probably heard about, or used, the Ultimate Guitar app for Android and iOS, for finding the chords and lyrics to thousands of popular songs. If you produce podcasts or record your own songs, then you’ve probably also heard of Audacity too, which we named the best open-source audio editor in our best audio editor of 2024 round up. Muse Group, the creator of both these apps, has been one of the early adopters of AI technology, and it's using AI right now to turn people into better guitarists.

As a keen amateur guitarist I’ve often used the Ultimate Guitar website and app for its catalogue of tabs for popular songs. While not quite proper musical notation, tabs are one step up from simple lyrics and chords listings. Tabs show you where to put your fingers on the strings in a visual way, without having to know how to read music. So, if you want to know how to play Wonderwall, you search for it in Ultimate Guitar and you’ll find the lyrics and chords, or the tab versions people have submitted.

Trying not to look back in anger, searching for Oasis tabs (Image credit: Ultimate Guitar/Google)

Usually it’s up to you to work the song out next, but Ultimate Guitar subscribers have access to an AI-powered Practice Mode which can detect if you’re hitting the right notes at the right time, and give you feedback. It can also adjust the scrolling speed of the musical notation on screen as you play, using AI to determine where you are in the song. We asked Martin Keary, VP of Product at Muse Group, about how the company was using AI to help people learn instruments and if its listening mode signaled the end for traditional guitar teachers.

“At Muse Group we’ve taken the approach that you can never really replace a guitar teacher with AI”, Martin told us, “but what you can do is get AI to help them teach. If you think about it, what a lot of a guitar teacher gives you as homework, it’s scales, it’s playing chords, all those things the AI can help you get better at by telling you if you’re doing it right. But so much of playing guitar is physical, it’s fixing your hand position, it’s fixing your posture as you play. You’ll always need a teacher for that.” 

The AI tools in Ultimate Guitar require a subscription, which costs $39.99 / £39.99 / AU$59.99 a year. Can it, I wondered, teach a tone-deaf person to play guitar?

“Well, tone-deaf, I’m not so sure, but I’m going to say, yes!“ says Martin. “I think with the help of Practice Mode you get such direct feedback on what you’re playing that over time you’d have to improve”.

'Scuse me while I kiss the sky

AI has also been used in other Muse Group products, like the popular Audacity audio editor. Audacity is much loved, because it has always been a great free option for recording audio on your Mac or PC. There’s a plug-in called OpenVINO that will use AI to take any recording and separate the different instruments out into different tracks, which you can turn on or off. So, if you wanted to jam along to something on the drums you could remove the drum track from a song, then play along to it. The plug-in runs 100% on your local PC using your processor, rather than calling on servers from the cloud for help.

Something Martin is keen to stress is the strong ethical position Muse Group is taking with AI. “One thing we’ve done is to build our own AI technology ourselves, and make sure it’s only trained on music that has no copyright associated with it.”

As the recent RIAA lawsuit involving popular AI music creation software Suno has proved, we are in uncharted waters when it comes to the legality of AI and its use of copyrighted material for training purposes. ChatGPT is encountering similar issues.

Another thing AI does very well is imitate famous people in the form of chatbots. What does Martin think about, for example, the idea of getting guitar tips from an AI-generated Jimi Hendrix, or Kurt Cobain?

“This is something we’ve discussed a bit," he says. “It’s certainly possible, but it would have to be done with the complete agreement from the individual artists, or their estates. I'd imagine it would be incredible if somebody like Jimi Hendrix could demonstrate how he'd approach playing a given piece of music you're trying to learn. I should mention at this point that we are not actively developing this idea right now.“

If all the legal agreements were in place, I personally, would love a guitar lesson from AI Jimi Hendrix. I can just imagine him saying, “Well, you could play it like that man, but I think this way is much more beautiful, here let me show you how...”

You may also like
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sept. 9

CNET News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 00:25
Here are the answers for the NYT Mini Crossword for Sept. 9.
Categories: Technology

Withings releases a Brilliant edition of the ScanWatch Nova, but I think its design is anything but

TechRadar News - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 00:18

Hybrid smartwatch maker Withings has just announced a couple of fresh color options for the ScanWatch Nova and with it, a slightly new name in the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant. Intended to be more of an elegant, dress watch – as opposed to the more diver-centric style of the current ScanWatch Nova – customers in the US and Australia (UK availability is TBC) have the choice of titanium silver or “bicolor silver and gold” finishes. 

To coincide with the new color options, Withings has also bestowed a white dial upon the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant, with a white sub-dial at 6 o’clock to track progress towards a goal you define in the companion app, and the now-customary OLED display at 12 o’clock to show notifications and other health-related information. 

Adding to its dress-watch nature is a smaller watch face of 39mm compared to the standard Nova’s 42mm, making it not only easier to slip under a shirt cuff but making it better suited to smaller wrists, too. It’s also not quite as water-resistant, being good for up to 50 meters (5ATM) compared to the 100 meters (10ATM) of the Nova. 

Inside, it’s very much business as usual for Withings, with a number of health tracking and monitoring features – which can also be found on the ScanWatch 2 – including a heart rate monitor, SpO2 sensor and an on-demand medical-grade electrocardiogram (ECG), which can help to detect irregular heartbeats. It once again misses out on built-in GPS, but can use the capabilities of your phone to track distance travelled during workouts. 

It also boasts a 30-day battery life and launches at the same price as the ScanWatch Nova in the US ($599.99) and Australia (AU$799.99). 

Hybrid design, now a little less hybrid-ey

I’m a big fan of Withings smartwatches. I think the hybrid design is clever and a great option for anyone who wants health-tracking smarts, but without the obvious all-digital face on their wrist. I appreciate traditional analog watches, and so the current Nova is a perfect smartwatch – as you’ll find out in my Withings SmartWatch Nova review – but I’m not quite sold on the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant for one glaring reason. 

It certainly does look like an analog watch – the Rolex Day-Date is an immediate comparison that comes to mind – and I like the use of a white dial as a means to offer customers something different to the black of the Nova. But the digital display at 12 o’clock remaining black is a slight faux pas in my opinion. 

The black dial on the Withings ScanWatch Nova does a better job at hiding the OLED display (Image credit: Future)

The appeal of Withings watches to me is that they hide the fact they have a digital brain, something that is amplified by the use of black dials to camouflage the OLED screen. But having the obvious contrast of both white and black dials in the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant ruins that illusion. Something I think Withings could have done was produce a sort of ‘panda’ watch, a term in the world of horology to reference watches with white dials and black sub-dials at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock. 

In the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant, there could have been a black sub-dial at 6 o’clock to balance the overall look. Of course, with many ‘panda’ watches falling into the sports or aviation-style watch categories, and the Nova Brilliant being more of a dress watch, this may not have worked.

The Breitling Premier B01 is a classic example of a 'panda' watch. (Image credit: Breitling)

The other option would be to give the digital display at 12 o’clock a white background with black numbers and characters. It’s an OLED display after all, so it’s something that can definitely be done. At the very least, it would have been nice to have seen an option in the companion app that allows you to change the background in a similar fashion to how we can change the theme of other smartphones to light or dark. But, there’s no mention of this in the official press release, and there’s currently no such option available for the ScanWatch Nova, so I’m not expecting it to show up for the Nova Brilliant. It’s also not possible to make the display white on the white-dialled ScanWatch 2, only adding to the expectation the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant will also go without.

I think it’s a shame, because as much as I enjoy Withings’ watches, I personally can’t see myself wearing the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant to a formal event. I’d prefer to wear something a little more understated, or at the very least attract attention for the right reasons. Having an obvious black OLED screen on show isn’t such a good look in my book. But, maybe I’m a watch snob?

You might also like...
Categories: Technology

A Filipino preacher on the run from sexual abuse charges surrenders

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 09/09/2024 - 00:03

Apollo Quiboloy, accused of sexual abuse and human trafficking in the Philippines and similar charges in the United States, surrendered Sunday to authorities, officials said.

(Image credit: Aaron Favila/AP)

Categories: News

GOP report on Afghanistan withdrawal faults Biden and could add fuel to presidential debate

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 09/08/2024 - 23:01

House Foreign Affairs Committee report claims the Biden administration prioritized "optics" over safety. Democrats, the minority on the panel, reject the findings as relying on "cherry-picked" testimony.

Categories: News

Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Sept. 9, #1178

CNET News - Sun, 09/08/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1178 for Sept. 9.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 9, #456

CNET News - Sun, 09/08/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 456 for Sept. 9.
Categories: Technology

Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Sept. 9, #190

CNET News - Sun, 09/08/2024 - 22:00
Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Sept. 9 Strands puzzle, No. 190.
Categories: Technology

Not just the iPhone 16 – Apple could announce new iPads in October

TechRadar News - Sun, 09/08/2024 - 21:19

The launch of the iPhone 16 is less than 24 hours away, but according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, Apple's Glowtime event won't be its last major unveiling of the year – more announcements are expected in October.

We’ve already been teased by the potential arrival of a redesigned Mac mini, as well the possibility of seeing M4-powered MacBooks, but now Gurman expects an October reveal of a new iPad model as well.

The iPad mini 7 has been rumored for quite some time. While initially expected to debut alongside the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10 at today’s (September 9) event, Gurman’s prediction makes sense as we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's Glowtime event

No matter when the rumored iPad mini is announced, this is good news as the last model was the iPad Mini (2021), so a refresh is long overdue.

iPad Mini 7: what to expect

We have a wishlist of what we want to see from the iPad mini 7, but the key rumors suggest a new chipset and a more compact design than its predecessor. While we’re not expecting the rumored M4 chip to power an iPad mini like it does the iPad Pro models, Gurman speculates that it might include Apple Intelligence support, which means it could be powered by the A17 Pro chip at the very least.

Gurman's use of "iPad models" in his speculations also makes us question the whispers of a larger 8.7-inch iPad mini with an OLED screen (compared to an 8.3-inch LCD display in the standard model), which we had previously written off as early iPad mini 8 rumors. But do we really need multiple iPad mini models?

There’s a reason we’ve questioned whether the iPad mini can survive. With plus-sized iPhones, the iPad 10.9 (2022) and the 11- and 13-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro already having carved a place for themselves, most use cases are covered. Still, a mid-sized and mid-priced tablet around eight inches might just be the sweet spot for users who want a decent tablet for gaming, streaming and reading – while still being able to hold in one hand.

October’s announcements, potentially featuring a whole new Mac lineup and new iPads, are certainly something to look forward to but, before that, there’s still a big event happening today at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or 3am AEST September 10 AEST) that will see the debut of the latest Apple flagship phones and wearables. As always, we’ll have boots on the ground covering the event, and you can follow along with our live blog to ensure you don't miss a thing.

You might also like...
Categories: Technology

Quordle today – hints and answers for Monday, September 9 (game #959)

TechRadar News - Sun, 09/08/2024 - 18:02

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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

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

Quordle today (game #959) - 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 #959) - 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 #959) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• B

• T

• M

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

Quordle today (game #959) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #959, are…

  • CHIRP
  • BEADY
  • THETA
  • MINUS

Quordle appears to have had one of its periodic leveling up transformations, with the main game now split into three: Daily Chill, Daily Classic and Daily Extreme. These give different numbers of guesses and a variable level of difficulty, as you'd expect – and I can confirm that Extreme is very tough indeed.

For now I'm going to continue to focus on the Classic variety, which today was relatively tricky with a repeated T in THETA and a couple of fairly uncommon words.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #959) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #959, are…

  • STONY
  • ULCER
  • BRIAR
  • KITTY
Quordle answers: The past 20
  • Quordle #958, Sunday 8 September: TEASE, AGATE, PRIDE, PLATE
  • Quordle #957, Saturday 7 September: LASSO, TILDE, BUNCH, PRONG
  • Quordle #956, Friday 6 September: FARCE, WOOLY, LOCAL, NIGHT
  • Quordle #955, Thursday 5 September: SNIDE, EGRET, AMONG, SHINY
  • Quordle #954, Wednesday 4 September: POINT, WITTY, GAFFE, ABUSE
  • Quordle #953, Tuesday 3 September: ATOLL, ANGER, OCEAN, SWEEP
  • Quordle #952, Monday 2 September: HABIT, LODGE, PLAIN, DRIFT
  • Quordle #951, Sunday 1 September: RABBI, CRAWL, GUPPY, BRAND
  • Quordle #950, Saturday 31 August: AWOKE, TIBIA, ITCHY, SNACK
  • Quordle #949, Friday 30 August: ARISE, OLDER, ISSUE, ERUPT
  • Quordle #948, Thursday 29 August: DECAY, DRUID, AVOID, KNEED
  • Quordle #947, Wednesday 28 August: VIOLA, GONER, CAVIL, SHARE
  • Quordle #946, Tuesday 27 August: ABYSS, DAILY, AGONY, MUSKY
  • Quordle #945, Monday 26 August: NEVER, CHUNK, AUNTY, CROUP
  • Quordle #944, Sunday 25 August: APTLY, LEVER, STORK, WIDOW
  • Quordle #943, Saturday 24 August: EVENT, APNEA, SWATH, IRONY
  • Quordle #942, Friday 23 August: LAUGH, SATYR, CACHE, CLONE
  • Quordle #941, Thursday 22 August: BEARD, PAYER, BROWN, TRUCK
  • Quordle #940, Wednesday 21 August: ALOFT, SNUCK, LAPSE, COMIC
  • Quordle #939, Tuesday 20 August: CHIEF, SNORT, OUNCE, MILKY
Categories: Technology

Pages

Subscribe to The Vortex aggregator