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Quordle hints and answers for Friday, May 23 (game #1215)

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 09:00
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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, May 22 (game #1214).

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 #1215) - 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 #1215) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1215) - 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 #1215 - 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 #1215) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• G

• A

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1215) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1215, are…

  • SHIRE
  • GIANT
  • AWAIT
  • CAPER

This was a no-hesitation, “first thought best thought” round for me, where I went with the first word that came into my head. 

Of course, breezing through games like this quickly has more to do with playing Quordle a lot than any actual skills, as all these words have appeared in the game before.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1215) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1215, are…

  • DRAPE
  • PRANK
  • VALUE
  • SWELL
Quordle answers: The past 20
  • Quordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCEL
  • Quordle #1213, Wednesday, 21 May: NOVEL, CHOSE, DIRTY, DONUT
  • Quordle #1212, Tuesday, 20 May: DECOY, SHAKE, MAPLE, PURER
  • Quordle #1211, Monday, 19 May: LINK, HANDY, DITCH, WAIVE
  • Quordle #1210, Sunday, 18 May: QUACK, ROACH, PURGE, DOWNY
  • Quordle #1209, Saturday, 17 May: STRIP, RANGE, UNITE, GEESE
  • Quordle #1208, Friday, 16 May: SHEEP, SNUCK, DRIFT, BREAK
  • Quordle #1207, Thursday, 15 May: PAINT, CROUP, PEDAL, FLUKE
  • Quordle #1206, Wednesday, 14 May: FAVOR, METER, PICKY, MAKER
  • Quordle #1205, Tuesday, 13 May: SCENT, AGAPE, POLAR, YEARN
  • Quordle #1204, Monday, 12 May: ROYAL, ARGUE, BUNCH, READY
  • Quordle #1203, Sunday, 11 May: QUASH, MUNCH, ALTER, UNDUE
  • Quordle #1202, Saturday, 10 May: RELIC, BADGE, CHAMP, SATIN
  • Quordle #1201, Friday, 9 May: MINUS, CRIME, NOSEY, SLAIN
  • Quordle #1200, Thursday, 8 May: ELUDE, GREET, POPPY, ELITE
  • Quordle #1199, Wednesday, 7 May: QUOTH, TRUNK, BESET, NAIVE
  • Quordle #1198, Tuesday, 6 May: UNITE, SOGGY, FILET, PORCH
  • Quordle #1197, Monday, 5 May: WREAK, COWER, STEAD, QUEUE
  • Quordle #1196, Sunday, 4 May: PINCH, SMOKE, SCARY, CANNY
  • Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
Categories: Technology

Too Many Nightly Trips to the Bathroom? Simple Tips for Peeing Less and Saving Sleep

CNET News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 08:00
If you wake up multiple times a night to use the bathroom, you might want to take these five steps to save your sleep.
Categories: Technology

3i's New Affordable Robot Vacuum Can Compact Dust Like a Roomba and Mop Your Floors

CNET News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 08:00
The 3i G10 Plus is an affordable robot vacuum that can compact dust in its dustbin like a Roomba, letting you go 60 days without emptying.
Categories: Technology

Businesses are overwhelmingly concerned about the security threats of AI

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 08:00
  • Thales surveyed more than 3,000 IT experts about Generative AI
  • The researchers found plenty of concern about security
  • Despite the worries, businesses are accelerating adoption

Despite seeing it as a major innovation driver, businesses are overwhelmingly concerned about the security threats of artificial intelligence (AI). This is according to the 2025 Thales Data Threat Report, the company’s annual report on the latest data security threats, trends, and emerging topics.

Based on a survey of more than 3,100 IT and security professionals in 20 countries and across 15 industries, the Thales report found that nearly 70% of organizations view the rapid advancement of AI as their biggest security risk. Generative AI, which can create text and images from simple text prompts, is a particular concern.

Drilling deeper into these ideas, integrity and trustworthiness issues emerge as major challenges. Almost two-thirds (64%) of the respondents worry about AI’s lack of integrity, while 57% cited ‘trustworthiness’ as a major challenge. Also, since different GenAI functions like training, inference, or content generation, depend on user-provided data, the respondents expressed their concerns about increasing exposure to data security risks.

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Regardless of these worries, organizations are still accelerating their AI adoption, the report further explains, hinting that this puts them at unnecessary risk. In fact, a third of businesses are actively integrating GenAI into operations despite not ensuring full security of their systems. Spending on GenAI has become one of the key priorities for organizations, second only to cloud security.

“The fast-evolving GenAI landscape is pressuring enterprises to move quickly, sometimes at the cost of caution, as they race to stay ahead of the adoption curve,” Eric Hanselman, Chief Analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence 451 Research, said. “Many enterprises are deploying GenAI faster than they can fully understand their application architectures, compounded by the rapid spread of SaaS tools embedding GenAI capabilities, adding layers of complexity and risk.”

Almost three-quarters (73%) of professionals reported investing in AI-specific security tools with either new or existing budgets, Thales’ report concluded.

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Categories: Technology

What is the release date and time for Doctor Who season 2 episode 7 on Disney+ and BBC One?

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 08:00

Doctor Who season 2 – or season 15 for anyone who's watched the show since its 2005 revival – is almost over. With two episodes left before the legendary sci-fi series departs our screens once more, you'll want to know when this season's penultimate chapter will be released.

Below, I'll tell you when season 2 episode 7, titled 'Wish World', will be available to watch. You'll also find a full release schedule for Doctor Who's latest season, which includes details on when its finale will arrive.

What time can I watch Doctor Who season 2 episode 7?

Doctor Who season 2's second-to-last episode will be available to stream on BBC One and BBC iPlayer (UK) and Disney+ (internationally) on Saturday, May 24.

Depending on where you live, 'Wish World' will be released at different times. Here's a rundown on when you can watch via the BBC on British shores and Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services, if you live outside of the UK (NB: if you live in a country that isn't listed below, use one of the following times to work out when you can watch it).

  • US – 12am PT / 3am ET
  • UK – 8am BST (BBC iPlayer) / 7:10pm BST (BBC One)
  • Australia – 5pm AEST
  • Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
  • Brazil – 4am BRT
  • India – 12:30pm IST
  • New Zealand – 7pm NZST
  • Japan – 4pm JST
  • Singapore – 3pm SGT
Where can I stream Doctor Who season 2 episode 7?

A post shared by Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho)

A photo posted by on

As I mentioned above, UK viewers can tune into BBC iPlayer or BBC One to catch 'Wish World'. If you want to avoid any major spoilers, I'd recommend watching it as soon as it's released on iPlayer. Otherwise, stay off social media so you don't have any big surprises ruined before you catch it in the evening on BBC One.

As for the rest of the world, Disney+ is the only place you can stream Doctor Who's next episode. So, no matter whether you live in the US, Australia, or any other nation that's not the UK, you can watch the penultimate chapter of one of the best Disney+ shows' latest season on that platform.

Doctor Who season 2 full episodic release schedule

Meet the Unholy Trinity.... Archie Panjabi joins #DoctorWho as legendary character the Rani! pic.twitter.com/byGN0vC1keMay 17, 2025

Unless you've skipped to the end of this article, you'll know that 'Wish World' is the second-to-last episode of Doctor Who season 2.

So, with only one chapter, titled 'The Reality War' left after this week's entry, when will episode 8 be available to watch? Read on to find out more:

  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 1 – out now
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 2 – out now
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 3 – out now
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 4 – out now
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 5 – out now
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 6 – out now
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 7 – Saturday, May 24
  • Doctor Who season 2 episode 8 – Saturday, May 31
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Categories: Technology

South Africa's president is praised for staying calm during Trump's Oval Office ambush

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 07:54

South Africans credit President Cyril Ramaphosa for keeping his cool as President Trump made a choreographed presentation accusing the country of murdering white farmers.

(Image credit: Evan Vucci)

Categories: News

Vertagear announces new partnership with Audi to launch a gaming chair collection and you can pre-order them right now

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 07:45
  • Vertagear announces new collaboration with Audi to launch a gaming chair collection
  • Three chairs, including the SL3800 Audi Edition, SL5800 RS Edition, and PL4800 Audi Sport Edition, are now available for pre-order
  • The gaming chairs are fitted with Vertagear’s patented ergonomic innovations and are expected to ship by July 15

Vertagear, the ergonomic gaming chair specialist, has announced a new partnership with Audi to launch a gaming chair collection.

This new collaboration is said to combine Audi’s precision craftsmanship with Vertagear’s industry-leading expertise in adaptive seating design for both gamers and professionals.

Right now, there are three gaming chairs available to pre-order. There's the black and red SL3800 Audi Edition for $499, designed for everyday comfort, featuring plush microsuede and Audi's signature aesthetic.

The white and black SL5800 RS Edition for $599 for high-performance seating enhanced by HygennX technology for lasting freshness and comfort, and finally, the black and red PL4800 Audi Sport Edition priced at $699. This chair is designed specifically for tall users and offers durable microsuede and Audi Sport’s iconic design elements for maximum support and style.

Each chair is fitted with Vertagear’s patented ergonomic innovations to ensure superior comfort and support for extended gaming or work sessions.

These include ContourMax Lumbar support for the user's posture, which reduces tension and promotes natural spine alignment.

A VertaAir Seat system with air cushioning technology to enhance breathability, improve circulation, and provide optimal weight distribution, as well as the aforementioned HygennX Technology, for odor control and quick-drying, combined with antimicrobial silver-coated embroidery for long-lasting freshness.

All the gaming chairs are expected to ship out by July 15, 2025.

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Categories: Technology

I Hated Smart Glasses Until I Tried Google's Android XR. Now I See the Potential

CNET News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 07:00
Commentary: I had to see it to truly believe it.
Categories: Technology

'Untold: The Liver King' Is in Netflix's Top 10: Here Are 3 More 'Untold' Documentaries That Are Even Better

CNET News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 07:00
Commentary: Netflix's Untold documentary series has covered some wild stuff.
Categories: Technology

The latest Android 16 beta includes the Material 3 Expressive redesign and more – here’s what the update brings

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:54
  • Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 is out now
  • This includes Android's big Material 3 Expressive redesign
  • However, these changes won't roll out with the first version of Android 16

Hot on the heels of Google’s Android Show, the company has now rolled out its new look Android in beta form.

If you have a compatible handset (meaning a Pixel phone from the Google Pixel 6 onwards), you can now download Android QPR1 (quarterly platform release 1) Beta 1, the headline feature of which is the new Material 3 Expressive redesign.

This gives Android a whole new look, with major visual changes to the lock screen, the launcher, the quick settings screen, and notifications. And these aren’t just static visuals, as Material 3 Expressive also includes new motion effects.

Examples of Material 3 Expressive (Image credit: Google)More sizes, more tiles, and new effects

Beyond that, this beta also features various other changes, many of which have been dug up by 9to5Google. These include things like new grid size options for the home screen, a reduction in the size of the At a Glance widget, the option to add more quick settings tiles, and the ability to add various effects – such as animated weather effects – to any wallpaper.

So there’s quite a lot here, though the main thing you’ll likely notice is just how different everything looks to on Android 15.

If you’ve signed up for the Android 16 beta program and have a Pixel 6 or newer then you should automatically gain access to this beta. If not, you can opt in on the Android beta page.

That said, this being a beta it won’t be as stable as a finished release, so unless you’re desperate to try out Android’s new look, we’d suggest waiting.

Android 16 is expected to roll out in finished form in the second quarter of the year – so by the end of June, but the Material 3 Expressive redesign seen in this beta won’t land until the first QPR update, which should land later this year.

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Categories: Technology

Google announces surprise health upgrades for your Garmin watch

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:52
  • Google Health Connect will soon support Garmin
  • Mi Fitness and Runna will also be supported from June
  • A few other updates are coming to Google Health Connect for developers

Google I/O always kicks off with an opening keynote, but the developer conference features big software announcements across its various talks and events – and one such reveal at Google I/O 2025 is that Google’s Health Connect will soon be compatible with Runna, Mi Fitness, and Garmin.

Google Health Connect, which launched back in 2022, is Android’s Apple Health equivalent. It allows you to easily share health metrics and fitness data across devices and between apps, while privacy controls allow you to choose what data is and isn’t shared.

Starting in June, Mi Fitness (Xiaomi’s fitness wearable app), Runna (the excellent running coach app that Strava recently acquired) and Garmin will be able to share data with Health Connect, as revealed on its Android Stage, and spotted by Android Central.

Google Health Connect can interface with many apps (Image credit: Google)

That’s not the only change coming to Health Connect. As is the case with most I/O announcements, these are app developer-focused, but there are some features we wanted to highlight.

First, Health Connect will support new medical records APIs. Users will be able to directly enter details into apps to highlight their allergies and immunizations, and apps can be designed to interface with clinics and practices to use a person’s medical records as a source for information

History reads should allow apps to more easily spot health trends over time, to keep users better informed.

These features will require app updates before they can be implemented, and will in most cases require you to grant permission for your data to be shared, but they mark a solid upgrade to Google’s Health Connect services.

They should help us squeeze more usefulness out of the best smartwatches, best smart rings, and perhaps soon (thanks to Android XR) best smart glasses that many of us are now wearing so we can monitor our health a little better.

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Categories: Technology

Two Israeli embassy aides killed. And, House passes Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:45

Two staff members of Israel's embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot dead last night outside of a Jewish museum. And, House Republicans passed President Trump's bill.

(Image credit: ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Categories: News

Google Beam 3D video conferencing could change your work calls forever

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:42
  • Project Starline becomes Google Beam, and will be for enterprises only
  • AI turns feed from six cameras into 3D video, while AI translates from supported languages
  • We'll see the first HP hardware to support Google Beam at next month's InfoComm conference

After around four years of very few apparent developments, Google confirmed that its Project Starline is still going ahead at its annual developer conference, I/O, in 2025.

This time under the new and public-facing name of Beam, the concept revolves around life-like video calls that use advanced hardware, computer vision and machine learning to create 3D video conferencing experiences with no glasses or headsets needed.

Rather than gathering data from tens of cameras (it still uses six), Beam will use a state-of-the-art AI volumetric video model to convert 2D video into a realistic 3D feed.

Google's Project Starline becomes Beam

Besides six cameras, Google has confirmed that Beam will use a light field display for true depth and a sense of dimension. The AI merges the six video streams, tracking head movements and rendering the video call at 60fps. Beam can also support natural eye contact and subtle expression recognition to make the video call hyper realistic.

Being a flagship video conferencing tool, it should come as no surprise that this 3D holographic platform will get the same real-time speech translation that Meet gets, with the system able to maintain voice, tone and facial expressions for natural multilingual communication.

However, there's a big catch, and it's not the price (which is unconfirmed). It's that general consumers won't get to experience the tech unless they work for one of Google's enterprise clients. It'll launch to select customers later this year, with the first HP hardware devices being showcased at InfoComm next month.

For context, Logitech's Project Ghost, a similar pod-based system that aims to curb Zoom fatigue with a slightly less advanced 2D system, costs around $15,000-$20,000 per booth.

Google confirmed that Deloitte, Salesforce, Citadel, NEC, Hackensack Meridian Health, Duolingo and Recruit have all already registered their interest in Beam. Google Beam General Manager Andrew Nartker added: "We’re working with industry leading partners like Zoom and HP to bring Google Beam to enterprises."

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Categories: Technology

Ninja's best coffee maker just got a makeover, and it looks so good it's selling out already

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:27
  • The Ninja Luxe Café comes in two new colors: Trace Blue and Gunmetal Gray
  • Trace Blue has proved particularly popular, and has already sold out
  • They follow the launch of the updated Ninja Luxe Café Pro earlier this month

The Ninja Luxe Café is one of the best coffee makers we've tested in recent months, and it just got even better with two limited edition soft colorways to add a touch of class to your kitchen.

The Ninja Luxe Café is an unusual coffee maker, capable of making espresso, filter coffee, and cold-brew – and doing all three well (see our full Ninja Luxe Café review for more details). It was available in a sharp stainless steel finish when it launched last year, and now you can also pick it up in a subtle hue called Trace Blue, and a darker shade called Gunmetal Gray.

The two new colors are available in the US, but Trace Blue has proved particularly popular and is currently sold out in Ninja's online store, but Gunmetal Gray is still in stock, and you can register for email updates to be informed when Trace Blue is back.

(Image credit: SharkNinja)

These new shades follow a bigger trend for kitchen appliances in soft, muted colors rather than the usual black and silver. For example, Breville recently gave its best espresso machine, the Barista Touch Impress, a new look in shades of cream, navy, and olive green with brass accents.

Meanwhile, KitchenAid toned down its coffee makers with a creamy colorway called Porcelain White, and unveiled the Design Series Evergreen stand mixer with a matt green body and walnut wood bowl.

Tidy tamping

The designers at Ninja have been busy, and earlier this month the company unveiled a new version of the Luxe Café with a lever-operated tamping system that takes the effort and skill out of pressing ground coffee into the perfect puck.

The system also makes coffee-brewing tidier, because there's no need to move a portafilter full of loose grounds and risk spilling them on your kitchen counter.

The Ninja Luxe Café Pro is available now from Ninja for $749.99 / £699.99 (about AU$1,200).

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Categories: Technology

Spotify’s new Upcoming Releases hub may be my new favorite feature since Daylists, and now I can see all my pre-saved albums

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:20
  • Spotify has launched a new feature in its search hub called Upcoming Releases
  • Users can now view and pre-save upcoming albums from two lists based on their listening history and the most pre-saved albums globally
  • Upcoming Releases also provides listeners with a space to access Countdown Pages, merch, and more

Spotify is really doing its bit to prove that it’s still the best music streaming service, and its freshly-launched Upcoming Releases hub does just that. The platform has just rolled out the new feature, creating an in-app space dedicated to keeping tabs on new album releases.

Yesterday Spotify announced the feature in a blog post and, as the name suggests, it will allow you to view and pre-save recommended soon-to-be-released albums based on your personal listening habits all from one place. Additionally, you’ll also be able to view the top 10 anticipated new releases based on the number of global pre-saves.

One of the better parts of the Upcoming Releases hub is that it’s very easy to find in the Spotify app. Head to the main search hub and scroll down to ‘Browse all’, and there you’ll find the brand new Upcoming Releases section next to your ‘Made For You’ hub. From there, you can pre-save upcoming albums hassle-free, and can quickly access album Countdown Pages to view the tracklist, listen to singles, check out merch, and watch clips.

(Image credit: Spotify)

Upcoming Releases marks a first for Spotify and significantly enhances the music streamer’s approach to giving fans more ways of staying in the loop with new music. Last year Spotify introduced Countdown Pages for artists which not only breathed new life into album release strategies, but gave fans a new way of engaging with the pre-release hype.

Now that Spotify has launched the Upcoming Releases hub powered by Countdown Pages, it could give the platform a leg-up for bringing you closer to new music - and I’m already warming up to it.

I like what I see, I like it a lot

Like any music obsessive, having my ear to the ground with new music releases is in my nature, however it can be quite the task when it comes to keeping tabs on new albums especially if you listen to a lot of different genres and artists like myself.

But Spotify’s Upcoming Releases hub could be the answer to all my new music questions, and I don’t think I’ve taken to a new feature this quickly since Daylists landed in 2023.

So far Upcoming Releases is limited to two different categories, ‘For you’ and ‘Top 10 countdowns’, which is the only downside to the new feature but I’m hoping this is intentional.

It would make sense for Spotify to start small and then build on the feature as users get used to it, so with that said I’d like to see Spotify add genre-specific recommendations for example ‘Most popular indie upcoming releases’, or even a section that groups soon-to-be-released albums from artists touring your local area.

I think there's a lot of room for this new feature to evolve, but it’s still early days and at the moment, I’m just excited to test the waters with it and see how often the recommendations are updated. Besides, it will save me bags of time scrolling through Metacritic’s list of new releases to find out who's bringing out new material.

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Categories: Technology

Google TV devices will get 4 great free upgrades this year, including a Dolby Atmos rival – but also 1 change I’d rather not have, thanks

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:14
  • Android TV 16 will bring a few nice changes to Google TV devices
  • Eclipsa Audio support, auto viewing mode optimization, better streaming, and HDMI-CEC improvements
  • No launch date as yet; different manufacturers will have different timelines

Getting a TV operating system update sometimes feels like going to a restaurant where the chef is a psychopath: your dish will come with the finest ingredients cooked to perfection but there'll be something unspeakable on top of your steak. The Android 16 update for Google TV seems a bit like that.

The update, coming to Google TV this year, will bring Android 16 to supported TVs and will include some really useful improvements. It'll also include what could be quite the irritant.

Android 16 TV apps will also be available for Android XR headsets (Image credit: Google)What to expect from the Google TV Android update

One of the most important new features is support for Eclipsa Audio, the much-anticipated rival to Dolby Atmos being promoted by Google and Samsung. It'll be coming to YouTube to begin with, and the firms hope it's going to be embraced by the wider industry as another immersive audio option.

Another useful new addition is the MediaQualityManager, which is designed to give streaming apps the ability to tweak your TV's settings. This is a system-wide equivalent to app-specific features such as Prime Video Calibrated Mode, which currently enables owners of some Sony Bravia TVs to automatically optimize their TV settings for the Prime Video show or movie they're about to watch – so it'll tweak the brightness, color temperature and motion smoothing.

Having it available in the operating system should mean more streaming apps offering a calibration option, and calibration being available on more TVs.

Google's Gemini AI assistant will be rolling out to Google TVs in the fall, enabling you to ask for movie recommendations or get information about things from your TV.

There's a visual refresh coming too, with the update delivering the latest iteration of Google's interface, called Material 3 Expressive. It's not a huge redesign but it's a clearer, more modern look.

Those are the top four, and Google says there will also be various improvements to media handling including playback speed, consistency and efficiency, and there will be improved HDMI-CEC reliability too. And it'll be bringing Google TV to Android XR, it's virtual/augmented reality platform, so app developers will be able to bring their apps to the platform effortlessly (although some, like Netflix, are likely to opt out).

The chocolate bar in the swimming pool of Android TV updates is the arrival of pop-up rating requests. You know those annoying "Rate this app" popups on your phone? Google is enabling app makers to bring them to your TV too.

There's no release date for Android TV 16 yet, and as ever with this kind of update some manufacturers are likely to roll it out more quickly than others.

As soon as we know likely launch dates we'll let you know. You can see the full list of features and changes on the Android developers website. (via FlatpanelsHD)

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Categories: Technology

Skullcandy launches over-ear headphones for the gym with sweat-resistance and driving bass, but there's a big feature missing for the price

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:07
  • The first Skullcandy Crusher headphones made for the gym
  • Sweat and water resistance, plus a nano-coating and silicone band
  • Lots of bass promised, but no active noise cancellation

Skullcandy's new Crusher 540 Active headphones look like nearly perfect over-ears for the gym: they're sweat-resistant, they've got great battery life, and they promise to deliver pumping and motivational sound, too. But there's one big feature missing: active noise cancellation.

That's an odd choice for headphones when many gyms have a pretty loud soundtrack, and given the price tag – £169.99 / $199.99 (about AU$353) – that means the lack of ANC is all the more apparent; our list of the best headphones has options half the price that come with very good ANC.

That's a shame, because the rest of the specifications are very good.

He's got a serious face because his headphones don't have ANC (Image credit: Skullcandy)Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active headphones: key features

The key features here are focused more on comfort and longevity: the headphones are sweat and water resistant with a nano-coating and silicone TPU band to cope with even the heaviest workouts.

The ear cushions are made from a breathable fabric and have enhanced clamping so they'll stay in place. Skullcandy says the cups feature a "noise-isolating over-ear design" to reduce distractions even without ANC.

Sound-wise the big feature is Skullcandy's own Crusher technology, which enables you to drive the bass up to match the intensity of your activity, and there's built-in Tile finding so you won't lose them if you leave them in the locker room. Drivers are 40mm with dual bass drivers, and there's Bluetooth 5.0 with integrated controls on the headphones as well as full Skullcandy app integration – including the ability to dial back the bass if you prefer.

Battery life is 40 hours, with 10-minute rapid charging delivering four hours of playback from flat.

It all sounds great, but other great headphones at this price offer ANC, such as the Sony ULT Wear headphones or the Sennheiser Accentum Plus. It's true that Beats' gym-focused headphones, the Beats Solo 4, are a similar price and don't have ANC either – but we also slammed those for the omission.

There might be lots of people who don't want to use ANC in the gym, to keep more aware of their surroundings – but you'd want to use these headphones at other times, and wouldn't you want ANC when on public transport or in the office? There's a reason the best noise cancelling headphones are so popular.

Still, if the comfort and sound are good, these could be very popular – sweat-resistant over-ears aren't that common. The new Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active headphones are available worldwide from Skullcandy and the usual retailers.

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Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s mysterious ‘AI-powered computer’ will be OpenAI’s magnum opus - here are 5 clues that hint at what it will be

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:03

Sam Altman and Jony Ive called the announcement of io, an AI device startup purchased by OpenAI, an "extraordinary moment."

After watching the nine-minute video where the two "friends" talk about their future business endeavours in a busy San Francisco Café bustling with paid actors, I was left intrigued by the promise of "a new generation of technology that can make us our better selves," but confused by the lack of details.

Nine minutes later and anyone that watched the weird corporate romcom of Sam and Jony, has more questions than they have answers. We already knew Ive was working with Altman, yet the announcement that OpenAI is purchasing the startup for $6.5 billion makes it all feel that little bit more real.

OpenAI wants whatever io creates to be its magnum opus, and honestly, considering Ive's track record, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it is. But still, I'm left more confused at the prospect of what it could be than what it won't be.

Following the reveal, the WSJ, Bloomberg, and other outlets published articles that give further insight into what io's first product could look like. I've read the piece, I've scoured past rumors and articles, and I've come up with five clues that give us an idea of what to expect from this upcoming ChatGPT-powered hardware.

Here are the top five clues that hint at what Sam and Jony could be working on.

1. An AI device like we've never seen before?

(Image credit: Humane)

It's hard to even fathom what a dedicated piece of AI hardware could look like if it's not similar to those that have come before it. Last year, we saw the market flooded with products like the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1, which both failed to make an impact.

After the announcement of io, Ive spoke to Bloomberg, where he said Humane and Rabbit 'were very poor products,' he added, 'There has been an absence of new ways of thinking expressed in products.'

Following the announcement, Altman gave his OpenAI staff a preview of what's to come, and according to Bloomberg, 'The product will be capable of being fully aware of a user’s surroundings and life, will be unobtrusive, able to rest in one’s pocket or on one’s desk.'

I'm no genius, I definitely couldn't have come up with the concept of the iPhone, but to me this sounds like a Jony Ive-ification of a dedicated ChatGPT smart pin.

2. It won't be a wearable (in the traditional sense)

(Image credit: Google)

If io's first product can sit on your desk or get thrown in a pocket, then it's not going to be competing with the Apple Watches of the world. Instead, the duo told the WSJ its intent is to "wean users from screens."

It's also not a pair of glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses and "Ive is skeptical about building something to wear on the body."

That doesn't really whittle it down, but it does continue to paint a picture similar to the form factor of the Humane AI Pin. I can't help but envision a small AI-powered device that can be placed anywhere, and is able to interact with a user in the same way we would interact with ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode or Gemini Live.

Another hint Altman and Ive gave the WSJ is that the product will be "capable of being fully aware of a user’s surroundings and life," and "unobtrusive.'"Again, painting the picture of a small smart pin that you can place anywhere.

3. It will sit alongside your iPhone and Mac

The io AI device "will be a third core device a person would put on a desk after a MacBook Pro and an iPhone", according to Ive and Altman, providing an experience that's not really been possible up until this point.

In the nine-minute conversation between the two, Altman explains how we currently interact with ChatGPT. He says, "I would need to reach down into my bag, get out my laptop, open it up, launch a browser, I'd start typing, and then explain that thing, then hit enter, then I would wait for a response. That is the limit of what a laptop can do, and I think this technology [ChatGPT] deserves much better."

Now, there's likely a lot of marketing speak here, but the duo seems convinced that whatever they are working on will redefine modern technology and give us the best way to interact with the capabilities of ChatGPT.

In February I wrote about this rumored device, and I said, "I’m not totally convinced of the idea of a dedicated AI device, but if OpenAI’s product connects via Bluetooth, adding some kind of bracelet or pin that directly interacts with ChatGPT and all its power on your smartphone, then this could be the next step in the evolution of smart wearables. I’d love to be able to quickly transcribe audio directly from a ChatGPT-powered pin, for example, and then read back the information on my iPhone. The device wouldn't need a screen in this scenario, because your smartphone ultimately functions as the user interface."

Three months later, and while this quote from Ive and Altman hints at a standalone device rather than one that connects to your smartphone, I think that idea of what the user experience could be is pretty spot on. Then again, as I said above, I'm not the inventor of the iPhone, I can barely understand why the clocks change twice a year.

4. It won't be a smartphone

(Image credit: Daniel Romero / Unsplash)

OpenAI plans to ship over 100 million units of this device that Altman hopes is the beginning of a "family of devices." He sees Ive's hardware credentials at Apple as a blueprint towards creating a successful new genre of product that captures the AI hardware market.

If the previous entries hadn't made it somewhat clear, this ChatGPT-powered device will not be a smartphone. Whether that means it won't be a smartphone, yet, and io could work on a device to compete with the iPhone and Android smartphones in the future, we don't know. But the first product that comes out of this company will not try to compete with Apple's best-selling device.

5. No one knows, and that's exciting

Listen, I know the marketing video was as cheesy as it comes. I know, we've been burned by tech companies time and time again. Heck, even Apple, with its fantastic track record, was unable to ship Apple Intelligence like it promised.

That said, there's something incredibly exciting about the promise of innovation. Obviously, just because Jony Ive is working on a product doesn't confirm a good one. I'll die on a hill saying the iPhone 5C sucked.

However, you've got one of the most powerful companies in the world, which is creating, love it or hate it, the most impressive software we've ever seen, and it's teaming up with the man who designed the biggest consumer tech innovation of the 21st century.

Whether io's product itself is a success or not is anyone's guess, but the prospect of a new way of interacting with technology and AI is something that's definitely got me interested.

io's first product is expected to launch in 2026, who knows how far AI will have come by then.

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Categories: Technology

Broken your fitness tracker? Coros will now repair your wearable to get you up and running faster

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:01
  • Coros has launched a new repair program for its fitness trackers
  • You can send off your device and get a replacement within a week
  • You won’t receive your original device, but a refurbished product instead

Coros wearables are popular with fitness fans, but when you’re mountain-biking or trail-running there’s always a chance you’ll end up damaging even the best running watch or fitness tracker – and Coros has just announced a new repair program to get your wearable fixed, fast.

The Coros Repair Service will offer repairs with the aim of getting you back in action as quickly as possible. To that end, Coros says “users can send in a damaged device, pay a nominal repair fee, and receive a refurbished replacement within a week.”

The repairs will cover a variety of issues that you might face with your wearable, including replacing broken displays, buttons, and digital dials. Battery replacements are also covered, Coros says.

The repair fees involved vary depending on the product being repaired and what needs fixing. The cheapest option is to get a replacement battery for the Pace 3 or Pace Pro smartwatches, which costs $59. The most expensive repair is for the screen, dial or button on the Vertix 2S, which will set you back $119.

How does the repair process work?

(Image credit: Future)

To get started with a repair you’ll need to go to coros.com/repairs, then fill out your device details and submit a request using the online form. You’ll then be sent an email with a prepaid return label, after which you’ll need to select your device on the Coros website, pay the repair fee, then ship the defective product to the company.

Coros says that once it has received your faulty device, it will send you a refurbished replacement, which comes with a one-year warranty. Interestingly, that means your original device will not be returned to you – it will instead be refurbished and be made available for other users to purchase. In its place, you’ll be given an already-repaired device from Coros’s refurbished stock.

Coros says it's taking this approach in order to get you up and running sooner than would be possible if your original device was repaired and sent back to you, which could take up to 30 days.

The company also says that shipping products in bulk to its repair factory is more affordable and sustainable than sending each device individually, which presumably would happen if you were to get your original device back.

So, this new repair program could be helpful if you want to get back in action as soon as possible. Any fitness tracker can break, but if minimizing downtime is important to you, Coros’s program might be worth considering.

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Categories: Technology

What Your Zodiac Sign Says About Your Eating Habits. We Asked an Astrologer

CNET News - Thu, 05/22/2025 - 06:00
Do the moon and stars dictate what kind of eater you are? Read this culinary guide to the zodiak to find out.
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