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Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, May 4 (game #693).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #694) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

TORPEDOBATCOASTLEVELСАРЕBATONPLATEAUHOAGIESETTLECRUISECIGARCASTLEFLOATFLATTENFANGDRIFT

NYT Connections today (game #694) - hint #1 - group hints

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

YELLOW: Easy streetGREEN: Resident of TransylvaniaBLUE: Same as it ever wasPURPLE: A shape in common

Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #694) - hint #2 - group answers

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

YELLOW: GLIDEGREEN: ASSOCIATED WITH COUNT DRACULABLUE: STOP CHANGING PURPLE: THINGS THAT ARE LONG AND CYLINDRICAL

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

NYT Connections today (game #694) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #694, are…

YELLOW: GLIDE COAST, CRUISE, DRIFT, FLOATGREEN: ASSOCIATED WITH COUNT DRACULA BAT, CAPE, CASTLE, FANGBLUE: STOP CHANGING FLATTEN, LEVEL, PLATEAU, SETTLEPURPLE: THINGS THAT ARE LONG AND CYLINDRICAL BATON, CIGAR, HOAGIE, TORPEDO

My rating: EasyMy score: Perfect

It probably says a lot about me that I didn’t get the purple group because I thought we were searching for bread products, as in the TORPEDO roll, a HOAGIE sandwich… er, to be honest it wasn’t a long sidebarStill, this was one of those rare easy Connections days – a CRUISE around four groups you could say, rather than something to sink your metaphorical FANGs into.I’m pretty sure I got ASSOCIATED WITH COUNT DRACULA not because of Transylvania’s famous resident, but because I’ve been watching a lot of What We Do In The Shadows. One of the greatest TV comedies of the past decade imho, about a group of four vampires who live in Staten Island. It’s wonderful.My favourite WWDITS character is Colin Robinson, an energy vampire, who prefers to drain mental energy from his victims rather than blood – making him far more believable than the regular type of vampire. We all know someone like Colin.Having said that, doing a daily column about Connections is exactly the kind of job Colin Robinson would do. Er…How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, May 4, game #693)

YELLOW: QUALITIES OF OVERCOOKED MEAT CHEWY, DRY, STRINGY, TOUGHGREEN: PLAY SOME ELECTRIC GUITAR JAM, NOODLE, SHRED, SOLOBLUE: INGREDIENTS IN BUBBLE TEA BOBA, MILK, SUGAR, TEAPURPLE: PLANETS/ DWARF PLANET WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED BLUTO, CARS, DARTH, GENUS

What is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands 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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, May 4 (game #427).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #428) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On the side

NYT Strands today (game #428) - hint #2 - clue words

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

KEYSSTIRMEEKFORTSHOSTRICE

NYT Strands today (game #428) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #428) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: right, 4th rowLast side: right, 1st row

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

NYT Strands today (game #428) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #428, are…

STEAKHOMECURLYWAFFLECRINKLESHOESTRINGSPANGRAM: FRENCH FRIES

My rating: EasyMy score: Perfect

FRENCH FRIES or Freedom Fries as some like to call them, or Chips as we say in the UK, are the single reason why the potato is by far the best vegetable. That you can get so much flavor, crispy wonder and variety from of a bland starchy tuber is a miracle.Today’s search, has of course made me hungry, although I didn’t exactly work up an appetite doing it (no thermometer headaches today), and got me wondering what my favourite type of "fry" is.If push came to shove I think I’d have to go for a fat chip shop chip (aka STEAK fries) drowning in salt and vinegar with some curry sauce “on the side”.Right, that’s enough of this puzzling, I’m off to the chippy!How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, May 4, game #427)

PLANETEMPIRESPACELONGTIMEGALAXYREBELSPANGRAM: OPENING CRAWL

What is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Alien: Earth: key information- Releasing on Hulu and Disney+ in summer- First TV show from the Alien franchise- Multiple teaser trailers, but no full trailer yet- Cast list confirmed, including some character names- Plot being kept firmly under wraps- Unknown whether there will be more seasons

Alien: Earth is coming this summer. Marking the epic sci-fi/horror franchise’s first foray onto the small screen, there's been a long wait for this one but it's almost over. With eight movies already in the franchise, it’s time for the Xenomorphs to descend upon Earth under the watchful eye of showrunner, Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion).Though Alien: Romulus was the last movie released, Alien: Earth is not its sequel. Instead, the TV show is set to bring back H. R. Giger’s nightmarish concept in a whole new direction. And there's lots to talk about from the show's release window, possible plot, confirmed cast, news, rumors, and more. Plus, while you wait, feel free to immerse yourself in every Alien movie ranked: worst to best.

Alien: Earth: is there a release date?

A post shared by Alien: Earth (@alienearthfx)A photo posted by on

FX has confirmed that Alien: Earth will arrive in summer on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally).In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter in July 2024, showrunner Noah Hawley confirmed that filming had “just wrapped” and the show was officially in the next stage: “I’m in post, editing away, and obviously there’s a large visual effects component that takes time. But I couldn’t be happier with the show we shot. If people wanted a television series based on the world of Alien, I think I’m gonna give them something special.”

A post shared by Alien: Earth (@alienearthfx)A photo posted by on

And more exclusive insights into Alien: Earth were unveiled during the SXSW film festival in early March. A series of 'recovered' files from the USCSS Maginot for the Weyland-Yutani Corp show clips from the ship recorded on a camera attached to a cat's collar. The files show people working on the ship, talking about going back to Earth (if they could) and a cryochamber labelled 'Morrow'.FX boss John Landgraf first announced the project back in December 2020, so having a release window is a big deal. And, the wait is almost over. When we have a confirmed date, we’ll be sure to update here.

Alien: Earth: has a trailer been released?

A post shared by Disney+ UK (@disneyplusuk)A photo posted by on

So far, we’ve had a few short teaser trailers of Alien: Earth which, in true Alien fashion, have been incredibly ominous and fueled by horror. FX birthed a new teaser trailer for Alien: Earth in April and the brief clip teases "monsters" collected in crates from "the darkest corners of the universe," as well as a quick look at the iconic Xenomorph.

And in late January, events were shown through the eyes of an alien as it slithers frantically through the spaceship - in a sort of theme park immersive ride experience that’ll leave you feeling a little dizzy.Fortunately, and unfortunately, it doesn’t last too long before you’re swept out of the ship to see it hurtling towards Earth. As we’ll explore more in the plot details below, and as is quite obviously suggested in the show’s title, the Xenomorphs will crash land on Earth. So, this is only the beginning.

Alien: Earth: confirmed cast

Some of the cast for Alien: Earth have already been announced (Image credit: FX/Hulu/Disney Plus)

The following cast list has been officially revealed for Alien: Earth, but most of their roles are being kept under wraps:

Sydney Chandler as WendyTimothy Olyphant as KirshAlex Lawther as CJKit Young as TootlesSamuel Blenkin as Boy KavalierEssie Davis as Dame SilviaAdarsh Gourav as SlightlyDavid Rysdahl as TBCBabou Ceesay as TBCJonathan Ajayi as TBCErana James as TBCLily Newmark as TBCDiêm Camille as TBCAdrian Edmondson as TBCMoe Bar-El as TBCSandra Yi Sencindiver as TBC

As reported by Variety, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) will be the lead character. It has also been revealed that she's a meta-human, with the body of an adult, but brain and consciousness of a child. Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant) is Wendy's mentor and Sandra Yi Sencindiver's currently unnamed character holds a high position at the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. It's not a lot to go on, but it's certainly starting to paint a picture.

Alien: Earth: story synopsis and rumors

Potential spoilers follow for Alien: Earth below.

We don't know much about Alien: Earth given that its plot has been kept locked up tightly. But what we do know is that it will be set on Earth, no surprises there, in the not-so-distant future. In fact, thanks to the teaser above, it says: "In 2120 Mother Earth is expecting," with the image of Earth a reflection in the Xenomorph's helmet. Visiting our planet is certainly a new direction for the franchise and one that actual acts as a prequel to the original Alien movie, which took place in 2122.And then there's the show's official synopsis that expands on this concept: "When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet's greatest threat. In 2120, Mother Earth is expecting."Speaking to Deadline, Hawley said: "There's something about seeing a Xenomorph in the wilds of Earth with your own eyes that is truly chilling to think of it moving here among us." And when talking about the Xenomorph he's created for Alien: Earth, he added: "What was really fun for me was to be able to engage with the creature and bring some of my own thoughts to its design while not touching the silhouette because that's sacrosanct. But some of the elements of it as we know, whatever the host is, informs what the final creature is."As well as the Xenomorphs themselves, we also know that Weyland-Yutani will, once again, play a major part in the franchise. The conglomerate well-known for their controlling grip over space with their own bad intentions with the Xenomorphs rearing its ugly head over the course of the eight movies prior.And FX chief John Landgraf was keen to express how Alien: Earth sets itself apart from the rest of the franchise, while still staying true to it. In an interview with THR, he explained: "All I can tell you is Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) won't be a part of it, and neither will any other characters - other than the alien itself."Adding: "Noah has an incredible ability to both find a way of being faithful and showing fidelity to an original creation, like to the Coen brothers (with Fargo) or to Ridley Scott's movie and Jame's Cameron's follow-up Aliens, but also to bring something new that represents both an extension and reinvention of a franchise at the same time."

Will there be more seasons of Alien: Earth?

A recurring series seem likely (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Considering Alien: Earth season 1 is a little while away still, unsurprisingly news on more seasons is thin on the ground. Though there has been a report from Production Bulletin, yet unconfirmed but revealed by Comic Book Resources, that season 2 is planned for development for filming in Thailand.And while this news is unconfirmed, Collider also reported in January 2024 that FX has disclosed to Hawley that there was more to come. Hawley said: "I knew that their desire was for a recurring series, not a limited series, and I had an idea that I was excited about, that I could see the escalation of it from one year to another."It seems like he's already got an idea of where he'd like to go next too, adding: "that's where we ended up not pitching them having a bible or pitching them blow-by-blow, but saying, "Big picture: this is the first movement, this is the second movement, and we're ultimately going here."Of course, it'll depend on viewing figures and how Alien: Earth is received, but joining part of an existing and iconic franchise is a great place to start and one that Hawley, and reportedly FX, are already eager to look into expanding.

For more TV-based coverage, read our guides on Only Murders in the Building season 5, Shōgun season 2, and The Bear season 4.

JPMorganChase open letter calls for urgent industry-wide action on SaaS risks Third-party SaaS models expose critical infrastructure to cascading cybersecurity threats Firms rely on insecure integrations that collapse trust boundaries between systems

JPMorganChase, the largest bank in the world, has warned about the dangers of SaaS technology used by organizations across the world every single day.Writing in an open letter, CISO Patrick Opet outlined growing concerns that the speed of SaaS adoption has outpaced security development.In particular, Opet noted that vendors have prioritized rapid feature delivery over secure architecture, creating systemic vulnerabilities across the software supply chain.

A call to arms

“An AI-driven calendar optimization service integrating directly into corporate email systems through "read only roles" and "authentication tokens" can no doubt boost productivity when functioning correctly,” Opet said.“Yet, if compromised, this direct integration grants attackers unprecedented access to confidential data and critical internal communications.”Opet went on to warn thousands of organizations are now embedded in ecosystems that depend heavily on a small group of service providers - so if one is compromised, the ripple effects could be devastating."Modern integration patterns dismantle these essential boundaries, relying heavily on modern identity protocols (e.g., OAuth) to create direct, often unchecked interactions between third-party services and firms’ sensitive internal resources," Opet said."In practice, these integration models collapse authentication (verifying identity) and authorization (granting permissions) into overly simplified interactions, effectively creating single-factor explicit trust between systems on the internet and private internal resources. This architectural regression undermines fundamental security principles that have proven durability."JPMorganChase has already experienced a number of third-party breaches over the past three years, requiring swift action to isolate compromised partners and mitigate threats. These incidents have emphasized the risks tied to highly connected third-party ecosystems."Fierce competition among software providers has driven prioritization of rapid feature development over robust security," Opet wrote."This often results in rushed product releases without comprehensive security built in or enabled by default, creating repeated opportunities for attackers to exploit weaknesses. The pursuit of market share at the expense of security exposes entire customer ecosystems to significant risk and will result in an unsustainable situation for the economic system."He also cited new threats emerging from token theft, opaque fourth-party dependencies, and privileged access without sufficient transparency."The most effective way to begin change is to reject these integration models without better solutions,” Opet concluded. “I hope you’ll join me in recognizing this challenge and responding decisively, collaboratively, and immediately.”

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Apple may launch a battery case with the iPhone 17 AirAll-day battery life isn't guaranteed for the new modelThe phone could also lose a speaker and be eSIM only

The rumors around an iPhone 17 Air have been swirling for months at this point, but we just got some fresh information about this super-slim phone, which is set to replace the iPhone 16 Plus – including the potential return of a retired Apple accessory.According to a new report in The Information (via 9to5Mac), Apple is planning to release an optional accessory at the same time as the iPhone 17 Air: a case with an integrated battery pack. This is apparently to make up for shortfalls in the battery life of the iPhone 17 Air.You may remember that back in the day, Apple made a Smart Battery Case for its iPhones. As MagSafe and its wireless charging was introduced with the iPhone 12 though, the battery case was discontinued.Now, it looks as though it might be coming back. Sources speaking to The Information say the thinness of the iPhone 17 Air means it only lasts a day without a recharge for 60-70% of users – whereas for other models, it's more like 80-90%.

eSIMs and speakers

Remember the iPhone 11 Smart Battery Case? (Image credit: Apple)

Battery life isn't the only concern around the iPhone 17 Air though. The report in The Information also suggests there's no space for a physical SIM, so it'll be eSIM all the way – which may cause issues with regulators in China.What's more, there's only going to be room for one speaker on the device, which may impact sound quality. We've previously heard both these rumors, around the eSIM and speaker, and we've more inclined to believe them now they've been repeated.It's set to be quite a year for the Apple iPhone. We've already had a new model in the shape of the Apple iPhone 16e, and later in the year with the Air we'll be getting another new model that doesn't really have a direct predecessor.The same report from The Information suggests that there might be even more changes to come next year, with Apple planning to split the launches of the iPhone 18 models so that they launch at different times throughout the course of 2026 and 2027.

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The iPhone 17 Air could have an affordable price5 things I want from the iPhone 17The iPhone 17 Air looks impressively slim

Instead of deciding between four new models of iPhones every fall, you may have to choose among three in both the spring and the fall. A new report from The Information claims that Apple will change the release cycle for its smartphones, starting with the iPhone 18 in 2026. According to The Information, three unnamed supply chain sources detailed that the more expensive models will launch first, meaning the Pro models will keep the fall release window and the standard model iPhones will get pushed to the following spring.

It’s a notable departure from the typical all-at-once release schedule, but it could indicate that Apple wants to make room for other models, like the long-rumored foldable iPhone. If the report is accurate, Apple would release the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and potentially the foldable iPhone in fall 2026, followed by the iPhone 18 base model, the iPhone 18 Slim and the iPhone 18e in spring 2027.

If you’ve been paying close attention to Apple’s releases, this change may not be much of a surprise. While the company has been releasing its annual batch of new iPhones in September or October since the iPhone 5, Apple started breaking from the schedule with the introduction of the iPhone SE models, which were usually released in March or April. More recently, Apple introduced the iPhone 16e in February to replace the SE range. As for the iPhone 17, we’re still expecting Apple’s regularly programmed schedule with four new devices to be revealed this September.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-reportedly-wants-to-split-up-the-iphones-release-schedule-164737099.html?src=rss

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4 offers powerful AMD performance for professionalsIt delivers up to 96GB memory, Ryzen AI PRO chips, certified graphics support It's good for mobile work, but HP’s ZBook Ultra still leads in AI power

Lenovo has refreshed its ThinkPad portfolio aimed at meeting the evolving demands of professional and AI-driven workflows.Leading the announcement is the ThinkPad P16s Gen 4, Lenovo’s most powerful AMD-based mobile workstation yet, designed for content creators, engineers, and technical users who need serious performance in a portable form factor.With an AMD Ryzen AI PRO 300 series processor, support for up to 96GB of memory, and certified graphics for CAD and BIM applications, the ThinkPad P16s Gen 4 builds on Lenovo’s recent shift towards Copilot+ PCs, featuring up to 82 TOPS of AI processing performance, seamless multitasking, and improved energy efficiency.

Solid performance

Lenovo pairs the Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 CPU with integrated AMD RDNA 3.5 graphics, offering solid performance for complex workloads without the thermal and power trade-offs of discrete GPU models.The new laptop weighs around 3.9lbs and will be available in May 2025 starting at $1,619.In addition to the P16s, Lenovo also announced the ThinkPad P14s Gen 6, a thinner and lighter mobile workstation starting at 1.39kg, as well as a range of updated ThinkPad L Series laptops and refreshed X1 Aura Editions.While the new ThinkPad P16s is certainly a capable performer, HP’s ZBook Ultra, launched earlier in 2025, remains ahead.It's powered by an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 processor with discrete AMD Radeon Graphics, 128GB of unified LPDDR5X memory and the ability to allocate up to 96GB directly to the GPU.

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A space observatory designed to map the entire sky over a period of two years to further our understanding of the early universe has started snapping images. SPHEREx, which launched in early March, got started with its observations this past week after over a month of setup procedures and system checks, according to NASA. The space telescope will complete about 14.5 orbits of Earth per day, capturing roughly 3,600 images daily and observing the sky in an unprecedented 102 wavelengths of infrared light. Its observations will eventually be combined to create four “all-sky” maps.

SPHEREx’s 25 month survey will be a comprehensive one. The spacecraft “orbits Earth from north to south, passing over the poles, and each day it takes images along one circular strip of the sky,” NASA explains. “As the days pass and the planet moves around the Sun, SPHEREx’s field of view shifts as well so that after six months, the observatory will have looked out into space in every direction.” Researchers will use the SPHEREx observations to study the universe’s expansion in the moments after the big bang, and search for the ingredients for life elsewhere in the Milky Way.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-spherex-space-telescope-has-begun-its-mission-to-map-the-entire-sky-in-3d-173458720.html?src=rss

Most CFOs say they still can't make money from AI yetTraditional pricing fails in a usage-driven artificial intelligence economyAI monetization now sits firmly on the boardroom's priority list

Artificial intelligence is transforming every industry, but a new report has claimed many companies are failing to capture its financial value.A global study of 614 Chief Financial Officers conducted by DigitalRoute found nearly three-quarters (71%) said they were struggling to monetize AI effectively, despite nearly 90% naming it a mission-critical priority over the next five years.Only 29% of companies currently have a working AI monetization model, and the rest are either experimenting or “flying blind,” according to the data, and over two-thirds (68%) of tech firms say their traditional pricing strategies are no longer applicable in an AI-driven economy.

Second digital gold rush?

“AI is in the second digital gold rush,” said Ari Vanttinen, CMO at DigitalRoute. “But without the usage-level visibility, companies are gambling with pricing, profitability and even product viability. Our data shows CFOs urgently need real-time metering and revenue management to turn AI from a cost line into a genuine profit engine.”Boardrooms are taking notice - nearly two-thirds (64%) of those surveyed say AI monetization is now a formal board priority, yet just one in five businesses can track individual AI consumption, leaving finance teams with limited tools for accurate billing, forecasting, or margin analysis.70% of CFOs cite pricing complexity as the biggest barrier to scaling AI, and more than half report misalignment between finance and product teams.Legacy systems are also a challenge: 63% of companies are investing in new revenue management infrastructure, acknowledging that traditional quote-to-cash systems aren’t fit for usage-based AI pricing models.The study also highlights regional differences. Nordic countries lead in implementation but struggle with profitability, while France and the UK are showing stronger early commercial returns. The US remains a global leader in AI development, but the data suggests a slightly more cautious approach to monetization at the organizational level.Although American businesses clearly understand the importance of AI, many are still developing the internal frameworks needed to scale effectively.The US scores highly on perceived significance but lags slightly behind the UK in terms of perceived criticality, indicating a broader, more experimental AI culture that has yet to fully transition to commercial execution.The report recommends three steps for success: first, meter AI consumption at the feature level; second, model value-based and usage-based pricing before launch; and third, align product, finance, and revenue teams around shared data.As Vanttinen puts it, “Every prompt is now a revenue event. When businesses can see, price and bill for AI usage in real-time, they unlock the margins the market expects.”

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10 Lego cars just drove around Miami's F1 trackThey're each built from around 400,000 Lego bricksA 26-person team took over 22,000 hours to build all 10 cars

A new kind of electric vehicle just took to the Miami Grand Prix ahead of Sunday’s Formula 1 race there: 10 fully drivable racecars built almost entirely out of Lego.The bespoke big builds – one for each of F1’s 10 teams – are close to 1:1 scale with their F1 counterparts. They were constructed out of 400,000 Lego bricks each and powered by an 8kW electric engine, which allows them to reach speeds of 20km/h (roughly 12mph).

Real tires, Lego everthing else (Image credit: Lego)

The only non-Lego elements are the engine, the wheel rims and tires (which were each sourced from their respective F1 teams and Pirelli for authenticity), the steering wheel (though it is decorated with Lego), and the steel frame attaching all these elements.Also, glue and bolts are holding the bricks and frame together.Otherwise, the designers and engineers behind the builds told me that they wanted this to be something that a kid (with enough Lego bricks) could build at home, or perhaps construct a smaller version using fewer bricks and Lego Technic motors that can drive around on a more manageable scale.

Built to drive

The steering wheel uses non-Lego elements for comfort (Image credit: Lego)

The team behind the F1 big builds explained that each car is based on its respective Speed Champions Lego set, blown up from minifigure to human scale. The only changes to the Lego design were to incorporate space for two passengers rather than one and replace stickered elements with the same detailing constructed from bricks (such as the branding and logos decorating each vehicle).Once the outer Lego design was decided, the engineers had to work out how a steel frame and engine would be incorporated to make it move.“We are Lego so our designs are always bricks first,” they explained. “So we created the Lego design then built a frame and engine design that would fit inside the Lego rather than the other way around.”Apparently, their only major challenge with this brick-first approach was working out how to make the front wheels turn, given the tight space the steel frame had to move. They were forced to come up with a new approach compared to their previous moving Lego big builds, but once that was solved, they were off to the races.

The team's inspiration (Image credit: Lego)

The project has been a major labor of love.The 26-person strong design team spent over 22,000 combined hours working on the cars in Lego’s Kladno factory located in the Czech Republic, and it was their first time working on so many cars at once in a tight time frame.“We had around eight months to build all 10 cars, which is the time we might take for one.”But roughly 4 million bricks later (which account for around two-thirds of each big build’s 1,500kg weight) they said seeing all 10 cars together for the first time in Miami was “definitely worth it.”

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The votes are in and residents of a small swath of southern Texas are in favor of Starbase becoming a real city. The newly-designated city is home to SpaceX and many of its employees, and it’s where Elon Musk’s company builds rocket engines, launches spacecraft and manufactures other space-related tech. According to the final vote tally, 212 residents voted in favor of incorporating as Starbase, while six voted against the measure — but, it’s worth noting that most of the eligible voters in the locale are SpaceX employees and only 143 votes were needed to make Starbase a city.

Musk celebrated on X, while the city also made its first post, stating that “becoming a city will help us continue building the best community possible for the men and women building the future of humanity's place in space.” The idea for Starbase dates back to March 2021, when Musk first teased the idea on what was then Twitter. Now that the vote has taken place, Starbase will be separated from Cameron County as its own roughly 1.5-square mile city. This designation is particularly important considering SpaceX may be able to circumvent governmental red tape when it comes to scheduling rocket launches. Previously, Musk’s company had to get permission from county authorities to close a nearby highway or restrict public access to Boca Chica Beach and Boca Chica State Park for rocket launches.

While the vote to designate Starbase as an official Texas city passed, county commissioners and judges still need to declare the election results official, according to Remi Garza, the elections administrator for Cameron County. Even though SpaceX may get a helping hand with Starbase handling its own building and permitting processes, Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino told NBC News that any changes to the existing procedures that SpaceX has to go through would be unnecessary.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacexs-texas-hq-starbase-is-officially-on-its-way-to-becoming-a-city-185643351.html?src=rss

Over 7 million pixels of SDQHD resolution will make your old monitor look ancientNot 5K or 8K, but the JapanNext vertical monitor is perhaps what your desk needsIf you code, write, or edit all day, this monitor should be your new friend

JapanNext has expanded its unique lineup of business monitors with the release of the JN-IPS276SDQHD-HSPC6-CMS, a new 27.6-inch SDQHD display boasting over 7 million pixels – a viable option that could enhance your office or work-from-home setup.Much like the Alogic 28-inch vertical monitor, this nearly square display offers a 2,560 x 2,880 resolution with a rare 16:18 aspect ratio.It's particularly well-suited for coding, working with lengthy documents, and editing spreadsheets or web layouts, as the elongated format, similar to LG's DualUp monitor, reduces scrolling and helps improve focus.

A new shape for modern work

The screen features a matte IPS panel that covers 100% of the sRGB spectrum and 97% of DCI-P3, making it a strong option for color-sensitive tasks. It offers a peak brightness of 300 cd/m², a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, and wide 178° viewing angles in all directions.For comfort during extended use, the monitor includes flicker-free backlighting, blue light filtering modes, and HDR support.Targeting hybrid workers, the JapanNext monitor integrates a retractable webcam and microphone at the top edge of the panel, supported by dual 5W built-in speakers.Connectivity is extensive, including HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB Type-C with 65W power delivery, and a USB-A hub.Productivity features such as Picture-by-Picture (PBP), Picture-in-Picture (PIP), and an integrated KVM switch add further utility for users managing multiple systems.All of this comes in a chassis weighing approximately 6.2kg, with 100mm height adjustment, 45° swivel range, full pivot support, and VESA 75x75 compatibility.The JN-IPS276SDQHD-HSPC6-CMS is priced at 109,800 yen (around $765), offering strong value compared to higher-end 5K and 8K monitors.A review sample of this device is expected to arrive on our desk very soon.Via PC Watch

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Lenovo ThinkCentre neo Ultra 2025 squeezes high-end AI hardware into a tiny, 3.6-liter caseDelivers big performance and power efficiency at just 300 wattsIt supports large language models with up to 14B parameters

Apple’s Mac Studio continues to dominate the conversation around compact high-performance desktops, but Lenovo is pushing back with its ThinkCentre neo Ultra series.Originally released at CES 2024, the first ThinkCentre neo Ultra featured a 14th Gen Intel processor. Just six months later, Lenovo refreshed the device with Intel’s Core Ultra CPUs, and also upgraded the GPU in a separate system, the Lenovo Yoga Portal mini PC.Now, Lenovo has introduced yet another update to the ThinkCentre neo Ultra series - a new mini workstation equipped with Intel’s high-end Core Ultra 9 285 CPU and a 16GB RTX 5060 Ti GPU rated at 180W.

Portable yet powerful

“Small Stature, Big Energy” is how Lenovo describes this year’s model, and the tagline fits. Despite its compact 3.6-liter chassis, this mini PC delivers a total performance output of 825 TOPS and upgrades from the desktop-grade LGA-1700 to the newer LGA-1851 socket.The power supply has been reduced from 350W in the previous version to 300W, suggesting improved power efficiency.Although this model still avoids unlocked K-series CPUs, it aims for a balance between thermal limitations and computational performance that should appeal to its business-focused audience.One of the standout features is the upgraded graphics. Replacing the RTX 4060 with a 16GB RTX 5060 Ti offers a substantial boost for users handling AI inference, 3D rendering, or high-resolution video workflows.Lenovo also hints at a dedicated NPU card, though it’s unclear whether this refers to separate hardware or is tied to Intel’s Arrow Lake architecture.Either way, the system supports locally deployed large language models with up to 14 billion parameters - an appealing option for organizations looking to run AI workloads in-house.Lenovo says the system earned a CES 2025 Best New Tech for Home and Workplace Award, adding further credibility to its performance claims.Base configurations include 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, with pricing set at 14,999 RMB (about $2,056) for the Core Ultra 5 and RTX 5060, or 19,999 RMB (about $2,741) for the Ultra 7 and RTX 5060 Ti.Pricing and availability for the Core Ultra 9 and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB variant have yet to be announced, and there's no word on international launch details.Via Videocardz

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Nintendo is going after the company that showed off unauthorized mockups of the not-yet-announced Switch 2 at CES 2025. In a lawsuit filed on Friday, Nintendo accuses accessory maker Genki of trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising, arguing that Genki “embarked upon a strategic campaign intended to capitalize on the public interest surrounding Nintendo’s next-generation console.” According to Nintendo, Genki promoted accessories it claimed are compatible with the Switch 2 despite not having official access to the console, and used the Switch logo to do so.

Following the initial reports in January that Genki brought Switch 2 mockups to CES and published a video said to show a 3D render of the console, Nintendo released a statement to say that neither the hardware nor imagery were official, per IGN. While Genki reportedly claimed it had access to a Switch 2 at first, the company later wrote on X that it does “not own or possess a black market console,” and told Game*Spark (translated by Automaton) that its mockups were based solely on leaked information. In the lawsuit, Nintendo says Genki’s “statements were contradictory and inconsistent,” yet the company “maintained its representation to consumers that its accessories will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 upon the console’s release.”

Nintendo officially announced the Switch 2 on January 16, a little over a week after the mockups made their CES appearance. Even in the months since, Nintendo alleges, Genki “continues to exploit the attention of the media and fan base and usurp and threaten sales of Nintendo’s own accessories,” through means including piggybacking on Nintendo Direct with its own “Genki Direct” event immediately after. In a statement shared on X following the filing, Genki said it is “taking [the lawsuit] seriously and working with legal counsel to respond thoughtfully.”

“What we can say is this: Genki has always been an independent company focused on building innovative gaming accessories for the community we love,” Genki’s post continued. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and we stand by the quality and originality of our products. While we can’t comment in detail, we’re continuing preparations to fulfill orders and showcase our newest products at PAX East this week.”

The Nintendo Switch 2 arrives after years of rumors and speculation. In the lawsuit, Nintendo notes that it began planning the next-gen console shortly after the release of the first. Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 opened in April, and the console will be available on June 5.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-suing-the-accessory-brand-that-flaunted-switch-2-mockups-ahead-of-its-reveal-210341646.html?src=rss