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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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, June 9 (game #729).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 #730) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…CHILLIMAGEMODERATERADICALTABLEJUDGECIVICCHAIRJURYWORDTEXT BOXCUSTOMSPSYCHCHARTHEAVYMEDIATENYT Connections today (game #730) - hint #1 - group hintsWhat are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?YELLOW: Come to an agreementBLUE: Ancient teen speakGREEN: PastePURPLE: Add a word that comes after “Tour of…”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 #730) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?YELLOW: ARBITRATEBLUE: '80S SLANG GREEN: THINGS YOU CAN INSERT IN A DOCUMENT PURPLE: __ DUTY Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Connections today (game #730) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #730, are…YELLOW: ARBITRATE CHAIR, JUDGE, MEDIATE, MODERATEBLUE: '80S SLANG CHILL, PSYCH, RADICAL, WORDGREEN: THINGS YOU CAN INSERT IN A DOCUMENT CHART, IMAGE, TABLE, TEXT BOXPURPLE: __ DUTY CIVIC, CUSTOMS, HEAVY, JURYMy rating: ModerateMy score: 3 mistakesTHINGS YOU CAN INSERT IN A DOCUMENT felt a very familiar group. In fact it felt like work, which is maybe why I saw it immediately.I made three mistakes today by convincing myself that HEAVY should be included in the group that became ‘80S SLANG, trying every combination before taking it out completely.The reason for including it, is because it was something I remember being said about something that was serious, complicated and exhausting and therefore by association a bit boring in the 1980s. But it’s a word that’s travelled through the generations. Today, in the UK at least, it’s used to describe a bad situation. In all cases, you want to avoid things getting heavy.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, June 9, game #729)YELLOW: KEYBOARD SHORTCUT COMMANDS PASTE, PRINT, QUIT, SAVEGREEN: SECURE IN ADVANCE BOOK, ORDER, REQUEST, RESERVEBLUE: CRIME ORGANIZATION CREW, FAMILY, RING, SYNDICATEPURPLE: SPELLING BEE RANKS MINUS A LETTER GENUS, GOO, MAZING, SLIDWhat 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 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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, June 9 (game #1232).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 #1233) - 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 #1233) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.Quordle today (game #1233) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.Quordle today (game #1233) - 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 #1233) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• D• C• F• ERight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.Quordle today (game #1233) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1233, are…DECRYCHEEKFILETEASELA slice of luck made things much easier for me today, when my loose guess of CHEEK came off. I knew that the first two letters had to be C-H and this was the first word that came to mind.DECRY was conjured from Quordle memory, while FILET and EASEL were just a case of working out the anagrams from the letters I had in place.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.Daily Sequence today (game #1233) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1233, are…SLICESTRAYRESINSEIZEQuordle answers: The past 20Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVELQuordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUMEQuordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAPQuordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKYQuordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCEQuordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPOQuordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORSTQuordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULEQuordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHIDQuordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITEQuordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDEQuordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGHQuordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURERQuordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADARQuordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOPQuordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEANQuordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLARQuordle #1215, Friday, 23 May: SHIRE, GIANT, AWAIT, CAPERQuordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCELQuordle #1213, Wednesday, 21 May: NOVEL, CHOSE, DIRTY, DONUT

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, June 9 (game #463).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 #464) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Mind your mannersNYT Strands today (game #464) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.PALESTOPTRACETHANPOETLIPSNYT Strands today (game #464) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 8 lettersNYT Strands today (game #464) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: top, 3rd columnLast side: bottom, 3rd columnRight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.NYT Strands today (game #464) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #464, are…APOLOGIZERESPECTSHARETHANKLISTENCONSIDERSPANGRAM: BE POLITEMy rating: EasyMy score: PerfectI have always told my children that “manners cost nothing” and “it’s nice to be nice” so it’s good to see this message repeated in today’s word search, which comes with the demand to BE POLITE.My thoughts on this topic extend to our interactions with technology, particularly AI tools such as Alexa and Siri. My approach is twofold – we should be polite because manners should be indiscriminate and also because how we speak to AI becomes part of the algorithm (the one tailored to us and to wider society).We do not know how AI will behave in the future and I’d prefer it if, once it becomes sentient, it thinks it has been treated well by humanity rather than rudely.If it's the latter I hope the AI murderbots remember that I said "please" when I asked them what the weather was going to be like tomorrow.Anyway, I digress and I APOLOGIZE for that. Quite a straightforward game today with little to challenge regular players or our future AI overlords. How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, June 9, game #463)MASKCAMOUFLAGEDISGUISECLOAKCOVERFACADESPANGRAM: FALSE FRONTWhat 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.

Deciding what to get your dad for Father's Day is tricky. There are the standbys like tools for the grill or a new history book, but there are also plenty of unique options out there. That includes digital options like a Nintendo Switch Online membership or a subscription to MasterClass.

A MasterClass subscription is one of our favorite gifts for teachers, but it's also an especially good option right now as the site is running a Father's Day sale. Currently, you can gift dad a one-year membership for up to 50 percent off. Take the MasterClass Plus subscription, which is down to $96 from $180 annually. It offers unlimited classes and access on two devices.

Then there's the Premium tier, which allows unlimited access across six devices. The sale brings this option down to $120 from $240 for the year. The cheapest option is the Standard subscription, which offers one class every three months on one device. It has a 17 percent discount, bringing its cost down to $60 from $72 annually — still a bit of a savings.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/masterclass-subscriptions-are-up-to-half-off-right-now-for-fathers-day-140300419.html?src=rss

You can finally buy the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US — or rather, try to buy. The $450 console officially went up for sale at midnight ET on June 5, and several retailers have offered the device both online and in-store in the days since. That said, online stock dried up fairly quickly at most stores last week and remains highly limited as of Monday morning. Walmart briefly resumed sales late Friday night, and you may be able to grab a bundle at Costco if you’re a member there, but it’s slim pickings beyond that as of this writing. Wider restocks will happen at some point, though exact timing isn't clear.

Broadly speaking, people had a bit more luck on launch week by venturing to a physical retail store. We can’t guarantee you’ll still be able to snag a Switch 2 the old-fashioned way, but it’s worth checking if a local Target, Best Buy, Walmart or GameStop — the four official retailers Nintendo lists on its store page — still has consoles in stock. Either way, if you’re still on the hunt, we’ve rounded up all of the latest information we could find on how to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 and where you can pick one up.

Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2

Walmart opened up online purchases at midnight ET on June 5, but the console alone and Nintendo's Mario Kart World bundle are out of stock as our latest update. Both SKUs briefly returned around 11:30PM ET on June 6, but we haven't seen much since then. Naturally, the world's largest retailer is also selling the console at its brick-and-mortar locations, though the company has noted that quantities are limited and inventory will vary by location.

Target began selling the Switch 2 in stores on June 5, then restocked its online inventory for at least a couple of hours starting around 3:30AM ET on June 6. It appears to be fully out of stock as we write this, but again you should still look into the locations closest to you for in-store availability just to be safe.

GameStop has advertised in-store availability, though exactly how much stock your local store may have will vary by location. Online, the device has been unavailable for most of the past few days. We've seen a $625 bundle that includes Mario Kart World, a microSD Express card and a few other accessories pop up a bit more frequently than the standard SKUs, though it's sold out now (and kind of a raw deal anyway). Still, it may be one to bookmark if you can stomach the extra cost. The listings for the base console and Mario Kart bundle, meanwhile, now point to a "Find a Store" page.

Best Buy said it'd have limited stock at its retail locations starting June 5. It previously confirmed it would not sell the console online during launch week, however, and that remains the case as of Monday morning.

You may still have some luck at certain membership-based retailers. A Mario Kart World bundle at Costco that includes a 12-month Switch Online subscription has gone in and out of stock since Thursday morning. Sam's Club has had a bundle without the Switch Online sub as well, though it's out of stock at the moment. We also saw the console at BJ's early on June 5, but it's not live there now.

Verizon briefly had the Switch 2 available on Thursday morning, but that's dried up, and only those with Verizon service were able to order.

Amazon hasn't had any form of Switch 2 listing on its website thus far, nor has it listed first-party Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World. The company didn't take pre-orders for the Switch 2 either, so it's unclear if and when it will sell the device.

Newegg has listed the Switch 2 on its site for several weeks, but it's given no indication as to when it'll begin sales. It's currently showing a couple listings from a third-party seller, but the prices there are massively overinflated, so you should ignore them.

With all of these stores, we've seen the Mario Kart World bundle available in greater quantities online than the base console, which costs $50 less. But given that Mario Kart is the Switch 2's biggest launch game and retails for $80 on its own, that may not be the worst thing.

Nintendo, meanwhile, is only offering the Switch 2 via an invite system. This requires you to have been a Switch Online member for at least 12 months and logged at least 50 hours of Switch 1 playtime as of April 2. It can't hurt to sign up if you meet the criteria, but don't expect it to bear fruit immediately — many people who registered in April still haven't received an invite.

You can find a list of every Switch 2 retail listing we could find below. Just be aware that this is meant to be a reference, not a rundown of everywhere the device is available right this second.

Where to buy Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle:

Walmart

GameStop

GameStop ($625 bundle with various accessories)

Best Buy

Target

Costco (membership required)

Sam's Club (membership required)

BJ's (membership required)

Verizon (service required)

Where to buy Switch 2:

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

BJ's (membership required)

Verizon (service required)

Where to buy Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories

Nintendo is selling a number of Switch 2 accessories alongside the console, from controllers to cases to cameras for the new GameChat feature. Most of these became available on June 5 as well. The same goes for games like Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Another big Switch 2 release, Donkey Kong Bananza, won't be available until mid-July but is still up for pre-order now.

As of Monday morning, just about all Switch 2 games remain widely available. Stock for the accessories is a little spottier, but most devices are still available at multiple retailers. Nintendo's official Switch 2 carrying cases are the main exceptions right now, so you may need to look to third-party alternatives if you want some protection for your console right away.

Mario Kart World ($80)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Donkey Kong Bananza ($70)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Costco (membership required)

Additional Switch 2 games

Nintendo

Amazon

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Samsung microSD Express Card (256GB) for Nintendo Switch 2 ($60)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Amazon

Joy-Con 2 bundle ($95)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Switch 2 Pro Controller ($85)

Nintendo (invite required)

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Costco ($75, membership required)

Switch 2 Camera ($55)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera ($60)

Best Buy

Target

Amazon

Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip ($40)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) ($25)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case ($85)

Nintendo

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector ($40)

Nintendo (invite required)

Walmart

GameStop

Best Buy

Target

Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set ($120)

Nintendo

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-buy-the-nintendo-switch-2-current-stock-availability-for-consoles-and-accessories-120039979.html?src=rss

Wear OS 6 will be released for Android watches later this yearIt's said to get two new unannounced features: firstly, a dedicated Water Lock for Pixel WatchSecondly, Adaptive Charging will improve your watch's long-term battery healthWear OS 6 has been revealed, and it's making a lot of changes that users of the best Android smartwatches are quite excited about. Changes to the user experience, a visual redesign, adding Google Gemini's AI assistant to your wrist... there's going to be plenty for wearers of the best smartwatches (that aren't for iPhone) to get their teeth into. You can read our Wear OS 6 feature breakdown here.However, there are two more features rumored to arrive with Wear OS 6, either on launch or as a future update.Firstly, according to Android Authority, you can expect a new adaptive charging feature. Adaptive charging is often used for devices to extend the battery's lifespan, preventing the battery from being over-charged too often, which can cause the battery to degrade.Android Authority found the strings of code, unveiling a feature similar to that on the best Pixel phones: pausing the charge at 80% completion and resuming an hour before you unplug your device. Samsung watches will reportedly get a similar feature with Samsung's Wear OS-adjacent system, One UI Watch 8.Water Lock on Pixel WatchesPixel Watches have a touch screen locking feature, which enables itself automatically during swimming workouts, but it can't eject water from crevices in the same way Samsung and Apple watches can. Nor does it have a dedicated labelled Water Lock, which disables the touch screen during rainfall, showers, or baths.Current Pixel Watches are expected to get a Water Lock feature at least, again via Android Authority's recent examination of code in the Wear OS 6 developer preview.The code doesn't actually detail what this new feature will do, so while there's always an outside chance that it will indeed eject water, it's more likely this is an update for existing Pixel Watches, restricted to a touchscreen-locking hot key under a more logical name for dealing with wet screens.Touchscreens are notoriously jumpy and flawed when wet, and trying to operate a watch in heavy rain or the shower could prove challenging if a water lock feature isn't available. While this is unlikely to change the way swimming and similar workouts operate on Pixel Watches, they will at least become more usable in the rain.You might also like...watchOS 12: 3 things I expect to see Tim Cook announce at this year's WWDC 2025Best Samsung watches 2025Your Google Pixel Watch could be about to get a useful new security feature

17 NPM packages with more than a million weekly downloads were compromised to deliver a RATThe attack could turn into a major supply chain attack, experts warnedThe packages were since deprecated, but users should be on their guardMore than a dozen packages on NPM were poisoned with a Remote Access Trojan (RAT), possibly infecting millions of projects.Cybersecurity researchers Aikido Security recently discovered malicious code buried very deep in 17 popular Gluestack packages.The packages cumulatively have more than a million downloads weekly, meaning huge amounts of users could possibly be affected, the experts warned.Revoking access tokensHere is the full list of compromised packages:@react-native-aria/button@react-native-aria/checkbox@react-native-aria/combobox@react-native-aria/disclosure@react-native-aria/focus@react-native-aria/interactions@react-native-aria/listbox@react-native-aria/menu@react-native-aria/overlays@react-native-aria/radio@react-native-aria/switch@react-native-aria/toggle@react-native-aria/utils@gluestack-ui/utils@react-native-aria/separator@react-native-aria/slider@react-native-aria/tabsThe packages deployed malicious code that connected to the attackers’ command-and-control (C2) and received additional commands including, among other things, the ability to upload a single, or multiple files.Furthermore, the trojan can execute Windows PATH hijacking and silently override legitimate python and pip commands.In response, Gluestack revoked an access token used to publish the compromised packages. All of the poisoned tools are marked on NPM as deprecated."Unfortunately, unpublishing the compromised version wasn’t possible due to dependent packages," a GlueStack developer said on GitHub. "As a mitigation, I have deprecated the affected versions and updated the latest tag to point to a safe, older version."The Node Package Manager (NPM) is the default package manager for the JavaScript runtime environment Node.js. It is used to install libraries, share packages with the community, manage dependencies, run scripts, and more.As such, it is vastly popular, having millions of monthly visitors, and hundreds of thousands of registered accounts that frequently publish their packages.Unfortunately, popular platforms attract threat actors in droves, and situations such as this one are not uncommon on NPM, or similar platforms such as GitHub or PyPi.Via BleepingComputerYou might also likeNPM users warned dozens of malicious packages aim to steal host and network dataTake a look at our guide to the best authenticator appWe've rounded up the best password managers

Security and data protection are no longer separate concerns. Instead, they are two sides of the same coin, one inextricable from the other. If not considered as such, then a revaluation of your cybersecurity strategy is in order.Backups are widely seen as an “insurance policy”. If an organization is the target of an attack, with data deleted or encrypted for ransom, restored backups can make this far less catastrophic to operations.As always, threat actors have wised up and shifted their tactics. They now target backups in 93% of cases, and succeed 57% of the time.This is why security and data protection need to merge, creating a singular idea of “resilience” that unifies robust security measures with comprehensive data protection. Thanks to changing threat tactics, the security of backup infrastructure and the immutability of backup data are not just best practice, but essential requirements.The need for backup and data protectionMicrosoft 365 is one of the most commonly used office suites, but the need for third-party backup is often overlooked. This is partly because it has a built-in backup solution, but also an assumption that as a service it is “safe”. This could be a costly mistake. Critical data is often centralized in OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook—making Microsoft 365 services a tempting target for attackers.Microsoft does recommend third-party backups in its service agreements, and we are starting to see this advice being followed. A 56% increase in recovery events related to Microsoft 365 domains in the last year shows the necessity of Microsoft 365 backups and that many are heeding this recommendation.Microsoft 365 isn’t the only service where backups are required, of course, but it’s a good example of where this need can be easily missed, and why thinking about “resilience” is key.Diversifying for watertight insuranceRansomware groups are targeting backups, and they’re not subtle about it. Both research and public claims by threat actors make it clear: disabling the ability to recover data is a key objective of modern cyberattacks. To counter this, cyber resilience must go beyond reacting after the damage is done. It must include prevention, early detection, and well-practiced recovery.The first step is isolating the backup infrastructure, the metadata and storage, keeping it off the primary network. This significantly reduces the attack surface, ensuring backups remain secure and harder to reach.Second, access to backup systems must be tightly controlled. Enforcing multifactor authentication and following the principle of least privilege is essential. Ideally, unique, dedicated accounts should be used exclusively for backup access, never shared with other systems or users.Third, organizations should maintain immutable copies of their backup data. These tamper-proof versions cannot be altered or deleted, providing a powerful safeguard against ransomware and other threats that aim to corrupt or destroy recovery points.Fourth, cyber-ready organizations don’t just trust their backups—they test them. Regular, full-scale recovery drills conducted in a clean, isolated environment are vital for verifying that data can be restored reliably in the event of an incident.Finally, even with multiple layers of defense in place, true resilience requires ongoing vigilance. Continuous monitoring for anomalous activity—such as deleted backups, altered retention policies, unexpected job selections, or unusual file modification patterns—can help surface early signs of compromise.Feeding these alerts into a security team’s preferred SIEM tools ensures a swift, coordinated response. Increasingly, AI-powered anomaly detection is enhancing this process by automating threat identification and reducing the need for manual troubleshooting or recovery interventions.Compliance sets the standardThe merging of security and backup into “resilience” will be driven by compliance. Compliance standards are prioritizing cyber resilience, blending prevention, detection, and recovery into unified frameworks. Examples of frameworks that recognize BDR as best practice include NIS2, Cyber Essentials, CMMC, and Essential Eight, and it is also common regulations targeting specific sectors such as financial services.These industry-specific and global regulations require organizations to demonstrate both preventative measures to stop an attack and their robust recovery plans should these barriers be breached. For businesses that have not fully implemented their plans, perhaps because of internal resistance to the cost or uncertainty around exactly what action needs to be taken, new regulations will force their hand.Cyber insurance is yet another driver. A simple backup is often not enough to attain a cyber-insurance policy. The cyber-insurance industry increasingly expects and demands immutable backups as a non-negotiable item. Insurers are also more hands-on and will also play an increasingly central role in incident response, coordinating legal, forensic, and ransomware negotiation efforts.What to do next?When thinking about backup and data protection, compliance is a good place to start. Aligning to compliance frameworks means following best practice guidance and the ability to prove due diligence to cyber insurers. But it’s important to think beyond compliance and look at where attackers will take opportunities to attack backup along with other systems—and build in resilience whenever possible.We've featured the best data loss prevention.This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Microsoft Edge has two smart new features in beta testingAI will help you find websites in your browsing historyA new media control center provides a hub for all media playback activityHave you ever found a useful web page, forgot to bookmark it, then remembered about it later, and had to go hunting through your browser history to try and find the site? This can be a frustrating experience, but Microsoft Edge is aiming to remove the pain from such a scenario.Neowin reports that as of the beta release of Edge 138 for testers (version 138.0.3351.14 to be precise), there’s a new AI-powered web history search.Of course, you already get a search facility in Edge’s history (and the other best web browsers out there), but the new feature gives your search query a wider scope and the ability to use synonyms (and more besides).Microsoft explains: “Enhanced search finds sites in your History even when you use a synonym, phrase, or typo.”In short, you can type something only vaguely related, and possibly make mistakes or typos when doing so, and AI will still be able to work out what you’re looking for – and hopefully surface the correct website.Elsewhere in the beta of Edge 138, Microsoft has introduced a media control center. This is a central hub that allows for controlling any video or music playback that’s currently underway within the browser, or other activity such as casting media to another device.Whatever’s happening media-wise, you can deal with it from here, and the control center is opened by clicking the music note icon along from the address bar in Edge.Analysis: On-device model(Image credit: Future)Remember that these features are just in testing for the moment. On top of that, the AI-powered web history search is a limited rollout among testers, so even if you do run the beta of Edge, you may not see it for a while.In short, it may be some time before this functionality progresses to the release version of the browser, but it’s inbound. And with Microsoft keen to expand AI powers however it can, I can’t imagine this is a feature that’s in any danger of being discarded.For those worried about privacy in terms of AI hooking its tendrils into your web history, Microsoft is using an “on-device model” and the company promises that none of your data is ever sent off the device into the cloud, or to Microsoft’s servers. Furthermore, the feature needs to actively be enabled, rather than being on by default.You might also likeCan’t upgrade your laptop to Windows 11? Asus joins Microsoft’s campaign urging you to buy a new Copilot+ PC, and I’m not sure that’s wiseI’ve tried the Opera Air browser – here are 3 features that have already convinced me to ditch ChromeHow to use Microsoft Edge

We've been hearing rumors for what feels like an eternity about Microsoft working with ASUS' ROG division on a gaming handheld device, and we got confirmation during the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest. There are two variants of the handheld: the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X.

Microsoft hasn't reveal pricing for the devices as yet. It stands to reason that they'll be in the same ballpark as the currently ROG Ally systems, which cost up to $800 for the ROG Ally X. Details on how much the systems cost, pre-orders, accessories and more are coming soon, the company said.

The exact release date is not yet known but the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are coming this holiday season. The handhelds will initially be available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and, shockingly enough, the US.

Xbox head Sarah Bond says that every game included in the showcase will be playable on the Xbox Ally, but didn't make clear whether all of those would run natively on the devices. The reveal trailer also included a notable focus on Hollow Knight: Silksong, for what it's worth (and it was reaffirmed that the game is still set to come out this year).

Microsoft

Critically, Microsoft and ROG aren't locking the devices to only playing Xbox games (though you can play those natively, via the cloud or by accessing an Xbox console remotely). You'll be able to play games from Battle.net and "other leading PC storefronts" too — those include Steam, GOG and Ubisoft Connect. Obviously, there's Game Pass integration here, as well as support for the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, which enables you to play games with synced progress across a swathe of devices after buying them once.

Microsoft says it has teamed up with Roblox to make that game natively playable on a gaming handheld for the first time. It's working with third-party developers on a Steam Deck-style program to make it clear which games have been optimized for handhelds, including the Xbox Ally systems. Expect more details on that down the line. In addition, it seems that those who snap up an Xbox Ally or Ally X and haven't yet tried out Game Pass will get a free trial.

Microsoft has designed a full-screen Xbox user interface for the handhelds. There's a dedicated physical Xbox button that can bring up a Game Bar overlay, which seemingly makes it easy to switch between apps and games, tweak settings, start chatting with friends and more. Accessibility features from Xbox consoles and PCs will be available too, along with the Gaming Copilot.

Naturally, the systems run on Windows 11. Microsoft says it has optimized the operating system for the devices, with easy access to device and input controls via ASUS' Armoury Crate. The company added that "the lock screen and task switcher have also been adjusted for easy navigation with a controller." You'll be able to mod games on either system as well.

The Xbox Ally is powered by the AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor, and has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The Xbox Ally X is the more powerful model. It has a AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. They each have a microSD card reader, so you won't need to worry about shelling out for proprietary storage to have extra space for your games.

The two models seem to have the same screen, a seven-inch 1080p, 16:9 display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness. The anti-reflection displays will feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and support FreeSync Premium.

Both systems boast "HD haptics." The Xbox Ally has hall effect analog triggers, while the Xbox Ally X has "impulse triggers for enhanced control." It sounds a little like Microsoft and ASUS are taking a page out of the PlayStation DualSense playbook there. Anyway, both of the Xbox Ally systems have two assignable back buttons and 6-axis IMU — a fancy way of saying that they'll probably have gyro controls. Blessedly, both of the handhelds have a 3.5mm combo audio jack, along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4.

Microsoft

The Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are exactly the same size at 290.8 x 121.5 x 50.7mm . They each weigh more than the Nintendo Switch 2 (534g or 1.18lbs with Joy-Con 2 attached) and PlayStation Portal (520g or 1.15 lbs). The Xbox Ally is marginally heavier than the Steam Deck (669g or 1.47lbs) at 670g. The Xbox Ally X is even beefier at 715g (1.58lbs). For the record, the ROG Ally is 608g (1.34 lbs) and the Ally X is 678 grams (1.5 lbs).

So, they're both chonksters, but at least those grips look more ergonomic than those on the Nintendo Switch 2 (which is already cramping my hands) or even the Steam Deck. Microsoft says the design principles of Xbox Wireless Controller was adopted for the Xbox Ally handgrips.

Both systems will be capable of outputting video to a TV or monitor, as they have two USB-C ports with support for DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery 3.0. One of the Xbox Ally X's USB-C ports is compatible with ThunderBolt 4. It also has a larger battery, with a capacity of 80Wh compared with the Xbox Ally's 60Wh battery. Both models come with a charging stand.

Microsoft has spent the last few years expanding the Xbox ecosystem beyond consoles and PC through efforts like Xbox Cloud Gaming. Its first official move into gaming handhelds is a big step as it tries to play catch up to PlayStation and Nintendo. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/rog-xbox-ally-handheld-gaming-devices-are-real-and-will-be-released-during-the-2025-holiday-season-142135533.html?src=rss