Sunday, July 9, 2023

Apple's Shazam Update Helps You Put a Name to Those Viral Tunes - CNET

Music discovery on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube might be a bit easier now.

from CNET https://ift.tt/JAXeHpa

Saturday, July 8, 2023

Latest Tech News

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's good fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a new variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #531 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

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 #531) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). 

Quordle today (game #531) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 8.

Quordle today (game #531) - hint #3 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #531) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 12.

Quordle today (game #531) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #531) - hint #6 - 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 #531) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• O

• D

• S

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

Quordle today (game #531) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 531 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #531, are…

  • AXION
  • OFFER
  • DREAD
  • SADLY

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


Daily Sequence today (game #531) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 531 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #531, are…

  • USING
  • HOBBY
  • SHIFT
  • EVICT

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #530, Saturday 8 July: BAGEL, SPITE, MAYBE, RADIO
  • Quordle #529, Friday 7 July: CLOUT, SMEAR, GAILY, ANGRY
  • Quordle #528, Thursday 6 July: HUNCH, LEFTY, ABBEY, RECUR
  • Quordle #527, Wednesday 5 July: HILLY, ALERT, SHEET, VODKA
  • Quordle #526, Tuesday 4 July: GUMMY, SQUAT, SUSHI, GAUDY
  • Quordle #525, Monday 3 July: DRUID, ENACT, APART, HEFTY
  • Quordle #524, Sunday 2 July: AMISS, SHOWY, LURCH, SAUCY
  • Quordle #523, Saturday 1 July: KNEAD, DALLY, AMAZE, IDEAL
  • Quordle #522, Friday 30 June: WOMAN, BAGEL, SUPER, ARISE
  • Quordle #521, Thursday 29 June: ISSUE, MOUNT, OVOID, SANER
  • Quordle #520, Wednesday 28 June: CEDAR, RUMBA, WIDOW, TITHE
  • Quordle #519, Tuesday 27 June: STRAW, APPLY, MAGMA, CLUED
  • Quordle #518, Monday 26 June: SCARE, RIGHT, IRATE, ORBIT
  • Quordle #517, Sunday 25 June: GAUNT, SLANG, ROUSE, UNITE
  • Quordle #516, Saturday 24 June: BILGE, LEAPT, GLOAT, PLEAT
  • Quordle #515, Friday 23 June: FIELD, BRINE, BEGUN, PITCH
  • Quordle #514, Thursday 22 June: AMAZE, BINGO, MUMMY, WEIRD
  • Quordle #513, Wednesday 21 June: BRIDE, TILDE, LOWER, REVEL
  • Quordle #512, Tuesday 20 June: DUVET, BLAST, FILMY, CEASE
  • Quordle #511, Monday 19 June: HORDE, LOSER, GUSTO, PRONE

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2f7Rb0M

Mexico vs. Costa Rica Livestream: How to Watch CONCACAF Gold Cup 2023 Soccer From Anywhere - CNET

El Tri look to get back to winning ways after their shock defeat to Qatar.

from CNET https://ift.tt/spM9ITS

Best MicroSD Card Deals: Snag One for as Low as $14 - CNET

These deals and discounts make it easy to afford memory cards for all your devices.

from CNET https://ift.tt/z9EbWFx

Best 55-Inch TVs for 2023: Samsung TCL and More Tested and Reviewed - CNET

Looking for a TV for a smaller room? There are plenty of great 55-inch TVs that will fit just about anywhere.

from CNET https://ift.tt/3TZyShN

Stamp Prices Go Up Tomorrow. Here's How to Avoid the Increase - CNET

The price of first-class stamps is rising for the second time this year, along with other Post Office services.

from CNET https://ift.tt/usEw3hi

Friday, July 7, 2023

Best Early Walmart Plus Week Deals Worth Buying Now - CNET

Seize early deals and discounts on tech, home goods and more right now.

from CNET https://ift.tt/R6DbzqA

Latest Tech News

Days before the launch of its new handheld, phone brand Nothing is whetting users' appetite by releasing a follow-up to its Ear (2) wireless earbuds – now in black.

There is more to the Nothing Ear (2) earbuds than just a shiny new paint job as the company has made some tweaks to address some of the issues we had with the original pair. Chief among these changes is the introduction of an Advanced Equalizer, which gives users the ability to create more detailed audio profiles. 

To get the tool, you will have to first install the latest update for the Nothing X smartphone app. The patch introduces a series of sliding controls for adjusting audio gain as well as the frequency control. Once done, you can listen to the changes made through a real-time preview in case you want to make any additional tweaks.

According to a video posted on the official Nothing Twitter account, people can “save separate profiles for different genres” as well. And you can share said profiles with friends via QR code in the Settings menu. 

Software patch

The rest of the update is a series of optimizations for the Ear (2). Notable changes include improved Bluetooth connectivity and better call quality “when using Active Noise Cancellation (ACN) in ‘Adaptive’ mode.” 

Speaking of which, the noise reduction effect will be more robust when utilizing ACN in “High mode”. The volume of prompt sounds have been adjusted too. In what capacity, we don’t know. Nothing didn’t provide a lot of details, though we did ask. We should also mention the Ear (stick) is getting Noise Reduction plus the Advanced Equalizer as well in this update. 

To get everything you see here, launch Nothing X, go to the Device Settings, and select Firmware Update.

Nothing Ear (2) being worn

(Image credit: Nothing)

Apart from the software enhancements, the hardware on the Ear (2) is staying exactly the same. You still get the lightweight design housing a powerful 11.6mm customer driver on each side. The Ear (2) wireless earbuds are currently available for purchase from Nothing’s website for $149; same as the white model.  

Room from improvement

We've complain about how mid-range vocal performances sound rather poorly coming out of the drivers in our Nothing Ear (2) review. With Advanced Equalizer, the voice problem has been effectively eliminated since you can now fine-tune the audio, which is great to see. However, we do wish Nothing had made the battery better on the black model as well. The buds by themselves last four hours on a single charge – one of the lowest in the industry. 

With the case, the number is bumped up to 22.5 hours, which is okay. Still, just four hours on the buds? Hopefully the battery life on the Ear (3), if there are plans for a third, will be much better.

July 11 will be a big day for the brand as that’s when its next flagship device, the Nothing Phone 2, officially launches. We don’t know all the exact details of what the smartphone is bringing to the table, but a recent massive leak does reveal a ton of potential hardware upgrades from sporting a 6.7-inch OLED display to being powered by the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset.

Once you’re reading up on our coverage of the Nothing Phone 2, check out TechRadar’s list of the best cheap phones in the US for 2023



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/X3f1bjA

Meta's Threads Is Here. What You Need to Know and How to Use It - CNET

A quick guide to the new app from Meta, which rolled out in more than 100 countries on Thursday.

from CNET https://ift.tt/or6bOAp

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Latest Tech News

Razer has launched a new collection of gaming accessories based on the popular title PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, as part of a new partnership with Korean gaming conglomerate KRAFTON Inc.

There isn’t anything new in the lineup. The company is simply taking some of its older products and giving them a fresh coat of black and yellow paint inspired by the in-game desert map Miramar. But Razer isn’t skimping players out as the brand has selected some of its best peripherals to make up the trio. 

You have the Razer Huntsman V2 keyboard whose tenkeyless version made it onto TechRadar’s list of the best gaming keyboards. Like the smaller model, the Huntsman V2 PUBG Edition comes with the company’s proprietary Optical Switches, utilizing infrared light to register key presses instead of metal-to-metal contact. These switches offer users a “true 8,000 HZ polling rate” to deliver a lightning-fast 0.2ms response time. That level of response could mean the difference between losing or earning the coveted Winner Winner Chicken Dinner victory screen.

Comfort and precision

Next are the Razer Barracuda X, a pair of headphones that we really like for its great sound quality as well as its long battery life. Razer claims it can last 20 hours on a single charge, although in our review, we were able to stretch the battery out “a few extra hours”. It may not be as high quality as something like the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, one of the best gaming headsets right now. But at the very least, the Barracuda X supports spatial audio for extra immersion. These headphones can connect wirelessly to other gaming platforms so you can hop over to your PS5 seamlessly. 

You can pre-order the PUBG Editions of both the Huntsman V2 and Barracuda on Razer’s website for just a little more than their base models. The keyboard will run you $229.99/€289.99 while the headphones cost $129.99/169.99. Shipping date is set for July 17 unless you pay an extra $10 to get them sent out on July 13.

What you can buy right now is the third device in the collection: the Viper V2 Pro PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Edition. It’s a wireless gaming mouse known for its comfortable, lightweight design. The Razer Viper V2 Pro is a great pick for shooting games. PUBG matches can last a while after all, so you might as well be comfortable. Other notable features include optical switches like those on the Huntsman V2 for fast response times plus a battery life of up to 80 hours. You purchase the PUBG version of the Viper V2 Pro also on Razer's website for $169.99.

While we have you, be sure to check TechRadar’s list of the best budget gaming PCs for 2023 if you’re looking to get a new rig to play PUBG on without breaking the bank.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/z9fkGa0

Amazon Will Show You Its Newest Devices in September - CNET

The company says its fall event will take place at the company's new Virginia headquarters.

from CNET https://ift.tt/KvbN561

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Solar Panels vs. Tesla Solar Roof: Here's the Difference - CNET

The Tesla Solar Roof looks more seamless on top of your house than conventional solar panels do. That sleek design will cost you.

from CNET https://ift.tt/ZG7oUuA

iOS 17 Beta 3 for Developers Is Out Right Now for the iPhone - CNET

The third developer beta for iOS 17 is available for download.

from CNET https://ift.tt/xRPp4v2

Stamp Prices Are Going Up Again. Here's How to Avoid the Increase - CNET

The price of stamps is going up for the second time this year. Other services are slated to get more expensive, too.

from CNET https://ift.tt/lI9CRgU

10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Eye Health Every Day - CNET

When it comes to eye health, daily habits can go a long way. Here's how to keep your eyes in top shape.

from CNET https://ift.tt/kOpYGZe

Heat Domes and Surging Grid Demand Threaten US Power Grids with Blackouts

A new report shows a sharp increase in peak electricity demand, leading to blackout concerns in multiple states. Here's how experts say ...