Tuesday, July 25, 2023

The Best Places to Buy Glasses Online for 2023 - CNET

Finding stylish and affordable glasses is now easier than ever. We've tested the top online retailers to help you choose the right prescription glasses for your needs.

from CNET https://ift.tt/OKR2Ih7

Latest Tech News

Key smartwatch models are set to shed some weight as recent leaks show Apple and Google will be making their wearables more lightweight.

9To5Google claims in a recent report that the case on the upcoming Pixel Watch 2 will be made out of aluminum instead of stainless steel. For the sake of comparison, the current Pixel Watch weighs 36 grams without a wristband, making it one of the heaviest Android wearables out there. If the company does go for an aluminum construction, the Pixel Watch 2 may have a weight more akin to the Fitbit Sense 2, which, as 9To5Google points out, weighs a measly 26 grams. 

Now, a few grams being shaved off may not sound like all that noteworthy, but in the long term, it could make a big difference. A more lightweight device will make it more comfortable to wear when exercising or sleeping. However, the problem with aluminum is that it's a softer metal compared to stainless steel, which could make the Pixel Watch 2 more susceptible to scratches and dents. 

Apart from the small snippets, there isn’t any other information specifically about the upcoming smartwatch in 9To5Google’s report. We don’t know just how much of the Pixel Watch 2’s construction will be made of aluminum, for instance. The case on the original Pixel Watch is made up of 80 percent recycled stainless steel, and hopefully, we see a similar number. Less weight plus a redesigned back would make Google's future wearable more comfortable to sleep with. 

Lighter Apple Watch Ultra

As for iOS, a reputable leaker known as Setsuna Digital claims the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (as we’ll refer to it for now) will have a “reduced weight”. 

Unfortunately, they don’t reveal much else about the flagship smartwatch, but it does add further legitimacy to another leak from notable industry insider Ming-Chi Kuo. He states “Apple is actively adopting 3D printing technology". Additionally, "some of the titanium mechanical parts” in the Apple Watch Ultra may be replaced with 3D printed materials on the new device. Kuo goes on to say this method could “improve the production time” as well as reduce overall cost.

Now presuming Apple is indeed using 3D printing for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, what materials will the tech giant use? We highly doubt the company is going to construct its wearable out of plastic. It's entirely possible Apple could use a design consisting of mostly aluminum, resulting in a considerably lighter wearable. The Apple Watch Ultra is quite chunky clocking in at 61.3 grams, nearly double that of the aluminum-built Apple Watch Series 8.

Of course, we don’t know for sure so take these leaks with a grain of salt. Luckily, you won’t have to wait very long to know more. Both the Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are set to launch later this fall. New info is just around the corner.

Until then, check out TechRadar’s list of the best smartwatches for 2023



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/BlcMot1

Monday, July 24, 2023

Best Wireless Bluetooth Boom Boxes for 2023 - CNET

Planning a party soon? No get-together is fully complete without music. Check out CNET's favorite wireless Bluetooth speaker models that pack a punch.

from CNET https://ift.tt/YVcPyZ5

Latest Tech News

Following up on recent teases, Microsoft is expanding browser support for Bing AI, giving Google Chrome and Safari access to the chatbot – with some limitations. The third-party experience won’t be the same as Bing Chat on Microsoft Edge

In a recent report, Windows Latest states the character count for the AI prompts have been cut in half, from 4,000 on Edge to now 2,000 on Chrome. Conversations with the chatbot will be considerably shorter as the third-party version will only allow you to engage in five messages with the AI before resetting everything. The normal amount is 30. Also, Bing will push you to download Edge if you haven’t done so already on your Chromebook. If you already have the browser, choosing the download option simply launches it. 

In addition to the roll out, Microsoft is adding a new dark mode option for the chatbot. The theme will match your system preferences by default, but you can manually change them yourself in the Settings menu.

Future updates

It’s unknown if Bing Chat on Safari will be exactly the same. Microsoft has yet to make an official announcement regarding the patch outside of a small notice, so we can’t say for sure if any tweaks are being made. We reached out to the tech giant for clarification as well if it has plans to expand Bing AI access to other browsers, namely Firefox. This story will be updated if we hear back.

As for the future of the AI, it looks like Microsoft is putting everything in the hands of people. Another Windows Latest report claims the company has been sending out feedback forms to various users on mobile asking what features they would like to see. Apparently, one of the new changes will see Bing recommend certain AI apps or tools for people to try out. 

Another potential upgrade could see the AI mimic the personalities of famous people like billionaire Elon Musk. Microsoft reportedly claims mimicking people will result in a “more engaging experience”.

We’ll let you know if Bing undergoes any personality changes. So far, it’s the same artificial intelligence we all know. Until then, check out TechRadar’s list of the best AI content generators for 2023



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/fMz7a6G

How to Permanently Delete Twitter. The 5 Steps You'll Need to Take - CNET

Getting rid of your Twitter account is pretty easy to do, but it takes more than pressing a delete button.

from CNET https://ift.tt/67QC2Ud

Your Netflix Phone App Is Getting a New Personalized Hub Feature - CNET

The time-saving feature rolls out on the iOS app today.

from CNET https://ift.tt/7mLqr6S

How to Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards - CNET

You can maximize rewards by using your card for everyday purchases and paying your balance in full each month.

from CNET https://ift.tt/YoeE9In

Samsung Unpacked: How to Watch This Week's Galaxy Fold 5, Flip 5 Event - CNET

Samsung's next wave of foldable phones are expected to debut this week.

from CNET https://ift.tt/WAwyBgG

Best Rural Internet Providers of 2023 - CNET

You may have more internet options in your rural area than you think. Here are the top rural ISPs to look for.

from CNET https://ift.tt/ZIc5CXN

Latest Tech News

In a recent live stream, Blizzard developers acknowledged that Diablo 4's latest update disappointed fans, claiming they don't "plan on doing a patch like this ever again."

In a fireside chat, Diablo 4's senior developers took an apologetic tone in light of a glut of negative feedback from fans in the wake of the game's latest update: the Season of the Malignant. Though we at TRG were unimpressed with the nerfs to the sorcerer class, fan indignation went further, responding to the update's across-the-board nerfs aimed at preventing players from "blasting through content." 

The trio of senior developers took the time to "acknowledge everyone's feedback... We know it's bad. We know it is not fun." 

The Campfire Chat was a surprisingly candid affair, with the developers taking the time to "talk about what we were trying to achieve specifically with this patch and with the changes that players ended up seeing." Crucially, however, the team was keen to stress "how we don't plan on doing a patch like that ever again." 

Adam Fletcher, associate director of community management for Diablo 4, elaborated on this point, stressing that "we've heard the feedback on that front." He also went on to discuss "how we can talk better and communicate with the community better."  

What this amounted to was a long, but fascinating discussion about the game's design philosophy from three highly experienced game developers. You can see the full live stream below. 

Perhaps the most significant takeaway was the team's commitment to ensure that "when making changes to increase build diversity, [we would] let some builds be overpowered until we have provided compelling alternatives." 

This approach stands in stark contrast to previous operating procedures, where Diablo 4 classes have often found their best endgame builds pared down with little to replace them. This is certainly true of the Sorcerer, which relied on skills that were heavily nerfed in the recent patch to make up for its relative lack of survivability. 

While many would rather that Blizzard never made these missteps in the first place, the Diablo 4's team's honest acknowledgment of player concerns is one of the better outcomes of the patch's controversy. The Campfire Chat could set a precedent for openness and transparency that bodes well for Diablo 4's future.  

If you're looking for a break from Diablo 4 while Blizzard makes these changes, check out our lists of the best RPGs and best co-op games



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/lVd8Jvg

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Best Apple AirPods for 2023: Top Picks Across Generations - CNET

You'll be hard-pressed to find better earbuds for your Apple device than some AirPods.

from CNET https://ift.tt/ZMCL1c2

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 #546 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 #546) - 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 #546) - 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 6.

Quordle today (game #546) - 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 #546) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 15.

Quordle today (game #546) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

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

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #546) - 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 #546) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• H

• L

• B

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

Quordle today (game #546) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 546 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #546, are…

  • STUFF
  • HIPPO
  • LIVER
  • BLINK

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


Daily Sequence today (game #546) - the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 546 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #546, are…

  • CHASE
  • OLIVE
  • LYMPH
  • TRACK

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #545, Sunday 23 July: ENTRY, GIDDY, STAMP, VOMIT
  • Quordle #544, Saturday 22 July: BEFIT, JIFFY, ARENA, TOUCH
  • Quordle #543, Friday 21 July: ROUND, TEPID, LIVER, IRATE
  • Quordle #542, Thursday 20 July: ENTER, TRULY, USUAL, CIVIL
  • Quordle #541, Wednesday 19 July: WORST, KAYAK, HENCE, ZEBRA
  • Quordle #540, Tuesday 18 July: DEBUT, HOARD, SILLY, UPPER
  • Quordle #539, Monday 17 July: LUPUS, ALIVE, SALLY, ABLED
  • Quordle #538, Sunday 16 July: STEAM, SALTY, SLOOP, TRUSS
  • Quordle #537, Saturday 15 July: CYCLE, FALSE, FRILL, HEAVY
  • Quordle #536, Friday 14 July: LIBEL, CABLE, WREAK, SCOPE
  • Quordle #535, Thursday 13 July: BASTE, QUERY, SNAIL, PEARL
  • Quordle #534, Wednesday 12 July: VOICE, MANGA, FROTH, BLOAT
  • Quordle #533, Tuesday 11 July: MODEL, AISLE, LIMBO, TULLE
  • Quordle #532, Monday 10 July: FILET, DULLY, IRATE, NOSEY
  • Quordle #531, Sunday 9 July: AXION, OFFER, DREAD, SADLY
  • 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 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/y0ROkX2

Best Gifts for 2023 - CNET

Gift-giving is a year-round affair, so why not check out this list of the best gifts you can give to your loved ones any time you need to celebrate this year?

from CNET https://ift.tt/V52R0ID

Latest Tech News

Images and video purportedly taken of Sony's recently-announced "Project Q" handheld system have leaked online.

Twitter user Zuby_Tech uploaded the images over the weekend, as well as a 28-second video that shows how the system works.

The images and video also give us a closer look at its eight-inch screen, the triggers on either side of the device, and what we think is evidence that it runs on Android software.

See more

Yes, we have tried to load the QR code clearly displayed on the device's screen in the images, but right now, it simply points to a dead page. Sorry.

Right now, there's still no release date beyond 2023 nor a concrete price point, but seeing the device in the wild for the very first time should be good news for fans looking to get their hands on the Project Q handheld system sooner rather than later.

The Sony PS5 Project Q handheld was unveiled in late May during the PlayStation Showcase. It's a handheld cloud gaming system that utilizes the console's Remote Play feature to stream titles instead of playing games natively. It's essentially poised as an upgraded way to stream your PS Plus library to a dedicated machine instead of just relying on your smartphone.

"We’ll know more in the coming months, but as it stands, Project Q was a bit of a damp squib in an already lukewarm PlayStation Showcase," Rhys wrote in their feature, Sony's Project Q is a handheld without the portability.

"I’d love to be surprised by the device when it does launch, but will it be the triumphant return to form for Sony’s handheld output? Probably not."

Thanks, The Loadout.



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/5oaIHtP

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Best iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Cases to Buy in 2023 - CNET

Keep your iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro safe from scrapes, scratches and shatters. We've tested the best cases on the market.

from CNET https://ift.tt/emlsvbJ

Latest Tech News

Nvidia acquires SchedMD and launches Nemotron 3 open models, providing datasets, AI tools, and libraries for multi-agent workflows. from L...