Technology

Wongsakorn 2468/Shutterstock Back Tap is one of those iPhone features you probably didn’t know existed — or didn’t think you’d use until you tried it. Introduced in iOS 14, it lets you assign quick actions to a double-tap (or triple-tap) on the back of your phone. That means you can do things like lock your screen, take a screenshot, mute your phone, or launch a specific Shortcut — all without touching the screen. It’s part of Apple’s innovative accessibility tools, but it’s useful for anyone looking to streamline everyday tasks. It works with most phone cases, doesn’t require Face ID or on-screen buttons, and feels surprisingly intuitive once it’s set up. The feature isn’t turned on by default, though. If you’ve ever tapped the back of your phone expecting something to happen, that’s why. To use the Back Tap, follow this guide to enable it, customize what it does, and troubleshoot it if it doesn’t respond the way it should. How to enable and customize Double Tap on iPhone Keyede Erinfolami/Slashgear Start by opening the Settings app. Tap Accessibility, then select Touch under the Physical and Motor section. Scroll to the bottom of the menu and tap Back Tap. Choose Double Tap and select the function you want it to trigger. There’s a wide range of options — from basic controls like taking screenshots or silencing your phone, to more advanced accessibility features like enabling Live Captions or having on-screen content spoken aloud. You can also set it to perform scroll gestures or launch custom Shortcuts and automations. You can also enable Triple Tap if you’d like to assign a second function. Once it’s set up, using D Tap is simple. Just make the required number of sharp, steady taps on the back of your iPhone, near the center or top. The phone detects this input using its gyroscope and motion sensors, so there’s no need to remove your case. The only real adjustment is getting a feel for the tapping rhythm, but most users pick it up quickly. To change any of the assigned gestures, just return to the Back Tap menu at any time. And if you change your mind entirely, just go back to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap, and select None to disable it. What to do if Double Tap doesn’t work on iPhone Karlis Dambrans/Getty Images If you’ve followed all the steps and Double Tap still isn’t responding, don’t worry. A few quick checks can usually sort it out. First, make sure your iPhone is actually compatible. Back Tap only works on iPhone 8 or later, running iOS 14 or higher. If your device is older, the setting won’t even appear. Yet another reason to stay on top of those iOS updates. Next, consider your case. While most phone cases don’t interfere with Back Tap, thick or rugged ones can sometimes block the motion sensors. Try removing your case and testing the gesture again. And don’t forget that the feature isn’t designed for gentle taps — you’ll want to give the back of your phone a firm but quick double tap, preferably near the center or top. If all else fails, go ahead and restart your iPhone. Sometimes, a simple reboot is all it takes to get things working smoothly again. Once you’ve got it running, Back Tap is just one of many clever features hidden in your iPhone— well worth exploring if you haven’t already. Read More

Baona/Getty Images There is nothing quite as frustrating as coming home after a long day at work and seeing a car parked in your spot — well, except for a car doing that multiple days in a row. You can tow a car from your reserved spot, but only if it’s within the property’s rules. You may be tempted to immediately call a towing company to reclaim what’s rightfully yours, but private companies may advise you to check out some local laws (which can get quite weird) before you go through with it. Why? Because there’s a chance that towing the other car could be illegal.  Towing laws vary not just by state but from property to property. If you’re on public property, you may want to call the police first to make sure you’re not breaking any laws by having the car towed. If you’re on private property, you will need to check local regulations to see if the situation fits the criteria to tow or you may find yourself in legal trouble. The same goes for towing a car that is parked in front of your driveway. Depending on where you live, there may need to be certain signage, wait periods, and other specifications before you call. Some towing companies may also require authorization from the property owner depending on local laws.  Check for signs, wait periods, and other local laws for private property bluestork/Shutterstock If your reserved parking spot is on private property, make sure there are signs posted on the property that warn others to stay out of reserved spots. Parking and traffic signs can get a bit confusing, but there are some common requirements to keep in mind. The usual verbiage includes a warning like “parked cars will be towed at the owner’s expense.” Depending where you live, the sign may have to be a certain size, have certain visibility, and include specific information, such as the phone number to the towing company that will be used.  Some towns will still allow you to tow a vehicle without a sign, but there are other requirements, like the car being in the reserved spot for a certain amount of days in a row. In most cases, it’s not legal to have a car immediately towed from public or private property without warning, depending on the situation. For example, Connecticut requires a 24-hour written notice for cars parked on private property, although if it’s parked specifically in a reserved spot, that rule is out the window.  California also requires a 24-hour written notice if a car is blocking your driveway if there’s no sign posted. To ensure you are not illegally towing a car, you will need to find out what type of property the reserved spot is on and then consult the local authorities to make sure you have the right. And definitely don’t attempt to move the car yourself, even if you have a very capable truck that’s good for towing. You could end up spending a large fee if the towing is proven to be unlawful.  Read More

VideoFromEveryWhere/Shutterstock Russia’s latest piece of high-tech weaponry, the Oreshnik missile, has been making headlines since its dramatic debut on November 21, 2024. The debut arrived in the form of grainy footage, which captured six distinct fireballs as they slammed into Ukraine at astonishing speed. But how quick was it really? Let’s break it down. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims it travels at Mach 10, or 10 times the speed of sound, making it one of the fastest hypersonic missiles today. Ukrainian military officials even clocked it at a faster Mach 11. Its name “Oreshnik” is Russian for “hazelnut tree,” which probably comes from its payload delivery system. The missile is equipped with six warheads, and each of those warheads carries six submunitions, creating a cluster effect like hazelnuts on a branch. The Pentagon has identified it as an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile, likely a derivative of the RS-26 Rubezh program. This has been undergoing testing since 2011. All those headlines are a result of its chilling capabilities, specifically the combination of speed, power, and range. That incredible velocity makes the missile’s flight time incredibly short, giving air defense systems precious little time to react. The speed also gives it massive kinetic energy, making interception by systems like the American Patriot Air Defense System particularly difficult. During its first use, the submunitions were reportedly unarmed, but their kinetic energy alone was estimated to deliver a destructive force equivalent to tons of explosives. Putin even boasted that a few conventionally-armed Oreshniks could be as devastating as a nuclear strike. That’s a chilling claim considering the missile’s range of up to 5,500 km (3,415 miles), with which it can threaten targets across most of Europe and potentially even the western United States. How the Oreshnik is a tool of political intimidation Russia’s official reason for the Oreshnik’s first use was retaliation. Putin stated the strike was a direct response to Ukraine using U.S.-made ballistic missiles and British-made cruise missiles to hit Russian territory. The attack was a clear signal to the West, a high-tech “shot across the bow.” Many experts believe the missile is less a battlefield game-changer and more a tool for psychological warfare. Mathieu Boulègue of Chatham House said in an AP report that while Oreshnik doesn’t rewrite the rules of the war, “in terms of psychological warfare, it works great.” This view is echoed by John Erath from the Center for Arms Control and Proliferation, who described Russia’s hypersonic developments as “intimidation tactics” designed to scare off Western support for Ukraine. Russia is doubling down on missile development. In June 2025, Putin announced that “serial production of the latest Oreshnik medium-range missile system is underway.” Furthermore, the country has threatened to deploy Oreshniks to its ally Belarus in the second half of 2025, placing the weapon right on NATO’s border. As for whether the West has an equivalent, the short answer is not really. The U.S. was already lagging behind Russia and China in terms of hypersonic missile numbers, but it’s actively working to close the gap. The U.S. and Russia were previously bound by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which banned ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (300–3,000 miles). The U.S. withdrew from that deal in 2019, which opened the door for both nations to develop these kinds of weapons again. In July 2024, the U.S. and Germany announced plans to deploy ground-launched missiles in Europe by 2026, including the SM-6, Tomahawk, and “developmental hypersonic weapons.” Read More

(Image credit: Getty Images) Looking for a different day? A new NYT Wordle 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. It’s time for your guide to today’s Wordle answer, featuring my commentary on the latest puzzle, plus a selection of hints designed to help you keep your streak going. Don’t think you need any clues for Wordle today? No problem, just skip to my daily column. But remember: failure in this game is only ever six guesses away. Want more word-based fun? TechRadar’s Quordle today page contains hints and answers for that game, and you can also take a look at our NYT Strands today and NYT Connections today pages for our verdict on two of the New York Times’ other brainteasers. SPOILER WARNING: Today’s Wordle answer and hints are below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to see them. Your Wordle expert Wordle hints (game #1493) – clue #1 – Vowels How many vowels does today’s Wordle have? • Wordle today has a vowel in one place*. * 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). Wordle hints (game #1493) – clue #2 – first letter What letter does today’s Wordle begin with? • The first letter in today’s Wordle answer is T. T is one of the most common starting letters in the game, beginning 149 of Wordle’s 2,309 answers. That gives it a ranking of fourth in the alphabet, behind only S, C and B. Wordle hints (game #1493) – clue #3 – repeated letters Does today’s Wordle have any repeated letters? • There are repeated letters in today’s Wordle. Repeated letters are quite common in the game, with 748 of the 2,309 Wordle answers containing one. However, it’s still more likely that a Wordle doesn’t have one. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Wordle hints (game #1493) – clue #4 – ending letter What letter does today’s Wordle end with? • The last letter in today’s Wordle is Y. Y is the second most common ending letter in the game, behind only E. In total, 364 Wordle answers end with a Y. Wordle hints (game #1493) – clue #5 – last chance Still looking for more Wordle hints today? Here’s an extra one for game #1493. Today’s Wordle answer is an excited, distracted state. If you just want to know today’s Wordle answer now, simply scroll down – but I’d always recommend trying to solve it on your own first. We’ve got lots of Wordle tips and tricks to help you, including a guide to the best Wordle start words. If you don’t want to know today’s answer then DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER BECAUSE IT IS PRINTED BELOW. So don’t say you weren’t warned! Today’s Wordle answer (game #1493) (Image credit: New York Times) NYT average score: 5.1 My score: 4 WordleBot’s score: 4 My skill score: 94 My luck score: 46 My start word performance: ALIBI (274 remaining answers) WordleBot’s start word performance: SLATE (102) Tomorrow’s start word: FATTY Today’s Wordle answer (game #1493) is… TIZZY. Hands up if you lost your Wordle streak today, then? I suspect a few of you will have done, because TIZZY is a monumentally difficult solution. According to WordleBot it has an average score of 5.1 at the time of writing, and that makes it one of only seven games so far in 2025 to reach 5.0 or above. In fact, it sits in equal fourth position for the year, difficulty-wise. Here’s how 2025 has shaped up on that front: Swipe to scroll horizontally Hardest games of 2025 so far Game Answer Date Average score My score 1310 ROWER Sunday, 19 January 2025 5.6 6 1426 EAGER Thursday, 15 May 2025 5.5 4 1482 JUMPY Thursday, 10 July 2025 5.2 5 1350 FUZZY Friday, 28 February 2025 5.1 5 1493 TIZZY Monday, 21 July 2025 5.1 4 1300 WAFER Thursday, 9 January 2025 5 6 1385 KRILL Friday, 4 April 2025 5 4 1388 HAZEL Monday, 7 April 2025 4.9 5 1332 GOODY Monday, 10 February 2025 4.8 5 1370 BASTE Thursday, 20 March 2025 4.8 4 1452 TAFFY Tuesday, 10 June 2025 4.8 5 1475 POPPY Thursday, 3 July 2025 4.8 6 1487 FOIST Tuesday, 15 July 2025 4.8 4 1351 HOVER Saturday, 1 March 2025 4.7 4 1477 BALER Saturday, 5 July 2025 4.7 4 However, I didn’t need the ‘Bot to tell me that it was a toughie – one look at the letters was enough for that. Z is a hard enough letter to play for on its own, but a double-Z? That’s just unfair. There are only five games among the original 2,309 Wordle solutions that contain more than one Z, so it really is a very unlikely occurrence. That said, this wasn’t one of those five – instead, it’s yet another answer that’s been added to the original answers list by those dastardly puzzle setters at the New York Times. The NYT appears to be ramping up the inclusion of non-original solutions, for reasons that are not clear to me. Maybe it’s about making the game more difficult – because many of the extra words has been stinkers. This is the equal toughest of them, though, with KAZOO the only other one to reach the 5.0 mark. This is now the fifth NYT word in the past month, and to put that in context, the previous five had spanned four months. We’ve now had 22 of them, but have no way of knowing how many more there are; well, unless the game’s editor Tracy Bennett spills the beans. Swipe to scroll horizontally Non-original Wordle answers Game Answer Date Average score Gap (days) 646 GUANO Monday, 27 March

(Image credit: Beelink) Beelink GTi15 Ultra offers vapor cooling in a chassis barely larger than a paperback novel A fingerprint reader and dual 10GbE ports are rare finds on any mini PC External GPU support solves one problem and creates three others in terms of cost and footprint Beelink’s GTi15 Ultra mini PC has been launched with features more commonly associated with full-sized desktops. The standout elements include dual 10Gb Ethernet LAN ports, a fingerprint reader, and support for external graphics – additions which suggest it is built for users who demand more than casual browsing or media playback, especially those looking to downsize without giving up specific performance perks. Compared to its predecessor, the GTi14, the new GTi15 Ultra brings an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor, but the raw CPU performance gain is modest, about 11%, based on internal benchmarks. Marginal CPU gains, sharper GPU contrast Beelink’s GTi15 Ultra doesn’t emerge in a vacuum; it’s the next step in a mini PC lineage that has gradually pushed the envelope. Earlier models like the GTi12 Ultra and GTi14 Ultra pioneered the inclusion of a PCIe x8 expansion slot for Beelink’s proprietary EX GPU dock, targeting users who wanted a compact form factor but still needed the option of a desktop-class GPU. The bigger change, however, lies in the integrated Arc Graphics 140T, which replaces the Arc 8-core iGPU from the previous model. Despite the branding, this shift may not result in a meaningful leap for GPU-heavy tasks. Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! The option to connect Beelink’s own external GPU dock certainly offers more flexibility, but not without added cost and space concerns. With up to 64GB of DDR5 memory and a built-in 145W PSU, the GTi15 Ultra is presented as a serious machine for demanding users. The dual 10GbE ports point toward a networking edge that could appeal to niche professional workflows, potentially making it viable as a business PC – but in most work settings, such bandwidth far exceeds actual requirements. The same goes for vapor chamber cooling, which may help thermals but feels more like a talking point than a necessity in typical office scenarios. Starting at roughly $655 in barebones form and climbing to nearly $880 when configured with 64GB RAM and 1TB storage, this mini PC lands in price territory occupied by capable desktops and laptops. While the appeal of a sleek video editing PC in such a small footprint is understandable, compromises remain, especially when factoring in the limited internal GPU and dependency on external docks for full graphics performance. Via Notebookcheck You might also like These are the best mobile workstations you can buy right now We’ve also listed the best mini PCs for every budget Inside the deepfake threat that’s reshaping corporate risk Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master’s and a PhD in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking. Efosa developed a keen interest in technology policy, specifically exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and politics. His research delves into how technological advancements influence regulatory frameworks and societal norms, particularly concerning data protection and cybersecurity. Upon joining TechRadar Pro, in addition to privacy and technology policy, he is also focused on B2B security products. Efosa can be contacted at this email: udinmwenefosa@gmail.com Read More

(Image credit: Shutterstock / NicoElNino) Yahoo Japan is betting big that mandatory AI use can unlock workplace innovation The company’s plan starts with automating 30% of daily tasks, like meetings and documents Internal tools like SeekAI will handle expenses, research prompts, and summarizing meeting notes Yahoo Japan is taking a bold step by requiring all 11,000 of its employees to integrate generative AI into their daily work, aiming to double productivity by 2028. The company, which also operates LINE, plans to make AI tools a standard part of tasks like research, meeting documentation, expense management, and even competitive analysis. The idea is to shift employee focus from routine output to higher-level thinking and communication by letting AI handle the groundwork and create continuous innovation. Targeting the 30% first The rollout begins in the more universal aspects of office life: areas like searching, drafting, and routine documentation, which Yahoo Japan estimates take up about 30% of its employees’ time. The company has already developed internal tools like SeekAI to manage tasks such as expense claims and data searches using prompt templates. AI will also be used to help create agendas, summarize meetings, and proofread reports, thereby giving staff more room to concentrate on decision-making and discussion. This move might seem extreme, but it follows a broader trend of companies trying to harness AI as a productivity tool rather than just a cost-cutting one. Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Yahoo Japan’s strategy assumes that automation is not just an efficiency tool but a workplace standard, but there is growing evidence that treating AI as a complete replacement for human workers may be shortsighted. A recent report by Orgvue claims, more than half of UK businesses which replaced workers with AI now regret that decision. This speaks to a crucial distinction: while AI can support and streamline, it often falls short in areas requiring nuance, empathy, or real-world context. In this light, Yahoo Japan’s model, one that promotes AI as a support layer rather than a substitute, might prove more sustainable. This is certainly a sign of things to come, and from my perspective, generative AI is not here to erase jobs, even although there are reports of people losing jobs to AI in some regions. AI should only shift what jobs look like by removing repetitive tasks and freeing up space for critical thinking and creativity, where human input remains indispensable. Yahoo Japan’s approach, if implemented with care and flexibility, might help shape that shift in a more inclusive and less disruptive way. Via PC Watch You might also like Here’s our roundup of the best AI phones you can buy right now We’ve also listed the best business laptops for all budgets AI Agents: the next big phase of artificial intelligence Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master’s and a PhD in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking. Efosa developed a keen interest in technology policy, specifically exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and politics. His research delves into how technological advancements influence regulatory frameworks and societal norms, particularly concerning data protection and cybersecurity. Upon joining TechRadar Pro, in addition to privacy and technology policy, he is also focused on B2B security products. Efosa can be contacted at this email: udinmwenefosa@gmail.com Read More

(Image credit: Shutterstock / DVKi) Memorizing all of the past Wordle answers is nearly impossible – after all, there have now been more than 1,400 of them. But knowing what’s gone before is important, because Wordle answers don’t repeat – so you could easily be wasting guesses. What you need then, is a list of past Wordle answers, and that’s what I’ve made for you here. It’s organized by month and you can simply search the page to see whether the word you’re thinking of has already been used. So pick one of the best Wordle starting words, take a look at today’s Wordle answer if you need to and keep this list close when you’re playing – your streak will thank you. Your Wordle expert Past Wordle answers: The full list Below you’ll find a list of every Wordle so far – all 1,492 of them (and counting!) I’ve first organized the answers alphabetically, and then by month starting with the most recent. You can use the menus on the side (on desktop) or above (on mobile) to jump straight to the month you want. If you’re trying to find out whether a specific word has already been an answer, there are easy ways to search for it: Windows: click CTRL+F macOS: click CMD+F iOS: click Share (the box with the arrow), then ‘Find on page’ Android: click the three dots in the top-right then ‘Find in page’ In each case, simply type in the word you’re looking for, and if it has already been an answer you can use the arrows to navigate to it. Right, on with the list… Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Past Wordle answers: alphabetical list ABACK | ABASE | ABATE | ABBEY | ABIDE | ABOUT | ABOVE | ABYSS | ACORN | ACRID | ACTOR | ACUTE | ADAGE | ADAPT | ADEPT | ADMIN | ADMIT | ADOBE | ADOPT | ADORE | ADULT | AFFIX | AFTER | AGAIN | AGAPE | AGATE | AGENT | AGILE | AGING | AGLOW | AGONY | AGREE | AHEAD | AISLE | ALARM | ALBUM | ALERT | ALIEN | ALIKE | ALIVE | ALLOW | ALOFT | ALONE | ALOOF | ALOUD | ALPHA | ALTAR | ALTER | AMASS | AMBER | AMBLE | AMISS | AMPLE | ANGEL | ANGER | ANGLE | ANGRY | ANGST | ANODE | ANTIC | ANVIL | AORTA | APART | APHID | APPLE | APPLY | APRON | APTLY | ARBOR | ARDOR | ARGUE | AROMA | ARROW | ARTSY | ASCOT | ASHEN | ASIDE | ASKEW | ASSET | ATLAS | ATOLL | ATONE | ATRIA | AUDIO | AUDIT | AVAIL | AVERT | AWAIT | AWAKE | AWARD | AWARE | AWASH | AWFUL | AXIOM | AZURE | BACON | BADGE | BADLY | BAGEL | BAKER | BALER | BALMY | BALSA | BANAL | BARGE | BASIC | BASIN | BASTE | BATHE | BATON | BATTY | BAWDY | BAYOU | BEACH | BEADY | BEAST | BEAUT | BEEFY | BEGET | BEGIN | BEING | BELCH | BELIE | BELLY | BELOW | BENCH | BERET | BERTH | BESET | BEVEL | BICEP | BILGE | BINGE | BIOME | BIRCH | BIRTH | BLACK | BLADE | BLAME | BLAND | BLARE | BLAZE | BLEAK | BLEED | BLEEP | BLIMP | BLINK | BLISS | BLOCK | BLOKE | BLOND | BLOWN | BLUFF | BLURB | BLURT | BLUSH | BOARD | BOAST | BONGO | BONUS | BOOBY | BOOST | BOOTY | BOOZE | BOOZY | BORAX | BORNE | BOSSY | BOUGH | BOXER | BRACE | BRAID | BRAIN | BRAKE | BRAND | BRASH | BRASS | BRAVE | BRAVO | BRAWN | BREAD | BREAK | BREED | BRIAR | BRIBE | BRIDE | BRIEF | BRINE | BRING | BRINK | BRINY | BRISK | BROAD | BROKE | BROOK | BROOM | BROTH | BROWN | BRUSH | BRUTE | BUDDY | BUGGY | BUGLE | BUILD | BUILT | BULKY | BULLY | BUNCH | BURLY | CABLE | CACAO | CACHE | CADET | CAMEL | CAMEO | CANDY | CANNY | CANOE | CANON | CAPER | CARAT | CARGO | CAROL | CARRY | CARVE | CATCH | CATER | CAULK | CAUSE | CEASE | CEDAR | CHAFE | CHAIN | CHALK | CHAMP | CHANT | CHAOS | CHARD | CHARM | CHART | CHASE | CHEAP | CHEAT | CHECK | CHEEK | CHEER | CHEST | CHIEF | CHILD | CHILL | CHIME | CHOCK | CHOIR | CHOKE | CHORD | CHORE | CHOSE | CHUNK | CHUTE | CIDER | CIGAR | CINCH | CIRCA | CIVIC | CLASH | CLASS | CLEAN | CLEAR | CLEFT | CLERK | CLICK | CLIMB | CLING | CLOAK | CLOCK | CLONE | CLOSE | CLOTH | CLOUD | CLOVE | CLOWN | CLUCK | COACH | COAST | COCOA | COLON | COMET | COMFY | COMMA | CONDO | CONIC | CORER | CORNY | COULD | COUNT | COURT | COVER | COVET | COWER | COYLY | CRAFT | CRAMP | CRANE | CRANK | CRASS | CRATE | CRAVE | CRAWL | CRAZE | CRAZY | CREAK | CREAM | CREDO | CREPE | CREPT | CREST | CRIME | CRIMP | CRISP | CROAK | CRONE | CROOK | CROSS | CROWD | CROWN | CRUMB | CRUSH | CRUST | CRYPT | CUMIN | CURIO | CURLY | CURSE | CURVE | CYBER | CYNIC | DADDY | DAISY | DANCE | DANDY | DATUM | DEATH | DEBIT | DEBUG | DEBUT | DECAL | DECAY | DECOY | DECRY | DEITY | DELAY | DELTA | DELVE | DENIM | DEPOT |

(Image credit: Aokzoe) Aokzoe mini PC flaunts a red rocket button with no clear functional explanation Branding overwhelms the chassis, with buzzwords replacing useful technical or design explanations The processor has real muscle, but the product’s direction feels uncertain and unfocused Aokzoe has announced its first mini PC powered by AMD’s new Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU will soon be launched globally. The company has remained vague about key technical details, but the announcement has stirred attention for its daring design and ambiguous branding. The mini PC has been previewed with terms like “AI PC,” “A IPC,” and “Hypermind Drive” emblazoned across its surfaces, leaving its final name uncertain. Design choices raise questions about purpose and practicality This device is visually striking with a design that flaunts aggressive angles, bright highlights, and an unexplained red “rocket” button, which feels like a custom or programmable function button, possibly for performance mode. Mini PCs often lean toward understated forms, but Aokzoe has taken the opposite approach. Branding is everywhere, with large text and graphics dominating the chassis, raising doubts about whether this machine is intended as a functional business PC or a flashy collector’s piece. Speculation has intensified due to the inclusion of the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, a high-end Strix Halo APU. Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! This processor is part of AMD’s push into AI-enhanced computing and has only recently started appearing in compact desktops. Although it holds appeal for demanding tasks like content creation, the lack of detailed specs from Aokzoe makes it difficult to gauge whether this mini PC can realistically serve as a capable video editing PC or handle long work sessions typical in business settings. At this point, the hardware’s potential seems to outpace the product’s clarity. Nevertheless, from the official images, the front panel of this device includes a USB4 or Thunderbolt port marked with a lightning bolt icon just before the red “rocket” button. Next is a full-sized SD card reader, a USB-C port, two USB-A ports (likely differing in speed), and a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones or microphone use. The company will officially confirm the specs of this device intermittently through social media, avoiding formal release timelines or performance benchmarks. While a global release has been promised, prospective buyers have little more than renderings and vague labels to assess. For now, it’s difficult to say if the product is serious about computing or simply playing with bold visuals and buzzwords. Although Aokzoe’s approach is not unique, other brands such as GMKtec and Aoostar are also introducing Strix Halo-based systems. The likes of HP Z2 Mini G1a, GMKTEC EVO-X2, AOOSTAR’s NEX395, and many more have already been announced. But these devices are usually not cheap, often selling between the $1500–$2000 price range. You might also like This 34-inch business monitor is curved, fast, has Ethernet, Smart KVM, and a webcam These are the fastest SSDs you can buy right now Take a look at some of the best external hard drives available Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master’s and a PhD in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking. Efosa developed a keen interest in technology policy, specifically exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and politics. His research delves into how technological advancements influence regulatory frameworks and societal norms, particularly concerning data protection and cybersecurity. Upon joining TechRadar Pro, in addition to privacy and technology policy, he is also focused on B2B security products. Efosa can be contacted at this email: udinmwenefosa@gmail.com Read More

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Forward-looking: As reliance on satellite navigation grows, aviation faces rising risks from GPS jamming and spoofing. Disruptions – whether from hostile actors or technical failures – threaten commercial and military flights. Engineers are racing to develop resilient alternatives, with promising new

ValiDrive performs a fast, randomized spot-check across the entire declared capacity of a USB drive. At each location, it verifies the successful storage and retrieval of random, unspoofable test data. While scanning your USB drive, ValiDrive also records the time required for each random read and write operation. Once the scan is complete, it analyzes