How to solve today's Wordle.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesLooking for Wednesdays Wordle hints, clues and answer? You can find them here:Well, the week is nearly over. Thursday has arrived and that means that yesterdayon Wordle WednesdayI gave you an extra puzzle to solve. Today, Ill give you the answer. This was the puzzle:You have a bucket containing one gallon of water and a bucket containing one gallon of wine. You fill a one-cup measuring cup with wine and pour it into the water bucket. You then fill the measuring cup with one cup of the water-wine mixture and pour it back into the wine bucket. At that point, is there more water in the wine, or more wine in the water?The answer: Both will be the same. This is a tricky one, and theres a whole math-intense explanation that I wont include here. Feel free to Google it, however.Now, lets solve this Wordle!How To Solve Todays WordleThe Hint: Good for Turkey.Play Puzzles & Games on ForbesThe Clue: This Wordle ends in a vowel.Okay, spoilers below!...The Answer:Today's WordleScreenshot: Erik KainWordle AnalysisEvery day I check Wordle Bot to help analyze my guessing game. You can check your Wordles with Wordle Bot right here. My opening guess was superb. BLAME left me with two green boxes, one yellow box and while I didnt know it at the time, five remaining possible solutions. I came up with four: BATHE, BASTE, BARGE and BADGE. I didnt think of BARRE, which turned out to be the fifth word. In any case, I agonized over which one to pick, or whether I should try to come up with a second guess that would narrow down my choices. Finally, I decided that Id go with my gut and try BASTE. Lucky for me, that was the Wordle!Competitive Wordle ScoreToday's BotScreenshot: Erik KainI get 2 points for guessing in two and another for beating the Bot, who took four tries today. 3 points for me! The Bot, meanwhile, gets 0 for guessing in four and -1 for losing to me. Bwahahaha!My March Running Total: 19 points.Wordle Bots Running Total: 4 points.How To Play Competitive WordleGuessing in 1 is worth 3 points; guessing in 2 is worth 2 points; guessing in 3 is worth 1 point; guessing in 4 is worth 0 points; guessing in 5 is -1 points; guessing in 6 is -2 points and missing the Wordle is -3 points.If you beat your opponent you get 1 point. If you tie, you get 0 points. And if you lose to your opponent, you get -1 point. Add it up to get your score. Keep a daily running score or just play for a new score each day.Fridays are 2XP, meaning you double your pointspositive or negative.You can keep a running tally or just play day-by-day. Enjoy!Todays Wordle EtymologyThe word "baste" comes from the Middle English basten, which in turn comes from Old French baster, meaning "to sew loosely" (in the sewing sense) or "to moisten" (in the cooking sense). The two uses likely have separate etymological roots:Sewing sense: from Old French bastir meaning "to build, construct" (related to preparing or tacking fabric).Cooking sense: likely from Middle English basten, possibly influenced by similar Old French roots, referring to moistening meat with fat or juices during roasting.Despite sounding the same, the sewing and cooking meanings may have distinct origins but evolved similarly in English.Let me know how you fared with your Wordle today on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog where I write about games, TV shows and movies when Im not writing puzzle guides. Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.

Today's NYT Strands hints and answersCredit: New York TimesLooking for Wednesdays Strands hints, spangram and answers? You can find them here:Strands, Wordle, Connections, the Crosswordso many games yet so little time! And some of these can be tricky. Indeed, todays Strands is quite the puzzle! If this one doesnt stump you, bravo!Strands is the newest game in the New York Times stable of puzzle games. Its a fun twist on classic word search games. Every day were given a new theme and then tasked with uncovering all the words on the grid that fit that theme, including a spangram that spans two sides of the board. One of these words is the spangram which crosses from one side of the grid to another and reveals even more about the days theme.Spoilers ahead.Todays Strands HintsRead on for todays theme and some hints to help you uncover todays words. Instead of giving you the first two letters of each word, today Im giving out three hints instead of two.Todays Theme: Wetland patrolHint: AvianClue: The spangram starts at the bottom and goes up.Play Puzzles & Games on ForbesHere are the first two letters of each of todays words:BISPSTEGIBFLWARemember, spoilers ahead!What Are Todays Strands Answers?Todays spangram is: WADINGBIRDHeres the full list of words:BITTERNSPOONBILLSTORKEGRETIBISFLAMINGOHeres the completed Strands grid:Today's StrandsScreenshot: Erik KainTodays Strands BreakdownThis was a very challenging Strands mostly because some of these birds are either obscure or tricky to spell. BITTERN? EGRET? SPOONBILL? These are daunting words to uncover! I also selected WADINGBIRDS with the S before trying the singular. I suppose this will be a pretty easy puzzle for bird-watchers, at least . . . .How did you do on your Strands today? Let me know on Twitter and Facebook.Be sure to check out my blog for my daily Wordle guides as well as all my other writing about TV shows, streaming guides, movie reviews, video game coverage and much more. Thanks for stopping by!

Through the looking glass: Firefly's Blue Ghost, the first fully successful private flight to the Moon's surface, recently completed its mission without issues. In addition to transmitting 119 gigabytes of valuable scientific data, the lander sent back astonishing images and footage of the Sun's movement from the lunar surface. NASA and private space company Firefly have released unprecedented images showing an eclipse and a sunset from the Moon. The video clips and accompanying pictures provide a fitting conclusion to this historic mission.On March 2, Blue Ghost became the first spacecraft from a private company to achieve a perfect landing on the Moon, capturing a stunning lunar sunrise shortly after touchdown. As the lunar day ended on March 14 marking the conclusion of the lander's solar-powered operation it recorded crisp footage of the sunset, watch that below:The company later released high-resolution photos of the event at multiple stages. Blue Ghost also captured a solar eclipse as Earth passed in front of the Sun.During its two-week mission, the lander successfully deployed all 10 of NASA's onboard science instruments and gathered data crucial for future missions. One experiment successfully tracked the Global Navigation Satellite System in lunar orbit and on the surface for the first time.Other experiments tested innovative methods for manipulating lunar soil and dust using pressurized nitrogen gas and electrodynamic forces, which could facilitate sample collection and dust mitigation in future missions. Additionally, the mission provided unprecedented measurements of the Moon's deep interior.Multiple governments and companies have struggled to land on the Moon in recent years, with some missions crashing on impact and others tipping over after unstable landings.Recent lunar missions aim to lay the groundwork for a permanent Moon-based infrastructure, which could include rail lines, nuclear power plants, data centers, and more. NASA plans to send astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in over half a century through its multi-stage Artemis program. However, the project has faced repeated delays. // Related StoriesArtemis I successfully orbited the Moon in 2023, while Artemis II's planned flyby has been postponed until next year. A crewed mission, Artemis III, is now tentatively scheduled for launch in 2027.In other space-related news, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore finally returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after their mission originally planned for eight days lasted nine months. Although former President Donald Trump, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and the media described the astronauts as "stranded," NASA maintains that the extended stay was within mission parameters.After docking with the International Space Station last June, Williams and Wilmore were forced to remain on board due to problems with Boeing's crew capsule. They finally returned this month aboard a SpaceX mission. During their 286 days in space, the pair conducted over 150 scientific experiments, and Williams set a new spacewalking time record for female astronauts.

Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution geared towards various information security tasks, such as Penetration Testing, Security Research, Computer Forensics and Reverse Engineering.Because Kali Linux is multi-platform, it gives you a strong, stable, known baseline to operate from regardless of where you use it: desktops, servers, virtual machines, live environments, cloud or containers.Why is Kali Linux popular among hackers?Kali is a popular distro among the security community due to its design, it incorporates tools oriented towards penetration testing, security research, computer forensics and reverse engineering. Kali Linux became mainstream popular thanks to the TV Series Mr. Robot.How many tools does Kali Linux include?Kali Linux is preinstalled with over 600 penetration-testing programs, including nmap (a port scanner), Wireshark (a packet analyzer), John the Ripper (a password cracker), Aircrack-ng (a software suite for penetration-testing wireless LANs), Burp suite and OWASP ZAP (both web application security scanners).How secure is Kali Linux?Kali Linux is developed in a secure location with only a small number of trusted people that are allowed to commit packages, with each package being signed by the developer. Kali also has a custom-built kernel that is patched for injection. This was primarily added because the development team found they needed to do a lot of wireless assessments.Is Kali Linux portable?Kali Linux can run natively when installed on a PC, can be booted from a live CD or live USB, or it can run within a virtual machine. It is a supported platform of the Metasploit Project's Metasploit Framework, a tool for developing and executing security exploits.What Linux distribution is Kali Linux based on?Kali Linux is based on Debian Wheezy. Most packages Kali uses are imported from the Debian repositories.What version of Kali Linux should I download?Each version of Kali Linux is optimized for a specific purpose or platform. First, you have to establish your system's architecture. If your system is 64-bit and you want to have a permanent installation, the Kali Linux ISO 64-bit is your choice. If you want to try Kali Linux without having to install it, the portable versions are the way to go.Kali Linux was developed by Mati Aharoni and Devon Kearns of Offensive Security through the rewrite of BackTrack, their previous forensics Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. The third core developer Raphal Hertzog joined them as Debian expert.What's NewWe are kicking off 2025 with Kali Linux 2025.1a! This update builds on existing features, bringing enhancements and improvements to streamline your experience. It is now available to download or upgrade if you're already running Kali Linux. Kali Linux 2025.1a? What happened to 2025.1? There was a last minute bug discovered in a package after already producing our images. As a result, a re-build was needed, with a fix.Here is a recap of the changelog since our December 2024.4 release:2025 Theme Refresh - Our yearly theme refreshDesktop Environment Updates - KDE Plasma 6.2 & Xfce 4.20Raspberry Pi - New major kernelKali NetHunter CAN - Car hacking in your pocketPackages - Various new packages added & numerous packages updated2025 Theme RefreshJust like our previous releases, the first one of the year, 20XX.1, has our annual theme refresh, a tradition that keeps our interface as modern as our tools. This year, we are excited to unveil our latest theme, thoughtfully designed to enhance the user experience from the moment you start up. Expect notable updates to the boot menu, login screen, and a stunning selection of desktop wallpapers for both Kali and Kali Purple editions. Our commitment extends beyond cybersecurity advancements; we strive to ensure that our platform's aesthetics are just as impressive as its capabilities.Desktop EnvironmentsKDE Plasma 6.2After a long wait, we are excited to announce that Plasma 6 is finally available in Kali, specifically version 6.2. This is a major update, as the previous version included in Kali was Plasma 5.27, making the scope of changes difficult to summarize. For a more in-depth look at each release, check out the official announcements: 6.0, 6.1, and 6.2.On our end, we have updated all themes to align with the new environment, featuring refreshed window and desktop visuals. And our favorite new addition from KDE? Floating panels!Xfce 4.20Our default desktop environment, Xfce, has also had a minor software bump from 4.18 to 4.20. Two years of development has gone this, which was formally released on December 15, 2024. It is the stable series follow-up to the Xfce 4.18 release that made its debut during Christmas of 2022 (Kali 2023.1).New keyboard shortcuts:To enhance the experience for users transitioning from other operating systems, we have added a few extra keyboard shortcuts to make desktop navigation even faster:Ctrl + Alt + F: File ManagerSuper + E: File ManagerSuper + F: File ManagerSuper + R: Run Command (in addition to the previous shortcut Alt + F2)Super + T: Open Terminal (in addition to the previous shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T)Super + W: Open BrowserSuper + F1: Find CursorSuper + D: Show Desktop (in addition to the previous shortcut Ctrl + Alt + D)Window Manager shortcuts:Super + Shift + Down: Move window to monitor downSuper + Shift + Up: Move window to monitor upSuper + Shift + Left: Move window to monitor leftSuper + Shift + Right: Move window to monitor rightSuper + KeyPad_1: Tile window down leftSuper + KeyPad_3: Tile window down rightSuper + KeyPad_7: Tile window up leftSuper + KeyPad_9: Tile window up rightYou can check all the other Xfce keyboard shortcuts in the keyboard settings dialog or in the XFWM4 keyboard section.Raspberry PiThere has been various Raspberry Pi image changes for 2025.1a:A newer package, raspi-firmware, is now being used. We now use the same raspi-firmware package as Raspberry Pi OS.A new kernel, which is based on version 6.6.74 and is now from the Raspberry Pi OS kernel. It is now included in all our images, including support for the Raspberry Pi 5!The new kernel packages are:linux-image-rpi-2712 - arm64 kernel for the Raspberry Pi 5/500linux-image-rpi-v8 - arm64 kernel for the Raspberry Pi 02W/2/3/4/400linux-image-rpi-v7l - armhf kernel for the Raspberry Pi 02W/4/400linux-image-rpi-v7 - armhf kernel for the Raspberry Pi 2/3linux-image-rpi-v6 - armel kernel for the Raspberry Pi 0/0W/1The respective header packages are linux-headers-rpi-2712, linux-headers-rpi-v8, linux-headers-rpi-v7l, linux-headers-rpi-v7, and linux-headers-rpi-v6. These headers come pre-installed on the Raspberry Pi images that we build. Additionally, 64-bit images include both 2712 and v8, while 32-bit images include v7l and v7.The Nexmon kernel module is now DKMS-enabled and available as brcmfmac-nexmon-dkms, allowing it to be updated separately from the kernel. However, the Nexmon firmware is not included in this release. We are still evaluating the best approach to manage firmware updates with minimal disruption and will include it in a future update.A new partition layout is introduced, mirroring Raspberry Pi OS images. The first (vfat) partition is now mounted at /boot/firmware instead of /boot. This means that if you need to modify config.txt, you should now edit /boot/firmware/config.txt. Similarly, for changes to the kernel command line, edit /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt. A /boot/config.txt file is included as a reference, containing a warning and pointing to the correct location.Speaking of config.txt, it has now been simplified, as the newer boot firmware handles many tasks automatically.There are a lot of changes that have happened under the hood, and as such, 2025.1a for Raspberry Pi devices means starting over from a new image, and not just following our update documentation. If you are happy with your current setup on the 5.15 kernel, updating will not break anything, as the new packages will not be installed by an update, but we highly recommend starting with a fresh image as we do not support upgrading to the new kernels.Kali NetHunter UpdatesWe also have some fascinating Kali NetHunter updates for this release. Straight out of the blue, V0lk3n added the all new "CAN Arsenal" tab to NetHunter app so you can now have a car hacked straight from your pocket! He also added brand new kernels for Samsung phones, with successfully ported Samsung HID patch, which has not work since the Samsung Galaxy S7.Our installer now comes with a dynamic wallpaper thanks to Robin. Therefore, if you want to add a new device with a unique resolution, you will not need to port an existing wallpaper. There are additionally various bug fixes from yesimxev, Robin, and g0tmi1kWe appreciate all the support coming from unofficial threads and our official Discord server. It is amazing how everyone helps each other out. This project really would not work without you!New Kali NetHunter kernels:Samsung Galaxy S9 (Exynos9810 - LineageOS 20/Android 13) - Thanks V0lk3nSamsung Galaxy S10 (Exynos9820 - LineageOS 21 & LineageOS 22.1) - Thanks V0lk3nXiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro (Android 11) - Thanks TheKidBabyNew Tools in KaliThis release, there has been more of a focus on updating packages. We also bump the Kali kernel to 6.12. Still, a Kali release would not be complete without something new being added (to the network repositories):hoaxshell - Windows reverse shell payload generator and handler that abuses the http(s) protocol to establish a beacon-like reverse shellMiscellaneousBelow are a few other things which have been updated in Kali, which we are calling out which do not have as much detail:Split live-config build-script into kali-installer & kali-liveWe are hoping to refresh Kali-menu in 2025.2Kali Website UpdatesWe have added 3x new pages to kali.org:Official Kali Linux Wallpapers - Kali 2019.4 and onwardsLegacy Kali Linux Wallpapers - BackTrack to Kali 2019.3Community Kali Linux Wallpapers - Our fantastic users creationsAll of this information (and more) is available in our documentation.Raspberry Pi Imager Customizations SupportThe moment that Pi users have been waiting for has arrived! We are thrilled to announce that Kali's Raspberry Pi images now support applying customizations directly from the Raspberry Pi Imager software! This is a huge step forward, and we are so excited to bring this much-requested feature to our users. Whether you are a seasoned pro or just getting started, this update is going to make your Raspberry Pi experience even more seamless.For those who might not be familiar with the Raspberry Pi Imager, it was first introduced in 2020 by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. This incredibly handy tool allows users to easily write Raspberry Pi operating system images onto an SD card or USB drive with just a few clicks. But that's not all it also lets you apply essential customizations before you even boot up your Pi! You can pre-configure a range of settings, from setting a custom username and password to choosing a hostname, connecting to a Wi-Fi network, and even adding an SSH key for remote access.With this latest release, you can now apply these customizations to all Raspberry Pi images with the exception of the PiTail images, which are highly specialized with their own network and user settings. Unfortunately, due to these customizations, applying them via the Raspberry Pi Imager software is not supported for PiTail images. But for everything else, the sky's the limit!How Does It Work?The magic happens when you write a Raspberry Pi image to your SD card or USB drive using the imager software. If you choose to enable customizations, the settings are stored in two key files on the /boot partition of the drive:user-data: This file contains all your personal settings, including the username and password, any locale or timezone preferences, and even your SSH public key (if you have chosen to enable SSH).network-config: Here you will find your Wi-Fi network settings, including the pre-computed PSK (Password Security Key) for seamless connectivity.Once the Raspberry Pi boots for the first time, these files will apply the custom settings automatically.A quick tip: Do not forget to delete these files after the first boot to keep things secure.Default Settings for Non-Customized ImagesFor users who do not wish to enable customizations, do not worry! The default settings for Raspberry Pi images will remain the same, with kali/kali for the username and password.GNOME 47We are excited to announce that the latest update to the GNOME Desktop, GNOME 47, is now available! This update brings numerous changes and desktop enhancements, but the most notable feature is the new support for accent color customization. You can now choose your favorite color for window and shell widgets, giving you more control over your desktop's look and feel.From Kali's side, we have also worked on synchronizing this new setting with the icon theme and legacy GTK window themes to ensure a cohesive visual experience. To complement this feature, we have created multiple variants of the icon theme to match each accent color. These themes are also available across other desktop environments, allowing you to personalize your Kali experience.Other ImprovementsNew login themeNew system-monitor panel extensionImproved color-schemes for gnome-text-editorKali Forums RefreshA couple of weeks ago we launched the refresh of our Kali Forums. With this refresh we are now running a Discourse-powered forum with a new set of moderators thanks to our community moderators from Discord. We are very happy with the activity we have seen on it so far and hope to see you there!For more information, please check out our blog post about the refresh.New Tools in KaliAs always, we have various new tools added (to the network repositories) - 14 this time! Summarizing what has been added:bloodyad - Active Directory privilege escalation framework (Submitted by @Arszilla)certi - Ask for certificates to ADCS and discover templates (Submitted by @Arszilla)chainsaw - Rapidly search and hunt through Windows forensic artefacts (Submitted by @Arszilla)findomain - Fastest and most complete solution for domain recognition (Submitted by @Arszilla)hexwalk - Hex analyzer, editor and viewerlinkedin2username - Generate username lists for companies on LinkedInmssqlpwner - Interact and pwn MSSQL serversopenssh-ssh1 - Secure SHell (SSH) client for legacy SSH1 protocolproximoth - Control frame attack vulnerability detection tool (Submitted by @TechnicalUserX)python-pipx - Execute binaries from Python packages in isolated environmentssara - RouterOS Security Inspector (Submitted by @casterbyte)web-cache-vulnerability-scanner - Go-based CLI tool for testing for web cache poisoning (Submitted by @Arszilla)xsrfprobe - An advanced Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF/XSRF) audit and exploitation toolkit.zenmap - The Network Mapper (nmap) front end (zenmap-kbx is no longer needed!)There have also been numerous packages updates and new libraries as well. We also bump the Kali kernel to 6.11!Kali Linux 2024.3 Release (Multiple transitions)With summer coming to an end, so are package migrations, and Kali 2024.3 can now be released. You can now start downloading or upgrading if you have an existing Kali installation.The summary of the changelog since the 2024.2 release from June is:Qualcomm NetHunter Pro Devices - Qualcomm Snapdragon SDM845 SoC now supportedNew Tools - 11x new tools in your arsenalOur focus has been on a lot of behind the scenes updates and optimizations since the last release. There have been some messy migrations, with multiple stacks, all interrelating (transition have been like buses, all coming at once!). After the t64 transition finished up, it was straight into multiple other transitions: GCC 14, the glibc 2.40, and Python 3.12.This last one is the most significant! This new Python release removed some long-deprecated APIs, breaking a fair number of packages. We have been busy fixing it all (weeks of work!), we are almost there, Python 3.12 will be the default in the next version of Kali - 2024.4. With Python 3.12, there will be a major change for users: it won't be possible to install Python packages with pip anymore. We wrote about that a year ago already, we invite you to read that again if you are an avid user of pip.But that will be for the next Kali release, 2024.4, due by the end of the year. In the meantime, this new release 2024.3 still has Python 3.11 as the default Python interpreter.An unfortunate consequence of this situation is that, as the whole Python 3.12 stack did not enter Kali-rolling yet, it also blocked other packages (seemingly unrelated to Python) from entering Kali-rolling. In other words, over the last 2 months the pace of updates in Kali-rolling went down, making this release less exciting than usual. This temporary slowdown should end in the coming days and weeks, as Python 3.12 finally hits Kali-rolling. At this point packages will resume flowing as usual, so users of Kali-rolling should be ready for a lot of updates!To finish: apart from packaging, various projects either got started or continued to make progress, but are not ready for release just yet (such as having a new Kali forum, NetHunter Store updates and refreshing Kali-menu).New Tools in KaliThis Kali release is about package updates. For end users its mostly about new tools added, for us, its about the updated stacks!The community once again has set up and added various new tools. Long term contributor @Arszilla has been busy again! Here is a highlight of what new tools have been added (to the network repositories):goshs - Think SimpleHTTPServer, but written in Go, and with more featuresgraudit - Grep Rough AUDIT: source code auditing toolgsocket - Allows two machines on different networks to communicate with each otherhekatomb - Extract and decrypt all credentials from all domain computers (Submitted by @Arszilla)mxcheck - Info and security scanner for e-mail servers (Submitted by @Arszilla)netexec - Network service exploitation tool that helps automate assessing the security of large networks (Submitted by @Arszilla)netscanner - Network scanner & diagnostic tool with modern TUI (Submitted by @Arszilla)obsidian - Private and flexible writing app that adapts to the way you thinksippts - Set of tools to audit SIP based VoIP Systems (Submitted by @Arszilla)sprayhound - Password spraying tool and Bloodhound integration (Submitted by @Arszilla)sqlmc - Check all URLls of a domain for SQL injections (Submitted by @Arszilla)It goes without saying, that there has been numerous packages updates and new libraries as well.Again, we want to shout out Arszilla and his multiple contributions. Always remember, you can contribute as well! We are always open for engagement from you if you want to get involved.As hinted in our previous 2024.2 release, the Kali kernel is now also at 6.8.Kali NetHunter UpdatesKali NetHunter 2024.3 has been held back for the the time being, as we are busy upating the build infrastructure. We will release the updated images when they are ready (hopefully in a few weeks), and talk whats new with them in the next Kali release 2024.4 (Bye Mana!).Fortunately, we can say there are new supported devices! We are excited to release Kali NetHunter Pro images for devices with a Qualcomm Snapdragon SDM845 SoC (System on a Chip), such as:OnePlus 6/6TSHIFT SHIFT6mqXiaomi Pocophone F1 (aka Poco F1)Thanks to @Shubhamvis98 for his amazing work to make this happen!There is also good news for Hungarian NetHunters! Check out "HnLVIP NetHunter" (1st August 2024), in this podcast by @hackeslangos featuring @yesimxev, talking about getting into NetHunter, an OffSec journey and more! You can listen to it here:AppleSpotifyKali ARM SBC UpdatesWe now pass QEMU_CPU=cortex-a72 to the build scripts when building an arm64 image on an amd64 host, which should speed things back up considerably.USBArmory devices should now properly start their DHCP serverSupport has been added for the Raspberry Pi 4 Compute Module Wi-Fi deviceRaspberry Pi 5 kernel version has been bumped to 6.6additionally due to the new firmware in use on it, if you use an A2 rated microSD card, you should see 2-3x speedup of random accessPinebook kernel has been reverted back to a 6.1 kernel due to graphical glitches, and LCD not working on newer kernelsWe have cleaned up the build dependencies list, so we do not make users install a bunch of dependencies that are no longer used when building their own custom image.

The tech wizards at Boston Dynamics have been hard at work, according to an astonishing new video released by the Massachussetts-based company on Wednesday.In this video, Atlas is demonstrating policies developed using reinforcement learning with references from human motion capture and animation, reads the somewhat dry description accompanying the footage.Instead of demonstrating policies, a more accurate account would surely be, busting a slew of jaw-dropping moves thatll have you sitting straight up in your seat hollering, Woah, did that robot really just do that?!? Atlas has been impressing us for years. Who can forget the first time we saw it performing a backflip, or doing parkour all very impressive stuff. But since last year, when Atlas was relaunched as a fully electric humanoid robot with AI and machine-learning tools, the team of engineers at Boston Dynamics has taken its capabilities up a notch, to the point where its moving just like a human, in a totally natural way.But thats not all.The footage also shows Atlas doing a spot of breakdancing, which, lets be honest, if most of us tried would likely end with a slipped disc, a scream of pain, and a trip to the hospital. But Atlas performs like a pro.But its the finale that really impresses. Not even bothering with a run-up, Atlas does a perfect cartwheel. Its the kind of gleeful move that you can imagine them making after subjugating the masses.This latest work was done as part of a research partnership between Boston Dynamics and the Robotics and the Massachussetts-based AI Institute (RAI Institute), the company said.Boston Dynamics has described the latest iteration of Atlas as one of the most advanced humanoid robots ever built, adding that its now stronger, more dexterous, and more agile, and able to move in ways that exceed human capabilities.The goal is to make Atlas fit for manufacturing scenarios, helping to perform mundane tasks in a more efficient manner, freeing up human workers for more meaningful jobs. And were kind of hoping thats all it does.Editors Recommendations

Last week, Samsung released a firmware update version 1020.7 that locked the Samsung HW-Q990D, the best overall soundbar available, and other 900 series soundbars in eARC mode, rendering them useless. As originally reported by The Verge, users started posting to r/soundbars on Reddit, Samsung forums, and AVS Forum soon after the update to explain what happened. Some Digital Trends readers that are experiencing the problem also reached out to us for answers (thanks Marcel!).A response from a Samsung forum moderator in Europe indicated that Samsung AV Product Specialists are aware of the issue and confirmed that it is the result of an OTN (Over the Network) update, which they have now suspended. According to the moderator, If your issue is the result of an OTN update, then it will be necessary to arrange an engineers inspection and repair in order to get this resolved. Its important to note that this is aimed for those based in the UK.Recommended VideosWe recommend that you turn off automatic updates, as its unknown if those updates have also been suspended in the US and Canada. Apparently, customers that did the update via USB were not affected by the problem.Please enable Javascript to view this contentAdditional reports seem to show that the firmware update has also affected the 800 series soundbars (HW-Q800D and HW-S801D) as well.Hopefully a new firmware update will be made available to fix the issue, and customers wont need to all send their soundbars back to Samsung for service.We reached out to Samsung for a statement and about any plans for a fix. Well update once we have more information.Editors Recommendations

Dynamic Security HP avoids monetary damages over bricked printers in class-action settlement HP has previously paid millions for bricking printers, but not this time. Scharon Harding Mar 19, 2025 5:12 pm | 7 Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreA United States District Court for the Northern District of California judge has signed off on a settlement agreement between HP and its customers who sued the company for issuing firmware updates that prevented their printers from working with non-HP ink and toner.In December 2020, Mobile Emergency Housing Corp. and a company called Performance Automotive & Tire Center filed a class-action complaint against HP [PDF], alleging that the company wrongfully compels users of its printers to buy and use only HP ink and toner supplies by transmitting firmware updates without authorization to HP printers over the Internet that lock out its competitors ink and toner supply cartridges. The complaint centered on a firmware update issued in November 2020; it sought a court ruling that HPs actions broke the law, an injunction against the firmware updates, and monetary and punitive damages.HPs firmware updates act as malwareadding, deleting or altering code, diminishing the capabilities of HP printers, and rendering the competitors supply cartridges incompatible with HP printers, the 2020 complaint reads.HP calls using updates to prevent printers from using third-party ink and toner Dynamic Security. The term aims to brand the device bricking as a security measure. In recent years, HP has continued pushing this claim, despite security experts that Ars has spoken with agreeing that theres virtually zero reason for printer users to worry about getting hacked through ink.After years of litigation, in August 2024, HP and the plaintiffs reached a settlement agreement that Judge Susan Van Keulen approved on Tuesday [PDF].Under the settlement agreement, HP doesnt admit to any wrongdoing. It also wont pay any monetary relief to customers impacted by the November 2020 firmware update.However, HP agreed to pay $5,000 each to Mobile Emergency Housing Corp., Performance Automotive & Tire Center, and David Justin Lynch, who was eventually added to the complaint, to compensate them for the services they performed on behalf of the classes, HP said. It will also pay $725,000 in attorneys fees and expenses.A win for HP users comes from the company's legal commitment to allow users of specific printers to decline firmware updates that would push Dynamic Security. The now-approved settlement terms state: HP has agreed to continue making certain disclosures to users of Class Printers about Dynamic Security and data collection, and to continue to allow users of Class Printers to either agree to install or decline to install firmware updates that include Dynamic Security features. The disclosures that HP has agreed to continue making include the disclosure that HP collects printer cartridge data from Class Printers through the HP Smart App, and that HPs Dynamic Security measures are designed to block cartridges using a non-HP chip, and may be delivered to printers through periodic firmware updates.That requirement, however, only applies to specific HP printer models (referred to as Class Printers), which are listed below:HP Color LaserJet Pro M254DWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M180NWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281FDWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281CDWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M182NWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M183FWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283CDWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283FDWHP Color LaserJet Pro M255DWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479DWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479FNWHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479FDNHP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479FDWHP LaserJet Pro M404NHP LaserJet Pro M404DNHP LaserJet Pro M404DWHP Color LaserJet Pro M454DNHP Color LaserJet Pro M454DWHP LaserJet Pro MFP M428DWHP LaserJet Pro MFP M428FDNHP LaserJet Pro MFP M428FDWThose printers were all impacted by the November 2020 firmware update that sparked the lawsuit. However, there are numerous HP printers subject to Dynamic Security that are absent from that list. After being criticized and sued multiple times for abruptly issuing Dynamic Security restrictions to already-purchased printers in 2016, HP has informed users that only specific printer models made before December 1, 2016, can remove Dynamic Security.HP also now provides disclaimers on the product pages for most of the printers that it sells, stating that the device is intended to work only with cartridges that have a new or reused HP chip and uses Dynamic Security to block cartridges using a non-HP chip.Periodic firmware updates will maintain the effectiveness of these measures and block cartridges that previously worked. A reused HP chip enables the use of reused, remanufactured, and refilled cartridges, the disclaimer says, adding a link to a support page about Dynamic Security. The support page notes that most HP printers can be configured to receive updates either automatically or with a notification that allows you to choose whether to update or not." However, some HP programs, like Instant Ink, require users to enable automatic firmware updates on HP printers.All this means that, despite the recently approved settlement, Dynamic Security remains a critical part of most HP printers, and HP will continue to feel entitled to use firmware updates to suddenly block printers made after December 1, 2016, from using non-HP ink and toner. Owners of HP printers made after that date that allow automatic updates and still work with third-party accessories shouldnt be surprised if that abilitys suddenly bricked one day.Dynamic litigationWhile HP isn't paying a sum to class-action members this time, it has previously agreed to pay millions in relation to bricking printers: In 2022, it agreed to pay $1.35 million to European customers, and in 2020, the Italian Antitrust Authority fined HP for 10 million euros. In 2019, HP said it would pay $1.5 million to settle a similar class-action case in California, and it paid approximately AUD$50 each to Australian customers impacted by Dynamic Security in 2018.Theres also an open case against HP regarding its ink practices, a class-action complaint filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in January 2024. The lawsuit centers on Dynamic Security firmware updates pushed in late 2022 and early 2023" and accuses HP of creating a monopoly in the aftermarket for replacement cartridges [PDF]. The plaintiffs seek an order declaring that HP broke the law, an injunction against Dynamic Security, and monetary and punitive damages.Another lawsuit, filed in mid-2022 about some HP all-in-one printers failing to scan or fax without ink, was dismissed.HPs printer arm has other pressing matters to address, though. Earlier this month, a firmware update broke specific HP printer models, preventing them from printing, even when using HP-brand ink. HP told Ars last week that its actively working on a solution.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 7 Comments

Singin' in the brain Brains of parrots, unlike songbirds, use human-like vocal control A parrot called the budgerigar controls its vocalizations with a flexible system. John Timmer Mar 19, 2025 4:44 pm | 2 Credit: Serega Credit: Serega Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreHuman speech arises courtesy of some significant neural horsepower. Different areas of the brain are involved in determining the meaning that's desired, finding the words to express it, and then converting those words to a specific series of soundsand all that comes before the correct sequence of nerve impulses is sent to the muscles that produce the final output. Humans are far from alone in the animal kingdom with an impressive range of vocalizations, though. That raises the prospect that we can understand a bit more about our own speech by studying how vocalization is managed in different animals.One group of species that's especially interesting is birds. They're distant relatives compared to other animals with interesting vocal capabilities, like whales and elephants, and their brains have some notable differences from ours. They also show a range of behaviors, from complex songs to vocal mimicry to whatever it is that you want to call what parrots do. Thanks to a newly released study, however, we now have evidence that these different types of vocalization are the product of different control systems in the brain.The study relied on electrodes placed in the brains of parrots and songbirds and tracked the behavior of neurons in a region that controls vocalization. It showed that the two relied on different types of control, with parrots having a system that operates similarly to the one used by humans.Timing isnt everythingThe work focused on two species of birds. One is the zebra finch, a songbird that learns to produce a short song it uses each year, in part by listening to what its peers are singing. The second is the budgerigar, a small parrot that's often kept as a pet. Budgerigars are both impressive vocal mimics and also have complex vocalizations called warbles that are a mix of noisy and harmonic calls.Due to past work, we've already identified the brain structure that controls the activity of the key vocal organ, the syrinx, located in the bird's throat. The new study, done by Zetian Yang and Michael Long of New York University, managed to place fine electrodes into this area of the brain in both species and track the activity of neurons there while the birds were awake and going about normal activities. This allowed them to associate neural activity with any vocalizations made by the birds. For the budgerigars, they had an average of over 1,000 calls from each of the four birds carrying the implanted electrodes.For the zebra finch, neural activity during song production showed a pattern that was based on timing; the same neurons tended to be most active at the same point in the song. You can think of this as a bit like a player piano central organizing principle, timing when different notes should be played. "Different configurations [of neurons] are active at different moments, representing an evolving population barcode," as Yang and Long describe this pattern.That is not at all what was seen with the budgerigars. Here, instead, they saw patterns where the same populations of neurons tended to be active when the bird was producing a similar sound. They broke the warbles down into parts that they characterized on a scale that ranged from harmonic to noisy. They found that the groups of neurons tended to be more active whenever the warble was harmonic, and different groups tended to spike when it got noisy. Those observations led them to identify a third population, which was active whenever the budgerigars produced a low-frequency sound.In addition, Yang and Long analyzed the pitch of the vocalizations. Only about half of the neurons in the relevant region of the brain were linked to pitch. However, the half that was linked had small groups of neurons that fired during the production of a relatively narrow range of pitches. They could use the activity of as few as five individual neurons and accurately predict the pitch of the vocalizations at the time.Structural similaritiesBoth of these birds use a specific region of the brain to control the muscles of the syrinx to produce a series of sounds. But they organize that process completely differently. The zebra finch has neurons that trigger the right muscles for a given time within the songeven if a similar sound needs to be produced earlier or later. By contrast, the budgerigar organizes things so that the same neurons fire whenever a similar tone needs to be produced; the timing of the tone within a warble is apparently handled elsewhere."Our finding of a universal motor representation in the budgerigar forebrain indicates that AAC neurons do not represent the individual vocalizations per se," Yang and Long write, "but instead the underlying motor processes that generate thosevocalizations."That's in keeping with the budgerigar's warbles, which are more tonally complex than a typical songbird vocalization and aren't repeated with the same sort of consistency as the zebra finch's song.And that's similar to how the last step in human speech production is handled; earlier steps in the process break down our vocalizations into individual sounds, and a specific region of the brain is devoted to producing the right anatomical configuration to produce them. It's important to emphasize that this doesn't mean the budgerigar's warbles are like language; we don't currently know what's upstream of this translation step in these birds and whether that has any parallels in humans.The other big open question is what drove the budgerigar and its relatives to develop a system so unlike that of the zebra finch. It's possible that complex calls were being selected for, and the ancestors of parrots evolved this system to fill that need. But it's equally possible that this organization came about for some other reason or entirely by chance, and the birds simply started using it to produce more complex calls.Nature, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08695-8 (About DOIs).John TimmerSenior Science EditorJohn TimmerSenior Science Editor John is Ars Technica's science editor. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. When physically separated from his keyboard, he tends to seek out a bicycle, or a scenic location for communing with his hiking boots. 2 Comments

2025-03-20T01:18:48Z Read in app Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov. Albert Gea/Reuters This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Telegram reached 1 billion monthly active users, its CEO said.CEO Pavel Durov took a shot at WhatsApp, calling it "a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram."Durov has been allowed to leave France after being held on charges of failing to curb extremist content.Telegram just hit the massive milestone of 1 billion monthly active users.As CEO Pavel Durov shared the news on his personal Telegram channel, he also took a direct shot at his biggest competitor, Meta-ownedAhead of us stands WhatsApp a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram, he wrote. For years, theyve desperately tried to copy our innovations while burning billions on lobbying and PR campaigns to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and unlike our competitor retained its independence.He added in the post that the company has also raked in $547 million in profit in 2024.Durovs swipe at his rival came just after he was allowed to return to Dubai after being held in France for months.The CEO was arrested in August 2024 after landing in Paris on his private jet. French authorities charged him with multiple offenses, including "complicity" in the distribution of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking on Telegram while refusing to cooperate with the authorities' investigation into the platform. He was released on a $5.6 million bail.Durov has denied the accusations and wrote in a statement on his Telegram channel on September 5, 2024, that holding him responsible for crimes committed by third parties on the platform was both a "surprising" and "misguided approach."Initially, Durov was barred from leaving France. But the Paris prosecutors office confirmed that his judicial restrictions were temporarily lifted from March 15 to April 7, allowing him to travel again. No details were given about the conditions of his release or if he will be required to return."The process is ongoing but it feels great to be home," said Durov in a post on his Telegram channel on Monday.Since its launch in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov, Telegram has positioned itself as a privacy-first alternative to mainstream messaging apps, with end-to-end encryption for video calls and secret chats that gained a following in countries where speech is more limited.Since Durovs arrest, Telegram has made some major policy changes, including joining the Internet Watch Foundation a group that helps identify and remove child sex abuse content and publishing transparency reports that detail how much content it removed, which is a common industry practice.Telegram also announced in September 2024 that it will start sharing IP addresses and phone numbers of offenders with law enforcement when legally required to do so.Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

2025-03-19T23:34:39Z Read in app Baseball legend Jackie Robinson's page on the Department of Defense's website was briefly removed and then restored. Hulton|Archive/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Jackie Robinson's page was briefly removed from the Department of Defense website.The Pentagon has been removing pages to comply with Trump's anti-DEI executive orders.It has since restored the page, saying it salutes Robinson's heroic service to the country.A webpage dedicated to American baseball legend Jackie Robinson was removed and then restored to the Department of Defense's website.To comply with President Donald Trump's anti-DEI executive orders, the Pentagon has been scrubbing its website of articles, photos, and videos that it says promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.Robinson's page, which was part of a "Sports Heroes Who Served" series, was one of those briefly removed. It's not clear exactly how long the page was down, but one journalist posted a screenshot on Bluesky on Tuesday morning showing a "404 Page Not Found" error message across the page with "dei" inserted in the URL.The famed Brooklyn Dodgers player's page has since been restored, and Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot confirmed the error on Wednesday in a statement shared with Business Insider. Ullyot's statement notes that, in some "rare cases," content outside the scope of the directive gets"Everyone at the Defense Department loves Jackie Robinson, as well as the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Marines at Iwo Jima, and so many others we salute them for their strong and, in many cases, heroic service to our country, full stop," Ullyot said in the statement.Robinson's now-restored page details his life and accomplishments, from growing up in California in the 1920s to serving in World War II to his illustrious baseball career, first in the Negro Leagues and then as one of the first Black players in Major League Baseball. Robinson was also a prominent leader in the Civil Rights movement."We do not view or highlight them through the prism of immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, or sex," Ullyot's statement continues. "We do so only by recognizing their patriotism and dedication to the warfighting mission like every other American who has worn the uniform."Robinson's page repeatedly references his race and the struggles he faced as a Black man, including "hatred from fans" and being told that he'd have to "be willing to withstand the inevitable racial abuse directed at him."It's not clear why Robinson's page was removed or if the department intends to remove references to Robinson's race from the webpage to comply with Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's anti-DEI directives. When reached for comment, the Department of Defense did not answer whether it plans to alter the page's content.In his statement, Ullyot called DEI "Discriminatory Equity Ideology," adding that it'sA spokesperson for the Jackie Robinson Foundation was not available for comment when contacted by Business Insider.