Tag: Phones and Gadgets

A lot of intriguing tech developments are coming out of China, placing it ahead of most parts of the world. The nation has built many “firsts”, and this has helped it to project itself above its rivals. Recent reports out of China reveal that it has successfully developed the first large-diameter stainless steel rocket storage tank, which measures 5 meters in width.

This project is part of China Aerospace Science and Tech Group Co., Ltd research. It marks a major boost in the nation’s aerospace capabilities.  This feat, per IT Home, marks a big step that will help China in completing important engineering tasks in the future.

Critical component for rocket bodies

Rocket storage tanks are among the most crucial elements in rocket construction. According to the China Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute, these tanks make up more than half the structure in terms of both mass and volume.

At the moment, there are many planned rocket missions, and each mission comes with its specific needs. The payload size and rocket specs are not the same for each mission. These changes mean that each rocket will be developed for its mission, and this often takes over six months and at least three rounds of rigorous testing.

The need for effective production has increased even more in light of China’s recent surge in rocket launches. For instance, eight 2.25 m diameter tanks are usually needed for rockets with four boosters. There have been major issues in meeting such short-term production demands. In an attempt to address these issues, the new 5 m stainless steel storage tank was released. This storage tank will increase scalability and shorten lead times.

This storage tank’s successful launch shows China’s desire to use innovation to advance its aerospace infrastructure. As the pressure to meet the demands of multiple launch missions annually grows, innovations like this one are essential. China’s ability to fulfil its ambitions in space exploration and satellite deployment will depend on its ability to deliver large-scale, high-quality parts in a timely and reliable manner.

Meta recently released the Llama 4 model, a new series built on the Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture. According to experts, this model will redefine the limits of open-source AI. The launch marks a major shift in the AI market as it is marked to rival top systems like  GPT-4o and Gemini 2.0. However, Llama 4 has a crucial edge: It is open source.

The lineup includes three key models, including the Llama 4 Scout, which is a light yet powerful multimodal model. There is also the Llama 4 Maverick, a high-performance rival that reportedly surpasses DeepSeek-V3 in benchmarks. Then, there is also the Llama 4 Behemoth, a staggering 2-trillion-parameter model that could outperform GPT-4.5. The company is yet to officially release the Llama 4 Behemoth.

Power Meets Efficiency

The computational efficiency of Llama 4 is among its most remarkable features. Llama 4 Llama 4 and Maverick both operate on a single H100 GPU, though with advanced features. This makes them cheaper than their close rivals. Meta provides API pricing that is lower than its rivals’, which could change how companies use AI on a large scale. According to Meta, though Maverick halves the number of parameters relative to its rivals, it does not compromise performance.

Benchmark Dominance and Open-Source Leadership

The Llama 4 Maverick has already caused a stir by beating the DeepSeek-V3 n benchmark. On the Grand Model Arena leaderboard, this model has a score of 1417 and is now the leading open-source model in coding, reasoning, and creative writing.

Meta says that this model will be accessible to developers globally. The Llama 4 series, in contrast to earlier Llama models, is naturally multimodal. This means that it can easily process text, images, and even tough visual reasoning tasks. For instance, the Scout advances open-source AI vision by being able to recognise objects, analyse images, and respond to contextual queries.

There is also an increase in the number of languages that this model supports, up to 200. This means that it will have a wider reach relative to previous models. In addition to raising the standard for open-source AI with Llama 4, Meta has increased pressure on rivals like Google and OpenAI.

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has since given hints at the upcoming GPT. Meta’s new pricing and performance may force a major change in the AI behemoth’s handling of accessibility and pricing. We might soon witness a world in which open-source models drive the AI revolution.

Google is now releasing the Android Auto 14.0 update to more users. The update first came out in beta in mid-March. Now, it’s becoming more widely available.

Android Auto updates usually come in more frequently and Google has been quite quick in releasing recent versions. Android Auto 14 also came in faster than expected. Even though it comes with a few features, it all comes together to make Android Auto better and more user-friendly.

Few Changes and Fixes for Bugs

If you are expecting to see major changes in this particular update, you may be a bit disappointed. This update comes to fix some bugs and improve performance in various ways that you can’t notice from the onset. It is rare to see which bugs have been fixed but you will notice more performance stability when using the new Android Auto.

Another reason why this update is essential to users is that it prepares Android Auto for new features in the near future. Developers usually work behind the scenes to make sure the platform is stable enough to handle upcoming features.

New Look for Google Assistant Icon

Some users have spotted a small change in the design. The microphone icon that opens Google Assistant now looks different. It used to have colors, but now it’s just solid white. This may not seem like a big deal, but it shows that Google is getting ready to launch something new—Gemini.

Gemini is Google’s new AI assistant, and it could soon come to Android Auto. The code found in version 14.0 hints that Gemini is being built into the system.

New Features Are Coming Soon

Google is also working on more exciting features that aren’t ready just yet. One feature in development is the ability to play certain Android games on your car’s screen using Android Auto. That update will likely arrive in a future version.

How to Get the Update

Android Auto 14.0 is rolling out now. If you want to check if it’s available for you, just go to the Google Play Store and look for updates. If it’s not there yet, don’t worry—it should reach your device soon.

This update may be small, but it’s another step toward bigger things coming to Android Auto.

Samsung’s Android 15 update, known as One UI 7, has taken a very long time to arrive. Google finished Android 15 six months ago, but Samsung is only now preparing to roll out the stable version. That rollout is expected to start next week.

The delay has been frustrating. Samsung didn’t even release a beta version of One UI 7 until December 2024. Then, in January, the Galaxy S25 series launched with One UI 7 pre-installed. However, users with older phones had no access to the update. It’s only now, in April, that the stable version is finally ready to begin rolling out. It’s been a long wait.

One UI 8 May Launch Much Faster

But things could improve with the next update. A new report from SamMobile says that Samsung plans to launch its Android 16-based One UI 8 alongside its next foldable phones—the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7.

That means Samsung may skip the usual One UI 7.1 or 7.1.1 updates and go straight to One UI 8. This fits with earlier reports that Samsung has already started internal testing of One UI 8.

If true, this would be a big change. The rollout would happen much faster than One UI 7’s slow schedule.

Fold 7 and Flip 7 May Be the First with Android 16

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 around July. That’s the same time the Fold 6 and Flip 6 came out last year—on July 10, 2024. While we don’t yet have the exact release date for the new foldables, a July window seems likely.

Google is also moving quickly with Android 16. The final beta version, Beta 4, is expected this month. Android 16 could launch in June or July. If Samsung sticks to this new schedule, its foldables could be the first non-Pixel phones to launch with Android 16 out of the box.

There’s no news yet about when the Galaxy S25 or older Galaxy phones will get One UI 8, but it looks like things will move much faster this time around.

NYT Wordle is a satisfying and tricky test of vocabulary and logic that challenges players to guess a new five-letter word every day. However, things can get a little too challenging at times, and that probably explains why you’re here. So, if you don’t want to break your word-guessing streak or get too frustrated, take a look at today’s Wordle hints and answer for puzzle #1388 for April 7, 2025, down below!

How to Play Wordle

Wordle is a word puzzle game by The New York Times. You are given six attempts to guess a five-letter word. The letters are highlighted in Yellow, Green, and Grey when you input a word. Yellow denotes that the letter appears in today’s Wordle answer, but it’s not at the right spot. Meanwhile, when a letter turns green, it means you have guessed the right letter in the right position. At last, a grey letter means the letter is not part of today’s answer.

While it may seem that winning at Wordle is easy, it is difficult to get that pesky five-letter word right. To help you out, here are some quick tips on how to play Wordle:

• Open with a strong word – Using the right Wordle starting words rich with multiple vowels and consonants is important. While you can take a look at our dedicated guide, starting words like AISLE, SALTY, and DINER are my go-to choices.
• Pay attention to colors – Keep track of the yellow, green, and grayed-out letters to eliminate incorrect positions and letters. To make every guess count, avoid accidentally repeating letters that have already been eliminated.
• Isolate the vowels – There can be days when your usual starting words don’t help much. In that case, try to test the remaining vowels by using different words.
• Repeating letters is good – Don’t be afraid of repeating letters as history is proof that there are chances the Wordle answer will have one or two letters that repeat themselves.
• Use the Wordlebot – As described above, NYT’s Wordlebot is an intuitive bot that analyzes your responses and compares them against itself. Instilling some healthy competition can help you improve your own Wordle guessing and see what you could have done better.

If you still need more details, learn how to play Wordle and check out more Wordle tips and tricks to ensure you get the answer almost every time.

Hints for Today’s Wordle Answer for April 7

We know you are here for Wordle hints and clues, and we are eager to help you. Like always, to assist you with today’s puzzle, we list the starting word for today’s Wordle answer, whether it has any vowels or repeating letters, and more.

After that, we also provide an additional hint for today’s Wordle game to get one step closer to the answer. So scroll down if you’re ready. SPOILERS AHEAD!

Does Today’s Wordle Have Any Vowels?

Today’s Wordle answer for Monday, April 7, 2025, has two vowels.

If you guess the vowels correctly, there is a high possibility that you will guess the correct 5-letter answer in no time.

Does the Wordle Today Have Double Letters?

Well, there are no double letters in the Wordle answer today.

What Does Today’s Wordle Answer Start with?

Today’s Wordle answer starts with the letter “H.”

Spoiler Warning:

Scroll slowly past this point. Major hint and answer for today’s Wordle #1388 lie ahead.

Additional Hint for Today’s Wordle Answer

If the above-mentioned hints haven’t helped much, here’s the Wordle cheat hint that will definitely get you to the answer. The final hint for today is:

Think of a type of nut and colour.

What Is Today’s Wordle Answer?

The answer for Wordle today on April 7, 2025, is HAZEL.

Meaning of Hazel — A type of nut that grows on a hazel tree. It also refers to a light brown or brownish-yellow color, often with flecks of gold or green (like hazel eyes).

My three musketeers proved to be super useful again, as I got A, and E in the green from them. Additionally, I also got a yellow L and an H. HAZEL was the first word that came to mind, and I hit the jackpot with it right away!

Do you also solve NYT Connections and Strands every day? Check out our posts for Strands hints for April 7 and Connections hints for April 7 since they include helpful tips and clues to today’s puzzles.

Previous Wordle Answers

For regular Wordle players, we have curated the answers of all past Wordle answers in one place. If you are trying to find patterns in these word puzzles, check out our list of past Wordle answers.

Why Is Wordle Still So Popular?

Despite over 1,350 puzzles and nearly four years since its initial surge, Wordle is still going strong as a free-to-play word puzzle game that it is. What started as a simple game to pass the time during the pandemic has now become a daily habit for millions of The New York Times readers.

Just like reading your early morning newspaper, Wordle adds some productive value to your daily life as a brainteaser, which explains the incredible player base. Some avid Wordle players even stay up late to solve the puzzle as soon as it releases at 12:00 AM local time.

The fact that there’s a single puzzle on a daily basis that every player tries to solve makes it all the more competitive and challenging. According to a report by The Conversation, just in 2022, Wordle had around a whopping 3 million users across the world. As of 2025, one can only imagine where this number has soared.

That said, if you are one of them, hope the Wordle hints we shared today helped you figure out the answer without having to scroll to the answer.

If you are finding it hard to spot theme words in today’s puzzle, then you are in serious need of the Strands hints below. Those bored with sensational games like Wordle and Connections are turning their attention to Strands for a challenging new experience. If you happen to be one of them and are struggling with NYT Strands, we can get you sorted. So, to help you out, we have added the Strands hints, answers, and Spangram on Monday, April 7, 2025, below.

What is NYT Strands?

NYT Strands is a word game created by The New York Times as part of its growing “Games” library. The aim of this New York Times game is to connect letters in a six-by-eight grid to form a bunch of words that share the same theme.

To get you started, the puzzle will give you a theme for today’s NYT Strands. You can use it to form multiple “theme” words which will be relevant to this theme, along with one “special” word called the Spangram. This is a word or phrase that spans the length of the grid, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, giving you the key to crack the rest of the Strands theme words.

The theme for today’s Strands can be relevant in many different ways. So, the puzzle keeps you on your toes every day with its intriguing set of theme words and Spangrams.

NYT Strands Hints for Today’s Theme: “Half-and-half”

The theme for today’s Strands on April 7, 2025, is — Half-and-half

If you can’t figure out answers for today’s puzzle, here’s a quick Strands hint — mythical being like mermaids.

Here are hints for a couple of Strands theme words to make it easy for you to solve today’s puzzle on your own without having to scroll down to view the answers:

• Hint #1: a mythical character with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.
• Hint #2: a mythical animal depicted as a hare or rabbit with horns.

NYT Strands Spangram Hint: Is It Vertical or Horizontal?

The Spangram for today’s Strands on April 7, 2025, is mostly VERTICAL. It starts with the letters “HY“.

The hint for today’s Spangram for Strands — mythical beings appearing in the folklore, composed of parts from different animals, including humans.

Spoiler Warning:

Scroll past this point AT YOUR OWN RISK. Hints and answers for today’s Strands below.

Today’s NYT Strands Answers for April 7, 2025

Today’s Strands Spangram Answer

The Spangram answer for today’s Strands on April 7, 2025, is — HybridCreature

All Theme Words in Today’s Strands

Still looking for the theme words to get the answers for today’s NYT Strands? You can check them out below:

• SATYR
• CENTAUR
• MERMAN
• JACKALOPE
• GRIFFIN

The answers for today’s Strands were not that easy. I had to solve some hints to get to first theme word – SATYR. This gave me a sound idea on what the Spangram might be about and it was only a matter of time before the rest of the puzzle revealed itself.

Do you also happen to play NYT Connections daily? If so, you can check out Wordle hints for April 7 and Connections hints for April 7 for answers and step-by-step guides to these puzzles.

What is NYT Strands Spangram and How Does It Work?

Every NYT Strands puzzle consists of a unique word or phrase that’s called the Spangram. This word or set of words will run the length of two opposite sides of the grid. One thing to note here is that, a Spangram doesn’t necessarily have to originate or end at the edge of the grid.

In its essence, the Spangram is kind of like a bigger hint that sums up today’s Strands theme in just a word or two. Since it spans across two sides of the puzzle, solving it early helps you figure out the rest of the theme words and vice versa.

Tips and Strategies for Mastering NYT Strands Puzzle

Solving an NYT Strands puzzle successfully isn’t that hard in itself, but in some cases, the approach might not be as straightforward as it looks. So, here are simple tips and tricks that we suggest you follow to crack the theme words and Spangram for Strands puzzles:

• Always start at the corners: No two puzzles are the same. But the chances of the Spangram extending to a diagonal form are quite low. So, the best strategy is to find and decrypt relevant words that are at the corners of the grid.
• Don’t be ashamed to get hints: Sometimes, a theme word could be all you need to solve the entire puzzle. If that requires getting a hint using non-theme words, then that’s the first thing you should do. After all, the point is to have fun and figure this out, like all of us.
• Think both literally and figuratively: Not all themes may land you in the same sense of thought. Some puzzles may welcome more clever answers that may convey something totally different from their actual meaning.
• Aim for the Spangram: The Spangram is what splits the Strands board in half. So, figuring it out will help you cross out other potential approaches for a theme. Deciphering even half of the Spangram can get you close to the rest of the answers.

Still finding it difficult to master the art of NYT Strands? Follow our guide and learn how to play Strands, along with more helpful tips and tricks.

NYT Connections is the one word association game known for the difficulty and amusement that it brings. However, if you are part of the folks lost as to what today’s Connections answer is, then you are in the right place. We post a NYT Connections answers guide every day to help you solve each day’s puzzle easily. So, let’s not waste time and check out Connections hints for today’s game #666 to help you get to the answers for April 7, 2025.

What is NYT Connections Game?

After Wordle’s overwhelming success, The New York Times embraced the fun and launched another word puzzle game called Connections. NYT Connections is a popular word puzzle game available to play for free on mobile and desktop.

Thankfully, it’s easy getting started with NYT Connections. This word association game spreads 16 random words across a 4 x 4 grid. Players must find well, connections among these words and divide them across four categories, colored yellow, green, blue, and purple, based on difficulty.

Connections Hint Today for April 7, 2025

As mentioned above, the NYT Connections puzzle has four different categories that are divided into color-coded difficulties. From Yellow category being the easiest to the hardest Purple one, the game can quickly become difficult if you’re unprepared.

To make your life even easier, here are the NYT Connections hints for today’s categories:

• Yellow Category – Words symbolizing rhythm
• Green Category – Even the Earth has features
• Blue Category – You need these to hang art
• Purple Category – A word comes before all these

Do you also solve Strands from The New York Times every day? Our articles include Strands hints for April 7 and Wordle hints for April 7, useful tips to help you figure out the answers to these puzzles.

Spoiler Warning:

Scroll past this point AT YOUR OWN RISK. Major category hints and answers for today’s NYT Connections below.

Check out Today’s Connections Categories

The Connections categories today are an interesting mix of themes, which might get a bit difficult for us all. That said, here are the NYT Connections categories for Monday, April 7, 2025.

• Yellow – THROB
• Green – LANDFORMS
• Blue – PICTURE HANGING NEEDS
• Purple – FOOT _ _ _

Do you finally see where each word should go? No? Then, keep scrolling to see the NYT Connections answers for today.

Today’s Connections Answers for April 7, 2025

The answers for Connections today, on April 7, 2025, are:

• THROB – Beat, Pound, Pulse, Thump
• LANDFORMS – Cape, Crater, Gorge, Ridge
• PICTURE HANGING NEEDS – Hammer, Hanger, Level, Nail
• FOOT _ _ _ – Ball, Hills, Locker, Print

How to Play Connections: Tips & Tricks to Solve the Puzzle

Given the fact you’re here, chances are that you already know how to play NYT Connections. As you might be able to tell by now, Connections by The New York Times is a word association game where players sort out 16 random words into four categories by finding a common ‘connection.’ This can be anything from a common sound to a deeper meaning.

That said, if you’re still confused, here are the best tips on how to play NYT Connections:

• Simplicity is key: Connections will often throw ambiguous words at you. While it’s easy to get caught up in the details, the answer almost always lies in the simplest connections possible. So, instead of dear and deer being connected through a hunter-prey dynamic, they most likely connect because of a similar sound.
• Watch those guesses: A key thing to note is Connections only gives you four chances in 24 hours for a single puzzle. As such, we advise not being trigger happy and carefully weighing in your words before pressing that submit button.
• Shuffle Away: While a bit tricky, the sneaky Connections editor deliberately puts the first word placement as a misdirection. So the one golden tip here is to press that Shuffle button before you go on solving it.

If you’re still unsure how to proceed, check out our dedicated how-to-play NYT Connections guide for all the help you need.

We hope you had similar luck as I did for today’s game. If not, please let us know in the comments below!

Xiaomi users around the world are used to receiving frequent software updates every year. The company has said on several occasions that it is dedicated to enhancing the user experience of its devices as much as possible. To underscore its dedication, the company has released another vital update for its global users. Xiaomi has updated the HyperOS Gallery app for global users. This new update brings the same clean and modern look as the Chinese version. Fans around the world have been waiting for this, and it’s finally here.

The Problem with the Previous Gallery App

Before now, global users could only install the Chinese version of the Gallery app. It worked, but it only supported English. This made it hard for many people in different regions to use it fully.

What’s New in the Update

The global version now matches the Chinese version in both look and feel. The new changes include:

• Enhanced photo viewing experience.
• Redesign of the album layout.
• A smoother navigation.
• Cleaner and modernized interface, just like the Chinese version.
• Language support for all regions.

How to Get the New Gallery App Update

The latest version of the gallery app comes with the version number 4.2.0.15-global. Updating is possible in two different ways:

• You can download it directly from the HyperOS Updates website.
• Alternatively, you can also use the MemeOS Enhancer app to access the latest update.

Enhanced User Experience

Xiaomi has updated the gallery app with fresh looks which works better than the previous version. Everything is easier to find and use. Now that the global and Chinese versions look the same, users can also follow guides and tutorials made for the Chinese version.

What People Are Saying

People who already tried the update like the new design. Many users say the app looks cleaner and is easier to use. Photos and videos are now better organized.

Final Thoughts

This update shows Xiaomi’s promise to give users everywhere the same great experience. If you haven’t updated yet, now’s a good time to try the new Gallery app.