News

• Apple is reportedly working on a mini-LED Studio Display planned for early 2026
• Its codename was found in Apple's software code, alongside another suggesting two variations
• Its supposedly in its current testing phase

All eyes are on Apple and its next contenders for the title of best MacBook, with rumors suggesting the M5-powered MacBook Pro won't launch until 2026, alongside the rumored M6 with OLED redesign. However, a new report hints at Apple focusing on a new and immersive monitor for early 2026.

According to MacRumors, Apple is working on the Studio Display 2, which is supposedly using a mini-LED backlight, based on rumors and recent findings in Apple's software code. Its codename is J427, which was present in the software code that MacRumors says Apple published earlier than intended.

Another codename, 'J527', was spotted by MacRumors, which could turn out to be a new Pro Display XDR, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported this was not a priority for Apple. Instead, it may simply be a second model of the Studio Display 2 with a different price point and slightly different specifications.

It's not the first time Apple has utilized mini-LED backlighting – it's used the Liquid Retina XDR (essentially, it’s mini-LED backlighting with plenty of local dimming zones for high contrast and brightness) tech for MacBook Pro screens. I've only used a handful of MacBooks, but I've had a good experience with mini-LED tech on the best gaming monitors, and it's no surprise that Apple is reportedly going for mini-LED backlighting for this new Studio Display model.

The original Studio Display was well received, but it falls short when it comes to HDR performance, partly due to not using a Liquid Retina XDR display. Given that this is a monitor that’s designed for creative professionals, poor HDR performance is a major drawback.

That's why it would be great to see the Studio Display 2 use mini-LED tech for increased deep black levels, brighter whites, and greater contrast.

It might seem a little underwhelming to hear that the Studio Display 2 will essentially follow in the footsteps of MacBooks with a mini-LED backlight, given the rumors of an OLED MacBook redesign. Some would say that Apple should have done this with its first iteration of the monitor, but here we are.

However, I wouldn’t write mini-LED off in comparison to OLED. Deeper black levels and higher refresh rates make OLED the clear winner, but mini-LED doesn't stray too far behind – especially since it has the benefit of higher maximum brightness in most cases.

It's also important that this rumored monitor utilizes a higher refresh rate; the current Studio Display has a 60Hz refresh rate, and for a relatively pricey $1,599 / £1,499 / AU$2,499. Not only are there other monitors, including OLEDs, available in the market that are cheaper, but they also have much higher refresh rates, which is important for creative work.

Bear in mind that nothing is confirmed yet, but all signs point towards Apple fans being treated to a new and more impressive display next year.

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A new Quordle 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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, August 14 (game #1298).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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).

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

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

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

• W

• P

• D

• T

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

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1299, are…

• WHALE
• PRISM
• DRAKE
• TEPEE

I thought I was a genius for getting PRISM, but in hindsight I don’t think there is any other word I could have guessed using the same letters.

I tripped up on DRAKE, guessing drape first, and word muscle memory kicked in to get TEPEE, a Quordle favorite making its third appearance of the year.

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1299, are…

• AMASS
• GAVEL
• SHOAL
• BROIL

• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
• Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST
• Quordle #1286, Saturday, 2 August: WARTY, PUPAL, CLEAR, SLICE
• Quordle #1285, Friday, 1 August: ACTOR, MEALY, WIDTH, ADOBE
• Quordle #1284, Thursday, 31 July: STYLE, VALET, AGONY, ALLOY
• Quordle #1283, Wednesday, 30 July: DEBAR, ADMIN, FOLIO, USAGE
• Quordle #1282, Tuesday, 29 July: BATCH, TOPIC, MURKY, BUNCH
• Quordle #1281, Monday, 28 July: CANDY, TRYST, SHIRT, FORGO
• Quordle #1280, Sunday, 27 July: TRAWL, BALER, PIANO, MINCE

I've been reviewing vacuum cleaners at TechRadar for the past 18 months, during which time I've tested some of the very best vacuum cleaners money can buy, from vacuums that that can empty themselves, and vacuums that can tell you exactly what they're sucking up, to vacuums with lasers.

And while all of those vacuums are impressive, I'll concede that what most people want is a vacuum that does a good job of cleaning their floors, is comfortable to use, and – crucially – doesn't require them to take out a loan in order to purchase it.

Broadly speaking, you do get what you pay for with vacuum cleaners, so if you can I'd steer clear of the ultra-cheap end of the market. However, there are some real hidden gems in the budget bracket. Read on for a closer look at my favorite cheap vacuum cleaner – the one I recommend to my thrifty friends and family members – plus three great-value alternatives to consider if my top pick doesn't take your fancy.

This article focuses on US picks – click here for UK recommendations.

The Shark Stratos Corded Stick vacuum is well designed, with suction powerful enough to clear vast amounts of dog hair from our tester's carpets. The supplied attachments are useful, and the modular design means this vacuum can be used in a number of configurations for different cleaning tasks.

At full price it's a relatively affordable $299.99, but deals crop up fairly regularly, and right now you can snap one up for a bargain $179.99 - and with that price cut, it's incredible value for money.

Various special features help elevate it well above what I'd expect for that budget-friendly price. The floorhead has LED lights to help illuminate dark corners, and is designed so that hair won't tangle around the brushroll. There's also an odor-neutralizer cartridge, which won over our tester by leaving his carpets smelling lovely and fresh.

A big reason why this vacuum is so cheap is because it's corded. In a world of mostly cordless vacuums, that can seem old-fashioned and inconvenient, but there are benefits to going corded that go beyond just price. The suction is almost always far superior to what you'd get on a cordless model, plus corded vacuums tend to last longer in general, so you're getting a better return on your investment. And, of course you'll never run out of juice, either. If having a cord is a deal-breaker, I've included three great cheap, cordless alternatives below.

Not sold on the Shark Corded? Here are three alternatives that also impressed me by punching well above their diminutive price tags.

The Dreame R20 is my favorite cordless vacuum overall – and not just in the budget bracket. It's powerful, lightweight and maneuverable, with advanced extras like automatic suction adjustment and a special head for hard flooring. The runtimes are long, too.

Read our full Dreame R20 review

It's less powerful than the corded Stratos, but the Detect Pro is nimble and lightweight, with clever detection and automation features. You can also opt for a version with an auto-empty dock, although that costs a little more.

Read our full Shark Detect Pro cordless review

It's not cheap in the wider market, coming in around $360 with current deals, but this is the cheapest Dyson vacuum. You're getting that premium build quality and meticulous engineering, plus it's lightweight and versatile.

Read our full Dyson V8 review

• Following an 18-month ban, Blood Oxygen tracking is coming back to the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2
• It's not an entirely on-device experience anymore, though
• The Apple Watch still measures Blood Oxygen, but the iPhone will calculate and display the final result

It’s been a long 18 months, but Apple’s announced that Blood Oxygen tracking and monitoring are returning to the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 in the United States.

The feature was disabled and effectively banned on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 – then the Series 10, which launched later – after a ruling in January 2024 due to a patent dispute over the technology being used between Massimo and Apple. Now, thanks to iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, which will roll out later today, the feature is returning in a ‘redesigned’ form.

In its new iteration, the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2’s sensors can take a reading, then transmit the data to the connected iPhone, where it will be calculated and displayed in the Health app under ‘Respiratory’ readings.

So no, you won’t be able to take the reading, watch as it progresses, and then view the results right on your wrist, as you could before. Still, this does effectively return the tracking and monitoring functionality to the impacted Apple Watch models in the United States.

In a statement shared, Apple explains the changes as:

“Users with these models in the U.S. who currently do not have the Blood Oxygen feature will have access to the redesigned Blood Oxygen feature by updating their paired iPhone to iOS 18.6.1, and their Apple Watch to watchOS 11.6.1. Following this update, sensor data from the Blood Oxygen app on Apple Watch will be measured and calculated on the paired iPhone, and results can be viewed in the Respiratory section of the Health app. This update was enabled by a recent U.S. Customs ruling.”

The U.S. Customs ruling is key here, as this will return the feature to the Apple Watches sold when the ban began and was subsequently enforced. If you still have an older Apple Watch, or one sold prior to January 2024, the Blood Oxygen functionality remains unimpacted and won’t be changed. That also goes for any models sold outside of the United States, which have been unimpacted by this ruling.

Still, this does return the Blood Oxygen feature to the Apple Watch, even if it splits the experience between watch and phone. But this separation is likely key to having this allowed and approved by U.S. Customs.

For those who have purchased an Apple Watch Series 9, 10, or Ultra 2 in those many months, this is a return to form and rounding out of the health tracking features on Apple’s star wearable in the United States. Even in our Apple Watch Series 10 review, we noted that the Blood Oxygen tracking feature was missing in the US.

Apple has a pretty smart rollout here, and considering rumors of further pushes into health features that we might see with future generations of Apple Watch models, it might be helpful to have these readings going straight into the Health app. Either route, though, if you’ve been waiting for Blood Oxygen tracking to return, it’s back, but you’ll want to make sure your iPhone is nearby if you want to see the results.

While Apple has not shared an exact timing for the rollouts of iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, it has promised to arrive today – August 14, 2025 – in the United States, and we’ll update this piece when we see it rolling out.

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Using a VPN service should not be an obstacle to effectively enforcing mandatory age verification checks, like those recently implemented in the UK.

This is the response coming from the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) to the surge in VPN demand across the UK since the new rules came into play. The surge has also raised the question of whether VPN tools would make the Online Safety Act implementation ineffective.

According to the AVPA, to remain compliant, digital services need to actively detect VPN usage and give users the option to either prove their age or their real location.

"Some argue that because VPNs exist, any age assurance system will fail. This leads to the mistaken belief that age-restricted sites are exempt from compliance if users connect through a VPN. As we have argued before, this is not true," wrote the AVPA in a blog post.

The AVPA suggests that, once VPN traffic is detected, tech providers should look at behavioral clues to assess whether the user is a UK-based minor or an adult using the VPN for privacy. If they have reason to believe this may be a minor based in the UK, they should offer a choice to either verify their age or consent to one-time geolocation.

That said, the most reliable services for unblocking streaming platforms or censored content all implement obfuscation technologies to mask the fact that people are using these services.

All in all, however, "there are ways to detect and address circumvention, and there is no need to even consider banning VPNs outright," said AVPA experts.

Digital services using age assurance to remain compliant, can do so by detecting VPN use, assessing risk using behavioural clues, and giving flagged users the option to verify their age or prove their location.@peterkyle @FeryalClark @Ofcom https://t.co/ximdlDcj8R pic.twitter.com/lpBIMiVKVuAugust 10, 2025

The AVPA recommendations came after a debate kicked off in the UK over whether authorities could ban VPNs to ensure full compliance with the Online Safety Act.

UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, however, has insisted there are no such plans, despite the government looking "very closely" at how VPNs are being used.

This adds to what the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) explained when discussing the privacy risks of US age verification laws.

As the EFF experts pointed out, your IP address isn't the only method online services use to track down your location. Providers may also use GPS tracking, web cookies, mobile ad IDs, tracking pixels, or device fingerprinting, making the use of VPNs way less effective.

A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts internet connections while spoofing the user's real IP address.

While both of these skills can help you boost your online privacy and security by minimizing the data traces you leave around the internet, IP-spoofing can also make you look as if you're browsing from a completely different country.

Proton VPN recorded an hourly increase of over 1,400% starting from midnight on the day mandatory age verification was enforced. AdGuard VPN also confirmed to TechRadar that sign-ups grew by 2.5 times in just a few days. Data from Top10VPN shows an ongoing surge in VPN demand of almost 2,000% since July 25, too.

Whether minors looking to evade age checks are behind these numbers or it's adults concerned for their privacy is impossible to know.

What's certain, however, is that the new rules have attracted a strong backlash so far amongst technologists, politicians, and everyday users alike, worried about the negative impact that age checks may have on their privacy, security, free speech, and access to information.

The UK regulator, Ofcom, is, nonetheless, strongly suggesting against VPN use to bypass age checks, arguing it will be illegal for platforms to encourage this – the BBC reported.

If you're concerned about sharing your most sensitive data to access content on the web, I recommend downloading only reliable services to protect yourself. At the time of writing, NordVPN is TechRadar's top pick. While if you don't want to pay for a subscription, Proton VPN and Privado VPN are today's best free VPN apps you can get.

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Cloud has become deeply embedded in how modern organizations operate. While the benefits are clear, the economics are becoming harder to navigate.

As businesses scale usage, questions are mounting about whether rising spend is still delivering proportional value. Gartner’s May 2025 trends report predicts that by 2028, one in four organizations will report dissatisfaction with their cloud outcomes.

This discontent reflects a growing distance between infrastructure and accountability, and the growing need for cloud governance to mature, before inefficiencies become embedded.

In many organizations, cost is still treated as a reporting outcome rather than something to shape. Spend is reviewed after deployment, leaving optimization efforts limited to what can be adjusted post-implementation.

Flexera’s 2025 State of the Cloud Report shows that a significant majority of organizations lack detailed visibility into their cloud costs, with only 43% tracking cloud costs at a unit level. This limited visibility hinders most teams’ ability to attribute costs to specific products, services or functions.

Our global data also shows that 34% of enterprises are spending more than $1 million monthly on SaaS. As SaaS adoption grows, so does the importance of managing software licensing costs, which can substantially impact cloud expenditures. Consequently, organizations must look for ways to optimize software license costs as they mature their cloud governance practices.

Visibility needs to move earlier in the decision chain, shaping how environments are constructed rather than rationalizing them after the fact. A shift left approach brings cost considerations – like infrastructure and software licensing costs - earlier into the product lifecycle, so that organizations can make more informed decisions about their cloud usage. By attributing these costs to specific products or services, organizations can gain a clearer understanding of their overall cloud spend.

By embedding cost insight into the architecture stage, organizations are able to steer usage intentionally. They can optimize cloud spend and build cloud environments that reflect business priorities as well as contribute to more sustainable cloud practices, minimizing their environmental footprint.

Access to data does not guarantee accountability. Many organizations have detailed cost reporting but continue to struggle with cloud waste.

The issue here shifts from one of visibility towards one of proximity. Our data shows 59% of organizations have a FinOps team that does some or all cloud cost optimization tasks, yet in many cases, these teams still sit at the edge of delivery. So, while they can surface issues, they are often too removed from daily operations to intervene effectively.

The most effective models integrate cost ownership into delivery itself. This means that engineering leads, platform teams and product owners have oversight to take action before inefficiencies take hold.

As a result, when these roles are supported with relevant reporting and shared financial metrics, cost awareness becomes a natural part of the decision-making process. This makes it easier to adjust workloads, retire underutilized services, and optimize environments in-flight, rather than in hindsight.

Organizations with mature FinOps practices are better positioned to manage their cloud costs and reduce waste year over year. This improvement reflects a delivery culture where cost is treated as a design consideration.

Many organizations can report how much is being spent and on which services. Far fewer can explain how that spend supports outcomes the business cares about.

87% of organizations view cost efficiency as the primary measure of cloud success, up from 65% last year. This signals a shift in mindset that cloud is no longer assumed to be efficient by default, it must justify its footprint in context.

When cloud spend is tied to individual products, services or customer experiences, the conversation becomes more focused. Governing costs like software licensing ensures that licensing agreements are optimized and aligned with business needs.

Attribution helps shift cloud conversations away from usage and toward value. Taking a holistic approach to cost management not only helps in reducing waste but also contributes to more sustainable cloud practices, ultimately delivering both financial and environmental value.

Control is easiest to build before complexity sets in. The longer organizations delay embedding structure into cloud governance, the harder it becomes to retrofit later. Inconsistent tagging, ambiguous ownership and manual reporting all take time to correct once they are entrenched.

As 33% of global organizations now spend more than 12 million dollars annually on public cloud, this highlights how new services, accounts and tools can be introduced faster than the governance processes required to manage them.

It’s important to note that scaling effectively doesn’t mean avoiding complexity, but there is a need to manage it consistently.

Also, governance does not have to stand in the way of innovation. It can enable it, by improving confidence in decision making, and reducing the uncertainty that often undermines momentum.

Cloud is a system of interdependent decisions, each with its own financial implications. The ability to explain, anticipate and adjust these decisions draws the line between cloud as a delivery of value, or cloud as a cost center. As FinOps matures, designing for cost from the beginning and shifting cost conversations left is key to building cloud environments that scale with control.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-proc