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Nexus Interactive announced today that its upcoming free-to-play strategy title, Everdawn Champions, is launching in open beta on the Epic Games Store on September 25. The tactical trading card game incorporates blockchain technology and is currently available to wishlist on the platform. Nexus reports 1 million games played for both Champions and fellow title Questing Realms during their closed beta period.
Nexus’s own in-house studio, Nexus Play, developed Everdawn Champions in Unity 3D. The title is a trading card battler with 3D environments and fast-paced combat mechanics. Players have full ownership rights over their own assets, such as cards and skins. The IP already has a community of over 100,000 players, according to Nexus.
In addition to Everdawn Champions, Nexus is also developing its own token, $NXI, for use in its ecosystem. According to Nexus, it’ll be a utility and governance token across all of its games for the use of purchasing assets and other activities. Nexus also has two other games in development: Mobile autobattler Snap Royale, due out sometime in 2025, and mobile base builder Kingdoms of Conquest, set for launch in 2026.
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Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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.
What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?
• G
• F
• F
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• S
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1021) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1021, are…
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Those of you who follow this column regularly (hi!) will know that I start with the same three words each day, STARE, DOILY and PUNCH. And you may also know that I sometimes play an unofficial fourth word when I’m stuck: BEFOG. This is great, because it features three of the common consonants not found in my starters, and it came up trumps again today.
I solved SUITE easily, because I had all five letters there, then got stumped by —RY with a yellow E. I could see that BERRY, BEERY and FERRY were all possibles, so rolled out my magic BEFOG… and turned my fortunes in one go. Not only did it give me the F that I needed for FERRY, but it turned the E green there too, gave me the F for FAULT, and the G for GROIN. Easy-peasy.
Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle.
Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below.
You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable.
If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it.
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Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once.
Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow.
The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints.
We’re still enjoying the Tensor G4 on the Pixel 9 series, but there’s talk about the Tensor G6 for the Pixel 11 already. And according to the latest report from Android Authority, the Tensor G6 could have a pretty big downgrade. Why? Google wants to fix battery life and the thermals of the Pixel series. Something that they had already done a good job with, for the Pixel 9.
Google is also looking to cut the costs of the Tensor chipset, along with increasing battery life. According to the documents that Android Authority has looked over, the goal for Tensor is to get the target to around $65, to make it viable. Qualcomm’s most recent flagship chips are rumored to cost about $150.
Google’s heard consumers complaints about Tensor
Google is aware of the problems with Tensor, and is looking to solve them. Internally, Google has acknowledged that the number one reason for Pixel returns is overheating. About 28% of returns mention thermals being a problem. They also know that battery life needs to be improved. Stating that “Good battery life attracts user & drives loyalty with higher satisfaction”.
The search giant is looking for ways to improve the situation by reducing the temperature in high-power use cases. Part of this comes by way of the new “Cinematic Rendering Engine” which will reduce the power consumption of video recording with blur by around 40%, which means that it generate considerably less heart.
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So what does this mean for Tensor G6? Well, Googleis looking to reduce the die area, without regressing on features compared to the Tensor G5. Currently, the Tensor G5 is about 121 mm2, while the Apple A18 Pro is about 105 mm2, and both are using the same node process.
Tensor G6 is looking to hit that 105 mm2 die area, including 4% area saving from TSMC’s new N3P process node. In order to do this, some sacrifices had to be made, including getting rid of ray tracing and GPU virtualization. Google is also looking to ditch the little cluster on Tensor G6, providing one prime core that’s the ARM Cortex-A930, and then six performance cores that are the ARM Cortex-X730.
It appears that Google is still in the process of actually building this chip, so things could change. After all, the Tensor G4 just came out less than three months ago, and this chip is set for 2026.
You can soon the battery of a Volvo at more than 17,800 Tesla Supercharger stations across the US and Canada. That should make it much easier for Volvo drivers to find a place to charge, even though they already had access to tens of thousands of fast charge points.
Starting November 18, drivers can locate Tesla Superchargers via the Volvo Cars app or built-in Google Maps. It’s possible to pay for charging sessions via the Volvo Cars app as well.
There’s one teensy catch, however, especially if you have had a Volvo EV for a while: to access Tesla Superchargers and other North American Charging Standard (NACS) chargers, you’ll need an adapter. This costs $230 ($310 CAD) and can be ordered from authorized Volvo retailers. The automaker will start shipping them to retailers on November 18, but adapters for the EX30 will be available at a later date. That said, Volvo is including the adapter with purchases of the new EX90 flagship SUV, EX40 or EC40 starting with model year 2025.
Volvo in June 2023 that it would support Tesla Superchargers and the NCAS. It’s one of many automakers that have backed a more standardized approach to EV charging in North America.
2024 has been a stressful year. Other people might pick more relaxing ways to de-stress — a spa day, a nice cocktail, or maybe a social media detox. Not me, baby. I’ve decided to cope the same way I always do: ramping up training instead of stress eating my weight in mini-muffins. Except it’s unreasonable to abandon my desk and run a 5K every time the news cycle spikes my anxiety. Which is why, for the last three months, I’ve taken to logging miles on a desk treadmill. Specifically, the $240 Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill.
As an overly self-quantified wearables reviewer, I picked Mobvoi’s walking treadmill for one reason and one reason only: it pairs with a smartwatch so all your steps are properly counted.
My beef with treadmills — especially ones you stick under a standing desk — is that you can walk 500 miles on them but your smartwatch will record maybe 100 steps. Your legs could be working overtime, but smartwatches rely on arm swings to count steps. I know because anytime I write and walk at the same time, my Apple Watch says I’ve done diddly squat. And that’s even when I record an indoor walking session. No one needs to record every little step, but it helps me keep track of my workout volume and intensity.
I chose Mobvoi’s desk treadmill because it connects with smartwatches.
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Many folks get around that by strapping a smartwatch to their ankle. I refuse. Not only because I’ve tried it and found it uncomfortable but also because fitness tracking algorithms and sensors are all programmed and tested for your arm. Treadmill walk data becomes useless to me, a wearables reviewer, if I can’t trust that data to be accurate.
That’s where Mobvoi’s treadmill comes in. You can download the Mobvoi Treadmill app from the Google Play Store onto any Android smartwatch. (I used it with Mobvoi’s TicWatch Atlas and Samsung’s Galaxy Watches.) It connects to the walking pad when you turn it on. And voila. Your metrics are right there on your wrist — even if your arms are limp as you’re typing an email. It’s pretty accurate, too! There aren’t any extra sensors, but once connected to the app, it allows the device to share data with your watch. I noticed that meant my Android watches would correctly register my subtler movements as steps. My Oura Ring and Apple Watch didn’t.
Problem solved! Or, it would’ve been if I were a devoted Mobvoi user. But alas, even this simple walking pad can’t escape gadget ecosystems.
But since you can also view stats on this display… technically you don’t need the smartwatch bit.
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For whatever reason, Apple Watch users are out of luck, as the Mobvoi Treadmill app isn’t available in Apple’s App Store. To view your live stats via the wrist, you must have an Android smartwatch. I don’t love that, and it’s a little baffling considering all this does is connect the walking pad and your watch over Bluetooth. Fortunately, I spend a good chunk of the year testing Wear OS watches and don’t care about having two phones and wearing two smartwatches at all times. But that’s not most people, and for regular iPhone users, this is a nonstarter. I asked Mobvoi if an iOS version would ever arrive but didn’t hear back.
Somehow, getting your phone to actually save that data is even more of a headache. If you have a Mobvoi watch, there’s no problem. Workouts recorded in the Mobvoi Treadmill app automatically pop up in the separate Mobvoi Health app on your phone. But the Mobvoi Health app only works with Mobvoi watches. If you use any other kind of Android smartwatch, you can’t actually log the treadmill data into whatever health app you keep on your phone. The data is just stuck on your wrist.
Things like this are why people pick one ecosystem and stick with it. During testing, I fixated on how to get all my walking pad data onto my iPhone — the device where most of my health data is stored. Thinking through all the ways to get my data off Android and into Apple’s Health and Fitness apps was so exhausting, it made me not want to use the walking pad at all. There were weeks when I let it collect dust in my office because I didn’t want to use it if I wasn’t getting credit for it. And getting that credit was too much work.
This is my preferred turtle speed for walking while working.
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At this point, I had to take a good hard look in the mirror. The whole point was to use this device to relieve stress. Instead, all I’d done was overcomplicate a walking pad. I ended up anxious and dreading my imperfect, messy metrics. I was so concerned about doing something “the right way” that I ended up not doing it at all. Looking back, I’ll be the first person to tell you that’s absurd. And yet, I’ve also been part of enough running and fitness communities to know that this is a common trap that even the best of us fall into.
My experience improved once I chucked the smartwatches into a drawer. I accepted my step counts wouldn’t be accurate and that my training algorithms across a dozen wearable platforms would be slightly off. I actually stopped recording my walks on every single platform altogether. As a result, my mental health improved, and I take far more walks now. My life isn’t any less stressful — I just have more endorphins, but that’s enough to make me more resilient.
Once I stopped caring about the data, I was free to figure out how to use the walking pad meaningfully. A lifelong overachiever, I started out trying to walk and work at 2.5mph to make it “worth it.” Imagine my surprised Pikachu face learning it’s quite difficult to walk at a brisk pace and write emails or even read because you’re bobbing up and down. And sweaty. Eventually, I accepted that my desk walks don’t have to be fast and found a turtle-like speed that works. (I’ve written most of this review at a 0.6mph pace.)
Turns out, ignoring the smart features and tracking helped me walk more.
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On mornings when the caffeine just isn’t hitting, a 20-minute walk usually jogs my shriveled brain cells while I catch up on the news. When something just isn’t working in a draft, walking while reading my sentences helps enormously. I’ve also noticed how my body becomes so stiff when I’m frustrated, anxious, angry, or full of dread. Hopping on a walking pad for a ploddingly slow 10 minutes is always enough to loosen me up — even if my step count isn’t impressive.
I highly recommend a walking pad if you, too, often experience existential dread and anxiety. Just maybe not this exact one. It’s funny. I picked Mobvoi’s treadmill precisely because it had the bells and whistles. But at the end of the day, all the extra connectivity, the data, and the “smarts” got in my way. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is remember why you’re doing something, zero in on it, and cut out the extra noise.
Agree to Continue: Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.
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You could just use the Mobvoi Home Walking Treadmill sans any smart features. In that case, you only agree to the terms and conditions of buying the actual product. However, if you use it with an Android smartwatch, you’re agreeing to the terms and policies of that device plus those of the Android phone it’s paired to. Optionally, you agree to any third-party services or apps you integrate with.
Used with a Mobvoi smartwatch, you’re agreeing to:
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Your Strands expert
Your Strands expert
Marc McLaren
NYT Strands today (game #252) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Nice fit
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NYT Strands today (game #252) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
TILL
HILL
BILL
DUST
THERE
WELL
NYT Strands today (game #252) – hint #3 – spangram
What is a hint for today’s spangram?
• Fits the bill
NYT Strands today (game #252) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First: left, 5th row
Last: right, 4th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
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NYT Strands today (game #252) – the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today’s Strands, game #252, are…
JUMP
CIVIL
STRONG
BUSINESS
BIRTHDAY
LEISURE
SPANGRAM: WELLSUITED
My rating: Moderate
My score: 2 hints
I find myself disagreeing with the NYT’s choice of theme hint fairly often. This is possibly unfair, because as I know from experience it can be a very tricky thing to think of a clue that is helpful without giving the game away. But even bearing that in mind, the choice of ‘Nice fit’ here seems slightly misleading. After all, ‘nice fit’ works perfectly well for the spangram, WELLSUITED, and for some of today’s answers – for instance LEISURE and JUMP. But it doesn’t work for CIVIL or BIRTHDAY at all; these are types of suit, yes, but they aren’t a ‘nice fit’ in any way. STRONG can be – if something is your strong suit, it is a good fit for you. But CIVIL in particular… no, it needed a different clue here.
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That set me on the wrong path here, and I needed two hints to establish that yes, all of the answers were types of suit. Once I knew that it was pretty easy to find the others. And maybe that’s why it’s best that the hint did throw me off the scent – because without that I’d have probably had yet another perfect game, and that gets boring after a while…
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 9 November, game #251)
BLUR
OASIS
PAVEMENT
TOOL
NIRVANA
SUBLIME
SPANGRAM: NINETIESBANDS
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
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