The OnePlus 10 Pro is out now in China, which means it’s one of the first big flagship phone launches of 2022.

While we await news of a global rollout, it’s worth looking at how this year’s model matches up to one of the biggest flagship phones of 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21.

Just how far forward has OnePlus managed to take its own flagship line? Has there been any significant advancement, or are you better off saving money and buying one of 2021’s top models?

Let’s take a closer look at how these two phones compare on paper.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21: price and availability

The OnePlus 10 Pro was announced on January 11, 2022, and it rolled out on January 13. However, that launch only occurred in China. We have yet to find out when we’ll see the phone in other markets.

Pricing starts from 4,699 Chinese Yuan for 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, which translates to around $740/£550/AU$1,056. You can also pay 4,999 Chinese Yuan ($786/£586/AU$1,123) for 8GB/256GB, or 5,299 Chinese Yuan ($833/£621/AU$1,191) for 12GB RAM and 256GB.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 arrived in shops almost a year before the OnePlus 10 Pro, on January 29, 2021. Prices started from $799 / £769 / AU$1,249 for the 128GB model, while the 256GB model arrived at $849.99 / £819 / AU$1,349.

Of course, you can get it for much cheaper these days if you shop around on the internet.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21: design

OnePlus has clearly taken inspiration from the Samsung Galaxy S21 with the OnePlus 10 Pro’s design.

Samsung won our hearts with its integrated camera module design, which sweeps around from the frame in one fluid ‘Contour Cut’ component. OnePlus adopts a similar principle, but with a squarer, more industrial-looking camera module.

The OnePlus 10 Pro (163 x 73.9 x 8.6mm) is much taller, wider, and thicker than the Samsung Galaxy S21 (151.7 x 71.2 x 7.9mm). It’s also a fair bit heavier at 200.5g compared to the Samsung’s 169g.

That latter part comes, in part, from the use of real glass for the rear cover of the OnePlus. The Samsung uses a plastic material called ‘Glasstic’, which we’re not a massive fan of. It feels a little cheap.

Both phones sport aluminum frames and super-tough Gorilla Glass Victus to cover the displays, however, and both have earned IP68 dust- and water-resistance ratings.

When it comes to color options, the Galaxy S21 gives you a choice of Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Pink, and Phantom Violet. The OnePlus 10 Pro goes with just three: black, green and white.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21: display

We’ve just mentioned the size difference between these two phones, and that’s the main differentiating factor between their displays, too.

The OnePlus 10 Pro has the larger screen of the two at 6.7 inches. Samsung’s is relatively small for an Android phone at 6.2 inches.

This OnePlus screen is the sharper of the two as well, with a 3216 x 1440 resolution versus the Samsung Galaxy S21’s 2400 x 1080.

Elsewhere, the OnePlus 10 Pro has a second-generation LTPO2 AMOLED that can run the gamut from a peak 120Hz refresh rate right down to 1Hz, depending on the task. The Galaxy S21 can only go from 60 to 120Hz, which is much less efficient.

Both phone displays get equally bright to the peak tune of 1,300 nits.

All in all, it’s a comfortable win for the OnePlus 10 Pro on paper. We’d have to go hands-on with the new phone to be sure, though, as Samsung is the undisputed OLED master.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21: cameras

There’s an interesting parallel between the OnePlus 10 Pro camera and its Samsung Galaxy S21 counterpart. Both bear close resemblance to their immediate predecessors, at least in terms of raw hardware.

That’s about where the similarities end, other than the fact that they’re both triple-camera systems with wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto sensors.

The OnePlus 10 Pro gives you a 48 MP f/1.8 wide sensor, while the Samsung Galaxy S21 goes with a 12MP wide sensor.

On the telephoto front, OnePlus has gone with an 8MP sensor capable of 3.3x optically zoomed shots, while Samsung goes super-sharp with a 64MP 1.1x zoom, which can create 3x hybrid shots. Quite a different approach, then.

Then there are the ultra-wide sensors. This is the one camera component that we know to be new in the OnePlus 10 Pro, in the shape of a 150-degree 50MP sensor. Samsung gives you a less-sharp and less-expansive 12MP ultra-wide with a 120-degree viewing angle.

OnePlus has kept the Hasselblad branding for a second year. In the OnePlus 9 Pro this was used to provide distinctive color tuning and a bespoke camera UI. It remains to be seen if any of this has been enhanced for the second generation.

We already know what Samsung’s camera offering is about, of course. Our reviewer called it a “fantastic, versatile camera”, with Samsung’s usual vivid colors and an even tone across the sensors.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21: specs and performance

It’s probably safe to declare a winner on the performance front, even before we’ve gone hands-on with the OnePlus 10 Pro.

The newer phone uses a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. While early reports suggest that its CPU component isn’t all that much faster than the Snapdragon 888 that powers the Samsung Galaxy S21, its GPU is clearly quite a bit faster.

Besides, most Samsung Galaxy S21 users don’t get the Snapdragon 888. Only the US and China models get Qualcomm’s silicon, while the global model (aka everywhere else) gets Samsung’s own Exynos 2100. This is a decent chip, but it’s not quite as fast as the Snapdragon 888.

Which means, of course, that it’s even further behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 of the OnePlus 10 Pro.

Both phones are accompanied by 8GB of RAM, though there’s also a 12GB option with the OnePlus. When it comes to storage, both phones give you a choice of either 128GB or 256GB.

One slight point of uncertainty relates to the OnePlus 10 Pro’s likely UI. The Chinese model has adopted Oppo’s ColorOS, which is a much less slick UI than the OxygenOS UI that’s come to define past OnePlus phones. Has the merger between OnePlus and Oppo put paid to this software advantage, even in the future global model? Only time will tell.

Samsung’s UI is a known quantity by now, providing stacks of personalisation and slick performance right across the range. Samsung is even getting its act together on the timely update front, though some will still take exception to the level of bloatware.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S21: battery

Again, the OnePlus 10 Pro’s larger size and weight feeds into this section. The newer phone’s 5,000mAh battery is way larger than the Samsung Galaxy S21’s puny 4,000mAh cell.

The latter is really quite small by modern Android phone standards, and that certainly seemed to take its toll in our tests. Our reviewer found that the Galaxy S21 would only last a full day of usage when they left things relatively light. Crank up the GPS usage and other power-hungry components, and it would die before bedtime.

Of course, until we’ve had a chance to test the OnePlus 10 Pro’s stamina, we can’t call a winner here. But the newer, larger phone has all the components to come through the winner. Besides that (significantly) larger battery, it also has a more efficient 4nm processor and a more efficient LTPO2 display.

OnePlus is in the driving seat elsewhere too, both supporting 80W wired charging and packing in the appropriate charger for the job. The Galaxy S21 only stretches to 25W, and you’ll have to supply the brick separately.

It’s a similar case on the wireless charging front, with the OnePlus 10 Pro supporting 50W, and the Samsung Galaxy S21 only going to 15W.

Takeaway

OnePlus has only seen fit to release the OnePlus 10 Pro in China at the time of writing, so we’re unable to do more than compare these phones from afar. However, everything suggests that it’s a better phone than the well-established Samsung Galaxy S21.

It’s larger and less wieldy, for sure, but also made with more premium materials. It also comes with a bigger, sharper, more efficient display and a significantly larger battery. OnePlus has also supplied a faster, more efficient processor.

The OnePlus 10 Pro’s camera is a bit of a question mark here, as there seem to be few material improvements over last year’s model. Then there’s the matter of the phone’s hitherto unknown western pricing, and doubts over OnePlus’s ongoing support for the brilliant Oxygen OS.

We’re really going to have to wait until the OnePlus 10 Pro hits our shores to offer a definitive verdict, though its real fight is likely to be with the Galaxy S21’s successor.

• Take a look at all the best smartphones

When version 100 of Google's Chrome browser is available to download, it will be without the Lite mode that enables less mobile data to be used on Android devices when browsing the web, and I couldn't be happier.

In a blog post, the company explained that it doesn't see the need for a feature to minimize data used in its web browser, when the amount of cellular data has increased, while the cost has stayed the same.

The feature arrived back in 2014 as a way to load webpages with less data being used, which could be useful for those on a small data plan for their smartphone. 

Having sold phones and data plans to customers in a previous career, the end of this feature is only good news for me, but mainly for the customer who reads their content from Chrome on a mobile device every day.

When does Chrome 100 arrive?

According to Google's Roadmap status page for Chrome, version 100 will arrive on March 29, with a beta arriving around March 3.

This will apply to all versions of Chrome - from its mobile versions to the desktop on PC, Mac and Chromebook.

But with the Data Saver feature only on Android versions, it's not going to be something that's missed by many users, especially as there's data saving features built into Android 12 for all apps anyway, by going to Settings > Cellular Data.

Having worked at a phone store for years before switching careers to be a writer, helping customers with their phones and the data they would use, would be a common task for me. Some would come in, asking me why they had received a text stating they were at 80% of their monthly data usage.

Looking at how much data apps would be used, a web browser would usually reign supreme at the top of this list. But this was in a time where 2GB of data a month would be normal to see, not the 150GB a month or unlimited plans we all see advertised.

But when a 'lite' mode would appear on a browser or a social media app like Facebook, it would degrade the experience. I remember pixelated images loading instead, or certain content removed so the text would be all over the place.

However, it's finally time to see the back of these features - they only hinder, not help the experience if you're trying to search for something or read the latest news in Chrome on your Samsung S22.

As Google Chrome hits a century of a version number, it's great to see this disappear, and instead, enrich the content that's available for your interests across the spectrum of the web.

However, Firefox is also approaching version 100, so there's a chance that we may see a landmark feature arrive from Mozilla as well. March is looking to be an eventful time for web browsers on many devices, and I'm here for it.

• How to enable dark mode in Google Search

Those in the know have been predicting that Apple would drop the notch from the iPhone display for several years now, but the consensus is that this year will finally be the year – and we now have a better idea of how this could work on the iPhone 14 Pro.

A leaked schematic posted to Chinese social media site Weibo (via 9to5Mac) appears to show the two cut outs that will replace the notch. Well-known tipster Jon Prosser says he believes the leak to be accurate in terms of what Apple is planning as well.

It would seem Apple isn't ready to put a selfie camera under the display of the iPhone, which means cut outs are still required if the notch is going to disappear. Other components, like the infrared sensor for Face ID, will also be housed here.

Size matters

The combination of both a circular cut out and a pill-shaped cut out we can see in this schematic backs up previous rumors from last month – and we haven't seen any other phone manufacturers take this particular design route yet.

While some Android device makers (such as Huawei) make use of a pill cut out, and other Android device makers (such as Samsung) deploy a punch hole cut out, we haven't yet seen the two combined in the way that Apple is apparently planning.

The leaked schematic doesn't really tell us much else, although these cut outs do look a little larger than we were expecting. At the moment, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are expected to get this new design, while the more affordable iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max stick with the traditional notch.

Analysis: the beginning of the end of the notch era

Before Apple decided to add a notch to the iPhone X, phone makers typically embedded the selfie camera, speaker and other components in the top bezel of the handset. The iPhone X launched back in 2017, and it seems that five years later the notch will be removed from at least some of Apple's iPhones.

The thinking now would seem to be the same as it was back then: Apple wants to make sure there's as much screen space as possible made available to iOS and the apps that run on top of it. That extra space can be used for notification badges, for example.

This time though, Apple is following the pack rather than leading it: manufacturers were quick to adopt the display notch after Apple started using it, but most have now moved on to smaller punch holes and pills to house the necessary components.

Ultimately, it seems as though screen and camera technology will develop to a level where the camera and other sensors can be embedded under the display, without any need for cut outs at all (see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, for example). Apple will want this tech to be perfect before it introduces it on the iPhone, however.

• iPhone 14 production has reportedly started already

It's that time of the year: Mobile World Congress 2022 (shortened to MWC) is here, ready to bring us boat-loads of new gadgets from all the world's biggest tech companies.

MWC is an annual tech event which generally takes place in late-February, though we haven't seen a proper one since 2019 thanks to the pandemic. It takes place in Barcelona, Spain, and it's one of the biggest events in the calendar for fans of tech and smartphones.

Kicking off on February 28, MWC 2022 is scheduled to run until March 2, though some tech companies actually often jump the gun and use the Sunday (this year the 27th) for their events. So we could hear about the first launches any time now.

TechRadar has roving reporters on the ground in Barcelona, as well as lots of expert journalists covering the event from afar. So expect a week of news, hands-on reviews, analyses and event coverage from loads of brands including Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, Huawei, OnePlus, Oppo, Honor and more.

With this live blog, we'll bring you all the big news as it happens, so it can be your one-stop-shop for all the important details to come from the event. 

• MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting on the show all week. Head to our dedicated MWC 2022 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone.

And we begin! Sunday technically isn't part of MWC, since the event only truly kicks off tomorrow, but that doesn't stop some companies.

We already know Samsung is doing something today, and that's the biggest news through Sunday that we're aware of - but we might see other companies debut devices without warning too.

Though nothing's launched yet, some companies have been announcing their MWC 2022 plans.

Case in point, Mobvoi (which makes TicWatch smartwatches) has announced it's launching a new device on March 1.

This seems to be a smartwatch with an emphasis on heart rate tracking features - we'll make sure to bring you the news whenever Mobvoi officially announces this device.

There are some apps that are abandoned through no fault of their own. The team responsible could have moved on to other projects, or a new, redesigned app may have appeared to take its place.

If you go trawling through YouTube or even find an old PC in the family office, you can find yourself transported back to a time when the only way you could use the internet was by being sat down in front of a desk, waiting for a dial-up modem to connect.

But we're also heading into an era with the App Store and Google Play Store, where  users are longing for deleted apps to make a comeback, regardless of how they may look or operate in today's world.

There’s a growing nostalgia for the apps we used to use every day. Whether it's to feel like we're back at school, or just because the app was so good that we’d like to use them again for our new Windows 11 and iPhone 13 devices in 2022. Windows Media Player coming back is a great example of this, and it's why there should be more comebacks for depreciated apps.

With this in mind, here are three apps that should see a return and a remake for 2022 to take advantage of the devices we use every day.

Vesper

This is a note-taking app that set itself apart from the rest in the productivity category at the time. 

Created by Q Branch, involving Brent Simmons, Dave Wiskus, and John Gruber, the app was launched in 2013 and then discontinued in 2016. But thanks to the ability to redownload apps that have disappeared from the App Store, Vesper can still be used in 2022.

Vesper’s design is classically inspired by Apple's Notes app from 2013, but in a modern vibe that still looks good in 2022.

The app's purpose is simple - to take notes. But you can also tag these notes, similar to a feature that Apple brought to its own Notes app only in 2021. You can swipe to the left to archive any notes that you don't need, and you can re-arrange them to order the notes in a way that suits your needs.

For some reason, we weren't able to redownload it for iPhone, but on an M1 Mac we could, and it still works great, even with a janky way to resize the window in only two ways.

You can't sync notes to different devices as that was shut down when Vesper shut its doors, but it's a great app to use locally on your device if you're creating one or two projects.

Since its discontinuation, the source code has been available on GitHub for someone else to make their own interpretation of the app. Using this app in 2022, we can't help but wonder if one last hurrah should occur for Vesper. One more version where the band gets back together, much like James Bond in the mid-nineties, to be relevant again but for a new civilized age.

Even in a world where we have note apps that work similarly to WhatsApp, there's still room for a Vesper, especially in an app world where we use to-do lists and collaborative efforts to jot things down for those personal projects.

To see a new, final Vesper with Widgets, a web version variant, iCloud sync, alongside the proverbial dark mode option, could be a great way for Q Branch to sign off and raise a glass to, and have it work for our modern iPhones again.

MSN Messenger

Between 1999 and 2009, Microsoft's messaging app was everywhere. You'd finish school and go straight to your parents' PC to log on to MSN Messenger, to either continue a conversation from earlier or to arrange something for later that evening.

You would log in and be greeted with a list of the contacts you've added, with many showcasing using waves of emojis and symbols placed on either side to their name for effect.

You could 'nudge' and 'wink' a friend who would be online, and you could exchange images if you wanted.

Eventually, the ability to play games with one another, alongside webcam support would be available to use, taking a strain on the 120Kbps broadband that would have been the average common internet speeds in 2003.

MSN Messenger was also arguably the first dating app before Tinder and Bumble. A small rainbow or heart next to a name would be a not-so-subtle hint on someone's name, yet it could initiate something more in the playground the next day. Messenger had something for everyone during those times, but ironically it didn't move to where apps were going.

Due to the rise of the iPhone and the App Store in 2008, Windows Live Messenger, as it was renamed to, dropped in usage, as everyone was starting to use WhatsApp, Facebook, FaceTime, and iMessage to communicate with one another, and Messenger was discontinued in 2014.

While you can install a version of the app in Windows 11, you can only get as far as the login screen, as the server to connect to the Hotmail server has long been depreciated.

In hindsight, Microsoft didn't know what it had - it rode a wave that the company hasn't had in the messaging category since. Especially when you consider how Zoom soared in use during the pandemic while Skype was left as an afterthought.

But nostalgia is starting to seep through to apps - Windows Media Player has returned to Windows 11, and currently, there are two apps by Microsoft, Teams, and Skype that both do the same function, but not as well as Zoom.

Rebooting MSN Messenger as a service for everyone, but with business features for work, could be a big boon to many.

Imagine MSN Messenger as an app for iOS and Android, alongside Windows 11, macOS, and Chromebooks. With Microsoft's aim of making apps available on as many systems as possible Messenger is the next logical step.

One that can bring back the nudges, the winks, and themes to bring the look of 2022 back, could be appealing to many, while the features are useful to others.

Microsoft is in a bind with Skype and Teams. Making a fresh start with an app that users have nostalgia for, but rebuilt for 2022, could be something that could appeal to everyone, and clear the deck of confusion that the company has carried with the two apps for a number of years now.

Google Wave

This effort by Google in 2009 was a direct precursor to the Slacks and Microsoft Teams of apps that you probably use every day in 2022.  The main theme of Google Wave was collaboration, with an effort to help with projects that involve many users without having to use Skype or a messaging app from back in the day, in order to collaborate in a Google Docs file.

Wave only lasted for three years between 2009 and 2012, but it’s still missed by plenty of users. It was a time when Google would try out different products almost every six months, but if it didn't quite hit the mark there’s a good chance you’re not able to use it anymore.

Google Wave worked differently from other apps, as you would have to be referred in order for your Google account to have access to Wave giving it an exclusive feel. Eventually, in 2010 it was available to everyone, so you could invite someone to a project without having to find a referral link.

This would combine Google Mail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and your contact list into one app, where you could collaborate on different projects. 

While the user interface in the video department left a lot to be desired due to so much going on, it had a knack for introducing each feature and interface option in steps. After an hour or so, you'd be able to use it with ease.

But Google pulled the plug on Wave in 2011, with its reasons being that too few users were using the service, even though there were signs that it was about to grow, due to the increase in social network usage at the time.

As it is with Google's stance on abandoned projects, there's no way of trying out a remade version of Wave in 2022 - you can only be reminded through screenshots and videos. But in a way, you're already using them through Slack, Teams, and Google Docs collaborations.

But it's a service that should come back, as it could work well alongside Slack integration and app versions on iOS and Android.

But with Google's focus on mobile and content, it's 50/50 as to whether it would consider a return for Wave.

• Our pick of the best Macs you can buy in 2022 so far

Warning: this Wordle answer is for puzzle #266, for Saturday March 12 - make sure that's the one you're after before scrolling on.

Wordle fans of the world, get ready for some hints and answers on this fine start to the weekend. Yesterday's solution of WATCH caused widespread upset across the internet (including to us), with Wordle 265 X, which indicates a failure, one of the top trending terms all day.

Today's Wordle answer is hopefully more similar (as in not a lot things rhyme with it, which is handy), but also a huge troll from NY Times when you see what it is. However, we're up for helping you slide past the need for the answer by giving you some top Wordle hints - either saving your streak, or helping you start to rebuild from yesterday if you (like us) failed.

But if you just want the answer, scroll on down to the bottom. No worries, it's the weekend, you've got stuff to do.

Today's Wordle hint

Today's Wordle answer is hidden in the title... is that a hint yet? Not really, it's more of a riddle. Let's give you some actual Wordle hints, shall we?

And now we're trained in this practice, having spoken to owners of Wordle solver tools, linguistics experts and more... so here are our three hints to get you thinking about solving today's answer.

1. No letters are repeated
2. It starts with the most popular beginning word letter
3. It ends with AY

Is that a good enough hint? If you figure out 2 and 3, you're pretty much there, in our eyes...

Wordle solver tools

Instead of scrolling to the Wordle answer section below, why not try a 5 letter word generator? There are loads of great tools online that can help you learn a bit more about the world of Wordle and how to get the right letters first - how about you check one of those out?

WordFinderX:allows you to put in letters at the start and the end if you know them and, crucially: allows you to enter any letters that don’t fit.

WordTips:  same as WordFinder X but with a slightly kinder UI. 

The Free Dictionary: lets you use 'contains', 'ends with' or 'starts with' - as well as 'unscramble'.

TryHardGuides Wordle Solver: great for the mobile, pop in the position of the correct, misplaced and wrong letters, and get recommendations based on popularity.

Check out this useful grid that shows the hottest letter pairings - it can really help focus your mind.

Also, try out the analysis from Project Gutenberg, which analyzed nearly 10,000 texts and found the following insights into starting letters, word clumps and more.

Right, now you can have the Wordle answer for today...

Today’s Wordle Answer #266 (Mar 12)

OK, this is more like it. A slightly easier, done-in-three extravaganza. Today's Wordle answer is TODAY.

That's right... TODAY is today's answer, just to really complicate things for people trying to type in 'what's today's Wordle answer?' and getting perplexed by the results.

How did you do?

So let's look back - how did you do two days ago? WordleStats checks all the results published to Twitter and finds the common answer numbers, taking about 30 hours to crunch the data, so the following stats are for LAPSE.

We're surprised that so many people got it in 3 - we'd have thought the -PSE ending would have stumped more. If you did it in under 4, you're a Wordle champ.

Great Wordle alternatives

What about if you fancy a little bit of something else? Check back daily to see our wonderful list of the best Wordle alternatives and see what tickles your fancy.

Scholardle

Like Wordle but find it too easy? Like to read academic journals? Like funny groups off letters?

Then Scholardle is for you. Just the same as Wordle (but with five attempts), players need to try and guess the word with green and yellow letter blocks as an option.

It's fiendishly hard, but if you're into a little world of academia perhaps you might find it easier. 

We did not.

Heardle

Like Wordle but with music, Heardle gets you short little bursts of music to guess and you've got six attempts to do it in.

OK, there aren't that many similarities to the main game, but you do get the same amount of attempts, it does check against a 'dictionary' of songs, you can get a new puzzle daily and it allows you to do the same green-and-yellow posting to Twitter.

Wordle Unlimited

Love a bit of Wordle but annoyed it only lasts one day? Well, why don't you try Wordle Unlimited, the hugely unofficial game where you can play as many times as you like - and we've got all you need to know on how to use and play Wordle Unlimted ready for you.

Nerdle

Such a different game to Wordle, but it gives your brain a different workout. Consider Wordle your long, steady state run and then Nerdle being the HIIT workout you (inexplicably) do next.

You're asked to enter a sum of 8 numbers or symbols long... and apart from knowing it has to have some numbers and an equals in there, that's all you get.

It's a great play - plus there's an 'Instant Nerdle' that shows you one line of semi-correct entries in the wrong place... and it's up to you to get it. Lovely.

Winning at Wordle every day is a daily goal, but the reality is a once-a-day effort to solve a five-letter puzzle that can feel equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. Oh, those rare, solved in three, miraculous solved in two, or incredibly lucky one-and-done. It’s the four, five, and six guesses that really get you - but it’s also those journeys that teach us the most.

For those unfamiliar with Wordle (but then why are you here?), The New York Times’ (recently-purchased) daily word game asks you to guess a five-letter word in six tries.  Simple right?

Well, while we could just tell you the Wordle answer for today, (and yes, we have a page to do just that) it wouldn't be much use, would it? Even if it preserves your streak, it's a hollow victory - this is a game where you're only cheating yourself out of learning.

What starts today is a daily (weekdays) diary of how I, someone whose very existence is predicated on a playing with and using words, solved Wordle. 

Come with me on a journey of how to pick a first word (was I packing vowels or constants?), and what crucial choices I made along the way to winnow out useless letters, collect accurate ones, and then compose them into one seemingly simple five-letter word.

I'll also do my best to share images of my work. Including all the embarrassing mistakes. Come, let’s learn how to Wordle like a pro, together, so you no longer need to grab the answer.

Spoiler Alert: If you do not want to know today’s Wordle answer, STOP READING IMMEDIATELY.

A mid-day break

Today, I'm playing Wordle on my desktop. I figure it’ll make capturing screenshots of my successes and failures a little easier. On a whim, I ask Siri to play The Beatles’ Abbey Road. The classic album should put me in a good headspace for puzzle work.

The first word

I choose quickly, going with FRAME. It’s a little heavy on the consonant side, but the solid anchors of A and E vowels make me confident I should have at least two correct letter hits.

Disaster

In all my weeks of playing, this is the first time I have ever had a zero letters result on Row 1. On the bright side, I have now eliminated five letters from consideration. But now I'm in the unusual position of having to start from scratch. This means I'll once again begin with a word that has a decent mix of vowels and letters. Putting on a brave face, I dive back in.

The second guess

What’s interesting is that the calculation here is already different because key letters like A and E are no longer available to me. This cuts out a significant number of potential five-letter words.

I've used POUND on many previous Wordles. It leans heavily on consonants but also represents the framework of many other five-letter words. In general, it’s always smart to use words that, with one or two changed letters, could be a different five-letter word.

Feeling unexpectedly confident, I hit enter.

Uh-oh

Things are not going well. Wordle has clearly dug deeper than normal for this quintuple configuration. I got one letter - just the D. At least it’s in the right position. That, in and of itself, helps narrow the list of potential words to an even greater degree. Still, I have very few materials to work with here. Instead of relying on what I have to make the next guess, I must focus on what’s been excluded.

Making a new choice

I never use a scratchpad when Wordling, but I do work out letter configurations in my head before putting them on the Wordle game board. I may also start typing in potential letter combinations in Worlde to see if they spark a word idea. I can do this a dozen or more times before committing.

I also look at letters to identify possible starting letters and what I consider more obvious middle letters. These can be vowels or consonants, but the choices are usually driven by letters I’ve solved for the beginning or end of the word. In this case, all I have is that D.

Looking at what’s left, I notice I have just one vowel (I) left. Y, the sometimes vowel, is still there, but I’m convinced that if it’s in the mix, it’ll be the first letter. That “I”, though. I feel like it has to be used (hard to have a word without a vowel) and has to be in the middle.

Third time’s the charm?

I start by just typing in a few letters to see if they spark full, five-letter inspiration. “HIT,” though, does not.

The work is also full of “is this a word?” guesses. The good news is that Wordle never penalizes you for guessing with words that don’t exist. It just shudders in a rather judgy way to let you know that that simply won’t do.

Guess what, “BILED” is apparently a word, meaning, “Containing, possessing, or having an application of bile.”

Fourth round

I now know two letters, and, somewhat surprisingly, I have them both in the right place. As I guessed, the “I” belonged near the middle. By using an “E” again - even though I know it's not part of the final word - I wasted an opportunity to guess at another letter. In my defense, I really thought “BILED” was not a real word.

I need to take a beat and really analyze what’s left. So many consonants. What could that Wordle be?

In my head, I’m putting every remaining letter ahead of “I” and ending with an “ed” sound just to try and spark some insight. I try a letter combo but don't commit because, as is often the case, my idea doesn’t fit in the allotted five letters.

Stuck, I remind myself that there is a possibility that one or more letters could repeat. I don't see the “I’ doing that, but there could be another “D” in the middle. My brain feels like mush.

Starting over, again

At this stage, I can keep grinding away at my available letters or try a word that pulls in as many unused letters as possible to try and pick up one or two more correct letters. Solving this with two, even in the right place seems next to impossible.

In the end, I decide against this method. My problem is that I have too few vowels. The lack of an “E” before the “D” is concerning. Perhaps it’s a “Y” before the “D.”

I change my mind again and go with a word that has the benefit of using four new letters. I’m praying “SIGHT” gets me at least one or two new letters.

What’s left

Not even remotely what I expected. Only “I” is left standing as “S,” “G,” “H,” and “T” are not in the correct word.

A moment of inspiration

I look at the “V” and start thinking it’s a great letter to go before “I.” Then inspiration hits.

As I noted earlier, I have to leave open the possibility that the word would repeat one or more letters. I enter “VIVID.”

The excitement builds before I hit “Enter.” There’s so much promise in this guess. It’s educated (what’s left to choose, really?) but also a leap.

Success

Wordle awards me a “Great!”. It’s not much of a compliment. It knows I could’ve done better. I’ll take it, though. Just happy to be through this one.

• Need more Wordle each day? Wordle Unlimited is your (super unofficial) fix 
• How to win Wordle every day 

I'm currently testing the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, the big new mobile on the block, and while my full thoughts on the phone are all going in my full review (coming soon), there's something I had to share about the phone now.

It's the way the phone feels - and I don't mean in a vague, whimsical, sentimental way - I mean the actual handfeel of the mobile. The way it sits in the palm of my hand.

You see, after kicking off the curved-edge-screen trend a few years back, Samsung then ditched the concept, and now the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus have flat screens (the S22 Ultra luckily doesn't). 

But the frame of the device is almost flat - it's a lot like an iPhone 13 in that way, though admittedly the edge does have a slight roundness. You know what other phone I was using recently that I also hated the feel of? The iPhone 13 Pro.

The iPhone problem

I really, really just can't like the way the iPhone 13 Pro fits in my hand. The flat edges dig into my palm further and further with each tap of the screen (yeah, I've got soft hands) and it just doesn't feel nice to hold.

It's a far cry from the experience of using curved-edge screen phones, as that feature makes the phone feel rounded, pebble-like and smooth. Before the Plus, I was using the Ultra, and that felt great to hold.

Even some phones with flat displays have rounded edges, making them fine to hold - I just tested the Realme 9 Pro Plus and that felt great.

This isn't the case for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus or iPhone 13 Pro - I don't like holding them, and it makes using them way less fun. 

Maybe I should try smaller mobiles from the families, like the Galaxy S22 or iPhone 13 mini, but why bother? There are loads of Androids that do feel great in the hand, and hours spent playing games or numbing my mind on Instagram will be much more enjoyable on them.

• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra charging mystery deepens after surprising powering results

The organisers of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona have confirmed there will be no Russian Pavilion at this year’s event and that certain companies and executives from the country will be barred from attending due to international sanctions.

The Russian Pavilion is one of several country-specific stands that usually populate the halls of MWC and are usually organised by investment bodies or government departments to showcase companies and startups from their nation.  

Industry body the GSMA said it would adhere to sanctions imposed by the US, UK, EU and others on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine but said it did not expect any major impact on the show, which is due to be staged in its traditional spring timeslot for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

MWC 2022 Russia

“As we see the situation today, we don’t see any need or requirement to [cancel the show]. Of course it’s an evolving situation and we will continue to monitor it,” GSMA chief executive John Hofmann told Reuters.

“We are guided by the international sanctions and there are some companies that are identified on the sanction list and those will be barred from participating,”

TechRadar Pro has contacted MWC for further comment.

This year’s MWC is the first to be held during the event’s usual spring timeslot since 2019, with 2020’s event cancelled at late notice due to the pandemic and 2021’s iteration taking place in the summer. The GSMA expects up to 60,000 attendees and does not expect recent events to have a material impact on the show.

In a separate development, some mobile operators are waiving charges for calls to Ukraine and roaming fees for customers currently in the country. The CEO’s of BT-EE and Vodafone UK have both confirmed their networks would be among them.

• Ahead of the show why not check our the best 5G phone deals

Via Reuters

The Oppo Find X5 has been unveiled and it wasn’t alone, with the Oppo Find X5 Pro and Oppo Find X5 Lite also getting announced.

As a result, we now have full details of all three phones, and have even gone hands-on with one of them.

Below then you’ll find everything you need to know about the Oppo Find X5 range, including the release date, prices, specs, and every other key detail.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The latest flagship phone range from Oppo
• When is it out? Pre-order in the UK from March 10, hits stores on March 24
• How much does it cost? The range starts at £419 (around $560 / AU$780)

Oppo Find X5 release date and price

The Oppo Find X5 range was announced on February 24, and all three phones will be up for pre-order in the UK on March 10, with a March 24 release date. However, we’re not expecting to see these phones in the US, and there’s no word yet on Australian availability.

As for the price, the Oppo Find X5 costs £749 (around $1000 / AU$1,400), while the Oppo Find X5 Pro costs £1,049 (roughly $1,400 / AU$1,960), and the Oppo Find X5 Lite is £419 (approximately $560 / AU$780).

For reference, the Oppo Find X3 Pro launched for £1,099 / AU$1,699 (about $1,500), so the top model this year is marginally cheaper, but it’s still priced in line with the iPhone 13 Pro, so it’s far from cheap overall.

Design

The Oppo Find X5 and the Oppo Find X5 Pro look superficially similar, with both having a gently curved rear in white or black and a similarly shaped camera bump, but look closer and you’ll see that on the Oppo Find X5 Pro this bump curves smoothly and seamlessly out of the rear, while on the standard model it’s a separate thing.

The Oppo Find X5 Pro also has a ceramic finish, while the Find X5 uses frosted matte glass. The Find X5 Pro also stands out through being IP68 certified for dust and water resistance, which the other two models aren’t.

The Oppo Find X5 Lite is the real odd one out here though, as it has a completely different (and more conventionally rectangular) camera design, and what Oppo describes as “the industry’s first-ever LDI (Laser Direct Imaging)-processed design.” This leads to shimmering patterns on the rear.

The Oppo Find X5 Lite comes in a choice of Starlight Black or Startrails Blue shades, and it has a flat screen (where the other two are curved), and a larger bottom bezel. However, all three phones have a punch-hole camera in the top left corner of their screens.

As for their dimensions and weight, the Oppo Find X5 is 160.3 x 72.6 x 8.7mm and 196g, the Oppo Find X5 Pro is 163.7 x 73.9 x 8.5mm and 218g, and the Oppo Find X5 Lite is 160.6 x 73.2 x 7.81mm and 173g.

Display

Starting at the top of the range, the Oppo Find X5 Pro has a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3216 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and tough Gorilla Glass Victus for protection. It has a pixel density of 525 pixels per inch, a peak brightness of 1,300 nits, support for HDR10+, and a remarkably high touch sampling rate of up to 1,000Hz.

The standard Oppo Find X5 meanwhile has a 6.55-inch 1080 x 2400 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus, and a pixel density of 402 pixels per inch. So it’s a bit smaller and lower resolution, but otherwise similar, though we don’t have quite as many details of this screen.

Finally, there’s the Oppo Find X5 Lite, which has a 6.43-inch 1080 x 2400 AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 5, and a pixel density of 409 pixels per inch. Quite a step down then, and this screen is also flat, while the other two are curved at the edges.

Camera

The Oppo Find X5 and Oppo Find X5 Pro are similar on the camera front, as both have a 50MP main camera, along with a 13MP f/2.4 telephoto (offering 2x optical zoom), and a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide with a 110-degree field of view.

However, the main sensor appears to differ between these two phones, with the Oppo Find X5 Pro’s having an f/1.7 aperture, while the Find X5’s has an f/1.8 aperture. The Pro also has better stabilization on this lens.

Both phones additionally have a 32MP f/2.4 front-facing camera, and both phones can shoot video in up to 4K quality at 30fps. They also offer an assortment of modes, such as pro mode and a long exposure mode.

The Oppo Find X5 Lite has a less impressive setup, with a 64MP f/1.7 main sensor, an 8MP f/2.3 ultra-wide, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera. Its video recording abilities top out at 4K quality at 30fps, but it does also have a 32MP f/2.4 selfie camera, like the pricier models.

Battery

All of these phones fare quite well for battery, at least on paper. The Oppo Find X5 Pro sounds the best though, with a 5,000mAh battery supporting 80W fast charging, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

The standard Oppo Find X5 has a slightly smaller 4,800mAh battery, but it still offers 80W charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, with wireless charging being a bit slower at 30W.

Then there’s the Oppo Find X5 Lite, which has a 4,500mAh battery, 65W charging, and no wireless charging.

Specs and features

One of the biggest differences between these phones is their chipset, as this isn’t like the iPhone 13 range or the Samsung Galaxy S22 range where every model uses the same one.

Only the Oppo Find X5 Pro uses a truly top-end chipset, namely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is arguably the best chipset available for Android phones right now.

The standard Oppo Find X5 uses last year’s equivalent, the Snapdragon 888, while the Oppo Find X5 Lite uses the MediaTek Dimensity 900. The former of those is a great chipset, but it’s a year old, while the latter is a more mid-range choice.

For RAM, you get 12GB along with 256GB of storage in the Oppo Find X5 Pro in the UK. There is also a model with 8GB of RAM, or one which ups the storage to 512GB, but it’s not clear where these will be available.

The Oppo Find X5 meanwhile comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the UK (with 12GB and 256GB models available in some regions), and the Oppo Find X5 Lite also has 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with no other options available anywhere. You also get a microSD card slot in the Oppo Find X5 Lite, but not in the others.

Other specs and features include 5G and an under-display fingerprint scanner for all three models, with the top two running Android 12, while the Oppo Find X5 Lite is stuck on Android 11.

• These are the best Oppo phones

Device and chipset manufacturers will be able to include Truphone’s eSIM platform in their products free of charge in a move that could accelerate adoption of the technology.

Software-based eSIMs marry the functionality and capability of a SIM card with the ability to change provider remotely, aiding consumer choice, enabling new service models, and offer manufacturers greater flexibility in design.

eSIMs also transform the economics of mass IoT deployments that rely on sensors being left untouched for up to ten years.

eSIM adoption

While Apple has included eSIM support in its devices as standard, other manufacturers have been reticent, possibly because of the additional costs involved. 

By only charging customers once the eSIM has been activated, Truphone hopes to have removed a significant barrier to adoption and increase the installed base.

Meanwhile its platform can handle the remote provision and management of individual eSIMs.

In addition to the other benefits, Truphone is also touted the environmental advantages of software-based SIM technology. It argues that eSIMs reduce the carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing and distribution of physical SIM cards, while also eliminating plastic waste. As the number of connected devices around the world increases in the coming years, it believes this to be not insignificant.

“Having built a complete eSIM ecosystem from the ground up, Truphone is able to demolish the traditional barriers to achieving a SIM-free world,” declared Truphone’s Michael Moorfield. “Our vision is to remove barriers and provide access to our software that will enable global players and innovative start-ups to embrace eSIM in all of their products.”

TruPhone worked with Apple on the integration of eSIM tech into its devices and works with more than 50 mobile operators around the world, including BT and KPN.

• If you're looking for a new phone with either an eSIM or physical SIM then here are the  best 5G phones 

Today is (in some countries at least) the launch date for the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 devices, and lots of people were anticipating their flashy new devices showing up at their doors... only to be disappointed.

That's right - not everyone's pre-orders have shown up. People on Reddit have reported their devices have been delayed last-minute, with people's delivery dates being pushed back to late-March in some cases, and April in other examples. Readers have also written to TechRadar to report this same issue.

We should point out that it sounds like this is affecting pre-orders for both the Galaxy Tab S8 and S22 lines, and various products in the ranges, not just one type of device. Saying that, there are plenty of people who have received their devices on time.

For people who were looking forward to their exciting new gadgets showing up on their doors, this isn't great news, especially with how much you're paying for them. It's also amusing that, according to some reports, Samsung is calling this a 'slight delay', which may be stretching the definition of the word 'slight'. 

Analysis: why the delays?

We reached out to Samsung for comment, but didn't hear back by the time of publishing this article - we'll update you if that changes.

We don't know for sure why the Samsung Galaxy devices are having their delivery dates pushed back, but it could be for one big reason: popularity.

By some reports, the S22 phones are breaking pre-order expectations, at least in Samsung's home country of South Korea, and that could be indicative of a wider trend around the world.

So perhaps Samsung hadn't accounted for this level of popularity, and the logistics or manufacturing can't keep up.

That's just speculation, and we hope that, if your order was delayed, you don't have to wait too long.

• Samsung acknowledges Galaxy S22 Ultra display bug - but promises a fix is coming

In recent years we’ve been endlessly impressed by how much tech companies have managed to pack into the best cheap phones, and the new Blu G91 Max is a prime example of that.

This phone has a 6.8-inch 1080 x 2460 LCD screen, a 5,000mAh battery (with 18W charging and 10W wireless charging), and a quad-lens camera, with a 108MP main sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide one, a 2MP macro one, and a 2MP depth sensor.

Admittedly, only the first of those cameras will probably be much good, and the refresh rate is a standard 60Hz, but still, the size and resolution of the screen, the size of the battery (coupled with a promise of up to three days of life), and the megapixel count of that snapper, are all fairly impressive.

The Blu G91 Max also has some other decent specs, such as 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Plus, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack for fans of wired audio, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

In other areas it’s more ordinary, with a 16MP front-facing camera, a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset, and Android 11 on board. There’s also no 5G here, but you can’t have everything for $249.99 (around £185 / AU$345), which is all Blu is charging for this.

We can’t speak to how good the Blu G91 Max is in practice, but those specs for that price certainly sounds promising. If you like the sound of it, you can pick this phone up now in the US, with no availability in the UK or Australia.

Analysis: a strong rival for the Moto G Power

Our current pick for the best phone under $300 is the Moto G Power, a handset which had the same launch price as the Blu G91 Max. So how do they compare?

Well, the Moto G Power has the same battery size, but in most other areas it loses, at least on paper. Its Snapdragon 665 chipset is slightly weaker, and paired here with just 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Its screen is a similar resolution but smaller at 6.4 inches, and it has a triple-lens camera, with a 16MP main one, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro snapper.

Of course, this phone is also older than the Blu G91 Max, so it’s not so surprising that it’s found a rival here.

• The iPhone SE 2020 is a fairly cheap iPhone

More and more people are trusting their smartphones and other mobile devices to be a secure way to access the internet and store vital data, despite often failing to ensure such devices are protected, new research has said.

A report from McAfee has found that although smartphones are increasingly replacing PCs or laptops as a preferred device, especially among younger users, there is often a lack of proper security protection in place.

It added that younger users were often unaware that security protections were needed for mobile devices, even when it came to basic tools such as using a password.

Smartphone security

Surveying both children (including teenagers)and parents, McAfee found a stark difference in the level of awareness when it came to mobile device protection, as most children (59%) said they thought a new phone was more secure than a new computer, whereas parents were slightly more doubtful (49%).

Worryingly, only 41% of children used a password to protect their mobile device, compared to 56% of parents. This had led to many users facing security threats, with one in 10 parents reporting their children had experienced a financial information leak, and 15% of children saying they'd experienced an attempt to steal their online account. 

McAfee highlighted a number of potentially harmful threats targeting users of all ages, including mobile smishing attacks that use SMS messages to spread phishing lures, and malicious code and malware lurking inside gaming cheat apps and codes.

“Meaningful protection is a personal right for consumers, whether they are connected families or individuals,” said McAfee Executive Vice President, Chief Product and Revenue Officer, Gagan Singh. 

“The common thread linking these two research offerings are that consumers value protection of their data, privacy, and identity. As our use of mobile devices rapidly increases, we must remember that a mobile device is a connected device, just like a computer. McAfee’s world-class Labs Research team works tirelessly to identify and protect consumers from new and emerging threats that impact all ages and connected devices, across the globe.”

• Keep your devices secure with the best antivirus software around

Network intelligence and speedtest specialist OOkla has warned that Europe’s rollout of 5G is behind schedule, warning that delays to spectrum allocation and the need to support multiple generations of mobile technology are having an impact.

A report published by the company found that although 84 operators in 31 countries across the continent have launched 5G so far, covering 62% of the continent’s population. However, only 2.8% of all connections in Europe are 5G compared to 13.4% in the US and 29.3% in South Korea.

Although all European Union member states were supposed to make low band and high band spectrum available by the end of 2020, some countries had not done so and four nations hadn’t made any 5G spectrum available whatsoever.

5G leadership

This lack of progress has been complicated by obligations to maintain 2G networks. 

Although some operators are now switching off their 3G services – including EE and Vodafone in the UK – others will have to maintain 2G networks for some time in order to meet contractual obligations, support certain IoT applications, and roaming requirements. 

For example, smart metres in the UK are connected to 2G services and support is likely to extend into the 2030s.

Operators that maintain 2G, 3G and 4G services alongside 5G are therefore limited in terms of which airwaves they can refarm for 5G and this could have a knock on effect on speeds and capacity. There are some technologies, such as Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), that can automatically assign spectrum for different radio access network (RAN) technologies, meaning multiple generations can be supported simultaneously.

How these circumstances impact speed and availability varies by country-to-country. Although the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Korea lead the way with median download speeds in excess of 500Mbps, Bulgaria, Norway and Sweden offer more than 300Mbps. Many European nations lag behind China, but are comparable with Japan and head of the US.

However, this competitiveness does not translate to experience. The US leads the way with most European nations falling behind, reflecting the pace of their respective rollouts.

• If you want to embrace the future, then its time to look at the best 5G phone deals