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9 Jul 2025

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Gregg Wallace sacked as 50 more people make claims
The TV presenter has been the subject of an inquiry into alleged misconduct, to be published imminently.

Esports World Cup: The contest teams can't afford to miss
The controversial competition returns for a second year - and competitors say its vital for them to be involved.

Study: People who use emojis feel closer to each other
If you ever find yourself second-guessing the urge to add emojis to a text message, consider this: There may be a social significance to that impulse. A new study from the University of Texas shows that using emojis in text messages makes people feel closer to each other and more at ease in their personal relationships. The study was first reported by The Guardian. The researchers interviewed 260 people between the ages of 23 and 67, who were read 15 different messages — some with emojis, some without. Participants were asked to imagine themselves as the sender and to focus on the recipient’s response. These were then evaluated for responsiveness, sympathy, closeness, and relationship satisfaction. The results showed that messages containing emojis were perceived as more responsive than text-only messages. It also showed that emojis act as non-verbal signals that indicate attention and emotional engagement.

Bayeux Tapestry to return to UK after 900 years
Bayeux Tapestry will be shown at the British Museum, which will lend treasures to Normandy museums.

Windows 11 may get AI-powered desktop wallpapers
Microsoft may introduce an AI-powered feature for dynamic desktop wallpapers in Windows 11, reports Windows Latest. The feature, found in preview versions under the name “Dynamic Wallpaper,” doesn’t work yet, but is described as a background that automatically updates based on the user’s choice. This could involve selecting a theme or category, and Windows then changing the background depending on the time of day or other signals. Microsoft has previously trialled similar ideas, such as animated backgrounds and parallax effects to add depth and life to the desktop, but these have not been launched. It’s not yet clear whether the new feature uses AI to modify images or just switches them automatically.

Get Samsung’s blazing-fast T9 portable SSD for an absurd 43% off
Stop the presses! For Prime Day, Samsung’s T9 portable SSD is down to the best price we’ve seen in 18 months. You can now get the 2TB model for $170, which is a huge cut down from its $300 MSRP. That’s a fantastic price for a portable drive that we love. When we reviewed the Samsung T9, we gave it 4.5 stars and our Editors’ Choice award, appreciating its overall fast performance, its grippy textured surface, and its reassuring five-year warranty. At $170, the T9 is a fantastic deal. You’re getting a portable SSD that looks great and is super speedy too, hitting data speeds up to 2,000 MB/s. Your data’s also perfectly safe because the device comes with protection against bumps and drops. You’ll be able to use the Samsung T9 with just about any device you have at home, be it your laptop, smartphone, gaming console, or camera. It’s extremely compact—just barely larger than your credit card. It’s also super light, weighing just 0.27 pounds. So, what are you waiting for? Snag the 2TB Samsung T9 for $170 before this deal vanishes into thin air. Since you’re here, you should also check out the best tech deals we’ve found at Amazon today and visit our Prime Day live blog to find the latest discounts. Save 43% on Samsung's super-fast T9 portable SSDBuy now at Amazon

The best OLED deal for Prime Day is this $470 gaming monitor
I regret to inform you, readers, that OLED gaming monitors are a little more expensive this year than last year. In fact, the AOC Agon Pro 27-inch, QHD OLED monitor is about 18 percent pricier than it was during the last Prime Day sale…gee, I wonder why. Still, $469.99 for an OLED gaming monitor on Amazon is a darn good deal. The AOC AG276QZD2 is rocking familiar specs, with a 27-inch, 2560×1440 panel that’s positively zippy at 240Hz. While not the fastest OLED on the market, that should be more than enough for the sweatiest of online multiplayer shooter fans. Features are a bit on the basic side — Amazon’s listing says this monitor has USB-C, but I’m not seeing that from AOC’s actual product page or other reviews. The real thing appears to rely on just two USB-A ports, one of which has a little extra juice for charging. That means you’ll be plugging in multiple cables if you want to use this with a gaming laptop. Still, if you’re looking to upgrade to OLED for the absolute lowest price on a new display, this is about as good as it gets for the moment. Amazon’s price is exclusive to Prime subscribers (here’s how to get in for cheap), but you can get this monitor for just a few dollars more from Best Buy, no subscription required. Be sure to check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best monitors on the market, or dive deep into the deals over on our Prime Day monitors page (and again, there are plenty of non-Amazon options, too). For other great Prime Day finds, check out the best tech deals that we’ve discovered so far and visit our Prime Day live blog to get the up-to-the-minute updates. Get a 27-inch OLED gaming monitore for $470View Deal