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7 Jul 2025

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Capaldi says therapy played 'massive part' in comeback
Scottish star says his performance two years ago "was the worst moment of his life" but therapy helped.

Gynaecological cancer patients forced to travel from Wellington to Christchurch for surgery
Wellington Hospital's sole gynaeoncologist - who left in November - is not being replaced.

4 nasty Amazon Prime Day scams to watch out for
Scammers commonly try to take advantage of shoppers hunting for a good deal—and with Amazon Prime Day just around the corner, opportunity is ripe for them to strike again. Even if you don’t shop at Amazon, enough competing retailers try to muscle in during this decade-long tradition, so you could still fall for a nasty trick. The same applies if you plan to sit out from the buying frenzy. Fraudsters more easily slither around our normal defenses during busy and chaotic times. So your job is to know how they could strike, and be prepared to avoid their tactics. These three key scams are the top ones to look out for. Prime Membership scams: A popular scam claims your account has a problem that won’t be resolved until you get in contact. This tactic applies just as equally to any other retailer (e.g. Best Buy, Newegg, Target, etc). Fake order confirmation scams: With these scams, you’ll receive an email, text, or call about an order you never placed. A variant: Communication that says a problem with your order has occurred. Fake listing scams: You can encounter phony links for deals through social media, email, and text. They often spoof official sites, with prices too good to be true. Package delivery scams: You may receive messages (most commonly through text) letting you know about delayed or misdirected packages. Don’t click that link.Tech Advisor Scammers of course hope you’ll click the links in their email or texts, or that you’ll return their call. Once they have you communicating with them, their goal is to steal something from you. Bad links can send you to fake product listings that send you junk or cheap imitations. Or the address sends you to an imitation of the official site, in order to steal your login info. Scammers can then take over your account and start buying things on your dime. During phone calls, scammers skilled at social engineering will try to spark fear, urgency, or other strong emotions in you, so that you end up giving away information that lets them access your shopping account—or worse, your bank info. How to avoid Amazon Prime Day scams Two simple tactics will help you avoid shopping scams (and most scams in general). Checking up on your Amazon account, orders, or delivery status? Use the official website or app.Christian Wiediger / Unsplash First: Don’t act immediately on any sudden, strong emotions. Fear and urgency are key feelings that scammers exploit. Maybe you think you spotted an incredible deal, and you’re both excited and also worried you’ll miss out if you don’t act fast. Perhaps you’re concerned that an issue happened with your order, and you’ll lose the deal. Or you’re stressed because you think your package has been misrouted, and it could now become lost or stolen. Or you never bought anything at all, and you’re now freaking out a bit that your account could have been compromised. Second: After taking a breath, verify the situation by logging into your account directly—not through any provided link. Or, if you’ve been called, call them using contact info from the company’s official website. This method lets you check on your account, order, or package status in a safe way. Bonus tips Even the built-in antivirus in Windows is a pretty good backup defense—but don’t count on it (or any AV app) saving you from harm.Foundry Before any shopping period, make sure your accounts are protected by good passwords (unique, random, and strong). Password managers make this task easy. For an Amazon account, I also recommend adding two-factor authentication too, especially if you have stored payment information. Even if someone captures or guesses your password, that second layer of authentication should stop a scammer from taking over the account. Our favorite Antivirus Norton 360 Deluxe Read our review Also, make sure your antivirus software is up to date. Scammers sometimes try to trick people into installing infostealer malware, which records information directly from your PC, including passwords and banking details. This kind of malware was in part responsible for the recent massive collection of 16 billion leaked passwords. Good antivirus software acts as a backup line of defense, stamping out potential infections—hopefully before any sensitive data gets lifted. And of course, if you want legit links to genuinely good deals, check out the curated lists by well-known, respected websites—like those we publish right here on PCWorld.com. You can check out our top picks, starting with this week’s best early deals.

Drag racing-loving teen Katie Iti dies from flu complications
Katie Iti's passion was drag racing and she had completed her first season of racing her own car.

Why you absolutely need a mini PC
Mini-PCs have been experiencing a real boom in recent years. No wonder, because these small desktop computers are powerful, space-saving, and flexible. This guide shows what a mini-PC actually is, where its strengths lie, and who can benefit the most from buying one. Also, be sure to check out the PCWorld deals page where we highlight the best deals from around the web on mini-PCs, like the latest stellar deal on a GMKtec M3 Plus mini-PC, and more. In fact, mini-PCs are constantly going on sale for staggeringly low prices, so keep your eyes peeled while shopping and keep checking back with us to see the latest and greatest deals. (If you’re reading this article the day it goes live, we’re also tracking the best Amazon Prime Day mini PC deals.) What is a mini PC? A mini-PC is a fully-fledged computer in a small format. In contrast to laptops, mini-PCs do without a battery and screen, which saves weight on the one hand and makes the small housing possible on the other—many models have a volume of less than one liter. At the same time, flexibility remains high: a monitor, mouse, keyboard, or external drives can be freely selected and easily replaced if necessary. If you like it neat and tidy, mount the mini-PC behind the monitor to save space or integrate it discreetly on the desk. Despite their compact design, modern mini-PCs offer enough power for everyday tasks such as office work, surfing, streaming and even gaming. If you know your way around, you can even build your own mini PC with the right components. Mini-PCs come with some advantages over classic desktop PCs The most obvious advantage of mini-PCs compared to a classic tower PC is their compact dimensions. They take up hardly any space, can be tucked away unobtrusively on the desk or behind the monitor and are still powerful enough for many typical applications. Mini-PCs also have clear advantages when it comes to energy consumption: thanks to the use of energy-saving components, they often only require a fraction of the energy of a large desktop. This not only has a positive effect on the electricity bill, but also reduces heat waste and noise levels. Another plus point: mini-PCs often have a modular design. Although they do not offer the same scope for upgrades as large tower cases, many models allow the SSD, RAM, or WLAN module to be changed. This makes them more flexible in the long term than many laptops. Mini-PCs are also attractively priced with many solid models available for less than $400. However, the best overall package of performance, features, and efficiency is usually offered by mid-range builds which will set you back a bit more. Limitations and disadvantages of mini-PCs A mini-PC is not a laptop replacement because it always needs external peripherals such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and possibly speakers or a webcam. So if you’re looking for a device with which you can flexibly transition between the living room, office, and café, you’ll unfortunately need to look elsewhere. There are also limits to their performance. While many mini-PCs can easily cope with office tasks, media playback, or light multitasking, they reach their limits with graphics-intensive applications such as 3D games, video editing, or CAD. Although there are some models with a dedicated graphics card, these are usually significantly more expensive and often cannot keep up with classic gaming or workstation PCs in terms of performance. Last but not least, there are also thermal aspects to consider. Compact housings mean smaller fans and less air circulation—which can lead to heat problems and performance-reducing throttling under continuous load. Although many mini-PCs are surprisingly quiet, some models use an audible fan during intensive use to keep the heat in check. What are the best use-cases for mini-PCs? Mini PCs show their strengths wherever space, energy efficiency, and a tidy desk are required. In the home environment, they are usually used as office computers, streaming stations, or compact gaming alternatives for simple games. While they may lack the portable utility of a laptop and the power capabilities of a full-size desktop, they shine when you need something in-between—small enough to save precious desktop space, but powerful enough to do all but the most intensive tasks. Tip: If you want to set up a small workstation for your desk, you can operate a mini-PC with several monitors and use common office software such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace without any problems. The performance of many mini-PCs is easily sufficient for casual gaming or less computing-intensive games.GMKtek What you should look out for when buying a mini-PC Not all Mini PCs are the same. Depending on the intended use, you should pay specific attention to certain technical features, otherwise you could end up with frustration instead of flexibility: 1. Processor (CPU):The heart of the system determines its performance. An Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 is usually sufficient for office, web, and streaming. If you frequently edit photos or tackle light video editing projects, you should opt for a Core i5/Ryzen 5 or higher. Pay attention to the specified TDP (Thermal Design Power): Models with a higher wattage deliver more power, but generate more heat waste and require more active cooling. Variants with less than 35 watts are particularly quiet and efficient, but generally offer slightly less computing power. 2. Working memory (RAM):8 GB RAM is sufficient for basic applications, more is recommended for multitasking or memory-intensive programs. Ideally, the RAM in the mini-PC is replaceable or expandable—taking the time to look at the technical data or check out tests will help here. 3. Memory:An SSD ensures fast loading times and smooth processes. 256 GB is considered an entry-level size, 512 GB or more is better—especially if you want to locally store a lot of programs or media files. Some mini-PCs also offer space for a second SSD or a 2.5-inch HDD.