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TL;DR: Live stream Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League group stage always produces surprising results, but Bodo/Glimt beating Man City and then following that up with an incredible win over Atletico Madrid was not something any fan expected. Against all odds, those two results booked their place in the playoff round.

Can Bodo/Glimt keep the stunning results going? Or is this the end of the line? They face off against Inter Milan at this stage. Inter Milan will expect to progress to the next round, but they'll know not to underestimate this talented side from Norway. They'll need big performances from the likes of Lautaro Martínez and Alessandro Bastoni.

If you want to watch Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan?

Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. GMT on Feb. 18. This fixture takes place at the Aspmyra Stadion.

How to watch Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan for free

Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit RTÉ Player

5. Watch Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Swedish performance brand Polestar will reveal four new EVs over the next three years, from a luxury Grand Tourer (GT) to a compact SUV, in what appears to be an ambitious plan to target Tesla and other legacy European automakers.

Depending on the brand and type you buy, power tools can quickly get extremely expensive. But they don't have to be. If you're a homeowner or a DIY enthusiast who needs some useful items around the house or for completing projects, Ryobi has you covered.

TL;DR: Live stream Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League group stage was a delight. We know not everyone loves the new format, but we get more top games between the best teams. How can you not like that?

The group stage is over, but we're not yet at the knockout rounds for real. First, we've got a bunch of two-legged playoffs to enjoy. Club Brugge take on Atletico Madrid in one of the most interesting matchups from this round. Atletico Madrid are fresh from beating Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey semi final, but they'll need to be at their best to overcome a talented Club Brugge side. These teams were only separated by three points in the group stage, so we're expecting a tough battle at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

If you want to watch Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madride?

Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 18. This fixture takes place at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

How to watch Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid for free

Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

If you've been online at all this week, you've probably seen Punch, the baby macaque in Japan who was abandoned by his mother and has since emotionally bonded with a stuffed orangutan. The internet calls the plushie his "Ora-Mama," and it's the most heartbreakingly cute thing happening on the internet right now (spoiler alert: the story has a happy ending), and naturally, everyone wants to know more.

That's why we were delighted to learn that the famous Ora-Mama plushie is available online from Ikea, and for just $19.99. The stuffed animal even has a typical Ikea name, the DJUNGELSKOG.

View this post on Instagram SEE ALSO: The internet is rooting for this abandoned baby monkey and his stuffed animal

The good news (if you're looking to buy Punch's stuffie yourself) is that it's not some rare collector's item. Punch’s best friend, the "DJUNGELSKOG" soft toy designed by Ann-Cathrine Sigrid Ståhlberg from IKEA, is still in stock. There are more than 1,000 reviews, and most of them are super sweet, so this would definitely make for a great gift.

You can grab your own for $19.99. It’s a 14-inch plush orangutan with Velcro on the hands and feet so it can hang from shelves (or hug you back). But given that Punch has gone completely viral — and the President of IKEA Japan just visited the zoo to hand-deliver a lifetime supply of these stuffed animals — I wouldn't be surprised if these start selling out fast.

Opens in a new window Credit: IKEA DJUNGELSKOG orangutan plush $19.99 at IKEA
  Shop Now

SAVE $11: As of Feb. 18, get the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bundle for $58.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $69.99. That's a discount of 16% and below current market value.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bundle $58.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $11.00   Get Deal

If you're thinking about picking up some cards to quell your Magic: The Gathering addiction, Amazon is a great place to shop. You can typically find several booster boxes and other collections there for below market value, and today's deal is no different. You can bring home some of the coveted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cards for below market value with a bundle that nets you several packs to open at once.

As of Feb. 18, get the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bundle for $58.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $69.99. That's $11 off and a discount of 16%. It's also below current market value.

SEE ALSO: Score 6 Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy booster packs for a record-low price at Amazon

This bundle, which releases on March 6, comes with nine Play Boosters, one alt-art Traditional Foil card, five Traditional Foil, five regular Full-Art basic lands, one card storage box, an oversized Spindown life counter, and two reference cards. It's everything you need to build on your collection and then some.

Each card features a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle or enemy from the popular franchise, including Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo as well as Shredder himself. The turtles appear with different art styles and plenty of other fun surprises, so if you're a fan of the quartet, this is a set you won't want to pass up.

While you won't be able to open up this bundle until March, now's the best time to lock in your preorder for this price while you still can. That way you'll have something to look forward to when it does arrive.

AsteroidOS is an open-source operating system for smartwatches, based on Linux. Nearly eight years after the first version, Asteroid OS 2.0 has been released with more supported watches, more launcher styles, and much more.

PREORDER FREEBIE ALERT: As of Feb. 18, shoppers who preorder the new Google Pixel 10a at Amazon, Best Buy, or Google (starting at $499) will receive a free $100 gift card. The phone will ship on March 5.

Preorder the Google Pixel 10a: Amazon Google Pixel 10a (128GB) $499 + free $100 Amazon gift card Pre-Order Here Amazon Google Pixel 10a (256GB) $599 + free $100 Amazon gift card Pre-Order Here Best Buy Google Pixel 10a (128GB) $499 + free $100 Best Buy e-gift card Pre-Order Here Google Store Google Pixel 10a (128GB or 256GB) starting at $499 + free $100 Google Store credit Pre-Order Here

Google officially announced the newest addition to its A-series on Wednesday (Feb. 18) and it immediately went up for preorder. You can certainly coordinate a trade-in or data plan at a specific carrier to score a deal on the new Google Pixel 10a, but shoppers who prefer unlocked devices can preorder the phone at Amazon and get some free money.

From Feb. 18 through March 11, you can reserve an unlocked Google Pixel 10a at Amazon, Best Buy, or Google in either the 128GB or 256GB configuration and in any of the four colorways (obsidian, fog, berry, lavender) and receive a free $100 to use on a future purchase. If you preorder on Amazon, you'll get a physical $100 Amazon gift card, while Best Buy will email you a $100 e-gift card and Google will give you a $100 store credit.

Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

The A-series is Google's budget handset line and the Pixel 10a falls in line with a price tag starting at just $499 — the same as the previous generation. It's not just the price that's the same, either. Mashable's Alex Perry took the 10a for a test drive and found that it looks "very similar" to last year's device and offers only modest upgrades. The biggest difference? The little camera array now sits completely flush with the device's back, so it can be laid completely flat on a table. It's also the most durable A-series phone to date, with IP68 water and dust resistance and a new Corning Gorilla Glass 7i display. Otherwise, the battery size, RAM, processor, camera specs, and storage options are copy-pasted from last year's device.

The similarities aren't necessarily a bad thing, as we were big fans of the Google Pixel 9a. We haven't had a chance to fully test out the 10a yet, but Perry writes that it's "looking like another high-value mid-range phone from a company that's gotten very, very good at making those in recent years."

If you want to lock in a free $100 with your phone upgrade, preorder the Google Pixel 10a at Amazon, Best Buy, or the Google Store ahead of its March 5 debut.

TL;DR: Live stream Finland vs. Switzerland in men's ice hockey for free on CBC Gem. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The international ice hockey schedule largely centers around Canada and USA, but there are talented teams battling for medals elsewhere. Finland vs. Switzerland is the third quarter-final matchup to take place on Feb. 18, and it's a really difficult contest to predict. Switzerland needed to go through the playoffs to make it to this point, but they are coming off a strong 3-0 win over Italy.

If you want to watch Finland vs. Switzerland in men's ice hockey for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Finland vs. Switzerland?

Finland vs. Switzerland in men's ice hockey takes place at 12:10 p.m. ET on Feb. 18. This fixture takes place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

How to watch Finland vs. Switzerland for free

Finland vs. Switzerland in men's ice hockey is available to live stream for free on CBC Gem.

CBC Gem is geo-restricted to Canada, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Canada, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports ice hockey from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Finland vs. Switzerland in men's ice hockey for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Canada

4. Visit CBC Gem

5. Watch Finland vs. Switzerland for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the ice hockey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for CBC Gem?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Finland vs. Switzerland in men's ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

Google isn’t wasting any time getting the ball rolling on Android 17. The first beta is rolling out today, and there are some pretty significant changes that the apps you use every day will have to adopt. This is also the beginning of a much faster pace for Android releases. Buckle up.

Apple has a bunch of big product reveals rumored for early March, but they may not happen in a livestream.

While Apple loves to put together a big filmed production for events like WWDC and the annual iPhone launch, the "special experience" Apple is hosting on March 4 may take a different tack. Around this time, Apple is holding events for media members in New York City, London, and Shanghai, and rumors point to potential iPhone, iPad, and MacBook launches.

However, a couple of prominent tech journalists believe the actual launches will be announced via press release.

Namely, John Gruber posted on Daring Fireball that instead of a single livestream, Apple will announce one new product (or new lines of products) in press release form every day for a few days leading up to that March 4 event.

"What strikes me is that March 4 — the 'experience' day — is a Wednesday. So my spitball guess is that they announce all these products via Newsroom press releases, day-by-day," Gruber wrote. "Like, say, the iPhone 17e on Monday, new iPad(s) on Tuesday, and new MacBooks on Wednesday. And then the 'experience' will be a hands-on thing with in-person demos."

If that's not enough evidence for you, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman agreed with this assessment on X. He's also hearing that Apple will trickle out the news over the course of a few days.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

We don't yet know exactly what Apple will show off, but recent reporting has pointed to a handful of possibilities. It's widely expected that we'll see the iPhone 17e, alongside some new iPad and MacBook models. Many of these product refreshes could be pretty incremental (think new processors and little else), which might explain why Apple isn't turning this news rollout into a huge production.

The addition of native in-cell checkboxes to Excel in 2024 finally ended the era of clunky, floating checkboxes from the Developer tab. They're simple to add and manually check—but this ease of use is a trap. If a human can toggle a checkbox, a single click can break a whole spreadsheet. For a pro-level workbook, your checkboxes should be driven by formulas, not people.

SAVE $340: The DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo is on sale for $859 at Amazon, down from the standard bundle price of $1,199. That's a 28% discount and the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo $859 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $340   Get Deal

Winter is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby. Whether it's a new workout, craft project, or taking a deep dive into a new topic, we still have a time to become an expert at something before spring rolls around. If you've always considered learning how to fly a drone and capture epic footage, check out this beginner-friendly deal at Amazon.

As of Feb. 18, the DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo is on sale for $859 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $1,199 for the bundle. That works out to a savings of $340 from a 28% discount. It's also the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

DJI has become synonymous with some of the most creator-friendly gadgets around. There's the viral DJI Mic Mini, the Osmo Pocket 3, and even the Power 1000 V2 portable power station that are all excellent for content creators. But when it comes to drones, the brand's Fly More Combos offer a great value with plenty of accessories.

The DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo is truly an all-encompassing bundle and drone experience. Instead of watching footage the drone is capturing on your phone or on a remote control, the Avanta 2 Fly More Bundle comes with the DJI Goggles 3. On top of that, you'll be able to control the drone with the intuitive DJI RC Motion 3.

SEE ALSO: Low-price alert: The DJI Neo drone has never been this cheap at Amazon

The Fly More Combo also comes with three DJI Intelligent Batteries, so you'll be able to stay out on drone adventures longer. Plus, the built-in propeller guards offer reassurance for a safe flight. DJI also made it easy to achieve fairly technical maneuvers with a simple touch. The Avanta 2 can achieve a 360-degress flip or roll with a single command.

While the bundle is sitting at a record-low price, become a drone expert with the DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo. Get acquainted now and you'll be a pro come spring and summer.

SPEND $100, GET $10 FOR FREE: As of Feb. 18, you'll get a free $10 Best Buy e-gift card when you buy a $100 Wayfair gift card at Best Buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Wayfair Free $10 Best Buy gift card with $100 Wayfair gift card purchase Get Deal

Easter decor, a washable rug to replace what winter slush ruined, a whimsical emotional support lamp for these Dark Times — whatever your spring home refresh involves, stop at Best Buy before you place an order at Wayfair. Buying a $100 Wayfair gift card from Best Buy unlocks a free $10 Best Buy gift card sent to your email.

That $10 can put toward something else on your spring checklist, even if it's as simple as a new phone charger or an AirTag. Best Buy has a ton of tech under $25 to help you get yourself together.

SEE ALSO: I tried Dyson's new PencilVac, a stick vacuum with half the weight, double the lasers. No, I will not 'chill.'

If you're not sure where to start on your home upgrade, Wayfair's current warehouse clearout sale can give you some ideas.

Savings include up to 60% off area rugs and bedding, up to 50% off bedroom and dining furniture, up to 45% off mirrors, decor, and organizational storage, and up to 40% off pet essentials. "Home upgrade" doesn't just have to refer to aesthetics — Wayfair also sells major appliances (up to 30% off), mattresses (up to 30% off), and fitness and exercise equipment (up to 40% off). If you missed out on Presidents' Day home deals, here's a second chance.

In the wake of Yellowstone’s conclusion, many have been looking to fill the neo-Western void. Luckily, its spin-off, Marshals, will arrive soon. Now is the appropriate time to get a taste of the Wild West life, and I’ve got the perfect series to help you do just that.

At a glance

• Microsoft Research publishes breakthrough in Nature on glass-based data storage that could preserve information for 10,000 years. 
• New technique extends technology from expensive fused silica to ordinary borosilicate glass found in kitchen cookware. 
• Innovations enable faster parallel writing, simplified readers (one camera instead of three), and easier manufacturing. 
• Phase voxel method requires only a single laser pulse, significantly reducing complexity and cost.

Long-term preservation of digital information has long challenged archivists and datacenters, as magnetic tapes and hard drives degrade within decades. Existing archival storage solutions have limited media lifespans that make them less than ideal for preserving information for future generations.

Now, we are excited to report significant progress on Project Silica (opens in new tab), our effort to encode data in glass using femtosecond lasers, a technology that could preserve information for 10,000 years. Glass is a permanent data storage material that is resistant to water, heat, and dust.

In findings published in Nature (opens in new tab), we describe a breakthrough that extends the technology beyond expensive fused silica to ordinary borosilicate glass. A readily available and lower-cost medium, this is the same material found in kitchen cookware and oven doors. This advance addresses key barriers to commercialization: cost and availability of storage media. We have unlocked the science for parallel high-speed writing and developed a technique to permit accelerated aging tests on the written glass, suggesting that the data should remain intact for at least 10,000 years.

Storing data inside glass with femtosecond (opens in new tab) laser pulses is one of the few technologies on the horizon with the potential for durable, immutable, and long-lived storage. Although we have been leading innovation in this type of storage for years, prior to this research the technique only worked with pure fused silica glass, a type of glass that is relatively difficult to manufacture and available from only a few sources.

In the paper, we show how data can be stored in borosilicate glass. The new technique stores hundreds of layers of data in glass only 2mm thin, as with previous methods, but with important improvements. The reader for the glass now needs only one camera, not three or four, reducing cost and size. In addition, the writing devices require fewer parts, making them easier to manufacture and calibrate, and enabling them to encode data more quickly.

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The AI Revolution in Medicine, Revisited

Join Microsoft’s Peter Lee on a journey to discover how AI is impacting healthcare and what it means for the future of medicine.

Listen now Opens in a new tab Key scientific discoveries

The Nature paper details several key new scientific discoveries:

Advances in birefringent voxel (opens in new tab) writing: For the previous type of data storage in fused silica glass using birefringent (i.e., polarization) voxels, we developed a technique to reduce the number of pulses used to form the voxel from many to only two, critically showing that the polarization of the first pulse is not important to the polarization of the voxel formed. We further developed this to enable pseudo-single-pulse writing, in which a single pulse can be split after its polarization is set to simultaneously form the first pulse for one voxel (where the polarization doesn’t matter) and the second pulse of another (where the set polarization is essential). We demonstrated how to use this pseudo-single-pulse writing to enable fast writing with beam scanning across the media.

Phase voxels, a new storage method: We invented a new type of data storage in glass called phase voxels, in which the phase change of the glass is modified instead of its polarization, showing that only a single pulse is necessary to make a phase voxel. We demonstrated that these phase voxels can also be formed in borosilicate glass and devised a technique to read the phase information from phase voxels encoded in this material. We showed that the much higher levels of three-dimensional inter-symbol interference in phase voxels can be mitigated with a machine learning classification model.

Parallel writing capabilities: By combining a mathematical model of pre-heating and post-heating within the glass with the invention of a multi-beam delivery system, we showed that many data voxels can be written in proximity in the glass at the same time, significantly increasing writing speed. We explained a method for using light emissions (a side effect of voxel formation) for both static calibration and dynamic control to fully support automatic writing operations.

Optimization and longevity testing: We developed a new way to optimize symbol encodings using machine learning and a better way to understand the tradeoff between error rates, error protection, and error recovery when evaluating new digital storage systems. We also created a new nondestructive optical method (opens in new tab) to identify the aging of data storage voxels within the glass, using this and standard accelerated aging techniques to support data lasting 10,000 years. We extended the industry standard Gray codes to apply to nonpower-of-two numbers of symbols.

Skip slideshow for: Previous slide

Previous slide

A piece of Project Silica media written with data.

A research-grade Writer used to set the record for high speed data writing into glass.

A research-grade Reader for retrieving data from glass.

Close up of Writer showing high-speed multi-beam data encoding on laser pulses.

End of slideshow for: Demonstrating the technology

As a research initiative, Project Silica has demonstrated these advances through several proofs of concept, including storing Warner Bros.’ “Superman” movie on quartz glass (opens in new tab), partnering with Global Music Vault (opens in new tab) to preserve music under ice for 10,000 years (opens in new tab), and working with students on a “Golden Record 2.0” project (opens in new tab), a digitally curated archive of images, sounds, music, and spoken language, crowdsourced to represent and preserve humanity’s diversity for millennia.

Looking ahead

The research phase is now complete, and we are continuing to consider learnings from Project Silica as we explore the ongoing need for sustainable, long-term preservation of digital information. We have added this paper to our published works so that others can build on them.

Related work

Project Silica has made scientific advances across multiple areas beyond laser direct writing (LDW) in glass, including archival storage systems design, archival workload analysis, datacenter robotics, erasure coding, free-space optical components, and machine learning-based methods for symbol decoding in storage systems. Many of these innovations were described in our ACM Transactions on Storage publication (opens in new tab) in 2025.

Opens in a new tab

The post Project Silica’s advances in glass storage technology appeared first on Microsoft Research.

3D printers and smart homes are relatively nerdy, tech-savvy pursuits. So it makes sense then that one can complement the other, and I’m not even talking about 3D printing mounts for your sensors or other gadgets.

TL;DR: Live stream Qarabag vs. Newcastle in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League group stage is particularly challenging since it moved to its current format. You could argue that it's easier to qualify for the knockout rounds, but you end up playing a lot of top teams and placing in the top eight is not straightforward. Just ask Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe's team won four out of eight group-stage games, but that was only enough to secure a spot in the playoff round. They face a trip to Azerbaijan to play Qarabag, a team that finished four points behind Newcastle in the group stage. Newcastle will be expected to progress to the next round, but anything can happen at this late stage. They'll need to be at their best to secure a first-leg result to bring back to St. James' Park. Expect big performances from the likes of Sandro Tonali, Nick Woltemade, and Dan Burn.

If you want to watch Qarabag vs. Newcastle in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Qarabag vs. Newcastle?

Qarabag vs. Newcastle in the Champions League kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET on Feb. 18. This fixture takes place at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.

How to watch Qarabag vs. Newcastle for free

Qarabag vs. Newcastle is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Qarabag vs. Newcastle for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Qarabag vs. Newcastle for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Qarabag vs. Newcastle (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Qarabag vs. Newcastle in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Whether you're running a home server or building out rack-mount data centers, Linux is the OS of choice for servers, and for good reason. But what distro should you go with? Here are the best choices for reliable server distros.

SAVE 20%: As of Feb. 18, you can get the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (M5) for $799.99 at Amazon, down from $999. That's $199.01 in savings. It's also the best price we've seen on this model.

11-inch Apple iPad Pro M5 $999 at Apple.com
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Presidents' Day is technically over, but Amazon still has a few good deals lingering on the site.

Right now, the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (M5) is down to $799.99. That’s a $199 price cut from the usual $999 sticker — a solid 20% off. It’s also the lowest we’ve seen this model go for, which is pretty cool considering it just launched back in October.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Pro 2024 (13-inch) review: The battery life is bonkers

We called this tablet a "victory lap" for Apple in our review, and honestly, I get it. It’s impossibly thin (somehow thinner than the new iPhone Air, which we dubbed the "sexiest phone ever made") and features a "drool-worthy" Ultra Retina XDR OLED display. Plus, that M5 chip makes it faster than 92% of the laptops we've tested.

At $799.99, it's still a splurge, but if you want the absolute best tablet Apple makes, this is the time to grab it.