According to 9to5Google, the Gemini app is already rolling out a new "Thinking level" option for some users, letting them choose between Standard and Extended reasoning modes when using Gemini 3 Flash or Gemini 3.1 Pro.

The Extended setting, the outlet notes, is designed for more complex topics that benefit from additional processing time — a consumer-facing version of the thinking level controls Google AI Studio already offers developers. Gemini is also expanding its roster of third-party apps. GitHub, OpenStax, Spotify, and WhatsApp are already supported, but 9to5Google found support documentation pointing to the additions of Canva, Instacart, and OpenTable.

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The Canva integration would let users generate and edit designs directly through Gemini prompts, while Instacart support would allow users to add ingredients to a shopping cart from a recipe link or a simple list. OpenTable would bring restaurant search, booking, and reservation management into the chat window — including the ability to hand off a confirmed reservation directly to Google Calendar.

None of the three new integrations has rolled out yet, per the report. However, the timing is notable given that Google's I/O developer conference is literally a day away.

Perhaps the rollout marks the start of Google transitioning Gemini AI toward an agentic AI rather than a simple chatbot.

It's Green Lantern but not as fans know it, with a new teaser dropped for Lanterns on Monday. Based on the DC Comics and created by Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof, the HBO series is one of the TV shows to look forward to this summer.

Aaron Pierre leads as new Lantern Corps recruit John Stewart, who is tasked with solving a strange murder in Nebraska alongside veteran Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler). That's right, the Green Lanterns aren't cruising around the galaxy this time, instead brought right down to Earth. But all the same, they're equipped with those all important powerful rings, dubbed by Hal as "the greatest weapon in the universe," along with their signature verdant light sources.

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The cast is massive for this one, with Kelly Macdonald, Nathan Fillion, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Ulrich Thomsen, Nicole Ari Parker, Jason Ritter, Sherman Augustus, Chris Coy, Paul Ben-Victor, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Cary Christopher, and Jasmine Cephas Jones starring.

Lanterns premieres this August on HBO and HBO Max.

Hinge users may have noticed something subtle next to a potential date's profile: a tiny purple heart next to their name.

Hinge's new Signals feature. Credit: Hinge

Your eyes don't deceive you. This is a new feature called Signals, and it's currently in testing, according to a page on Hinge's Help Center. The badge indicates that the user demonstrates thoughtfulness and follow-through.

Users can't buy a Signals badge. It's based on baseline requirements:

• A complete profile (with photos and prompt responses)

• The user's profile must be in good standing, meaning they follow Hinge's Community Guidelines

• The profile must be over a week old

• Completed selfie verification

If any of these aren't checked off, your profile won't have a Signals heart. Additionally, users must exhibit three of five behaviors Hinge calls "Thoughtful Participation," all of which involve actively engaging with other profiles.

These behaviors include sending comments when Liking, actually sending messages to matches, and confirming a date. Hinge also considers "looking before liking" a thoughtfulness factor: reading prompts, and scrolling past the first photo before sending a Like, suggesting that Hinge can detect all these behaviors. Reviewing one's Likes and matching or skipping (instead of leaving folks in limbo) is another point of thoughtfulness.

Credit: Hinge

Credit: Hinge

"With Signals, we are testing a new feature that would make it easier for your small but meaningful actions to stand out to people viewing your profile," Hinge's chief product and technology officer, Ben Celebicic, said in an emailed statement to Mashable. "It's based on the behaviors daters have told us matter to them, like taking time to notice the small details on a profile or keeping the conversation going."

Signals is dynamic and based on activities over the last 30 days on the app. It refreshes daily, but doesn't reflect real-time activity. The Help Center page states that the heart reflects in-app patterns only; it's not a background check or ID verification (other than requiring selfie verification), and it also doesn't guarantee how someone will act with you.

Recent Hinge features typically nudge users towards better behavior, like Date Ideas for actually figuring out what to do on a first date, and Conversation Starters so singles aren't hit with the dreaded "hey" message.

Best Memorial Day mattress deals at a glance:

---

Best mattress deal overall

DreamCloud Classic Hybrid (Queen)

$649 (save $1,243)

Get Deal

---

Best mattress deal for people with back pain

Saatva Rx (Queen)

$2,799 (save $650)

Get Deal

---

Best organic mattress deal

Avocado Green Mattress (Queen)

$1,359 (save $240)

Get Deal

Memorial Day is hands-down one of the best times of the year to buy a new mattress. Discounts during this holiday weekend typically drop prices by $400 (or more), and brands love to throw in free add-ons like pillows or sheet bundles. That's pretty good news, considering most bedding will cost you an arm and a leg nowadays.

Your sleep is no place to skimp. I recently upgraded to the Saatva Rx, and getting it was easily the best decision I've made all year. But while investing in a good bed is important, there's no reason to pay full price when you can snag a holiday discount. If your current mattress is sagging or you're just tired of waking up with random back pain, I def recommend taking advantage of these sales.

Best Memorial Day mattress deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: DreamCloud

DreamCloud Classic Hybrid (Queen)

$649 at DreamCloud
$1,892 Save $1,243

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

The best deal you can get right now is on a DreamCloud. The brand's top-rated hybrid Queen mattress — which features six layers, a CloudQuilt quilted cover, cooling fiber technology, and 1 inch of "pressure-relieving" memory foam — is on sale for just $649 (!!) right now. Or, if you need a base and all, the company's basically giving away bundles. You can score a bundle that includes the mattress, an adjustable bed frame, and a full sheet set (pillows and all) for under $2K.

More Memorial Day mattress deals

• Amerisleep: Get up to $1,000 off all mattresses and 40% off bundles

• Bear: Get 35% off sitewide, plus $275 worth of free accessories

• Casper: Get up to 30% off select mattresses and 35% off bundles

• Purple: Get up to $900 off a mattress and a base

• Helix: Get 25% off sitewide with code MEMDAY25

• Leesa: Get 30% off select mattresses

• Mattress Firm: Get up to 60% off select mattresses with Queens starting at $189.99

• Nectar: Get up to 50% off select mattresses and 66% off bundles

Best Memorial Day mattress deal for people with back pain

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Credit: Saatva

Saatva Rx (Queen)

$2,799 at Saatva
$3,449 Save $650

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

I'm only 32, but because I live with endometriosis and interstitial cystitis, I experience back pain on the reg. Like, chronic, can't sleep, going to rip my hair out, back pain. This month, I decided to switch from Purple (my former go-to mattress brand) to Saatva, and I couldn't be happier. For someone with chronic, debilitating back pain, the Saatva Rx is the mattress to get, and right now, you can get it (or any mattress on the Saatva site) for $650 off.

Best organic Memorial Day mattress deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Avocado

Avocado Green Mattress (Queen)

$2,039 at Avocado
$2,399 Save $360

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

If you're trying to be a little greener, Avocado is offering up to 20% off select mattresses, including its luxury mattress collection, and 15% off its Avocado Green Mattress (a best-seller). The Avocado Green Mattress is the "most certified organic mattress" and has a 4.5 average star rating with around 19,439 reviews. It's formaldehyde-free (you'd be surprised how many products contain this nasty stuff!), OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified, and is available in five comfort levels. Of course, the price will vary depending on the size you get, but a Queen with a "medium" top will cost you $2,039 with the discount.

More organic mattress deals

• Essentia: Get 25% off sitewide plus a free, luxury sheet set (worth $749) when you buy the Dormeuse REM9 Active or Classic REM5 Active

• Birch: Get up to 25% off sitewide with code MEMDAY25

• Naturepedic: Get up to 20% off sitewide

• Plush Beds: Get up to 50% off select mattresses and free white-glove delivery, plus 25% off all toppers and bedding through May 18

Microsoft Teams is losing a feature that was launched back when many people were working remotely during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Microsoft, the company is saying "goodbye" to Together mode in Microsoft teams and "moving to a simpler layout experience."

For those unfamiliar with Microsoft Teams, it's a cloud-based communication and collaboration platform that many businesses use as its part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Along with messaging and file sharing features, Microsoft Teams also provides Zoom-like video conferencing. 

In the summer of 2020, when remote work was at all-time highs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft rolled out Together mode in order to help users "feel like you're sitting in the same room with everyone else in the meeting or class." The feature basically removed the background for every user on a video meeting and put them in a virtual room. Basically, the feature gave everyone a shared background so it looked like they were in the same space.

An example of Together mode that Microsoft provided when the feature was first introduced in July 2020 can be seen in the image at the top of the article.

Microsoft says it's removing Together mode for a few reasons. The company says it "increases cognitive load for users," "fragments the meeting experience across desktop, web, mobile, and Teams Rooms," and "adds implementation complexity across platforms."

"Today, the core need Together mode was designed to support, namely seeing the people who matter in a meeting, can now be fully met by the modern Gallery view, which can display up to 49 participants at once," Microsoft said in its announcement.

Microsoft Teams will now focus on Gallery mode as the view option in video conferencing. This is the traditional boxed view in video meetings, popularized by Zoom. Microsoft says doing so will "simplify the meeting interface," "deliver higher and more stable video quality across meetings," and "free up service capacity that can be reinvested into foundational video improvements."

Microsoft said it's also removing scenes and custom scenes, including seat assignments, along with Together mode in Microsoft Teams as well.

If you've been using a trusty Kindle device for the past 15 years, this week might be tough for some of you.

In case you hadn't heard, Amazon announced recently that it is ending support for many older Kindle models on May 20. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to stop using the device entirely, but it does mean you need to be prepared for what comes next. Here is all the info you need for the old Kindle shutdown this week, including what you can still do with the device once it happens.

Amazon Kindle shutdown: What you can still do

For starters, it would be good to know exactly which devices are being affected this week:

• Kindle (1st generation)

• Kindle (2nd generation)

• Kindle DX

• Kindle DX Graphite

• Kindle Keyboard

• Kindle 4

• Kindle Touch

• Kindle 5

• Kindle Paperwhite (1st generation)

• Kindle Fire (1st generation)

• Kindle Fire (2nd generation)

• Kindle Fire HD 7

• Kindle Fire HD 8.9

In other words, basically every Kindle released before 2013 is included in the list. As I said, this will mostly apply to people who have been hanging onto the same device for a decade and a half.

Anyway, let's talk about what "ending support" means in this context. According to Amazon, all of the Kindle models listed above "will no longer be able to purchase, borrow, or download new content via the Kindle Store." They'll still turn on, and you can still use them to read books already installed on the device, but you will no longer be able to purchase or download new ones directly from the Kindle Store.

As for what you can do from here, there are a few options. Your first option is to just download as many books as you possibly can on the device in advance of this coming Wednesday, and live with the fact that those are the only books you can have on that particular Kindle.

Some users are finding ways to sideload books or jailbreak their devices, according to PCMag, though it's important to note that doing so almost certainly violates Amazon's terms of service.

If none of those options sound particularly appealing, your last and best bet will be to check out our list of the best e-readers of 2026 so far and purchase a new one. Spending money on a new e-reader isn't especially fun, but Amazon has sorta backed old Kindle owners into a corner here.

The best early Memorial Day deals to shop on Amazon right now:

---

Best TV deal

65-inch Hisense Class U7 Series MiniLED ULED 4K Google TV (65U75QG)

$696.94 (save $803.05 at Amazon)

Get Deal

---

Best portable power station deal

Anker Solix C1000

$429.99 (save $569.01 at Amazon)

Get Deal

---

Best earbuds deal

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

$149 (save $30 at Amazon)

Get Deal

---

Best kitchen deal

Ninja Slushi (88 ounce)

$259 (save $90.99 at Amazon)

Get Deal

The long Memorial Day weekend is coming up quickly. Like every other major holiday, Amazon is celebrating with a sale. Also standard for Amazon, we don't necessarily have to wait until the official holiday drops to get savings. Amazon's Memorial Day is already in full swing.

Timing it well with the season, Amazon's Memorial Day sale has great price drops on summer-themed items like portable power stations, a TV worthy of every MLB and World Cup game, and plenty of camping gear. There are also excellent deals for home upgrades, from the kitchen to the backyard that'll help celebrate all that summer has to offer.

Before the holiday weekend kicks off, shop these early Amazon Memorial Day deals today and leave the weekend open for relaxation or adventure.

Best TV deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Hisense

65-inch Hisense Class U7 Series MiniLED ULED 4K Google TV

$696.94 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $803.05

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Summer is undeniably getting hotter. If you'll be taking respite indoors this summer, it might be high time to make a TV upgrade. Hisense makes some of the best bang-for-your-buck models and that certainly applies to Amazon's deal on the 65-inch Hisense U7 LED 4K TV. Not only does it have impressive stats like 3,000 nits of brightness, it has a native refresh rate of 165Hz which makes it an excellent (and affordable) gaming TV. Plus, it has four HDMI 2.1 inputs.

Best portable power station deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Anker Solix

Anker Solix C1000

$429.99 at Amazon
$999 Save $569.01

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Anker Solix C1000 portable power station here.

I've tested dozens of portable power stations, and the Anker Solix C1000 remains one of the best models for taking along to the campground. Sure, Anker has already launched the Solix C1000 Gen 2 but the original C1000 comes with some features that are excellent for camping. For one, the built-in LED lightbar is fantastic for using around the campsite, which is missing from the new Gen 2.

The Solix C1000 has six AC ports, an impressive amount for a power station with 1,056Wh capacity. There's also the dual USB-A and USB-C ports for plenty of options while camping.

Best earbuds deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

$149 at Amazon
$179 Save $30

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds here.

Summer calls for endless playlists and great earbuds. The playlists are up to you, but we recommend the budget-friendly Bose QuietComfort Earbuds for jamming out. When it comes to the entire lineup of Bose headphones and earbuds, Mashable feels the QuietComfort earbuds have amazing sound quality, especially given their lower price point compared to other Bose earbuds. The noise cancellation is solid and the fit is both secure and comfortable.

Ahead of Memorial Day, Amazon has all colorway options on sale for $149, down from the list price of $179. Since this is the lowest price we've seen at Amazon all year, now's a great time to make the upgrade.

Best kitchen deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Ninja

Ninja Slushi (88 ounce)

$259 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $90.99

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Ninja Slushi here.

If you're ready to make this the summer, a slushy machine is bound to make that happen. While there haven't been too many machines that replicate that perfect summer treat we run to the corner store for, the Ninja Slushi is here to save us. Amazon must also recognize how perfect this is for summer because the pre-Memorial Day sale price of $259 matches the rarely-seen record low price at Amazon.

SAVE $20: As of May 18, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. This is $20 off its list price of $59.99.

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Credit: Amazon

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

$39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20

 

Get Deal

Summer's streaming lineup is already looking very exciting. If you've been hoping to get a new streaming device to watch everything in crisp 4K Ultra HD picture quality this year, it's worth checking out the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. At the moment, it's even discounted at Amazon during its Memorial Day sale.

As of May 18, Amazon has dropped the price of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max to $39.99. Usually it's listed for $59.99, so this is a great opportunity to pick it up for $20 off. It's only on sale for a limited time, so don't wait too long to take advantage of this offer.

With support for 4K Ultra HD picture quality, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max will help make shows like House of the Dragon or The Bear stand out with clear, colorful detail. That's not all, though. Picture gets a further boost with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, alongside support for Dolby Atmos that surrounds you in crisp sound quality. It also supports WiFi 6E, so what you're streaming will come through smoothly.

For those moments when you're not watching anything, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max also comes with a cool feature called the Fire TV Ambient Experience. With this, you can put up pieces of art or photography on your TV, turning it into a fun display piece.

This offer may not last for long, so act fast to grab this excellent deal on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Louis Theroux, legendary documentary-maker and the man behind that viral "Jiggle Jiggle" song, has such a long career in TV that he's created more than a few catch-phrases that beg to be parodied.

Fortunately he's clearly a very good sport about it, even popping up at the end of the SNL UK clip above in which cast members Larry Dean and Al Nash, and guest host Ncuti Gatwa, all play a version of Theroux.

Cue a lot of "Is that fair to say?" and "Shall we get started?"

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Samsung has won an injunction partially blocking a planned strike by its South Korean workers later this week. However, it may not completely prevent all industrial action, with up to 50,000 Samsung employees poised to walk off the job this Thursday. If it goes ahead, it will be the largest strike in the tech company's history.

The dispute fuelling the planned workers' action primarily concerns bonuses. As reported by Yonhap, South Korea's state news agency, the union has requested that Samsung set aside 15 percent of operating profits for performance-based bonuses, as well as remove the cap on such payouts and commit to a fixed formula for calculating them. Samsung has reportedly offered to allocate 10 percent of operating profits for bonuses instead, as well as issue a one-time special compensation package. 

Samsung Electronics Co. workers outside the company's semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Apr. 23, 2026. Credit: SeongJoon Cho / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Initial talks collapsed last week after Samsung and the union were unable to reach an agreement, according to Reuters. Last-minute negotiations were resumed on Monday, which were facilitated by the South Korean government. Unless an agreement is reached, Samsung's unionised workers are set to go on an 18-day strike beginning on May 21.

However, a new injunction will restrict what the workers can do as part of the strike. As Yonhap reports, Suwon District Court ordered on Monday that Samsung's unionised workers cannot take over the company's facilities or disrupt other workers. Normal staffing levels must also be maintained where matters of safety and security are involved, the news agency reported, such as when maintenance work is required to prevent equipment damage.

It's currently unclear exactly how this will impact Samsung employees' strike plans. However, while the injunction may have tempered the threat of industrial action, it doesn't appear to have completely stopped it.

South Korean government works to prevent Samsung strike

A Samsung union rally in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Apr. 23, 2026. Credit: SeongJoon Cho / Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Samsung strike is of significant concern to the South Korean government. Samsung accounted for over 13 percent of South Korea's GDP in 2024, according to the country's Edaily media group, and is its largest employer with over 125,000 employees. The planned industrial action is anticipated to involve over a third of this massive workforce, and could have a significant impact on South Korea's economy.

"Just one day of suspension at Samsung Electronics' semiconductor factory is expected ⁠to incur direct losses of as much as 1 trillion won [approximately $US667 million]," Prime Minister ‌Kim Min-seok said on Sunday, as reported by the South China Morning Post. "What is more concerning is that a temporary pause on semiconductor manufacturing ‌lines leads to months of inactivity."

Kim further stated that if Samsung and the union are unable to come to an agreement, the government will consider issuing an emergency arbitration order under South Korean law. Per The Korea Times, this enables the labor ministry to suspend any strike action for up to 30 days if it "it is deemed likely to seriously harm the national economy or disrupt the daily lives of citizens."

A Samsung union rally at the the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus on Apr. 23, 2026. Credit: Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung also addressed the issue, taking to social media on Monday.

"Workers must be able to receive fair compensation for their labor in return for providing their services, and shareholders who bear risks and losses through their investments share in the company's profits," Lee wrote on X, translated by the platform. He later added, "Under the current Constitution, the fundamental rights of all citizens are guaranteed, but they may be restricted within the scope that does not infringe on their essential content for the sake of public welfare and other reasons."

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

Samsung recently announced that its operating profit for Q1 this year was ₩57.2 trillion (approximately $US38.1 billion), an "all-time high" driven by the boom in demand for AI chips. This is a significant increase compared to the same quarter last year, when Samsung reported an operating profit of ₩6.7 trillion (approximately $US4.4 billion).

Googlebooks promise everything Android users have wanted for years: A laptop that seamlessly works with your phone. The problem? It's Google. And Google has a habit of killing the things you love. 

SAVE $30: As of May 18, Bose QuietComfort earbuds have dropped to $149 at Amazon. This is $30 off their list price of $179.

Opens in a new window

Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds

$149 at Amazon
$179 Save $30

 

Get Deal

Amazon's kicked off its Memorial Day sale, and for those looking to scoop up new earbuds for summer, we've spotted some great deals already. This includes a discount on the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, which have dropped to $149.

This deal knocks $30 off the Bose QuietComfort's full price of $179, which is a pretty solid saving on this great mid-budget pick. Every color is down to this price right now, so you can pick out your favorite.

If you've been searching for earbuds with solid sound quality and noise cancelling without the premium price tag, Bose QuietComfort earbuds are the answer. Ranked as our favorite mid-budget pick in our roundup of the best wireless earbuds, they're "an affordable answer to the brand’s line-up." They're also "reliable, have a long battery life, and are sure to please the pickiest of audiophiles."

When it comes to sound, Mashable's Bethany Allard said in her review that, "Right away, I was impressed by the sound quality of these earbuds. While I wouldn't consider myself the harshest audiophile in the world, I found that the lows, mids, and highs of songs came through balanced and clear, becoming only the tiniest bit muddled at higher volumes." And as for the noise-cancelling, Allard said it's "serviceable, especially for the price point, but it's certainly not at the same level as Bose's other headphones."

Treat yourself to some new earbuds this summer. Score $30 off the Bose QuietComfort earbuds right now at Amazon.

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Somehow we only have two episodes of Euphoria left — and there is still a lot to wrap up.

In the episode 7 preview above we see Maddy (Alexa Demie) confronting Cassie (Sydney Sweeney), Nate (Jacob Elordi) looking the worse for wear, and Rue (Zendaya) getting even deeper into a situation that's already nearly gotten her killed.

Lexie (Maude Apatow) probably summarises it best: "It's like you've all lost your f***ing minds."

New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Markiplier's feature film debut Iron Lung is about to hit home release on the creator's platform of choice: YouTube.

The 36-year-old creator and streamer also known as Mark Fischbach pivoted to filmmaking in the last few years, with his first feature-length horror movie released in cinemas in January to colossal success. Written, directed, edited, and starring Fischbach, and based on David Szymanski's 2022 post-apocalyptic horror game, Iron Lung made Sam Raimi's marooned horror Send Help sweat at the box office — and it even saw an extended theatrical release.

Now, Iron Lung will be available for to rent or buy on YouTube Movies on May 31, with a global rollout expected. The news was announced (of course) on YouTube by Markiplier on Sunday.

"I'm sorry it's later than I thought it'd be, but it's coming out May 31 in as many international territories as I can make work," the creator said in his characteristically candid announcement video (below).

"It's releasing exclusively on YouTube Movies, because I figured you guys are already here anyway. It made the most sense. They were the people that would talk to me, because I don't know how many other companies would have, or even given me a chance of doing something like this," he said.

"I don't know if it'll make much of a difference, but hey, at least I'll be in a position that I could do something about something, and that's a position that I wouldn't have been in if it wasn't for you guys. So, I am really grateful. I'm really excited to just focus on YouTube for a bit. That's something that I've been wanting for a long time."

The Google-owned platform makes total sense for Markiplier's movie. A YouTube gaming titan since 2012, Fischbach has amassed 38.6 million subscribers on the platform as of May 2026. He was included in Mashable's inaugural Mashable 101 list of the most influential creators in 2025.

Markiplier at the ‘Iron Lung’ premiere at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Los Angeles on Dec. 5, 2025. Credit: Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Mark 'Markiplier' Fischbach

Building on his sprawling empire of followers on YouTube, Instagram, and X, Fischbach made the move into screen work of a more scripted nature, starring in and executive producing Prime Video's The Edge of Sleep in 2024.

We're always looking for new and inventive ways to hit you with big savings on popular items. We cover hundreds of deals every month. You can find these deals on site, on socials, and on our newsletter. We've also launched a Mashable Deals text group. The daily deals that we send to this group are researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.

You can find a live hub for those deals right here.

Last year, Formula 1 brought in $3.9 billion in revenue, a 14 percent jump from 2024. Attendance is up, races are selling out, and the stands look different than they used to. Younger. Louder. More online. More American. More feminine. A lot of that starts with Drive to Survive on Netflix, but it doesn’t end there.

In this Trending Now episode, culture reporter Christianna Silva and producer Teodosia Dobriyanova explore how 2025 became F1's most successful year to date. And making fandom more accessible means that the motorsport could be democratized.

SAVE OVER $200: As of May 18, the Eufy C10 robot vacuum is on sale for $219.99 at Amazon. This is $260 off its list price of $479.99.

Opens in a new window

Credit: Eufy

Eufy C10 Robot Vacuum

$219.99 at Amazon
$479.99 Save $260

 

Get Deal

Summertime sale events are coming up fast, with Memorial Day sales kicking off at multiple retailers.

Amazon has already dropped some exciting deals, and if you've been looking for a robot vacuum, this is a great time to buy. One of our favorite budget models, the Eufy C10, is among the discounted picks. Sold by Eufy itself, this marks a return to the lowest-ever price the manufacturer has sold this model for at Amazon (although Amazon has sold its own stock for ever so slightly cheaper.)

As of May 18, the Eufy C10 robot vacuum has dropped to $219.99 at Amazon. That's a massive 54% discount from its full price of $479.99.

Mashable's Leah Stodart ranked the Eufy C10 as the "best budget robot vacuum for small spaces" in our roundup of the best budget robot vacuums. Stodart notes: "For its price, it offers everything you need to keep floors clean without regular elbow grease, including self-emptying." Stodart continues: "It reminds us of older ultra-thin Eufy models, and we like its compact self-emptying station, which can hold 60 days of dust and debris."

The Eufy C10 has plenty to offer as a cleaner. It features 4,000 Pa suction that can grab any dirt, pet hair, or debris on your floors. It also has a helpful extendable side brush to help it reach into corners to clean. Plus, its 2.85-inch height is great for getting it underneath low furniture in your home.

If you don't want to spend too much on a robot vacuum, this deal on the Eufy C10 is well worth checking out at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub for free with a VPN. The best services for unblocking porn sites from Australia are ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN.

The world of porn continues to be impacted by age-verification laws. Back in early 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub hit back by blocking users from those locations. A similar situation took place France and the UK, and now Australians are facing the same set of challenges.

The porn blocks arrived just days before new online safety codes came into effect, requiring organisations to verify the ages of users. It's the same story we've seen before, with the same straightforward workaround.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Australia, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub from Australia by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN or ProtonVPN)

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 a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

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Credit: Proton VPN

Proton VPN (1-Month Plan)

$10.81 only at Proton VPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment. The situation may have changed before the free-trial period comes to an end.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN are the top choices for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in locations all around the world

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

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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Multiple simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantees

Unblock Pornhub for free in Australia with ExpressVPN or ProtonVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Canada vs. Denmark in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships are well underway, but we're still seeing the group stage take shape. Canada have won both of their opening games, and now they face a Denmark side still looking for their first points of the competition. Fans will be expecting another win from Canada, but anything can happen in a tournament like this.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Canada vs. Denmark?

Canada vs. Denmark in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 18. This fixture takes place at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.

How to watch Canada vs. Denmark for free

Canada vs. Denmark in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Canada vs. Denmark plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 Canada vs. Denmark in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

We already know, thanks to multiple rumors and reports, that Apple is planning a massive overhaul of its smart assistant Siri, in the upcoming iOS 27.

Now, a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has some details on the privacy aspects of this new, smarter Siri.

According to the report, Apple's standalone Siri will have a strong emphasis on privacy. One feature that it's not very common in other AI chatbots, for example, will be auto-deleting chats, as seen in Apple's Messages. In the Settings panel for the Siri app, users will be able to choose whether they want to keep conversations forever, for one year, or just 30 days.

The report also says users will be able to choose whether Siri opens with a new chat, or to a "grid" of previous conversations at launch.

Apple will also place tighter limits on how Siri's memory works. This might mean that the AI-powered assistant won't be able to pull from previous conversations as liberally as some rival systems can, but it should be better for user privacy.

Finally, the report claims that Apple will proclaim its AI experience as "ad-free," in contrast to OpenAI, which recently started rolling out sponsored ads in ChatGPT.

TL;DR: Watch Finland vs. USA in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships has started with a number of really interesting battles on the ice.

USA confidently beat Great Britain in their last outing, but they're still looking to bounce back from a surprising defeat to hosts Switzerland in their first game. Now they face Finland, a team that has won both of their games in impressive form.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Finland vs. USA?

Finland vs. USA in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 18. This fixture takes place at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.

How to watch Finland vs. USA for free

Finland vs. USA in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Finland vs. USA plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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. USA in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We're still buzzing from the international hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but there's more to come. We know the focus of the ice hockey world is firmly fixed on the resolution of the NHL season right now, but the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is here to offer something to fans without a vested interest in the Stanley Cup.

This tournament doesn't have quite the same prestige as the Winter Olympics, but the 2024 World Championship was the most successful in terms of overall attendance. We're expecting this tournament in Switzerland to be just as popular as the USA, Canada, Czechia, Sweden, Finland, and other top sides battle it out on the ice.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the Ice Hockey World Championships?

The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 teams are divided into two groups for the Preliminary Round played in a single round robin format. The top-four ranked teams of each group advance to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Czechia.

When is the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships?

The 2026 IIHF World Championships will take place from May 15-31. This year's tournament will be hosted by Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland.

How to watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

If you like your post-apocalyptic movies blood-spattered and filled with monsters, Na Hong-jin's Hope looks like one to put on the calendar.

The Wailing director Na Hong-jin's new movie sees police chief Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) and officer Sung-ae (Jung Ho-yeon) investigating a trail of destruction in a South Korean village — which quickly escalates into something even bigger and more terrifying.

Zo In-sung, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender also star.

Hope is in theaters this fall.

Want more of the latest entertainment news, reviews, trailers, and interviews? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Spider-Man Scene Box listed for $34.99, down from its $41.99 list price. Clip the on-page 20% coupon before checkout, and the price drops to $27.99.

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Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Marvel Spider-Man Scene Box

$27.99 at Amazon
$41.99 Save $14.00

Use the product page coupon for full discount.

Get Deal

As of May 18, Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Spider-Man Scene Box available for $34.99, marked down from its $41.99 list price. Better yet, there’s also a 20% coupon you can tick on the product page, bringing the final checkout price down to $27.99.

That brings the price down to its record low, confirmed via price tracker camelcamelcamel. The listing is sold and shipped by Amazon directly. 

That coupon is set to expire on May 25, though Amazon notes that coupon availability can change, and collected coupons may expire earlier if quantities run out. So if you want the discount, you might need to act fast.

By comparison, Walmart currently has the same Scene Box listed for $26.99 with free shipping, sold by third-party seller Flipside Gaming. TCGplayer listings start at $20, but with shipping included, the lowest option rises to $28.99.

Inside the Scene Box, you get six Traditional Foil Borderless Scene Cards that combine into Spidey’s Sensational Showdown (featuring Spidey, Doc Ock, Venom, and Green Goblin), along with six Art-Only Scene Cards, three Marvel’s Spider-Man Play Boosters, and a paper display easel. Each booster includes 14 Magic trading cards, with at least one Rare or higher and one Traditional Foil card. 

To stock up on more from the web-head-themed expansion, you can also grab the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Spider-Man Gift Bundle on sale at Amazon for around $73. 

For those trying out different crossovers, the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Starter Kit (with two ready-built decks) is now only $19.99 — with an extra $5 chopped off in the latest Amazon offer.

If you’re a Pokémon TCG fan, the newly-announced Pitch Black expansion is available to pre-order at TCGplayer.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Build and Battle Box listed for preorder at $79.94, down from its $89.99 list price. This deal saves you $10.05 on a box with a 40-card ready-to-play deck, one of four foil promo cards, four booster packs, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

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Credit: The Pokemon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Build and Battle Box

$79.94 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $10.05

 

Pre-order Here

Chaos Rising is finally out on May 22, and the Pokémon TCG’s leading retailers are steadily dropping more discounts ahead of the expansion’s big drop — and those who actually play the card game will definitely want to get in on this latest deal on Amazon.

As of May 18, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising Build and Battle Box priced at $79.94, knocked down from its $89.99 list price. That works out to 11% off, saving you $10.05 altogether. The listing is currently sold and shipped by Kings Games. Amazon lists a 30-day refund or replacement window. 

The other two key retailers in the Pokémon TCG space have gone even cheaper. TCGplayer currently has unopened Chaos Rising Build and Battle Box listings starting at $56.84 with shipping included, with a market price of $58.06 and a listed median of $57.42. Walmart is also lower than Amazon at $64.99 with free shipping, sold and shipped by Cataclysm Games. It's worth noting that this listing is marked as not returnable.

Inside the box, you’ll get a 40-card ready-to-play deck, one of four unique foil promo cards, four Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising booster packs (10 trading cards each), and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. The promo cards you can potentially get are Delphox, Ampharos, Crobat, and Goodra. For anyone who likes diving into a new expansion with some competitive play right out of the box, this is the perfect buy.

Chaos Rising continues the Mega Evolution line with Mega Floette ex bringing turmoil to the city, while Mega Greninja ex rallies other Mega Evolution Pokémon ex like Mega Pyroar ex and Mega Dragalge ex to fight back. For casual Pokémon Legends: Z-A players who are now dabbling in the TCG, it’s a fun twist.

To get even more booster packs and accessories from the expansion, Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box preorders are on sale at Amazon. Although currently not available on Amazon, the Pokémon TCG’s newly-announced Pitch Black expansion is available to pre-order at TCGplayer.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love tropical fruits.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: The daily rind

The words are related to fruit.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe tangy fruits.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is diagonal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Citrus.

NYT Strands word list for May 18

• Clementine

• Lime

• Kumquat

• Pomelo

• Citrus

• Orange

• Tangerine

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a baseball fan.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Same sound

• Green: To break

• Blue: Baseballer

• Purple: Sweet plants

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Homophones

• Green: Rupture

• Blue: MLB player

• Purple: Fruit anagrams

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1072 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Homophones: PAIR, PARE, PEAR, PÉRE

• Rupture: BLOW, CRACK, POP, SPLIT

• MLB player: PADRE, RED, ROYAL, TWIN

• Fruit anagrams: CHEAP, EARP, LUMP, WIKI

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always hesitant.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Reluctant.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

LOATH

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to Qlango Language Learning for $49 (reg. $239) — an 80% discount on a gamified app that helps you retain vocabulary using spaced repetition.

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Credit: Qlango

Qlango Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

$49
$239 Save $190

 

Get Deal

Learning a new language usually means getting sucked into a subscription plan, feeling the pressure to keep up streaks, and using apps that never really click. This deal eliminates the unnecessary, so you’ll pay once, and you’re set for life.

The Qlango Language Learning lifetime subscription is on sale for just $49 (reg. $239), so you can learn as many languages as your brain can handle with no rush to finish before a certain deadline.

Qlango uses spaced repetition — a proven learning method that brings back words at just the right intervals so you’re more likely to remember them for good, not just cram and forget.

The format is simple but super effective: you answer prompts directly in your target language, which actually helps your brain start thinking in that language faster. And if you ever get stuck, there’s a handy hint system so you’re never left guessing.

With a 4.8/5 rating on the App Store and over a million downloads on Google Play, there’s solid proof that people love it and that the app actually works.

This subscription unlocks 71 languages, from widely spoken ones like Spanish and French to less common options like Icelandic.

You’ll work through 6,679 essential words per language, two real-world example sentences per word, and six difficulty levels that adapt to your pace.

You can also switch up your learning modes, such as translation, dictation, and sentence building, depending on what works best for you.

If you’ve been wanting to learn a language but don’t want another monthly bill, this is the kind of deal that makes it easy to finally start. It’s perfect for casual learners, travelers, or anyone brushing up on basics without committing to a strict routine.

Get the Qlango Language Learning lifetime subscription today for just $49 (reg. $239).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: ChatOn Premium combines access to paid versions of GPT, Claude, Gemini, and other AI models into one app for $55.24 through May 31 with code CHAT35.

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Credit: AIBY

ChatOn AI Assistant Premium Plan (3-Year Subscription)

$55.24
$119.99 Save $64.75

 

Get Deal

Trying AI tools in 2026 can start to feel less like productivity and more like accidentally signing up for subscriptions. One app for writing, and another for image generation. Yet another for PDFs. Suddenly, your monthly AI budget starts looking suspiciously like a car payment.

That’s what makes ChatOn an interesting alternative. Instead of locking you into one model, ChatOn gives access to multiple major AI systems in a single workspace — including the paid versions of GPT, Claude, Gemini, Sonar, and more.

New users can currently get a three-year ChatOn AI Assistant Premium subscription for a one-time $55.24 (reg. $119.99) through May 31 with code CHAT35.

That matters because different AI models are better at different things. Some are stronger for writing, some for reasoning, some for coding, and some for research. ChatOn lets users switch between them without bouncing across multiple subscriptions and browser tabs.

The platform also goes beyond simple chatbot responses. It includes AI image generation, video creation tools, OCR text extraction, document summarization, PDF support, translation tools, voice input, and real-time web search with linked sources.

There’s even a built-in library of more than 100 prompts for common tasks, which makes the app especially useful for people who use AI regularly but don’t necessarily want to become part-time prompt engineers.

And while lifetime deals tend to grab attention, a fixed three-year subscription from an established app with more than 100 million downloads can honestly feel like the more grounded long-term bet.

For people who rely on AI for work, school, creativity, planning, or day-to-day productivity, ChatOn is a genuinely useful consolidation tool.

Get a three-year ChatOn AI Assistant Premium subscription for a one-time $55.24 (reg. $119.99) through May 31 with code CHAT35.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: T-Mobile has dropped new deals on the latest iPhones. Score the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and more for free right now at T-Mobile.

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 17

Free when you switch and trade in an eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

Shop Now

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Free when you trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

Shop Now

Leading mobile carriers are battling it out to offer you the most competitive mobile deals. The likes of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are constantly dropping new deals in an effort to pursuade you into switching, and that includes offers on the latest iPhones.

In fact, T-Mobile has just dropped a new batch of live iPhone deals that are particularly tempting:

• Apple iPhone 17e — free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on most plans.

• Apple iPhone 17 — free when you switch and trade in an eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 Pro — free when you trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

The value of these iPhones is applied as 24 monthly credits to your bill, so you're still paying for the phone but you're getting paid back in full over time. We should note that you do need to pay taxes and a $35 device connection fee with these offers, but that's always the case with this type of limited-time mobile deal. It's a small price to pay for a new iPhone.

The latest iPhone lineup is seriously impressive, with something for everyone.

In Mashable's review of the iPhone 17, Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." When Schroeder took a close look at the iPhone 17e, he said: "The iPhone 17e is a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and a good choice if you want the cheapest new iPhone you can get." That's good enough for us.

Upgrade to the iPhone 17 lineup for free with T-Mobile.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection up for preorder at $64.99, down from its $69.99 list price. That’s $5 off and under TCGplayer’s $66.69 market price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection

$64.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $5

 

Pre-order Here

The Pokémon TCG’s Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection is almost here, and Amazon is already undercutting the wider market with one of the better preorder prices available right now.

As of May 18, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection listed for preorder at $64.99, knocked down from its $69.99 list price. This deal saves you an extra $5 before the box officially releases on May 22. Better yet, the listing is sold and shipped by Amazon directly, with the preorder price guarantee attached.

That's right under TCGplayer’s $66.69 market price. The dedicated trading card selling platform has a lowest listing price of $65.48 with shipping included. Walmart is technically the cheapest, with the same box listed for $64.95 with free shipping, but that listing is sold and shipped by third-party seller Rez Broz Collectibles.

The Pokémon TCG Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection includes:

• 1 foil promo card featuring Mega Zygarde ex

• 1 oversize lenticular promo card featuring Mega Zygarde ex

• 1 tech sticker featuring Mega Zygarde ex

• 8 Pokémon TCG booster packs (five from Perfect Order, two Phantasmal Flames, and one Journey Together)

This collection centers on Mega Zygarde ex as the Legendary Pokémon becomes a Mega Evolution Pokémon ex — featured in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, with a ready-to-play foil promo and extra display pieces packed alongside a stack of booster packs from different Pokémon TCG expansions.

At $64.99, that works out to about $8.12 per booster pack before factoring in the promo card, lenticular card, or sticker.

If you’re trying to grab even more boosters at a reasonable price, you can still buy the Pokémon TCG’s Perfect Order Booster Bundle (six packs) for around $50. For the next expansion, preorders for Chaos Rising ETBs are now on sale at Amazon.

Although currently not available on Amazon, the Pokémon TCG’s newly announced Pitch Black expansion is available to pre-order at TCGplayer.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The world will stop this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

16 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will welcome the best international sides from around the world as they compete for arguably the biggest prize in sport. Huge names like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Lamine Yamal are likely to steal the spotlight, but new stars always shine brightly in this prestigious competition.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is an international football competition between senior men's national teams. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams progress to the knockouts rounds. That's when things get really interesting.

The defending champions are Argentina. They won their third title at the 2022 World Cup after defeating France in the final.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

A number of free streaming platforms are offering coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

5. Watch 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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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 they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for accessing live sport on free streaming platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, May 18, 2026:

Across

Questionable

• The answer is Iffy.

Country that's about 25 times longer than it is wide

• The answer is Chile.

iPhone setting that reduces distractions

• The answer is Focus.

Magnum ___ (masterpiece)

• The answer is Opus.

Get-together, slangily

• The answer is Sesh.

Down

"Fingers crossed!"

• The answer is I hope.

Indoor plant whose name is one vowel off from 6-Across

• The answer is Ficus.

A❤️ 9❤️ 6❤️ 4❤️ 2❤️, e.g.

• The answer is Flush.

What "aye" means

• The answer is Yes.

Corp. money managers

• The answer is CFOs.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 18 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 18 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 18 Pips

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (11): Everything in this space must be greater than 11. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.

Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Cold streak

• Green: Run the ball

• Blue: Oregon teams

• Purple: Reads like a baseball team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Slide

• Green: Football Running Plays

• Blue: An Oregon Athlete

• Purple: MLB Teams, Minus the Last Two Letters

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #602 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Slide: DECLINE, DIP, DOWNTURN, SLUMP

• Football Running Plays: COUNTER, DIVE, DRAW, SWEEP

• An Oregon Athlete: DUCK, THORN, TIMBER, TRAIL BLAZER

• MLB Teams, Minus the Last Two Letters: ANGE, DODGE, MARINE, RANGE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Dull.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

VAPID

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To con.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TRICK

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To force entry.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BARGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A rental agreement.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

LEASE

Final Hurdle hint

A large venue.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

ARENA

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

There's a small sliver of the Moon in the sky tonight, but is it enough to spot any surface features?

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, May 18, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 3% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Unfortunately, there is still too little of the Moon's surface lit up to be able to see anything on its surface.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, moving through eight distinct phases along the way. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the changing angle of sunlight as it orbits creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, the lunar cycle is made up of eight main phases:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

TL;DR: This Babbel lifetime promotion gives you access to 14 languages, offline lessons, AI conversation tools, and 10,000+ hours of language education for a one-time $159 payment with the StackSocial code LEARN.

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Credit: Babbel

Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

$159
$646.20 Save $487.20

 

Get Deal

Most language-learning apps are really good at helping people feel productive for about six days before the notifications start getting ignored. Babbel feels different because the lessons were actually designed by professional linguists and educators with real-world conversations in mind.

On the flip side, Babbel takes a different approach. New U.S. users can get a Babbel Language Learning Lifetime Subscription for $159 (reg. $646.20) with StackSocial’s code LEARN, giving you permanent access to all 14 languages on the platform.

And honestly, the biggest reason people stick with Babbel is that it feels built for real humans with jobs, schedules, and functioning attention spans. Lessons are short — usually around 10 to 15 minutes — and focus heavily on practical conversations. Topics include travel, dining, work, shopping, introductions, and everyday communication that actually matters.

Babbel was also developed with input from more than 100 linguists and language educators, and the teaching approach leans heavily into conversation and retention rather than gamified gratification.

You can learn on your phone, tablet, desktop, or laptop, and your progress syncs automatically across devices. There’s also offline access, which makes it easy to keep practicing during flights, commutes, or anywhere Wi-Fi becomes questionable.

The lifetime access angle is really what makes this deal stand out, though. Instead of paying another monthly subscription indefinitely, this is a one-time purchase that gives you ongoing access to all 14 languages for as long as you want to keep learning.

For people who travel often, work internationally, love learning new skills, or simply want to stop saying “I should really learn Spanish someday,” Babbel feels like one of those purchases that you will be happy you made well into the future.

Get lifetime access to Babbel Language Learning for a one-time $159 (MSRP $546.20) with the StackSocial code LEARN for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Elon Musk's space exploration company, SpaceX, could be going public sooner than many expected.

According to a new report from Reuters, SpaceX is "accelerating" its IPO launch in hopes of going public next month. SpaceX is aiming to make the official announcement this week to promote the IPO launch to potential investors in June. 

Musk's space company is eyeing a June 12 listing date, with an early share sale the day before. SpaceX would be listed under the SPCX ticker on Nasdaq.

According to previous reports, SpaceX is seeking a valuation of more than $1.75 trillionMusk and the company have recently made moves that clearly show intent to launch SpaceX as a publicly traded company. Earlier this year, Musk's SpaceX acquired Musk's AI company xAI in order to bolster the combined company's value.

In addition, recently announced deals between SpaceX and big tech and AI companies would certainly be eye-catching for potential investors.

Just last week, a report found that Google was in talks with SpaceX to launch rockets into space for orbital AI data centers. Musk previously touted these data centers in space as essential for future AI technology and a prime reason as to why SpaceX needed to acquire xAI.  Prior to that news report, AI company Anthropic and SpaceX announced a partnership that included potential orbital AI data centers.

All signs point to SpaceX going public – and very soon. The only thing that's unclear at this time is exactly what date the IPO launch will take place. And, it seems we may also know that in the near future, too.

Tradition continues on Weekend Update.

On the season 51 finale of Saturday Night Live, Colin Jost and Michael Che continued their long-running gag of writing each other's jokes to cap the season's last Weekend Update.

From penis jokes to Michael Jackson references, Jost and Che made sure this season's Weekend Update joke swap was as brutal as ever. Also, it seems like Jost just promised a big hairstyle change, courtesy of what Che wrote for him to say, of course.

Just because it's the middle of Spring doesn't mean we can't get a little parody of "A Christmas Carol" on Saturday Night Live in May.

In the season 51 finale of SNL on Saturday, President Donald Trump, played by cast member James Austin Johnson, falls asleep in the Oval Office. However, Trump is soon visited by the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein, played by host Will Ferrell.

Ferrell's Epstein gives Trump a look into the future, offering the president a peek at what his cabinet members, past and present, will be up to, ostensibly, after they leave their positions. The cold open also features Ashley Padilla as former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Colin Jost as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Aziz Ansari as FBI Director Kash Patel.

Saturday Night Live had its Season 51 finale over the weekend as former cast member Will Ferrell hosted the show for his sixth time.

However, before Ferrell could come out and perform his hosting duties, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers attempted a coup. Smith came out first to open the show, hitting the stage and acting as if he were Ferrell. There's been a long-running joke that Ferrell and Smith, the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, bear a striking resemblance to each other, and SNL continued the gag on its final show of the season.

Shortly after Smith thanked the audience, Ferrell came out dressed exactly like Smith, claiming the drummer had attacked him backstage as part of his takeover attempt.

Ferrell convinces Smith to get off the stage but the former SNL cast member acts as if the whole ordeal has thrown for a loop and has trouble getting back to his duties as host. Ferrell decides to take questions from the audience, and the first question is from a very casual audience member – Sir Paul McCartney.

The legendary musician believes that Ferrell is actually the imposter Smith and demands Ferrell leave the stage and get back to his drum set, where he belongs.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 17 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 17 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. 2-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. 6-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 17 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 1-6, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: NFC North

• Green: Allegedly an East Coast-based conference

• Blue: Too many Jalens in the NBA

• Purple: Caps. financial or fashionable

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: An NFC North Athlete

• Green: An ACC Athlete

• Blue: Ja(y)lens in the NBA

• Purple: ___Cap

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #601 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• An NFC North Athlete: BEAR, LION, PACKER, VIKING

• An ACC Athlete: CAVALIER, EAGLE, HOKIE, MUSTANG

• Ja(y)lens in the NBA: BROWN, BRUNSON, DUREN, GREEN

• ___Cap: BASEBALL, GUARDIAN, RALLY, SALARY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

It can be scary to leave the Apple ecosystem, but whatever your personal reasoning may be, I drew on my experience as a headphones and earbuds tester to ease the transition. For the purposes of this guide, I focused on the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 3. (If you want alternatives to the AirPods Max or AirPods Max 2, might I suggest any other pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones? I promise you'll get better bang for your buck).

After going back through testing notes and existing reviews, I came away with three options for the best AirPods alternatives: the Sony WF-1000XM6, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, and the EarFun Air Pro 4.

TL;DR: The AdGuard Family Plan lifetime subscription is on sale for $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT and covers up to nine devices.

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Credit: AdGuard

AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription

$15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02

 

Get Deal

If constant pop-ups, autoplay videos, and banner ads are making the internet feel more annoying than useful lately, an ad blocker can make a noticeable difference. What you need is the AdGuard Family Plan. Its family lifetime subscription is on sale for $15.97, discounted from $169.99, through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

AdGuard is great for people who are tired of incessant ads disrupting everyday browsing. Whether you’re trying to watch YouTube videos without interruptions, read articles without giant pop-ups covering the screen, or shop online without trackers following you afterward, this ad-blocking software creates a cleaner, less cluttered experience up across your devices.

The Family Plan covers up to nine devices, including Windows PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, so households can use it across phones, laptops, and tablets under one subscription.

Along with blocking ads, AdGuard also includes tracker protection, phishing and malware safeguards, and parental controls. That added layer of privacy may appeal to families looking to cut down on both distractions and data collection while browsing. Parents can also restrict adult content on shared devices for younger users.

Mashable regularly covers tools that help simplify digital life, whether that means productivity apps, cybersecurity software, or privacy-focused tech. If you’ve already explored browser upgrades or online security tools, this deal lands in a similar category of practical quality-of-life improvements.

One of the more appealing parts of this offer is the lifetime access. Instead of adding another monthly subscription to your budget, you pay once and keep access permanently, including future updates.

For anyone frustrated with ads slowing down websites, interrupting videos, or cluttering nearly every corner of the web, the AdGuard Family Plan may be worth a look while it’s discounted to $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

TL;DR: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is on sale for $9.97 (reg. $199) through May 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT and includes a lifetime license with upgraded security, multitasking, and more.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro

$9.97
$199 Save $189.03

 

Get Deal

If your computer’s been dragging lately — slow load times, awkward multitasking, outdated features — an operating system upgrade might be just what you need to give it new life, no new hardware required. Grab Microsoft Windows 11 Pro while it’s on sale for just $9.97 (reg. $199), through May 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Windows 11 Pro is all about smoother performance and a better experience, especially if you’re still on an older version. The interface is cleaner and easier to navigate, but the big upgrade happens behind the scenes. Snap layouts, virtual desktops, improved search, and seamless redocking make multitasking way less of a hassle, whether you’re working, studying, gaming, or doing a bit of everything.

Windows 11 Pro includes tools such as TPM 2.0 support, Smart App Control, BitLocker encryption, and biometric login protection to help guard against malware and unauthorized access. For business users or anyone handling sensitive information, those built-in protections may make the upgrade worthwhile on their own.

Gamers and creative users also get access to DirectX 12 Ultimate, which helps newer games and graphics-heavy applications run more smoothly by maximizing your hardware performance. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s built-in AI assistant, Copilot, can help summarize web pages, answer questions, generate writing ideas, and assist with coding tasks directly within Windows.

If your laptop still works but just feels dated, upgrading the operating system is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to breathe new life into it. It’s a smart move if you’re looking to stretch your device’s lifespan without spending a fortune on new hardware.

You’ll need at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage to run Windows 11 Pro. And since this is a lifetime license for one device, it can’t be transferred to another computer down the road.

If you’re hoping to revitalize an older PC without dropping hundreds on upgrades, Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 for a limited time through May 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best HBO Max deals and bundles in May 2026:

---

Best Disney+ Bundle Deal

Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle

$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free

Get Deal

---

Best Hulu Bundle Deal

Hulu and HBO Max Bundle

Add HBO Max from $10.99/month

Get Deal

---

Best Student Deal

HBO Max Student

Save 50% on HBO Max Basic With Ads

Get Deal

Looking for some exciting new films or shows to watch this spring? HBO Max is the place to find them. With a new season of Euphoria dropping weekly on the platform and a brand new season of House of the Dragon coming in June, there's plenty to watch right now.

If these have caught your eye, the good news is that HBO Max has a few different bundles available at the moment that are worth checking out, including a popular bundle with Disney+ and Hulu. With streaming prices on the rise, a bundle like this can be a great way to save some cash while retaining access to your favorite services.

Alongside bundles, we've also broken down HBO Max's standard plans in case you're interested in its service on its own.

Best Disney+ bundle deal

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Credit: HBO Max

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle

$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free

Get Deal

Why we like it

The HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle is a top-tier choice for those looking to have access to some of the biggest streaming services around. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for them on their own. If you've already got Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions, this bundle is worth every cent. If you're interested, there are two plan options to choose from:

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best Hulu bundle deal

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Credit: Hulu

Hulu and HBO Max Bundle

Add HBO Max to your Hulu base plan from $10.99 per month

Get Deal

Why we like it

If you're not interested in the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max mega bundle, you can just get Hulu and HBO Max together if you already have a Hulu base plan, which starts at $11.99 per month. HBO Max Basic with Ads can be added onto your plan for $10.99 per month, or you can splash out on the HBO Max Standard plan for $18.49 per month.

• Hulu with HBO Max add-on — from $10.99 per month

Best student deal

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Credit: HBO Max

HBO Max Student Discount

Students save 50% on HBO Max Basic With Ads

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Why we like it

It's always nice when streaming services have a deal for students, and HBO Max's offer is definitely worth taking advantage of. Students who can verify their status with UNiDAYS are eligible to get the HBO Max Basic With Ads plan for just $5.49 per month. That's a 50% discount off its $10.99 monthly price. After verifying your status, you'll receive a unique code that can be used to redeem the discounted plan on HBO Max.

• HBO Max Student Discount — $5.49 per month (save 50%)

HBO Max's monthly plans

HBO Max offers a few different subscription plans. If you don't mind having to sit through ads, HBO Max's Basic With Ads plan starts at $10.99 per month or the annual plan runs for $109.99 per year. If you can't stand ads and don't mind throwing down a bit more cash, the Standard plan will cost you $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year. If you really want to go big on an HBO Max plan, you can spring for the fancy Premium plan, which costs $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year.

Below we've broken down what comes with each of these plans, per HBO Max's website, so you can know a bit more before you buy.

Basic With Ads — $10.99 per month, $109.99 per year

• Stream on two devices at once

• Full HD 1080p resolution

Standard (Ad-free) — $18.49 per month, $184.99 per year

• Stream on two devices at once

• Full HD 1080p resolution

• 30 downloads to watch on the go

Premium (Ad-free) — $22.99 per month, $229.99 per year

• Stream on four devices at once

• 4K Ultra HD video quality (as available)

• Dolby Atmos immersive audio (as available)

• 100 downloads to watch on the go

If you're wondering where to start once you've set yourself up with a HBO Max subscription, we've got an excellent selection of recommendations to point you in the right direction. Looking for a great TV show to kickstart your next binge-watching session? Have a look through our roundup of the 20 best TV shows streaming on HBO Max. Or if you prefer movies, we narrowed down the 25 best movies on HBO Max to make your next movie night a spectacular one.

TL;DR: Watch One Piece for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Anime fans are often forced into one of two camps: Those who pay a lot of cash to subscribe to a number of streaming platforms and those who rely on dodgy streams from dark corners of the online world. It doesn't need to be this way. There are legitimate streaming platforms out there with enormous banks of anime content, just waiting for you to binge.

BBC iPlayer might not be the first name you think of when it comes to anime, but this popular service hosts literally thousands of episodes from the One Piece anime series. It's also a great place to access free Pokémon content. Who knew?

If you're interested in watching One Piece for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to watch One Piece for free

Over 1,000 episodes from the One Piece anime series are available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but you can access this free service from abroad with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to watch One Piece from anywhere in the world.

Stream One Piece for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Stream One Piece for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking streaming sites are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials and money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch One Piece without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you time to binge everything on offer before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for accessing free streams on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as platforms like Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and routers

• Strict no-logging policy

• 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).

Watch One Piece for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

To hit.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SPANK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

An Alaskan dog.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

HUSKY

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

To tease.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

FLIRT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Egg-shaped.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

OVATE

Final Hurdle hint

An old book.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

CODEX

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

There is still very little visibility of the Moon tonight, but we are now in a new lunar phase and it will slowly begin to reappear.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, May 17, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 1% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

The Moon is too dimly lit tonight to be able to spot any surface details.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, moving through eight distinct phases along the way. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the changing angle of sunlight as it orbits creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, the lunar cycle is made up of eight main phases:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love a hot drink.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: A funnel

• Green: To scam

• Blue: A good cuppa

• Purple: An academy

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Conduit

• Green: Swindle

• Blue: Tea-making verbs

• Purple: "School" modifiers

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1071 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Conduit: DUCT, LINE, MAIN, PIPE

• Swindle: FLEECE, HOSE, SQUEEZE, STIFF

• Tea-making verbs: BOIL, POUR, STEEP, STRAIN

• "School" modifiers: GRADE, GRAMMAR, HIGH, PRIMARY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you always strike out.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Strike one!

The words are related to a popular game.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a gaming venue.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Bowling Alley.

NYT Strands word list for May 17

• Scoreboard

• Pins

• Lanes

• Bowling Alley

• Arcade

• Balls

• Lounge

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you follow the rules.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A rule.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

BYLAW

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

TL;DR: Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business is on sale for $129.97 (reg. $249.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License

$129.97
$249.99 Save $120.02

 

Get Deal

Subscription prices keep climbing, and productivity software is no exception. If you’re tired of monthly payments just to use Word or Excel, this Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business deal is a refreshing alternative.

For a limited time, Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC is on sale for $129.97 (reg. $249.99), and this promo runs through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

This version includes the classic Microsoft apps most of us rely on every day: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. Instead of subscribing to Microsoft 365, Office 2024 is a one-time purchase, perfect for those who’d rather own their software outright.

As we’ve discussed before with other Microsoft Office deals, the biggest draw is the combination of familiarity with newer AI-powered tools and performance upgrades. Word now includes Smart Compose suggestions to help speed up writing, while PowerPoint adds improved presentation recording tools with voice narration, video support, and live camera integration for remote meetings or presentations.

Excel also gets some of the biggest upgrades this time around. Microsoft says it now handles larger datasets and multiple spreadsheets more smoothly, plus it brings AI-powered insights to help you spot trends and build visualizations faster.

For business users, Outlook remains a huge perk, bundled with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote in the Home & Business edition. Built-in collaboration tools — such as real-time co-authoring, comments, version history, and Microsoft Teams integration — make working with others much easier and more tolerable.

Another practical feature is offline access. Unlike Microsoft 365’s cloud-first approach, Office 2024 works well for anyone who wants reliable software without being online all the time.

This deal is a smart option for freelancers, students, remote workers, small business owners, or anyone clinging to an older Office version and wanting an affordable, up-to-date setup without another recurring bill.

Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business is currently available for $129.97, 48% off, through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

We're still in the early stages of the AI revolution, but there's already plenty of evidence that it won't be purely a blessing. Generative AI has made writing exponentially faster, if not necessarily better, and the result has been a massive increase in submissions of novels, newspaper pieces, and even academic journals, with one publication even warning of a coming "swamp of slop." 

Now, however, the journals are fighting back. ArXiv, one of the largest open-access repositories of preprint academic research, is issuing a one-year ban on all authors who submit "obviously AI-generated work," according to 404media. Moreover, if the offending author wishes to return to the good graces of ArXiv, they will have to first submit to a "reputable peer-reviewed review venue," according to Thomas Dietterich, chair of the publication's computer science division.

He recently took to X to not only clarify the new rules but also place the onus on authors to use LLMs responsibly: "If generative AI tools generate inappropriate language, plagiarized content, biased content, errors, mistakes, incorrect references, or misleading content, and that output is included in scientific works, it is the responsibility of the author(s). We have recently clarified our penalties for this. If a submission contains incontrovertible evidence that the authors did not check the results of LLM generation, this means we can't trust anything in the paper."  

Faulty, misleading references, plagiarism, and invented citations are not the only issues with AI; however, there are others. In November of 2025, ArXiv was forced to shut down its entire computer science review section due to the overwhelming volume of AI-generated submissions, most of which did not even introduce new research results, according to a press statement. 

A funny, counterintuitive consequence of AI-enabled hyperefficiency is the evaluation bottleneck. If, in any given month, there are 100 academic papers submitted for review, it's not too hard to find and publish the best work, but if there are a thousand submissions, even the best-funded journals can't keep up. 

Expect the backlash to grow even fiercer as the power of AI increases and the costs of using it decrease. 

TL;DR: The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Eurovision Song Contest has a reputation for delivering truly memorable performances, and not always in a good way. Rules and convention go out the window with Eurovision, resulting in some absolutely unmissable moments.

Want to watch the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.

What is Eurovision?

The Eurovision Song Contest is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union. This competition primarily features entries from European countries, with each participating nation submitting an original song to be performed on live TV. Competing countries cast votes to pick a winner.

Where is the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest?

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is the 70th edition of the event. This year's competition will take place in Vienna.

When is the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest?

The full schedule for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is as follws:

• First Semi-Final — 9 p.m. CEST on May 12

• Second Semi-Final — 9 p.m. CEST on May 14

• Grand Final — 9 p.m. CEST on May 16

How to watch the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest for free

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access BBC iPlayer to live stream Eurovision for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest 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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest for free from anywhere in the world

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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 they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can live stream Eurovision without actually spending anything. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream the event before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free streaming services from around the world, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 eight 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).

Stream the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest for free with ExpressVPN.

California lawmakers are deliberating a proposed bill, known as the "Protect Our Games Act," that would require publishers to continue offering access to online games even after developers stop supporting them, according to Ars Technica. 

The bill is part of a wider initiative by the Stop Killing Games preservation movement, which has been active in Europe for some time now. Their mission statement describes them as a "global coalition of gamers, consumer advocates, and developers" seeking to "end the intentional destruction of our digital media" through a combination of class-action lawsuits, formal petitions, and engagement with lawmakers, and they make their stance very clear: "Games are art and have grown into a huge influence for our society. Deliberately rendering them unplayable is the destruction of cultural heritage."

But as currently written, the Protect Our Games Act would place some serious requirements on game publishers and "digital game operators," including offering a 60-day advanced warning when "services necessary for the ordinary use of the digital game will cease," and even to compensate gamers with either a full refund or a software patch that would continue to make the game accessible in some form. If passed, however, the laws would only apply to game titles released after January 1, 2027, so existing online games would be exempt. 

This question is part of a broader discussion consumers are having about ownership rights in the age of digital media, as both games and movies are increasingly sold not in hard-copy formats (the cartridges, cassettes, and DVDs of the past) but as files downloadable from servers. The problem is especially acute in online gaming, since if the infrastructure supporting it (the servers and software that enable it) is compromised, its functionality might also be compromised. 

Put differently, the question might be posed this way: are games a product consumers buy or a software they lease? Up until very recently, gamers the world over were under the impression they owned a product, with an unlimited right to do with it as they please, but in the era of digital media, gaming companies have been pushing for a subscription model that treats games as a service with a finite and conditional duration.

Whatever decision the California lawmakers reach, don't expect these questions or the people posing them to disappear anytime soon. As of this writing, the StopKillingGames subreddit has more than 14,000 followers, and momentum is on the side of the consumer.

Good news for vibe coders everywhere: Apple has lifted its temporary ban on Replit updates, enacted earlier this year, and the company has officially released Agent 4, first teased in March.

CEO Amjad Massad took to X to celebrate the good news: "We worked things out with Apple, and just published our app for the first time in 4 months. Thanks to all our customers and creators who helped out. It’s been a journey, but we never give up and stay winning! Enjoy the updates! Lots of new things coming."

The Agent 4 update brings powerful new upgrades to the platform, including the introduction of parallel agents to allow you to work on multiple ideas simultaneously, the ability to collaborate on projects by merging flows, and the ability to view your projects across multiple workspaces. 

Though it isn't exactly clear what compromise or agreement Apple managed to reach with Replit and other AI-based software creators, the original dispute involved a long-standing clause in Apple's App Review Guidelines, specifically 2.5.2: "Apps should be self-contained in their bundles, and may not read or write data outside the designated container area, nor may they download, install, or execute code which introduces or changes features or functionality of the app, including other apps."

Because Replit's Agent app is capable of programming apps, Apple argued that it violated the "self-containment" clause, thereby bypassing the App Store.  

Whether Apple ultimately changed its mind about its interpretation of Agent 4, or whether Replit compromised in some respect, remains unclear, but you can now download and run the latest version of Agent 4 on the iPhone or iPad to try it out for yourself.

Whether you’re relaxing by the pool, hitting the beach, or hosting a backyard gathering, the best waterproof speakers are ready for any occasion. They’re built for adventure and outdoor fun, and they let you take your music anywhere without worrying about the elements. And unlike our favorite party speakers, all of these gadgets can handle a little H20.

Before purchasing a model, you’ll want a better understanding of what “waterproof” means, at least when it comes to wireless speakers. Waterproofing is the ability to resist water intrusion. This is measured by an ingress protection (IP) rating. The higher the rating, the stronger the protection (see more info in our FAQ section). 

Many waterproof speakers also feature rubberized bumpers for shock absorption and sealed ports that keep out dirt, dust, and sand. Some models include detachable straps that latch onto everyday carry items like backpacks, gym bags, purses, or satchels. Some of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers are even designed to float while playing music in the water.

For this guide, Mashable tech and audio experts ranked the best waterproof speakers based on factors such as overall performance, real-world usability, and value. Our picks are guided by hands-on experience with the latest releases, as well as insights from past reviews and years of category testing to spotlight top-tier entries.

So, if you want the best waterproof speaker to keep your playlist bumping — rain, splash, or shine — we've got you.

Know before you buy: What does "waterproof" really mean?

Water-resistant, splashproof, waterproof — these terms all have different meanings. All of the speakers in this guide have an IP waterproof rating, but let's break down what that means.

Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Understanding IP ratings

The IP rating system classifies how resistant electrical enclosures are to intrusion from foreign matter, moisture, and environmental exposure. Here’s a breakdown of what each IP rating means.

• IPX0 – No water resistance

• IPX1 – Survives vertical drop of 1 millimeter of water

• IPX2 – Survives drop of 3 millimeters of water

• IPX3 – Survives light water spraying

• IPX4 – Survives omnidirectional water splashing (water resistant)

• IPX5 – Survives water jet splashing up to 12.5 liters for 1 min

• IPX6 – Survives water jet splashing up to 100 liters for 3 mins

• IPX7 – Complete submersion up to 1 meter for 30 mins

• IPX8 – Complete submersion up to 3 meters for 30 mins

Why do some IP ratings have two digits?

The first digit (0–6) rates protection against solids, and the second digit (0–9) rates protection against liquids. 

In my hunt for the best e-readers, I've been determined to find a great alternative to a Kindle or a Kobo. Don't get me wrong, I love both of these e-readers and generally think they are the best e-readers you can buy, but I know there's a hunger for variety in the e-reader community beyond the big two. I've tried Barnes & Noble's Nook, Remarkable e-ink tablets, and Boox e-readers, but none of them have impressed me. But the Durobo Krono caught my eye at CES 2026.

I've often called an e-reader a library in your pocket, and the Durobo Krono is more than that. It's a library, bookstore, notebook, and MP3 player all in one. But that's a lot of promise in a palm-sized device. Luckily, it totally nails it. Here's what you need to know about the Durobo Krono and why I named it the best open-source Android e-reader.

Durobo Krono e-reader: Our quick verdict

Have lots of different books on different apps? The Durobo Krono might just be for you. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

• Best for: The person with books in multiple apps — Kindle, Kobo, Audible, Libro.fm, and Libby. Plus, great for the person who likes to listen to audiobooks and read at the same time, and people seeking an on-the-go voice notetaker.

• Key tech: 6.13-inch Carta 1200 e-ink display, 128GB of storage, 6GB RAM, 300 ppi resolution, adjustable warmth and brightness, octa-core processor, and Android 15 OS.

• MSRP: $279.99

Your entire digital library on one device

Access your Kindle library from the Durobo Krono. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I find myself in a unique conundrum as an e-reader tester: I have collections of books across many different e-reader platforms. While I could just get used to cycling through different e-readers regularly, that's a lot to keep track of. The dream is to have them all on one device, and the Durobo Krono is that dream realized.

Running Android 15, the Google Play Store comes preinstalled on the Krono, so any app available in the store is available on the e-ink tablet. Suddenly, all the apps I use regularly from Audible, Kindle, Kobo Books, Libby, and Libro.fm are now on my Durobo Krono.

The apps appear on a separate page from Krono's built-in library, so you will need to navigate between them. A small price to pay for the convenience of accessing them from one device.

Technically, you could get this convenience from a tablet, too. Except an iPad doesn't have the matte, easy-on-the-eyes e-ink display that the Krono does.

Since it's an Android device, Apple apps (like Apple Music and Apple Books) aren't available, so as an Apple Music listener, I couldn't use the device as a music player.

It's fast — until it's not

In my testing, I find open Android e-readers to be too slow, especially compared to Kindles and Kobos, which are zippy e-readers. The Boox Go and Boox Palma 2, similar devices to the Durobo Krono, have both had disappointing performance, even right out of the box. Yet, the Durobo Krono is brilliantly speedy. Even when moving between different books on different apps, I was impressed by how quickly it sped through them.

Its speed is conditional. Too many apps, or more demanding apps, will slow down the device. After a week of use, I added the Substack app to the Krono, which was too demanding for it. Even when I wasn't using the app, it slowed down the whole device. Once I deleted the app, it sped back up.

Other demanding apps I found were audiobook players like Audible. I especially noticed this when listening to an audiobook while reading an e-book on a separate app. It's disappointing that two apps geared toward readers slowed down an e-reader device. For the best performance on the Krono, use one app at a time and avoid high-demanding apps.

A perfect palm-sized e-reader

The Durobo Krono is perfectly palm-sized. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Durobo Krono has a 6.13-inch screen, slightly bigger than the basic Kindle's, but the entire device is narrower than the Kindle. It's about the same size as my hand and weighs 6.1 ounces. The small size makes it comfortable to hold for hours at a time — especially if you add a PopSockets grip on the back as I did. But that doesn't make the screen size feel cramped either.

It needs better battery life

When you're used to the months-long battery life of a Kindle, it's a hard adjustment to go to an e-reader with significantly less. With a couple of hours of use per day, the Durobo Krono e-readers have about one week of battery life. Compared to a smartphone or tablet, that's pretty good, but when you're coming from a Kindle or even a Kobo, the Krono e-reader's battery life feels too short.

More features to enjoy

Access Durobo AI on the Krono e-reader. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Easily scroll through articles and apps with the Krono's smart dial. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The features on the Krono Durobo are extensive. It has a smart dial on the side that refreshes the screen, starts recording, and scrolls on the device. It has a built-in AI called Spark, which captures voice recordings and produces transcripts and summaries. It's a lot more than just a standard e-reader, but in the months of use, I never used the Spark AI. The Smart Dial is a fantastic addition for smooth scrolling.

Is the Durobo Krono worth it?

Looking for an alternative to a Kindle or Kobo? Try the Durobo Krono e-reader. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Durobo Krono is the best open Android e-reader. If you're exploring the world of the Boox Palma or the Remarkable Move, the Krono is my preferred pick for its fast processing and support for third-party apps. In a perfect, palm-sized package, it provides access to all your digital libraries. It's more expensive than other e-readers, but for its extra benefits, it's worth the extra price.

Durobo Krono

$279.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at DuRoBo

UPDATE: May. 16, 2026, 5:00 a.m. EDT I first wrote about my initial impressions of the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete in February 2026 after a week of using it daily at home. This review was updated after three more months of testing.

In my mind, Roborock had the best robot vacuum of the year for most of 2025 — and it was pretty uncontested. Dreame isn't letting that happen this year. The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is clearly out to prove that it's the apex robot vacuum, and it's certainly priced like it at $1,699.99. I tested it at home for several months to see whether it's that worthwhile of an investment.

I apologize in advance for the number of times you'll have to read "Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete" in the next few minutes. There has to be a better naming strategy.

I think the Aqua10's dock is slightly prettier, but the X60 Max Ultra is still chic. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

What's special about the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete?

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is nearly the most powerful robot vacuum on the market, only to be topped on paper by the Roborock Saros 20's 36,000 Pa. But I've tested both at home and find the Dreame to be much more of a beast.

I appreciate the dual brush rolls made of two different textures. That's the most effective design for hair pickup. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The X60 Max Ultra comes with regular detergent and detergent for pet odors. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Compared to the roller mop Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller released in August 2025, the X60 Max Ultra Complete reverts to dual spinning mopping pads for precise edge mopping. That's nothing we haven't seen before. The X60 Max Ultra Complete's actual unique addition is heated mopping — most robot vacuum mop combos that can heat water only use it for washing the pads, not during floor cleaning.

Is the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete good on carpet?

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra has done a pretty outstanding job at vacuuming various carpet piles in my apartment. It took a lot of mental fortitude to forgo vacuuming my living room rug for a few days at a time to test the X60 Max Ultra Complete's performance on built-up pet hair. But time after time, the X60 Max Ultra Complete proved to be wicked on shedding and other fluff that sticks to carpet fibers.

You know how you can kind of see "invisible" pet hair on the floor if you bend down to put on a shoe? It was a different story after the X60 Max Ultra Complete came through, at least if I set it to the max suction setting. Multiple lint roller tests afterward revealed but a few fuzzies and some fur that was left over, but the kind that's so thin that it's nearly invisible.

One test in the living room also involved a field of crushed Goldfish crackers. The X60 Max Ultra Complete didn't leave a single piece behind. You can literally hear the deep carpet cleaning that's going on.

There were even more Goldfish pieces outside of the frame. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The X60 Max Ultra Complete also grabbed several large tufts of cat fur in this trip. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My tufted, medium pile living room rug is very similar to the feel and height of a traditional carpet, so I'm confident in recommending the X60 Max Ultra Complete for multi-pet homes with fully carpeted rooms.

As a professional robot vacuum reviewer, I'm also not afraid to fabricate a completely ridiculous mess just to make a vacuum's life difficult. This one involved spilled sprinkles and tufts of cat hair pulled from the ChomChom strewn across a furry white rug. Its pile and uneven zebra-ish texture make it easy for debris to skim under a vacuum's radar, and it's so light that missed debris really stands out.

Before... Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

...after Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I was impressed by the success rate here. I had to get eye level with the floor to find any missed specks. On max power (the strongest of four settings), the X60 picked up every single ball of cat hair, even the ones that I pressed into the rug fibers. It cleared about 97 percent of the sprinkles, leaving behind a single green star and a few tiny balls.

I must call out that the X60 Max Ultra Complete feels extremely quiet for how powerful it is. Its strongest setting averaged between 67 and 69 decibels, and that was with my phone an inch away from the machine itself. (For reference, weaker vacuums I've tested range from 64 to 74 decibels). I was pleasantly surprised by how subdued (and short) the self-emptying noise is. At 71 decibels, you definitely don't have to plug your ears and brace yourself if you're anywhere near the dock. After being traumatized by several Roombas, Dreame's clear focus on noise level is appreciated.

Is the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete good on hard floors?

January in Pennsylvania always comes with a certain amount of white salt residue being trudged inside on shoes. But in the aftermath of one massive winter storm, there was an unprecedented level of slush coming in and drying near my front door. We happened to have guests on the first day that I had the X60, so there were even more shoes adding to the puddle — the floor was literally tinted gray.

Before the X60 Max Ultra came through, my floors were caked with snow and salt residue. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The mop scrubbed away most of the debris in the first pass. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The X60 Max Ultra Complete's mopping came in so clutch. It was able to scrub away a vast majority of the massive powdery puddle in the first pass, leaving the floor comfortingly shiny behind it. I've tested so many robot vacuum and mop combos that struggle more with dried water stains than they do with wet spills, but the X60 Max Ultra Complete aced it. Surely, that's the difference between mopping with room-temperature water and mopping with 104-degree Fahrenheit water, as the X60 does.

The spinning mopping pads were also pressurized enough to wipe up super fine dust that suction power alone just can't lift. I made a huge mess while changing the waste drawer liner in my Litter-Robot and sent the X60 to deal with it. The line between where the vacuum had and hadn't cleaned yet was as stark and satisfying as one could ask for.

I could always trust the X60 Max Ultra Complete's nimble body to scoot right up against the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator overhang, flicking hidden crumbs out from the cracks and mopping up random sprinkles of salt. Similarly, the X60 Max Ultra Complete kept the cat bowl area quite tidy, swiping scattered pieces of dry food near the wall and scrubbing dried splatters of wet food. It did all of this without touching the elevated bowl stand — many other premium robot vacuums are surprisingly rough around it.

The X60 noticed "large particles" of cat food, a power cord, and my feet. Credit: Screenshot / Dreame

If the X60 Max Ultra Complete notices a spill bigger than a few small pieces of debris, it automatically creates a side quest for itself within the larger cleaning mission that you've sent it on. Multiple passes are immediately taken over the extra-dirty area until the AI cameras consider the job done. Then, the vacuum goes back to cleaning the rest of the selected area.

Factors to consider

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is the most expensive robot vacuum released so far this year. As well-rounded as I think it is, $1,699.99 is a steep asking price for a robot vacuum that's not 100 percent perfect. For example, the X60 Max Ultra Complete ran over a cord once or twice and occasionally stumbled into the wrong bedroom on the way back to the dock. It did leave behind a tiny bit of debris around rug edges on more than one occasion, and at this price, shouldn't its pickup rate basically be 100? I could see why you'd argue that.

Am I the only one who's not super excited about the 3.5-inch "climbing" capabilities? It's just not all that helpful unless your home features shallow drops or sliding door tracks between rooms, like into a sunroom. The full-length mirrors in my apartment are all sliding doors, and the X60 Max Ultra Complete was able to safely cross those to sweep the dust and hairs off my closet floor. It was also able to drive over the metal legs of my kitchen island instead of having to drive around. Those are convenient touches, but I feel like robot vacuum threshold scaling isn't going to hit very hard until legitimate staircases are a possibility.

All in all, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is worth it in homes with heavy-duty vacuuming needs. But as well-rounded as it is, I'd still tell you not to buy it unless it's on sale.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete

$1,699.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now at Amazon

Despite Android's presence in nearly every corner of the tech industry, it has yet to truly establish a foothold on PC platforms. Google has had ChromeOS powering Chromebooks for years, but the ubiquity of Android — paired with its lack of a meaningful foothold in traditional computing — made it clear something had to give.

Now, Google is moving to unify ChromeOS and Android into a single desktop platform, currently operating under the codename "Aluminum OS." (Or, depending on who you ask, Aluminium OS.)

What is Aluminum OS?

As far as we know — thanks to reporting from Android Authority — Aluminum OS is the internal codename for Google’s unified Android/ChromeOS desktop platform. The merger was officially announced this past September at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit, although rumors about a ChromeOS–Android convergence had been circulating for at least a year.

In that September announcement, Google stated that it would be partnering with Qualcomm to develop a new platform that integrates mobile and desktop computing, powered by the latest advancements in AI.

The name "Aluminum OS" comes from a tip shared with Android Authority, which led the outlet to a now-deleted Google job listing for a Senior Product Manager in Taipei City, Taiwan. Luckily, Archive.today captured the posting before it disappeared. In it, Google states it is "working on a new Aluminium, Android-based, operating system” and that “Aluminium is a new operating system built with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the core."

The role also mentions "driving the roadmap and curating a portfolio of ChromeOS and Aluminium Operating System (ALOS) commercial devices across all form factors (e.g. laptops, detachables, tablets, and boxes)." In other words, Aluminum OS won’t be limited to laptops. Tablets and so-called "boxes" — which Android Authority interprets as budget-style machines, such as Chromebooks or even Mac Mini–style devices — are also part of the plan.

A number of leaks after September have given us an even greater idea of what to expect from Aluminum OS.

In May, MysticLeaks posted a 16-minute video allegedly showing off the setup process of the new OS (running in a virtual machine inside a MacBook). In the video, you can see that the interface looks fairly similar to what's already available in ChromeOS, though there are some differences. Apps can be placed on the desktop, and you can right-click to create new folders, a la Windows, for instance.

It's also got an Android-like Quick Settings menu and a task manager, but there isn't much else to glean from the video.

Apart from unofficial leaks, we think Google also made an indirect reference to Aluminum OS during The Android Show livestream event on May 12.

What devices will run Aluminium OS?

Here's a Googlebook. Credit: Google

While previous reporting has indicated that Aluminum OS can run on a variety of device categories, it seems like it might debut with Googlebooks, a new class of laptop Google announced a week prior to Google I/O 2026. Google has only briefly teased Googlebooks so far, but if Aluminum were to run on anything, it would most likely run on one of these laptops.

In fact, Google's messaging around Googlebooks all but confirms that. In the initial reveal, Google talked about Googlebooks as though they will be a successor to Chromebooks in some way, leveraging Android apps as well as Gemini. Users will be able to do things like use AI to generate widgets.

Here's how Google described the Googlebook experience:

With the shift from operating system to intelligence system, we thought it was time for another fundamental reinvention. This year, we are taking the best of Android, a modern OS with powerful apps on Google Play, and the best of Chrome OS, which comes with the world's most popular browser and the biggest library of extensions. And they're now bringing them together, creating a new category of laptops that are built with Gemini at the core, work seamlessly with the devices in your life, and are powered by premium hardware. Meet Googlebook.

This could very well be our first official glimpse at the capabilities of Aluminum OS.

Google showed off several unique capabilities of Googlebooks, such as the ability to open Android apps from your phone right on your laptop without downloading the app.

Is this our first official glimpse of Aluminum OS? Credit: Google

They also revealed the “Magic Pointer,” an AI-powered update to the pointer. You’ll be able to hover over any element on the screen and get AI suggestions for next steps, more information, and other options.

The Magic Pointer feature in action. Credit: Google

We think Google will tell us more about Googlebooks, and Aluminum OS by extension, in the very near future.

Could Aluminum OS make its debut at Google I/O 2026? Check back on May 19 for the Mashable Google I/O live blog and get the latest updates on all things Google, Android, and Gemini.

TL;DR: Watch Italy vs. Canada in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships are underway. We've already been treated to a number of exciting contests from Zurich and Fribourg, and we're expecting more of the same as the busy schedule moves into the weekend. Italy face Canada in one of the most interesting matchups, with all eyes on Canada as they look to bounce back from Winter Olympics disappointment.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Italy vs. Canada?

Italy vs. Canada in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 16. This fixture takes place at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.

How to watch Italy vs. Canada for free

Italy vs. Canada in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Italy vs. Canada plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 Italy vs. Canada in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

The best TV deals to shop this weekend:

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Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED ULED 4K TV

$898.99 (save $501)

Get Deal

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LG 55-inch B5 OLED 4K TV

$799.99 (save $700)

Get Deal

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Hisense 55-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV

$599.99 (save $400)

Get Deal

So, your current TV blows. Lucky for you, it happens to be an excellent time to upgrade, as new models have just hit the shelves and older models are getting the deal treatment.

Whether you're upgrading to improve your Stanley Cup playoff-viewing experience or you want to watch Project Hail Mary at home in the best possible quality, we've rounded up some of the best TV deals we could find to help you on your buyer's journey.

If you want an upgrade that actually makes a noticeable difference, here are our top picks on sale this weekend. Hisense, one of our favorite budget brands, is showing off with its ultra-steep discounts.

Best Hisense TV deal

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Credit: Hisense

Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED ULED 4K TV

$898.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $501

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Brand new 2026 TV models are officially on shelves and some are even on sale already, including Hisense's U6 Pro. One of the brand's newest mid-range models, the U6 Pro falls in the sweet spot of performance and value. It features Mini-LED backlighting and quantum-dot color, AI-driven processing, 2.1-channel Dolby Atmos audio, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. It's also a solid choice for gamers, sporting a 144Hz native refresh rate and Freesync Premium Pro. Despite launching earlier this month, the 75-inch U6 Pro is already on sale for nearly 40% off.

Best LG TV deal

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Credit: LG

LG 55-inch B5 OLED 4K TV

$799.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $700

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

The B5 is LG's cheapest OLED from last year's lineup, offering the best picture quality at the best price. And now that the brand's 2026 lineup has arrived, this entry-level model has dropped to nearly half its original price. More vibrant and detailed than a QLED TV, the B5 OLED particularly stands out while watching dim scenes or in dark rooms. It features Dolby Vision, Filmmaker Mode, Dolby Atmos, HDR10 Pro, a 120Hz refresh rate, and lots of AI features to customize and enhance your viewing experience. If you're upgrading from a QLED or LED TV, you'll be hella impressed by the difference an OLED TV makes.

Best art TV deal

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Credit: Hisense

Hisense 55-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV

$599.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $400

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

If you're seeking a TV with Art Mode, the Hisense 55-inch Canvas TV is the cheapest it's ever been at only $599.99. While it's often referred to as a dupe for Samsung's The Frame TV, Mashable TV expert Leah Stodart says it's "actually a better value than The Frame in a lot of ways." Particularly, the Canvas has a higher refresh rate (144Hz versus 120Hz) and two HDMI 2.1 ports, making it a potential option for gamers. It also uses Google TV's interface, which is more intuitive and responsive than Samsung's and features a free digital art library — no subscription needed.

More of the best TV deals this weekend

• Samsung 65-inch Q7F QLED 4K TV — $427.99 $629.99 (save $202)

• Roku 65-inch Plus Series Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $478 $649.99 (save $171.99)

• Amazon Ember 55-inch Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $559.99 $819.99 (save $260)

• TCL 75-inch T7 QLED 4K TV — $629.99 $899.99 (save $270)

• Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $696.97 $1,499.99 (save $803.02)

• Hisense 50-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $798.99 $1,299.99 (save $501)

• LG 48-inch C5 OLED 4K TV — $896.99 $1,396.99 (save $500)

• Hisense 65-inch U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $999.99 $2,199.99 (save $1,200)

• Hisense 65-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,198.99 $1,999.99 (save $801)

• TCL 75-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED — $1,999.99 $2,999.99 (save 1,000)

TL;DR: As of May 16, the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is on sale for $999 at Amazon. That's a $100 discount on the list price.

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Credit: Apple

MacBook Air M5 (13-Inch

$999 at Amazon
$1,099 Save $100

 

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We've been tracking the price of the new MacBook Air M5 since it was released earlier this year. $949 is the lowest price we've seen, so the latest $999 deal is not a record low. But we still think you should carefully consider this deal, because prices are seemingly on the rise.

As of May 16, the 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is on sale for $999 at Amazon. That's a $100 discount on the list price.

This $999 deal is now only available for the midnight and sky blue models. How long will these colorways stay at this discounted price? We can't say for sure, but we wouldn't be surprised to see prices climb ahead of Prime Day. We're not accusing Amazon of sneakily raising prices so that Prime Day deals look better. We would never do that.

The MacBook Air M5 is a portable laptop that delivers heaps of power. In Mashable's review of this popular machine, Timothy Werth said: "The new MacBook Air takes everything good about the MacBook Air and adds the faster M5 chip." You get a little bit of everything with the MacBook Air — Werth named it a "near-perfect machine."

Score the MacBook Air M5 for under $1,000 at Amazon, whilst you still can.

SAVE $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off the list price of $1,599.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo

$1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500

 

Get Deal

Legislative pressure on DJI imports means we're likely to see stock issues at some point. We've been saying that for some time, but there doesn't seem to be any issues just yet. In fact, we're still seeing really strong deals on top models from DJI.

As of May 16, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off the list price and close to the record low at Amazon.

Content creators will love the DJI Mini 5 Pro. It offers a high-end 1-inch sensor with the ability to shoot 4K at 120fps for stunning visuals in any conditions. It also makes use of LiDAR-powered sensing to detect obstacles when you're flying blind, so you can rest assured that your investment isn't going to go hurtling into the nearest brick wall as soon as you lose sight.

There are so many flashy features with this drone, but the 42GB of internal memory is arguably the biggest sell. It's the sort of upgrade that you wouldn't necessarily brag about, but it's going to make your life so much easier when you're out filming content. That's enough memory to house your entire 4K shoot locally, which is one less thing to worry about.

Save $500 on the DJI Mini 5 Pro this weekend at Amazon.

On the moon, not much can survive the arctic plunge of nightfall, where temperatures can dip to -330 degrees Fahrenheit for the two-week stretch of darkness each month. 

As more nations and private space companies attempt uncrewed moon landings, the dangers of lunar exploration have come into sharp focus. Even robotic missions that survive touchdown face another major threat: the brutal cold of the lunar night. Few landers and rovers ever wake after enduring the deep freeze. At cryogenic temperatures, soldered metal joints begin to fail and batteries die. 

That harsh environment presents a real challenge for NASA as it pursues a return of astronauts to the moon — especially to the south pole, which has some of the coldest temperatures in the solar system — but not an insurmountable one. 

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

At Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, a team of engineers is testing a piece of equipment in a thermal vacuum chamber, putting the hardware through its paces. The chamber shifts from the extremes of 300 degrees Fahrenheit to -330 degrees Fahrenheit. Through repeated hot and cold cycles, the testing mimics real temperature swings that could happen between deep shadow and full sun at the lunar south pole, where Artemis IV may land with a crew as early as 2028. 

Based on test results, the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station, or LEMS, is expected to become the first U.S. instrument to survive a full polar night, a milestone for NASA's plan to build a long-term moon base in the treacherous region. 

"No one, no American payload, as far as we know, has ever been able to say that they have survived the lunar south pole during its lunar night and been functional," said Samantha Hicks, the lead systems engineer for LEMS. "We are on track to become the first U.S. payload to do that."

The LEMS device is a key piece of hardware for NASA's lunar ambitions, tracking how the ground shakes on the moon for up to two years. The suitcase-size box will keep a constant ear to the ground for moonquakes and asteroid strikes — not just at the lunar south pole, but around the entire moon. 

Perhaps surprisingly, the moon remains seismically active, despite its lack of plate tectonics like we have on Earth, said Naoma McCall, LEMS co-investigator and deployment lead. The Apollo missions more than 50 years ago placed similar seismometers on the moon and recorded deep and shallow tremors, thermal events, and meteoroid impacts. But those midcentury instruments shut down in 1977 and provided an incomplete picture of what's going on in the moon's crust and mantle, she said. 

Samantha Hicks, left, and Naoma McCall, representatives from the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station team, flank a model of the future Artemis instrument at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center on April 21, 2026. Credit: Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images

More data is crucial for NASA to safely establish a lunar outpost for humans to live and work, especially if the polar region turns out to shake more often — or more strongly — than predicted.

"There's a lot we don't know about the lunar interior because we only had the observations from the near side," McCall said, referring to the lunar hemisphere facing Earth, where all Apollo missions landed.

For decades, many far‑flung space missions have stayed warm with small nuclear heat sources that slowly release energy as they decay. Those systems are powerful but rely on scarce fuel. Furthermore, they add cost, complexity, and safety reviews. If this small piece of equipment can ride out the lunar night using only sunlight, batteries, and insulation, NASA could replicate the model for faster and simpler surface gear in the future. 

To install LEMS, an astronaut will nestle the box in a trench and drill cylindrical holes nearby to bury two sensors under ground. Engineers designed the 66-pound box so one person could carry it. If that load still sounds too heavy, remember that everything on the moon feels about one-sixth lighter than it does on Earth. 

After making sure the system is pointed in the right direction, the astronauts can set it and forget it, McCall said. A team practiced deploying the equipment at the University of Central Florida, in a room full of artificial moon soil, to ensure it could be executed in simple steps. 

A team integrates the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station, or LEMS, instrument, which will track moonquakes and shakes, at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

"We'll flip three switches and then walk away," McCall said.

While the outside of the box bakes and freezes, the most important internal components — the battery, autonomous computer, and other electronics — stay between about -22 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Engineers say that tighter internal range is what allows the equipment to continually operate, even as its shell faces the brunt of the lunar conditions.

The key to maintaining that consistent internal temperature is an advanced thermal blanket. The proprietary material, developed by Colorado-based Quest Thermal Group for NASA, is called Integrated MultiLayer Insulation, or IMLI. NASA also worked with partners to adjust how it will charge the lithium-ion battery to survive the extreme cold.

"Lithium ion absolutely hates going below -30 degrees [Celsius]. That's when you start getting lithium ion plating," said Hicks, referring to a problem that happens when the batteries can no longer absorb the chemical that carries the energy. "It's all about surviving that lunar night and worst-case scenario." 

After recent changes to the Artemis launch campaign, NASA has begun reworking the high-level plan for the upcoming moon-landing mission. The agency will decide whether the LEMS cargo will fly on Artemis IV after it has finalized the official list of everything onboard. In the meantime, the team will complete the rest of the testing schedule over the next few months.  

TL;DR: ChatPlayground lets you send one prompt to multiple AI models, and lifetime access is now only $69.97 with code May5.

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Credit: ChatPlayground AI

ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan)

$69.97
$619 Save $549.03

 

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Anyone who has worked with AI tools knows that different models can give wildly different answers to the same prompt. Manually sending each prompt to each model to find the best option wastes a ton of time, which is why tools like ChatPlayground AI are growing in popularity. ChatPlayground lets you run multiple AI models at the same time, and a lifetime subscription just went on sale for $69.97 (reg. $619).

ChatPlayground has a simple premise that ends up saving a ton of time and frustration. Instead of manually working with a bunch of different AI models, ChatPlayground lets you talk to them all together. The platform supports more than 20 AI models, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Deepseek, Llama, and Perplexity, among others. That means you can use the same workflow for writing, coding help, generating ideas, or creating images, and then compare the output.

Don’t like any of the results a prompt gave you? You can tweak it and run it again to see how each model changes their answer. There are even prompt engineering tools to help you refine and reuse the prompts that worked well. ChatPlayground even lets you upload images and PDFs, then ask questions about them, so you can actually check how different models work with the same document.

The Unlimited Plan does exactly what it says. It lasts for life with no recurring payments, and you get unlimited messages every month. It’s also on sale through May 17 for only $69.97 with code May5.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The refurbished 2020 Apple MacBook Pro is on sale for $429.97 (reg. $1999) through June 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Credit: Apple

Apple Macbook Pro 2020 (Refurbished)

$429.97
$1,999 Save $1,569.03

 

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MacBooks aren’t exactly known for being budget-friendly, which is part of the reason refurbished models get so much attention — especially when the specs are still strong enough for everyday tasks, creative projects, and serious multitasking.

Right now, you can catch this refurbished 2020 Apple MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and a roomy 1TB SSD for just $429.97 (reg. $1999). This deal ends on June 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

At this price, the generous storage and memory really stand out. This MacBook has 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, which can make a huge difference if you have large files, tons of browser tabs open, use editing software, or just keep up with heavier workloads.

The 2020 MacBook Pro comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor (with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz) and Intel Iris Plus Graphics, which is great for photo editing, streaming, and creative work. It runs modern macOS and handles productivity, coding, streaming, and day-to-day tasks without lag or overheating.

You’ll also get Apple’s gorgeous 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone, which automatically adjusts color temperature to match your surroundings. The MacBook includes the Magic Keyboard, handy Touch Bar controls, Touch ID for quick logins, and four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports for charging, displays, and accessories.

Battery life is rated for up to 10 hours, and at just over 3 pounds, it remains portable enough for commuting or travel.

Since this is a Grade A refurbished unit, the listing notes it should arrive in near-mint condition with minimal cosmetic wear. That may appeal to shoppers who want Apple hardware without paying premium new-model pricing.

If you’ve been eyeing a MacBook upgrade but don’t want to spend a fortune, this refurbished 2020 MacBook Pro is up for grabs at $429.97 (reg. $1999) through June 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best Hulu deals and bundles in May 2026:

---

Best Hulu Bundle Deal

Disney+ and Hulu Bundle

$12.99/month with ads

Get Deal

---

Best HBO Max Bundle Deal

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle

$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free

Get Deal

---

Best Student Deal

Hulu Student Deal

Hulu with ads for $1.99/month

Get Deal

---

Best ESPN Bundle Deal

Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle

$35.99/month

Get Deal

There's a wide range of excellent shows and films to watch on Hulu, including The Testaments, season two of Paradise, and a surprise new episode of The Bear. It's a library that's full of options to keep you entertained throughout the summer and beyond.

If these shows have caught your eye and have you itching to sign up for Hulu, we're here to help you get the best deal. Outside of the standard ad-supported and ad free plans, there are quite a few bundle deals available with Hulu that are worth exploring if you're looking to save some cash. This includes the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package.

Disney has also dropped a new six-month offer on the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, though this is only accessible from their site at the moment. This drops its ad-supported plan to $11.99 per month when locking in for six months (before going back up to $12.99 per month). The ad-free plan is down to $17.99 per month (which will return to $19.99 per month after six months). Disney notes that this is an "ongoing offer for people who want to subscribe for a longer period to save on the average monthly cost." It's also available for new and eligible returning subscribers.

Below you can find details on Hulu's best bundles at the moment — alongside information on both its ad-supported and ad free plans, if you just want the basics — offering you a way to save on the service right now.

Best Disney+ bundle deal

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Credit: Hulu

Disney+ and Hulu Bundle

$12.99 per month with ads

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Why we like it

For those interested in the ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu Bundle, which sets you up with Disney+ alongside Hulu, it starts at $12.99 per month. If you'd prefer the Premium ad-free version of this plan, this jumps to $19.99 per month.

If you're curious about Disney's new six-month offer, this is accessible on Disney's site. Again, it offers the ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle plan for $11.99 per month when locking in for six months, before returning to $12.99 per month. The Premium ad-free plan is $17.99 per month for six months, before returning to $19.99 per month.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — $12.99 per month

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium — $19.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal

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Credit: Hulu

Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle

$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free

Get Deal

Why we like it

This is one of the best Hulu bundles available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for the three of them separately. It's an incredible deal to take advantage of, especially if you've already got Disney+ and HBO Max subscriptions. There are two plans to choose from with this bundle, and they are:

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best student deal

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Credit: Hulu

Hulu Student Deal

Hulu with ads for $1.99/month

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Why we like it

If you're a student enrolled at a university, you can score a Hulu (with ads) plan for even lower than the above bundles. Hulu's Student Deal gives eligible college students the ability to buy a Hulu (with ads) plan for just $1.99 per month. Hulu notes that the deal lasts "so long as student enrollment status remains verified," then it goes back up to the standard monthly price.

• Hulu Student Deal — $1.99 per month

Best ESPN bundle deal

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Credit: Hulu

Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle

$35.99/month

Get Deal

Why we like it

Alongside the big Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max bundle, Hulu also has plans for sports fans that throw in ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+." 

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is available for $35.99 per month. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $44.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $35.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $44.99 per month

Hulu's monthly plans

If you're just looking to jump straight into Hulu's library without any fancy bundles, there are a couple of subscription options to consider. The ad-supported tier comes in at $11.99 per month, but you'll get your first month free, which is a great way to test the waters and see if it's the right fit for you. If you want to go ad free, that'll cost you $18.99 per month. Unfortunately, this plan does not offer a free trial like its ad-supported sibling.

• Hulu (with ads) — $11.99 per month (get first month free), $119.99 per year

• Hulu Premium (no ads) — $18.99 per month

If you really want to go big on a streaming investment, there's the Hulu + Live TV plan. This costs a whopping $89.99 per month for its ad-supported plan, but comes with plenty to keep you busy. Hulu + Live TV (with ads) gets you access to 95+ channels, unlimited DVR, Disney+ (with ads), ESPN Select (with ads), and Hulu (with ads). If you want to go even bigger with the ad-free plan — which offers Hulu (no ads), Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN Select (with ads) alongside Live TV — it'll cost you $99.99 per month. The ad-supported plan also offers a free trial, but for just three days instead.

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN Select (with ads) — $89.99 per month (three day free trial)

• Hulu Premium + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select (no ads) — $99.99 per month

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select — $94.99 per month

• Live TV Only — $88.99 per month

Wondering what to watch once you get set up with a Hulu plan or bundle? We're here to help with that as well. Have a look at our roundups of the 30 best comedies on Hulu, the 25 best sci-fi movies on Hulu, and the 26 best horror movies on Hulu to start building your watchlist. And if you're in the mood to binge-watch a show, check out our breakdown of the 25 best shows on Hulu.

TL;DR: Live stream Chelsea vs. Man City in the FA Cup final for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Man City are still fighting it out for the Premier League, but they've got another focus this weekend.

The FA Cup final takes place on May 16 at Wembley Stadium. Man City face off against Chelsea, a team that has really struggled for form this season. Chelsea are in danger of finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League standings, but they've managed to scrape through to this showpiece event. A win over Man City would at least end this campaign on a high.

If you want to watch Chelsea vs. Man City in the FA Cup final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Chelsea vs. Man City?

Chelsea vs. Man City in the FA Cup final kicks off at 10 a.m. ET on May 16. This fixture takes place at Wembley Stadium.

How to watch Chelsea vs. Man City for free

Chelsea vs. Man City in the FA Cup final is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, 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 the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Chelsea vs. Man City 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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Chelsea vs. Man City for free from anywhere in the world

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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 watch Chelsea vs. Man City without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the FA Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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 Chelsea vs. Man City in the FA Cup final for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 French Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The world of tennis is firmly focused on clay courts right now. Top players have already sharpened up in the Barcelona Open and Madrid Open, and now it's time for the main event: Roland-Garros.

Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz will not defend his title, but this year's tournament is not short of star names. Expect the likes of Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Świątek to be battling it out in the latter stages. It's always a special tournament.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 French Open from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the French Open?

The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. It's the only Grand Slam tournament held on a clay surface, and is the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments.

The current singles champions are Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff.

When is the 2026 French Open?

The 2026 French Open is the 131th edition of the competition. This year's event takes place from May 18 to June 7.

How to watch the 2026 French Open for free

The 2026 French Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can stream the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 Australia

4. Connect to 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

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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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the 2026 French Open before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the French Open?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 the 2026 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Unblock ePorner for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

More than a third of U.S. states have introduced restrictions for online adult content. After the introduction of these age verification laws, some porn sites blocked users from those locations. The same situation is now taking place in other parts of the world.

So where does that leave frustrated users? Desperately seeking a solution, that's where. Fortunately, you can still access all your favorite porn sites in just a few simple steps. There's a quick and easy hack that can secure access to restricted content from any location or network. You don't need to be a skilled hacker. Anyone can follow this simple solution.

If you want to unblock porn sites like ePorner for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock ePorner for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process tricks porn sites into providing you with access even if there is a block in place over your network.

Unblock ePorner from anywhere in the world by following this simple process:

1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to ePorner

4. Connect to ePorner from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most leading services do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like ePorner without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it means you can temporarily unblock porn sites like ePorner and then recover your investment.

What is the best VPN for ePorner?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like ePorner, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries and all 50 U.S. states

• 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 streaming 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).

Unblock ePorner for free with ExpressVPN.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 16 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 2-3, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. 5-2, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 16 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. 6-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 16 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Located in the New England area

• Green: NBA Champions

• Blue: Blue

• Purple: Green

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Boston Teams

• Green: Last Four NBA Champions

• Blue: "Blue" Teams

• Purple: "Green" Teams and Players

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #600 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Boston Teams: BRUINS, PATRIOTS, RED SOX, REVOLUTION

• Last Four NBA Champions: CELITCS, NUGGETS, THUNDER, WARRIORS

• "Blue" Teams: BLUE DEVILS, BLUE JACKETS, BLUE JAYS, BLUES

• "Green" Teams and Players: DRAYMOND GREEN, GREEN BAY, GREEN WAVE, MEAN GREEN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

TL;DR: Watch Slovakia vs. Norway in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships have started with a number of all-action contests, and we're expecting more of the same through the weekend. One of the standout matches is Slovakia vs. Norway, with both teams doing everything they can to start this campaign with a positive result.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Slovakia vs. Norway?

Slovakia vs. Norway in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 6:20 a.m. ET on May 16. This fixture takes place at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.

How to watch Slovakia vs. Norway for free

Slovakia vs. Norway in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Slovakia vs. Norway plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 Slovakia vs. Norway in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A coffee preference.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

DECAF

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A mass.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TUMOR

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

Emotional.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

SAPPY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Murky water.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SWAMP

Final Hurdle hint

To long for.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

CRAVE

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

It's a new lunar phase tonight, and the end of the current lunar cycle. Keep reading to find out what this means.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, May 16, the Moon phase is New Moon. Tonight, 1% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

There isn’t enough light or visibility tonight to make out any features on the Moon’s surface.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, moving through eight distinct phases along the way. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the changing angle of sunlight as it orbits creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, the lunar cycle is made up of eight main phases:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a good ear.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Drinkware

• Green: To fool around

• Blue: Musical terms

• Purple: Now

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Glassware

• Green: Mess around (with)

• Blue: Music performance directions

• Purple: Ending in synonyms for "ASAP"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1070 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Glassware: COUPE, FLUTE, STEIN, TUMBLER

• Mess around (with): FIDDLE, MESS, PLAY, TINKER

• Music performance directions: ALLEGRO, FORTE, LARGO, PIANO

• Ending in synonyms for "ASAP": BASSOON, BELFAST, NESQUICK, THERMOSTAT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you have a sweet tooth.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Bon appétit!

The words are related to sweets.

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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe pastries.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is French Bakery.

NYT Strands word list for May 16

• French Bakery

• Macaron

• Meringue

• Croissant

• Eclair

• Mousse

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always on the go.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A belief.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

MOVER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

TL;DR: Pok Pok’s lifetime subscription is on sale for $59.99 (reg. $250) and offers Montessori-inspired educational games and activities for kids ages 2 to 8.

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Credit: Pok Pok

Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription

$59.99
$250 Save $190.01

 

Get Deal

Not all kids’ apps are created equal. Some are loud, flooded with ads, and designed to keep kids tapping endlessly. Pok Pok is different due to its calmer approach and even offers open-ended educational games inspired by Montessori principles.

You can get a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for $59.99, discounted from $250.

Designed for kids ages 2 to 8, Pok Pok is all about learning through play. There are no points, timers, pop-up ads, or “win/lose” mechanics. Instead, kids can freely explore activities focused on numbers, shapes, problem-solving, STEM, language, creativity, and cause-and-effect at their own pace. Child-led learning, where exploration, independence, and hands-on discovery are the focus, rather than competition or rigid instruction.

The app offers a growing collection of interactive digital toys and games with themes such as outer space, dinosaurs, puzzles, music, dress-up, islands, and more. Because everything is open-ended, kids can naturally experiment and discover.

One of the more distinctive parts of Pok Pok is its lower-stimulation design. The app uses soft hand-drawn visuals, gentle sound effects, and calming music to create a quieter experience that may feel less overwhelming than many traditional kids’ games. It also works offline and is COPPA-certified, meaning it follows privacy standards designed to protect children online.

Pok Pok was developed with early childhood experts and designed by parents who wanted healthier tech experiences for little ones. The interface is simple enough for most kids to use on their own, but parents are welcome to join in as well!

All of this makes Pok Pok a great pick for parents who want a more thoughtful screen-time option, whether it’s for travel, quiet time, rainy afternoons, or long car rides. It’s especially nice for younger kids who get overstimulated by fast-paced or overly competitive games.

If you’ve been searching for educational screen time that feels calmer and more creative, the lifetime subscription for Pok Pok is currently available for $59.99 (reg. $250).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Weeks after guru Mel Robbins received backlash for telling women to upload their banking statements to AI (specifically in an ad for Microsoft Copilot), OpenAI today announced a "personal finance experience" within ChatGPT.

The company is releasing a preview of the experience for Pro users in the United States, who can connect their financial accounts to the platform via the fintech software Plaid. Once their accounts are linked, ChatGPT can reason with actual monetary numbers and the user's shared priorities to help them spot patterns and plan for the future, OpenAI stated in its blog post introducing the product.

Users will be able to see a dashboard of their portfolio, spending, and upcoming payments. OpenAI's suggested use cases include financial goal planning, travel spend analysis, investment risk analysis, and subscription review.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

Credit: OpenAI

Pro users in the U.S. can start connecting their accounts today on a web browser or iOS, with support from thousands of financial institutions. OpenAI didn't list the institutions, but screenshots of the experience show American Express, Bank of America, Charles Schwab, and Robinhood as examples.

Integration with financial software company Intuit, which runs TurboTax, Credit Karma, and QuickBooks, is coming soon, OpenAI says.

In its announcement, OpenAI claims that 200 million people already use ChatGPT each month for budgeting, investment questions, and financial planning.

In this new financial mode, ChatGPT can't see full account numbers, but it can assess bank balances, transactions, and liabilities. Users can disconnect their financial accounts at any time, delete financial memories (used specifically for these conversations), or use temporary chats that won't appear in users' history.

How to get started with ChatGPT Finance

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Emoji-obsessed Android users, get ready for Noto 3D emojis to take over your text messages, posts, and more. 

This week, Google announced a design overhaul to the nearly 4,000 unique emojis, which will soon be available on Android devices running the yet-to-be-released Android 17. According to Google, the previous emoji designs "often fall flat" when trying to express emotions online.

So, Google has introduced the new Noto 3D, its new line of 3D emojis. 

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"From our beloved innocent blob emoji of the 2010s to Noto 3D, the new emoji collection we announced today, emoji are the universal language of our digital lives and they’ve never felt more alive," Google said in a post.

The company also previewed what some of the 3D emojis look like in a short video animation, offering a comparison to the 2D designs that they're replacing.

Use the slider in the image to compare the 2D and 3D versions of the emoji:

Left: The new 2D emoji designs for Android. Credit: Google

Right: The new 3D emoji designs. Credit: Google

The 3D emojis do have some pop to them, with more detail than the flat 2D designs that they are replacing.

According to Google, the new 3D emojis will first launch on Pixel phones later this year. Following the Pixel rollout, other Android devices will receive the 3D emoji update at a later date.

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Sony’s Project Ace robot has become the first to defeat an elite human table tennis player. Using nine cameras and real-time spin tracking, the system reacts with incredible speed and precision. Here’s how Sony is pushing robotics and AI-driven motion systems forward.

Alienware just dropped the cheapest OLED gaming monitor we’ve seen, but are the savings worth it? Here's our opinion of the 27 240Hz QD-OLED.

Certain Xfinity customers can now claim their portion of a $117.5 million class action lawsuit settled by communications giant Comcast.

Between Oct. 16 and Oct. 19, 2023, a third party accessed personally identifiable information for more than 35.8 million Xfinity customers, exposing usernames, passwords, contact information, and, in some instances, partial social security numbers. Multiple lawsuits against the company were consolidated into a class action case in 2024, alleging Comcast "failed to properly protect personal information" and had "inadequate data security" that led to the criminal cyberattack.

The company officially settled the lawsuit in April, and a final approval hearing is scheduled for July 7.

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Settlement email: Is it real?

Comcast notified Xfinity customers impacted by the breach via email on December 18, 2023. Anyone who received an email notification at that time is eligible to file a claim (which means not all Xfinity customers can claim the cash).

Affected customers may have received additional notification emails from Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, the court-approved claims administrator. These emails, referencing both reference KSA and the Hasson v. Comcast Cable Communications case, will include individual class member IDs necessary to submit claims on the official settlement page.

If you've received notice via email or mail, but are unsure if its legitimate, call the settlement customer service line at (833) 319-2401 to confirm your eligibility.

How to claim your money

Settlement members have until September 14 to submit a claim online or via mail.

Individuals can receive a $50 fixed payout or request reimbursement for any "documented out-of-pocket losses and lost time, the cost of Identity Defense Services and Restoration Services, and court-approved attorneys’ fees and expenses" up to $10,000, according to the settlement website.

Members have until July 1 to exclude themselves or object to the settlement.

Is Apple's partnership with OpenAI about to fall apart?

According to both Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman and a new report in the New York Times, AI giant OpenAI is currently considering suing Apple over the companies' agreement to integrate ChatGPT into some Apple Intelligence AI features.

Apple recently reached a $250 million settlement in a class action suit over its failure to deliver on its AI promises. (Apple hasn't admitted to any wrongdoing.) Now, OpenAI may serve Apple with a breach of contract notice, the Times reports.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

In 2024, OpenAI and Apple surprised the industry by partnering together on Apple's upcoming AI features known as Apple Intelligence. OpenAI's ChatGPT was expected to be prominently featured in Apple products, such as the iPhone and MacBook, powering Apple Intelligence. 

In addition, OpenAI appeared to be a key technology behind Apple's relaunch of its voice assistant Siri as an AI assistant. 

According to the reports, however, OpenAI is unhappy with how the now two-year-old partnership has panned out so far. The fallout appears to stem from how Apple integrated ChatGPT into its products.

OpenAI reportedly expected that the partnership would encourage Apple users to subscribe to ChatGPT. Instead, OpenAI found that ChatGPT is difficult for users to even find within Apple Intelligence. On top of that, in January, Apple confirmed that it had struck a deal with Google to use Gemini to power Apple Intelligence, including Apple's long-awaited AI relaunch of its voice assistant Siri.

All of these issues have led OpenAI to consider taking legal action against Apple, claiming breach of contract.

We'll see if OpenAI actually follows through with a suit against Apple, or if the company is trying to renegotiate its agreement.

The AI company is currently awaiting the jury's decision regarding its own future following a trial stemming from the lawsuit Elon Musk filed against ChatGPT creator Sam Altman.

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Google is testing out a change to Gmail that might make the service a little bit less useful for newcomers.

The company confirmed to Android Authority that it is testing a policy shift that would see new Gmail accounts get a mere 5GB of free cloud storage, down from the 15GB that's been guaranteed to Gmail accounts for years. This change wouldn't affect existing accounts that already have 15GB of free storage, but anyone who wants to make a new account would be limited, at least as long as they live in one of the regions where this is being tested.

According to Android Authority, the test is largely limited to African countries right now.

"We’re testing a new storage policy for new accounts created in select regions that will help us continue to provide a high-quality storage service to our users, while encouraging users to improve their account security and data recovery," Google said in a statement to Android Authority.

The good news is that there is a way around this. Users who want the free 15GB of storage can simply attach a phone number to their account, and the 5GB limit will be lifted. Obviously, there might be security concerns associated with doing such a thing, but a fix is a fix. And, as Google's statement said, attaching a phone number to an account can actually increase its security through two-factor authentication, among other reasons.

Of course, this is only a test, so it may not ever become a global policy. If you don't already have a Gmail account, now might be the time to make one. You can also change your Gmail username, another recent change to long-standing Google policy.

A lot of people took one look at the Spotify app on their phones this week and didn't like what they saw.

Spotify updated the app icon to give it a shiny, disco ball-like appearance. If you aren't prepared for it, it's a pretty jarring shift. See for yourself:

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If you're here, you're probably wondering why Spotify did that, and if it's going to be that way forever. For starters, no, it's not going to stay that way permanently. That's because Spotify did this to celebrate its 20th anniversary as a company (even though the app launched in 2008). This new icon is just a way to celebrate a huge milestone for the popular music streaming service. As a fun bonus, you can also see a bunch of cool data about your music streaming history in Spotify thanks to a Wrapped-like experience built into the app right now. If you want to know the first song you ever streamed, you can do that. Just prepare to cringe a little bit.

The change makes sense once you know all of that, but still, people online were not entirely happy about the jarring shift in aesthetic from Spotify.

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There's nothing to worry about, though. Just let the company celebrate itself for a little while.

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SAVE 27%: As of May 15, you can get the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 portable power station for $218.98 at Amazon, down from $299. That's a 27% discount.

Bluetti Elite 30 V2

$218.98 at Amazon
$299 Save $80.02

 

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Hurricane season is basically here, which means it's a good time to figure out a backup power plan before you're sitting in the dark.

Gas generators are loud, and buying a giant battery pack is hard to justify if you only need to keep a few small things running. If you just want something compact that won't cost a fortune, Amazon is running a Lightning Deal on the Bluetti Elite 30 V2. You just have to move fast, because the discount expires on May 15.

As of May 15, you can get the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 portable power station for $218.98 at Amazon, down from $299. That's a 27% discount or $80.02 savings. Over 1,000 people have picked one up in the last month, and it currently has a 4.5-star rating from more than 500 reviews.

It only weighs 9.4 pounds, so it's easy to toss in the car for a camping trip. You get a 288Wh capacity and 600W of continuous output, plus a Power Lifting Mode that can handle surges up to 1500W if you need to run a small kettle or toaster. If you're keeping it at home for emergencies, the 10ms UPS switch keeps more important items, like a CPAP machine or router, running even if the power cuts out.

Plus, you can plug it into a wall outlet and charge it from zero to 100 percent in just 70 minutes.

SAVE 11%: As of May 15, you can get the 55-inch LG Class OLED AI 4K B5 Series Smart TV for $799.99 at Amazon, down from $896.99. That's an 11% discount or $97 savings.

55-inch LG Class OLED AI 4K B5 Series Smart TV

$799.99 at Amazon
$896.99 Save $97

 

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Most decent OLED TVs will run you well over a thousand dollars, but you don't have to spend a grand to get a great screen. Amazon currently has a 55-inch LG marked down to $800 — and they're even throwing in a free month of Xbox Game Pass for new users.

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Right now, you can get the 55-inch LG Class OLED AI 4K B5 Series Smart TV for $799.99 at Amazon, down from $896.99. That's an 11% discount or $97 savings. More than 300 people have bought it in the last month alone, and it has a 4.6-star rating.

The screen uses more than 8.3 million self-lit pixels to give you true blacks and accurate colors, so everything looks crisp. It also has Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and Filmmaker Mode built in. Gamers will also appreciate the 120Hz refresh rate, 0.1ms response time, and four HDMI 2.1 inputs.

Summer is coming, which means booking flights and getting passports ready for travel. The ubiquitous gay hookup app, Grindr, just launched Season 3 of its show Host or Travel and revealed the top gay travel destinations of the year. Any guesses?

Host or Travel explored "gayborhoods" in cities like Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro in the past. This season, Grindr explores the likes of Sydney, Australia, Austin, Texas, and more, including the number one destination for gay travelers in 2026: Paris, according to new global Grindr data.

Grindr analyzed global in-app behavior to find where its users are going, chatting with, and connecting the most, and the French capital shot up to the top, according to a press release shared with Mashable. Rio de Janeiro, New York City, Bangkok, São Paulo, and Berlin are the other most-frequently visited cities among Grindr users.

"Grindr is the digital home for the community, and Host or Travel was created from the understanding that for gay travelers, finding your people in a new city isn't just a nice-to-have, it's crucial," Grindr's CMO, Tristan Pineiro, stated in the press release.

Pineiro said that the app built this series to celebrate how the gay community finds strength in numbers. Grindr users aren't just looking for dates, but they're using the app to curate adventures, find safe spaces, and experience the world through the eyes of locals.

And it's not just the aforementioned cities that are hot spots for gay visitors. Grindr found that use of its "Right Now" feature (aka who is free to meet...right now) is highest in Taiwan, the Philippines, Lima, Buenos Aires, and Medellín. Meanwhile, lots of late-night chats occur in Manila, Taipei, and Buenos Aires, while San Salvador, Colombo, and Kathmandu are most active in the early morning.

We'll be taking notes, especially as we plan our Pride Month travel.

TL;DR: Watch USA vs. Switzerland in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships starts with a number of exciting matchups, including USA vs. Switzerland. This competition doesn't carry the same weight as the Winter Olympics, but try telling that to hosts Switzerland. They'll be doing everything they can to upset the odds and secure an opening-round victory over favorites USA.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Switzerland?

USA vs. Switzerland in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 2:20 p.m. ET on May 15. This fixture takes place at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.

How to watch USA vs. Switzerland for free

USA vs. Switzerland in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream USA vs. Switzerland plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 USA vs. Switzerland in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Czechia vs. Denmark in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships begins with some interesting matchups, including the defending champions going up against Denmark. The pressure will be on Czechia to defend their crown against a long list of teams with hopes of winning this competition.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Czechia vs. Denmark?

Czechia vs. Denmark in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 2:20 p.m. ET on May 15. This fixture takes place at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.

How to watch Czechia vs. Denmark for free

Czechia vs. Denmark in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Czechia vs. Denmark plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 Czechia vs. Denmark in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE 44%: As of May 15, you can get the Craftsman Mechanics 105-piece tool set for $60.72, down from $109. That's a 44% discount or $48.28 savings.

Craftsman Mechanics 105-Piece Tool Set

$60.72 at Amazon
$109 Save $48.28

 

Get Deal at Amazon

Shopping for Father's Day (or for dads in general) is tough. My dad is a mechanic and a racecar driver, so tools aren't something I usually buy him. But if you're looking for a genuinely useful gift for a dad who doesn't already own every tool on the planet, this Craftsman 105-Piece Mechanics Tool Set is a pretty great option.

Right now, you can get it for $60.72, down from $109. That's a 44% discount or $48.28 savings. It's also the lowest price we've tracked for this kit.

It comes with a full assortment of sockets, ratchets, and specialty bits made from corrosion-resistant chrome vanadium steel. It also includes a low-profile 72-tooth ratchet that's 25 percent thinner, making it easier to fit into annoyingly tight spaces. Everything packs away neatly into a durable carrying case, and it even comes with a full lifetime warranty.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a dog lover.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: To maneuver

• Green: Basketballers

• Blue: Same letters

• Purple: Canine breeds

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Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Navigate through, as a river

• Green: Multi-time NBA MVPs

• Blue: Non-palindromic words in a famous palindrome

• Purple: Homophones of kinds of dogs, familiarly

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1069 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Navigate through, as a river: CROSS, FORD, TRAVERSE, WADE

• Multi-time NBA MVPs: BIRD, CURRY, JAMES, JORDAN

• Non-palindromic words in a famous palindrome: ABLE, ELBA, SAW, WAS

• Homophones of kinds of dogs, familiarly: CIAO, PALM, PEEK, PITT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're an animal lover.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Weaselly wascals

The words are related to animals.

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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe an animal family.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Mustelids.

NYT Strands word list for May 15

• Polecat

• Marten

• Otter

• Mustelids

• Wolverine

• Badger

• Ferret

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.