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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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 3, 2026

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 3, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 3 Pips

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

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 3 Pips

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this green space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 3 Pips

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

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Alcohol.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

BOOZE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To fasten.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 3, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CINCH

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Green ground covering.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 3 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 3, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GRASS

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Not black.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

WHITE

Final Hurdle hint

Outspoken.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

VOCAL

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

The Moon may look like it is, but it's not full anymore. In fact, it's a few days past it. It's still mostly lit up, however, so if you're hoping to catch a glimpse of some features on its surface, you're more than in luck.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Wednesday, June 3, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, 92% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Without any visual aids, tonight you'll be able to spot the Kepler Crater, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Mare Vaporum. If you have binoculars you'll also spot the Clavius Crater, Mare Humorum, and the Alphonsus Crater. If you have a telescope, set this up to see all this plus the Apollo 14 landing spot, Descartes Highlands, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are Moon phases?

NASA explains that the Moon completes one full orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, during which it moves through a sequence of eight phases. Even though the same side of the Moon always faces us, the amount of sunlight we can see changes as it travels along its path. This shifting light is what produces the lunar shapes, ranging from slim crescents to half-lit Moons and the bright Full Moon. All of these stages together make up the lunar cycle:

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.

UPDATE: Jun. 2, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EDT — Round 1 of the Mashable Big Guessing Game has ended. Check back for new questions in Round 2, which begins July 7.

Apple's big WWDC 2026 event is almost here, and rumors about iOS 27, Siri, and even the iPhone 18 have reached a fever pitch.

If you think you know what Apple will announce this year, now is your chance to test your knowledge. Mashable and the rest of the CNET Group websites (ZDNET, PCMag, CNET, and Lifehacker) are hosting a contest to see which of our readers can make the best Apple predictions for 2026.

Answer five questions in any of our three rounds of the contest to be entered to win the latest version of the Apple Watch announced in September. Every answer you guess correctly earns you one entry in a drawing for the grand prize — you only need to enter once to get a chance to win, but answering all three rounds of questions will improve your odds.

This first round of contest questions will run until 11:59 p.m. PT on June 2.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win the "CNET Group Big Guessing Game" Giveaway. Open to legal U.S. residents in the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+ yrs of age. Other restrictions apply. Begins May 19, 2026 at 12:01 pm ET and ends Sept. 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules: https://www.mashable.com/article/mashable-big-guessing-game-apple-edition-official-contest-rules/. Sponsor: Ziff Davis, LLC.

Apple is not a sponsor of, affiliated with, or endorser of this sweepstakes. Apple Watch is a trademark of Apple Inc.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a sweet tooth.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 3, 2026 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: Grains

• Green: Sweet treats

• Blue: Handheld foods

• Purple: Animated characters

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Kinds of rice

• Green: Gummy bear descriptors

• Blue: Savory stuffed pastries

• Purple: Disney princesses minus last letter

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 #1088 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Kinds of rice: BROWN, JASMINE, STICKY, SUSHI

• Gummy bear descriptors: COLORFUL, GUMMY, SUGARY, URSINE

• Savory stuffed pastries: EMPANADA, FATAYER, PASTY, SAMOSA

• Disney princesses minus last letter: ARIE, BELL, MOAN, RAY

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 3, 2026

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 NYT Strands hints are easy if you have a green thumb.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 3, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: By any other name...

The words are related to gardening.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe popular flowers.

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 Rose Garden.

NYT Strands word list for June 3

• Hedge

• Wold

• Briar

• Yellow

• Rose Garden

• Prairie

• Damask

• White

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to take it up a level.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 3, 2026 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 3, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A tick.

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 N.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...

NOTCH

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: Drop your Microsoft Visual Studio Pro monthly subscription and get it for life for $33. Sale ends June 7.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $32.97
$499.99 Save $467.02   Get Deal

Visual Studio Professional subscriptions through Microsoft’s standard licensing run hundreds every year, and that bill sticks with forever without ever offering you more. If you want a smarter way to work, you can now get a lifetime license for Visual Studio Pro 2026, and it’s even on sale for $32.97 (reg. $499.99).

Visual Studio Pro 2026 gives developers the tools to write code faster and catch problems earlier, with AI handling a lot of the work that used to slow things down. IntelliCode reads your codebase and completes entire lines or blocks based on patterns learned from your own code, not generic suggestions. AI-assisted refactoring cuts down on boilerplate and flags bugs before they compound. CodeLens surfaces recent changes, commit history, test results, and references directly in the editor, so you always know what’s happening in your codebase without jumping between windows.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

For teams, Live Share lets collaborators join a session, edit, and debug in real time without cloning the repo or setting up their own environment. Access controls and personalized settings keep things organized for code reviews, pair programming, or onboarding new developers.

The build capabilities cover .NET and C++ apps targeting Windows, Linux, and containers, with cross-platform mobile and desktop through .NET MAUI and responsive web UIs via Blazor. Hot reload applies code changes to running apps without restarting, which saves real time across a workday. Azure, GitHub, and other DevOps workflows integrate directly. The 64-bit architecture handles large solutions and complex workloads without the performance ceiling that held back earlier versions.

Instead of paying hundreds every year, get a Microsoft Visual Studio Pro 2026 lifetime license for only $32.97.

Offer ends June 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Life is usually all about compromise—less flavor for fewer calories, less fun for more practicality, that kind of trade-off. Cars are no different, especially if you’ve spent any time looking at sports cars versus something you can actually live with every day.

June is upon us, and with it, HBO Max has announced its June lineup, which includes some hugely anticipated new seasons of shows, the biggest of them being the third season of House of the Dragon (June 21) and season 9 of Rick and Morty (June 15). Things don't start heating up until a bit later in the month, but now would be a great time to delve into an older HBO show you maybe haven't given a shot yet.

If you’re fiber maxxing, dodging microplastics, and working out, but putting in the bare minimum on your oral health routine, you’re missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. 

A growing body of research shows that issues like gum disease may cause inflammation and send bacteria into the bloodstream, potentially contributing to more serious health issues down the line. In other words, dental hygiene is integral to whole body health. 

The good news is that optimizing your oral health at home is much easier than putting in reps at the gym. One of the simplest level-ups to your twice-daily brushing is the COSLUS E40 10-Speed Roll Control Oral Irrigator.

Opens in a new window Credit: COSLUS E40 10-Speed Roll Control Oral Irrigator $27.99 at COSLUS
A comfortable, effective way to improve your oral hygiene Shop Now

Here’s why. 

Remove debris and reduce plaque comfortably and easily

A big reason so many of us skip flossing is that it’s uncomfortable and can be a challenge to reach all of those cracks and crevices as thoroughly as we should.

The COSLUS E40 10-Speed Roll Control Oral Irrigator is gentle, easy to use, and incredibly effective. Just like at the dentist, it uses pressurized and pulsing water to wash away plaque and debris from hard-to-reach places, including periodontal pockets and below the gum line. 

Simply add water, insert a tip, set your pressure and mode, and direct it at a 90-degree angle to the gumline. In as little as 60 seconds, you’ll have a complete, dentist-worthy clean. 

One tool for every stage of your oral health journey 

Braces, crowns, implants, sensitivity… our teeth change over the years, and the last thing you want to do is overhaul your oral health routine every time it happens. 

With two adjustable modes (Floss and Soft Clean) each offering 10 pressure settings, COSLUS E40 has options for every age and stage. Softer water pressure is ideal for children and people experiencing periodontitis or sensitivity. Mid-range pressure is appropriate for daily cleaning, while higher pressure can be used for occasional deep cleaning or for people with orthodontic or dental implant needs.  

Clean every corner of your mouth

Your teeth are just part of the picture. Avoiding plaque buildup and gum inflammation requires thoroughly cleaning your gums, tongue, and any orthodontic appliances you may use. 

The COSLUS E40 10-Speed Roll Control Oral Irrigator comes with four jet tips: a standard tip for daily use, a periodontal tip for gentle care, an orthodontic tip for braces and bridges, and a tongue cleaner. 

With tip options and adjustable pressure settings, you can safely get a full-mouth clean from the comfort of your home.

The COSLUS E40 10-Speed Roll Control Oral Irrigator is available for $27.99.

Microsoft is so keen to help you deploy AI agents, it's building its own version of OpenClaw — and a new agentic OS based on Android rather than Windows.

CEO Satya Nadella doubled down on AI agents and tools during his keynote at the company's annual Microsoft Build conference for developers on Tuesday. That included a first look at Project Soltera, an Android-based software platform which Microsoft calls "a chip-to-cloud platform designed for an open, multiple agent world that expands how agents are built, deployed and experienced."

You can watch the Microsoft Build 2026 keynote for yourself, or we can give you the highlights.

The MAI family of models

Nadella unveiled Microsoft's first reasoning AI model, the first in a new suite of MAI models. This is the tech giant attempting to reduce its reliance on models from its longtime partner OpenAI. In fact, this Build has been described by some observers as Microsoft's AI independence day.

MAI-Thinking-1 is a mid-sized, 35-billion-parameter model with a 128,000-context window, and Microsoft was keen to emphasize its low token cost compared to similar models. "MAI-Thinking-1 was designed to be good at complex multi-step instructions, long context reasoning, and code generation," said Kyle Daigle, Microsoft Developer CMO and COO of GitHub, at a virtual media briefing ahead of the keynote.

The other models include:

• MAI-Image-2.5 and a Flash variant

• MAI-Transcribe-1.5

• MAI-Voice-2 and a Flash variant

• MAI-Code-1

The new MAI models will be available in Microsoft Foundry and various other Microsoft products, such as PowerPoint and OneDrive.

Project Soltera

Project Soltera is the Android-based OS for running multiple agents in a secure environment.

What will that mean in practice? Nadella unveiled two concept devices — a wearable badge device using Qualcomm silicon that helps users stay connected to agents when they're away from their laptops, and a "desk device" for managing agents that will help you "think, plan, and get things done without breaking flow."

That's a rather hopeful long-term mission, given that Microsoft's current main AI chatbot, Copilot, was intended for entertainment purposes only, until recently.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft TOS: Copilot is for 'entertainment purposes only,' not 'important advice' Autopilots and Microsoft Scout

We got a laundry list of products led by Microsoft Scout, the company's agent built atop the popular OpenClaw. It's meant to be a new "always on" AI assistant connected to the Microsoft suite of apps like Outlook and Teams. Think Copilot, but a more powerful version that can work across apps.

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The company said Microsoft Scout will be the first of a new type of customizable AI agents from Microsoft called Autopilots.

At Microsoft Build, the company clearly wanted to position its tools as a more secure way for companies to utilize AI agents. OpenClaw, for instance, has notorious cybersecurity drawbacks.

“Agents can execute multi-step workflows locally while running inside an operating system-enforced boundary rather than unmanaged user sessions,” said Kyle Daigle, Microsoft Developer CMO, at a media briefing ahead of the keynote. “This reduces risk when agents execute code, access files, or interact with networks on the device.”

Nvidia and the Microsoft Surface Ultra

As Nadella pulled away from OpenAI, he embraced Nvidia — whose CEO Jensen Huang appeared, virtually, to help launch the Microsoft Surface Ultra. The new AI laptop is aimed at developers, designed for agents, and powered by Nvidia RTX Spark, a new PC chip. Nadella also teased a forthcoming quantum chip, the Majorana 2, with the aim of making a working quantum computer by 2029.

"This is never about tech for tech's sake," Nadella said.

As Nadella was speaking, President Trump signed a new executive order seeking to regulate AI models. It was the latest sign of a vibe shift in the AI world, coming hot on the heels of a growing backlash against indiscriminate AI "tokenmaxxing", and a feverish hunt for any ROI in AI.

A Galaxy Watch is a lot easier (and cheaper) to upgrade than a Galaxy phone, which means you may have one or two lying around if you’ve been in the ecosystem for a while. Thankfully, these old smartwatches don’t have to be useless pucks in a box. Let’s get creative.

The Subaru Outback used to occupy a unique space in the market, blending wagon practicality with SUV capability in a package that felt refreshingly different from the sea of crossovers around it. With the latest redesign pushing it further toward a traditional SUV shape, some longtime fans have been left wondering where that distinctive wagon-like character went. Ironically, the answer may have arrived wearing a different badge.

AVAILABLE NOW: The Hisense UR8 RGB Mini-LED 4K TV lineup is live at Best Buy as of June 2. Prices start at $1,299.99 for the 55-inch model and run up to $4,999 for the 100-inch model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense UR8 RGB Mini-LED TV 55 through 100 inches, starting at $1,199.99 Shop Now

After months of speculation about a release date, the Hisense UR8 RGB TV is finally here and available at Best Buy.

There's been a lot of movement in Hisense's RGB sector in the past few weeks. First, news broke that Hisense quietly slashed prices of its flagship UR9 RGB TV by nearly 40 percent just weeks after launch — presumably because the UR9 line was way too expensive compared to the rest of the RGB market.

The day before the June 2 announcement, a post to the r/Hisense subreddit had users wondering when the UR8 was coming. It's been quite the highly awaited budget model, considering the RGB prices we've seen on the LG Micro RGB Evo, Sony Bravia II 7 and Bravia II 9 True RGB TVs, and Samsung's flagship R95H Micro RGB TV.

The Hisense UR8 comes in sizes 55 through 100 inches. Here's a closer look at the price breakdown:

• Hisense 55-inch UR8 Mini-LED 4K TV — $1,299.99

• Hisense 65-inch UR8 Mini-LED 4K TV — $1,799.99

• Hisense 75-inch UR8 Mini-LED 4K TV — $2,199.99

• Hisense 85-inch UR8 Mini-LED 4K TV — $3,199.99

• Hisense 100-inch UR8 Mini-LED 4K TV — $4,999.99

For reference, each size of the Hisense UR8 is around 20 percent cheaper than the next-most-affordable RGB TV, the Samsung R85H.

SEE ALSO: Comparing the best art TVs: How to decide between The Frame and its growing list of competitors

Compared to the UR9, the UR8 is still a premium mini-LED TV that should dazzle in both dark and well-lit rooms. It's the most affordable path so far to the new technology that utilizes pure red, green, and blue LEDs for enhanced color vibrancy and more robust coverage of the color spectrum altogether. Because each LED is individually controlled like OLED bulbs are, RGB TVs offer seriously precise lighting that's less susceptible to blooming.

According to Hisense, the UR8 can reach an impressive peak brightness of 3,500 nits and will soon support Dolby Vision 2. The 180Hz refresh rate and panel of four HDMI ports lob the UR8 into the conversation about the best budget gaming TVs. The UR8 is also the only of Hisense's two RGB options that comes as small as 55 inches.

With an AI arms race already well underway, President Trump finally took a small step toward governmental AI oversight by signing a new executive order.

Trump's order, entitled "Promoting advanced artificial intelligence innovation and security," first boasts of his administration's ability to cut red tape on AI advances, while also acknowledging the national security considerations that artificial intelligence raises. The order calls for administration leaders like the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to, among other things, "design a voluntary framework with AI developers through which developers would be able to" submit new models to the government for a period up to 30 days to ensure their safety.

The order tasks the Secretary of the Treasury with forming "an AI cybersecurity clearinghouse, in voluntary collaboration with the AI industry and operators of critical infrastructure," in the next 30 days.

SEE ALSO: Trump Administration set to announce executive order targeting "woke AI" chatbots, report says

At the beginning of his second term, Trump wanted nearly no limits on AI, hoping it would bolster the stock market and serve as a leg up on China, which is also investing heavily in AI. Trump signed an executive order in December that banned states from enacting AI regulations.

With AI-related safety and military concerns growing, Trump considered signing an AI executive order last month. That was partly scrapped, according to the New York Times, over dissent from David Sacks, Trump's former AI czar and current co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Sacks wanted the timeline for the governmental clearinghouse cut from 90 days to 30; when that change was made, Sacks gave the revised order his blessing, the Times reports.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was also instrumental in the new executive order.

Hegseth has pushed for the military to use the latest AI technology, but has encountered resistance from Anthropic, which cited concerns about its use in drones and domestic surveillance. In response, Hegseth designated the company behind Claude a "a supply-chain risk to national security." Anthropic sued to reverse that designation.

This story is developing...

The Florida attorney general filed suit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, on Monday, making Florida the first state to take legal action against the company over alleged real-world harms caused by ChatGPT.

The complaint, filed in Highlands County Circuit Court, accuses the company of deceiving consumers about the chatbot's safety while knowingly deploying a product its own researchers had flagged as dangerous.

SEE ALSO: Using ChatGPT Health? Read this first.

The suit is the latest — and most consequential — escalation in a mounting legal campaign against OpenAI that has until now been waged entirely by private plaintiffs. It comes as the company faces ongoing litigation from families who allege ChatGPT contributed to the deaths of their children, and as separate lawsuits have alleged the chatbot played a role in at least two mass shootings.

According to the Florida filing, OpenAI ran advertising campaigns targeting families — including promotions specifically aimed at teen users — while internal researchers were raising alarms about the chatbot's propensity to provide dangerous advice, encourage self-harm, and foster behavioral addiction.

The complaint describes a series of deaths the state attributes in part to ChatGPT's conduct: a Texas teenager who died after the chatbot advised him on a drug combination; a 16-year-old in Florida whose suicide the complaint alleges was actively aided by the chatbot; two people killed in the 2025 Florida State University shooting, which the filing says was planned in part through conversations with ChatGPT. (The state launched an investigation in April over OpenAI's alleged role in this shooting.)

Altman and OpenAI have vigorously denied any wrongdoing on the company's part in these past cases, and they're still ongoing. Mashable reached out to OpenAI for comment on the lawsuit, but did not receive a response by press time.

The suit names five OpenAI corporate entities alongside Altman personally, alleging he directed safety decisions and, according to the complaint, personally overruled internal staff to accelerate a model release without completing required safety reviews. Florida's complaint seeks injunctive relief — court orders that could require OpenAI to alter how ChatGPT operates — in addition to civil penalties and damages.

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.

I love Claude, but it can be incredibly frustrating to use. I constantly found myself having to type the same prompts over and over again to force Claude to do what I wanted. The solution was simple but now Claude is removing the feature it relies on.

Microsoft used its Build 2026 developer conference on Tuesday to announce a new family of in-house AI models, alongside a slew of other news. The announcements, delivered during CEO Satya Nadella's conference keynote, span the company's full product stack, from silicon to operating system to cloud infrastructure. Besides the new AI models, highlights include Microsoft Scout, a new personal agent for workplace tasks, and an upcoming Microsoft Surface Ultra laptop designed to run large AI workloads locally.

The centerpiece of this new family is MAI-Thinking-1, Microsoft's first reasoning model. It's a mid-sized, 35 billion active parameter model with a 128K context window built for high efficiency and performance, but importantly, at a low-token cost. "MAI-Thinking-1 was designed to be good at complex multi-step instructions, long context reasoning, and code generation," said Kyle Daigle, Microsoft Developer CMO and COO of GitHub, at a virtual media briefing ahead of the keynote.

According to Daigle, MAI-Thinking-1 was built from scratch on commercially licensed data. The company says independent evaluators preferred it over Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 4.6, and that it matches Claude Opus 4.6 on the SWE Bench Pro coding benchmark. Six additional MAI models were announced, covering image generation, transcription, voice, and code:

The new models are:

• MAI-Thinking-1

• MAI-Image-2.5 and a Flash variant

• MAI-Transcribe-1.5

• MAI-Voice-2 and a Flash variant

• MAI-Code-1

How can you try the new MAI models?

Per Microsoft, MAI-Thinking-1 is available in Microsoft Foundry as a private preview. The MAI-Image-2.5 models are already live in PowerPoint and OneDrive, and will be arriving soon in Foundry. MAI-Code 1 is available now in Copilot and VS Code.

Microsoft said that MAI-Transcribe-1.5 will be available soon in 43 languages, while MAI-Voice-2 and a Flash variant are already available in 15 additional languages with multiple voice options.

Eventually, all of the models will be available in Foundry and a new dedicated environment, dubbed MAI Playground.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Ultra is a portable AI supercomputer powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark chip What else was announced at Microsoft Build?

Also announced was Microsoft Scout, a proactive personal agent that handles scheduling, meeting prep, and routine tasks through Teams and Outlook without waiting for user input. It begins rolling out to Frontier customers today.

On hardware, the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box — powered by NVIDIA's RTX Spark chip — delivers up to one petaflop of AI compute and 128 gigabytes of unified memory, with the stated ability to run models up to 120 billion parameters locally. It ships later this year in the US.

Rounding out the announcements: Microsoft Discovery, the company's scientific research platform, is now generally available; and Windows is being repositioned as an agent-native runtime through a new sandboxing system called Microsoft Execution Containers, now in preview.

Microsoft delivered major AI announcements this year at its annual developer conference, Microsoft Build.

One of the biggest AI announcements from today's event is arguably Microsoft Scout, a brand new personal AI agent from the company. Microsoft Scout is the first in a new category of AI agents that Microsoft is calling Autopilots, "always-on agents that work autonomously, with their own identity, and act on your behalf."

"As models become more capable and more available, the differentiator for any organization is no longer access to intelligence, but ownership," Microsoft said in a statement. "How does your expertise, data and way of working become a system that continuously learns and drives better outcomes? The goal is an ecosystem that gives companies their own agency, not one that funnels value back to a consultant or the model maker."

"Your agents should reflect how you think and operate, from your business logic and institutional knowledge, down to your workflows," the company continued.

That's where Microsoft Scout comes in.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft launches new MAI family of AI models for reasoning, voice, coding, and images Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Scout is a new "always-on" personal autonomous agent for work. Microsoft says the AI agent will "understand how you work, use the tools you already live in, like Teams and Outlook, and proactively handle things like meeting prep, scheduling conflicts, and routine tasks without asking."

According to Microsoft, the new agent is built on OpenClaw and WorkIQ. OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent that took the industry by storm late last year. Earlier this year, in February, OpenAI acquired OpenClaw and hired its founder. According to Microsoft, WorkIQ is "the core AI intelligence layer behind Microsoft 365 Copilot."

During the Microsoft Build 2026 keynote, Microsoft positioned its tools as a safer way to run AI agents.

“Agents can execute multi-step workflows locally while running inside an operating system-enforced boundary rather than unmanaged user sessions,” said Microsoft Developer CMO Kyle Daigle. “This reduces risk when agents execute code, access files, or interact with networks on the device.”

At a media briefing ahead of Microsoft Build, the company also outlined new Microsoft execution containers designed to run agents securely.

“Microsoft is making Windows an agent-native runtime, and that starts with the new Microsoft execution containers," Daigle said. "These will be in preview, and it gives developers and IT administrators a single way to create those enterprise-grade sandbox environments for agents with containment that's enforced by the operating system itself. So you can describe your requirements once, and Windows enforces them everywhere your agents run.”

How to try Microsoft Scout

Microsoft Scout is available now for Frontier customers.

Frontier is Microsoft's platform that provides early access to its latest AI products in Microsoft 365. The company says that any Microsoft 365 subscriber has access to Frontier. Microsoft says it will have more to share about Scout as well as a broader rollout soon.

You can learn more about Autopilots and Microsoft Scout at the Microsoft website.