Blogroll

Everything feels expensive right now, and affordability is pretty much front and center for most people. Even so, the appeal of driving something nicer hasn’t really gone away.

While the primary job of a cordless drill is to create holes or drive screws, this garage staple has a lot more to offer. A powered drill is essentially just a high-torque motor that spins things. With the right attachments, it becomes one of the most versatile tools in your arsenal.

Technology that's meant to simplify our lives can lead us to give up all privacy at home. Most smart speakers rely on the cloud, where every whispered command to a voice assistant is sent to remote servers for analysis and training, turning your house into a data collection point.

Shopping for a new three-row family SUV with a $40,000 budget usually means choosing between practicality and premium comfort. Most new options in that price range focus on value first, offering solid space and features but rarely delivering a truly upscale experience. The used market, however, opens the door to something far more special.

Obsidian Sync is the official Obsidian service that lets you sync your Obsidian notes between devices. However, it's a monthly subscription that costs $5 or $10 a month, depending on the feature tier you pick. Now there are workarounds that let you sync Obsidian notes between devices, but they're either too complicated to set up or have too many moving parts prone to failure, or both. I'd like to show you a free Obsidian sync system which is just as convenient and robust as Obsidian Sync, while giving you more control and features.

Google Keep is a great tool for jotting down notes and thoughts in the moment. Like any note-taking app, it’s easy to create a new note and fill it with text, voice recordings, or photos.

For nighttime Kindle users, or maybe those who just have their phone set to dark mode at all times, a long-awaited feature is coming to Kindle Colorsoft e-readers. Available in the coming weeks, dark mode is coming to Colorsoft devices. This includes the Kindle Colorsoft, Colorsoft Signature Edition, and Scribe Colorsoft.

Dark mode will be available on the Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Scribe. Credit: Amazon

Dark mode will be customizable, too. For example, you can set your home screen, library, and settings in dark mode but keep your notebooks in light mode. Once dark mode comes to your device, it will be available on the Quick Actions screen of your Kindle.

In addition to dark mode, Amazon is already rolling out Smart Shapes within notebooks on Kindle Scribes. Smart Shapes brings structured lines and shapes to your drawings on a Kindle Scribe. It also means that when you draw freehand, your drawings will snap to create straight lines.

Smart Shapes is coming to Kindle Scribe e-readers. It turns your free hand drawings into precise, straight lines. Credit: Amazon

Both features will be available to users worldwide. Amazon did not provide a date for the rollout, instead saying that these features will be "rolled out in the coming weeks." The update requires the latest software update, which can be found here. If you're the owner of one of the Kindles that Amazon is bricking in May 2026, now could be a good time to upgrade.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Colorsoft $189.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $60   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft $629.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now

3D printing strong objects can be easier said than done. For everyday items, you usually don’t have to worry about this. But for prints that need to take a beating, remain strong when bearing weight, or weather the elements, it can pose an issue.

Every time you search for ways to fix your Wi-Fi, some tech blog or forum post pops up insisting you must flip a dozen switches in your router's admin panel. Some of that advice is solid. A lot of it is outdated, overblown, or just plain wrong for a typical home network.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you do all the washing.

Connections is one of the most popular New York Times word games that has 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.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 28, 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: Petition

• Green: Wash day

• Blue: Volumes

• Purple: Solar

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Entreaty

• Green: Laundry day verbs

• Blue: Things that come in "Books"

• Purple: Sun___

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 #1052 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Entreaty: APPEAL, BID, CALL, REQUEST

• Laundry day verbs: DRY, FOLD, SORT, WASH

• Things that come in "Books": CHECK, COUPON, MATCH, STAMP

• Sun___: DIAL, FLOWER, SCREEN, TAN

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 April 28, 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.

Fun-to-drive cars are often assumed to come with a penalty at the pump, but performance and efficiency no longer have to be opposites. In 2026, several sporty models prove you can enjoy sharp handling, strong acceleration, and genuine driver engagement without watching your fuel budget disappear every week.

TL;DR: Amazon has the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 gaming laptop on sale for $899.99, down from its $1,299.99 list price. That saves you $400 on a 2025 gaming laptop with an Intel Core i5-13450HX processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 graphics, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 165Hz FHD+ display.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming F16 (2025) Gaming Laptop $899.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $400   Get Deal

Finding a current-gen gaming laptop in today’s economy for under $1,000 is already amazing, but Amazon’s latest ASUS deal is offering you an all-time low bargain. 

As of April 28, the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 gaming laptop is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon, marked down from $1,299.99. Price tracker camelcamelcamel has confirmed that this is the lowest-ever price for this gaming laptop. 

For that price, you’re getting the RTX 5050 and Intel Core i5 version of the TUF Gaming F16, which is built around an Intel Core i5-13450HX processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Laptop GPU. It also comes with 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD, so it should be nicely suited for jumping between games, school work, everyday browsing, and plenty of tabs without causing your sessions to come to a sudden crash.

With those sorts of specs, this version of the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 lets you comfortably run games from the latest graphically demanding titles — including Crimson Desert, Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and Pragmata. 

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!

The 16-inch FHD+ display is a big part of the appeal, with ASUS’s fitted 165Hz 16:10 panel with 100% sRGB color giving you extra vertical space compared to a standard 16:9 screen while keeping motion smoother in fast-paced games like Fortnite and Counter-Strike 2. The handy Adaptive-Sync also helps cut down on stuttering and screen tearing when your frame rate starts shifting during intense firefights or brawls with lots of assets moving around at the same time. 

The TUF Gaming F16 keeps the series’ usual more rugged angle, as well. ASUS has had the laptop tested to MIL-STD-810H standards, while its 2nd Gen Arc Flow Fans, full-width heatsink, and full-width vent are designed to help keep performance steady without making the machine unnecessarily loud. 

If you’re after a laptop that’s more for work than gaming, Samsung's ultra-sleek Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 just got a $450 price cut.

SAVE $20: As of April 28, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is discounted to $39.99 at Amazon. This is $20 off its list price of $59.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20   Get Deal

Those who love to stream have plenty to watch right now, whether it's season five of The Boys or the third season of Euphoria. If you're itching to catch up, it's worth investing in your streaming setup. And the Fire TV Stick 4K Max can help you get there. It's even on sale right now at Amazon, so what better time to grab it?

As of April 28, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $39.99 at Amazon, which is a $20 discount on its list price of $59.99. It's also not too far away from its lowest-ever price of $32.99.

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!

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is sure to make your favorite shows and movies shine thanks to its 4K Ultra HD picture quality capabilities. This is further elevated by its support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, which will really make images on screen look colorful and crisp. Dolby Atmos audio helps you feel totally immersed in the movie's sounds, as if they're coming from all around you.

Alongside the high picture quality, your streams will run smoothly thanks to Wi-Fi 6E support. And on top of all that, it also comes with the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which means you can show off your favorite art or photos on your TV when you're not watching something.

If you've had the Fire TV Stick 4K Max in mind for your TV setup, now is a great time to grab it and save at Amazon.

I've had Roku devices in my house for years, going all the way back to when it was just a little box sitting next to the TV. At this point, I've got several Roku TVs and a few sticks spread across different rooms, and for the most part, I've always used them the same way. Open an app, pick something to watch, and move on. It works, so I never really thought much about what else was there.

The White House Correspondents' Dinner was abruptly canceled this weekend after an armed man tried to breach security, leading to chaotic scenes as various members of the Trump administration were evacuated.

"This is why we can't have nice things," says Jon Stewart in the Daily Show clip above. "And to be perfectly frank, it's not even a nice thing. Nobody wanted this f***ing dinner in the first...nobody needed...we're so f***ed in this country right now we can't even pull off a dinner that shouldn't have even existed in the first place. Hey, let's celebrate the first amendment with an administration that's doing everything it can do to destroy it."

The host goes on to break down the chaotic scenes shot by shot, focusing in on a clip of RFK Jr.'s wife Cheryl Hines being left behind after her husband was bundled out by security, and contrasting it with a clip of Stephen Miller shielding his own wife.

"See RFK? Turned out that's an option. You can protect your wife instead of, I don't know, beating her to the escape pod. And the guy who outshined you is Stephen f***ing Miller," says Stewart. "And now for the rest of your life, your wife is going to ask you the question nobody has ever asked before, ever: 'Why can't you be more like Stephen Miller?'"

We're approaching the first of two Full Moons in May, so that means the Moon is looking particularly bright in the sky right now. For keen moon gazers, this means there is plenty of exciting features keep an eye out for. But what exactly can you see? Keep reading to find out.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, April 28, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Tonight, 89% of the moon will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Without any visual aids, tonight you should be able to see the Mares Vaproum, Tranquillitatis, and Fecunditatis. With binoculars, you'll see the Mares Frigoris and Nectaris, and Apennine Mountains should also come into view. And, finally, with a telescope you'll see all this plus the Apollo 15 landing spot, Rima Hyginus, and the Fra Mauro Highlands.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to circle Earth once, going through eight distinct phases in the process. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the amount of sunlight hitting it changes as it moves in its orbit. The shifting light creates the changing shapes we know as full, half, and crescent Moons. Altogether, there are eight main lunar 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.

May is an extra special month for astronomy fans, because there isn't just one Full Moon, there's two. The first is the Flower Moon, named for the time of year when little signs of Spring start to appear. At the end of the month, we’ll see a Blue Moon. This doesn't have anything to do with its color, but simply the name given to a second Full Moon within the same calendar month.

Keep reading to find out more about this month’s Full Moon.

When is the May full moon?

The full moon will occur on Friday, May 1. Time and Date estimates it will peak at 1:23 p.m. ET.

What is the May full moon called?

One of the most beautiful parts of Spring is the return of flowers blooming. Daffodils are in full swing and wildflowers start to reappear, and summer starts to feel closer. This very experience is why the May full moon is called the Flower Moon, explains Royal Museums Greenwich.

When is the next full moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the second one arriving on May 30 in North America. Depending on your time zone, though, it may actually peak on May 31 where you are.

What are the lunar phases?

The Full Moon is one of eight stages the Moon moves through during its roughly 29.5-day orbit around Earth. At each stage, a different portion of its surface is illuminated by the Sun from our viewpoint on Earth. Although we always face the same side of the Moon, the shifting position of sunlight across its orbit is what creates the changing appearance, from fully lit, to partially bright, to almost dark as the cycle progresses.

The phases are:

• New Moon — The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (so, we don't see anything).

• Waxing Crescent — A small sliver of light appears on the right side

• 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

• 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.

Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter today.

Taylor Swift has reportedly filed to trademark her voice and image, in a move that could give her legal standing against AI deepfakes.

According to Reuters, the pop superstar submitted applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday, for two audio files — "Hey, it’s Taylor Swift," and "Hey, it’s Taylor" — and an image of Swift onstage. The trademark owner is reportedly listed as Swift's TAS ​Rights Management. Hollywood star Matthew McConoughey made a similar move in January.

SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated videos online

It's a landmark moment of potential empowerment for Swift, who has been plagued with AI-generated deepfake videos and images over the last few years. In Jan. 2024, sexualised AI-generated images of Swift went viral on X, prompting hundreds of millions of views and fan outrage. In Aug. 2025, unauthorised chatbots on Meta impersonated Swift and other celebrities making sexual advances.

The filing could also have political repercussions. In Aug. 2024, Donald Trump posted a deepfake on social media falsely suggesting that Swift and her fans backed the Republican presidential nominee.

Featured Video For You Is U.S. TikTok censoring its users?

Nonconsensual AI-generated images have become a colossal problem — and for Elon Musk's X, in particular, with the platform's AI tool Grok being used to create a wave of sexualised and violent deepfakes — including those of children. In early 2026, X finally offered more protections against these deepfakes. However, several investigations were launched globally including in the UK, Europe, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India, suspecting criminal offences.

As of April 2026, X is still under investigation in France for (per the BBC) "complicity in possession or organised distribution of child sexual abuse material, infringement of people's image rights with sexual deepfakes and suspected fraudulent data extraction by an organised group." Musk's xAI is also facing a lawsuit from teens in California for the creation of sexually explicit images.

Swift has not taken legal action against X for deepfakes to date.

In general, we're moving into unchartered waters with real humans trademarking their own likeness to protect themselves against AI clones and deepfakes — and it's getting awkward in Hollywood.

Nothing kills a finely tuned Excel workbook faster than someone wondering whether the data is up to date. Instead of manually typing dates, you can make Power Query do the heavy lifting.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Sleeved Booster Pack up for preorder at $17.45 with free delivery, although TCGplayer has the same sleeved booster starting at $10.92 shipped.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Sleeved Booster Pack $17.45 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

Amazon has finally joined the Chaos Rising preorder rush with single-sleeved booster packs for the new Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution expansion, but collectors should be aware that they’re cheaper elsewhere.

As of April 28, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Sleeved Booster Pack listed at $17.45 with free delivery. The listing is shipped and sold by Kings Games, with delivery currently shown for May 27-28. There is also another seller option on Amazon from Collectors Expedition at $11.48 plus $5.96 delivery, which works out to $17.44. 

If you prefer to order through Amazon, this falls in line with what’s currently being charged for single Ascended Heroes Booster Packs. However, Pokémon fans can get cheaper Chaos Rising Booster Packs at TCGplayer — with unopened presale listings for the Sleeved Booster Pack starting at $10.92 with shipping included. That means Amazon’s $17.45 price is $6.53 more per sleeved booster pack before taxes.

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!

If you’re a trading card lover who prefers buying standard boosters over the sleeved variety, TCGplayer has those starting from $12.36. 

Each Chaos Rising Booster Pack will give you the exact same contents — sleeved or not: 10 random cards from the upcoming Mega Evolution expansion. As for the expansion as a whole, Chaos Rising is continuing the same new Mega Evolution direction we’ve seen from Perfect Order and Ascended Heroes, with Mega Greninja ex, Mega Pyroar ex, Mega Floette ex, and Mega Dragalge ex all appearing among its total of 120+ cards. 

If you want to spend less per pack in exchange for a big investment, you can preorder the 36-pack Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising Booster Display Box for as little as $238.99. If you’re behind on the Mega Evolution set, you can grab 36 packs of Perfect Order for even less at Amazon.