IT General

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.

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

To blossom.

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

BLOOM

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Clueless.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 19, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

NAIVE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Shelf.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 19 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 19, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

LEDGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Spindle.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DOWEL

Final Hurdle hint

Worm.

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

LARVA

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

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

Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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 for 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 February 19, 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 February 19, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 19 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 19 Pips

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

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 19 Pips

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this green space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 2-2, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easier if you're a Duke fan.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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. 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: Up top

• Green: Track condition indicators

• Blue: Cities

• Purple: Famous Blue Devils

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Upper-Body Wear

• Green: Flags in NASCAR

• Blue: Last Words in Two-Word NFL Team Locations

• Purple: Duke Players Drafted No. 1 in NBA

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 #514 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Upper-Body Wear - JERSEY, PINNIE, SWEATER, TEE

• Flags in NASCAR - CHECKERED, GREEN, RED, YELLOW

• Last Words in Two-Word NFL Team Locations - BAY, CITY, ENGLAND, FRANCISCO

• Duke Players Drafted No. 1 in NBA - BANCHERO, BRAND, FLAGG, IRVING

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a good cook.

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.

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 February 19, 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: Resurrection

• Green: Warm and cozy

• Blue: '70s film

• Purple: Chef terms

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Easter supplies

• Green: Fireplace accessories

• Blue: Elements of "Saturday Night Fever"

• Purple: Homophones of ways to cook something

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 #984 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Easter supplies: BASKET, DYE, EGGS, PEEPS

• Fireplace accessories: BELLOWS, POKER, SHOVEL, TONGS

• Elements of "Saturday Night Fever": DISCO, JOHN TRAVOLTA, PLATFORM SHOES, POLYESTER SUIT

• Homophones of ways to cook something: BOYLE, BRAYS, SEER, STU

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 February 19, 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're an overthinker.

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 February 19, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 19, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Here's a thought

The words are related to thinking.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe Aha moments.

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 Eureka.

NYT Strands word list for February 19

• Idea

• Hypothesis

• Concept

• Eureka

• Postulate

• Theory

• Notion

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're uplifting.

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 February 19, 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 February 19, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To lift.

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 H.

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...

HOIST

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.

Mark Zuckerberg appeared before a jury today to defend Meta against claims that its social media platforms are dangerously designed to get kids hooked on their sites.

The CEO told the court that Meta has taken action to reduce the prevalence of underage users on Instagram, reported NBC, and has adjusted internal goals to increase a user's time on the site. Zuckerberg also accused the plaintiff's attorney, Matthew Bergman of the Social Media Victims Law Center, of mischaracterizing his previous comments. The exchange came after Bergman questioned Zuckerberg about Meta's age verification policies, Zuckerberg's personal media coaching, and his compensation as Meta's chief.

"If you do something that’s not good for people, maybe they’ll spend more time [on Instagram] short term, but if they’re not happy with it, they’re not going to use it over time," said Zuckerberg. "I’m not trying to maximize the amount of time people spend every month."

SEE ALSO: Meta patented LLM that would post for users after they die

It's the first time the tech leader testified before a jury about the alleged dangers of social media platforms, and comes after a congressional grilling of Zuckerberg in 2024.

The watershed case in Los Angeles, brought by a 20-year-old user against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube parent company Google, is the first of a consolidated group of lawsuits filed by more than 1,600 plaintiffs alleging the companies knowingly designed dangerous products. TikTok and Snapchat recently settled out of the case being litigated now in L.A,, but several other related lawsuits are moving forward.

The outcome of the trial may influence whether tech giants and their leaders can be held liable for harm to their users' mental health. Internet companies have mostly been shielded from litigation over their users' content thanks to a provision in a 92-year-old communications law.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri kicked off executive testimonies last week. Mosseri denied claims that social media usage patterns among teens constitute "clinical addiction" — which is a charged topic among mental health professionals and tech leaders. Instead, Mosseri conceded to patterns of "problematic use" among users and denied that Instagram ignored safety concerns in favor of profit. "It’s relative. Yes, for an individual, there’s such a thing as using Instagram more than you feel good about," he said. "We make less money from teens than any other demographic on the platform."

Tech watchdogs hope the trial spurs congressional action, including streamlining the controversial Kids Online Safety Act. “What we’re seeing in that courtroom today is exactly what we’ve long known to be true – Mark Zuckerberg built a machine that exploited children for profit, and he knew it,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project. “Congress needs to act now to hold Big Tech accountable and stop CEOs like Zuckerberg from exploiting and hurting young people."

In a public statement released ahead of the trial, company officials argued: "The question for the jury in Los Angeles is whether Instagram was a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s mental health struggles. The evidence will show she faced many significant, difficult challenges well before she ever used social media."

Apple will soon let drivers converse with AI chatbots while on the road.

The company's CarPlay Developer Guide (via MacRumors) now includes voice-based chat apps supported by CarPlay. Or, at least, they will be supported when iOS 26.4 launches this spring. This presumably will include third-party AI apps like ChatGPT and Gemini, giving users the ability to verbally ask the AI bots questions while they drive. Previously, CarPlay users could only give voice commands to Siri while driving.

SEE ALSO: iOS 26.4 beta arrives: Here are 3 of its biggest new features

There are, of course, a few caveats to this.

The first is that the companies behind apps like ChatGPT and Gemini will specifically need to update their apps so they work with CarPlay. The second is that wake-up words will not work here; you'll have to manually open the app in question to start talking to it. Finally, you won't be able to issue car or iPhone commands using these apps. You can still ask questions, but you can't ask ChatGPT to do anything to your car or phone.

Other upcoming iOS 26.4 features include AI-generated Apple Music playlists, increased video playback options for Podcasts, and end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. There's a beta available now, with the full update coming in the spring.

Now, we just need to wait and see if Apple includes the AI-powered Siri we've all been waiting for in iOS 26.4, though it looks unlikely.

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.

SAVE 10%: As of Feb. 18, you can get the 14-inch Dell 14 Plus (Intel Core Ultra 9-288V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,020.48 at Amazon, down from $1,134,98. That's a 10% discount, or $114.50 in savings.

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If you're on the hunt for a new laptop, our Senior Reporter (and resident laptop expert), Haley Henschel, says the Dell models on Amazons are a good buy right now. Her advice was simple: Skip the standard Inspirons and go for the "Plus" models. They’re newer, better built, and right now, Amazon is beating Dell for price.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops of CES 2026

As of Feb. 18, you can get the 14-inch Dell 14 Plus (Intel Core Ultra 9-288V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,020.48, down from $1,134.98 at Amazon. That undercuts Dell’s current sale price of $1,049.99 by about $30. It doesn't sound like a huge difference, but considering this configuration usually lists for over $1,750 on Dell's site, getting it near the $1,000 mark is a win in my book.

This laptop is equipped with the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and a 2.5K display. You'll also get 32GB of RAM right out of the box. Most laptops in this price range are preloaded with 16GB, so you're already getting a better deal. (If you want a bigger screen for less cash, the 16-inch Plus model is also on sale for $718.10).

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A surprise four-legged guest briefly joined the action at the 2026 Winter Olympics during the women's cross-country skiing team sprint qualifying race on Wednesday, Feb. 18 — and quickly became the unofficial star of the event.

As athletes from Croatia and Australia crossed the finish line, a dog suddenly wandered onto the course. The pup paused to glance toward the cameras before appearing to notice the skiers and sprinting toward the finish behind them. (Hey, even canines can have Olympic dreams.)

A very good boy crosses the finish line. Credit: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP via Getty Images SEE ALSO: Punch the monkey's emotional support plushie is from IKEA. Buy it before it sells out.

"Anybody lost their dog?" on-course announcers joked, according to People's reporting. "It's a fairly nice mutt there, not hindering anybody’s progress. One of those moments you have to laugh about." They added that it was better that the interruption happened during qualifying rather than later heats.

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The Italian doggo, later identified as Nazgul, did not interfere with the competitors. After racers slid to the snow in exhaustion, the pup trotted over to sniff a few athletes before heading to the post-finish area, where Olympics volunteers greeted it with pets and belly rubs.

The moment became even more official thanks to Omega SA, the Games' official timekeeper. Its Scan'O'Vision ULTIMATE photo-finish camera automatically captured the dog crossing the line, giving the unexpected participant its own Olympic-style finish.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: What's the Minions drama at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

According to NPR, the 2-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog named Nazgul lives with his humans at a nearby bed-and-breakfast. He’s described as "stubborn, but very sweet." Race organizers did not make Nazgul available for questions after his capture, NPR noted — but judging by his form, he may have a future in sprint events.

Before the canine cameo, Sweden's Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist posted the fastest qualifying time at 6:29.94. In the final, Sweden secured gold, while Switzerland and Germany earned silver and bronze. Team USA's Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern improved from seventh in qualifying to fifth overall.

As for the mystery dog, no owner immediately came forward — but for one brief sprint, it ran with the world's best.

Most people think of DisplayPort as the premium alternative to HDMI on PCs. But, although it is generally the best connection to use with a computer monitor, there's far more to DisplayPort than meets the eye.

SAVE $24: As of Feb. 18, get the Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger for $35.99, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's a discount of 40% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger $39.99 at Amazon
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Whether you already have a Google Pixel phone or are planning on picking up the Pixel 10a, you're going to need a charger. You could feasibly use any USB-C charger to make sure your phone is ready to tackle the day, but why do that when Google has a perfectly good official option? You can pick it up right now, in fact, for an excellent price.

As of Feb. 18, get the Google Pixel Flex Dual Port Charger for $35.99, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's $24 off and a discount of 40%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Get a free $100 gift card when you preorder the new Google Pixel 10a

This dual port 67W charger is the perfect companion for your Pixel phone and other Google devices. It offers fast charging for two gadgets at once, but it charges and prioritizes Google devices. That way you can get your new phone ready to go as soon as possible.

It's a compact charger with folding prongs, and it resembles most of Google's products, so you won't be mistaking it for another charger. That makes it simple to remember to pack. And if you're concerned about heat, it does stay cool while restoring your phone or other devices to 100% battery life.

If you're making plans to get a new Google Pixel phone or you're just a fan of the Google tech aesthetic, this charger is worth picking up, especially at this discount. Be sure you don't miss it while it's at its lowest ever price.

Affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles are harder to find in 2026 as new-car prices climb, but even within a $30,000 budget, there are still a handful of standout models that deliver impressive mileage without forcing buyers to overspend. These efficient newcomers prove you don’t have to choose between practicality and everyday affordability, you can have both.

SAVE $220: The Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $549.99. That's a 40% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum $329.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $220   Get Deal

We're still engrossed with the Winter Olympics and outside temps are chilly in much of the U.S., but spring is on its way. Soon we'll be throwing open the windows to let warmth and fresh air inside. Unfortunately, that's an invitation for pollen to drift inside and settle onto floors. Instead of welcoming the allergens, enlist the help of a robot vacuum to keep your home clean. There's a nice deal in store at Amazon today on a self-emptying model.

As of Feb. 18, the Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $549.99. In total, you'll be saving $220 from the 40% discount.

We've made massive leaps in the world of robot vacuums in the last decade. While older models tumbled down the stairs, modern versions are more than capable of keeping the carpet and hard floors free of dust, debris, and hair. The Shark PowerDetect comes with the advantage of being a self-emptying model. Shark says it can store up to 30 days worth of debris before you'll need to help the lil' friend out by emptying the base.

SEE ALSO: The Breville Barista Touch espresso machine is $200 off at Amazon — upgrade your daily brew

Shark mentions this model is also great for homes that have varying floor types. The PowerDetect can lift and lower itself to get over larger thresholds or get onto higher-pile carpets for cleaning. The self-empty base also serves as the robot vacuum's charging station, and Shark equipped it with a HEPA filter, so there's no risk of the dust, dander, and pollen that just got cleaned up leaking back into the air.

Instead of stressing about another chore on the list, enlist the help of the Shark PowerDetect Self-Empty Robot Vacuum while it's on sale at Amazon for $220 off. Let the robot map your home's floor layout, set a cleaning schedule, and check in on it just once a month.

TL;DR: Play the greatest games, both old and new, with this one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, on sale now for just $24.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: XBOX Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 1-Month Subscription $24.99
$29.99 Save $5   Get Deal

Gamers, listen up! If you’re looking for an affordable way to play the best Xbox games, from brand new releases to classics, an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the way to go. Right now, you can secure a one-month subscription for only $24.99.

If you’re tired of spending a fortune on video games, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate puts hundreds of multiplayer games right at your fingertips. Want to play Starfield or Forza Motorsport? You’ll be able to enjoy them on the day of their release with this subscription.

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This Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to more than 500 high-quality games, with new ones added constantly. And you can play them all on the devices you already own on your console, PC, smartphone, or tablet, thanks to cloud gaming.

Play day-one releases from Bethesda Softworks and Xbox Game Studios with your subscription. Recent releases have included Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Botany Manor, TUNIC, and Open Roads.

Aside from the access to awesome games, your subscription will include member deals and discounts, in-game add-ons, consumables, and partner offers. You’ll also get an EA Play membership at the same time, which lets you play even more games like The Sims, Madden, and Battlefield.

Enjoy a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for only $24.99 now.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

A bug in Microsoft 365 and Copilot has been causing the AI assistant to summarize emails that were explicitly labeled as confidential, according to a report from Bleeping Computer. The Copilot security bug reportedly bypassed organizations' data loss prevention (DLP) policies, which are used to protect sensitive information.

The bug specifically affected Copilot Chat. According to Microsoft's documentation, it caused emails with a confidential label to be "incorrectly processed by Microsoft 365 Copilot chat.”

For context, Copilot Chat, which rolled out to Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint for enterprise customers last fall, is pitched as a content-aware AI assistant. Tech companies like Microsoft are integrating AI assistants into virtually all of their products, creating new types of cybersecurity risks in the process. Businesses using AI assistants could be at risk from prompt injection and data compliance violations, for instance.

SEE ALSO: Moltbook is a 'security nightmare' waiting to happen, expert warns

The Copilot Chat issue, tracked internally as CW1226324, was first detected on Jan. 21 and impacts Copilot’s "work tab" chat feature, Bleeping Computer reports. Per Microsoft’s advisory, Copilot Chat was incorrectly pulling in and summarizing emails from users’ Sent Items and Drafts folders — even when those messages had sensitivity labels designed to block automated access. In other words, emails and sensitive information that were supposed to be off-limits weren’t.

Microsoft confirmed to Bleeping Computer that a code issue was responsible and said it began rolling out a fix in early February. The company is continuing to monitor deployment and reach out to some affected users to verify the patch is working. Additionally, Microsoft hasn’t disclosed how many organizations were impacted, noting that the scope may change as the investigation continues.

Google just keeps on releasing new AI tools.

On Wednesday, Google rolled out a new AI music generator called Lyria 3. It's a fairly big upgrade over earlier versions of the model, as it makes music generation a lot easier for users. Lyria 3 can create high-fidelity, 30-second audio tracks in a variety of genres, from short jingles and lo-fi beats to more complex arrangements and songs.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How to try Lyria 3 for free

Google says that Lyria 3 is available now in the Gemini desktop app (it will be rolling out into the mobile app in the coming days), and it's free for all users 18 and up. Lyria can be used in English, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese, with support for additional languages to come.

To get started, simply head to the Gemini app. In the "Tools" dropdown menu, look for the "Music" option, which is accompanied by a music note icon. Google also released a Lyria 3 prompt guide to help users get started.

How Lyria 3 works Google provided this example of Lyria 3 music generation. Credit: Google

Lyria 3 can generate a short 30-second song based on a simple text, image, audio, or video prompt. Users can control the music style, vocals, and tempo all within the prompt. In addition, users no longer have to provide their own lyrics. Lyria 3 can create them based on the prompt. Nano Banana will even generate album artwork to go with it.

If users want to create music to go along with a specific photo or video, they can upload it along with their prompt. For instance, social creators could upload a video and generate a custom music track to go along with it in seconds.

Furthermore, there is a template option with dynamic suggestions for people who'd like to create an AI song but need some inspiration.

According to Google, all tracks that are generated within the Gemini app have a SynthID watermark embedded, which marks content as AI-generated.

While free users will have access to Lyria 3, paying Google AI Plus and AI Ultra subscribers will receive higher usage limits.

What about copyright concerns?

Many musicians and music publishers have criticized the AI industry for training models like Lyria 3 on copyright-protected works without permission or payment, and multiple lawsuits are working their way through the court system based on these concerns. Most AI companies argue that training models on copyrighted works is protected by fair use.

While Big Tech companies generally decline to comment on the specific training materials used for their frontier models, Google did say that it was "mindful" of musical copyrights. A Google blog post announcing the new model said the company has "been very mindful of copyright and partner agreements as we've trained Lyria 3.

Further, Google says that Lyria is not designed to mimic existing artists, and musicians can report content if they believe it violates their rights.

The blog post states:

Music generation with Lyria 3 is designed for original expression, not for mimicking existing artists. If your prompt names a specific artist, Gemini will take this as broad creative inspiration and create a track that shares a similar style or mood. We also have filters in place to check outputs against existing content. We recognize that our approach might not be foolproof, so you can report content that may violate your rights or the rights of others. Additionally, in order to use our products, users must adhere to our Terms of Service and Gen AI prohibited use policies, which prohibit violations of others’ intellectual property and privacy rights.

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.

For years, streaming has been holding out on us. One of the best perks of physical media isn't a limited-edition slip cover or box set; it's the options. Director's cuts, alternate editions, versions that changed the mood of the film, or revealed the filmmaker's real intent, not squashed by the studio. The problem is that all those extras have traditionally lived in plastic—bonus discs, collector sets, and under layers of menus.

Do you like your comedy dark? If so, good news: The Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone has a new movie just for you.

The director behind such outrageous and hilarious movies as MacGruber and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping has teamed up with Shrinking's Jason Segel and Ready or Not 2: Here I Come's Samara Weaving for a darkly funny action thriller about a romance that has festered. Sure, there was presumably a time when this couple was deeply enamored with each other. But by the time they trek to a remote cabin in the woods for a relaxing getaway, they want each other dead more than they want to just break up. Well, at least that's one thing they still have in common?

But, wait — the trailer above also features Timothy Olyphant and Juliette Lewis. So what else is going on here? Well, fans of Tommy Wirkola's gnarly comedy The Trip may have some idea. This is Taccone's remake of that Scandinavian offering, which had the warring couple interrupted by a trio of dangerous home invaders. However, having seen The Trip, I suspect Taccone will make Over Your Dead Body his own, based on this trailer alone.

Ahead of Over Your Dead Body's theatrical release on April 24, this comedy will premiere at the SXSW film festival next month. Look for Mashable's coverage out of the fest, starting March 12.