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

The US has 50 of them.

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

STATE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Shyly.

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

COYLY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Weird.

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

FUNKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Quickly.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

HURRY

Final Hurdle hint

The earliest.

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

FIRST

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 March 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 March 3, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 3 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 3 Pips

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 3 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, 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 for people who watch Premier League football.

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: Cards

• Green: Abbreviated sports teams

• Blue: EPL nicknames

• Purple: Name change

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Card Games

• Green: NFL Teams on Scoreboards

• Blue: Premier League Nicknames, Minus the S

• Purple: Athletes Who Changed Their Name

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 #525 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Card Games - RUMMY, SKIP-BO, SOLITAIRE, UNO

• NFL Teams on Scoreboards - CAR, DEN, JAX, TEN

• Premier League Nicknames, Minus the S - COTTAGER, MAGPIE, SEAGULL, TOFFEE

• Athletes Who Changed Their Name - ABDUL-JABBAR, ALI, OCHOCINCO, WORLD PEACE

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 shopping addict.

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 March 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: Large

• Green: Next to

• Blue: Clothing storage

• Purple: Swift

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: "Big" things

• Green: Be adjacent to

• Blue: Seen in a closet

• Purple: Starting with synonyms for "Speedy"

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 #996 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• "Big" things: APPLE, BROTHER, DIPPER, MAC

• Be adjacent to: ABUT, FLANK, NEIGHBOR, TOUCH

• Seen in a closet: HANGER, HOOK, ROD, SHELF

• Starting with synonyms for "Speedy": BRISKET, FASTIDIOUS, FLEETWOOD, QUICKSAND

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 March 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're a neat freak.

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 March 3, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 3, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Everything's in place

The words are related to order.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe neatness.

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 Spruced Up.

NYT Strands word list for March 3

• Orderly

• Neat

• Tidy

• Spruced Up

• Immaculate

• Clean

• Shipshape

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 into textiles and fabrics.

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 March 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 March 3, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Cloths.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter N appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

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...

LINEN

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: It’s time to find a permanent space for your data, and Drime Secure Cloud Storage can make that happen with this 2TB lifetime subscription for only $112.49 with code CLOUD through March 22.

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How many photos are sitting on your phone? How about videos? If you’re looking for a more permanent place to store your precious memories and other important data, it’s time to consider owning your cloud storage. Drime Secure Cloud Storage lets you just do that, and right now you can score a 2TB lifetime subscription for only $112.49 with code CLOUD through March 22.

Sick of spending a small fortune on your cloud storage subscriptions? It doesn’t have to be that way — in fact, Drime Secure Cloud Storage is ready to give you a much more affordable alternative. With Drime, you can pay once and store 2TB of data for life.

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Aside from being much easier on your wallet, Drime provides much better security. This European-based company is GDPR-compliant, meaning your data is hosted in Europe and never routed through the United States. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your data is protected with end-to-end encryption, so only you can access it.

Drime’s easy-to-use interface makes it simple to upload, sync, and share your files from all different devices. There is no upload limit, so you can save any content you’d like, no matter how large. Drime also makes it convenient to organize and manage your files, clients, and projects within its collaborative workspaces.

This Drime Essentials Plan gives you 2TB of storage, with a 90-day file history. You’ll also have password-protected file-sharing links, unlimited signature requests, and custom expiration dates.

Store files forever with this lifetime subscription to Drime Secure Cloud Storage, on sale now for $112.49 with code CLOUD through March 22.

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TL;DR: Be prepared for spring cleaning with this Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum $339.99 (reg. $599.99).

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It’s almost that time again — spring cleaning season. But are your tools up to the task? If you need a device that can deep-clean every surface, look no further than the Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum. This powerful cordless vacuum can tackle dirt and dust all over your home, and it’s currently on sale for $339.99 (reg. $599.99).

Whether you’re a neat freak who vacuums up dust daily or you’d rather not admit how often you tackle the dirt in your home, the Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum is ready to change the way you tidy.

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This cordless vacuum not only offers a powerful Dyson motor that spins up to 125,000rpm, providing the brand’s most powerful cordless suction, but it also includes laser illumination to show the invisible dust on hard floors you didn’t even realize you were cleaning. A piezo sensor also automatically adapts this Dyson’s suction power depending on what kind of debris is detected.

Need to vacuum the stairs? No problem — this Dyson V15 easily transforms into a handheld vacuum perfect for stairs, cars, upholstery, or other tight spaces. And you don’t have to worry about cleaning it out constantly, the 0.2-Gallon bin has a hygienic, no-touch ejection system when it needs to be emptied.

A full charge gives you up to 60 minutes of runtime, while the LCD display keeps you updated on the runtime countdown, maintenance alerts, and even scientific proof of the particles captured for all the neat freaks out there.

This Dyson V15 includes 10 helpful tools, including a Fluffy Optic Cleaner Head that makes the invisible dust visible on your hardwood floors, a crevice tool for clearing around tricky edges and hard-to-reach spots, and a fabric/mattress tool that helps remove dust, dirt, and allergens from important spaces.

You’re securing a $240 discount thanks to this model’s grade-A refurbished rating. That means your Dyson will arrive with light wear, with no scratches, dents, cracks, or missing parts.

Snag this Dyson V15 Detect Extra Cordless Vacuum for just $339.99 (reg. $599.99) while supplies last.

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When it comes to first-person shooters, Bungie — from Halo all the way to Destiny — has long been in a class of its own. Now the studio is returning to an older game — Marathon, originally released in 1994.

Having played the 2026 version of Marathon for 6 hours, my first impressions are positive. The gunplay is impressive, the art direction is enticing.

The game's slower pacing may not be for everyone — but personally, I’m hungry for more.

What is 'Marathon' about?

Marathon takes place on the planet Tau Ceti IV, where human colonists upload their consciousnesses to disposable cybernetic bodies, turning them into “Runners.” The Runners' job is to go out into Tau Ceti IV, scrounging up resources, artifacts, and data to bring back to their factions.

Marathon doesn’t put its backstory front and center; still, there's plenty of details on the factions if you want it, and it's all surprisingly interesting. This aspect reminded me of Concord, in which I found reading the in-game encyclopedia more fun than playing the actual game.

Credit: Bungie screenshot

Thankfully, Marathon also has solid gameplay. It’s an extraction shooter, similar to ARC Raiders, where players jump into a map, collect items, and extract out. If you’re an avid Destiny player — if you’re used to going in guns blazing, in other words — Marathon may feel foreign to you.

You’re limited in supplies, and any items that you bring with you or collect on the field will disappear if you die. So you need to plan out your routes methodically and explore carefully in order to avoid fights at all costs. This creates a tense atmosphere of unpredictability; it's unnerving, yet exciting.

Scattered across the field are NPCs and other human players — and trust me, they’re hard. The robotic NPCs are durable, while other human players show absolutely no mercy. 

This makes Marathon feel distinctly different from Halo, Destiny, even ARC Raiders. If you try to take the NPCs in a gunfight, you’ll most likely get wiped —which is not the case in Bungie’s other shooters. In ARC Raiders, you’ll come across many friendly human players; in Marathon, they won’t hesitate to murk you.

Credit: Bungie screenshot

The way gunfights break out feels organic, and leads to a lot of emergent experiences. The guns feel slick and impactful, the moment-by-moment of the shootouts exhilarating. Overall, Ceta Tau feels like an oppressive, but masochistically fun, place to be.

If you successfully extract, items you bring back are automatically sold. You can use the money to purchase guns and other equipment, to give yourself an advantage when you deploy again. But even with your shiny new toys, your character could easily die and lose everything you brought in. Still, even when you die, you never feel like you’re too far behind. Players seem like they’re on a level playing field, more or less.

The biggest problem with 'Marathon'

I love Marathon's retro-futurism aesthetic. The font and menus look exactly like Apple interfaces from the 1980s, referencing Marathon’s origins on early Macintosh computers.

That said, the game's biggest issues are in the user interface, especially its clunky menus. They’re clunky because similar actions don’t use the same input. For example, you open up a box with the square button on your controller, then you have to place the items from that box into your inventory with the X button. This doesn't feel intuitive and can mess with your brain over time.

The font is hard to read, even if you’re playing on a big screen. There are no options to increase the size — something we hope will be fixed in an early update.

All that being said, I’ve had a lot of fun with my first few hours of Marathon. I can’t wait to see what else the game has in store when it launches on March 5 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Check back later this month for our full review.

Early March always feels like the week when things start to lighten up—new month energy combined with warmer climes on the horizon. It also comes with a swath of renewed movies on Paramount+. When you’re ready to unwind, there's plenty to pick from ... maybe too much. So let us throw a few ideas your way this week.

A tweet from a notorious PlayStation leaker has sent the internet into a frenzy over Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders. We still don't know anything official, but the rumor mill has gone into overdrive over the mere possibility of news on Rockstar's long-delayed Grand Theft Auto VI.

According to X account PlayStation Game Size, title IDs have been added to the PlayStation database for GTA VI, with the account warning that news on the game should be expected to drop soon — and in their estimation, that means pre-orders could be right around the corner.

The post stops short of confirming anything and remains largely speculative, but make no mistake: PlayStation Game Size has a proven track record that's earned them serious credibility with other outlets.

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As one possible reference point, ahead of Red Dead Redemption 2's Oct. 26 release date back in 2018, pre-orders went live in June. However, the new GTA game could follow an entirely different schedule, and given the delays, Rockstar may be eager to offer gamers something as soon as possible.

In a comment under the post, a user pressed the leaker on how long pre-orders could take to open after title IDs hit the backend.

"Completely depends on the publisher, and it's not something I know for sure. But I don't think there's going to be a long wait." Not exactly a concrete answer, but not a dismissal either.

The prospect of pre-orders arriving "soon-ish" is massive news for a game that has already been delayed twice and is widely rumored to carry a price tag north of the standard $70 — itself a price point that only became the industry's new normal in 2022.

With GTA VI currently locked in for a November 19, 2026, release date and publisher Take-Two confirming last month that a full-on marketing blitz kicks off this summer, the hype machine is officially warming up.

The skyrocketing prices for flash memory have already affected RAM sticks, SSDs, laptops, pre-built PC desktops, phones, and many other devices. Now, you can add the OrangePi Neo to the list—a handheld gaming PC using Linux that was supposed to be released soon.

For the average Australian, the digital world is no longer a destination we visit; it is the environment we inhabit. We bank on the bus, check our emails from the local café, and manage our entire social lives through a screen. Ten years ago, digital security was simple: you installed an antivirus, ran a scan once a week, and avoided clicking on emails from long-lost princes. Today, the threats are quieter, more sophisticated, and often invisible. From "stalkerware" and invasive tracking cookies to large-scale data breaches that expose your tax file number. These modern problems require modern solutions, and thankfully many popular security suites have adapted to suit these needs. However, it’s also important to update how we think about digital security every once and a while. On top of security, the notion of digital privacy has grown increasingly important. So it’s a good idea to give yourself a bit of a refresher.

The shift from security to privacy

While most of us understand the need to block malware, we need to not just think of security, but also our privacy. Every website you visit, every search you make, and every product you linger over contributes to a digital profile that is bought and sold by data brokers. This isn’t just about annoying targeted ads; it’s about maintaining a level of anonymity.

But privacy isn’t just about where you go; it’s about what you leave behind. It’s an important part of the new normal to ensure that your sensitive information, like your credit card details or login credentials, haven’t ended up on the dark web following a corporate data breach or social engineering scam. According to the Avast Academy), one of the most effective ways to stay ahead of identity thieves is to practice proactive monitoring rather than waiting for a notification from your bank.

Reclaiming privacy via the network layer

One of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in the modern threat surface is the network layer. Every time you connect to the internet, you are broadcasting a digital fingerprint. This isn't just about hackers; it's about the pervasive "shadow profiles" built by advertisers and data aggregators.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) has evolved from a corporate necessity to a primary privacy tool. By encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address, you effectively "black out" your activity from prying eyes. But privacy is two-sided: while a VPN protects your data in transit, you also need to address the data you leave behind on your own machine. Tracking cookies and digital "fingerprinting" techniques can identify you even if you’re using a VPN.

How security suites can boost performance

We often think of security and performance as two different categories. In reality, they are deeply linked. A cluttered device filled with "bloatware" (redundant background processes and "junk" files) isn’t just slow; it’s harder to manage and more prone to crashes that can leave your data vulnerable. Over time, cached files and broken registry entries accumulate, dragging down the efficiency of your hardware.

It is possible (if time-consuming) to manage a lot of this bloat manually, but thankfully there are also a myriad of tools that can help with this. Often these come baked into popular security suites such as Avast or Norton. By using a security suite that automates this maintenance, you’re not just gaining back a few seconds of boot time; you’re both improving the performance and the security of the device, as freed up resources allow that security software to run more efficiently.

Staying informed

Technological protection is vital, but the ultimate layer of security is an informed user. The landscape changes rapidly—one month it’s a surge in SMS phishing "smishing") targeting super accounts, the next it’s a new exploit in popular browser extensions. Understanding why a certain threat exists is often just as important as having the software to block it.

Streamlining the solution

There is a common misconception that more security equals less performance. In reality, a compromised or cluttered system is often the primary cause of instability. Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. The challenge for most people isn't a lack of tools, but a surplus of them. Managing a separate subscription for a VPN, another for a system optimiser, and a third for malware protection is a recipe for "subscription fatigue." More importantly, fragmented security can lead to gaps. Such as settings that don’t align or software updates that get ignored because there are too many notifications to track.

This is where integrated suites have evolved. Instead of a patchwork of different providers, a singular ecosystem like Avast Ultimate offers a streamlined way to cover many of your bases. It combines the heavy-hitting protection of Avast Premium Security with the online privacy of Avast SecureLine VPN, and specialised tools such as Avast Cleanup Premium and Avast AntiTrack:

• Avast Premium Security: To help block complex, multi-stage malware and ransomware, plus protection against scams.

• Avast SecureLine VPN: For bank-grade VPN encryption so you can browse, bank and shop more privately.

• Avast Cleanup Premium: To strip away digital debris and keep hardware running at peak efficiency.

• Avast AntiTrack: To help foil the sophisticated tracking scripts that follow you across the web.

By housing these features under one roof, the user experience becomes a bit more streamlined and easy. With a solution like Avast Ultimate, you get the benefit of world-class threat detection without the "noisy" interface of multiple programs vying for your attention.

In 2026, device security isn’t just about antivirus. It’s about ensuring your personal data remains private, your devices run as well on day 500 as they did on day one, and your online presence doesn't leave a trail for others to follow. The unfortunate reality is that in this brave new world of AI-driven scams and IoT (Internet of Things) vulnerabilities, protecting your devices from malware and maintaining your privacy is a continuous process of educating yourself and narrowing your threat surface. By moving toward a holistic, all-in-one approach to protection, you can spend less time worrying about your settings and more time enjoying the connected world. For more information on Avast Ultimate, check out their Australian site here.

March is here, which means a fresh month (and a fresh batch of movies) has landed on Netflix, which is perfect timing if your watchlist needs a little spring cleaning. There's only one problem: with that huge library, getting lost in the endless scroll. We're here to help with that.

TL;DR: Live stream Como vs. Internazionale in the Coppa Italia for free on Mediaset Infinity. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Domestic cup competitions are approaching their conclusions across Europe this week. We've got semi finals in the Copa del Rey, Taça de Portugal, and Coppa Italia. And better yet, fans can live stream select fixtures without spending anything.

One such game is Como vs. Internazionale. This exciting first-leg matchup sees fifth place take on first place from Serie A. We're expecting a tense clash between two organized and intriguing sides.

If you want to watch Como vs. Internazionale in the Coppa Italia from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Como vs. Internazionale?

Como vs. Internazionale in the Coppa Italia kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on March 3. This fixture takes place at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.z

How to watch Como vs. Internazionale for free

Como vs. Internazionale in the Coppa Italia is available to live stream for free on Mediaset Infinity.

Mediaset Infinity is geo-restricted to Italy, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Italy, meaning you can unblock Mediaset Infinity to live stream the Coppa Italia for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Como vs. Internazionale in the Coppa Italia for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit Mediaset Infinity

5. Watch Como vs. Internazionale for free from anywhere in the world

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

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

What is the best VPN for Mediaset Infinity?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Italy

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Como vs. Internazionale in the Coppa Italia for free with ExpressVPN.

The hybrid SUV race is still being led by the usual suspects. The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V Hybrid continue to dominate thanks to loyal buyers and massive dealer networks that keep them comfortably on top.

TL;DR: Live stream Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal for free on RTP Play. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top two teams from the Liga Portugal are meeting in the semi-final stage of the Taça de Portugal. Sporting CP vs. Porto is one of the biggest games in Portuguese football every season, but this year feels extra special. Both teams are gunning for a domestic double, so there's an added element to this all-important clash.

The good news for fans is that it's possible to watch select fixtures from the Taça de Portugal without spending anything, including this first leg matchup.

If you want to watch Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Sporting CP vs. Porto?

Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal kicks off at 3:45 p.m. ET on March 3. This fixture takes place at the José Alvalade Stadium.

How to watch Sporting CP vs. Porto for free

Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal is available to live stream for free on RTP Play.

RTP Play is geo-restricted to Portugal, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Portugal, meaning you can unblock RTP Play to live stream the Taça de Portugal for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit RTP Play

5. Watch Sporting CP vs. Porto for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Taça de Portugal without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTP Play?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Portugal

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Sporting CP vs. Porto in the Taça de Portugal for free with ExpressVPN.

Like most people, the last optical drive I had in my computer was a plain old DVD writer. I just never saw the point of a PC Blu-ray drive. In many ways, I think it's a small miracle that you can still readily buy a Blu-ray drive for PC today.

The versatility of thrillers is their greatest strength. These tense movies come in various shapes and sizes. Some are lengthy political thrillers where the dialogue creates suspense and drives the story. Other thrillers rely on action and feature heroic performances that turn actors into stars. Because of its large library, Netflix is one of the best streamers to watch thrillers.

TL;DR: Live stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey for free on RTVE. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first legs of the Copa del Rey semi finals really delivered. Real Sociedad secured a huge 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Derby, and then Atlético Madrid shocked the world by beating Barcelona 4-0. In doing so, they've put one foot in the final. The job isn't done yet, because if there is one team that can come back from 4-0 down, it's Barcelona.

Barça will need to be at their attacking best to get anything out of this semi-final matchup. Hopes rest on the shoulders of Lamine Yamal and Pedri.

If you want to watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid?

Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on March 3. This fixture takes place at the Camp Nou.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid for free

Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey is available to live stream for free on RTVE.

RTVE is geo-restricted to Spain, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Spain, meaning you can unblock RTVE to live stream the Copa del Rey for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit RTVE

5. Watch Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Copa del Rey without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTVE?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Spain

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey for free with ExpressVPN.