IT General

TL;DR: Stream Getafe vs. Real Madrid in La Liga for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Real Madrid will be looking to turn things around after a disappointing few weeks. They lost the lead in La Liga to rivals Barcelona and got dumped out of the Champions League by Arsenal, and now they're fighting to finish the season on a positive note. A confident win against Getafe this week will help Real Madrid build some momentum before the Copa del Rey final.

If you want to watch Getafe vs. Real Madrid for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Getafe vs. Real Madrid?

Getafe vs. Real Madrid kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on April 23. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Coliseum.

How to watch Getafe vs. Real Madrid for free

Getafe vs. Real Madrid will be broadcast live on ITV4, with free live streaming available on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, 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 the UK. This process makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can access ITVX from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ITVX 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Stream Getafe vs. Real Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By making the most of these offers, you can gain access to ITVX without actually spending anything. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Getafe vs. Real Madrid in La Liga before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Getafe vs. Real Madrid in La Liga for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

Ordinary.

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

PLAIN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Popular blue animated creature.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 23, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SMURF

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To complain.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 23 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 23, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

WHINE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Ten more than fifty.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 23 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SIXTY

Final Hurdle hint

To inspect something.

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

CHECK

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

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 Giro d’Italia for free on SBS on Demand or RaiPlay. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There is something so special about watching the best cyclists in the world compete in the Grand Tours. The scenery is amazing, the fans are passionate, and the racing is incredibly intense. You quickly become aware that you're watching something otherwordly. These athletes are not normal, and we're blessed to be able to watch these stars compete over three weeks of gruelling competition.

The Giro d'Italia is the first Grand Tour of the season. This year's event includes the likes of Primoz Roglic, Juan Ayuso, and Adam Yates.

If you're interested in watching the 2025 Giro d'Italia for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Giro d’Italia?

The Giro d'Italia is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in Italy. The Giro d'Italia is one of cycling's most prestigious three-week-long Grand Tours (alongside the Tour de France and Vuelta a España).

When is the 2025 Giro d’Italia?

The 2025 Giro d'Italia is the 108th edition of the famous race. This year's event takes place from May 9 to June 1.

How to watch the 2025 Giro d’Italia for free

It's possible to live stream the 2025 Giro d'Italia for free on these streaming platforms:

• Australia — SBS on Demand

• Italy — RaiPlay

These streaming services are geo-restricted, but anyone can unblock these free live streams with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access free streaming platforms from any location.

Live stream the 2025 Giro d'Italia for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit SBS on Demand or RaiPlay

5. Watch the 2025 Giro d’Italia for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2025 Giro d’Italia before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for Giro d’Italia?

ExpressVPN is the best service for live streaming top sporting events from around the world, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia and 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 always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This heavily discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2025 Giro d’Italia for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

For running fanatics, few things are more important than a good pair of running shoes. But ranking just below those running shoes is a quality set of headphones. Especially when combined with a killer playlist to help push you through those last miles.

Let’s face it: Getting off the sofa to actually run can be challenging enough, never mind the 5K that follows. You need motivation, and cheap headphones just aren't up to the task. It's no surprise, of course. Good fitness requires good gear.

Good headphones won't just deliver tunes and keep the motivation up, they can actually improve your performance and PB. But if this is your first time buying running headphones, it can be hard to know exactly what you're looking for. Here's some helpful information to put you on the starting blocks.

What are the types of headphones for running?

There are plenty of different types of headphones out there: On-ear headphones, over-ear headphones, and in-ear earbuds. While there are on-ear and over-ear headphones designed for fitness and running, serious runners should consider (with the odd exceptions) in-ear earbuds. Not only are they best suited for running, but tech companies are gearing their fitness-specific tech towards earbuds. You'll also find an example of bone conducting headphones in this roundup, which use vibrations to transmit sound through your cheekbone directly to your inner ear.

What are the most important features for running headphones?

You can go running with any pair of earbuds, but there are some specific features that will actively help your run and get you on track to smash your PB:

• Volume controls — If there’s one thing guaranteed to slow you down, it’s having to dig your phone out of your pocket to fiddle with the volume or other functions. Look out for headphones that have buttons/touch controls on the ear cups or buds. 

• Water resistance — Water resistant/proof earbuds will ensure you can go running in any weather and that you can sweat as profusely as you like. Look out for dustproof buds too.

• Workout tracking — Some headphones will connect with popular fitness apps that help track performance and goals.

The most important features will generally let you forget all about your headphones. The focus should be on your run, not what's on your head.

Do running headphones have noise cancellation?

This is another key feature of modern headphones, including running-specific headphones. It's worth knowing about if you’ll double up and use them as everyday headphones too. Noise cancellation works exactly as it sounds — it blocks and dampens external sounds so you can shut yourself away from the outside world and fully immerse. It works by using tiny microphones within the ear cups/buds, which emit signals to block out incoming noise. This is called active noise cancellation (ANC).

This can be useful for runners who want to stay fully in the zone and burst through their workout distraction-free. However, it might not be advisable to shut yourself off fully if running through a location you don’t know well, or you’re running alongside traffic. Look out for ANC that has transparency or ambient modes, which allows some external noise in, keeping you partially in tune with the outside world.

What are the best headphones for running?

Whether you're training for a marathon or just looking to take a jog around the block, there is a set of headphones for you. From those that are sweat-proof and have fitness tracking capabilities, to headphones with wires, earbud-style pairs, and everything in between, there is something out there that will suit you perfectly.

These are the best headphones for running in 2025.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

For some, mowing the lawn is a leisurely pastime — a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For the rest of us, however, it's a chore. In fact, we can think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon: relaxing in the sunshine while a robot lawn mower does the hard work for us. That really is a leisurely pastime.

Indeed, a robot lawn mower is a worthwhile investment that will make cutting the grass much less of a chore. Think of robot vacuums, like the ever-popular Roomba, but for the garden. Simply programme it and put your feet up. Away it goes.

Deciding to invest in a robot lawn mower is easy. But choosing the right model for you is a job as arduous as pushing a petrol mower up an especially steep garden path. That’s why we’re here to help. Here’s some need-to-know robot mower info.

How do robot lawn mowers work?

Robot mowers are battery-powered and, for the most part, run automatically based on a pre-programmed schedule, which the user sets up via an app. When they're not running, they sit safely docked in a charging port plugged into an outdoor outlet.

When it's time to mow, they cut your grass to a predetermined height and generate grass clippings so fine that they essentially become mulch. Whereas you’d take a traditional mower to the lawn when the grass gets a bit long, a robotic mower will usually run daily to cut just the top of your lawn and keep it at a set level. The cutting height options may vary model to model.

How do robot lawn mowers know where to cut?

Robot mowers learn where to mow based on a perimeter wire, which you'll lay around the edges of your lawn to form a boundary. It’s like an invisible forcefield that the mower automatically detects. Setting up your perimeter wire can be a bit of a headache. In fact, the majority of negative user reviews involve the perimeter wire in some way. The companies featured in this roundup offer fairly comprehensive installation guides on YouTube in addition to the instructions in the package.

Robot mowers are an example of fairly new technology in the grand scheme of things, so the category still has a few kinks to work out. It's possible, for instance, that the mower will miss a spot or two and you'll need to go back over it with some clippers.

What features do robot lawn mowers offer?

Consider at least three basic categories: garden size, hills, and budget. The mowers on this list are generally better suited to gardens under one acre. Each mower also lists the maximum incline it's able to climb while still achieving a successful cut. In general, you'll pay more if you want more ground covered and higher hills climbed.

Other things to keep in mind include integrated rain sensors, companion app quality, weather resistance, and GPS, which are addressed in the recommendations below. You might also want to consider the ability to navigate narrow passages, adjust to weather conditions, or the ability to cut to the edges or around tricky areas.

What is the best robot lawn mower?

That will depend on your garden and gardening requirements. The decision has to be yours, but we recommend checking out this selection of impressive models from top brands like Flymo, Bosch, and Worx.

These are the best robot lawn mowers in 2025.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 Madrid Open for free on RTVE. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The French Open isn't all that far away, so it's time for the best players in the world to take to the clay to sharpen up before the second Grand Slam of the season. The good news for top players is that there is ample opportunity to do just that, with a number of high-profile tournaments taking place at this time of year.

Following quickly behind the Barcelona Open is the Madrid Open, with the likes of Alcaraz, Sabalenka, Djokovic, and Swiatek heading the line-up for this popular event. For many, this will be a dress rehearsel for the main event at Roland-Garros.

If you want to watch the 2025 Madrid Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Madrid Open?

The Madrid Open is an annual professional tennis tournament played on clay courts at the Caja Mágica in Madrid. The defending singles champions are Andrey Rublev and Iga Świątek.

When is the 2025 Madrid Open?

The 2025 Madrid Open is the 23rd edition of the event on the ATP Tour and 16th on the WTA Tour. This year's event takes place from April 22 to May 4.

How to watch the 2025 Madrid Open for free

Select games from the 2025 Madrid Open are 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 handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Spain, meaning you can unblock RTVE from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Madrid Open 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 the 2025 Madrid Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2025 Madrid Open before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for RTVE?

ExpressVPN is the best service 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 always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2025 Madrid Open for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 23 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: Found on a Redwood

• Green: Features of common house pets

• Blue: SNL is full of these

• Purple: The second half is the same

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Parts of a tree

• Green: Canine/feline features

• Blue: Comedic routine

• Purple: __Pole

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 #682 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Parts of a tree: BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, TRUNK

• Canine/feline features: FUR, MUZZLE, PAW, TAIL

• Comedic routine: ACT, BIT, GAG, SKETCH

• __Pole: BEAN, FLAG, MAY, TAD

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 23

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.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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 today: Hints and answers for April 23 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's The Mini crossword answers for April 23, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A gas found in Earth's atmosphere.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter O appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter O.

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...

OZONE.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 23

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.

When the galaxy is going to hell, you're fighting with your daughter at her wedding, and you've just learned an old friend will die for the sake of the Rebellion you're leading, how do you shake it off?

If you're Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) in Andor Season 2, episode 3, here's your answer. You down some shots, hit the floor with other moms in a stunning gold number with shoulder capes when the DJ drops an EDM banger, and make like an X-wing: Lock S-foils in dance position.

"We wanted to get inside her head somehow," O'Reilly explains to Mashable. "We wanted to see the physical chaos. She was releasing ... in a way we've never witnessed before. She got to throw off the strictures of her physicality, and that says something about her."

SEE ALSO: 'Andor' Season 2 review: The best Star Wars show goes out with a brilliant bang

The result is the first electronic dance music scene in Star Wars, and arguably its best dance scene ever (sorry, Ewoks), in which the future leader of the Rebellion, plus a floor full of dignitaries from Mon's highly traditional home planet, Chandrila, throw some shapes in the church of noise.

And in context, it's all played as incredibly dark irony. Which only makes Mon's wild moves more meme-worthy.

Making the dance scene look natural, and incorporating a lot of made-up Chandrilan styles, took "days" of choreography rehearsals, and Chandrilan formalwear that was also designed to be danced in, O'Reilly says: "There's a lot of work in there."

What is that EDM banger?

Mon's chaos groove moment begins after the kids hit the dancefloor. A drone-like DJ droid has floated in playing what Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy wanted for the scene: "a galactic hit."

"The young people are waiting to cut loose," Gilroy says. (After a three-day Chandrilan wedding that has been all tradition at this point, no wonder.) "And what do they want to hear? They want to hear the Tarzana EDM mix of 'Niamos!'"

"Niamos!" was composed by Nicholas Britell, the genius behind that ultimate TV earworm, the theme from Succession. It's cropped up repeatedly in the background of Andor so far, Gilroy points out — starting in the brothel scene on Morlana that opens Season 1, episode 1.

SEE ALSO: 'Andor': more, more! Burning questions for Season 2 of the best Star Wars.

Prior to this brand new EDM remix, "Niamos!" has also been available in "Coruscant Lounge Mix" and the funkier "Galaxy Mix" on Britell's Andor Season 1 soundtrack albums. Niamos turned out to be the name of the vacation planet where Cassian is arrested.

Whether Britell's banger from a galaxy far, far away is also a hit in the here and now ... remains to be seen. Especially after Gilroy made the interesting choice to have this thumping track also play over Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) as they deal with some intense grief and trauma.

Why the dance scene is Star Wars' darkest moment yet

Mon Mothma doesn't just need some balm for that burn from her daughter (whom Mon suggested back out of an arranged marriage to a 15-year-old boy). She also just learned that Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) has arranged the death of suave old school friend Tay Kolma (Ben Miles), a banker who was suggesting a little light blackmail.

"How nice for you," Luthen says when Mon doesn't catch his meaning at first. Waves of doubt and guilt then cross Mon's face as she peeks outside her bubble of privilege — before retreating back into its safety by downing those shots and allowing herself to be pulled onto the dance floor.

She may be the coolest dancing mom in the galaxy. But while Mon shakes it off like Tay-Tay, Tay is still going to die — and at the bottom of the social ladder, far worse things are happening.

Intercut with the dance, Bix knocks out an imperial officer, ending what is the first attempted rape scene (and the first use of that R-word) in Star Wars. Cassian arrives to take Bix away, but not before their dear old Ferrix friend Brasso (Joplin Sibtain) dies on his way to save her.

Already, there may not be enough clubs in the galaxy for our downtrodden heroes to shake off their grief. And be warned: Worse is on the way as Andor continues its dark prequel path toward the Death Star and the battle of Yavin.

It's murder on the dance floor, but Andor won't kill the groove as it burns the Empire's house right down.

The first three episodes of Andor Season 2 premiered April 22 on Disney+, with new episodes every Tuesday.

Other shows give you a ticking clock. Andor, which just returned to Disney+ for its second and final season, gives you a ticking calendar.

That's the meaning of "BBY 4," which appears on screen at the beginning of Andor Season 2, episode 1. Casual viewers may not remember all the way back to Andor Season 1, episode 1, when we were given another time setting: BBY 5.

SEE ALSO: 'Andor' Season 2 review: The best Star Wars show goes out with a brilliant bang

Get used to it, because time jumps are coming: The second batch of Andor season 2 (dropping next week) is set in BBY 3; the third in BBY 2; and the final three episodes, hitting Disney+ on May 13, cover the events of BBY 1, and dovetail with the beginning of Rogue One.

However, Andor never explains this mysterious acronym. You'd be forgiven for thinking the "Y" refers to year. But no, BBY means Before the Battle of Yavin — another name for the Death Star-destroying conclusion to the original Star Wars movie in 1977, which George Lucas renamed Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981.

BBY and ABY (After the Battle of Yavin) became a useful dating system for Star Wars books, comics, and other media. The Empire Strikes Back, for example, takes place in ABY 3; Attack of the Clones was BBY 22. Not that either movie ever said so on screen, of course.

And the more that Lucasfilm's chief nerds thought about it, the less BBY and ABY made sense in the Star Wars universe. After all, the Empire didn't fall until the events of Return of the Jedi (ABY 4). Wouldn't the new Galactic Republic choose that as its key date?

One company veteran mocked the whole concept of the BBY dating system in a now-deleted tweet: "'I know! Let's make a calendar based around our second-greatest victory!' — The Rebels."

SEE ALSO: 'Andor': more, more! Burning questions for Season 2 of the best Star Wars.

Lucasfilm's 2014 canon reset, which declared all previously published novels and comics to be part of a separate, never-happened timeline called Legends, effectively did away with the dating system. But it persisted in fan discussions, and in the online resource known as Wookieepedia.

And when director Tony Gilroy came along to create Andor as a prequel to Rogue One, he needed to indicate his time jumps to viewers. BBY made sense given that Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) dies in Rogue One, mere days before the Battle of Yavin — and far from being wiped out, BBY became enshrined on screen for the first time.

The first three episodes of Andor Season 2 premiere April 22 on Disney+, with new episodes every Tuesday.

I have a huge problem with my Gmail account. It's filled to the brim with email subscriptions, some of which I subscribed to several years back—and going one-by-one unsubscribing to each is an extremely time-consuming task. Now, Gmail might actually help me fix that problem.

Students won't be using Pinterest during class — or, at least, they will be heavily discouraged from doing so.

The social media app is experimenting with a prompt that will encourage American and Canadian users between the ages of 13 (the minimum age for account holders) and 17 to close the app and pause notifications during typical school hours (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Pinterest confirmed in an email to Mashable that the prompt will reach "millions" of school-age users, and the wide-scale experiment is intended to better inform the app's teams. This comes after Pinterest CEO Bill Ready announced his support for the Kids Online Safety Act and phone-free school policies in the Washington Post.

"Focus is a beautiful thing," the prompt says, according to the Verge. "Stay in the moment by putting Pinterest down and pausing notifs [sic] until the school bell rings."

SEE ALSO: Instagram will restrict teens from going Live, as Teen Accounts expand to Facebook and Messenger

Pinterest also announced on Tuesday a partnership with the International Society for Technology in Education to develop digital citizenship and well-being action plans through newly established Digital Innovation Wellbeing Task Forces.

"At Pinterest, we believe that schools can take advantage of all that technology has to offer students, while minimizing the harms and distractions," Wanji Walcott, Pinterest’s chief legal and business affairs officer, told the Verge. "Tech companies need to work together with teachers, parents, and policymakers to build solutions that ensure in the hands of our students, smartphones are tools, not distractions."

Samsung has released its 2025 Odyssey lineup of gaming monitors. The collection comes with the Odyssey 3D, Odyssey OLED G8, and the wide-screen Odyssey G9. They're pretty pricey, but Samsung is offering $300 Samsung credit for purchasing any new Odyssey monitor until April 27.

When you really think about it, life is just a constant cycle of acquiring new stuff and figuring out what to do with the old stuff. And when there's not a one-size-fits-all way to properly get rid of that old stuff, clutter happens.

Most of us have been conditioned to recycle some common everyday materials, but curbside recycling isn't too helpful past paper, metal, glass, and certain types of plastic. Even then, a shockingly low percentage of recyclable items are actually recycled. I digress.

Other personal items, like clothes and shoes or electronics and batteries, are more confusing to deal with. Can they be recycled, or is throwing them away the only option?

SEE ALSO: Texas resident used Apple AirTags to track her recycling. It ended up in the middle of nowhere.

Perhaps you've Googled "how to recycle insert item here" just to be given some vague instructions like "Check locally." You'll quickly learn that most municipal recycling programs don't cover much beyond trash-like recyclables. Past that, it can be hard to pin down actionable ways to downsize sustainably.

Fortunately, getting rid of hard-to-recycle stuff isn't so mysterious. In many cases, there actually are solid options for recycling all of that junk crammed under your bed and into old shoeboxes. Once you hone in on a certain category — beauty empties, coffee maker pods, smartphones, old chargers — there's usually a super straightforward answer for how to recycle said items. In fact, you can often find easy (and free) drop-off or mail-in programs.

SEE ALSO: 15+ eco-friendly gifts that someone would actually use

It just takes a little more effort than plopping them in the curbside recycling bin and hoping the recycling fairy whisks it away to the right place. That's called wishcycling, or aspirational recycling, and I would definitely sleep better at night if I were still blissfully living in "everything can be recycled" ignorance.

So, to help you recycle electronics, clothing, beauty packaging, and other awkward items, let's break it down in the most candid way possible.

How to recycle electronics

E-waste is a doozy of a rabbit hole. As with plastic pollution, a good chunk of e-waste (the umbrella term for improperly discarded electronic devices) comes from big tech corporations. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group estimates that we generate around 6.9 million tons of e-waste each year. Of that, less than 18 percent is recycled properly.

But as a species that has treated our personal devices as extra limbs for almost two decades, it's also our personal responsibility to deal with our old devices in the most sustainable way possible. Not only do electronics in landfills leak dangerous toxins into the ground, but it's also a missed opportunity to recover metals and precious rare earth minerals.

SEE ALSO: How California's high-speed rail is already helping the planet

To be fair, people aren't exactly given clear instructions on how or where to safely recycle old devices. A recent CNET survey found that over 30 percent of U.S. adults hold onto old phones, tablets, and chargers simply because they don't know what to do with them.

Cellphones, laptops, TVs, and more

You're probably aware of the trade-in promos that your smartphone carrier offers. Similar incentives exist for devices like iPads and tablets. But even if the device in question isn't exactly in trade-in or sell-on-Mercari condition, there are still super accessible ways to recycle the gadget without smashing it for parts.

Best Buy actually has a super-expensive in-store electronics recycling program. Items accepted in store include TVs, computers and routers, audio gear (from headphones to old CD or cassette players), cameras and camcorders, and video game controllers. A household can recycle up to three items per day. You can also pay Best Buy to come haul away larger items, like an old fridge or treadmill.

No Best Buy store nearby? The company also offers a mail-in recycling service.

SEE ALSO: Want to avoid tariff price hikes? Shop our giant list of 91 refurbished tech deals.

Once received, recyclers disassemble the tech to pull out and properly get rid of ozone-depleting chemicals like PCBs, mercury, and insulation, then separate materials like plastic, glass, and metal to be repurposed when possible.

Samsung device owners can also conduct a similar zip code search to find participating Samsung e-cycling drop-off centers. They pop up all over in retail stores like Best Buy and Staples, and sometimes even at your local solid waste authority. Before recycling, check to see if Samsung will offer credit to trade in your old device — yes, cracked screens count.

Apple offers its own recycling program for old Apple devices, and you can even get a prepaid shipping label.

Chargers, cables, and dongles

That harrowing nest of old cords in your basement or junk drawer is growing more powerful by the day. Rather than continue feeding it, you can recycle old chargers and similar connectors through the Best Buy recycling program mentioned above. Apple's service also takes old Apple chargers.

Batteries

Call2recycle is a nationwide battery recycling program that offers free battery recycling at partnering stores like The Home Depot, Lowe's, and Staples. Head to the website and enter your zip code to find the closest drop-off location to you. Note that not all participating locations accept every type of battery, so be sure to check the box.

If no collection boxes are popping up in a practical distance, call2recycle also has a mail-in battery recycling program — though at $80 for the smallest battery and cellphone recycling kit, it's not exactly the cheapest route.

How to recycle clothes and shoes

There are paths forward for both gently-worn clothes and too-worn-to-donate clothes that aren't merely forcing them upon Goodwill and hoping they squeeze their way onto an overflowing rack.

If the clothes are in decent enough condition, consider trying to sell them online. You don't need a ton of followers to get eyes on your items on Depop, Mercari, or Poshmark — just take well-lit, clear photos, write a detailed and honest description, and add a price. (Check out my full guide to selling your stuff online.)

SEE ALSO: Zero Waste Daniel is drag's sustainable fashion pioneer

If you don't feel like getting into online resale, there are a few mail-back options for repurposing old clothing. Give Back Box is a non-profit that partners with a slew of small charities from which you can choose to send your items, depending on what they need (i.e., kids' shoes or gently used women's clothes). Once you find a good fit, Give Back Box will just ask for $20 to cover the pre-addressed shipping label and the weight of the box. Then, pack your items in any random box you were going to recycle anyway, and send it off.

Of course, there are always the straggler pieces of clothing that are probably too worn to donate. Sustainable clothing brand Girlfriend Collective has partnered with SuperCircle (a growing textile recycling platform) to facilitate ReGirlfriend, an amazingly easy mail-in garment recycling program. Shipping labels are free, and you can pack multiple pieces in each bag, regardless of brand. As a "thank you" for not contributing to the pile of textiles in landfills, Girlfriend offers credits to girlfriend.com.

How to recycle random household items

Ah, Swiffer pads. The ubiquitous mopping and dusting thingamabob that, turns out, is a pain in the ass to recycle. That's just one of a horde of everyday household items that folks mindlessly trash. But what's the alternative?

Well, my initial suggestion would be to retire the Swiffer and buy a robot vacuum and mop combo. Even if you insist on keeping the Swiffer as backup for some pesky corner cleaning (though I have a robot mop recommendation for corner cleaning), a robot vacuum that can mop at least minimizes your Swiffer use.

When you do collect enough used Swiffer refills, you can mail them to TerraCycle: a mega-recycling business that gives average consumers an easy way to recycle everyday items that don't play well with curbside recycling. Its free mail-back system covers a ton of household items, with the cost of shipping labels funded by participating brands like Swiffer, Tide, Brita, Black + Decker, and Febreze.

SEE ALSO: Spring cleaning starter kit: 10 products to cover all your bases Coffee pods

Nespresso has a ton of drop-off points across the country to recycle pods. You can also request free pre-labeled recycling bags on Nespresso's website to fill and eventually mail back to Nespresso. (Each mailer can hold up to 200 Original Line pods or 100 Vertuo pods.)

Keurig has a similar setup, but it's not free — and Keurig only describes the program through the lens of office use (like "use the small box in offers that brew 24 K-Cups or less in day") with no mention of keeping a box at home in a Keurig-heavy household.

How to recycle beauty and bathroom stuffMakeup and skincare

Though much of it looks recycling-friendly, most beauty packaging isn't. Many bottles that feel like glass aren't the same type of glass as a beer bottle or jelly jar, and many containers that feel like plastic are actually a peculiar type of mixed plastic, which doesn't fall under the number system used to sort at recycling plants. (This includes the pain in the ass plastic pump.)

The presence of the triangle of arrows symbol is misleading, and doesn't automatically mean that said material can be recycled. This is one time when checking locally is crucial — just Google what plastic numbers are accepted in your area. (For example, I live in Philadelphia, and plastics 1, 2, and 5 are cleared for curbside here.)

For beauty empties with a non-accepted number or no number at all, beauty-centric take-back programs are the move. Both Ulta and Sephora have partnered with Pact Collective to offer recycling bins for your empties in a ton of stores across the country. Nordstrom has a partnership with TerraCycle, offering a similar in-store drop-off option for beauty packaging.

SEE ALSO: Yes, there is a plastic bag at the bottom of the Mariana Trench

Project Beauty Share is one great option for giving opened skincare products a new home, as long as they're not expired. Accepted gently-used beauty items include moisturizers and serums, cleansers, body lotions, shower gels, perfumes, and sunscreens. Squeeze tubes of foundation or primer and pressed eyeshadow, blush, and highlighter are accepted if they're open but only barely used.

Hair tools

Beauty brand Mane repurposes hair tools also partners with Pact Collective to take your unwanted hot hair tools, whether they work or not. Hair tools in good working condition will be properly sanitized and shipped off to be distributed to young women through Project Glimmer, an organization dedicated to helping end gender and racial inequality for women and girls. Hair tools that don't work will be taken apart and processed for proper recycling. Labels are prepaid by Mane, as long as you use your own box.

Razors

Sure, most disposable razor handles are plastic, and razor blades are metal. Both materials are recyclable separately, but mixed materials like that bar disposable razors from being curbside recyclable. Luckily, TerraCycle has a free recycling program for common shaving brands like Gillette and Venus, from handles, to blades, to the bags the replacements come in. Consider keeping a separate receptacle to safely house a few months' worth of used razors, then send them back to be properly taken apart and recycled. If people caught onto this, just think of the dent that could be put into the estimated two billion disposable razors thrown out each year.

Toothbrushes

The number of toothbrushes thrown out each year is just as grim. National Geographic clocks around one billion plastic toothbrushes ending up in landfills annually, and toothpaste tubes are a similar story. If you use Colgate, Arm & Hammer, or Tom's of Maine toothbrushes, tubes, caps, and more, there's a free mail-in TerraCycle program for that.

SEE ALSO: Bite Toothpaste Bits are the first eco-friendly bathroom swap I'll tell anyone to try

For old toothbrushes, electric toothbrush replacement heads, used flossers, and toothpaste tubes from Crest, Oral-B, or Fixodent, you can collect and mail those in for free through Oral-B's direct recycling program.

Building out fiber optic network over thousands of miles to provide internet to millions of people is a difficult, time-consuming, and expensive task. What if you could cut out the physical connections entirely and only use wireless? That is exactly what Starlink aims to do.

SAVE UP TO $280.99: The Samsung Re-Newed program has certified refurbished Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones on sale that take between up to $280.99 off retail.

Samsung Re-Newed deals S24 deal Samsung Galaxy S24 (128GB) $619 (save $80) Get Deal S24+ deal Samsung Galaxy S24+ (256GB) $799 (save $200) Get Deal S24 Ultra deal Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (256GB) $1,019 (save $280.99) Get Deal

It's Earth Day, which means many of us are considering ways we can make our existence slightly less taxing on Mother Earth. Fortunately, one of the easiest ways to reduce our impact is to purchase reused goods, including refurbished tech. And as a bonus, buying refurbished gadgets also means sweet discounts, like today's deal at the Samsung Re-Newed storefront.

As of April 22, refurbished Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones are on sale for as low as $619.99 (Galaxy S24, 128GB) at Samsung Re-Newed. That's $80 in savings compared to buying a new Galaxy S24 with the same storage for $699.99. The savings increase if you're interested in the Galaxy S24+, but the highest discounts come when buying a refurbished Galaxy S24 Ultra, which comes in at $1,019 (a new model sells for $1,299.99). That works out to a savings of $280.99.

Here's a breakdown of the refurbished options available:

• Galaxy S24 Re-Newed: $619 (128GB) and $669 (256GB)

• Galaxy S24 Plus Re-Newed: $799 (256GB) and $919 (512GB)

• Galaxy S24 Ultra Re-Newed: $1,020 (256GB) and $1,139 (512GB)

Keep in mind that the refurbished models only come in black, but that's what cases are for, right?

All Samsung Re-Newed phones come with new batteries

We understand that buying used can sometimes feel iffy, but the Samsung Re-Newed program offers reassurance that you're still getting a great product, just one that's undergone a facelift. For starters, Samsung equips all Re-Newed S24 smartphones with a brand new battery, and if it needs other repairs, Samsung uses authentic parts. The brand also assigns a new IMEI number and upgrades to the latest software.

Plus, before it goes back on the shelf, Samsung puts it through a quality test that includes 147 checkpoints. Finally, it's given new packaging, a new data cable, and fresh quick-start guide. Boiled down, you won't need to worry you're buying a lemon.

SEE ALSO: Save $50 on the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and improve your summer playlist experience

The Samsung Galaxy S24 family was announced in January 2024, but the smartphones still hold up as solid contenders, offering some of Samsung's best features. All S24 models come with Samsung's live translate function and circle to search. The included S Pen with the S24 Ultra is always useful, and it works as a remote trigger to take photos.

For budgeting or Earth-saving reasons, buying a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S24 via the Samsung Re-Newed program is a great option. You'll be reducing your impact while saving some money, and we could all use a win-win these days.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Shop Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra $1,019 at Samsung
$1,299.99 Save $280.99 Get Deal

Sharing your Max account with someone outside of your household? You're not alone, and Max has a new way to handle it that looks awfully familiar. Just like Netflix, Max is now letting you add an "Extra Member" to your account, but it'll cost you.

President Donald Trump's tariffs continue to cause mayhem upon the gaming industry, disrupting the global economy in the process. As a result, various gaming companies have cranked up their prices, pushed back pre-orders, and even increased how much subscription services would cost players—we're looking at you, Nintendo, and Sony. But they're not the only companies that have responded to Trump's tariffs.

The mobile carrier Google Fi is now 10 years old, and Google is celebrating with a new unlimited plan for $35 per month, eSIMs for data-only devices, and helpful updates to its other plans.

We're just days away from the official preorder date for the Nintendo Switch 2, which means you better start putting a plan in place.

Major retailers in the U.S. like Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart will all be taking pre-orders starting April 24, but not all at the exact same time, and they aren't all offering the same pickup and delivery options for the June 5 launch as each other. Allow us to help sort out the confusion here for anyone planning on desperately trying to secure a Switch 2 preorder on Thursday.

Nintendo Switch 2 retailer preorders: Everything you need to know

Everyone will be open for business on the 24th, but not in the same manner. One bit of advice that will apply to all of these retailers: Make an account on their website or app with your payment and shipping info settled in before the preorder window starts so you don't have to waste precious seconds filling in that info at checkout. This helped me secure a PS5 back in the day.

Best Buy

Best Buy helpfully has a company blog post explaining how its Switch 2 preorder situation will work, which is blessedly straightforward. Put simply, you can preorder a Switch 2, any games like Mario Kart World, and any accessories you might want starting at midnight ET on April 24 on Best Buy's website or mobile app. Retail stores will also have preorders available starting at their regular opening hours, so be sure to look up when your local Best Buy opens that day beforehand if you plan on doing it in-person.

Walmart

Walmart is another company that's doing things in a pretty easy-to-grasp way. As with Best Buy, you'll be able to preorder Switch 2 consoles, games, and accessories on Walmart's website at midnight ET on April 24. Walmart is also promising delivery of the console by 9 a.m. on launch day if you secure your preorder before June 4. If that all works out, that fake sick day you plan on taking will be even more awesome.

Target

There isn't much to say about Target's Nintendo Switch 2 preorder policy. Just like Best Buy and Walmart, if you go to Target's website at midnight ET on April 24, you should be able to at least try to preorder a Switch 2. Good luck.

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

GameStop is the one retailer of the four listed here that's doing things a little bit differently on the 24th. Namely, preorders don't start at midnight. Instead, they start in-person whenever each individual store normally opens, or at 11 a.m. ET on April 24 for online orders. If you try to get one at the other retailers at midnight and strike out, set an alarm for 11 hours later and give it another shot.

And a backup plan

Just in case none of those options work out for you, there's one more way you can try to get your hands on a Switch 2 preorder: Buying directly from Nintendo.

Be warned though that the process is a bit strange. If you go to Nintendo's preorder website, you'll be prompted to log in with an active, paid Nintendo Switch Online account. The paid part is important and I'll note why in a minute. Once you do that, you choose either a Switch 2 standalone console or the Mario Kart World bundle and then hit the confirm button to "register your interest" in preordering a Switch 2. These preorders will start going out on May 8, not April 24.

Now for the weird stuff. Only Switch Online members who have paid for at least 12 months of service and registered at least 50 hours of gameplay on their Switch consoles will get invitation links starting May 8. In other words, you better be a true Switch gamer if you want to preorder this way. Anyway, if you're eligible, you might get an invitation link to a preorder page on May 8. Nintendo also confirmed these invites will go out in waves after May 8, so if you don't get in on that day, don't be too discouraged.