IT General

How many devices do you have in your smart home? How many are connected to the internet, and how many of them are running updated firmware? Do you even know for sure? If not, it's time for an audit of your smart home devices.

Electric vehicles were once among the most expensive options on the market, often carrying price tags far beyond comparable gasoline-powered cars. But as the EV market matures and more models return from leases, used prices are beginning to fall quickly. In some cases, the shift is dramatic enough that buyers can now purchase a used electric crossover for the same price as a brand-new compact sedan.

If you'd like to get more done in your day without getting overwhelmed, these free tools may just save your day to day.

When you switch from a Windows PC to an Apple Mac, you'll probably hit a few hurdles. These quirks will go away over time, but that can be frustrating and slow you down, especially if you've used PCs for ages. I'll go into the subtle but important operational differences between a Mac and a PC to get you ready for those less obvious changes you'll need to make to really get things done. If I had known how different the Mac was, I wouldn't have been so eager to switch over.

Wi-Fi 7 routers are heavily marketed as a massive leap over older Wi-Fi standards, promising faster speeds, lower latency, and much better optimized connections.

This was another busy week in tech, with Google announcing a big change to Maps navigation, impressive updates for the Dolphin emulator and Ghostty terminal, Amazon's ad-free Prime Video plan going up in price, and much more. Here are the biggest stories you might have missed.

Thanks to big leaps in lithium-ion battery technology, the days of the tangled extension cord are finally winding down. There's a new class of powerful, portable cordless tools designed to solve common household problems. You no longer have to deal with bulky equipment or hunt for an outlet to deal with a sudden mess or emergency. Here are some of the best tools for the job.

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 14, 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 14, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 14 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 14 Pips

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

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

Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 14 Pips

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

Microsoft has a pretty long history of bringing out ambitious products and then, sometimes really quickly, just stopping them. Its graveyard of discontinued projects is full of promising, and sometimes much-loved, software and hardware that, for various reasons, just didn't fit into the company's long-term plans. This whole process is a big part of how Windows has changed over time, often leaving you scrambling for other options. From simple, nostalgic apps that were too pure for today's Windows and were killed, to clever hardware platforms that maybe launched a bit too soon, a new bunch of services and features have officially been retired. We're going to look at several recently discontinued Microsoft products and features that you may not know are dead.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy for people who like golf.

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: Baseball no-no's

• Green: Teams in the Peach State

• Blue: Winners on the green

• Purple: Famous college matchups

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Banned in Baseball

• Green: A Georgia Athlete

• Blue: Golf Awards

• Purple: College Football Rivalries

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 #537 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Banned in Baseball - BETTING, CORKED BAT, SPITBALL, STEROIDS

• A Georgia Athlete - BRAVE, FALCON, HAWK, YELLOW JACKET

• Golf Awards - CLARET JUG, GREEN JACKET, SOLHEIM CUP, WANAMAKER TROPHY

• College Football Rivalries - BACKYARD BRAWL, BEDLAM, EGG BOWL, THE GAME

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.

I want to love OpenClaw… I really do. But I just can’t bring myself to accept the security vulnerabilities and complicated setup that comes with it. Perplexity Personal Computer? Now that’s something I can get behind, as it might finally deliver my dream of a proper AI personal assistant.

There aren't a lot of things that are as annoying as it is to spin up a new SSD, only to find it's not even close to the performance that was advertised.

Back in 2015, Microsoft announced Windows Continuum, a feature that could transform Windows 10 Mobile phones into full-blown desktops, complete with a desktop-like interface, full-screen apps, and support for keyboards and mice. The catch was that Continuum was impressive on paper, but not in practice.

Excel is easy to use, right? You put some data in, write a few formulas, sort the columns, and you're done. While that might work for simpler tasks, it's a recipe for disaster if your workbook grows. In this scenario, your data should sit in the background while you do the work elsewhere.

I have a large number of Home Assistant automations, from the simple to the incredibly complicated. While complex automations are often necessary, the best automation I have is the simplest one of them all.

Streaming has become the default option and is arguably trying to take the role of traditional cable. However, that doesn't mean that streaming is the only option, or even a good one. Subscriptions and entertainment costs are constantly rising, but the TV antenna has only gotten better and cheaper in some cases.

We all tend to imagine ourselves as the hero of our stories. The trouble with that is it requires someone to be the villain. That way of thinking can get dangerous when tumbled into our personal wells of prejudice, paranoia, and need for validation. From this well of mind-bending emotions springs The Saviors, a clever genre thriller with a lot to say beneath its slippery surface. 

Following in the footsteps of eavesdropping-centric thrillers like Rear Window and The 'Burbs, The Saviors begins with a middle-aged white man with too much time on his hands. In an average suburban American town, Sean Harrison (a smartly cast Adam Scott) is unemployed and on the verge of divorce from his wife, Kim (Till's Danielle Deadwyler). He's hungry for a purpose when he meets Muslim siblings Amir (Theo Rossi) and Jahan (Nazanin Boniadi), who are renting the Harrisons' guest house for a few days. So, when Sean notices some strange things around his home after their arrival, his suspicious eye travels to the guest house's door. 

What follows is a provocative tale with a sharp sense of humor and an ending that'll make you want to watch it again — immediately. 

The Saviors blends sci-fi spookiness with comic paranoia. 

Co-written by Travis Betz and Kevin Hamedani, and directed by the latter, The Saviors begins with a trippy dream sequence. Sean and Kim awake in a crisp, white bedroom, whispering sweet nothings to each other as if this were the final act of a Nancy Meyers rom-com. Then a strange sound draws them away from the bliss of their bed. 

In the blink of an eye, the tone shifts from serene to panicked. Sean is bleeding. The future is uncertain and threatening, and then he wakes up for real. This time he's on the couch. He's rumpled, real, and really annoying his wife, who's readied herself to welcome their Airbnb guests to the house out back. 

Dressed primly, Amir and Jahan are polite and warm, expressing appreciation for two strangers giving them space in their home. Through sign language, Jahan praises Sean's cooking, the smell of his chili lighting up her face with a broad smile. But as they share a meal, Sean finds some of their comments strange, like their unfamiliarity with the sound of crickets. Soon, a hummed melody ("Seven Nation Army") spurs him to suspect Jahan isn't deaf as her brother claims. Then there are the tremors that shake their house, and the inexplicable green lights that suddenly pierce their windows. Things are getting undeniably strange, in a Twilight Zone way. 

Still, Sean's uneasy about broaching the topic with a wife who already finds him ridiculous. But neither does he want to confide in his parents (Colleen Camp and Ron Perlman), who've fallen down a right-wing conspiracy rabbit hole. His construction worker sister, Cleo (Kate Berlant) isn't much better, and eagerly fans the flames of Sean's paranoia. After all, isn't the president coming to their cozy town for a visit? And isn't he visiting a landmark near Sean and Kim's home? 

While Kim initially dismisses Sean's suspicions, demanding he think outside his "white bubble," TV news hums about increased security and fear of terrorist threats. Before long, she too grows nervous about their guests. From there, the couple plays amateur spies, and the adventure of it all has reignited their connection — and their sex lives. But at what cost?

The Saviors delivers a surprising parable without getting preachy. 

Hamedani doesn't shy away from modern American politics through ambiguity. Though he avoids dropping the names of real politicians, his characters speak frankly about neo-Nazis, Islamophobia, and white privilege — particularly when it comes to life in suburbia. Yet, the film never veers into feeling like a lecture, because of the propulsive thrust of its central mystery: What are these guests up to? 

Some clues are strange, but potentially innocuous. However, a second act sequence that reveals a peek into what even Sean and Kim can't see dares the audience to buy into Sean's suspicions. After all, the film is bound to his perspective, setting him up as the hero of The Saviors. But this movie would be boring if things weren't what they seem. Still, even if you'd guessed that, I doubt you'll predict where Hamedani and Betz's sci-fi story winds up. I was not just surprised, but elated to be surprised. Watching the clues stack up, I was confident — cocky, even — that I'd unlocked the mystery that The Saviors ticks down to in its climax. I was wrong, and so I wanted to see The Saviors again to see where I, like Sean and Kim, went wrong. 

The first time through The Saviors works as a solid genre thriller. The deceptively simple story is about a couple torn apart by ennui, but reunited through an adventure built on voyeurism and paranoia. But the sci-fi flourishes of unworldly glows, bizarre devices, and mysterious visitors heighten the stakes beyond divorce to life and death. Our imaginations are tantalized, enticing us to seek out exotic elements, and thereby ignoring more domestic red flags.

Like a great whodunnit, The Saviors opens up on reflection, blooming with the clues we overlooked the first time. The story shifts as our understanding of Amir and Jahan has. So, in a sense, you get two movies in one, just by watching The Saviors a second time. Better yet, the performances work both ways. All four leads — Scott, Deadwyler, Rossi, and Boniadi — are tasked with playing performances that work in two contexts. Some scenes that were once funny, flip to become menacing, and vice versa. It's all about perspective. 

A true find out of SXSW, The Saviors is a marvel. Hamedani and company have carefully constructed a film that's part dark comedy, part sci-fi thriller, part cautionary tale. And yet for all this, it never feels muddled or messy. Keenly helmed and sharply performed, The Saviors is a must-see. 

The Saviors was reviewed out of its world premiere at SXSW. 

Everyone loves to blame PowerPoint for their boring meetings, but the problem isn't the software—it's your workflow. While you were making beige bullet points, Microsoft quietly spent the past decade turning PowerPoint into a professional-grade motion graphics engine. If your presentations feel like a relic of the past, the program isn't what needs an update.

I can’t seem to avoid 3D printed slop like articulated dragons and octopi with dangling legs. It wouldn’t be so bad if these models didn’t remind me of some of the worst aspects of 3D printing.

Most days, my terminal is a purely practical space, a place for important commands, logs, and the occasional script. It’s efficient, minimal, and not particularly exciting to look at. But every once in a while, a tool comes along that reminds you that the command line can still surprise you.