IT General

Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 2, 2025

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00

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 August 2 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 August 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To intimidate someone

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DAUNT.

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 August 2

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 today's Wordle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Naked Guns best cameo is so quick you might miss it

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:00

In addition to gut-busting performances from stars Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, The Naked Gun reboot features more than a few cameos from the original film including "Weird Al" Yankovic, as well as appearances from Busta Rhymes, Dave Bautista, and more.

But there's one cameo that you won't want to miss: the co-star of the original film trilogy, Priscilla Presley.

SEE ALSO: 'The Naked Gun' review: Liam Neeson is a comedy genius in this brilliantly stupid reboot

Starring alongside Leslie Nielsen in 1988's The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, 1991's The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, and 1994's Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, Presley played gloriously uncoordinated femme fatale Jane Spencer. She's introduced as an assistant to the film's antagonist Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalbán) before becoming the love interest of Nielsen's bumbling protagonist Lt. Frank Drebin.

Priscilla Presley in "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

In the reboot, you'll spy Presley as Jane sitting at home watching the broadcast of the film's major fight event, in which Neeson's character, Detective Frank Drebin Jr. (who is the son of Nielsen's character) finds himself rather exposed. Like the rest of the audience, Jane looks shocked at the dangling disco balls on screen.

It's not clear in the scene whether Jane recognises Neeson's Frank Jr. or whether she's looking at her son. Jane and Frank are married in The Naked Gun 33⅓ and the final scene shows Jane giving birth to a son. Regardless, it's great to see Presley included in The Naked Gun reboot, even if for the shortest cameo of the entire film.

Featured Video For You Liam Neeson takes the absurd comedy of 'The Naked Gun' very seriously

As Anderson told Mashable, Presley herself gave The Naked Gun star a note before filming the reboot. "Priscilla left me a message," Anderson told Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards. "She just said, 'Have a good time. Embrace the silliness. You’re going to do great.'"

The film also pays tribute to Nielsen, who died in 2010 at the age of 84, through several scenes involving Frank Jr. gazing at his father's portrait within the Police Squad building and later believing his spirit being channelled through a particularly well-timed owl. It's perfect.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Excellent Indie Games to Play This Month (August 2025)

How-To Geek - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 00:00

Is your backlog of games not quite long enough? Lucky you, since we have three more indie games to add to your library. This month we’ve got a retro-inspired driving game, a laid-back but dark city-builder, and the best new survival crafter of the last few years.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 New Microsoft Excel Features to Try in August 2025

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 22:30

Over the last few weeks, Microsoft has focused on improving automation, compatibility, and productivity in Excel for Windows, Mac, and the web. Here are five new features to look out for this month.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI pulls ChatGPT feature that let user chats appear in Google Search results

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 22:11

Thousands of private ChatGPT conversations have been appearing in Google search results because of the chatbot's "Share" feature, which the company recently removed following a backlash.

Fast Company reported this week that ChatGPT users may have inadvertently made their conversations with the AI chatbot public and searchable. The Fast Company report found nearly 4,500 ChatGPT conversations in Google search results, some of them regarding mental health struggles, relationships, and other personal and sensitive topics. Fortunately, the public conversations did not identify the users behind the posts.

How did these conversations end up on the web?

Until recently, ChatGPT users had the ability to share chats with friends, family, or coworkers by making them public. The function worked similarly to the sharing settings on a Google Doc, and users would be given a public link to the chat they could send to others. An additional option gave users the option to make the post "discoverable," and specifically discoverable by Google — whether users realized it or not.

When users created a shareable link to one of their conversations, a pop-up would appear that read: "A public link to your chat has been created." A checkbox also appeared under this message, labeled "Make this chat discoverable." And in fine print below this message, a warning appeared: "Allows it to be shown in web searches."

By checking this box, users were making it possible for their conversations to be indexed by Google, meaning Google's web crawlers could identify the page and make it eligible to appear in search results.

After Fast Company published its report, OpenAI removed the feature, with one company leader calling it a "short-lived experiment."

OpenAI Chief Information Security Officer Dane Stuckey explained on X how the feature worked — and where it ultimately went wrong.

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

Even though ChatGPT users had to opt in for their chats to become public, the company decided the potential for user error was simply too high.

As Mashable has reported previously, OpenAI is required to save user conversations — even conversations users have actively deleted — because of an ongoing lawsuit from the New York Times. As part of this suit, OpenAI must retain all conversations indefinitely. (This does not apply to ChatGPT Enterprise or ChatGPT Edu customers, according to OpenAI.)

So, while ChatGPT users can toggle on a "Temporary Chat" feature that's similar to an incognito mode in a web browser, your chat data may still be retained.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why Linux Is My IDE

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 21:30

You can program without programming tools, and integrated development environments (IDEs) are popular among developers. I take a different approach. I treat my Linux system, with its array of programming tools, as an IDE in itself.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Will Break Your Goo.gl Shortlinks, Just Not All of Them

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:58

Google’s link shortener used to be an incredibly popular service, but the ability to create links was turned off in 2018. Google said all links would stop working this year, and even though the company is partially reversing course, many links across the web will still become broken.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why I’m Done Using My Laptop as a Desktop

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:30

Are you using a laptop as a desktop? That’s been my life for years, but after a recent experiment, I actually think that having a dedicated desktop is worth it—even with how great and powerful modern laptops are.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Want to match Stray Kids Hyunjins floral phone case aesthetic? We found this K-pop idols fave.

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:14

If there’s one thing STAY know for sure about Hyunjin from Stray Kids, it's that the K-pop star has a deep, poetic love for flowers.

Whether he's painting delicate blossoms in his studio or on the road, sharing poems that echo the beauty of nature, or adorning his space with preserved petals, Hyunjin has made it clear: flowers are more than just pretty — they're a core part of how he expresses himself.

SEE ALSO: K-pop rookies KiiiKiii tap into Gen Z's obsession with early internet aesthetics

So it's no surprise that floral phone cases are his actual accessory of choice. On Instagram, the dancer has shared mirror selfies snapped during his global travels on the group's dominATE World Tour, and in several, his iPhone is dressed in a floral-covered case. If you don't know what case we're talking about, pop over to Instagram to see the floral case in question.

These rich, botanical designs perfectly capture his dreamy, introspective energy. And the best part? You can shop the same aesthetic to match your own phone to Hyunjin's signature style.

Romance with an edge

Dark and dramatic, this matte black Roses and Thorns phone case from Casetify is adorned with deep red roses and subtle gold detailing. It's elegant, bold, and unmistakably Hyunjin-coded. The design balances softness with edge, much like Hyunjin's stage presence itself. It's a clear favorite in his rotation and gives off serious romantasy vibes.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify Roses and Thorns — BioVeg Case MagSafe Compatible $74 at Cafetify
Shop Now Floral nostalgia, Hyunjin-style View this post on Instagram

This one's for the romantics. With dainty bouquets in pink, red, and white set against a matte black background, the Vintage Flower Monday case from Casetify has a worn-in, dreamy vibe, like something out of a vintage diary. The delicate florals and washed tones feel straight from Hyunjin's sketchbook, capturing that quiet elegance he's so known for.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify VINTAGE FLOWER MONDAY — Impact Case MagSafe Compatible $64 at Casetify
Shop Now Hyunjin’s elegant life hack: a magnetic cardholder View this post on Instagram

Technically not a case, but definitely 100-percent Hyunjin. This Butterfly Sunday by Monika Strigel magnetic cardholder stand from Casetify features butterflies and white florals, and it’s been spotted attached to his phone more than once. During a 2024 livestream, Hyunjin explained that he'd stopped using a wallet "a long time ago" but kept misplacing his cards. The Snappy™ was a game-changer. He even called the accessory "amazing," and this is the second design he's been seen using. Stylish and practical? Very Hyunjin.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify Butterfly Sunday by Monika Strigel Snappy Cardholder Stand $38 at Casetify
Shop Now

These floral cases and accessories are romantic, artsy, and effortlessly cool. Just like him.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Last chance: Buy the original Switch consoles before Nintendo raises prices

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:04

This is your last chance to get the original lineup of Nintendo Switch consoles before the prices go up on Aug. 3.

On Friday, Nintendo announced that it would be raising prices on the Nintendo Switch 1, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and some Switch accessories. While the Nintendo statement didn't specify how much prices would increase, a popular Nintendo fan account on X spotted higher prices in effect at Target already. If these numbers are correct, then shoppers will soon face these prices:

However, these higher prices haven't gone into effect at other retailers, which means gamers have about 48 hours to get the beloved console at the usual price.

As of this writing, all three of these consoles are available for sale at Walmart for their original prices. Unfortunately, the new Switch 2 landed with a higher price tag of $449. While it was consistently out of stock, a recent Switch 2 restock has changed that. But if that $449 price tag still gives you pause, you can still have a lot of fun on the original Switch, one of the greatest gaming consoles ever made.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch Lite $199 at Walmart
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch w/ Neon Blue & Neon Red Joy-Con $299 at Walmart
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch OLED $349 at Walmart
Shop Now
Categories: IT General, Technology

Lossless Audio Sounds Better, but You’re Not Getting the Full Experience

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:00

Lossless audio has become one of the buzziest terms in the world of music streaming. Apple Music offers it, as do Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and others. It’s positioned as a big leap in audio fidelity—a way to hear your favorite tracks the way artists and engineers intended.

Categories: IT General, Technology

KDE Is Making Its Own Linux Distro, and You Can Try It

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:28

KDE developers have announced that you can now test KDE Linux, a completely new Linux distribution currently in a "pre-alpha" phase. It's big news for KDE enthusiasts like myself, as it's meant to be a pure KDE Plasma experience free from the meddling of third-party distro developers.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Luxury Crossover That’s as Fun to Drive as a Sports Car

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:00

Some crossovers focus on comfort, while others chase performance, but few manage to deliver both in perfect balance. This luxury compact SUV offers a driving experience that’s as engaging as it is refined, making every trip feel like more than just a commute.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Reddit Wants to Be a Real Search Engine

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:55

Reddit is planning to unify its traditional site search and "Reddit Answers" AI tool, and give it more prominent placement in the site and mobile apps. The company is hoping to become more of a first destination for information searches, instead of Google or other search engines standing in the way.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tim Cook: Apple faces a $1.1 billion tariff bill this quarter

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:49

Apple is facing high tariff costs in the current quarter, projected to reach a whopping $1.1 billion.

The company's CEO Tim Cook shared the projections, based on current rates and policies, with investors during an earnings call on Thursday. The hike comes amid a continuous trade war between China and the U.S. government.

SEE ALSO: India overtakes China in smartphone exports to U.S.

In the quarter that ended in June, tariffs cost Apple $800 million, which was actually lower than initially anticipated. "The bulk of the tariffs that we paid were the IEEPA [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] tariffs that hit early in the year, related to China," Cook said, according to The Verge.

"There are many factors that could change, including tariff rates," the CEO continued.

In the past, President Donald Trump has specifically threatened Tim Cook and Apple with higher tariffs on iPhones, part of his pressure campaign to move iPhone production to the United States. Experts say that is extremely unlikely to happen, as the U.S. lacks the infrastructure to manufacture flagship smartphones.

In the Thursday earnings call, Cook also shared that the company set a "June quarter revenue record", with growth across its iPhone and Mac products and services divisions. He said the results were "better than expected."

As Mashable reported on Friday, despite economic uncertainty, a negative July jobs report, and the looming threat of tariffs, tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Reddit are still reporting strong revenue this quarter.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Nintendo is raising prices for the Switch 1 — are tariffs to blame?

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:38

The original Nintendo Switch will soon hold a higher price tag in the United States.

On Friday, Nintendo announced that it's raising prices on its old gaming consoles and accessories as a result of "market conditions" beginning Aug. 3. The price of the new Nintendo Switch 2 will remain the same. However, the original Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and some Switch accessories will all get higher prices.

The announcement didn't reveal what the new retail price will be for Switch 1 systems, but we have some idea of what to expect.

Nintendo fans (or anyone who's gone searching for Switch 2 restocks) may recognize the X account Wario64, known for tracking Switch inventory online. The account spotted the higher prices already in effect at retailers like Target; the increases range from $30 to $50.

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

As Kotaku reports, video game consoles usually go down in price as time goes on and the products get older. But Nintendo is taking another route, and tariffs may be to blame.

While the Nintendo statement didn't mention tariffs, the company referenced "market conditions," a common euphemism for tariffs. This is the exact same language the company used in April, when it paused Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States following the initial round of tariffs. Earlier this year, Microsoft also announced price increases on Xbox consoles (also citing "market conditions"). And in previous reporting, experts have also told Mashable that tariffs have had a big impact on video game consoles and accessories in particular.

"[A] lot of the big electronic brands may have avoided some tariffs by stockpiling inventories earlier in the year, before tariffs were announced," said Rick Kowalski, Senior Director of Business Intelligence at the Consumer Technology Association, in an earlier interview with Mashable about tariffs and tech prices. "Those stockpiles will only last a few months at most, so eventually, importers will need to restock, and they'll import more products at the higher tariff rates."

Nintendo says that prices for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, as well as physical and digital Switch games, will not change yet. However, the company says further "price adjustments may be necessary in the future."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Shop all the best back-to-school deals for college students

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:37
The best back-to-school college deals at a glance: Best school supplies deal Select school supplies at Amazon Save $10 when you spend $50 Get Deal Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799.99 (save $200) Get Deal Best tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (WiFi, 64GB) $209.99 (save $120) Get Deal Best dorm essentials deal Select dorm essentials at Amazon Get 20% off when you spend $100 Get Deal Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Bose QuietComfort headphones $229 (save $120) Get Deal

It's almost time to head to campus for the new school year. But before you do, you may want to take inventory of what supplies you need, what tech needs upgrading, and what kind of budget you're working with. With President Trump's tariffs set to take effect today, Aug. 1, we could see some major price hikes in the weeks leading up to the beginning of the semester. In other words, a good deal today could end up being a great deal in just a couple of weeks.

Below, we've rounded up the best back-to-school deals: college edition. These include cute and compact coffee makers, noise-cancelling headphones, laptops and tablets, and of course, your basic school supplies. If you're hoping to deck out your dorm on a budget, we've got you covered.

General school supplies dealsLaptop and tablet deals

Check out our extensive list of all the best back-to-school laptop deals.

Dorm essentials dealsNoise-cancelling headphones dealsOther tech dealsSubscription deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

T-Mobile Now Officially Owns UScellular

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:30

The ink is dry, the papers are signed, and T-Mobile is officially the proud owner of UScellular. The acquisition that started over a year ago is now complete. Over four million new customers are coming to the Magenta side, and if you're one of them, you might be wondering what that means for you.

Categories: IT General, Technology

GameChat with your Switch 2 friends with the Hori Piranha Plant Camera for its lowest price

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:21

SAVE $20: As of August 1, get the Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2 for $39.99, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's a discount of 33% and its lowest price yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2 $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20 Get Deal

If you spend a lot of time on your Nintendo Switch 2 talking to your friends in GameChat, you might want to also add a way for them to see your face. Not everyone wants to be on camera all day long (especially for work), but it can add some fun to hangouts with your buddies, and it can also enhance some of your Switch 2 games. But if you don't want to buy or feel like the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera is for you, you've got an alternative: a Piranha Plant-shaped camera that's a lot more fun. And it's gone down to its lowest price yet.

As of August 1, get the Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2 for $39.99, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's $20 off and a discount of 33%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Direct: See all the new games coming to the Switch 2, plus a bonus Hyrule trailer

This USB-C camera connects straight to your Switch 2 and is compatible with your system whether you use TV mode, tabletop mode, or portable mode. It enables video chat via GameChat, and it lets you use the camera-based features in all the games that the Switch 2 supports. For example, Super Mario Party Jamboree: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV comes with a special mode built around using your face in-game as you compete on a special game show.

You'll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online membership to use GameChat, however, so keep that in mind when purchasing the camera. And if you're not really interested in using it too much beyond game additions, you won't need the membership. And don't be shy about buying it just so you have an excuse to have a miniature Piranha Plant in your house. Absolutely no one is going to fault you for that.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How My Homelab Became the Most Useful Thing in My Home

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:15

Are you on the fence with whether you should run a homelab? Well, what started as a small journey has now become the cornerstone of my house. I’m not kidding when I say that my homelab is the most useful and functional part of my home.

Categories: IT General, Technology
Syndicate content

eXTReMe Tracker