IT General

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 10 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 10 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: They're inseparable

These words are things got together.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are things you always find together, like peanut butter and jelly.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Together.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 10

• Soap

• Water

• Milk

• Cereal

• Rhythm

• Blues

• Arts

• Craft

• Together

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Strands.

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 January 10 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: Need

• Green: Letting up

• Blue: Mixology

• Purple: Brain teaser elements

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: Be contingent (on)

• Green: "Calm down"

• Blue: Ingredients in an old fashioned

• Purple: Featured in the Monty Hall problem

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 #579 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Be contingent (on): DEPEND, HINGE, RELY, REST

• "Calm down": CHILL, EASY, ENOUGH, RELAX

• Ingredients in an old fashioned: BITTERS, ORANGE, RYE, SUGAR

• Featured in the Monty Hall problem: CAR, DOOR, GOAT, HOST

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 January 10

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 the latest Connections.

We all know how ingrained the internet has become in day-to-day life. However, as the world becomes more connected, online threats grow more and more sophisticated. This means protecting your personal and financial data is more critical than ever, but also more complicated than ever.

Here are some key strategies to help you stay secure and maintain your peace of mind online:

Use strong, unique passwords for every account

Passwords are the first line of defence against unauthorised access to your accounts. Yet, many users still reuse simple passwords across multiple platforms, making them easy targets for hackers. To enhance your security, create strong, unique passwords for every account – combining letters, numbers and special characters. Using a password manager to securely store and generate complex passwords ensures that you never need to rely on memory or repetition. Password managers can be bought as standalone subscriptions, but are also normally included security suites such as Bitdefender Premium Security and Bitdefender Ultimate Security.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication (MGA) and two-factor authentication (2FA) add an additional layer of security to your accounts by requiring a second form of verification beyond just a password. This could be a one-time code sent to your phone, a biometric scan, or an app-based authenticator. With MFA or 2FA enabled, even if your password is compromised, unauthorised access is nearly impossible without the secondary credential. Lean more about enabling MFA here.

Be aware of phishing attempts

Phishing is a common online threat where scammers trick users into providing sensitive information by posing as legitimate entities. These scams often appear as emails, text messages or even fake websites. To counter this threat, educate yourself in identifying phishing scams, and use detection tools like Bitdefender’s Scam Copilot, which identifies and blocks scams in your email, browser, messages and other apps. Scam Copilot is included in Bitdefender’s Premium and Ultimate security suites.

Keep your software updated

Outdated software makes you a prime target for cybercriminals looking to exploit vulnerabilities. Whether it’s your operating system, browser, apps and even antivirus software, keeping everything up to date ensures that you benefit from the latest security patches and features. Most software platforms offer automatic updates – make sure this is enabled to stay protected without the hassle of manual checks.

Use comprehensive security software

Investing in reliable security software is one of the best ways to safeguard your devices. At the bare minimum, you should get a no-frills antivirus like Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, which will keep you protected against malware, spyware and ransomware. Meanwhile, security suites like Bitdefender Premium Security and Bitdefender Ultimate Security bundle in many other useful tools, such as Scam Copilot scam detection, unlimited VPN, password manager and more. Read more about security suites here.

Practice safe browsing habits

Cybercriminals often exploit risky online behaviour to gain access to sensitive information. Avoid clicking on suspicious links, downloading files from unverified sources, or visiting unsecured websites. While the presence of the HTTPS padlock in the browser no longer indicate that the website is safe to visit, it's still a good indicator that the data you are about to enter will not be intercepted as it goes to its destination. Never submit sensitive information on sites that do not offer HTTPS connections. You should also limit the amount of personal information you share online to minimise your exposure to potential attacks.

Educate yourself and stay informed

At the end of the day, online safety begins with you. Stay informed about the latest online threats. Since you’re reading this article, you already know that PCMag is a great place to start. Cybersecurity providers also share information about the threats they are up against, such as on this Bitdefender blog. Knowledge is power, and by educating yourself, you can proactively defend against potential risks.

Stay safe out there!

LEGO and Nintendo have announced that they will be releasing a LEGO version of the original Game Boy in October 2025. The announcement came as a surprise and confirms a long-rumored partnership.

The Southern California wildfires continue to rage on, devastating areas around Los Angeles, including the Pacific Palisades, Hurst, and Pasadena.

Over 180,000 people have had to evacuate their homes, and over 2,000 buildings have been destroyed. The fires, which are widespread and windy, have yet to be contained and have been stretching the limits of firefighting resources. However, according to the Los Angeles Times, California Governor Gavin Newsom has recruited more firefighters and resources, and President Biden has supplied federal support with air tankers from the U.S. Forest Service. 

SEE ALSO: You can track the Los Angeles wildfires with a free app

Meanwhile, those living in the area are undoubtedly affected by the air pollution caused by wildfire smoke. According to AirNow, which is run by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control, and other federal agencies, the air quality index (AQI) in the Los Angeles area is listed as "Unhealthy" measuring at 188 PM2.5. The site's recommendation for this AQI level is to minimize outdoor activity, especially if you have symptoms or belong to a sensitive group.

AirNow is a great resource for checking the AQI index, but it's not the only one. Below, we've compiled some of the best sites and apps for checking air quality.

The Weather app for iPhone users

Did you know that Apple's native Weather app provides air quality information? If you open a location and scroll past the weekly forecast, you'll find the air quality index. If you click on the widget, you'll get more granular information about pollutant details and any pertinent health information.

The World Air Quality Index Project

The World Air Quality Index Project is a collaboration of environmental agencies worldwide. Its site compiles air quality data from 50,000 monitoring stations in 132 countries to provide real-time AQI stats worldwide. However, you can also visit specific areas monitored by local stations and get detailed current and historical information from each device. 

AirNow

AirNow is a collaborative effort of federal agencies that provides air quality data across the U.S. The site also has up-to-date information about the wildfires, resources, data, and interactive maps to help users learn more about particular areas and how they might be affected. There's also a free AirNow mobile app.

Air quality apps

A quick iOS or Android app store search will yield numerous results for well-reviewed air quality apps. Unlike government-funded sites, these apps are a bit more polished and provide more features and ways to personalize your preferences. For example, several apps, such as IQAir, Air Matters, and the Plume Labs app, provide multi-day air quality forecasts, and Paku provides hyperlocal real-time AQI data. 

There are also apps specifically designed for tracking wildfires, such as Firesource and Watch Duty, which provide real-time data about fire perimeters, evacuation orders, wind conditions, and air quality. 

Google has ended development on a ‘Compact Mode’ for the Chrome web browser. It would have reduced the size of the browser’s toolbars and controls to fit better on smaller screens.

As always, CES 2025 is packed with tech start-ups showcasing their latest innovations. Personally, I'm always interested in seeing new developments in the keyboard and mouse segments—after all, they're my most used devices (aside from my phone). This year, the AutoKeybo caught my attention.

The 2025 tax season is officially upon us.

The Internal Revenue Service will open access to its Free File preparation service starting Jan. 10, the federal agency announced in a news release.

Free File is a program that allows certain taxpayers to complete their return using guided tax software, free of charge.

SEE ALSO: Watch out for these common tax scams

Taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less in 2024 can use Free File. Those who qualify must start their return by selecting a Free File option from the IRS' website (taxpayers will not find the free service on the website of a tax preparer that has partnered with the IRS to participate in Free File; in 2025, those partners include TaxHawk, TaxSlayer, 1040Now and ezTaxReturn).

Though taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less can utilize Free File, the IRS noted that each partner has its own eligibility criteria based on age, state residency, and military status, among other factors. Some providers may also offer free preparation of state tax returns.

Once Free File is open for use, taxpayers can prepare their returns and hold them until the official IRS tax season begins later in January.

The IRS' Free File Fillable forms, which are electronic versions of common IRS paper forms, will be accessible to all starting Jan. 27 — taxpayers who don't qualify for Free File can use the fillable forms should they feel comfortable preparing their own taxes independently.

"Over the years, Free File has helped millions of taxpayers, providing a fast and simple way to file their returns," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in the agency's statement.

Google is no stranger to Easter eggs, but this time it's outdone itself. You've likely heard of Squid Game by now, Netflix's South Korean smash-hit survival thriller. It's currently in its second season, so Google decided to surprise us with a secret game.

American Primeval is decently entertaining as an action-drama, though it's quite fascinating in concept. The Netflix mini-series, created by Mark L. Smith and directed by Peter Berg, features an accomplished ensemble playing mostly familiar archetypes during a pre-Civil War struggle for the American West. However, it saps anything resembling wistfulness from its Hollywood Western roots, complicating its chances of cornering the post-Yellowstone market (alongside the latter's many spin-offs). What's left is the husk of a beloved genre, told in stark, chaotic hues seldom seen on-screen.  

The show's numerous subplots are connected by grisly happenstance, albeit not much else. It's a violent saga, even though its violence quickly plateaus. This goes for both its physical brutality, as well as the many cruel ideologies in its crosshairs, from white supremacy and religious fundamentalism to a general penchant for war. But that these are so nakedly on display, in a show this unapologetically grim, is a welcome surprise, from a setting and storytelling mode so otherwise steeped in nostalgia. Despite its threads unraveling in haphazard ways, the series is never boring, and never wanting for a good performance.

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them What is American Primeval about? Credit: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024

The story of American Primeval, which takes place in the winter of 1857, is based on real locations and events, albeit with necessary dramatizations. With a bounty on her head for an alleged murder, well-to-do mother Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin) absconds from Philadelphia with her pre-teen son Devin (Preston Mota) to meet up with her husband out west. But upon arriving at Fort Bridger — a real fur trading outpost in Wyoming along the Oregon Trail — she learns that her guide has already left, leading her to desperately search for safe passage wherever she can find it.

The fort is not far from volatile conflicts between numerous factions. The Shoshone Tribe is one of several who have been driven from their native land by constant war. A ruthless Mormon militia patrols the territories near Utah, at the behest of the expansionist, extremist preacher Governor Brigham Young (a terrifying Kim Coates). Meanwhile, the conscientious U.S. Army Captain Edmund Dellinger (Lucas Neff) tries to keep the peace, but he's growing increasingly cynical about the possibility of coexistence (as we're frequently reminded, through his numerous diary entries narrated in voiceover).

The aforementioned groups only account for about half the series' characters, all of whom are set up bit-by-bit through very direct exposition. Additionally, there's the lone gunman from whom Sara seeks help, the lonely and brooding Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), who shares an intimate history with the Shoshone. There are the bounty hunters on her trail, led by Virgil Cutter (Jai Courtney), a leader whose heartlessness clashes with his more empathetic protégé Lucas (Andrew P. Logan).

There are the various militiamen and Mormon leaders, and there are also Mormon civilians just trying to find their way unscathed. Some of the latter end up inadvertently attacked when traveling with a larger caravan, including newlywed Abish Pratt (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) and her husband Jacob (Dane DeHaan), whose increasingly bloody and disheveled appearance each episode is as ludicrously funny as Homer Simpson hitting infinite rocks and tree branches. And of course, there's Jim Bridger himself, the founder of the aforementioned fort, played with smarm and panache by the ever-delightful Shea Whigham.

The show also features a number of Native characters who, although they're seldom allowed to leave the strict confines of plot function — American Primeval is an anti-Western in every way but this — still displays a beating humanity and ethos. There's the young, nonverbal Shoshone girl Two Moons (Shawnee Pourier), a runaway who hitches a ride with Sara and Devin, and there's also rogue Shoshone warrior Red Feather (Derek Hinkey), who forms his own tribe intent on trading blood for blood. If the latter sounds a whole lot like a central character in Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, his appearance isn't the only time you'll be making that comparison.

If anything, the show plays like a morbid and cynical answer to Horizon, the film series that Costner left Yellowstone in order to make, and one that wrestles with the violence inherent to America's founding myths while still morosely holding on to a folkloric image of the nation's past. American Primeval has less trouble removing its rose-tinted glasses, even going as far as to deploy rearrangements of Woody Guthrie's famous folk song "This Land Is Your Land" to deeply ironic effect. However, it struggles just as much as Costner's film when it comes to switching between its numerous characters.

American Primeval is propulsive, but uneven. Credit: Matt Kennedy / Netflix

The show's structure and plot might mirror Costner's Western epic, but its closest aesthetic cousins are actually Alejandro González Iñárritu's own violent winter Western The Revenant (which Mark L. Smith also notably penned) and, in terms of frenetic editing, the Star Wars films of J.J. Abrams. That second comparison is, for the most part, complimentary. American Primeval charges forth with reckless abandon, leaving little room to consider the actual time and space between people spread across different parts of the landscape. That's not always a good thing, but it means each new plot development is always just around the corner, with characters always ready to stumble into each other's stories.

On the other hand, the lack of actual travel time or any sort of downtime for the characters, even across six hours, leaves little room for them to unravel and develop. Gilpin and Kitsch, for instance, are suitably austere, resulting in Jane Austen-esque romantic tensions, but who they are as people is established from minute one, and remains frozen in stasis throughout the story. The same is true for most characters except DeHaan's, who has the advantage of being changed by physical injury. No one is really affected or impacted, in human ways, by the show's many goings-on.

That said, those goings on are usually fun to watch, from gritty firefights in unbroken takes to vicious hand-to-hand combat in close quarters. Emmanuel Lubezki's Oscar–winning cinematography for The Revenant was clearly the prototype here, with short-lensed close-ups skewing space and enhancing the impact of everything from blood to spittle, all covered in snow. The first episode is wonderfully chaotic, with its quick cuts and askew Dutch angles throwing everything off-balance as civilians are engulfed by attacks. Unfortunately, this visual approach ends up somewhat indiscriminate across the series, even during mundane conversations.

The show's washed-out palette and permeating muck and grime paint America's infancy as a time of petty squabble without absolution — a counter-narrative to most of the country's mythology about itself. However, the show also builds in a kind of narrative backstop to prevent it from falling into total despair: the American dream is still, in a sense, alive, but it's relegated to the four walls of Fort Bridger.

The focused metaphors in American Primeval almost work. Credit: Matt Kennedy / Netflix

The fort, which appears early on in the series and becomes a frequent respite from the action, very much exists in the vein of cinema's lawless Old West, with its saloons, and shootings, and hangings. But it's also representative of an American ideal. It's the only place in the show where characters from all walks of life, and all backgrounds (white, Native, or otherwise) can congregate, take refuge from religious extremism, and have an actual shot at living.

It's also the center of a beautifully haunting climax that revels in the slow demise of said ideals, which makes for a pitch-perfect conclusion to the show — or would have, had the series chosen to end on this symbolic note. Instead, it returns to one of its many ongoing narratives so that Person A can wander into Story B and conclude Subplot C, most of which jog in place for multiple episodes.

While American Primeval occasionally wields its metaphors with skill, it is, for the most part, a banal and obvious show about the trickle-down effects of the past. For instance, Courtney's Cutter, when addressing Sara, all but turns to the camera in order to deliver the line, "Our current circumstances are a reflection of our past decisions." The problem with this sort of delivery — other than its thuddingly literal nature — is that this theme and every other one is established in the first episode and never transforms dramatically.

American Primeval may be forward-thinking in its premise, with its apparent deconstruction of national history and self-image. However, its execution ends up with little to say, beyond the broad strokes of people's selfishness causing pain and suffering. You learn this from the get-go, so you know exactly the kind of show you're getting into from there on out, but there's little left to learn. So, even its subversions of traditional Hollywood imagery and American mythmaking feel oddly familiar and comfortable by the end.

American Primeval is now streaming on Netflix.

Delta Airlines announced at CES 2025 an exclusive partnership with Google to stream YouTube for free via an upgraded in-flight entertainment system on its flights.

You can connect your Android device to Windows using a USB cable to transfer files. But what if you don't have a USB cable available? In this case, you can use the Quick Share app to transfer files between Android and Windows, and that too at impressive transfer speeds.

New iPhone, new case. Since you can't take the case from past generations and snap it to your iPhone 16 Plus, a new purchase is in order, and below are the best options available now.

I just want to be able to hold my devices without my wrists feeling like they're going to fall off. That can't be a big ask, can it?

When it comes to wirelessly connecting your peripherals to your computer, you have two primary options: a 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth. If you're only familiar with Bluetooth, you might be wondering what this dongle is even for—there's a reason it exists. Let's go over the pros and cons of each.

PRE-ORDER AND SAVE $390: Ahead of its Feb. 14 launch, the Dreame X50 Ultra robot vacuum announced at CES can already be pre-ordered. Doing so early also unlocks a $390 coupon, making it yours for $1,309.99 versus the $1,699.99 launch price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame X50 Ultra $1,309.99 at Dreame
$1,699.99 Save $390.00 Pre-Order Here

If you read "climbing robot vacuum" about the Dreame X50 Ultra and assumed that meant it's the first robot vacuum that can straight up go up stairs, you were kind of duped. But this doesn't mean that the Dreame X50 Ultra won't be one of the best robot vacuum values to come out of CES 2025.

Dreame still packed a ton of upgrades into the X50 Ultra that'll make it one of the most autonomous robot vacuums on the market, especially in its price range. Its debut price of $1,699.99 is... fine — the window between $1,399.99 and $1,799.99 is pretty habitual for the flagship robot vacuum from any main brand nowadays.

How to buy the Dreame X50 Ultra

However, the Dreame X50 Ultra becomes a real bang for your buck when you take advantage of its surprising preorder deal: Buying on Dreame's website before its official release on Valentine's Day unlocks a $390 coupon, making the X50 Ultra just $1,309.99. A three-year warranty plus an extra two years for free is also included in the early bird special.

You'll only have to put down $39 to claim yours, rather than coughing up the full amount up front.

SEE ALSO: 13 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now, plus 1 coming soon

The swiftness of this timeline is extra fun considering that April is the earliest you'll be able to get your hands on Roborock's biggest CES announcement, the Saros Z70.

Is the Dreame X50 Ultra worth it if it can't actually go up stairs?

I'll give a more solid answer to this question after I test the X50 Ultra in my apartment, but in theory, yes.

Though its threshold scaling was a bit of a bust (only due to WiFi issues!) during the live demo at CES, the X50 Ultra's lifting wheels are still pretty groundbreaking (if they work). Dreame's ProLeap system boosts the robot vacuum fully off the ground at an angle, and not just the lift that'd be required to go over a thick carpet or something. The X50 Ultra is said to be able to scale thresholds up to 2.36 inches, including double layer ones (like doorways with sliding doors). This capacity would also be helpful in homes that have, say, a child safety or pet gate in a doorway.

I've personally experienced the benefits of a robot vacuum with hydraulics like this with the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1. It uses similar legs to boost itself significantly higher over carpets than other robot vacuums I've tried to keep non-hard floors dry or cross from one floor type to another without dragging across the threshold. So I'm picturing that, but even more versatile with the Dreame X50 Ultra — plus significantly more powerful cleaning.

I think that the X50 Ultra's 20,000 Pa of suction power should be advertised just as heavily as the climbing thing. That's more powerful than any of Roborock's most powerful 2024 models, including the $1,599.99 ($1,299.99 on sale) Qrevo Curv. It's also just 2,000 Pa less powerful than the Roborock Saros Z70 also announced at CES, which will apparently cost around $2,000. That tenacious suction should bode well on pet hair in tandem with the duo-roller design underneath — two brushes that spin toward each other are typically much better at digging up and pinching hair than a single roller.

SEE ALSO: As a Dyson stan, I wouldn't tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum

More meticulous mopping is another of the Z70's strong spots. I'm psyched that it can be added to the list of hybrid robot vacs that can actually scrub in corners, thanks to a spinning mopping pad that reaches out past the vac's diameter to scrub along walls or in corners. (The Roborock Qrevo Master was my favorite robot vacuum and mop combo from 2024 because of its ability to wipe up droplets and splatters along the edges of my kitchen floor.)

Of course, the Dreame X50 Ultra also has smart mapping that can clean specific rooms or zones on command, and small obstacle avoidance that keeps it from sucking up things like cords or socks. After cleaning, it empties its own dust bin and washes its own mopping pads — the usual for premium hybrids.

Sold yet? Make your move and pre-order the Dreame X50 Ultra by March 2 to get it for $1,309.99.

Smart rings are great, but they're typically not the finest pieces of jewelry in terms of the quality of metals and flashy designs. That, however, could be changing with the new Ultrahuman Rare line, which coats its current generation of Ring Air models in metals like platinum or 18-karat gold.

SEE ALSO: The best of CES 2025

Are there other differences between the rare line and the standard Ring Air? Apart from weight, no. The rings offer the same sensors and underlying technology, and while they're among some of the better smart rings out there, they're still gadgets that will eventually need to be replaced, unlike an actual 18-karat gold ring. I got to check out the new rings in person at CES 2025.

Bling, bling

At the Ultrahuman booth at CES 2025, I spoke to a representative who mentioned that they had customers asking for more premium rings that could be used in place of something like a wedding band or an engagement ring. It's a bit unclear if those customers were asking so that they could use the ring as an alternative to a wedding band completely or just as something they could use as a wedding band occasionally while keeping their actual wedding band at home.

The platinum version of the Ultrahuman Rare Ring Air. Credit: Christian de Loop

Regardless, the rings certainly look flashy in real life. However, I'm not exactly sure if they look that much flashier than the faux gold or gold-plated smart rings offered by some companies. Its color selection includes a rose gold-like Desert Rose, a platinum Desert Snow, and a gold Dune. In the Dune and Desert Rose variants, you’ll get 18-karat gold, while the Desert Snow version offers PT950 platinum. 

Of course, the use of precious metals dramatically changes the price. While the Ultrahuman Ring Air typically costs $350, the 18-karat gold version costs £1,800 – equivalent to around $2,250, which isn't cheap. Thankfully, they come with a lifetime membership to UltraHuman X, an extended warranty subscription, and access to UltraHuman's PowerPlugs feature, available on the UltraHuman platform. However, those features won't necessarily offset the cost that much. Thankfully, these models also have more premium packaging and a fancier charging dock.

The tech

As mentioned, the underlying tech of the Ultrahuman Ring Air Rare is the same as that of the standard Ultrahuman Ring Air. That's certainly not a bad thing — the Ultrahuman Ring Air is a high-end smart ring that measures heart rate, skin temperature, variability, sleep, cycle tracking, and more. It also works with a relatively well-designed app and can help you track your stress, which would be useful for me at CES.

One (Ultrahuman normal version) ring to rule them all. Credit: Christian de Loop

The sleep-tracking technology seems relatively helpful overall. It can leverage your heart rate variability and sleep efficiency to recommend ways to improve your sleep throughout the day. It also offers all of these features without a subscription to access the actual tech — the aforementioned Ultrahuman X subscription is for the warranty.

But it's still a gadget that will probably need replacing. Unlike a typical piece of jewelry, like a good old-fashioned ring, a smart ring generally has a life cycle of a few years before the technology gets so much better that you'll want to upgrade or the battery in your current one gets so bad that you'll need to buy a new one. In other words, most should probably avoid spending the cash on an actual gold one and stick to fake gold paint if they want the look.

If you're a keyboard enthusiast or simply looking to enhance your typing experience, there are plenty of DIY mods you can try. These upgrades are a surefire way to improve the feel and look of your keyboard, while also giving you the chance to tailor it to your preferences.

Jason Statham clocks in for some brutal fights in the action-packed trailer for A Working Man.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

Directed by David Ayer (The Beekeeper, Suicide Squad) and based on Chuck Dixon's book Levon's Trade, A Working Man stars Statham as Levon Cade, a former black ops agent-turned-construction worker. But when the daughter (Arianna Rivas) of his beloved boss (Michael Peña) goes missing, Levon will have to break out his old military skills in order to rescue her from human traffickers and corrupt government officials. Ayer co-wrote A Working Man's screenplay with Sylvester Stallone.

A Working Man's first trailer is full of Statham kicking ass with construction equipment, including walloping some opponents with a pick axe and a bucket. We also get a sneak peek of David Harbour (Stranger Things) as one of Levon's former army friends and his current "weapon sommelier." Cue the gunfights and beatdowns.

A Working Man hits theaters March 28.

Smart lights are cool, but they should be a little more personal. While you can change things like the brightness and color of smart lights, what if you could change them to offer an image completely unique to your preferences? That’s the idea behind Govee’s newest smart lights, which, yes, use AI to create images using LED pixel lights.

The new device is called the Gaming Pixel Light. It consists of a series of LED lights that can be illuminated in different colors, creating pixel art as they do so. The light will even accompany the art with 8-bit music, making for a more retro experience.

SEE ALSO: The best of CES 2025 AI art

So, what's AI about it? Well, the light connects to an app that lets you use natural language to tell the light what image you want displayed. You could tell it to show a picture of a dog, or, in my infinite creativity, I looked at my camera and asked it to make a camera. It's not the most perfect image ever, but it's a neat idea that makes for a customizable experience you can change.

Credit: Christian de Looper

The app worked relatively quickly and seemed to understand my input easily. When I asked it to create an image of a camera, it created the image on the app for my approval before sending it to the device itself. You’ll talk with a chatbot to create the image, prompting it to create what you want.

A light panel design

The design of the Gaming Pixel Light is essentially a light panel similar in size to a picture frame. And, of course, there's only so much actual light you can get from something that size, and it remains to be seen if it's something you would want to use to light up your room. That said, it's a neat way to add more personality to your space. Having seen it in person, I can safely say it gets relatively bright.

Credit: Christian de Looper

It's a bit gimmicky, but that doesn’t make it any less cool. It can also become more versatile than just showing AI art directed by you. It can also show little animations and data from various sources, including the price of Bitcoin.

Coming soon

The Govee Gaming Pixel Light will be available in May or June. It is available in two sizes at two price points: $99.99 and $129.99.