IT General

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2026 Comic meaning

A type of cartoon.

Salad meaning

A meal often considered healthy.

Bacon meaning

A popular breakfast meat.

Sparkler meaning

A type of firework.

Popsicle meaning

A frozen treat.

Pop-up meaning

Ads that appear in standalone boxes.

Candy meaning

A sweet treat.

Hobby Horse meaning

A toy that features a horse's head on a stick.

Banner meaning

Something that is displayed.

Pinwheel meaning

A toy that spins in the wind.

Space meaning

A place that is empty.

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Film meaning

Used to capture images in some cameras.

Interstitial meaning

Something that happens between things.

Sports meaning

A competitive form of play.

Möbius meaning

The name of a German mathematician who made a discovery now named after him.

Overlay meaning

To place something over the top of something else.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a math whiz.

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 Pips hints, answers for October 24, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Can sometimes have the same second word

• Green: Structural similarity

• Blue: Common website visuals

• Purple: Same second word

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Kinds of strips

• Green: Things on sticks

• Blue: Online ad formats

• Purple: __ bar

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 #1231 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Kinds of strips: BACON, COMIC, FILM, MOBIUS

• Things on sticks: HOBBY HORSE, PINWHEEL, POPSICLE, SPARKLER

• Online ad formats: BANNER, INTERSTITIAL, OVERLAY, POP-UP

• __ bar: CANDY, SALAD, SPACE, SPORTS

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you've ever done chores.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 24, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Re-fresh-ing

The words are dealing with dirt.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe the components needed to do laundry.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Laundry Day.

NYT Strands word list for October 24

• Detergent

• Basket

• Washer

• Laundry Day

• Rack

• Sink

• Dryer

• Iron

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like Swiss cheese.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Porous.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters repeat.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter H.

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...

HOLEY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

The cost of living is punting us all in the unmentionables right now. Spending your hard-earned cash on an expensive Halloween costume can feel unwise, especially since you'll only wear it for one night. 

Fortunately, you don't have to choose between getting into the Halloween spirit and making sensible financial decisions. Several of this year's most recognisable film and TV costumes feature clothes you can add to your everyday wardrobe after the holiday. In many cases, we even know the exact pieces the costume designers used, meaning your 2026 Halloween costume could be your most impressively screen-accurate yet.

Here are some 2026 Halloween costumes that can easily be added to your regular wardrobe after the spooky season ends (provided you don't stain them with fake blood).

Bryan from Resident Evil Credit: Resident Evil / Sony Pictures

Resident Evil's beleaguered protagonist Bryan wears just one outfit throughout the film, as the entire bloody horror takes place on a single awful night. The medical courier's outfit also features several layers, making it a great costume choice as the weather gets colder.

The primary prop you'll need for a Resident Evil costume is a green cooler bag, which you can easily customise with a cross using white fabric paint. You could try snagging the official $25 Resident Evil Medical Courier Popcorn Bucket instead if you don't want to bother with painting. However, these popcorn buckets have been in high demand, so getting one by Halloween will likely be difficult. The Resident Evil popcorn bucket also features a fake-looking splash of blood and has the film title emblazoned across the back, which makes it less appealing for costume purposes.

Aside from Bryan's medical courier bag, a Resident Evil costume simply requires you to bundle up. Layer a yellow plaid shirt, a dark jacket, and a blue reflective vest, add the bag, and your costume is complete (blood splatters and an exhausted expression optional). This costume also has the benefit of making you highly visible to drivers while out trick-or-treating.

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If you're hoping to be as film-accurate as possible, Resident Evil fan account @RENews_X contacted costume designer Caroline Fahrer to get all the details on Bryan's outfit. It turns out that he's a fairly well-dressed courier — his beloved Js are a pair of customised Nike Jordan Spizike Low Rare Air sneakers in Oil Grey, released last year for $160. Unfortunately, many of the exact items Bryan wore will be difficult to get your hands on, with even pieces such as his stylish mustard FromTheSource Chunky Knitted Sheep Bobble Hat all sold out. Even so, @RENews_X provides a good reference to help you get as close as you can.

Nikki from Obsession Credit: Focus Features

Indie horror hit Obsession had a limited budget of approximately $750,000, with just $6,000 set aside for wardrobe. As such, costume designer Blair James had to be economical, selecting affordable pieces and thrifting to curate the characters' outfits. While this posed a challenge for James, it also means that a screen-accurate Obsession Halloween costume won't hit your wallet too hard.

One of the most iconic Obsession outfits is Nikki's final dress (or rather, Sarah's): the $69 Defiant Love Mini Dress from Dolls Kill. This budget-friendly Halloween costume fitting for Obsession's characters, as their retail jobs meant they probably weren't spending hundreds of dollars on a single dress. To steal Nikki's entire look, all you need to do is pair the dress with a black body marker and a lot of fake blood.

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Another instantly recognisable Obsession costume is Nikki's party outfit, which James chose based on what the character would believe appeals to the male gaze. The exact pieces Nikki wore are the $49 Cielo Mesh Halter Top Red Zebra from Princess Polly and Edikted's $165 Washed Faux Leather Micro Cargo Shorts in Black. You don't need both exact pieces, though: you could just pair the Princess Polly halter with any dark micro shorts and still be identifiable as Nikki.

If you do want to go all-out, James revealed in a TikTok that Nikki's shoes were black knee-high Calvin Klein boots. While the exact boots appear to be no longer available, Calvin Klein's Leather Kitten Heel Tall Zip Boots look practically identical. Accessorise with a silver spiral pendant necklace for an extra film-accurate detail.

Patricia from Widow's Bay

When designing the costumes for comedy horror Widow's Bay, Alex Bovaird considered where people on the sleepy little island would have gotten their clothes. Rather than trendy stores, she thought that Widow's Bay residents would shop in thrift stores, choosing from clothes that were brought from the mainland years ago and simply circulated among the community.

Patricia's sunset cocktail party dress was no exception. In one of the most iconic looks from Widow's Bay's first season, Patricia attempted to elevate a dated red dress with a silver tiara adorned with clear glass crystals. Or, more accurately, she paired it with a disturbing headdress made from deer antlers, twigs, and a fox's pelt.

The exact dress that Patricia wore was a retro Carole Little '80s does '40s watercolour dress, which is practically impossible to get your hands on now. You'd need exceptional luck and a lot of time to spend searching to find the same design.

Fortunately, substituting another red floral midi dress with sleeves will still allow you to create a recognisable Widow's Bay costume, especially if you can find one with retro vibes. This means you have some leeway to choose a dress you'll wear as an everyday outfit once Halloween is over. Though important, the dress is merely an accompaniment to the real star of this Halloween costume: Patricia's antler headdress.

While it would be easier to simply wear a tiara to recreate Patricia's look at the start of her party, the antler headdress is what makes this Widow's Bay costume instantly recognisable — as well as much more fun. You'll have to make it yourself, as cursèd antler crowns are hard to come by in stores. However, deer antlers are also relatively affordable, and twigs can easily be collected. A real fox pelt would not be very budget-friendly, but it's easy enough to take apart a soft fox toy to use in your costume instead. 

To go the extra mile, you could also print out a cover for Patricia's book Your Turn: Out With the Old and In With the New by Lucy Fours. Wrap it around a hardcover, and you have your very own self-help book/necronomicon to guide you through a successful Halloween party.

Windows has a habit of making you do things the slow way. How many times have you opened an image editor just to resize a picture, retyped text you couldn't copy, or opened several files just to find the right one? None of it is hard, but it all adds up. The fix has been sitting there for years, free from Microsoft, and it's called PowerToys. It's a free collection of utilities (over 30) that quietly automates the boring parts of Windows with a few clicks or keyboard shortcuts.

There are many ways to tinker with 3D printers. You can mod the software, add extra lights, build filter boxes, and so much more. What if I told you that I decided to buy a simple $2 humidity sensor before doing anything else to my 3D printer—including buying extra filament? Here's why a humidity sensor is important in my 3D printing setup.

What should you watch this weekend? If you're staying home to watch something on streaming, NBC has a sitcom about a newly married couple that might suit your interests. On Hulu, an intriguing mystery comedy premiered earlier this week and has already attracted attention.

Airbnb is telling hosts to ease up on checkout chores, and some are furious. There's a petition to reverse the policy, calls to pull listings in protest, and heated Reddit debates over whether guests should have to wash dishes before leaving (yes, even after paying a cleaning fee).

But not all hosts are on the same side. While some argue that Airbnb is taking away their control over their properties, others have a message for their fellow hosts: This is the hospitality business. Let people enjoy their vacation.

The new policy being debated over — which applies to reservations booked on or after Nov. 20 — generally prohibits hosts from asking guests to complete time-consuming tasks or work typically handled by a cleaner. That includes stripping beds, taking trash off-site, and washing and putting away dishes. It also requires house rules and requests to be disclosed in the designated listing section before booking.

For travelers tired of paying a cleaning fee and still getting a checkout chore list, that might sound like good news. In host Reddit threads, however, the dirty dishes have become a much bigger debate about what guests owe the people renting them a place to stay.

SEE ALSO: Airbnb hosts can’t make guests do chores under new rules Some hosts want Airbnb to reverse course

A Change.org petition (with over 11,000 signatures) is asking Airbnb to reconsider its restrictions on washing up. Its argument? Renting a place with a kitchen comes with some responsibility for what happens in that kitchen.

"These are not professional cleaning duties," the petition reads. "They are ordinary aspects of living responsibly in somebody else’s property."

Credit: Screenshot: Change.org

The organizers say they support restrictions on excessive demands, including laundering linens and deep-cleaning kitchens. But they argue that washing dishes is different, and warn that additional cleaning expenses could eventually mean higher prices for guests.

Some hosts are calling for a strike. According to WIRED, one person in a Facebook group for hosts proposed collectively unlisting properties for a day or two. "Airbnb built its empire on OUR properties. It’s time we reminded them who actually holds the power," they wrote. For Ryan Robbins, a host in Searsport, Maine, the change has prompted questions about whether to keep using Airbnb. Robbins, told NEWS CENTER Maine that though he already cleans his rental himself and typically only asks guests to wash their dishes, the rule-change "doesn't allow us to manage our properties the way we should be able to."

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On Airbnb's own community forum, a host argued that the company was limiting hosts' ability to protect their properties. "We are not running hotels. We are sharing our properties," they wrote.

Similar frustrations have surfaced on Reddit, where one host's complaint about the policy opened with: "This might be a new low for what is already one of the worst companies in the world." The poster said cleaners in their region typically don’t include dishwashing in their service, and argued that manually washing dishes accumulated over a week could make it difficult to get a property ready between reservations.

One post goes as far as asking fellow hosts, "can we not just band together and build our own post-airbnb platform?"

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The backlash has also prompted hosts to explain why they welcome the change.

In one Reddit thread in r/airbnb_hosts, the poster described being frustrated by a stay that combined a cleaning fee with instructions to strip beds, start laundry, and navigate a parking garage to dispose of garbage. At their own rental, they said, they prefer to handle tasks such as removing sheets themselves so they can check for damage. Another commenter said their cleaners specifically ask guests to leave beds intact for the same reason.

Several hosts said they already offered an easy checkout, and now it won't distinguish their listings. "My only (selfish) complaint is that now I feel like my listing won't be special by not requiring a single thing upon checkout," one commenter wrote.

In another post, a user who described their rentals as "no chores stays" urged others to rethink their expectations. "We run a business," they wrote. "Also, we are in the hospitality business. Hotels don’t ask their guests to do these things, and neither should we."

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Other commenters argued that considerate guests tend to tidy up anyway. Making everyone follow a chore list, they suggested, risks frustrating the very people who were already going to leave the place in good shape.

Guests still have responsibilities

Some of the discussion goes beyond dishes. In the supplied threads, hosts also raised concerns about how the redesigned rules section accommodates local regulations, fire precautions, and restrictions tied to their properties.

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Airbnb does provide a designated section for local rules, including homeowners association policies and government requirements that could result in fines. Those concerns shouldn't be confused with a blanket ban on setting expectations for guests.

And the cleaning changes don't give travelers permission to trash a rental. Airbnb's ground rules for guests still prohibit leaving a property in a condition that requires excessive or deep cleaning, with moldy dishes and soiled carpets among its examples. Hosts can also leave cleanliness ratings and reviews.

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"Most guests just clean up because it's normal human behaviour, not because you told them to," one Reddit commenter wrote. "The ones who don't won't change regardless of what the rules say."

As of Oct. 22, 2026, Amazon has rebranded Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+. We've updated this article to reflect the name change.

Just bought a new Kindle? If so, you might have scored a sweet deal to get a month of Kindle+ totally free. While you might enjoy the access to endless books in the Kindle+ library for a bit, eventually, you'll be charged $11.99 per month to keep enjoying said books.

If $12 a month isn't in the budget, or you're just not utilizing Kindle+ to its full potential, it's time to break up. So here's a quick three-step guide on how to cancel your Kindle+ membership.

How to cancel Kindle+ membership Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• Computer

Step 1: Go to your Subscriptions & Membership tab

Under the 'Accounts & Lists' tab on Amazon, you'll find a 'Memberships & Subscriptions' link. Click the link and you'll find a list of all your subscriptions.

Credit: Amazon / Mashable

Step 2: Find Kindle+ and click 'Cancel'

Under 'Memberships & Subscriptions' you'll find a list of all your active and past memberships. Find Kindle+ and click 'Cancel'. Move through the prompts to continue cancellation. If you're on a free trial, your membership should stay active through the promotion period.

Credit: Amazon

Nvidia's DLSS 5 came at a time when little else was going on in the GPU world, and it shook its very foundations. People loved it, people hated it. It had several big problems, and the AI slop was not even the worst of it.

I have a number of Windows computers around my home. Some are media centers, others handle my outdoor cameras and smart home, and some are just for basic office work. I’m also the person in my circle of friends and family who gets the call when there is a technology problem. Basically, this means I’m working on other people’s PCs pretty frequently. I don’t particularly enjoy having to install the same group of apps on every machine I’m working on, especially when the PC isn’t mine. Having portable apps on my thumb drive means I don’t have to.

New US users can get a Babbel lifetime subscription with all 14 languages for just $159 (reg. $299) using StackSocial’s code LEARN for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159
$299 Save $140   Get Deal

Learning a new language isn’t easy, but it also might not be as hard as some apps make it seem. If memorizing vocab lists isn’t working for you, check out Babbel. They take a more practical approach to teaching, and there’s even an AI conversation partner who can help you practice your pronunciation.

Normally, a Babbel lifetime subscription would cost $299, but right now it’s on sale for $159. Check out what that gets you.

Babbel gives you lifetime access to courses in 14 different languages, and the format is designed to fit into real life. Each lesson takes around 10 to 15 minutes, so you can actually stick with it whether you’re commuting, traveling, or just squeezing in some study time between meetings.

Here are a few of the included languages:

• Spanish

• French

• German

• Italian

• Portuguese

• Swedish

And that’s just the beginning.

Unlike other apps that focus heavily on word games or repetitive matching drills, Babbel centers its content around practical conversation topics. You’ll get lessons on travel, shopping, business, culture, and more, all developed by expert linguists and backed by academic research. Speech recognition helps fine-tune your pronunciation, while the new AI-powered conversation partner lets you practice speaking in real time.

Lessons sync across devices, so you can start on your computer and finish on your phone. There’s also an offline mode if you want to download lessons in advance. You can move at your own pace, revisit review sessions, and jump between beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels based on your comfort.

Use code LEARN to get a Babbel lifetime subscription for only $159 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

While the iPhone Duo has been mostly showered with praise on its launch day, there has been some criticism of the device. Reviewers aren't fans of the FaceTime camera's output quality, many apps have not yet been optimized for Apple's first foldable device, and there's a new report showing that the inner display's crease at the hinge becomes more visible as users fold and unfold the device over time.

However, just hours after the iPhone Duo was released, some users are going home to find what appears to be a major defect that makes those previous critiques pale in comparison.

Reddit

The inner display of the iPhone Duo is cracking from top to bottom along the entire hinge — right where the device folds — for some very unlucky first-day iPhone Duo users.

It's unclear exactly what the issue is, but the result appears to be the same each time, according to photos of cracked iPhone Duo displays spreading across social media. A large crack appears on the inner display right along the hinge. In addition, the cracked hinge causes a pixel issue on the right-hand side of the inner display, resulting in a bright white line.

Reports of faulty iPhone hinges don't seem to be contained to any specific market, either. While it's also unclear just how widespread the defect is, users from the U.S. to Australia to China have all reported cracked iPhone Duo displays at the hinge.

Reddit

A Reddit user in Australia shared his customer support experience while contacting Apple about his defective iPhone Duo. Over the phone, the company offered to provide an express replacement; however, the user would have to "put down a hold for the full cost of the phone." Apple also couldn't guarantee a timeframe for when the replacement would arrive. The user decided to go straight to the Apple Store instead, where they "apologized and replaced it with a brand-new one on the spot." It seems Apple may have some extra iPhone Duo devices in-store as replacements for when problems arise.

The Australian Redditor said the crack occurred in less than 6 hours after picking up the iPhone Duo and after they folded the device fewer than 20 times.

As MacRumors points out, Apple may be looking to collect broken devices to investigate what went wrong and fix the issue when manufacturing iPhone Duo devices going forward.

Consumers should always expect some issues and bugs with first-generation devices such as the iPhone Duo. But a huge crack down the middle of the inner display is certainly an extreme defect. Apple will undoubtedly fix the issue for unlucky customers, but it's certainly a big launch-day inconvenience for the first iPhone Duo owners. 

Hands up if you use Google Maps almost every day. Yep, same here. Between grocery runs, long drives with my husband, and picking up my daughter from school, I open it so often that I assumed I knew all the useful bits.

You might have suspected that Google was using personal app data for more than your own tasks, but now you have confirmation. Google has updated its privacy policy with an exception that lets its services use your shared content for personalized ads when you connect them to apps like Drive, Gmail, and Photos.

Who's up for some brilliant documentaries? At the moment, there are a few fresh Netflix documentaries trending in the Top 10. One of those is Tyson, a limited series about one of the "baddest men on the planet," Mike Tyson. On the comedy side, Norm Macdonald's documentary is winning over viewers thanks to the late comedian's indelible humor.

Linux has come a long way from the days when getting a graphical desktop running could feel like a project of its own. Today, you can install a modern Linux distro, open a browser, connect your Bluetooth headphones, and get on with your work. That experience is the result of decades of development, arguments, ambitious redesigns, and a few spectacular failures.

There's always a new AI photo trend on TikTok, whether people are turning themselves into caricatures or posing for an '80s yearbook portrait. If you've tried those and are looking for another excuse to play around with AI image generation, the "I'm so sorry" trend has people digging through their childhood photos — and apologizing for what they find.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT '80s trend: Prompts to try it yourself

People are sharing edited versions of their baby pictures, childhood snapshots, and old Halloween costumes, then revealing the changes one slide at a time. With every swipe, another detail gets stripped away until they unveil the real photo — and the result is usually pretty horrifying. Horrifying enough that users feel compelled to caption their posts with "I'm so sorry." The carousels are usually set to Harry Styles' "Coming Up Roses" or Prince's "Purple Rain."

The appeal of the trend is in the anticipation. Once you understand the format, even an innocent opening photo becomes suspicious. You start inspecting the hair, the outfit, the background. Something is going to go. Something is going to appear. You just don’t know what!

In the Halloween versions, that can mean revealing a costume was much more homemade or culturally offensive than the opening image suggested. Other versions start with a picture-perfect baby portrait before revealing a newborn photo that is not as cute as expected (I'll leave it at that). Some depict yearbook photos or women after giving birth.

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According to Know Your Meme, one of the earliest known examples came from TikTokker @theywanthunter on Aug. 22, when he posted a carousel featuring his supposed girlfriend saying, "Happy 2 years bae," before revealing that both the woman and the man in the image had been edited. The video had accumulated more than 25 million views by October.

Viewers online are eating it up, for the most part. "The 'I'm sorry I lied' trend on TikTok has to be the funniest trend ever," one user wrote. Another said it was "actually making me feel better about my childhood photos."

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But others are less amused by exactly how those slideshows are made. "Why do we keep normalizing uploading pictures of children into a public AI?" another user asked, raising a real concern that in order to participate in the trend, people are handing real childhood photos over to AI tools.

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Those very real concerns center on what happens after the upload. Depending on the service and its settings, images may be retained or used to help train AI models. The public can also easily copy and manipulate those without permission. UNICEF has warned that real photographs of children are being altered into sexually explicit deepfakes. Of course, that doesn’t mean participating in this trend will lead to abuse, but it helps explain why some viewers are questioning the privacy trade-off behind the joke.

How to do the 'I'm so sorry' trend

Start with the photo you want to reveal at the end, then use an AI image editor (any will do) to create a more polished-looking version. You might change the hairstyle, upgrade the outfit, or give the background a makeover.

Then, for a gradual reveal, add in one edit at a time and save each version. Then arrange the images in reverse order. Upload the images as a TikTok photo carousel or create a video slideshow using an editing app, and add captions over each photo, admitting to each change as you go.

Finish with the original photo and the obligatory "I’m so sorry," then add your chosen audio from either the Harry Styles or Prince track. They're both pretty great songs.

While many undertake ESP32-based electronics projects for fun, because they find building rewarding, or to learn, saving money is another valid reason to DIY a solution. It could be argued your own time has a price too, but if you find the build enjoyable, then you’re probably not going to mind the time commitment.