IT General

When it comes to display technology, the two most important and prolific technologies are LCD and OLED. E-Ink is a completely different approach to creating images on a screen, but no one thinks of it in the same breath as LCD or OLED.

In theory, an always-on display can help a smartwatch look and feel more like a traditional watch. Personally, I’ve always felt smartwatches look better when that screen turns off. I don’t get the hype. To my eyes, an always-on display is a battery life hit for almost no benefit.

SAVE $131: As of Nov. 15, Amazon has the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones on sale for 31% off for $298, down from their list price of $429.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones $298 at Amazon
$429 Save $131   Get Deal

This weekend, Amazon has marked down the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones by 31%. That’s down $131 from their typical list price. These noise-cancelling headphones are beloved by the brand. These headphones have several features that contribute to their top strength. Of course, their eponymous cushioned ear cups are beloved by reviewers. That’s not their only industry-leading feature that fans of the headphones love, though. 

These headphones can hold a charge for approximately 24 hours, and their noise-cancelling capability is impressive. Some reviewers have noted that they must exercise caution when using the highest noise cancellation setting, as it can be too loud and they can’t hear anything. 

The good news is that the headphones have three separate settings: no noise cancellation, some sound blockage, and total noise isolation, allowing you to live in your own world.

The headphones come in six different colors, including blue, plum, white, silver, and black. Reviewers of the headphones also appreciate the sturdy and ergonomic case that comes with the product. Toss your headphones in their case, and you won’t have to worry about them getting crushed in your bag. Having a trusty set of noise-cancelling headphones can be extremely helpful in various settings. If you have been on the fence, the price on these Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones is much lower than their average list price. 

SAVE $140: This De’Longhi Combination Coffee Maker Espresso Machine is on sale this weekend for 31% off at $269, down from its list price of $399

Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine $269 at Amazon
$399 Save $130   Get Deal

The De’Longhi all-in-one combination coffee maker, espresso machine, and milk frother does a lot. Maybe the best thing that this machine does is settle the debate between drip coffee and espresso for your household, ad infinitum. If you, your partner, or anyone you share a household with has a "how you like your coffee" gap, this might be the perfect addition to your kitchen. This machine can brew coffee and espresso simultaneously.

For espresso enthusiasts, it features a 15-bar pressure pump for pulling high-quality shots as often as desired. The multi-functions don’t stop there either. Make a latte or enjoy cold foam on top of some iced coffee with a milk frothing steam wand. 

Program your drip coffee or espresso shot up to 24 hours in advance. The coffee pot is also made of glass and features a "spill-proof" pour spot, ensuring that no drop of your precious joe is wasted. Some espresso-loving reviewers have praised this machine as an ideal entry-level machine that does a lot. They also note that the price is attractive for the breadth of its capabilities.

One caveat that is common among more experienced reviewers is that if someone is looking for absolute perfection with their espresso’s taste, this might not be the best fit. However, the price ($269) offers excellent quality espresso compared to espresso machines that typically cost over $1000. 

Streaming started out as an affordable alternative to cable or other traditional paid broadcast services, but over the years, fragmentation, inflation, and perhaps even a touch of greed has made streaming no less expensive than what it supposedly replaced.

YouTube TV was finally made whole again to start the weekend.

After a financial dispute between Google and Disney that lasted a couple of weeks, Disney properties (including the ESPN family of networks) returned to the streaming cable service, as a deal between the two parties was announced on Friday night. As a YouTube TV subscriber, I got an email directly from the service letting me know, which read, in part:

"We're happy to share that we've reached a deal with Disney to bring their content back to YouTube TV," the email said. "You now have access to Disney channels, including ABC and ESPN, and any recordings that were previously in your Library. Your personal preferences and recommendations are just as you left them."

SEE ALSO: Google is training Gemini-powered agents using 'Goat Simulator 3'

The email also clarified that the $20 credit Google offered to YouTube TV customers affected by the lack of Disney channels is still valid for anyone who wants to claim it. In other words, if you're patient and can live without Disney products for a couple of weeks, you've just earned $20 off your next bill with minimal effort on your part. As a big college football fan, though, I and others definitely felt the outage. A large majority of big-time college games air on ESPN networks and ABC.

I'll gladly take the $20. Just don't let this happen again during the next football season.

SAVE $380: This weekend, Amazon has a 75” TOSHIBA Smart TV on sale for 49% off at $399, down from its list price of $779. 

Opens in a new window Credit: TOSHIBA item TOSHIBA 75" Class M550 Series QLED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV, Voice Remote with Alexa, Stream Live TV Without Cable $399 at Amazon
$779 Save $380   Get Deal

Honesty, fall is the best time to invest in a new TV. Twilight fans celebrate the arrival of “hoa hoa hoa hoa” season, sports fans rejoice in the return of football Sundays, and Gilmore Girls fans delight at the first crispy leaf. If you’re a maximalist when it comes to your viewing pleasure, this 75” smart TV from TOSHIBA might be your next perfect purchase.

The TV is ready to use right out of the box, featuring built-in Fire TV streaming capabilities. The device might be absolutely massive, but it is also super thin. This makes it easy to fit onto an entertainment center or TV stand, although extra work may be required due to its size. 

TOSHIBA’s Full Array dimming technology analyzes your content and increases or decreases the brightness and sharpness to offer you more contrast and a crisper image. It also analyzes your content and optimizes the best possible picture quality with its engine, known as REGZA Engine ZR. Reviewers are quite pleased with the size ratio for its price. Some reviewers note (and praise) the fact that they can see the screen clearly from other rooms. 

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy if you love SEC football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Fitcheck

• Green: How to get two points

• Blue: College QBs

• Purple: Super things

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Headgear

• Green: A Score in Basketball

• Blue: First Names of SEC QBs

• Purple: Super____

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #418 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Headgear - BALACLAVA, CAP, HAT, VISOR

• A Score in Basketball - BASKET, BUCKET, FIELD GOAL, MAKE

• First Names of SEC QBs - ARCH, DIEGO, TRINIDAD, TY

• Super____ - FLEX, SONICS, SPEEDWAY, STAR

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

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

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

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

Have you been thinking about biting the bullet and learning Bash scripting? Or perhaps you're like me, and you're always looking for ways to improve. I have three tips that will improve every Bash script you write.

Are you having troubles streaming movies and TV shows remotely with Plex? There are a few things to check to make sure your media server is set up correctly.

It might shock you to learn that I have burned over 100 optical discs in the past year, but that's just a fraction of how many discs I burned at the peak of physical media storage.

You’re a Spotify Premium subscriber who’s just toggled on the new lossless playback option to hear your favorite tracks in richer detail. Maybe you notice the difference; maybe you don’t. But one thing you do notice is that since going lossless, your phone’s free storage seems to be shrinking.

Buying your first 3D printer is a big decision. You’re about to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a hobby that you’ve yet to fully commit to, and you’ll probably doubt your decision right down to the moment you click “Pay.”

The site formerly known as Twitter has killed what were formerly known as Twitter DMs, in favor of something new.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk: Tesla drivers will soon be able to text and drive

Elon Musk's X has finally rolled out Chat, a replacement for the DM tab that has been located at the bottom right of the Twitter app for many years. All your old DMs and group chats are still there, but there have been some changes. It's all end-to-end encrypted now; you can edit and delete messages, and even set them to disappear after a certain amount of time, similar to Signal. X claims this is all for the sake of privacy, of course.

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All of this came along with a UI makeover as well. While added privacy is, in concept, a very good thing, I should note that many longtime Twitter power users in my life are dismayed by these changes. Finding existing chats in the web browser version of X is now more challenging than it used to be, and changing the names of group chats has also become difficult, if not impossible. The mobile app version of Chat is also noticeably slower than what was there before, in my experience. One of my longtime group chats has already started the process of migrating to Discord.

However, it's now Elon Musk's site, and he can do with it as he pleases. Maybe Bluesky will finally add group chats one of these days.

Got an old Chromecast sitting in a drawer unused? It doesn't matter if you no longer need it for streaming, there are plenty of other ways to make use of it. So connect it to your TV, update the software, and try one of these ideas to repurpose your old Chromecast.

There is so much I love about Home Assistant, but I still have to fall back to Samsung SmartThings more often than I'd like. As sad as it makes me, I’m running into enough issues that I can’t yet commit to Home Assistant being my one and only smart home platform.

Microsoft's taking a different tack with its next-generation of Xbox hardware, and it seems this might be putting it on a collision course with Valve and its Steam platform.

You've probably used top and htop for many years, and while they've served us well, it's 2025—modern software has moved on to more functional and visually appealing designs. Both top and htop feel outdated and could use a modern refresh, which is exactly what btop++ brings.

For too many years, I merely accepted YouTube's flaws—a feed plagued by Shorts, annoying automation, and a bloated UI. Now, thanks to one simple browser extension, I finally have the personalized video platform I always wanted.

There’s a lot you can do to design a resilient smart home, from choosing an open ecosystem like Home Assistant to avoiding devices that depend on the cloud to work. But sometimes, things just don’t go to plan.