Technology

There are lots of Linux distros to choose from. While some have fallen by the wayside, these distros were around from almost the beginning yet are still going strong.

As you settle in for what is hopefully a long holiday weekend, do so with some high-quality character-driven shows that will make you laugh, keep you guessing, and fuel your adrenaline. With strong female leads nestled in high-stakes environments and stylized storytelling, each of these series explores themes of control and reinvention with a sharp focus on identity, ambition, and evolving power dynamics.

I'm not the biggest fan of Google services at the moment. So, when I discovered Gemini was going to be incorporated into my beloved Android Auto, it wasn't exactly my favorite thing. After an unexpected update prompted me to test it out a little bit, I figured out why I feel that way.

There was major 2026 World Cup drama yesterday — with a late goal by Portgual sending Croatia home after a hard-fought game.

The high-stakes drama continues on July 3, as the final Round of 32 matches determines the fates of three teams.

It all kicks off at 2 p.m. ET, with three games played across the afternoon and evening.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: July 3

• Australia vs Egypt (Dallas Stadium) — kickoff at 2 p.m. ET

• Argentina vs Cape Verde (Miami Stadium) — kickoff at 6 p.m. ET

• Columbia vs Ghana (Kansas City Stadium) — kickoff at 9:30 p.m. ET

How to watch FIFA World Cup games todayWatch Australia vs Egypt

Neither Australia nor Egypt have a clean World Cup record going into this game, though Egypt's looks a little on paper with a win and two draws. Australia has a win, a draw, and a loss heading into this matchup.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Argentina vs Cape Verde

Cape Verde is having a memorable World Cup run, but it'll be facing quite the test in an Argentina team that is seemingly always a major World Cup contender. Both teams have a lot to lose, and one shot to move forward.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Columbia vs Ghana

Columbia certainly has more momentum going into this game, with two wins and a draw versus Ghana's win, draw, and a loss. But both survived the Group Stage, and anything can happen in the knockout rounds.

Live coverage will be on FS1 and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One (3-Month Subscription) $39.98
$59.97 Save $19.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock (Spanish Language) Starting at $10.99/month Get Deal More live streaming optionsLive TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup on these free streaming services. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpresVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN Get Deal

I recently wrote about buying a mini-PC for under $300 and using it to run a local LLM. I expected that process to be interesting, but I also expected it to feel a little rough around the edges. Local AI has always sounded useful in theory, but it also carried a lot of baggage. You had to think about system requirements, model sizes, command-line tools, and whether your computer was actually powerful enough to do anything meaningful.

I’ve never been one for tabletop roleplaying games or wargaming. Even so, when I used to attend PAX every year, I’d always frequent the free “paint a miniature” area. It’s a lot of fun.

We live in a world where free and open-source (FOSS) apps can often outperform their paid alternatives. But despite being powerful and free, many of them go unnoticed because they lack the marketing budgets behind commercial software—a tradeoff of being free to use. That’s the gap I’m trying to close with this series. Here are three more hidden gems that deserve more attention—and maybe a spot on your system.

Desktop CPUs have been evolving at a relentless pace for decades. Intel and AMD have introduced a new processor generation roughly every one to two years, with each bringing architectural improvements, higher core counts, better thermal efficiency, new platform features, and, often, a more advanced manufacturing process.

These days, we all want better battery life and a little more privacy on our smartphones. But what if I told you there's one Samsung feature hiding deep in the settings menu that not only drains your battery but also collects your data?

For a wedding with a reported 1,000-person guest list, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s alleged Madison Square Garden celebration still appears to have a velvet rope.

The reported wedding has become a full-blown spectacle in the middle of sweltering-hot Manhattan, with fans, photographers, and celebrity-watchers all trying to figure out who will actually make it inside the Garden. But the more revealing question might be who will not.

While plenty of A-listers are reportedly gearing up for the alleged big night, there is also a pretty long list of people who appear set to watch the wedding content on Instagram like the rest of us.

Keep reading for the reported, rumored, and heavily speculated names we do not expect to see inside the Garden tomorrow night.

Prince William and Kate Middleton

Despite weeks of speculation, Prince William and Kate Middleton will not be attending Swift and Kelce’s wedding. A People report ended chatter that the Prince and Princess of Wales would be in attendance after William jokingly said he was "hoping" there might be an invitation during a May appearance on the British radio show Heart Breakfast.

William has known Swift for years, famously joined her and Jon Bon Jovi onstage in 2013, and later took Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the Eras Tour in London, where the royal family posed backstage with Swift and Kelce.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

Blake Lively has been one of the most-discussed possible absences from the wedding because, for years, she was one of Swift’s most visible close friends. Lively directed Swift’s "I Bet You Think About Me" music video, Swift used the names of Lively and Ryan Reynolds' children in "Betty" and other songs, and the couple was regularly part of Swift's public friend circle, from New York outings to the 2024 Super Bowl suite where Swift cheered on Kelce.

The reported strain stems from Lively's legal battle with Justin Baldoni over It Ends With Us, which pulled Swift into the surrounding drama even though she was not part of the film.

As the dispute unfolded, reports said Swift had been referenced in court filings and text messages, and Baldoni’s side accused Lively of using her friendship with Swift as leverage during conversations about the movie. Swift’s rep denied that she had any involvement with It Ends With Us beyond licensing “My Tears Ricochet” for the soundtrack, but the damage appeared to be done.

Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry

Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh Sperry, are also reportedly not on the guest list. Sources close to the couple claim they were not invited, despite their once-close ties to Swift and Kelce, which allegedly ended due to the drama between Swift and Lively, and that Sperry did not want to be involved.

Sperry and Teller were seen with Swift during the early days of her relationship with Kelce, including at the 2024 Super Bowl. Teller also later appeared on Travis and Jason Kelce's New Heights podcast, where he referred to Travis as his "brother." Doesn't seem like it anymore.

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss is another name with a long history in Swiftie lore. She and Swift were once inseparable during the 1989 era, appearing together at events, on social media, and even on a joint Vogue cover. Then, over time, public sightings slowed, and fan theories took over.

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The widely discussed fracture has often been linked to Scooter Braun, who acquired Swift's Big Machine master recordings in 2019, sparking one of the most public disputes of Swift's career. Kloss' 2018 wedding to Joshua Kushner became part of the speculation because Braun was reportedly a guest, and Swift did not attend.

Kloss' wedding status, however, is messy. Some outlets have reported she is not invited, while TMZ suggested the opposite. Given that she sat GA at the Eras Tour, I'm going to go with the former.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

This choice isn't a surprise. Kardashian and Swift's history goes back to the 2016 fallout over Kanye West's song "Famous," after West claimed Swift had approved lyrics about her, and Kardashian released edited clips of a phone call between West and Swift. A fuller version of the call later leaked in 2020, which supported Swift's claim that she had not been told about the most offensive lyric.

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That feud became one of the defining celebrity conflicts of Swift's Reputation era, complete with snake emojis, public backlash, and years of fan analysis. Taylor even has a song called "thanK you IMee" with the letters "KIM" capitalized. Real subtle.

Scooter Braun

Scooter Braun is also widely presumed to be nowhere near the guest list. The reason is obvious: Swift's long-running masters dispute began after Braun's Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group in 2019, giving him control of the master recordings for Swift's first six albums. Swift publicly criticized the deal, and the dispute eventually became a major artist-rights story as Swift began rerecording her old albums.

So yes, Braun's absence would be expected.

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

Calvin Harris, Swift's ex-boyfriend, has also been named in some rumored "not invited" lists. The history there is less dramatic than Kardashian-West, but it did get messy in 2016 after Swift's team confirmed she had co-written Harris and Rihanna’s hit "This Is What You Came For" under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. Harris responded in a series of tweets, including one accusing Swift's team of trying to make him look bad after their breakup. At least we got a really good song out of it.

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

John Mayer is another ex who is most likely far, far away from the Garden on July 3. Mayer dated Swift when he was 32, and she was 19. Following their breakup, Swift released "Dear John," which fans have long believed is about Mayer. Mayer even told Rolling Stone that the song made him feel "really humiliated" and called it "cheap songwriting."

That "cheap songwriting" was inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame, but I digress.

Charli XCX

Speaking of artists believed to have been called out on The Life of a Showgirl, Charli XCX is also rumored not to be in attendance. Rumors of a feud between the two began after Charli released "Sympathy Is a Knife" on Brat, which some listeners interpreted as a dig at Swift. Swift then appeared to respond with "Actually Romantic," a song fans believe is about Charli and includes the pointed line: "I heard you call me boring Barbie when the coke's got you brave."

Charli is also engaged to George Daniel, the drummer for The 1975 — the same band fronted by Matty Healy, whom Swift briefly dated in 2023 and wrote an entire album about in 2024.

Kayla Nicole

Kayla Nicole, Kelce's ex-girlfriend, is another snub that is not especially surprising. Nicole dated Kelce on and off for about five years before they split in 2022. In Oct. 2023, shortly after Kelce and Swift's relationship became public, Nicole told People that she had unfollowed Brittany and Patrick Mahomes on Instagram because she needed to "protect" herself, while emphasizing that she still had love for her Kansas City circle.

After Kelce and Swift announced their engagement in Aug. 2025, Nicole posted about choosing "joy" on Instagram Stories. More recently, in February 2026, she reflected on her last serious relationship during a TikTok Live and described the breakup as potentially a "right person, wrong time" situation.

Most weddings do not include the bride or groom’s exes unless everyone involved has reached an unusually high level of emotional maturity, so Nicole's absence would not be particularly shocking. Well, besides Harry Styles, of course, who will likely be there with his fiancée, Zoë Kravitz. Now that's called growth.

You might still spot the Ford Edge in dealership lots, but it’s officially done—production wrapped up in 2024 after an 18-year run. Built in Canada at Ford’s Oakville plant, it never got a replacement lined up, and there’s no new generation coming.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're an old soul.

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 July 3, 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: Good vibes

• Green: Old sayings

• Blue: Bad vibes

• Purple: One letter

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Positive feelings

• Green: Retro expressions of approval

• Blue: Bad things to give someone

• Purple: What things pronounced "T" might refer to

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 #1118 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Positive feelings: BLISS, FELICITY, HAPPINESS, WARM FUZZIES

• Retro expressions of approval: COOL BEANS, FAR OUT, GROOVY, RIGHT ON

• Bad things to give someone: COLD SHOULDER, DIRTY LOOK, HARD TIME, RUNAROUND

• What things pronounced "T" might refer to: GOLF ACCESSORY, GOSSIP, HOT DRINK, SHIRT

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 July 3, 2026

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

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 are easy if you're stuck in your ways.

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 July 3, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's like talking to a brick wall

The words are related to strength.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe being unshakable.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Not Budging.

NYT Strands word list for July 3

• Obstinate

• Willful

• Headstrong

• Firm

• Not Budging

• Stubborn

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.

If your iCloud storage is full, there's an easy way to clear space on your iPhone before resorting to paying for more storage. CNET’s Bridget Carey’s quick tips target the largest videos and photos first.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a runner.

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 July 3, 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for July 3, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Track and field accessory.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

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...

BATON

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.

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.

Time goes by so slowly when you're waiting for the queen of late arrivals, Madonna, in a steamy London club space on a Thursday night. But it's Mother. You wait.

Following a Times Square takeover with Grindr to kick off Pride Month, the queen of pop once again linked up with the GBTQ dating app to launch her new album, Confessions II. The official sequel to her 2005 record Confessions On A Dance Floor, the album is out today, with Madonna showcasing tracks to a buzzing, buff, and beautiful crowd of Grindr guests on Thursday.

SEE ALSO: Madonna streamed a surprise concert on Grindr

Thousands excitedly queued down the street outside Magazine in Greenwich, as a colossal pair of inflatable legs akimbo, clad in laced up pink boots, towered over the Thames, cheekily serving as the literal entrance to the listening party venue.

My iPhone 12's shittiness actually captures the steam well. Credit: Shannon Connellan / Mashable

Punters and celebs alike stepped through the giant vulva door, from Kate Moss to Daisy Edgar Jones, phones up. Decked out in thick plastic strips, pink lasers, and industrial steel, the venue's air felt thick with sweat, anticipation, and the collective knowledge we'd be in for a late one. And hope, that Madonna would actually be there (reader, she was).

Credit: Grindr Credit: Grindr

It's a major branding moment for an ongoing partnership between Grindr and Warner Records. As Wired's account of the Times Square event, which was livestreamed within the Grindr app in a first-of-its-kind online moment, says, "For Grindr users, the advertising for Madonna’s 15th album has been hard to miss." The campaign has seen the Grindr app brimming with Madonna features, including a pink icon geolocating the artist in the grid of nearby users, original interviews, exclusive vinyl preorders, and the ability to save Madonna's albums as kink tags. At the London party, Grindr's unmistakable mask logo was everywhere, from the bathroom tiles to wall projections.

Credit: Grindr

Arriving on the stage just after midnight (we expect it), following banger sets from Horse Meat Disco and Jodie Harsh, a pink-gloved and pink-bustiered Madonna happily shared the stage with producer Stuart Price and Honey Dijon for just under an hour. The iconic artist, now 67 and brimming with more energy than ever, sang over selections from her fifteenth studio album, including singles "I Feel So Free," Sabrina Carpenter duet "Bring Your Love," and "Love Sensation." (Flashing warning for the below video, friends.)

A dutiful sea of phone screens rose and receded with every new song, the inevitable moment-capturing a must in such a coveted event, especially when Madonna dropped into her 2005 Confessions On A Dance Floor smash hit "Hung Up."

Credit: Grindr

Though a promo event, the sense of community within the Confessions II party was undeniable, an adoring audience of LGBTQ+ fans celebrating an artist synonymous with genuine love and advocacy for the queer community.

And while it took me 200 years to get home, Mother's always worth it.

In 1976, as the country marked its bicentennial, Chevrolet built an entire ad campaign around a simple visual: nothing says American summer like baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and a new Chevy.

You don't really need to speak Spanish to understand everything Penélope Cruz says during her Hot Ones episode. Context and body language are more than enough.

In the clip above The Invite star sits down opposite Sean Evans to take on increasingly spicy wings, while answering questions about everything from her new movie to her favorite European meals.

The highlight? Frantic ice cream consumption.

Your 3D printer proudly advertises a maximum print speed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should actually use it. When print quality, durability, and printer longevity are your priorities, speed takes a backseat.

Excel can do much more than crunch numbers. If you've got some spare time this weekend, why not explore its creative side? From interactive 3D maps to custom image charts and heat maps, these three projects will help you create visuals that are as useful as they are impressive.