Technology

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A spy.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

NINJA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Unsteady.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 1, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SHAKY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Specialty.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 1 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 1, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FORTE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

The opposite of best.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 29 Hurdle Word 4 answer

WORST

Final Hurdle hint

Vague.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

FAINT

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for May 1 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 1, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To be really good at something.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

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...

ADEPT.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 1

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

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

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

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 May 1 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: Gains

• Green: To quit doing something

• Blue: Heard on a film set

• Purple: Miniature

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: Winnings

• Green: Stop, as a habit

• Blue: Movie camera verbs

• Purple: Words that precede "-Size" to mean small

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 #690 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Winnings: POT, PRIZE, PURSE, REWARD

• Stop, as a habit: BREAK, DROP, KICK, SHAKE

• Movie camera verbs: DOLLY, PAN, TILT, ZOOM

• Words that precede "-Size" to mean small: BITE, FUN, POCKET, TRAVEL

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 May 1

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.

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 preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 1 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 1 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: I get around

The words are ways to get around.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are a means of transportation.

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 Wheelie.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for May 1

• Skateboard

• Scooter

• Wheelie

• Rollerblades

• Bicycle

• Wagon

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 today's Strands.

The Four Seasons isn't what you'd expect from a Tina Fey project.

The creator of 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has long been associated with whip-smart pop cultural satire and punchlines that fly at a blink-and-you'll-miss-them pace. With The Four Seasons, Fey opts for a slower burn — but that by no means dulls the show's wit or reward.

SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: What's coming to theaters and streaming? What is The Four Seasons about? Steve Carell, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Tina Fey, Colman Domingo, Marco Calvani, and Will Forte in "The Four Seasons." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Co-created by Fey, Tracey Wigfield (Great News), and Lang Fisher (Never Have I Ever), The Four Seasons re-invents the 1981 Alan Alda film of the same name as a Netflix miniseries. The conceit remains the same: Three couples go on a new vacation every season, with each trip fittingly scored by Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons violin concerti.

Our couples are Jack and Kate (Will Forte and Fey), for whom "complaining is their version of sex;" Nick and Anne (Steve Carell and Kerri Kenney-Silver), whose marriage has hit a bit of a stale patch; and Danny and Claude (Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani), whose differing views on an upcoming medical procedure drum up tension by the bucketful.

(Notably, Claude has been gender-swapped from the original film's Claudia. That's just one of several changes Fey, Wigfield, and Fisher throw into the show in order to make The Four Seasons their own.)

SEE ALSO: 'Étoile' review: Amy Sherman-Palladino brings us to the ballet

These three couples have known each other for decades, as evidenced by the ensemble's easygoing comedic chemistry. (With such a monster cast, would you expect anything else?) Still, the show's first two episodes — the "Spring" section — feel a little off. The pacing is slower than that of other projects from these creators, yet it's at odds with the frantic rush to establish the couples' dynamics.

This chafing may be due in part to adjusting The Four Seasons' story from film length to TV length, but there's a narrative reason for it too. Things feel wrong because something is wrong: Nick is planning to leave Anne, a decision that will not only wreck their marriage but also tear apart the friend group.

By the "Summer" section, that breakup has occurred, and Nick has moved on to a much younger woman: 30-year-old Ginny (Erika Henningsen). Her arrival shakes up both the group's dynamic and the show's entire trajectory, ushering in pitch-perfect cringe comedy and pertinent questions about marriage and relationships.

The Four Seasons offers up a fascinating, hilarious look at marriage and friendship. Colman Domingo, Tina Fey, Erika Henningsen, Will Forte, and Steve Carell in "The Four Seasons." Credit: Francisco Roman / Netflix

Each of the couples at the heart of The Four Seasons face their own issues, from lack of communication to clinginess. But those terms are really just surface-level descriptors for the complex webs Fey, Wigfield, and Fisher weave between their pairs. These relationships feel lived-in, with years of of history built into every scene. Every pairing gets their moment in the sun, just as every pairing experiences some kind of blow-up or breaking point at a certain point over the course of The Four Seasons.

The same goes for the friendships on display in The Four Seasons. Imagine a full show devoted to the Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, and Michelle Monaghan story arc from The White Lotus Season 3, complete with all the behind-the-back gossip and one-upmanship, as well as genuine love for one another. Without a bunch of other guests pulling focus, The Four Seasons dives even deeper into the fraught dynamic of vacationing friends, and the results are at once poignant and hilarious. For every joke or awkward mishap around Nick and Ginny's May-December romance, there's a heartbreaking moment of Nick and Anne's friends trying to reckon with their separation. How do you stay friends with two people you love when one has harmed the other?

Tina Fey, Colman Domingo, and the entire cast of The Four Seasons shine. Marco Calvani, Colman Domingo, Tina Fey, and Will Forte in "The Four Seasons." Credit: Jon Pack / Netflix

The Four Seasons' cast matches the show's tone beat for beat, whether it's wrestling with the complexity of relationships and the work that goes into them, or making masturbation jokes.

Fey's wry humor makes a perfect foil for Forte's dorky affability, but the two do their best work in the latter half of the season, when cracks in Jack and Kate's relationship force them to examine some hard truths. Domingo is a standout as the oh-so-cool Danny, who's made all the cooler by Calvani's whole-hog commitment to Claude's fretting over Danny's health. Kenney-Silver moves nicely between pitiable and vengeful as Anne, while Carell miraculously makes sure Nick is a somewhat sympathetic figure, and not just a caricature of a man going through a mid-life crisis. As the odd one out in the friend group, Henningsen nails Ginny's vulnerability and occasional obliviousness, something she and Nick both share when it comes to interactions with Nick and Anne's daughter, Lila (Julia Lester, giving a firecracker of a performance).

With all these excellent performances and an array of picturesque vacation spots from a lake house to a ski resort, The Four Seasons makes for a breezy summer binge. Still, it's the substance that sneaks up on you that really makes The Four Seasons a winner, even if it's a slower burn from the jump.

The Four Seasons is now streaming on Netflix.

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Stop the madness of monthly cloud storage fees

Koofr is a trusted cloud storage option that's been around since 2013. And though it may not have the same brand recognition as the big names, there's another thing it doesn't have — monthly storage fees.

With Koofr, you can secure a lifetime subscription for 1TB and pay once. That's enough room for 250,000 12MP photos, 500 hours of HD video, or 6.5 million PDF files.

There are other great perks to swapping to Koofr, like their unique Koofr Duplicate Finder feature. It finds and removes duplicate files, helping save you time and freeing up space. And you don't have to worry about data tracking — your files will be encrypted both during transfer and rest. 

They even make moving your files from your former storage provider a breeze. Koofr features convenient integration with other external cloud accounts so that you can connect and access your files from Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon, and OneDrive easily. 

Store 1TB for life for the one-time low price of £89.84 with code KOOFR with this Koofr Cloud Storage lifetime subscription deal. 

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TL;DR: Unblock porn sites for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

It might not always seem like it, but the online world is full of content restrictions and blockades. We understand that there are good reasons for this, but we also believe in your right to online freedom.

Porn is obviously something that comes with online restrictions, but when the time is right, there's really nothing wrong with visiting sites like Xnxx. At totally appropriate moments, you should be able to bypass content restrictions to access your favorite sites from any location. This is where we can help.

Want to unblock porn sites like Xnxx from anywhere in the world? We've got all the information you need.

How to unblock Xnxx for free

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This quick and easy process bypasses geo-restrictions to access porn sites like Xnxx from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock xHamster for free

Unblock porn sites like Xnxx by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Xnxx

4. Visit Xnxx

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The best VPNs for bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Xnxx without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites when temporarily away from a secure network.

If you want to retain permanent access to everything the online world has to offer, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for porn is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the best service for fast and reliable unblocking of porn sites like Xnxx, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock Xnxx for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Concacaf Champions Cup semi final between Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL is hanging in the balance. The first leg finished 1-1, so everything is still up for grabs. A place in the final awaits for these talented teams.

If you want to watch Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL?

Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on May 1. This fixture takes place at University Olympic Stadium.

How to watch Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL for free

Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK (or somewhere else with access)

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL for free

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on YouTube, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Listening to music is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But it's more than that: It's a way of life, too — absolutely intrinsic to leisure, work, travel, and your overall state of mind. It’s little wonder that everyone needs a great pair of headphones. Listening to music is a deeply personal business.

But there's an issue with headphones: The modern world can be a loud place. Who can enjoy their favourite tunes or podcast over the incessant rumble of car engines, the non-stop nattering of coworkers, and the earth-rattling din of that nearby building site? If all that racket sounds ear-achingly familiar, we suggest you invest in some noise-cancelling headphones.

Buying headphones is never simple, though. All the brand names, jargon, and ever-evolving tech create another kind of noise. It can be hard to drown it out and tune into the basic facts. To help cut through it all, we've done the hard work of researching the best noise-cancelling headphones and put together some helpful information.

What is noise cancellation?

Noise cancelling headphones do what they say on the box. They block, dampen, or outright kill external noise so you can fully immerse in your tunes and isolate yourself from the outside world. There are two main kinds on noise cancellation: Passive and active noise cancellation.

• Passive noise cancellation works via the design and build of your headphones. They block out noise through physical features, such as large over-ear cups which create a seal and stop environmental noise leaking in.

• Active noise cancellation — usually referred to as ANC — uses a system of mini microphones that listen to what's happening in the world around you, then invert the noise and send it into the loudspeaker. The idea is that both the output and the input will cancel out, leaving you with near-silence. Or just the music you want to listen to.

Keep these in mind when considering your options.

What are the most important headphones features?

There are all kinds features to look out for when buying a set of noise cancelling headphones. These are the ones we think you should know about.

• Adaptive noise cancellation — Noise cancellation that detects a change in the surrounding environment and automatically adapts to give you real-time ANC.

• Battery power — Battery life will vary but most modern headphones will offer around 30 hours or more. Remember than some features, particularly ANC, can drain the battery and cut down the advertised battery life.

• Codecs — A codec is a piece of software that compresses music to transmit digitally and decompresses again at the other end. For best quality wireless sounds, look out for headphones that support high bitrate codecs such as aptX.

• Drivers — These are little cone-shaped gadgets in the ear cups that are responsible for your tunes. They convert electrical signals into sounds. They usually measure between 20mm and 50mm in headphones.

• Transparency mode — This allows you to let ambient sound back in. This is handy for things such as having conversations or listening out for announcements. Some transparency modes are adjustable, so you can choose which external sounds to let in. Most brands have their own name for this — such as "ambient" or "passthrough" modes — but they're all essentially the same thing.

These features are a good place to start when shopping around for your next pair of headphones.

What are the best noise cancelling headphones?

There are lots of brands out there, from the household names — Sony, Bose, Apple — to lesser-known brands that offer surprising quality and features for lower prices. If you’re looking for a headphones bargain, such as a pair of headphones for under £100, it’s worth looking at all the alternatives.

For noise cancelling, the best known brands tend to deliver the very best in ANC technology — as you’ll see from the selection below. Now that you know how it works, here are some of the best noise cancelling headphones out there.

These are the best noise-cancelling headphones in 2025.

Is it time to upgrade your TV? Let us answer that one: Yes it is. TV technology moves so fast now, with new TV models hitting shelves at such a rate that it doesn’t take long for TVs to become outdated. Even brand-new TVs are only top of the range for about a year. They’re soon supplanted by even newer, always improving models.

If you haven't gone 4K already, now's the time. Almost all TVs above a certain price point have a 4K resolution. Even if you already have 4K, the latest models will feature upgraded smart functions and an even sharper picture than whatever you have right now. Not only that, but streaming apps have 4K content. Without a 4K TV, you’ll get left behind in this rapidly-evolving world of high-definition entertainment.

The issue, as always, is price. 4K TVs tend to be more expensive, which can be a problem when you're browsing on a budget. But there are affordable 4Ks out there. You just need to know where to look and which models don't compromise too much tech for the sake of a lower price. If you’re unsure about how to choose an affordable 4K TV, we’ve put together a guide and a selection of the very best options.

What is a 4K TV?

Basically, a 4K TV (sometimes called 4K UHD) is any model with 4K resolution. This means that the TV has 3,840 horizontal pixels and 2,160 vertical pixels, making a total of approximately 8.3 million pixels. Resolution relates to how densely packed the pixels are on the display, so the higher the number of pixels, the higher the resolution.

4K TVs have four times the number of pixels than traditional HD TVs. This results in more vivid and detailed picture quality picture, which is what everyone wants, right? You will tend to find 4K TVs are big-screen models, because to really appreciate the higher picture quality, you do need to watch it on a large TV.

Can you buy cheap 4K TVs?

Not all 4K TVs will cost big bucks. Nowadays, all the top brands have large ranges of 4K TVs on offer, with everything from cheap entry-level models to giant cinema-like screens. The massive models are obviously impressive and mega expensive, but you can invest in 4K technology without breaking the bank.

What is HDR?

High Dynamic Range (HDR) refers to the contrast between the bright whites and darkest blacks. In simple terms, the higher the dynamic range, the more realistic and nuanced the colours. Examples of HDR formats are HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision. 4K TVs will support different kinds of HDR and other image-enhancing tech.

Does Netflix have 4K content?

Yes, indeed — though your subscription with cost a little more for 4K. If your TV is smart enough, it will advise you to upgrade your Netflix account to a 4K subscription. Other streaming platforms that offer 4K programming include Disney Plus and Prime Video. BBC iPlayer offers a limited selection.

What is the best cheap 4K TV?

To help you find the right model without spending big, we have lined up a selection of cheap 4K TVs from top brands. These are the very best budget-friendly options for streaming marathons, gaming, and everything in between.

These are the best cheap 4K TVs in 2025.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Like a laptop, notebook, and pen, a decent pair of headphones is a must-have item for any student — they double up as a tool for both leisure and study. Indeed, a good pair of headphones can help you to focus on studying or writing that overdue essay because they block out background noise and distractions. But they also help you unwind from a hard day's studying with an audiobook, movie, or playlist.

We all know that top quality headphones are expensive, but you don’t have to use up your entire loan. There are excellent options available at a great price. And let’s be honest: being broke is synonymous with being a student. Every penny counts.

Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just buying the cheapest pair you see on Amazon. In fact, that’s a fast track to buying a pair that will need replacing just a few months down the line. But students have enough studying to do without researching headphones. That's why we've done the hard work for you and pulled together a list of the best options. First off, here's a quick education on headphones.

How much do headphones cost?

This is the key question for anyone — students included — looking to save money where they can. Headphones can easily cost hundreds of pounds. That’s for top end headphones from the likes of Sony, Apple, and Sennheiser.

But — see below — it’s possible to get good headphones for around £100 or less. We have listed headphones at a range of prices. Even if your student loan doesn't stretch that far, the bank of mum and dad might.

What headphone features are important for students?

Headphone specifications can get really hi-tech, especially if you’re spending a lot of cash. But there are some features that will suit the workload and lifestyles of everyday students, such as noise cancellation and multipoint pairing. A long battery life is also important as well as quick and easy pairing to devices.

What is noise cancellation?

This is an increasingly popular feature that helps block out external noise, giving you an immersive listening experience. It works by using mini microphones within the earcups. These microphones detect external sounds and create anti-noise sound waves to cancel out incoming noise. This feature is especially good for students who are studying hard and need to remove all distractions.

What is multipoint pairing?

This is a cool Bluetooth feature that will suit the device-heavy student lifestyle. It allows you to connect your headphones to two or more devices, meaning you can switch to listening from your smartphone to your laptop to tablet without the hassle of having to manually change your Bluetooth settings.

How long do headphone batteries last?

With over-ear headphones, look out for models that last for 30 hours plus. That's pretty standard these days. Expect the battery to run down faster if you use features such as active noise cancellation. Earbuds have a shorter battery life — six hours is respectable — but usually extend the battery life with a portable charging case.

What’s best, over-ear or in-ear headphones?

If good sound is important, you'll want to be sure you buy the right style. Ultimately, it comes down to personal choice. Some people prefer the old school-feel of over-ear headphones. Others like in-ear buds that drill tunes directly into their head.

Over-ear headphones tend to have higher-quality sound and often have beefed-up features and tech capabilities, but if you’re carrying them around on campus, the bulkier design might be less convenient.

Earbuds are more compact and portable and will better suit anyone who’s moving from place to place with a bag full of books and devices. If you spend time between classes working out, earbuds tend be better for fitness, too.

What are the best headphones for students?

That has to be your decision — it’s all down to personal choice and what works for your lifestyle and study needs. But we’ve helped narrow down your choices with this selection of headphones. With these recommendations, you can save your money and spend it on more important things for school — like textbooks, laptops, and, of course, Deliveroo McDonalds for late night study sessions. 

These are the best headphones for students in 2025.

Cat lovers have been eating well lately. From Stray to the Cat Quest series, there’s no lack of great games starring cats from recent years, and Little Kitty, Big City is one of the best. Little Kitty, Big City originally released a year ago on PC, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

According to Korean website MTN, a new Starcraft game and a mobile version of Overwatch could be on the way from Nexon in the future. The report says that Nexon beat out three other companies that were competing with them since the end of last year.

One of the best-selling and most well-received games of all time, Elden Ring, has hit another significant sales milestone. Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the fantasy action role-playing game—known for its challenging yet rewarding gameplay—now stands among the giants of the industry. And with more still in the pipeline, it may not be done climbing.

The Back to the Future trilogy is such a huge part of my childhood, along with all the other 80s and 90s kids like myself, but it's not the only time travel movie worth your, er, time.

Whether it's a TV, PC monitor, smartphone, or tablet, you've probably seen the letters "HDR" in the spec sheet somewhere. HDR or High Dynamic Range is now an important standard for both displays and content, but it can be quite confusing if you haven't been keeping track.

AI continues to expand its reach into our lives, and language learning is next on the list.

This week brought big developments from both Google and Duolingo on that front. On Google's end, the search giant launched new Gemini-powered AI tools for users to learn foreign languages. Dubbed Little Language Lessons, the experimental feature offers three interactive lessons that "personalize language learning." For instance, "Tiny Lesson" can help you learn phrases for specific situations (such as losing your passport), while "Slang Hang" helps users learn local slang for less-stuffy conversation. Finally, "Word Cam" lets Gemini look at objects in your photos and labels them in the language you're learning.

SEE ALSO: I tried the new Meta AI app: 3 unexpected features

Duolingo, on the other hand, is going full speed ahead with generative AI. The company announced this week that it would stop relying on human contractors for "work that AI can handle," while also committing to using AI in hiring and performance reviews. On top of that, Duolingo announced on Wednesday that it used generative AI to come up with 148 new language learning courses, doubling its total course offerings.

The large language models behind Google Gemini and other popular AI tools have proved particularly adept at translation. Duolingo certainly believes the technology has big potential for language learning.

Of course, you don't have to look far to find people on social media responding negatively to the news. On X, some users are asking their peers to delete the app for going all-in on AI language learning.

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Learning another language is an inherently social activity, something a person usually does if they want to interact with other humans on a deeper level. Practically speaking, language learning usually requires human-to-human engagement.

For its part, Google says it's not trying to replace human instruction.

A Google blog post reads, "These experiments aren’t about replacing traditional study, but about complementing it: helping people build habits, stay engaged, and weave learning into their everyday lives."

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a resurrection of one of my all-time favorite games. Like many of you, I have spent hundreds if not thousands of hours in this game, so seeing it remastered using the latest graphics technology is awesome.

TL;DR: Live stream Inter Miami vs. Vancouver in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Concacaf Champions Cup final beckons for Vancouver. They beat Inter Miami 2-0 in the first leg of their semi-final matchup, but there is still work to do. Any team with the likes of Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Lionel Messi stands a chance of turning things around. This game isn't over just yet.

If you want to watch Inter Miami vs. Vancouver in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Inter Miami vs. Vancouver?

Inter Miami vs. Vancouver in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on April 30. This fixture takes place at Chase Stadium.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Vancouver for free

Inter Miami vs. Vancouver in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Inter Miami vs. Vancouver by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK (or somewhere else with access)

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream Inter Miami vs. Vancouver for free

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Inter Miami vs. Vancouver in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on YouTube, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Inter Miami vs. Vancouver in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Apple has just sent out another round of notifications to iPhone users who may have been targeted in sophisticated and wide-ranging spyware attacks.

Two separate users, Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino and Dutch right-wing political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, both shared on Wednesday that they had received an urgent alert from Apple. TechCrunch first noticed Pellegrino's article detailing the notification, as well as a video from Vlaardingerbroek about her experience.

The Apple notification warned both Pellegrino and Vlaardingerbroek that their smartphones were targeted in a spyware attack.

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"ALERT: Apple detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against your phone," reads the notification from Apple.

In his article, Pellegrino shares an email he reportedly received from Apple, which says the latest spyware notifications were sent to users in 100 countries, though users in as many as 150 countries could be involved.

Mashable has reported on previous rounds of spyware notifications sent by Apple. The iPhone maker started sending these notifications to users it suspected of being targeted by "mercenary spyware attacks" in 2024.

"Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID," reads a previous spyware notification email from Apple. "This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it's never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously."

As TechCrunch points out, Pellegrino's colleague at the Italian news outlet Fanpage was also warned by WhatsApp earlier this year about a targeted spyware attack. According to WhatsApp at the time, the spyware was traced to an Israel-based spyware maker Paragon Solutions. And earlier this month, we reported on another WhatsApp and Signal scam targeting human rights groups and supporters of Ukraine.

At this time, it's unclear what group (or groups) are behind the targeted spyware attacks. Mashable has reached out to Apple for more information and will update this piece if we hear back.