Technology

TL;DR: Upgrade your PC with Windows 11 Pro for only $14.97 (reg. $199) before codes sell out.

If you haven't heard already, Microsoft has officially announced the countdown clock on Windows 10. Are you still running your PC on this dated operating system? Now might be the perfect time to finally upgrade your device's performance, because the latest operating system, Windows 11 Pro, is now less than $15 until the end of today. However, codes are limited.

With these Windows 11 Pro keys, you can completely revamp two compatible PCs, whether they're your personal or work computers. For starters, you'll enjoy a refreshed user interface that's been designed to be intuitive and aesthetically pleasing with rounded corners.

This updated operating system provides more than just an improved navigation experience. New productivity tools like snap layouts, easy redocking, and improved voice typing can help you complete personal and professional tasks, and you'll even have a more powerful search experience to get you further.

Digital safety is paramount for anyone online, which is why Windows 11 Pro is outfitted with enhanced security measures like Smart App Control, TPM 2.0, BitLocker device encryption, and more for greater peace of mind as you browse, stream, or game. And speaking of gaming, this operating system is designed to improve PC gaming graphics with DirectX12 Ultimate.

Since this is the Pro version of Windows 11, you'll additionally get remote work-friendly features, such as remote desktop access for viewing files and running programs from your mobile device. There's also Azure AD, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox for extra professional usage.

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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

Crooked.

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

ASKEW

Hurdle Word 2 hint

What a toilet does.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 28, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FLUSH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Substance.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 28 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 28, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DEPTH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Needed for Internet usage.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for July 28 Hurdle Word 4 answer

MODEM

Final Hurdle hint

A droid.

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

ROBOT

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

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

We all know the pain of untangling your headphones. It's like some ludicrous puzzle that we're forced solve every darn day. It’s the curse of owning wired headphones.

Perhaps that’s why the top audio brands have largely ditched the classic headphone jack and moved towards almost exclusive wireless listening. Well, that and the ever-evolving technology. Unsurprisingly, wireless earbuds have risen in popularity and become a must-have tech item for busy and active lifestyles.

And lifestyle is absolutely the word. Because headphones and earbuds are a lifestyle choice — there's a pair out there to suit everyone and every lifestyle. Which is great for variety but that can make it harder to choose the right pair for you. We've made it a little easier by doing the research and rounding up the very best wireless earbuds.

What are wireless earbuds?

Just like a pair of standard wired buds, these little guys fit snugly inside your ear's concha (that's the shell-shaped cavity right next to the entrance of your ear canal) and send digital audio signals through a wireless connection.

What is true wireless?

True wireless is a term you’ll come across a lot when researching and shopping for earbuds. Technically, earbuds fall into several categories. For instance, “wireless” earbuds connect to each other via a cord, while “true wireless” have no cord whatsoever — they are completely independent of each other and your device. True wireless headphones can use different types of wireless technology to transmit the sound into your ears. The most common form is Bluetooth.

With brands and listeners favouring true wireless, we’ve followed suit — all the earbuds in this roundup are true wireless.

Are earbuds better than headphones?

If portability and a lower price point appeals to you, you'll probably prefer wireless earbuds over the on-ear counterpart (wireless headphones). And luckily for you, Apple is no longer the only major brand cranking them out. From Bose to Beats, almost every audio brand has got a couple of wireless earbud offerings on the market nowadays.

Headphones are generally considered the go-to option for serious audiophiles. But there are earbuds geared towards high-quality sound that can match up to over-ear headphones at the same price point. Wireless sound quality is affected by factors such as distance and obstructions between your headphones and device, and the codec software that your headphones support.

What are Bluetooth codecs?

Codecs are algorithms that encode and decode digital audio signals. Look out for earbuds with low latency (this is the time it takes for the sound to hit your ears) and support for Qaulcomm’s aptX codecs. These are the best, most up-to-date codecs — particularly for streaming video content and keeping the image and audio in sync. This is important if you’re a Netflix nerd or have a passion for Prime.

What is noise cancellation?

Noise cancellation is another important feature in tech-savvy headphones. There are two kinds of noise cancellation — passive and active noise cancelling. Passive noise cancellation is achieved by the design of the headphones, which may physically block out noise. Active noise cancellation (ANC) uses a system of small microphones which pick up external sounds and create anti-noise sound waves to cancel them out.

Earbuds tend to offer some level of passive noise cancellation because of their in-ear design. But some also have specific ANC modes, such as "transparency mode" which allow select ambient sounds to seep in. A transparency mode is especially useful when listening out for announcements at the train station or talking to colleagues — all without having to stop your music every 30 seconds.

What is spatial audio?

This is an increasingly common feature in up-to-date headphones and earbuds. This technology places sound in different locations around you for a truly immersive, three-dimensional listening experience. If you're watching a movie, for instance, the placement of different sounds can put you right in the middle of the action. Some earbuds also have spatial audio head tracking, which anticipates your head movements and adjusts the spatial audio for optimum audio at all times. Most audio brands have their own version of spatial audio. The best known version is Dolby Atmos.

What are the best wireless earbuds?

All of these options can make for a tricky decision when it comes to finding the right pair of wireless earbuds in terms of fit, style, and intended use. That's why we've done the research to bring you the best wireless earbuds featuring the latest Bluetooth technology. There should be something for everyone at every budget on this list, including popular models from top brands. All you need to do is pick a pair.

These are the best wireless earbuds in 2025.

I switched to Windows 11 shortly after it was released, since I’ve always been an early adopted of new tech. Some of the most jarring things about Windows 11 have been fixed, but many of them are still going to be splash of cold water in the face if you’re coming from Windows 10.

When you think of audio files, you probably think of MP3 files. The format is so popular that an entire generation of hardware bears the name: MP3 players. Despite their enduring popularity, it is time for MP3s to be retired.

Google's suite of cloud applications, including Google Keep, are extremely convenient. However, if you value privacy and the ability to customize your experience, there is a better option out there.

Linux is all about customization, whether you need the most basic, command-line-only operating system, or a fully-fledged desktop ready to throw down with Windows and macOS. These are a few of the best apps you can install on Linux.

I want to like Windows. It’s great for gaming and handles CAD software fantastically. But, for over a decade, I never seriously considered it as my primary OS—until two years ago. Now, after giving it another shot, I’m back on macOS... just like always.

Some of the best games from the 80s and 90s ran on DOS, but due to architecture changes, are completely unavailable on modern operating systems. This is how I play them today, and how you can too.

I have long wished I could hide the status bar on my phone. You know, that row of icons going across the top of the screen? Well, it turns out I can, and so can you—if you also happen to have a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Just because Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk has taken a step back from the spotlight doesn’t mean DOGE — the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency" — has stopped pushing its controversial tech agenda inside the federal government.

According to a report from The Washington Post, DOGE is now deploying an AI tool to help federal agencies identify and eliminate regulations en masse. Internal PowerPoint slides obtained by the Post detail what’s being called the "DOGE AI Deregulation Decision Tool," which claims to have flagged 100,000 of 200,000 federal rules as ripe for deletion.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk and DOGE reportedly tried to take over the U.S. Copyright Office

DOGE's goal is to build a "delete list," cutting half of all federal regulations by September 1. It’s designed to target rules no longer required by law and is reportedly being rolled out across multiple agencies — including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where it has allegedly written "100% of deregulations," and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where it’s been used to review over 1,000 regulatory sections.

But accuracy is already an issue. Several HUD employees told the Post that the AI frequently misunderstands legal language and misidentifies rules, raising concerns about the tool’s reliability in policy decisions.

The Deregulation Decision Tool is just one of many AI-driven projects DOGE has introduced under the Trump administration. Other initiatives include an AI-first overhaul of the U.S. General Services Administration, automated monitoring of EPA communications for DEI or anti-Trump/Musk content, and using AI to write code for the Department of Veterans Affairs — a project reportedly riddled with bugs and errors.

I'm a big fan of gamified learning. That led me to try out a popular Linux learning game: OverTheWire. What started as a quick curiosity turned into hours of addictive puzzle-solving, terminal wizardry, and the kind of “aha!” moments you only get when you figure something out for real.

Millions of adults miss out on the recommended 7 to 8 hours of shut-eye every night. And over time, that sleep debt can mess with everything from your mood to your immune system. But the good news? With the right app, you can better understand your nighttime habits, pinpoint what’s hurting your sleep, and make changes that actually work.

When I started building a smart home, my Samsung Frame TV served as the hub that connected everything together. Now the brains of home is a tiny box that controls everything locally instead of relying on the cloud. It’s called Home Assistant Green, and it’s the single best investment I’ve made in my smart home.

I always felt uneasy when someone asked to see my phone, as all my private WhatsApp chats were there, wide open. Luckily, I explored a feature that allowed me to lock the entire WhatsApp app on my phone as well as on my desktop.

Everyone knows that PC airflow is important. If you don't keep your thermals low, your components might overheat. If that happens, your performance will drop. But the advice about airflow that gets repeated online often comes without any context. The truth is, a lot of airflow tips are baseless.

Have you heard people say that "all Linux is the same?" Are you unsure how two Linux distributions that share a software base can be different? Let me explain what's going on, and why developers have made so many distros.

The Porsche Taycan delivers jaw-dropping performance, blending EV speed with supercar handling and sleek sports-sedan practicality. Few cars, gas or electric, can match its combination of power, precision, and cutting-edge tech.

Replica consoles are a great way to enjoy retro gaming without dealing with aging consoles that are slowly breaking down. But of course, they're not the real thing, and there are some things to keep in mind when considering them.

If you’re in the market for a new smart TV, it can be overwhelming. There are numerous types of TVs, each with distinct features, operating systems, and specifications that make them different. But there may be a simple and better solution: buying a projector.