Technology

One of the most important TV shows of 2022, comedian Mo Amer's lauded Netflix series Mo returns for a second season at the end of January.

Created by Amer with Ramy Youssef, and directed by Solvan "Slick" Naim, Season 1 focused on protagonist Mo Najjar (played by Amer), a Palestinian refugee living in Houston with his family, awaiting the result of his asylum case.

Season 2 picks up with Mo, who's been stranded in Mexico for six months, without a passport and a way to get back to his family in the United States. Though he's continually questioned over his yearning to cross the border, Mo keeps on keeping on, finding levity even after learning that his girlfriend Maria (Teresa Ruiz) has started dating someone else, and when he's threatened with deportation after a border crossing goes awry.

This season, Farah Bsieso returns as Yusra, Mo's mother, alongside Omar Elba as Sameer, Mo's brother, and Hannibal Buress, Liza Koshy, Matt Rife, Ralph Barbosa, and Slim Thug join the cast in guest roles.

More timely than ever, Mo's return examines his experiences as a Palestinian refugee, the hypocrisies of the U.S. immigration system, and the institutional dehumanisation of people just trying to achieve citizenship — all while being a particularly hilarious, poignant, superbly written comedy show about a man just trying to get by.

Mo Season 2 is streaming on Netflix from Jan 30.

My wife and I don't carry house keys. We don't interact with keypads much either. We have fingerprint locks on every door of our home, and while that has been great, TP-Link's new palm recognition locks are already tempting me to move on to the next best thing

Mashable is on the ground at CES 2025, covering the latest consumer tech has to offer. The team is expecting big announcements for EVs, TVs, gaming upgrades, smart home devices, and lots and lots of AI-powered gadgets.

Check here for the most noteworthy highlights updated regularly, from the wacky to the "wow" and everything in between.

Satechi hub has a cool fix for an annoying Mac mini feature OK, this is an improvement. Credit: Satechi

Satechi, popular maker of accessories for Apple products (among others), has a brand new stand/hub for the M4 Mac mini, giving it additional storage options, a memory card reader, and three USB-A ports.

But its coolest feature is a recess on the back allowing you to easily reach the Mac mini's "hidden" power button. Genius!

Want more?: We're covering CES live in Las Vegas.

Nvidia's Blackwell RTX 50-series GPUs are here

The rumors were true: During his CES 2025 opening keynote, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed the company's new RTX 50-series graphics cards, promising massive performance upgrades over the 40-series generation of cards.

The new GPUs are called the GeForce RTX 5070, 5070 Ti, 5080, and 5090, with the last one being the most powerful card Nvidia has ever produced, but also a very expensive one at $1,999. The star of the lineup might very well turn out to be the RTX 5070, which is promising performance on par with Nvidia's previous flagship card, the GeForce RTX 4090, for just $549.

It should be noted, however, that the performance numbers are seriously padded up with Nvidia's DLSS 4 tech which uses AI to boost FPS numbers, and isn't widely supported by games yet.

Acer's new laptop is made from oyster shells No mollusks were hurt in the making of this laptop. Probably. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Acer's got a new environmentally friendly laptop, the Aspire Vero 16, and it's partially made from oyster shells.

Acer did this by cleaning, crushing, and mixing said shells, which are abundant in China, with a blend of more than 70 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

Other than this, it's a pretty straightforward laptop with Intel Core Ultra 200H (Arrow Lake) processors and up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.

TVs with AI are popular at CES 2025

Two major themes collide for CES 2025: AI and TVs. Samsung's Neo QLED, OLED and QLED, and The Frame models and LG's OLED evo lineup are packed to the gills with AI features to optimize audio/video settings, recommend content, and personalize your TV experience. Plus, both Samsung and LG have partnered with Microsoft to bring Copilot integration to their respective models. Google also unveiled its new TV operating system at CES, promising to bring its Gemini AI to TVs. TBD on whether AI features on TVs become useful tools or gimmicky bloatware, but expect much more of this to come.

Samsung unveils Vision AI, a suite of AI-powered features for its TV lineup. Credit: Samsung LG's StanByMe 2 portable battery-powered TV

LG's battery-powered, 27-inch, $999 TV in a briefcase went viral last year for being a convenient and budget-friendly way for road trippers to watch TV anywhere. This year, LG announced StanByMe 2, an update from the previous model with longer battery life (four hours from three hours) and higher resolution (1440p from 1080p). Availability and pricing hasn't been announced yet.

An electric spoon that makes things taste salty

Kirin's Electric Salt Spoon definitely falls in the wacky category of CES offerings. By sending an electric current through the spoon to your tongue, it makes your tastebuds think you're eating something saltier than it is. Mashable's Matt Binder did a hands-on, er, "mouth-on" (sorry) and confirmed that it works. A useful gadget for someone trying to consume less salt, although sadly it's currently unavailable in the U.S.

Robots, robots, robots

Robots are another mainstay you can expect to see at CES, and this year hasn't disappointed. So far we've seen a robot-lamp hybrid from Jizai that looks like the Pixar mascot, a robot called R2D3 from OpenDroids that tackles household chores, and the Roborock Saros Z70 that's a vacuum robot with a robotic arm for picking up obstacles in its path, like socks. Unfortunately, Dreame's X50 Ultra didn't exactly end up being the "stair-climbing" robot vacuum it was pitched as.

Meanwhile, there's fierce competition for the cutest robot at CES, with sweet bots Mi-Mo, Mirumi, and Loona leading the adorable charge.

A dyslexia-friendly monitor

French startup Lili for Life has engineered a monitor to help people with dyslexia, by addressing the underlying problem of overlapping "mirror" images caused by dyslexic people having two dominant eyes. Mashable's Chance Townsend explains how it works: "The Lili screen emits nearly imperceptible light flashes that correct this overlap by creating a shift in visual perception. This innovation makes reading smoother, faster, and less tiring, enhancing text comprehension and making the experience more enjoyable for the reader, according to the company."

This monitor addresses the underlying challenges for people with dyslexia. Credit: Mashable / Chance Townsend A Switch and a gaming laptop had a big Acer baby

A supersized competitor to the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, Acer's Nitro Blaze 11 was announced Monday. The Taiwanese tech company's latest handheld PC has a few features to give it an edge over its fellow portable gaming devices; Mashable's Haley Henschel went hands on with the Nitro Blaze 11 at CES and got up close with that massive screen and detachable controllers — and found out just how much you'll have to hand over for one.

It's a whopper. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable An air-purifying cat tower with cursed display felines

Look deep into the eyes of LG's eerie demo cats and behold the company's new air purifier, one that doubles as a tech-fuelled cat perch. The AeroCatTower hit the CES floor this week, and Mashable's Chance Townsend took a look to see what it is, how it functions, and why pet owners might want one.

👀 Credit: Chance Townsend / Mashable We tried on multiple pairs of smart glasses, one with an NBA all-star

Another year, another CES framed with smart glasses. Mashable's Matt Binder has been trying on several pairs, including XREAL's new One Pro AR glasses and Chamelo's color-changing smart glasses — one of which had our tech reporter chatting about liquid crystal and prismatic lenses with NBA al-star Stephon Marbury.

Sony announces Ghost of Tsushima anime series

Thought CES is just about gadgets? While there are a lot of new gadgets shown at the event, there's some good old TV entertainment in the mix as well.

Announced at CES 2025 by Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions, an anime series based on Ghost of Tsushima is set to launch on Sony-owned platform Crunchyroll in 2027. It's a notable launch, as Ghost of Tsushima: Legends will be the first ever anime adaptation of a PlayStation Studios game. The series will be directed by Takanobu Mizuno, written by Gen Urobuchi, animated by Kamikaze Douga, and co-produced with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba's Aniplex.

Credit: Sony/YouTube

But it wasn't the only screen adaptation Sony announced.

Lenovo's laptop can make itself grow

A new "rollable" laptop from Lenovo was unveiled at CES, one that can make the display grow larger. The lengthily named ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable AI laptop is a pretty wild personal device that expands on Lenovo's previously showcased models — and it's one Mashable's Chase DiBenedetto has more detail on.

Samsung won't let you escape the smart house

Not content to keep its CES AI reveals to TVs, Samsung showed off its latest Bespoke AI smart appliances, leaving reporters in no doubt that the company wants to use smart technology to power just about everything in your home. In a flashy showcase that Mashable's Chance Townsend checked out, Samsung showed off an ecosystem of devices, the result of a team-up between Samsung Knox, Bixby, and SmartThings — everything from fridges to ovens, air conditioners to washing machines, all powered by AI. Notably, Samsung, Google, and Apple have signed onto a new universal certification for smart home devices.

It's not the Ultrahouse 3000 but getting close... Credit: Chance Townsend / Mashable A tiny AI supercomputer for your desk

Plenty of AI-powered computers are on display at CES this year, whether laptops or desktop PCS. Asus unveiled the "world's lightest Copilot+ PC" with a 32-hour battery life as part of its AI laptop line, and while Nvidia's new graphics cards are one of the biggest highlights of the week, check out the company's tiny little personal AI supercomputer.

Meanwhile, Dell decided to go with a simple rebranding of its laptops — one that got roasted for its Apple-mirroring.

An AI nature camera wants you to be besties with your backyard plants

If you want to really get to know the goings on in your backyard, an AI-powered nature camera called the Petal was revealed by the Bird Buddy smart bird feeder on Sunday. Mashable's Haley Henschel met this frankly adorable device, which can send images and videos of your yard to your smartphone.

LOOK AT IT. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Mashable is on the ground live at CES 2025! We’re covering all the wildest and most important developments this week, so please keep checking back in with us. Want to submit a product you represent for our teams’ consideration as we identify the Best of CES? Here’s more info on how to do it.

Donald Trump wants to go after Greenland, and Seth Meyers has a message for him.

"I'd like to say something to Donald Trump about his threat to take Greenland by military force that might take some of our viewers by surprise," says Meyers in the Late Night clip above, before issue the incoming President with a direct challenge: "Do it! Do it, you coward! Go get Greenland, you coward! Fix my shower and get me Greenland, or don't show me your face ever again! I'm calling your bluff, bro. Stop making these crazy promises. Do it. I want it. Go get it. Why won't you get it, you afraid of Denmark, bro? You starting to remember they've got those big ass dogs?"

Meyers goes on to say that this is how he knows Trump isn't going to take on China. "He talked a big game but now he's backing down and threatening Greenland instead. He's going to keep downgrading to smaller and smaller countries. Russia's going to do whatever it wants while he, like, threatens Peru."

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 8, the Beats Studio Buds are on sale for $99.99 at Best Buy. This is $50 off their list price of $149.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds $99.99 at Best Buy
$149.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

There's no better way to kick off the new year than with some new earbuds, especially if you set some fitness goals for the year and want them to keep you busy with music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Thankfully, Best Buy's offering a nice deal at the moment on the Beats Studio Buds so you can score some high-quality noise-canceling earbuds without making a dent in your wallet.

The Beats Studio Buds — in black, beats red, and white — are down to $99.99 at Best Buy. This is $50 off their list price of $149.99. They even come with some bonus items to get you started on the right foot: three months free of Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music for free for up to three months.

SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

These earbuds will keep you in the zone while you're on the go thanks to Active Noise Canceling that helps to block out any outside noise around you. And for the moments when you'd rather be tuned into your surroundings, it also features a Transparency mode. On top of that, they offer up to eight hours of battery life to keep you listening for longer.

Set yourself up with some brand new earbuds to start off the new year. Save $50 on Beats Studio Buds at Best Buy.

There are plenty more deals on headphones and earbuds that are worth having a look at right now, too. You can also save on the Beats Fit Pro at the moment and, if you don't mind spending extra cash, you can also score a nice discount on the over-ear Apple AirPods Max right now at Best Buy.

Apple introduced window tiling in macOS 15 Sequoia, but it wasn't quite what many of us had hoped for. If you want a more powerful and intuitive way to organize windows on macOS, third-party apps are still the way to go.

Save $1,100: As of Jan. 8, Sony 75-inch Mini LED 4K Google TV is available for $1,398 at Walmart, a massive $1,100 discount from its original price of $2,498.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony 75-inch Mini LED 4K Google TV $1,398.00 at Walmart
$2,498.00 Save $1,100.00 Get Deal

In my humble expert opinion, the Sony 75-inch mini LED 4K Google TV is more than a TV; it's a life upgrade. At $1,398 at Walmart, this beauty is not just $1,100 cheaper than usual, it's also the kind of screen that might make you cancel those pricey theater trips for good.

First, let's talk visuals because wow. Its cognitive processor brings every scene to life with rich colors, sharp contrasts, and stunning detail. Paired with mini LED tech and a wide color spectrum, it turns every frame into a masterpiece. It's like bringing the director's cut straight into your living room.

SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

If you're a gamer, you're going to love this. With HDMI 2.1, 4K at 120Hz, and exclusive features for the PlayStation 5, this TV doesn't just keep up with your gameplay, it takes it to the next level. The game menu puts all your settings in one place, making it easy to optimize for any title.

Streaming is seamless with Google TV, which keeps all your apps and content organized in one place. Plus, it comes with Bravia Core, offering a library of 4K movies included right out of the box. Add Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced; every movie or show feels tailor-made for this screen.

The sound is just as impressive, with advanced audio technology that makes explosions rumble, dialogue crisp, and soundtracks soar. Pair it with a Sony soundbar, and you've got an audio-visual combo that's hard to beat.

At $1,398 from Walmart, this deal is almost too good to be true. Gaming, binge-watching, or showing off your new setup? This Sony TV will steal the show. Get it now before the deal disappears.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 8, the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS + Cellular, 44mm) is on sale for $279 at Amazon. This is 15% off its list price of $329.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $279.00 at Amazon
$329.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

It's a new year, and that means a fresh start to set some goals for the year. If you're looking to up your fitness game in 2025, why not pick up an Apple Watch to help you track your progress? Thankfully, you can save on the Apple Watch SE 2 at Amazon, which can get you started on the path towards your goals without breaking the bank.

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS + Cellular, 44mm) is currently down to $279, 15% off its list price of $329. That saves you $50, which is a nice little deal to kick off the new year. This Apple Watch has everything you need to start the year off strong, too.

SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

Alongside helpful fitness features that can track numerous types of workouts and advanced metrics, this watch also comes with health features to keep you feeling at the top of your game. This includes a heart rate monitor, sleep tracker, and even safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS.

There's no better time than now to pick up an Apple Watch SE 2. Get started on the right foot this year by saving $50 on the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS + Cellular, 44mm) at Amazon.

There are a few more Apple deals worth checking out right now, too. If you want to pick up some new headphones, AirPods Max are currently on sale at Best Buy. You can also score an Apple iPad right now for just $279.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 8, the JBL Tune 770NC headphones have dropped to their lowest-ever price of $79.95, a 38% discount from their $129.95 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Tune 770NC $79.95 at Amazon
$129.95 Save $50.00 Get Deal

The holidays and seasonal sale events may be behind us, but there are still some deals worth taking advantage of at the start of this new year. If you've been on the hunt for noise-canceling headphones, the JBL Tune 770NC are currently enjoying an excellent discount at Amazon — down to their lowest-ever price.

The JBL Tune 770NC headphones are on sale for $79.95, 38% off their list price of $129.95. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is their lowest-ever price, so there's no better time to scoop them up. You can even save on every color listed: black, blue, or white. Amazon also has them listed as a limited-time deal, so it's an offer that may not stick around much longer.

SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

These headphones are well worth the investment, too. Offering Adaptive Noise Canceling, you can zone in on your favorite songs, audiobooks, podcasts, and so much more without the outside world being too distracting. They even feature Ambient Aware and TalkThru for those moments when you want to be a bit more aware of your surroundings.

To have noise-canceling features like these for under $100 is an excellent deal. Don't miss out on this limited-time opportunity to score the JBL Tune 770NC headphones at their lowest-ever price at Amazon.

If you're looking for even more headphones on sale right now, we've got some great options to look through. You can also save on Sony's WH1000XM4 headphones right now and even the AirPods Max are enjoying a nice discount at Best Buy at the moment.

Anker brought a solar beach umbrella to CES 2025, making us instantly want something we never knew existed before: A solar beach umbrella.

Yes, it's a large parasol that protects you from sunlight, while at the same time charging a mobile (well, sort of) electric cooler with solar panels. The umbrella can be collapsed just like any beach umbrella, as the solar panels on top are flexible. The cooler on the bottom packs a detachable 288Wh battery, and has small wheels for lugging around easily, though we don't advise trying to carry this thing to a remote beach with no car access.

And it's not just regular panels Anker is using here. The company says it's using perovskite solar cells, which should offer a 30 percent better performance than the typically used silicon cells. In reality, you can expect solar power of up to 100W total.

What's important is that you can bring a number of battery-powered gadgets to the beach and charge them with Anker's solar umbrella, without worrying you'll run out of power (OK, maybe don't try Bitcoin mining).

Oh, and if it suddenly starts raining, this thing will also protect you from the rain, as it has an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating.

SEE ALSO: NASA solar probe survives dramatic plunge into the sun

Unfortunately, Anker didn't share the price for the Solix Solar Beach Umbrella. The only thing we know is (a vague) availability date, as the device should become available either in the spring or summer of 2025.

Do you really need that umbrella, though? Credit: Anker

The cooler is called the Solix EverFrost Electric Cooler, and can be bought on its own, without the solar umbrella. It's available in three capacities: 23L, 40L, and 58L, in case you really need to cool down a lot of booze refreshing drinks. Its battery should provide 52 hours on one charge, but you can also buy more batteries and swap them out if you need more power (and if you haven't opted for the solar umbrella). The Solix EverFrost Electric Cooler goes on sale on February 21, starting at $699.

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 8 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Time for an upgrade

These words are used to describe parts of your kitchen.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are things you might upgrade in your kitchen.

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 KitchenRemodel.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 8

• Backsplash

• Countertop

• Island

• Sink

• Oven

• KitchenRemodel

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.

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 January 8 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 January 8, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An early version of something written.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters appear twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DRAFT.

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 January 8

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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 January 8 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: A part

• Green: Noisemaker assistants

• Blue: Gentle giants

• Purple: A loud category

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: Section

• Green: Accessories for playing an instrument

• Blue: Distinctive features of an elephant

• Purple: Words misspelled in Nu Metal band names

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 #577 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Section: BRANCH, DIVISION, LIMB, WING

• Accessories for playing an instrument: BOW, DRUMSTICK, MALLET, PICK

• Distinctive features of an elephant: EAR, MEMORY, TRUNK, TUSK

• Words misspelled in Nu Metal band names: BISCUIT, CORN, LINCOLN, STAINED

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 January 8

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.

"We have been so concerned about all the scary things Trump's gonna do that we forgot he's also gonna do some really stupid things."

This is Daily Show host Desi Lydic's lead in to Trump's recent foreign policy comments, which seems to largely consist of a list of places that he wants to become part of the U.S.

In the footage above Lydic responds to Trump's suggestion Canada merge with the US ("Canada can't become part of America, that's the country I pretend to be from when I'm travelling abroad!"), taking over the Panama Canal ("Because why stop at just controlling birth canals") and saying the US needs Greenland for national security.

"Of course we do! Greenland is vital for our national security," Lydic said. "It's the only way to stop Santa Claus from waltzing on down from the North Pole and ****ing our wives."

Save $220: As of Jan. 8, TCL 75-inch Q5-Series QLED 4K Fire TV is available for $529.99 at Best Buy, saving you $220 off its regular price of $749.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 75-inch Q5-Series QLED 4K Fire TV $529.99 at Best Buy
$749.99 Save $220.00 Get Deal

In my opinion, the TCL 75-inch Q5-Series QLED 4K Fire TV is one of the best big-screen deals of the year so far. At $529.99 from Best Buy, you’re saving $220 while getting a TV loaded with premium features for streaming, gaming, and everything in between.

Let’s start with the picture quality. This TV combines QLED Quantum Dot technology with HDR PRO+, including Dolby Vision and HDR10+, to deliver breathtaking visuals. Colors are vibrant, contrast is sharp, and details are crystal clear. Watching a blockbuster movie or dramatic series? This screen makes every scene feel larger than life.

SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now

The 75-inch screen and FullView 360 bezel-less design create a truly immersive experience, perfect for binge-watching or hosting movie nights. Plus, with Motion Rate 240 and MEMC frame insertion, fast-moving action stays smooth and clear, so you never miss a moment of excitement.

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NASA will investigate two new approaches to bring its Mars samples to Earth through a mission proposal that is less expensive and technically complicated. 

The space agency will flesh out options that could either involve using a commercial lander, possibly supplied by SpaceX or Blue Origin, to get to the surface of the Red Planet, or incorporate the tried-and-true sky crane, the landing system that brought the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers to the Martian surface in the first place.

Either change in the mission's design could reduce the estimated $11 billion cost to under $8 billion, said administrator Bill Nelson, who will be leaving his post when former President Donald Trump is inaugurated again later this month. These options could also shorten the timeline to bring the samples home by one to five years, making the earliest possible touchdown in 2035, he said. 

"The very reason that we pulled the plug was this thing had gotten out of control," Nelson said. "What our wizards at NASA have figured out is that they've come up now with a solution to get the successful outcome we want, and that is, we want to return 30 titanium tubes as soon as possible at the cheapest price."

NASA plans to finalize the mission design in the second half of 2026.

SEE ALSO: NASA's plan to return Martian rocks is in trouble. Could these 7 companies help? A core of a Martian rock about the size of a piece of chalk within a Perseverance rover drill. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS

Recent exceptional rock discoveries have only mounted pressure on NASA to solve the problems facing its Mars Sample Return mission, its plan to fly bits of rock, dust, and air collected by Perseverance back to Earth. 

The mission has been in limbo since a review found it would cost upward of $11 billion and take nearly two decades to achieve. NASA engaged the greater aerospace industry for input on how to wrangle in spending and development last year. Several companies suggested a variety of ideas, which Mashable reported, including repurposing Artemis moon landers and rethinking the last leg of the journey. 

Mashable's review of the proposal summaries in August 2024 showed many of the ideas focused on the Mars Ascent Vehicle, the rocket that would blast the samples off Mars and into space — a sign that insiders had identified the MAV as a key sticking point.

This mission would mark humanity's first attempt at launching off another planet. Aerojet Rocketdyne, Whittinghill Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman's proposals all pitched finding ways to make that rocket — and the lander bringing it down to the surface — lighter and smaller. Aerojet Rocketdyne went a step farther, urging NASA to reduce the mass of the Mars rocket to reuse its sky crane. 

A Mars rover descends to the surface of the planet with the help of the sky crane system. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech illustration

For both new approaches, the mission’s landing system would carry a smaller version of the MAV. The platform’s solar panels would be swapped for a radioisotope power system that can provide power and heat through the dust storm season.

NASA officials struggled to articulate Tuesday why the sky crane hadn't been integrated into the mission's architecture from the start.

"Why, when this was originally being designed, was it being designed with a much larger lander so they could not employ the already existing and successful sky crane?" Nelson asked rhetorically. "Of course, if you build a bigger and better mouse trap, it's going to be more complicated and it's going to get more costly."

Since landing on Mars in 2021, Perseverance has filled sample tubes with rocks and dirt. NASA's goal has been to retrieve at least some of them and get them to Earth in the 2030s. 

To do that, the agency planned for the rover to deliver the samples to a robotic lander equipped with a rocket. If the rover couldn't make the drive, drones similar to the recently deceased Ingenuity helicopter would pick them up and fly them to a lander. Once the tubes were in space, an orbiter built by the European Space Agency would bring them some 140 million miles back to Earth. 

Over the summer, Perseverance discovered a spotted rock with the most compelling signs of ancient Martian life yet, though a sample would need to be shipped back to Earth for confirmation. Casey Dreier, senior space policy adviser for The Planetary Society, told Mashable last year he hopes the recent accomplishments on Mars will galvanize the political support to bring samples home. 

"It's kind of a reminder that no one is going to care if it costs $6 billion or $11 billion if we discover evidence of life beyond Earth for the first time in human history," he said then.

Nelson told reporters Tuesday it will be up to the Trump administration to make the final decision on the path forward for the sample return mission. NASA will spend the next year working on engineering plans for either new approach. When asked if Nelson had an idea of whether the new administration wants to continue the mission, he said he didn't know.

"I can't imagine that they don't," he said. "I don't think we want the only sample return coming back on a Chinese spacecraft."

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